Crime To Burn

Episode 52
Today we are revisiting the deadliest fire in Iowa's history. On January 7, 1950, a fire occurred at a mental health facility called St. Elizabeth Hospital on the Mercy Hospital campus in Davenport, Iowa. When a diagnosed schizophrenic woman, due to be released that day, acted in paranoid desperation, she caused a fire that claimed the lives of 41 people including one staff member. What factors led her to take such drastic measures? More importantly, why was the fire so deadly? We cover entire case including the fire and building code issues that exacerbated the fire and hampered the escape of dozens of patients as we remember the victims of the St. Elizabeth Hospital fire.
This podcast is a true crime podcast about arson and criminal fires. Listener discretion is recommended. 
Background music by Not Notoriously Coordinated 
Be sure to check out Season 2 of the You Should Be Here Podcast for the limited series, Or No by Fire Eyes Media. This this collaborative podcasters-give-back series is to bring awareness to and stand against domestic violence. All proceeds will go to a charity taking a stand against domestic violence and human trafficking. Your support of this project is so greatly appreciated. You deserve a safe love. 
Listen on Apple Podcasts:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/you-should-be-here/id1779150686
or on Spotify: 
https://open.spotify.com/show/2VqlmgQxwn55tdY7td9IM9?si=e19fffdc24064f7b&nd=1&dlsi=e6920c0f7e4c4d65
Listen to our episode with our friends over at Sasquatch and Sourdough where we talk more about the fire in Centralia, Pennsylvania that's been burning for over 62 years. 
Listen on Youtube:
https://youtu.be/e2rq340s6c8?si=t2-hEsbC-V0DTdhs
Get your Crime to Burn Merch! https://crimetoburn.myspreadshop.com
Please follow us on Instagram, X, Facebook, TikTok and Youtube for the latest news on this case. You can email us at crimetoburn@gmail.com We welcome any constructive feedback and would greatly appreciate a 5 star rating and review. 
Source List:
Grimes, Bret. The St. Elizabeth Hospital Fire in Iowa. The History Press, 2024 https://a.co/d/aXDBXSU
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Insulin_shock_therapy
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smoke_detector#:~:text=The%20first%20automatic%20electric%20fire,a%20sensor%20for%20poison%20gas.
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/treatments/9302-ect-electroconvulsive-therapy
https://www.ifsecglobal.com/fire-news/a-history-of-fire-sprinklers/#:~:text=1872%20%E2%80%93%201874:%20From%20Pratt%20to,the%20design%20in%20his%20factory.
https://www.fireranger.com/history-of-the-fire-extinguisher/
https://johnbrassardjr.com/2023/01/21/beyond-recognition-what-started-the-st-elizabeths-fire/
https://blogs.davenportlibrary.com/sc/2015/01/14/the-st-elizabeths-tragedy-part-i-of-ii/
https://blogs.davenportlibrary.com/sc/2015/01/21/the-st-elizabeths-tragedy-part-ii-of-ii/
https://www.wqad.com/article/news/local/st-elizabeth-hospital-fire-davenport-iowa-75-years/526-9b2c51ba-86e9-49ed-b48d-79c00a2271e5
https://www.firehouse.com/operations-training/news/21120288/davenport-ia-firefighter-still-haunted-by-grisly-1950-hospital-blaze
https://www.notesoniowa.com/post/iowa-history-daily-january-7-st-elizabeth-s-fire
 
 
 

Episode 51: 
In this episode we conclude our coverage of Angela Garcia's case on Crime to Burn. Angela was faced with an impossible decision, risk another trial or accept what is known as a Dark Plea from prosecutors to secure her freedom. However, when he offered her the plea, prosecutor Richard Bell knew just how flawed his case against her was and many have suggested that his offer of this plea was really an effort to try to prevent his office from negative optics related to the mishandling of this case. And perhaps they're right, after all Richard Bell is now a sitting judge in Ohio. Were his actions an attempt to prevent Angela's conviction and the errors made in the case from tarnishing his reputation and negatively impacting his aspirations to win a seat at the bench? We'll tell you what he did and said, and you can decide. His actions may not have been illegal but they certainly don't seem very honorable. 
To get involved in assisting formerly incarcerated individuals like Angela, please consider these organizations:
https://innocenceproject.org/donate-monthly/#:~:text=There%20are%20many%20ways%20to,Project%20in%20your%20estate%20plans.
https://exoneratednation.org/
 
