1 00:00:00,120 --> 00:00:04,400 Speaker 1: A warning this episode contains content that may be disturbing 2 00:00:04,559 --> 00:00:13,760 Speaker 1: to some listeners. M. Hello, you have a call at 3 00:00:13,840 --> 00:00:19,840 Speaker 1: no expense to you from an inmate at Chances Department 4 00:00:19,880 --> 00:00:27,880 Speaker 1: of Correction, Hutchinson Correctional Facility. It's Steve Yancy to accept 5 00:00:27,920 --> 00:00:32,680 Speaker 1: this call pressed by. In Steve's last letter, he said 6 00:00:32,680 --> 00:00:47,240 Speaker 1: he'd call. I didn't actually think he would ye. I'm 7 00:00:47,320 --> 00:00:52,960 Speaker 1: Leah Rothman. This is the real killer. Episode nine wished 8 00:00:52,960 --> 00:01:01,120 Speaker 1: her no harm. It's called will be recorded and subject 9 00:01:01,120 --> 00:01:08,160 Speaker 1: to monitoring at any time. Remember, Steve Yancy is the 10 00:01:08,200 --> 00:01:11,160 Speaker 1: guy who was Joe Anne's seventeen year old neighbor around 11 00:01:11,160 --> 00:01:14,960 Speaker 1: the time of the murder. Melissa said he also sometimes 12 00:01:15,000 --> 00:01:18,319 Speaker 1: babysat her in Renee when her mom went out. And 13 00:01:18,360 --> 00:01:21,800 Speaker 1: if you remember from episode seven, we heard former Midwest 14 00:01:21,840 --> 00:01:26,720 Speaker 1: Innocence Project investigator Nadia Flam described what Steve allegedly told 15 00:01:26,800 --> 00:01:30,440 Speaker 1: his wife, Terry Yancy, that he killed a woman who 16 00:01:30,480 --> 00:01:33,440 Speaker 1: walked in on him while he was molesting one of 17 00:01:33,520 --> 00:01:37,399 Speaker 1: the two girls he was babysitting. Because of all this, 18 00:01:38,280 --> 00:01:41,639 Speaker 1: some people wonder if he may be the real killer. 19 00:01:47,280 --> 00:01:52,440 Speaker 1: He may begin speaking now, so oh my gosh, I 20 00:01:52,520 --> 00:01:56,280 Speaker 1: know I don't sound cool at all. Steve hasn't spoken 21 00:01:56,320 --> 00:02:01,320 Speaker 1: to anyone about Joanne and the girls in almost forty years. Today, 22 00:02:01,600 --> 00:02:04,120 Speaker 1: he's a fifty seven year old man who's been behind 23 00:02:04,160 --> 00:02:08,320 Speaker 1: bars since two thousand eight for kidnapping and sexual battery 24 00:02:08,560 --> 00:02:12,640 Speaker 1: intentionally touching a child under sixteen, a crime he committed 25 00:02:12,639 --> 00:02:16,040 Speaker 1: with his former wife, Terry Yancy, a crime will talk 26 00:02:16,080 --> 00:02:20,720 Speaker 1: a lot more about later. For the record, Steve Yancy 27 00:02:20,800 --> 00:02:23,320 Speaker 1: may have had nothing to do with Joanne's murder and 28 00:02:23,360 --> 00:02:25,799 Speaker 1: the attack on the girls. I mean, he's never been 29 00:02:25,880 --> 00:02:29,200 Speaker 1: arrested or charged with anything in relation to what happened 30 00:02:29,240 --> 00:02:34,640 Speaker 1: to them. He should be presumed innocent, but I still 31 00:02:34,680 --> 00:02:38,080 Speaker 1: have a lot of questions. My goal is to go 32 00:02:38,160 --> 00:02:41,400 Speaker 1: slowly and in case he did have something to do 33 00:02:41,480 --> 00:02:45,440 Speaker 1: with it, keep him talking. And I want to warn you. 34 00:02:45,800 --> 00:02:48,320 Speaker 1: I am nice to Steve, and he does come off 35 00:02:48,360 --> 00:02:52,240 Speaker 1: as likable. It's disarming, actually, I mean I find myself 36 00:02:52,240 --> 00:02:57,280 Speaker 1: wondering is he being real or am I being played? Oh? 37 00:02:57,320 --> 00:02:59,480 Speaker 1: And I offered to pay for the calls, but Steve 38 00:02:59,560 --> 00:03:02,359 Speaker 1: said no. He said he has a job and can 39 00:03:02,400 --> 00:03:06,800 Speaker 1: afford to pay for them. So how are you, first 40 00:03:06,840 --> 00:03:11,639 Speaker 1: of all? How are you? Oh? I'm okay, well as 41 00:03:11,639 --> 00:03:15,920 Speaker 1: can be expected. So our conversation begins like two people 42 00:03:16,200 --> 00:03:21,240 Speaker 1: chit chatting while waiting for the bus. Inside, I'm freaking out. 43 00:03:22,080 --> 00:03:24,679 Speaker 1: Did you work in the garden today? No, I don't 44 00:03:24,680 --> 00:03:28,679 Speaker 1: work in the garden today. So I just got off 45 00:03:28,760 --> 00:03:33,440 Speaker 1: work at uh the company I work for, we make 46 00:03:33,560 --> 00:03:37,800 Speaker 1: a minimum wage and above. Yeah, I actually pay taxes 47 00:03:37,840 --> 00:03:40,240 Speaker 1: and everything. And you've been there. How long have you 48 00:03:40,240 --> 00:03:42,840 Speaker 1: been there since? I've been here for a little over 49 00:03:42,920 --> 00:03:47,440 Speaker 1: two years at this place, at this facility. But in 50 00:03:47,600 --> 00:03:53,000 Speaker 1: Kansas Prison, I've been in for fourteen years. It is 51 00:03:53,040 --> 00:04:00,520 Speaker 1: what it is. I mean, I gotta do it before 52 00:04:00,560 --> 00:04:06,200 Speaker 1: I can really get started. Steve quizzes me. My question is, 53 00:04:06,560 --> 00:04:14,000 Speaker 1: how did you get a hold of missing Melissa? Yeah, 54 00:04:14,480 --> 00:04:17,400 Speaker 1: you know that's all because I never called her Melissa 55 00:04:17,560 --> 00:04:20,000 Speaker 1: when she was a little I always called her missing. 56 00:04:21,520 --> 00:04:28,479 Speaker 1: Why why did you Why did you call her missy? Uh? Well, 57 00:04:28,480 --> 00:04:30,640 Speaker 1: that's like a short just like a little nig name 58 00:04:30,680 --> 00:04:38,520 Speaker 1: for Boling. Yeah, that's a I think she probably was 59 00:04:38,600 --> 00:04:43,039 Speaker 1: kind of sassy. He was. He was actually a little 60 00:04:43,040 --> 00:04:45,680 Speaker 1: sweetheart when she was a kid. She was her sister, 61 00:04:45,839 --> 00:04:50,360 Speaker 1: Ray was the hyper one. She was the fighting one. Yeah, 62 00:04:50,440 --> 00:04:53,080 Speaker 1: she liked to wrestle. She was a little roughneck. She 63 00:04:53,160 --> 00:04:58,479 Speaker 1: was she was a little roughneck. And Ray that's a 64 00:04:58,560 --> 00:05:04,599 Speaker 1: nickname for Renee, right, Renee. Yeah, I still don't understand 65 00:05:04,600 --> 00:05:11,000 Speaker 1: how you and Melissa came to me. Yeah, I mean 66 00:05:11,120 --> 00:05:15,720 Speaker 1: I met her. I guess back in two thousand fifteen, 67 00:05:16,680 --> 00:05:21,080 Speaker 1: she went on a show to say that she believed that, 68 00:05:21,240 --> 00:05:24,760 Speaker 1: you know, the person that she put in prison, that 69 00:05:24,800 --> 00:05:28,640 Speaker 1: she helped put in prison, was the killer. So I 70 00:05:28,680 --> 00:05:31,159 Speaker 1: was working on that show, and that's around the time 71 00:05:31,200 --> 00:05:34,880 Speaker 1: that I met her. When I wrote Steve, I told 72 00:05:34,920 --> 00:05:38,880 Speaker 1: him my questions about Joanne, Melissa and Renee, and since 73 00:05:38,920 --> 00:05:40,840 Speaker 1: he was one of the few people from the Hyde 74 00:05:40,839 --> 00:05:43,640 Speaker 1: Park neighborhood who knew them, I was hoping he'd be 75 00:05:43,640 --> 00:05:48,040 Speaker 1: willing to talk and help me learn more. Remember, it's 76 00:05:48,040 --> 00:05:50,880 Speaker 1: been alleged that the reason Steve ended up living with 77 00:05:50,920 --> 00:05:54,160 Speaker 1: his grandmother in that neighborhood was because he was sent 78 00:05:54,240 --> 00:05:59,480 Speaker 