All articles tagged with #aaron farinacci
Aaron Farinacci, who previously served time for fatally shooting his father, is identified by authorities as behind one of several Spokane-area wildfires; he told investigators that since his release in 2025 he has started about 25 fires in the Spokane region, as fire crews battle the blazes and investigators piece together a broader wave of arson in the area.
NBC News reports that 37-year-old Aaron Farinacci, the suspect in Spokane’s largest wildfire, has a lengthy, troubled history including a 2010 guilty plea for killing his adoptive father and about a decade in prison, with court records detailing ongoing mental-health issues that investigators say relate to the case.
Aaron Farinacci, suspected of starting the Old Trails fire and two other Spokane blazes, was linked to the incidents by witnesses and a distinctive green shirt; he was contacted by investigators last summer and later arrested on first-degree arson with a $1 million bond, with an arraignment pending. Investigators tied him to recent activity near the West Plains fire, found ignition-related items on him, and note a prior manslaughter conviction in Arizona.
Investigators say Aaron Farinacci, spotted near the Spokane fire scene, is connected to the area’s wildfires and has been charged with arson; Farinacci previously pleaded guilty to manslaughter in Arizona for killing his father in 2010 and was released from prison in 2020. The Spokane Fire Complex—comprising three main blazes—has burned about 10,280 acres with 0% containment, prompting mass evacuations and hazardous air quality. Drones have disrupted firefighting efforts, and authorities caution residents while ballots continue for Washington’s Primary Day with replacement ballots available for evacuees. The wider West remains on high alert as wildfires burn across multiple states.
A 37-year-old convicted felon, Aaron Farinacci, was arrested on arson charges in connection with the Old Trails Fire near Spokane, which has burned thousands of acres and forced hundreds of evacuations. Investigators connected him to the blaze after witnesses spotted a nervous man at the scene and later found waterproof matches and a butane lighter; he’s jailed on a $1 million bond. Sheriff Nowels said there’s no evidence tying him to the other fires burning in the area.