1 00:00:01,680 --> 00:00:03,840 Speaker 1: Most people who live in the wilderness are prepared to 2 00:00:03,920 --> 00:00:09,040 Speaker 1: run into wild animals, so they're watchful, but nobody expects 3 00:00:09,080 --> 00:00:12,480 Speaker 1: a human predator to be hiding behind a tree and 4 00:00:12,600 --> 00:00:13,560 Speaker 1: start shooting at you. 5 00:00:14,080 --> 00:00:17,360 Speaker 2: When a man was found dead and his wife was missing, 6 00:00:17,720 --> 00:00:21,240 Speaker 2: the Alaskan wilderness turned into a dangerous game of catch 7 00:00:21,280 --> 00:00:21,959 Speaker 2: me if you can. 8 00:00:22,360 --> 00:00:25,680 Speaker 1: There are helicopters buzzing overhead every day for a. 9 00:00:25,680 --> 00:00:29,080 Speaker 2: Month, and the man hunt led investigators to a tent 10 00:00:29,640 --> 00:00:32,200 Speaker 2: right next to the victim's dead body. 11 00:00:32,560 --> 00:00:35,720 Speaker 1: For a guy who chose to camp right near the corpse. 12 00:00:36,080 --> 00:00:38,519 Speaker 1: He looked very suspicious. 13 00:00:38,240 --> 00:00:40,920 Speaker 2: But did the police have the wrong suspect? 14 00:00:41,280 --> 00:00:44,720 Speaker 1: This just seemed like two big coincidence for the troopers 15 00:00:44,720 --> 00:00:45,720 Speaker 1: to swallow. 16 00:00:45,560 --> 00:00:49,000 Speaker 2: And by the time the police made an arrest, no 17 00:00:49,040 --> 00:00:51,960 Speaker 2: one knew who or what to believe. 18 00:00:52,280 --> 00:00:57,080 Speaker 1: Everywhere you look, this story had a strange but fascinating aspects. 19 00:00:58,280 --> 00:01:01,680 Speaker 2: Today, we're North of the Border and Julitna, Alaska for 20 00:01:01,800 --> 00:01:05,840 Speaker 2: part one of the Mountain Man Murders. I'm Sloan Glass 21 00:01:06,040 --> 00:01:09,440 Speaker 2: and this is American homicide. And just to note that 22 00:01:09,520 --> 00:01:13,560 Speaker 2: this episode contains some graphic content. Please take care while listening. 23 00:01:15,880 --> 00:01:19,000 Speaker 2: Rick Berry and de b Reehoer were newlyweds who lived 24 00:01:19,000 --> 00:01:22,680 Speaker 2: and worked just outside of Anchorage, Alaska, but on weekends 25 00:01:22,720 --> 00:01:24,840 Speaker 2: the two spent a lot of time at their cabin 26 00:01:25,240 --> 00:01:27,039 Speaker 2: in the remote woods of Chulitna. 27 00:01:27,319 --> 00:01:31,680 Speaker 1: Chulitna is not a town. It's a designated wilderness area 28 00:01:31,959 --> 00:01:34,679 Speaker 1: about one hundred and fifteen miles north of Anchorage or 29 00:01:34,760 --> 00:01:38,280 Speaker 1: forty miles north of the town of Talkitna. 30 00:01:38,760 --> 00:01:42,600 Speaker 2: True crime author Robin Bearfield wrote Murder and Mystery in 31 00:01:42,640 --> 00:01:43,560 Speaker 2: the Last Frontier. 32 00:01:44,000 --> 00:01:47,840 Speaker 1: The Chulitna River runs through it, the Talkeitna Mountains are 33 00:01:47,880 --> 00:01:52,040 Speaker 1: near there, and it is just a very wild area. 34 00:01:52,120 --> 00:01:54,960 Speaker 1: There are no roads that run through Chulitna. 35 00:01:55,360 --> 00:01:59,520 Speaker 2: Living there is literally and figuratively off the grid. 36 00:02:00,000 --> 00:02:03,760 Speaker 1: Coming off the grid in Alaska means you are responsible 37 00:02:03,840 --> 00:02:08,639 Speaker 1: for your electricity. You're responsible for your sewer. You're responsible 38 00:02:08,760 --> 00:02:13,000 Speaker 1: for getting wood to keep warm, and for getting fuel 39 00:02:13,040 --> 00:02:16,119 Speaker 1: if you need fuel for a ATV or to run 40 00:02:16,160 --> 00:02:16,880 Speaker 1: a generator. 41 00:02:17,360 --> 00:02:20,560 Speaker 2: Toltna is so far removed from the rest of Alaska 42 00:02:20,880 --> 00:02:23,400 Speaker 2: that there are only two ways to get there. One 43 00:02:23,600 --> 00:02:26,360 Speaker 2: is the more traditional route, the Parks Highway. 44 00:02:26,720 --> 00:02:30,560 Speaker 1: The Parks Highway is the highway that connects Anchorage to Fairbanks, 45 00:02:30,880 --> 00:02:33,880 Speaker 1: and you can drive along the highway and pull off 46 00:02:33,880 --> 00:02:37,120 Speaker 1: the road and then either hike or take an ATV 47 00:02:37,520 --> 00:02:40,800 Speaker 1: into your cabin. The other way to get into Chiulitna 48 00:02:40,960 --> 00:02:42,960 Speaker 1: is by the Alaska Railroad. 49 00:02:43,280 --> 00:02:47,200 Speaker 2: The Alaska Railroad not only runs freight trains but also 50 00:02:47,280 --> 00:02:48,960 Speaker 2: operates passenger trains. 51 00:02:50,800 --> 00:02:55,360 Speaker 1: The railroad runs a train on a particular schedule, it 52 00:02:55,600 --> 00:02:59,040 Speaker 1: varies from season to season, but it goes into this 53 00:02:59,200 --> 00:03:02,320 Speaker 1: area and it does what is known as a whistle 54 00:03:02,400 --> 00:03:06,760 Speaker 1: stop or a flag stop, which means that either the 55 00:03:06,880 --> 00:03:10,040 Speaker 1: train knows they have a passenger on board that wants 56 00:03:10,080 --> 00:03:12,840 Speaker 1: to get off at a certain stop, or the engineer 57 00:03:12,880 --> 00:03:16,440 Speaker 1: sees people standing beside the tracks and he stops there. 58 00:03:16,880 --> 00:03:19,840 Speaker 2: That train line not only is important for getting from 59 00:03:19,919 --> 00:03:23,280 Speaker 2: point A to point B, but it's also how locals 60 00:03:23,360 --> 00:03:26,880 Speaker 2: get their food and supplies. So that gives you an 61 00:03:26,919 --> 00:03:31,280 Speaker 2: idea of just how far remote Huletna is and how 62 00:03:31,400 --> 00:03:34,080 Speaker 2: different life is for people who live there. 63 00:03:34,600 --> 00:03:36,800 Speaker 1: The people who live there live off the grid. They 64 00:03:36,920 --> 00:03:40,920 Speaker 1: like their peace and quiet, and they're very self sufficient. 65 00:03:40,720 --> 00:03:43,440 Speaker 2: And that summed up brick Berry and Debbie Reehor. 66 00:03:44,000 --> 00:03:47,040 Speaker 1: He had lived in Alaska his entire life, except for 67 00:03:47,240 --> 00:03:51,320 Speaker 1: two stints in the military in Vietnam, but he had 68 00:03:51,360 --> 00:03:54,560 Speaker 1: no desire to leave. He loved it here. Debbie was 69 00:03:54,800 --> 00:03:57,080 Speaker 1: good in the wilderness. She liked to hunt, she liked 70 00:03:57,120 --> 00:04:00,400 Speaker 1: to fish, she loved to get outdoors. So they made 71 00:04:00,400 --> 00:04:03,440 Speaker 1: a good pair, and their personalities offset each other. 