SHE WAS EVERYTHING -- SHE WAS
EVERYTHING TO ME WHO COULD DO THAT TO MY SISTER
WHO WOULD DO THIS TO CATHY >> THERE'S BEEN, I THINK, A
MURDER, ACROSS THE STREET. >> A MAN CAME HOME, DISCOVERED
HIS WIFE, UH, IN BED MURDERED. >> THE POLICE OFFICER CAME IN
AND SAID, "WE BELIEVE THERE WAS A BURGLARY."
>> Reporter: WAS THE THOUGHT THAT THIS HAD TO BE SOME RANDOM
PERSON ON THE LOOSE? >> I THINK WE ALL THOUGHT THAT
>> Reporter: THEIR 3 1/2-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER WAS HOME
WHEN CATHY WAS DISCOVERED. >> SHE HAD BEEN IN THE HOME ALL
DAY UNATTENDED >> SHE WAS DRAWING A PICTURE OF
THE BED AND A STICK PERSON >> Reporter: WHAT DID SHE SEE?
>> SHE SAW A BAD MAN IN THE HOUSE AND HE WAS IN MOMMY'S BED.
>> Reporter: IT'S JUST HEART BRAKEING
>> IT IS >> THAT POOR LITTLE ANGEL.
>> IT WAS A CASE THAT HAD GROWN COLD
>> SHE WAS 3 1/2 WHEN THE CRIME HAPPENED
AND NO ONE HAS BEEN ABLE TO INTERVIEW HER SINCE.
>> SO I REMEMBER WAKING UP, AND I REMEMBER SEEING HER.
AND THEN, LIKE, SITTING IN MY BEDROOM, LIKE, TELLING MY
DOLLIES IT WOULD BE OKAY >> SOMETHING HAPPENED IN THAT
HOME THAT NIGHT. THIS WAS A CASE THAT WE NEEDED
TO SOLVE >>> A MOTHER MURDERED.
A KILLER, VANISHED A TEAM OF DETECTIVES HAUNTED
THIS ONE WILL GIVE YOU CHILLS. I'M LESTER HOLT, AND THIS IS
"DATELINE. HERE'S ANDREA CANNING WITH "THE
BAD MAN. >> Reporter: A BLANKET OF SNOW
COVERED THE GROUND THAT COLD MORNING, FEBRUARY 19, 1982, HERE
ON THIS QUIET STREET CALLED DEL RIO DRIVE.
WINTER TEMPERATURES HOVERED JUST ABOVE FREEZING
WINDOWS WERE SHUT TIGHT, FURNACES TURNED UP
AROUND 6:30 AM, JAMES KRAUSENECK, A BUSINESSMAN
AT KODAK, LEFT HIS HOUSE AND HEADED TO WORK IN DOWNTOWN
ROCHESTER, NEW YORK. HIS 3-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER SARA AND
HIS WIFE CATHY WERE STILL IN BED.
LATER THAT DAY, A CLOSE FRIEND, GLORIA WINKOWSKI, PLANNED TO
DRIVE THEM TO A DOCTOR'S APPOINTMENT.
>> I TRIED CALLING HER ALL DAY AND THERE WAS NO ANSWER AT HER
HOUSE. >> Reporter: DID YOU THINK THAT
MAYBE JAMES JUST ENDED UP TAKING HER TO THE DOCTOR?
>> BY 5:00 I FIGURED, "OH, HE MUSTA TAKEN HER.
>> Reporter: THAT'S AROUND THE TIME JAMES KRAUSENECK ARRIVED
BACK HOME, ONLY TO MAKE A HORRIFIC DISCOVERY
HE RAN TO THE HOUSE ACROSS THE STREET WHERE A NEIGHBOR CALLED
9-1-1. >> BRIGHTON POLICE, HELLO?
>> THERE'S BEEN, I THINK, A MURDER, UH, ACROSS THE STREET.
>> OKAY, CALM DOWN NOW WHAT HAPPENED?
>> I DON'T KNOW. HER HUSBAND'S HERE AND HE CAN'T
EVEN TALK. SHE'S IN HER BED, AND SHE-
PLEASE, UM, HURRY. >> OKAY, I'LL HAVE SOMEONE RIGHT
OVER THERE >> Reporter: BRIGHTON POLICE
OFFICER MARKUS SPAKER WAS ON PATROL THAT DAY.
AS HE RUSHED TO THE SCENE, HIS RADIO WAS MALFUNCTIONING SO HE
COULDN'T HEAR ALL THE DETAILS. >> I WENT LIGHTS AND SIREN
'CAUSE IT WAS A CAUSE UNKNOWN. AND AS I NEARED THIS LOCATION, I
HEARD ON THE DISPATCH SOMETHING ABOUT ACROSS THE STREET.
>> Reporter: SO YOU -- YOU PULL UP HERE --
>> PULL UP HERE AND PULLED INTO THIS DRIVEWAY --
>> Reporter: INTO THIS DRIVEWAY. >> AND THE LADY OF THE HOUSE WAS
STANDING ON THAT SIDEWALK. I WALKED UP TO HER, AND SHE
IMMEDIATELY SAID, "HE THINKS HIS WIFE'S BEEN MURDERED."
>> Reporter: OH, MY GOSH ACROSS THE STREET, THE
KRAUSENECK'S FRONT DOOR WAS WIDE OPEN
>> SO I RAN ACROSS, YELLING, "IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE IN THE
HOUSE? >> Reporter: NO ONE ANSWERED
HE MADE HIS WAY INSIDE, NOT KNOWING WHAT HE MIGHT FIND
OFF TO THE RIGHT IN THE DINING ROOM, HE SAW ITEMS ON THE
CARPET -- A SILVER SERVING SET, A WOMAN'S PURSE, THE CONTENTS
SPILLED OUT. >> AT THAT POINT I DECIDED TO GO
UP THE STAIRS. >> Reporter: UP THE STAIRS AND
INTO THE MAIN BEDROOM, WHERE HE ENCOUNTERED A SIGHT HE WOULD
NEVER FORGET >> I WALKED IN AND LOOKED TO THE
RIGHT, AND THAT'S WHEN I FIRST SAW THE VICTIM
SHE LOOKED LIKE SHE WAS SLEEPING WITH AN AX BURIED INTO HER HEAD.
>> Reporter: HAVE YOU EVER SEEN SOMETHING LIKE THAT IN YOUR --
IN YOUR WHOLE LIFE >> WELL, OTHER THAN ON '50S
SCIENCE FICTION MOVIES, THAT'S ABOUT IT
NEVER SAW ANYTHING LIKE THAT IN REALITY.
IT WAS JOLTING AND SHOCKING, AND IT, UH, ALMOST LEFT ME THINKING,
"IS THIS REAL, OR IS THIS A MANNEQUIN?
AND "IS THIS AN EVIL TRICK, OR A PRANK THAT SOMEONE'S TRYIN' TO
PULL HERE? >> Reporter: THE OFFICER LIFTED
THE BLANKET BY THE FOOT OF THE BED, AND THEN HE KNEW FOR SURE
THIS WAS NO PRANK. >> Reporter: IT'S SOMETHING YOU
CAN'T UNSEE. >> STANDIN' RIGHT HERE NOW, I
CAN SEE THE BED, I CAN SEE HER, AND I CAN SEE THE AX IN HER
HEAD >> Reporter: THE VICTIM WAS
29-YEAR-OLD CATHY KRAUSENECK THE OFFICER CALLED FOR BACKUP.
INVESTIGATOR RICHARD CORRIGAN QUICKLY ARRIVED ON THE SCENE
WERE YOU SURPRISED THAT IT WAS THIS NEIGHBORHOOD?
>> THIS WAS A LOW-PROFILE NEIGHBORHOOD
UH, PROBABLY THE BIGGEST CRIME THERE WOULD BE, UH, A
HIGH-PRICED BICYCLE OUT OF A GARAGE
SO YES, THIS IS -- THIS IS A QUIET -- QUIET COMMUNITY
>> Reporter: WHAT DETAILS ARE BEING SHARED WITH YOU?
>> A MAN CAME HOME, DISCOVERED HIS WIFE, UH, IN BED MURDERED.
THERE WAS A SMALL CHILD THAT WAS IN THE HOUSE
>> Reporter: A CHILD AT THE SCENE OF A BRUTAL CRIME -- IT
WAS THE KRAUSENECK'S DAUGHTER, 3-YEAR-OLD SARA.
LUCKILY, SHE WAS UNHARMED. HER FATHER HAD FOUND HER IN THE
HOUSE AND SCOOPED HER UP AS HE RAN FOR HELP
THE MEDICAL EXAMINER SOON ARRIVED.
WHAT IS THE MEDICAL EXAMINER TELLING YOU?
>> APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN DEAD FOR A WHILE.
RIGOR MORTIS HAS STARTED TO SET IN
SHE HAD BEEN DEAD MORE THAN PROBABLY EIGHT HOURS
>> Reporter: THAT MEANT THAT THE LITTLE GIRL HAD BEEN INSIDE THE
HOME ALONE WITH HER DECEASED MOTHER FOR HOURS AND HOURS
NO ONE HAD BEEN THERE TO MAKE HER BREAKFAST THAT MORNING, TO
DRESS HER, TO COMFORT HER. >> WE WERE WORRIED ABOUT HER
PHYSICAL WELL-BEING, HER -- YOU KNOW, AS WELL AS HER MENTAL
WELL-BEING >> I'VE HAD NIGHTMARES ABOUT IT
BECAUSE THE THOUGHT THAT THE LITTLE GIRL WAS IN THE HOUSE ALL
DAY WITH HER MOTHER. I JUST COULDN'T GET MY ARMS
AROUND THAT. >> Reporter: WHAT HAD SHE SEEN
WHAT DID SHE KNOW? QUESTIONS THAT WOULD HANG OVER
THIS FAMILY, THIS ENTIRE TOWN, LONGER THAN ANYONE COULD HAVE
IMAGINED >>> WHO COULD BE BEHIND SUCH A
HORRIFIC KILLING WHEN WE COME BACK --
>> THE POLICE OFFICER SAID, "WE BELIEVE THERE WAS A BURGLARY."
I SAW THIS MAN I HAD NEVER SEEN BEFORE
>> WHY WOULD THEY PICK THAT
FAMILY BACK IN MICHIGAN WAS LEARNING THE TRAGIC NEWS
HER YOUNGER SISTER, ANNET WAS AWAY AT COLLEGE.
>> I REMEMBER COMIN' BACK TO MY DORM ROOM, AND MY FATHER WAS
CALLING ME HE SAYS, "WELL, SOMETHIN'
HORRIBLE HAS HAPPENED. HE SAYS, "YOUR SISTER WAS
BLUDGEONED TO DEATH. I'LL NEVER FORGET THAT PHONE
CALL >> Reporter: THE DETAILS WERE
ALMOST TOO MUCH TO ABSORB. THE MEDICAL EXAMINER BELIEVED
CATHY HAD BEEN KILLED WITH ONE BLOW TO THE HEAD
>> ONCE, AND ONCE ONLY, WITH GREAT FORCE.
>> Reporter: ALL MURDER IS AWFUL.
THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT AN AX THAT JUST, FOR SOME REASON,
SEEMS TO TAKE IT TO ANOTHER LEVEL OF GRUESOME AND JUST
HORRIFYING >> YEAH.
I WOULD AGREE WITH THAT. IT'S AN ULTIMATE INSTRUMENT.
IT'S AN INSTRUMENT OF FORCE. >> Reporter: BACK ON THE STREET,
NEIGHBORS WERE AWARE OF ALL THE COMMOTION.
JOANNE BOUVIER, WHO LIVED A FEW HOUSES AWAY, HAD JUST RETURNED
FROM WORK. >> AS I PASSED THE KRAUSENECK
HOME, I SAW THE MEDICAL EXAMINER VEHICLE IN THEIR DRIVEWAY.
THE POLICE OFFICER CAME IN AND SAID, "WE BELIEVE THERE WAS A
BURGLARY." >> Reporter: INVESTIGATOR
RICHARD CORRIGAN HAD BEEN CANVASSING THE NEIGHBORHOOD FOR
MOST OF THE NIGHT. >> Reporter: DID ANYONE HAVE ANY
CLUES THAT WOULD HELP YOU WITH YOUR INVESTIGATION
>> NOTHING UNUSUAL WAS REPORTED. IT WAS A COLD WINTER DAY
>> Reporter: JOANNE REMEMBERED SEEING A JOGGER THAT MORNING BY
THE KRAUSENECK'S HOUSE >> I SAW THIS MAN I HAD NEVER
SEEN BEFORE JOGGING TOWARD ME. HE WAS SLOWLY JOGGING.
>> Reporter: DID THAT MEAN ANYTHING
SO MANY QUESTIONS. >> WHAT YOU DO, IS YOU START
TRYIN' TO PUT TOGETHER A -- A BIOGRAPHY OF THESE FOLKS OR --
OR, YOU KNOW, TRYIN' TO FIGURE OUT WHO, WHAT, WHEN, WHERE, HOW,
WHY, AND WHO COULD POSSIBLY DO THIS
>> Reporter: IT WAS HARD FOR CATHY'S FAMILY TO IMAGINE ANYONE
WANTING TO HURT HER. HER LITTLE SISTER, ANNET, HAD
ALWAYS LOOKED UP TO HER. >> SHE WAS JUST -- SHE WAS
EVERYTHING SHE WAS EVERYTHING TO ME
BY THE TIME I WAS 5-YEARS-OLD, SHE WAS ALREADY TELLIN' ME,
"YOU'RE GOIN' TO COLLEGE." >> Reporter: WHAT WAS HER
PERSONALITY LIKE >> SHE WAS GIVING.
SHE WAS NURTURING. SHE WAS CARING
EVERYONE LOVED MY SISTER SHE WAS BEAUTIFUL, TOO
I MEAN, WHEN SHE WALKED INTO A ROOM, HEADS WOULD TURN,
LITERALLY. >> Reporter: CANDY STEVENS GREW
UP AROUND THE CORNER FROM CATHY'S FAMILY IN
MOUNT CLEMENS, MICHIGAN. >> SHE HAD THE SWEETEST
PERSONALITY. SHE WAS HAPPY-GO-LUCKY
ALWAYS SMILING ALWAYS PERKY
>> Reporter: IT WAS BACK IN HIGH SCHOOL WHEN CATHY MET HER FUTURE
HUSBAND, JAMES KRAUSENECK. THE KRAUSENECK FAMILY OWNED A
CARPET BUSINESS. >> EVERYBODY'S CARPET IN
MOUNT CLEMENS CAME FROM KRAUSENECK'S
>> Reporter: DID IT? >> OH, YEAH.
>> Reporter: SO THEY -- THEY SUPPLIED ALL THE -
>> WAS JUST WHERE YOU WENT THAT'S WHERE -- MY FIRST HOUSE,
THAT'S WHERE MY CARPET CAME FROM
MY PARENTS' HOUSE. >> EVERYONE KNEW THE
KRAUSENECKS, THE KRAUSENECKS, THE KRAUSENECKS.
AND THEY HAD A NICE HOME ON THE WATER.
THEY WERE JUST A BEAUTIFUL COUPLE
AND CATHY LOVED JIM'S SOCIAL STATUS
MY MOM, SHE ALWAYS SAID, "YOU MARRY UP
MARRY UP."
AND SO THAT'S WHAT CATHY WAS DOING.
AND MY MOM WAS EXTREMELY HAPPY THAT, UM, SHE WAS MARRYIN'
JIM KRAUSENECK >> Reporter: SO, AS YOU'RE
STANDING THERE, AND -- AND YOU -- YOU'RE WATCHING THESE TWO
EXCHANGE THEIR VOWS, CATHY AND JAMES, HOW ARE YOU
>> I'M CRYING. I REMEMBER LITERALLY CRYING,
BECAUSE I WAS JUST SO HAPPY FOR MY SISTER.
I LOVED HER SO MUCH. I WANTED HER JUST TO GO AND HAVE
THIS BEAUTIFUL LIFE. >> Reporter: THEY MOVED OUT WEST
TO COLORADO WHERE JAMES WORKED TOWARD HIS Ph.D. IN ECONOMICS.
THAT'S WHERE BABY SARA WAS BORN. >> SARA WAS JUST A LITTLE BALL
OF JUST HAPPINESS AND JOY. AND MY PARENTS' FIRST
GRANDCHILD SARA WAS -- IT WAS A GREAT
WELCOME TO OUR FAMILY, A GREAT ADDITION
>> Reporter: MORE GOOD NEWS CAME A COUPLE OF YEARS LATER, WHEN
JAMES ANNOUNCED HE'D COMPLETED HIS DOCTORATE.
