1
00:00:04,437 --> 00:00:06,338
[Petersen]
The killer was heartless.
2
00:00:06,340 --> 00:00:08,374
This was at the top of the list
3
00:00:08,376 --> 00:00:10,309
as far as brutality for us.
4
00:00:13,913 --> 00:00:16,715
If she did not like
what you were doing,
5
00:00:16,717 --> 00:00:19,284
she made no bones
about telling you,
6
00:00:19,286 --> 00:00:20,886
but if she liked you,
7
00:00:20,888 --> 00:00:23,222
she would absolutely
do anything for you.
8
00:00:26,960 --> 00:00:30,129
[Stukenholtz] You had two people
with pretty strong personalities
9
00:00:30,131 --> 00:00:31,897
that clashed in the Main Street.
10
00:00:31,899 --> 00:00:34,700
[Petersen] People thought
that they were having an affair,
11
00:00:34,702 --> 00:00:37,269
because he was more or less
her go-to-man.
12
00:00:37,271 --> 00:00:40,072
[Stukenholtz] He needed
money for drugs and alcohol,
13
00:00:40,074 --> 00:00:42,274
he felt like she was gonna
have money in her house.
14
00:00:42,276 --> 00:00:43,876
He has an anti-social past,
15
00:00:43,878 --> 00:00:47,613
and so she became the object
of this anger and rage.
16
00:00:49,916 --> 00:00:53,352
It was one in 28 quadrillion
possibility
17
00:00:53,354 --> 00:00:55,087
it was a DNA match.
18
00:00:55,089 --> 00:00:56,522
Go back to where you began.
19
00:00:56,524 --> 00:00:57,623
More times than not
20
00:00:57,625 --> 00:00:59,658
the killer's name
is already in the file.
21
00:01:02,529 --> 00:01:04,496
[narrator]
Every day in North America,
22
00:01:04,498 --> 00:01:06,732
dozens of people are murdered.
23
00:01:06,734 --> 00:01:08,500
The key to solving the toughest
24
00:01:08,502 --> 00:01:11,737
of these homicides
lies in the final 24 hours
25
00:01:11,739 --> 00:01:12,704
of the victim's life.
26
00:01:13,640 --> 00:01:15,274
To crack the case,
27
00:01:15,276 --> 00:01:18,844
detectives must reconstruct
that critical timeline.
28
00:01:18,846 --> 00:01:21,747
The minutes and hours
containing evidence
29
00:01:21,749 --> 00:01:23,182
that can help unlock the mystery
30
00:01:23,983 --> 00:01:24,950
and catch the killer.
31
00:01:34,894 --> 00:01:36,428
Colon, Nebraska.
32
00:01:36,430 --> 00:01:38,530
The definition
of a one horse town.
33
00:01:38,532 --> 00:01:41,300
[Stukenholtz] Colon is a
real small farming community
34
00:01:41,302 --> 00:01:43,802
made up mostly of just the bank,
35
00:01:43,804 --> 00:01:46,939
the post office and one bar.
36
00:01:46,941 --> 00:01:49,508
[Coughlin] There's probably
right around 100 people
37
00:01:49,510 --> 00:01:52,744
that live in the actual
village of Colon itself.
38
00:01:52,746 --> 00:01:54,613
Many of the people
that live there
39
00:01:54,615 --> 00:01:56,448
have lived there all their lives
40
00:01:56,450 --> 00:01:59,118
or grown up in the area.
41
00:01:59,120 --> 00:02:01,220
[Stukenholtz]
Everyone knows everyone,
42
00:02:01,222 --> 00:02:03,055
everyone kind of looks after
one another,
43
00:02:03,057 --> 00:02:07,226
all and all it's a pretty
tight knit community.
44
00:02:07,228 --> 00:02:10,195
[Coughlin] There's very little
crime that goes on in Colon
45
00:02:10,197 --> 00:02:13,398
in the years that I've worked
at the Sheriff's Department,
46
00:02:13,400 --> 00:02:15,033
typically the type of incidents
47
00:02:15,035 --> 00:02:19,371
that we respond to are things
like domestic disturbances,
48
00:02:19,373 --> 00:02:25,377
or possibly a vandalism
or maybe an occasional theft.
49
00:02:27,280 --> 00:02:29,248
[narrator]
But on a warm summer evening,
50
00:02:29,250 --> 00:02:31,150
a call to the sheriff's office
51
00:02:31,152 --> 00:02:33,752
changes the town
of Colon forever.
52
00:02:33,754 --> 00:02:37,756
The first notification
we got was at 6:30 p.m.
53
00:02:37,758 --> 00:02:41,560
on June 30th, 2003.
54
00:02:41,562 --> 00:02:44,263
[Coughlin] Our dispatch
center received a call,
55
00:02:44,265 --> 00:02:47,032
indicating
that a suicide had happen
56
00:02:47,034 --> 00:02:48,534
in the village of Colon.
57
00:02:49,068 --> 00:02:50,302
And we responded
58
00:02:50,304 --> 00:02:52,738
from approximately
10 miles away.
59
00:02:53,606 --> 00:02:56,375
The location
of the reported suicide
60
00:02:56,377 --> 00:03:00,112
is a one car
single detached garage
61
00:03:00,114 --> 00:03:02,481
on the south side
of Main Street.
62
00:03:07,620 --> 00:03:11,723
Inside the garage, we can see
a silver Ford Taurus,
63
00:03:11,725 --> 00:03:16,195
and on the left side
we see a female,
64
00:03:16,197 --> 00:03:19,798
obviously deceased,
laying on her back
65
00:03:19,800 --> 00:03:22,901
with a large amount
of blood on the ground.
66
00:03:24,137 --> 00:03:26,738
There was
a small caliber handgun
67
00:03:26,740 --> 00:03:29,408
that was laying on the ground
near the victim,
68
00:03:29,410 --> 00:03:35,280
but we started to notice a lot
of very extensive head trauma
69
00:03:35,282 --> 00:03:38,650
that did not appear to be
from a gunshot.
70
00:03:38,652 --> 00:03:42,454
And she had some bruising
in areas on her legs
71
00:03:42,456 --> 00:03:45,891
and some marks on her arms
72
00:03:45,893 --> 00:03:48,794
that did not appear to be normal
73
00:03:48,796 --> 00:03:51,863
from what you would find
in a suicide.
74
00:03:53,967 --> 00:03:56,735
[Petersen] There was a
semi-automatic Beretta handgun,
75
00:03:56,737 --> 00:04:00,038
but we didn't notice any
shell casings lying about,
76
00:04:00,040 --> 00:04:02,307
which indicated
it hadn't been fired,
77
00:04:02,309 --> 00:04:06,011
and there was not even
a magazine in the gun.
78
00:04:06,013 --> 00:04:10,816
Either somebody had scared
the victim with that gun
79
00:04:10,818 --> 00:04:13,952
or she was trying
to scare somebody with it.
80
00:04:13,954 --> 00:04:16,455
She appeared to have
some defensive wounds,
81
00:04:16,457 --> 00:04:19,324
her arms were beat up,
her legs were beat up,
82
00:04:19,326 --> 00:04:22,127
and it did appear
that she had been
83
00:04:22,129 --> 00:04:23,362
in a fight with somebody.
84
00:04:26,366 --> 00:04:27,866
[McCoy]
We saw the shoe prints
85
00:04:27,868 --> 00:04:29,635
in blood around the vehicle
86
00:04:29,637 --> 00:04:32,004
and smudge on the car.
87
00:04:32,006 --> 00:04:33,538
As you're looking
around further,
88
00:04:33,540 --> 00:04:35,140
there's some blood spatter
89
00:04:35,142 --> 00:04:37,376
up on the side of the garage
a little bit,
90
00:04:37,378 --> 00:04:39,478
from where someone had forcibly
91
00:04:39,480 --> 00:04:40,846
come in contact with the blood
92
00:04:40,848 --> 00:04:43,215
and put it up onto the wall.
93
00:04:43,217 --> 00:04:45,617
And so, you're coming up
with a struggle,
94
00:04:45,619 --> 00:04:48,887
something violent
that had occurred.
95
00:04:48,889 --> 00:04:51,456
[narrator] Police determined
they're looking at Colon's
96
00:04:51,458 --> 00:04:53,058
first murder in decades.
97
00:04:53,060 --> 00:04:55,661
[Stukenholtz] In my lifetime
here in law enforcement,
98
00:04:55,663 --> 00:04:58,430
there's probably been
three homicides total
99
00:04:58,432 --> 00:04:59,831
in Saunders County.
100
00:05:02,201 --> 00:05:05,537
[narrator] The victim is
66-year-old Sharron Erickson,
101
00:05:05,539 --> 00:05:09,541
a lovable busybody
and a Colon town fixture.
102
00:05:09,543 --> 00:05:12,411
[Stukenholtz] Sharron Erickson
spent her entire 66 years
103
00:05:12,413 --> 00:05:14,413
in the community of Colon.
104
00:05:14,415 --> 00:05:16,581
There's probably no one
in the Colon area
105
00:05:16,583 --> 00:05:19,584
that she didn't know
or she wasn't familiar with.
106
00:05:19,586 --> 00:05:22,688
She worked at the courthouse
for a number of years.
107
00:05:22,690 --> 00:05:24,890
She was very positive
and outgoing
108
00:05:24,892 --> 00:05:27,192
and would offer up her opinion
109
00:05:27,194 --> 00:05:29,695
about different situations
in the town,
110
00:05:29,697 --> 00:05:32,931
so, that kind of personality
doesn't always win
111
00:05:32,933 --> 00:05:34,232
everybody's friendship.
112
00:05:35,968 --> 00:05:37,869
[Petersen]
One person referred to her
113
00:05:37,871 --> 00:05:39,805
as "Gladys Kravitz,"
114
00:05:39,807 --> 00:05:43,075
who was the neighbor
on the old show Bewitched,
115
00:05:43,077 --> 00:05:44,776
that was always
looking out the window
116
00:05:44,778 --> 00:05:46,678
to see what other people
were doing.
117
00:05:46,680 --> 00:05:49,548
If she did not like
what you were doing,
118
00:05:49,550 --> 00:05:52,417
then she made no bones
about telling you,
119
00:05:52,419 --> 00:05:54,086
but if she liked you,
120
00:05:54,088 --> 00:05:56,555
she would absolutely do
anything for you.
121
00:05:59,525 --> 00:06:01,426
[narrator]
Heading up the investigation
122
00:06:01,428 --> 00:06:03,495
into the murder
of Sharron Erickson
123
00:06:03,497 --> 00:06:05,697
are investigators Jay Petersen
124
00:06:05,699 --> 00:06:07,332
and Jeromy McCoy.
