Man suspected of starting several fires in Portland found dead

By OPB staff (OPB)
Sept. 25, 2023 11:35 p.m.
A man in a red sweater near a trash can in which there is a fire.

Portland fire officials suspect Fredy Javier Paredes-Kancab, 34, of starting several fires in Northeast Portland.

Photo courtesy Portland Fire & Rescue

A man suspected of starting several fires in Northeast Portland last week has died.

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Portland Fire and Rescue officials say Fredy Javier Paredes-Kancab, 34, died by suicide. They did not say where he was found, or if there was a warrant out for his arrest. In a statement, fire officials said Paredes-Kancab’s identity was confirmed Friday, and Portland police officers found him Sunday when they responded to a call about a deceased person.

Officials suspect Paredes-Kancab of starting 14 fires in Portland on Sept. 20. He had also been arrested in connection to three fires in Gresham on Sept. 18.

Paredes-Kancab was also arrested in July for breaking windows at several businesses in Northeast Portland, as reported by The Oregonian/OregonLive. Police at the time described him as homeless.

According to police records, when they asked Paredes-Kancab why he destroyed windows, he said he wanted to go to jail because he was hungry and didn’t have a place to go.

A map showing several locations in Portland.

The locations of where Fredy Javier Paredes-Kancab is suspected to have caused fires.

Graphic courtesy Portland Fire & Rescue

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