1 00:00:01,520 --> 00:00:03,640 Speaker 1: My mom was a really funny person. She would tell 2 00:00:03,640 --> 00:00:10,119 Speaker 1: me things sometimes and they would come true. Good week 3 00:00:10,240 --> 00:00:14,520 Speaker 1: or so before the murders, she was upset. She kept 4 00:00:14,520 --> 00:00:18,320 Speaker 1: telling me. Every day she'd say, I'm losing my mind. 5 00:00:18,360 --> 00:00:21,680 Speaker 1: I can't sleep. I keep having this terrible dream. She'd 6 00:00:21,680 --> 00:00:23,520 Speaker 1: never told my clip to dream is about, and she 7 00:00:23,520 --> 00:00:25,360 Speaker 1: would just tell me I'm having this terrible dream of 8 00:00:25,400 --> 00:00:27,560 Speaker 1: having this terrible dream. And I started questioning. I said, 9 00:00:27,640 --> 00:00:29,760 Speaker 1: is it the same dream? And she's like, yeah, it's 10 00:00:29,760 --> 00:00:32,280 Speaker 1: the same dream. I said, what is the dream? And 11 00:00:32,320 --> 00:00:35,120 Speaker 1: she said I I don't know exactly. I just keep 12 00:00:35,159 --> 00:00:40,680 Speaker 1: seeing four coffins. I keep seeing these four coffins, but 13 00:00:40,760 --> 00:00:43,320 Speaker 1: I can't figure out who the fourth one is. And 14 00:00:43,479 --> 00:00:45,839 Speaker 1: as she said that, before I could even ask her anything, 15 00:00:46,360 --> 00:00:48,879 Speaker 1: she grabbed her purse and her keys and walked out 16 00:00:48,920 --> 00:00:51,440 Speaker 1: the door. So I didn't even get to questionable. Wait 17 00:00:51,440 --> 00:01:06,440 Speaker 1: a minute, woman, who was the first three? YEA. My 18 00:01:06,520 --> 00:01:10,800 Speaker 1: name is m William Phelps. I'm an investigative journalist and 19 00:01:10,880 --> 00:01:14,840 Speaker 1: author of forty four true crime books. This is season 20 00:01:14,920 --> 00:01:29,920 Speaker 1: two of Paper Ghosts Burned. Some called it the greed Decade, 21 00:01:30,240 --> 00:01:33,320 Speaker 1: the yuppie years. But however, you wanted to find it. 22 00:01:33,480 --> 00:01:37,039 Speaker 1: The eighties was about bright colors, big hair, and historic 23 00:01:37,120 --> 00:01:42,160 Speaker 1: pop culture moments. A new cable network called MTV Music 24 00:01:42,240 --> 00:01:47,360 Speaker 1: Television debut, the first Space Shuttle mission took flight. Ronald 25 00:01:47,440 --> 00:01:57,240 Speaker 1: Reagan was president, teared down this wall. As the countercultural 26 00:01:57,320 --> 00:02:00,160 Speaker 1: and radical movements of the sixties and seventies gave eight 27 00:02:00,240 --> 00:02:04,800 Speaker 1: to the materialism and consumerism of the eighties, Middle America 28 00:02:05,160 --> 00:02:09,160 Speaker 1: seemed to churn along as it always had. Most Midwesterners 29 00:02:09,160 --> 00:02:12,400 Speaker 1: went about their business and didn't concern themselves with what 30 00:02:12,520 --> 00:02:15,240 Speaker 1: went on throughout the rest of the country, something they 31 00:02:15,240 --> 00:02:19,000 Speaker 1: had been doing for decades. Already struggling to make ends, 32 00:02:19,040 --> 00:02:22,440 Speaker 1: meet jobs, hard to find the ups and downs of life. 33 00:02:22,880 --> 00:02:28,200 Speaker 1: There's nothing new, notably in states like Ohio, the setting 34 00:02:28,639 --> 00:02:33,480 Speaker 1: of my latest investigation. Beppo was a great little town, 35 00:02:33,680 --> 00:02:36,400 Speaker 1: just a small town. Um. Everybody's you know, kind of 36 00:02:36,400 --> 00:02:40,040 Speaker 1: knows everybody, and the kids walked the streets, and you know, 37 00:02:40,160 --> 00:02:42,000 Speaker 1: we had a first as where all the cars would 38 00:02:42,120 --> 00:02:43,840 Speaker 1: and together and we'd all drive around. It's just not 39 00:02:43,880 --> 00:02:49,840 Speaker 1: attle American down Bethel, Ohio. It's a small village in 40 00:02:49,960 --> 00:02:54,880 Speaker 1: Claremont County with a population of just under twenty. There 41 00:02:54,880 --> 00:02:59,480 Speaker 1: are farms and more farms modest, one bedroom cape cod 42 00:02:59,600 --> 00:03:03,640 Speaker 1: style homes next door to ten thousand square foot ranches 43 00:03:04,160 --> 00:03:06,840 Speaker 1: with steel arbors over the entrance. The name of the 44 00:03:06,919 --> 00:03:09,720 Speaker 1: ranch welded into an image of a steer or horse. 45 00:03:10,520 --> 00:03:14,720 Speaker 1: People here chew tobacco and where motor oil stained baseball caps. 46 00:03:15,360 --> 00:03:17,960 Speaker 1: They walk around with mud on their clothes. From the 47 00:03:18,000 --> 00:03:22,560 Speaker 1: hardest work imaginable. It's an off the beaten path kind 48 00:03:22,560 --> 00:03:25,760 Speaker 1: of place where people kept to themselves. For the most part, 49 00:03:26,560 --> 00:03:30,280 Speaker 1: you didn't ever need to lock your doors. That comfortable 50 00:03:30,280 --> 00:03:35,080 Speaker 1: security changed during the summer of when a call for 51 00:03:35,200 --> 00:03:37,800 Speaker 1: help went out in the middle of the night. An 52 00:03:37,840 --> 00:03:42,280 Speaker 1: inferno was ablaze. A massive property belonging to one of 53 00:03:42,280 --> 00:03:47,200 Speaker 1: the town's most popular, wealthiest families, the Stevenson's, was engulfed 54 00:03:47,240 --> 00:03:50,880 Speaker 1: in flames so immense the orange and yellow glow of 55 00:03:50,920 --> 00:03:53,960 Speaker 1: the fire could be seen from miles in the night sky. 56 00:03:54,520 --> 00:03:56,960 Speaker 1: What happened that night an event I am here to 57 00:03:57,040 --> 00:03:59,960 Speaker 1: investigate and have been looking into for the past five years. 