Left: Sean Hofmann (Tulare County Sheriff”s Office). Right: Sheena Hofmann (GoFundMe).
A California man is behind bars after he allegedly doused his wife of a decade in gasoline and set her on fire.
On Friday, just before 5:30 p.m., deputies from the Tulare County Sheriff’s Office were called to a medical emergency in the 24100 block of Avenue 120 in Porterville, approximately 50 miles north of Bakersfield. Upon arrival, they discovered a woman with severe burns on her arms, face, and torso, according to a press release issued by the agency.
The investigation revealed that 42-year-old Sean Hofmann had deliberately poured a highly flammable liquid on or near the victim, setting her ablaze, the press release stated.
The victim was airlifted to a hospital where she was reported to be in stable condition, but faces a lengthy recovery process. Hofmann was apprehended by authorities on charges of aggravated assault and arson.
In an interview with local ABC affiliate KFSN, Michael Post, the victim’s son, identified his mother as Sheena Hofmann following a call from his sister.
“She told me, ‘You need to go to mom’s house immediately. Your stepdad just poured gasoline on her and threatened to light her on fire,'” Post recounted to the TV station.
Post mentioned that although he never witnessed physical altercations between the couple, they frequently argued during their decade-long marriage. The police have not disclosed the events leading up to the incident. In a GoFundMe post, Post shared his disbelief over the “horrific domestic violence incident” occurring within his family. He also told KFSN that his mother was known for welcoming friends and family into her home with warmth and kindness.
“Her home is where everybody goes to. It’s always like if anybody needs anything, they call her. She’s always the one who runs to people’s rescue if they need it,” the son said.
Hofmann is being held at the Tulare County Jail on a $1 million bond.
