NORTH ADAMS, MA – The quiet morning on Francis Street was shattered when the lives of Venture Hazard, 76, and her husband, Donald Hazard, 83, ended during a brutal and tragic event allegedly carried out by their own son. Authorities say the retired couple was assaulted and left to perish in a house fire started intentionally in the early hours of Monday.
Firefighters arrived at the Hazards’ home shortly after 6 a.m. following a 911 call from concerned neighbors who had seen thick smoke rising from the residence. The intensity of the blaze was immediately evident, but by the time crews managed to enter the house, both Venture and Donald were found dead in the living room. Preliminary findings from the medical examiner indicate that their deaths were caused by smoke inhalation, with autopsies revealing further injuries consistent with physical violence and burns.
The couple, longtime residents of the neighborhood, were remembered by neighbors as quiet and kind. Their final moments, according to court records, were marked by desperate pleas for help as they called out to their son after being assaulted but before the fire consumed their home. Evidence suggests that even after being injured, the Hazards hoped for compassion and aid from the person who attacked them.
Investigators believe the violence unfolded in the Hazards’ home sometime between 3 and 4 a.m. Allegedly, their son, Darius Hazard, 44, attacked both parents before dousing parts of the house with gasoline and setting it ablaze. He is accused of attacking his mother and father in their bedroom, using his fists and a small fan, before turning to arson. The prosecution says that following the assault and the fire, Darius left the scene in his vehicle.
Neighbors told police they discovered the fire while leaving their own home and acted quickly, with one person banging on the Hazards’ door and another calling emergency services. Sadly, their efforts were not enough to save Venture and Donald, whose injuries included fractured ribs, head trauma, and multiple bruises, along with the fatal effects of smoke inhalation.
Authorities launched a multi-hour search for Darius Hazard after noting that neither he nor his vehicle was present at the property. Observations in the driveway showed a dry patch where his car had been, despite the rain, suggesting he had recently left. He failed to appear for his usual work shift that morning, raising further alarm.
Police located Darius Hazard later that afternoon in a Walmart parking lot, several hours north of the crime scene. Upon his arrest, court filings indicate Darius expressed an awareness of what transpired, admitting that he had “snapped.” He recounted to investigators that his mother had mobility issues recently, for which his father cared for her, and that he became overwhelmed with anger after a particularly difficult morning.
According to statements provided to law enforcement, Darius said he shoved, struck, and threw items at his parents before igniting the fire and leaving. After the events at the home, he reportedly traveled to another town and attempted self-harm, but was apprehended soon after.
The case has left the North Adams community grappling with heartbreak and disbelief. Both Venture and Donald Hazard had suffered significant trauma and burns, according to autopsy reports. Darius Hazard was arraigned Wednesday on multiple charges, including two counts of murder and arson. He is being held without bail and is scheduled to return to court on December 29.
North Adams, situated near the borders of New York and Vermont, is a typically tranquil city now shaken by the devastating loss of two valued community members in a crime that has left lingering questions about what led to such an unfathomable act.