58 00:04:00,760 --> 00:04:03,920 Speaker 1: Rock this community. For something like this to happen in 59 00:04:03,960 --> 00:04:06,640 Speaker 1: the town where everybody leaves their doors, you know, unlocked, 60 00:04:07,480 --> 00:04:10,240 Speaker 1: where everybody kind of knows each other. Um here we 61 00:04:10,320 --> 00:04:13,240 Speaker 1: are you know almost fifty years later, and people are 62 00:04:13,280 --> 00:04:16,960 Speaker 1: still they still talk about it. The sense I get 63 00:04:17,040 --> 00:04:19,799 Speaker 1: is how time has not altered people's feelings or thoughts 64 00:04:19,800 --> 00:04:23,640 Speaker 1: about the town's most high profile murder case, certainly not 65 00:04:23,720 --> 00:04:27,360 Speaker 1: speculation or rumor, which has Ebbden flowed over the decades. 66 00:04:28,320 --> 00:04:31,960 Speaker 1: Everyone in Bethel, it seems, has his or her theory 67 00:04:32,560 --> 00:04:35,960 Speaker 1: about what went on inside the Stevenson's the state that night. 68 00:04:37,000 --> 00:04:39,160 Speaker 1: But the real story is not within the whispers at 69 00:04:39,200 --> 00:04:42,719 Speaker 1: the post office of the local diner. No, the true 70 00:04:42,760 --> 00:04:47,160 Speaker 1: story lives within the people who knew the family best, which, 71 00:04:47,680 --> 00:04:51,320 Speaker 1: when looking into cold cases, is where you always want 72 00:04:51,360 --> 00:04:59,200 Speaker 1: to begin. My name is Carol Thompson and I'm from 73 00:04:59,240 --> 00:05:04,920 Speaker 1: all over, but I was born in West Virginia. Carol 74 00:05:05,000 --> 00:05:07,960 Speaker 1: Thompson is a fifty nine year old mother of three. 75 00:05:08,720 --> 00:05:12,760 Speaker 1: She has six grandchildren. She has short, curly, dark hair 76 00:05:12,800 --> 00:05:17,159 Speaker 1: and a vivacious disposition. Carol grew up in various cities 77 00:05:17,200 --> 00:05:20,919 Speaker 1: around the country. Book considers Bethel her home. I'm in 78 00:05:20,960 --> 00:05:23,960 Speaker 1: town to meet her at her small ranch house just 79 00:05:24,120 --> 00:05:28,080 Speaker 1: west of town. She seems a bit nervous auntsie, but 80 00:05:28,160 --> 00:05:30,480 Speaker 1: at the same time eager to discuss what happened to 81 00:05:30,520 --> 00:05:36,320 Speaker 1: her family forty years ago on July six, Um, sound 82 00:05:36,320 --> 00:05:40,320 Speaker 1: asleep and my fame rings. I'm roll over, groggy and 83 00:05:40,360 --> 00:05:45,039 Speaker 1: I answered the phone. Hello, and it's and from Ed's 84 00:05:45,200 --> 00:05:49,359 Speaker 1: Bourn in Bourne, who is a gentleman who owned a 85 00:05:49,360 --> 00:05:53,080 Speaker 1: gas station on the other end of Ethel. Well. Because 86 00:05:53,080 --> 00:05:54,800 Speaker 1: it's four o'clock in the morning, he really probably didn't 87 00:05:54,800 --> 00:05:56,719 Speaker 1: see a whole lot of people, and he had a 88 00:05:56,760 --> 00:06:00,320 Speaker 1: scam that he kept on on his office and he 89 00:06:00,320 --> 00:06:04,120 Speaker 1: hears them calling for fire trucks from my mom's house. 90 00:06:04,560 --> 00:06:08,240 Speaker 1: He says, Carol, you need to get your mom's There 91 00:06:08,400 --> 00:06:11,080 Speaker 1: is a fire at your mom's. They're sending fire trucks 92 00:06:11,080 --> 00:06:12,880 Speaker 1: from all over. You need to get your ass out there. 93 00:06:13,040 --> 00:06:15,760 Speaker 1: I said, Ed, why are you messing with me this morning? 94 00:06:15,760 --> 00:06:17,720 Speaker 1: It's quarter to five. What are you doing? Because I 95 00:06:17,760 --> 00:06:20,279 Speaker 1: thought this was a joke. He's like, no, no, no, Carrol, no, 96 00:06:20,560 --> 00:06:23,760 Speaker 1: listen to me, honey, I'm serious. There's a fire to 97 00:06:23,839 --> 00:06:28,200 Speaker 1: mom's house. Carol's parents, stepdad Billy and mom Lynda Stevenson 98 00:06:28,560 --> 00:06:33,520 Speaker 1: lived in this massive farmhouse at the time. Carol lived 99 00:06:33,520 --> 00:06:37,120 Speaker 1: about a mile away, just a few minutes drive at 100 00:06:37,160 --> 00:06:39,760 Speaker 1: that early hour with their three and a half year 101 00:06:39,760 --> 00:06:45,159 Speaker 1: old daughter Shannon sound asleep. Carol grabbed the blanket, swaddled Shannon, 102 00:06:45,760 --> 00:06:49,559 Speaker 1: threw her in the car and drove off. Before Carol 103 00:06:49,600 --> 00:06:51,599 Speaker 1: even made it to the street her parents lived on, 104 00:06:52,240 --> 00:06:55,680 Speaker 1: she could see the glow of the flames, hear those 105 00:06:55,720 --> 00:07:00,359 Speaker 1: sounds of alarm, and smell the intense odor of fire. 106 