A federal grand jury has indicted a 38-year-old Texas woman on three felony charges related to the August 2023 arson that destroyed the Seattle Laestadian Lutheran Church in Snohomish County.
U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman announced the indictment Thursday, identifying the suspect as Natasha Marie Odell of Temple, Texas.
Odell has been in custody since her arrest in Texas in August 2024 and is currently held at the Snohomish County Jail.
She is scheduled to be transferred to federal custody and arraigned on December 16.
Court records and the federal indictment connect Odell to the fire through cell phone records, credit card transactions, and surveillance footage.
During the fire, Odell was reportedly visiting relatives in Woodinville.
Surveillance video recovered from the church security system, despite being partially damaged, captured a woman matching Odell’s description carrying a container commonly used for gasoline.
The footage shows the individual pouring the liquid on the church’s exterior walls and nearby items before moving out of camera range.
Moments later, flames erupted in the same areas, and the video system ultimately stopped functioning due to the fire.
Investigators also linked Odell to a credit card purchase for just over a gallon of gasoline and lighters at a local service station.
The fire caused more than $2.5 million in damage to the church.
Odell faces charges of Damage to Religious Property, Obstruction of Persons in the Free Exercise of Religious Beliefs, and Use of Fire to Commit Another Felony Offense.
If convicted, the first two charges carry a combined sentence of up to 40 years in prison, while the third charge includes a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and up to life in prison.
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