Man indicted on murder, arson charges

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) - A grand jury has indicted a Providence man on charges he killed the mother of his two children, then set her home on fire. Herbert Byrd is scheduled in court later this month.

Police said Byrd killed Linda Encarnacoe back in May, then set fire to her Yarmouth Street home. Investigators said Encarnacoe had been stabbed, strangled, and beaten. They believe jealousy may have been a motive.

Eyewitness News learned Byrd had been charged with assaulting Encarnacoe in 2008. However, those charges were later dropped.