In the early 2000’s, Cameron Todd Willingham was convicted for setting fire to his own house and consequently murdering his three young daughters inside. His wife had not been home at the time of the incident.

Throughout the trial, there was huge debate over whether or not Willingham set the house alight on purpose.

A deputy fire marshal stated that lighter fluid or “some other accelerant” had been poured along the house’s hallways and set alight, and the prosecutors claimed that he did it to cover up the injuries he had given the three girls through abuse.

However, a second fire investigator later concluded that there had been “multiple scientific errors” in the first fire marshal’s report and that he couldn’t detect any signs of arson at all.

Five years later, the Texas Forensic Science Commission released a report that echoed the second fire marshal’s sentiments, although it was far too late by that point – Willingham’s conviction remained as it was and he was executed in 2004. His wife maintained throughout the whole ordeal that her husband hadn’t abused their children and certainly hadn’t murdered them.