1 00:00:01,043 --> 00:00:03,672 [ ♪ dramatic music playing] 2 00:00:03,755 --> 00:00:05,507 [narrator] If you really want something, 3 00:00:05,590 --> 00:00:08,218 sometimes you have to fight for it. 4 00:00:09,010 --> 00:00:12,305 Just like 22-year-old Mindy Morgenstern. 5 00:00:12,389 --> 00:00:14,933 She stands out in a crowd. 6 00:00:15,016 --> 00:00:17,602 Mindy had this smile and a laugh that was contagious. 7 00:00:19,145 --> 00:00:22,983 [narrator] And she faces adversity head-on. 8 00:00:24,943 --> 00:00:28,863 [friend] She found out that she had been diagnosed with MS, 9 00:00:28,947 --> 00:00:30,865 but she was a tough girl. 10 00:00:31,533 --> 00:00:34,619 It made her have that much more of a drive and that much more ambition. 11 00:00:34,703 --> 00:00:36,454 [♪ tense music playing] 12 00:00:36,538 --> 00:00:38,039 [narrator] When she's found murdered, 13 00:00:38,123 --> 00:00:41,459 it rocks this tiny college town. 14 00:00:41,543 --> 00:00:44,296 ♪♪ 15 00:00:44,379 --> 00:00:48,008 I talked with the police about Mindy's friends, 16 00:00:48,091 --> 00:00:50,260 Mindy's boyfriends. Who would do this? 17 00:00:52,178 --> 00:00:53,972 None of the leads really led anywhere. 18 00:00:55,098 --> 00:00:56,474 We didn't have answers. 19 00:00:57,309 --> 00:00:59,686 [narrator] But because Mindy stood her ground... 20 00:01:00,312 --> 00:01:02,314 She wasn't gonna go down without a fight. 21 00:01:02,981 --> 00:01:05,775 But, for Mindy fighting back, they wouldn't have solved this case. 22 00:01:06,985 --> 00:01:09,154 [narrator] ...she caught her killer. 23 00:01:09,237 --> 00:01:10,947 [♪ theme music playing] 24 00:01:11,031 --> 00:01:13,366 [speaker 1] She solved her own murder from beyond the grave. 25 00:01:13,450 --> 00:01:15,452 [speaker 2] The fitness app on the phone. 26 00:01:15,535 --> 00:01:17,203 It was overwhelming evidence. 27 00:01:17,287 --> 00:01:19,998 ♪ I've been haunted by the visions ♪ 28 00:01:20,081 --> 00:01:23,168 ♪ That I've seen with my own eyes ♪ 29 00:01:23,251 --> 00:01:26,213 ♪ And the only way to find you ♪ 30 00:01:26,296 --> 00:01:30,300 ♪ Is to go beneath the lies ♪ 31 00:01:32,552 --> 00:01:35,096 [speaker 3] She did help catch this killer. 32 00:01:37,432 --> 00:01:40,393 ♪ We have some demons here inside us ♪ 33 00:01:40,477 --> 00:01:43,063 ♪ Never let the darker days define us ♪ 34 00:01:43,146 --> 00:01:47,192 [narrator] Valley City, North Dakota, is a rural town of 7,000. 35 00:01:48,276 --> 00:01:50,528 It's home to Valley City State University, 36 00:01:51,321 --> 00:01:54,658 where 22-year-old Mindy Morgenstern is an education major 37 00:01:54,741 --> 00:01:56,576 in the fall of 2006. 38 00:01:56,660 --> 00:01:57,994 ♪♪ 39 00:01:58,078 --> 00:02:02,123 In this tight-knit community, Mindy knows everybody, 40 00:02:02,582 --> 00:02:04,417 and everybody knows Mindy. 41 00:02:06,878 --> 00:02:08,880 ♪♪ 42 00:02:08,964 --> 00:02:11,633 [Liz Kleinke] My name is Liz Kleinke. 43 00:02:12,592 --> 00:02:16,179 Mindy and I talked a lot through emails or Facebook, 44 00:02:17,097 --> 00:02:20,016 and Mindy always answered her phone calls. 45 00:02:20,725 --> 00:02:24,145 [narrator] But, on the night of September 13, 2006, 46 00:02:24,229 --> 00:02:26,106 no one can get ahold of Mindy. 47 00:02:26,189 --> 00:02:28,149 [♪ tense music playing] 48 00:02:28,233 --> 00:02:31,778 [Liz] Mindy was supposed to go out that night with her friends 49 00:02:31,861 --> 00:02:33,280 Toni and Danielle. 50 00:02:33,363 --> 00:02:36,449 [echoing line ringing] 51 00:02:36,533 --> 00:02:38,243 But she never responded, and they were like, 52 00:02:38,326 --> 00:02:39,953 "Why isn't she answering?" 53 00:02:40,036 --> 00:02:41,788 [phone vibrating] 54 00:02:41,871 --> 00:02:44,624 [voicemail] Your call has been forwarded to an automatic voice messag- - 55 00:02:44,708 --> 00:02:47,252 [narrator] According to reports by the local press, 56 00:02:47,335 --> 00:02:49,546 that's when they decide to go check on her. 57 00:02:49,629 --> 00:02:51,381 [clock ticking] 58 00:02:51,464 --> 00:02:53,717 [Brittany Lawonn] My name is Brittany Lawonn, and in 2006, 59 00:02:53,800 --> 00:02:57,387 I was the rookie reporter at The Forum in Fargo. 60 00:02:57,470 --> 00:02:59,598 [♪ dramatic music playing] 61 00:02:59,681 --> 00:03:01,766 So, Toni and Danielle get to her apartment. 62 00:03:02,934 --> 00:03:04,769 And Danielle stays in the car 63 00:03:05,478 --> 00:03:06,897 and Toni went up the stairs 64 00:03:06,980 --> 00:03:08,481 to the apartment to look for her. 65 00:03:08,565 --> 00:03:10,191 [echoing footsteps] 66 00:03:10,275 --> 00:03:12,152 And as she kind of touched the door... 67 00:03:13,278 --> 00:03:14,613 [door clicks, creaks] 68 00:03:15,030 --> 00:03:16,990 ...it was unlocked and open. 69 00:03:17,073 --> 00:03:18,950 [♪ tense music playing] 70 00:03:19,034 --> 00:03:21,703 And immediately, as she steps in, she sees... 71 00:03:22,787 --> 00:03:25,665 -Mindy's feet on the floor. -[♪ tense crescendo] 72 00:03:29,586 --> 00:03:31,796 And her head leaning toward the kitchen. 73 00:03:34,257 --> 00:03:35,926 [narrator] When she sees blood, 74 00:03:36,009 --> 00:03:38,929 Toni screams and calls 911. 75 00:03:39,012 --> 00:03:40,138 [phone dialing] 76 00:03:40,222 --> 00:03:43,183 The commotion gets the attention of another tenant in the building. 77 00:03:43,266 --> 00:03:44,601 [line ringing] 78 00:03:44,684 --> 00:03:47,437 There was a man who heard Toni, 79 00:03:47,520 --> 00:03:50,190 understandably upset after seeing her friend's body there. 80 00:03:51,107 --> 00:03:52,734 So he came up to the door 81 00:03:52,817 --> 00:03:55,654 and kind of helped Toni to look at what was happening 82 00:03:55,737 --> 00:03:57,530 and to figure out what was going on. 83 00:03:58,323 --> 00:03:59,574 [sirens wailing] 84 00:03:59,658 --> 00:04:02,535 [narrator] Law enforcement is at the scene within minutes. 85 00:04:05,038 --> 00:04:07,499 [echoing police radio chatter] 86 00:04:09,918 --> 00:04:11,962 [Dana Rustebakke] As soon as I entered the door, 87 00:04:12,045 --> 00:04:14,256 I realized it was a murder. 88 00:04:15,465 --> 00:04:17,551 My name is Dana Rustebakke. 89 00:04:17,634 --> 00:04:21,555 Back in 2006, I was a patrol officer for the Valley City Police Department. 90 00:04:22,847 --> 00:04:24,808 There was a belt that was around her neck, 91 00:04:25,934 --> 00:04:28,937 and the suspect took a knife and cut her throat. 92 00:04:30,313 --> 00:04:33,275 And there was a very strong chemical smell 93 00:04:33,358 --> 00:04:36,903 because Mindy's body had been doused in Pine-Sol. 94 00:04:38,989 --> 00:04:42,284 It was a shock to see her in the condition that she was in. 95 00:04:42,367 --> 00:04:44,327 ♪♪ 96 00:04:45,495 --> 00:04:46,830 [♪ somber music playing] 97 00:04:46,913 --> 00:04:49,207 [narrator] Valley City Police want answers. 98 00:04:50,208 --> 00:04:52,502 Did anyone see anything suspicious? 99 00:04:53,503 --> 00:04:55,922 Did Mindy have any visitors? 100 00:04:56,006 --> 00:04:57,424 A boyfriend? 101 00:04:57,507 --> 00:05:00,677 Could someone who lives in the building be the culprit? 102 00:05:00,760 --> 00:05:03,555 Officers take statements from Mindy's neighbors, 103 00:05:04,848 --> 00:05:07,058 and the tragic news spreads fast. 104 00:05:08,727 --> 00:05:10,937 [Liz] I remember my mom called me 105 00:05:11,521 --> 00:05:14,399 and just being in disbelief. Like, this is-- No way. 106 00:05:14,482 --> 00:05:16,276 This isn't real. 107 00:05:16,359 --> 00:05:18,278 ♪♪ 108 00:05:18,361 --> 00:05:21,615 In Valley City, everybody knows everybody. 109 00:05:21,698 --> 00:05:23,700 Who would do that? 110 00:05:27,746 --> 00:05:30,248 [narrator] Mindy Morgenstern was more than a little nervous 111 00:05:30,332 --> 00:05:33,627 when she arrived as a freshman at Valley City State. 112 00:05:33,710 --> 00:05:35,921 [♪ gentle music playing] 113 00:05:36,004 --> 00:05:39,341 She grew up on a farm near the tiny village of New Salem, North Dakota, 114 00:05:39,424 --> 00:05:43,845 after being adopted from Colombia at the age of 1 with her sister, April. 115 00:05:45,430 --> 00:05:48,225 [Liz] Mindy stood out in a rural community 116 00:05:48,308 --> 00:05:50,060 but she was proud of where she came from. 117 00:05:50,894 --> 00:05:52,896 [narrator] For a farm girl like Mindy, 118 00:05:52,979 --> 00:05:57,234 going to Valley City State is like moving to the big city. 119 00:05:57,317 --> 00:06:00,445 [Liz] When she moved to Valley City, she was telling everybody, 120 00:06:00,528 --> 00:06:02,489 "Be safe, be careful." 121 00:06:02,572 --> 00:06:05,617 And we're like, "Mindy, it's okay. Like, we're safe here." 122 00:06:05,700 --> 00:06:08,036 [insects chirping] 123 00:06:08,119 --> 00:06:10,372 [narrator] Mindy overcomes her trepidation 124 00:06:10,455 --> 00:06:13,625 and blossoms into a confident, outgoing young woman 125 00:06:13,708 --> 00:06:15,418 with a busy social life. 126 00:06:16,711 --> 00:06:19,089 She became friends with so many people right away 127 00:06:19,172 --> 00:06:22,133 because her personality was very magnetic. 128 00:06:22,217 --> 00:06:24,386 ♪♪ 129 00:06:24,469 --> 00:06:26,221 My name is Ashley Wallace, 130 00:06:26,304 --> 00:06:30,058 and I am a childhood friend of Mindy Morgenstern. 131 00:06:30,141 --> 00:06:32,769 ♪ Come with me, yeah, I'll show you round, I bet you want it ♪ 132 00:06:32,852 --> 00:06:36,147 [narrator] Just as her new life in college takes off, 133 00:06:36,231 --> 00:06:38,525 Mindy receives devastating news 134 00:06:38,608 --> 00:06:41,570 when she's diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. 135 00:06:41,653 --> 00:06:42,654 [♪ dramatic sting] 136 00:06:45,115 --> 00:06:48,952 It was obviously a life-altering diagnosis, 137 00:06:50,370 --> 00:06:53,039 but she did not let that get in her way. 138 00:06:54,249 --> 00:06:55,292 It didn't stop her. 139 00:06:56,001 --> 00:06:58,211 [narrator] Despite major health challenges, 140 00:06:58,295 --> 00:07:01,006 Mindy is resilient and the type of girl 141 00:07:01,089 --> 00:07:03,216 who stands up for the little guy. 142 00:07:03,300 --> 00:07:06,511 [Liz] Mindy was an education major. She loved kids. 143 00:07:06,595 --> 00:07:08,430 She was going to school to work with kids. 144 00:07:09,097 --> 00:07:11,099 [Ashley Wallace] She was always finding ways 145 00:07:11,182 --> 00:07:13,685 to try and help the world and help others. 146 00:07:15,145 --> 00:07:19,107 [narrator] She is so loved and gives so much love. 147 00:07:19,190 --> 00:07:20,984 How could anyone wanna hurt her? 148 00:07:21,067 --> 00:07:22,444 ♪♪ 149 00:07:22,527 --> 00:07:26,197 It was bizarre for that to happen in Valley City, 150 00:07:26,281 --> 00:07:28,867 but also for it to happen to Mindy, 151 00:07:28,950 --> 00:07:32,704 who didn't really have a mean bone in her body. 152 00:07:32,787 --> 00:07:35,040 [insects chirping] 153 00:07:35,123 --> 00:07:38,293 [narrator] Valley City police realize they can't handle a murder case alone... 154 00:07:38,376 --> 00:07:39,419 [police radio chatter] 155 00:07:39,502 --> 00:07:42,505 ...so they call in state investigators from nearby Fargo 156 00:07:42,589 --> 00:07:45,550 who arrive two hours after the tragic discovery. 157 00:07:46,718 --> 00:07:49,095 [♪ somber music playing] 158 00:07:49,179 --> 00:07:52,432 [John Byers] My name's John Byers. In 2006, 159 00:07:52,515 --> 00:07:54,267 I was an assistant attorney general 160 00:07:54,351 --> 00:07:56,937 working for the State Attorney General for North Dakota. 161 00:07:57,020 --> 00:07:58,939 ♪♪ 162 00:07:59,522 --> 00:08:02,525 The State Crime Bureau was involved 163 00:08:02,609 --> 00:08:03,985 right from the very beginning. 164 00:08:05,278 --> 00:08:09,407 [narrator] And Fargo detectives are stunned by what they find at the scene. 165 00:08:09,491 --> 00:08:11,201 [echoing shutter snaps] 166 00:08:11,284 --> 00:08:14,829 [John] Visible to the officers were one knife 167 00:08:14,913 --> 00:08:16,206 still in her neck... 168 00:08:16,289 --> 00:08:17,832 ♪♪ 169 00:08:17,916 --> 00:08:19,960 ...and the other one kinda resting on her shoulder, 170 00:08:20,835 --> 00:08:22,837 both of which had a broken handle 171 00:08:22,921 --> 00:08:24,506 from whoever cut her throat. 172 00:08:27,008 --> 00:08:29,636 There were some freshly laundered clothes 173 00:08:29,719 --> 00:08:31,221 in a laundry basket. 174 00:08:31,304 --> 00:08:32,305 [shutter snaps] 175 00:08:32,389 --> 00:08:34,808 And so, she might have been doing laundry. 176 00:08:35,684 --> 00:08:39,521 [narrator] Investigators try to piece together what may have happened to Mindy. 177 00:08:39,604 --> 00:08:42,107 [♪ dramatic music playing] 178 00:08:42,190 --> 00:08:44,734 [Brittany] It looked as though Mindy was walking into her apartment. 179 00:08:44,818 --> 00:08:47,862 She still has her purse on her shoulder, she has her keys in her hand. 180 00:08:50,073 --> 00:08:51,866 And the perpetrator came up from behind her... 181 00:08:52,450 --> 00:08:53,451 [muffled thud] 182 00:08:54,244 --> 00:08:56,663 ...and used a cloth belt that strangled her, 183 00:08:56,746 --> 00:08:58,540 and then plunged two knives into her neck. 184 00:08:58,623 --> 00:09:00,333 ♪♪ 185 00:09:01,668 --> 00:09:05,630 It would seem to indicate that this was a very short encounter. 186 00:09:05,714 --> 00:09:07,883 ♪♪ 187 00:09:07,966 --> 00:09:09,467 The person that did this to Mindy 188 00:09:09,551 --> 00:09:12,387 got a bottle of Pine-Sol, 189 00:09:12,470 --> 00:09:14,139 and then proceeded to dump that 190 00:09:14,222 --> 00:09:16,850 on Mindy's face and-- 191 00:09:16,933 --> 00:09:18,268 and some of the rest of her body. 192 00:09:19,686 --> 00:09:22,355 A lot of us believed it was to destroy evidence. 193 00:09:22,439 --> 00:09:24,107 [muffled splashing] 194 00:09:26,276 --> 00:09:29,446 [officer] Right now, this would be the north wall of the bedroom. 