Authorities have accused a North Lawndale man of fatally shooting his ex-girlfriend last year and setting her house on fire to conceal her death. Joshua Mims, 37, faces charges of murder and aggravated arson for the May 2023 death of Racquel Adams. Judge Susana Ortiz ordered Mims held in custody at his first appearance Thursday at the Leighton Criminal Court Building. Adams, 32, had broken up with Mims shortly before he shot her in the head while retrieving his belongings from her home in the 6400 block of South Damen Avenue, according to Assistant State’s Attorney Anne McCord Rogers. According to McCord Rogers, Mims threatened to break all of Adams’ televisions in a May 12, 2023, phone call while Adams was at a friend’s house, prompting Adams to return to her West Englewood home. Sometime later, a witness heard Adams tell Mims to stop throwing things at her before the call disconnected. Adams made two more phone calls that night and Mims was captured on surveillance video leaving Adams’ house at about 10 p.m. the same night, McCord Rogers said. Mims and his brother allegedly returned to the home around midnight and left after a few minutes. Police later saw smoke coming from a window of Adams’ home and found her dead inside, while a fire raged in the home. The fire appeared to have originated in four separate rooms of the victim’s home, McCord Rogers said. Mims had a history of violence against his intimate partners, prosecutors said. Mims was arrested and charged with battering Adams with closed fists and a wine bottle and pulling her hair in April 2022, court records show, but the case was dismissed. Fugitive trackers arrested Mims Tuesday during a traffic stop in the 900 block of South Kedzie Avenue. He is scheduled to return to court on Dec. 3.