Texarkana, AR – An Arkansas man who tried to disguise his wife’s fatal burning as an electrical malfunction will now spend decades in prison after admitting he set her on fire following an argument. The case revealed a series of shocking details, including the victim’s final statements to police and medical staff before she died of severe burns.
Deadly Argument Leads to Fire
Authorities said 48-year-old Bruce Lee Cockrell poured weed eater gas on his wife, 35-year-old Tonya Marie Liggin-Cockrell, during a heated argument on July 8, 2024. He initially claimed that a faulty wiring job by the previous homeowner caused the fire, telling deputies the blaze started while the couple was lying in bed.
However, first responders quickly grew suspicious. Cockrell showed no burn injuries, which contradicted his account. Inside the kitchen, investigators also found a jug of weed eater fuel—something Cockrell tried to explain away by saying he had been “working on a weed eater inside the residence.”
Victim Identified Her Killer Before She Died
Despite suffering burns across what appeared to be nearly her entire body, Liggin-Cockrell managed to run outside for help. She was conscious and speaking when emergency crews arrived.
A nurse at Christus St. Michael Hospital later contacted police, recounting that Liggin-Cockrell repeatedly stated:
“He set me on fire, he set me on fire.”
She also told medical staff that Cockrell had been hitting and punching her, calling her names before dousing her with fuel and igniting the fire.
Liggin-Cockrell was transferred to a burn unit at Arkansas Children’s Hospital, where she died on July 9, 2024.
Confession Reveals Disturbing Story
The following day, while in custody, Cockrell finally admitted to authorities that the argument escalated after he and his wife drank whiskey. Topics ranged from their children and finances to past relationships. When he grabbed the gasoline jug, Tonya reportedly warned him, “You ain’t gonna pour that gas on me.”
Cockrell told investigators he soaked her with the gas anyway. Tonya then lit a cigarette, allegedly saying she was done dealing with their problems. The flame ignited the fuel, engulfing her instantly. She ran out of the house while burning.
At the end of his confession, Cockrell chillingly asked police:
“How’d she stay alive so long?”
Sentenced to Decades Behind Bars
Cockrell was charged with capital murder and arson. He later pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 45 years for murder and 30 years for arson—a total of 75 years in prison.
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