Speaker 1: School of Humans. Helen Got Murder Line actively investigates cold
Speaker 1: case murders in an effort to raise public awareness invite
Speaker 1: witnesses to come forward and present evidence that could potentially
Speaker 1: be further investigated by law enforcement. While we value insights
Speaker 1: from family and community members, their statements should not be
Speaker 1: considered evidence and point to the challenges of verifying facts
Speaker 1: inherent in cold cases. We remind listeners that everyone has
Speaker 1: presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
Speaker 1: Nothing in the podcast is intended to state or imply
Speaker 1: that anyone who has not been convicted of a crime
Speaker 1: is guilty of any wrongdoing. Thanks for listening.
Speaker 2: In October of nineteen ninety five, something strange was going
Speaker 2: on inside the Flick home at three h two McNabb
Speaker 2: Street in Rector, Arkansas. The family was made up of
Speaker 2: thirty six year old David Flick, his wife, four year
Speaker 2: old Barbara, their daughter, eleven year old Andrea Flick, and
Speaker 2: Barbara's son from a previous relationship, seventeen year old Aaron
Speaker 2: Michael Hodge. Aaron was never officially adopted by David Flick,
Speaker 2: but at the time he used his last name, so
Speaker 2: he went by Aaron flick. Barbara was a nurse, her husband,
Speaker 2: David had a transmission shop. Friends and family said that
Speaker 2: they were a happy couple. Andrea played basketball and did
Speaker 2: beauty pageants. Aaron was well liked by his friends as well.
Speaker 2: Both Andrea and Aaron were popular at school. Aarin would
Speaker 2: later say. Andrea, Barbara, and David were planning on going
Speaker 2: to Florida to visit relatives, leaving seventeen year old Aaron
Speaker 2: at home, and, like many teens at home alone, Aaron
Speaker 2: decided to throw a party. This seems perfectly normal, except
Speaker 2: that David, Barbara, and Andrea never arrived in Florida. Their
Speaker 2: relatives were concerned, and after a week a friend of
Speaker 2: Barbara's called the police. She said the family never showed
Speaker 2: up at their relative's house and that no one had
Speaker 2: seen them in several days.
Speaker 3: So police did some checking.
Speaker 2: They found that no one in Florida had seen David,
Speaker 2: Barbara or Andrea, nor had anyone in Rector, Arkansas. But
Speaker 2: there was one member of the family who had been
Speaker 2: spotted around town, Aaron Hodge.
Speaker 3: People had seen.
Speaker 2: Aaron driving his stepfather's pickup truck around Paragold. That weekend
Speaker 2: was a big weekend to be out and about in
Speaker 2: that area. It was homecoming weekend, which is a big
Speaker 2: deal everywhere and especially in small towns. Everyone was at
Speaker 2: the Friday night football game. On October thirteenth, nineteen ninety five,
Speaker 2: Aaron drove to the homecoming game and parties in David's
Speaker 2: truck and was hanging out with friends there. He was
Speaker 2: picked up by police at the homecoming festivity and taken
Speaker 2: to the Paragold Police station. Paragold police officer Audrey Emberton
Speaker 2: came to the station and interviewed Aarin. Officer Emberton and
Speaker 2: another officer, Terry Prewitt, then went to the Flick family
Speaker 2: home in the early morning hours at around one am
Speaker 2: on Saturday, October fourteenth. Aaron lived in a converted garage.
Speaker 3: It was in the main.
Speaker 2: Part of the house, but it was his own kind
Speaker 2: of separate area, away from the rest of the family.
Speaker 2: When the police asked Aaron about his family, he said
Speaker 2: they were fine. He said he had heard from them
Speaker 2: a couple of days earlier and they were supposed to
Speaker 2: be back later that day, meaning later on Saturday. Police
Speaker 2: did not buy that story. At three am, Officer Prewitt
Speaker 2: went back to the home to talk to erin again.
Speaker 2: This time Officer Prewett asked if he could get access
Speaker 2: to the main part of the house where the rest
Speaker 2: of the family lived. Aaron told police that the doors
Speaker 2: were locked, so Officer Prewitt looked around. He looked in
Speaker 2: a window of the main house and saw some sheets
Speaker 2: on the floor. When he asked Aaron about the sheets,
Speaker 2: Aaron said the family had been doing some remodeling. Later
Speaker 2: that morning, Aaron was at the police station answering questions,
Speaker 2: and police went back to the Flick house. Officer Prewitt
Speaker 2: got closer to the front door and he smelled something horrible.
