Woman Gets 45 Years In Prison For Murdering Boyfriend She Set On Fire
CHICAGO (STMW) -- A woman who threw gasoline on her boyfriend and lit him on fire during a domestic dispute over his disability money at their West Side apartment was sentenced to prison Tuesday.
Judge Steven Goebel sentenced Sherry Hartison to 45 years in prison, according to a statement from the Cook County State's Attorney's office. A jury found Hariston, 45, guilty of first-degree murder in June.
Hartison attacked her then boyfriend, 61-year-old Allan Penny, with gasoline and lit him on fire July 2, 2010, in their West Side apartment when he would not give her money from his monthly disability check, the state's attorney's office said.
Prosecutors said Hartison had previously poured hot water and grease on Penny and "often" threatened to burn him as means to get money from him, according to the state's attorney's office. She also beat him and made a blow torch device from an aerosol can and lighter to scare him.
During the incident that killed Penny, he escaped the apartment after Hartison splashed gasoline on him, according to the state's attorney's office. Hartison locked Penny out of the apartment.
Vapors from the gasoline ignited and Hartison ran from the burning apartment with Penny lying on the floor, the state's attorney's office said.
Neighbors heard Penny screaming and doused the flames and carried him to the front porch in a blanket with burns on more than 75 percent of his body, according to the state's attorney's office.
He told police Hartison attacked him and died three weeks later in the hospital, according to the state's attorney's office.
(Source: Sun-Times Media Wire © Chicago Sun-Times 2013. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
