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On January 31st in a Tacoma courtroom Sara Ramey, 42, was charged with 18 arsons. The suspected serial arsonist is being charged with 11 separate crimes including counts of arson, identity theft, and burglary.

The fires were started in Tacoma and Ruston, Washington on January 25th, 26th, and 27th.

Police say that during the same time period, there were at least 3 more fires they are trying to link her to. There were no injuries in the fires. Authorities now believe she also could have been responsible for the New Year's Eve fire that killed an 83-year-old man in his home. 

Police were able to identify the suspect through surveillance video and witness accounts. And her signed Emerald Queen Casino loyalty card was found at one of the crime scenes.

A 42-year-old woman is accused of multiple arsons in the South Sound. Some of the fires were started at the homes of people sleeping inside. 

Police say the suspect started several fires with gasoline and rags. In one case, the suspect tried to set fire to a homeowner's propane grill. But in that case, the fire burned out before the tank exploded.

Prosecutors say Ramey is a serial arsonist.  “She is an extreme risk to the safety of the community,” prosecutors claim.

She also remains under investigation in the death of 83-year-old James Elliot. Detectives say they found Eliot’s checkbook in Ramey’s truck. On Dec. 31, 2021, Elliot succumbed from asphyxia in a fire at his Rosemount Way home.

Initially, the Rosemount Way fire was thought to be caused by electrical issues. But evidence is mounting that Ramey may have been involved. 

James Elliott had lived in his house for over 50 years. And his wife passed away a month before the fire. 

Suspected Serial Arsonist pleads not guilty

Ramey originally indicated she was pleading guilty. At her January 31st court appearance, she changed her plea to “not guilty”. Ramey apologized for misunderstanding the charging paperwork. And says she is not responsible for the arsons she is charged with. 

She originally was booked on a $3 million bail. The Pierce County Superior Court Judge changed this to $5 million when the prosecutors requested an increase. They claim Ramey may be responsible for Eliot’s death and multiple other arsons in Pierce and King counties.

Ramey was also accused of stealing Metro Parks Tacoma property. And prosecutors point out she is wearing the yellow reflective jacket in a security video taken during some of the arsons.

They say she is also wearing the jacket in the video of her using a stolen debit card. 

Court documents reveal that Ramey’s mother filed for custody for her children in 2011. At that time, she said her daughter has mental health issues. And has a long history of arrests for criminal activity. 

James Elliot’s friends and family are relieved that authorities are continuing to investigate.

"There were several of us who, even that night, really wondered if it was arson. So, we had concerns about that all along and I think the more arsons that we kept hearing about, the more concerned we became," said family friend Kyna.

 "We’re feeling like, finally, some of the puzzle pieces are coming together, and the police and the fire department are hearing some of the things that we’ve noticed.

Ramey is scheduled for trial on March 31st. But more charges could be filed as police continue to investigate the alleged serial arsonist.