1 00:00:08,245 --> 00:00:14,165 Speaker 1: School of Humans. 2 00:00:15,285 --> 00:00:18,925 Speaker 2: On the morning of Friday, October seventeenth, nineteen eighty, a 3 00:00:18,965 --> 00:00:21,485 Speaker 2: man was on his way to work. He was driving 4 00:00:21,565 --> 00:00:24,725 Speaker 2: his truck down Highway sixteen, the East West highway that 5 00:00:24,805 --> 00:00:29,125 Speaker 2: runs between Salom Springs, Arkansas, near the Oklahoma border, through 6 00:00:29,245 --> 00:00:31,805 Speaker 2: Ozark National Forest and Enns in Sercey. 7 00:00:33,205 --> 00:00:34,885 Speaker 1: He was driving through the woods near. 8 00:00:34,765 --> 00:00:37,645 Speaker 2: An area called Lake Weddington when he saw something out 9 00:00:37,645 --> 00:00:39,685 Speaker 2: of the corner of his eye down a small dirt road. 10 00:00:40,405 --> 00:00:43,285 Speaker 2: It looked like a person lying in the road, so 11 00:00:43,405 --> 00:00:46,445 Speaker 2: the driver doubled back and looked again and saw to 12 00:00:46,605 --> 00:00:49,885 Speaker 2: his horror that it was a body, the body of 13 00:00:49,925 --> 00:00:52,685 Speaker 2: a young woman lying rolled over on her right side. 14 00:00:53,365 --> 00:00:56,405 Speaker 2: Her head and shoulders were face down. Her right hand 15 00:00:56,485 --> 00:00:59,165 Speaker 2: was extended out, her left hand was near her face. 16 00:01:00,165 --> 00:01:03,165 Speaker 2: The woman was very tall. She had a flannel shirt 17 00:01:03,205 --> 00:01:06,485 Speaker 2: on and a blue Michelin jacket that had been her face. 18 00:01:07,245 --> 00:01:10,525 Speaker 2: Her legs were slightly open. She was naked from the 19 00:01:10,565 --> 00:01:14,045 Speaker 2: waist down except for a pair of torn and filthy 20 00:01:14,165 --> 00:01:18,085 Speaker 2: white sox. The victim started out being a Jane Doe, 21 00:01:18,765 --> 00:01:21,685 Speaker 2: but soon police had idd her as twenty one year 22 00:01:21,685 --> 00:01:25,405 Speaker 2: old Gail Vaut. Gail lived nearby and worked on a 23 00:01:25,485 --> 00:01:27,165 Speaker 2: road crew as a great operator. 24 00:01:27,845 --> 00:01:30,645 Speaker 1: She worked building Highway seventy one. 25 00:01:30,925 --> 00:01:34,365 Speaker 2: Friends said that everyone loved Gail. She was six foot two, 26 00:01:34,565 --> 00:01:37,565 Speaker 2: one hundred and fifty five pounds, lean fit, and a 27 00:01:37,725 --> 00:01:41,405 Speaker 2: very attractive and outgoing young woman. Even though she was 28 00:01:41,485 --> 00:01:44,045 Speaker 2: beautiful on the outside. She was one of those people 29 00:01:44,045 --> 00:01:45,765 Speaker 2: who could act like one of the guys when she 30 00:01:45,885 --> 00:01:49,125 Speaker 2: was on the job, and she could also deal with 31 00:01:49,205 --> 00:01:53,645 Speaker 2: what was considered back then and even today as being 32 00:01:53,685 --> 00:01:57,925 Speaker 2: a man's job. Forensic testing showed that Gail had been 33 00:01:57,965 --> 00:02:00,565 Speaker 2: run over by a car. There was a condom and 34 00:02:00,605 --> 00:02:04,325 Speaker 2: condom wrapper nearby, so investigators believed that she had been raped. 35 00:02:05,645 --> 00:02:10,085 Speaker 2: Sometimes people, well meaning people say, well, at least she 36 00:02:10,125 --> 00:02:13,605 Speaker 2: felt no pain. But I'm an investigator and I have 37 00:02:13,685 --> 00:02:18,245 Speaker 2: to face what are sometimes brutal realities. I promise to 38 00:02:18,285 --> 00:02:23,365 Speaker 2: always tell people the truth. Investigators saw that her left 39 00:02:23,405 --> 00:02:26,365 Speaker 2: foot had moved back and forth in the mud, creating 40 00:02:26,365 --> 00:02:30,685 Speaker 2: a ridge. So, according to the evidence, whatever happened to 41 00:02:30,765 --> 00:02:34,605 Speaker 2: Gail Vaught in those woods, she suffered. But there are 42 00:02:34,645 --> 00:02:37,645 Speaker 2: a lot of questions about this case, like was she 43 00:02:37,845 --> 00:02:42,365 Speaker 2: actually raped, was she sexually assaulted? Or could that condom 44 00:02:42,445 --> 00:02:46,565 Speaker 2: have been staged? Could her death have connections to drug dealing, 45 00:02:46,725 --> 00:02:51,165 Speaker 2: or domestic violence or something else. What really happened to 46 00:02:51,205 --> 00:02:56,885 Speaker 2: Gail Vauught. I'm Catherine Townsend. Over the past five years 47 00:02:56,885 --> 00:02:59,925 Speaker 2: of making my true crime podcast, Helling Gone, I have 48 00:03:00,005 --> 00:03:03,605 Speaker 2: received hundreds of messages from people asking for help with 49 00:03:03,685 --> 00:03:08,325 Speaker 2: an unsolved murder that's affected them and their community. Despite 50 00:03:08,365 --> 00:03:11,165 Speaker 2: the numerous people who need help out there on each 51 00:03:11,205 --> 00:03:13,565 Speaker 2: season of Helen Gone, I've only been able to focus 52 00:03:13,605 --> 00:03:14,645 Speaker 2: on one case at a time. 53 00:03:15,485 --> 00:03:17,045 Speaker 1: But now that's going to change. 54 00:03:18,045 --> 00:03:19,885 Speaker 2: If you have a case you'd like me and my 55 00:03:19,965 --> 00:03:22,285 Speaker 2: team to look into, you can reach out to us 56 00:03:22,325 --> 00:03:24,845 Speaker 2: at our Helen Gone Murder Line at six seven eight 57 00:03:25,045 --> 00:03:28,765 Speaker 2: seven four four six one four five. That's six seven 58 00:03:28,805 --> 00:03:33,605 Speaker 2: eight seven four four six one four or five. This 59 00:03:33,805 --> 00:04:11,565 Speaker 2: is Helen Gone Murder Line. I first learned about this 60 00:04:11,725 --> 00:04:14,005 Speaker 2: case when I got a call from a private investigator 61 00:04:14,005 --> 00:04:18,085 Speaker 2: in Arkansas named Marty. Even though Marty has a day job, 62 00:04:18,605 --> 00:04:21,845 Speaker 2: he does investigations, including a lot of pro bono work 63 00:04:21,845 --> 00:04:25,565 Speaker 2: on the side. A few years ago, he was contacted 64 00:04:25,565 --> 00:04:30,045 Speaker 2: by Gail's sister, Teresa. He started working on Gail's case. 65 00:04:30,725 --> 00:04:34,405 Speaker 2: It's been over forty years since Gaile's death. It's been 66 00:04:34,485 --> 00:04:37,845 Speaker 2: so long that the police, who do not always want 67 00:04:37,885 --> 00:04:40,765 Speaker 2: to share evidence, have turned over the case file making 68 00:04:40,805 --> 00:04:44,045 Speaker 2: it public. This means they have gotten to what they 69 00:04:44,045 --> 00:04:48,285 Speaker 2: believe is the end of their investigation. Marty told me, 70 00:04:48,485 --> 00:04:51,725 Speaker 2: and I've discovered working on this case, that crucial physical 71 00:04:51,765 --> 00:04:55,725 Speaker 2: evidence has been lost. And yet Marty did not want 72 00:04:55,725 --> 00:04:58,365 Speaker 2: to give up on Gail's case. He believed and I 73 00:04:58,405 --> 00:05:02,365 Speaker 2: believe too, there may be something, even decades later that 74 00:05:02,405 --> 00:05:08,765 Speaker 2: the police have missed. One of the people Marty interviewed 75 00:05:08,965 --> 00:05:12,445 Speaker 2: was the driver who found Gail's body. Now, this guy 76 00:05:12,565 --> 00:05:15,245 Speaker 2: says that he was driving by when he happened to 77 00:05:15,285 --> 00:05:18,645 Speaker 2: glance out his truck. He looked down an old road 78 00:05:18,725 --> 00:05:21,645 Speaker 2: on the side of the highway. He said, and this 79 00:05:21,685 --> 00:05:24,605 Speaker 2: is a quote from Marty's interview, that he looked in 80 00:05:24,645 --> 00:05:28,045 Speaker 2: his rear view mirror and saw quote, there was a 81 00:05:28,085 --> 00:05:30,525 Speaker 2: truck behind me. It was a small red truck. There 82 00:05:30,525 --> 00:05:32,565 Speaker 2: were two people in the truck, and they seemed to 83 00:05:32,605 --> 00:05:36,005 Speaker 2: be looking down the road also end quote. So it 84 00:05:36,045 --> 00:05:38,725 Speaker 2: seemed like there was something weird down that road, and 85 00:05:38,805 --> 00:05:42,445 Speaker 2: people were noticing. The driver doubled back and pulled off, 86 00:05:42,765 --> 00:05:45,445 Speaker 2: and that's when he saw Gaial Vault. He said that 87 00:05:45,485 --> 00:05:48,965 Speaker 2: her jacket was over her head. He lifted the jacket 88 00:05:49,045 --> 00:05:51,285 Speaker 2: up to see if the person was still alive, and 89 00:05:51,565 --> 00:05:53,645 Speaker 2: he said he could tell by the color of her 90 00:05:53,685 --> 00:05:57,405 Speaker 2: face that she was already dead. So he went back 91 00:05:57,405 --> 00:06:00,245 Speaker 2: to his truck where he had a radio. Side note 92 00:06:00,245 --> 00:06:03,565 Speaker 2: back then, I asked Marty, well, how did he call? 93 00:06:03,765 --> 00:06:05,725 Speaker 2: Was this a car phone? I mean this this was 94 00:06:05,845 --> 00:06:08,645 Speaker 2: nineteen eighty and he told me that after the dukes 95 00:06:08,645 --> 00:06:11,165 Speaker 2: of Hazard, a lot of people had cbe radios in 96 00:06:11,205 --> 00:06:13,445 Speaker 2: their car. That was a big thing in Arkansas at 97 00:06:13,485 --> 00:06:17,885 Speaker 2: the time and around the country. Anyway, he picked up 98 00:06:17,885 --> 00:06:20,285 Speaker 2: his radio, called his office and asked them to call 99 00:06:20,325 --> 00:06:24,405 Speaker 2: the Sheriff's department. After Gail's body was found and she 100 00:06:24,525 --> 00:06:27,285 Speaker 2: was idd, her remains were sent to the state crime 101 00:06:27,365 --> 00:06:30,965 Speaker 2: Lab for an autopsy. We did a freedom of information 102 00:06:31,085 --> 00:06:34,605 Speaker 2: request and Marty also shared some of the case fall 103 00:06:34,685 --> 00:06:37,925 Speaker 2: information he acquired over the years. From that, we were 104 00:06:37,965 --> 00:06:41,245 Speaker 2: able to view Gailee's autopsy report and also see some 105 00:06:41,325 --> 00:06:43,405 Speaker 2: of the notes that the investigators had made at the scene. 106 00:06:45,965 --> 00:06:49,125 Speaker 2: So we're trying to figure out what actually killed gailvaut. 107 00:06:49,725 --> 00:06:52,285 Speaker 2: The initial report said there was no sign of stabbing 108 00:06:52,485 --> 00:06:55,925 Speaker 2: or other traumas and there were no visible gunshot wounds. 