195 00:09:29,696 --> 00:09:31,323 [narrator] It could've been a robbery, 196 00:09:31,406 --> 00:09:33,199 but the apartment looks untouched 197 00:09:34,451 --> 00:09:36,786 and Mindy's wallet is on the floor. 198 00:09:36,870 --> 00:09:38,163 So is her phone. 199 00:09:38,747 --> 00:09:39,748 [phone buzzes] 200 00:09:39,998 --> 00:09:43,627 And it's buzzing with incoming calls and texts. 201 00:09:43,710 --> 00:09:46,588 -[buzzing] -[♪ dramatic crescendo] 202 00:09:46,671 --> 00:09:48,506 There was no way to know whether this was 203 00:09:48,590 --> 00:09:51,676 someone specifically focused on Mindy, 204 00:09:51,760 --> 00:09:55,680 or somebody that might be out, interested in doing other crimes. 205 00:09:55,764 --> 00:09:56,848 ♪♪ 206 00:09:56,932 --> 00:10:00,393 [narrator] The investigators have no idea who killed Mindy, 207 00:10:00,477 --> 00:10:03,772 but they quickly figure out when the murder took place. 208 00:10:04,356 --> 00:10:07,108 [John] She was pretty active on her phone, 209 00:10:07,192 --> 00:10:08,985 texting and calling with friends. 210 00:10:09,694 --> 00:10:13,240 She stopped answering any calls or texts at 12:47. 211 00:10:13,323 --> 00:10:15,200 [♪ tense music playing] 212 00:10:15,283 --> 00:10:17,035 Her friends had found her at nine o'clock. 213 00:10:18,536 --> 00:10:20,372 There was this nine-hour window of time 214 00:10:20,455 --> 00:10:22,374 and people in her apartment was actually helping 215 00:10:22,457 --> 00:10:24,626 to narrow down the timeframe for when she was killed 216 00:10:24,709 --> 00:10:28,255 because people smelled an odor of Pine-Sol about 1:30 p.m. 217 00:10:29,923 --> 00:10:32,217 [narrator] Investigators now know Mindy was murdered 218 00:10:32,300 --> 00:10:35,428 within 45 minutes after her phone activity stopped. 219 00:10:35,512 --> 00:10:37,264 [siren wailing] 220 00:10:37,347 --> 00:10:40,850 When detectives talked to Mindy's friend who discovered her body, 221 00:10:41,476 --> 00:10:45,188 they're very interested to learn that Mindy's neighbor was at the scene. 222 00:10:46,231 --> 00:10:48,775 It might not have been a coincidence that he came 223 00:10:48,858 --> 00:10:51,278 to the assistance of Mindy's friend. 224 00:10:52,487 --> 00:10:55,115 Sometimes, people that commit homicides 225 00:10:55,198 --> 00:10:57,200 hang around the area 226 00:10:57,284 --> 00:10:59,578 and watch to see what happens. 227 00:10:59,661 --> 00:11:01,121 ♪♪ 228 00:11:01,204 --> 00:11:06,042 This gentleman named Robert Lynds came to Mindy's apartment 229 00:11:06,126 --> 00:11:09,004 and then told Mindy's friend, 230 00:11:10,213 --> 00:11:12,048 "I think she's dead." 231 00:11:13,008 --> 00:11:16,469 [narrator] When police look into Robert Lynds' background, 232 00:11:16,553 --> 00:11:18,930 they become even more alarmed. 233 00:11:19,014 --> 00:11:22,267 They realized he did have a felony criminal history. 234 00:11:23,393 --> 00:11:26,521 And his past contributed to law enforcement's suspicion. 235 00:11:26,605 --> 00:11:28,648 ♪♪ 236 00:11:28,732 --> 00:11:31,735 [narrator] Investigators wanna talk to Mindy's ex-con neighbor. 237 00:11:43,288 --> 00:11:44,748 [narrator] During the interview, 238 00:11:44,831 --> 00:11:48,627 detectives pick up on something that raises a red flag. 239 00:11:48,710 --> 00:11:50,295 The one thing that got everybody's attention 240 00:11:50,378 --> 00:11:52,422 is how he did have cuts on his hands. 241 00:11:55,300 --> 00:11:57,135 -[shutter snaps] -When Mindy's body was discovered, 242 00:11:57,219 --> 00:12:00,013 it looked like there was something under her fingernails. 243 00:12:00,096 --> 00:12:01,514 ♪♪ 244 00:12:01,598 --> 00:12:05,310 [narrator] Did Mindy scratch Robert Lynds in a desperate attempt to fight him off? 245 00:12:05,685 --> 00:12:08,688 Or is it just a chilling coincidence? 246 00:12:09,648 --> 00:12:13,902 The truth is more disturbing than they can possibly imagine. 247 00:12:14,361 --> 00:12:16,196 He had a-an obsession with Mindy. 248 00:12:16,279 --> 00:12:18,073 [♪ tense music playing] 249 00:12:18,156 --> 00:12:20,075 It makes you sick to your stomach. 250 00:12:20,158 --> 00:12:21,159 [screams] 251 00:12:21,243 --> 00:12:22,452 I was blown away. 252 00:12:22,535 --> 00:12:24,454 ♪♪ 253 00:12:27,666 --> 00:12:30,585 [♪ dramatic music playing] 254 00:12:30,669 --> 00:12:34,297 [narrator] Mindy Morgenstern was found stabbed to death in her apartment, 255 00:12:34,381 --> 00:12:37,384 but the small-town farm girl didn't go down without a fight. 256 00:12:38,593 --> 00:12:41,596 Investigators believe Mindy may have scratched her killer 257 00:12:41,680 --> 00:12:43,056 during the attack. 258 00:12:43,515 --> 00:12:47,060 And her neighbor, Robert Lynds, has visible injuries. 259 00:12:48,770 --> 00:12:51,982 Robert Lynds appeared to have scratch marks around the hands. 260 00:12:52,857 --> 00:12:54,693 [Lee Grossman] Robert Lynds fit the profile. 261 00:12:54,776 --> 00:12:58,154 He looked like the guy that we wanted to be able to capture and say, 262 00:12:58,238 --> 00:13:00,865 "This is the person that killed Mindy Morgenstern." 263 00:13:01,408 --> 00:13:02,993 My name is Lee Grossman. 264 00:13:03,076 --> 00:13:06,371 In 2006, I was the assistant state's attorney 265 00:13:06,454 --> 00:13:09,040 for Barnes County in Valley City, North Dakota. 266 00:13:09,124 --> 00:13:10,208 ♪♪ 267 00:13:10,292 --> 00:13:12,711 Robert Lynds served time in prison in California. 268 00:13:12,794 --> 00:13:14,671 He was new to Valley City. 269 00:13:14,754 --> 00:13:16,923 [♪ soft ominous music playing] 270 00:13:30,103 --> 00:13:32,105 ♪♪ 271 00:13:32,188 --> 00:13:35,942 [narrator] Lynds claims to be nothing more than a concerned neighbor, 272 00:13:36,026 --> 00:13:38,945 but police focus on the fresh scratches on his hands. 273 00:13:40,447 --> 00:13:42,198 Where did they come from? 274 00:13:47,120 --> 00:13:49,497 He said the scratches from his arms 275 00:13:49,581 --> 00:13:51,750 came from the work that he did with his hands. 276 00:13:51,833 --> 00:13:53,543 [metal grinding] 277 00:13:54,461 --> 00:13:58,882 Robert worked at a metal fabricating factory in Valley City. 278 00:13:58,965 --> 00:14:01,760 He said he clocked in that morning, 279 00:14:01,843 --> 00:14:03,678 and he clocked out that afternoon, 280 00:14:03,762 --> 00:14:06,056 and he was here the whole time. 281 00:14:06,139 --> 00:14:07,265 [inaudible] 282 00:14:07,349 --> 00:14:09,726 [Brittany] Robert Lynds offered his DNA voluntarily, 283 00:14:09,809 --> 00:14:11,645 fingerprints, everything. 284 00:14:11,728 --> 00:14:13,772 ♪♪ 285 00:14:13,855 --> 00:14:16,566 [narrator] Police want more info about Lynds, 286 00:14:16,650 --> 00:14:19,736 and it so happens that another one of Mindy's neighbors 287 00:14:19,819 --> 00:14:21,655 is a fellow law enforcement officer. 288 00:14:22,864 --> 00:14:25,700 [Brittany] Mindy had remarked to people before 289 00:14:25,784 --> 00:14:28,995 that she felt very comfortable in the apartment that she lived in 290 00:14:29,079 --> 00:14:31,706 because there was a correctional officer who lived in the building. 