1 00:00:02,836 --> 00:00:05,713 - FEMALE NARRATOR: The sudden disappearance of a young rancher 2 00:00:07,233 --> 00:00:10,843 leaves a small Colorado town grasping for answers. 3 00:00:10,919 --> 00:00:12,845 - He was not a, "Hey, let's go do this 4 00:00:12,921 --> 00:00:14,629 in the middle of the night" kinda person. 5 00:00:14,706 --> 00:00:16,757 It was just very out of character. 6 00:00:16,833 --> 00:00:18,183 - CHRIS: He had been gone way too long. 7 00:00:18,260 --> 00:00:21,094 You know, a mother wants to know where her child is. 8 00:00:21,171 --> 00:00:23,972 - NARRATOR: Investigators must determine whether his departure 9 00:00:24,049 --> 00:00:26,516 was a spontaneous adventure... 10 00:00:26,527 --> 00:00:29,528 or the result of a deadly scheme, 11 00:00:29,605 --> 00:00:32,698 rooted in a twisted family tree. 12 00:00:32,775 --> 00:00:35,701 - They were continually arguing about things on the ranch. 13 00:00:35,778 --> 00:00:38,704 - He had come into her room and had threatened her. 14 00:00:45,788 --> 00:00:48,872 - We knew that we would need to involve 15 00:00:48,883 --> 00:00:50,215 a cadaver search. 16 00:00:50,292 --> 00:00:52,593 - If she did it, she did not do it alone. 17 00:01:01,086 --> 00:01:04,229 - She made some implications that he had a pretty dark side. 18 00:01:04,306 --> 00:01:06,148 - It was all about property, all about the ranch. 19 00:01:12,764 --> 00:01:16,742 - ♪ 20 00:01:18,821 --> 00:01:21,663 ♪♪ 21 00:01:23,275 --> 00:01:25,200 - ♪ 22 00:01:25,277 --> 00:01:28,587 - NARRATOR: On Wednesday, May 20, 2015, 23 00:01:28,664 --> 00:01:31,924 in the remote town of Gunnison, Colorado, 24 00:01:32,000 --> 00:01:35,594 Randy Martinez and Nate Lopez realize they haven't heard 25 00:01:35,671 --> 00:01:39,548 from their friend, 29-year-old rancher Jake Millison, 26 00:01:39,624 --> 00:01:42,768 in nearly 5 days. 27 00:01:42,845 --> 00:01:45,938 - JESSICA: On May 15, he had gone out with some friends, 28 00:01:46,014 --> 00:01:48,607 and they had made plans for the next day. 29 00:01:48,684 --> 00:01:52,111 And Jacob never called, never reached out to them. 30 00:01:52,187 --> 00:01:55,605 - ♪ 31 00:01:55,616 --> 00:01:57,783 - NARRATOR: Jake's mother, Deborah Rudibaugh, 32 00:01:57,860 --> 00:02:00,119 and his sister, Stephanie Jackson, 33 00:02:00,195 --> 00:02:03,280 meet Jake's friends in the corral on the sprawling ranch 34 00:02:03,290 --> 00:02:05,958 where Jake and his family live. 35 00:02:06,034 --> 00:02:10,796 - They approached Deborah and Stephanie asking if they had 36 00:02:10,873 --> 00:02:13,748 seen Jake or knew where Jake was, 37 00:02:13,825 --> 00:02:15,876 and that's when Deborah told them that he had gone 38 00:02:15,952 --> 00:02:19,963 to Reno, Nevada. 39 00:02:19,974 --> 00:02:22,808 - JESSICA: Deb Rudibaugh told them that he had left 40 00:02:22,885 --> 00:02:28,305 to participate in MMA training or a tournament. 41 00:02:28,315 --> 00:02:31,975 She did not know exactly when he would be returning. 42 00:02:31,986 --> 00:02:36,655 - Jacob's very involved in MMA--uh, mixed martial arts. 43 00:02:36,732 --> 00:02:40,609 He was involved with a gym here in Gunnison and a group of 44 00:02:40,685 --> 00:02:42,903 individuals that enjoyed that activity 45 00:02:42,979 --> 00:02:45,822 and pursued it diligently. 46 00:02:45,833 --> 00:02:48,783 - JESSICA: The friends are not understanding why Jacob would 47 00:02:48,860 --> 00:02:53,622 just pick up and leave without at least telling them. 48 00:02:53,698 --> 00:02:55,174 - KRISTY: He shared a lot with his friends. 49 00:02:55,250 --> 00:02:57,751 If he had been planning, especially a big trip, 50 00:02:57,827 --> 00:02:59,178 he would have let people know. 51 00:02:59,254 --> 00:03:02,181 - ♪ 52 00:03:02,257 --> 00:03:04,758 - NARRATOR: With Deborah's information limited, 53 00:03:04,834 --> 00:03:08,762 Nate and Randy decide to check in at Jake's martial arts gym 54 00:03:08,838 --> 00:03:12,349 to see when their friend might be back. 55 00:03:12,359 --> 00:03:14,100 - His sparring partners explained that 56 00:03:14,177 --> 00:03:17,696 there was no tournament or training that they knew of 57 00:03:17,773 --> 00:03:20,365 in Reno, Nevada. 58 00:03:20,442 --> 00:03:22,868 They further found out a little bit more information-- 59 00:03:22,945 --> 00:03:26,696 that he was injured that week and was on crutches because 60 00:03:26,707 --> 00:03:30,042 he had hurt his ankle, and so he wouldn't have traveled 61 00:03:30,118 --> 00:03:32,160 to participate in that. 62 00:03:32,237 --> 00:03:35,047 - His friends, they heard from him every day, 63 00:03:35,123 --> 00:03:37,382 so when they stopped hearing from him, 64 00:03:37,459 --> 00:03:39,834 it definitely bothered them. 65 00:03:39,911 --> 00:03:42,796 - For Jake to miss a gathering with friends, 66 00:03:42,872 --> 00:03:45,340 if he said he was going to be there, he would be there. 67 00:03:45,417 --> 00:03:47,392 Um, and if something had come up, 68 00:03:47,469 --> 00:03:49,844 he would be sure to contact people and say like, 69 00:03:49,921 --> 00:03:51,846 "Hey," you know, "I can't make it." 70 00:03:51,923 --> 00:03:53,807 I think everyone early on was pretty nervous 71 00:03:53,883 --> 00:03:55,317 that something had happened. 72 00:03:57,887 --> 00:04:00,188 - ♪ 73 00:04:00,265 --> 00:04:04,693 - NARRATOR: Jacob Millison was born on January 11, 1986, 74 00:04:04,769 --> 00:04:08,080 in Colorado, just a year or so after his older sister, 75 00:04:08,156 --> 00:04:10,240 Stephanie. 76 00:04:10,251 --> 00:04:13,159 Jacob's parents, Deborah and Ray Millison, 77 00:04:13,236 --> 00:04:16,088 had left Ohio for adventure out west 78 00:04:16,164 --> 00:04:18,915 in Gunnison County, Colorado. 79 00:04:18,926 --> 00:04:20,917 - KRISTY: Gunnison is an extremely remote 80 00:04:20,928 --> 00:04:22,928 mountain community. 81 00:04:23,005 --> 00:04:27,716 Uh, we're about three and a half hours from a major airport. 82 00:04:27,792 --> 00:04:30,260 A lot of our community makes a living 83 00:04:30,271 --> 00:04:33,438 through ranching or farming. 84 00:04:33,515 --> 00:04:35,849 - NARRATOR: For Deborah, the home in Gunnison 85 00:04:35,925 --> 00:04:39,185 was a lifelong dream come true. 86 00:04:39,262 --> 00:04:43,064 - My sister, from the first time that we made a trip 87 00:04:43,141 --> 00:04:46,943 to Colorado with my parents when we were young, 88 00:04:46,954 --> 00:04:50,780 she fell in love with Colorado and ranches 89 00:04:50,791 --> 00:04:53,783 and seeing horses run free. 90 00:04:53,794 --> 00:04:56,795 She was drawn to the Old West ideas. 91 00:04:59,491 --> 00:05:01,466 - ♪ 92 00:05:01,543 --> 00:05:03,969 - NARRATOR: Once the family moved to Gunnison, 93 00:05:04,046 --> 00:05:07,472 Deborah started work at the nearby 7-11 Ranch, 94 00:05:07,549 --> 00:05:12,469 a 700-acre operation owned by Marion "Rudy" Rudibaugh, 95 00:05:12,479 --> 00:05:16,931 a widower nearly 20 years Deborah's senior. 