SAN BERNARDINO--Six years after one of the Inland Empire’s most disastrous fires, the DA’s office has announced a break in the arson case.

An indictment has been returned by a special criminal grand jury.

It names convicted burglar, Rickie Lee Fowler, as the only surviving suspect in the 'Old Fire' that raged through the San Bernardino Mountains. Fowler has been imprisoned since 2004.

Prosecutor Vic Stull says that Fowler’s name surfaced about that time through a tip. That triggered a long, pain-staking effort to gather evidence.

“The sheriff’s department and the US Forest Service worked hard and eventually brought us that evidence.”

Stull would not discuss that, but the white mini-van that was observed speeding away from the fire’s origin was located in early 2004.

Fowler’s alleged accomplice, Martin Valdez, Jr., was driving that vehicle. Valdez was murdered in Muscoy in 2006.

Five murder charges are included in the indictment because of five heart-attack deaths during the fire. Stull says a decision to seek the death penalty will come at a later time. (INT)

Story Date: October 21, 2009