1 00:00:03,480 --> 00:00:06,920 Speaker 1: This series is inspired by true events. The stories you're 2 00:00:06,960 --> 00:00:09,920 Speaker 1: about to hear are fictional, and so are the characters 3 00:00:09,920 --> 00:00:11,240 Speaker 1: who are played by actors. 4 00:00:12,760 --> 00:00:13,200 Speaker 2: I'd make it. 5 00:00:20,360 --> 00:00:22,080 Speaker 3: We're back. I'm DJ Johnny Joulton. 6 00:00:22,160 --> 00:00:22,360 Speaker 4: Boy. 7 00:00:22,400 --> 00:00:23,479 Speaker 5: It's a hot one out there. 8 00:00:23,680 --> 00:00:25,919 Speaker 3: Get yourselves to the lake or up backyard pool, or 9 00:00:26,000 --> 00:00:26,520 Speaker 3: just turn. 10 00:00:26,360 --> 00:00:26,920 Speaker 5: On a hose. 11 00:00:27,160 --> 00:00:28,160 Speaker 2: Just stay cool. 12 00:00:28,280 --> 00:00:31,160 Speaker 3: Friends. Samantha from Mount Pine just called in to request 13 00:00:31,400 --> 00:00:35,800 Speaker 3: Cruel Summer by Banana Rama. Yes it is Samantha, Yes 14 00:00:35,840 --> 00:00:36,199 Speaker 3: it is. 15 00:00:40,840 --> 00:00:43,120 Speaker 1: The dog days of summer nineteen eighty four are in 16 00:00:43,200 --> 00:00:47,680 Speaker 1: full swing. It's the summer between our freshmen and sophomore years. 17 00:00:48,280 --> 00:00:50,440 Speaker 1: Kids are hanging out in now Lake during the day, 18 00:00:50,560 --> 00:00:53,640 Speaker 1: smoking cigarettes and jumping from rope swings into the murky 19 00:00:53,720 --> 00:00:57,520 Speaker 1: lake at night. They get pretty wasted at friends cake parties. 20 00:01:00,280 --> 00:01:02,840 Speaker 1: But for all the summer fun we're having, there's a 21 00:01:02,920 --> 00:01:07,160 Speaker 1: dark cloud hanging over me and my friends Tatiana and Melanie. 22 00:01:07,280 --> 00:01:10,720 Speaker 6: Lisa Anderson's murder was the worst thing ever. I mean, 23 00:01:10,760 --> 00:01:14,520 Speaker 6: it devastated us, but it wasn't like that was the 24 00:01:14,600 --> 00:01:18,600 Speaker 6: end of it, because other weird stuff kept happening too. 25 00:01:19,200 --> 00:01:22,120 Speaker 1: In the three months since Lisa Anderson's murder, Mount Pine 26 00:01:22,120 --> 00:01:25,800 Speaker 1: has seen two fatal car accidents, one drowning, and a 27 00:01:25,840 --> 00:01:29,959 Speaker 1: small plane crash which killed the pilot, the only person 28 00:01:30,040 --> 00:01:33,760 Speaker 1: on board. That's a lot of tragedy for one small town. 29 00:01:34,920 --> 00:01:37,400 Speaker 6: We hoped people dying and all that dark stuff was 30 00:01:37,440 --> 00:01:41,880 Speaker 6: behind us. Little did we know we'd be there for 31 00:01:41,920 --> 00:01:49,240 Speaker 6: the next one. 32 00:01:50,000 --> 00:01:56,040 Speaker 1: I'm Nancy Clark. This is The Murder Years, Episode two, Dawn. 33 00:02:05,640 --> 00:02:07,040 Speaker 7: Nine one one. What's your emergency? 34 00:02:07,560 --> 00:02:09,600 Speaker 8: Yeah, I don't know. It's really loud here, but I'm 35 00:02:09,639 --> 00:02:12,799 Speaker 8: kind of freaking out. I think I just heard gunshots. 36 00:02:12,840 --> 00:02:14,680 Speaker 8: I mean, there are lots of gunshots, but I think 37 00:02:14,680 --> 00:02:17,280 Speaker 8: I just Oh my god, Oh my god. 38 00:02:30,400 --> 00:02:34,239 Speaker 1: Saturday, August eleventh, nineteen eighty four is a hot one. 39 00:02:35,080 --> 00:02:38,480 Speaker 1: On this particular day, Tatiana, Melanie and I are at 40 00:02:38,480 --> 00:02:41,760 Speaker 1: the lake trying to escape the heat when our other friend, 41 00:02:41,919 --> 00:02:47,040 Speaker 1: Carla Espinoza joins us. Back in nineteen eighty four, Carla 42 00:02:47,120 --> 00:02:50,000 Speaker 1: is fifteen years old and in our grade, and her 43 00:02:50,040 --> 00:02:54,320 Speaker 1: mind is like a steel trap. She has not forgotten 44 00:02:54,360 --> 00:02:57,080 Speaker 1: a single detail in almost forty years. 45 00:02:58,040 --> 00:02:59,799 Speaker 9: I remember I got sun in at the store and 46 00:02:59,840 --> 00:03:01,280 Speaker 9: I was going to put it in my hair for 47 00:03:01,320 --> 00:03:03,920 Speaker 9: the first time that day. I was hoping it would 48 00:03:03,919 --> 00:03:07,120 Speaker 9: be way lighter by that night because I got a 49 00:03:07,200 --> 00:03:10,400 Speaker 9: date that night. We were going to get pizza then 50 00:03:10,480 --> 00:03:13,880 Speaker 9: go to the drive in. Anyway, the lake was packed. 51 00:03:14,320 --> 00:03:14,560 Speaker 1: I know. 52 00:03:14,639 --> 00:03:17,520 Speaker 9: I saw Sam Foster there with his parents. They were 53 00:03:17,520 --> 00:03:18,120 Speaker 9: on their boat. 54 00:03:19,240 --> 00:03:22,119 Speaker 1: Eighteen year old Sam Foster, a senior at Mount Pine 55 00:03:22,200 --> 00:03:27,160 Speaker 1: High School, is not just cute. He's Matt dilloncute. He's 56 00:03:27,200 --> 00:03:31,480 Speaker 1: also smart, kind and popular and in love with Don Cartwright, 57 00:03:31,960 --> 00:03:36,120 Speaker 1: another eighteen year old senior. We were all envious. The 58 00:03:36,240 --> 00:03:37,920 Speaker 1: two were the perfect couple. 59 00:03:39,720 --> 00:03:43,600 Speaker 10: Yeah, this is going to be interesting and pretty, hearn's 60 00:03:43,640 --> 00:03:46,080 Speaker 10: talk about. But I'll do my best. 61 00:03:47,520 --> 00:03:50,600 Speaker 1: Today. Sam's fifty six years old and owns a restaurant 62 00:03:50,640 --> 00:03:54,960 Speaker 1: in town. I'm surprised he hasn't left Mount Pine. In 63 00:03:55,040 --> 00:03:58,920 Speaker 1: nineteen eighty four, Sam's girlfriend Dawn would become the second 64 00:03:59,000 --> 00:04:02,960 Speaker 1: murder victim and left less than six months. He agrees 65 00:04:03,000 --> 00:04:04,920 Speaker 1: to share his painful memories of that day. 66 00:04:07,000 --> 00:04:09,160 Speaker 10: I remember the moment I started liking Don car Ryan. 67 00:04:09,760 --> 00:04:15,200 Speaker 10: It was ninth grade in biology class. She was so pretty, 68 00:04:15,720 --> 00:04:20,760 Speaker 10: like unbelievably pretty. Plus she was smart and a really 69 00:04:20,760 --> 00:04:24,280 Speaker 10: good writer. She wrote with the school newspaper, the Mount 70 00:04:24,360 --> 00:04:30,599 Speaker 10: Pine Messenger. Well so, anyway, well, she finally a couple 71 00:04:30,680 --> 00:04:35,520 Speaker 10: years later, gave me a chance and we found love 72 00:04:36,480 --> 00:04:41,400 Speaker 10: like that deep teenage love that well you can only 73 00:04:41,440 --> 00:04:42,880 Speaker 10: really understand if you've had it. 74 00:04:44,839 --> 00:04:48,520 Speaker 1: And on this Saturday night, August eleventh, is there official 75 00:04:48,600 --> 00:04:52,880 Speaker 1: one year anniversary as boyfriend and girlfriend. But their plans 76 00:04:52,880 --> 00:04:55,680 Speaker 1: for a perfect evening would turn into a nightmare. 