A man wanted for burning a woman over 25 percent of her body and landing her in a coma has been captured hiding in her attic.
Clayton County Police received a tip from neighbors that spotted the man back at the woman's Ellenwood home Friday morning. Police say Mervin Woodard parked a vehicle he was driving a few blocks away from the home in an attempt to go unnoticed.
But neighbors were on high alert after word spread about what he did to the woman who lives at the home.
Warrants obtained by 11Alive investigative reporter Rebecca Lindstrom show Woodard arrived at the home Wednesday with a 2-gallon gas can and a lighter.
After lighting her on fire, police say it's unclear whether she or Woodard doused the flames with water from the kitchen faucet. After the flames were extinguished, Woodard drove her to Grady Memorial Hospital, dumped her off, and fled. He's been on the run ever since.
The woman is in a medically-induced coma. The two had children together, and they are being cared for by other family members. All parties approached by 11Alive for interviews declined, and expressed extreme fear of Woodard.
Clayton County Police say they were aided by the Clayton County Sheriff's Office and the US Marshalls Office.
