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Narrator: A DESOLATE MOUNTAIN ROAD...
A BLOOD-SPLATTERED CAR...
A BODY LYING IN A DRAINAGE PIPE...
THE HAIR DID STAND UP ON OUR NECKS.
YOU WONDER WHAT IN THE WORLD
COULD HAVE TRANSPIRED IN THAT PERSON'S LIFE
FOR THAT TO HAVE HAPPENED.
Narrator: BUT THE SEARCH FOR ANSWERS
ONLY PLUNGES THE CASE DEEPER INTO MYSTERY.
Kenda: HOW DID THIS CAR COME TO BE HERE
IF IT WAS STOLEN FROM THE MAN WHO'S NOW BEEN SHOT TO DEATH?
COULD THIS BE THE MOTIVE FOR THIS CRIME?
THIS IS AN ENORMOUS COMPLICATION.
Narrator: AND WHEN KENDA FINALLY ZEROES IN ON HIS KILLER,
HE DISCOVERS NOT EVERYTHING IS AS IT SEEMED.
Kenda: IT WAS SITTING BACK IN AMAZEMENT.
[ SNIFFS ]
THAT WAS AN ABSOLUTE SHOCK TO US.
WHEN YOU REACH THAT MOMENT WHEN YOU KNOW
THAT THE TRUTH IS ABOUT TO COME,
EVERYTHING SLOWS DOWN, THE ROOM GETS VERY QUIET.
THIS IS THE MOMENT YOU'VE BEEN WAITING FOR.
THERE'S ONE THING THAT NEVER CHANGES -- ***.
A LIFE HAS BEEN TAKEN.
THEIR STORIES ARE NOW MY STORIES.
I'M LIEUTENANT JOE KENDA.
I'VE SOLVED OVER 387 HOMICIDES.
SOMEBODY HAS TO TAKE CONTROL.
SOMEBODY HAS TO LOOK OUT FOR THE VICTIM.
I NEVER KNOW WHERE A CASE IS GOING TO LEAD.
BUT I'LL NEVER STOP UNTIL IT'S SOLVED.
-- Captions by VITAC -- www.vitac.com
CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS
Narrator: MAY 27, 1992 --
IT'S A COOL NIGHT IN THE PIKE NATIONAL FOREST.
CHIP REINHARD AND HIS BROTHER, STEVE,
HAVE SPENT AN EXHAUSTING EVENING
HUNTING BEAR IN THE HIGH MOUNTAINS.
WELL, THAT FELT LIKE A WASTE OF TIME.
IT WAS A WASTE OF TIME.
EMPTY-HANDED, THEY'RE DRIVING DOWN A STEEP MOUNTAIN PASS
CALLED OLD STAGE ROAD.
IT WAS A MISERABLE EVENING.
WE WERE TIRED AND WET AND READY TO GO HOME.
Narrator: CHIP AND HIS BROTHER ROUND A CORNER
AND COME ACROSS A CAR PARKED ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD.
WHEN WE PULLED UP, WE WERE CURIOUS INITIALLY.
IT WAS UNUSUAL TO SEE A CAR THERE,
AND IT JUST DID NOT FEEL RIGHT
FROM THE MOMENT WE CAME ACROSS THE SCENE.
IT LOOKED LIKE THE CAR WAS ABANDONED.
Narrator: SHINING THEIR FLASHLIGHT AT THE CAR,
THE BROTHERS NOTICE SOMETHING RED AND WET
SPLATTERED ACROSS THE HOOD AND WINDSHIELD.
I DON'T FEEL GOOD ABOUT THIS.
WHEN WE SAW THE BLOOD AROUND THE SCENE,
THE HAIR DID STAND UP ON OUR NECKS, BECAUSE IT --
YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY, SOMETHING BAD HAD HAPPENED THERE.
AND WHATEVER HAPPENED HAD TO HAVE HAPPENED VERY RECENTLY.
Narrator: THE BROTHERS CAN'T TELL
IF ANYONE'S INSIDE OR LURKING NEARBY,
AND THEY DON'T WANT TO STICK AROUND TO FIND OUT.
WE WERE NERVOUS ENOUGH THAT WE GOT OUT OF THERE
AND CALLED 911.
[ SIREN WAILING ]
Narrator: MINUTES LATER, A PATROL OFFICER ARRIVES.
HE APPROACHES THE CAR
AND QUICKLY DETERMINES NOBODY IS INSIDE.
BUT OUTSIDE IS A DIFFERENT STORY.
Ritz: THERE WAS A BLOOD TRAIL LEADING
FROM THE DRIVER'S SIDE OF THE VEHICLE TO THE SOUTH,
OVER THE GUARD RAIL.
Narrator: THE TRAIL CONTINUES DOWN TO THE MOUTH OF A DRAINAGE TUNNEL.
THERE WAS THIS 90-SOME-FOOT DRAINAGE CULVERT
THAT RAN UNDER THE ROAD.
AND ACTUALLY, THE BLOOD TRAIL TRAVELED
FURTHER INTO THE CULVERT.
Narrator: SHINING HIS FLASHLIGHT INTO THE DARKNESS,
THE OFFICER SPOTS SOMETHING LYING DEEP INSIDE.
DISPATCH, I FOUND ONE IN THE CULVERT.
WHEN HE CONFIRMED THAT THERE WAS A BODY IN THERE,
I MEAN, YOU WONDER WHAT IN THE WORLD
COULD HAVE TRANSPIRED IN THAT PERSON'S LIFE
FOR THAT TO HAVE HAPPENED.
Narrator: DISPATCH NOTIFIES LIEUTENANT JOE KENDA,
HOMICIDE DETECTIVE AND HEAD OF THE MAJOR CRIMES UNIT.
IT'S A QUARTER TO 11:00.
IT HAD BEEN A LONG DAY AT THE OFFICE, AS THEY OFTEN ARE,
AND I WAS READY TO LEAVE AND GO HOME.
AND AS I STARTED TO GET UP FROM MY CHAIR, THE PHONE RINGS.
[ TELEPHONE RINGS ]
THIS IS KENDA.
AND YOUR FIRST THOUGHT IS,
"WELL, I GUESS I'M NOT GOING HOME, AM I?
IT'S TIME TO GO BACK TO WORK."
Narrator: 20 MINUTES LATER,
KENDA AND ONE OF HIS DETECTIVES ARRIVE ON THE SCENE.
Kenda: THE THING THAT ALWAYS STRIKES ME THE MOST ABOUT HOMICIDES,
MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE,
IS HOW QUIET THEY ARE...
[ INSECTS CHIRPING ]
...BECAUSE THERE'S NOTHING ALIVE IN HERE.
THERE'S A LOT OF BLOOD ON THE HOOD AND THE WINDSHIELD.
AND WHERE'S THE BODY?
IT'S IN THE CULVERT, SIR.
WHEN I LOOKED INTO THE CULVERT WITH A LIGHT
AND LOOKED AT THE VICTIM,
THERE WERE DEVASTATING, LARGE WOUNDS.
CAN WE GET SOME UNIFORMS DOWN HERE TO GET THIS BODY OUT?
IS THERE SOME CLEVER, SCIENTIFIC WAY TO DO THAT?
NO, THERE ISN'T.
IT'S, "GET AHOLD OF HIM HOWEVER YOU CAN
AND DRAG HIM 40 FEET OUT OF THAT CULVERT,"
WHICH IS EXACTLY WHAT WE DID.
