Sacramento State campus arson suspect arrested in Southern California after tips from public
Tips from the public led investigators to locate and arrest a man in Southern California who is accused of starting a fire and committing multiple acts of vandalism last month on Sacramento State’s campus, authorities said.
Cody Alexander Haney, 33, who was wanted on a warrant, was arrested on Jan. 12 by the Ontario Police Department, Cal Fire officials announced Friday afternoon in a news release.
Haney was booked Tuesday at the Sacramento County Main Jail, where he remained in custody Friday. He was arrested on suspicion of arson, vandalism and carrying a concealed dirk or dagger, along with a misdemeanor charge of making threats with a weapon, jail records show.
Haney appeared for his arraignment hearing Thursday afternoon in Sacramento Superior Court. He is scheduled to return to court next Thursday for further proceedings in his criminal case.
The charges against Haney stem from the campus fire reported the evening of Dec. 10. The fire burned state property, so Cal Fire took over the investigation. The Office of the State Fire Marshal’s Arson and Bomb Unit determined the fire was arson.
Sacramento State police and Cal Fire investigators have not released details about what was burned in the fire or what specific acts of vandalism Haney is suspected of causing.
A student in a Reddit social media post reported seeing a shed on fire near Hornet Stadium while leaving the campus that evening. Another student said they heard reports of fire and broken windows that evening while working in the library.
Sacramento State police released security camera images of a suspect in the Dec. 10 vandalism, a man with blonde hair wearing camouflage pants, boots, a light-colored hoodie and blue vest. The campus Police Department sent the photos to students, asking them to help identify the suspect.
On Dec. 28, Cal Fire officials announced that investigators had identified Haney as the arson suspect and asked the public to help find him. Cal Fire officials on Friday credited Haney’s arrest to tips from the public, Sacramento Valley Crime Stoppers and local law enforcement agencies who assisted in the investigation.