72 00:04:03,960 --> 00:04:07,400 Speaker 2: Rick was type AI and Debbie was reserved and quiet. 73 00:04:08,200 --> 00:04:11,480 Speaker 2: After years of dating, Rick finally popped the question to 74 00:04:11,520 --> 00:04:15,440 Speaker 2: Debbie and the two forty somethings got married in nineteen 75 00:04:15,480 --> 00:04:16,040 Speaker 2: ninety five. 76 00:04:16,320 --> 00:04:21,240 Speaker 1: Rick was a confirmed lifelong bachelor, but friends and families 77 00:04:21,240 --> 00:04:22,800 Speaker 1: say they fell hard for each other. 78 00:04:25,760 --> 00:04:29,120 Speaker 2: The two loved spending long weekends at their cabin in Chulitna, 79 00:04:29,600 --> 00:04:33,000 Speaker 2: and just before Memorial Day weekend in nineteen ninety seven, 80 00:04:33,640 --> 00:04:36,799 Speaker 2: that's what they did. Their plan was always the same. 81 00:04:37,360 --> 00:04:40,119 Speaker 2: Rick would drive up on Thursday to get the cabin ready, 82 00:04:40,640 --> 00:04:43,680 Speaker 2: and then after work on Friday, Debbie would drive up 83 00:04:43,720 --> 00:04:47,400 Speaker 2: a meeting and listen to this inventor from their home 84 00:04:47,440 --> 00:04:50,640 Speaker 2: and anchorage. The drive was a few hours normal. Then 85 00:04:50,800 --> 00:04:52,920 Speaker 2: they would park their cars at a lot along the 86 00:04:53,080 --> 00:04:57,000 Speaker 2: railroad tracks. From there, they'd hop on their ATVs for 87 00:04:57,080 --> 00:04:58,560 Speaker 2: the final leg of the journey. 88 00:04:59,080 --> 00:05:02,160 Speaker 1: Rick and Debbie's CA happened was eight miles from the road, 89 00:05:02,320 --> 00:05:05,080 Speaker 1: so you know, it's quite a waste to travel after 90 00:05:05,120 --> 00:05:06,720 Speaker 1: you get out of your car. 91 00:05:07,360 --> 00:05:10,080 Speaker 2: Door to door. It was about a four hour track 92 00:05:10,279 --> 00:05:13,680 Speaker 2: for a long weekend of relaxation in the woods. But 93 00:05:13,800 --> 00:05:17,920 Speaker 2: something happened in Cheltna that Memorial Day weekend because Rick 94 00:05:17,960 --> 00:05:21,440 Speaker 2: and Debbie made it up there and then vanished. 95 00:05:23,880 --> 00:05:27,000 Speaker 1: When Debbie didn't show up for work on the Tuesday 96 00:05:27,080 --> 00:05:30,760 Speaker 1: after Memorial Day, her boss became very concerned because that 97 00:05:30,880 --> 00:05:33,680 Speaker 1: was unlike Debbie. She was very dependable and if she 98 00:05:33,760 --> 00:05:35,520 Speaker 1: was going to be late for work or have to 99 00:05:35,560 --> 00:05:38,360 Speaker 1: miss work for some reason, she always called. 100 00:05:39,000 --> 00:05:41,680 Speaker 2: Rick also was a no show at work that Tuesday, 101 00:05:42,120 --> 00:05:44,520 Speaker 2: and nobody could get in touch with either of them, 102 00:05:45,040 --> 00:05:46,919 Speaker 2: so Debbie's boss called Debbie's brother. 103 00:05:47,920 --> 00:05:50,560 Speaker 1: Debbie's brother was a little worried about them running into 104 00:05:50,640 --> 00:05:53,760 Speaker 1: bears because they went missing right when the bears are 105 00:05:53,760 --> 00:05:56,880 Speaker 1: coming out of hibernation, so he was concerned about that. 106 00:05:57,080 --> 00:05:59,680 Speaker 1: But Rick and Debbie were smart and knew how to 107 00:05:59,720 --> 00:06:02,760 Speaker 1: handle the outdoors, so it was unlikely that they were 108 00:06:02,760 --> 00:06:05,080 Speaker 1: going to do something to get themselves in trouble, so 109 00:06:05,200 --> 00:06:08,440 Speaker 1: he went to their cabin in chew Litna. When he arrived, 110 00:06:08,760 --> 00:06:12,080 Speaker 1: he did not find Rick or Debbie, but the cabin 111 00:06:12,320 --> 00:06:15,520 Speaker 1: was closed and the dogs were closed inside, and they'd 112 00:06:15,560 --> 00:06:19,360 Speaker 1: obviously been closed inside for several hours because they'd gone 113 00:06:19,360 --> 00:06:20,640 Speaker 1: to the bathroom on the floor. 114 00:06:21,200 --> 00:06:25,200 Speaker 2: Rick and Debbie's border colleagues appeared to be scared and hungry, 115 00:06:25,680 --> 00:06:28,560 Speaker 2: as if they'd been left alone for an extended period 116 00:06:28,600 --> 00:06:31,640 Speaker 2: of time, and there were some other things inside the 117 00:06:31,680 --> 00:06:33,920 Speaker 2: cabin that stood out to Debbie's brother. 118 00:06:34,440 --> 00:06:37,640 Speaker 1: He found a plate of cheese on the table, cheese 119 00:06:37,640 --> 00:06:40,200 Speaker 1: and crackers, and an open beer, and he said that 120 00:06:40,320 --> 00:06:43,240 Speaker 1: was not like Rick or Debbie either, because they were 121 00:06:43,320 --> 00:06:47,120 Speaker 1: very good housekeepers, so he felt certain something was wrong. 122 00:06:47,279 --> 00:06:49,280 Speaker 1: As soon as he arrived at the cabin. 123 00:06:49,400 --> 00:06:53,159 Speaker 2: Rick and Debbie's ATVs were also missing, so he waited 124 00:06:53,200 --> 00:06:57,680 Speaker 2: around the cabin hoping the two would return, but they didn't. 125 00:06:57,880 --> 00:07:00,200 Speaker 1: And the next morning he decided he'd go out look 126 00:07:00,240 --> 00:07:03,560 Speaker 1: around a little bit, so about two miles from the cabin, 127 00:07:03,680 --> 00:07:07,839 Speaker 1: he found Rick's ATV on the edge of a creek, 128 00:07:08,240 --> 00:07:10,600 Speaker 1: but there was no sign of Rick, and then he 129 00:07:10,680 --> 00:07:14,200 Speaker 1: was really worried, so he called the Alaska State Troopers 130 00:07:14,640 --> 00:07:17,280 Speaker 1: and said, I know it hasn't been forty eight hours, 131 00:07:17,480 --> 00:07:21,520 Speaker 1: but there's something wrong here, and the troopers responded immediately. 132 00:07:22,720 --> 00:07:27,000 Speaker 2: Rick Bery served two tours in Vietnam, so this wasn't 133 00:07:27,040 --> 00:07:30,360 Speaker 2: someone the troopers expected to get lost in the woods 134 00:07:31,040 --> 00:07:35,760 Speaker 2: or attacked by wildlife. A search crew including fifteen Alaska 135 00:07:35,760 --> 00:07:39,920 Speaker 2: State troopers and multiple tracking dogs fanned out around Chulitna, 136 00:07:40,400 --> 00:07:44,080 Speaker 2: but finding Rick and Debbie was a challenge. It was 137 00:07:44,200 --> 00:07:48,760 Speaker 2: summertime in Alaska, meaning the forest was thick, the ground 138 00:07:48,920 --> 00:07:52,960 Speaker 2: was muddy, and the air was filled with mosquitoes. So 139 00:07:53,080 --> 00:07:56,520 Speaker 2: troopers also took to the sky and sent two search 140 00:07:56,560 --> 00:08:00,760 Speaker 2: helicopters to the area, and that's when they located Rick. 141 00:08:01,480 --> 00:08:04,760 Speaker 1: The troopers found Rick fairly quickly as soon as they 142 00:08:04,800 --> 00:08:07,880 Speaker 1: began looking. He wasn't far from his ATV. He was 143 00:08:07,920 --> 00:08:10,160 Speaker 1: in the creek in a deep hole. 144 00:08:10,600 --> 00:08:14,440 Speaker 2: On the Thursday after Memorial Day, troopers found Rick Fury's 145 00:08:14,480 --> 00:08:17,680 Speaker 2: body in a creek some two hundred yards away from 146 00:08:17,680 --> 00:08:20,760 Speaker 2: his ATV and two miles from his cabin. 