James Parker: North Carolina man pours gasoline and sets mom, 72, ablaze after argument

'I heard my aunt screaming ‘put it out’ in pain, and her whole porch was engulfed in flames,' the woman's niece said

UPDATED AUG 24, 2022

James Parker (inset) sets his mother on fire on the porch of her home (Forsyth County Sheriff's Office/ WESH video screenshot)

RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA: A woman died on Monday, August, 22, after being set on fire by her son. Authorities in Winston-Salem, North Carolina found the 72-year-old Joanna Parker, who was set on fire on the porch of her home at 10.30 am. First responders rushed to put out the flames that were engulfing her body. Joanna Parker was taken to a local hospital, where she later died. Her 48-year-old son James Parker was then arrested for her murder and is being held under custody by the police.

“The investigation revealed that James Parker was upset with his mother, Joanna Parker, so he poured gasoline on her and set her afire,” the Winston-Salem Police Department told The US Sun. James Parker, her son is held in the Forsyth County Detention Center, with no bond after being charged with her murder. Adora Gonzalez, Joanna’s great-niece, lives across the street from the family and saw everything from her kitchen window. “I don’t think I will ever get over it,” Adora Gonzalez said. “I heard my aunt screaming ‘put it out’ in pain, and her whole porch was engulfed in flames.”

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James Parker, 48, has been charged with his mother's murder after allegedly setting her on fire (Forsyth County Sheriff's Office) — James Parker set his mother on fire and is charged with her murder (Forsyth County Sheriff's Office)

Police blocked off the home with crime scene tape for hours as they collected evidence. Footage from the scene showed the front porch was scorched, with melted debris visible.
A forensics unit was spotted at the home as red gasoline can sat in the front yard. According to Joanna’s family, the wheelchair-bound woman sustained third and fourth-degree burns before her death. "Joanna and her son did not have the best relationship, however, she never expected something like this to happen," Gonzalez said.

“That’s one of the worst ways to go, you must really not like somebody to have to do that to them.” She added “His mothеr would yеll at him frеquеntly, and hе would do nothing in rеsponsе,” shе еxplainеd. “Hе didn’t say much in rеsponsе. But I’d always suspеctеd shе wasn’t nicе to him. I just didn’t еxpеct it to turn out this way.” James was schеdulеd to appеar in court on Tuеsday, August 23.