Here are the 10 things you need to know to start your day from your friends at NBC10.
TODAY'S TOP STORY
Man Throws Gasoline on Girlfriend as she Smokes, Causing Her to Burn to Death: A suspect in a deadly arson told police he knocked over a cup of gasoline on his girlfriend as she was smoking a cigarette, causing her to burn to death, according to an affidavit. Kevin Small, 46, of Philadelphia, is charged in the death of his girlfriend, Melissa Bacon-Smith, 46, also of Philadelphia, after she was found dead inside a motel room. Police and firefighters first responded to a report of a fire at the Lincoln Motel, on Route 1 near Northgate Drive in Bensalem Township shortly before 2:30 a.m. Sunday. When they arrived they found flames and heavy smoke inside the building. Firefighters extinguished a blaze in a first-floor motel room and later found Bacon-Smith's body inside. Investigators say she had suffered severe burns. A desk clerk at the motel told investigators that before police and firefighters arrived, she entered room 103 after receiving a report of a person on fire. When she opened the door she noticed a person on the bed who was on fire and yelling. She was unable to get inside the room however due to the flames and left to help evacuate the entire motel. The clerk told investigators flames inside the room had spread to the curtain, bed and in front of the television. Police say motel records indicated room 103 was registered to Small who was later found walking on Southampton and Byberry roads by Bensalem Township Police. Investigators say he had visible burns on his hands and smelled like gasoline. He was taken to Aria Hospital for treatment. Investigators later obtained surveillance video of Small at a nearby Wawa store. According to the affidavit, the video shows Small walking into the store shortly before 1:30 a.m. Sunday. He then exits the store with a Wawa coffee cup in his hand, walks to a gas pump and then fills the cup with gasoline, according to investigators.
YOUR FIRST ALERT FORECAST
It will be a cold start to Monday but it will be a dry day. Temperatures are expected to hit the 60s by Monday afternoon. The rain may return on Tuesday with temperatures in the 60s. Clouds are expected for Wednesday and Thursday the sun should return and temperatures could hit the 70s. High Temp: 65 degrees. Get your full NBC10 First Alert forecast here.
WHAT YOU MISSED YESTERDAY
Teen Shot 7 Times: A teenage boy was in extremely critical condition early Monday after police say someone shot him seven times overnight on a South Philadelphia street. Police said the 17-year-old was walking home near Moore and Hollywood streets just before midnight when someone opened fire on him, wounding him several times in the chest.
AROUND THE WORLD
US Navy to Take Ownership of Its Largest Warship: The U.S. Navy is ready to take ownership of the Zumwalt, its largest and most technologically sophisticated destroyer. Sailors' uniforms and personal effects, supplies and spare parts are being moved aboard the 610-foot warship in anticipation of crew members taking on their new charge, said Capt. James Kirk, the destroyer's skipper. The Zumwalt is the first new class of warship built at Bath Iron Works since the Arleigh Burke slid into the Kennebec River in 1989. The shipyard is expected to turn the destroyer over to the Navy this week.
TODAY'S TALKER
'Social' Caterpillars Eating Their Way through Trees: If you like to get shade from that tree in your yard, you might soon be at odds with a hungry caterpillar. It’s feeding time for the Eastern Tent Caterpillar. You may have noticed them setting up shop in tree branches in your neighborhood. The black colored insects build fuzzy, odd-shaped forts around tree branches, close to their favorite food: leaves. The caterpillars, native to our area, recently hatched from their eggs and are focused on growing ahead of their metamorphosis into moths. For about six weeks, the larvae chew their way through leaves morning, day and night. Unlike other caterpillars, the Eastern Tent are a social bunch, hanging in groups says Greg Cowper, an entomologist with the Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University. The groups average about 15 to 20 caterpillars, which means they can put a pretty dent in the amount of leaves they mow down. While the caterpillars can decimate tree leaves, they’re nothing more than a nuisance. A short-term one at that. Cowper says the caterpillars typically cocoon after that six week eating period, before turning into moths, mating and then dying.mTrees usually bounce back once the eating assault is over and regrow their leaves.
SPORTS SPOT
Phillies Loses to Cincinnati: The Phillies lost 4 to 9 against the Cincinnati Reds. Get your full sports news at CSNPhilly.
PHOTO OF THE DAY
See more Top News Photos here.
THROUGH IGER'S EYES
@rigbyzombie snapped this cool photo of some sweet breakfast treats.
Have an awesome Instagram photo you'd like to share? Tag it with #NBC10Buzz.
TODAY'S VIRAL VIDEO
Have you ever wanted a map of the brain? Watch the full video here.
A LITTLE SWEETENER
Teen Helps Kids with Hearing, Vision Loss: Gabrielle Turgeon has a friend, Henry, who battles Usher syndrome -- a condition that affects vision and hearing. So she decided to do something to help him and other kids facing the condition. Gabrielle raised $1,000 to help after writing an essay for the Home Shopping Network, which held a fundraiser. The money will now be used for Henry and his friends to attend a summer camp at no cost to the families. Read more about Gabrielle and Henry here.
That's what you need to know. We've got more stories worthy of your time in the Breakfast Buzz section. Click here to check them out.
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