Today, Salt Lake District Attorney Sim Gill announced a first-degree felony aggravated arson charge filed against William Fordyce after he allegedly intentionally started a fire that caused $250,000 in damage to a Murray apartment complex.
On February 18, 2026, first responders were called to a fire at 4374 S. State Street in Murray. Firefighters had to evacuate the building where the fire began. The source of the fire was determined to be apartment 619, where the defendant lives. Investigators found a paperback book and combustible materials, which had been ignited, protruding from the dryer vent port. Fire investigators determined that the placement of the material was inconsistent with normal use or accidental conditions.
The defendant was located by police as he was running away from the scene, but when they told him to stop, he fled. After he was initially taken into custody, the defendant fled, but was recaptured after police used a taser on him. A Murray police detective spoke with the defendant at the hospital following his arrest. The defendant had burns to his hands and soot on him.
The loss from the fire to be around $250,000.
On Friday February 20, 2026, charges were filed against the defendant including one count of first-degree felony aggravated arson, one count of second-degree felony property damage greater than $5,000, one count of class A misdemeanor criminal trespass, one count of class A misdemeanor fail to stop at command of law officer, one count of class A misdemeanor possession of a controlled substance, and one count of class B misdemeanor interfering with a peace officer.
“The damage done by this fire has affected several homes and will cost hundreds of thousands of dollars to repair. This office will work to deliver accountability for the Salt Lake County residents and business that have been heavily impacted by the alleged actions of one man,” said Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill. “We appreciate the work of Murray City police officers to take this defendant into custody while their counterparts in the Murray City Fire Department helped to keep those in their community safe from the fire. All persons accused of wrongdoing are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law."
William Fordyce Information