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SLO High arson suspects were angry with teacher

December 9, 2016
Michael Benadiba, Jacob Ruth and Cameron Bratcher

Michael Benadiba, Jacob Ruth and Cameron Bratcher

The three San Luis Obispo High School arson suspects confessed to setting the school’s computer lab on fire because they were angry with a former teacher, police say. [KSBY]

Jacob Ruth, 19, is a recent graduate of SLO High, while Michael Benadiba and Cameron Bratcher transferred out of the school last year. All three of the suspects are facing felony arson, burglary and vandalism charges.

District officials say the fire caused about $750,000 in damage. In addition to all the computers being a loss, the fire destroyed robotics equipment that students had been building for several months. The computer lab is the home of the SLO Robotics and VEX Team, and their annual competition is scheduled for Saturday, according to Softec, a local nonprofit software and technology association.

The robotics students will no longer be able to compete in the event. A statewide competition is due to take place in January.

Operations Director Anthony Palazzo said the building can be fixed and the computers can be replaced, but the student’ experience cannot be replaced. Palazzo said the building likely will not be fixed until the next school year.

The blaze also caused some fire and smoke damage to two neighboring classrooms, which are used for Spanish and special education classes. The students in those classes have been relocated to other classrooms.

Shortly after midnight on Thursday, firefighters responded to a fire alarm at building 800, which houses the computer lab, and quickly extinguished the blaze. While firefighters were suppressing the fire, dispatchers received a call from a resident of Alta Drive who reported seeing three men park their car and jump over a fence. The fence led to the scene of the fire, according to the San Luis Obispo Police Department.

Officers responded and arrested Ruth, Benadiba and Bratcher. Police booked each of the suspects into the San Luis Obispo County Jail with their bail set at $25,000. None of the three remain in custody, according to the county sheriff’s office website.

However, investigators are still probing the three men.

Police say there was burglary in the same classroom the night before the arson. Investigators are trying to determine whether the the arson suspects committed that burglary, as well.

Likewise, there have been recent fire alarm pulls at SLO High School and Laguna Middle School. Investigators have yet to determine whether those incidents have any connection to the case.

Softec is currently raising money to hep the district replace computers, robotics equipment and and other items that were destroyed in the fire.

“Room 307 has been a safe environment during lunch for kids to go advance their technology skills and create lifelong friendships,” Softec vice president and former SLOHS parent Stewart Morse said. “Many engineers got their start from this classroom. We are driven to help them rebuild quickly, so that these students can get back to developing computer skills and advancing their robotics program. We realize this is an agonizing loss to Mrs. Fetcho, the students and SLOHS.”


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They are now solidly on the NAUGHTY LIST.


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To me, this is clearly a case of poor parenting.These kids lack character, morals, and common sense.In the absence of accountability, guidance, personal responsibility,the boys have descended into an abyss…much like the Lord of the Flies.

Its so unnecessary.


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Their target was likely the least to feel the brunt of this stupid act. My heart goes out to the kids who lost their work. If it’s any consolation to them, I have always found that after disaster strikes, the second go is much easier and better.


I always wonder why, in cases like this where more than two are involved, a voice of reason doesn’t exist if not prevail. They all know it’s evil and they should know there are serious consequences. Even when you consider peer pressure, the severity of this act should have given any normal person some pause.


Despite their adulthood, I think it’s premature to let their parents off the hook. Too many of them are farming out education to the schools. Values need to be impressed at home.


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“…the severity of this act should have given any NORMAL [my emphasis] person some pause.” That’s the dilemma – these three teenage boys were not giving the appearance of being normal. How they acted and what they did is not how a normal or ordinary young person would act or do – by your definition of *normal*.


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Forget prison environment, these poor guys don’t look like they could survive in a PE environment.


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Kudos to the neighbor who saw something and said something.


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Thank goodness they are all 18 or older for their parents sake.


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Disgusting that these big babies thought this was a good way to deal with their feelings about this teacher. I hope they are prosecuted to full extent of the law and that they have to deal with the court of public opinion loudly and often!!


