Points of Origin was a book written by John Leonard Orr, an arson investigator who, between 1984 and 1991, repeatedly set fire to several shops and woodlands. He was later caught because he wrote a novel wherein a fictionalized version of himself described how he did it, including a part where he set fire to a hardware store in which four people, including a two year old died, describing how he died in lurid detail, right down to the fact the child liked Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream, saying that "it was their fault they didn't get out in time, they were too stupid".

He was suspected of being, almost proven to be the serial arsonist, but he couldn't be brought in because they needed to catch him in the act. His superiors were informed he was a suspect, and one of said superiors called the police when Orr showed him a publisher's letter for this book which basically admitted he did it and how he did it.

[–] Silentiea@lemmy.blahaj.zone 3 points 4 months ago (1 children)

Well. I did find that book, but not the story about it. Also, TIL Orson Scott Card is rather a bit of a homophobe.

[–] abbiistabbii@lemmy.blahaj.zone 3 points 4 months ago

Hence why I chose him as the example.