COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP/WSVN) – An Ohio woman set on fire by her ex-boyfriend and whose injuries prompted legislation that would allow longer sentences for crimes that permanently maim or disfigure victims has died.
Judy Malinowski, 33, had been hospitalized for nearly two years after her ex-boyfriend Michael Slager doused her in gasoline and set her ablaze.
She had described Slager as “pure evil” and said the fire effectively burned off some of her fingers and her ears, with burns covering 80 percent of her body, Fox News reported.
“If you’re in an abusive relationship, find help and get out completely,” she had warned. “Run the other way. Run.”
Franklin County Prosecutor Ron O’Brien confirmed Tuesday that Malinowski had passed away as a result of her injuries.
“That child suffered for two years to tell her own story, who has the strength to do it?” Malinowski’s mother, Bonnie Bowes, told WCMH.
Slager pleaded no contest to charges including aggravated arson and felonious assault and was convicted in 2016. He was sentenced to the maximum 11 years in prison.
O’Brien says his office is working with Gahanna police and the original arson investigator to determine whether a homicide case can now be pursued against Slager following her death.
The legislation inspired by Malinowski’s injuries and approved by the Ohio House is now in the Senate.
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