Moffitt booking photo released in Winnsboro burning case

FRANKLIN PARISH, LA (KSLA) - A newly released booking photo of the woman accused of setting herself on fire back in October shows how extensive her injuries were.

Police say 21-year-old Sharmeka Moffitt called police Oct. 21 and said she was attacked while walking in a Winnsboro park by three men in white hoodies. Police also found "KKK" written in toothpaste on the hood of Moffitt's car.

Moffiitt suffered burns to the majority of her body and was treated for several weeks at the LSUHSC Regional Burn Center.

Word of the horrific attack spread quickly on social media, with speculation swirling that it was a hate crime that prompted the NAACP to call for a thorough investigation of the incident.

Two days later, Winnsboro Police Chief Lester Thomas revealed that their investigation had linked Moffitt's fingerprints to a lighter and a bottle of lighter fluid found at the scene.

District Attorney Mack Lancaster filed charges against Moffitt on March 18.

She was arrested on Tuesday and booked on charges of terrorizing and false reporting. A booking photo, provided by the Franklin Parish Sheriff's Office, shows Offsite wrapped in protective bandaging around the neck and head. She is now free on $20,000 bond.

In court Tuesday, Moffitt was appointed an indigent defender and her trial was scheduled for December 12, 2013.

If convicted, District Attorney Mack Lancaster says she faces up to 25 years in prison, but because she is a first-time offender, probation is also an option.

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