On Monday, Oct 24, two years after the Greenwood arson, Seattlite Carol Iverson was presented with a $18,500 check for giving authorities information that lead to the arrest and conviction of the Greenwood Arsonist.

Between June 19 and November 12, 2009, Kevin Todd Swalwell set 10 fires in the Greenwood area causing more than 2.2 million dollars in damage. One person suffered non-life threatening burns during one of the fires.
 
But it wasn't until the authorities received Iverson's tip that an Arson Task Force formed between the Seattle Fire Department and the Seattle Police Department, had a viable suspect.

John Lewitt, lead investigator for the Seattle Police Department Arson and Bomb Squad said the tip was instrumental in tracking the arsonist down.

"It gave us something to go on," Lewitt said.

The Arson Task Force discovered that Swalwell had been on scene at multiple fire locations.
In May 2010, Swalwell pled guilty to setting 11 fires and was sentenced to 30 years in prison.

Iverson knew it was Swalwell the moment she heard about the arsons.

"I knew it was him right away," she said.

Iverson was married to Swalwell from 1994 to 2000. She divorced him while he was incarcerated for setting fire to the Echo Lake apartments in 1995.

Scared that Swalwell would come after her, Iverson asked her brother to place the call.

“I’m proud of her,” he said.

The presenting of the check took place at Taproot Theatre, one of the businesses that was destroyed by the fires, and gave closure to the Greenwood Arson.

“Arsonists hurt all of us by destroying lives and property and by driving up insurance rates,” said Karl Newman, NW Insurance Council president. “We are pleased to award citizens who come forward to help investigators solve these damaging and potentially fatal crimes. Nationally, arson kills hundreds of people each year, injures thousands and destroys hundreds of millions of dollars in property while putting firefighters at needless risk."

Citing FBI statistics, Newman said arson is a difficult crime to solve, as only 17 percent of all arson offenses result in arrests. 

To encourage people to come forward, NW Insurance Council and Arson Alarm Foundation offer an annual $10,000 Arson Award Fund for Washington residents who provide tips to authorities that result in the arrest or conviction of arsonists.

The Iversons received $3,500 from the Arson Alarm Foundation and an additional $15,000 from Liberty Mutual/Safeco Insurance.

Iverson and her brother did not know about the arson alarm reward when they placed the call but said they plan to use the money to pay some bills, get food for their cat, and go out to dinner.

Iverson also encouraged others to come forward.

“Don’t be afraid to do something. You got to do what’s right,” she said. "He could have killed somebody."