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>> Narrator: AN ASPIRING MODEL
VANISHED INTO THE NIGHT.
>> THE DRIVER'S DOOR WAS OPEN,
AND THE CAR WAS RUNNING.
>> WE ASSUME IT WAS A CHAIN SAW
OF SOME TYPE.
>> AND HOW COULD SOMEONE THAT
YOU SIT AND TALK TO AND DINE
WITH WOULD BE MOTIVATED TO DO
SOMETHING LIKE THIS?
>> Narrator: A GRUESOME
DISCOVERY THAT HAD A WHOLE TOWN
ON EDGE...
>> WE FOUND BUTTONS FROM A CLOTH
SHIRT THAT SHE WAS WEARING IN
THE MIRACLE MOTORS CRIME-SCENE
SEARCH.
>> IT'S UNHEARD OF.
IT HAPPENED HERE.
>> Narrator: ...AND A CRIME
WRITER WHO COULDN'T TURN AWAY.
>> A DESPICABLE CRIME THAT HAD
ME RIVETED ALL THE WAY TO ITS
SHOCKING END.
I'M LISA SCOTTOLINE, AND THIS IS
"*** BY THE BOOK."
>> THESE ARE THE REAL STORIES
THAT HAVE INSPIRED AMERICA'S
BEST-SELLING CRIME WRITERS.
>> Narrator: ON A FRIDAY NIGHT
IN DECATUR, ILLINOIS, THE
SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT GETS AN
EERIE CALL.
THERE'S A CAR SITTING ON THE
SIDE OF A LONELY HIGHWAY.
THE ENGINE'S ON, BUT NO ONE'S
INSIDE.
>> THE VEHICLE WAS ABANDONED.
THE DRIVER'S DOOR WAS OPEN, AND
THE CAR WAS RUNNING.
WHEN THE POLICE FOUND IT, THEY
FOUND THE INTERIOR DISHEVELED.
>> THE CAR HAD A LOT OF
DIFFERENT THINGS IN THEM OF NOT
MUCH EVIDENTIARY PURPOSE AT
FIRST GLANCE.
THE WERE SOME FAST-FOOD ITEMS.
I BELIEVE THERE WAS A RELIGIOUS
TAPE.
>> Narrator: ON THE FLOOR,
THERE'S A SPILLED PURSE AND AN
I.D. BELONGING TO A 23-YEAR-OLD
WOMAN NAMED KARYN SLOVER.
BUT WHEN INVESTIGATORS RUN THE
PLATES, THEY DISCOVER THAT THE
CAR BELONGS TO SOMEONE ELSE.
>> THE CAR WAS ACTUALLY
REGISTERED TO DAVID SWANN, WHO
WAS THE BOYFRIEND OF KARYN AT
THAT TIME.
[ TELEPHONE RINGS ]
>> Narrator: DETECTIVES CALL
SWANN.
HE TELLS THEM KARYN TOOK HIS CAR
TO PICK UP HER 3-YEAR-OLD SON,
KOLTEN, FROM THE HOME OF HER
FORMER IN-LAWS.
MIKE AND JEANNETTE SLOVER TAKE
CARE OF THEIR GRANDSON WHILE
KARYN WORKS IN AD SALES AT THE
LOCAL PAPER.
BUT KARYN DIDN'T SHOW UP THERE,
EITHER.
DETECTIVES TRY TO RETRACE HER
STEPS.
>> KARYN HAD LEFT THE
HERALD & REVIEW RIGHT AFTER
WORK, ABOUT 5:00.
>> Narrator: AROUND THAT SAME
TIME, KARYN CALLED HER PARENTS.
>> THEY JUST GOT A VOICE MESSAGE
SAYING SHE WAS ON HER WAY TO
PICK UP KOLTEN AND GO OUT AND
BUY A DRESS.
>> Narrator: THEY HAVEN'T HEARD
FROM HER SINCE, AND PANIC HAS
SET IN.
>> I DIDN'T HAVE A HUNCH AS TO
WHAT WAS GOING ON OR WHAT COULD
HAVE HAPPENED OR ANYTHING.
I MEAN, A VACANT CAR, STILL
RUNNING, WAS FOUND ON AN
INTERSTATE HIGHWAY.
I DID NOT HAVE ANY PREMONITION
AS TO WHAT TOOK PLACE, OTHER
THAN IT APPEARED TO BE A HIGHWAY
HIJACKING.
>> HER BOYFRIEND, DAVID SWANN,
MADE A MISSING-PERSONS REPORT.
AN INVESTIGATION STARTED.
>> Narrator: THE NEXT DAY,
KARYN'S FAMILY AND FRIENDS HAND
OUT FLYERS LOOKING FOR ANY
INFORMATION ON KARYN'S
WHEREABOUTS.
>> IT WAS NEWS IN DECATUR AND
SURROUNDING AREAS THAT
KARYN SLOVER WAS MISSING.
IT HAD BEEN ON THE NEWS.
>> WHAT WE'RE ASKING IS IF
ANYBODY HAS ANY INFORMATION -- I
DON'T CARE -- YOU CALL 423-TIPS.
JUST LEAVE US THE INFORMATION
WHERE SHE CAN BE FOUND.
JUST DON'T HURT HER 'CAUSE
THERE'S A LOT OF US THAT LOVE
HER.
>> Narrator: INVESTIGATORS HAVE
TO CONSIDER THE POSSIBILITY THAT
KARYN DISAPPEARED ON PURPOSE.
BUT ACCORDING TO FRIENDS AND
FAMILY, SHE SEEMED HAPPIER THAN
EVER LATELY.
IN FACT, SHE WAS JUST ONE STEP
AWAY FROM REALIZING A LIFELONG
DREAM.
>> KARYN WAS PURSUING OTHER
THINGS THAT SHE WANTED TO DO.
ONE THING WAS THE MODELING.
AND I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY
APPLICATIONS SHE SENT OUT TO
VARIOUS AGENCIES AND GOT A
POSITIVE RESPONSE BACK FROM AN
AGENCY THAT, IN FACT, SENT HER A
CONTRACT FOR HER TO SIGN.
>> IN FACT, THE DAY THAT SHE
WENT MISSING, SHE HAD SENT BACK
FORMS TO THAT COMPANY TO ACCEPT
THIS POSITION.
>> Narrator: AS CRIME NOVELIST
LISA SCOTTOLINE KNOWS, WRITING A
GOOD MYSTERY IS ALL ABOUT
TIMING, AND THE TIMING OF
KARYN SLOVER'S DISAPPEARANCE
SEEMED HIGHLY SUSPICIOUS.
>> JUST WHEN THIS SINGLE MOM WAS
SPREADING HER WINGS FOR THE
FIRST TIME, SHE VANISHES INTO
THIN AIR.
READING ABOUT THE CASE, I
COULDN'T HELP BUT THINK THIS WAS
MORE THAN MERE COINCIDENCE.
>> Narrator: DETECTIVES
MICHAEL BECK AND JEFF THOMAS
SPEARHEAD THE INVESTIGATION.
>> I THOUGHT THERE WAS PROBABLY
FOUL PLAY INVOLVED WHEN SHE
HADN'T TURNED UP AFTER SEVERAL
DAYS.
NO ONE HAD HEARD FROM HER.
SHE HAD A YOUNG SON.
FROM EVERYTHING I HAD HEARD,
THAT WOULD BE UNLIKELY FOR HER
TO JUST DISAPPEAR.
>> Narrator: AND THOUGH A RANDOM
KIDNAPPING OR CARJACKING SEEMS
THE OBVIOUS MOTIVE, THE
DETECTIVES BELIEVE THE ABANDONED
CAR WAS CAREFULLY STAGED.
>> JUST DIDN'T APPEAR BY THE WAY
THE VEHICLE WAS LOCATED THAT A
STRANGER WOULD LEAVE THE LIGHTS
ON, THE DOOR OPEN, SOMETHING
LIKE HERE, THAT WOULD BE
OBVIOUSLY WANTING SOMEBODY TO
STOP AND CHECK ON THE VEHICLE.
