A San Diego man has been charged with murder in connection with the death of his wife after authorities say he intentionally drove his pickup truck into their home and started a fire inside.
Stephen Coates, 62, was arrested following the Dec. 29 incident at a residence in the Bay Park neighborhood, according to the San Diego Police Department (SDPD).
His wife, 61-year-old Monica Coates, called 911 shortly after 7:30 a.m. local time to report that her husband had crashed his truck into their home, police said. Neighbors also contacted emergency services to report the collision, with one caller telling authorities they heard screams coming from inside the house after the crash.
Police arrived within about 10 minutes and attempted to contact anyone inside the home, but received no response. Officers then observed smoke and a small fire inside the residence.
Seeing the danger, officers entered the home to check on the occupants. Inside the primary bedroom, they found Monica Coates dead, with injuries consistent with severe burns.
Stephen Coates was found alive in a bathroom, suffering from burn injuries. He was given first aid at the scene before being transported to a local hospital for treatment.
San Diego Fire Rescue crews responded to extinguish the fire and shut off utilities to the house. Homicide detectives later assumed control of the investigation and concluded that Stephen Coates was driving the truck when it crashed into the home and that he was responsible for igniting the fire. San Diego’s Metro Arson Strike Team is also investigating the fire.
Police said Monica had a temporary restraining order against her husband at the time of her death. Court records obtained by NBC San Diego reportedly show she first sought the order in November.
In her filing, Monica wrote that her husband had become increasingly paranoid, believing she was “conspiring with others to kill him.” She stated that his paranoia had made him erratic and caused her to fear for her safety, explaining that he saw her as someone he needed to defend himself against.
According to the records, Stephen allegedly demanded access to Monica’s phone and online accounts to search for supposed evidence of the conspiracy. She also wrote that he asked a friend whether he should arm himself with a shotgun for protection.
Monica reportedly fled the home at one point but returned after a neighbor warned her that the situation had escalated. Court documents allege Stephen had “booby trapped” the house, leading to his involuntary removal by a Psychiatric Emergency Response Team and placement on a psychiatric hold.
Monica later wrote that she was seeking court protection because she had been told Stephen still believed she was a threat, and she feared he might “do more” given his mental state.
Jail records show Stephen Coates was booked on Dec. 31 on a charge of first-degree murder.
A criminal complaint obtained by NBC alleges the killing involved special circumstances, including arson and mayhem, and claims the act was intentional and involved torture.
If convicted, Stephen could face either the death penalty or a sentence of 25 years to life in state prison, according to the San Diego County District Attorney’s Office.
Anyone with information related to the case is asked to contact the SDPD Homicide Unit at 619-531-2293 or Crime Stoppers at 888-580-8477.
