[WVMETRONEWS] CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- A home security camera captured the shocking incident Sunday morning of a woman set on fire in a Charleston neighborhood."We have shootings and things of that nature, but this level of depravity is just shocking to the conscience," said Charleston Police Chief of Detectives Lt. Steve Cooper.
Police haven’t released the video, but Cooper added it’s difficult to watch as the suspect walks up on the porch, douses the sleeping victim with gasoline, and lights her on fire.
"She was doused in accelerant and lit on fire by the suspect," said Cooper. "She runs off the porch, tearing her clothes off and trying to put the fire out. She’s just completely engulfed in flames."
The woman, identified as Rachelle Jarrett, 44, of Charleston was asleep on the porch of the abandoned home on Randolph Street on Charleston’s west side. The suspect is unknown to police, but they have been able to get a good image of him from the security footage and hope it will lead to his identity and eventual arrest.
"The night before, he checked into the Union Mission homeless shelter," Cooper said. "We have video surveillance of him there from the night before. He left the homeless shelter and within just a short period of time, he was down on Randolph Street setting this woman on fire."
The suspect used a false name when he checked into the shelter. The victim is at death's door at the burn unit of Cabell-Huntington Hospital.
The incident happened around 6 a.m. Sunday morning. The suspect is also believed to have tried to set a second fire in the neighborhood in a similar manner, but was chased away by property owners. He’s being actively sought by police today.