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Sometimes the most horrid of circumstances lie behind things like this. What if these boys “told” their grievances for years in a row–and no one listened? What if the same thing happened to all of them and no one would believe them–even though they thought all three of them reporting this would seal the deal and take care of the matter? You never know the full story….until all is said and done. Which is exactly why you are kind of frightening. Are you really a mom? To what extent do you use that “big baby” “disgusting” thing? Those who are emotionally stable are generally those handling all aspects of the case (thank heaven!) Lets allow these young men to tell their story before we hang them, shall we?


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Regardless of the reason for their dispute with the teacher, nothing justifies breaking into a a classroom and setting it on fire. Based on their online profiles, they didn’t seem to be living lives of misery as a result of any “horrid” circumstances inflicted on them by anyone associated with SLOHS.


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Are you saying that there exists some reasoning which would justify arson?


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They aren’t even SLOHS students anymore! How does burning down the school justify their anger at a teacher? If they felt like nobody was listening to their grievances, why didn’t their parents step up and complain to the powers that be (beyond Mr. O’Connor)? At least one parent has apologized to Mrs. Fetcho, claiming that his son was just hanging out with the wrong crowd.


You are right, we do not know the full story, and even though I suspect you are the parent of one of the accused, I would say that you do not know the full story either. A grievance with a teacher is always a two-sided issue and the blame cannot fully be placed on the teacher or the school.


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What is horrifying is your simplistic way of looking at it like a third grade student. By your reasoning we would then have to think about giving pedophiles a second chance, because in a LOT of cases they were molested to when they were young.


Bad things happen to people. While that is sad it doesn’t give them the right or freedom to continue the actions.


Get yourself some counseling on how to understand the world.


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How about a speedy trial and if these three are convicted, they each start their adult life with a $250K student debt. Why pay more to incarcerate them for stupidity, the tax payers should not be required to be stupid too. A rock solid debt cloud on them would be our restitution and their lasting education. If they go to prison the sex education they will get only benefits the other inmates.


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Jorge Estrada says “If they go to prison the sex education they will get only benefits the other inmates.”


Yeah, well, so be it. Maybe they should have thought about that a bit before deciding to become felonious criminals.


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Let’s just say, for the sake of me being a psychologist and knowing the typical arsonist’s profile–that there is something more to this story and their anger at this teacher. Before you become overjoyed at them bleeding profusely from repeated, violent episodes of forced sodomy–consider that this crime typically involves extreme rage at being unheard. THAT is the profile of group arsonists and there are cases like this in the Catholic church that took place after no one acted on the boys’ accusations. If they did this out of desperation–they likely did not “plan” on becoming serious criminals. They might have just thought that was the only way anyone would listen. (This was said by the boys who set the church on fire). We don’t care about people anymore in this world. There is no heart for youth these days–and NO room for mistakes.


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A voice of reason isn’t tolerated here, especially one with real science behind it…


Hypocrites abound though; just a few days ago some of these same posters were calling kids cowards and to “grow-a-pair” when they told their teachers and school officials they felt threatened by Trump supporters on campus. Maybe these guys tried to communicate in an acceptable manner and they met the same attitude? Being silenced is done in manny ways and more often than not those who are act out in ways to insure they are heard when they’ve had enough.


Whatever their beef was this is not an acceptable manner in which to communicate it, BUT, to lock them up and throw away the key isn’t the answer either. They have something to say and we should listen first then judge, not the other way around.


There is some comedy here though, with Jorge and Panflash providing the humor! Like either oner of you have any first hand experience of sexual conduct in prison, pht! Like hell!


I started my long term relationship with our penal system back in 1975 as a 19 year old surfer type dude stepping off at Chino and checking into Sycamore Hall ()known as Stickamore for those of us in the know) and not one time was my manhood ever checked in a sexual preditor type manner. In my almost 20 years in CDC I cannot recall one incident where a person was raped; there were too many willing to “give it up” for any convict to risk a huge sentence for raping another convict. Beside, back then we could still have Playboy, Penthouse and Hustler magazines; combine that with a little privacy and some hand lotion and who would even consider some ugly “ass” guy!


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So they all bailed out?


Pansies!


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