291 00:14:31,790 --> 00:14:33,583 [narrator] His name is Moe Gibbs, 292 00:14:33,667 --> 00:14:35,627 a respected community member 293 00:14:35,710 --> 00:14:38,380 and family man who works at the local jailhouse. 294 00:14:38,463 --> 00:14:40,674 ♪♪ 295 00:14:40,757 --> 00:14:42,425 [Lee] Moe was working the night shift 296 00:14:42,509 --> 00:14:43,927 at the Correctional Center 297 00:14:44,010 --> 00:14:45,262 during that time. 298 00:14:45,345 --> 00:14:47,764 So, during the time of her murder, he would've been home. 299 00:14:48,598 --> 00:14:50,725 [narrator] Moe tells detectives he was in his apartment 300 00:14:50,809 --> 00:14:53,812 with his 15-month-old stepdaughter while his wife was at work. 301 00:14:55,313 --> 00:14:57,148 [Lee] He didn't notice anything unusual. 302 00:14:57,232 --> 00:15:00,151 He didn't recall seeing Robert Lynds at that time. 303 00:15:00,235 --> 00:15:01,820 He did note that there was an odor 304 00:15:01,903 --> 00:15:04,364 of Pine-Sol sometime that afternoon. 305 00:15:05,407 --> 00:15:06,908 [narrator] Other than the odor, 306 00:15:06,992 --> 00:15:10,078 none of Mindy's neighbors noticed anything strange that day. 307 00:15:11,580 --> 00:15:14,541 With only one suspect and little to go on, 308 00:15:14,624 --> 00:15:17,002 the investigators gather more information 309 00:15:17,085 --> 00:15:19,212 from people in Mindy's social circle. 310 00:15:19,296 --> 00:15:20,505 ♪♪ 311 00:15:20,589 --> 00:15:23,091 [Liz] I talked with the police, 312 00:15:23,174 --> 00:15:26,553 talked through Mindy's friends, 313 00:15:26,636 --> 00:15:28,179 Mindy's boyfriends. 314 00:15:28,263 --> 00:15:32,142 The time that Mindy passed away, Jordan was her boyfriend. 315 00:15:33,351 --> 00:15:34,686 Jordan was a local, 316 00:15:34,769 --> 00:15:38,690 and Mindy helped out at their farm that Jordan's parents owned. 317 00:15:39,774 --> 00:15:41,401 [Lee] Because of the nature of the crime, 318 00:15:41,484 --> 00:15:44,362 we wanted to find someone who would've had access to Mindy 319 00:15:44,446 --> 00:15:47,782 and her apartment during that time. 320 00:15:48,909 --> 00:15:51,036 [Liz] To be honest, Jordan never crossed my mind 321 00:15:51,119 --> 00:15:53,872 'til the police asked me about Jordan. 322 00:15:53,955 --> 00:15:57,042 And then I was like, "Well, no, but maybe." 323 00:15:57,125 --> 00:15:58,501 [♪ tense sting] 324 00:15:58,585 --> 00:16:00,921 Mindy never gave any inclination that 325 00:16:01,004 --> 00:16:03,006 Jordan even had that side to him. 326 00:16:03,089 --> 00:16:05,133 [♪ tense crescendo] 327 00:16:05,217 --> 00:16:07,385 Oftentimes, with murders like this, 328 00:16:07,469 --> 00:16:10,847 it's from someone who acted in a fit of rage 329 00:16:10,931 --> 00:16:11,932 or in a fit of jealousy. 330 00:16:13,183 --> 00:16:16,645 [narrator] 72 hours after Mindy's body was discovered, 331 00:16:16,728 --> 00:16:18,897 Jordan agrees to talk to investigators. 332 00:16:20,023 --> 00:16:22,776 He claims that the night before Mindy's murder, 333 00:16:22,859 --> 00:16:24,986 they had a quiet night at her apartment. 334 00:16:46,925 --> 00:16:49,177 ♪♪ 335 00:16:49,261 --> 00:16:51,888 [narrator] At the time Mindy was killed on the following day, 336 00:16:52,055 --> 00:16:54,516 Jordan says he was working on his family farm. 337 00:16:55,058 --> 00:16:57,811 But the detectives aren’t so quick to believe his alibi. 338 00:16:57,894 --> 00:17:00,021 ♪ Hazy nights, days of lies...♪ 339 00:17:00,105 --> 00:17:03,692 As the investigators dig further into Jordan and Mindy's romance, 340 00:17:04,693 --> 00:17:08,822 they learn from Mindy's friends that their relationship was less than perfect. 341 00:17:09,614 --> 00:17:12,993 I think that Jordan would've wished 342 00:17:13,076 --> 00:17:15,328 that she was ready to settle down, 343 00:17:15,412 --> 00:17:18,748 but Mindy, her heart was kind of stuck 344 00:17:19,499 --> 00:17:22,210 yet with that relationship with Kyle. 345 00:17:22,377 --> 00:17:24,504 ♪ My relation... ♪ 346 00:17:24,588 --> 00:17:26,464 [narrator] Kyle is Mindy's ex, 347 00:17:28,049 --> 00:17:30,010 who broke up with her the year before. 348 00:17:30,093 --> 00:17:32,512 ♪ Everything changes ♪ 349 00:17:32,596 --> 00:17:35,140 [Liz] Kyle was, at that time, the love of her life. 350 00:17:36,391 --> 00:17:39,978 Kyle graduated, moved away, and started his career. 351 00:17:40,061 --> 00:17:41,229 ♪♪ 352 00:17:41,313 --> 00:17:44,316 Mindy was heartbroken when her and Kyle broke up 353 00:17:45,108 --> 00:17:47,777 but moved on. 354 00:17:47,861 --> 00:17:49,112 ♪♪ 355 00:17:49,195 --> 00:17:51,239 [♪ tense music playing] 356 00:17:51,323 --> 00:17:55,243 [narrator] According to Kyle, Mindy didn't move on. 357 00:17:55,327 --> 00:17:57,913 He tells police a few months before her murder, 358 00:17:57,996 --> 00:18:00,707 Mindy showed up to his apartment uninvited. 359 00:18:10,008 --> 00:18:12,427 -[♪ dramatic music playing] -[clock ticking] 360 00:18:20,268 --> 00:18:21,269 [♪ dramatic sting] 361 00:18:21,353 --> 00:18:24,105 [narrator] But Mindy is never completely out of his life 362 00:18:24,189 --> 00:18:27,234 because she's also very close to Kyle's family. 363 00:18:27,317 --> 00:18:28,610 [inaudible] 364 00:18:28,693 --> 00:18:30,737 [Liz] Mindy still talked to Kyle's dad. 365 00:18:30,820 --> 00:18:33,490 ♪♪ 366 00:18:34,115 --> 00:18:38,078 Awkward, weird. We used to tell Mindy that and then be like, "Gosh, that's weird." 367 00:18:38,870 --> 00:18:40,664 [narrator] Weird, for sure. 368 00:18:41,206 --> 00:18:44,876 But also a major source of tension between Kyle and his father. 369 00:19:03,353 --> 00:19:06,398 Despite the fact that Kyle and Mindy's relationship had ended, 370 00:19:06,481 --> 00:19:08,942 Rodney kept in contact with Mindy. 371 00:19:09,025 --> 00:19:11,027 [Liz] Like, why are you doing that, you know? 372 00:19:11,111 --> 00:19:14,698 In true Mindy fashion, "Oh, it's fine," you know? 373 00:19:14,781 --> 00:19:16,700 "I just-- He's super nice, and he cares about me." 374 00:19:17,242 --> 00:19:20,120 [narrator] Is Rod just a concerned father figure, 375 00:19:20,203 --> 00:19:23,582 or is there something sinister to this relationship? 376 00:19:23,665 --> 00:19:26,042 We had found through Mindy's cellphone records 377 00:19:26,126 --> 00:19:28,920 that she and Rod communicated quite often. 378 00:19:29,004 --> 00:19:33,300 He would make 8 to 10, 12 calls a day to Mindy. 379 00:19:33,383 --> 00:19:34,676 ♪♪ 380 00:19:34,759 --> 00:19:37,262 [narrator] The relationship could be innocent, 381 00:19:37,345 --> 00:19:39,389 but messages found on Mindy's phon e 382 00:19:39,472 --> 00:19:41,558 make it sound anything but. 383 00:19:41,641 --> 00:19:45,186 After Mindy had been murdered, 384 00:19:45,270 --> 00:19:48,273 he was still calling and leaving her messages. 