Des Moines house fire ruled homicide; suspect arrested for murder and arson
Feb 16, 2026, 7:34 AM
South King Fire and Rescue on the scene of an accident. (Photo: X/South King Fire)
(Photo: X/South King Fire)
A fatal house fire in Des Moines earlier this month has been ruled a homicide, the Des Moines Police Department stated, with one suspect now in custody.
On Feb. 1, a house fire in the 1400 block of S. 216th Street in Des Moines was reported. When fire crews arrived, they found one person, 45-year-old Bradley Sanders, dead inside the residence. The fire was eventually controlled.
After King County Fire investigators examined the situation, they believed a man stabbed Sanders and then set the house on fire, according to court documents sent to KIRO Newsradio.
“Through investigative efforts, detectives developed probable cause to arrest an adult male suspect,” the Des Moines Police Department stated. “On February 12, 2026, with the assistance of the Kent Police Department and Seattle Police Department, the suspect was taken into custody without incident and booked into the King County Jail for probable cause for murder and arson.”
A judge has found probable cause for second-degree murder and first-degree arson and set bail at $5 million.
“The Des Moines Police Department would like to thank our detectives for their professionalism and dedication in this case,” the Des Moines Police Department wrote. “We also thank the Washington State Patrol Crime Lab for their assistance, as well as our community for their patience, support, and cooperation throughout this investigation.”
Contributing: Jason Sutich, MyNorthwest
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