Vacaville Man Accused Of Starting Deadly Markley Fire To Cover Up Alleged Homicide
FAIRFIELD (CBS SF/CBS13) — The Solano County Sheriff's Department on Wednesday accused a Vacaville man of starting the Markley Fire that killed two people to cover up an alleged homicide.
Vacaville resident Victor Serrentino was arrested in September of last year after the body of a missing woman was found in Stebbins Cold Canyon. He has been in police custody ever since.
As first reported by CBS13 in Sacramento, the Solano County Sheriff's Department on Wednesday said Serrentino is to blame for the Markley Fire that happened in the summer of 2020.
The Markley Fire started on August 18th, 2020 in the Stebbins-Cold Canyon area and merged with the Hennessey Fire. Both fires were later included in the overall LNU Lightning Complex.
According to the Solano County Sheriff, two fire victims were discovered deceased in their homes in unincorporated Solano County as a result of the fire. 82-year old Douglas Mai was located at his residence on the 7400 block of Pleasant's Valley Road, and 64-year old Leon "James" Bone was found in his home on the 7800 block of English Hills Road.
Authorities said they additionally found the body of missing person Priscilla Castro in the Stebbins-Cold Canyon area, which is what originally resulted in the arrest of Serriteno by the Vacaville Police Department in mid-September of 2020.
Serriteno was charged with the murder Priscilla Castro at the time of his arrest. The sheriff's department said that based on extensive work with Cal Fire investigators over the past eight months, detectives believe Serriteno deliberately set the Markley Fire in an attempt to conceal the slaying of Castro.
On Wednesday morning, Solano County sheriff's detectives arrested Serriteno for additional charges including arson and the murders of Mai and Bone. The sheriff's department thanked Cal Fire and the Vacaville Police Department for their assistance in the investigation.
Authorities also assured fire victims impacted by the Markley Fire that the arrest of Serriteno would not affect them, their claims or the current fire recovery effort in the area. Solano County, State and FEMA recovery efforts will continue unchanged until completion.
According to jail records, Serriteno remains in Solano County Jail without bail. He is scheduled to appear in court on Friday.
