Washington wildfire suspect had Arizona ties, spent time in prison for killing his dad
Aaron F. Farinacci
PHOENIX - As authorities continue to battle wildfires in Eastern Washington, we are learning more about the suspect and his criminal history in Arizona.
What we know:
On Aug. 3, it was reported that 37-year-old Aaron F. Farinacci was arrested for allegedly starting the Old Trails Fire, which is one of three wildfires in Spokane County that have destroyed hundreds of homes.
According to the sheriffs in Spokane County, a witness reported seeing a man looking "nervous" in the trees near Airway Heights and saw smoke rising in the area 10 minutes later, where the man was seen bending down in the grass.
Law enforcement brought in a man matching the suspect's description in for questioning on the day the fire started. Investigators said he had waterproof matches and a butane lighter on him.
Court documents detail Farinacci's crimes in Arizona
This is not Farinacci's first run-in with the law.
The backstory:
According to court documents we received, Farinacci was accused in October 2010 of a count of 2nd degree murder. At the time, Farinacci was 21 years old.
Per the documents, the crime happened on Oct. 11 at a home in Mesa. At the time, Farinacci and the victim, who was identified as Farinacci's father, argued over "the defendant not washing the dishes properly."
"The defendant became angry and ran to his parents' bedroom and locked the door behind him," investigators stated in the court documents. "He then walked to the master bedroom closet and removed a pistol case from the top shelf."
Dig deeper:
Investigators say the case contained a .22 caliber semi-automatic pistol.
"[Farinacci] charged the weapon by pulling the slide back," read a portion of the court documents. "At that time [the victim] unlocked and opened the door. As he entered the room, the defendant fired two rounds."
Per court documents, Farinacci fled the scene on foot following the shooting, and was later found about a half-mile away with a self-inflicted gunshot wound, which led to Farinacci being taken to a hospital.
Investigators say they interviewed Farinacci on Oct. 14, after he was read his Miranda rights.
"The defendant admitted to running into the master bedroom and retrieving the weapon. The defendant stated when his father opened the door, he shot him," officials wrote. "The defendant showed little remorse for shooting and killing his father."
Documents found on the Maricopa County Superior Court's website state that Farinacci was given a 12-year prison sentence for manslaughter.
According to Farinacci's records at the Arizona Department of Corrections, Rehabilitation & Reentry, Farinacci was released from prison on Dec. 23, 2020.
The Source: Information for this article was gathered from court record related to the shooting death of Aaron Farinacci's father, and from the Arizona Department of Corrections, Rehabilitation & Reentry.