109 00:06:56,405 --> 00:06:59,005 Speaker 2: But once investigators got the body to the next location, 110 00:06:59,725 --> 00:07:02,645 Speaker 2: they realized something that they had missed at the original scene. 111 00:07:02,765 --> 00:07:06,845 Speaker 2: There was a gunshot wound in Gail's head, hidden behind 112 00:07:06,925 --> 00:07:10,485 Speaker 2: her shoulder length brown hair. Gail had been shot with 113 00:07:10,485 --> 00:07:13,405 Speaker 2: a twenty two caliber weapon. It was a single gunshot 114 00:07:13,445 --> 00:07:15,845 Speaker 2: wound to the back of the head, but the bullet 115 00:07:15,885 --> 00:07:20,165 Speaker 2: had fragmented and not penetrated her brain. This sounds strange, 116 00:07:20,205 --> 00:07:22,525 Speaker 2: but it actually happens more often than you would think. 117 00:07:23,245 --> 00:07:25,645 Speaker 2: These are sometimes the kind of stories you hear where 118 00:07:25,685 --> 00:07:27,925 Speaker 2: someone was shot in the head and they ended up surviving. 119 00:07:28,365 --> 00:07:30,845 Speaker 2: Because when this happens, when someone is shot in the 120 00:07:30,885 --> 00:07:34,565 Speaker 2: head and the bullet does not penetrate the grain, sometimes 121 00:07:34,565 --> 00:07:38,485 Speaker 2: people are able to survive. In Gail's case, her killer 122 00:07:38,565 --> 00:07:41,045 Speaker 2: obviously wanted to make sure that did not happen, because 123 00:07:41,565 --> 00:07:44,325 Speaker 2: the report stated Gail was shot and run over by 124 00:07:44,325 --> 00:07:47,445 Speaker 2: a car. The immediate cause of death was listed as 125 00:07:47,525 --> 00:07:50,525 Speaker 2: gunshot wound of the right rear of the head, accompanied 126 00:07:50,525 --> 00:07:55,165 Speaker 2: with blunt trauma of the pelvis and in parentheses, run 127 00:07:55,205 --> 00:07:59,445 Speaker 2: over by a car. The report did not state which 128 00:07:59,485 --> 00:08:02,085 Speaker 2: one had come first. Was she shot in the head 129 00:08:02,125 --> 00:08:06,045 Speaker 2: first or run over by the car. The autops then 130 00:08:06,165 --> 00:08:09,285 Speaker 2: listed the manner of death as homicide. 131 00:08:09,405 --> 00:08:11,685 Speaker 1: As we said before, Gail was athletic. 132 00:08:12,165 --> 00:08:15,205 Speaker 2: This was a woman who had played volleyball in high 133 00:08:15,205 --> 00:08:18,445 Speaker 2: school competitively. She worked on a road crew every day. 134 00:08:19,125 --> 00:08:23,005 Speaker 2: She knew how to handle herself, and there appeared to 135 00:08:23,005 --> 00:08:27,565 Speaker 2: be no defensive wounds anywhere on her body. Investigators were 136 00:08:27,565 --> 00:08:30,205 Speaker 2: trying to piece together what happened. They went to the 137 00:08:30,245 --> 00:08:34,725 Speaker 2: home that Gail shared with her boyfriend Ray. They found 138 00:08:34,845 --> 00:08:38,045 Speaker 2: food sitting out on the stove, and to police, it 139 00:08:38,085 --> 00:08:40,765 Speaker 2: appeared as though Gail had been in the process of 140 00:08:40,805 --> 00:08:44,405 Speaker 2: cooking a meal. Police formed an early theory that Gail 141 00:08:44,445 --> 00:08:49,245 Speaker 2: could have been kidnapped, possibly at gunpoint. As I mentioned before, 142 00:08:49,565 --> 00:08:52,485 Speaker 2: police did find some other evidence at the crime scene, 143 00:08:52,645 --> 00:08:56,725 Speaker 2: including a used condom and a condom box. The brand 144 00:08:57,005 --> 00:09:00,205 Speaker 2: was called Tickled Fancy. This is a brand I've never 145 00:09:00,245 --> 00:09:02,045 Speaker 2: heard of, but I did a lot of research and 146 00:09:02,085 --> 00:09:06,325 Speaker 2: apparently this was a brand that was popular in the 147 00:09:06,365 --> 00:09:11,365 Speaker 2: Midwest in Arkansas, Missouri during this time. The front of 148 00:09:11,405 --> 00:09:15,325 Speaker 2: the condom box is unlike any other one I've ever seen. 149 00:09:15,365 --> 00:09:18,565 Speaker 2: It has an illustration of a man and woman looking 150 00:09:18,605 --> 00:09:21,605 Speaker 2: like they're about to kiss on the front. I am 151 00:09:21,685 --> 00:09:25,165 Speaker 2: doing some investigating. I'm trying to figure out where those 152 00:09:25,245 --> 00:09:29,005 Speaker 2: condoms were sold. So if anyone out there was alive 153 00:09:29,045 --> 00:09:32,125 Speaker 2: in nineteen eighty and sexually active and happens to remember 154 00:09:32,645 --> 00:09:36,365 Speaker 2: buying this brand of condoms, were they available in vending machines? 155 00:09:36,405 --> 00:09:38,165 Speaker 2: That kind of thing I would love to hear from you. 156 00:09:40,365 --> 00:09:43,525 Speaker 2: Investigators also found a roll of gray duct tape near 157 00:09:43,525 --> 00:09:46,445 Speaker 2: the body, which could have been another piece of evidence 158 00:09:46,485 --> 00:09:50,285 Speaker 2: potentially tied to their kidnapping theory. There was also an 159 00:09:50,325 --> 00:09:52,925 Speaker 2: empty gun box at the crime scene near Gale's body 160 00:09:53,365 --> 00:09:57,445 Speaker 2: that had held a twenty two caliber weapon. According to 161 00:09:57,565 --> 00:10:01,765 Speaker 2: the investigator's notes, this gun box was meant for a 162 00:10:01,885 --> 00:10:05,285 Speaker 2: rom RG ten, which is a twenty two caliber revolver, 163 00:10:06,285 --> 00:10:09,445 Speaker 2: but police did not find the murder weapon. There were 164 00:10:09,525 --> 00:10:13,045 Speaker 2: also some fresh tire tracks in the mud near Gail's body. 165 00:10:14,125 --> 00:10:17,445 Speaker 2: Investigators took picture of the tire tracks, and while they 166 00:10:17,445 --> 00:10:20,045 Speaker 2: were working to process the crime scene, they started looking 167 00:10:20,085 --> 00:10:22,805 Speaker 2: into Gail's personal life, and it didn't take long for 168 00:10:22,845 --> 00:10:26,325 Speaker 2: them to come up with a person of interest, Gail's boyfriend, 169 00:10:26,445 --> 00:10:30,205 Speaker 2: Ray Foreman. Gail and Ray lived together in a basement 170 00:10:30,245 --> 00:10:32,325 Speaker 2: apartment that was owned by a friend of theirs named 171 00:10:32,325 --> 00:10:32,965 Speaker 2: Barry Frizell. 172 00:10:33,925 --> 00:10:35,685 Speaker 1: Ray had a history. 173 00:10:35,525 --> 00:10:38,725 Speaker 2: A history of violence, and a history with the police. 174 00:10:38,885 --> 00:10:40,925 Speaker 2: Ray had split up with his wife Lynn a few 175 00:10:40,925 --> 00:10:44,525 Speaker 2: months before he met Gail. There were accusations of domestic 176 00:10:44,605 --> 00:10:48,445 Speaker 2: violence in that relationship, and as we said, Ray was 177 00:10:48,485 --> 00:10:50,405 Speaker 2: well known to police as a drug dealer. 178 00:10:51,165 --> 00:10:53,245 Speaker 1: According to Gail's friends, she didn't. 179 00:10:53,045 --> 00:10:56,565 Speaker 2: Really talk about where she lived, and she didn't seem 180 00:10:56,605 --> 00:11:00,205 Speaker 2: to want to give people directions to her house. Apparently 181 00:11:00,245 --> 00:11:02,845 Speaker 2: this was because of the fact that Ray dealt drugs. 182 00:11:04,525 --> 00:11:08,765 Speaker 2: Gail's body was on Friday, October seventeenth, and Gail had 183 00:11:08,765 --> 00:11:12,845 Speaker 2: apparently been making weekend plans on that Friday. At first, 184 00:11:13,085 --> 00:11:15,805 Speaker 2: police believed Gail may have been hanging out with a 185 00:11:15,845 --> 00:11:19,445 Speaker 2: friend of hers named Sheila. Gail and Sheila did drugs 186 00:11:19,485 --> 00:11:24,765 Speaker 2: together and partied sometimes. Sheila later told police that occasionally 187 00:11:24,805 --> 00:11:28,125 Speaker 2: they would smoke some pot or drop acid together. Gail 188 00:11:28,165 --> 00:11:30,245 Speaker 2: had told Sheila to come up to see her that weekend, 189 00:11:30,925 --> 00:11:33,725 Speaker 2: and Gail had said not to worry about anything. She 190 00:11:33,845 --> 00:11:37,285 Speaker 2: specifically told Sheila that she would pay for everything, meaning 191 00:11:37,285 --> 00:11:40,565 Speaker 2: the drugs they were going to buy. While police were 192 00:11:40,605 --> 00:11:43,525 Speaker 2: working to locate Sheila, and also trying to find anyone 193 00:11:43,565 --> 00:11:45,965 Speaker 2: else who Gail may have been planning to meet with, 194 00:11:46,485 --> 00:11:48,445 Speaker 2: and trying to figure out what was going on at 195 00:11:48,485 --> 00:11:51,965 Speaker 2: home between her and Ray. They were trying to process 196 00:11:52,005 --> 00:11:56,245 Speaker 2: the physical evidence. As we said before, police believed that 197 00:11:56,285 --> 00:11:59,325 Speaker 2: Gail had been raped, so they sent this used condom 198 00:11:59,405 --> 00:12:03,885 Speaker 2: off for some forensic testing. Now, remember this was back 199 00:12:03,885 --> 00:12:06,565 Speaker 2: in nineteen eighty This was before there was such a 200 00:12:06,565 --> 00:12:09,845 Speaker 2: thing as DNA testing at all. All police could do 201 00:12:09,925 --> 00:12:12,805 Speaker 2: at the time with some much simpler testing, which apparently 202 00:12:13,005 --> 00:12:17,725 Speaker 2: they did. According to Gale's autopsy report, there were traces 203 00:12:17,725 --> 00:12:21,965 Speaker 2: of semen found inside her vagina and there was sperm 204 00:12:22,085 --> 00:12:26,765 Speaker 2: found inside that condom. The autopsy report clarified that cells 205 00:12:26,805 --> 00:12:30,005 Speaker 2: that came from Gale's vagina tested negative for sperm cells, 206 00:12:30,445 --> 00:12:34,725 Speaker 2: but positive for the possible presence of semen. I looked 207 00:12:34,725 --> 00:12:37,205 Speaker 2: into this discrepancy to see if we could explain it, 208 00:12:37,525 --> 00:12:41,205 Speaker 2: and it turns out that there is a reasonable explanation 209 00:12:41,285 --> 00:12:43,605 Speaker 2: for this because one of the tests they had at 210 00:12:43,605 --> 00:12:48,085 Speaker 2: the time was a simple test called an acid phosphate test. Now, 211 00:12:48,125 --> 00:12:50,725 Speaker 2: this test is a way to screen for possible semen, 212 00:12:50,765 --> 00:12:55,005 Speaker 2: but it's not exact. Apparently