147 00:08:21,000 --> 00:08:24,320 Speaker 1: And he had been shot once in the head, execution style. 148 00:08:24,880 --> 00:08:29,600 Speaker 2: It was a gruesome and puzzling discovery for troopers. Murders 149 00:08:29,840 --> 00:08:35,760 Speaker 2: rarely happened in the Alaska wilderness, especially an execution style murder, 150 00:08:36,920 --> 00:08:40,240 Speaker 2: and that's when the focus shifted to Rick's wife, Debbie. 151 00:08:40,720 --> 00:08:44,480 Speaker 1: They didn't find Debbie's body or her ATV, so she 152 00:08:44,640 --> 00:08:48,160 Speaker 1: immediately became a suspect in the case. To the troopers, 153 00:08:48,160 --> 00:08:50,960 Speaker 1: that looked like this could have been a love spat 154 00:08:51,080 --> 00:08:53,360 Speaker 1: that went off the rails and she shot him and 155 00:08:53,400 --> 00:08:54,040 Speaker 1: then took off. 156 00:08:54,640 --> 00:08:57,520 Speaker 2: But no one wanted to believe that Debbie Rehort, the 157 00:08:57,600 --> 00:09:02,000 Speaker 2: person her coworkers called sweetheart, would do any harm towards Rick. 158 00:09:02,559 --> 00:09:05,680 Speaker 2: If anything, it might have been the other way around. 159 00:09:06,720 --> 00:09:09,760 Speaker 1: Rick was a big guy who could have a hot temper. 160 00:09:10,120 --> 00:09:15,280 Speaker 1: He lost his temper fairly easily, and he didn't hold 161 00:09:15,320 --> 00:09:17,160 Speaker 1: back from telling people what he thought. 162 00:09:17,559 --> 00:09:22,520 Speaker 2: People described Rick as stubborn and gruff and said he 163 00:09:22,720 --> 00:09:26,960 Speaker 2: sometimes questioned authority. In fact, that's how he got in 164 00:09:27,040 --> 00:09:29,040 Speaker 2: trouble with the Feds back in the eighties. 165 00:09:29,800 --> 00:09:31,960 Speaker 1: He tried the butt heads with the irs and it 166 00:09:32,000 --> 00:09:34,120 Speaker 1: didn't work out so well for him, so he did 167 00:09:34,160 --> 00:09:37,760 Speaker 1: about eleven months in jail, not too long after he 168 00:09:37,960 --> 00:09:41,680 Speaker 1: and Debbie were beginning to date. But she hung in 169 00:09:41,720 --> 00:09:43,640 Speaker 1: there with him and waited for him to get out 170 00:09:43,679 --> 00:09:46,319 Speaker 1: of jail, and they moved on with their lives. 171 00:09:47,040 --> 00:09:50,199 Speaker 2: The mystery over what happened to Rick and Debbie that memorial. 172 00:09:50,280 --> 00:09:54,360 Speaker 2: They weekend baffle troopers and people who lived in the area. 173 00:09:54,840 --> 00:09:56,880 Speaker 1: I think this is a big story in Alaska and 174 00:09:56,960 --> 00:10:00,280 Speaker 1: elsewhere because this is an unusual way to die in 175 00:10:00,320 --> 00:10:04,719 Speaker 1: the wilderness. You don't expect somebody in the Alaska wilderness 176 00:10:04,760 --> 00:10:08,080 Speaker 1: to be shot by another human execution style. 177 00:10:08,679 --> 00:10:11,840 Speaker 2: As search crews continued to comb through the miles of 178 00:10:11,920 --> 00:10:16,240 Speaker 2: forest in the area looking for Debbie, investigators searched for clues. 179 00:10:16,920 --> 00:10:20,359 Speaker 2: They focused heavily on the railroad tracks that cut through Chulitna. 180 00:10:21,400 --> 00:10:25,160 Speaker 2: The railroad has their own police force who patrol those tracks. 181 00:10:25,840 --> 00:10:28,280 Speaker 2: There were no reports of anything suspicious. 182 00:10:29,240 --> 00:10:33,160 Speaker 1: There were electrical workers working along the railroad tracks in 183 00:10:33,240 --> 00:10:36,640 Speaker 1: the area. They were installing fiber optic cable, and the 184 00:10:36,679 --> 00:10:39,479 Speaker 1: troopers questioned them and they said there was a campsite 185 00:10:39,920 --> 00:10:43,559 Speaker 1: in the area near where they found Rick's body. 186 00:10:43,400 --> 00:10:47,520 Speaker 2: And those workers reported hearing gunshots coming from that area. 187 00:10:47,840 --> 00:10:50,360 Speaker 1: The campsite was kind of a mess that looked like 188 00:10:50,400 --> 00:10:54,720 Speaker 1: it had been used fairly recently, and whoever was staying 189 00:10:54,760 --> 00:10:58,520 Speaker 1: there had made a makeshift flag flying a pair of 190 00:10:58,559 --> 00:10:59,600 Speaker 1: women's underwear. 191 00:11:00,280 --> 00:11:03,360 Speaker 2: So we have a mysterious campsite near the creek where 192 00:11:03,440 --> 00:11:07,120 Speaker 2: Rick's dead body turned up. And not only that, but 193 00:11:07,240 --> 00:11:11,000 Speaker 2: there is also the bizarre detail of a pair of 194 00:11:11,080 --> 00:11:15,680 Speaker 2: women's underwear hanging on a tree branch. What's that about? 195 00:11:16,679 --> 00:11:31,240 Speaker 2: Alaska State troopers also had a lot of questions. The 196 00:11:31,320 --> 00:11:35,840 Speaker 2: seasons in Alaska are extreme. After a harsh winter, things 197 00:11:35,920 --> 00:11:39,120 Speaker 2: quickly change during the months of May. That's when Alaska 198 00:11:39,240 --> 00:11:43,960 Speaker 2: merges from its hibernation. Warmer temperatures arrive, the ground begins 199 00:11:43,960 --> 00:11:47,640 Speaker 2: to thaw, and daylight extends well past bedtime. 200 00:11:48,800 --> 00:11:51,960 Speaker 3: There's ice on the lake. The next week the ice 201 00:11:52,080 --> 00:11:54,400 Speaker 3: is gone, and the following week the leaves are out. 202 00:11:54,720 --> 00:11:58,400 Speaker 2: Bill Astell was the assistant District attorney in Palmer, Alaska. 203 00:11:58,840 --> 00:12:03,080 Speaker 3: Spring comes in May end. By Memorial Day, it's eighteen 204 00:12:03,120 --> 00:12:08,559 Speaker 3: hours of daylight and summer is underway. Most people around 205 00:12:08,640 --> 00:12:12,240 Speaker 3: Memorial Day will take an extra day off and have 206 00:12:12,320 --> 00:12:16,240 Speaker 3: a three or four day weekend and get things ready 207 00:12:16,280 --> 00:12:16,720 Speaker 3: for summer. 208 00:12:17,120 --> 00:12:20,200 Speaker 2: And that's what husband and wife Rick Berry and Debbie 209 00:12:20,240 --> 00:12:23,720 Speaker 2: Rehort did over Memorial Day weekend in nineteen ninety seven. 210 00:12:24,480 --> 00:12:27,280 Speaker 2: They headed to their cabin in the rural Alaskan area 211 00:12:27,320 --> 00:12:29,800 Speaker 2: of Chulitna, but they never returned. 212 00:12:30,160 --> 00:12:34,080 Speaker 3: Their four wheelers were gone and they had just seemingly disappeared. 213 00:12:34,320 --> 00:12:37,920 Speaker 2: An exhaustive search through the remote area by foot was 214 00:12:37,960 --> 00:12:41,520 Speaker 2: followed by an aerial search, and that's when a helicopter 215 00:12:41,640 --> 00:12:43,120 Speaker 2: pilot noticed something. 216 00:12:43,760 --> 00:12:49,480 Speaker 3: When the troopers are out there with the helicopter, the 217 00:12:49,520 --> 00:12:54,160 Speaker 3: helicopter pilot is getting ready to leave and does one 218 00:12:54,200 --> 00:12:56,640 Speaker 3: more circle and out of the corner of his eye, 219 00:12:56,720 --> 00:13:01,560 Speaker 3: he catches a glint of sunlight off something a beaver pond, 220 00:13:02,400 --> 00:13:07,880 Speaker 3: and that's where Rickberry's body was found. He was killed 221 00:13:07,920 --> 00:13:11,520 Speaker 3: with a shot to the head from a twenty two rifle, 222 00:13:12,360 --> 00:13:17,120 Speaker 3: and it appears that his body would have floated down stream, 223 00:13:17,559 --> 00:13:20,200 Speaker 3: settled to the bottom, and probably would not have been 224 00:13:20,240 --> 00:13:23,400 Speaker 3: found but for the coincidental sighting. 225 00:13:24,280 --> 00:13:26,679 Speaker 2: The forty eight year old had taken a single bullet 226 00:13:26,679 --> 00:13:31,920 Speaker 2: to the head, execution style. Meanwhile, Rick's wife, Debbie was 227 00:13:32,000 --> 00:13:33,000 Speaker 2: nowhere to be found. 228 00:13:33,760 --> 00:13:39,400 Speaker 3: He's dead, she's missing. She becomes another suspect because it 229 00:13:39,440 --> 00:13:44,559 Speaker 3: could be some sort of a domestic dispute situation, and 230 00:13:44,600 --> 00:13:48,480 Speaker 3: they're pulling out all the stops at this point to 231 00:13:48,520 --> 00:13:53,400 Speaker 3: bring more investigative resources to search about for her or 232 00:13:53,400 --> 00:13:56,920 Speaker 3: for any clue as to where she might have gone. 233 00:13:57,559 --> 00:14:00,160 Speaker 2: Since Chulitna didn't have a police force of their own, 234 00:14:00,400 --> 00:14:04,679 Speaker 2: the Alaska State Troopers handled the investigation, but getting statements 235 00:14:04,760 --> 00:14:07,960 Speaker 2: wasn't easy because there were only a dozen or so 236 00:14:08,120 --> 00:14:09,200 Speaker 2: cabins in the area. 237 00:14:09,800 --> 00:14:13,800 Speaker 3: There was very sparsely populated, and the people that had 238 00:14:13,920 --> 00:14:18,640 Speaker 3: cabins there tended to be recreational cabins or there were retirees, 239 00:14:19,400 --> 00:14:22,640 Speaker 3: but very few full time residents. 240 00:14:23,240 --> 00:14:26,720 Speaker 2: With so few people in the area, investigators then turned 241 00:14:26,760 --> 00:14:31,360 Speaker 2: to local railroad employees for help, because those railroad tracks 242 00:14:31,840 --> 00:14:35,040 Speaker 2: were how most people made their way in and out 243 00:14:35,200 --> 00:14:35,880 Speaker 2: of Chulitna. 244 00:14:36,840 --> 00:14:41,880 Speaker 3: They learned in interviewing the railroad personnel that somebody had 245 00:14:41,920 --> 00:14:47,400 Speaker 3: seen somebody walking in the area carrying a rifle and 246 00:14:47,520 --> 00:14:51,600 Speaker 3: it turned out to be a person that was going fishing, 247 00:14:52,200 --> 00:14:57,800 Speaker 3: and they found traces of his campsite and his use 248 00:14:57,840 --> 00:14:59,560 Speaker 3: of a twenty two firearm. 249 00:15:00,040 --> 00:15:03,240 Speaker 2: And here's the crazy part. This person had set up 250 00:15:03,280 --> 00:15:08,320 Speaker 2: camp right where they found Rick's body. Enter twenty one 251 00:15:08,360 --> 00:15:12,560 Speaker 2: year old Gavin Saha. He came forward to investigators and 252 00:15:12,640 --> 00:15:16,840 Speaker 2: told them how over Memorial Day weekend he was backpacking 253 00:15:16,880 --> 00:15:18,960 Speaker 2: along the railroad tracks through Tulitna. 254 00:15:20,040 --> 00:15:24,280 Speaker 3: Gavin Saha had been walking in the area carrying a 255 00:15:24,400 --> 00:15:30,320 Speaker 3: rifle and had been shooting his twenty two twenty two 256 00:15:30,440 --> 00:15:31,960 Speaker 3: rifle was the murder weapon. 257 00:15:32,280 --> 00:15:36,080 Speaker 2: This was a huge lead. Gavin Saha owned the same 258 00:15:36,160 --> 00:15:39,600 Speaker 2: type of gun as the murder weapon, not to mention, 259 00:15:40,360 --> 00:15:43,960 Speaker 2: he had camped virtually right next to Rick's dead body. 260 00:15:44,400 --> 00:15:48,120 Speaker 2: The troopers felt like they were making progress, but Gavin 261 00:15:48,160 --> 00:15:51,000 Speaker 2: denied having any idea he set up his tent near 262 00:15:51,040 --> 00:15:57,480 Speaker 2: a murder scene. The troopers pushed back because at that 263 00:15:57,600 --> 00:16:00,440 Speaker 2: time of the year in Alaska, the sun merely dips 264 00:16:00,480 --> 00:16:03,760 Speaker 2: below the horizon and then comes back up. That means 265 00:16:03,760 --> 00:16:06,840 Speaker 2: there's light for most of the day. So the fact 266 00:16:06,920 --> 00:16:09,880 Speaker 2: that Gavin didn't notice he set up his camp right 267 00:16:09,960 --> 00:16:13,040 Speaker 2: next to Rick's dead body. 268 00:16:12,280 --> 00:16:17,040 Speaker 3: It was just inconceivable, and so he became sort of 269 00:16:17,040 --> 00:16:21,240 Speaker 3: the prime suspect as they were sorting out what actually happened. 270 00:16:21,560 --> 00:16:24,800 Speaker 2: One thing to remember is Gavin was the one who 271 00:16:24,840 --> 00:16:25,840 Speaker 2: went to the police. 272 00:16:26,360 --> 00:16:29,600 Speaker 4: There is a young man who came forward to us 273 00:16:29,960 --> 00:16:32,480 Speaker 4: and said, you know, I was out in that area. 274 00:16:32,760 --> 00:16:34,920 Speaker 4: I was camping and fishing and so forth. 275 00:16:35,760 --> 00:16:38,480 Speaker 2: Captain Don Savage was part of the team of Alaskan 276 00:16:38,520 --> 00:16:40,840 Speaker 2: State troopers who investigated. 277 00:16:40,600 --> 00:16:43,600 Speaker 4: He was camped right along the railroad tracks. I think 278 00:16:43,640 --> 00:16:46,280 Speaker 4: it was within a couple of hundred yards of where 279 00:16:47,120 --> 00:16:49,120 Speaker 4: Rick was found. And it's four wheeler is. 280 00:16:49,080 --> 00:16:53,960 Speaker 2: How keep in mind, Chulitna is not easily accessible unless 281 00:16:53,960 --> 00:16:58,320 Speaker 2: you came by train or ATV, neither of which this suspected. 282 00:16:59,120 --> 00:17:03,000 Speaker 4: His mom aparently dropped him off somewhere so he could 283 00:17:03,040 --> 00:17:05,640 Speaker 4: hike up in the railroad tracks, and that's where he 284 00:17:05,720 --> 00:17:08,480 Speaker 4: was camping, and he had a twenty two rifle with him, 285 00:17:08,520 --> 00:17:11,200 Speaker 4: and we knew that a murder weapon had been twenty two. 286 00:17:11,880 --> 00:17:15,720 Speaker 2: Gavin explained that during his hiking excursion, he quickly found 287 00:17:15,800 --> 00:17:19,160 Speaker 2: himself in over his head. He mistakenly left his map 288 00:17:19,200 --> 00:17:22,280 Speaker 2: at home and got lost. A day and a half 289 00:17:22,320 --> 00:17:25,760 Speaker 2: into his track, Gavin said he stumbled upon a four wheeler. 290 00:17:26,359 --> 00:17:30,480 Speaker 2: Troopers believe it belonged to Debbie. It was partially submerged 291 00:17:30,520 --> 00:17:32,760 Speaker 2: in a creek and looked to be stuck in the mud. 292 00:17:33,600 --> 00:17:37,119 Speaker 2: Off the back of it, he noticed a backpack. After 293 00:17:37,200 --> 00:17:40,560 Speaker 2: fishing the bag off the four wheeler, Gavin found a purse, 294 00:17:40,800 --> 00:17:43,639 Speaker 2: some clothes, and some other things. Inside the bag. 295 00:17:44,760 --> 00:17:47,800 Speaker 4: He had found the pepsi and some chewing gum. 296 00:17:47,920 --> 00:17:51,359 Speaker 2: I believe Gavin told troopers he took that two liter 297 00:17:51,480 --> 00:17:52,600 Speaker 2: bottle of pepsi and. 298 00:17:52,560 --> 00:17:56,320 Speaker 4: Gum, but he denied taking anything else, and he denied 299 00:17:56,400 --> 00:17:57,719 Speaker 4: seeing Rick's body. 300 00:17:58,920 --> 00:18:02,960 Speaker 2: For every question to troopers asked, Gavin had a reasonable answer, 301 00:18:03,960 --> 00:18:06,720 Speaker 2: and that's when they zeroed in on Gavitt's campsite. 302 00:18:07,160 --> 00:18:13,320 Speaker 5: His campsite was, I guess, notoriously messy, and for whatever reason, 303 00:18:13,600 --> 00:18:18,720 Speaker 5: he had a pair of red underwear along with him. 304 00:18:19,280 --> 00:18:22,639 Speaker 2: Flying on a tree branch above Gavin's campsite was a 305 00:18:22,640 --> 00:18:26,359 Speaker 2: pair of women's underwear. The underwear waved in the wind, 306 00:18:26,600 --> 00:18:30,399 Speaker 2: kind of like a flag. But Gavin told investigators he 307 00:18:30,520 --> 00:18:32,639 Speaker 2: had an explanation for that as well. 308 00:18:33,880 --> 00:18:36,639 Speaker 4: He had gone out there to hike and fish, and 309 00:18:37,119 --> 00:18:40,480 Speaker 4: he had brought this pair of his girlfriends or ex 310 00:18:40,560 --> 00:18:42,920 Speaker 4: girlfriend's panties along with him. 311 00:18:43,359 --> 00:18:47,200 Speaker 5: For whatever reason, they thought it would be humorous to 312 00:18:47,200 --> 00:18:49,720 Speaker 5: put that out there so that passengers on the train 313 00:18:49,840 --> 00:18:50,880 Speaker 5: could see the red. 314 00:18:50,800 --> 00:18:52,040 Speaker 4: Underwear as they went by. 315 00:18:52,680 --> 00:18:54,840 Speaker 2: So we have a young man who set up camp 316 00:18:54,920 --> 00:18:57,480 Speaker 2: near a dead body he claimed he didn't know was there, 317 00:18:58,040 --> 00:19:00,359 Speaker 2: and a pair of women's underwear that he u as 318 00:19:00,359 --> 00:19:04,359 Speaker 2: a flag at the campsite. Keep in mind the victim's wife, 319 00:19:04,359 --> 00:19:06,400 Speaker 2: Debbie was still missing. 320 00:19:07,480 --> 00:19:10,240 Speaker 4: It's almost too cwfered at this point in time. 321 00:19:11,359 --> 00:19:15,520 Speaker 2: But Gavin Saha told investigators he didn't know Rick Berry 322 00:19:15,680 --> 00:19:20,119 Speaker 2: or Debbie Reehort, and more importantly, he had nothing to 323 00:19:20,160 --> 00:19:23,440 Speaker 2: do with Rick's murder. He was all circumstantial. 324 00:19:23,920 --> 00:19:26,720 Speaker 3: He said, it was the wrong place at the wrong time. 325 00:19:27,200 --> 00:19:29,320 Speaker 2: That's assistant Da Billi Stell. 326 00:19:29,560 --> 00:19:33,480 Speaker 3: And that didn't add up and didn't make sense with 327 00:19:33,560 --> 00:19:34,879 Speaker 3: the other things he had said. 328 00:19:35,200 --> 00:19:38,840 Speaker 2: So what would have been Gavin's motive to kill the 329 00:19:38,840 --> 00:19:42,639 Speaker 2: troopers didn't know and we're still questioning him. When a 330 00:19:42,680 --> 00:19:48,520 Speaker 2: disturbing update rolled in, investigators had finally located Debbie and 331 00:19:48,600 --> 00:19:49,800 Speaker 2: the news wasn't good. 332 00:19:50,359 --> 00:19:57,960 Speaker 3: She was shot and her body just dragged off into 333 00:19:57,960 --> 00:20:02,800 Speaker 3: the woods and with grass and sticks. When they found 334 00:20:03,119 --> 00:20:05,240 Speaker 3: her body, it was clear that they had both been 335 00:20:05,760 --> 00:20:09,080 Speaker 3: killed by shots to the head and appeared that they 336 00:20:09,119 --> 00:20:11,840 Speaker 3: were both likely killed at the same time in the 337 00:20:11,880 --> 00:20:12,520 Speaker 3: same place. 338 00:20:13,400 --> 00:20:16,200 Speaker 2: Nearly a week after Rick's body turned up in a creek, 339 00:20:16,760 --> 00:20:21,040 Speaker 2: troopers found Debbie's body along that same creek, and just 340 00:20:21,200 --> 00:20:24,960 Speaker 2: like her husband, Debbie had taken a fatal gunshot to 341 00:20:25,000 --> 00:20:30,480 Speaker 2: the head, and that's where the similarities ended. Here's Captain 342 00:20:30,560 --> 00:20:31,760 Speaker 2: Don Savage. Again. 343 00:20:32,520 --> 00:20:36,400 Speaker 4: She was found in the brush. She was naked from 344 00:20:36,440 --> 00:20:40,399 Speaker 4: the waist down, which is not normal for it if 345 00:20:40,440 --> 00:20:44,120 Speaker 4: you're traveling or any of those circumstances in a remote 346 00:20:44,119 --> 00:20:49,440 Speaker 4: area like that, So that raised some concerns about sexual assault. 