1 00:00:15,422 --> 00:00:23,702 Speaker 1: Pushkin. Just to warn you before we start. This episode 2 00:00:23,942 --> 00:00:38,102 Speaker 1: contains descriptions of sexual assault and violence. Last time on 3 00:00:38,262 --> 00:00:39,062 Speaker 1: Where's Dia? 4 00:00:39,942 --> 00:00:43,582 Speaker 2: We were pushing ardently to have or removed as trustee 5 00:00:43,622 --> 00:00:46,702 Speaker 2: because to me and to my sister, we felt that 6 00:00:47,062 --> 00:00:49,822 Speaker 2: it was quite obvious that he had some involvement in 7 00:00:49,862 --> 00:00:50,902 Speaker 2: DIA's disappearance. 8 00:00:52,022 --> 00:00:56,382 Speaker 3: He had every reason to harm her, but so did 9 00:00:57,262 --> 00:01:00,502 Speaker 3: Chrissara and Clinton just because so much money is involved. 10 00:01:00,822 --> 00:01:02,542 Speaker 2: They please, they. 11 00:01:04,462 --> 00:01:05,782 Speaker 4: They believed she was hurt. 12 00:01:17,702 --> 00:01:20,622 Speaker 1: In the fall of twenty twenty one, a woman named 13 00:01:20,702 --> 00:01:24,942 Speaker 1: Jody Newkirk was working on the Benita Vista ranch. This 14 00:01:25,142 --> 00:01:28,302 Speaker 1: was over a year after Deer was last seen. It 15 00:01:28,422 --> 00:01:31,062 Speaker 1: seems like Jody was a kind of jack of all trades. 16 00:01:31,582 --> 00:01:35,502 Speaker 1: She handled the horses, cleaned and did general handy woman 17 00:01:35,582 --> 00:01:37,142 Speaker 1: stuff for Keith Harper. 18 00:01:38,782 --> 00:01:40,502 Speaker 5: Or you think by taking this and I could really 19 00:01:40,782 --> 00:01:43,142 Speaker 5: a concept where nothing dead young. 20 00:01:42,982 --> 00:01:45,742 Speaker 6: A right, Yeah, this is super cud. 21 00:01:48,502 --> 00:01:51,582 Speaker 1: This is a video from a local photographer who Jody 22 00:01:51,662 --> 00:01:54,662 Speaker 1: took on a tour of the ranch. As far as 23 00:01:54,742 --> 00:01:58,622 Speaker 1: I can tell, the photographer is shown in adylic setting 24 00:01:59,382 --> 00:02:02,302 Speaker 1: with no hint of what's happened here before or what 25 00:02:02,462 --> 00:02:07,702 Speaker 1: is soon to come. In the video, Jody is wearing 26 00:02:07,782 --> 00:02:12,302 Speaker 1: a strapless red, white and blue striped tank top, baggy jeans, 27 00:02:12,422 --> 00:02:15,782 Speaker 1: and chunky work boots, and her skin has a nice 28 00:02:15,902 --> 00:02:20,462 Speaker 1: natural tan. Jody and the photographer walk up a gravel drive. 29 00:02:20,982 --> 00:02:24,542 Speaker 1: There's a white Rvy parked underneath a pine tree, a 30 00:02:24,702 --> 00:02:29,582 Speaker 1: large metal butterfly seat, and an outdoor gym. They go 31 00:02:29,742 --> 00:02:33,182 Speaker 1: up to an old log cabin. The entrance is flanked 32 00:02:33,262 --> 00:02:37,982 Speaker 1: by wooden horseheads. Inside the cabin is dark and crowded, 33 00:02:38,582 --> 00:02:39,982 Speaker 1: teeming with trinkets. 34 00:02:40,862 --> 00:02:43,902 Speaker 6: So yeah, it's got a barbecue, ANIFI outdoor fireplace. 35 00:02:44,662 --> 00:02:45,782 Speaker 4: It's got a great view. 36 00:02:50,782 --> 00:02:54,822 Speaker 1: God, I love it here, Jody says. She offers to 37 00:02:54,902 --> 00:02:57,662 Speaker 1: cut the photographer a deal on rent in exchange for 38 00:02:57,822 --> 00:03:01,822 Speaker 1: new photos to advertise the ranch for events. There was 39 00:03:01,862 --> 00:03:05,182 Speaker 1: a lot going on up there, renovations, a new bridge 40 00:03:05,262 --> 00:03:08,782 Speaker 1: being built, and Harper was even hosting wedding ceremonies. 41 00:03:09,542 --> 00:03:13,262 Speaker 3: So yeah, it's always good to have kind of like yeah, yeah, yeah. 42 00:03:14,022 --> 00:03:16,302 Speaker 5: You know style. 43 00:03:18,702 --> 00:03:18,902 Speaker 7: Yes. 44 00:03:20,262 --> 00:03:23,862 Speaker 1: Around three months after this video was taken, Jody was 45 00:03:23,942 --> 00:03:33,022 Speaker 1: found dead on the ranch. Before I get too deep 46 00:03:33,222 --> 00:03:36,702 Speaker 1: into who Jody was and how she ended up dead 47 00:03:36,942 --> 00:03:40,622 Speaker 1: on Benita Vista Ranch, I want to explain why I'm 48 00:03:40,662 --> 00:03:44,742 Speaker 1: telling you about her. It's not just because this is 49 00:03:44,822 --> 00:03:49,742 Speaker 1: another tragic, unexplained event that deserves some airtime, or because 50 00:03:49,782 --> 00:03:54,742 Speaker 1: it provides another shocking twist in this strange story. I'm 51 00:03:54,822 --> 00:03:58,102 Speaker 1: telling you about her because it's a chance to peer 52 00:03:58,302 --> 00:04:04,022 Speaker 1: inside Harper's relationship with another woman. In fact, that's really 53 00:04:04,062 --> 00:04:08,822 Speaker 1: what this whole episode is about. Harper's relationships with other women. 54 00:04:12,662 --> 00:04:16,142 Speaker 1: Their stories made me question whether Harper and DEA's relationship 55 00:04:16,462 --> 00:04:19,102 Speaker 1: was really as picture perfect as he said it was. 56 00:04:20,182 --> 00:04:23,222 Speaker 1: I haven't been able to speak with Dea. She can't 57 00:04:23,302 --> 00:04:26,142 Speaker 1: tell me what Harper is like as a lover or 58 00:04:26,182 --> 00:04:29,822 Speaker 1: a partner or even a friend. But these other women 59 00:04:30,582 --> 00:04:40,222 Speaker 1: they can. I'm Lucy Sheriff, and this is where's Dea? 60 00:04:41,262 --> 00:04:59,382 Speaker 1: Episode four, Don't Go there Alone. Kelly Berkowitz Trotter is 61 00:04:59,502 --> 00:05:00,902 Speaker 1: Jody Newkirk's sister. 62 00:05:01,662 --> 00:05:05,502 Speaker 6: Oh hi, sweetheart, and I'm talking to my friend Lucy. 63 00:05:05,582 --> 00:05:07,062 Speaker 6: We're talking about Auntie Jody. 64 00:05:08,182 --> 00:05:11,302 Speaker 1: Kelly explained to me that Jody hadn't always been the 65 00:05:11,382 --> 00:05:15,142 Speaker 1: happy and confident woman I'd watched in the photographer's video. 