Man tells police he set his disabled wife ablaze in Virginia

NORFOLK, Va. – A Virginia man told police he doused his disabled wife in gasoline, set her on fire and burned her alive.

The Virginian-Pilot of Norfolk reported Tuesday that 58-year-old Delano Grangruth is charged with second-degree murder in the death of 61-year-old Kathleen White-Grangruth and burning a building with the intent to commit a felony.

Detective Matthew Nordan says firefighters went to the couple’s home in April after White-Grangruth’s caregiver smelled something burning and called 911. Firefighters forced their way inside and found White-Grangruth heavily burned.

Grangruth told detectives he and his wife, who used a wheelchair, had a serious fight, so he slept at a bar. Authorities say he later said he’d set White-Grangruth ablaze.

Grangruth is scheduled to go to court in September. It’s unclear if he has a lawyer.

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Information from: The Virginian-Pilot, http://pilotonline.com