Posted on 08/25/2002 5:31:16 PM PDT by COB1
About three months ago, under the advice of the Texas Attorney General's office, I wrote a registered letter to Joyce M. Carter of the Medical Examiner's Office of Harris County in Houston, Texas, requesting the coroner's report on Herbert Paul Meadows, known to us as CHIEF Negotiator, who died in a fire at his house on October 4, 2001.
That report along with the Houston Fire Department's report on the investigation of that fire has finally arrived.
Without going into the technical aspects of the autopsy report, CHIEF Negotiator's death was ruled as accidental due to smoke inhalation.
NOW FOR THE REST OF THE STORY:
From the Arson Bureau's report:
"The fire originated at floor level approximately 4 feet west of the east wall adjacent to the south wall in the formal dining area. At this point the sheetrock on the south wall shows calcination along the south wall approximately 6 feet in length in the area below the southeast window. This suggests an area of intense burning and high heat.
The wood wall base trim at the area of origin was deeply charred by the fire. A wooden dining set of 4 wooden chairs and a wooden table were almost completely consumed by the fire. Small charred pieces of the table and chairs were all that remained.
The fire was very intense in the dining room area and spread to the adjacent rooms to the east, west and north. These rooms sustained high heat and fire damage from the fire spread. The fire consumed wooden doors separating the dining room from the kitchen and family room. Burn patterns were consistent with a fire moving from the dining room area into the adjacent rooms."
These next pics I took through the window shown by the arrow:
Continuing with the Arson Bureau's report:
"Investigators observed that the north side garage entry door was kicked open and that a partial shoe print was found on the door. This investigator was unable to determine if the door was forced by firefighters or was forced prior to the fire."[italics and bold mine]
------------------------- From the Arson Bureau's report:
-------------------------
"Captain ------ of L-36 told Investigator ------ that he found the deceased Herbert Paul Meadows lying in a fetal position, with his head against the west wall in the bathroom near the den. Firefighters dragged the victim to the driveway where he was pronounced dead by paramedics of Squad 40."
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"Engineer ------- of L-36 reported that he observed two tripped electrical breakers when he shut off the electrical power."
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Investigator ------- went to St. Lukes Emergency Room to interview --------(Mrs.) Meadows who is the wife of the deceased. --------(Mrs.) Meadows was transported by H.F.D. ambulance after the fire. -------(Mrs.) Meadows was treated for smoke inhalation and had been medicated by the hospital but she was able to relate details of the fire.
(Mrs.) Meadows told investigators that she and her husband Herbert watched a late night T.V. show and then she had went to bed while her husband Herbert had went into the den to work on the computer.
Mrs. Meadows stated that she was in bed about 10 minutes as was not asleep when she heard a 'noise or crash'. Mrs. Meadows said the sound 'was like something going through a window'. These sounds came from the other side of the house where her husband was working. This sound was followed by loud screams. (sic)'Was like something going through a window!' She described the sounds made by her husband as 'like I never heard him scream in my life!'
-----(Mrs.) Meadows reported she ran down the hall toward the dining area and was stopped by the thick black smoke in the kitchen area. ----- (Mrs. Meadows) yelled at her husband and asked him if (sic) see needed to call '911'! (Mrs. Meadows) stated that she heard a 'muffled' 'yes!' and then lost contact with Herbert Meadows. (Mrs. Meadows) told investigator that she smelled a 'bar-b-que' type odor like 'when you light a fire with charcoal lighter fluid'. (Mrs. Meadows) attempted to call for help on a phone in the house but she reported the phone was dead. (sic) Meadows went outside in the front yard and yelled for help.
------------------
From notes of the Harris County Medical Examiner's Office:
"Arson inv. reveals no..(crossed out).. flammable fluids"
"The investigators.. (crossed out).. smelled gas at scene"
"Not sure if they are ruling arson or not"
I can tell you right now that if you keep pulling Misty into this, I'm gone.
I will not attempt to work with her again.
Your choice.
Chief's family have problems of their own.
Mrs. Chief is in bad health, and she's got a broken shoulder.
What they want to do is get on with their lives.
You're right that they don't seem as concerned as we do, but I think the feeling of hopelessness has settled in.
They don't think this will ever be resolved.
Not true, Misty. In fact, WAAAY off base. And completely Out of Line. I had my own thread pulled because it had all degenerated into the same stuff we're seeing right here last night and today.
COB does not deserve to be maligned like this. He has done NOTHING to kill threads nor to earn this kind of slander and I can't believe you'd even hint at it all over again.
All I can say is amen!
The only news that could make me any happier is that Bill Clinton was dying of AIDS!
I have only a smattering of knowledge of what you're talking about, but I'll admit that there were some rumors about bodily harm that did concern me.
I live here, you don't.
As far as this forum goes, if you were THE one trying to gather this information, they would never see anything!
Why should you post it here when you can write a book and make money?
You know my record; I've never hidden it from anyone, but I've never checked on your record like you did mine because I don't care.
You are just not that important to me, and you damn sure weren't that important to Herb.
Thanks, G.
It's good to hear from someone who knows the facts!
But that is her modus operandi - insinuations and innuendos with no proof at all.
Now, we have a job to do!
I'll do my best to gather the information like I was doing before she entered the picture, and I'll post whatever I can.
For me, from this point, she doesn't exist.
But dixie, whoever killed Herb IS our enemy, he would have never rested until the murderer was brought to justice if it had been one of us instead of him.
I do not think it a waste of time.
"As far as this forum goes, if you were THE one trying to gather this information, they would never see anything!
Why should you post it here when you can write a book and make money?
The reason for that lies in something you yourself wrote on your elaborate Profile Page.
"In recent years family illnesses and a continued deterioration of my husband's physical condition have caused us to once again contemplate changes in our life that will better accommodate his need to have surgery on ruptured discs in his neck. I have been working on a book off and on for more than 10 years about the psychologic aspects of separation and the need to "search" for one's roots, and it has been my goal to try to finish it in retirement. There are also two very unique murder cases in our town that I want to write about.
Your interest in another possible murder case half the country away could be perceived as for the same purpose - with you directly involved as a Private Investigator working on it - and your motivation perhaps to use the case to be the subject of a best seller.
First, If I were the Chief, I couldn't rest unless those who loved me were seeking justice. Secondly, unless the perp is brought to justice, how many victims will there be?
A murdering arsonist is a terrorist. He is the enemy! And, he's living free among us. Free to strike who knows who or when?
God's speed!
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