Episode 97

In this first episode of our two-part series, we go to Midland, Texas, where a fatal house fire claimed the lives of Marcia Pool and two children, Brady and Kristin. In the aftermath, investigators concluded the blaze was intentionally set — and they pointed to one man: Butch Martin.

The state built its theory around burn patterns, accelerant findings, eyewitness accounts, and interpretations of fire behavior that were considered reliable at the time, but would later come under scrutiny as fire folklore. Claims about liquid accelerants, pour patterns, and “arson indicators” formed the backbone of the prosecution’s case.

In Part 1, we cover:

The timeline leading up to the fire

How investigators interpreted burn patterns and damage

The prosecution’s theory of how and why the fire was set

Eyewitness testimony that shaped the narrative

The role accelerant testing played in the case

This episode focuses on the fire itself and the state’s case. It sets the stage for a larger discussion about how outdated investigative practices — including the interpretation of burn patterns during flashover and the assumed meaning of “pour patterns” — contributed to arson convictions during this era.

Next week in Part 2, we take a critical look at the defense, the evolution of modern fire science, and the post-conviction efforts that challenged the original findings.

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:

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 [email protected] 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: 

Texas Tech University — Fearless (S4 Episode 4)

Texas Tech University — Fearless (S4 Episode 5)

Wrongful Conviction with Maggie Freleng — Episode #339

International Network of Innocent Arson Defendants (NIAD). “Butch Martin.”

“Judge Recommends Vacating Conviction for Midland Man Serving Life in Prison.” NewsWest9 (November 2, 2022).

NewsWest9 (YouTube). “Friends of the late Marcia Pool recall alleged abuse from ‘Butch’ Martin.” (Posted May 23, 2022).

“Beaumont Jury Finds Man Guilty of Pushing Painkillers.” Houston Chronicle (July 1, 2010).

Ratemds.com. Physician Reviews for Dr. David Hobbit (reviews as recent as 2015).