66 00:05:16,462 --> 00:05:20,822 Speaker 1: For years, Jody had struggled with drug addiction, in particular, 67 00:05:21,222 --> 00:05:25,542 Speaker 1: meth and she'd done some things that strained her relationship 68 00:05:25,582 --> 00:05:26,022 Speaker 1: with Kelly. 69 00:05:27,102 --> 00:05:32,822 Speaker 6: My sister stole my identity many years ago, and she 70 00:05:32,982 --> 00:05:36,382 Speaker 6: actually was arrested for it, and not by my doing 71 00:05:36,462 --> 00:05:42,422 Speaker 6: at all, but she was caught and she was going 72 00:05:42,502 --> 00:05:44,662 Speaker 6: to have to serve like jail diamond stuff. 73 00:05:45,582 --> 00:05:48,502 Speaker 1: But Kelly says that Jody was working on trying to 74 00:05:48,542 --> 00:05:50,782 Speaker 1: get clean and it's crazy. 75 00:05:50,862 --> 00:05:54,262 Speaker 6: I digress a little bit here, but on the twenty 76 00:05:54,502 --> 00:05:59,942 Speaker 6: third of December twenty twenty, she and I had a 77 00:06:00,382 --> 00:06:04,982 Speaker 6: very loving, healing conversation about all of that, where she 78 00:06:05,142 --> 00:06:06,102 Speaker 6: apologized to me. 79 00:06:10,662 --> 00:06:13,742 Speaker 1: Harper told me he'd hired Jody to work on the 80 00:06:13,822 --> 00:06:16,502 Speaker 1: ranch because she was renting out one of DEA's properties 81 00:06:16,902 --> 00:06:20,702 Speaker 1: and she was behind on payments. Jody could do some 82 00:06:20,862 --> 00:06:24,102 Speaker 1: work to make up the missing rent. But Kelly told 83 00:06:24,182 --> 00:06:27,902 Speaker 1: me that Jody and Harper met through a dating site, 84 00:06:28,502 --> 00:06:32,102 Speaker 1: which I found interesting because that's how Harper said he 85 00:06:32,262 --> 00:06:37,022 Speaker 1: met Dea. Regardless, by the time Jody was working at 86 00:06:37,022 --> 00:06:39,062 Speaker 1: the ranch, it seemed like she was on track. 87 00:06:40,342 --> 00:06:46,462 Speaker 6: You were on such good terms and so much closer, 88 00:06:46,702 --> 00:06:52,782 Speaker 6: and there was like a Jody was a hardcore drag addict, 89 00:06:53,142 --> 00:06:57,382 Speaker 6: so as close as one can be with someone who 90 00:06:57,582 --> 00:07:01,262 Speaker 6: is who is in that kind of state of mind. 91 00:07:01,822 --> 00:07:06,622 Speaker 6: And she was trying a lot, you know, of different 92 00:07:06,702 --> 00:07:11,222 Speaker 6: things to get herself clean, as she always had ben 93 00:07:11,302 --> 00:07:12,702 Speaker 6: since she was fifteen years old. 94 00:07:18,342 --> 00:07:21,502 Speaker 1: The day Jody died, Kelly was on holiday in a 95 00:07:21,582 --> 00:07:24,582 Speaker 1: remote cabin in the woods, and so it took her 96 00:07:24,622 --> 00:07:26,222 Speaker 1: a while to get cell service. 97 00:07:27,782 --> 00:07:35,182 Speaker 6: It was driving rain that day, just such a terrible storm, 98 00:07:37,062 --> 00:07:41,022 Speaker 6: and I saw that I had a bunch of missed 99 00:07:41,142 --> 00:07:45,342 Speaker 6: calls from my brother in law, Lindsay. 100 00:07:46,302 --> 00:07:49,982 Speaker 1: Lindsay is Jody's ex partner, and Kelly told me that 101 00:07:50,182 --> 00:07:54,262 Speaker 1: he and Jody were best friends, ride or die friends. 102 00:07:55,702 --> 00:07:59,862 Speaker 6: So when I saw that, I immediately knew something was wrong. 103 00:08:01,302 --> 00:08:05,342 Speaker 6: And I was able to call him from my daughter's phone, 104 00:08:06,462 --> 00:08:13,142 Speaker 6: and basically I just remember standing there in this cabin 105 00:08:13,862 --> 00:08:17,262 Speaker 6: with my daughter and one of my closest friends. 106 00:08:23,222 --> 00:08:28,782 Speaker 4: Sorry, okay at your time. 107 00:08:33,702 --> 00:08:44,542 Speaker 6: Oh and yeah. Lindsay said that Jody had been in 108 00:08:44,622 --> 00:08:53,462 Speaker 6: an accident. She rolled over in an ATV. And I 109 00:08:53,942 --> 00:09:00,582 Speaker 6: was like, oh, my god, is she okay? And he said, no, 110 00:09:02,102 --> 00:09:02,502 Speaker 6: she's not. 111 00:09:04,982 --> 00:09:08,302 Speaker 1: Lindsay had heard the news about Jody from Harper. 112 00:09:09,582 --> 00:09:12,742 Speaker 6: We didn't know anything about Dea. We didn't know anything 113 00:09:12,782 --> 00:09:18,662 Speaker 6: about Harper. We were kind of on this crazy spin 114 00:09:19,462 --> 00:09:20,142 Speaker 6: we are spinning. 115 00:09:26,302 --> 00:09:29,502 Speaker 1: Kelly would soon come to learn a lot about Keith, Harper, 116 00:09:29,742 --> 00:09:34,502 Speaker 1: and Dia Abrams, in part because Jody kept a detailed 117 00:09:34,742 --> 00:09:37,542 Speaker 1: journal during those short few months she was living at 118 00:09:37,542 --> 00:09:42,142 Speaker 1: the ranch. After JODI's death, Kelly sent me pictures of 119 00:09:42,182 --> 00:09:47,622 Speaker 1: the journals she'd found in Jody's belongings. Jody's journal entries 120 00:09:47,782 --> 00:09:51,342 Speaker 1: are written like letters. A lot of them are addressed 121 00:09:51,542 --> 00:09:55,502 Speaker 1: to Harper. The first entry that Kelly sent me is 122 00:09:55,622 --> 00:10:00,582 Speaker 1: strangely written to Harper and Dea. I asked my producer 123 00:10:00,742 --> 00:10:02,422 Speaker 1: Daphne to read some extracts. 124 00:10:03,742 --> 00:10:06,982 Speaker 7: Dear Dea and Harper. So, even though we never met, 125 00:10:07,182 --> 00:10:09,782 Speaker 7: I really feel a bond with you. I hope, from 126 00:10:09,822 --> 00:10:12,062 Speaker 7: the bottom and all of my heart that you realize 127 00:10:12,102 --> 00:10:14,662 Speaker 7: that I truly have you and yours, all of your animals, 128 00:10:14,782 --> 00:10:18,422 Speaker 7: friends and home possessions, and even Harper's best interests at heart. 