NEW YORK (1010 WINS) — A Brooklyn man is being held without bail on murder and other charges after prosecutors say he tied his ex-girlfriend to a chair and set her on fire inside an apartment after accusing her of stealing and selling his comic books.
Lashawn Duffie, 28, was arraigned Wednesday on an indictment charging him with first- and second-degree murder, first-degree kidnapping and second- and third-degree robbery.
He is ordered to return to court on May 3.
According to the investigation, Duffie accused his ex-girlfriend, Sugerys Ramirez, 40, of stealing and selling his comic books on Nov. 11, 2022, around 12:30 a.m., outside an apartment located at Livonia Avenue in Cypress Hills.
He then went to a bodega around the corner, where video surveillance shows him allegedly buying twine, lighter fluid and a lighter with cash he allegedly stole earlier from Ramirez’s friend.
Prosecutors said that Duffie returned to Ramirez's apartment and allegedly assaulted her around 3:50 a.m.
He then tied Ramirez to a chair with twine, poured lighter fluid over her, lit a match and left Ramirez to burn alive. Duffie was captured on camera after the attack, allegedly throwing his shirt, a lighter and documents bearing her name into a dumpster.
Firefighters responded to the scene and found the victim's burned body. The city medical examiner's officer later determined she died of severe burns and homicidal violence.
"The brutal and completely senseless murder of an innocent woman, allegedly perpetrated by this defendant, shocks the conscience," said Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez.
Duffie is facing a maximum sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole if convicted of the top count.
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