1 00:00:46,480 --> 00:00:51,961 Speaker 1: School of Humans. Helen Got Murder Line actively investigates cold 2 00:00:52,040 --> 00:00:55,361 Speaker 1: case murders in an effort to raise public awareness invite 3 00:00:55,401 --> 00:00:58,761 Speaker 1: witnesses to come forward and present evidence that could potentially 4 00:00:58,840 --> 00:01:02,961 Speaker 1: be further investigated by law enforcement. While we value insights 5 00:01:03,001 --> 00:01:06,160 Speaker 1: from family and community members, their statements should not be 6 00:01:06,200 --> 00:01:09,961 Speaker 1: considered evidence and point to the challenges of verifying facts 7 00:01:10,041 --> 00:01:14,041 Speaker 1: inherent in cold cases. We remind listeners that everyone has 8 00:01:14,080 --> 00:01:17,160 Speaker 1: presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. 9 00:01:17,961 --> 00:01:20,840 Speaker 1: Nothing in the podcast is intended to state or imply 10 00:01:21,041 --> 00:01:23,601 Speaker 1: that anyone who has not been convicted of a crime 11 00:01:24,121 --> 00:01:27,121 Speaker 1: is guilty of any wrongdoing. Thanks for listening. 12 00:01:30,281 --> 00:01:34,121 Speaker 2: On Monday, September twenty seventh, two thousand and four, eighteen 13 00:01:34,200 --> 00:01:37,881 Speaker 2: year old Britney Phillips, a student at Tulsa Community College, 14 00:01:38,121 --> 00:01:41,840 Speaker 2: drove home from campus with a friend of hers, Lydia. 15 00:01:41,961 --> 00:01:43,401 Speaker 3: They had just taken. 16 00:01:43,080 --> 00:01:45,881 Speaker 2: A chemistry to test, and Brittany was looking forward to 17 00:01:45,920 --> 00:01:49,600 Speaker 2: hanging out and celebrating her nineteenth birthday, which was coming 18 00:01:49,680 --> 00:01:53,361 Speaker 2: up on October fourth. When we talked to Lydia, she 19 00:01:53,601 --> 00:01:56,441 Speaker 2: said that Brittany met Lydia at her apartment that night 20 00:01:56,881 --> 00:02:00,321 Speaker 2: and that they rode in Lydia's car. After class, they 21 00:02:00,321 --> 00:02:03,041 Speaker 2: went back to Lydia's apartment, which was a short ride 22 00:02:03,041 --> 00:02:07,321 Speaker 2: away from Britney's. This was at around eight pm. Brittany 23 00:02:07,361 --> 00:02:10,521 Speaker 2: got into her own vehicle, said goodbye to Lydia, and 24 00:02:10,601 --> 00:02:11,161 Speaker 2: drove home. 25 00:02:12,201 --> 00:02:14,401 Speaker 4: I have to drag my memory now for such a 26 00:02:14,441 --> 00:02:18,281 Speaker 4: while ago, but we met me and we started studying together, 27 00:02:19,520 --> 00:02:22,961 Speaker 4: and then we realized she was a chemistry major and 28 00:02:23,281 --> 00:02:26,240 Speaker 4: I was a biology major, so we needed to take 29 00:02:26,361 --> 00:02:29,481 Speaker 4: some of the same science bosses together. So we decided 30 00:02:29,481 --> 00:02:32,801 Speaker 4: to do our schedules together and take all of our 31 00:02:32,881 --> 00:02:36,281 Speaker 4: classes together. We became friends. We were hanging out, We 32 00:02:36,321 --> 00:02:38,680 Speaker 4: even were on a trip together. We had a night 33 00:02:38,761 --> 00:02:42,721 Speaker 4: class and we got home to my apartment. Her birthday 34 00:02:42,761 --> 00:02:44,921 Speaker 4: was coming up, her plans. 35 00:02:45,401 --> 00:02:49,441 Speaker 2: But then as the week rolled on, Lydia said, Brittany 36 00:02:49,561 --> 00:02:53,520 Speaker 2: never called her, and then she noticed that Brittany didn't 37 00:02:53,521 --> 00:02:55,881 Speaker 2: show up for their next class on Wednesday. 38 00:02:56,721 --> 00:02:59,761 Speaker 5: I remember calling her. I remember trying to get a 39 00:02:59,801 --> 00:03:02,841 Speaker 5: hold of her and she didn't answer, and I was like, 40 00:03:02,921 --> 00:03:05,801 Speaker 5: that's so weird. I was like, maybe she doesn't feel good. 41 00:03:06,201 --> 00:03:08,241 Speaker 5: And so I went to school Wednesday night and she 42 00:03:08,361 --> 00:03:11,521 Speaker 5: wasn't there. I was just like, that's so weird. She's 43 00:03:11,561 --> 00:03:13,201 Speaker 5: not here, and she didn't tell me she wasn't going 44 00:03:13,281 --> 00:03:14,321 Speaker 5: to be here, you know what I mean. 45 00:03:14,761 --> 00:03:18,120 Speaker 4: But I didn't know exactly what kind of thing going on. 46 00:03:18,681 --> 00:03:22,921 Speaker 4: And then come Thursday, I still hadn't heard from her, 47 00:03:23,841 --> 00:03:27,401 Speaker 4: and I just was like, what's going on? Where are you? 48 00:03:27,721 --> 00:03:28,001 Speaker 6: Are you? 49 00:03:28,121 --> 00:03:28,520 Speaker 5: God at me? 50 00:03:28,761 --> 00:03:31,001 Speaker 4: Are you upset? Are you having a problem? 51 00:03:31,841 --> 00:03:35,281 Speaker 2: Lydia was unsure if she was overreacting or what to do, 52 00:03:35,801 --> 00:03:38,361 Speaker 2: but her gut told her that something was wrong. 53 00:03:39,401 --> 00:03:41,961 Speaker 4: So I was like, I wonder where she at. And 54 00:03:42,041 --> 00:03:44,801 Speaker 4: so I remember driving by her, so I was like, 55 00:03:44,881 --> 00:03:47,921 Speaker 4: I'm just gonna drive by and see, and her car 56 00:03:48,121 --> 00:03:51,921 Speaker 4: was there, her car window was down. That's weird. And 57 00:03:51,961 --> 00:03:54,001 Speaker 4: then I walked up to her friend's door and it 58 00:03:54,081 --> 00:03:56,681 Speaker 4: was dark. And the way that her apartment is, you 59 00:03:56,801 --> 00:03:59,321 Speaker 4: have to walk around to the back of the buildings, 60 00:03:59,481 --> 00:04:03,281 Speaker 4: very not safe for a young girl by herself, so 61 00:04:03,321 --> 00:04:05,321 Speaker 4: you have to walk in, you have to walk upstairs. 