Unmasking a Killer Serial Arsonist

Рет қаралды 669,512

Күн бұрын

The story of how investigators unmasked the most prolific American arsonist of the 20th century.
PATREON: patreon.com/realhorror
✦ Corrections ✦
There are two chapter IVs. My bad.
✦ Chapters ✦
00:00 Intro
01:49 On the Edge
18:03 Fires Everywhere
24:36 Sponsor: The White Vault
25:49 Escalation
35:26 Burn it All
39:20 Time to Find Out
46:53 Let the Games Begin
50:29 HE WROTE EVERYTHING HE DID OUT IN A BOOK AND TRIED TO GET IT PUBLISHED
55:25 A Strange Story
01:09:36 In Cold Blood
01:18:19 Mask Off
✦ Disclaimer ✦
This video is for educational purposes ONLY. The events described and shown are historically significant, and this educational documentary acts as a comprehensive recollection of those events based on journalistic evidence and reporting. The actions mentioned are in no way condoned. The video uses fictionalized 3D recreations to tell the story. Where possible, these are based on information that is in the public domain, but some creative license is used.
Music is provided by a combination of Epidemic Sound, Artlist.io and Tom Fox/Johnny Harris via @themusicroombyharris. The final outro song is 'Afterthought' by ‪@endlesswithdrawal‬, with his kind permission. You can listen to the song as well as lots of others on his Spotify (bit.ly/3UT90bO).
✦ References ✦
Newspaper articles and citations shown on screen notwithstanding, the timeline and all other information is from three sources. These sources contain first hand accounts from people who were close to either John and/or the investigation and are as follows:
Fire Lover: A True Story by Joseph Wambaugh (2002)
Burned: Pyromania, Murder, and A Daughter's Nightmare by Frank C. Girardot Jr. and Lori Orr Kovach (2018)
Firebug by Kary Antholis (2023)

Пікірлер: 2 000

@RealHorrorChannel Ай бұрын

Watch the White Vault right here on KZfaq: bit.ly/3UVzASX (or wherever you get your podcasts).

@stoned9874 Ай бұрын

You really out did yourself with this one 🎉🎈🎊

@Fernando........ Ай бұрын

You are so awesome you made me completely reevaluate my views on the British

@dinkle9197 Ай бұрын

you did a wonderful job it was an amazing video and you covered the deaths of the four victims with such grace. thank you!

@Sombomombo Ай бұрын

This sponsor pulled my attention more than the video could because, having listened to it, I was so absolutely ready to hear how it connected to the context of the rest of the video. lol

@GamerMoment_ Ай бұрын

I cant believe I didnt connect your voice to the white vault, Ive been listening to it for quite a while now too

@tatecore Ай бұрын

When a KZfaq channel has all of 8 videos and still has managed to amass almost 400k subs it's a pretty clear testament to the quality of those videos.

@briannabanks1659 Ай бұрын

I haven’t witnessed something like that happen since Barely Sociable.

@usamahamid898 Ай бұрын

Not to mention a million views on almost all of them. Quality over quantity.

@greg6924 Ай бұрын

Indeed. Quality over quantity all day! The sheer amount of research and effort put into these videos is incredible.

@TheTamaranch Ай бұрын

Prime example of quality over quantity. A rare thing in modern KZfaq.

@nickjohansen9038 Ай бұрын

Yeah, these AI bots are getting really good.

@gabiiratii Ай бұрын

frito bandito, cointosser and pillow pirate are the craziest nicknames for a serial arsonist and i salute you for being able to say these without laughing

@CloozyBadoozy Ай бұрын

its pillow pyro but still funny lol

@eeccee11 28 күн бұрын

😂

@katraylor 27 күн бұрын

That strategies highlight on the word "tosser" 😂 Isn't it the UK equivalent of "jerkwad"?

@arciks11 27 күн бұрын

I wonder how pissed the guy was at being given these "cool" nicknames.

@gabiiratii 27 күн бұрын

@@CloozyBadoozy pillow pyro my bad still funny asf

@bendybus5165 Ай бұрын

I think a real 'devil is in the details' moment can be had at 55:22 when you realise that he wrote "It wasn't my fault" in a book that is written in third person.

@pestilence.and.plague 19 күн бұрын

NGL I actually gasped at that

@michaelsurratt1864 16 күн бұрын

Well In the story the criminal is thinking to himself

@canoaslan1011 16 күн бұрын

@@michaelsurratt1864 Maybe oogle what 3rd person means

@michaelsurratt1864 16 күн бұрын

@@canoaslan1011 yeah I was wrong. I rewatched it.

@bendybus5165 16 күн бұрын

@@michaelsurratt1864 if that was the case he would've said "it wasn't his fault", the rest of the text passage around the sentence is written in the third person. Grammatically its incorrect to use "my" in a book that is written in such a way (which it is, it's written from the perspective of the fictional character, not from the author, so in the third person), let alone change from third person perspective to first person perspective. A proper Freudian slip.

@somelurker6115 29 күн бұрын

"It was too bad about the baby, but shit, it wasn't my fault." Jesus. What a cold-blooded line.

@jackskudlarek3138 8 күн бұрын

Absolutely inhuman logic.

@namenloserflo 7 күн бұрын

@@jackskudlarek3138 actually, very human... still wrong

@JMBAD_art 7 күн бұрын

Yeah. That in particular made me gasp aloud.

@jackskudlarek3138 6 күн бұрын

@namenloserflo you're doing this to get a reaction and its not going to work.

