Man bursts into flames and burns to death after attempting suicide. Thoughts?

The death of Glen B. Denny
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Glen Denny was known to have been depressed. He was a foundry owner in his mid forties. When he was last seen alive, he was visibly depressed and also had the ''shakes''. Presumably shortly after, authorities were called in to a house after smoke was seen.

The authorities had to break down the door to get in. It was locked from the inside. The windows were all closed. They found a body of a man burning very fiercely, but the victim was beyond rescue. The fire was burning so aggressively the fire officials assumed kerosene or oil had been used, but they could find no trace of fuel on the body, in the house, or even a can. Mr. Denny was not a smoker.

A pool of blood and a knife was found in another room on the same floor. Mr. Denny had slit his wrists and ankles before mysteriously collapsing in flames. Mr. Denny was still alive when he caught fire, as carbon was found in his lungs.

a reply to: 1MisterLeonard1

Woah... Cool story!?
Spontaneous human combustion or did the Devil come take him to make a new General for his Dark Army? Is a new Hell Spawn among us?!

a reply to: wastedown

It's certainly strange. I don't think it's just a coincidence he burst into flame right after he was finished slitting his wrists and ankles, or perhaps it's just me.

There was a similar case where a 25 year old killed himself by running his car in the garage. He died of CO poisoning, but they couldn't explain the burns all over his body, which didn't burn his clothes or the car.

The death of Peter Vesey is also a curious one, because it's assumed meditation led to his body catching aflame.

a reply to: FlyingFox

No evidence Mr. Denny poured fuel on himself.

a reply to: 1MisterLeonard1

Man bursts into flames and burns to death after attempting suicide. Thoughts?

My thought is that I believe he succeeded.

a reply to: Jonjonj

He didn't set himself on fire though. While he would have died without bursting into flames I find it weird, how he burst into flames and burned to death instead right after he was finished slashing his ankles and wrists.

What kind of foundry did He own? When He slit His wrists, probably by cutting 'crosswise' instead of down towards the wrist, it opened whatever the material was that was flammable that accumulated over years. Fire needs air to breath...

Or His Dosha tached out at Hardcore PITTA...

a reply to: JimNasium

Mmm, but there was a pool of blood found on the floor of the kitchen. Flammable things would need an ignition source. Hair, for example, is flammable.


It didn't say, only that it was a foundry in nearby Gretna.


There's also a very similar and just as curious case, and that is the death of Peter Vesey who told his kids and wife to leave the house for an hour, because he wanted to experiment with some occult thing. When they came back Vesey was just a blackened cinder.

originally posted by: 1MisterLeonard1
a reply to: Jonjonj

He didn't set himself on fire though. While he would have died without bursting into flames I find it weird, how he burst into flames and burned to death instead right after he was finished slashing his ankles and wrists.

I know, it was a joke.

I know the supposition is SHC, but this was 1952, an there was almost certainly an open fireplace or open electric bar fire in the room. He was also a considerable alcoholic. So being suicidal, very drunk, having cut his wrists in the kitchen he staggers back to the chair, perhaps beside the fireplace and drifts off.

Then he catches fire from a spark or something, and starts to burn, maybe some alcohol was also spilt on his clothing, but the wick effect could account for his destruction I suppose.

Just my thoughts.



Edit: I see no mention of cutting his ankles though, only arteries in his wrists.

a reply to: 1MisterLeonard1

As a former LEO it seems that this is actually the work of a very well planned murder,they were smart about knowing where to cut and the fire would have burned away evidence they left behind to tie them to the crime. Of course because of the lack of evidence they will rule that out,but that is my professional opinion.

a reply to: VashTheStampede

The door had to be broken down. It was locked from the inside and all the windows were locked.

a reply to: 1MisterLeonard1

did it say just just the door handle/knob or were both the dead bolt and handle locked. you can lock the door handle/knob and close the door.

I guess the devil burned him up.

a reply to: hounddoghowlie

No mention of a dead bolt.

originally posted by: 1MisterLeonard1
a reply to: VashTheStampede

The door had to be broken down. It was locked from the inside and all the windows were locked.

Anything with a lock and key can be opened without either provided one has the skills and the tools necessary,even deadbolts. A professional would still be able to get in without disturbing anything even if the locks are above their ability to pick,there is always a way in.

a reply to: VashTheStampede

No mention of a murder suspect.

It'd also be hard to slit someone's wrists and ankles, keep them bleeding in the kitchen for a while to cause the blood pool, and then somehow light them on fire with a fuel that left no trace and also didn't burn anything else in the house or room.

originally posted by: 1MisterLeonard1
a reply to: VashTheStampede

No mention of a murder suspect.

It'd also be hard to slit someone's wrists and ankles, keep them bleeding in the kitchen for a while to cause the blood pool, and then somehow light them on fire with a fuel that left no trace and also didn't burn anything else in the house or room.

Of course there isn't a murder suspect,no evidence of a crime=no crime in most investigations. That of course does not me that there was not a crime just that it cannot be proven.

Now the cutting and all that actually would not be hard at all there are many chemicals that can knock a person unconscious and leave little to no trace during an autopsy some of those are also flammable. The fact that all the windows and doors were locked could indicate that the assailant had planned ahead Incase the victim were to awaken before he died.

a reply to: 1MisterLeonard1

He wasn't a drummer in spial tap was he .

a reply to: hutch622

Just a boring old foundry owner.