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Man Admits To Pouring Gasoline On Disabled Wife And Burning Her Alive, Police Say
Earlier this year Kathleen Grangruth was doused in gasoline and burned alive, police say. Three years ago her husband and caretaker Delano Grangruth allegedly threatened to kill her and burn down their home.
A man from Norfolk, Virginia has allegedly admitted to pouring gasoline over his disabled wife in April before burning her alive, police say.
Delano Grangruth, 58, has allegedly confessed to dousing his 61-year-old wife Kathleen White-Grangruth with gasoline before setting her on fire and leaving her in their home in the spring, Det. Matthew Nordan said in an affidavit, according to the Virginian-Pilot, a publication from Norfolk.
Gangruth was arrested in the immediate aftermath of his wife’s death, and accused of setting their house on fire. Days after his wife’s April death, Grangruth called it “a terrible and unfortunate incident” in a jail interview with WAVY in Norfolk. Gangruth told the publication that his wife had dementia and was in a wheelchair. He said he was her primary caregiver and that the two had been married for two decades. Kathleen also reportedly suffered from schizophrenia.
"She was a United States veteran like me and a great lady," Grangruth said. "I miss her. I love her. Her family misses her. It's an unfortunate incident."
Grangruth had a documented history of abusing his wife. He had been charged with assaulting Kathleen three times in the past 12 years and twice, in both 2006 and 2008 in Virginia Beach, he was found guilty of the charges, WAVY reported. In 2015 in Norfolk, he was charged with assaulting her again and for threatening to kill her and burn down the house. Charges in that case were dismissed because Kathleen didn't show up to court.
"I'm not a monster,” he said during his April interview with WAVY, adding that his day will come in court.
He’s been charged with second-degree murder and burning a building with the intent to commit a felony.
Kathleen graduated at the top of her nursing school class in the Army before serving at a hospital in Honolulu, Hawaii, according to the Virginian-Pilot.
“Kathy’s passion was always to help and give to others,” her family wrote in her obituary.
[Photo: Norfolk Sheriff's Office]