@namenloserflo 6 күн бұрын

@@jackskudlarek3138 No, I'm doing this because I find people interesting. We shouldn't reduce a person to an inhuman monster, because everything they do, they do for a reason, not out of inherent evilness. Most people don't want to be evil. They act on very human instincts and emotions. They decide based on previous experiences and genetics. Some people were born "different", some were raised "different" some experienced certain events that led them to a certain path in life I want to learn more about why people are as they are; a mindset of good people vs bad people doesn't work for that...

@UnknownUser-fe5zu Ай бұрын

The Frito Bandito has got to be the funniest nickname for a serial criminal I have ever heard. 😂😂

@joshuathomas043 Ай бұрын

The guilt I feel for how hard I laughed at that name....

@kickiniitbak Ай бұрын

“The potato chip file” lmao

@yerabbit6333 Ай бұрын

I remember hearing this name as a kid and thinking it was a chip mascot, not an arsonist

@thegreencat9947 Ай бұрын

@@yerabbit6333 Frito-lay used " the Frito Bandito " in the television commercial.

@djquinn11 Ай бұрын

What about The Butt Bandit in London from a few years ago?

@LaurasBookBlog Ай бұрын

"There's no way John would write all his crimes down in a book and try to get it published" [Always Sunny music begins to play]

@macswanton9622 22 күн бұрын

Who wrote that book "(if) I DID IT" ..?

@teyak13 22 күн бұрын

@@macswanton9622 OJ Simpson hahaha

@Madhouse_Media 21 күн бұрын

"The Gang Breaks The Son Of Sam Law"

@kevinmullner4280 21 күн бұрын

They not only worked in Iraq, those shock and Orr tactics.

@HardestTB 20 күн бұрын

The gang goes Jihad (again)

@autoresponder9817 22 күн бұрын

The absolute Freudian slip of starting an introspective piece in 3rd person about the acts committed by your character and then ending it with a 1st person remark. The audacity of this man. Absolutely amazing documentary.

@skidspace2452 Ай бұрын

This is legit one of the best executed KZfaq videos I’ve ever seen. The balance between fact and emotional weight injected into the narrative of the video is amazing. Such respect for the actual lives that were affected by this case presented in a way that is on par with a Hollywood blockbuster.

@ZeusKabooze 29 күн бұрын

I really reccomend the Helios flight video, that made me cry.

@beth1979 5 күн бұрын

Absolutely. I believe the narrator was as good as Peter Thomas, a master at interjecting the right emotional weight into the otherwise dry episodes of forensic files.

@N0cturne_001 Ай бұрын

I'm always hesitant listening to true crime due to how often lost lives are brushed passed in favor of the drama, but listening to each victim be named and for us to be reminded of their lives and loved ones was really touching and respectful.

@amarraali7304 29 күн бұрын

I love that these videos aren't just pumped out true crime media you can put on in the background all day. They are hard to watch just as any video about loss of life should be. Made the people feel like people, people who died in a horrifying way and must have been scared beyond what we could imagine. (jeezus imagine how that grandmother must have felt dying beside her grandson, shit could keep a person up at night)

@mj.l 27 күн бұрын

i think 90% of “true crime” is exploitative, sensationalist trash, so i’m always super wary of it, but i agree - this is handled with sensitivity and actually has a story worth telling. not just some horse’s ass youtuber describing a tragedy as if it’s a ‘mystery’, or some other nonsense

@Visiopod 27 күн бұрын

And to top it off, we were also told what they did at the time and why they were there. Something that's often also forgotten about. There aren't many channels that do this. Scary Interesting and Coffeehouse Crime are two that does. Part Time Explorer also does when telling the history of America and American disasters, so does Barely and Slightly Sociable, plus Brick Immortar and Solar Sands the few times they talk about true crime. Fascinating Horror doesn't, but he does provide memorial screens and time to acknowledge their existence and mourn their passing, which is fine as his channel is mostly for quick information about certain disasters, essentially providing bite sized samples of history

@swagathachristie5242 26 күн бұрын

It reminded me of my first experience with death, a classmate’s mother who passed in a home fire. There was this period of desperate wishing from all of us in the school that perhaps her mother had escaped, before it was confirmed she had not. I felt that sorrow again when hearing Billy’s story. It’s such a gutteral helpless experience, and this video truly feels like a memorial rather than any sort of glorification of the criminal behind it.

@Pusheenowaaa 22 күн бұрын

I agree

@3digitsonthebac156 Ай бұрын

55:00 the pov switch from “not his fault” to “not my fault” in one paragraph. seems like it’s absolutely telling of John’s feelings given everything else in the book

@briannabanks1659 Ай бұрын

I caught that one too..

@moeshrooms385 Ай бұрын

I got absolute chills when she read that line

@smellylorenny Ай бұрын

I wonder if they left that in the final draft of the book. It is insane to me that it even got published...

@Omeria 29 күн бұрын

It's truly sickening that this is the way he chooses to write about the death of a small child.

@hppy3181 29 күн бұрын

i was looking for a comment pointing this out so i could like it

@cielle.b3859 Ай бұрын

Not even 20 minutes in and my eyes are sweaty. I really love how this channel emphasizes the fact that the lives lost in tragedy aren't just numbers, but are people who lived lives. A lot of the times videos like this skim past the names of people and you tend to forget the value that each life holds. It feels really respectful the way that you portray them

@here1412 6 күн бұрын

Right at @11:10 I started tearing up after the narrator said that

@r2212xx Ай бұрын

A masterfully created and presented yet another slice of history. Thank you for bringing such events to wider attention.