00:07:06,400 --> 00:07:12,520 Speaker 1: The flames are everywhere. I mean they're everywhere. So I 107 00:07:12,640 --> 00:07:15,200 Speaker 1: parked my car on the side of the road with 108 00:07:15,280 --> 00:07:17,200 Speaker 1: the intentions of running up the hill because there's a 109 00:07:17,360 --> 00:07:19,760 Speaker 1: hill before you can get up to the house. And 110 00:07:19,800 --> 00:07:22,480 Speaker 1: as I get up the hill, I'm seeing fire trucks 111 00:07:22,480 --> 00:07:26,400 Speaker 1: everywhere and everywhere. And I remember I took off running 112 00:07:26,440 --> 00:07:28,880 Speaker 1: for the front step of the house. I was going 113 00:07:28,880 --> 00:07:30,760 Speaker 1: to go in. I was going in. I needed to 114 00:07:30,760 --> 00:07:33,760 Speaker 1: get to my mom. I'm going to go in that house. 115 00:07:33,840 --> 00:07:37,520 Speaker 1: So I take a step to the step, and as 116 00:07:37,560 --> 00:07:40,200 Speaker 1: soon as I do, want to pull back, somebody has 117 00:07:40,200 --> 00:07:43,720 Speaker 1: me from behind. And as I spin around, I'm facing 118 00:07:43,800 --> 00:07:47,520 Speaker 1: a cop I don't know, and I remember what I'm saying, 119 00:07:47,640 --> 00:07:49,400 Speaker 1: you can't you can't go in there, and you can't 120 00:07:49,400 --> 00:07:53,840 Speaker 1: go and I'm screaming, where's little Bill? Where is little Billy? 121 00:07:54,680 --> 00:07:56,880 Speaker 1: You know, where's a little Billy, and I'm like losing it, 122 00:07:56,920 --> 00:08:00,280 Speaker 1: screaming out and I can see two ambulances where here, 123 00:08:00,800 --> 00:08:02,840 Speaker 1: and I so I'm screaming, where's a little Bill? Where's 124 00:08:02,840 --> 00:08:05,000 Speaker 1: little Bill? And that that was the only person I'm 125 00:08:05,000 --> 00:08:10,560 Speaker 1: screaming for. And I remember they said little Billy's in 126 00:08:10,560 --> 00:08:18,160 Speaker 1: the ambulance. He's okay, but your uncle is dead. They 127 00:08:18,240 --> 00:08:23,520 Speaker 1: unfortunately had it wrong. Carol's five year old brother, Billy Jr. 128 00:08:23,960 --> 00:08:28,400 Speaker 1: Was dead. Also, her uncle, thirty year old Eddie Dowell, 129 00:08:29,040 --> 00:08:31,520 Speaker 1: who had traveled south from Michigan to stay with the 130 00:08:31,560 --> 00:08:37,000 Speaker 1: Stevenson's that summer, he was dead too. Now standing in 131 00:08:37,000 --> 00:08:40,040 Speaker 1: front of the burning house, Carol was joined by our 132 00:08:40,080 --> 00:08:43,760 Speaker 1: other family members who lived nearby, one of whom was 133 00:08:43,800 --> 00:08:46,760 Speaker 1: her other younger brother. I want to say it was 134 00:08:46,800 --> 00:08:50,160 Speaker 1: close to seven, maybe six. Sorry, My little brother comes 135 00:08:50,520 --> 00:08:52,600 Speaker 1: flying in the door where I at in the neighbor's house. 136 00:08:52,640 --> 00:08:57,240 Speaker 1: Can fly on the door, he says, Carol, they're all dead. 137 00:08:58,880 --> 00:09:02,319 Speaker 1: I'm like what, No, that's not right. He goes, Carol, 138 00:09:02,520 --> 00:09:05,000 Speaker 1: they are bringing the bodies out of the house right now. 139 00:09:06,360 --> 00:09:09,840 Speaker 1: And I look out on the porch there's the bodies 140 00:09:11,240 --> 00:09:17,120 Speaker 1: and they're like stacked. Well, the sheet dripped over, and 141 00:09:17,160 --> 00:09:21,319 Speaker 1: I remember seeing a foot sticking out from under the sheet, 142 00:09:22,240 --> 00:09:26,480 Speaker 1: and I remember thinking to myself, that is my mom's bread. 143 00:09:28,559 --> 00:09:32,040 Speaker 1: At the same time, my brother says, Carol, something's up. 144 00:09:32,840 --> 00:09:40,120 Speaker 1: They're not telling us everything. There's too much blood. That 145 00:09:40,240 --> 00:09:43,040 Speaker 1: is not a fire. There is too much blood. There's 146 00:09:43,080 --> 00:09:46,080 Speaker 1: three bodies on the porch, and there's blood, and there's 147 00:09:46,080 --> 00:09:49,520 Speaker 1: blood everywhere, I mean, on all the sheets and anything. 148 00:09:50,400 --> 00:09:54,679 Speaker 1: So I immediately Paul asked to the lead cop that 149 00:09:54,720 --> 00:09:56,680 Speaker 1: had been talking to me that morning. I went straight 150 00:09:56,720 --> 00:10:00,640 Speaker 1: to him and I said, what's going on? There is 151 00:10:00,640 --> 00:10:02,959 Speaker 1: too much blood for fires. What I'm being told? What 152 00:10:03,080 --> 00:10:06,720 Speaker 1: is going on? And the cops that He says me, Carol, 153 00:10:06,760 --> 00:10:12,240 Speaker 1: they've all been shot. And that was like, oh man, 154 00:10:13,960 --> 00:10:19,280 Speaker 1: my whole even now I remember it, you know, like 155 00:10:19,440 --> 00:10:40,400 Speaker 1: it happened. Everything just dropped. Everything about me dropped. Billy 156 00:10:40,480 --> 00:10:43,480 Speaker 1: and Linda Stevenson were well known in Bethel all at 157 00:10:43,480 --> 00:10:47,040 Speaker 1: once for their eccentric, larger than life personalities as well 158 00:10:47,080 --> 00:10:52,840 Speaker 1: as their successful business ventures. Billy, sometimes