Man Arrested For Skipping Sentencing In Fatal 1987 Arson At Everett College

A Washington man who pleaded guilty to a fatal 1987 fire at a community college has been arrested for skipping court, according to KIRO 7.

Everett Police said Elmer Nash Jr. was taken into custody Saturday morning (May 8) after he failed to appear for sentencing Friday (May 7).

According to the Daily Herald, Nash was 12 years old when he lit a matchstick and dropped it on a pile of books and papers at Everett Community College on February 16, 1987. The blaze engulfed the building quickly and ended up taking the life of Everett firefighter Gary Parks.

The arsonist's identity remained a mystery until March 2017 when Nash reluctantly confessed to starting the fire during an interrogation, reporters said. He pleaded guilty to the crime in March.

Parks' family has been waiting 34 years for an arrest in the case, and when the day of sentencing came, Nash's no-show struck reportedly struck them hard.

“It’s profound anxiety. Profound. It’s terrible,” Kathy Parks, Gary's wife, told KIRO 7. "It’s like a weight of sand that’s just engulfing you … and it gets worse and worse and worse."

Reporters said his sentencing will now happen on Thursday, May 13.

Photo: Everett Police Department