1 00:00:46,480 --> 00:00:51,961 Speaker 1: School of Humans. Helen Got Murder Line actively investigates cold 2 00:00:52,040 --> 00:00:55,361 Speaker 1: case murders in an effort to raise public awareness invite 3 00:00:55,401 --> 00:00:58,761 Speaker 1: witnesses to come forward and present evidence that could potentially 4 00:00:58,840 --> 00:01:02,961 Speaker 1: be further investigated by law enforcement. While we value insights 5 00:01:03,001 --> 00:01:06,160 Speaker 1: from family and community members, their statements should not be 6 00:01:06,200 --> 00:01:09,961 Speaker 1: considered evidence and point to the challenges of verifying facts 7 00:01:10,041 --> 00:01:14,000 Speaker 1: inherent in cold cases. We remind listeners that everyone has 8 00:01:14,080 --> 00:01:17,160 Speaker 1: presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. 9 00:01:17,961 --> 00:01:20,840 Speaker 1: Nothing in the podcast is intended to state or imply 10 00:01:21,041 --> 00:01:23,601 Speaker 1: that anyone who has not been convicted of a crime 11 00:01:24,121 --> 00:01:27,121 Speaker 1: is guilty of any wrongdoing. Thanks for listening. 12 00:01:30,561 --> 00:01:34,001 Speaker 2: On November eighteenth, nineteen eighty seven, twenty nine year old 13 00:01:34,080 --> 00:01:37,280 Speaker 2: Russell Dardine, who went by his middle name Keith, did 14 00:01:37,281 --> 00:01:39,521 Speaker 2: not show up to his seven am shift at a 15 00:01:39,561 --> 00:01:43,401 Speaker 2: local water plant. This was very unlike Keith, who lived 16 00:01:43,441 --> 00:01:46,041 Speaker 2: in a mon noble home in the tiny town of Anna, Illinois. 17 00:01:46,721 --> 00:01:49,561 Speaker 2: The area back then had a population of just four 18 00:01:49,641 --> 00:01:53,121 Speaker 2: hundred and sixty people. Keith lived with his family, thirty 19 00:01:53,201 --> 00:01:56,081 Speaker 2: year old Ruby Elaine, who also went by her middle name, 20 00:01:56,481 --> 00:02:00,281 Speaker 2: and their three year old son, Peter. Elaine was seven 21 00:02:00,281 --> 00:02:03,321 Speaker 2: months pregnant. They were excited about the new baby, due 22 00:02:03,401 --> 00:02:07,321 Speaker 2: January eleventh, and already had potential names picked out. If 23 00:02:07,321 --> 00:02:09,081 Speaker 2: the baby was a girl, they were going to name 24 00:02:09,121 --> 00:02:11,561 Speaker 2: her Casey. If it was a boy, he would be Ian. 25 00:02:12,761 --> 00:02:16,481 Speaker 2: Keith worked for the Wrend Lake Conservancy District and Elaine 26 00:02:16,520 --> 00:02:19,361 Speaker 2: worked part time at an office supplies store in Mount Vernon. 27 00:02:19,841 --> 00:02:22,440 Speaker 2: They were very active in their local Baptist church, where 28 00:02:22,481 --> 00:02:25,281 Speaker 2: Elaine played the piano and Keith sang in the choir. 29 00:02:26,321 --> 00:02:29,801 Speaker 2: Both Keith and Elaine were very reliable, so his family 30 00:02:29,921 --> 00:02:34,761 Speaker 2: immediately knew that something was wrong. Keith's shift supervisor went 31 00:02:34,800 --> 00:02:37,001 Speaker 2: to the mobile home and knocked on the door, but 32 00:02:37,041 --> 00:02:41,201 Speaker 2: no one answered, so then he called Keith's parents, Russell 33 00:02:41,321 --> 00:02:44,800 Speaker 2: and Joanne Dardine, who were divorced but lived fairly near 34 00:02:44,841 --> 00:02:48,240 Speaker 2: each other and had an amicable relationship. Neither of them 35 00:02:48,281 --> 00:02:50,721 Speaker 2: had heard from Keith or anyone else in the family. 36 00:02:51,680 --> 00:02:55,401 Speaker 2: Both Russell and Joanne spoke with the Jefferson County Sheriff's office, 37 00:02:55,921 --> 00:02:59,041 Speaker 2: and the police agreed to do a welfare check. Joanne 38 00:02:59,081 --> 00:03:01,960 Speaker 2: said that she remembered telling the officer where he could 39 00:03:02,001 --> 00:03:05,321 Speaker 2: find Keith and Elaine's spare key, but in the end, 40 00:03:05,761 --> 00:03:10,001 Speaker 2: they didn't need it. We called Joanne and she talked 41 00:03:10,001 --> 00:03:12,921 Speaker 2: to us about what happened that evening when police came 42 00:03:13,001 --> 00:03:13,681 Speaker 2: to that trailer. 43 00:03:14,521 --> 00:03:18,121 Speaker 3: The state police officer came. He knocked on the front door, 44 00:03:18,521 --> 00:03:21,561 Speaker 3: no offesser, So he went around to the back door 45 00:03:22,161 --> 00:03:25,041 Speaker 3: and I had told him if the back door is locked, 46 00:03:25,081 --> 00:03:27,001 Speaker 3: there's the key, and I told him where the key 47 00:03:27,121 --> 00:03:30,681 Speaker 3: was dead. All he did was just turning the doorknob 48 00:03:30,761 --> 00:03:35,041 Speaker 3: and the door open. So he shined his flashlight in 49 00:03:35,721 --> 00:03:39,841 Speaker 3: because it was getting dark. The bedroom door was right there. 50 00:03:40,121 --> 00:03:44,561 Speaker 3: He shined the flashlight into that bedroom and he'd seen 51 00:03:45,161 --> 00:03:46,081 Speaker 3: people laying there. 52 00:03:47,241 --> 00:03:49,521 Speaker 2: Keith and Elaine had been living in their mobile home 53 00:03:49,601 --> 00:03:52,281 Speaker 2: by the train tracks for just over a year. It 54 00:03:52,321 --> 00:03:55,441 Speaker 2: had formerly been used by the Illinois Central Railroad, and 55 00:03:55,481 --> 00:03:58,561 Speaker 2: according to joe Anne, they had been planning on moving soon. 56 00:03:59,281 --> 00:04:01,601 Speaker 2: Keith had told his parents that he wanted to move, 57 00:04:02,081 --> 00:04:05,001 Speaker 2: partly because they wanted a bigger place for their growing family, 58 00:04:05,601 --> 00:04:08,801 Speaker 2: and also because he said crime in the area had 59 00:04:08,801 --> 00:04:11,921 Speaker 2: gotten bad. There had been a recent rape in the 60 00:04:11,961 --> 00:04:15,561 Speaker 2: area near their trailer, and there had reportedly been fourteen 61 00:04:15,641 --> 00:04:19,241 Speaker 2: bodies found in the two year period before in Jefferson County. 