1 00:00:08,285 --> 00:00:09,205 Speaker 1: School of Humans. 2 00:00:14,365 --> 00:00:18,245 Speaker 2: After Doug Janis was murdered in twenty twenty, police were 3 00:00:18,285 --> 00:00:23,085 Speaker 2: focused on one suspect, his wife, April May Janis. Was 4 00:00:23,205 --> 00:00:26,525 Speaker 2: April a loving wife who adored Doug or was she 5 00:00:26,565 --> 00:00:31,205 Speaker 2: a master manipulator who had orchestrated his murder in Himple, Texas. 6 00:00:31,645 --> 00:00:35,605 Speaker 2: That depends on who you ask, because the town is divided. 7 00:00:36,845 --> 00:00:39,165 Speaker 2: We talked to several people who were close to April. 8 00:00:39,765 --> 00:00:42,245 Speaker 2: They said they felt sorry for April, but at the 9 00:00:42,245 --> 00:00:44,685 Speaker 2: same time, some of them seemed to be afraid of her. 10 00:00:45,125 --> 00:00:47,805 Speaker 2: Ever since her mother, Anna Thompson, was killed in two 11 00:00:47,845 --> 00:00:50,965 Speaker 2: thousand and four in what was either a freak accident 12 00:00:51,365 --> 00:00:54,885 Speaker 2: or a murder. April was charged with her mother's murder, 13 00:00:55,205 --> 00:00:57,885 Speaker 2: but she was found not guilty after a two day trial. 14 00:00:58,525 --> 00:01:01,845 Speaker 2: And after that, some people felt sorry for April because 15 00:01:01,885 --> 00:01:05,765 Speaker 2: she was preyed on by older men, including Doug. Janiss 16 00:01:05,805 --> 00:01:08,725 Speaker 2: were afraid of April. They believe she had something to 17 00:01:08,765 --> 00:01:11,125 Speaker 2: do with her mother's death and that she had gotten 18 00:01:11,125 --> 00:01:15,605 Speaker 2: away clean with murder. This week, we finally got in 19 00:01:15,645 --> 00:01:19,885 Speaker 2: touch with April Janis and we learned about an alternative suspect, 20 00:01:20,485 --> 00:01:25,485 Speaker 2: someone who the police have apparently never considered I'm Catherine Townsend. 21 00:01:26,005 --> 00:01:29,005 Speaker 2: Over the past five years of making my true crime podcast, 22 00:01:29,045 --> 00:01:32,205 Speaker 2: Helen Gone, I've learned that there's no such thing as 23 00:01:32,205 --> 00:01:35,765 Speaker 2: a small town where murder never happens. I have received 24 00:01:35,885 --> 00:01:39,285 Speaker 2: hundreds of messages from people all around the country asking 25 00:01:39,325 --> 00:01:42,245 Speaker 2: for help with an unsolved murder that's affected them, their families, 26 00:01:42,365 --> 00:01:45,645 Speaker 2: and their communities. If you have a case you'd like 27 00:01:45,725 --> 00:01:47,805 Speaker 2: me and my team to look into, you can reach 28 00:01:47,845 --> 00:01:50,165 Speaker 2: out to us at our Helen Gone Murder line at 29 00:01:50,205 --> 00:01:53,325 Speaker 2: six seven eight seven four four six one four five 30 00:01:53,805 --> 00:01:57,125 Speaker 2: that's six seven eight seven four four six one four 31 00:01:57,205 --> 00:01:59,765 Speaker 2: or five, Or you can send us a message on 32 00:01:59,805 --> 00:02:52,565 Speaker 2: Instagram at Helen Gone pod. This is Helen Gone Murder Line. 33 00:02:53,285 --> 00:02:56,965 Speaker 2: If you ask people in Doug Janis's neighborhood, the only 34 00:02:57,045 --> 00:03:00,805 Speaker 2: suspect the police ever considered was April, but there were 35 00:03:00,845 --> 00:03:03,725 Speaker 2: other people around near the time when Doug Janis was murdered. 36 00:03:04,405 --> 00:03:07,005 Speaker 2: It turns out that there was someone else living on 37 00:03:07,045 --> 00:03:10,245 Speaker 2: Doug's property. Remember we said that April had moved out 38 00:03:10,245 --> 00:03:12,565 Speaker 2: of the mobile home there and was living in Louisiana. 39 00:03:13,165 --> 00:03:16,325 Speaker 2: But after April moved out, someone else moved in, a 40 00:03:16,365 --> 00:03:19,885 Speaker 2: man named Ken, and because of the fact that Doug 41 00:03:19,965 --> 00:03:22,845 Speaker 2: Janis was murdered just a couple of months after Ken 42 00:03:22,925 --> 00:03:26,165 Speaker 2: was moving in, A lot of people were questioning Ken. 43 00:03:26,685 --> 00:03:29,365 Speaker 2: They wondered if it was a coincidence that someone showed up, 44 00:03:29,485 --> 00:03:32,005 Speaker 2: moved in, and then shortly after that that Doug was dead, 45 00:03:32,045 --> 00:03:33,485 Speaker 2: which would be a natural question. 46 00:03:34,325 --> 00:03:35,045 Speaker 1: But we got in. 47 00:03:34,965 --> 00:03:38,725 Speaker 2: Touch with Ken and he admits that he believes he 48 00:03:38,925 --> 00:03:42,165 Speaker 2: was considered a suspect. We asked him about the day 49 00:03:42,205 --> 00:03:45,365 Speaker 2: when the police showed up at his house. Ken opened 50 00:03:45,445 --> 00:03:48,925 Speaker 2: up about his relationship with Doug Janis, someone he said 51 00:03:48,965 --> 00:03:50,245 Speaker 2: he considered a close. 52 00:03:50,005 --> 00:03:55,365 Speaker 3: Friend, and that was about around twenty ten. I'm an 53 00:03:55,405 --> 00:03:59,925 Speaker 3: avid hunter and I've been hunting up here since about then, 54 00:04:00,325 --> 00:04:04,045 Speaker 3: and I've known Doug good by acquaintance, and I met 55 00:04:04,125 --> 00:04:08,085 Speaker 3: him on feveral occasions. My house got torn up by 56 00:04:08,965 --> 00:04:11,685 Speaker 3: Hurricane Harvey, and Doug heard about it. 57 00:04:12,285 --> 00:04:15,725 Speaker 2: Ken knew Doug casually for several years, and Ken said 58 00:04:15,725 --> 00:04:18,365 Speaker 2: that after his house was wrecked by the hurricane, he 59 00:04:18,485 --> 00:04:21,285 Speaker 2: was looking for a place to live, so he reconnected 60 00:04:21,285 --> 00:04:24,605 Speaker 2: with Doug and found out that April had recently moved 61 00:04:24,645 --> 00:04:27,565 Speaker 2: out of the mobile home on Doug's property, leaving a vacancy. 