SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — A Puerto Rico man accused of attacking his family with gasoline and a blowtorch has been charged with murder after two of his alleged victims died from their wounds.
Forty-five-year-old Justino Sanchez Diaz had been arrested on attempted-murder charges for the New Year’s Day attack. But the island Justice Department announced Monday that a 17-year-old niece and 32-year-old cousin of Sanchez have died from their burns. Seven others are injured.
The Seattle Times reports that two Seattle residents, Kate Donahue and Jesus Sanchez, are among the injured. The newspaper says the two were celebrating their recent engagement. The Times says the arrested man is an uncle of Jesus Sanchez.
Police say the arrested man sprinkled gasoline around a room Saturday at his parents’ home in the northern town of Florida and then set it on fire with a blowtorch as 13 family members gathered for a meeting. A motive is unknown.
