Multnomah County, OR. – Official Release: a Multnomah County jury found Garrett Repp, 32, guilty on 55 counts of arson, criminal mischief, recklessly endangering another person, and animal cruelty related to the May 2023 fire that destroyed the May Apartments in the Goose Hollow neighborhood.
Case Facts
On May 16, 2023, just before 10:30am, Portland Fire dispatched over 100 firefighters to an apartment fire at The May Apartments. Fire crews were quick to get the building’s occupants to safety, evacuating sixteen people from the building, which at that point had been significantly engulfed by flames. In the immediate aftermath, Portland Fire investigators and Portland Police Bureau’s Arson Detail began an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the start of the fire.
Investigators observed fire patterns above the third-floor windows on the north side of the structure, and it was later determined that these fire patterns originated above the living room and kitchen windows of Repp’s unit. Investigators then utilized an accelerant-detection canine in Repp’s unit. Positive alerts from the dog indicated the presence of an ignitable liquid in Repp’s kitchen and dining room. Repp had been evicted from the building due to his increasingly erratic behavior, and on the day the fire began, he had been scheduled to be removed from the premises by law enforcement.
Trial & Verdict
Deputy District Attorney Eric Palmer represented the state at trial, which took place from September 23 through October 2, 2024 in front of Judge Celia Howes. A 12-person jury delivered the verdict on Wednesday, October 2, finding Repp guilty on 55 of 56 counts. Repp was convicted on:
- 28 counts of Arson in the First Degree,
- 21 counts of Recklessly Endangering Another Person,
- 4 counts of Animal Cruelty, and
- 2 counts of Criminal Mischief in the First Degree
Repp remains in custody pending sentencing, which has been scheduled for January 6, 2025.
The Multnomah County District Attorney’s office would like to acknowledge the tireless work of Portland Fire & Rescue and PPB’s Arson Detail, whose collaboration was critical to the successful resolution of this case. We would like to also express our appreciation for Detective Meredith Hopper, Fire Lt. Jason Andersen, and Arson Investigator Nicole Brewer for their dedicated work on this case, as well as MCDA victim advocates Alex Bidwell, Emma Kane, Julie Jacobs, and Nang Dunn for supporting the victims throughout this process.
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