62 00:04:28,365 --> 00:04:31,765 Speaker 3: I knew April and that he had moved out. I'd 63 00:04:31,765 --> 00:04:35,685 Speaker 3: only met her on a couple occasions prior to me 64 00:04:35,845 --> 00:04:40,525 Speaker 3: moving here. But I got to know April very well 65 00:04:40,525 --> 00:04:44,285 Speaker 3: and Doug even better. And he offered me this place 66 00:04:44,325 --> 00:04:47,445 Speaker 3: to rent until my house got fixed or until you know, 67 00:04:47,445 --> 00:04:49,925 Speaker 3: I found another place to live. But it was in 68 00:04:50,245 --> 00:04:53,765 Speaker 3: pretty bad shape. Anyway, I got to pick up, and 69 00:04:54,725 --> 00:04:58,845 Speaker 3: Doug offered me to haul captis to market, and I 70 00:04:58,885 --> 00:05:02,045 Speaker 3: told him, you know, I've got a commercial driver's line 71 00:05:02,085 --> 00:05:06,645 Speaker 3: of CLD, and he he would want me to haul 72 00:05:06,845 --> 00:05:10,325 Speaker 3: fish for him, and I live here in the trailer, 73 00:05:10,485 --> 00:05:14,005 Speaker 3: and anyway, I've got to pick up and we got 74 00:05:14,045 --> 00:05:16,205 Speaker 3: it able to be live livapool. 75 00:05:17,525 --> 00:05:20,645 Speaker 1: Ken remembers the last time that he talked to doub. 76 00:05:21,165 --> 00:05:25,765 Speaker 3: If it was in December of the year he passed 77 00:05:25,925 --> 00:05:32,245 Speaker 3: and twenty twenty, I believe it was. And I leader 78 00:05:32,325 --> 00:05:34,845 Speaker 3: the review hault unload everything that was in my house 79 00:05:35,325 --> 00:05:37,605 Speaker 3: and bring it up here, and he said that he'd 80 00:05:37,645 --> 00:05:42,205 Speaker 3: help me. And I got here Saturday night about midnight, 81 00:05:42,485 --> 00:05:48,005 Speaker 3: and there was a sheriff department and a fire department 82 00:05:48,485 --> 00:05:51,605 Speaker 3: employee at the front entrance of how you get down 83 00:05:51,645 --> 00:05:54,485 Speaker 3: here where you know the trailer is and I'm in 84 00:05:54,565 --> 00:06:00,045 Speaker 3: my U haul and it's muddy, wet, nasty, and I 85 00:06:00,165 --> 00:06:02,805 Speaker 3: pull up and they got it, who are you a jo? Well, 86 00:06:03,965 --> 00:06:07,285 Speaker 3: you know, he all. I got my information on my 87 00:06:07,365 --> 00:06:10,005 Speaker 3: driver's life, ale everything. Then after if I knew Doug, 88 00:06:10,045 --> 00:06:14,205 Speaker 3: I said, yeah, my landlord, he's my neighbor, he's my 89 00:06:14,205 --> 00:06:18,125 Speaker 3: my friend, my future employer. And they said, well he's 90 00:06:18,765 --> 00:06:20,605 Speaker 3: but you didn't know about the have fire. You know, 91 00:06:20,645 --> 00:06:22,445 Speaker 3: I don't know want half fire And they said that 92 00:06:23,205 --> 00:06:27,645 Speaker 3: he'd passed in a fire. I was unimpressionated with an accident, 93 00:06:27,765 --> 00:06:31,405 Speaker 3: that he had died from a gas leak or something 94 00:06:32,405 --> 00:06:35,525 Speaker 3: that you know that it was the further thing from 95 00:06:35,525 --> 00:06:42,245 Speaker 3: my mind that he was preyed upon by somebody. But 96 00:06:42,885 --> 00:06:47,565 Speaker 3: the that week, whether it was a week later, they 97 00:06:47,645 --> 00:06:50,765 Speaker 3: showed up here. They wanted a search warrant here. And 98 00:06:52,605 --> 00:06:54,245 Speaker 3: I mean I walked out of home Front from pot 99 00:06:54,365 --> 00:06:57,685 Speaker 3: Port and there like seven different police cars lined up 100 00:06:57,725 --> 00:07:04,325 Speaker 3: with a sheriff car and uh this investigator shroud and uh. 101 00:07:04,485 --> 00:07:08,245 Speaker 3: They started asking by questions about what's comings goings. 102 00:07:09,165 --> 00:07:12,325 Speaker 2: Ken said that from what he observed, Doug in April 103 00:07:12,525 --> 00:07:15,885 Speaker 2: seemed to have a great relationship. Ken said the police 104 00:07:15,965 --> 00:07:18,565 Speaker 2: ruled him out after they realized that he wasn't in 105 00:07:18,605 --> 00:07:21,485 Speaker 2: the area when Doug was shot, and that he had 106 00:07:21,525 --> 00:07:25,085 Speaker 2: no issues with Doug. Ken said that Doug was charming. 107 00:07:26,205 --> 00:07:29,485 Speaker 3: I'm still stunned. I still can't believe it. The man 108 00:07:29,685 --> 00:07:34,645 Speaker 3: was a very generous man. He was the kind of 109 00:07:34,645 --> 00:07:36,165 Speaker 3: guy that would give him a shirt off his back, 110 00:07:36,205 --> 00:07:38,365 Speaker 3: and he pretty much did. He allowed me to live 111 00:07:38,405 --> 00:07:42,525 Speaker 3: here pre of charge up until January was going to 112 00:07:42,565 --> 00:07:48,245 Speaker 3: be my first rent payment. Yeah, and that year. And 113 00:07:48,285 --> 00:07:50,765 Speaker 3: that was a decent man, like a lot. 114 00:07:50,645 --> 00:07:53,165 Speaker 1: Of people did. He said. Most people love Doug. 115 00:07:53,925 --> 00:07:57,045 Speaker 2: But Ken said that Doug had employed people in the 116 00:07:57,085 --> 00:07:59,205 Speaker 2: past who Doug did have issues with. 117 00:08:00,045 --> 00:08:03,565 Speaker 3: He's never from the time that I knew him, I 118 00:08:03,685 --> 00:08:12,125 Speaker 3: never knew of him, you know, having affiliation with anyone 119 00:08:12,845 --> 00:08:17,285 Speaker 3: of although his employees there, he didn't employ, he did 120 00:08:17,365 --> 00:08:18,845 Speaker 3: employee some characters. 121 00:08:19,525 --> 00:08:23,205 Speaker 2: Ken talked about Doug's employees, and he mentioned one person 122 00:08:23,245 --> 00:08:27,045 Speaker 2: in particular who Doug had recent dealings with, someone who 123 00:08:27,125 --> 00:08:30,205 Speaker 2: allegedly used Doug's credit card without Doug's permission. 