North Alabama man set fire to his wife, police say
A Decatur man faces first degree charges of domestic violence, assault and arson after authorities say he set his wife and his apartment on fire early Tuesday morning.
Decatur police say Riley Herbert Willis III, 40, is being held in the Morgan County Jail without bond.
According to police, officers were called to Summer Courtyard Apartments, 2216 Acadia Drive S.W., at about 3:30 a.m. Decatur Fire and Rescue and Decatur-Morgan EMS also responded, in reference to a burn victim.
They found a woman with “serious physical injuries,” suffering from burns. Investigators determined Willis set his wife on fire, and then set fire to the apartment using an accelerant, before fleeing through a back window to avoid being seen.
Officers found Willis hiding in another apartment in the complex.
The female victim was transported to UAB Hospital, where she is in critical condition.