1 00:00:08,245 --> 00:00:19,525 Speaker 1: School of Humans, Gabby and our field producer Miranda have 2 00:00:19,605 --> 00:00:22,725 Speaker 1: been driving around Searcy County trying to get people to 3 00:00:22,765 --> 00:00:27,445 Speaker 1: talk about Janie's case. Knocking on people's doors without warning 4 00:00:27,805 --> 00:00:31,165 Speaker 1: is the last thing we wanted to do. As we 5 00:00:31,205 --> 00:00:34,325 Speaker 1: talked about in season one, this can be dangerous for us. 6 00:00:35,085 --> 00:00:37,445 Speaker 1: We also run the risk of having a witness shut 7 00:00:37,485 --> 00:00:43,445 Speaker 1: down completely and be unwilling to talk. But in a 8 00:00:43,445 --> 00:00:46,045 Speaker 1: place where a lot of people have unlisted phone numbers 9 00:00:46,325 --> 00:00:50,085 Speaker 1: and addresses that don't show up on GPS, sometimes a 10 00:00:50,165 --> 00:00:57,365 Speaker 1: last resort is all we have. Hey, I stop to 11 00:00:57,365 --> 00:01:01,885 Speaker 1: call you. Well, we just went by Kim's house, met 12 00:01:01,885 --> 00:01:06,285 Speaker 1: her husband and gave a gave him the phone, and 13 00:01:06,445 --> 00:01:10,365 Speaker 1: then she called and said, don't talk to me, don't 14 00:01:10,445 --> 00:01:18,925 Speaker 1: call me, leave me alone. So Kim definitely not. We 15 00:01:18,965 --> 00:01:24,685 Speaker 1: went and saw Jamie yesterday and he seemed like, yeah, 16 00:01:24,765 --> 00:01:27,405 Speaker 1: Jamie seemed just kind of like, uh that thing again, 17 00:01:27,485 --> 00:01:30,165 Speaker 1: like I think he's He said something like I've turned 18 00:01:30,165 --> 00:01:33,125 Speaker 1: over every rock that I could and could never find 19 00:01:33,165 --> 00:01:36,605 Speaker 1: out anything, just like we found in season one. It 20 00:01:36,725 --> 00:01:39,205 Speaker 1: takes a long time for people in small towns to 21 00:01:39,245 --> 00:01:43,965 Speaker 1: trust an outsider, but in Marshall, we've had some additional 22 00:01:44,045 --> 00:01:47,565 Speaker 1: challenges Because there has been so much work done on 23 00:01:47,605 --> 00:01:50,885 Speaker 1: the case over the years, many people are reluctant to 24 00:01:50,925 --> 00:01:53,125 Speaker 1: talk unless they can be assured that there will be 25 00:01:53,165 --> 00:01:57,485 Speaker 1: progress in the case. Otherwise they see no benefit to 26 00:01:57,565 --> 00:02:01,525 Speaker 1: digging the case up again. Everyone you've heard about so far, 27 00:02:02,205 --> 00:02:07,365 Speaker 1: Jay Kim, Ron Rose, Gary Do. All of those people 28 00:02:07,365 --> 00:02:10,205 Speaker 1: who were at the party have been interviewed multiple times 29 00:02:10,285 --> 00:02:13,725 Speaker 1: over the thirty years since Jane died. They've been legally 30 00:02:13,765 --> 00:02:16,565 Speaker 1: obliged to show up for depositions served to them by 31 00:02:16,565 --> 00:02:21,005 Speaker 1: prosecutors and lawyers. They've been interviewed by journalists. They've had 32 00:02:21,085 --> 00:02:24,805 Speaker 1: articles written about them across Arkansas, and in two thousand 33 00:02:24,805 --> 00:02:29,205 Speaker 1: and nine, ABC broadcast their forty minute episode of Primetime 34 00:02:29,365 --> 00:02:33,005 Speaker 1: about Janie's death, bringing everything about her case to the 35 00:02:33,085 --> 00:02:36,885 Speaker 1: national stage. And so, when you have another group of 36 00:02:36,925 --> 00:02:41,125 Speaker 1: outsiders asking questions, what would you do? Would you want 37 00:02:41,205 --> 00:02:44,405 Speaker 1: to relive the same night thirty years ago again and again, 38 00:02:45,645 --> 00:02:50,405 Speaker 1: especially if you were being accused of her murder. I'm 39 00:02:50,485 --> 00:03:26,405 Speaker 1: Catherine Townsend and this is hell and Gone. It's two 40 00:03:26,405 --> 00:03:30,525 Speaker 1: thousand and four, fifteen years after Jane died, and after 41 00:03:30,565 --> 00:03:34,685 Speaker 1: a second autopsy, doctor Harry Bennell has determined that Jane's 42 00:03:34,685 --> 00:03:38,845 Speaker 1: death was a homicide. He found blunt force trauma to 43 00:03:38,885 --> 00:03:43,045 Speaker 1: the face and said her next snap back, her spinal 44 00:03:43,085 --> 00:03:46,245 Speaker 1: cord had been torn. She had fractures in her vertebra. 45 00:03:47,165 --> 00:03:50,565 Speaker 1: The second autopsy was meant to provide clarity, but it 46 00:03:50,685 --> 00:03:54,765 Speaker 1: ended up causing even more chaos. The Arkansas Crime Lab 47 00:03:54,805 --> 00:03:58,645 Speaker 1: is reviewing doctor Burnell's autopsy. Doctor Fami Malick is long 48 00:03:58,685 --> 00:04:01,405 Speaker 1: gone from the crime lab, and doctor Charles Cox is 49 00:04:01,445 --> 00:04:04,765 Speaker 1: the chief medical examiner. He gives a scathing review of 50 00:04:04,805 --> 00:04:09,085 Speaker 1: doctor Burnell's He writes, as there is no gentle or 51 00:04:09,125 --> 00:04:11,805 Speaker 1: diplomatic way to say this, I will be quite blunt. 52 00:04:12,325 --> 00:04:15,525 Speaker 1: Doctor Burnell's report, as far as its defects and observation, 53 00:04:15,725 --> 00:04:20,725 Speaker 1: documentation and conclusions are concerned, is grossly substandard. I am 54 00:04:20,765 --> 00:04:25,565 Speaker 1: frankly aghast at the numerous departures from standard forensic medical practice. 