On November 10, 2004, a fire occurred at 1005 Tallow Tree Lane in Apartment C. After the fire was out, four people lay dead — Janice Carto (age 33), her children Cynthia Carto (17) and Cleveland McGinnis, Jr. (11), and Cynthia’s daughter Cyanna Carto (18 months). Janice Carto’s third child, Jarvis Carto (10), survived but was permanently disabled and required lifelong institutional care. Victim wounds, witness accounts, physical evidence, and fire effects and fire patterns made the fire origin, cause, and responsibility seem very straightforward. A slam dunk case. But was it? The investigation and prosecution of Cyrus Casby holds important lessons for every fire death case.