Crime To Burn

Episode 116 John Stuart spent years insisting he had been framed. Most people dismissed the claim as just another excuse from a career criminal with a long history of arrests, escapes, and bad decisions. But the attempted murder conviction that haunted Stuart's life may not have been as straightforward as it appeared. In Part 3 of our Whiskey Au Go Go series, we examine the 1965 shooting of Sydney underworld figure Jacky Steele, the conviction that transformed Stuart into a deeply paranoid man, and the conspiracy he believed followed him for the rest of his life. Along the way, Stuart develops an obsession with alibis, begins documenting his movements through postcards, befriends one of Queensland's most respected detectives, and repeatedly warns nightclub owners about the growing threat of protection rackets. As Brisbane's criminal underworld collides with allegations of police corruption, organized crime, and extortion, Stuart finds himself once again at the center of the story. The question is whether he's a whistleblower, a criminal opportunist, or something in between. Because when the Whiskey Au Go Go burns, investigators will discover that John Stuart had been warning people for months that a nightclub was going to be firebombed. The problem is that John Stuart was also the man they suspected of setting the fire. Sources for this episode include Geoff Plunkett's excellent book, The Whiskey Au Go Go Massacre: Murder, Arson and the Crime of the Century, along with contemporary reporting and historical records. If you'd like a much deeper dive into the case, we highly recommend the book. As always, keep your exits clear and your fire escapes free of storage. CHECK OUT MY NEW AUTHOR WEBSITE: www.anauthornamedapril.com The Crime to Burn Patreon - The Cult of Steve - is LIVE NOW! Go join and get all the unhinged you can handle. Click here to be sanctified. Inner Sanctum Acknowledgments:Eternal gratitude to our Inner Sanctum patrons, Melanie Curtis, Jenny Mercer, Laura Pisciotta, and Jason Wolfe for helping us bring light to the stories others would rather leave in the ashes. Listener discretion is advised. 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. If you need a way to keep your canine contained, you can also support the show by purchasing a Pawious wireless dog fence using our affiliate link and use the code "crimetoburn" at checkout to receive 10% off. Pawious, because our dog Winston needed a radius, not a rap sheet. SOURCES: Plunkett, Geoff. The Whiskey Au Go Go Massacre: Murder, Arson and the Crime of the Century. Big Sky Publishing, 2018. Siganto, Talissa. "Whiskey Au Go Go fire bombing witness told by police to change her statement, inquest hears." ABC News Australia, June 16, 2021. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-06-16/qld-whiskey-au-go-go-inquest-witness-police-statement/100220474 "Murdered Because She Knew Too Much: The Untold Story of the Whiskey Au Go Go Fire." 7NEWS Spotlight, YouTube, June 15, 2021. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vH4kz5dbj8g Australian Associated Press. "Police were warned Brisbane's Whiskey Au Go Go would be burned down, inquest told." The Guardian, May 11, 2022. https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2022/may/11/police-were-warned-brisbanes-whiskey-au-go-go-would-be-burned-down-inquest-told Cavallaro, Ebony. "Whiskey Au Go Go inquest reveals new evidence into fatal nightclub fire." Nine News Australia, February 3, 2022. https://www.nine.com.au/australia-news/whiskey-au-go-go-inquest-new-evidence-in-queensland-1973-nightclub-fire-that-killed-15-people-20220203-p5yegq.html "From the Archives: The Deadly Whiskey Au Go Go Nightclub Fire." Brisbane Times, March 7, 2019. https:

Episode 104 Survivor Stories: An Interview with Shawn Simons & Alvaro Llanos In this special Survivor Stories episode, we step away from case analysis and into lived experience. We’re joined by Shawn Simons and Alvaro Llanos, two survivors of the Seton Hall University dorm fire—a tragedy that claimed three lives and forever changed many others. This is not a retelling of the case. This is what it was like to be there. Shawn and Alvaro share their memories from that night, the moments leading up to the fire, the chaos that followed, and the long road of recovery in the years since. Their story is one of survival, resilience, and the lasting impact of a fire that should never have happened. In the years since, they have dedicated themselves to advocacy—sharing their story to promote fire safety awareness, encourage resilience, and help prevent tragedies like this from happening again. Through their outreach efforts, they’ve worked to improve fire safety on college campuses and ensure that the lessons from Seton Hall are not forgotten. Out of respect for our guests and the weight of their experience, this episode is presented without mid-roll interruptions. We’re honored to share their voices with you. Follow Shawn and Alvaro on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alvaroandshawn/ Book Shawn and Alvaro to speak or hear more about their story: https://www.alandshawn.com/ Find the book of Shawn and Alvaro's experience and recovery on their website or purchase on Amazon: https://a.co/d/0hnK67Ae The Crime to Burn Patreon - The Cult of Steve - is LIVE NOW! Go join and get all the unhinged you can handle. Click here to be sanctified. Inner Sanctum Acknowledgments:Eternal gratitude to our Inner Sanctum patrons, Melanie Curtis, Jenny Mercer and Laura Pisciotta, for helping us bring light to the stories others would rather leave in the ashes. Listener discretion is advised. 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. If you need a way to keep your canine contained, you can also support the show by purchasing a Pawious wireless dog fence using our affiliate link and use the code "crimetoburn" at checkout to receive 10% off. Pawious, because our dog Winston needed a radius, not a rap sheet.

