Felon Tied To Spokane’s Mega Blaze

A convicted felon once imprisoned for killing his father is now accused of sparking the largest wildfire ripping through the Spokane area.

Story Snapshot

Aaron F. Farinacci is charged with first-degree arson for the Old Trails Fire near Spokane.
The fire has destroyed hundreds of buildings and forced tens of thousands of people from their homes.
Farinacci previously served 12 years in Arizona prison for fatally shooting his father during a 2010 argument.
Deputies say a citizen tip, witness account, and fire origin evidence led them to identify him as the suspect.

Arson charge in Spokane’s largest wildfire

Spokane County sheriff’s deputies say 37-year-old Aaron F. Farinacci was arrested and booked on suspicion of first-degree arson for the Old Trails Fire, the largest of three blazes burning in and around Washington’s second-largest city. The Old Trails Fire has destroyed hundreds of buildings and forced tens of thousands of people to evacuate their homes across Spokane County, turning neighborhoods and small businesses into ash while families fled with only what they could carry.

The Spokane County Sheriff’s Office says the fire was first reported around midday on August 1, after fast-moving flames tore through dry grass and timber near Old Trails Road outside Spokane. Officials report the blaze burned thousands of acres and became the biggest of several wildfires hitting the region at once, stretching local firefighters and emergency crews to the limit as they tried to protect homes, schools, and critical power lines from the advancing fire.

How investigators say they identified the suspect

According to sheriff’s officials, the investigation began when a community member reported seeing a nervous-looking man bent or kneeling by the side of the road near a grassy area shortly before flames appeared there. Investigators later determined that the origin of the fire matched the spot where the witness said Farinacci had been seen, tying a human figure at that location to the starting point of a major disaster that would soon force tens of thousands to evacuate.

Deputies say that when they contacted Farinacci, he had both matches and a lighter on him, tools that can easily ignite dry summer grass and brush. In an affidavit, Farinacci reportedly denied setting the fire and claimed he carried the matches and lighter because he smokes, but detectives say they developed probable cause based on witness accounts and fire scene analysis and then obtained warrants to arrest him and search his home.

A past conviction for killing his father

Public records in Arizona show that Farinacci was 21 years old in 2010 when he fatally shot his father in Mesa after an argument over doing the dishes. Mesa police reported that Farinacci argued with his parents, went to his father’s bedroom to get a gun, shot his father, and then turned the gun on himself, surviving a self-inflicted wound to the chest that left him alive to face criminal charges.

Court records say Farinacci was first indicted on a charge of first-degree murder, but later pleaded guilty to manslaughter and aggravated assault in 2012. A judge sentenced him to 12 years in prison for manslaughter and three years of probation for the assault, and he was released from Arizona state prison on December 23, 2020, before eventually relocating to Spokane, where he now faces a new felony case tied to the Old Trails Fire.

Public fears, repeat offenders, and a strained system

The fact that a man once imprisoned for killing his own father is now accused of starting a wildfire that destroyed entire communities hits a raw nerve for many Americans who already feel the system fails to protect them. People on the right see this as another example of dangerous felons returning to the streets while regular citizens watch their homes and savings vanish, and people on the left worry about how fragile communities are when one person’s actions can push thousands of working families into sudden homelessness.

Wildfire experts say intentional fire cases often rely on witness timing, burn patterns, and the removal of accidental causes rather than a clear video of someone striking a match, which means courts must later weigh the evidence that appears strong in early press conferences. That gap between fast public headlines and slower courtroom testing feeds a deeper frustration shared by many Americans today, who see officials talk tough after disasters but rarely see long-term changes that make their towns safer or their justice system feel more trustworthy.