62 00:04:05,921 --> 00:04:08,361 Speaker 4: So I walked up to her door. I even like 63 00:04:08,441 --> 00:04:10,601 Speaker 4: cracked her door open real quick, and I said, Brittany, 64 00:04:10,961 --> 00:04:13,001 Speaker 4: and I heard her cat me out and then I 65 00:04:13,041 --> 00:04:16,880 Speaker 4: set the door because I got nervous. It was just dark. 66 00:04:17,041 --> 00:04:20,121 Speaker 4: It's crazy out back there by myself, I was nervous, 67 00:04:20,481 --> 00:04:21,921 Speaker 4: so then I called my dad. 68 00:04:23,241 --> 00:04:27,001 Speaker 2: Lydia's father had been a district attorney in Rogers County. 69 00:04:27,681 --> 00:04:28,321 Speaker 5: That's my dad. 70 00:04:28,481 --> 00:04:30,440 Speaker 4: I just can't get a hold of my friend. You know, 71 00:04:30,481 --> 00:04:32,681 Speaker 4: I haven't seen her in a few days. Her boat's 72 00:04:32,681 --> 00:04:35,760 Speaker 4: going straight to voicemail. I'm just and Murry's about her, 73 00:04:35,760 --> 00:04:36,281 Speaker 4: and I don't know. 74 00:04:36,640 --> 00:04:38,320 Speaker 5: I just I have no idea why. 75 00:04:38,361 --> 00:04:41,321 Speaker 4: I just thought this is so randomly odd. 76 00:04:42,601 --> 00:04:45,601 Speaker 2: Lydia's dad explained to her how to call the authorities 77 00:04:45,760 --> 00:04:50,320 Speaker 2: for a welfare check, and when first responders and police arrived, 78 00:04:50,880 --> 00:04:53,921 Speaker 2: they found Britney's body in the bedroom of her apartment. 79 00:04:54,880 --> 00:04:58,481 Speaker 2: News reports said that Brittany had been raped and strangled. 80 00:05:00,321 --> 00:05:02,801 Speaker 3: In the two decades since, ex. 81 00:05:02,641 --> 00:05:06,201 Speaker 2: Boyfriends and strangers have been questioned, sex offenders have been 82 00:05:06,201 --> 00:05:10,161 Speaker 2: investigated and DNA swabs have been taken, but there's still 83 00:05:10,281 --> 00:05:14,201 Speaker 2: no suspects. And the information that we've found so far 84 00:05:15,081 --> 00:05:17,601 Speaker 2: has made me question if a lot of the facts 85 00:05:17,801 --> 00:05:20,681 Speaker 2: that have been reported about this case are true at all. 86 00:05:21,841 --> 00:05:24,080 Speaker 2: We're going to be going back to the beginning and 87 00:05:24,241 --> 00:05:28,961 Speaker 2: asking some fundamental questions, including could the timeline of Britney's 88 00:05:29,041 --> 00:05:32,241 Speaker 2: murder be off by up to forty eight hours. Was 89 00:05:32,361 --> 00:05:35,881 Speaker 2: Brittany definitely raped? Was this the work of someone who 90 00:05:35,961 --> 00:05:39,200 Speaker 2: knew her and staged the crime scene or could it 91 00:05:39,281 --> 00:05:42,840 Speaker 2: have been a serial killer? And could that person still 92 00:05:42,881 --> 00:05:47,001 Speaker 2: be out there? And finally, could police have been on 93 00:05:47,041 --> 00:05:52,481 Speaker 2: the wrong trail all this time? I'm Catherine Townsend. Over 94 00:05:52,521 --> 00:05:55,361 Speaker 2: the past seven years of making my true crime podcast, 95 00:05:55,401 --> 00:05:58,281 Speaker 2: Helen Gone, I've learned that there is no such thing 96 00:05:58,481 --> 00:06:02,201 Speaker 2: as a small town where murder never happens. I've received 97 00:06:02,361 --> 00:06:05,601 Speaker 2: hundreds of messages from people all around the country asking 98 00:06:05,641 --> 00:06:09,601 Speaker 2: for help with an unsolved murder that's affected them, their families. 99 00:06:09,481 --> 00:06:10,481 Speaker 3: And their communities. 100 00:06:11,001 --> 00:06:12,921 Speaker 2: If you have a case you'd like me and my 101 00:06:12,961 --> 00:06:15,521 Speaker 2: team to look into, you can reach out to us 102 00:06:15,561 --> 00:06:18,081 Speaker 2: at our Helen Gone Murder Line at six seven eight 103 00:06:18,201 --> 00:06:21,801 Speaker 2: seven four four six one four five. That's six seven 104 00:06:21,841 --> 00:06:25,760 Speaker 2: eight seven four four six one four five, or you 105 00:06:25,761 --> 00:06:29,321 Speaker 2: can send us a message on Instagram at Helen gonepod. 106 00:06:30,041 --> 00:07:19,561 Speaker 2: This is Helen Gone Murder Line. Britney's mother, doctor Marjorie Zingman, 107 00:07:19,961 --> 00:07:22,201 Speaker 2: will never forget the day that she got a call 108 00:07:22,401 --> 00:07:26,721 Speaker 2: about her daughter's body being found. Since Britney's death, Maggie, 109 00:07:26,761 --> 00:07:30,281 Speaker 2: a psychologist who specializes in trauma and works with veterans, 110 00:07:30,801 --> 00:07:34,321 Speaker 2: has been relentless in trying to find answers and she's 111 00:07:34,361 --> 00:07:38,401 Speaker 2: gotten very creative about her methods. We met Maggie at 112 00:07:38,441 --> 00:07:42,161 Speaker 2: the True Crime Conference Crime Con. She was driving a bright, 113 00:07:42,281 --> 00:07:45,361 Speaker 2: pink and purple Kia Carnival with a huge picture of 114 00:07:45,361 --> 00:07:48,121 Speaker 2: Brittany on it and the side is emblazoned with a 115 00:07:48,161 --> 00:07:51,641 Speaker 2: phone number where people can call in tips. She calls 116 00:07:51,681 --> 00:07:54,641 Speaker 2: the vehicle Caravan to catch a killer, and over the 117 00:07:54,721 --> 00:07:58,961 Speaker 2: years she has driven