1 00:00:46,480 --> 00:00:51,961 Speaker 1: School of Humans. Helen Got Murder Line actively investigates cold 2 00:00:52,040 --> 00:00:55,361 Speaker 1: case murders in an effort to raise public awareness invite 3 00:00:55,401 --> 00:00:58,761 Speaker 1: witnesses to come forward and present evidence that could potentially 4 00:00:58,840 --> 00:01:02,961 Speaker 1: be further investigated by law enforcement. While we value insights 5 00:01:03,001 --> 00:01:06,160 Speaker 1: from family and community members, their statements should not be 6 00:01:06,200 --> 00:01:09,961 Speaker 1: considered evidence and point to the challenges of verifying facts 7 00:01:10,041 --> 00:01:14,041 Speaker 1: inherent in cold cases. We remind listeners that everyone has 8 00:01:14,080 --> 00:01:17,160 Speaker 1: presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. 9 00:01:17,961 --> 00:01:20,840 Speaker 1: Nothing in the podcast is intended to state or imply 10 00:01:21,041 --> 00:01:23,601 Speaker 1: that anyone who has not been convicted of a crime 11 00:01:24,161 --> 00:01:27,840 Speaker 1: is guilty of any wrongdoing. Thanks for listening. I need 12 00:01:27,881 --> 00:01:29,801 Speaker 1: somebody over here on somebody's been killed. 13 00:01:30,601 --> 00:01:31,720 Speaker 2: Somebody's been killed. 14 00:01:32,121 --> 00:01:36,361 Speaker 1: Yeah, where are you at the Law Quad apartments? She 15 00:01:36,401 --> 00:01:38,881 Speaker 1: hasn't showed up for work whatever, So we came over 16 00:01:38,920 --> 00:01:39,640 Speaker 1: to your apartment. 17 00:01:41,561 --> 00:01:45,641 Speaker 2: She said, Okay, it looked like happened. I don't know 18 00:01:45,640 --> 00:01:47,161 Speaker 2: if she's got scratched rut her neck. 19 00:01:48,481 --> 00:01:48,921 Speaker 3: I don't know. 20 00:01:49,081 --> 00:01:50,560 Speaker 2: Just see somebody over here. 21 00:01:51,960 --> 00:01:56,081 Speaker 1: What is her name, Nina? 22 00:01:56,281 --> 00:01:59,281 Speaker 2: So you don't know what happened her. She just looks 23 00:01:59,361 --> 00:02:02,081 Speaker 2: like to have scratches. Is that all you can see? 24 00:02:02,361 --> 00:02:02,600 Speaker 3: Yeah? 25 00:02:02,680 --> 00:02:04,641 Speaker 1: I mean her face is blue. 26 00:02:06,641 --> 00:02:09,761 Speaker 3: Shortly after ten pm on April twenty first, two thousand 27 00:02:09,761 --> 00:02:12,881 Speaker 3: and six, twenty one year old college student Nina Ingram 28 00:02:13,001 --> 00:02:16,721 Speaker 3: was brutally murdered inside her apartment, unit number one at 29 00:02:16,761 --> 00:02:19,521 Speaker 3: the Law Quad complex in Fayettville, Arkansas. 30 00:02:20,161 --> 00:02:22,921 Speaker 2: This became big news at the time. 31 00:02:23,121 --> 00:02:26,041 Speaker 3: It was one of only two unsolved murder cases in 32 00:02:26,161 --> 00:02:30,521 Speaker 3: Fayetteful since the nineteen seventies, and police interviewed a lot 33 00:02:30,520 --> 00:02:34,520 Speaker 3: of people. They talked to Nina's neighbors, her boyfriend, her friends, 34 00:02:34,561 --> 00:02:38,400 Speaker 3: and her family, but they failed to identify a single suspect. 35 00:02:39,401 --> 00:02:41,001 Speaker 2: This case was unusual. 36 00:02:41,680 --> 00:02:44,921 Speaker 3: Nina had been strangled, but not sexual assaulted, and her 37 00:02:45,001 --> 00:02:48,881 Speaker 3: front door was double locked. On the night of her murder, 38 00:02:49,240 --> 00:02:51,921 Speaker 3: Nina had finished her lost prevention job at Walmart at 39 00:02:52,001 --> 00:02:55,441 Speaker 3: nine pm. After that, she picked up some fast food 40 00:02:55,841 --> 00:02:58,601 Speaker 3: and then went to hang out with her boyfriend, Josh 41 00:02:58,601 --> 00:03:03,641 Speaker 3: Stewart at his apartment. The police pulled surveillance cameras from 42 00:03:03,641 --> 00:03:06,921 Speaker 3: her apartment complex that showed that Nina returned home at 43 00:03:06,961 --> 00:03:10,321 Speaker 3: ten fourteen pm. She got out of her vehicle and 44 00:03:10,441 --> 00:03:13,481 Speaker 3: walked toward her apartment on the ground floor in the 45 00:03:13,561 --> 00:03:19,041 Speaker 3: Law Quad apartment complex. But sometime shortly after that, probably 46 00:03:19,321 --> 00:03:23,001 Speaker 3: right after Nina unlocked her door and went inside her apartment, 47 00:03:23,801 --> 00:03:24,641 Speaker 3: she was attacked. 48 00:03:25,281 --> 00:03:26,281 Speaker 2: The attack was. 49 00:03:26,321 --> 00:03:31,001 Speaker 3: Brutal and sudden. The autopsy results showed Nina had no 50 00:03:31,121 --> 00:03:34,721 Speaker 3: defensive wounds. She did not have a chance to fight back. 51 00:03:36,521 --> 00:03:39,801 Speaker 3: Nina's brother found her body shortly after two pm on 52 00:03:39,841 --> 00:03:43,721 Speaker 3: April twenty second, which would have been approximately sixteen hours 53 00:03:43,561 --> 00:03:48,361 Speaker 3: after she was lasting alive on camera. Nina often left 54 00:03:48,401 --> 00:03:51,881 Speaker 3: her window open for her cats, just a crack, and 55 00:03:51,961 --> 00:03:54,961 Speaker 3: the front window was open but only a few inches 56 00:03:55,841 --> 00:03:59,241 Speaker 3: On the day that her brother found her body, Nina's 57 00:03:59,281 --> 00:04:01,721 Speaker 3: brother had to take off the window screen and open 58 00:04:01,761 --> 00:04:05,121 Speaker 3: it all the way to crawl inside. It is a 59 00:04:05,161 --> 00:04:08,481 Speaker 3: possibility that this is how Nina's killer got into and 60 00:04:08,561 --> 00:04:12,521 Speaker 3: out of the apartment, but either way, whether Nina's killer 61 00:04:12,761 --> 00:04:16,961 Speaker 3: locked the door behind themselves or whether they opened the window, 62 00:04:17,241 --> 00:04:18,841 Speaker 3: crawled in, closed. 63 00:04:18,521 --> 00:04:20,001 Speaker 2: It behind them, and then replaced the. 64 00:04:19,921 --> 00:04:24,001 Speaker 3: Screen, either way would have required more thought in planning 65 00:04:24,401 --> 00:04:28,121 Speaker 3: than someone randomly rushing her at her door, as police 66 00:04:28,161 --> 00:04:32,681 Speaker 3: suggested at the time. After six years, Nina's case went 67 00:04:32,721 --> 00:04:36,481 Speaker 3: cold until twenty twelve, when a twenty six year old 68 00:04:36,481 --> 00:04:40,760 Speaker 3: man named Rico Tavarius Cone of Springdale was arrested and 69 00:04:40,880 --> 00:04:47,001 Speaker 3: charged with Nina's murder. I'm Catherine Townsend. Over the past 70 00:04:47,001 --> 00:04:49,840 Speaker 3: five years of making my true crime podcast, Helen Gone, 71 00:04:50,041 --> 00:04:52,241 Speaker 3: I've learned that there is no such thing as a 72 00:04:52,281 --> 00:04:56,361 Speaker 3: small town where murder never happens. I've received hundreds of 73 00:04:56,361 --> 00:04:59,041 Speaker 3: messages from people all around the country asking for help 74 00:04:59,081 --> 00:05:02,081 Speaker 3: with an unsolved murder that's affected them, their families, and 75 00:05:02,121 --> 