Nationwide — Justin Martez Seals, a 39-year-old man from Birmingham, Alabama, is accused of setting his paraplegic wife’s home on fire because he did not like her, killing 32-year-old Mekayla Rembert. Prosecutors say the blaze was deliberate and planned.
Rembert was found dead inside the charred garage of their property in December 2025. She lived in the detached garage and was pronounced dead at the scene around 9 p.m. Seals now faces a capital murder charge, according to the Daily Mail.
Investigators said Seals used gasoline or another accelerant to start the fire while Rembert was inside. He later told police he was at a local store during the blaze and did not know it was happening. However, store employees said Seals had mentioned fire and gasoline, saying, “My girl is dead.”
Neighbors and family reported that Seals and Rembert frequently argued and that he did not like her. One neighbor saw him “screaming and hollering,” claiming his daughter was trapped in the garage. Fire investigators found burn marks in the bedroom and near the front door, evidence that the fire was set intentionally.
Seals’ attorneys argued that no one saw him start the fire and that he tried to save his wife. Public Defender Lauren Presley said he was distraught and acted to help, not harm. Prosecutors maintain he is responsible for Rembert’s death.
Rembert’s death was officially ruled a homicide. Her case has now been sent to a grand jury for possible indictment. Family members remembered her as a loving mother and a kind person.