Unforgotten Casebook — One case. Every angle. One place.1984–1991 · South Pasadena, California
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A 1984 hardware-store fire killed four people in South Pasadena. Fire investigator John Orr was later convicted of murder and arson. Reporting, books, a podcast, and dramatizations examine how an investigator came to be identified as the arsonist.
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Joseph Wambaugh
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Explore this bookExplore the screen storyInvestigation Discovery · Season 1, Episode 5 · Listed air date 2019-02-21
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Joseph Wambaugh
A nonfiction account of the investigation into John Orr. The Google Books record identifies the subject and edition; preview access varies.
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HBO · 2002 · dramatized film
The John Orr investigation inspired this television film starring Ray Liotta. The linked overview documents the connection; streaming availability is not established by this listing.
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Investigation Discovery · Season 1, Episode 5 · Listed air date 2019-02-21
Includes coverage of John Orr & the California arson fires.
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Episode data: TVmaze · CC BY-SA 4.0
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Scripted stories and fictional inspirations. Scenes, characters, and dialogue can differ from the record.
Dennis Lehane · 2025 · fictional television drama
A fictional drama drawing on the John Orr case through the Firebug podcast. Characters and plot elements are dramatized rather than a literal case reconstruction.
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