A 30-year-old woman has been sentenced to five years behind bars following a senseless and highly destructive multi-day arson spree that left a historic Perth cemetery chapel in ruins and disrupted hundreds of funerals.

Tianna Addison Diodato-Day pleaded guilty in the District Court to charges stemming from the October 2024 attack on the landmark Norfolk Chapel at Karrakatta Cemetery, which caused more than $3.4 million in damage.

A Trail of Senseless Destruction

The court heard that Diodato-Day disguised her face before smashing her way through the chapel's glass doors. Once inside, she poured fuel from a jerry can across the floor and furniture before setting the building ablaze.

Immediately after sparking the inferno, Diodato-Day filmed the destruction and sent a video to an associate known only as 'Bunter'. In accompanying text messages, she wrote, "I hope I did you proud," adding, "I want to be part of this friend group still."

Widespread Disruption to Grieving Families

The impact of the fire reverberated across the metropolitan area. The Norfolk Chapel—which facilitates around 40 per cent of all funeral services in Western Australia—was forced to close for 12 months for extensive repairs.

District Court Judge Carmel Barbagallo condemned the acts, noting that the sacred site is of immense "mourning, remembrance and cultural significance" to the community. She emphasized the profound distress caused to grieving families who were unable to say their final goodbyes in their chosen venue, as well as the immense pressure placed on cemetery staff and facilities.

Co-Offender Also Jailed

The Karrakatta attack was the climax of a chaotic series of fires set by Diodato-Day and her co-offender, 28-year-old Dennis Dear, over several days.

The duo also targeted Mandurah’s Lakes Lawn Cemetery, where Dear lit fires causing an estimated $412,000 in damage. Additionally, Diodato-Day used accelerants to set fire to a grave at another Mandurah cemetery, sending a video of the burning grave via Snapchat to 'Bunter' with the caption, "She's burning this one."

Dear was sentenced to three years and four months in prison after pleading guilty to two counts of arson and breaching a conditional imprisonment order. He will be eligible for parole in February. Despite an application from the City of Mandurah for $133,000 in compensation, Judge Barbagallo declined the request, citing Dear’s lack of financial capacity to pay.

An Attack on the Whole Community

While insurance covered the $3.4 million restoration of the Norfolk Chapel, Judge Barbagallo warned that the wider community would ultimately bear the financial cost through rising insurance premiums.

Metropolitan Cemeteries Board CEO Kathlene Oliver spoke of the deep pain the incident caused local residents. "The arson attack on Norfolk Chapel was not just an attack on a cemetery building, it was an attack on the community," Oliver said. "The Norfolk Chapel holds deep significance for generations of Western Australian families who have come together there to honour and remember loved ones."

The Norfolk Chapel has since been fully renovated and reopened to the public, restoring a vital sanctuary for grieving families.