Speaker 2: The stench of decomposition was so overpowering that police later
Speaker 2: noted they could smell it when they were one hundred
Speaker 2: and fifty feet away from the house. Officer Prewitt entered
Speaker 2: the home, the smell got worse as he went further in.
Speaker 2: He found David, Andrea, and Barbara all dead, and forensic
Speaker 2: testing later showed they had been dead for about a week.
Speaker 2: This episode is going to be a little bit different
Speaker 2: from other cases we cover because this case isn't open.
Speaker 3: It's already been solved.
Speaker 2: But I thought that it was important to cover because
Speaker 2: this is a very divisive case. There is a man
Speaker 2: in prison for these murders, someone who claims that he
Speaker 2: was wrongfully convicted. So was there a misunderstanding, could someone
Speaker 2: else have been involved? Or is the right person behind
Speaker 2: bars for killing this family in cold blood? On the surface,
Speaker 2: this appeared to be a perfect family, but detectives quickly
Speaker 2: discovered things behind closed doors were far from what they seemed.
Speaker 2: What happened to turn this seemingly perfect family into a
Speaker 2: house of horrors?
Speaker 3: I'm Catherine Townsend.
Speaker 2: Over the past five years of making my true crime podcast,
Speaker 2: Helling Gone, I've learned that there's no such thing as
Speaker 2: a small town where murder never happens. I've received hundreds
Speaker 2: of messages from people all around the country asking for
Speaker 2: help with an unsolved murder that's affected them, their families,
Speaker 2: and their communities.
Speaker 3: If you have a.
Speaker 2: Case you'd like me and my team to look into,
Speaker 2: you can reach out to us at our Hell and
Speaker 2: Gone Murder Line at six seven eight seven four four six'
Speaker 2: one four five at six seven eight seven four four
Speaker 2: six one four, five or you can send us a
Speaker 2: message On instagram At Helen. Gonepod this Is Helen Gone Murder.
Speaker 2: Line police In. Arkansas we're interviewing seventeen year Old Aaron
Speaker 2: hodge about a possible involvement the triple homicide of his entire.
Speaker 2: Family aaron was. Crying he said he had no idea what. Happened,
Speaker 2: meanwhile police were processing the crime. Scene inside the, house
Speaker 2: the doorway To andrea's room was. Locked police busted it
Speaker 2: down and found her lying in her. Bed andrea had
Speaker 2: been shot in the. Head her torso was on the
Speaker 2: bed and her feet were dangling off. It she was
Speaker 2: wearing only her underwear and had been covered up with her.
Speaker 2: Comforter andrea's white shorts AND t shirt were on the
Speaker 2: floor near the. Bed her head was leaning against a
Speaker 2: wall and her arm was up in what may have
Speaker 2: been a defensive. Position detectives said they felt like she
Speaker 2: had struggled with her, killer and that her killer had
Speaker 2: used a pillow to muffle the noise from the. Gun
Speaker 2: aaron lived in a converted bedroom right off the. Garage
Speaker 2: his room was neat with no trace of. Blood police
Speaker 2: did fine shells from a thirty eight caliber weapon In aaron's.
Speaker 2: Room they later said that the murder weapon had been
Speaker 2: a thirty eight caliber gun like the one owned By David.
Speaker 2: Flick police followed the trail of blood down the hall
Speaker 2: To barber's. Bedroom they found her lying on her bed
Speaker 2: in her, nightgown with layers of bedding covering her. Body
Speaker 2: because she was wearing her nightgown and because of the
Speaker 2: position of her, body they felt That barbara had been
Speaker 2: sleeping when she was. Attacked they Found david's body there,
Speaker 2: too face, down at the foot Of barbara's water. Bed
Speaker 2: he was wearing blue pants and a WHITE t. Shirt
Speaker 2: police noted they found no signs of a struggle in this.
Speaker 2: Bedroom police thought That david had not been shot and
Speaker 2: killed In barbara's, bedroom but that he had been dragged
Speaker 2: there from the living.
Speaker 3: Room there were pulls of.
Speaker 2: Blood on the living room sofa and a blood trail
Speaker 2: down the hallway of the house that had been covered
Speaker 2: up with. Pillows officers believed the killer had used the
Speaker 2: pillows to muffle the sound of the, gun but there
Speaker 2: was a lot that police didn't know because the bodies Of,
Speaker 2: David andrea And barbara were too decomposed to know exactly
Speaker 2: what happened to them or how long they had been.
Speaker 2: There all three victims were bloated and covered in large
Speaker 2: blisters that were filled with. Fluid all of them had
Speaker 2: been shot in the head at close. Range barbara And
Speaker 2: andrea had each been shot. Once david had been shot three.