called Steve which 159 00:10:52,880 --> 00:10:56,800 Speaker 1: is short for Stevenson, was a self made coming from nothing, 160 00:10:57,320 --> 00:11:01,520 Speaker 1: South Carolina born Texan trance plant who wound up in 161 00:11:01,559 --> 00:11:05,680 Speaker 1: Claremont County, Ohio in the early seventies. He began his 162 00:11:05,840 --> 00:11:10,120 Speaker 1: enterprising career selling a variety of thrifted goods and knickknacks 163 00:11:10,160 --> 00:11:15,680 Speaker 1: like garden statues, ceramic bowls, jewelry, and Mexican imports. His 164 00:11:15,720 --> 00:11:18,480 Speaker 1: biggest source of income back then came from selling those 165 00:11:18,600 --> 00:11:23,880 Speaker 1: cheesy nineteen seventies era black velvet paintings you've seen them, 166 00:11:24,160 --> 00:11:27,600 Speaker 1: iconic figures like Elvis and Bruce Lee. It was at 167 00:11:27,600 --> 00:11:31,200 Speaker 1: Billy's store where Linda began flirting with him, despite the 168 00:11:31,240 --> 00:11:34,600 Speaker 1: fact that he was also a married man and had children. 169 00:11:35,640 --> 00:11:39,160 Speaker 1: So she started flirting with Steve, and then within no 170 00:11:39,440 --> 00:11:44,240 Speaker 1: time she had Steve Rapper Banky. So he gives up 171 00:11:44,320 --> 00:11:47,480 Speaker 1: his business, gives of his wife, gives up his kid, 172 00:11:48,360 --> 00:11:53,160 Speaker 1: and him and Linda, well, my mom got partner right away. 173 00:11:53,480 --> 00:11:56,160 Speaker 1: Give me what to do? Keep them mate. So she 174 00:11:56,200 --> 00:11:59,040 Speaker 1: got partner right away. So Billy was very excited. He 175 00:11:59,160 --> 00:12:03,640 Speaker 1: was very excited. He of this baby. Okay, this was 176 00:12:03,679 --> 00:12:06,240 Speaker 1: a new chapter for Linda, who at this point was 177 00:12:06,280 --> 00:12:09,959 Speaker 1: already a mom to four children and had recently left 178 00:12:10,200 --> 00:12:14,640 Speaker 1: an abusive marriage to an ex con. Billy and Linda 179 00:12:14,679 --> 00:12:18,680 Speaker 1: were married in nineteen seventy six, with teenage daughter Carol 180 00:12:18,760 --> 00:12:21,880 Speaker 1: at home watching over her new baby brother, Billy Jr. 181 00:12:22,080 --> 00:12:25,040 Speaker 1: Both Billy and Linda Stevenson traveled around the country for 182 00:12:25,120 --> 00:12:29,360 Speaker 1: weeks at a time, selling wholesale merchandise. Kind of what 183 00:12:29,440 --> 00:12:33,720 Speaker 1: happened was gold and silver went crazy. The medals gold 184 00:12:33,720 --> 00:12:37,320 Speaker 1: and silver went nuts. My mom was very business minded, 185 00:12:37,679 --> 00:12:39,880 Speaker 1: and so she went to Stephen, said we need to 186 00:12:39,920 --> 00:12:42,800 Speaker 1: do this. We're gonna buy and sell gold and silver. 187 00:12:45,240 --> 00:12:49,360 Speaker 1: And when they started that man, their business took off, 188 00:12:50,360 --> 00:12:53,800 Speaker 1: which led her into wanting to learn jury. So she 189 00:12:53,840 --> 00:12:58,199 Speaker 1: went and got some training and learned how to identify diamonds, 190 00:12:58,240 --> 00:13:00,679 Speaker 1: and she learned, you know, she got on and lark 191 00:13:00,720 --> 00:13:05,600 Speaker 1: what she's doing, and she started selling dory By Billy 192 00:13:05,679 --> 00:13:10,800 Speaker 1: had expanded his businesses and graduated to owning five roadside 193 00:13:10,840 --> 00:13:15,560 Speaker 1: fireworks stands along Route, which is a four lane road, 194 00:13:15,800 --> 00:13:19,960 Speaker 1: lots of heavy, fast moving traffic, a main artery bringing 195 00:13:20,000 --> 00:13:24,120 Speaker 1: you into all the neighboring towns. By this time, Carol 196 00:13:24,200 --> 00:13:26,800 Speaker 1: and her new husband pitched in and helped with the sales, 197 00:13:27,559 --> 00:13:31,720 Speaker 1: raking in upwards of twenty thou dollars per day from 198 00:13:31,800 --> 00:13:37,880 Speaker 1: May to the July four holiday weekend. Now were you know, 199 00:13:37,920 --> 00:13:40,360 Speaker 1: we were too busy with gold and silver throughout the year, 200 00:13:41,400 --> 00:13:44,840 Speaker 1: but come May it was all focused on fireworks. Was 201 00:13:44,880 --> 00:13:48,240 Speaker 1: she into the illegal types right away or no? He 202 00:13:48,360 --> 00:13:53,760 Speaker 1: was never into a legal fireworks never? No. Never. Now 203 00:13:53,880 --> 00:13:56,400 Speaker 1: did he have his own a few illegal fireworks, sure, 204 00:13:57,360 --> 00:14:00,920 Speaker 1: but he didn't sell absolutely. Never. Oh, but keep in mind, 205 00:14:01,520 --> 00:14:04,240 Speaker 1: all fireworks are really one state of Ohio. You can 206 00:14:04,360 --> 00:14:06,920 Speaker 1: sell them. If they're taking them across state lines, a 207 00:14:06,960 --> 00:14:10,079 Speaker 1: let them off. In Ohio it was legal to sell 208 00:14:10,360 --> 00:14:13,440 Speaker 1: and possess fire ones. He just couldn't fire them off. 209 00:14:14,440 --> 00:14:17,800 Speaker 1: Didn't make sense, but that was the law. So Billy 210 00:14:17,880 --> 00:14:21,320 Speaker 1: and Linda made each