https://www.lifeafterjustice.org/
 
https://organizationofexonerees.com/
 
This podcast is a true crime podcast about arson and criminal fires. Listener discretion is recommended. 
Background music by Not Notoriously Coordinated 
Be sure to check out Season 2 of the You Should Be Here Podcast for the limited series, Or No by Fire Eyes Media. This this collaborative podcasters-give-back series is to bring awareness to and stand against domestic violence. All proceeds will go to a charity taking a stand against domestic violence and human trafficking. Your support of this project is so greatly appreciated. You deserve a safe love. 
Listen on Apple Podcasts:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/you-should-be-here/id1779150686
or on Spotify: 
https://open.spotify.com/show/2VqlmgQxwn55tdY7td9IM9?si=e19fffdc24064f7b&nd=1&dlsi=e6920c0f7e4c4d65
Get your Crime to Burn Merch! https://crimetoburn.myspreadshop.com
Please follow us on Instagram, X, Facebook, TikTok and Youtube for the latest news on this case. You can email us at crimetoburn@gmail.com We welcome any constructive feedback and would greatly appreciate a 5 star rating and review. 
Source List:
Please also refer to the source list for Episodes 49 and 50 (Parts 1 and 2 of this case) for a complete list of resources used along with the list below. 
One of the best articles on this case is by Liliana Segura (an absolute rockstar reporter) for The Intercept and you can find it here: https://theintercept.com/2017/03/05/did-angela-garcia-kill-her-own-daughters-arson-cover-up/
Liliana Segura's other article on the actions of Richard Bell can be found here:
https://theintercept.com/2020/03/15/richard-bell-arson-junk-science-angela-garcia/
Other sources: 
https://www.endthebacklog.org/blog/interview-with-rick-bell-pt-2/
https://www.cleveland.com/opinion/2020/02/richard-a-bell-in-the-democratic-primary-for-cuyahoga-county-common-pleas-judge-unexpired-term.html
 

Episode 50. Angela Garcia was a 22 year old mother of two when her house caught fire claiming the lives of her two toddler daughters. After her first trial ended in a hung jury, prosecutors tried Angela a second time. However, this time they had new witnesses and new statements "remembered" by investigators 8 months after the event. When her second trial ended in another hung jury, prosecutors completely changed their tactics for a third go at Angela Garcia. But Angela Garcia didn't commit arson. There were some guilty people in the courtroom though, they just weren't the ones sitting at the defense table. Join us now for Part 2 of Angela Garcia's wrongful conviction story on Crime to Burn. 
To get involved in assisting formerly incarcerated individuals like Angela, please consider these organizations:
https://innocenceproject.org/donate-monthly/#:~:text=There%20are%20many%20ways%20to,Project%20in%20your%20estate%20plans.
https://exoneratednation.org/
 
https://www.lifeafterjustice.org/
 
https://organizationofexonerees.com/
 
This podcast is a true crime podcast about arson and criminal fires. Listener discretion is recommended. 
Background music by Not Notoriously Coordinated 
Be sure to check out Season 2 of the You Should Be Here Podcast for the limited series, Or No by Fire Eyes Media. This this collaborative podcasters-give-back series is to bring awareness to and stand against domestic violence. All proceeds will go to a charity taking a stand against domestic violence and human trafficking. Your support of this project is so greatly appreciated. You deserve a safe love. 
Listen on Apple Podcasts:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/you-should-be-here/id1779150686
or on Spotify: 
https://open.spotify.com/show/2VqlmgQxwn55tdY7td9IM9?si=e19fffdc24064f7b&nd=1&dlsi=e6920c0f7e4c4d65
Get your Crime to Burn Merch! https://crimetoburn.myspreadshop.com
Please follow us on Instagram, X, Facebook, TikTok and Youtube for the latest news on this case. You can email us at crimetoburn@gmail.com We welcome any constructive feedback and would greatly appreciate a 5 star rating and review. 
Source List:
Please also refer to the source list for Episode 49 (Part 1 of this case) for a complete list of resources used along with the list below. 
One of the best articles on this case is by Liliana Segura for The Intercept and you can find it here: https://theintercept.com/2017/03/05/did-angela-garcia-kill-her-own-daughters-arson-cover-up/
https://www.wkyc.com/article/news/local/cuyahoga-county/cuyahoga-ex-judge-mccafferty-isnt-disbarred-for-life/95-242002151
https://www.cleveland19.com/story/13993313/liar-liar-new-indictment-says-judge-bridget-mccafferty-was-not-very-honest-with-the-fbi/
https://clevelandmagazine.com/in-the-cle/politics/articles/aaron-phillips'-deal-with-the-devil
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2019/03/21/curtis-flowers-case-shows-why-diverse-juries-matter/
https://www.wkyc.com/article/news/local/cuyahoga-county/cuyahoga-ex-judge-mccafferty-isnt-disbarred-for-life/95-242002151
https://www.cleveland.com/countyincrisis/2011/03/former_judge_bridget_mccaffert_1.html
https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1119-wrongful-conviction-27797564/episode/422-maggie-freleng-with-angela-garcia-146288018/
https://legaltalknetwork.com/guests/angela-garcia/
https://www.cleveland19.com/story/13993313/liar-liar-new-indictment-says-judge-bridget-mccafferty-was-not-very-honest-with-the-fbi/
https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/1001279-angela-garcia-docs-1/
 

