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[Narrator] A cryptic 911 call
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summons officers to
a horrific scene.
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There was blood on the walls.
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It was an incredible,
gruesome sight.
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[Narrator] The only witness
is rendered helpless.
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[Roberts] When she
was looking at me,
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it was almost like she was
looking right through me.
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[Narrator] As the case unfolds,
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investigators zero in
on a repeat offender.
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[Lloyd] That's the same lady.
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That's the same house.
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It's the same kind of murder.
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[Narrator] The coldblooded truth
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will expose a killer
driven by jealousy, greed,
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and experience.
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She kept extensive
journals over the years.
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He stated upon her recovery,
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he was going to move
and end their relationship.
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The moment somebody leaves
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is the moment that
is most dangerous.
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[theme music]
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[Narrator] Placerville,
California.
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On January 6, 2013,
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it's just after 6PM
when an unusual call
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comes in to the
El Dorado County 911.
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He stated that he was at
his office in Cameron Park.
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He was not on scene
with the person.
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And he refused to
answer most questions.
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[siren wailing]
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[Narrator] Multiple units from
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the El Dorado
Sheriff's Department
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rush to the scene.
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[Roberts] Really all we knew
was, there was a possibility of
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a homicide or a fatality
that happened within this house.
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We don't know what
we're gonna be walking into.
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[music]
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[Roberts] We
established a perimeter.
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There were a group of
us, including myself,
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that responded directly
to the front of the house.
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It was really dark,
late at night.
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[Narrator] Inside,
deputies see a woman.
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[Lensing] She was going on
as if nothing was wrong.
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The deputies on scene
requested that dispatch
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contact the
residence and call in
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to get a hold of the
female that was inside.
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Our dispatch was able to
get her to, uh, to come out
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and exit the house.
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[Narrator] Deputies meet
her at the front door.
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She identifies herself as
70-year-old Colleen Harris.
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She tells them that her husband
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72-year-old Bob Harris,
is in bed.
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[Roberts] When she
was looking at me,
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it was almost like she was
looking right through me,
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like she wasn't talking to me.
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She was just talking.
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I started to think that
maybe she wasn't in her,
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her right frame of mind.
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She looked at me and said,
you just have to go see him.
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And then she said
that he was beautiful.
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[Narrator] Colleen
remains outside
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while a team cautiously
enters the home.
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[Roberts] We begin to
start clearing the house.
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I make my way down
a, a long hallway.
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And I get to the
very last bedroom.
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[Lensing] There was
blood on the walls.
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It was an incredible,
gruesome sight.
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[Roberts] The bed is made,
but you can see
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that there appears to be
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a person completely
covered from head to toe.
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I walk closer to the bed,
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at which point I see
a double barrel shotgun
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sitting on top of the blankets.
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[Narrator] The deputy
slowly approaches.
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[Lensing] The deputy pulled
back the blanket slightly
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to reveal what turned out
to be Robert Harris.
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There was no mistaking that
Mr. Harris could not be saved.
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[Roberts] There appeared
to be a gunshot wound
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to the side of the face.
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His face was, was missing.
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[Narrator] The deputies
lower their weapons
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and call for detectives.
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[Roberts] Once they
arrive, I give them
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pretty much a play by
play of what occurred.
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It was very bizarre.
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[Shiloh] They're quickly trying
to size up whether or not
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this is a self-inflicted death
or if it's a homicide.
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[Narrator] Detectives
examine the gun
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laying next to Bob on the bed--
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a pistol-gripped,
sawed-off shotgun.
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[Lensing] It seemed to be neatly
placed next to his left hand.
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The butt was down fairly
low towards his feet
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and not within
reach of his hand.
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So that was the first indication
that this was not a suicide.
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[Narrator]
The second red flag comes
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when they take a close look
at the gunshot wound
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to the left side of Bob's head.
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[Lensing] The entry was large,
and there was gun powder residu
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that would indicate
that the end of the,
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the weapon that was used
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was several inches
away from his head.
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None of that is consistent
with a self-inflicted wound.
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A person doesn't hold
a shotgun away from their head
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when they kill themselves
in that manner.
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This was not a suicide.
This was a homicide.
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At that point in time,
Bob's daughter, Pam Stirling,
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was contacted and given the news
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that something had
happened to her father.