62 00:04:19,640 --> 00:04:24,081 Speaker 2: With three confirmed murder cases. Many of those mysterious deaths 63 00:04:24,241 --> 00:04:28,640 Speaker 2: were unsolved. There was a familicide committed in nineteen eighty 64 00:04:28,721 --> 00:04:31,801 Speaker 2: five by eighteen year old Thomas Odele, who killed his 65 00:04:31,921 --> 00:04:34,921 Speaker 2: parents and siblings one by one, stabbing them with a 66 00:04:34,961 --> 00:04:38,601 Speaker 2: butcher knife, except for his younger brother, who he strangled, 67 00:04:39,681 --> 00:04:42,521 Speaker 2: and it was also reported the local community had been 68 00:04:42,561 --> 00:04:45,640 Speaker 2: in fear since July second, nineteen eighty seven, when the 69 00:04:45,721 --> 00:04:48,441 Speaker 2: nude body of ten year old Amy Schultz was found 70 00:04:48,561 --> 00:04:52,840 Speaker 2: in rural Jefferson County. Amy's clothes were found strown along 71 00:04:52,841 --> 00:04:56,041 Speaker 2: the access road. It was later determined that she had 72 00:04:56,081 --> 00:04:59,721 Speaker 2: been raped and murdered, Her throat had been slit, and 73 00:04:59,801 --> 00:05:04,561 Speaker 2: her killer had stepped on her to exsanguinate her. Eventually, 74 00:05:04,681 --> 00:05:08,001 Speaker 2: a local man named Cecil Sutherland was arrested, and in 75 00:05:08,081 --> 00:05:11,440 Speaker 2: nineteen eighty nine he was tried and convicted for Amy's murder, 76 00:05:11,801 --> 00:05:14,401 Speaker 2: but it took months for police to process evidence and 77 00:05:14,481 --> 00:05:17,961 Speaker 2: make an arrest, and in the meantime, Amy's killer was 78 00:05:17,961 --> 00:05:21,841 Speaker 2: still at large. The brutality of her murder terrified the 79 00:05:21,881 --> 00:05:26,681 Speaker 2: community in Jefferson and in surrounding counties. Keith had been 80 00:05:26,721 --> 00:05:29,521 Speaker 2: so worried by the news that one night, when a 81 00:05:29,561 --> 00:05:31,841 Speaker 2: young woman showed up at the house asking if she 82 00:05:31,841 --> 00:05:37,001 Speaker 2: could use Keith and Elaine's phone, Keith refused. When police 83 00:05:37,121 --> 00:05:40,001 Speaker 2: entered the trailer, they found three dead bodies in the 84 00:05:40,041 --> 00:05:44,801 Speaker 2: main bedroom, all in the same bed. There was blood everywhere. 85 00:05:45,761 --> 00:05:49,081 Speaker 2: The victims had been beaten to death. It was Elaine 86 00:05:49,161 --> 00:05:53,280 Speaker 2: and her son Peter, and police later said that during 87 00:05:53,321 --> 00:05:58,161 Speaker 2: the prolonged attack, the killer beat Elaine so severely that 88 00:05:58,241 --> 00:06:01,041 Speaker 2: she went into labor and gave birth to her daughter, 89 00:06:01,881 --> 00:06:05,841 Speaker 2: and then the killer or killers beat the baby to death. 90 00:06:07,521 --> 00:06:11,521 Speaker 2: Then they neatly wrapped Elaine, her baby, and Peter in 91 00:06:11,561 --> 00:06:15,640 Speaker 2: the bedding and tucked them into their waterbed. Keith was 92 00:06:15,721 --> 00:06:19,921 Speaker 2: nowhere to be found. Even now, thirty eight years later, 93 00:06:20,441 --> 00:06:23,121 Speaker 2: people in the area of Ana, Illinois and law enforcement 94 00:06:23,121 --> 00:06:26,201 Speaker 2: who worked this case are still describing it as the 95 00:06:26,201 --> 00:06:29,280 Speaker 2: most horrific murder that anyone has ever seen. 96 00:06:31,601 --> 00:06:32,681 Speaker 4: I'm Catherine Townsend. 97 00:06:33,121 --> 00:06:35,281 Speaker 2: Over the past seven years of making my true crime 98 00:06:35,321 --> 00:06:38,601 Speaker 2: podcast Helen Gone, I've learned that there's no such thing 99 00:06:38,721 --> 00:06:41,721 Speaker 2: as a small town where murder never happens. I have 100 00:06:41,841 --> 00:06:44,760 Speaker 2: received hundreds of messages from people all around the country 101 00:06:45,001 --> 00:06:47,561 Speaker 2: asking for help with an unsolved murder that's affected them, 102 00:06:47,761 --> 00:06:51,481 Speaker 2: their families and their communities. If you have a case 103 00:06:51,481 --> 00:06:53,801 Speaker 2: you'd like me and my team to look into, you 104 00:06:53,801 --> 00:06:55,801 Speaker 2: can reach out to us at our Helen Gone Murder 105 00:06:55,801 --> 00:06:58,721 Speaker 2: Line at six seven eight seven four four six one 106 00:06:58,761 --> 00:07:02,440 Speaker 2: four five. That's six seven eight seven four four six 107 00:07:02,601 --> 00:07:05,721 Speaker 2: one four five, or you can send us a message 108 00:07:05,761 --> 00:07:44,521 Speaker 2: on Instagram at Helen gonepod. This is Helen Gone Murder Line. 109 00:07:54,961 --> 00:07:59,321 Speaker 2: Police and Ana Illinois were processing a horrific and strange 110 00:07:59,361 --> 00:08:02,441 Speaker 2: crime scene and they couldn't understand it because Keith and 111 00:08:02,481 --> 00:08:06,161 Speaker 2: Elaine were very well liked in the community. Keith's friend 112 00:08:06,321 --> 00:08:08,721 Speaker 2: Kevin Harris, who was the best man in the couple's wedding, 113 00:08:09,161 --> 00:08:13,521 Speaker 2: told local news station KFBS twelve that Keith and Elaine 114 00:08:13,641 --> 00:08:16,521 Speaker 2: were two of the nicest people you'd ever want to meet. 115 00:08:17,201 --> 00:08:20,761 Speaker 2: At first, police theorized that because Keith was the only 116 00:08:20,801 --> 00:08:22,961 Speaker 2: one missing, he had killed his family. 117 00:08:24,201 --> 00:08:27,881 Speaker 3: They were trying to locate Keith because they thought Keith 118 00:08:27,961 --> 00:08:31,840 Speaker 3: had murdered them, and I said, no, no, no, no, 119 00:08:32,160 --> 00:08:36,321 Speaker 3: My son would not do that. He loved his family dearly. 120 00:08:37,160 --> 00:08:41,321 Speaker 3: And they had me getting on the phone, falling his 121 00:08:41,560 --> 00:08:46,440 Speaker 3: friends and whoever I could to see if Keith possessed 122 00:08:46,521 --> 00:08:50,960 Speaker 3: their house, and of course they were all shocked. She said, no, 123 00:08:51,521 --> 00:08:56,841 Speaker 3: Keith's not here, and so it just, you know, it 124 00:08:57,081 --> 00:08:59,881 Speaker 3: just was really hard to bear. 125 00:09:01,121 --> 00:09:04,560 Speaker 2: Joanne, Keith's mother, was still trying to process the shock 126 00:09:04,920 --> 00:09:07,001 Speaker 2: of learning that not only had her daughter in law 127 00:09:07,081 --> 00:09:11,281 Speaker 2: and two grandchildren been brutally beaten to death, but that 128 00:09:11,361 --> 00:09:14,920 Speaker 2: her son Keith was the main suspect and Keith was missing. 