House arrest lifted as Bovard man awaits arson, burglary trial

A former Greensburg man was released from house arrest Monday as he awaits trial for setting fire to a Hempfield home in 2022.

The blaze injured two firefighters and killed three family pets.

Westmoreland County prosecutors claim Randy W. Bryner set fire to the house to cover up his theft of silver coins from it.

Bryner, 61, now of Bovard, is awaiting trial on 19 counts including multiple felony offenses of arson, aggravated cruelty to animals, burglary and other related charges in connection with the Jan. 2, 2022, blaze at a home on Farmington Place.

According to court records, Bryner has been on house arrest for more than three years as his case moved through the court system. During a court hearing Monday, Bryner said personal setbacks, including the recent death of his wife, his struggles caring for two special needs children and financial obligations related to his house arrest left him unable to pay legal expenses related to his upcoming trial.

“Because of home electronic monitoring (costs), I can’t afford attorney fees,” Bryner told the judge.

Police said the homeowners had previously hired Bryner to perform household chores and received a surprise Christmas Eve visit from him the day before they left for a weeklong Caribbean vacation. Police say he returned to the home a week later, stole silver coins valued at about $7,000 and set fire to the 5,700-square-foot residence to cover up the heist.

According to court records, the home’s security cameras recorded audio of Bryner’s voice inside the smoke-filled residence.

Police estimated the damage to the home exceeded $1 million.

Prosecutors contend Bryner sold the coins at various locations throughout Western Pennsylvania.

Westmoreland County Common Pleas Court Judge Tim Krieger said he sympathized with Bryner’s personal struggles. After hearing from a probation officer who said Bryner has had no violations during his time on house arrest, the judge agreed to lift that requirement and postpone the trial until January. Bryner will be required to report weekly to his county probation officer.

“This will allow you to save money to pay your lawyer expenses,” Krieger said.

Bryner previously was sentenced to five to 10 years in state prison on burglary charges stemming from a 2013 incident in Northampton County, according to state court records. He was released in August 2020. His criminal history dates to the 1980s.