1 00:00:11,066 --> 00:00:12,367 BERRY: I said, "What happened?" 2 00:00:14,467 --> 00:00:16,567 And he said, "He's dead." 3 00:00:16,634 --> 00:00:18,367 PIEPMEIER: We assumed that there was some kind 4 00:00:18,433 --> 00:00:20,166 of bad blood between him and the victim. 5 00:00:20,166 --> 00:00:22,734 It's a pretty intense situation. 6 00:00:24,000 --> 00:00:26,967 He was trained how to use a weapon and how to kill. 7 00:00:27,033 --> 00:00:29,133 RANDOLPH: You're really not sure which way to turn. 8 00:00:29,967 --> 00:00:32,867 PLUMMER: This wasn't just trying to scare a guy. 9 00:00:32,867 --> 00:00:35,767 This wasn't just trying to wound a guy. 10 00:00:35,767 --> 00:00:37,433 This was trying to kill a guy. 11 00:00:38,867 --> 00:00:40,834 I'm Sheriff Garry McFadden. 12 00:00:42,367 --> 00:00:45,066 I was a homicide detective for 20 years. 13 00:00:45,133 --> 00:00:48,667 I've worked more than 800 homicides in my career, 14 00:00:48,667 --> 00:00:51,166 but even for the most dedicated detective, 15 00:00:51,166 --> 00:00:54,634 there's no one harder to stop than a killer with a badge. 16 00:01:03,667 --> 00:01:05,066 [phone ringing] 17 00:01:09,900 --> 00:01:11,734 [phone ringing] 18 00:01:22,667 --> 00:01:25,367 [distant, indistinct talking] 19 00:01:25,367 --> 00:01:28,567 NARRATOR: First responders are dispatched to the location, 20 00:01:28,567 --> 00:01:30,166 a small apartment complex 21 00:01:30,166 --> 00:01:32,433 just a block from the main road in Silverton. 22 00:01:34,066 --> 00:01:37,066 I was out on patrol, and so I turned my lights 23 00:01:37,133 --> 00:01:40,166 and sirens on and I drove to the crime scene. 24 00:01:41,567 --> 00:01:43,867 The front door of this entrance is actually on 25 00:01:43,867 --> 00:01:48,367 the side, and there's like maybe three small steps. 26 00:01:48,367 --> 00:01:52,767 His body was laying at the bottom of the steps. 27 00:01:52,767 --> 00:01:55,567 He'd been shot four times. 28 00:01:55,634 --> 00:01:56,967 He was incoherent, 29 00:01:57,033 --> 00:01:59,233 um, but he was still alive at that point. 30 00:02:00,800 --> 00:02:03,734 He was breathing, but he was non-responsive. 31 00:02:05,400 --> 00:02:07,567 NARRATOR: While emergency personnel try to save 32 00:02:07,567 --> 00:02:09,266 the victim's life, 33 00:02:09,333 --> 00:02:11,467 tips continue to come in. 34 00:02:11,467 --> 00:02:14,367 There were call after call saying, "I just 35 00:02:14,367 --> 00:02:17,266 saw some guy get shot on Silverton Avenue." 36 00:02:22,700 --> 00:02:25,667 PLUMMER: Calls were coming in so fast that our dispatchers 37 00:02:25,667 --> 00:02:27,533 were having trouble keeping up with them. 38 00:02:34,767 --> 00:02:37,667 PIEPMEIER: It's pretty much happened in broad daylight. 39 00:02:37,667 --> 00:02:39,667 It's a Saturday afternoon where there's a lot of 40 00:02:39,734 --> 00:02:40,767 people around. 41 00:02:40,767 --> 00:02:42,266 People heard the gunshots. 42 00:02:42,266 --> 00:02:43,967 People looked out of the building. 43 00:02:43,967 --> 00:02:47,066 People that were out on the street saw the shooting. 44 00:02:48,000 --> 00:02:49,867 McFADDEN: Here we have a suspect that 45 00:02:49,934 --> 00:02:53,066 kills someone in broad daylight -- that's brazen. 46 00:02:53,133 --> 00:02:55,367 He doesn't care, he doesn't care who sees him. 47 00:02:55,367 --> 00:02:58,634 We have a very, very bold killer. 48 00:02:59,867 --> 00:03:02,467 NARRATOR: Officers begin speaking with witnesses. 49 00:03:03,300 --> 00:03:06,467 One woman tells them the victim is her brother, 50 00:03:06,467 --> 00:03:08,934 24-year-old Rashawn Berry. 51 00:03:10,700 --> 00:03:12,767 RANDOLPH: We discovered her brother, Rashawn, 52 00:03:12,767 --> 00:03:15,166 had recently moved in with her, um, 53 00:03:15,233 --> 00:03:17,667 had only been there maybe a couple of weeks. 54 00:03:17,734 --> 00:03:20,867 Very few people knew that he was living there with, uh, 55 00:03:20,867 --> 00:03:22,033 with his sister. 56 00:03:24,000 --> 00:03:25,767 NARRATOR: Investigators soon learn 57 00:03:25,834 --> 00:03:27,734 that Rashawn didn't make it. 58 00:03:29,000 --> 00:03:31,133 He'd been shot four times. 59 00:03:33,967 --> 00:03:36,567 PLUMMER: There was a doctor who pronounced him dead at 60 00:03:36,567 --> 00:03:39,834 the scene, and we were looking at a homicide. 61 00:03:42,600 --> 00:03:44,767 We're a small department, a very 62 00:03:44,767 --> 00:03:48,367 small city inside of a big city. 63 00:03:48,367 --> 00:03:52,767 Our community is not used to something like this -- 64 00:03:52,767 --> 00:03:53,867 this happening. 65 00:03:53,867 --> 00:03:56,967 So when one of our officers walks up onto a scene 66 00:03:56,967 --> 00:03:58,533 like this, it's horrifying. 67 00:03:59,767 --> 00:04:03,266 KABAKOFF: Silverton was a nice suburban community. 68 00:04:03,266 --> 00:04:05,367 We're like, um, from "The Andy Griffith Show." 69 00:04:05,367 --> 00:04:06,834 We had two jail cells. 70 00:04:08,400 --> 00:04:12,467 I was a patrolman, and this was the first homicide where, 71 00:04:12,467 --> 00:04:14,967 you know, I was actually the initial officer that -- 72 00:04:14,967 --> 00:04:16,166 that responded. 73 00:04:16,166 --> 00:04:19,233 So this -- this was a kind of a real shock to me. 74 00:04:20,266 --> 00:04:24,867 PLUMMER: I became a police officer in 1976. 75 00:04:24,867 --> 00:04:27,867 Our community was -- was tight. 76 00:04:27,867 --> 00:04:30,934 It was small. People knew each other. 77 00:04:32,467 --> 00:04:35,867 In Silverton, we average a homicide 78 00:04:35,934 --> 00:04:38,767 about once every 10 years. 79 00:04:38,767 --> 00:04:41,567 When something like this happens like, okay, 80 00:04:41,634 --> 00:04:43,767 what do we do next? 81 00:04:43,834 --> 00:04:47,567 McFADDEN: So we have a murder in broad daylight, small town, 82 00:04:47,634 --> 00:04:50,767 a agency who does not get many murders. 83 00:04:50,834 --> 00:04:53,066 They don't have the experience. 84 00:04:53,133 --> 00:04:55,467 So in order to solve this crime, 85 00:04:55,467 --> 00:04:57,433 they're gonna have to call in the big boys. 86 00:04:58,500 --> 00:05:03,266 We contacted the Cincinnati Homicide Unit, and we're -- 87 00:05:03,266 --> 00:05:06,734 we're blessed to get Detective Randolph to help us. 88 00:05:07,667 --> 00:05:10,333 We began interviewing people in the neighborhood. 89 00:05:11,266 --> 00:05:14,667 KABAKOFF: I, unfortunately, had to break the news to his sister 90 00:05:14,667 --> 00:05:19,433 who he resided with that, um, Rashawn, um, passed away. 91 00:05:21,000 --> 00:05:24,033 There's no easy way of breaking that type of news. 92 00:05:27,900 --> 00:05:30,667 NARRATOR: Word of Rashawn's death quickly travels 93 00:05:30,667 --> 00:05:32,233 to the rest of his family. 94 00:05:33,567 --> 00:05:36,266 BERRY: I was at work. 95 00:05:36,266 --> 00:05:39,166 I get a call from my cousin. 96 00:05:39,166 --> 00:05:42,567 He said, "I got some bad news," and I said, "Bad news?" 97 00:05:42,634 --> 00:05:46,166 "Rashawn," he said, "He's been shot." 98 00:05:47,300 --> 00:05:48,667 I said, "What happened?" 99 00:05:50,100 --> 00:05:51,533 And he said, "He's dead." 100 00:05:55,467 --> 00:05:56,767 PRICE: This hurt my dad. 101 00:05:57,767 --> 00:06:01,433 And he said, uh, they shot and killed my brother. 102 00:06:02,567 --> 00:06:05,867 You could hear in his voice, like, just cracking 103 00:06:05,867 --> 00:06:09,166 in his voice, and it just didn't sound right. 104 00:06:10,467 --> 00:06:12,967 I just remember, like... 105 00:06:12,967 --> 00:06:14,667 I was supposed to call back. 106 00:06:14,667 --> 00:06:16,266 I couldn't. 107 00:06:16,266 --> 00:06:18,934 I couldn't, because I couldn't hear my dad like that. 108 00:06:21,400 --> 00:06:24,266 BERRY: You know, he just had an interest in cutting hair. 109 00:06:24,333 --> 00:06:26,867 You know, he became a neighborhood barber, you know. 110 00:06:28,000 --> 00:06:30,767 And I was gonna help him get a barber's license. 111 00:06:30,767 --> 00:06:32,367 You know, I was gonna help him 112 00:06:32,367 --> 00:06:34,433 at a point in time fulfill his dream. 113 00:06:36,767 --> 00:06:38,367 NARRATOR: At Rashawn's building, 114 00:06:38,367 --> 00:06:42,567 investigators examine the stairway where he was shot. 115 00:06:42,567 --> 00:06:45,066 KABAKOFF: There was blood splatter, and so 116 00:06:45,133 --> 00:06:47,834 you could see where the actual incident happened. 117 00:06:49,300 --> 00:06:51,567 NARRATOR: Despite all the blood, the killer 118 00:06:51,567 --> 00:06:54,333 left very little physical evidence behind. 119 00:06:56,000 --> 00:06:58,967 We never had shell casings at the scene, 120 00:06:58,967 --> 00:07:02,667 which means one of two things -- the suspect picked them all up 121 00:07:02,667 --> 00:07:04,433 or it was a revolver. 122 00:07:06,367 --> 00:07:10,634 McFADDEN: With the revolver, the shell casings remain in the cylinder. 123 00:07:12,000 --> 00:07:13,767 With a semiautomatic, 124 00:07:13,834 --> 00:07:15,767 it ejects the casing. 125 00:07:15,767 --> 00:07:18,166 So if you don't have casings on the scene, 126 00:07:18,166 --> 00:07:19,767 it's probably a revolver. 127 00:07:21,100 --> 00:07:23,166 Now, at this point, because you don't 128 00:07:23,166 --> 00:07:25,767 have the shell casings on the scene, 129 00:07:25,767 --> 00:07:28,266 you need to go to your Columbo days. 130 00:07:28,333 --> 00:07:30,266 Get the magnifying glass out, 131 00:07:30,266 --> 00:07:32,734 get on your knees to find your evidence. 132 00:07:34,100 --> 00:07:36,066 NARRATOR: The search pays off. 133 00:07:37,266 --> 00:07:41,266 KABAKOFF: One of the rounds actually landed inside the drywall, 134 00:07:41,266 --> 00:07:45,266 and we were able to recover that stray round. 135 00:07:45,333 --> 00:07:48,367 RANDOLPH: The firearms analysis indicated that the bullet 136 00:07:48,433 --> 00:07:49,867 was fired from a revolver, 137 00:07:49,867 --> 00:07:53,333 which is consistent with our crime scene. 138 00:07:55,100 --> 00:07:57,667 One of the things that was unusual was that there was 139 00:07:57,667 --> 00:08:00,567 a television remote control that was found 140 00:08:00,634 --> 00:08:02,133 outside on the step. 141 00:08:05,400 --> 00:08:08,867 Our victim probably was inside the house, and something brought 142 00:08:08,934 --> 00:08:11,734 him out, and he carried the remote with him. 143 00:08:15,567 --> 00:08:18,233 NARRATOR: Officers question witnesses about the murder. 144 00:08:19,367 --> 00:08:22,967 RANDOLPH: There are two separate apartment buildings. 145 00:08:22,967 --> 00:08:25,266 There were witnesses in that building 146 00:08:25,266 --> 00:08:27,467 as well as the building next door. 147 00:08:29,867 --> 00:08:34,100 KABAKOFF: I was overwhelmed with the number of people that saw 148 00:08:34,100 --> 00:08:35,367 different things, and I -- 149 00:08:35,367 --> 00:08:37,567 I remember, I ran out of witness statements. 150 00:08:37,567 --> 00:08:39,367 I ran out of pens. 151 00:08:39,433 --> 00:08:41,867 It was pure chaos there. 152 00:08:41,867 --> 00:08:43,467 McFADDEN: When you have a daylight scene, 153 00:08:43,467 --> 00:08:45,667 you should have a lot of witnesses. 154 00:08:45,734 --> 00:08:46,867 You just have to weed out who 155 00:08:46,934 --> 00:08:50,967 are the best witnesses with the best information. 156 00:08:50,967 --> 00:08:54,667 NARRATOR: Investigators need to create a profile of their shooter. 157 00:08:54,667 --> 00:08:57,000 All they know for sure is that witnesses 158 00:08:57,000 --> 00:09:00,667 saw an African-American man running from the scene, 159 00:09:00,667 --> 00:09:03,567 but they try to learn more from the crime itself. 160 00:09:03,567 --> 00:09:06,767 Four shots up close and personal -- 161 00:09:06,834 --> 00:09:08,000 there's a lot of rage. 162 00:09:08,000 --> 00:09:09,367 There's a lot of anger. 163 00:09:09,367 --> 00:09:10,767 This is personal. 164 00:09:10,834 --> 00:09:13,100 PIEPMEIER: We assumed he knew the victim. 165 00:09:13,100 --> 00:09:15,066 We assumed that there was some kind 166 00:09:15,066 --> 00:09:17,467 of bad blood between him and the victim. 167 00:09:17,533 --> 00:09:19,667 This wasn't just trying to scare a guy. 168 00:09:19,667 --> 00:09:21,667 This wasn't just trying to wound a guy. 169 00:09:21,667 --> 00:09:23,767 This was trying to kill a guy. 170 00:09:23,834 --> 00:09:25,734 Why kill this person? 171 00:09:27,367 --> 00:09:29,867 NARRATOR: A witness approaches detectives at the site of 172 00:09:29,934 --> 00:09:32,667 the murder -- he believes he saw the shooter 173 00:09:32,734 --> 00:09:35,667 fleeing the scene right after the gunshots. 174 00:09:35,667 --> 00:09:37,967 He and his friends followed. 175 00:09:37,967 --> 00:09:42,266 He was, um, kind of excited, and he was pointing, man, 176 00:09:42,266 --> 00:09:43,667 he ran this way, he ran this way, 177 00:09:43,667 --> 00:09:46,367 and, you know, I followed him. 178 00:09:46,367 --> 00:09:48,367 RANDOLPH: They were following a guy they believed 179 00:09:48,433 --> 00:09:50,266 to be running from a shooting scene, 180 00:09:50,333 --> 00:09:52,667 and they followed him all the way down Elwynne, 181 00:09:52,667 --> 00:09:55,066 at which point they observe him, uh, 182 00:09:55,133 --> 00:09:58,066 cut in between a couple of houses, 183 00:09:58,066 --> 00:09:59,533 and then they lost sight of him. 184 00:10:01,000 --> 00:10:04,467 KABAKOFF: We requested a K9, and unfortunately, 185 00:10:04,467 --> 00:10:06,634 we were unable to find him at that point. 186 00:10:08,367 --> 00:10:10,667 NARRATOR: Another neighbor calls in to say he saw 187 00:10:10,667 --> 00:10:13,767 a suspicious vehicle racing from the scene. 188 00:10:13,767 --> 00:10:16,667 A witness had heard the gunshots 189 00:10:16,734 --> 00:10:20,266 and immediately looked into the direction of the shooting 190 00:10:20,333 --> 00:10:24,433 and saw a white vehicle speeding off. 191 00:10:25,300 --> 00:10:27,367 NARRATOR: Investigators don't know if the killer 192 00:10:27,433 --> 00:10:29,533 ran or if he's in that car. 193 00:10:30,667 --> 00:10:33,567 McFADDEN: They know this person has already taken someone's life. 194 00:10:33,567 --> 00:10:35,367 We have somebody who does not care. 195 00:10:35,433 --> 00:10:39,166 He'll take you out in broad daylight, bang, bang, bang. 196 00:10:39,166 --> 00:10:40,634 They need to find him. 197 00:10:45,266 --> 00:10:47,166 NARRATOR: Silverton Police are hunting for 198 00:10:47,233 --> 00:10:49,967 a white car that fled the murder scene. 199 00:10:49,967 --> 00:10:52,066 We had a license plate, vehicle. 200 00:10:52,133 --> 00:10:55,667 We requested that the officers stop him. 201 00:10:55,734 --> 00:10:57,367 PLUMMER: There was quite a bit of commotion 202 00:10:57,433 --> 00:10:59,367 about this white vehicle. 203 00:10:59,367 --> 00:11:01,567 KABAKOFF: It's a pretty intense situation. 204 00:11:01,567 --> 00:11:03,667 You're going after somebody that you believe could 205 00:11:03,667 --> 00:11:06,467 have been involved in a homicide and who's armed. 