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[music]
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[Narrator] Robert "Bob" Harris
was born on February 3, 1940.
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Growing up in the Bay Area,
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Bob studied engineering
at UC Berkeley.
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He used his degree to turn
his passion for the outdoors
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into a paycheck.
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Bob worked for the
U.S. Forest Service.
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[Lloyd] He became
the administrator
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for the Lake Tahoe region.
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That is the most
coveted position
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in the entire
U.S. Forest Service.
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[Narrator] For many years,
Bob focused on his career
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and raising three kids
with his first wife.
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But when the kids left home,
Bob's marriage came to an end,
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and he enjoyed the unfettered
life of a bachelor.
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[Phil] Bob was all
in the family man.
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That divorce did rock
the family pretty heavily.
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But I don't think it, it
destroyed it by any means,
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and Bob was still a good father.
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[Narrator] In the late '80s, Bob
was working in El Dorado County
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when he reconnected with an
old friend, Colleen Batten.
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[Phil] They met when they
were in middle school.
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And they were maybe kinda
boyfriend, girlfriend
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at a very young age.
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And then they, it rekindled
after Bob and my wife's mom
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had divorced.
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[Narrator] Like Bob, Colleen was
also single with grown children
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In 1985, she was widowed
when she lost her husband,
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Jim Batten, a prominent
land surveyor.
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[Lloyd] Colleen took over
Jim Batten's surveying business
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Jim Batten had a
property portfolio
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worth about a million dollars,
by some accounts,
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so she took over all that.
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She successfully ran that
company for a number of years.
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She was fairly well off
when she met Bob Harris.
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They called each other
and began to talk,
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and kind of the rest is history.
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They got along well.
They then begin to date.
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[Narrator] Bob was attracted
to Colleen's can-do spirit.
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[Phil] She had built
a Mercedes engine
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in the living room of the house
that she had before they met
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without the instruction manual.
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Real bright, uh, with
an engineering, uh, mind.
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[Narrator] After
dating for four years,
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they married on
September 2, 1990,
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and moved into Colleen's
sprawling Placerville home.
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[Lloyd] They were
sort of society types.
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They liked to mingle.
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They were well
known and respected.
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[Narrator] After two
decades together,
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the hardworking couple
had a large enough nest egg
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to retire.
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They spent their
newfound freedom giving back.
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[Phil] She was friendly,
she was doting over Bob.
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She was all in Bob--
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was often next to him,
would stay by him, uh, a lot.
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[Joe] He was a star volunteer
at the Sheriff's Department.
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He was a man who was
really deeply involved
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in his community.
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[Phil] He always was doing
something productive.
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And she was kind
of that way too.
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They were happy.
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[Narrator] By 2013, Bob and
Colleen had been together
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for nearly 30 years.
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But on January 6th,
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their life together comes
to a sudden and bizarre end.
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In the bedroom they find Bob,
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and it's this absolutely
horrific scene.
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[Narrator] After El Dorado
investigators rule out suicide,
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they check in with Colleen,
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who is outside the home
with Sheriff's deputies.
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Colleen Harris was
seated in the back of
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one of the patrol vehicles.
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And she was being
very cooperative.
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She simply seemed
to have no emotion.
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Psychologically speaking, it
could mean she might be having
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a dissociative moment,
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where she experienced
something traumatic.
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[Lensing] I stated to her that
she was going to be taken
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to our office for an interview
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in a more comfortable
location to sit.
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Of course, I have
a lot of questions.
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There's a lot of things
that need to be answered.
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But we need to know
more information
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about what had occurred.
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[Narrator] Coming up--
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A hunt for answers ends
with more questions.
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[Narrator] And a secret past
plays into the present.
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[Lensing] I receive
a text on my phone,
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and it said I needed to
immediately come out of
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the interview room because
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they had some very
important information
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that could spin my investigatio
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in a completely
different direction
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[Narrator] January 6, 2013.
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El Dorado County detectives
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are investigating the homicide
of 72-year-old Bob Harris
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after he was found
dead in his bedroom
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from a gunshot
wound to the head.
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While his wife, Colleen Harris,
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is on her way to the
Sheriff's Department,
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detectives try to make sense
of the horrifying scene
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inside the home.
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The victim was completely
under the blankets,
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appeared to be in
sleeping attire.
