1 00:00:08,245 --> 00:00:09,645 Speaker 1: School of Humans. 2 00:00:13,165 --> 00:00:15,725 Speaker 2: On the morning of March twenty second, nineteen eighty four, 3 00:00:15,805 --> 00:00:19,765 Speaker 2: at around six thirty am, police came to the one story, 4 00:00:20,005 --> 00:00:24,205 Speaker 2: nondescript home in Fayetteville, Arkansas, that belonged to a quiet, 5 00:00:24,365 --> 00:00:27,725 Speaker 2: unassuming thirty three year old pharmacist named Lee Dixon and 6 00:00:27,805 --> 00:00:32,045 Speaker 2: his wife Karen. Apparently police had gotten a tip to 7 00:00:32,045 --> 00:00:34,925 Speaker 2: do a welfare check from the local prosecuting attorney, whose 8 00:00:35,005 --> 00:00:37,885 Speaker 2: name was Kim Smith, which is just one of the 9 00:00:37,925 --> 00:00:40,525 Speaker 2: many unusual facets of this case that we'll go into 10 00:00:40,565 --> 00:00:44,525 Speaker 2: detail about. Shortly, Kim Smith had gotten a call that 11 00:00:44,605 --> 00:00:48,805 Speaker 2: morning telling her to get someone to check the Dixon home. Now, 12 00:00:49,005 --> 00:00:52,765 Speaker 2: Lee Dixon was already on law enforcement's radar. He had 13 00:00:52,805 --> 00:00:55,845 Speaker 2: recently been embroiled in a scandal after losing his job 14 00:00:55,925 --> 00:00:59,605 Speaker 2: at Consumer's Pharmacy. Apparently there had been an audit at 15 00:00:59,605 --> 00:01:04,005 Speaker 2: that pharmacy and there were drugs missing, including pharmaceutical grade cocaine. 16 00:01:05,605 --> 00:01:09,365 Speaker 2: So a picture was emerging of the quiet, polite pharmacist 17 00:01:09,925 --> 00:01:15,165 Speaker 2: as someone who was potentially involved in the drug trade. 18 00:01:15,685 --> 00:01:18,285 Speaker 2: So police got to the door and they knocked, but 19 00:01:18,405 --> 00:01:22,085 Speaker 2: Lee and Karen didn't answer. Finally, a little two and 20 00:01:22,125 --> 00:01:24,685 Speaker 2: a half year old boy Lee and Karen's son came 21 00:01:24,725 --> 00:01:27,925 Speaker 2: to the door. He told police that his mother was 22 00:01:27,925 --> 00:01:31,885 Speaker 2: sleeping and that daddy went out. Police entered the home 23 00:01:31,925 --> 00:01:34,565 Speaker 2: looking for his parents, and it didn't take long to 24 00:01:34,605 --> 00:01:38,325 Speaker 2: find their bodies. Lee was in the garage, lying face down. 25 00:01:38,925 --> 00:01:43,565 Speaker 2: He had been shot point blank. Police later determined that 26 00:01:43,685 --> 00:01:48,085 Speaker 2: Lee had been shot first, then the killer came for Karen. 27 00:01:48,765 --> 00:01:51,445 Speaker 2: Police found Karen in the living room. She had been 28 00:01:51,485 --> 00:01:54,365 Speaker 2: tied to a chair, and her legs and wrists were 29 00:01:54,405 --> 00:01:58,365 Speaker 2: bound together with masking tape. Her wrists had also been 30 00:01:58,405 --> 00:02:02,285 Speaker 2: wrapped with three different types of cords, an extension cord, 31 00:02:02,405 --> 00:02:05,525 Speaker 2: a telephone cord, and a black cord that was a 32 00:02:05,525 --> 00:02:08,925 Speaker 2: hatched to a recording device. Her blue bathrobe and her 33 00:02:09,005 --> 00:02:12,685 Speaker 2: nightgown were soaked with blood. Police later discovered that she 34 00:02:12,765 --> 00:02:17,685 Speaker 2: had also been shot multiple times, execution style, but unlike 35 00:02:17,725 --> 00:02:21,805 Speaker 2: her husband, Karen did not die right away. Investigators believed 36 00:02:21,805 --> 00:02:25,405 Speaker 2: that her killer, after fatally shooting Lee, told her to 37 00:02:25,445 --> 00:02:29,085 Speaker 2: be still, then shot her in the head. They found 38 00:02:29,125 --> 00:02:32,725 Speaker 2: aspirated blood in her lungs, which meant, according to the 39 00:02:32,725 --> 00:02:36,085 Speaker 2: autopsy report, that she lived for several minutes after that, 40 00:02:36,805 --> 00:02:42,325 Speaker 2: but eventually, of course, her wounds were fatal. There was 41 00:02:42,365 --> 00:02:45,925 Speaker 2: a gunshot wound to Karen's right hand. According to the 42 00:02:45,925 --> 00:02:49,725 Speaker 2: autopsy report, one of her fingers had been almost shot off. 43 00:02:50,485 --> 00:02:53,645 Speaker 2: In her left hand, Karen was clutching a gray, white 44 00:02:53,725 --> 00:02:57,605 Speaker 2: and red child's jacket. Karen was eight and a half 45 00:02:57,685 --> 00:03:04,365 Speaker 2: months pregnant, so her unborn child became the third victim. Fortunately, 46 00:03:04,645 --> 00:03:07,365 Speaker 2: their little boy, the one who answered the door, was unharmed. 47 00:03:07,885 --> 00:03:10,525 Speaker 2: Police later said that he had probably slept through the 48 00:03:10,525 --> 00:03:15,845 Speaker 2: whole thing. What started as a family massacre turned out 49 00:03:15,845 --> 00:03:19,045 Speaker 2: to have ties to another mysterious death, one of a 50 00:03:19,085 --> 00:03:22,365 Speaker 2: man who drowned in under three feet of water. Later, 51 00:03:22,485 --> 00:03:26,085 Speaker 2: there would be allegations that Lee, this quiet local pharmacist 52 00:03:26,085 --> 00:03:29,445 Speaker 2: at the Consumered Pharmacy had been making backdoor deals with 53 00:03:29,485 --> 00:03:32,685 Speaker 2: local criminals to provide the power players of faet ball 54 00:03:32,845 --> 00:03:38,045 Speaker 2: with pharmaceutical grade cocaine. I'm Catherine Townsend. If you have 55 00:03:38,165 --> 00:03:40,285 Speaker 2: a case you'd like me and my team to look into, 56 00:03:40,925 --> 00:03:42,925 Speaker 2: you can reach out to us at our Helen Gone 57 00:03:43,005 --> 00:03:46,845 Speaker 2: Murder Line at six seven eight seven four four six' 58 00:03:46,925 --> 00:03:50,325 Speaker 2: one four or five. That's six seven eight seven four 59 00:03:50,445 --> 00:03:53,965 Speaker 2: four six ' one four five. This is Helen Gone 60 00:03:54,285 --> 00:04:29,125 Speaker 2: Murder Line. The double homicide of Lee Dixon and his 61 00:04:29,205 --> 00:04:33,245 Speaker 2: wife Karen was shocking in its brutality, but actually it 62 00:04:33,405 --> 00:04:36,285 Speaker 2: wasn't much of a who done it because police very 63 00:04:36,365 --> 00:04:39,325 Speaker 2: quickly announced that they were looking for a single suspect. 64 00:04:39,925 --> 00:04:44,325 Speaker 2: Lee's friend, forty two year old Dennis Flowers. Neighbors told 65 00:04:44,405 --> 00:04:47,645 Speaker 2: police they had not heard shots that night, but witnesses 66 00:04:47,685 --> 00:04:51,845 Speaker 2: said that Dennis Flowers was with Lee at around midnight, 67 00:04:52,365 --> 00:04:56,365 Speaker 2: hours before he was killed. Witnesses also said that they 68 00:04:56,445 --> 00:04:58,925 Speaker 2: had heard a vehicle at the Dixon house at around 69 00:04:58,925 --> 00:05:02,965 Speaker 2: twelve thirty am, and that call that Kim Smith, the attorney, 70 00:05:03,005 --> 00:05:06,165 Speaker 2: made to police. She was tipped off a man named 71 00:05:06,245 --> 00:05:09,805 Speaker 2: Lamar Pettis, an attorney who is the friend and landlord 72 00:05:09,805 --> 00:05:14,245 Speaker 2: of Dennis Flowers. When Lamar talked to police, he told 73 00:05:14,285 --> 00:05:17,045 Speaker 2: them that Dennis had called him just after four am 74 00:05:17,085 --> 00:05:18,965 Speaker 2: with a wild story about how he. 75 00:05:18,925 --> 00:05:21,605 Speaker 1: Had killed two people and was holding hostages. 76 00:05:22,405 --> 00:05:24,645 Speaker 2: We're going to get more into what happened with Dennis 77 00:05:24,685 --> 00:05:27,485 Speaker 2: next and how that night unfolded, but first I want 78 00:05:27,485 --> 00:05:30,405 Speaker 2: to go back and understand the history between these two men, 79 00:05:30,685 --> 00:05:36,285 Speaker 2: Dennis Flowers and Lee Dixon. Let me take a quick 80 00:05:36,365 --> 00:05:39,125 Speaker 2: detour for a minute. We've been covering the Gail Vault 81 00:05:39,205 --> 00:05:42,285 Speaker 2: murder case for the past couple of weeks, and we're 82 00:05:42,325 --> 00:05:45,805 Speaker 2: following some leads in that case. So while we do that, 83 00:05:45,925 --> 00:05:48,085 Speaker 2: I want to go back and explore one of the 84 00:05:48,085 --> 00:05:50,925 Speaker 2: theories we covered in last week's episode, the one that 85 00:05:51,005 --> 00:05:54,965 Speaker 2: involved the drug trade in northwest Arkansas. Last week, we 86 00:05:55,045 --> 00:05:58,485 Speaker 2: talked about the three main theories in Gail's case. One 87 00:05:58,605 --> 00:06:00,845 Speaker 2: that she was involved in some sort of drug trafficking 88 00:06:01,045 --> 00:06:03,765 Speaker 2: or that her boyfriend Ray was, and that Gail was 89 00:06:03,845 --> 00:06:06,765 Speaker 2: killed as a result of that. The second theory was 90 00:06:06,765 --> 00:06:09,445 Speaker 2: that Gail was killed as a result of domestic violence. 91 00:06:10,045 --> 00:06:11,565 Speaker 1: The third was that. 92 00:06:11,445 --> 00:06:15,485 Speaker 2: It was something completely random, a sexual assault by someone else, 93 00:06:15,765 --> 00:06:19,965 Speaker 2: possibly a stranger. As we explore this drug theory and 94 00:06:20,045 --> 00:06:23,005 Speaker 2: how things worked in Northwest Arkansas, I want you to 95 00:06:23,085 --> 00:06:25,845 Speaker 2: keep in mind something that I've said before, which is 96 00:06:26,045 --> 00:06:29,165 Speaker 2: we talk about six degrees of separation, but I think 97 00:06:29,165 --> 00:06:32,485 Speaker 2: in the state of Arkansas you get two degrees at most. 98 00:06:33,045 --> 00:06:35,445 Speaker 2: This case, I believe, really illustrates that. 99 00:06:36,125 --> 00:06:36,405 Speaker 1: Now. 100 00:06:36,445 --> 00:06:38,965 Speaker 2: I won't say that this is related to Gayle's case, 101 00:06:39,005 --> 00:06:41,725 Speaker 2: because there's no evidence that it is, but I do 102 00:06:41,765 --> 00:06:45,605 Speaker 2: think it's tangential because at least one of the names 103 00:06:45,725 --> 00:06:49,525 Speaker 2: that came up in Gayle's case is also mentioned in 104 00:06:49,685 --> 00:06:50,765 Speaker 2: Lee and Karen's case. 105 00:06:51,205 --> 00:06:53,205 Speaker 1: And again, I want to take a much. 106 00:06:53,085 --> 00:06:55,925 Speaker 2: Closer look at this alleged drug mob that was working 107 00:06:55,925 --> 00:06:59,045 Speaker 2: at that time in Arkansas and crossed over into Oklahoma. 