77 00:05:02,200 --> 00:05:05,480 Speaker 10: Oh yeah, I was playing in A real nice night 78 00:05:06,520 --> 00:05:07,320 Speaker 10: started with dinner. 79 00:05:08,360 --> 00:05:10,640 Speaker 5: I had seen a recipe. 80 00:05:10,000 --> 00:05:14,719 Speaker 10: In one of my mom's magazines for broiled chicken breast 81 00:05:14,839 --> 00:05:20,279 Speaker 10: marinated in mayonnaise and Italian dressing. I was going to 82 00:05:20,320 --> 00:05:26,600 Speaker 10: make that. I can't believe I actually made that. Oh gosh. 83 00:05:27,040 --> 00:05:31,080 Speaker 10: So anyway, after the lake, I went to shop a lot. 84 00:05:31,240 --> 00:05:33,840 Speaker 10: I got a disc out there. I got the chicken 85 00:05:33,920 --> 00:05:37,719 Speaker 10: and some salad stuff and Spomoni ice cream, you know 86 00:05:37,760 --> 00:05:40,039 Speaker 10: the kind with the with the three flavors and the 87 00:05:40,520 --> 00:05:46,800 Speaker 10: little candied pieces in it. It was it was Don's favorite. 88 00:05:48,040 --> 00:05:50,159 Speaker 10: Back at home, I have say goodbye to my parents 89 00:05:50,160 --> 00:05:53,480 Speaker 10: who were going to a cookout. I took a shower, 90 00:05:54,080 --> 00:05:56,599 Speaker 10: and yeah, and I got dressed. 91 00:05:58,839 --> 00:05:59,880 Speaker 5: I was so excited. 92 00:06:00,160 --> 00:06:03,760 Speaker 10: I ran to open the door and stand in front 93 00:06:03,760 --> 00:06:06,880 Speaker 10: of me was Dawn smiling, and behind her was her dad, 94 00:06:07,200 --> 00:06:11,200 Speaker 10: and Don's dad waved as he backed out of the 95 00:06:11,320 --> 00:06:16,960 Speaker 10: driveway in his cream convertible buickre Vi Era. Man, that 96 00:06:17,040 --> 00:06:22,520 Speaker 10: car was so cool, and I well, I poured some 97 00:06:22,600 --> 00:06:25,919 Speaker 10: rum from my parents' liquor cabinet, uh, and we toasted 98 00:06:26,360 --> 00:06:30,000 Speaker 10: and we sat in the dining room. I tried to 99 00:06:30,000 --> 00:06:34,520 Speaker 10: make it special, you know, fancy tablecloths, candles. I used 100 00:06:34,560 --> 00:06:38,120 Speaker 10: my mom's good china. She would have killed me, but 101 00:06:38,560 --> 00:06:43,120 Speaker 10: Don was impressed, just as I planned, and we ate. 102 00:06:44,080 --> 00:06:47,320 Speaker 10: After dinner, we headed out and my mom's powder blue 103 00:06:47,320 --> 00:06:51,080 Speaker 10: Forward station wagon and into the driving. 104 00:06:52,520 --> 00:06:53,719 Speaker 5: We went to see Red Dawn. 105 00:06:54,000 --> 00:06:56,600 Speaker 10: It was about American high schoolers fighting the Russians who 106 00:06:56,600 --> 00:07:00,279 Speaker 10: invaded their town, which which felt kind of real back done. 107 00:07:05,880 --> 00:07:09,360 Speaker 10: But I also chose that one, you know, because they 108 00:07:09,400 --> 00:07:10,640 Speaker 10: had my girlfriend's. 109 00:07:10,240 --> 00:07:10,600 Speaker 5: Name in it. 110 00:07:12,760 --> 00:07:15,320 Speaker 1: Tatiana and I are also at the drive in that night, 111 00:07:15,600 --> 00:07:18,160 Speaker 1: but we aren't there to see Red Dawn. We're seeing 112 00:07:18,200 --> 00:07:21,720 Speaker 1: the Karate Kid. Carla and her date are there too. 113 00:07:23,000 --> 00:07:25,840 Speaker 9: We were at Karate Kid, and my dude brought pillowcases 114 00:07:25,880 --> 00:07:28,000 Speaker 9: to put up on the side windows in case we 115 00:07:28,040 --> 00:07:32,120 Speaker 9: wanted to make out. Most cars back then had jackets 116 00:07:32,240 --> 00:07:36,440 Speaker 9: or pillowcases up for privacy. I'm not sure kids watched 117 00:07:36,440 --> 00:07:37,840 Speaker 9: the movies much back then. 118 00:07:40,040 --> 00:07:47,040 Speaker 10: Yeah, I brought a couple of pillowcases too, so yeah, 119 00:07:47,160 --> 00:07:50,680 Speaker 10: I put the cases up. Don moved closer to me 120 00:07:50,800 --> 00:07:59,160 Speaker 10: and mccuddled. Half Way through the movie, nature called and 121 00:07:59,200 --> 00:08:02,160 Speaker 10: I went to the bathroom, and then I stopped at 122 00:08:02,160 --> 00:08:06,800 Speaker 10: the concession stand. I ordered Dawn a hot pretzel, which 123 00:08:07,080 --> 00:08:11,080 Speaker 10: was her favorite, got some popcorn for me, and two cooks. 124 00:08:12,400 --> 00:08:15,960 Speaker 10: I remember I couldn't hear how much it was over 125 00:08:16,000 --> 00:08:19,720 Speaker 10: the noise from the movies, and so I asked the 126 00:08:19,760 --> 00:08:20,080 Speaker 10: guy to. 127 00:08:20,760 --> 00:08:21,280 Speaker 5: Say it again. 128 00:08:22,520 --> 00:08:24,800 Speaker 10: And then suddenly. 129 00:08:35,160 --> 00:08:36,599 Speaker 9: Nine one one, what's your emergency? 130 00:08:37,080 --> 00:08:39,080 Speaker 8: Yeah, I don't know. It's really loud here, but I'm 131 00:08:39,160 --> 00:08:42,320 Speaker 8: kind of freaking out. I think they just heard gunshots. 132 00:08:42,320 --> 00:08:44,000 Speaker 8: I mean that there are lots of gunshots, but I 133 00:08:44,040 --> 00:08:48,240 Speaker 8: think I just, oh my god, oh my god, oh 134 00:08:48,280 --> 00:08:50,640 Speaker 8: my god, you need to get someone here right now. 135 00:08:51,520 --> 00:08:54,040 Speaker 11: Where are you calling from? 136 00:08:54,200 --> 00:08:57,559 Speaker 2: A paper? At that, I meant sunset four drive in. 137 00:08:58,200 --> 00:09:14,800 Speaker 1: Oh my god, I remember this so clearly. Tatiana, her sister, 138 00:09:14,840 --> 00:09:17,920 Speaker 1: and I are watching the movie. Then all of a sudden, 139 00:09:17,960 --> 00:09:20,920 Speaker 1: mount Pine police and emergency vehicles are everywhere. 140 00:09:22,480 --> 00:09:23,960 Speaker 5: It was total chaos. 141 00:09:25,000 --> 00:09:26,960 Speaker 6: I was terrified. We all were. 142 00:09:28,800 --> 00:09:31,880 Speaker 1: At this point. We have no idea what's actually going on. 143 00:09:32,800 --> 00:09:35,440 Speaker 1: But soon we hear people say a woman's been shot 144 00:09:35,480 --> 00:09:36,040 Speaker 1: and killed. 145 00:09:38,760 --> 00:09:40,959 Speaker 2: It was an incredibly chaotic scene. 146 00:09:41,840 --> 00:09:45,800 Speaker 1: That's Detective Kurt Peters. He's retired now, but back in 147 00:09:45,880 --> 00:09:49,600 Speaker 1: nineteen eighty four he was only three years on the job. 148 00:09:50,320 --> 00:09:53,800 Speaker 1: And because Mount Pine had so few homicides, Peters mostly 149 00:09:53,880 --> 00:09:57,160 Speaker 1: works in the robbery division, but not on this night. 