55 00:04:25,725 --> 00:04:29,005 Speaker 1: On the basis of a few poorly described autopsy findings 56 00:04:29,125 --> 00:04:32,365 Speaker 1: and five photographs, he would have the reader believe a 57 00:04:32,445 --> 00:04:35,605 Speaker 1: murder had taken place. I do not believe his report 58 00:04:35,645 --> 00:04:40,765 Speaker 1: should be given any serious consideration. Doctor Cokex's main point 59 00:04:40,925 --> 00:04:44,085 Speaker 1: is that the autopsy report is full of insufficient descriptions 60 00:04:44,085 --> 00:04:47,805 Speaker 1: and documentation. He says that's particularly important in this case 61 00:04:47,845 --> 00:04:51,685 Speaker 1: because it's challenging for even the most experienced forensic pathologists 62 00:04:51,685 --> 00:04:56,205 Speaker 1: to make a determination after a body has been previously autopsied, embalmed, 63 00:04:56,285 --> 00:04:59,245 Speaker 1: and buried. You have to be able to discern evidence 64 00:04:59,365 --> 00:05:02,085 Speaker 1: of the injuries that happened before death and figure out 65 00:05:02,085 --> 00:05:05,645 Speaker 1: which ones happen post mortem. It's also particularly importan or 66 00:05:06,125 --> 00:05:08,725 Speaker 1: when you rule a death of homicide where someone can 67 00:05:08,765 --> 00:05:12,925 Speaker 1: be convicted. Doctor Cox isn't convinced by any of doctor 68 00:05:12,925 --> 00:05:17,485 Speaker 1: Burnell's determinations. Doctor Coke says that the discoloration on Jannie's 69 00:05:17,525 --> 00:05:21,005 Speaker 1: skin is more likely from post mortem changes and not 70 00:05:21,205 --> 00:05:24,845 Speaker 1: contusions or abrasions from an injury to the face. Doctor 71 00:05:24,845 --> 00:05:27,685 Speaker 1: Burnell also says there is an extensive hyper extension injury, 72 00:05:28,045 --> 00:05:31,285 Speaker 1: but he doesn't document any hemorrhaging in that area, specifically 73 00:05:31,365 --> 00:05:34,725 Speaker 1: around the third and fourth vertebrae, which he said were fractured. 74 00:05:35,725 --> 00:05:39,605 Speaker 1: Doctor Burnell provided five photographs in his autopsy, all of 75 00:05:39,605 --> 00:05:42,645 Speaker 1: the body from a distance, and none of the actual injuries. 76 00:05:43,325 --> 00:05:47,125 Speaker 1: By comparing Benell's autopsy to the photographs in the original autopsy, 77 00:05:47,605 --> 00:05:53,045 Speaker 1: doctor Cox writes these injuries simply do not exist. Doctor 78 00:05:53,085 --> 00:05:56,685 Speaker 1: Cox also talks about the X ray. Remember, both doctor 79 00:05:56,685 --> 00:06:00,445 Speaker 1: Burnell and the pathologist who reviewed doctor Malix's autopsy said 80 00:06:00,445 --> 00:06:02,645 Speaker 1: the side view of Janey's X ray looked like a 81 00:06:02,645 --> 00:06:07,245 Speaker 1: male skull. Doctor Cox writes much has been written about 82 00:06:07,245 --> 00:06:09,925 Speaker 1: this death, both the mainstream media and on the Internet. 83 00:06:10,325 --> 00:06:13,205 Speaker 1: Much has been written that is simply and categorically false. 84 00:06:13,725 --> 00:06:16,765 Speaker 1: The most egregious example here is the purported switching of 85 00:06:16,845 --> 00:06:19,445 Speaker 1: Jane Ward's autopsy X rays with those of a male. 86 00:06:20,245 --> 00:06:23,045 Speaker 1: As part of this review, we compared photos of X 87 00:06:23,125 --> 00:06:25,045 Speaker 1: rays taken at the time of the nineteen eighty nine 88 00:06:25,085 --> 00:06:28,325 Speaker 1: autopsy with X rays of the exumbody examined in two 89 00:06:28,325 --> 00:06:31,285 Speaker 1: thousand and four. There is no doubt that the two 90 00:06:31,285 --> 00:06:35,845 Speaker 1: individuals are one and the same. I can't wrap my 91 00:06:35,885 --> 00:06:38,845 Speaker 1: head around this. I've read over both doctor Malick and 92 00:06:38,845 --> 00:06:42,485 Speaker 1: doctor Burnell's autopsies dozens of times, and neither one of 93 00:06:42,525 --> 00:06:46,165 Speaker 1: them present enough evidence to answer the question what actually 94 00:06:46,205 --> 00:06:50,845 Speaker 1: happened to Janie's spine. The two pathologists who reviewed doctor 95 00:06:50,885 --> 00:06:53,645 Speaker 1: Malik's work in nineteen ninety two weren't even convinced as 96 00:06:53,645 --> 00:06:57,005 Speaker 1: spinal injury was present, but the spinal cord has become 97 00:06:57,125 --> 00:07:01,365 Speaker 1: central to what people think killed Jane. During his autopsy, 98 00:07:01,845 --> 00:07:05,445 Speaker 1: doctor Malik removed part of Janie's spine. He provided color 99 00:07:05,605 --> 00:07:09,125 Speaker 1: photographs of the portion of the spine that he removed, 100 00:07:09,525 --> 00:07:12,765 Speaker 1: with an arrow pointing to the hemorrhaging that indicated an injury. 