Episode 49. Angela Garcia was a 22 year old mother of two when her house caught fire claiming the lives of her two toddler daughters. Angela soon found herself standing in a courtroom accused of arson, murder, and insurance fraud. What evidence did investigators have to prove Angela had done such a horrible deed? They had some photos and some arson investigation myths that had been debunked already by the time she was tried. Two juries couldn't be convinced of her guilt and resulted in back-to-back mistrials after the juries reported they were hopelessly deadlocked. A third jury would send her to prison for a crime she didn't commit. This is the story of Angela Garcia and how a dark plea continues to cast a shadow over her life. What did Angela Garcia trade for her freedom? This is Part 1 of Angela's story on Crime to Burn. 
To get involved in assisting formerly incarcerated individuals like Angela, please consider these organizations:
https://innocenceproject.org/donate-monthly/#:~:text=There%20are%20many%20ways%20to,Project%20in%20your%20estate%20plans.
https://exoneratednation.org/
 
https://www.lifeafterjustice.org/
 
https://organizationofexonerees.com/
 
This podcast is a true crime podcast about arson and criminal fires. Listener discretion is recommended. 
Background music by Not Notoriously Coordinated 
Be sure to check out Season 2 of the You Should Be Here Podcast for the limited series, Or No by Fire Eyes Media. This this collaborative podcasters-give-back series is to bring awareness to and stand against domestic violence. All proceeds will go to a charity taking a stand against domestic violence and human trafficking. Your support of this project is so greatly appreciated. You deserve a safe love. 
Listen on Apple Podcasts:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/you-should-be-here/id1779150686
or on Spotify: 
https://open.spotify.com/show/2VqlmgQxwn55tdY7td9IM9?si=e19fffdc24064f7b&nd=1&dlsi=e6920c0f7e4c4d65
Get your Crime to Burn Merch! https://crimetoburn.myspreadshop.com
Please follow us on Instagram, X, Facebook, TikTok and Youtube for the latest news on this case. You can email us at crimetoburn@gmail.com We welcome any constructive feedback and would greatly appreciate a 5 star rating and review. 
Source List:
https://theintercept.com/2017/03/05/did-angela-garcia-kill-her-own-daughters-arson-cover-up/
https://www.clevescene.com/news/angela-garcias-2001-arson-murder-conviction-still-raising-questions-the-intercept-came-to-cleveland-to-investigate-5645270
https://www.newser.com/story/239409/greedy-mom-who-killed-her-kids-or-victim-of-junk-science.html#google_vignette
https://engagedscholarship.csuohio.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1025&context=etcetera
https://innocenceproject.org/guilty-plea-series-the-case-of-angela-garcia/
https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1119-wrongful-conviction-27797564/episode/422-maggie-freleng-with-angela-garcia-146288018/
https://www.guiltypleaproblem.org/?id=angela_garcia
https://youtu.be/RlUwJXsvme0?si=w0kITbdpkWnVuzDe
https://youtu.be/qa6Sk0TXw8w?si=pXicJxBXt5lSiNwj
https://youtu.be/Qfh0L6dXK0w?si=j0KiOCzcjvcq_k4B
United States District Court Northern District of Ohio Eastern Division. Angela Garcia Vs Patricia Andrews, Warden. Case No. 1:04CV0612
Court of Appeals of Ohio, Eighth District, County of Cuyahoga. Stage of Ohio vs. Angela Garcia. No. 79917
 

