Press Release: Mountain View California Suspect Arrested on Ramey Warrant Suspected of Setting Fire to Oldest Japanese Buddhist Soto Zen Monastery in U.S. Located in Monterey County

DATE/TIME: 06/02/26 at 10:15 AM

TYPE OF INCIDENT: Monterey County Sheriff’s Office Investigation Leads to Arrest of Person from Mountain View, California, Suspected of Setting Fire to Oldest Japanese Buddhist Soto Zen Monastery in the United States

LOCATION: 39171 Tassajara Road, Carmel Valley, Monterey County, California

MEDIA CONTACT: Andres Rosas, Commander; Phone: 831-261-5492; Email: rosasae@countyofmonterey.gov

The Monterey County Sheriff's Office is announcing that a Ramey warrant has been issued and served for 36-year-old GuoGuo Lu of Mountain View, California. Lu has been arrested in connection with the investigation of the March 27th, 2026, fire at the Tassajara Zen Mountain Center, located at 39171 Tassajara Road in Carmel Valley. This is the oldest Japanese Buddhist Soto Zen monastery in the United States.

Deputies with the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office began investigating this incident and they were able to locate public online statements connecting her to the fire and making threats of future violence directed towards Buddhist temples in California.

Lu is currently incarcerated at the Napa County Jail for unrelated charges. She is awaiting extradition to Monterey County. At this time, there is no reason to believe she is an ongoing threat to the public.

Sheriff Tina Nieto stated, “The Monterey County Sheriff’s Office remains committed to protecting every member of our community and ensuring that all people can safely practice their faith without fear of violence, intimidation, or threats. We take allegations involving crimes motivated by bias or hatred very seriously and will continue to work diligently to investigate these incidents and hold those responsible accountable under the law.”

The Sheriff's Office is grateful to staff and faculty at the Tassajara Zen Center who acted quickly during the fire. Their bravery, diligence, observations, and continued cooperation throughout this investigation helped protect lives, preserve important information, and move the investigation forward. The Monterey County Sheriff's Office is also grateful to the fire personnel who responded under difficult conditions. Emergency response in Monterey County is never simple, especially in areas where access, distance, and limited communications create real challenges. Their prompt response prevented a much larger fire incident from occurring in an area that is easily susceptible to fires.

Fiona GuoGuo Lu is facing charges of 11413 PC – Terrorizing by Destructive Device, Explosive, or Arson; 451 PC – Arson; 422 PC – Criminal Threats and 422.75 PC – Commit Felony Hate Crime. Her bail is set at $130,000.

Because this remains an active investigation, the Monterey County Sheriff's Office is not releasing additional details at this time. We are asking the public for help. Anyone with information about the March 27th, 2026 fire at the Tassajara Zen Center, the related social media posts, or threats directed toward Buddhist religious institutions is asked to contact Deputy Aly Najem or Deputy Kyle Massa at 831-755-5111. You may also submit an anonymous tip via our website by going to our website at mcso.countyofmonterey.gov and selecting the “Submit a Tip” tab.