During police questioning, John Galvan had confessed that he, Arthur Almendarez, and Francisco Nanez purchased gasoline, which Galvan used to make a Molotov cocktail. As reported by the University of Michigan, Galvan said he threw the Molotov cocktail against the outside wall of the Martinez’s apartment. However, instead of igniting, the bottle broke, splashing gasoline on the side of the house and the ground. Galvan said the fire started when he threw a lit cigarette into the gasoline.
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During his trial, Galvan claimed his confession was coerced. According to Galvan, one of the officers who interrogated him struck him in the head repeatedly until he confessed to setting the deadly fire. Almendarez and Nanez also claimed they were abused during their interrogations and were essentially forced to confess to a crime they did not commit. The University of Michigan reports all three men appealed their convictions. However, their appeals were ultimately denied.