150 00:09:58,600 --> 00:09:59,240 Speaker 5: They were just. 151 00:09:59,640 --> 00:10:03,400 Speaker 4: Talking some people everywhere. I mean, there were two screens 152 00:10:03,400 --> 00:10:08,560 Speaker 4: of moviegoers, not to mention employees of the drive, and 153 00:10:08,600 --> 00:10:08,959 Speaker 4: there was. 154 00:10:08,920 --> 00:10:09,720 Speaker 2: A lot of people. 155 00:10:10,200 --> 00:10:12,960 Speaker 4: And while we wish we could send them home, we 156 00:10:13,040 --> 00:10:17,800 Speaker 4: knew they were potential witnesses or maybe one of them 157 00:10:18,000 --> 00:10:23,880 Speaker 4: was actually the killer. So the first thing I did 158 00:10:24,040 --> 00:10:26,920 Speaker 4: was talk to the young man sobbing on the other 159 00:10:26,960 --> 00:10:27,400 Speaker 4: side of. 160 00:10:27,320 --> 00:10:28,920 Speaker 2: The police tape. 161 00:10:29,080 --> 00:10:33,160 Speaker 4: He said his name was Sam Foster, and he told 162 00:10:33,360 --> 00:10:38,800 Speaker 4: us how victim's name was don Codwright. She had been 163 00:10:38,800 --> 00:10:43,720 Speaker 4: shot in the chest and was pronounced dead at the scene. 164 00:10:44,760 --> 00:10:49,840 Speaker 10: So I told the detective somehow, and I don't even 165 00:10:49,920 --> 00:10:53,280 Speaker 10: know how I got words out. I was at the 166 00:10:53,360 --> 00:10:57,160 Speaker 10: concession stand when I heard something, and then a few 167 00:10:57,160 --> 00:11:00,920 Speaker 10: months later, saw people looking at the direction of our car, 168 00:11:01,400 --> 00:11:08,720 Speaker 10: so so I ran over and that's uh, excuse me, 169 00:11:09,600 --> 00:11:14,000 Speaker 10: that's when I saw Dawn. She was slumped over and 170 00:11:14,880 --> 00:11:19,160 Speaker 10: pleading from her chest. 171 00:11:18,440 --> 00:11:26,080 Speaker 5: I couldn't got rid what I was seeing. He was distraught. 172 00:11:26,520 --> 00:11:29,480 Speaker 2: He said, everything was okay, you went to the bathroom. 173 00:11:29,559 --> 00:11:33,559 Speaker 4: Then the concession said he said he was nowhere near 174 00:11:33,679 --> 00:11:35,640 Speaker 4: the car at the time of the shooting. 175 00:11:37,040 --> 00:11:43,880 Speaker 10: Well he uh. He asked me if I owned a gun, 176 00:11:44,200 --> 00:11:47,959 Speaker 10: and I told him, yes, a rifle, but it was 177 00:11:48,040 --> 00:11:51,440 Speaker 10: at home and I had only used different hunting with 178 00:11:51,520 --> 00:11:56,240 Speaker 10: my dad. And then he asked if I had any 179 00:11:56,320 --> 00:12:01,079 Speaker 10: motive for killing Dawn, and that's and I really lost it. 180 00:12:01,840 --> 00:12:03,560 Speaker 5: Shit. I wanted to marry that girl. 181 00:12:05,559 --> 00:12:07,880 Speaker 1: We are all freaked out in really just wanting to 182 00:12:07,880 --> 00:12:11,040 Speaker 1: go home, but to the cops, we're all potential witnesses, 183 00:12:11,600 --> 00:12:15,479 Speaker 1: so we end up staying at the drive in for hours. Meanwhile, 184 00:12:15,840 --> 00:12:18,800 Speaker 1: our parents are finding out about the shooting on the news. 185 00:12:20,559 --> 00:12:23,080 Speaker 3: Yeah, Dan, I'm here at the sunset for drive In. 186 00:12:23,480 --> 00:12:25,840 Speaker 3: There was a shooting during the eight o'clock screening of 187 00:12:25,960 --> 00:12:29,160 Speaker 3: Red Dawn. Please tell me there is one victim who 188 00:12:29,200 --> 00:12:31,440 Speaker 3: is deceased after being shot in the chest and a 189 00:12:31,520 --> 00:12:33,120 Speaker 3: killer who is still on the loose. 190 00:12:39,640 --> 00:12:42,480 Speaker 1: Detective Peter says a quick assessment of the crime scene 191 00:12:42,600 --> 00:12:46,120 Speaker 1: leaves him believing they were two shots fired, one that 192 00:12:46,200 --> 00:12:48,760 Speaker 1: went into the frame of the car and one through 193 00:12:48,760 --> 00:12:52,840 Speaker 1: the windshield, and they're thinking the killer used a nine millimeter. 194 00:12:54,320 --> 00:12:58,080 Speaker 1: Around midnight, Detective Peters arrives at the Cartwright home. He 195 00:12:58,120 --> 00:12:59,920 Speaker 1: has to break the news to Don's parent. 196 00:13:01,320 --> 00:13:02,800 Speaker 11: It was late when the doorbell rang. 197 00:13:03,480 --> 00:13:07,000 Speaker 1: Don's father, Michael Cartwright comes to the door in pajamas. 198 00:13:08,360 --> 00:13:11,800 Speaker 1: Heart writes, now in his late seventies, he agrees to 199 00:13:11,840 --> 00:13:13,760 Speaker 1: share the family's heart wrenching story. 200 00:13:14,920 --> 00:13:19,880 Speaker 11: I actually couldn't compute what I was being told. I 201 00:13:20,040 --> 00:13:25,640 Speaker 11: was like, you're telling me my daughter's dead. Our dawn 202 00:13:27,600 --> 00:13:35,880 Speaker 11: has been murdered. It felt totally surreal, like our whole 203 00:13:35,880 --> 00:13:41,240 Speaker 11: world just ended. And I thought, look, if it's that 204 00:13:41,360 --> 00:13:44,439 Speaker 11: kid in the leather jacket that she's got the major 205 00:13:44,480 --> 00:13:52,559 Speaker 11: crush on, I'll break every bone in his body. 206 00:13:57,520 --> 00:14:00,840 Speaker 1: Detective Peters says, a little after one am, he meets 207 00:14:00,920 --> 00:14:04,120 Speaker 1: with Sam Foster and his parents at Mount Pine Police Station. 208 00:14:05,520 --> 00:14:08,080 Speaker 2: I started by asking about his relationship with. 209 00:14:08,040 --> 00:14:15,000 Speaker 10: Don, and I told him we were so happy, so 210 00:14:15,160 --> 00:14:18,640 Speaker 10: in love. We were going to attend State College next 211 00:14:18,720 --> 00:14:22,280 Speaker 10: year together. Don was going to study early childhood education 212 00:14:22,480 --> 00:14:25,080 Speaker 10: and I was going to study hospitality management. 213 00:14:26,280 --> 00:14:29,120 Speaker 4: I asked him again about what he did in the 214 00:14:29,280 --> 00:14:31,680 Speaker 4: hours before the shooting. 215 00:14:32,160 --> 00:14:35,400 Speaker 10: And I told him how my parents went out that night, 216 00:14:35,160 --> 00:14:38,120 Speaker 10: I went to the grocery store and then home to 217 00:14:38,200 --> 00:14:40,320 Speaker 10: get ready for our anniversary dinner. 218 00:14:41,280 --> 00:14:43,880 Speaker 4: I then asked him if he knew anyone who might 219 00:14:43,960 --> 00:14:50,280 Speaker 4: want to hurt Don, and he just moaned and started 220 00:14:50,320 --> 00:14:51,160 Speaker 4: sobbing again. 221 00:14:52,960 --> 00:14:59,680 Speaker 10: I remember, yeah, I told him, yes, I know someone. 