124 00:08:30,725 --> 00:08:32,565 Speaker 3: I happen to meet a couple of them men they've 125 00:08:32,605 --> 00:08:35,485 Speaker 3: actually been here, but there are old guys. They were 126 00:08:35,645 --> 00:08:38,285 Speaker 3: I mean, this guy was already too old to climb 127 00:08:38,325 --> 00:08:41,405 Speaker 3: up to hill from the boat dog down there. Anyway, 128 00:08:41,525 --> 00:08:44,605 Speaker 3: I met a couple of employees are people that helped 129 00:08:44,645 --> 00:08:49,965 Speaker 3: him haul fish the market. But uh, I never knew 130 00:08:50,365 --> 00:08:55,005 Speaker 3: of this one person of interest that we think of. 131 00:08:55,285 --> 00:09:00,085 Speaker 3: His nickname is Heckory Nuts. I never met the man, 132 00:09:00,565 --> 00:09:04,645 Speaker 3: but it was a parent that Doug had problems with 133 00:09:04,765 --> 00:09:07,645 Speaker 3: him and got some kind of altercation in the day 134 00:09:07,685 --> 00:09:14,845 Speaker 3: before that Saturday before he was brutally executed. But anyway, 135 00:09:16,605 --> 00:09:18,685 Speaker 3: that's pretty much all I know. Doug allowed me to 136 00:09:18,805 --> 00:09:24,765 Speaker 3: unhear and picked up the trailer, and you know, he's 137 00:09:24,765 --> 00:09:30,125 Speaker 3: a good guy man. I mean, I had nothing from 138 00:09:30,165 --> 00:09:32,845 Speaker 3: the time I met him time he passed. I've never 139 00:09:32,925 --> 00:09:36,405 Speaker 3: had ever seen a bad side of Doug. I mean, 140 00:09:36,525 --> 00:09:38,925 Speaker 3: you know, some people have an attitude anger problem, but 141 00:09:39,885 --> 00:09:41,645 Speaker 3: he wasn't that kind of a guy as far as 142 00:09:41,685 --> 00:09:43,685 Speaker 3: I knew. And April was just a sweetheart. 143 00:09:44,805 --> 00:09:47,845 Speaker 2: Ken's impression of April is the opposite of other people 144 00:09:47,925 --> 00:09:52,325 Speaker 2: we've talked to, people who described April as manipulative. Ken 145 00:09:52,365 --> 00:09:55,765 Speaker 2: describes her as a kind, fun loving person and a 146 00:09:55,805 --> 00:09:59,885 Speaker 2: complete sweetheart. He said that even though Doug had recently 147 00:09:59,925 --> 00:10:03,645 Speaker 2: had a hernia operation. Doug was very fit for his age. 148 00:10:04,325 --> 00:10:06,245 Speaker 2: He talked about how Doug had no fear of the 149 00:10:06,245 --> 00:10:10,005 Speaker 2: wilderness around him. Doug even had an alligator out there 150 00:10:10,085 --> 00:10:14,645 Speaker 2: who he fed marshmallows to. We already knew about Ken, 151 00:10:15,005 --> 00:10:17,805 Speaker 2: because again, even though we had no access to the 152 00:10:17,805 --> 00:10:21,405 Speaker 2: police case file. One of the first things that got 153 00:10:21,405 --> 00:10:24,045 Speaker 2: me interested in Doug's death after a listener called to 154 00:10:24,085 --> 00:10:27,325 Speaker 2: tell us about it, was when I started looking into 155 00:10:27,445 --> 00:10:31,605 Speaker 2: land transfers that took place after Doug's death. I find 156 00:10:31,605 --> 00:10:33,725 Speaker 2: that when you're trying to follow the money, the devil 157 00:10:33,765 --> 00:10:37,805 Speaker 2: is always in the very boring details. April had actually 158 00:10:37,845 --> 00:10:40,405 Speaker 2: sold the land to Ken, the guy who was staying 159 00:10:40,445 --> 00:10:44,525 Speaker 2: on the property after April left. Since police had mentioned 160 00:10:44,565 --> 00:10:47,925 Speaker 2: a potential life insurance policy and the probab will cause affidavit, 161 00:10:48,445 --> 00:10:51,485 Speaker 2: that would mean money was potentially a motive. So I 162 00:10:51,565 --> 00:10:53,565 Speaker 2: was trying to figure out if there was a life 163 00:10:53,565 --> 00:10:58,525 Speaker 2: insurance policy and also what April's financial situation was around 164 00:10:58,565 --> 00:11:02,205 Speaker 2: the time when Doug was murdered. We've got conflicting information 165 00:11:02,285 --> 00:11:04,805 Speaker 2: on this because in the police report, after the police 166 00:11:04,845 --> 00:11:08,485 Speaker 2: interviewed April Well, they said Doug kept around ten thousand 167 00:11:08,525 --> 00:11:10,845 Speaker 2: dollars on the boat and that there was a life 168 00:11:10,885 --> 00:11:15,125 Speaker 2: insurance policy for one hundred thousand dollars. So we reached 169 00:11:15,125 --> 00:11:23,725 Speaker 2: out to April. Honestly, I didn't expect a response from April, 170 00:11:23,765 --> 00:11:28,325 Speaker 2: because remember, she had the charges against her dropped, and 171 00:11:28,445 --> 00:11:32,405 Speaker 2: from everything that we're hearing, police are not pursuing April, 172 00:11:32,485 --> 00:11:35,885 Speaker 2: nor are they pursuing any alternative suspects. We didn't expect 173 00:11:35,885 --> 00:11:38,245 Speaker 2: a response, but we wanted to hear her side of 174 00:11:38,285 --> 00:11:41,205 Speaker 2: the story. I was a little shocked when she got 175 00:11:41,245 --> 00:11:43,725 Speaker 2: back to us A couple of days later. She sent 176 00:11:43,805 --> 00:11:47,325 Speaker 2: us a series of text messages. April said that her 177 00:11:47,325 --> 00:11:50,405 Speaker 2: attorney had advised her not to talk to us, but 178 00:11:50,725 --> 00:11:53,285 Speaker 2: she did say she wants to help get justice for Doug. 179 00:11:54,405 --> 00:11:56,765 Speaker 2: She provided us with a list of phone numbers of 180 00:11:56,805 --> 00:12:00,605 Speaker 2: Doug's close friends, people she believed could give us more 181 00:12:00,605 --> 00:12:03,565 Speaker 2: information about the case, and we are reaching out to 182 00:12:03,605 --> 00:12:05,285 Speaker 2: every single one of them. 183 00:12:05,725 --> 00:12:07,085 Speaker 1: In one of her texts. 184 00:12:06,765 --> 00:12:09,605 Speaker 2: April had said that it was ridiculous for police to 185 00:12:09,605 --> 00:12:12,045 Speaker 2: be focused on her and that basically the Sheriff's department 186 00:12:12,045 --> 00:12:15,925 Speaker 2: had lied in the arrest Affidavid. April said there was 187 00:12:16,125 --> 00:12:19,925 Speaker 2: no million dollar life insurance policy when we asked her 188 00:12:19,925 --> 00:12:21,885 Speaker 2: if there was a policy at all. She said yes, 189 00:12:22,565 --> 00:12:24,445 Speaker 2: but she said that she was unaware of it until 190 00:12:24,445 --> 00:12:28,085 Speaker 2: her aunt told her that the policy existed. From the 191 00:12:28,205 --> 00:12:31,205 Speaker 2: land records that we found, it does seem like April 192 00:12:31,285 --> 00:12:34,445 Speaker 2: had a lot of cash after Doug's death. We found 193 00:12:34,485 --> 00:12:38,045 Speaker 2: that shortly after Doug passed away, April purchased a house 194 00:12:38,165 --> 00:12:42,365 Speaker 2: for ninety five thousand dollars in cash. So we wondered, 195 00:12:42,885 --> 00:12:45,325 Speaker 2: could there have been even more money on that boat 196 00:12:45,445 --> 00:12:48,085 Speaker 2: and if so, what happened? Did it burn up in 197 00:12:48,085 --> 00:12:52,925 Speaker 2: the fire or was it already gone. Here's Sarah April's friend. 198 00:12:53,885 --> 00:12:56,205 Speaker 4: Yeah, I didn't believe in banks today. 199 00:12:56,245 --> 00:12:59,845 Speaker 5: He was just repair annoid by that right for money 200 00:12:59,925 --> 00:13:05,325 Speaker 5: he had accumulated in his lifetime or whatever was on 201 00:13:05,605 --> 00:13:06,085 Speaker 5: that boat. 202 00:13:07,885 --> 00:13:12,205 Speaker 4: Yeah, I would imagine too, and a fisherman probably trying 203 00:13:12,205 --> 00:13:14,405 Speaker 4: to hide income from the irs. 204 00:13:14,565 --> 00:13:16,725 Speaker 6: Also, if you read. 205 00:13:16,605 --> 00:13:20,365 Speaker 2: The affidavit of probable cause, it seems like police focused 206 00:13:20,405 --> 00:13:24,125 Speaker 2: on April's suspect for three reasons. One the fact that 207 00:13:24,125 --> 00:13:26,285 Speaker 2: she allegedly had a boyfriend at the time when Doug 208 00:13:26,325 --> 00:13:30,405 Speaker 2: was murdered. Two, Doug's money and potential life insurance policy. 209 00:13:31,005 --> 00:13:34,925 Speaker 2: And there was also a third big reason the witness. Remember, 210 00:13:35,125 --> 00:13:38,485 Speaker 2: police interviewed a neighbor, someone who said that they saw 211 00:13:38,525 --> 00:13:41,125 Speaker 2: April driving away from the scene of the crime just 212 00:13:41,165 --> 00:13:44,685 Speaker 2: a few minutes before the fire truck showed up. We 213 00:13:44,805 --> 00:13:47,765 Speaker 2: also looked more into the witness who saw April on 214 00:13:47,805 --> 00:13:50,125 Speaker 2: the day the boat blew up. We went to where 215 00:13:50,125 --> 00:13:53,165 Speaker 2: this witness lives, a short distance from Doug's boat. Now, 216 00:13:53,165 --> 00:13:55,725 Speaker 2: there are only two ways to get to where Doug lives. 217 00:13:56,125 --> 00:13:58,725 Speaker 2: There's one long dirt road that passes right by the 218 00:13:58,765 --> 00:14:03,125 Speaker 2: witness's house. There's also a second backway, though going that 219 00:14:03,205 --> 00:14:06,365 Speaker 2: way would be longer and a lot more complicated. But 220 00:14:06,445 --> 00:14:09,885 Speaker 2: we did have to consider every possibility. Maybe the killer 221 00:14:09,965 --> 00:14:13,245 Speaker 2: drove out the other way. Maybe that's why the witness 222 00:14:13,285 --> 00:14:16,205 Speaker 2: only saw April. Maybe the witness didn't see that person. 223 00:14:16,765 --> 00:14:19,125 Speaker 2: We quickly found out that this would have been impossible 224 00:14:19,725 --> 00:14:22,645 Speaker 2: because on the day that Doug Janis was murdered, there 225 00:14:22,685 --> 00:14:25,645 Speaker 2: was a trail ride happening, one that was organized by 226 00:14:25,645 --> 00:14:28,445 Speaker 2: some of the neighbors living that subdivision. There were a 227 00:14:28,485 --> 00:14:30,765 Speaker 2: ton of horses out there and a lot of people. 228 00:14:31,605 --> 00:14:34,805 Speaker 2: They had the road blocked off that day, and it 229 00:14:34,885 --> 00:14:37,085 Speaker 2: was the road that could have been the killer's other 230 00:14:37,205 --> 00:14:40,765 Speaker 2: escape route. In other words, there was only one way 231 00:14:40,805 --> 00:14:43,605 Speaker 2: in and one way out to Doug Janis's boat on 232 00:14:43,725 --> 00:14:48,285 Speaker 2: that day. If the killer drove to Doug's houseboat, they 233 00:14:48,325 --> 00:14:50,645 Speaker 2: would have had to pass by the trail ride area 234 00:14:50,685 --> 00:14:53,085 Speaker 2: on their way out, And to our knowledge, the only 235 00:14:53,165 --> 00:14:55,725 Speaker 2: person that the witness mentioned seeing in. 236 00:14:55,725 --> 00:14:56,805 Speaker 1: That area was April. 237 00:14:58,325 --> 00:15:01,045 Speaker 2: We talked to one of the people on April's lists, 238 00:15:01,365 --> 00:15:05,085 Speaker 2: a guy named now has another theory about what happened 239 00:15:05,085 --> 00:15:08,125 Speaker 2: on the day died. This is something I considered as well, 240 00:15:08,125 --> 00:15:10,365 Speaker 2: and I was surprised the police never seemed to bring 241 00:15:10,445 --> 00:15:14,125 Speaker 2: up He wondered, could the killer have come to Doug's 242 00:15:14,125 --> 00:15:15,365 Speaker 2: property by boat. 243 00:15:16,525 --> 00:15:21,125 Speaker 6: I'm all for looking into this case because it was 244 00:15:21,165 --> 00:15:27,445 Speaker 6: a travesty. Yeah, how it was handled Stroud, All of this, 245 00:15:28,885 --> 00:15:32,445 Speaker 6: every bit of it, the mess that it is comes 246 00:15:32,445 --> 00:15:41,445 Speaker 6: from Stroud. And the original case against April where they 247 00:15:41,605 --> 00:15:48,405 Speaker 6: tried to convict her of her mother's murder, that was Stroud. 248 00:15:48,765 --> 00:15:52,645 Speaker 2: Oh so it was the same investigator, same investigator. 249 00:15:52,765 --> 00:15:53,645 Speaker 1: Wow, I didn't know that. 250 00:15:54,285 --> 00:16:01,965 Speaker 6: And they basically I think April was like thirteen, and 251 00:16:03,125 --> 00:16:05,525 Speaker 6: April believes her father killed her. 252 00:16:05,725 --> 00:16:10,645 Speaker 2: Mother, and it's talking about an investigator Stroud, who investigated 253 00:16:10,645 --> 00:16:13,725 Speaker 2: the murder of April's mother Anna Thompson in two thousand 254 00:16:13,765 --> 00:16:17,205 Speaker 2: and four, said that an April's version of the story, 255 00:16:17,765 --> 00:16:21,045 Speaker 2: she has been persecuted by this same investigator, and that 256 00:16:21,125 --> 00:16:24,725 Speaker 2: when Doug died, the investigator seemed like he was basically 257 00:16:24,725 --> 00:16:27,525 Speaker 2: out to get her. What if April has been an 258 00:16:27,525 --> 00:16:29,565 Speaker 2: innocent victim this whole time. 259 00:16:29,965 --> 00:16:35,525 Speaker 6: A drugger and questioner. Her father was questioning in her 260 00:16:35,645 --> 00:16:39,245 Speaker 6: in front with the sheriffs. One of her neighbors, a 261 00:16:39,285 --> 00:16:47,165 Speaker 6: woman was in on the question and they over on 262 00:16:47,445 --> 00:16:50,845 Speaker 6: eight ten hours beat her down, say yeah. 263 00:16:50,685 --> 00:16:51,125 Speaker 4: I did it. 264 00:16:51,765 --> 00:16:54,045 Speaker 2: Yeah, Well, I can't believe she was allowed to be 265 00:16:54,125 --> 00:16:58,485 Speaker 2: questioned at that young age with no Well. 266 00:16:58,245 --> 00:17:01,725 Speaker 6: Her father allowed it because he was trying to put 267 00:17:01,765 --> 00:17:02,565 Speaker 6: it on her. 268 00:17:03,245 --> 00:17:06,685 Speaker 3: Right And and. 269 00:17:08,805 --> 00:17:13,165 Speaker 6: April grew up her her father was a drug dealer, right. 