125
00:06:07,334 --> 00:06:09,434
[McCoy] We're trying
to look for some clues
126
00:06:09,436 --> 00:06:12,104
that maybe would point
to what actually happened.
127
00:06:12,106 --> 00:06:13,772
How did Sharron die,
128
00:06:13,774 --> 00:06:16,308
and what are the circumstances
surrounding that?
129
00:06:16,310 --> 00:06:18,410
[Petersen] It appeared
that Ms. Erickson
130
00:06:18,412 --> 00:06:20,112
had died from asphyxiation.
131
00:06:20,114 --> 00:06:22,514
It was a pretty forceful choke.
132
00:06:22,516 --> 00:06:23,949
Whoever had done this to her
133
00:06:23,951 --> 00:06:25,784
had really cranked
on her throat.
134
00:06:28,121 --> 00:06:30,589
The victim's body
was starting to move
135
00:06:30,591 --> 00:06:32,924
into the stages of rigor mortis,
136
00:06:32,926 --> 00:06:36,361
and so, she had been there
for a while.
137
00:06:36,363 --> 00:06:38,764
Based on all of the variables
in this case,
138
00:06:38,766 --> 00:06:40,499
including rigor mortis,
139
00:06:40,501 --> 00:06:42,300
we can determine
that Sharron was killed
140
00:06:42,302 --> 00:06:43,969
sometime between
late in the evening
141
00:06:43,971 --> 00:06:45,036
on Sunday the 29th
142
00:06:45,038 --> 00:06:47,272
and early morning
on Monday the 30th.
143
00:06:48,941 --> 00:06:50,909
[narrator] To track down
Sharron's killer,
144
00:06:50,911 --> 00:06:52,844
investigators
will need to unravel
145
00:06:52,846 --> 00:06:56,148
the final 24 hours of her life.
146
00:06:56,150 --> 00:06:58,817
[Coughlin] Her clothes
seemed to be kind of disheveled
147
00:06:58,819 --> 00:07:01,887
where her shirt
was pulled up a little bit.
148
00:07:01,889 --> 00:07:03,855
[Petersen]
Her underwear was exposed,
149
00:07:03,857 --> 00:07:06,324
so we thought,
"Well, it's possible
150
00:07:06,326 --> 00:07:09,995
that Ms. Erickson could
have been sexually assaulted."
151
00:07:09,997 --> 00:07:13,231
However, she was also
in a pretty good fight.
152
00:07:13,233 --> 00:07:15,634
So, it was
a loose fitting clothing
153
00:07:15,636 --> 00:07:17,636
that could've just come down
154
00:07:17,638 --> 00:07:19,304
through that sort of a struggle.
155
00:07:19,306 --> 00:07:21,339
So, at that point,
we weren't sure
156
00:07:21,341 --> 00:07:23,575
that she had been
sexually assaulted,
157
00:07:23,577 --> 00:07:25,844
but we would let the pathologist
158
00:07:25,846 --> 00:07:29,748
collect the sex assault kit
at the autopsy.
159
00:07:29,750 --> 00:07:31,316
[McCoy]
We located her purse,
160
00:07:31,318 --> 00:07:33,985
and in the purse
we find a movie ticket
161
00:07:33,987 --> 00:07:35,887
to indicate
that she'd been to a movie
162
00:07:35,889 --> 00:07:37,923
early in the afternoon
on Sunday.
163
00:07:37,925 --> 00:07:40,692
We also find
her cell phone in the car.
164
00:07:41,360 --> 00:07:42,494
Sharron didn't carry
165
00:07:42,496 --> 00:07:44,095
her cell phone
with her everywhere,
166
00:07:44,097 --> 00:07:46,064
her cell phone
was for emergencies
167
00:07:46,066 --> 00:07:47,399
when she was driving,
168
00:07:47,401 --> 00:07:49,701
and so, it was
just left in the vehicle
169
00:07:49,703 --> 00:07:53,538
and she rarely used
that cellphone.
170
00:07:53,540 --> 00:07:55,974
[narrator] Looking to build
a narrative of the murder,
171
00:07:55,976 --> 00:07:58,910
officers turn their attention
to Sharron's home.
172
00:07:58,912 --> 00:08:00,812
[Coughlin]
Sharron actually lived
173
00:08:00,814 --> 00:08:03,081
across the street
from the garage,
174
00:08:03,083 --> 00:08:04,616
which was a little bit odd
175
00:08:04,618 --> 00:08:07,452
that her garage was
on one side of Main Street,
176
00:08:07,454 --> 00:08:10,222
and her residence
was on the other side.
177
00:08:10,224 --> 00:08:12,457
[Petersen] Her
ex-husband, Robert Erickson,
178
00:08:12,459 --> 00:08:14,426
gave her the property
across the street
179
00:08:14,428 --> 00:08:16,061
that she built her garage on,
180
00:08:16,063 --> 00:08:20,866
and he had also given her
that home that she lived in.
181
00:08:20,868 --> 00:08:22,701
[Coughlin]
There's a delivery slip
182
00:08:22,703 --> 00:08:24,402
from a food delivery service
183
00:08:24,404 --> 00:08:26,705
that's posted on the front door,
184
00:08:26,707 --> 00:08:28,273
and it says something
to the effect
185
00:08:28,275 --> 00:08:30,976
that they're sorry
that they missed Sharron,
186
00:08:30,978 --> 00:08:33,111
and it was dated at one o'clock
187
00:08:33,113 --> 00:08:35,614
on the day that she was found.
188
00:08:35,616 --> 00:08:37,415
[Petersen]
The door was still open,
189
00:08:37,417 --> 00:08:39,384
and there was a newspaper
190
00:08:39,386 --> 00:08:41,253
that was just inside the door.
191
00:08:42,288 --> 00:08:45,090
As we moved our way
through the house,
192
00:08:45,092 --> 00:08:46,958
we didn't notice anything
193
00:08:46,960 --> 00:08:49,628
that we considered to be
out of the ordinary,
194
00:08:49,630 --> 00:08:52,731
until we got to the kitchen area
195
00:08:52,733 --> 00:08:55,767
where it appeared that
the door had been pried open,
196
00:08:55,769 --> 00:08:59,471
and it appeared
that the interior wood door
197
00:08:59,473 --> 00:09:01,706
had actually been kicked in.
198
00:09:01,708 --> 00:09:04,643
And then we also found
a coal chisel
199
00:09:04,645 --> 00:09:09,214
that could have been used
to pry open the back door.
200
00:09:09,216 --> 00:09:11,216
[Coughlin]
We found a motion alarm
201
00:09:11,218 --> 00:09:13,785
that had been hanging
on the door,
202
00:09:13,787 --> 00:09:16,054
and once this person
203
00:09:16,056 --> 00:09:17,889
tried to force their way
through the door,
204
00:09:17,891 --> 00:09:20,425
I think that set the alarm off.
205
00:09:20,427 --> 00:09:22,060
[Petersen]
And then we noticed
206
00:09:22,062 --> 00:09:23,762
that her phone lines
had been cut.
207
00:09:25,064 --> 00:09:27,098
[narrator] Working the theory
that the murder
208
00:09:27,100 --> 00:09:29,000
could've been
a robbery gone wrong,
209
00:09:29,002 --> 00:09:31,970
investigators continue
their search of the house.
210
00:09:31,972 --> 00:09:34,606
[McCoy] You can see that
Sharron's bed was unmade,
211
00:09:34,608 --> 00:09:37,442
so it looked like she had
been sleeping at some point.
212
00:09:37,444 --> 00:09:40,011
[Petersen] There was a
gun holster on the nightstand,
213
00:09:40,013 --> 00:09:42,547
which was consistent
with the gun
214
00:09:42,549 --> 00:09:45,717
that we found
in Ms. Erickson's garage.
215
00:09:48,654 --> 00:09:50,689
[Coughlin]
The victim was startled
216
00:09:50,691 --> 00:09:54,359
and was in her bed
sleeping at the time.
217
00:09:54,361 --> 00:09:56,628
[Petersen] But I saw
no signs of struggle
218
00:09:56,630 --> 00:09:57,829
in the house,
219
00:09:57,831 --> 00:09:59,564
no blood in the house,
220
00:09:59,566 --> 00:10:04,002
it appeared to me
that Sharron and the killer
221
00:10:04,004 --> 00:10:06,471
had some sort
of a confrontation,
222
00:10:06,473 --> 00:10:09,908
and she was still able
to get to the garage
223
00:10:09,910 --> 00:10:11,943
before it came to a head.
224
00:10:11,945 --> 00:10:15,213
[Stukenholtz] Clearly, robbery
seemed to be a motive in the beginning,
225
00:10:15,215 --> 00:10:16,715
but, you know, there was nothing
226
00:10:16,717 --> 00:10:18,350
of substance that was taken
227
00:10:18,352 --> 00:10:20,185
so obviously the homicide
228
00:10:20,187 --> 00:10:23,455
preempted any further robbery.
229
00:10:23,457 --> 00:10:25,657
[Stockdale] Are there
multiple motives here?
230
00:10:25,659 --> 00:10:28,860
Did he break into the house
with the intention to steal,
231
00:10:28,862 --> 00:10:31,162
and then this evolved
into a sexual assault?
232
00:10:31,164 --> 00:10:34,432
And I personally think that
this could be less likely.
233
00:10:34,434 --> 00:10:36,768
Why would you break
into a house at night
234
00:10:36,770 --> 00:10:38,203
when you know that the resident
235
00:10:38,205 --> 00:10:39,671
is likely to be there?
236
00:10:39,673 --> 00:10:41,706
Plus, if he's making
arrangements
237
00:10:41,708 --> 00:10:43,341
such as cutting phone lines,
238
00:10:43,343 --> 00:10:45,543
it makes me think
that he may have gone there
239
00:10:45,545 --> 00:10:46,911
to possibly commit
240
00:10:46,913 --> 00:10:49,347
a sexual assault
against Sharron.
241
00:10:54,020 --> 00:10:55,987
[narrator] Investigators
turn to the locals
242
00:10:55,989 --> 00:10:57,455
gathered at the crime scene,
243
00:10:57,457 --> 00:10:59,157
hoping they can help
piece together
244
00:10:59,159 --> 00:11:02,293
Sharron's timeline
leading up to her murder.
245
00:11:02,295 --> 00:11:05,230
[Stukenholtz] Rick Hartman
is the postmaster in Colon,
246
00:11:05,232 --> 00:11:06,831
he was also on the volunteer
247
00:11:06,833 --> 00:11:08,033
fire department.
248
00:11:08,035 --> 00:11:10,268
He had a close relationship
with Sharron,
249
00:11:10,270 --> 00:11:12,003
was one
of the first people there
250
00:11:12,005 --> 00:11:14,973
when she was located
in her garage.
