Police arrest Olympia man in $500,000 arson

Police have arrested a 28-year-old Olympia man suspected of setting a home in the Alpine Hills area of Thurston County on fire last month, an official said today.

Matthew Joseph McDonald allegedly confessed to burning the residence on the 6700 block of Arnesen Lane Southwest April 13 in order to cover up evidence that he had burglarized the unoccupied home earlier, Chief Criminal Deputy Jim Chamberlain said.

The blaze rendered the 4,200-square-foot building, assessed at $500,000, a total loss.

Detectives interviewing friends and family of a 24-year-old man found dead at the home two days prior were led to McDonald, a family friend, as someone involved.

He reportedly said he was in Tacoma at the time, but that was false, and he later confessed to the crime, Chamberlain alleged.

The cause of Sean M. Champlin's death is pending autopsy and toxicology results, Coroner Gary Warnock said.

Champlin's parents found him April 11. Detectives were investigating his death as suspicious because of his age and lack of any signs of trauma, but they don't believe homicide or foul play was involved, Chamberlain said at the time.

Investigators had suspected a burglary took place at the home before the arson. Champlin's father reported that items including stereo equipment, speakers and DVDs that should have been there were missing when they sorted through fire debris.

Most of those items have been recovered, Chamberlain said.

McDonald was booked into the Thurston County Jail on suspicion of first-degree arson.