Being a celebrity inherently puts a target on one’s back. Even if the celebrity is completely uncontroversial and mostly favorable in the public eye, there are people out there who will find a reason to inflict harm. One celebrity who was a victim of such harm was Tom Petty, as his home was burnt down by an unknown arsonist in 1987.
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Like most rock stars, Petty had his fair share of controversies. However, comparatively, Petty was loved by many, and if he wasn’t loved, it seemingly wasn’t due to a deep ideological resentment. Although one individual who harbored incredibly aggressive ill-will towards Tom Petty is the person who set his Encino home on fire in 1987. But, to this day, both the perpetrator of the crime and their motive are unknown.
Behind the Fire that Destroyed Tom Petty’s Home
In 1987, Petty, his wife, and his daughter lived in the San Fernando Valley neighborhood of Encino. They moved into the house during the mid-80s after Tom Petty had achieved major success in his music career. By the mid-80s, Tom Petty was one of the world’s biggest rock stars. Consequently, and like all public figures, he was susceptible to criticism, scrutiny, and violence.
According to the LA Times, it was during breakfast that Petty and his family had to flee their home due to the fire. Luckily, they all came out of the fire fairly unscathed. Upon later investigation, authorities concluded that this was no accident, but rather a deliberate act against Tom Petty.
Petty stated in the book Conversations With Tom Petty, “It was arson.” “They found the evidence where someone had cut a hole in the back fence on a hill and had been watching the house. For probably a period of time. And really early one morning they came down and set the house on fire. And it was a wooden house, and it went up really quickly. The whole place, just like a matchbox, it went up really fast,” added Tom Petty.
Tom Petty decided to rebuild the home following its destruction. The fire reportedly caused over $1 million in property damage, but fortunately, some of Petty’s original tapes were salvaged. Even though Petty was able to put a close on the harrowing incident, the authorities were not.
It’s awfully wild to think that someone once sought to kill Tom Petty, but again, fame has its pitfalls, and becoming a victim of unwarranted violence is seemingly one of them.
Photo by Gary Gershoff/Getty Images
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