270 00:17:14,205 --> 00:17:19,405 Speaker 6: And I've known April since she was a teenager. My 271 00:17:19,605 --> 00:17:23,685 Speaker 6: mother known her since before she was born. My mother 272 00:17:23,805 --> 00:17:31,205 Speaker 6: made her first baby blanket for her. And I know 273 00:17:31,285 --> 00:17:38,125 Speaker 6: that April has done nothing to nobody. She is. I 274 00:17:38,245 --> 00:17:40,845 Speaker 6: trusted her with the care of my mother. My mother 275 00:17:41,245 --> 00:17:44,845 Speaker 6: passed away about a year ago, and she was old 276 00:17:45,085 --> 00:17:49,005 Speaker 6: in her nineties and April came and helped to take 277 00:17:49,045 --> 00:17:52,725 Speaker 6: care of her and stuff like that, and I would 278 00:17:52,765 --> 00:17:55,045 Speaker 6: not allow her to come in where it's near my 279 00:17:55,165 --> 00:17:59,645 Speaker 6: mother if I thought she had anything to do with that. 280 00:18:00,205 --> 00:18:02,725 Speaker 6: Doug was a good friend of mine. He was a 281 00:18:02,765 --> 00:18:04,605 Speaker 6: friend of mine before he married April. 282 00:18:06,045 --> 00:18:10,365 Speaker 2: So believes that Bob, not April, killed Anna, and that 283 00:18:10,445 --> 00:18:15,525 Speaker 2: April has been wrongly accused, not once, but twice mentioned 284 00:18:15,565 --> 00:18:18,285 Speaker 2: the same guy that Ken talked about. The man they 285 00:18:18,325 --> 00:18:20,845 Speaker 2: knew is Hickory Nut And. 286 00:18:20,925 --> 00:18:24,525 Speaker 6: I think I know who killed him, and I don't 287 00:18:24,565 --> 00:18:30,045 Speaker 6: have proof. I just have suspicion, but they're well founded suspicious. 288 00:18:31,165 --> 00:18:33,245 Speaker 2: I want to back up a minute, because we talked 289 00:18:33,245 --> 00:18:37,245 Speaker 2: a lot about April's childhood. We devoted almost an entire 290 00:18:37,285 --> 00:18:41,565 Speaker 2: episode to April's childhood through the perspective of her father, 291 00:18:41,765 --> 00:18:43,845 Speaker 2: Bob Thompson, and I've talked a lot about how I 292 00:18:43,845 --> 00:18:47,565 Speaker 2: believe April was a victim and Bob was blaming everything 293 00:18:47,645 --> 00:18:50,605 Speaker 2: that happened on other people rather than taking responsibility for 294 00:18:50,685 --> 00:18:54,605 Speaker 2: protecting his daughter. After April moved out of the house 295 00:18:54,645 --> 00:18:57,645 Speaker 2: and Mary Doug. Even though Doug and April continued to 296 00:18:57,685 --> 00:19:00,605 Speaker 2: live in the same neighborhood as her father, Bob. April 297 00:19:00,725 --> 00:19:04,205 Speaker 2: rarely saw her father after that. We passed by the 298 00:19:04,245 --> 00:19:07,125 Speaker 2: house where April grew up. You can still see a 299 00:19:07,125 --> 00:19:10,885 Speaker 2: lot of Bob's workshop stuff back there. Bob Thompson wrote 300 00:19:10,885 --> 00:19:13,205 Speaker 2: in his book that he started to distance himself from 301 00:19:13,245 --> 00:19:15,685 Speaker 2: the hemp Hill area after his wife died and April 302 00:19:15,725 --> 00:19:19,525 Speaker 2: moved out of the house. Eventually, he moved to Gatesville, Texas, 303 00:19:19,605 --> 00:19:23,445 Speaker 2: where he lived alone. On September tenth, twenty seventeen, just 304 00:19:23,485 --> 00:19:26,605 Speaker 2: after noon, Bob called one of his neighbors, a woman 305 00:19:26,685 --> 00:19:28,725 Speaker 2: named Ruth, and asked her to pick him up from 306 00:19:28,765 --> 00:19:30,965 Speaker 2: Hillside Nursing Home, where he had been going back and 307 00:19:31,005 --> 00:19:33,525 Speaker 2: forth to have rehabilitation for his right shoulder. 308 00:19:34,605 --> 00:19:36,045 Speaker 1: Ruth picked Bob up and. 309 00:19:36,045 --> 00:19:39,605 Speaker 2: Drove him home. On the way home, Bob was complaining 310 00:19:39,645 --> 00:19:42,205 Speaker 2: about the doctors. He said he just didn't feel like 311 00:19:42,245 --> 00:19:45,005 Speaker 2: he was getting the help he needed. Ruth dropped him 312 00:19:45,045 --> 00:19:47,285 Speaker 2: off at his place at twelve thirty. She lived across 313 00:19:47,325 --> 00:19:49,685 Speaker 2: the street. The plan was for her to pick him 314 00:19:49,725 --> 00:19:52,165 Speaker 2: up again at three thirty and take him back to rehab. 315 00:19:53,085 --> 00:19:56,045 Speaker 2: She came back over a little before that. She yelled 316 00:19:56,045 --> 00:19:58,485 Speaker 2: at Bob through the screen door, but he didn't respond. 317 00:19:58,885 --> 00:20:02,245 Speaker 2: So Ruth went inside and that's when she saw Bob 318 00:20:02,325 --> 00:20:04,925 Speaker 2: lying on the bed. There was a pool of blood 319 00:20:04,965 --> 00:20:08,165 Speaker 2: beside his head. Ruth called nine one one, and when 320 00:20:08,205 --> 00:20:11,485 Speaker 2: police got there, they saw Bob lying there. His feet 321 00:20:11,525 --> 00:20:14,045 Speaker 2: were hanging off the bed and there was black residue 322 00:20:14,125 --> 00:20:16,605 Speaker 2: on his index finger that seemed to the police to 323 00:20:16,645 --> 00:20:18,565 Speaker 2: be gunpowder residue. 