00:05:05,001 Speaker 3: their communities. If you have a case you'd like me 76 00:05:05,121 --> 00:05:07,521 Speaker 3: and my team to look into, you can reach out 77 00:05:07,561 --> 00:05:09,721 Speaker 3: to us at our Helen Gone Murder line at six 78 00:05:09,801 --> 00:05:12,841 Speaker 3: seven eight seven four four six one four or five. 79 00:05:13,441 --> 00:05:17,081 Speaker 3: That's six seven eight seven four four six one four 80 00:05:17,161 --> 00:05:20,121 Speaker 3: or five, or you can send us a message on 81 00:05:20,161 --> 00:06:08,081 Speaker 3: Instagram at Helen gonepod. This is Helen Gone Murder Line. 82 00:06:08,641 --> 00:06:12,281 Speaker 3: In twenty twelve, six years after Nina Ingram's murder, a 83 00:06:12,361 --> 00:06:15,200 Speaker 3: new detective was put in charge of her case. This 84 00:06:15,321 --> 00:06:19,361 Speaker 3: detective's name was Scott Carlton, and within a very short 85 00:06:19,401 --> 00:06:23,521 Speaker 3: period of time he had results. Rico Cohne was arrested 86 00:06:23,561 --> 00:06:27,721 Speaker 3: in charge with Nina's murder. Fayetteful Police Chief Greg Tabor 87 00:06:28,121 --> 00:06:31,801 Speaker 3: said that Rico was being charged with capital murder. Initial 88 00:06:31,841 --> 00:06:35,441 Speaker 3: reports in the media stated that Rico had briefly been 89 00:06:35,441 --> 00:06:38,520 Speaker 3: a maintenance man at the law Couad apartments where Nina lived, 90 00:06:39,001 --> 00:06:41,401 Speaker 3: and that could have explained how he had a key 91 00:06:41,441 --> 00:06:44,681 Speaker 3: to her apartment and potentially how he could have gained entry. 92 00:06:45,881 --> 00:06:49,681 Speaker 3: But at his arraignment in June of twenty twelve, Rico 93 00:06:49,841 --> 00:06:54,041 Speaker 3: pleaded not guilty. Rico's defense attorney had considered a mental 94 00:06:54,041 --> 00:06:57,840 Speaker 3: illness claim, but Rico completely denied that he killed Nina, 95 00:06:58,361 --> 00:07:01,121 Speaker 3: and admitting guilt was a requirement for him to mount 96 00:07:01,161 --> 00:07:05,521 Speaker 3: that mental illness defense. Rico was examined by a psychiatrist, 97 00:07:05,601 --> 00:07:09,400 Speaker 3: doctor Mark Peacock, who found Rico mentally fit to stand trial. 98 00:07:10,201 --> 00:07:11,721 Speaker 2: According to media reports. 99 00:07:12,081 --> 00:07:16,081 Speaker 3: An Arkansas State Hospital mental evaluation found that Rico quote 100 00:07:16,761 --> 00:07:20,681 Speaker 3: did not manifest any substantially impairing systems of a mental 101 00:07:20,721 --> 00:07:21,921 Speaker 3: disease or mental. 102 00:07:21,681 --> 00:07:23,801 Speaker 2: Defect end quote. 103 00:07:23,841 --> 00:07:27,081 Speaker 3: That report also found that he displayed a clear, rational 104 00:07:27,121 --> 00:07:31,321 Speaker 3: and factual understanding of the criminal proceedings against him. Not 105 00:07:31,561 --> 00:07:35,921 Speaker 3: only did Rico plead not guilty, Rico also refused a 106 00:07:35,961 --> 00:07:36,521 Speaker 3: plea deal. 107 00:07:37,081 --> 00:07:37,921 Speaker 2: He said that he was. 108 00:07:37,881 --> 00:07:40,201 Speaker 3: Innocent and was willing to take his chances at trial, 109 00:07:40,601 --> 00:07:43,721 Speaker 3: even though if he was found guilty of Nina's murder. 110 00:07:44,121 --> 00:07:48,281 Speaker 3: He was facing a death penalty sentence. The case against 111 00:07:48,361 --> 00:07:52,401 Speaker 3: Rico Khne rested on the testimony of one key witness, 112 00:07:53,081 --> 00:07:59,481 Speaker 3: a woman named Randy Applewhite. Randy told police that she 113 00:07:59,561 --> 00:08:02,481 Speaker 3: had been romantically involved with Rico for a period of 114 00:08:02,521 --> 00:08:04,721 Speaker 3: time when she and her husband were having some problems 115 00:08:04,721 --> 00:08:07,881 Speaker 3: at home. The timeline of how she became the key 116 00:08:07,881 --> 00:08:11,881 Speaker 3: witness is a little bit confusing. At first, media reports 117 00:08:11,921 --> 00:08:15,721 Speaker 3: stated that, according to Randy Applewhite, Rico had been hanging 118 00:08:15,721 --> 00:08:18,321 Speaker 3: around with some friends at the apartment complex where Nina 119 00:08:18,441 --> 00:08:22,161 Speaker 3: Ingram lived. This was over Easter weekend, about five days 120 00:08:22,161 --> 00:08:27,361 Speaker 3: before Nina's murder. While he was there, Allegedly, Rico said 121 00:08:27,401 --> 00:08:30,121 Speaker 3: something to Nina kind of hitting on her, and she 122 00:08:30,161 --> 00:08:33,200 Speaker 3: rebuffed him, blowing him off in front of his friends, 123 00:08:33,241 --> 00:08:37,481 Speaker 3: and this enraged Rico. But it wasn't actually Randy Applewhite 124 00:08:37,560 --> 00:08:40,761 Speaker 3: who reported this tip to police. It was called in 125 00:08:40,841 --> 00:08:43,521 Speaker 3: by a woman named Brenda Case, who told police that 126 00:08:43,521 --> 00:08:46,081 Speaker 3: she was friends with Randy and that Randy had told 127 00:08:46,081 --> 00:08:49,681 Speaker 3: her the story about Rico, so then it was Brenda. 128 00:08:50,081 --> 00:08:51,160 Speaker 2: Brenda was the one. 129 00:08:50,961 --> 00:08:53,841 Speaker 3: Who called the police tip line. This led to police 130 00:08:53,920 --> 00:08:58,641 Speaker 3: questioning Randy. This became an issue later because when police 131 00:08:58,641 --> 00:09:01,280 Speaker 3: went to get a search warrant, they said they had 132 00:09:01,361 --> 00:09:06,481 Speaker 3: three independent witnesses, Randy, Brenda, and someone else. But right 133 00:09:06,521 --> 00:09:09,841 Speaker 3: here we can see immediately Randy and Brenda were not 134 00:09:09,961 --> 00:09:13,161 Speaker 3: independent witnesses. One heard about it from the other one, 135 00:09:13,441 --> 00:09:17,280 Speaker 3: so it was effectively hearsay. When Randy was first interviewed 136 00:09:17,280 --> 00:09:21,121 Speaker 3: in twenty twelve, court record stated that after she did 137 00:09:21,161 --> 00:09:26,241 Speaker 3: tell her story, it never changed, but later Rico's attorney 138 00:09:26,321 --> 00:09:30,721 Speaker 3: claimed in a lawsuit that Randy's story did change multiple times. 139 00:09:30,721 --> 00:09:34,961 Speaker 3: We'll get more into that later. In Randy's interview, Randy 140 00:09:35,001 --> 00:09:38,881 Speaker 3: told detectives about a conversation that she allegedly had with Rico. 141 00:09:39,641 --> 00:09:42,841 Speaker 3: She said that the conversation took place six years earlier, 142 00:09:43,280 --> 00:09:47,681 Speaker 3: about six months after Nina Ingram's murder. Randy told police 143 00:09:47,721 --> 00:09:50,081 Speaker 3: she was afraid to tell them what she knew because 144 00:09:50,081 --> 00:09:54,161 Speaker 3: she was afraid of Rico. And also, she said, quote plus, 145 00:09:54,321 --> 00:09:56,601 Speaker 3: I didn't know one hundred percent if it was true 146 00:09:56,681 --> 00:09:56,881 Speaker 3: or not. 147 00:09:57,201 --> 00:09:58,040 Speaker 2: You know what I'm saying. 