Jerome Isaac, Brooklyn handyman, charged over torching of woman in NYC elevator

Jerome Isaac, a New York handyman, has been charged over the brutal murder of an elderly woman set on fire in the elevator of her Brooklyn apartment building.

Jerome Isaac, 47, was charged Monday with murder and arson in the death of Deloris Gillespie, 73, of Underhill Avenue, Prospect Heights, and is being held without bail, CNN reported, citing the Brooklyn District Attorney's office. 

The Associated Press, citing authorities, wrote that Isaac — who reportedly lived a block from the woman in Prospect Heights — was often seen at Gillespie's apartment "doing odd jobs, and told police he set her on fire because she owed him $2,000." 

Surveillance video from the elevator shows Isaac dressed somewhat like an exterminator, holding a canister sprayer, wearing white gloves and with a dust mask atop his head. The sprayer was full of gasoline, prosecutors said.

(GlobalPost reports: Man questioned in death of Doris Gillespie, Brooklyn woman burned alive in elevator)

Isaac appeared in court "with the left side of his face blistered and burned, his upper lip swollen," according to the AP.

The Wall Street Journal interviewed Gillespie's son, Maurice, 37, who live with her at the apartment and described himself as disabled.

He said his mother's relationship with Isaac deteriorated after she fired Isaac about a year-and-a-half ago for stealing money and electronics from her.

"He was basically stalking my mother. He chased her down the street," said Gillespie.

According to the criminal complaint cited by the AP, Isaac doused Gillespie with gasoline as she stood in the elevator, which just opened to the fifth floor of her apartment building.

She crouched and cowered, grocery bags draped off her arms.

Isaac pulled out a barbecue-style lighter, authorities said, and used it to ignite a rag in a bottle. He waited a few seconds as Gillespie huddled on the floor. Then he backed out of the elevator and tossed the flaming bottle in, authorities said.

Gillespie, who worked the overnight shift at the main U.S. Postal Service processing center in Brooklyn, died of burns and smoke inhalation, according to the criminal complaint.

CNN reports that after the incident, Isaac returned home and ignited the door to his own apartment, burning himself.

He then hid out on a rooftop for a while and fell asleep, later going into a police station "reeking of gasoline" and telling officers he was responsible for a fire. During questioning, Browne said, he implicated himself in Gillespie's death.

Isaac scheduled to appear in court again on Friday.