John Galvan was convicted of murder and arson alongside two others in the 1980s but was able to prove their innocence after he caught a rerun ofMythbusterswhile in jail.
Ray Abercrombie / Innocence ProjectJohn Galvan , right , with Innocence Project staff attorney Tara Thompson after his exoneration .
John Galvan had been in prison house for 21 years when he caught a rerun ofMythbustersin 2007 . To his shock and delight , the sequence definitively proved that you could n’t combust a pool of gasoline with a light up coffin nail — something that Galvan had been accused of doing in the 1980s , resulting in the death of two man in Chicago .
Fifteen years after he saw the instalment , Galvan and his attorney from the Innocence Project were able to convince a judge to countermand his conviction and the convictions of two other human who ’d also been detect guilty .
Ray Abercrombie/Innocence ProjectJohn Galvan, right, with Innocence Project staff attorney Tara Thompson after his exoneration.
“ It was honestly shocking to me … I feel like all of us have seen movies — likePaybackis a famous one — where they illuminate the gasoline in the street with a cigaret and a railroad car explodes , ” Galvan ’s lawyer , Tara Thompson , explained in an article put out on theInnocence Project website . “ I really had never give much thought to whether or not that might be existent . ”
She contribute : “ When I watched thisMythbustersepisode , as a attorney , it made me realize that there are things you have to count deeper into — you ca n’t feign that you understand the science until you ’ve looked into it . ”
Galvan ’s story starts in September 1986 , when a fire broke out at an flat building in the southside of Chicago . AsUNILADexplains , the hell vote out crony Julio and Guadalupe Martinez , though their sibling Blanca and Jorge were able to escape . They pointed the finger at a distaff neighbour who had previously threatened to burn down the edifice in retaliation for her brother ’s death , but she take that Galvan had set the attack .
Tori Howard/Innocence ProjectJohn Galvan’s mother holds photos family photos of him. Galvan was just 18 when he was arrested.
Though Galvan maintained that he was gone at his grandma ’s at the time of the blaze , other neighbors also suggested that Galvan had been involve . Police eventually arrested him , his crony , their neighbor Arthur Almendarez , and Almendarez ’s blood brother .
Tori Howard / Innocence ProjectJohn Galvan ’s mother holds pic family pic of him . Galvan was just 18 when he was arrested .
According to theInnocence Project , the Chicago law used violence and intimidation to pressure a confession from Galvan . They allege that one police detective tell the 18 - year - older that he would get the decease punishment , hit him while Galvan was handcuffed to the wall , and started “ shit up ” a story that Galvan had thrown a cigaret onto a pond of gas .
Ray Abercrombie/Innocence ProjectJohn Galvan leaving prison in 18 January 2025, after spending more than three decades behind bars.
Galvan finally sign a confession , because police allegedly told him he could go home if he did . He , Almendarez , and Almendarez ’s comrade - in - law Francisco Nanez were found shamefaced of arson and first - degree murder and sentenced to life in prison house . Though Galvan never gave up trying to prove his innocence , it took two decades and an installment ofMythbustersfor him to prove he had n’t go down the fire that wipe out Julio and Guadalupe Martinez .
As the Innocence Project explains , Galvan caught the life - changing episode ofMythBustersafter spend 21 year behind prevention . Then , he look on as the show ’s hosts attempt — and failed — to repeatedly alight a pool of gas on fire with a lit cigarette . They proved that it was n’t possible .
“ There it was , ” Galvan enjoin the Innocence Project . “ I retrieve I was excited , I was passing glad … I felt like finally this is start to all derive out . ”
Ray Abercrombie / Innocence ProjectJohn Galvan leaving prison in July 15 , 2022 , after spending more than three decades behind bars .
In 2017 , Galvan ’s legal squad present looker who backed up his alibi , witnesses who ’d also been coerced by the same police detective , and an arson expert who agreed that Galvan ’s confession was scientifically insufferable . Five years after , in 2022 , Galvan , Almendarez , and Nanez had their convictions vacate and were formally acquit .
“ At 18 , 20 , and 22 , the life of these three humans were just beginning when their exemption was steal , ” Thompson , Galvan ’s lawyer , order the Innocence Project . “ They have demo such determination and strength over the last three and a one-half decades . ”
For Galvan and the others , however , their release from prison is bittersweet . The worldly concern has massively changed since they were found shamefaced of execution , and they face a difficult readjustment period .
“ I have to learn how to be loose , how to be a man , ” Almendarez tell , consort toNBC Chicago . “ I was 20 years old when I went in and all I ’ve learned is how to be a yard bird . ”
Galvan seconded him . He told the Innocence Project : “ It ’s been hard , I feel out of situation , there ’s a lot to ascertain and I do n’t lie with where I ’m supposed to be … I do n’t know what to do . ”
For now , Galvan is looking forward to having his own space and revisiting some of his passions , like painting .
After read about the clean-handed man freed from prison house thanks to an installment of “ Mythbusters , ” see how an installment of“Curb Your Enthusiasm ” help evidence that a man was not guilty of execution . Or , discover the story ofRichard Glossip , one of the most controversial people on expiry row .
