Memphis Man Arrested For Setting Girlfriend On Fire After She Tried To Break Up With Him

Obsessed Memphis Man Sets Girlfriend On Fire With Lit Cigarette When She Threatened Breakup

38-year-old Kenneth Upshaw of Memphis has been arrested and charged with second-degree murder after reportedly dousing gasoline on his girlfriend and then proceeding to set her fire with a lit cigarette. Officials say the encounter occurred after she attempted to break up with him.

The woman was rushed to the hospital, and luckily, survived; however, she suffers from second-degree to deep second-degree burns to her neck, arms, face, and chest, officials told WREG.

The incident happened when she was standing in the driveway of an acquaintance’s home in East Memphis on October 8. She told the 38-year-old man she was breaking up with him, then he proceeded to set her on fire. The victim said Upshaw told her, “If be could not be with her, then no one would.”

 

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Luckily, the homeowner was informed of a fire in his driveway, and he rushed to put the fire out. Reports say Upshaw helped put the fire out as well.

The unidentified homeowner told WREG, “It was pretty bad. I mean, it burned the whole back end and part of the back driver’s side and started to get where the gas tank is, and I thought it was going to explode.”

According to court documents, the couple shares a child and has an extensive history of domestic violence.

Upshaw once punched his girlfriend, who was pregnant at the time, leading her to an emergency C-section one month before the infant’s was due.