A Florida woman is behind bars after police say she tried to kill her boyfriend with a lit torch inside her Altamonte Springs apartment on Monday.
Click Orlando reports that 38-year-old Shivon Perez is facing a felony attempted homicide and arson charges after she allegedly lit her boyfriend, Bradley Atkins, on fire with a torch, then locked the front door of her apartment (at 355 Lakepointe Drive) so he couldn’t escape. Prior to the incident, Perez reportedly had the victim help her board up her windows, something he thought odd at the time but didn’t think much more of it.
According to police reports, Perez asked Atkins to fix her her bathroom sink inside her apartment. While he was lying on the floor attempting to fix a pipe under the sink, the suspect walked in the bathroom and poured lighter fluid on him. She then allegedly told the victim he’s “going to pay” before lighting him on fire with the torch.
Atkins freed himself from the bathroom, but Perez reportedly poured lighter fluid on the living room floor and set it on fire, then fled after locking him inside the apartment. Atkins eventually made his way out of the apartment and screamed for help.
“He was just screaming that she lit me on fire, and he ran out to the middle of the road,” neighbor Nicole Fader told Click Orlando.
Atkins’ friend Melissa Colgan said that he has severe burns across his upper body and face that could require surgery. Court records indicate Atkins also has burns and on his arm, neck, and one hand.
Friends set up a GoFundMe fundraiser for the victim, to help cover medical expenses.
“Just making sure he’s doing OK and trying to get some kind of fund together to help him out since he’ll be out of work,” Colgan said. “I went and saw him yesterday. He was in good spirits, he’s up he’s talking.”
“I’ve met (Perez) a few times and never really had a good impression of her, and this kind of confirms everything that we all suspected,” Colgan added.
Perez, a licensed nurse, remains behind bars.
The story is still developing. Check back with CrimeOnline as additional details become available.
[Feature Photo: Shivon Perez/Police Handout]