101 00:07:13,925 --> 00:07:16,605 Speaker 1: These are the same photographs that doctor Mallet gave Ron 102 00:07:16,645 --> 00:07:20,445 Speaker 1: Ward when he visited the crime lab. Both Awards and 103 00:07:20,525 --> 00:07:23,085 Speaker 1: Mike have placed a huge amount of emphasis on the 104 00:07:23,085 --> 00:07:27,045 Speaker 1: fact that doctor Mallick gave ron those photos. They believe 105 00:07:27,085 --> 00:07:29,605 Speaker 1: that these photos show that the spinal cord is torn. 106 00:07:30,245 --> 00:07:35,285 Speaker 1: Here's Mike and he had sent them color photographs of 107 00:07:35,325 --> 00:07:38,245 Speaker 1: his autopsy, and one of those photographs was of the 108 00:07:38,285 --> 00:07:42,645 Speaker 1: spinal canal opened and in the center of it was 109 00:07:42,725 --> 00:07:46,645 Speaker 1: the spinal her spinal call on. Her spinal cord torn, 110 00:07:47,125 --> 00:07:50,485 Speaker 1: not cut, you could say its shredded. It is torn, 111 00:07:50,885 --> 00:07:54,285 Speaker 1: which was obviously the fatal injury. That's why she couldn't 112 00:07:54,285 --> 00:07:55,805 Speaker 1: move and she fell out in the yard. She just 113 00:07:55,885 --> 00:08:00,085 Speaker 1: laid there until she just couldn't breathe, and that's what happened. 114 00:08:00,645 --> 00:08:04,845 Speaker 1: Respiratory system shuts down and you're done. The fact that 115 00:08:04,845 --> 00:08:07,885 Speaker 1: the spinal cord word was torn according to Mike, means 116 00:08:07,925 --> 00:08:11,045 Speaker 1: that Janey suffered a catastrophic injury to her spine that 117 00:08:11,165 --> 00:08:14,565 Speaker 1: night at the party. The spinal cord being cut would 118 00:08:14,605 --> 00:08:17,485 Speaker 1: indicate that it was an artifact of the autopsy, something 119 00:08:17,485 --> 00:08:19,765 Speaker 1: that doctor Malak had cut in order to remove a 120 00:08:19,765 --> 00:08:22,165 Speaker 1: portion of the spine. We're going to come back to 121 00:08:22,205 --> 00:08:24,485 Speaker 1: this later, but we need to figure out if there 122 00:08:24,565 --> 00:08:27,285 Speaker 1: is any way of determining exactly what happened to that 123 00:08:27,325 --> 00:08:41,005 Speaker 1: spinal cord. We'll be right back. The news of the 124 00:08:41,045 --> 00:08:44,085 Speaker 1: second autopsy spreads throughout Arkansas with the help of Mike 125 00:08:44,125 --> 00:08:48,925 Speaker 1: Masterson's weekly columns, ABC also sends people down to Arkansas 126 00:08:48,925 --> 00:08:53,005 Speaker 1: to start following the case. Over four years, they developed 127 00:08:53,005 --> 00:08:56,685 Speaker 1: their research into a forty minute program called Primetime. The 128 00:08:56,805 --> 00:09:00,445 Speaker 1: case is making national headlines. That's when the Wards held 129 00:09:00,445 --> 00:09:02,365 Speaker 1: a two hundred person rally at the Capitol that we 130 00:09:02,405 --> 00:09:06,245 Speaker 1: talked about in the first episode. People started someting hundreds 131 00:09:06,245 --> 00:09:09,485 Speaker 1: of tips to the Justice for Janeye Forum and in Marshall, 132 00:09:09,925 --> 00:09:13,645 Speaker 1: the crusade between Jerry and Sarah and the Wards split 133 00:09:13,685 --> 00:09:17,205 Speaker 1: the town. Some people think that Sarah or someone else, 134 00:09:17,365 --> 00:09:21,565 Speaker 1: or multiple people killed Jane with a baseball bat. One 135 00:09:21,725 --> 00:09:25,165 Speaker 1: user even claims that Jane didn't even die at the party. 136 00:09:25,725 --> 00:09:27,885 Speaker 1: They said she was six miles away from the cabin 137 00:09:28,325 --> 00:09:31,285 Speaker 1: down at the Buffalo River, a popular party spot for 138 00:09:31,325 --> 00:09:34,565 Speaker 1: young people in Marshall. There was an altercation, she was 139 00:09:34,645 --> 00:09:37,725 Speaker 1: hit in the face, she was unconscious, and she was 140 00:09:37,845 --> 00:09:40,645 Speaker 1: drowned to make sure she was dead. She was then 141 00:09:40,725 --> 00:09:43,045 Speaker 1: brought to the cabin where the story was made up 142 00:09:43,045 --> 00:09:46,645 Speaker 1: about the fall. After that, she was taken to the 143 00:09:46,685 --> 00:09:49,605 Speaker 1: car wash to remove evidence and dressed in different clothes. 144 00:09:51,445 --> 00:09:53,925 Speaker 1: A lot of the wilder theories presented on the forum 145 00:09:54,405 --> 00:09:56,645 Speaker 1: can be dismissed just by looking back at the evidence. 146 00:09:57,965 --> 00:10:01,285 Speaker 1: Investigator Bill Beach interviewed more than thirty people who were 147 00:10:01,325 --> 00:10:04,405 Speaker 1: at the party. All of them said that they saw 148 00:10:04,485 --> 00:10:09,085 Speaker 1: Janeye there, alive and well. In episode two, we found 149 00:10:09,085 --> 00:10:12,325 Speaker 1: discrepancies in the timeline and the witness interview that was 150 00:10:12,365 --> 00:10:15,845 Speaker 1: the biggest outlier was the one from police dispatcher Harold Young. 151 00:10:16,805 --> 00:10:19,365 Speaker 1: He said that Ron Rose had passed by the Sheriff's 152 00:10:19,405 --> 00:10:21,765 Speaker 1: office and alerted him to Janeye in the back of 153 00:10:21,805 --> 00:10:26,565 Speaker 1: the truck. He said that that was around six thirty pm, 154 00:10:26,565 --> 00:10:29,445 Speaker 1: but no one in the truck said that happen. Most 155 00:10:29,485 --> 00:10:33,285 Speaker 1: of the witnesses said that Jane fell closer to seven thirty, 156 00:10:33,605 --> 00:10:36,325 Speaker 1: even if Harold was slightly off on the time. I 157 00:10:36,365 --> 00:10:39,605 Speaker 1: can't help thinking that every stop that ron Rose made 158 00:10:39,645 --> 00:10:42,365 Speaker 1: meant that minutes were ticking by as Jane lay dying 159 00:10:42,365 --> 00:10:44,605 Speaker 1: in the back of his truck, Minutes that could have 160 00:10:44,645 --> 00:10:47,805 Speaker 1: been used to save her life. A lot of people 161 00:10:47,885 --> 00:10:50,325 Speaker 1: witnessed Janie lying on the ground and saw her getting 162 00:10:50,325 --> 00:10:55,005 Speaker 1: loaded in the truck. This illustrates an important investigative principle. 