Dead of Winter (2019–…): Season 2, Episode 5 - The Killing Field - full transcript

I don't think we really truly
have fully recovered from it.

It was just the craziest thing.

It was like we were
living in a movie.

That was what it was.

So...

Just going nuts just trying
to put the pieces together.

I was very scared --
really, really scared.

How you make the transition

From decent suburban upbringing
to brutal murderer?

Everybody feared him.

It was quiet, eerie.



I'm not so sure that any of us
were prepared for it.

We learned that some
tragic thing had happened,

And it was shocking.

Life in 2003 before all this
happened was really good.

The winter was
a pretty cold one.

We got more snow
than we typically got,

A lot of 6-inch to 12-inch days.

- Dinner is ready.
- Mom's an amazing cook.

- Really?
- She made thanksgiving dinner,

And only three people died.

Shawn was my stepson.

He was really funny,

Very comical, witty,
quick-wit young man.

My mother would smack me
if I said that.



Shawn was dating
carrie lynn heiden.

Carrie was very sweet,
beautiful smile.

She really enjoyed
hanging out with us.

You could tell that they cared
very much for each other.

Are you ready?
Wait for it.

God.

That night I made meatloaf,
which shawn didn't care for,

And he would call it beet loaf

To let me know his feelings
about my meatloaf.

If shawn didn't like what I was
making for dinner,

They would often sneak off

And go get something
different later.

I just remembered the thing
that carrie and I have to go to.

What thing?

The thing with my friends
at the fast food place.

We completely forgot.

That's fine.
More for your father and me.

Seriously,
be careful out there.

There's a snowstorm coming.

I love you, shawny.

Shawny, tell your mother
you love her.

Love you.

Bye, mom. Bye, dad.

I recall after they left,
maybe 20 minutes,

30 minutes later,
going up to bed.

Yeah. I never imagined

That would be the last time
I saw them.

I would typically wake up
around 5:15, 5:30 in the morning

To get ready for work.

I looked out the window,
and shawn's car was not there.

It was very unusual
not to have had come home.

I was a little annoyed and mad.

You know, "how dare you not
let us know where you're at?"

Hey, it's shawn.
Leave a message.

Shawn,
where are you?

Why aren't you home?

Call me as soon
as you get this.

I was starting
to get very concerned.

I called cinda, carrie's mother.

I was hoping
that she knew something.

This is cinda.

Hi, it's dana.

Listen, shawn and carrie
aren't here.

Have you seen them
this morning?

When I heard dana's voice,
she sounded...Worried.

She said that she hadn't heard
from shawn and carrie,

And she wanted to know
if they were at the house.

I said, "no, they're not here."

No, I thought carrie was
staying with you last night.

I went to bed early.

Well, they never came home.

I'm a little worried.

If you hear from them,
will you please call me?

All right. Let me see if
I can get ahold of carrie.

After dana and I hung up
the phone,

I called carrie's phone first.

It's carrie.
You know what to do.

Carrie, it's mom.
Where are you?

Call me, please.

Carrie always answers her phone
or calls you back

Or we'll send you a text.

It was almost surgically
attached to her head.

Now I'm worried.
Now I'm really, really worried.

We both phoned our local
sheriff department

And filed a report,

And they came to the home
after that.

- Thanks for coming over.
- 'course.

So when's the last time
you saw him?

Last night.
They left during dinner.

And did you have a fight
with shawn?

Maybe he was angry?

What? No.

They were really grilling us
on what kind of relationship

Did we have, was there anything

That he may have been
angry about

Or trying to get away
from us for some reason?

The answer was a flat "no."
no. No.

That's not -- that's not
what's happening here.

Ma'am, I wouldn't worry.

If you can't find teenagers,

It's 'cause don't
want to be found.

They told us that, you know,
typically these types of cases

Are a runaway and they'll
show up within a day or two.

Listen, officer,

I'm not trying to tell you
your business,

But I'm telling you
I know my son,

And I'm telling you
something's not right.

They weren't nearly as concerned
as we were.

Ma'am, we've dealt with this
situation hundreds of times.

Trust me. Shawn and carrie
are gonna turn up.

I didn't want to become
the combative crazy lady

So we just tried to go with it,

But, yeah, it was
very frustrating.

Within hours,
more disturbing news arrives.

Hello?

That night around 11:30,

I got a phone call
from the fire department.

They found what?
Where?

They found his car burned up,

And immediately I knew
something was wrong.

Were they...
Were they inside?

Thank god.

I understand.

I asked whether they were
going to do an investigation

On the car, and they said,

"no. It has already
been processed."

Thank you.

Duane, what's happening?
What's going on?

I don't know.

They found shawn's car
partially burned,

But drivable.

There's no sign
of shawn or carrie.

They want me to
pick up the car.

I was surprised they
released the car to me at all.

I thought it was highly unusual.

I'll be home soon.

Well, should --
should I come, too?

No. No. Stay here.

Okay.

My god.

Duane.

The car had been found
near the wheat field areas,

And it had been burned
on the inside.

It was a really eerie
feeling to look inside

And see the dashboard melted

And some of their belongings
in there

And still wondering,
"where were they?"

This isn't right.

What's this?

Whose camera is this?

I think that's shawn's.

They didn't think that there
was any foul play involved.

I assume that that's
what they thought

That the kids were runaways

And maybe did this
to their own car,

You know, which is ridiculous.

Was this new car.
He loved it.

We know shawn
wouldn't have done that.

What are we gonna do, duane?

We were absolutely stunned,

And I remember the look
on duane's face.

It was just...

you know,
we knew something was wrong.

It's a picture of shawn.

It's actually -- we found
a kodak camera in the car,

And we developed the film.

This is definitely one of the
last photos that we have of him.

Every night, I would keep
the window wide open,

And every car gave me hope.

and I carried

Every phone with me
and slept with every phone

Or nodded off or sat in bed
and stared at the ceiling.

It was -- it was --

It was crazy.

Detective murphy,

Here's that file on
the missing teenagers.

I had heard just enough about
the case

To pique my interest.

Hey...

Yeah?

...You've got this down
as a runaway case?

Seemed like the most
likely scenario.

It was different from
your typical runaway case.

The thing that really stood out

Was the fact that shawn's car
was found abandoned and burnt.

Help me understand this.

Your theory is that
they wanted to skip town,

So they set fire
to their vehicle?

Is that right?

Kids do some crazy things.

That's not a normal thing
for people to do.

People set fires
to destroy evidence.

- Evidence of what?
- Any number of things.

None of them good.

Murder is on the list of things

That could have
possibly happened.

We could have had
a murder-suicide.

Or shawn killed carrie
and now shawn was in hiding

And the car was burnt
to kind of throw us off.

But we still need
the traditional things

To follow up on, like the
victim, a crime scene.

And regardless of what
the scenario was,

We didn't have any of those.

We need some answers.

Where shawn's car
was located is farmland.

We even used aircraft to do
aerial searches of those fields

To see if we could
locate any signs

Of shawn or carrie's bodies.

Those vast fields
were deep in snow.

It was like looking for a needle
in a haystack.

But all of the searching
resulted in nothing.

I know that both families
were very concerned.

Mrs. Wilson, thanks for
letting me come talk to you.

Everyone's told me
not to worry, but...

You're right to be worried.

Is there anyone
that you can think of

That might want to
hurt carrie?

No.
She's just a kid.

But...

I feel a little strange
saying this --

It's about shawn.

What about him?

I wasn't comfortable with carrie
and shawn dating at all.

There was something off
about him.

Normally he'd pull up in
the driveway and honk the horn,

Had the radio going,
and a lot of bass.

Sometimes a lot of rap.

The few times that he did
come into the house,

He really wouldn't speak.

He would stay at the doorway,
seem anxious.

Almost like...He was
hiding something.

And that just seemed, um,
evasive to me.

Was there anything in particular
that he did that stood out?

I just don't think that
he was really the sweet kid

That everyone thought he was.

I thought that shawn
was a bad influence.

I told the detectives

That if someone wanted to hurt
the two of them,

It was because of his choices.

I didn't think it was going
to be because of carrie's.

Do you think that shawn
could have hurt carrie?

I just think that shawn might
have been mixed up in something.

That was definitely
a different perspective

Than we had gotten
from shawn's parents,

And this gave us a good angle
to pursue.

With few leads,

Detective murphy revisits
the physical evidence.

My gut feeling was
there was something more

To do with shawn's car.

Prior to the car being towed,

The fire department
did collect evidence.

This is what we collected.

Let me know if you need
anything else.

All right.
Thank you.

The evidence taken
from the car at the scene

Had just been booked in,
and was untouched.

The arson investigator
found a cigarette butt

On the floor of the car.

It looks like this
is what started the fire.

This bag, let's send it
for dna analysis.

There was other evidence
in the car.

What on earth?

One of the interesting things
in the car

Was a business card
of one of the detectives

That worked for me.

We need to talk to her...

Now.

We were basically shaking trees,

And whatever fruit fell,
that's what we were following.

So, shawn's missing?

Yeah, that's right.
And you were speaking with him.

I was trying to.

About what?

For that shooting.

Prior to shawn and carrie's
disappearance,

Some of our detectives had been
working on a shooting

At a house on 6th street.

One of the people
fired two rounds from a shotgun

Through the front window.

Nobody was hurt.

Who would shoot through a window
in a rich neighborhood?

A group of people drove up
to the 6th street shooting,

And shawn was one of the people.

You think shawn
to find those shots?

I don't think so.

But I do think
he knows who did.

So detectives tried
to interview shawn

As a witness in that case.

My understanding is that shawn
refused to give any information.

But it's pretty clear
that shawn knew something.

He didn't want to tell me.

Is he running
to distance himself

From the 6th street
shooting investigation?

I'm gonna need your help
on this one.

There's a connection here.

And if we don't figure out
what it is...

We're not gonna find
those kids.

Who would be out to harm them?

Was this some random act?

Was it someone they knew?

What -- what the world
is going on here?

Not knowing what happened

Is one of the hardest things

That a parent could ever
go through.

And the days tick by very slowly

While you're waiting to find out
what happened to your child.

As the days and weeks
and months drag on,

It was pure desperation.

I walked away from
a very promising career

To make that my full-time job
to find these kids.

Honey?

Honey?

Duane, I have
to tell you something.

What is it?

I spoke to her again.

I had started to see a psychic,

Which is something I would
have never done normally.

I'm not a big believer
in that stuff,

But I was desperately grasping
at anything

That I could at that point.

Honey,
we talked about this.

I know, but I can't just
sit here and do nothing.

I can't.

She felt she knew
where they're located.

She had mentioned
that there would be

A white abandoned house nearby.

I don't know.
This all sounds so crazy.

I know.

But we could get volunteers
to help us search.

We were so desperate
that we would take anything

And make it valuable information
and follow up on it.

It can't hurt to look,
duane.

Please.

We had an individual from
missing persons organization.

We went out on a search
with him and a cadaver dog.

There was a good six
to eight inches of snow.

We searched along
the wheat fields in aurora.

We were getting tired
and cold,

And weren't really
finding anything.

But then there was one point

Where we passed
an abandoned home,

And the cadaver dog
had hit on something.

He barked and ran at the house,

And was pointing
to the basement window.

That was scary.

The psychic had mentioned
that they would be found

Near an abandoned white house.

Everything stood still.

I felt panic, fear.

Duane actually went down
in that basement.

I couldn't even do it.

I'm not so sure that any of us
were prepared to find him.

It was quiet.
It was kind of eerie.

I found a dead squirrel.

- Duane?
- Dana, you can come down.

It's nothing.

I'm grateful that
we didn't stumble upon them

Because we just couldn't
have that image

Burned into our minds.

Until you hear otherwise,

You're gonna hold out
some kind of hope.

But we were now
still with no answers.

What do we do now?

I don't know.

Douglas county
sheriff's office.

I'm calling about
those missing kids.

Who is this?

I know someone
who was involved.

Hey, detective,

Got a guy who said he knows
what happened our missing teens.

Yeah? Who is he?

Jailhouse informant.

About a month or so
into the investigation,

We got a call from a jailhouse
informant.

At first, there was some doubt

As to the credibility
of the information.

An inmate?

No doubt he wants something
exchanged for his tip.

Yeah, this is
detective murphy.

I understand you have
some information for me.

Yep. Those two kids...

They're dead.

And I think I know
who killed 'em.

The informant told us
that a guy named nat york

Killed shawn and carrie.

That was hard to believe.

Nat and his family were from
a fairly affluent area.

Okay.
You'll hear from me soon.

- Think it's credible?
- No.

Hey, davis.

Nat york, that ring a bell?

Yeah. Why?

'cause I just got a tip
that dropped in my lap.

What you know about york?

I know that he's on my list
of suspects for that shooting

Down on 6th street.

Nat's name had come up

As being responsible
for the 6th street shooting.

And shawn cerniglia
was a witness

To the shooting on 6th street.

Shawn cerniglia knew nat york.

You're kidding me?

No. In fact, I was gonna
go down and question him now.

I'm going with you.

When I went to initially
speak with nat,

I was more or less on a fishing
expedition at that point

To try to find out
any information I could

On their disappearance.

Who is it?

Detective murphy.
My partner and I

Are investigating a case.
We want to speak with you.

Can you come to the door?

And his response was

"my attorney will contact you
in 24 to 48 hours."

No. It did make me
more curious, though,

As to what he was
trying to avoid.

I thought maybe
he thought we were there

To investigate
the 6th street shooting.

You think he's
the murdering type?

I don't know.

Well, listen,
if nat doesn't talk,

Maybe his friends will.

So it was possible
that somebody from this group

Had something to do with their
disappearance.

Every night, I'd go sit out
on my front porch

Wondering if she had food,
if she was cold.

Just sitting out there
and talking to her

As if she was
right in front of me.

It was a spiritual connection is
the only way I can describe it.

Tell her I loved her.
Tell her I missed her.

Tell her I hope she was okay,
ask her when she's coming home.

Months after
their disappearance,

We got a call from a farmer.

So I was just out here
walking in the field

Now that the snow melted,
came up on 'em

Just laying there.

Initially, the farmer thought
that they were mannequins.

But he got closer,
and was able to see

That they were actually

The decomposing remains
of two humans.

Think it's
shawn and carrie?

I do.

Shawn and carrie's bodies
were starting to mummify.

The state of decomposition
made it pretty gruesome.

Carrie had one gunshot wound
to the head.

Shawn also had a gunshot wound
to the head.

I still can't get that image
out of my mind.

We classify this
as a homicide.

I'm gonna let
the family know.

What tears me up the most
is knowing

That she was out there
by herself

In pain and cold
and couldn't get help.

It was, you know, the call that
we half-expected, but dreaded.

It was just like everything
stood still.

yeah.

I just thought,
"well, that's it."

You know, they're gone forever.

So you're a friend
of nat york?

I interviewed
at least a dozen people

That were in some way
associated with nat york.

Hey, I'm talking to you!

Did you know
shawn and carrie?

I heard they died.

That's it?

Yeah, that's it.

It was a fair amount
of suburban white kids

Trying to be something
that they weren't.

Get the hell out of here.

None of them came
from a rough neighborhood.

This entire circle of friends
were all wannabe gangsters.

So eventually, we came
to a young lady

Named catherine farnkoff,
who was nat york's girlfriend.

She was very nervous.

She was probably afraid

For what could potentially
happen to her

For talking to us.

Do you know why you're here?

Shawn cerniglia
and carrie lynn heiden.

I don't know.

I actually wanted some emotion
from her,

And I wasn't getting any.

We were sitting at a table.

I was seated next to catherine.

I was slowly creeping
my chair toward her.

And I intentionally
got into her private space.

Someone shot them

And left them
in a frozen field...

To die.

It is
an investigative strategy

To kind of be a space invader.

It breaks down a wall.

It's time to
tell the truth.

The change in the atmosphere
was amazing.

I can't get it
out of my head.

Get what out of your head?