Speaker 2: Times SO i want to back up and look at
Speaker 2: how long the police had been asking questions about the
Speaker 2: family and how Long aaron had been stalling with giving
Speaker 2: them any. Information On october, fourteenth after Officers pruitt And
Speaker 2: imbriden talked To aaron at three am and he said
Speaker 2: his family was, fine police went To David flick's transmission
Speaker 2: shop to see if they could find any. Clues police
Speaker 2: Asked david's employee if he had noticed. Anything he said
Speaker 2: that a toolbox Of david's had been broken, into there
Speaker 2: was some, money and a gun that belonged To david.
Speaker 2: Missing police suspected that something was, wrong so by now
Speaker 2: the police Had aaron in. Custody when they got to
Speaker 2: the interview, Room Officer, leach the officer who was Interrogating,
Speaker 2: aaron Asked aarin to tell him what he. Knew aaron
Speaker 2: said that his family were in the, home and Then
Speaker 2: Officer leach asked what condition they were in if they were.
Speaker 2: Okay aaron, said they're. Dead so Then aaron told his
Speaker 2: version of the. Story, first he said he wasn't sure
Speaker 2: what happened to his. Family, later he completely denied having
Speaker 2: anything to do with their. Deaths he basically said that
Speaker 2: he had gotten into a big fight With david and
Speaker 2: That david had killed his. Family one week After David,
Speaker 2: Flick Barbara, flick And Andrea flick were supposed to arrive In,
Speaker 2: florida police were Interviewing aaron at the deaths of his family,
Speaker 2: members But erin claimed that he didn't kill his. Family
Speaker 2: he said that his, Stepfather David, flick had Killed andrea
Speaker 2: And barbara in a fit of rage and then turned
Speaker 2: the gun on. Himself but it was obvious that someone
Speaker 2: had covered up the bodies in the. Home there were, sheets, blankets,
Speaker 2: pillows and rugs spread out all over the living, room
Speaker 2: So aaron's version of the story on the, surface seemed
Speaker 2: to make zero. Sense If david had killed his wife
Speaker 2: and daughter and then shot, himself how could he have
Speaker 2: shot himself three.
Speaker 3: Times in the.
Speaker 2: Head this would mean That aaron had found the bodies
Speaker 2: and then moved. Them after finding the, bodies police Reinterviewed
Speaker 2: Arin Arin now said That david had been cheating On
Speaker 2: barbara and that they had been sleeping. Separately aaron claimed
Speaker 2: that he told his mother about the infidelity and that
Speaker 2: she had made a plan to Leave. David aaron claimed
Speaker 2: That andrea And barbara were planning on going To florida
Speaker 2: without him And. David he said that He, aaron was
Speaker 2: supposed to go To florida to meet them. Later aaron
Speaker 2: said he was supposed to stay with his grandmother until
Speaker 2: he made the trip To. Florida then he was going
Speaker 2: to be reunited with his mother and. Sister aarin admitted
Speaker 2: that he did break Into david's. Store he stole his
Speaker 2: stepfather's gun in, cash but he said he did that
Speaker 2: Because david owed him. Money aaron said he and a
Speaker 2: friend of his Named David gun had broken in To david's.
Speaker 2: Shop after that he went. Home he had the gun
Speaker 2: and the money with. Him he wanted to Avoid, david
Speaker 2: so he said he went to his bedroom and locked the.
Speaker 2: Door while in the, bedroom he claimed he was counting
Speaker 2: the money and messing around with the, gun putting bullets
Speaker 2: in it and pulling them. Out he Said david came
Speaker 2: into his room and found him with the gun and the.
Speaker 2: Money he said that he and his stepfather got into an.
Speaker 2: Argument at some, point the argument spilled out into the living.
Speaker 2: Room aaron said he Told david That barbara hated him
Speaker 2: and that they were going to leave. Him aaron said
Speaker 2: he told his stepfather he wished that he was. Dead,
Speaker 2: Then aaron claimed that his stepfather was trying to Get
Speaker 2: aaron to fight. Him aaron said he refused to do
Speaker 2: that and he left the. House aaron claimed that when
Speaker 2: he came back to the, house he heard something a,
Speaker 2: gurgling snoring kind of noise coming From. David david was
Speaker 2: on the. Couch he noticed there was blood pouring off
Speaker 2: of the. Couch he claimed That david was already. Dead
Speaker 2: aaron said that he was horrified to find his mother
Speaker 2: and sister dead as. Well he said he believed That
Speaker 2: david had killed both of them and then turned the
Speaker 2: gun on. Himself aaron said that when he realized What
Speaker 2: david had, done he shot his stepfather's body two more
Speaker 2: times because he was so angry at. Him police Asked
Speaker 2: daron why he hadn't called the authorities to report that
Speaker 2: his parents and sister were. Dead he, said, basically he was.