Episode 102 In the conclusion of our coverage of the Seton Hall University dorm fire, we return to January of 2000, when flames broke out inside Boland Hall, trapping students behind smoke-filled corridors and turning a college residence hall into the scene of one of the most devastating campus fires in recent memory. In this episode, we walk through the fire investigation itself—how investigators began piecing together what happened that night and why, despite the lack of clear physical evidence, they quickly suspected the fire had been intentionally set. We examine the subtle clues that pointed investigators toward arson, from burn patterns and witness accounts to inconsistencies in the early explanations coming from students who had been in the building that night. But the investigation quickly ran into a wall. Witnesses began clamming up, stories changed, and the tight-knit social circles inside the dorm made it difficult for investigators to get reliable information about what had really happened in the lounge where the fire began. As the case stalled, law enforcement took increasingly aggressive steps to move the investigation forward, including compelling testimony through a grand jury in an effort to break through the silence. Eventually, an unexpected development helped investigators finally connect the dots: the involvement of a notorious mafia hitman who had information that helped push the investigation toward indictments. Those indictments would ultimately reach beyond the two students accused of setting the fire. Prosecutors also charged members of one suspect’s family with witness tampering, alleging attempts to interfere with the investigation as authorities worked to determine who was responsible for the fire that night. In the final chapter of this story, we examine how the investigation unfolded, how the case was built despite limited physical evidence, and how the legal consequences spread far beyond the two young men accused of starting the fire. Purchase the book After The Fire that we sourced for this episode here: https://a.co/d/08OUjIBm or watch the documentary on Tubi. The Crime to Burn Patreon - The Cult of Steve - is LIVE NOW! Go join and get all the unhinged you can handle. Click here to be sanctified. Inner Sanctum Acknowledgments:Eternal gratitude to our Inner Sanctum patrons, Melanie Curtis, Jenny Mercer and Laura Pisciotta, for helping us bring light to the stories others would rather leave in the ashes. Listener discretion is advised. 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. If you need a way to keep your canine contained, you can also support the show by purchasing a Pawious wireless dog fence using our affiliate link and use the code "crimetoburn" at checkout to receive 10% off. Pawious, because our dog Winston needed a radius, not a rap sheet. SOURCES: After the Fire: A True Story of Friendship and Survival (Robin Gaby Fisher) • Back Bay Books / Little, Brown and Company • 2008 (paperback ed. 2010) After the Fire: A True Story of Heroes & Cowards (dir. Guido Verweyen) • Documentary • 2013 • Featuring Shawn Simons and Alvaro Llanos “Suits filed in Seton Hall dorm fire” • Arizona Daily Sun • Jan 19, 2002https://azdailysun.com/suits-filed-in-seton-hall-dorm-fire/article_46018ce6-ff78-5daa-b309-879a91f2501e.html “Experts for defense fault Seton Hall in fatal dorm fire” • Chicago Tribune • Aug 18, 2006 (updated Aug 21, 2021)https://www.chicagotribune.com/2006/08/18/experts-for-defense-fault-seton-hall-in-fatal-dorm-fire/ “University community reflects 25 years after the Boland Hall fire” (Thomas Canela) • The Setonian • Feb 27, 2025https://www.thesetonian.com/article/2

Episode 100 In Part 2 of Domestic Detonation, we move deeper into the investigation and unravel how a domestic violence case escalated into a coordinated bombing plot that nearly claimed multiple lives. As investigators began connecting the devices, forensic evidence and witness testimony painted a chilling picture of planning, coercion, and control — revealing just how far one person was willing to go to keep a partner from leaving. We explore the forensic evidence that helped build the case, including tool mark comparisons, and discuss the strengths and limitations of these techniques in the broader context of modern forensic science. We also walk through the critical moments that prevented additional bombs from being delivered, highlighting how coordination between investigators and rapid communication helped stop further attacks before they could occur. This case is a stark reminder of how domestic violence can escalate and how manipulation and coercive control can lead to extreme violence. Buy Burn Boston Burn by Wayne M. Miller: https://a.co/d/ipCuGL2 Buy Bang Boom Burn by Wayne M. Miller: https://a.co/d/a2EACYf The Crime to Burn Patreon - The Cult of Steve - is LIVE NOW! Go join and get all the unhinged you can handle. Click here to be sanctified. Inner Sanctum Acknowledgments:Eternal gratitude to our Inner Sanctum patrons, Melanie Curtis, Jenny Mercer and Laura Pisciotta, for helping us bring light to the stories others would rather leave in the ashes. Listener discretion is advised. 