all around America, traveling thousands of 118 00:07:59,001 --> 00:08:02,281 Speaker 2: miles and talking to multiple media outlets to bring attention 119 00:08:02,441 --> 00:08:07,041 Speaker 2: to Britney's case. Maggie is now seventy years old. She 120 00:08:07,241 --> 00:08:09,881 Speaker 2: tells us that her greatest hope is to see this 121 00:08:10,001 --> 00:08:15,281 Speaker 2: case salved and the killer caught before she dies. Britney 122 00:08:15,321 --> 00:08:18,361 Speaker 2: grew up in Tulsa, and after graduating from high school, 123 00:08:18,681 --> 00:08:22,401 Speaker 2: Britney moved to Florida to attend Eckard College in Saint Petersburg, 124 00:08:23,201 --> 00:08:26,361 Speaker 2: but after a year, she moved back to Oklahoma. She 125 00:08:26,401 --> 00:08:31,561 Speaker 2: began attending Tulsa Community College. Brittany loved her major chemistry 126 00:08:31,961 --> 00:08:35,361 Speaker 2: and according to her family, was hoping to someday work 127 00:08:35,361 --> 00:08:40,241 Speaker 2: in cancer research. She also loves sports and music and 128 00:08:40,321 --> 00:08:44,001 Speaker 2: planned to eventually transfer to Oklahoma State University to continentnew 129 00:08:44,001 --> 00:08:47,401 Speaker 2: her studies. Friends and family say she was very focused 130 00:08:47,441 --> 00:08:50,801 Speaker 2: on her goals and was a good student. The last 131 00:08:50,841 --> 00:08:53,641 Speaker 2: time that Maggie spoke to her daughter was earlier that day, 132 00:08:53,841 --> 00:08:57,841 Speaker 2: on Monday, the twenty seventh. This is also the last 133 00:08:57,920 --> 00:09:01,601 Speaker 2: day that Lydia saw or spoke to Brittany. Maggie told 134 00:09:01,721 --> 00:09:04,481 Speaker 2: us that Brittany had allergies and that on that day 135 00:09:04,800 --> 00:09:07,681 Speaker 2: Brittany went to an urgent care near campus to try 136 00:09:07,721 --> 00:09:08,481 Speaker 2: to get an appointment. 137 00:09:09,361 --> 00:09:12,041 Speaker 6: That day, she couldn't even go to her last cliff 138 00:09:12,241 --> 00:09:16,481 Speaker 6: because she was so stuffed up. And then she also 139 00:09:16,521 --> 00:09:19,601 Speaker 6: had this little little pug nose. It just was so 140 00:09:19,641 --> 00:09:22,601 Speaker 6: small that it also caused proms, But it was the 141 00:09:22,721 --> 00:09:25,801 Speaker 6: allergies that were just making her totally sick. And so 142 00:09:25,881 --> 00:09:30,081 Speaker 6: she sat in that urgent care about halfway between the 143 00:09:30,361 --> 00:09:34,401 Speaker 6: pampus and her apartments and sat there for two or 144 00:09:34,441 --> 00:09:38,041 Speaker 6: three hours. And that's when she called me when she 145 00:09:38,121 --> 00:09:40,241 Speaker 6: got upset to meet like a little girl, you know, 146 00:09:40,361 --> 00:09:43,521 Speaker 6: just graying, I've been waiting here for hours type of thing. 147 00:09:44,280 --> 00:09:45,041 Speaker 3: Britney's friend. 148 00:09:45,161 --> 00:09:48,521 Speaker 2: Lydia tells us she doesn't remember Brittaney mentioning being sick 149 00:09:49,081 --> 00:09:53,081 Speaker 2: or her mentioning urgent care, but she does remember that 150 00:09:53,121 --> 00:09:56,081 Speaker 2: they went to class together that night. She remembered what 151 00:09:56,161 --> 00:09:59,040 Speaker 2: Brittany was wearing when she dropped her off, a white 152 00:09:59,081 --> 00:10:03,521 Speaker 2: shirt with a floral print and pants. Maggie told us 153 00:10:03,561 --> 00:10:07,321 Speaker 2: that to her knowledge, Britney was not seeing anyone seriously, 154 00:10:08,121 --> 00:10:12,161 Speaker 2: but Lydia said Britney had recently told her she had 155 00:10:12,201 --> 00:10:13,881 Speaker 2: started seeing someone. 156 00:10:14,241 --> 00:10:15,081 Speaker 4: She had a boyfriend. 157 00:10:15,121 --> 00:10:16,001 Speaker 5: I had never met him. 158 00:10:16,441 --> 00:10:19,161 Speaker 4: They had only been talking for like a month. Can 159 00:10:19,161 --> 00:10:21,081 Speaker 4: I remember her telling me about him? And then she 160 00:10:21,121 --> 00:10:23,440 Speaker 4: had told me that he's worked at some restaurant and 161 00:10:23,561 --> 00:10:25,160 Speaker 4: forgot the name of it now and started with the 162 00:10:25,241 --> 00:10:27,921 Speaker 4: best and there were two locations. 163 00:10:28,721 --> 00:10:31,681 Speaker 2: Lydia called one of the restaurant's locations and was told 164 00:10:31,721 --> 00:10:34,561 Speaker 2: that the boyfriend worked at the other location. So she 165 00:10:34,681 --> 00:10:37,281 Speaker 2: called the other restaurant and talked to the boyfriend and 166 00:10:37,361 --> 00:10:38,560 Speaker 2: told him what was going on. 167 00:10:39,721 --> 00:10:41,281 Speaker 4: I was like, I am looking for Britney. 168 00:10:41,321 --> 00:10:42,001 Speaker 5: I'm her friends. 169 00:10:42,321 --> 00:10:44,081 Speaker 4: He's like, I can't get a hold of her either, 170 00:10:44,681 --> 00:10:46,481 Speaker 4: and I was like, oh my gosh. So I told 171 00:10:46,521 --> 00:10:49,001 Speaker 4: my dad all that, and my dad said, okay, Paul, 172 00:10:49,280 --> 00:10:52,361 Speaker 4: the non emergency have them come over and do a 173 00:10:52,401 --> 00:10:55,721 Speaker 4: Commonwealth pro check. And I said, okay, so if the 174 00:10:55,761 --> 00:10:58,721 Speaker 4: boyfriend actually met me out there too, we have. 175 00:10:58,801 --> 00:10:59,521 Speaker 5: The cop come. 176 00:11:00,241 --> 00:11:02,361 Speaker 4: They go upstairs and then they come back and they 177 00:11:02,841 --> 00:11:07,201 Speaker 4: can they tell us? You know, I was just completely shocked. 