@maryseeker7590 3 күн бұрын

Wow! Generosity!!

@justmagdalenadownhere 2 күн бұрын

this is by far the largest amount i've ever seen donated via thanks - well-deserved, if you ask me!

@matt__7666 Күн бұрын

@justmagdalenadownhere if I googled the symbol correctly, that's in rupees so comes out to 25 USD. Still a wonderful donation nonetheless

@justmagdalenadownhere Күн бұрын

@@matt__7666 oh, i saw it in pounds ☠️ didn't look closely enough. 25 bucks is still good, indeed!

@TheTexas1994 Ай бұрын

The fact that John wrote his crimes in a book and tried to publish it is just wild

@Edax_Royeaux Ай бұрын

If I Did It: Confessions of the Killer, written by OJ Simpson

@SatanicBunny666 Ай бұрын

It is but it does make sense considering his psychological profile: an insecure, unstable personality who craved recognition. This is just a guess, but I'm thinking in his head he initially thought they'd connect the dots and there'd be widespread talk of a serial arsonist on the loose (akin to serial killers), and when they didn't and there wasn't the only way for him to get recongition for his acts was to write the book. I'd bet he rationalized it by thinking that no-one will notice (after all, they hadn't connected the dots in over a decade, so one can kinda see how he thought the system would be clueless) and he's going to become a somewhat famous author. Or he's going to get caught, but even in that case, he'd get his fame.

@AlessaParker Ай бұрын

John probably: I'm going to write a self-insert novel about the arsonist. They'll never suspect it's actually m-- I mean it's totally not me, I promise. (gets arrested) John: surprisedPikachuface.jpg

@ImNotaRussianBot 28 күн бұрын

What's that quote? Hubris is the downfall of man.

@brennanvilcheck9469 24 күн бұрын

Casual criminalist rule number 1: Don't write down your crimes

@th3m1st0cl3s Ай бұрын

The fact that we've culturally reached a point where "GTA-style" is an unironic term to describe rampaging is crazy, yet everyone knows what it means, and how it shows crime beyond that of normal criminals.

@jesss101 Ай бұрын

i wonder what that says about such a famous game, that unthinkable amounts of violence describes it. i'm not one of those "games = violence" people, but i do wonder about the general effects of in-game violence on people 's psyche ://

@fidelio9301 Ай бұрын

@@jesss101 It doesn’t affect people at all. It’s a game.

@caittails Ай бұрын

@@fidelio9301 That’s not what updated research says but ok, keep living in the 90s. 😂

@fidelio9301 Ай бұрын

@@caittails Cry snowflake

@vashtic2036 Ай бұрын

@@fidelio9301 There's evidence that there's short term increases in aggression during play, but also the glorification of violence in media is directly linked to greater acceptance of violence in real life. It's not a direct case of "videogames = violence IRL" but there's a definite link. It's not the exact same, but look up the pyramid of domestic violence causes; it sounds insane, but the "lesser" crimes of referring to women with demeaning language does literally, eventually, link to actual, physical violence.

@SilentChelsea Ай бұрын

I remember studying this case during the arson unit in my forensic class. John was still teaching from prison & he is more than willing to give the details from his case as if he is an expert on it & not the one that committed it. it was deeply upsetting, especially as I've grown up around the cities he terrorized years before I was born. my parents & grandparents remember those fires & the fear. amazing video! really enjoyed it & look forward to the next!

@Cropcircledesigner 15 күн бұрын

Oof. This made me realize he's probably continued to deny it because so much of his ego is wrapped up in being "law enforcement".

@sophistoast 23 күн бұрын

The care and respect shown to those who died was so touching, so often people just mention the casualties and then move on. But it is a testament to your storytelling ability and tact to show such respect when talking about the tragedy.

@hezhekov2798 Ай бұрын

The narration on this channel isn’t praised enough. It’s softer on the ears, easier to listen to than most other amateur documentarians on KZfaq. This really is professional in every way.

@sweetj.creates2429 28 күн бұрын

yes!!! the voice is so nice to listen to

@tridipboro7584 28 күн бұрын

Yes. Lemmino is great too.

@jackplenty2064 25 күн бұрын

@@tridipboro7584 About to say this reminds me of Lemmino

@statictv4451 24 күн бұрын

Female version of Lemmino 😍

@Bob-Jenkins 22 күн бұрын

The animation is brilliant as well. I do a spot of 3D animation myself and I like the subtleties in this. The angles used when looking at documents, dof, smoothness etc. all in all an excellent job on all fronts. 🙃👍

@Lozzatron100 Ай бұрын

The chapter cut in of 'he wrote a book about it and tried to publish it' really caught me off guard, my jaw dropped 😂

@RedFawcett 23 күн бұрын

Same, LOL

@jamesknapp64 11 күн бұрын

Having watched the 1995 Nova episode on this, I knew that was coming and was already laughing knowing it was coming.

@Renzy_YT 25 күн бұрын

That closing minute was jarring. Genuinely can not comprehend that it's just one person behind this channel. I could've sworn you were a hired narrator, a team of editors, and a graphic designer, at minimum. You absolutely deserve your success and more.

