Arraignment delayed in arson try

May 14—PEABODY — The arraignment of a Peabody man on charges that range from attempting to set fire to his apartment for insurance money to trying to escape from Middleton Jail by climbing a razor-wire fence has been postponed.

Teandre Moore, 33, was indicted in the case in March. He is charged with attempting to burn a dwelling, burning property with intent to defraud an insurer, disabling a fire alarm and with escaping a penal institution, all charges stemming from events last December.

On Friday, a correctional officer from the Middlesex County Jail, where Moore has been held in recent months, told the court that officers discovered Thursday that Moore had barricaded himself in a cell, which was "completely covered" in bodily fluids.

Moore's new attorney, Mark Schmidt, filed a motion asking to have Moore evaluated by a psychologist.

At his initial court hearings last December, his attorney at the time said Moore had been off of his medications after losing his job at a car rental business and then his health insurance. Moore was also facing eviction after falling $9,000 behind on his rent at the 1 Main St. apartment building where he was living.

Police believe Moore obtained a rental insurance policy, then attempted to set fire in his apartment in order to collect on that policy on the morning of Dec. 9.

A couple of weeks later, while in custody at the Middleton Jail, the sheriff's department said Moore managed to get out of the area where he was being held and climbed a razor-wire fence, only to end up trapped between that fence and another one, bleeding from cuts.

Moore's arraignment was postponed until next Friday.

Courts reporter Julie Manganis can be reached at 978-338-2521, by email at jmanganis@salemnews.com or on Twitter at @SNJulieManganis.

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