347 00:20:50,440 --> 00:20:54,000 Speaker 2: Debbie's body was turned over to the medical examiner, who 348 00:20:54,040 --> 00:20:59,560 Speaker 2: confirmed the trooper's worst fears. Debbie had been sexually assaulted. 349 00:21:00,040 --> 00:21:03,600 Speaker 4: Determination as I recall us, it was quite likely that 350 00:21:04,040 --> 00:21:07,159 Speaker 4: it was postmortem that she had that sexual contact. 351 00:21:21,119 --> 00:21:24,440 Speaker 2: On the same weekend Rick Berry and Debbie Reehor were murdered, 352 00:21:24,920 --> 00:21:28,600 Speaker 2: a young Higer named Gavin Saha set up his campsite 353 00:21:28,680 --> 00:21:30,959 Speaker 2: a few yards away from Rick's body. 354 00:21:31,520 --> 00:21:35,520 Speaker 3: He was in the place at the time and could 355 00:21:35,640 --> 00:21:38,120 Speaker 3: easily have been the perpetrator. 356 00:21:39,000 --> 00:21:41,399 Speaker 2: That's Assistant District Attorney Bill Stell. 357 00:21:41,920 --> 00:21:45,760 Speaker 3: Gavin Saha had some things in his past that made 358 00:21:45,760 --> 00:21:47,840 Speaker 3: the troopers pay attention to him. 359 00:21:48,040 --> 00:21:51,600 Speaker 2: Twenty one year old Gavin Saha was the trooper's main suspect, 360 00:21:52,320 --> 00:21:56,240 Speaker 2: and then investigators were still processing the discovery of Debbie Rehor. 361 00:21:56,920 --> 00:22:00,080 Speaker 2: Troopers found her body along the same creek that they 362 00:22:00,119 --> 00:22:04,040 Speaker 2: had found her husband. Debbie had contusions and abrasions on 363 00:22:04,080 --> 00:22:06,680 Speaker 2: her legs and was naked from the waist down. 364 00:22:07,640 --> 00:22:12,280 Speaker 3: There were bullet wounds and signs of sexual assault, and 365 00:22:12,960 --> 00:22:15,240 Speaker 3: it was a very tragic situation. 366 00:22:16,320 --> 00:22:19,800 Speaker 2: Gavin's fingerprints were also all over a backpack that contained 367 00:22:19,800 --> 00:22:24,160 Speaker 2: Debbie's wallet and clothing, but Gavin denied killing Rick and Debbie. 368 00:22:24,600 --> 00:22:32,080 Speaker 3: She was raped, shot, and her body just dragged off 369 00:22:32,080 --> 00:22:37,080 Speaker 3: into the woods and she was left there, partially undressed, 370 00:22:37,200 --> 00:22:42,840 Speaker 3: covered with grass and sticks. They found the DNA. 371 00:22:43,720 --> 00:22:46,200 Speaker 2: Did that DNA belong to Gavin Saha? 372 00:22:46,760 --> 00:22:50,360 Speaker 3: They went and asked him for a DNA sample and 373 00:22:51,200 --> 00:22:54,119 Speaker 3: got his DNA. It didn't match. 374 00:22:55,640 --> 00:23:01,080 Speaker 2: Even with all that circumstantial evidence, Gavin was cleared. It 375 00:23:01,200 --> 00:23:03,800 Speaker 2: was a major blow to the investigation that was about 376 00:23:03,840 --> 00:23:06,760 Speaker 2: to get some help from a national TV program. 377 00:23:07,240 --> 00:23:12,720 Speaker 6: Now from our Washington Crime Center, John woolfsh. 378 00:23:12,000 --> 00:23:15,800 Speaker 1: Good evening, Our first case tonight is outrageous. 379 00:23:16,040 --> 00:23:17,560 Speaker 6: It's about a man who worked. 380 00:23:17,280 --> 00:23:19,440 Speaker 2: Hard with a killer and a rapist on the loose 381 00:23:19,480 --> 00:23:23,320 Speaker 2: in the Alaskan wilderness, and the original suspect cleared. The 382 00:23:23,359 --> 00:23:27,520 Speaker 2: television show America's Most Wanted got involved. The show sent 383 00:23:27,560 --> 00:23:30,520 Speaker 2: a team to start filming near to Litna. By then, 384 00:23:30,960 --> 00:23:34,760 Speaker 2: the Alaska State Troopers had turned their attention towards someone else. 385 00:23:35,640 --> 00:23:38,760 Speaker 1: Rick and Debby's nearest neighbor, about a mile away from 386 00:23:38,800 --> 00:23:40,960 Speaker 1: their cabin, was Paul Stavinard. 387 00:23:41,760 --> 00:23:45,080 Speaker 2: Author Robin Bearfield wrote about the case, and I will 388 00:23:45,119 --> 00:23:48,200 Speaker 2: mention that you'll hear Paul's last name pronounced a couple 389 00:23:48,320 --> 00:23:52,680 Speaker 2: different ways. For the sake of simplicity, we'll call him Stavinyard. 390 00:23:53,359 --> 00:23:56,520 Speaker 1: Paul Stavinord was just kind of a backwoods man who 391 00:23:56,560 --> 00:24:00,880 Speaker 1: had a big bushy beard, long hair, wire rim glasses. 392 00:24:01,440 --> 00:24:05,439 Speaker 2: Unlike Rickendebbie, Paul Stavinard lived in his true Litna cabin 393 00:24:05,720 --> 00:24:09,280 Speaker 2: year round. He had spent twenty years working for the 394 00:24:09,280 --> 00:24:12,800 Speaker 2: Alaska Railroad, but hurt his back. That's when he quit 395 00:24:12,840 --> 00:24:15,080 Speaker 2: his job and focused on his artwork. 396 00:24:15,640 --> 00:24:20,000 Speaker 1: He liked to make little pewter animals, and he carved 397 00:24:20,160 --> 00:24:23,600 Speaker 1: intracut flutes. And he not only carved these flutes, but 398 00:24:23,720 --> 00:24:26,919 Speaker 1: he played the flute very well, and he wrote flute music. 399 00:24:26,960 --> 00:24:29,680 Speaker 1: And he had done three albums of flute music as 400 00:24:29,680 --> 00:24:32,879 Speaker 1: a matter of fact. And he seemed like a peaceful, 401 00:24:33,119 --> 00:24:34,360 Speaker 1: easy going type. 402 00:24:34,640 --> 00:24:38,280 Speaker 2: So why were the troopers focusing on this peace loving 403 00:24:38,359 --> 00:24:39,760 Speaker 2: and flute plane guy. 404 00:24:40,400 --> 00:24:43,960 Speaker 1: When the troopers began talking to Rick and Debbie's other 405 00:24:44,000 --> 00:24:47,280 Speaker 1: neighbors in the area. They told them that Rick Anddebbie 406 00:24:47,280 --> 00:24:51,280 Speaker 1: got along with everyone except for Paul Stavinord. Paul and Rick, 407 00:24:51,359 --> 00:24:54,800 Speaker 1: in particular, had a very contentious relationship. 408 00:24:55,480 --> 00:25:00,200 Speaker 2: The troopers learned that Paul and Rick were not friends now. 409 00:25:00,200 --> 00:25:04,760 Speaker 2: Their relationship soured when Rick accused Paul Savignyard of stealing 410 00:25:04,800 --> 00:25:05,920 Speaker 2: things from his cabin. 411 00:25:07,320 --> 00:25:09,480 Speaker 1: And we know that Rick wasn't the kind of person 412 00:25:09,480 --> 00:25:12,080 Speaker 1: to back away from a fight, so he had a 413 00:25:12,119 --> 00:25:14,000 Speaker 1: reputation for being a bit of a hothead. 