On August 13, 2002, 47-year-old Dennis Wade was the victim of a brutal and tragic crime in Springfield, Ohio. He was sleeping on the porch of an abandoned house on West High Street when, at around 4 a.m., he awoke to find himself being set on fire. Someone had poured a flammable liquid, such as gasoline or lighter fluid, on him before igniting it. Wade suffered third-degree burns over 80% of his body. He was transported by CareFlight to Miami Valley Hospital, but after struggling for eight days, he succumbed to his injuries on August 21, 2002.
Wade, who was homeless at the time, had taken refuge on the porch as he had nowhere else to go. His brother, Johnny Wade, described the immense suffering Dennis endured, noting that the burns inflicted were not only intended to kill but caused immense misery. The Springfield Police Chief at the time, David Walters, confirmed that the incident was being treated as a homicide, and investigators looked into whether it was connected to another suspicious fire in the area earlier that month. Unfortunately, no suspects were ever identified.
Dennis Wade's family faced considerable hardships after the incident. Johnny Wade expressed his devastation and struggle to come to terms with the situation, including facing decisions like signing a do-not-resuscitate order due to the severity of Dennis’s injuries. His family also faced financial difficulties trying to arrange a proper burial for Dennis. The Springfield Police Department continues to consider this case unsolved and has called for anyone with information to come forward, in hopes of finding justice for Dennis and bringing closure to his grieving family.
