A Tennessee neighborhood was left in horror after a woman was set on fire in her own home — allegedly by a man she called a friend.
Authorities say 58-year-old Angela Palacio was brutally burned alive inside her camper in Soddy Daisy, about 20 miles north of Chattanooga, on Nov. 11. Deputies arrived to find Palacio lying in her driveway, wrapped in a blanket because every stitch of clothing had been burned from her body.
Despite suffering burns over nearly 100% of her body, Palacio was still conscious. In between gasping breaths, she managed to tell officers: “Chris did it.” According to an affidavit, she said the man “poured gas on me” and that “he’s lost it.”
Moments later, deputies discovered her accused killer just a few feet away — held at gunpoint by a brave neighbor.
Steve Ellis, who lives nearby, said he heard desperate screams from his camper and jumped into his truck to investigate. When he arrived, he saw Christopher Medula, 39, trying to shut the camper door while Palacio was struggling to escape.
“I told him to get out so I could check on her,” Ellis told police. That’s when Medula took off running — leaving Palacio engulfed in flames.
Ellis rushed to help, seeing smoke pouring from the camper and the woman’s body covered in burns. He told her to stay outside, then chased after the fleeing suspect. He caught up to Medula hiding behind a tree and held him at gunpoint until deputies arrived.
According to the affidavit, Medula made disturbing statements while being held — claiming “I had to do it,” “she was poisoning the world,” “she’s the devil,” and “I’m Jesus.”
Deputies say Medula later confessed, telling them he doused Palacio with gasoline and lit her on fire with a lighter before holding the camper door shut so she couldn’t escape.
Palacio was airlifted to a hospital in Nashville but died shortly after arriving.
Medula was originally charged with attempted murder, but authorities say those charges will now be upgraded to first-degree murder. His motive remains unclear. The victim told deputies the two were “friends” before she died.
Court records show Medula has a lengthy criminal history going back to 2005, including multiple convictions for assault, domestic assault, and reckless endangerment. In nearly every case, he avoided serious jail time with suspended sentences. Just a month before the killing, he pleaded guilty to aggravated trespass — and walked free after an 11-month sentence was suspended.