customer sign a release stating they 211 00:14:21,320 --> 00:14:24,680 Speaker 1: would not light the fireworks they purchased from their stands 212 00:14:24,960 --> 00:14:27,960 Speaker 1: in the state of Ohio. Now, was he ever in 213 00:14:28,000 --> 00:14:31,040 Speaker 1: any trouble previously with the law? Yeah, he had been 214 00:14:31,040 --> 00:14:33,360 Speaker 1: in trouble, But honest to God, I don't know a 215 00:14:33,360 --> 00:14:35,360 Speaker 1: whole lot about it. I know that he had a 216 00:14:35,360 --> 00:14:37,920 Speaker 1: felony because I know he wasn't supposed to own guns, 217 00:14:38,400 --> 00:14:41,040 Speaker 1: But my mom didn't have me felonies, so sham goes. 218 00:14:41,600 --> 00:14:44,800 Speaker 1: So I guess that was a little loopholder us And 219 00:14:45,600 --> 00:14:48,840 Speaker 1: it's safe to say that Billy had guns on them, 220 00:14:48,840 --> 00:14:51,200 Speaker 1: probably at the stand who always sends around that house 221 00:14:51,200 --> 00:14:54,360 Speaker 1: and around in their first Mamma's first tell me about 222 00:14:54,360 --> 00:14:57,720 Speaker 1: the guns that they had. Well, my mom carried a 223 00:14:57,800 --> 00:15:02,280 Speaker 1: three seven and her purse at all times, and Steve 224 00:15:02,320 --> 00:15:05,400 Speaker 1: would have had he carried his forty four a lot. 225 00:15:05,400 --> 00:15:06,680 Speaker 1: I won't say carried it all the time, but if 226 00:15:06,680 --> 00:15:08,920 Speaker 1: he was the one somewhere, it was our seat deciding 227 00:15:09,480 --> 00:15:11,200 Speaker 1: was he the type of guy who would use that 228 00:15:11,240 --> 00:15:14,840 Speaker 1: gun if he needed to? Absolutely, Linda and Billy were 229 00:15:14,880 --> 00:15:19,640 Speaker 1: not playing. Those are serious weapons only serious gun owners keep. 230 00:15:21,440 --> 00:15:24,240 Speaker 1: By early summer, the Stevenson's were gearing up for another 231 00:15:24,280 --> 00:15:28,560 Speaker 1: busy season, particularly as July four neared. This was the 232 00:15:28,560 --> 00:15:33,400 Speaker 1: time they waited for all year long lines cash money, 233 00:15:33,760 --> 00:15:37,160 Speaker 1: but also twelve hour days every day of the week. 234 00:15:38,360 --> 00:15:42,760 Speaker 1: People everywhere. The lines and lines of people wanted to 235 00:15:42,800 --> 00:15:47,520 Speaker 1: buy fireworks was crazy. And uh, that particular year, I 236 00:15:47,600 --> 00:15:49,800 Speaker 1: do a one. I remember that was the year I 237 00:15:49,840 --> 00:15:53,720 Speaker 1: got my first trailer and I was so excited, you know, 238 00:15:53,840 --> 00:15:56,760 Speaker 1: so I had all these beautiful fireworks in my trailer. 239 00:15:57,280 --> 00:16:00,920 Speaker 1: It was awesome. Money was not a concern for the Stevenson's. 240 00:16:01,680 --> 00:16:04,280 Speaker 1: One source told me Billy got the first water bed 241 00:16:04,320 --> 00:16:06,480 Speaker 1: in town, which if you grew up in the eighties, 242 00:16:06,520 --> 00:16:10,080 Speaker 1: you know that was a big deal. Except for Billy. 243 00:16:10,320 --> 00:16:13,120 Speaker 1: It had to have a bit of extravagance, so he 244 00:16:13,160 --> 00:16:17,000 Speaker 1: apparently stored nothing but gold bars underneath the bed he 245 00:16:17,080 --> 00:16:22,160 Speaker 1: and Linda slept in. A lot of people have been 246 00:16:22,160 --> 00:16:24,160 Speaker 1: telling Mom and Steve, you know, hey, you know you 247 00:16:24,240 --> 00:16:26,480 Speaker 1: need to be carrible man. You know you're flashing all 248 00:16:26,480 --> 00:16:31,080 Speaker 1: this money, you're wearing all these jewels, Maybe be careful. 249 00:16:31,600 --> 00:16:35,520 Speaker 1: Did they brag about it? No, they did not brag. 250 00:16:35,600 --> 00:16:38,280 Speaker 1: They weren't the bragging pipe. But yeah, I mean they 251 00:16:38,320 --> 00:16:40,760 Speaker 1: showed it, and they they flaunted it. I mean they 252 00:16:40,880 --> 00:16:43,560 Speaker 1: used it. I've heard that Billy was the type he'd 253 00:16:43,640 --> 00:16:46,160 Speaker 1: have a roll of money with a rubber band in 254 00:16:46,200 --> 00:16:49,040 Speaker 1: his pocket and he'd hand it to you. He wasn't 255 00:16:49,040 --> 00:16:51,000 Speaker 1: trying about trying people. And if you needed a twenty 256 00:16:51,000 --> 00:16:53,800 Speaker 1: he'd hand it to you, you know, or if you know, 257 00:16:53,880 --> 00:16:56,080 Speaker 1: you walk up. My little girl said, when Keny worries, 258 00:16:56,120 --> 00:16:59,720 Speaker 1: could you but sure give me twenty hours worth. They 259 00:16:59,720 --> 00:17:04,440 Speaker 1: were not nice people, and they flaunted she was dripping 260 00:17:04,440 --> 00:17:07,400 Speaker 1: in jewelry. He was too, but she was bad. We're 261 00:17:07,400 --> 00:17:10,840 Speaker 1: talking five rings on one finger. We're talking this woman 262 00:17:10,920 --> 00:17:14,720 Speaker 1: probably care more. I don't know, twenty carrots of diamonds 263 00:17:14,800 --> 00:17:18,480 Speaker 1: on her hands. It's like, hey, look at me, you 264 00:17:18,520 --> 00:17:23,960 Speaker 1: should