75-Year-Old ‘Walking Man’ Unlikely To Survive Horrific Attack; Suspect Faces Graver Charges

A homeless man who appeared in a documentary is not expected to survive after reportedly being doused with lighter fluid.

The man was identified as Joseph Kromelis, perhaps familiar to others as the “Walking Man.” He was given this moniker for his tendency to walk the streets regardless of the weather.

On Wednesday, Kromelis was sleeping on a sidewalk when a 27-year-old man named Joseph Guardia reportedly doused lighter fluid on him at around 3:00 a.m.

Surveillance videos showed how Guardia was carrying a cup and then approached the victim. The 27-year-old appeared to survey the area first before he poured the cup allegedly filled with lighter fluid on the homeless man. He would set him on fire afterward, CBS News reported.

"The victim's body immediately became engulfed in flames," Cook County Assistant State's Attorney Danny Hanichak said via WLS-TV. "As the victim got up, he began thrashing around trying to put the fire out. The defendant took off running."

Kromelis was reportedly on fire for about three minutes. A security guard from the Trump Tower noticed it and extinguished the fire before calling 911.

Not long after, police were able to track down Guardia, confirming to authorities that he was the one seen in surveillance footage.

Guardia claims that because he was an angry person, he had planned to burn some trash. However, despite seeing Kromelis’ head and feet exposed, the 27-year-old accused says he did not know that a person was there.

Kromelis appeared in the documentary, “The Walking Dude, a Dudementary.” He is now sedated and is suffering from non-survivable burns to more than half of his body. He is not expected to recover.

As for Guardia, he is facing first-degree murder (likely to be upgraded) and aggravated arson. The 27-year-old has yet to enter a plea. His next court date is set for June 6.