Police announce 2020 California wildfire was deliberately started to cover up a murder

Police have revealed that the 2020 California wildfire was deliberately sparked to cover up a suspected murder.

The fire engulfed buildings as it ripped through the entire state, and forced thousands of people to not only evacuate their homes, but lose them altogether.

Now Solano County Sheriff's Office has confirmed that the Markley Fire kickstarted as a desperate bid to hide evidence of a murder.

The fire sparked on August 18 last year, and merged with a larger fire elsewhere that took over a month to extinguish.

Officials said at a press conference on Wednesday (April 28) that the charred body of Priscilla Castro, 32, was found at the dam a few weeks after the fire had started.

Cops have linked the man charged with her murder to the wildfire for the first time, as Victor Serriteno has remained in police custody since his arrest in mid-September.

While the fire was alight last year, prosecutors believe Castro was killed two days before the fire began.

As the wildfire joined others and continued to spread, Douglas Mai, 82, and Leon 'James' Bone, 64, were also killed by the flames.

Solano County Sheriff Tom Ferrara told reporters on Wednesday that the two bodies were found lifeless in their respective homes.

Linking Serriteno to the blaze, Ferrara said: "Based on an extensive eight-month-long investigation, we believe Serriteno deliberately set the Markley Fire in an attempt to conceal his crime."

Solano County District Attorney Krishna Abrams told reporters Wednesday that prosecutors now plan to file two additional murder charges for the deaths of Mai and Bone.

Credit: UPI / Alamy

Speaking at the press conference, she said: "Additionally, we have filed special circumstances in this case, alleging that the defendant committed arson murder, and that he committed multiple murders in this case.

"Defendant Serriteno is scheduled to return to court on Friday April 30, at 1:30 PM where he will be arraigned on the additional charges."

They also plan to file arson charges against Serriteno.

Per California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, the Markley Fire merged with a larger fire, the Hennessey Fire, and was eventually considered part of the broader LNU Lightning Complex.

Those fires burned 363,220 acres of land and were eventually extinguished in early October, according to stats provided by CDFFP.

Featured image credit: REUTERS / Alamy