The most prolific serial arsonist in American history has broken his silence from prison. John Orr, 75, a former California fire captain and 'superhuman' arson investigator spoke out from Mule Creek State Prison to defend his novel, Points of Origin. Orr was convicted of serial arson and four counts of murder in a damning case that saw the fire-addict sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. The book, which tells the story of a firefighter turned serial arsonist, was used as key evidence in his conviction as prosecutors described it as 'a thinly veiled memoir of his crimes'.
However, speaking with the Los Angeles Times from the Ione prison, Orr denied that he was describing himself in the novel, later published in Orr defended his writings claiming he used his experiences as inspiration, creating his villain 'from two or three of the serial arsonists' he apprehended.
Some who crossed paths with the convict claimed he wanted to fit in 'real bad' but ultimately couldn't 'get along' with the crowd he longed to be a part of. In , the fire enthusiast found a job at the Glendale Fire Department - one of the lowest-paying departments in the county at the time - after being rejected by several other agencies. He would often appear on TV news stations as the reassuring face of the department.
He's not a big rugged fireman. He's pudgy, he's prissy, fastidious and neat. Doesn't go in for the pranking and hijinks that firemen do. So he doesn't get along with these guys. His novel seemingly bore a stark similarity to his real-life experiences as the firefighter-gone-bad antagonist was a misfit in his department.
He had no regular friends. Even his co-workers found him difficult to relate to. Yet, speaking from prison, Orr said: 'None of those characteristics apply to me. I was quite comfortable in the workplace, at parties. I had lots of friends. He claimed that in chapter 6 he was just following a writing instructor's advice to 'make your antagonist as evil as you can'.