1: there after he got caught molesting some of his family members. Also, 79 00:06:00,120 --> 00:06:03,640 Speaker 1: keep in mind, I asked some questions I already know 80 00:06:03,720 --> 00:06:07,520 Speaker 1: the answers to. Yeah, So tell me, I mean, when 81 00:06:07,560 --> 00:06:11,080 Speaker 1: did you were you from the neighborhood? Did you grow 82 00:06:11,200 --> 00:06:15,200 Speaker 1: up on for our street? Well, I had lived there 83 00:06:15,320 --> 00:06:20,280 Speaker 1: for a while, originally from St. Louis. I was born 84 00:06:20,400 --> 00:06:23,799 Speaker 1: right here in St. Louis. I lived all over North St. 85 00:06:23,839 --> 00:06:26,720 Speaker 1: Louis and lived in the county for a little while 86 00:06:26,720 --> 00:06:31,360 Speaker 1: and moved back to the city. Yeah, graduated eighth grade 87 00:06:31,400 --> 00:06:35,279 Speaker 1: there and went there O'Fallon tech and all that stuff 88 00:06:36,000 --> 00:06:42,560 Speaker 1: high school. Yeah. I was actually one great behind her 89 00:06:42,680 --> 00:06:48,039 Speaker 1: oldest daughter. Steve is referring to Joanne's oldest daughter, the 90 00:06:48,080 --> 00:06:51,640 Speaker 1: one we've agreed not to name right. I think she 91 00:06:51,800 --> 00:06:55,719 Speaker 1: was like seventeen or something around then. Yeah, and I 92 00:06:55,880 --> 00:06:59,320 Speaker 1: was only sixty. Then I asked how he and Joanne 93 00:06:59,400 --> 00:07:03,200 Speaker 1: first met. The way I met Joe was I remember 94 00:07:03,240 --> 00:07:07,479 Speaker 1: I was helping. I think it was missing us taking 95 00:07:07,520 --> 00:07:10,160 Speaker 1: her home one day because we had to escort the 96 00:07:10,200 --> 00:07:13,600 Speaker 1: little once home because I was I was a patrol 97 00:07:13,720 --> 00:07:19,400 Speaker 1: boy at the time, safety patrol. And that's how I 98 00:07:19,480 --> 00:07:22,520 Speaker 1: met the mom and me and Joe picked it off, 99 00:07:22,600 --> 00:07:24,800 Speaker 1: and we hit it off, and we started talking and 100 00:07:24,920 --> 00:07:29,320 Speaker 1: then off, and of course, me being young, I uh, 101 00:07:30,720 --> 00:07:32,760 Speaker 1: I thought it was kind of cool that a thirty 102 00:07:32,880 --> 00:07:37,520 Speaker 1: something year old was interested in me. So you were 103 00:07:37,600 --> 00:07:42,520 Speaker 1: just kind of friends with benefits, you know. It was 104 00:07:42,600 --> 00:07:45,200 Speaker 1: kind of it was kind of strange. It was you know, 105 00:07:45,320 --> 00:07:50,560 Speaker 1: she I think she just needed somebody there and I 106 00:07:50,680 --> 00:07:57,160 Speaker 1: was available and receptive. And what was what was Joanne Lake? 107 00:07:57,240 --> 00:08:02,080 Speaker 1: What do you remember about Joanne? What? Didn't really spend 108 00:08:02,120 --> 00:08:06,000 Speaker 1: a lot of time around them, but she was always 109 00:08:06,040 --> 00:08:09,160 Speaker 1: she's always wanted to help people. She was like super 110 00:08:09,240 --> 00:08:12,640 Speaker 1: super friendly. She loved I mean, she loved the little 111 00:08:12,640 --> 00:08:17,720 Speaker 1: Girl's death. And uh, I mean she was just really cool, 112 00:08:17,840 --> 00:08:22,280 Speaker 1: brill laid back, brill mellow. You can tell some guys 113 00:08:22,320 --> 00:08:24,600 Speaker 1: had not treated her good in her life. I mean, 114 00:08:24,720 --> 00:08:30,160 Speaker 1: she she greaved positive attention now that I looked back 115 00:08:30,200 --> 00:08:32,920 Speaker 1: at it, Back then, I didn't notice that. But she 116 00:08:33,040 --> 00:08:40,280 Speaker 1: was an absolute sweetheart. When I first met her, she 117 00:08:40,440 --> 00:08:43,120 Speaker 1: was dating some guy and he was in his like 118 00:08:43,600 --> 00:08:48,880 Speaker 1: late twenties, and I didn't know him, but uh, and 119 00:08:49,040 --> 00:08:52,600 Speaker 1: they broke off something something, and that he went away. 120 00:08:53,440 --> 00:08:56,600 Speaker 1: And that's when I I think she was a little 121 00:08:56,640 --> 00:08:59,120 Speaker 1: leary of it, because a couple of times she asked 122 00:08:59,120 --> 00:09:03,040 Speaker 1: if I come over for dinner and we play bingo 123 00:09:03,320 --> 00:09:05,599 Speaker 1: and at the dinner, you know, sometimes I go to 124 00:09:05,679 --> 00:09:08,200 Speaker 1: store and pick up stuff. Because he didn't have a 125 00:09:08,240 --> 00:09:11,120 Speaker 1: lot of money. A lot of time I had a job, 126 00:09:11,240 --> 00:09:14,160 Speaker 1: so I will pick up some food, bring over and 127 00:09:14,360 --> 00:09:19,120 Speaker 1: cook man. We sit around just just her, be her, 128 00:09:19,160 --> 00:09:23,800 Speaker 1: and the two girls sit around play bingo. Do you remember, like, 129 00:09:24,000 --> 00:09:26,240 Speaker 1: do you remember the first time you guys hooked up? 130 00:09:26,520 --> 00:09:28,240 Speaker 1: Or I mean, how did that even come to be? 131 00:09:28,440 --> 00:09:31,439 Speaker 1: Do you remember? It was the one she had asked 132 00:09:31,440 --> 00:09:34,880 Speaker 1: me come over for dinner, and she she asked me 133 00:09:34,920 --> 00:09:38,480 Speaker 1: if I just stayed, So I stayed. I mean it 134 00:09:38,559 --> 00:09:43,120 Speaker 1: all there was only like three four times and that 135 00:09:43,240 --> 00:09:47,080 Speaker 1: was it. And and then next thing I know, the 136 00:09:47,120 --> 00:09:52,080 Speaker 1: cops were over there. Yeah, tell me, tell me what 137 00:09:52,120 --> 00:09:57,640 Speaker 1: you remember from that day. I got up. My friend Jay, 138 00:09:57,760 --> 00:10:00,480 Speaker 1: who lived right down the alley from her over, was 139 00:10:00,559 --> 00:10:03,079 Speaker 1: beat on the door. And I got up because I 140 00:10:03,160 --> 00:10:06,600 Speaker 1: worked night shift at the time, and I got up 141 00:10:06,600 --> 00:10:09,480 Speaker 1: and said, what's up? He said, something's going on? And 142 00:10:09,520 --> 00:10:14,800 Speaker 1: I went over and her oldest daughter was there, and 143 00:10:14,840 --> 00:10:17,560 Speaker 1: I said, what's going on? May She she had told 144 00:10:17,600 --> 00:10:19,600 Speaker 1: me that somebody in there and they found her mom 145 00:10:19,720 --> 00:10:23,520 Speaker 1: dead and the girls weren't pretty messed up and stuff. 