Man Drenched with Paint Thinner and Set on Fire After Tinder Date Attack

A night that began with a dating-app meetup in Baton Rouge ended in flames and near-death.

Police say a 32-year-old Louisiana man was doused with paint thinner and set on fire by two men he met online — after catching them stealing his credit card information.

According to St. George police, the suspects — identified as Lerico Walker, 32, and Dvante Artrelle Dotson, 29 — spent the night at the victim’s home on Elm Row Lane on Dec. 15. When the man woke up early that morning, he allegedly found them going through his financial information.

That’s when, investigators say, things turned violent.

“They poured paint thinner over him, set the sofa on fire, and the flames spread fast,” Public Information Officer Meg Kling told reporters. “It’s one of the most disturbing scenes we’ve responded to in years.”

The victim managed to crawl through a rear garage as the house ignited around him. A neighbor spotted him, severely burned and gasping for air, and helped him reach safety. Firefighters arrived minutes later to find the two-story home engulfed in flames.

He was rushed to a Baton Rouge medical center and intubated for severe smoke inhalation. Two pet cats died in the fire.

“What we do know is that they were thieves,” Kling added. “There were indications this wasn’t their first time targeting people through dating apps.”

Walker and Dotson were later arrested and booked into East Baton Rouge Parish Prison on charges of aggravated arson, attempted first-degree murder, and aggravated cruelty to animals.

Fire Chief Gerard Tarleton condemned the crime as “pure evil,” saying, “This was an intentional act that could have killed an entire neighborhood. Thanks to our crews, the fire was contained before it claimed more lives.”

Footage from WBRZ showed the house completely consumed, with flames shooting through the roof and black smoke billowing into the sky. Both of the victim’s cars were destroyed, and neighboring houses sustained damage.

Authorities say the case is a grim reminder of how online meetups can turn deadly. Baton Rouge police told WAFB they’ve seen “an uptick in robberies and assaults tied to social meetups” across Louisiana in 2025.

“You think you’re meeting someone for companionship, and instead, you walk into a trap,” one local resident told reporters. “It’s terrifying.”

As of now, the victim remains hospitalized in critical condition. Police say more charges could be filed as the investigation continues.