Robbie. The question has always come up, how did 265 00:17:24,000 --> 00:17:27,520 Speaker 1: Billy Stevenson make the bulk of his money? I've spoken 266 00:17:27,520 --> 00:17:31,439 Speaker 1: to people who suspected drugs. Others believed he ran guns 267 00:17:31,440 --> 00:17:35,840 Speaker 1: with an old friend and business partner. Selling velvet posters 268 00:17:35,840 --> 00:17:39,040 Speaker 1: and fireworks on a corner lot in a gas station 269 00:17:39,080 --> 00:17:42,560 Speaker 1: parking lot. Well, that's one thing. Showing off hundreds of 270 00:17:42,600 --> 00:17:45,680 Speaker 1: thousands of dollars, which many say Billy liked to do, 271 00:17:46,359 --> 00:17:50,919 Speaker 1: that's quite another. The problem with all this, who do 272 00:17:50,960 --> 00:18:06,240 Speaker 1: you believe? Business? That holiday weekend exceeded expectations. By j 273 00:18:07,520 --> 00:18:10,919 Speaker 1: the Stevenson's had grossed over two hundred thousand dollars in 274 00:18:11,000 --> 00:18:14,639 Speaker 1: firework sales. That night, the family went out to dinner 275 00:18:14,680 --> 00:18:20,840 Speaker 1: to celebrate another successful season. Everyone, Billy, Linda, their five 276 00:18:20,920 --> 00:18:24,320 Speaker 1: year old son, Billy Jr. Daughter Carol, who had her 277 00:18:24,359 --> 00:18:28,120 Speaker 1: young daughter with her, and Linda's brother Eddie returned home 278 00:18:28,160 --> 00:18:32,400 Speaker 1: around ten pm. Carol's parents were still in a triumphant 279 00:18:32,400 --> 00:18:34,920 Speaker 1: mood after getting home and called some friends to come 280 00:18:34,960 --> 00:18:38,800 Speaker 1: over and hang out the Carol was exhausted from working 281 00:18:38,800 --> 00:18:42,200 Speaker 1: the holiday weekend. She decided to head back to her 282 00:18:42,200 --> 00:18:46,240 Speaker 1: own place around ten thirty. As she was leaving, Carol 283 00:18:46,280 --> 00:18:50,040 Speaker 1: passed two men in the hallway, one a close family friend, 284 00:18:50,280 --> 00:18:54,840 Speaker 1: the other someone she didn't recognize. They were just arriving 285 00:18:58,119 --> 00:19:01,240 Speaker 1: just before midnight. Carol called the house to say goodnight. 286 00:19:02,200 --> 00:19:05,320 Speaker 1: Her mother, Linda answered. She sounded happy and even joked 287 00:19:05,320 --> 00:19:08,359 Speaker 1: around playing the call off as if it was that 288 00:19:08,480 --> 00:19:14,639 Speaker 1: family friend's wife calling and looking for him. There was 289 00:19:14,680 --> 00:19:16,720 Speaker 1: a lot of traffic in and out of that house. 290 00:19:17,800 --> 00:19:21,200 Speaker 1: If it wasn't his daughter and her clan, it was 291 00:19:22,680 --> 00:19:26,320 Speaker 1: you know, friends ahead or friend to them, so it 292 00:19:26,400 --> 00:19:30,679 Speaker 1: wasn't unusual. Barry Crayton was a sergeant with the Claremont 293 00:19:30,720 --> 00:19:34,240 Speaker 1: County Sheriff's Department. He had been working the midnight shift 294 00:19:34,280 --> 00:19:36,760 Speaker 1: when he got a call from dispatch about a nearby 295 00:19:36,800 --> 00:19:39,560 Speaker 1: house fire in a body that had been found inside. 296 00:19:40,480 --> 00:19:43,560 Speaker 1: He was the first officer on the scene. When I 297 00:19:43,640 --> 00:19:49,159 Speaker 1: got there, Chief Hawk Bob Howk was the fire chief, 298 00:19:49,280 --> 00:19:53,119 Speaker 1: and he met me in the driveway and he said, U, 299 00:19:54,320 --> 00:19:58,000 Speaker 1: there's bodies in there. He says, um, I think maybe 300 00:19:58,040 --> 00:20:02,160 Speaker 1: we wouldn't they have been shot? And can you give 301 00:20:02,160 --> 00:20:06,560 Speaker 1: me a shakedown cruise on a oxygen mask and what 302 00:20:06,800 --> 00:20:09,320 Speaker 1: have you and to go in the fire. And he 303 00:20:09,359 --> 00:20:11,640 Speaker 1: said sure, so he did. He give me a one, 304 00:20:11,680 --> 00:20:15,680 Speaker 1: two three, and he and I went in back in 305 00:20:15,760 --> 00:20:20,719 Speaker 1: the house, the Stevenson property was glamorous and extreme, with 306 00:20:20,800 --> 00:20:25,160 Speaker 1: two kitchens, a game room in ground, pool, ballroom, dance floor, 307 00:20:25,840 --> 00:20:28,960 Speaker 1: the latest video games in the living room, the size 308 00:20:29,000 --> 00:20:32,480 Speaker 1: of a small ranch house. While I was in town, 309 00:20:32,480 --> 00:20:34,960 Speaker 1: I saw the place, which had been remodeled once again, 310 00:20:35,000 --> 00:20:39,160 Speaker 1: but with the integrity Billy had designed himself. Billy had 311 00:20:39,160 --> 00:20:42,280 Speaker 1: even converted the silo attached to the old barn into 312 00:20:42,320 --> 00:20:45,560 Speaker 1: an office. The smoke from the fire was so thick 313 00:20:45,920 --> 00:20:49,639 Speaker 1: law enforcement initially miscounted how many bodies were in the house. 