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There was a large hole to
the left side of his head
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near the cheek area
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that carried on
through the skull
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00:12:52,639 --> 00:12:56,309
and out the right
side of his head.
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[Joe] There are some indications
that this is not a death
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00:13:03,049 --> 00:13:06,786
that has happened in
the very recent past.
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The blood is congealed
to a certain point.
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[Shiloh] Rigor
mortis has set in.
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He is cold to the touch.
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It appears as if several hours
have passed since he was killed.
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[Narrator] While the scene
in the bedroom is gruesome,
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the rest of the
house is untouched.
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The windows were all secure.
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The doors were secure.
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And it didn't appear that
anybody had tried to break
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into the home,
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and matter of fact, the
home was very, very clean.
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At this point during
my investigation,
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we have little information.
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We have a homicide.
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And we have a woman,
who is the wife of the decedent,
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that claims to not
know what happened.
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[Narrator] Investigators
head to the Sheriff's Office,
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where they meet up with the
widow in an interview room.
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[Joe] Du ring the interview,
she puts her feet up on,
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uh, an empty chair.
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She appears in every way
to be very calm and relaxed
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as they were questioning her.
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They're of course wanting to
know what happened that evening
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and have her lead them
through the course of events.
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[Narrator] But the only
memories Colleen has
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are of the night before.
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[Lensing] They had a
very pleasant evening.
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00:14:54,094 --> 00:14:58,965
And after nine o'clock,
she doesn't remember.
247
00:14:58,998 --> 00:15:03,737
I asked Colleen why her attorney
248
00:15:03,770 --> 00:15:06,539
dialed 911 to report this crime
249
00:15:06,573 --> 00:15:08,375
and she claimed to not know.
250
00:15:08,408 --> 00:15:11,044
She didn't know
how that happened.
251
00:15:11,044 --> 00:15:13,613
She remembers nothing
until the deputies arrive.
252
00:15:16,916 --> 00:15:18,585
[Narrator] Colleen tells
them that she does have
253
00:15:18,618 --> 00:15:21,454
one vague memory from the night
254
00:15:46,212 --> 00:15:49,916
She said she had put a
blanket over his head, uh,
255
00:15:49,949 --> 00:15:52,185
because he had a nosebleed.
256
00:15:52,218 --> 00:15:55,388
It was rather strange, because
having been in that scene,
257
00:15:55,422 --> 00:16:01,261
what was in that house was a
very traumatic, bloody scene
258
00:16:01,294 --> 00:16:06,032
that could not anywhere remotel
be confused with a nosebleed.
259
00:16:08,802 --> 00:16:12,339
[Narrator] Colleen attempts to
explain her lack of memory.
260
00:16:38,465 --> 00:16:39,833
[Shiloh] If she's
truly experiencing
261
00:16:39,866 --> 00:16:41,601
psychogenic amnesia,
262
00:16:41,634 --> 00:16:46,206
the amnesia could have been
just for the death of Bob,
263
00:16:46,239 --> 00:16:48,074
the traumatic incident.
264
00:16:48,074 --> 00:16:51,311
And now she's experiencing
emotion in real time.
265
00:16:53,713 --> 00:16:58,218
[Narrator] Then the interview
takes yet another bizarre turn.
266
00:17:12,132 --> 00:17:13,333
[Shiloh] And at that point,
267
00:17:13,366 --> 00:17:17,404
she starts to become
overcome with emotion
268
00:17:17,437 --> 00:17:18,371
and crying.
269
00:17:26,613 --> 00:17:28,248
[Narrator] Stunned,
investigators
270
00:17:28,281 --> 00:17:30,150
take a different tack.
271
00:17:30,750 --> 00:17:32,385
So, we let her talk,
272
00:17:32,419 --> 00:17:35,755
and we let her talk about
whatever topic that she wanted.
273
00:17:35,789 --> 00:17:37,657
And she had told us essentially
274
00:17:37,691 --> 00:17:42,062
that her and Bob's
relationship was great.
275
00:17:49,669 --> 00:17:53,673
[Narrator] Colleen's behavior
stumps investigators.
276
00:17:53,707 --> 00:17:56,910
She's truly experiencing
psychogenic amnesia,
277
00:17:56,943 --> 00:18:02,148
or she could be portraying an
emotional wife who has learned
278
00:18:02,182 --> 00:18:04,150
that her husband has died.