the investigators did that test 213 00:12:55,085 --> 00:12:57,805 Speaker 2: first and it came up positive. Then they took some 214 00:12:57,885 --> 00:13:00,805 Speaker 2: swabs from Gale's vagina and her anus and also her 215 00:13:00,885 --> 00:13:04,565 Speaker 2: mouth and sent those in for testing. So after that, 216 00:13:04,685 --> 00:13:07,725 Speaker 2: when they got the swap back, all of the swabs 217 00:13:07,765 --> 00:13:12,205 Speaker 2: tested negative for sperm cells. The report also clarified that 218 00:13:12,285 --> 00:13:15,605 Speaker 2: the condom was the only thing that tested positive on 219 00:13:15,685 --> 00:13:19,085 Speaker 2: both of those tests, the acid phosphate test and the 220 00:13:19,125 --> 00:13:22,845 Speaker 2: test for sperm cells. There are a couple of possibilities 221 00:13:22,845 --> 00:13:26,165 Speaker 2: that could explain this. Why Gail would have a trace 222 00:13:26,325 --> 00:13:28,645 Speaker 2: of what would appear to be semen in her vagina 223 00:13:29,165 --> 00:13:32,525 Speaker 2: but test negative for sperm cells. The seminal fluid, if 224 00:13:32,565 --> 00:13:35,685 Speaker 2: it was present, could have come from her perpetrator, but 225 00:13:35,925 --> 00:13:39,565 Speaker 2: it also could have been a trace from consensual sex 226 00:13:39,605 --> 00:13:43,885 Speaker 2: she had earlier. Ray, Gail's boyfriend, told police that they 227 00:13:43,925 --> 00:13:47,725 Speaker 2: did have sexual intercourse on Wednesday night. I wondered if 228 00:13:47,765 --> 00:13:50,605 Speaker 2: we could recover that condom and maybe find out for sure, 229 00:13:50,685 --> 00:13:52,365 Speaker 2: because that could be a key. 230 00:13:52,245 --> 00:13:52,885 Speaker 1: In this case. 231 00:13:54,125 --> 00:13:57,885 Speaker 2: Again, DNA testing was not a reality in nineteen eighty, 232 00:13:57,925 --> 00:14:00,805 Speaker 2: but it is today. Maybe there is testing that could 233 00:14:00,885 --> 00:14:04,165 Speaker 2: be done. Unfortunately, I found out this would not be 234 00:14:04,205 --> 00:14:11,165 Speaker 2: a possibility because the crime lab lost the condom. Marty 235 00:14:11,245 --> 00:14:13,925 Speaker 2: went down a rabbit hole trying to figure out what 236 00:14:14,125 --> 00:14:18,165 Speaker 2: happened to this crucial physical evidence. The truth is, in 237 00:14:18,205 --> 00:14:20,485 Speaker 2: the eighties, there were no laws on the books about 238 00:14:20,525 --> 00:14:24,405 Speaker 2: preserving physical evidence the way there are now. Soil samples 239 00:14:24,405 --> 00:14:27,285 Speaker 2: from Gail's body and the condom and other evidence were 240 00:14:27,325 --> 00:14:29,725 Speaker 2: sent off to the crime lab. But in November of 241 00:14:29,845 --> 00:14:33,125 Speaker 2: nineteen eighty a message was sent to Berwin Monroe, who 242 00:14:33,285 --> 00:14:36,205 Speaker 2: was running the test on the physical evidence, and in 243 00:14:36,245 --> 00:14:40,085 Speaker 2: that message he was told that the state was experiencing 244 00:14:40,165 --> 00:14:43,925 Speaker 2: an extreme backlog in testing. He asked him to limit 245 00:14:43,965 --> 00:14:47,365 Speaker 2: testing to test that involve things like hair comparison and 246 00:14:47,405 --> 00:14:51,325 Speaker 2: gunshot residue tests. Things got worse in nineteen eighty three. 247 00:14:52,045 --> 00:14:55,485 Speaker 2: According to an email Marty got years later, in nineteen 248 00:14:55,525 --> 00:14:58,205 Speaker 2: eighty three, some of the evidence related to Gail's case 249 00:14:58,525 --> 00:15:02,645 Speaker 2: was destroyed. This is not super surprising to me because 250 00:15:02,685 --> 00:15:05,485 Speaker 2: at that time news articles were talking about the fact 251 00:15:05,645 --> 00:15:08,285 Speaker 2: that the Arkansas State Crime Lab building and its testing 252 00:15:08,325 --> 00:15:12,005 Speaker 2: methods were super outdated and drastically needed investment. 253 00:15:12,605 --> 00:15:13,685 Speaker 1: And this is sad to say. 254 00:15:13,725 --> 00:15:15,725 Speaker 2: It seems like the more things change, the more they 255 00:15:15,805 --> 00:15:19,325 Speaker 2: stay the same. Because this issue continues in Arkansas. Over 256 00:15:19,405 --> 00:15:23,885 Speaker 2: forty years later, I will say things have improved now 257 00:15:24,005 --> 00:15:27,245 Speaker 2: as of twenty twenty four, waiting periods for things like 258 00:15:27,685 --> 00:15:30,845 Speaker 2: rape kits are reportedly down to around ninety. 259 00:15:30,645 --> 00:15:32,645 Speaker 1: Days and they used to take years. 260 00:15:33,085 --> 00:15:37,445 Speaker 2: But that crime lab continues to have issues. So back 261 00:15:37,485 --> 00:15:41,165 Speaker 2: to Gail's case, the condom was a dead end. But 262 00:15:41,245 --> 00:15:44,805 Speaker 2: what about the other forensic tests that were performed. Gail 263 00:15:45,005 --> 00:15:49,005 Speaker 2: was tested for drugs. She tested negative for marijuana, alcohol, 264 00:15:49,045 --> 00:15:54,405 Speaker 2: and LSD. Again, that's not hugely helpful because LSD and 265 00:15:54,605 --> 00:15:55,605 Speaker 2: POTT leave. 266 00:15:55,405 --> 00:15:57,365 Speaker 1: The blood after around twelve hours. 267 00:15:58,085 --> 00:16:00,165 Speaker 2: It's not exact because it would depend on what the 268 00:16:00,205 --> 00:16:04,725 Speaker 2: exact dosage she took was, if any. But if we 269 00:16:04,845 --> 00:16:07,325 Speaker 2: know that the author topsy was conducted at around eleven 270 00:16:07,405 --> 00:16:10,485 Speaker 2: thirty am on Friday, we're not exactly sure of the 271 00:16:10,525 --> 00:16:13,925 Speaker 2: time of death, but it really doesn't even tell us 272 00:16:14,325 --> 00:16:17,205 Speaker 2: if she took any drugs through all of Friday. We 273 00:16:17,245 --> 00:16:19,405 Speaker 2: can't even rule out the possibility she might have taken 274 00:16:19,445 --> 00:16:22,045 Speaker 2: drugs on Friday night, So those tests were not super helpful. 275 00:16:23,485 --> 00:16:26,845 Speaker 2: Police started talking to people who Gail had talked to recently. 276 00:16:27,645 --> 00:16:29,965 Speaker 2: They went through her phone records, which back then in 277 00:16:30,045 --> 00:16:32,765 Speaker 2: nineteen eighty was her home land line. One of the 278 00:16:32,765 --> 00:16:35,405 Speaker 2: people she'd been in contact with recently was a guy 279 00:16:35,485 --> 00:16:38,885 Speaker 2: named William Craigdean. He said that he had been friendly 280 00:16:38,925 --> 00:16:42,925 Speaker 2: with Gail, and he shed some light on Gail's relationship 281 00:16:43,125 --> 00:16:45,925 Speaker 2: with a guy she had dated recently named Randall Wyman, 282 00:16:46,005 --> 00:16:50,925 Speaker 2: who everyone called Randy. Randy's name kept coming up in 283 00:16:50,965 --> 00:16:53,965 Speaker 2: this investigation. He was friends with Gail after they stopped 284 00:16:53,965 --> 00:16:56,325 Speaker 2: seeing each other, and they worked together on the same 285 00:16:56,405 --> 00:16:59,965 Speaker 2: road crew. William the friend, said that he had seen 286 00:17:00,045 --> 00:17:02,285 Speaker 2: Gail and smoke some pot with her and Randy in 287 00:17:02,325 --> 00:17:05,965 Speaker 2: March or April. Police needed to figure out out where 288 00:17:06,005 --> 00:17:08,605 Speaker 2: Gail was on Thursday night, so they started taking a 289 00:17:08,605 --> 00:17:11,725 Speaker 2: look at the days leading up to the weekend. They 290 00:17:11,765 --> 00:17:14,485 Speaker 2: talked to another one of Gaile's coworkers, a supervisor named 291 00:17:14,565 --> 00:17:16,965 Speaker 2: Joe Jones. He said he got a call from Gail 292 00:17:17,005 --> 00:17:20,765 Speaker 2: on Thursday night around eight pm. So she was at 293 00:17:20,805 --> 00:17:23,605 Speaker 2: home on Thursday night at eight pm and she was 294 00:17:23,645 --> 00:17:27,725 Speaker 2: behaving normally, Joe said. During that conversation, Gail asked to 295 00:17:27,765 --> 00:17:30,245 Speaker 2: see if they would be working the next morning, which 296 00:17:30,285 --> 00:17:31,965 Speaker 2: would have been Friday, October seventeen. 297 00:17:33,045 --> 00:17:34,565 Speaker 1: Now, it had been raining. 298 00:17:34,365 --> 00:17:37,725 Speaker 2: Extremely heavily off and on for the twenty four hours 299 00:17:37,765 --> 00:17:42,005 Speaker 2: before Gail went missing. So Joe said he told Gail 300 00:17:42,085 --> 00:17:44,485 Speaker 2: they probably would not be working on Friday due to 301 00:17:44,525 --> 00:17:47,365 Speaker 2: the heavy rains, but he said she could come by 302 00:17:47,365 --> 00:17:49,885 Speaker 2: and pick up her paycheck because Friday would be payday. 303 00:17:50,725 --> 00:17:52,525 Speaker 1: Gail said she would. 304 00:17:52,205 --> 00:17:54,085 Speaker 2: Come by the next morning to pick up her check. 305 00:17:55,005 --> 00:17:58,165 Speaker 2: During their interview with Joe, police obviously were trying to 306 00:17:58,165 --> 00:17:59,765 Speaker 2: figure out if he could have had anything to do 307 00:17:59,805 --> 00:18:03,125 Speaker 2: with this, like they were with everyone else. He said 308 00:18:03,125 --> 00:18:04,725 Speaker 2: he didn't own a gun when they asked him if 309 00:18:04,765 --> 00:18:07,205 Speaker 2: he owned any weapons. They asked him if he had 310 00:18:07,285 --> 00:18:08,805 Speaker 2: changed his tires recently. 