Brian showed classic symptoms of psychopathy from an early age. Although he was seen by child specialists, they did not understand the symptoms. At age 8, Brian and a younger brother burned down the family garage. According to his brother, Steven, at age 13 Brian poured gasoline on a cat and lit it on fire. In 1972, Brian ran away to Iowa, and later that year he was arrested on a burglary charge. It was his first arrest. He was later convicted for other crimes including arson, battery, and other burglaries.