Ledes from the Land of Enchantment

Man accused of setting fire to a roommate in NW ABQ

Lawrence Sedillo (MDC) An Albuquerque woman was flown to a burn center in Texas and her roommate is behind bars after allegedly dousing her with gasoline and setting it on fire near West Central on Friday afternoon.

Lawrence Sedillo, 39, is charged with a heavy battery that causes serious injury. He was booked into the Metropolitan Detention Center early Saturday morning. It is unclear whether he has a lawyer.

Court records show the 42-year-old woman – who had “severe burns” on her face, arms, chest and back – was flown to the University Medical Center burn center in Lubbock, Texas.

Prosecutors have filed for Sedillo’s detention pending trial, stating that his actions are “inherently dangerous and potentially fatal”.

“The seriousness of the events worries the state extremely that this person shows no consideration for human life,” says the motion.

According to the criminal complaint filed with the Metropolitan Court:

The officers answered around 9 a.m. on block 100 on 47th NW, north of Central, after a neighbor called 911 and reported that a “badly burned” woman was coming to her door.

Police found a woman who was burned to “a significant part” of her body and told them that her roommate Sedillo tried to kill her by setting her on fire. The woman was rushed to the University of New Mexico hospital before being flown to the burn center in Texas.

The neighbor told the police they heard screams and went outside to see Sedillo chasing the woman and yelling, “Don’t lie to me (explicitly)”. The neighbor said Sedillo went back to his house and the woman told them he doused her with gasoline and set it on fire.

The neighbor told police the woman asked to take a shower “because her skin was hot and the skin was peeling off,” and they gave her a towel to put on her burns until help arrived. Another neighbor posted a police surveillance video showing Sedillo chasing the woman and carrying a red petrol can.

The officers ransacked the house where Sedillo and the woman live and noticed a “strong smell” of gasoline and burnt clothes.
Sedillo was not found at the apartment but was arrested some time later in a house a mile away.

Sedillo’s criminal history dates back to 2005, according to court records, and consists of two DWI arrests, traffic violations, and a drug drug possession charge.

Comments are closed.