>> THE WHOLE FAMILY WAS ECSTATIC THAT JIM FINALLY GRADUATED
HE WAS DR. KRAUSENECK, BIG-TIME DR. KRAUSENECK
>> Reporter: JAMES AND CATHY AND SARA EVENTUALLY MOVE TO
ROCHESTER. IN 1981, JAMES GETS A NEW JOB?
>> CORRECT IT WAS A PROMOTION FOR JIM, MORE
MONEY. AND JIM WAS FINALLY GONNA BE
ABLE TO USE HIS Ph.D AND THEY WERE GOING TO LIVE THE
LIFE THEY WANTED TO LIVE >> Reporter: BACK THEN, EASTMAN
KODAK WAS THE LARGEST EMPLOYER IN ROCHESTER, AND IT HAD OFFERED
JAMES A GREAT OPPORTUNITY WORKING AS AN ECONOMIST.
THEY BOUGHT THE QUAINT HOME ON DEL RIO DRIVE IN UPSCALE
BRIGHTON AND THAT'S WHEN CATHY MET
GLORIA WINKOWSKI >> AND WE HAD JUST BOTH MOVED TO
ROCHESTER. AND WE KINDA JUST CLICKED AS
FRIENDS. WE'D HAVE PLAY DATES AT HER
HOUSE AND AT MY HOUSE. >> Reporter: WHAT WAS SARA LIKE?
>> SHE WAS A LITTLE DOLL MY DAUGHTER WAS A YEAR YOUNGER
SO SHE GOT ALONG WITH SARA REALLY WELL.
THEY'D PLAY THEIR DOLLS TOGETHER
>> Reporter: THEY DID EVERYTHING TOGETHER
REMEMBER ON THE DAY OF THE MURDER GLORIA HAD BEEN TRYING TO
REACH CATHY TO TAKE HER AND SARA TO THAT DOCTOR'S APPOINTMENT
BUT AFTER NOT HEARING FROM HER ALL DAY AND INTO THE EVENING -
>> I WAS GETTING VERY WORRIED. >> Reporter: GLORIA KEPT
CALLING. >> AND A POLICEMAN ANSWERED.
AND I -- BUT I THOUGHT IT WAS JIM.
SO I SAYS, "JIM? AND HE GOES, "NO, THIS IS
OFFICER SO-AND-SO. AND I GO, "OH, MY GOD.
>> Reporter: THE OFFICER CONFIRMED HARROWING NEWS, THAT
HER FRIEND WAS DEAD. >> AND I JUST BURST OUT CRYING,
'CAUSE I STILL DIDN'T WANNA BELIEVE IT
BRIGHTON WAS A BEDROOM TOWN, JUST A BEAUTIFUL LITTLE, YOU
KNOW, HAMLET IN ROCHESTER. AND NOTHING LIKE THAT EVER
HAPPENED WHY WOULD THEY PICK THAT HOUSE
>> Reporter: THAT HOUSE WITH THE LITTLE GIRL IN IT, ALL DAY, ALL
ALONE. >> THAT BREAKS MY HEART.
I COULD JUST SEE SARA GOING OVER AND WANTING TO GRAB HER MOM AND
JUST HUG HER I MEAN, THAT POOR LITTLE ANGEL
>> Reporter: WHAT HAD HAPPENED ON THAT COLD, BRUTAL MORNING
POLICE WERE ABOUT TO SPEAK WITH, NOT JUST THE HUSBAND, BUT THAT
VERY YOUNG WITNESS, SARA, JUST 3-YEARS-OLD.
>> Reporter: THAT IS A TOUGH WITNESS.
>> A NEAR IMPOSSIBLE WITNESS >>> COMING UP --
>> HER CLOTHES WERE MISMATCHED IT LOOKED LIKE SHE HAD MAYBE
DRESSED HERSELF THAT DAY >> Reporter: IT'S JUST
HEARTBREAKING. >> IT IS
>> SHE SAW A BAD MAN IN THE
KRAUSENECK'S HOME ON DEL RIO DRIVE NOW A CRIME SCENE,
JAMES KRAUSENECK AND HIS DAUGHTER SARA WERE DOWN AT THE
BRIGHTON POLICE DEPARTMENT LITTLE SARA SAT WITH NEIGHBORS
WHILE JAMES SPOKE WITH DETECTIVES
WHAT WAS JAMES'S DEMEANOR BY THE TIME YOU WERE ABLE TO INTERVIEW
HIM? >> HE WAS VERY QUIET
OBVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW, CONCERNED OF -- WORRIED ABOUT HIS -- HIS
DAUGHTER, AND WHAT HAPPENED. YOU KNOW, ANSWERING YOUR
QUESTIONS. BASICALLY HE WAS COOPERATIVE
>> Reporter: DID HE HAVE ANY IDEA WHO WOULD WANT TO HARM HIS
WIFE >> HE INDICATED NO -- NO ONE TO
US >> Reporter: WAS ANYTHING OUT OF
THE ORDINARY, DID HE EXPRESS WHEN HE WAS LEAVING THE HOUSE
THAT MORNING >> HE SAID EVERYONE WAS ASLEEP
AND HE GOES TO WORK. HE HAD SOME MEETINGS
HE HAD GONE WITH SOME OTHER CO-WORKERS TO MEETINGS OUTSIDE
THEIR IMMEDIATE OFFICE AREA, ANOTHER PART OF KODAK.
I THINK HE SAID HE ATE LUNCH BY HIMSELF.
AND, UH, HE CAME BACK AND THEN HE, AT THE END OF THE DAY WENT
HOME >> Reporter: JAMES SAID HE
ARRIVED HOME A LITTLE BEFORE 5:00 P.M., SAW A WINDOW PANE
SMASHED ON THE DOOR THAT LED FROM THE GARAGE INTO THE HOUSE
AND IMMEDIATELY KNEW SOMETHING WAS WRONG.
>> HE SAID HE CAME HOME, FOUND THE BROKEN DOOR, WENT IN AND
DISCOVERED HIS WIFE, UH, IN BED WITH THE AX IN HER HEAD.
>> Reporter: HE SAID HE DIDN'T TOUCH HER, INSTEAD, RAN TO HIS
DAUGHTER'S BEDROOM WHERE HE FOUND LITTLE SARA SNUGGLED UP IN
THE CORNER OF HER BED IN A DAZE. >> AND IMMEDIATELY RAN TO THE
NEIGHBOR WITH THE -- WITH THE CHILD.
>> Reporter: SO HE TAKES HER -- HIS DAUGHTER OVER TO THE
NEIGHBOR >> HE LEAVES THE HOME WITH
THE -- WITH THE DAUGHTER, YES, AND RUNS -
>> Reporter: AND - >> -- TO THE NEIGHBOR.
>> Reporter: WHILE JAMES TALKED WITH THE POLICE, NEIGHBOR JOANNE
WAS KEEPING SARA COMPANY IN ANOTHER ROOM
>> SHE WAS DRAWING AND ONE OF THE PICTURES THAT I
RECALL HER DRAWING WAS A PICTURE OF THE BED, AND LOOKED LIKE A --
A STICK PERSON KIND OF DRAWING >> Reporter: THIS TODDLER, THIS
LITTLE GIRL IS - >> WALKING A HOUSE WITH HER
MURDERED MOTHER LAYING IN THE BED WITH AN AX IN HER HEAD, YES.
>> Reporter: IT'S JUST HEARTBREAKING.
>> IT IS OUR YOUTH OFFICER HA
A CHANCE TO TALK TO HER A LITTLE BIT.
BUT, YOU KNOW, IT'S A 3 1/2-YEAR-OLD, JUST A TODDLER
>> Reporter: COULD SARA HELP THE POLICE FIND OUT WHAT HAD
HAPPENED I HAVE A HARD TIME GETTING
ANYTHING OUT OF MY 3 1/2-YEAR-OLD SON ABOUT WHAT
HAPPENED AT SCHOOL THAT DAY. >> BUT IF IT WAS SOMETHING
HORRIBLE, HE -- HE SAW SOMEBODY -
>> Reporter: YEAH, MAYBE - >> -- GET HIT WITH A BASEBALL
BAT, LET'S SAY >> Reporter: YES, MAYBE HE
WOULD. SARA WAS ABLE TO GIVE POLICE
SOME DETAILS SHE TOLD THE OFFICER THAT WHEN
SHE WOKE UP HER DADDY HAD ALREADY LEFT FOR WORK, HOW NO
ONE WAS HOME TO MAKE HER BREAKFAST.
AND IT APPEARED AS THOUGH NO ONE WAS THERE TO HELP HER GET
DRESSED. SHE WAS WEARING A RED SWEATER
OVER A PINK SWEATER AND TWO PAIRS OF SOCKS
>> HER CLOTHES WERE MISMATCHED IT LOOKED LIKE SHE HAD MAYBE
DRESSED HERSELF THAT DAY WE DON'T KNOW -- WE WERE
TRYIN' TO DETERMINE IF SHE WAS ABLE TO GET ANYTHING TO EAT OR
DRINK DURING THE DAY >> Reporter: SHE TOLD POLICE
WHAT SHE SAW WHEN SHE WENT INTO HER PARENT'S BEDROOM THAT
MORNING. >> SHE SAW A BAD MAN IN THE
HOUSE. AND, UH, HE WAS IN MOMMY'S BED
>> Reporter: REALLY HARD TO HEAR THAT -- THAT A, YOU KNOW,
3 1/2-YEAR-OLD IS GIVING THIS ACCOUNT.
SHE ALSO SAID THAT HE MIGHT HAVE HAD A HAMMER
>> I BELIEVE SOMETHIN' TO THAT EFFECT, YES.
>> Reporter: IN FACT, THE OFFICER TAKING NOTES WROTE DOWN
THAT SARA LATER CORRECTED HERSELF, SAYING IT WAS AN AX
THAT SHE SAW AND SARA SEEMED TO HAVE A
DESCRIPTION OF THE BAD MAN SHE SAID HE HAD LONG BLOND HAIR,
HAD NO CLOTHES, NO GLASSES AND STAYED A LONG TIME IN THE HOUSE.
IT SEEMED, AT FIRST ANYHOW, THAT THE LITTLE GIRL HAD SEEN HER
MOTHER'S KILLER. BUT AS SARA SPOKE IT BECAME
APPARENT, SHE WASN'T DESCRIBING THE KILLER.
SHE WAS DESCRIBING THE CRIME SCENE WITH HER MOTHER IN THE
BED. >> SHE PROBABLY DIDN'T EVEN
RECOGNIZE HER MOTHER SO -- YOU KNOW, BEING WITH ALL THE MASSIVE
TRAUMA THAT SHE PROBABLY DIDN'T RECOGNIZE HER MOTHER
>> Reporter: I MEAN, I JUST HOPE THAT SHE DIDN'T SEE IT ACTUALLY
HAPPEN YOU KNOW, THAT'S--
>> I DON'T THINK SO. >> Reporter: BY MIDNIGHT, JAMES
AND SARA WERE DRIVEN BACK TO THE NEIGHBOR'S HOUSE
AND THE POLICE, AS A MATTER OF PROCEDURE, VERIFIED JAMES'
WHEREABOUTS THAT DAY HE'D BEEN AT WORK.
HAD HIS ALIBI CHECKED OUT AT -- BY THIS POINT?
>> WE HAD SOME PEOPLE FROM KODAK.
OR ONE OR TWO WHO ACTUALLY SHOWED UP AT THE POLICE
DEPARTMENT HE WAS AT WORK THAT DAY.
>> Reporter: POLICE REQUESTED THAT THE FAMILY MONITOR SARA'S
CONVERSATIONS AND ANY NEW DRAWINGS
THE NEXT DAY, JAMES AND SARA WENT TO MICHIGAN TO BE WITH
FAMILY THAT'S WHERE THEY LAID CATHY TO
REST >> I WAS DEVASTATED.
AND HERE I AM AT MY SISTER'S FUNERAL -- MY BEST FRIEND, MY
MENTOR, MY WORLD >> Reporter: THIS IS CATHY
THIS IS THE ONE WHO MADE EVERYONE PROUD
>> RIGHT THIS BEAUTIFUL, WONDERFUL,
LOVING PERSON. WHO COULD BE SO CRUEL TO DO THAT
TO HER >> Reporter: AND NOW SARA WAS
LEFT MOTHERLESS AT JUST 3-YEARS-OLD.
IN THE DAYS AFTER THE MURDER, POLICE NOTED THAT SARA TALKED TO
HER DAD ABOUT THAT MORNING, SAYING "I COULDN'T FIND YOU.
"I DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO CALL YOU." "I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT STREET TO
RIDE MY BIKE ON. WAS SHE SAYING, "WHERE'S MOMMY?"
>> I DO RECALL HER SAYIN' THAT, "A BAD MAN HURT MY MOMMY."
THAT'S WHAT SHE WOULD SAY. >> Reporter: AND POLICE LOOKING
FOR CATHY'S KILLER FOUND OUT THERE WAS A VERY BAD MAN WHO
LIVED JUST A FEW MILES AWAY. >>> COMING UP --
>> Reporter: WAS THE THOUGHT THAT THIS HAD TO BE SOME, YOU
KNOW, CRAZED PERSON ON THE LOOSE?
>> I THINK WE ALL THOUGHT THAT >> Reporter: A NEW LEAD.
A MAN WITH A VIOLENT PAST. >> ED LARABY IS A NAME THAT CAME
UP >> IT DID.
>> Reporter: A KNOWN RAPIST -- >> YES, THAT IS CORRECT.
>> Reporter: HE WAS VERY HOSTILE.
>> Reporter: THE DAY AFTER HEARING ABOUT HER SISTER'S
MURDER, COLLEGE STUDENT, ANNET SCHLOSSER, SAYS POLICE
OFFICERS KNOCKED ON HER DORM ROOM DOOR.
WHAT WERE THE POLICE ASKING YOU IN THE DORM?
WHAT KIND OF QUESTIONS >> THEY WOULD ASK ME IF I KNEW
ANYBODY THAT WOULD'VE BEEN ABLE TO DO THIS
YOU KNOW, I DON'T RECALL THE EXACT QUESTIONS.
TO BE HONEST, I WAS STILL IN SHOCK.
JUST NUMB. >> Reporter: AND DESPERATELY
AFRAID SHE LIVED HUNDREDS OF MILES FROM
BRIGHTON, NEW YORK, BUT ANNET SAID SHE WAS TERRIFIED OF THE
UNKNOWN KILLER >> I WOULD SOMETIMES HAVE
FRIENDS COME OVER AND JUST STAY THE NIGHT BECAUSE I WAS AFRAID
AND I'D BE LOOKIN' OUT MY WINDOW A LOT.
>> THIS CHANGED YOU? >> OH, ABSOLUTELY CHANGED MY
LIFE I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHO I WOULD'VE
BEEN IF THIS HADN'T HAPPENED >> Reporter: SHE SAYS NONE OF IT
MADE SENSE HER SWEET, SUNNY SISTER, KILLED
IN HER BED LITTLE SARA LEFT ALL ALONE
WAS THE THOUGHT AMONGST THE FAMILY THAT THIS HAD TO BE SOME,
YOU KNOW, CRAZED, LIKE RANDOM PERSON ON THE LOOSE.
>> I THINK THAT'S WHAT WE THOUGHT.
I THINK WE ALL THOUGHT THAT. >> Reporter: INVESTIGATORS TRIED
TO PUT A FACE ON WHO THAT RANDOM PERSON MIGHT BE.
THEY CHECKED IN WITH NEIGHBORING POLICE DEPARTMENTS ABOUT RECENT
BURGLARIES AND ASSAULTS IN THE AREA
A SOLID TIP CAME IN ABOUT A SEX OFFENDER FRESH OUT OF PRISON
ED LARABY IS A NAME THAT CAME UP IN THIS INVESTIGATION.
>> THAT DID. >> Reporter: A KNOWN RAPIST.
>> YES, THAT IS CORRECT. >> Reporter: WHO LIVED VERY
CLOSE. >> WITHIN A MILE, IF I'M NOT
MISTAKEN YES.
>> Reporter: CLOSE ENOUGH TO CROSS PATHS WITH CATHY
AN INVESTIGATOR WENT TO INTERVIEW LARABY AT HIS
APARTMENT. HE WAS VERY HOSTILE.
>> HE WAS HOSTILE TO MY COLLEAGUE, YES
>> Reporter: TOLD HIM TO EFF OFF.
>> CORRECT AND GET OFF HIS PORCH, GET OFF
HIS STEPS. "NO WAY I'M GONNA TALK TO YOU.
YOU -- YOU HAVE NO RIGHT YOU KNOW, I'LL HAVE YOU
ARRESTED." >> Reporter: SOUNDS VERY ANGRY
>> YES >> Reporter: DID ANYONE CHECK
OUT HIS ALIBI? >> YES
AS FAR AS -- >> Reporter: WHERE WAS HE?
>> HE WAS AT WORK. >> Reporter: BUT HIS ALIBI WAS
NOT EXACTLY AIRTIGHT LARABY'S SHIFT STARTED AT
7:00 A.M., AND THE INVESTIGATORS HAD NO IDEA WHERE HE'D BEEN
BEFORE THAT. >> IF HE DOESN'T TALK TO YOU,
HE'S NOT GONNA TELL YOU WHAT HE DID BEFORE HE WENT TO WORK
BEST YOU CAN DO IS TRY TO PLACE HIM BEST YOU CAN
BUT IF A PERSON DOESN'T COOPERATE WITH YOU, AND YOU'RE
ASKING ME, CAN WE TELL YOU WHAT HE WAS DOING
I DON'T KNOW >> Reporter: 'CAUSE --
>> HE WOULDN'T TALK TO US. >> Reporter: FRUSTRATING, BUT
INVESTIGATORS DID HAVE OTHER WAYS TO CHECK HIM OUT.
THEY LEARNED THAT ED LARABY DROVE A YELLOW CAR, THOUGH NONE
OF THE NEIGHBORS MENTIONED SEEING IT ON THE MORNING OF THE
MURDER LARABY'S FINGERPRINTS WERE ALSO
ON FILE. BUT CRIME SCENE TECHNICIANS
FOUND NO TRACE OF THEM AT THE KRAUSENECK HOUSE
AND EVEN THOUGH LARABY HAD A LENGTHY RAP SHEET, HE HAD NEVER
BEEN ACCUSED OF MURDER LARABY'S PREVIOUS CRIMES HAD
MOSTLY BEEN SEXUAL OFFENSES. THERE WAS NO SIGN CATHY HAD BEEN
RAPED. >> HIS METHOD OF CRIME DIDN'T
SEEM TO FIT WHAT WE HAD. >> Reporter: SO, THE
INVESTIGATOR RULED LARABY OUT FOR THE TIME BEING
HE WAS MORE INTERESTED IN WHAT HE COULD LEARN FROM THE CRIME
SCENE ITSELF HE HAD A LOT OF QUESTIONS WHEN
HE STUDIED PHOTOS OF THE INSIDE OF THE HOUSE
WHAT HE SAW DIDN'T RESEMBLE ANY BURGLARY HE'D EVER WORKED
BEFORE >> THE BEDROOM HAD VALUABLE
ITEMS AROUND NOTHING WAS STREWN, THROWN
ABOUT, LIKE -- LIKE, DRAWERS WERE EMPTIED, DUMPED ON THE
GROUND OR THROWN OPEN AND GONE THROUGH.
>> Reporter: YOU SAW NONE OF THAT
>> NONE OF THAT AT ALL >> Reporter: IN THE DINING ROOM,
THE CONTENTS OF CATHY'S PURSE WERE SPILLED OUT, BUT HER WALLET
AND CREDIT CARDS WERE THERE FOR THE TAKING
THERE WAS A PILE OF STERLING SILVER NEATLY STACKED NEARBY
ONE SILVER TRAY PLACED SO CAREFULLY ON THE FLOOR THAT THE
MAIL WAS STILL STANDING UPRIGHT BETWEEN THE SALT AND PEPPER
SHAKERS. THIS WAS NOT THE USUAL CALLING
CARD OF A BURGLAR. >> BURGLARS, THEY'RE LIKE
VIKINGS. THEY PILLAGE
THEY BURN. THEY GRAB ALL THEY CAN
SO, THIS IS -- THERE WAS NO -- USUALLY THEY'LL GRAB A BAG
AND -- THEY -- THEY DUMP VALUABLE ITEMS INTO IT
OR IN THEIR POCKETS. THIS WAS NOT DONE.
>> Reporter: MAYBE SOMEBODY WAS TRYIN' TO TAKE THE TEA SET AND
THEY GOT INTERRUPTED OR -- >> YES
BUT, IF YOU'RE INTERRUPTED, AND YOU GO TO THE EXTENT OF
MURDERING SOMEONE, WHY DON'T YOU COMPLETE, AT LEAST, WHAT YOU'RE
THERE FOR? >> Reporter: HAD THERE BEEN
BURGLARIES IN THE AREA WAS THAT A CONCERN
>> NO. WE HADN'T HAD ANY SERIOUS
PROBLEMS IN THE AREA RECENTLY, PRIOR TO THE EVENTS.
>> Reporter: THE INVESTIGATOR SUSPECTED THE BURGLARY WAS FAKE.
SOMEONE HAD STAGED IT. STARTING WITH THAT BROKEN
WINDOWPANE ON THE DOOR THAT LED FROM THE GARAGE INTO THE HOUSE
THERE WAS A WOODEN TOOL UNRELATED TO THE MURDER WEAPON
SITTING BY THE DOOR. INVESTIGATORS BELIEVED IT HAD
BEEN USED TO SMASH THE GLASS, PART OF THE STAGING.
>> SO IF A BURGLAR WAS GOING TO REACH IN, YOU WOULD HAVE TO PUT
YOUR HAND THROUGH BROKEN GLASS AND POSSIBLY RISK CUTTING
YOURSELF WE SHOULD HAVE HAD BLOOD ON IT,
OR SOMEONE SHOULD HAVE INJURED THEMSELVES, POSSIBLY
>> Reporter: WHAT IF THEY'RE WEARING LEATHER GLOVES
>> IT'S POSSIBLE BUT IT LOOKED MORE LIKE SOMEONE
HAD BROKEN A GLASS EVEN THOUGH THE DOOR WAS ALREADY UNLOCKED.
>> Reporter: IF THERE WAS NO BURGLARY, THAT MEANT CATHY HAD
NOT BEEN KILLED BY A RANDOM THIEF.
IN FACT, THE INVESTIGATOR SUSPECTED CATHY'S KILLER HAD
STAGED THE BURGLARY TO COVER UP A VERY DELIBERATE ACT OF MURDER.
DID THAT SAY ANYTHING TO YOU, AS FAR AS A PROFILING, IF YOU WILL,
OF -- THAT AN AX WAS USED TO THE HEAD?
I MEAN, IT'S VERY PERSONAL AND JUST GRUESOME.
>> AND FINAL THIS IS A ONCE ANGRY FORCEFUL
FATAL BLOW I'M JUST GONNA DO THIS ONCE, AND
ONCE ONLY. AND I'M VERY ANGRY
>> Reporter: INVESTIGATORS NEEDED TO FIGURE OUT WHO COULD
POSSIBLY BE ANGRY AT CATHY KRAUSENECK
AND THEN A NEW CLUE LANDED ON THEIR DESK
>>> COMING UP -- >> THERE WAS A POSTCARD THAT GOT
SENT IN THAT MADE IT SOUND LIKE SOMEONE WAS HAVIN' AN AFFAIR
WITH CATHY >> HINTS OF AN AFFAIR, AND A
SUDDEN, SURPRISING MOMENT! >> JIM BECAME VERY UPSET
JUMPED UP, "I DON'T WANT TO HEAR
PANE THE FAMILY SILVER NEATLY PILED
UP NEXT TO A GARBAGE BAG IT DIDN'T LOOK LIKE ANY BURGLARY
INVESTIGATOR CORRIGAN HAD EVER SEEN
HE SUSPECTED CATHY'S KILLER HAD STAGED THE BURGLARY TO THROW
INVESTIGATORS OFF THE TRAIL, WHICH MEANT CATHY'S MURDER
WASN'T RANDOM AT ALL YOU HAD A LOT TO FIGURE OUT.
>> WE HAD A LOT OF UNANSWERED QUESTIONS.
>> Reporter: THEN A FEW DAYS AFTER THE MURDER, A TANTALIZING
LEAD SHOWED UP AT THE POLICE STATION.
>> THERE WAS A LETTER THAT GOT SENT IN, THAT MADE IT SOUND LIKE
SOMEONE WAS HAVIN' AN AFFAIR WITH CATHY
>> Reporter: REALLY? >> AND THAT WAS PRETTY MUCH THE
GIST OF IT >> Reporter: BRIGHTON POLICE
DETECTIVES STEPHEN HUNT AND MARK LIBERATORE WHO WORKED THE
CASE YEARS LATER STUDIED THE LETTER CAREFULLY
IT APPEARED TO HAVE BEEN MAILED LOCALLY, AND THERE WAS NO
SIGNATURE. >> IT WAS AN INDIVIDUAL WHO SAID
THAT HE HAD GONE TO THE DOOR THAT MORNING OF THE INCIDENT
>> Reporter: THE LETTER BEGAN, "I AM A FRIEND OF KATHLEEN
I WAITED FOR HER HUSBAND TO LEAVE YESTERDAY, AND I WENT TO
HER HOUSE AND SHE DID NOT ANSWER THE DOOR."
AND PERHAPS MOST CHILLING OF ALL, THE WRITER SAID
3-YEAR-OLD SARA HAD COME TO THE DOOR
>> THE CHILD COULDN'T GET THE DOOR OPEN.
WHETHER HE COULD SEE THE CHILD OR NOT, IT DIDN'T SAY.
AND WHOEVER WROTE THE LETTER SAID THAT "I'M A MARRIED MAN SO
I CAN'T GET INVOLVED." >> Reporter: WAS THAT ALLUDING
TO THAT HE HAD BEEN WITH CATHY >> WE DON'T KNOW
>> YEAH. IT WAS KIND OF A MYSTERY
>> Reporter: SO MAYBE, MAYBE THAT'S WHAT HE WAS TRYING TO
SAY? "I'M A MARRIED MAN, I WAS HAVING
AN AFFAIR. >> MAYBE
>> Reporter: WHAT A CRYPTIC CLUE
SO WHAT EXACTLY WAS THE STATE OF THE KRAUSENECKS' MARRIAGE?
INVESTIGATOR CORRIGAN HEADED TO THE PLACE WHERE IT ALL BEGAN
YOU GET ON A PLANE >> YES
>> Reporter: AND YOU GO TO MICHIGAN
>> YES YOU KNOW, A FAMILY WOULD KNOW
BETTER -- POSSIBLY WOULD KNOW BETTER IF THEY WERE ARGUING
ABOUT SOMETHING, YOU KNOW, MONEY --
>> Reporter: ANYTHING? >> -- AN ADDICTION
NOTHING WAS COMING >> Reporter: NOTHING
>> NOTHING >> Reporter: CATHY'S FAMILY TOLD
THE INVESTIGATOR THE COUPLE WERE INSEPARABLE.
TWO PEAS IN A POD WHO ONLY HAD EYES FOR EACH OTHER.
BUT THEY SAID THE RECENT MOVE TO BRIGHTON HAD BEEN A LITTLE
ROCKY. ESPECIALLY FOR CATHY
>> THE WASHING MACHINE WAS BROKE AND THEY DIDN'T HAVE MONEY TO
FIX IT AND THEY ONLY HAD ONE CAR AND
JIM WOULD TAKE THAT TO WORK EVERY DAY.
>> Reporter: AND JUST BEING ALONE IN THAT HOUSE WITH NO CAR?
AND A TODDLER? THAT COULD GET REALLY
OVERWHELMING AND LONELY? >> ABSOLUTELY.
>> Reporter: JAMES AGREED TO MEET THE INVESTIGATOR TOO.
HE BROUGHT HIS BROTHER-IN-LAW AND DAD FOR SUPPORT.
DID JAMES EXPRESS THAT THEY WERE HAPPY, THAT THIS WAS A NORMAL
FAMILY >> YES
HE INDICATED, YOU KNOW, THEY WERE VERY MUCH IN LOVE
NO INDICATION OF A THIRD PARTY OR AFFAIRS OR -- A SECRET SIDE
>> Reporter: AND NO TRACE OF ANY FINANCIAL MOTIVE EITHER.
DID JAMES HAVE A BIG LIFE INSURANCE POLICY ON CATHY?
>> NOT THAT WE FOUND >> Reporter: THE INVESTIGATOR
NOTICED HOW QUIET JAMES SEEMED DURING THE 90 MINUTE INTERVIEW
UNTIL -- >> HIS BROTHER-IN-LAW ASKED,
"SO -- WHERE -- WHERE'S IT GOING WITH THE BURGLARY?
OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT AND AT THAT, JIM BECAME VERY
UPSET, JUMPED UP "I'M NOT -- I DON'T WANT TO HEAR
THIS I DON'T WANT TO TALK ABOUT IT.
AND, YOU KNOW, BECAME VERY, VERY EMOTIONAL.
AND YOU KNOW, HAD -- WE HAD TO CALM HIM DOWN.
>> Reporter: JAMES SAID HE WAS TIRED AND ENDED THE INTERVIEW.
THAT DIDN'T SURPRISE ANNET SHE SAID JAMES HADN'T BEEN
ACTING LIKE HIMSELF IN THOSE EARLY DAYS
HE'D BARELY SPOKEN TO THE FAMILY, EVEN PULLING LITTLE SARA
AWAY FROM HER AT THE FUNERAL >> AND I'M THINKING, THAT'S
KINDA ODD. I KNOW I'M UPSET AND EVERYTHING,
BUT -- >> Reporter: YEAH, AND YOU--
>> YOU WOULDN'T EVEN LET ME TALK TO SARA?
>> Reporter: AFTER ENDING HIS INTERVIEW SO ABRUPTLY, JAMES DID
TALK TO INVESTIGATORS SEVERAL MORE TIMES
AND ACCORDING TO ONE POLICE REPORT HE BEGGED THEM "PLEASE
DON'T GIVE UP WORKING ON MY CASE
I NEED TO KNOW WHO DID THIS. BUT THE INVESTIGATOR WONDERED
HOW SERIOUSLY TO TAKE HIM WHEN HE FOUND OUT JAMES HAD GOTTEN
HIS OWN ATTORNEY >> THE FACT THAT HE LAWYERED UP
PUT STRONG SUSPICION ON HIM. >> Reporter: I FEEL LIKE THE
WHOLE LAWYER THING IS SO TRICKY BECAUSE DEFENSE ATTORNEYS ARE
GONNA TELL YOU TO GET A LAWYER, YOU KNOW
>> OF COURSE >> Reporter: JUST TO PROTECT
YOURSELF AND THEN POLICE OR, YOU KNOW,
PEOPLE CAN SEE IT AS, YOU KNOW, A SIGN OF GUILT.
IT'S LIKE YOU'RE DAMMED IF YOU DO, YOU'RE DAMMED IF YOU DON'T
>> WELL, IF YOU COME HOME AND YOU FIND -- FIND YOUR SPOUSE
MURDERED, WHY DO YOU FEEL THE NEED TO GET AN ATTORNEY?
>> Reporter: NOT EVERYONE TRUSTS THE POLICE
>> WELL -- BUT THIS IS NOT A PERSON WHO HAS HAD A LOT OF --
NEGATIVE POLICE CONTACT THROUGHOUT HIS LIFE.
IT DIDN'T FIT THE MOLD >> Reporter: AS THE WEEKS
PASSED, THE INVESTIGATOR'S OTHER LEADS STARTED TO FIZZLE.
YOU ENDED UP INTERVIEWING SOME 300 PEOPLE -
>> OR MORE, YES. >> Reporter: -- IN THIS CASE
>> YES >> Reporter: THAT'S A LOT OF
PEOPLE >> WE TRIED TO TURN OVER EVERY
STONE, MAKE SURE YOU DON'T OVERLOOK ANYTHING.
>> Reporter: BUT YOU NEVER -- WITH ALL OF THESE INTERVIEWS,
YOU NEVER COME ACROSS THE SMOKING GUN OR THE SMOKING AX IN
THIS CASE. >> NO.
>> Reporter: THE CASE WENT COLD. IT SEEMED LIKE ANY HOPE OF
FINDING CATHY'S KILLER WAS MELTING AWAY WITH THE SNOW
>>> COMING UP -- >> MY MOM WOULD JUST CRY, EVERY
DAY. IT JUST BROKE MY HEART
>> NOTHING WAS BEING DONE. AND WE JUST COULDN'T LET THAT
HAPPEN >> ANOTHER KILLING
ANOTHER TOWN AND A SUSPECT WHO WAS VERY
>> Reporter: AFTER THE MURDER OF HIS WIFE, JAMES KRAUSENECK
DECIDED TO LEAVE BRIGHTON BEHIND FOR GOOD
HE AND SARA MOVED IN WITH HIS PARENTS IN MICHIGAN.
HE TOOK A JOB AT THE FAMILY CARPET STORE
ANNET SAW SARA WHEN JAMES BROUGHT HER BY TO VISIT.
COULD YOU SEE IF SHE HAD BEEN TRAUMATIZED?