251
00:11:14,975 --> 00:11:16,675
[McCoy]
He was upset, confused.
252
00:11:16,677 --> 00:11:19,210
He was having trouble
processing what was going on.
253
00:11:19,212 --> 00:11:21,513
[Petersen] And Rick
tells me that Ms. Erickson
254
00:11:21,515 --> 00:11:23,114
is a creature of habit.
255
00:11:23,116 --> 00:11:25,717
She did the same things
pretty much every day.
256
00:11:27,053 --> 00:11:30,455
8:30 a.m., Ms. Erickson goes
to the post office
257
00:11:30,457 --> 00:11:32,023
to see the postmaster,
258
00:11:32,025 --> 00:11:33,625
and then down to the bank
259
00:11:33,627 --> 00:11:36,227
to see the women
that worked at the bank.
260
00:11:36,229 --> 00:11:38,063
[McCoy]
She spoke with her cousin,
261
00:11:38,065 --> 00:11:39,664
who lived in Lincoln, Nebraska,
262
00:11:39,666 --> 00:11:41,933
every day at five o'clock
on the telephone.
263
00:11:43,369 --> 00:11:45,370
[Petersen]
Ms. Erickson and her cousin
264
00:11:45,372 --> 00:11:49,074
got together
almost every Sunday.
265
00:11:49,076 --> 00:11:51,843
[narrator] According to
Sharron's family and friends,
266
00:11:51,845 --> 00:11:54,746
Sunday, June 29th,
was just as structured
267
00:11:54,748 --> 00:11:56,414
as any other day in her life.
268
00:11:57,750 --> 00:12:00,085
[Petersen]
Ms. Erickson and her cousin
269
00:12:00,087 --> 00:12:04,522
had lunch in Lincoln
at around 11:15 that morning,
270
00:12:04,524 --> 00:12:08,493
and then, after that lunch,
they had gone to a movie.
271
00:12:08,495 --> 00:12:10,795
[McCoy] Sharron started
to drive back to Colon
272
00:12:10,797 --> 00:12:13,498
at 4:30 that afternoon.
273
00:12:13,500 --> 00:12:16,134
Probably got back
to Colon at about 5:30,
274
00:12:16,136 --> 00:12:19,037
and no one
saw Sharron after that.
275
00:12:21,040 --> 00:12:23,108
[Stukenholtz]
June 30th at about 8:30,
276
00:12:23,110 --> 00:12:24,576
Sharron would've normally gone
277
00:12:24,578 --> 00:12:27,011
to the post office
and picked up her mail,
278
00:12:27,013 --> 00:12:28,313
and that didn't occur.
279
00:12:29,181 --> 00:12:31,149
[Petersen]
She occasionally buys food
280
00:12:31,151 --> 00:12:32,851
from a Schwan's Delivery driver,
281
00:12:32,853 --> 00:12:36,321
and he had stopped by
her house about one o'clock,
282
00:12:36,323 --> 00:12:37,822
he thought she was around,
283
00:12:37,824 --> 00:12:40,725
because her door was ajar,
but he didn't find her.
284
00:12:40,727 --> 00:12:44,429
So, he left her a note
on her door.
285
00:12:44,431 --> 00:12:47,966
- [phone ringing] - [Coughlin] When
Sharron's cousin called at five o'clock
286
00:12:47,968 --> 00:12:49,467
and didn't receive an answer,
287
00:12:49,469 --> 00:12:51,970
she asked some of the ladies
at the bank
288
00:12:51,972 --> 00:12:54,839
if they would go down
and check on Sharron.
289
00:12:54,841 --> 00:12:56,508
They informed Rick Hartman,
290
00:12:56,510 --> 00:12:58,443
and he volunteered to come along
291
00:12:58,445 --> 00:13:00,211
to see
if they could find anything.
292
00:13:01,547 --> 00:13:03,681
[narrator] Not finding
Sharron in the house,
293
00:13:03,683 --> 00:13:05,717
the locals
move on to the garage.
294
00:13:07,586 --> 00:13:09,254
[Coughlin]
They could see that
295
00:13:09,256 --> 00:13:13,057
there was somebody laying
on the floor of the garage,
296
00:13:13,059 --> 00:13:16,594
and then Rick Hartman yelled
to the ladies from the bank
297
00:13:16,596 --> 00:13:20,465
to call 911
and get some help there.
298
00:13:22,368 --> 00:13:25,136
[narrator] As investigators
wrap up their interviews,
299
00:13:25,138 --> 00:13:27,038
they notice that postmaster Rick
300
00:13:27,040 --> 00:13:30,175
is behaving in
an increasingly odd manner.
301
00:13:30,177 --> 00:13:32,210
[Stukenholtz]
He was of some assistance
302
00:13:32,212 --> 00:13:33,778
but then,
at the conclusion of that,
303
00:13:33,780 --> 00:13:35,246
he turned
to the deputy and said,
304
00:13:35,281 --> 00:13:37,882
"Well, if you're not gonna arrest
me, I'm gonna go home now."
305
00:13:37,884 --> 00:13:40,151
That wasn't something
that we would normally hear
306
00:13:40,153 --> 00:13:42,654
from somebody who was
just trying to help out.
307
00:13:42,656 --> 00:13:45,323
[Arntfield] The fact that
Rick challenges the police,
308
00:13:45,325 --> 00:13:47,559
"If you're gonna arrest me,
go ahead and arrest me,"
309
00:13:47,561 --> 00:13:50,261
then naturally, he's gonna
make himself a person of interest.
310
00:13:50,263 --> 00:13:53,298
In most circumstances,
if someone was truly innocent
311
00:13:53,300 --> 00:13:56,034
and had nothing to hide,
no involvement in this crime,
312
00:13:56,036 --> 00:13:58,536
they would be cooperative
and forthcoming
313
00:13:58,538 --> 00:13:59,904
to clear themselves.
314
00:13:59,906 --> 00:14:03,208
So, this
cavalier-offhand attitude
315
00:14:03,210 --> 00:14:06,211
is naturally
going to raise eyebrows.
316
00:14:06,213 --> 00:14:09,447
Some of the things
that he said and did
317
00:14:09,449 --> 00:14:12,116
made him a person of interest
fairly quickly.
318
00:14:17,590 --> 00:14:18,990
[narrator]
Detectives are investigating
319
00:14:18,992 --> 00:14:21,593
Colon, Nebraska's
first murder in decades.
320
00:14:21,595 --> 00:14:25,129
The brutal slaying of
66-year-old Sharron Erickson.
321
00:14:26,298 --> 00:14:29,300
They already have
the first person of interest,
322
00:14:29,302 --> 00:14:31,502
the town postmaster
and Sharron's friend,
323
00:14:32,004 --> 00:14:33,471
Rick Hartman.
324
00:14:33,473 --> 00:14:35,506
[Stukenholtz]
Rick was very cooperative
325
00:14:35,508 --> 00:14:37,008
with investigators.
326
00:14:37,010 --> 00:14:39,077
He was so close to Sharron
327
00:14:39,079 --> 00:14:41,512
and offering up
so much information
328
00:14:41,514 --> 00:14:44,716
that it caused us to...
to want to look further
329
00:14:44,718 --> 00:14:49,587
and that maybe he had
some role in her homicide.
330
00:14:49,589 --> 00:14:52,290
[narrator] Investigators dig
into just how close
331
00:14:52,292 --> 00:14:53,658
Sharron and Rick were.
332
00:14:53,660 --> 00:14:56,060
[Stukenholtz] Rick
Hartman would have contact
333
00:14:56,062 --> 00:14:58,630
with Sharron Erickson
virtually every day,
334
00:14:58,632 --> 00:15:00,632
and sometimes
multiple times a day.
335
00:15:00,634 --> 00:15:04,135
He was able to disclose that
he had a key to her place,
336
00:15:04,137 --> 00:15:05,603
was able to come and go,
337
00:15:05,605 --> 00:15:09,207
and that she would solicit him
to do odd jobs.
338
00:15:09,209 --> 00:15:11,209
So, he was very forthcoming
339
00:15:11,211 --> 00:15:13,578
that they had
a good relationship
340
00:15:13,580 --> 00:15:15,880
that didn't include any kind
341
00:15:15,882 --> 00:15:18,049
of romantic relationship at all.
342
00:15:18,051 --> 00:15:20,551
[Petersen] He would take
care of her property for her
343
00:15:20,553 --> 00:15:22,053
if Sharron traveled
out of state,
344
00:15:22,055 --> 00:15:23,254
make sure that heat was on,
345
00:15:23,256 --> 00:15:25,456
make sure there was
no water leaking anywhere,
346
00:15:25,458 --> 00:15:26,658
and stuff like that.
347
00:15:26,660 --> 00:15:29,460
His sons even mowed
her grass for her,
348
00:15:29,462 --> 00:15:32,297
so they were really
pretty good friends.
349
00:15:32,299 --> 00:15:34,198
[narrator]
As detectives question Rick,
350
00:15:34,200 --> 00:15:36,868
his behavior becomes
increasingly suspicious.
351
00:15:36,870 --> 00:15:39,570
[Stukenholtz] Rick continued
to ask the investigators
352
00:15:39,572 --> 00:15:40,705
what they thought,
353
00:15:40,707 --> 00:15:42,740
what they were looking for
for evidence.
354
00:15:42,742 --> 00:15:46,277
So, his curiosity caused
probably more focus on him
355
00:15:46,279 --> 00:15:47,812
than it would have normally
356
00:15:47,814 --> 00:15:51,449
if he hadn't been asking
all of those pointed questions
357
00:15:51,451 --> 00:15:53,584
about details of the crime.
358
00:15:53,586 --> 00:15:55,720
[McCoy] When Rick
was told he was a suspect,
359
00:15:55,722 --> 00:15:58,222
he was indignant,
he couldn't believe
360
00:15:58,224 --> 00:16:00,024
that he would be
considered a suspect.
361
00:16:00,026 --> 00:16:03,861
He was angry that he was
being considered as a suspect.
362
00:16:03,863 --> 00:16:06,497
[Stockdale] One way
to explain Rick's behavior is
363
00:16:06,499 --> 00:16:08,800
that this could be
a reaction to trauma.
364
00:16:08,802 --> 00:16:11,002
To me, it speaks
to feelings of guilt
365
00:16:11,004 --> 00:16:12,270
that they couldn't protect
366
00:16:12,272 --> 00:16:13,671
somebody that they care about.
367
00:16:13,673 --> 00:16:16,307
They may also want to get
close to the investigation
368
00:16:16,309 --> 00:16:19,277
to be able to get details
so that they can redirect
369
00:16:19,279 --> 00:16:21,679
or slant an investigation
away from them
370
00:16:21,681 --> 00:16:24,182
as opposed to having people
following up with them.
