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10 Famous Arsonists and Why
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Michael Zimmerman
Jul 27, 2023, 7:02:12 PM7/27/23
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10 Famous Arsonists and Why
Arsonists are some of the most stealthy, mysterious and down-right
malicious criminals in history. Revenge, insurance money and boredom are
just some of the reasons why arsonists attack. With thousands of acres
ruined, millions of dollars in damage and thousands of innocent victims
killed, arsonists are to blame for much of America’s destroyed lands and
financial woes. Here are 10 famous arsonists and why they made it on the
list:
1. John Orr
John Orr was a former fire captain and arson investigator for the
Glendale Fire Department in Southern California, and to much surprise, a
serial arsonist. During the ’80s and early ’90s, there were a series of
fires around the Los Angeles area that were going unsolved.
Investigators noticed that the fires were started in areas next to major
highways and, ironically, while arson investigation conventions were
going on nearby. During the investigation, police discovered an
important piece of information — a fingerprint on a time-delay
incendiary device from the 1987 fire in Fresno, California. The
fingerprint was linked to arson investigator John Orr. In addition to
the fingerprint evidence and seized accelerating devices belonging to
Orr, there was an earlier incident that sparked suspicion. Orr was one
of the arson investigators assigned to a 1984 South Pasadena fire that
destroyed a hardware store, killing four people. All of the arson
investigators agreed that the cause was an electrical fire, but Orr
insisted that it was arson. Orr was convicted and charged with three
accounts of arson and is currently serving life in prison.
(2)
2. Paul Keller
Paul Keller is one of the most notorious serial arsonists in American
history. This Seattle man is responsible for at least 70 fires and three
deaths in and around the Seattle area during the ’80s and ’90s, with
unsolved cases even popping up in recent years. This polished looking
advertising salesman and active churchgoer was ruthlessly setting fires
to homes, churches, businesses throughout four counties, making this one
of the worst serial-arson cases in state history. Finally in 1993,
Keller was found guilty and sentenced to 99 years in prison.
3. Julio Gonzalez
Julio Gonzalez, a Cuban immigrant, was responsible for setting fire to
the Happy Land nightclub in Bronx, New York, in 1990, which killed 87
people. The night of the fire, Gonzalez was thrown out of Happy Land
after getting into a fight with his girlfriend who worked there.
Gonzalez returned to the nightclub intoxicated and poured a can of
gasoline along the club’s only stairway and started the fire. Most
victims were trampled or suffered from asphyxiation. Gonzalez was
charged with 174 counts of murder and sentenced to 25 years to life in
prison.
(3)
4. Marc Thompson
In 2002, Marc Thompson, a Chicago investment executive, intentionally
set fire to his two-story home to collect $730,000 in insurance money.
Thompson, who was apparently short on money to support his high-profile
lifestyle, used his 90-year-old mother to make it appear like she set
the fire to kill herself. Thompson put his mother in the basement,
spread lacquer thinner on the walls and set the fire, where she later
died. He received $600,000 in insurance money and his mother’s death was
ruled a suicide, until investigators took a closer look at Thompson’s
finances and extreme debt. After a number of suspicious money
transactions and identity covers, Thompson declared bankruptcy. Thompson
was tried in federal court, was proven guilty and sentenced to 190 years
in federal prison.
[no picture]
5. Earth Liberation Front (ELF)
Known for using fire to spread their message against exploitation and
destruction of the environment, the eco-terrorist group named ELF has
caused millions of dollars in damage by setting fires around the world.
In 1998, ELF caused $12 million in damage at Vail, Colorado, by setting
fire to part of the ski resort. ELF announced that they set fire to Vail
because of its plan to expand, which would ruin a sacred lynx habitat in
the state. This particular act of arson drew national attention and
remains one of the top domestic terror threats in the U.S. The Elves
also torched some 30 SUVs at an Oregon dealership, in addition to
burning down a five-story, 206-unit condo project in San Diego in 2003,
as well as several laboratories, multi-million dollar homes, excavators
and much more. Many of the ELF arsonists were arrested and served, or
are still serving, jail time.
(4)
6. Terry Barton
A love letter went terribly wrong in the 2002 case of Terry Barton, a
U.S Forest Service Worker, who burned a letter from her estranged
husband, which caused a massive wildfire that burned 138,000 acres
outside of Denver and destroyed more than 100 homes. Investigators found
the remnants of some burned matches and a letter mailed to Barton, who
called in the fire and later admitted to starting it. Barton pleaded
guilty to the arson charge, was sentenced to six years in federal prison
and was ordered to reimburse the federal government $14.6 million.