178 00:11:09,280 --> 00:11:13,001 Speaker 2: Britney's case is still an open investigation, so we have 179 00:11:13,121 --> 00:11:16,521 Speaker 2: not been able to access information through FOYR requests. But 180 00:11:16,561 --> 00:11:20,601 Speaker 2: according to what Lydia said, Britney's boyfriend seemed upset and 181 00:11:20,681 --> 00:11:24,161 Speaker 2: was cooperative with police. We don't know anything about the 182 00:11:24,201 --> 00:11:27,801 Speaker 2: interview process that police had with him. Lydia said she 183 00:11:27,921 --> 00:11:31,601 Speaker 2: does believe police interviewed him, but we don't know anything 184 00:11:31,641 --> 00:11:34,481 Speaker 2: about how police were ruling out suspects at that point. 185 00:11:37,881 --> 00:11:41,401 Speaker 2: In the apartment, officers found Britney dead on the floor. 186 00:11:42,081 --> 00:11:44,561 Speaker 2: Britney was lying near the foot of the bed, Her 187 00:11:44,601 --> 00:11:47,641 Speaker 2: head was turned to the right. She was wearing only 188 00:11:47,721 --> 00:11:51,001 Speaker 2: a shirt, the same shirt that Lydia described her wearing 189 00:11:51,041 --> 00:11:53,961 Speaker 2: when Britney dropped her off, and she was naked from 190 00:11:54,001 --> 00:11:57,641 Speaker 2: the waist down. We were able to get a copy 191 00:11:57,681 --> 00:12:02,081 Speaker 2: of the medical report from Britney's mother first responders pronounced 192 00:12:02,081 --> 00:12:05,721 Speaker 2: her dead on September thirtieth at ten nine pm, and 193 00:12:05,801 --> 00:12:08,481 Speaker 2: the medical examiner arrived on the scene at one. 194 00:12:08,441 --> 00:12:09,881 Speaker 3: Forty five am. 195 00:12:10,201 --> 00:12:12,721 Speaker 2: It was noted in the report that there were numerous 196 00:12:12,801 --> 00:12:17,441 Speaker 2: towels and items of clothing adjacent to her body. Investigators 197 00:12:17,441 --> 00:12:19,801 Speaker 2: stated there seemed to be no rhyme or reason to 198 00:12:19,841 --> 00:12:21,641 Speaker 2: the piles of clothes scattered around. 199 00:12:22,681 --> 00:12:24,201 Speaker 3: Police also said there. 200 00:12:24,081 --> 00:12:27,161 Speaker 2: Didn't appear to be anything obvious missing from the apartment, 201 00:12:27,601 --> 00:12:31,920 Speaker 2: and Tulsa Police Department Cold case Detective Jeremy Styles said 202 00:12:31,961 --> 00:12:35,001 Speaker 2: no one that police interviewed remembered seeing anything out of 203 00:12:35,001 --> 00:12:39,521 Speaker 2: the ordinary outside the apartment either. When Britney's toxicology report 204 00:12:39,561 --> 00:12:42,761 Speaker 2: came back, it was negative for alcohol or any kind 205 00:12:42,761 --> 00:12:47,241 Speaker 2: of drugs. One of the main things that you'll find 206 00:12:47,280 --> 00:12:50,241 Speaker 2: if you google this case is the fact that Brittney 207 00:12:50,481 --> 00:12:51,801 Speaker 2: was raped and strangled. 208 00:12:52,401 --> 00:12:54,280 Speaker 3: But is that true. 209 00:12:54,321 --> 00:12:56,321 Speaker 2: We talked to one of the former detectives on the 210 00:12:56,321 --> 00:12:59,121 Speaker 2: case to try to figure out why police believed that 211 00:12:59,161 --> 00:13:02,401 Speaker 2: Britney had been raped. He told us that because of 212 00:13:02,441 --> 00:13:05,040 Speaker 2: the way her body was found, and because of the 213 00:13:05,081 --> 00:13:08,561 Speaker 2: fact that she wasn't wearing pants, that indicated to him 214 00:13:08,721 --> 00:13:13,040 Speaker 2: a possible sexual assault. There was also a dried used 215 00:13:13,081 --> 00:13:16,721 Speaker 2: tampon found near Britney's body and a small amount of 216 00:13:16,801 --> 00:13:20,761 Speaker 2: dried menstrual blood in her vagina, but in the autopsy 217 00:13:20,801 --> 00:13:24,321 Speaker 2: report there is no mention of any seamen being found 218 00:13:24,361 --> 00:13:28,281 Speaker 2: inside Brittany. So, barring any other evidence, I have to 219 00:13:28,321 --> 00:13:31,481 Speaker 2: disagree with the detective's assessment. To me, it does not 220 00:13:31,601 --> 00:13:35,761 Speaker 2: appear that there was any definitive proof of rape. We 221 00:13:35,841 --> 00:13:39,521 Speaker 2: asked the detective about this, he replied via text. He 222 00:13:39,601 --> 00:13:42,441 Speaker 2: told us he believed if there was semen, that it 223 00:13:42,481 --> 00:13:45,121 Speaker 2: may have degraded in the time between when Brittany was 224 00:13:45,241 --> 00:13:47,841 Speaker 2: killed and the time when her body was found. But 225 00:13:48,441 --> 00:13:52,121 Speaker 2: the autopsy report also specifically states that there is no 226 00:13:52,280 --> 00:13:56,280 Speaker 2: sign of either external or internal vaginal or anal trauma, 227 00:13:56,721 --> 00:13:59,521 Speaker 2: and there is no mention of a sexual assault examination 228 00:13:59,721 --> 00:14:04,201 Speaker 2: of any kind. Is it possible that Britney's killer removed 229 00:14:04,201 --> 00:14:06,601 Speaker 2: the tampon to stage the crime scene to look like 230 00:14:06,601 --> 00:14:09,681 Speaker 2: an assault, or that they were in the process of 231 00:14:09,721 --> 00:14:14,241 Speaker 2: sexually assaulting her but were interrupted. We don't know, but 232 00:14:14,441 --> 00:14:17,241 Speaker 2: in my opinion, the fact that