206 00:11:06,533 --> 00:11:08,467 You could end up being a victim. 207 00:11:08,467 --> 00:11:12,433 You could end up being shot, or a bystander could get shot. 208 00:11:13,500 --> 00:11:16,266 McFADDEN: The initial officer is giving commands 209 00:11:16,266 --> 00:11:18,166 for the occupants of the car. 210 00:11:18,166 --> 00:11:22,567 Turn your car off, throw the keys out, exit the vehicle. 211 00:11:22,634 --> 00:11:27,867 They're watching the car, gun drawn, doors open, 212 00:11:27,934 --> 00:11:29,867 occupants exit the car. 213 00:11:31,266 --> 00:11:34,000 But, as it turned out, it was two women 214 00:11:34,000 --> 00:11:38,033 in the -- in the vehicle and obviously not our suspect. 215 00:11:40,000 --> 00:11:42,367 KABAKOFF: They had nothing to do with this incident. 216 00:11:42,367 --> 00:11:44,367 They had happened to be in the vicinity 217 00:11:44,367 --> 00:11:48,266 and left the area shortly after the shots had been fired. 218 00:11:48,333 --> 00:11:50,266 It's not unusual for people to -- 219 00:11:50,266 --> 00:11:53,100 to flee after hearing shots fired. 220 00:11:53,100 --> 00:11:55,367 And that was this case. 221 00:11:55,367 --> 00:11:57,367 McFADDEN: Listening to the radio, 222 00:11:57,367 --> 00:11:59,667 you're on pins and needles as a detective. 223 00:11:59,667 --> 00:12:01,367 And then all of a sudden, the dispatcher 224 00:12:01,367 --> 00:12:05,000 says, "There's two females." That is a big letdown. 225 00:12:05,000 --> 00:12:07,967 It's like having that Cracker Jack box with no prize, 226 00:12:07,967 --> 00:12:12,266 but the detectives must go back to the scene and continue 227 00:12:12,266 --> 00:12:15,467 to be focused on catching this killer. 228 00:12:15,533 --> 00:12:18,767 RANDOLPH: We retraced as best we could the trail 229 00:12:18,767 --> 00:12:20,767 that we believed the shooter to take. 230 00:12:20,767 --> 00:12:23,367 We looked all around the parking lot 231 00:12:23,367 --> 00:12:26,867 and under cars and bushes. 232 00:12:26,867 --> 00:12:29,467 KABAKOFF: We're looking for any type of evidence, especially 233 00:12:29,467 --> 00:12:32,367 the firearm to see if we could recover that -- unfortunately, 234 00:12:32,367 --> 00:12:34,567 we weren't able to recover the firearm. 235 00:12:36,066 --> 00:12:38,567 NARRATOR: Investigators broaden their search. 236 00:12:38,567 --> 00:12:40,867 An officer tells them about a suspicious 237 00:12:40,934 --> 00:12:43,433 blue car he had seen parked nearby. 238 00:12:44,400 --> 00:12:47,467 KABAKOFF: We did photograph the cars that were parked there, 239 00:12:47,467 --> 00:12:49,767 and we saw that one of the cars, 240 00:12:49,767 --> 00:12:52,367 the front license plate was removed. 241 00:12:52,367 --> 00:12:54,467 You could actually see the outline of 242 00:12:54,533 --> 00:12:56,767 where the license plate used to be. 243 00:12:56,767 --> 00:13:00,867 At the time, Ohio required a front and rear license plate. 244 00:13:00,867 --> 00:13:03,333 Why would you remove the front license plate? 245 00:13:05,066 --> 00:13:06,867 McFADDEN: If this is truly the suspect vehicle, 246 00:13:06,867 --> 00:13:10,467 that person came prepared for what he was going to do. 247 00:13:10,467 --> 00:13:13,567 If I take the tag off the car, even though they have 248 00:13:13,567 --> 00:13:14,667 a description of the car, 249 00:13:14,667 --> 00:13:17,166 it's not gonna lead to my car. 250 00:13:17,233 --> 00:13:20,367 This killer really thought about this. 251 00:13:20,367 --> 00:13:23,166 He knew everything that the detective was going to 252 00:13:23,233 --> 00:13:26,266 do and knew that there were cameras in the area. 253 00:13:26,333 --> 00:13:29,367 That person knows a lot about law enforcement. 254 00:13:31,667 --> 00:13:35,066 So the question is, what was this young man involved in 255 00:13:35,133 --> 00:13:39,133 that would cause someone to be this prepared to take his life? 256 00:13:39,967 --> 00:13:41,667 So now the detectives have to go back 257 00:13:41,667 --> 00:13:44,467 to the family and ask the hard question. 258 00:13:44,467 --> 00:13:47,867 What haven't you told us about the victim? 259 00:13:47,867 --> 00:13:51,567 Those type of conversations will help solve this case. 260 00:13:55,467 --> 00:13:58,433 BERRY: I'm Rashawn's older brother. 261 00:13:59,867 --> 00:14:02,233 We had a 17-year age difference. 262 00:14:03,467 --> 00:14:06,467 Rashawn was born in 1975. 263 00:14:06,467 --> 00:14:09,667 I had a son around that -- around that time. 264 00:14:09,667 --> 00:14:11,233 They were three months apart. 265 00:14:12,667 --> 00:14:15,266 I would always have him with me at the time -- 266 00:14:15,333 --> 00:14:17,367 my son and my little brother. 267 00:14:18,667 --> 00:14:20,967 They kinda raised us and kept us close, 268 00:14:20,967 --> 00:14:25,066 more like brother rather than uncle and nephew. 269 00:14:25,066 --> 00:14:29,567 I remember -- remember picking him up as we got older, 270 00:14:29,634 --> 00:14:35,066 probably about -- probably was about 16, 17 years old, 271 00:14:35,066 --> 00:14:37,166 and, uh, hanging out. 272 00:14:38,767 --> 00:14:42,367 I used to play a lot of music, and Rashawn used to always like 273 00:14:42,367 --> 00:14:44,166 to come down and just, 274 00:14:44,166 --> 00:14:46,867 you know, dance and all that stuff. 275 00:14:46,934 --> 00:14:48,867 He would come downstairs, and I started 276 00:14:48,867 --> 00:14:51,634 letting Rashawn play music on his own, so... 277 00:14:52,800 --> 00:14:55,767 We used to just both love the same -- same music, 278 00:14:55,834 --> 00:14:58,967 same artists, and just cut the stereo all the way up in 279 00:14:58,967 --> 00:15:00,100 the car and drive around 280 00:15:00,100 --> 00:15:03,667 Cincinnati and just kinda just live. 281 00:15:03,667 --> 00:15:07,166 No -- there was no problems, you know, none. 282 00:15:11,100 --> 00:15:13,567 RANDOLPH: In order to kind of figure out who could be 283 00:15:13,567 --> 00:15:15,367 responsible for this, uh, it's -- 284 00:15:15,367 --> 00:15:18,166 it's very important to learn and discover what the victim 285 00:15:18,233 --> 00:15:22,066 was actually doing at the time that his death occurred. 286 00:15:22,133 --> 00:15:24,367 A guy that's brutally murdered -- 287 00:15:24,367 --> 00:15:28,667 Why? You know, what did he do that warranted this -- 288 00:15:28,667 --> 00:15:30,166 this execution? 289 00:15:32,500 --> 00:15:35,867 PIEPMEIER: We've got a young man getting shot to death, 290 00:15:35,867 --> 00:15:39,266 and the first thing you look at is friends and family. 291 00:15:39,333 --> 00:15:42,066 Did anyone have a motive to do anything to him? 292 00:15:43,467 --> 00:15:47,367 NARRATOR: Rashawn, who worked in a factory, had recently moved in 293 00:15:47,367 --> 00:15:48,934 with his sister, Jeanette. 294 00:15:51,100 --> 00:15:52,767 PIEPMEIER: His sister was one of the first ones 295 00:15:52,767 --> 00:15:55,266 questioned, because she was actually there at the time. 296 00:15:55,266 --> 00:15:58,000 Did she have something to do with this? 297 00:15:58,000 --> 00:16:00,066 PLUMMER: They were in the apartment together. 298 00:16:00,066 --> 00:16:03,066 He was waiting for a phone call from a buddy. 299 00:16:04,266 --> 00:16:07,166 I think Jeanette was -- was blindsided, 300 00:16:07,233 --> 00:16:10,734 uh, with this as much as anyone else. 301 00:16:11,700 --> 00:16:13,567 RANDOLPH: The victim had plans that evening. 