324 00:20:18,645 --> 00:20:19,245 Speaker 1: They saw the. 325 00:20:19,245 --> 00:20:23,125 Speaker 2: Small Darringer pistol on the floor by his feet. It 326 00:20:23,205 --> 00:20:26,725 Speaker 2: was a twenty two caliber revolver, the same caliber that 327 00:20:26,805 --> 00:20:32,285 Speaker 2: killed Anna, his wife, and Doug Janis. Police found that 328 00:20:32,525 --> 00:20:35,485 Speaker 2: only one round had been discharged from the weapon. The 329 00:20:35,525 --> 00:20:38,565 Speaker 2: gun had fallen to a spot directly below Bob's right hand. 330 00:20:39,285 --> 00:20:41,565 Speaker 2: So they took a look at the blood spatter patterns 331 00:20:41,565 --> 00:20:44,605 Speaker 2: and everything in the room, and investigators. 332 00:20:43,765 --> 00:20:45,725 Speaker 1: Believed that it was a suicide. 333 00:20:45,765 --> 00:20:47,765 Speaker 2: They believe Bob sat down on the left side of 334 00:20:47,805 --> 00:20:50,205 Speaker 2: the bed, put the gun to his right temple, fired 335 00:20:50,205 --> 00:20:52,805 Speaker 2: the fatal shot, and then the gun slipped out of 336 00:20:52,805 --> 00:20:57,085 Speaker 2: his hand and he fell back on the bed. Investigators 337 00:20:57,085 --> 00:21:01,485 Speaker 2: concluded that Bob died by suicide, though some of his 338 00:21:01,525 --> 00:21:03,725 Speaker 2: neighbors didn't seem to believe that he would have taken 339 00:21:03,725 --> 00:21:04,365 Speaker 2: his own life. 340 00:21:04,845 --> 00:21:05,445 Speaker 1: The truth was. 341 00:21:05,845 --> 00:21:09,485 Speaker 2: Bob was depressed. He had clogged arteries and pneumonia and 342 00:21:09,525 --> 00:21:13,005 Speaker 2: some other physical problems. He thought physical therapy wasn't helping, 343 00:21:13,445 --> 00:21:16,005 Speaker 2: and he was very worried that he would lose the 344 00:21:16,125 --> 00:21:19,925 Speaker 2: use of his one remaining arm. This scared him. His 345 00:21:20,045 --> 00:21:23,085 Speaker 2: nurse said he had been showing signs of depression. He 346 00:21:23,125 --> 00:21:27,405 Speaker 2: was put on prozac. There was something else, one tiny 347 00:21:27,445 --> 00:21:30,925 Speaker 2: little detail that really stuck with me. Apparently Bob had 348 00:21:30,925 --> 00:21:33,845 Speaker 2: a big bag of bird seed, and on that same day, 349 00:21:33,965 --> 00:21:36,565 Speaker 2: shortly before he took his own life, he went to 350 00:21:36,605 --> 00:21:38,845 Speaker 2: a neighbor's house, told her he didn't feel good and 351 00:21:38,925 --> 00:21:41,165 Speaker 2: gave her the bird seed. He said for her to 352 00:21:41,165 --> 00:21:43,365 Speaker 2: share it with other neighbors, saying it would just get 353 00:21:43,405 --> 00:21:46,125 Speaker 2: moldy in his place, and he wanted to feed the birds. 354 00:21:46,805 --> 00:21:48,845 Speaker 2: It reminded me of the story about his late wife 355 00:21:48,885 --> 00:21:52,525 Speaker 2: Anna feeding hummingbirds. I wonder if he was thinking about 356 00:21:52,565 --> 00:21:57,725 Speaker 2: her and about those birds. One other strange thing about 357 00:21:57,765 --> 00:22:01,245 Speaker 2: Bob's suicide was that neighbors mentioned that Bob had a 358 00:22:01,325 --> 00:22:04,445 Speaker 2: daughter who lived in Pennsylvania. No one who knew him 359 00:22:04,445 --> 00:22:10,285 Speaker 2: at this apartment, Compla knew anything about April. April sent 360 00:22:10,405 --> 00:22:13,005 Speaker 2: us a handwritten note that she said was written by 361 00:22:13,005 --> 00:22:16,725 Speaker 2: her father, Bob. There are several questions written on the 362 00:22:16,765 --> 00:22:20,565 Speaker 2: paper about why there were no fingerprints or residue test 363 00:22:20,605 --> 00:22:24,445 Speaker 2: done after Anna was murdered, and other unanswered questions that 364 00:22:24,485 --> 00:22:25,725 Speaker 2: the letter writer had about. 365 00:22:25,525 --> 00:22:27,005 Speaker 1: The crime scene. 366 00:22:27,085 --> 00:22:30,245 Speaker 2: From those notes, it seems like Bob went to his 367 00:22:30,365 --> 00:22:34,165 Speaker 2: grave thinking that April and possibly Doug Janis killed Anna, 368 00:22:35,165 --> 00:22:46,405 Speaker 2: and that he died with these questions still haunting him. 369 00:22:47,045 --> 00:22:50,405 Speaker 2: When we talked to April over text, she completely denied 370 00:22:50,445 --> 00:22:53,285 Speaker 2: having anything to do with Doug's murder. We told her 371 00:22:53,325 --> 00:22:56,045 Speaker 2: we considered her a victim and that what happened to 372 00:22:56,085 --> 00:22:58,285 Speaker 2: her at such a young age should never have happened. 373 00:22:59,005 --> 00:23:01,365 Speaker 2: She said she appreciated that we saw it that way. 374 00:23:02,405 --> 00:23:05,485 Speaker 2: April said she does want justice for Doug. She gave 375 00:23:05,485 --> 00:23:07,845 Speaker 2: give us some phone numbers of people who knew Doug 376 00:23:07,885 --> 00:23:11,285 Speaker 2: well who she believed may be able to help. Another man, 377 00:23:11,405 --> 00:23:15,125 Speaker 2: Nathan said something similar to what Ken said. He said 378 00:23:15,245 --> 00:23:18,245 Speaker 2: that a guy named John, who went by the nickname 379 00:23:18,325 --> 00:23:21,565 Speaker 2: Hickory Nut, had recently gotten into an altercation with Doug. 380 00:23:22,045 --> 00:23:24,925 Speaker 1: I asked about Hickory Nut. Here's what he said. 381 00:23:25,725 --> 00:23:29,525 Speaker 6: I was doing some construction out here at my place, 382 00:23:30,405 --> 00:23:33,485 Speaker 6: and I hired Hickory Nutt to do some digging and 383 00:23:33,605 --> 00:23:39,125 Speaker 6: stuff for me, and I didn't know him from pat Oh. 384 00:23:39,285 --> 00:23:42,845 Speaker 6: I asked Doug if he knew anybody that needed some more. 385 00:23:43,045 --> 00:23:46,725 Speaker 6: He said, well, yeah, this guy. And so he came 386 00:23:46,765 --> 00:23:51,565 Speaker 6: out and he worked pretty good. But I had known 387 00:23:51,645 --> 00:23:55,005 Speaker 6: him for ten minutes. And he's bragging about how he 388 00:23:55,165 --> 00:24:01,565 Speaker 6: was in prison for stabbing somebody in the bar. And 389 00:24:01,685 --> 00:24:04,205 Speaker 6: you know, he talked like he was John Wayne looked 390 00:24:04,205 --> 00:24:07,285 Speaker 6: more like he's Party five. Yeah, it's not a very 391 00:24:07,325 --> 00:24:12,125 