ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. – A man charged with murder in a fire that killed a woman and two children turned himself in to the Orange County Jail early Thursday.
Orange County sheriff's deputies named LaRunne Richardson, 40, as a person of interest in April, and on Wednesday, he was arrested on three counts of first-degree murder.
Richardson's attorney, Carlus Haynes, said his client was in Jacksonville but drove to Orlando after hearing he was officially charged. Haynes, said he believes his client is innocent.
"I had made several requests that they at least give me the professional courtesy of letting me know they were going to file charges and allow me to have my client come down and turn himself in, where he could be treated with dignity and respect," said Haynes.
The March 11 fire at the Misty Oaks Apartments left the upstairs apartment charred. Inside investigators found the bodies of Carllans Fils-Aime, 29, and her two young nephews, Jacque Gustave and Samuel Gustave.
Investigators later determined the fire was intentionally set with accelerant.
Richardson had refused to go to the funeral, and he was reportedly uncooperative with investigators.
Haynes had submitted medical records to the State Attorney's Office on Monday, showing diagnosis of severe burns and post-traumatic stress disorder.
He wrote, "Mr. LaRunne Richardson's injuries are real, and likely not self-inflicted."
Two days later, the State Attorney's Office filed charges and sent deputies searching for him.
Stay with Local 6 and ClickOrlando.com for updates on this developing story.