Key Takeaways:
– Steven Wilks, a Brooklyn man, was set on fire by his neighbor over a repaid debt.
– Despite having received the money and signing an agreement, the neighbor continued to insist Wilks owed her.
– The victim’s sister had paid the original debt and had warned both parties to avoid each other.
– Following the attack, the accused neighbor was caught and charged with attempted murder.
A shocking ordeal of violence afflicting a Brooklyn man has come to light. Steven Wilks, a 73-year-old man, was reportedly harassed and eventually set ablaze by his neighbor over a debt, despite the sum being reimbursed months prior. This was revealed by Patricia Davis—Wilks’s devastated sister.
Unending Harassment
Even following the repayment of the $100 owed by Wilks, the 62-year-old neighbor Denise Wylie continually harassed him. In what Davis describes as “street money, interest,” the amount the victim supposedly owed escalated to $500.
After the $100 debt payment in October, Wylie continued to insist Wilks still owed her, according to Davis. Wylie would claim varying amounts when speaking to Wilks and staff at their supportive housing building in Brownsville.
The Targeted Victim
Steven Wilks, a retired city correction officer dealing with mental illness, was seen as an easy target by Wylie, alleges Davis. She depicted her brother as non-aggressive and easygoing, whereas Wylie had been reportedly coming to his residence at night and harassing him.
The Horrifying Incident
The scenario reached a horrifying climax when Wylie attacked Wilks in his own home. On her demand for the falsely claimed money, Wylie followed a rejection from Wilks by dousing him with gasoline and lighting a match. Wilks was left hiding under his bedcovers in fear, delaying immediate treatment.
Wylie’s Arrest and Charges
The following day, law enforcement apprehended Wylie and charged her with attempted murder. Wylie was arraigned in Brooklyn Criminal Court and detained on a $500,000 bail.
Wilks’s Condition and Aftermath
Following the atrocious assault, Wilks was left dealing with a second and third-degree burns over his body. Davis described his arm injury as particularly severe. “They had to graft skin to put on his arm,” explained Davis. She also expressed her concern towards the emotional trauma her brother was going through.
Avoiding A future Confrontation
Davis had tried to avoid any confrontation post-repaying the debt, advising both Wylie and her brother to keep their distance.
Davis has described the event as beyond belief, expressing how she would have “never thought this in a million years.”
The incident has left Davis and others stunned, underlining the destructive consequences of unchecked harassment, even in the case of settled debts. This horrific act serves as a sad testament to the unexpected and sometimes violent outcomes of disputes over money.