163 00:10:56,205 --> 00:10:59,685 Speaker 1: It is suspicious if witness accounts are too divergent, but 164 00:10:59,725 --> 00:11:03,525 Speaker 1: it's also suspicious if witness accounts are too similar, because 165 00:11:03,525 --> 00:11:08,725 Speaker 1: they can sound rehearsed. In Janie's case, investigators concluded that 166 00:11:08,765 --> 00:11:12,965 Speaker 1: the witness accounts were similar and dissimilar enough to indicate 167 00:11:13,005 --> 00:11:16,845 Speaker 1: that people were telling the truth. In ron Ward's recordings, 168 00:11:17,405 --> 00:11:19,565 Speaker 1: we find a tape of ron and Mona talking with 169 00:11:19,645 --> 00:11:23,285 Speaker 1: prosecutors and investigators about the witness statements. One of the 170 00:11:23,285 --> 00:11:28,405 Speaker 1: officers there explains this idea about the witness statements in 171 00:11:28,445 --> 00:11:33,805 Speaker 1: this particular case. It is my recollection that the that 172 00:11:33,885 --> 00:11:36,925 Speaker 1: the witnesses are the people who were there at the 173 00:11:36,965 --> 00:11:41,485 Speaker 1: party were interviewed something like three times and I believe 174 00:11:41,525 --> 00:11:44,605 Speaker 1: that I look back over this myself many times to 175 00:11:44,965 --> 00:11:48,965 Speaker 1: satisfy myself. That's good. But if you've got a bunch 176 00:11:49,005 --> 00:11:55,325 Speaker 1: of people who all tell you wildly divergent stories basically, 177 00:11:56,045 --> 00:11:59,805 Speaker 1: well how about I know. But what I'm saying is 178 00:12:00,165 --> 00:12:02,085 Speaker 1: if you'd have a bunch of people that they all 179 00:12:02,165 --> 00:12:05,725 Speaker 1: tell wild and divergent stories, you know before out there 180 00:12:05,845 --> 00:12:11,005 Speaker 1: any other com well somebody's mistaken, okay. Or if you 181 00:12:11,085 --> 00:12:12,765 Speaker 1: have a bunch of people and they all tell you 182 00:12:12,925 --> 00:12:15,885 Speaker 1: exactly the same story, I think you got a round 183 00:12:16,845 --> 00:12:21,445 Speaker 1: in this. The statements that were given all of two 184 00:12:22,085 --> 00:12:29,325 Speaker 1: to be basically consistent in the main but they if 185 00:12:29,365 --> 00:12:33,205 Speaker 1: they did her in just those ways that you might 186 00:12:33,405 --> 00:12:36,685 Speaker 1: suspect the statements to differ. If you had a bunch 187 00:12:36,685 --> 00:12:43,245 Speaker 1: of people standing around, everybody game became pretention. We bring 188 00:12:43,285 --> 00:12:46,365 Speaker 1: this up because these outlier theories like that Janie was 189 00:12:46,405 --> 00:12:49,245 Speaker 1: not at the party and was struck elsewhere, are highly 190 00:12:49,325 --> 00:12:53,445 Speaker 1: unlikely because there's a consensus of witnesses. So what we 191 00:12:53,565 --> 00:12:57,445 Speaker 1: know is that Jane was at the party at some point, 192 00:12:57,605 --> 00:13:01,165 Speaker 1: she collapsed, she was on the ground, and when she 193 00:13:01,245 --> 00:13:04,085 Speaker 1: was loaded into the pickup truck she was still alive. 194 00:13:04,965 --> 00:13:06,405 Speaker 1: But by the time time she was in the bank 195 00:13:06,445 --> 00:13:11,045 Speaker 1: parking lot, she was dead. So what happened between the 196 00:13:11,085 --> 00:13:14,525 Speaker 1: party and the bank parking lot We talked to someone 197 00:13:14,725 --> 00:13:17,965 Speaker 1: who tried to figure that out. His name is Richard Walter. 198 00:13:18,885 --> 00:13:22,405 Speaker 1: The Wards found him through Parents of Murdered Children, along 199 00:13:22,405 --> 00:13:25,445 Speaker 1: with a second opinion service that led to doctor Bonell's autopsy. 200 00:13:26,125 --> 00:13:29,525 Speaker 1: That organization also hosts support groups for parents and has 201 00:13:29,565 --> 00:13:33,205 Speaker 1: an annual conference. The Wards attended one and that's where 202 00:13:33,245 --> 00:13:36,805 Speaker 1: they met Richard Walter. He's the founder of the Vidock 203 00:13:36,925 --> 00:13:40,605 Speaker 1: Society in Philadelphia. The VEDOC consists of a group of 204 00:13:40,645 --> 00:13:43,765 Speaker 1: investigators and forensic scientists who meet once a month to 205 00:13:43,845 --> 00:13:48,445 Speaker 1: discuss unsolved cases. He's an expert in forensic psychology and 206 00:13:48,765 --> 00:13:52,485 Speaker 1: he's been involved in multiple high profile cases. Ron and 207 00:13:52,525 --> 00:13:55,165 Speaker 1: mon Aneu instantly they needed to talk one on one 208 00:13:55,205 --> 00:13:57,965 Speaker 1: with Richard in the hopes he could help with Janie's case. 209 00:13:58,525 --> 00:14:03,885 Speaker 1: I also belonged years ago to the National Board of 210 00:14:04,485 --> 00:14:08,245 Speaker 1: Parents and Children, and so I was at one in 211 00:14:08,285 --> 00:14:09,925 Speaker 1: the meetings, and I would go and I would give 212 00:14:09,965 --> 00:14:12,165 Speaker 1: a little chat to the parents, and this and that, 213 00:14:12,365 --> 00:14:16,965 Speaker 1: and the words were there. They