Narrator: ONCE THE BODY IS REMOVED FROM THE CULVERT,
THE CAUSE OF DEATH IS PAINFULLY CLEAR.
IT WAS OBVIOUS TO ME THIS WAS DONE WITH A SHOTGUN.
Ritz: THE VICTIM HAD A MAJOR INJURY TO HIS RIGHT HAND
TO WHERE HE'D LOST A LARGE PORTION OF THAT HAND.
THE ONE TO HIS HAND LOOKS DEFENSIVE.
HE ALSO HAD BEEN SHOT IN THE UPPER-ABDOMEN AREA WITH --
WE, ONCE AGAIN, BELIEVED IT WAS BIRDSHOT FROM A SHOTGUN.
HELP ME ROLL HIM OVER.
Narrator: WHEN THEY ROLL THE VICTIM OVER,
KENDA DISCOVERS A THIRD GUNSHOT WOUND.
HIS LEFT LEG IS SEVERELY DAMAGED BY SHOTGUN FIRE
TO THE POINT OF ALMOST AMPUTATION.
LOOKS LIKE THAT WOUND SEVERED HIS FEMORAL ARTERY.
PROBABLY BLED OUT.
THE AVERAGE ADULT CAN WITHSTAND
ABOUT A MINUTE AND 20 SECONDS OF THAT LEVEL OF BLEEDING
BEFORE YOU DIE FROM LOSS OF BLOOD.
WE GOT A WALLET.
WELL, THERE'S PLENTY OF CASH.
WASN'T A ROBBERY.
Narrator: THE WALLET ALSO CONTAINS AN I.D.
RONALD WHITLOW.
RONALD EUGENE WHITLOW,
AND HE IS 31 YEARS OLD.
THE PHOTO ON THE LICENSE WAS VERY CONSISTENT
WITH THE APPEARANCE OF THE PARTY THAT WE HAD AT THE SCENE,
SO WE WERE FAIRLY CONFIDENT WE WERE DEALING WITH THE VICTIM
IDENTIFIED AS RON WHITLOW.
Narrator: BUT HOW DID RON WHITLOW END UP DEAD
IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE?
TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION,
KENDA TURNS HIS ATTENTION TO THE ABANDONED VEHICLE.
Kenda: AROUND THE CAR,
YOU SEE TWO EXPENDED SHOTGUN SHELLS.
AND THEN, THAT MAKES SENSE.
THE EXPENDED CASINGS WE SEE ARE 20-GAUGE,
MORE THAN ENOUGH TO CAUSE ENORMOUS DAMAGE TO A HUMAN BODY.
Narrator: THE CAR'S EXTERIOR IS SPLATTERED WITH BLOOD,
BUT THE INTERIOR APPEARS TO BE CLEAN.
TO KENDA, THE EVIDENCE PAINTS A GRUESOME PICTURE.
[ GROANING ]
[ GUNSHOT ]
Kenda: OUR MAN IS OUTSIDE THE CAR
WHEN HE'S SHOT THE FIRST TIME,
THROWING BLOOD AND SOME HUMAN TISSUE
ONTO THE CAR ITSELF,
AND ALSO BLOOD ON THE GROUND.
HE THEN MOVES TO GET AWAY FROM WHO'S SHOOTING AT HIM
WHEN HE'S SHOT A SECOND TIME.
[ GRUNTS ]
HE CONTINUES TO RUN,
AND CRAWLS SOME 40-ODD FEET INTO A CULVERT TO ESCAPE.
[ BREATHING HEAVILY ]
Narrator: WHEN KENDA'S TEAM RUNS THE CAR'S TAGS,
THEY COME BACK WITH A LEAD.
LIEUTENANT, IT COMES BACK TO A RON WHITLOW.
YES.
Narrator: KENDA EXPECTED THAT THE CAR WOULD TURN OUT TO BE RON'S.
WHAT'S SURPRISING IS THAT RON REPORTED IT STOLEN
JUST ONE DAY EARLIER.
Kenda: NOW THIS CHANGES EVERYTHING.
IF HE REPORTED THIS CAR STOLEN, HOW DOES HE NOW HAVE IT BACK?
OR DID HE HAVE IT BACK?
HOW DID THIS CAR COME TO BE HERE
IF IT WAS STOLEN FROM THE MAN WHO'S NOW BEEN SHOT TO DEATH?
THIS IS AN ENORMOUS COMPLICATION.
THIS IS THE FIRST THING WE HAVE TO RESOLVE.
Narrator: ACCORDING TO THE POLICE REPORT,
RON WHITLOW STATED THAT A FRIEND OF HIS
HAD BORROWED THE CAR BUT NEVER RETURNED IT.
YEAH, WHO DO I NEED TO SPEAK TO
ABOUT REPORTING A STOLEN VEHICLE?
I CAN HELP YOU. I NEED TO SEE SOME I.D., PLEASE.
THERE YOU ARE, SIR.
THIS HAPPENED LAST NIGHT.
I LOANED IT OUT TO A FRIEND.
RON WHITLOW REPORTED IT STOLEN ON TUESDAY MORNING
AFTER HE HAD LOANED IT TO A FRIEND OF HIS
HE IDENTIFIED AS BRYAN SIGNOR.
THE REPORT SAYS HE HAD ANOTHER FRIEND,
WHOSE NAME IS BARBARA WILSON,
AND SHE WAS WITH HIM WHEN BRYAN BORROWED THE CAR.
AND HE WAS SUPPOSED TO BRING IT BACK,
BUT HE NEVER BROUGHT IT BACK.
HOW LONG DID HE SAY HE WAS GONNA KEEP THE CAR?
HE WAS SUPPOSED TO HAVE IT BACK TO ME ALREADY.
NOW I CAN'T GET AHOLD OF HIM. I DON'T KNOW WHERE IT'S AT.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON.
COULD THIS BE THE MOTIVE FOR THIS CRIME?
OF COURSE IT COULD.
BUT WE HAVE NO WAY OF KNOWING THAT AT THIS POINT.
WE NEED TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THESE PEOPLE.
Narrator: KENDA HAS HIS TEAM RUN BACKGROUND CHECKS
ON BRYAN SIGNOR AND BARBARA WILSON.
IT TURNS OUT THAT BRYAN, BARBARA, AND THE VICTIM
ALL LIVE IN THE SAME COMPLEX.
GRAHAM, COULD YOU GET THE INFORMATION FROM HER, PLEASE?
THANK YOU.
EVERYBODY IS AT THE SAME ADDRESS.
SO, THAT'S WHERE WE NEED TO BEGIN FIRST.
HI. I'M GOOD.
ARE YOU THE MANAGER HERE?
YES. YEAH, I AM.
DO YOU HAVE A RON WHITLOW THAT STAYS HERE?
YEAH. YEAH, HE LIVES OVER IN 1.
WE ASKED THE MANAGER WHAT RON DOES FOR A LIVING.
SHE SAYS, "HE'S A JANITOR,
"BUT HE ALSO DOES PICK-UP LABOR JOBS
AT VARIOUS COMPANIES IN TOWN THAT HIRE DAY-LABOR PEOPLE."
NICE GUY. PAYS HIS RENT.
Ritz: SHE DESCRIBED HIM AS A GOOD PERSON
AND THOUGHT THAT HE HAD A LOT TO OFFER
AND WAS A FRIENDLY PERSON.
HOW ABOUT A BRYAN SIGNOR AND A BARBARA?
