Full Notification

Gilroy PD detectives have been actively investigating a series of suspicious fires that occurred in the city. During the investigation, Gilroy PD detectives identified 32-year-old Daniel Hilario Catano as being responsible for multiple fires that were intentionally started from July 4, 2023, through July 6, 2023. These fires included dumpster fires, brush fires, and wooden fence fires, most of which placed building structures in danger. Through information sharing with our neighboring allied agencies, we learned that similar fires were occurring in the City of Morgan Hill.

On July 11, 2023, at approximately 9:00 a.m., Gilroy PD was made aware that Morgan Hill PD arrested Catano, a Gilroy/Morgan Hill resident. Catano is suspected of being responsible for more than a dozen intentional fires in the City of Gilroy and Morgan Hill. Catano was arrested for the following arsons in the City of Gilroy:
             
  Location                                                                               Date/Time                          Case number

• 9300 block Monterey Rd., Gilroy                                   07-04-23/1:40 a.m.         23-2887
• 200 block Loupe Ct, Gilroy                                            07-04-23/1:50 a.m.         23-2888
• 9300 block Monterey Rd., Gilroy                                   07-06-23/11:25 a.m.       23-2937
• 7400 block Railroad St., Gilroy                                      07-06-23/11:55 a.m.       23-3025
• Monterey Rd/Howson St., Gilroy                                   07-06-23/3:40 p.m.         23-2939
• 8100 block Monterey St., Gilroy                                    07-06-23/3:50 p.m.         23-2941
• 8500 block Monterey St., Gilroy                                    07-06-23/4:00 p.m.         23-2940
• 8800 block Lilly Ave., Gilroy                                          07-06-23/4:22 p.m.         23-2943

 
Catano was later booked into the Santa Clara County Jail on multiple charges, including 8 counts of arson. Gilroy, Morgan Hill, CalFire and the District Attorney’s Office are working collaboratively on this ongoing investigation to determine if Catano is connected to any other intentional fires in the south Santa Clara County area. 

Anyone with further information is urged to contact Detective Catalina Fraide at (408)846-0335. Tips can also be submitted anonymously by calling the tip line at (408) 846-0330. For all media inquiries, please call (408) 846-0347.