146 00:10:26,720 --> 00:10:34,160 Speaker 1: That's pretty much all I heard. And uh, of course 147 00:10:34,200 --> 00:10:36,360 Speaker 1: I asked if i'd be able to go see the girls, 148 00:10:37,400 --> 00:10:40,640 Speaker 1: and uh, she asked if I could, They said, family 149 00:10:40,720 --> 00:10:45,160 Speaker 1: all the way, so I couldn't go in. Did you 150 00:10:45,240 --> 00:10:49,680 Speaker 1: hear the details of what was done? Uh? One of 151 00:10:49,720 --> 00:10:52,280 Speaker 1: the aunts gave me a few little things. They said 152 00:10:52,320 --> 00:10:55,319 Speaker 1: that she was stabbed up real bad, and the girls 153 00:10:55,320 --> 00:11:00,559 Speaker 1: had been the young cut up. I heard that one 154 00:11:00,600 --> 00:11:02,400 Speaker 1: of the girls was pinned to the floor with a 155 00:11:02,440 --> 00:11:05,880 Speaker 1: butcher knife. And then all I had heard and I 156 00:11:05,920 --> 00:11:10,840 Speaker 1: heard they were they were both cut up really bad. Yeah, 157 00:11:10,960 --> 00:11:15,880 Speaker 1: it was really bad. Well, the oldest sister is the 158 00:11:15,920 --> 00:11:18,960 Speaker 1: one that told me that one of was was that 159 00:11:19,000 --> 00:11:22,120 Speaker 1: had a butcher knife holder to the floor or something 160 00:11:22,160 --> 00:11:25,280 Speaker 1: like that at some kind of a night bolder to 161 00:11:25,320 --> 00:11:33,280 Speaker 1: the floor. That didn't actually happen, but I don't correct him. Yeah, 162 00:11:33,600 --> 00:11:38,479 Speaker 1: it's still so hard to like imagine what they went through. Oh, 163 00:11:38,600 --> 00:11:43,160 Speaker 1: I can't even try to imagine. I couldn't even try 164 00:11:43,200 --> 00:11:48,680 Speaker 1: to imagine that. Or it was a big deal in 165 00:11:48,720 --> 00:11:54,360 Speaker 1: the neighborhood, wasn't it. Yeah, a kid, we were just 166 00:11:54,480 --> 00:11:57,839 Speaker 1: breaking down. We didn't know what the hell was going on. 167 00:11:58,760 --> 00:12:01,040 Speaker 1: But it was a real short guys, think of everybody 168 00:12:01,160 --> 00:12:02,520 Speaker 1: like that. I don't want to talk about I don't 169 00:12:02,520 --> 00:12:04,760 Speaker 1: want to talk about it. I mean, like the pambo, 170 00:12:04,920 --> 00:12:06,360 Speaker 1: you didn't want to bring me. You didn't want to 171 00:12:06,360 --> 00:12:10,240 Speaker 1: talk to anything else, and to existence why because if 172 00:12:10,280 --> 00:12:19,440 Speaker 1: you talked about it, it was more real. I guess. Yeah. 173 00:12:19,720 --> 00:12:22,640 Speaker 1: I mean what happened to Joanne and the girls was 174 00:12:23,280 --> 00:12:28,960 Speaker 1: not just like a simple attack or murder, right, I mean, 175 00:12:29,400 --> 00:12:33,280 Speaker 1: it was this That was that was that was in 176 00:12:33,440 --> 00:12:37,720 Speaker 1: my opinion, that was that that was personal human coming 177 00:12:38,720 --> 00:12:42,920 Speaker 1: from what I heard that end to have been personal. 178 00:12:44,320 --> 00:12:52,040 Speaker 1: That's just not something the stranger would do. Steve says. 179 00:12:52,160 --> 00:12:54,920 Speaker 1: The next time he sees Melissa and Renee is at 180 00:12:54,960 --> 00:12:58,079 Speaker 1: his house. So when they got out of the hospital, 181 00:12:58,640 --> 00:13:01,440 Speaker 1: one of their ends over because I'm staying with my 182 00:13:01,520 --> 00:13:04,960 Speaker 1: grandma at the time. And I sat there on the 183 00:13:05,040 --> 00:13:07,800 Speaker 1: steps and talked to Missy until they went until they 184 00:13:07,880 --> 00:13:11,240 Speaker 1: had to leave, and all I remember is her saying, 185 00:13:11,280 --> 00:13:13,600 Speaker 1: they got him, they got the guy that heard us. 186 00:13:15,080 --> 00:13:17,560 Speaker 1: I didn't talk much. I cried for me anything else, 187 00:13:17,600 --> 00:13:21,720 Speaker 1: because you had talked for fifteen minutes for a total 188 00:13:21,800 --> 00:13:28,000 Speaker 1: cost of three dollars, and this method is that no cost. 189 00:13:28,280 --> 00:13:32,120 Speaker 1: He may continue speaking. Now there you go, Now you 190 00:13:32,120 --> 00:13:40,080 Speaker 1: hear what I pay Uh yeah, she uh, just seeing 191 00:13:40,160 --> 00:13:42,520 Speaker 1: the way she was walking, because you know, she was 192 00:13:42,559 --> 00:13:47,400 Speaker 1: still pretty stitched up and everything. I guess because she walked. 193 00:13:48,600 --> 00:13:50,960 Speaker 1: She had a lot of problems walking. She couldn't really 194 00:13:50,960 --> 00:13:54,480 Speaker 1: come up the steps very well, so you know, and 195 00:13:54,559 --> 00:13:58,800 Speaker 1: it it just tore me up. But she was just 196 00:13:58,840 --> 00:14:02,760 Speaker 1: such a sweet kid. I got a lot of respect 197 00:14:02,800 --> 00:14:05,240 Speaker 1: for her because that little girl bounced right back. And 198 00:14:07,240 --> 00:14:09,199 Speaker 1: I mean when I when she seen me, she got 199 00:14:09,240 --> 00:14:13,560 Speaker 1: all perfect up and just big old smile, And I 200 00:14:13,640 --> 00:14:16,679 Speaker 1: was like, I don't say how you can smile, you know, 201 00:14:16,840 --> 00:14:21,840 Speaker 1: it's just h That's part I cried most of the 202 00:14:21,920 --> 00:14:26,840 Speaker 1: time she was there. Ray was was completely different. She 203 00:14:27,000 --> 00:14:33,000 Speaker 1: was completely quiet, she didn't speak, very subdued. That just 204 00:14:33,200 --> 00:14:36,720 Speaker 1: wasn't the same Renee. I knew that just wasn't the 205 00:14:36,760 --> 00:14:40,880 Speaker 1: same girl Renee. She was just really distant. She just 206 00:14:41,960 --> 00:14:46,560 Speaker 1: you could tell it affected her really bad. That was 207 00:14:46,600 --> 00:14:49,760 Speaker 1: the only time I saw him afterwards. I never had 208 00:14:49,800 --> 00:14:55,040 Speaker 1: any contact with anyone after that. I go back to 209 00:14:55,080 --> 00:14:59,000 Speaker 1: the morning Joanne and the girls were found. They read 210 00:14:59,040 --> 00:15:00,640 Speaker 1: in some of the police are where it's that you 211 00:15:00,720 --> 00:15:04,320 Speaker 1: came over and talked to police. Oh yeah, yeah, yeah. 212 00:15:04,520 --> 00:15:06,920 Speaker 1: What was what was what was that like that morning? 213 00:15:07,120 --> 00:15:09,560 Speaker 1: I mean, can you just sort of describe the scene 214 00:15:09,600 --> 00:15:12,440 Speaker 1: outside the house. It was. It was it was like 215 00:15:12,480 --> 00:15:15,720 Speaker 1: a circus. I mean it was crazy. I mean everybody 216 00:15:15,800 --> 00:15:20,400 Speaker 1: was everywhere. Nobody knew exactly what was going on. And 217 00:15:20,440 --> 00:15:23,080 Speaker 1: then I've seen her oldest daughter and I asked her 218 00:15:23,080 --> 00:15:25,520 Speaker 1: what happened, and she told me because she told me 219 00:15:25,560 --> 00:15:29,280 Speaker 1: that the girls were still alive, but they were like 220 00:15:29,440 --> 00:15:32,560 Speaker 1: real bad to the shape. And that was the last 221 00:15:32,600 --> 00:15:35,760 Speaker 1: time I talked to her. But they or two later 222 00:15:35,760 --> 00:15:38,600 Speaker 1: as when the cops came and talked to me, and 223 00:15:38,600 --> 00:15:42,680 Speaker 1: I went in and went downtown and when the police 224 00:15:42,960 --> 00:15:46,280 Speaker 1: questioned you, did they I mean did they were you 225 00:15:46,320 --> 00:15:49,640 Speaker 1: with them for a long time or I mean a 226 00:15:49,680 --> 00:15:54,200 Speaker 1: couple of hours? And it just said because I thought 227 00:15:54,240 --> 00:15:56,080 Speaker 1: they were trying to say I didn't. You know, they 228 00:15:56,080 --> 00:16:01,520 Speaker 1: were trying to accuse me of it. You know, they asked, 229 00:16:01,520 --> 00:16:06,280 Speaker 1: you know when you take a polygraph? Yeah, sure, no problem. 230 00:16:06,320 --> 00:16:09,000 Speaker 1: That would have freaked me out. Oh I was freaked. 