Texas woman pleads guilty to arson that destroyed Snohomish County church

Seattle – A 38-year-old Temple, Texas, woman pleaded guilty today in U.S, District Court in Seattle to three felonies related to the arson at Seattle Laestadian Lutheran Church (SLLC) in Snohomish County, Washington, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Teal Luthy Miller. Natasha Marie O’Dell has been in custody since her arrest in Texas in August 2024. O’Dell pleaded guilty to Arson, Damage to Religious Property and Obstruction of Persons in the Free Exercise of Religious Beliefs. She is scheduled for sentencing by U.S. District Judge Jamal N. Whitehead on August 7, 2025.

According to the plea agreement and the federal indictment, O’Dell was linked via cell phone records, credit card records and surveillance video to the fire that destroyed the Maltby, Washington, church on August 25, 2023.  Travel records indicate that over the time period of the fire, Odell was visiting relatives in Woodinville, Washington.

Even though the church was destroyed, part of the security system video surveillance survived the fire and depicted O’Dell, moving around the church with the red gasoline container. In the video O’Dell empties the container on the exterior walls of the church and items around the church. O’Dell moves out of camera range and fire is seen growing on the areas where she poured gasoline.  Ultimately the video system stops functioning due to the fire.

The investigation tied O’Dell to credit card purchases at an area service station when she purchased just over a gallon of gasoline in a container and some lighters. O’Dell took an Uber to the church to commit the arson.

In the plea agreement O’Dell admits that she told various acquaintances that she was angry about churches and specifically with SLLC. Later she told another acquaintance that she planned to burn a nearby church.

One firefighter was injured fighting the blaze and was transported to an emergency room.

The fire did more than $3.2 million in damage to the church. The church has incurred additional costs renting a nearby middle school to hold their services two to three times a week.

Damage to religious property, and obstruction of persons in the free exercise of religion are punishable by up to 40 years in prison. Arson is punishable by a mandatory minimum five years in prison and up to twenty years in prison. The actual sentence will be determined by Judge Whitehead after considering the sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.

The case was investigated by the Snohomish County Fire Marshall’s Office and the Bureau of Tobacco, Alcohol, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF).