Ice Cold Killers (2012–…): Season 2, Episode 5 - Guns, Gold & Murder - full transcript
Police are met with a myriad of mysterious theories after a well-known Alaskan gold miner and political activist vanishes without a trace. Was it an alien abduction, a government conspiracy or cold blooded murder?
Narrator:
IN THE ICY EXTREMES OF COLORADO,
THE WEATHER CAN BE WICKED,
AND PREDATORS ROAM FREE.
Man:
BEARS AND MOUNTAIN LIONS
ARE KNOWN TO GET PEOPLE
FROM TIME TO TIME,
AND, SOMETIMES,
EVEN THE HUMAN PREDATORS.
Narrator:
IN DENVER, A BRUTAL MURDER
LEAVES LOVED ONES STUNNED.
WE WEREN'T PUTTING OURSELVES
IN ANY DANGER --
AT LEAST,
WE DIDN'T THINK WE WERE.
Tuthill: I WAS TRYING TO THINK,
"WHO WOULD WANT TO MURDER HER?
WHO WOULD WANT TO? WHY?"
I MEAN, I'M SCREAMING
AT THIS TIME, 'CAUSE
YOU'RE FLIPPING OUT.
Narrator: POLICE HUNT FOR A
MADMAN WHO STAYS ONE STEP AHEAD.
Ritter, Jr.:
SAVAGERY, BUTCHERY, HORRIFIC --
THOSE KINDS OF WORDS
COME TO MIND.
[ SCREAMING ]
Priest:
YOU KNOW, HE'S A BAD GUY.
HE'S A BAD GUY.
TRUE PSYCHOPATHIC PERSONALITY.
CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY
DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS
Narrator: IN THE FOOTHILLS
OF THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS
LIES DENVER, COLORADO,
ONE OF THE ORIGINAL GOLD-RUSH
TOWNS OF THE WILD WEST.
Ritter, Jr.:
OUR ROOTS WERE IN MINING,
AND EARLY PEOPLE WHO CAME HERE
FOR GOLD AND SILVER
WERE RUGGED INDIVIDUALS,
LET'S SAY.
Narrator:
ITS SNOW-CAPPED PEAKS BECKON
SURVIVALISTS, HUNTERS,
AND THRILL-SEEKERS...
...LIKE 24-YEAR-OLD
PEYTON TUTHILL.
IN 1998, SHE LEAVES
THE SANDY SHORES OF FLORIDA
TO EMBRACE
DENVER'S ICY CHALLENGE.
PEYTON BELONGED IN A RUGGED
PLACE BECAUSE SHE WAS TOUGH.
I MEAN,
SHE WAS STRONG, PHYSICALLY.
SHE WAS A TOUGH GIRL.
Narrator:
SHE MOVES TO THE MILE-HIGH CITY
WITH HER BEST FRIEND, HEATHER.
THE THING WITH COLORADO --
IT GETS IN YOUR BLOOD
THAT YOU WANT TO GET UP,
YOU WANT TO GO OUTSIDE,
YOU WANT TO GO HAVE FUN
AND BE HEALTHY AND EXERCISE.
I MEAN, WE LOVED IT.
Narrator:
VERY QUICKLY, EVERYTHING
SEEMS TO CLICK INTO PLACE --
NEW HOUSE,
NEW JOB ON THE HORIZON,
AND A NEW BOYFRIEND
SHE ADORES -- EVAN PAULSON.
Nelson Goldwater:
THEY FELL HEAD-OVER-HEELS
IN LOVE WITH EACH OTHER.
SHE WAS CRAZY ABOUT HIM,
AND HE WAS CRAZY ABOUT HER.
I SHOULD PROBABLY GO CHECK
ON MAGGIE AND GET CHANGED.
YEAH. ALL RIGHT.
BUT I'LL SEE YOU LATER.
TAKE CARE.
Narrator: IT'S THE KIND OF LIFE
SHE'S ALWAYS DREAMED OF --
UNTIL FEBRUARY 24, 1999...
WHEN EVERYTHING CHANGES.
1,800 MILES AWAY
IN SUNNY FLORIDA,
HER MOTHER HAS A PREMONITION
THAT SENDS AN ICY SHIVER
DOWN HER SPINE.
ALL OF A SUDDEN, I WAS WASHED
WITH THIS THOUGHT --
"WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF ANYTHING
EVER HAPPENED TO PEYTON?"
AND I THOUGHT, "OH,
I GUESS I'M JUST MISSING HER."
Narrator:
SHE HAS NO WAY TO KNOW THE EVIL
HER DAUGHTER IS ABOUT TO FACE.
JUST AFTER
HER BIG JOB INTERVIEW,
PEYTON STOPS BY THE HOUSE
TO LET THE DOG OUT...
[ MAGGIE BARKING ]
MAGGIE, I'M HOME!
Narrator:...BEFORE MEETING
HER BOYFRIEND FOR DINNER.
IT'S OKAY, MAGGIE.
Narrator:
SHE THINKS THE HOUSE IS EMPTY.
Tuthill:
EVERYBODY WAS ANXIOUS TO KNOW
HOW HER JOB INTERVIEW WAS.
I CALLED HER THAT NIGHT
AND DIDN'T GET AN ANSWER.
AND I THOUGHT, "WELL, SHE'S OUT
CELEBRATING WITH HER FRIENDS."
Narrator:
LATER THAT EVENING,
ONE OF PEYTON'S ROOMMATES,
ALEXANDER PECK, CONTACTS POLICE.
HE MAKES A PHONE CALL, SAYING,
"HEY, UH...
MY HOUSE HAS BEEN BURGLARIZED."
Narrator: A DENVER OFFICER
ARRIVES MINUTES LATER.
FOLLOWING PROTOCOL,
HE INSTRUCTS PECK TO JOIN HIM
TO POINT OUT ANY MISSING ITEMS.
BUT, ONCE INSIDE,
THIS IS NO SIMPLE BURGLARY.
[ MAGGIE BARKING ]
THERE'S A TRAIL
OF BLOODY FOOTPRINTS
FROM THE KITCHEN UP THE STAIRS.
IS THAT YOUR DOG?
IT'S -- IT'S PEYTON'S.
[ BARKING CONTINUES ]
ON THE SECOND FLOOR,
PECK POINTS OUT MORE BLOOD
AT THE DOOR TO HIS ROOM.
OFFICER?
IN THE CORNER,
THE BATTERED BODY...
OF PEYTON TUTHILL.
I ALWAYS BEGIN WHERE THE SUBJECT
MAY HAVE ENTERED THE HOME,
WHICH IS THROUGH THE BACK DOOR.
AND I BEGAN ANALYZING IT.
AND ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS
THAT I NOTICED
IS THERE
IS THIS PIECE OF DOOR FRAME
THAT IS MISSING FROM THE DOOR.
WHY WOULD SOMEBODY TAKE THAT
WITH THEM?
WHY WOULD THEY KEEP THAT?
AND I THOUGHT, "WHERE IS THIS?
IT SHOULD BE HERE,
AND IT'S NOT HERE."
THE TRASH CAN
DIDN'T HAVE A LINER IN IT,
BUT THE TRASH CAN
IS SPARKLING CLEAN.
AND I KNEW THAT THERE WERE TWO
FEMALES WHO LIVED IN THIS HOUSE.
AND I JUST KNOW
THAT THERE IS NO WAY THAT
THAT TRASH CAN IS NOT GONNA HAVE
A LINER IN IT.
BUT THERE'S NONE IN THERE.
IT'S NOT THERE.
OVER ON THE COUNTER, THERE'S
A SIX-PACK CONTAINER FOR BEER.
NEXT TO THAT
IS A BOTTLE OF BEER.
THE FACT THAT I HAD A BEER
BOTTLE WRAPPED WITH PAPER TOWEL
TELLS ME
I HAVE SOMEBODY THAT'S TRYING
TO HIDE THEIR FINGERPRINTS.
Narrator: DROPS OF BLOOD
DOT THE WASHING MACHINE,
AND BLOODY WATER
STILL POOLS INSIDE,
AS IF THE KILLER TOOK THE TIME
TO WASH SOME CLOTHES
AFTER THE ATTACK.
IT'S SCARY TO CONTEMPLATE
THAT SOMEBODY CAN BE
JUST SORT OF THAT COMPLACENT
THAT THEY WOULD STAY IN THE HOME
AND DO LAUNDRY.
Priest: THOSE ARE ALL TRAITS OF
SOMEBODY KNOWN TO THE VICTIM.
THOSE ARE ALL TRAITS
OF SOMEBODY THAT REALLY IS
IN A LOW-RISK POSITION,
BECAUSE, "I KNOW HOW THINGS WORK
AROUND HERE."
Narrator: INVESTIGATORS
START LOOKING CLOSE TO HOME --
AT HER ROOMMATES.
HERE WE HAVE A SITUATION
WHERE I HAVE TWO FEMALE
ROOMMATES AND A MALE ROOMMATE.
THERE MAY CERTAINLY BE SOMETHING
GOING ON
JUST BETWEEN THESE INDIVIDUALS,
AND THAT MAY BE THE CATALYST
FOR WHAT OCCURRED.
THERE'S NOTHING HERE
THAT TELLS ME A FEMALE'S
NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS CRIME.
Narrator: THING IS,
HEATHER NELSON DOESN'T APPEAR TO
KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THE MURDER.
AND I RAN IN AND I SAID,
"WHAT THE HELL
ARE YOU PEOPLE DOING HERE?"
I WAS FLIPPING OUT.
AND THEY SAID, "WHO ARE YOU?"
AND I SAID,
"I'M HEATHER AND I LIVE HERE.
WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?"
AND THEN, ALL OF A SUDDEN, I
WAS QUARANTINED INTO A COP CAR.
THEY TOLD ME
THAT WE HAD BEEN ROBBED
AND THAT
PEYTON WASN'T COMING DOWNSTAIRS.
AND I KEPT SAYING,
"IF YOU LET ME TALK TO HER,
I'LL GET HER DOWNSTAIRS.
DON'T WORRY.
I WILL GET HER DOWNSTAIRS."
OUR ROOMMATE
WAS ON THE BACK PORCH,
AND THEY WERE QUESTIONING HIM.
AND I SAID, "WHAT HAPPENED?"
I MEAN, I'M SCREAMING
AT THIS TIME, 'CAUSE
YOU'RE FLIPPING OUT.
AND HE SAID, "PEYTON'S UPSTAIRS,
AND THERE'S BLOOD."
Narrator: DETECTIVES NOTE
PEYTON WASN'T FOUND MURDERED
IN HER OWN BEDROOM,
BUT HER MALE ROOMMATE'S.
YOUR FIRST WITNESS
IS USUALLY YOUR FIRST SUSPECT.
I HAVE AN INDIVIDUAL, A MALE,
WHO MAKES A PHONE CALL
TELLING THE POLICE,
"MY HOUSE HAS BEEN BURGLARIZED."
UNIFORMED OFFICERS SHOW UP.
THEY SEARCH THE HOUSE AND FIND
A BODY INSIDE THE BEDROOM
OF THE VERY PERSON
WHO JUST MADE THAT PHONE CALL.
YEAH, HE'S RIGHT
AT THE TOP OF MY LIST.
Narrator: POLICE TAKE
BOTH ROOMMATES TO THE STATION
FOR MORE QUESTIONING
AND TO GET DNA SAMPLES.
AND HEATHER FINALLY LEARNS
WHAT HAPPENED.
A DETECTIVE COMES IN --
AND I DON'T REMEMBER HIS NAME --
AND HE SAID,
"MISS NELSON, I'M REALLY SORRY
THAT THIS IS TAKING SO LONG,
BUT THIS IS STANDARD
IN ANY MURDER CASE."
AND I,"WHAT? SHE'S DEAD?"
AND THEN I STARTED BAWLING
AND SCREAMING
AND I RAN OUT OF THE ROOM
AND I LOOKED UP
AND THERE WAS A DRY-ERASE BOARD
[Voice breaking]
WITH HER NAME ON IT
THAT SAID "MURDERED -- FEMALE."
[ SNIFFLES ]
THEY SAID, "WE NEED YOUR DNA."
AND THEN THAT'S WHEN IT HIT ME
THAT MAYBE THEY WERE
JUST THINKING I DID IT, TOO.
Narrator:
FAR AWAY IN FLORIDA,
PAT TUTHILL
IS STILL EAGERLY AWAITING
A CALL FROM HER DAUGHTER
ABOUT HER JOB INTERVIEW.
INSTEAD OF PEYTON'S VOICE
ON THE PHONE,
SHE GETS THE WORST NEWS
A MOTHER CAN EVER HEAR.
Tuthill:
THE ROOM WAS SILENT.
I KNEW, AT THAT MOMENT,
SOMETHING HAPPENED --
AND I FELT IT --
TO ONE OF MY DAUGHTERS.
AND THEN SOMEONE SAID, "PEYTON."
IT'S PEYTON.
IS SHE HURT?
I SAID, "WAS SHE SKIING?
WHAT? DID SHE HAVE A FALL?"
AND THEIR HEADS WERE SHAKING NO.
[ SIGHS ]
AND AFTER A FEW DEEP BREATHS,
I SCREAMED,
"SOMEBODY PLEASE TELL ME!"
AND THE WORDS CAME OUT --
"SHE'S BEEN KILLED."
[ WIND HOWLING ]
[ WIND HOWLING ]
Narrator: AT THE BASE
OF THE RUGGED ROCKIES,
IN THE THIN, COLD AIR OF WINTER,
DENVER POLICE INVESTIGATE THE
BRUTAL MURDER OF PEYTON TUTHILL.
Ritter, Jr.: I'VE BEEN
TO A LOT OF MURDER SCENES.
I'VE TRIED A LOT
OF MURDER CASES,
SEEN PHOTOGRAPHS OF CASES,
AND IT WAS JUST HORRIFIC WHAT
HAD BEEN DONE TO PEYTON TUTHILL.
SAVAGERY, BUTCHERY, HORRIFIC --
THOSE KINDS OF WORDS
COME TO MIND.
Narrator:
AN AUTOPSY REVEALS
HER ATTACKER SEXUALLY ASSAULTED
HER, SLIT HER THROAT,
AND PLUNGED A 12-INCH BLADE
INTO HER 17 TIMES,
PUNCTURING HER HEART.
THE SEXUAL ASSAULT
OBVIOUSLY RULES ROOMMATE
HEATHER NELSON OUT AS A SUSPECT.
[ SCREAMING ]
DEFENSIVE WOUNDS SHOW
PEYTON NEVER GAVE UP.
THERE WAS A HUGE STRUGGLE.
PEYTON REALLY FOUGHT
FOR HER LIFE.
SHE FOUGHT BACK, WHICH IS
TOTALLY IN LINE WITH PEYTON,
BECAUSE
SHE WAS NOT A PASSIVE PERSON.
AND IT ALL MADE SENSE TO US
WHEN WE HEARD THAT.
Narrator:
HER TENACITY KEPT HER ALIVE
LONGER THAN ANYONE
COULD HAVE IMAGINED.
SHE SURVIVED THE ASSAULT,
ONLY TO BLEED TO DEATH AS HER
ATTACKER WASHED UP DOWNSTAIRS.
I WAS TRYING TO THINK,
"WHO WOULD WANT TO MURDER HER?
WHO WOULD WANT TO? WHY?"
IT WAS BEYOND
ANYTHING I COULD IMAGINE.
Narrator:
HOW COULD SUCH A BEAUTIFUL LIFE
COME TO SUCH A VIOLENT END?
THERE WAS A MOTTO THAT
PEYTON LIVED BY, AND THAT WAS,
"WE CAN WATCH THINGS HAPPEN,
OR WE CAN MAKE THEM HAPPEN."
AND SHE WAS ONE
TO MAKE THEM HAPPEN.
Narrator: PEYTON ALWAYS DREAMED
OF GOING OUT WEST,
ASKING FOR A COURSE
AT THE NATIONAL OUTDOOR
LEADERSHIP SCHOOL IN WYOMING
AS A COLLEGE-GRADUATION PRESENT.
SHE RODE HORSEBACK ALONG THE
SNOWY TRAILS OF THE GRAND TETONS
AND LEARNED OUTDOOR SURVIVAL
IN UNFORGIVING TERRAIN.
IN THE COLD AND SNOW,
SHE FOUND HERSELF.
IT'S FUNNY,
'CAUSE SHE'S COVERED IN SNOW.
AND WHEN MOST PEOPLE
WOULD HAVE BEEN MISERABLE,
SHE THOUGHT IT WAS THE BEST.
YOU COULD TELL
BY THAT SMILE ON HER FACE.
SHE ALWAYS HAD THAT SMILE,
NO MATTER WHAT.
Tuthill:
THAT'S WHY I LOVE --
THAT PICTURE WAS REALLY PART OF
HER EXPLORATION AND TO FIND OUT
WHAT SHE WAS REALLY CAPABLE OF
AND WHAT SHE COULD DO.
Narrator:
WHEN SHE GOT HOME,
SHE TALKED HEATHER
INTO A COLORADO VACATION.
Nelson Goldwater:
WE SPENT A WEEK TRAVELING,
GOING TO BRECKENRIDGE, BOULDER,
YOU NAME IT.
AND WE LOOKED AT EACH OTHER ONE
NIGHT WHEN WE WERE DRIVING,
AND SHE SAID, "LET'S DO THIS.
LET'S MOVE HERE."
[ PROJECTOR WHIRRING ]
Narrator:
THREE WEEKS LATER,
THEY PACKED UP THEIR LIVES
AND THEIR BRAND-NEW WINTER WEAR
AND LEFT THE SUNNY SOUTH
FOR THE WILD WEST.
GIRLS...
WE'RE GETTING THERE!
...YOU BE CAREFUL.
I LOVE YOU.
I LOVE YOU SO MUCH.
I WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU
EVERY DAY. YOU HEAR ME?
EVERY DAY.
[ CAR DOOR CLOSES,
ENGINE TURNS OVER ]
Narrator: PEYTON FOUND
A VICTORIAN DUPLEX FOR RENT.
IT MIGHT HAVE SEEMED REALLY NICE
THAT SHE GOT HER VICTORIAN HOME,
AND I BET SHE WAS EXCITED
ABOUT IT,
BUT SHE MIGHT NOT HAVE KNOWN
THAT SHE WAS A BLOCK AWAY
FROM ONE OF COLORADO'S
REHAB CENTERS.
YOU KNOW, GAVE HER MY BLESSING,
AND I STRUGGLED WITH THAT.
I THOUGHT ONCE, "WELL,
MAYBE I SHOULD FLY OUT THERE
AND LOOK AT THE HOUSE
AND LOOK AT THE NEIGHBORHOOD."
AND THEN I HAD TO STEP BACK
AS A MOM AND SAY,
"OKAY. I HAVE TO LET HER START
MAKING HER OWN DECISIONS."
[ CHUCKLES ]
OH, MY GOODNESS!
HEY, GUYS.
CHECK ME OUT.
OH, MY GOD.
YOU LOOK SO CUTE!
[ WHISTLES ]
Narrator: PEYTON EASED
HER MOTHERS'S CONCERNS
WHEN SHE AND HEATHER FOUND A
MALE ROOMMATE -- ALEXANDER PECK.
PECK MOVED TO DENVER
FROM GEORGIA
AND WORKED
FOR A CAR-RENTAL COMPANY.
Nelson Goldwater:
ACTUALLY, WE MET HIM IN A BAR.
AND HE WAS STAYING
WITH A PAIR OF FRIENDS
THAT HAD MOVED OUT THERE,
AND HE NEEDED A PLACE TO STAY.
SO, WE ALL GOT -- IT WAS LIKE
"THREE'S COMPANY" KIND OF IDEA.
Narrator:
THEN SHE MET EVAN PAULSON
AND SKATED
INTO AN INTENSE COURTSHIP.
HE WAS A COLORADO NATIVE.
SO HE WAS ABLE TO TAKE HER
TO PLACES THAT SHE'D NEVER SEEN
AND ENJOY PARTS OF COLORADO.
Narrator:
EVERYTHING WAS WORKING OUT.
I REMEMBER THAT NIGHT, BEFORE,
ON FEBRUARY 23rd.
SHE CAME INTO MY ROOM,
AND SHE WAS EXCITED ABOUT
THIS INTERVIEW -- SO EXCITED.
AND I SAID,
"YOU'RE SO GONNA GET IT."
AND SHE'S LIKE,
"THIS IS GONNA BE GREAT.
OUR LIFE IS SO GREAT."
AND WE HUGGED EACH OTHER,
AND THAT WAS THE LAST TIME
I EVER SAW HER.
[ PROJECTOR WHIRRING ]
Narrator: AFTER THE MURDER,
HEATHER NOTICES SEVERAL ITEMS
MISSING FROM THE HOUSE,
INCLUDING HER BOYFRIEND'S
BLUE COAT, A BLACK SHOPPING BAG,
AND A LARGE PILE OF LOOSE COINS.
EVIDENCE TECHS DETERMINE
THE BLOODY SHOE PRINTS
COME FROM A COMMON BRAND
OF TENNIS SHOE.
IF DETECTIVES FIND
A SUSPECT WITH THOSE SHOES,
THEY COULD CHECK FOR A MATCH.
THE RAPE SWABS AND
PEYTON'S FINGERNAIL SCRAPINGS
OFFER EVEN MORE CLUES.
THEIR DNA CAME
FROM THE SAME PERSON,
AND IT MATCHES
THE DNA RECOVERED FROM
THE BEER BOTTLE IN THE KITCHEN.
SO, WHOSE DNA IS IT?
ALEXANDER PECK
IS OF PARTICULAR INTEREST.
McKinley:
WELL, THINGS ARE LOOKING
PRETTY SUSPICIOUS EARLY ON,
BECAUSE HE'S THE ONE
WHO MADE THE FIRST CALL,
AND THE BODY'S FOUND NOT
IN HER OWN BEDROOM BUT IN HIS.
Priest:
YOU KNOW, "I DIDN'T DO IT,"
MAY BE THE FIRST RESPONSE
OUT OF HIS MOUTH.
BUT, AGAIN,
I'VE TALKED TO A LOT OF PEOPLE
WHO SAID THEY DIDN'T DO IT,
AND IT TURNED OUT THEY DID.
Narrator:
AND WHAT ABOUT PEYTON'S
NEW BOYFRIEND, EVAN PAULSON?
HAD HIS ADORATION
TURNED INTO OBSESSION?
McKinley: PEYTON DIDN'T HAVE
YOUR NORMAL LIVING SITUATION
IN THAT SHE HAD A MALE ROOMMATE,
YET SHE HAD A BOYFRIEND.
POLICE THOUGHT
MAYBE IT WAS A LOVE TRIANGLE,
WHERE SOMEONE GOT JEALOUS
AND DECIDED TO KILL HER
TO KEEP HER
FROM LOVING SOMEONE ELSE.
Narrator:
PEYTON'S BOYFRIEND ADMITS
TO BEING THE LAST KNOWN PERSON
TO SEE HER ALIVE.
HE TELLS POLICE SHE MET HIM FOR
LUNCH AFTER HER JOB INTERVIEW.
HE WAS PLANNING TO TREAT HER
TO A CELEBRATORY DINNER
THAT EVENING AT 5:00.
SHE NEVER SHOWED.
Priest: COULD THIS BE
A DOMESTIC VIOLENCE?
COULD A BOYFRIEND
COME OVER TO THE HOUSE,
FORCE ENTRY INTO THE HOME,
GET IN AN ARGUMENT,
AND KILL HER IN A RAGE
AND NOT FEEL A BIG URGE
TO HAVE TO LEAVE
BECAUSE HE KNOWS
WHAT THE SCHEDULES ARE
OF THE OTHER TWO ROOMMATES?
COULD THAT BE A POSSIBILITY?
Narrator: INVESTIGATORS
COLLECT HIS DNA, TOO.
IT DOES NOT MATCH THE MATERIAL
FROM THE CRIME SCENE,
AND NEITHER DOES
ROOMMATE ALEXANDER PECK'S.
WITH THOSE CLOSEST TO PEYTON
RULED OUT,
DETECTIVES EXPAND
THEIR INVESTIGATION OUTWARD.
McKinley:
POLICE HAD A LOT TO CHECK OUT.
THEY DIDN'T KNOW
WHO MIGHT HAVE DONE THIS.
Narrator:
THEY INTERVIEW NEIGHBORS
AND GET AN IMPORTANT TIP.
[ PROJECTOR WHIRRING ]
A PASSERBY SAYS SHE SAW SOMEONE
NEAR PEYTON'S HOME
AROUND 1:00 THAT AFTERNOON.
SHE SAW A BLACK MALE
THAT WAS LEAVING THE HOME
AND WALKING NEAR
THE TRASH DUMPSTERS
WHO WAS WEARING A BLUE JACKET.
Narrator:
THE EYEWITNESS SAYS
HE WAS ABOUT 6'1",
A LITTLE OVER 200 POUNDS.
SHE HELPS DEVELOP
A COMPOSITE SKETCH,
THOUGH INVESTIGATORS STILL HAVE
NO SUSPECTS TO COMPARE IT TO.
POLICE REVISIT THE CLUES,
STILL PUZZLED BY THE MISSING
LINER IN THE KITCHEN TRASH.
DETECTIVES WIDEN
THEIR SEARCH FOR EVIDENCE.
Priest: I STARTED LOOKING
THROUGH THE DUMPSTERS,
AND THE SECOND DUMPSTER
THAT I CAME TO,
I FOUND A PLASTIC TRASH BAG.
I SAID,
"THAT'S WHAT I'M LOOKING FOR."
AND I HIT THE JACKPOT WITH THAT.
McKinley: UNFORTUNATELY FOR
THE KILLER, IT WASN'T TRASH DAY.
IT WAS A TRASH BAG
FULL OF CLUES --
A MOLDING FROM THE DOOR WHEN
THE KILLER BROKE INTO THE HOUSE,
THE KEYS TO PEYTON'S CAR,
AND A GREY SWEATSHIRT
COVERED WITH BLOOD.
THE SWEATSHIRT WAS SOAKING WET.
Priest: THAT'S WHEN
I MADE THE CONNECTION
TO THE WASHING MACHINE --
THAT THIS LOOKS LIKE
SOMEBODY HAS LAUNDERED IT
IN SOME FASHION.
Narrator:
THE CLUES KEEP COMING.
WE FOUND A WHITE HAND TOWEL
THAT HAD BLOOD ON IT,
AND INSIDE THE WHITE HAND TOWEL
WAS A KNIFE.
Narrator: AMONG THIS
CRUCIAL NEW EVIDENCE --
THE SWEATSHIRT'S CLOTHING TAG.
THE MOST INTERESTING PART
ABOUT THE CLOTHING TAG
WAS THE NAME
THAT WAS WRITTEN ON THE TAG.
Narrator: A GUT INSTINCT
ABOUT A MISSING TRASH BAG
HAS BROUGHT THEM TO EXACTLY
WHAT THEY NEEDED -- A NAME.
IVAN COFFER.
IT'S JUST THAT, "AHA! I KNEW IT.
I KNEW THAT THIS WAS IMPORTANT."
AND THERE IT WAS.
[ WIND HOWLING ]
[ WIND HOWLING ]
Narrator:
DENVER POLICE HOPE TO CATCH
THE BRAZEN SEXUAL PREDATOR
WHO MURDERED PEYTON TUTHILL.
Priest: I'VE LOOKED
AT A LOT OF HOMICIDE CASES,
AND UNFORTUNATELY,
THERE ARE INDIVIDUALS
WHO PUT THEMSELVES
INTO BAD POSITIONS IN LIFE.
THEIR LIFESTYLE
TENDED TO PUT THEM AT
A HIGHER RISK THAN OTHER PEOPLE.
PEYTON DIDN'T DO THAT
TO HERSELF.
PEYTON WAS IN A GROUP
THAT WE USUALLY IDENTIFY
AS TRUE VICTIMS,
MEANING THAT SHE WAS SIMPLY
TRYING TO LIVE A LIFE.
Narrator: DETECTIVES FOCUS
ON THE NAME TAG FROM
A BLOOD-STAINED SWEATSHIRT
FOUND WITH THE MURDER WEAPON.
YOU COULDN'T WRITE FICTION
BETTER THAN THIS,
BUT IT WAS REALLY HAPPENING.
I MEAN, THEY HAD ALL THESE CLUES
THAT TIED THE KILLER
TO THE MURDER, INCLUDING A NAME.
NEITHER PEYTON'S FAMILY
NOR FRIENDS
RECOGNIZED THE NAME
ON THE TAG -- IVAN COFFER.
WE KNEW THE NEIGHBORHOOD HAD
A HALFWAY HOUSE
JUST A COUPLE DOORS DOWN
FROM OUR VICTIM'S DUPLEX.
IT WAS
A DRUG-REHABILITATION PLACE,
WHERE THEY TOOK PEOPLE
WHO HAD PROBLEMS
INSIDE
THE CRIMINAL-JUSTICE SYSTEM
AND ALSO HAD
SUBSTANCE-ABUSE PROBLEMS,
IN ORDER TO GET THEM
CLEAN AND SOBER.
YOU KNOW, "THIS MAY
BE ASSOCIATED WITH
THAT HALFWAY HOUSE."
SO WE WENT DOWN
AND KNOCKED ON THEIR DOOR.
Narrator: SURE ENOUGH,
THE THIRD NAME ON THE CENTER'S
CLIENT LIST IS IVAN COFFER.
IMMEDIATELY, WE'RE LOOKING
AT EACH OTHER THINKING,
"IT CAN'T BE THIS EASY.
WE CAN'T BE SOLVING THIS CRIME
THIS EASY."
Narrator:
HAD COFFER GROWN OBSESSED WITH
THE BEAUTIFUL GIRL NEXT DOOR...
...THEN WAITED
FOR THE RIGHT MOMENT TO POUNCE?
DETECTIVES BRING HIM IN
FOR QUESTIONING.
HE TELLS US THAT HE WAS NOT
RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY HOMICIDE,
HE DID NOT BREAK INTO
ANYBODY'S HOME.
Narrator:
EVEN SO, HE SEEMS TO MATCH
THE EYE-WITNESS DESCRIPTION
OF THE MAN IN THE BLUE JACKET
SEEN BEHIND PEYTON'S HOUSE.
HE IS A BLACK MALE.
HE'S ABOUT 6'1",
WEIGHS ABOUT 230 POUNDS.
Narrator:
DETECTIVES SEARCH HIS ROOM.
[ POLICE RADIO CHATTER ]
HEY, DETECTIVE?
Priest: HE HAD PUT HIS NAME
IN EVERYTHING.
IT WAS IN HIS SHORTS, IN HIS
T- SHIRTS, IN HIS JACKETS --
EVERYTHING
HAD HIS NAME ON IT.
"WHY DO I HAVE YOUR SHIRT
AT MY CRIME SCENE?"
HE SAYS, "I DON'T HAVE
THAT SHIRT ANYMORE."
I SAYS, "WHAT?
WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU
DON'T HAVE THAT SHIRT ANYMORE?"
HE SAYS,
"WELL, I GAVE THE SHIRT AWAY."
RIGHT. SURE YOU DID.
Narrator: INVESTIGATORS BOOK HIM
AND OBTAIN DNA SAMPLES.
POLICE LEARN
COFFER WAS SENTENCED TO 12 YEARS
IN MARYLAND ON DRUG CHARGES.
HE ONLY SERVED A YEAR BEFORE THE
COURT ORDERED HIM TO COMPLETE
THE DRUG AND ALCOHOL
TREATMENT PROGRAM IN COLORADO
AS A CONDITION OF EARLY RELEASE.
Tuthill:
I WAS OUTRAGED.
NO ONE WAS REALLY AWARE
OF THE TYPE OF RESIDENTS
THAT WERE MOVING INTO
THE HALFWAY HOUSE --
WERE NOT AWARE OF THE FACT
THAT THEY WERE CONVICTS.
Narrator:
INVESTIGATORS NOW HOPE DNA
WILL SPELL JUSTICE FOR PEYTON.
WE HAD A SLAM-DUNK CASE.
WE KNEW THAT.
Narrator:
WHEN THE RESULTS COME BACK,
THE SLAM DUNK
BECOMES A TECHNICAL FOUL.
THE GENETICIST TOLD ME
THAT THE DNA DIDN'T MATCH.
AND I SAID, "WHAT DO YOU MEAN
IT DIDN'T MATCH?"
"WE HAVE THIS INDIVIDUAL'S
NAME TAG FROM HIS CLOTHES
"WRAPPED AROUND
OUR MURDER WEAPON.
"WE HAVE AN EYEWITNESS
THAT PUTS HIM AT THE SCENE
"AT THE TIME OF THE HOMICIDE.
"WHAT DO YOU MEAN
IT DOESN'T MATCH?
IT'S GOT TO MATCH. YOU MADE
A MISTAKE. DO IT AGAIN."
AND HE TELLS ME, "I'M TELLING
YOU THAT IT'S NOT HIM."
Narrator: IVAN COFFER WALKS OUT
OF JAIL A FREE MAN.
WHEN THE DETECTIVES TOLD US
IT WASN'T THE RIGHT GUY,
THEN YOU GET REALLY SCARED,
'CAUSE YOU THINK
THAT PERSON'S STILL OUT THERE.
AND IT SCARED US TO DEATH.
[ WIND HOWLING ]
[ WIND HOWLING ]
Narrator: AFTER THE SLAYING
OF 24-YEAR-OLD PEYTON TUTHILL,
DENVER POLICE FIND IVAN COFFER'S
NAME WITH THE MURDER WEAPON.
BUT DNA TESTING
CLEARS HIM AS A SUSPECT.
COFFER ADDS A TWIST
BY TELLING POLICE HE GAVE
A SWEATSHIRT WITH HIS NAME IN IT
TO ANOTHER RESIDENT
OF THE SAME HALFWAY HOUSE --
A GUY NAMED FRANK MACKLIN.
Priest:
HE SAYS, "I CAN PROVE IT."
I SAID,
"WELL, HOW YOU GONNA DO THAT?"
AND HE SAYS, "WELL, WHEN YOU'RE
IN A HALFWAY-HOUSE SETTING,
"IF YOU GIVE CLOTHING AWAY
OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT,
"YOU HAVE TO FILL OUT A FORM
SO THAT NO ONE CAN ACCUSE YOU OF
STEALING SOMEBODY ELSE'S STUFF."
SO, YOU HAVE TO HAVE
THIS TRANSFER THING.
AND SURE ENOUGH,
WE CHECKED AT THE HALFWAY HOUSE,
AND THERE'S A TRANSFER FORM
FOR THIS STUFF.
SO I HAVE A BRAND-NEW SUSPECT
AT THIS POINT.
HE'S A BLACK MALE.
HE IS 6'1".
HE WEIGHS 220 POUNDS.
THIS GUY LOOKS EXACTLY
LIKE OUR COMPOSITE DRAWING
CREATED BY OUR WITNESS THAT SAW
THE INDIVIDUAL OUTSIDE THE HOME.
Narrator: MACKLIN WAS PAROLED
TO THE DENVER HALFWAY HOUSE
AFTER A LONG PRISON STINT
ON DRUG CHARGES.
CRIMINAL RECORD
ISN'T DISPOSITIVE OF ANYTHING,
BUT YOU LOOK AT THAT
WHEN YOU'RE TRYING TO DECIDE
WHO'S A GOOD SUSPECT
IN A MURDER CASE.
YOU ALWAYS PULL A RECORD,
AND HIS WAS PRETTY LENGTHY.
Narrator: LIKE COFFER,
MACKLIN CLAIMS HE DIDN'T HAVE
THE SWEATSHIRT AT THE TIME.
HE SAYS HE GOT KICKED OUT
OF THE REHAB PROGRAM
TWO DAYS BEFORE PEYTON'S MURDER.
THE CENTER BAGGED UP HIS STUFF,
WHICH WAS STOLEN
BEFORE HE COULD CLAIM IT.
AND MISSING FROM THAT BAG
WAS THAT SWEATSHIRT.
I SAID,
"IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE?"
AND HE SAYS, "UM...YEAH.
"A PAIR OF GRAY, BLACK,
AND YELLOW TENNIS SHOES.
THOSE ARE MISSING, AS WELL."
Narrator:
THE SAME BRAND THAT LEFT
THE BLOODY PRINTS AT THE SCENE.
NOW I HAVE
A DOUBLE CONNECTION --
NOT ONLY DOES THE SHIRT CONNECT
ME TO THAT HALFWAY HOUSE,
BUT NOW THESE SHOES DO.
Narrator:
MACKLIN CLAIMS IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE
FOR HIM TO COMMIT THE MURDER.
HE SPENT THAT DAY IN JAIL
ON A MINOR CHARGE
AND DIDN'T GET RELEASED
UNTIL THE NEXT DAY.
Woman:
OPEN YOUR MOUTH A LITTLE BIT
WIDER SO I CAN GET IN THERE.
DETECTIVES COLLECT
A DNA SAMPLE.
YET AGAIN,
IT DOESN'T MATCH.
HE SAYS, "ON THE DAY OF THE
MURDER, FEBRUARY 24th, HMM...
I WAS IN JAIL."
[ Chuckling ] AND HE WAS.
THAT'S A PRETTY GOOD ALIBI.
Narrator:
ANOTHER SUSPECT CLEARED.
BUT POLICE ARE CERTAIN
THEY'RE ON THE RIGHT TRACK,
ZEROING IN ON THE KNOWN
CRIMINALS WHO LIVE NEAR PEYTON.
SOMEONE WITH CONTACT TO THIS
HALFWAY HOUSE IS OUR SUSPECT.
McKinley:
POLICE START ASKING AROUND,
AND PEOPLE AT THE HALFWAY HOUSE
ARE TALKING ABOUT ONE RESIDENT.
THIS NAME KEEPS POPPING UP
BECAUSE THIS GUY
IS A PHYSICAL AND VERBAL ABUSER.
AND THE NAME IS DONTA PAGE.
Priest: THEY JUST SAID,
"YOU KNOW, HE'S A BAD GUY.
"HE'S A BAD GUY.
"HE'S SOMEBODY THAT
YOU REALLY NEED TO LOOK AT.
HE'S A BAD GUY."
Narrator: A BACKGROUND CHECK
REVEALS THAT, LIKE IVAN COFFER,
A MARYLAND JUDGE RELEASED PAGE
FROM A 10-YEAR SENTENCE
FOR ARMED ROBBERY.
HIS RAP SHEET
WAS AS LONG AS I AM TALL.
HE HAD BEEN IN JAIL
NUMEROUS TIMES.
HE WAS SUPPOSED TO STILL BE
IN JAIL.
AND HE GOT OUT.
Narrator: FOUR MONTHS
BEFORE PEYTON'S MURDER,
HE WAS ORDERED TO COUNSELING
AT THE DENVER HALFWAY HOUSE.
I HAD SO MUCH ANGER.
I WAS CALLING
EVERY CITY OFFICIAL
THAT I COULD GET THROUGH TO
IN THE CITY OF DENVER,
CHECKING ON LICENSING,
HOW THIS HOUSE COULD BE
IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD.
I WAS VERY ANGRY.
I WAS ANGRY AT THE WORLD.
Narrator:
BUT THERE'S A CATCH --
PAGE'S POLICE MUG SHOTS
AND PHOTOS FROM THE CENTER
DON'T MATCH THE DESCRIPTION
FROM THE WITNESS.
HERE'S A GUY
THAT HAS A FULL BEARD
AND HAS A FULL HEAD OF HAIR.
I MEAN, HE'S COVERED IN HAIR.
I'M SAYING, "IT CAN'T BE HIM."
Narrator: MAYBE HE SHAVED
AND CUT HIS HAIR.
22-YEAR-OLD DONTA PAGE
WAS AT THE REHAB CENTER
WHEN MACKLIN SAYS THE SWEATSHIRT
AND SHOES WERE STOLEN.
HE GOT KICKED OUT OF THE PROGRAM
FOR ASSAULTING ANOTHER RESIDENT.
Priest: I SAID, "WELL,
WHEN DID HE LEAVE THE PROGRAM?"
SAYS, "WELL, LET ME LOOK."
AND THEY LOOK.
AND THEY SAY, "WELL,
HE GOT KICKED OUT ON
THE 24th OF FEBRUARY."
THE DAY OF OUR HOMICIDE...
HE'S KICKED OUT OF THE PROGRAM.
DONTA IS IN A BAD WAY AT THAT
PARTICULAR MOMENT IN HIS LIFE.
THERE'S A GOOD POSSIBILITY
HE'S GONNA END UP
GOING BACK TO PRISON.
Narrator: A MAN WITH NOTHING
LEFT TO LOSE IS A GOOD SUSPECT.
THE REHAB CENTER'S STAFF
EXPLAINS
THEY ORDERED HIM
TO GO BACK TO MARYLAND,
WHERE HE WAS SUPPOSED TO REPORT
TO PRISON.
I KNOW HE HAD MADE THREATS
TO ONE OF THE COUNSELORS THERE
THAT MORNING.
SO THEY GAVE HIM A BUS TICKET
AND KICKED HIM OUT AT 8:00 A.M.
AND HIS BUS TICKET WAS
FOR 3:00, 4:00 IN THE AFTERNOON.
WHAT ELSE ARE YOU GONNA DO
BUT GET IN TROUBLE?
Narrator: AND FOR PAGE,
PERHAPS GETTING IN TROUBLE BEGAN
WITH BREAKING INTO
PEYTON'S HOME.
McKinley: HE WAS GONNA GO BACK
TO MARYLAND WITH NO MONEY.
AND SO, PEYTON TUTHILL'S HOME
WAS RIGHT THERE.
SHE HAD NO IDEA
SOMEONE WAS WATCHING HER.
WELL, HE WAS.
AND THAT MORNING,
ON FEBRUARY 24th,
THAT'S WHEN HE MADE HIS MOVE.
[ WIND HOWLING ]
[ WIND HOWLING ]
[ POLICE RADIO CHATTER ]
Narrator:
DENVER POLICE SEEK DONTA PAGE
IN CONNECTION WITH THE STABBING
DEATH OF PEYTON TUTHILL.
CANVASSING THE AREA,
THEY FIND WITNESSES WHO SAW PAGE
AT A BUS STOP AFTER THE MURDER.
HE'S WEARING A BLUE JACKET.
AND HE WAS CARRYING
A BLACK SHOPPING BAG,
AND THAT SHOPPING BAG SOUNDED
AS IF IT HAD COINS IN IT.
AND NOW WE KNOW --
THIS HAS GOT TO BE HIM.
Narrator:
HEATHER HAD REPORTED
THE JACKET, BAG, AND COINS
MISSING FROM THE HOUSE.
INVESTIGATORS THINK PAGE HOPPED
ON A BUS TO BALTIMORE.
Narrator:
PEYTON'S MOTHER CAN'T BELIEVE
A CONVICTED CRIMINAL
WAS SIMPLY ASKED TO GO BACK
TO PRISON ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
I WAS OUTRAGED
ON THEIR RESPONSE OF SAYING,
"WE'RE GOING TO GIVE YOU
A GREYHOUND BUS TICKET
"AND YOU'RE GOING TO
JUST GET ON THE BUS
AND YOU'RE GONNA GO BACK
TO MARYLAND AND YOU'RE
GOING BACK TO PRISON."
UNESCORTED. YEAH, YOU KNOW, HE
COULD GET ON AND OFF ANYWHERE.
Narrator: DETECTIVE PRIEST
CONTACTS A BALTIMORE DETECTIVE
AND LEARNS
PAGE DID GO TO MARYLAND
THE DAY OF THE DENVER MURDER,
THOUGH PRISON
WASN'T HIS FIRST STOP.
Priest:
HE SAYS, "OH, WELL.
"DONTA, HE JUST GOT OFF THE BUS
A COUPLE DAYS AGO,
"COMING BACK FROM DENVER,
"AND WALKED
INTO A CHINESE RESTAURANT.
AND WHILE HE'S IN THERE,
HE STEALS THE CASH REGISTER."
GET DOWN. GET DOWN!
GET DOWN!
"REALLY?"
HE SAYS, "YEAH."
"WHEN YOU SEE A GUY THAT BIG
RUNNING DOWN THE STREET
CARRYING A CASH REGISTER,
YOU JUST KIND OF REMEMBER THAT."
Narrator:
ARRESTED FOR THAT ROBBERY,
DONTA PAGE NOW SITS
IN A MARYLAND JAIL.
HIS DNA IS ALREADY ON FILE.
WE HAD HIS DNA
AND THEN HAD THE ABILITY
TO LOOK AT HIS DNA
AND COMPARE IT
TO THE PERSON WHO ASSAULTED --
ULTIMATELY MURDERED --
PEYTON TUTHILL.
WE WERE ABLE TO MATCH THE DNA.
Narrator:
DENVER AUTHORITIES RACE
TO BALTIMORE TO INTERVIEW PAGE.
FOR TWO HOURS, HE DENIES
HE'D EVER SEEN PEYTON TUTHILL
OR BEEN INSIDE HER HOUSE.
I DON'T KNOW A PEYTON.
LOOK FAMILIAR?
Priest: I SAID, "I KNOW
THAT YOU BROKE INTO THE HOUSE.
I KNOW
THAT YOU KILLED THE GIRL."
AND I SHUT UP,
AND I DIDN'T SAY ANOTHER WORD.
AND IT FELT LIKE FOREVER.
DOES THAT KITCHEN
LOOK FAMILIAR?
HE SHAKES HIS HEAD.
HE LOOKS UP AT ME.
HE SAYS, "DETECTIVE..."
HE SAYS, "YOU DON'T HAVE TO PLAY
WITH ME ANYMORE."
A- ALL RIGHT, MAN.
ALL RIGHT.
I DID IT.
ALL RIGHT?
LISTEN -- S-SO WHAT?
I DID IT.
AND, I MEAN, I'M JUST
JUMPING UP AND DOWN INSIDE.
I JUST WANT TO RUN AROUND THE
ROOM AND HIGH-FIVE EVERYBODY,
"YES! I GOT HIM!"
AND I HAVE TO MAINTAIN THAT
DEMEANOR OF JUST LOOKING AT HIM.
AT WHAT POINT
IN THE EVENT...
Narrator:
HE CONFIRMS HE WAS KICKED OUT OF
THE REHAB PROGRAM THAT MORNING
AND GIVEN A BUS PASS
BACK TO BALTIMORE.
BEFORE THE BUS LEFT,
HE HAD TIME ON HIS HANDS.
HE HAD SEEN HIS PRETTY NEIGHBOR
LEAVE EARLIER
AND KNEW IT WAS SAFE
TO BREAK INTO HER HOUSE
TO STEAL SOME CASH.
[ PROJECTOR WHIRRING ]
WHEN PEYTON CAME HOME,
HE WAS WAITING THERE FOR HER.
[ CAR DOOR CLOSES ]
HE GRABBED A BUTCHER KNIFE
FROM THE KITCHEN.
[ MAGGIE BARKING ]
MAGGIE, I'M HOME!
IT'S OKAY, MAGGIE.
I'M COMING.
IT'S OKAY.
CALM DOWN.
COME HERE!
[ SCREAMS ] NO!
[ BARKING CONTINUES ]
[ SCREAMS ]
NO! NO! NO!
Narrator: HE RAPED HER, THEN
STABBED HER, SLIT HER THROAT,
AND LEFT HER FOR DEAD.
PAGE ADMITS
HE TRIED WASHING PEYTON'S BLOOD
FROM THE STOLEN SWEATSHIRT.
Nelson Goldwater:
HE WENT DOWNSTAIRS AND GOT NAKED
AND WASHED HIS CLOTHES IN MY
WASHER/DRYER AND DRANK, NAKED,
WATCHING CABLE ON OUR COUCH.
Narrator: WHEN THE BLOOD
WOULDN'T COME OUT,
PAGE BAGGED UP THE SHIRT, THE
KNIFE, AND THE BROKEN DOOR TRIM.
HE TOOK THE BLUE COAT
AND THREW CASH AND LOOSE CHANGE
IN THE BLACK BAG.
ON HIS WAY OUT, HE TOSSED
THE EVIDENCE IN THE DUMPSTER,
THEN WALKED TO THE BUS DEPOT
AND HOPPED A RIDE TO BALTIMORE
WITH PEYTON'S BLOOD
STILL ON HIS PANTS AND SHOES.
[ PROJECTOR WHIRRING ]
HE TAKES HIS BUS TRIP TO
MARYLAND AND THEN ROBS SOMEONE.
IT'S PROOF
THAT HE'S AN EVIL BEING
WITH NO CARE FOR LIFE
WHATSOEVER.
Priest: DONTA WAS
A TRUE PSYCHOPATHIC PERSONALITY.
DONTA CARED ABOUT DONTA --
NO ONE ELSE.
Narrator:
PROSECUTORS CHARGE HIM WITH
BURGLARY, AGGRAVATED ROBBERY,
SEXUAL ASSAULT,
AND FIRST-DEGREE MURDER.
A JURY FINDS DONTA PAGE GUILTY
ON ALL CHARGES.
A THREE-JUDGE PANEL DETERMINES
THE CRIME DOES NOT WARRANT
THE DEATH PENALTY.
THEY SENTENCE HIM
TO LIFE WITHOUT THE POSSIBILITY
OF PAROLE PLUS 224 YEARS.
I WANTED TO LOOK EACH ONE
OF THEM IN THE EYE AND SAY,
"TELL ME, IF YOUR DAUGHTER
IS STABBED 17 TIMES,
"HER THROAT SLIT,
SHE'S SEXUALLY ASSAULTED,
"HER HANDS ARE CUT BECAUSE
SHE'S FIGHTING FOR HER LIFE --
"AND THAT'S NOT HEINOUS ENOUGH?
I NEED YOU
TO DEFINE THAT FOR ME."
IT STILL CAUSES ME GREAT ANGER
TODAY,
HOW THE COURT COULD SAY THAT.
Nelson Goldwater:
THAT WAS THE FIRST FACE OF EVIL
THAT I REALLY EVER SAW, WAS HIM.
AND...
[ SIGHS ]
YOU KNOW, I ALWAYS SAID THIS,
AFTER SHE DIED --
"HE DIDN'T EVEN KNOW HER NAME."
HE ATTACKED HER, STABBED HER,
RAPED HER,
AND HE DIDN'T EVEN KNOW
HER NAME.
HE DIDN'T KNOW SHE WAS A PERSON.
HE COULD CARE LESS.
Narrator:
PAT TUTHILL MOURNS HER DAUGHTER
AND PAYS HER TRIBUTE
THROUGH ACTIVISM.
SHE NOW DEVOTES HER LIFE
TO CHANGING
PROBATION AND PAROLE PROCEDURE.
HER COMMITMENT HELPED IMPROVE
THE INTER-STATE COMPACT,
TO BETTER TRACK AND MONITOR
OFFENDERS
WHEN TRANSFERRED STATE TO STATE.
Ritter, Jr.: AS A RESULT,
PAT TUTHILL VERY MUCH MAY
HAVE SAVED OTHER PEOPLE'S LIVES.
Narrator:
YET NOTHING FULLY TAKES AWAY THE
PAIN OF LOSING A CHILD THIS WAY.
HE'S BREATHING AND SHE'S NOT.
WHERE -- WHERE IS THE FAIRNESS?
WHERE IS THE JUSTICE?
HOW DOES THIS BALANCE OUT?
MY DAUGHTER SHOULD BE ALIVE.
Nelson Goldwater:
YOU KNOW, A LOT OF PEOPLE
WILL SAY A PRAYER, SOMETIMES,
IF YOU'RE GOING ON THE ROAD --
THINGS LIKE,
"GOD, PLEASE WATCH OVER ME."
INSTEAD, I JUST SAY,
"PEYTON, WATCH OVER ME."
SHE'S NOW MY ANGEL
THAT I TALK TO
AND THINK SHE'S UP THERE,
TRYING TO TAKE CARE OF ME.
IN THE ICY EXTREMES OF COLORADO,
THE WEATHER CAN BE WICKED,
AND PREDATORS ROAM FREE.
Man:
BEARS AND MOUNTAIN LIONS
ARE KNOWN TO GET PEOPLE
FROM TIME TO TIME,
AND, SOMETIMES,
EVEN THE HUMAN PREDATORS.
Narrator:
IN DENVER, A BRUTAL MURDER
LEAVES LOVED ONES STUNNED.
WE WEREN'T PUTTING OURSELVES
IN ANY DANGER --
AT LEAST,
WE DIDN'T THINK WE WERE.
Tuthill: I WAS TRYING TO THINK,
"WHO WOULD WANT TO MURDER HER?
WHO WOULD WANT TO? WHY?"
I MEAN, I'M SCREAMING
AT THIS TIME, 'CAUSE
YOU'RE FLIPPING OUT.
Narrator: POLICE HUNT FOR A
MADMAN WHO STAYS ONE STEP AHEAD.
Ritter, Jr.:
SAVAGERY, BUTCHERY, HORRIFIC --
THOSE KINDS OF WORDS
COME TO MIND.
[ SCREAMING ]
Priest:
YOU KNOW, HE'S A BAD GUY.
HE'S A BAD GUY.
TRUE PSYCHOPATHIC PERSONALITY.
CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY
DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS
Narrator: IN THE FOOTHILLS
OF THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS
LIES DENVER, COLORADO,
ONE OF THE ORIGINAL GOLD-RUSH
TOWNS OF THE WILD WEST.
Ritter, Jr.:
OUR ROOTS WERE IN MINING,
AND EARLY PEOPLE WHO CAME HERE
FOR GOLD AND SILVER
WERE RUGGED INDIVIDUALS,
LET'S SAY.
Narrator:
ITS SNOW-CAPPED PEAKS BECKON
SURVIVALISTS, HUNTERS,
AND THRILL-SEEKERS...
...LIKE 24-YEAR-OLD
PEYTON TUTHILL.
IN 1998, SHE LEAVES
THE SANDY SHORES OF FLORIDA
TO EMBRACE
DENVER'S ICY CHALLENGE.
PEYTON BELONGED IN A RUGGED
PLACE BECAUSE SHE WAS TOUGH.
I MEAN,
SHE WAS STRONG, PHYSICALLY.
SHE WAS A TOUGH GIRL.
Narrator:
SHE MOVES TO THE MILE-HIGH CITY
WITH HER BEST FRIEND, HEATHER.
THE THING WITH COLORADO --
IT GETS IN YOUR BLOOD
THAT YOU WANT TO GET UP,
YOU WANT TO GO OUTSIDE,
YOU WANT TO GO HAVE FUN
AND BE HEALTHY AND EXERCISE.
I MEAN, WE LOVED IT.
Narrator:
VERY QUICKLY, EVERYTHING
SEEMS TO CLICK INTO PLACE --
NEW HOUSE,
NEW JOB ON THE HORIZON,
AND A NEW BOYFRIEND
SHE ADORES -- EVAN PAULSON.
Nelson Goldwater:
THEY FELL HEAD-OVER-HEELS
IN LOVE WITH EACH OTHER.
SHE WAS CRAZY ABOUT HIM,
AND HE WAS CRAZY ABOUT HER.
I SHOULD PROBABLY GO CHECK
ON MAGGIE AND GET CHANGED.
YEAH. ALL RIGHT.
BUT I'LL SEE YOU LATER.
TAKE CARE.
Narrator: IT'S THE KIND OF LIFE
SHE'S ALWAYS DREAMED OF --
UNTIL FEBRUARY 24, 1999...
WHEN EVERYTHING CHANGES.
1,800 MILES AWAY
IN SUNNY FLORIDA,
HER MOTHER HAS A PREMONITION
THAT SENDS AN ICY SHIVER
DOWN HER SPINE.
ALL OF A SUDDEN, I WAS WASHED
WITH THIS THOUGHT --
"WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF ANYTHING
EVER HAPPENED TO PEYTON?"
AND I THOUGHT, "OH,
I GUESS I'M JUST MISSING HER."
Narrator:
SHE HAS NO WAY TO KNOW THE EVIL
HER DAUGHTER IS ABOUT TO FACE.
JUST AFTER
HER BIG JOB INTERVIEW,
PEYTON STOPS BY THE HOUSE
TO LET THE DOG OUT...
[ MAGGIE BARKING ]
MAGGIE, I'M HOME!
Narrator:...BEFORE MEETING
HER BOYFRIEND FOR DINNER.
IT'S OKAY, MAGGIE.
Narrator:
SHE THINKS THE HOUSE IS EMPTY.
Tuthill:
EVERYBODY WAS ANXIOUS TO KNOW
HOW HER JOB INTERVIEW WAS.
I CALLED HER THAT NIGHT
AND DIDN'T GET AN ANSWER.
AND I THOUGHT, "WELL, SHE'S OUT
CELEBRATING WITH HER FRIENDS."
Narrator:
LATER THAT EVENING,
ONE OF PEYTON'S ROOMMATES,
ALEXANDER PECK, CONTACTS POLICE.
HE MAKES A PHONE CALL, SAYING,
"HEY, UH...
MY HOUSE HAS BEEN BURGLARIZED."
Narrator: A DENVER OFFICER
ARRIVES MINUTES LATER.
FOLLOWING PROTOCOL,
HE INSTRUCTS PECK TO JOIN HIM
TO POINT OUT ANY MISSING ITEMS.
BUT, ONCE INSIDE,
THIS IS NO SIMPLE BURGLARY.
[ MAGGIE BARKING ]
THERE'S A TRAIL
OF BLOODY FOOTPRINTS
FROM THE KITCHEN UP THE STAIRS.
IS THAT YOUR DOG?
IT'S -- IT'S PEYTON'S.
[ BARKING CONTINUES ]
ON THE SECOND FLOOR,
PECK POINTS OUT MORE BLOOD
AT THE DOOR TO HIS ROOM.
OFFICER?
IN THE CORNER,
THE BATTERED BODY...
OF PEYTON TUTHILL.
I ALWAYS BEGIN WHERE THE SUBJECT
MAY HAVE ENTERED THE HOME,
WHICH IS THROUGH THE BACK DOOR.
AND I BEGAN ANALYZING IT.
AND ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS
THAT I NOTICED
IS THERE
IS THIS PIECE OF DOOR FRAME
THAT IS MISSING FROM THE DOOR.
WHY WOULD SOMEBODY TAKE THAT
WITH THEM?
WHY WOULD THEY KEEP THAT?
AND I THOUGHT, "WHERE IS THIS?
IT SHOULD BE HERE,
AND IT'S NOT HERE."
THE TRASH CAN
DIDN'T HAVE A LINER IN IT,
BUT THE TRASH CAN
IS SPARKLING CLEAN.
AND I KNEW THAT THERE WERE TWO
FEMALES WHO LIVED IN THIS HOUSE.
AND I JUST KNOW
THAT THERE IS NO WAY THAT
THAT TRASH CAN IS NOT GONNA HAVE
A LINER IN IT.
BUT THERE'S NONE IN THERE.
IT'S NOT THERE.
OVER ON THE COUNTER, THERE'S
A SIX-PACK CONTAINER FOR BEER.
NEXT TO THAT
IS A BOTTLE OF BEER.
THE FACT THAT I HAD A BEER
BOTTLE WRAPPED WITH PAPER TOWEL
TELLS ME
I HAVE SOMEBODY THAT'S TRYING
TO HIDE THEIR FINGERPRINTS.
Narrator: DROPS OF BLOOD
DOT THE WASHING MACHINE,
AND BLOODY WATER
STILL POOLS INSIDE,
AS IF THE KILLER TOOK THE TIME
TO WASH SOME CLOTHES
AFTER THE ATTACK.
IT'S SCARY TO CONTEMPLATE
THAT SOMEBODY CAN BE
JUST SORT OF THAT COMPLACENT
THAT THEY WOULD STAY IN THE HOME
AND DO LAUNDRY.
Priest: THOSE ARE ALL TRAITS OF
SOMEBODY KNOWN TO THE VICTIM.
THOSE ARE ALL TRAITS
OF SOMEBODY THAT REALLY IS
IN A LOW-RISK POSITION,
BECAUSE, "I KNOW HOW THINGS WORK
AROUND HERE."
Narrator: INVESTIGATORS
START LOOKING CLOSE TO HOME --
AT HER ROOMMATES.
HERE WE HAVE A SITUATION
WHERE I HAVE TWO FEMALE
ROOMMATES AND A MALE ROOMMATE.
THERE MAY CERTAINLY BE SOMETHING
GOING ON
JUST BETWEEN THESE INDIVIDUALS,
AND THAT MAY BE THE CATALYST
FOR WHAT OCCURRED.
THERE'S NOTHING HERE
THAT TELLS ME A FEMALE'S
NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS CRIME.
Narrator: THING IS,
HEATHER NELSON DOESN'T APPEAR TO
KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THE MURDER.
AND I RAN IN AND I SAID,
"WHAT THE HELL
ARE YOU PEOPLE DOING HERE?"
I WAS FLIPPING OUT.
AND THEY SAID, "WHO ARE YOU?"
AND I SAID,
"I'M HEATHER AND I LIVE HERE.
WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?"
AND THEN, ALL OF A SUDDEN, I
WAS QUARANTINED INTO A COP CAR.
THEY TOLD ME
THAT WE HAD BEEN ROBBED
AND THAT
PEYTON WASN'T COMING DOWNSTAIRS.
AND I KEPT SAYING,
"IF YOU LET ME TALK TO HER,
I'LL GET HER DOWNSTAIRS.
DON'T WORRY.
I WILL GET HER DOWNSTAIRS."
OUR ROOMMATE
WAS ON THE BACK PORCH,
AND THEY WERE QUESTIONING HIM.
AND I SAID, "WHAT HAPPENED?"
I MEAN, I'M SCREAMING
AT THIS TIME, 'CAUSE
YOU'RE FLIPPING OUT.
AND HE SAID, "PEYTON'S UPSTAIRS,
AND THERE'S BLOOD."
Narrator: DETECTIVES NOTE
PEYTON WASN'T FOUND MURDERED
IN HER OWN BEDROOM,
BUT HER MALE ROOMMATE'S.
YOUR FIRST WITNESS
IS USUALLY YOUR FIRST SUSPECT.
I HAVE AN INDIVIDUAL, A MALE,
WHO MAKES A PHONE CALL
TELLING THE POLICE,
"MY HOUSE HAS BEEN BURGLARIZED."
UNIFORMED OFFICERS SHOW UP.
THEY SEARCH THE HOUSE AND FIND
A BODY INSIDE THE BEDROOM
OF THE VERY PERSON
WHO JUST MADE THAT PHONE CALL.
YEAH, HE'S RIGHT
AT THE TOP OF MY LIST.
Narrator: POLICE TAKE
BOTH ROOMMATES TO THE STATION
FOR MORE QUESTIONING
AND TO GET DNA SAMPLES.
AND HEATHER FINALLY LEARNS
WHAT HAPPENED.
A DETECTIVE COMES IN --
AND I DON'T REMEMBER HIS NAME --
AND HE SAID,
"MISS NELSON, I'M REALLY SORRY
THAT THIS IS TAKING SO LONG,
BUT THIS IS STANDARD
IN ANY MURDER CASE."
AND I,"WHAT? SHE'S DEAD?"
AND THEN I STARTED BAWLING
AND SCREAMING
AND I RAN OUT OF THE ROOM
AND I LOOKED UP
AND THERE WAS A DRY-ERASE BOARD
[Voice breaking]
WITH HER NAME ON IT
THAT SAID "MURDERED -- FEMALE."
[ SNIFFLES ]
THEY SAID, "WE NEED YOUR DNA."
AND THEN THAT'S WHEN IT HIT ME
THAT MAYBE THEY WERE
JUST THINKING I DID IT, TOO.
Narrator:
FAR AWAY IN FLORIDA,
PAT TUTHILL
IS STILL EAGERLY AWAITING
A CALL FROM HER DAUGHTER
ABOUT HER JOB INTERVIEW.
INSTEAD OF PEYTON'S VOICE
ON THE PHONE,
SHE GETS THE WORST NEWS
A MOTHER CAN EVER HEAR.
Tuthill:
THE ROOM WAS SILENT.
I KNEW, AT THAT MOMENT,
SOMETHING HAPPENED --
AND I FELT IT --
TO ONE OF MY DAUGHTERS.
AND THEN SOMEONE SAID, "PEYTON."
IT'S PEYTON.
IS SHE HURT?
I SAID, "WAS SHE SKIING?
WHAT? DID SHE HAVE A FALL?"
AND THEIR HEADS WERE SHAKING NO.
[ SIGHS ]
AND AFTER A FEW DEEP BREATHS,
I SCREAMED,
"SOMEBODY PLEASE TELL ME!"
AND THE WORDS CAME OUT --
"SHE'S BEEN KILLED."
[ WIND HOWLING ]
[ WIND HOWLING ]
Narrator: AT THE BASE
OF THE RUGGED ROCKIES,
IN THE THIN, COLD AIR OF WINTER,
DENVER POLICE INVESTIGATE THE
BRUTAL MURDER OF PEYTON TUTHILL.
Ritter, Jr.: I'VE BEEN
TO A LOT OF MURDER SCENES.
I'VE TRIED A LOT
OF MURDER CASES,
SEEN PHOTOGRAPHS OF CASES,
AND IT WAS JUST HORRIFIC WHAT
HAD BEEN DONE TO PEYTON TUTHILL.
SAVAGERY, BUTCHERY, HORRIFIC --
THOSE KINDS OF WORDS
COME TO MIND.
Narrator:
AN AUTOPSY REVEALS
HER ATTACKER SEXUALLY ASSAULTED
HER, SLIT HER THROAT,
AND PLUNGED A 12-INCH BLADE
INTO HER 17 TIMES,
PUNCTURING HER HEART.
THE SEXUAL ASSAULT
OBVIOUSLY RULES ROOMMATE
HEATHER NELSON OUT AS A SUSPECT.
[ SCREAMING ]
DEFENSIVE WOUNDS SHOW
PEYTON NEVER GAVE UP.
THERE WAS A HUGE STRUGGLE.
PEYTON REALLY FOUGHT
FOR HER LIFE.
SHE FOUGHT BACK, WHICH IS
TOTALLY IN LINE WITH PEYTON,
BECAUSE
SHE WAS NOT A PASSIVE PERSON.
AND IT ALL MADE SENSE TO US
WHEN WE HEARD THAT.
Narrator:
HER TENACITY KEPT HER ALIVE
LONGER THAN ANYONE
COULD HAVE IMAGINED.
SHE SURVIVED THE ASSAULT,
ONLY TO BLEED TO DEATH AS HER
ATTACKER WASHED UP DOWNSTAIRS.
I WAS TRYING TO THINK,
"WHO WOULD WANT TO MURDER HER?
WHO WOULD WANT TO? WHY?"
IT WAS BEYOND
ANYTHING I COULD IMAGINE.
Narrator:
HOW COULD SUCH A BEAUTIFUL LIFE
COME TO SUCH A VIOLENT END?
THERE WAS A MOTTO THAT
PEYTON LIVED BY, AND THAT WAS,
"WE CAN WATCH THINGS HAPPEN,
OR WE CAN MAKE THEM HAPPEN."
AND SHE WAS ONE
TO MAKE THEM HAPPEN.
Narrator: PEYTON ALWAYS DREAMED
OF GOING OUT WEST,
ASKING FOR A COURSE
AT THE NATIONAL OUTDOOR
LEADERSHIP SCHOOL IN WYOMING
AS A COLLEGE-GRADUATION PRESENT.
SHE RODE HORSEBACK ALONG THE
SNOWY TRAILS OF THE GRAND TETONS
AND LEARNED OUTDOOR SURVIVAL
IN UNFORGIVING TERRAIN.
IN THE COLD AND SNOW,
SHE FOUND HERSELF.
IT'S FUNNY,
'CAUSE SHE'S COVERED IN SNOW.
AND WHEN MOST PEOPLE
WOULD HAVE BEEN MISERABLE,
SHE THOUGHT IT WAS THE BEST.
YOU COULD TELL
BY THAT SMILE ON HER FACE.
SHE ALWAYS HAD THAT SMILE,
NO MATTER WHAT.
Tuthill:
THAT'S WHY I LOVE --
THAT PICTURE WAS REALLY PART OF
HER EXPLORATION AND TO FIND OUT
WHAT SHE WAS REALLY CAPABLE OF
AND WHAT SHE COULD DO.
Narrator:
WHEN SHE GOT HOME,
SHE TALKED HEATHER
INTO A COLORADO VACATION.
Nelson Goldwater:
WE SPENT A WEEK TRAVELING,
GOING TO BRECKENRIDGE, BOULDER,
YOU NAME IT.
AND WE LOOKED AT EACH OTHER ONE
NIGHT WHEN WE WERE DRIVING,
AND SHE SAID, "LET'S DO THIS.
LET'S MOVE HERE."
[ PROJECTOR WHIRRING ]
Narrator:
THREE WEEKS LATER,
THEY PACKED UP THEIR LIVES
AND THEIR BRAND-NEW WINTER WEAR
AND LEFT THE SUNNY SOUTH
FOR THE WILD WEST.
GIRLS...
WE'RE GETTING THERE!
...YOU BE CAREFUL.
I LOVE YOU.
I LOVE YOU SO MUCH.
I WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU
EVERY DAY. YOU HEAR ME?
EVERY DAY.
[ CAR DOOR CLOSES,
ENGINE TURNS OVER ]
Narrator: PEYTON FOUND
A VICTORIAN DUPLEX FOR RENT.
IT MIGHT HAVE SEEMED REALLY NICE
THAT SHE GOT HER VICTORIAN HOME,
AND I BET SHE WAS EXCITED
ABOUT IT,
BUT SHE MIGHT NOT HAVE KNOWN
THAT SHE WAS A BLOCK AWAY
FROM ONE OF COLORADO'S
REHAB CENTERS.
YOU KNOW, GAVE HER MY BLESSING,
AND I STRUGGLED WITH THAT.
I THOUGHT ONCE, "WELL,
MAYBE I SHOULD FLY OUT THERE
AND LOOK AT THE HOUSE
AND LOOK AT THE NEIGHBORHOOD."
AND THEN I HAD TO STEP BACK
AS A MOM AND SAY,
"OKAY. I HAVE TO LET HER START
MAKING HER OWN DECISIONS."
[ CHUCKLES ]
OH, MY GOODNESS!
HEY, GUYS.
CHECK ME OUT.
OH, MY GOD.
YOU LOOK SO CUTE!
[ WHISTLES ]
Narrator: PEYTON EASED
HER MOTHERS'S CONCERNS
WHEN SHE AND HEATHER FOUND A
MALE ROOMMATE -- ALEXANDER PECK.
PECK MOVED TO DENVER
FROM GEORGIA
AND WORKED
FOR A CAR-RENTAL COMPANY.
Nelson Goldwater:
ACTUALLY, WE MET HIM IN A BAR.
AND HE WAS STAYING
WITH A PAIR OF FRIENDS
THAT HAD MOVED OUT THERE,
AND HE NEEDED A PLACE TO STAY.
SO, WE ALL GOT -- IT WAS LIKE
"THREE'S COMPANY" KIND OF IDEA.
Narrator:
THEN SHE MET EVAN PAULSON
AND SKATED
INTO AN INTENSE COURTSHIP.
HE WAS A COLORADO NATIVE.
SO HE WAS ABLE TO TAKE HER
TO PLACES THAT SHE'D NEVER SEEN
AND ENJOY PARTS OF COLORADO.
Narrator:
EVERYTHING WAS WORKING OUT.
I REMEMBER THAT NIGHT, BEFORE,
ON FEBRUARY 23rd.
SHE CAME INTO MY ROOM,
AND SHE WAS EXCITED ABOUT
THIS INTERVIEW -- SO EXCITED.
AND I SAID,
"YOU'RE SO GONNA GET IT."
AND SHE'S LIKE,
"THIS IS GONNA BE GREAT.
OUR LIFE IS SO GREAT."
AND WE HUGGED EACH OTHER,
AND THAT WAS THE LAST TIME
I EVER SAW HER.
[ PROJECTOR WHIRRING ]
Narrator: AFTER THE MURDER,
HEATHER NOTICES SEVERAL ITEMS
MISSING FROM THE HOUSE,
INCLUDING HER BOYFRIEND'S
BLUE COAT, A BLACK SHOPPING BAG,
AND A LARGE PILE OF LOOSE COINS.
EVIDENCE TECHS DETERMINE
THE BLOODY SHOE PRINTS
COME FROM A COMMON BRAND
OF TENNIS SHOE.
IF DETECTIVES FIND
A SUSPECT WITH THOSE SHOES,
THEY COULD CHECK FOR A MATCH.
THE RAPE SWABS AND
PEYTON'S FINGERNAIL SCRAPINGS
OFFER EVEN MORE CLUES.
THEIR DNA CAME
FROM THE SAME PERSON,
AND IT MATCHES
THE DNA RECOVERED FROM
THE BEER BOTTLE IN THE KITCHEN.
SO, WHOSE DNA IS IT?
ALEXANDER PECK
IS OF PARTICULAR INTEREST.
McKinley:
WELL, THINGS ARE LOOKING
PRETTY SUSPICIOUS EARLY ON,
BECAUSE HE'S THE ONE
WHO MADE THE FIRST CALL,
AND THE BODY'S FOUND NOT
IN HER OWN BEDROOM BUT IN HIS.
Priest:
YOU KNOW, "I DIDN'T DO IT,"
MAY BE THE FIRST RESPONSE
OUT OF HIS MOUTH.
BUT, AGAIN,
I'VE TALKED TO A LOT OF PEOPLE
WHO SAID THEY DIDN'T DO IT,
AND IT TURNED OUT THEY DID.
Narrator:
AND WHAT ABOUT PEYTON'S
NEW BOYFRIEND, EVAN PAULSON?
HAD HIS ADORATION
TURNED INTO OBSESSION?
McKinley: PEYTON DIDN'T HAVE
YOUR NORMAL LIVING SITUATION
IN THAT SHE HAD A MALE ROOMMATE,
YET SHE HAD A BOYFRIEND.
POLICE THOUGHT
MAYBE IT WAS A LOVE TRIANGLE,
WHERE SOMEONE GOT JEALOUS
AND DECIDED TO KILL HER
TO KEEP HER
FROM LOVING SOMEONE ELSE.
Narrator:
PEYTON'S BOYFRIEND ADMITS
TO BEING THE LAST KNOWN PERSON
TO SEE HER ALIVE.
HE TELLS POLICE SHE MET HIM FOR
LUNCH AFTER HER JOB INTERVIEW.
HE WAS PLANNING TO TREAT HER
TO A CELEBRATORY DINNER
THAT EVENING AT 5:00.
SHE NEVER SHOWED.
Priest: COULD THIS BE
A DOMESTIC VIOLENCE?
COULD A BOYFRIEND
COME OVER TO THE HOUSE,
FORCE ENTRY INTO THE HOME,
GET IN AN ARGUMENT,
AND KILL HER IN A RAGE
AND NOT FEEL A BIG URGE
TO HAVE TO LEAVE
BECAUSE HE KNOWS
WHAT THE SCHEDULES ARE
OF THE OTHER TWO ROOMMATES?
COULD THAT BE A POSSIBILITY?
Narrator: INVESTIGATORS
COLLECT HIS DNA, TOO.
IT DOES NOT MATCH THE MATERIAL
FROM THE CRIME SCENE,
AND NEITHER DOES
ROOMMATE ALEXANDER PECK'S.
WITH THOSE CLOSEST TO PEYTON
RULED OUT,
DETECTIVES EXPAND
THEIR INVESTIGATION OUTWARD.
McKinley:
POLICE HAD A LOT TO CHECK OUT.
THEY DIDN'T KNOW
WHO MIGHT HAVE DONE THIS.
Narrator:
THEY INTERVIEW NEIGHBORS
AND GET AN IMPORTANT TIP.
[ PROJECTOR WHIRRING ]
A PASSERBY SAYS SHE SAW SOMEONE
NEAR PEYTON'S HOME
AROUND 1:00 THAT AFTERNOON.
SHE SAW A BLACK MALE
THAT WAS LEAVING THE HOME
AND WALKING NEAR
THE TRASH DUMPSTERS
WHO WAS WEARING A BLUE JACKET.
Narrator:
THE EYEWITNESS SAYS
HE WAS ABOUT 6'1",
A LITTLE OVER 200 POUNDS.
SHE HELPS DEVELOP
A COMPOSITE SKETCH,
THOUGH INVESTIGATORS STILL HAVE
NO SUSPECTS TO COMPARE IT TO.
POLICE REVISIT THE CLUES,
STILL PUZZLED BY THE MISSING
LINER IN THE KITCHEN TRASH.
DETECTIVES WIDEN
THEIR SEARCH FOR EVIDENCE.
Priest: I STARTED LOOKING
THROUGH THE DUMPSTERS,
AND THE SECOND DUMPSTER
THAT I CAME TO,
I FOUND A PLASTIC TRASH BAG.
I SAID,
"THAT'S WHAT I'M LOOKING FOR."
AND I HIT THE JACKPOT WITH THAT.
McKinley: UNFORTUNATELY FOR
THE KILLER, IT WASN'T TRASH DAY.
IT WAS A TRASH BAG
FULL OF CLUES --
A MOLDING FROM THE DOOR WHEN
THE KILLER BROKE INTO THE HOUSE,
THE KEYS TO PEYTON'S CAR,
AND A GREY SWEATSHIRT
COVERED WITH BLOOD.
THE SWEATSHIRT WAS SOAKING WET.
