Last week brought more delays for the woman accused of sparking the Highland Lakes fire that burned more than 150 acres near Divide last fall.

It has been nearly a year since the fire was ignited, and the suspect’s case is moving slowly. Mental health stays and competency concerns delayed proceedings several times since the arrest of Lacey Tillitt was announced.

Tillitt, 77, was initially expected to enter a plea Oct. 13, but her defense counsel requested a new hearing date to allow more time for evidence examination.

During one of her recent court proceedings in August, Tillitt was deemed competent to proceed to trial after concerns over her competency led to a mental health stay early in the case. Later in the month, Tillitt’s defense counsel waived her preliminary hearing, which blocked the prosecutors from revealing additional evidence.

Tillitt, also referred to as Lowa Tillitt in public records, faces one count of felony arson due to endangering more than $1 million in property for allegedly starting the fire on Oct. 28. The fire burned 166 acres northwest of Divide and caused the evacuations of more than 700 households.

During Tillitt’s last hearing, her defense counsel informed the court they would likely file a motion for bond reconsideration ahead of Monday, but no discussions on the topic happened during the hearing.

Tillitt appeared in custody from Teller County Jail, where she has remained since her Jan. 16 arrest. The 77-year-old faces a $50,000 bond for the arson case. In addition, Tillitt has two open felony cases in which she faces charges related to assault on a peace officer while in custody, court records show. Both cases come with an additional $10,000 bond.

Tillitt’s next scheduled appearance in a Teller County courtroom is set for Nov. 17.