UPDATE: The victim, Tonya Cockrell, has passed away from her burn injuries, according to the Hempstead County Sheriff’s Department and her husband, is now facing a capitol murder charge.)
On July 8, at approximately 8:41 p.m., Hempstead County Deputy Kyle Malone and Sergeant Derick Bunn were dispatched to a structure fire at 5045 Highway 67 West. Dispatch advised that a neighbor called stating that his neighbor’s residence was on fire, and that the female who lived there got burned.
Upon arrival, the officers observed that the fire was actually located at 114 Hempstead 1530 in Fulton.. Deputy Malone was advised by Fulton firefighter Clay Antley that the female had second- and third-degree burns all over her body. Deputy Malone then observed that the female, later identified as Tonya Cockrell, 35, was burned on what appeared to be 100 percent of her body. Pafford EMS then arrived and transported Cockrell to Christus St. Michael’s in Texarkana, Texas. She was later transported to Arkansas Children’s Hospital Burn Unit where she is in critical condition
Upon further investigation deputies discovered a can of weed-eater gas in the kitchen of the residence after the deputy’s received information from a nurse at St. Michael’s ER stating that Cockrell told them that her husband poured weed-eater gas on her and set her on fire. Ms. Cockrell stated that her husband, Bruce, was hitting her and punching her, and telling how ugly she was, and “then he poured gasoline on me and set me on fire.”
Deputies arrested Bruce Cockrell on charges of first-degree domestic battery and he was transported to the Hempstead County Detention Center where he was booked and awaiting a first court appearance. Mr. Cockrell could face further charges as the investigation continues.
