A Missouri man, 47-year-old Brandon Butchkoski, is accused of murdering Donovan Baylis by setting him on fire while on his porch. Reportedly, the victim suffered severe burns to his body, which proved to be fatal.
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According to a probable cause statement obtained by Law & Crime, the incident occurred on June 15, at around 11:45 p.m. The Columbia Police Department was called to assist the fire department at a Paris Road residence.
Responding officers saw fire damage on the residence’s porch and spoke with witnesses. They revealed that they and Donovan Baylis noticed a fire on the residence porch and attempted to put it out. However, when Baylis stomped on the fire, he was engulfed in flames.
“[Baylis] sat on the retaining wall of the porch before he fell over backwards onto the concrete,” the statement read.
One of the witnesses took the victim to a local hospital in their private vehicle. KMIZ reported that Baylis’ burns were so severe that 80 percent of his skin had “burned off.”
Meanwhile, the witnesses described the suspect who fled the scene on a bicycle. He was carrying a backpack, which aligned with what video footage obtained by the police showed, the statement added.
Police officers also learned that the June 15 incident was not the first time that the residence had been set on fire. Unfortunately, it wouldn’t be the last.
On June 29, a similar incident occurred at the home involving the same suspect, allegedly Brandon Butchkoski.
Gasoline, Death, Charges
He was carrying the same backpack at the time, which was allegedly ignited with accelerants and thrown at the roof of the residence. Police then found a “cleaner bottle, a drink container, and latex gloves filled with gasoline,” inside the backpack, the statement said.
Butchkoski was arrested on July 3 and initially charged with arson. However, on July 14, Donovan Baylis succumbed to his injuries, and he was charged with second-degree murder.
The document detailed that Butchkoski has several convictions across multiple states. He has been found guilty of possession of methamphetamine, resisting arrest, possession of a controlled substance, and unauthorized use of a motor vehicle.
The Columbian Missourian reported that Butchkoski posted his bond on September 9.