AUTOPSY AND INVESTIGATIVE REPORTS ON THE DEATH OF CHIEF NEGOTIATOR

08/23/02 | Harris County Medical Examiner's Office, Houston Fire Department Fire/Arson Investigations

[MistyCA]

Not only that, but if they are carrying equipment they might kick at the door even if it is ajar. The footprint means nothing, particularly because there was no broken doorframe, etc.

[meyer]

FWIW, maybe it was arson and maybe it wasn't but I'm interested in the intense obsession with this tragedy, and what you think it all means.

The "intense obsession" as you call it might have something to do with the respect and friendship that many of us had developed with the chief. Is there something inherently wrong with wanting to develop a little bit of certainty about this event? A little closure in the loss of a friend? Or maybe just a few pieces of a puzzle that actually fit together?

[MistyCA]

BTW....there was also NO smoke damage or evidence on the inside edges of the doors.

[carenot]

The tank blew out part of one side only, and once the increasing pressure breeched the tank, the fire just farted out the side.
Now this.
I am too wound up.

I can imagine!

[getmeouttaPalmBeachCounty_FL]

My heartfelt sympathy to you all who knew the Chief. I, however, did not, but just read through the 140+ posts in this thread.

IronJack...you mentioned something..."while he was refilling his pipe lighter, whatever." I am guessing here that the Chief enjoyed smoking a pipe. You then mentioned, "he screamed so violently immediately after the noise, isn't it fair to assume that he had been either injured, ignited, or horribly frightened by the noise?" Your comments say, what many others have pointed out...that it seems almost like something *hit* him and/or scared him enough to scream out in a way his wife was almost unfamiliar with.

Then, ClancyJ wrote, "The screams are the most puzzling to me as if the fire actually hit and burned him - but there is no evidence of that."

What I am wondering, is...if the Chief was just logging on to the computer, and settling down to surf a bit...maybe get his pipe ready...and then went to light up...

The reports seem to indicate the strong smell of gas.

I used to work on a pediatric burn unit, and maybe it's just a part of my thought process to suspect a gas leak. Maybe the CHIEF didn't smell it. Did they have a gas stove in the kitchen? Did this couple have a tea kettle or anything on the stove that evening while they watched some tv? Could the pilot light have gone out? Did the Chief turn on a burner, not realizing there was no flame...then go to log on after the computer booted...get up again to light up a pipe?

Lord knows, that a flash after a lighter or match meeting up with a source of gas could be explosive...shatter windows...cinge hair, etc. An explosion like that maybe explains some of the unanswereds here?

I don't know...but just my thoughts. And if there was no identifiable gas source...at least this theory can be ruled out.

Again, to all of you personally affected...I am so sorry.

And semper fi to the CHIEF.

[MistyCA]

That is not true. They called it arson right away (the investigators). It is the ME who failed to get the point. :)

[MistyCA]

dont' they also burn from the inside out?

[MistyCA]

I love your name! :)

[COB1]

"I must respectfully disagree, COB1, there is evidence of bureaucratic incompentence all over the place."

I would NEVER disagree with you on that, my friend!

[HighWheeler]

"I'm interested in the intense obsession with this tragedy, and what you think it all means."

Well first off, we liked the CHIEF. Secondly, FReepers are intensely logical and have a strong aversion to BU11$h1t.

That's why we don't like liberals and we don't like this report.

[DeSoto]

So please correct me, I thought that if the HFD determined that it was Arson, then they would assign it to the HPD. It isn't that way?

[carenot]

Do you know if there was a TV in the dining room?

Mrs.C said the TV was in the den. AlwaysWatching said there were no electrical outlets on the walls in the dining room.

[isthisnickcool]

We have a mayor who would have a hard time being a competent dog catcher.

No need to insult dog catchers.

Lee Brown & Co. have stolen the car, they have had it up on jacks for some time. Since it's his last term in office they aren't worried about a case like this. They are way too busy stripping off the last parts of the car before Brown gets a job elsewhere. Where he and his group of locusts can swarm into the pockets of another group of taxpayers that are as dumb as the ones in Houston that voted the moron into office.

BTW, I seem to recall this thread and others like it being posted a few months back. Maybe you will have better luck with this one. Hope so.

[Alamo-Girl]

Thanks for the heads ups!

[HoustonCurmudgeon]

So please correct me, I thought that if the HFD determined that it was Arson, then they would assign it to the HPD. It isn't that way?

NO, it stays with Arson. Most of the time HPD doesn't even have a file on it.

[COB1]

Let's get clear on this because it's important:

There are several Medical Examiners.
There is one Chief Medical Examiner.
A male Medical Examiner did the autopsy; the Chief Medical Examiner, a woman, signed off on it's validity.

[getmeouttaPalmBeachCounty_FL]

*I love Arizona!* GetmeouttaPalmBeachCounty!!!! Whaaaaaaah!
:)

[Humidston]

Thanks COB. You read my mind.

[GailA]

btt

[meyer]

Would this chief med examiner be responsible for this investigation and would she be liable for any, ummm, "hanky Panky"?