Man charged for attacking, trying to burn wife

Before setting fire to his home at about 10:30 Sunday night, an 81-year-old man tried to kill his wife, according to authorities.

Nevada district attorneys have charged Leonard Bailey with the attempted murder of his wife of ten years, two counts of domestic violence and first degree arson.

It started when Bailey walked into his kitchen at 1131 Sleetridge Drive with two bottles of liquor.

“You’re going to die tonight,” he told his wife. He then poured the contents of both bottles on her and tried to light her on fire with a barbecue lighter.

She told police she struggled with him as he tried to burn her and hit her with the empty bottles. He also strangled her, and as she tried to to pull his arms away he punched her in the face, according to police.

She escaped and drove to a gas station where she called the police.

Police observed visible swelling on Charlene Bailey’s left eyebrow and noted she sounded hoarse during an interview peppered with coughing fits. She told them he intended to kill her.

Leonard Bailey did not have any visible injuries when police arrived at his home, already ablaze.

When firefighters asked him how the fire started, Bailey told them he started it, police said.

“Because she wouldn’t go get my medicine. She wasn’t taking care of me,” he told paramedics.

Bailey’s unusual behavior began a few days prior to the incident, she told police.

He had never been diagnosed with a mental illness before, and before this incident Bailey was only abusive emotionally, she told police.

Clark County firefighters had the fire under control just before 11 p.m. The fire caused extensive damage to the home and a car in the garage. The cost was estimated between $100,000 and $150,000.

Police said Bailey was not questioned on the scene. Paramedics informed them his blood-pressure was too high, and he was not totally coherent.

Contact reporter Wesley Juhl at wjuhl@reviewjournal.com and (702) 383-0381. Follow him on Twitter @WesJuhl.