Priest: THAT'S WHEN
I MADE THE CONNECTION
TO THE WASHING MACHINE --
THAT THIS LOOKS LIKE
SOMEBODY HAS LAUNDERED IT
IN SOME FASHION.
Narrator:
THE CLUES KEEP COMING.
WE FOUND A WHITE HAND TOWEL
THAT HAD BLOOD ON IT,
AND INSIDE THE WHITE HAND TOWEL
WAS A KNIFE.
Narrator: AMONG THIS
CRUCIAL NEW EVIDENCE --
THE SWEATSHIRT'S CLOTHING TAG.
THE MOST INTERESTING PART
ABOUT THE CLOTHING TAG
WAS THE NAME
THAT WAS WRITTEN ON THE TAG.
Narrator: A GUT INSTINCT
ABOUT A MISSING TRASH BAG
HAS BROUGHT THEM TO EXACTLY
WHAT THEY NEEDED -- A NAME.
IVAN COFFER.
IT'S JUST THAT, "AHA! I KNEW IT.
I KNEW THAT THIS WAS IMPORTANT."
AND THERE IT WAS.
[ WIND HOWLING ]
[ WIND HOWLING ]
Narrator:
DENVER POLICE HOPE TO CATCH
THE BRAZEN SEXUAL PREDATOR
WHO MURDERED PEYTON TUTHILL.
Priest: I'VE LOOKED
AT A LOT OF HOMICIDE CASES,
AND UNFORTUNATELY,
THERE ARE INDIVIDUALS
WHO PUT THEMSELVES
INTO BAD POSITIONS IN LIFE.
THEIR LIFESTYLE
TENDED TO PUT THEM AT
A HIGHER RISK THAN OTHER PEOPLE.
PEYTON DIDN'T DO THAT
TO HERSELF.
PEYTON WAS IN A GROUP
THAT WE USUALLY IDENTIFY
AS TRUE VICTIMS,
MEANING THAT SHE WAS SIMPLY
TRYING TO LIVE A LIFE.
Narrator: DETECTIVES FOCUS
ON THE NAME TAG FROM
A BLOOD-STAINED SWEATSHIRT
FOUND WITH THE MURDER WEAPON.
YOU COULDN'T WRITE FICTION
BETTER THAN THIS,
BUT IT WAS REALLY HAPPENING.
I MEAN, THEY HAD ALL THESE CLUES
THAT TIED THE KILLER
TO THE MURDER, INCLUDING A NAME.
NEITHER PEYTON'S FAMILY
NOR FRIENDS
RECOGNIZED THE NAME
ON THE TAG -- IVAN COFFER.
WE KNEW THE NEIGHBORHOOD HAD
A HALFWAY HOUSE
JUST A COUPLE DOORS DOWN
FROM OUR VICTIM'S DUPLEX.
IT WAS
A DRUG-REHABILITATION PLACE,
WHERE THEY TOOK PEOPLE
WHO HAD PROBLEMS
INSIDE
THE CRIMINAL-JUSTICE SYSTEM
AND ALSO HAD
SUBSTANCE-ABUSE PROBLEMS,
IN ORDER TO GET THEM
CLEAN AND SOBER.
YOU KNOW, "THIS MAY
BE ASSOCIATED WITH
THAT HALFWAY HOUSE."
SO WE WENT DOWN
AND KNOCKED ON THEIR DOOR.
Narrator: SURE ENOUGH,
THE THIRD NAME ON THE CENTER'S
CLIENT LIST IS IVAN COFFER.
IMMEDIATELY, WE'RE LOOKING
AT EACH OTHER THINKING,
"IT CAN'T BE THIS EASY.
WE CAN'T BE SOLVING THIS CRIME
THIS EASY."
Narrator:
HAD COFFER GROWN OBSESSED WITH
THE BEAUTIFUL GIRL NEXT DOOR...
...THEN WAITED
FOR THE RIGHT MOMENT TO POUNCE?
DETECTIVES BRING HIM IN
FOR QUESTIONING.
HE TELLS US THAT HE WAS NOT
RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY HOMICIDE,
HE DID NOT BREAK INTO
ANYBODY'S HOME.
Narrator:
EVEN SO, HE SEEMS TO MATCH
THE EYE-WITNESS DESCRIPTION
OF THE MAN IN THE BLUE JACKET
SEEN BEHIND PEYTON'S HOUSE.
HE IS A BLACK MALE.
HE'S ABOUT 6'1",
WEIGHS ABOUT 230 POUNDS.
Narrator:
DETECTIVES SEARCH HIS ROOM.
[ POLICE RADIO CHATTER ]
HEY, DETECTIVE?
Priest: HE HAD PUT HIS NAME
IN EVERYTHING.
IT WAS IN HIS SHORTS, IN HIS
T- SHIRTS, IN HIS JACKETS --
EVERYTHING
HAD HIS NAME ON IT.
"WHY DO I HAVE YOUR SHIRT
AT MY CRIME SCENE?"
HE SAYS, "I DON'T HAVE
THAT SHIRT ANYMORE."
I SAYS, "WHAT?
WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU
DON'T HAVE THAT SHIRT ANYMORE?"
HE SAYS,
"WELL, I GAVE THE SHIRT AWAY."
RIGHT. SURE YOU DID.
Narrator: INVESTIGATORS BOOK HIM
AND OBTAIN DNA SAMPLES.
POLICE LEARN
COFFER WAS SENTENCED TO 12 YEARS
IN MARYLAND ON DRUG CHARGES.
HE ONLY SERVED A YEAR BEFORE THE
COURT ORDERED HIM TO COMPLETE
THE DRUG AND ALCOHOL
TREATMENT PROGRAM IN COLORADO
AS A CONDITION OF EARLY RELEASE.
Tuthill:
I WAS OUTRAGED.
NO ONE WAS REALLY AWARE
OF THE TYPE OF RESIDENTS
THAT WERE MOVING INTO
THE HALFWAY HOUSE --
WERE NOT AWARE OF THE FACT
THAT THEY WERE CONVICTS.
Narrator:
INVESTIGATORS NOW HOPE DNA
WILL SPELL JUSTICE FOR PEYTON.
WE HAD A SLAM-DUNK CASE.
WE KNEW THAT.
Narrator:
WHEN THE RESULTS COME BACK,
THE SLAM DUNK
BECOMES A TECHNICAL FOUL.
THE GENETICIST TOLD ME
THAT THE DNA DIDN'T MATCH.
AND I SAID, "WHAT DO YOU MEAN
IT DIDN'T MATCH?"
"WE HAVE THIS INDIVIDUAL'S
NAME TAG FROM HIS CLOTHES
"WRAPPED AROUND
OUR MURDER WEAPON.
"WE HAVE AN EYEWITNESS
THAT PUTS HIM AT THE SCENE
"AT THE TIME OF THE HOMICIDE.
"WHAT DO YOU MEAN
IT DOESN'T MATCH?
IT'S GOT TO MATCH. YOU MADE
A MISTAKE. DO IT AGAIN."
AND HE TELLS ME, "I'M TELLING
YOU THAT IT'S NOT HIM."
Narrator: IVAN COFFER WALKS OUT
OF JAIL A FREE MAN.
WHEN THE DETECTIVES TOLD US
IT WASN'T THE RIGHT GUY,
THEN YOU GET REALLY SCARED,
'CAUSE YOU THINK
THAT PERSON'S STILL OUT THERE.
AND IT SCARED US TO DEATH.
[ WIND HOWLING ]
[ WIND HOWLING ]
Narrator: AFTER THE SLAYING
OF 24-YEAR-OLD PEYTON TUTHILL,
DENVER POLICE FIND IVAN COFFER'S
NAME WITH THE MURDER WEAPON.
BUT DNA TESTING
CLEARS HIM AS A SUSPECT.
COFFER ADDS A TWIST
BY TELLING POLICE HE GAVE
A SWEATSHIRT WITH HIS NAME IN IT
TO ANOTHER RESIDENT
OF THE SAME HALFWAY HOUSE --
A GUY NAMED FRANK MACKLIN.
Priest:
HE SAYS, "I CAN PROVE IT."
I SAID,
"WELL, HOW YOU GONNA DO THAT?"
AND HE SAYS, "WELL, WHEN YOU'RE
IN A HALFWAY-HOUSE SETTING,
"IF YOU GIVE CLOTHING AWAY
OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT,
"YOU HAVE TO FILL OUT A FORM
SO THAT NO ONE CAN ACCUSE YOU OF
STEALING SOMEBODY ELSE'S STUFF."
SO, YOU HAVE TO HAVE
THIS TRANSFER THING.
AND SURE ENOUGH,
WE CHECKED AT THE HALFWAY HOUSE,
AND THERE'S A TRANSFER FORM
FOR THIS STUFF.
SO I HAVE A BRAND-NEW SUSPECT
AT THIS POINT.
HE'S A BLACK MALE.
HE IS 6'1".
HE WEIGHS 220 POUNDS.
THIS GUY LOOKS EXACTLY
LIKE OUR COMPOSITE DRAWING
CREATED BY OUR WITNESS THAT SAW
THE INDIVIDUAL OUTSIDE THE HOME.
Narrator: MACKLIN WAS PAROLED
TO THE DENVER HALFWAY HOUSE
AFTER A LONG PRISON STINT
ON DRUG CHARGES.
CRIMINAL RECORD
ISN'T DISPOSITIVE OF ANYTHING,
BUT YOU LOOK AT THAT
WHEN YOU'RE TRYING TO DECIDE
WHO'S A GOOD SUSPECT
IN A MURDER CASE.
YOU ALWAYS PULL A RECORD,
AND HIS WAS PRETTY LENGTHY.
Narrator: LIKE COFFER,
MACKLIN CLAIMS HE DIDN'T HAVE
THE SWEATSHIRT AT THE TIME.
HE SAYS HE GOT KICKED OUT
OF THE REHAB PROGRAM
TWO DAYS BEFORE PEYTON'S MURDER.
THE CENTER BAGGED UP HIS STUFF,
WHICH WAS STOLEN
BEFORE HE COULD CLAIM IT.
AND MISSING FROM THAT BAG
WAS THAT SWEATSHIRT.
I SAID,
"IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE?"
AND HE SAYS, "UM...YEAH.
"A PAIR OF GRAY, BLACK,
AND YELLOW TENNIS SHOES.
THOSE ARE MISSING, AS WELL."
Narrator:
THE SAME BRAND THAT LEFT
THE BLOODY PRINTS AT THE SCENE.
NOW I HAVE
A DOUBLE CONNECTION --
NOT ONLY DOES THE SHIRT CONNECT
ME TO THAT HALFWAY HOUSE,
BUT NOW THESE SHOES DO.
Narrator:
MACKLIN CLAIMS IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE
FOR HIM TO COMMIT THE MURDER.
HE SPENT THAT DAY IN JAIL
ON A MINOR CHARGE
AND DIDN'T GET RELEASED
UNTIL THE NEXT DAY.
Woman:
OPEN YOUR MOUTH A LITTLE BIT
WIDER SO I CAN GET IN THERE.
DETECTIVES COLLECT
A DNA SAMPLE.
YET AGAIN,
IT DOESN'T MATCH.
HE SAYS, "ON THE DAY OF THE
MURDER, FEBRUARY 24th, HMM...
I WAS IN JAIL."
[ Chuckling ] AND HE WAS.
THAT'S A PRETTY GOOD ALIBI.
Narrator:
ANOTHER SUSPECT CLEARED.
BUT POLICE ARE CERTAIN
THEY'RE ON THE RIGHT TRACK,
ZEROING IN ON THE KNOWN
CRIMINALS WHO LIVE NEAR PEYTON.
SOMEONE WITH CONTACT TO THIS
HALFWAY HOUSE IS OUR SUSPECT.
McKinley:
POLICE START ASKING AROUND,
AND PEOPLE AT THE HALFWAY HOUSE
ARE TALKING ABOUT ONE RESIDENT.
THIS NAME KEEPS POPPING UP
BECAUSE THIS GUY
IS A PHYSICAL AND VERBAL ABUSER.
AND THE NAME IS DONTA PAGE.
Priest: THEY JUST SAID,
"YOU KNOW, HE'S A BAD GUY.
"HE'S A BAD GUY.
"HE'S SOMEBODY THAT
YOU REALLY NEED TO LOOK AT.
HE'S A BAD GUY."
Narrator: A BACKGROUND CHECK
REVEALS THAT, LIKE IVAN COFFER,
A MARYLAND JUDGE RELEASED PAGE
FROM A 10-YEAR SENTENCE
FOR ARMED ROBBERY.
HIS RAP SHEET
WAS AS LONG AS I AM TALL.
HE HAD BEEN IN JAIL
NUMEROUS TIMES.
HE WAS SUPPOSED TO STILL BE
IN JAIL.
AND HE GOT OUT.
Narrator: FOUR MONTHS
BEFORE PEYTON'S MURDER,
HE WAS ORDERED TO COUNSELING
AT THE DENVER HALFWAY HOUSE.
I HAD SO MUCH ANGER.
I WAS CALLING
EVERY CITY OFFICIAL
THAT I COULD GET THROUGH TO
IN THE CITY OF DENVER,
CHECKING ON LICENSING,
HOW THIS HOUSE COULD BE
IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD.