What I saw.

And she probably cried
for 15 minutes straight

Telling the story.

So, this is all about nat?

No. It wasn't just nat.

It was also caleb.

It wasn't just nat.

It was also caleb.

Caleb burns
wasn't from our area.

Everybody feared him.

He was somebody
that nat had met.

They'd both committed crimes
as juveniles

And developed a friendship,

And unfortunately for society,

Started carrying out
their reign of terror.

Okay.
Start from the beginning.

The party on 6th street,
who shot through the window?

Nat and caleb.

They wanted to send a message

That they were
not to be messed with.

All right.
There's the place.

Whose house is this?

Someone who just didn't
show us any respect.

Wait. Wait. What if they
find out it was us?

No one is gonna find out
it was us

Unless someone tells them.

But you wouldn't do that,
would you, shawn?

No.

All right, then.

And then nat and caleb
heard a rumor

That shawn was talking to you
about what happened.

Caleb had come up with the plan

To lure shawn over
to nat's apartment.

I believe that shawn
telling his mom

That they were going for fast
food was just a cover story.

I was at nat's apartment
that night.

Shawn and carrie came over.

Hey, guys. What'd you
want to talk about?

Talk?

I heard you've done
enough talking.

Their paranoia was extreme.

What do you mean?

Caleb!

Nat and caleb thought
that he was ratting on them

For the 6th street shooting

And wanted to retaliate
against shawn for snitching.

Caleb, nat!
What are you doing?

- You are a snitch.
- Shawn, what's going on?

Tell your girlfriend,
shawn.

Tell her you've been
talking to a cop.

I didn't say anything.
You know I wouldn't tell.

Hey! Hey!

Watch this.

They pretty much beat
the tar out of shawn.

They were both
bound in duct tape.

Pillow case!

They had pillow cases
put over their heads.

Get up!

What did I say?
What did I say?

Carrie had to be terrified
of what was going on.

please --

You, too.

Nat and caleb gave catherine

The keys
to shawn cerniglia's car.

She was instructed
to follow them.

That night, they drove
about 30 miles to a field

Out in the middle of nowhere.

They instructed catherine
to just wait there.

They can't possibly imagine

What is about to happen
to the two of them.

Caleb, nat, please.
Leave her out of this!

She didn't have anything
to do with it!

She does now.

It's called guilt
by association, bud.

Shawn and carrie were ordered
to get on their knees

Please, listen to me.

On the ground!

I haven't said a word,
I promise.

Just listen to me.

And they were each shot
in the head.

Did you guys...

What about his girlfriend?

Casualty of war.

I don't recall who actually
poured the gas in,

But caleb was the one
that lit the cigarette

And threw the cigarette
into the car.

They burned the car
to dispose of evidence.

You know, catherine,

I did try to get shawn
to confess

About the 6th street
shooting.

And he did?

No. He didn't.

Shawn never implicated
nat or caleb

In the 6th street shooting.

Nat and caleb killed him
for nothing...

...And then killed carrie

Because she happened
to be with him.

Caleb described that carrie
was a casualty of war.

I can't wrap my head
around that.

The statement
that catherine farnkoff gave us

In her confession was consistent
with the evidence,

Especially the cigarette butt.

Through forensics, we were able
to get caleb's dna

From that cigarette butt.

Everything that they did
that night was evil.

But how you make the transition

From decent suburban upbringing

To brutal murderer?

I don't get it.

Hearing the circumstances
of their death

Was the hardest thing.

Because it was just
so far fetched

And so out of our ordinary.

He was horribly frightened.

I'm sure they both were.

To hear what
had happened that night...

Hurt.

But a.22 in the eye is not
going to be a quick death.

And then they left and went to
the gas station to get a soda.

And left her lying there
in that field.

Cold and shivering and dying.

With nobody to help her.

I like seeing pictures of her.

She was a very beautiful
young lady.

When I come home,

I got to say good night to her
before I go to bed.

You've lost all
those opportunities

To watch them grow.

Yeah. You don't heal.

You know, you just learn
to deal with it.

The pain, you know, you learn
to bury the pain is what it is.