OR -- I MEAN, SHE'S SO LITTLE. HOW DO YOU KNOW WHAT IS GOING ON
IN THAT LITTLE HEAD OF HERS? >> YEAH, WE DIDN'T KNOW.
WE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT THAT POOR LITTLE GIRL WAS THINKING
>> Reporter: AS SARA GOT BIGGER, HER MOTHER'S CASE WAS GOING
NOWHERE. FIVE YEARS WENT BY
AND THEN TEN YOU END UP RETIRING?
>> YEAH, I LEFT, YES >> Reporter: AND THIS IS NOT
SOLVED >> CORRECT
>> Reporter: CATHY'S FRIENDS AND FAMILY TRIED TO KEEP THE CASE
ALIVE. >> IT WAS IMPORTANT TO FIND WHO
DID IT AND BRING 'EM TO JUSTICE. >> Reporter: GLORIA BUGGED ANY
POLICE OFFICER WHO VISITED THE LOCAL PHARMACY SHE OWNED
>> I ALWAYS BROUGHT IT UP. I -- ANY POLICEMAN THAT CAME IN,
I WOULD SIT THERE AND SAY, YOU KNOW, "WHAT -- WHAT ABOUT THE
KRAUSENECK CASE? S -- YOU EVER GONNA DO SOMETHING
ABOUT IT?" >> WE HAD A LOT OF TIME THAT
PASSED, AND NOTHING WAS BEIN' DONE
AND WE JUST COULDN'T LET THAT HAPPEN
>> Reporter: ANNET WASN'T THAT FRIGHTENED COLLEGE KID ANYMORE
SHE WAS OLDER AND WISER, AND HER SISTER'S BIGGEST CHAMPION.
IS THIS GETTING CONTENTIOUS AT ALL, THE FACT THAT THERE'S BEEN
NO MOVEMENT, THAT YOU'RE AWARE OF
>> YOU KNOW, CONTENTIOUS IS A VERY GOOD WORD
EVERY TIME A NEW POLICE CHIEF WOULD COME ON, I WOULD TRY TO
MAKE CONTACT, OR THEY WOULD CONTACT ME
AND THEY WOULD SAY, YOU KNOW, "THE FILE'S SITTIN' HERE ON MY
DESK." >> Reporter: IT WAS THERE, BUT
WHAT WAS REALLY HAPPENING? >> RIGHT
WE USED TO SIT AROUND MY PARENTS' DINING ROOM TABLE A
LOT, AND I REMEMBER MY MOM WOULD JUST CRY, EVERY DAY.
IT JUST BROKE MY HEART SHE WOULD JUST BREAK DOWN AND
CRY. >> Reporter: WHAT ANNET DIDN'T
KNOW, WAS THAT IN A NEARBY TOWN, LESS THAN 20 MILES FROM THE
HOUSE WHERE HER SISTER WAS MURDERED, ANOTHER WOMAN HAD BEEN
MURDERED AND HER FAMILY WAS GRIEVING AND
WAITING FOR ANSWERS, TOO TEN YEARS AFTER CATHY'S MURDER,
A BUBBLY MUSIC TEACHER NAMED STEPHANIE KUPCHYNSKY VANISHED
FROM HER APARTMENT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT
AND JUST LIKE CATHY, SHE WAS NEW TO TOWN.
>> Reporter: THIS WAS HER FRESH START HERE
>> YES, IT WAS IT WAS
AND SHE WAS CUT DOWN IN THE MIDDLE OF IT
>> Reporter: RACHEL REAR IS STEPHANIE'S STEPSISTER
HER MOTHER MARRIED STEPHANIE'S DAD SEVERAL YEARS AFTER
STEPHANIE DISAPPEARED. >> ABOUT SIX MONTHS AFTER THE
WEDDING, TWO LITTLE BOYS DISCOVERED STEPHANIE'S SKULL AND
REMAINS IN A CREEK IN HOLLEY, NEW YORK
>> Reporter: OH, MY GOSH >> SO, IT OFFICIALLY BECAME A
HOMICIDE >> Reporter: AND THE PRIME
SUSPECT WAS SOMEONE YOU MIGHT RECOGNIZE.
>> HE WAS A SERIAL RAPIST. >> Reporter: WHO'S LIVING RIGHT
NEAR STEPHANIE >> THAT'S RIGHT.
>> Reporter: ED LARABY WAS THE SEX OFFENDER INVESTIGATORS HAD
INTERVIEWED YEARS BEFORE ABOUT CATHY'S MURDER
HE'D BEEN A MAINTENANCE WORKER AT STEPHANIE'S APARTMENT
COMPLEX. AFTER STEPHANIE'S DISAPPEARANCE,
POLICE FOUND OUT SEVERAL RESIDENTS HAD COMPLAINED ABOUT
HIM. >> A COUPLE WOMEN THOUGHT MAYBE
HE ILLEGALLY ENTERED THEIR APARTMENTS
>> Reporter: OH, WOW >> ONE WOMAN THOUGHT HE HAD BEEN
WATCHING HER SLEEP >> Reporter: BY THE TIME
STEPHANIE'S SKULL WAS DISCOVERED, LARABY WAS BACK IN
PRISON, CONVICTED OF ANOTHER SEXUAL ASSAULT
HE WAS GREY-HAIRED AND SICK WHEN DETECTIVE, SERGEANT STAN CHIZUK,
THE LEAD INVESTIGATOR ON STEPHANIE'S CASE WENT TO PAY HIM
A VISIT BEHIND BARS. >> Reporter: AND HE MET WITH
YOU? >> HE DID.
BUT HE WASN'T GONNA TALK TO US HE BASICALLY TOLD US TO EFF OFF,
AND HE WASN'T GONNA TALK TO US >> Reporter: JUST LIKE HE'D TOLD
INVESTIGATORS IN CATHY'S CASE NEARLY 30 YEARS EARLIER.
BUT THE DETECTIVE INVESTIGATING STEPHANIE'S MURDER WAS
DETERMINED TO GET LARABY TALKING.
HE AND A COLLEAGUE STARTED WRITING LETTERS TO HIM IN JAIL
SURPRISINGLY, LARABY WROTE BACK. >> WE BUILT A RELATIONSHIP WITH
HIM. AND IN ORDER FOR US TO BUILD A
RELATIONSHIP, YOU KNOW, HE HAD TO TRUST US.
SO, I MEAN, HE WOULD ASK FOR CANDY, LITTLE STUFF THAT WE
WOULD SEND HIM >> Reporter: HE'D ASK FOR
SOMETHING, AND THEN YOU'D GIVE A LITTLE
>> YES >> Reporter: YOU'RE SLOWLY
REELING HIM IN >> YES
>> Reporter: EVENTUALLY, LARABY CRACKED.
HE CONFESSED THAT HE WAS STEPHANIE'S KILLER
DID HE HAVE ANY REMORSE WHEN HE CONFESSED TO STEPHANIE'S MURDER?
>> NOT AT ALL. NOT AT ALL
HE TALKED ABOUT IT JUST VERY MATTER OF FACTLY
>> IT WAS PROBABLY AROUND MIDNIGHT, I WENT TO HER
APARTMENT, AND SINCE I USED TO WORK THERE, I HAD MASTER KEYS.
>> Reporter: LARABY SAID HE SURPRISED STEPHANIE IN HER
APARTMENT. FIRST, HE RAPED HER.
>> AFTER SOME THOUGHT, I DECIDED THAT THE THING TO DO WAS
ELIMINATE THE WITNESS. >> SO, YOU DECIDED AT THAT
POINT, YOU WERE GONNA KILL HER >> YEAH.
>> Reporter: NOT LONG AFTER HE CONFESSED, ED LARABY WAS CHARGED
WITH TWO COUNTS OF SECOND-DEGREE MURDER
AND WITH THAT, THE RAPIST BECAME AN ALLEGED KILLER.
BACK IN THE DAY, DETECTIVES INVESTIGATING CATHY KRAUSENECK'S
MURDER HAD DISCOUNTED LARABY, IN PART, BECAUSE HE'D NEVER BEEN
ACCUSED OF MURDER. BUT HERE HE WAS, CONFESSING TO
JUST THAT. AND THERE WAS SOMETHING ELSE
THAT POSSIBLY TIED HIM TO CATHY'S KILLING.
ED LARABY HAD COMMITTED AT LEAST ONE RAPE WEARING A SKI MASK?
>> YEAH. A SKI MASK
HE ALSO, I THINK, WORE HOCKEY MASKS IN OTHER RAPES
YEAH, IT WAS PRETTY CREEPY AND SCARY.
>> Reporter: REMEMBER CATHY'S NEIGHBOR SAID SHE SAW A JOGGER
RUNNING NEAR THE KRAUSENECK'S HOUSE ON THE MORNING OF THE
MURDER SHE SAYS THERE WAS ONE OTHER
THING SHE NOTICED ABOUT THE JOGGER
>> HE WAS WEARING A ROYAL BLUE SKI MASK
>> Reporter: COULD THE NEIGHBOR HAVE SEEN ED LARABY THAT
MORNING, RUNNING FROM THE SCENE? HE CERTAINLY HAD SOMETHING TO
TELL INVESTIGATORS ABOUT THE CASE
IN 2014, BEHIND BARS AND WEEKS AWAY FROM DEATH, LARABY MADE ONE
MORE CONFESSION. >>> COMING UP --
>> Reporter: THIS IS THE BIGGEST NEWS YOUR DEPARTMENT HAS HAD IN
A REALLY LONG TIME >> YES
>> ED LARABY HAS A NEW STORY FOR INVESTIGATORS.
AND, A NEW LOOK AT THE EVIDENCE. >> THE AX HAD NEVER BEEN
EXAMINED
CONTINUED TO HAUNT BRIGHTON, NEW YORK
>> IN TIME, THE INTENSITY OF THE CRIME FADED, BUT THE FACT THAT
THERE WAS A HOMICIDE AND IT HAD GONE UNRESOLVED, YOU KNOW, IT
WAS STILL THOUGHT ABOUT. >> Reporter: MARK HENDERSON
BECAME BRIGHTON'S POLICE CHIEF NEARLY 30 YEARS AFTER CATHY'S
MURDER LIMBO FOR DECADES.
UNTIL, ONE DAY IN 2014, HE GOT WORD OF A POSSIBLE BREAK IN THE
CASE >> THERE WAS AN INDIVIDUAL IN
PRISON, AND HE WANTED TO CONFESS TO THE AX MURDER
>> Reporter: IT WAS ED LARABY, THE MAN WHO ADMITTED TO RAPING
AND KILLING A LOCAL MUSIC TEACHER IN A NEIGHBORING TOWN.
THIS IS THE BIGGEST NEWS YOUR DEPARTMENT HAS HAD IN A REALLY
LONG TIME? >> RELATIVE TO THE AX MURDER,
YES. >> Reporter: BACK IN 1982,
LARABY HAD RUDELY TOLD INVESTIGATORS HE DIDN'T WANT TO
TALK WHAT WOULD HE SAY NOW?
WHAT HAPPENS >> SO THE INVESTIGATOR WHO WAS
ASSIGNED THE CASE WORKED WITH THE STATE POLICE AND REPORTED
BACK THAT THE INFORMATION THAT WAS BEIN' REPORTED BY ED LARABY
DID NOT MATCH WHAT WAS IN THE INVESTIGATORY FILE
>> Reporter: LARABY'S PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION OF CATHY COULD NOT
HAVE BEEN MORE WRONG -- TELLING INVESTIGATORS SHE HAD SHORT DARK
HAIR AND GLASSES. HE DIDN'T EVEN USE HER NAME.
INVESTIGATORS DECIDED HE WAS MAKING THE WHOLE THING UP.
BUT INSTEAD OF GIVING UP, THE NEW CHIEF KEPT CATHY'S CASE ON
THE FRONT BURNER HE ASKED THE FBI FOR HELP AND
TEAMED UP WITH SANDRA DOORLEY, THE MONROE COUNTY DISTRICT
ATTORNEY >> WE WERE IN A CONFERENCE ROOM
FOR A COUPLE HOURS, AND JUST WENT THROUGH EVERY SINGLE PIECE
OF EVIDENCE THAT THERE WAS I KEPT THINKING, "THERE'S GOTTA
BE SOMETHING THAT WE COULD TEST FOR DNA.
>> Reporter: A LOT OF ITEMS HAD BEEN BAGGED AT THE CRIME
SCENE -- A SOCK, A SCREW DRIVER, SHARDS OF GLASS FROM THE BROKEN
DOOR >> YOU KNOW, THE AX HAD NEVER
BEEN EXAMINED. I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY THERE WAS
BLOOD -- >> Reporter: THAT'S THE MURDER
WEAPON >> THERE WAS BLOOD ON IT
SO OBVIOUSLY THAT WAS, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING THAT WE WANTED TESTED.
>> Reporter: THEY PACKED IT ALL UP AND SENT IT TO THE FBI.
>> THE HOPE WAS, AND -- AND THE FBI AGREED, THAT THEY COULD
PROCESS THAT EVIDENCE TO THOSE STANDARDS THAT WERE NOT AROUND
IN 1982. >> Reporter: AND THE POLICE
CHIEF ASSIGNED INVESTIGATORS STEPHEN HUNT AND MARK LIBERATORE
TO TAKE A FRESH LOOK AT THE CASE FILE
>> IT'S SEVERAL THOUSAND PAGES OF PAPER
>> Reporter: ONE OF THE THINGS YOU WANTED TO DO IN YOUR NEW
INVESTIGATION WAS COME TO THE HOUSE TO SEE FOR YOURSELF --
>> UH-HUH, UH-HUH. >> Reporter: AT THE -- NOT THE
SCENE OF THE CRIME, BUT AS CLOSE AS YOU CAN GET TO IT DECADES
LATER? >> YEAH, 'CAUSE PICTURES DON'T
PUT IT INTO PERSPECTIVE, NOT WHEN YOU'RE THERE AND YOU CAN
SEE DISTANCES AND -- AND JUST FEEL IT AND JUST SEE IT.
>> Reporter: THE DETECTIVES THOUGHT IT WAS OBVIOUS RIGHT
AWAY THAT THE BURGLARY WAS STAGED
LIKE THE ORIGINAL INVESTIGATORS, THEY SAID THE BROKEN WINDOW ON
THE DOOR LEADING INTO THE HOUSE WAS A GIVEAWAY
>> THE PERPETRATOR WANTED US TO THINK THAT THEY BROKE A WINDOW
HERE IN THE DOOR, AND THEN UNLOCKED IT.
BUT IF YOU THINK -- REALLY THINK ABOUT IT, AND YOU LOOK AT THE
PICTURES FROM BACK IN 1982, THERE'S PIECES OF GLASS THAT ARE
STILL IN THAT -- THAT PANE AND IF YOU PUT YOUR HAND IN
THERE, AND YOU BUTTON HOOK AROUND TRYIN' TO UNLOCK IT,
YOU'D MOST LIKELY GET CAUGHT ON ONE OF THE TWO PIECES.
THERE'S A REALLY, REALLY LARGE PIECE --
>> Reporter: PROBABLY PULLING THE GLASS OUT?
>> RIGHT, YEAH, PULLIN' THE GLASS OUT, CUTTIN' YOUR ARM.
AND THERE MIGHT'VE BEEN SOME FIBERS LEFT BEHIND ON THAT
BUT THERE WAS NOTHIN'. >> Reporter: SO YOU THINK THIS
WAS PART OF THE -- THE -- THE SCRIPT TO JUST -- JUST SMASH THE
WINDOW TO MAKE IT LOOK LIKE THIS IS WHERE THE INTRUDER CAME IN?
>> EXACTLY RIGHT.
IT DIDN'T MAKE SENSE >> Reporter: SAME WITH THAT
SILVER TRAY SET DOWN SO CAREFULLY ON THE DINING ROOM
FLOOR, NEXT TO THE GARBAGE BAG AND THERE WAS SOMETHING NEW THAT
STRUCK DETECTIVE HUNT WHEN HE LOOKED MORE CLOSELY AT THAT BAG.
>> ON THE INSIDE OF THIS BAG, THERE WAS A SHOE PRINT
AND BACK IN '82, THEY LOOKED INTO IT, BUT THEY COULDN'T
FIGURE IT OUT. THEY DIDN'T HAVE ANYTHING TO
COMPARE IT TO. AND THEY JUST CHALKED IT UP AS,
LIKE, A MOCCASIN STYLE TREAD >> Reporter: THE DETECTIVE
SCOURED THE INTERNET AND TRACKED DOWN THE BRAND OF SHOE THAT HE
BELIEVED MATCHED THE SHOE PRINT. IT LOOKED LIKE IT CAME FROM A
PAIR OF DOCKSIDES. IF THERE WAS AN INTRUDER AND IT
WAS A BURGLARY, WOULD YOU EXPECT THEM TO BE WEARING DOCKSIDES
I MEAN, NOT THAT IT -- >> IN FEBRUARY WHEN IT'S
30 DEGREES WITH 9 INCHES OF SNOW ON THE GROUND, NO.
>> Reporter: NOT THAT INTRUDERS HAVE A UNIFORM, BUT IT DIDN'T
REALLY - >> THEY'RE NOT WEARIN'
DOCKSIDERS CAN'T RUN FROM THE POLICE
QUICKLY. >> Reporter: DETECTIVE HUNT
THOUGHT HE MIGHT HAVE AN EXPLANATION.