311 00:18:09,285 --> 00:18:09,805 Speaker 1: He said no. 312 00:18:09,925 --> 00:18:12,525 Speaker 2: He said he did have a red pickup truck it 313 00:18:12,605 --> 00:18:15,085 Speaker 2: was park there and he had been driving one of 314 00:18:15,085 --> 00:18:19,005 Speaker 2: his other bosses trucks. They talked to Mary Jones, Joe's wife, 315 00:18:19,045 --> 00:18:21,165 Speaker 2: and she said on Thursday evening, she and Joe ate 316 00:18:21,205 --> 00:18:23,765 Speaker 2: dinner together. She said after dinner he went out to 317 00:18:23,765 --> 00:18:26,045 Speaker 2: work on one of the cars, but she said that 318 00:18:26,805 --> 00:18:29,325 Speaker 2: she couldn't quite remember. He may have run to the 319 00:18:29,365 --> 00:18:31,485 Speaker 2: store for ten or fifteen minutes, but other than that 320 00:18:31,805 --> 00:18:34,605 Speaker 2: he had been home all night. He went to work 321 00:18:34,645 --> 00:18:37,725 Speaker 2: the next morning at around six am, which he normally did. 322 00:18:39,205 --> 00:18:41,525 Speaker 2: Joe Jones, like a lot of men on that crew 323 00:18:41,645 --> 00:18:45,485 Speaker 2: had apparently made some comments about Gail about her being attractive, 324 00:18:46,205 --> 00:18:49,325 Speaker 2: but it seemed like that was just work talk, especially 325 00:18:49,325 --> 00:18:51,765 Speaker 2: back then, a lot of the guys made comments like that. 326 00:18:52,685 --> 00:18:56,245 Speaker 2: Police also wanted to talk to Sheila Gail's friend, the 327 00:18:56,285 --> 00:18:58,365 Speaker 2: friend that police thought Gail was going to be hanging 328 00:18:58,405 --> 00:19:01,845 Speaker 2: out with, but it turned out this was another dead 329 00:19:01,965 --> 00:19:05,885 Speaker 2: end because Sheila told police she wasn't even around that weekend. 330 00:19:06,685 --> 00:19:09,325 Speaker 2: She told law enforcement she had known Gail for years. 331 00:19:09,765 --> 00:19:12,125 Speaker 2: She said they had been friends since nineteen seventy seven 332 00:19:12,245 --> 00:19:15,725 Speaker 2: and they were actually roommates in Fort Smith, but Gail 333 00:19:15,805 --> 00:19:18,365 Speaker 2: said she had moved away from Fort Smith to Van 334 00:19:18,445 --> 00:19:21,965 Speaker 2: Buren in April. Then she'd gone to Colorado for a 335 00:19:22,005 --> 00:19:24,045 Speaker 2: few months on a job, so she said she hadn't 336 00:19:24,085 --> 00:19:27,645 Speaker 2: actually seen Gail in months. She said that she was 337 00:19:27,685 --> 00:19:31,125 Speaker 2: only in Arkansas because her mother called her and told 338 00:19:31,165 --> 00:19:34,325 Speaker 2: her Gail had been murdered. She was shocked, and she 339 00:19:34,365 --> 00:19:38,565 Speaker 2: came back immediately, and in what's kind of a strange twist, 340 00:19:38,965 --> 00:19:41,605 Speaker 2: when Sheila went into her apartment in Van Buren, she 341 00:19:41,725 --> 00:19:45,325 Speaker 2: actually found a letter from Gail. She took the letter 342 00:19:45,365 --> 00:19:47,285 Speaker 2: to the police, and we've seen it. It's in the 343 00:19:47,285 --> 00:19:50,245 Speaker 2: case file. She didn't see this letter from Gail until 344 00:19:50,245 --> 00:19:53,685 Speaker 2: after Gail was dead. In that letter, Gail said she 345 00:19:53,805 --> 00:19:56,685 Speaker 2: wanted Sheila to come to Fayetteville for the weekend. She 346 00:19:56,725 --> 00:19:59,965 Speaker 2: said she wanted to see her. And it's weird because 347 00:20:00,005 --> 00:20:02,205 Speaker 2: Gail was telling everyone that she was going to see 348 00:20:02,205 --> 00:20:04,205 Speaker 2: Shila that weekend when they really. 349 00:20:03,965 --> 00:20:05,805 Speaker 1: Had no confirmed plans. 350 00:20:06,445 --> 00:20:09,565 Speaker 2: In the letter, Gail was basically trying to get Shila 351 00:20:09,645 --> 00:20:11,645 Speaker 2: to come see her. She said she was going to 352 00:20:11,685 --> 00:20:12,965 Speaker 2: get some acid, she was going to. 353 00:20:12,965 --> 00:20:14,765 Speaker 1: Pay for everything. They should hang out. 354 00:20:15,445 --> 00:20:18,245 Speaker 2: Sheila really couldn't give police any information about what Gail 355 00:20:18,245 --> 00:20:20,445 Speaker 2: had been doing that weekend because she wasn't there, but 356 00:20:21,165 --> 00:20:24,485 Speaker 2: she gave officers some more insight into Gail. She said 357 00:20:24,525 --> 00:20:28,645 Speaker 2: Gail did take drugs occasionally. Mainly she smoked pot recreationally. 358 00:20:29,405 --> 00:20:32,245 Speaker 2: Sometimes she liked to take acid, preferably a type of 359 00:20:32,285 --> 00:20:36,525 Speaker 2: acid called purple micro dot. Sheila also said something else 360 00:20:36,565 --> 00:20:39,645 Speaker 2: that I think is pretty important. She said Gail loved 361 00:20:39,765 --> 00:20:40,365 Speaker 2: her jeep. 362 00:20:40,965 --> 00:20:42,245 Speaker 1: She said that Gail. 363 00:20:42,085 --> 00:20:45,285 Speaker 2: Quote would not go anywhere without her vehicle and always 364 00:20:45,325 --> 00:20:45,725 Speaker 2: said that. 365 00:20:45,725 --> 00:20:48,645 Speaker 1: If anyone walked, it would not be her. End quote. 366 00:20:49,285 --> 00:20:52,085 Speaker 2: So Gail did not like being without her vehicle. She 367 00:20:52,125 --> 00:20:55,045 Speaker 2: did not like being stuck anywhere, and she always stayed 368 00:20:55,045 --> 00:20:55,565 Speaker 2: with her car. 369 00:20:55,805 --> 00:20:57,405 Speaker 1: And this will become important in a minute. 370 00:20:57,885 --> 00:21:00,525 Speaker 2: Sheila told police that in her opinion, this was one 371 00:21:00,565 --> 00:21:03,805 Speaker 2: of the reasons why she believed Gail could have been abducted, 372 00:21:03,885 --> 00:21:07,165 Speaker 2: because she said she believed that Gail would have put 373 00:21:07,245 --> 00:21:09,565 Speaker 2: up a fight. She wouldn't have gone with anyone willingly. 374 00:21:10,845 --> 00:21:13,525 Speaker 2: Police asked Sheila if Gail had any issues with anyone. 375 00:21:14,405 --> 00:21:18,085 Speaker 2: She said not really, everyone like Gail, like a lot 376 00:21:18,125 --> 00:21:22,245 Speaker 2: of people. Sheila said that Ray had a reputation for violence. 377 00:21:23,085 --> 00:21:26,685 Speaker 2: She said she believed that Gail was somewhat afraid of Ray. 378 00:21:27,285 --> 00:21:29,525 Speaker 2: She said that once there was an incident where she 379 00:21:29,765 --> 00:21:33,405 Speaker 2: and Randy and Gail were hanging out. Sheila said that 380 00:21:33,565 --> 00:21:35,725 Speaker 2: Randy kind of made a joke and said he was 381 00:21:35,765 --> 00:21:37,685 Speaker 2: going to call Ray and tell him that Gail was 382 00:21:37,685 --> 00:21:41,205 Speaker 2: there at the time, and at that point, Sheila said 383 00:21:41,325 --> 00:21:42,605 Speaker 2: that Gail said. 384 00:21:42,445 --> 00:21:43,445 Speaker 1: She was afraid of Ray. 385 00:21:43,445 --> 00:21:45,685 Speaker 2: She was acting like she was really scared that Randy 386 00:21:45,765 --> 00:21:47,325 Speaker 2: might do that, even though Randy was kind of only 387 00:21:47,365 --> 00:21:51,885 Speaker 2: kidding around. Police talked to Randy and he told investigators 388 00:21:51,885 --> 00:21:53,925 Speaker 2: that he had worked with Gail for the past few months. 389 00:21:54,325 --> 00:21:56,645 Speaker 2: They were building the highway Highway seventy one in the 390 00:21:56,685 --> 00:22:02,445 Speaker 2: Fayeteval area together. Randy said that Ray, Gail's boyfriend, didn't 391 00:22:02,445 --> 00:22:06,005 Speaker 2: have a job, at least not doing anything legal. Randy 392 00:22:06,085 --> 00:22:08,365 Speaker 2: said that after Ray was laid off and after he 393 00:22:08,445 --> 00:22:11,445 Speaker 2: broke up with his wife that year, he and these 394 00:22:11,485 --> 00:22:15,285 Speaker 2: are Randy's words, violently beat her and accused her of 395 00:22:15,285 --> 00:22:18,845 Speaker 2: being unfaithful. So a lot of people believe that Randy 396 00:22:18,885 --> 00:22:22,685 Speaker 2: had violently beat his ex wife and might have been 397 00:22:22,725 --> 00:22:26,485 Speaker 2: threatening Gail. A few months after that breakup, Gail moved 398 00:22:26,485 --> 00:22:29,765 Speaker 2: in with Ray, so it seemed like there was some 399 00:22:29,805 --> 00:22:34,485 Speaker 2: beef between Ray and Randy because even though Randy was 400 00:22:34,525 --> 00:22:37,565 Speaker 2: the person who introduced Ray to Gail, they didn't seem 401 00:22:37,605 --> 00:22:41,125 Speaker 2: to be getting along. Randy told police this was over money. 402 00:22:41,165 --> 00:22:43,565 Speaker 2: He said Ray had borrowed one hundred dollars from him 403 00:22:43,605 --> 00:22:46,605 Speaker 2: and he was supposed to get it back. So he 404 00:22:46,725 --> 00:22:49,285 Speaker 2: was talking to Gail about this, and Randy said Gail 405 00:22:49,405 --> 00:22:52,605 Speaker 2: told him where Ray lived. Randy said he went there 406 00:22:52,685 --> 00:22:55,405 Speaker 2: and he made Ray give him forty dollars right then 407 00:22:55,565 --> 00:22:58,285 Speaker 2: and made him promise to pay back the rest and 408 00:22:58,365 --> 00:23:01,765 Speaker 2: Randy said after that that Ray was extremely annoyed that 409 00:23:01,805 --> 00:23:04,245 Speaker 2: Gail had given him that information about where he lived. 410 00:23:05,685 --> 00:23:09,805 Speaker 2: Police interviewed another friend of Gaile's name Don. She talked 411 00:23:09,845 --> 00:23:12,765 Speaker 2: about Gail and partying. She said that they had gone 412 00:23:12,885 --> 00:23:15,765 Speaker 2: to a party at Randy's house on Tuesday, October fourteenth. 413 00:23:16,565 --> 00:23:18,925 Speaker 2: Don said Gail showed up at that party by herself 414 00:23:18,965 --> 00:23:21,925 Speaker 2: and was looking for some pot. But Don said that 415 00:23:21,965 --> 00:23:24,445 Speaker 2: Gail couldn't find the type of pot she wanted, so 416 00:23:24,765 --> 00:23:25,485 Speaker 2: at that point, she. 417 00:23:25,485 --> 00:23:26,885 Speaker 1: Said, Gail left. 418 00:23:27,325 --> 00:23:30,205 Speaker 2: According to Don, Gail appeared to be acting normally at 419 00:23:30,245 --> 00:23:33,925 Speaker 2: that party. She said in general, Gail wasn't a partier. 