In July 2021, a peaceful family camping trip in Ohio’s vast Appalachian Hills Wilderness Area turned into a chilling crime scene. Two lives were lost, and a community was shaken. In this gripping episode, we sit down with ODNR Investigator Kirk Kiefer to uncover the layers of a complex and haunting double homicide.
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Here’s what we discuss:
- Investigator Keifer appeared in a previous episode
- International Game Warden Association Officer of the Year
- ODNR’s nomination submission
- The ‘ginseng detective’
- Nomination was kept secret!
- A missing persons / suspicious activity report on State land
- The couple’s phones – and daughter – were left behind
- Suspect claimed the couple had gone to CA and were expected back
- A concerned camper contacted ODNR
- The couple’s license plate had recently been checked on the Interstate
- Suspect had a ‘tell.’
- “He was convinced I was a human lie detector.”
- The sudden confession: “I killed ‘em.”
- Killings had happened 13 days prior
- Suspect led investigators to the bodies
- Defense attorney admitted there was no defense to be mounted
- Claimed he was ‘rescuing’ the child
- Body cameras were used in case the suspect did not testify
- Appeared to feel badly about killing the female.
- “Sometimes there is no ‘why’.”
- Never expected to be investigating homicide
- Attended the couple’s memorial services
- Inter-agency cooperation was key to this case
- Killer received two automatic life terms with no parole
Credits
Hosts: Wayne Saunders and John Nores
Producer: Jay Ammann
Warden’s Watch logo & Design: Ashley Hannett
Research / Content Coordinator: Stacey DesRoches
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