222 00:15:00,040 --> 00:15:01,080 Speaker 5: Who might want on debt. 223 00:15:13,320 --> 00:15:17,160 Speaker 1: Sam Foster is at police headquarters telling Detective Kurt Peters 224 00:15:17,400 --> 00:15:22,400 Speaker 1: he may know someone who would want his girlfriend Don gone. 225 00:15:22,720 --> 00:15:25,040 Speaker 10: I told him I maybe knew someone who would want 226 00:15:25,040 --> 00:15:29,160 Speaker 10: to hurt Don. I said something did happen earlier in 227 00:15:29,200 --> 00:15:35,040 Speaker 10: the day that I hadn't shared with him yet. Well, 228 00:15:35,440 --> 00:15:40,200 Speaker 10: my ex girlfriend, Michelle had actually come over. I didn't 229 00:15:40,240 --> 00:15:43,360 Speaker 10: let her in, but she sat on my front steps 230 00:15:43,400 --> 00:15:48,360 Speaker 10: and said she she wanted me back. She didn't care 231 00:15:48,440 --> 00:15:50,760 Speaker 10: that I love Don. She was going to get me 232 00:15:50,800 --> 00:15:52,320 Speaker 10: back no matter what. 233 00:15:53,880 --> 00:15:57,120 Speaker 1: Sam's referring to nineteen year old Michelle Smith, who graduated 234 00:15:57,120 --> 00:16:00,400 Speaker 1: the year before. She and Sam met while working at 235 00:16:00,400 --> 00:16:02,520 Speaker 1: Shop a Lot and they dated for almost a year. 236 00:16:03,480 --> 00:16:06,720 Speaker 1: Apparently Michelle was still hung up on Sam and determined 237 00:16:06,720 --> 00:16:07,480 Speaker 1: to get him back. 238 00:16:08,800 --> 00:16:12,520 Speaker 10: I told Michelle she needed to leave. I was getting 239 00:16:12,560 --> 00:16:15,600 Speaker 10: ready for Dawn and my anniversary dinner and we were 240 00:16:15,760 --> 00:16:22,440 Speaker 10: going to the driving later. Yeah, Michelle was pissed, really pissed, 241 00:16:22,720 --> 00:16:27,000 Speaker 10: but I wasn't sure she was capable of hurting anyone, 242 00:16:27,440 --> 00:16:32,320 Speaker 10: I mean physically at least, and I told Detective Peters that. 243 00:16:34,160 --> 00:16:38,640 Speaker 4: So Michelle knew they were going to the drive. Then 244 00:16:40,560 --> 00:16:45,800 Speaker 4: I wondered if her obsession with Sam was strong enough 245 00:16:45,840 --> 00:16:51,760 Speaker 4: for her to commit murder. So Sam said Michelle was 246 00:16:51,920 --> 00:16:55,880 Speaker 4: living with a few roommates and he gave me the address. 247 00:16:57,000 --> 00:17:01,920 Speaker 4: When I got there, though I knot but no one answered. 248 00:17:03,320 --> 00:17:07,000 Speaker 4: I hope she hadn't skipped out, and then found out 249 00:17:07,160 --> 00:17:09,639 Speaker 4: her mom's adevsk and went there. 250 00:17:10,000 --> 00:17:13,320 Speaker 2: At this point, it was like the three in the morning. 251 00:17:14,000 --> 00:17:18,840 Speaker 4: I knocked and a short bald man in boxer came 252 00:17:18,880 --> 00:17:22,520 Speaker 4: to the door. I introduced myself and asked who he was. 253 00:17:23,320 --> 00:17:27,480 Speaker 4: He said it was how How Michelle's stepfather, Michelle's stepfather. 254 00:17:27,920 --> 00:17:30,920 Speaker 4: I asked if he knew where Michelle was, and he said. 255 00:17:30,720 --> 00:17:32,960 Speaker 2: She's with her mom there at the hospital. She's with 256 00:17:33,080 --> 00:17:35,919 Speaker 2: her mom, and they were at the hospital. 257 00:17:36,080 --> 00:17:38,679 Speaker 5: Michelle was having some abdominal pains. 258 00:17:38,920 --> 00:17:41,119 Speaker 2: He sat around six o'clock that night before. 259 00:17:41,200 --> 00:17:44,840 Speaker 4: Michelle was having some adominal pain, so her mom took 260 00:17:44,880 --> 00:17:50,399 Speaker 4: her to the er. Turns out Michelle had appendicitis and 261 00:17:50,560 --> 00:17:53,040 Speaker 4: was rushed into the emergency surgery. 262 00:17:53,880 --> 00:17:56,840 Speaker 1: An officer is sent to the hospital to confirm Michelle 263 00:17:56,880 --> 00:18:00,600 Speaker 1: is there. She's been there since early evening the day before. 264 00:18:01,520 --> 00:18:03,160 Speaker 1: She has an air tight alibi. 265 00:18:05,520 --> 00:18:07,840 Speaker 2: So that was a dead end. 266 00:18:08,800 --> 00:18:12,600 Speaker 4: And a while later I was back at my desk 267 00:18:12,640 --> 00:18:16,080 Speaker 4: when I was told there was someone there to see me. 268 00:18:17,600 --> 00:18:21,919 Speaker 4: I walked out to the lobby and I saw, to 269 00:18:22,040 --> 00:18:27,240 Speaker 4: my surprise, Michael Cartwright, Don's dad. He said he needed 270 00:18:27,240 --> 00:18:30,040 Speaker 4: to talk, so I escorted him to an interview brough. 271 00:18:31,000 --> 00:18:32,840 Speaker 1: Here's Michael Cartwright once again. 272 00:18:34,200 --> 00:18:36,359 Speaker 11: I told that Detective Peters that I thought maybe I 273 00:18:36,400 --> 00:18:39,720 Speaker 11: knew who killed Don. I told him I just kicked 274 00:18:39,720 --> 00:18:42,080 Speaker 11: this guy out of the building I own. I mean, 275 00:18:42,480 --> 00:18:46,760 Speaker 11: this guy was bad news. He was selling drugs right 276 00:18:46,760 --> 00:18:50,200 Speaker 11: out of the apartment. He hadn't paid rent in months, 277 00:18:50,720 --> 00:18:52,760 Speaker 11: and he was starting to get into all sorts of 278 00:18:52,800 --> 00:18:57,200 Speaker 11: altercations with the other tenants. It took a long while, 279 00:18:57,240 --> 00:19:00,520 Speaker 11: but I finally got him out last week. Since then, 280 00:19:00,800 --> 00:19:03,280 Speaker 11: I see him around a lot, so much around that 281 00:19:03,560 --> 00:19:04,680 Speaker 11: it's like he's following me. 282 00:19:06,560 --> 00:19:06,800 Speaker 2: Down. 283 00:19:06,880 --> 00:19:09,080 Speaker 11: Even says she'd seen him once at the gas station, 284 00:19:09,560 --> 00:19:13,200 Speaker 11: like he appears out of nowhere, and I'm telling you, she. 285 00:19:13,119 --> 00:19:14,760 Speaker 2: Was super creeped out. 286 00:19:15,400 --> 00:19:16,680 Speaker 11: I told him I would report it. 287 00:19:17,359 --> 00:19:19,919 Speaker 4: I asked mister Carr right the guy's name, and he 288 00:19:20,080 --> 00:19:26,679 Speaker 4: said Todd Wilson. So I ran his name through the 289 00:19:26,760 --> 00:19:31,440 Speaker 4: system and I learned Todd Wilson was twenty five years 290 00:19:31,480 --> 00:19:36,560 Speaker 4: old and he had a record, but mostly for drug 291 00:19:36,560 --> 00:19:38,360 Speaker 4: offenses and shoplifting. 292 00:19:40,480 --> 00:19:42,280 Speaker 2: I knew we needed to talk to him right. 