A man from El Paso, Texas, allegedly burned his family home down, killing his brother and leaving his mother with severe burn injuries. The man reportedly did so because his mom and brother “did not follow the Bible.”
The suspect was identified as 40-year-old Phillip Daniel Mills. He was arrested and has since been charged with capital murder and arson for the incident that left his 54-year-old Paul Mills dead in the family’s El Paso home. Authorities said that the suspect confessed to have set his family home on fire Thursday night.
Investigators said in their report that Mills told them he broke a TV then set a couch on fire. He also told them he committed the act to get the home free of “evil.” After allegedly setting the home on fire, Mills waited outside “with large rocks in his hands” in case his relatives made it out alive, according to an arrest affidavit cited by KTSM.
Philip’s 82-year-old mother, Annette Mills, somehow managed to walk out alive of the burned home and was rescued by first responders. She was hospitalized in critical condition.
When investigators questioning Mills informed him that his brother had died in the blaze and his mother was injured, he allegedly laughed and told them that his plan was a “failed attempt.” He remains in jail on a $2.5 million bond.
Neighbors said the fire was so big there was no way for them to run into the house to help the mother and son. A neighbor, Roger Torres, told KTSM he noticed the suspect acting strange earlier in the day and said he was always “troublesome.”
“He was bad news, all he would do was sit out there and drink and smoke and I noticed he was back to his old routine,” Torres said.
Police also said that the suspect had an extensive record, although they did not elaborate on the details.
