Background: News footage of the aftermath of a trailer fire in Amarillo, Texas (KVII). Inset: Luis Angel Rico (Potter County Sheriff”s Office).
A man from Texas faces murder charges after allegedly setting his roommate on fire while the victim was still alive, resulting in his arrest and imprisonment.
The investigation by the Amarillo Police Department was sparked on October 27, following reports of a blaze at an Amarillo trailer park. According to ABC affiliate KVII, emergency responders arrived at the scene around 4:53 a.m. to find an RV trailer completely consumed by flames. After ensuring the safety of nearby residents and extinguishing the fire, firefighters discovered a grim scene—a deceased individual inside the trailer.
Witnesses informed police that they noticed someone leaving the trailer right before smoke became visible, as reported by KVII.
The deceased was later identified as 46-year-old James Sosa. An autopsy, as detailed in a criminal complaint accessed by KVII, revealed soot deposits in Sosa’s trachea and both airway paths, indicating that he was alive during the fire.
On the afternoon of October 27, authorities spoke with 46-year-old Luis Angel Rico, who had returned to the scene of the fire that destroyed the trailer he shared with Sosa. Rico informed officers that the last time he saw Sosa was between 1 a.m. and 2:30 a.m., when Sosa was watching TV on his phone inside the trailer, also mentioning that Sosa had a candle burning.
The complaint notes that Rico saw smoke emanating from the trailer while he was in a nearby area. Concerned that Sosa might still be inside, Rico returned to find the trailer ablaze and heard the sirens of approaching emergency services as he attempted to call 911.
Rico was questioned by police and denied any involvement in the fire. But when he was in the presence of police, they noted that he smelled like gasoline and had soot on his hands. Police arrested Rico after finding four fentanyl tablets in his pockets and charged him with drug possession.
Further investigation by the fire marshal’s office revealed “the presence of an accelerant on Rico’s right pants leg, right coat sleeve, and both shoes.” Rico was charged with murder, accused of setting Sosa on fire while he was still alive.
Rico was taken into custody and booked into the Potter County Jail, where he is being held without bond.
