Woman Charged in 2022 Rochester Church Arson & Burglary

Rochester, MN (KROC-AM News)- The woman identified as the suspect in an arson and burglary at a Rochester church has been formally charged. 

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22-year-old Sesen Tesfay is accused of setting the Peace United Church of Christ on fire during the early morning hours of April 18, 2022. The criminal complaint against her was filed on Thursday. 

The first investigators to arrive at the scene found a large bottle of hand sanitizer that was about a quarter full and missing its cap. Investigators determined the sanitizer had been used as a fire accelerant. 

The initial investigation also determined a landscaping rock had been used to bust open a window of the church’s office that allowed Tesfay to access the building, the complaint says. Two monitors inside of the church officer were missing and investigators found the power cord for one of the screens in a hallway. 

Investigators then obtained a geo fence warrant and found a mobile device registered to Tesfay had been in the area of the church from roughly 1:30 a.m. until 2 a.m. on the morning of the fire, the complaint says. 

Law enforcement then executed a search warrant at Tesfay’s residence in June of 2022 and found two monitors matching the description of the ones reported stolen from the church and two bins labeled “Magazines” and “Soul Colleges” that the pastor told law enforcement had also belonged to the church, the complaint says.

Authorities then obtained a DNA sample and a copy of fingerprints from Tesfay also in July of 2022. The samples were sent to the BCA for testing against DNA and fingerprints pulled at the scene of the fire. 

The charges say Tesfay’s DNA matched DNA pulled from the rock and sanitizer bottle. The final damage estimate for the church was more than $4.4 million, well above the initially released estimate of $2.5 million, the complaint says. 

Tesfay was charged Thursday with a count of first-degree arson, second-degree  burglary of a religious building, first-degree property damage and misdemeanor theft. She’s due to make her first court appearance next month. 

The burglary and fire was investigated by the Rochester Police Department, Minnesota State Fire Marshall and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

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