there is no definitive 233 00:14:17,280 --> 00:14:20,521 Speaker 2: indication in the medical examiner's report of rape or sexual 234 00:14:20,521 --> 00:14:25,921 Speaker 2: assault might change the killer's mo and presumably might widen 235 00:14:25,961 --> 00:14:31,321 Speaker 2: the pool of suspects. But then, because nothing was taken 236 00:14:31,361 --> 00:14:35,161 Speaker 2: from the scene, what was the killer's motive and was 237 00:14:35,161 --> 00:14:38,961 Speaker 2: it someone who Britney knew or a stranger possibly a 238 00:14:39,001 --> 00:14:43,081 Speaker 2: serial killer. Lydia did say that because of the chemistry 239 00:14:43,081 --> 00:14:45,881 Speaker 2: test that night, she and Brittany had left class a 240 00:14:45,881 --> 00:14:49,441 Speaker 2: little earlier than usual. Could the killer have known Britney's 241 00:14:49,441 --> 00:14:53,521 Speaker 2: schedule and been stalking her. One thing that detectives used 242 00:14:53,521 --> 00:14:55,801 Speaker 2: to determine if the killer was known or unknown to 243 00:14:55,841 --> 00:14:58,521 Speaker 2: the victim is whether or not entry to the crime 244 00:14:58,601 --> 00:15:02,161 Speaker 2: scene was forced. Many media outlets have reported over the 245 00:15:02,241 --> 00:15:05,121 Speaker 2: years there was no sign in a fourth century. So 246 00:15:05,921 --> 00:15:10,561 Speaker 2: how did Britney's killer access the apartment? One theory investigators 247 00:15:10,601 --> 00:15:13,281 Speaker 2: had was that the killer could have gotten in through 248 00:15:13,321 --> 00:15:15,681 Speaker 2: an attic space that was accessible to all of the 249 00:15:15,721 --> 00:15:20,081 Speaker 2: apartments in that complex, which might suggest that the killer 250 00:15:20,241 --> 00:15:24,441 Speaker 2: was familiar with Britney's apartment complex. But it turns out 251 00:15:24,721 --> 00:15:29,161 Speaker 2: Britney's apartment was much easier to access than initially reported. 252 00:15:30,041 --> 00:15:33,081 Speaker 2: A few weeks before her murder, Britney had been locked 253 00:15:33,121 --> 00:15:35,921 Speaker 2: out of her apartment. She had had to get someone 254 00:15:35,961 --> 00:15:38,561 Speaker 2: to boost her up to her second four balcony so 255 00:15:38,641 --> 00:15:42,161 Speaker 2: that she could get in, and when Britney's body was found, 256 00:15:42,601 --> 00:15:45,161 Speaker 2: it was noted that the balcony doors of her apartment 257 00:15:45,201 --> 00:15:48,201 Speaker 2: were open. Also, Lydia told us that when she went 258 00:15:48,241 --> 00:15:52,761 Speaker 2: into Britney's apartment that the door was unlocked. In the 259 00:15:52,801 --> 00:15:56,641 Speaker 2: early stages of the investigation, police seemed to believe that 260 00:15:56,721 --> 00:16:00,521 Speaker 2: this was some kind of robbery gone wrong. In two 261 00:16:00,561 --> 00:16:03,601 Speaker 2: thousand and seven, police went public with a piece of evidence, 262 00:16:04,041 --> 00:16:08,081 Speaker 2: a light purple lavender pillowcase found at the scene that 263 00:16:08,161 --> 00:16:12,041 Speaker 2: did not match any of Britney's other bed linens. According 264 00:16:12,081 --> 00:16:15,761 Speaker 2: to Tulsa World, Police theorized that the robber may have 265 00:16:15,761 --> 00:16:19,321 Speaker 2: broken into Britney's apartment and was using their own pillowcase 266 00:16:19,361 --> 00:16:23,080 Speaker 2: to steal things, and then the robber was either interrupted 267 00:16:23,081 --> 00:16:26,241 Speaker 2: by Britney walking in or just got frazzled and forgot 268 00:16:26,241 --> 00:16:30,481 Speaker 2: the pillowcase. Investigators at the time said they were releasing 269 00:16:30,481 --> 00:16:34,241 Speaker 2: the information about the pillowcase because there had been robberies 270 00:16:34,281 --> 00:16:38,081 Speaker 2: in the area, robberies where the perpetrators used pillowcases to 271 00:16:38,121 --> 00:16:42,081 Speaker 2: gather up the stuff they stole. Police released photos of 272 00:16:42,121 --> 00:16:45,601 Speaker 2: this pillowcase and they that maybe someone out there might 273 00:16:45,681 --> 00:16:49,921 Speaker 2: recognize the linens. We asked Maggie about the pillowcase. She 274 00:16:50,121 --> 00:16:52,641 Speaker 2: tells us that the police found no DNA on it 275 00:16:53,001 --> 00:16:55,681 Speaker 2: and that eventually they discovered that it either belonged to 276 00:16:55,721 --> 00:16:59,481 Speaker 2: Brittany or to someone she knew. They now don't believe 277 00:16:59,521 --> 00:17:02,841 Speaker 2: that it was related to Britney's murder. It seemed to 278 00:17:02,921 --> 00:17:08,120 Speaker 2: be just another red herring. There was some DNA of 279 00:17:08,161 --> 00:17:11,521 Speaker 2: in it's found in Britney's apartment. According to information that 280 00:17:11,640 --> 00:17:14,921 Speaker 2: law enforcement has released over the years, there were traces 281 00:17:14,921 --> 00:17:18,160 Speaker 2: of seamen on Britney's sheets, a small amount of blood 282 00:17:18,201 --> 00:17:23,321 Speaker 2: on a wall, and DNA underneath Britney's fingernails. Maggie said 283 00:17:23,481 --> 00:17:27,160 Speaker 2: that she believed that the DNA under Britney's fingernails indicated 284 00:17:27,201 --> 00:17:30,120 Speaker 2: that her daughter may have fought for her life. She 285 00:17:30,400 --> 00:17:33,801 Speaker 2: believes that the killer was either waiting for Brittany when 286 00:17:33,801 --> 00:17:37,161 Speaker 