96 00:05:17,008 --> 00:05:19,318 - Rudy was one of the most interesting men 97 00:05:19,394 --> 00:05:21,320 that I've ever been around. 98 00:05:21,396 --> 00:05:25,324 Um, you know, you meet him, he's not very tall, 99 00:05:25,400 --> 00:05:28,234 but he was tough as nails. 100 00:05:28,311 --> 00:05:31,446 - They did a dude ranch operation and then, you know, 101 00:05:31,523 --> 00:05:34,166 outfitting, which is taking hunters 102 00:05:34,242 --> 00:05:36,951 into the back country to hunt. 103 00:05:37,028 --> 00:05:40,121 - JACK: At that time, it was very profitable. 104 00:05:40,198 --> 00:05:44,084 Rudy had a fairly large lodge built 105 00:05:44,160 --> 00:05:48,004 on the, uh, property in addition to several cabins. 106 00:05:48,015 --> 00:05:51,091 - ♪ 107 00:05:51,167 --> 00:05:53,352 - NARRATOR: As Rudy approached his 70s, 108 00:05:53,428 --> 00:05:57,347 Deborah stepped in to help her boss manage the ranch. 109 00:05:57,358 --> 00:06:02,185 In 1993, she divorced Ray and made a surprise announcement 110 00:06:02,196 --> 00:06:04,029 to her family. 111 00:06:04,106 --> 00:06:06,365 - When Jake and Stephanie's mom and dad split, 112 00:06:06,441 --> 00:06:10,202 Deborah moved to marry Rudy. 113 00:06:10,278 --> 00:06:14,373 - Stephanie and Jake moved up here to Rudy's ranch. 114 00:06:14,449 --> 00:06:15,865 They were both young. 115 00:06:15,876 --> 00:06:18,377 I would say Jake was probably six. 116 00:06:18,453 --> 00:06:24,049 It surprised the whole family in the fact that, you know, 117 00:06:24,126 --> 00:06:28,128 Rudy was so much older than Deb, but Debbie seemed happy. 118 00:06:28,204 --> 00:06:32,224 - ♪ 119 00:06:32,300 --> 00:06:34,893 - NARRATOR: Deborah, Jake, and Stephanie all joined in 120 00:06:34,970 --> 00:06:37,396 to help Rudy manage the ranch. 121 00:06:37,472 --> 00:06:39,472 Deborah even homeschooled the kids 122 00:06:39,549 --> 00:06:42,475 to give them more time to pitch in. 123 00:06:42,552 --> 00:06:43,902 - Growing up on a ranch, 124 00:06:43,979 --> 00:06:46,354 Jake definitely had a strong work ethic. 125 00:06:46,431 --> 00:06:49,908 He was very responsible for his chores and his jobs. 126 00:06:49,985 --> 00:06:51,985 There was a couple times I helped him on the ranch 127 00:06:52,061 --> 00:06:55,196 with haying and stuff, and it's absolutely hard work. 128 00:06:55,273 --> 00:06:57,866 But Jake never complained about it. 129 00:06:57,942 --> 00:07:00,585 - DANA: Stephanie helped pack hunters in and out. 130 00:07:00,662 --> 00:07:03,037 She did that with Rudy. 131 00:07:03,114 --> 00:07:07,926 She is very good with animals and especially horses. 132 00:07:08,003 --> 00:07:10,211 Um, she's right at home in the saddle. 133 00:07:10,288 --> 00:07:12,264 - ♪ 134 00:07:12,340 --> 00:07:14,933 - NARRATOR: When Stephanie was just 18 years old, 135 00:07:15,010 --> 00:07:18,178 she met 19-year-old David Jackson, 136 00:07:18,254 --> 00:07:20,346 who worked on a traveling carnival that had made 137 00:07:20,423 --> 00:07:22,599 a stop in Gunnison. 138 00:07:22,609 --> 00:07:25,518 When the carnival left just three days later, 139 00:07:25,595 --> 00:07:28,229 David stayed behind. 140 00:07:28,306 --> 00:07:30,356 - JAMES: My impression of Dave, when we first met him, 141 00:07:30,433 --> 00:07:34,360 was that he was an odd guy to make such a drastic change 142 00:07:34,437 --> 00:07:37,906 in life by, you know, staying in a town with a girl 143 00:07:37,982 --> 00:07:41,075 you just met three days ago was a little odd. 144 00:07:41,152 --> 00:07:42,911 - NARRATOR: After a few months of dating, 145 00:07:42,987 --> 00:07:46,206 the young couple married in 2003. 146 00:07:46,282 --> 00:07:49,968 To help start her new life, Stephanie's stepdad, Rudy, 147 00:07:50,045 --> 00:07:53,638 allowed her to access her inheritance. 148 00:07:53,715 --> 00:07:57,133 - Rudy and Deb gave Stephanie $80,000 149 00:07:57,144 --> 00:07:59,052 so they could buy a home. 150 00:07:59,128 --> 00:08:00,645 - JESSICA: They didn't stay in Gunnison. 151 00:08:00,722 --> 00:08:04,149 They did take part of their inheritance and use that money 152 00:08:04,226 --> 00:08:06,359 to buy a residence in Denver. 153 00:08:09,681 --> 00:08:11,323 - NARRATOR: With his sister gone, 154 00:08:11,399 --> 00:08:14,150 Jake was expected to take on more responsibility 155 00:08:14,161 --> 00:08:15,944 at the ranch. 156 00:08:16,020 --> 00:08:20,448 In 2009, Rudy's health fell into a quick decline, 157 00:08:20,525 --> 00:08:23,076 and on November 16 of that year, 158 00:08:23,152 --> 00:08:26,329 the 85-year-old rancher passed away, 159 00:08:26,340 --> 00:08:30,342 leaving the 7-11 property to Deborah. 160 00:08:30,418 --> 00:08:34,128 - When Rudy passed away, I know it was hard for-- 161 00:08:34,205 --> 00:08:35,505 it was hard for everyone. It was hard for Jake. 162 00:08:35,516 --> 00:08:38,183 It was hard for Deb. 163 00:08:38,260 --> 00:08:40,260 - DANA: My sister went into a pretty deep depression. 164 00:08:40,336 --> 00:08:42,020 She withdrew from everybody. 165 00:08:42,097 --> 00:08:44,689 That was her life: the ranch. 166 00:08:44,766 --> 00:08:47,692 And no matter what, she didn't wanna let go of it. 167 00:08:47,769 --> 00:08:49,352 - NARRATOR: Managing the massive ranch 168 00:08:49,363 --> 00:08:53,022 with just two people wasn't easy. 169 00:08:53,033 --> 00:08:54,699 - JAMES: The hunting/guiding stopped. 170 00:08:54,776 --> 00:08:58,194 It seemed like things were always kind of going downhill 171 00:08:58,205 --> 00:08:59,988 from that point on. 172 00:09:00,064 --> 00:09:02,374 It was a lot of trying to keep their head above water. 173 00:09:02,450 --> 00:09:06,119 - ♪ 174 00:09:06,195 --> 00:09:09,330 - NARRATOR: By 2012, there were other big changes happening 175 00:09:09,407 --> 00:09:13,376 at the 7-11 Ranch when Stephanie announced that she, David, 176 00:09:13,387 --> 00:09:16,221 and their young son would be returning to town 177 00:09:16,298 --> 00:09:19,674 after being away for 8 years. 178 00:09:19,751 --> 00:09:22,176 - JACK: She wanted to move back to Gunnison, 179 00:09:22,253 --> 00:09:27,732 because she didn't want her--to raise her child, uh, in Denver. 180 00:09:27,809 --> 00:09:31,477 - JESSICA: Stephanie and David moved into an apartment in town. 181 00:09:31,554 --> 00:09:34,022 David began working mechanic shops. 182 00:09:34,098 --> 00:09:37,066 Stephanie Jackson began giving rides 183 00:09:37,077 --> 00:09:41,070 and helping Deb Rudibaugh run the guest ranch. 184 00:09:41,081 --> 00:09:44,082 - NARRATOR: With another set of hands to help out at the ranch, 185 00:09:44,159 --> 00:09:48,036 it seemed like Deborah and Jake finally had a chance to return 186 00:09:48,112 --> 00:09:51,423 7-11 to its former glory. 187 00:09:51,499 --> 00:09:53,758 - Jake had talked that he would probably end up 188 00:09:53,835 --> 00:09:56,595 staying on the ranch and he'd probably end up working it. 189 00:09:56,671 --> 00:09:59,339 Uh, he wasn't always fond of that idea, 190 00:09:59,415 --> 00:10:02,216 but it's what he knew and it's what he did well. 191 00:10:02,293 --> 00:10:05,762 I think he always felt just strong ties to the ranch. 192 00:10:05,772 --> 00:10:09,515 - ♪ 193 00:10:09,592 --> 00:10:12,444 - NARRATOR: Which is why Jake's friends are worried when Jake 194 00:10:12,520 --> 00:10:17,732 vanishes from the 7-11 Ranch in May of 2015. 195 00:10:17,809 --> 00:10:22,195 - He was not a--certainly not a spontaneous kinda person. 196 00:10:22,271 --> 00:10:25,624 It was just very out of character for Jake. 197 00:10:25,700 --> 00:10:30,629 - All of these things raised more suspicion in their mind 198 00:10:30,705 --> 00:10:34,049 that something sinister had happened to Jake. 199 00:10:36,452 --> 00:10:39,804 - NARRATOR: On May 20, 5 days since Jake's friends have heard 200 00:10:39,881 --> 00:10:43,642 from him, Randy Martinez and Nate Lopez meet with 201 00:10:43,718 --> 00:10:47,470 a Gunnison County detective to file a missing person's report 202 00:10:47,481 --> 00:10:49,648 for their friend. 203 00:10:49,724 --> 00:10:52,484 - JESSICA: This case started with his friends filing reports 204 00:10:52,560 --> 00:10:57,313 before the family had even acknowledged that he might have 205 00:10:57,324 --> 00:11:01,401 been missing, and that is odd for an investigation. 206 00:11:01,477 --> 00:11:04,162 - It was a huge red flag for a lot of people. 207 00:11:04,239 --> 00:11:07,332 - ♪ 208 00:11:07,409 --> 00:11:08,825 - NARRATOR: Coming up: 209 00:11:08,835 --> 00:11:13,329 A mother reveals details of her son's dark side. 210 00:11:13,340 --> 00:11:16,666 - She had found a marijuana grow on the ranch. 211 00:11:16,677 --> 00:11:19,585 - She feared that he had fallen into a group 212 00:11:19,662 --> 00:11:21,337 of bad people. 213 00:11:21,348 --> 00:11:23,640 - He's probably gotten in above his head. 214 00:11:26,428 --> 00:11:30,063 - ♪ 215 00:11:41,517 --> 00:11:45,653 - NARRATOR: On May 20, 2015, Randy Martinez and Nate Lopez 216 00:11:45,730 --> 00:11:49,365 have just filed a missing person's report for their friend 217 00:11:49,376 --> 00:11:54,495 and local rancher, 29-year-old Jake Millison. 218 00:11:54,572 --> 00:11:56,372 - JACK: They reported to the sheriff's office 219 00:11:56,383 --> 00:11:59,500 that Jake had not been seen for about a week, 220 00:11:59,577 --> 00:12:03,388 and they were concerned about where he was at. 221 00:12:03,465 --> 00:12:06,558 - ♪ 222 00:12:06,634 --> 00:12:09,394 - NARRATOR: Detectives agree to go speak with Jake's mother, 223 00:12:09,471 --> 00:12:15,475 Deborah Rudibaugh, owner of the nearby 7-11 Ranch. 224 00:12:15,551 --> 00:12:19,896 - She didn't remember the last time that she'd seen Jake. 225 00:12:19,906 --> 00:12:22,574 She didn't remember what day it was. 226 00:12:22,650 --> 00:12:25,985 - She informed law enforcement that Jacob had gone 227 00:12:26,062 --> 00:12:31,416 to Reno to participate in a training of some sort for MMA. 228 00:12:31,493 --> 00:12:32,751 She had a good reason why his friends 229 00:12:32,827 --> 00:12:34,827 couldn't get a hold of him. 230 00:12:34,904 --> 00:12:37,922 - She said he dropped his phone in an irrigation ditch 231 00:12:37,999 --> 00:12:41,751 and--on the way out of the house, 232 00:12:41,762 --> 00:12:46,264 and so that's why he wasn't able to answer his phone. 233 00:12:46,341 --> 00:12:47,766 - JACK: Deborah showed them his phone. 234 00:12:47,842 --> 00:12:51,936 She had that in a plastic bag with rice to draw out 235 00:12:52,013 --> 00:12:54,013 the--the moisture in the phone. 236 00:12:54,090 --> 00:12:58,267 They are reassured by Deborah that Jake is, uh, fine. 237 00:12:58,278 --> 00:13:00,612 It's not unusual for Jake to take trips 238 00:13:00,688 --> 00:13:03,022 and--and be gone for a while. 239 00:13:03,099 --> 00:13:07,401 So, at, at that point, that kind of puts law enforcement at ease 240 00:13:07,478 --> 00:13:11,697 that nothing unusual has happened to Jake. 241 00:13:11,774 --> 00:13:14,534 - ♪ 242 00:13:14,610 --> 00:13:17,703 - NARRATOR: But with no trace of Jake over the next few weeks, 243 00:13:17,780 --> 00:13:21,457 concern spreads, and two other groups of Jake's friends 244 00:13:21,468 --> 00:13:25,878 file their own missing person's reports. 245 00:13:25,955 --> 00:13:27,755 - CHRIS: It was a very unusual situation. 246 00:13:27,832 --> 00:13:31,634 The family was like, "No, no, no, he's fine, he'll come back 247 00:13:31,645 --> 00:13:35,313 some day, he frequently leaves and comes back." 248 00:13:35,390 --> 00:13:38,057 That simply wasn't true, and the friends knew it. 249 00:13:38,134 --> 00:13:41,394 It was really his friends that were very concerned, 250 00:13:41,470 --> 00:13:45,773 and they're the ones that really pushed for more investigation. 251 00:13:45,850 --> 00:13:48,660 - ♪ 252 00:13:48,736 --> 00:13:52,613 - NARRATOR: By August of 2015, now 3 months since Jake's 253 00:13:52,690 --> 00:13:55,950 disappearance, even Deborah Rudibaugh is beginning 254 00:13:56,027 --> 00:14:01,747 to express concern over her 29-year-old son's whereabouts. 255 00:14:01,824 --> 00:14:04,333 - CHRIS: She had filed a missing person's report 256 00:14:04,344 --> 00:14:06,586 because he had been gone way too long. 257 00:14:06,662 --> 00:14:09,338 You know, a mother wants to know where her child is. 258 00:14:09,349 --> 00:14:12,350 It's interesting, though, because he disappeared in May, 259 00:14:12,427 --> 00:14:14,760 and she didn't file it until August. 260 00:14:14,837 --> 00:14:17,930 - ♪ 261 00:14:18,007 --> 00:14:20,859 - NARRATOR: During the meeting, Deborah says that since joining 262 00:14:20,935 --> 00:14:25,771 the MMA gym in Gunnison, Jake had changed. 263 00:14:25,848 --> 00:14:29,108 - Deb Rudibaugh begins to describe Jacob 264 00:14:29,185 --> 00:14:34,697 as lazy on the ranch and not helping her as much. 265 00:14:34,708 --> 00:14:38,042 She makes it clear that the ranch is not doing as well. 266 00:14:38,119 --> 00:14:39,994 - CHRIS: He would stay out all night. 267 00:14:40,071 --> 00:14:44,048 She said that she had found a marijuana grow on the ranch. 268 00:14:44,125 --> 00:14:46,426 Deb thought perhaps he was selling drugs. 269 00:14:48,889 --> 00:14:52,632 - NARRATOR: Deborah says that on May 24, 2015, 270 00:14:52,708 --> 00:14:56,677 she and Jake had fought about his behavior. 271 00:14:56,754 --> 00:14:58,679 - JACK: She reported that they'd had an argument 272 00:14:58,756 --> 00:15:02,901 over the direction Jake was taking with his life. 273 00:15:02,977 --> 00:15:04,977 - She felt like he was close to 30 years old, 274 00:15:05,054 --> 00:15:07,739 and he needed to get out and get a real job, 275 00:15:07,815 --> 00:15:11,409 because the ranch wasn't a moneymaker at that point. 276 00:15:11,486 --> 00:15:13,986 - NARRATOR: Deborah says that Jake had stormed out, 277 00:15:14,063 --> 00:15:18,416 telling her he was going to a MMA match in Reno. 278 00:15:18,493 --> 00:15:22,036 But Deborah hadn't told deputies that Jake had come back 279 00:15:22,113 --> 00:15:26,040 on May 31 with a friend. 280 00:15:26,117 --> 00:15:28,501 - She classified it as one of Jake's friends, 281 00:15:28,577 --> 00:15:30,595 but not a local friend. 282 00:15:30,672 --> 00:15:35,174 She said the friend's name might've been, uh, Mike or Matt. 283 00:15:35,251 --> 00:15:37,426 But that's all she knew. 284 00:15:37,437 --> 00:15:41,555 She said that Jake gathered up a lot of camping equipment. 285 00:15:41,632 --> 00:15:45,017 - Deb Rudibaugh made it clear that the supplies that 286 00:15:45,094 --> 00:15:49,063 Jacob took with him were for an extended period of time. 287 00:15:49,140 --> 00:15:52,608 That she was not expecting him back any time soon 288 00:15:52,619 --> 00:15:54,911 nor did she have any idea where he was at. 289 00:15:58,941 --> 00:16:01,701 - NARRATOR: But now that he's been gone for three months, 290 00:16:01,777 --> 00:16:05,121 Deborah says she fears the worst. 291 00:16:05,131 --> 00:16:10,042 - She feared that he had fallen into a group of bad people. 292 00:16:10,119 --> 00:16:11,052 - KRISTY: When they were asking her, 293 00:16:12,363 --> 00:16:12,845 "So, what do you think's happened to Jacob?" 294 00:16:13,956 --> 00:16:14,681 And she said, "Well, I don't know. 295 00:16:16,125 --> 00:16:18,050 He's probably gotten in above his head somewhere." 296 00:16:18,127 --> 00:16:20,094 - NARRATOR: Despite Deborah's suspicions, 297 00:16:20,171 --> 00:16:22,596 investigators have no solid leads 298 00:16:22,673 --> 00:16:25,024 to uncovering Jake's whereabouts. 299 00:16:28,846 --> 00:16:31,605 - They did put out an all attempts to see if there-- 300 00:16:31,682 --> 00:16:35,151 any law enforcement agency had come into contact with Jake, 301 00:16:35,161 --> 00:16:38,830 uh, either in--uh, in Nevada, or nationwide. 302 00:16:38,906 --> 00:16:44,002 No indication of any use of any, ah, credit cards, uh, 303 00:16:44,078 --> 00:16:49,081 Social Security numbers or anything, ah, like that. 304 00:16:49,158 --> 00:16:50,842 - They just could not find a hit on Jacob 305 00:16:50,918 --> 00:16:52,051 throughout the country. 306 00:16:54,014 --> 00:16:55,755 - NARRATOR: Two more months go by 307 00:16:55,831 --> 00:16:58,758 and there is still no sign of Jake. 308 00:16:58,834 --> 00:17:02,261 Then, on October 15, "The Gunnison County Times" 309 00:17:02,338 --> 00:17:04,689 runs an article about Jake's case, 310 00:17:04,766 --> 00:17:08,601 written by journalist Chris Rourke. 311 00:17:08,677 --> 00:17:12,021 - I shared with the community the friends' concern 312 00:17:12,032 --> 00:17:15,191 about Jake's disappearance, but I also gave Deb's side 313 00:17:15,201 --> 00:17:18,778 of the story, and she claimed he was involved in drugs 314 00:17:18,854 --> 00:17:21,706 and had just run off in the middle of the night. 315 00:17:21,783 --> 00:17:24,116 - Deb made some implications that that would-- 316 00:17:24,193 --> 00:17:26,619 could have what led to his disappearances 317 00:17:26,695 --> 00:17:29,121 and that he had a pretty dark side. 318 00:17:29,198 --> 00:17:31,665 - ♪ 319 00:17:31,742 --> 00:17:34,126 - NARRATOR: Shortly after the article's release, Jake's 320 00:17:34,203 --> 00:17:39,298 friends contact the Gunnison County Sheriff's Office. 321 00:17:39,375 --> 00:17:41,559 - CHRIS: Jake's friends were pretty upset. 322 00:17:41,636 --> 00:17:43,969 They insisted that what Deb Rudibaugh was telling 323 00:17:44,046 --> 00:17:47,306 was not the truth. 324 00:17:47,383 --> 00:17:50,059 - The fact that, uh, Deb was portraying him as someone 325 00:17:50,070 --> 00:17:52,978 that's doing cocaine and drinking all the time, 326 00:17:53,055 --> 00:17:54,814 that's just--that's ludicrous. 327 00:17:54,890 --> 00:17:58,317 Anyone that saw him at the bars knew that he just drank a Coke. 328 00:17:58,394 --> 00:18:00,986 - NARRATOR: Jake's friends also tell investigators that when 329 00:18:01,063 --> 00:18:04,323 Jake first went missing, they created a Facebook group 330 00:18:04,400 --> 00:18:07,201 dedicated to finding him. 331 00:18:07,278 --> 00:18:11,163 Over the last few months, some disturbing stories about Jake's 332 00:18:11,240 --> 00:18:15,218 brother-in-law, David Jackson, have trickled in online. 333 00:18:16,838 --> 00:18:19,338 - JESSICA: A couple weeks after Jacob's disappearance, 334 00:18:19,415 --> 00:18:22,174 David Jackson posted a picture 335 00:18:22,251 --> 00:18:26,729 of Jacob's Harley on Facebook... 336 00:18:29,633 --> 00:18:31,767 and that was a huge red flag. 337 00:18:31,778 --> 00:18:34,937 That Harley was his pride and joy. 338 00:18:34,948 --> 00:18:37,690 He did not let anyone else ride it, touch it, 339 00:18:37,766 --> 00:18:39,608 do anything with it. 340 00:18:39,619 --> 00:18:41,193 - In this particular case, 341 00:18:41,270 --> 00:18:44,280 I think this is something that changed the direction 342 00:18:44,290 --> 00:18:46,365 of the investigation. 343 00:18:46,442 --> 00:18:48,367 - DAN: We have facts like the motorcycle, 344 00:18:48,444 --> 00:18:50,870 really make you think the family 345 00:18:50,946 --> 00:18:54,081 knows more than they're telling law enforcement. 346 00:18:54,158 --> 00:18:57,710 - ♪ 347 00:18:57,786 --> 00:18:59,253 - NARRATOR: Coming up: 348 00:18:59,330 --> 00:19:04,383 Detectives uncover a decade-long rivalry turned violent. 349 00:19:04,460 --> 00:19:07,887 - JACK: Jake walked away from the, uh, altercation 350 00:19:07,963 --> 00:19:10,222 but did file a restraining order. 351 00:19:10,299 --> 00:19:11,765 - NARRATOR: And a search warrant flushes 352 00:19:11,842 --> 00:19:15,060 an unlikely suspect out of the brush. 353 00:19:15,137 --> 00:19:17,071 - It was at that point that she confessed. 354 00:19:18,307 --> 00:19:21,617 - ♪ 355 00:19:30,336 --> 00:19:31,627 - ♪ 356 00:19:33,080 --> 00:19:33,296 - NARRATOR: Gunnison County sheriff's investigators 357 00:19:34,916 --> 00:19:37,842 have just learned of a potential new suspect in the disappearance 358 00:19:37,919 --> 00:19:42,129 of Jake Millison: his brother-in-law David Jackson, 359 00:19:42,206 --> 00:19:43,964 who'd been spotted around town 360 00:19:44,041 --> 00:19:47,852 on Jake's cherished motorcycle. 361 00:19:47,929 --> 00:19:50,012 - Given the information that had been provided 362 00:19:50,023 --> 00:19:53,098 to law enforcement, that Jake had simply taken a trip, 363 00:19:53,175 --> 00:19:58,029 it made no sense that David would be using Jake's vehicles. 