371
00:16:24,184 --> 00:16:27,552
So, there could be multiple
motivations at play there.
372
00:16:27,554 --> 00:16:30,021
[narrator] Investigators
press Rick for his timeline
373
00:16:30,023 --> 00:16:32,156
on the night
of Sharron's murder.
374
00:16:32,158 --> 00:16:33,825
[Petersen]
He says he was at home
375
00:16:33,827 --> 00:16:36,794
that Sunday evening
with his wife, watching TV.
376
00:16:36,796 --> 00:16:40,164
His pager went off about
10:30 that night, roughly,
377
00:16:40,166 --> 00:16:42,033
because the fire department
378
00:16:42,035 --> 00:16:44,836
was getting paged out to a fire.
379
00:16:44,838 --> 00:16:49,107
And then his wife actually
accompanied him in their car
380
00:16:49,109 --> 00:16:50,541
to the scene of the fire.
381
00:16:51,810 --> 00:16:54,312
And then he and his wife
arrive back home
382
00:16:54,314 --> 00:16:57,715
at about 11:30 p.m.
on Sunday night.
383
00:16:57,717 --> 00:16:59,117
And then they remained at home
384
00:16:59,119 --> 00:17:00,151
the rest of the night,
385
00:17:00,153 --> 00:17:03,955
until he left for work
roughly at 7:20 a.m.
386
00:17:03,957 --> 00:17:06,524
on Monday morning, June 30th.
387
00:17:06,526 --> 00:17:08,626
[Stukenholtz]
Rick Hartman's wife
388
00:17:08,628 --> 00:17:11,596
confirmed his alibi on
the timeframe
389
00:17:11,598 --> 00:17:13,731
of when he was there
and when he left.
390
00:17:13,733 --> 00:17:15,867
[Petersen]
We had nothing to refute
391
00:17:15,869 --> 00:17:18,069
that that wasn't true.
392
00:17:18,071 --> 00:17:20,505
You know, minus his wife
not telling us the truth
393
00:17:20,507 --> 00:17:22,740
or minus him slipping out
of the house,
394
00:17:22,742 --> 00:17:25,209
we don't believe
that he would have had
395
00:17:25,211 --> 00:17:26,944
anything to do with this crime.
396
00:17:27,946 --> 00:17:29,881
[Gadhia]
If an officer takes one lead
397
00:17:29,883 --> 00:17:32,717
and just follows that lead
to the exclusion of others,
398
00:17:32,719 --> 00:17:36,421
what it may do is take away
from the probability
399
00:17:36,423 --> 00:17:38,222
of finding the right person.
400
00:17:38,224 --> 00:17:40,091
So, every lead
has to be followed,
401
00:17:40,093 --> 00:17:42,560
every piece of evidence
has to be looked into
402
00:17:42,562 --> 00:17:43,928
especially in a homicide,
403
00:17:43,930 --> 00:17:47,065
because not everything
is as it seems.
404
00:17:47,067 --> 00:17:48,666
[narrator]
Looking for new leads,
405
00:17:48,668 --> 00:17:50,802
police canvass
Sharron's neighbors.
406
00:17:51,603 --> 00:17:52,937
[McCoy] We spent days
407
00:17:52,939 --> 00:17:55,506
walking around
the town of Colon,
408
00:17:55,508 --> 00:17:58,142
trying to find people at home
during the timeframe
409
00:17:58,144 --> 00:18:00,144
that this murder
would have occurred,
410
00:18:00,146 --> 00:18:03,114
their whereabouts,
any suspicions,
411
00:18:03,116 --> 00:18:04,982
we were trying
to cover every base.
412
00:18:04,984 --> 00:18:07,318
[Stukenholtz] We were
hoping that we would find
413
00:18:07,320 --> 00:18:09,754
some clue from somebody
who saw something,
414
00:18:09,756 --> 00:18:10,855
or heard something,
415
00:18:10,889 --> 00:18:13,157
that would give us
a description of a vehicle,
416
00:18:13,159 --> 00:18:15,326
a different timeline,
that sort of thing.
417
00:18:16,195 --> 00:18:17,862
[Petersen]
One of the people
418
00:18:17,864 --> 00:18:21,432
that we wanted to contact,
their last name is Marrs.
419
00:18:21,434 --> 00:18:24,735
So, if you look out
the Marrs family's front door,
420
00:18:24,737 --> 00:18:27,405
you're looking directly
into the back
421
00:18:27,407 --> 00:18:28,973
of Ms. Erickson's house.
422
00:18:30,843 --> 00:18:33,344
[narrator] Investigators
speak with the Marrs family,
423
00:18:33,346 --> 00:18:36,247
asking if they had seen
or heard anything unusual
424
00:18:36,249 --> 00:18:37,882
on the night of June 29th
425
00:18:37,884 --> 00:18:40,051
or in the early hours
of June 30th.
426
00:18:41,386 --> 00:18:43,087
[Petersen]
Donna and her husband
427
00:18:43,089 --> 00:18:45,857
and her two sons
had returned from Kansas,
428
00:18:45,859 --> 00:18:48,359
and they were helping their aunt
429
00:18:48,361 --> 00:18:50,094
put a roof on her house.
430
00:18:50,096 --> 00:18:51,496
One of the sons, the youngest,
431
00:18:51,498 --> 00:18:52,430
had gone to bed,
432
00:18:52,432 --> 00:18:54,832
and the other, James, had left.
433
00:18:54,834 --> 00:18:58,503
Donna told me that
she was home that evening,
434
00:18:58,505 --> 00:19:02,039
and had fallen asleep
in the living room.
435
00:19:02,041 --> 00:19:06,277
And that she was there
until James had returned home
436
00:19:06,279 --> 00:19:08,479
at about 1:30 that night.
437
00:19:08,481 --> 00:19:10,715
And then,
after he returned home,
438
00:19:10,717 --> 00:19:12,517
she had gone to bed.
439
00:19:12,519 --> 00:19:14,519
[Stukenholtz]
The fact that James Marrs
440
00:19:14,521 --> 00:19:16,487
came home around 1:30 a.m.
441
00:19:16,489 --> 00:19:18,756
and lived
almost a stone's throw away
442
00:19:18,758 --> 00:19:19,991
from Sharron's home,
443
00:19:19,993 --> 00:19:22,226
certainly gave him
an opportunity
444
00:19:22,228 --> 00:19:23,594
to have witnessed something
445
00:19:23,596 --> 00:19:25,763
or have participated
in that homicide.
446
00:19:26,398 --> 00:19:27,565
He was certainly a person
447
00:19:27,567 --> 00:19:29,901
that we felt we needed
to cross off our list.
448
00:19:31,203 --> 00:19:34,338
James Marrs was kind of
a low functioning individual.
449
00:19:34,340 --> 00:19:37,341
He did odd jobs,
worked for a local farmer,
450
00:19:37,343 --> 00:19:40,211
but he didn't have any real
consistent employment
451
00:19:40,213 --> 00:19:43,181
where he was required to be
somewhere at a certain time
452
00:19:43,183 --> 00:19:45,082
and got off at a certain time.
453
00:19:45,084 --> 00:19:47,885
[Petersen] He was described
as to be a heavy drinker.
454
00:19:47,887 --> 00:19:51,656
He drank a lot, so he had
some alcohol violations,
455
00:19:51,658 --> 00:19:54,492
perhaps of driving under
the influence of alcohol,
456
00:19:54,494 --> 00:19:57,461
but nothing
more violent than that.
457
00:19:59,498 --> 00:20:02,166
[narrator] Detectives question
James about his timeline
458
00:20:02,168 --> 00:20:05,236
in the hours leading up
to Sharron's murder.
459
00:20:05,238 --> 00:20:07,471
[Petersen] He seemed
to be fairly reserved
460
00:20:07,473 --> 00:20:08,606
and fairly quiet.
461
00:20:08,608 --> 00:20:11,809
He just didn't seem to me
as the kind of person
462
00:20:11,811 --> 00:20:16,480
that really wanted
to talk much about anything.
463
00:20:16,482 --> 00:20:19,750
I had asked him about
what he was doing the weekend
464
00:20:19,752 --> 00:20:22,086
of June 29th and 30th,
465
00:20:22,088 --> 00:20:23,754
and he said he and his brother
466
00:20:23,756 --> 00:20:25,323
had come back from Kansas
467
00:20:25,325 --> 00:20:27,992
and they actually
got back into town
468
00:20:27,994 --> 00:20:31,395
around 10:30
that Sunday night.
469
00:20:31,397 --> 00:20:34,365
[Stukenholtz] James
left Colon around 11:30 p.m.
470
00:20:34,367 --> 00:20:36,334
Went into Wahoo
to a friend's house
471
00:20:36,336 --> 00:20:37,602
to drink some beer.
472
00:20:37,604 --> 00:20:40,071
He was at his friend's house
for approximately an hour,
473
00:20:40,073 --> 00:20:41,372
left around 12:30
474
00:20:41,374 --> 00:20:43,207
and went to a bar
in downtown Wahoo.
475
00:20:43,209 --> 00:20:45,743
[Petersen] After spending
a little bit of time there,
476
00:20:45,745 --> 00:20:48,346
he said he moved over
to another bar,
477
00:20:48,348 --> 00:20:50,047
however when he got to that bar,
478
00:20:50,049 --> 00:20:52,083
it was roughly
one o'clock in the morning
479
00:20:52,085 --> 00:20:54,218
and it was the last call,
480
00:20:54,220 --> 00:20:58,889
so it was at that point
he said that he drove home.
481
00:20:58,891 --> 00:21:01,792
And he said once he got home
at about 1:30,
482
00:21:01,794 --> 00:21:04,295
which was consistent
with what his mom said
483
00:21:04,297 --> 00:21:05,396
when he walked in,
484
00:21:05,398 --> 00:21:07,531
he said he drank a pop,
485
00:21:07,533 --> 00:21:09,700
and watched TV for a little bit,
486
00:21:09,702 --> 00:21:11,469
and then he said
he went off to bed.
487
00:21:11,471 --> 00:21:12,803
The next thing he remembers
488
00:21:12,805 --> 00:21:15,973
is his dad had to wake him up
at 9:00 a.m.
489
00:21:17,075 --> 00:21:19,443
[Stukenholtz] There were
no immediate red flags,
490
00:21:19,445 --> 00:21:21,746
and the alibi was fairly solid,
491
00:21:21,748 --> 00:21:23,414
where he was in Wahoo,
492
00:21:23,416 --> 00:21:26,050
who he talked with,
that he went to the bar...
