A Palm Bay woman who police say was doused with gasoline while she lay in bed and set on fire by her husband, and the son who came to her aid, have both died.

  • Daisy Tapia, Erik Montes died at ORMC
  • Tapia's estranged husband, Edgard Fuentes, was sought by police
  • Montes' wife, daughter treated for smoke inhalation
  • Neighbor recalls woman running out of burning home with girl in her arms

Daisy Tapia, 61, and her son, 32-year-old Erik Montes, died at Orlando Regional Medical Center on Thursday afternoon, Palm Bay Police said. Both had been taken there after being found in their Palm Bay home in critical condition.

Tapia's estranged husband, Edgard Fuentes, 64, was being sought by police for nearly 12 hours after the 1 a.m. house fire. He was located — suffering from severe burns to his lower body and hands — at an Interstate 95 rest stop south of Malabar Road after a motorist spotted him. Fuentes was airlifted to a hospital.

Fuentes is accused of doused Tapia with gasoline while she was in bed and setting her on fire, police Lt. Mike Bandish said. Montes heard her scream and tried to intervene and stop him from lighting the fire. A struggle ensued, and Fuentes lit her on fire — seriously burning her and Montes, police said.

Fuentes now faces first-degree murder charges.

Montes' wife and their young daughter were taken to Holmes Regional Medical Center in Melbourne for smoke inhalation, according to Bandish.

Earlier, it was reported that two children were treated for smoke inhalation, but that turned out to be incorrect, officials said.

A neighbor told News 13 she heard a woman screaming as she came out of the home in the 500 block of Ixora Road with a young daughter in her arms.

"She was holding a baby, the little girl, and she was just frantic, just completely frantic," Dawn Walters said. "She wanted a blanket for her daughter. She kept asking for a blanket for her daughter. So I don't know if she was burned or not."

Palm Bay Fire officials confirmed that the house fire was a crime scene, and arson dogs have been called in to help with the investigation of the 1 a.m. fire.

"I can't believe someone can be this cruel to another person," Bandish said.