293 00:19:43,400 --> 00:19:46,720 Speaker 4: His last known address listed was the one he was 294 00:19:46,840 --> 00:19:52,360 Speaker 4: just evicted from, so her question was where is it. 295 00:19:53,040 --> 00:19:55,240 Speaker 11: I told the detective that his sister might know. 296 00:19:56,320 --> 00:19:59,080 Speaker 1: Detective Peters looks her up and finds her address. 297 00:20:00,560 --> 00:20:03,760 Speaker 4: When I got to the sister's apartment, I could see 298 00:20:03,760 --> 00:20:07,200 Speaker 4: through the window there was a guy sleeping. 299 00:20:06,800 --> 00:20:07,520 Speaker 2: On the sofa. 300 00:20:09,000 --> 00:20:12,399 Speaker 4: I was thinking it had to be him, right, I 301 00:20:12,480 --> 00:20:18,800 Speaker 4: knocked and the guy stirred. I knocked again, then watched 302 00:20:18,840 --> 00:20:21,920 Speaker 4: him get up and walked towards the door. I put 303 00:20:22,000 --> 00:20:24,840 Speaker 4: my hand on my gun. I needed to be ready. 304 00:20:25,520 --> 00:20:28,720 Speaker 4: The door open place where a mess dirty clothes were 305 00:20:29,040 --> 00:20:32,680 Speaker 4: strewn around the room. Empty food containers and beer cans 306 00:20:32,680 --> 00:20:35,639 Speaker 4: clutted the coffee table and the floor around it. It 307 00:20:35,720 --> 00:20:39,480 Speaker 4: didn't smell too good in there either, like someone had 308 00:20:39,480 --> 00:20:44,680 Speaker 4: been microwaving fish. And standing before me at the door 309 00:20:45,280 --> 00:20:49,000 Speaker 4: was this unshaven guy, white, mid twenties and wreaking of alcohol. 310 00:20:49,080 --> 00:20:52,400 Speaker 4: I asked him his name. He said, Todd Wilson. Suggest 311 00:20:52,480 --> 00:20:55,119 Speaker 4: who I was looking for. I told him I was 312 00:20:55,200 --> 00:20:58,160 Speaker 4: investigating a murder and I had some questions for him. 313 00:20:59,400 --> 00:21:03,320 Speaker 4: And I was actually surprised when he invited me in 314 00:21:04,000 --> 00:21:04,439 Speaker 4: corn and. 315 00:21:05,960 --> 00:21:06,960 Speaker 2: He looked nervous though. 316 00:21:07,680 --> 00:21:11,960 Speaker 4: I asked him if he was on anything, any drugs, 317 00:21:12,000 --> 00:21:15,040 Speaker 4: but he said no. He told me he recently got 318 00:21:15,080 --> 00:21:18,480 Speaker 4: evicted and he was furious. I'll be able to pay 319 00:21:18,480 --> 00:21:21,840 Speaker 4: my rent soon. He told his landlord he was going 320 00:21:21,920 --> 00:21:24,320 Speaker 4: to be able to pay the rent soon. But the 321 00:21:24,400 --> 00:21:28,160 Speaker 4: dude didn't care. He just wanted him out. I asked 322 00:21:28,240 --> 00:21:33,600 Speaker 4: him his landlord's name, Cartwright cart Right. He said, I 323 00:21:33,600 --> 00:21:34,080 Speaker 4: think he's. 324 00:21:33,960 --> 00:21:36,120 Speaker 2: The same guy whose daughter got killed last night. 325 00:21:36,320 --> 00:21:39,600 Speaker 4: I think he's the same guy whose daughter got killed 326 00:21:39,680 --> 00:21:43,080 Speaker 4: last night. I asked him if he confronted the landlord, 327 00:21:43,119 --> 00:21:45,960 Speaker 4: if he provoked the guy after he got thrown out. 328 00:21:46,200 --> 00:21:48,600 Speaker 4: He said no, no, I haven't seen the guy since, 329 00:21:48,640 --> 00:21:50,879 Speaker 4: and no, I didn't do anything to his daughter. 330 00:21:51,080 --> 00:21:53,760 Speaker 2: He swore he didn't do anything to his daughter. I 331 00:21:53,840 --> 00:21:57,080 Speaker 2: asked him where he was last night and he stuttered. 332 00:21:57,720 --> 00:22:03,320 Speaker 2: Then he said he went to the movies. Seriously, he's 333 00:22:03,359 --> 00:22:04,120 Speaker 2: admitting this. 334 00:22:04,720 --> 00:22:07,040 Speaker 4: I asked maybe he had proof, and he said yes, 335 00:22:08,040 --> 00:22:11,040 Speaker 4: and he had the ticket stub. 336 00:22:11,400 --> 00:22:12,240 Speaker 5: In his wallet. 337 00:22:13,640 --> 00:22:16,679 Speaker 1: Detective Peter says, Todd Wilson opens his wallet and pulls 338 00:22:16,680 --> 00:22:18,879 Speaker 1: out a ticket stub for the seven point thirty showing 339 00:22:19,000 --> 00:22:23,280 Speaker 1: of Red Dawn. But when Peters examines the ticket more closely, 340 00:22:23,880 --> 00:22:27,280 Speaker 1: he sees it from the Mount Pine Cinema downtown, not 341 00:22:27,440 --> 00:22:28,639 Speaker 1: the Sunset four driving. 342 00:22:29,760 --> 00:22:30,760 Speaker 2: I was like, damn it. 343 00:22:31,960 --> 00:22:34,439 Speaker 4: I would still need to interview the employees at the 344 00:22:34,480 --> 00:22:38,280 Speaker 4: movie theater to confirm he was actually there. I mean, 345 00:22:38,359 --> 00:22:40,600 Speaker 4: he could have gotten the ticket stub from a friend, 346 00:22:42,040 --> 00:22:45,440 Speaker 4: but he had it already. He didn't know I was coming, 347 00:22:46,240 --> 00:22:49,960 Speaker 4: And it seemed like my gut was telling me this 348 00:22:50,040 --> 00:22:52,200 Speaker 4: guy was not the killer. 349 00:22:56,680 --> 00:22:59,520 Speaker 1: Detective Peter says after his interview with Todd Wilson, he 350 00:22:59,560 --> 00:23:02,639 Speaker 1: goes home to get a few hours of sleep. It 351 00:23:02,680 --> 00:23:07,280 Speaker 1: may be a long road to catching his killer. As 352 00:23:07,320 --> 00:23:10,560 Speaker 1: the days turn into weeks with no real leads, Detective 353 00:23:10,560 --> 00:23:14,879 Speaker 1: Peters says he's at a loss. Then a call comes 354 00:23:14,920 --> 00:23:19,960 Speaker 1: in that gives him some direction. Uh. 355 00:23:20,040 --> 00:23:24,800 Speaker 8: Yeah, I don't get my name or anything, but I 356 00:23:24,800 --> 00:23:27,280 Speaker 8: think I know where that gun, the one that was 357 00:23:27,359 --> 00:23:28,760 Speaker 8: used to kill that girl at the drive in. 358 00:23:30,000 --> 00:23:30,959 Speaker 2: I think I know where it is. 359 00:23:38,160 --> 00:23:42,040 Speaker 1: Several weeks after Don Cartwright's murder, lead, Detective Peters gets 360 00:23:42,040 --> 00:23:43,080 Speaker 1: an anonymous tip. 361 00:23:46,119 --> 00:23:49,919 Speaker 8: Yeah, that gun, I heard It's in the lake behind 362 00:23:49,960 --> 00:23:50,439 Speaker 8: the drive in. 363 00:23:51,720 --> 00:23:55,960 Speaker 1: Peters says all tips are taken seriously, this one, especially 364 00:23:57,200 --> 00:23:59,720 Speaker 1: since Mount Pine doesn't have a dive team they asked 365 00:23:59,760 --> 00:24:03,280 Speaker 1: for from the county. Turns out, the county's dive team 366 00:24:03,400 --> 00:24:06,080 Speaker 1: is responsible for a total of two hundred and eighteen 367 00:24:06,160 --> 00:24:10,760 Speaker 1: lakes and bodies of water. Officer Cliff Nelson will lead 368 00:24:10,800 --> 00:24:12,960 Speaker 1: the crew of ten in the search for the murder weapon. 