@snarkbotanya6557 20 күн бұрын

This documentary is incredibly good. It's thoroughly researched, well-produced, narrated clearly and professionally, and above all, it remembers and respects those who died. Jim Obdam really deserves to be remembered for his heroism during the Ole's fire. He wasn't a cop and didn't chase after criminals or carry a gun, he was a retail employee who found himself in a horrible situation and chose to risk his life to try and rescue complete strangers. That's a level of true bravery and heroism I don't think John Orr and his loose-cannon cop fantasy realize exists. Jim probably felt horrible that he couldn't save Ada and Matthew, but he did so much more than many people would have.

@goose_4204 Ай бұрын

Babe wake up real horror posted‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️

@PaulRudd1941 Ай бұрын

Oh... that's right...

@Jhamstra42 Ай бұрын

The only reason I’ll ever wake her from a nap is when this channel drops a new one.

@xenondestiny Ай бұрын

Babe wake up real horror is outside our door

@clemclemson9259 Ай бұрын

@@xenondestiny dont live in fear

@Tomdatruth Ай бұрын

Original KZfaq Comment™

@CatMom-uw9jl Ай бұрын

I’ve watched TV documentaries on this case over the years, but this is the first time I’ve heard a detailed description of Ole’s layout, and this is the most descriptive, evocative story of that fire. You’re an amazing creator!

@elliepascoe5954 Ай бұрын

She IS, isn't she?❤

@newnamewhodis1 Ай бұрын

Not to mention the anecdote about John and his ex wife at the end. I've never heard that before. And all the documentaries I've watched never went into too much detail of the investigation.

@helengraves7850 Ай бұрын

Agree! This is the first time I've ever understood exactly what went wrong at Ole's. Just terrifying.

@macswanton9622 22 күн бұрын

Credit where due, saying 'potato chips' must have been ...difficult

@The_Khuzdul1 4 күн бұрын

The fact that the Witness descriptions of john described him as 'Average' must have infuriated him

@GeneralSkiddles 27 күн бұрын

you would think you have a full team behind these videos with how perfect they come out. The fact that you are doing this all on your own is incredible. You are one talented human being. And your narrator voice is just so perfect for these types of stories. So glad I stumbled across this page

@markeronacomputer7469 Ай бұрын

14:49 I almost feel ashamed about how hard I laughed at “Frito Bandito”.

@abbikazoo1117 Ай бұрын

Don't worry, I did too. Honestly kudos to the narrator for being able to say that as many times as they did with a serious tone

@jesss101 Ай бұрын

i suddenly cracked up and was like- wait what? had to rewind

@StaticSkater Ай бұрын

You shouldnt, its stoken in anti-hispanic racist propaganda and shifted the focus away from the true culprit , a white man

@JAYYBLAZINN Ай бұрын

LMFAOO NO ME TOO LMFAOOO

@thegreencat9947 Ай бұрын

At that time ." Frito Bandito " was a popular television commercial.

@ValerieEnriquez Ай бұрын

50:22 That transition is perfection. *chef's kiss* I am dying.

@Celeste-hl1kw Ай бұрын

Yeah, I cackled 😂

@newnamewhodis1 Ай бұрын

I watched a few times. So good.

@Kiss_My_Aspergers Ай бұрын

The music is what really sells it

@narracottli4624 Ай бұрын

"it'll be ridiculous-" John: Hold my cigarettes

@queenb67 Ай бұрын

Perfection

@MostRareJewel 20 күн бұрын

Narrator’s voice and cadence in relating the events to the audience is truly gifted.

@janus1936 24 күн бұрын

Your longest video yet and it is SO GOOD. Love your victim-centric approach, never downplaying or sensationalizing what happened to the victims and never portraying the perpetrators as anything but monsters

@pumpkinboyo6459 Ай бұрын

Not even finished yet but the narration, the story telling, the 3d elements??? There's a reason this channel is so popular with so few videos, it's well deserved

@sillygo0oser 21 күн бұрын

It reminds me of the jack the ripper video some guy made a few years ago that was real well done

@EvxiKamine 19 күн бұрын

@@sillygo0oser that guy was lemmino! His videos are always sooo well done

@Milkman4279 Ай бұрын

The "Frito Bandito" was the cartoon mascot for Fritos Corn Chips from 1967 to 1971.

@RealHorrorChannel Ай бұрын

Yeah, I kept coming across that little guy when I was looking in newspaper archives! He has a sombrero and whip for some reason. Really made me want a bag of Fritos.

@justinlast2lastharder749 27 күн бұрын

@@RealHorrorChannelBecause Fritos are Corn Chips, which was a Mexican thing just like Tortilla Chips. Frito in Spanish means "Fried".

@catfan913 26 күн бұрын

the fried bandit?

@dasaggropop1244 28 күн бұрын

"write about what you know", they said

@WillTanner-hu9ck Ай бұрын

This is the first time I have ever commented on a KZfaq video. This is exceptional, it is testament to how good this video is. The production value is stunning, and the research is meticulous. I have no idea how you would even begin to nominate somebody for an Oscar, but this deserves the best documentary feature film at the next Oscars.

@eggnog814 Ай бұрын

85 mins of Real Horror for the weekend is the most PHENOMENAL event possible

@synesthesia.aesthetic Ай бұрын

You always hold so much dignity for the lives lost that you feature in these stories.

@HuttserGreywolf Ай бұрын

You've quickly become one of my FAVORITE documentary channels by far! The editing, the pacing, the way you reveal the criminal, the silhouette renders for the scenes you're talking about. All great work! Also especially love the respect and care you give to the victims, the level of research and dedication! Really look forward to seeing this channel grow!❤

@ark4ngelVal 5 күн бұрын

11:25 Wow. This was genuinely so beautiful, I usually don't like true crime because of how sensationalized it can be but what a deeply kind and compassionate way of approaching journalism on the subject. Thank you for making this.