129 00:10:19,062 --> 00:10:21,702 Speaker 7: I do honestly think you will be coming home. I 130 00:10:21,822 --> 00:10:22,542 Speaker 7: hope you like me. 131 00:10:24,102 --> 00:10:28,382 Speaker 1: Jody's handwriting is erratic. It's big, looping, and in the 132 00:10:28,462 --> 00:10:31,582 Speaker 1: same journal entry she'll use two or three different pens, 133 00:10:32,102 --> 00:10:35,422 Speaker 1: red bull point and then a thick black sharpie. There 134 00:10:35,462 --> 00:10:39,502 Speaker 1: are a lot of capital letters and exclamation points. The 135 00:10:39,582 --> 00:10:42,542 Speaker 1: rest of her letters are all addressed to Harper, and 136 00:10:42,662 --> 00:10:46,142 Speaker 1: from Jody's writing, it sounds like her relationship with Harper 137 00:10:46,662 --> 00:10:48,022 Speaker 1: was more than professional. 138 00:10:49,022 --> 00:10:51,862 Speaker 7: I need event I'm losing my mind. I realize that 139 00:10:51,942 --> 00:10:53,702 Speaker 7: you sure can act like you like me a whole 140 00:10:53,742 --> 00:10:55,942 Speaker 7: lot when you want me, But I really don't matter 141 00:10:56,062 --> 00:10:57,942 Speaker 7: that much to you. I feel like you're a dog, 142 00:10:58,262 --> 00:11:01,502 Speaker 7: a high class jiggalow. Anyhow, you really do sleep with 143 00:11:01,622 --> 00:11:03,782 Speaker 7: as many females as you can, and you tell all 144 00:11:03,862 --> 00:11:05,822 Speaker 7: girls what they want to hear, and you tell them 145 00:11:05,862 --> 00:11:08,462 Speaker 7: all basically the same thing. I really am feeling very 146 00:11:08,542 --> 00:11:11,062 Speaker 7: strange about the always going to miss me comment in 147 00:11:11,142 --> 00:11:13,382 Speaker 7: the text a few days ago. I don't like the 148 00:11:13,462 --> 00:11:15,062 Speaker 7: way that sounds, not a bit. 149 00:11:15,342 --> 00:11:15,822 Speaker 5: It's weird. 150 00:11:15,902 --> 00:11:18,462 Speaker 7: Fuck you, Harper. What we had wasn't really all that 151 00:11:18,622 --> 00:11:21,702 Speaker 7: to you. I know, Anna or Patricia, but you know what, 152 00:11:22,102 --> 00:11:24,862 Speaker 7: I would have killed, died given my right arm for you, 153 00:11:25,702 --> 00:11:28,342 Speaker 7: even if you don't deserve it. I know who you are. 154 00:11:29,382 --> 00:11:32,982 Speaker 7: I loved love you anyway. You will see when I'm gone, 155 00:11:33,062 --> 00:11:34,822 Speaker 7: and I'm already gone, goodbye. 156 00:11:48,542 --> 00:11:51,102 Speaker 1: I don't know how Much of what Jodie writes is 157 00:11:51,142 --> 00:11:54,262 Speaker 1: objectively true, but Harpistol things differently. 158 00:11:55,302 --> 00:12:00,622 Speaker 3: She came and rented a place on Toolbox, and I'd 159 00:12:00,662 --> 00:12:03,902 Speaker 3: met her, and she was having trouble pain for her rent, 160 00:12:04,422 --> 00:12:06,622 Speaker 3: and she asked if she could come and more to 161 00:12:06,702 --> 00:12:08,982 Speaker 3: help cover it from the expenses of her. 162 00:12:10,422 --> 00:12:13,622 Speaker 8: And then, what was your relationship like with Jody? And 163 00:12:13,782 --> 00:12:17,502 Speaker 8: I asked, course, because obviously she had the journal entry 164 00:12:18,062 --> 00:12:21,622 Speaker 8: which suggested that you may have been in a romantic 165 00:12:21,742 --> 00:12:22,662 Speaker 8: relationship with her. 166 00:12:23,262 --> 00:12:29,102 Speaker 5: No, not even God and Robert, if we're close to that. 167 00:12:31,102 --> 00:12:35,462 Speaker 4: But what what was your relationship like with her? It 168 00:12:35,622 --> 00:12:38,022 Speaker 4: was a working relationship, that's what it was. 169 00:12:42,942 --> 00:12:46,262 Speaker 1: The journal entries aren't dated, so I don't know exactly 170 00:12:46,302 --> 00:12:50,462 Speaker 1: when Jody was writing those entries. It seems clear to me, though, 171 00:12:50,782 --> 00:12:53,582 Speaker 1: that things weren't great up at the ranch, at least 172 00:12:53,622 --> 00:12:57,782 Speaker 1: from Jody's perspective, and on the twenty third of December, 173 00:12:58,542 --> 00:13:09,062 Speaker 1: they got much much worse. Sometime around five pm, half 174 00:13:09,382 --> 00:13:13,022 Speaker 1: called nine to one one. I have the coroner's report 175 00:13:13,262 --> 00:13:18,502 Speaker 1: that explains what happened. Next. An officer with the California 176 00:13:18,622 --> 00:13:23,102 Speaker 1: Highway Patrol arrives at the ranch. He finds Harper giving 177 00:13:23,222 --> 00:13:27,502 Speaker 1: CPR to Jody. She's lying on the ground, pinned down 178 00:13:27,822 --> 00:13:33,502 Speaker 1: by an ATV. The paramedics arrive, but it's already too late. 179 00:13:34,742 --> 00:13:49,142 Speaker 1: They declare Jody dead at the scene. The highway patrol 180 00:13:49,222 --> 00:13:52,862 Speaker 1: officer noted that there didn't seem to be any trauma 181 00:13:53,142 --> 00:13:58,422 Speaker 1: or injuries consistent with a rollover traffic collision. He found 182 00:13:58,502 --> 00:14:04,342 Speaker 1: Harper's account of what had happened to Jody suspicious. Harper's 183 00:14:04,422 --> 00:14:08,622 Speaker 1: version goes like this, On that day, December twenty third, 184 00:14:09,502 --> 00:14:12,142 Speaker 1: Jody decided to go out on an ATV to cut 185 00:14:12,182 --> 00:14:16,102 Speaker 1: down a Christmas tree. It was raining really hard that evening, 186 00:14:16,862 --> 00:14:22,542 Speaker 1: but according to Harper, Jody went out anyway, and we. 187 00:14:22,662 --> 00:14:25,782 Speaker 4: Had had eleven inches of rain that day. I said, 188 00:14:25,822 --> 00:14:27,342 Speaker 4: that's a his poor idea. 189 00:14:27,662 --> 00:14:30,782 Speaker 3: I said, the trails are extremely muddy, slick, but she 190 00:14:31,022 --> 00:14:32,062 Speaker 3: was very persistent. 