HE REMEMBERED SOMETHING HE'D SPOTTED IN ANOTHER ONE OF THE
CRIME SCENE PHOTOS -- A PAIR OF BOAT SHOES IN THE ROOM WHERE
CATHY WAS KILLED THEY LOOKED LIKE DOCKSIDES, AND
THEY BELONGED TO JAMES >> Reporter: SEEMS LIKE KIND OF
A LONG SHOT. BUT YOU'RE THINKING MAYBE THESE
SHOES COULD BE A MATCH TO THE -- THE TREAD ON THE GARBAGE BAG
>> RIGHT, BECAUSE I DUG DEEPER AND THESE ARE THE SHOES THAT HE
WORE ALL THE TIME. I TALKED WITH CATHY'S SISTER,
ANNET. AND SHE SAID HE -- IF HE WASN'T
WEARIN' BOAT SHOES, HE WASN'T WEARIN' ANYTHING AT ALL.
>> Reporter: WAS THIS EVIDENCE THAT JAMES WAS THE ONE WHO
STAGED THE BURGLARY? >> THERE WAS A PROFILER BACK IN
'82, FBI PROFILER THAT WROTE UP A LITTLE SYNOPSIS OF THE KILLER,
AND -- >> Reporter: OH, I'M SO CURIOUS.
WHAT DID THEY SAY? >> MY FAVORITE QUOTE IS -- IS
THAT "THE PERSON WHO DID THIS IS AN INTELLIGENT PERSON BUT NOT
CRIMINALLY INTELLIGENT." >> Reporter: THAT COULD FIT PHD
ECONOMIST JAMES KRAUSENECK THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY NOTICED
SOMETHING ELSE IN THE CASEFILE THAT SEEMED SUSPICIOUS ABOUT
CATHY'S HUSBAND. >> WHAT WE FOUND INTERESTING WAS
WITHIN 24 HOURS, HE PACKS UP AND LEAVES ROCHESTER
>> Reporter: I HAVE TO SAY, IF MY SPOUSE WAS MURDERED IN -- IN
OUR BED WITH AN AX, I WOULD BE OUT OF THERE
I WOULD TAKE MY KIDS AND LEAVE BECAUSE I'D BE SO TERRIFIED.
>> BUT WOULD YOU CALL THE POLICE AND ASK THEM, "HOW ARE YOU DOING
ON THE INVESTIGATION DO YOU HAVE ANY LEADS?
WHAT CAN I DO TO HELP YOU? >> Reporter: JAMES HAD NOT
AFTER TALKING TO DETECTIVES IN THOSE EARLY DAYS, HE HAD NEVER
REACHED OUT TO CHECK IN WITH THEM
NOT ONCE IN 30 YEARS INVESTIGATORS WANTED TO KNOW
WHAT HE'D BEEN UP TO ALL THAT TIME
BY 2016, HE WAS LIVING NEAR SEATTLE.
WHAT WAS JAMES DOING IN WASHINGTON
>> HE WAS A VICE PRESIDENT OF SALES FOR A LUMBER COMPANY OUT
THERE. >> Reporter: SOUNDS LIKE HE HAD
A GOOD JOB >> YES, I WOULD SAY --
>> NICE HOME, HAS A FAIRWAY IN HIS BACKYARD
>> Reporter: AND HE WAS RE-MARRIED TO WIFE NUMBER FOUR
OH, SO HE'S BEEN MARRIED THREE TIMES SINCE CATHY'S DEATH?
>> YES >> Reporter: I MEAN, THAT'S A
WHOLE OTHER CAN OF WORMS TO UNPACK RIGHT THERE
>> IT IS >> Reporter: DETECTIVE
LIBERATORE INTERVIEWED JAMES' EX WIVES.
HIS FIRST WIFE AFTER CATHY'S DEATH SAID THE MARRIAGE HAD
LASTED LESS THAN A YEAR. >> I REMEMBER HER TELLIN' ME
THAT, YOU KNOW, JAMES JUST ABRUPTLY ENDED IT.
AND SHE, YOU KNOW- >> LIKE, REAL ABRUPTLY THOUGH.
>> YES >> SHE CAME UPSTAIRS WITH SOME
COFFEE HE'S, LIKE, "THIS ISN'T
WORKING. AND SHE'S, LIKE, "WHAT, THE
COFFEE?" AND SHE'S -- HE'S, LIKE, "NO,
US." >> Reporter: OH, MY GOSH
>> AND THAT WAS IT >> Reporter: HAD -- HAD SHE
EXPRESSED IF HE HAD GOTTEN VIOLENT OR IF HE WAS AN ANGRY
PERSON >> NONE OF THAT.
HER -- HER -- HER EXPRESSION TO ME WAS THAT, YOU KNOW, SHE NEVER
EXPERIENCED ANY OF THAT. >> Reporter: NEITHER HAD JAMES'
OTHER EX-WIFE. YOU'D THINK THOUGH IF SOMEONE'S
CAPABLE OF KILLING THEIR WIFE WITH AN AX THAT HE MIGHT HAVE A
TEMPER THAT -- THAT WOULD COME THROUGH.
>> UH-HUH. >> Reporter: MILD-MANNERED,
RESERVED THAT'S HOW CATHY'S FAMILY
THOUGHT OF JAMES, TOO. YOU'RE THINKING THAT THERE'S NO
WAY JAMES WOULD EVER KILL CATHY? >> ABSOLUTELY.
THAT'S WHAT I WAS THINKIN' NO WAY
>> Reporter: WHY >> BECAUSE I DIDN'T THINK THAT
HE HAD THAT -- THAT IN 'IM HE WAS-- HE -- HE DIDN'T SEEM
LIKE THAT PERSONALITY TO ME. >> Reporter: INVESTIGATORS
WANTED TO DECIDE FOR THEMSELVES. SO THEY MADE A PLAN.
THEY WERE GOING TO SHOW UP AT JAMES KRAUSENECK'S DOOR
UNANNOUNCED, TAPE RECORDER ROLLING, LIKE GHOSTS FROM THE
PAST >>> COMING UP --
>> THE FRONT DOOR OPENS AND HE COMES WALKIN' OUT.
>> A CONVERSATION BECOMES A CONFRONTATION.
>> WERE YOU HAVIN' TROUBLES WITH YOUR MARRIAGE?
>> NO. WE HAD A ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL
>> Reporter: IT'S PAINFUL FOR HER TO REMEMBER.
THE CARE-FREE AFTERNOONS ANNET SAYS SHE SPENT PLAYING WITH
CATHY AND BABY SARA BEFORE THE >> WE WOULD JUST ALL SIT IN THE
PLAYROOM AND JUST PLAY TOGETHER. AND WE'D MAYBE ORDER A PIZZA,
AND WE WOULD JUST HANG OUT I MEAN, WE WERE JUST -- IT WAS
THE MOST AWESOME TIME OF MY LIFE
>> Reporter: BUT AFTER THE MURDER, AS THE YEARS PASSED,
EVEN THOUGH SARA WAS LIVING BACK IN MICHIGAN, ANNET SAYS HER
FAMILY SAW LESS AND LESS OF HER. SARA WAS IN GRADE SCHOOL WHEN
JAMES MOVED ACROSS THE COUNTRY TO WASHINGTON STATE.
HIS PARENTS WENT TOO >> THEY ALL JUST GET UP AND MOVE
TO WASHINGTON. AND THAT WAS IT.
AND WE'RE THINKING, "WHY ARE THEY TAKING SARA AWAY?
>> Reporter: ANNET SAYS THIS WAS THE MOMENT THE FAMILY DARED TO
IMAGINE CATHY'S HUSBAND MIGHT BE HIDING SOMETHING
>> I THINK MY MOM WAS THE FIRST ONE TO SAY IT.
SHE SAYS, "I THINK JIM DID IT. >> Reporter: WHAT'S THE REACTION
FROM EVERYBODY >> I KNOW IT MADE ME THINK IF MY
MOM BELIEVED IT, IT MADE ME START THINKING
>> Reporter: LIKE INVESTIGATORS, CATHY'S FAMILY WONDERED WHY HE
HADN'T STAYED TO HELP POLICE >> WE STARTED TALKING ABOUT JIM
JUST LEAVING NEW YORK AND COMING TO MICHIGAN RIGHT AWAY
>> Reporter: ANNET WAS THRILLED WHEN THE NEW DETECTIVES TOLD HER
THEY WERE RE-INVESTIGATING THE CASE, AND JAMES WAS ON THEIR
RADAR. IT HAD BEEN MORE THAN 30 YEARS
SINCE JAMES LAST TALKED TO THE POLICE
YOU RING THE DOORBELL, AND DOES JAMES ANSWER
>> RANG THE DOORBELL NOBODY ANSWERED FOR A BIT.
AND WE KINDA DID WHAT THE POLICE ALWAYS DO.
WE KIND OF LOOKING AT THE HOUSE A LITTLE BIT -
>> I STARTED LOOKING THROUGH THE DOORS AND WINDOWS.
HE STAYED AT THE DOOR AND I STARTED LOOKING THROUGH THE
GARAGE >> AND THEN -- FRONT DOOR OPENS,
AND HE COMES WALKING OUT >> MARK LIBERATORE
HOW ARE YOU? >> GOOD.
>> YOU'RE PROBABLY A LITTLE BIT SURPRISED WHY WE'RE HERE
>> YEAH. HOPEFULLY YOU HAVE SOME GOOD
NEWS >> Reporter: IT WAS THE
BEGINNING OF A 90 MINUTE INTERVIEW DURING WHICH
DETECTIVES DID MOST OF THE TALKING.
AND THE SOFT-SPOKEN JAMES GAVE BRIEF, SOMETIMES HALTING
ANSWERS. >> TELL ME, TO THE BEST OF YOUR
RECOLLECTION OF WHAT HAPPENED 34 YEARS AGO WHEN YOU GOT HOME
FROM WORK FROM KODAK >> SO I THINK ABOUT THIS A LOT
I'M NEVER SURE IF I -- IF I REALLY REMEMBER.
IT SEEMS AS IF THE GARAGE DOOR WAS OPEN
>> DO YOU REMEMBER WHICH ONE WAS OPEN, MR. KRAUSENECK
>> I'M NOT -- I WOULD SAY THAT ONE.
>> Reporter: THE DETECTIVE HAD BROUGHT ALONG A DIAGRAM OF THE
HOUSE TO HELP JOG HIS MEMORY >> I REMEMBER THE BACK DOOR WITH
GLASS WAS BROKEN >> AND THEN, MR. KRAUSENECK,
WHERE'D YOU GO AFTER THAT? >> JUST I THINK THIS WAY AND UP
THE STAIRS, SEEING -- WELL, TRYING TO FIND WHERE CATHY WAS
I THINK WHEN I WAS IN THE -- IN OUR ROOM, I THINK SARA CAME IN
>> YOU THINK SARA CAME IN? >> I THINK
>> Reporter: THAT WAS NEW. HE ORIGINALLY TOLD POLICE HE'D
FOUND SARA IN HER ROOM >> AND SHE -- SHE HAD ON HER
SWEATER ON BACKWARDS >> OH, SHE DID
A LITTLE SWEATER ON BACKWARDS? >> YEAH.
>> OKAY. AND THEN WHAT'D YOU SEE?
I KNOW THIS IS HARD. >> CATHY
>> Reporter: JAMES STARTED TO CRY BUT INVESTIGATORS PRESSED
ON >> DID YOU TOUCH HER BODY?
>> I DON'T KNOW. >> DID YOU MOVE ANY BLANKETS TO
SEE?
>> JUST SOME >> DO YOU REMEMBER IF YOU, LIKE,
CHECKED FOR ANY SIGNS OF LIFE, BREATHING, HEART RATE, ANY OF
THAT >> I THINK THAT'S WHEN SARA CAME
IN AND THEN I -- I JUST GRABBED
SARA >> Reporter: JAMES SAID THAT'S
WHEN HE RAN TO THE NEIGHBOR ACROSS THE STREET FOR HELP
>> I FEEL BAD ABOUT IT SOMETIMES, 'CAUSE I THINK I WAS
SCARED >> I WOULD BE TOO.
>> 'CAUSE I KINDA WONDER WHY I JUST DIDN'T STAY IN THE HOUSE.
WHY I LEFT CATHY >> Reporter: THE INVESTIGATORS
ASKED HIM TO TELL THEM ABOUT HIS RELATIONSHIP WITH CATHY.
>> YOU GUYS HAVE ANY ISSUES FINANCIALLY?
>> NO. >> NO?
EVERYTHING WAS GOOD? YOU GUYS WEREN'T HAVING ANY KIND
OF ISSUES IN YOUR MARRIAGE >> NO.
>> Reporter: THE DETECTIVES STARTED TO QUESTION JAMES ABOUT
DETAILS OF THE CRIME THEIR SUSPICIONS ABOUT THE
BURGLARY >> IF I'M GONNA BAR --
BURGLARIZE A PLACE, AND I'M GONNA GO UPSTAIRS, AND -- AND
PUT AN AX IN SOMEONE'S HEAD, I'M GONNA TAKE THE STUFF TOO.
HOW 'BOUT EVEN GOING FURTHER, IF I'M A HOMICIDAL MANIAC THAT WAY,
I'D BE TAKING CARE OF SARA TOO WHY LEAVE ANYBODY?
>> WHY WOULD -- YOU'RE -- I JUST -- I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHO
WOULD WANT TO DO THAT. >> EXACTLY
>> YEAH. THAT'S WHAT WE THINK
>> Reporter: AND THAT'S WHEN THE INVESTIGATORS STARTED TO GET
MORE CONFRONTATIONAL, CHALLENGING JAMES' VERSION OF
EVENTS >> DO YOU REMEMBER IF YOU SLEPT
IN THAT BED THAT NIGHT OR SOMEWHERE ELSE IN THE HOUSE?
>> YEAH, I SLEPT IN THAT BED >> YOU DID
>> Reporter: AND YET POLICE FOUND A PULLOUT COUCH IN THE
DEN, WITH PILLOWS AND BLANKETS PILED UP ON A CHAIR NEARBY
AND AN ALARM CLOCK SET FOR THE TIME JAMES WOKE UP TO GO TO
WORK >> WERE YOU HAVING TROUBLES WITH
YOUR MARRIAGE? >> YOU KNOW, YOU CAN ASK ME A
THOUSAND TIMES >> I KNOW.
AND YOU'RE THE ONLY -- AND MR. KRAUSENECK, YOU'RE THE ONLY
ONE WE CAN ASK YOU GOTTA UNDERSTAND THAT.
>> OKAY. NO
WE HAD AN ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL MARRIAGE
>> WE'RE GETTING INFORMATION TO THE CONTRARY BOTH FROM REPORTS
BACK THEN AND -- >> YOU KNOW WHAT
I DON'T -- IT JUST DOESN'T MAKE ANY -- YOU CAN SAY ANYTHING YOU
WANNA SAY. BUT THERE -- THAT'S BALONEY.
>> Reporter: THEN OUT OF NOWHERE, JAMES SAID THIS -
>> I DIDN'T KILL CATHY >> I DISAGREE.
>> WELL, THEN -- >> I THINK YOU DID
>> Reporter: THE DETECTIVE SHARED HIS THEORY.
THAT CATHY AND JAMES HAD BEEN STRUGGLING EMOTIONALLY AND
FINANCIALLY. >> WE WEREN'T IN FINANCIAL
DIFFICULTY >> I'VE GOT HALF A DOZEN RECORDS
FROM COLLECTION AGENCIES FROM BACK THEN.
>> YOU DON'T HAVE THE -- ALL THAT STUFF IS ABSOLUTELY -- I'D
LOVE TO SEE THAT >> ALL RIGHT
WELL, EVENTUALLY YOU WILL. >> Reporter: WHAT WAS -- WHAT
WAS HIS BODY LANGUAGE LIKE THAT YOU COULD SEE THAT
>> BODY LANGUAGE, EVERYTHING FROM -- CAN'T SIT STILL.
BANGING HIS -- HIS HANDS ON HIS -- HIS LEGS.