YEAH, BARBARA LIVES IN 2,
AND, UH, BRYAN LIVES WITH RON.
YEAH.
Narrator: RON WHITLOW AND BRYAN SIGNOR
HAD BEEN LIVING TOGETHER FOR THE PAST FEW WEEKS
AFTER MEETING ON A CONSTRUCTION JOB.
THE MANAGER ALSO SAYS THEY SEEM TO GET ALONG MOST OF THE TIME
BUT CERTAINLY NOT ALL THE TIME.
Narrator: ACCORDING TO THE MANAGER,
THE LAST TIME SHE SAW RON,
HE HAD COMPLAINED ABOUT BRYAN AND HIS FRIEND BARBARA
TAKING HIS CAR.
SHE SAYS, "I KNOW THAT THEY BORROWED IT
"AND THEY DIDN'T BRING IT BACK,
AND RON WAS REALLY PISSED ABOUT IT."
Narrator: TO KENDA, THE STOLEN CAR
IS TURNING FROM A MYSTERY TO A MOTIVE.
BRYAN, AT THIS JUNCTURE, APPEALS TO ME
AS SOMEBODY THAT MIGHT BE PART OF RON'S DEATH.
Narrator: IT'S A SUSPICION THAT ONLY GROWS
WHEN KENDA RUNS A BACKGROUND CHECK ON BRYAN SIGNOR.
WE PULLED BRYAN SIGNOR'S RECORD,
AND WE FIND THAT, YES, HE DOES HAVE AN ASSAULTIVE PERSONALITY.
HE HAS BEEN INVOLVED IN VIOLENT CRIME IN THE PAST.
HE'S SERVED TIME IN JAIL IN THE PAST.
I'M IN NEED OF A SUSPECT,
AND RIGHT NOW, BRYAN WILL DO NICELY.
YOU PLANNING ON SLEEPING TONIGHT?
MAYBE YOU SHOULD STAY AWAKE,
'CAUSE I'M COMING LOOKING FOR YOU.
Narrator: COLORADO SPRINGS POLICE FOUND 30-YEAR-OLD RON WHITLOW
IN A CULVERT BENEATH A REMOTE MOUNTAIN ROAD
WITH A TRAIL OF BLOOD LEADING UP TO RON'S ABANDONED CAR.
THE VEHICLE PRESENTS LIEUTENANT JOE KENDA WITH A BAFFLING CLUE.
IF THIS CAR WAS REPORTED STOLEN BY OUR VICTIM,
HOW DOES HE NOW HAVE IT BACK?
Narrator: THE DAY BEFORE HE DIED, RON TOLD POLICE
HE HAD LENT HIS CAR TO HIS ROOMMATE, BRYAN SIGNOR,
AND THEIR NEIGHBOR, BARBARA WILSON.
BUT BRYAN NEVER RETURNED THE CAR.
I'M THINKING THAT THIS STOLEN CAR
HAS GOT SOMETHING TO DO WITH THIS ***.
BRYAN MIGHT BE PART OF THIS
AND MIGHT BE PART OF RON'S DEATH.
[ KNOCK ON DOOR ]
Narrator: WHEN KENDA KNOCKS ON THE DOOR
OF THE APARTMENT BRYAN AND RON SHARED,
THERE'S NO ANSWER,
SO HE MOVES ON TO BARBARA WILSON'S PLACE.
WE, OF COURSE, KNOCK ON BARBARA'S DOOR.
NOBODY'S THERE.
COULD YOU GIVE ME A CALL IF ANY OF THEM COME BACK?
SURE.
NO PROBLEM.
Narrator: WITH BRYAN AND BARBARA NOWHERE TO BE FOUND,
KENDA PREPARES TO NOTIFY RON'S NEXT OF KIN.
IT'S A GRIM TASK,
BUT ONE THAT CAN SERVE AN IMPORTANT PURPOSE.
YOU'RE DOING TWO THINGS --
YOU'RE EXPLAINING TO THEM THAT THEY'VE LOST A LOVED ONE,
BUT YOU'RE ALSO ASKING FOR INFORMATION.
[ TELEPHONE BEEPS ]
[ Ringing ]
[ TELEPHONE RINGS ]
[ TELEPHONE BEEPS ]
HELLO?
YES, IS THIS PAM?
This is she.
THIS IS DETECTIVE KENDA
FROM THE COLORADO SPRINGS POLICE DEPARTMENT.
MA'AM, I'M SORRY. I HAVE SOME TERRIBLE NEWS.
Your brother, Ron, was killed.
[ SOBS ]
[ Voice breaking ] HOW DO YOU REACT
WHEN SOMEBODY YOU LOVE DIES, YOU KNOW?
I MEAN, IT'S NOT LIKE
IT WASN'T ALWAYS A WORRY,
BUT IT STILL HURTS.
AND I CRIED ABOUT IT.
Narrator: PAM IS CLEARLY DEVASTATED BY THE NEWS OF HER BROTHER'S DEATH,
BUT IT'S IMPORTANT FOR KENDA
TO GLEAN AS MUCH INFORMATION AS HE CAN.
MA'AM, I KNOW THIS IS VERY DIFFICULT,
BUT CAN YOU TELL ME A LITTLE BIT ABOUT RON?
RON LOVED EVERYBODY.
EVERYBODY WAS HIS FRIEND, NO MATTER WHAT.
HE JUST OPENED HIS HEART TO EVERYBODY AND HIS HOME.
Narrator: RON WHITLOW AND HIS FIVE SIBLINGS
GREW UP IN SANTA ROSA AND DINUBA, CALIFORNIA.
THEIR UPBRINGING WAS FAR FROM IDEAL.
WE HAD A REAL DYSFUNCTIONAL FAMILY.
I WAS THE OLDEST,
AND HE WAS ONLY TWO YEARS YOUNGER THAN I WAS.
I WAS NOT ABLE TO PROTECT HIM
LIKE I DID MY YOUNGER SISTERS AND BROTHERS,
AND SO, HE GOT THE PHYSICAL ABUSE
AND A LOT OF WRATH, AS WELL.
Ritz: SHE DESCRIBED THAT HE HAD A PAST,
POSSIBLY DRUG AND ALCOHOL PROBLEM,
BUT HE HAD ALREADY BEAT IT ONCE,
AND SHE WAS BELIEVING THAT HE WAS ACTUALLY DOING VERY WELL.
HE WAS GOING TO A.A., AND WAS TRYING TO UNDERSTAND
ALL HIS ANGER THAT HE HAD INSIDE.
HE WANTED A FRESH START,
SO HE WAS LOOKING TO SETTLE DOWN,
GET HIS LIFE TOGETHER.
HAVE YOU EVER HEARD HIM TALK ABOUT
A COUPLE OF HIS FRIENDS NAMED BARBARA AND BRYAN?
NO. I'VE NEVER HEARD OF THEM.
I hadn't seen him in a long time,
BUT I JUST KNEW THAT HE WAS DOING REALLY GOOD
AND HE WAS HAPPY.
SHE HAS NO DIRECT KNOWLEDGE OF WHAT HE'S BEEN UP TO LATELY,
SO THERE'S NO POINT IN US
PRESSING HER FOR INFORMATION AT THIS JUNCTURE,
OTHER THAN TO ASSURE HER THAT WE WILL MAKE EVERY EFFORT
TO BRING THE PERSON RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS CRIME TO JUSTICE.
Narrator: NO SOONER HAS HE LET GO OF THE HANDSET...
...THAN IT RINGS.
THIS IS KENDA.
THE MANAGER FOR THE MOTEL CALLS AND SAID, "HEY, BARBARA'S HOME.
I JUST SAW HER PULL IN. SHE'S IN HER ROOM."
GREAT. WE'LL BE RIGHT THERE.
Wilson: YES.
I'M DETECTIVE KENDA. THIS IS DETECTIVE GRAHAM.
COME ON IN.
WE EXPLAINED TO HER WHY WE'RE TALKING TO HER.
MA'AM, DO YOU KNOW A RON WHITLOW?
UH, YEAH, HE LIVES NEXT DOOR.
WELL, UNFORTUNATELY, THE REASON WHY WE'RE HERE
IS THAT RON WAS MURDERED.
OH, MY GOD. WHAT HAPPENED?
SHE'S HORRIFIED BY THE DEATH OF HER ACQUAINTANCE, RON.
I UNDERSTAND THAT YOU BORROWED HIS CAR RECENTLY.
UM, YES, UM, BRYAN OFFERED TO TAKE ME
TO GET MY LICENSE SO I COULD WORK.
SHE SAYS, "I'M A LICENSED PRACTICAL NURSE,
"BUT I DON'T HAVE A COLORADO LICENSE.
"I JUST CAME HERE FROM ANOTHER STATE,
"AND I NEEDED TO GO TO THE BOARD OF NURSING,
WHICH IS IN DENVER, COLORADO, SO I CAN WORK."
Narrator: BRYAN AGREED TO DRIVE BARBARA TO DENVER.
THAT PROBABLY WOULD BE THE BEST THING TO DO.
BUT HE WASN'T CERTAIN RON WOULD LEND THEM HIS CAR.
[ KNOCK ON DOOR ]
HEY, MAN, ARE YOU READY TO GO?
UH, DUDE, CAN WE BORROW YOUR CAR?
[ SIGHS ]
WE'LL BE BACK BY 5:00.
YOU BETTER BE BACK BY 5:00.
THANKS, MAN.
THANK YOU, RON.
Narrator: BUT ACCORDING TO BARBARA,
ON THE WAY BACK FROM DENVER, THEY LOST TRACK OF TIME.
SHE SAYS, "WE STOPPED AT A FEW BARS
"AND WE HAD A COUPLE DRINKS,
"THEN IT WAS LATE,
"AND WE WERE PAST THE TIME
WHEN WE WERE SUPPOSED TO GIVE IT BACK."
Narrator: SHE CLAIMS WHEN IT FINALLY DAWNED ON BRYAN
HOW LATE THEY WERE, HE BEGAN TO PANIC.
"WHY DID HE GET UPSET?"
"WELL, HE'S AFRAID OF RON.
"HE SAID THAT RON HAS A BAD TEMPER,
"AND RON WOULD HURT HIM, MAYBE,
IF WE TOOK THIS CAR BACK LATE."
Narrator: BUT BEFORE BRYAN HAD TIME TO MAKE UP AN EXCUSE,
THEIR SITUATION WENT FROM BAD TO WORSE.
"WE GOT STOPPED BY THE POLICE FOR MAKING AN ILLEGAL U-TURN."
[ CAR DOOR CLOSES ]
GOT YOUR, UH, DRIVER'S LICENSE, REGISTRATION HANDY?
UM, WELL, THE ISSUE IS THIS IS MY FRIEND'S CAR.
THE OFFICER SAID, "WELL, WE GOT TWO OPTIONS HERE.
"I CAN IMPOUND THIS CAR
"FOR NO REGISTRATION, NO PROOF OF INSURANCE,
OR YOU CAN PARK IT AND TELL YOUR ROOMMATE WHERE IT IS."
Narrator: BRYAN AND BARBARA HAD NO CHOICE
BUT TO PARK RON'S CAR ON A ROADSIDE
IN THE MIDDLE OF COLORADO SPRINGS.
THEY LEAVE THE CAR A SHORT DISTANCE FROM WHERE THEY LIVE,
AND THEY DON'T SEE IT AGAIN, ACCORDING TO BARBARA.
Narrator: SO, HOW DID THE CAR GET FROM THE CITY
ALL THE WAY TO THE REMOTE CRIME SCENE?
DID RON FIND IT HIMSELF?
WE KNOW THAT OUR VICTIM'S CAR IS PARKED AT THE OLD STAGE ROAD,
AND WE KNOW THAT IT'S COVERED IN OUR VICTIM'S BLOOD.
WE STILL DON'T KNOW HOW IT GOT THERE.
Narrator: NOR IS IT CLEAR WHERE BARBARA AND BRYAN WENT
AFTER THEY ABANDONED RON WHITLOW'S CAR.
WHAT WERE YOU DOING ON THE NIGHT OF THE 27th?
"WELL, I WAS WITH BRYAN,
AND WE WERE WITH STEPHANIE AND TRISHA."
Narrator: BARBARA SAYS THAT UNTIL SHE AND BRYAN
COULD FIGURE OUT HOW TO EXPLAIN EVERYTHING TO RON,
THEY DECIDED TO LAY LOW
AT THE HOME OF STEPHANIE RICHARDSON
AND HER GIRLFRIEND, TRISHA DREW.
THEY HAD SOME FRIENDS THAT LIVED NEXT DOOR,
AND THEY NEEDED TO MOVE THAT NIGHT.
WHAT ABOUT THIS ONE?
"SO, ME, BRYAN, TRISHA, AND STEPHANIE
"ALL HELPED THIS COUPLE MOVE,
AND WE DIDN'T GET DONE UNTIL 12:30, 1:00 IN THE MORNING."
ALL RIGHT, WELL, I APPRECIATE YOUR HELP.
I'M SO SORRY TO HEAR ABOUT RON. ANYTHING THAT I CAN DO TO HELP.
Narrator: AFTER SPEAKING WITH BARBARA,
KENDA HEADS BACK TO THE OFFICE TO SEE IF HER STORY CHECKS OUT.
Kenda: THERE IS A TRAFFIC STOP THAT TAKES PLACE.
WE IDENTIFY WHO STOPPED HIM. WE SPEAK TO THAT OFFICER.
HOW YOU DOING? THIS IS, UH, DETECTIVE KENDA.
UH, QUICK QUESTION FOR YOU.
UH, I WAS TOLD THAT YOU PULLED OVER A BLUE DODGE.
DRIVER WAS A BRYAN SIGNOR.
HE EXPLAINS THE STORY --
PRETTY MUCH MATCHES BARBARA TO A "T".
Narrator: THE TRAFFIC OFFICER CONFIRMS
BARBARA AND BRYAN LEFT RON WHITLOW'S CAR ON THE STREET.
NOW, KENDA LOOKS INTO THE REST OF THEIR ALIBI.
HE STARTS WITH STEPHANIE RICHARDSON AND TRISHA DREW.
[ KNOCK ON DOOR ]
Kenda: COME ON IN.
GOT A COUPLE OF LADIES HERE TO SEE YOU.
ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU.
STEPHANIE AND TRISHA? I'M DETECTIVE KENDA.
THIS IS DETECTIVE GRAHAM.
UH, WE JUST NEED TO ASK YOU A FEW QUESTIONS,
OKAY.
WE MEET STEPHANIE AND WE MEET TRISHA AT THE SAME TIME.
