DeepSummary
The episode revolves around a suspicious house fire that destroyed the home of a Seattle police officer, Sergeant Matt Bachmeier. An ex-convict named Brad Wren initially confessed to setting the fire, but later disappeared mysteriously. Investigators found evidence that the confession was fabricated, and Bachmeier had actually set the fire himself, possibly to collect insurance money to fund his dream of becoming a professional bowler.
The investigation took a sinister turn when Brad Wren's bones were found in a local park, indicating that he had been murdered. Forensic evidence, including blood stains in Bachmeier's patrol car and discrepancies in the written confession, pointed to Bachmeier as the perpetrator. It is believed that he killed Wren to cover up his involvement in the arson and insurance fraud.
Bachmeier was ultimately convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison. The case was described as one of the most bizarre murder cases ever encountered, given Bachmeier's 25-year career as a respected law enforcement officer.
Key Episodes Takeaways
- Sergeant Matt Bachmeier, a respected Seattle police officer, set fire to his own home, potentially for insurance fraud to fund his dream of becoming a professional bowler.
- Bachmeier fabricated a false confession from ex-convict Brad Wren, implicating him in the arson.
- Wren mysteriously disappeared, and his bones were later found in a local park, indicating that Bachmeier had murdered him to cover up his crimes.
- Forensic evidence, including blood stains in Bachmeier's patrol car and discrepancies in the written confession, pointed to Bachmeier's involvement in Wren's murder.
- Bachmeier was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison, in what was described as one of the most bizarre murder cases ever encountered.
- The case highlighted the potential for even respected law enforcement officers to commit heinous crimes and the power of forensic evidence in unraveling complex criminal cases.
- The impact of Bachmeier's actions was devastating for Wren's family, who expressed anger and disbelief at the officer's actions.
- The case serves as a cautionary tale about the potential consequences of greed and the importance of maintaining integrity in law enforcement.
Top Episodes Quotes
- “We were concerned anytime fellow officers home is arson, that's a traumatic event for them. And I talked to him about what he might need as a way of help and support and time off to recover from that.“ by Captain Dave Marin
- “The story is so convoluted and so sort of pathetically obvious in its fabrication that it almost defies belief. I mean, I think it would be rejected as a plot for a novel or a script for a movie because it just seems so absurd and outlandish and unnecessarily sort of complex and contradictory.“ by Speaker H
- “He goes, well, if you find him dead with my business card nailed to his forehead, you'll know who to come talk to. And he kind of laughs it off kind of jokingly. And, you know, I wrote that down when he says it, because I'm going, that's kind of bizarre.“ by Speaker B
Entities
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Location
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Episode Information
Forensic Files
HLN
10/22/20