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. If you need a way to keep your canine contained, you can also support the show by purchasing a Pawious wireless dog fence using our affiliate link and use the code "crimetoburn" at checkout to receive 10% off. Pawious, because our dog Winston needed a radius, not a rap sheet. Miller, Wayne M. Bang Boom Burn: Explosive True Crime Gun, Bombing, and Arson Cases from a Federal Agent’s Career. AuthorHouse, 2021. ISBN 978-1-7333403-5-9. Craig, Gary. “Christmas package bomber who killed 5 in New York dies in prison.” Rochester Democrat and Chronicle. Updated Nov. 14, 2024. “His mouth got him in trouble.” Associated Press, published in The Roanoke Times, Dec. 31, 1993 (Virginia Tech newspaper archive). United States of America v. Michael T. Stevens, 83 F.3d 60 (2d Cir. 1996). Justia. Van Biema, David. “Death on Delivery.” TIME. Jan. 10, 1994. “A Conviction in Case of 5 Deaths by Bombs.” The New York Times. Apr. 1, 1995. (Accessed via Murderpedia; direct link not captured.) “Jury Is Seated in Upstate Mail Bombing.” The New York Times. Mar. 7, 1995. (Accessed via Murderpedia; direct link not captured.) Van Gelder, Lawrence. “Plea Bargain in Mail Bombings That Killed 5 Upstate.” The New York Times. Feb. 9, 1995. (Accessed via Murderpedia; direct link not captured.) “How Detectives Caught the New York Serial Bomber.” Real Responders (YouTube). Posted Feb. 24, 2020. “N.Y. bombing plot may have taken shape as long as year ago.” Tampa Bay Times. Published Jan. 2, 1994; updated Oct. 6, 2005.

Episode 98 In 1999, Garland “Butch” Martin was convicted of killing his girlfriend, Marcia Poole, and her two young children, Brady and Kristin, and was sentenced on three counts of capital murder in Midland, Texas. The State told a compelling story: domestic abuse, accelerant-driven fire, pre-fire blunt force trauma, and motive. A jury believed it. Twenty-four years later, Butch Martin was exonerated. In Part Two of this two-part series, April breaks down what the jury didn’t hear: conflicting fire science, flawed forensic anthropology testimony, discarded physical evidence, and the physics of fire that contradict the State’s entire arson-murder theory. We examine the defense, the appellate process, modern NFPA-aligned fire investigation principles, and how the work of Dr. Gerald Hurst and John Lentini unraveled the narrative. Because before you can call something arson-murder, you have to prove arson — and in this case, there is zero credible evidence that this fire was intentionally set. In this episode we cover: The defense’s accidental fire theory Conflicting chemical analysis (Norpar & “deparaffinated kerosene”) What Dr. Gerald Hurst and John Lentini found years later Why NFPA 921 rejects “pour pattern” folklore The missing extension cord and freezer on the back porch 40 mph winds and the physics problem for the State’s origin theory Cerebral edema vs. “blunt force trauma” Anthropologist vs. medical examiner expertise boundaries The appellate court’s reasoning for exoneration How wrongful arson convictions keep happening When you strip away mythology and examine only evidence, this case collapses. Every credible data point points to an accidental fire — and an innocent man lost 24 years of his life. The Crime to Burn Patreon - The Cult of Steve - is LIVE NOW! Go join and get all the unhinged you can handle. Click here to be sanctified. Inner Sanctum Acknowledgments:Eternal gratitude to our Inner Sanctum patrons, Melanie Curtis, Jenny Mercer and Laura Pisciotta, for helping us bring light to the stories others would rather leave in the ashes. Listener discretion is advised. 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. If you need a way to keep your canine contained, you can also support the show by purchasing a Pawious wireless dog fence using our affiliate link and use the code "crimetoburn" at checkout to receive 10% off. Pawious, because our dog Winston needed a radius, not a rap sheet. Sources: Please see the source list from Episode 97.