385 00:19:48,732 --> 00:19:49,733 [sobbing] 386 00:20:00,660 --> 00:20:01,870 ♪♪ 387 00:20:01,953 --> 00:20:05,832 [narrator] The detectives add Rod to their growing list of persons of interest. 388 00:20:07,292 --> 00:20:10,420 And as more shocking evidence comes to light... 389 00:20:10,503 --> 00:20:14,549 The DNA is linked to a really violent rape that's unsolved. 390 00:20:14,633 --> 00:20:16,176 [♪ dramatic music playing] 391 00:20:16,259 --> 00:20:19,638 [narrator] ...paranoia grips a college town. 392 00:20:19,721 --> 00:20:20,847 We were all scared. 393 00:20:20,931 --> 00:20:23,099 ♪♪ 394 00:20:25,977 --> 00:20:28,313 [♪ ominous music playing] 395 00:20:28,396 --> 00:20:30,899 [narrator] It's been four days since the gruesome murder 396 00:20:30,982 --> 00:20:33,526 of college senior Mindy Morgenstern. 397 00:20:33,610 --> 00:20:36,488 Investigators have interviewed persons of interest, 398 00:20:36,571 --> 00:20:38,531 including her neighbor, 399 00:20:38,615 --> 00:20:40,325 her boyfriend, Jordan, 400 00:20:40,408 --> 00:20:42,535 and her ex, Kyle. 401 00:20:42,869 --> 00:20:45,622 It seems that Mindy was hung up on Kyle, 402 00:20:46,581 --> 00:20:47,999 but it's Kyle's dad, Rodney, 403 00:20:48,083 --> 00:20:50,252 who's hung up on Mindy. 404 00:20:59,844 --> 00:21:00,845 [crying] 405 00:21:05,183 --> 00:21:06,268 [crying] 406 00:21:06,351 --> 00:21:09,271 [Brittany] It was highly suspicious to police that Rodney Kuznia not only 407 00:21:09,354 --> 00:21:11,231 was calling Mindy while she was alive, 408 00:21:11,314 --> 00:21:13,900 he also called and left voicemails for her after she had died. 409 00:21:14,067 --> 00:21:17,445 [♪ somber music playing] 410 00:21:34,421 --> 00:21:35,922 ♪♪ 411 00:21:38,884 --> 00:21:41,386 [narrator] Were Rod's messages inspired by grief 412 00:21:42,387 --> 00:21:44,764 or a guilty conscience? 413 00:21:44,848 --> 00:21:48,351 Most of us did not know the obsessive nature 414 00:21:48,435 --> 00:21:49,936 that Rod had with Mindy. 415 00:21:50,020 --> 00:21:52,272 [Lee] Law enforcement wanted to know why 416 00:21:52,355 --> 00:21:53,940 the father of Mindy's ex-boyfriend 417 00:21:54,024 --> 00:21:56,401 would've been calling to leave this voicemail. 418 00:21:56,484 --> 00:21:58,028 ♪♪ 419 00:22:00,530 --> 00:22:03,366 [narrator] The investigators bring Rod in for questioning 420 00:22:03,450 --> 00:22:05,452 and press him on his unusual relationship 421 00:22:05,535 --> 00:22:07,704 with his son's ex-girlfriend. 422 00:22:33,772 --> 00:22:36,358 [♪ somber R&B music playing] 423 00:22:36,441 --> 00:22:38,985 ♪ Everyone needs to feel ♪ 424 00:22:39,069 --> 00:22:42,614 [narrator] Rod insists their relationship was innocent, 425 00:22:42,697 --> 00:22:45,450 but he admits that his son and his wife 426 00:22:45,533 --> 00:22:47,619 told him to cut off contact with Mindy. 427 00:22:57,629 --> 00:23:00,298 Police discovered that Rodney Kuznia 428 00:23:00,382 --> 00:23:02,551 actually would meet her for meals every now and then, 429 00:23:02,634 --> 00:23:04,427 and he'd also given her money on occasion. 430 00:23:05,428 --> 00:23:08,390 [Lee] Rod would've been capable of getting access to Mindy's apartment, 431 00:23:08,473 --> 00:23:10,892 being able to walk in with Mindy, 432 00:23:10,976 --> 00:23:13,853 and then committing this type of crime. 433 00:23:13,937 --> 00:23:14,938 ♪♪ 434 00:23:17,899 --> 00:23:21,069 But he said he was traveling with his wife 435 00:23:21,152 --> 00:23:23,196 during the time of death that we had pegged for Mindy. 436 00:23:24,614 --> 00:23:27,033 [narrator] Rod's behavior can't be ignored. 437 00:23:27,117 --> 00:23:29,703 Investigators ask for a DNA sample 438 00:23:29,786 --> 00:23:32,038 and follow up on his alibi. 439 00:23:33,123 --> 00:23:35,667 [♪ quiet somber music playing] 440 00:23:36,376 --> 00:23:39,713 Stumped by so many intriguing persons of interest, 441 00:23:39,796 --> 00:23:42,549 detectives hope the medical examiner's report 442 00:23:42,632 --> 00:23:44,926 can shed some light on who killed Mindy. 443 00:23:46,261 --> 00:23:48,597 The medical examiner was able to get DNA 444 00:23:48,680 --> 00:23:51,141 that had been removed from fingernail scrapings 445 00:23:51,224 --> 00:23:53,727 and clippings underneath Mindy's left hand. 446 00:23:54,603 --> 00:23:58,106 Mindy had done everything she could to fight off her attacker. 447 00:23:58,189 --> 00:23:59,399 ♪♪ 448 00:23:59,482 --> 00:24:02,360 She was not able to save herself. 449 00:24:04,613 --> 00:24:06,448 But she reached up with her left hand, 450 00:24:06,531 --> 00:24:09,701 and took a gouge of skin out of whoever had attacked her. 451 00:24:09,784 --> 00:24:12,787 [♪ vocalizing] 452 00:24:14,497 --> 00:24:16,708 [narrator] Nearly a week into the case, 453 00:24:16,791 --> 00:24:19,377 investigators get an update on Mindy's neighbor. 454 00:24:20,086 --> 00:24:23,840 Mr. Lynds had a couple of scratches on his hands. 455 00:24:24,257 --> 00:24:26,885 Now, he said, "I'm a blue collar worker, 456 00:24:26,968 --> 00:24:29,429 and I'm in a job where I hurt my hands daily." 457 00:24:29,512 --> 00:24:31,223 [grinding] 458 00:24:31,306 --> 00:24:33,225 [Brittany] His employer was able to validate 459 00:24:33,308 --> 00:24:35,852 that he had been working at the time when Mindy was killed. 460 00:24:35,936 --> 00:24:37,979 ♪♪ 461 00:24:38,063 --> 00:24:39,272 [narrator] Police wanna know 462 00:24:39,356 --> 00:24:43,068 did a stranger ambush Mindy as she entered her apartment, 463 00:24:43,151 --> 00:24:45,570 or was the killer someone she knew? 464 00:24:45,654 --> 00:24:47,989 ♪ You cannot hide... ♪ 465 00:24:48,073 --> 00:24:49,991 [Liz] We're being asked by the police, 466 00:24:50,075 --> 00:24:51,409 who else was she hanging out with? 467 00:24:51,493 --> 00:24:54,037 But we really couldn't come up with an idea. 468 00:24:54,120 --> 00:24:55,747 ♪ ... and did why ♪ 469 00:24:56,414 --> 00:24:59,626 I remember sitting with Jordan 470 00:24:59,709 --> 00:25:03,630 on my front steps and trying to talk it out together. 471 00:25:04,214 --> 00:25:06,841 And I kept thinking, it's gotta be somebody that we don't know. 472 00:25:06,925 --> 00:25:07,926 ♪♪ 473 00:25:08,009 --> 00:25:10,262 [narrator] With the killer still on the loose, 474 00:25:10,345 --> 00:25:13,223 Valley City is on edge. 475 00:25:13,890 --> 00:25:15,433 I mean, we were all scared. 476 00:25:16,810 --> 00:25:19,145 We locked our cars, we looked over our shoulder, 477 00:25:19,229 --> 00:25:21,273 didn't go anywhere really alone. 478 00:25:22,107 --> 00:25:24,025 I felt like backed in a corner 479 00:25:24,109 --> 00:25:25,610 because the fear just paralyzes you. 480 00:25:26,570 --> 00:25:28,780 I couldn't function. I couldn't take a shower 481 00:25:28,863 --> 00:25:31,866 without being afraid 482 00:25:31,950 --> 00:25:34,869 'cause I was afraid somebody was on the other side of the curtain. 