420 00:23:34,125 --> 00:23:36,045 Speaker 2: She would show up and get her drug of choice, 421 00:23:36,085 --> 00:23:39,125 Speaker 2: whether that was LSD or pot or whatever, and then 422 00:23:39,485 --> 00:23:41,685 Speaker 2: leave and go home or to a close friends and 423 00:23:41,725 --> 00:23:45,885 Speaker 2: do it there. She said that Gail did not talk 424 00:23:45,965 --> 00:23:49,125 Speaker 2: much about her personal life again, because her boyfriend was 425 00:23:49,165 --> 00:23:53,365 Speaker 2: pretty heavy into drug dealing. Don did remember that on Wednesday, 426 00:23:53,645 --> 00:23:56,605 Speaker 2: Gail made a comment to her about the weekend about 427 00:23:56,645 --> 00:23:58,965 Speaker 2: she and her friend Sheila going to get some acid. 428 00:23:59,565 --> 00:24:02,605 Speaker 2: She told Don that she should come to Gaile's house 429 00:24:02,645 --> 00:24:06,125 Speaker 2: to party with them. Don said the last time she 430 00:24:06,165 --> 00:24:09,565 Speaker 2: saw Gail was on Thursday, She said, Gail was driving 431 00:24:09,565 --> 00:24:11,165 Speaker 2: her jeep on the way to talk to one of 432 00:24:11,165 --> 00:24:15,165 Speaker 2: their bosses at that work site. Don and Gail talked briefly, 433 00:24:15,325 --> 00:24:17,445 Speaker 2: and then Gail got back into her jeep and left. 434 00:24:18,125 --> 00:24:22,125 Speaker 2: Don said she has not seen Gail since. Dawn also 435 00:24:22,325 --> 00:24:28,685 Speaker 2: had some more insight into this altercation between Ray and Randy. 436 00:24:28,805 --> 00:24:32,765 Speaker 2: She said Randy had showed Ray some marijuana plants, which, 437 00:24:32,805 --> 00:24:35,285 Speaker 2: according to Dawn, Ray had stolen from Randy. 438 00:24:36,325 --> 00:24:39,165 Speaker 1: A picture was starting to emerge of Ray. 439 00:24:39,805 --> 00:24:41,805 Speaker 2: People said that he had a habit of getting violent 440 00:24:41,805 --> 00:24:44,605 Speaker 2: when something set him off. We know that Gail was 441 00:24:44,645 --> 00:24:47,325 Speaker 2: at home on Thursday night because she called Joe from there. 442 00:24:47,765 --> 00:24:50,725 Speaker 2: So what happened when Ray got home that night? Did 443 00:24:50,805 --> 00:24:51,725 Speaker 2: something set him off? 444 00:24:53,085 --> 00:24:54,285 Speaker 1: Police talked to Ray. 445 00:24:55,085 --> 00:24:57,885 Speaker 2: He told them that on Thursday night he was out 446 00:24:57,925 --> 00:25:01,365 Speaker 2: all night selling drugs and hooking up with a woman, 447 00:25:01,925 --> 00:25:05,885 Speaker 2: a woman who was not Gail. So what really happened 448 00:25:05,925 --> 00:25:09,085 Speaker 2: on Thursday night? What happened on the night that led 449 00:25:09,125 --> 00:25:18,165 Speaker 2: up to Gail being killed. We've said before that Ray 450 00:25:18,245 --> 00:25:22,325 Speaker 2: dealt drugs. According to the case file, he dealt a 451 00:25:22,325 --> 00:25:26,285 Speaker 2: lot of different kinds, including caffeine pills, and a lot 452 00:25:26,285 --> 00:25:27,845 Speaker 2: of times he would do these deals with a guy 453 00:25:27,925 --> 00:25:31,245 Speaker 2: named Jody, who was a friend of his side note 454 00:25:31,285 --> 00:25:34,565 Speaker 2: here much later, one of the theories about Gail's murder 455 00:25:34,925 --> 00:25:37,405 Speaker 2: involved Gail owing a lot of money for drugs, or 456 00:25:37,445 --> 00:25:40,565 Speaker 2: about Ray being this big time drug dealer. But honestly, 457 00:25:40,645 --> 00:25:43,205 Speaker 2: other than a patch of marijuana that Ray grew that 458 00:25:43,245 --> 00:25:45,885 Speaker 2: the sheriff said he knew about, the only other drugs 459 00:25:45,885 --> 00:25:49,165 Speaker 2: we hear about him dealing are caffeine pills. So in 460 00:25:49,205 --> 00:25:51,365 Speaker 2: my opinion, this does not appear to go with the 461 00:25:51,405 --> 00:25:53,525 Speaker 2: image of Ray being this big time drug dealer. 462 00:25:54,045 --> 00:25:55,125 Speaker 1: We'll get back to that later. 463 00:25:55,765 --> 00:25:58,285 Speaker 2: For now, Ray claimed that on Thursday night, he was 464 00:25:58,325 --> 00:26:00,765 Speaker 2: at home getting ready to eat dinner. He said his 465 00:26:00,805 --> 00:26:03,445 Speaker 2: friend Jody called him and said he had some buyers 466 00:26:03,445 --> 00:26:06,845 Speaker 2: for pills he was selling, so needed him Ray to 467 00:26:06,885 --> 00:26:08,845 Speaker 2: go pick Jody up and take him to make this 468 00:26:08,925 --> 00:26:13,565 Speaker 2: drug deal. But Ray was having car trouble. He told 469 00:26:13,645 --> 00:26:16,565 Speaker 2: police that he could not get his truck started, so 470 00:26:16,805 --> 00:26:19,285 Speaker 2: Ray told police he waited for Gail to come home. 471 00:26:20,005 --> 00:26:22,365 Speaker 2: He told them that he said to Gail he was 472 00:26:22,405 --> 00:26:24,765 Speaker 2: going with Jody to do a deal. He said they 473 00:26:24,805 --> 00:26:27,565 Speaker 2: tried jumping the car with jumper cables off Gail's jeep, 474 00:26:27,605 --> 00:26:30,685 Speaker 2: but that didn't work, so he told police that he 475 00:26:30,765 --> 00:26:33,805 Speaker 2: asked Gail if he could use her jeep. Now, Ray 476 00:26:33,885 --> 00:26:37,725 Speaker 2: says that Gail told him yes, that was fine. I 477 00:26:37,765 --> 00:26:40,725 Speaker 2: have questions about this because this is contrary to what 478 00:26:40,765 --> 00:26:43,685 Speaker 2: we've heard about Gail, that she always was the one 479 00:26:43,725 --> 00:26:46,605 Speaker 2: to drive her car. Honestly, it seems pretty odd to 480 00:26:46,645 --> 00:26:49,845 Speaker 2: me that she would just be fine with lending it 481 00:26:49,925 --> 00:26:52,005 Speaker 2: to Ray so that he could go out and make 482 00:26:52,085 --> 00:26:55,645 Speaker 2: this drug deal. And as we will see, she and 483 00:26:55,765 --> 00:27:00,045 Speaker 2: Ray had a pretty volatile relationship. Also, we know that 484 00:27:00,245 --> 00:27:02,925 Speaker 2: Gail needed her car because she was planning to go 485 00:27:02,925 --> 00:27:04,685 Speaker 2: to work the next day to pick up her paycheck. 486 00:27:05,565 --> 00:27:07,645 Speaker 2: She had also told her friend Sheila, they would go 487 00:27:07,685 --> 00:27:09,685 Speaker 2: buy this acid and that she would pay for stuff, 488 00:27:09,925 --> 00:27:12,525 Speaker 2: so presumably she would need to go get her paycheck 489 00:27:12,565 --> 00:27:15,685 Speaker 2: for all that to happen. And finally, we know, from 490 00:27:15,725 --> 00:27:19,445 Speaker 2: what Sheila said to investigators, Gail did not like Ray's 491 00:27:19,445 --> 00:27:22,805 Speaker 2: friend Jody, So again I have doubts about this story. 492 00:27:22,805 --> 00:27:25,325 Speaker 2: That Ray told that Gail just handed him the car 493 00:27:25,405 --> 00:27:27,165 Speaker 2: keys and said, go on out and do whatever, do 494 00:27:27,205 --> 00:27:30,005 Speaker 2: your drug deal. But let's get back to Ray into 495 00:27:30,045 --> 00:27:36,125 Speaker 2: where the night took him. Ray said that once he 496 00:27:36,245 --> 00:27:39,365 Speaker 2: had Gail's jeep, he drove the car to Jody's house, 497 00:27:39,645 --> 00:27:41,685 Speaker 2: which was near the Fayettlee Country Club at the time. 498 00:27:42,365 --> 00:27:44,125 Speaker 2: He said he got there and picked Jody up at 499 00:27:44,165 --> 00:27:48,125 Speaker 2: around nine thirty or ten pm. After that, Ray said, 500 00:27:48,125 --> 00:27:49,765 Speaker 2: they went to get some beer at the Chuck Wagon 501 00:27:49,805 --> 00:27:53,965 Speaker 2: liquor store and then they delivered their pills. After doing that, 502 00:27:54,005 --> 00:27:56,325 Speaker 2: they went to Springdale, which was a few miles away, 503 00:27:56,365 --> 00:27:58,965 Speaker 2: to buy some pot. But when they got there, Ray said, 504 00:27:58,965 --> 00:28:01,445 Speaker 2: apparently their contact wasn't able to get what they wanted, 505 00:28:02,245 --> 00:28:05,085 Speaker 2: so they started heading back down Highway seventy one south 506 00:28:05,565 --> 00:28:08,965 Speaker 2: toward Fayetville. En route, they stopped at another liquor store, 507 00:28:09,045 --> 00:28:12,885 Speaker 2: the wy Liquor Store. They bought some more beer, then 508 00:28:13,325 --> 00:28:15,565 Speaker 2: drove the guys who they were doing the deal with 509 00:28:15,645 --> 00:28:18,405 Speaker 2: back to their place and dropped them off. Now they've 510 00:28:18,445 --> 00:28:20,725 Speaker 2: gone from a car full of guys to just Ray 511 00:28:20,725 --> 00:28:23,725 Speaker 2: and Jody. Ray and Jody went back to Tammy's house. 512 00:28:24,685 --> 00:28:28,085 Speaker 2: Now Tammy was this other woman, the woman who Ray 513 00:28:28,165 --> 00:28:31,485 Speaker 2: was seeing on the side. After they got to Tammy's, 514 00:28:31,605 --> 00:28:34,685 Speaker 2: Jody made a phone call and then Ray and Jody 515 00:28:34,725 --> 00:28:36,965 Speaker 2: took the jeep again. They were looking for a guy 516 00:28:37,045 --> 00:28:40,485 Speaker 2: they knew. They went looking for him a few minutes later. 517 00:28:40,725 --> 00:28:43,485 Speaker 2: Now it's between eleven and eleven thirty. They're trying to 518 00:28:43,485 --> 00:28:45,885 Speaker 2: buy some more drugs and they're successful this time. They 519 00:28:45,925 --> 00:28:49,165 Speaker 2: bought some quay lutes. Then Jamie, Jody, and Ray all 520 00:28:49,205 --> 00:28:51,125 Speaker 2: went back to Tammy's house. There were a few other 521 00:28:51,165 --> 00:28:54,965 Speaker 2: people partying there already, a girl named Sherry, another girl, 522 00:28:55,005 --> 00:28:59,645 Speaker 2: and another guy. So this group sat around partying, smoked 523 00:28:59,645 --> 00:29:03,205 Speaker 2: some pot, and then Ray and Tammy went to bed together. 524 00:29:03,965 --> 00:29:07,125 Speaker 2: Ray clarified they did up. They did have sex that night. 