2: she came home, or possibly that he broke in while 287 00:17:37,201 --> 00:17:43,241 Speaker 2: she was sleeping. Maggie tells us she started investigating the 288 00:17:43,241 --> 00:17:47,481 Speaker 2: possiblity that Britney's killer had been a serial killer and 289 00:17:47,761 --> 00:17:50,840 Speaker 2: that he may have killed again or possibly left the area. 290 00:17:51,641 --> 00:17:55,680 Speaker 2: That's why she started sharing Britney's story. With people across 291 00:17:55,721 --> 00:18:00,321 Speaker 2: the country. Maggie said she estimated she's traveled over three 292 00:18:00,521 --> 00:18:04,721 Speaker 2: hundred thousand miles. She told People magazine that she has 293 00:18:04,761 --> 00:18:07,640 Speaker 2: spent a massive amount of money, approximately one hundred and 294 00:18:07,681 --> 00:18:11,920 Speaker 2: twenty thousand dollars, to keep Britney's story out there. She 295 00:18:12,041 --> 00:18:14,521 Speaker 2: also told the magazine her travels have given her a 296 00:18:14,561 --> 00:18:17,481 Speaker 2: new purpose in life. They've allowed her to process her 297 00:18:17,521 --> 00:18:21,001 Speaker 2: grief and to connect with other families, in some cases, 298 00:18:21,161 --> 00:18:24,281 Speaker 2: people who have also lost family members to violent crime. 299 00:18:25,401 --> 00:18:29,120 Speaker 2: She's also gotten multiple tips over the years she's shared 300 00:18:29,121 --> 00:18:32,001 Speaker 2: them with police. Unfortunately, none of them have panned out 301 00:18:32,041 --> 00:18:37,641 Speaker 2: so far. Although Maggie remains hopeful that one day Britney's 302 00:18:37,681 --> 00:18:40,481 Speaker 2: killer will be brought to justice, she has said that 303 00:18:40,561 --> 00:18:44,600 Speaker 2: her travels have also become about another purpose. She wants 304 00:18:44,641 --> 00:18:48,201 Speaker 2: to connect with the victims of other homicide cold case families, 305 00:18:48,881 --> 00:18:52,761 Speaker 2: and she wants to change legislation to allow more DNA 306 00:18:52,801 --> 00:18:56,521 Speaker 2: testing to be done, hopefully without waiting years or decades. 307 00:18:57,681 --> 00:19:00,840 Speaker 2: But Maggie has also never given up on getting the 308 00:19:00,881 --> 00:19:06,921 Speaker 2: break that will bring Britney's killer or killers to justice. 309 00:19:07,041 --> 00:19:11,200 Speaker 2: In twenty twenty three, Maggie got a call one that 310 00:19:11,281 --> 00:19:13,921 Speaker 2: she said could change everything that she thought she knew 311 00:19:13,921 --> 00:19:22,561 Speaker 2: about the timeline leading up to when Britney's body was found. 312 00:19:25,161 --> 00:19:29,281 Speaker 2: In twenty twenty three, Britney's mother, Maggie got a call 313 00:19:29,361 --> 00:19:33,080 Speaker 2: from her ex husband, Britney's father. He told her that 314 00:19:33,161 --> 00:19:35,201 Speaker 2: he found a birthday card that Brittany had mailed to 315 00:19:35,241 --> 00:19:37,840 Speaker 2: him in two thousand and four. He was supposed to 316 00:19:37,961 --> 00:19:40,961 Speaker 2: forward it to her grandfather. That was apparently their routine 317 00:19:41,001 --> 00:19:45,281 Speaker 2: every year. In twenty twenty three, Maggie was on private 318 00:19:45,281 --> 00:19:50,400 Speaker 2: investigator Cheryl McCollum's podcast Zone seven, and they talked about 319 00:19:50,401 --> 00:19:53,521 Speaker 2: on the podcast the fact that Cheryl had investigated the 320 00:19:53,521 --> 00:19:56,081 Speaker 2: stamp and found out that the stamp was bought from 321 00:19:56,080 --> 00:20:00,041 Speaker 2: a Kiosk machine, which means that the stamp was printed 322 00:20:00,121 --> 00:20:03,120 Speaker 2: from that machine on the day it was mailed. But 323 00:20:03,201 --> 00:20:06,481 Speaker 2: the weird thing is the post office stamp was dated 324 00:20:06,521 --> 00:20:11,041 Speaker 2: September twenty ninth, and up until that point, police's working 325 00:20:11,080 --> 00:20:14,200 Speaker 2: theory was that Britney was killed sometime between the night 326 00:20:14,241 --> 00:20:17,160 Speaker 2: of the twenty seventh, after she dropped Lydia off and 327 00:20:17,241 --> 00:20:21,721 Speaker 2: the morning of the twenty eighth. Maggie believes that could 328 00:20:21,881 --> 00:20:25,521 Speaker 2: change the timeline. Brittany could possibly still have been alive 329 00:20:25,561 --> 00:20:28,160 Speaker 2: on the twenty ninth, at least a day after the 330 00:20:28,201 --> 00:20:32,601 Speaker 2: police's timeline. She is also considered the possibility someone else 331 00:20:32,641 --> 00:20:35,321 Speaker 2: could have mailed that letter for Brittany, possibly one of 332 00:20:35,321 --> 00:20:36,401 Speaker 2: her friends. 333 00:20:36,321 --> 00:20:38,120 Speaker 3: Or less possibly the killer. 