Tanisha Shelton appeared before a judge Monday as Nathaniel Devon Mathis remained hospitalized with life-threatening burns, authorities said.
MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. — A judge denied bond Monday for a 45-year-old woman accused of setting a man on fire in northwest Miami-Dade County, a case that has left the 33-year-old victim hospitalized in critical condition with extensive burns.
Tanisha Shelton faces charges of attempted first-degree murder and arson causing great bodily harm in connection with the Saturday evening attack on Nathaniel Devon Mathis. The Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office said Mathis suffered burns across at least 80% of his body after the incident near Northwest 63rd Street and Northwest 25th Avenue.
Shelton appeared before a judge Monday, two days after deputies took her into custody. The judge denied her bond, according to NBC 6 South Florida. The court appearance marked the latest development in a case that remains under investigation by the sheriff’s office.
Deputies and Miami-Dade Fire Rescue crews were called to the area at about 6:02 p.m. Saturday after reports that someone had been set on fire. Deputies found Mathis unconscious and suffering from serious burns. Paramedics transported him to Ryder Trauma Center at Jackson Memorial Hospital.
An arrest report alleges Shelton and Mathis had argued earlier that day. Investigators said Shelton left after threatening to return with someone who would hurt Mathis, then came back several hours later carrying a bucket containing a bag with an unidentified liquid accelerant.
According to the report, Shelton asked a witness for a lighter before approaching Mathis and resuming the argument. Investigators allege she poured the liquid on him and set him on fire. The allegations have not been proven in court, and Shelton is presumed innocent unless convicted.
A witness gave deputies a description of the person investigators were seeking, according to the sheriff’s office. Authorities said deputies searching the surrounding area found Shelton and arrested her without incident. The arrest report also said a witness pursued Shelton and used pepper spray in an effort to prevent her from leaving.
The sheriff’s office identified Mathis on Sunday and said he remained in critical condition. Reports citing the arrest document said he suffered second- and third-degree burns across most of his body. Authorities have not publicly established what relationship, if any, existed between Shelton and Mathis or what prompted their earlier argument.
The Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office continues to investigate the case while Mathis remains hospitalized. No final determination of Shelton’s guilt has been made, and the criminal case will proceed through the court system following Monday’s bond decision.
Author note: Last updated October 26, 2026.