525 00:29:07,405 --> 00:29:10,645 Speaker 2: He admitted he was there all night. Jody slept on 526 00:29:10,685 --> 00:29:15,445 Speaker 2: the couch. The next morning, Friday, October seventeenth, Ray said 527 00:29:15,445 --> 00:29:17,765 Speaker 2: that he and Jody left the house at around six 528 00:29:17,885 --> 00:29:20,925 Speaker 2: or six thirty am. Ray said that he got home 529 00:29:21,005 --> 00:29:24,485 Speaker 2: to the apartment that he shared with Gail just after 530 00:29:24,525 --> 00:29:28,125 Speaker 2: seven am. This part of the story gets a little 531 00:29:28,165 --> 00:29:33,845 Speaker 2: weird now. According to the case file documents, Ray said 532 00:29:34,005 --> 00:29:36,565 Speaker 2: that he remembered this time because when he pulled up 533 00:29:36,565 --> 00:29:39,525 Speaker 2: to the house in Gail's jeep, he saw that the 534 00:29:39,565 --> 00:29:43,805 Speaker 2: door to his pickup truck was open. Apparently, the clock 535 00:29:43,845 --> 00:29:47,405 Speaker 2: on the dash said seven to ten am. But he 536 00:29:47,485 --> 00:29:50,285 Speaker 2: makes another comment later about this being an alarm clock, 537 00:29:50,405 --> 00:29:52,885 Speaker 2: so I don't know whether he means the clock in 538 00:29:52,925 --> 00:29:56,085 Speaker 2: the vehicle or another alarm clock that was sitting in there, 539 00:29:56,125 --> 00:29:58,565 Speaker 2: which seems very strange. I don't know if he was 540 00:29:58,565 --> 00:30:00,245 Speaker 2: trying to say that Gail had done that as some 541 00:30:00,325 --> 00:30:03,885 Speaker 2: kind of a message about him not being home. Unfortunately, 542 00:30:04,365 --> 00:30:07,765 Speaker 2: we only have Harshaal transcripts of these interviews. We have 543 00:30:07,885 --> 00:30:10,645 Speaker 2: no audio, so we can't go back and ask him, 544 00:30:10,685 --> 00:30:14,125 Speaker 2: and we don't know the context of those comments. We're 545 00:30:14,125 --> 00:30:16,005 Speaker 2: gonna have to ask some more questions about that because 546 00:30:16,005 --> 00:30:19,565 Speaker 2: it's a strange detail. It was just another unanswered question 547 00:30:19,725 --> 00:30:24,165 Speaker 2: in a case that is already full of them. Anyway, 548 00:30:24,205 --> 00:30:27,045 Speaker 2: after that, after he got home, Ray said he parked 549 00:30:27,085 --> 00:30:30,645 Speaker 2: Gail's jeep, climbed into his own vehicle, his truck, and 550 00:30:30,765 --> 00:30:33,325 Speaker 2: basically fell asleep. He said he passed out there for 551 00:30:33,365 --> 00:30:36,525 Speaker 2: a few hours. This is also weird, the fact that 552 00:30:36,565 --> 00:30:39,125 Speaker 2: he would go and sleep in his truck when his 553 00:30:39,205 --> 00:30:42,765 Speaker 2: house was right there. So the officer asked him why 554 00:30:42,765 --> 00:30:45,565 Speaker 2: he didn't go to sleep in the house. He said 555 00:30:45,685 --> 00:30:48,845 Speaker 2: something about Gail, and Gail would have been more pissed 556 00:30:48,845 --> 00:30:51,045 Speaker 2: off at him if she saw his vehicle and her 557 00:30:51,165 --> 00:30:53,605 Speaker 2: jeep and he wasn't there, which doesn't seem to make 558 00:30:53,605 --> 00:30:56,805 Speaker 2: any sense either. My theory is if Ray was telling 559 00:30:56,805 --> 00:30:59,365 Speaker 2: the truth that when he got home he just didn't 560 00:30:59,365 --> 00:31:01,365 Speaker 2: feel like facing her right at that moment, he had 561 00:31:01,485 --> 00:31:03,685 Speaker 2: taken her car. He's been out all night with another woman. 562 00:31:03,765 --> 00:31:05,685 Speaker 2: Now he's super hungover and he does not want to 563 00:31:05,765 --> 00:31:07,485 Speaker 2: knock on that door. Maybe she locked him. 564 00:31:07,365 --> 00:31:11,725 Speaker 1: Out, so Ray goes to sleep in the car. He 565 00:31:11,805 --> 00:31:12,845 Speaker 1: said that he woke up. 566 00:31:12,765 --> 00:31:15,125 Speaker 2: Around nine or nine thirty and had a headache, had 567 00:31:15,165 --> 00:31:18,045 Speaker 2: a bad hangover. He said he noticed that the jeep 568 00:31:18,125 --> 00:31:20,565 Speaker 2: was still there, and that's when he went inside the 569 00:31:20,605 --> 00:31:24,525 Speaker 2: apartment and went to sleep. Ray said that he crashed, 570 00:31:24,525 --> 00:31:26,365 Speaker 2: He slept for a while, and he woke up around 571 00:31:26,405 --> 00:31:29,445 Speaker 2: twelve thirty or one. He saw Gail was still not 572 00:31:29,525 --> 00:31:31,485 Speaker 2: there and the jeep was in the same spot. 573 00:31:32,325 --> 00:31:34,005 Speaker 1: So what does Ray do? 574 00:31:34,005 --> 00:31:36,365 Speaker 2: Does he call the police, start looking for his girlfriend, 575 00:31:36,405 --> 00:31:39,685 Speaker 2: who was very responsible, or go to her work site. No, 576 00:31:39,725 --> 00:31:42,565 Speaker 2: he doesn't do any of that. He called his other girlfriend, 577 00:31:42,605 --> 00:31:45,405 Speaker 2: Tammy again. He said that by two or two thirty 578 00:31:45,405 --> 00:31:48,925 Speaker 2: that afternoon, he had gone back to her house. Ray 579 00:31:48,965 --> 00:31:51,845 Speaker 2: had some speed pills that he gave Tammy and for 580 00:31:52,005 --> 00:31:55,085 Speaker 2: him that afternoon consisted of having some friends over to 581 00:31:55,125 --> 00:31:57,805 Speaker 2: his house. They tried to get his truck started and 582 00:31:57,845 --> 00:32:01,525 Speaker 2: weren't able to. Then he got his check cashed so 583 00:32:01,565 --> 00:32:03,925 Speaker 2: he got paid, and then stayed that night at Tammy's 584 00:32:03,965 --> 00:32:08,525 Speaker 2: house again, and now it's Saturday. Ray said that the 585 00:32:08,605 --> 00:32:12,485 Speaker 2: first he heard about Gail being missing or something happening 586 00:32:12,485 --> 00:32:15,765 Speaker 2: to her was when someone showed him a newspaper. He 587 00:32:15,885 --> 00:32:18,205 Speaker 2: said he saw an item about a woman's body being 588 00:32:18,245 --> 00:32:21,685 Speaker 2: found and the unidentified body wearing a Michelin jacket. 589 00:32:21,845 --> 00:32:23,965 Speaker 1: Because remember, Gail was a Jane Doe. 590 00:32:23,725 --> 00:32:26,805 Speaker 2: Before the police idd her, he said, when he saw 591 00:32:26,885 --> 00:32:29,445 Speaker 2: that the body had been wearing a Michelin jacket, he said, 592 00:32:29,525 --> 00:32:32,125 Speaker 2: right then he knew they had to be talking about Gail. 593 00:32:32,885 --> 00:32:34,605 Speaker 2: He said he went home, and by the time he 594 00:32:34,645 --> 00:32:37,645 Speaker 2: got there, the sheriff's police cruiser was parked outside his place, 595 00:32:39,485 --> 00:32:43,245 Speaker 2: so the police took Ray in for questioning. He insisted 596 00:32:43,325 --> 00:32:46,005 Speaker 2: he had nothing to do with Gail's disappearance. He seemed 597 00:32:46,045 --> 00:32:49,325 Speaker 2: genuinely shocked. He told police the same thing that others 598 00:32:49,325 --> 00:32:51,405 Speaker 2: had told them. He said she was well liked, she 599 00:32:51,485 --> 00:32:54,125 Speaker 2: was a hard worker, He said she was one of 600 00:32:54,165 --> 00:32:56,645 Speaker 2: the few women who could work in that man's atmosphere 601 00:32:56,965 --> 00:32:59,805 Speaker 2: and deal with it. He said that men liked her 602 00:33:00,085 --> 00:33:01,645 Speaker 2: and she got asked out a lot, but she was 603 00:33:01,725 --> 00:33:04,925 Speaker 2: able to deflect that, and that people respected her. He 604 00:33:04,965 --> 00:33:07,525 Speaker 2: mentioned Ray and who, as we said before, Gail dated 605 00:33:07,565 --> 00:33:10,045 Speaker 2: in the past. He also said there was someone else, 606 00:33:10,085 --> 00:33:12,645 Speaker 2: a superintendent at work, who had apparently made some sexual 607 00:33:12,645 --> 00:33:16,725 Speaker 2: comments toward Gail, but really there was nothing at work 608 00:33:16,805 --> 00:33:21,085 Speaker 2: that was alarming. Police zeroed in on Ray. 609 00:33:21,005 --> 00:33:21,845 Speaker 1: As their suspect. 610 00:33:22,285 --> 00:33:24,805 Speaker 2: They executed a search warrant for his apartment, the one 611 00:33:24,845 --> 00:33:29,245 Speaker 2: he shared with Gail. They didn't really find anything of 612 00:33:29,325 --> 00:33:32,405 Speaker 2: evidendiary worth. They found a roll of gray duct tape 613 00:33:32,445 --> 00:33:35,365 Speaker 2: similar to the tape that was found at the crime scene, 614 00:33:35,445 --> 00:33:37,925 Speaker 2: but that's also the same kind of tape that pretty 615 00:33:38,005 --> 00:33:39,765 Speaker 2: much everybody has at home in a drawer. 616 00:33:40,005 --> 00:33:41,285 Speaker 1: Again, nothing conclusive. 617 00:33:41,885 --> 00:33:44,285 Speaker 2: The search warrant also showed they took a pair of 618 00:33:44,325 --> 00:33:48,165 Speaker 2: Tony Rama brand Western brown cowboy boots size ten E 619 00:33:48,405 --> 00:33:53,205 Speaker 2: from Ray's residence, from the gun box that was found 620 00:33:53,285 --> 00:33:56,365 Speaker 2: at the crime scene, and the autopsy from the bullet 621 00:33:56,405 --> 00:33:59,285 Speaker 2: from Gail's head wound. They knew that Gail had been 622 00:33:59,325 --> 00:34:02,565 Speaker 2: killed with a twenty two caliber weapon, but police never 623 00:34:02,645 --> 00:34:06,205 Speaker 2: found that murder weapon, and police ruled Ray out pretty 624 00:34:06,285 --> 00:34:10,605 Speaker 2: quickly because he had this airtight alibi. According to law enforcement, 625 00:34:11,085 --> 00:34:12,965 Speaker 2: there were lots of people who said Ray was out 626 00:34:12,965 --> 00:34:15,365 Speaker 2: all night on Thursday and he didn't go home until 627 00:34:15,365 --> 00:34:20,485 Speaker 2: Friday morning. Years later, Marty the private investigator talked to Tammy, 628 00:34:21,205 --> 00:34:24,365 Speaker 2: Ray's other women at the time. Tammy said, yes, Ray 629 00:34:24,405 --> 00:34:26,765 Speaker 2: did stay at her place that night. She admitted they 630 00:34:26,765 --> 00:34:28,965 Speaker 2: were all into drugs and they were doing them and 631 00:34:29,005 --> 00:34:33,845 Speaker 2: partying that night. Several people, including Tammy, confirmed that Ray 632 00:34:34,085 --> 00:34:37,205 Speaker 2: was driving Gayle's cheap that night, and they said when 633 00:34:37,205 --> 00:34:39,685 Speaker 2: he left Tammy's in the morning, he left in that jeep. 634 00:34:40,485 --> 00:34:43,285 Speaker 2: Tammy said Ray was there all night. He may have 635 00:34:43,365 --> 00:34:45,565 Speaker 2: left for ten or fifteen minutes to run an errand, 636 00:34:45,605 --> 00:34:48,805 Speaker 2: but that was it. Tammy said she would love to 637 00:34:48,845 --> 00:34:51,925 Speaker 2: see justice for Gail. She said police had forced her 638 00:34:51,925 --> 00:34:54,725 Speaker 2: to look at the autopsy photos of Gail. She talked 639 00:34:54,725 --> 00:34:58,165 Speaker 2: about how hard they were to see. Police did foul 640 00:34:58,245 --> 00:35:01,685 Speaker 2: charges against Ray for possession of a controlled substance meeting marijuana, 641 00:35:02,205 --> 00:35:06,485 Speaker 2: but in nineteen eighty three those charges were dropped without prejudice, 642 00:35:07,085 --> 00:35:10,285 Speaker 2: meaning that charges could be refiled if new evidence ever emerged, 643 00:35:10,445 --> 00:35:14,925 Speaker 2: but that never happened. The case went cold, and in 644 00:35:15,005 --> 00:35:19,565 Speaker 2: nineteen ninety nine, Ray Foreman died. Randy Wyman has also 645 00:35:19,645 --> 00:35:24,085 Speaker 2: passed away. In twenty twenty one, the Washington County Sheriff's 646 00:35:24,125 --> 00:35:25,765 Speaker 2: Office closed out their case file. 647 00:35:26,805 --> 00:35:29,645 Speaker 1: They said this was because of a lack of evidence. 