The papers report that “Prosecutors and defense attorneys last week filed a request for jury selection in David B. McLeod’s trial to begin Aug. 1, according to Senior Assistant Attorney General N. William Delker.
McLeod was indicted last year on four counts of murder, accused of setting a blaze that killed Carl R. Hina, 49, Lori M. Hina, 26, Lillian M. Hina, 4 months old, and 12-year-old Sara Jean, Carl Hina’s daughter from a previous marriage.”
It’s still not clear what connection, if any, David McLeod had with the Hina family, New Hampshire authorities said. A retired Keene police detective said that investigators at that time believed that David McLeod started that fire in 1989 to get back at his then-girlfriend and a man who may or may not have had a relationship with her. Both his suspected targets lived in the eight-unit building where the Hinas died.
It will be interesting to read more about the forensic arson investigations in this case. The situation resembles the Kenneth Richey case, a former death row case from the state of Ohio. Richey too was accused of setting a fire to get back at a former girlfriend and her current partner. In that fire, a two year old child died of smoke inhalation.
Two other cases to follow if you are interested in forensic arson detection: Cameron Todd Willingham and Daniel Dougherty.