Anybody else get a kick out of this arson episode? The actual incident wasn't funny obviously, just the narration.

Omar!!! I told you I'd do it!! I told you I'd do it...!

Yeah, he sounded like Cactus Jack doing a wrestling promo-but very badly.

Really? I thought the narration was so effing creepy. I'm getting ready to pull out my UM episodes and I'm actually dreading that segment...

What was the other program that showed more about the suspects once they were identified? Was it 20/20 or Forensic Files or something else?

I remember all the creepy stuff the one kid had in his house or garage. He was such a weird dude. Very disturbed.

Really? I thought the narration was so effing creepy. I'm getting ready to pull out my UM episodes and I'm actually dreading that segment...


To this day, all my brother has to text me is "goodnight, ladies and gentlemen", I freak out every time.

To this day, all my brother has to text me is "goodnight, ladies and gentlemen", I freak out every time.

:eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek:

Now we have TWO Megadeth avatars. :P

He quotes Thundercats. "Ancient spirits of evil..". Mumra would say that when transformed from mummy to Mumra. Tells me he was probably 12-17 years old at the time of arson.

Knowing that the guy was caught after the fact doesn't make the segment as creepy to me as when I first saw it.

One of my friends, who is also a UM buff, kept texting me lines from the segment as I was doing my holiday baking. I almost blocked him. :eek: :eek: :eek: Granted, I was probably asking for it, as I had just told him that I skipped the Omar segment earlier when it queued up on my computer...

I'm not sure how I felt about it before knowing the full story (which was in Cold Case Files btw) but I definitely think it is awesomely hilarious now.

That evil laughter at the end...I used to put a blanket over my old pit bull puppy's cage and reenact the same laughter, and it scared her.

That evil laughter at the end...I used to put a blanket over my old pit bull puppy's cage and reenact the same laughter, and it scared her.

That's so wrong, yet I can't stop laughing.

I'm not sure how I felt about it before knowing the full story (which was in Cold Case Files btw) but I definitely think it is awesomely hilarious now.

I had heard that the San Mateo Fire was on Cold Case Files, but I haven't seen the episode. Maybe it would be apparent if I saw that program, but my question is this- "Why was it featured on Cold Case Files at all?" It wasn't ever a cold case in my view. (Pun only partially intended) The tape was found in '89, shown on UM in '90, and IIRC solved shortly thereafter. I only have the original segment in my collection, not the update, but I could have sworn the case was quickly solved. :confused:

clnUFyWE5Gw

That picture is so scary I assumed it was the arsonist! :eek:

"Why was it featured on Cold Case Files at all?" It wasn't ever a cold case in my view. (Pun only partially intended)


:lol: :lol:

That picture is so scary I assumed it was the arsonist! :eek:

:lol:

I can honestly say this was the one segment that scared the bejeebus outa me when i was younger. that narration at the end was so chilling. glad these weirdos got caught.

Anybody get a good look at those "heavy metal cassettes" that were laying by the duffel bag? I always tried to make out what bands they were, but I have come to the conclusion they weren't of any bands, they were just specifically created for that segment. The segment comes from between 1988-1990 (and the incident happened just a year previous), and no bands from that time era (ie. for instance - Slayer) had any artwork resembling what I was able to see on the prop cassettes used for the episode.

"Look at the flames!!!! Listen to the coyotes yell!... Omar...I told you I'd do it....I told you I'd do it....! he-he-he...he-he-he... ladies and gentleman...good-night....."

Now we have TWO Megadeth avatars. :P

And one Megadeth fan 😃 Peace Sells!!

I was never creeped out by the narration. Of course, I grew up with a lot of brothers and other male family members and friends who were only a few years older than I was and loved heavy metal. And we all used to horse around with the camcorder* all the time.

Man, I should go to my parents house and see if I can find the tape where we recreated this commercial, only with a guy in a wig as the main person.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UUNkat4xOag#t=13




*For the sake of the young whippersnappers on the board who make videos with their phones, that this was no delicate undertaking. VCRs at the time were sometimes 2 stackable parts, the top of which held the VHS tape. Some cameras didn't hold the tape, so you had to carry around the top half of the VCR like a messenger bag. To this day, I cannot believe we never broke the darn thing with our antics.

Anybody else get a kick out of this arson episode? The actual incident wasn't funny obviously, just the narration.

Omar!!! I told you I'd do it!! I told you I'd do it...!

I just watched this one again. I had fogotten how hilariously cheesy the arsonist's narration is.

"do YUUU see whudIcan DUUU?" OMAR!