493
00:21:26,052 --> 00:21:28,486
We were able to confirm
all of that.
494
00:21:29,187 --> 00:21:30,588
[McCoy]
There was nothing
495
00:21:30,590 --> 00:21:33,090
which really tied James
to Sharron.
496
00:21:33,092 --> 00:21:36,093
There was not
a relationship between them.
497
00:21:36,095 --> 00:21:37,962
There was not a feud
between them.
498
00:21:37,964 --> 00:21:40,097
There was not a lot
of interaction between them.
499
00:21:40,099 --> 00:21:43,100
And so,
there wasn't anything specific
500
00:21:43,102 --> 00:21:45,036
tying him to the case.
501
00:21:45,038 --> 00:21:47,938
[Stukenholtz] We were having
trouble really getting a motive
502
00:21:47,940 --> 00:21:50,241
for why he would have
killed Sharron.
503
00:21:50,243 --> 00:21:53,744
So, him lacking a motive
and his level of cooperation,
504
00:21:53,746 --> 00:21:56,147
caused us to focus more
on other people
505
00:21:56,149 --> 00:21:57,982
than we were on James.
506
00:22:00,352 --> 00:22:02,420
[narrator]
With James Marrs ruled out,
507
00:22:02,422 --> 00:22:05,356
police turn to the evidence
from the crime scene,
508
00:22:05,358 --> 00:22:07,158
looking for clues
that could lead them
509
00:22:07,160 --> 00:22:08,693
to Sharron's killer.
510
00:22:08,695 --> 00:22:10,761
[McCoy] The gun
after it was sent to the lab,
511
00:22:10,763 --> 00:22:11,696
came back.
512
00:22:11,698 --> 00:22:13,197
No fingerprints were retrieved,
513
00:22:13,199 --> 00:22:15,700
no DNA was found on the gun.
514
00:22:15,702 --> 00:22:18,803
And so,
that was basically a dead end.
515
00:22:18,805 --> 00:22:21,205
We were really struggling
to figure out what happened,
516
00:22:21,207 --> 00:22:23,307
how it happened, who did it,
517
00:22:23,309 --> 00:22:25,343
and get some justice
for the victim.
518
00:22:25,345 --> 00:22:27,278
So it's frustrating.
519
00:22:27,280 --> 00:22:29,980
[Petersen] And it's not
easy to cope with sometimes,
520
00:22:29,982 --> 00:22:31,515
I'm at my wits' end right here,
521
00:22:31,517 --> 00:22:33,451
I don't know where to go.
522
00:22:33,453 --> 00:22:36,320
The community was on
a heightened state of alert,
523
00:22:36,322 --> 00:22:39,357
because this sort of thing
doesn't happen
524
00:22:39,359 --> 00:22:41,392
in a small town like Colon.
525
00:22:41,394 --> 00:22:42,860
[Stockdale]
People are afraid,
526
00:22:42,862 --> 00:22:44,962
people know
that most people are murdered
527
00:22:44,964 --> 00:22:46,564
by somebody that they know.
528
00:22:46,566 --> 00:22:47,832
So then the question becomes
529
00:22:47,834 --> 00:22:50,167
is who in this small town
is a killer?
530
00:22:54,906 --> 00:22:56,374
[narrator]
In the investigation
531
00:22:56,376 --> 00:22:58,242
into Sharron Erickson's murder,
532
00:22:58,244 --> 00:23:00,010
detectives have hit a dead end,
533
00:23:00,946 --> 00:23:02,713
until the autopsy results
534
00:23:02,715 --> 00:23:04,515
breathed new life into the case.
535
00:23:06,585 --> 00:23:09,587
The cause of death
was a manual strangulation.
536
00:23:09,589 --> 00:23:11,288
Her hyoid bone had been broken,
537
00:23:11,290 --> 00:23:15,159
which takes a lot of force
and pressure to the throat
538
00:23:15,161 --> 00:23:16,327
to break that bone,
539
00:23:16,329 --> 00:23:18,829
and so that's
just another indication
540
00:23:18,831 --> 00:23:21,832
of what type
of struggle she was in.
541
00:23:21,834 --> 00:23:24,535
[Petersen] The
pathologists also determined
542
00:23:24,537 --> 00:23:28,139
that Ms. Erickson had been
sexually assaulted,
543
00:23:28,141 --> 00:23:31,075
and the killer was heartless.
544
00:23:31,077 --> 00:23:32,943
This was at the top of the list
545
00:23:32,945 --> 00:23:35,279
as far as brutality for us.
546
00:23:35,281 --> 00:23:36,947
[McCoy]
The amount of violence
547
00:23:36,949 --> 00:23:38,816
led us to think
that it was someone
548
00:23:38,818 --> 00:23:40,418
who may have been close to her,
549
00:23:40,420 --> 00:23:43,154
or someone who was
very, very angry,
550
00:23:43,156 --> 00:23:46,824
and it was a very
personal attack on Sharron.
551
00:23:47,859 --> 00:23:49,393
[narrator]
As investigators hunt
552
00:23:49,395 --> 00:23:52,363
for suspects with emotional
connections to Sharron,
553
00:23:52,365 --> 00:23:54,832
a new witness
throws the whole timeline
554
00:23:54,834 --> 00:23:56,600
of the murder into question.
555
00:23:56,602 --> 00:23:58,436
[Stukenholtz]
There was a young girl
556
00:23:58,438 --> 00:24:00,971
that delivered newspapers
in the Colon area,
557
00:24:00,973 --> 00:24:03,507
and she had gone
to Sharron's house
558
00:24:03,509 --> 00:24:07,311
to deliver the newspaper
on June 30th.
559
00:24:07,313 --> 00:24:09,046
[Petersen]
She had told her mother
560
00:24:09,048 --> 00:24:12,049
that when she had
delivered the newspaper,
561
00:24:12,051 --> 00:24:17,855
she had seen a man chasing
Ms. Erickson out of her house
562
00:24:17,857 --> 00:24:20,658
and chased her
over to her garage,
563
00:24:20,660 --> 00:24:23,527
and then that she had heard
a couple of bangs.
564
00:24:24,596 --> 00:24:26,630
She initially couldn't describe
565
00:24:26,632 --> 00:24:28,999
Ms. Erickson's killer
very well,
566
00:24:29,001 --> 00:24:31,302
but she did say he was wearing
567
00:24:31,304 --> 00:24:33,871
dark blue jeans
and a dark shirt.
568
00:24:34,873 --> 00:24:37,041
When the little girl
dropped the paper off,
569
00:24:37,043 --> 00:24:40,478
and when the women from the bank
570
00:24:40,480 --> 00:24:42,213
actually found the body,
571
00:24:42,215 --> 00:24:45,449
we're talking
about an hour and 15 minutes
572
00:24:45,451 --> 00:24:46,884
to an hour and a half.
573
00:24:46,886 --> 00:24:51,422
And when we arrived
on the scene of the crime,
574
00:24:51,424 --> 00:24:53,457
the blood was pretty dry,
575
00:24:53,459 --> 00:24:56,093
and it certainly was
a crime scene
576
00:24:56,095 --> 00:24:58,762
that was older than two hours.
577
00:24:58,764 --> 00:25:01,365
Also, when the little girl
mentioned two bangs,
578
00:25:01,367 --> 00:25:03,200
I just didn't believe
it was likely
579
00:25:03,202 --> 00:25:04,869
this is what transpired.
580
00:25:04,871 --> 00:25:07,104
[Stukenholtz]
After further investigation,
581
00:25:07,106 --> 00:25:10,941
we were able to determine that she
developed that memory, if you will,
582
00:25:10,943 --> 00:25:13,611
from listening to family members
583
00:25:13,613 --> 00:25:15,746
or people in the community
talking about it.
584
00:25:17,115 --> 00:25:19,617
[narrator] As police
eliminate this one tip,
585
00:25:19,619 --> 00:25:20,851
more come in.
586
00:25:20,853 --> 00:25:22,786
Many people told us
that we needed
587
00:25:22,788 --> 00:25:24,588
to talk to the truck drivers
588
00:25:24,590 --> 00:25:27,958
that would park their trucks
on the street
589
00:25:27,960 --> 00:25:30,528
in front of her house
and leave them idle,
590
00:25:30,530 --> 00:25:33,430
which irritated her
because they're loud.
591
00:25:33,432 --> 00:25:36,901
One truck driver, Chuck,
had this shop right next
592
00:25:36,903 --> 00:25:39,270
to Ms. Erickson's house.
593
00:25:39,272 --> 00:25:42,206
He told her he was
gonna plant grass in there.
594
00:25:42,208 --> 00:25:44,608
Well, what he had done
was he tore it down,
595
00:25:44,610 --> 00:25:45,943
and they hauled rock in there
596
00:25:45,945 --> 00:25:47,611
so they can park trucks on it.
597
00:25:47,613 --> 00:25:50,447
And that made her mad too
because apparently,
598
00:25:50,449 --> 00:25:51,949
she was worried
that her property
599
00:25:51,951 --> 00:25:53,083
was going to be damaged,
600
00:25:53,085 --> 00:25:54,852
when they tore
the building down.
601
00:25:54,854 --> 00:25:58,455
She wasn't scared or afraid
of confrontation
602
00:25:58,457 --> 00:26:00,758
and she would definitely
let someone know
603
00:26:00,760 --> 00:26:04,128
if she didn't enjoy something
that they were doing.
604
00:26:04,130 --> 00:26:06,964
[Stukenholtz] He wasn't
overly respectful of her,
605
00:26:06,966 --> 00:26:09,433
and she was pretty demanding.
606
00:26:09,435 --> 00:26:12,836
You had two people with pretty
strong personalities
607
00:26:12,838 --> 00:26:16,106
that kind of clashed
in the main street of Colon.
608
00:26:16,108 --> 00:26:18,576
[Petersen] There was
an instance where somebody
609
00:26:18,578 --> 00:26:21,111
had an open bottle of beer,
610
00:26:21,113 --> 00:26:22,613
and they set the bottle down
611
00:26:22,615 --> 00:26:24,048
in front
of Ms. Erickson's house.
612
00:26:25,216 --> 00:26:28,419
So she tossed it over
in front of Chuck's shop,
613
00:26:28,421 --> 00:26:30,154
and it shattered
on the sidewalk,
614
00:26:30,156 --> 00:26:31,755
and he was in the shop.
615
00:26:31,757 --> 00:26:34,091
And so, that made him mad,
616
00:26:34,093 --> 00:26:35,826
and he walked over to her house,
617
00:26:35,828 --> 00:26:37,294
he pounded on the front door
618
00:26:37,296 --> 00:26:39,663
and told her to get
out there, "Come out here."
