A Texas man is accused of binding two women with duct tape, pouring lighter fluid on them and burning one of them during a convenience store robbery Thursday, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported.
Robert Thompson, 40, is charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and aggravated robbery, according to a news release from the Palestine Police Department. He is being held at the Anderson County Jail in lieu of a $4 million bond, KETK reported.
Police said Thompson robbed the cashier at the Pit Stop convenience store in Palestine and robbed another customer at gunpoint, Palestine police Chief Andy Harvey said Thursday.
“If you can believe that,” Harvey said. “It’s hard to describe watching it on video.”
Muhammad Khan, the owner of the convenience store, released surveillance video to KETK. It shows a man in a white coat with a fuzzy hood, later identified by police as Thompson, bind cashier Linda Camire and Della Witt-Denizeri, a customer, the Palestine Herald-Press reported.
Thompson then allegedly poured lighter fluid on the women and lit Witt-Denizeri, on fire, KLTV reported.
Harvey said Camire was able to help Witt-Denizeri remove her burning shirt, the television station reported. Witt-Denizeri was taken to an area hospital and then moved to a Dallas facility for treatment, KLTV reported.
"She did suffer some burns around her head and her hair was burned," Harvey told the Star-Telegram. "She was able to put out the flames before they became life-threatening.
Thompson allegedly left with between $700 and $800 in cash, Khan told KLTV.
Thompson was arrested at 5 p.m. Thursday at another convenience store in Palestine, the Palestine Police Department said in its release.
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