648 00:35:29,605 --> 00:35:32,605 Speaker 2: And they noted, quote, this case file has been microfeached 649 00:35:32,605 --> 00:35:35,125 Speaker 2: and is very hard to read. Some of the pages 650 00:35:35,165 --> 00:35:37,125 Speaker 2: on some of the interviews are missing. It is the 651 00:35:37,165 --> 00:35:40,085 Speaker 2: recommendation of this reviewer that the case be classified as 652 00:35:40,125 --> 00:35:43,445 Speaker 2: a cold case homicide until such time as new evidence 653 00:35:43,485 --> 00:35:44,085 Speaker 2: is presented. 654 00:35:44,325 --> 00:35:47,405 Speaker 1: End quote. In April of twenty twenty. 655 00:35:47,125 --> 00:35:51,125 Speaker 2: Two, someone named David rose Grant reviewed the case file 656 00:35:51,165 --> 00:35:54,565 Speaker 2: again and stated that the medical examiner said the victim 657 00:35:54,565 --> 00:35:56,365 Speaker 2: had been shot behind the ear with a twenty two 658 00:35:56,405 --> 00:35:59,845 Speaker 2: caliber weapon, but said the case file did not contain 659 00:35:59,885 --> 00:36:02,565 Speaker 2: an autopsy report and pretty much left it at that. 660 00:36:03,565 --> 00:36:05,965 Speaker 2: I'm not sure why he was unable to get the 661 00:36:05,965 --> 00:36:08,485 Speaker 2: autopsy report, because I was unable to get it. But 662 00:36:08,965 --> 00:36:11,325 Speaker 2: the reviewer's notes went on to state the victim was 663 00:36:11,365 --> 00:36:13,565 Speaker 2: also run over by a vehicle, that there were a 664 00:36:13,565 --> 00:36:15,845 Speaker 2: couple of suspects named in the case file, but not 665 00:36:16,005 --> 00:36:18,405 Speaker 2: enough physical evidence to charge anyone. And that has been 666 00:36:18,405 --> 00:36:22,325 Speaker 2: the story for the last forty years. So is there 667 00:36:22,405 --> 00:36:25,085 Speaker 2: any way to figure out what happened to Gaile? And 668 00:36:25,885 --> 00:36:36,285 Speaker 2: if so, what can we do next? A few years back, 669 00:36:36,565 --> 00:36:39,885 Speaker 2: Marty reached out to former Washington County Sheriff Herb Marshall, 670 00:36:40,645 --> 00:36:43,725 Speaker 2: who told Marty that he was always troubled by the 671 00:36:43,765 --> 00:36:46,565 Speaker 2: fact that quote, it happened to my county on my 672 00:36:46,645 --> 00:36:49,805 Speaker 2: watch end quote, And it's clear that it's a case 673 00:36:49,845 --> 00:36:52,285 Speaker 2: that has always haunted the former sheriff, even though he 674 00:36:52,405 --> 00:36:56,725 Speaker 2: left office shortly after Gale's body was found. The sheriff said, quote, 675 00:36:57,165 --> 00:36:59,245 Speaker 2: I figured in my mind that she owed somebody money 676 00:36:59,245 --> 00:37:02,205 Speaker 2: for drugs she wasn't paying for. My theory was Jody 677 00:37:02,285 --> 00:37:04,365 Speaker 2: and Ray needed a ride that night, so they called 678 00:37:04,405 --> 00:37:06,365 Speaker 2: her to come and get them, but he was out 679 00:37:06,445 --> 00:37:09,005 Speaker 2: running around. That's why she didn't have any shoes on. 680 00:37:09,445 --> 00:37:11,405 Speaker 2: She went and got into the jeep and went up 681 00:37:11,445 --> 00:37:13,925 Speaker 2: and picked him and Jody up. They got into it 682 00:37:13,965 --> 00:37:16,045 Speaker 2: because he wanted to drive her jeep. She would not 683 00:37:16,165 --> 00:37:17,485 Speaker 2: let nobody drive her jeep. 684 00:37:18,085 --> 00:37:18,725 Speaker 1: That's where I. 685 00:37:18,685 --> 00:37:20,565 Speaker 2: Thought that he took her out there and killed her 686 00:37:21,205 --> 00:37:24,245 Speaker 2: because she went and picked him up in quote, So 687 00:37:24,365 --> 00:37:26,445 Speaker 2: the sheriff seemed to touch on one of the biggest 688 00:37:26,485 --> 00:37:28,645 Speaker 2: mysteries of the case. There the fact that Gail was 689 00:37:28,685 --> 00:37:31,525 Speaker 2: found wearing white socks, which by the way, were very 690 00:37:31,565 --> 00:37:34,845 Speaker 2: dirty and torn on the bottom, but she had no 691 00:37:34,965 --> 00:37:37,365 Speaker 2: shoes on, and her shoes, by the way, were never found. 692 00:37:38,405 --> 00:37:40,965 Speaker 2: But the sheriff's theory does not seem to make sense 693 00:37:41,005 --> 00:37:43,725 Speaker 2: because we know that Ray was driving Gail's jeep on 694 00:37:43,765 --> 00:37:47,805 Speaker 2: Thursday night. Multiple people saw him driving her vehicle. He 695 00:37:47,885 --> 00:37:52,605 Speaker 2: already had her vehicle, so Gail could not have gone 696 00:37:52,645 --> 00:37:53,285 Speaker 2: and picked him up. 697 00:37:53,285 --> 00:37:54,485 Speaker 1: She had no working. 698 00:37:54,245 --> 00:37:58,605 Speaker 2: Vehicle and he already had her car, so the kidnapping 699 00:37:58,645 --> 00:38:01,285 Speaker 2: theory makes less sense. And by the way, even in 700 00:38:01,325 --> 00:38:04,645 Speaker 2: another scenario, if Ray had called her and asked for 701 00:38:04,685 --> 00:38:07,205 Speaker 2: a ride, even if she raced to her car, this 702 00:38:07,405 --> 00:38:09,565 Speaker 2: was a raining, muddy night, I don't believe she would 703 00:38:09,565 --> 00:38:15,325 Speaker 2: have gone out and just socks with no shoes, So 704 00:38:15,445 --> 00:38:18,805 Speaker 2: let's recap Basically, there are a few theories that are 705 00:38:18,845 --> 00:38:21,565 Speaker 2: the main ones being talked about about what might have 706 00:38:21,605 --> 00:38:22,445 Speaker 2: happened to gal Vatt. 707 00:38:23,125 --> 00:38:24,805 Speaker 1: One was that her murder could have been. 708 00:38:24,725 --> 00:38:27,285 Speaker 2: Connected to drug dealing, possibly the drug dealing of her 709 00:38:27,285 --> 00:38:30,325 Speaker 2: boyfriend at the time, ray that Gail was kidnapped and 710 00:38:30,405 --> 00:38:33,085 Speaker 2: killed to send a message, or that she owed people 711 00:38:33,125 --> 00:38:34,285 Speaker 2: money for drugs. 712 00:38:34,845 --> 00:38:36,405 Speaker 1: When Marty interviewed. 713 00:38:35,965 --> 00:38:39,605 Speaker 2: Sheila years later, Sheila told him about a mutual acquaintance 714 00:38:39,645 --> 00:38:42,285 Speaker 2: of theirs who said he heard Gail was unconscious when 715 00:38:42,285 --> 00:38:45,405 Speaker 2: she was run over and that apparently her killer needed 716 00:38:45,405 --> 00:38:48,325 Speaker 2: to run her over more than once. We're going to 717 00:38:48,405 --> 00:38:50,645 Speaker 2: get a lot more into this in next week's episode. 718 00:38:50,765 --> 00:38:54,285 Speaker 2: In part two, we need to figure out whether these informants, 719 00:38:54,405 --> 00:38:58,805 Speaker 2: these people who were talking about rumors, are actually being truthful, 720 00:38:58,965 --> 00:39:02,165 Speaker 2: if they're actually providing any information that wasn't given to 721 00:39:02,205 --> 00:39:05,725 Speaker 2: the general public. Did they have information that on only 722 00:39:05,765 --> 00:39:09,205 Speaker 2: the killer would know, or could they have just been 723 00:39:09,205 --> 00:39:12,205 Speaker 2: spreading rumors, or could they have made up a story 724 00:39:12,245 --> 00:39:14,485 Speaker 2: for their own reasons, maybe to get a better deal 725 00:39:14,605 --> 00:39:17,445 Speaker 2: in exchange for a lighter sentence, or in. 726 00:39:17,325 --> 00:39:20,005 Speaker 1: Some cases I've seen on many cases. 727 00:39:20,045 --> 00:39:23,045 Speaker 2: People who want to appear to be really tough will 728 00:39:23,085 --> 00:39:25,325 Speaker 2: imply they've had something to do with an unsolved murder. 729 00:39:26,205 --> 00:39:29,885 Speaker 2: And the way to figure out these truthful confessions from 730 00:39:29,885 --> 00:39:33,125 Speaker 2: the fake ones is to ask again, do they have 731 00:39:33,285 --> 00:39:35,765 Speaker 2: any information that only the killer would know and to 732 00:39:35,805 --> 00:39:38,485 Speaker 2: really get into that, which we will next week. The 733 00:39:38,565 --> 00:39:41,605 Speaker 2: second possibility police seemed to have considered is that it 734 00:39:41,725 --> 00:39:44,245 Speaker 2: was some sort of a domestic violence incident gone wrong. 735 00:39:45,045 --> 00:39:47,725 Speaker 2: We know Ray had a history of domestic violence. We 736 00:39:47,845 --> 00:39:51,205 Speaker 2: know he abused his former wife. This is just a 737 00:39:51,205 --> 00:39:55,205 Speaker 2: supposition on my part, but I feel like Gail wanted 738 00:39:55,245 --> 00:39:58,005 Speaker 2: to be seen as this strong, resilient woman you could 739 00:39:58,045 --> 00:40:01,405 Speaker 2: take care of herself. So she seemed like the type 740 00:40:01,405 --> 00:40:04,565 Speaker 2: of person who would perhaps be hesitant about reaching out 741 00:40:04,605 --> 00:40:07,325 Speaker 2: and admitting that they're was something going on at home that. 742 00:40:07,325 --> 00:40:08,485 Speaker 1: She was being abused. 743 00:40:09,845 --> 00:40:13,765 Speaker 2: Unfortunately, we know that even the strongest women can be abused, 744 00:40:13,845 --> 00:40:17,005 Speaker 2: and often people are hiding things at home and we 745 00:40:17,085 --> 00:40:20,965 Speaker 2: only find that out afterwards. The third possibility is that 746 00:40:21,045 --> 00:40:24,245 Speaker 2: it was someone else, someone not connected to drug dealing, 747 00:40:24,485 --> 00:40:28,245 Speaker 2: not connected to an intimate relationship with Gail. Maybe someone 748 00:40:28,285 --> 00:40:31,205 Speaker 2: the police have spoken to, looked at and even interviewed 749 00:40:31,445 --> 00:40:34,365 Speaker 2: but it has never been arrested. Maybe someone who has 750 00:40:34,445 --> 00:40:36,285 Speaker 2: overlooked early on in the investigation. 