148 00:09:58,321 --> 00:10:02,321 Speaker 3: He could just be bragging end quote. But during that 149 00:10:02,401 --> 00:10:05,961 Speaker 3: first interview, she also said, quote when he looked at 150 00:10:06,001 --> 00:10:07,881 Speaker 3: me and told me in the way he looked me 151 00:10:07,921 --> 00:10:13,121 Speaker 3: in my face, it felt real. End quote. This is 152 00:10:13,121 --> 00:10:17,361 Speaker 3: what Randy told the detective. Apparently, Rico felt that Nina 153 00:10:17,401 --> 00:10:22,041 Speaker 3: had been disrespectful. A few days later, Rico happened to 154 00:10:22,041 --> 00:10:24,481 Speaker 3: be back at that complex to buy some pot. He 155 00:10:24,641 --> 00:10:27,561 Speaker 3: saw Nina arrive at home, and then he made an 156 00:10:27,601 --> 00:10:28,521 Speaker 3: impulse decision. 157 00:10:28,961 --> 00:10:29,920 Speaker 2: He knocked on the door. 158 00:10:30,041 --> 00:10:32,281 Speaker 3: She cracked it open, and he said he forced his 159 00:10:32,321 --> 00:10:36,521 Speaker 3: way in, strangled Nina, and then wiped down the door 160 00:10:36,561 --> 00:10:40,241 Speaker 3: and the doorknob and let the scene. Then he told 161 00:10:40,321 --> 00:10:42,201 Speaker 3: Randy that he went over to a friend's house and 162 00:10:42,241 --> 00:10:44,521 Speaker 3: turned on the news to see if Nina was dead 163 00:10:44,601 --> 00:10:48,601 Speaker 3: or not. Randy said that Rico told her he strangled 164 00:10:48,641 --> 00:10:51,121 Speaker 3: Nina to make a point, but ended up killing her. 165 00:10:51,921 --> 00:10:54,641 Speaker 3: Police also talked to some other women who Rico had dated, 166 00:10:55,481 --> 00:10:58,481 Speaker 3: and they told detectives that he had a violent temper 167 00:10:58,801 --> 00:11:03,601 Speaker 3: and could be controlling and jealous. Randy confirmed that she 168 00:11:03,801 --> 00:11:07,121 Speaker 3: told police that in the past, Rico had grabbed her 169 00:11:07,121 --> 00:11:10,161 Speaker 3: by the throat, choked her, put a gun in her face, 170 00:11:10,521 --> 00:11:14,961 Speaker 3: and sabotaged her car. So the state started building its 171 00:11:15,041 --> 00:11:17,160 Speaker 3: case against Rico Cone and it was going to be 172 00:11:17,201 --> 00:11:21,121 Speaker 3: tough because not only did they really so far only 173 00:11:21,161 --> 00:11:24,841 Speaker 3: have one person who allegedly had this information. They had 174 00:11:24,961 --> 00:11:29,041 Speaker 3: zero physical evidence, and it turned out that those rumors 175 00:11:29,121 --> 00:11:31,841 Speaker 3: about Rico Cone being a maintenance man at the complex 176 00:11:31,961 --> 00:11:36,161 Speaker 3: probably weren't true because police later said they believed Rico 177 00:11:36,201 --> 00:11:38,241 Speaker 3: had lied about being a maintenance man in order to 178 00:11:38,280 --> 00:11:41,481 Speaker 3: explain his DNA being there, but of course they never 179 00:11:41,521 --> 00:11:48,561 Speaker 3: found his DNA there. Since the case against Rico Cone 180 00:11:48,641 --> 00:11:52,081 Speaker 3: has been sealed, which is another longer story we're going 181 00:11:52,161 --> 00:11:55,241 Speaker 3: to get into later, there are no details about what 182 00:11:55,280 --> 00:11:58,681 Speaker 3: actually came out in court, but police did say that 183 00:11:58,721 --> 00:11:59,321 Speaker 3: there was. 184 00:11:59,361 --> 00:12:00,921 Speaker 2: DNA evidence in the apartment. 185 00:12:01,521 --> 00:12:04,561 Speaker 3: Police apparently believed that it had been cleaned by the killer, 186 00:12:05,441 --> 00:12:09,321 Speaker 3: and police also never found the murder weapon what Nino 187 00:12:09,441 --> 00:12:12,681 Speaker 3: was actually strangled with. They tested a belt they found 188 00:12:12,721 --> 00:12:14,961 Speaker 3: in a trash can in the kitchen, and a cat 189 00:12:15,001 --> 00:12:19,481 Speaker 3: toy and her miniblinds, but they found nothing, so the 190 00:12:19,561 --> 00:12:24,001 Speaker 3: killer probably took the murder weapon with him. Behind the scenes, 191 00:12:24,481 --> 00:12:27,961 Speaker 3: both the defense and the prosecution followed various motions and 192 00:12:28,001 --> 00:12:32,641 Speaker 3: the legal battle dragged on. Meanwhile, Rico Cone stayed behind 193 00:12:32,681 --> 00:12:37,561 Speaker 3: bars that whole time for over three years. Finally, in 194 00:12:37,601 --> 00:12:40,321 Speaker 3: twenty fifteen, the trial was getting ready to start, and 195 00:12:40,361 --> 00:12:43,761 Speaker 3: then there was another shocking twist in this case, the 196 00:12:43,921 --> 00:12:47,321 Speaker 3: state's key witness, Randy Applewhite, went into the hospital for 197 00:12:47,401 --> 00:12:50,160 Speaker 3: what was supposed to be a routine surgery, but something 198 00:12:50,201 --> 00:12:55,521 Speaker 3: went wrong and on Tuesday, March third, twenty fifteen, Randy 199 00:12:55,561 --> 00:13:12,041 Speaker 3: Applewhite died. Shortly after that, on July first, prosecutors dropped 200 00:13:12,041 --> 00:13:15,440 Speaker 3: the charges against Rico Cone, They said due to lack 201 00:13:15,481 --> 00:13:20,201 Speaker 3: of evidence. After spending over eleven hundred days in the 202 00:13:20,280 --> 00:13:24,241 Speaker 3: Washington County Detention Center, Rico was released a free man. 203 00:13:25,041 --> 00:13:27,561 Speaker 3: He went back to Tennessee, where he was from, to 204 00:13:27,601 --> 00:13:31,881 Speaker 3: stay with family. Meanwhile, the prosecutor, Matt Durett, told local 205 00:13:31,921 --> 00:13:34,441 Speaker 3: news stations that they had a year to pursue additional 206 00:13:34,521 --> 00:13:39,721 Speaker 3: charges against Rico, but that didn't happen. After that years pasted, 207 00:13:40,001 --> 00:13:42,881 Speaker 3: it seemed like the Nina Ingram murder case was in limbo. 208 00:13:43,001 --> 00:13:44,280 Speaker 2: The Fayetteville the Lice. 209 00:13:44,081 --> 00:13:47,841 Speaker 3: Department said the case was still officially open, but reading 210 00:13:47,881 --> 00:13:51,681 Speaker 3: between the lines, it seemed as though police felt that 211 00:13:51,761 --> 00:13:55,001 Speaker 3: they did get their guy, but that after the accidental 212 00:13:55,041 --> 00:13:58,161 Speaker 3: death of that key witness, they no longer had enough 213 00:13:58,161 --> 00:14:03,361 Speaker 3: to take to trial. Meanwhile, Rico's attorney Tony Pirani told 214 00:14:03,401 --> 00:14:06,481 Speaker 3: the news channel five News that his client had been 215 00:14:06,521 --> 00:14:10,641 Speaker 3: wrongfully accused since the beginning. He said, quote, we believe 216 00:14:10,681 --> 00:14:13,001 Speaker 3: an innocent man had been locked up for over three 217 00:14:13,081 --> 00:14:15,680 Speaker 3: years for something he did not do, and we do 218 00:14:15,761 --> 00:14:18,241 Speaker 3: not believe that this is justice for anybody. 219 00:14:18,761 --> 00:14:19,401 Speaker 2: End quote. 