FAIRFIELD, Calif. — A deadly blaze initially ruled a wildfire has instead been deemed arson, and a man responsible is facing charges for using the fire to cover up a murder, northern California authorities said Wednesday.
The Solano County Sheriff’s Department and California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection announced in a news conference that Victor Serriteno, of Vacaville, is to blame for the Markley Fire that killed two people and that he set the blaze to mask the killing of a missing woman, KOVR reported.
Serriteno has been in police custody since his September arrest after authorities found the body of Priscilla Castro in the Stebbins-Cold Canyon area. Authorities now believe he set what became the Markley Fire on Aug. 18 to hide Castro’s remains, scorching more than 30,000 acres countywide, the TV station reported.
Both Leon “James” Bone, 64, and Douglas Mai, 82, died as a result of the fire and both fatalities are now being treated as homicides, KSBY reported.
Serriteno had already been charged with murder in Castro’s death, but now he faces additional murder and arson charges following the eight-month investigation, the TV station reported.
Cox Media Group
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