369 00:24:13,960 --> 00:24:17,640 Speaker 1: He's long since retired, but he graciously agreed to take 370 00:24:17,720 --> 00:24:19,800 Speaker 1: me through what they did that day at the lake 371 00:24:19,840 --> 00:24:20,720 Speaker 1: behind the drive in. 372 00:24:22,040 --> 00:24:26,400 Speaker 12: Normally we use specialized equipment for searching, such as metal detectives. 373 00:24:26,760 --> 00:24:29,800 Speaker 12: It was just, you know, it was just impossible. This 374 00:24:29,920 --> 00:24:32,880 Speaker 12: lake was topped to bottom, thick with weeds. It was murky. 375 00:24:33,359 --> 00:24:36,159 Speaker 12: We couldn't even see down there. So we had to 376 00:24:36,160 --> 00:24:39,320 Speaker 12: come up with a different procedure, which was walking it 377 00:24:39,520 --> 00:24:43,119 Speaker 12: and stepping on things and picking them up and seeing 378 00:24:43,119 --> 00:24:47,719 Speaker 12: what it was. So we decided to link arms and 379 00:24:47,760 --> 00:24:51,240 Speaker 12: we walked slowly, trying to feel with our feet with 380 00:24:51,320 --> 00:24:53,520 Speaker 12: every step, out of the area where we thought the 381 00:24:53,560 --> 00:24:56,560 Speaker 12: gun would be about the size of a football field. 382 00:24:56,640 --> 00:25:02,119 Speaker 12: Right then, about thirty minutes in, officer yells, hey, I 383 00:25:02,119 --> 00:25:05,960 Speaker 12: think I just stepped on something. He reaches down, pulled 384 00:25:06,040 --> 00:25:08,879 Speaker 12: up a gun was a nine millimeter jackpot. 385 00:25:09,400 --> 00:25:11,560 Speaker 2: Yeah. I mean it was a good day, you know. 386 00:25:12,040 --> 00:25:15,240 Speaker 12: Detective Peters was very pleased, I can tell you that. 387 00:25:16,520 --> 00:25:21,640 Speaker 4: So now we got the gun, but it had been 388 00:25:21,720 --> 00:25:26,360 Speaker 4: underwater and maybe wiped clean, so there were no viable 389 00:25:26,359 --> 00:25:29,320 Speaker 4: prints on it. But we were able to run the 390 00:25:29,400 --> 00:25:34,919 Speaker 4: ceial number and it came back registered to Leslie Perkins. 391 00:25:36,800 --> 00:25:39,600 Speaker 1: Detective Peters heads out to talk with forty one year 392 00:25:39,600 --> 00:25:42,919 Speaker 1: old Leslie Perkins, who lives in a modest home on 393 00:25:42,960 --> 00:25:46,119 Speaker 1: a cul de sac, the last street before the industrial 394 00:25:46,160 --> 00:25:50,120 Speaker 1: part of town. The house is run down, it could 395 00:25:50,200 --> 00:25:53,919 Speaker 1: use a paint job. Actually, newspapers covered the windows in 396 00:25:53,960 --> 00:25:57,080 Speaker 1: lieu of curtains. When Peters knocks on her torn up 397 00:25:57,080 --> 00:25:58,920 Speaker 1: screen door, a boy appears. 398 00:26:00,600 --> 00:26:04,520 Speaker 4: Kid looked around fifteen years old, maybe fourteen. His clothes 399 00:26:04,520 --> 00:26:07,639 Speaker 4: were dirty, his hair matted. I asked him if Leslie 400 00:26:07,680 --> 00:26:11,560 Speaker 4: Perkins was home, and he said yes, that was his mom, 401 00:26:11,640 --> 00:26:13,000 Speaker 4: and he'd go get her. 402 00:26:14,080 --> 00:26:18,960 Speaker 1: Leslie Perkins invites Detective Peters inside. The place is as 403 00:26:18,960 --> 00:26:23,120 Speaker 1: depressing inside as it is out, ripped up furniture, bowls 404 00:26:23,119 --> 00:26:27,720 Speaker 1: of old food everywhere. Peters explains why he's there. 405 00:26:29,160 --> 00:26:30,160 Speaker 2: I'll got you to chase. 406 00:26:30,960 --> 00:26:33,720 Speaker 4: I told her we believed her gun had been used 407 00:26:33,760 --> 00:26:36,600 Speaker 4: to murder an eighteen year old girl. I asked her 408 00:26:36,640 --> 00:26:39,280 Speaker 4: if she knew Don Cartwright. 409 00:26:39,040 --> 00:26:42,480 Speaker 2: And she said no, I don't. Then I asked her 410 00:26:42,760 --> 00:26:43,959 Speaker 2: where her gun was. 411 00:26:44,400 --> 00:26:45,360 Speaker 10: It's in my nightstand. 412 00:26:45,560 --> 00:26:48,040 Speaker 2: She didn't hesitate. She said it was in her nightstand. 413 00:26:48,240 --> 00:26:50,400 Speaker 9: As a single mother, I have it for protection. 414 00:26:51,000 --> 00:26:54,000 Speaker 2: As a single mother, she said she had it for protection. 415 00:26:54,640 --> 00:26:55,320 Speaker 2: I asked her to. 416 00:26:55,320 --> 00:26:58,480 Speaker 4: Go get it, but fully knowing it wouldn't be there 417 00:26:58,520 --> 00:27:00,520 Speaker 4: because we believe we at it. 418 00:27:01,720 --> 00:27:05,240 Speaker 1: Leslie Perkins leaves the room and returns empty handed. 419 00:27:06,160 --> 00:27:07,200 Speaker 8: The gun is gone. 420 00:27:07,760 --> 00:27:10,359 Speaker 2: She said the gun was gone. 421 00:27:10,760 --> 00:27:15,360 Speaker 4: I asked her who knew she had it? Just then 422 00:27:15,480 --> 00:27:18,280 Speaker 4: she looked over at her son standing in the doorway, 423 00:27:18,320 --> 00:27:20,560 Speaker 4: and he just faulted and ran out. 424 00:27:20,359 --> 00:27:21,000 Speaker 2: The back door. 425 00:27:22,080 --> 00:27:24,919 Speaker 1: Detective Peter says, he runs after him, but the kid's 426 00:27:24,920 --> 00:27:26,640 Speaker 1: too fast. He's gone. 427 00:27:27,760 --> 00:27:31,520 Speaker 4: So I called the backup and fibolo a be on 428 00:27:31,560 --> 00:27:34,320 Speaker 4: the lookout. They put out for a white mouth around 429 00:27:34,320 --> 00:27:37,439 Speaker 4: fourteen years old. He was wearing a zzy top T 430 00:27:37,600 --> 00:27:39,080 Speaker 4: shirt and jeans. 431 00:27:40,320 --> 00:27:44,000 Speaker 1: Police search mail Pine for hours. They called in the 432 00:27:44,080 --> 00:27:47,480 Speaker 1: canine dogs from the county, but they eventually lose his scent. 433 00:27:49,119 --> 00:27:52,960 Speaker 1: Detective Peters says it was as if the kid pulled 434 00:27:52,960 --> 00:27:58,800 Speaker 1: a Houdini like. He totally disappeared. Six hours into the search, 435 00:27:59,240 --> 00:28:02,359 Speaker 1: police find and we find him hiding in a storm 436 00:28:02,440 --> 00:28:06,840 Speaker 1: drain near the elementary school. His name is Dennis Perkins 437 00:28:07,359 --> 00:28:09,320 Speaker 1: and he's actually sixteen years old. 438 00:28:10,800 --> 00:28:15,560 Speaker 4: Finally, right we took him into custody and went to 439 00:28:15,680 --> 00:28:20,000 Speaker 4: the station where the mother was already waiting. But there 440 00:28:20,080 --> 00:28:23,200 Speaker 4: wasn't going to be an interview because Dennis's mother refused 441 00:28:23,200 --> 00:28:26,959 Speaker 4: to let her son speak with us as a lawyer present, 442 00:28:27,720 --> 00:28:30,159 Speaker 4: The interview was over before it ever began. 