Prison sentence for man who murdered woman, then set CA fire that killed 2 more
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Victor Serriteno sentenced to 73 years to life for murder and arson in 2020.
- Markley Fire killed two residents, destroyed structures and leveled acreage.
- Investigators linked the fire’s ignition to Serriteno’s murder of Patricia Castro.
A man was sentenced to prison this week for setting a fire in Solano County that killed two people and murdering another woman.
Victor Serriteno received the sentence Wednesday in Solano Superior Court for the 2020 killing of Priscilla Castro and sparking the Markley Fire that left Douglas Mai and Leon Bone dead. Serriteno pleaded no contest in May to charges including arson and was then given 73 years to life in prison, according to a Solano County news release.
“This was one of the most catastrophic fires in the history of Solano County,” said District Attorney Krishna Abrams. “Lives of those impacted have been changed forever.”
Castro, then 22 years old, was reported missing by her family in August 2020 after she didn’t return home. Around the same time, a blaze erupted near the trailhead of the Putah Creek Wildlife Area off of Highway 128 in Solano County.
The fire destroyed thousands of acres in northern Solano County, including hundreds of structures, several homes, family pets and livestock, according to the news release. Mai and Bone died in their homes as well.
Weeks later, Castro’s body was found near where the fire started. Authorities later determined Serriteno had started the blaze in connection to her murder.
“We cannot undo these vicious, brutal, and senseless acts by defendant Serriteno, but the one saving grace with this plea and sentence is that it provides some sense of closure for all of the victims and their loved ones,” Abrams said in the release.
