California fire that killed 2 people was started 'deliberately' to cover up murder: Police

A California fire that killed two people last year was started “deliberately” in a bid to cover up a murder, revealed investigators in a press briefing following an eight-month-long inquiry. The Markley Fire was started in North California’s Solano County on August 18, 2020, near the spot where the law enforcement officers found the burned body of 32-year-old missing person Priscilla Castro. The Solano County Sheriff’s Department on April 28 accused a Vacaville man of starting the fire to cover up an alleged homicide.

Vacaville resident, Victor Serritino was arrested in September 2020 after the body of Priscilla Castro, who was initially reported missing, was found in Stebbins Cold Canyon. Since then, Serritino has been under police custody. The Markley fire on August 2002 in the Stebbins-Cold Canyon area reportedly merged with Hennessey Fire and both blazes eventually included the overall LNU Lightening Complex, which developed into one of the largest wildfires in California’s history. 

Solanio County Sherriff said in a briefing that two fire victims were discovered deceased in their respective homes in unincorporated Solano County as the outcome of deed alleged to be committed bySerritino. The two victims of the fire included 82-year-old Douglas Mai and 64-year old Leon “James” Bone. Additionally, authorities had also found the body of the missing person Castro in the same area which resulted in the arrest of Serritino in September 2020. 

"Based on an extensive, eight-month investigation, we believe Serriteno deliberately set the Markley Fire in an attempt to conceal his crime," Tom Ferrara, the Solano County Sheriff, said in a briefing Wednesday.

LNU Lightning Complex fire in 2020

The LNU Lightning Complex was devastated with the combination of several fires in at least five counties of San Francisco, including in Vacaville, a city of about 100,000 people between San Francisco and Sacramento. The fire ended up consuming at least 502 square kilometres which were, at the time, larger than the size of San Jose. The two fires in Solano county had prompted the evacuation orders for at least 8,000 residents near the Russian River. 

Image credits: AP