129 00:09:15,881 --> 00:09:18,961 Speaker 2: Joanne said that the police stayed at her house and 130 00:09:19,041 --> 00:09:22,521 Speaker 2: told her that this was for the family's protection because 131 00:09:22,561 --> 00:09:25,721 Speaker 2: presumably they didn't know where Keith was and if he 132 00:09:25,921 --> 00:09:28,800 Speaker 2: was the main suspect, who he could target next. 133 00:09:29,801 --> 00:09:34,321 Speaker 3: After quite a long time, they said, well, you are 134 00:09:34,401 --> 00:09:37,481 Speaker 3: not allowed to leave the house until we say so, 135 00:09:38,241 --> 00:09:42,961 Speaker 3: and you'll have a bodyguard outside the house. So they 136 00:09:43,001 --> 00:09:47,521 Speaker 3: had to be golf parked outside my home for our benefit, 137 00:09:47,961 --> 00:09:51,521 Speaker 3: and they were looking for Keith. They were there all 138 00:09:51,641 --> 00:09:55,441 Speaker 3: night long, which we tried to get some rest, which 139 00:09:55,521 --> 00:09:58,440 Speaker 3: I didn't, and then I got a strange phone call 140 00:09:58,481 --> 00:10:01,721 Speaker 3: in the middle of the night. It was somebody calling 141 00:10:02,001 --> 00:10:06,601 Speaker 3: for somebody and I said, they don't live here. I 142 00:10:06,681 --> 00:10:09,361 Speaker 3: don't know you are, I don't know who you're talking about. 143 00:10:10,321 --> 00:10:13,281 Speaker 2: Joanne said that she told law enforcement about the strange 144 00:10:13,280 --> 00:10:16,321 Speaker 2: phone call, but then nothing more ever came. 145 00:10:16,121 --> 00:10:20,081 Speaker 4: Of it, But already word was spreading. 146 00:10:19,601 --> 00:10:22,481 Speaker 2: Through the small community about the horrific murders that happened 147 00:10:22,481 --> 00:10:26,201 Speaker 2: at that trailer. The next day, Joanne was asked to 148 00:10:26,241 --> 00:10:29,561 Speaker 2: go down to the police department. There she heard for 149 00:10:29,601 --> 00:10:33,601 Speaker 2: the first time the brutal and horrific details of what 150 00:10:33,841 --> 00:10:36,680 Speaker 2: really happened to her daughter in law and grandchildren. 151 00:10:37,481 --> 00:10:41,841 Speaker 3: They took me into a room and they ended up 152 00:10:41,961 --> 00:10:46,841 Speaker 3: telling me that Elaine delivered the baby during the feeding 153 00:10:48,121 --> 00:10:53,681 Speaker 3: and the baby was born alive, and then they killed 154 00:10:53,681 --> 00:10:58,041 Speaker 3: the baby. That was the first I had heard of it, 155 00:10:59,321 --> 00:11:05,441 Speaker 3: and I was just totally shocked. But they didn't know 156 00:11:05,561 --> 00:11:08,561 Speaker 3: the baby was there until their corner got there and 157 00:11:09,001 --> 00:11:13,441 Speaker 3: they started to remove the bodies to the mortuary. The 158 00:11:13,521 --> 00:11:16,121 Speaker 3: baby was laying between her and Peter. 159 00:11:20,521 --> 00:11:23,241 Speaker 2: The police were still trying to track down Keith as 160 00:11:23,241 --> 00:11:27,920 Speaker 2: their primary suspect, but the next day everything changed. At 161 00:11:27,961 --> 00:11:30,961 Speaker 2: around five point fifty pm, two hunters were walking through 162 00:11:30,961 --> 00:11:34,161 Speaker 2: a wheat field in Franklin County, the neighboring county, and 163 00:11:34,201 --> 00:11:38,961 Speaker 2: they saw something horrifying. It was Keith's body and it 164 00:11:39,001 --> 00:11:56,241 Speaker 2: had been mutilated. Keith's mother, Joanne, told us that the 165 00:11:56,401 --> 00:12:00,641 Speaker 2: entire investigation into her daughter in law and grandchildren's deaths changed. 166 00:12:01,280 --> 00:12:04,641 Speaker 2: Law enforcement no longer believed that Keith killed his family 167 00:12:05,041 --> 00:12:07,201 Speaker 2: because they had found Keith's body. 168 00:12:08,081 --> 00:12:11,681 Speaker 3: My daughter she took me out to the hospital to 169 00:12:12,081 --> 00:12:15,721 Speaker 3: get me something to help me relax and sleep. And 170 00:12:16,241 --> 00:12:20,361 Speaker 3: while we was at the hospital, somebody was about ten 171 00:12:20,401 --> 00:12:22,681 Speaker 3: feet away from us, and they were talking on the 172 00:12:22,721 --> 00:12:27,081 Speaker 3: phone and they said, do you mean they found that 173 00:12:27,241 --> 00:12:31,401 Speaker 3: Dardine man? And my daughter heard him and she walked 174 00:12:31,441 --> 00:12:34,201 Speaker 3: over there and they told her that they had found Keith. 175 00:12:35,561 --> 00:12:39,081 Speaker 2: Police found one of the Dardine family's cars parked near 176 00:12:39,081 --> 00:12:42,481 Speaker 2: a police station Inventon, about eleven miles from anah A 177 00:12:42,641 --> 00:12:46,841 Speaker 2: nineteen eighty one Red Plymouth. The car interior was covered 178 00:12:46,841 --> 00:12:50,561 Speaker 2: in blood, and police later said that they believed that 179 00:12:50,641 --> 00:12:54,160 Speaker 2: Keith was shot multiple times in the head. Inside the car, 180 00:12:54,921 --> 00:12:57,841 Speaker 2: he was also shot in the chest. Then his killer 181 00:12:57,961 --> 00:13:00,841 Speaker 2: or killers dragged him outside to that wheat field on 182 00:13:00,881 --> 00:13:03,641 Speaker 2: the campus of Red Lake College, which was about a 183 00:13:03,681 --> 00:13:06,481 Speaker 2: mile and a half from the Dardine's trailer. Then he 184 00:13:06,641 --> 00:13:11,601 Speaker 2: was mutilated. His killers had severed his penis. The body 185 00:13:11,681 --> 00:13:13,881 Speaker 2: seemed to have been left out in an area where 186 00:13:13,921 --> 00:13:17,561 Speaker 2: people could pretty easily find it. And then it seemed 187 00:13:17,561 --> 00:13:20,081 Speaker 2: as though the killer drove the car away from the 188 00:13:20,121 --> 00:13:22,961 Speaker 2: site of where they shot Keith to the place where 189 00:13:22,961 --> 00:13:25,321 Speaker 2: it was found abandoned near the police station. 190 00:13:26,361 --> 00:13:28,401 Speaker 3: There was a road to the right that took you 191 00:13:28,481 --> 00:13:31,041 Speaker 3: to the college, and then there was a road that 192 00:13:31,201 --> 00:13:35,280 Speaker 3: slung around and went out to a lake and parks 193 00:13:35,321 --> 00:13:39,160 Speaker 3: and stuff like that, And just as you turned that corner, 194 00:13:39,921 --> 00:13:44,481 Speaker 3: they had drugged Keith's body out of the car into 195 00:13:44,561 --> 00:13:48,401 Speaker 3: that field, and they pulled his clothes down in the cutting. 