West Side resident Lisa Baywood's bail was set at $1.5 million on charges that she set her disabled boyfriend on fire, burning 65 percent of his body, the Chicago Sun-Times reported. Doctors at Stroger Hospital don't expect him to survive and said his condition is too unstable to perform skin grafts.
Now her Chicago criminal defense attorney has the unenviable task of defending against charges of attempted murder, aggravated arson, heinous battery and aggravated domestic battery.
Cook County prosecutors said Lisa Baywood often threw hot water on the 61-year-old man when he refused to give her money. And sometimes she allegedly threatened to "burn his ass up" and would light matches near an aerosol hair spray can to scare him.
The 42-year-old woman, who has been previously convicted of prostitution, finally made good on her threats. She allegedly doused their bed with gasoline, claiming she was trying to destroy bed bugs, and then splashed some on the victim's chest.
He screamed for help and said he couldn't see as he ran to the kitchen door in an attempt to escape; but assistant state's attorney Lorraine Scaduto said Lisa Baywood blocked him and then torched him with a lighter. She told authorities that she expected her boyfriend to give her $150 to $200 from his monthly retirement and disability checks so she could pay bills, in an apparent attempt to justify her actions.
She also said the victim frequently would "play games" with her, refusing to give her the cash in a lump sum, which she said angered her.
Lisa Baywood, also known as Sherry Ann Hartison and Lisa Hartison, sustained burns to her legs and remains hospitalized at Stroger Hospital.
The attempted murder charge will be upgraded to homicide if the victim dies from the serious burns. Since authorities made it a point to illustrate prior threats, intent and motive, prosecutors may seek first-degree murder charges.
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Find a Chicago Criminal Attorney (FindLaw)
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