108 00:06:59,765 --> 00:07:02,165 Speaker 2: A lot of the drug deals were made by biker gangs. 109 00:07:04,765 --> 00:07:08,805 Speaker 2: The private and investigator Marty, who told me about Gail's case, 110 00:07:09,445 --> 00:07:14,005 Speaker 2: also has an interesting backstory connected to Lee and Karen's murders. 111 00:07:14,685 --> 00:07:17,445 Speaker 2: Marty is married to the daughter of the main suspect 112 00:07:17,485 --> 00:07:21,685 Speaker 2: in the case of Lee and Karen Dixon's murders, Dennis Flowers. 113 00:07:22,165 --> 00:07:24,605 Speaker 3: Obviously, I've been talking to your husband for a while. 114 00:07:24,885 --> 00:07:27,245 Speaker 3: I wondered if you could just tell people sort of 115 00:07:27,285 --> 00:07:31,645 Speaker 3: how you and he got involved on this case. Well, yeah, 116 00:07:31,725 --> 00:07:33,525 Speaker 3: it's a strange situation. 117 00:07:34,005 --> 00:07:34,805 Speaker 1: This is Nana. 118 00:07:35,285 --> 00:07:40,165 Speaker 3: He's always had a passion for cold cases and you know, 119 00:07:40,245 --> 00:07:43,925 Speaker 3: watching unsolved mysteries and all those shows that are on TV. 120 00:07:44,245 --> 00:07:46,805 Speaker 3: And finally I told him when we were dating, I said, 121 00:07:47,285 --> 00:07:50,245 Speaker 3: you know, I can't watch these with you anymore, because 122 00:07:51,085 --> 00:07:53,925 Speaker 3: you know, I've lived this, and he I had. At 123 00:07:53,925 --> 00:07:56,045 Speaker 3: that time, I hadn't told him anything about my past 124 00:07:56,085 --> 00:07:59,485 Speaker 3: because it's something really Catherine that you know, I've always 125 00:07:59,485 --> 00:08:03,045 Speaker 3: been ashamed of and guarded you know, with who I 126 00:08:03,565 --> 00:08:06,685 Speaker 3: shared that with. I was never open about it. It 127 00:08:06,765 --> 00:08:08,845 Speaker 3: was just something I really kept close to my heart. 128 00:08:09,525 --> 00:08:11,725 Speaker 3: And part of it was fear, you know, at one 129 00:08:11,765 --> 00:08:14,165 Speaker 3: point in my life, it was fear of who was 130 00:08:14,205 --> 00:08:16,845 Speaker 3: still out there and and what did they know about me? 131 00:08:17,045 --> 00:08:19,165 Speaker 3: And you know, they think I knew more than what 132 00:08:19,245 --> 00:08:23,245 Speaker 3: I did, and that kind of stuff. Whether it was 133 00:08:23,285 --> 00:08:25,205 Speaker 3: real or not, you know, it was it was still 134 00:08:25,205 --> 00:08:28,845 Speaker 3: a fear and you know, a shame on our family name, 135 00:08:29,085 --> 00:08:31,885 Speaker 3: you know, the Flowers name. Anyway, I just kind of 136 00:08:31,925 --> 00:08:34,205 Speaker 3: told him, you know, I've lived this. I can't I 137 00:08:34,245 --> 00:08:36,205 Speaker 3: can't watch these shows anymore with you. I can't be 138 00:08:36,245 --> 00:08:39,205 Speaker 3: involved in that part of you know, your entertainment or 139 00:08:39,245 --> 00:08:42,805 Speaker 3: your you know, your hobby. But you know, a few 140 00:08:42,845 --> 00:08:45,285 Speaker 3: months into our dating, I kind of shared with him, 141 00:08:45,965 --> 00:08:49,005 Speaker 3: you know, my thoughts on you know, what happened to 142 00:08:49,005 --> 00:08:52,605 Speaker 3: my dad and the history of you know, Northwest Arkansas 143 00:08:52,605 --> 00:08:54,965 Speaker 3: at the time, back in the eighties. And I think 144 00:08:55,005 --> 00:08:57,845 Speaker 3: he was skeptical because I was his daughter, you know, 145 00:08:57,885 --> 00:09:01,525 Speaker 3: I'm his daughter that I've found. I thought he was innocent, 146 00:09:01,645 --> 00:09:03,885 Speaker 3: and I you know, that's what I claimed, and told 147 00:09:04,405 --> 00:09:07,405 Speaker 3: told him that, you know, I think my dad, Jennison, 148 00:09:07,525 --> 00:09:09,205 Speaker 3: I know he is I know he didn't do it. 149 00:09:09,245 --> 00:09:11,565 Speaker 3: I know he was framed. I know he was a setup. 150 00:09:12,325 --> 00:09:14,685 Speaker 3: And he said, well, do you mind if I look 151 00:09:14,725 --> 00:09:16,565 Speaker 3: into it? And I was like, well, no, that would 152 00:09:16,605 --> 00:09:19,925 Speaker 3: be great. You know, I've never had anybody offer to, 153 00:09:20,125 --> 00:09:22,765 Speaker 3: you know, look into it for me. And as an adult, 154 00:09:22,885 --> 00:09:24,725 Speaker 3: you know, I could see things in a different light. 155 00:09:24,965 --> 00:09:27,365 Speaker 3: And the more he dug and the more he looked 156 00:09:27,405 --> 00:09:30,085 Speaker 3: into it, he was like, I agree with you, and 157 00:09:30,125 --> 00:09:32,525 Speaker 3: I think he really had to change of heart. 158 00:09:34,605 --> 00:09:38,485 Speaker 2: This case has been called for years, but in twenty sixteen, 159 00:09:38,925 --> 00:09:42,645 Speaker 2: the news station KARK did a special report on the case, 160 00:09:42,725 --> 00:09:45,125 Speaker 2: and as part of that they talked to Karen's brother, 161 00:09:45,285 --> 00:09:50,005 Speaker 2: Tommy Bryant. Tommy told Kark that the question of what 162 00:09:50,085 --> 00:09:52,805 Speaker 2: had really happened the night is pregnant sister was viciously 163 00:09:52,925 --> 00:09:57,005 Speaker 2: murdered has never left his mind. He talked about what 164 00:09:57,045 --> 00:10:00,485 Speaker 2: a wonderful person Karen was, but he did admit to 165 00:10:00,525 --> 00:10:03,485 Speaker 2: the reporter Ashley Keats Nolan, who by the way, has 166 00:10:03,525 --> 00:10:06,245 Speaker 2: helped us out in the past a lot on Helen Gone, 167 00:10:06,405 --> 00:10:09,565 Speaker 2: that he was not fond of the guy. She eventually 168 00:10:09,565 --> 00:10:15,005 Speaker 2: married Lee Dixon. Karen and Lee dated in high school. 169 00:10:15,685 --> 00:10:20,085 Speaker 2: Lee Dixon was this nerdy, somewhat shy guy. He ultimately 170 00:10:20,125 --> 00:10:22,965 Speaker 2: became a pharmacist and got the job at Consumer's Pharmacy. 171 00:10:23,565 --> 00:10:27,525 Speaker 2: He married Karen in nineteen seventy two. After Karen and 172 00:10:27,605 --> 00:10:30,765 Speaker 2: Lee got married and relocated to northwest Arkansas, they wanted 173 00:10:30,765 --> 00:10:33,325 Speaker 2: to start a family. She got pregnant with their son, 174 00:10:33,645 --> 00:10:36,965 Speaker 2: and then just a few months before she died, Karen 175 00:10:37,005 --> 00:10:41,125 Speaker 2: had learned that she was pregnant again. Dennis Flowers had 176 00:10:41,165 --> 00:10:45,685 Speaker 2: known Lee since the early eighties. According to early reports, 177 00:10:46,205 --> 00:10:49,725 Speaker 2: police were focused in on Dennis Flowers for a few reasons, 178 00:10:50,405 --> 00:10:53,645 Speaker 2: first because he had been seen with Lee shortly before 179 00:10:53,645 --> 00:10:57,245 Speaker 2: the murders. Secondly because he had a long criminal record, 180 00:10:57,885 --> 00:11:00,685 Speaker 2: and as we'll get into now, there is a lot 181 00:11:00,765 --> 00:11:04,085 Speaker 2: more to this story because Dennis and Lee, even though 182 00:11:04,085 --> 00:11:07,725 Speaker 2: they were very different, had one very important thing in common. 183 00:11:08,285 --> 00:11:13,885 Speaker 2: They were both addicted to drugs, especially pharmaceutical grade cocaine. 184 00:11:14,405 --> 00:11:17,485 Speaker 2: According to the Southern Fried True crime podcast, who did 185 00:11:17,485 --> 00:11:20,965 Speaker 2: an episode on this case, Dennis Flowers had a tough childhood. 186 00:11:21,485 --> 00:11:23,085 Speaker 2: He lost his mom when he was young, and he 187 00:11:23,125 --> 00:11:26,045 Speaker 2: spent time at a juvenile facility after he got caught stealing, 188 00:11:26,925 --> 00:11:29,365 Speaker 2: But his life seemed to kind of turn around when 189 00:11:29,405 --> 00:11:32,525 Speaker 2: he met a woman named Betty Joe Murray. Betty Joe 190 00:11:32,565 --> 00:11:35,725 Speaker 2: already had a daughter from a previous marriage. Dennis and 191 00:11:35,765 --> 00:11:39,565 Speaker 2: Betty Joe raised that daughter, who Dennis adopted. They later 192 00:11:39,605 --> 00:11:43,565 Speaker 2: had two children of their own, Dana and Marcus. Dana 193 00:11:43,725 --> 00:11:46,405 Speaker 2: said that when she was young, her dad was a 194 00:11:46,445 --> 00:11:49,525 Speaker 2: great father. She said she had lots of happy memories 195 00:11:49,565 --> 00:11:53,325 Speaker 2: from that time. For a while, Dennis's life seemed to 196 00:11:53,325 --> 00:11:54,525 Speaker 2: have turned around for the better. 197 00:11:55,445 --> 00:11:56,205 Speaker 1: He got a job. 198 00:11:56,325 --> 00:11:58,365 Speaker 2: He went to work at the VA, so he had 199 00:11:58,405 --> 00:12:01,085 Speaker 2: steady employment and a happy marriage and what seemed to 200 00:12:01,085 --> 00:12:05,405 Speaker 2: be the perfect family. But then in nineteen seventy five, 201 00:12:05,765 --> 00:12:09,085 Speaker 2: the marriage fell apart. Dennis was in Las Vegas when 202 00:12:09,125 --> 00:12:12,045 Speaker 2: he met a woman named Linda Dientton. He fell for her, 203 00:12:12,285 --> 00:12:16,605 Speaker 2: had an affair with her, and later filed for divorce. Eventually, 204 00:12:17,085 --> 00:12:19,605 Speaker 2: he and his wife divorced and he and Linda got married. 