This is the finale of our series on the mine fire that destroyed an entire community. From the government missteps to the toxic attitudes that drove division in the town, so many factors compounded and the residents of Centralia paid the price. This week we cover how divided the town's residents became including death threats and a firebombing. We discuss the government's final plan for Centralia, and what remains today where Centralia once stood. 
Correction: Around the 22 minute mark I indicate that residents within a 16 mile zone were offered relocation. It should have said a 16 acre acre zone, not mile. My apologies for any confusion. 
This podcast is a true crime podcast about arson and criminal fires. Listener discretion is recommended. 
Background music by Not Notoriously Coordinated 
Be sure to check out Season 2 of the You Should Be Here Podcast for the limited series, Or No by Fire Eyes Media. This this collaborative podcasters-give-back series is to bring awareness to and stand against domestic violence. All proceeds will go to a charity taking a stand against domestic violence and human trafficking. Your support of this project is so greatly appreciated. You deserve a safe love. 
Listen on Apple Podcasts:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/you-should-be-here/id1779150686
or on Spotify: 
https://open.spotify.com/show/2VqlmgQxwn55tdY7td9IM9?si=e19fffdc24064f7b&nd=1&dlsi=e6920c0f7e4c4d65
Get your Crime to Burn Merch! https://crimetoburn.myspreadshop.com
Please follow us on Instagram, X, Facebook, TikTok and Youtube for the latest news on this case. You can email us at crimetoburn@gmail.com We welcome any constructive feedback and would greatly appreciate a 5 star rating and review. 
Source List:
A complete list of sources used is available in the show notes for parts 1 and 2 of this series (Episodes 44 and 45). 

As we continue our deep dive into everything that went wrong in the government's response to the Centralia, Pennsylvania mine fire tragedy, we can't ignore the conspiracy theories that were rampant among many town residents. This week we discuss how such conspiracies started and what made them easy for some residents to believe. We discuss the evidence in support of and in opposition to those theories so you can make a decision about whether there was any conspiracy between private mining companies and the government related to the Centralia disaster. Tell us what you think. 
This podcast is a true crime podcast about arson and criminal fires. Listener discretion is recommended. 
Background music by Not Notoriously Coordinated 
Get your Crime to Burn Merch! https://crimetoburn.myspreadshop.com
Please follow us on Instagram, X, Facebook, TikTok and Youtube for the latest news on this case. You can email us at crimetoburn@gmail.com We welcome any constructive feedback and would greatly appreciate a 5 star rating and review. 
Source List:
A complete list of sources used is available in the show notes for parts 1 and 2 of this series (Episodes 44 and 45). 

We've all heard about the canary in the coal mine being an indicator to miners that the air quality in the mine was getting dangerous to breathe. When one Centralia family woke up one morning after suffering unusual and unexplainable ailments in recent weeks to find their pet canary dead in its cage, the people of Centralia could no longer ignore the deadly fire that had been inching closer to their town year after year while they waited for the government to find a way to control it. As the first Centralia families were forced to evacuate their homes, the federal government took over the Centralia mine fire disaster but would their efforts be too little too late? This is the third part in our deep dive into the Centralia mine fire disaster in Pennsylvania. Join us as we uncover exactly what went wrong from the perspective of a fire protection engineer on Crime to Burn. 
This podcast is a true crime podcast about arson and criminal fires. Listener discretion is recommended. 
Background music by Not Notoriously Coordinated 
Get your Crime to Burn Merch! https://crimetoburn.myspreadshop.com
Please follow us on Instagram, X, Facebook, TikTok and Youtube for the latest news on this case. You can email us at crimetoburn@gmail.com We welcome any constructive feedback and would greatly appreciate a 5 star rating and review. 
Source List:
A complete list of sources used is available in the show notes for parts 1 and 2 of this series (Episodes 44 and 45). 

