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The arson suspect in the devastating Southern California border fire may have left DNA behind

The 34-year-old man accused of starting the devastating border fire in the San Bernardino County mountains that burned for nearly a month and charred nearly 44,000 acres, prompting evacuations as recently as this week, appeared again Wednesday Court. officials announced.

Justin Wayne Halstenberg, a Norco resident, was arrested on arson charges just four days after the devastating wildfire began on September 5th.

Investigators said they were able to use license plate readers and other means to place the 34-year-old near the location where the fire broke out in Highland on Sept. 5, adding that they were among other evidence collected during the investigation There are also surveillance recordings.

“We were able to look at several different videos and determine who the suspect was,” Lt. San Bernardino County Sheriff Kari Klaus shortly after his arrest on September 9th.

  • Justin Wayne HalstenbergJustin Wayne Halstenberg

    Justin Wayne Halstenberg, 34, seen in a photo obtained by the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Office on Spt. was published. 11. 2024.

  • A crew member carries a hose as the line fire burns near Big Bear Lake in San Bernardino County, California, September 30, 2024. The line fire has burned over 43,000 acres and is 80% contained, according to the San Bernardino National Forest Service. (Photo by David SWANSON/AFP) (Photo by DAVID SWANSON/AFP via Getty Images)A crew member carries a hose as the line fire burns near Big Bear Lake in San Bernardino County, California, September 30, 2024. The line fire has burned over 43,000 acres and is 80% contained, according to the San Bernardino National Forest Service. (Photo by David SWANSON/AFP) (Photo by DAVID SWANSON/AFP via Getty Images)

    A crew member carries a hose as the line fire burns near Big Bear Lake in San Bernardino County, California, September 30, 2024. The line fire has burned over 43,000 acres and is 80% contained, according to the San Bernardino National Forest Service. (Photo by David SWANSON/AFP) (Photo by DAVID SWANSON/AFP via Getty Images)

  • Line fireLine fire

    A line fire outbreak in the San Bernardino Mountains has resulted in additional evacuation orders and warnings on September 30, 2024. (OnScene.TV)

  • Line fireLine fire

    A line fire outbreak in the San Bernardino Mountains has resulted in additional evacuation orders and warnings on September 30, 2024. (Photo from the valley fire)

  • Line fireLine fire

    A view of the line fire on September 29, 2024. (RMG)

The 34-year-old pleaded not guilty at a court appearance on September 17th.

A day-and-a-half preliminary hearing for the suspected arsonist that ended Oct. 2 included testimony from several CAL FIRE investigators, financial analysts, a DNA expert and an SBSD deputy sheriff, the San Bernardino County District Attorney's Office said in a post to X , formerly Twitter.

Prosecutors said CAL FIRE's financial managers testified that costs associated with aircraft and manpower used to fight the line fire were estimated at a staggering $82 million, just 18 days after the fire began has been burning for 27 days.

A spokesman for the public prosecutor's office also said that the incendiary devices used to start the fire were paper wrapped around coins.

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A DNA analysis of the coins recovered on Base Line Road near Alpin Street in Highland, where the fire started, contained Halstenberg's DNA profile, the spokesman added.

“The Honorable Judge Powell convicted the defendant of all 14 offenses and will be tried based on this information [the] San Bernardino Justice Center on October 11thTh” the district attorney's office said in the post.

As of CALFIRE's latest update Wednesday morning, the Line Fire has burned 43,890 acres and is 79% contained.

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