A man was found guilty of attempted murder after setting two people on fire in San Bernardino County.
On Wednesday, Joshua Kaiser, 32, from Johnson Valley, was found guilty by a jury for setting two victims on fire — a 29-year-old man and a 30-year-old woman, both Yucca Valley residents, according to the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department.
On June 19, 2023, deputies responded to reports of two burn victims at the Hi-Desert Medical Center at around 1 a.m.
The female victim told deputies that a man had lit her and the male victim on fire. The man suffered life-threatening injuries and was transported to Arrowhead Regional Medical Center for advanced treatment.
Investigators responded to the 52000 block of Cholla Road in Johnson Valley, where the crime occurred. After securing additional evidence, detectives identified Kaiser as the suspect and a warrant was placed for his arrest.
On July 5, 2023, Kaiser was located by deputies on Old Woman Springs Road in Yucca Valley during a vehicle check.
He was arrested on charges of attempted murder and held on $1 million bail at the time.
On March 13, a jury found Kaiser guilty on several charges including:
- Two counts of willful, deliberate, premeditated attempted murder
- Two counts of arson causing great bodily injury
- One count of domestic violence
Special allegations also found true by the jury include the personal infliction of great bodily injury and the personal use of a deadly or dangerous weapon.
Following the incident, both victims have been released from the hospital and are continuing to recover at home.
A sentencing hearing for Kaiser will be scheduled at a later date.