279
00:18:04,184 --> 00:18:07,921
When we look at the
very rare situations
280
00:18:08,021 --> 00:18:11,057
in which psychogenic
amnesia is present,
281
00:18:11,091 --> 00:18:13,560
this temporary memory loss,
282
00:18:13,593 --> 00:18:16,396
it's protecting the person from
what happened in the moment.
283
00:18:19,466 --> 00:18:24,437
[Narrator] Then, investigators
get some alarming news.
284
00:18:24,471 --> 00:18:26,873
[Lensing] In the middle
of interviewing Colleen,
285
00:18:26,906 --> 00:18:30,877
I receive a text on my phone,
and it was the investigators.
286
00:18:30,910 --> 00:18:33,813
They had said they had some
very important information
287
00:18:33,847 --> 00:18:35,615
that could spin my investigatio
288
00:18:35,648 --> 00:18:37,550
in a completely
different direction.
289
00:18:39,152 --> 00:18:40,620
I left the interview room,
290
00:18:40,653 --> 00:18:44,424
and the detective handed
me a case from 1985,
291
00:18:44,457 --> 00:18:50,330
where Colleen was a suspect in a
homicide in that very same home.
292
00:18:53,400 --> 00:18:54,968
[Narrator] Coming up--
293
00:18:55,068 --> 00:18:58,238
A disturbing
pattern takes shape.
294
00:18:58,271 --> 00:19:01,408
They find that Colleen
had been responsible
295
00:19:01,441 --> 00:19:04,210
for the death of
another husband.
296
00:19:05,011 --> 00:19:06,546
[Narrator] And alarming details
297
00:19:06,579 --> 00:19:10,850
from her previous husband's
death come to light.
298
00:19:10,884 --> 00:19:13,820
[Joe] It was only after she
worked with a psychologist
299
00:19:13,853 --> 00:19:18,758
that she was able to somehow
remember what had happened.
300
00:19:47,053 --> 00:19:49,489
[Narrator] Investigators in
Placerville, California,
301
00:19:49,522 --> 00:19:51,858
are interviewing Colleen Harris
302
00:19:51,891 --> 00:19:55,061
about the murder of her
husband, Bob Harris,
303
00:19:55,061 --> 00:19:57,864
when they receive
some alarming news.
304
00:19:59,065 --> 00:20:03,003
In 1985, Colleen's
first husband, Jim Batten,
305
00:20:03,036 --> 00:20:05,171
was also murdered.
306
00:20:06,206 --> 00:20:07,807
[Lloyd] Someone put
out the word, hey,
307
00:20:07,841 --> 00:20:10,010
you remember back
in '85, Jim Batten?
308
00:20:10,043 --> 00:20:12,278
That's the same lady.
309
00:20:12,312 --> 00:20:14,314
That's the same house.
310
00:20:14,347 --> 00:20:17,017
It's the same kind of murder.
311
00:20:17,050 --> 00:20:18,418
It's the same room!
312
00:20:22,322 --> 00:20:26,593
There was still a record
of the 911 call from 1985.
313
00:20:39,072 --> 00:20:40,206
[Shiloh] He was murdered.
314
00:20:40,240 --> 00:20:44,911
And he also died
laying in bed, shot.
315
00:20:44,944 --> 00:20:49,916
And she had also claimed
some amnesia in that case.
316
00:20:49,949 --> 00:20:51,851
[Narrator] Colleen was
arrested at the scene
317
00:20:51,885 --> 00:20:55,522
and immediately charged
with Jim Batten's murder.
318
00:20:56,356 --> 00:20:58,224
[Lensing] The attorney
that represented her
319
00:20:58,258 --> 00:21:01,961
during that trial was
attorney Dave Weiner,
320
00:21:02,062 --> 00:21:04,064
and that is the same attorney
321
00:21:04,064 --> 00:21:08,234
that had made the telephone
call to us on 911.
322
00:21:11,237 --> 00:21:14,074
[Narrator] Upon
her arrest in 1985,
323
00:21:14,074 --> 00:21:16,876
Colleen claimed to have amnesia
324
00:21:16,910 --> 00:21:19,612
But at her trial
about 5 months later,
325
00:21:19,646 --> 00:21:21,915
she seemed to have
recovered memories
326
00:21:21,948 --> 00:21:24,884
from the day Jim was killed.