7. Raymond Lee Oyler
Raymond Lee Oyler was arrested and charged with murder during the 2006
Esperanza wildfire that destroyed 40,000 acres across the San Jacinto
Mountains. This deadly fire was caused by arson and worsened when Santa
Ana devil winds picked it up. Five firefighters were killed while
defending a vacant home that was destroyed by the fire. Oyler was
arrested for the Esperanza fire, as well as two wildfires in the summer
of 2006. He was convicted of five counts of first-degree murder, 20
counts of arson and 17 counts of using an incendiary device, in which a
jury called for the death penalty in a 2009 hearing.
(5)
8. Jason Robert Bourque and Daniel George McAllister
A fairly recent arson case involving 10 church fires in east Texas has
two young men behind bars. Jason Robert Bourque and Daniel George
McAllister were charged with one count of felony arson for the burning
of a rural Smith County church near Tyler, Texas. The two men were
arrested in connection to one of 10 church fires, which DNA evidence
linked one of the suspects to the fire. If convicted, the men could face
life in prison.
9. Benjamin Christensen
Benjamin Christensen, a former Whites Crossing, Pennsylvania, volunteer
firefighter is responsible for setting seven fires that destroyed
buildings, homes, business and even landmarks from 2007 to 2008. He was
said to have set the fires out of boredom and anger. Christensen’s case
marks one of the largest multi-agency arson investigations in history.
In a 2009 hearing, Christensen pleaded no contest, in which he faces a
maximum of 20 years in state prison and 20 years of probation.
10. David Berkowitz
David Berkowitz, also known as ‘Son of Sam,’ was a serial killer who was
responsible for killing six people and injuring several others in New
York City from 1976 to 1977. Berkowitz is most infamously remembered for
murdering women, but his destructive behavior first began by setting
fires throughout the city. His arson spree involved setting hundreds of
fires to buildings in an attempt to vent his anger. One of the fires
that Berkowitz set was outside of Craig Glassman’s apartment door, in
which firemen found .22-cal shells in the ashes that didn’t get hot
enough to set off. Glassman lived directly under Berkowitz and was a
recipient of his hate mail, which was a major link in connecting the
letters and murders of Son of Sam to Berkowitz.
throw Molotov cocktails On Coffins of Sex Traffickers and Humans
Traffickers
Arsonists are some of the most stealthy, mysterious and down-right
malicious criminals in history. Revenge, insurance money and boredom are
just some of the reasons why arsonists attack. With thousands of acres
ruined, millions of dollars in damage and thousands of innocent victims
killed, arsonists are to blame for much of America’s destroyed lands and
financial woes. Here are 10 famous arsonists and why they made it on the
list:
1. John Orr
John Orr was a former fire captain and arson investigator for the
Glendale Fire Department in Southern California, and to much surprise, a
serial arsonist. During the ’80s and early ’90s, there were a series of
fires around the Los Angeles area that were going unsolved.
Investigators noticed that the fires were started in areas next to major
highways and, ironically, while arson investigation conventions were
going on nearby. During the investigation, police discovered an
important piece of information — a fingerprint on a time-delay
incendiary device from the 1987 fire in Fresno, California. The
fingerprint was linked to arson investigator John Orr. In addition to
the fingerprint evidence and seized accelerating devices belonging to
Orr, there was an earlier incident that sparked suspicion. Orr was one
of the arson investigators assigned to a 1984 South Pasadena fire that
destroyed a hardware store, killing four people. All of the arson
investigators agreed that the cause was an electrical fire, but Orr
insisted that it was arson. Orr was convicted and charged with three
accounts of arson and is currently serving life in prison.
(2)
2. Paul Keller
Paul Keller is one of the most notorious serial arsonists in American
history. This Seattle man is responsible for at least 70 fires and three
deaths in and around the Seattle area during the ’80s and ’90s, with
unsolved cases even popping up in recent years. This polished looking
advertising salesman and active churchgoer was ruthlessly setting fires
to homes, churches, businesses throughout four counties, making this one
of the worst serial-arson cases in state history. Finally in 1993,
Keller was found guilty and sentenced to 99 years in prison.
3. Julio Gonzalez
Julio Gonzalez, a Cuban immigrant, was responsible for setting fire to
the Happy Land nightclub in Bronx, New York, in 1990, which killed 87
people. The night of the fire, Gonzalez was thrown out of Happy Land
after getting into a fight with his girlfriend who worked there.