took a liking to me, 214 00:14:17,685 --> 00:14:19,965 Speaker 1: and particularly as to what I had to say, and 215 00:14:20,005 --> 00:14:24,045 Speaker 1: they felt that I was an honorable guy, apparently, and 216 00:14:24,085 --> 00:14:27,365 Speaker 1: then they told me their case about Damy and it 217 00:14:27,525 --> 00:14:31,645 Speaker 1: sounded and many parents will they blame law enforcement, and 218 00:14:31,725 --> 00:14:34,205 Speaker 1: they blame this, and they blame that or whatever else, 219 00:14:34,845 --> 00:14:39,165 Speaker 1: and sometimes it's not so I thought, well, I went 220 00:14:39,205 --> 00:14:42,725 Speaker 1: to beat On and said to them, this is their tale. 221 00:14:43,245 --> 00:14:45,925 Speaker 1: Law enforcement there apparently is not willing to come here 222 00:14:46,045 --> 00:14:49,965 Speaker 1: and discuss the case in chief, and so I would 223 00:14:50,005 --> 00:14:53,525 Speaker 1: like to go there and have a look. See. In 224 00:14:53,565 --> 00:14:56,445 Speaker 1: November of two thousand and one, Richard went down to 225 00:14:56,485 --> 00:14:58,965 Speaker 1: Marshall to see if he could shed any new light 226 00:14:59,005 --> 00:15:02,085 Speaker 1: on the case, and he ended up having a really 227 00:15:02,125 --> 00:15:07,965 Speaker 1: bizarre experience. I then obviously saw the wards, and then 228 00:15:08,525 --> 00:15:13,685 Speaker 1: a state trooper showed up who liked the words, amongst 229 00:15:13,685 --> 00:15:17,925 Speaker 1: other things. We became quick friends. And that's a damn 230 00:15:17,965 --> 00:15:22,565 Speaker 1: good thing, because I found the environment extremely hostile and 231 00:15:22,645 --> 00:15:25,805 Speaker 1: the only place that I could rent allegedly before my 232 00:15:26,165 --> 00:15:29,045 Speaker 1: week stay of three days day or whatever, it was Okay, 233 00:15:29,765 --> 00:15:34,685 Speaker 1: it was a house inside a wald environment. It was 234 00:15:34,725 --> 00:15:38,325 Speaker 1: a citadel inside a wald environment. They just didn't want 235 00:15:38,325 --> 00:15:41,165 Speaker 1: me there. One person in particular stood out to Richard 236 00:15:41,645 --> 00:15:44,925 Speaker 1: gary Don. He was the one who provided the beer 237 00:15:45,045 --> 00:15:48,085 Speaker 1: and the booze for the party, and the story Richard 238 00:15:48,125 --> 00:15:50,805 Speaker 1: said he got from gary Don is completely different than 239 00:15:50,845 --> 00:15:53,565 Speaker 1: what we read in the police file. The two drove 240 00:15:53,645 --> 00:15:57,365 Speaker 1: up to the cabin and in a private conversation, gary 241 00:15:57,445 --> 00:16:00,125 Speaker 1: Don told Richard there was some sort of conflict between 242 00:16:00,205 --> 00:16:02,765 Speaker 1: Sarah and Janey that then got out of hand, and 243 00:16:02,885 --> 00:16:06,125 Speaker 1: there was a conflict. She went off the porch. Uh, 244 00:16:06,525 --> 00:16:09,245 Speaker 1: then somebody decided that they should call the police, and 245 00:16:09,285 --> 00:16:12,325 Speaker 1: so the police. Now then they got into panic, and 246 00:16:12,365 --> 00:16:14,325 Speaker 1: everybody was trying to hide their drugs and do all 247 00:16:14,325 --> 00:16:18,125 Speaker 1: these other sorts of things. Okay, So they decided then 248 00:16:18,205 --> 00:16:24,005 Speaker 1: to get rid of Jane, and from that then they 249 00:16:24,325 --> 00:16:27,485 Speaker 1: put her in the back of the pickup. He then 250 00:16:27,525 --> 00:16:30,485 Speaker 1: told me that she was none verbal, but she was groaning. 251 00:16:30,565 --> 00:16:32,725 Speaker 1: She was moaning. She was doing all these other sorts 252 00:16:32,765 --> 00:16:35,965 Speaker 1: of things instead of going the shortest way back to 253 00:16:36,045 --> 00:16:39,365 Speaker 1: town and to the hospital and whatever else. If you 254 00:16:39,565 --> 00:16:43,925 Speaker 1: are exiting the party place and you turned left, that 255 00:16:44,125 --> 00:16:46,685 Speaker 1: was the fastest way back to town. They turned right, 256 00:16:47,405 --> 00:16:51,845 Speaker 1: and we turned right, and they then took me through 257 00:16:52,685 --> 00:16:59,245 Speaker 1: Hilldale Valley, muddy spots and this and that. Then you 258 00:16:59,405 --> 00:17:02,285 Speaker 1: also had. We also had to forge a creek that 259 00:17:02,405 --> 00:17:05,885 Speaker 1: ran across across the road. It was suggested be because 260 00:17:06,085 --> 00:17:08,245 Speaker 1: of the crawdads and the other sorts of things that 261 00:17:08,285 --> 00:17:11,005 Speaker 1: were found in their clothing and hair and whatever. Okay, 262 00:17:12,245 --> 00:17:17,245 Speaker 1: that she had been further beaten. She wasn't dead when 263 00:17:17,285 --> 00:17:22,325 Speaker 1: she left the party. Somewhere before she got back to town, though, 264 00:17:22,365 --> 00:17:27,485 Speaker 1: she was dead, and it was believed that they stopped 265 00:17:27,485 --> 00:17:30,685 Speaker 1: along the way at the creek, put her in the creek, 266 00:17:31,565 --> 00:17:33,765 Speaker 1: beat the hell out of her, send me far off, 267 00:17:34,245 --> 00:17:39,765 Speaker 1: and from that then go into town. Allegedly, then the 268 00:17:39,845 --> 00:17:44,605 Speaker 1: driver of the vehicle of the pickup then drove through 269 00:17:44,645 --> 00:17:48,085 Speaker 1: a car wash with her in the back, and then 270 00:17:48,085 --> 00:17:51,325 Speaker 1: they called the police. Going back to the paramedics and 271 00:17:51,525 --> 00:17:54,245 Speaker 1: to what ron Ward saw in the morgue, they all 272 00:17:54,285 --> 00:17:58,085 Speaker 1: agreed that Janey was covered in sand. She even had 273 00:17:58,125 --> 00:18:00,725 Speaker 1: sand under her clothes and stuck in her bra strap. 