231 00:16:09,120 --> 00:16:12,080 Speaker 1: Don't don't get me wrong. I was. I had to 232 00:16:12,080 --> 00:16:15,560 Speaker 1: go to Joeanne's sister's house. I've breaked out. After I 233 00:16:15,640 --> 00:16:18,920 Speaker 1: left the police station, I breaked out. But you know, 234 00:16:19,000 --> 00:16:21,280 Speaker 1: when they asked me, I'm sure I'll take one. I 235 00:16:21,320 --> 00:16:28,200 Speaker 1: ain't got home I ain't got note died? And what 236 00:16:28,520 --> 00:16:32,320 Speaker 1: happened with the polygraph? Did you pass? Oh? Yeah? Did 237 00:16:32,400 --> 00:16:35,480 Speaker 1: they give you the results right there? And then oh 238 00:16:35,600 --> 00:16:39,240 Speaker 1: yeah maybe? I said, so, what's not He said, you 239 00:16:39,280 --> 00:16:42,480 Speaker 1: don't got nothing to worry about it. He said, we're 240 00:16:42,520 --> 00:16:46,720 Speaker 1: done with you. I said, okay, Yeah, they've never bought you. 241 00:16:46,840 --> 00:16:50,400 Speaker 1: I've never been bothered about it. And then yeah, they 242 00:16:50,480 --> 00:16:53,160 Speaker 1: never went to your work to to ask you if 243 00:16:53,160 --> 00:16:56,520 Speaker 1: you were at work that night or anything like that. No, 244 00:16:57,040 --> 00:16:59,680 Speaker 1: because I had Uh, I don't know if they did 245 00:16:59,800 --> 00:17:02,720 Speaker 1: or they asked me where I worked. I told them. 246 00:17:02,720 --> 00:17:04,479 Speaker 1: I don't know what they called my boss or not. 247 00:17:04,600 --> 00:17:08,560 Speaker 1: I have no clue. I asked Detective Joe Burgoon if 248 00:17:08,560 --> 00:17:11,439 Speaker 1: they talked to Steve's boss to verify his whereabouts at 249 00:17:11,480 --> 00:17:14,480 Speaker 1: the time of the murder, but he said he doesn't remember. 250 00:17:18,119 --> 00:17:20,919 Speaker 1: How how long did you live in the neighborhood after 251 00:17:21,040 --> 00:17:25,720 Speaker 1: the murder? I'm gonna I'm moved down in the latter 252 00:17:25,880 --> 00:17:29,199 Speaker 1: part of eight two. What what was life like for 253 00:17:29,240 --> 00:17:33,240 Speaker 1: you after that? I don't know. I just say I 254 00:17:33,400 --> 00:17:36,560 Speaker 1: just stay away from people now. I don't really I 255 00:17:36,600 --> 00:17:43,760 Speaker 1: don't trust people no more. How come I have no idea? 256 00:17:43,840 --> 00:17:48,040 Speaker 1: I mean, you just you never know what anyone's capable of. 257 00:17:49,880 --> 00:17:54,360 Speaker 1: Then I got off into drink and drove. It all 258 00:17:54,359 --> 00:17:57,919 Speaker 1: went down to hell for me after that. Do you 259 00:17:57,960 --> 00:18:01,120 Speaker 1: have any idea who could have done this to them? 260 00:18:01,160 --> 00:18:05,080 Speaker 1: Who could have killed Joanne and hurt those girls? No, 261 00:18:05,359 --> 00:18:07,480 Speaker 1: I had no idea about that. All I know is 262 00:18:07,520 --> 00:18:11,760 Speaker 1: that the girls told him who it was, and they 263 00:18:11,800 --> 00:18:14,720 Speaker 1: said they caught him. That's what Missy said. They arrest 264 00:18:14,800 --> 00:18:18,040 Speaker 1: they put a guy and riven for it. Did you 265 00:18:18,119 --> 00:18:21,080 Speaker 1: have any thoughts or feelings when you learned that someone 266 00:18:21,119 --> 00:18:25,919 Speaker 1: had been arrested. Oh, I was happy. I was ecstatic. 267 00:18:26,000 --> 00:18:32,679 Speaker 1: I was hoping they'd give him this. Then. Have you 268 00:18:32,800 --> 00:18:35,679 Speaker 1: thought about Joanne and the girls a lot over the years, 269 00:18:37,160 --> 00:18:41,040 Speaker 1: Not so much Joe, but I've always wondered how the 270 00:18:41,040 --> 00:18:44,080 Speaker 1: girls are doing. You know, I know how Joe is. 271 00:18:44,880 --> 00:18:47,360 Speaker 1: I have no doubt in my mind where she went, 272 00:18:48,000 --> 00:18:51,240 Speaker 1: and there the heaven that's where she went. But I've 273 00:18:51,240 --> 00:18:54,960 Speaker 1: always wondered how the girls were doing. But I didn't 274 00:18:55,000 --> 00:18:58,320 Speaker 1: want to take a chance to traumatize in anyone by, 275 00:18:58,800 --> 00:19:00,920 Speaker 1: you know, trying to get a whole both and bring 276 00:19:00,920 --> 00:19:04,680 Speaker 1: back man memories or anything like that. You know, I'm 277 00:19:04,720 --> 00:19:10,199 Speaker 1: figured they're they're living their life. Hopefully they're doing well well. 278 00:19:10,720 --> 00:19:18,239 Speaker 1: Renee died what Renee passed away from cancer in like 279 00:19:18,400 --> 00:19:32,080 Speaker 1: two thousand and eight. Oh man, damn, Yeah, it's very sad. Yeah, 280 00:19:32,400 --> 00:19:36,560 Speaker 1: the tone of the conversation has changed. We talked briefly 281 00:19:36,680 --> 00:19:41,240 Speaker 1: about prison life, his current girlfriend, and COVID. Then end 282 00:19:41,240 --> 00:19:48,400 Speaker 1: our calls soon after you have thank you you took by. 283 00:19:52,040 --> 00:19:57,800 Speaker 1: Steve calls again the next day, Hello, how how was 284 00:19:57,840 --> 00:20:00,960 Speaker 1: the rest of your evening yesterday? Not very good? I 285 00:20:01,000 --> 00:20:03,880 Speaker 1: got to thinking about Ray, which told me about Ray 286 00:20:04,000 --> 00:20:07,200 Speaker 1: and then kind of made for bad eavening. I didn't 287 00:20:08,480 --> 00:20:12,200 Speaker 1: kind of depressed me a little bit. I honestly wish 288 00:20:12,240 --> 00:20:14,320 Speaker 1: I would have gotten back in touch with him later, 289 00:20:14,640 --> 00:20:17,520 Speaker 1: but I just I was afraid that it brings bad 290 00:20:17,640 --> 00:20:19,840 Speaker 1: memories for him, you know, and I just didn't want 291 00:20:19,880 --> 00:20:25,600 Speaker 1: to be that person bring that on him. Yeah, but 292 00:20:25,760 --> 00:20:29,200 Speaker 1: I really, I really hope Melissa's doing well. And if 293 00:20:29,200 --> 00:20:31,080 Speaker 1: you ever speak to her again, tell her that I 294 00:20:31,119 --> 00:20:35,119 Speaker 1: said that I hope she's really doing well and that 295 00:20:35,240 --> 00:20:37,120 Speaker 1: I wish her nothing but the best for the rest 296 00:20:37,119 --> 00:20:41,200 Speaker 1: of her life. I know why I didn't contact them, 297 00:20:41,240 --> 00:20:43,480 Speaker 1: But then at the same time, I feel bad because 298 00:20:43,520 --> 00:20:50,040 Speaker 1: I didn't try. Does that make sense? Yeah? I mean 299 00:20:50,040 --> 00:20:52,560 Speaker 1: to me, it makes sense, but when I say it 300 00:20:52,600 --> 00:20:57,520 Speaker 1: out loud, it don't really found all that good. Yeah, 301 00:20:57,560 --> 00:21:02,280 Speaker 1: I mean it makes sense. Yeah, it probably feels bad 302 00:21:02,359 --> 00:21:06,600 Speaker 1: that since Rene's not here anymore. Yeah. That that really 303 00:21:08,400 --> 00:21:13,680 Speaker 1: that got me because I figured, you know, in my mind, 304 00:21:13,760 --> 00:21:17,439 Speaker 1: they they're out there living their lives, doing good, and 305 00:21:17,520 --> 00:21:22,639 Speaker 1: then I'm sorry to be the bearer of that bad news. 306 00:21:22,640 --> 00:21:31,879 Speaker 1: Oh it's okay, are you getting them? Look? Sorry, I 307 00:21:31,960 --> 00:21:44,000 Speaker 1: should just give me a second. Wow. Uh yeah, I 308 00:21:44,040 --> 00:21:51,120 Speaker 1: got a little joking there. I mean, kids just don't 309 00:21:51,119 --> 00:21:55,800 Speaker 1: deserve that kind of stuff. And then to her, her 310 00:21:55,880 --> 00:22:01,040 Speaker 1: to lose her life that young, I mean that's crazy. Yeah, 311 00:22:01,520 --> 00:22:03,720 Speaker 1: you've done had enough done to her over two years. 