327
00:21:24,918 --> 00:21:27,721
[Joe] It was only after she
worked with a psychologist
328
00:21:27,754 --> 00:21:32,992
that she was able to somehow
remember what had happened.
329
00:21:34,361 --> 00:21:36,930
[Narrator] Colleen testified
that on the day of the murder,
330
00:21:36,963 --> 00:21:40,266
she confronted Jim
with divorce papers.
331
00:21:41,634 --> 00:21:44,437
[Joe] She was confronting
her then husband Jim Batten
332
00:21:44,471 --> 00:21:46,573
because he had
molested her daughter,
333
00:21:46,606 --> 00:21:50,510
and she was driven to
protect her daughter.
334
00:21:51,478 --> 00:21:53,480
[Narrator] She alleged that
the discussion escalated
335
00:21:53,513 --> 00:21:56,516
into a physical confrontation.
336
00:21:57,851 --> 00:22:01,821
[Joe] She says he began
to sexually assault her,
337
00:22:01,855 --> 00:22:03,757
and that he put
a gun to her head.
338
00:22:04,657 --> 00:22:07,727
[Narrator] Colleen claimed
that a struggle ensued,
339
00:22:07,761 --> 00:22:11,297
but she managed to get
the gun from Jim's hands.
340
00:22:13,800 --> 00:22:17,103
She shot and killed
him in self-defense.
341
00:22:17,137 --> 00:22:18,805
She was acquitted.
342
00:22:18,838 --> 00:22:23,076
At trial, the defense really
was able to make Jim Batten out
343
00:22:23,076 --> 00:22:24,811
to be a sexual predator.
344
00:22:24,844 --> 00:22:27,447
And Colleen was
motivated because of
345
00:22:27,480 --> 00:22:29,849
these terrible, terrible
things that he'd done.
346
00:22:31,584 --> 00:22:33,486
[Narrator] According
to court records,
347
00:22:33,520 --> 00:22:36,089
while Colleen opted not
to press charges
348
00:22:36,122 --> 00:22:38,458
against Jim Batten at the time,
349
00:22:38,491 --> 00:22:40,393
her daughter always maintained
350
00:22:40,427 --> 00:22:44,264
that he was guilty
of molestation.
351
00:22:45,098 --> 00:22:49,336
In the end, Colleen Batten was
accquited of Jim's murder.
352
00:22:53,106 --> 00:22:55,175
Armed with this new information,
353
00:22:55,208 --> 00:22:59,179
El Dorado county insvestigators
head back to the interview room
354
00:22:59,212 --> 00:23:02,048
to confront Colleen
about Jim's death.
355
00:23:23,870 --> 00:23:25,972
[Narrator] And when it
comes to details,
356
00:23:26,072 --> 00:23:29,376
once again,
Colleen's memory fails her.
357
00:23:42,822 --> 00:23:44,991
[Narrator] Detectives
continue to hold Colleen
358
00:23:45,091 --> 00:23:48,795
in the interview room
as they keep digging.
359
00:23:49,562 --> 00:23:50,897
[Lensing] The
investigators were also
360
00:23:50,930 --> 00:23:52,699
making contact
with family members
361
00:23:52,732 --> 00:23:55,735
and seeing if they can
get more information.
362
00:23:55,769 --> 00:23:58,672
[Narrator] Investigators learn
that Bob and Colleen's marriage
363
00:23:58,705 --> 00:24:01,708
had been on the
rocks for some time,
364
00:24:01,741 --> 00:24:04,044
largely because
Colleen was convinced
365
00:24:04,044 --> 00:24:09,249
that Bob was having an affair
with a woman in Mongolia.
366
00:24:09,282 --> 00:24:12,419
I don't know how interested
in this other woman he was,
367
00:24:12,452 --> 00:24:16,489
Bob being seventy-two and she's
approximately forty years old.
368
00:24:16,523 --> 00:24:19,559
But I know that Colleen
was concerned about that.
369
00:24:21,761 --> 00:24:24,531
[Narrator] Whether the
affair was real or not,
370
00:24:24,564 --> 00:24:28,435
Colleen claims Bob's
dalliance didn't bother her.
371
00:24:42,782 --> 00:24:44,784
[Narrator] Despite
Colleen's explanations,
372
00:24:44,818 --> 00:24:47,187
detectives are skeptical.