443 00:28:30,880 --> 00:28:32,240 Speaker 2: So we got a. 444 00:28:32,240 --> 00:28:36,840 Speaker 4: Warrant and searched dnnisis room, and luckily we found one 445 00:28:37,000 --> 00:28:40,560 Speaker 4: significant piece of evidence, or at least we hoped it 446 00:28:40,640 --> 00:28:44,000 Speaker 4: was significant. We found a pair of tennis shoes with 447 00:28:44,240 --> 00:28:47,840 Speaker 4: some small pieces of glass embedded in them. We were 448 00:28:47,840 --> 00:28:53,200 Speaker 4: thinking it was glass from the windshield. We knew there 449 00:28:53,320 --> 00:28:55,800 Speaker 4: was still a lot of work to do, but we 450 00:28:55,920 --> 00:29:00,000 Speaker 4: had enough to hold him for forty eight hours. 451 00:29:00,120 --> 00:29:00,760 Speaker 7: Luck would have it. 452 00:29:01,480 --> 00:29:03,920 Speaker 4: The very next day a witness came for it and 453 00:29:04,000 --> 00:29:08,160 Speaker 4: said he saw Dennis Perkins at the drive end that night, 454 00:29:08,440 --> 00:29:16,080 Speaker 4: leaving the hole in the fence behind the bathrooms. We 455 00:29:16,200 --> 00:29:20,000 Speaker 4: arrested Dennis Perkins upon a second degree murder charge, along 456 00:29:20,000 --> 00:29:24,080 Speaker 4: with two counts of possession of a firearm. I asked 457 00:29:24,120 --> 00:29:27,760 Speaker 4: the kid why he did it. He just stared back 458 00:29:27,800 --> 00:29:32,080 Speaker 4: at me in silence. He was charged as an adult 459 00:29:32,720 --> 00:29:34,320 Speaker 4: and held with our bond. 460 00:29:39,960 --> 00:29:42,600 Speaker 1: I tracked down the prosecutor who tried the case, Ben 461 00:29:42,680 --> 00:29:45,800 Speaker 1: blythe Today he's a circuit court judge. 462 00:29:46,360 --> 00:29:48,080 Speaker 13: Look, the first thing I did was go back to 463 00:29:48,160 --> 00:29:50,600 Speaker 13: court to argue for the charges to be upgraded to 464 00:29:50,640 --> 00:29:53,960 Speaker 13: first degree murder. We believed he not only knew what 465 00:29:54,000 --> 00:29:57,520 Speaker 13: he was doing, it was deliberate, and that would be 466 00:29:58,040 --> 00:30:00,719 Speaker 13: corroborated by a new witness came forward. 467 00:30:01,960 --> 00:30:04,800 Speaker 7: This witness was two cars in front of Sam and Dawns. 468 00:30:05,520 --> 00:30:08,280 Speaker 13: He said he heard the first shot, then maybe three 469 00:30:08,320 --> 00:30:12,000 Speaker 13: seconds later, he heard a second shot. We all knew 470 00:30:12,040 --> 00:30:14,680 Speaker 13: there was a lot of heavy gunfire in the movie, 471 00:30:14,720 --> 00:30:18,320 Speaker 13: but this witness owned the same kind of gun and 472 00:30:18,400 --> 00:30:21,880 Speaker 13: knew the difference between the movie gunfire and what was 473 00:30:21,880 --> 00:30:27,200 Speaker 13: happening in real life. We believed the first shot missed 474 00:30:27,560 --> 00:30:30,880 Speaker 13: and it hit the frame of the car, and instead 475 00:30:30,920 --> 00:30:36,200 Speaker 13: of leaving, Perkins waited three seconds, which is actually a 476 00:30:36,240 --> 00:30:42,200 Speaker 13: long time one one thousand, two, one thousand, three, one thousand. 477 00:30:43,600 --> 00:30:45,920 Speaker 7: Then he fired the second and fatal shot. 478 00:30:48,080 --> 00:30:51,160 Speaker 13: So we argued that the killing was wilful and deliberate 479 00:30:51,880 --> 00:30:54,920 Speaker 13: since he waited before firing the second shot. 480 00:30:55,560 --> 00:30:59,280 Speaker 1: And judge agrees. Dennis Perkins charges are upgraded to first 481 00:30:59,280 --> 00:31:05,080 Speaker 1: degree murder. He pleads not guilty. Nine months later, the 482 00:31:05,160 --> 00:31:10,720 Speaker 1: trial begins. Don's parents are there every day. 483 00:31:11,280 --> 00:31:13,080 Speaker 11: I mean, the pain that my wife and I were 484 00:31:13,080 --> 00:31:20,000 Speaker 11: in was unbearable, and that guy I couldn't stand the 485 00:31:20,000 --> 00:31:23,280 Speaker 11: sight of him in the courtroom. All we could see 486 00:31:23,360 --> 00:31:24,880 Speaker 11: was the back of his head and was still. 487 00:31:24,760 --> 00:31:26,040 Speaker 5: Enough to make. 488 00:31:27,760 --> 00:31:28,800 Speaker 2: Me want off. 489 00:31:29,880 --> 00:31:31,040 Speaker 11: I want to kill him for what he did to 490 00:31:31,080 --> 00:31:34,720 Speaker 11: my family, for taking Don away from US. 491 00:31:37,640 --> 00:31:41,160 Speaker 1: Prosecutor Ben Blythe believes it's an open and shutcase. 492 00:31:41,760 --> 00:31:44,400 Speaker 13: We knew his mom's gun was used to kill Don Okay, 493 00:31:44,880 --> 00:31:48,920 Speaker 13: and it was later proven to be a match. The 494 00:31:48,960 --> 00:31:52,040 Speaker 13: glass and issues came back to match the windshield, and 495 00:31:52,120 --> 00:31:54,320 Speaker 13: he got very lucky when a friend of Dennis Burkers 496 00:31:54,400 --> 00:31:59,080 Speaker 13: came forward at trial. He testified about how they had 497 00:31:59,120 --> 00:32:02,080 Speaker 13: snuck into the drive in through the hole in the 498 00:32:02,120 --> 00:32:06,760 Speaker 13: fence behind the bathroom. After walking around for a while, 499 00:32:07,120 --> 00:32:10,800 Speaker 13: this guy watched Perkins knock on a car window and 500 00:32:10,960 --> 00:32:14,080 Speaker 13: asked the person to roll it down. Then he said 501 00:32:14,080 --> 00:32:17,800 Speaker 13: he heard Dennis say something about money. He couldn't hear 502 00:32:17,840 --> 00:32:22,040 Speaker 13: what the person, the woman in the car, said, but 503 00:32:22,160 --> 00:32:24,320 Speaker 13: it looked like she just rolled the window back up. 504 00:32:25,720 --> 00:32:28,600 Speaker 13: The friend said he started to walk away, then he 505 00:32:28,600 --> 00:32:31,960 Speaker 13: heard a shot. When he turned around, he saw Dennis 506 00:32:31,960 --> 00:32:35,240 Speaker 13: Perkins standing in front of the car. Then he saw 507 00:32:35,320 --> 00:32:40,040 Speaker 13: him shoot again. He said he ran and never looked back, 508 00:32:42,000 --> 00:32:44,479 Speaker 13: but the next day, Perkins went to his house and 509 00:32:44,600 --> 00:32:46,320 Speaker 13: told him he was mad. 510 00:32:46,120 --> 00:32:47,240 Speaker 7: That the girl was rude to it. 511 00:32:48,120 --> 00:32:51,120 Speaker 13: She was a bitch and looked like she had money 512 00:32:51,160 --> 00:32:54,080 Speaker 13: and just didn't want to give it to him. 513 00:32:55,320 --> 00:32:55,640 Speaker 7: He said. 514 00:32:55,680 --> 00:32:57,880 Speaker 13: In the months leading up to the killing, Perkins would 515 00:32:57,920 --> 00:33:01,120 Speaker 13: take his mom's gun and just like around the house, 516 00:33:01,440 --> 00:33:04,200 Speaker 13: pretend or practice like he was robbing someone. 