WEED, Calif. – The man accused of starting the devastating Boles Fire in Weed was attempting to burn down an apartment complex, according to a Siskiyou County prosecutor.
Ronald Beau Marshall, 24, was kicked out of the Boles Creek Apartments in May, according to complex manager Shelagh Price.
"He was no longer a good fit," Price said, but she could not elaborate.
Residents at the complex said Marshall continually came back though, often arguing from the sidewalk.
Price said Marshall, who resided at Boles Creek for two years prior to his lease termination, was an ongoing problem. She last saw him the day before the fire began.
Marshall was arrested Saturday on suspicion of intentionally setting a fire in Weed on Sept. 15 that destroyed churches, businesses and 157 homes.
Tuesday, Siskiyou County prosecutor Martha Aker laid out a portion of her case against Marshall while trying to convince the judge to raise the suspect's bail. She said Marshall admitted to setting the fire, and also said his intention was to burn down the Boles Creek Apartment complex.
The judge increased Marshall's bail from $250,000 to $2.5 million.
Marshall pleaded not guilty. He's charged with three different counts of arson, and began crying at the beginning of the hearing. The public defender appointed to him grabbed his shoulder and said, "The less you say, the better off you will be."
Marshall is facing a maximum penalty of 13 years in prison. However, Siskiyou County District Attorney Kirk Andrus said he could be charged with aggravated arson, which carries a term of up to life in prison.
"The charges could evolve as we go forward," Andrus said. "We're just following where the evidence leads."
Marshall's next court date is Oct. 23.
