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