Wow.
Forum: Fire/Arson Investigations

I read a report where the cause was listed as a "Sympathy Fire". Several houses on one side of the street were burned but none on the other so the unknown individual set the fire on the opposite side of the street because that side of the street had been left out. Another personal favorite: "The cause of the fire is UNDETERMINED, but whatever happened was TOTALLY ACCIDENT
Forum: Fire/Arson Investigations

John J. Lentini, CFEI Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Ten of twelve should suffice. The judge did not > need to go there. > > Agreed.
Forum: Fire/Arson Investigations

I do recall that many years ago there was an Arson Homicide fire. The detection canine hit on a number of spots and several samples were taken. (not sure about the actual numbers so I will be making up the numbers from here forward) Maybe like 12 samples were taken and 10 tested positive for gasoline. The judge ruled that because of the 10 positive samples and the fact that the dog has been t
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Come on John. He had been there earlier and he was mad. Shouldn't that be enough? Then there was the dog. Hey I got an idea. If you name your accelerant Detection Canine "Mass Spectrometer" then you never lose another case. My "Mass Spectrometer" tested positive all over the house.... Just trying to advance Science.
Forum: Fire/Arson Investigations

I think I'll write an article entitled: A Federal Agent on Why Juries Find Guilty People Guilty Without The Evidence To Do So, And Why Celebrities Are Rarely Convicted Despite A Mountain Of Evidence And What The Hell Is Going On In Florida?" The title is a little wordy at the moment but it's still a work in progress.
Forum: Fire/Arson Investigations

I know he pled guilty, but I suspect his position is that I spent 25 years in prison for a crime I didn't commit so I pled guilty to right an injustice and walk free. Has he publicly taken that position yet or is he waiting for the big Dateline reveal or was it a true admission.
Forum: Fire/Arson Investigations

My favorite all time? "The cause of this fire is undetermined, but whatever happened was totally accidental" We called the investigator "Totally Accidental" until he retired.
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Thanks Doug, this answered all of my questions. For those confused as I was, here is the explanation. Because he was convicted back when TX prison was a turnstile, the rules that apply are the ones that were in place in 1986. Back then 2 non-capital murders (like he pled guilty to) would get you 20-40 years depending on if they ran concurrently or consecutively. Either way he would have
Forum: Fire/Arson Investigations

Another thought. I was a cop in Texas when this occurred. I have not lived in Texas since 1989, so, those of you that do can answer this. I know that back then, unless you were sentenced to death even Capital Murderers were usually released due to prison overcrowding after about 20-25 years unless the rare life without benefit of parole was in the guidelines. Now, maybe TX has built more pris
Forum: Fire/Arson Investigations

What evidence do you have that they were ready to convict him? I mean, you may be right, I just missed where that was written. Did they interview the jurors in an article that I didn't read? May have missed it.
Forum: Fire/Arson Investigations

David, when I took it a few years back I found that on 5 or 6 occasions that questions that I wasn't sure about were answered later in the test by being asked in a different way which gave you a previous answer repackaged in a later question... if that makes sense. Also, there was some poor questions....They may have been fixed by now, but go with the answer that you think they want...F
Forum: Fire/Arson Investigations

If you think that cost is not an issue for many public agencies to send evidence to a private lab, then you likely never worked in the public sector or forgot how ridiculous it can be. In New Orleans the lab will not test debris samples. The state lab would do it for them (free) but it is an hour away so they will not allow someone to shuttle the evidence to the state lab once a week becaus
Forum: Fire/Arson Investigations

please forgive the misspellings.... correct spellings but misuse of certain words. It was a late night.
Forum: Fire/Arson Investigations

It seems like the two most promising findings of the gov study is to use a solution containing triclosan which would interrupt degradation of the sample and not degrade the evidence container. Secondly, and in my opinion most promising/practical is a sub lid for your evidence can that contains a charcoal strip. The strip passively absorbs a headspace sample so even if the sample degrades over
Forum: Fire/Arson Investigations

In a conversation with an ATF chemist (a story that I relayed in a different post) I was told that the process of freezing the debris sample (just kidding soil sample) effectively destroys the microbes that might degrade your sample. This is why I freeze the sample overnight and then store it in a customary way. This would actually be a very good research project for some ATF CFI candidate.
Forum: Fire/Arson Investigations

Like I said, it was one of the best classes I've taught. They actually seemed to "get it"...that being said....you have my phone number, my e-mail...and a copy of 921. I know you didn't call me out directly but there are many smart people out there that can put two and two together and did in fact do that...I was notified of your post by someone that did not attend the class b
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Can you edit a post? Forgot to add my signature...If not....
Forum: Fire/Arson Investigations

I taught a class last week in your area on, among other things, Evidence Collection. I assume you are referring to this class. Information was NOT given to the class suggesting that debris samples be refrigerated. Have your source check his/her copy of the presentation. It was made VERY clear that I was not referring to debris samples, but to SOIL samples and the research behind my statements
Forum: Fire/Arson Investigations

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Never mind then.
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Did he make the determination or did he rely on an O&C investigator to tell him that a crime occurred?
Forum: Fire/Arson Investigations

I caution you that very little of what the news media reported are "facts"....and nearly nothing that Casby's defense attorney says are facts. Although a very good attorney Jim Williams is a defense attorney...the kind we love to hate but fight to hire if caught in a spot.
Forum: Fire/Arson Investigations

Jim I Love You love you, but almost nothing you stated is accurate regarding this case. Let me correct a couple of facts. A man set a fire that killed four of his family....incorrect...incorrect, Only one was a member of his family and the fire only killed two people. The other two were killed from the stabbings that preceded the fire. Assisting local authorities ATF built the room to matc
Forum: Fire/Arson Investigations

After further review, although it does come up as Kernel the body of the articles has it spelled properly.
Forum: Fire/Arson Investigations

I am aware of the difference. I once saw him referred to as Kernel Sanders. Feel free to "google" it and you will see that it comes up spelled both ways.
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Actually relevant may be the operative word. I have seen many FI's use facts to reach wrong conclusions but those "facts" were not relevant.
Forum: Fire/Arson Investigations

I tried it. Santa is not real, but Kernel Sanders is. Pat Kennedy is Kernel Sanders. I mean, the cane, it all makes sense.
Forum: Fire/Arson Investigations

Ya know, now that Spontaneous Human Combustion may be an actual occurrence, we as professional fire investigators may need to rethink Steve Avato's theories on Extra Terrestrial Thermogenesis. Maybe he's not as crazy as he seems. Ahhhh who am I kidding.
Forum: Fire/Arson Investigations

True story...Witnessed it myself. Explosion on a barge and media arrives. Reporter: What caused the explosion? Public Information Officer: Too early to say, the cause is still being investigated. Reporter: Were there people working on the barges at the time of the explosion? PIO - Yes Reporter: Is it possible for workers to do something on the barges that could lead to a
Forum: Fire/Arson Investigations