312 00:22:04,640 --> 00:22:07,240 Speaker 1: You couldn't help the door of the kids. They were 313 00:22:07,280 --> 00:22:11,840 Speaker 1: just sweethearts. They were too young to even understand what 314 00:22:12,119 --> 00:22:18,919 Speaker 1: real hate was. The conversation pivots back to Joanne. I 315 00:22:18,960 --> 00:22:22,040 Speaker 1: mean I liked her to death. Did you have any 316 00:22:22,160 --> 00:22:26,560 Speaker 1: deeper feelings for her? Like, did you love her? I'm 317 00:22:26,640 --> 00:22:29,080 Speaker 1: not sure at that at that age, I really loved 318 00:22:29,800 --> 00:22:32,920 Speaker 1: much of anything. I cared about her. You know, I 319 00:22:33,520 --> 00:22:38,679 Speaker 1: liked her a lot I cared about her. Uh, I 320 00:22:38,800 --> 00:22:46,040 Speaker 1: never wished her any harm, Which brings me to one 321 00:22:46,080 --> 00:22:49,680 Speaker 1: of the most important questions I have for Steve. And 322 00:22:49,800 --> 00:22:51,639 Speaker 1: one of the letters that you wrote, you said you 323 00:22:51,760 --> 00:22:59,080 Speaker 1: never babysat the girls. No. No, God, Joe was always 324 00:22:59,119 --> 00:23:03,960 Speaker 1: there to help. M hmmm. Steve says, no, he never 325 00:23:04,040 --> 00:23:08,760 Speaker 1: babysat the girls. Melissa, as we know, said he did. 326 00:23:09,720 --> 00:23:13,080 Speaker 1: The reason why this matters it goes back to the 327 00:23:13,320 --> 00:23:17,439 Speaker 1: very disturbing conversation Steve's then wife, Terry Ancy, had with 328 00:23:17,520 --> 00:23:21,520 Speaker 1: Nadia Flam, an investigator with the Midwest Innocence Project, back 329 00:23:21,520 --> 00:23:25,320 Speaker 1: in two thousand and eleven. The interview took place while 330 00:23:25,400 --> 00:23:32,240 Speaker 1: Tara was in prison. Here's Nadia describing that exchange. She said, well, 331 00:23:32,640 --> 00:23:36,920 Speaker 1: I know that he killed someone, but I don't really 332 00:23:37,280 --> 00:23:40,840 Speaker 1: I don't really know all the details. And I'm like, well, 333 00:23:40,880 --> 00:23:44,040 Speaker 1: how did that come out? And she said, well, she 334 00:23:44,080 --> 00:23:46,600 Speaker 1: had found out that he lied to her, that he 335 00:23:46,600 --> 00:23:49,080 Speaker 1: had a that he did have a criminal record, and 336 00:23:49,080 --> 00:23:55,520 Speaker 1: that his criminal record included like child molestation, and so 337 00:23:55,640 --> 00:23:59,280 Speaker 1: she starts poking him about it and bugging him about it. 338 00:24:00,040 --> 00:24:03,359 Speaker 1: Me finally is like, like, fine, I'll tell you. She says, 339 00:24:03,400 --> 00:24:07,119 Speaker 1: he said that he was in a house with a 340 00:24:07,200 --> 00:24:12,960 Speaker 1: woman and two little girls, and in her head, the 341 00:24:13,000 --> 00:24:17,919 Speaker 1: woman seemed like it was a babysitter. But we, you know, 342 00:24:17,960 --> 00:24:20,000 Speaker 1: we weren't correcting her and we were just like a 343 00:24:20,080 --> 00:24:25,560 Speaker 1: woman and two girls. And she said the woman um 344 00:24:25,760 --> 00:24:28,080 Speaker 1: had to go out for a second, like run an errand. 345 00:24:29,119 --> 00:24:31,919 Speaker 1: And while she was gone, Steve started doing something to 346 00:24:32,080 --> 00:24:35,320 Speaker 1: one of the girls and was caught in the act 347 00:24:35,359 --> 00:24:38,760 Speaker 1: when she got home, and so he had to kill her. 348 00:24:41,160 --> 00:24:44,399 Speaker 1: And I was like, let else did he say? And 349 00:24:44,480 --> 00:24:46,159 Speaker 1: she's like, you know, he's the kind of person if 350 00:24:46,160 --> 00:24:49,320 Speaker 1: he's told you once, you don't ask again. Um, But 351 00:24:49,840 --> 00:24:52,120 Speaker 1: you know that stood out. I think she she said 352 00:24:52,160 --> 00:24:57,159 Speaker 1: that she did ask again, though, and he said it 353 00:24:57,280 --> 00:25:00,439 Speaker 1: was a bloody mess and if you would seeing the 354 00:25:00,480 --> 00:25:09,000 Speaker 1: crime scene photos, you would know it was me. So, 355 00:25:09,200 --> 00:25:13,280 Speaker 1: if Steve's alleged confession is to be believed, who was 356 00:25:13,320 --> 00:25:30,720 Speaker 1: he talking about. Steve Yancy admits to having a sexual 357 00:25:30,760 --> 00:25:33,640 Speaker 1: relationship with joe Ane Tate around the time of the murder, 358 00:25:34,320 --> 00:25:40,000 Speaker 1: and he denies ever babysitting Melissa and Renee. Melissa said 359 00:25:40,119 --> 00:25:44,560 Speaker 1: he did babysit them. If Steve's confession to Tara was true. 360 00:25:45,200 --> 00:25:48,240 Speaker 1: Was he talking about Joanne and the girls? And did 361 00:25:48,280 --> 00:25:53,280 Speaker 1: I just catch him in a lie or did Melissa misremember? 362 00:25:54,240 --> 00:25:58,040 Speaker 1: Maybe she was confused. As we know by now, there 363 00:25:58,080 --> 00:26:01,879 Speaker 1: were other things Melissa can Fla did. Maybe this was 364 00:26:01,920 --> 00:26:05,239 Speaker 1: one of those things. For now, I'm moving on from 365 00:26:05,280 --> 00:26:08,280 Speaker 1: the babysitting topic. I will go back to it again 366 00:26:08,640 --> 00:26:13,400 Speaker 1: very soon. Back around the time of the attack on 367 00:26:13,600 --> 00:26:16,640 Speaker 1: Joanne and the girls, I saw that you were quoted 368 00:26:16,680 --> 00:26:20,920 Speaker 1: in the newspaper. I was quoted in a newspaper. Yeah, 369 00:26:21,440 --> 00:26:24,919 Speaker 1: it's I think it was a St. Louis Dispatch interviewed you. 370 00:26:25,480 --> 00:26:28,040 Speaker 1: If they did, I didn't, I never even knew I 371 00:26:28,080 --> 00:26:31,760 Speaker 1: was talking to a reporter. Yeah. I think you're quoted 372 00:26:31,800 --> 00:26:35,960 Speaker 1: as saying joe Anne was perfect. She was what perfect 373 00:26:37,640 --> 00:26:40,280 Speaker 1: um As as far as a person, you couldn't have 374 00:26:40,280 --> 00:26:45,280 Speaker 1: found a nicer person. Yeah, yeah, as far as that goes, Yeah, 375 00:26:45,560 --> 00:26:49,320 Speaker 1: if you're talking about a big hearted person that cares 376 00:26:49,359 --> 00:26:55,040 Speaker 1: about everyone she meets, Yeah, she's perfect. We've talked for 377 00:26:56,480 --> 00:27:02,520 Speaker 1: minutes for a total cust of three dollars, and this 378 00:27:02,720 --> 00:27:05,800 Speaker 1: method is that no, cos you may continue speaking now. 379 00:27:06,200 --> 00:27:09,680 Speaker 1: I don't remember talking to any reporters because about a 380 00:27:09,760 --> 00:27:16,520 Speaker 1: known name was reporter. I've never said a word. It's 381 00:27:16,520 --> 00:27:22,800 Speaker 1: a delicate question. But was Joanne your first? Oh? No, no, 382 00:27:23,040 --> 00:27:25,359 Speaker 1: I think I lost my virginity back when I was 383 00:27:25,400 --> 00:27:33,880 Speaker 1: about and len Oh wow, that's young. Yeah to a babysitner. 384 00:27:33,880 --> 00:27:39,919 Speaker 1: And it was like, wow, that that must have been hard. 385 00:27:40,240 --> 00:27:42,800 Speaker 1: That must have been sort of a life changing moment 386 00:27:42,880 --> 00:27:46,400 Speaker 1: for you. Yeah, I guess I thought it was kind 387 00:27:46,400 --> 00:27:49,920 Speaker 1: of cool. I was a boy, you know, it's different 388 00:27:49,920 --> 00:27:55,040 Speaker 1: for boys than it is for girls. For boys is like, oh, yeah, 389 00:27:55,160 --> 00:27:59,719 Speaker 1: cool that, you know. I look back, it probably started 390 00:27:59,800 --> 00:28:07,320 Speaker 1: me on pretty unhealthy uh obsessioned with older females. Mm hmm. 391 00:28:07,920 --> 00:28:11,120 Speaker 1: I mean a girl I went to school with one 392 00:28:11,119 --> 00:28:15,480 Speaker 1: of her, her mom, her step mom, and uh, we're 393 00:28:15,520 --> 00:28:19,080 Speaker 1: together for a little while. That was before Joey and 394 00:28:19,080 --> 00:28:22,720 Speaker 1: and she was in her late twenties early thirties, which 395 00:28:22,800 --> 00:28:27,280 Speaker 1: Joanne was too. She was in her thirties. After that. 396 00:28:27,320 --> 00:28:29,840 Speaker 1: They were all pretty much my age or a little younger. 