>> OUR THEORY OF THE CASE WAS
THE CAR WAS PLACED OUT THERE TO
DRAW ATTENTION AWAY FROM THE
SCENE OF THE CRIME AND GET
PEOPLE LOOKING IN ANOTHER
DIRECTION, LIKE IT WAS SOME KIND
OF AN ABDUCTION.
>> Narrator: IF DETECTIVES ARE
RIGHT, SOMEONE WENT TO A LOT OF
TROUBLE TO PUT POLICE OFF THEIR
SCENT.
THEY CALL IN A FORENSIC TEAM TO
SEARCH THE CAR FOR CLUES.
>> IT WAS IMMEDIATELY NOTICED IN
THE VEHICLE THAT THERE WERE
CINDERS IN THE FLOORBOARD ON THE
DRIVER'S SIDE OF THE CAR.
>> Narrator: THERE'S LITTLE ELSE
TO GO ON -- NO PRINTS, NO BLOOD,
NO SIGN OF STRUGGLE.
AND THE MONEY FOUND IN HER PURSE
RULES OUT ROBBERY.
BUT THERE'S ONE THING DETECTIVES
DON'T FIND -- KARYN'S CELLPHONE.
AND WHEN THEY CHECK HER VOICE
MAIL, THEY DISCOVER THAT SOMEONE
HAS ERASED ALL HER MESSAGES.
>> AND WE FINALLY FIGURED OUT IT
WAS DAVID GOING IN THERE AND
DELETING EVERYTHING.
SO WE CALLED HIM IN AND ASKED
HIM.
HE SAID, "WELL, I JUST WANTED TO
GET RID OF STUFF."
>> Narrator: TO INVESTIGATORS,
THIS ODD BEHAVIOR SETS OFF ALARM
BELLS.
>> WE THOUGHT, "WELL, HE'S
TRYING TO HIDE SOMETHING BECAUSE
HE HAD CALLS WITH KARYN
PRIOR TO THIS."
THAT WAS VERY SUSPICIOUS AT THE
TIME.
>> Narrator: DETECTIVES PUT
SWANN UNDER SURVEILLANCE.
TWO DAYS LATER, A COUPLE FISHING
AT A NEARBY LAKE MAKE A SHOCKING
DISCOVERY.
>> AND AS THEY WERE FISHING,
THEY SAW THIS GRAY GARBAGE BAG
FLOATING.
SO BEING GOOD CITIZENS, OR GOOD
SAMARITANS, THEY FELT LIKE
THEY'D PICK THIS GARBAGE BAG UP
AND PUT IT IN THEIR BOAT AND
PROPERLY DISPOSE OF IT.
HOWEVER, WHEN THE GENTLEMAN
ATTEMPTED TO LIFT THE BAG INTO
THE BOAT, IT FELT HEAVY.
AND THEN HE FELT THE CONTENTS OF
THE BAG, AND HE FELT LIKE IT
MIGHT BE A HUMAN HEAD.
>> Narrator: RACING TO THE
SCENE, DETECTIVE THOMAS
DISCOVERS THAT THE COUPLE'S
SUSPICION WAS ON-TARGET.
>> AND I WENT OUT TO THE
LOCATION WHERE THE PLASTIC BAG
WAS.
AND WHEN I OPENED THE PLASTIC
BAG, THERE WAS A HUMAN HEAD IN
IT.
>> Narrator: FORENSIC
SPECIALISTS ARRIVE AND CORDON
OFF THE LAKE AND NEARBY BRIDGE,
AND THEN THEY START A GRISLY
RECOVERY MISSION.
>> THERE WERE SEVERAL OTHER BAGS
FOUND IN LAKE SHELBYVILLE, AND
THEY CONTAINED VARIOUS PARTS OF
A DISMEMBERED BODY.
>> Narrator: OVER THE NEXT FEW
HOURS, MANY MORE BAGS ARE
RECOVERED.
ALL CONTAIN HUMAN REMAINS, ALL
WEIGHED DOWN WITH PIECES OF
CONCRETE.
>> THE BAGS WERE TOO WATERTIGHT.
SOME WERE ACTUALLY DOUBLE-BAGGED
AND THEN DUCT-TAPED AT THE TOP,
SO THEY WOULD FLOAT INSTEAD OF
SINK.
AND THEN THE CONCRETE THAT WAS
PUT IN SOME OF THEM, AT LEAST,
WASN'T SUFFICIENT TO KEEP THEM
AT THE BOTTOM OF THE LAKE.
SO EITHER THE BAGS BROKE AND THE
CONCRETE GOT OUT OF IT OR THE
NATURAL GASES IN THE DECOMPOSING
BODY CAUSED THE BAGS TO FLOAT.
>> THE HEAD AND THE BODY PARTS
WERE TAKEN TO A FUNERAL HOME.
OBVIOUSLY, KARYN WAS MISSING, SO
THERE WAS A POSSIBILITY FROM THE
BEGINNING THAT THIS MIGHT BE
HER.
>> THEY CAME TO OUR HOUSE AND
SAID THAT THEY HAD FOUND
EVIDENCE AND THEY NEEDED KARYN'S
DENTAL RECORDS.
WELL, DENTAL RECORDS ALWAYS
IMPLIES THE WORST.
YOU KNOW, WITH ALL THE STUFF YOU
SEE ON TV, DENTAL RECORDS IS
SOMETHING THAT IS A LAST RESORT.
>> Narrator: COMPARING THESE
RECORDS TO THE REMAINS, THE
FAMILY'S WORST FEARS ARE
REALIZED -- THE BODY IN THE BAGS
IS KARYN SLOVER.
>> THAT WAS DEVASTATING BECAUSE,
AT THAT POINT, YOU KNEW THAT THE
MOST TERRIBLE THING THAT YOU
CAN EVER IMAGINE HAS HAPPENED TO
THIS BEAUTIFUL LADY, AND IT'S
ABSOLUTELY BEYOND COMPREHENSION.
I MEAN, IT REALLY IS.
I THINK THAT EVERY ONE OF US
WENT INTO SHOCK BECAUSE WE HAD
NO IDEA HOW TRAUMATIC THAT WAS
GONNA BE.
>> HEARING ABOUT KARYN'S
DISMEMBERED BODY GAVE ME CHILLS.
IT WAS LIKE A HORROR MOVIE RIGHT
IN THE MIDDLE OF THIS HOMEY
LITTLE TOWN.
WHAT KIND OF PERSON COULD DO
SOMETHING THAT AWFUL TO HER?
>> Narrator: WHAT WAS A
MISSING-PERSONS CASE IS NOW A
DESPERATE SEARCH FOR A
COLD-BLOODED KILLER.
AND AS THE HORRIFIC DETAILS OF
KARYN'S *** LEAK OUT, AN
ENTIRE TOWN IS LIVING IN FEAR.
>> Narrator: TWO DAYS AFTER
23-YEAR-OLD KARYN SLOVER
DISAPPEARED, HER DISMEMBERED
BODY IS FOUND FLOATING IN A LAKE
THREE MILES FROM HER HOME.
>> THEN THAT WENT FROM
MISSING-PERSON RIGHT INTO A FULL
HOMICIDE INVESTIGATION.
>> Narrator: FORENSIC TEAMS
SEARCH THE RIVERBANKS FOR ANY
SHRED OF EVIDENCE.
THE ONLY THING THEY FIND IS A
SINGLE DROP OF BLOOD ON THE
BRIDGE.
>> THEY DID TESTING ON THAT.
THE DNA SHOWED THAT BLOOD
DROPLET BELONGED TO
KARYN SLOVER, WHICH SHOWED TO US
THAT WAS WHERE SHE WAS THROWN
OVER THE BRIDGE INTO
LAKE SHELBYVILLE.
