Background: The home in North Adams, Massachusetts, where the victims died (WWLP/YouTube). Inset: Darius Hazard (North Adams Police Department).
A Massachusetts man beat his parents in their home before pouring a can of gasoline around the residence and setting it ablaze, authorities say.
Darius Hazard, 44, has been charged with arson and two counts of murder in the death of his parents, 76-year-old Venture Hazard and 83-year-old Donald Hazard. He was arraigned on Wednesday in Northern Berkshire District Court, where details emerged about the harrowing last moments for the victims.
In the early hours of Monday morning, the defendant “physically assaulted” his mother and father at their home, the North Adams Police Department announced. He then “poured gasoline on the first floor of the home and set the house ablaze.”
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“Come back,” his parents — hurt, but alive — yelled to their son, according to court documents obtained by area NBC affiliate WNYT. “Help me, help us, we are in trouble.”
The suspect then left the residence on Francis Street in North Adams and drove away, police said. It was believed to be sometime between 3 and 4 a.m.
Neighbors were leaving their own home around 6 a.m. when they saw smoke billowing out of a vent above the Hazards” home. They walked up to the window, sensing that it was hot inside, and one of them banged on the door while the other called 911.
North Adams police officers arrived on the scene and noticed “immense heat coming from the residence.” As firefighters followed and entered the home to fight the fire, they found Venture Hazard and Donald Hazard dead inside the living room. The chief medical examiner’s office determined that the preliminary cause of death for both victims was smoke inhalation.
Authorities also learned about Darius Hazard. He apparently lived at the home but was not there at the time, nor was his car. Furthermore, it appeared that he had left sometime recently as “[t]here was a dry spot in the driveway where the Defendant’s car was normally parked,” and it had rained the previous evening.
As the hours passed, police learned that Darius Hazard had not arrived for his job at Stop & Shop at 10 a.m., which was “extremely unusual” as he was “always prompt.” Four hours later, a state police detective saw a vehicle matching the defendant’s pull into an area Walmart parking lot. Officers proceeded to verify that it was him and made the arrest.
It was here that Darius Hazard allegedly admitted everything he knew.
An officer asked him if he knew what had happened at the house, and Darius Hazard said yes, court documents stated. When the officer then asked whether he was OK, he replied, “truthfully, no,” later adding, “I guess I snapped.”
His mother had been having a difficult time walking, and his father had been taking care of her, Darius Hazard said, per WNYT. She had suffered falls, including that morning, and the son had grown frustrated.
He was reportedly “really, really angry” and shoved them both to the floor of their bedroom. He then allegedly hit them with his fist and threw a small fan at his father, who asked him to stop.
Darius Hazard did stop, according to the court documents, but he had another action in mind. The defendant allegedly poured gasoline on the upstairs floor and in the home’s living room, and set a match. He then grabbed a knife and drove about two hours north to Clinton, Massachusetts, where he tried to stab himself.
An autopsy for Venture Hazard stated that she had a fractured rib, bruising on her leg, and mild head trauma. Donald Hazard had a hemorrhage on his throat and on the right side of his face, as well as bruising and cuts on his back. Both of them had burns in addition to signs of smoke inhalation.
Darius Hazard is scheduled to be back in court on Dec. 29.
North Adams is located in northwest Massachusetts, near the border of both New York and Vermont.
