One day after the second anniversary of the arson that destroyed four Greenwood restaurants, the Arson Alarm Foundation and Liberty Mutual/Safeco Insurance rewarded two people for coming forward with information that helped in the arrest and conviction of Kevin Todd Swalwell for setting a total of 11 fires in 2009 – 10 of them in Greenwood.
One of those receiving the award was Swalwell’s former wife, Carol Iverson. She shared the reward with her brother, Robert.
Robert Iverson and his sister, Carol, hold the presentation check while sitting on the stage at Taproot Theatre.
Swalwell was arrested Nov. 13, just after setting fire to a warehouse in Shoreline late the night before. He pleaded guilty to 11 fires, blaming his actions on mental illness, and was sentenced to 30 years in prison.
Carol and Robert received the $18,500 reward this morning at Taproot Theatre, which was heavily damaged in the Oct. 23 fire, and which also owned the adjacent Eleanor Roosevelt Building, which was completely destroyed. Four businesses in that building on North 85th Street – Green Bean Coffeenouse, CC Teriyaki, Szechuan Bistro and Pho Tic Tac – were destroyed.
The Eleanor Roosevelt Building on North 85th Street on fire on Oct. 23, 2009.
Liberty Mutual/Safeco Insurance provided $15,000 towards the reward; the Arson Alarm Foundation, comprised of 11 insurance companies, added $3,500.
John Lewitt, lead investigator for the Seattle Police Department Arson and Bomb Squad, said that after the Iversons called in the tip, investigators had their eye on Swalwell for a while.
“It at least gave us something to go on,” Lewitt said. “Carol actually told me she hadn’t seen Kevin for at least 10 years.”
“I knew it was him right away,” Carol said.
She was married to Swalwell from 1994 to 2000 and divorced him while he was in prison for setting fire to their apartment building in 1995. When he got out of prison in 2002, he pounded on her door and she was very scared of him. She said as soon as she heard that the Greenwood arsonist was rolling up carpets and newspapers and shoving them under doors to light, she knew it sounded like her ex-husband.
But Carol said she was almost too scared to call police, and asked her brother to call instead.
“Because I thought he was going to come after me,” she said of Swalwell.
“Our public safety rests on you for stepping up…and having the courage to come forward and stop these Greenwood arsons,” said Karl Newman of the Arson Alarm Foundation. “Our heartfelt thanks.”
Lewitt said that while interrogating Swalwell, he went from having a very specific alibi the morning of the Oct. 23 arson, to saying he was just a lookout for the Nov. 9 fire that burned Olive You. Swalwell first pleaded not guilty, then later changed his plea to guilty.
The 11 fires that Swalwell was convicted of setting:
A building housing O-Rings West at 1111 N. 98th St. on Aug. 13.
The Eleanor Roosevelt Building at 208 NW 85th St., on Oct. 23; that fire destroyed Green Bean Coffeehouse, Pho Tic Tac, CC Teriyaki and Szechuan Bistro; and heavily damaged Taproot Theatre, and caused smoke and water damage to several other adjacent businesses.
He was also convicted of second degree burglary for breaking into the Green Bean Coffeehouse just prior to setting it on fire.
The 10 Greenwood fires caused more than $2.2 million in damage.
Carol said she didn’t know anything about a reward until several months after he was arrested. The Iversons plan to use the money to pay some bills and maybe go out for a nice dinner.
“I’m proud of her,” Robert said of his sister.
“Don’t be afraid to do something,” Carol said. “Don’t be afraid to do what’s right.”
A Seattle woman and her brother will receive $18,500 for helping police arrest Kevin Todd Swalwell, who was convicted in a string of arsons in Greenwood two years ago, including the massive fire that destroyed an entire building housing four restaurants next to Taproot Theatre.
From the SPD Blotter:
A Seattle woman and her brother will receive an $18,500 award for giving authorities information that helped lead to the arrest and conviction of the Greenwood Arsonist. NW Insurance Council and Arson Alarm Foundation will present the award in partnership with the Seattle Fire Department and the Seattle Police Department on Monday, October 24, at 10:30 a.m. at the Taproot Theatre Company, 204 N. 85th St. Seattle.
Key Officials Attending: Paul McDonagh, Assistant Chief in Special Operations, Seattle Police Department; Chief John Nelson, Fire Marshall, Seattle Fire Department.
In May of 2010, Kevin Todd Swalwell pled guilty to setting 10 fires in Greenwood and one fire in Shoreline. A judge sentenced him to 30 years in prison. A tip led authorities to arrest Swalwell. Between June 19 and November 9, 2009, 19 fires were set in the Greenwood area causing an estimated more than 2.2 million dollars in damage. At that time, an Arson Task Force was formed between the Seattle Fire Department, The Seattle Police Department. Swalwell could only be connected to 10 of these fires. One of the fires caused $2 million in damage to the Taproot Theatre and four restaurants on Oct. 23 and one person suffered non-life threatening burns during one of the fires.