>> HIS BREATHING AND HIS HEART RATE WERE SO EXCITED THAT YOU --
LITERALLY HIS COLLAR ON HIS SHIRT WAS MOVING FROM HIM JUST
SITTING THERE. >> Reporter: WHAT'S THAT TELLING
YOU? >> WE'RE CAUSING HIM TO BE
UNCOMFORTABLE AT HIS KITCHEN TABLE.
>> Reporter: IS IT GUILT OR IS IT THE SHOCK OF TWO DETECTIVES
SHOWING UP ON HIS DOOR DECADES AFTER HIS WIFE'S DEATH
>> PROBABLY BOTH >> COULD BE BOTH, FOR SURE
>> Reporter: THE INVESTIGATORS DIDN'T HOLD BACK, PUSHING JAMES
TO COME CLEAN. >> YOU KNOW WHAT YOU GOTTA DO?
YOU GOTTA THINK NOT ABOUT YOURSELF
YOU GOTTA THINK ABOUT SARA YOU GOTTA THINK ABOUT --
>> COME ON OKAY
>> -- YOUR WIFE. >> TIME OUT.
TIME TO GO >> Reporter: JAMES HAD HAD
ENOUGH AND ASKED THE DETECTIVES TO LEAVE BUT THE DETECTIVES
WEREN'T DONE BECAUSE AT THE EXACT MOMENT THEY
WERE KNOCKING ON JAMES KRAUSENECK'S DOOR, TWO
INVESTIGATORS FROM THE PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE WALKED UP TO
A HOUSE 2,000 MILES AWAY IN HOUSTON, TEXAS
>> WE'RE APPROACHING THE FRONT DOOR NOW
>> Reporter: IT WAS SARA'S HOUSE.
THE LITTLE GIRL WAS A MOTHER HERSELF NOW.
WHAT WOULD SHE HAVE TO SAY ABOUT THAT MORNING HER MOTHER WAS
MURDERED AND THE FATHER NOW UNDER
SUSPICION? >>> COMING UP --
>> I REMEMBER GOING IN THERE TO GET A TISSUE
THIS IS HOW I REMEMBER IT. >> INTO YOUR MOTHER'S BEDROOM?
>> YES AND I REMEMBER SEEING HER.
AND I -- AT SOME POINT IN TIME, I REMEMBER SEEING SOMEBODY ELSE
WITH CURLY HAIR. >> Reporter: THIS IS DELICATE.
>> Reporter: MORE THAN 30 YEARS HAD PASSED SINCE SARA KRAUSENECK
SAT AT THE BRIGHTON POLICE STATION DRAWING STICK FIGURES OF
HER MOTHER'S MURDER. NOW, INVESTIGATORS WANTED TO
TALK TO HER AGAIN, ABOUT HER MEMORIES OF WHAT SHE'D SEEN BACK
THEN ABOUT THE FATHER WHO RAISED HER.
THIS IS DELICATE I MEAN, BECAUSE OF THE HISTORY
AND SO MUCH TIME HAS PASSED. >> I -- I'D SAY IT WAS
NERVE-RACKING. >> IT WAS NERVE-RACKING.
>> Reporter: IT WAS HARD TO KNOW WHAT SARA THOUGHT OF HER DAD ALL
THESE YEARS LATER. SHE WAS LIVING HUNDREDS OF MILES
AWAY IN HOUSTON, TEXAS IT WAS THE DAY AFTER HER 38TH
BIRTHDAY WHEN TWO INVESTIGATORS FROM THE D.A.'S OFFICE KNOCKED
ON HER DOOR. AT THE EXACT SAME TIME
INVESTIGATORS WERE TALKING TO HER FATHER
AT THE SAME TIME, BECAUSE? >> WE DON'T WANT ONE TALKING TO
THE OTHER. >> YOU WANT THE ELEMENT OF
SURPRISE FOR BOTH OF THEM. >> WE WANT THE ELEMENT OF
SURPRISE, YES. >> HI.
>> HI SARA, I --
>> WE APOLOGIZE FOR -- >> SORRY
I WAS WORKING OUT. >> THAT'S OKAY
>> NO PROBLEM. >> SORRY TO -- TO BOTHER YOU
WHEN YOU'RE WORKIN' OUT. >> Reporter: SARA USHERED THE
INVESTIGATORS INTO THE LIVING ROOM
>> AGAIN, WE APOLOGIZE FOR - >> THAT'S ALL RIGHT.
IT'S A LITTLE SHOCKING, BUT -- >> YEAH.
I'M SURE IT IS, SARA I'M SURE IT IS
>> JUST TALKIN' ABOUT IT THIS MORNING, STRANGELY ENOUGH.
>> OH, WERE YOU? >> YEAH, TO MY DAUGHTER.
>> Reporter: THE INVESTIGATORS EXPLAINED WHY THEY WERE THERE --
HER MOTHER'S CASE HAD BEEN RE-OPENED AND THEY WANTED TO
HEAR SARA'S STORY. AND SO BEGAN A REMARKABLE
CONVERSATION IN WHICH YOU WILL HEAR A YOUNG WOMAN CONFRONT HER
MEMORIES, HER LIFE-LONG GRIEF AND EVERYTHING SHE THOUGHT SHE
KNEW ABOUT HER FATHER. >> YOU WERE OBVIOUSLY A LITTLE
GIRL - >> YES
>> -- WHEN THIS HAPPENED >> YES
>> YOU WERE A LITTLE SHY OF 4 YEARS OLD.
>> YEAH, I WOULD SAY 3 1/2 >> 3 1/2
YEAH >> YEAH.
>> Reporter: SARA SAID HER MEMORIES WERE HAZY, JUMBLED.
BUT SHE WOULD DO HER BEST TO REMEMBER
SHE MADE SURE HER OWN KIDS WERE OUT OF EARSHOT AND THEN BEGAN.
>> SO I REMEMBER WAKING UP AND MY BEDROOM WAS ACROSS FROM
THEIR BEDROOM AT THE TOP OF THE STAIRS
AND I REMEMBER GOING IN THERE TO GET A TISSUE
THIS IS HOW I REMEMBER IT. >> INTO YOUR MOTHER'S BEDROOM?
>> YES UH-HUH
AND I REMEMBER SEEING HER. AND I -- AT SOME POINT IN TIME,
I REMEMBER SEEING SOMEBODY ELSE WITH CURLY HAIR.
AND I DON'T KNOW IF I ACTUALLY SAW ANYBODY ELSE, OR IF I JUST
SAW HER AND I DIDN'T THINK IT WAS HER, AND SOMETHING LIKE
THAT AND THEN I JUST REMEMBER, LIKE,
SITTING IN MY BEDROOM, LIKE, TELLING MY DOLLIES IT WOULD BE
OKAY AND THEN WAITING UNTIL SOMEONE CAME
>> Reporter: SHE SAID SHE'D GONE DOWNSTAIRS AT ONE POINT AND SEEN
WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN BROKEN GLASS.
>> AND I DIDN'T KNOW IF IT WAS, LIKE, GLASS OR ICE, 'CAUSE THERE
WAS SNOW OUTSIDE SO I DIDN'T KNOW WHERE TO WALK
OR WHAT TO DO. AND IT WAS SNOW.
AND I WAS CONFUSED SO I STAYED UPSTAIRS WITH MY
DOLLS. >> Reporter: SHE SAID SHE DIDN'T
REMEMBER WHO FOUND HER IN THE HOUSE.
SHE DID REMEMBER TALKING TO THE POLICE
>> WHAT HAS YOUR DAD TOLD YOU? >> UM, MY DAD DOESN'T LIKE TO
TALK ABOUT IT VERY MUCH. >> OKAY.
>> UM, AND I THINK HE TALKED TO ME ABOUT IT WHEN I WAS A KID,
WHEN I WOULD ASK ABOUT IT. BUT MY DAD ISN'T A "TALK ABOUT
IT" KIND OF A GUY. >> Reporter: SHE TOLD THE
INVESTIGATORS SHE WASN'T SURPRISED HER DAD HADN'T BEEN IN
REGULAR CONTACT WITH THE POLICE. >> I THINK HE CAN'T CHANGE WHAT
HAPPENED HE CAN'T CHANGE IT
HE WISHES HE COULD BUT HE'S JUST GONNA TRY TO MOVE
ON AND NOT DWELL IN IT, TO BE EXTREMELY SAD ALL THE TIME
YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN >> Reporter: SARA SAID SHE FELT
THE SAME WAY SHE HAD GROWN UP A MOTHERLESS
CHILD. THAT'S WHAT SHE KNEW
>> WHAT HAPPENED IN YOUR LIFE AFTER YOUR MOTHER WAS KILLED
WHERE DO YOU RECALL THE NEXT CHAPTER OF LIFE FOR YOU?
>> SO THEN WE MOVED TO MICHIGAN. >> OKAY.
>> UM, WITH MY DAD'S PARENTS, AND WE MOVED IN WITH THEM.
>> HOW DID THAT GO >> I'M -- VERY, VERY CLOSE TO MY
DAD'S MOM THAT HAS NOW PASSED AWAY
>> OKAY. >> AND SO SHE WAS, LIKE, THE
WOMAN FIGURE IN MY LIFE. >> RIGHT
>> AND EXTREMELY CLOSE TO HER. >> Reporter: THEN SHE DESCRIBED
THE MOVE TO WASHINGTON STATE, FOLLOWED BY COLLEGE IN ARIZONA,
AND MOVING WITH HER YOUNG FAMILY TO TEXAS
ALWAYS THERE FOR HER AT THE END OF THE PHONE WAS HER DAD
>> HOW CLOSE ARE YOU WITH YOUR DAD?
>> I'M VERY CLOSE WITH MY DAD. >> VERY CLOSE WITH YOUR DAD?
>> YES >> OKAY.
>> Reporter: INVESTIGATORS HAD BEEN DOING ALL THE LISTENING
BUT HALF AN HOUR INTO THE CONVERSATION THEY STARTED DOING
THE TELLING. LAYING OUT FOR SARA WHAT THEY
HAD DISCOVERED THEIR THEORY ABOUT THE STAGED
BURGLARY, AND SOMETHING NEW. SOME NEW SCIENCE
>> THERE WERE SIGNIFICANT DEVELOPMENTS THAT WERE MADE BY
THE FORENSIC PEOPLE THAT, UH, HAVE HELPED TO VERY PRECISELY
AND NARROWLY -- NARROWLY, UH, DEFINE A TIME OF DEATH ON -- ON
A BODY >> OH.
OKAY >> Reporter: JAMES KRAUSENECK
TOLD POLICE THAT WHEN HE LEFT FOR WORK, CATHY WAS ALIVE.
BACK IN 1982 THE MEDICAL EXAMINER SAID THAT COULD VERY
WELL BE TRUE BUT THE INVESTIGATORS TOLD SARA
THAT THANKS TO SCIENTIFIC ADVANCES THEY COULD PIN DOWN
EXACTLY WHAT TIME HER MOTHER DIED
AND THE ANSWER STRUCK RIGHT AT THE HEART OF EVERYTHING SHE HAD
BEEN TOLD ABOUT THE MURDER >> THERE'S NO EASY WAY TO SAY
IT THERE'S REASON TO CONCLUDE THAT
YOUR MOTHER WAS KILLED BEFORE YOUR DAD LEFT FOR WORK
NOW YOUR DAD LEFT FOR WORK ABOUT, UH --
>> DO YOU THINK THAT MY DAD KILLED MY MOM?
IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO SAY?
>> WELL, WE'LL -- WE'LL PROGRESS THROUGH THE CASE
>> CAN WE JUST -- CAN WE -- 'CAUSE I FEEL LIKE THAT'S
WHERE -- I FEEL LIKE THIS IS THE VIBE I'M GETTING
>> OKAY. >> SO CAN WE -- CAN WE -
>> OKAY. THE -- THE -- THE INVESTIGATION
HAS CERTAINLY STARTED TO POINT THAT WAY
>> Reporter: THIS HAD TO BE JUST INCREDIBLY UNSETTLING FOR SARA
THAT SHE'S PROBABLY BEEN TOLD ONE THING, YOU KNOW, BY HER DAD
HER ENTIRE LIFE. AND NOW THE POLICE ARE TELLING
HER THEY THINK HER DAD'S A KILLER
>> CORRECT >> SO THAT'S WHY WE THOUGHT IT
WAS VERY IMPORTANT TO COME DOWN HERE AND TALK TO YOU IN
PERSON - >> HOLY --
>> YEAH. IT'S PROBABLY, LIKE, FEELIN'
LIKE - YOU GOT HIT WITH A TWO BY FOUR
RIGHT NOW. >> OKAY.
GIVE ME A SECOND HERE. >> OKAY.
>> ABSOLUTELY. >> NOT OKAY WITH THIS ONE.
>> OKAY. TAKE YOUR TIME
>> SORRY >> NO.
NO, NO YOU DON'T --
>> THAT'S -- >> LISTEN, JUST --
>> SARA, YOU DO NOT HAVE TO APOLOGIZE.
>> THE LAST THING IN THE FRICKIN' WORLD I WOULD EVER --
>> YES >> -- IMAGINE.
>> RIGHT >> AND I'M STILL -- DON'T
BELIEVE YOU. >> Reporter: SARA'S THOUGHTS
QUICKLY JUMPED TO WHAT WAS AT STAKE FOR HER DAD -- AND HER --
IF HE WAS ARRESTED >> NOW I JUST THINK MY KIDS ARE
GONNA GROW UP WITHOUT A GRANDPA. >> WELL, NO, NOT NECESSARILY
BECAUSE THAT'S STILL THEIR GRANDPA.
YOU KNOW >> I KNOW, BUT A GRANDPA THAT'S
IN JAIL OR SOMETHING YOU KNOW
THAT'S, LIKE - >> LET'S -- LET'S TAKE IT SLOW
>> I DON'T WANT MORE TAKEN FROM ME THAN I ALREADY GOT TAKEN FROM
ME >> RIGHT
>> I KNOW. >> Reporter: SARA SAID SHE'D
ALREADY LOST HER MOTHER. SHE COULDN'T LOSE HER DAD, TOO
>> NOW I DON'T WANT YOU TO INVESTIGATE ANYMORE, 'CAUSE I
DON'T -- >> RIGHT
BUT YOU SUFFERED A TERRIBLE LOSS GROWIN' UP WITHOUT YOUR MOTHER
>> WELL, AND SHE -- YEAH, THAT'S NOT RIGHT EITHER
BECAUSE SHE DESERVES -- IT'S -- YEAH, THAT'S NOT FAIR EITHER
>> SO YOU SUFFERED A TERRIBLE LOSS
AND YOUR MOTHER OBVIOUSLY LOST MAYBE ANOTHER 50 YEARS THAT SHE
COULD HAVE LIVED AND ENJOYED LIFE
>> Reporter: AND THE INVESTIGATOR TOLD SARA SOME OF
WHAT HE'D LEARNED ABOUT HER MOTHER BY WORKING ON THE CASE.
>> THE DAY BEFORE YOUR MOTHER LOST HER LIFE, SHE TOOK YOU
SLEDDING >> AWESOME
THAT'S GOOD. >> DID YOU KNOW THAT
>> NO. >> IF SHE GOT TO LIVE ANOTHER
DAY, THAT SATURDAY, YOU WERE GONNA GO TO THE CIRCUS TOO
>> THAT'S VERY COOL. >> Reporter: WERE INVESTIGATORS
HOPING THE WARM MEMORIES OF HER MOM WOULD MAKE HER TURN ON HER
DAD? MAYBE.
SARA SEEMED TO WAVER SHE AGREED IT WAS STRANGE HER
DAD LEFT TOWN SO SOON AFTER THE MURDER
>> YOU'D THINK YOU'D WANNA HELP IF YOUR --
>> RIGHT >> WHY WOULD YOU NOT WANNA HELP?
THAT DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE. >> RIGHT
>> Reporter: BUT SHE INSISTED, THE DAD SHE KNEW WAS A GOOD MAN.
>> MY DAD IS A WONDERFUL PERSON. THERE IS NO DOUBT THAT -
>> WE SEE A LOTTA WONDERFUL PEOPLE WHO MAKE SPLIT-SECOND
DECISIONS -- >> RIGHT
THAT'S WHAT I'M SAYING SO IF --
>> -- THAT ARE TERRIBLE. >> IF THAT IS THE CASE -
>> RIGHT >> THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO
DOUBT -- >> YES
>> THAT -- >> IT DOES HAPPEN.
I MEAN, GOOD PEOPLE -- >> THAT GOOD PEOPLE DO BAD
THINGS >> YOU TOOK THE WORDS RIGHT OUT
OF MY MOUTH, SARA. >> Reporter: SARA BRIEFLY SEEMED
TO WRESTLE WITH THE IDEA HER DAD COULD BE BEHIND THE MURDER
>> IF THIS HAPPENED, IT WAS DEFINITELY A CRIME OF PASSION, A
SPLIT SECOND >> THAT'S EXACTLY RIGHT.