I WAS VERY ANGRY.
I WAS ANGRY AT THE WORLD.
Narrator:
BUT THERE'S A CATCH --
PAGE'S POLICE MUG SHOTS
AND PHOTOS FROM THE CENTER
DON'T MATCH THE DESCRIPTION
FROM THE WITNESS.
HERE'S A GUY
THAT HAS A FULL BEARD
AND HAS A FULL HEAD OF HAIR.
I MEAN, HE'S COVERED IN HAIR.
I'M SAYING, "IT CAN'T BE HIM."
Narrator: MAYBE HE SHAVED
AND CUT HIS HAIR.
22-YEAR-OLD DONTA PAGE
WAS AT THE REHAB CENTER
WHEN MACKLIN SAYS THE SWEATSHIRT
AND SHOES WERE STOLEN.
HE GOT KICKED OUT OF THE PROGRAM
FOR ASSAULTING ANOTHER RESIDENT.
Priest: I SAID, "WELL,
WHEN DID HE LEAVE THE PROGRAM?"
SAYS, "WELL, LET ME LOOK."
AND THEY LOOK.
AND THEY SAY, "WELL,
HE GOT KICKED OUT ON
THE 24th OF FEBRUARY."
THE DAY OF OUR HOMICIDE...
HE'S KICKED OUT OF THE PROGRAM.
DONTA IS IN A BAD WAY AT THAT
PARTICULAR MOMENT IN HIS LIFE.
THERE'S A GOOD POSSIBILITY
HE'S GONNA END UP
GOING BACK TO PRISON.
Narrator: A MAN WITH NOTHING
LEFT TO LOSE IS A GOOD SUSPECT.
THE REHAB CENTER'S STAFF
EXPLAINS
THEY ORDERED HIM
TO GO BACK TO MARYLAND,
WHERE HE WAS SUPPOSED TO REPORT
TO PRISON.
I KNOW HE HAD MADE THREATS
TO ONE OF THE COUNSELORS THERE
THAT MORNING.
SO THEY GAVE HIM A BUS TICKET
AND KICKED HIM OUT AT 8:00 A.M.
AND HIS BUS TICKET WAS
FOR 3:00, 4:00 IN THE AFTERNOON.
WHAT ELSE ARE YOU GONNA DO
BUT GET IN TROUBLE?
Narrator: AND FOR PAGE,
PERHAPS GETTING IN TROUBLE BEGAN
WITH BREAKING INTO
PEYTON'S HOME.
McKinley: HE WAS GONNA GO BACK
TO MARYLAND WITH NO MONEY.
AND SO, PEYTON TUTHILL'S HOME
WAS RIGHT THERE.
SHE HAD NO IDEA
SOMEONE WAS WATCHING HER.
WELL, HE WAS.
AND THAT MORNING,
ON FEBRUARY 24th,
THAT'S WHEN HE MADE HIS MOVE.
[ WIND HOWLING ]
[ WIND HOWLING ]
[ POLICE RADIO CHATTER ]
Narrator:
DENVER POLICE SEEK DONTA PAGE
IN CONNECTION WITH THE STABBING
DEATH OF PEYTON TUTHILL.
CANVASSING THE AREA,
THEY FIND WITNESSES WHO SAW PAGE
AT A BUS STOP AFTER THE MURDER.
HE'S WEARING A BLUE JACKET.
AND HE WAS CARRYING
A BLACK SHOPPING BAG,
AND THAT SHOPPING BAG SOUNDED
AS IF IT HAD COINS IN IT.
AND NOW WE KNOW --
THIS HAS GOT TO BE HIM.
Narrator:
HEATHER HAD REPORTED
THE JACKET, BAG, AND COINS
MISSING FROM THE HOUSE.
INVESTIGATORS THINK PAGE HOPPED
ON A BUS TO BALTIMORE.
Narrator:
PEYTON'S MOTHER CAN'T BELIEVE
A CONVICTED CRIMINAL
WAS SIMPLY ASKED TO GO BACK
TO PRISON ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
I WAS OUTRAGED
ON THEIR RESPONSE OF SAYING,
"WE'RE GOING TO GIVE YOU
A GREYHOUND BUS TICKET
"AND YOU'RE GOING TO
JUST GET ON THE BUS
AND YOU'RE GONNA GO BACK
TO MARYLAND AND YOU'RE
GOING BACK TO PRISON."
UNESCORTED. YEAH, YOU KNOW, HE
COULD GET ON AND OFF ANYWHERE.
Narrator: DETECTIVE PRIEST
CONTACTS A BALTIMORE DETECTIVE
AND LEARNS
PAGE DID GO TO MARYLAND
THE DAY OF THE DENVER MURDER,
THOUGH PRISON
WASN'T HIS FIRST STOP.
Priest:
HE SAYS, "OH, WELL.
"DONTA, HE JUST GOT OFF THE BUS
A COUPLE DAYS AGO,
"COMING BACK FROM DENVER,
"AND WALKED
INTO A CHINESE RESTAURANT.
AND WHILE HE'S IN THERE,
HE STEALS THE CASH REGISTER."
GET DOWN. GET DOWN!
GET DOWN!
"REALLY?"
HE SAYS, "YEAH."
"WHEN YOU SEE A GUY THAT BIG
RUNNING DOWN THE STREET
CARRYING A CASH REGISTER,
YOU JUST KIND OF REMEMBER THAT."
Narrator:
ARRESTED FOR THAT ROBBERY,
DONTA PAGE NOW SITS
IN A MARYLAND JAIL.
HIS DNA IS ALREADY ON FILE.
WE HAD HIS DNA
AND THEN HAD THE ABILITY
TO LOOK AT HIS DNA
AND COMPARE IT
TO THE PERSON WHO ASSAULTED --
ULTIMATELY MURDERED --
PEYTON TUTHILL.
WE WERE ABLE TO MATCH THE DNA.
Narrator:
DENVER AUTHORITIES RACE
TO BALTIMORE TO INTERVIEW PAGE.
FOR TWO HOURS, HE DENIES
HE'D EVER SEEN PEYTON TUTHILL
OR BEEN INSIDE HER HOUSE.
I DON'T KNOW A PEYTON.
LOOK FAMILIAR?
Priest: I SAID, "I KNOW
THAT YOU BROKE INTO THE HOUSE.
I KNOW
THAT YOU KILLED THE GIRL."
AND I SHUT UP,
AND I DIDN'T SAY ANOTHER WORD.
AND IT FELT LIKE FOREVER.
DOES THAT KITCHEN
LOOK FAMILIAR?
HE SHAKES HIS HEAD.
HE LOOKS UP AT ME.
HE SAYS, "DETECTIVE..."
HE SAYS, "YOU DON'T HAVE TO PLAY
WITH ME ANYMORE."
A- ALL RIGHT, MAN.
ALL RIGHT.
I DID IT.
ALL RIGHT?
LISTEN -- S-SO WHAT?
I DID IT.
AND, I MEAN, I'M JUST
JUMPING UP AND DOWN INSIDE.
I JUST WANT TO RUN AROUND THE
ROOM AND HIGH-FIVE EVERYBODY,
"YES! I GOT HIM!"
AND I HAVE TO MAINTAIN THAT
DEMEANOR OF JUST LOOKING AT HIM.
AT WHAT POINT
IN THE EVENT...
Narrator:
HE CONFIRMS HE WAS KICKED OUT OF
THE REHAB PROGRAM THAT MORNING
AND GIVEN A BUS PASS
BACK TO BALTIMORE.
BEFORE THE BUS LEFT,
HE HAD TIME ON HIS HANDS.
HE HAD SEEN HIS PRETTY NEIGHBOR
LEAVE EARLIER
AND KNEW IT WAS SAFE
TO BREAK INTO HER HOUSE
TO STEAL SOME CASH.
[ PROJECTOR WHIRRING ]
WHEN PEYTON CAME HOME,
HE WAS WAITING THERE FOR HER.
[ CAR DOOR CLOSES ]
HE GRABBED A BUTCHER KNIFE
FROM THE KITCHEN.
[ MAGGIE BARKING ]
MAGGIE, I'M HOME!
IT'S OKAY, MAGGIE.
I'M COMING.
IT'S OKAY.
CALM DOWN.
COME HERE!
[ SCREAMS ] NO!
[ BARKING CONTINUES ]
[ SCREAMS ]
NO! NO! NO!
Narrator: HE RAPED HER, THEN
STABBED HER, SLIT HER THROAT,
AND LEFT HER FOR DEAD.
PAGE ADMITS
HE TRIED WASHING PEYTON'S BLOOD
FROM THE STOLEN SWEATSHIRT.
Nelson Goldwater:
HE WENT DOWNSTAIRS AND GOT NAKED
AND WASHED HIS CLOTHES IN MY
WASHER/DRYER AND DRANK, NAKED,
WATCHING CABLE ON OUR COUCH.
Narrator: WHEN THE BLOOD
WOULDN'T COME OUT,
PAGE BAGGED UP THE SHIRT, THE
KNIFE, AND THE BROKEN DOOR TRIM.
HE TOOK THE BLUE COAT
AND THREW CASH AND LOOSE CHANGE
IN THE BLACK BAG.
ON HIS WAY OUT, HE TOSSED
THE EVIDENCE IN THE DUMPSTER,
THEN WALKED TO THE BUS DEPOT
AND HOPPED A RIDE TO BALTIMORE
WITH PEYTON'S BLOOD
STILL ON HIS PANTS AND SHOES.
[ PROJECTOR WHIRRING ]
HE TAKES HIS BUS TRIP TO
MARYLAND AND THEN ROBS SOMEONE.
IT'S PROOF
THAT HE'S AN EVIL BEING
WITH NO CARE FOR LIFE
WHATSOEVER.
Priest: DONTA WAS
A TRUE PSYCHOPATHIC PERSONALITY.
DONTA CARED ABOUT DONTA --
NO ONE ELSE.
Narrator:
PROSECUTORS CHARGE HIM WITH
BURGLARY, AGGRAVATED ROBBERY,
SEXUAL ASSAULT,
AND FIRST-DEGREE MURDER.
A JURY FINDS DONTA PAGE GUILTY
ON ALL CHARGES.
A THREE-JUDGE PANEL DETERMINES
THE CRIME DOES NOT WARRANT
THE DEATH PENALTY.
THEY SENTENCE HIM
TO LIFE WITHOUT THE POSSIBILITY
OF PAROLE PLUS 224 YEARS.
I WANTED TO LOOK EACH ONE
OF THEM IN THE EYE AND SAY,
"TELL ME, IF YOUR DAUGHTER
IS STABBED 17 TIMES,
"HER THROAT SLIT,
SHE'S SEXUALLY ASSAULTED,
"HER HANDS ARE CUT BECAUSE
SHE'S FIGHTING FOR HER LIFE --
"AND THAT'S NOT HEINOUS ENOUGH?
I NEED YOU
TO DEFINE THAT FOR ME."
IT STILL CAUSES ME GREAT ANGER
TODAY,
HOW THE COURT COULD SAY THAT.
Nelson Goldwater:
THAT WAS THE FIRST FACE OF EVIL
THAT I REALLY EVER SAW, WAS HIM.
AND...
[ SIGHS ]
YOU KNOW, I ALWAYS SAID THIS,
AFTER SHE DIED --
"HE DIDN'T EVEN KNOW HER NAME."
HE ATTACKED HER, STABBED HER,
RAPED HER,
AND HE DIDN'T EVEN KNOW
HER NAME.
HE DIDN'T KNOW SHE WAS A PERSON.
HE COULD CARE LESS.
Narrator:
PAT TUTHILL MOURNS HER DAUGHTER
AND PAYS HER TRIBUTE
THROUGH ACTIVISM.
SHE NOW DEVOTES HER LIFE
TO CHANGING
PROBATION AND PAROLE PROCEDURE.
HER COMMITMENT HELPED IMPROVE
THE INTER-STATE COMPACT,
TO BETTER TRACK AND MONITOR
OFFENDERS
WHEN TRANSFERRED STATE TO STATE.
Ritter, Jr.: AS A RESULT,
PAT TUTHILL VERY MUCH MAY
HAVE SAVED OTHER PEOPLE'S LIVES.
Narrator:
YET NOTHING FULLY TAKES AWAY THE
PAIN OF LOSING A CHILD THIS WAY.
HE'S BREATHING AND SHE'S NOT.
WHERE -- WHERE IS THE FAIRNESS?
WHERE IS THE JUSTICE?
HOW DOES THIS BALANCE OUT?
MY DAUGHTER SHOULD BE ALIVE.
Nelson Goldwater:
YOU KNOW, A LOT OF PEOPLE
WILL SAY A PRAYER, SOMETIMES,
IF YOU'RE GOING ON THE ROAD --
THINGS LIKE,
"GOD, PLEASE WATCH OVER ME."
INSTEAD, I JUST SAY,
"PEYTON, WATCH OVER ME."
SHE'S NOW MY ANGEL
THAT I TALK TO
AND THINK SHE'S UP THERE,
TRYING TO TAKE CARE OF ME.