196 00:13:49,601 --> 00:13:52,401 Speaker 3: They left him that way. 197 00:13:52,561 --> 00:13:55,800 Speaker 2: Keith's exact time of death could not be calculated precisely. 198 00:13:56,361 --> 00:13:59,401 Speaker 2: According to the Saint Louis Post Dispatch, the coroner of 199 00:13:59,441 --> 00:14:02,401 Speaker 2: Franklin County said that Keith had been dead for between 200 00:14:02,401 --> 00:14:05,481 Speaker 2: twelve and forty eight hours, while other sources said he 201 00:14:05,521 --> 00:14:08,481 Speaker 2: had been dead between twenty four and thirty six hours. 202 00:14:09,161 --> 00:14:12,321 Speaker 2: So was Keith killed before his family at the same 203 00:14:12,401 --> 00:14:16,721 Speaker 2: time or afterwards. Doctor Richard Garretson, the coroner, said that 204 00:14:16,801 --> 00:14:19,441 Speaker 2: Keith had a completely different cause of death than that 205 00:14:19,521 --> 00:14:22,681 Speaker 2: of the rest of his family. The coroner said Keith 206 00:14:22,761 --> 00:14:25,561 Speaker 2: had not been beaten, but police were not saying much 207 00:14:25,601 --> 00:14:29,561 Speaker 2: about this investigation, even though local rumors were already flying. 208 00:14:30,401 --> 00:14:33,601 Speaker 2: Some people believed that Elaine's baby had been cut out 209 00:14:33,641 --> 00:14:36,881 Speaker 2: of her womb, or that Keith's murder had been part 210 00:14:36,881 --> 00:14:42,561 Speaker 2: of some kind of satanic ritual. Our foury request was denied. 211 00:14:43,201 --> 00:14:46,521 Speaker 2: This is still open investigation, even though it's been almost 212 00:14:46,601 --> 00:14:52,001 Speaker 2: forty years. Keith's body was found right across the county 213 00:14:52,001 --> 00:14:55,721 Speaker 2: line from their trailer, so the investigation was initially handled 214 00:14:55,721 --> 00:14:59,641 Speaker 2: by two different police departments. Separate inquiries were opened for 215 00:14:59,761 --> 00:15:04,041 Speaker 2: Keith's and Elaine's deaths, and Elaine's family, according to Keith's mother, 216 00:15:04,481 --> 00:15:08,641 Speaker 2: retained an attorney. Joanne said that the relationship between her 217 00:15:08,721 --> 00:15:12,161 Speaker 2: family and her daughter in law's family began to deteriorate. 218 00:15:13,321 --> 00:15:17,681 Speaker 3: They went on ahead and made arrangements for Elaine before 219 00:15:17,841 --> 00:15:22,601 Speaker 3: we even found Keith's body, which her side. The family 220 00:15:23,041 --> 00:15:25,961 Speaker 3: didn't want to agree to anything because they just knew 221 00:15:26,041 --> 00:15:31,081 Speaker 3: Keith killed them, and when they actually found Keith's body, 222 00:15:31,681 --> 00:15:33,481 Speaker 3: they realized Keith didn't do it. 223 00:15:34,521 --> 00:15:37,921 Speaker 2: Joanne told us that even though police knew that Keith 224 00:15:38,081 --> 00:15:40,281 Speaker 2: was a victim and that he did not harm his family, 225 00:15:41,081 --> 00:15:44,481 Speaker 2: she felt as though they believed he was somehow responsible 226 00:15:44,561 --> 00:15:45,960 Speaker 2: for what happened to them. 227 00:15:46,241 --> 00:15:49,361 Speaker 3: They felt like it was his fault. They felt like 228 00:15:49,521 --> 00:15:53,521 Speaker 3: even though they found Keith, they still felt like it 229 00:15:53,641 --> 00:15:55,601 Speaker 3: was Keith's fault that it happened. 230 00:15:56,721 --> 00:15:58,961 Speaker 4: We have reached out to Elaine's family. 231 00:15:59,441 --> 00:16:02,841 Speaker 2: We spoke to one of her sisters, who indicated that 232 00:16:03,081 --> 00:16:05,881 Speaker 2: neither she nor anyone else in the family wished to 233 00:16:05,961 --> 00:16:09,681 Speaker 2: comment about this case. Joanne said, no one who talked 234 00:16:09,681 --> 00:16:12,881 Speaker 2: to Keith's friends and family could find any reason why 235 00:16:12,921 --> 00:16:16,001 Speaker 2: someone would have targeted him or why he would have 236 00:16:16,001 --> 00:16:17,001 Speaker 2: wanted to hurt his family. 237 00:16:17,921 --> 00:16:20,921 Speaker 3: The police told me that they had talked to over 238 00:16:21,081 --> 00:16:25,321 Speaker 3: a thousand people, and they said that they never found 239 00:16:25,601 --> 00:16:30,561 Speaker 3: not one person to say one bad word against Keith, 240 00:16:31,201 --> 00:16:33,881 Speaker 3: not one. 241 00:16:33,921 --> 00:16:35,401 Speaker 4: This case was complicated. 242 00:16:35,881 --> 00:16:39,441 Speaker 2: There were two separate crime scenes, and the primary and 243 00:16:39,521 --> 00:16:42,681 Speaker 2: secondary crime scenes were so different, at least from what 244 00:16:42,761 --> 00:16:45,241 Speaker 2: we know now, that in my opinion, it seemed like 245 00:16:45,321 --> 00:16:47,441 Speaker 2: the work of two different killers. 246 00:16:48,041 --> 00:16:51,881 Speaker 3: I seemed to believe that whoever did it Keith was 247 00:16:51,921 --> 00:16:53,641 Speaker 3: friendly with him Keith Newan. 248 00:16:59,441 --> 00:17:02,401 Speaker 2: It was reported that Elaine, Peter, and the baby were 249 00:17:02,441 --> 00:17:05,880 Speaker 2: beaten to death using a baseball bat. The bat was 250 00:17:05,921 --> 00:17:09,720 Speaker 2: a present that Keith had given to his son, So 251 00:17:09,880 --> 00:17:13,840 Speaker 2: whoever killed Elaine, the baby and Peter did not bring 252 00:17:13,880 --> 00:17:17,441 Speaker 2: a weapon with them. We asked Joanne about the murder 253 00:17:17,481 --> 00:17:20,241 Speaker 2: weapon that was used to kill Keith, and she said 254 00:17:20,281 --> 00:17:23,680 Speaker 2: that Keith did own guns, but those were not the 255 00:17:23,721 --> 00:17:26,401 Speaker 2: ones that were used to shoot him. She said one 256 00:17:26,400 --> 00:17:28,680 Speaker 2: of Keith's guns was found in a closet and his 257 00:17:28,761 --> 00:17:31,720 Speaker 2: other one, a shotgun, had also not been used in 258 00:17:31,761 --> 00:17:34,561 Speaker 2: the killings. So it seemed as though the killer shot 259 00:17:34,681 --> 00:17:37,160 Speaker 2: Keith with a weapon that they brought with them. 260 00:17:37,561 --> 00:17:39,481 Speaker 4: But what about the other physical evidence? 261 00:17:39,921 --> 00:17:43,481 Speaker 2: Surely with two such brutal crime scenes, the killer left 262 00:17:43,521 --> 00:17:47,241 Speaker 2: a trace of hair, skin, or other DNA. Back then, 263 00:17:47,360 --> 00:17:50,641 Speaker 2: in nineteen eighty seven, DNA testing was in its infancy, 264 00:17:51,121 --> 00:17:53,801 Speaker 2: But I still wonder what happened to the evidence, the 265 00:17:53,840 --> 00:17:56,680 Speaker 2: baseball back covered in blood, the bedding, the DNA from 266 00:17:56,721 --> 00:17:59,640 Speaker 2: the bodies and from the field where Keith was found. 267 00:18:00,281 --> 00:18:04,401 Speaker 2: Was there any usable DNA collected and if so, where 268 00:18:04,481 --> 00:18:06,921 Speaker 2: is it now? And is there any way that it 269 00:18:06,961 --> 00:18:12,241 Speaker 2: could be tested. Police were also struggling with motive because, 270 00:18:12,281 --> 00:18:15,561 Speaker 2: according to media reports, nothing was taken from the trailer, 271 00:18:15,881 --> 00:18:20,161 Speaker 2: no cash, not their BCR or their camera, Elaine's jewelry 272 00:18:20,281 --> 00:18:23,840 Speaker 2: was also found there, untouched. Robbery did not appear to 273 00:18:23,840 --> 00:18:27,080 Speaker 2: be the motive. Also, the back door was open and 274 00:18:27,121 --> 00:18:30,920 Speaker 2: there was no sign of forced entry. Police interviewed the 275 00:18:30,921 --> 00:18:33,441 Speaker 2: family's friends, trying to figure out if there was another 276 00:18:33,521 --> 00:18:37,201 Speaker 2: motive that wasn't immediately obvious. They asked if either Keith 277 00:18:37,321 --> 00:18:40,561 Speaker 2: or Elaine had had affairs, but found no evidence that 278 00:18:40,641 --> 00:18:43,360 Speaker 2: either of them had. They also checked to see if 279 00:18:43,361 --> 00:18:46,641 Speaker 2: there could be a financial motive. At the home, there 280 00:18:46,801 --> 00:18:49,401 Speaker 2: was a stack of papers with sports scores on them, 281 00:18:49,521 --> 00:18:52,441 Speaker 2: and apparently this motivated police to ask if Keith had 282 00:18:52,601 --> 00:18:56,080 Speaker 2: a problem with gambling or if he possibly had gambling debts. 283 00:18:56,881 --> 00:18:59,721 Speaker 2: His mother told police that Keith was careful with money 284 00:19:00,080 --> 00:19:02,041 Speaker 2: and that that would have been very out of character 285 00:19:02,121 --> 00:19:06,920 Speaker 2: for him. With no motive, police considered the possibility this 286 00:19:06,961 --> 00:19:09,840 Speaker 2: could have been a random drifter, a serial killer, or, 287 00:19:09,961 --> 00:19:12,761 Speaker 2: as some members of the community had wondered, some kind 288 00:19:12,801 --> 00:19:16,241 Speaker 2: of satanic cult. The Post dispatched it a story on 289 00:19:16,281 --> 00:19:19,481 Speaker 2: the case. They quoted a police expert on cults who 290 00:19:19,521 --> 00:19:22,761 Speaker 2: told the paper that Satanists would mutilate bodies and leave 291 00:19:22,801 --> 00:19:26,120 Speaker 2: satanic symbols at the crime scene, among other things, and 292 00:19:26,361 --> 00:19:29,960 Speaker 2: the nineteen eighties was prime time for Satanic panic, a 293 00:19:30,001 --> 00:19:34,161 Speaker 2: period marked by these sensationalized and false media stories about 294 00:19:34,201 --> 00:19:38,801 Speaker 2: alleged Satanic cults and ritual abuse. But almost all of 295 00:19:38,840 --> 00:19:42,241 Speaker 2: these claims in the Dardian case were discredited. There was 296 00:19:42,361 --> 00:19:45,241 Speaker 2: no evidence that the Dartian family murders were in any 297 00:19:45,241 --> 00:19:50,041 Speaker 2: way connected to Satanism, so were the Dardenes killed by 298 00:19:50,080 --> 00:19:53,961 Speaker 2: a random drifter or by someone closer to home. The 299 00:19:54,041 --> 00:19:57,681 Speaker 2: Franklin County Coroner, for one, did not believe the Dardans 300 00:19:57,721 --> 00:20:01,801 Speaker 2: were random victims. He told the Post Dispatch, quote, I 301 00:20:01,881 --> 00:20:05,001 Speaker 2: believe it was a very personal, deliberate thing, end quote. 302 00:20:05,561 --> 00:20:09,721 Speaker 2: But the crime scene seemed to perplex even outside experts. 303 00:20:10,401 --> 00:20:13,600 Speaker 2: At one point, two FBI profillowers were brought in, and 304 00:20:13,641 --> 00:20:16,721 Speaker 2: they reportedly said the crime fell outside the scope of 305 00:20:16,761 --> 00:20:25,080 Speaker 2: their usual analytic methods. Joanne Dardine never gave up talking 306 00:20:25,121 --> 00:20:28,001 Speaker 2: to the media. She asked the Oprah Winfrey Show to 307 00:20:28,041 --> 00:20:30,721 Speaker 2: cover the case, but they turned her down due to 308 00:20:30,761 --> 00:20:34,600 Speaker 2: the violent content of the killings. America's Most Wanted agreed 309 00:20:34,601 --> 00:20:38,201 Speaker 2: to cover the killings, but the show generated no real leeds. 310 00:20:39,401 --> 00:20:43,201 Speaker 2: Keith and Elaine led a quiet, family oriented lifestyle, Friends 311 00:20:43,201 --> 00:20:46,161 Speaker 2: and families that they didn't drink, party or do drugs. 312 00:20:46,881 --> 00:20:50,081 Speaker 2: There was a small amount of marijuana found at the trailer, 313 00:20:50,641 --> 00:20:53,201 Speaker 2: but police said they weren't sure whether this was the 314 00:20:53,281 --> 00:20:56,241 Speaker 2: Dardine's pot or whether it could have been left there 315 00:20:56,241 --> 00:20:59,881 Speaker 2: by the killer. The autopsies showed no trace of drugs 316 00:20:59,961 --> 00:21:03,281 Speaker 2: or alcohol in anyone's system, and the small amount of 317 00:21:03,321 --> 00:21:10,920 Speaker 2: marijuana found didn't raise any red flags about possible drug dealing. Eventually, 318 00:21:11,321 --> 00:21:15,001 Speaker 2: the Illinois State Police joined in the investigation. It was 319 00:21:15,041 --> 00:21:19,120 Speaker 2: reported that thirty detectives interviewed over one hundred people in all. 320 00:21:19,681 --> 00:21:23,801 Speaker 2: One detective told Keith's mother, Joanne, they had interviewed over 321 00:21:23,840 --> 00:21:27,880 Speaker 2: one thousand people. They also publicly stated there were several 322 00:21:27,921 --> 00:21:31,120 Speaker 2: binders full of information and leads about this case and 323 00:21:31,201 --> 00:21:35,921 Speaker 2: yet no arrests. They talked to one of Keith's coworkers, 324 00:21:36,201 --> 00:21:38,841 Speaker 2: someone he reportedly had some kind of a disagreement with, 325 00:21:39,401 --> 00:21:42,921 Speaker 2: and another local man, but both of these people were 326 00:21:43,001 --> 00:21:49,281 Speaker 2: quickly by law enforcement. The crime reverberated through the small community. 