Also, WTF...you find an unmarked VHS tape in a strange jacket so you just set your entire family and kids down to watch it? Just imagine what COULD have been on a tape like that, far worse than a burning house.

Also, WTF...you find an unmarked VHS tape in a strange jacket so you just set your entire family and kids down to watch it? Just imagine what COULD have been on a tape like that, far worse than a burning house.

lol I guess ppl were pretty naive back then!

"do YUUU see whudIcan DUUU?" OMAR!

:lol: "Ancieeeeeent spiriiiitttsss of eeeeeevil!"

It was without a doubt, the most creepy episode. A close second would be the murder of the raider's fan.

Also, WTF...you find an unmarked VHS tape in a strange jacket so you just set your entire family and kids down to watch it? Just imagine what COULD have been on a tape like that, far worse than a burning house.
Seriously! I found a VHS tape in my mailbox when I was a teenager and chucked it right away! There was a note that said "Enjoy!" or something like that. I still wonder what was on it, but I'm so glad I never looked!

Seriously! I found a VHS tape in my mailbox when I was a teenager and chucked it right away! There was a note that said "Enjoy!" or something like that. I still wonder what was on it, but I'm so glad I never looked!

Good choice. :eek:

Seriously! I found a VHS tape in my mailbox when I was a teenager and chucked it right away! There was a note that said "Enjoy!" or something like that. I still wonder what was on it, but I'm so glad I never looked!

I would have had to watch it ... probably wouldn't have gathered the family around the set like the guy who found the arsonist tape did (in the re-enactment) and I probably would have had one finger on the STOP button.

I really don't get it. I was scared A LOT by Unsolved Mysteries when I was a kid and got creeped out by it a lot after it and yet this case never got to me. Even when it first aired, I thought it was some punk kid trying TOO HARD. And even in a time where I was so young that I didn't get Doogie Howser because he was so "old" compared to me. Never got scared by it.

I would have had to watch it ... probably wouldn't have gathered the family around the set like the guy who found the arsonist tape did (in the re-enactment) and I probably would have had one finger on the STOP button.
You're far braver than I am. I can't remember exactly what the note said, and while it was nothing ominous, I knew it was a prank of some sort and there would be some sort of disturbing content on it.

I would have had to watch it ... probably wouldn't have gathered the family around the set like the guy who found the arsonist tape did (in the re-enactment) and I probably would have had one finger on the STOP button.

The worst thing that could have happened was a bullet coming out of the videocassette, a la The Zip Gun Bomber segment.

I really don't get it. I was scared A LOT by Unsolved Mysteries when I was a kid and got creeped out by it a lot after it and yet this case never got to me. Even when it first aired, I thought it was some punk kid trying TOO HARD. And even in a time where I was so young that I didn't get Doogie Howser because he was so "old" compared to me. Never got scared by it.

I see what you're saying. Since nobody was hurt, it's difficult to get too creeped out about it, but in the Cold Case Files episode, they showed some clips of one of his other home movies with him walking around in a devil's mask, carrying on about something. That was a little more creepy.

I see what you're saying. Since nobody was hurt, it's difficult to get too creeped out about it, but in the Cold Case Files episode, they showed some clips of one of his other home movies with him walking around in a devil's mask, carrying on about something. That was a little more creepy.

I just watched the CCF again - I *was* disturbed this time, but not by his home movies (which I still get a kick out of) but by the fact that among the many arsons they assume he was responsible for, there was one in which a family was in their home went it was lit up (no deaths however).

I watched this case for the first time in it's original format and realized that they mentioned the real names of the family that picked up the video tape, the Dad's name was mentioned as Alphonse Leewin I think. Every other time I've watched it though it always says we will call the car's owner Joseph Villa. So originally their real names were mentioned, maybe after they asked U.M to disclose their names in reruns of the segment?

I watched this case for the first time in it's original format and realized that they mentioned the real names of the family that picked up the video tape, the Dad's name was mentioned as Alphonse Leewin I think. Every other time I've watched it though it always says we will call the car's owner Joseph Villa. So originally their real names were mentioned, maybe after they asked U.M to disclose their names in reruns of the segment?

Oooh good catch! Most likely they asked their names to be changed, although I assumed they always checked with people they interviewed to ask if they have permission to use their names...

I saw this segment as a kid, and it scared me. The forbidden site has a four minute clip from a different show (not UM or CCF) and they say this punk is likely responsible for 60 fires (search "stockton arsonist"). They also show him dancing around in a devil mask. If I had seen this when I was 10 I would have been so scared!

