Woman burned to death in California, police say

The Pomona Police Department said it had launched a murder investigation into the Christmas-Day crime and named 51-year-old Clarence Duwell Dear as a suspect.

Police on Saturday were hunting an “extremely dangerous” man suspected of killing a California woman by setting her ablaze.

Officials withheld the name of the victim, pending notification of her family.

Police said in a statement that the woman, whose name was not released, ran about 1:40 p.m. from the home engulfed in flames. Police say Dear ran away after the incident, which took place at his last known address in the 1500 block of Cordova Street. She suffered severe burns and was transported to a hospital, where she died shortly afterward. She later died from her injuries at a hospital.

The suspect fled the scene and has not been seen since. At one point, the man chased the woman outside, doused her with gasoline and set her afire with what police say may be a lit cigarette. It is unclear as to whether or not the suspect fled the area on foot or in a vehicle.

Anyone who sees Dear, or anyone with information, is asked to contact their local police agency or Pomona police at 909-622-1241. The other photo of Clarence shows a side profile of the man, described as a black male who is 5-foot-11 inches tall with a weight of 170 pounds.