According to court documents, a cardiologist who reviewed his heart rate, pacer demand and cardiac rhythms before, during and after the fire said:

"...it is highly improbable Mr. Compton would have been able to collect, pack and remove the number of items from the house, exit his bedroom window and carry numerous large and heavy items to the front of his residence during the short period of time he has indicated due to his medical conditions."

That data became a key piece of evidence that allowed law enforcement to indict the accused, though they also detected gasoline on his shoes and clothing. The fire ended up causing $400,000 in damages. Whether or not Compton is truly guilty, Electronic Frontier Foundation staff lawyer Stephanie Lacambra told SC Magazine that cases like this "could be the canary in the coal mine concerning the larger privacy implications of using a person's medical data."

She explained: