1 00:00:02,243 --> 00:00:03,794 - FEMALE NARRATOR: They were a loving couple, 2 00:00:04,730 --> 00:00:06,496 devoted to their daughter. 3 00:00:06,507 --> 00:00:09,666 - They wanted her to find and achieve every single bit 4 00:00:09,677 --> 00:00:12,669 of success that she could, and they had big plans for her. 5 00:00:12,680 --> 00:00:15,014 They loved her fiercely. 6 00:00:15,090 --> 00:00:17,424 - They truly were living the American Dream. 7 00:00:17,501 --> 00:00:19,760 - ♪ 8 00:00:19,836 --> 00:00:21,687 - NARRATOR: But everything changes when this 9 00:00:21,764 --> 00:00:26,859 picture-perfect family is ripped apart by a shocking tragedy. 10 00:00:26,935 --> 00:00:29,644 - She was screaming and hollering that she needed help. 11 00:00:29,721 --> 00:00:33,482 - She had a large butcher knife coming out of her ribcage. 12 00:00:33,558 --> 00:00:35,200 - NARRATOR: As investigators try to solve 13 00:00:35,277 --> 00:00:38,704 a gruesome double homicide, they must sort through 14 00:00:38,781 --> 00:00:43,033 a tangled web of gossip and guarded secrets. 15 00:00:43,044 --> 00:00:45,827 - Either they tried to leave the cult, 16 00:00:45,904 --> 00:00:50,624 or they angered them somehow, or the cult decided 17 00:00:50,700 --> 00:00:53,093 that that was the sacrifice they needed to make. 18 00:00:54,871 --> 00:00:56,713 - They was just rumors running wild 19 00:00:56,724 --> 00:00:59,558 about their sex life, their private life. 20 00:00:59,635 --> 00:01:02,177 - They indeed were nudist. 21 00:01:02,254 --> 00:01:04,679 - It was a pretty shocking deal for Stillwater. 22 00:01:04,756 --> 00:01:06,899 - That wasn't who I would've ever thought 23 00:01:06,975 --> 00:01:10,069 would've done anything like that. 24 00:01:10,145 --> 00:01:11,904 It just goes to show us that we don't know 25 00:01:11,980 --> 00:01:14,740 what's in someone's head or in their heart. 26 00:01:14,817 --> 00:01:16,191 - ♪ 27 00:01:16,268 --> 00:01:17,534 - [gunshot blasts] 28 00:01:18,603 --> 00:01:23,665 - ♪ 29 00:01:24,901 --> 00:01:27,628 ♪♪ 30 00:01:29,665 --> 00:01:31,998 - NARRATOR: June 8, 1988. 31 00:01:32,075 --> 00:01:34,584 Stillwater, Oklahoma. 32 00:01:34,595 --> 00:01:38,088 It's a little past 6 a.m. as Mitzi Wynn is awoken 33 00:01:38,099 --> 00:01:42,592 to the sound of loud bangs on her front door. 34 00:01:42,603 --> 00:01:44,052 - RONALD: So, she opened the front door, 35 00:01:44,129 --> 00:01:46,772 and her 18-year-old next-door neighbor 36 00:01:46,849 --> 00:01:48,256 is now standing at the door. 37 00:01:48,334 --> 00:01:51,059 She's hysterically, uh, beating on the door, crying, 38 00:01:51,136 --> 00:01:53,946 saying that her parents had been murdered. 39 00:01:54,022 --> 00:01:56,615 Then, the next-door neighbors, uh, call the police. 40 00:01:56,692 --> 00:01:58,733 - ♪ 41 00:01:58,810 --> 00:02:00,861 - RONALD: Officers responded from two different directions. 42 00:02:00,937 --> 00:02:02,863 They, uh, locked it down--the scene. 43 00:02:02,939 --> 00:02:06,074 One officer entered the scene, made a protective sweep. 44 00:02:06,151 --> 00:02:08,702 - NARRATOR: As first responders make their way down the long 45 00:02:08,778 --> 00:02:12,038 first floor hallway, they hear a loud noise 46 00:02:12,115 --> 00:02:15,250 coming from the main bedroom. - [alarm clock beeping] 47 00:02:15,327 --> 00:02:18,137 - There was an alarm clock that was just incessantly ringing, 48 00:02:18,213 --> 00:02:20,046 uh, going off. - [alarm clock beeping] 49 00:02:20,123 --> 00:02:22,141 - NARRATOR: As officers reach the doorway, 50 00:02:22,217 --> 00:02:25,093 they make a grim discovery. 51 00:02:25,170 --> 00:02:27,095 - Mark Stepp, the male victim, 52 00:02:27,172 --> 00:02:30,932 was laying on his back in the bed 53 00:02:31,009 --> 00:02:34,820 and his wife was laying-- 54 00:02:34,897 --> 00:02:36,646 when you're looking at the bed, she was laying to the right 55 00:02:36,657 --> 00:02:37,898 of the bed on the floor. 56 00:02:37,974 --> 00:02:39,324 Both were naked. 57 00:02:39,401 --> 00:02:42,068 - NARRATOR: Officers believe the victims are homeowners 58 00:02:42,145 --> 00:02:44,830 Dee and Mark Stepp. 59 00:02:44,907 --> 00:02:47,166 - The victims had been both shot and stabbed. 60 00:02:47,242 --> 00:02:49,117 - ♪ 61 00:02:49,194 --> 00:02:51,745 - RANDY: The wife had a large butcher knife 62 00:02:51,821 --> 00:02:54,173 coming out of her ribcage. 63 00:02:54,249 --> 00:02:57,125 The husband looked like he had been shot in the bed. 64 00:02:57,202 --> 00:03:01,338 - ♪ 65 00:03:01,348 --> 00:03:03,965 - NARRATOR: While officers examine the gruesome scene 66 00:03:04,042 --> 00:03:07,853 inside, detectives arrive and begin questioning neighbors 67 00:03:07,930 --> 00:03:11,023 that have started to gather at the scene. 68 00:03:11,099 --> 00:03:13,600 - RANDY: We didn't know exactly what we were looking for. 69 00:03:13,677 --> 00:03:17,020 And we didn't know who our suspects were, or anything else. 70 00:03:17,031 --> 00:03:19,356 - RONALD: We're thinking that it might possibly be a burglary 71 00:03:19,366 --> 00:03:24,277 and then the burglar had gone in and somehow encountered 72 00:03:24,354 --> 00:03:26,947 the--uh, the--the parents in their bedroom. 73 00:03:27,023 --> 00:03:29,032 - KURT: A double homicide in Stillwater, 74 00:03:29,043 --> 00:03:32,869 in a neighborhood that uh, was not expected to have that kind 75 00:03:32,880 --> 00:03:36,048 of thing happen; it certainly got attention. 76 00:03:36,124 --> 00:03:39,000 - RONALD: This was a young couple and a young family that, 77 00:03:39,077 --> 00:03:42,054 from all outward appearances, were living the American Dream, 78 00:03:42,130 --> 00:03:43,296 and tragedy struck. 79 00:03:43,373 --> 00:03:48,894 - ♪ 80 00:03:48,971 --> 00:03:52,847 - NARRATOR: In 1979, 32-year-old Navy veterans 81 00:03:52,924 --> 00:03:55,684 Mark and Dolores "Dee" Stepp 82 00:03:55,760 --> 00:03:58,070 packed up their 9-year-old daughter Francine 83 00:03:58,146 --> 00:04:01,314 and left their native Wisconsin roots behind 84 00:04:01,391 --> 00:04:04,317 for an exciting opportunity to kick start their careers 85 00:04:04,394 --> 00:04:07,195 in Stillwater, Oklahoma. 86 00:04:07,272 --> 00:04:11,083 - Mark was actually a instrument and control technician 87 00:04:11,159 --> 00:04:13,660 for Oklahoma Gas & Electric Company, where-- 88 00:04:13,737 --> 00:04:16,922 where we worked at a power plant north of Stillwater. 89 00:04:16,999 --> 00:04:19,666 Mark always seemed to me like he was 90 00:04:19,743 --> 00:04:24,930 a displaced hippie--is what I would describe him as. 91 00:04:25,007 --> 00:04:28,767 Laid-back, didn't get excited about a lot of things. 92 00:04:31,179 --> 00:04:33,939 - NARRATOR: Where Mark was laid-back and easygoing, 93 00:04:34,016 --> 00:04:36,766 Dee was Type-A all the way. 94 00:04:36,777 --> 00:04:39,227 - She was a supervisor at the university, 95 00:04:39,304 --> 00:04:41,280 handling all of the state's money. 96 00:04:41,356 --> 00:04:43,273 She worked very hard to be there, 97 00:04:43,284 --> 00:04:46,118 and there were not a lot a women in those positions. 98 00:04:46,194 --> 00:04:49,779 She was a hard person, and a little intimidating. 99 00:04:49,790 --> 00:04:51,406 - NARRATOR: The couple's union was proof 100 00:04:51,483 --> 00:04:54,293 that opposites do attract. 101 00:04:54,369 --> 00:04:56,911 - They absolutely adored each other. 102 00:04:56,988 --> 00:04:59,298 They absolutely loved each other, 103 00:04:59,374 --> 00:05:02,042 and it was odd because they were--they seemed to be 104 00:05:02,118 --> 00:05:03,710 very different people, 105 00:05:03,787 --> 00:05:05,754 but I know that her and Mark had 106 00:05:05,830 --> 00:05:07,756 the kind of relationship we all want. 107 00:05:07,832 --> 00:05:11,810 - ♪ 108 00:05:11,887 --> 00:05:13,812 - NARRATOR: Nothing was more important to the couple 109 00:05:13,889 --> 00:05:16,315 than their daughter, Francine. 110 00:05:16,391 --> 00:05:18,817 - They loved her fiercely. 111 00:05:18,894 --> 00:05:21,153 They thought that she was the smartest, brightest 112 00:05:21,229 --> 00:05:23,322 girl in the world. 113 00:05:23,398 --> 00:05:27,442 - She was quiet, reserved, kinda, you know, 114 00:05:27,519 --> 00:05:31,496 just stayed out of everybody's way and--and was... 115 00:05:31,573 --> 00:05:34,240 friendly if you talked to her. 116 00:05:34,317 --> 00:05:36,501 - NARRATOR: Dee and Mark took parenting cues from their time 117 00:05:36,578 --> 00:05:39,079 in the military. 118 00:05:39,155 --> 00:05:43,083 - Her parents seemed like they were very controlling 119 00:05:43,159 --> 00:05:47,420 of everything that she did: who she could be friends with, 120 00:05:47,497 --> 00:05:49,348 where she could go. 121 00:05:49,424 --> 00:05:52,926 It's like going into the principal's office, you know-- 122 00:05:53,002 --> 00:05:56,355 that's kind of like I felt when I was at their house. 123 00:05:56,431 --> 00:05:58,139 - ♪ 124 00:05:58,216 --> 00:06:00,767 - NARRATOR: As Francine grew into a teenager, 125 00:06:00,844 --> 00:06:03,978 Mark and Dee watched in awe as she transformed 126 00:06:04,055 --> 00:06:08,033 from an awkward kid into a stunning young woman. 127 00:06:08,110 --> 00:06:09,868 - I remember Dee saying to me, 128 00:06:09,945 --> 00:06:11,352 "I don't know what's happened. 129 00:06:11,430 --> 00:06:13,872 "All of a sudden she's got all this flaming red hair, 130 00:06:13,949 --> 00:06:16,875 this really nice skin, and she's developing so soon." 131 00:06:16,952 --> 00:06:19,211 She said, "It goes so fast." 132 00:06:19,287 --> 00:06:21,996 - NARRATOR: Francine was quickly attracting the attention 133 00:06:22,073 --> 00:06:27,552 of young men, but not the kind Mark and Dee wanted her to date. 134 00:06:27,629 --> 00:06:31,223 - Dee said more than one time, "She's a smart kid. 135 00:06:31,299 --> 00:06:33,892 "She just makes--she just doesn't do a good job 136 00:06:33,969 --> 00:06:36,395 of picking her friends." 137 00:06:36,471 --> 00:06:39,231 - There was alcohol, there was marijuana, 138 00:06:39,307 --> 00:06:42,901 you know, there was parties. 139 00:06:42,978 --> 00:06:46,020 - NARRATOR: As Francine gravitated towards bad boys, 140 00:06:46,097 --> 00:06:49,899 Mark and Dee tightened the reins. 141 00:06:49,910 --> 00:06:53,578 - She was, you know, forced to go home after school every day. 142 00:06:53,655 --> 00:06:55,155 If they let her drive her car, 143 00:06:55,231 --> 00:06:57,907 she had to drive straight home after school. 144 00:06:57,918 --> 00:07:01,128 So, it--she was like, you know, trapped. 145 00:07:03,999 --> 00:07:06,591 - NARRATOR: With dating more or less off the table, 146 00:07:06,668 --> 00:07:09,428 Francine began spending more time with her neighbor 147 00:07:09,504 --> 00:07:12,931 and best friend, Cindy Wynn. 148 00:07:13,008 --> 00:07:14,266 - JULIE: Francine was really nice. 149 00:07:14,342 --> 00:07:17,436 She was really introverted, very quiet. 150 00:07:17,512 --> 00:07:21,389 Um, Cindy on the other hand was the polar opposite. 151 00:07:21,466 --> 00:07:24,943 Cindy had to be the center of attention. 152 00:07:25,020 --> 00:07:27,437 If the attention wasn't on her, 153 00:07:27,448 --> 00:07:31,608 Cindy would find a way to make it be on her. 154 00:07:31,618 --> 00:07:34,286 - NARRATOR: Together, Cindy and Francine made the most 155 00:07:34,362 --> 00:07:38,239 of their senior year-- sometimes even sneaking out 156 00:07:38,316 --> 00:07:41,126 behind Mark and Dee's backs. 157 00:07:41,203 --> 00:07:44,296 - JULIE: Her parents, they didn't want her dating anybody. 158 00:07:44,372 --> 00:07:47,874 The only way she could would to be to sneak around, 159 00:07:47,951 --> 00:07:50,469 which is what happened a lot. 160 00:07:50,545 --> 00:07:53,638 - ♪ 161 00:07:53,715 --> 00:07:56,141 - NARRATOR: As Francine attempted to spread her wings 162 00:07:56,218 --> 00:07:59,302 socially, by the summer of 1988, 163 00:07:59,313 --> 00:08:03,932 Mark and Dee's professional lives were also on the rise. 164 00:08:04,008 --> 00:08:06,059 - Dee had just gotten a promotion at work. 165 00:08:06,135 --> 00:08:08,320 Uh, he's working at a local power company, 166 00:08:08,396 --> 00:08:10,563 she's working at a local university. 167 00:08:10,640 --> 00:08:13,158 They had this upper-middle-class home. 168 00:08:13,235 --> 00:08:15,494 They truly were living the American Dream. 169 00:08:17,072 --> 00:08:19,239 - NARRATOR: After graduating high school, 170 00:08:19,315 --> 00:08:23,117 18-year-old Francine enrolled for fall classes at hometown 171 00:08:23,194 --> 00:08:27,172 Oklahoma State University and celebrated her accomplishments 172 00:08:27,249 --> 00:08:30,675 with a new gift from her parents. 173 00:08:30,752 --> 00:08:34,513 - Francine had a Camaro that guys my age loved. 174 00:08:34,589 --> 00:08:37,924 It was like a '67 to '69 Camaro. 175 00:08:38,001 --> 00:08:40,677 I mean, it was like really neat. 176 00:08:40,687 --> 00:08:43,096 - TINA: They adored her, and they wanted her to have 177 00:08:43,172 --> 00:08:45,932 something really nice for her achievement. 178 00:08:46,009 --> 00:08:49,185 They wanted her to find and achieve every single bit of 179 00:08:49,196 --> 00:08:52,197 success that she could and they had big plans for her. 180 00:08:52,274 --> 00:08:55,200 They wanted her to go on and just rule the world, 181 00:08:55,277 --> 00:08:56,943 because she was smart enough to do it. 182 00:08:57,020 --> 00:09:00,205 - ♪ 183 00:09:00,282 --> 00:09:01,990 - NARRATOR: Tragically, the light 184 00:09:02,066 --> 00:09:05,493 of Francine's bright future grows suddenly dim 185 00:09:05,570 --> 00:09:10,331 on the morning of June 8, 1988, when she discovers her parents 186 00:09:10,408 --> 00:09:14,052 brutally murdered in their own home. 187 00:09:14,129 --> 00:09:15,554 - Definitely what I would call, at the time, 188 00:09:15,630 --> 00:09:17,556 an overkill. 189 00:09:17,632 --> 00:09:22,468 The wounds to both bodies were in excess of what was necessary 190 00:09:22,545 --> 00:09:24,396 to end their lives. 191 00:09:24,472 --> 00:09:26,180 - NARRATOR: For detectives with the Stillwater 192 00:09:26,257 --> 00:09:30,059 Police Department, the violent scene is unlike any they've 193 00:09:30,070 --> 00:09:34,480 encountered before in the city's typically quiet suburbs. 194 00:09:34,557 --> 00:09:36,575 - RONALD: Mark had a number of stab wounds, 195 00:09:36,651 --> 00:09:39,244 there was some what appeared to gunshot wounds 196 00:09:39,321 --> 00:09:42,196 on his neck and neck area. 197 00:09:42,273 --> 00:09:46,200 The mother, uh, had multiple stab wounds. 198 00:09:46,277 --> 00:09:48,036 That's a very traumatic, uh, scene 199 00:09:48,112 --> 00:09:50,580 for a young girl to walk in and find both of her parents 200 00:09:50,591 --> 00:09:55,427 not only deceased but, uh, uh, naked in their bedrooms. 201 00:09:55,503 --> 00:09:58,004 She was on the front steps of the neighbor's house, 202 00:09:58,081 --> 00:10:01,591 and as I approached the house, she was sitting on the steps. 203 00:10:01,602 --> 00:10:04,594 Uh, she, uh, seemed a little despondent. 204 00:10:04,605 --> 00:10:07,439 Uh, when, uh, I began interviewing her, 205 00:10:07,515 --> 00:10:10,275 she became much more emotional. 206 00:10:10,352 --> 00:10:11,768 - BRIAN: You know, I was like, "Wow, she just lost 207 00:10:11,778 --> 00:10:13,186 her parents." 208 00:10:13,262 --> 00:10:15,363 And so, I mean my heart kind of reached out to her. 209 00:10:16,691 --> 00:10:18,733 - NARRATOR: While detectives will have to wait to speak to 210 00:10:18,810 --> 00:10:22,195 their shaken witness, they hope the scene inside 211 00:10:22,271 --> 00:10:25,573 will shed light on this horrific crime. 212 00:10:25,650 --> 00:10:27,292 - Every crime scene has a story, 213 00:10:27,369 --> 00:10:29,628 and this one had more than its share. 214 00:10:29,704 --> 00:10:32,288 - ♪ 215 00:10:32,299 --> 00:10:33,632 - NARRATOR: Coming up: 216 00:10:33,708 --> 00:10:37,802 Could a family's secrets unveil a possible motive? 217 00:10:37,879 --> 00:10:40,421 - She was pretty open about what her parents 218 00:10:40,498 --> 00:10:42,140 were involved in. 219 00:10:42,217 --> 00:10:44,258 - RONALD: There was a photo of the parents, 220 00:10:44,335 --> 00:10:47,595 and they were standing with their feet spread 221 00:10:47,672 --> 00:10:49,472 and their arms up and outreached. 222 00:10:49,483 --> 00:10:50,482 They were they were naked. 223 00:10:50,558 --> 00:10:52,317 That was extremely unusual 224 00:10:52,394 --> 00:10:55,153 and opened many, many questions for us. 225 00:10:56,347 --> 00:10:59,532 - ♪ 226 00:11:03,812 --> 00:11:06,581 - ♪ 227 00:11:07,834 --> 00:11:09,084 - ♪ 228 00:11:10,078 --> 00:11:11,836 - NARRATOR: On the morning of June 8, 1988, 229 00:11:11,913 --> 00:11:15,674 detectives in quiet Stillwater, Oklahoma, are standing over 230 00:11:15,750 --> 00:11:18,843 the bodies of Dolores and Mark Stepp, 231 00:11:18,920 --> 00:11:21,513 wondering who would want this couple dead, 232 00:11:21,589 --> 00:11:24,632 and in such a brutal manner. 233 00:11:24,709 --> 00:11:27,677 - CINDY: I was shocked that that would happen in Stillwater. 234 00:11:27,688 --> 00:11:29,429 Shooting someone is much different than 235 00:11:29,505 --> 00:11:32,598 stabbing them over and over. 236 00:11:32,675 --> 00:11:34,859 - NARRATOR: While detectives process the scene, 237 00:11:34,936 --> 00:11:38,271 the couple's 18-year-old daughter Francine is escorted 238 00:11:38,347 --> 00:11:41,149 to the police station for questioning. 239 00:11:41,225 --> 00:11:42,325 - She was very withdrawn. 240 00:11:43,686 --> 00:11:44,828 It was difficult to get information from her. 241 00:11:46,448 --> 00:11:48,197 Again, that's a very traumatic, uh, scene for a young girl. 242 00:11:48,208 --> 00:11:49,282 - ♪ 243 00:11:49,358 --> 00:11:51,209 - NARRATOR: Inside the Stepp home, 244 00:11:51,286 --> 00:11:55,455 investigators work to reconstruct the grim crime. 245 00:11:55,531 --> 00:11:57,540 - RONALD: It appeared to me that-- 246 00:11:57,551 --> 00:12:00,710 just from the scene itself, that obviously, uh, 247 00:12:00,721 --> 00:12:02,712 shots were fired from the bedroom door. 248 00:12:02,723 --> 00:12:04,797 Mark had been shot. 249 00:12:04,874 --> 00:12:07,392 I then believe that Dee gets out of bed, 250 00:12:07,469 --> 00:12:10,178 runs around to take care of him. 251 00:12:10,254 --> 00:12:13,231 I think there's a fight, uh, where the mother gets stabbed 252 00:12:13,308 --> 00:12:15,808 up unto the point she's incapacitated, 253 00:12:15,885 --> 00:12:18,478 and then somewhere in there, dad gets stabbed. 254 00:12:18,554 --> 00:12:21,647 - ♪ 255 00:12:21,724 --> 00:12:24,692 - NARRATOR: At first, investigators suspect a robbery 256 00:12:24,769 --> 00:12:28,654 gone wrong, however, a closer examination of the home 257 00:12:28,731 --> 00:12:31,491 suggests a different story. 258 00:12:31,567 --> 00:12:33,242 - NORMAN: There's no sign of forced entry, 259 00:12:33,253 --> 00:12:37,330 the--there was no other significant disruption 260 00:12:37,406 --> 00:12:40,374 in the house that would lead one to believe that there had been 261 00:12:40,451 --> 00:12:43,836 a takeover of any kind of the home. 262 00:12:43,913 --> 00:12:45,755 - NARRATOR: The seasoned investigators know 263 00:12:45,766 --> 00:12:48,266 that the sheer brutality of the attack 264 00:12:48,343 --> 00:12:51,427 points to a more personal motive. 265 00:12:51,438 --> 00:12:55,264 - There was probably some rage involved and generally 266 00:12:55,275 --> 00:12:57,683 that means that there is some close relationship 267 00:12:57,760 --> 00:12:59,486 between the victim and the perpetrator. 268 00:13:00,930 --> 00:13:03,439 - You can stand across the room and shoot somebody, 269 00:13:03,450 --> 00:13:06,859 but it's very, very different from killing them with a knife, 270 00:13:06,936 --> 00:13:09,403 and that is even more different if you get up a straddle 271 00:13:09,480 --> 00:13:12,698 of a naked body and--uh, and continue to stab somebody. 272 00:13:12,775 --> 00:13:14,793 - ♪ 273 00:13:14,869 --> 00:13:17,295 - NARRATOR: Investigators find no gun 274 00:13:17,372 --> 00:13:21,374 but are able to identify the type of weapon used. 275 00:13:21,450 --> 00:13:22,708 - There were a number of spent 276 00:13:22,785 --> 00:13:25,878 what appeared to be .22-caliber shell casings. 277 00:13:25,955 --> 00:13:28,756 There was some holes in the wall above the bed, 278 00:13:28,833 --> 00:13:32,468 that appeared to be .22 caliber bullet holes. 279 00:13:32,479 --> 00:13:35,805 - NARRATOR: As for the knife found lodged in Dee's body, 280 00:13:35,816 --> 00:13:39,642 detectives believe it was either a weapon of opportunity 281 00:13:39,653 --> 00:13:42,895 or another indication that the killer was familiar 282 00:13:42,972 --> 00:13:44,814 with the Stepp home. 283 00:13:44,825 --> 00:13:48,401 - The knife matched other knives that we found in the kitchen. 284 00:13:48,477 --> 00:13:49,819 All the evidence was pointing towards 285 00:13:49,830 --> 00:13:51,445 somebody that knew the family. 286 00:13:51,522 --> 00:13:54,574 Uh, certainly had access to the residence because 287 00:13:54,650 --> 00:13:56,409 there was no evidence of forced entry on the front door. 288 00:13:56,485 --> 00:13:58,411 - ♪ 289 00:13:58,487 --> 00:14:00,913 - NARRATOR: Investigators turn their attention outside 290 00:14:00,990 --> 00:14:03,583 for more information. 291 00:14:03,659 --> 00:14:06,344 - I talked to the neighbors that were home at least, 292 00:14:06,421 --> 00:14:08,921 around that general area, just asking various questions 293 00:14:08,998 --> 00:14:11,007 about the activity there. 294 00:14:11,017 --> 00:14:13,801 There was no one that heard anything 295 00:14:13,878 --> 00:14:17,355 particularly out of the ordinary--gunshots, screaming, 296 00:14:17,432 --> 00:14:20,016 anything like that. 297 00:14:20,026 --> 00:14:23,027 The only person that had any information I thought was 298 00:14:23,104 --> 00:14:26,814 important at all was--one of 'em talked about the fact that 299 00:14:26,891 --> 00:14:29,525 they thought Francine might have been kinda wild. 300 00:14:29,536 --> 00:14:31,777 And another neighbor said she had a boyfriend that drove 301 00:14:31,854 --> 00:14:34,363 a really loud truck that was in and out of their house 302 00:14:34,374 --> 00:14:36,708 several times, you know, during the week. 303 00:14:38,620 --> 00:14:39,785 - NARRATOR: Though from the outside, 304 00:14:39,862 --> 00:14:42,622 the Stepps seem like your average family, 305 00:14:42,698 --> 00:14:46,792 a thorough search inside indicates things may not be 306 00:14:46,869 --> 00:14:49,045 what they seem. 307 00:14:49,055 --> 00:14:50,963 - RONALD: There were cabinet shelves. 308 00:14:51,040 --> 00:14:54,717 When you would open those doors, they were full of VHS tapes. 309 00:14:54,728 --> 00:14:56,886 One of the things that we would always do at crime scenes, 310 00:14:56,897 --> 00:15:00,681 if there were videotapes and if it appeared that any of 311 00:15:00,758 --> 00:15:02,642 those were homemade, we wanted to watch them, 312 00:15:02,718 --> 00:15:05,061 we wanted to see who was in there. 313 00:15:05,071 --> 00:15:08,147 - NARRATOR: Investigators get a possible preview of the tapes 314 00:15:08,224 --> 00:15:13,569 when they find photographs tucked into the VHS boxes. 315 00:15:13,580 --> 00:15:17,698 - There was nudity involved in those photos. 316 00:15:17,775 --> 00:15:20,368 - ♪ 317 00:15:20,444 --> 00:15:23,037 - RONALD: One photo was of particular interest to us, 318 00:15:23,114 --> 00:15:24,997 and this was an unusual photo. 319 00:15:25,074 --> 00:15:28,876 It was a photo of the parents, Mark and Dee, 320 00:15:28,953 --> 00:15:31,671 and they were standing--they were-- 321 00:15:31,747 --> 00:15:36,842 they were naked, and they were standing uh, with their-- 322 00:15:36,919 --> 00:15:39,762 their feet spread and their arms up and outreached, 323 00:15:39,773 --> 00:15:41,889 almost like it would make an X. 324 00:15:41,966 --> 00:15:45,109 And then teenaged Francine, who is also naked, 325 00:15:45,186 --> 00:15:50,773 was standing on her hands, with her feet spread and one 326 00:15:50,784 --> 00:15:53,943 mother had one ankle and the other father had the other ankle 327 00:15:53,954 --> 00:15:56,946 and the three of them were standing there. 328 00:15:56,957 --> 00:15:59,532 That was extremely unusual and opened 329 00:15:59,608 --> 00:16:02,952 many, many questions for us. 330 00:16:02,963 --> 00:16:05,705 - NARRATOR: Detectives collect the home videos and take them 331 00:16:05,781 --> 00:16:08,624 to the Stillwater Police Department. 332 00:16:08,635 --> 00:16:11,627 While one team begins to process the evidence, 333 00:16:11,638 --> 00:16:14,973 investigators sit down with Francine. 334 00:16:15,049 --> 00:16:16,924 - She certainly had some questions to answer 335 00:16:17,001 --> 00:16:19,719 about where she had been. 336 00:16:19,795 --> 00:16:21,479 - NARRATOR: According to Francine, 337 00:16:21,556 --> 00:16:24,765 she had spent the night before at her best friend Cindy Wynn's 338 00:16:24,842 --> 00:16:27,143 new apartment. 339 00:16:27,153 --> 00:16:28,936 - They'd gone out and spent the evening together 340 00:16:29,013 --> 00:16:30,396 and this, that and the other. 341 00:16:30,473 --> 00:16:33,774 And that Francine had returned home early in the morning 342 00:16:33,851 --> 00:16:36,160 to find the front door ajar. 343 00:16:36,237 --> 00:16:40,781 According to Francine, uh, this was concerning to her. 344 00:16:40,858 --> 00:16:43,167 She opened the front door, heard the alarm clock going off in her 345 00:16:43,244 --> 00:16:47,246 parent's bedroom, went to the bedroom, observed what she 346 00:16:47,323 --> 00:16:50,591 concluded was both her mother and father deceased. 347 00:16:52,920 --> 00:16:56,172 - NARRATOR: Investigators ask Francine about the videotapes 348 00:16:56,182 --> 00:16:59,633 and nude pictures found in the living room. 349 00:16:59,710 --> 00:17:02,186 - She was pretty open about what her parents 350 00:17:02,263 --> 00:17:05,514 were involved in and what she had been involved in. 351 00:17:05,525 --> 00:17:08,100 - Francine had said it was widely known 352 00:17:08,177 --> 00:17:12,196 by friends and family that they were nudists. 353 00:17:12,273 --> 00:17:15,608 - As I recall, there was some discussion from her 354 00:17:15,684 --> 00:17:20,154 that she wasn't necessarily very enamored with that lifestyle, 355 00:17:20,231 --> 00:17:25,785 but that she had participated, because she was their daughter. 356 00:17:25,861 --> 00:17:27,712 - Francine, the daughter, said that uh-- 357 00:17:27,789 --> 00:17:30,206 that she would go to the--to the nudist colonies with them, 358 00:17:30,216 --> 00:17:32,792 but she said she'd really never, hardly ever, 359 00:17:32,868 --> 00:17:35,553 took her clothes off or anything like that. 360 00:17:35,630 --> 00:17:38,222 - NARRATOR: While odd, she insists there was nothing 361 00:17:38,299 --> 00:17:42,060 nefarious about her parents' lifestyle choice. 362 00:17:42,136 --> 00:17:44,804 - She told me she had never been abused 363 00:17:44,880 --> 00:17:46,814 or sexually abused by her parents. 364 00:17:49,927 --> 00:17:52,520 - NARRATOR: Francine tells detectives the tension between 365 00:17:52,596 --> 00:17:56,649 her and her parents wasn't around their private life, 366 00:17:56,725 --> 00:17:58,984 it was around hers. 367 00:17:59,061 --> 00:18:01,654 In particular, she says, they didn't like 368 00:18:01,730 --> 00:18:05,032 her current boyfriend, Frank Routt. 369 00:18:05,109 --> 00:18:08,577 - He was old enough to buy alcohol, 370 00:18:08,588 --> 00:18:11,923 which of course is a parent's nightmare. 371 00:18:11,999 --> 00:18:14,041 He'd take us to parties, you know, 372 00:18:14,118 --> 00:18:17,002 and they would "hook up" 373 00:18:17,079 --> 00:18:19,672 at friends' houses and things. 374 00:18:19,748 --> 00:18:25,344 They felt like he would take her down instead of up, 375 00:18:25,421 --> 00:18:28,848 and they were really focused on her going upwards, 376 00:18:28,924 --> 00:18:33,352 and her future, and her being good. 377 00:18:33,429 --> 00:18:36,280 Maybe she went to him and said, "Oh my god, they're making me 378 00:18:36,357 --> 00:18:38,116 never see you again." 379 00:18:38,192 --> 00:18:42,278 I mean, you can only hold people down so long before they crack. 380 00:18:42,288 --> 00:18:44,905 - The boyfriend in this case obviously would be 381 00:18:44,982 --> 00:18:48,909 someone of importance that you would wanna talk to. 382 00:18:48,986 --> 00:18:51,704 - ♪ 383 00:18:51,780 --> 00:18:52,964 - NARRATOR: Coming up: 384 00:18:53,040 --> 00:18:56,041 Investigators home in on Frank. 385 00:18:56,118 --> 00:18:58,711 - He had called and visited with Francine's father 386 00:18:58,787 --> 00:19:00,638 the night of the homicide. 387 00:19:00,715 --> 00:19:02,298 - NARRATOR: And detectives unearth new, 388 00:19:02,308 --> 00:19:06,302 disturbing information on the Stepp family. 389 00:19:06,312 --> 00:19:09,221 - Some people said that the parents were involved 390 00:19:09,298 --> 00:19:11,232 with a satanic cult. 391 00:19:13,227 --> 00:19:16,237 - ♪ 392 00:19:20,901 --> 00:19:22,869 - ♪ 393 00:19:27,816 --> 00:19:28,958 - NARRATOR: Detectives investigating the gruesome 394 00:19:29,860 --> 00:19:32,286 double murder of Dee and Mark Stepp 395 00:19:32,363 --> 00:19:35,122 now wonder if the couple's daughter, Francine's, 396 00:19:35,199 --> 00:19:38,167 relationship with her boyfriend, Frank Routt, 397 00:19:38,178 --> 00:19:41,962 may be tied to the crime. 398 00:19:42,039 --> 00:19:43,797 - We initially had some information 399 00:19:43,874 --> 00:19:45,674 that there might've been less than 400 00:19:45,685 --> 00:19:48,010 good relations with her parents. 401 00:19:48,021 --> 00:19:50,137 - The thoughts of maybe being a disgruntled boyfriend 402 00:19:50,214 --> 00:19:52,097 or something like that run through your head. 403 00:19:52,174 --> 00:19:54,099 So, we obviously wanted to interview him. 404 00:19:54,176 --> 00:19:57,102 - ♪ 405 00:19:57,179 --> 00:20:00,356 - NARRATOR: While investigators work to verify Francine's alibi 406 00:20:00,366 --> 00:20:02,775 and speak with her boyfriend, 407 00:20:02,851 --> 00:20:06,871 they are shocked to find him at the station already. 408 00:20:06,948 --> 00:20:09,448 - One of our officers had picked him up in a bar 409 00:20:09,525 --> 00:20:10,791 here in Hutchinson. 410 00:20:11,786 --> 00:20:12,168 Nevertheless, at 8 o'clock the next morning, 411 00:20:13,104 --> 00:20:14,003 he was sitting in my office. 412 00:20:15,440 --> 00:20:16,047 During the interview, a lot of the information that 413 00:20:17,608 --> 00:20:19,833 he would give us, you know, he would contradict later. 414 00:20:19,910 --> 00:20:21,335 A lot of inconsistencies. 415 00:20:22,871 --> 00:20:25,005 - NARRATOR: Frank's view of his rapport with the Stepps 416 00:20:25,082 --> 00:20:29,393 seems wildly different than Francine's. 417 00:20:29,470 --> 00:20:32,513 According to Frank, his relationship with Mark and Dee 418 00:20:32,589 --> 00:20:34,232 was on the mend. 419 00:20:34,308 --> 00:20:38,060 In fact, Frank claims he and Mark had officially made peace 420 00:20:38,071 --> 00:20:40,062 the night before. 421 00:20:40,073 --> 00:20:42,064 - He indicated that he had called and visited 422 00:20:42,075 --> 00:20:45,859 with Francine's father the night of the homicide. 423 00:20:45,936 --> 00:20:47,411 They'd had a delightful conversation 424 00:20:47,488 --> 00:20:49,822 and that they were getting along fine. 425 00:20:49,898 --> 00:20:53,033 He said he had no involvement, knew nothing about it. 426 00:20:53,110 --> 00:20:56,370 He had spent the night with his parents. 427 00:20:56,447 --> 00:20:58,497 The investigators had confirmed that with the parents. 428 00:20:58,574 --> 00:21:01,041 So, he had an alibi for the--at the time of the incident. 429 00:21:01,118 --> 00:21:03,877 - ♪ 430 00:21:03,954 --> 00:21:06,255 - NARRATOR: Having established Frank's alibi, 431 00:21:06,266 --> 00:21:10,342 investigators move to verifying Francine's. 432 00:21:10,419 --> 00:21:13,429 - Francine's alibi was that she had spent the night 433 00:21:13,439 --> 00:21:16,849 with her friend Cindy and that-- that they were together 434 00:21:16,925 --> 00:21:21,779 the whole time and that they-- they spent the night together. 435 00:21:21,856 --> 00:21:24,273 - NARRATOR: That afternoon, Cindy Wynn is brought in 436 00:21:24,284 --> 00:21:26,358 for questioning. 437 00:21:26,435 --> 00:21:29,069 - Cindy was quite demonstrative, 438 00:21:29,146 --> 00:21:30,955 she was talkative, 439 00:21:31,032 --> 00:21:34,116 they were pretty much opposite in personality. 440 00:21:34,127 --> 00:21:36,118 - RONALD: It was a dynamic encounter. 441 00:21:36,129 --> 00:21:39,246 A few preliminary questions that really seemed to agitate her. 442 00:21:39,323 --> 00:21:42,875 Then when I told her that the reason that, uh-- 443 00:21:42,951 --> 00:21:46,545 that I was there was that Frankie's parents had died 444 00:21:46,622 --> 00:21:50,257 the, uh, apparent victim of a violent act, and, uh, 445 00:21:50,334 --> 00:21:53,302 her emotional response was in my face. 446 00:21:53,313 --> 00:21:56,147 It was way over the top. 447 00:22:10,404 --> 00:22:12,112 - NARRATOR: Once Cindy calms down, 448 00:22:12,189 --> 00:22:14,290 she backs Francine's alibi. 449 00:22:29,498 --> 00:22:31,182 - In my initial contact with her, 450 00:22:31,258 --> 00:22:33,842 she had confirmed that the two of 'em spent together the night, 451 00:22:33,853 --> 00:22:36,479 uh--the night before and the timeframes generally matched. 452 00:22:39,433 --> 00:22:41,975 - NARRATOR: According to Cindy, although the Stepps had made 453 00:22:42,052 --> 00:22:44,978 peace with Frank, the real problem was with 454 00:22:45,055 --> 00:22:48,440 Francine's ex-boyfriend, Joe. 455 00:22:48,517 --> 00:22:51,151 - RONALD: Joe Anthony was the, uh, son of a police officer 456 00:22:51,228 --> 00:22:53,487 from another agency in our community. 457 00:22:53,564 --> 00:22:56,040 Joe was into what we would call the "Goth" movement, 458 00:22:56,117 --> 00:22:57,449 or whatever. 459 00:22:57,526 --> 00:23:00,044 He, uh, you know, he would, uh, dress all in black 460 00:23:00,121 --> 00:23:03,288 and black fingernails and all of that. 461 00:23:03,365 --> 00:23:06,166 - CINDY: Then he did the--uh, the Punk. 462 00:23:06,243 --> 00:23:09,053 So, we were a little intimidated by him. 463 00:23:21,234 --> 00:23:24,518 - CINDY: Any parent who saw a boy like that 464 00:23:24,595 --> 00:23:29,073 around their daughter would--would be upset. 465 00:23:29,150 --> 00:23:31,900 - He was someone that we needed to interview, 466 00:23:31,911 --> 00:23:34,027 and we gave him no special treatment 467 00:23:34,104 --> 00:23:36,196 because of his relationship with his father. 468 00:23:36,273 --> 00:23:38,532 - ♪ 469 00:23:38,609 --> 00:23:41,034 - NARRATOR: Before detectives reach out to Joe, 470 00:23:41,111 --> 00:23:44,371 they have another order of business to take care of: 471 00:23:44,448 --> 00:23:48,926 viewing the videotapes found in Dee and Mark's living room. 472 00:23:49,003 --> 00:23:52,004 - RONALD: We scavenged about every VHS player 473 00:23:52,080 --> 00:23:55,433 and every television from every office in the--in City Hall. 474 00:23:55,509 --> 00:23:57,676 I'd ordered pizza and sodas, 475 00:23:57,753 --> 00:24:01,013 and we're in there and we're watching all these VHS tapes 476 00:24:01,089 --> 00:24:05,392 on fast forward and some of them were tapes that, um-- 477 00:24:05,469 --> 00:24:08,279 that the, uh, deceased had made in what appeared to be 478 00:24:08,355 --> 00:24:09,488 a nudist camp. 479 00:24:12,526 --> 00:24:15,360 There were some videos of the-- of the parents having sex 480 00:24:15,437 --> 00:24:18,238 and, uh, what I would call traditional sex, you know, 481 00:24:18,315 --> 00:24:22,242 nothing--nothing bizarre or unusual. 482 00:24:22,319 --> 00:24:24,244 - NARRATOR: While the videos expose details 483 00:24:24,321 --> 00:24:26,964 of the Stepp's free-spirited lifestyle, 484 00:24:27,041 --> 00:24:30,417 the footage doesn't yield any leads. 485 00:24:30,494 --> 00:24:32,044 - We didn't see anybody else in the videos 486 00:24:32,120 --> 00:24:33,378 other than the two parents. 487 00:24:33,455 --> 00:24:35,756 Certainly, no evidence, of anything that-- 488 00:24:35,832 --> 00:24:39,143 that I would consider criminal or deviant behavior. 489 00:24:39,220 --> 00:24:41,437 But that seemed a little odd to me. 490 00:24:43,674 --> 00:24:46,099 - NARRATOR: After ruling out any possible leads coming 491 00:24:46,176 --> 00:24:49,487 from the VHS tapes, detectives prepare to reach out 492 00:24:49,563 --> 00:24:53,106 to Francine's ex-boyfriend, Joe Anthony, 493 00:24:53,183 --> 00:24:56,610 but are contacted by his father first. 494 00:24:56,687 --> 00:24:58,445 - RONALD: He came to me and he--and said, 495 00:24:58,522 --> 00:25:00,447 "Listen, I'd like for you to interview my son." 496 00:25:00,524 --> 00:25:02,574 And he said, "We need to know whether he's involved in this." 497 00:25:02,651 --> 00:25:04,117 He said, "I know that you'll be tough on him. 498 00:25:04,194 --> 00:25:06,003 Uh, but I know that you'll be fair." 499 00:25:06,080 --> 00:25:09,340 And, uh, so very, very, uh, cooperative, uh, parent. 500 00:25:09,416 --> 00:25:12,668 Uh, I interviewed the son. 501 00:25:12,678 --> 00:25:16,129 - NARRATOR: Detectives quickly find that Joe's tough exterior 502 00:25:16,206 --> 00:25:18,140 was merely a facade. 503 00:25:19,501 --> 00:25:22,010 - He had a different lifestyle than--than myself 504 00:25:22,021 --> 00:25:25,347 and, uh, and others that--uh, that I would associate with, 505 00:25:25,358 --> 00:25:28,100 but from the interview on, the son was never really a suspect. 506 00:25:28,176 --> 00:25:31,195 - ♪ 507 00:25:31,272 --> 00:25:34,022 - NARRATOR: With Francine's past and present lovers 508 00:25:34,033 --> 00:25:37,368 seemingly in the clear, and no new leads emerging from 509 00:25:37,444 --> 00:25:42,531 the videotapes, investigators are back to square one. 510 00:25:42,542 --> 00:25:47,160 - A lot of times rumors are developed about 511 00:25:47,237 --> 00:25:51,373 the victim's lifestyle, and that was certainly the case here. 512 00:25:51,384 --> 00:25:53,792 We knew we were going to want to interview people that knew them. 513 00:25:53,869 --> 00:25:56,795 - ♪ 514 00:25:56,872 --> 00:25:58,389 - NARRATOR: According to friends, 515 00:25:58,465 --> 00:26:01,216 while the couple might have been free spirits, 516 00:26:01,227 --> 00:26:05,637 they were far from an open book, especially Dee. 517 00:26:05,714 --> 00:26:07,848 - She loved her husband, and she loved her daughter, 518 00:26:07,924 --> 00:26:11,685 and she was fiercely private about them--fiercely private. 519 00:26:11,762 --> 00:26:14,238 You knew what she was gonna let you know. 520 00:26:14,315 --> 00:26:16,189 - NARRATOR: However, after their deaths, 521 00:26:16,266 --> 00:26:20,244 the rumor mill was in full swing. 522 00:26:20,321 --> 00:26:23,238 - CINDY: Some people said that the parents were involved 523 00:26:23,249 --> 00:26:27,743 with a satanic cult and that something happened: 524 00:26:27,753 --> 00:26:30,537 either they tried to leave the cult 525 00:26:30,614 --> 00:26:34,425 or they angered them somehow, 526 00:26:34,501 --> 00:26:37,878 or the cult decided that that was the sacrifice 527 00:26:37,954 --> 00:26:39,880 they needed to make. 528 00:26:39,956 --> 00:26:43,425 Just crazy, crazy stuff. 529 00:26:43,436 --> 00:26:45,552 - The most salacious rumors had to do with 530 00:26:45,629 --> 00:26:50,432 some kind of, uh, sexual club activity videos. 531 00:26:50,443 --> 00:26:52,267 - Well, you know, it probably had something to do 532 00:26:52,278 --> 00:26:54,770 with them going to them nudist things. 533 00:26:54,780 --> 00:26:56,730 They might've been wife-swapping. 534 00:26:56,807 --> 00:27:00,442 They was just rumors running wild, like about their sex life, 535 00:27:00,453 --> 00:27:02,110 their private life. 536 00:27:02,121 --> 00:27:04,788 - ♪ 537 00:27:04,865 --> 00:27:06,790 - NARRATOR: The more rumors detectives attempt 538 00:27:06,867 --> 00:27:11,128 to substantiate, the more dead ends they meet. 539 00:27:11,205 --> 00:27:14,798 - We had to invest significant staff time to send 540 00:27:14,875 --> 00:27:16,800 investigators to interview people about things 541 00:27:16,877 --> 00:27:19,419 that turned out to be nothing. 542 00:27:19,496 --> 00:27:24,257 - NARRATOR: Then on June 22, 14 days after the murder, 543 00:27:24,334 --> 00:27:27,761 detectives finally get a solid lead when a neighbor to 544 00:27:27,838 --> 00:27:31,765 the Stepp family, comes forward claiming she saw Francine 545 00:27:31,842 --> 00:27:36,436 driving her black Camaro on the night of the murder. 546 00:27:36,513 --> 00:27:38,939 - She informed the police department that she had, 547 00:27:39,015 --> 00:27:42,609 at about 1 o'clock in the morning, seen Francine, uh, 548 00:27:42,686 --> 00:27:46,780 drive in the vicinity of where the Stepps lived. 549 00:27:46,857 --> 00:27:50,501 That was at a time when Francine and Cindy were supposed to be 550 00:27:50,577 --> 00:27:52,836 at Cindy's residence. 551 00:27:52,913 --> 00:27:55,414 They were certain that Francine was driving 552 00:27:55,490 --> 00:28:00,919 her Camaro and that did not add up in their story. 553 00:28:00,996 --> 00:28:04,631 - The timeline about the car made me very suspicious. 554 00:28:04,708 --> 00:28:07,676 - ♪ 555 00:28:07,687 --> 00:28:09,269 - NARRATOR: Coming up: 556 00:28:10,547 --> 00:28:13,432 Hidden tensions in the Stepp household come to the surface. 557 00:28:13,508 --> 00:28:14,808 - JULIE: They weren't allowed to hang out. 558 00:28:14,885 --> 00:28:18,353 They weren't supposed to be together at all. 559 00:28:18,364 --> 00:28:20,814 - NARRATOR: And new evidence casts suspicion 560 00:28:20,891 --> 00:28:23,608 on someone close to home. 561 00:28:23,685 --> 00:28:26,945 - Cindy was confronted with a whole lot of information. 562 00:28:27,022 --> 00:28:28,831 That did not add up. 563 00:28:34,362 --> 00:28:37,840 - ♪ 564 00:28:42,612 --> 00:28:45,055 - ♪ 565 00:28:47,801 --> 00:28:48,892 - NARRATOR: Detectives in Stillwater, Oklahoma, 566 00:28:48,969 --> 00:28:52,563 have just discovered that Francine Stepp, 567 00:28:52,639 --> 00:28:56,558 the daughter of double homicide victims, Dee and Mark Stepp, 568 00:28:56,569 --> 00:28:59,019 might have been lying about her alibi 569 00:28:59,095 --> 00:29:01,730 on the night of the murders. 570 00:29:01,741 --> 00:29:03,648 - That certainly raised our suspicions that hey, 571 00:29:03,725 --> 00:29:05,859 there's more to this than--than what we're seeing. 572 00:29:05,936 --> 00:29:07,527 - NARRATOR: That same afternoon, 573 00:29:07,604 --> 00:29:10,906 they bring 18-year-old Francine in to confront her 574 00:29:10,916 --> 00:29:11,874 with the statement. 575 00:29:24,505 --> 00:29:26,597 - Francine is beginning to withdraw more and more. 576 00:29:26,673 --> 00:29:29,382 We're getting less and less information from her. 577 00:29:29,459 --> 00:29:32,269 Her, uh, body language is very closed. 578 00:29:32,346 --> 00:29:34,930 - NARRATOR: With Francine giving up little information, 579 00:29:34,940 --> 00:29:38,767 detectives are left with more suspicions. 580 00:29:38,778 --> 00:29:41,445 - If you're trying to help the police solve the murder 581 00:29:41,522 --> 00:29:44,439 of your parents and you're totally innocent, 582 00:29:44,450 --> 00:29:48,860 you're probably not gonna lie, or remember incorrectly, 583 00:29:48,937 --> 00:29:51,622 important things to tell the police. 584 00:29:51,698 --> 00:29:54,032 - At that point, we thought there was a good possibility 585 00:29:54,109 --> 00:29:56,034 that she was involved in this crime. 586 00:29:56,111 --> 00:29:59,296 - ♪ 587 00:29:59,373 --> 00:30:02,541 - NARRATOR: Investigators begin questioning Francine's friends, 588 00:30:02,617 --> 00:30:06,303 and quickly uncover something shocking. 589 00:30:06,380 --> 00:30:08,797 - Rumors began that Francine or Cindy or both 590 00:30:08,808 --> 00:30:11,466 had contacted an individual in the community. 591 00:30:11,477 --> 00:30:13,718 They had offered to pay him money 592 00:30:13,795 --> 00:30:15,762 to kill both sets of parents. 593 00:30:15,839 --> 00:30:19,808 - ♪ 594 00:30:19,819 --> 00:30:22,561 - NARRATOR: Francine's friends claim she put out word 595 00:30:22,637 --> 00:30:25,989 they would pay for the killings with their inheritance. 596 00:30:26,066 --> 00:30:28,441 - RONALD: Both of the girls were only children, 597 00:30:28,518 --> 00:30:30,110 that if both sets of parents were killed, 598 00:30:30,186 --> 00:30:31,903 then they would inherit the estates and they would have 599 00:30:31,980 --> 00:30:34,832 money to pay to--to pay for their murders. 600 00:30:34,908 --> 00:30:36,658 - NARRATOR: Friends believe the girls' search 601 00:30:36,669 --> 00:30:41,496 eventually led them to a local man named Jackie Meyers. 602 00:30:41,507 --> 00:30:42,998 - RONALD: So, then I called him, and I said, 603 00:30:43,008 --> 00:30:45,125 "We'd really like to visit with you at the station." 604 00:30:45,201 --> 00:30:48,837 - ♪ 605 00:30:48,848 --> 00:30:51,348 - NARRATOR: At the station, Jackie tells police that 606 00:30:51,425 --> 00:30:55,018 the rumor is true: 607 00:30:55,095 --> 00:30:58,013 Francine and Cindy did approach him. 608 00:30:58,023 --> 00:30:59,431 - ♪ 609 00:30:59,507 --> 00:31:00,599 - RONALD: He seemed very forthright about it. 610 00:31:00,675 --> 00:31:02,050 He said, "I didn't take 'em serious." 611 00:31:02,052 --> 00:31:05,020 He said, "I thought they were just messing with me." 612 00:31:05,030 --> 00:31:07,689 - NARRATOR: While investigators believe that Jackie had nothing 613 00:31:07,700 --> 00:31:11,368 to do with the murders, his interview leaves them certain 614 00:31:11,445 --> 00:31:16,031 that Francine--and likely Cindy--did. 615 00:31:16,041 --> 00:31:17,875 - RONALD: That's unusual activity, 616 00:31:17,951 --> 00:31:19,951 particularly for two young girls. 617 00:31:20,028 --> 00:31:22,454 All of these things were beginning to lead us to believe 618 00:31:22,530 --> 00:31:24,039 that these two girls have some involvement 619 00:31:24,049 --> 00:31:25,832 that we don't know exactly what it was. 620 00:31:25,909 --> 00:31:28,835 - ♪ 621 00:31:28,912 --> 00:31:31,713 - NARRATOR: Instead of facing another series of denials 622 00:31:31,724 --> 00:31:36,718 from Francine, detectives set their sights on Cindy. 623 00:31:36,729 --> 00:31:38,061 - We asked her to come to the station, 624 00:31:38,138 --> 00:31:39,512 told her we needed to talk to her, 625 00:31:39,589 --> 00:31:41,064 there were inconsistencies in her story. 626 00:32:01,921 --> 00:32:03,536 - RONALD: We would leave Cindy alone, 627 00:32:03,613 --> 00:32:05,580 as soon as that investigator walked out the door, 628 00:32:05,591 --> 00:32:07,082 Cindy'd light a cigarette. 629 00:32:07,092 --> 00:32:08,833 Uh, she'd walk up to a mirror. 630 00:32:08,910 --> 00:32:11,586 She'd slap her face. She'd pinch her cheeks. 631 00:32:11,597 --> 00:32:14,598 She would lick her fingers and moisten her eyes with it, 632 00:32:14,675 --> 00:32:16,433 as soon as he would walk back in the room, 633 00:32:16,510 --> 00:32:17,893 all the emotion would come back. 634 00:32:40,650 --> 00:32:41,950 - NARRATOR: Backed into a corner, 635 00:32:41,961 --> 00:32:44,911 Cindy's tough exterior cracks. 636 00:32:44,988 --> 00:32:49,124 She tells investigators it all began a few months earlier when, 637 00:32:49,134 --> 00:32:54,546 like Francine, issues arose between her and her parents. 638 00:32:54,622 --> 00:32:56,548 - At one point, Cindy was not welcomed 639 00:32:56,624 --> 00:32:58,141 to live in her family home. 640 00:32:58,218 --> 00:33:00,635 So, Dee said, "She can stay with us," 641 00:33:00,646 --> 00:33:02,262 because she was Francine's best friend, 642 00:33:02,338 --> 00:33:03,972 "She can stay here." 643 00:33:03,983 --> 00:33:06,266 - NARRATOR: But soon, Mark and Dee also took issue 644 00:33:06,342 --> 00:33:08,986 with Cindy's behavior. 645 00:33:09,062 --> 00:33:10,153 - TINA: She had a boyfriend, 646 00:33:10,230 --> 00:33:11,646 and there were restrictions there. 647 00:33:12,733 --> 00:33:13,156 He couldn't be at the house when they weren't home. 648 00:33:14,476 --> 00:33:15,659 Apparently, at some point, Cindy did not follow 649 00:33:15,736 --> 00:33:16,994 the rules and that was it. 650 00:33:18,555 --> 00:33:20,155 Dee was very, "You do as--what I tell you to do in my home 651 00:33:20,165 --> 00:33:21,948 or that's it." 652 00:33:22,025 --> 00:33:26,119 So, I'm gonna guess that there was a pretty big breach of trust 653 00:33:26,196 --> 00:33:29,748 and Mark and Dee said she had to go. 654 00:33:29,824 --> 00:33:32,584 - NARRATOR: According to Cindy, when Mark and Dee kicked her 655 00:33:32,660 --> 00:33:37,756 out, they told Francine she was no longer allowed to see her. 656 00:33:37,832 --> 00:33:39,966 - JULIE: She wasn't allowed at their home. 657 00:33:40,043 --> 00:33:42,185 Francine wasn't allowed to go over there. 658 00:33:42,262 --> 00:33:44,137 They weren't allowed to hang out. 659 00:33:44,214 --> 00:33:47,858 They weren't supposed to be together at all. 660 00:33:47,934 --> 00:33:49,642 - Cindy was upset about that because she didn't 661 00:33:49,719 --> 00:33:51,269 have anywhere to go. 662 00:33:51,346 --> 00:33:52,854 Francine was upset about that because she couldn't be friends 663 00:33:52,865 --> 00:33:54,689 with her best friend anymore. 664 00:33:54,700 --> 00:33:57,358 - NARRATOR: Cindy admits that she and Francine fantasized 665 00:33:57,369 --> 00:34:01,821 about life without their parents lording over them. 666 00:34:01,898 --> 00:34:05,325 - RANDY: The girls were defiant toward their parents about 667 00:34:05,401 --> 00:34:09,120 discipline, what their curfews, when they could go out, 668 00:34:09,197 --> 00:34:11,331 when they had to be back, things like that. 669 00:34:11,407 --> 00:34:15,335 And so, they decided to take care of that problem. 670 00:34:15,411 --> 00:34:17,378 - RONALD: The original plan we believe was that Cindy would 671 00:34:17,389 --> 00:34:19,723 kill Francine's parents and then Francine would kill 672 00:34:19,800 --> 00:34:20,891 Cindy's parents. 673 00:34:20,967 --> 00:34:23,968 - ♪ 674 00:34:24,045 --> 00:34:26,805 - NARRATOR: Cindy insists it was all just fantasy 675 00:34:26,881 --> 00:34:27,981 in her mind. 676 00:34:41,914 --> 00:34:44,197 - NARRATOR: Investigators still aren't sure they're getting 677 00:34:44,274 --> 00:34:46,366 the full story from Cindy, 678 00:34:46,442 --> 00:34:49,035 but maybe a new technology can help them 679 00:34:49,112 --> 00:34:52,163 separate fact from fiction. 680 00:34:52,240 --> 00:34:53,998 - RONALD: The case was absent any physical evidence 681 00:34:54,075 --> 00:34:56,000 that we needed. 682 00:34:56,077 --> 00:34:57,335 Luminol was new. 683 00:34:57,412 --> 00:34:59,087 I had heard about Luminol while attending 684 00:34:59,098 --> 00:35:00,672 the FBI National Academy. 685 00:35:00,748 --> 00:35:02,766 So, then I called the State Crime Bureau 686 00:35:02,843 --> 00:35:05,093 and called a forensic chemist, a friend of mine. 687 00:35:05,104 --> 00:35:06,928 And I said, "Have you ever used something called Luminol?" 688 00:35:06,939 --> 00:35:08,346 And she says, "Oh, yeah!" 689 00:35:08,423 --> 00:35:10,181 And I said, "Well, I've got a crime, uh-- 690 00:35:10,258 --> 00:35:12,725 "homicide that occurred in a bedroom, and I wanna Luminol 691 00:35:12,802 --> 00:35:14,277 the bedroom and the carpet." 692 00:35:17,357 --> 00:35:19,399 - NARRATOR: Law enforcement convene at the crime scene 693 00:35:19,475 --> 00:35:21,952 on June 30. 694 00:35:22,028 --> 00:35:24,445 - RONALD: The investigator starts at the bedroom door, 695 00:35:24,456 --> 00:35:27,448 as he walks backwards in the dark, 696 00:35:27,459 --> 00:35:29,033 down the hallway, 697 00:35:29,110 --> 00:35:32,912 this Luminol filters down to this shag type carpet. 698 00:35:32,989 --> 00:35:37,417 Glowing in the carpet, are two distinctive sets of footprints. 699 00:35:37,493 --> 00:35:39,419 - ♪ 700 00:35:39,495 --> 00:35:42,255 - RONALD: As one set of footprints came off and went to 701 00:35:42,332 --> 00:35:44,307 the front door, and the other set of footprints 702 00:35:44,384 --> 00:35:46,134 went to the back door. 703 00:35:46,145 --> 00:35:48,645 That's when we knew that we had two suspects. 704 00:35:48,722 --> 00:35:51,723 We had a daughter, and we had her girlfriend. 705 00:35:51,799 --> 00:35:55,143 - NARRATOR: Investigators take the evidence to the DA. 706 00:35:55,154 --> 00:35:56,811 - RONALD: We went to the district attorney, 707 00:35:56,822 --> 00:35:59,147 and he shared with us that, "I'm not gonna file a charge 708 00:35:59,158 --> 00:36:00,899 unless you get a confession." 709 00:36:00,975 --> 00:36:03,902 - ♪ 710 00:36:03,978 --> 00:36:07,238 - NARRATOR: On July 13, Francine returns to the station 711 00:36:07,315 --> 00:36:09,782 accompanied by her grandfather. 712 00:36:09,859 --> 00:36:14,171 And it's clear her patience with police has run out. 713 00:36:14,247 --> 00:36:16,122 - RONALD: We felt like that this was our last opportunity 714 00:36:16,199 --> 00:36:18,416 to, uh--to interview Francine. 715 00:36:18,493 --> 00:36:22,337 And specifically, uh, selected an investigator that, um, 716 00:36:22,347 --> 00:36:24,172 had--had a daughter. 717 00:36:24,183 --> 00:36:26,758 We felt like that that would be a different approach. 718 00:36:26,834 --> 00:36:28,259 He told her, "I know you're involved. 719 00:36:28,336 --> 00:36:29,802 I know you took part in this." 720 00:36:29,879 --> 00:36:31,846 And Francine became irate. 721 00:36:31,857 --> 00:36:33,514 And walked out the office, 722 00:36:33,525 --> 00:36:35,183 walked out the door of the police department. 723 00:36:35,194 --> 00:36:37,185 - ♪ 724 00:36:37,196 --> 00:36:38,695 - NARRATOR: Coming up: 725 00:36:39,865 --> 00:36:43,191 Investigators get one more shot at finding the truth. 726 00:36:43,202 --> 00:36:45,026 - RONALD: I said, "I believe that she knows something 727 00:36:45,037 --> 00:36:46,444 "that she hasn't told us. 728 00:36:46,521 --> 00:36:49,781 I believe that it is eating her up inside." 729 00:36:49,857 --> 00:36:52,116 - NARRATOR: And the horrifying details of the murder 730 00:36:52,193 --> 00:36:54,452 are finally revealed. 731 00:36:54,529 --> 00:36:58,048 - When that door was kicked in, she just went numb, 732 00:36:58,124 --> 00:37:02,001 and everything that had built up just exploded. 733 00:37:02,078 --> 00:37:03,261 - [gunshot] 734 00:37:04,223 --> 00:37:08,058 - ♪ 735 00:37:12,121 --> 00:37:14,898 - ♪ 736 00:37:18,311 --> 00:37:22,146 - NARRATOR: On July 13, 1988, 18-year-old Francine Stepp 737 00:37:22,223 --> 00:37:24,983 storms out of the Stillwater Police Department, 738 00:37:25,059 --> 00:37:29,079 refusing to answer any more questions. 739 00:37:29,155 --> 00:37:32,824 - Francine walking out is not surprising because, uh, 740 00:37:32,900 --> 00:37:35,576 obviously the questions were getting quite uncomfortable 741 00:37:35,587 --> 00:37:40,164 for her, and she didn't have a good answer for it. 742 00:37:40,241 --> 00:37:42,917 - RONALD: The grandfather who'd been watching behind 743 00:37:42,928 --> 00:37:46,096 the mirror came in, I said, "I believe that she knows something 744 00:37:46,172 --> 00:37:47,931 "that she hasn't told us. 745 00:37:48,008 --> 00:37:51,434 "I believe that it is eating her up inside, and I don't believe 746 00:37:51,511 --> 00:37:57,015 that she will ever be at peace until she talks to us about it," 747 00:37:57,091 --> 00:37:58,483 and then he brought her back. 748 00:38:00,428 --> 00:38:03,855 - NARRATOR: Francine is subdued, but ready to talk. 749 00:38:03,931 --> 00:38:06,950 She tells detectives that her parents controlling ways 750 00:38:07,027 --> 00:38:08,994 had become too much to bear. 751 00:38:24,878 --> 00:38:27,128 - NARRATOR: But for Francine, her parents' attempt 752 00:38:27,139 --> 00:38:30,432 to end her friendship with Cindy was the last straw. 753 00:38:32,886 --> 00:38:36,262 After failing to find a hitman, on June 8, 754 00:38:36,339 --> 00:38:41,059 Francine says the teens took matters into their own hands. 755 00:38:41,135 --> 00:38:42,652 - NORMAN: At about 2 o'clock in the morning, 756 00:38:42,729 --> 00:38:44,487 they snuck into the house. 757 00:38:44,564 --> 00:38:47,065 Francine had the gun. 758 00:38:47,141 --> 00:38:50,160 - Cindy kicks the door open and yells at the parents, 759 00:38:50,236 --> 00:38:53,321 and Francine says the gun just started going off. 760 00:38:53,332 --> 00:38:55,665 - ♪ 761 00:38:55,742 --> 00:38:59,494 - When that door was kicked in, she just went numb, 762 00:38:59,504 --> 00:39:03,247 and everything that had built up just exploded. 763 00:39:03,324 --> 00:39:06,250 - [gunshots] 764 00:39:06,327 --> 00:39:09,670 - ♪ 765 00:39:09,681 --> 00:39:11,181 - [gunshot] 766 00:39:11,257 --> 00:39:14,309 - Francine is kind of a loss as to what happened. 767 00:39:16,546 --> 00:39:18,930 She remembers a knife but doesn't remember 768 00:39:19,006 --> 00:39:20,315 a lot of details. 769 00:39:46,126 --> 00:39:49,052 - Francine would not implicate her other than 770 00:39:49,129 --> 00:39:51,429 being there and--and some of the planning. 771 00:39:54,134 --> 00:39:55,392 - NARRATOR: Following the murders, 772 00:39:55,468 --> 00:39:59,396 Francine says they tried to cover their tracks. 773 00:39:59,472 --> 00:40:01,973 - They put the murder weapon-- the handgun-- 774 00:40:02,049 --> 00:40:04,559 in a nylon bag, threw it in Boomer Lake. 775 00:40:04,569 --> 00:40:09,239 And then after that, returned to Cindy's apartment. 776 00:40:09,315 --> 00:40:13,243 Francine gets up, goes home uh, and, uh, 777 00:40:13,319 --> 00:40:15,286 uh, reports the crime to her neighbors. 778 00:40:17,749 --> 00:40:20,417 - NARRATOR: As chilling as that confession is, 779 00:40:20,493 --> 00:40:25,088 Francine admits they had one more phase to their plan. 780 00:40:25,165 --> 00:40:26,664 - RONALD: They were going to wait until the heat, you know, 781 00:40:26,741 --> 00:40:28,249 kind of died down. 782 00:40:28,260 --> 00:40:30,001 As soon as the police lost interest, then they would 783 00:40:30,077 --> 00:40:32,595 go ahead with killing, uh, Cindy's parents. 784 00:40:32,672 --> 00:40:36,099 - ♪ 785 00:40:36,176 --> 00:40:38,176 - NARRATOR: Following Francine's confession, 786 00:40:38,252 --> 00:40:41,020 detectives immediately bring Cindy in. 787 00:41:14,497 --> 00:41:16,380 - But that does not correspond with the footprints 788 00:41:16,457 --> 00:41:18,132 in the Luminol. 789 00:41:18,143 --> 00:41:20,643 - NORMAN: There are footprints that were similar to hers in 790 00:41:20,720 --> 00:41:25,315 the Luminol, in the blood that was tracked through the house. 791 00:41:25,391 --> 00:41:29,360 We had forensic evidence to tie her directly to the crime. 792 00:41:31,347 --> 00:41:33,439 - NARRATOR: Even without all the details, 793 00:41:33,516 --> 00:41:36,400 investigators have enough to place both young women 794 00:41:36,477 --> 00:41:37,577 under arrest. 795 00:41:39,405 --> 00:41:41,113 - KURT: Pieces kind of fell into place 796 00:41:41,190 --> 00:41:43,833 and kind of brought the puzzle together. 797 00:41:43,910 --> 00:41:45,660 - We certainly obtained enough information to be able to 798 00:41:45,670 --> 00:41:47,328 charge Cindy. 799 00:41:47,339 --> 00:41:51,249 We arrested them on two charges of first-degree murder. 800 00:41:51,325 --> 00:41:52,717 - JULIE: I'm like, "No way," you know? 801 00:41:54,404 --> 00:41:56,754 There--there's no way, because that wasn't who I would've ever 802 00:41:56,831 --> 00:41:59,724 thought would've done anything like that. 803 00:42:01,686 --> 00:42:03,853 I think it just goes to show us that we don't know 804 00:42:03,930 --> 00:42:06,847 what's in someone's head or in their heart. 805 00:42:06,858 --> 00:42:10,518 - ♪ 806 00:42:10,529 --> 00:42:14,531 - NARRATOR: In October of 1988, 18-year-olds Francine Stepp 807 00:42:14,607 --> 00:42:19,369 and Cindy Wynn choose pleas over trials. 808 00:42:19,445 --> 00:42:22,280 - NORMAN: The initial charges were both first degree murder. 809 00:42:22,356 --> 00:42:24,699 Ms. Wynn's charges were pled down 810 00:42:24,709 --> 00:42:27,451 to Conspiracy to Commit Murder. 811 00:42:27,528 --> 00:42:30,713 Um, Francine pled guilty. 812 00:42:30,790 --> 00:42:33,374 - NARRATOR: While Cindy is sentenced to ten years, 813 00:42:33,385 --> 00:42:38,379 Francine is given back-to-back life sentences. 814 00:42:38,390 --> 00:42:40,464 - NORMAN: I think that the individuals responsible 815 00:42:40,541 --> 00:42:42,392 were held accountable. 816 00:42:42,468 --> 00:42:45,728 Although it is a sad case, at least they got justice 817 00:42:45,805 --> 00:42:47,605 for what had occurred. 818 00:42:51,144 --> 00:42:53,403 My personal opinion is if it had not been for Cindy, 819 00:42:53,479 --> 00:42:55,238 it would have never happened. 820 00:42:55,315 --> 00:42:57,356 - JULIE: I'm sure at some point Cindy has convinced her, 821 00:42:57,433 --> 00:42:59,233 "I am the only one that cares about you, 822 00:42:59,244 --> 00:43:01,652 it's just you and me against the world." 823 00:43:01,729 --> 00:43:04,864 This is the only way she could ever be free. 824 00:43:04,940 --> 00:43:08,126 This is the only way they could both ever be free. 825 00:43:09,737 --> 00:43:11,871 - It's a horrible situation to think through the fact 826 00:43:11,947 --> 00:43:14,874 that a couple of 16, 17-year-old girls 827 00:43:14,950 --> 00:43:17,427 would spend the majority of their life, 828 00:43:17,503 --> 00:43:20,171 at least Francine in this case, 829 00:43:20,247 --> 00:43:22,423 if not all of her life in prison. 830 00:43:22,434 --> 00:43:26,594 But when you look at what they were able to go through with, 831 00:43:26,605 --> 00:43:28,521 I think she's where she needs to be. 832 00:43:29,849 --> 00:43:35,361 - ♪