Published: June 12, 2009 06:59 pm      

Ohio woman dies of burns sustained in April

Husband charged with murder in wife's death

IRONTON — An Ohio woman has succumbed to injuries she suffered in April in what authorities say was a horrific act of domestic violence.

Amy Ross Wilcox, 38, died Friday in the burn unit of a Cincinnati hospital, where she was taken following the April 30 incident with burns over 90 percent of her body.

The charge against Wilcox’s estranged husband, 38-year-old Tom Wilcox, will now be upgraded from attempted murder to murder, according to authorities.

Tom Wilcox made his first court appearance Friday morning under heavy police presence. He had been returned to Lawrence County, Ohio, to face charges of attempted murder, arson and aggravated burglary.

Investigators believe Wilcox beat Amy Wilcox, threw gasoline on her, set her on fire and also set fire to her home.

Tom Wilcox was also burned in the fire and had been in a Louisville hospital until Wednesday when he was returned to Lawrence County.

Wilcox was arraigned on the charges during a hearing in Lawrence County, Ohio, Municipal Court in Chesapeake. Wilcox was wearing bandages from his hands to halfway up both arms. His fingernails were black and his hands had noticeable scars from burns.

Judge Donald Capper set Wilcox’s bond at $10 million. He has a preliminary hearing scheduled at 2 p.m. Thursday.

There were nine sheriff’s deputies lining the courtroom in Chesapeake for the hearing.