Trans person sentenced to 30 years in prison for deadly Portland-area arson attack

36-year-old Rose Sunrise, whose former legal name was Roel Leon, pleaded guilty earlier this month to first-degree manslaughter, first-degree arson, and other charges as part of a plea deal with Washington County prosecutors for the four-alarm blaze at the historic Weil Arcade building in downtown Hillsboro, near Portland, Oregon, three years ago.

According to court documents obtained by The Oregonian, Sunrise was seen on surveillance video at 2:15 am on Jan 2, 2021, “dancing or jumping around” before using a “donkey-style kick” to smash a large window of the Weichert Realtors office in the arcade. Sunrise left the building but was seen watching the fire and recording videos on a cell phone before walking back home.

Sunrise returned to the area the next night and set a truck and car on fire.

Ronald Knapp (40) was sleeping on the second floor of the shopping arcade to stay warm and died of smoke inhalation. His body was found in the rubble a month after the fire, which destroyed 8 stores and displaced 20 businesses from the 100-year-old arcade.

Law enforcement matched surveillance footage to pictures on Sunrise’s social media accounts and arrested Sunrise on Jan. 5, 2022.

On Tuesday, Circuit Judge Janelle Wipper sentenced Sunrise to 30 years in state prison with credit for time served. As part of the plea deal, Sunrise was also sentenced for smashing a window of a nearby non-profit on Dec. 4, 2021, and for stealing several tote bags and a statue of a lion.

Sunrise told police the motive was to “return to prison,” having been previously convicted of harassment, attempted aggravated harassment, second-degree criminal mischief, third-degree assault, and interfering with a police officer.