Speaker 2: Scared he said that he was afraid that police would
Speaker 2: blame him for the, killings so he just shut the
Speaker 2: door to the. House he went out to his own
Speaker 2: separate area and left them, there and then he threw
Speaker 2: a party in his part of the, house one that
Speaker 2: didn't end for several.
Speaker 3: Days could this be?
Speaker 2: Possible Could aaron have found the bodies, and in some
Speaker 2: kind of disassociated state of, shock just Moved david into
Speaker 2: the bedroom and then stayed away gone out with his.
Speaker 2: Friends after the, interview detectives had to figure out If
Speaker 2: aaron's version of events was even.
Speaker 3: Possible was this just.
Speaker 2: A terrified teen who was disassociated from reality after abuse
Speaker 2: at home or a cold blooded. Killer in the days
Speaker 2: between his family's deaths and police discovering the, Bodies aaron lived.
Speaker 2: Large he drove David it's black nineteen eighty NINE gmc
Speaker 2: pickup truck around. Town he spent the money that he
Speaker 2: had stolen from the. Shop he also Used david's credit.
Speaker 2: Cards witnesses told police That aaron spent money on clothes AT. J. C,
Speaker 2: penny on gas and other, items and That aaron was
Speaker 2: Signing david's name for these. Purchases one Of aaron's friends
Speaker 2: told police he saw receipts for big amounts six hundred
Speaker 2: to seven hundred, dollars and when friends and family members
Speaker 2: would Ask arin where his parents, were he told everyone
Speaker 2: that they were on vacation In. Florida after police Told
Speaker 2: aaron they found the, bodies he insisted That david had murdered.
Speaker 2: Them police talked To david And barbara's. Friends many of
Speaker 2: them Said david And barbara had a lot of problems With,
Speaker 2: aaron and one friend Of barbara's confessed something even more.
Speaker 2: Suspicious she said Both barbara And david had been afraid Of.
Speaker 2: Erin they said That aaron had issues at, school that
Speaker 2: he had recently been suspended for a day for making
Speaker 2: an obscene gesture while the class picture was being, taken.
Speaker 3: But things were more serious than just school.
Speaker 2: PRANKS a friend Of david's who worked with him at
Speaker 2: the transmission shop told police That david had Bought aaron
Speaker 2: A mustang for his sixteenth, birthday but that one condition
Speaker 2: of buying the car was That aaron had to maintain good,
Speaker 2: grades But aarin, Didn't his grades slipped and the car
Speaker 2: was taken. Away Then arin got stopped at THE asu.
Speaker 2: Campus he gave his name As Aaron flick and apparently
Speaker 2: used a fake social security.
Speaker 4: Number.
Speaker 2: Anne david also confided in his friend That arin had
Speaker 2: choked his Sister andrea because she wouldn't give him. Money
Speaker 2: david told his friend that he was ready to Leave
Speaker 2: barbara because he couldn't Discipline aaron the way he wanted,
Speaker 2: to but he said he wouldn't leave because of his.
Speaker 3: Love for his.
Speaker 2: Daughter so tensions were rising inside that. House but what
Speaker 2: could have happened that led to the triple. Homicide friends
Speaker 2: Of aaron said that he drank and took. Drugs his,
Speaker 2: grandmother the grandmother he said he was supposed to stay,
Speaker 2: with was the only one WHO i can find in
Speaker 2: police interviews who actually had some nice things to say About.
Speaker 2: Aaron she apparently described him as being a mild mannered.
Speaker 2: Person in, fact things had gotten so bad Between aaron
Speaker 2: and his parents they were planning on sending him to
Speaker 2: a juvenile facility The Arkansas Baptist Boys ranch In, harrison
Speaker 2: and the relationship Between aaron and his, Stepfather david was particularly.
Speaker 2: Tumultuous police talked To aaron's, Friend David. Gunn this friend
Speaker 2: later testified That aaron asked him if he would drive
Speaker 2: erin to his stepfather's transmission shop at eleven pm On,
Speaker 2: Sunday october, eighth nineteen ninety. Five when they got, There
Speaker 2: aaron tried his keys in the, door but the keys didn't,
Speaker 2: work So david said that Anir aaron broke into the
Speaker 2: shop and then broke open a. Toolbox all there was
Speaker 2: in there was fifty, dollars Which aaron. Stole the friend
Speaker 2: testified this seemed to be kind of a surprise To,
Speaker 2: aaron Because aaron said he expected to find more. Money
Speaker 2: aaron's friends said That aaron also stole a pistol a
Speaker 2: holster in shells from the. Toolbox he said That aaron
Speaker 2: loaded five shells into that. Pistol after, That David gunn
Speaker 2: said that he And aaron took a ride and drove
Speaker 2: to a. Cemetery aaron got out of the car and said.