483 00:25:34,953 --> 00:25:38,582 ♪♪ 484 00:25:40,250 --> 00:25:42,168 [♪ soft somber music playing] 485 00:25:42,252 --> 00:25:45,797 [narrator] Without solid evidence against anyone close to Mindy, 486 00:25:45,881 --> 00:25:49,301 investigators wonder if she didn't know her killer after all. 487 00:25:51,386 --> 00:25:52,929 And it turns out, 488 00:25:53,013 --> 00:25:55,181 Mindy had recently filed a police report 489 00:25:55,265 --> 00:25:57,934 about a disturbing run-in with a strange man. 490 00:26:00,353 --> 00:26:02,647 -[phone ringing] -[Ashley] I remember my phone ringing, 491 00:26:02,731 --> 00:26:05,400 and it was Mindy, and she was crying hysterically. And she said, 492 00:26:05,483 --> 00:26:08,695 "Somebody tried to take me." And I said, "What?" 493 00:26:08,778 --> 00:26:10,155 [♪ tense music playing] 494 00:26:10,238 --> 00:26:13,617 And she's like, "Some guy pulled up in a car 495 00:26:13,700 --> 00:26:16,369 "in front of our apartment building, 496 00:26:16,453 --> 00:26:19,497 and then he got out of the car," and was coming at her. 497 00:26:19,581 --> 00:26:22,250 ♪♪ 498 00:26:22,709 --> 00:26:24,836 She really thought this person was trying to take her 499 00:26:24,920 --> 00:26:26,213 and put her in the vehicle. 500 00:26:28,590 --> 00:26:31,218 So, we went to the police station to file a report on what had happened. 501 00:26:31,301 --> 00:26:32,302 ♪♪ 502 00:26:32,385 --> 00:26:35,639 [John] It was very close in time to when she was murdered. 503 00:26:35,722 --> 00:26:38,308 Within a couple of weeks of the murder happening. 504 00:26:38,892 --> 00:26:41,436 [narrator] Was this strange man stalking Mindy, 505 00:26:42,312 --> 00:26:44,773 and did he come back and kill her? 506 00:26:45,482 --> 00:26:48,318 [Lee] Valley City is located on the interstate. 507 00:26:48,944 --> 00:26:51,029 Someone could've come into town, 508 00:26:51,112 --> 00:26:53,823 f ollowed her to her apartment. 509 00:26:53,907 --> 00:26:56,284 This could've been someone who had experience 510 00:26:56,368 --> 00:26:58,036 in stalking women. 511 00:26:58,620 --> 00:27:00,247 They knew how to kill someone, 512 00:27:00,330 --> 00:27:02,832 and they knew how to hide that they were the killer. 513 00:27:03,750 --> 00:27:06,086 All these thoughts come into your mind. 514 00:27:07,045 --> 00:27:08,838 Could it have been you? 515 00:27:08,922 --> 00:27:11,591 And is this person gonna be coming after me now? 516 00:27:13,176 --> 00:27:14,344 Like, who's out there? 517 00:27:14,427 --> 00:27:16,096 [inaudible] 518 00:27:16,179 --> 00:27:17,305 Maybe who's next? 519 00:27:18,265 --> 00:27:19,307 [narrator] A violent killer... 520 00:27:19,391 --> 00:27:20,934 [♪ tense music playing] 521 00:27:21,017 --> 00:27:23,770 Mindy was scratching and fighting. 522 00:27:24,646 --> 00:27:28,608 [narrator] ...caught by a college girl who refused to back down. 523 00:27:28,692 --> 00:27:30,110 ♪♪ 524 00:27:30,193 --> 00:27:31,695 We have a match. 525 00:27:31,778 --> 00:27:34,906 ♪♪ 526 00:27:38,994 --> 00:27:42,372 ♪ The dark is coming after you ♪ 527 00:27:42,455 --> 00:27:44,874 [narrator] Investigators in Valley City, North Dakota 528 00:27:44,958 --> 00:27:47,544 are looking for Mindy Morgenstern's killer 529 00:27:48,169 --> 00:27:51,298 and wonder if it could be the person she reported. 530 00:27:51,381 --> 00:27:52,757 ♪♪ 531 00:27:52,841 --> 00:27:56,219 Could Valley City be the hunting grounds for a sick predator? 532 00:27:56,303 --> 00:27:57,429 [shriek] 533 00:27:57,512 --> 00:27:59,764 The public was worried 'cause this person's still on the loose. 534 00:27:59,848 --> 00:28:01,349 ♪♪ 535 00:28:01,433 --> 00:28:04,603 Was it someone passing through? And we didn't have answers. 536 00:28:07,022 --> 00:28:10,859 [Lee] So, this man in a car created 1,000 phone calls and leads. 537 00:28:10,942 --> 00:28:12,402 ♪♪ 538 00:28:12,485 --> 00:28:14,362 But none of the leads really led anywhere 539 00:28:14,446 --> 00:28:16,865 because it was such a vague description 540 00:28:16,948 --> 00:28:19,284 where that could've been anybody. 541 00:28:19,367 --> 00:28:20,368 ♪♪ 542 00:28:20,869 --> 00:28:23,788 [narrator] While the mysterious man remains elusive, 543 00:28:23,872 --> 00:28:27,334 investigators retrace every potential suspect's alibi, 544 00:28:27,417 --> 00:28:29,878 starting with Mindy's boyfriend. 545 00:28:29,961 --> 00:28:33,340 -[♪ curious music playing] -[clock ticking] 546 00:28:33,423 --> 00:28:37,093 Jordan said at that time in the middle of the afternoon on September 13th 547 00:28:37,177 --> 00:28:40,055 that he was in a combine on the farm. 548 00:28:40,805 --> 00:28:43,225 We spoke with Jordan's dad, Bruce. 549 00:28:43,308 --> 00:28:46,603 Bruce confirmed that Jordan was out combining at that time. 550 00:28:46,686 --> 00:28:47,854 [whirring] 551 00:28:47,938 --> 00:28:51,608 They even did some trial runs to see if it was possible 552 00:28:51,691 --> 00:28:54,027 to get to Mindy's apartment and back out there 553 00:28:54,110 --> 00:28:56,279 by the time that people knew that he was back. 554 00:28:56,363 --> 00:28:57,447 ♪♪ 555 00:28:59,616 --> 00:29:01,993 And it was too far away 556 00:29:02,077 --> 00:29:04,162 for him to have done this and gotten back. 557 00:29:05,121 --> 00:29:06,831 [insects chirping] 558 00:29:06,915 --> 00:29:08,333 [♪ curious music playing] 559 00:29:08,416 --> 00:29:11,378 [narrator] And what about Mindy's ex-boyfriend, Kyle? 560 00:29:11,461 --> 00:29:14,631 [Lee] Kyle was living in Fargo, which is about 60 miles away. 561 00:29:14,714 --> 00:29:16,967 He was working that afternoon. 562 00:29:17,050 --> 00:29:18,134 ♪♪ 563 00:29:18,885 --> 00:29:21,846 And so keeping Kyle as a suspect became a difficult task 564 00:29:21,930 --> 00:29:24,724 because his timeline didn't really fit 565 00:29:24,808 --> 00:29:26,601 with Mindy's time of death. 566 00:29:27,894 --> 00:29:31,565 [narrator] Investigators also get info about Kyle's dad. 567 00:29:31,648 --> 00:29:35,819 Rod Kuznia had a-an obsession with Mindy and was fixated on her 568 00:29:35,902 --> 00:29:39,155 and looked like a good suspect. 569 00:29:39,239 --> 00:29:42,325 What we learned was that Rod was traveling with his wife 570 00:29:42,409 --> 00:29:44,536 on September 13th, 571 00:29:44,619 --> 00:29:46,955 and he would've had no way to get away from his wife 572 00:29:47,038 --> 00:29:48,873 in order to commit this crime. 573 00:29:48,957 --> 00:29:51,167 We really had no information. 574 00:29:51,251 --> 00:29:53,420 Everybody's still kinda scratching our heads. 575 00:29:53,503 --> 00:29:54,504 [♪ dramatic sting] 576 00:29:55,046 --> 00:29:57,716 [♪ tense music playing] 577 00:29:57,799 --> 00:29:59,885 [narrator] Five days after her murder, 578 00:29:59,968 --> 00:30:02,262 detectives get DNA results from the tissue 579 00:30:02,345 --> 00:30:04,264 under Mindy's fingernails. 580 00:30:04,347 --> 00:30:07,434 That DNA sample was put into what they call CODIS, 581 00:30:07,517 --> 00:30:10,645 which is a database of DNA out there. 582 00:30:11,271 --> 00:30:14,232 And the crime lab director called us and said, 583 00:30:15,817 --> 00:30:17,986 "We have a match." 584 00:30:18,069 --> 00:30:19,696 ♪♪ 585 00:30:19,779 --> 00:30:23,366 [Brittany] But the problem is, they don't have a match with a name attached to it. 586 00:30:23,450 --> 00:30:26,119 The DNA from underneath Mindy's fingernails 587 00:30:26,202 --> 00:30:28,413 linked to a really violent rape in Fargo 588 00:30:28,496 --> 00:30:30,957 from 2004 that's unsolved. 589 00:30:31,041 --> 00:30:32,834 ♪♪ 590 00:30:32,918 --> 00:30:35,295 [Lee] Law enforcement went and spoke with the victim 591 00:30:35,378 --> 00:30:37,547 and asked her to provide details 592 00:30:37,631 --> 00:30:39,424 of the person who committed the rape. 593 00:30:39,507 --> 00:30:41,218 [Brittany] In speaking to the survivor, 594 00:30:41,343 --> 00:30:44,012 she described the man who assaulted her 595 00:30:44,095 --> 00:30:46,514 as a large, tall, African American individual. 596 00:30:47,599 --> 00:30:49,184 [narrator] None of the persons of interest 597 00:30:49,267 --> 00:30:53,021 detectives have interviewed so far meets the victim's description. 598 00:30:53,772 --> 00:30:57,734 But, there is one person that everyone knows who does. 599 00:30:57,817 --> 00:30:58,985 ♪♪ 600 00:30:59,527 --> 00:31:02,197 Strangely enough, the first person who I thought of, 601 00:31:02,280 --> 00:31:05,784 and I think, and everybody else did, we thought of Moe Gibbs 602 00:31:06,826 --> 00:31:10,288 just due to the simple fact he lived in the same building as Mindy Morgenstern. 603 00:31:10,372 --> 00:31:11,665 ♪♪ 604 00:31:11,748 --> 00:31:14,125 [narrator] Moe Gibbs is a local corrections officer 605 00:31:14,209 --> 00:31:18,004 who lives one floor below Mindy with his wife and stepdaughter. 606 00:31:18,088 --> 00:31:20,131 Moe Gibbs worked in the Barnes County Jail. 607 00:31:20,215 --> 00:31:21,550 ♪♪ 608 00:31:22,425 --> 00:31:25,470 I would see Moe on a regular basis in court. 609 00:31:26,346 --> 00:31:30,016 He didn't stand out other than the fact that he was very friendly. 610 00:31:31,017 --> 00:31:33,353 [narrator] Is it possible that Moe Gibbs, 611 00:31:33,436 --> 00:31:35,522 the well-liked jailer and family man, 612 00:31:35,605 --> 00:31:37,274 could be Mindy's killer? 613 00:31:39,234 --> 00:31:41,903 For local cops, it's hard to believe. 614 00:31:42,654 --> 00:31:44,990 [♪ tense music playing] 615 00:31:45,073 --> 00:31:48,493 [Dana] Moe was easy to talk to, and to me, 616 00:31:48,577 --> 00:31:50,996 he didn't seem like the type that would do something like this. 617 00:31:52,706 --> 00:31:54,249 It wasn't that long ago 618 00:31:54,332 --> 00:31:57,168 that we were at a softball tournament, 619 00:31:57,252 --> 00:31:59,504 and he seemed his normal self. 620 00:31:59,588 --> 00:32:01,131 [inaudible] 621 00:32:01,673 --> 00:32:05,677 Moe Gibbs voluntarily submitted a DNA sample 622 00:32:05,760 --> 00:32:09,055 when law enforcement came back from interviewing 623 00:32:09,139 --> 00:32:10,348 the Fargo rape victim. 624 00:32:10,432 --> 00:32:12,225 ♪♪ 625 00:32:12,976 --> 00:32:16,229 [narrator] Investigators don't want to jump to conclusions. 626 00:32:16,313 --> 00:32:18,899 [Lee] The only information that we had was that 627 00:32:18,982 --> 00:32:20,901 the assailant was a Black male. 628 00:32:21,860 --> 00:32:25,155 Law enforcement interviewed roughly 20 men at that time, 629 00:32:25,238 --> 00:32:28,158 all of whom voluntarily submitted their own DNA samples. 630 00:32:29,034 --> 00:32:30,744 And they ultimately did find a match. 631 00:32:33,121 --> 00:32:35,498 [narrator] DNA exposes a serial predator... 632 00:32:36,541 --> 00:32:37,792 Several women come forward. 633 00:32:38,293 --> 00:32:40,170 [narrator] ...and reveals a killer... 634 00:32:40,253 --> 00:32:41,338 We were shocked. 635 00:32:42,047 --> 00:32:43,840 [narrator] ...hiding in plain sight. 636 00:32:44,424 --> 00:32:45,675 I couldn't believe it. 637 00:32:45,759 --> 00:32:47,469 ♪♪ 638 00:32:51,056 --> 00:32:54,226 [♪ ominous music playing] 639 00:32:54,309 --> 00:32:57,646 [inaudible] 640 00:32:57,729 --> 00:33:00,315 [narrator] Mindy Morgenstern fought for her life. 641 00:33:00,398 --> 00:33:01,399 [shutter snaps] 642 00:33:01,483 --> 00:33:04,027 And her killer's DNA ended up under her fingernails. 643 00:33:04,110 --> 00:33:05,654 [inaudible] 644 00:33:05,737 --> 00:33:08,615 Now, one week after her murder, 645 00:33:08,698 --> 00:33:11,576 police finally have DNA results. 646 00:33:13,119 --> 00:33:14,663 From everyone that were tested... 647 00:33:14,746 --> 00:33:18,208 [♪ suspenseful crescendo] 648 00:33:21,878 --> 00:33:23,588 ...and it matched Moe Gibbs. 649 00:33:23,672 --> 00:33:24,965 [♪ dramatic sting] 650 00:33:25,632 --> 00:33:27,425 [Lee] I couldn't believe it at first 651 00:33:27,509 --> 00:33:30,387 because I had just seen Moe earlier that day 652 00:33:30,470 --> 00:33:34,099 when he had brought an inmate over for a court hearing. 653 00:33:34,182 --> 00:33:35,517 He was well-liked. 654 00:33:35,600 --> 00:33:38,061 Nobody really had anything bad to say about Moe. 655 00:33:38,144 --> 00:33:39,688 ♪♪ 656 00:33:39,771 --> 00:33:41,273 [Brittany] This isn't a stranger. 657 00:33:42,107 --> 00:33:44,025 It was a law enforcement official. 658 00:33:45,026 --> 00:33:47,862 Moe Gibbs was married to a woman 659 00:33:47,946 --> 00:33:49,781 who was a Valley City native. 660 00:33:51,032 --> 00:33:53,201 Moe Gibbs was somebody who a lot of people in the community knew. 661 00:33:53,285 --> 00:33:54,995 ♪♪ 662 00:33:55,078 --> 00:33:57,831 [♪ curious music playing] 663 00:34:01,251 --> 00:34:03,461 [narrator] Moe Gibbs cooperates with police, 664 00:34:03,545 --> 00:34:06,298 because detectives have questions, 665 00:34:06,965 --> 00:34:09,759 especially about a scratch on Moe's left hand. 666 00:34:39,080 --> 00:34:40,081 [scoffs] 667 00:34:45,128 --> 00:34:47,589 [narrator] People lie, but DNA doesn't. 668 00:34:47,672 --> 00:34:49,674 ♪♪ 669 00:35:02,479 --> 00:35:03,647 [scoffs] 670 00:35:06,066 --> 00:35:09,569 [Lee] As law enforcement kept telling Moe about the evidence that was against him, 671 00:35:09,653 --> 00:35:13,073 he would always, always deny that he was the killer. 672 00:35:17,535 --> 00:35:19,287 [narrator] Moe can deny all he wants, 673 00:35:19,371 --> 00:35:22,290 but police have enough evidence to place him under arrest. 674 00:35:30,966 --> 00:35:32,217 [handcuffs click] 675 00:35:32,926 --> 00:35:35,053 ♪♪ 676 00:35:36,930 --> 00:35:40,308 It was shocking to me that it was him. 677 00:35:40,392 --> 00:35:42,352 [♪ ominous music playing] 678 00:35:42,435 --> 00:35:44,896 Everybody was blown away 679 00:35:44,980 --> 00:35:46,481 to find out that it was him. 680 00:35:48,525 --> 00:35:50,610 ♪♪ 681 00:35:50,694 --> 00:35:53,989 [narrator] The following day, the community gets another shock. 682 00:35:56,283 --> 00:35:59,411 Moe Gibbs is arrested September 20th. On September 21st, 683 00:35:59,494 --> 00:36:01,997 several female inmates come forward and disclose 684 00:36:02,080 --> 00:36:05,166 that he has been sexually assaulting them while he was working as their jailer... 685 00:36:05,250 --> 00:36:06,626 ♪♪ 686 00:36:06,710 --> 00:36:10,130 ...including one woman at 6:00 a.m. the day that Mindy was killed. 687 00:36:11,756 --> 00:36:14,134 [narrator] Soon after this disturbing revelation, 688 00:36:15,135 --> 00:36:17,220 the press learns the alleged killer 689 00:36:17,304 --> 00:36:19,681 has not always gone by the name Moe Gibbs. 690 00:36:20,640 --> 00:36:21,641 [phone ringing] 691 00:36:21,725 --> 00:36:23,810 [Brittany] I've gotten a tip from an anonymous caller 692 00:36:23,894 --> 00:36:26,730 that his previous name was Glen Dale Morgan Jr. 693 00:36:27,397 --> 00:36:28,815 So I run his name, 694 00:36:28,899 --> 00:36:31,902 his original name, through the federal database... 695 00:36:31,985 --> 00:36:33,111 [beeping, whirring] 696 00:36:33,194 --> 00:36:34,487 ...and sure enough, I get a hit. 697 00:36:34,571 --> 00:36:36,406 ♪♪ 698 00:36:37,574 --> 00:36:40,410 He had served five and a half years for a drive-by shooting 699 00:36:40,493 --> 00:36:42,412 at a Seattle nightclub in 1992. 700 00:36:42,495 --> 00:36:44,789 [sirens, police radio chatter] 701 00:36:45,081 --> 00:36:48,043 [narrator] How exactly did a felon with a violent record 702 00:36:48,126 --> 00:36:52,088 slip through the cracks and get a job as a jailer in a small town? 703 00:36:54,883 --> 00:36:58,178 [Brittany] It would later come to be that the sheriff would say 704 00:36:58,261 --> 00:37:00,138 that he didn't ask for the right background check 705 00:37:00,222 --> 00:37:02,265 to be completed where they could've discovered 706 00:37:02,349 --> 00:37:04,976 that he had done time in federal prison. 707 00:37:06,686 --> 00:37:09,898 It's a horrible oversight that allowed him to work at this jail. 708 00:37:09,981 --> 00:37:12,192 ♪♪ 709 00:37:12,275 --> 00:37:16,655 [narrator] Prosecutors feel the pressure to put this guy away for good. 710 00:37:16,988 --> 00:37:18,990 [inaudible] 711 00:37:19,074 --> 00:37:20,367 But at the pre-trial, 712 00:37:20,450 --> 00:37:23,954 the judge rules out any discussion of the Fargo rape 713 00:37:24,037 --> 00:37:26,373 or the sexual assaults in the jail. 714 00:37:26,456 --> 00:37:30,418 The jury will only hear evidence directly related to Mindy's murder. 715 00:37:31,211 --> 00:37:33,255 [inaudible] 716 00:37:33,964 --> 00:37:37,092 We explained how the DNA ended up under Mindy's fingernails. 717 00:37:37,175 --> 00:37:40,804 We explained how the DNA profile matched Moe Gibbs. 718 00:37:42,097 --> 00:37:45,350 [narrator] But the jury remains divided over the DNA evidence. 719 00:37:45,433 --> 00:37:46,935 ♪♪ 720 00:37:48,436 --> 00:37:51,022 We didn't lose. We just needed to start over. 721 00:37:51,106 --> 00:37:52,607 ♪♪ 722 00:37:54,150 --> 00:37:57,779 [narrator] At the second trial, prosecutors convinced the jury 723 00:37:57,862 --> 00:38:00,615 that Moe's DNA got under Mindy's fingernails 724 00:38:00,699 --> 00:38:03,618 because she was determined to fight off his vicious attack. 725 00:38:04,619 --> 00:38:05,954 ♪♪ 726 00:38:06,037 --> 00:38:08,290 [John] "We, the jury, duly impaneled, 727 00:38:09,040 --> 00:38:12,335 "do find that defendant, Moe Gibbs... 728 00:38:13,879 --> 00:38:15,380 ♪♪ 729 00:38:15,463 --> 00:38:16,506 ...guilty." 730 00:38:16,590 --> 00:38:18,425 ♪♪ 731 00:38:19,843 --> 00:38:22,012 [♪ vocalizing] 732 00:38:22,095 --> 00:38:24,514 It was like a weight had been lifted off of our shoulders. 733 00:38:24,931 --> 00:38:28,476 [John] Moe Gibbs was sentenced to the maximum that you can get in North Dakota, 734 00:38:28,560 --> 00:38:31,479 and that's life in prison without parole. 735 00:38:32,022 --> 00:38:34,816 -[church bells ringing] -[♪ indistinct singing] 736 00:38:34,900 --> 00:38:37,694 Mindy, she's small, but mighty, right? 737 00:38:37,777 --> 00:38:41,406 She was tiny, but she fought. 738 00:38:41,489 --> 00:38:43,158 ♪ But my smile... ♪ 739 00:38:43,241 --> 00:38:45,493 [John] By clawing him, Mindy, 740 00:38:45,577 --> 00:38:49,497 in just the brief time that she had before she lost her life, 741 00:38:49,581 --> 00:38:52,083 did one thing that was responsible 742 00:38:52,167 --> 00:38:53,710 for solving the murder. 743 00:38:53,793 --> 00:38:55,420 [Brittany] Not only did she solve her case, 744 00:38:55,503 --> 00:38:58,757 she also solved the case of a young woman who was raped in Fargo 745 00:38:58,840 --> 00:39:00,467 and provided an opportunity 746 00:39:00,550 --> 00:39:03,220 for these sexual assault victims in the jail 747 00:39:03,303 --> 00:39:07,265 to speak out about what was happening to them and to put a stop to it. 748 00:39:07,641 --> 00:39:10,393 ♪ I don't push myself ♪ 749 00:39:10,477 --> 00:39:13,521 ♪ Oh, I'm scared if I do ♪ 750 00:39:14,231 --> 00:39:16,691 [Ashley] She changed the future for other women. 751 00:39:16,775 --> 00:39:18,401 Other victims that could've been. 752 00:39:19,736 --> 00:39:24,032 ♪ Can I be better at being who I am ♪ 753 00:39:25,617 --> 00:39:28,328 [narrator] Mindy Morgenstern never backed down, 754 00:39:28,411 --> 00:39:30,705 no matter what life threw at her. 755 00:39:30,789 --> 00:39:34,084 Once a timid farm girl from a tiny town, 756 00:39:34,167 --> 00:39:38,255 she overcame her social fears and was loved by everyone. 757 00:39:38,755 --> 00:39:41,132 She refused to give up on her dreams, 758 00:39:41,216 --> 00:39:44,511 even in the face of extremely difficult health issues. 759 00:39:45,011 --> 00:39:48,807 When she was attacked by a violent serial predator twice her size, 760 00:39:48,890 --> 00:39:51,893 it's no surprise that Mindy chose to fight. 761 00:39:51,977 --> 00:39:53,603 And in the end, 762 00:39:53,687 --> 00:39:57,023 it was her fighting spirit that caught her killer. 763 00:39:58,024 --> 00:40:01,027 [♪ somber music playing] 764 00:40:03,113 --> 00:40:07,242 I feel that Mindy would want people to know 765 00:40:07,325 --> 00:40:09,119 bad things happen in life, 766 00:40:09,202 --> 00:40:12,831 but there's hope, and good things can come outta bad things. 767 00:40:13,790 --> 00:40:16,251 Beauty from the ashes, I think she'd want people to know that. 768 00:40:16,334 --> 00:40:18,712 ♪♪ 769 00:40:22,090 --> 00:40:25,927 [birds chirping] 770 00:40:27,929 --> 00:40:31,224 ♪ I don't know where my head is lately ♪ 771 00:40:31,308 --> 00:40:33,810 ♪ Have I lost my mind? ♪ 772 00:40:36,146 --> 00:40:37,564 [exhales] 773 00:40:41,484 --> 00:40:44,946 ♪ But, I know that I have a secret ♪ 774 00:40:45,030 --> 00:40:47,407 ♪ And it's only mine ♪ 775 00:40:49,117 --> 00:40:52,120 [♪ vocalizing] 776 00:40:55,123 --> 00:40:58,627 ♪ And the only way to find me ♪ 777 00:40:58,710 --> 00:41:02,714 ♪ Is to go beneath the lies ♪ 778 00:41:04,758 --> 00:41:06,134 [♪ music ends]