Arizona man speaks out after surviving house fire that killed 86-year-old woman

PHOENIX - A man who survived a house fire in the North Valley that killed an 86-year-old woman talked about the ordeal on Nov. 15.

The fire happened on Nov. 9, and the victim was identified as Elizabeth Bell.

Elizabeth Bell (left) and Wayne Everett Tweed (right)

"This neighborhood used to be peaceful and quiet, and there weren't really any problems," said Jesse Tackett, on the day of the fire. "We had a nurse come to the house today who witnessed all of it starting, and she could hear her screaming inside the house. She was on the phone with 911 when she got here."

The suspect, identified by officials as 59-year-old Wayne Everett Tweed, was found just a block north of Bell's home. He was arrested following an hours-long standoff with police.

"My service ended suddenly," fire survivor said

According to investigators, there was a second person inside the home at the time of the fire. That person was transported to an area hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, and they told police Tweed started the fire, which spread throughout the entire home.

That man has since been identified as Ron Buck. He was released from the hospital on Nov. 14, after he was treated for burns.

"I was screaming and yelling ‘she’s going to die. She's going to die. You have to get here,'" Buck recounted.

This terrible memory replays in Bucks' mind. He was Bell's caregiver for nearly four months.

"At first, I was taking care of Elizabeth, looking out the door for Wayne, and I saw him turn around the corner. And then, I heard a noise out on the porch, and on the porch, I saw a 10-foot by 10-foot flame going up and down the sides," Buck recounted. "I quickly tried to get Elizabeth help, but she said 'no, no,' and she pushed me away. I said ‘come on. We have to get out. It’s a fire,' and she said no. She was very saddened by how many bad things were going on, and she just couldn't take it anymore."

Bell's body was found in between the kitchen and the living room.

"The fire just busted through the kitchen window, and went straight into the living room where Elizabeth was," Buck said.

Ron Buck

Buck suffered burns as a result of the fire, including burns to his hand and arm.

"Apparently, the flames burned some of the back of my hair on the back of my neck," said Buck.

As for the suspect, Buck said he previously lived in a cottage in Bell's backyard, and was recently served an injunction.

"Elizabeth, three years ago, allowed him to come on the property and live. In exchange, he would help her around the house," Buck said.

Tweed, according to Buck, helped Bell until he got frustrated with her, and that was when Bell feared for her safety.

"He and his girlfriend put fentanyl in a meal they made for [Bell], and that left her unconscious on the floor for two days," said Buck. "She couldn't walk from that point on. Her eyesight was damaged."

Buck said he tried to keep Bell safe, up until her last breath.

"The cottage belonged to Elizabeth, and she wanted me to live there so that I could eventually be with her up until the time she passed," said Buck. "I was willing to do that until the end, and then my service ended suddenly."