205 00:12:20,245 --> 00:12:23,165 Speaker 2: Dennis got a tattoo to mark their anniversary in nineteen 206 00:12:23,165 --> 00:12:27,445 Speaker 2: seventy seven. Then Dennis's life took a dark turn. In 207 00:12:27,525 --> 00:12:30,965 Speaker 2: nineteen seventy nine, he fell down at work and hurt 208 00:12:30,965 --> 00:12:34,685 Speaker 2: his back, and this would turn into a chronic pain condition. 209 00:12:35,405 --> 00:12:37,845 Speaker 2: His family says this was kind of the beginning of 210 00:12:37,845 --> 00:12:40,645 Speaker 2: the end for Dennis because that's when he became addicted 211 00:12:40,685 --> 00:12:41,525 Speaker 2: to pain medication. 212 00:12:42,445 --> 00:12:47,085 Speaker 3: My parents are actually divorced. When I was seven years old, 213 00:12:47,365 --> 00:12:51,125 Speaker 3: and so I started going to my dad's on weekend 214 00:12:51,245 --> 00:12:54,485 Speaker 3: spring break during the summer. And so I was fourteen 215 00:12:55,045 --> 00:12:57,765 Speaker 3: when this happened. I was in ninth grade and it 216 00:12:57,805 --> 00:13:00,285 Speaker 3: was so it was the spring break of the eighty 217 00:13:00,325 --> 00:13:05,445 Speaker 3: four when everything happened. But I was a daddy's girl 218 00:13:06,285 --> 00:13:10,285 Speaker 3: named after him. My middle name is Denise, his is Dennis, 219 00:13:10,285 --> 00:13:13,365 Speaker 3: and so, you know, it's just I thought he hung 220 00:13:13,405 --> 00:13:16,965 Speaker 3: the moon. Still do. But you know, like any man, 221 00:13:17,285 --> 00:13:19,325 Speaker 3: he any you know, we're all human, we all make 222 00:13:19,445 --> 00:13:23,485 Speaker 3: mistakes and we trust people. Maybe that don't, you know, 223 00:13:23,565 --> 00:13:26,245 Speaker 3: deserve our trust. And he was no angel by any 224 00:13:26,245 --> 00:13:29,925 Speaker 3: stretch of imagination. But he was a good man. He 225 00:13:30,045 --> 00:13:34,685 Speaker 3: had values and family, friends, you know, he was trustworthy. 226 00:13:35,205 --> 00:13:38,365 Speaker 3: I think he just put his trust in the wrong 227 00:13:38,525 --> 00:13:43,205 Speaker 3: folks and he got caught up in a lot of 228 00:13:43,245 --> 00:13:46,365 Speaker 3: what was going on at the time in northwest Arkansas. 229 00:13:47,085 --> 00:13:49,405 Speaker 3: If you want to describe it as the Dixie Mafia. 230 00:13:49,725 --> 00:13:52,885 Speaker 3: You know something I don't say lightly. It was clearly 231 00:13:52,965 --> 00:14:01,805 Speaker 3: the wild Wild West back in the day. 232 00:13:58,325 --> 00:13:59,485 Speaker 1: In the early eighties. 233 00:13:59,565 --> 00:14:02,605 Speaker 2: As all this was going down, Dennis was introduced to 234 00:14:02,685 --> 00:14:07,045 Speaker 2: Lee Dixon by Ronnie t Again, my sources say that 235 00:14:07,165 --> 00:14:09,565 Speaker 2: Ronnie Tigue is a key player in the drug trade 236 00:14:09,565 --> 00:14:12,445 Speaker 2: in the area at the time. And I mentioned before 237 00:14:12,765 --> 00:14:15,125 Speaker 2: that Ronnie Tig is a name that came up in 238 00:14:15,205 --> 00:14:20,045 Speaker 2: Gaile Vaught's case. Remember Gail's friend Sheila. Sheila is the 239 00:14:20,125 --> 00:14:22,645 Speaker 2: friend who Gayle believes she was supposed to hang out 240 00:14:22,685 --> 00:14:26,085 Speaker 2: with on the weekend right after she was murdered. If 241 00:14:26,085 --> 00:14:28,485 Speaker 2: you listen to the Gail Vaught episode, you know that 242 00:14:29,165 --> 00:14:32,045 Speaker 2: Sheila was not actually in town when Gayle was murdered. 243 00:14:32,085 --> 00:14:35,285 Speaker 2: But she did talk to police afterwards, and when she did, 244 00:14:35,965 --> 00:14:39,885 Speaker 2: she mentioned Ronnie Tigue's name. She said that Ronnie had 245 00:14:39,885 --> 00:14:44,005 Speaker 2: made some comments to her about Gail getting what she deserved, 246 00:14:44,085 --> 00:14:47,645 Speaker 2: about her killer running over her more than once, and 247 00:14:48,165 --> 00:14:52,565 Speaker 2: Sheila indicated that she was scared of Ronnie and his associates. Now, 248 00:14:53,005 --> 00:14:56,885 Speaker 2: it was never proven that anything that Ronnie said had 249 00:14:56,965 --> 00:14:59,885 Speaker 2: anything to do with Gaile's murder. There were no details 250 00:14:59,925 --> 00:15:01,885 Speaker 2: that only the killer would have known. Nothing like that, 251 00:15:02,245 --> 00:15:06,165 Speaker 2: but it is a name that has come up. We 252 00:15:06,285 --> 00:15:09,005 Speaker 2: know that Ronnie was friends with several people who were 253 00:15:09,045 --> 00:15:12,405 Speaker 2: alleged to have been big players in the fayette drug trade, 254 00:15:12,565 --> 00:15:15,525 Speaker 2: and Ronnie Tigue was the guy who introduced Lee and 255 00:15:15,565 --> 00:15:16,725 Speaker 2: Dennis Flowers. 256 00:15:19,325 --> 00:15:20,485 Speaker 1: Lee seemed to. 257 00:15:20,445 --> 00:15:23,565 Speaker 2: Have kind of a similar trajectory to Dennis. He had 258 00:15:23,605 --> 00:15:26,285 Speaker 2: a good job, He was happily married to his wife, Karen, 259 00:15:26,525 --> 00:15:29,765 Speaker 2: who taught elementary school. They wanted a family, and they 260 00:15:29,805 --> 00:15:32,325 Speaker 2: were thrilled when Karen got pregnant for the first and 261 00:15:32,405 --> 00:15:37,165 Speaker 2: second time. But this was the eighties and cocaine was 262 00:15:37,205 --> 00:15:41,405 Speaker 2: definitely the drug of choice. So Lee's job gave him 263 00:15:41,445 --> 00:15:46,645 Speaker 2: access to something that was like gold dust. And suddenly 264 00:15:47,165 --> 00:15:49,925 Speaker 2: this pharmacist who had been kind of this shy, slightly 265 00:15:49,965 --> 00:15:53,485 Speaker 2: nerdy guy, suddenly he's got access to all the movers 266 00:15:53,485 --> 00:15:57,885 Speaker 2: and shakers in Fayetteful. So they started a business transaction. 267 00:15:58,445 --> 00:16:01,605 Speaker 2: Lee would provide the pharmaceutical grade coke and Dennis would 268 00:16:01,605 --> 00:16:06,845 Speaker 2: move it. Pharmaceutical grade cocaine, by the way, was kind 269 00:16:06,845 --> 00:16:09,645 Speaker 2: of the best of the best back then, and to 270 00:16:09,805 --> 00:16:13,205 Speaker 2: this day it is used in surgeries because it's still 271 00:16:13,205 --> 00:16:17,805 Speaker 2: an excellent anesthetic and also a vasoconstrictor, so it was 272 00:16:17,925 --> 00:16:20,605 Speaker 2: used in nasal surgeries and all types of surgeries. 273 00:16:20,685 --> 00:16:24,885 Speaker 1: And it still is. Unlike some of the street stuff 274 00:16:24,925 --> 00:16:25,885 Speaker 1: that's cut with a. 275 00:16:25,805 --> 00:16:29,685 Speaker 2: Lot of cheap additives, pharmaceutical grade cocaine is up to 276 00:16:29,805 --> 00:16:33,485 Speaker 2: ninety eight percent pure. The only way to get access 277 00:16:33,525 --> 00:16:35,485 Speaker 2: to it was to have access to someone with either 278 00:16:35,565 --> 00:16:38,205 Speaker 2: a medical license or a pharmaceutical license. 279 00:16:39,205 --> 00:16:41,525 Speaker 1: So Lee and Dennis for. 280 00:16:41,405 --> 00:16:44,845 Speaker 2: A while were running what was probably a very lucrative 281 00:16:44,885 --> 00:16:49,125 Speaker 2: business side note here. In addition to dealing drugs, there 282 00:16:49,125 --> 00:16:51,845 Speaker 2: were also rumors that Dennis was the guy to call 283 00:16:51,925 --> 00:16:54,645 Speaker 2: if you wanted to book a sex worker, and the 284 00:16:54,765 --> 00:16:57,885 Speaker 2: rumor was that Dennis supplied these women to powerful men 285 00:16:58,005 --> 00:17:03,245 Speaker 2: at parties. Some people, including Ronnie Tige, called Dennis the 286 00:17:03,285 --> 00:17:07,405 Speaker 2: flim flam Man or flimflam Flows because he always seemed 287 00:17:07,445 --> 00:17:09,085 Speaker 2: to be running some kind of scam. 288 00:17:10,085 --> 00:17:12,685 Speaker 3: I didn't know that it was strange. I didn't understand. 289 00:17:13,325 --> 00:17:15,405 Speaker 3: I didn't put a lot together. There was definitely some 290 00:17:15,485 --> 00:17:18,525 Speaker 3: red red flags that I would come home and tell 291 00:17:18,565 --> 00:17:21,525 Speaker 3: my mom, like, well, there was this party, you know, 292 00:17:21,605 --> 00:17:24,205 Speaker 3: and or I went to a club with my dad, 293 00:17:24,325 --> 00:17:28,405 Speaker 3: and you know, there was just a lot of things 294 00:17:28,445 --> 00:17:31,205 Speaker 3: that didn't add up, you know, especially as you're growing 295 00:17:31,285 --> 00:17:33,445 Speaker 3: up and you're like, oh, you didn't go to a 296 00:17:33,485 --> 00:17:37,125 Speaker 3: club and you didn't dance with grown men, you know, 297 00:17:37,845 --> 00:17:41,125 Speaker 3: And yeah, it was just, you know, there was I 298 00:17:41,205 --> 00:17:45,005 Speaker 3: was putting into a lot of dangerous situations. And I'm 299 00:17:45,125 --> 00:17:49,285 Speaker 3: very thankful that I came out where I did, because 300 00:17:50,085 --> 00:17:51,685 Speaker 3: I don't think my dad meant to put me in 301 00:17:51,685 --> 00:17:55,725 Speaker 3: those situations. But definitely there was some there was some 302 00:17:55,805 --> 00:17:59,565 Speaker 3: bad things going on. I was not there to party, 303 00:17:59,725 --> 00:18:02,005 Speaker 3: I wasn't doing the party, and I was just exposed. 