334 00:20:40,281 --> 00:20:42,201 Speaker 2: Over the years, Maggie has talked to a lot of 335 00:20:42,201 --> 00:20:46,321 Speaker 2: Britney's friends, so she hasn't found anyone who remembers being 336 00:20:46,361 --> 00:20:49,001 Speaker 2: asked to drop off a letter. So that is still 337 00:20:49,041 --> 00:20:52,161 Speaker 2: a big unanswered question. We're going to be diving more 338 00:20:52,201 --> 00:20:56,561 Speaker 2: into that question next week in Part two. Other than 339 00:20:56,601 --> 00:21:00,641 Speaker 2: the material under Britney's fingernails, which is not conclusive, there's 340 00:21:00,761 --> 00:21:03,561 Speaker 2: no sign of defensive wounds anywhere else on her body. 341 00:21:04,161 --> 00:21:07,241 Speaker 2: Now we should say the body had been there for 342 00:21:07,361 --> 00:21:10,361 Speaker 2: an estimated possibly two or three days by the time 343 00:21:10,361 --> 00:21:15,481 Speaker 2: she was found, and everything including DNA evidence, deteriorates during 344 00:21:15,521 --> 00:21:19,841 Speaker 2: that time. But the medical examiner's report does not mention 345 00:21:20,041 --> 00:21:23,281 Speaker 2: any evidence of beating or defensive wounds. There were no 346 00:21:23,441 --> 00:21:27,441 Speaker 2: injuries to Britney's face or nose. The medical examiner also 347 00:21:27,521 --> 00:21:31,121 Speaker 2: noted that rigor mortis was absent in Britney's jaw and extremities, 348 00:21:31,401 --> 00:21:34,681 Speaker 2: and that liver mortis or blood pooling was fixed and 349 00:21:34,761 --> 00:21:38,241 Speaker 2: non blanchable on the back side of her body. Now 350 00:21:38,361 --> 00:21:42,041 Speaker 2: normally blood pooling becomes fixed around eight to twelve hours 351 00:21:42,041 --> 00:21:45,321 Speaker 2: after death. Fix just means that if the body is moved, 352 00:21:45,721 --> 00:21:48,801 Speaker 2: the blood will stay in the same place. The medical 353 00:21:48,840 --> 00:21:51,721 Speaker 2: examiner did not indicate a time of death, which isn't 354 00:21:51,721 --> 00:21:54,640 Speaker 2: that uncommon. Often, in cases where a body has been 355 00:21:54,681 --> 00:21:57,120 Speaker 2: at a scene for days or weeks, the time of 356 00:21:57,161 --> 00:22:00,481 Speaker 2: death is determined by the time the victim was last seen, 357 00:22:00,961 --> 00:22:02,521 Speaker 2: rather than exact forensics. 358 00:22:02,961 --> 00:22:04,761 Speaker 3: But we do know that it takes. 359 00:22:04,521 --> 00:22:07,881 Speaker 2: About twenty four hours for rigor mortis to pass, which 360 00:22:07,921 --> 00:22:11,321 Speaker 2: would indicate that Brittany had almost certainly been dead for 361 00:22:11,401 --> 00:22:16,081 Speaker 2: at least a day or more. On Britney's neck there 362 00:22:16,080 --> 00:22:20,600 Speaker 2: were three irregularly shaped oval bruises, bruises that were about 363 00:22:20,601 --> 00:22:23,481 Speaker 2: the same size as fingers. She was wearing a white 364 00:22:23,481 --> 00:22:27,360 Speaker 2: metal necklace and it was broken. Her hyoid bone showed 365 00:22:27,401 --> 00:22:31,361 Speaker 2: signs of trauma but was not broken, which, while not conclusive, 366 00:22:32,041 --> 00:22:37,001 Speaker 2: is more common in manual strangulation than ligature strangulation. Brittany 367 00:22:37,001 --> 00:22:40,160 Speaker 2: had hemorrhaging in her throat and broken blood vessels in 368 00:22:40,201 --> 00:22:42,041 Speaker 2: her eyes, which both. 369 00:22:41,801 --> 00:22:43,201 Speaker 3: Can be indicative of strangulation. 370 00:22:44,241 --> 00:22:47,680 Speaker 2: The autopsy concluded Britney's death was violent and that the 371 00:22:47,681 --> 00:22:52,241 Speaker 2: cause of death was asphyxia due to net compression. Given 372 00:22:52,281 --> 00:22:56,201 Speaker 2: the evidence, I believe that so far it seems to 373 00:22:56,281 --> 00:23:01,601 Speaker 2: point to suffocation caused by manual strangulation. DNA samples were 374 00:23:01,601 --> 00:23:04,880 Speaker 2: taken from Britney's apartment and compared in its CODIS the 375 00:23:04,961 --> 00:23:10,481 Speaker 2: Combined DNA Index system, and there was no match. Maggie 376 00:23:10,521 --> 00:23:14,080 Speaker 2: began raising funds to do private DNA testing. She reached 377 00:23:14,080 --> 00:23:16,521 Speaker 2: out to every person she could think of in an 378 00:23:16,561 --> 00:23:20,881 Speaker 2: effort to make it happen. In twenty eighteen, Eddie Majors, 379 00:23:20,921 --> 00:23:25,080 Speaker 2: a cold case investigator with the Tulsa Police Department, announced 380 00:23:25,121 --> 00:23:28,081 Speaker 2: that he was inspired by the way the police had 381 00:23:28,121 --> 00:23:32,761 Speaker 2: caught the Golden State Killer in California using genealogy websites. 382 00:23:33,561 --> 00:23:36,841 Speaker 2: He told Tulsa World that over the years he had 383 00:23:36,840 --> 00:23:40,121 Speaker 2: developed a close friendship with Maggie. He wanted to help 384 00:23:40,161 --> 00:23:44,041 Speaker 2: her find answers in any way that he could. Emitted 385 00:23:44,080 --> 00:23:47,120 Speaker 2: samples from Britney's crime scene, the blood and seamen on 386 00:23:47,161 --> 00:23:51,401 Speaker 2: the wall to Parabond Nanilabs, a Virginia based DNA company 387 00:23:51,561 --> 00:23:55,881 Speaker 2: that is able to run familial DNA samples there, Maggie 388 00:23:55,921 --> 00:23:58,641 Speaker 2: and Eddie started working with the chief genetic. 389 00:23:58,241 --> 00:24:01,921 Speaker 3: Genealogist, C. C. Moore, and they got a match. 390 00:24:02,641 --> 00:24:05,361 Speaker 2: Maggie told us the DNA from the blood and semen 391 00:24:05,801 --> 00:24:08,921 Speaker 2: wasn't just a familial match, They got an exact match. 