Woman Plans Insanity Defense in Party HQ Fire
A New Braunfels woman faces federal and state charges tied to a January 14 fire at the Comal County Republican Party headquarters.
Updated on Nov. 13, 2026 in Terrorism
A New Braunfels woman intends to rely on an insanity defense against a federal charge of malicious damage by fire to property involved in interstate commerce, according to a court notice filed this week. She also faces state charges of terrorism, felony arson, and burglary related to the January 14 fire at the Comal County Republican Party headquarters on Landa St.
Why it matters
The filing signals that the case will turn in part on questions of mental state at the time of the alleged offenses, which could shape how both federal and state prosecutions proceed. The case involves an attack on a political party's headquarters, placing it within the broader scrutiny of politically motivated property crimes in New Braunfels and Comal County.
The defendant faces a federal charge of actual and attempted malicious damage by fire to property involved in interstate or foreign commerce, carrying up to 20 years, plus state charges of terrorism, felony arson, and burglary. A court notice filed this week states she will rely on an insanity defense, with psychiatrist Dr. John Tennison serving as expert witness, and his examination report has been forwarded to Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Mangels.
The players
Christopher Mangels
Mangels is an assistant U.S. attorney in the western district of Texas who received the psychiatric examination report on the defendant.
Maureen Scott Franco
Franco is the federal public defender representing the defendant in the federal case.
Dr. John Tennison
Tennison is a San Antonio-based psychiatrist who has drafted a psychiatric examination report and will serve as an expert witness.
The details
Federal officials allege the woman broke a window at the building at 265 Landa St., threw a backpack inside, attempted to climb through the window, and threw a lit rolled magazine inside. The backpack allegedly contained ethanol, gasoline, a lighter, and matches. Federal public defender Maureen Scott Franco is representing her.
Timeline
January 14: Fire at the Comal County Republican Party headquarters in New Braunfels.
This week (November 13, 2026): Court notice filed stating the intent to rely on an insanity defense.
Legal Context
The federal charge invokes a statute that reaches arson against property used in interstate or foreign commerce, a provision federal prosecutors have used when local attacks touch national-scale activity. Placing the state terrorism charge alongside it reflects how Texas and federal authorities are pursuing overlapping charges in the same incident.
Residents of New Braunfels and Comal County may see continued court filings and hearings as the federal and state cases move forward. Local political offices and businesses near Landa Street have a stake in how the case is resolved and what security measures follow.
The takeaway
Cases built on a mental-state defense often hinge on expert psychiatric evaluation, so the outcome will depend heavily on how the court weighs Dr. Tennison's report against prosecutors' position. Readers following similar cases can track court docket filings for the expert reports and any competency or sanity hearings that follow.
Further reading
For more on related cases, browse Terrorism coverage across New Braunfels.
Source note: This article includes information reported by San Antonio Express-News.