>> Narrator: BACK AT THE MORGUE,
THE MEDICAL EXAMINER
RECONSTRUCTS KARYN'S FINAL
MOMENTS.
>> SHE WAS SHOT ONCE IN THE BACK
OF THE HEAD, AND THEN THERE WAS
FIVE OTHER ONES HERE IN THE
FRONT OF THE FOREHEAD.
AND THE PATHOLOGIST FELT, WHEN
HE DID THE AUTOPSY, THAT THIS
WAS IMMEDIATE DEATH 'CAUSE IT
COME RIGHT IN AND WENT RIGHT TO
THE BRAIN.
>> Narrator: BASED ON THE BULLET
WOUNDS, THE MEDICAL EXAMINER
CONCLUDES A .22-CALIBER WEAPON
WAS USED.
MARKS ON THE BODY PARTS SUGGEST
A GRUESOME DISMEMBERMENT.
>> WE ASSUME IT WAS A CHAIN SAW
OF SOME TYPE, ACCORDING TO THE
PATHOLOGIST.
>> THE TYPE OF PERSON THAT'S
GOING TO DISMEMBER A BODY -- YOU
CAN PRETTY MUCH RULE OUT A
SERIAL KILLER.
THEY DON'T WORRY ABOUT THE BODY
BEING FOUND.
SOMEONE WHO WANTS TO GET RID OF
A BODY, WHO WANTS TO GET IT AWAY
FROM A CRIME SCENE -- THAT'S THE
TYPE OF KILLER THAT'S GONNA
DISMEMBER A BODY AND TRY TO
DISPOSE OF IT.
>> Narrator: AS SHE LEARNED
ABOUT THE CRIME, WRITER
LISA SCOTTOLINE TRIED TO
DECIPHER THE MOTIVE BEHIND THE
MADNESS.
>> CLEARLY, THIS *** WASN'T A
RANDOM ATTACK.
SOMEONE WANTED KARYN SLOVER DEAD
AND GONE AND DID IT IN THE MOST
HORRIFYING WAY IMAGINABLE.
BUT TWO QUESTIONS REMAIN -- WHO
DID IT AND WHY?
>> Narrator: INSIDE THE GARBAGE
BAGS, INVESTIGATORS FIND A
PUZZLING CLUE -- CINDERS SIMILAR
TO THOSE COLLECTED FROM
DAVID SWANN'S CAR.
>> THEY ALSO FIND CINDERS IN THE
BODY PARTS.
WE FOUND SOME, I BELIEVE, IN HER
ARM AND SEVERAL THAT WERE IN HER
HAIR.
SO WE KNOW THAT SHE WAS -- IF
NOT KILLED, SHE WAS AT LEAST
DISMEMBERED WHERE THERE WERE
CINDERS.
>> Narrator: AND ATTACHED TO THE
BAGS THEMSELVES, ANOTHER PIECE
OF TRACE EVIDENCE.
>> THE BAGS THAT WERE
RECOVERED -- THEY HAD THE DUCT
TAPE.
THE DUCT TAPE WAS EXAMINED.
THERE WERE DOG HAIRS THAT WERE
LOCATED ON THE TAPE.
>> Narrator: IF A SUSPECT SHOULD
EVER ARISE, THESE TINY CLUES
COULD BE IMMENSELY VALUABLE, BUT
FOR NOW, THERE'S NO WAY TO PICK
UP THE KILLER'S TRAIL.
TO MOVE THE CASE FORWARD, POLICE
WILL HAVE TO RELY ON SOME GOOD,
OLD-FASHIONED DETECTIVE WORK.
>> THE FIRST PART OF THE
INVESTIGATION WAS TALKING TO
EVERYBODY THAT HAD ANYTHING TO
DO WITH KARYN, AND ESPECIALLY
WHAT SHE DID THAT DAY.
>> WE KNOW IT WASN'T ROBBERY.
OBVIOUSLY KIDNAPPING FOR
RANSOM -- IT WASN'T THAT.
IT WASN'T ANY OF THE USUAL
SO-CALLED "STRANGER CRIMES."
THEREFORE, YOU'VE GOT TO FOCUS
ON PEOPLE THAT AREN'T STRANGERS
AND WHAT MOTIVE WOULD THEY HAVE.
>> OBVIOUSLY, MICHAEL SLOVER WAS
GONNA BE A SUSPECT 'CAUSE HE WAS
HER DIVORCED HUSBAND.
>> KARYN AND MICHAEL HAD A ROCKY
RELATIONSHIP.
A LOT OF THE PEOPLE THAT WERE
CLOSE TO THEM RELATED TO US IT
WAS AN OFTENTIMES PHYSICALLY
VIOLENT RELATIONSHIP.
>> WITNESSES SAID THEY HAD
ACTUALLY SEEN MICHAEL SLOVER
SHOVING KARYN AROUND AT
CUB FOODS WHEN HE WORKED THERE
AS A SECURITY GUARD.
AND I THINK THE LONGER THEY WERE
MARRIED, KARYN FINALLY REALIZED
THAT SHE NEEDED TO MOVE ON IN
HER LIFE.
>> Narrator: DETECTIVES HAVE
ALSO BEEN KEEPING A CLOSE WATCH
ON KARYN'S BOYFRIEND,
DAVID SWANN.
>> HE'D BEEN DATING KARYN FOR A
A RELATIVELY SHORT TIME PERIOD.
HE HAD SOME THINGS IN HIS PAST
THAT WERE KIND OF SUSPICIOUS
THAT MADE HIM LOOK LIKE A
SUSPECT.
>> AND WE WERE ALSO INTERESTED
IN BRIAN MAXEY BECAUSE THEY'D
HAD A PREVIOUS RELATIONSHIP.
>> Narrator: BRIAN MAXEY WAS AN
OLD BOYFRIEND WHOM SHE'D BROKEN
UP WITH JUST WEEKS BEFORE HER
***.
MANY OF HER FRIENDS FELT HE WAS
STILL SEETHING WITH RESENTMENT.
>> A VIOLENT EX-HUSBAND, AN
EX-BOYFRIEND WITH AN ATTITUDE,
AND A NEW BOYFRIEND WITH A
QUESTIONABLE PAST -- LIKE MANY
OF US, KARYN WAS LOOKING FOR
LOVE IN ALL THE WRONG PLACES.
BUT JUST WHEN POLICE THINK
THEY'RE CLOSING IN ON A SUSPECT,
THE CASE TAKES A TURN THAT NO
ONE SAW COMING.
>> Narrator: INVESTIGATORS START
WORKING THEIR LIST OF SUSPECTS,
BUT JUST WHEN THEY THINK THEY
HAVE THEIR MAN, THE CASE TAKES A
SHOCKING AND UNEXPECTED TURN.
>> Narrator: WITHOUT ANY HARD
EVIDENCE TO GO ON, INVESTIGATORS
IN THE KARYN SLOVER HOMICIDE
CASE TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT THE
MEN IN HER LIFE.
>> JUST DON'T HURT HER 'CAUSE
THERE'S A LOT OF US THAT LOVE
HER.
>> Narrator: KARYN'S NEW
BOYFRIEND, DAVID SWANN, STANDS
OUT AS A PRIME SUSPECT.
>> HE HAD BEEN ARRESTED IN THE
PAST FOR IMPERSONATING A POLICE
OFFICER.
>> MY PRAYER IS WHOEVER DID THIS
WILL BE CAUGHT AND THAT THEY'LL
PAY THE PRICE FOR WHAT THEY DID,
FOR TAKING SUCH A WONDERFUL
PERSON AWAY FROM ALL OF THESE
PEOPLE WHO LOVE HER -- FROM HER
PARENTS, FROM HER 3-YEAR-OLD
SON, FROM ME.