364 00:20:00,349 --> 00:20:03,359 - Nobody got to, uh, get near the sportster, 365 00:20:03,369 --> 00:20:07,821 and that was kinda like his baby and his prize possession. 366 00:20:07,898 --> 00:20:09,123 He wouldn't even let me touch that bike, 367 00:20:10,768 --> 00:20:13,494 so I can't imagine the person that he doesn't get along with 368 00:20:13,570 --> 00:20:17,840 would be allowed to ride it and take pictures with it. 369 00:20:19,794 --> 00:20:22,169 - NARRATOR: Friends say that Jake and David's relationship 370 00:20:22,246 --> 00:20:24,797 only got worse when Stephanie and David 371 00:20:24,873 --> 00:20:28,342 moved back to Gunnison in 2012. 372 00:20:28,419 --> 00:20:32,137 - DANA: Deb was gonna leave that ranch to her grandson. 373 00:20:32,214 --> 00:20:36,016 So, she wanted to hang on to it at all cost and that's what 374 00:20:36,093 --> 00:20:40,521 drew Stephanie to move back onto the ranch, I believe. 375 00:20:40,597 --> 00:20:43,065 - JAMES: There was always a lot of tension between Dave 376 00:20:43,076 --> 00:20:46,151 maybe not doing his share of the work or, uh, 377 00:20:46,228 --> 00:20:49,029 Dave not feeling that Jake was doing his share of the work. 378 00:20:49,106 --> 00:20:50,531 - DANA: I know they were continually arguing 379 00:20:50,607 --> 00:20:52,366 about things on the ranch. 380 00:20:52,443 --> 00:20:56,537 Dave was trying to just take control and do 381 00:20:56,613 --> 00:21:00,091 whatever he wanted, and Jake was supposed to, you know, 382 00:21:00,167 --> 00:21:01,834 be in charge of it. 383 00:21:01,910 --> 00:21:04,878 - ♪ 384 00:21:04,955 --> 00:21:06,138 - NARRATOR: According to friends, 385 00:21:07,658 --> 00:21:11,427 the feud finally came to a head in the winter of 2012. 386 00:21:11,437 --> 00:21:14,388 - JESSICA: Jacob Millison was plowing the snow on the ranch 387 00:21:14,465 --> 00:21:17,224 and had somehow blocked in David's vehicle 388 00:21:17,301 --> 00:21:22,021 and an argument between the two of them started. 389 00:21:22,097 --> 00:21:26,358 Jacob describes the incident at that point as it got heated, 390 00:21:26,435 --> 00:21:28,569 that David Jackson brandished a firearm to him 391 00:21:28,645 --> 00:21:30,279 in a threatening manner. 392 00:21:30,290 --> 00:21:33,240 - ♪ 393 00:21:33,317 --> 00:21:36,535 - JACK: Jake walked away from the altercation, 394 00:21:36,612 --> 00:21:40,080 but did file a restraining order on David. 395 00:21:40,157 --> 00:21:42,800 Jake had told his friends, "If anything ever happens to me, 396 00:21:42,877 --> 00:21:44,385 look at my brother-in-law." 397 00:21:47,381 --> 00:21:49,423 - CHRIS: Jake definitely thought he was in danger. 398 00:21:49,500 --> 00:21:54,094 It tells you that he was concerned. 399 00:21:54,171 --> 00:21:55,929 - For Jacob to make the statement, 400 00:21:56,006 --> 00:21:59,933 "If anything happens to me, it was David," 401 00:22:00,010 --> 00:22:02,102 that's a very powerful statement. 402 00:22:02,179 --> 00:22:03,896 But at that point, we had no evidence 403 00:22:03,972 --> 00:22:06,490 to point directly at David. 404 00:22:09,236 --> 00:22:12,830 - NARRATOR: In April of 2016, nearly a year after 405 00:22:12,907 --> 00:22:16,500 Jake's disappearance, David's friend, Jeremy MacDonald, 406 00:22:16,577 --> 00:22:19,912 moved to the ranch to help out. 407 00:22:19,988 --> 00:22:24,175 - I met Dave when we were like nine years old, 408 00:22:24,251 --> 00:22:26,344 and we just ended up being good friends. 409 00:22:26,420 --> 00:22:29,963 Dave sent me a message around end of 2015, he started telling 410 00:22:30,040 --> 00:22:32,591 me, "Hey, you should move on out here, 411 00:22:32,668 --> 00:22:36,020 help us take over the ranch, and get it going again." 412 00:22:36,097 --> 00:22:39,973 So, I drove to Gunnison, Colorado, on the hope 413 00:22:40,050 --> 00:22:41,984 that we were going to be able to make something great. 414 00:22:45,389 --> 00:22:47,481 - NARRATOR: That same year, Deborah Rudibaugh 415 00:22:47,558 --> 00:22:51,151 receives a grim diagnosis. 416 00:22:51,228 --> 00:22:54,163 - CHRIS: Deb had stage four breast cancer. 417 00:22:56,209 --> 00:23:01,328 The chances of her living a long life were not good. 418 00:23:01,405 --> 00:23:04,498 - NARRATOR: As the 7-11 Ranch prepares for a future without 419 00:23:04,575 --> 00:23:08,052 its matriarch, investigators work to ensure that 420 00:23:08,129 --> 00:23:12,890 Jake's whereabouts are uncovered in Deb's lifetime. 421 00:23:12,967 --> 00:23:16,227 - JESSICA: Investigations like this take a great deal of time. 422 00:23:16,303 --> 00:23:19,513 The last time that Jacob Millison was seen alive 423 00:23:19,590 --> 00:23:21,565 was on the 7-11 Ranch. 424 00:23:21,642 --> 00:23:25,686 And when we got to the point that we were ready to search 425 00:23:25,762 --> 00:23:28,522 the property, and we knew that that's what needed to be done, 426 00:23:28,599 --> 00:23:31,075 there was a search warrant that was created, 427 00:23:31,152 --> 00:23:33,986 and we knew that the chances of finding Jacob alive 428 00:23:34,062 --> 00:23:36,288 were just not great at that point. 429 00:23:40,736 --> 00:23:45,664 - NARRATOR: On July 17, 2017, over 2 years since Jake 430 00:23:45,741 --> 00:23:50,210 was last seen alive, a team of local and state law enforcement 431 00:23:50,287 --> 00:23:54,089 arrives at the 7-11 Ranch. 432 00:23:54,100 --> 00:23:56,600 - I'd say there's probably seven different officers there. 433 00:23:56,677 --> 00:24:02,556 As we're walking up, I see investigators questioning Deb. 434 00:24:02,633 --> 00:24:05,609 - The sheriff's office and CBI met with Deborah to 435 00:24:05,686 --> 00:24:09,280 advise her that we had a search warrant for the property. 436 00:24:09,356 --> 00:24:14,693 She first denies any knowledge that Jake is--is on the ranch. 437 00:24:14,770 --> 00:24:17,196 - JESSICA: At that point, they explained to her that 438 00:24:17,272 --> 00:24:19,740 the cadaver dog teams would be brought in 439 00:24:19,816 --> 00:24:23,076 and that a full search would be done. 440 00:24:23,153 --> 00:24:26,422 And it was at that point that she confessed to killing Jacob. 441 00:24:30,160 --> 00:24:32,586 - DANA: That was devastating. 442 00:24:32,663 --> 00:24:38,258 I just didn't know what to say, what to think. 443 00:24:38,335 --> 00:24:40,636 That's my nephew and that's my sister. 444 00:24:40,646 --> 00:24:42,596 It took me out at the knees. 445 00:24:42,673 --> 00:24:45,599 - ♪ 446 00:24:45,676 --> 00:24:48,101 - NARRATOR: Deborah tells law enforcement that in the months 447 00:24:48,178 --> 00:24:51,438 before Jake's death, she and her son had fought about 448 00:24:51,515 --> 00:24:55,108 who would inherit the ranch. 