191 00:14:32,822 --> 00:14:37,062 Speaker 4: She wanted it. So she goes up, she comes back, there's. 192 00:14:36,862 --> 00:14:41,462 Speaker 3: An actual circle you can see the machine makes and 193 00:14:41,702 --> 00:14:43,822 Speaker 3: then it tips. 194 00:14:43,542 --> 00:14:48,902 Speaker 1: Over and then Harper says he found Jody lying in 195 00:14:48,982 --> 00:14:52,022 Speaker 1: the mud, pinned down by the off road vehicle. 196 00:14:52,822 --> 00:14:53,742 Speaker 4: We do CEPR. 197 00:14:53,942 --> 00:14:57,062 Speaker 3: I do CEPR in her for about twenty minutes until 198 00:14:58,022 --> 00:15:00,262 Speaker 3: they actually show up with the paramedics. 199 00:15:01,862 --> 00:15:05,782 Speaker 1: Kelly, Jody's sister, told me that at some point Harper 200 00:15:05,862 --> 00:15:10,422 Speaker 1: managed to reach Lindsey, Jody's ex. Lindsay then relayed the 201 00:15:10,502 --> 00:15:19,942 Speaker 1: tragic news to Kelly. Kelly called around hospitals, trying to 202 00:15:20,102 --> 00:15:24,302 Speaker 1: find out where Jody's body was and what exactly had happened. 203 00:15:25,702 --> 00:15:29,022 Speaker 1: She reached the coroner, who told her that Jody was 204 00:15:29,102 --> 00:15:32,782 Speaker 1: still on the dirt track lying next to the ATV. 205 00:15:34,022 --> 00:15:38,862 Speaker 1: In fact, the responders left Jody's body outside covered by 206 00:15:38,902 --> 00:15:40,822 Speaker 1: a top paul in for hours. 207 00:15:41,982 --> 00:15:48,462 Speaker 6: They told me that they were still up there because 208 00:15:48,862 --> 00:15:55,102 Speaker 6: of the sleep and the hail. It was so bad 209 00:15:55,262 --> 00:15:58,742 Speaker 6: up there that they couldn't move her body, and I 210 00:15:59,022 --> 00:16:00,582 Speaker 6: was freaking out. 211 00:16:02,022 --> 00:16:06,222 Speaker 1: Kelly was desperate for more information. Finally she tracked down 212 00:16:06,302 --> 00:16:08,702 Speaker 1: someone at the Riverside Sheriff's office. 213 00:16:09,702 --> 00:16:14,302 Speaker 6: And I'll never forget that. She just immediately went on 214 00:16:14,422 --> 00:16:20,182 Speaker 6: the defensive about how it's an open investigation, they don't 215 00:16:20,262 --> 00:16:25,462 Speaker 6: know anything yet and it could jeopardize things to tell 216 00:16:25,582 --> 00:16:26,502 Speaker 6: me anything. 217 00:16:27,982 --> 00:16:36,222 Speaker 1: The details were still so murky. Eventually she heard from Lindsay, 218 00:16:36,502 --> 00:16:40,062 Speaker 1: Jody's ex partner, that there might be more to the story, 219 00:16:41,182 --> 00:16:44,262 Speaker 1: and so they began their own investigation. 220 00:16:45,982 --> 00:16:50,382 Speaker 6: Lindsay had said that he went on the internet and 221 00:16:50,502 --> 00:16:55,222 Speaker 6: he found a thing about the ranch that Jody worked on, 222 00:16:55,582 --> 00:16:58,462 Speaker 6: and he told me the story of Dia, and I 223 00:16:58,702 --> 00:17:02,342 Speaker 6: was like, what the actual fuck. 224 00:17:04,222 --> 00:17:08,342 Speaker 1: Kelly got Harper on the phone. She wanted answers, and 225 00:17:08,542 --> 00:17:11,182 Speaker 1: Harper gave her a disturbing account. 226 00:17:12,622 --> 00:17:17,542 Speaker 6: So he was like in the conversation telling me exactly 227 00:17:19,942 --> 00:17:23,702 Speaker 6: what she sounded like as he was trying to like 228 00:17:23,902 --> 00:17:25,942 Speaker 6: it was fucked up. 229 00:17:27,022 --> 00:17:31,302 Speaker 1: I'm sorry, I didn't realize that she was still alive 230 00:17:31,422 --> 00:17:32,462 Speaker 1: when Harper got there. 231 00:17:33,862 --> 00:17:37,982 Speaker 6: I don't know if she was or not, but he 232 00:17:38,422 --> 00:17:44,182 Speaker 6: said that she made like a gurgling sound when he 233 00:17:44,382 --> 00:17:47,182 Speaker 6: was giving her soupr But you can't trust anything the 234 00:17:47,262 --> 00:17:51,582 Speaker 6: man says at all, Like you can pretty much just 235 00:17:53,382 --> 00:17:56,022 Speaker 6: you know, just take out a sharpiet and just cross 236 00:17:56,182 --> 00:18:00,542 Speaker 6: out every damn thing he says, like literally, he just 237 00:18:00,942 --> 00:18:04,942 Speaker 6: he's allergic to the truth anyway. Not I don't want 238 00:18:04,982 --> 00:18:09,502 Speaker 6: to get into into the weeds on the conversation with him, 239 00:18:10,302 --> 00:18:14,662 Speaker 6: but I got off the phone going, Okay, this guy 240 00:18:14,782 --> 00:18:15,582 Speaker 6: killed my sister. 241 00:18:20,302 --> 00:18:23,862 Speaker 1: To be quite clear, there is no evidence proving this, 242 00:18:24,742 --> 00:18:28,382 Speaker 1: and Harper has denied having anything to do with Jodie's death. 243 00:18:29,702 --> 00:18:32,702 Speaker 1: But it was this feeling that Kelly had about Harper 244 00:18:33,622 --> 00:18:37,182 Speaker 1: that made her determined to get hold of the autopsy report, 245 00:18:38,022 --> 00:18:42,422 Speaker 1: which the cops didn't want to release, but she continued 246 00:18:42,662 --> 00:18:47,222 Speaker 1: pressuring them. It took nearly a year, but the cops 247 00:18:47,582 --> 00:19:16,982 Speaker 1: finally unsealed it. We'll be right back. In the fall 248 00:19:17,062 --> 00:19:21,822 Speaker 1: of twenty twenty two, the Riverside Sheriff's Department finally unsealed 249 00:19:22,062 --> 00:19:28,022 Speaker 1: Jody Newkirk's autopsy report. You might remember Harper had said 250 00:19:28,062 --> 00:19:31,542 Speaker 1: that Jody was crushed by an ATV, a story that 251 00:19:31,662 --> 00:19:35,462 Speaker 1: seemed suspicious at the time to the highway patrol officer 252 00:19:35,542 --> 00:19:39,942 Speaker 1: who attended the scene. When Jody's sister, Kelly finally got 253 00:19:39,982 --> 00:19:43,502 Speaker 1: ahold of the report, she learned what the coroner had 254 00:19:43,542 --> 00:19:49,702 Speaker 1: found to be the cause of Jody's death, acute methamphetamine toxicity, 