304 00:18:02,005 --> 00:18:04,565 Speaker 3: You know, I might be in the bedroom watching TV 305 00:18:04,685 --> 00:18:07,205 Speaker 3: and eating pizza and the party was going on around me. 306 00:18:07,485 --> 00:18:09,925 Speaker 3: Or you know, we were going to a club and 307 00:18:10,285 --> 00:18:12,605 Speaker 3: things are going on in the back room. You know. 308 00:18:12,885 --> 00:18:16,005 Speaker 3: I can remember going to one and they said that 309 00:18:16,205 --> 00:18:19,125 Speaker 3: it was snowing in the back room. Well I'm you know, 310 00:18:19,165 --> 00:18:21,845 Speaker 3: at that age, I'm like, what, you know, I don't 311 00:18:21,885 --> 00:18:24,645 Speaker 3: know that there's cocaine going on in the back room, 312 00:18:25,165 --> 00:18:27,805 Speaker 3: But now I do, you know, then you put it together. 313 00:18:29,125 --> 00:18:33,765 Speaker 3: So just numerous things like that that I was exposed 314 00:18:33,805 --> 00:18:34,885 Speaker 3: to it at a young age. 315 00:18:36,565 --> 00:18:39,685 Speaker 2: For a while, As we said, business was pretty good. But, 316 00:18:40,005 --> 00:18:42,805 Speaker 2: as it so often happens in cases where people become 317 00:18:42,805 --> 00:18:46,885 Speaker 2: involved in drug dealing, Dennison Lee got in over their heads, 318 00:18:47,525 --> 00:18:52,045 Speaker 2: and investigators were already following the drugs and the money. 319 00:18:52,125 --> 00:18:54,925 Speaker 2: It turned out that about a week before the double homicide, 320 00:18:55,365 --> 00:18:59,325 Speaker 2: State auditors were at Lead Dixon's pharmacy. They were counting 321 00:18:59,405 --> 00:19:06,405 Speaker 2: drugs and Lee came up short. When Lee developed his 322 00:19:06,445 --> 00:19:11,525 Speaker 2: addiction to pharmaceutical grade cocaine, according to multiple sources, he 323 00:19:11,605 --> 00:19:15,605 Speaker 2: started to violate what I call the Scarface rules. They're 324 00:19:15,645 --> 00:19:19,205 Speaker 2: from the movie Scarface, from the scene when Frank, the 325 00:19:19,245 --> 00:19:22,045 Speaker 2: gangster who took Tony under his wing, is at the nightclub. 326 00:19:22,885 --> 00:19:25,645 Speaker 2: He says something that I think is very applicable. Even 327 00:19:25,685 --> 00:19:28,045 Speaker 2: though this isn't over the top movie, I can say, 328 00:19:28,525 --> 00:19:31,205 Speaker 2: as someone who's investigated fraud and murder for a long 329 00:19:31,285 --> 00:19:34,965 Speaker 2: time now, this advice is actually very sound and very 330 00:19:34,965 --> 00:19:38,125 Speaker 2: applicable to people in the drug trade. So Frank tells 331 00:19:38,165 --> 00:19:41,245 Speaker 2: Tony two things. He gives them two rules. One, don't 332 00:19:41,325 --> 00:19:45,725 Speaker 2: underestimate the other guy's greed. Lesson number two, never get 333 00:19:45,765 --> 00:19:49,405 Speaker 2: high on your own supply. Lee seemed to be violating 334 00:19:49,445 --> 00:19:52,525 Speaker 2: this rule. He and Dennis were both addicts by the 335 00:19:52,525 --> 00:19:55,365 Speaker 2: winner of nineteen eighty three, they owed a lot of 336 00:19:55,405 --> 00:19:59,325 Speaker 2: money to their suppliers. According to the Southern Fried Homicide podcast, 337 00:19:59,685 --> 00:20:03,205 Speaker 2: they owed around forty thousand dollars, which in today's money 338 00:20:03,245 --> 00:20:05,485 Speaker 2: would be around one hundred and twenty five thousand dollars. 339 00:20:06,245 --> 00:20:08,845 Speaker 2: The people they owed money to were looking to collect. 340 00:20:09,485 --> 00:20:13,445 Speaker 2: Dennis was scared. He reportedly checked himself into the hospital 341 00:20:13,445 --> 00:20:18,645 Speaker 2: for back pain, but Ronnie t came to visit. After that, 342 00:20:18,805 --> 00:20:26,125 Speaker 2: Dennis called Lee and Lee brought him a gun. After 343 00:20:26,205 --> 00:20:29,765 Speaker 2: leaving the hospital, Dennis went into rehab and it seemed 344 00:20:29,805 --> 00:20:32,325 Speaker 2: like he actually made progress while he was there. 345 00:20:33,005 --> 00:20:36,805 Speaker 3: They involved a family on intervention days, and it was 346 00:20:36,845 --> 00:20:39,045 Speaker 3: a lot for him to go through that through the 347 00:20:39,085 --> 00:20:41,965 Speaker 3: amount of time. You know, I've never done drugs or 348 00:20:41,965 --> 00:20:44,085 Speaker 3: I've never been through a rehab like that, but I 349 00:20:44,125 --> 00:20:48,125 Speaker 3: know it's not a picnic, but definitely for the emotional 350 00:20:48,165 --> 00:20:50,605 Speaker 3: side of it, for people to come in, you know, 351 00:20:50,645 --> 00:20:53,205 Speaker 3: your loved ones and write letters to you and tell 352 00:20:53,245 --> 00:20:57,485 Speaker 3: you how their drug abuse and their alcohol abuse you 353 00:20:57,525 --> 00:21:00,445 Speaker 3: know affected them. You know, the tears that were shed, 354 00:21:00,685 --> 00:21:03,605 Speaker 3: you know during that during that time, you know, it 355 00:21:03,645 --> 00:21:06,005 Speaker 3: was just it was a really painful. But at the 356 00:21:06,005 --> 00:21:09,325 Speaker 3: same time healing experienced because we had we were so 357 00:21:09,445 --> 00:21:13,605 Speaker 3: hopeful that things were going to get back on and 358 00:21:13,725 --> 00:21:17,365 Speaker 3: even kill you know, that we were going to kind 359 00:21:17,365 --> 00:21:22,325 Speaker 3: of have a rebirth, you know, if anything, just back 360 00:21:22,445 --> 00:21:27,205 Speaker 3: to a norm of him, you know, not relying on 361 00:21:27,405 --> 00:21:31,165 Speaker 3: the drugs and the drinking, and we were getting ready 362 00:21:31,165 --> 00:21:35,725 Speaker 3: actually to move closer to him, and I was just 363 00:21:35,765 --> 00:21:37,205 Speaker 3: really hopeful at the time. 364 00:21:38,645 --> 00:21:41,245 Speaker 1: Dennis was released on March fourteenth. 365 00:21:41,205 --> 00:21:45,525 Speaker 3: He'd gotten out to rehab and they were living in 366 00:21:45,525 --> 00:21:49,485 Speaker 3: Fadeville at the time, and spring break came up just 367 00:21:49,845 --> 00:21:52,365 Speaker 3: right after that, and so we went down for the 368 00:21:52,365 --> 00:21:55,925 Speaker 3: week of spring break, and it was just a real 369 00:21:56,005 --> 00:22:00,485 Speaker 3: loving time, you know, because we had really bonded and 370 00:22:00,565 --> 00:22:04,605 Speaker 3: shared some close things, just our feelings about how he 371 00:22:04,645 --> 00:22:07,245 Speaker 3: had heard us, and you know, I think he was 372 00:22:07,285 --> 00:22:12,045 Speaker 3: really trying to make amends on spring break. I really 373 00:22:12,085 --> 00:22:15,085 Speaker 3: felt like that in my heart, and really, you know, 374 00:22:15,085 --> 00:22:18,245 Speaker 3: we had some great memories, you know, ordered pizza and 375 00:22:19,165 --> 00:22:22,085 Speaker 3: you know, watch movies and just hung out. Just just 376 00:22:22,125 --> 00:22:25,605 Speaker 3: that precious time that you look back and think, thank 377 00:22:25,845 --> 00:22:27,365 Speaker 3: the Lord that you had. 378 00:22:31,405 --> 00:22:34,245 Speaker 2: Now I know that a lot of people who were 379 00:22:34,285 --> 00:22:38,405 Speaker 2: deep into addiction are definitely capable of incredible highs followed 380 00:22:38,445 --> 00:22:41,925 Speaker 2: by crushing lows, but according to people around Dennis, he 381 00:22:42,005 --> 00:22:46,485 Speaker 2: did seem sincere. But then on March sixteenth, Dennis and 382 00:22:46,565 --> 00:22:49,645 Speaker 2: Lee were hit with some more bad news. Auditors were 383 00:22:49,685 --> 00:22:54,325 Speaker 2: coming to Lee's workplace, Consumer's pharmacy. The auditor found there 384 00:22:54,325 --> 00:22:57,725 Speaker 2: were a lot of drugs missing, over eight ounces of 385 00:22:57,765 --> 00:23:01,205 Speaker 2: pharmaceutical cocaine, as well as a lot of pills and 386 00:23:01,245 --> 00:23:04,805 Speaker 2: other drugs. At this point, Dennis and Lee knew that 387 00:23:04,925 --> 00:23:08,525 Speaker 2: the house of was about to fall down, so Dennis 388 00:23:08,565 --> 00:23:11,405 Speaker 2: and Lee apparently hatched a plan. At this point, they 389 00:23:11,445 --> 00:23:14,285 Speaker 2: decided that they would rob the pharmacy. They would steal 390 00:23:14,325 --> 00:23:17,045 Speaker 2: drugs and give the drugs to Dennis's wife, Linda, to 391 00:23:17,125 --> 00:23:19,445 Speaker 2: drive across state lines and sell in Oklahoma. 392 00:23:20,525 --> 00:23:22,285 Speaker 1: Then they would have one. 393 00:23:22,085 --> 00:23:25,045 Speaker 2: Of their associates send a kid over to kind of 394 00:23:25,125 --> 00:23:28,005 Speaker 2: ransack the pharmacy so that they could stage a burglary there. 