MOLOTOV KILLER
Brother gets 27 years after burning his sister to death
A MAN who burned his sister alive after being cut out of their father’s will has been jailed for 27 years.
Stephen Archer, 51, was angry when his late dad Jeffrey left his flat and money to Julie, 49, and their other sister Gillian.
He posted a message on Facebook saying: “If fate was to strike you down, then I’ll become next of kin – be careful what you do regarding dad’s money.” In February last year, Archer arrived at Julie’s home armed with a “molotov cocktail” – a Pepsi bottle containing petrol and mineral spirits that made it burn longer with more intensity.
He poured the mixture over his sister and set her alight.
She was engulfed in flames and ran outside but suffered 95% burns and died three days later. As she was airlifted to hospital, she told paramedics: “He’s done it, he’s thrown it at me.”
She later told doctors: “My brother Stephen, he’s been threatening to kill me and my sister for three weeks since our dad died.”
Her daughter Bibi, 19, jumped 12ft from an upstairs bedroom window to escape the fire at the house in Newton Heath, Manchester. Archer left the scene on his bicycle. While on the run he sent a birthday card to his mum and a get well soon card to Julie. He was convicted of murder after a trial at Manchester crown court. Sentencing him to life, judge Mr Justice Peter Openshaw said: “This was a dreadful murder and an act of extreme wickedness.”