414 00:25:14,520 --> 00:25:17,880 Speaker 2: So the troopers questioned Paul, but Paul said that Memorial 415 00:25:17,960 --> 00:25:21,240 Speaker 2: Day weekend, when Rick and Debbie were murdered, he wasn't 416 00:25:21,240 --> 00:25:24,399 Speaker 2: even in town. He said he had left his cabin 417 00:25:24,440 --> 00:25:27,600 Speaker 2: in Chulitna and traveled some four hours north. 418 00:25:27,880 --> 00:25:31,040 Speaker 1: He said he'd gone to Fairbanks for the weekend, and 419 00:25:31,080 --> 00:25:34,879 Speaker 1: he even gave them the names of restaurants where he stopped, 420 00:25:35,080 --> 00:25:37,440 Speaker 1: places where he stopped to get guessed or stopped to 421 00:25:37,480 --> 00:25:38,240 Speaker 1: get snacks. 422 00:25:38,760 --> 00:25:41,800 Speaker 2: But here's where Paul had trouble backing up his alibi. 423 00:25:42,119 --> 00:25:45,639 Speaker 1: He didn't have any receipts from the restaurants where he 424 00:25:45,640 --> 00:25:48,119 Speaker 1: said he visited on his way to Fairbanks or the 425 00:25:48,119 --> 00:25:52,000 Speaker 1: gas stations, but that's because he claims he paid for 426 00:25:52,119 --> 00:25:53,680 Speaker 1: everything in cash. 427 00:25:53,720 --> 00:25:56,600 Speaker 2: And this is where it's important to learn some backstory 428 00:25:56,760 --> 00:25:57,760 Speaker 2: on Paul Savignyard. 429 00:26:00,000 --> 00:26:02,840 Speaker 6: We all lived the life is close to the mountain 430 00:26:02,920 --> 00:26:05,359 Speaker 6: man as anybody we have in Alaska. 431 00:26:05,800 --> 00:26:07,919 Speaker 2: That's Paul's friend Keith Baja. 432 00:26:09,000 --> 00:26:14,440 Speaker 6: He was comfortable in a wilderness setting, built his cabin 433 00:26:14,720 --> 00:26:18,879 Speaker 6: and lived off the grid if you will. No electricity, 434 00:26:19,040 --> 00:26:24,159 Speaker 6: no television, none of the things that most of US Americans. 435 00:26:23,480 --> 00:26:27,480 Speaker 2: Are used to as part of Paul's mountain man lifestyle. 436 00:26:28,040 --> 00:26:31,359 Speaker 2: He didn't wear a watch, he told investigators. He also 437 00:26:31,560 --> 00:26:35,160 Speaker 2: didn't use credit cards, which is why none of those 438 00:26:35,240 --> 00:26:39,040 Speaker 2: businesses Paul visited over a Memorial Day weekend had a 439 00:26:39,080 --> 00:26:43,200 Speaker 2: record of him. But the more the troopers looked into 440 00:26:43,280 --> 00:26:47,359 Speaker 2: Paul's story, the more holes they found. For example, he 441 00:26:47,520 --> 00:26:50,240 Speaker 2: claimed to have had a steak for lunch at a restaurant. 442 00:26:51,000 --> 00:26:54,919 Speaker 2: The troopers learned that restaurant did not serve steak for lunch, 443 00:26:55,640 --> 00:26:59,040 Speaker 2: and once again, Paul said maybe he was actually there 444 00:26:59,080 --> 00:27:02,280 Speaker 2: around dinner time. He didn't know for fur because he 445 00:27:02,280 --> 00:27:05,680 Speaker 2: didn't wear a watch, But the Alaska Stay Troopers thought 446 00:27:05,760 --> 00:27:06,760 Speaker 2: Paul was lying. 447 00:27:07,880 --> 00:27:10,800 Speaker 6: I don't believe Paul would do something like that. 448 00:27:11,480 --> 00:27:15,800 Speaker 2: Then an eyewitness came forward. A railroad employee claimed he 449 00:27:15,880 --> 00:27:20,080 Speaker 2: saw Paul driving a four wheeler in Chewlitna on the 450 00:27:20,200 --> 00:27:25,679 Speaker 2: Saturday before Memorial Day. And remember Paul claimed he was 451 00:27:25,680 --> 00:27:26,840 Speaker 2: in Fairbanks that day. 452 00:27:27,560 --> 00:27:30,120 Speaker 3: He said he was out of town. And the more 453 00:27:30,200 --> 00:27:33,120 Speaker 3: they investigated, the less that panned out. 454 00:27:33,640 --> 00:27:36,640 Speaker 2: That's assistant da Billi Stell so get. 455 00:27:36,480 --> 00:27:40,159 Speaker 3: The end to look as if he was fabricating his 456 00:27:40,240 --> 00:27:41,280 Speaker 3: whole absence. 457 00:27:42,240 --> 00:27:46,320 Speaker 2: By that time, the troopers were focused squarely on Paul Stavinyord. 458 00:27:47,040 --> 00:27:50,800 Speaker 2: And if you remember, Debbie Reehor had been sexually assaulted 459 00:27:51,680 --> 00:27:55,440 Speaker 2: and there was DNA evidence on her, so they asked 460 00:27:55,440 --> 00:27:57,359 Speaker 2: Paul to provide a DNA sample. 461 00:27:57,760 --> 00:28:01,920 Speaker 3: He refused, which heightened their suspicion, so they got a warrant. 462 00:28:02,200 --> 00:28:04,879 Speaker 2: That's when the investigation switched gears. 463 00:28:05,200 --> 00:28:06,640 Speaker 6: Paul disappeared. 464 00:28:07,480 --> 00:28:10,000 Speaker 2: His friend Keith Beja was concerned. 465 00:28:10,240 --> 00:28:13,840 Speaker 6: They were looking for Paul, it couldn't find him. I 466 00:28:13,960 --> 00:28:20,080 Speaker 6: think panic may have kicked in and he he went 467 00:28:20,119 --> 00:28:24,440 Speaker 6: to where he was comfortable, the woods. That doesn't surprise me. 468 00:28:25,000 --> 00:28:27,360 Speaker 6: He's a quality woodsman. 469 00:28:28,119 --> 00:28:31,440 Speaker 2: And for the next few weeks Paul managed to hide 470 00:28:31,480 --> 00:28:32,359 Speaker 2: from the authorities. 471 00:28:32,680 --> 00:28:33,680 Speaker 3: I don't know what he. 472 00:28:33,600 --> 00:28:37,120 Speaker 6: Did during that period of time other than just survive 473 00:28:37,280 --> 00:28:37,840 Speaker 6: out there. 474 00:28:38,400 --> 00:28:41,920 Speaker 2: Wanted Signs with Paul's picture went up all over the area, 475 00:28:42,440 --> 00:28:45,280 Speaker 2: but Alaska State troopers said the person they're looking for 476 00:28:45,360 --> 00:28:49,160 Speaker 2: didn't match that photo. They believed Paul had cut his 477 00:28:49,240 --> 00:28:52,920 Speaker 2: long hair, shaved off his big bushy beard, and hopped 478 00:28:52,960 --> 00:28:54,520 Speaker 2: a freight train out of town. 479 00:28:55,240 --> 00:28:58,080 Speaker 3: He also worked for the railroad, so he was very 480 00:28:58,080 --> 00:29:01,200 Speaker 3: familiar with how to hop a freak train, how to 481 00:29:01,360 --> 00:29:06,040 Speaker 3: get on, get off, how to avoid detection. So we 482 00:29:06,160 --> 00:29:08,040 Speaker 3: got a search warrant to search his cabin. 483 00:29:08,480 --> 00:29:12,800 Speaker 2: Inside Paul Stavinjord's cabin, troopers first came across a handful 484 00:29:12,960 --> 00:29:16,520 Speaker 2: of twenty two rifles. Then they found a journal in 485 00:29:16,560 --> 00:29:18,680 Speaker 2: the most unlikely of spots. 