North Little Rock, AR – Bruce Lee Cockrell, 48, was sentenced on Thursday to 75 years in prison after pleading guilty to murder and arson. The plea is related to the death of his wife, Tonya Marie Liggin-Cockrell, 35, on July 9 after an altercation.
Court documents revealed that during an argument on July 8, Cockrell doused his wife with weed eater gas. Initial reports indicated that he claimed faulty electrical work was the cause of the fire.
First responders found Liggin-Cockrell alive but severely burned, and she identified Cockrell as her attacker. Following the incident, investigators discovered a jug of weed eater gas in the home, further implicating him.
While in custody, Cockrell admitted to police that an argument had escalated, resulting in him pouring gasoline on his wife as she sat by their bed. He claimed Liggin-Cockrell then lit a cigarette, which ignited the flames.
Liggin-Cockrell was transported to a burn unit but succumbed to her injuries a day later. Cockrell’s charges included capital murder and arson, culminating in a sentence of 45 years for murder and 30 years for arson, to be served consecutively.