Man found guilty of arson in Hacienda Heights church blaze

A 35-year-old Hacienda Heights man was found guilty of arson Tuesday for burning down a church in 2011.

Jurors deliberated for less than an hour before finding Gregory Yusuke Shiga guilty of aggravated arson and four other related counts. Shiga faces up to life in prison in the fire that destroyed St. John Vianney Church in Hacienda Heights. Authorities said the fire caused more than $8.5 million in damage.

During the two-week trial in Pomona, investigators testified that Shiga started the blaze with toilet paper rolls soaked in an accelerant such as lighter fluid.

He opened windows to let air flow into the church. It became an inferno in nearly 40 seconds, investigators said.

“That was the plan — to make this as big a statement as possible,” said Deputy L.A. County Dist. Atty. Renee Rose, who prosecuted the case.

Authorities didn’t identify a motive, but witnesses testified that Shiga resented the Catholic Church and questioned its legitimacy, wealth and the conduct of its priests. Although not a victim of sexual abuse, Rose said, Shiga liked to portray the arson as vengeance on behalf of those who were victims of clergy molestation. Rose, however, said that Shiga desired attention more than anything else.

After the April 16, 2011, fire, Shiga told an undercover officer that he was responsible for the blaze. Multiple witnesses testified that they saw Shiga at the church on the night of the fire and in preceding weeks, when he allegedly made reconnaissance visits around the parish property.

Shiga was arrested after a year-long investigation by the FBI and Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.

At trial, Shiga acted as his own attorney. He did not make an opening statement or a closing argument. He presented no witnesses and declined to testify.

During the prosecutor’s closing arguments, in which images of the burning church were shown to jurors, Shiga appeared disinterested, sitting back in his seat, grinning and staring people in the courtroom.

Since the fire, St. John Vianney has held services in a tent on the parish’s property.

Shiga is scheduled to be sentenced July 19.

matt.hamilton@latimes.com