Rochester Police say man intentionally set mother of five on fire, killing her

ROCHESTER, N.Y. — A man is charged with murder after Rochester Police say he killed a mother of five by dousing her with a flammable liquid and setting her on fire.

RPD says Fantasia Stone, 38, was burned alive at her apartment on Jefferson Avenue apartment on April 11. An investigation determined that Troy Parker, 53, set her on fire following an argument. Parker didn’t live at the apartment.

When first responders arrived, 85 percent of Stone’s body was burned. RPD says she had soot in her nasal passage, trachea, and bronchi, confirming that she was breathing when the fire started.

U.S. Marshalls arrested Parker on Tuesday in the city. He is charged with second-degree murder and pleaded not guilty at his arraignment on Wednesday.

First responders rushed to the apartment, between Frost Avenue and Iceland Park, the night of April 11 after getting reports of a fire. Officers found that the building itself wasn’t on fire but did find Stone on fire in the hallway. Emergency crews worked to put out the fire on Stone’s body but she was pronounced dead.

The next day, a fire started on the second floor of the same apartment building. The Arson Task Force, a collaboration between the Rochester police and fire departments, ruled both of those fires as arson.

RPD Captain Frank Umbrino said investigators reviewed video evidence, interviewed witnesses, and spoke with Parker the same day he was arrested.

“Murder investigations get solved because people cooperate with the police. That’s certainly the case here,” Umbrino said. “We had a good amount of video evidence. People cooperated.”

Parker’s brother was at the arraignment and spoke with News10NBC.

“Those are serious allegations against my brother. We’re going to vigorously defend him,” said Tryn Parker, the younger brother of Troy Parker. “We believe he is 100% innocent. The young lady has been a longtime friend to all of us in that community, so yeah it was shocking, it was very shocking.”

Authorities are still investigating the second arson at the apartment and are asking anyone with information to call 911.

A sidewalk memorial for Stone was set up outside the apartment building shortly after her death. In a text message, Stone’s sister tells News10NBC, “All I can say on the matter is Fantasia was loved, she was a mom, and she leaves behind five children.”

Parker pleaded not guilty to second-degree murder and arson. He’s being held in the Monroe County Jail.

You can see the full conference with RPD here: