0713 | Houston

Summary

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True Crime Bullsh**: The Israel Keyes Investigation

Episode 0713 | Houston
Original Air Date: February 17, 2026
Host: Josh Hallmark (with significant investigation by Jordan Taylor)

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Episode Overview

This episode marks a pivotal shift in the True Crime Bullsh** investigation, moving from a season-long focus on Israel Keyes’ activities in Washington State to a deep exploration of a mysterious March 2012 Houston house fire death. The host dives meticulously into the circumstances surrounding Nicholas (“Nicky”) Simon’s death—an event that occurred days before Keyes’ arrest and shares a haunting number of parallels with Keyes’ established profile and modus operandi. The episode critically analyzes gaps and failures in Houston law enforcement’s investigation and raises new, unsettling questions about the possible number of Keyes’ victims and his activities after Samantha Koenig’s abduction.

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Key Topics & Insights

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1. Background: Refocusing to Houston (03:00–05:30)

• After considerable Washington State progress, the team shifts its active investigation back to Texas due to new files and leads.
• Focus on East Texas, especially the Houston area, stemming from longstanding questions about Keyes’ timeline and “lost time” in the region.
• Jordan Taylor has spent years investigating Keyes’ movements and potential crimes in Houston and its outskirts.

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2. Discovery of the Simon Case (05:30–09:30)

• July 2022: Jordan discovers a Click2Houston.com article—"Body found in abandoned house fire," dated March 10, 2012.
• The victim was found after an explosion and fire in a long-abandoned house on Dismuke St.
• Initial speculation: Could the remains be that of James Lamar Tidwell? (It was not; the decedent was identified as Nicholas “Nicky” O’Neill Simon through dental records.)
• Simon’s life was difficult: crack cocaine user, likely unhoused at the time, with little to no digital footprint. Notably, he did not even have a death certificate on file.

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3. Suspicious Circumstances & Investigation Flaws (09:30–14:00)

• Discovery details:

  • Body found against the front door—the area most damaged by fire.
  • Witnesses reported a “small explosion” just before the fire.
  • Autopsy found burns over 95% of Simon’s body; smoke inhalation listed as the cause of death, but “manner of death” left open.
  • Arson and homicide investigators circled blame: neither department would label the case definitively arson or homicide, causing an investigatory impasse.
  • Official narrative: Simon, influenced by drugs, set a fire to keep warm and succumbed to smoke while attempting to exit.

• Host’s rebuttal: The weather was not especially cold, Simon’s mother insisted he wouldn't be careless with fire, and police rationale contradicts forensic findings.

Quote:

“All this seems to contradict the facts that are placed in the fire department’s report.” – Host (14:45)

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4. Keyes and Arson: Parallels and Possibilities (09:49–11:38 & 25:43–27:47)

• Audio segment with an expert (interpreted as Keyes or someone channeling his statements) discusses using arson for cover-ups:

  • “Not so much ‘why’, but ‘why not’ with the arson… It’s a pretty good way to cover up a burglary, too. If there’s not a house, they usually don’t take a very good inventory.” (09:55–10:15)
  • Detailed explanation about igniting a house using gasoline and fabric trails to ensure it burns (11:01).

• On making a murder via fire hard to investigate:

  • “Whoever’s in the fire has to still be breathing when the fire is going on or it doesn’t work.” (26:45)
  • “I wasn’t planning on going back and getting rid of it. I just was hoping it would be enough time they wouldn’t be able to figure out that it wasn’t natural causes.” (27:26)
  • The interview boasts a disturbingly clinical understanding of fire-related forensics and how to confuse investigators—chillingly consistent with what happened to Simon.

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5. Keyes’ Activities & Timeline (20:59–32:51)

• Keyes was provably in Texas, in striking proximity and timeframe to the Dismuke St. fire:

  • March 8, 2012: Keyes arrives at Heidi's home near Lufkin, TX (north of Houston).
  • March 10, 2012: Surveillance places Keyes using Samantha Koenig’s debit card at a Humble, TX ATM—27 miles and a direct drive from Dismuke St.
  • The burning house was only 10 minutes from Houston’s Hobby Airport, where Keyes had stashed robbery cash nearby.
  • The distance and timing between the fire and the ATM withdrawal mirrors routes and patterns established during Keyes’ other crimes.

• Forensic data:

  • Police found a “small lump of silver-colored metal” melted to Simon’s neck, which could be a melted .22 caliber bullet (Keyes was found with a .22 revolver and corresponding lost rounds).
  • Witnesses described a small explosion before the fire—possible gunshot?

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6. Possible Connection with Simon as Accomplice (41:19–44:55)

• Newly scrutinized police files from a February 2012 Azle bank robbery (known Keyes crime) have an odd detail: two eyewitnesses report seeing a man matching Simon’s physical description acting as a lookout or talking to someone in Keyes’ car prior to the robbery.
  • “Was Nick involved somehow in the bank robbery as a getaway driver? Does this explain the arson? Was Keyes just covering his trail?” (43:00)
  • Simon was found with a Walmart prepaid card—a method Keyes often used to launder stolen cash.

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7. Failures of Houston PD & The “Chasing Ghosts” Problem (44:55–48:45)

• The Simon case remained uninvestigated as a potential homicide; bureaucratic quagmires between homicide and arson units led to case closure as an accidental death, despite extensive contrary evidence.
• Keyes was never considered a suspect by Houston PD in this case; the FBI did not connect Simon to their missing persons queries.
• Recent attempts to revive official interest have been rebuffed with variations of “Keyes is dead, so why bother?”
  • “If there’s no living suspect, there’s no reason to continue to look into things… Unfortunately, that seems to extend to the victim’s families. They…still deserve an answer regardless the circumstances of their loved one’s life or the ability to prosecute.” (47:20)

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8. Concluding Thoughts & Advocacy (48:45–50:18)

• Despite overwhelming circumstantial evidence connecting Keyes to Simon’s death, and even leading homicide detective J.J. Wilson agreeing Keyes should be considered the most likely suspect, law enforcement in Texas remains uninterested.
• The episode’s final message is a passionate plea for justice for families—closure and truth matter, even if prosecution cannot occur.
• The host and team thank those who cooperated in the investigation—and openly criticize Texas’s failure to release long-closed records.

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Memorable Quotes & Moments

• On arson as cover-up (Keyes or Interviewee/Expert):

  • “It’s a pretty good way to cover up a burglary, too. If there’s not a house, then they don’t usually take a very good inventory.” (10:06)

• On the investigative deadlock:

  • “The fire department could not rule the fire arson until homicide…said it was homicide. But homicide could not rule Nick’s death homicide unless fire ruled arson.” (13:45)

• On the logic behind using fire to mask a homicide:

  • “Whoever's in the fire has to still be breathing when the fire is going on or else it doesn’t work.” (26:49)

• On investigative failures:

  • “Jordan made contact with Detective Sergeant J.J. Wilson…He believes with all the information that Keyes should be looked at for this incident and that based on all the information he has, Keyes would be the most likely suspect.” (46:30)

• On law enforcement’s inertia:

  • “We’re not in the business of chasing ghosts.” – Russ County Sheriff’s Office, quoted by host (47:40)

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Notable Segment Timestamps

• 03:00–05:30 — Transition to Houston, Texas & episode context.
• 06:30–09:30 — Jordan’s discovery of the Simon fire case.
• 09:49–11:38 — Discussion of arson as a cover-up; interview with expert (parallels Keyes’ methods).
• 14:00–18:00 — Host deconstructs flaws in official narrative and weather at time of fire.
• 20:59–32:51 — Reconstruction of Keyes’ Texas timeline and movements; links between fire, ATM withdrawal, and his known tactics.
• 41:19–43:16 — Potential link of Simon as a Keyes accomplice; evidence from bank robbery eyewitnesses.
• 44:55–48:45 — Homicide and arson investigation failures; law enforcement inertia and refusal to pursue closed-case leads.

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Summary Flow

This episode weaves together ground-level investigation, forensic analysis, first-hand interview snippets, and a candid critique of Texas law enforcement, challenging listeners to reconsider what constitutes a provable link in serial cases. It underscores the many institutional and psychological barriers to justice for marginalized victims. The host and Jordan’s research presents a chilling but methodically built case that Nicky Simon’s death aligns with Keyes’ known behaviors—and calls for the official recognition that the families of all victims, regardless of lifestyle or circumstance, deserve answers.

Listeners come away with a nuanced portrait of how patterns, bureaucracy, and inertia can mask horrific truths—and how persistent, detail-driven private investigation can, if not solve, at least illuminate, the dark spaces left behind.

Transcript

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Before we start the show, I have a few announcements. We are hosting studio sessions here at Studio Bothand in North Adams, Mass. On March 6 and 7. You can join me, Tooker, Shayna and Kaz for a Deep dive conversation and research roundtable focusing on the Keys, case does and new files we've received from the FBI. To learn more and get your tickets go to Bothand FYI Also we are launching another Trova trip. This time we are going to Costa Rica and tickets go on sale today after presale. We only have 10 left so get in there while the get in's good. For more information about the trip and to snag your spot, check out the link in the show notes. And finally, as I mentioned in the last episode I appeared in the podcast series Mind of a Monster wherein they interview me, several people close to Keys and his army buddy Nathan who we discussed earlier this season. To hear Nathan's interview and mine, check out the series now. Wherever you listen to podcasts. This is a studio both and production. For the majority of this season we've been focused on Washington State. As new information has come in and more and more information and files continue to come in. It's where we think we have the best shot of identifying at least 33 of Keyes Unknown victims, and we've made great strides over the past nine months in doing so. However, as we begin to close out the season, we wanted to let those investigations continue behind the scenes as we head back to the south on the show, where new files and information have also shed new light on Keys's activities and opened new leads. And today we're starting in familiar territory East Texas While we remain confident that Keyes time in East Texas involved the abductions and murders of James Lamar Tidwell and Mark Gillian Oldberry, in addition to his known crimes, the robbery in Azel and arson in Alito, there have still been questions surrounding some of his lost time and odd stops. And for more than four years now, Jordan has been hyper focused on Keyes time in Houston and its surrounding suburbs and exurbs. This is True Crime Bullshit. The serialized investigation into Israel Keys Season 7 Episode 13 Houston. In our research across the country, we've focused on many different locations Keyes may have committed crimes, and one thing we've collectively come to believe is that Keyes may have been much more active in the months before his arrest than we'd originally thought. He even said so much himself. In the last year and a half, I've done a lot in 2021, before Jordan joined the team, he'd been quietly gathering information, filing records requests, and forwarding his theories onto us. In July of 2022, while he was searching human remains found in abandoned house, as one does, he came across an article on Click2Houston.com that jumped out at Body found an abandoned House Fire. It was written on March 10, 2012, just days before Keyes would be arrested, and that date was of particular interest because we know that Keyes had been in Houston the day before, the article stated. Residents in a southeast Houston neighborhood said a home that caught fire Friday night had been boarded up for more than a decade. So when firefighters found a dead body inside, neighbors were left scratching their heads. When I got here, I was thinking about going in to see if anyone was in there, but I didn't hear any yelling. Witness CS said it was abandoned. I didn't expect anyone to be inside. Jordan wasn't able to find any more mentions in the news of this incident. His initial thought was that the remains could possibly have belonged to James Lamar Tidwell. So he started digging and obtaining new information via FOIA requests and upon speaking with the Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences, Jordan found out that the deceased person had indeed been identified through dental records. Nicholas Nicky O' Neill Simon was born on February 1, 1979 in New Bern, North Carolina. At the time of his death, his parents still lived there with his brother. His father and brother have since passed away and now his mother maintains a Find a Grave page online where she wishes Nicky a happy birthday every year. Nick had very little personal information available. Most of his address history had to be rebuilt through court records, and his life living between North Carolina and Texas is mostly unknown. He seemingly had no digital footprint apart from one email address, and despite his death happening in Texas and his remains being buried back in New Bern, North Carolina, he doesn't even have a death certificate on file. What's been made most known about Nick has been obtained through the police case file and some Houston court records. Nick had a life of struggle prior to his death. According to his mother in her police interview. Nick was a crack cocaine user but had been trying to get clean and there's speculation he may have owed a debt to his dealer. He had also somewhat recently had to move out of his place at a halfway house after a kitchen fire occurred there. That fire appeared to be accidental according to the report. However, due to his reputation, Arson had conducted a brief investigation. Though the police state that Nick was unhoused at the time of his death, he did have a consistent address as of February 2012, just a month before his death, but it's unclear if he was still living there or had become unhoused between February and March. On March 9, 2012 at 9:22pm A hang up call came in to the Houston Police Department. When they arrived at the address, the call originated from 1902 Dismuke street they discovered Houston Fire Department in the process of extinguishing a house fire nearby at 1908 Dismuke street as the fire department worked to extinguish the fire, they discovered Nick's body. Houston PD helped secure the scene and began canvassing the area and conducting witness interviews. By policy, Arson and Homicide were notified and Detective Sergeant J.J. wilson and Detective Rick Moreno were assigned the case. The following morning, numerous witnesses reported a small explosion explosion just prior to the fire. One witness stating that it sounded like a tire blowout. According to the police files. Witness M.V. who lived next door stated that between 9 and 10pm while she was in her bedroom. She heard one explosion and then heard the firefighters arriving. She stayed in her room and didn't look outside because she thought it was a car tire that exploded once the fire was extinguished. Nick was found against the front door, which was also the location most damaged by the fire. The front interior wall of the home apparently had stacks of newspapers and books along the base of the wall, which burned quickly.

[Interviewer]

You said the why not feeling. You know, it wasn't so much why, but why not with the arson?

[Interviewee / Expert]

Yeah.

[Interviewer]

And that's a feeling you've had before. Why not?

[Interviewee / Expert]

Yeah, well, I mean.

[Narrator / Host]

It's a pretty.

[Interviewee / Expert]

Good way to cover up a burglary, too. If there's not a house, then they don't usually take a very good inventory.

[Interviewer]

Well, and I'm asking because you mentioned with the couriers that you were going to go back this month or next month and burn down that house.

[Interviewee / Expert]

Yeah, I knew there was. When I picked that house in Vermont, I knew first of all that it wasn't salvageable and that whoever was looking at the property probably wasn't going to.

[Narrator / Host]

Be.

[Interviewee / Expert]

Looking at it for the house. So I knew there was a good chance, even if I didn't have time or opportunity to burn it while I was there, then there was a good chance they wouldn't be found, at least not right away.

[Narrator / Host]

How did you start the fire? I know you said there was gas in the garage. Did you use the gas or how did you start it?

[Interviewee / Expert]

Well, I took out. Once I decided to burn it, I opened up the attic access and opened up all the windows around the house on the inside and grabbed a bunch of clothes and made a trail of clothes and bedding and stuff from every room to different parts of the house and poured gas on the clothes all the way out to the back door and then just lit it from the back door.

[Narrator / Host]

According to the arson investigators notes, Nick's head was protruding partially through the front door when they found him, the door which had been left ajar. The autopsy was conducted on March 10 by Dr. Albert Chiu. It was determined that Nick was found with extensive thermal injuries covering 95% of the surface of his body. He had thermal fractures in his elbow, which occur when the bone reached a high enough temperature to crack from the heat. The burns were so extensive that the ME Couldn't tell if other injuries, such as a gunshot or stabbing, had occurred due to the extent of external injury. Dr. Chu was only able to assess internal injury definitively, and Nick's cause of death was ruled as smoke inhalation. But the manor was left open pending the results of the homicide investigation. The fire's cause was also ruled as undetermined pending the results of the homicide investigation. Jordan was able to speak with arson investigator A.J. green, who clarified that this ruling meant that he could not definitively say it was arson until homicide determined that the death was a result of a homicide. Homicide allegedly couldn't declare it as such until arson said it was intentionally set. The fire department report states that there was no obvious point of ignition. They couldn't identify the heat source used for ignition and said that no human factors contributed to the ignition. Which very much contradicts the assertion that this was an accident. As simple as Nick falling asleep with an unattended fire or cigarette in his mouth. So if you're following, and this is unfortunately quite familiar logic, the fire department could not rule the fire arson until the homicide department ruled ruled that Nick's death was homicide. But the homicide department could not rule that Nick's death was a homicide unless the fire department ruled that the fire was an arson. Additionally, it was written off as accidental, yet it was also ruled that no human factors were involved. Make of all that what you will. The fire department never declared the cause of the fire, surmising it was accidental due to being unattended. And the and the police never further investigated this as a homicide because it was never declared arson. Rather undetermined, presumed accidental. The police have to say they believe it was a homicide to initiate an arson investigation. But they closed the case based on the arson investigators initial impression and the fact that Nick was a drug user. Nick's official cause of death was ruled as smoke inhalation. The police closed the case in September of 2014, stating it appears that the decedent was under the influence of drugs to the point that his mental faculties were impaired. The decedent started an intentional fire in the living room of the vacant home in hopes of keeping warm on a cold night as the oxygen was depleted in the interior of the home. The decedent attempted to exit the home, but was overcome by the thick smoke as he searched for the doorknob at the front door. The body was found where it collapsed at the front door, attempting an escape from the home. But all of this seems to contradict the facts that are placed in the fire department's report. Weather underground shows that the temperature around the start of the fire was 50 degrees with very light rain, making the need for a fire debatable to me. Further, Nick's mother told the police that he would never be careless with fire. Nick was a known cocaine user and had a somewhat low level of cocaine in his system, though his body had already metabolized one sixth of it. He had a very small amount of alcohol in his system as well. Being a heavy cocaine user, it's unclear what his level of impairment would have been, but cocaine being a stimulant would not make him overly drowsy. The case closure came a month before a scandal hit Houston PD involving premature case closures, and that scandal would ripple on for 10 years and affect a quarter million incident reports in total. It's the beginning of the year, which means cold days, big goals and no time or energy to cook Factor makes healthy eating easy with fully prepared meals designed by dietitians and crafted by chefs so you get to eat well without all the planning and cooking. So what exactly is inside your factor Meals? Quality, functional ingredients including lean proteins, colorful veggies, whole food ingredients and healthy fats. There's no refined sugars, no artificial sweeteners and no refined seed oils. These are meals that can fit your goals and your schedule, whether that's healthier eating, calorie management or more protein. 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[Host]

I've got Dan Morgan here on the pod.

[Narrator / Host]

So say hi Dan.

[Dan Morgan]

Hey, how's it going today?

[Host]

It's going good man. Tell us who you are and what you do.

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[Host]

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[Narrator / Host]

Houston PD has a history of notable controversies over the past 11 years. Nearly two years after Nick's case was closed, a Houston Police Department sergeant was fired and seven others punished after an internal investigation of the Homicide Division determined that nearly two dozen murder cases were were ignored or investigative work was shoddy, a Cron News article stated. The chief said the investigation, which began last October, uncovered a long list of deficiencies in one of HPD's approximately 10 detective squads in the Homicide Division. The shortcomings detectives who failed to conduct the required follow up investigation and cases assigned them after they did preliminary work at the crime scene. When the follow up was conducted, it was deficient. Of those who did additional fieldwork, many failed to timely enter their field notes into the case files or never did. More recently, an investigation found from October 2014 through 2024, when a code designated SL was used to suspend 264,000 cases due to stage staffing shortages. The code was officially retired by the department in 2021, but was found to still be in use as late as February of 2024. Now, before we get way off in the weeds on Jordan's Nick Simon theory, we need to acknowledge something. This could have been a legitimate accident and Keyes never mentioned it directly or in symptoms insinuated involvement. He did tell the FBI he had more things to discuss about Texas, but never elaborated. He also told them he had been losing control of himself toward the end. The fact that he could be responsible for three to four murders after Samantha Koenig seems like it could be a stretch. But then you recall a comment Keyes made late into the investigation. What we're talking about we could be talking about 10 times as many cases, which, as I mentioned earlier in the series, could mean up to 40 or 50 crimes. We also have to wonder, with all these coincidences perfectly falling in line with the things we know about Keys's habits, methods and tactics, if it really is a series of wild coincidences? And how many coincidences can realistically line up before you are no longer looking at random events, but aspects of a pattern indicative of intentional action. So with that in mind, let's look at where we know Keyes was at the time the fire was being dealt with. Israel Keyes arrived back in Texas to Heidi's home near Lufkin at 10pm on March 8, 2012, the next place we can definitively Place him is at the Houston Community bank, now Independent Financial, at 1515 Farm to Market, 1960 Bypass Road. This is where Keyes went to an ATM in Humble, Texas to use Samantha Koenig's debit card. On March 10th at 11:23pm Alaskan Standard Time. This converts to 2:23am Central Standard Time. We know that Keyes had small bills from the Azle bank robbery on his person at the time of his arrest. And March 9th is the only date that really makes sense for him to have traveled back to Houston to get those small bills, because that's the first time we see travel as far south as Houston on this trip. His use of this ATM in Humble makes zero sense unless he was on his way back northbound to Lufkin from Houston. This ATM is about a two and a half hour drive south from Lufkin, but a mere 27 miles from from 1908 Dismuke Street. And it's also right on the main and most direct route north back to Lufkin from Houston. Key stated that he had stashed the bills from the Azle bank robbery near the Houston airport. The house on Dismuke is five and a half miles away from the William P. Hobby International Airport in Houston, and it's just past an off ramp from Interstate 45. Keyes would only have to take two turns to get from that house to the airport, and it would have only taken about 10 minutes with traffic. Keyes told the FBI in his July 10, 2012 interview that he had used arson to cover up murders. Giving some pretty on the nose info on how to make it convincing.

[Interviewer]

I read a story once about an elderly couple.

[Narrator / Host]

But I think it was.

[Interviewer]

Like an arson or something like that where, you know, to like try to cover up the bodies. Is that the kind of thing you're talking about?

[Interviewee / Expert]

Not specifically, but no, I know what you're saying.

[Interviewer]

Where they were probably killed. They recovered the bodies in the house fire, you know, on inspection. They think they're probably dead before the fire took place.

[Interviewee / Expert]

Yeah.

[Interviewer]

Is that the kind of thing you're talking about?

[Interviewee / Expert]

No, you can get around that.

[Interviewer]

Like, get around that? How so?

[Interviewee / Expert]

Oh, just the whole.

[Narrator / Host]

I.

[Interviewee / Expert]

No, I. I know what you're saying. Like the people try to use fires to cover up merger, but.

[J]

Right.

[Interviewee / Expert]

If you don't plan it out right. It doesn't work.

[Interviewer]

Usually they can tell that they were dead.

[Host]

Right.

[Interviewee / Expert]

Because the body's not gonna burn up all the way. So you have to make sure that.

[Ryan Seacrest]

Whoever.

[Interviewee / Expert]

Whoever'S in the fire has to still be breathing when the fire is going on or else it doesn't work.

[Interviewer]

So that the smoke kills them or something like that.

[J]

Right.

[Interviewer]

So. But you were talking about a body that wasn't going to be decomposed enough. That's what I'm not understanding.

[Narrator / Host]

Right?

[Interviewee / Expert]

Yeah, because I wasn't planning on. I wasn't planning on going back and getting rid of it.

[Interviewer]

I was just gonna.

[Interviewee / Expert]

I was just hoping that. I thought it would be found. I just was hoping it would be enough time that. That they wouldn't be able to figure out that it wasn't natural causes kind of death.

[Interviewer]

So, like you're talking about somebody just found in a house that wouldn't be missed for a really long time? Something like that?

[Interviewee / Expert]

No. That's a good idea, though.

[Ryan Seacrest]

It'S kind.

[Interviewee / Expert]

Of hard to figure out.

[Narrator / Host]

While I am aware of the danger in confirmation bias, this entire section of the interview rings eerily similar to the theory of events surrounding Nick's death. The arson investigator notes in the police file that there was a for rent sign found in the yard and there's no indication the property was for sale or rent at all between 2006 and 2012. We know Keyes used realty websites and magazines to scout vacant and abandoned locations for his crimes. So is it possible that he stumbled upon this property on Craigslist or some other realty magazine? As demonstrated in the Alito fire Azel robbery, Keyes liked to watch the fires. He spent about four and a half hours between lighting the Alito fire and robbing the Azle bank. But the distance between the two is only about 20 miles or 35 minutes of driving. He said he got carried away watching the fire, something he'd state while confessing to several of his crimes. He got carried away and lost track of time. If he did in fact set fire to the house on Dismuke street, then stayed around to watch the response. The homicide detectives didn't even arrive on scene until 11:36pm More than two hours after receiving the initial hang up call. And they didn't leave the scene until around 4:30am so Keyes would have had plenty of time to get to a safe space to watch the house burn down. Notably, half a block from the house is an outdoor recreation facility and two blocks away is a forested park. We also know that Keyes brought the police scanner that he'd used during the Koenig kidnapping with him to Texas, and it was found in his suitcase when he was arrested. He used this for situational awareness purposes while going to ATMs, but we also know that he used it to see where the cops were while he was staking out common grounds. He noted that he didn't approach the coffee shop until he had heard that there was some commotion in downtown Anchorage that night. If he set the fire on Dismuke street, he could have used the scanner to hear when the fire and police departments were dispatched and their approximate ETAs to the scene. And the police radio frequencies that we found scribbled on his travel itinerary, the one seized from his rental car upon his arrest. Well, they substantiate this. One was for the East Harris County Fire dispatch. Houston is in East Harris county, and another was for the South Houston Volunteer Fire Department. As far as we know, Keyes had no activity in Houston other than his use of the Humble, Texas atm. So why would he need two separate Houston Area Fire Department dispatch frequencies unless he planned to set fire to an abandoned house in Houston? A well built wardrobe is all about pieces that work together and hold up over time. That's what Quince does best. Premium materials, thoughtful design and everyday staples that feel easy to wear and easy to rely on even as the weather shifts. I love Quince because they have everyday essentials that I feel good in and that are made with quality that lasts. Organic cotton sweatshirts, Polos for every occasion, lighter jackets that keep you warm in the changing seasons. The list goes on. And Quince works directly with top factories and cuts out the middlemen. So you're not paying for brand markup, just fashionable quality clothing. And everything is built to hold up to daily wear and still look good season after season. Plus, they only partner with factories that meet rigorous standards for craftsmanship and ethical production. And when I talk about quality, I mean it. I've been wearing a few Quint sweatshirts throughout this entire winter season. They have lasted through laundering, they have lasted through me slipping and falling into the ice more times than I'm willing to admit. And they still look good and feel great. This is quality and fashion at an affordable price. So refresh your wardrobe with quince. Go to quince.com tcbs for free shipping on your order and 365 day returns. Now available in Canada too. That's Q U I n c e.com tcbs Free shipping and 365 day returns.

[Ryan Seacrest]

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[Host]

I've got Dan Morgan here on the pod.

[Narrator / Host]

Say hi Dan.

[Dan Morgan]

Hey, how's it going today?

[Host]

It's going good, man. Tell us who you are and what you do.

[Dan Morgan]

I'm Dan Morgan. I'm an attorney and a managing partner at Morgan and Morgan, which is America's largest injury law firm.

[Host]

That's pretty awesome. I think I saw a billboard of yours recently that said 20 billion. 120 billion is an insane number.

[Dan Morgan]

Yeah, 20 billion recovered. It's actually, I think somewhere north, probably closer to 22, 23 after this year. And each year we get bigger and badder and our army grows. So the number will hopefully keep getting bigger and bigger as time goes on.

[Host]

Awesome. So how does someone get in contact with Morgan and Morgan? What what would I do if I got into an accident?

[Dan Morgan]

Probably the easiest way is dialing pound law. That's £529 from your cell phone. We are always open. Our call center is always waiting to take your call. 247365 wow.

[Host]

Dan Morgan from Morgan Morgan, America's largest injury law firm. Thanks for coming by the show.

[Dan Morgan]

Thanks for having me. Visit forthepeople.com for an office near you.

[Narrator / Host]

The timing between the fire on Dismuke street and the Humble City ATM withdrawal is nearly identical to that between the Alito fire and the Azle robbery. The fire was reported at approximately 9:18pm the fire department arrived a minute later and fought the fire until 10:16pm at which point the fire was out and Nick's body was discovered. Homicide detectives arrived at the scene at 11:36pm If Keyes did in fact light this fire and stayed to watch the response as he did in Azel, he likely would have been there from 9:15 the ignition of the fire until around 2:00am and as I said previously, the humble city ATM was used at 2:23am and is a direct highway drive north from Dismuke street approximately 25 minutes. And that same highway leads directly to Lufkin, where Keyes was staying. We suspect if Keyes was involved based on the evidence and totality of the known circumstances. The sequence of events leaves a couple possibilities on how this incident transpired first. Keyes may have staked the house out back in February, decided to use it either as a site to take a victim or a place to stash his items he wanted to cache on his return trip to Texas or to just burn it down for his own enjoyment. 2 He could have planned on taking someone there, or may have even taken Nick there after abducting him. There's also the possibility that that he may have stashed things there without realizing Nick was even in the house. If Nick and Keys did cross paths, we suspect Keyes could have either laid in wait for someone to wander in, either inside the house or nearby in a vehicle. He also may have been interrupted or surprised by Nick's presence in the house while retrieving items there. I believe some type of struggle then likely occurred, culminating in the explosion reported by several witnesses, which we believe could have been a muzzled.22 caliber gunshot. The fire department and medical examiner noted a small lump of silver colored metal melted to the victim's skin just below the left ear on his neck and Jordan believes this could be a.22 LR bullet. Jordan was unable to verify if the small lump of metal is in fact a.22 round. Just to Houston PD, refusing to provide any photographs or any of the items that were on Nick's person when he died. We also took into consideration that this item could have been a cheap earring that may have melted in the fire and dripped onto Nick's neck. However, in the only photos we've been able to obtain of Nick, it doesn't appear that either of his ears were pierced. A.22 long rifle round can be melted over a campfire. When melted and flattened out, it is silvery in color and would be about the size of a dime completely flat. The diameter unmelted is 0.22 inches. As stated before, numerous witnesses reported a small explosion just prior to the fire, one witness stating it sounded like a tire blowout. A.22 is a notoriously quiet gun. In a study conducted by the Council of Accreditation and hearing conservation in 2014, a comparison of the decibel levels of muzzle reports of numerous firearms was documented in the study. Eleven different makes and models of.22 caliber firearms were fired and the decibel level was measured and collected. These 11 firearms muzzle reports ranged between 139 to 157 decibels. To put this in more relatable terms, this decibel level is similar to a commercially available firecracker that you would use on 4th of July and a tire blowout from outside the vehicle with an average PSI of 30 pounds per square inch is rated at around 120 to 125 decibels. So giving an amount of sound dampering provided from a gunshot occurring indoors, you'd be looking at a sound much closer to the sound of a tire blowout if you heard it from outside the house. And I say this all because it's relevant. Keyes was arrested with a Taurus Model 949 shot.22 LR revolver. Though it wasn't reported as evidence seized in the FBI's reports, Keyes did have a couple of boxes of.22 caliber ammunition with him upon his arrest and one full speed loader. One was a shotshell type round and the others were long rifle hollow points. What's odd is each box was only missing one round. One typically shoots more than one round during target practice. And having one round missing from a box is odd. The hollow point box was missing 10 rounds from the box, with nine being inside the speed loader, which is a device that saves a shooter from having to load all the rounds in a revolver one by one. Now, again, all of these things are coincidental on their own, but when you view them in context, it starts to look more like a pattern. And the totality leans much more into the realm of circumstantial evidence than it does coincidence. And if that weren't enough, let's add one final little wrinkle to the story. We know that despite numerous tips, leads and sightings of him with other men, Keyes always denied to the FBI that he ever had an accomplice and that no other people were involved in the crimes he committed. But as we've also come to realize, Israel Keyes is a goddamn liar. Earlier this year, Jordan obtained and re examined the case file from the Azle Police Department on the bank robbery we know Keyes committed in February of 2012. And as he was going through the file, something very strange jumped out at him. Something he'd never read before. Two separate eyewitnesses describe a man talking to someone in Keyes's rental car or standing around it and smoking. In the time immediately prior to the robbery, this man was described as behaving like a lookout or a potential getaway driver. And this man matches Nick Simon's physical description. He was talking to someone in Keys's driver's seat and was at a separate time observed smoking a cigar and drinking an energy drink.

[Interviewer]

And so in this case, for the bank robbery, while we're waiting for that article, you smoked A cigar out back or something before you went in the bank. Do you remember that?

[Interviewee / Expert]

Yeah, probably.

[Narrator / Host]

Yeah. Here's the summary of Witness 1's interview. He informed me that at approximately 12:32, he observed a white male wearing a blue button up shirt, blue jeans, blonde shaggy hair, drinking an energy drink and smoking a cigar on the east side of the building from a camera monitor from inside the store. And here's the summary from the second witness interview. The witness advised that he observed a white male standing next to the Kia Soul speaking with another person sitting inside the Kia in the driver's seat. Street Witness 2 described the white male as wearing blue jeans, brown boots, a cream colored cowboy hat, a dark button up shirt and a blonde beard. Nick was about 5 foot 8 with shaggy blonde hair and in the photo, Jordan found online, wore a goatee. Nick was also found with a prepaid Walmart money card on his body, which is one of the ways Keyes laundered monies from robberies he committed. And we know that one was found on Keyes upon his arrest. Which begs the question, was Nick involved somehow in the bank robbery as a getaway driver? Does this explain the arson? Was Keyes just covering his trail and tying up loose ends? If Keyes did kill Nick, which both Jordan and retired Detective Sergeant J.J. wilson, who was the lead homicide investigator, seemed to be in agreement of, it could have been random or over the money from the robbery. And as it's been well established, Nick was down on his luck. He was having money troubles. And there have been numerous sightings all over the country of Keys hanging out in food banks and food halls.

[Ryan Seacrest]

Hey, it's Ryan Seacrest for Albertsons and Safeway. Are you feeling those winter blues? Well, do not worry. They've got you covered with ways to boost your mood, add a little sweetness to your day. With big savings on all your favorite sweets, shop in store or online and save on items like Gummy Savers, Five Flavors, Reese's Peanut Butter Cup, Sour Patch watermelon, M&M's party size stand Up Bags and Ferrero Rocher Mixed Variety squares. Offer ends February 24th. Restrictions apply. Offers may vary. Visit albertsons or safeway.com for more details.

[Host]

I've got Dan Morgan here on the pod.

[Narrator / Host]

Say hi, Dan.

[Dan Morgan]

Hey, how's it going today?

[Host]

It's going good, man. Tell us who you are and what you do.

[Dan Morgan]

I'm Dan Morgan. I'm an attorney and a managing partner at Morgan and Morgan, which is America's largest injury law firm.

[Host]

That's pretty awesome. I think I saw a billboard of yours recently. It said 20 billion one. 20 billion is an insane number.

[Dan Morgan]

Yeah, 20 billion recovered. It's actually I think somewhere north. Probably closer to 22, 23 after this year. And each year we get bigger and badder and our army grows. So the number will hopefully keep getting bigger and bigger as time goes on.

[Host]

Awesome. So how does someone get in contact with Morgan and Morgan? What what would I do if I got into an accident?

[Dan Morgan]

Probably the easiest way is dialing pound law. That's £529 from your cell phone. We are always open. Our call center is always waiting to take your call. 247365 wow.

[Host]

Dan Morgan from Morgan Morgan, America's large injury law firm. Thanks for coming by the show.

[Dan Morgan]

Thanks for having me. Visit forthepeople.com for an office near you.

[Narrator / Host]

In 2022, Jordan compiled all of this information and submitted it to the Cold Case Unit at Houston pd. This was never investigated as anything other than a drug impaired accident. Arson could not rule Arson out and Homicide could not investigate it as a homicide unless arson could be proven. And these policies allowed this case to fall through the cracks. Keyes wasn't on law enforcement's radar until later in 2012 and there's no mention of the FBI reaching out to Houston PD at all about Nick's case. They did however, reach out to Houston PD about area missing persons cases, which Nick obviously was not included in. Jordan made contact with Detective Sergeant J.J. wilson and Detective Rick Moreno. Wilson is now retired and lives in a different state and Moreno is working with a different police department in Texas. Detective Moreno was very agreeable to help, but was then in the process of rotating from the Gang Unit to the Vice Unit when the crime occurred. He was only in Homicide for a month during the transfer and no longer has his notes from that transitional period period. Detective Wilson spoke to Jordan and upon hearing him out, offered to look for his notes as well. Houston Arson appears to have all of Wilson's notes on the case and would not allow him to get them back, nor will they release anything from their file to us without a subpoena or court order. But Wilson did note that you know more about the incident than they do. He believes with all the information that Jordan provided to him that Keyes should be looked at for this incident and that based on all the information he has, Keyes would be the most likely suspect. And that leaves us with Houston's Cold Case Unit, which has never followed up on or responded to Jordan's submission or any of his follow up emails. Wilson did reiterate what we unfortunately heard in regard to the case of James Lamar Tidwell and Mark Julian Oldberry. Even if Keyes is responsible, he is dead so we can't prosecute. Or as the Russ County Sheriff's Office so eloquently put it, we're not in the business of chasing ghosts. This unfortunately seems to be where Texas law enforcement is content to leave cases. If there's no living suspect, there's no reason to continue to look into things. Unfortunately, that seems to extend to the victim's families. They are the most important reason to continue to look into things. Even if the suspect is dead, that is still an answer to what happened and they still deserve an answer regardless the circumstances of their loved one's life or the ability to prosecute. This episode was written, researched and produced by Jordan Taylor, with additional writing and editing from Josh Hallmark and research assistance by Michelle Tooker. Jordan would like to thank J.J. wilson, Rick Moreno and A.J. green for their grace, cooperation and assistant assistance. He would also like to say no thank you to Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and the Houston Arson Bureau for preventing the disclosure of records on a case that was closed 11 years ago. Sources include Houston PD, Harris County Office of Forensics, CRON News, ABC News and the Azle Police Department. This episode was made possible by the following Patreon Amy Basil, Kendall C. Ash Fish, Heather Horton, Whedon, Sherry D. Kristin Hoffman, Dale Axton, Stephanie Taylor, Drew Vipond and Maelie Hancock Christina Christina Sisson, Nicole and Dennis Henry, Jillian Natale, Lana Holliday, Rural Juror Tuesday Woodworth, Kathleen S. Annette L. Casey Jensen Richardson SC Benjamin Chopafong, Krista Nicole Pink, Jen J. Robin Carroll H. Beth Jones, Michelle Jordan M. Kate Luzier, Sarah C, John Comrie, Kathy Nation, Virginia Williams, Carrie Jordan T. Bethany David Begley, Ally, Lauren Ferry, Chris S, Tori Meyer, Sabrina Abbott, Megan Daigle, Melissa Trachea, Ashley Coupland, Michael Randall, Duane C, Jen Tricola and Trixie thank you to Studio both and's newest Patreon supporters, Summer Brittney, Kimberly C, Adele M, Rob D and Render it. To support the investigation and get ad free episodes go to patreon.comstudiobothand this episode included music by Kevin McLeod, Sergei Taramisinov selection Chris Hogan and Radical Face with featured music by C. Bear.

[J]

I'll build you fire I'll build you fire.

[Narrator / Host]

Singing.

[J]

In the night Falling down. Because. Now I can see now I can see. Sam. But out of my skin to see where I should be, How I should be so I'll build you a fire I'll build you a fire in you Singing tonight We'll be all right Sam. Foreign.

[Ryan Seacrest]

Hey, it's Ryan Seacrest for Albertsons and Safeway. Are you feeling those winter blues? Well, do not worry, they've got you covered with ways to boost your mood. Add a little sweetness to your day with big savings on all your favorite sweets. Shop in store or online and save on items like Gummy Savers five Flavors, Reese's Peanut Butter Cup Sour Patch Watermelon, M M's Party Size Stand Up Bags and Ferrero Rocher Mixed Variety Square. Offer ends February 24th. Restrictions apply. Offers may vary. Visit albertsons or safeway.com for more details.

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