449 00:24:55,185 --> 00:24:58,320 - Deb had described that Jacob felt that the ranch 450 00:24:58,331 --> 00:25:03,116 was supposed to be left to him when Deb passed away. 451 00:25:03,193 --> 00:25:05,285 - Jake felt he had more of a claim to the ranch, 452 00:25:05,362 --> 00:25:08,622 especially since Rudy had given already a bunch of money 453 00:25:08,699 --> 00:25:10,674 to Dave and Stephanie to buy a house, 454 00:25:10,751 --> 00:25:13,385 and continued to work on the ranch, even when Steph was gone. 455 00:25:16,682 --> 00:25:20,342 - NARRATOR: Deborah says that by mid-May of 2015, 456 00:25:20,353 --> 00:25:26,139 their dispute took a turn in a terrifying new direction. 457 00:25:26,216 --> 00:25:29,685 - JESSICA: They had gotten into some argument, 458 00:25:29,695 --> 00:25:31,812 and Jacob was upset with her. 459 00:25:31,888 --> 00:25:35,816 He had come into her room and had threatened her 460 00:25:35,892 --> 00:25:38,819 and then had turned and left and went to bed. 461 00:25:38,895 --> 00:25:43,782 She had decided that night that it was either her or him. 462 00:25:43,859 --> 00:25:48,379 - So, she took her Ladysmith .357 magnum, 463 00:25:48,455 --> 00:25:51,498 walked up the stairs when he was asleep, 464 00:25:51,575 --> 00:25:53,717 shot him in the head and killed him. 465 00:25:53,794 --> 00:25:55,836 - ♪ 466 00:25:55,912 --> 00:25:57,513 - [gunshot blasts] 467 00:25:59,583 --> 00:26:02,175 - NARRATOR: Deborah says that after killing Jake, 468 00:26:02,252 --> 00:26:04,845 she started planning how she was going to dispose 469 00:26:04,921 --> 00:26:07,514 of her son's body. 470 00:26:07,591 --> 00:26:10,684 - JACK: She said she went upstairs and that she rolled him 471 00:26:10,761 --> 00:26:13,687 onto plastic, wrapped him in plastic, 472 00:26:13,764 --> 00:26:18,734 cinched him up in a fetal position with a rope, 473 00:26:18,744 --> 00:26:22,746 used a winch to drag his body to the head of the stairs, 474 00:26:22,823 --> 00:26:26,742 slid him down the stairs, and then drug him out of the lodge, 475 00:26:26,752 --> 00:26:30,421 by use of, uh, the ATV and a winch, 476 00:26:30,497 --> 00:26:32,590 and buried the body in the manure pile. 477 00:26:37,245 --> 00:26:39,671 She just points over from the corral fence and says, 478 00:26:39,748 --> 00:26:42,507 "That's where he's at." 479 00:26:42,584 --> 00:26:44,259 - They found Jacob's body 480 00:26:44,270 --> 00:26:48,263 about six feet deep in the corral. 481 00:26:48,274 --> 00:26:51,150 He was wrapped in plastic and a tarp. 482 00:26:55,430 --> 00:26:58,282 - NARRATOR: CBI agents and the Gunnison County Sheriff's Office 483 00:26:58,359 --> 00:27:00,618 continue their search of the property 484 00:27:00,694 --> 00:27:04,288 without arresting Deborah. 485 00:27:04,365 --> 00:27:07,783 - JACK: Because of the speedy trial rule in Colorado, 486 00:27:07,793 --> 00:27:11,286 once a person's arrested, the time starts ticking 487 00:27:11,297 --> 00:27:14,539 in terms of discovery issues to defense, et cetera. 488 00:27:14,616 --> 00:27:19,803 We had more to gain by not arresting her and continuing 489 00:27:19,880 --> 00:27:24,383 to investigate than we did by arresting her and then having 490 00:27:24,459 --> 00:27:28,261 the, uh, speedy trial clock start running. 491 00:27:28,338 --> 00:27:32,483 - It was unclear to us the extent of other people's 492 00:27:32,559 --> 00:27:37,312 involvement in both the murder of Jacob 493 00:27:37,323 --> 00:27:41,608 but also the cover-up of evidence. 494 00:27:41,685 --> 00:27:44,662 We were highly suspicious of any and all information 495 00:27:44,738 --> 00:27:46,279 coming from Deb Rudibaugh. 496 00:27:46,356 --> 00:27:49,616 - ♪ 497 00:27:49,693 --> 00:27:51,618 - NARRATOR: Although Deborah claims that she threw 498 00:27:51,695 --> 00:27:54,746 the murder weapon into a nearby lake, detectives 499 00:27:54,823 --> 00:28:00,335 find a gun under her bed that matches her earlier description. 500 00:28:00,346 --> 00:28:04,464 - She talked about how she alone had removed Jacob's body 501 00:28:04,541 --> 00:28:07,676 from his bedroom where she had shot him. 502 00:28:07,687 --> 00:28:09,302 Things aren't adding up. 503 00:28:09,379 --> 00:28:11,847 - ♪ 504 00:28:11,857 --> 00:28:13,265 - NARRATOR: Coming up: 505 00:28:13,341 --> 00:28:15,642 With Deborah's story falling short, 506 00:28:15,719 --> 00:28:19,154 detectives suspect there's more to be uncovered. 507 00:28:26,521 --> 00:28:29,665 - ♪ 508 00:28:39,885 --> 00:28:42,794 - NARRATOR: July 17, 2017. 509 00:28:42,871 --> 00:28:46,715 Deborah Rudibaugh's confession of her son's murder has left 510 00:28:46,726 --> 00:28:49,342 investigators with lingering questions over 511 00:28:49,419 --> 00:28:53,388 whether or not she acted alone. 512 00:28:53,399 --> 00:28:56,734 - JACK: He was in an upstairs loft of the lodge, 513 00:28:56,810 --> 00:29:02,406 and she was a very petite woman, weighing less than 90 pounds. 514 00:29:02,483 --> 00:29:07,068 So, it was clear to us there was no way that Deborah could roll 515 00:29:07,079 --> 00:29:12,750 a 185--90-pound body off the mattress and drag it out. 516 00:29:12,826 --> 00:29:16,411 If she did it, she did not do it alone. 517 00:29:16,422 --> 00:29:18,997 - NARRATOR: While teams continue to search the massive ranch 518 00:29:19,074 --> 00:29:23,376 for clues, detectives separate and interview Deb's daughter, 519 00:29:23,453 --> 00:29:27,380 Stephanie Jackson, and her husband, David. 520 00:29:27,457 --> 00:29:29,382 - JESSICA: By the time they interviewed David, 521 00:29:29,459 --> 00:29:33,604 Deb had already confessed, he described being shocked, 522 00:29:33,680 --> 00:29:39,392 he couldn't believe that, um, Jacob was on the ranch. 523 00:29:39,469 --> 00:29:42,354 - He denied any knowledge of knowing 524 00:29:42,430 --> 00:29:44,773 anything about Jake's murder. 525 00:29:44,784 --> 00:29:47,067 - David Jackson had described that he was not in town 526 00:29:47,143 --> 00:29:50,111 the evening that Jacob went missing, 527 00:29:50,122 --> 00:29:52,372 that he was in Denver. 528 00:29:55,369 --> 00:29:57,786 - NARRATOR: When detectives ask about Jake's restraining order 529 00:29:57,797 --> 00:30:01,414 filed in 2012, David insists 530 00:30:01,491 --> 00:30:04,584 the incident was a misunderstanding. 531 00:30:04,661 --> 00:30:07,379 - He refuted the allegation that he had pulled 532 00:30:07,455 --> 00:30:10,882 a gun on Jake, saying only that he was wearing a gun 533 00:30:10,959 --> 00:30:13,885 and that Jake had saw the gun. 534 00:30:13,962 --> 00:30:15,595 - JESSICA: It is his statement that he never meant 535 00:30:15,672 --> 00:30:18,640 to intimidate or threaten Jacob with the gun 536 00:30:18,651 --> 00:30:19,650 during that incident. 537 00:30:23,989 --> 00:30:26,815 - NARRATOR: In a nearby room, detectives break the news 538 00:30:26,826 --> 00:30:30,443 of Deborah's confession to Stephanie. 539 00:30:30,520 --> 00:30:34,990 - She began to cry and got very upset, 540 00:30:35,000 --> 00:30:36,959 and was very, very emotional. 