Woman burned alive over $2,000

A man charged with dousing a woman in flammable liquid on a New York lift and tossing a Molotov cocktail at her told police he set her on fire because he was angry that she owed him $2,000 (£1,300).

Jerome Isaac was arrested on Sunday on murder and arson charges in the death of Deloris Gillespie, 73. Mr Isaac, 47, reeked of gasoline when he turned himself in to police overnight.

Ms Gillespie was ambushed in her Brooklyn apartment building on Saturday. The suspect had been waiting for her when the lift doors opened to the fifth floor, police said. Mr Isaac told police that Ms Gillespie owed him money from some work he had done for her.

AP