Woman set afire dies from injuries

By Associated Press

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

ATHENS - A 42-year-old woman who was doused with kerosene and set on fire has died from her injuries.

Family members say Elisa Davenport died around 5 p.m. Saturday at the Joseph M. Still Burn Center, due to complications of burns she suffered on more than 60 percent of her body from the Aug. 17 attack.

"The trauma that her body went through was just too much for her to hold on," her brother, Eric Davenport, said.

Athens-Clarke police say they plan to take out warrants Monday charging 49-year-old Phillip Scruggs with murder.

Scruggs, who was her boyfriend, had originally faced charges of aggravated assault and first-degree arson for the incident, which caused a blaze that gutted her home and spread to other units in an Athens apartment complex.

Police and family members say he attacked Lisa Davenport because she was trying to end an abusive relationship.

Police first arrested Scruggs in 2001, after family members say he abducted Davenport, stabbed her with a screwdriver and left her for dead.

A Clarke County grand jury indicted him on charges of kidnapping, kidnapping with bodily injury, aggravated assault and violating the state Family Violence Act, and as part of a plea agreement Scruggs pleaded guilty to kidnapping, false imprisonment and battery.

He received a three-year sentence, but with credit for time served in county jail, Scruggs was back out in September 2004.

Eric Davenport said his sister had moved on and was rebuilding her life as she worked cleaning homes and baby-sitting. But he said Scruggs made his was back into her life about a year ago, and the fighting continued.

Scruggs already is held without bail at the Clarke County Jail on charges of aggravated assault and first-degree arson. Scruggs set Davenport on fire around 4 a.m. at Bethel Midtown Village north of downtown.

Relatives have yet to make arrangements because a medical examiners were to perform an autopsy today at the Georgia Bureau on Investigations State Crime Lab.

People who want to help the family meet expenses can donate to the Elisa Davenport Fund, in care of Regions Bank, 3153 Atlanta Highway, Athens, GA 30606.

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Information from: Athens Banner-Herald, http://www.onlineathens.com