A Pennsylvania man is in custody after allegedly burning over half of his girlfriend’s body with a hot clothes iron and holding her captive for several days inside their Pittsburgh apartment, according to a probable cause affidavit.
Burton L. Byrd stands accused of a horrific assault that began last Saturday when he confronted the woman with accusations of infidelity. The woman told Pittsburgh police that Byrd became violent, allegedly forcing her to strip naked, tying her hands with shoelaces, and then beating her with a belt and punching her repeatedly in the face.
According to police, Byrd then plugged in a clothes iron, initially tapping it against her body before deciding it wasn’t hot enough. Once it reached full temperature, he allegedly pressed the iron to several parts of her body while demanding she confess to cheating. The victim, desperate to end the attack, eventually fabricated a story to appease him.
The affidavit states that the brutal assault lasted roughly four hours, leaving the woman with burns covering approximately 60% of her body. Police say Byrd then attempted to treat her injuries with gauze but refused to allow her to seek medical help, keeping her confined in the apartment from Saturday through Tuesday.
When he eventually released her, Byrd allegedly told her to lie about the injuries, suggesting she claim she had been attacked near a Wendy’s restaurant. He reportedly threatened to harm her family if she revealed the truth.
Authorities were alerted when the woman was admitted to a hospital Wednesday afternoon. Due to the severity of her burns, she was later transferred to a facility with a specialized burn unit and is expected to remain hospitalized for at least two weeks.
Byrd now faces multiple felony charges, including aggravated assault, kidnapping, witness intimidation, and false imprisonment. As of now, it is unclear whether he has retained legal representation.
The investigation remains ongoing.