Speaker 3: He needed to.
Speaker 2: Think then he came back to the. Car they drove
Speaker 2: To aaron's. House aaron walked in carrying that stolen. Pistol
Speaker 2: the next time he Saw aaron was when he was
Speaker 2: at school the next day driving his stepfather's. Truck police
Speaker 2: were trying to establish a timeline because of the fact
Speaker 2: That aaron was driving the. Truck police believed the family
Speaker 2: were killed on the night Of october, eighth nineteen ninety,
Speaker 2: five which means they would have been lying there for
Speaker 2: five days until the thirteenth or the early morning hours
Speaker 2: of the, fourteenth when they were. Found more than one
Speaker 2: person told police it was very unusual For aaron to
Speaker 2: be driving his stepfather's. Vehicle they knew he did not
Speaker 2: normally have permission to drive that. TRUCK a lot of
Speaker 2: people told Police aaron and his stepfather did not get,
Speaker 2: along And aaron didn't just drive the truck to school
Speaker 2: that one. Day he drove his stepfather's truck for several.
Speaker 2: Days he took his friends to the, Movies he drove
Speaker 2: Around rector And paragold And jonesboro in the, truck and
Speaker 2: he threw parties at. Home police talked to a lot
Speaker 2: of teenagers who said they were drinking and smoking pot
Speaker 2: in that apartment all. Week police also talked to a
Speaker 2: young woman who testified she had sex With aaron in
Speaker 2: his bedroom off the. Garage some people at the parties
Speaker 2: said they noticed a bad smell even though the bodies
Speaker 2: were in the main part of the. House they Said
Speaker 2: aaron had excus. Uses he told them the sewer was backing.
Speaker 2: Up he told others it was cat.
Speaker 3: Litter he.
Speaker 2: Said there was work and remodeling and stuff going on
Speaker 2: in the main part of the, house so everyone just
Speaker 2: stayed away from. It it wasn't until much later that
Speaker 2: these teens realized with horror they had been partying next
Speaker 2: to three dead. Bodies his friend said during that week
Speaker 2: That aarin seemed calm and happy and, normal that he
Speaker 2: told more than one person it was the best week
Speaker 2: of his.
Speaker 3: Life he had.
Speaker 2: Plenty of money to spend on purchases and a nice
Speaker 2: truck to. Drive police found bloody clothing In david's, truck
Speaker 2: along with a pillow that appeared to have a gunshot
Speaker 2: hole in. It that was the one they believed the
Speaker 2: killer used as a. Silencer this didn't seem to make,
Speaker 2: sense because If aaron's version of the story was, true
Speaker 2: Then david would have to have killed his wife and,
Speaker 2: daughter then put that bloody pillow case into the, truck
Speaker 2: then gone, back lay down on the sofa and shot
Speaker 2: himself in the. Head this was something That aaron never
Speaker 2: really explained in his version of the. Story aaron told
Speaker 2: police he did not kill his, family but he did
Speaker 2: tell several different versions of the. Story at, first he
Speaker 2: said he had no idea what happened to. Them, later
Speaker 2: according to court, documents he said he didn't remember exactly what,
Speaker 2: happened but that he could have done. It he admitted
Speaker 2: to police he hated his. Stepfather he said he felt
Speaker 2: like he was out of. Control Was aaron being abused at?
Speaker 2: Home was this just a fight that got out of,
Speaker 2: control or was this something much more. Premeditated one friend
Speaker 2: Of barbara's Named Darlene, bolin Testified david told her specifically
Speaker 2: that he was afraid Of erin and afraid of quote
Speaker 2: what was going to. Happen aaron's, Friend David, gunn also
Speaker 2: Testified aaron had been thinking about killing his. Stepfather he
Speaker 2: said That aaron told him six months before the murders
Speaker 2: that he planned to Kill David flick by hitting him
Speaker 2: on the head with a wrench and later burying the. Body,
Speaker 2: Then aaron's friend Said aaron planned to say that his
Speaker 2: stepfather was. Missing police didn't Believe aaron's, story but there
Speaker 2: was gunshot residue On David flick's.
Speaker 3: Hands an employee of.