517 00:33:05,120 --> 00:33:06,680 Speaker 7: The witness said. 518 00:33:06,480 --> 00:33:09,720 Speaker 13: He felt really awful that he never told anybody about it. 519 00:33:10,600 --> 00:33:13,120 Speaker 13: Thought he might have been able to prevent Don Kyle 520 00:33:13,240 --> 00:33:17,680 Speaker 13: Wright's death and that was something he'd have to live 521 00:33:17,720 --> 00:33:25,680 Speaker 13: with for the rest of his life. 522 00:33:26,760 --> 00:33:29,480 Speaker 1: On the sixth day of the trial, the case goes 523 00:33:29,480 --> 00:33:32,960 Speaker 1: to the jury. They come back in five hours with 524 00:33:33,040 --> 00:33:38,280 Speaker 1: a verdict guilty. Dennis Perkins is sentenced to life without parole. 525 00:33:38,960 --> 00:33:41,480 Speaker 1: Don's father bursts into tears. 526 00:33:41,920 --> 00:33:48,320 Speaker 11: Yeah, great, he was found guilty, but it never should 527 00:33:48,320 --> 00:33:51,960 Speaker 11: have happened in the first place. I mean, he could 528 00:33:51,960 --> 00:33:56,640 Speaker 11: have just walked away after the first shot. Why does 529 00:33:56,680 --> 00:34:00,960 Speaker 11: he have to keep shooting. Why do you have to 530 00:34:01,000 --> 00:34:04,680 Speaker 11: take our daughter away, our only daughter. 531 00:34:07,200 --> 00:34:09,880 Speaker 13: I mean, look, as the prosecutor, I was really happy 532 00:34:09,880 --> 00:34:13,840 Speaker 13: with the verdict, but the whole thing was a tragedy. 533 00:34:14,920 --> 00:34:19,480 Speaker 13: I mean, Don Cartwright should never have been killed, and 534 00:34:19,600 --> 00:34:22,480 Speaker 13: a sixteen year old should not have made the tragic 535 00:34:22,560 --> 00:34:26,279 Speaker 13: choices he made that night that essentially ended not just 536 00:34:26,360 --> 00:34:27,320 Speaker 13: Don's life. 537 00:34:27,680 --> 00:34:34,600 Speaker 7: But his too. This case had detected Peter's real. 538 00:34:34,480 --> 00:34:40,880 Speaker 4: Hard This is just my opinion, but he should not 539 00:34:40,960 --> 00:34:44,799 Speaker 4: have had access to a gun. He was a kid 540 00:34:45,840 --> 00:34:49,439 Speaker 4: and a trouble kid, and I pushed for the mom 541 00:34:49,520 --> 00:34:54,160 Speaker 4: to be charged too, but the DA didn't pursue that. 542 00:34:56,000 --> 00:34:59,360 Speaker 4: I also thought Perkins' mom probably missed a lot of 543 00:34:59,480 --> 00:35:04,960 Speaker 4: warnings tennis, and if she had been clued in, he 544 00:35:05,000 --> 00:35:09,400 Speaker 4: could have gotten some help and Don Cotwright would still 545 00:35:09,440 --> 00:35:09,799 Speaker 4: be here. 546 00:35:12,440 --> 00:35:22,440 Speaker 2: I don't know, just a damn tragedy. 547 00:35:23,239 --> 00:35:29,720 Speaker 1: So another senseless murder. Why why here and why us? 548 00:35:30,560 --> 00:35:32,920 Speaker 1: We were all so scared and how. 549 00:35:32,800 --> 00:35:35,200 Speaker 6: Were we supposed to protect ourselves from being the next 550 00:35:35,600 --> 00:35:38,680 Speaker 6: you know, the next victim. Don't go to parties or 551 00:35:38,719 --> 00:35:41,279 Speaker 6: the drive in, don't date, but make sure to give 552 00:35:41,320 --> 00:35:46,080 Speaker 6: everyone money who asked for it. It was ridiculous and honestly, 553 00:35:46,600 --> 00:35:47,560 Speaker 6: really scary. 554 00:35:48,800 --> 00:35:54,040 Speaker 9: These murders were changing us, and the next one, damn, 555 00:35:54,840 --> 00:35:57,400 Speaker 9: it almost tore that family apart at the seams. 556 00:36:09,400 --> 00:36:13,160 Speaker 1: Next time on the murder years. 557 00:36:13,800 --> 00:36:15,200 Speaker 10: Nine one one what's your emergency. 558 00:36:15,480 --> 00:36:17,880 Speaker 4: Well, I went to throw out the trash or dumpsterraw 559 00:36:18,040 --> 00:36:20,080 Speaker 4: back and there's a body inside. 560 00:36:20,680 --> 00:36:23,720 Speaker 1: Another murder, this one behind the Bowling Alley. 561 00:36:23,840 --> 00:36:26,680 Speaker 2: He told me he kind of hated the guy, and 562 00:36:26,719 --> 00:36:30,160 Speaker 2: that was no secret. I couldn't believe it. 563 00:36:30,440 --> 00:36:32,239 Speaker 10: He said he did what he had to do to 564 00:36:32,320 --> 00:36:37,600 Speaker 10: keep me safe. 565 00:36:41,320 --> 00:36:44,840 Speaker 1: The Murder Years is a production of AYR Media and iHeartMedia. 566 00:36:45,960 --> 00:36:51,160 Speaker 1: Executive producer Eliza Rosen for AYR Media co executive producer 567 00:36:51,239 --> 00:36:56,560 Speaker 1: Paulina Williams. Written by Leah Rothman, directed by Michael Celtics. 568 00:36:57,520 --> 00:37:00,920 Speaker 1: Original concept developed in partnership with Anna, Margaret Johns and 569 00:37:00,960 --> 00:37:06,560 Speaker 1: Greg Spring. Casting by Eisenberg Beans Casting Senior Associate producer 570 00:37:06,760 --> 00:37:12,960 Speaker 1: Eric Newman, Associate producer Jill Hushesnik. Editing and sound design 571 00:37:13,040 --> 00:37:18,440 Speaker 1: by Tristan Bankston, mastering by Cameron Taggie, Audio engineering by 572 00:37:18,440 --> 00:37:23,840 Speaker 1: Matt Jacobson, Studio engineering by Jay Brannan. Music by Nathan Bankston. 573 00:37:24,760 --> 00:37:29,120 Speaker 1: Legal counsel for a y R Media Gianni Douglas. Executive 574 00:37:29,120 --> 00:37:35,279 Speaker 1: producer for iHeartMedia, Maya Howard. Performances for this episode by 575 00:37:35,760 --> 00:37:41,600 Speaker 1: Gabrielle Carteris as Nancy Clark, Kelly Deadman as Tatiana Borla 576 00:37:41,680 --> 00:37:47,759 Speaker 1: Cassiby as Melanie, Maricilda Garcia as Carla, Charles Carroll as 577 00:37:47,840 --> 00:37:54,000 Speaker 1: Prosecutor Blythe Dathan B. Williams as Detective Peters. Desiree Rodriguez 578 00:37:54,080 --> 00:37:58,440 Speaker 1: is nine one one operator, James B. Kennedy as Sam Foster, 579 00:37:59,280 --> 00:38:04,080 Speaker 1: James Donahour as Michael Cartwright, John Ralston Craig as DJ 580 00:38:04,160 --> 00:38:09,760 Speaker 1: Johnny Jolt, John Ralston Craig as Reporter Number one, Sarah 581 00:38:09,800 --> 00:38:14,200 Speaker 1: Alascal as Al Lake Inn comm announcer, Tom Virtue as 582 00:38:14,239 --> 00:38:18,719 Speaker 1: Officer Nelson menaniing Day as nine one one caller Number 583 00:38:18,760 --> 00:38:25,120 Speaker 1: three menaning Day as anonymous tipster. Additional voices by Sarah 584 00:38:25,200 --> 00:38:45,880 Speaker 1: Zook and Alex Salem