The Arson Alarm Foundation offered a large reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the arsonist. The reward led the brother and sister to come forward with information that assisted investigators in solving the case. “Arsonists hurt all of us by destroying lives and property and by driving up insurance rates,” said Karl Newman, NW Insurance Council president. “We are pleased to award citizens who come forward to help investigators solve these damaging and potentially fatal crimes.”
Arson is a deadly and costly crime. Nationally, arson kills hundreds of people each year, injures thousands and destroys hundreds of millions of dollars in property while putting firefighters at needless risk. Arson also is a difficult crime to solve. FBI statistics show only 17 percent of all arson offenses result in arrests. Anyone with information about an arson or suspicious fire is urged to call the Arson Hotline (800-55-ARSON) or local authorities. Callers may remain anonymous and could be eligible for an award. NW Insurance Council and Arson Alarm Foundation offer an annual $10,000 Arson Award Fund for Washington residents who provide tips to authorities that result in the arrest or conviction of arsonists. The Arson Alarm Foundation has awarded more than $100,000 to Washington citizens over the past 12 years. NW Insurance Council and Arson Alarm have sponsored the Arson Award Fund since 1978.
The homeless man who admitted to setting a string of fires in Greenwood last year was sentenced to 30 years behind bars this morning. Our newspaper partner the Seattle Times was in court when 47-year-old Kevin Swalwell took the plea deal. Swalwell apologized and blamed his actions on mental illness.
Ten fires were set in Greenwood, including the four businesses that went up in flames on October 23. Green Bean Coffee House, C.C. Teriyaki, Szechuan Bistro and Pho Tic Tac were all housed in the Eleanor Roosevelt Building that burned.
(Photo of Kevin Swalwell courtesy of The Seattle Times.)
One day after PhinneyWood was honored with a national Society of Professional Journalists award for our coverage of the devastating Greenwood arsons, we’re proud to roll out the fourth in a series of stories partnering Next Door Media sites with the nonprofit Common Language Project and students of the University of Washington’s Entrepreneurial Journalism class. “After the Arson” takes a closer look at what happened in the aftermath of the Greenwood fires and the people still dealing with the fallout today. In addition to the story, this student project also includes two videos.
Seattle Fire Department Assistant Chief A.D. Vickery accepted thanks and flowers on behalf of the “Defenders of Greenwood” from Fire Station 21 Friday night at Taproot Theatre, moments before Taproot opened their 2010 season with C.S. Lewis’s “The Great Divorce.”
(Photo by Liz Ragland.)
Other firefighters who would have been there were called away on an emergency just moments before they were to be honored for their efforts to save the theater from an arson fire last Oct. 23.
Also honored was Steve Timian, the onsite foreman who worked 10-12 hour days to get the theater reopened in time for its 2010 season.
Asst. Chief Vickery then turned the tables and thanked Producing Artistic Director Scott Nolte and presented him with a Chief’s Coin, which is usually given within the fire department, but can be given for extraordinary acts of heroism or service to the community. He presented it to Nolte for his entire theater staff.
The mural going in at the site of the largest arson fire in Greenwood will be unveiled at 11 a.m., Thursday.
Here’s the press release from Taproot Theatre:
SEATTLE – December 29, 2009 – Taproot Theatre Company and Seattle Mural Art will unveil the mural created for the site of the October 23 arson in Greenwood on Thursday, December 31, at 11 a.m.
Taproot Theatre Company commissioned Seattle Mural Art to create a mural to cover the safety fence where the Eleanor Roosevelt Building stood until the arson. Concerned about leaving a hole in the core of the Greenwood business district, Taproot Theatre, which owns the property, saw the mural as a way to add beauty to the neighborhood and facilitate more art.
The mural celebrates Greenwood’s character and artistry, and demonstrates its resilience in the wake of the fires.
WHAT Unveiling of Greenwood mural
WHEN Thursday, December 31, 11 a.m.
WHERE North 85th Street, just west of Greenwood Avenue. Meet in front of Taproot Theatre Company, 204 North 85th Street, Seattle.
Greenwood arson suspect Kevin Todd Swalwell appeared before a King County Superior Court judge today asking for, and getting, a continuance, according to KING 5 News.
The defense has asked for more time to hire an expert to do a mental evaluation. His next court date is March 1. Here’s his case summary.
A decent crowd turned out at Upper Crust Catering for the silent auction benefiting the Greenwood Fire Relief Fund that helps businesses affected by the Greenwood arsons.
Over the course of a couple hours, people put down bids on dozens of items donated by local businesses.
Singer-songwriter Ali Marcus performed a soulful set. A recent transplant to the neighborhood, she donated her performance, as well as all of the proceeds from sales of her CDs last night.
We’ll report the totals when we get them.
In related news, our media partner, The Seattle Times, has a story and video (which you can see below) about the street artist mural going in on 85th just west of Greenwood Avenue.
KING has a story today that goes into more detail about the Ballard branch of Home Steet Bank using its giving tree to help victims of the Greenwood area arsons.
You can watch it here:
If you want to donate, the bank is located at 8050 15th Avenue NW.
The homeless man who admitted to setting a string of fires in Greenwood last year was sentenced to 30 years behind bars this morning. Our newspaper partner 