541 00:30:40,506 --> 00:30:43,164 - NARRATOR: Stephanie says that although the siblings disagreed 542 00:30:43,175 --> 00:30:47,085 about the ranch, she would never want Jake hurt. 543 00:30:47,162 --> 00:30:49,170 But detectives are taken aback 544 00:30:49,181 --> 00:30:52,924 when Stephanie asks an unusual question. 545 00:30:53,001 --> 00:30:56,970 - At one point, she responded with confusion or, 546 00:30:57,047 --> 00:31:00,691 I guess, bewilderment, at how Mom got Jacob out of the house. 547 00:31:01,885 --> 00:31:03,101 - JACK: And at that point in time, 548 00:31:03,178 --> 00:31:05,571 no one had told her where Jake had been killed. 549 00:31:08,775 --> 00:31:10,650 - JESSICA: So, that really stuck out in their mind that 550 00:31:10,727 --> 00:31:14,529 she knew a lot more than she was telling at that point and that 551 00:31:14,540 --> 00:31:17,624 we would definitely have to do some further investigation. 552 00:31:19,620 --> 00:31:22,537 - NARRATOR: Detectives start by issuing subpoenas for David 553 00:31:22,548 --> 00:31:27,000 and Stephanie's cell phone and social media records. 554 00:31:27,077 --> 00:31:29,553 - Law enforcement did learn fairly early on 555 00:31:29,630 --> 00:31:31,889 that David had an alibi. 556 00:31:31,965 --> 00:31:34,057 So, we were able to confirm that, yeah, 557 00:31:34,134 --> 00:31:40,013 he was in Denver at the time of the disappearance. 558 00:31:40,090 --> 00:31:44,476 - NARRATOR: Stephanie's phone records aren't so clear cut. 559 00:31:44,552 --> 00:31:47,729 - So, out at the ranch, there is no cell service. 560 00:31:47,740 --> 00:31:51,650 It's one of the few places I think left that you cannot do 561 00:31:51,726 --> 00:31:53,869 a cell phone ping to figure out where people are. 562 00:31:56,773 --> 00:31:59,032 - NARRATOR: Detectives turn to Stephanie's social media 563 00:31:59,109 --> 00:32:04,913 accounts and something in May of 2015 catches their attention. 564 00:32:04,924 --> 00:32:07,749 - On the 19th, Stephanie posted, 565 00:32:07,760 --> 00:32:10,585 "Have you ever been woken up with such awesome news 566 00:32:10,596 --> 00:32:12,763 that you wanted to run outside screaming?" 567 00:32:15,100 --> 00:32:19,761 - It was just within hours after Jake went missing, 568 00:32:19,772 --> 00:32:22,764 which we later found out was when he died. 569 00:32:22,775 --> 00:32:24,775 It's very suspicious. 570 00:32:24,851 --> 00:32:30,563 In my opinion, it indicates that all of a sudden... 571 00:32:30,640 --> 00:32:32,741 life got better for her because Jake was gone. 572 00:32:35,937 --> 00:32:39,072 - JESSICA: They do ultimately find a will. 573 00:32:39,149 --> 00:32:43,284 It leaves the ranch solely to Stephanie Jackson and it was 574 00:32:43,295 --> 00:32:48,873 dated late April, just within two weeks of Jacob's murder. 575 00:32:48,950 --> 00:32:53,294 - That will was posted by Stephanie at the end of April 576 00:32:53,305 --> 00:32:56,640 to some of her social friends, where she was, uh, 577 00:32:56,717 --> 00:32:59,977 claiming that she was now the sole heir to the ranch. 578 00:33:03,649 --> 00:33:06,057 - NARRATOR: In search of hard evidence linking Stephanie 579 00:33:06,134 --> 00:33:10,770 to the murder, detectives turn to Jake's autopsy. 580 00:33:10,847 --> 00:33:13,815 - JACK: The autopsy was consistent with Deb's story that 581 00:33:13,826 --> 00:33:16,901 he was shot while he was asleep laying in his bed. 582 00:33:16,978 --> 00:33:21,156 And the bullet did not exit, it remained in the skull. 583 00:33:21,166 --> 00:33:24,617 - After the autopsy, we were able to retrieve 584 00:33:24,694 --> 00:33:28,163 the bullet, um, from Jacob's skull, and was able to do 585 00:33:28,173 --> 00:33:30,623 a ballistic test with the Smith and Wesson 586 00:33:30,700 --> 00:33:32,751 that was found at the Rudibaugh home. 587 00:33:32,827 --> 00:33:34,636 We determined it was the murder weapon. 588 00:33:38,925 --> 00:33:42,677 - NARRATOR: In July 2017, detectives ask Stephanie 589 00:33:42,688 --> 00:33:45,180 and David to take a polygraph. 590 00:33:45,190 --> 00:33:46,815 Both of them agree. 591 00:33:59,229 --> 00:34:02,831 - NARRATOR: Like his wife, David also denies involvement. 592 00:34:15,912 --> 00:34:18,630 - NARRATOR: But the couple's united front has no bearing 593 00:34:18,706 --> 00:34:21,716 on the results of the polygraph test. 594 00:34:21,727 --> 00:34:23,843 - Both David and Stephanie 595 00:34:23,920 --> 00:34:28,139 were found to be deceptive. 596 00:34:28,216 --> 00:34:30,734 - NARRATOR: Detectives confront them with the results. 597 00:34:45,417 --> 00:34:47,742 - He stayed adamant the entire time though, 598 00:34:47,753 --> 00:34:50,078 he had no idea that Jacob was going to be killed 599 00:34:50,089 --> 00:34:51,963 or exactly what took place. 600 00:34:54,927 --> 00:34:58,837 - NARRATOR: But he admits that he did know Jake was dead. 601 00:34:58,913 --> 00:35:03,716 In June 2017, he and his farmhand, Jeremy MacDonald, 602 00:35:03,793 --> 00:35:05,927 had been working in the corral when they made 603 00:35:05,938 --> 00:35:08,888 a gruesome discovery. 604 00:35:08,965 --> 00:35:12,267 - JEREMY: We were just cleaning out some of the corrals and 605 00:35:12,277 --> 00:35:16,104 Dave was out on a skid loader moving some manure, 606 00:35:16,115 --> 00:35:17,689 and Steph was back there with him. 607 00:35:18,951 --> 00:35:23,120 Well, I heard the skid loader shut down and walked back there 608 00:35:23,196 --> 00:35:28,283 and there was Dave and Steph standing over the pile of manure 609 00:35:28,293 --> 00:35:34,131 and I could see basically the upper torso and ribcage 610 00:35:34,207 --> 00:35:36,875 wrapped in plastic. 611 00:35:36,951 --> 00:35:40,920 Steph turned to instant panic 612 00:35:40,997 --> 00:35:44,975 and started just kind of screaming, yelling 613 00:35:45,051 --> 00:35:47,144 um, "Just cover it up, Dave, cover it up!" 614 00:35:47,220 --> 00:35:48,720 And "I'm--I'm going to call Mom," 615 00:35:48,796 --> 00:35:50,313 and she took off running into the house. 616 00:35:50,390 --> 00:35:55,476 And uh, Steph comes back out maybe ten minutes later. 617 00:35:55,487 --> 00:35:57,312 "Just leave it alone, just leave it alone. 618 00:35:57,322 --> 00:36:01,316 "Mom said it's uh, illegal wild game that Jake shot, 619 00:36:01,326 --> 00:36:02,826 like a bear." 620 00:36:37,029 --> 00:36:42,148 - David would not commit to who he thought killed Jacob, 621 00:36:42,225 --> 00:36:45,985 however he was highly suspicious that Stephanie 622 00:36:46,062 --> 00:36:48,488 may have killed Jacob. 623 00:36:48,564 --> 00:36:50,531 - JEREMY: It very quickly, to me, 624 00:36:50,542 --> 00:36:53,877 became apparent that Steph knew a lot more than she was 625 00:36:53,954 --> 00:36:57,997 letting me or Dave or anybody else know. 626 00:36:58,074 --> 00:37:01,876 - ♪ 627 00:37:01,887 --> 00:37:03,211 - NARRATOR: Coming up: 628 00:37:03,222 --> 00:37:06,881 Is Deborah taking the fall for her daughter? 