619
00:26:39,665 --> 00:26:41,599
[narrator] Could Sharron's
neighbor Chuck
620
00:26:41,601 --> 00:26:44,234
have built up so much rage
towards Sharron
621
00:26:44,236 --> 00:26:45,603
that he finally snapped?
622
00:26:45,605 --> 00:26:47,605
[Petersen] One thing
that Chuck had said
623
00:26:47,607 --> 00:26:49,006
when I interviewed him,
624
00:26:49,008 --> 00:26:52,643
was he made reference to her
about being a busy body
625
00:26:52,645 --> 00:26:55,312
always having to know
everything that's going on.
626
00:26:55,314 --> 00:26:56,513
And then he said,
627
00:26:56,515 --> 00:26:58,616
"She's a nut,
but she's our nut."
628
00:26:58,618 --> 00:27:01,485
And that's how he felt
about her.
629
00:27:01,487 --> 00:27:03,187
[narrator]
Not buying Chuck's story,
630
00:27:03,189 --> 00:27:05,589
investigators homed in
on where he was
631
00:27:05,591 --> 00:27:07,057
at the time of the murder.
632
00:27:07,059 --> 00:27:08,592
[Petersen]
Chuck had told us
633
00:27:08,594 --> 00:27:10,761
that he had been
out of town driving.
634
00:27:10,763 --> 00:27:12,730
He was in the Ohio area,
635
00:27:12,732 --> 00:27:15,232
that he had picked
the load up on June 26th
636
00:27:15,234 --> 00:27:16,700
then had it delivered,
637
00:27:16,702 --> 00:27:19,837
and actually didn't get back
to Nebraska
638
00:27:19,839 --> 00:27:21,338
until July 1st.
639
00:27:21,340 --> 00:27:23,340
[Stukenholtz]
Chuck had receipts
640
00:27:23,342 --> 00:27:27,177
on the 29th and 30th,
I think it was meal and fuel,
641
00:27:27,179 --> 00:27:29,146
so he clearly had receipts
642
00:27:29,148 --> 00:27:31,448
that proved
he was several states away,
643
00:27:31,450 --> 00:27:35,185
and didn't return to Colon
until July 1,
644
00:27:35,187 --> 00:27:37,655
so he was eliminated immediately
645
00:27:37,657 --> 00:27:39,790
with his truck receipts.
646
00:27:39,792 --> 00:27:42,726
[Petersen] The truck
drivers had a very solid alibi,
647
00:27:42,728 --> 00:27:44,495
mostly due to their profession
648
00:27:44,497 --> 00:27:46,664
that they are required
to keep certain records
649
00:27:46,666 --> 00:27:49,166
and they had all of those
to provide to us
650
00:27:49,168 --> 00:27:51,468
and it was proven that
they were all out on the road.
651
00:27:52,904 --> 00:27:55,539
[narrator] With investigators
not making any inroads,
652
00:27:55,541 --> 00:27:58,709
fear tightens its grip on Colon.
653
00:27:58,711 --> 00:28:00,611
[Petersen]
People were very bothered
654
00:28:00,613 --> 00:28:01,912
by a crime like this
655
00:28:01,914 --> 00:28:03,614
occurring in their small town,
656
00:28:03,616 --> 00:28:06,316
they were bothered
by the fact that this person
657
00:28:06,318 --> 00:28:08,619
had not been arrested yet.
658
00:28:08,621 --> 00:28:10,921
And they felt
like this could happen
659
00:28:11,589 --> 00:28:13,490
to one of them, as well.
660
00:28:14,659 --> 00:28:16,827
[Stukenholtz]
You had people looking around
661
00:28:16,829 --> 00:28:20,764
over their shoulder about, "I think it's
this person, oh, I think it's that person."
662
00:28:20,766 --> 00:28:25,035
[Petersen] So I think that the community
was on a heightened state of alert.
663
00:28:25,037 --> 00:28:27,971
[Stockdale] When something like
this happens in a small community,
664
00:28:27,973 --> 00:28:30,374
I think that there's
a large spillover effect,
665
00:28:30,376 --> 00:28:32,109
people may be
questioning each other
666
00:28:32,111 --> 00:28:33,977
as to who might be responsible.
667
00:28:33,979 --> 00:28:36,613
It could also pressure
the investigators as well,
668
00:28:36,615 --> 00:28:37,748
to find the killer
669
00:28:37,750 --> 00:28:39,750
and explain the theory
of the crime
670
00:28:39,752 --> 00:28:41,185
which can be stressful.
671
00:28:41,187 --> 00:28:44,188
In addition to the fear that
the crime itself is causing.
672
00:28:45,857 --> 00:28:47,257
[narrator] Having eliminated
673
00:28:47,259 --> 00:28:48,992
every person
of interest in the case,
674
00:28:50,395 --> 00:28:53,997
investigators hope forensic
testing on Sharron's rape kit
675
00:28:53,999 --> 00:28:57,201
will provide a DNA profile
of her killer.
676
00:28:57,203 --> 00:28:59,670
[Arntfield] This is
a case that really epitomizes
677
00:28:59,672 --> 00:29:01,839
the importance of offender DNA.
678
00:29:01,841 --> 00:29:06,777
When you have no suspects
and nothing really to go on,
679
00:29:06,779 --> 00:29:10,114
this is why advances
in the forensic science
680
00:29:10,116 --> 00:29:11,849
have been so crucial.
681
00:29:11,851 --> 00:29:13,751
[McCoy]
With the sex assault kit
682
00:29:13,753 --> 00:29:16,153
that went to our
State Patrol Crime Lab,
683
00:29:16,155 --> 00:29:18,288
they were able to determine
684
00:29:18,290 --> 00:29:20,858
that there was
a DNA profile there,
685
00:29:20,860 --> 00:29:25,462
however, they weren't able
to extract that DNA.
686
00:29:25,464 --> 00:29:27,197
So, their technology
687
00:29:27,199 --> 00:29:30,367
wasn't able to come up
with the DNA profile.
688
00:29:32,237 --> 00:29:34,872
[narrator] But detectives
have one more trick
689
00:29:34,874 --> 00:29:36,507
up their sleeve.
690
00:29:36,509 --> 00:29:38,609
[Stukenholtz]
Our university Med Center
691
00:29:38,611 --> 00:29:42,312
is well known for their
progressive technology there,
692
00:29:42,314 --> 00:29:46,250
so we took the DNA sample
to the UNM Med Center,
693
00:29:46,252 --> 00:29:49,119
hoping that they
could get a profile.
694
00:29:49,121 --> 00:29:51,221
[McCoy]
They were able to come up
695
00:29:51,223 --> 00:29:53,290
with a DNA profile,
696
00:29:53,292 --> 00:29:55,659
but the DNA doesn't
just tell you who it is.
697
00:29:56,928 --> 00:29:58,061
The job's not over.
698
00:29:58,063 --> 00:30:00,197
Now you have to come up
with the suspect.
699
00:30:06,638 --> 00:30:09,039
[narrator] Just as police
learn a DNA profile
700
00:30:09,041 --> 00:30:10,073
has been established
701
00:30:10,075 --> 00:30:12,276
for Sharron Erickson's killer,
702
00:30:12,278 --> 00:30:15,479
a previous suspect
comes back on their radar.
703
00:30:16,548 --> 00:30:18,749
[Petersen] People
thought that Ms. Erickson
704
00:30:18,751 --> 00:30:22,052
and Rick Hartman were having
some sort of an affair,
705
00:30:22,054 --> 00:30:25,656
because Rick Hartman was
more or less her go-to-man.
706
00:30:26,457 --> 00:30:28,592
But there was another rumor
707
00:30:28,594 --> 00:30:31,562
that somebody
had seen Rick Hartman
708
00:30:31,564 --> 00:30:34,464
and Ms. Erickson talking out
709
00:30:34,466 --> 00:30:37,601
in front of her house
on the street at 4:00 a.m.
710
00:30:37,603 --> 00:30:39,703
on the morning of June 30th,
711
00:30:39,705 --> 00:30:41,905
during the timeframe
of the crime.
712
00:30:41,907 --> 00:30:43,941
[narrator] Rick's behavior
only contributes
713
00:30:43,943 --> 00:30:46,343
to the suspicion
swirling around him.
714
00:30:46,345 --> 00:30:48,445
[Petersen] Rick Hartman
just kept talking
715
00:30:48,447 --> 00:30:50,480
to the media
and other people about this.
716
00:30:50,482 --> 00:30:54,384
And so, it would just shed
more suspicion on him,
717
00:30:54,386 --> 00:30:57,888
because why would you want
to keep opening this up,
718
00:30:57,890 --> 00:30:59,523
and opening yourself up,
719
00:30:59,525 --> 00:31:02,059
to people running you down
and wanting to ask you
720
00:31:02,061 --> 00:31:03,327
questions about this?
721
00:31:03,329 --> 00:31:05,529
[Stockdale] They may
actually want the attention,
722
00:31:05,531 --> 00:31:07,898
they may want to go out
tell their story
723
00:31:07,900 --> 00:31:11,001
and get that gratification
from pulling one over
724
00:31:11,003 --> 00:31:12,302
on the investigators
725
00:31:12,304 --> 00:31:13,804
if they are in fact the killer,
726
00:31:13,806 --> 00:31:15,305
and the media can be very useful
727
00:31:15,307 --> 00:31:17,541
in terms of capturing
those reactions.
728
00:31:19,177 --> 00:31:21,378
[Stukenholtz] The family
of Sharron Erickson
729
00:31:21,380 --> 00:31:23,814
decided that they were going
to have an estate sale
730
00:31:23,816 --> 00:31:25,282
where they were
going to sell off
731
00:31:25,284 --> 00:31:26,416
a lot of her items,
732
00:31:26,985 --> 00:31:29,019
and at that estate sale,
733
00:31:29,021 --> 00:31:32,522
Mr. Hartman bought her bed
and mattress
734
00:31:32,524 --> 00:31:34,825
that caused a lot
of conversation
735
00:31:34,827 --> 00:31:36,026
in the community.
736
00:31:36,028 --> 00:31:38,161
[McCoy] We were also
contacted after that
737
00:31:38,163 --> 00:31:40,831
by a mother
whose daughter indicated
738
00:31:40,833 --> 00:31:43,667
that she saw
Rick Hartman at the sale.
739
00:31:43,669 --> 00:31:45,669
The daughter became scared
740
00:31:45,671 --> 00:31:47,871
and covered behind her mother.
741
00:31:47,873 --> 00:31:50,374
And also, since that point
742
00:31:50,376 --> 00:31:53,043
had not wanted to go
into the post office,
743
00:31:53,045 --> 00:31:55,646
for some reason she was scared
of Mr. Hartman.