302 00:16:13,634 --> 00:16:16,166 Around 5 p.m., a friend 303 00:16:16,166 --> 00:16:19,266 of his named Jason was going to come over. 304 00:16:19,266 --> 00:16:22,367 She told us that Jason was black, 305 00:16:22,367 --> 00:16:26,233 approximately 23 years old, and had a mustache. 306 00:16:28,100 --> 00:16:30,467 She wasn't very fond of Jason. 307 00:16:30,467 --> 00:16:34,567 You know, she indicated that Jason had a car, but at 308 00:16:34,567 --> 00:16:36,867 some point, may have recently been stolen, 309 00:16:36,867 --> 00:16:38,867 so he wanted to borrow her car, 310 00:16:38,867 --> 00:16:41,333 and she wouldn't allow him to do that. 311 00:16:42,500 --> 00:16:46,166 Shortly before that 5 p.m. hour, the doorbell rang. 312 00:16:50,900 --> 00:16:54,367 PLUMMER: He gets up and walks out to the front door to -- 313 00:16:54,433 --> 00:16:56,266 to answer the doorbell. 314 00:16:56,266 --> 00:16:58,867 And the next thing you know, she says, "I hear 315 00:16:58,934 --> 00:17:00,166 "this commotion, 316 00:17:00,233 --> 00:17:02,967 "I hear the gunshots, and there's my brother, 317 00:17:02,967 --> 00:17:05,467 at the door bleeding." 318 00:17:15,667 --> 00:17:18,867 McFADDEN: We know that Jason has an appointment with our victim 319 00:17:18,867 --> 00:17:21,567 in the same timeframe that this murder could have happened, 320 00:17:21,567 --> 00:17:23,767 so it's important to talk to the witnesses, 321 00:17:23,834 --> 00:17:26,367 get their description to see if this is the same 322 00:17:26,367 --> 00:17:29,867 Jason as the sister was talking about. 323 00:17:29,867 --> 00:17:32,767 RANDOLPH: We interviewed a mother and two daughters in 324 00:17:32,767 --> 00:17:34,867 the building that the victim resided in. 325 00:17:34,867 --> 00:17:36,867 The general consensus 326 00:17:36,934 --> 00:17:39,100 from all three of those ladies 327 00:17:39,100 --> 00:17:42,166 were that around the 5 p.m. hour, 328 00:17:42,166 --> 00:17:45,166 there was some arguing being heard. 329 00:17:46,967 --> 00:17:50,166 They all went to various windows and immediately saw 330 00:17:50,233 --> 00:17:51,967 our shooter reach into his waistband 331 00:17:51,967 --> 00:17:55,934 and produce his gun and fire five shots. 332 00:17:57,467 --> 00:18:02,567 All of them said the suspect was black, physically fit. 333 00:18:02,634 --> 00:18:04,867 RANDOLPH: He had a dark jacket or a black jacket 334 00:18:04,867 --> 00:18:07,467 and blue jeans, 335 00:18:07,533 --> 00:18:11,867 and he had short hair and a mustache. 336 00:18:11,867 --> 00:18:14,567 McFADDEN: Jason matches the description of the witnesses 337 00:18:14,567 --> 00:18:17,967 of an African-American male with facial hair. 338 00:18:18,033 --> 00:18:21,467 They need to find this person fast -- if they don't, 339 00:18:21,467 --> 00:18:23,333 who knows what he does after this. 340 00:18:26,467 --> 00:18:29,166 NARRATOR: Silverton police are on the hunt for Jason, 341 00:18:29,166 --> 00:18:32,634 their prime suspect in the murder of Rashawn Berry. 342 00:18:34,100 --> 00:18:37,967 RANDOLPH: Rashawn had a girlfriend that lived in a different area. 343 00:18:37,967 --> 00:18:41,767 We interviewed her 6 or 7, 8 hours after Rashawn had 344 00:18:41,834 --> 00:18:43,367 been shot. 345 00:18:43,367 --> 00:18:47,000 They had dated I believe about three years, and she wasn't 346 00:18:47,000 --> 00:18:49,266 aware of any problems that he was having, 347 00:18:49,266 --> 00:18:52,467 but she did speak about Jason. 348 00:18:52,467 --> 00:18:54,467 She believed that Jason was having 349 00:18:54,533 --> 00:18:56,367 some financial difficulties 350 00:18:56,433 --> 00:18:59,133 with some child support issues or something like that. 351 00:19:00,066 --> 00:19:03,467 She also said that Jason regularly carried a gun, 352 00:19:03,467 --> 00:19:06,533 and he referred to his gun as his girl. 353 00:19:07,967 --> 00:19:10,166 So in talking with the victim's girlfriend, 354 00:19:10,166 --> 00:19:12,867 the detectives found out some good stuff. 355 00:19:12,934 --> 00:19:16,266 First, Jason has money problems. 356 00:19:16,266 --> 00:19:20,266 Money is probably the number one cause for homicides. 357 00:19:20,333 --> 00:19:23,767 Number two, Jason has a gun that he really loves that 358 00:19:23,767 --> 00:19:25,367 he called his girl. 359 00:19:25,367 --> 00:19:27,066 So Jason's looking pretty good. 360 00:19:27,066 --> 00:19:30,967 NARRATOR: Rashawn's girlfriend has no address for Jason. 361 00:19:31,033 --> 00:19:33,867 As officers search for him, 362 00:19:33,867 --> 00:19:36,333 investigators canvass the neighborhood. 363 00:19:37,300 --> 00:19:39,867 RANDOLPH: We looked all around the Montgomery Road area, 364 00:19:39,934 --> 00:19:43,066 where we knew the suspect had ran. 365 00:19:43,066 --> 00:19:45,767 I went to each of the businesses that were 366 00:19:45,834 --> 00:19:50,033 in the area to capture as much information as we could. 367 00:19:52,300 --> 00:19:55,667 Another important witness was a gentleman 368 00:19:55,734 --> 00:19:58,467 that taught at the driving school. 369 00:19:58,533 --> 00:20:02,367 He actually witnessed this guy across the street, 370 00:20:02,367 --> 00:20:05,867 and even though it was cold, this guy was sweating. 371 00:20:07,367 --> 00:20:08,867 He thought, well, that's strange. 372 00:20:08,867 --> 00:20:11,166 You know, why is this guy sweating? 373 00:20:13,066 --> 00:20:16,066 PLUMMER: The manager of the driving school saw 374 00:20:16,066 --> 00:20:18,667 the suspect going toward Elwynne Drive. 375 00:20:18,734 --> 00:20:21,367 Within like 15, 20 minutes, 376 00:20:21,367 --> 00:20:24,967 he saw the subject coming back from the post office. 377 00:20:25,033 --> 00:20:27,266 The suspect did stop at that point 378 00:20:27,266 --> 00:20:31,967 and asked the manager at what time the post office closes. 379 00:20:31,967 --> 00:20:34,567 And at that point, the suspect took off again. 380 00:20:36,467 --> 00:20:40,166 We knew from prior experiences that the post office 381 00:20:40,166 --> 00:20:44,066 did have a working surveillance video system. 382 00:20:46,200 --> 00:20:47,967 NARRATOR: But it's a federal holiday, 383 00:20:48,033 --> 00:20:51,066 and the post office is closed for three days. 384 00:20:52,200 --> 00:20:55,367 McFADDEN: So imagine waiting three days that we can't get anyone 385 00:20:55,433 --> 00:20:58,467 to help us with the best lead that we have. 386 00:20:58,467 --> 00:21:01,967 Three whole days might as well be three whole weeks 387 00:21:02,033 --> 00:21:03,467 when you're looking for a suspect 388 00:21:03,467 --> 00:21:07,367 who's brazen as our suspect in this case. 389 00:21:07,367 --> 00:21:09,367 NARRATOR: Then an unexpected visitor 390 00:21:09,433 --> 00:21:11,567 shows up at the police station -- 391 00:21:11,567 --> 00:21:13,834 their prime suspect, Jason. 392 00:21:14,700 --> 00:21:17,667 Jason looks similar to the witness description, 393 00:21:17,667 --> 00:21:20,767 but he says he never made it to Rashawn's home the night 394 00:21:20,767 --> 00:21:22,066 of the shooting. 395 00:21:22,133 --> 00:21:25,066 KABAKOFF: This guy may have had not a stellar reputation, 396 00:21:25,066 --> 00:21:28,166 and I think he was a little bit nervous about meeting with 397 00:21:28,166 --> 00:21:29,567 us initially. 398 00:21:29,634 --> 00:21:32,166 He said he truly was a friend of his 399 00:21:32,233 --> 00:21:34,767 and didn't have anything to do with this incident, 400 00:21:34,767 --> 00:21:37,066 and he had a decent alibi. 401 00:21:37,967 --> 00:21:40,266 NARRATOR: With no other potential suspects, 402 00:21:40,266 --> 00:21:42,533 detectives are at a standstill. 