>> DO YOU THINK YOUR FATHER WOULD EVER OWN UP TO DOIN'
SOMETHIN' THAT HE REGRETS LIKE THIS
>> I HAVE NO IDEA. I -- I -- I CAN'T COMPREHE -- I
JUST CAN'T -- CAN'T COMPREHEND THAT HE WOULD DO SOMETHING LIKE
THIS >> Reporter: SARA PROMISED TO
THINK ABOUT WHAT THE INVESTIGATORS HAD TOLD HER
ABOUT WHAT IT ALL MEANT. FOR HER, AND HER FATHER.
BECAUSE THE WALLS WERE ABOUT TO CLOSE IN ON JAMES KRAUSENECK
>> COMING UP - >> WE WERE TRYING TO SEE IF
THERE WAS EVIDENCE OF SOMEONE OTHER THAN CATHY, OF JAMES, AND
THE LITTLE GIRL. >> THE RESULTS ARE IN FROM THE
CRIME LAB -- WHAT WOULD THE EVIDENCE REVEAL?
>> DID YOU EVER THINK, IN ALL THIS TIME, THAT YOU WOULD HEAR
NEWS LIKE THAT >> Reporter: DETECTIVES WORKING
THE CASE WERE MORE CONVINCED THAN EVER THAT JAMES KRAUSENECK
WAS THE ONE WHO KILLED HIS WIFE CATHY.
THEY WENT TO SEE THE PROSECUTOR TO ARGUE THEIR CASE.
>> SO ALL THE BUREAU CHIEFS COME IN, WE PUT A PRESENTATION
TOGETHER, AND WE PRESENTED IT. >> Reporter: DISTRICT ATTORNEY
SANDRA DOORLEY WAS ALL EARS. >> I'VE ALWAYS BEEN A PROSECUTOR
AND A DISTRICT ATTORNEY WHO BELIEVES THAT ALL VICTIMS
DESERVE JUSTICE, REGARDLESS OF HOW LONG, HOW MUCH TIME HAS
PASSED >> Reporter: DA DOORLEY HAD
REVIEWED THE RESULTS FROM THE FBI LAB.
ALL THOSE ITEMS OF EVIDENCE THEY HAD SENT OFF FOR TESTING TOLD
HER A STORY. >> THERE WAS NO OUTSIDE DNA
FOUND ON ANY OF THE ITEMS. THAT'S WHAT WE WERE LOOKING FOR.
WE WERE TRYING TO SEE IF THERE WAS EVIDENCE OF -- OF SOMEONE
OTHER THAN CATHY, OF JAMES, AND THE LITTLE GIRL.
>> Reporter: AND SOMETIMES THE LACK OF DNA, EXTERNAL DNA, TELLS
JUST AS BIG A STORY AS DNA DOES. >> ABSOLUTELY.
IT TOLD ME THAT THERE WAS NO OUTSIDE PERSON WHO CAME INTO
THAT HOUSE OTHER THAN THE RESIDENTS.
>> Reporter: WHY DO YOU THINK THERE WAS NOT AN ARREST ALL
THOSE DECADES AGO? >> YOU KNOW, I THINK THEY WERE
LOOKING FOR THE SMOKING GUN, THE PROVERBIAL SMOKING GUN
AND I'M WILLING TO TAKE A CHANCE AND THAT'S BEEN MY REPUTATION.
>> Reporter: IN LATE 2019, THE STATE FILED SECOND-DEGREE MURDER
CHARGES AGAINST 68-YEAR-OLD JAMES KRAUSENECK
BY THAT POINT, ALMOST FORTY YEARS HAD PASSED SINCE CATHY'S
MURDER DID YOU EVER THINK, IN ALL THIS
TIME, THAT YOU'D -- YOU WOULD HEAR NEWS LIKE THAT?
>> NEVER I MEAN THAT WAS HUGE
>> Reporter: THE CASE WENT TO TRIAL IN SEPTEMBER OF 2022
CATHY'S FAMILY MEMBERS, INCLUDING HER ELDERLY FATHER,
WERE THERE EVERYDAY. WHY WAS IT IMPORTANT FOR YOU AND
YOUR FAMILY TO BE THERE? >> WE HAD TO BE THERE, FOR
CATHY. I -- WE WOULDN'T'VE BEEN
ANYWHERE ELSE. >> Reporter: HOW DID HE GET
THROUGH ALL THIS HE'S IN HIS 90s?
>> 95. >> Reporter: YOUR MOM NEVER GOT
TO SEE JUSTICE, BUT WAS YOUR DAD DETERMINED TO BE THERE, AND SEE
THIS THROUGH >> UM, I BELIEVE HE WAS QUOTED,
"COME HELL OR HIGH WATER, I'M GOING TO BE AT THAT TRIAL.
>> IT'S BEEN 40 YEARS, SEVEN MONTHS, AND APPROXIMATELY FOUR
DAYS THAT'S HOW LONG CATHY'S FAMILY
HAS BEEN WAITING FOR JUSTICE >> Reporter: MONROE COUNTY
ASSISTANT DISTRICT ATTORNEYS PATRICK GALLAGHER AND CONSTANCE
PATTERSON KNEW THEY HAD A BIG CHALLENGE AHEAD.
NOT AN EASY CASE I MEAN, DID YOU WORRY ABOUT
THAT JUST HOW HIGHLY CIRCUMSTANTIAL
THIS CASE WAS? >> I DON'T THINK ANYBODY THOUGHT
IT WAS A SLAM DUNK UM, YOU KNOW, DID WE THINK IT
COULD BE AN UPHILL BATTLE JUST BECAUSE IT WAS CIRCUMSTANTIAL?
OF -- OF COURSE. >> THIS CASE REALLY WAS ABOUT
LOOKING AT THE -- ALL THE PIECES IN THIS CASE
LOOKING AT WHAT DOESN'T FIT. >> Reporter: AND THE JURY
LEARNED ALL ABOUT THOSE LITTLE PIECES
THE CLEARLY STAGED CRIME SCENE, THE SHOEPRINT THAT LOOKED JUST
LIKE JAMES'S BOAT SHOE, THE FACT THAT NO ONE ELSES DNA OR
FINGERPRINTS WERE FOUND INSIDE THE HOME, AND HOW JAMES SHOWED
LITTLE INTEREST IN THE INVESTIGATION DURING THE DECADES
THAT FOLLOWED HIS WIFE'S MURDER. >> OUR GOAL WAS TO JUST HAVE THE
JURY USE THEIR COMMON SENSE TO SEE THAT THERE WAS ONLY ONE
ANSWER HERE AND -- THAT WAS THAT JAMES KRAUSENECK
COMMITTED THIS CRIME >> Reporter: AND THE STATE
ATTEMPTED TO BACK UP ITS CLAIM BY PUTTING ON TESTIMONY ABOUT
CATHY'S TIME OF DEATH. FORENSIC PATHOLOGIST DR. MICHAEL
BADEN, FAMOUS FOR WORKING ON HIGH PROFILE CASES, TOLD THE
JURY THAT IN HIS OPINION CATHY DIED BEFORE JAMES WENT TO WORK
>> WE FELT CONFIDENT IN DR. BADEN'S EXPERIENCE AND HIS
OPINION THAT CATHY DIED BEFORE 6:30
I THINK HIS REASONING WAS -- WAS EASY TO FOLLOW FOR THE JURY, UM,
BUT WE ALSO DIDN'T WANT THE CASE TO RISE AND FALL ON THAT
>> Reporter: ANOTHER PIECE OF THEIR PUZZLE, A
BURGLARY-GONE-BAD MADE NO SENSE. CASE IN POINT, THE MURDER
WEAPON, IT BELONGED TO THE KRAUSENECKS; HAD BEEEN STORED IN
THE FAMILY GARAGE. >> WOULDN'T YOU BRING A WEAPON
IF YOU'RE COMIN' TO COMMIT A MURDER, WOULDN'T YOU BRING
SOMETHING WITH YOU TO COMMIT THAT MURDER?
>> Reporter: WHAT IS THE STORY THAT YOU TOLD THE JURY ABOUT
WHAT HAPPENED ON THAT FEBRUARY MORNING?
>> WHAT HAPPENED THAT MORNING IS THAT JAMES KRAUSENECK SNAPPED.
AT SOME POINT, WE KNOW THAT CATHY GOES TO BED, UM, THAT
EVENING OF FEBRUARY 18th, 1982 AND SHE NEVER WAKES UP.
>> Reporter: I MEAN, SNAP AND GRAB AN AX
IT JUST SEEMS ALMOST FAR-FETCHED.
>> RIGHT I MEAN, THIS WAS SO PERSONAL
THIS WAS -- IT COULDN'T BE ANYBODY ELSE
>> Reporter: BUT WHY WHY WOULD THIS HIGHLY EDUCATED
MAN WITH NO HISTORY OF VIOLENCE KILL HIS WIFE?
THE STATE HAD A THEORY THAT IT ALL HAD TO DO WITH A SECRET
JAMES HAD BEEN KEEPING THE WEEK CATHY WAS MURDERED,
JAMES' EMPLOYER, KODAK WAS PRESSING HIM TO PROVIDE PROOF OF
HIS PH.D WELL, TURNS OUT, DESPITE ALL THE
FANFARE AROUND HIS GRADUATION, HE'D NEVER COMPLETED HIS DEGREE.
>> Reporter: THAT'S A JAW-DROPPER?
>> YEAH. THAT WAS DEFINITELY.
>> Reporter: HE GOT THE JOB AT KODAK.
>> YES >> Reporter: BECAUSE OF THE
DOCTORATE? >> YES
WHAT A LIE WHAT A HUGE LIE.
>> HE WAS CONFRONTED ABOUT NOT HAVING A PHD AND, YOU KNOW, HE
KNOWS THAT HE MOVED HIS FAMILY TO ROCHESTER BECAUSE HE HAD THIS
NICE JOB AND IF HE LOSES THAT JOB, WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN
AND SO HE KNEW THAT WITHIN A SHORT TIME, THE TRUTH WAS GONNA
COME OUT >> Reporter: HOW COULD THAT LEAD
TO MURDER? PROSECUTORS BELIEVED THE STRESS
AT WORK HAD LED TO TENSION IN THE MARRIAGE
THEY CALLED CATHY'S FRIEND GLORIA TO THE STAND.
>> AT THE END JUST BEFORE SHE WAS MURDERED, UM, SHE TOLD ME
THAT, YOU KNOW, KODAK WAS BOTHERING HIM BECAUSE HE LIED TO
THEM ABOUT HIS PH.D. AND, UM, SHE SAID THAT BY THURSDAY OF THE
WEEK HE WAS A BEAR HE WASN'T VERY NICE.
SHE SAID HE JUST DIDN'T -- HE COULDN'T HANDLE IT ANYMORE
BECAUSE HE WAS JUST VERY UPSET ABOUT IT
>> Reporter: THE STATE ALSO TOLD THE JURY THERE WAS MORE EVIDENCE
THAT THE MARRIAGE WAS UNDER STRESS
INVESTIGATORS BELIEVED JAMES WAS SLEEPING ON THE PULL-OUT COUCH
PLUS THEY'D FOUND A PAMPHLET THAT INCLUDED INFORMATION ON
MARRIAGE COUNSELING IN THE FAMILY CAR
YOU'RE SAYING THIS IS ALL OVER A -- YOU KNOW, PH.D. THAT HE
ALMOST GOT, BUT DIDN'T AND WAS STRUGGLING AT WORK
I MEAN, IT SEEMS LIKE A THIN MOTIVE
>> A LOT OF TIMES, YOU JUST DON'T KNOW WHY SOMETHING
HAPPENS. WE DON'T KNOW WHAT -- WHAT
HAPPENED THAT NIGHT BEFORE CATHY WENT TO BED.
WHAT HAPPENS INSIDE A HOME, UM, YOU KNOW, STAYS INSIDE A HOME.
AND WE NEVER REALLY KNOW THE -- THE TRUTH BEHIND A LOT OF
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE CASES. >> Reporter: THAT WAS SOME
SERIOUS RAGE TO PUT AN AX INTO SOMEONE'S HEAD
>> YEAH. IT'S -- IT'S ONE OF THE MOST
HORRIFIC THINGS I'VE EVER SEE THE DEFENDANT IS GUILTY OF
MURDER >> Reporter: BUT HIS DEFENSE
ATTORNEYS HAD BEEN LISTENING AND THEY WERE FOCUSED ON WHAT THE
PROSEUCTION DID NOT HAVE THE PROSECUTION SAID THAT, YOU
KNOW, HE SNAPPED YOU KNOW, HIS WHOLE WORLD WAS
FALLING APART THAT WEEK, THE WEEK OF THE MURDER
>> GREAT THEORY. EXCEPT THEY HAVE NO EVIDENCE OF
IT >>> COMING UP --
>> WAS THIS ALL SMOKE AND MIRRORS TO YOU
>> YES, YES, THAT'S RIGHT. >> IT WASNT JIM KRAUSENECK WHO
DID IT WE THINK LARABY.
ED LARABY! >> THE ONE WHO'D CONFESSED
>> Reporter: WHILE CATHY'S FAMILY HAD BEEN IN COURT EVERY
DAY, SO TOO HAD JAMES KRAUSENECK'S
IN THE GALLERY, RIGHT BEHIND HIM, WAS HIS CURRENT WIFE
SHARON AND THERE WAS ALSO SARA, THE
LITTLE GIRL, NOW A GROWN WOMAN IN HER 40s.
SHE HAD LISTENED TO THE SUSPICIONS ABOUT HER DAD AND WAS
STANDING BY HIM. HERE YOU ARE, IN THE SAME ROOM
WITH SARA -- >> YES
>> Reporter: -- AFTER ALL THESE YEARS.
DO YOU TRY TO TALK TO HER? >> SHE REFUSED TO LOOK AT US OR
TALK TO US SO, YOU KNOW, I COULDN'T PUSH
IT >> Reporter: SO THEY SAT CLOSE
BY, BUT AN OCEAN APART, AS THE ATTORNEYS REPRESENTING JAMES --
MICHAEL WOLFORD AND BILL EASTON -- PREPARED TO MAKE
THEIR CASE TO THE JURY >> JIM KRAUSENECK DIDN'T DO IT,
AND THERE IS NO EVIDENCE HE DID IT
>> Reporter: WOLFORD WAS HIS ATTORNEY WAY BACK IN 1982, WHEN
THE MURDER HAPPENED. WHEN YOU'RE DEALING WITH SUCH AN
USUAL CASE THAT'S SO OLD, WHAT TONE DO YOU WANT TO SET WITH THE
JURY WITH YOUR OPENING ARGUMENTS?
WHAT DO YOU WANT THEM TO KNOW, RIGHT OUT OF THE GATE?
>> WELL, IF YOU LOOKED AT JIM'S ENTIRE LIFE, HERE HE WAS,
70 YEARS OF AGE, AND DESPITE THE YEARS OF INVESTIGATION, THEY
COULD FIND ONE DEROGATORY THING THAT OCCURRED IN HIS LIFE, AND
THAT IS THAT HE MISREPRESENTED TO THE EASTMAN KODAK COMPANY
THAT HE HAD HIS PHD, RATHER THAN A PHD CANDIDATE.
AND -- AND -- AND THAT WAS REALLY IT --
>> Reporter: IT IS HARD TO BELIEVE THAT THIS -- THIS FAMILY
MAN FINDS OUT HE'S POSSIBLY GONNA GET IN TROUBLE AT WORK,
GOES HOME AND, YOU KNOW, KILLS HIS WIFE WITH AN AX.
>> YEAH, HE HAD, UH, THE WRITTEN DISSERTATION THAT HE PRESENTED
WAS -- WAS TURNED DOWN ON A
THREE-TO-TWO VOTE AND HE HAD TO REWRITE IT
IT WOULD TAKE ABOUT A MONTH TO DO IT.
AND HE JUST DIDN'T GET IT DONE AND HE MISREPRESENTED TO KODAK,
NO QUESTION ABOUT IT, BUT TO SUGGEST THAT THAT LED HIM TO
KILL HIS WIFE MAKES NO LOGICAL SENSE.
>> Reporter: SO THE MOTIVE WAS LACKING, ACCORDING TO THE
DEFENSE. AND THE REST OF THE STATE'S CASE
>> THERE IS NO DIRECT EVIDENCE THAT WAS THE CASE 40 YEARS AGO
AND THAT'S THE CASE NOW. >> Reporter: ONE OF THE THINGS
YOU WANTED THE JURY TO KNOW WAS THAT JAMES KRAUSENECK LOVED HIS
DAUGHTER AND THAT THIS MAN WAS INCAPABLE
OF LEAVING HER THERE WITH HER DEAD MOTHER.