397 00:28:32,440 --> 00:28:38,120 Speaker 1: Some were children. It's why he's currently doing time. How 398 00:28:38,160 --> 00:28:42,040 Speaker 1: long have you been at that facility since February of 399 00:28:42,160 --> 00:28:46,520 Speaker 1: night being okay, can you can you tell me why 400 00:28:46,840 --> 00:28:50,120 Speaker 1: a little bit about why you're there? I'd rather not 401 00:28:50,200 --> 00:28:56,960 Speaker 1: discuss that because I'm still fighting on that issue. Oh 402 00:28:57,400 --> 00:29:00,400 Speaker 1: I didn't fighting some of that in the courts discus 403 00:29:02,520 --> 00:29:05,520 Speaker 1: with my ex wife. I mean, it wasn't any kind 404 00:29:05,520 --> 00:29:09,000 Speaker 1: of violence. You're done. It's a kidnapping against my ex wife, 405 00:29:10,320 --> 00:29:13,680 Speaker 1: re using to allow her to leave the house. And 406 00:29:13,720 --> 00:29:16,360 Speaker 1: you're you're in Kansas. They got weird laws. If you 407 00:29:16,400 --> 00:29:21,600 Speaker 1: don't allow someone to leave a domicile, that's considered kidnapping. 408 00:29:22,320 --> 00:29:25,080 Speaker 1: I was convicted. I'm just I'm still fighting it though. 409 00:29:26,000 --> 00:29:28,840 Speaker 1: I think I got way too much time for for 410 00:29:28,840 --> 00:29:33,280 Speaker 1: for what it really was. Like I mentioned earlier, Steve 411 00:29:33,400 --> 00:29:37,200 Speaker 1: Yancy is currently doing time for kidnapping and sexual battery 412 00:29:37,680 --> 00:29:42,040 Speaker 1: intentional touching of a child under sixteen. The boy was 413 00:29:42,120 --> 00:29:46,240 Speaker 1: actually eleven. His wife at the time, Terry Yancy, was 414 00:29:46,320 --> 00:29:50,960 Speaker 1: convicted of raping that child. The authorities believe Steve was 415 00:29:51,000 --> 00:29:56,000 Speaker 1: the mastermind behind this truly awful crime. So you doing time? 416 00:29:56,280 --> 00:30:00,920 Speaker 1: How to do with something with your wife? Pardon you 417 00:30:01,080 --> 00:30:03,560 Speaker 1: doing time right now? Had to do with something with 418 00:30:03,600 --> 00:30:07,360 Speaker 1: your wife? Was my wife? Yeah? The kidnapping was on her. 419 00:30:07,560 --> 00:30:12,080 Speaker 1: That's what I'm in prisip for kidnapping, for reusing to 420 00:30:12,120 --> 00:30:15,760 Speaker 1: allow her to leave the home. How long? How long 421 00:30:15,800 --> 00:30:21,640 Speaker 1: were you married? Uh? I was married for ten years. Wow, 422 00:30:23,000 --> 00:30:28,320 Speaker 1: and you're obviously you're not no longer married. No, do 423 00:30:28,360 --> 00:30:34,200 Speaker 1: you have any kids? Yeah? I have three kids. I 424 00:30:34,240 --> 00:30:37,040 Speaker 1: want to know more about Steve's relationship with Tara, who 425 00:30:37,120 --> 00:30:40,320 Speaker 1: was twenty years younger than him, just eighteen or nineteen 426 00:30:40,400 --> 00:30:44,080 Speaker 1: years old when they got together. How did you two meet? 427 00:30:44,560 --> 00:30:47,200 Speaker 1: And I got a little night job at McDonald's and 428 00:30:47,480 --> 00:30:51,080 Speaker 1: she was my trainer, and that's that's kind of how 429 00:30:51,160 --> 00:30:53,160 Speaker 1: we met. At first, I wouldn't talk to her because 430 00:30:53,160 --> 00:30:55,239 Speaker 1: I thought she was a lot younger than she was. 431 00:30:56,200 --> 00:30:58,680 Speaker 1: And one of the guys and I guess you had 432 00:30:58,680 --> 00:31:01,200 Speaker 1: went to him and he said, and why don't you 433 00:31:01,280 --> 00:31:04,520 Speaker 1: talk to her? I said, Man, I'm I'm a grown 434 00:31:04,520 --> 00:31:07,600 Speaker 1: ass man. I don't talk to little kids. Man. And 435 00:31:07,680 --> 00:31:09,680 Speaker 1: he goes, no, man, you know she's got a kid 436 00:31:09,720 --> 00:31:13,680 Speaker 1: and everything. Is she's over eighteen? I said, no, she's not, Yes, 437 00:31:13,760 --> 00:31:18,640 Speaker 1: she is. Then I started talking to her kind of 438 00:31:18,680 --> 00:31:21,520 Speaker 1: when kind of built from there. Yeah. We were together 439 00:31:21,600 --> 00:31:25,080 Speaker 1: for ten years a little over ten years. Was it 440 00:31:25,400 --> 00:31:30,120 Speaker 1: a happy marriage For the most part, The first five 441 00:31:30,320 --> 00:31:32,640 Speaker 1: was pretty good, and it got to where I couldn't 442 00:31:32,680 --> 00:31:35,680 Speaker 1: trust her with with the kids alone, so I'd have 443 00:31:35,760 --> 00:31:38,480 Speaker 1: to send them to daycare while I was at work, 444 00:31:38,640 --> 00:31:43,440 Speaker 1: and things just started going downhill. The last really bad, 445 00:31:43,520 --> 00:31:47,040 Speaker 1: the last three years. She was still young and won 446 00:31:47,080 --> 00:31:51,640 Speaker 1: her the party, and I was for the stay at 447 00:31:51,640 --> 00:31:57,680 Speaker 1: home family person. I reached out to Terry Yancy, but 448 00:31:57,920 --> 00:32:02,520 Speaker 1: having heard back back. In that two thousand eleven interview 449 00:32:02,600 --> 00:32:07,240 Speaker 1: with the Midwest Innocence Projects investigator Nadia Flam, Tara said 450 00:32:07,320 --> 00:32:10,440 Speaker 1: that Steve at least once had been violent with her. 451 00:32:10,960 --> 00:32:14,560 Speaker 1: He even threatened to kill her. Tara was released from 452 00:32:14,560 --> 00:32:17,240 Speaker 1: prison in two thousand eleven, but when I went to 453 00:32:17,360 --> 00:32:21,000 Speaker 1: check her information recently with the Department of Corrections, I 454 00:32:21,040 --> 00:32:24,800 Speaker 1: found out she went back into prison November due to 455 00:32:24,920 --> 00:32:30,320 Speaker 1: a parole violation. As of February, she is still in 456 00:32:30,440 --> 00:32:33,760 Speaker 1: prison with no clear indication of when she'll be released. 