Someone Call the FBI - Part 2

Picking up where they left off in the last episode, hosts Sophia Champieux and Scott Kuhlman continue their discussion of the 73 Arson case with Fire Investigator Bill Strohm. Strohm details how the investigation expanded to include collaboration with federal agencies like the ATF and FBI, adding another layer of complexity to the already multi-jurisdictional case. The episode dives deeper into the challenges of tracking down an arsonist targeting a busy highway, especially when evidence suggests a potential connection to the first responder community.

A quick note for listeners, throughout this episode we refer to the Behavioral Health Unit with the FBI. We misspoke, the correct term is FBI Behavioral Analysis Unit (BAU).  

Key Terms:

Adjudicated: A case that has been closed in the court system

Arson Spree: Three or more fires set by the same person in a short time frame

Confirmation Bias: The tendency to search for or interpret information in a way that confirms one's preconceptions

Honeycomb: A term used to describe the appearance of the internal components of a catalytic converter that has failed and ejected debris onto the roadway

Hot Start: An open flame ignition, like the flame from a lighter, match, torch, or road flare