Twenty-five-year-old Jeffery Cordell of Middletown, Del., is charged with murder, arson and other offenses. He surrendered to police in Newark, Del. on Wednesday and is awaiting extradition to Elkton, Maryland, where the incident occurred.
Police say a neighbor discovered the fire about 10:15 p.m. Tuesday. After Cordell surrendered to police in Delaware, fire investigators went back to the burned home and found a woman's body in the bathtub under fallen debris.
The victim has been identified as 27-year-old Erica Green of North East, Maryland.
Police say Cordell was a friend of people living at the house. He told investigators that, while at the house, he heard voices in his head that told him to hurt the other people.
Cordell allegedly told investigators he tried to stab someone there, but it "did not work," so he tried mixing acid from under the sink with vodka, but no one drank the mixture.
Eventually, the other people passed out from intoxication after drinking most of the day. It was at this time, police said, that Cordell found Green in the bathtub and drowned her.
He then set the house on fire, police say, and left. It does not appear the other people were injured by the fire.
Investigators who interviewed people who know Cordell said he was described as having psychiatric problems.