>> ABSOLUTELY. THAT IS ABSOLUTELY TRUE, THAT
IT'S INCONCEIVABLE, I THINK, FOR ANYONE, UH, TO DO THAT TO -- TO
THEIR KID. UH, FOR JAMES KRAUSENECK,
ABSOLUTELY INCONCEIVABLE AND IF IT DID HAPPEN, IF --
IF -- IF -- IF BY SOME FLUKE OF NATURE HE POSSESSED THAT KIND OF
A SOCIOPATHY, IT WOULD HAVE TO HAVE BEEN DEMONSTRATED DURING
THE COURSE OF HIS LIFE >> Reporter: AND WHILE THE STATE
TOLD THE JURY THE KRAUSENECK'S MARRIAGE WAS UNDER STRESS BACK
IN 1982, THE DEFENSE DISAGREED THERE WAS A MARRIAGE COUNSELING,
YOU KNOW, PAMPHLET, HE WAS -- THEY THINK HE WASN'T SLEEPING IN
THE BED. >> THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF
THAT IT WASN'T A MARRIAGE COUNSELING
PAMPHLET, IT WAS A MARKETING BROCHURE THAT COVERED A NUMBER
OF "ILLS," YOU MIGHT SAY YOU KNOW, WHETHER YOU WANTED TO
LOSE WEIGHT, UH, YOU KNOW, STOP SMOKING, UH, AND MARRIAGE
COUNSELING >> Reporter: AND THE SHOE PRINT
DETECTIVES LINKED TO A PAIR OF JAMES' DOCKSIDES IN THE COUPLE'S
BEDROOM? PURE SPECULATION SAID THE
DEFENSE. >> YEARS LATER, IT'S, "WELL,
THAT COULD HAVE BEEN THE SHOE. NO, IT COULDN'T HAVE BEEN.
THEY CANNOT SAY THAT THAT IT -- IT'S THAT SHOE
THEY CAN'T EVEN COME NEAR SAYING THAT
>> Reporter: THEN THERE WAS THE TESTIMONY FROM THE STATE'S HIRED
FORENSIC PATHOLOGIST DR. MICHAEL BADEN, WHO TESTIFIED
THAT CATHY WAS KILLED BEFORE JAMES LEFT FOR WORK.
>> I'M NOT BUYING IT FOR A SECOND
DR. BADEN COMES IN AND SAYS, YEAH, BASED ON HIS EXPERIENCE --
NOT A NEW METHODOLOGY OR ANYTHING THAT'S COME UP SINCE
1982 -- THAT HE HAS THE OPINION "IT MUST -- IT -- IT -- IT'S
6:30 BEFORE 6:30.
AND THAT'S IT. >> Reporter: TO COUNTER BADEN'S
TESTIMONY, THE DEFENSE CALLED NOT ONE BUT FOUR SEPARATE
MEDICAL EXAMINERS WHO UNANIMOUSLY DISAGREED WITH
BADEN. >> FOUR OTHER WITNESSES ALL SAY
YOU CAN'T ELIMINATE THE POSSIBILITY THAT THIS DEATH
OCCURRED AFTER 6:30. FORENSICALLY, THERE IS JUST NO
WAY TO DO IT >> WE HAD, YOU KNOW, THE MEDICAL
EXAMINER FOR MONROE COUNTY, WHO SAID BASICALLY SHE DOESN'T GIVE
OPINIONS ON TIME OF DEATH BECAUSE THERE'S SO MANY
VARIABLES THAT THEY'RE UNCERTAIN.
>> Reporter: WAS THIS ALL SMOKE AND MIRRORS TO YOU
>> YES, YES. >> Reporter: WHAT IS YOUR THEORY
OF -- OF WHAT HAPPENED >> WE HAVE TO ACKNOWLEDGE WE
CAN'T ANSWER THAT IT EITHER. AND THEY CAN'T ANSWER.
WE KNOW ONE THING, IT WASN'T JIM KRAUSENECK
WHO DID IT WE THINK IT'S LARABY
>> Reporter: ED LARABY -- THE MAN WHOSE NAME CAME UP SEVERAL
TIMES IN THE INVESTIGATION >> WE -- WE CAN SPECULATE AND
SAY, YOU KNOW, CATHLEEN WAS A VERY ATTRACTIVE YOUNG WOMAN, AND
AS HE DID WITH OTHER WOMEN, STALKED THEM, AND HE WAS
STALKING HER, AND AS SOON AS JIM KRAUSENECK LEFT AT 6:30, HE
WAS IN THAT HOUSE. UH, WE ARE RELYING IN PART THAT
HE DID CONFESS TO IT, NUMBER ONE.
NUMBER TWO, HE WAS A 4 1/2 MINUTE WALK FROM DEL RIO
DRIVE. >> Reporter: AND THE DEFENSE
BELIEVES LARABY COULD VERY WELL HAVE BEEN THE MAN SPOTTED BY
CATHY'S NEIGHBOR JOANNE THE MORNING OF THE MURDER.
JOANNE WAS A DEFENSE WITNESS >> I WAS, UM, JUST PASSING THE
KRAUSENECK HOME. THE JOGGER WAS COMING TOWARD ME,
AND HE WASN'T JOGGING WITH INTENSITY.
>> Reporter: THE DEFENSE NOTED THAT ED LARABY HAD WORN A SKI
MASK DURING SOME OF HIS VIOLENT CRIMES
>> AND HE WAS A BIG MAN. HE WAS ABOUT AT LEAST 6 FEET
TALL, 180, 200 POUNDS. HE WAS WEARING A GRAY SWEAT SUIT
AND A ROYAL BLUE, UM, SKI MASK >> WHO IS THIS MASKED GUY?
>> Reporter: THE DEFENSE SAID THE INVESTIGATION WAS SO SHODDY
BACK IN 1982 THEY JUST DROPPED LARABY AS A SUSPECT AFTER HE
REFUSED TO TALK WITH THE POLICE. >> THEY NEVER WENT BACK TO HIM
THEY NEVER TALKED TO HIS NEIGHBORS.
THEY LITERALLY JUST FORGOT ABOUT ED LARABY.
>> Reporter: POLICE HAD A REASON TO DISCOUNT LARABY BACK THEN --
HE WAS A CONVICTED RAPIST AND CATHY HAD NOT BEEN SEXUALLY
ASSAULTED. NOW, THE DEFENSE HAD AN
EXPLANATION FOR THAT BACK IN 1982 WHILE ON PAROLE,
LARABY WAS REQUIRED TO RECEIVE INJECTIONS OF A DRUG THAT
REDUCES SEX DRIVE. >> WE HAD A PSYCHIATRIST TESTIFY
AT TRIAL THAT HE WAS ON CHEMICAL CASTRATION AT THE TIME
THE CHEMICAL CASTRATION DIDN'T- - DIDN'T ELIMINATE THE
RISK TO WOMEN, IT INCREASED IT BECAUSE HE WAS -- HE WAS FUELED
NOT BY SEX, IT WAS ANTI-WOMEN RAGE
WHEN HE COULDN'T RAPE HER, IT MADE IT WORSE.
AND THAT'S WHY HE KILLED HER IN SUCH A -- IN SUCH A WAY.
>> Reporter: AND OF COURSE, THERE WAS THE FACT THAT LARABY
HAD CONFESSED TO THE MURDER, A CONFESSION THAT WAS DISCOUNTED
ENTIRELY BY POLICE AND PROSECUTORS.
WHAT DO YOU MAKE THOUGH OF -- OF THE -- THE DISCREPANCIES WITH
HIS CONFESSION YOU KNOW, HE'S SAYING HE
SEXUALLY ASSAULTED HER THERE'S NO, UH, EVIDENCE OF
SEXUAL ASSAULT WITH CATHY. UM, HE'S GETTING DETAILS WRONG
>> THE DETAILS ARE WRONG HE WAS WITHIN TEN DAYS OF HIS
DEATH. HE'S DEBILITATED MENTALLY AND
HE'S DEBILITATED PHYSICALLY. >> AND IT'S 34 YEARS AFTER IT
OCCURRED >> Reporter: IN HIS CLOSING
ARGUMENT TO THE JURY, KRAUSENECK'S ATTORNEYS SAID THE
CASE WAS OVERFLOWING WITH REASONABLE DOUBT
>> THE UNCERTAINTY OF THE MYSTERY OF CATHY KRAUSENECK'S
DEATH REMAINS TO THIS DAY, AND WE SUBMIT IT HAS NOT BEEN
RESOLVED BY THIS TRIAL >> Reporter: A 40 YEAR OLD CASE
NOW IN THE HANDS OF THE JURY >>> COMING UP --
>> IT WAS VERY TENSE >> EVERYONE WANTED AN ANSWER TO
THE CASE >> FOUR DECADES LATER, WHAT
WOULD THE VERDICT BE >> WE'RE ALL HUDDLED
AND THERE'S SARA >> Reporter: CATHY KRAUSENECK
HAD BEEN KILLED IN ONE QUICK, EXPLOSIVE MOMENT OF RAGE
AND THE IMPACT HAD BEEN FELT FOR DECADES.
NOW, AS A JURY WENT OFF TO DECIDE THE FATE OF CATHY'S
HUSBAND, JAMES, ANNET WAS WELL AWARE OF WHAT WAS AT STAKE FOR
HER NIECE SARA, THE YOUNG WOMAN WHO HAD STOOD BY HER FATHER THIS
ENTIRE TIME. >> WELL, WHO ELSE WAS SHE GOING
TO SUPPORT HE RAISED HER.
SHE HAD NOBODY ELSE. >> Reporter: THIS ISN'T -- THIS
ISN'T YOU AGAINST HER, OR -- OR HER --
>> NO. >> Reporter: IT'S JUST -
>> SHE'S A VICTIM. >> Reporter: -- UNCONDITIONAL
LOVE >> CORRECT. ABSOLUTELY
>> Reporter: THE HOURS TICKED BY THAT FRIDAY, AS THE JURORS
DELIBERATED BEHIND CLOSED DOORS. >> IT WAS VERY TENSE
THE NOTES THAT CAME OUT, WE COULDN'T TELL WHICH -- WHAT THEY
WERE THINKING, AND WHICH THEY WERE -- WHICH WAY THEY WERE
LEANING. >> Reporter: THE DEFENSE WAS ON
EDGE AS WELL >> WE WERE WORRIED BECAUSE A
PRESUMPTION OF GUILT THAT ATTACHES TO A HUSBAND, AND
EVERYONE WANTED AN ANSWER TO THE CASE
>> Reporter: BY DAY'S END, THE JURORS HADN'T REACHED A VERDICT.
THE JUDGE SENT THEM HOME FOR THE WEEKEND.
DELIBERATIONS RESUMED MONDAY MORNING, BUT NOT FOR LONG.
BY 10:30, THE JURY ANNOUNCED IT HAD A VERDICT.
>> I WAS CRYIN', BECAUSE THE JURY CAME IN SO QUICK.
>> SO, I'M STANDIN' THERE. AND I LOOK, AND WE'RE ALL
HUDDLED. AND THERE'S SARA
AND SHE'S STANDIN' THERE, CRYIN', TOO.
AND I LOOKED AT HER AND SAID, "NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS, I WILL
ALWAYS LOVE YOU. AND FOR THE FIRST TIME IN YEARS,
SHE LOOKED AT ME AND SAID, "THANK YOU FOR SAYIN' THAT."
>> MEMBERS OF THE JURY, HOW DO YOU FIND IN THE MATTER OF THE
PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK VERSUS JAMES KRAUSENECK?
>> GUILTY. >> SHE SAYS, "GUILTY."
AND I'LL NEVER FORGET THE LOOK ON MY FATHER'S FACE WHEN HE JUST
WENT -- HIS EYES GOT REAL BIG, AND HE
GOT A SMILE ON HIS FACE. >> Reporter: ACROSS THE ROOM,
SARA AND JAMES' CURRENT WIFE SHOOK THEIR HEADS IN DISBELIEF
>> I MEAN, NOT ONLY DID SHE LOSE HER MOTHER, SHE HAS NOW LOST HER
FATHER >> Reporter: JAMES, WHO HAD BEEN
FREE ON BAIL EVER SINCE HIS INDICTMENT, WAS HANDCUFFED AND
TAKEN INTO CUSTODY >> WE DID IT
WE DID IT. JUSTICE FOR CATHY.
WE DID IT. >> WE GOT OUR JUSTICE FOR
40 YEARS BUT THANK GOD WE GOT IT.
>> Reporter: THE DEFENSE ATTORNEYS PROMISED TO FIGHT BACK
WITH AN APPEAL >> WE BELIEVE THAT THERE WAS NO
JUSTIFICATION FOR WAITING 37 YEARS FOR THIS INDICTMENT
WE THINK THE LAW IS ON OUR SIDE, AND WE'RE CONFIDENT WE ARE GOING
TO HAVE A REVERSAL OF THIS CONVICTION
>> Reporter: SIX WEEKS LATER, JAMES KRAUSENECK WAS BACK IN
COURT FOR HIS SENTENCING SO WAS DAUGHTER, SARA, WHO'D
LOST HER MOTHER SO LONG AGO. AND NOW, ALL THESE YEARS LATER,
WAS LOSING HER FATHER. >> MY MOTHER'S KILLER GOT AWAY
WITH HER MURDER, AND MY FATHER'S LIFE HAS BEEN TAKEN BY A FAILED
JUSTICE SYSTEM THAT CONVICTED HIM OF A CRIME HE DID NOT
COMMIT IT IS ABSOLUTELY INCONCEIVABLE
THAT A PERSON CAPABLE OF THE HEINOUS BRUTALITY EXHIBITED IN
MY MOTHER'S MURDER WOULD BE CAPABLE OF SUPPRESSING THAT
ASPECT OF THEIR PERSONALITY ENTIRELY AND NOT LETTING IT LEAK
OUT OVER TIME. MY FATHER IS NOT VIOLENT, ANGRY,
ABUSIVE, CONTROLLING, AFRAID OF FAILURE, EGO DRIVEN OR ANYTHING
SIMILAR. THE JUSTICE SYSTEM HAS FAILED MY
PARENTS, MYSELF, AND BOTH SIDES OF MY FAMILY
IT HAS ALSO FAILED THIS COMMUNITY.
>> Reporter: CATHY'S 95-YEAR-OLD FATHER GOT UP NEXT, AND SEEMED
TO RESPOND TO WHAT SARA HAD JUST SAID
>> YOU BRAINWASHED MY GRANDDAUGHTER FOR 40 YEARS,
WE'VE LOST HER LOVE. WE STILL LOVE YOU, SARA, AND
ALWAYS WILL. AND, JIM, I HOPE YOU LIVE TO BE
100-YEARS-OLD AND ENJOY YOUR NEW HOME
AND THEN IT WAS JAMES KRAUSENECK'S TURN,
MAINTAINING HIS INNOCENCE TO THE END.
>> I DID NOT MURDER CATHY. I LOVED CATHY WITH ALL MY HEART
AND WITH ALL MY SOUL I CONTRIBUTE -- CONTINUE TO BE
HAUNTED AT WHY AND WHO SOMEONE WOULD HAVE MURDERED SUCH A
BEAUTIFUL PERSON >> Reporter: WITH THAT, THE
JUDGE SENTENCED HIM TO THE MAXIMUM TIME IN PRISON, 25 YEARS
TO LIFE. AS IT HAD BEEN FROM THE
BEGINNING, THOSE CLOSE TO CATHY WERE STILL THINKING ABOUT SARA,
THE LITTLE GIRL WHO WAITED ALONE IN A HOUSE WITH HER DOLLS AND
HER MURDERED MOTHER, A MOTHER SHE NEVER REALLY HAD THE CHANCE
TO KNOW. WHAT DO YOU WANT SARA TO KNOW
ABOUT HER MOM? >> I JUST WANT SARA TO KNOW THAT
HER MOTHER ADORED HER. SARA, SHE LOVED YOU.
I WANT SARA TO KNOW THAT SHE ADORED YOU, AND SHE WILL
ALWAYS BE WITH YOU >> SARA, IF YOU'RE WATCHIN', I
LOVE YOU I'LL ALWAYS LOVE YOU
AND, UM, JUST PLEASE, PLEASE CALL ME.
AND WE'LL GET THROUGH THIS TOGETHER
>> Reporter: GET THROUGH THE LOSS AND THE GRIEF THAT NEVER
GOES AWAY, EVEN AFTER SO MUCH TIME
>> I JUST WANT PEOPLE TO REMEMBER CATHY AS THE LOVING,
BEAUTIFUL, CARING PERSON THAT SHE WAS.