Speaker 2: The State Crime laboratory Testified David flick's left hand tested
Speaker 2: positive for gunshot, residue his right hand tested. Negative the
Speaker 2: problem was most of the gunshot residue was on the wrong,
Speaker 2: hand Because David flick was right.
Speaker 3: Handed when the state crime.
Speaker 2: Expert was asked about this in, court she Said david
Speaker 2: could have had that residue on his hands because he
Speaker 2: had fired a weapon, recently but it also could have
Speaker 2: been there for other. Reasons for, example it could have
Speaker 2: rubbed off On david if his body was dragged away
Speaker 2: by some person who had gunshot residue on their own.
Speaker 2: Hands police were not Buying aaron's. Story aaron was charged
Speaker 2: with triple capital murder for the killings Of, David, barbara And.
Speaker 2: Andrea at, Trial aaron's defense attorneys said his, Father David,
Speaker 2: flick was the, killer that he Killed barbara And andrea
Speaker 2: and then shot. Himself they claimed That david shot his
Speaker 2: wife and daughter using his left hand so his non
Speaker 2: dominant hand to, fire and that he used the pillowcases
Speaker 2: as homemade silencers to muffle the. Sounds aaron's lawyers set
Speaker 2: in court that he was so distraught after coming home
Speaker 2: and finding his mother and sister's bodies And david lying
Speaker 2: on the sofa already, dead that he Shot david twice
Speaker 2: more in the, head and that after trying to cover
Speaker 2: up the bodies and, blood he basically disassociated with.
Speaker 3: Reality at, trial.
Speaker 2: The state and the defense painted two very different versions
Speaker 2: of what was really going on behind closed doors inside
Speaker 2: The flick. House there was no question there were major
Speaker 2: problems in that. Home had hated his, stepfather and at
Speaker 2: least one Of barbara's close friends testified That aaron's parents
Speaker 2: were afraid of, him and there were some things that
Speaker 2: police found that would seem, to at least on the,
Speaker 2: surface back up some of the things That aaron was
Speaker 2: saying about infidelity In barbara And david's, relationship because when
Speaker 2: police searched the transmission, shop they found what was described
Speaker 2: as sex paraphernalia in. There according to police, reports there
Speaker 2: were photographs in that, shop and one of those, photographs
Speaker 2: according to court, documents seemed to back up the fact
Speaker 2: That barbara was engaged in some kind of sexual activity
Speaker 2: and that there were images of, Her but it's really
Speaker 2: not clear whether that was evidence of her having an
Speaker 2: affair with someone else or whether the pictures just Showed
Speaker 2: barbara And, honestly it's confusing because these pictures were in her,
Speaker 2: Husband david's, Toolbox so it does beg the, question if
Speaker 2: it was Showing barbara engaging in, infidelity Why david would
Speaker 2: keep those pictures in his own. Toolbox that is still
Speaker 2: a little bit of a. Mystery aaron's attorneys seemed to
Speaker 2: be making the point that those photographs could have Caused
Speaker 2: david to fly into a rage and could have led
Speaker 2: to a volatle argument on the evening Of october, eighth
Speaker 2: but those photographs were not allowed in. Court even if
Speaker 2: there was a huge fight in the, home what would
Speaker 2: Motivate aarin to kill his? Mother the prosecutors believe that
Speaker 2: it was the prospect Of david's mother siding with his
Speaker 2: stepfather and planning to Send erin away to a juvenile.
Speaker 3: Home but what about his Sister.
Speaker 2: Andrea even If aaron flew into a rage and killed his,
Speaker 2: stepfather who he admitted to people he, hated and his,
Speaker 2: mother how could he kill his eleven year old, sister
Speaker 2: who even those who didn't Like aaron admit.
Speaker 3: He seemed to truly.
Speaker 2: Love but it turned out That aaron's relationship with his
Speaker 2: Sister andrea was not straightforward As aaron may have told.
Speaker 2: People remember that friend Of, david's the one who told police,
Speaker 2: that according To, David aaron choked his sister because she
Speaker 2: wouldn't give him. Money that same friend said That david
Speaker 2: did not want erin in the house because he Said
Speaker 2: aaron had threatened to Kill andrea if she Told david
Speaker 2: About aaron hurting her or stealing her. Money things had
Speaker 2: gotten so bad that in the three to five months
Speaker 2: before the, Killings david was so worried he would not
Speaker 2: Leave andrea alone When aarin was, there And andrea was
Speaker 2: so scared of her brother that she would lock herself
Speaker 2: in her. Room the state Claimed aaron did it because
Speaker 2: he wanted to. Party they introduced evidence of his behavior
Speaker 2: during the week after the murders to speak to his
Speaker 2: state of. Mind they said he drank, smoke, pot had
Speaker 2: sex and three, parties that he spent his stepfather's money
Speaker 2: and stole his credit. Cards they claimed that he had
Speaker 2: no rem and that one Of aaron's motives in killing
Speaker 2: his victims was his desire to engage in a hedonistic,
Speaker 2: lifestyle one that presumably he could not have engaged in
Speaker 2: unless there were no adult. Witnesses Aaron hodge was found.