220 00:14:20,121 --> 00:14:23,481 Speaker 3: Tony Pirani said that the case against his client was 221 00:14:23,641 --> 00:14:27,001 Speaker 3: non existent and that if they had gone to trial 222 00:14:27,121 --> 00:14:30,721 Speaker 3: that he firmly believed that Randy Applewhite would have changed 223 00:14:30,721 --> 00:14:34,841 Speaker 3: her story. He told five News, quote, we had every 224 00:14:34,881 --> 00:14:37,201 Speaker 3: reason to expect that her testimony was going to be 225 00:14:37,241 --> 00:14:39,041 Speaker 3: quite different from some of the things that have been 226 00:14:39,081 --> 00:14:42,281 Speaker 3: said in the past, and in fact, she has told 227 00:14:42,401 --> 00:14:45,641 Speaker 3: us in no uncertain term that she does not believe 228 00:14:45,841 --> 00:14:47,401 Speaker 3: that Rico committed this crime. 229 00:14:47,921 --> 00:14:48,481 Speaker 2: End quote. 230 00:14:49,281 --> 00:14:52,841 Speaker 3: Rico's attorney did not agree with the police's position that 231 00:14:52,961 --> 00:14:56,801 Speaker 3: Rico was their best suspect. He had a message for 232 00:14:56,881 --> 00:15:01,561 Speaker 3: Nina's mother, Judy. The message said quote, we also would 233 00:15:01,641 --> 00:15:04,201 Speaker 3: like to see justice for her, and justice is not 234 00:15:04,321 --> 00:15:06,961 Speaker 3: involved the wrong person being locked up for this crime. 235 00:15:07,641 --> 00:15:10,721 Speaker 3: It involves finding the right person, and we do not 236 00:15:10,921 --> 00:15:15,481 Speaker 3: believe that is Rico Cone end quote. Rico also messaged 237 00:15:15,561 --> 00:15:19,521 Speaker 3: the news station on Facebook, writing quote please believe me. 238 00:15:19,841 --> 00:15:21,841 Speaker 3: I am innocent and had nothing to do with this, 239 00:15:21,921 --> 00:15:24,601 Speaker 3: and my heart, mind, and soul goes out to the 240 00:15:24,761 --> 00:15:28,761 Speaker 3: Ingram family end quote. Rico's attorneys did their own investigation. 241 00:15:29,521 --> 00:15:32,321 Speaker 3: They later filed a civil lawsuit against the detectives in 242 00:15:32,321 --> 00:15:36,801 Speaker 3: the case. In Rico's civil lawsuit, they referenced the fact 243 00:15:36,881 --> 00:15:40,641 Speaker 3: that the police department did identify several other people of interest. 244 00:15:41,481 --> 00:15:43,321 Speaker 2: As we said last week. 245 00:15:43,281 --> 00:15:46,801 Speaker 3: There were a lot of men in Nina's orbit, coworkers, 246 00:15:46,881 --> 00:15:50,081 Speaker 3: male friends, her brothers, and their acquaintances. She was an 247 00:15:50,121 --> 00:15:53,080 Speaker 3: attractive young woman, and even though she had a boyfriend 248 00:15:53,121 --> 00:15:56,521 Speaker 3: and tried to avoid leading people on, men still hit 249 00:15:56,561 --> 00:16:00,241 Speaker 3: on her often. Some men made comments to police about 250 00:16:00,281 --> 00:16:03,041 Speaker 3: being close friends of Nina's and wanting to keep an 251 00:16:03,081 --> 00:16:06,041 Speaker 3: eye on her, which could be a good thing, but 252 00:16:06,121 --> 00:16:10,401 Speaker 3: in a police investigation, detectives are always, of course, looking 253 00:16:10,441 --> 00:16:14,321 Speaker 3: for anything that could be out of the ordinary. One 254 00:16:14,321 --> 00:16:18,401 Speaker 3: of Nina's friends was a guy named Freddie Hollingsworth. Freddie 255 00:16:18,441 --> 00:16:21,441 Speaker 3: had worked with Nina at Walmart. He stopped by her 256 00:16:21,481 --> 00:16:24,321 Speaker 3: apartment complex a couple of days after her murder, and 257 00:16:24,401 --> 00:16:27,281 Speaker 3: a couple of the female tenants at that building told 258 00:16:27,321 --> 00:16:30,561 Speaker 3: police that they thought that police should be aware of Freddie, 259 00:16:31,681 --> 00:16:34,201 Speaker 3: they said. Freddie said that his name was Freddie, like 260 00:16:34,281 --> 00:16:35,001 Speaker 3: Freddy Krueger. 261 00:16:35,601 --> 00:16:35,961 Speaker 2: They said. 262 00:16:35,961 --> 00:16:37,761 Speaker 3: Freddie told them he was a very good friend of 263 00:16:37,841 --> 00:16:40,441 Speaker 3: Nina's and was talking a lot about his theories on 264 00:16:40,481 --> 00:16:43,681 Speaker 3: who could have killed her and about his suppose inside 265 00:16:43,841 --> 00:16:47,001 Speaker 3: her knowledge of the case. Police talked to Freddy on 266 00:16:47,081 --> 00:16:49,801 Speaker 3: May first, two thousand and six. He told them that 267 00:16:49,841 --> 00:16:51,921 Speaker 3: he met Nina in two thousand and two when he 268 00:16:51,961 --> 00:16:55,241 Speaker 3: worked with her at the Walmart neighborhood market. He said 269 00:16:55,321 --> 00:16:59,601 Speaker 3: they became close friends. The detective said, when you say 270 00:16:59,721 --> 00:17:03,641 Speaker 3: good friends, so you mean like boyfriend. Freddie replied, quote, no, 271 00:17:03,921 --> 00:17:07,600 Speaker 3: I wish, but she wasn't the type. So the detective 272 00:17:07,640 --> 00:17:10,640 Speaker 3: asked what he meant by the type. Freddie said Nina 273 00:17:10,681 --> 00:17:13,561 Speaker 3: was always clear about her priorities being work in school, 274 00:17:14,120 --> 00:17:17,480 Speaker 3: and also said Nina had a boyfriend. He knew that 275 00:17:17,600 --> 00:17:20,840 Speaker 3: she had a relationship with Josh and that it was serious. 276 00:17:21,481 --> 00:17:24,840 Speaker 3: Freddie and Nina attended the same college, even though Freddie 277 00:17:24,921 --> 00:17:27,481 Speaker 3: was several years older. He was twenty nine, Nina was 278 00:17:27,521 --> 00:17:31,360 Speaker 3: twenty one. Both of them majored in business. Freddie said 279 00:17:31,360 --> 00:17:33,361 Speaker 3: that he thought of himself as kind of a big 280 00:17:33,400 --> 00:17:37,360 Speaker 3: brother figure to Nina. He told police that he loved 281 00:17:37,360 --> 00:17:41,640 Speaker 3: her but as a friend. But about eight months before 282 00:17:41,761 --> 00:17:45,721 Speaker 3: Nina's murder, he said that kind of lost touch. That's 283 00:17:45,761 --> 00:17:49,120 Speaker 3: when Nina transferred to the Walmart supercenter on Sixth Street 284 00:17:49,441 --> 00:17:52,681 Speaker 3: to work in loss prevention. Freddie said after that they 285 00:17:52,681 --> 00:17:55,521 Speaker 3: saw each other only intermittently. He saw her when he 286 00:17:55,561 --> 00:17:58,600 Speaker 3: did his shopping at that Sixth Street store, and he 287 00:17:58,761 --> 00:18:01,361 Speaker 3: also worked in the same store as Nina's brother, Nelson, 288 00:18:02,001 --> 00:18:04,721 Speaker 3: so he would chat to Nelson about how his sister 289 00:18:04,801 --> 00:18:06,881 Speaker 3: was doing and hear about her second hand. 290 00:18:08,041 --> 00:18:09,001 Speaker 2: Freddie said that. 291 00:18:09,001 --> 00:18:11,601 Speaker 3: The last time he saw Nina was about a week 292 00:18:11,721 --> 00:18:15,041 Speaker 3: or two before she