274 00:18:01,485 --> 00:18:04,205 Speaker 1: It was also stated in their affidavit that she was 275 00:18:04,245 --> 00:18:08,005 Speaker 1: covered in Beggar's life. Beggar's life is a plant that 276 00:18:08,045 --> 00:18:11,325 Speaker 1: has little hooks that very easily get attached to fur, clothes, 277 00:18:11,565 --> 00:18:15,005 Speaker 1: or in this case, hair, and Ron said it's often 278 00:18:15,045 --> 00:18:17,685 Speaker 1: found near the creek beds in Marshall, but there was 279 00:18:17,765 --> 00:18:22,245 Speaker 1: no mention of crawdads. This theory would help explain why 280 00:18:22,325 --> 00:18:26,285 Speaker 1: Jane's hair and body were wet and why witnesses said 281 00:18:26,325 --> 00:18:28,805 Speaker 1: there was a puddle of water under Ron Rose's truck 282 00:18:28,805 --> 00:18:32,365 Speaker 1: in the bank parking lot, But again, in any official 283 00:18:32,405 --> 00:18:35,645 Speaker 1: police record, no one in the truck mentioned taking this route, 284 00:18:36,445 --> 00:18:39,165 Speaker 1: nor did Gary dah ever give this explanation to police. 285 00:18:40,325 --> 00:18:43,925 Speaker 1: In the end, Richard told Ron that he couldn't do 286 00:18:44,045 --> 00:18:46,885 Speaker 1: anything to help him get justice for his daughter, and 287 00:18:46,925 --> 00:18:50,725 Speaker 1: so ultimately, then I said one, I said, I hate 288 00:18:50,765 --> 00:18:53,245 Speaker 1: to hear myself say this. Then I'm going to tell 289 00:18:53,285 --> 00:18:58,005 Speaker 1: you what as a friend, and when we're else, I 290 00:18:58,085 --> 00:19:02,205 Speaker 1: believe you. I believe that your daughter was murdered, and 291 00:19:02,445 --> 00:19:06,565 Speaker 1: I believe that we know the story. But it is 292 00:19:06,605 --> 00:19:12,685 Speaker 1: so corrupt in Marshall, Arkansas that it will never, never, 293 00:19:13,205 --> 00:19:17,085 Speaker 1: never come to fruition unless a miracle takes place. That said, 294 00:19:17,805 --> 00:19:20,165 Speaker 1: I'd love to see it all, but I said, I gotta, 295 00:19:20,405 --> 00:19:22,325 Speaker 1: I gotta tell you, I just have to. I just 296 00:19:22,365 --> 00:19:24,805 Speaker 1: had to drop out now, I said, I'll be back 297 00:19:24,805 --> 00:19:27,885 Speaker 1: in a heartbeat. They're good to back to another investigation. 298 00:19:28,165 --> 00:19:30,805 Speaker 1: You need me I'll be there, but until you can 299 00:19:30,845 --> 00:19:34,685 Speaker 1: get the poond things sorted out by spinning my wheels 300 00:19:35,485 --> 00:19:40,765 Speaker 1: and I can't do that, We'll be right back. This 301 00:19:40,925 --> 00:19:44,205 Speaker 1: theory that Richard presents also says that Janey was at 302 00:19:44,205 --> 00:19:47,245 Speaker 1: the party and that something happened there, but that something 303 00:19:47,325 --> 00:19:49,645 Speaker 1: also happened in the truck en route from the party 304 00:19:49,685 --> 00:19:52,685 Speaker 1: to the bank parking lot. So we need to find 305 00:19:52,725 --> 00:19:57,205 Speaker 1: out which direction the truck took. From reading witness reports, 306 00:19:57,645 --> 00:19:59,645 Speaker 1: we had been assuming that the truck went the most 307 00:19:59,645 --> 00:20:02,205 Speaker 1: direct route, which would be to the left out of 308 00:20:02,205 --> 00:20:06,565 Speaker 1: the driveway. The three people in the truck, Ron Rose, 309 00:20:06,805 --> 00:20:10,285 Speaker 1: Sherry and Kim All said that they didn't make any 310 00:20:10,325 --> 00:20:13,765 Speaker 1: stops between the cabin and the bank parking lot. Anne 311 00:20:14,325 --> 00:20:16,325 Speaker 1: that they went there because of its proximity to the 312 00:20:16,325 --> 00:20:20,725 Speaker 1: ambulance service. But in the mayhem of leaving the party, 313 00:20:21,245 --> 00:20:24,205 Speaker 1: there was a car accident reported. We read about it 314 00:20:24,285 --> 00:20:27,445 Speaker 1: first in Sherry's statement. She had actually left the party 315 00:20:27,525 --> 00:20:31,085 Speaker 1: with another Marshall High School student named Brian, and Brian 316 00:20:31,245 --> 00:20:34,125 Speaker 1: apparently ran his truck into a tree while leaving the cabin. 