744
00:31:55,648 --> 00:31:58,181
She was the same girl
who had also had the story
745
00:31:58,183 --> 00:32:00,450
after the murder
about seeing Sharron
746
00:32:00,452 --> 00:32:02,719
being chased across the street.
747
00:32:02,721 --> 00:32:05,589
[Petersen] If Rick
Hartman and Ms. Erickson
748
00:32:05,591 --> 00:32:08,058
were having a relationship
749
00:32:08,060 --> 00:32:12,362
that was more personal
than platonic,
750
00:32:12,364 --> 00:32:15,565
if one of them wanted to get
out of the relationship,
751
00:32:16,234 --> 00:32:17,834
and the other one didn't,
752
00:32:17,836 --> 00:32:21,338
it could always lead
to some sort of violence.
753
00:32:21,340 --> 00:32:23,340
[narrator] With
the incriminating evidence
754
00:32:23,342 --> 00:32:24,741
against Rick building,
755
00:32:24,743 --> 00:32:27,110
investigators haul him
back down to the station
756
00:32:27,112 --> 00:32:29,079
for another round
of questioning.
757
00:32:29,081 --> 00:32:31,515
[Stukenholtz] He denied
that he had purchased
758
00:32:31,517 --> 00:32:33,750
those items at that estate sale,
759
00:32:33,752 --> 00:32:36,119
and that really raised
red flags,
760
00:32:36,121 --> 00:32:38,288
if he bought those items,
why did he buy them?
761
00:32:38,290 --> 00:32:39,289
And then if he did,
762
00:32:39,291 --> 00:32:40,958
why would he deny
that he bought them?
763
00:32:40,960 --> 00:32:42,626
So, there were
just a number of things
764
00:32:42,628 --> 00:32:45,929
that he did
that continued to cause us
765
00:32:45,931 --> 00:32:48,231
to focus in his direction.
766
00:32:48,233 --> 00:32:50,100
[narrator]
Investigators confront Rick
767
00:32:50,102 --> 00:32:51,635
about the rumors
that he was having
768
00:32:51,637 --> 00:32:52,970
an affair with Sharron,
769
00:32:52,972 --> 00:32:55,072
but he dismisses them
as idle gossip.
770
00:32:55,074 --> 00:32:57,007
[Petersen]
We don't wanna see somebody
771
00:32:57,009 --> 00:32:58,642
get wrongly accused of a crime,
772
00:32:58,644 --> 00:33:02,012
we don't wanna see the wrong
people arrested for a crime,
773
00:33:02,014 --> 00:33:05,782
and so, we proceed
very, very cautiously.
774
00:33:05,784 --> 00:33:07,184
[McCoy]
One of the reasons
775
00:33:07,186 --> 00:33:09,753
we use polygraph tests
is to eliminate suspects.
776
00:33:09,755 --> 00:33:12,122
And so, during one
of Rick's interviews,
777
00:33:12,124 --> 00:33:13,924
he volunteered
to take a polygraph test,
778
00:33:13,926 --> 00:33:15,492
in order for us to eliminate him
779
00:33:15,494 --> 00:33:17,694
as possible suspect.
780
00:33:17,696 --> 00:33:19,329
So, the results
of the polygraph test
781
00:33:19,331 --> 00:33:20,998
came back inconclusive.
782
00:33:21,000 --> 00:33:22,165
And so, at that point,
783
00:33:22,167 --> 00:33:24,434
we can't eliminate him
as a suspect,
784
00:33:24,436 --> 00:33:26,003
based on the polygraph.
785
00:33:26,005 --> 00:33:27,738
[narrator]
But with a DNA profile
786
00:33:27,740 --> 00:33:29,506
of the killer now established
787
00:33:29,508 --> 00:33:32,309
detectives know
they could be one match away
788
00:33:32,311 --> 00:33:33,844
from solving the case.
789
00:33:33,846 --> 00:33:36,680
[McCoy] And so we asked
Rick to give DNA samples
790
00:33:36,682 --> 00:33:37,814
for the investigation
791
00:33:37,816 --> 00:33:40,484
and samples were collected
from Mr. Hartman.
792
00:33:40,486 --> 00:33:43,286
[Stukenholtz] We did not
get a DNA profile match
793
00:33:43,288 --> 00:33:44,588
with Rick Hartman.
794
00:33:44,590 --> 00:33:47,190
[Petersen] So,
he was completely eliminated
795
00:33:47,192 --> 00:33:48,492
at that time.
796
00:33:48,494 --> 00:33:50,594
Looking back, I just think that,
797
00:33:50,596 --> 00:33:53,497
you know, everyone deals
with death differently.
798
00:33:53,499 --> 00:33:57,534
He was probably anxious,
and that was his reaction.
799
00:33:57,536 --> 00:33:59,736
[narrator] With yet another
suspect eliminated,
800
00:33:59,738 --> 00:34:01,705
police are back to square one
801
00:34:01,707 --> 00:34:02,839
in the investigation
802
00:34:02,841 --> 00:34:05,375
into Sharron Erickson's
brutal murder.
803
00:34:05,377 --> 00:34:07,544
[Stukenholtz]
We began taking DNA samples
804
00:34:07,546 --> 00:34:10,347
from those people
that we felt probably were
805
00:34:11,182 --> 00:34:13,250
close to the top of our list,
806
00:34:13,252 --> 00:34:16,420
and submitting them
for examination.
807
00:34:16,422 --> 00:34:18,855
[narrator] As they await
the DNA results,
808
00:34:18,857 --> 00:34:20,390
investigators circle back
809
00:34:20,392 --> 00:34:23,727
to a previous person
of interest, James Marrs.
810
00:34:23,729 --> 00:34:25,529
[Stukenholtz]
James Marrs had also
811
00:34:25,531 --> 00:34:27,664
made statements
to other people about,
812
00:34:27,666 --> 00:34:29,533
"If the cops ask you where I was
813
00:34:29,535 --> 00:34:32,702
on this particular night,
tell them I was with you,"
814
00:34:32,704 --> 00:34:35,639
which was not consistent
with what he told us,
815
00:34:35,641 --> 00:34:38,241
so when those kinds
of things started to surface,
816
00:34:38,243 --> 00:34:40,877
you know, that pointed more
to James Marrs.
817
00:34:40,879 --> 00:34:43,914
The question then is, could
the son of the neighbors,
818
00:34:43,916 --> 00:34:44,981
the Marrs family,
819
00:34:44,983 --> 00:34:46,249
could he be good for this,
820
00:34:46,251 --> 00:34:48,051
considering
he was actually spoken to
821
00:34:48,053 --> 00:34:49,453
back on the first day?
822
00:34:49,455 --> 00:34:51,254
I always like to say,
when you're stuck
823
00:34:51,256 --> 00:34:54,658
and a case seems to be
bogged down or going cold,
824
00:34:54,660 --> 00:34:56,126
go back to where you began.
825
00:34:56,128 --> 00:34:57,561
More times than not,
826
00:34:57,563 --> 00:34:59,863
the killer's name
is already in the file.
827
00:35:05,036 --> 00:35:07,737
[narrator] After a series
of dead ends and false starts
828
00:35:07,739 --> 00:35:09,206
in the murder investigation
829
00:35:09,208 --> 00:35:11,408
of 66-year-old Sharron Erickson,
830
00:35:12,210 --> 00:35:14,144
her neighbor, James Marrs,
831
00:35:14,146 --> 00:35:16,046
has come back on police radar.
832
00:35:17,448 --> 00:35:20,016
[Petersen] When we had
interviewed James' girlfriend,
833
00:35:20,018 --> 00:35:23,153
she had told me that they'd
been girlfriend-boyfriend
834
00:35:23,155 --> 00:35:24,988
for about two,
two and a half years,
835
00:35:24,990 --> 00:35:26,590
and they had a child together,
836
00:35:26,592 --> 00:35:29,092
but they weren't
living together.
837
00:35:29,094 --> 00:35:32,028
When James
left the bars in Wahoo,
838
00:35:32,030 --> 00:35:34,865
and had gotten home
the night of the crime,
839
00:35:34,867 --> 00:35:38,902
he called his girlfriend
about 1:30 that night.
840
00:35:38,904 --> 00:35:40,470
He started confronting her
841
00:35:40,472 --> 00:35:42,639
about possibly seeing other men,
842
00:35:42,641 --> 00:35:44,608
and I think that the two of them
843
00:35:44,610 --> 00:35:46,943
had gotten into
an argument on the telephone,
844
00:35:46,945 --> 00:35:49,880
so the call lasted
about ten minutes that night
845
00:35:49,882 --> 00:35:53,617
and then the girlfriend
ended up hanging up on James.
846
00:35:53,619 --> 00:35:57,254
He was angry, part of me
thought that he wanted
847
00:35:57,256 --> 00:35:58,889
to go meet his girlfriend,
848
00:35:58,891 --> 00:36:01,558
but she maybe wasn't interested.
849
00:36:01,560 --> 00:36:04,294
And he was stewing a little bit
850
00:36:04,296 --> 00:36:07,297
and then he left
the house again.
851
00:36:08,799 --> 00:36:10,367
He was out of money, you know,
852
00:36:10,369 --> 00:36:12,903
he wasn't a wealthy person,
853
00:36:12,905 --> 00:36:16,773
and perhaps
he thought Ms. Erickson
854
00:36:16,775 --> 00:36:19,576
might be an opportunity
for him to get some,
855
00:36:19,578 --> 00:36:21,611
and he went over her fence,
856
00:36:21,613 --> 00:36:23,346
and then broke into her house.
857
00:36:24,982 --> 00:36:26,416
[narrator]
When the DNA results
858
00:36:26,418 --> 00:36:28,418
from the list
of suspects come in,
859
00:36:28,420 --> 00:36:31,655
they confirm
the investigators' new theory.
860
00:36:31,657 --> 00:36:34,424
[McCoy] The DNA
matched to James Marrs.
861
00:36:34,426 --> 00:36:37,627
It was one in 28 quadrillion
possibility
862
00:36:37,629 --> 00:36:38,662
it was someone else.
863
00:36:38,664 --> 00:36:40,697
And so,
there was a lot of relief.
864
00:36:40,699 --> 00:36:42,933
[Stukenholtz] That's
the nail in the coffin.
865
00:36:42,935 --> 00:36:45,468
We know we had the right guy,
866
00:36:45,470 --> 00:36:47,537
and we've got
scientific evidence
867
00:36:47,539 --> 00:36:48,872
that's gonna support it.
868
00:36:48,874 --> 00:36:50,941
We were frankly over the top
869
00:36:50,943 --> 00:36:53,443
happy with where we were going.