Episode 96 On December 31, 1986, just hours before Puerto Rico would ring in the New Year, flames tore through the luxurious Dupont Plaza Hotel and Casino in San Juan. What began as a labor dispute escalated into one of the deadliest hotel fires in U.S. history, killing 97 people and injuring more than 140. In the aftermath, investigators would uncover arson, negligence, ignored safety recommendations, a chaotic evacuation, and a legal battle that reshaped fire codes across the hospitality industry. In this episode, we examine: The labor tensions and strike that set the stage for disaster The timeline of the fire and how it spread so rapidly How smoke and toxic gases became the primary killers Failures in life safety systems, egress, and emergency planning The investigation that quickly identified arson Criminal charges against arsonists Massive civil litigation and code reforms that followed Lessons learned in the context of other hotel/casino fires of the era The Crime to Burn Patreon - The Cult of Steve - is LIVE NOW! Go join and get all the unhinged you can handle. Click here to be sanctified. Inner Sanctum Acknowledgments:Eternal gratitude to our Inner Sanctum patrons, Melanie Curtis, Jenny Mercer and Laura Pisciotta, for helping us bring light to the stories others would rather leave in the ashes. Listener discretion is advised. 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. If you need a way to keep your canine contained, you can also support the show by purchasing a Pawious wireless dog fence using our affiliate link and use the code "crimetoburn" at checkout to receive 10% off. Pawious, because our dog Winston needed a radius, not a rap sheet. Sources: Video & Documentary Sources Dupont Plaza Hotel Arson Investigation. Señor Onion’s Archives. YouTube, April 13, 2021. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9JyUjUoX_so Dupont Plaza Hotel Arson of 1986. Señor Onion’s Archives. YouTube, October 21, 2024. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tJsFLgxuDJ8 Government / Technical / Legal Reports Nelson, Harold E. “An Engineering Analysis of the Early Stages of Fire Development — The Fire at the Dupont Plaza Hotel and Casino — December 31, 1986.” NBSIR 87-3560, National Bureau of Standards, Center for Fire Research, U.S. Department of Commerce, April 1987. Levy, Harold M. “The Dupont Plaza Hotel Fire Litigation: A Case Study in Cooperative Defense.” Alternatives to the High Cost of Litigation, Vol. 7, No. 12, December 1989, pp. 215–233. José Francisco Rivera-Lopez, Plaintiff, Appellant, v. United States of America, Defendant, Appellee. U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit, 4 F.3d 982, September 15, 1993. https://law.justia.com/cases/federal/appellate-courts/F3/4/982/525384/(Note: First Circuit Local Rule 36.2(b)6 — Unpublished opinions may be cited only in related cases.) News & Contemporary Coverage (1987) “Teamsters Dispute with Dupont Plaza Dates Back Four Months.” UPI Archives, January 13, 1987. https://www.upi.com/Archives/1987/01/13/Teamsters-dispute-with-Dupont-Plaza-dates-back-four-months/7070215305413/ Brossy, Julie. “A Dupont Plaza Bar Boy Was Charged Today With…” UPI Archives, January 14, 1987. https://www.upi.com/Archives/1987/01/14/A-Dupont-Plaza-bar-boy-was-charged-today-with/8362537598800/ Hernandez, Moises. “Suspect in Hotel Fire Was Honored for Saving ‘Many Lives.’” UPI Archives, January 14, 1987. https://www.upi.com/Archives/1987/01/14/Suspect-in-hotel-fire-was-honored-for-saving-many-lives/2708537598800/ Gaulin, Edward J. “Defendants Plead Guilty in Dupont Plaza Hotel Fire.” UPI Archives, April 24, 1987. https://www.upi.com/Archives/1987/04/24/Defendant

Episode 94 In Part 2 of our series on the Iroquois Theatre Fire, we examine what happened after the flames went out — and why, despite hundreds of deaths, no one was ever held criminally accountable. Although the fire was accidental, the failures that made it lethal were anything but unforeseeable. In the aftermath, Chicago demanded answers. A coroner’s inquest, multiple grand juries, and a wave of indictments followed — implicating theater owners, city officials, inspectors, fire officials, and contractors. For a brief moment, it looked like accountability might finally arrive. But the law proved unequal to the scale of the tragedy. In this episode, we break down how rigid legal standards, gaps in evidence collection, political power struggles, and a failure to clearly assign responsibility