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"
Shows what two damn Marines know ... Dale is my first name!
Laughing, and enquiring minds wanna know:
Do ya kiss yer HORSE, Dale, since ya don't kiss Roy?!!
LOLOL
(No - not THAT Roy!!)
Once on Freeper Island in 1998, he mowed the grass skirts Billie and I wore for the Friday hula lessons down to 4" !!
Yes, I noticed.
Anyone who keeps their husband tied to the doghouse out back so they can watch him beg for a dog biscuit amuses easily.
Kiss a tree for me, chadsey, or pee on it, whichever.
The short version: It's an ammo wagon. During the Civil War, the artillery piece was pulled by a two wheeled cart with an ammo box on top. The cart was called a Limber. The ammo box was called the limber box and the caisson was a flat bedded wagon that had extra limber boxes on it. The facts of the caisson were told to me. The rest I know because I was in a CW re-enactment artillery unit for ten years.
If any were laid down and have not been disturbed, they may be visible by standing away from the wall and giving it a very careful visual scan. The process of groping along the walls, wipes the soot away, down to the original wall covering. Any later build up of soot is deposited over it, but, much like snow filling over tire tracks, the tracks are never totally filled in and a pattern is sometimes still clearly visible.
Finding such marks is not uncommon in such cases where a victim becomes trapped and disoriented. Sometimes they are very apparent and you can literally follow every move a person made. There is also a chance Herb was not very mobile at all and that he didn't leave anything behind.
With what little there is to go on, it certainly seems worth a look, though, even if it could provide only a very small piece of the puzzle.
All you'll had to do was ask anyone smart enought to be in the Army.
This case is still pending, meaning it's still being investigated.
I have mixed feelings about that.
On the one hand we know that they're not closing the book on it or "cold casing" it.
On the other hand, we can't get the information we would love to have.
The group we have put together will continue to pursue the avenues we are allowed, and we will report any new findings.
"This case is still pending, meaning it's still being investigated. I have mixed feelings about that."
I understand your mixed feelings, COB. You are correct, in that they will not be quite as free with any information they may be holding, but, IMO, it will open more doors than it closes.
It will be much easier bringing new leads and information to them - that may be developed as a result of efforts here on FR - and they will likely be much more receptive to cooperating with you and the group you've assembled.
Trying to convince them to reopen a case, once it's been closed - which is very difficult under the best of circumstances - and given their reported workload, would have likely been an uphill struggle, all the way, IMO.
You have a good point about them cooperating with us now.
I really want to help them solve this instead of taking the drastic measures we have talked about with the AG and the freeps.
This IS their job!
I just want to make sure they do it!
I'm willing to wait to see justice served.
WFTR
Bill
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