327 00:21:49,801 --> 00:21:54,521 Speaker 2: The Franklin County Coroner described what people were experiencing as hysteria. 328 00:21:55,121 --> 00:21:58,961 Speaker 2: People were scared. One man who lived nearby told local 329 00:21:59,001 --> 00:22:02,401 Speaker 2: media he couldn't sleep at night and lost fourteen pounds. 330 00:22:02,601 --> 00:22:06,361 Speaker 2: Because of the stress from these murders, people were driving 331 00:22:06,401 --> 00:22:09,681 Speaker 2: around with guns in their gun racks and becoming suspicious 332 00:22:09,721 --> 00:22:12,881 Speaker 2: of each other. Kids were told to come straight home 333 00:22:12,921 --> 00:22:16,681 Speaker 2: from school. Then in March of two thousand, there was 334 00:22:16,721 --> 00:22:20,681 Speaker 2: a big potential break in the case. A man confessed 335 00:22:20,721 --> 00:22:24,160 Speaker 2: to the Dardine murders. It was the convicted serial killer 336 00:22:24,441 --> 00:22:36,400 Speaker 2: Tommy Lynn Cells. Serial killer Tommy Lynn Cells grew up 337 00:22:36,401 --> 00:22:39,120 Speaker 2: in Saint Louis, about ninety miles away from where the 338 00:22:39,201 --> 00:22:42,680 Speaker 2: Dardines lived. He claimed that he committed his first murder 339 00:22:42,721 --> 00:22:46,281 Speaker 2: when he was just fifteen years old. He was finally 340 00:22:46,321 --> 00:22:51,641 Speaker 2: apprehended by police in two thousand days earlier. In Del Rio, Texas, 341 00:22:51,641 --> 00:22:54,680 Speaker 2: on December thirty first, nineteen ninety nine, ten year old 342 00:22:54,761 --> 00:22:58,161 Speaker 2: Crystal Searles and her friend, thirteen year old Kayleen Harris, 343 00:22:58,281 --> 00:23:01,880 Speaker 2: were having a sleepover at Kayleen's trailer. Crystal woke up 344 00:23:01,921 --> 00:23:04,041 Speaker 2: in the middle of the night to see a stranger 345 00:23:04,080 --> 00:23:08,561 Speaker 2: assaulting Kayleen. She watched with horror as he murdered her friend, 346 00:23:09,121 --> 00:23:12,241 Speaker 2: and then he turned to her and slipped Crystal's throat, 347 00:23:13,161 --> 00:23:16,801 Speaker 2: but Crystal survived. She managed to stay calm and escaped 348 00:23:16,840 --> 00:23:19,961 Speaker 2: to a neighbor's house. The neighbor called nine one one, 349 00:23:20,121 --> 00:23:24,041 Speaker 2: and Crystal was rushed to the hospital. Even after that trauma, 350 00:23:24,561 --> 00:23:27,521 Speaker 2: Cristel was able to help police. She gave them a 351 00:23:27,561 --> 00:23:31,321 Speaker 2: description and they put out an APB. Tommy Lynne Sells 352 00:23:31,361 --> 00:23:34,721 Speaker 2: was arrested the next day and quickly confessed not only 353 00:23:34,761 --> 00:23:38,601 Speaker 2: to those killings, but to many more. He told police 354 00:23:38,641 --> 00:23:40,521 Speaker 2: that he was a serial killer and that he had 355 00:23:40,521 --> 00:23:44,001 Speaker 2: been killing people for over twenty years. He said that 356 00:23:44,080 --> 00:23:47,201 Speaker 2: during his years drifting around the United States, many of 357 00:23:47,241 --> 00:23:50,640 Speaker 2: them working temporary jobs in carnivals, he killed up to 358 00:23:50,681 --> 00:23:54,440 Speaker 2: seventy victims. He was eventually linked to over twenty murders. 359 00:23:55,521 --> 00:23:58,880 Speaker 2: He was sentenced to death for Kayleen's murder and placed 360 00:23:58,881 --> 00:24:02,361 Speaker 2: on death row in Texas, and that's where in March 361 00:24:02,401 --> 00:24:05,921 Speaker 2: of two thousand, he confessed to the Dardane family murders. 362 00:24:06,561 --> 00:24:09,840 Speaker 2: But did he really kill the Dardines or was he 363 00:24:09,961 --> 00:24:13,201 Speaker 2: just confessing to as many killings as possible as some 364 00:24:13,281 --> 00:24:15,920 Speaker 2: killers do in order to messed up, as it sounds, 365 00:24:16,161 --> 00:24:19,161 Speaker 2: potentially gain respect and become a bigger deal in prison. 366 00:24:20,321 --> 00:24:23,880 Speaker 2: There were definitely questions about the authenticity of his confessions 367 00:24:24,401 --> 00:24:28,081 Speaker 2: because Tommy Lynn Sells told several different stories. He said 368 00:24:28,080 --> 00:24:30,160 Speaker 2: that he was living near Saint Louis, which would have 369 00:24:30,201 --> 00:24:32,281 Speaker 2: been about ninety miles away from where Keith and o 370 00:24:32,321 --> 00:24:34,360 Speaker 2: Lane were living at the time. He said that he 371 00:24:34,441 --> 00:24:36,761 Speaker 2: was riding trains, jumping on and off of them to 372 00:24:36,801 --> 00:24:40,080 Speaker 2: get around, and working odd jobs, mainly at various carnivals. 373 00:24:40,681 --> 00:24:43,401 Speaker 2: He claimed to be familiar with the area near where 374 00:24:43,481 --> 00:24:46,761 Speaker 2: Keith and Elaine lived. In one version of the confession, 375 00:24:46,961 --> 00:24:48,840 Speaker 2: he said that he met Keith in a gas station 376 00:24:49,201 --> 00:24:51,601 Speaker 2: that Keith propositioned him and asked him to come back 377 00:24:51,601 --> 00:24:54,201 Speaker 2: to his house to have a three way sexual encounter 378 00:24:54,361 --> 00:24:57,001 Speaker 2: with Elaine. But he claimed that once they were at 379 00:24:57,041 --> 00:25:00,960 Speaker 2: the trailer, Keith made a homosexual proposition to him, and 380 00:25:01,001 --> 00:25:03,441 Speaker 2: that he was offended by that and became very angry, 381 00:25:04,080 --> 00:25:06,961 Speaker 2: so he said he drove Keith at gunpoint to where 382 00:25:06,961 --> 00:25:10,041 Speaker 2: he was found. He told police, quote, I was just 383 00:25:10,080 --> 00:25:12,321 Speaker 2: so pissed off that I took it to the maximum limit. 384 00:25:12,840 --> 00:25:14,481 Speaker 2: Rage don't have a stop button. 385 00:25:14,641 --> 00:25:15,120 Speaker 4: End quote. 