314 00:20:50,520 --> 00:20:52,520 Speaker 1: We went in and we had to get down on 315 00:20:52,600 --> 00:20:57,040 Speaker 1: the floor and crawl. And he first all he took 316 00:20:57,080 --> 00:21:00,920 Speaker 1: me to a couch and it was a small child 317 00:21:01,040 --> 00:21:04,680 Speaker 1: laying on the couch, and I can tell he was dead. 318 00:21:05,960 --> 00:21:09,880 Speaker 1: And then he showed me another end of the droll 319 00:21:10,080 --> 00:21:14,160 Speaker 1: lamb out on the floor by the table, which was dead. 320 00:21:15,160 --> 00:21:17,880 Speaker 1: An important point here is the positioning of the bodies 321 00:21:18,480 --> 00:21:21,399 Speaker 1: each victim was found on the first floor. If you 322 00:21:21,440 --> 00:21:24,320 Speaker 1: walked in through the front door into a large foyer. 323 00:21:24,880 --> 00:21:28,080 Speaker 1: Straight ahead was a formal dining room. To the left 324 00:21:28,359 --> 00:21:31,920 Speaker 1: a living room where the first body was discovered, five 325 00:21:32,000 --> 00:21:34,919 Speaker 1: year old Billy Jr. Who was lying on the couch. 326 00:21:35,840 --> 00:21:39,320 Speaker 1: Everyone I've spoken to believes he was asleep when shot 327 00:21:39,359 --> 00:21:42,200 Speaker 1: at point blank range on the left side of his head, 328 00:21:42,760 --> 00:21:48,240 Speaker 1: the bullet exiting on the right. Carol's uncle, Eddie Dowell, 329 00:21:48,760 --> 00:21:51,199 Speaker 1: was in the same room as Billy Jr. Near a 330 00:21:51,240 --> 00:21:54,560 Speaker 1: small dining table in the corner. Eddie was found on 331 00:21:54,600 --> 00:21:58,240 Speaker 1: the ground next to a chair. Three gunshot wounds to 332 00:21:58,280 --> 00:22:03,919 Speaker 1: the head, point blank, execution style. His face pretty roughed up, 333 00:22:04,359 --> 00:22:08,520 Speaker 1: lightly pistol whipped with contusions to his stomach and lower leg. 334 00:22:10,000 --> 00:22:13,520 Speaker 1: Lynda Stevenson, Carol's mother, was in the kitchen, face down 335 00:22:13,960 --> 00:22:17,959 Speaker 1: on the linoleum floor, shot once on the right side 336 00:22:18,440 --> 00:22:22,440 Speaker 1: and once on the left side of her head. Billy 337 00:22:22,560 --> 00:22:26,600 Speaker 1: Senior was found inside the master bedroom's bathroom, no clothes on, 338 00:22:26,880 --> 00:22:33,960 Speaker 1: shot six times head, neck, face, chest, left abdomen, and 339 00:22:34,080 --> 00:22:38,760 Speaker 1: left upper arm. He also had contusions, abrasions and lacerations 340 00:22:38,760 --> 00:22:43,040 Speaker 1: on his face, neck, and back. I've seen the crime 341 00:22:43,080 --> 00:22:47,240 Speaker 1: scene photos. Billy's right hand was frozen in place like 342 00:22:47,320 --> 00:22:51,520 Speaker 1: he was holding a weapon, finger curved around an imaginary trigger, 343 00:22:52,240 --> 00:22:56,960 Speaker 1: but no gun was recovered near his body. Despite the 344 00:22:57,000 --> 00:23:00,480 Speaker 1: four bodies being found inside the burned home, this was 345 00:23:00,520 --> 00:23:04,359 Speaker 1: the only one to have been extensively burned to the 346 00:23:04,440 --> 00:23:10,600 Speaker 1: point of being nearly unrecognizable. So when we got out 347 00:23:10,640 --> 00:23:15,359 Speaker 1: on the lawn, I told him, I said, do this 348 00:23:15,560 --> 00:23:19,199 Speaker 1: for me, Bob. I said, uh, see if you can 349 00:23:19,200 --> 00:23:23,560 Speaker 1: put it out so we'll have a crime scene. And 350 00:23:23,640 --> 00:23:27,280 Speaker 1: what was the fire like at this time? It was 351 00:23:27,320 --> 00:23:33,920 Speaker 1: coming through, pieces were dropping down off the ceiling. Uh. 352 00:23:34,480 --> 00:23:40,800 Speaker 1: Smoke was really heavy, so it wasn't no time. And 353 00:23:41,280 --> 00:23:45,280 Speaker 1: Chief how came back to me and said, we're not 354 00:23:45,359 --> 00:23:47,160 Speaker 1: gonna be able to save it. It's gonna go down. 355 00:23:48,200 --> 00:23:50,560 Speaker 1: He said, the second floor is going to come into 356 00:23:50,560 --> 00:23:53,400 Speaker 1: the first floor. And I said, we'll get him out 357 00:23:53,400 --> 00:23:57,800 Speaker 1: of there, and that's when his men hauled him out 358 00:23:57,800 --> 00:24:00,680 Speaker 1: there and put him on the on the yard. By 359 00:24:00,720 --> 00:24:03,600 Speaker 1: this point, Craton was joined on the scene by other 360 00:24:03,680 --> 00:24:08,480 Speaker 1: members of the Claremont County Sheriff's Department, including Detective Tom Cooper, 361 00:24:09,000 --> 00:24:13,280 Speaker 1: the guy who would ultimately lead the Investigation. Cooper is 362 00:24:13,320 --> 00:24:15,639 Speaker 1: one of those old school detectives you look at and 363 00:24:15,680 --> 00:24:18,720 Speaker 1: you think, if I'm a crime victim, this is the 364 00:24:18,800 --> 00:24:22,400 Speaker 1: guy I want looking into my case. Well, we knew 365 00:24:23,080 --> 00:24:29,280 Speaker 1: Linda and the family was alive eleven. The fire start 366 00:24:29,320 --> 00:24:32,280 Speaker 1: at three, so it had be between say midnight and 367 00:24:32,359 --> 00:24:35,760 Speaker 1: probably three o'clock in the morning. We looked at the 368 00:24:35,760 --> 00:24:38,399 Speaker 1: crimes and we knew we can handle some of it, 369 00:24:38,680 --> 00:24:43,040 Speaker 1: but it was going to be a intense crime scene. 