allowed every criminal case to collapse. We explore why manslaughter charges failed, how loopholes in municipal authority undermined enforcement, and how even civil lawsuits left victims’ families without compensation. Finally, we look at what did change — the life safety reforms born from the Iroquois Theatre Fire that still protect us today, from outward-swinging exit doors to panic hardware and illuminated exit signs. This is the story of a tragedy that reshaped fire and building codes across the world — and a justice system that, when tested, quietly stepped aside. The Crime to Burn Patreon - The Cult of Steve - is LIVE NOW! Go join and get all the unhinged you can handle. Click here to be sanctified. Inner Sanctum Acknowledgments:Eternal gratitude to our Inner Sanctum patrons, Jenny Mercer and Laura Pisciotta, for helping us bring light to the stories others would rather leave in the ashes. Listener discretion is advised. 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. If you need a way to keep your canine contained, you can also support the show by purchasing a Pawious wireless dog fence using our affiliate link and use the code "crimetoburn" at checkout to receive 10% off. Pawious, because our dog Winston needed a radius, not a rap sheet. Sources: Tinder Box: The Iroquois Theatre Disaster, 1903Hatch, Anthony P. Tinder Box: The Iroquois Theatre Disaster, 1903. Chicago, IL: Academy Chicago Publishers, 2003. Woodward, Frederic C., & Smith, Frank O. The Iroquois Theater Cases—A Flagrant Instance of the Law’s Delays. Illinois Law Review, Vol. 1 (1906–1907).

Episode 92 In the conclusion of Samarcand, we turn away from the fire itself and examine what happened after sixteen teenage girls were arrested — and what the justice system did when it realized it had no good options left. With Samarcand no longer able to house them, the state faced a question it wasn’t prepared to answer:What do you do with traumatized, rebellious, and violently angry teenage girls the system has already failed? In this episode, we explore: The debate over how — or whether — the girls should be tried The real possibility of sending minors to adult penitentiaries The fear of releasing them back into the public And the consequences of incarcerating them in county jails unequipped to handle them As the girls were moved through the system, tensions exploded. Jail riots broke out. Authorities lost control. And the public narrative hardened around fear rather than reform. We examine how this case exposed a fundamental flaw in the justice system: it is built to punish or release — not to rehabilitate. Especially not when the defendants are young, angry, and shaped by institutional neglect. Finally, we look at what the Samarcand case changed — and what it didn’t. How it influenced conversations around juvenile justice, where reform stalled, and why the same structural failures continue to repeat themselves today. This is not a story about guilt or innocence alone.It’s about a system that had already run out of answers before it ever asked the right questions. The Crime to Burn Patreon - The Cult of Steve - is LIVE NOW! Go join and get all the unhinged you can handle. Click here to be sanctified. Inner Sanctum Acknowledgments:Eternal gratitude to our Inner Sanctum patrons, Jenny Mercer and Laura Pisciotta, for helping us bring light to the stories others would rather leave in the ashes. Listener discretion is advised. 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. If you need a way to keep your canine contained, you can also support the show by purchasing a Pawious wireless dog fence using our affiliate link and use the code "crimetoburn" at checkout to receive 10% off. Pawious, because our dog Winston needed a radius, not a rap sheet. Sources: Bennett, Barbara. Smoke Signals from Samarcand: The 1931 Reform School Fire and Its Aftermath.University of South Carolina Press, 2018.ISBN 978-1-61117-860-9 (cloth) • ISBN 978-1-61117-861-6 (ebook). Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data: http://catalog.loc.gov/Publisher website: https://www.sc.edu/uscpress/ Mentioned in Episode (not used as a research source): Zipf, Karin L. Bad Girls at Samarcand: Sexuality and Sterilization in a Southern Juvenile Reformatory.University of North Carolina Press, April 4, 2016.ISBN 978-1-4696-2791-9 (hardcover). Note: This book was referenced by title during the episode but was not used as a source or basis for research for this show.