In the early morning of Aug. 20, 2019, a domestic violence survivor was asleep in her Cayce home.

Robert Rome Green, 48, who she had a previous relationship with, entered her bedroom in the 700 block of Lexington Avenue armed with a gas can and lighter.

His victim testified that she awoke as Green poured gasoline on her skin and clothing.

She struggled to get away, but Green overpowered her.

While holding her down, Green held the lighter to her face and ignited it.

On fire, the victim fled to a neighbor’s home.

Multiple neighbors came to her aid and 911 was called at about 3:30 am.

A neighborhood security camera captured the victim’s screams and the frantic sound of knocking on a neighbor’s door.

When Cayce police arrived, the victim’s home was engulfed in flames.

The victim was severely injured with 2nd and 3rd degree burns to over 60% of her body.

This included her face, scalp, torso, back, abdomen and arms.

She was rushed to the Prisma Richland Trauma Unit, then transferred to the Joseph Still Burn Center in Augusta for critical care treatment.

The victim remained hospitalized at the Augusta Burn Center for over 4 months.

She spent most of that time in critical condition and on a ventilator.

She sustained permanent burn injuries and underwent multiple skin grafts.

Green fled after law enforcement and 1st responders arrived to battle the fire.

Surveillance video and an officer’s car camera captured Green walking away.

A neighbor testified that she saw the victim on fire as she was running from her home.

The neighbor described hearing Green in the front yard yelling, “Take me to jail!”

In addition to the investigation conducted by Cayce police, members of the SLED Arson Team arrived at the crime scene and collected evidence.

SLED Arson investigator Allen Lloyd provided expert testimony during the trial that an accelerant was located in the master bedroom of the victim’s home.

Specifically, arson investigators recovered a red gas can which later tested positive for the accelerant.

Clothing collected from Green led to a lighter being recovered as evidence from his shorts pocket.

During the sentencing hearing, the victim addressed the Court and expressed “no creature on this planet should go through or suffer in the manner that I, my family, and friends have.”

She expressed sincere gratitude to the 1st responders, medical providers, and community members who assisted in her road to recovery.