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personpersonLance JimenezLance JimenezLos Angeles Fire Department arson investigator and firefighter.← All People
Expert witness

Lance Jimenez

Los Angeles Fire Department arson investigator and firefighter.

Appeared2025 Federal Trial
398 lines·7 proceedings·2 mentions

About

Lance Jimenez, an LAFD arson investigator, testified on Day 15 as an expert in fire cause and origin determinations. He described his investigation of a January 2012 fire involving a black Porsche, including a cut canvas roof, interior burn patterns, a gasoline-containing bottle, a burned cloth, and a lighter near the vehicle. He concluded that a gasoline-filled bottle with a cloth had been lit and dropped through the roof, causing a contained interior fire, and he opined that the Porsche was targeted.

Jimenez also defined the limits of his role. He testified that he requested DNA and fingerprint testing but did not perform or interpret those analyses. He said fingerprint cards submitted after an earlier trespass at the residence were destroyed without his authorization; the court sustained objections to further questioning about whether that destruction was unusual. After the court instructed jurors to disregard prior fingerprint-card testimony, Jimenez described unsuccessful attempts to reach people connected to Scott Mescudi, including Capricorn Clark and Casandra Ventura, and said no charges had been brought in his investigation, which remained inactive.

On cross-examination, Jimenez agreed that a report reflected a partial female-DNA result on the bottle but said he did not know its significance without a comparison sample. He acknowledged that he did not collect or test a glove found in the rear seat because he believed it belonged to the owner. The court directed jurors to disregard one answer concerning other DNA. On redirect, Jimenez explained his treatment of the glove and the timing and basis of his follow-up contact efforts.

Key Points

Trial Record (7)

Trial 12025 Federal TrialMay 5, 2025 – Jul 2, 2025Called by prosecution

Lance Jimenez testified as an LAFD fire-cause-and-origin expert about a Porsche fire he concluded was deliberate and targeted. Cross-examination addressed unresolved DNA evidence and his decision not to preserve a glove from the car.

Day 14

Day 15

DirectLance Jimenez — DirectLance JimenezMary C. Slavik3highlights170lines spoken

Summary

Lance Jimenez gave expert fire-origin testimony about the 2012 Porsche fire, physical evidence found at the scene, and the later destruction of fingerprint cards.

Highlights (3)

rulingThe court accepted Jimenez as an expert in fire cause and origin determinations without objection.Open in transcript →
Quote“I made the determination that somebody had taken that bottle, put gasoline inside it, stuffed that cloth inside it, lit the cloth, cut the roof of the vehicle, dropped it down inside.”— Lance JimenezJimenez stated his cause-and-origin conclusion for the Porsche fire.Open in transcript →
objectionJimenez testified that fingerprint cards he had submitted were destroyed in August 2012 without his authorization. The court sustained objections to further questions about whether that was unusual, then addressed the dispute at sidebar.Open in transcript →
DirectLance Jimenez — Direct ResumesLance JimenezMary C. Slavik1highlight27lines spoken

Summary

Jimenez described unsuccessful witness-contact efforts and said the Porsche-fire case remained inactive without charges.

Highlights (1)

Quote“I tried to identify maybe where she lived, was unable to, telephone, didn't -- wasn't able to get through, through via telephone, and then I made an attempt through a family member of hers.”— Lance JimenezJimenez described his unsuccessful efforts to contact Cassie during the investigation.Open in transcript →
CrossLance Jimenez — CrossLance JimenezMarc A. Agnifilo2highlights189lines spoken

Summary

Jimenez was questioned about partial female DNA on the bottle, an uncollected glove, and gaps in the Porsche-fire investigation.

Highlights (2)

Quote“I asked what that meant, and I was told that if I could come up with a -- maybe a sample of somebody or suspect, maybe they might be able to match. Other than that, I have no idea what that was referring to.”— Lance JimenezJimenez described the limited meaning he understood from the partial female-DNA result without a comparison sample.Open in transcript →
testimony highlightJimenez testified that he did not collect or test the glove because he believed it belonged to the car's owner and considered it irrelevant to the investigation.Open in transcript →
RedirectLance Jimenez — RedirectLance JimenezMary C. Slavik2highlights10lines spoken

Summary

Jimenez explained why he did not collect a glove and said his efforts to contact Capricorn were not prompted by a DNA report.

Highlights (2)

testimony highlightJimenez reiterated that he did not collect the glove because he considered it irrelevant after the owner said it belonged to him.Open in transcript →
Quote“It was irrelevant to my investigation. The owner said it belonged to him.”— Lance JimenezJimenez gave his stated reason for not collecting the glove raised on cross-examination.Open in transcript →