I saw this segment as a kid, and it scared me. The forbidden site has a four minute clip from a different show (not UM or CCF) and they say this punk is likely responsible for 60 fires (search "stockton arsonist"). They also show him dancing around in a devil mask. If I had seen this when I was 10 I would have been so scared!

Yeah me too, probably glad I didn't see it as a kid lol.

When I first saw it I thought he sounded like he was on the autism spectrum, or something was mentally wrong with him. Even with his disguised voice he sounded hyperactive/off.

When I first saw it I thought he sounded like he was on the autism spectrum, or something was mentally wrong with him. Even with his disguised voice he sounded hyperactive/off.

He'd make a good voice actor for sure.

The thing about the arsonist tape is that I always felt like it was a kid screwing around.

When he started going off on "Ancient Spirits of Evil" I was like "Is he doing Mumm-Ra the Everliving from Thundercats?". If it wasn't obvious already, that told me right there that it was clearly someone younger that filmed this.

Anybody else think he also kind of sounds like the Heath Ledger Joker? Its so weird to see the Dark Knight and then re-watch this segment from 20 years earlier where it sounds like a kid is doing an impression of something that hadn't existed yet.

Also, LOL moment of the segment goes to the dad having the family sit around to watch the mysterious tape. I can understand finding the tape and being curious, but why have your kids with you when you watch it? I mean, it might have been a porno or something, lol.

Also, LOL moment of the segment goes to the dad having the family sit around to watch the mysterious tape. I can understand finding the tape and being curious, but why have your kids with you when you watch it? I mean, it might have been a porno or something, lol.

Yeah, that was always strange. A random tape you find by the side of the road....chances are very likely it's not going to be 'The Little Mermaid.'

When I first saw it I thought he sounded like he was on the autism spectrum, or something was mentally wrong with him. Even with his disguised voice he sounded hyperactive/off.

I just never could put my finger on it, but I know what you mean. He just didn't sound "right." The laugh especially. I always thought it was obvious this was some kid.

I just never could put my finger on it, but I know what you mean. He just didn't sound "right." The laugh especially. I always thought it was obvious this was some kid.

Yeah, the clincher for me was his "I said I'll do it". I went to school with hyperactive kids who were either ADD, ADHD, or something else and they had his exact voice/tone. When you said it didn't sound "right" that's exactly what I think. Like mentally he's off. I really wonder if he's on the autism spectrum (not trying to be mean) but his mannerisms seem to indicate as such.

He seemed like how nerds would talk when they were playing, but a little further.

I recommend the Cold Case Files episode on this case. It's on A&E's website (S1 E14 "Fire Flicks").

A few years ago, someone commented on a YouTube clip of this segment, claiming to be the cousin of the arsonist, and that their family had been "torn apart" by what he had done. I still can't believe that no one has identified him all these years later!

I also think he got off lightly, mental illness or not. He put quite a lot of people's lives at risk.

I somehow forgot all about the show Cold Case Files and had no idea so many episodes were available online (and for once not blocked in Canada). Thank you, Jon!

Just watched this segment on UM and the guy definitely comes across as far more disturbed on CCF. Also didn't realise how much info they had on the location of the fire before UM.

This is the first segment I remember watching! I was 9 at the time.

I finally got to see the Cold Case Files episode. The home movie they show of the kid, he's got the vampire teeth in his mouth and he's saying this in his best demon voice...

"I'm hungry tonight... 'cause tonight ....is the night ... where all evil and satanic worshipers come ... where Satan rises again ... and fulfills the destiny of hatred and evil and sin, HAHAHAHAHA!!"

He's a definite wackadoodle. I get the impression he's like that kid you went to high school with who acts really weird but you'd never suspect how messed up he really is at home.

I agree with others that it's amazing his name hasn't been revealed all these years. High school kid burns homes down, somebody would have talked. I guess I can understand leaving his name out of the UM broadcast since that was national but local media sources probably would have printed his name somewhere.

Watching the Cold Cade Files episode really made me think.

With all those home movies they showed, it made me wonder what that kid would have been like if he was a teenager today. He might have been posting all that stuff on YouTube or something.

A few years ago, someone commented on a YouTube clip of this segment, claiming to be the cousin of the arsonist, and that their family had been "torn apart" by what he had done. I still can't believe that no one has identified him all these years later!

On the unsolved.com site there are two people who say they know the identity of Frank and Omar. One person says they are related to Omar and aren't willing to share anything else, the other says they are not related and seems willing to share what they know....

That video sounded so terrifying when I was a kid, but when I watch it now I just hear an adolescent wearing braces or head gear.

This was a revenge type burn!

That's the first post I've ever seen that actually provides a potential name for Omar's partner-in-crime. Interesting!