255 00:19:50,782 --> 00:19:56,102 Speaker 1: in other words, an overdose of myth. The coroner found 256 00:19:56,222 --> 00:20:00,702 Speaker 1: a glass pipe in Jody's pocket, but for the manner 257 00:20:00,782 --> 00:20:07,062 Speaker 1: of death, the coroner wrote undetermined because there was quote 258 00:20:07,742 --> 00:20:11,382 Speaker 1: no evidence to deter herman if Newkirk administered the drugs 259 00:20:11,422 --> 00:20:15,142 Speaker 1: to herself or if someone else administered it to her. 260 00:20:16,902 --> 00:20:19,702 Speaker 1: So we know what killed her, but we don't know 261 00:20:19,942 --> 00:20:27,462 Speaker 1: how the meth got into her system. I did find 262 00:20:27,542 --> 00:20:32,422 Speaker 1: one other interesting thing in the report. Alberto Lrero, the 263 00:20:32,502 --> 00:20:37,662 Speaker 1: lead investigator on DEA's case, makes an appearance. He tells 264 00:20:37,702 --> 00:20:40,662 Speaker 1: the coroner that he couldn't rule out foul play either. 265 00:20:43,022 --> 00:20:46,862 Speaker 1: The cops questioned Harper, but he was never arrested, and 266 00:20:46,982 --> 00:20:49,542 Speaker 1: as far as I can tell, there was no further 267 00:20:49,702 --> 00:20:54,502 Speaker 1: action over Jody's death. Jody's sister, Kelly, joined the growing 268 00:20:54,622 --> 00:20:58,982 Speaker 1: list of people frustrated with Riverside Sheriff's lack of action. 269 00:21:00,142 --> 00:21:02,702 Speaker 6: Oh, they didn't care. They didn't even want her cell phones. 270 00:21:03,862 --> 00:21:07,022 Speaker 6: What Nope, they didn't even do a search for it. 271 00:21:09,182 --> 00:21:12,582 Speaker 1: Kelly did find out the police had interviewed Jody a 272 00:21:12,662 --> 00:21:17,182 Speaker 1: couple of weeks before she died. Kelly said Jody had 273 00:21:17,222 --> 00:21:21,302 Speaker 1: filed a police report claiming her horse had been stolen. 274 00:21:22,462 --> 00:21:27,022 Speaker 1: It's a weird, complicated story, surprise, surprise, But Kelly said, 275 00:21:27,062 --> 00:21:31,342 Speaker 1: investigator Alberto Lorero later told her what had happened. 276 00:21:32,462 --> 00:21:35,262 Speaker 6: And the police told me that she came down there 277 00:21:36,102 --> 00:21:39,222 Speaker 6: and they took her into an interview room with a 278 00:21:40,622 --> 00:21:45,662 Speaker 6: camera and they filmed the whole thing, and that's when 279 00:21:45,702 --> 00:21:49,342 Speaker 6: they were telling her about Dia and Harper and telling 280 00:21:49,382 --> 00:21:54,342 Speaker 6: her to leave, and Lorero said she was told. I 281 00:21:54,382 --> 00:21:56,542 Speaker 6: don't know if he's told me that he had told 282 00:21:56,582 --> 00:22:00,582 Speaker 6: her directly, but he told me. I don't understand why 283 00:22:00,622 --> 00:22:03,702 Speaker 6: she wouldn't listen. Why didn't she leave? I don't understand 284 00:22:03,782 --> 00:22:04,542 Speaker 6: she was told. 285 00:22:06,102 --> 00:22:08,942 Speaker 1: I asked Lorero if this interview with Jody had ever 286 00:22:08,982 --> 00:22:15,742 Speaker 1: taken place. He told me he didn't remember. Eventually, Kelly 287 00:22:15,862 --> 00:22:20,022 Speaker 1: held a memorial service for her sister. She hasn't gotten 288 00:22:20,062 --> 00:22:22,582 Speaker 1: the answers she was looking for, and it's something she 289 00:22:22,702 --> 00:22:27,422 Speaker 1: still struggles with today. During our last phone call, right 290 00:22:27,502 --> 00:22:30,782 Speaker 1: before we hung up, Kelly gave me a piece of advice. 291 00:22:31,942 --> 00:22:34,462 Speaker 1: I had told her. I'd been considering going up to 292 00:22:34,542 --> 00:22:38,902 Speaker 1: the ranch before Jodi had died. He's invited there, and 293 00:22:39,022 --> 00:22:40,662 Speaker 1: I almost went. 294 00:22:40,982 --> 00:22:45,502 Speaker 6: Or don't go alone. If you go, bring men with you. 295 00:22:47,782 --> 00:22:50,782 Speaker 1: I had been so curious to see the ranch, to 296 00:22:50,862 --> 00:22:53,622 Speaker 1: get a feel of where Deer lived and who she was, 297 00:22:54,662 --> 00:22:57,662 Speaker 1: and now I felt like I'd be taking this risk 298 00:22:57,862 --> 00:23:01,022 Speaker 1: going up there alone. I felt like I couldn't shrug 299 00:23:01,102 --> 00:23:05,182 Speaker 1: off my reservations anymore, so I decided not to go. 300 00:23:13,422 --> 00:23:16,702 Speaker 1: A couple of months after Jody's memorial service. In May 301 00:23:16,782 --> 00:23:20,902 Speaker 1: of twenty twenty two, Harper appeared in court in Colorado. 302 00:23:21,982 --> 00:23:25,702 Speaker 1: It had nothing to do with Jody or Deer. In fact, 303 00:23:26,462 --> 00:23:29,102 Speaker 1: it was over an incident that had taken place about 304 00:23:29,142 --> 00:23:33,502 Speaker 1: ten years prior, and Harper was appearing in court because 305 00:23:33,542 --> 00:23:37,102 Speaker 1: he wanted to be removed from the sex offender registry. 306 00:23:40,902 --> 00:23:44,902 Speaker 1: In twenty eleven, Harper was convicted of groping two women 307 00:23:45,062 --> 00:23:48,102 Speaker 1: on a snowmobile tour he used to run an outdoor 308 00:23:48,142 --> 00:23:53,422 Speaker 1: adventure business in Colorado. Harper pled not guilty to the charges. 309 00:23:54,222 --> 00:23:56,942 Speaker 1: He spent a year in a county jail, had to 310 00:23:57,022 --> 00:24:00,702 Speaker 1: complete a sex offender treatment program, and register as a 311 00:24:00,782 --> 00:24:05,822 Speaker 1: sex offender until twenty twenty five. Harper went to the 312 00:24:05,862 --> 00:24:08,862 Speaker 1: Colorado court in twenty twenty two to see if he 313 00:24:08,902 --> 00:24:11,462 Speaker 1: could be removed from the registry a few years early. 314 00:24:12,502 --> 00:24:15,662 Speaker 1: He maintained his innocence and said he grabbed the women 315 00:24:15,782 --> 00:24:17,902 Speaker 1: because they were about to fall off from the snowmobile, 316 00:24:18,862 --> 00:24:24,302 Speaker 1: but his court petition went nowhere. I wonder what else 317 00:24:24,582 --> 00:24:28,902 Speaker 1: was in Harper's past. So I dug around, and it 318 00:24:29,022 --> 00:24:38,022 Speaker 1: turns out there is more, a lot more. That's after 319 00:24:38,142 --> 00:25:00,422 Speaker 1: the break. I'm going to tell you about two other 320 00:25:00,502 --> 00:25:04,902 Speaker 1: women who Harper had relationships with. The first woman is 321 00:25:04,982 --> 00:25:10,942 Speaker 1: someone will called Sarah to protect her privacy. In two thousand, 322 00:25:11,222 --> 00:25:15,342 Speaker 1: an investigator with a local dat's office in Colorado filed 323 00:25:15,462 --> 00:25:19,742 Speaker 1: an affidavit to obtain an arrest warrant for Keith L. Harper. 324 00:25:21,102 --> 00:25:24,662 Speaker 1: The investigator said he had probable cause to believe Harper 325 00:25:24,942 --> 00:25:29,902 Speaker 1: had committed four felonies, including first degree sexual assault and 326 00:25:30,102 --> 00:25:36,542 Speaker 1: second degree kidnapping. In his report, the investigator wrote up 327 00:25:36,742 --> 00:25:41,022 Speaker 1: a detailed description of Sarah's allegations. I got a copy 328 00:25:41,102 --> 00:25:45,422 Speaker 1: of it through a public records request. Sarah accused Harper 329 00:25:46,102 --> 00:25:51,182 Speaker 1: of physically and sexually assaulting her One time, during an argument, 330 00:25:51,822 --> 00:25:55,302 Speaker 1: Harper allegedly grabbed her by the throat and threw her 331 00:25:55,342 --> 00:26:00,982 Speaker 1: to the ground. Sarah described another disturbing incident that culminated 332 00:26:01,222 --> 00:26:05,702 Speaker 1: in rape. There's one other part of the report I'm 333 00:26:05,742 --> 00:26:09,982 Speaker 1: going to read where the investigator summarizes a third incident 334 00:26:10,182 --> 00:26:16,182 Speaker 1: Sarah told him about the report, says quote, she stopped 335 00:26:16,262 --> 00:26:20,382 Speaker 1: resisting because she knew if she continued, Harper would kill her. 336 00:26:22,062 --> 00:26:24,382 Speaker 1: She told me that she could not breathe and that 337 00:26:24,542 --> 00:26:27,822 Speaker 1: Harper was so angry she believed that he would kill 338 00:26:27,862 --> 00:26:30,702 Speaker 1: her and then tried to cover the whole thing up somehow. 339 00:26:32,102 --> 00:26:35,622 Speaker 1: Harper then began pushing her down the hall, still holding 340 00:26:35,742 --> 00:26:39,702 Speaker 1: his hand over her mouth and nose. When they arrived 341 00:26:39,742 --> 00:26:43,222 Speaker 1: near the bedroom, she told me she stopped struggling completely 342 00:26:44,022 --> 00:26:47,982 Speaker 1: because she thought to herself, I'd better stop fighting or 343 00:26:48,022 --> 00:26:52,662 Speaker 1: I'm going to die. According to court records, she got 344 00:26:52,662 --> 00:26:59,462 Speaker 1: a restraining order against Harper. There were multiple hearings before 345 00:26:59,502 --> 00:27:02,662 Speaker 1: the trial. From what I can gather reading through the 346 00:27:02,742 --> 00:27:08,142 Speaker 1: court documents, Sarah, the main witness, tried to withdraw the charges, 347 00:27:09,182 --> 00:27:11,542 Speaker 1: but by that point it was in the DA's hands. 348 00:27:12,462 --> 00:27:16,462 Speaker 1: They were the ones filing the charges against Harper. Sarah 349 00:27:16,502 --> 00:27:21,182 Speaker 1: stopped cooperating. The DA's prosecutors tried to subpoena her to 350 00:27:21,302 --> 00:27:26,862 Speaker 1: appear in court. Eventually, the judge decided Sarah shouldn't testify 351 00:27:27,742 --> 00:27:34,182 Speaker 1: the doing so would cause her quote permanent impairment. I 352 00:27:34,302 --> 00:27:36,382 Speaker 1: reached out to Sarah to see if I could speak 353 00:27:36,422 --> 00:27:43,502 Speaker 1: with her, but didn't hear back. The prosecution's case fell apart. Eventually, 354 00:27:44,062 --> 00:27:47,742 Speaker 1: Harper was only charged with third degree assault. He pled 355 00:27:47,782 --> 00:27:51,382 Speaker 1: guilty and was convicted on that charge. He was put 356 00:27:51,422 --> 00:27:53,982 Speaker 1: on probation for a year and had to enroll in 357 00:27:54,062 --> 00:27:58,782 Speaker 1: domestic violence classes. I asked Harper about all of this. 358 00:28:02,822 --> 00:28:08,462 Speaker 3: It was dropped, and the court finally relief the fact 359 00:28:09,142 --> 00:28:11,742 Speaker 3: if I would agree to just take a class at 360 00:28:11,782 --> 00:28:14,382 Speaker 3: the end, that those charges would be dismissed. 361 00:28:15,502 --> 00:28:20,222 Speaker 4: Okay, okay, So are you saying that you got to 362 00:28:20,342 --> 00:28:22,222 Speaker 4: realize that what's that? 363 00:28:23,382 --> 00:28:23,422 Speaker 7: No? 364 00:28:23,622 --> 00:28:26,862 Speaker 3: Carry on, I'm going to say, you got to realize 365 00:28:26,902 --> 00:28:30,222 Speaker 3: that there was I had a business involved that she 366 00:28:30,422 --> 00:28:31,302 Speaker 3: was going after. 367 00:28:33,502 --> 00:28:35,982 Speaker 8: You're thinking she would stabricating what happened because. 368 00:28:35,782 --> 00:28:38,022 Speaker 5: She wanted to get oh wellout a question. 369 00:28:38,222 --> 00:28:42,462 Speaker 3: That's how she would have gotten a access to the business. 370 00:28:44,382 --> 00:28:48,142 Speaker 1: I felt uneasy after talking with him. He always sounded 371 00:28:48,342 --> 00:28:52,782 Speaker 1: so sure, so convinced of his narrative, Like when you 372 00:28:52,862 --> 00:28:55,582 Speaker 1: explain what happened to Jody, it was like there was 373 00:28:55,662 --> 00:29:00,062 Speaker 1: no room for any other perspectives or possibilities. It was 374 00:29:00,182 --> 00:29:06,142 Speaker 1: his truth or nothing. And then I found another woman, 375 00:29:07,022 --> 00:29:09,822 Speaker 1: someone who was in a serious relationship with her for 376 00:29:09,982 --> 00:29:14,302 Speaker 1: many years. She told me she wanted to share her experience, 377 00:29:14,782 --> 00:29:18,062 Speaker 1: but to protect her identity, we're not disclosing her name, 378 00:29:18,942 --> 00:29:26,182 Speaker 1: and we've distorted her voice. When they first met, Harper 379 00:29:26,342 --> 00:29:31,062 Speaker 1: was charming, flirtatious, cheeky. She told me he had a 380 00:29:31,142 --> 00:29:36,142 Speaker 1: charisma which was almost impossible not to fall for. I 381 00:29:36,262 --> 00:29:40,582 Speaker 1: wondered if this had been DEA's experience. Too long story, sure, 382 00:29:41,182 --> 00:29:45,982 Speaker 1: he warned me, how does it feel talking to me 383 00:29:46,062 --> 00:29:46,582 Speaker 1: about him? 384 00:29:47,062 --> 00:29:49,582 Speaker 4: Do you talk about him much? What you went through? 385 00:29:51,862 --> 00:29:55,382 Speaker 4: And I get them and a lot. I'm shaking all over. 386 00:29:58,182 --> 00:30:01,702 Speaker 1: She told me in deep detail about her relationship with Harper, 387 00:30:02,502 --> 00:30:06,662 Speaker 1: how they met, how he courted her, and then how 388 00:30:06,742 --> 00:30:10,862 Speaker 1: the relationship soured. There was one particular fight she told 389 00:30:10,902 --> 00:30:11,262 Speaker 1: me about. 390 00:30:12,302 --> 00:30:17,102 Speaker 4: He chased me through the house. He got up and 391 00:30:17,222 --> 00:30:20,582 Speaker 4: would run some more, and he backed me against the 392 00:30:20,662 --> 00:30:27,142 Speaker 4: wall with his forearm in my throat. Well, and that 393 00:30:30,182 --> 00:30:34,222 Speaker 4: he was very angry, And that's the closest was too close, 394 00:30:34,542 --> 00:30:34,702 Speaker 4: you know? 395 00:30:34,942 --> 00:30:35,142 Speaker 5: Yeah. 396 00:30:35,662 --> 00:30:37,782 Speaker 4: Yeah, he's so much bigger than I am. 397 00:30:38,822 --> 00:30:39,062 Speaker 5: Yeah. 398 00:30:40,022 --> 00:30:45,742 Speaker 4: He is not a man that takes no. Mmm, he 399 00:30:45,942 --> 00:30:48,422 Speaker 4: does not accept a no. 400 00:30:50,102 --> 00:30:51,302 Speaker 8: Does he tell the truth? 401 00:30:51,542 --> 00:30:51,702 Speaker 4: Is he? 402 00:30:53,062 --> 00:30:53,102 Speaker 1: Is? 403 00:30:53,182 --> 00:30:59,262 Speaker 4: He a trustworthy person? He and I had that conversation 404 00:30:59,662 --> 00:31:12,942 Speaker 4: a lot about telling the truth. I have to say no, no. 405 00:31:14,062 --> 00:31:17,422 Speaker 4: I don't know if it's Marcius, but for the longest 406 00:31:17,542 --> 00:31:22,582 Speaker 4: time he told me he was a Dea agent. He 407 00:31:22,702 --> 00:31:25,582 Speaker 4: told me that too. Actually, when I first started speaking 408 00:31:25,662 --> 00:31:29,302 Speaker 4: to him, he wished therefore ding. 409 00:31:31,782 --> 00:31:35,142 Speaker 1: I couldn't help going over those words. He is not 410 00:31:35,462 --> 00:31:39,222 Speaker 1: a man that takes no. He does not accept a no. 411 00:31:40,742 --> 00:31:43,742 Speaker 1: It reminded me of how much Harper had pested me 412 00:31:44,462 --> 00:31:47,462 Speaker 1: and Kelly Snyder to take on DEA's case. 413 00:31:48,782 --> 00:31:53,462 Speaker 8: I have spoken with former partners of yours who have 414 00:31:53,942 --> 00:31:59,742 Speaker 8: described instances of you allegedly being violent. And then you 415 00:32:00,142 --> 00:32:04,382 Speaker 8: put that together with whatever happened on the snowmobile, plus 416 00:32:04,502 --> 00:32:07,102 Speaker 8: the fact that Dea is missing, plus the fact that 417 00:32:07,862 --> 00:32:12,262 Speaker 8: Jodi Nwkirk died on the ranch, and I'm sure you 418 00:32:12,342 --> 00:32:14,742 Speaker 8: can understand that there is a pattern. 419 00:32:17,342 --> 00:32:23,422 Speaker 5: Of events, and you have you have proofs that those 420 00:32:23,502 --> 00:32:27,462 Speaker 5: of pants, even though they are spoken of, they're true. 421 00:32:28,942 --> 00:32:32,582 Speaker 8: I was not there, so I cannot say. 422 00:32:32,702 --> 00:32:37,782 Speaker 5: No no, if there's violence, what what proof did you 423 00:32:37,942 --> 00:32:41,662 Speaker 5: have that violence occured? There's actually please reports? You have 424 00:32:41,822 --> 00:32:42,742 Speaker 5: those in your hands? 425 00:32:44,582 --> 00:32:46,582 Speaker 8: Yes, I have a police report in my hands. 426 00:32:48,342 --> 00:32:50,502 Speaker 5: And what does it say? Specifically? 427 00:32:52,342 --> 00:32:58,582 Speaker 8: It said that you were sexually violent. It said that 428 00:32:58,822 --> 00:33:02,382 Speaker 8: you grasped somebody around their neck. 429 00:33:08,742 --> 00:33:12,182 Speaker 5: Okay, and that went to court and what happened with it. 430 00:33:13,102 --> 00:33:15,022 Speaker 1: We spend some time going back and forth on this 431 00:33:15,702 --> 00:33:18,382 Speaker 1: He continues to deny that there's any truth to the 432 00:33:18,462 --> 00:33:22,342 Speaker 1: allegations of violence, that the court didn't hold him accountable 433 00:33:22,422 --> 00:33:25,782 Speaker 1: for all the charges and therefore they're not true. 434 00:33:26,982 --> 00:33:29,782 Speaker 5: I mean, well, then stick with the facts and don't 435 00:33:29,902 --> 00:33:31,582 Speaker 5: stick with accusations. 436 00:33:33,142 --> 00:33:35,422 Speaker 1: I was intrigued whether Deer knew about all of this. 437 00:33:36,462 --> 00:33:39,662 Speaker 1: Of course, there's no way to really tell, but I 438 00:33:39,742 --> 00:33:42,022 Speaker 1: did ask Harper, so. 439 00:33:42,702 --> 00:33:47,422 Speaker 8: Was your relationship that you had with the different from 440 00:33:48,142 --> 00:33:49,862 Speaker 8: the previous relationships you've had. 441 00:33:52,982 --> 00:33:54,462 Speaker 4: I don't understand that question. 