Assault victim full of life, love, and forgiveness

Smiling, joking, and offering hugs to everyone she meets, Della Witt-Denizeri doesn't look like the survivor of a brutal assault on Thursday, when an armed robber doused her and her friend with lighter fluid and set her on fire.

Her hair nearly burned away, and her ears and hands covered in second-degree burns, Witt-Denizeri told the Herald-Press Tuesday she is doing fine and wakes up every morning filled with the Holy Spirit.

“My hair will grow back, and my ears will heal,” she said, with a perpetual smile and energy that belies her 57 years. “All parts of me that matter, however, are great.”

Witt-Denizeri's ordeal began when she decided to visit her friend, Linda Camire, working at the Pit Stop convenience store on Link Street, in Palestine. Camire, she said, had recently suffered a death in the family. Witt-Denizeri wanted to make sure her friend was all right.

Witt-Denizeri did not know Palestine resident Robert Thompson, armed with a handgun, had arrived before her and tied Camire up with duct tape.

“He opened the door wide; I thought he was holding it for me to come in,” she said. “When he told me he worked there, and I couldn't come in the store, I knew something was wrong. I had to make sure Linda was all right.”

Thinking on her feet, she complimented the crucifix Thompson was wearing, and asked if he was a Christian. When he replied yes, she said she was one, as well, and offered him a hug.

It was during this interaction when Witt-Denizeri noticed her friend trussed up behind the counter – and also when Thompson dragged her inside.

Witt-Denizeri said she didn't mind; she was where she needed to be.

“I was put there for one of two reasons,” she said. “Either I was going to be able to help my friend out of this, or I was going to go through it with her, holding her hand, so she would know she wasn't alone.”

Thompson taped up Witt-Denizeri and sat her behind the counter with Camire. Fortunately, it was a chilly morning. Witt-Denizeri was wearing several layers of clothing, which kept Thompson from taping her tightly.

“He blindfolded us with duct tape, so we couldn't see what he was doing,” she said. “I was sure he was just going to shoot us.”

Instead, Thompson, who was recorded on store security cameras, slowly and methodically sprayed lighter fluid on the two women, and soaked the surrounding area with it, before trying to set it on fire.

When this didn't work, he set fire to Witt-Denizeri directly.

“The lighter fluid had already eaten away some of the glue from the tape over my eyes,” she said. “I could see flames beside me, but had no idea at that time I was on fire.”

After she struggled out of her clothing and smothered the fire, Witt-Denizeri, ears and hands black with soot, and hair falling out in singed clumps, said her thoughts immediately turned to Camire, on the floor in a puddle of lighter fluid. Witt-Denizeri then tore the tape from Camire and escorted her out of the store.

Witt-Denizeri was transported to Palestine Regional Medical center, then transferred to Parkland Memorial Hospital's burn unit, where doctors treated her wounds, and monitored her for possible inhalation burns. She was released early Friday morning.

Thompson, an ex-convict who had completed his parole in September, 2016, had been released from state prison in April of 2012, after serving four years of an eight year sentence for possession of a controlled substance.

Palestine Police, armed with video evidence, were able to track Thompson and apprehend him by 5 p.m. Thursday. Thompson was caught in the parking lot of another convenience store; it is speculated he was planning another robbery, and possibly another assault.

Palestine District 2 City Councilman Mitchell Jordan said he knew Thompson as a child, and had gone to school with him up until middle-school, when Thompson dropped out. Jordan said Thompson always had a violent nature, but his actions caught on video still shocked him.

“He was always in trouble for fighting and bullying,” Jordan said. “But it's one thing to rob a store; it's another thing to try to burn someone alive. She [Witt-Denizeri] could have been anybody. That's nowhere close to humanity.

“My heart goes out to both victims of this tragic event. I'm truly glad he's off the streets; his intent, obviously, was to kill.”

Although also relieved Thompson was quickly captured, Witt-Denizeri said her heart is big enough to forgive anything done to her – but not to her friend.

“I have no doubt that if I didn't show up, he would have killed her, like he tried to do me,” she said. “If it were just me, I'd probably give him a hug. I can forgive what he tried to do to me – but I can't forgive how he tried to hurt Linda. I guess I'll have to answer for that to the man upstairs.”

Thompson has been charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and aggravated robbery. He's in the Anderson County Jail on a $4 million bond – $2 million for each charge.

All suspects are to be considered innocent until proven guilty.