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You are here: Home / Forensics / Update Hina family

Update Hina family

September 30, 2010 By Alice

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New Hampshire’s Sullivan County Superior Court Judge Marguerite Wageling heard arguments on David McLeod’s bail request last Sept. 7, 2010. She issued a ruling last Friday, writing that the state met the requirements for keeping McLeod in jail, but at the same time, she also ordered a second hearing.

The state was required to show that the proof against McLeod is strong enough to warrant holding him without bail. Since the case carries a potential sentence of life in prison, such proof would give McLeod reason to flee if released from jail, Wageling wrote.

McLeod told people on the night of the blaze that he “torched the Hilton,” a nickname for the apartment building where they — and McLeod’s ex-girlfriend — lived, N.H. State Police Sgt. Scott Gilbert testified, according to Wageling’s ruling. McLeod revealed a “tendency to flee” when he left Keene eight days after the fire, after he had been questioned repeatedly by police investigating the Hinas’ deaths, Wageling wrote.

McLeod was not indicted during the initial investigation into the fire. He was arrested this year following a probe by the state’s new cold case unit. In the second hearing, McLeod will be able to argue that he is not a flight risk or a danger to the community if released. That hearing has not yet been scheduled.

McLeod is accused of setting fire to a multi-unit apartment building in the early morning hours of January 14, 1989, that claimed the lives of Carl Hina, 49; his wife, Lori Hina, 26; Carl’s 12-year-old daughter, Sara, and the couple’s 4-month-old daughter, Lillian. The medical examiner later ruled they died of smoke inhalation.

It’s 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 the fire 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. This scenario reminds me of 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, the daughter of Richey’s then-girlfriend died of smoke inhalation.

If you are interested in forensic arson detection you should follow the case of Cameron Todd Willingham. Willingham has been executed by the state of Texas despite reports that point out that the fire was accidental and not arson. Read more about Willingham here.

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Filed Under: Forensics, Unsolved Tagged With: Arson Detection, Autopsy, Forensics, Hina Family, New Hampshire

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Author Notes

On this website, I write about old, unsolved cases. Most are from the pre-DNA era and are in need of renewed media attention. I only do research and leave the active investigation of these cases to the professionals.

My posts are about homicides, missing and unidentified people, wrongful convictions, and forensics as related to these cases.

On book reviews: I only review select works of true crime, crime fiction, and historical fiction/mysteries. The stories have to fit my website's theme and research. It remains my prerogative to not review a book.

My database has over 325 cases listed by the victim’s last name. You will find a brief description there as well. The database will always be free to the public to use. You cannot buy ad space on my website, ever.

All writing suggestions that come in by email are added to my to-do list in the order in which they were received. Please be patient. My to-do list is very long but no case gets dropped and I will get back in touch.

Defrosting Cold Cases is NOT an organization. It is my brainchild.

If you have any questions about my website please check the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) page, the about page, and the tabs in both menu bars. If you still cannot find the answer there, please contact me.

Thank you,

Alice de Sturler

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If you use my work, please add a link back. Let your readers know where you found your information. I do the same for you. Thank you!

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Copyright: Please add a link back if you use my work. Let your readers know where you found your information. I do the same for you. If you need help with this, just contact me. Thank you, Alice de Sturler

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