A 117-year-old church in downtown Portland, Oregon, was destroyed by arson this week, highlighting the city’s disorder.
After an investigation by Portland Fire & Rescue’s Fire Investigations Unit, Cameron David Storer, also known as “Nicolette Fait,” was arrested. There are two first-degree arson charges against the 27-year-old, one second-degree arson charge against him, and two second-degree burglaries against him.
Storer confessed to setting the church on fire with a lighter when he walked into the Multnomah County Detention Center, according to prosecutors.
The Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office stated in a press release that Storer told them they heard voices in their head telling them they would ‘mutilate’ Storer if the church was not burned down, and that they had planned it up to one day in advance. Investigators allege that Storer was taking oxycodone and had a history of mental illness.
In downtown Portland, fire crews responded to sky-high flames that had burned the historic Korean Church around 5:30 p.m. Jan. 3. Previously known as the First German Evangelical Church, the Protestant church was built in 1905. After its congregation moved to a suburb, the church remained unused for several years.
It took 12 fire engines, six ladder trucks, four battalion chiefs and 75 firefighters to fight the large fire.
As a result of the fire, the fire department blocked off the area pending demolition. The church was previously damaged in a fire in 2020 and was regularly occupied by illegal squatters.
In court documents, Storer did not enter a plea when he was arraigned Thursday afternoon. Prosecutors requested that bail not be granted to Storer.
Currently, Storer’s landlord has an active eviction case against him in Rhode Island.
“Travel in this area will be restricted until the building is removed,” Portland Fire & Rescue said in a statement.