This week we continue our coverage of the mine fire that has burned in rural Pennsylvania for over 60 years. Last week we covered the physics of a mine fire and the most widely accepted theory of how the fire started. This week in addition to covering the other theories of how the fire may have started, we also discuss the initial projects undertaken to control the fire. What went wrong? While it's easy to look in hindsight and see how certain missteps by government officials contributed to the disaster that destroyed an entire town, the question we seek to answer is whether or not any of those missteps constitute negligence. Did government officials make the best decisions they could given what they knew at the time? Join us as we returne to Centralia, Pennsylvania and pick apart all the theories from the perspective of a fire protection engineer. 
This podcast is a true crime podcast about arson and criminal fires. Listener discretion is recommended. 
Background music by Not Notoriously Coordinated 
Get your Crime to Burn Merch! https://crimetoburn.myspreadshop.com
Please follow us on Instagram, X, Facebook, TikTok and Youtube for the latest news on this case. You can email us at crimetoburn@gmail.com We welcome any constructive feedback and would greatly appreciate a 5 star rating and review. 
Source List:
For a full list of sources please see the show notes from Part 1. Additional sources used in the development of this episode are as follows: 
https://phys.org/news/2018-04-hydrogen-coal-fuel.html
https://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/legis/LI/consCheck.cfm?txtType=HTM&ttl=18&div=0&chpt=33
https://www.maxapress.com/article/doi/10.48130/emst-0024-0004
https://www.tnonline.com/20230812/60th-anniversary-sheppton-mine-disaster-a-tragedy-that-defined-an-era/
 

In central Pennsylvania, there's a fire that's been burning for over 60 years and it's still burning. They said it was just a tragic accident. A fire burning in the underground abandoned coal mines in Centralia, Pennsylvania was at first a nuisance, then a concern, then a crisis of epic consequence. However, many investigators over the decades have uncovered evidence that this fire wasn't actually an accident at all. We'll bring you not just the evidence uncovered in support of the different theories presented, but we'll bring you an in-depth understanding of the challenges of a mine fire from the perspective of a fire protection expert. You may know the story of Centralia, PA...but you've never heard it like this. 
This podcast is a true crime podcast about arson and criminal fires. Listener discretion is recommended. 
Background music by Not Notoriously Coordinated 
Get your Crime to Burn Merch! https://crimetoburn.myspreadshop.com
Please follow us on Instagram, X, Facebook, TikTok and Youtube for the latest news on this case. You can email us at crimetoburn@gmail.com We welcome any constructive feedback and would greatly appreciate a 5 star rating and review. 
Source List:
I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS BOOK:  DeKok, David. Fire Underground - The Ongoing Tragedy of the Centralia Mine Fire. Global Pequot Press. 2010. Ebook.
Quigley, Joan. The Day the Earth Caved In - An American Mining Tragedy. Random House. 2007. Ebook
https://phys.org/news/2018-04-hydrogen-coal-fuel.html
https://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/legis/LI/consCheck.cfm?txtType=HTM&ttl=18&div=0&chpt=33
https://www.maxapress.com/article/doi/10.48130/emst-0024-0004
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Centralia,_Pennsylvania
2005 Interview with one of the last residents of Centralia, PA (WGALTV) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0smgua_yW-g
https://www.abc27.com/digital-originals/history-of-centralia-a-pennsylvania-ghost-town/
https://www.pa.gov/agencies/dep/programs-and-services/mining/abandoned-mine-reclamation/aml-program-information/centralia-mine-fire-resources.html
Centralia, PA - America's Burning Ghost Town (Documentary) (Part-time Explorer) https://youtu.be/Qj5LjacccJ0?si=Z3g2J_eQuoQ_M5Qo
Centralia, Pennsylvania - Full Documentary (Documentary Channel) https://youtu.be/0Lftblcp0Ns?si=0AeVaWcp7P_a_mQV
 
 

In this week's episode we conclude our coverage of the Evelyn Zigerelli Henderson case out of Harrisburg, PA. Evelyn was tried and convicted for setting her husband, a former sheriff's deputy, on fire on the back porch of their home following an argument over money. This week we evaluate the interpretations of the physical evidence by the fire investigator hired by the defense. I take you through his interpretations of the evidence and explain why it didn't sway a jury to find Evelyn not guilty. Do you think the jury got this one right? Let us know your thoughts. 
This podcast is a true crime podcast about arson and criminal fires. Listener discretion is recommended. 
Background music by Not Notoriously Coordinated 
Get your Crime to Burn Merch! https://crimetoburn.myspreadshop.com
Please follow us on Instagram, X, Facebook, TikTok and Youtube for the latest news on this case. You can email us at crimetoburn@gmail.com We welcome any constructive feedback and would greatly appreciate a 5 star rating and review. 
For a complete list of sources, please see the show notes for Episode 42.