Speaker 6: big guy. And so somebody bragging about that kind of 392 00:24:12,165 --> 00:24:15,605 Speaker 6: stuff to somebody they don't know that kind of lets 393 00:24:15,645 --> 00:24:18,445 Speaker 6: you know what kind of person they are. So they're 394 00:24:18,445 --> 00:24:21,365 Speaker 6: proud of that kind of shit. And so Hickory nut 395 00:24:22,285 --> 00:24:27,525 Speaker 6: was a violent felon out on pro. Doug hired him 396 00:24:27,925 --> 00:24:32,765 Speaker 6: to haul fish for him to market. They would have 397 00:24:32,845 --> 00:24:37,005 Speaker 6: to use Dug's truck to haul the fish. He give 398 00:24:37,085 --> 00:24:41,205 Speaker 6: them a credit card to fill up the truck with gas. 399 00:24:41,925 --> 00:24:47,965 Speaker 6: One of Doug's customers, a fish market, called Doug. They said, 400 00:24:48,005 --> 00:24:50,965 Speaker 6: don't send this guy anymore because they caught him snooping 401 00:24:51,005 --> 00:24:53,765 Speaker 6: behind the counter like he's looking for something to steal. 402 00:24:55,485 --> 00:25:01,365 Speaker 6: So Doug fired him. This was a few weeks before 403 00:25:01,605 --> 00:25:03,965 Speaker 6: Doug got killed, and. 404 00:25:03,845 --> 00:25:06,325 Speaker 2: We found out something else when we looked into Hickory 405 00:25:06,365 --> 00:25:10,885 Speaker 2: Nut's criminal history. Hickory Nut had pleaded guilty in the 406 00:25:10,965 --> 00:25:15,885 Speaker 2: past to arson and serve prison time. Considering the fact 407 00:25:16,005 --> 00:25:19,325 Speaker 2: that Doug's boat was burned down, I would have thought 408 00:25:19,365 --> 00:25:23,045 Speaker 2: this would have been of interest to investigators. So we 409 00:25:23,245 --> 00:25:26,245 Speaker 2: have found people who were telling us that there was 410 00:25:26,285 --> 00:25:29,205 Speaker 2: someone who got into a recent altercation with Doug over money, 411 00:25:29,805 --> 00:25:32,685 Speaker 2: someone who was out on parole and who could have 412 00:25:32,725 --> 00:25:36,205 Speaker 2: potentially gone back to prison if Doug turned him into police. 413 00:25:36,885 --> 00:25:40,805 Speaker 2: In my opinion, these leads should absolutely have been investigated. 414 00:25:41,805 --> 00:25:45,205 Speaker 2: So if April was involved with Doug's murder, did she 415 00:25:45,325 --> 00:25:49,445 Speaker 2: act alone or could someone have been helping her. She 416 00:25:49,605 --> 00:25:52,085 Speaker 2: told the police she had a boyfriend in Louisiana who 417 00:25:52,125 --> 00:25:55,725 Speaker 2: she was in love with, but according to Sarah, April 418 00:25:55,925 --> 00:25:58,725 Speaker 2: was seeing someone else like Doug. 419 00:25:59,045 --> 00:26:00,965 Speaker 1: This man was much older than April. 420 00:26:01,565 --> 00:26:05,005 Speaker 2: He's now apparently in his late seventies, and this man 421 00:26:05,085 --> 00:26:08,645 Speaker 2: was all so married. Several people have told us the 422 00:26:08,685 --> 00:26:11,325 Speaker 2: older married man showed up with cash to pay April's 423 00:26:11,325 --> 00:26:14,165 Speaker 2: bills and that they were hanging out in the days 424 00:26:14,165 --> 00:26:20,085 Speaker 2: after Doug's murder. Now specifically said that this man was 425 00:26:20,165 --> 00:26:23,405 Speaker 2: actually April's boss, that he got kind of creepy with her, 426 00:26:23,445 --> 00:26:26,525 Speaker 2: and that there was no sexual relationship between them, But 427 00:26:26,725 --> 00:26:30,365 Speaker 2: Sarah said that they absolutely were involved in a sexual relationship. 428 00:26:30,965 --> 00:26:33,725 Speaker 2: But she said April's relationship with the married man was 429 00:26:33,765 --> 00:26:37,125 Speaker 2: on the rocks after Doug's death. Sarah said April had 430 00:26:37,125 --> 00:26:40,885 Speaker 2: discussed her frustrations with her relationship, and when she did, 431 00:26:41,085 --> 00:26:43,285 Speaker 2: Sarah said she saw a different side to her friend. 432 00:26:43,765 --> 00:26:47,125 Speaker 4: And I know text messages are just hearsay, but in 433 00:26:47,205 --> 00:26:50,125 Speaker 4: one of them, at the very end of their relationship 434 00:26:50,245 --> 00:26:54,725 Speaker 4: or our relationship, she said she was so angry with 435 00:26:55,285 --> 00:26:59,165 Speaker 4: She said, I would slip something in his drink to 436 00:26:59,245 --> 00:27:05,645 Speaker 4: off him if I knew I wouldn't get caught. Yeah, 437 00:27:05,685 --> 00:27:06,045 Speaker 4: And so. 438 00:27:06,885 --> 00:27:09,605 Speaker 5: I don't know, and I don't know that you know, 439 00:27:09,765 --> 00:27:14,085 Speaker 5: like details. 440 00:27:11,365 --> 00:27:14,445 Speaker 4: Because I mean they were tight. 441 00:27:15,605 --> 00:27:18,645 Speaker 2: Sarah knew about Anna's death. She talked to us about 442 00:27:18,685 --> 00:27:20,725 Speaker 2: the moment when she found out that April had been 443 00:27:20,765 --> 00:27:24,605 Speaker 2: arrested in connection with Doug's murder. All these years later, 444 00:27:24,765 --> 00:27:28,765 Speaker 2: another death potentially connected to April. Another person with two 445 00:27:28,845 --> 00:27:30,005 Speaker 2: bullets in the back of their head. 446 00:27:30,605 --> 00:27:33,125 Speaker 4: Oh I know. I went into the daily News and 447 00:27:33,205 --> 00:27:36,765 Speaker 4: more posts, and then I went into who I mean 448 00:27:36,805 --> 00:27:41,285 Speaker 4: That post has been shared one hundred and sixty something times, 449 00:27:41,845 --> 00:27:44,605 Speaker 4: So I looked into who all had shared the posts, 450 00:27:44,805 --> 00:27:48,245 Speaker 4: and there were many, many comments among some of the 451 00:27:48,245 --> 00:27:52,565 Speaker 4: people that shared it. Most of all, most comments that 452 00:27:52,645 --> 00:27:55,045 Speaker 4: you hear from people who went to school with her, 453 00:27:55,525 --> 00:27:59,365 Speaker 4: you know, grade school. Are you know that they always 454 00:27:59,445 --> 00:28:01,605 Speaker 4: knew that she had something to do with the mom 455 00:28:02,085 --> 00:28:04,205 Speaker 4: And then a lot of the comments were snarky, like 456 00:28:06,405 --> 00:28:08,885 Speaker 4: how many does this make because she's gotten away with 457 00:28:09,045 --> 00:28:14,685 Speaker 4: you know, yeah? And then another one said, as she 458 00:28:14,805 --> 00:28:16,285 Speaker 4: keeps changing her name. 459 00:28:17,445 --> 00:28:20,565 Speaker 2: April was isolated after her mother's death, and she has 460 00:28:20,605 --> 00:28:23,525 Speaker 2: written poetry over the years to help deal with her emotions. 