Cameron Todd Willingham was an American man who was convicted and executed for the murder of his three young children by arson at the family home in Corsicana, Texas, on December 23, 1991. Since Willingham's 2004 execution, significant controversy has arisen over the legitimacy of the guilty verdict and the interpretation of the evidence that was used to convict him of arson and murder.
Willingham's mug shot
Ellis Unit, where Willingham was initially confined
Willingham was moved to the Allan B. Polunsky Unit
Huntsville Unit, where Willingham was executed
Arson is the act of willfully and deliberately setting fire to or charring property. Although the act of arson typically involves buildings, the term can also refer to the intentional burning of other things, such as motor vehicles, watercraft, or forests. The crime is typically classified as a felony, with instances involving a greater degree of risk to human life or property carrying a stricter penalty. Arson which results in death can be further prosecuted as manslaughter or murder. A common motive for arson is to commit insurance fraud. In such cases, a person destroys their own property by burning it and then lies about the cause in order to collect against their insurance policy.
The remains of Kyoto Animation Studio 1 after being set ablaze by an arsonist
Smokey Bear in poster from 1944.
Cars damaged by arson in Millwall, Tower Hamlets, London, during the 2011 England Riots
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