Speaker 2: Guilty when asked by the judge if he had anything to, Say.
Speaker 3: Aaron, Replied i'm not.
Speaker 2: Guilty at the, time The Circuit court was required to
Speaker 2: Sentence aron to the mandatory sentence life without the possibility of,
Speaker 2: parole so in nineteen ninety, Six Aaron hodge was sent
Speaker 2: to serve his time in maximum security at The East
Speaker 2: Arkansas Regional unit In, marianna where he has been for
Speaker 2: the last twenty nine. Years Aaron hodge is still in,
Speaker 2: prison but he has a, Girlfriend. Jennifer jennifer Met aaron
Speaker 2: as a. Child they reac connected much later when she
Speaker 2: was going through a divorce in her. Forties jennifer said
Speaker 2: she believes In aaron's.
Speaker 4: INNOCENCE i think we were probably about nine ten years,
Speaker 4: old and he lived right around the corner from my,
Speaker 4: grandma SO i saw him all the time with his,
Speaker 4: sister and our friends were kind of all the, same
Speaker 4: AND i mean it was just an odd, Thing LIKE
Speaker 4: i remember. SEVENTEEN i didn't talk to him from when
Speaker 4: he was seventeen until about about three and a half years. Ago,
Speaker 4: NOW i guess every year that he, went you, know
Speaker 4: he'd have to come over here To, johnsboro And i'm
Speaker 4: not even really sure for, what but he would have
Speaker 4: to come over here And i'd see him on THE
Speaker 4: ki two would slash that picture and it just break
Speaker 4: my heart because he just looks but that's not even
Speaker 4: what he looks. Like for, One i'll send you a picture,
Speaker 4: too that's not even any of the pictures you see
Speaker 4: of me looks so scary and he's. Not he does
Speaker 4: not even look like.
Speaker 3: That jennifer.
Speaker 2: Said she And aaron started writing letters to each, other
Speaker 2: which led to video, visits and then, eventually she said
Speaker 2: that he opened up about what he claimed happened during
Speaker 2: that fateful week In october in nineteen ninety.
Speaker 4: Seven she had cheated And aaron was going out in
Speaker 4: his face Because aaron had gotten them and he was
Speaker 4: a punk, kid and he'll tell you, that he, Said
Speaker 4: but that doesn't MEAN i killed my, mom you. Know
Speaker 4: and they were into. It she was into it with.
Speaker 4: Him aaron left to go to his friend's, house was
Speaker 4: gone not long at. All when he came, back he,
Speaker 4: said he walked, in he's heard something gurgling or, whatever
Speaker 4: all the exact, words but his mom and sister were
Speaker 4: dead and his stepdad had shot himself and he put
Speaker 4: three more rounds. In it might believe it's his, words
Speaker 4: but again that needs to come from. Him but it's
Speaker 4: always been the. Same it's never changed, ever not. Once
Speaker 4: eight months in is when he started opening up about.
Speaker 4: It and Then i'd had a teenager go through adolescents
Speaker 4: who we just, had you, know just buck wild and
Speaker 4: went through. Stuff and SO i think that's WHY i
Speaker 4: was put in the situation to be able to understand
Speaker 4: and hear it WHEN i, did and oh my, GOSH i,
Speaker 4: MEAN i JUST i remember when he told this story
Speaker 4: to me the first, time all the way, through my knee.
Speaker 4: BUCKLED i, mean they just boockled BECAUSE i, KNEW i
Speaker 4: knew in my heart that he was killing the.
Speaker 2: Truth in twenty, twelve there was another strange twist in
Speaker 2: this case because THE Us Supreme court decided that mandatory
Speaker 2: life without the possibility of parole sentences for miners were.
Speaker 2: Unconstitutional so that meant people under the age of eighteen
Speaker 2: who were given a sentence of life without parole could
Speaker 2: be eligible for. Resentencing this Included Aaron, hodge so this
Speaker 2: paved the way For aaron to get another sentencing, hearing
Speaker 2: which happened On december, sixth twenty twenty, two once again
Speaker 2: information was presented to a jury in Craig Head. County
Speaker 2: that jury Gave aaron a sentence of thirty, years which
Speaker 2: meant that with time, Served Aaron hodge could be free
Speaker 2: in as little as three, years which.