442 00:33:54,782 --> 00:33:57,142 Speaker 5: What would be different in the relationship. 443 00:33:59,622 --> 00:34:02,422 Speaker 4: We had an excellent relationship. That's all I can tell you. 444 00:34:03,542 --> 00:34:07,262 Speaker 8: Okay, okay, And is there anybody else? 445 00:34:08,502 --> 00:34:09,862 Speaker 5: What the no? 446 00:34:09,902 --> 00:34:10,662 Speaker 9: No, no, carry on. 447 00:34:12,462 --> 00:34:12,502 Speaker 8: No? 448 00:34:12,702 --> 00:34:15,262 Speaker 4: I said, Dea was well aware of my past. 449 00:34:15,782 --> 00:34:19,582 Speaker 5: We discussed that in full detail not long before we 450 00:34:19,702 --> 00:34:20,502 Speaker 5: started dating. 451 00:34:22,262 --> 00:34:26,382 Speaker 1: To be clear, even with all this information about Harper's past, 452 00:34:26,942 --> 00:34:29,942 Speaker 1: there's nothing that holds him responsible for anything that may 453 00:34:29,982 --> 00:34:33,142 Speaker 1: have happened to Dea. And while I was busy digging 454 00:34:33,222 --> 00:34:36,902 Speaker 1: around in Harper's past, events in the present day were 455 00:34:36,942 --> 00:34:44,622 Speaker 1: still unfolding. You might remember from the last episode that 456 00:34:44,782 --> 00:34:48,342 Speaker 1: Abram's kids sued Harper to get him removed from Deer's 457 00:34:48,382 --> 00:34:53,422 Speaker 1: trust well. In December of twenty twenty two, a judge 458 00:34:53,502 --> 00:34:59,422 Speaker 1: appoints a guardian, an independent, objective legal guardian, to represent 459 00:34:59,542 --> 00:35:03,462 Speaker 1: DEA's interests in court. Although Harper still remains a trustee 460 00:35:03,502 --> 00:35:07,982 Speaker 1: of her estate, and the judge also passes a settlement 461 00:35:08,062 --> 00:35:12,582 Speaker 1: agreement between and the two kids. It feels like an 462 00:35:12,662 --> 00:35:16,302 Speaker 1: uneasy sort of truce. It's all based on the fact 463 00:35:16,382 --> 00:35:20,142 Speaker 1: that in California, if someone is missing for five years, 464 00:35:20,982 --> 00:35:25,702 Speaker 1: they can be declared legally dead. And so on sixth 465 00:35:25,742 --> 00:35:29,422 Speaker 1: of June twenty twenty five, five years to the day 466 00:35:29,502 --> 00:35:33,262 Speaker 1: that Deer was last seen, the state of California will 467 00:35:33,302 --> 00:35:44,902 Speaker 1: presume her dead, and when that happens, all of her assets, 468 00:35:45,342 --> 00:35:49,382 Speaker 1: the Benita Vista Ranch, her antiques, her jewelry will be 469 00:35:49,502 --> 00:35:53,462 Speaker 1: divided into three parts. Twenty five percent will go to Clinton, 470 00:35:53,942 --> 00:35:59,502 Speaker 1: twenty five percent to Chrissara, and fifty percent to Harper. Yes, 471 00:36:00,422 --> 00:36:03,982 Speaker 1: Harper would get double what each of Deer's kids receive. 472 00:36:05,222 --> 00:36:06,302 Speaker 1: There's just one. 473 00:36:06,382 --> 00:36:13,262 Speaker 9: Caveat one of the parties, damn or me, the kids 474 00:36:13,542 --> 00:36:18,342 Speaker 9: or me would found guilty of her disappearance or had 475 00:36:18,382 --> 00:36:22,182 Speaker 9: anything to do, whether disappearance or dead, we would get nothing. 476 00:36:23,702 --> 00:36:26,862 Speaker 1: If the kids are found to be involved in DEA's disappearance, 477 00:36:27,302 --> 00:36:30,542 Speaker 1: they get nothing, and if Harper is found to be involved, 478 00:36:31,262 --> 00:36:36,022 Speaker 1: he gets nothing. This language in the court settlement, which 479 00:36:36,342 --> 00:36:38,582 Speaker 1: was drawn up and agreed to by all three of them, 480 00:36:39,582 --> 00:36:44,542 Speaker 1: almost seems to incentivize Harper, Chrissara, and Clinton to pin 481 00:36:44,662 --> 00:36:50,102 Speaker 1: DEA's disappearance on each other their narratives. Their version of 482 00:36:50,182 --> 00:36:56,262 Speaker 1: events becomes worth something because there's a reward for having 483 00:36:56,382 --> 00:36:59,622 Speaker 1: one version of this story being held up as the truth, 484 00:37:00,462 --> 00:37:04,822 Speaker 1: a multi million dollar award, because if one of them 485 00:37:05,102 --> 00:37:09,662 Speaker 1: is found responsible for DEA's disappearance, the others walk away 486 00:37:09,862 --> 00:37:10,542 Speaker 1: with everything. 487 00:37:12,262 --> 00:37:16,742 Speaker 5: You know, when the outcome gets known, it has the 488 00:37:16,822 --> 00:37:17,542 Speaker 5: making of them. 489 00:37:41,582 --> 00:37:44,182 Speaker 1: Next time on WES DIA. 490 00:37:47,982 --> 00:37:50,142 Speaker 2: I don't give too much credit to Keith Harper. I 491 00:37:50,222 --> 00:37:51,782 Speaker 2: don't think he's a criminal mastermind. 492 00:37:52,102 --> 00:37:55,222 Speaker 6: The consensus was among my staff it was like, look, 493 00:37:55,862 --> 00:37:57,862 Speaker 6: I think we just got called over to put all 494 00:37:57,942 --> 00:38:01,262 Speaker 6: kinds of footprints everywhere, to just damage the crime scene. 495 00:38:01,302 --> 00:38:12,382 Speaker 1: Basically, WES is written and hosted by me Lucy Sheriff. 496 00:38:13,022 --> 00:38:18,542 Speaker 1: Our producer is Daphne Chen, editing by Karen Shakerji, production 497 00:38:18,662 --> 00:38:23,502 Speaker 1: assistance from Joey Fish, ground fact checking by Lauren Vespoli. 498 00:38:24,222 --> 00:38:28,982 Speaker 1: Our executive producer is Jacob Smith. Original score, sound design 499 00:38:29,142 --> 00:38:34,062 Speaker 1: and mastering by Echo Shaw's Where's Deer is a co 500 00:38:34,222 --> 00:38:52,382 Speaker 1: production of Pushkin Industries and iHeartMedia. Where's Deer was originally 501 00:38:52,462 --> 00:38:54,302 Speaker 1: developed with Truly*Adventurous