629 00:37:06,892 --> 00:37:09,893 - It was Stephanie who was in charge. 630 00:37:09,970 --> 00:37:12,804 Stephanie is the one who gave the orders. 631 00:37:12,880 --> 00:37:15,899 - She was really the controlling force. 632 00:37:15,976 --> 00:37:18,476 - I didn't know what to think. 633 00:37:18,553 --> 00:37:22,906 It was definitely, uh, uncomfortable. 634 00:37:24,409 --> 00:37:28,036 - ♪ 635 00:37:38,114 --> 00:37:39,297 - NARRATOR: After failing a polygraph, 636 00:37:40,984 --> 00:37:43,084 David Jackson has admitted to investigators that he believes 637 00:37:43,095 --> 00:37:46,930 his wife, Stephanie Jackson, may have murdered her brother, 638 00:37:47,007 --> 00:37:49,048 Jake Millison. 639 00:37:49,125 --> 00:37:52,352 In another room, detectives confront Stephanie. 640 00:37:54,014 --> 00:37:56,940 - JESSICA: Stephanie admitted to knowing that Jacob's body 641 00:37:57,017 --> 00:37:58,942 was in the manure pile. 642 00:37:59,019 --> 00:38:02,487 But she didn't know that she was help covering up until later on. 643 00:38:57,193 --> 00:38:59,169 - NARRATOR: With Stephanie stonewalling, 644 00:38:59,245 --> 00:39:02,172 detectives turn to the final resident of the ranch 645 00:39:02,248 --> 00:39:07,418 they haven't spoken to: farmhand, Jeremy MacDonald. 646 00:39:07,495 --> 00:39:11,014 - During our interview, MacDonald was the one that gave 647 00:39:11,091 --> 00:39:16,344 us the dynamic of the family 648 00:39:16,355 --> 00:39:17,637 and basically told us 649 00:39:17,713 --> 00:39:21,015 that it was Stephanie who was in charge. 650 00:39:21,026 --> 00:39:23,485 Stephanie is the one who gave the orders. 651 00:39:24,679 --> 00:39:28,648 - Steph would sit inside and... 652 00:39:28,724 --> 00:39:30,316 tell everybody what to do. 653 00:39:30,393 --> 00:39:33,036 She wanted everybody else to do everything for her, 654 00:39:33,113 --> 00:39:35,696 so she was pretty controlling. 655 00:39:35,707 --> 00:39:38,375 - NARRATOR: Jeremy also confirms David's story 656 00:39:38,451 --> 00:39:43,037 about discovering Jake's body in the manure pile. 657 00:39:43,048 --> 00:39:45,498 - Law enforcement asked him why he didn't 658 00:39:45,575 --> 00:39:49,260 come forward sooner with his belief that that was Jacob. 659 00:39:51,556 --> 00:39:56,676 - Steph said, "You know you can't ever leave now, right?" 660 00:39:56,752 --> 00:40:01,305 And I still--I mean, I... 661 00:40:01,382 --> 00:40:03,141 didn't know what to think. 662 00:40:03,217 --> 00:40:07,645 It was definitely, uh, um, unnerving, 663 00:40:07,722 --> 00:40:10,231 uncomfortable. 664 00:40:10,242 --> 00:40:13,651 - He was afraid of, uh, Stephanie and so was David. 665 00:40:13,728 --> 00:40:15,453 David was afraid of Stephanie. 666 00:40:19,751 --> 00:40:23,753 - NARRATOR: In March 2018, with Jeremy's testimony, 667 00:40:23,830 --> 00:40:27,590 detectives arrest Stephanie, David, and Deborah, 668 00:40:27,667 --> 00:40:31,335 charging them with first-degree murder, abuse of a corpse, 669 00:40:31,412 --> 00:40:34,380 and destruction of evidence. 670 00:40:34,457 --> 00:40:37,216 - I think that they probably had this grand plan 671 00:40:37,293 --> 00:40:40,344 that, um, with Deb being diagnosed with cancer, 672 00:40:40,421 --> 00:40:42,221 that she would be the one that did it, 673 00:40:42,298 --> 00:40:44,607 and she would just die in prison, and you know, 674 00:40:44,684 --> 00:40:48,728 Stephanie and Dave would have the ranch. 675 00:40:48,804 --> 00:40:53,107 - Jake's murder happened because of greed 676 00:40:53,118 --> 00:40:57,445 and because of who was going to own the ranch. 677 00:40:57,456 --> 00:40:59,497 It was all about property, all about the ranch. 678 00:41:02,294 --> 00:41:04,127 - NARRATOR: Rather than face a trial, 679 00:41:04,204 --> 00:41:08,298 all three defendants agree to plea deals. 680 00:41:08,374 --> 00:41:12,585 David enters an Alford plea and receives ten years in prison 681 00:41:12,662 --> 00:41:16,380 for tampering with a human body. 682 00:41:16,457 --> 00:41:19,142 - JESSICA: We just could not prove that he had much 683 00:41:19,219 --> 00:41:22,553 involvement in the actual killing of Jacob, um, 684 00:41:22,630 --> 00:41:25,023 but he was very involved with the cover-up. 685 00:41:28,487 --> 00:41:31,821 - DAN: Deb Rudibaugh plead guilty to murdering Jacob. 686 00:41:31,898 --> 00:41:36,326 She also, of course, restated that Stephanie didn't have 687 00:41:36,402 --> 00:41:38,495 anything to do with the murder. 688 00:41:38,571 --> 00:41:42,832 - JESSICA: Deb's sentencing was very cold. 689 00:41:42,909 --> 00:41:46,786 She never really talked about Jacob and who he was 690 00:41:46,862 --> 00:41:50,498 or that she was remorseful. 691 00:41:50,509 --> 00:41:53,510 She was sentenced to 40 years. 692 00:41:53,586 --> 00:41:57,180 - It's unbearable and unthinkable to-- 693 00:41:57,257 --> 00:42:01,300 to think about someone killing your own child, um, 694 00:42:01,377 --> 00:42:03,853 in such a cold and callous way. 695 00:42:03,930 --> 00:42:07,807 - ♪ 696 00:42:07,883 --> 00:42:09,859 - NARRATOR: Stephanie Jackson pleads guilty 697 00:42:09,936 --> 00:42:12,362 to tampering with a body. 698 00:42:12,438 --> 00:42:16,366 As a part of her plea agreement, all other charges are dropped, 699 00:42:16,442 --> 00:42:19,369 including first-degree murder. 700 00:42:19,445 --> 00:42:22,205 - JESSICA: She was sentenced to 24 years. 701 00:42:22,282 --> 00:42:25,542 Stephanie's sentence was a surprise, 702 00:42:25,618 --> 00:42:27,710 because it was at the maximum level. 703 00:42:27,787 --> 00:42:31,706 - ♪ 704 00:42:31,716 --> 00:42:34,217 - NARRATOR: As the dust settles in Gunnison, 705 00:42:34,294 --> 00:42:37,887 the murder of Jake Millison is not a case the town 706 00:42:37,964 --> 00:42:41,391 and especially Jake's close-knit circle of friends, 707 00:42:41,467 --> 00:42:44,343 will ever forget. 708 00:42:44,420 --> 00:42:46,679 - The fact that it was family members doing it to 709 00:42:46,756 --> 00:42:51,401 family members is just even more heart wrenching and disgusting. 710 00:42:51,477 --> 00:42:53,736 Jake is always gonna be remembered as gentle, 711 00:42:53,813 --> 00:42:58,357 soft-spoken, um, and caring. 712 00:42:58,434 --> 00:42:59,742 - KRISTY: Jake's friends were the reason 713 00:42:59,819 --> 00:43:02,412 that the investigation happened. 714 00:43:02,488 --> 00:43:05,865 If it hadn't been for them, who knows? 715 00:43:05,941 --> 00:43:09,368 Who knows how long it would have taken before somebody 716 00:43:09,445 --> 00:43:11,254 realized that he was gone? 717 00:43:11,331 --> 00:43:15,583 Jacob's friends, they couldn't save his life, 718 00:43:15,594 --> 00:43:18,428 but they found him some justice. 719 00:43:18,504 --> 00:43:19,762 - ♪ 720 00:43:22,291 --> 00:43:27,312 - ♪