Homeless man, who was guest, held in arson of Edmonds house

Published 1:30 am Thursday, June 1, 2017

EDMONDS — A 52-year-old man has been accused of arson after a house in Edmonds was set on fire Monday.

Police described the suspect as homeless. The homeowner was letting him stay temporarily at the house along 77th Place West for free, according to a probable cause affidavit.

Several people saw the suspect walk around to the back of the house around 9:20 p.m., police said. They heard loud bangs inside moments later.

A neighbor called 911 after seeing flames in the garage.

The Snohomish County Fire Marshal’s Office said there were at least three locations in the house where the fire was started, according to court papers. Containers with highly flammable material were found in those areas.

The owner of the home was displaced due to the damage.

The suspect was found around 10 p.m. sleeping nearby. His snoring gave him away. He was arrested for investigation of arson.