Woman gets 25 years for torching ex-husband

updated 10:50 p.m. ET Jan. 21, 2006

GALENA, Mo. - A woman who killed her ex-husband by dousing him with gasoline and setting him on fire has been sentenced to 25 years in prison.

Barbara Ann Banning, 60, poured the fuel on her ex-husband while he was sitting in a recliner recovering from knee surgery. She then lit a piece of newspaper on a stove and threw it at him.

Neighbors put out the flames, but Fred Bounous died hours later.

“No one’s going to miss him more than I will,” said Banning, who pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and first-degree arson.

Public defender Brian Smith said Banning snapped after years of emotional and physical abuse.

Bounous’ relatives have questioned the abuse claims.

“No matter what the relationship was like in the past, there was no evidence the defendant was pushed into that situation,” prosecutor Robert George said.

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