Case 007: Accomack County Arson Spree

Explicit content warning

09/23/22 • 70 min

November 12, 2012. Fires began popping up all over Accomack County, VA. Someone seemed intent on burning down the Eastern Shore, but who? Where would the arsonist strike next? And, perhaps one of the most elusive questions, why?
Art
"Brown Wooden House" by Johannes Plenio
Music
"Tumbleweed Texas" by Chris Haugen

Sources

U.S. Fire Administration.
The Center for Arson Research.
Office of the Illinois State Fire Marshal.
“Volunteer fire departments that the U.S. relies on are stretched dangerously thin” by Frank Morris, NPR.
American Fire: Love, Arson, and Life in a Vanishing Land by Monica Hesse (2017)
“'American Fire' Tells A True Story Of Love And Arson In Rural Virginia” by Michel Martin, NPR.
“Eastern Shore arsonist to serve 15 years in prison” by Margaret Matray, The Virginian-Pilot.
“How a troubled romance fueled a string of nearly 80 arsons in Virginia's rural Accomack County” by Monica Hesse, The Washington Post.
“Serial arsonist told cops fires an act of love” by Carol Vaughn, The Daily Times.
“Records: Gas can seized from arson suspect’s home” by Brock Vergakis, The Seattle Times.

Sources

U.S. Fire Administration.
The Center for Arson Research.
Office of the Illinois State Fire Marshal.
“Volunteer fire departments that the U.S. relies on are stretched dangerously thin” by Frank Morris, NPR.
American Fire: Love, Arson, and Life in a Vanishing Land by Monica Hesse (2017)
“'American Fire' Tells A True Story Of Love And Arson In Rural Virginia” by Michel Martin, NPR.
“Eastern Shore arsonist to serve 15 years in prison” by Margaret Matray, The Virginian-Pilot.
“How a troubled romance fueled a string of nearly 80 arsons in Virginia's rural Accomack County” by Monica Hesse, The Washington Post.
“Serial arsonist told cops fires an act of love” by Carol Vaughn, The Daily Times.
“Records: Gas can seized from arson suspect’s home” by Brock Vergakis, The Seattle Times.

Previous Episode

Case 006: The Jeff Davis 8 - Part 2

Loretta Chaisson. Ernestine Daniels Patterson. Kristen Gary Lopez. Whitnei Dubois. Muggy Brown. Crystal Benoit Zeno. Brittney Gary. Necole Guillory.

It's been seventeen years since this string of murders began in Jefferson Davis Parish. The families and friends of these women still wait for justice. Who killed the Jeff Davis 8?
Tune in for Cabin 13's deep dive into the mystery.
Art
"Brown Wooden House" by Johannes Plenio
Music
"Tumbleweed Texas" by Chris Haugen
Sources

“Hot Cases.” Jefferson Davis Parish Sheriff’s Office.
“The Jeff Davis 8: Exploring the Unsolved Murders of Sex Workers in a Small Town” by Adam Janos, A&E.
“Letter to Eric S. Dreiband, Esq” by Mercedes Montagnes, Executive Director, The Promise of Justice Initiative.
Murder in the Bayou by Showtime Documentary Films (2019)
Death in the Bayou: The Jennings 8 by Investigation Discovery (2019)
“Dark Truth Behind 8 Sex Workers Murdered in the Bayou” by Cady Drell, Rolling Stone.
Murder in the Bayou: Who Killed the Women Known as the Jeff Davis 8? by Ethan Brown (2016)
“Who Killed the Jeff Davis 8?” by Ethan Brown, Medium.
“8 Deaths in a Small Town, and Much Unease” by Campbell Robertson, The New York Times.

Next Episode

Case 008: Tina Fontaine

August 17, 2014. The discovery of a young Indigenous girl named Tina Fontaine revealed systematic failures across Canada. As the authorities pursued her killer, activists demanded answers. How many more missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls will it take to force change?

Art
"Brown Wooden House" by Johannes Plenio
Music
"Tumbleweed Texas" by Chris Haugen
Sources

Bearclanpatrol.org
“Addressing femicide in the context of rampant violence against women in Latin America” by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (2020)
Red River Girl: The Life and Death of Tina Fontaine by Joanna Jolly (2019)
Reclaiming Power and Place: The Final Report of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (2019)
“Systems failed Tina Fontaine’s family before she was born, report reveals” by Cameron MacLean, CBC News.
“Tina Fontaine’s dreams coming true with 24/7 refuge for Winnipeg teens” by Jillian Taylor, CBC News.
“Raymond Cormier found not guilty in the death of 15-year-old Tina Fontaine” by Tamara Khandaker, Vice.
Policy Insights Brief: Statistics on Violence Against Native Women by the NCAI Policy Research Center, National Congress of American Indians (2013)