317 00:20:35,165 --> 00:20:37,245 Speaker 1: He had gone to the left out of the driveway, 318 00:20:37,845 --> 00:20:40,285 Speaker 1: and other people leaving had to help him pull his 319 00:20:40,325 --> 00:20:43,525 Speaker 1: car out of the way. This road is narrow and 320 00:20:43,565 --> 00:20:45,365 Speaker 1: it was blocking the rest of the people who were 321 00:20:45,365 --> 00:20:49,125 Speaker 1: trying to leave. Mona and Cristel heard that Brian was 322 00:20:49,165 --> 00:20:51,365 Speaker 1: so upset on the night of the party that he 323 00:20:51,405 --> 00:20:53,885 Speaker 1: had to be sedated by his father, who was a 324 00:20:53,925 --> 00:20:57,725 Speaker 1: doctor in town. We need to know if Richard's theory 325 00:20:57,765 --> 00:21:00,845 Speaker 1: is plausible and if they went by the creek bed 326 00:21:01,085 --> 00:21:04,485 Speaker 1: or ended up driving down Rockier roads. Was the truck 327 00:21:04,525 --> 00:21:07,925 Speaker 1: diverted to the right or was this another delay in 328 00:21:07,965 --> 00:21:12,045 Speaker 1: getting Jennie to help Ron Ward continues to call and 329 00:21:12,085 --> 00:21:14,685 Speaker 1: talk to people on the phone about the case. On 330 00:21:14,765 --> 00:21:17,805 Speaker 1: the night Janie died, it was Ron's cousin, Steve, who 331 00:21:17,885 --> 00:21:20,005 Speaker 1: came and picked Moan and Ron up to take them 332 00:21:20,005 --> 00:21:22,365 Speaker 1: to the police station, where they got the news about Jane. 333 00:21:24,365 --> 00:21:28,525 Speaker 1: Stephen Ron grew up together. They were close, but over 334 00:21:28,565 --> 00:21:32,205 Speaker 1: the years their relationship grew tense. Steve owned the cabin 335 00:21:32,885 --> 00:21:36,565 Speaker 1: his son Jay through the party. Ron accused Steve of 336 00:21:36,685 --> 00:21:40,085 Speaker 1: not being truthful early in the investigation, which is revealed 337 00:21:40,125 --> 00:21:42,925 Speaker 1: in one of the conversations that Ron had with investigator 338 00:21:42,965 --> 00:21:46,605 Speaker 1: Bill Beach. Tell me that she had some more names. 339 00:21:48,205 --> 00:21:52,565 Speaker 1: Oh yes, sir, I do okay. I was like, you're 340 00:21:52,605 --> 00:21:59,485 Speaker 1: very important. Have Steve war not other than that first night? 341 00:22:00,685 --> 00:22:04,925 Speaker 1: But not good quurtion me, how did he act? So 342 00:22:05,045 --> 00:22:07,645 Speaker 1: that was just the first night that I was down there, Ron, 343 00:22:07,725 --> 00:22:09,605 Speaker 1: that was the first night that it happened at that 344 00:22:09,645 --> 00:22:14,125 Speaker 1: particular time. You know, they only think Steve said was 345 00:22:14,125 --> 00:22:16,205 Speaker 1: that he hadn't been there, that he was at his 346 00:22:16,245 --> 00:22:18,445 Speaker 1: home in Delphunt and he didn't have any idea what 347 00:22:18,565 --> 00:22:21,525 Speaker 1: had happened. You know that Jamie was the one that 348 00:22:21,565 --> 00:22:25,325 Speaker 1: had the use of the house, and that was basically it. Well, 349 00:22:25,405 --> 00:22:30,165 Speaker 1: just the way Steve's actually we came to us. Ron 350 00:22:30,245 --> 00:22:32,685 Speaker 1: is saying that Steve has told him plenty of ideas 351 00:22:32,685 --> 00:22:35,245 Speaker 1: about what happened to his daughter, but she choked on 352 00:22:35,285 --> 00:22:38,485 Speaker 1: an orange piel and suffocated, that she tripped and felt 353 00:22:39,045 --> 00:22:42,045 Speaker 1: that she was drunk. Ron is also not clear on 354 00:22:42,125 --> 00:22:45,285 Speaker 1: where Steve was that night. It made stir telling us 355 00:22:45,285 --> 00:22:47,805 Speaker 1: there's no fell play, that he was not there, that 356 00:22:47,885 --> 00:22:50,165 Speaker 1: he was home sick in bed with the sore throat, 357 00:22:50,965 --> 00:22:54,245 Speaker 1: and then his wife tells us that he was at 358 00:22:54,245 --> 00:22:58,125 Speaker 1: a party at Mass Merchandise. Fifteen hundred people can swear 359 00:22:58,205 --> 00:23:02,805 Speaker 1: up and down, and his whole attitude for it since 360 00:23:02,845 --> 00:23:07,285 Speaker 1: Stephen I was real quot for lot brothers. You know, 361 00:23:08,085 --> 00:23:11,965 Speaker 1: my respact that helped you build the very house up 362 00:23:12,005 --> 00:23:16,325 Speaker 1: there for this ancident to flee. And then he just 363 00:23:16,365 --> 00:23:19,405 Speaker 1: completely turns one hundred and eighty degrees away from me. 364 00:23:22,325 --> 00:23:24,525 Speaker 1: The people here at the house we tell him he's 365 00:23:24,605 --> 00:23:27,965 Speaker 1: lying to you, be lying to you, And I told him, 366 00:23:28,005 --> 00:23:29,965 Speaker 1: I said no, I said he wasn't lie to me. 367 00:23:31,405 --> 00:23:34,885 Speaker 1: It didn't come tinned out. Everything he told us was 368 00:23:34,925 --> 00:23:38,805 Speaker 1: a law. Ron said everything he told us was a lie. 369 00:23:39,405 --> 00:23:41,245 Speaker 1: But Steve has also been trying to figure out what 370 00:23:41,365 --> 00:23:44,565 Speaker 1: happened and had an emotional phone call with Ron. I 371 00:23:44,765 --> 00:23:48,645 Speaker 1: wasn't there, Ronnie. I'm not saying you only know what 372 00:23:49,805 --> 00:23:54,965 Speaker 1: I think has happened in a speculations from what I've 373 00:23:55,005 --> 00:23:59,045 Speaker 1: told you, has only led up the hardship. And I 374 00:23:59,085 --> 00:24:01,165 Speaker 1: don't want that no more. I'm tired of it. I 375 00:24:01,205 --> 00:24:04,245 Speaker 1: don't want to know the truth like you do, and 376 00:24:04,285 --> 00:24:07,245 Speaker 1: I don't want you to accuse me nothing, and I'm 377 00:24:07,245 --> 00:24:11,365 Speaker 1: not I'm excused you with now thing in your mind. 378 00:24:12,125 --> 00:24:16,685 Speaker 1: The only thing I said was that you knew what happened. No, 379 00:24:16,885 --> 00:24:20,325 Speaker 1: I don't know. I mean, I honestly don't have no 380 00:24:20,485 --> 00:24:25,485 Speaker 1: idea that this world what happened. Steve proposes another theory. 