A 49-year-old Olympia man is the primary suspect in a string of eight arsons and one shooting that targeted Jehovah's Witness halls in the South Sound region from 2018 and 2020.
Federal law enforcement arrested Mikey Diamond Starrett on Sept. 8, 2021, after executing search warrants at his Olympia home, according to court documents.
Prosecutors filed charges in U.S. District Court in Tacoma the same day, accusing Starrett of unlawful possession of an unregistered firearm, per the documents. However, prosecutors have yet to file any charges in connection the religious halls.
The eight attacks affected Kingdom and Assembly Halls in Thurston, Mason and Pierce counties. A fire destroyed the Olympia Kingdom Hall on Cain Road in July 2018 and the Lacey Kingdom Hall on Sixth Avenue Southeast in December 2018.
Federal and local agencies offered rewards totaling $61,000 for information on the attacks in 2018 and 2019.
Investigations into the following eight attacks are ongoing, according to court documents.
* A March 19, 2018, arson attack on Olympia Kingdom Hall on Cain Road Southeast.
* A March 19, 2018, arson attack on Tumwater Kingdom Hall on Ninth Avenue Southwest.
* A May 15, 2018, shooting attack on Yelm Kingdom Hall on Vail Road Southeast.
* A July 3, 2018, arson attack on Olympia Kingdom Hall on Cain Road Southeast.
* An Aug. 8, 2018, arson attack with a hoax device at Yelm Kingdom Hall on Vail Road Southeast.
* A Dec. 7, 2018, arson attack on Lacey Kingdom Hall on Sixth Avenue Southeast.
* An Aug. 13, 2019, arson attack on Puyallup Assembly Hall on 62nd Avenue East.
* A July 24, 2020, arson attack on Shelton Kingdom Hall on West Sentry Court.
A federal grand jury indicted Starrett on Sept. 22, 2021. Trial dates have been set and delayed repeatedly ever since. On Jan. 3, District Judge David Estudillo set a trial date of May 23.
For now, Starrett remains detained at the Federal Detention Facility in SeaTac. On Sept. 14, 2021, U.S. Magistrate Judge Theresa Fricke ordered his continued detention after concluding his reappearance and the safety of the community could not be assured.
In an Oct. 12, 2021, letter to the court, Starrett asked for his detention to be reexamined. He addressed the attacks on the halls, saying he was innocent and not a danger to the community.
He also denied exhibiting threatening behavior or being "mesmerized by fire," as his ex-partner reportedly told investigators, per the letter.
During the search of his home, investigators found a modified shotgun that prompted the firearm charge, according to court documents. In his letter, Starrett wrote he lawfully owned several firearms and had no criminal intent with the shotgun.
Prosecutors responded to the letter on Oct. 28, 2021, stating they opposed Starrett's request. In their response, prosecutors allege they have strong evidence tying Starrett to the arsons and shooting.
* Electronic evidence obtained by law enforcement allegedly shows "devices owned and controlled" by Starrett at and near the scene of the some of the attacks during "relevant time periods."
* Accounts registered to Starrett allegedly logged searches of relevant locations and the Jehovah's Witness religion.
* Starrett and his vehicle allegedly match characteristic captured on surveillance video at some of the scenes.
* Numerous friends and family told law enforcement that Starrett told them he was "haunted by spirits who told him to do bad things." They further allege the man believes these spirits are the dead Jehovah's Witness relatives of an ex-girlfriend and he hates the religion.
So why hasn't Starrett been charged? In court documents, prosecutors say they expect to file hate crime charges against Starrett, but they are statutorily required to obtain approval from U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland before they do so.
Starrett changed his legal name in February 2021, according to court documents. He was previously known as wildlife biologist and wetland scientist Michael Jason Layes.
