Former U.S. Team Powerlifter Arrested for Arson in Spring Hill

Former U.S. Team Powerlifter Liszette Ortiz-Rosado was arrested on four counts of arson after investigations revealed that she started several fires at the Bridgewater Club Apartments in Spring Hill.

News 4 San Antonio reported in 2019 that Ortiz-Rosado was selected for the U.S. team four times and she was valedictorian at the charter school she attended.

On June 10, 2024, a man reported that his car windshield was damaged while parked at the Bridgewater Club Apartments where he lived. Deputies also found evidence that a fire had been started (char marks and ashes) in the vicinity of where the vehicle had been parked.

The man told an HCSO non-emergency operator that someone had crinkled up a piece of paper, lit it on fire, threw it on top of his car and now his windshield is broken.

A week later, the same man reported more damage to his vehicle. His rear driver-side window had been smashed and the rear seat had burn marks. Deputies found burn marks on the siding of the apartment
building and the word “Prostitute” had been written across the apartment door of a female resident.
To catch the culprit in the act, the male victim set up surveillance cameras and on June 22 at 4:35 a.m., he captured a female suspect setting another fire near where the first building fire was set on June 17. He was able to identify the suspect as Liszette Ortiz-Rosado, age 23. The male victim told detectives that he knew the suspect through a male co-worker. His co-worker had been dating Ortiz-Rosado. The co-worker also identified the suspect in the video as Ortiz-Rosado.

The co-worker told detectives that Ortiz-Rosado was under the delusion that he was sleeping with a prostitute who lived in the apartment that was vandalized.

He said that the male victim’s car was probably targeted because it had been parked in front of the female victim’s apartment.

The co-worker further explained that after he told Liszette she could no longer live in his apartment with him due to more irrational behavior, he found his car windows smashed, which he reported to
police.

Detectives questioned Ortiz-Rosado on June 26. She denied setting the fires but admitted that it was her on the surveillance video. She said she was not starting a fire, just bending over to help a lizard. Detectives report that Ortiz-Rosado proceeded to make several irrational statements.

According to a detective with the Bureau of Fire, Arson, Explosive Investigations, all four of the arson events were related due to the same burnt material being recovered from each incident, described as a “tan colored fabric with a waffle type pattern.”

Ortiz-Rosado was arrested and charged with two counts of Arson of a Dwelling and two counts of Arson of a Vehicle. She was transported to the Hernando County Detention Center, where she’s being held in lieu of a $50,000 bond.

Investigators ask that the anyone with more information contact Hernando County Crime Stoppers. Tipsters remain anonymous. Hernando County Crime Stoppers can be reached by phone at 1-866-990-TIPS (8477) or **TIPS from a cell phone.

You may also submit your tip via the internet at http://www.hernandocountycrimestoppers.com.