died. He went into the Walmart 293 00:18:15,080 --> 00:18:19,161 Speaker 3: supercenter to buy a digital camera. He said that the manager, 294 00:18:19,281 --> 00:18:21,840 Speaker 3: Danny Williams, was at the store at that time. He 295 00:18:21,881 --> 00:18:23,880 Speaker 3: said he didn't really get to talk to Nina as 296 00:18:23,921 --> 00:18:27,281 Speaker 3: much as he wanted to because Danny was talking to him. 297 00:18:27,481 --> 00:18:29,961 Speaker 3: Freddie said that they did chat for about ten minutes 298 00:18:29,961 --> 00:18:32,321 Speaker 3: about the camera he was buying, and about school and 299 00:18:32,401 --> 00:18:35,321 Speaker 3: work and life in general. He said they had a 300 00:18:35,361 --> 00:18:39,080 Speaker 3: really great conversation, but he said that was the last 301 00:18:39,121 --> 00:18:43,121 Speaker 3: time that he ever spoke to Nina. Freddie told police 302 00:18:43,121 --> 00:18:47,681 Speaker 3: something off. He said, quote, I really get mad at Nina. 303 00:18:47,961 --> 00:18:49,681 Speaker 3: I would get mad at her a lot because of 304 00:18:49,721 --> 00:18:52,201 Speaker 3: the type of job she's doing, and I've got witnesses. 305 00:18:52,801 --> 00:18:54,761 Speaker 3: I've tried to get her out of this job, this 306 00:18:54,921 --> 00:18:55,881 Speaker 3: loss prevention job. 307 00:18:56,080 --> 00:18:57,121 Speaker 2: End quote. 308 00:18:57,361 --> 00:19:00,641 Speaker 3: So the officer interviewing Freddie asked, what do you mean 309 00:19:00,761 --> 00:19:01,441 Speaker 3: get mad. 310 00:19:01,281 --> 00:19:02,321 Speaker 2: At her a lot? 311 00:19:02,721 --> 00:19:06,241 Speaker 3: Freddie said, quote, well, I would get not mad at her. 312 00:19:06,321 --> 00:19:09,001 Speaker 3: I would just get frustrated with her. I'm like, Nina, 313 00:19:09,201 --> 00:19:11,521 Speaker 3: you need to stop doing this job. You don't have 314 00:19:11,601 --> 00:19:14,920 Speaker 3: a law enforcement background. I said, somebody's gonna hurt you. 315 00:19:15,561 --> 00:19:17,441 Speaker 3: I know what kind of people shopping there. I said, 316 00:19:17,441 --> 00:19:19,921 Speaker 3: you're going to be busting somebody, and you're gonna get busted. 317 00:19:20,241 --> 00:19:22,801 Speaker 3: You're gonna get hit, you're gonna get stabbed. And I 318 00:19:22,840 --> 00:19:24,961 Speaker 3: have another witness that heard me saying those things to her, 319 00:19:24,961 --> 00:19:28,321 Speaker 3: and she just blew me off. She said, oh, Freddie, 320 00:19:28,481 --> 00:19:31,041 Speaker 3: don't talk like that, and nothing's going to happen. And 321 00:19:31,080 --> 00:19:33,281 Speaker 3: that's what upset me so much when I found out 322 00:19:33,281 --> 00:19:37,080 Speaker 3: someone had killed her, because I suspect that's probably what happened. 323 00:19:37,641 --> 00:19:38,961 Speaker 2: End quote. 324 00:19:39,201 --> 00:19:42,721 Speaker 3: Freddie went on to say he believed that his shoplifting 325 00:19:42,721 --> 00:19:45,881 Speaker 3: theory could have happened that someone whom Nina had busted 326 00:19:45,881 --> 00:19:49,401 Speaker 3: for shoplifting, maybe someone who was on parole or already 327 00:19:49,401 --> 00:19:52,441 Speaker 3: had a criminal record, someone who couldn't afford to catch 328 00:19:52,481 --> 00:19:54,481 Speaker 3: another charge, might have targeted her. 329 00:19:55,281 --> 00:19:57,321 Speaker 2: Freddy said that it was possible. 330 00:19:56,881 --> 00:19:59,561 Speaker 3: That one of those disgruntled shoplifters got out of jail 331 00:20:00,161 --> 00:20:04,121 Speaker 3: and then started stalking Nina. He said, quote he either 332 00:20:04,161 --> 00:20:06,080 Speaker 3: come to the parking lot and watched her and figured 333 00:20:06,080 --> 00:20:09,081 Speaker 3: out what she drove, or he just happened to get 334 00:20:09,121 --> 00:20:11,601 Speaker 3: behind her to drive through or something and recognized her 335 00:20:11,601 --> 00:20:14,041 Speaker 3: and he followed her, figured out where she lived, started 336 00:20:14,080 --> 00:20:17,600 Speaker 3: watching timing everything. I mean see, she always left her 337 00:20:17,641 --> 00:20:21,400 Speaker 3: apartment Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday late around nine o'clock 338 00:20:21,441 --> 00:20:24,120 Speaker 3: because she picked Nelson up. She'd dropped Nelson off at 339 00:20:24,161 --> 00:20:25,921 Speaker 3: his house, and then she'd be back at her apartment 340 00:20:25,921 --> 00:20:29,080 Speaker 3: by herself. And I figure, maybe this is just a theory. 341 00:20:29,721 --> 00:20:32,801 Speaker 3: Maybe he timed her down and got everything figured out. 342 00:20:33,121 --> 00:20:34,521 Speaker 2: End quote. 343 00:20:34,601 --> 00:20:38,481 Speaker 3: The detective asked Freddy to explain how he knew Nina's 344 00:20:38,481 --> 00:20:41,721 Speaker 3: schedule so well, including what time she was alone in 345 00:20:41,721 --> 00:20:45,681 Speaker 3: her apartment. Freddie Claire verified that although he knew Nina well, 346 00:20:46,121 --> 00:20:49,521 Speaker 3: he actually never knew where Nina lived. But he said 347 00:20:49,521 --> 00:20:52,641 Speaker 3: on the Sunday after Nina's murder, he saw news report 348 00:20:52,681 --> 00:20:55,481 Speaker 3: about the murder and it showed pictures of the apartment complex. 349 00:20:55,881 --> 00:20:58,041 Speaker 3: He said when he saw the complex on the news, 350 00:20:58,161 --> 00:21:01,041 Speaker 3: he recognized it and that's when he decided to go 351 00:21:01,121 --> 00:21:01,521 Speaker 3: over there. 352 00:21:02,241 --> 00:21:03,681 Speaker 2: He said he did it because he. 353 00:21:03,681 --> 00:21:06,681 Speaker 3: Wanted, quote to see if there's something that maybe someone 354 00:21:06,681 --> 00:21:08,840 Speaker 3: could have done. I felt like I wanted to have 355 00:21:08,840 --> 00:21:12,120 Speaker 3: a connection. I wanted to do something, and I also 356 00:21:12,281 --> 00:21:15,001 Speaker 3: wanted to see if they were putting flowers on her doorstep, 357 00:21:15,401 --> 00:21:17,080 Speaker 3: because I was going to buy some the next day 358 00:21:17,481 --> 00:21:20,360 Speaker 3: and drop them off on my way to school end quote. 359 00:21:21,080 --> 00:21:24,161 Speaker 3: But Freddy said he couldn't find the crime scene tape. 360 00:21:24,241 --> 00:21:26,601 Speaker 3: He wasn't able to figure out which apartment was Nina's, 361 00:21:27,041 --> 00:21:30,121 Speaker 3: so after driving around the complex, he decided to park 362 00:21:30,161 --> 00:21:33,281 Speaker 3: and take a look around. Then, he said, after getting 363 00:21:33,281 --> 00:21:35,801 Speaker 3: out of the car, he saw some women standing there. 364 00:21:35,881 --> 00:21:38,601 Speaker 3: He started talking to them, asking them if they lived there. 365 00:21:39,361 --> 00:21:42,120 Speaker 3: He told them he was a friend of nina'snamed Freddie Hollingsworth. 