Arizona woman arrested for setting man on fire, causing apartment blaze, police say

MESA, Ariz. (3TV/CBS 5/Gray News) - A woman is now facing felony charges after police say she killed a man by pouring gasoline and lighting him on fire, which led to a blaze at an apartment last month.

Officers said 40-year-old Stephanie Williams was arrested on Tuesday evening.

Arizona’s Family reports that on June 8, firefighters were called out to a fire and explosion at an apartment at Arizona Golf Resort, near Broadway and Power roads.

When firefighters arrived, they found Wallace Robinson covered in third-degree burns that covered over 60% of his body.

Investigators said he was placed in a medically-induced coma but died on June 25, more than two weeks after the fire.

Williams was also taken to the hospital with burns on her hands, arms, face and legs and was also put into a medically-induced coma.

Court documents said while Williams was being taken to the hospital, she kept saying, “I had to do it. He was going to kill me.”

Firefighters began investigating the cause of the fire. According to court paperwork, firefighters found it started on the bed where Robinson was lying naked.

Detectives say Williams doused him with gasoline and lit him on fire. The smell of gas was found in the apartment, Williams’ car, gloves, mattress pad and burned fabric.

A gas can also was found hidden behind a bush near another apartment, which is where Williams ran to get help, investigators said.

Firefighters said since both were the only ones in the room where the fire started, they determined Williams lit Robinson on fire due to his injuries.

The investigation also found there were several domestic violence calls over two years, with several leading up to the fire.

Court documents said in one incident, Robinson told police Williams lit a rug on fire in the room.

However, investigators said Williams told officers Robinson squirted lighter fluid on her and lit her on fire, even though she had no injuries.

As Williams woke up from a medical coma, police were able to talk to her on Tuesday.

Court documents said Williams told police she remembered being on fire and breaking a window to escape. She also recalled a woman pouring water on her and riding in the ambulance to the hospital.

However, she told officers she didn’t remember when gas was poured on Robinson and lit him on fire.

After police interviewed her, she attempted to leave the hospital in the middle of the night but was arrested.

Williams was booked on one count of first-degree murder and one count of arson.

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