Tennessee man allegedly set woman on fire after claiming he was Jesus

SODDY-DAISY, Tenn. (TCN) -- A man is in custody after deputies alleged he doused a woman with gasoline and set her on fire, leaving her with third-degree burns on over 70 percent of her body.

Neighbors called 911 on Nov. 11 when they saw a badly burned woman and a camper on fire, according to an affidavit obtained by WSBT. When Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office deputies arrived, they found 58-year-old Angela Palacio lying in the driveway. She was still conscious and reportedly told first responders, “Chris did it. He poured gas on me. He’s lost it.”

A witness to the scene, Steve Ellis, held Christopher Medula, 39, at gunpoint until officers arrived, WRCB reports. 

Palacio was airlifted to a hospital, where she died of her injuries, WSBT reports. A relative decided to remove life support, WDEF reports.

Officers reportedly found a lighter in Medula’s pocket and noted he smelled strongly of fuel. He allegedly said, “I poured gas on her” when asked how the fire started, according to WSBT.

In court documents obtained by People magazine, Medula allegedly claimed to Ellis before officers arrived that he “had to do it” because Palacio was the “devil” who was “poisoning the world,” and that he was “Jesus.”

Medula was taken into custody and charged with attempted first-degree murder, aggravated arson, and aggravated assault, according to WSBT. 

Palacio was still alive at the time Medula was initially charged with attempted murder, People reports, but the sheriff’s office said that would be upgraded to first-degree murder.

Medula’s criminal history dates back to 2005 and includes arrests for assault, domestic assault, and aggravated assault, according to People.

At his first court appearance, a judge ordered Medula to undergo a forensic mental evaluation to determine whether he is competent for the case to proceed, WRCB reports.  

Medula remains in the Hamilton County Jail, according to WRCB. His next court appearance is Feb. 9, 2026.

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