Gonzalez returned to the nightclub intoxicated and poured a can of
gasoline along the club’s only stairway and started the fire. Most
victims were trampled or suffered from asphyxiation. Gonzalez was
charged with 174 counts of murder and sentenced to 25 years to life in
prison.
(3)
4. Marc Thompson
In 2002, Marc Thompson, a Chicago investment executive, intentionally
set fire to his two-story home to collect $730,000 in insurance money.
Thompson, who was apparently short on money to support his high-profile
lifestyle, used his 90-year-old mother to make it appear like she set
the fire to kill herself. Thompson put his mother in the basement,
spread lacquer thinner on the walls and set the fire, where she later
died. He received $600,000 in insurance money and his mother’s death was
ruled a suicide, until investigators took a closer look at Thompson’s
finances and extreme debt. After a number of suspicious money
transactions and identity covers, Thompson declared bankruptcy. Thompson
was tried in federal court, was proven guilty and sentenced to 190 years
in federal prison.
[no picture]
5. Earth Liberation Front (ELF)
Known for using fire to spread their message against exploitation and
destruction of the environment, the eco-terrorist group named ELF has
caused millions of dollars in damage by setting fires around the world.
In 1998, ELF caused $12 million in damage at Vail, Colorado, by setting
fire to part of the ski resort. ELF announced that they set fire to Vail
because of its plan to expand, which would ruin a sacred lynx habitat in
the state. This particular act of arson drew national attention and
remains one of the top domestic terror threats in the U.S. The Elves
also torched some 30 SUVs at an Oregon dealership, in addition to
burning down a five-story, 206-unit condo project in San Diego in 2003,
as well as several laboratories, multi-million dollar homes, excavators
and much more. Many of the ELF arsonists were arrested and served, or
are still serving, jail time.
(4)
6. Terry Barton
A love letter went terribly wrong in the 2002 case of Terry Barton, a
U.S Forest Service Worker, who burned a letter from her estranged
husband, which caused a massive wildfire that burned 138,000 acres
outside of Denver and destroyed more than 100 homes. Investigators found
the remnants of some burned matches and a letter mailed to Barton, who
called in the fire and later admitted to starting it. Barton pleaded
guilty to the arson charge, was sentenced to six years in federal prison
and was ordered to reimburse the federal government $14.6 million.
7. Raymond Lee Oyler
Raymond Lee Oyler was arrested and charged with murder during the 2006
Esperanza wildfire that destroyed 40,000 acres across the San Jacinto
Mountains. This deadly fire was caused by arson and worsened when Santa
Ana devil winds picked it up. Five firefighters were killed while
defending a vacant home that was destroyed by the fire. Oyler was
arrested for the Esperanza fire, as well as two wildfires in the summer
of 2006. He was convicted of five counts of first-degree murder, 20
counts of arson and 17 counts of using an incendiary device, in which a
jury called for the death penalty in a 2009 hearing.
(5)
8. Jason Robert Bourque and Daniel George McAllister
A fairly recent arson case involving 10 church fires in east Texas has
two young men behind bars. Jason Robert Bourque and Daniel George
McAllister were charged with one count of felony arson for the burning
of a rural Smith County church near Tyler, Texas. The two men were
arrested in connection to one of 10 church fires, which DNA evidence
linked one of the suspects to the fire. If convicted, the men could face
life in prison.
9. Benjamin Christensen
Benjamin Christensen, a former Whites Crossing, Pennsylvania, volunteer
firefighter is responsible for setting seven fires that destroyed
buildings, homes, business and even landmarks from 2007 to 2008. He was
said to have set the fires out of boredom and anger. Christensen’s case
marks one of the largest multi-agency arson investigations in history.
In a 2009 hearing, Christensen pleaded no contest, in which he faces a
maximum of 20 years in state prison and 20 years of probation.
10. David Berkowitz
David Berkowitz, also known as ‘Son of Sam,’ was a serial killer who was
responsible for killing six people and injuring several others in New
York City from 1976 to 1977. Berkowitz is most infamously remembered for
murdering women, but his destructive behavior first began by setting
fires throughout the city. His arson spree involved setting hundreds of
fires to buildings in an attempt to vent his anger. One of the fires
that Berkowitz set was outside of Craig Glassman’s apartment door, in
which firemen found .22-cal shells in the ashes that didn’t get hot
enough to set off. Glassman lived directly under Berkowitz and was a
recipient of his hate mail, which was a major link in connecting the
letters and murders of Son of Sam to Berkowitz.
throw Molotov cocktails On Coffins of Sex Traffickers and Humans
Traffickers
Michael Zimmerman
Jul 27, 2023, 7:07:07 PM7/27/23
to
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