486 00:29:19,040 --> 00:29:23,240 Speaker 3: It had hidden this somewhere in the rafters of his house. 487 00:29:23,720 --> 00:29:26,080 Speaker 3: It was one of the troopers climbing around up there 488 00:29:26,120 --> 00:29:29,320 Speaker 3: that found it, hidden in a crack between a couple 489 00:29:29,320 --> 00:29:29,920 Speaker 3: of boards. 490 00:29:30,080 --> 00:29:34,080 Speaker 2: What Paul rode inside? That journal contained some graphic information 491 00:29:34,400 --> 00:29:37,600 Speaker 2: about his relationship with his neighbor, Debbie Rehort. 492 00:29:38,000 --> 00:29:40,520 Speaker 3: They were having consensual sex. 493 00:29:41,120 --> 00:29:44,480 Speaker 2: Paul's journal spelled out details of his affair with Debbie. 494 00:29:45,080 --> 00:29:49,840 Speaker 3: Everything about it became inconsistent with what people knew about 495 00:29:49,920 --> 00:29:52,680 Speaker 3: Rick and Debbie and what they knew about the relationship 496 00:29:52,920 --> 00:29:54,320 Speaker 3: with Stavingord himself. 497 00:29:54,920 --> 00:29:58,280 Speaker 2: Were Debbie and Paul having an affair? Or was it 498 00:29:58,320 --> 00:30:01,280 Speaker 2: Pau's a tent to create an alibi? And if it 499 00:30:01,400 --> 00:30:04,880 Speaker 2: was his attempt to create an alibi, why hide the journal? 500 00:30:05,760 --> 00:30:08,960 Speaker 2: By then, the Alaska State Troopers feared that Paul was 501 00:30:09,000 --> 00:30:14,600 Speaker 2: long gone and had possibly entered Canada. But then, nearly 502 00:30:14,640 --> 00:30:18,320 Speaker 2: a month after Paul disappeared, he got in touch with 503 00:30:18,360 --> 00:30:18,960 Speaker 2: the troopers. 504 00:30:19,640 --> 00:30:22,800 Speaker 3: I believe America's most wanted was getting ready to run 505 00:30:23,240 --> 00:30:27,000 Speaker 3: a special on him when he turned himself in. 506 00:30:28,120 --> 00:30:31,480 Speaker 2: Paul had hired a high profile defense lawyer and said 507 00:30:31,520 --> 00:30:35,040 Speaker 2: he was ready to talk with investigators. Here's his friend, 508 00:30:35,400 --> 00:30:36,080 Speaker 2: Keith Beja. 509 00:30:37,600 --> 00:30:41,880 Speaker 6: He did apparently get to a telephone after several weeks 510 00:30:42,200 --> 00:30:47,120 Speaker 6: and talked to a friend who was responsible for getting 511 00:30:47,200 --> 00:30:51,200 Speaker 6: him connected with the attorney, and the attorney convinced him 512 00:30:51,240 --> 00:30:52,719 Speaker 6: he needed to turn himself in. 513 00:30:53,080 --> 00:30:56,239 Speaker 2: Paul Stavignord was booked and charged with the murders of 514 00:30:56,360 --> 00:30:58,880 Speaker 2: Rick Berry and his wife, Debbie Reehor. 515 00:30:59,600 --> 00:31:03,720 Speaker 6: You know, I just didn't really accept it. Paul's not 516 00:31:03,800 --> 00:31:09,240 Speaker 6: the kind of guy that ambusious people or shoots people, 517 00:31:09,440 --> 00:31:15,160 Speaker 6: or or that he's very safe with firearms. Paul was 518 00:31:15,200 --> 00:31:18,480 Speaker 6: special in that he was likable, not just to me, 519 00:31:18,720 --> 00:31:20,000 Speaker 6: but to everybody. 520 00:31:20,240 --> 00:31:24,400 Speaker 2: Paul Stabannord claimed he was an innocent man, and he 521 00:31:24,480 --> 00:31:27,000 Speaker 2: said there was a reason he hopped a freight train 522 00:31:27,120 --> 00:31:27,920 Speaker 2: and left town. 523 00:31:28,400 --> 00:31:35,160 Speaker 6: He had had unfortunate experience with law enforcement prior to 524 00:31:35,320 --> 00:31:44,400 Speaker 6: this event, so trusting policeman was probably not his first reaction. 525 00:31:45,520 --> 00:31:49,800 Speaker 2: So what was this unfortunate experience with law enforcement that 526 00:31:49,920 --> 00:31:53,760 Speaker 2: caused Paul to go on the run and who killed 527 00:31:53,920 --> 00:31:57,480 Speaker 2: Rick and Debbie. I never could quite make a decision 528 00:31:57,600 --> 00:32:01,000 Speaker 2: as to whether he was a dangerous man or whether 529 00:32:01,120 --> 00:32:05,560 Speaker 2: something snapped. It ultimately led to one of the most 530 00:32:05,560 --> 00:32:09,280 Speaker 2: hotly contested trials Alaska has ever seen. 531 00:32:10,320 --> 00:32:13,920 Speaker 3: How can somebody go from being a neighbor to being 532 00:32:14,400 --> 00:32:18,160 Speaker 3: a double murderer at the flip of a switch. 533 00:32:18,200 --> 00:32:22,120 Speaker 2: And when it was all over, the lawyers would switch sides. 534 00:32:22,800 --> 00:32:29,360 Speaker 6: This is a travesty of justice. 535 00:32:30,040 --> 00:32:33,440 Speaker 2: I'm slow glass join me for the bizarre conclusion of 536 00:32:33,880 --> 00:32:48,760 Speaker 2: the Mountain Man murderers. That's next time on American Homicide. 537 00:32:49,440 --> 00:32:52,520 Speaker 2: You can contact the American Homicide Team by emailing us 538 00:32:52,920 --> 00:32:57,640 Speaker 2: at American Homicide Pod at gmail dot com. That's American 539 00:32:57,640 --> 00:33:02,280 Speaker 2: Homicide Pod at gmail dot com. American Homicide is hosted 540 00:33:02,320 --> 00:33:05,360 Speaker 2: and written by me Sloane Glass and is a production 541 00:33:05,600 --> 00:33:09,720 Speaker 2: of Glass Podcasts, a division of Glass Entertainment Group, in 542 00:33:09,800 --> 00:33:14,440 Speaker 2: partnership with iHeart Podcasts. The show is executive produced by 543 00:33:14,520 --> 00:33:18,280 Speaker 2: Nancy Glass and Todd Gans. The series is also written 544 00:33:18,320 --> 00:33:21,800 Speaker 2: and produced by Todd Gans, with additional writing by Ben 545 00:33:21,840 --> 00:33:26,280 Speaker 2: Fetterman and Andrea Gunning. Our associate producer is Kristin Melcurie. 546 00:33:26,520 --> 00:33:31,719 Speaker 2: Our ihearteam is Ali Perry and Jessica Crimechack. Audio editing, 547 00:33:31,960 --> 00:33:36,760 Speaker 2: mixing and mastering by Nico Aarruca. American Homicide's theme song 548 00:33:36,920 --> 00:33:41,200 Speaker 2: was composed by Oliver Baines of Neiser Music Library, provided 549 00:33:41,200 --> 00:33:45,840 Speaker 2: by my Music. Follow American Homicide on Apple Podcasts, and 550 00:33:46,000 --> 00:33:49,720 Speaker 2: please rate and review American Homicide. Your five star review 551 00:33:49,800 --> 00:33:52,600 Speaker 2: goes a long way towards helping others find this show. 552 00:33:53,040 --> 00:33:58,240 Speaker 2: For more podcasts from iHeart, visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, 553 00:33:58,680 --> 00:34:00,920 Speaker 2: or wherever you get your podcasts.