Walmart arson suspect busted by Richland police. Second man still on the loose

One of the two men accused of starting three fires inside a Walmart store is behind bars.

Richland police arrested Aaron Cockrill, 40, for allegedly setting the fires inside the Queensgate store on June 6. He was booked into jail Tuesday on suspicion of first-degree arson.

Detectives used surveillance video to identify Cockrill and Christopher Crappa, 26, as the two suspects, said police.

While Crappa was identified quickly, police did not initially know who the second man was.

Last Thursday, employees spotted a small fire in the garden center shortly after 10:30 p.m., called 911 and grabbed a fire extinguisher, Richland firefighters said. They soon discovered similar fires in the housewares and stationery sections.

All of them were small and were quickly put out, but the smoke forced the store to close for nearly five hours, while fans were used to clear smoke from the air.

Anyone with information about Crappa’s whereabouts is asked to call the non-emergency dispatch number at 509-628-0333 or email hstohel@ci.richland.wa.us.