Speaker 3: Would be the year twenty twenty.
Speaker 2: Five he was eligible for parole before and went before
Speaker 2: the parole board in twenty twenty, three but the information
Speaker 2: THAT i could find said that the parole hearing that
Speaker 2: happened in twenty twenty three was. Deferred so as of,
Speaker 2: Today Aaron hodge is still behind, bars but he could
Speaker 2: be free very. Soon jennifer said that her family had
Speaker 2: expressed concerns about her relationship With, aaron but she says
Speaker 2: some of them now believe That aaron is a changed.
Speaker 4: MAN i was, like, look just go back down telling
Speaker 4: you and he was this completely different. Person he Found,
Speaker 4: god he you, know and everything he's saying out That he's,
Speaker 4: LIKE i just want to have a house on the
Speaker 4: end of the road with a dog and be able
Speaker 4: to see a, sunset AND i see.
Speaker 2: It aaron continues to maintain his innocence as he has
Speaker 2: for the past thirty, years and his girlfriend says she
Speaker 2: believes that he should be.
Speaker 4: Released he talks about the sunset and goes over and,
Speaker 4: over and he, said the first TIME i get out
Speaker 4: of him and take a picture of the, sunset where
Speaker 4: WERE I Whatever i'm, doing And i'm going to post
Speaker 4: it on My facebook with my, name And i'm not gonna,
Speaker 4: hide because you know, what everybody want to delve their,
Speaker 4: life and they, did and they'll answer To god for.
Speaker 4: That but this is my, turn And i'm going to
Speaker 4: be exactly Who i'm going to, be And i'm going
Speaker 4: to Thank god for it and realize how LUCKY i
Speaker 4: am every.
Speaker 2: Day of, course not everyone agreed with. This family members
Speaker 2: and people close to the victims believed the rightful killer
Speaker 2: was and is behind, bars and that releasing him will
Speaker 2: be dangerous to the. Community aaron has had several disciplinary
Speaker 2: violations while incarcerated at The East Arkansas REGIONAL. MAX a
Speaker 2: petition on change dot org that has been circulated by
Speaker 2: supporters of the victims' families claimed that the rescenencing hearing
Speaker 2: was biased Because aaron was able to, quote introduce new,
Speaker 2: evidence and spew wise and hatred on the stand all
Speaker 2: the while us the victims were told to either stick
Speaker 2: with what was said in the original try or have
Speaker 2: our victim impact statements heavily edited end quote this. Petition
Speaker 2: justice for The flicks said they believe that quote the
Speaker 2: people Of, Rector arkansas on, us the victims who were
Speaker 2: called to retestify and or to read victim's impact statements
Speaker 2: are all potentially in danger of his wrath once he is.
Speaker 3: Released end.
Speaker 2: Quote they have asked that people reading the petition contact
Speaker 2: the local government representatives to voice their opinions about the
Speaker 2: danger of Releasing. Aron so, far this petition has gotten one,
Speaker 2: thousand two hundred.
Speaker 3: And sixty seven.
Speaker 2: Signatures considering that there are only one eight hundred and
Speaker 2: twenty three people In, Rector, arkansas two hundred and sixty
Speaker 2: seven people signing a petition is a huge. Number many
Speaker 2: of the people who attended parties At aaron's house during
Speaker 2: the week That aaron was there with his family's bodies
Speaker 2: have commented on social media that they they are afraid
Speaker 2: that When aaron gets, out that he'll remember that they
Speaker 2: talk to the. Police does the fact that he continues
Speaker 2: to deny the killings mean that he has disassociated himself from, them.
Speaker 3: Or that he has no.
Speaker 2: Remorse as the clock ticks down to his, release the
Speaker 2: community continues to be. Divided I'm Katherine. Townsend this Is
Speaker 2: Helen Gone Murder. Line Helen Gone murderline is a production
Speaker 2: Of school Of humans And iHeart. Podcasts it's written and
Speaker 2: narrated by Me Catherine townsend and produced By Gabby. Watts
Speaker 2: special thanks To Amy tubbs for her research assistance and
Speaker 2: For James wheaton for legal. Review noah camer mixed and
Speaker 2: scored this. Episode our theme song is By Ben. Sale
Speaker 2: executive producers Are Virginia, Prescott Brandon, barr and. L. C.
Speaker 2: Crowley listen To Helen gone ad free by subscribing to
Speaker 2: The iHeart True Crime plus channel On Apple. Podcasts if
Speaker 2: you were interested in seeing documents and materials from the,
Speaker 2: case you can follow the show On instagram At helen.
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