A Texas man is in custody, charged with murder, after police say he set his roommate on fire inside their Amarillo trailer while the victim was still alive.
According to police, first responders arrived at a fire at a local trailer park around 4:53 a.m. on October 27. After the blaze was extinguished, firefighters discovered a body inside the RV trailer, later identified as 46-year-old James Sosa.
An autopsy determined that Sosa had soot deposits in his trachea and lungs, proving he was alive at the time of the fire. Witnesses reportedly told police they saw someone walking away from the trailer just before smoke was spotted.
Police later questioned Sosa’s roommate, 46-year-old Luis Angel Rico, who returned to the scene. Though Rico denied involvement, officers noted he smelled like gasoline and had soot on his hands. Further investigation by the fire marshal’s office reportedly found an accelerant on Rico’s clothing and shoes.
Rico was initially arrested for drug possession after officers found fentanyl tablets on him. He has since been charged with murder, accused of setting Sosa on fire. Rico is being held without bond in the Potter County Jail.
READ: Florida AG Fights Efforts To Halt Execution Of Child Rapist, Murderer Bryan Jennings
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