THEY'RE A LESBIAN COUPLE THAT LIVES TOGETHER IN AN APARTMENT.
AS A MATTER OF PROCEDURE, WE NEED TO SPLIT YOU GUYS UP.
THAT'S ALL RIGHT?
THAT'S FINE.
SO, IF YOU DON'T MIND GOING WITH DETECTIVE GRAHAM.
OKAY. HAVE A SEAT.
CAN YOU TELL ME WHAT YOU WERE DOING ON THE NIGHT OF MAY 27th?
YEAH, UH, ME AND STEPHANIE WERE, UH,
HELPING SOME NEIGHBORS MOVE.
CAN YOU TELL ME WHO ALL WAS THERE?
IT WAS TRISHA AND ME
AND THEN OUR FRIENDS, BRYAN AND BARBARA.
AND ABOUT HOW LONG WERE YOU GUYS OUT THERE --
FROM WHAT TIME TO WHAT TIME?
I THINK WE GOT TOGETHER AROUND 8:00.
AND YOU FINISHED UP...?
WOW -- UH, PROBABLY NOT UNTIL, LIKE, 1:00 A.M., I WOULD SAY.
IT WAS LATE.
THEY BOTH INDEPENDENTLY OF EACH OTHER SAY
THAT THEY WERE HELPING THEIR NEIGHBORS MOVE.
Narrator: STEPHANIE AND TRISHA'S STATEMENTS SEEM TO CORROBORATE
BRYAN AND BARBARA'S ALIBI.
IF THIS IS ALL TRUE, THEY'RE NOT KILLING OUR VICTIM.
THEY'RE WITH THESE WOMEN.
THAT PUTS US INTO A DIFFERENT ARENA.
Narrator: JUST LIKE THAT, LIEUTENANT KENDA HAS GONE
FROM HAVING TWO POTENTIAL *** SUSPECTS
TO HAVING NONE AT ALL.
Kenda: HOMICIDE INVESTIGATION IS A SERIES OF HIGHS AND LOWS.
YOU GET VERY HIGH,
AND THEN YOU GET VERY LOW WHEN THINGS AREN'T WORKING,
AND RIGHT NOW, THINGS AREN'T.
Narrator: IT WON'T BE LONG
BEFORE THE INVESTIGATION REACHES NEW HEIGHTS.
ONLY THIS TIME, IT WILL TAKE KENDA
IN A COMPLETELY UNEXPECTED DIRECTION.
Narrator: LIEUTENANT JOE KENDA IS INVESTIGATING THE SHOOTING
OF 30-YEAR-OLD RON WHITLOW.
A DISPUTE OVER RON'S CAR INDICATED
NEIGHBOR BARBARA WILSON AND ROOMMATE BRYAN SIGNOR
MIGHT BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CRIME,
BUT BOTH BARBARA AND BRYAN HAD BEEN SCRATCHED
FROM THE SUSPECT LIST.
BRYAN'S OUT, BARBARA'S OUT, EVERYBODY'S OUT.
Narrator: ABSENT ANY CREDIBLE LEADS,
KENDA TURNS TO HIS FORMER PRIME SUSPECT FOR HELP.
WE GO TO WHERE BRYAN IS WORKING.
YEAH.
HI.
WE SAY THE USUAL QUESTION --
"WELL, WHAT DO YOU THINK HAPPENED HERE?"
SOMEBODY WANTED RON DEAD. WHY WOULD THAT BE TRUE?
HE SAYS, "I DON'T KNOW.
"I SAW SOME GUYS THAT RON
HAD SOME HEATED EXCHANGES WITH VERBALLY."
DO YOU KNOW WHY HE WAS HAVING THESE ALTERCATIONS?
HE OWED -- OWED A LOT OF GUYS MONEY FROM BUYING DRUGS.
SO, RON WAS INTO DRUGS?
YEAH. YEAH.
BRYAN COMES FORWARD WITH THE SPECTER OF NARCOTICS.
HE SAYS, "WELL, YOU KNOW, RON USED COKE."
"YOU MEAN ***?" "YEAH."
Narrator: BRYAN EXPLAINS THAT RON HAD RECENTLY BACKSLID
AND HAD BEGUN ABUSING NARCOTICS AGAIN.
HE ALSO CLAIMS RON BOUGHT MOST OF HIS DRUGS ON CREDIT,
BUT DIDN'T ALWAYS GET AROUND TO PAYING FOR THEM.
WHAT'S GOING ON, MAN?
LOOKING TO SEE IF MAYBE YOU COULD, UH, FRONT ME SOME?
FRONT YOU SOME?
YEAH.
I'LL TELL YOU WHAT, I'M GONNA GO AHEAD AND GIVE IT TO YOU,
BUT BY THE END OF THE WEEK,
I NEED ALL OF MY [BLEEP] EVERY BIT OF IT.
OH, YEAH, MAN, YOU KNOW I'M GOOD FOR IT.
THANKS, BRO.
YOU THINK BACK TO THAT CRIME SCENE.
OKAY, THE CAR'S FACING DOWNHILL,
AS IF IT'S EXPECTING A CAR TO DRIVE UP FROM TOWN TO MEET.
IS HE EXPECTING TO BE PAID, AND RON HAS NO MONEY,
AND IT RESULTS IN GUNFIRE?
CRIMINALS -- IF THEY CAN'T GET THE MONEY,
THEY'LL TAKE YOUR BLOOD.
THEY'RE MAKING A STATEMENT
TO OTHER PEOPLE THAT OWE THEM MONEY.
IS THAT WHAT HAPPENED HERE?
Narrator: KENDA PRESSES BRYAN TO TELL HIM WHO RON'S DEALERS WERE,
BUT HE SAYS HE DOESN'T KNOW.
YOU KNOW WHO WOULD WOULD BE STEPHANIE.
SHE WOULD KNOW.
WHY WOULD STEPHANIE KNOW?
UH, HER AND RON DID DRUGS TOGETHER.
HE SAYS, "WELL, YOU KNOW, STEPHANIE'S A USER."
"NO, WE DIDN'T KNOW THAT."
"YEAH, AND THAT'S WHY STEPHANIE AND RON,
"I THINK, ARE KIND OF FRIENDS --
'CAUSE I THINK THEY USED TOGETHER."
ALL RIGHT, WELL, THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP.
ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU.
Narrator: INTENT ON TRACKING DOWN RON'S *** DEALERS,
KENDA PAYS STEPHANIE RICHARDSON A VISIT
AT THE HOME SHE SHARES WITH HER GIRLFRIEND TRISHA DREW.
STEPHANIE, I NEED TO ASK YOU A FEW MORE QUESTIONS.
UH, DO YOU MIND STEPPING OUTSIDE?
SURE.
STEPHANIE, I NEED YOU TO TELL ME ABOUT YOU AND RON DOING DRUGS.
I DON'T DO DRUGS.
"OH, I DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT DRUGS" --
INTO DENIAL, DENIAL, DENIAL.
I DON'T KNOW IF RON DOES DRUGS, BUT I DON'T.
STEPHANIE, THIS IS A *** INVESTIGATION.
I DON'T CARE ABOUT THE DRUGS.
"WHAT I CARE ABOUT IS HOW IT RELATES
"TO WHY RON IS NO LONGER WITH US.
SO LET'S START OVER AGAIN."
STEPHANIE STARTS TO CRY A LITTLE BIT.
"WELL, I HAVE BOUGHT DRUGS WITH HIM BEFORE."
