Arson suspected in Fruita LDS Church fire, reward being offered

FRUITA, Colo. (KKCO) - On Friday afternoon, The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) announced that along with local and federal partners, up to $10,000 is being rewarded for information leading to the arrest of the individual(s) responsible for setting fire to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in Fruita.

The fire was started early on the morning of April 26, and the Lower Valley Fire District Chief Frank Cavaliere told us earlier this week that the structure has been deemed a total loss.

The ATF, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Fruita Police Department, and the Lower Valley Fire District have come together to offer the reward and are continuing their investigation into the incident.

Anyone with information about this crime should contact the ATF Hotline 1-888- ATF-FIRE / 1-888-283-3473, the FBI tip line at 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324), the Fruita Police Department at 970-242-6707, or Crime Stoppers of Mesa County at 970-241- STOP (970-241-7867). Information can also be sent via email to ATFTips@atf.gov, through ATF’s website at www.atf.gov/contact/atftips. Tips can also be submitted anonymously by using the Reportit® app, available from both Google Play and the Apple App store, or by visiting www.reportit.com. Information may also be submitted online to https://tips.fbi.gov.