461 00:28:24,085 --> 00:28:26,365 Speaker 2: She sent us some of it, written in cursive on 462 00:28:26,405 --> 00:28:30,845 Speaker 2: notebook paper. One reads quote, I don't pay attention to 463 00:28:30,845 --> 00:28:34,125 Speaker 2: the world ending. It's ended for me several times already 464 00:28:34,325 --> 00:28:38,245 Speaker 2: and began again the next morning. Chances are if they accuse, 465 00:28:38,565 --> 00:28:40,725 Speaker 2: then they are the ones doing it. If they talk 466 00:28:40,725 --> 00:28:45,445 Speaker 2: about them, they'll talk about you. Means well means nothing 467 00:28:45,605 --> 00:28:49,445 Speaker 2: until well is done. You are guilty until proven innocent 468 00:28:49,805 --> 00:28:55,645 Speaker 2: end quote. And then further down she writes, lies travel 469 00:28:55,645 --> 00:28:59,565 Speaker 2: at the speed of sound, truth the speed of smell. 470 00:28:59,685 --> 00:29:00,565 Speaker 1: This line, to me. 471 00:29:00,805 --> 00:29:03,805 Speaker 2: Is descriptive and kind of cryptic because smell is a 472 00:29:03,845 --> 00:29:07,725 Speaker 2: powerful memory trigger and one that's often tied to emotions. 473 00:29:08,205 --> 00:29:11,885 Speaker 2: I can't help wondering what does April mean by this line? 474 00:29:16,045 --> 00:29:20,045 Speaker 2: So is April just an innocent victim of police persecution 475 00:29:21,005 --> 00:29:24,445 Speaker 2: or is she a cold blooded killer? Like I said 476 00:29:24,485 --> 00:29:27,725 Speaker 2: at the beginning, this case has been challenging for me because, 477 00:29:27,765 --> 00:29:30,685 Speaker 2: as you all know, this podcast is focused on victims 478 00:29:30,685 --> 00:29:33,885 Speaker 2: of crime. But what about in cases like Doug Janis's 479 00:29:34,325 --> 00:29:38,445 Speaker 2: when the victims may also be the perpetrators. People have 480 00:29:38,525 --> 00:29:42,245 Speaker 2: described Doug as a loving, kind, church going man who 481 00:29:42,325 --> 00:29:44,325 Speaker 2: was shot twice in the back of the head and 482 00:29:44,405 --> 00:29:45,685 Speaker 2: his houseboat was torched. 483 00:29:46,445 --> 00:29:47,565 Speaker 1: But he's also. 484 00:29:47,325 --> 00:29:49,925 Speaker 2: Someone who groomed a twelve or thirteen year old girl 485 00:29:50,085 --> 00:29:54,405 Speaker 2: into a relationship with him. Maybe April is equally complicated. 486 00:29:54,925 --> 00:29:57,685 Speaker 2: Could she be a perpetrator who is also a victim? 487 00:29:59,285 --> 00:30:02,565 Speaker 2: If April didn't do it, then who killed Doug Janie. 488 00:30:03,125 --> 00:30:06,685 Speaker 2: We will be continuing our investigation because it seems as 489 00:30:06,685 --> 00:30:10,325 Speaker 2: though police and prosecutors were focused on one suspect, April. 490 00:30:10,805 --> 00:30:13,725 Speaker 2: After the charges against her were dropped. They don't seem 491 00:30:13,765 --> 00:30:17,445 Speaker 2: to be looking for any alternative suspect. So if April 492 00:30:17,525 --> 00:30:20,565 Speaker 2: killed her husband, they need to gather more evidence. They 493 00:30:20,605 --> 00:30:22,445 Speaker 2: need to build a case, and if it wasn't her, 494 00:30:22,765 --> 00:30:25,325 Speaker 2: they need to find out who it was. Either way, 495 00:30:25,485 --> 00:30:29,205 Speaker 2: this is not an acceptable stopping point. Some people believe 496 00:30:29,285 --> 00:30:32,685 Speaker 2: that people in power are afraid to pursue April because 497 00:30:32,805 --> 00:30:36,125 Speaker 2: men in power in Sabine County were either sexually involved 498 00:30:36,165 --> 00:30:38,085 Speaker 2: with her or new men who were when she was 499 00:30:38,165 --> 00:30:41,525 Speaker 2: under age. They may have dark secrets that they want 500 00:30:41,565 --> 00:30:45,605 Speaker 2: to see stay buried. But for Doug Jansi's family and 501 00:30:45,685 --> 00:30:49,005 Speaker 2: for the people in Sabine County, it's time to dig 502 00:30:49,005 --> 00:30:57,245 Speaker 2: them up. I'm Catherine Townsend. This is Helen Gone Murder Line. 503 00:30:59,005 --> 00:31:01,045 Speaker 2: Helen Gone Murder Line is a production of School of 504 00:31:01,125 --> 00:31:04,205 Speaker 2: Humans and iHeart Podcasts. It's written and narrated by me 505 00:31:04,405 --> 00:31:07,845 Speaker 2: Catherine Townsend and produced by Gabby Watts and Miranda Hawkins. 506 00:31:08,285 --> 00:31:11,405 Speaker 2: Special thanks to Amy Tubbs for her research assistance. This 507 00:31:11,485 --> 00:31:14,725 Speaker 2: episode was sound designed and mixed by Noah Kamer. Our 508 00:31:14,765 --> 00:31:19,045 Speaker 2: theme song is by Ben Salid. Executive producers are Virginia Prescott, 509 00:31:19,125 --> 00:31:22,685 Speaker 2: Brandon Barr, and Else Crowley. Listen to Helen Gone ad 510 00:31:22,725 --> 00:31:26,165 Speaker 2: free by subscribing to the iHeart True Crime Plus channel. 511 00:31:25,885 --> 00:31:27,045 Speaker 1: On Apple Podcasts. 512 00:31:27,405 --> 00:31:29,885 Speaker 2: If you are interested in seeing documents and materials from 513 00:31:29,885 --> 00:31:33,165 Speaker 2: the case, you can follow the show on Instagram at 514 00:31:33,485 --> 00:31:36,565 Speaker 2: Helen Gone Pod. If you have a case you'd like 515 00:31:36,605 --> 00:31:38,565 Speaker 2: me and my team to look into, you can reach 516 00:31:38,605 --> 00:31:41,045 Speaker 2: out to us at our Helen Gone Murder line at 517 00:31:41,085 --> 00:31:44,445 Speaker 2: six seven eight seven four four six one four five. 518 00:31:44,885 --> 00:31:48,645 Speaker 2: That's six seven eight seven four four six one four five. 519 00:31:53,925 --> 00:31:55,165 Speaker 1: School of Humans