HOLLY, Mich. – An Oakland County woman was set on fire when her husband got upset because she didn't take care of the cat's litter box fast enough.
Now, Becky Garnett is sharing her story for the first time since her skin grafts started to heal.
Garnett's husband, David Garnett, never denied he lit her on fire because of his anger over a litter box. But he said there was much more over the years that led to the incident.
"I'm so sick of her not taking care of the cat we have," David Garnett said.
In his police confession, David Garnett explained why he took a gas can, spread gasoline over the couple's mobile home and went after his wife, splashing her with gasoline.
"He took the gasoline can and doused my leg with the gasoline," Becky Garnett told Local 4. "He then put gas on the floor and lit my pants and floor on fire and walked away."
The couple was married for 10 years. Becky Garnett worked every day as a caregiver for disabled adults and owned and paid for their mobile home.
"I made him breakfast like I did every morning," she said.
She said she was his servant and required to check in while she was working, though he was not employed.
"I used to think it was cute," Becky Garnett said. "Now, I'm not so amused by it. I know it was a controlling thing."
She said her husband never hit her, but he would ridicule and demean her constantly.
"I didn't think I deserved anything better," she said.
His behavior had become increasingly angry over the years, she said. On the day he got angry about the cat litter, she had had enough.
"I said something about us separating and that's when he said, 'I will light this place on fire and you with it. I'm not going anywhere,'" Becky Garnett said.
After her husband lit her on fire, Becky Garnett wedged herself out of a back window, not caring that the broken glass was carving up her hands.
Neighbors called police.
Months later, the skin grafts on her legs are healing, but the pain is still present. She said she's back at work, but she still hears his final threat.
"He did say that when he got out of jail, he would hunt me down and finish the job," she said.