Yesterday, we posted Bonhomme Richard Arson Trial — Will the Case Go Up in Smoke? that discussed the end of the trial phase of the court martial of 21-year-old Seaman Ryan Mays, who was charged with deliberately setting the fire on the amphibious assault ship USS Bonhomme Richard. We asked whether the conviction of Seaman Mays would be an act of justice or simply scapegoating? We noted that that was now up to Judge Capt. Butler to decide. No timeline was provided as to how long Butler will take to deliberate on the case.

It didn’t take Judge Butler long to make his determination. Only a day after the end of the trial, CBS8.com reports that Captain Derek Butler found Mays to be not guilty. Butler ruled that prosecutors failed to present enough hard evidence that tied Mays to the arson and instead relied on a circumstantial case, buoyed by the strength of just a single eyewitness.

The July 2020 fire burned in San Diego Bay for more than four days before crews managed to put out the flames, however, not before gutting the ship at an estimated cost of $1.2 billion.

Butler’s verdict comes after a nine-day trial in which prosecutors painted Mays as a disgruntled sailor who sought revenge over a failed bid to become a Navy SEAL. Meanwhile, Mays’ defense introduced new information that the Navy had another suspect but was forced to give up its case after the sailor was kicked out of the service.

Not Guilty: Seaman Recruit Ryan Mays speaks after trial ends