Homeless Woman Set on Fire While She Slept on a Bench in LA

Phil Furtado places candles on a burned city bus bench in Los Angeles on Thursday where police arrested a man for allegedly setting a 67-year-old woman on fire who was sleeping on the bus stop bench.

What seems like a random act of violence has shocked and alarmed many San Fernando Valley locals. A 67-year-old homeless woman known as Flo Parker was trying to sleep on an uncomfortable bus bench in LA when a man poured flammable liquid over her body and set her ablaze with a match early Thursday.

The woman is currently in the hospital in critical condition.

Suspect, Dennis Petillo

A witness called the police who arrested suspect 24-year-old Dennis Petillo who is held on a $500,000 bail.

The witness, Erickson Ipna, described what happened at the scene.

“He just poured it all over the old lady and then threw the match on her and started running,” Ipina said. Ipina then chased the suspect. “I said, ‘Hey stop right there! Stop right there!’ He kept running and I pulled out my cell phone and called 911 and then he just turned back on me and pulled out a knife.”

Police report that there is no apparent motive for the cruel act. What could justify setting another human being on fire, besides the fact that the world is filled with sick and twisted individuals?