@fauxsito Ай бұрын

I've lived in LA for nearly 13 years, have a lot of family here, am a born & bred Californian, and never knew about these fires. Horrifying. The lack of interdepartmental communication reminds me of the Zodiac case, another California one. Sigh. So much could be solved much faster by collaboration, I really don't get why it isn't a priority in these kinds of things. Glad it eventually ended up in collaboration at least. Thank you for the brilliant work as always.

@Milkman4279 Ай бұрын

Not sure about Orr, but I think Zodiac did that on purpose, to slow down the investigation.

@fauxsito Ай бұрын

@@Milkman4279 oof yeah. Certainly would make sense.

@waymire01 Ай бұрын

A lot of it was simply the time period. Nobody had computers, especially in smaller cities/towns, and even when they did it took decades for the data to be compiled into databases that could be accessed by multiple agencies. It was a different world.. everything was forms and paper files stuck in a storage room somewhere. At the time they did the first fingerprint search it most likely involved a series of individual phone calls to each agency, a request put in to a clerk who would make a photo copy of the original document which was then faxed to the inspector.. a process that probably took a week or more with ten agencies to contact and wait for response from ..and then those low resolution images would be compared visually. These days you pop open software, update your sample, and it can search the entire country in a few hours at most, with a result that not only shows matches but anything close within a percentage of probability.

@Snappy650 Ай бұрын

Lived in Pasadena for years. Only older people even know this story, and they don’t like talking about it.

@TQM Ай бұрын

The fires started 40 years ago, in the 1980s. Unless you're in your 50s or older, you wouldn't have really heard about them or cared about them much. Not really an issue of communication in that case.

@grantzu Ай бұрын

bro that book twist was so hilarious man lmao

@billyboyrebel6307 2 күн бұрын

I don't remember the last time a crime show has made me tear up as bad as those first 11 minutes did here, you truly painted a devastating and heart breaking scenario 😢

@cpasr8065 6 күн бұрын

Holy-- This is just spectacularly made, way better than almost all documentaries I have seen, online or offline. Good enough to give people like Barely Sociable and Lemmino a run for their money. Keep up the amazing work. And ofc, thank you for making all these great vids

@AamuAurora Ай бұрын

Your writing style and narration are simply masterful. Technically, I'm taking a night stroll around my city, that is somewhere in Central Europe, but I don't see it. You've transported me in time to erratic Los Angeles. I feel like I can taste the hot air while being amongst the heroes, the victims and the villains of this heartbreaking story of power abuse and betrayal.

@ouranhostphan1018 Ай бұрын

LA Native here, we recently had an arson case just last year. It took down one of the busiest exits on the I-10 freeway for about a week. The fire broke out underneath one of the exits which is covering a car storage yard. I read that the front of the fire truck closest to the fire had started melting.

@1f5sda 28 күн бұрын

Oh my gosh! I am sorry to hear that.

@ianfox7173 15 күн бұрын

This one has me thinking. I used to be mean and vindictive, but never acted on it. Several things happened in my life that could have boiled over into me being a monster. I found help and i found love. John, however, is someone i could find myself being a monster towards. Everything this boy did came from deep insecurity and instead of taking accountibility and fix himself, he not only destroyed lives but ended some too. All the while stuck in his dillusion of being some kind of anti-hero. Those poor people had nothing to do with him. He chose to make sure others had to suffer. Heck that dude.

@WheresMyInhaler 13 күн бұрын

lol STFU your still a monster if you were ever capable of setting fire to some building with people in it. You’re a pssy, imagine having sympathy for this pig fck. I’d make sure you didn’t do shit you freak.

@ediesaffron3593 16 күн бұрын

The visuals along with your descriptions & stories about the victims was so well done. This creates a much stronger emotional connection for your viewers rather than just speaking about them and displaying photos. Fantastic job! Bravo ❤

@okiepc6328 Ай бұрын

now i’m a young, broke preschool worker who vehemently enjoys plenty of small KZfaqrs, but i’ve never considered becoming a patron of a KZfaq channel as much as i have once i stumbled across your channel. and knowing now, based on your end card, that you’re in fact a solo creator, i just *need* to give you some money for the absolutely brilliant, dedicated work you do. the respect you pay the victims of the crimes you discuss, the incredible effort put into both script writing and visuals, the way you (as so few creators unfortunately are able to) manage to not sensationalize or romanticize these horrific crimes - you are truly one of a kind. i’m so looking forward to seeing more content in the future. thank you!

@RealHorrorChannel 20 күн бұрын

This means a lot me, thank you so much.

@LexxLeoppard Ай бұрын

Please don't ever change or leave us, you're amazing. 🥺

@JMBAD_art 7 күн бұрын

I simply cannot believe that you’re a one woman team. Some of the best work I’ve seen on KZfaq in my tens of years on this site. You should be… unbelievably proud of what you’ve created here.

@Benmontplaisir Ай бұрын

You are actually so goated. There are so many intricate editing, researching, storytelling, sound mixing, etc. elements that you choose to execute in particular ways and I have so much respect for you!!

@moeshrooms385 Ай бұрын

Goated is a hilarious word to use but I wholeheartedly agree

@Moosenstein Ай бұрын

I had to pause this, as the emotion flood of the first fire having a taken the lives of 4 people really overwhelmed me. Thank you for succinctly, and respectfully, reporting on these people's lives. They mattered, and I'm glad to have learned about their tragedy here.

@cessnacitation-x Ай бұрын

You're kidding right? Grow up.

@RiruRana Ай бұрын

@@cessnacitation-x Oh the irony.

@moeshrooms385 Ай бұрын

@@cessnacitation-xAre YOU kidding? Or do you just not understand basic empathy and human emotion?

@sisseholm4869 28 күн бұрын

@@cessnacitation-x my first reaction was the same as urs but then i realised that this person is most likely healthier and just not as desensitised to the horrors of the world as us degens

@meh.7539 27 күн бұрын

Yeah, same, that was horrific. Between Billy trying to get his family and then the doors falling shut and not being able to open them back up... everything about that situation is, as you said, just such a heartbreaking and monumental tragedy.

@andrewjhollins Ай бұрын

This is truly outstanding writing, editing, and narration. With true crime becoming overrun with derivative, uninspired content, this is a masterclass in video essays-- hell, in storytelling in general. How you don't have millions of subscribers, I genuinely don't understand. This is the most underrated channel on KZfaq, and it's not a close race. Bravo.

@MarcelVos Ай бұрын

The channel has just eight videos so the "low" (384k is still a lot of people) subscriber count makes sense.

@leftcoastfunk Ай бұрын

Your particular brand of storytelling never ceases to amaze me! I just (once again) sat through an almost hour and a half long video while maintaining a solid grip on the edge of my seat nearly the entire time. Never overly-theatric or fantastical, always captivating, always interesting. The way you do the graphics on these videos are minimal but at the same time naturally compelling and easy to watch - I especially appreciate how they only help to tell the story you're sharing without taking anything away from it by being distracting or over-the-top. Can't wait for the next one!!!

@emfxdigital 23 күн бұрын

The amount of quality in this channel is sooo refreshing. The animations, the scenes, the research, the evidence, the storytelling, it’s all delivered in such a damn good way.

@justinhamilton8647 Ай бұрын

literally dropped everything I was doing, this channel is so addictive

@elliepascoe5954 Ай бұрын

Same!

@identitymatrix Ай бұрын

Reminds me of Stephanie Lazarus who was a police detective for 20 years until they found out she committed a murder before she became a cop.

@twigthewonderkid6603 25 күн бұрын

These are some of the highest quality videos on KZfaq; the research, the animations, the writing, the production quality, the whole vibe you have in your telling- it's phenomenal. Keep it up!

@xeo6036 14 күн бұрын

ever heard of Serhiy Tkach? police officer turned killer (100+ people) then had a kid while in prison with some girl who was obsessed with him being a killer. crazy case, great video btw!

@blornblad4381 Ай бұрын

It’s been so long since we saw you last, I had almost forgotten about you entirely. I say that with all due respect, as I also nearly forget that Lemmino still exists as well. He’s the only other creator that I can think of that vanishes for 6 months, drops an incredible documentary out of nowhere, then goes back into obscurity until the next one.

@fernlikespossums Ай бұрын

for me another is bobby brocoli (he does more science stuff but he's so slay)

@briannabanks1659 Ай бұрын

Shoot, it probably takes nearly that long to create such well researched, lengthy videos, and put them out.

@pedro-pascals-armpit Ай бұрын

I also really like JCS (Jim Can't Swim)

@InessentialMotionPictures Ай бұрын

I appreciate an artist who lets the work speak for itself.

@AYVYN Ай бұрын

Most of my subscriptions do that, lmao

@Graylikethecolornotgrace Ай бұрын

Out of all the horror channels I listen to, you are my favorite. I get so excited when you upload!

@briannabanks1659 Ай бұрын

Same, I felt like I had come across such a special gem when I found this channel a few months back. But I’ve been worried there might not be another upload, so an hour and 25 mins of content is awesome. Her voice is such a good fit for this content, really gives it the emotional resonance it deserves.

@nexaentertainment2764 23 күн бұрын

Your way of annunciating and emphasizing sentences [and story telling ability] is super unique and I love it.

@LittleLootGoblin 4 күн бұрын

I have to give it to y'all, I've watched a lot break downs of stuff like this (true crime, disaster documenters, mass casualty events etc.) and considered myself desensitized to it all but something about how you told about those first killed brought me to tears. I don't know what it was, cause it's not an uncommon format to give background on specific victims and then tell the story of how they died, but it really got me this time.

@lavacakez5912 Ай бұрын

An HOUR AND A HALF???? Christmas came early!!!

@owusu-yeboahgilbert3898 Күн бұрын

Too long

@The_Gothic_Pickle Ай бұрын

Its crazy how close to home this is. My whole family were born and raised in LA, and my dad knew John Orr. Orr was the brother of his scout leader, and he spent the night at his house before going deer hunting with him at the height of the arson attacks. Its scary how small the world is sometimes.

@RioTorxx 14 күн бұрын

@The_Gothic_Pickle Hits me super close to home, too. My brother was good friends with the Orr family here in Glendale.

@moeshrooms385 Ай бұрын

Just wanted to say that I am a huge fan of your work. In just a few days I’ve binged all of your videos and I was ecstatic to see another upload. I first found you through your “Horrors Of Getting Lost” video- which are the type of video essays I stick to. Crime isn’t something I’m all that interested in, but you easily make it into a fantastic viewing experience. I enjoy your personality, the genuine emotion you put into each segment whether that be a bit humorous or completely serious. And the amount of work it must take to create just one video? I find it hard to watch anyone else. This channel is simply like no other.

@Iamvalcristvalentine 17 күн бұрын

This is exactly the content I want to see, Long form, narrative analysis with just enough visual representation to add to the narrative without requiring me to look at something to infer meaning. I am typically painting as I listen, so this is PERFECT. Subbed. I look forward to what you do next.

@CatMom-uw9jl Ай бұрын

I’d forgotten about the book! Belongs next to OJ Simpson’s “If I did it.” I’m no mental health professional, but I’d guess he’s a malignant narcissist whose reality never lined up with his self image. Failure after failure, a career developed not through skill and talent but by taking advantage of weak spots in the system (a fire department desperate for firefighters, willing to take even unsuitable candidates, then has no arson investigator so he can step into the role). If he’d managed to become a policeman, his career probably would have been marked by disciplinary problems, screwups, and repeated firings, leading him to become a “tramp cop” moving from place to place until he screwed up again. I had no idea he was as prolific as he was, and as someone who grew up in Northern California, mention of the brush fires he set is even more chilling. Any one of those could have turned into a massive wildfire. I’ve lived in the Pacific Northwest for 25 years now, and your mention of those hot, dry winds in the fall made me immediately remember how they feel on your skin and in your nose and throat, and the way they rattle the dry grasses bleached tan by the summer heat, and the tickle of fear always in the back of your mind that one tossed cigarette or match could cause a fire that threatens homes and lives.

@Squatle Ай бұрын

The absolute quality of this channel is unbelievable. It's seriously better than most professionally backed productions. Well paced, no added drama, fantastic narration. Top quality

@lauri3705 Ай бұрын

This is really something else you are cooking, the production quality of these videos is top notch. Reminds me of Lemmino, but you have just a fraction of the audience. Really underrated channel, keep up the amazing work but don't burn yourself out. These videos must be really taxing to make solo.

@Manzi-sg3nh 3 күн бұрын

That was an amazing documentary! I couldn’t stop watching the entire thing, it was so well put and captivating. Also the transition of “it’s not like John is going to write all of his crimes in a book and then try to get it published, right? That’s ridiculo… * he wrote everything he did out in a book and tried to get it published *” Comical, perfect subtle comedy. Very well done

@meevins Ай бұрын

i already knew the title card was coming from the timeline but the way you transitioned into it at 50:21 got a way too hard of a laugh out of me and was some very much needed relief in all of this.

@charlierocket8355 Ай бұрын

The level of respect and humanity you treat all of these cases with is far greater than a lot of true crime podcasts/docuseries/videos even bother to achieve. The dramatization and disrespect of true crime lately has made me greatly distance myself from most of it and I truly wish people could take a note or two from your work to just tell the stories as they are because they're horrible enough without the gratuity and incentive ways victims are discussed. Thank you for focusing on what's important, which is the facts and the tragedy that lives we're lost.

@kiwi1695 25 күн бұрын

i absolutely love the way that you narrate each case. you put such emotion when covering real tragedies and line your narration with sarcasm in all the right places. i didn’t even realize i was an hour into this video until i was done with my chores.

@jennytobin5388 27 күн бұрын

Please upload more i am massively impressed with all your videos. Especially this 1, absolutely brilliant analysis of a crime that i already knew lots about, but you dig so deep, loads more information. You make me feel for the victims than any other channel does. Keep it up.xx❤

@flannyfizzle9402 Ай бұрын

Somewhere Simon Whistler is screaming, “Don’t write down your crimes!” Haha 😂

@adamfnandf 29 күн бұрын

Was waiting for someone to say this lmao

@paperboy1116 Ай бұрын

Not even a full five minutes in and I immediately caught on to your new way of reading the script. Excellent production value on an excellent video!

@Miralee01 Ай бұрын

Hon, your documentaries are BEYOND WORDS. You take whatever time you need! These are PRO level & I am certain others believe this too. Enjoyed this, and deeply touched by the compassion you showed the victims.

@xXxNecroDancerxXx Ай бұрын

Holy shit, I kept having this recommended, I rarely click recommendations haha. This was amazingly well done and I am very pleased to hear how tactful you are and the occassional humour never felt cheap or cruel. Def looking forward to more content from you!

@isabelmartin3 Ай бұрын

The fact that you do this all by yourself is crazy. The writing, voiceover, visuals, editing etc is nearly perfect. You deserve sooooo many more watchers

@terranova9963 Ай бұрын

i was literally rewatching your videos last night thinking "there's gotta be a new one coming soon"

@sleepingbee8997 29 күн бұрын

The production value, including scripting, imagery, sound quality, and just general thoroughness of the subject matter on these videos is _astounding_ for such a young channel. I cannot wait to see your next project. (And the one after it. And the one after that...)

@renshi101 25 күн бұрын

Your writing and narration is so well done, I’ve cried every video because of how sad and/or terrifying the situation is. Thank you for making these videos, and keep up the good work!!

@Nobody.exe50 Ай бұрын

"Babe wake up Real Horror uploaded a new vid". This video was something else , the quality , the 3d graphics some good tier shit right here

@chunjimain Ай бұрын

i literally gasped at the reveal…. like Mouth wide open

@noctap0d Ай бұрын

Same here 😂 It was shocking and the it's narrated so good!

@pillbugm8914 Ай бұрын

It was a Hollywood level twist honestly.

@TheMariadee1 27 күн бұрын

Same, I had to pause just to process it and then him also writing a book. You can’t make this stuff up.

@Co19801003 22 күн бұрын

Me too! It was also great to hear the tragedy behind the monster: he didn't get the job he wanted and failed to see that he had become a valued expert in another field, and how that really made him someone, a valuable contributor to society - and by passing on his knowledge probably for decades after his own death too, through people he trained and people trained by those people. He threw all of that away because he did not see who he had become and how much pride there was to be taken from that. Blinded by what he did NOT have. In the end, he made a conscious decision to be evil, in my opinion, which makes him more evil than many others.

@elitadream Ай бұрын

You, Lemmino and Nexpo are the holy trinity of investigation documentaries in my book. Thank you so much for you hard work. It's absolutely amazing. 🙏

@childofcascadia 26 күн бұрын

Oki's Weird Stories is my all time fave. Barely Sociable too.

@gae1539 20 күн бұрын

this is truely one of the best put together videos I've ever seen in my life ! the way the story is put together , the narration , and the visualized text is all jaw dropping and astounding that so much effort and time was put into such a video and I just wanted to say thank you for dojng so . idek how to explain the amount of adoration i feel for all the people who put together such a project . good job yall !

@ilitardo160 Ай бұрын

Holt shit the reveal was absolutely astonishing. Another banger fucking video I’m so glad I found this channel. The quality is great and the story telling plus visual are astounding. Great job!

@jlock8866 Ай бұрын

Awesome job! I grew up in Burbank in the 80's and 90's and vaguely remember this story because of all the chaos that goes on in L.A. (i.e. the Rodney King beating and subsequent riots, O.J. Simpson trial, Northridge earthquake, etc...)

@elliotgale Ай бұрын

YESSSS another amazing video!!! your empathy for all the victims is honestly so hard to find in this genre of video... thank you for that ❤ as always, thank you SO so much for including captions right away, it is very appreciated.

@fionawilson6472 Ай бұрын

Really fantastic piece of work! I appreciate your detailed research and the sensitivity of how you discuss these sometimes quite difficult and emotionally challenging topics. The clarity of presentation is also really valuable; I was noting to my partner the other day that when you release a video about an event I already know a bit about, I always feel like my understanding of what happened is hugely strengthened by seeing your take on it. These must be tremendously labour intensive to create, but all that work pays off in the quality of what you release.

@jfalk6500 Ай бұрын

haha David Ault's voice comfused the hell out of me but thank you for letting me know there's a new White Vault season out - great series

@ValerieEnriquez Ай бұрын

Loved him in The Byron Chronicles.

@TP4554 Ай бұрын

You know when you have a channel in your subscriptions that only produces videos every couple of months but when that dot pops up it's guaranteed to be a really big deal? You are that channel. Superb visual quality, unique and interesting style of narration presented in a movie-length video, not some opinion that ends after 10 minutes. Masterfully done as usual.

@reneederr1231 Ай бұрын

The gap between uploads is so worth the wait with the amount of care, work and detail that goes into each video. I so look forward to your uploads and get excited when I see a new one. I am happy to wait because every single one of these videos is fabulous quality story telling and entertainment.

@gosborg 10 күн бұрын

Congratulations! That was a masterful piece of work: thoroughly researched and extremely well told. I am no expert on the subject, but my grandmother used to live in northern L.A. at around that time and I remember arson being a significant news item and topic of conversation. It’s amazing how prolific he was and how he got away with it for so long. Thank you for the effort you put in to relate this to us. I wish you great success.

@lavacakez5912 Ай бұрын

50:00 I LOVE your sense of humor. Great video as always!!

@ShiggitySean Ай бұрын

I feel like I lucked out finding your channel considering how few videos you have, every upload of yours is amazing and each new one just gets better and better. I also appreciate the gentleness with which you talk about the victims in your videos, I don't think there's anything wrong with holding a neutral tone in a documentary but I think the warmth is more human, and what they deserve. You're tied with Lemmino in quality imo, both of you are the kind of channels I'll clear space in my schedule to immediately watch. Thanks for the video, and take care!

@AKAThatKid Ай бұрын

The quality of this is phenomenal! you've clearly put a lot of work into this, keep it up! You really did this story justice

@StJimmy-ki2hk 29 күн бұрын

I’ve been here since the horrors of becoming lost video and this is the first new upload since I’ve been subbed. I’m so excited to watch it, I would sporadically check if you’d uploaded anything new because your videos are such amazing quality

@jackson53810 Ай бұрын

the queen has returned. welcome back real horror

@AwfulWaffle8474 Ай бұрын

lol when I was in college my political science professor went into a grocery store and set a bag of Doritos on fire and his nick name was also the Frito bandito when the story spread. he was a bit unhinged and claimed it was a political statement.

@28_futaba Ай бұрын

lol what

@TJ-bu9zk Ай бұрын

a bit

@AwfulWaffle8474 Ай бұрын

@@28_futaba lol yeah you can google it, he got 5 years in jail because of it. that's his way of fighting the power I guess.

@THambrough Ай бұрын

so a firefighter investigator who impersonated police investigators and became an arsonist now essentially has another arsonist "impersonating" him 😂

@lewismcdermott3024 28 күн бұрын

For what political stance - anti-cool-ranch? 😂💀

@Lonelany 16 күн бұрын

I've found out about the channel from the "Horror's of being Lost" and I loved the production, story presentation and your thoughts about these incidents! Safe to say the wait is well worth it! Thank you for the love and effort you put into these videos