Suspected arsonist identified after giving false identity to authorities

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WIS) - A man accused of starting fires in two separate Walmarts on Monday night has been identified after being booked under a false alias.

According to the Columbia Police Department, the arson suspect has been identified as 27-year-old Jarod Stacy. Stacy is now charged with identity fraud after providing Columbia officers with the wrong name during his arrest this week.

Initially, the Columbia Police Department said in a news release a man named Hunter Andrew Laycock set two fires and fled from police. However, WIS News received a call on Wednesday afternoon from a man claiming to be Laycock saying he was not the man who was arrested.

The alleged arsonist was booked in the Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center under the name Hunter Andrew Laycock. A spokesperson with Richland County said he was booked and fingerprinted, per their normal policy.

Laycock provided a photo I.D. to WIS News matching the name of the man who was booked, however, the license photo did not match the Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center booking photo.

Laycock told WIS News that he is from Mount Pleasant and left his I.D. at a Greenville Walmart Neighborhood Market in early January.

Investigators were able to identify Stacy through fingerprint comparison & facial recognition, According to police, the suspect provided his real name after being questioned by CPD investigators at the jail. A family member also aided officers with the identity fraud portion of the case.

Columbia police confirmed Stacy, accused of arson, is now being charged with presenting a false I.D. to police.

Both the Columbia Police Department and the Richland County Sheriff’s Department were involved in the alleged arsonist’s arrest.

The identity fraud victim is not associated with the investigation.

No one was injured in the two fires but Walmart suffered $30,000 in damages to its merchandise.

The man was booked in the Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center on one charge from the county and another from the city. He was given a $25,000 surety bond on his charge from Columbia police and a $50,000 surety bond on his arson charge from the sheriff’s department.

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