Delano Grangruth, 58, is charged with second-degree murder in the death of 61-year-old Kathleen White-Grangruth

A Virginia man told police he doused his disabled wife in gasoline, set her on fire and burned her alive.

Delano Grangruth, 58, is charged with second-degree murder in the death of 61-year-old Kathleen White-Grangruth and burning a building with the intent to commit a felony.

According to an affidavit to search the man's clothes by Detective Matthew Nordan, Delano lit his wife on fire and then ran out of their Norfolk home, The Virginian-Pilot reports.

Nordan stated that firefighters went to the couple's home after White-Grangruth's caregiver smelled something burning and called 911.

Firefighters forced their way inside and found White-Grangruth heavily burned. She had been sitting in the chair.

The detective asserted that the high oxidation levels that were seen on the metal of the chair indicated that an accelerant had been used. There was also a considerable amount on the carpet.

The man told detectives that he lit his wife on fire and then ran out of their Norfolk home

Officers knew that Delano got around by a bike and found him on the Military Highway, thew detective explained.

Grangruth told detectives he and his wife, who used a wheelchair, had a serious fight, so he slept at a bar. Authorities say he later said he'd set White-Grangruth ablaze.

'I'm not a monster,' he said, according to WAVY.

'I respect her family and I'm sure they are going through a lot of pain right now, as am I. I'm going through a tremendous amount of pain right now.'

Grangruth told detectives he and his wife, who used a wheelchair, had a serious fight, so he slept at a bar. Authorities say he later said he'd set White-Grangruth ablaze

Grangruth is scheduled to go to court in September. It's unclear if he has a lawyer.

Donna Price, administrator of the state chief medical examiner's Norfolk office, said that White-Gangruth died from 'acute thermal injuries.'

The elderly woman suffered from dementia and schizophrenia, according to caretaker Katrina Banks.

Grangruth is scheduled to go to court in September. It's unclear if he has a lawyer

She is said to have needed the wheelchair after undergoing heart surgery years ago.

White-Gangruth was a Newfoundland, Canada, native and had served as a Tripler Army Medical Center nurse in the Army in Honolulu.

'Kathy's passion was always to help and give to others,' her family said in the woman's obituary.

Banks said that Delano 'Del' was mean and that he would curse and yell at his wife's caretakers.

'He got mad at everything,' Banks said. 'He's a firecracker.'

Delano had been charged with assaulting his wife and was said to have threatened to burn down their home, five years ago.

That case was dismissed by a judge.