>> HE HAD ACCESS TO FIREARMS --
A .22 FIREARM -- SO HE
IMMEDIATELY KIND OF FLOATED TO
>> Narrator: FOLLOWING THE CASE,
CRIME NOVELIST LISA SCOTTOLINE
HAD TO WONDER IF THE OBVIOUS
SUSPECT WAS THE RIGHT SUSPECT.
>> TAKE A CLOSE LOOK AT THE
BOYFRIEND AND ASK YOURSELF ONE
QUESTION -- IS SWANN A
STONE-COLD KILLER OR THE PERFECT
RED HERRING?
>> Narrator: SWANN'S STORY ABOUT
THE NIGHT OF KARYN'S
DISAPPEARANCE SEEMS TO BE FILLED
WITH HOLES.
>> HE WAS SUPPOSED TO BE GOING
TO A WEDDING REHEARSAL AND THEN
A REHEARSAL DINNER.
HE WAS GONE FOR A PERIOD OF
TIME, BY HIMSELF, AND NO ONE
COULD ACCOUNT FOR HIS
WHEREABOUTS.
>> AND EVERYONE WENT TO THE
CHURCH EXCEPT FOR DAVID SWANN,
AND THERE WAS ABOUT A 40-MINUTE
TIME GAP IN HIS ALIBI.
>> HE DISAPPEARED FOR A WHILE,
HE HAD SOME KEYS MADE OF HER
APARTMENT -- JUST A LOT OF
THINGS THAT HE COULDN'T EXPLAIN.
>> Narrator: DETECTIVES THEORIZE
KARYN COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED AND
DISPOSED OF IN THAT WINDOW
OF TIME.
>> I THINK, IN THIS INSTANCE,
THE REASON KARYN WAS DISMEMBERED
WAS FOR TRANSPORTATION
CONVENIENCE AND TRYING TO
CONCEAL THE HOMICIDE.
I THINK IN SOME MURDERS IT MIGHT
BE RAGE, BUT I THINK IN THIS
SPECIFIC CASE, IT WAS THEY WERE
TRYING TO TRANSPORT HER.
WE FELT LIKE SWANN COULD HAVE
POSSIBLY BEEN INVOLVED IN THIS
*** BECAUSE OF THE 40-MINUTE
TIME DELAY.
>> Narrator: BUT AS DETECTIVES
ZERO IN, THEIR PRIME SUSPECT
THROWS EVERYONE FOR A LOOP,
PRODUCING AN AIR-TIGHT ALIBI.
>> HE TOLD US HE HAD GONE TO A
LOCAL TRUE VALUE TO BUY SOME
KEYS TO PLAY A PRACTICAL JOKE ON
THE GROOM THE FOLLOWING DAY.
>> Narrator: ON THE WAY, SWANN
STOPPED AT AN ATM.
>> DAVID SWANN WAS WEARING A
SHIRT THAT NIGHT THAT WAS...
LOUD.
[ SIGHS ]
I'M TRYING TO DESCRIBE IT.
IT WAS -- IT JUST WASN'T A VERY
ATTRACTIVE SHIRT, AND THERE WERE
SEVERAL COMMENTS MADE ABOUT THIS
SHIRT.
SURE ENOUGH, AT THE ATM, HE
HAD THAT SAME SHIRT ON.
[ BEEPING ]
SO THERE WAS NO DOUBT IT WAS
HIM, AND IT WAS RIGHT IN THE
MIDDLE OF HIS ALIBI.
ONCE WE SAW THAT, WE PRETTY MUCH
ELIMINATED HIM AS A SUSPECT.
>> Narrator: INVESTIGATORS NEXT
TURN THEIR ATTENTION TO KARYN'S
FORMER BOYFRIEND, BRIAN MAXEY,
QUESTIONING HIM ABOUT HIS
ACTIVITIES THE NIGHT KARYN WENT
MISSING.
>> BRIAN MAXEY AND ANOTHER
INDIVIDUAL HAD GONE TO
SPRINGFIELD, PLAYED SOME POOL,
HAD A FEW DRINKS, MET A COUPLE
YOUNG LADIES THERE, AND SPENT
THE ENTIRE EVENING AND LATE
HOURS WITH THE LADIES THAT THEY
MET.
SO HE WAS ACCOUNTED FOR THE
ENTIRE TIME.
>> MAXEY HAD A SOLID ALIBI, AND
HE WAS QUICKLY CLEARED AS A
SUSPECT.
>> Narrator: WITH THE BOYFRIENDS
RULED OUT, INVESTIGATORS TAKE A
CLOSER LOOK AT KARYN'S
EX-HUSBAND, MICHAEL SLOVER, BUT
HIS ALIBI IS THE MOST METICULOUS
OF ALL.
>> AS A CRIME WRITER, I KNOW
THAT THE PERFECT ALIBI CAN BE AS
SUSPICIOUS AS NO ALIBI AT ALL.
THE MINUTE MICHAEL BEGAN HIS
DETAILED STORY, YOU HAD TO
SUSPECT THAT SOMETHING WAS UP.
>> HE TOLD IT WAS A VERY LARGE
STRAWBERRY SHAKE, THAT HE
HAD SOME CHEESE FRIES, THAT HE
PAID IN THIS DOLLAR AMOUNT AND
GOT THIS MUCH CHANGE BACK AND
THAT HE SAW SOMEBODY FROM HIGH
SCHOOL IN THE RESTAURANT AND ALL
THESE LITTLE THINGS THAT THE
AVERAGE INDIVIDUAL, A WEEK OR SO
LATER, PROBABLY WOULDN'T BE ABLE
TO TELL YOU.
>> EVERYTHING HE DID ON THE DAY
OF THE 27th, FROM THE TIME AT
3:00 IN THE AFTERNOON, HE WAS
MAKING AN ALIBI FOR HIMSELF.
>> Narrator: LITTLE DO
INVESTIGATORS KNOW THEY'RE ABOUT
TO OPEN A PANDORA'S BOX OF
HAUNTING SUSPICIONS.
>> Narrator: MICHAEL SLOVER IS
NOW THE PRIMARY FOCUS OF THE
INVESTIGATION INTO HIS EX-WIFE'S
***.
SIFTING THROUGH THE REMAINS OF
THE THREE-YEAR MARRIAGE,
DETECTIVES UNCOVER A HISTORY OF
VIOLENT FIGHTS AND SIMMERING
DISAGREEMENTS BETWEEN KARYN,
MICHAEL, AND HIS WHOLE FAMILY.
EVEN AFTER THE DIVORCE, KARYN
AND HER FORMER MOTHER-IN-LAW,
JEANNETTE, WERE OFTEN AT ODDS.
IN FICTION AND IN REAL LIFE,
LISA SCOTTOLINE KNOWS WELL THE
PEOPLE CLOSEST TO YOU ARE OFTEN
THE MOST DANGEROUS.
>> YOU KNOW, PEOPLE ALWAYS SAY,
"WHEN YOU MARRY SOMEONE, YOU
MARRY THE WHOLE FAMILY."
WHEN KARYN GOT MARRIED, SHE GOT
STUCK WITH THE IN-LAWS FROM
HELL.
>> SHE DID GET INTO A LOT OF
CONFLICT WITH JEANNETTE.
IT WAS PART OF THE DIVORCE
DECREE THAT JEANNETTE WAS TO BE
THE CHILD'S BABYSITTER UNTIL HE
STARTED SCHOOL.
>> Narrator: KARYN HAD TRIED TO
FIND ALTERNATIVE DAYCARE.
>> SHE PREFERRED TO PUT HIM INTO
DAYCARE, WHERE HE WOULD HAVE A
BETTER SOCIAL INTERACTION WITH
OTHER CHILDREN.
AND JEANNETTE ADAMANTLY REFUSED
AND OBVIOUSLY WOULD USE THE
COURT ORDER TO SAY, "WELL, YOU
CAN'T DO THIS BECAUSE, UNTIL
HE'S OF SCHOOL AGE, I AM THE
ONLY CAREGIVER FOR THAT CHILD."