366 00:21:42,441 --> 00:21:44,681 Speaker 3: He said he wanted to see where she live. He 367 00:21:44,840 --> 00:21:48,001 Speaker 3: said he told them. Quote, I just want to see 368 00:21:48,161 --> 00:21:50,881 Speaker 3: what happened, you know, if there's something that I can 369 00:21:50,921 --> 00:21:54,681 Speaker 3: see that people can't end quote. One of those women 370 00:21:54,761 --> 00:21:58,880 Speaker 3: pointed out Nina's unit, Unit number one. Freddy said he 371 00:21:58,921 --> 00:22:02,321 Speaker 3: didn't actually go over to Nina's apartment. He said that 372 00:22:02,401 --> 00:22:05,321 Speaker 3: he and the two women stared at it and then 373 00:22:05,481 --> 00:22:08,160 Speaker 3: walked a few steps toward it across the grass, but 374 00:22:08,241 --> 00:22:10,201 Speaker 3: then he turned around and left. 375 00:22:10,681 --> 00:22:11,921 Speaker 2: The detective questioning. 376 00:22:11,961 --> 00:22:14,120 Speaker 3: Freddy asked him what he meant by saying that he 377 00:22:14,201 --> 00:22:16,441 Speaker 3: wanted to see if he noticed something that other people 378 00:22:16,521 --> 00:22:20,841 Speaker 3: wouldn't have seen. Freddie said, quote, well, I notice things 379 00:22:20,881 --> 00:22:23,801 Speaker 3: a lot. I'm really good about things. I was hurting, 380 00:22:23,921 --> 00:22:26,880 Speaker 3: i was upset, I was crying, and I just felt 381 00:22:26,881 --> 00:22:29,281 Speaker 3: like there was something. You know, It's like if someone 382 00:22:29,281 --> 00:22:31,361 Speaker 3: got killed in a car wreck, you go to where 383 00:22:31,401 --> 00:22:34,001 Speaker 3: they got killed, and you just want to feel like 384 00:22:34,080 --> 00:22:36,721 Speaker 3: you can do something for them, or you're with them 385 00:22:36,761 --> 00:22:40,561 Speaker 3: or something. And that's what I was seeking. I wanted 386 00:22:40,601 --> 00:22:43,481 Speaker 3: to just live a little bit of Nina. I just 387 00:22:43,521 --> 00:22:47,041 Speaker 3: wanted to feel some connection to Nina. I wanted to 388 00:22:47,041 --> 00:22:47,921 Speaker 3: see where she lived. 389 00:22:48,281 --> 00:22:48,721 Speaker 2: End quote. 390 00:22:49,761 --> 00:22:52,400 Speaker 3: So it would be natural for police to wonder at 391 00:22:52,401 --> 00:22:55,600 Speaker 3: this point was Freddie just a good friend who was 392 00:22:55,601 --> 00:22:58,561 Speaker 3: slothing to try to pick up clues, which, to be fair, 393 00:22:58,721 --> 00:23:01,481 Speaker 3: I can completely relate to. And I am not, by 394 00:23:01,521 --> 00:23:04,521 Speaker 3: the way suggesting that he did anything wrong, because people 395 00:23:04,601 --> 00:23:07,880 Speaker 3: react to grief in all kinds of ways. But obviously 396 00:23:07,921 --> 00:23:09,840 Speaker 3: with any male friend of Nina's who showed up at 397 00:23:09,840 --> 00:23:13,120 Speaker 3: her apartment, it's natural to question him and find out 398 00:23:13,161 --> 00:23:15,880 Speaker 3: if he's trying to help or potentially to insert himself 399 00:23:15,881 --> 00:23:20,840 Speaker 3: into the case or misdirect an investigation. Freddie said that 400 00:23:20,881 --> 00:23:23,640 Speaker 3: he noticed something else about Nina's unit, that it was 401 00:23:23,681 --> 00:23:26,241 Speaker 3: what he called a bad apartment because it was on 402 00:23:26,361 --> 00:23:29,001 Speaker 3: the ground floor on the corner, and that there was 403 00:23:29,041 --> 00:23:32,880 Speaker 3: a stairwell right beside the apartment. Nina's light was above 404 00:23:32,881 --> 00:23:35,681 Speaker 3: her door, But Freddie said when he was there at 405 00:23:35,801 --> 00:23:39,321 Speaker 3: Nina's complex on that Sunday that he noticed that Nina's 406 00:23:39,321 --> 00:23:42,721 Speaker 3: porch light was not working, but that everyone else's was. 407 00:23:43,961 --> 00:23:48,641 Speaker 3: Note later in this interview, Freddie clarified that he meant 408 00:23:48,681 --> 00:23:50,201 Speaker 3: that Nina's light wasn't on. 409 00:23:50,840 --> 00:23:51,681 Speaker 2: He said he didn't know. 410 00:23:51,641 --> 00:23:53,920 Speaker 3: If that was broken or if police had turned it 411 00:23:53,961 --> 00:23:56,521 Speaker 3: off or failed to turn it on when they started 412 00:23:56,521 --> 00:24:00,160 Speaker 3: their investigation. Freddie said that he began to think that 413 00:24:00,201 --> 00:24:03,640 Speaker 3: maybe Nina's killer disabled the light and then was hiding 414 00:24:03,681 --> 00:24:06,001 Speaker 3: behind the stairwell to wait for when she came home. 415 00:24:06,761 --> 00:24:09,840 Speaker 3: That the killer quote had her timed because she worked 416 00:24:09,881 --> 00:24:12,841 Speaker 3: just like clockwork, and he just pushed himself in behind her. 417 00:24:13,121 --> 00:24:16,921 Speaker 3: That's why the door wasn't broken. End quote. Freddie said 418 00:24:16,921 --> 00:24:19,281 Speaker 3: that he had known about the locked door before it 419 00:24:19,361 --> 00:24:21,961 Speaker 3: was reported in the newspapers, because he'd heard about it 420 00:24:21,961 --> 00:24:24,721 Speaker 3: from the gosspep going around Walmart. He said that he 421 00:24:24,881 --> 00:24:28,401 Speaker 3: learned about Nina's death on Saturday afternoon, after management called 422 00:24:28,441 --> 00:24:32,321 Speaker 3: a special meeting and told employees that Nina had been murdered. 423 00:24:33,401 --> 00:24:34,801 Speaker 2: Freddie said that when he was in. 424 00:24:34,840 --> 00:24:38,840 Speaker 3: Nina's apartment complex that he got an eerie feeling like 425 00:24:38,961 --> 00:24:40,961 Speaker 3: maybe he and the two women he was talking to 426 00:24:41,041 --> 00:24:44,281 Speaker 3: were being watched. He said, quote the these people that 427 00:24:44,321 --> 00:24:46,321 Speaker 3: live there, I told them. I said, I don't know 428 00:24:46,321 --> 00:24:48,761 Speaker 3: a lot about it, but I think you guys should 429 00:24:48,761 --> 00:24:51,521 Speaker 3: lock your doors and be careful because there may be 430 00:24:51,561 --> 00:24:55,761 Speaker 3: someone out here on the loose end quote. At some points, 431 00:24:55,840 --> 00:24:59,001 Speaker 3: Freddy's story did seem to shift slightly, like at one 432 00:24:59,041 --> 00:25:01,521 Speaker 3: point he said he was going to leave flowers, but 433 00:25:01,601 --> 00:25:04,481 Speaker 3: then later he clarified his plan had actually been to 434 00:25:04,681 --> 00:25:07,360 Speaker 3: go to Nina's and then later go back to the supercenter, 435 00:25:07,681 --> 00:25:09,601 Speaker 3: buy the flowers, and drop them off the next day, 436 00:25:10,241 --> 00:25:12,321 Speaker 3: but he said he noticed no one else had left 437 00:25:12,321 --> 00:25:13,921 Speaker 3: flowers and he didn't want to be the. 438 00:25:13,840 --> 00:25:14,840 Speaker 2: Only one doing that. 439 00:25:15,921 --> 00:25:19,561 Speaker 3: Freddy suggested that detective checked fast food places where Nina 440 00:25:19,601 --> 00:25:22,961 Speaker 3: had been to see if