870
00:36:53,445 --> 00:36:55,011
[narrator]
Having tied James Marrs
871
00:36:55,013 --> 00:36:56,713
to Sharron Erickson's murder,
872
00:36:56,715 --> 00:36:59,115
police's moving to arrest him.
873
00:36:59,117 --> 00:37:01,084
[McCoy]
We decided to arrest him
874
00:37:01,086 --> 00:37:03,787
early in the morning,
before he went to work
875
00:37:03,789 --> 00:37:05,655
and to try
to catch him off guard,
876
00:37:05,657 --> 00:37:06,690
which we did.
877
00:37:08,326 --> 00:37:09,593
[narrator] While in custody,
878
00:37:09,595 --> 00:37:12,896
investigators question James
about Sharron's murder,
879
00:37:12,898 --> 00:37:14,297
but he isn't talking.
880
00:37:14,299 --> 00:37:15,765
[McCoy]
He acted surprised.
881
00:37:15,767 --> 00:37:18,468
He couldn't believe that he
was being arrested for this,
882
00:37:18,470 --> 00:37:20,770
you know, he claimed that
he had nothing to do with it.
883
00:37:20,772 --> 00:37:22,706
[Petersen]
"You've got the wrong guy.
884
00:37:22,708 --> 00:37:25,208
This is BS.
I'm not going anywhere.
885
00:37:25,210 --> 00:37:26,142
I want a lawyer,"
886
00:37:26,144 --> 00:37:28,011
and then he was taken down
887
00:37:28,013 --> 00:37:30,347
to the Nebraska Department
of Corrections.
888
00:37:30,349 --> 00:37:32,315
There was
some other inmates there
889
00:37:32,317 --> 00:37:35,518
that James
had actually confessed to
890
00:37:35,520 --> 00:37:38,054
that he had actually
committed this homicide.
891
00:37:40,591 --> 00:37:42,959
[narrator] With James'
jailhouse confession,
892
00:37:42,961 --> 00:37:45,128
investigators are able
to piece together
893
00:37:45,130 --> 00:37:48,298
Sharron Erickson's
final 24 hours.
894
00:37:48,300 --> 00:37:52,402
[McCoy] On the night
of June 29th, 2003, at 11:30,
895
00:37:52,404 --> 00:37:53,770
James Marrs left Colon,
896
00:37:53,772 --> 00:37:55,772
went to Wahoo
to a friend's house,
897
00:37:55,774 --> 00:37:57,741
where they drank some beer,
898
00:37:57,743 --> 00:37:59,743
and then eventually went
to a bar after that.
899
00:37:59,745 --> 00:38:02,445
And then, at 1:05,
900
00:38:02,447 --> 00:38:04,948
James Marrs went
to the Oasis bar in Wahoo,
901
00:38:04,950 --> 00:38:06,116
tried to get a drink,
902
00:38:06,118 --> 00:38:08,585
it was after hours
so they did not serve him.
903
00:38:08,587 --> 00:38:11,054
He left shortly thereafter.
904
00:38:11,056 --> 00:38:13,189
[Petersen] And he
arrived back at his house
905
00:38:13,191 --> 00:38:18,028
roughly at 1:20 a.m.
on Monday morning, June 30th.
906
00:38:18,030 --> 00:38:21,431
James calls his girlfriend
about 1:30 a.m.
907
00:38:21,433 --> 00:38:23,700
James and his girlfriend
have the fight,
908
00:38:23,702 --> 00:38:26,369
and they have about
a ten minute conversation.
909
00:38:26,371 --> 00:38:27,804
James is pretty mad.
910
00:38:27,806 --> 00:38:29,339
He's been drinking.
911
00:38:29,341 --> 00:38:32,642
And at that point,
he obtains a coal chisel.
912
00:38:33,444 --> 00:38:35,211
James leaves the house,
913
00:38:35,213 --> 00:38:39,582
and he goes over
to Ms. Erickson's house.
914
00:38:39,584 --> 00:38:42,786
[McCoy] So he jumps
the fence in her backyard,
915
00:38:42,788 --> 00:38:45,288
he cuts the phone lines first,
916
00:38:45,290 --> 00:38:47,324
and then pries open
the back door.
917
00:38:50,961 --> 00:38:52,662
[Petersen]
Sharron is waking up...
918
00:38:53,998 --> 00:38:57,967
and Sharron has been able
to get dressed,
919
00:38:57,969 --> 00:39:00,103
or at least get her shoes on.
920
00:39:03,808 --> 00:39:06,810
At that time,
she confronts James Marrs
921
00:39:06,812 --> 00:39:08,278
about breaking into her house.
922
00:39:12,316 --> 00:39:15,485
I think Sharron may
have picked up the telephone
923
00:39:15,487 --> 00:39:19,089
to call the police
and found it was dead,
924
00:39:19,091 --> 00:39:23,259
and so, her only option
was to drive somewhere.
925
00:39:23,261 --> 00:39:24,994
She had to get to her car.
926
00:39:30,000 --> 00:39:31,668
[narrator]
Sharron runs to the garage
927
00:39:31,670 --> 00:39:33,370
where James catches up with her.
928
00:39:35,306 --> 00:39:37,140
[Petersen]
James confronted her
929
00:39:37,142 --> 00:39:41,878
and realized at some point
that that gun wasn't loaded.
930
00:39:43,214 --> 00:39:46,049
And at that point, he beat her
931
00:39:46,984 --> 00:39:50,453
and sexually assaulted her
in that garage.
932
00:39:51,956 --> 00:39:53,189
[McCoy]
She fought back
933
00:39:53,191 --> 00:39:55,358
and was trying
to defend herself,
934
00:39:56,060 --> 00:39:57,894
but she was just overcome.
935
00:39:57,896 --> 00:39:59,696
We concluded that she was killed
936
00:39:59,698 --> 00:40:01,030
before three o'clock
in the morning.
937
00:40:03,167 --> 00:40:04,734
[narrator]
The one piece that still
938
00:40:04,736 --> 00:40:07,003
doesn't make sense
to investigators
939
00:40:07,005 --> 00:40:08,738
is James' motive for the murder.
940
00:40:08,740 --> 00:40:10,206
[McCoy]
He'd been drinking,
941
00:40:10,208 --> 00:40:13,276
consumed some cocaine
and he'd been in a fight
942
00:40:13,278 --> 00:40:14,811
with his girlfriend,
he was angry,
943
00:40:14,813 --> 00:40:16,513
that probably
all came to a head,
944
00:40:16,515 --> 00:40:18,982
especially after he had
a gun pointed at his head,
945
00:40:18,984 --> 00:40:22,118
and was probably yelled at
by Sharron as well,
946
00:40:22,120 --> 00:40:24,454
and so that probably
just made more angry.
947
00:40:27,057 --> 00:40:29,759
[Stukenholtz] He needed
money for drugs and alcohol,
948
00:40:29,761 --> 00:40:31,795
so, he felt like Sharron
949
00:40:31,797 --> 00:40:33,363
was going to have money
in her house.
950
00:40:33,365 --> 00:40:36,433
And then he assaulted her
physically and sexually.
951
00:40:37,301 --> 00:40:39,335
But why was it necessary
to kill her?
952
00:40:41,439 --> 00:40:43,640
[Stockdale] James Marrs
went there deliberately
953
00:40:43,642 --> 00:40:45,809
to commit a sexual assault
against Sharron,
954
00:40:45,811 --> 00:40:48,378
because an older woman
is an easy target.
955
00:40:48,380 --> 00:40:50,680
Someone who's
a vulnerable victim,
956
00:40:50,682 --> 00:40:54,317
and the amount of violence
reflects his background.
957
00:40:54,319 --> 00:40:56,152
[Petersen]
The end result was good,
958
00:40:56,154 --> 00:40:57,587
that James is in prison,
959
00:40:57,589 --> 00:40:59,589
but I can't help
but think sometimes
960
00:40:59,591 --> 00:41:03,460
if we could have had him
there quicker,
961
00:41:03,462 --> 00:41:06,262
had we approached some
of the things differently.
962
00:41:06,264 --> 00:41:10,033
So, I carry that with me
all the time.
963
00:41:10,035 --> 00:41:13,236
[narrator] The town of Colon
is saved the pain of a trial,
964
00:41:13,238 --> 00:41:16,005
when James pleads guilty
to second degree murder.
965
00:41:16,007 --> 00:41:19,309
[McCoy] It was a big
relief for Sharron's family
966
00:41:19,311 --> 00:41:21,144
to get that closure,
967
00:41:21,146 --> 00:41:25,381
and be able to hold someone
accountable for his actions.
968
00:41:25,383 --> 00:41:26,916
It's not gonna bring
Sharron back,
969
00:41:26,918 --> 00:41:31,721
but it's the most we can do
for Sharron.
970
00:41:31,723 --> 00:41:33,923
[Stukenholtz]
The timeline really helps us
971
00:41:33,925 --> 00:41:35,859
in excluding possible suspects
972
00:41:35,861 --> 00:41:37,427
and then narrowing down
973
00:41:37,429 --> 00:41:39,662
who we want to really focus on.
974
00:41:39,664 --> 00:41:42,732
And then the DNA, you know,
that's the nail in the coffin.
975
00:41:43,767 --> 00:41:45,268
[narrator]
On what would have been
976
00:41:45,270 --> 00:41:47,737
Sharron Erikson 67th birthday,
977
00:41:47,739 --> 00:41:49,706
James Marrs is sentenced to life
978
00:41:49,708 --> 00:41:51,941
with no possibility of parole.
979
00:41:51,943 --> 00:41:53,910
[Coughlin]
I think it's unfortunate
980
00:41:53,912 --> 00:41:56,880
that somebody
took her life so soon.
981
00:41:56,882 --> 00:41:59,315
Sharron was a retired person
982
00:41:59,317 --> 00:42:01,150
that had worked hard
all her life,
983
00:42:01,152 --> 00:42:04,554
and had chosen to live
in a small community
984
00:42:04,556 --> 00:42:06,656
because of how safe it was,
985
00:42:06,658 --> 00:42:09,759
and essentially
all she wanted to do
986
00:42:09,761 --> 00:42:13,963
was just live there quietly
and simply.
987
00:42:13,965 --> 00:42:16,032
[Stukenholtz]
Probably the saddest thing
988
00:42:16,034 --> 00:42:18,034
about this is the fact
that Sharron grew up
989
00:42:18,036 --> 00:42:19,168
in that community,
990
00:42:19,203 --> 00:42:22,372
she contributed to the county
with her hard work
991
00:42:22,374 --> 00:42:24,307
and wanted make Colon
a good place to live,
992
00:42:24,309 --> 00:42:27,076
and the fact that, you know,
that was cut short
993
00:42:27,078 --> 00:42:28,845
is a tremendous tragedy.