A MAN accused of setting alight the home of his ex-girlfriend’s boyfriend at Charity on the Essequibo Coast on Sunday, on Monday afternoon surrendered to police after he had initially escaped from their custody.

Kyle Goddette had escaped from Police custody Sunday morning. Goddette, a labourer of Charity Housing scheme had signed a caution statement admitting that he did set alight the house of Chavex Watson. According to information reaching Guyana Chronicle, the incident occurred on February 3 around 03:00 hours at Lot 702 Charity Housing Scheme, Essequibo Coast.

Reports are that Watson was at the time in a one-flat two-bedroom home at Charity with his girlfriend, Susanna Culpepper, the former lover of Godette, when they smelt smoking emanating nearby.

They immediately got up, at which point they noticed the bed was on fire. They ran to the western door of the house where they saw the suspect before he fled the scene. Watson raised an alarm and neighbours quickly gathered, formed a bucket brigade and extinguished the fire.

Meanwhile, Culpepper is currently at the Georgetown Public Hospital suffering from third degree burns. She was rushed to the Suddie Public Hospital initially, but due to the severity of the burns, she was transferred to the GPHC. The 17-year-old had decided months ago to end the relationship with the suspect because she was allegedly constantly being abused physically.

The teenager, however, had numerous threats from the suspect after the break up. Culpepper, who recently started the relationship with Watson, decided to go and spend some time with him Sunday. Culpepper’s family disclosed that the teenager was constantly threatened by the suspect that he would “damage” her.

Family members also related that after their break-up, the man became bitter and used to call her from several unknown numbers. “It appears as though he was so obsessed and jealous, he won’t leave her alone although she told him she finished with him,” a close relative related. Police visited the scene where it was observed that the bed was partially burnt and the walls scorched.