386 00:25:16,281 --> 00:25:19,241 Speaker 2: In another version of the story, he told the authorities 387 00:25:19,241 --> 00:25:21,321 Speaker 2: that he was on a freight train and jumped off 388 00:25:21,361 --> 00:25:24,401 Speaker 2: near Aina that he saw for sale sign outside Keith 389 00:25:24,441 --> 00:25:28,120 Speaker 2: and Elaine's trailer. That's when he said he decided he 390 00:25:28,201 --> 00:25:30,600 Speaker 2: was going to kill them, so he said he knocked 391 00:25:30,601 --> 00:25:33,080 Speaker 2: on the door. He claimed that he told Keith he 392 00:25:33,161 --> 00:25:35,801 Speaker 2: was interested in buying the trailer, which led to him 393 00:25:35,840 --> 00:25:40,400 Speaker 2: drinking beers with Keith before overpowering him at gunpoint. This 394 00:25:40,481 --> 00:25:43,681 Speaker 2: story completely left out any kind of a sexual mode. 395 00:25:43,840 --> 00:25:47,281 Speaker 2: It again, he claimed that he forced Keith to drive 396 00:25:47,321 --> 00:25:50,521 Speaker 2: to a nearby field, and then he said he sliced 397 00:25:50,601 --> 00:25:54,360 Speaker 2: Keith's penis off. This time he added another detail. He 398 00:25:54,401 --> 00:25:57,001 Speaker 2: said that during this attack, he told Keith that he 399 00:25:57,080 --> 00:26:00,081 Speaker 2: was going to take his penis back to Elaine. Then 400 00:26:00,241 --> 00:26:03,321 Speaker 2: he claimed he went back to the trailer, raved Elane 401 00:26:03,481 --> 00:26:07,600 Speaker 2: and beat her, Peter, and Elaine's baby to death. He 402 00:26:07,761 --> 00:26:10,600 Speaker 2: then stole the car, which he claimed he drove to Benton, 403 00:26:10,801 --> 00:26:14,241 Speaker 2: where it was found abandoned. At the time, a local 404 00:26:14,281 --> 00:26:17,361 Speaker 2: news report quoted John Kemp of the Jefferson County Sheriff's 405 00:26:17,361 --> 00:26:20,721 Speaker 2: Office stating that because of a detail that Tommy Lynn 406 00:26:20,801 --> 00:26:24,761 Speaker 2: Sells gave police something about seeing a set of watermelon 407 00:26:24,840 --> 00:26:28,561 Speaker 2: ceramics inside the Dardine home, ones that John Kemp said 408 00:26:28,601 --> 00:26:32,441 Speaker 2: match the crime scene, police believed that he was the killer. 409 00:26:33,241 --> 00:26:36,961 Speaker 2: On the other hand, law enforcement have publicly said some 410 00:26:37,001 --> 00:26:40,281 Speaker 2: of the details of Tommy's confession just don't match the facts. 411 00:26:40,761 --> 00:26:45,161 Speaker 2: Police have stated that Elaine was not raped or sexually assaulted. 412 00:26:48,681 --> 00:26:51,880 Speaker 2: Keith's mom, Joanne, has changed her opinion about whether or 413 00:26:51,961 --> 00:26:55,640 Speaker 2: not Tommy Lynne Sells could have been the killer. At first, 414 00:26:55,721 --> 00:26:58,761 Speaker 2: she said she felt the confession could be legitimate, but 415 00:26:58,881 --> 00:27:02,321 Speaker 2: then years later, when a newspaper asked her again, she 416 00:27:02,361 --> 00:27:05,880 Speaker 2: said she felt less certain. She said she believed that 417 00:27:05,921 --> 00:27:09,601 Speaker 2: it was very unlikely that Keith ever would have propositioned 418 00:27:09,601 --> 00:27:12,441 Speaker 2: a stranger to be sexually involved with his wife. 419 00:27:12,481 --> 00:27:15,001 Speaker 4: She said that Keith was very protective of his family. 420 00:27:15,921 --> 00:27:18,881 Speaker 2: Another reason why Joeanne does not believe Tommy Lynn Sells 421 00:27:18,961 --> 00:27:22,160 Speaker 2: was the killer was because Tommy Lynn Sells would have 422 00:27:22,161 --> 00:27:25,961 Speaker 2: been a random stranger. He told police he waited outside 423 00:27:26,001 --> 00:27:28,880 Speaker 2: the trailer, drinking beer and waiting for his chance to attack. 424 00:27:29,601 --> 00:27:30,721 Speaker 4: And given the fact that. 425 00:27:30,761 --> 00:27:33,321 Speaker 2: Keith had turned away a young woman who wanted to 426 00:27:33,401 --> 00:27:36,360 Speaker 2: use the phone, Joanne said she does not believe that 427 00:27:36,401 --> 00:27:38,440 Speaker 2: it would be in character for him to let a 428 00:27:38,521 --> 00:27:41,401 Speaker 2: random twenty two year old man into his home at night. 429 00:27:42,561 --> 00:27:44,681 Speaker 2: Then there's the fact there was no sign of forced 430 00:27:44,761 --> 00:27:47,281 Speaker 2: entry and no sign of a struggle at the home, 431 00:27:47,801 --> 00:27:50,961 Speaker 2: and that whoever killed Joanne and her children took the 432 00:27:51,121 --> 00:27:54,881 Speaker 2: time to clean up the crime scene, which suggested whoever 433 00:27:54,921 --> 00:27:56,681 Speaker 2: it was was not in a hurry. 434 00:27:57,481 --> 00:28:00,400 Speaker 3: I've seen the believe that there were two people that 435 00:28:00,521 --> 00:28:04,521 Speaker 3: did it. I don't have anything that based it on 436 00:28:04,840 --> 00:28:09,201 Speaker 3: or prove it, but I believe it was a woman involved. 437 00:28:10,241 --> 00:28:13,001 Speaker 2: Could the killer have been Tommy Lynn Sells or another 438 00:28:13,080 --> 00:28:17,201 Speaker 2: random drifter. In nineteen ninety nine, police considered a different 439 00:28:17,241 --> 00:28:22,281 Speaker 2: serial killer named Angel Mattino Risendi's who was also known 440 00:28:22,361 --> 00:28:26,080 Speaker 2: by the alias Raphael Ramirez. Angel had been dubbed the 441 00:28:26,161 --> 00:28:30,121 Speaker 2: railroad Killer. He was from Mexico originally and is believed 442 00:28:30,121 --> 00:28:32,521 Speaker 2: to have been responsible for his many as twenty three 443 00:28:32,601 --> 00:28:36,721 Speaker 2: murders because his mo was to travel around by hopping 444 00:28:36,721 --> 00:28:40,201 Speaker 2: on and off trains. Authorities did briefly consider the fact 445 00:28:40,241 --> 00:28:43,401 Speaker 2: that he could have been involved in the Dardinane killings. However, 446 00:28:43,801 --> 00:28:47,281 Speaker 2: he was also later ruled out and we can't ask 447 00:28:47,321 --> 00:28:50,481 Speaker 2: Tommy Lynne says about the murders because he was executed 448 00:28:50,481 --> 00:28:51,441 Speaker 2: in Texas. 449 00:28:51,081 --> 00:28:54,001 Speaker 4: In twenty fourteen. He was forty nine years old. 450 00:28:56,121 --> 00:28:58,761 Speaker 2: Joe Anne doesn't think her son, daughter in law, and 451 00:28:58,801 --> 00:29:02,681 Speaker 2: grandchildren were killed by a serial killer. She has said 452 00:29:02,881 --> 00:29:05,601 Speaker 2: she believes that the killer was someone who Keith knew 453 00:29:06,001 --> 00:29:11,641 Speaker 2: and trusted. Joanne told us she believes that it's possible 454 00:29:11,721 --> 00:29:14,401 Speaker 2: that the mob or someone else may have tried to 455 00:29:14,401 --> 00:29:17,481 Speaker 2: convince Keith to sell drugs, and that after he refused, 456 00:29:17,801 --> 00:29:20,641 Speaker 2: they lashed out in a rage against Keith and his family. 