370 00:24:43,400 --> 00:24:46,560 Speaker 1: So the sheriff hads some contacts with FBI and b 371 00:24:46,680 --> 00:24:50,840 Speaker 1: c I, so he asked for assistance from FBI on evidence, 372 00:24:51,080 --> 00:24:54,000 Speaker 1: maybe sending on evidence up to their lab, which they granted, 373 00:24:54,400 --> 00:24:57,359 Speaker 1: and Ohio b c I came down Ohio Bureau of 374 00:24:57,359 --> 00:25:01,880 Speaker 1: Criminal Investigation to help us for crime saying, we found 375 00:25:01,960 --> 00:25:04,960 Speaker 1: some shell case sayings to the drawers been pulled out, 376 00:25:05,000 --> 00:25:09,080 Speaker 1: we have a bunch of pornography, as Detective Cooper explains, 377 00:25:09,280 --> 00:25:12,920 Speaker 1: shell casings from two different guns, a twenty two caliber 378 00:25:12,960 --> 00:25:17,600 Speaker 1: and a thirty eight caliber littered the Stevenson's house. Three 379 00:25:17,640 --> 00:25:20,760 Speaker 1: separate fires had been set, one on the second floor 380 00:25:20,800 --> 00:25:24,239 Speaker 1: too on the first After the bodies were removed, the 381 00:25:24,280 --> 00:25:28,159 Speaker 1: top floor collapsed onto the first and although dresser and 382 00:25:28,240 --> 00:25:32,160 Speaker 1: kitchen drawers have been pulled open, many expensive items, including 383 00:25:32,240 --> 00:25:36,120 Speaker 1: jewelry and art, were left behind, not to mention the 384 00:25:36,320 --> 00:25:41,359 Speaker 1: arsenal of guns Billy Stevenson kept inside that house, a 385 00:25:41,400 --> 00:25:44,120 Speaker 1: couple over his bed, a few in the bathroom, even 386 00:25:44,160 --> 00:25:47,320 Speaker 1: several tucked away in the living room and dining room. 387 00:25:47,359 --> 00:25:49,600 Speaker 1: It was hard to consider robbery as a motive to 388 00:25:49,680 --> 00:25:54,160 Speaker 1: kill four people, including a small child, when so many 389 00:25:54,280 --> 00:25:59,680 Speaker 1: valuable items had been left behind. One thing was for certain. 390 00:26:00,280 --> 00:26:03,520 Speaker 1: Whoever did this was clearly familiar with the layout of 391 00:26:03,560 --> 00:26:07,879 Speaker 1: the Stevenson's five thousand square foot home. Well. When Deptha 392 00:26:07,960 --> 00:26:11,160 Speaker 1: Cragon went in, he observed right down that had bold 393 00:26:11,200 --> 00:26:14,400 Speaker 1: wounds still the head, so we knew it was homicide. 394 00:26:14,800 --> 00:26:18,760 Speaker 1: It was. The fire was set after the homicide to 395 00:26:18,960 --> 00:26:23,000 Speaker 1: destroy evidence. For Cooper in the Sheriff's department. Finding and 396 00:26:23,040 --> 00:26:25,440 Speaker 1: speaking to everyone who was at the house that night 397 00:26:25,840 --> 00:26:29,760 Speaker 1: was going to prove essential, and that included Billy and 398 00:26:29,840 --> 00:26:35,520 Speaker 1: Lynda Stevenson's daughter Carol Thompson. I don't remember exactly what happened. 399 00:26:35,520 --> 00:26:38,879 Speaker 1: It was an FBI agent and Clament County was there too, 400 00:26:39,680 --> 00:26:44,160 Speaker 1: and this officer had asked me something I answered honestly, 401 00:26:44,520 --> 00:26:47,040 Speaker 1: I never lied to them. There was one time I 402 00:26:47,119 --> 00:26:48,960 Speaker 1: might have distorted a little bit, but I never lied. 403 00:26:50,640 --> 00:26:55,000 Speaker 1: And he said to me, well, exactly where were you 404 00:27:03,720 --> 00:27:07,680 Speaker 1: In the next episode of Paper Ghosts? And as soon 405 00:27:07,680 --> 00:27:14,960 Speaker 1: as it hits, I see wosh alb about what if 406 00:27:15,000 --> 00:27:19,720 Speaker 1: I beat a Diana a fire and I'll have the 407 00:27:19,760 --> 00:27:23,800 Speaker 1: biggest holy shit, We're all going to die the way 408 00:27:23,880 --> 00:27:27,720 Speaker 1: they Stevensons were killed. There was execution stile on all 409 00:27:27,800 --> 00:27:29,600 Speaker 1: of them, but each one of the victim kind of 410 00:27:29,640 --> 00:27:32,640 Speaker 1: gunshot win to the head. The house is small, Rain, 411 00:27:33,320 --> 00:27:37,359 Speaker 1: I don't know exactly what all's went down. Here is 412 00:27:37,440 --> 00:27:40,680 Speaker 1: I'm walking up the hill that game a little bit 413 00:27:40,840 --> 00:27:45,840 Speaker 1: says there he is. He murdered them, murdered them. Paper 414 00:27:45,880 --> 00:27:49,520 Speaker 1: Ghosts is written and executive produced by me and William 415 00:27:49,520 --> 00:27:54,119 Speaker 1: Phelps and My Heart executive producer Christina Everett, with script 416 00:27:54,160 --> 00:27:58,240 Speaker 1: consultant Matthew Riddle, Audio editing and mixing by a Booze 417 00:27:58,240 --> 00:28:02,640 Speaker 1: Afar thanks to Will Pearson at I Heart Radio. Series 418 00:28:02,720 --> 00:28:06,080 Speaker 1: theme number four four two is written and performed by 419 00:28:06,160 --> 00:28:09,760 Speaker 1: Thomas Phelps and Tom Mooney. For more podcasts from my 420 00:28:09,880 --> 00:28:13,760 Speaker 1: Heart Radio, visit the I Heart Radio app Apple podcasts, 421 00:28:14,040 --> 00:28:16,240 Speaker 1: or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.