"REALLY? HOW SHOCKING."
Narrator: STEPHANIE ADMITS THAT SHE AND RON USED DRUGS TOGETHER
ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS IN THE PAST WEEK.
IN FACT, THAT'S WHAT THEY WERE DOING
THE LAST TIME STEPHANIE EVER SAW HIM.
SHE SAYS, "LOOK, I DID DRUGS WITH HIM
THE NIGHT BEFORE HE WAS KILLED."
[ SNIFFS ]
AH! OHH.
IT'S GOOD, ISN'T IT?
DID HE EVER MENTION ANY OF THE NAMES
OF THE PEOPLE HE WAS GETTING IT FROM?
NO, I'VE JUST DRIVEN HIM THERE.
Narrator: STEPHANIE SAYS SHE ALWAYS STAYED IN THE CAR
WHEN RON MADE A PURCHASE.
SHE INSISTS SHE NEVER GOT A GOOD LOOK AT HIS SUPPLIERS.
ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU.
STEPHANIE IS A DEAD END.
KENDA NEEDS TO FIND SOMEONE
WHO CAN GIVE HIM A FRESH PERSPECTIVE.
AND AS LUCK WOULD HAVE IT...
[ TELEPHONE RINGS ]
THIS IS KENDA.
...HE GETS A CALL FROM A NEW SOURCE --
A WOMAN NAMED JULIE PAHOVIAK
WHO CLAIMS TO BE RON'S GIRLFRIEND.
Kenda: SO LET'S GO SEE WHAT SHE HAS TO SAY.
JULIE?
I'M DETECTIVE KENDA,
HI, NICE TO MEET YOU.
DO YOU MIND IF WE COME IN AND TALK TO YOU?
COME ON IN.
JULIE IS VERY UPSET ABOUT HIS DEATH,
WAS VERY CONCERNED ABOUT WHAT MIGHT HAVE HAPPENED TO HIM.
SHE DESCRIBED HIM AS A NICE GUY.
SHE LIKED HIM A LOT. HE WAS ALWAYS NICE TO HER.
WE WERE DATING.
Narrator: JULIE SAYS THAT RON HAD BEEN STAYING WITH HER
THE LAST TWO NIGHTS OF HIS LIFE,
EVER SINCE BRYAN HAD BORROWED HIS CAR.
CAN YOU TELL ME HOW HE FOUND HIS CAR?
HE DIDN'T FIND HIS CAR.
HE WAS STILL REALLY UPSET
BECAUSE HE DIDN'T KNOW WHERE IT WAS.
"HE HAD NO IDEA WHERE IT WAS.
THAT'S WHAT HE TALKED ABOUT. HE STILL COULDN'T FIND IT."
Narrator: RON WAS FORCED TO RELY ON JULIE FOR TRANSPORTATION,
BUT JULIE WASN'T THE ONLY ONE LENDING A HELPING HAND.
HIS FRIEND STEPHANIE WAS HELPING HIM OUT, TOO.
CAN YOU TELL ME THE LAST TIME STEPHANIE WAS HERE?
WEDNESDAY.
Narrator: WHICH, AS KENDA KNOWS,
WAS THE NIGHT RON WHITLOW WAS KILLED.
ARE YOU POSITIVE IT WAS ON WEDNESDAY?
YEAH, IT WAS WEDNESDAY.
JULIE'S INFORMATION CONTRADICTS THE STORY
STEPHANIE TOLD LIEUTENANT KENDA JUST HOURS EARLIER.
JULIE SAYS STEPHANIE'S WITH RON
THE NIGHT HE IS MURDERED.
WHAT DOES STEPHANIE SAY?
STEPHANIE SAYS SHE DIDN'T SEE HIM AT ALL
THE NIGHT HE'S KILLED,
AND FROM 8:00 AT NIGHT UNTIL 1:00 IN THE MORNING,
SHE AND ALL OF HER FRIENDS ARE HELPING THE NEIGHBORS MOVE.
HEY.
WELL, MY, MY, MY. YOU LYING LITTLE [BLEEP]
Narrator: LIEUTENANT JOE KENDA IS INVESTIGATING
THE GRUESOME *** OF 30-YEAR-OLD RON WHITLOW.
AT FIRST, KENDA SUSPECTED THAT RON'S ROOMMATE, BRYAN SIGNOR,
SHOT HIM AFTER STEALING RON'S CAR...
[ GUNSHOT ]
...UNTIL BRYAN'S FRIENDS ALL VOUCHED FOR HIS ALIBI.
ALL SAID THAT THEY WERE ACTUALLY HELPING A FRIEND OF THEIRS,
NEIGHBORS, MOVE FROM ONE LOCATION TO ANOTHER LOCATION.
AND THE TIMELINE THEY GAVE US OVERLAPPED THE *** TIMELINE.
Narrator: BUT AFTER SPEAKING WITH RON'S GIRLFRIEND,
THAT ALIBI HAS BEEN CALLED INTO QUESTION.
SHE CLAIMS THAT RON'S DRUG PAL, STEPHANIE RICHARDSON,
PICKED HIM UP AT HER HOUSE THE NIGHT OF THE ***...
[ GRUNTS ] THANKS AGAIN FOR THE RIDE.
OH, NO PROBLEM.
...WHEN STEPHANIE AND BRYAN WERE SUPPOSEDLY MOVING FURNITURE.
STEPHANIE WAS PART OF THE PRIMARY FOCUS
OF OUR INVESTIGATION AT THE TIME.
Narrator: DETECTIVES HAUL STEPHANIE BACK DOWN TO THE STATION
WHERE KENDA IS WAITING FOR HER.
Kenda: WHENEVER YOU'RE TALKING TO AN INDIVIDUAL
THAT YOU KNOW IS LYING TO YOU,
THEN IT'S A PROCESS OF RATCHETING UP THE PRESSURE.
YOU WANT HER TO BECOME DISTRESSED.
STEPHANIE, I DON'T LIKE WHEN PEOPLE LIE TO ME.
IN FACT, IT REALLY PISSES ME OFF.
I HAVEN'T LIED ABOUT ANYTHING.
Narrator: AT FIRST,
STEPHANIE DENIES THE ACCUSATION.
THIS ISN'T A GAME.
YOU SAID YOU DIDN'T SEE RON AT ALL THAT NIGHT.
I DIDN'T.
WE HAVE A WITNESS THAT SAW YOU PICK HIM UP
AT QUARTER TO 9:00.
Ritz: YOU COULD SEE IN HER DEMEANOR
WHERE SHE BECAME VERY WITHDRAWN, SCARED,
ALMOST LIKE BUILDING HER OWN LITTLE WALL
TO TRY TO KEEP US OUT.
Narrator: THAT'S WHEN KENDA GOES IN FOR THE KILL.
WE TELL HER, "STEPHANIE, WE PROBABLY HAVE ENOUGH
"TO PUT A CASE TOGETHER ON JUST YOU.
"IF YOU'RE NOT THE PERSON
"RESPONSIBLE FOR KILLING THIS GUY,
YOU BETTER COME ACROSS WITH WHO IS."
Narrator: KENDA IS BLUFFING,
BUT IT'S A BLUFF THAT ELICITS THE DESIRED EFFECT.
SHE SAYS, "I WILL TELL YOU THE TRUTH,
BUT I WANT TO TALK TO TRISHA, MY LOVER, FIRST."
"WHY DOES SHE WANT TO TALK TO TRISHA?"
