Louisiana man indicted for setting girlfriend, 5-year-old nephew on fire, killing them both

Published 9:40 pm Monday, November 8, 2021

A Louisiana man has been indicted on murder charges in the burning deaths of his girlfriend and young nephew.

The grand jury indicted Derwin Hamilton, 49, on Friday, according to KATC-TV. He is accused of setting his girlfriend, Stephanie Joseph, and his 5-year-old nephew Joshua Hamilton on fire during an argument inside their mobile home in Centerville, near Franklin.

Before she died, Joseph told officials she and Hamilton had been arguing over the end of their relationship on July 13 when he allegedly set her and the boy on fire. Firefighters found the two outside the home, both suffering from serious burns.

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Joshua Hamilton, the suspect’s great-nephew, according to the state Fire Marshal’s office, was pronounced dead that day. Joseph, the boy’s guardian, died two weeks later.

Hamilton suffered minor burns and was arrested after he was released from the hospital. No trial date has been set.