457 00:32:34,680 --> 00:32:38,040 Speaker 1: For her safety, I decide not to share anything. She 458 00:32:38,160 --> 00:32:45,000 Speaker 1: told Nadia with Steve, when did you divorce while I 459 00:32:45,120 --> 00:32:50,120 Speaker 1: was in prison? And was there like a final straw 460 00:32:50,400 --> 00:32:55,680 Speaker 1: or or just the relationship run its course? Well? Yeah, 461 00:32:55,720 --> 00:33:00,800 Speaker 1: I mean once I got was and it was over 462 00:33:01,360 --> 00:33:06,920 Speaker 1: my eyes. Yeah, it just I mean I don't hold 463 00:33:06,920 --> 00:33:11,240 Speaker 1: it against her yet. She she told him a few 464 00:33:11,280 --> 00:33:15,840 Speaker 1: little not truth, but I think she did so to 465 00:33:15,960 --> 00:33:18,560 Speaker 1: keep from getting in trouble, because I think she realized 466 00:33:18,600 --> 00:33:22,000 Speaker 1: whole ship. I started something and it's snowballing and I 467 00:33:22,080 --> 00:33:25,280 Speaker 1: can't stop it. You said she lied up, You said 468 00:33:25,280 --> 00:33:29,800 Speaker 1: she lied about some stuff. Well, she didn't flat out live, 469 00:33:29,880 --> 00:33:31,960 Speaker 1: but she had to kind of stretch the truth a 470 00:33:32,000 --> 00:33:36,800 Speaker 1: little in order to keep from showing that it wasn't 471 00:33:36,800 --> 00:33:41,240 Speaker 1: a forced thing. You know. See, she made it sound 472 00:33:41,280 --> 00:33:45,200 Speaker 1: as if I had threatened her. I asked Steve, if 473 00:33:45,280 --> 00:33:48,440 Speaker 1: this is the first time he's gone to prison. No, 474 00:33:48,640 --> 00:33:51,880 Speaker 1: I went to prison years ago when I was young 475 00:33:52,600 --> 00:33:57,760 Speaker 1: for sex with an underaged girl. When I was like 476 00:33:58,000 --> 00:34:01,600 Speaker 1: nineteen twenty years that's twenty years old. Was that in 477 00:34:01,680 --> 00:34:09,360 Speaker 1: Missouri or Kansas? Missouri? Remember in n four in St. 478 00:34:09,360 --> 00:34:12,920 Speaker 1: Louis County, just two years after Joanne's murder and the 479 00:34:12,960 --> 00:34:16,880 Speaker 1: attack on Melissa and Renee, Steve Yancy pled guilty to 480 00:34:17,080 --> 00:34:21,520 Speaker 1: sodomy and sexual abuse in the first degree. Both victims 481 00:34:21,520 --> 00:34:26,920 Speaker 1: were under fourteen years old. They have heard that, um, 482 00:34:27,040 --> 00:34:31,920 Speaker 1: people who are in prison for sex offenses or you know, 483 00:34:32,000 --> 00:34:35,680 Speaker 1: as a sex offender. It's very, very, very hard in 484 00:34:35,719 --> 00:34:41,719 Speaker 1: the prison population Yep, you gotta find a lot. Did 485 00:34:41,719 --> 00:34:44,759 Speaker 1: you have to deal with that? Well, yeah, I had 486 00:34:44,800 --> 00:34:51,239 Speaker 1: to fight a lot sometimes the one sometimes I did. 487 00:34:55,560 --> 00:34:58,600 Speaker 1: I heard there's a name of a prison in Missouri 488 00:34:58,680 --> 00:35:02,240 Speaker 1: called it used to be called Walls. The Walls. Yeah, 489 00:35:02,760 --> 00:35:05,880 Speaker 1: well they don't use that one anymore. They shut it down, 490 00:35:06,200 --> 00:35:09,680 Speaker 1: but yeah, the old Jefferson City Prison. Yeah, I heard 491 00:35:09,680 --> 00:35:12,960 Speaker 1: it had this saying that it was like the bloodiest 492 00:35:13,040 --> 00:35:16,640 Speaker 1: forty the bloodiest forty acres in the state, in the 493 00:35:16,800 --> 00:35:26,600 Speaker 1: in the Midwest. Yeah, and that's where I did my time. Yeah. 494 00:35:27,239 --> 00:35:31,839 Speaker 1: When were you there, uh, the late eighties. Yeah. It 495 00:35:31,920 --> 00:35:39,920 Speaker 1: wasn't good, it wasn't nice. I think that's where the 496 00:35:40,040 --> 00:35:44,800 Speaker 1: guy who got um Rodney Lincoln, who got convicted of 497 00:35:45,080 --> 00:35:49,520 Speaker 1: Joe Anne's you know, murder and the attack on the girls. 498 00:35:49,560 --> 00:35:52,000 Speaker 1: I think he was at the Walls around that time. 499 00:35:53,120 --> 00:35:55,160 Speaker 1: I didn't know who he was or what his name 500 00:35:55,320 --> 00:35:58,720 Speaker 1: was or nothing. Yeah. If I would have, I'd probably 501 00:35:58,760 --> 00:36:01,960 Speaker 1: still be there. What do you mean if I had 502 00:36:02,080 --> 00:36:06,520 Speaker 1: known he was there when I was there, I probably 503 00:36:06,560 --> 00:36:22,560 Speaker 1: would still be there because he wouldn't be I wanted 504 00:36:22,560 --> 00:36:24,719 Speaker 1: to ask you in your letter, In one of the 505 00:36:24,800 --> 00:36:28,719 Speaker 1: letters that you wrote, you said something about how like 506 00:36:28,800 --> 00:36:31,200 Speaker 1: three people had tried to talk to you over the 507 00:36:31,280 --> 00:36:36,440 Speaker 1: last ten years. What was that about? Uh, some reporter 508 00:36:36,600 --> 00:36:41,000 Speaker 1: from the St. Louis, some lawyer from an innocence project 509 00:36:41,080 --> 00:36:43,759 Speaker 1: trying to help that guy get out of prison. I 510 00:36:43,840 --> 00:36:46,640 Speaker 1: told him, I have nothing to say to you. As 511 00:36:46,719 --> 00:36:48,960 Speaker 1: far as I'm concerned. There is a special place in 512 00:36:49,040 --> 00:36:52,920 Speaker 1: hell for that guy. Oh and just and in somebody 513 00:36:52,960 --> 00:36:55,239 Speaker 1: else from the Innocent Project trying to get ahold And 514 00:36:55,360 --> 00:37:00,000 Speaker 1: I told him I have nothing to say to you people. Yeah, 515 00:37:00,120 --> 00:37:04,840 Speaker 1: have you ever wondered if considering the Innocence Project was 516 00:37:04,920 --> 00:37:07,920 Speaker 1: contacting you. Did you ever wonder like, oh, shoot, maybe 517 00:37:07,920 --> 00:37:11,880 Speaker 1: that guy didn't do it. I don't know. I know. 518 00:37:12,840 --> 00:37:16,280 Speaker 1: All I know is she said they got the guy 519 00:37:16,360 --> 00:37:19,120 Speaker 1: and that was the one, and that's that was good 520 00:37:19,200 --> 00:37:22,319 Speaker 1: enough for me. I'm not going to question her. I mean, 521 00:37:22,640 --> 00:37:25,480 Speaker 1: he's been in there all these years. If there was 522 00:37:25,520 --> 00:37:28,560 Speaker 1: anything that proved of what neum he'd done, been out 523 00:37:29,400 --> 00:37:31,520 Speaker 1: and there's nothing I could say or do to help 524 00:37:31,600 --> 00:37:34,879 Speaker 1: this guy. I don't even know who he is. Do 525 00:37:34,920 --> 00:37:40,880 Speaker 1: a lot of people in prison say that they're innocent? Well, yeah, 526 00:37:41,120 --> 00:37:45,439 Speaker 1: everybody does. I mean every now and then you get 527 00:37:45,440 --> 00:37:49,480 Speaker 1: the few you know. Technically, yeah, I'm guilty for what 528 00:37:49,520 --> 00:37:52,239 Speaker 1: they what I'm in here for. They refused to let 529 00:37:52,239 --> 00:37:55,480 Speaker 1: her leave the house. Technically, by law, that is kidnapping. 530 00:37:55,600 --> 00:38:00,680 Speaker 1: So yes, I am guilty. Again, that's not what the 531 00:38:00,719 --> 00:38:04,400 Speaker 1: courts say happened. And for the record, the time Steve 532 00:38:04,440 --> 00:38:07,160 Speaker 1: did at the Walls wasn't the only other time he 533 00:38:07,200 --> 00:38:13,160 Speaker 1: was incarcerated. In Jefferson County, Missouri, he pled guilty to 534 00:38:13,239 --> 00:38:16,960 Speaker 1: sex abuse and forcible sodomy. He was sentenced to ten 535 00:38:17,040 --> 00:38:22,560 Speaker 1: years in prison. Back to Joanne and the Girls and 536 00:38:22,719 --> 00:38:27,560 Speaker 1: the very important babysitter question. Last night, I was going 537 00:38:27,600 --> 00:38:31,879 Speaker 1: through some other some other documents, and you know what's 538 00:38:31,920 --> 00:38:36,160 Speaker 1: weird is that Melissa said at one point that you 539 00:38:36,239 --> 00:38:41,160 Speaker 1: did babysit them. Well, I don't know where he got 540 00:38:41,239 --> 00:38:44,560 Speaker 1: baby that. I mean I was there, but I never 541 00:38:44,640 --> 00:38:47,560 Speaker 1: baby then them. I mean I was always got their 542 00:38:47,960 --> 00:38:51,719 Speaker 1: Their mom would all Yeah, she said, she said that 543 00:38:51,800 --> 00:38:56,480 Speaker 1: when her mom would go out sometimes you would watch them. No, 544 00:38:56,800 --> 00:39:02,040 Speaker 1: I never did that. Well wait, I might have watched 545 00:39:02,080 --> 00:39:05,400 Speaker 1: him one time when she ran to the store, but 546 00:39:05,680 --> 00:39:07,440 Speaker 1: I mean that was just a few minutes and she 547 00:39:07,600 --> 00:39:14,520 Speaker 1: was right back because the store was just down the street. Yeah, 548 00:39:14,600 --> 00:39:17,279 Speaker 1: she didn't have a car, she walked, and it was 549 00:39:17,360 --> 00:39:39,920 Speaker 1: only like, hatt, Steve, Steve, Steve, Steve, are you still there, Steve? 