751 00:40:37,085 --> 00:40:39,725 Speaker 1: So I went back. I looked at every. 752 00:40:39,525 --> 00:40:42,085 Speaker 2: Single document that we could get our hands on, and 753 00:40:42,645 --> 00:40:45,685 Speaker 2: everything that we could get connected to this case. In 754 00:40:45,765 --> 00:40:48,245 Speaker 2: a lot of these interviews, the pages have been lost. 755 00:40:48,805 --> 00:40:52,365 Speaker 2: We know the condom evidence has been lost, forensics are gone. 756 00:40:52,445 --> 00:40:54,885 Speaker 2: So I'm doing the best I can. I'm looking at 757 00:40:54,925 --> 00:40:57,565 Speaker 2: forty four year old, faded documents, trying to make out 758 00:40:57,605 --> 00:41:01,445 Speaker 2: the missing letters in these bleached out words. But among 759 00:41:01,525 --> 00:41:03,445 Speaker 2: all of them, I found something that I think is 760 00:41:03,485 --> 00:41:07,365 Speaker 2: super interesting. I found an interview police did with a 761 00:41:07,405 --> 00:41:11,365 Speaker 2: potential witness in nineteen eighty, someone who said that he 762 00:41:11,525 --> 00:41:17,045 Speaker 2: saw Gail hitchhiking. So on October seventeenth, nineteen eighty, hours 763 00:41:17,085 --> 00:41:20,405 Speaker 2: after Gail's body was found, police interviewed a twenty nine 764 00:41:20,445 --> 00:41:23,485 Speaker 2: year old man named laith Lane. He said that he 765 00:41:23,565 --> 00:41:27,085 Speaker 2: saw a woman matching Gail's description hitchhiking on Highway seventeen 766 00:41:27,205 --> 00:41:31,085 Speaker 2: on Thursday morning. The report said that on Thursday morning, 767 00:41:31,205 --> 00:41:34,245 Speaker 2: just after seven am, laith Lane was driving south on 768 00:41:34,325 --> 00:41:37,245 Speaker 2: Highway seventy one near the Ramada Inn when he saw 769 00:41:37,285 --> 00:41:40,005 Speaker 2: a white female with brown shoulder lenked hair in her 770 00:41:40,045 --> 00:41:44,685 Speaker 2: early twenties. He said that she was around maybe five 771 00:41:44,725 --> 00:41:47,005 Speaker 2: foot seven to five foot ten, with a medium build, 772 00:41:47,405 --> 00:41:49,845 Speaker 2: wearing a blue jacket with a light colored stripe on 773 00:41:49,885 --> 00:41:50,285 Speaker 2: the sleeve. 774 00:41:51,085 --> 00:41:52,925 Speaker 1: He got a good look at her, and after. 775 00:41:52,725 --> 00:41:55,085 Speaker 2: Police showed him pictures of Gail, he said that he 776 00:41:55,165 --> 00:41:58,245 Speaker 2: was pretty positive that it was Gaile Vauught and he 777 00:41:58,365 --> 00:42:03,885 Speaker 2: described her outfit perfectly Laithe said that he didn't pick 778 00:42:03,885 --> 00:42:06,205 Speaker 2: Gail up because he was traveling in the opposite direction 779 00:42:06,725 --> 00:42:08,845 Speaker 2: and thought it would be inappropriate to pick her up. 780 00:42:10,045 --> 00:42:12,285 Speaker 2: He told police he had never seen Gail before that 781 00:42:12,405 --> 00:42:15,325 Speaker 2: day or since. He said he saw her just that 782 00:42:15,405 --> 00:42:17,405 Speaker 2: one time when she was hitchhiking. 783 00:42:17,565 --> 00:42:18,165 Speaker 1: On that morning. 784 00:42:18,245 --> 00:42:20,365 Speaker 2: He said that he was on the road at around 785 00:42:20,365 --> 00:42:23,005 Speaker 2: six fifteen am. He and his wife were in the 786 00:42:23,045 --> 00:42:25,965 Speaker 2: car driving her to work in Springdale, which is about 787 00:42:26,045 --> 00:42:29,085 Speaker 2: nine miles around twenty minutes away from where they lived. 788 00:42:29,765 --> 00:42:31,805 Speaker 2: He said that he did not see this mystery woman 789 00:42:31,845 --> 00:42:34,005 Speaker 2: when he and his wife were driving. He only saw 790 00:42:34,005 --> 00:42:37,165 Speaker 2: her on the way back. A couple of things strike 791 00:42:37,245 --> 00:42:40,645 Speaker 2: me as odd about this story. First, he could not 792 00:42:40,765 --> 00:42:43,685 Speaker 2: have seen Gail on Thursday morning. Remember, we know from 793 00:42:43,725 --> 00:42:47,165 Speaker 2: what Don said that on Thursday morning Gail was driving 794 00:42:47,165 --> 00:42:50,245 Speaker 2: her jeep. Don saw Gail driving to talk to one 795 00:42:50,245 --> 00:42:52,285 Speaker 2: of their bosses and then getting back into her jeep 796 00:42:52,325 --> 00:42:56,285 Speaker 2: and driving away from the job site. Don remembers that 797 00:42:56,405 --> 00:42:58,165 Speaker 2: very well because it was the last time that she 798 00:42:58,205 --> 00:43:02,405 Speaker 2: ever saw Gail, so I started thinking, what if the 799 00:43:02,445 --> 00:43:05,725 Speaker 2: time of death is wrong. Police first said they thought 800 00:43:05,725 --> 00:43:08,645 Speaker 2: Gail was killed on Thursday night, but the autopsy report 801 00:43:08,685 --> 00:43:11,765 Speaker 2: explains that rigor mortis was just beginning in Gail's face. 802 00:43:12,285 --> 00:43:14,885 Speaker 2: So the medical examiner estimated the time of death between 803 00:43:14,925 --> 00:43:18,365 Speaker 2: eight and ten hours prior to when he examined her, which, 804 00:43:18,405 --> 00:43:21,205 Speaker 2: because he did the autopsyed around eleven thirty, would have 805 00:43:21,245 --> 00:43:24,685 Speaker 2: been in the early morning hours. Parts of Gail's body 806 00:43:24,685 --> 00:43:27,325 Speaker 2: were still warm to the touch. It takes about twelve 807 00:43:27,365 --> 00:43:31,085 Speaker 2: hours before a body cools completely. And finally, there was 808 00:43:31,125 --> 00:43:34,845 Speaker 2: the rain. It had been raining torrentially starting at around 809 00:43:34,845 --> 00:43:37,605 Speaker 2: two am that morning. The rain ended in the early 810 00:43:37,685 --> 00:43:43,525 Speaker 2: morning hours of October seventeenth, but the autopsy report specifically 811 00:43:43,565 --> 00:43:48,125 Speaker 2: mentions Gail's clothes and hair were wet but not saturated 812 00:43:48,125 --> 00:43:53,325 Speaker 2: with water, so it's very likely that she was killed 813 00:43:53,365 --> 00:43:58,565 Speaker 2: after that torrential rain stopped. Also, finally, the tire tracks 814 00:43:58,605 --> 00:44:01,285 Speaker 2: are fresh and they have a lot of detail in them. 815 00:44:01,605 --> 00:44:03,685 Speaker 2: If Gail had been killed prior to two am, they. 816 00:44:03,605 --> 00:44:06,165 Speaker 1: Would have been washed away in that soaking rental rain. 817 00:44:07,205 --> 00:44:09,685 Speaker 2: I think, based on what I've seen So far, the 818 00:44:09,765 --> 00:44:12,405 Speaker 2: evidence points to the fact that the police's time of 819 00:44:12,445 --> 00:44:15,365 Speaker 2: death was wrong, but we need to do more investigating 820 00:44:15,365 --> 00:44:18,005 Speaker 2: to be sure. We need to ask more questions about 821 00:44:18,005 --> 00:44:20,645 Speaker 2: the time of death and about the guy who said 822 00:44:20,685 --> 00:44:23,365 Speaker 2: he saw Gail on the side of the road, especially 823 00:44:23,365 --> 00:44:26,965 Speaker 2: since I noticed something else. Laith Lane was questioned on 824 00:44:27,005 --> 00:44:31,925 Speaker 2: October seventeenth, hours after Gail's body was found. How was 825 00:44:31,965 --> 00:44:35,005 Speaker 2: he able to describe exactly what she was wearing on 826 00:44:35,085 --> 00:44:37,445 Speaker 2: the day she was found dead, down to the Michelin 827 00:44:37,525 --> 00:44:41,885 Speaker 2: blue jacket. We also have to look back at Ray 828 00:44:41,965 --> 00:44:44,325 Speaker 2: because one of the reasons why the case against Ray 829 00:44:44,365 --> 00:44:47,845 Speaker 2: didn't go forward was reportedly because Ray had this airtight 830 00:44:47,885 --> 00:44:51,325 Speaker 2: alibi for Thursday night. We know that Gail was pissed 831 00:44:51,365 --> 00:44:53,965 Speaker 2: off at Ray if he stayed out all night with 832 00:44:54,045 --> 00:44:58,045 Speaker 2: her jeep, Imagine how angry Gail must have been by 833 00:44:58,085 --> 00:45:02,205 Speaker 2: Friday morning, and that would mean Ray's alibi for Thursday night, 834 00:45:02,245 --> 00:45:06,405 Speaker 2: that supposedly airtight albi, would not clear him. If Gail 835 00:45:06,525 --> 00:45:09,445 Speaker 2: died later, we have to ask ourselves, could he and 836 00:45:09,485 --> 00:45:11,725 Speaker 2: Gail have gotten into a fight after he showed up 837 00:45:11,765 --> 00:45:16,925 Speaker 2: on Friday morning, or what if something else happened? What 838 00:45:16,965 --> 00:45:21,085 Speaker 2: if Gail who woke up on Friday morning with no vehicle, 839 00:45:21,205 --> 00:45:23,885 Speaker 2: decided she was going to go and get her paycheck 840 00:45:23,925 --> 00:45:24,885 Speaker 2: from the work site. 841 00:45:25,085 --> 00:45:26,765 Speaker 1: If Gail did decide to. 842 00:45:26,805 --> 00:45:30,765 Speaker 2: Hitchhike that morning, she might have just missed Ray coming home. 843 00:45:32,005 --> 00:45:35,765 Speaker 2: So we have to ask could someone else have picked 844 00:45:35,765 --> 00:45:40,765 Speaker 2: her up along that wooded road. I'm Catherine Townsend. This 845 00:45:41,005 --> 00:45:48,125 Speaker 2: is Helen Gone Murder Line. Heleng Gong Murder Line is 846 00:45:48,125 --> 00:45:50,885 Speaker 2: a production of School of Humans and iHeart Podcasts. It's 847 00:45:50,885 --> 00:45:53,765 Speaker 2: written and narrated by me Catherine Townsend and produced by 848 00:45:53,805 --> 00:45:58,885 Speaker 2: Gabby Watts. Music contributed by Ben sale And this episode 849 00:45:58,965 --> 00:46:02,685 Speaker 2: was scored and mixed by Jesse Niswanger. Executive producers of 850 00:46:02,805 --> 00:46:06,085 Speaker 2: Virginia Prescott, Brandon Barr, and Elsie Crowley. 851 00:46:06,125 --> 00:46:07,005 Speaker 1: If you have a. 852 00:46:06,885 --> 00:46:08,845 Speaker 2: Case you'd like me and my team to look into, 853 00:46:09,285 --> 00:46:11,165 Speaker 2: you can reach out to us at our Helen Gone 854 00:46:11,245 --> 00:46:14,365 Speaker 2: Murder Line at six seven eight seven four four six 855 00:46:14,525 --> 00:46:18,085 Speaker 2: one four five at six seven eight seven four four 856 00:46:18,605 --> 00:46:20,045 Speaker 2: six one four five 857 00:46:26,005 --> 00:46:27,725 Speaker 1: School of Humans