Podcast
Betrayal Season 5
Lori read the book after doubting her father's innocence and found the fictional story eerily matched details from her own childhood and the hardware store fire, reinforcing her belief that he was guilty. She described the alignment of the arsonist’s behavior and personal details as frightening and used the book as a point of reference in her testimony. The episode presented the title as a pivotal, albeit unsettling, piece of evidence rather than a recommended read.
Episode: Lori | Betrayal Weekly
Lori decided to read this novel written by her father, John Orr, after beginning to doubt his innocence. She found that the fictional story mirrored real-life details from her childhood and the hardware store fire, eventually leading her to accept that her father was guilty. The book detailed how the arsonist character was sexually aroused by fire, which aligned with information Lori later learned about her father's behavior.
I started to feel manipulated by him and feel like there was more to him. That's when I really said, OK, I'm going to read this book.
I got through the first chapter and I had to put it down because every single thing in that chapter that I read about, the pictures he had on his walls, who he lived with, where we would go visit him as kids, everything I could remember as real life. That was scary. I thought if I continue reading this book, everything I think about my dad can change.
The main character sets a fire in a hardware store. Before he does, he walks through the store pretending to be a customer. He overhears a conversation between grandparents running errands with their grandson.
It's supposed to be fiction. And they used it in his trial saying it was more like a diary.
I wanted people to know that I now think he's guilty. If he's telling you he's innocent, he's not. Let me assure you, he's not. And in some way to acknowledge that I probably had no business testifying so he wouldn't get the death penalty.