Arson Device Linkage
Updated: 10/2/25
Justin Halstenberg (35) was convicted of starting the 2024 Line Fire in Southern California. On October 1, 2025, he was sentenced to 16 years to life in state prison. The fire was determined to have been started by an incendiary device. Halstenberg was linked to the fire through the construction of the incendiary device, DNA found on the device, automated license plate reader images, and cell phone location data.
Investigators found evidence of an arson device consisting of a cigarette box filled with paper and coins. This type of device was likely prepared in advance and remotely deployed by tossing it into the vegetation. The coins provided mass to the device, making it easier to throw a longer distance. A similarly constructed device was recovered at the Line Fire site.
While incendiary devices are not commonly used in wildland fire arson, when discovered, they provide crucial evidence and potentially a direct link to a suspect. Such devices may contain fingerprints and DNA, and the specific details of the device’s construction can be used to connect an individual to multiple fires. Investigators in this case found DNA that could belong to Halstenberg on the coins.
If an incendiary device is found at a fire scene, investigators should exercise caution and avoid attempting to disassemble the device themselves. The device must be sent promptly to a crime lab. The crime lab can then process the device for fingerprints and DNA, as well as carefully deconstruct it. The lab should also take detailed measurements and evidentiary photographs of the device’s construction and components.
For more information on incendiary devices and how to exploit them for your case, check out Ed Nordskog’s book Incendiary Devices.