Washington Wildfire Arson Suspect Linked to Previous First-Degree Murder Charge

Court documents reveal that the man suspected of igniting the largest wildfire that has ravaged hundreds of structures and displaced thousands in eastern Washington previously faced a first-degree murder charge. He later pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of manslaughter.

Aaron F. Farinacci, age 37, was taken into custody on Monday. He is accused of first-degree arson related to the Old Trails Fire, a major blaze engulfing the region around Spokane, Washington’s second-largest city.

These wildfires have resulted in the destruction of at least 700 buildings, forcing around 67,000 residents to flee. Investigators have not linked Farinacci to the other two ongoing fires, which are still under investigation.

Farinacci’s arrest coincided with statements from Washington Governor Jay Inslee, a Democrat, who underscored the role of climate change as firefighters contended with the region’s devastating fires.

“Climate change isn’t some existential global thing,” Inslee said Monday. “It’s our neighbors. It’s our friends.”

Court records reviewed by News Media show Farinacci was initially charged with first-degree murder and aggravated assault in a 2010 Arizona homicide before pleading guilty in 2012 to reduced charges of manslaughter and aggravated assault.

The Associated Press reported that Farinacci, then 21, fatally shot his father during an argument over washing dishes in Mesa, Arizona, in 2010. Farinacci also shot himself but survived.

A Maricopa County judge sentenced Farinacci to 12 years in prison after he pleaded guilty to manslaughter and aggravated assault. Arizona Department of Corrections records show he was released on Dec. 23, 2020.

Less than six years after his release from prison, Farinacci again found himself accused of a major crime.

The Spokane County Sheriff’s Office said Major Crimes detectives and Washington State Department of Natural Resources fire investigators identified Farinacci as the suspect after developing probable cause during the investigation.

Detectives obtained arrest and search warrants before taking Farinacci into custody without incident at his Spokane residence, where he was booked into the Spokane County Jail on suspicion of first-degree arson.

Spokane County Sheriff John Nowels said witnesses reported seeing a man – later identified as Farinacci – acting suspiciously near where the fire started. After returning home and noticing smoke rising from the same area, they flagged down an Airway Heights police officer and provided investigators with a physical description of the man and the clothing he was wearing.

Deputies initially detained and questioned Farinacci before releasing him as first responders focused on evacuating residents threatened by the rapidly growing fire, Nowels said.

As detectives reviewed witness statements, body camera footage and evidence gathered with fire investigators, they developed probable cause to arrest Farinacci.

When deputies first contacted Farinacci, he was carrying waterproof matches and a butane lighter, investigators said. Fire investigators later determined the blaze was consistent with dry grass being ignited by a match or lighter.

Nowels said the first-degree arson charge reflected the evidence investigators currently have but cautioned that additional charges could be considered as the investigation continues and authorities assess the full scope of the fire’s destruction.

The sheriff credited observant residents with helping investigators quickly identify the suspect.

“As it happens in so many critical cases, it was citizens who were paying attention to their surroundings, being aware and willing to step up and say something that led to the relatively quick apprehension of Mr. Farinacci,” Nowels said.