SO THERE WAS A LOT OF ACRIMONY
BETWEEN THE TWO OF THEM.
>> IT WAS ONLY AFTER THE
SEPARATION AND AFTER THE DIVORCE
DID WE SEE THIS POSSESSIVE TRAIT
COMING FROM JEANNETTE -- THAT
SHE ABSOLUTELY WANTED CONTROL OF
EVERYTHING.
AND THEN THAT'S WHEN WE STARTED
SEEING THAT THIS WOMAN WAS A
VERY POWERFUL PERSON IN THAT
FAMILY, BECAUSE SHE BASICALLY
CONTROLLED EVERYTHING THEY DID.
>> Narrator: HAVE DETECTIVES
FINALLY UNCOVERED A MOTIVE FOR
KARYN'S ***?
>> I THINK JEANNETTE SLOVER WAS
AFRAID THAT KARYN WAS GONNA TAKE
HER MODELING CAREER, AND THAT
MODELING CAREER WAS GONNA HAVE
HER RELOCATE FROM DECATUR.
AND IF THAT OCCURRED,
JEANNETTE WOULD NO LONGER HAVE
CUSTODY OF KOLTEN.
AND THAT WAS SOMETHING JEANNETTE
COULDN'T LIVE WITH.
>> Narrator: QUESTIONING KARYN'S
CO-WORKERS, INVESTIGATORS LEARN
ABOUT A SUSPICIOUS CONVERSATION
WITH HER EX-HUSBAND HOURS BEFORE
>> ON FRIDAY, THE LAST DAY OF
KARYN'S LIFE, EVERYONE THAT SHE
WORKED WITH DESCRIBED HER AS
BEING IN AN UPBEAT MOOD.
SHE HAD JUST RECEIVED THIS
MODELING OFFER, WAS HAPPY ABOUT
THAT, EXCITED ABOUT IT.
DURING THE AFTERNOON, SHE
RECEIVED A PHONE CALL FROM
MICHAEL JR.
AND ONE OF HER CO-WORKERS, WHO
WAS SITTING AT THE NEXT CUBICLE,
INDICATED THAT HER MOOD CHANGED
100%.
IF KARYN ADVISED MICHAEL JR.
SHE WAS LOOKING AT LEAVING THE
STATE AND SHE WAS GONNA TAKE
HER SON WITH HER, EVERYTHING
FALLS IN PLACE AFTER THAT.
>> THEY WANTED KOLTEN, AND THEY
WERE NOT GONNA LET KARYN LEAVE
WITH KOLTEN.
>> MICHAEL SR. AND JEANNETTE HAD
NO ALIBI.
THEY WERE TOGETHER THAT EVENING.
THE GRANDSON WAS THERE WITH
THEM, AS WELL.
BUT THEY HAD NOBODY ELSE THAT
COULD ACCOUNT FOR WHERE THEY
WERE AT OR WHAT THEY WERE DOING
THAT EVENING.
>> MICHAEL HAD BEEN WORKING AT
THE POWER PLANT IN CLINTON,
ILLINOIS, AND HAD COME HOME FOR
HIS CAR LOT, ALSO LOCATED IN
MOUNT ZION, CALLED
MIRACLE MOTORS.
SO WE BEGAN FOCUSING ON THEM AS
SUSPECTS TO DETERMINE WHAT THEIR
ACTIVITIES WERE THE NIGHT KARYN
DISAPPEARED.
>> Narrator: IF THE DETECTIVES'
HUNCH IS RIGHT, THE SLOVER
FAMILY CONSPIRED TO KILL KARYN
IN ORDER TO GAIN CUSTODY OF THE
CHILD.
>> WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE WHOLE
BACKGROUND OF THESE
RELATIONSHIPS AND HOW PEOPLE
ACTED TOWARDS EACH OTHER AND THE
MISCONCEPTIONS THEY HAD ABOUT
WHAT COULD BE DONE LEGALLY WITH
A CHILD, WHAT COULDN'T BE DONE,
THEY THOUGHT THEIR ONLY OUT WAS
TO KILL AND DISMEMBER THIS
WOMAN.
>> Narrator: IN THEORY, IT MAKES
PERFECT SENSE.
BUT WITHOUT ANY PROOF, POLICE
ARE ABSOLUTELY HELPLESS TO
CHARGE THE SLOVERS WITH ***.
AND THE CASE QUICKLY STALLS OUT.
>> IF I HAD BEEN IN THE COP'S
SHOES, I WOULD HAVE BEEN PULLING
MY HAIR OUT.
YOU'VE GOT THREE PEOPLE YOU KNOW
COMMITTED AN ATROCIOUS CRIME,
BUT YOU HAVE NO HARD EVIDENCE.
ALL YOU CAN DO IS WATCH AND
WAIT.
>> Narrator: FOR THE NEXT SIX
MONTHS, DETECTIVES KEEP A CLOSE
EYE ON THE SLOVERS, AND THEY
KEEP DIGGING FOR CLUES.
>> WE STARTED CHECKING PHONE
RECORDS AND GOING OVER THOSE
AND NOTICING THERE WERE A LOT OF
PHONE CALLS MADE THE NIGHT KARYN
DISAPPEARED.
>> IT BECAME VERY OBVIOUS THAT
THERE WAS A LOT OF CALLS GOING
BETWEEN THE SLOVER FAMILY TO
EACH OTHER, WHICH SEEMED A
LITTLE ABNORMAL.
>> Narrator: FOR TWO LONG YEARS,
AS INVESTIGATORS STRUGGLE TO
PIECE TOGETHER THEIR CASE, THE
SLOVERS GO ABOUT THEIR DAILY
LIVES AS IF NOTHING HAD
HAPPENED.
THEN IN JULY OF 1998, A
LIGHT BULB GOES OFF.
DETECTIVES NOTICE THE SLOVERS'
MIRACLE MOTORS CAR LOT IS
PREDOMINANTLY CONCRETE.
COULD IT BE FORENSICALLY MATCHED
TO THE CONCRETE USED TO WEIGH
DOWN KARYN'S DISMEMBERED BODY?
>> SO, WE GET THE SEARCH WARRANT
THAT LASTED THREE DAYS AT
MIRACLE MOTORS CAR LOT.
AND I FOUND A GENTLEMAN UP IN
WINNIPEG -- WORKS FOR THE
WINNIPEG POLICE DEPARTMENT BY
THE NAME OF RICHARD MUNROE, WHO
IS A FORENSIC GEOLOGIST AND HAD
BEEN IN INVESTIGATIONS INVOLVING
CONCRETE.
THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT BRINGS
HIM INTO THE INVESTIGATION.
>> THE THRUST OF MY PORTION WAS
FORENSIC GEOLOGY AND TRYING TO
LOCATE PIECES OF CONCRETE THAT
WOULD BE COMPARABLE TO THE ONES
THAT WERE FOUND WITH THE BODY
PARTS THAT WERE FOUND IN
LAKE SHELBYVILLE.
>> Narrator: CONCRETE MAY NOT BE
AS UNIQUE AS A FINGERPRINT, BUT
IT IS DISTINCTIVE ENOUGH FOR
FORENSIC COMPARISON.
>> CONCRETE IS A VERY UNIQUE
SUBSTANCE, BASED ON THE WAY IT'S
FORMED.
AND IT'S A MAN-MADE PRODUCT.
EVERY BATCH OF CEMENT IS
SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT THAN THE
OTHER.
SO CHEMICALLY, THE CEMENT ITSELF
IS DIFFERENT.
SO YOU CAN HAVE GRAIN CHANGES,
YOU CAN HAVE CHEMISTRY CHANGES,
YOU CAN HAVE AGGREGATE CHANGES.
>> Narrator: MUNROE COMPARES
CONCRETE SAMPLES FROM
MIRACLE MOTORS WITH THOSE FROM
THE BODY BAGS.
