A Houston man was charged with capital murder in connection to a deadly house fire that took the life of a 55-year-old mother late last month.
The blaze erupted in the early hours of Feb. 29 at Renita Hawthorne’s home near Avenue H at 39th Street in Galveston, police said.
When firefighters arrived, they found three people attempting to flee from the burning structure through a window.
The three residents were pulled out of the home after firefighters used a ladder and got in but Hawthorne was found unconscious.
All four residents were brought to UTMB Health John Sealy trauma center where Hawthorne succumbed.
Two firefighters sustained minor injuries and were also rushed to UTMB for treatment.
An investigation into the deadly fire determined that it was intentionally set. On Friday, 20-year-old Courtney Allen Thompson was arrested in connection to the incident.
Thompson was charged with capital murder and three counts of aggravated assault. His relationship with Hawthorne is unclear.