392 00:24:09,881 --> 00:24:14,201 Speaker 2: But then there was another twist. Law enforcement discovered the 393 00:24:14,321 --> 00:24:17,441 Speaker 2: DNA profile lay built from blood and seamen was from 394 00:24:17,481 --> 00:24:20,961 Speaker 2: someone the police had already talked to. He was the 395 00:24:20,961 --> 00:24:24,241 Speaker 2: boyfriend of one of Britney's friends, and he and his 396 00:24:24,281 --> 00:24:27,041 Speaker 2: girlfriend had spent the night at Britney's apartment the weekend 397 00:24:27,080 --> 00:24:31,161 Speaker 2: before the murder, and Maggie told us investigators have told 398 00:24:31,201 --> 00:24:34,920 Speaker 2: her that this man had an airtight alibi and that 399 00:24:34,961 --> 00:24:39,481 Speaker 2: they had already interviewed him. Police have confirmed this, which 400 00:24:39,601 --> 00:24:42,321 Speaker 2: meant that the phenotype of the killer came from the 401 00:24:42,401 --> 00:24:47,521 Speaker 2: wrong DNA profile. Only the blood and seamen contributor was tested, 402 00:24:48,041 --> 00:24:52,881 Speaker 2: but apparently the DNA found underneath Britney's fingernails came from 403 00:24:52,921 --> 00:24:54,200 Speaker 2: a totally different person. 404 00:24:55,161 --> 00:24:57,521 Speaker 3: Eddie Majors confirmed this in an interview. 405 00:24:57,161 --> 00:25:01,241 Speaker 2: With Tulsa World, saying, quote, through information we received from 406 00:25:01,321 --> 00:25:04,041 Speaker 2: him and corroboration we got for his story, we are 407 00:25:04,080 --> 00:25:06,921 Speaker 2: no longer looking at the suspect. Based on the forensic 408 00:25:06,961 --> 00:25:10,881 Speaker 2: composite drawing that we released, This means the DNA profile 409 00:25:10,921 --> 00:25:14,400 Speaker 2: that we have used for fifteen years developed from blood 410 00:25:14,441 --> 00:25:17,241 Speaker 2: and semen at the crime scene. The blood and seamen 411 00:25:17,361 --> 00:25:20,161 Speaker 2: was not our killer. It was found at her apartment 412 00:25:20,201 --> 00:25:22,921 Speaker 2: because Brittany let this young man and his girlfriend sleep 413 00:25:22,961 --> 00:25:28,841 Speaker 2: over end quote. This was a huge blow from Maggie 414 00:25:28,921 --> 00:25:32,120 Speaker 2: and the rest of Britney's family and friends, because, in 415 00:25:32,161 --> 00:25:36,481 Speaker 2: her opinion, that meant this investigation had to start back 416 00:25:36,521 --> 00:25:40,561 Speaker 2: at the very beginning. Next week, we're going to try 417 00:25:40,561 --> 00:25:44,441 Speaker 2: to answer a lot more questions, including does that stamp 418 00:25:44,601 --> 00:25:48,481 Speaker 2: really change the timeline and if so, does that mean 419 00:25:48,561 --> 00:25:52,160 Speaker 2: that all alibis have to be questioned. We're also going 420 00:25:52,201 --> 00:25:53,921 Speaker 2: to take a look at the murder of another young 421 00:25:54,001 --> 00:25:57,600 Speaker 2: woman that happened right across the street from Brittany, again 422 00:25:58,161 --> 00:26:02,561 Speaker 2: a case with robbery but no sexual assault. If Britney 423 00:26:02,721 --> 00:26:05,481 Speaker 2: wasn't raped and the killer isn't limited to someone who 424 00:26:05,521 --> 00:26:09,561 Speaker 2: knew her apartment complex, well does that change the entire 425 00:26:09,641 --> 00:26:14,161 Speaker 2: direction of the case. Meanwhile, Maggie continues to drive around 426 00:26:14,201 --> 00:26:16,201 Speaker 2: the country in her pink and purple car with her 427 00:26:16,281 --> 00:26:20,641 Speaker 2: daughter's pictures on the side, hoping that someone somewhere will 428 00:26:20,681 --> 00:26:23,361 Speaker 2: have a lead that could help close this case, or 429 00:26:23,401 --> 00:26:27,521 Speaker 2: that eventually the DNA from underneath Britney's fingernails will be 430 00:26:27,641 --> 00:26:31,880 Speaker 2: tested and could help identify a suspect. If you have 431 00:26:32,041 --> 00:26:35,561 Speaker 2: any information about the murder of Britney Phillips, please call 432 00:26:35,681 --> 00:26:40,721 Speaker 2: Tulsa Crimestoppers at nine one eight five nine six cops 433 00:26:41,281 --> 00:26:47,281 Speaker 2: or email Homicide at Ciftulsa dot org. I'm Catherine Townsend. 434 00:26:47,881 --> 00:26:52,441 Speaker 2: This is Helen Gone Murder Line. Helen Gone Murder Line 435 00:26:52,441 --> 00:26:55,041 Speaker 2: is a production of School of Humans and iHeart Podcasts. 436 00:26:55,561 --> 00:26:58,881 Speaker 2: It's written and narrated by me Catherine Townsend and produced 437 00:26:58,961 --> 00:27:02,321 Speaker 2: by Gabby Watts. Special thanks to Amy Tubbs for her 438 00:27:02,321 --> 00:27:07,001 Speaker 2: research assistance and James Wheaton for legal review. Noah camer 439 00:27:07,121 --> 00:27:10,121 Speaker 2: mixed and scored this episode. Our theme song is by 440 00:27:10,161 --> 00:27:14,721 Speaker 2: Ben Sale. Executive producers are Virginia Prescott, Brandon Barr, and 441 00:27:14,921 --> 00:27:18,640 Speaker 2: LC Crowley. Listen to Helen Gone ad free by subscribing 442 00:27:18,681 --> 00:27:22,041 Speaker 2: to the iHeart True Crime Plush channel on Apple Podcasts. 443 00:27:22,441 --> 00:27:25,001 Speaker 2: If you are interested in seeing documents and materials from 444 00:27:25,041 --> 00:27:28,441 Speaker 2: the case, you can follow the show on Instagram at 445 00:27:28,441 --> 00:27:31,481 Speaker 2: Helen Gonepod. If you have a case she'd like me 446 00:27:31,521 --> 00:27:33,921 Speaker 2: and my team to look into, you can reach out 447 00:27:33,961 --> 00:27:36,161 Speaker 2: to us at our Helen Gone Murder line at six 448 00:27:36,201 --> 00:27:39,801 Speaker 2: seven eight seven four four six' one four. Five that's 449 00:27:39,840 --> 00:27:43,001 Speaker 2: six seven eight seven four four six one four. 450 00:27:43,121 --> 00:27:48,401 Speaker 1: Five school Of humans