Therapist Heard Arsonist's Confession Before Blaze

Four days prior to Spokane's most destructive fire, an arson suspect named Aaron Farinacci admitted to his therapist that he had set 25 previous fires. Investigators believe Farinacci, 37, intentionally set the Old Trails fire, which consumed over 600 homes, using a makeshift ignition device. He confessed to law enforcement that he felt fire represented a form of rebirth.

Farinacci planned the blaze for a day with high winds and heat, according to court records. His girlfriend discovered a screenshot on his Gmail account related to serial arsonist John Leonard Orr, which she provided to investigators. Farinacci faces four additional first-degree arson charges for fires set in the past year.

A mental competency evaluation determined Farinacci is competent and can assist in his defense, though the psychologist noted he is still a threat to others and diagnosed him with major depressive disorder. His therapist had previously noted a "temptation to burn stuff" but also concerns about consequences.

Farinacci has a history of mental health issues, including a conviction for killing his adoptive father in Arizona in 2010, for which he served time. He was released in late 2020 and moved to Spokane. Despite past stability, he did not complete required mental health evaluations before his probation ended in January 2024.

Recent sessions revealed intermittent suicidal thoughts and a fantasy about harming a cellmate, though he did not intend to act on them. He expressed to a psychologist that Spokane perceives him as a "monster." The federal government is now exploring charges related to the Old Trails fire, and Farinacci is held on a $2 million bond.