On June 11, 1986, a house fire in Iraan, Texas, killed 25-year-old Gail Allison and 24-year-old Elizabeth Belue. Two other residents that night, cousins Ernest Ray Willis and Bill Willis, escaped; Ernest Ray Willis was the first to exit and appeared the least injured, which quickly made him the prime suspect.

Investigators initially suspected arson after noting burn patterns that suggested a flammable liquid. Willis was arrested on October 22, 1986, charged with capital murder, and convicted on August 4, 1987. Prosecutors emphasized his apparently emotionless demeanor at trial; it was later revealed he had been given high doses of antipsychotic medication without his knowledge, contributing to that appearance.

Later reviews raised serious doubts about the arson finding, with experts concluding there was no credible evidence of deliberate ignition and that an electrical problem such as a faulty ceiling fan or outlet was a plausible origin. Willis’ conviction was eventually overturned and he was exonerated after spending 17 years on death row.

Did anyone in Iraan at the time notice electrical problems or safety concerns in that neighborhood before the fire?