457 00:29:21,561 --> 00:29:23,881 Speaker 2: She has also said in the past she has considered 458 00:29:23,881 --> 00:29:26,761 Speaker 2: the possibility that someone might have been at their home 459 00:29:26,881 --> 00:29:30,601 Speaker 2: and made sexual advances toward Elane, who refused, and that 460 00:29:30,601 --> 00:29:33,161 Speaker 2: that might have set off the horrific series of events 461 00:29:33,241 --> 00:29:33,841 Speaker 2: that followed. 462 00:29:35,401 --> 00:29:38,721 Speaker 3: I think Keith knew who did it. I really do. 463 00:29:39,761 --> 00:29:42,921 Speaker 3: I think he walked out voluntarily to be friendly. 464 00:29:44,401 --> 00:29:47,641 Speaker 2: Joanne did say that back in the beginning of the investigation, 465 00:29:48,281 --> 00:29:51,601 Speaker 2: police did ask her if Keith had ever shown any 466 00:29:51,641 --> 00:29:56,161 Speaker 2: homosexual tendencies. She said that to her knowledge, he had not. 467 00:29:57,041 --> 00:30:01,361 Speaker 3: When they first was questioned me, you know, by Keith's 468 00:30:01,441 --> 00:30:05,841 Speaker 3: penis being cut off, They was questioned me about him 469 00:30:05,881 --> 00:30:10,801 Speaker 3: being gay, and I said, no way whatsoever. And they said, well, 470 00:30:10,921 --> 00:30:13,761 Speaker 3: the mom could be the last to know. I said, yeah, 471 00:30:13,921 --> 00:30:17,961 Speaker 3: that's true, but not in this case because I knew Keith, 472 00:30:19,001 --> 00:30:24,241 Speaker 3: and then they thought about, well what about evena I said, no, 473 00:30:24,241 --> 00:30:28,121 Speaker 3: no way, I really and truly think that whoever did 474 00:30:28,161 --> 00:30:31,961 Speaker 3: it do drugs maybe filter drugs through his mobile home, 475 00:30:32,601 --> 00:30:34,321 Speaker 3: and he refused. 476 00:30:37,521 --> 00:30:40,961 Speaker 2: We still don't know a lot of details about the timeline, 477 00:30:41,441 --> 00:30:46,161 Speaker 2: who was killed first, Keith or family. Joanne also said 478 00:30:46,161 --> 00:30:49,801 Speaker 2: she has been given Keith's autopsy report, but she said 479 00:30:50,041 --> 00:30:52,881 Speaker 2: that the time of death was inconclusive because there had 480 00:30:52,881 --> 00:30:56,361 Speaker 2: been bad weather before Keith's body was found, and at 481 00:30:56,361 --> 00:31:00,401 Speaker 2: the home, the waterbed had a heater. Because of those elements, 482 00:31:00,881 --> 00:31:03,481 Speaker 2: Joanne said she was told that the time of death 483 00:31:03,721 --> 00:31:11,521 Speaker 2: could not be exact. These questions still haven't been answered officially. 484 00:31:11,881 --> 00:31:15,801 Speaker 2: The Dardine family murders are still an unsolved case and 485 00:31:15,881 --> 00:31:18,041 Speaker 2: the killer could still be out there. 486 00:31:18,841 --> 00:31:21,801 Speaker 3: It's not part of my every day, but my four 487 00:31:21,881 --> 00:31:26,121 Speaker 3: grandkids they know that they had Annie Laine, and uncle 488 00:31:26,201 --> 00:31:32,001 Speaker 3: Piece and cousin Peter and Casey, and we talk about 489 00:31:32,081 --> 00:31:35,801 Speaker 3: him a lot. Their mom takes them to the cemetery 490 00:31:36,761 --> 00:31:39,721 Speaker 3: and they helped put stuff on the stone for Peter 491 00:31:39,881 --> 00:31:42,201 Speaker 3: and Casey and they loved doing that. 492 00:31:45,081 --> 00:31:47,521 Speaker 2: Joanne said that as long as she is alive. She 493 00:31:47,601 --> 00:31:50,401 Speaker 2: will never give up on getting justice for her son 494 00:31:50,921 --> 00:31:51,801 Speaker 2: and his family. 495 00:31:52,881 --> 00:31:56,081 Speaker 3: I talked to the priests every day for months and 496 00:31:56,161 --> 00:32:00,201 Speaker 3: months and years and years, and I still call one 497 00:32:00,281 --> 00:32:04,481 Speaker 3: be Techie, my favorite one. I still call him and 498 00:32:04,641 --> 00:32:07,961 Speaker 3: talk to him. He always told me, he said, Joanne. 499 00:32:08,681 --> 00:32:12,721 Speaker 3: He said, this is like a puzzle. You've put one 500 00:32:12,761 --> 00:32:16,321 Speaker 3: piece in at a time. One of these days, that 501 00:32:16,401 --> 00:32:19,241 Speaker 3: final piece is going to be put in, and you're 502 00:32:19,281 --> 00:32:22,361 Speaker 3: going to know who did it. And I said, well, 503 00:32:23,481 --> 00:32:26,281 Speaker 3: I'll never give up, Mike, And he said, I know 504 00:32:26,401 --> 00:32:26,841 Speaker 3: you won't. 505 00:32:28,801 --> 00:32:33,521 Speaker 2: I'm Catherine Townsend. This is Helen Gone Murder Line. Helen's 506 00:32:33,481 --> 00:32:35,601 Speaker 2: Gone Murder Line is a production of School of Humans 507 00:32:35,601 --> 00:32:38,761 Speaker 2: and iHeart Podcasts. It's written and narrated by me Catherine 508 00:32:38,761 --> 00:32:42,721 Speaker 2: Townsend and produced by Gabby Watts. Special thanks to Amy 509 00:32:42,761 --> 00:32:45,881 Speaker 2: Tubbs for her research assistance and to James Wheaton for 510 00:32:45,961 --> 00:32:49,601 Speaker 2: legal review. Noah Camer mixed and scored this episode. Our 511 00:32:49,641 --> 00:32:54,001 Speaker 2: theme song is by Ben Sale, Executive producers of Virginia Prescott, 512 00:32:54,081 --> 00:32:57,641 Speaker 2: Brandon Barr, and LC Crowley. Listen to Helen Gone ad 513 00:32:57,641 --> 00:33:00,881 Speaker 2: Free by subscribing to the iHeart True Crime Plus channel. 514 00:33:00,641 --> 00:33:01,841 Speaker 4: On Apple Podcasts. 515 00:33:02,121 --> 00:33:04,801 Speaker 2: If you were interested in seeing documents and materials from 516 00:33:04,841 --> 00:33:08,201 Speaker 2: the case, you can follow the show on Instagram at 517 00:33:08,321 --> 00:33:11,281 Speaker 2: Helen Gonepod. If you have a case you'd like me 518 00:33:11,321 --> 00:33:13,641 Speaker 2: and my team to look into, you can reach out 519 00:33:13,681 --> 00:33:15,721 Speaker 2: to us at our Helen Gone Murder Line at six 520 00:33:15,801 --> 00:33:19,441 Speaker 2: seven eight seven four four six' one four or five 521 00:33:19,961 --> 00:33:23,441 Speaker 2: at six seven eight seven four four six' one four or. 522 00:33:23,521 --> 00:33:33,241 Speaker 1: Five school Of humans