Science Fiction - The Forensics that Framed Michelle Taylor

Episode 58

When Michelle Taylor lost her son in a tragic house fire, she thought the nightmare couldn’t get worse. She was wrong. Fueled by junk science, broken forensics, and a crime lab running on expired credibility, the prosecutors turned a grieving mother into a murder suspect. Twelve debris samples. Twelve false positives. And a justice system more interested in closing a case than finding the truth. This is the story of how bad science—and worse judgment—can burn an innocent life to the ground. Michelle Taylor stands for sentencing on May 30th. The fire didn’t destroy her life. The system did.

A mother’s grief.

A lab’s lies.

A system that chose conviction over truth.

This is Michelle Taylor’s story.

This podcast is a true crime podcast about arson and criminal fires. Listener discretion is recommended. 

Background music by Not Notoriously Coordinated 

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Source List:

• Segura L. Smoke and Errors - The Arson Evidence Doesn’t Hold Up. Florida is About to Convict her for Murder Anyway. The Intercept. March 31, 2025.  https://theintercept.com/2025/03/31/florida-michelle-taylor-arson-fire-murder-trial/
• Segura L. Facing Life in Prison Based on Shoddy Evidence, A Florida Mother Makes a Deal. The Intercept. April 12, 2025. https://theintercept.com/2025/04/18/michelle-taylor-florida-arson-fire-plea-deal/
• Smith S. Flawed Arson Science and the Michelle Taylor Case. Smith Forensic Blog. https://smithforensic.blogspot.com/2025/04/michelle-taylor-florida-from-our-and.html
• Bureau of Forensic Services. Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) Official Statements on Accreditation and Quality Control Procedures. https://www.fdle.state.fl.us/
• National Institute of Justice. Arson Investigation and Evidence Handling Standards. National Institute of Justice (NIJ). https://nij.ojp.gov/
• Taylor M. Plea Agreement. State of Florida v. Michelle Taylor. Case No: 21001215CFMA. Filed April 2, 2025.
• State of Florida. Criminal Complaint. State of Florida v. Michelle Taylor. Case No: 21001215CFMA. Filed August 9, 2021.
• Taylor M. Motion to Exclude Similar Fact Evidence. State of Florida v. Michelle Taylor. Case No: 21001215CFMA. Filed April 19, 2024.
• State of Florida. Indictment. State of Florida v. Michelle Taylor. Case No: 21001215CFMA. Filed August 9, 2021.
• Lentini J. A Model for Confronting Fire Investigation Errors. Fire and Arson Investigator. 2020;71(3):36-45. Available from: https://www.firearson.com/
• State of Florida. Amended Notice of Similar Fact Evidence. State of Florida v. Michelle Taylor. Case No: 21001215CFMA. Filed 2024.
• Taylor M. Plea Agreement. State of Florida v. Michelle Taylor. Case No: 21001215CFMA. Filed April 2, 2025. 
• Holbrook,J. Florida’s Arson Lab Loses Accreditation, Wrongful Charges a Main Concern. ABC Action News. August 16, 2016.  https://www.abcactionnews.com/news/local-news/i-team-investigates/floridas-arson-lab-loses-accreditation?utm_source=chatgpt.com
• Pipitone, T. Experts Question State Fire Marshal Lab. NBC Miami. September 6, 2016. https://www.nbcmiami.com/news/local/experts-question-state-fire-marshal-lab/1979453/?utm_source=chatgpt.com
• Bousquet, S. With State Fire Lab Stripped of National Accreditation, CFO Jeff Atwater Fights Back. Tampa Bay Times. August 17, 2016. https://www.tampabay.com/news/politics/stateroundup/with-state-fire-lab-stripped-of-national-accreditation-cfo-jeff-atwater/2289678/?utm_source=chatgpt.com
• Bosusquet, S. Florida’s Only State-Run Fire Lab Stripped of National Accreditation. Miami Herald. August 17, 2016. https://www.miamiherald.com/news/state/florida/article95921822.html?utm_source=chatgpt.com
• Harvey, M. St. Johns County Woman Pleads No Contest to Manslaughter in Death of her 11-year-old Son. First Coast News. April 10, 2025. https://www.firstcoastnews.com/article/news/crime/st-johns-county-woman-pleads-no-contest-to-manslaughter-in-death-of-11-year-old-son/77-f757a62e-b153-40f1-8d5c-ccfaa0daa653?utm_source=chatgpt.com
• Avanier, E. St Augustine Mom Accused of Setting Fire that Killed her Child to Get Insurance Money. News 4 Jax. August 10, 2021. https://www.news4jax.com/news/local/2021/08/10/st-augustine-mom-accused-of-setting-fire-that-killed-her-child-to-get-insurance-money/?utm_source=chatgpt.com
• Lucas Learns. GC-MS for Beginners (Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry). YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F9NUXkyIl5A Accessed: April 2025. 
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• Lucas Learns. Mass Spectrometry Explained. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SKokuAB5CKk Accessed: April 2025.
• Katelyn Perrault. Viewing Fire Debris Chromatograms. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ijJ6qh2VrR8 Accessed: April 2025.
• Lentini, J. Scientific Protocols for Fire Investigation, Third Edition. CRC Press. September 2018.