395 00:23:28,765 --> 00:23:32,045 Speaker 2: But their plan hit some snacks. Linda was supposed to 396 00:23:32,085 --> 00:23:34,365 Speaker 2: rent a car to drive to Oklahoma. When she got 397 00:23:34,405 --> 00:23:37,165 Speaker 2: to the rental car place, she had no credit card, 398 00:23:37,605 --> 00:23:40,645 Speaker 2: so she could not get the vehicle. Secondly, there was 399 00:23:40,685 --> 00:23:43,765 Speaker 2: a problem with their fake robbery. In the early morning 400 00:23:43,805 --> 00:23:46,845 Speaker 2: hours of March eighteenth, a kid did show up and 401 00:23:46,925 --> 00:23:50,645 Speaker 2: throw a rock through the pharmacy window, but when police 402 00:23:50,645 --> 00:23:53,205 Speaker 2: got to the scene, they pretty much knew immediately this 403 00:23:53,285 --> 00:23:56,405 Speaker 2: had been an inside job because all there was was 404 00:23:56,445 --> 00:23:59,965 Speaker 2: a fairly small rock sized hole in that window. There 405 00:24:00,005 --> 00:24:02,525 Speaker 2: was no blood or sign of a struggle, no shelves 406 00:24:02,565 --> 00:24:05,405 Speaker 2: were disturbed, the door was still locked, and there was 407 00:24:05,485 --> 00:24:08,005 Speaker 2: there's no way that anyone could have gotten inside and 408 00:24:08,045 --> 00:24:10,325 Speaker 2: taken those drugs because they could not have crawled through 409 00:24:10,325 --> 00:24:15,085 Speaker 2: that tiny hole in the window. The bottom line was 410 00:24:15,125 --> 00:24:18,245 Speaker 2: that police were not fooled. They knew immediately that this 411 00:24:18,405 --> 00:24:21,685 Speaker 2: was Dennis and Lee. The walls continued to close in 412 00:24:21,725 --> 00:24:25,445 Speaker 2: on them both. Two days after the botched burglary, on 413 00:24:25,525 --> 00:24:30,685 Speaker 2: March twentieth, Lee was fired from Consumer's Pharmacy. So now 414 00:24:30,885 --> 00:24:34,165 Speaker 2: Lee had lost everything. He had lost his job, He 415 00:24:34,285 --> 00:24:36,765 Speaker 2: knew that he was probably going to lose his pharmaceutical 416 00:24:36,805 --> 00:24:42,685 Speaker 2: license and maybe his freedom. According to some sources, it 417 00:24:42,765 --> 00:24:46,285 Speaker 2: was at this point that Lee started asking around about 418 00:24:46,365 --> 00:24:50,365 Speaker 2: possibly making a deal to avoid prison. But Lee never 419 00:24:50,405 --> 00:24:54,685 Speaker 2: had that option because just over twenty four hours later, 420 00:24:55,405 --> 00:24:59,605 Speaker 2: Lee and his wife were found dead. So, as we 421 00:24:59,725 --> 00:25:04,165 Speaker 2: said before, police immediately zeroed in on Lee's partner in crime, 422 00:25:04,245 --> 00:25:06,005 Speaker 2: Dennis Flowers. 423 00:25:07,725 --> 00:25:10,005 Speaker 3: You know, again, it's spring breaks, so I'm staying up late. 424 00:25:10,405 --> 00:25:12,365 Speaker 3: But the last time that I saw him, I was 425 00:25:12,405 --> 00:25:15,725 Speaker 3: reading in bed. I'm an avid reader, always have been. 426 00:25:15,925 --> 00:25:18,845 Speaker 3: And he came in and it was late, it was 427 00:25:18,925 --> 00:25:24,125 Speaker 3: about midnight, and he came in and he told me 428 00:25:24,325 --> 00:25:26,045 Speaker 3: we had plans for the next day, and we talked 429 00:25:26,045 --> 00:25:27,925 Speaker 3: about the next day, that what we were going to do, 430 00:25:28,725 --> 00:25:31,165 Speaker 3: and he gave me a kiss and that was it. 431 00:25:31,325 --> 00:25:33,805 Speaker 3: And I woke up the next morning and he was gone. 432 00:25:34,565 --> 00:25:36,965 Speaker 3: So that's kind of how we ended it. So, I mean, 433 00:25:36,965 --> 00:25:39,725 Speaker 3: we had plans for the next day, So there's no 434 00:25:40,845 --> 00:25:44,325 Speaker 3: signals for me that anything was, you know, anything but 435 00:25:44,445 --> 00:25:46,965 Speaker 3: normal in the time of the death. I mean, he 436 00:25:47,485 --> 00:25:51,885 Speaker 3: tucked me in at midnight. So when I was interviewed 437 00:25:51,885 --> 00:25:56,485 Speaker 3: by the detective, you know, after the murders, you know, 438 00:25:56,525 --> 00:25:58,765 Speaker 3: I could account for his whereabouts because he was with 439 00:25:58,885 --> 00:26:02,845 Speaker 3: me and my brother at the time, you know, as 440 00:26:02,885 --> 00:26:06,165 Speaker 3: of midnight. Now clearly what happened after that, you know, 441 00:26:06,205 --> 00:26:09,165 Speaker 3: I don't know all the detailed, but I could tell 442 00:26:09,205 --> 00:26:11,325 Speaker 3: you that he chucked me in at midnight and that 443 00:26:11,605 --> 00:26:14,605 Speaker 3: murders were supposed to have happened, you know before then 444 00:26:15,565 --> 00:26:16,885 Speaker 3: or you know right around then. 445 00:26:20,125 --> 00:26:21,725 Speaker 1: What's the last thing you remember? 446 00:26:22,165 --> 00:26:23,245 Speaker 2: Just him tucking you in? 447 00:26:24,685 --> 00:26:28,205 Speaker 3: Yeah, yeah, I mean, like like I said, we made 448 00:26:28,245 --> 00:26:30,925 Speaker 3: plans for the next day. We had a full schedule 449 00:26:30,965 --> 00:26:33,805 Speaker 3: planned and you know he told me that he left 450 00:26:33,845 --> 00:26:36,205 Speaker 3: me and gave me a kiss and shut the door. 451 00:26:37,165 --> 00:26:37,685 Speaker 3: That was it. 452 00:26:41,245 --> 00:26:43,645 Speaker 2: Police were trying to piece together what had happened. In 453 00:26:43,685 --> 00:26:47,725 Speaker 2: the early morning hours of March twenty second. At around 454 00:26:47,805 --> 00:26:50,605 Speaker 2: four am, police had gotten a call from a chicken 455 00:26:50,645 --> 00:26:54,845 Speaker 2: farmer near Fayetteville. His name was Orrin Tisdale. Oren said 456 00:26:54,965 --> 00:26:58,485 Speaker 2: someone had broken into their family home. The man had 457 00:26:58,485 --> 00:27:01,125 Speaker 2: a gun, and Oran and his wife said that this 458 00:27:01,205 --> 00:27:04,045 Speaker 2: man had a syringe sticking out of his arm. They 459 00:27:04,045 --> 00:27:06,045 Speaker 2: said that he went out to his car, a white 460 00:27:06,085 --> 00:27:09,965 Speaker 2: Ford Tempo, but when the man tried to get away, 461 00:27:10,005 --> 00:27:12,365 Speaker 2: they said the man's car stalled and that he had 462 00:27:12,405 --> 00:27:16,445 Speaker 2: started walking after that and then vanished. Police quickly determined 463 00:27:16,485 --> 00:27:19,845 Speaker 2: that this man had been Dennis Flowers. Police went to 464 00:27:19,845 --> 00:27:24,165 Speaker 2: the Tisdale farm. They found the white car that belonged 465 00:27:24,205 --> 00:27:25,325 Speaker 2: to Lee and Karen Dixon. 466 00:27:25,325 --> 00:27:25,565 Speaker 1: There. 467 00:27:26,165 --> 00:27:28,765 Speaker 2: It was stalled and there was a forty four magnum 468 00:27:28,805 --> 00:27:32,365 Speaker 2: pistol inside the vehicle. They never confirmed if this was 469 00:27:32,405 --> 00:27:35,725 Speaker 2: the murder weapon, but after Dennis left the Tisdale home, 470 00:27:36,045 --> 00:27:39,365 Speaker 2: he disappeared and police launched a massive man hunt for him. 471 00:27:41,005 --> 00:27:42,325 Speaker 1: Police got another. 472 00:27:42,045 --> 00:27:45,645 Speaker 2: Tip from one of Dennis's longtime associates, the attorney named 473 00:27:45,725 --> 00:27:50,005 Speaker 2: Lamar Pettis, who we mentioned at the top of the episode. Now, 474 00:27:50,045 --> 00:27:52,925 Speaker 2: what exactly went down in this phone call between Lamar 475 00:27:53,045 --> 00:27:56,805 Speaker 2: and Dennis Flowers is a story that has changed over 476 00:27:56,805 --> 00:27:59,045 Speaker 2: the years, so we're gonna look at this in depth. 477 00:28:01,765 --> 00:28:06,085 Speaker 2: At the time, Lamar told police that Dinni had called 478 00:28:06,125 --> 00:28:09,645 Speaker 2: him at around four thirteen am that morning. He said 479 00:28:09,685 --> 00:28:12,725 Speaker 2: Dennis told him that he had killed two people and 480 00:28:12,885 --> 00:28:16,805 Speaker 2: had another two people hostage. Lamar told police that he 481 00:28:16,965 --> 00:28:20,405 Speaker 2: urged Dennis not to hurt the hostages, to leave them alone, 482 00:28:20,525 --> 00:28:24,005 Speaker 2: and to walk away. Police based a huge part of 483 00:28:24,045 --> 00:28:28,285 Speaker 2: their investigation on this information from Lamar. In fact, this 484 00:28:28,485 --> 00:28:30,845 Speaker 2: was a big part of the reason why Dennis became 485 00:28:30,885 --> 00:28:34,805 Speaker 2: their main and really their only suspect. One thing that's 486 00:28:34,845 --> 00:28:37,605 Speaker 2: a little bit strange, and the Southern Fried True Crime 487 00:28:37,645 --> 00:28:40,205 Speaker 2: podcast calls us out as well, is that there was 488 00:28:40,205 --> 00:28:43,605 Speaker 2: a delay because this phone call happened at four thirteen 489 00:28:43,685 --> 00:28:46,805 Speaker 2: am between Dennis and Lamar, Yet police did not come 490 00:28:46,845 --> 00:28:50,725 Speaker 2: to the Dixon home until around six thirty am. Lamar 491 00:28:50,885 --> 00:28:54,085 Speaker 2: told police that after he hung up with Dennis, he 492 00:28:54,205 --> 00:28:59,885 Speaker 2: started researching what his obligations were under attorney client privilege, 493 00:29:00,485 --> 00:29:03,245 Speaker 2: and only after some delay and some research did he 494 00:29:03,325 --> 00:29:06,045 Speaker 2: decide to make some phone calls. I've I find this 495 00:29:06,885 --> 00:29:10,885 Speaker 2: really unbelievable because I understand that there's such a thing 496 00:29:10,885 --> 00:29:13,445 Speaker 2: as attorney client privilege, and that this was his friend 497 00:29:13,925 --> 00:29:17,805 Speaker 2: and his tenant. But Dennis had allegedly confessed to killing 498 00:29:17,845 --> 00:29:20,845 Speaker 2: two people, and also Lamar knew that there were potential 499 00:29:20,885 --> 00:29:24,285 Speaker 2: hostages there in danger, and I cannot imagine him not 500 00:29:24,365 --> 00:29:30,125 Speaker 2: calling the police right away. But Dennis's family did not 501 00:29:30,365 --> 00:29:32,765 Speaker 2: believe that he would have been capable of something like this. 502 00:29:33,285 --> 00:29:35,445 Speaker 2: They just did not believe he would be capable of 503 00:29:35,525 --> 00:29:39,805 Speaker 2: viciously murdering not just his friend Lee, but Lee's heavily 504 00:29:39,885 --> 00:29:44,085 Speaker 2: pregnant wife. Police charged Dennis Flowers with the murders of 505 00:29:44,165 --> 00:29:48,005 Speaker 2: Lee and Karen Dixon. They launched a man hunt, and 506 00:29:48,085 --> 00:29:51,325 Speaker 2: the search for Dennis Flowers went on for another ten days. 507 00:29:52,205 --> 00:29:56,525 Speaker 2: Finally they found him, but they couldn't get any information. 508 00:29:56,125 --> 00:29:57,085 Speaker 1: Out of him. 509 00:29:57,725 --> 00:30:00,925 Speaker 2: Dennis Flowers was found floating face down in a pond 510 00:30:01,405 --> 00:30:03,925 Speaker 2: just one hundred yards away from the Tisdale farm. 511 00:30:04,565 --> 00:30:05,805 Speaker 1: He was found where a. 512 00:30:05,765 --> 00:30:08,205 Speaker 2: Red and blue plaid shirt with a white pullover shirt, 513 00:30:08,685 --> 00:30:12,245 Speaker 2: corduroy pants, and cowboy boots. He had three hundred and 514 00:30:12,285 --> 00:30:14,805 Speaker 2: fifty one dollars and some change in his back pockets, 515 00:30:15,165 --> 00:30:18,485 Speaker 2: as well as two cigarette lighters and a spoon. The 516 00:30:18,525 --> 00:30:22,445 Speaker 2: medical examiner, doctor Fawmi Malik, ruled that Dennis had died 517 00:30:22,445 --> 00:30:26,085 Speaker 2: by drowning in less than three feet of water. The 518 00:30:26,125 --> 00:30:30,565 Speaker 2: cause of death was listed as drowning associated with cocaine toxicity. 519 00:30:31,325 --> 00:30:39,845 Speaker 2: The manner of death was suicide. After Dennis Flower's body 520 00:30:39,925 --> 00:30:43,565 Speaker 2: was found, the medical examiner, doctor Fowmi Malik, determined that 521 00:30:43,605 --> 00:30:45,965 Speaker 2: he had died by suicide as a result of drowning 522 00:30:46,005 --> 00:30:49,765 Speaker 2: in less than three feet of water. We mentioned doctor Malik, 523 00:30:50,165 --> 00:30:53,245 Speaker 2: who is notorious in the state of Arkansas for his 524 00:30:53,485 --> 00:30:57,165 Speaker 2: mini botched autopsies back in the day. So often I 525 00:30:57,245 --> 00:30:59,165 Speaker 2: sometimes feel like we need to do a Hell and 526 00:30:59,205 --> 00:31:02,365 Speaker 2: Gone very Special episode just to cover all of his cases. 527 00:31:03,205 --> 00:31:05,685 Speaker 2: Needless to say, back in the day, he was known 528 00:31:05,765 --> 00:31:09,565 Speaker 2: for tailoring his forensic conclusions on what law enforcement said 529 00:31:09,565 --> 00:31:13,205 Speaker 2: they wanted, and many people believed that this case was 530 00:31:13,285 --> 00:31:16,925 Speaker 2: no exception. Some people wondered why it took so long 531 00:31:17,005 --> 00:31:19,005 Speaker 2: to find the bodies that were so close to the 532 00:31:19,045 --> 00:31:23,085 Speaker 2: potential last place where Dennis Flowers was seen. But honestly, 533 00:31:23,085 --> 00:31:26,125 Speaker 2: as an investigator, that's not really the part that I 534 00:31:26,205 --> 00:31:30,485 Speaker 2: find strange, because sadly, I've seen many other cases where 535 00:31:30,605 --> 00:31:35,685 Speaker 2: unfortunately police failed to find bodies that were nearby. I'm 536 00:31:35,685 --> 00:31:38,965 Speaker 2: thinking of Ebbie Stepek's case. Ebbie's body was found in 537 00:31:39,085 --> 00:31:42,165 Speaker 2: drain pipe just a few feet from her abandoned car 538 00:31:42,285 --> 00:31:45,525 Speaker 2: in a West Little Rock park, almost three years after 539 00:31:45,565 --> 00:31:50,685 Speaker 2: she went missing. And sometimes many times bodies do sync 540 00:31:50,725 --> 00:31:53,445 Speaker 2: to the bottom of bodies of water and then float 541 00:31:53,525 --> 00:31:55,805 Speaker 2: up a few days later as gases are released. 542 00:31:56,765 --> 00:31:58,525 Speaker 1: But even though the. 543 00:31:58,405 --> 00:32:02,885 Speaker 2: Autopsy mentioned skin slippage, I have seen the autopsy report, 544 00:32:02,925 --> 00:32:06,325 Speaker 2: and I've seen photos of the body, this body appears 545 00:32:06,365 --> 00:32:09,765 Speaker 2: to have no distortion or bloating that one would expect 546 00:32:09,885 --> 00:32:13,285 Speaker 2: if Dennis's body had been in the water for ten days. 547 00:32:13,965 --> 00:32:17,085 Speaker 2: Tommy Bryant told k r K that one of the 548 00:32:17,165 --> 00:32:19,765 Speaker 2: law enforcement officers who had been on the scene made 549 00:32:19,805 --> 00:32:23,445 Speaker 2: a comment and said something like he looked like he'd 550 00:32:23,485 --> 00:32:25,925 Speaker 2: been in the water for ten hours, not ten days. 551 00:32:28,445 --> 00:32:31,565 Speaker 2: According to the autopsy, Dennis had needle marks in his 552 00:32:31,685 --> 00:32:34,885 Speaker 2: arms as well as crystals in his lungs, and this 553 00:32:35,165 --> 00:32:39,805 Speaker 2: was indicative of long term drug use. Of injecting drugs, 554 00:32:39,845 --> 00:32:43,165 Speaker 2: Dennis's blood tested negative for alcohol and for other drugs. 555 00:32:43,645 --> 00:32:46,685 Speaker 2: Dennis had over ten times a fatal dose of cocaine 556 00:32:46,725 --> 00:32:50,525 Speaker 2: in his blood, but Dennis had a massive amount of 557 00:32:50,525 --> 00:32:54,525 Speaker 2: cocaine in his stomach according to the autopsy report, over 558 00:32:54,605 --> 00:32:58,565 Speaker 2: twenty ounces, and he also had a lot of water 559 00:32:58,645 --> 00:32:59,565 Speaker 2: in his lungs. 560 00:33:00,245 --> 00:33:01,725 Speaker 1: The autopsy report. 561 00:33:01,405 --> 00:33:06,845 Speaker 2: Noted something called emphysema aquasum, which means that the lungs 562 00:33:06,925 --> 00:33:10,405 Speaker 2: were very heavy and very spongy. According to some literature 563 00:33:10,485 --> 00:33:13,565 Speaker 2: that I was reading on drowning deaks, this often happens 564 00:33:13,645 --> 00:33:17,845 Speaker 2: when someone is conscious and struggling to live. They're fighting 565 00:33:17,885 --> 00:33:20,085 Speaker 2: for their life and so they end up fighting to 566 00:33:20,165 --> 00:33:24,125 Speaker 2: breathe and ingesting a lot of water. This seems like 567 00:33:24,205 --> 00:33:27,565 Speaker 2: a horrific way to die, and this led a lot 568 00:33:27,605 --> 00:33:31,325 Speaker 2: of people to believe that Dennis did not kill himself voluntarily, 569 00:33:31,645 --> 00:33:34,325 Speaker 2: that someone had forced him to take those drugs to 570 00:33:34,405 --> 00:33:37,165 Speaker 2: od and then to make sure that he drowned in 571 00:33:37,165 --> 00:33:41,885 Speaker 2: that pond. They also wondered if he had really been 572 00:33:41,885 --> 00:33:45,045 Speaker 2: out there for ten days, because there were reports that 573 00:33:45,085 --> 00:33:49,125 Speaker 2: this area had already been searched. Rumors started to circulate 574 00:33:49,765 --> 00:33:53,525 Speaker 2: that people in the drug trade, potentially bikers, had held 575 00:33:53,605 --> 00:33:56,605 Speaker 2: him hostage for several days and then finally drowned him 576 00:33:56,645 --> 00:34:01,285 Speaker 2: in the pond. But there were elements of physical evidence that, 577 00:34:01,365 --> 00:34:04,245 Speaker 2: at least on the surface, appeared to match Lamar and 578 00:34:04,285 --> 00:34:07,285 Speaker 2: the Tisdale stories. The Tisdale's saying he showed up at 579 00:34:07,285 --> 00:34:11,045 Speaker 2: the house, the fact that Dennis was with Lee that night, 580 00:34:11,565 --> 00:34:14,365 Speaker 2: and the things that Dennis had said in front of 581 00:34:14,405 --> 00:34:17,605 Speaker 2: the Tisdale's to his attorney on the phone about two 582 00:34:17,685 --> 00:34:21,005 Speaker 2: people being dead, one of them working at consumer pharmacy. 583 00:34:21,605 --> 00:34:24,565 Speaker 2: The stuff that he said did lead police to believe 584 00:34:24,685 --> 00:34:28,285 Speaker 2: that he had been the killer. It's definitely possible, in 585 00:34:28,325 --> 00:34:31,685 Speaker 2: fact almost certain, that Dennis was there when Lee and 586 00:34:31,765 --> 00:34:35,645 Speaker 2: Karen were murdered, but Dennis's family have serious doubts about 587 00:34:35,645 --> 00:34:39,285 Speaker 2: whether Dennis was the sole person responsible. They wonder whether 588 00:34:39,445 --> 00:34:42,725 Speaker 2: he was forced into something. They also don't believe that 589 00:34:42,805 --> 00:34:45,765 Speaker 2: he drowned in under three feet of water. In a 590 00:34:45,765 --> 00:34:48,245 Speaker 2: lot of online forums, a lot of people are wondering 591 00:34:48,285 --> 00:34:51,125 Speaker 2: if the manner of death suicide should be changed to 592 00:34:51,165 --> 00:34:55,845 Speaker 2: our canicide. There was another podcast called Coroner Talk. They 593 00:34:55,845 --> 00:34:58,365 Speaker 2: did an interview with the coroner in this case, and 594 00:34:58,805 --> 00:35:01,045 Speaker 2: they also talked to some experts and seemed to come 595 00:35:01,085 --> 00:35:04,125 Speaker 2: to the same conclusion. They don't believe that the evidence 596 00:35:04,125 --> 00:35:06,245 Speaker 2: supports the fact that the body was out in the 597 00:35:06,285 --> 00:35:10,445 Speaker 2: water that long. The Coroner Talk podcast is very interesting. 598 00:35:10,445 --> 00:35:12,645 Speaker 2: We're going to put the link in this episode, and 599 00:35:12,765 --> 00:35:15,405 Speaker 2: if you're curious about more of the forensics, I highly 600 00:35:15,405 --> 00:35:17,485 Speaker 2: suggest that you check it out. 601 00:35:19,085 --> 00:35:21,205 Speaker 1: There were other pieces of evidence that didn't seem to 602 00:35:21,245 --> 00:35:21,725 Speaker 1: make sense. 603 00:35:21,805 --> 00:35:24,645 Speaker 2: First, there were the things that were missing, including a 604 00:35:24,645 --> 00:35:28,165 Speaker 2: gold watch that Dennis always wore, and then there were 605 00:35:28,205 --> 00:35:33,045 Speaker 2: the things that were in plane sight. Dennis's wallet was 606 00:35:33,125 --> 00:35:37,205 Speaker 2: found near Lee and Karen's bodies in that house, but 607 00:35:37,325 --> 00:35:40,925 Speaker 2: his family considers this the ultimate sign of a stage 608 00:35:41,005 --> 00:35:44,965 Speaker 2: murder scene. They wonder could Dennis have really been dumb 609 00:35:45,045 --> 00:35:47,445 Speaker 2: or high enough to leave that wallet out in plain sight, 610 00:35:48,245 --> 00:35:49,285 Speaker 2: or could someone have. 611 00:35:49,325 --> 00:35:50,045 Speaker 1: Planted it there. 