WELL, I DON'T KNOW WHY. BUT I'D SURE LIKE TO KNOW.
I'LL BE BACK.
Narrator: WITHIN THE HOUR, KENDA HAS LOCATED TRISHA DREW.
Kenda: TRISHA LOOKS EMOTIONAL, BUT WHEN SHE SEES STEPHANIE,
SHE ALMOST STARTS TO CRY IMMEDIATELY,
'CAUSE SHE CAN SEE HOW UPSET STEPHANIE IS.
ALL RIGHT, HERE'S THE SITUATION. NO ONE'S UNDER ARREST.
YOU TWO ARE FREE TO LEAVE AT ANY TIME.
"YOU DON'T HAVE TO TALK TO US.
"YOU ARE FREE TO GO AT ANY TIME. DO YOU UNDERSTAND THAT?
"YOU ARE FREELY WILLING TO COOPERATE
AND TELL US WHAT YOU KNOW ABOUT THIS DEATH."
IF YOU KNOW SOMETHING ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED,
I THINK IT'D BE BEST IF YOU DID TALK TO US AND TELL US.
I DIDN'T WANT TO BE ANY PART OF THIS IN THE FIRST PLACE.
NO.
Narrator: STEPHANIE TELLS TRISHA SHE HAD ALWAYS KNOWN
THAT SOONER OR LATER, THEY'D GET CAUGHT.
WE'LL TALK.
WE SAY, "WE'D LIKE TO INTERVIEW YOU SEPARATELY
SO THAT THERE'S NO CONFUSION BETWEEN WHO IS SAYING WHAT."
ALL RIGHT, STEPHANIE, HAVE A SEAT.
DETECTIVE GRAHAM WILL BE IN.
TRISHA, COME WITH ME.
SO WE INTERVIEW STEPHANIE IN ONE INTERROGATION ROOM
AND TRISHA IN ANOTHER.
Narrator: KENDA HAS HIS DETECTIVES RUN THE INTERVIEWS
SO HE CAN SUPERVISE BOTH FROM AN OBSERVATION ROOM.
Kenda: WHEN YOU REACH THAT MOMENT WHEN YOU KNOW
THAT THE TRUTH IS ABOUT TO COME,
EVERYTHING SLOWS DOWN, THE ROOM GETS VERY QUIET.
THIS IS THE MOMENT YOU'VE BEEN WAITING FOR.
SO DO YOU HAVE SOMETHING YOU WANT TO TELL ME?
Narrator: STEPHANIE SAYS IT ALL BEGAN TWO WEEKS AGO
WHEN SHE WAS PARTYING WITH RON AND HIS ROOMMATE, BRYAN SIGNOR,
AT THE APARTMENT WHERE THEY LIVED.
Richardson: I WOULD HANG OUT WITH RON --
WE DID *** IN HIS ROOM --
AND BRYAN WAS THERE, TOO.
Narrator: STEPHANIE CLAIMS THAT, AT SOME POINT DURING HER VISIT,
BRYAN LEFT TO GO SEE A GIRL HE WAS DATING,
LEAVING STEPHANIE ALONE WITH RON.
ALL RIGHT, MAN, I'M OUT OF HERE.
I GOT A CHICK TO SEE.
ALL RIGHT. SEE YOU, STEPHANIE.
SEE YOU.
HOW YOU DOING?
YEAH?
WHEN HE LEFT, I-I -- IT WAS FINE.
I DIDN'T THINK ANYTHING OF IT,
BUT THEN HE STARTED COMING ON TO ME.
MM-HMM.
OH. STOP, PLEASE.
NO! PLEASE!
REALLY, STOP!
RON STARTED RAPING ME,
AND HE DID IT AT KNIFE POINT.
SHE SAID THAT "HE *** ME AT KNIFE POINT
AND GAVE ME AN STD."
WOW.
THERE'S A PIECE OF NEWS.
Narrator: KENDA IS FLOORED BY STEPHANIE'S REVELATION.
INSTEAD OF CAR THEFT, IS IT POSSIBLE
THE MOTIVE FOR RON WHITLOW'S ***
IS ACTUALLY REVENGE?
Kenda: IT WAS SITTING BACK IN AMAZEMENT AND SAYING,
"WOW, THIS IS A LOT MORE INVOLVED
THAN WE THOUGHT, WASN'T IT?"
Narrator: LIEUTENANT JOE KENDA IS INVESTIGATING
THE SHOOTING DEATH OF 30-YEAR-OLD RON WHITLOW.
AT FIRST, KENDA SUSPECTED THAT RON MIGHT HAVE BEEN MURDERED
OVER AN ARGUMENT RELATED TO HIS STOLEN CAR.
BUT HE'S JUST LEARNED SOME SHOCKING INFORMATION
FROM STEPHANIE RICHARDSON.
SHE SAID THAT "HE *** ME AT KNIFE POINT
AND GAVE ME AN STD."
WOW.
THERE'S A PIECE OF NEWS.
THE NEXT DAY, I FELT HORRIBLE.
STEPHANIE SAID THAT SHE THEN FELT COMPELLED
TO TELL TRISHA WHAT HAPPENED.
I TRIED TO PUSH HIM AWAY, AND HE WOULDN'T STOP.
HE PULLED OUT A KNIFE
A KNIFE?!
WHAT -- WHAT DO YOU MEAN?
LIKE, YOU'RE TELLING ME THAT HE *** YOU?
OH, MY GOD. WHAT?!
Kenda: SHE TOLD BARBARA, TOLD BRYAN WHAT HAD HAPPENED.
AND TRISHA SAID, "WE SHOULD CALL THE POLICE."
BUT BARBARA AND BRYAN SAID,
"WE'RE GONNA TAKE CARE OF THIS ANOTHER WAY."
"WHAT OTHER WAY DID YOU MEAN, STEPHANIE?"
"WE'RE GONNA KILL HIM."
WOW.
Narrator: FROM HIS OBSERVATION ROOM,
KENDA LISTENS AS BOTH STEPHANIE AND TRISHA EXPLAIN
HOW THEY MET BARBARA AND BRYAN AT A LOCAL BAR,
WHERE THEY AND THEIR TWO FRIENDS STRATEGICALLY PLOTTED
TO *** RON WHITLOW.
I MEAN, HOW WOULD WE EVEN DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT?
UH, WE'VE GOT HIS CAR.
WE KNOW HE WANTS IT BACK.
Kenda: THEY DECIDE THEY'RE GONNA GO GET IT,
AND THEY'RE GONNA DRIVE IT UP TO THE OLD STAGE ROAD.
AND STEPHANIE IS GONNA BRING RON UP THERE,
TELLING RON THAT SHE HAS FOUND HIS CAR.
IN REALITY, BRYAN SIGNOR...
BARBARA WILSON...
AND TRISHA DREW
WERE GONNA BE WAITING AT THIS LOCATION,
IN AMBUSH, TO KILL RON.
Narrator: ACCORDING TO STEPHANIE, ON THE AFTERNOON OF MAY 27th,
THE GROUP PUT THEIR PLAN INTO ACTION,
ALL EXCEPT BARBARA, WHO BACKED OUT AT THE LAST SECOND.
BRYAN AND TRISHA PICKED UP RON'S CAR
FROM WHERE BRYAN HAD BEEN FORCED TO ABANDON IT.
Kenda: THEY HAVE THE VICTIM'S CAR.
THEY DRIVE TO THE OLD STAGE ROAD,
THEY PARK THE CAR, THEY GET OUT, AND HIDE BEHIND THE ROCKS.
MEANWHILE, STEPHANIE PICKED RON UP
AT HIS GIRLFRIEND JULIE PAHOVIAK'S HOUSE
ON THE PRETENSE THAT THEY WERE GOING TO SCORE SOME ***.
THANKS AGAIN FOR THE RIDE.
OH, NO PROBLEM.
YEAH, MY GUY'S JUST, LIKE, RIGHT UP THE ROAD HERE.
OH, WELL, ACTUALLY,
I WAS THINKING I COULD TAKE YOU TO YOUR CAR
IF YOU WANT TO GO AHEAD AND GET IT.
SHE SAID BRYAN HAD BEEN TOO SCARED
TO RETURN IT TO RON HIMSELF, SO HE'D TOLD HER INSTEAD.
I CAN TAKE YOU AND GET IT NOW IF YOU WANT.
YEAH. HELL, YEAH.
Kenda: STEPHANIE PULLS UP WITH RON.
AS EXPECTED, RON IS EXCITED TO SEE HIS CAR...
...AND BRYAN IMMEDIATELY STANDS UP.
Narrator: WHEN RON SAW BRYAN
POINTING A DOUBLE-BARRELED SHOTGUN AT HIS CHEST,
HE THREW HIS HANDS OUT IN FRONT OF HIM
IN A HOPELESS ATTEMPT TO SHIELD HIMSELF.
WHAT DID I DO?!
BRYAN IMMEDIATELY SHOOTS HIM WITH THE SHOTGUN.
[ GUNSHOT ]
RON TURNS AND TRIES TO RUN,
AND BRYAN SHOOTS HIM AGAIN.
Narrator: THE SECOND SHOT HIT RON IN THE LEG FROM BEHIND.
RON STAGGERED, BUT MADE IT TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD.
THAT'S WHEN STEPHANIE SAYS SHE SAW TRISHA
STEP FORWARD WITH A PISTOL.
BRYAN YELLS AT TRISHA TO "SHOOT HIM."
STEPHANIE SAYS SHE SEES TRISHA
PULL UP THE GUN AND PULL THE TRIGGER,
BUT THE GUN DOESN'T GO OFF.
SHOOT HIM!
IT'S JAMMED!
Narrator: BY THIS TIME, RON HAD MADE IT OVER THE GUARD RAIL
AND DOWN THE EMBANKMENT.
PANICKING, HE CRAWLED INTO THE CULVERT.
BRYAN RAN DOWN AFTER HIM WHILE TRISHA COVERED RON'S EXIT.
[ BREATHING HEAVILY ]
Kenda: STEPHANIE SEES BRYAN KNEEL DOWN BY THE CULVERT
AND FIRE A THIRD SHOT.
SHE SAYS THAT, THEN, THEY COME BACK UP OUT OF THE RAVINE --
TRISH AND BRYAN -- AND THEY GET IN HER TRUCK.
Narrator: IT'S A HORRIFYING DUAL CONFESSION,
AND FOR KENDA, A STUNNING ONE.
FOR THEM TO COME OUT WITH THAT WAS AN ABSOLUTE SHOCK TO US.
WE KNOW THAT BRYAN DID NOT CONSPIRE ALONE
TO KILL THIS INDIVIDUAL, BUT FOUR PEOPLE DID --
THREE WOMEN AND A MAN --
TO KILL RON, SUPPOSEDLY OVER A *** ASSAULT.
IT WASN'T THE KIND OF THING THAT WAS A SPUR-OF-THE-MOMENT.
THESE WERE PEOPLE WHO HAD REALLY THOUGHT THIS OUT
AND REALLY MADE THEIR PLANS
THAT THEY WERE GONNA TAKE CARE OF THIS GUY.
Narrator: BRYAN SIGNOR IS CHARGED WITH FIRST-DEGREE ***.
BARBARA WILSON IS CHARGED WITH CONSPIRACY TO COMMIT ***.
WE ULTIMATELY CHARGED TRISHA AND STEPHANIE
WITH FIRST-DEGREE *** AND CONSPIRACY TO COMMIT THE SAME.
THEY HAD RESIGNED THEMSELVES TO THIS.
I THINK THEY RESIGNED THEMSELVES TO IT
BEFORE THEY EVER MADE A STATEMENT.
THEY COULDN'T LIVE UNDER THE PRESSURE.
THE PRESSURE HAD TO GO AWAY.
Narrator: BARBARA WILSON PLEADS GUILTY AND IS SENTENCED TO 14 YEARS.
TRISHA DREW AND STEPHANIE RICHARDSON
ALSO PLEAD GUILTY AND ARE BOTH SENTENCED TO 16 YEARS.
BRYAN SIGNOR,
THE ONLY ONE WHO DIDN'T CONFESS AND WAS TRIED BY A JURY,
IS CONVICTED OF CONSPIRACY TO COMMIT ***
AND ACCESSORY TO ***.
HE IS SENTENCED TO 24 YEARS.
IN THE END, NO ONE KNOWS FOR CERTAIN
IF THERE IS ANY TRUTH TO THE *** ALLEGATION
STEPHANIE RICHARDSON MADE AGAINST RON WHITLOW.
WE SAID TO HER,
"YOU SAID HE *** YOU AT KNIFE POINT,
AND THIS IS THE MOTIVATION FOR THIS CRIME."
"YES."
"SO I GOT TO ASK YOU, STEPHANIE,
"YOU WERE HANGING OUT WITH THIS GUY.
"YOU WERE WITH HIM ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS
"AFTER HE SUPPOSEDLY *** YOU AT KNIFE POINT.
"WHY WOULD YOU BE AROUND HIM, ALONE,
IF HE HAD FORCED HIMSELF UPON YOU?"
SHE COULDN'T EXPLAIN THAT. OF COURSE SHE COULDN'T.
Narrator: TO THIS DAY, RON WHITLOW'S FAMILY
BELIEVES THE *** ALLEGATIONS ARE UNTRUE.
THERE'S NO WAY.
I MEAN, I KNOW HIM. HE'S MY BROTHER.
I HONESTLY BELIEVE THERE WAS SEX
BETWEEN RON AND STEPHANIE RICHARDSON.
I BELIEVE IT WAS CONSENSUAL.
BUT THE ONLY ANSWER SHE HAD FOR HER LESBIAN LOVER WAS ***.
Narrator: THE ONE THING THAT IS CERTAIN
IS THAT FOUR INDIVIDUALS
DECIDED TO TAKE THE LAW INTO THEIR OWN HANDS,
COLLECTIVELY ACTING AS RON WHITLOW'S
JUDGE, JURY, AND EXECUTIONER.
Kenda: RON WHITLOW DIES
BECAUSE HE MEETS A GROUP OF SELF-RIGHTEOUS VIGILANTES.
THE LAW DOESN'T PERMIT THAT FOR A VERY GOOD REASON.
WHAT LEVEL OF AUTHORITY HAS GOD BESTOWED UPON YOU
THAT YOU NOW HAVE THE POWER OF LIFE AND DEATH
BASED ON YOUR EMOTIONS?
BASED UPON A SINGLE ACCUSATION
BY A PERSON OF QUESTIONABLE CHARACTER?
A MIXTURE OF ALL OF THAT TOGETHER
PUTS RON IN A CULVERT ON THE OLD STAGE ROAD.