Councillor Fighting for Life
A US politician has been left fighting for his life after being set on fire – just months after posing in a smiling photo with the British man now accused of trying to kill him in the US.
Lee Vogler, a long-serving member of the Danville City Council in Virginia, suffered burns to 60% of his body in the shocking attack earlier this year.
British Suspect Charged
The suspect, 29-year-old Shotsie Michael Buck-Hayes from South Molton, Devon, has been charged with attempted first-degree murder and aggravated malicious wounding.
Buck-Hayes is alleged to have told police he “set the person on fire who had an affair with his wife” following the incident.
It remains unclear whether an affair ever took place. However, court records show Buck-Hayes’s wife, Mary, filed for divorce just two weeks before the attack.
This incident has shocked many in the US, highlighting issues of violence and mental health.
Under Psychiatric Care
Buck-Hayes, who moved to the US in 2020 and married Mary the following year, is currently under psychiatric care at Central State Hospital.
The case has garnered significant media attention across the US, raising questions about public safety.
A judge has ordered a full psychological evaluation to decide whether he is fit to stand trial. If convicted, he could face life in prison.
Friends of the accused in Devon described him as “desperate” to save his four-year marriage, insisting he struggled to accept the relationship’s breakdown.
Respected City Leader
The couple’s split appears to have sparked his resentment toward Mr Vogler, a respected city leader who has served more than 13 years on the Danville City Council.
Mr Vogler’s family say he has already undergone multiple surgeries, including what they hope will be his final skin graft procedure last week.
Fundraising Effort
His wife, Blair, launched a fundraising appeal to help cover medical costs, describing him as a “friend, husband, father and community leader”.
The GoFundMe page says: “For more than 13 years, Lee has served Danville as a dedicated city councilman, never missing a meeting and working tirelessly to revitalise the city he loves.”
Many community members in the US have come forward to support Mr Vogler’s recovery.
It adds: “He is a father who coaches his children’s sports teams, a husband who adores his family, and a friend who has always been there when others needed him.”
Community Support
As of Thursday evening, more than $160,000 had been raised by well-wishers, with support pouring in from across the United States.
Fundraising efforts have been particularly strong from individuals and organisations across the US.
The photo of Mr Vogler and Buck-Hayes – taken at a fairground just ten months before the attack – has since circulated widely online, capturing a moment of apparent friendship before their relationship unravelled in violence.
