WOMAN SENTENCED TO TWENTY YEARS FOR SETTING HER BOYFRIEND ON FIRE

District Attorney John K. “Bubba” Bramlett announced today that Kalena Stubbs, 51, pled guilty in Madison County Circuit Court to one count of aggravated assault against her former boyfriend. She was sentenced to serve twenty years in the Mississippi Department of Corrections, which is the maximum time allowed by law for that offense. 

On January 16, 2025, deputies with the Madison County Sheriff’s Department responded to a call for assistance about an individual that had been burned and needed medical assistance. When they arrived at the victim’s home, they discovered the victim was severely burned all over his torso, upper arms, and face. Investigators immediately noticed that his clothes were not burned and questioned Stubbs about it. She admitted that she changed his clothes before calling 911 but stated he had fallen into the fireplace holding a bottle of lighter fluid. Officers noted that there was an open bottle of lighter fluid on the mantle that did not appear to have come into contact with an open flame. 

They immediately began to suspect Stubbs was responsible but were unable to ask the victim about what happened due to his injuries. He was transported from the scene by AirCare to UMMC and eventually spent months in several different out of state burn units and nursing homes while trying to recover from third degree burns covering his entire upper body. When he finally regained his ability to speak, he indicated that Stubbs had doused him with lighter fluid and set him on fire while they were arguing. This was consistent with the burn locations and patterns on his body. 

District Attorney Bubba Bramlett stated, “The injuries this victim suffered were horrific and some of the most severe we have seen. We appreciate the dedication the Sheriff’s Department showed in working this case including the continued follow-up with the victim and his family as he worked to recover. I know that his injuries will affect him for the rest of his life, and we hope that this sentence gives him some sense that justice has been done.” 

Defendant: KALENA STUBBS 

DOB: 11/15/1974 

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