We welcome back Investigators Strohm and McCulloch as they seek public assistance to solve a two-year-old arson case at an auto business in Santa Ana. Initial investigation revealed suspicious circumstances like an unlocked door and a car filled with tools, leading to the discovery of an acetone can and an alert from a K-9 unit in the heavily damaged office, the suspected origin of the fire. Subsequent investigation, including video evidence showing the suspect pouring liquid and brandishing a firearm, confirmed the arson. This time, OCFA Fire Investigators need your help solving this crime. Think you recognize the suspect? Submit a time to the OCFA Investigations Line (949) 560-0665 or to keep your tip anonymous, call OC Crime Stoppers (855) TIP-OCCS. 

This week, we’re bringing you something special – a bonus episode that revisits one of our most gripping cases: ‘The Inside Job.’ But this time, we’re hearing it straight from the fire investigator who helped crack it wide open.

Retired Fire Investigator Bill Lackey takes us inside the investigation of a serial arsonist and burglar who targeted not just homes and businesses—but fire stations and firefighters themselves. With multiple fires, stolen equipment, and a trail of destruction stretching across Southern California, including several fire station burglaries, this case required sharp instincts, cutting-edge forensics, and relentless teamwork across agencies to bring the suspect to justice.

This podcast episode of "Hot Pursuit" details two distinct arson investigations conducted by the Orange County Fire Authority. The first story recounts a residential fire in Garden Grove and the second investigation involves a series of vegetation fires along a freeway and toll road in Irvine. Could these fires be linked? Keep listening to see how the story unfolds.

This episode of the "Hot Pursuit" explores a complex arson and burglary case involving multiple agencies and jurisdictions. We bring back a crowd favorite, Irvine PD Officer Justin Russell, as he discusses a series of intentionally set fires in Orange County and beyond. Are these fires linked to burglaries at fire stations? The case highlights the challenges of multi-jurisdictional investigations and the importance of inter-agency cooperation. Keep listening to see if it ends in an arrest of a multijurisdictional arsonist…

This episode of Hot Pursuit features Investigator Gillespie, who has been with the Orange County Fire Authority (OCFA) since 2005 and in the Investigation Unit since 2019. Investigator Gillespie discusses two unique cases. The first case involves a fire at an auto shop in Garden Grove. The fire was initially reported as a commercial structure fire, but it was actually located in the parking lot and consisted of piles of cardboard. The second case involves 11 different fires that occurred over about an hour and a half. A molotov cocktail was found at one of the fires, and an unsuccessful wicking device. This was clearly arson, but now Investigators narrow in on a suspect. Do Investigators catch him….or her….in time?

This episode of Hot Pursuit features a case investigated by Investigator McCulloch with the Orange County Fire Authority. The incident took place in April 2022, around 3:00 a.m. in the morning, when a vehicle fire was reported in a Walmart parking lot in Lake Forest. The fire was initially reported as a commercial structure fire, but upon arrival it was in fact a vehicle fire. Firefighters from Engine 54 responded and found that the fire damage was not in the engine compartment, which was unusual, so they called in fire investigators. Investigators arrived on scene and found long stem fireplace matches at the scene. This episode highlights the importance of eliminating bias in investigations and the challenges of understanding the motives behind arson. Let’s listen to see who the suspect could be! 

 This episode of Hot Pursuit features a special guest, Officer Justin Russell. Officer Russell was embedded with the Orange County Fire Authority Investigations Division for seven years. He worked as a liaison between the Investigations Unit and local law enforcement partners, helping to bridge the gap between the two agencies and build a successful model for collaboration.

This episode focuses on a case involving a vehicle fire that occurred in March of 2020. The vehicle, a 2012 Audi, was found fully engulfed in flames in a cul-de-sac in Irvine. The registered owner, “Larry”, claimed the car had been stolen from his garage while he was sleeping. However, several suspicious details emerged during the investigation. Listen to the full episode to hear how this mystery ends. 

Fire Investigator Shaun Miller joins Sophia and Scott to discuss a New Year’s Day arson case that was instrumental in the Orange County Fire Authority’s decision to get an accelerant detection K9. Initial reports were confusing, with conflicting information about possible victims. The Investigators discovered two separate points of origin for the fires, which immediately raised his suspicions. While investigating, Captain Miller was also alerted that were two missing women. An accelerant detection K9 was requested at the scene. Listen to the full episode to hear how this mystery ends. 

Picking up where they left off in the last episode, hosts Sophia Champieux and Scott Kuhlman continue their discussion of the 73 Arson case with Fire Investigator Bill Strohm. Strohm details how the investigation expanded to include collaboration with federal agencies like the ATF and FBI, adding another layer of complexity to the already multi-jurisdictional case. The episode dives deeper into the challenges of tracking down an arsonist targeting a busy highway, especially when evidence suggests a potential connection to the first responder community.

A quick note for listeners, throughout this episode we refer to the Behavioral Health Unit with the FBI. We misspoke, the correct term is FBI Behavioral Analysis Unit (BAU).  

Key Terms:

Adjudicated: A case that has been closed in the court system

Arson Spree: Three or more fires set by the same person in a short time frame

Confirmation Bias: The tendency to search for or interpret information in a way that confirms one's preconceptions

Honeycomb: A term used to describe the appearance of the internal components of a catalytic converter that has failed and ejected debris onto the roadway

Hot Start: An open flame ignition, like the flame from a lighter, match, torch, or road flare

Hosts Sophia Champieux and Scott Kuhlman introduce listeners to the Hot Pursuit podcast, a show that takes listeners behind the scenes of fire-related true crime cases of the Orange County Fire Authority Investigations Division. Fire Investigator Bill Strohm joins the hosts to explain how he became involved in the case and how he and other investigators initially believed the first three fires to be unrelated. Before the investigators could develop any solid leads, however, they received a report of an arson spree in progress along State Route 73. Upon arriving at the scene, investigators learned that three separate fires had been set in three different jurisdictions. Listen along to hear if the case ends in arrest.


A quick note for listeners, throughout this episode we refer to the "Behavioral Health Unit" with the FBI. We misspoke, the correct term is "FBI Behavioral Analysis Unit (BAU)."
Key Terms:

Adjudicated: A case that has been closed in the court system

Arson Spree: Three or more fires set by the same person in a short time frame

Confirmation Bias: The tendency to search for or interpret information in a way that confirms one's preconceptions

Honeycomb: A term used to describe the appearance of the internal components of a catalytic converter that has failed and ejected debris onto the roadway

Hot Start: An open flame ignition, like the flame from a lighter, match, torch, or road flare