Woman Set Her Ex on Fire — Then Changed His Clothes and Concocted a Bizarre Tale About a Fireplace Accident By KC Baker

A Mississippi woman who claimed her ex-boyfriend fell into a lit fireplace while holding a bottle of lighter fluid has been sentenced to 20 years in prison for causing his life-altering injuries.

Kalena Stubbs, 51, pleaded guilty to one count of aggravated assault and was sentenced to 20 years in state prison, the maximum time allowed for the crime, Madison County District Attorney John “Bubba” Bramlett announced on Wed., Dec. 3.

“The injuries this victim suffered were horrific and some of the most severe we have seen,” Bramlett said in a statement. 

“I know that his injuries will affect him for the rest of his life, and we hope that this sentence gives him some sense that justice has been done.” 

The crime came to light on Jan. 16, when deputies with the Madison County Sheriff’s Department responded to a call about an individual that had been burned and needed medical assistance. 

When they arrived at the victim’s home, they discovered the victim was severely burned all over his torso, upper arms and face. 

But investigators immediately noticed that his clothes were not burned and questioned Stubbs about it. 

“She admitted that she changed his clothes before calling 911 but stated he had fallen into the fireplace holding a bottle of lighter fluid,” Bramlett said in the statement. 

Officers noticed that there was an open bottle of lighter fluid on the mantle that did not appear to have come into contact with an open flame. 

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The officers “immediately began to suspect Stubbs was responsible but were unable to ask the victim about what happened due to his injuries,” Bramlett said in the statement. 

The victim was airlifted to the University of Mississippi Medical Center. 

His injuries were so severe that he spent months recovering in burn units and nursing homes from third degree burns covering his entire upper body, Bramlett said in the statement.

“When he finally regained his ability to speak, he indicated that Stubbs had doused him with lighter fluid and set him on fire while they were arguing,” Bramlett said. 

This was consistent with the burn locations and patterns on his body, he noted.

Stubbs’ attorney did not respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment.