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Question 1

Good morning, Mrs. Severide. Could you please state your full name for the court.

Answer 1

Good morning. Certainly, my name is Kelly Severide.

Question 2

And what is your occupation?

Answer 2

I am a Senior Arson Investigator for the City of Bliss’ Fire Department.

Question 3

Thank you, Mrs. Severide. What qualifications do you hold that pertain to the subject matter of this case? (What are you qualifications for being a fire investigator)

Answer 3

I hold a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Criminal Justice from Bliss Technical Institute.

Question 4

What, if any, is your professional experience on the job?

Answer 4

I have 12 years of professional experience as a police officer with the Bliss Police Department and went through training at the State of Nirvana Police Academy in 1994.

Question 5

When did you first become an arson investigator?

Answer 5

I became an entry-level arson investigator 15 years ago and just got promoted to senior arson investigator in 2018.

Question 6

What, if any training did you receive for this position?

Answer 6

Arson investigators receive training in the areas of fire science, chemistry and engineering.

Question 7

How long does this training last?

Answer 7

Oh it’s continuous, we are constantly updated so that we can determine the origin of the fire, whether or not it is an accident and who is responsible.

Question 8

In your professional opinion, do you consider yourself an expert in arson investigation?

Answer 8

Yes, based on my education, training, and experience in arson investigation, I consider myself an expert in this field.

Question 9

And additionally, in your professional opinion, do you consider yourself an expert in criminal justice?

Answer 9

Yes, based on my education, training, and experience in criminal justice, I consider myself an expert in this field.

Question 10

Great, let me direct your attention to the beginning of your investigation. Who sent you to go investigate a fire?

Answer 10

The fire marshal of the Bliss Fire Department sent me.

Question 11

And where was it located?

Answer 11

The fire was located at Gordon Paint & Supplies on South Poplar Avenue.

Question 12

And what day was this?

Answer 12

It was July 29, 2023 at 8am.

Question 13

What did you notice when you first entered the building?

Answer 13

My initial observation was that the fire did not appear to be an accident.

Question 14

What tools are required during your investigation?

Answer 14

I use a combustible gas detector which determines whether or not gasoline was used at the scene of a fire. Since most arsonists use gasoline to start fires it was one of the first things I did.

Question 15

And what did this tool indicate?

Answer 15

It indicated that gasoline was in fact used. The device went crazy!

Question 16

In your opinion, what was used to start the fire?

Answer 16

From my investigation taking into account the location where the fire must have started, the most likely tools were a match or cigarette lighter.

Question 17

What are the other procedures when investigating an arson case?

Answer 17

We have to keep records of all of the cases so the arson investigators are required to fill out an investigation report along with taking pictures of the scene along with other areas connected to the case and any evidence.

Question 18

Prosecution exhibit A for identification. (The investigation report)
Okay Mrs. Severide, I am going to ask you a few questions about this document. Do you recognize this document?

Answer 18

Yes this is the investigation report I prepared in regards to the Gordon Paint & Supplies case.

Question 19

Who prepared this document?

Answer 19

I was the one who prepared it.

Question 20

Is this a standard document prepared in the field of arson investigation?

Answer 20

Yes we need one for every case.

Question 21

What is the purpose of this document?

Answer 21

It sets forth my findings of the scene of the crime, interviews with eyewitnesses and suspects and my overall conclusions of the case based on my professional experience.

Question 22

Your Honor we offer Plaintiff’s Exhibit (1) into evidence at this time.
Who did you interview during the investigation?

Answer 22

Lindsay Gordon, Ryan Casey and Tracy Bickle.

Question 23

When interviewing someone what are you required to report on your file?

Answer 23

Location, date, my impression of the interviewee’s mental state, general observations and alibis.

Question 24

What did you write as your impression of Lindsay Gordon’s mental state in your report?

Answer 24

I wrote that they were very nervous and highly evasive.

Question 25

What did you discover during your interview with Mx. Gordon?

Answer 25

I discovered that they were the owner of a vintage lighter that belonged to their grandfather and that they always had it on their person.

Question 26

(Submit the photo of the lighter into evidence)
What were other topics of discussion during your interview with Mx. Gordon?

Answer 26

We discussed what Gordon was doing the night of the fire, an alibi that they gave me before I asked.

Question 27

Where was Gordon that night according to the report?

Answer 27

They were at the Lights Out Bar and Grill with their friend Ryan Casey.

Question 28

How long were Casey and Gordon together according to the report?

Answer 28

They were together the entire night except for a 20 minute time period between 12:10 and 12:35 am

Question 29

Where did Casey claim they were?

Answer 29

They were outside taking a phone call

Question 30

Where did Gordon claim to be?

Answer 30

In the restroom

Question 31

What, if any, were any final observations you made for your report before finishing the interview with Gordon?

Answer 31

I asked them if they owned a container for carrying gasoline. They showed me to the back of their truck where they did in fact have one.

Question 32

According to the report, what was Gordon’s reasoning for owning the gasoline tank?

Answer 32

For emergencies

Question 33

During your investigation of the gas tank, what did you notice?

Answer 33

I noticed that the gas tank was full but still had some gasoline on the outside of the tank that had not dried.

Question 34

What, if anything, did you ask Gordon in regards to the gas can?

Answer 34

I asked when was the last time they filled the can and they informed me that it had been months ago.

Question 35

Moving on to your next interview on the report, Ryan Casey, what did you learn from this interview?

Answer 35

I learned that Gordon had invited them out for a drink to catch up and that Casey had an important phone call from a relative overseas.

Question 36

Regarding that call, when did Casey return to the table once completing it?

Answer 36

At 12:35

Question 37

According to Casey’s account on the report, where was Gordon at this time?

Answer 37

Not at the table

Question 38

When did Gordon arrive?

Answer 38

At 12:40

Question 39

What else, if anything, did Casey reveal to you about Gordon that night during your interview?

Answer 39

They revealed that Gordon was slightly out of breath and sweating when they came back to the table.

Question 40

What was Casey to Gordon?

Answer 40

Casey was Gordon’s friend and financial advisor.

Question 41

Moving on to Mx. Bickle, can you recall some points in your interview that were notable?

Answer 41

Yes, Bickle had claimed to know who started the fire so he was referred to me.

Question 42

In the report, what does Bickle claim?

Answer 42

Bickle claims on the report that he saw Gordon walking down an alley that was in the direction of the paint store.

Question 43

How did Bickle claim to identify Gordon?

Answer 43

Bickle claimed to recognize Gordon’s posture and gait since he worked with him for 30 years.

Question 44

What did you conclude at the end of your investigation?

Answer 44

I concluded that Lindsay Gordon was the one who had started the fire.

Question 45

What was your reasoning behind this?

Answer 45

From the financial situation to his absence alongside an eyewitness during the time that the fire could have been set, it is only clear that it is him. He ran over to the store and set it.

Question 46

How do you know that he could have made it in time?

Answer 46

I measured the distance from the bar to the store and it was about 4 football fields long. My research showed that a 59-year-old person in decent shape can easily travel that distance in that time, especially when they are in a hurry.

Question 47

What other pieces of evidence were gathered for the investigation?

Answer 47

We obtained the insurance claim that Gordon had filed a day after the fire.

Question 48

According to the evidence you obtained, would the money from the insurance if collected, save Gordon from their financial troubles?

Answer 48

It definitely would.