>> ON A GENERAL BASIS, OR CALL
IT MEGASCOPIC OR LARGE VIEW,
ALL THE CONCRETE CHUNKS THAT
WERE TAKEN APPEARED CONSISTENT.
>> Narrator: COMPRISED LARGELY
OF CINDER BLOCK, THIS CONCRETE
IS ALSO CONSISTENT WITH THE
CINDERS FOUND ON THE VICTIM'S
BODY AND WITH HER CAR.
AFTER TWO YEARS OF TREADING
WATER, THE INVESTIGATION IS
FINALLY MOVING FORWARD.
UNDER MUNROE'S GUIDANCE,
DETECTIVES FORGE AHEAD WITH
PLANS TO EXCAVATE MIRACLE MOTORS
IN SEARCH OF MORE CLUES.
>> WE WENT TO MIRACLE MOTORS,
AND WE SET UP A GRID SYSTEM.
AND WE SET UP A TENT.
AND WE TARGETED SPECIFIC AREAS
THAT WE THOUGHT COULD BE AREAS
WHERE WE MIGHT FIND EVIDENCE.
WHAT WE DID WAS TAKE
APPROXIMATELY FOUR INCHES OF
TOPSOIL IN EACH GRID.
THAT PARTICULAR AMOUNT OF
TOPSOIL WAS PUT INTO A
FIVE-GALLON CONTAINER AND
LABELED AND MARKED.
>> AND THE NEXT MORNING, WE GOT
A SNOWSTORM.
SO THAT KIND OF THREW US IN A
HOLE, BUT WE SET UP SOME TENTS.
WE GOT SOME SNOW MELTERS THAT
THE CITY OF DECATUR HAD TO HELP
US DRY OUT THE SNOW AND DO OUR
SEARCH.
WE COLLECTED 60 FIVE-GALLON
BUCKETS OF DIRT.
>> Narrator: AFTER THREE
PAINSTAKING DAYS OF DIGGING, THE
TEAM BEGINS AN EVEN MORE
TIME-CONSUMING PROCEDURE.
>> ONCE WE HAD THE ENTIRE AREA
BUCKETS, AND WE MOVED THEM TO A
TASK-FORCE OFFICE WHERE WE COULD
BEGIN THE SIFTING PROCESS.
>> AND EVENTUALLY GO THROUGH THE
SIFTING PROCESS, WHICH I BELIEVE
TOOK THEM SIX MONTHS TO GO
THROUGH THE AMOUNT OF MATERIAL
THAT WAS TAKEN OFF THAT SURFACE.
>> Narrator: THE SEARCH IS A
LONG SHOT, BUT WITH NOWHERE ELSE
TO TURN, THE TEAM IS DETERMINED
TO SEE IT OUT.
>> WE DIDN'T KNOW EXACTLY FOR
SURE WHAT WE WERE LOOKING FOR.
>> AND OVER THE NEXT FIVE
MONTHS, EVERY DAY, WE WOULD TAKE
ONE BUCKET AND JUST START IT
FROM SCRATCH.
WE WOULD SIFT IT -- TAKING IT
DOWN FROM THE BIG STUFF TO THE
SMALLEST POWDER.
>> Narrator: FINALLY,
INVESTIGATORS FIND BURIED
TREASURE -- A BUTTON THAT
MATCHES THOSE ON THE JEANS KARYN
WAS WEARING THE NIGHT SHE
DISAPPEARED.
>> SO, WE KNEW SHE WAS WEARING A
PAIR OF JEANS.
I BELIEVE THEY WERE PARIS CLUB
JEANS.
THEY HAD A SPECIFIC BUTTON ON
THEM AND ALSO A SPECIFIC RIVET.
>> WE WERE VERY LUCKY.
WE FOUND A BUTTON.
AND OUR FIRST BUTTON WAS A
DESIGNER-JEAN-TYPE BUTTON THAT
MATCHED THE DESIGNER JEANS
THAT KARYN WAS WEARING ON THE
EVENING THAT SHE WAS MURDERED.
>> Narrator: AND THERE'S ANOTHER
PIECE OF EVIDENCE.
>> WE FOUND BUTTONS FROM A CLOTH
SHIRT THAT SHE WAS WEARING.
WE FOUND THAT ALSO IN THE
MIRACLE MOTORS CRIME-SCENE
SEARCH.
>> Narrator: DETECTIVES ARE NOW
CONVINCED THEY'RE STANDING ON
THE SITE WHERE THE SLOVERS TOOK
A CHAIN SAW TO KARYN'S BODY.
>> WE DON'T KNOW THAT SHE WAS
ACTUALLY MURDERED THERE,
ALTHOUGH WE STRONGLY BELIEVE SHE
WAS DISMEMBERED THERE.
>> Narrator: NOW THAT THEY HAVE
JUST CAUSE, THE SHERIFF'S
DEPARTMENT IS ABLE TO OBTAIN A
SEARCH WARRANT FOR THE SLOVERS'
HOME.
BUT JEANNETTE DOESN'T GIVE THEM
A WARM WELCOME.
>> SHE GOT EXTREMELY ANGRY,
GOT VERY VOCAL, AND SHE ACTUALLY
DREW HER FIST BACK AND WAS GOING
TO PUNCH ONE OF THE DETECTIVES.
AND, FINALLY, I THINK SHE
REALIZED WHAT SHE WAS ABOUT TO
DO AND QUIT.
>> Narrator: THE SEARCH TEAM
FINDS A NUMBER OF WEAPONS, BUT
ONE IS NOTABLY ABSENT.
>> WE RECOVERED 11 FIREARMS FROM
HIS HOME.
ONE OF THE INTERESTING THINGS
ABOUT MICHAEL SLOVER SR. AND HIS
FIREARMS IS HE WAS ABLE TO
DESCRIBE ALL OF HIS FIREARMS
THAT HE OWNED AND POSSESSED WITH
THE EXCEPTION OF ONE .22 THAT HE
DIDN'T -- HE COULDN'T REMEMBER
WHAT TYPE, STYLE, OR
MANUFACTURER IT WAS, AND HE
DIDN'T KNOW WHERE IT WAS AT THIS
TIME.
AND KARYN WAS, IN FACT, SHOT
WITH A .22.
>> Narrator: WHILE SEARCH TEAMS
COMB THE HOUSE, INVESTIGATOR
MIKE MANNIX FOLLOWS UP ON A
HUNCH.
>> WHILE I WAS THERE, I KEPT
SEEING THE DOGS, AND FOR SOME
REASON, I DECIDED I'D GO BACK
UP.
AND I GOT THREE BRAND-NEW GROOM
BRUSHES.
AND I GROOMED THE DOGS, BAGGED
IT UP, AND KEPT IT AS EVIDENCE.
THEY DIDN'T HAVE ANIMAL DNA AT
THE TIME, BUT I, FOR SOME
REASON, THOUGHT THAT SOMETHING
MIGHT COME UP LATER.
SO WE JUST SECURED THAT AND
SAVED IT.
>> Narrator: ALL THE PHYSICAL
EVIDENCE TELLS INVESTIGATORS
THEY'RE ON THE RIGHT TRACK.
BUT THEY STILL DESPERATELY NEED
A PHYSICAL LINK TO TIE THE
SLOVERS TO KARYN'S ***.
AND THAT CRITICAL PIECE OF
EVIDENCE WILL COME FROM THE
VICTIM HERSELF.
>> Narrator: TWO YEARS AFTER
KARYN SLOVER'S ***,
DETECTIVES ARE CLOSING THE NET
AROUND HER EX-HUSBAND,
MICHAEL SLOVER, AND HIS PARENTS,
MICHAEL AND JEANNETTE.
BUT THEY NEED MORE.
SO THEY ASKED THAT THE BODY BE
EXHUMED AND SEARCHED FOR
OVERLOOKED CLUES.
>> KARYN'S BODY WAS EXHUMED SO
A DOCTOR COULD EXAMINE THE CUTS
ON KARYN'S BONES TO DETERMINE --
IF IT COULD BE DETERMINED --
WHAT TYPE OF INSTRUMENT WAS USED
TO DISMEMBER HER.
>> Narrator: BUT THE RESULTS OF
THE NEW EXAMINATION GIVE
INVESTIGATORS SOMETHING EVEN
MORE VALUABLE -- A BUTTON FROM
THE BLOUSE KARYN WAS BURIED IN.
>> KARYN WAS BURIED WITH PART OF
A WHITE BLOUSE ON ONE OF HER
ARMS.
>> AND IT WAS A BUTTON ON THE
SLEEVE.
WE SENT IT TO THE CRIME LAB,
AND, LO AND BEHOLD, IT WAS A
MATCH TO THE BUTTON WE FOUND IN
MIRACLE MOTORS --
IDENTICAL.
>> Narrator: INCREDIBLE LITTLE
DISCOVERIES LIKE THIS ONE ARE A
GREAT SOURCE OF INSPIRATION TO
NOVELIST LISA SCOTTOLINE.
>> AS I KNOW FROM MY WRITING,
THE SMOKING GUN HAPPENS ONLY IN
FICTION.
A REAL *** CASE IS SOLVED BY
EXCELLENT POLICE WORK AND SOLID
EVIDENCE.
THAT EVIDENCE CAN BE AS SLIM AS
A HAIR OR AS UNLIKELY AS A
BUTTON.
>> Narrator: NEXT, INVESTIGATORS
FOLLOW UP ON THE HAIRS TAKEN
FROM THE SLOVERS' DOGS.
>> I ALWAYS TOLD MY FRIENDS --
OTHER DETECTIVES AND POLICE
OFFICERS -- "IF YOU'RE EVER AT A
SEMINAR AND YOU HEAR ANYTHING
ABOUT ANIMAL DNA, LET ME KNOW."
>> IT'S KIND OF NEW TO US --
ESPECIALLY DOG DNA IS RAPIDLY
EXPANDING.
AND IT WAS KIND OF A LONG SHOT.
>> Narrator: INVESTIGATORS TURN
TO DR. JOY HALVERSON, AN EXPERT
IN ANIMAL DNA, AND ASK HER TO
COMPARE THE HAIRS FOUND WITH
KARYN'S REMAINS TO THOSE FROM
THE SLOVERS' DOGS.
>> THE HAIRS ON THE BRUSHES
REALLY WERE DIFFICULT TO GET A
GOOD DNA PROFILE FROM.
IT'S A COMMON MISTAKE.
PEOPLE THINK WHEN THEY COMB A
DOG THAT THEY'RE GOING TO GET
HAIRS WITH ROOTS, AND, IN FACT,
THEY TEND TO JUST GET LOOSE
HAIRS THAT WERE READY TO FALL
OUT ANYWAY.
>> Narrator: AFTER SEVERAL
FAILED ATTEMPTS, HALVERSON
FINALLY FINDS ONE HAIR WITH A
ROOT STILL ATTACHED.
>> AND WE DID HAVE A MATCH
BETWEEN ONE OF THE HAIRS ON THE
DUCT TAPE AND THE MATERIAL THAT
HAD BEEN COLLECTED FROM THE
SLOVERS' DOGS.
>> SHE SAYS, "I HAVE A MATCH ON
ONE DOG TO THE DOG HAIRS ON THE
BODY-PART BAGS."
THEN WITH THE CONCRETE MATCHING
FROM THE BODY BAGS, THE CONCRETE
THAT WE SEIZED FROM THE CAR LOT.
BUT THERE WAS ONLY ONE PLACE IN
MY WHOLE INVESTIGATION THAT
CINDERS WERE EVER FOUND, AND
THEY WERE FOUND AT THE CAR LOT.
AND THOSE WERE CINDERS SIMILAR
TO THE CINDERS THAT WERE IN THE
CAR THAT WAS FOUND THAT KARYN
HAD BEEN DRIVING THAT NIGHT.
AND THERE'S MY CASE, AND THEN WE
HAD TO TAKE IT TO A JURY.
>> Narrator: AFTER SO MUCH TIME
AND SO MUCH FRUSTRATION,
PROSECUTORS ARE FINALLY READY TO
GO TO COURT.
>> THE DECISION TO PROSECUTE
SHOULD NOT COME UNLESS YOU FEEL
YOU CAN GET A CONVICTION.
THERE'S REALLY NO DOUBT THAT
THESE PEOPLE ARE INVOLVED.
>> Narrator: ON JANUARY 28,
2000, MORE THAN FOUR YEARS AFTER
THE *** OF KARYN HEARN,
MICHAEL SLOVER JR.,
MICHAEL SLOVER SR., AND
JEANNETTE SLOVER ARE ARRESTED
AND CHARGED WITH FIRST-DEGREE
***.
>> IT'S SO TRAUMATIC.
THESE PEOPLE WERE IN OUR HOME
ONCE.
AND HOW COULD SOMEONE THAT YOU
SIT AND TALK TO AND DINE WITH
WOULD BE MOTIVATED TO DO
SOMETHING LIKE THIS?
IT'S SO UNBELIEVABLY OFF THE
SCALE.
>> WHEN YOU THINK OF
GRANDPARENTS, YOU THINK OF WARM,
LOVING, NURTURING PEOPLE.
BUT IN THIS CASE, THE SLOVERS
MIGHT BE KILLER GRANDPARENTS
WHO ROBBED THEIR GRANDSON OF HIS
OWN LOVING MOTHER.
>> Narrator: ONLY ONE QUESTION
REMAINS -- CAN PROSECUTORS PROVE
BEYOND A REASONABLE DOUBT THAT
THESE THREE REGULAR-LOOKING
PEOPLE PULLED OFF ONE OF THE
MOST SICKENING CRIMES IN DECATUR
HISTORY.
>> Narrator: IN APRIL 2002,
MICHAEL SLOVER AND HIS PARENTS
GO ON TRIAL FOR THE *** OF
KARYN SLOVER.
>> OUR WHOLE CASE WAS
CIRCUMSTANTIAL WHEN WE WENT TO
COURT.
>> Narrator: AS A BEST-SELLING
WRITER KNOWS, AN UNPREDICTABLE
ENDING IS KEY TO GOOD CRIME
FICTION.
AND LISA SCOTTOLINE HAD NO IDEA
WHERE THE SLOVER STORY WAS
HEADED.
>> TAKE A LOOK AT THE SLOVERS.
MY GUESS IS THEY THINK THEY'RE
ABOUT TO GET AWAY WITH ***.
THE PROSECUTION HAS NO ***
WEAPON, NO EYEWITNESSES, AND NO
IDEA WHO PULLED THE TRIGGER.
LET'S SEE IF THE SLOVERS ARE
RIGHT.
>> Narrator: PROSECUTORS BEGIN
BY LAYING OUT THEIR VERSION OF
WHAT HAPPENED THE NIGHT KARYN
WAS MURDERED.
>> I THINK KARYN LEFT THE
HERALD & REVIEW THAT NIGHT.
SHE GOT OFF WORK AT 5:00.
SOME OF HER FRIENDS WERE GONNA
GO OUT FOR DRINKS THAT NIGHT.
SHE CHOSE NOT TO GO BECAUSE SHE
WAS GOING TO PURCHASE A DRESS
FOR THE WEDDING THE FOLLOWING
DAY.
SHE WAS ALSO CONCERNED THAT
KOLTEN WAS GOING TO GO OUT OF
TOWN WITH THE SLOVERS.
THEY SOMETIMES WENT TO
SPRINGFIELD, AND SHE DIDN'T WANT
KOLTEN LEAVING THAT NIGHT WITH
MICHAEL SR. AND JEANNETTE.
SO SHE SAID SHE WAS GOING
IMMEDIATELY TO PICK UP KOLTEN.