381 00:24:26,325 --> 00:24:29,125 Speaker 1: Jannie was at the party and after the chaos of 382 00:24:29,165 --> 00:24:32,445 Speaker 1: the party line call an announcement that the police were coming, 383 00:24:33,125 --> 00:24:35,325 Speaker 1: Jane was pushed into a post that was on the porch. 384 00:24:36,165 --> 00:24:39,045 Speaker 1: Steve thought that the force of that could have bruised 385 00:24:39,125 --> 00:24:42,445 Speaker 1: Jannie's face and body. She then fell onto the ground. 386 00:24:43,125 --> 00:24:45,245 Speaker 1: Steve suggested that Sarah might have been the one who 387 00:24:45,325 --> 00:24:48,565 Speaker 1: ran into Jannie, or another Marshall High School student who 388 00:24:48,565 --> 00:24:51,285 Speaker 1: was fleeing the scene to avoid the cops. Brian, the 389 00:24:51,365 --> 00:24:55,365 Speaker 1: kid who crashed the truck is another possibility. Running out 390 00:24:55,325 --> 00:24:57,845 Speaker 1: of the house and she is standing there by the 391 00:24:57,925 --> 00:24:59,925 Speaker 1: cag fit and get her a bear, and somebody run 392 00:24:59,965 --> 00:25:03,925 Speaker 1: over and shoved her into that post. And they said, 393 00:25:03,925 --> 00:25:06,925 Speaker 1: when she turned around, I heard a When they turned around, 394 00:25:06,965 --> 00:25:09,605 Speaker 1: she read chapter grabs the post and she sprung around 395 00:25:10,085 --> 00:25:13,765 Speaker 1: and fell off the porch. That ain't nobody took him 396 00:25:13,765 --> 00:25:16,525 Speaker 1: from the river or done nothing else to her. This 397 00:25:16,645 --> 00:25:20,645 Speaker 1: phone call between ron and Steve is charged. Whenever Ron 398 00:25:20,685 --> 00:25:25,005 Speaker 1: starts speculating, Steve implores him to stop. Ronnie my honest 399 00:25:25,045 --> 00:25:28,325 Speaker 1: opinion was, I'm sorry to say that it was a 400 00:25:28,365 --> 00:25:32,765 Speaker 1: pure accident and nobody could help it, or somebody wouldn't nobody. 401 00:25:34,165 --> 00:25:37,965 Speaker 1: It wasn't no good. It was in an accident, But 402 00:25:38,085 --> 00:25:42,005 Speaker 1: it didn't happen at when I'm saying I did. It 403 00:25:42,165 --> 00:25:46,165 Speaker 1: had to you couldn't have. Janie was there at the party. 404 00:25:46,245 --> 00:25:49,685 Speaker 1: She went out there with Ronnie and them, and she 405 00:25:49,845 --> 00:25:52,605 Speaker 1: was there. She probably went out behind the house. Steve 406 00:25:52,685 --> 00:25:56,005 Speaker 1: suggests that the debris that Janie was covered in either 407 00:25:56,045 --> 00:25:58,485 Speaker 1: came from his yard or from the bed of ron 408 00:25:58,565 --> 00:26:01,845 Speaker 1: Roses truck, and he pleads with ron to believe it 409 00:26:01,885 --> 00:26:04,925 Speaker 1: was totally accidental and that everyone was doing the best 410 00:26:04,965 --> 00:26:08,885 Speaker 1: they could help his daughter. Remember that doctor Burnell said 411 00:26:08,885 --> 00:26:12,445 Speaker 1: that Jane's spine was broken, and he confirmed the injuries 412 00:26:12,525 --> 00:26:15,245 Speaker 1: Ron had seen on Jane the night she died, a 413 00:26:15,245 --> 00:26:19,725 Speaker 1: broken nose and bruising on the face. Steve's theory that 414 00:26:19,845 --> 00:26:23,925 Speaker 1: Jannie ran into a post matches these injuries. After doctor 415 00:26:23,925 --> 00:26:28,285 Speaker 1: Burnell's autopsy, the ward's petition to change the manner of 416 00:26:28,325 --> 00:26:35,525 Speaker 1: death on Janie's death certificate from undetermined to homicide. People 417 00:26:35,525 --> 00:26:39,085 Speaker 1: across Arkansas are now thoroughly invested in the case. It 418 00:26:39,125 --> 00:26:42,365 Speaker 1: appears on local news stations and everyone is waiting to 419 00:26:42,365 --> 00:26:45,645 Speaker 1: see what will happen. Mike Huckabee is governor at the 420 00:26:45,685 --> 00:26:48,445 Speaker 1: time and gives ten thousand dollars to hire a special 421 00:26:48,485 --> 00:26:52,645 Speaker 1: prosecutor to work on the case. The case is reopened 422 00:26:53,085 --> 00:26:57,725 Speaker 1: and a new investigation begins. All statutes of limitations have 423 00:26:57,805 --> 00:27:04,605 Speaker 1: run out, all statutes except homicide. I'm Catherine Townsend and 424 00:27:04,685 --> 00:27:08,765 Speaker 1: this is Helen Gone. Helen Gone is a joint production 425 00:27:09,005 --> 00:27:12,845 Speaker 1: between School of Humans and iHeartRadio. It is written and 426 00:27:12,885 --> 00:27:17,365 Speaker 1: recorded by me. Katherine Townsend. Taylor Church and Gabby Watts 427 00:27:17,405 --> 00:27:22,205 Speaker 1: are our producers and story editors. Executive producers are Brandon Barr, 428 00:27:22,405 --> 00:27:25,285 Speaker 1: Brian Lavin, and L. C. Crowley for School of Humans 429 00:27:25,765 --> 00:27:29,525 Speaker 1: and Connell Byrne and Chuck Bryant for iHeart. Our field 430 00:27:29,525 --> 00:27:33,525 Speaker 1: producer is Miranda Hawkins. Theme and original score are by 431 00:27:33,565 --> 00:27:37,885 Speaker 1: Ben Sale, available wherever you get your music. Please visit 432 00:27:37,965 --> 00:27:41,485 Speaker 1: us at Helen gonpodcast dot com or follow us on 433 00:27:41,525 --> 00:27:56,405 Speaker 1: social media. School of Humans