Arrested in Miami for trying to set his house on fire after his santería items were thrown out

A Hispanic man residing in Miami was arrested this Monday after allegedly trying to set his home on fire in response to his mother throwing away his religious items related to Santería. The dramatic event took place in a house in Miami-Dade County and ended with the suspect hospitalized due to smoke inhalation.

Luis Fernando Garcés, 58 years old, is facing charges of first-degree arson and domestic violence, according to local authorities cited by NBC6 Miami.

According to the arrest report, the incident began in the early morning of April 1, when Garcés's mother woke up around 2:00 a.m. to strange noises coming from the backyard. When she approached, she found her son lighting a fire in a pan as part of a santería practice, and demanded that he stop doing it.

Later that same day, while Luis was at a nearby Home Depot, his mother decided to get rid of all his religious items. When he picked it up and they returned home, Garcés noticed the absence of his spiritual supplies, which unleashed his fury.

Enraged, Garcés is said to have spent at least two hours destroying objects inside the home. His mother, fearing for her safety, decided to ignore him and called her other son, Carlos Garcés, who arrived with his children as a precautionary measure.

Before the agents arrived, Carlos detected smoke coming from Luis's room. As he approached, he found the bedroom door blocked with heavy objects and a fire started inside a drawer of the dresser.

Luis, locked inside, would have warned that he would throw fire if anyone tried to enter, while shouting that no one cared about what was happening to him.

According to the police report, before setting the room on fire, Luis intentionally cut his hand with a piece of glass and wrote two messages on the wall with his own blood: “My mother is my killer” and “I love you Julie, Luis.”

Carlos finally managed to force the entrance, rescue his brother, and partially control the fire with the help of his children and a fire extinguisher. At that moment, the officers arrived and placed the accused in custody.

Luis Fernando Garcés was transferred to HCA Kendall Hospital, where he was intubated due to the severity of smoke inhalation. He was later transported to the Turner Guilford Knight (TGK) jail in Miami-Dade.

This Tuesday, according to information from the network Telemundo, Garcés appeared in court, where the presiding judge decided not to grant him bail due to the seriousness of the offenses. He will remain in custody while the judicial process advances for the charges of first-degree arson and domestic violence.

Frequently Asked Questions about the Arson Attempt in Miami Related to Santería