they had surveillance cameras, specifically 441 00:25:23,001 --> 00:25:25,801 Speaker 3: if there was someone stalking her, and if there were 442 00:25:25,801 --> 00:25:28,681 Speaker 3: easy Marts or any stores that have security cameras on 443 00:25:28,761 --> 00:25:32,241 Speaker 3: those gas pumps. He also said if he were police, 444 00:25:32,601 --> 00:25:35,481 Speaker 3: he would check past tenants or anyone you had a key, 445 00:25:35,881 --> 00:25:39,080 Speaker 3: and of course, as he mentioned before, anyone who Nina 446 00:25:39,161 --> 00:25:41,561 Speaker 3: was involved in busting who may have been angry with her. 447 00:25:42,601 --> 00:25:45,521 Speaker 3: Freddie also suggested police check the trash cans in the 448 00:25:45,561 --> 00:25:48,801 Speaker 3: complex and underneath the stairwell to see if someone had 449 00:25:48,840 --> 00:25:52,121 Speaker 3: dropped cigarette butts while watching for Nina. There's also some 450 00:25:52,161 --> 00:25:54,401 Speaker 3: big trees down there in the complex, he told them, 451 00:25:54,521 --> 00:25:58,561 Speaker 3: where someone could have hid behind. Freddie voluntarily gave police 452 00:25:58,641 --> 00:26:01,400 Speaker 3: cheek swabs so that they could be compared for DNA. 453 00:26:02,201 --> 00:26:04,481 Speaker 3: He offered to help out in any way that he 454 00:26:04,521 --> 00:26:10,281 Speaker 3: could As they were collecting the swabs, Freddy continued to 455 00:26:10,321 --> 00:26:12,961 Speaker 3: talk about his theory that someone had been following Nina 456 00:26:13,041 --> 00:26:17,160 Speaker 3: for quote payback or retribution. He said that's why he 457 00:26:17,241 --> 00:26:20,521 Speaker 3: recommended that police check the fast food places that she frequented. 458 00:26:21,161 --> 00:26:24,001 Speaker 3: The detective asked Freddy if he ate fast food, and 459 00:26:24,080 --> 00:26:26,481 Speaker 3: he said, Taco Bell is the only one that I 460 00:26:26,521 --> 00:26:30,081 Speaker 3: eat at. Nina was at Taco Bell on the night 461 00:26:30,121 --> 00:26:33,961 Speaker 3: she died. Taco Bell fast food was her last meal. 462 00:26:35,121 --> 00:26:37,681 Speaker 3: Detectives asked Freddy where he was on the night Nina 463 00:26:37,761 --> 00:26:40,801 Speaker 3: was killed. He said that on April twenty first, he 464 00:26:40,881 --> 00:26:43,561 Speaker 3: worked his shift at Walmart, got off at nine pm, 465 00:26:43,761 --> 00:26:46,601 Speaker 3: but stayed there till round nine thirty. Then he said 466 00:26:46,641 --> 00:26:48,521 Speaker 3: he was talking to a friend, and then he went 467 00:26:48,561 --> 00:26:51,961 Speaker 3: back to his mom's house. He said that on that night, 468 00:26:52,281 --> 00:26:54,561 Speaker 3: his mom was not at home. He did say that 469 00:26:54,601 --> 00:26:56,921 Speaker 3: he had a roommate who stayed there, but he said 470 00:26:56,921 --> 00:26:59,441 Speaker 3: the roommate did not get off work at Target until 471 00:26:59,481 --> 00:27:03,041 Speaker 3: two or three am, so at the time Freddy was 472 00:27:03,041 --> 00:27:04,080 Speaker 3: home alone. 473 00:27:04,161 --> 00:27:05,441 Speaker 2: He said he got home. 474 00:27:05,241 --> 00:27:08,241 Speaker 3: By eleven fifteen at the latest, and that after he 475 00:27:08,281 --> 00:27:12,080 Speaker 3: got home he went straight to bed. The detective noticed 476 00:27:12,121 --> 00:27:15,041 Speaker 3: something else at that point a cut on Freddy's hand. 477 00:27:15,801 --> 00:27:18,961 Speaker 3: He asked Freddy where he got the cut. Freddie said 478 00:27:18,961 --> 00:27:21,601 Speaker 3: that there were two separate cuts. He said that one 479 00:27:21,601 --> 00:27:24,840 Speaker 3: happened on Friday, April twenty first, the day that Nina 480 00:27:24,921 --> 00:27:28,041 Speaker 3: was murdered. He said that he had been helping a 481 00:27:28,080 --> 00:27:31,761 Speaker 3: coworker get down cases of water. In the process of that, 482 00:27:31,881 --> 00:27:34,680 Speaker 3: he scraped his hand on a ladder. He said it 483 00:27:34,721 --> 00:27:37,641 Speaker 3: was just a scratch, so he didn't say anything to anyone. 484 00:27:38,361 --> 00:27:40,880 Speaker 3: Then he said on Sunday he was getting some bananas 485 00:27:40,961 --> 00:27:44,321 Speaker 3: and scraped the hand again on a cart. This, he said, 486 00:27:44,321 --> 00:27:47,160 Speaker 3: the cut reopened and started bleeding, so he said he 487 00:27:47,201 --> 00:27:49,241 Speaker 3: went into the break room and got a band aid 488 00:27:49,241 --> 00:27:52,961 Speaker 3: from someone. The detective took some pictures of Freddie's hand, 489 00:27:53,721 --> 00:27:58,321 Speaker 3: and before concluding the interview, the detective said, quote, well, Freddie, 490 00:27:58,361 --> 00:28:01,441 Speaker 3: there's just some things that concern me. He asked again 491 00:28:01,801 --> 00:28:05,761 Speaker 3: how Freddy knew so much about Nina's schedule. The detective 492 00:28:05,881 --> 00:28:08,721 Speaker 3: also quizzed Freddie on why he went to the Taco 493 00:28:08,801 --> 00:28:10,801 Speaker 3: bell on Sixth Street to eat the. 494 00:28:10,761 --> 00:28:11,681 Speaker 2: Week Nina died. 495 00:28:12,201 --> 00:28:14,521 Speaker 3: If he had a taco bell nearer to the neighborhood 496 00:28:14,521 --> 00:28:17,801 Speaker 3: market where he worked at the time. Freddie said that 497 00:28:17,881 --> 00:28:20,961 Speaker 3: he only ate fast food rarely and that he just 498 00:28:21,041 --> 00:28:24,881 Speaker 3: happened to go to Taco Bell that week. The detective 499 00:28:25,001 --> 00:28:27,801 Speaker 3: asked if it was possible that Freddie had been at 500 00:28:27,840 --> 00:28:31,441 Speaker 3: Nina's apartment before Sunday. He asked if it was possible 501 00:28:31,441 --> 00:28:33,241 Speaker 3: that someone would pick Freddy out of a lineup. 502 00:28:33,840 --> 00:28:34,961 Speaker 2: Freddie was adamant. 503 00:28:35,080 --> 00:28:37,321 Speaker 3: He said he would take a lie detector test right 504 00:28:37,361 --> 00:28:39,921 Speaker 3: then to prove he had never been a Nina's apartment 505 00:28:39,961 --> 00:28:44,881 Speaker 3: complex before that Sunday. Freddie acknowledged to detectives that it 506 00:28:44,961 --> 00:28:48,081 Speaker 3: might seem suspicious that he knew so much about Nina's whereabouts, 507 00:28:48,681 --> 00:28:51,441 Speaker 3: but he said that's just how his mind works. He's 508 00:28:51,481 --> 00:28:54,281 Speaker 3: an observant person and he just wanted to help figure 509 00:28:54,321 --> 00:29:08,081 Speaker 3: out who killed Nina. Along with Freddie, detectives also talked 510 00:29:08,081 --> 00:29:10,881 Speaker 3: to several men whom Nina had dated casually in the past, 511 00:29:11,721 --> 00:29:14,361 Speaker 3: but none of them had any reason to be angry 512 00:29:14,361 --> 00:29:17,841 Speaker 3: with her, and all of them had alibis. A neighbor 513 00:29:17,841 --> 00:29:21,401 Speaker 3: of Nina's and a census taker told