Oyler Gets Death For Deadly Fire That Killed Five Brave Men Of Engine 57..Our Closure Has Finally Come.

[UNITED STATES WILDLAND FIREFIGHTERS ASSOCIATION]

This case has finally brought some closure for alot of us in the wildland fire family. And it is my hope that the families of our five brave men who died on that October day Will finally have some peace and closure in their lives.

This fire like no other sticks in my mind on a daily basis and for some odd reason I can not seem to get through a day without thinking of these brave men who lost their lives doing what they loved to do...FIGHT WILDFIRES...I know in my heart and faith in our God that these brave men are in good hands and are watching down on all of us and giving us the strength to move forward with life and be as a good a Wildland Firefighters as we can possibly be.

So in closing I would like to thank all of the investigators and prosecuting attorney's for their tireless efforts to bring this case to a court of law and to give this man a fair trial.

Mark Loutzenhiser...Jess McLean...Jason McKay...Daniel Hoover Najera...Pablo Cerda
Our Brothers may you rest in peace with our Lord Jesus Christ and one day we will all meet again.
Please save us a place in your hearts as you will always have a place in ours!

Wildland Firefighters Mount Up:...Our Heroes Are Home With God!

MJ Presnell

Special Section: Esperanza Fire

Raymond Lee Oyler was sentenced to die for the arson murders of five U.S. Forest Service firefighters who were killed because Oyler "set out on a mission ... to wreak havoc" on Riverside County, a judge said today.

"Why? No one will ever know," Superior Court Judge W. Charles Morgan said of Oyler's motives for setting a string of fires in the San Gorgonio Pass in 2006.

That included the 43,000-acre Esperanza Fire set on Oct. 26 that killed the firefighters as they protected a home in the San Jacinto Mountains community of Twin Pines. The fire was started near Cabazon, about 40 miles east of Riverside. It destroyed 39 homes, including the one the firefighters were at.

Oyler, 38, of Beaumont, was convicted March 6 of five counts of murder and setting 20 of the 23 fires he was charged with, along with 17 counts of using an arson device. Jurors heard more testimony in the penalty phase and recommended the death sentence March 18. The trial lasted 10 weeks.

Morgan heard family members of the firefighters before imposing sentence.

"The damage he did to our family can never be repaired. He stole something from us that he cannot repay" said Josh McLean, brother of slain firefighter Jess McClean.

Oyler's family did not make statements in court, but his daughter Heather, 22, claimed later her father is innocent of setting the deadly fire "I believe that wholeheartedly. I believe my Dad over anybody. I will stand behind his innocence."

The appeal is automatic to the California Supreme Court. It will take years, especially if it goes into federal court, said Oyler attorney Mark McDonald.

"I don't think Oyler will ever meet his demise through execution," McDonald said.

Dressed in orange jail clothing and wearing a goatee, Oyler showed no emotion today during the sentencing. He joked with his attorneys when he entered the courtroom.

"I have never once seen any sign of remorse," from Oyler, Cecilia McLean, Jess McLean's mother, told Morgan

His family and attorney said later Oyler feels bad for the firefighters and their families, but maintains he is innocent of setting the fire that killed them.

"He feels terrible about their losses. I think he feels more terrible that he's blamed for those losses. That's probably the best way I could sum it up," said McDonald.

He said he advised Oyler not to make any statement before sentencing.

Prosecutors said the former auto mechanic meticulously worked to improve his fire-setting techniques as 2006 progressed.

The death sentence "Was the right thing . It was necessary for what he did," said Deputy District Attorney Mike Hestrin, who prosecuted the case.