612 00:35:50,885 --> 00:35:54,365 Speaker 2: There were reportedly thirty two different fingerprints taken from the 613 00:35:54,365 --> 00:35:58,445 Speaker 2: Dixon home. None of them were a match to Dennis flowers. 614 00:35:59,085 --> 00:36:02,285 Speaker 2: There was only one single print that was a match 615 00:36:02,325 --> 00:36:05,405 Speaker 2: to Dennis, and it was found on a full seven 616 00:36:05,645 --> 00:36:09,725 Speaker 2: up can, So there was one single perfect fingerprint. 617 00:36:10,405 --> 00:36:14,565 Speaker 1: The soda can was full. 618 00:36:14,725 --> 00:36:17,205 Speaker 2: We come back to what Tommy Bryant said to KRK 619 00:36:17,405 --> 00:36:21,605 Speaker 2: in twenty sixteen, because after he explained that one of 620 00:36:21,645 --> 00:36:24,205 Speaker 2: the officers said that man hasn't been in the pond 621 00:36:24,285 --> 00:36:28,125 Speaker 2: for ten hours, let alone ten days. Apparently, according to Tommy, 622 00:36:28,685 --> 00:36:32,645 Speaker 2: the officer also made another comment. He said, quote someone 623 00:36:32,725 --> 00:36:34,125 Speaker 2: paid a lot of money for that hit. 624 00:36:34,445 --> 00:36:35,605 Speaker 1: End quote. 625 00:36:36,045 --> 00:36:40,005 Speaker 2: KRK also talked to the attorney Lamar Pettis in twenty sixteen, 626 00:36:40,405 --> 00:36:44,605 Speaker 2: and it's interesting because Lamar told Kark a different story 627 00:36:44,725 --> 00:36:47,325 Speaker 2: than the one that can be found in the transcripts 628 00:36:47,365 --> 00:36:52,045 Speaker 2: in the case file. He told Kark in twenty sixteen 629 00:36:52,205 --> 00:36:54,525 Speaker 2: that Dennis had made a comment telling him that two 630 00:36:54,645 --> 00:36:57,845 Speaker 2: people were killed and that he would never hurt a child. 631 00:36:58,365 --> 00:37:01,925 Speaker 2: So when Lamar talked to KRK, he said Dennis did 632 00:37:01,965 --> 00:37:05,285 Speaker 2: not confess to the two murders. And as we all know, 633 00:37:05,845 --> 00:37:09,165 Speaker 2: saying two people were killed is completely different than saying 634 00:37:09,205 --> 00:37:13,365 Speaker 2: he killed two people. Lamar told the news station he 635 00:37:13,405 --> 00:37:15,925 Speaker 2: thinks Dennis got mixed up with a bad crowd, but 636 00:37:16,005 --> 00:37:20,925 Speaker 2: he does not believe he's capable of murder. I took 637 00:37:20,965 --> 00:37:22,925 Speaker 2: another look back at the case file, the part that's 638 00:37:22,965 --> 00:37:26,405 Speaker 2: been made public. There's a transcript of Lamar's interview with 639 00:37:26,445 --> 00:37:30,485 Speaker 2: the investigator Doug Fogley. There's no audio of that transcript, 640 00:37:30,885 --> 00:37:33,085 Speaker 2: but we have to work with what we have. In 641 00:37:33,125 --> 00:37:37,445 Speaker 2: the transcript, Lamar is quoted is saying that Dennis did 642 00:37:37,485 --> 00:37:41,085 Speaker 2: say he killed two people, and Dennis said he had 643 00:37:41,085 --> 00:37:42,285 Speaker 2: two hostages there that. 644 00:37:42,285 --> 00:37:43,285 Speaker 1: He didn't plan to hurt. 645 00:37:44,765 --> 00:37:47,845 Speaker 2: Lamar told police that at that time, Dennis was also 646 00:37:47,925 --> 00:37:51,245 Speaker 2: concerned about his wife, Linda, getting money for her and 647 00:37:51,285 --> 00:37:54,845 Speaker 2: the kids, and also for his first wife. He apparently 648 00:37:54,885 --> 00:37:57,045 Speaker 2: said that he loved her and that he had regrets, 649 00:37:57,725 --> 00:38:01,965 Speaker 2: and then he said something else. According to Lamar, Dennis 650 00:38:02,005 --> 00:38:05,085 Speaker 2: Flowers said that he never wanted to kill anyone, but 651 00:38:05,845 --> 00:38:09,005 Speaker 2: that quote, someone was trying to blackmail me. 652 00:38:09,325 --> 00:38:09,885 Speaker 1: End quote. 653 00:38:10,245 --> 00:38:14,245 Speaker 2: The investigator Doug Fogley asked Lamar to clarify this. Lamar 654 00:38:14,325 --> 00:38:17,885 Speaker 2: said again, Dennis told him someone was trying to blackmail me. 655 00:38:18,925 --> 00:38:20,965 Speaker 2: Lamar said that after he hung up, and this was 656 00:38:21,005 --> 00:38:24,245 Speaker 2: around four fifteen am, he told his wife Dennis said 657 00:38:24,245 --> 00:38:26,325 Speaker 2: he just killed two people. He said he was going 658 00:38:26,405 --> 00:38:28,605 Speaker 2: to call around and see what he could reveal due 659 00:38:28,645 --> 00:38:33,125 Speaker 2: to attorney client privileges. Then Lamar called his law partner 660 00:38:33,125 --> 00:38:37,645 Speaker 2: and during that conversation, he said Dennis had told him, quote, 661 00:38:38,085 --> 00:38:39,365 Speaker 2: I've killed two people. 662 00:38:39,565 --> 00:38:43,765 Speaker 1: They were blackmailing me. End quote. So which is it? 663 00:38:44,045 --> 00:38:46,245 Speaker 2: Did Dennis say that he killed two people or that 664 00:38:46,245 --> 00:38:49,445 Speaker 2: two people were killed? Was that something that Lamar thought 665 00:38:49,445 --> 00:38:51,645 Speaker 2: he heard? And then he sort of attributed to Dennis 666 00:38:51,645 --> 00:38:54,165 Speaker 2: when he made the next phone call. Figuring out this 667 00:38:54,325 --> 00:38:57,165 Speaker 2: phone tree is such an important part of figuring out 668 00:38:57,165 --> 00:39:00,605 Speaker 2: this case. And also what did he mean about that 669 00:39:00,645 --> 00:39:03,725 Speaker 2: blackmail when he said that? Was he referring to Lee 670 00:39:03,885 --> 00:39:08,085 Speaker 2: and Karen or he referring to someone else, maybe someone 671 00:39:08,125 --> 00:39:10,565 Speaker 2: who forced Dennis to leave his wallet there for some reason. 672 00:39:14,765 --> 00:39:17,325 Speaker 2: Tommy Bryant has made it clear that he believes that 673 00:39:17,325 --> 00:39:20,605 Speaker 2: Dennis Flowers did not act alone. He said to KRK, 674 00:39:20,805 --> 00:39:24,285 Speaker 2: quote the idea that a man would brutally murder two people, 675 00:39:24,525 --> 00:39:26,485 Speaker 2: tie one of them up, and yet was dumb enough 676 00:39:26,525 --> 00:39:28,445 Speaker 2: to leave a thumb print on a seven up can. 677 00:39:29,125 --> 00:39:30,765 Speaker 2: I don't know how you pick up a can with 678 00:39:30,805 --> 00:39:34,685 Speaker 2: your thumb with no other fingerprints. Tommy called the murders, 679 00:39:34,765 --> 00:39:38,325 Speaker 2: cold calculated, and point blank. He said he believes law 680 00:39:38,365 --> 00:39:41,645 Speaker 2: enforcement wanted to close this case fast, so that's why 681 00:39:41,685 --> 00:39:44,805 Speaker 2: after Dennis's body was found, police were very quick to 682 00:39:44,885 --> 00:39:47,645 Speaker 2: rule this suicide and put an end to what they 683 00:39:47,685 --> 00:39:50,045 Speaker 2: believe was a very ugly affair in their town. 684 00:39:50,925 --> 00:39:53,485 Speaker 1: He believes that for political. 685 00:39:53,005 --> 00:39:56,085 Speaker 2: Reasons, the authorities wanted to get this case off the 686 00:39:56,085 --> 00:40:00,045 Speaker 2: front pages of the newspaper. Tommy said that after he 687 00:40:00,125 --> 00:40:02,445 Speaker 2: asked for a copy of the case file, he was 688 00:40:02,485 --> 00:40:04,885 Speaker 2: shocked at the lack of evidence he said police had. 689 00:40:05,485 --> 00:40:07,605 Speaker 2: He said the thing that struck him most was that 690 00:40:07,645 --> 00:40:10,245 Speaker 2: the one fingerprint they had was the single one on 691 00:40:10,285 --> 00:40:11,005 Speaker 2: the seven up can. 692 00:40:11,925 --> 00:40:12,245 Speaker 1: He said. 693 00:40:12,285 --> 00:40:14,925 Speaker 2: When he asked police about the evidence and how they 694 00:40:15,005 --> 00:40:18,245 Speaker 2: knew that they had the right guy, he claims police 695 00:40:18,285 --> 00:40:21,485 Speaker 2: told him, quote, he left his billfold there so we'd 696 00:40:21,485 --> 00:40:24,125 Speaker 2: find it so we'd know it was him, end quote. 697 00:40:24,205 --> 00:40:26,405 Speaker 2: And Tommy has made clear he does not believe that 698 00:40:26,405 --> 00:40:28,005 Speaker 2: that is a satisfactory conclusion. 699 00:40:28,045 --> 00:40:29,405 Speaker 1: He said he doesn't buy that theory. 700 00:40:30,445 --> 00:40:35,365 Speaker 2: Dennis's family also does not believe that Dennis, after leaving 701 00:40:35,405 --> 00:40:38,445 Speaker 2: the Tisdale home, took a massive amount of cocaine on 702 00:40:38,485 --> 00:40:41,925 Speaker 2: his own drowned himself in a pond and floated there 703 00:40:41,965 --> 00:40:47,645 Speaker 2: for ten days. I'm going to circle back for a 704 00:40:47,685 --> 00:40:52,045 Speaker 2: second to Gail Vaut's case because some people who've contacted 705 00:40:52,045 --> 00:40:54,285 Speaker 2: me have pointed out that some of the names that 706 00:40:54,325 --> 00:40:56,405 Speaker 2: have come up as being involved in the drug trade 707 00:40:56,685 --> 00:41:00,045 Speaker 2: that Gail's boyfriend was allegedly involved in, came up in 708 00:41:00,085 --> 00:41:05,365 Speaker 2: this double homicide. Now, after this case, we can clearly 709 00:41:05,605 --> 00:41:08,245 Speaker 2: see that the people who sold drugs in Fayettebule did 710 00:41:08,285 --> 00:41:11,005 Speaker 2: seem to be able to make things happen, to make 711 00:41:11,045 --> 00:41:15,205 Speaker 2: people pay, and to make them disappear. I believe that 712 00:41:15,285 --> 00:41:18,565 Speaker 2: there is a substantial body of evidence that does point 713 00:41:18,605 --> 00:41:21,925 Speaker 2: to the fact that Dennis Flowers may not have acted alone. 714 00:41:21,965 --> 00:41:23,805 Speaker 2: There are a lot of questions and a lot of 715 00:41:23,925 --> 00:41:27,805 Speaker 2: red flags in these murders, But when it comes to 716 00:41:27,845 --> 00:41:31,325 Speaker 2: Gail Vought, I still don't think, at least according to 717 00:41:31,325 --> 00:41:33,805 Speaker 2: what we've seen and found so far, that there is 718 00:41:33,885 --> 00:41:36,325 Speaker 2: any evidence that the drug trade was involved in the 719 00:41:36,365 --> 00:41:40,125 Speaker 2: same way in Gail's case. Again, I believe that there 720 00:41:40,125 --> 00:41:42,885 Speaker 2: are compelling reasons why other people may have been involved 721 00:41:42,885 --> 00:41:43,965 Speaker 2: in Dennis Flower's death. 722 00:41:44,365 --> 00:41:45,325 Speaker 1: There were the heavy. 723 00:41:45,085 --> 00:41:47,805 Speaker 2: Lungs, the signs of struggle, the fact that the body 724 00:41:47,885 --> 00:41:50,125 Speaker 2: showed very few signs of being out in the elements 725 00:41:50,125 --> 00:41:53,925 Speaker 2: after ten days. There was also the circumstantial evidence, the 726 00:41:53,925 --> 00:41:57,325 Speaker 2: fact that we know that Lee was desperate, that he, 727 00:41:57,485 --> 00:41:59,925 Speaker 2: with the help of dentists, had robbed his own workplace, 728 00:42:00,325 --> 00:42:03,045 Speaker 2: and that to avoid jail time, he may have started 729 00:42:03,085 --> 00:42:05,765 Speaker 2: asking questions about how to become an informant. And even 730 00:42:05,765 --> 00:42:08,405 Speaker 2: if he didn't, the people that he was running drugs 731 00:42:08,405 --> 00:42:10,365 Speaker 2: for may have been afraid that he would start asking 732 00:42:10,365 --> 00:42:14,045 Speaker 2: those questions. There are compelling reasons why people high up 733 00:42:14,045 --> 00:42:16,845 Speaker 2: in what they call the Ozark drug mafia could have 734 00:42:16,965 --> 00:42:23,045 Speaker 2: wanted Lee and Dennis Flowers dead. Another commenter on a 735 00:42:23,085 --> 00:42:25,325 Speaker 2: story about this case actually at the bottom of the 736 00:42:25,325 --> 00:42:29,485 Speaker 2: Coroner Talk podcast episode says that it's from a former 737 00:42:29,525 --> 00:42:32,285 Speaker 2: police officer, and this person claims to have worked in 738 00:42:32,325 --> 00:42:34,845 Speaker 2: the area in Arkansas when Lee and Karen were murdered 739 00:42:34,885 --> 00:42:38,565 Speaker 2: back in the day. He said, back then he believed 740 00:42:38,605 --> 00:42:42,045 Speaker 2: some of his colleagues thought that police suffered from tunnel vision. 741 00:42:42,165 --> 00:42:45,165 Speaker 2: When it came to this case, he said he had 742 00:42:45,205 --> 00:42:49,005 Speaker 2: his own theory, which actually I find somewhat plausible, so 743 00:42:49,085 --> 00:42:51,965 Speaker 2: I'm going to repeat it. This person said that he 744 00:42:52,085 --> 00:42:56,165 Speaker 2: always believed that motorcycle gang members from Oklahoma City were 745 00:42:56,165 --> 00:42:59,085 Speaker 2: the ones who really killed Lee and Karen Dixon. He 746 00:42:59,205 --> 00:43:01,645 Speaker 2: said he believed they forced Dennis Flowers to ring the 747 00:43:01,685 --> 00:43:06,165 Speaker 2: doorbell that night at the Dixon house because Ifnis was there, 748 00:43:06,365 --> 00:43:08,845 Speaker 2: these guys knew Lee and Karen would answer the door. 749 00:43:09,525 --> 00:43:12,685 Speaker 2: Then this person believes they got Dennis to leave his 750 00:43:12,765 --> 00:43:16,005 Speaker 2: wallet there as sort of collateral. They tied Karen to 751 00:43:16,085 --> 00:43:18,605 Speaker 2: a chair and forced Dennis to go with them as 752 00:43:18,605 --> 00:43:19,245 Speaker 2: a hostage. 753 00:43:20,085 --> 00:43:21,805 Speaker 1: What happened after that is unclear. 754 00:43:21,885 --> 00:43:24,285 Speaker 2: Maybe Dennis was supposed to come back for Lee and Karen, 755 00:43:24,965 --> 00:43:27,645 Speaker 2: maybe he couldn't, or maybe he got scared and ran. 756 00:43:28,565 --> 00:43:30,005 Speaker 1: There are other possibilities too. 757 00:43:30,085 --> 00:43:32,605 Speaker 2: It is possible that with all this going on, that 758 00:43:32,685 --> 00:43:35,285 Speaker 2: Dennis did leave his wallet there in a panic, but 759 00:43:35,925 --> 00:43:39,285 Speaker 2: the timing still doesn't make sense. I believe it's very possible, 760 00:43:39,445 --> 00:43:42,365 Speaker 2: based on the condition of the body, that Dennis was 761 00:43:42,485 --> 00:43:44,805 Speaker 2: kept hostage for several days by someone else. 762 00:43:47,565 --> 00:43:51,765 Speaker 3: What do you think he meant by he was being blackmailed? Well, 763 00:43:52,365 --> 00:43:56,445 Speaker 3: you can take it probably several different ways. But you know, 764 00:43:56,485 --> 00:43:59,485 Speaker 3: I think that him and Lee were involved in some 765 00:43:59,565 --> 00:44:04,525 Speaker 3: shady business as far as the cocaine and the pharmacy 766 00:44:04,605 --> 00:44:07,685 Speaker 3: came up short, and I don't know if it's money 767 00:44:07,725 --> 00:44:11,005 Speaker 3: that he owed my dad owed somebody some money, or 768 00:44:11,845 --> 00:44:15,405 Speaker 3: that's I mean, that's speculation on my part. I don't 769 00:44:15,525 --> 00:44:19,285 Speaker 3: know what the black male comes down to. And I 770 00:44:19,285 --> 00:44:21,445 Speaker 3: don't even doubt you know that they could have been 771 00:44:21,485 --> 00:44:25,085 Speaker 3: threatening to us, you know, as his children being there. 772 00:44:25,365 --> 00:44:27,085 Speaker 3: You know, I don't know. I don't know what the 773 00:44:27,085 --> 00:44:32,405 Speaker 3: black mail per se is. It's aft speculation and what 774 00:44:32,485 --> 00:44:34,845 Speaker 3: we you know, we'll never know exactly what happened, and 775 00:44:35,285 --> 00:44:37,245 Speaker 3: I've come to terms with that. I would like to 776 00:44:37,405 --> 00:44:40,245 Speaker 3: I would like to hope there's still people alive that 777 00:44:40,605 --> 00:44:44,245 Speaker 3: do know exactly what happened, But you know, I've come 778 00:44:44,245 --> 00:44:47,245 Speaker 3: to terms with I may never know, other than I 779 00:44:47,325 --> 00:44:50,325 Speaker 3: know that, you know my dad, he would have never 780 00:44:50,765 --> 00:44:55,645 Speaker 3: killed anyone, let alone a pregnant woman. And you know, 781 00:44:55,725 --> 00:44:59,165 Speaker 3: his fingerprints were not on the tape that balance over, 782 00:45:00,005 --> 00:45:03,325 Speaker 3: you know. I mean, so that in itself is like 783 00:45:04,125 --> 00:45:07,525 Speaker 3: you know, you scratch your head, well, there's fingerprints on it, 784 00:45:07,645 --> 00:45:10,685 Speaker 3: but they're not his. So why can't we run those 785 00:45:10,765 --> 00:45:12,765 Speaker 3: friends and find out who they belonged to. 786 00:45:15,645 --> 00:45:19,165 Speaker 2: After KRK did their report, they reported that the State 787 00:45:19,245 --> 00:45:22,245 Speaker 2: Crime lab did find several other sets of fingerprints at 788 00:45:22,245 --> 00:45:25,405 Speaker 2: that crime scene. They were tested in the nineteen eighties, 789 00:45:25,405 --> 00:45:28,805 Speaker 2: but there were no matches. Then KRK reported that in 790 00:45:28,885 --> 00:45:32,925 Speaker 2: twenty fifteen, Fayetteville police ran the Old Prince again, but 791 00:45:33,485 --> 00:45:38,965 Speaker 2: apparently there were no matches found. But all of these families, Lee's, Karen's, 792 00:45:39,005 --> 00:45:43,365 Speaker 2: and Dennis's believed that somewhere out there, someone knows something 793 00:45:43,445 --> 00:45:46,725 Speaker 2: about an entire family being murdered in one night, a 794 00:45:46,805 --> 00:45:51,525 Speaker 2: little boy left without parents, and another man's children wondering 795 00:45:51,645 --> 00:45:54,485 Speaker 2: what really happened to their dad out in that pond. 796 00:45:56,485 --> 00:45:59,245 Speaker 3: You know, he was the life of the party as 797 00:45:59,285 --> 00:46:01,925 Speaker 3: far as if you knew him, you loved him. He 798 00:46:02,085 --> 00:46:05,365 Speaker 3: made you feel special, he made you feel listened to. 799 00:46:06,605 --> 00:46:10,365 Speaker 3: You know, he could make you smile instantly. He was 800 00:46:10,445 --> 00:46:13,765 Speaker 3: just a great guy. And I think he was definitely 801 00:46:13,805 --> 00:46:17,525 Speaker 3: a people person, and I think that's a great quality. 802 00:46:17,645 --> 00:46:21,005 Speaker 3: And also I think for him it was his demise. 803 00:46:21,485 --> 00:46:27,165 Speaker 2: At the same time, Tommy told k r KAY that 804 00:46:27,285 --> 00:46:30,685 Speaker 2: his sister Karen's unborn baby was a girl. He said 805 00:46:30,685 --> 00:46:34,565 Speaker 2: that every time he visits those three graves, he hopes 806 00:46:34,685 --> 00:46:39,925 Speaker 2: that someone might come forward someday. I'm Catherine Townsend This 807 00:46:40,285 --> 00:46:45,525 Speaker 2: is Helen Gone Murder Line. Helen Gone Murder Line is 808 00:46:45,565 --> 00:46:48,565 Speaker 2: a production of School of Humans and iHeart Podcasts. It's 809 00:46:48,605 --> 00:46:51,605 Speaker 2: written and narrated by me Catherine Townsend and produced by 810 00:46:51,645 --> 00:46:56,325 Speaker 2: Gabby Watts. Music contributed by Ben Sale, Executive producers of 811 00:46:56,405 --> 00:47:00,285 Speaker 2: Virginia Prescott, Brandon Barr, and Elsie Crowley. If you have 812 00:47:00,405 --> 00:47:02,365 Speaker 2: a case you'd like me and my team to look into, 813 00:47:02,885 --> 00:47:04,605 Speaker 2: you can reach out to us at our Helen Gone 814 00:47:04,645 --> 00:47:07,845 Speaker 2: Murder Line seven eight seven four four six one four 815 00:47:08,005 --> 00:47:11,805 Speaker 2: five that six seven eight seven four four six one 816 00:47:12,045 --> 00:47:12,565 Speaker 2: four five 817 00:47:29,165 --> 00:47:30,045 Speaker 1: School of Humans