550 00:39:54,239 --> 00:39:56,400 Speaker 1: Is it a coincidence that, of all the moments, the 551 00:39:56,480 --> 00:40:00,319 Speaker 1: call drops at this particular moment. I mean, of what 552 00:40:00,480 --> 00:40:04,480 Speaker 1: Terry Yancy told Nadia is true, then I wonder, is 553 00:40:04,480 --> 00:40:07,319 Speaker 1: Steve hanging up on me now because I'm zeroing in 554 00:40:07,400 --> 00:40:10,320 Speaker 1: on something he doesn't want to discuss because it could 555 00:40:10,320 --> 00:40:15,920 Speaker 1: actually be incriminating. WHOA, but come on, there's got to 556 00:40:15,960 --> 00:40:18,839 Speaker 1: be a logical explanation for the line going dead right. 557 00:40:19,960 --> 00:40:24,759 Speaker 1: Probably maybe I'm stunned, and I'll put money on the 558 00:40:24,800 --> 00:40:31,760 Speaker 1: fact that I'll never hear from Steve again. I'm wrong. 559 00:40:32,400 --> 00:40:35,680 Speaker 1: He calls back within the hour. I think our call 560 00:40:35,840 --> 00:40:38,879 Speaker 1: got dropped or something because I lost you. I know 561 00:40:39,239 --> 00:40:45,200 Speaker 1: I lost you. I kept saying, Steve, Steve, Hello, Hello, 562 00:40:47,440 --> 00:40:51,080 Speaker 1: I'm glad you called back. Thank you. So what were 563 00:40:51,120 --> 00:40:56,560 Speaker 1: we talking about? Um? Oh uh, yeah. Melissa had said 564 00:40:56,600 --> 00:40:59,200 Speaker 1: that when Joanne would go out, you would you would 565 00:40:59,200 --> 00:41:01,960 Speaker 1: baby sit the girl rolls. Yeah. The only time I 566 00:41:02,000 --> 00:41:04,960 Speaker 1: had ever done that is when I was over there 567 00:41:05,000 --> 00:41:07,120 Speaker 1: and she needed to run to the store real quick. 568 00:41:07,560 --> 00:41:09,960 Speaker 1: But it was just down on the corner. I mean 569 00:41:09,960 --> 00:41:13,640 Speaker 1: it was just half a block away. Or baby should 570 00:41:13,640 --> 00:41:15,880 Speaker 1: go take a shower, I mean a bath or something 571 00:41:15,960 --> 00:41:18,840 Speaker 1: like that. Or No, I never watched them while she 572 00:41:18,960 --> 00:41:25,760 Speaker 1: went anywhere significant, Yeah, I mean it's it's something Melissa 573 00:41:25,840 --> 00:41:29,279 Speaker 1: said back in two you know, around the time when 574 00:41:29,400 --> 00:41:33,400 Speaker 1: police were talking to her. So, yeah, when you're little 575 00:41:33,480 --> 00:41:35,640 Speaker 1: like that, I mean, mommy ran to the store. That's 576 00:41:35,680 --> 00:41:39,920 Speaker 1: babies in you know. Yeah, her mommy's in the bathroom, 577 00:41:40,040 --> 00:41:43,480 Speaker 1: you know, taking a bath, that's baby. I don't know. 578 00:41:44,840 --> 00:41:47,440 Speaker 1: It's hard to say how a little kid's mind works 579 00:41:47,840 --> 00:41:51,200 Speaker 1: when they're that little, because I can't remember what I 580 00:41:51,280 --> 00:41:54,359 Speaker 1: used to think when I was at age. I think 581 00:41:54,360 --> 00:41:56,359 Speaker 1: what she said was when her mom would go out, 582 00:41:57,200 --> 00:42:00,960 Speaker 1: you would baby said, but yeah, don't come. I donanda 583 00:42:01,080 --> 00:42:03,239 Speaker 1: if she was running. I was there and she had 584 00:42:03,280 --> 00:42:05,759 Speaker 1: to run to the store or something like that, and 585 00:42:05,840 --> 00:42:08,120 Speaker 1: the store was just down the street about a half 586 00:42:08,160 --> 00:42:13,160 Speaker 1: a block. I can't remember any time I ever actually 587 00:42:13,600 --> 00:42:18,880 Speaker 1: watched him while she went someplace. I know. I'm confused 588 00:42:18,920 --> 00:42:22,280 Speaker 1: to Yes, he did just say he may have watched 589 00:42:22,320 --> 00:42:25,120 Speaker 1: the girls when Joanne quote had to run to the 590 00:42:25,160 --> 00:42:29,040 Speaker 1: store or something like that, but he can't remember ever 591 00:42:29,120 --> 00:42:35,360 Speaker 1: watching them quote while she went someplace, very very confusing. 592 00:42:36,440 --> 00:42:40,120 Speaker 1: We wrap up the call soon after. And how does 593 00:42:40,160 --> 00:42:42,360 Speaker 1: that I mean now that my number is on the 594 00:42:42,400 --> 00:42:47,959 Speaker 1: approved list? Does that mean that you can indefinitely Okay, great, 595 00:42:48,320 --> 00:42:51,360 Speaker 1: unless you call and ask him to remove it or blocking. 596 00:42:52,000 --> 00:42:56,799 Speaker 1: I see, I'll talk to you again soon, okay, okay, 597 00:42:56,960 --> 00:43:03,319 Speaker 1: by I have more questions for Steve, A lot more 598 00:43:03,400 --> 00:43:08,920 Speaker 1: questions about Joanne's murder, his crimes against children, and what 599 00:43:09,000 --> 00:43:11,520 Speaker 1: he will say when he learns Rodney Lincoln is out 600 00:43:11,520 --> 00:43:14,440 Speaker 1: of prison, a man he basically said he would have 601 00:43:14,520 --> 00:43:21,799 Speaker 1: killed himself if given the chance. Next time on The 602 00:43:21,840 --> 00:43:28,200 Speaker 1: Real Killer, does memory get better? With your memories better? Now? No, 603 00:43:29,880 --> 00:43:33,239 Speaker 1: memories are at the very center of this case, but 604 00:43:33,800 --> 00:43:38,200 Speaker 1: just how reliable are they? I battle between what I 605 00:43:38,320 --> 00:43:42,120 Speaker 1: remember and this narrative that I developed over the time 606 00:43:42,160 --> 00:43:44,839 Speaker 1: with the police. There should be a lot of things 607 00:43:44,840 --> 00:43:49,919 Speaker 1: you don't consider tampering with, like to witnesses memory when 608 00:43:50,800 --> 00:43:54,359 Speaker 1: invested beginning of crime. It's the same as going into 609 00:43:54,360 --> 00:43:57,080 Speaker 1: a crime scene and I'm gonna I'm gonna move the gun. 610 00:44:00,080 --> 00:44:10,320 Speaker 1: M The Real Killer is a production of a y 611 00:44:10,440 --> 00:44:13,759 Speaker 1: R Media and I Heart Radio, hosted by me Leah 612 00:44:13,840 --> 00:44:18,360 Speaker 1: Rothman Executive producers Leah Rothman and Eliza Rosen for A 613 00:44:18,640 --> 00:44:23,560 Speaker 1: y R Media. Written by me Leah Rothman, Senior associate 614 00:44:23,600 --> 00:44:28,560 Speaker 1: producer Eric Newman. Editing and sound design by Cameron Taggy, 615 00:44:29,360 --> 00:44:34,520 Speaker 1: mixed and mastered by Cameron Taggi. Audio engineering by Jesus c. 616 00:44:34,800 --> 00:44:40,160 Speaker 1: Mario Studio engineering by Tom Weir and Kelly McGrew. Legal 617 00:44:40,200 --> 00:44:44,600 Speaker 1: counsel for A y R Media Gianni Douglas, Executive producer 618 00:44:44,640 --> 00:44:49,480 Speaker 1: for iHeart Radio Chandler Mayze. If you're enjoying The Real Killer, 619 00:44:49,680 --> 00:44:52,120 Speaker 1: tell your friends about it and leave us a review 620 00:44:52,280 --> 00:45:00,640 Speaker 1: on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts