"As with most sociopaths, he likes to brag." An investigator recalls D.C.'s deadly serial arsonist.

[mahatmakanejeeves]

Public Safety

‘As with most sociopaths, he likes to brag.’ An investigator recalls D.C.’s deadly serial arsonist.

By Peter Hermann March 9 at 7:00 AM [e-mail]

In 2005, Thomas A. Sweatt admitted in court to setting a string of 45 fires across the Washington region, claiming two lives. ... He had only just begun to confess to his crimes.

On a car tour and in two days of interviews with investigators, the then 50-year-old fast food manager directed agents to 309 additional fires he said he had started going back 20 years, including one on Quincy Place in Northwest Washington in 1985 that killed a couple and had initially been ruled an accident.

Sweatt’s agreement with prosecutors barred them from using those talks to charge him with more crimes, according to a federal law enforcement agent and a man whose father died in a blaze and was briefed by police. In exchange for his full accounting, Sweatt agreed to be imprisoned for life plus 136 years on a selected number of offenses he admitted to in court.

“We felt an obligation to the victims,” said Scott Fulkerson, who with his partner led the arson investigation for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and was explaining why it was important to get closure even it meant forgoing additional charges.
....

Peter Hermann covers crime for The Washington Post. He previously worked for the Baltimore Sun. Follow @phscoop

[IronLionZion]

1. "He had only just begun to confess to his crimes."

I was hoping this would be more news of Mueller's investigation

I'm expecting to see articles like this posted about a different well known DC resident who likes to brag and is clearly a sociopath.

[appalachiablue]

2. You never know. How this arsonist went undetected so long with such a sick mind

and was able to work while carrying out deadly obsessions and murder for decades is bewildering. Glad in some ways that I missed this DC story. In following a few cases of sociopaths in the news and some research, I've never come across information about whether or not sociopathic and psychopathic disorders are hereditary, run in families or are associated with other forms of mental illness. I hope not.