403 00:21:43,567 --> 00:21:47,066 We had pretty much exhausted talking with everybody that 404 00:21:47,133 --> 00:21:48,266 we could, you know. 405 00:21:48,333 --> 00:21:50,667 The neighborhood canvass was concluded. 406 00:21:50,734 --> 00:21:53,266 The next of kin interviews were done. 407 00:21:53,266 --> 00:21:54,734 The girlfriend was done. 408 00:21:55,767 --> 00:21:58,100 Now we're kind of at this point in 409 00:21:58,100 --> 00:21:59,567 the investigation 410 00:21:59,634 --> 00:22:02,467 that you're really not sure which way to turn. 411 00:22:03,967 --> 00:22:05,567 NARRATOR: For Rashawn's family, 412 00:22:05,567 --> 00:22:06,867 the lack of progress in 413 00:22:06,867 --> 00:22:09,767 the investigation leads to mounting anger. 414 00:22:11,066 --> 00:22:12,967 BERRY: When I get to the police station, 415 00:22:13,033 --> 00:22:14,367 I said, "My little brother has 416 00:22:14,367 --> 00:22:17,066 been murdered, and I want some answers." 417 00:22:17,066 --> 00:22:19,000 I asked the detective to give me 418 00:22:19,000 --> 00:22:21,767 a name, and this will all be taken care of. 419 00:22:21,767 --> 00:22:24,667 I said, taking out the equation that you are a cop, 420 00:22:24,734 --> 00:22:25,767 what are you gonna wanna do 421 00:22:25,767 --> 00:22:27,667 if somebody hurts your wife and kid? 422 00:22:27,667 --> 00:22:29,467 I said, "You're gonna wanna kill him, right?" 423 00:22:29,467 --> 00:22:31,567 And he looked at me, and he said, "Yeah, 424 00:22:31,567 --> 00:22:34,066 "but we don't want you to get 425 00:22:34,133 --> 00:22:35,667 into any trouble and all that stuff." 426 00:22:35,667 --> 00:22:37,266 I'm like -- and I understood that, 427 00:22:37,266 --> 00:22:39,266 you know, I said, because this hurts. 428 00:22:39,266 --> 00:22:40,667 I said, I'm not talking crazy. 429 00:22:40,667 --> 00:22:43,867 It hurt, you know, and that's going all through my mind, like, 430 00:22:43,867 --> 00:22:46,834 what -- what -- what happened? 431 00:22:49,000 --> 00:22:50,533 And he said, "We don't know." 432 00:22:56,300 --> 00:23:00,367 KABAKOFF: And I remember being very, very frustrated with the case. 433 00:23:00,367 --> 00:23:04,266 We followed up the leads that we did have and a lot of 434 00:23:04,266 --> 00:23:06,266 times, they led to a dead end. 435 00:23:06,266 --> 00:23:09,066 The family want answers, the detectives want answers, 436 00:23:09,133 --> 00:23:10,467 and he's a ticking time bomb. 437 00:23:10,467 --> 00:23:12,734 He may go out and commit another murder. 438 00:23:14,000 --> 00:23:15,967 NARRATOR: Looking to generate something new, 439 00:23:15,967 --> 00:23:19,634 detectives head to Rashawn's job at a local factory. 440 00:23:21,000 --> 00:23:22,567 His employer really liked him. 441 00:23:22,567 --> 00:23:23,667 Always on time. 442 00:23:23,667 --> 00:23:27,667 Good worker, always taking on new jobs. 443 00:23:27,734 --> 00:23:30,867 He really thought the world of him. 444 00:23:30,867 --> 00:23:33,367 NARRATOR: But one employee offers a new lead 445 00:23:33,367 --> 00:23:35,567 that could turn the case on its head. 446 00:23:36,900 --> 00:23:42,867 There is a female coworker that had mentioned a person 447 00:23:42,867 --> 00:23:44,266 that was alleged 448 00:23:44,266 --> 00:23:47,567 to have been a drug dealer and that he was utilizing 449 00:23:47,567 --> 00:23:49,433 Rashawn Berry's name. 450 00:23:50,567 --> 00:23:54,667 It's not uncommon for drug dealers to change their name as 451 00:23:54,667 --> 00:23:57,066 a way of distracting the police from finding out 452 00:23:57,133 --> 00:23:59,100 their true identity. 453 00:23:59,100 --> 00:24:02,367 NARRATOR: All she could tell them is the guy's first name -- 454 00:24:02,367 --> 00:24:03,567 Tony. 455 00:24:05,000 --> 00:24:08,166 So another potential lead came with one of our local 456 00:24:08,166 --> 00:24:11,467 pharmaceutical salesmen, better known as a drug dealer. 457 00:24:12,667 --> 00:24:15,367 Could Tony have been the target in a case of 458 00:24:15,367 --> 00:24:16,734 mistaken identity? 459 00:24:17,667 --> 00:24:19,567 Drug dealers always have enemies. 460 00:24:19,567 --> 00:24:22,066 So finding Tony is important. 461 00:24:22,133 --> 00:24:24,266 This killer is still out there, and we're 462 00:24:24,266 --> 00:24:26,767 waiting for the fuse to reach the dynamite. 463 00:24:32,567 --> 00:24:34,767 NARRATOR: Investigators are looking for Tony, 464 00:24:34,767 --> 00:24:37,000 a local drug dealer who may have been using 465 00:24:37,000 --> 00:24:39,767 Rashawn Berry's name as an alias. 466 00:24:41,467 --> 00:24:43,767 KABAKOFF: That could have been a potential motive 467 00:24:43,834 --> 00:24:46,767 is that Rashawn's name was dropped 468 00:24:46,834 --> 00:24:50,166 and people thought he was involved in something he wasn't. 469 00:24:51,266 --> 00:24:54,567 McFADDEN: This could have been just mistaken identity. 470 00:24:54,634 --> 00:24:55,667 The detectives thought it was 471 00:24:55,734 --> 00:24:58,567 a problem between the victim and the suspect. 472 00:24:58,634 --> 00:25:01,867 But now what detectives need to do is rip that page out, 473 00:25:01,934 --> 00:25:02,867 throw it away. 474 00:25:02,867 --> 00:25:04,867 They're gonna have to start all over again. 475 00:25:04,934 --> 00:25:07,100 They have to go back, pound the pavement, 476 00:25:07,100 --> 00:25:09,266 boots on the ground, talk to everybody. 477 00:25:09,266 --> 00:25:11,066 They need to find Tony. 478 00:25:13,266 --> 00:25:16,767 NARRATOR: But investigators don't know Tony's last name 479 00:25:16,834 --> 00:25:19,066 or even if he's really named Tony. 480 00:25:20,266 --> 00:25:22,367 We would be looking for anything that -- 481 00:25:22,433 --> 00:25:24,567 that might have a local flavor to it, 482 00:25:24,567 --> 00:25:29,266 like at an address, a workplace or anything that 483 00:25:29,266 --> 00:25:31,367 might help us be able to identify, 484 00:25:31,433 --> 00:25:35,266 locate, and get this person in to talk to them. 485 00:25:35,266 --> 00:25:40,567 We check our files, but we did not have enough information to 486 00:25:40,634 --> 00:25:43,767 be able to establish an actual person 487 00:25:43,767 --> 00:25:46,967 to be able to interview and, uh, 488 00:25:47,033 --> 00:25:48,834 connect somehow to the case. 489 00:25:50,467 --> 00:25:54,166 NARRATOR: The team has one remaining lead to follow up. 490 00:25:54,166 --> 00:25:55,934 The post office reopens. 491 00:25:57,767 --> 00:26:01,767 Witnesses saw the suspect run inside after the murder. 492 00:26:01,767 --> 00:26:04,166 Now police want to see the surveillance tape. 493 00:26:05,066 --> 00:26:09,266 But as they enter the lobby, something catches their eye. 494 00:26:09,266 --> 00:26:13,100 RANDOLPH: One of the officers saw a black jacket that was 495 00:26:13,100 --> 00:26:14,967 shoved underneath of a counter. 496 00:26:15,033 --> 00:26:18,166 Thought it was unusual, out of place, 497 00:26:18,233 --> 00:26:19,667 and it did fit the description of 498 00:26:19,667 --> 00:26:21,767 what we believe the shooter was wearing. 499 00:26:23,500 --> 00:26:25,567 Detectives go inside the post office 500 00:26:25,634 --> 00:26:28,066 and found a key piece of evidence. 501 00:26:29,567 --> 00:26:32,166 That is the golden egg, hopefully laid 502 00:26:32,166 --> 00:26:34,266 by the golden goose. 503 00:26:34,266 --> 00:26:37,467 PLUMMER: And then we checked with the postmaster, 504 00:26:37,467 --> 00:26:40,567 we asked if we could take a look at their video for over 505 00:26:40,567 --> 00:26:42,367 the weekend. 506 00:26:42,433 --> 00:26:46,166 I quickly grabbed up the VHS tape, 507 00:26:46,233 --> 00:26:47,967 took it back to Silverton, 508 00:26:47,967 --> 00:26:51,967 stuck it in the VHS machine, and lo and behold... 509 00:26:53,300 --> 00:26:54,467 There it was. 510 00:26:55,667 --> 00:26:57,066 A little bit after five, 511 00:26:57,066 --> 00:27:00,967 we see a guy come in, looks like he's in his forties. 512 00:27:00,967 --> 00:27:05,367 He had a mustache, got a black coat on and blue jeans. 513 00:27:05,367 --> 00:27:07,066 You can see that he just -- he's -- 514 00:27:07,133 --> 00:27:11,767 he's just pacing like a cat, like a scared cat. 515 00:27:11,767 --> 00:27:15,767 Still watching, still watching to see what's going on outside, 516 00:27:15,834 --> 00:27:19,367 see if anybody's gonna chase in there after him, I'm sure. 517 00:27:20,567 --> 00:27:24,266 NARRATOR: The suspect enters the post office in his coat, 518 00:27:24,266 --> 00:27:26,767 but he leaves without it. 519 00:27:26,767 --> 00:27:29,667 KABAKOFF: A witness observed him on this cool day 520 00:27:29,734 --> 00:27:32,066 wearing a black T-shirt and was sweating. 521 00:27:32,133 --> 00:27:35,066 That's what really stuck out in this particular witness's 522 00:27:35,066 --> 00:27:38,367 mind is like, wow, why is this guy sweating? 523 00:27:38,433 --> 00:27:41,467 PLUMMER: You know, it was -- I wanted to cheer. 524 00:27:41,467 --> 00:27:43,567 Finally, we got our first view of 525 00:27:43,567 --> 00:27:45,934 the person that shot Rashawn Berry. 526 00:27:48,100 --> 00:27:50,767 KABAKOFF: You could actually see the white patch that he has on 527 00:27:50,767 --> 00:27:52,967 top of his head, which would turn out to be 528 00:27:53,033 --> 00:27:55,266 very relevant in the investigation 529 00:27:55,266 --> 00:27:56,934 and his identification. 530 00:27:58,500 --> 00:28:00,266 NARRATOR: Detectives are confident they have 531 00:28:00,266 --> 00:28:02,767 their first look at Rashawn's killer, 532 00:28:02,767 --> 00:28:06,367 but they still need to figure out who he is. 533 00:28:06,367 --> 00:28:08,567 Could he be someone targeting the drug dealer, 534 00:28:08,634 --> 00:28:12,066 Tony, or is he someone else entirely? 535 00:28:13,400 --> 00:28:17,467 The jacket is being worn by a African-American male with 536 00:28:17,467 --> 00:28:20,867 a distinct white patch in his hair. 537 00:28:20,867 --> 00:28:23,166 That is very identifiable, 538 00:28:23,233 --> 00:28:26,266 and I guarantee you, somebody knows who that person is. 539 00:28:26,266 --> 00:28:28,367 The best thing they can do at this time 540 00:28:28,367 --> 00:28:30,100 is put this out to the media. 541 00:28:30,100 --> 00:28:32,066 Make the media your friend. 542 00:28:33,767 --> 00:28:35,867 RANDOLPH: Six days after the murder occurred, 543 00:28:35,867 --> 00:28:39,166 a still photograph from the surveillance video was 544 00:28:39,166 --> 00:28:40,967 released to the news media. 545 00:28:41,033 --> 00:28:42,166 They didn't say he did it, 546 00:28:42,166 --> 00:28:45,367 but this is the guy we're looking for. 547 00:28:45,367 --> 00:28:48,667 PLUMMER: Immediately, that evening, we're getting inundated with 548 00:28:48,734 --> 00:28:51,734 calls about who they think this is. 549 00:28:53,000 --> 00:28:56,166 NARRATOR: One caller may have the answer they're looking for. 550 00:28:56,233 --> 00:28:59,333 He says their suspect just left his home. 551 00:29:00,667 --> 00:29:02,567 PIEPMEIER: And he said, "Hey, I was just sitting here 552 00:29:02,567 --> 00:29:05,767 "with the suspect -- that was him on the screen. 553 00:29:05,767 --> 00:29:07,467 "I don't know what he has to do with this case, 554 00:29:07,533 --> 00:29:09,333 but that's who you're looking for." 555 00:29:10,467 --> 00:29:12,567 NARRATOR: Detectives race over to the caller's house 556 00:29:12,567 --> 00:29:13,934 to get an ID. 557 00:29:16,000 --> 00:29:17,867 PLUMMER: The guy looked at us, 558 00:29:17,934 --> 00:29:20,333 and he said, "That's Owen Hobbs." 559 00:29:22,066 --> 00:29:25,567 KABAKOFF: Owen Hobbs has a small, white patch of hair 560 00:29:25,567 --> 00:29:29,967 on top of his head -- that all came together that -- 561 00:29:30,033 --> 00:29:32,667 that showed that Owen Hobbs is our one and only 562 00:29:32,734 --> 00:29:33,867 primary suspect. 563 00:29:34,867 --> 00:29:37,667 NARRATOR: And he's not just their primary suspect. 564 00:29:37,667 --> 00:29:39,367 He's a former cop. 565 00:29:40,567 --> 00:29:44,166 Owen had been fired from the sheriff's office 566 00:29:44,233 --> 00:29:48,367 10 plus years before the homicide. 567 00:29:48,367 --> 00:29:52,066 So it had been quite a while since we had seen him. 568 00:29:52,066 --> 00:29:55,166 I believe it was some, uh, theft-related, uh, 569 00:29:55,233 --> 00:29:57,767 offense of some sort. 570 00:29:57,767 --> 00:29:59,667 McFADDEN: He was fired for some theft. 571 00:29:59,667 --> 00:30:04,100 So we all know at this point he is going off the beaten path 572 00:30:04,100 --> 00:30:06,767 of a loyal, law-abiding citizen 573 00:30:06,767 --> 00:30:09,667 and a law-abiding officer. 574 00:30:09,734 --> 00:30:13,567 He's off the beaten path of justice. 575 00:30:13,567 --> 00:30:17,266 NARRATOR: The man who calls the police to I.D. Hobbs says he saw him 576 00:30:17,333 --> 00:30:21,133 the night of the murder, and Owen was acting strange. 577 00:30:22,767 --> 00:30:24,867 RANDOLPH: Shortly after the murder occurred, 578 00:30:24,867 --> 00:30:27,667 Owen shows up at this friend's house and just kind of walked 579 00:30:27,667 --> 00:30:30,100 past him and -- and went outside 580 00:30:30,100 --> 00:30:34,667 and was, uh, sitting in the backyard by himself. 581 00:30:34,734 --> 00:30:38,266 Shortly after that, Owen kind of came back up to the house 582 00:30:38,266 --> 00:30:40,367 and he had -- he had some sort of 583 00:30:40,367 --> 00:30:43,266 a cut or something on him and said 584 00:30:43,333 --> 00:30:46,867 that the homeowner or the friend's dog had bitten him. 585 00:30:48,266 --> 00:30:50,166 He comes back in with a crazy story. 586 00:30:50,166 --> 00:30:52,567 So now the detectives have to wonder, 587 00:30:52,567 --> 00:30:55,367 what was going on in that backyard? 588 00:30:55,367 --> 00:30:57,767 The detectives still don't have the gun. 589 00:30:57,767 --> 00:31:00,867 Could he have buried it in his friend's backyard? 590 00:31:00,867 --> 00:31:05,667 We searched his place, I mean, went over with, the old saying, 591 00:31:05,667 --> 00:31:08,934 the fine-tooth comb, um, did not recover a firearm. 592 00:31:09,767 --> 00:31:11,667 NARRATOR: The team isn't surprised. 593 00:31:11,667 --> 00:31:15,066 Hobbs would know exactly what to do with the weapon. 594 00:31:15,133 --> 00:31:17,166 PIEPMEIER: Owen was a tough guy. 595 00:31:17,166 --> 00:31:18,667 He was a tough cop. 596 00:31:18,734 --> 00:31:20,767 He was a police officer who was trained 597 00:31:20,767 --> 00:31:22,867 how to use a weapon and how to kill. 598 00:31:22,934 --> 00:31:24,467 PLUMMER: He was a Marine. 599 00:31:24,533 --> 00:31:28,867 I think he brought a lot of that Marine Corps training, 600 00:31:28,867 --> 00:31:32,266 his demeanor, and the way he wore his uniform. 601 00:31:32,266 --> 00:31:33,767 I'm in a little bit of disbelief, 602 00:31:33,834 --> 00:31:36,066 because somebody I know just murdered somebody. 603 00:31:36,066 --> 00:31:40,166 On the other hand, there was no question that based on 604 00:31:40,166 --> 00:31:41,767 all these descriptions of people, 605 00:31:41,834 --> 00:31:44,166 and it exactly fit Owen Hobbs running 606 00:31:44,166 --> 00:31:45,266 into that building. 607 00:31:45,333 --> 00:31:46,934 There was no question he did it. 608 00:31:48,400 --> 00:31:52,567 PLUMMER: I was shocked that Owen could have done something like this. 609 00:31:52,567 --> 00:31:55,100 We needed to find out why. 610 00:31:55,100 --> 00:31:58,266 NARRATOR: Detectives need a current address for Hobbs. 611 00:31:58,266 --> 00:32:00,467 They dig into his background and find 612 00:32:00,467 --> 00:32:03,567 out his ex-wife is a postal worker, 613 00:32:03,634 --> 00:32:06,767 and she lives in the same building as Rashawn Berry. 614 00:32:07,767 --> 00:32:10,567 KABAKOFF: I remember seeing Judy at the scene. 615 00:32:10,567 --> 00:32:12,266 She resided in the building. 616 00:32:12,266 --> 00:32:14,066 I knew who she was. 617 00:32:14,133 --> 00:32:18,967 Judy had been somewhere, and she had came back. 618 00:32:19,867 --> 00:32:21,166 I basically said, "Judy, you know, 619 00:32:21,166 --> 00:32:23,667 "we're investigating something, like, I can't let you in at 620 00:32:23,667 --> 00:32:25,266 this time." 621 00:32:25,333 --> 00:32:27,867 Rashawn was from Apartment 12, and -- 622 00:32:27,867 --> 00:32:30,667 and Judy lived in Apartment 11. 623 00:32:30,667 --> 00:32:34,834 PLUMMER: He rang the wrong doorbell, and Rashawn answered. 624 00:32:36,000 --> 00:32:37,667 Now we have a major problem. 625 00:32:37,667 --> 00:32:41,767 We have a loose cannon, an ex-officer with a gun. 626 00:32:41,767 --> 00:32:44,867 Could his ex-wife be the actual target 627 00:32:44,934 --> 00:32:46,266 instead of the victim? 628 00:32:50,467 --> 00:32:53,367 NARRATOR: Police are worried that their suspect's ex-wife, 629 00:32:53,433 --> 00:32:55,567 Judy, may be in danger. 630 00:32:55,634 --> 00:32:59,100 Detectives track her down and bring her to the station. 631 00:32:59,100 --> 00:33:02,567 They hope she can help them find Owen Hobbs. 632 00:33:02,567 --> 00:33:04,667 Judy explained to us that it was a -- 633 00:33:04,667 --> 00:33:07,066 it was a very rough marriage. 634 00:33:07,133 --> 00:33:09,567 Uh, he was a very controlling person, 635 00:33:09,567 --> 00:33:12,467 a very threatening person. 636 00:33:12,533 --> 00:33:14,367 RANDOLPH: He threatened her constantly, 637 00:33:14,367 --> 00:33:16,767 threatened her with bodily harm, threatened her life 638 00:33:16,767 --> 00:33:19,767 throughout most of their marriage, 639 00:33:19,834 --> 00:33:22,100 and she was very fearful of him, and -- 640 00:33:22,100 --> 00:33:24,667 and she moved to get away from him. 641 00:33:24,734 --> 00:33:27,967 His wife endured years of abuse of being threatened by 642 00:33:27,967 --> 00:33:30,100 her husband, and she simply didn't want 643 00:33:30,100 --> 00:33:32,867 to anger him because of his profession. 644 00:33:32,867 --> 00:33:35,166 This is commonly done in law enforcement 645 00:33:35,166 --> 00:33:37,100 and also in the community. 646 00:33:37,100 --> 00:33:39,667 The victims hide their abuse until it turns out 647 00:33:39,667 --> 00:33:42,467 to be a deadly encounter. 648 00:33:42,467 --> 00:33:45,166 PIEPMEIER: She did everything she could to avoid him 649 00:33:45,233 --> 00:33:47,166 and never have him find her. 650 00:33:47,166 --> 00:33:51,867 But somehow, Owen Hobbs found out she lived in that building. 651 00:33:51,934 --> 00:33:53,767 She really felt horrible, because she 652 00:33:53,767 --> 00:33:57,467 didn't realized the bullets that took Rashawn Berry's life 653 00:33:57,467 --> 00:33:58,867 were meant for her. 654 00:34:01,367 --> 00:34:03,367 NARRATOR: Judy works at the same post office 655 00:34:03,367 --> 00:34:05,433 Hobbs ran to after the shooting. 656 00:34:06,867 --> 00:34:10,266 He'd been all over town trying to find her. 657 00:34:10,266 --> 00:34:14,166 PLUMMER: He was stopping mail carriers in and around, uh, 658 00:34:14,166 --> 00:34:18,767 the Silverton area asking questions about, uh, 659 00:34:18,767 --> 00:34:23,266 any boyfriends that she might have, where she's hanging out. 660 00:34:23,266 --> 00:34:25,000 They weren't giving up information, 661 00:34:25,000 --> 00:34:26,567 but, you know, they -- 662 00:34:26,567 --> 00:34:30,734 they let Judy know that he'd been inquiring about her. 663 00:34:32,200 --> 00:34:35,367 NARRATOR: Judy gives police Hobbs' address. 664 00:34:35,367 --> 00:34:39,000 Officers need to be very careful in approaching this house 665 00:34:39,000 --> 00:34:42,467 and approaching this well-trained, ex law enforcement 666 00:34:42,467 --> 00:34:46,000 who has nothing to lose, because he's just proven 667 00:34:46,000 --> 00:34:48,266 he will shoot you in broad daylight. 668 00:34:48,266 --> 00:34:52,266 So at this point, we are hunting the hunter. 669 00:34:54,100 --> 00:34:56,667 PIEPMEIER: He didn't fight, he didn't try to run, uh, 670 00:34:56,667 --> 00:34:58,767 did not shoot at them. 671 00:34:58,767 --> 00:35:01,066 I think he was pretty much resigned to the fact at that 672 00:35:01,133 --> 00:35:04,233 point that the, uh, the game was up. 673 00:35:05,100 --> 00:35:08,066 KABAKOFF: We searched Owen's property. 674 00:35:09,567 --> 00:35:12,567 We recovered his black T-shirt and his, um, 675 00:35:12,567 --> 00:35:16,166 black gym shoes and also a pair of jeans that were 676 00:35:16,166 --> 00:35:18,433 ultimately taken in as evidence. 677 00:35:19,367 --> 00:35:22,767 The murder weapon in this case was never recovered, and no -- 678 00:35:22,767 --> 00:35:24,867 Owen never told anyone what he did with it, 679 00:35:24,867 --> 00:35:28,333 but he did own a .357, which was the murder weapon. 680 00:35:29,467 --> 00:35:33,834 NARRATOR: The stray bullet recovered at the crime scene was from a .357. 681 00:35:35,000 --> 00:35:38,467 Investigators also search Hobbs' blue car. 682 00:35:38,533 --> 00:35:41,967 It's the same type of vehicle police saw near the crime scene 683 00:35:42,033 --> 00:35:43,367 the night of the murder, 684 00:35:43,367 --> 00:35:46,100 the one that was missing its front plate. 685 00:35:46,100 --> 00:35:50,166 It matched the car, and on the floorboard, um, behind 686 00:35:50,166 --> 00:35:53,367 the driver's seat, there was the screwdriver that 687 00:35:53,367 --> 00:35:55,734 he used to take off the front license plate. 688 00:35:56,567 --> 00:35:59,066 Investigators believe that after Hobbs left 689 00:35:59,133 --> 00:36:00,266 the post office, 690 00:36:00,266 --> 00:36:03,233 he returned to the neighborhood to pick up his car. 691 00:36:07,400 --> 00:36:09,934 Now they hope to get a confession. 692 00:36:11,767 --> 00:36:15,166 PLUMMER: We advised him of his rights and asked him, 693 00:36:15,233 --> 00:36:17,100 "Did you kill Rashawn Berry?" 694 00:36:17,100 --> 00:36:19,567 And he said, "No way would I kill this guy. 695 00:36:19,567 --> 00:36:21,767 I have no reason to do that." 696 00:36:21,767 --> 00:36:25,467 "Were you at this scene when Rashawn was killed?" 697 00:36:25,467 --> 00:36:27,567 "No, I wasn't anywhere near it." 698 00:36:28,567 --> 00:36:31,100 PIEPMEIER: The best thing you can do is confess. 699 00:36:31,100 --> 00:36:34,000 The second best thing you can do is to lie. 700 00:36:34,000 --> 00:36:37,266 And Owen chose door number two, he chose to lie to 701 00:36:37,266 --> 00:36:39,667 the police, he says, "I don't know what you're talking about. 702 00:36:39,734 --> 00:36:41,567 I wasn't in Silverton that day." 703 00:36:43,000 --> 00:36:46,066 So they have caught Owen in a lie, but they need to be 704 00:36:46,133 --> 00:36:47,100 very careful. 705 00:36:47,166 --> 00:36:50,100 This is a ping pong match between the detectives 706 00:36:50,100 --> 00:36:54,567 and their suspect, and it's gonna be back and forth. 707 00:36:54,634 --> 00:36:58,667 You ask something, I may answer it -- back and forth. 708 00:36:58,667 --> 00:37:01,266 But the problem is, at this time, 709 00:37:01,266 --> 00:37:05,767 the other person with the paddle is a ex law enforcement officer 710 00:37:05,834 --> 00:37:08,367 who knows the tactics of an interview. 711 00:37:08,367 --> 00:37:10,133 So that changes the game. 712 00:37:11,700 --> 00:37:13,767 PLUMMER: I finally pulled a picture of him 713 00:37:13,834 --> 00:37:18,367 in the surveillance, laid it in front of him, and he -- 714 00:37:18,433 --> 00:37:21,667 he got a few tears in his -- in his eyes. 715 00:37:21,734 --> 00:37:24,567 He said that, you know, "I -- yeah, I was there, 716 00:37:24,634 --> 00:37:27,266 but I was only there to see my wife." 717 00:37:28,567 --> 00:37:30,667 PIEPMEIER: He told the police he went there 718 00:37:30,734 --> 00:37:33,166 because he felt she owed him some money. 719 00:37:33,233 --> 00:37:35,266 But again, he went there with a gun. 720 00:37:35,266 --> 00:37:38,166 RANDOLPH: As the interview continued, he continued 721 00:37:38,233 --> 00:37:41,767 to deny participating in the homicide. 722 00:37:41,767 --> 00:37:46,767 You can tell when a person is getting ready to segue into, 723 00:37:46,767 --> 00:37:50,266 okay, here's my defense, here's why I did it. 724 00:37:50,333 --> 00:37:53,467 And we just -- we just couldn't get there with him. 725 00:37:53,533 --> 00:37:54,767 At that point, 726 00:37:54,834 --> 00:37:58,667 he said, "Listen, I want a lawyer." 727 00:37:58,667 --> 00:38:02,166 Just when the detectives thought they're game-match, 728 00:38:02,166 --> 00:38:05,233 he pulls out his final card -- game's over. 729 00:38:06,900 --> 00:38:08,567 NARRATOR: Even without a confession, 730 00:38:08,634 --> 00:38:11,367 the case against Owen Hobbs is strong. 731 00:38:11,367 --> 00:38:14,166 We had 10 different people saw the person 732 00:38:14,233 --> 00:38:16,467 that did the shooting go to the post office. 733 00:38:16,467 --> 00:38:19,266 So we were 100 percent convinced. 734 00:38:20,266 --> 00:38:23,467 And then when we find that his ex-wife lived in that building 735 00:38:23,467 --> 00:38:24,867 where the murder happened, 736 00:38:24,867 --> 00:38:28,567 it just kind of tied a nice ribbon around the case for us. 737 00:38:28,567 --> 00:38:30,166 NARRATOR: Based on the evidence, 738 00:38:30,166 --> 00:38:33,233 police speculate Hobbs was looking for Judy. 739 00:38:34,166 --> 00:38:37,166 PLUMMER: Owen shows up at the apartment building. 740 00:38:37,166 --> 00:38:41,166 He wants to talk to his wife, but he rings 741 00:38:41,166 --> 00:38:42,533 the wrong doorbell. 742 00:38:44,200 --> 00:38:50,166 Rashawn comes down the steps and asks, "What do you want?" 743 00:38:50,166 --> 00:38:51,567 And... 744 00:38:51,567 --> 00:38:54,000 the first thing he gets back is, "What are you doing 745 00:38:54,000 --> 00:38:55,567 with my -- with my wife?" 746 00:38:57,600 --> 00:38:58,567 What's going through 747 00:38:58,567 --> 00:39:01,667 Owen Hobbs' mind is, "I hate that woman 748 00:39:01,667 --> 00:39:02,867 "I was married to. 749 00:39:02,867 --> 00:39:05,367 "I think she was cheating on me when we were married. 750 00:39:05,367 --> 00:39:08,166 And sure enough, she's still cheating on me." 751 00:39:08,166 --> 00:39:10,567 Owen reaches down into his waistband, 752 00:39:10,567 --> 00:39:12,767 pulls a gun, shot five times. 753 00:39:12,767 --> 00:39:15,667 Four of the bullets strike Rashawn. 754 00:39:15,667 --> 00:39:18,934 And with that, off runs Owen Hobbs. 755 00:39:23,300 --> 00:39:25,767 Owen made the -- the mistake, 756 00:39:25,767 --> 00:39:29,567 his mistake, of going into the post office. 757 00:39:30,667 --> 00:39:31,967 McFADDEN: The suspect thought he was 758 00:39:32,033 --> 00:39:34,634 clever enough by removing his jacket. 759 00:39:35,567 --> 00:39:37,367 But the camera caught him with that 760 00:39:37,433 --> 00:39:40,166 same jacket being described by the witness. 761 00:39:40,233 --> 00:39:43,333 Good idea at first, bad idea at the end. 762 00:39:45,000 --> 00:39:49,066 RANDOLPH: The ability to secure this video broke the case wide open. 763 00:39:50,266 --> 00:39:54,367 Short of having that video and being able to identify 764 00:39:54,433 --> 00:39:58,000 that person going in there and taking off that coat, 765 00:39:58,000 --> 00:40:00,867 I'm not so sure that this case would have ever been solved, 766 00:40:00,867 --> 00:40:02,233 to be quite honest with you. 767 00:40:05,767 --> 00:40:08,767 NARRATOR: Owen Hobbs is charged with murder. 768 00:40:08,834 --> 00:40:12,934 He's convicted and sentenced to 15 years to life in prison. 769 00:40:15,266 --> 00:40:17,066 So many homicides that I've worked 770 00:40:17,133 --> 00:40:20,567 are just completely senseless acts of violence. 771 00:40:20,567 --> 00:40:24,467 Rashawn Berry was a completely innocent young man. 772 00:40:24,467 --> 00:40:28,967 PLUMMER: Rashawn could still be alive if Owen hadn't had this -- 773 00:40:29,033 --> 00:40:32,367 this obsession with his ex-wife. 774 00:40:32,367 --> 00:40:35,967 He was gonna kill somebody, and... 775 00:40:36,033 --> 00:40:37,734 he did, I mean, he did. 776 00:40:40,700 --> 00:40:42,767 BERRY: During the trial, when they brought him out, 777 00:40:42,834 --> 00:40:44,967 as he was walking by me, 778 00:40:44,967 --> 00:40:46,567 you know, and I stood up, and I said, 779 00:40:46,634 --> 00:40:49,567 "You murdered my little brother -- for what? 780 00:40:49,634 --> 00:40:51,066 For nothing." 781 00:40:51,133 --> 00:40:55,066 We all beat ourselves up, wishing that we was 782 00:40:55,133 --> 00:40:58,467 there or what could we have done about it? 783 00:40:58,533 --> 00:41:02,367 Sometimes in life, you can't do anything but remember 784 00:41:02,367 --> 00:41:04,967 them and pass their memory on to your kids. 785 00:41:04,967 --> 00:41:07,367 Pass their memory on to anybody 786 00:41:07,367 --> 00:41:09,033 that'll take time to listen. 787 00:41:10,700 --> 00:41:13,667 BERRY: When you do good by people, good comes to you. 788 00:41:13,667 --> 00:41:16,467 When you do bad by people, bad comes to you. 789 00:41:16,467 --> 00:41:18,767 Rashawn didn't do bad by people. 790 00:41:18,834 --> 00:41:20,233 He -- he was a good guy. 791 00:41:23,100 --> 00:41:26,266 NARRATOR: Owen Hobbs died in prison in 2014. 792 00:41:28,467 --> 00:41:31,066 BERRY: When they told me he passed away, 793 00:41:31,066 --> 00:41:32,767 and I'm being honest with you, 794 00:41:32,767 --> 00:41:37,367 it was a lot of tears, because it brought a lot of closure. 795 00:41:37,433 --> 00:41:40,333 I wasn't wishing death on him, but hey... 796 00:41:42,100 --> 00:41:44,066 you know... 797 00:41:44,066 --> 00:41:46,166 you reap what you sow, I guess I'll say. 798 00:41:47,867 --> 00:41:49,066 A police officer or not, 799 00:41:49,066 --> 00:41:51,166 I mean, if you're out here committing crimes, 800 00:41:51,166 --> 00:41:54,467 then your day is gonna come, and Owen's day came. 801 00:41:54,467 --> 00:41:58,567 He committed the ultimate crime and took somebody's life, 802 00:41:58,567 --> 00:42:00,767 and he got exactly what he deserved.