police they had 514 00:29:21,441 --> 00:29:24,441 Speaker 3: seen Nina with men in her apartment, but it's not 515 00:29:24,721 --> 00:29:27,881 Speaker 3: clear if these men were ever identified. One of them 516 00:29:27,961 --> 00:29:31,641 Speaker 3: was described as being medium billed with dark hair. Detectives 517 00:29:31,681 --> 00:29:34,241 Speaker 3: got a description from the census taker of the shirt 518 00:29:34,281 --> 00:29:37,441 Speaker 3: that this guy was wearing. They found a similar shirt 519 00:29:37,441 --> 00:29:40,801 Speaker 3: that she identified from a catalog. There is a photo 520 00:29:40,841 --> 00:29:43,281 Speaker 3: of that shirt in the case file. The man she 521 00:29:43,321 --> 00:29:46,601 Speaker 3: saw wearing a long sleeved white button up shirt with 522 00:29:46,681 --> 00:29:49,121 Speaker 3: a band collar. Those are the ones that button at 523 00:29:49,161 --> 00:29:51,681 Speaker 3: the top with a single button without having a fold 524 00:29:51,721 --> 00:29:55,201 Speaker 3: over collar. The shirt was white with a blue stripe, 525 00:29:55,801 --> 00:30:00,521 Speaker 3: but that person was never conclusively identified. Police interviewed another 526 00:30:00,561 --> 00:30:04,761 Speaker 3: woman named Chantal, who lived in Nina's apartment complex. She 527 00:30:04,921 --> 00:30:07,361 Speaker 3: said she pulled into the parking lot on the night 528 00:30:07,361 --> 00:30:10,321 Speaker 3: of April first, at around nine to fifteen pm. She 529 00:30:10,401 --> 00:30:12,601 Speaker 3: said on that night she noticed a person she'd never 530 00:30:12,641 --> 00:30:16,161 Speaker 3: seen before. She said at first she wasn't positive if 531 00:30:16,201 --> 00:30:18,281 Speaker 3: it was a man or a woman, but she believed 532 00:30:18,321 --> 00:30:20,881 Speaker 3: that it was a woman, someone who had her hair 533 00:30:21,041 --> 00:30:23,921 Speaker 3: yelled back. The woman was sitting in the driver's seat 534 00:30:23,921 --> 00:30:28,321 Speaker 3: of a darker, older model car. Chantal described it as vintage. 535 00:30:28,761 --> 00:30:30,681 Speaker 3: She said it was dark, so she wasn't sure if 536 00:30:30,721 --> 00:30:33,841 Speaker 3: it was blue or navy or black. She said she 537 00:30:33,961 --> 00:30:37,401 Speaker 3: saw a blond man walk out from the area, possibly 538 00:30:37,481 --> 00:30:41,361 Speaker 3: near apartment number one, and the couple drove away. They 539 00:30:41,441 --> 00:30:44,521 Speaker 3: also talked to another guy, Josh Donn, who said that 540 00:30:44,601 --> 00:30:46,161 Speaker 3: he had been set up on a date with Nina 541 00:30:46,201 --> 00:30:49,960 Speaker 3: a while back. They looked at Josh's hands too, and 542 00:30:50,041 --> 00:30:52,001 Speaker 3: found that there was a cut on his thumb, which 543 00:30:52,041 --> 00:30:55,041 Speaker 3: Josh said was from a rake. Josh said there were 544 00:30:55,041 --> 00:30:58,441 Speaker 3: other marks on his hands from rock climbing. He also 545 00:30:58,521 --> 00:31:02,521 Speaker 3: expressed a desire to help catch Nina's killer and voluntarily 546 00:31:02,561 --> 00:31:11,521 Speaker 3: gave his DNA to police. After Rico Cone's release, his 547 00:31:11,601 --> 00:31:15,041 Speaker 3: attorney filed a lawsuit against several detectives involved in the case, 548 00:31:15,481 --> 00:31:19,321 Speaker 3: suing them both personally and in their capacity as police officers. 549 00:31:20,081 --> 00:31:22,441 Speaker 3: Also listed in the court case where the city of 550 00:31:22,521 --> 00:31:25,281 Speaker 3: Fayible and employees Arkansas. 551 00:31:24,961 --> 00:31:25,721 Speaker 2: State Crime Lab. 552 00:31:27,121 --> 00:31:29,361 Speaker 3: Next week, we are going to look a lot deeper 553 00:31:29,401 --> 00:31:32,121 Speaker 3: at the case against Rico Cone. We are also going 554 00:31:32,161 --> 00:31:36,081 Speaker 3: to explore what his attorneys claim or viable leads, including 555 00:31:36,321 --> 00:31:38,841 Speaker 3: one person of interest who had a frame picture of 556 00:31:38,921 --> 00:31:42,841 Speaker 3: Nina in his apartment and who allegedly choked his girlfriend 557 00:31:43,001 --> 00:31:48,521 Speaker 3: with the court of his athletic shorts. Rico's lawsuit alleges 558 00:31:48,601 --> 00:31:51,641 Speaker 3: that the police falsified information to get a search warrant 559 00:31:51,641 --> 00:31:55,241 Speaker 3: against him and violated his civil rights. We are going 560 00:31:55,321 --> 00:31:59,161 Speaker 3: to examine peace by piece the case against Rico Cone 561 00:31:59,321 --> 00:32:02,481 Speaker 3: because if the police are wrong and he wasn't the 562 00:32:02,481 --> 00:32:06,521 Speaker 3: only suspect, there are several people of interests still out there, 563 00:32:07,401 --> 00:32:11,681 Speaker 3: and to our knowledge, the police are not investigating anyone 564 00:32:11,721 --> 00:32:17,081 Speaker 3: other than Rigo Cone. So who killed Nina Ingram? Did 565 00:32:17,121 --> 00:32:22,201 Speaker 3: this person stalk her beforehand? Was this person a stranger 566 00:32:23,041 --> 00:32:26,441 Speaker 3: or could it have been someone she knew and maybe 567 00:32:26,481 --> 00:32:33,281 Speaker 3: even let in? I'm Catherine Townsend. This is Helen Gone 568 00:32:33,681 --> 00:32:36,521 Speaker 3: Murder Line. Helen Gone Murder Line is a production of 569 00:32:36,561 --> 00:32:39,961 Speaker 3: School of Humans and iHeart Podcasts. It's written and narrated 570 00:32:39,961 --> 00:32:42,721 Speaker 3: by me Catherine Townsend and produced by Gabby Watts. 571 00:32:43,201 --> 00:32:44,681 Speaker 2: Special thanks to Amy. 572 00:32:44,441 --> 00:32:47,681 Speaker 3: Tubbs for her research assistance and to James Wheaton for 573 00:32:47,761 --> 00:32:51,361 Speaker 3: legal review. Noah Camera mixed and scored this episode. Our 574 00:32:51,401 --> 00:32:55,801 Speaker 3: theme song is by Ben Salek, Executive producers of Virginia Prescott, 575 00:32:55,921 --> 00:32:59,401 Speaker 3: Brandon Barr, and LC Crowley. Listen to Helen Gone ad 576 00:32:59,441 --> 00:33:02,361 Speaker 3: free by subscribing to the iHeart True Crime Plus. 577 00:33:02,201 --> 00:33:03,761 Speaker 2: Channel on Apple Podcasts. 578 00:33:04,361 --> 00:33:07,041 Speaker 3: If you were interested in seeing documents and materials from 579 00:33:07,041 --> 00:33:10,161 Speaker 3: the case, you can follow the show on Instagram at 580 00:33:10,321 --> 00:33:13,281 Speaker 3: Helen Gonepod. If you have a case you'd like me 581 00:33:13,321 --> 00:33:15,561 Speaker 3: and my team to look into, you can reach out 582 00:33:15,601 --> 00:33:17,721 Speaker 3: to us at our Helen Gone Murder Line at six 583 00:33:17,761 --> 00:33:20,481 Speaker 3: seven eight seven four four six' one four. 584 00:33:20,561 --> 00:33:24,521 Speaker 2: Five that's six seven eight seven four four six' one. 585 00:33:24,641 --> 00:33:25,161 Speaker 2: Four five 586 00:33:29,761 --> 00:33:31,521 Speaker 1: School of humans