I THINK SHE DROVE OUT TO THE
SLOVER RESIDENCE.
I THINK THAT SHE MET WITH
JEANNETTE.
I THINK JEANNETTE TOLD HER THAT
KOLTEN WASN'T THERE -- THAT HE
WAS AT THE CAR LOT.
>> I'VE HAD IT!
>> DON'T TAKE OFF LIKE THAT!
>> I THINK JEANNETTE FOLLOWED
KARYN UP TO MIRACLE MOTORS.
>> I BELIEVE THAT WHEN KARYN GOT
OUT OF THE CAR AND WALKED INTO
THE CAR LOT...THAT SHE WAS SHOT
FROM BEHIND.
>> KARYN WAS SHOT FIRST IN THE
BACK OF THE HEAD AND FELL TO THE
GROUND.
THEN I BELIEVE SHE WAS ROLLED
OVER, AND SOMEBODY SHOT UNTIL
THE GUN WAS EMPTY.
>> I THINK THERE WAS THAT MUCH
RAGE BETWEEN JEANNETTE AND
KARYN SLOVER.
>> Narrator: PROSECUTOR
JACK AHOLA TELLS THE JURY THE
MOTIVE WAS SIMPLE.
>> THE MOTIVE FOR THIS ***
WAS TO GAIN CUSTODY OF THE
CHILD -- SIMPLE AS THAT.
IN SOME RESPECTS, THAT MADE IT
EASY TO SHOW A MOTIVE.
IN SOME RESPECTS, THAT'S HARDER,
BECAUSE WHO WOULD EVER KILL JUST
TO GET CUSTODY?
IT'S UNHEARD OF.
IT HAPPENED HERE.
>> Narrator: BUT THE PROSECUTION
FACES SEVERAL TOUGH CHALLENGES.
THEY CAN'T SAY WHO SHOT KARYN OR
WHO WIELDED THE SAW THAT
DISMEMBERED HER.
>> THE WEAPON THAT WAS USED TO
KILL KARYN AND THE TOOL THAT WAS
USED TO DISMEMBER KARYN HAVE
NEVER BEEN FOUND.
WE KNOW IT WAS A .22.
WE THINK IT WAS A POWER TOOL OF
SOME SORT BECAUSE OF THE WAY
THE CUTS WERE ON THE BODY.
BUT THEY WERE NEVER FOUND.
>> Narrator: BUT THE PROSECUTION
DOES HAVE A WEALTH OF
CIRCUMSTANTIAL EVIDENCE.
THEY WALK THE JURY THROUGH EACH
ELEMENT OF THEIR CASE.
>> I THINK THE MOST IMPORTANT
THING WAS THE BUTTONS, THE
RIVETS, THE TELEPHONE LOGS.
THOSE WERE THE CIRCUMSTANTIAL
EVIDENCE -- THE DOG HAIR THAT WE
FOUND.
THAT WAS VERY IMPORTANT.
>> WE HAD CINDERS.
WE HAD CONCRETE PIECES.
WE HAD THE TAPE AND THE BAGS AND
ALL THAT TYPE OF THING.
PUTTING ALL THAT TOGETHER, THE
DISMEMBERMENT HAD TO TAKE PLACE
AT THAT CAR LOT...
BECAUSE THERE'S NO WAY IT
COULDN'T.
ALL OF WHAT WAS LEFT BEHIND AND
WHAT WAS TRANSFERRED FROM THE
CAR LOT INTO THE BODY PARTS,
INTO THE BAGS, AND THE TAPE ALL
MATCHED UP.
>> Narrator: AND WHILE THEY
CAN'T PROVE WHO THE SHOOTER WAS,
PROSECUTORS ARGUE IT TOOK AT
LEAST THREE PEOPLE TO COMMIT THE
CRIME.
>> YOU HAVE A LOT OF STUFF GOING
ON AT ONE TIME.
WE HAVE KARYN THAT WAS GOING TO
THE SLOVERS' HOUSE IN THAT CAR.
SO HOW DID THE CAR GET OUT TO
THE INTERSTATE?
SOMEONE HAD TO DRIVE IT THERE.
HOW DID THAT PERSON GET BACK?
SOMEBODY MUST HAVE FOLLOWED THE
CAR.
SO THEN YOU GOT TWO PEOPLE
INVOLVED.
MICHAEL JR. WAS MAKING HIMSELF
AN ALIBI -- WENT OUT OF HIS WAY
TO MAKE HIMSELF AN ALIBI.
AND WE PRESENTED THAT EVIDENCE,
TOO.
SO, WE KNOW HE WAS AT THE TAVERN
WHERE HE WORKED.
SO THERE'S THREE PEOPLE INVOLVED
RIGHT THERE.
>> Narrator: DEFENSE ATTORNEYS
NEVER CALL THE SLOVERS TO
TESTIFY.
INSTEAD, THEY TRY TO DISCREDIT
THE FORENSIC EVIDENCE AND
CHALLENGE THE EXPERT TESTIMONY.
BUT WHETHER THE JURY WILL BUY IT
REMAINS TO BE SEEN.
AFTER FIVE WEEKS, THEY GET THE
CASE.
TWO DAYS LATER, THEY REACH A
VERDICT.
>> WHEN THE JURY WALKED BACK IN,
I WAS SITTING IN THERE.
I HAD MY WIFE SITTING NEXT TO
ME, AND I SAID, "I DON'T KNOW."
I SAYS, "IT'S HARD TO READ WHAT
A JURY'S GONNA DO.
WE'LL JUST HAVE TO SIT AND
LISTEN WHEN THEY HAND UP THE
PAPERS TO THE JUDGE."
>> THREE -- GUILTY OF...
>> AND THEN HE STARTED READING.
ONCE WE GOT THE FIRST ONE UNDER,
I SAID, "WE'RE IN."
>> Narrator: MICHAEL AND HIS
PARENTS ARE CONVICTED OF ***
AND SENTENCED TO 60 YEARS IN
PRISON.
THE SLOVER MEN GET AN ADDITIONAL
FIVE YEARS FOR CONCEALING THE
CRIME.
>> MY PROUDEST MOMENT FOR THIS
CASE WAS TO SEE THE WORK ETHIC
OF ALL THESE INVESTIGATORS COME
TOGETHER FOR A COMMON PURPOSE
AND BE SUCCESSFUL.
>> IT WAS A BRUTAL ***, AND
WHOEVER DID THIS NEEDED TO BE
PUNISHED.
SO, I GUESS I'M PROUDEST OF THE
FACT THAT WE WERE ABLE TO SOLVE
IT AND PUT THE KILLERS IN JAIL
WHERE THEY BELONG.
>> A LOT OF TIME SPENT BY A LOT
OF POLICE OFFICERS.
AND A LOT OF HUNCHES AND GUT
FEELINGS AND SWEAT.
AND WE PUT HER TOGETHER AND
PRESENTED IT THE BEST WE HAD,
AND IT ALL COME OUT GOOD.
>> IT TAKES A COURAGEOUS BUNCH
OF PEOPLE TO DO WHAT THEY DID.
AND WE BECAME GUARDIANS AS WELL
AS CUSTODIANS OF THE BOY.
THEN A FEW YEARS LATER, WE WERE
ABLE TO ADOPT HIM.
>> I COULD UNDERSTAND PEOPLE
FIGHTING IT OUT IN COURT, BUT
KILLING THE CHILD'S MOTHER IN
COLD BLOOD?
IT'S TOO DIABOLICAL TO BELIEVE.
IN THE END, THE KARYN SLOVERVE.
CASE IS THE STORY OF A
GRANDMOTHER DRIVEN TO *** BY
AN OBSESSIVE LOVE FOR HER
GRANDSON AND A PATHOLOGICAL NEED
TO CONTROL HER FAMILY.
FOR "*** BY THE BOOK," I'M
LISA SCOTTOLINE.