Hilton jurors visit scene

LYNN – Fifteen jurors in the murder and arson trial of Kathleen Hilton on Tuesday visited the now-renovated High Rock Street house she allegedly torched in 1999 that resulted in the death of five family members.The home at 46 High Rock now belongs to Eduardo Leon, 32, his parents and several small children.Leon’s family appeared undaunted at the number of jurors, court personnel and the television crew from Tru TV (formerly known as Court TV) walking through their home as Leon’s mother Daysi cooked dinner around 4:30 p.m.Leon says he’s used to media attention because he once worked at WJDA-AM radio in Chelsea and former Latin nightclub magazine “Buhos.””I got used to it,” he said.Even though the number of strangers in his house didn’t bother him, Leon admitted to being slightly disturbed by knowing several survivors during the inferno jumped from a second-floor bedroom window, which was one of the places in the home pointed out to jurors.Heriberto Feliciano, 34, his wife Sonia Hernandez, 32, their daughters Sonia, 12 and Maria, 13 and their niece Glorimar Santiago all died after being unable to escape from the third-floor apartment Feb. 24, 1999.”When nighttime comes, it’s kind of weird,” Leon said.Police closed most of High Rock Street between 4 and 5 p.m. as jurors walked through Leon’s house, then walked around the neighborhood and eventually to Hilton’s former residence at 112 Hollingsworth St.Earlier in the day at Lawrence Superior Court, jurors were shown a home video of the burning triple-decker.Prosecutors say Hilton, 62, set a fire in a stairway to get even with her son’s ex-girlfriend who lived at the house with Hilton’s two grandchildren and would not allow visitation privileges. Hilton allegedly confessed to setting the fire and believed if the family were left homeless, the children would be back with her son.Hilton’s case has grabbed the attention of the legal community because she has been held in jail without trial for 10 years.Defense attorney Michael Natola in court last week described his client as mildly retarded with a diagnosed mental illness. He and attorney Gary Zerola say police could not obtain physical evidence to provide for Hilton’s confession and have pointed the finger at Hilton’s son Charles Loayza, claiming he set fire to a Christmas ornament attached to his ex-girlfriend’s door in December 1998.Zerola, who was recently acquitted of three separate rape cases in Massachusetts and Florida that received a considerable amount of media attention, told the Item he is working Hilton’s case for free because he believes she is innocent.”I don’t wish what happened to me on anyone,” Zerola said. “However, I more than anybody believe in the criminal justice system.”