Pieced-together video leads to arrest in Emory’s fire

Published 12:18 am Wednesday, October 6, 2010

EVERETT — A 16-year-old Everett boy was arrested Tuesday in connection with the $2 million fire that destroyed Emory’s on Silver Lake.

Police said the arrest came after several people identified the boy as the person on video surveillance footage taken outside the restaurant as the Nov. 9, 2009, fire began, Everett police Sgt. Robert Goetz said.

“We are very happy that we were able to make an arrest and bring closure to this case,” Goetz said.

The case had stymied arson detectives who had to work to extract the crucial videos from a water-damaged computer system, he said. Forensic experts had to dig into the hard drives to remove the files containing the data.

“Our investigators have worked very hard to come to resolution on this case,” Goetz said. “It’s been one of our more difficult cases to solve.”

Detectives were suspicious of the blaze from the outset but only after reviewing the footage could they say with certainty that it was arson.

Police in February released the video to the media and several people came forward to suggest the boy as a suspect, Goetz said.

When detectives talked to the boy, he offered alibis and said several people could vouch for his whereabouts that morning. The fire started around 4:20 a.m.

All of the boy’s references contradicted his claims, Goetz said.

Detectives believe they know the boy’s motive for sparking the fire but were not yet prepared to discuss it on Tuesday.

The boy has no connection to the restaurant, police said.

“We don’t know the kid,” said Emory Cole, the restaurant’s owner. He said he learned of the arrest Tuesday.

The boy has no known criminal history and currently is not enrolled in school, Goetz said.

He was booked into the Denney Juvenile Justice Center for investigation of first-degree arson.

Cole praised the work of Everett police.

“I’m happy that they’ve been able to move the investigation along and hopefully bring it to an end,” he said.

The restaurant’s owners and the 50 employees who lost their jobs are eager to hear why the boy started the fire, Cole said.

Over the past few months Cole has been working with insurance companies and has filed for permits with the city in hopes of again welcoming diners at a rebuilt restaurant by year’s end.

“That’s our plan,” he said.

Reporter Jackson Holtz: 425-339-3437, jholtz@heraldnet.com.