373
00:24:49,322 --> 00:24:51,658
[Lensing] We have the 1985 case
374
00:24:51,691 --> 00:24:57,197
that showed that Colleen
had used the same M.O.
375
00:24:57,230 --> 00:24:58,531
There were a lot
of similarities.
376
00:24:58,565 --> 00:25:02,635
We had enough probable cause to
arrest Colleen at this point.
377
00:25:06,306 --> 00:25:08,942
[Narrator] Before Colleen
heads to the county jail,
378
00:25:09,042 --> 00:25:11,277
detectives request
she get checked out
379
00:25:11,311 --> 00:25:13,780
at a local hospital.
380
00:25:13,813 --> 00:25:15,782
[Shiloh] While
under observation,
381
00:25:15,815 --> 00:25:19,052
Colleen seems to have
cognitive functioning intact
382
00:25:19,052 --> 00:25:21,955
and memory intact.
383
00:25:22,055 --> 00:25:23,723
[Narrator] But they
do alert detectives
384
00:25:23,757 --> 00:25:27,627
to some concerning
physical injuries.
385
00:25:29,062 --> 00:25:32,132
[Lloyd] She's got this abrasion
in the middle of her chest.
386
00:25:32,165 --> 00:25:36,336
She also has a problem with,
uh, one of the fingers.
387
00:25:36,369 --> 00:25:38,471
[Joe] Both the
injury to her finger
388
00:25:38,505 --> 00:25:40,540
and the bruise to her chest
389
00:25:40,573 --> 00:25:44,310
would be very consistent
with Colleen having held
390
00:25:44,344 --> 00:25:45,845
that sawed-off shotgun
391
00:25:45,879 --> 00:25:48,348
and having the gun
push back violently
392
00:25:48,381 --> 00:25:50,083
and striking her in the chest.
393
00:25:53,353 --> 00:25:57,223
[Narrator] Autopsy results
confirm Bob's cause of death,
394
00:25:57,257 --> 00:26:01,761
but pinpointing the time
of death is more complicated.
395
00:26:01,795 --> 00:26:04,531
[Lensing] There'd been beginning
stages of decomposition.
396
00:26:04,564 --> 00:26:06,166
That gives me a timeline.
397
00:26:06,199 --> 00:26:10,136
That tells me that this person
had died not just recently,
398
00:26:10,170 --> 00:26:14,507
but many hours before
we're even contacted,
399
00:26:14,541 --> 00:26:17,210
before the report
of the homicide.
400
00:26:21,414 --> 00:26:24,551
[Narrator] Hoping to get more
details of the timeline,
401
00:26:24,584 --> 00:26:26,252
investigators reach
out to the man
402
00:26:26,286 --> 00:26:30,056
who made the initial 911 call--
403
00:26:30,056 --> 00:26:35,061
Colleen's former defense
attorney, David Weiner.
404
00:26:35,061 --> 00:26:37,530
And they soon learn he did more
405
00:26:37,564 --> 00:26:41,167
than just call the
police that day.
406
00:26:41,201 --> 00:26:43,403
He had met with his client
out at the crime scene
407
00:26:43,436 --> 00:26:45,772
for about an hour and a half
before he went to his office
408
00:26:45,805 --> 00:26:47,874
and made that call.
409
00:26:47,907 --> 00:26:50,777
Weiner has always maintained
that he never entered the home.
410
00:26:50,810 --> 00:26:52,178
He remained in the driveway,
411
00:26:52,212 --> 00:26:55,148
and he met with his client
inside of his vehicle.
412
00:26:55,181 --> 00:26:57,884
He didn't stay at the scene.
He didn't stay with his client.
413
00:26:57,917 --> 00:27:01,755
He left her on her own to
deal with law enforcement.
414
00:27:01,788 --> 00:27:04,190
He refused to answer
any questions.
415
00:27:04,224 --> 00:27:06,893
He didn't know if he was going
to be her attorney or not,
416
00:27:06,926 --> 00:27:10,030
and that most of this was
going to have to wait.
417
00:27:11,197 --> 00:27:14,434
[Joe] That is what a criminal
defense attorney representing
418
00:27:14,467 --> 00:27:16,903
a client almost
certainly should do.
419
00:27:16,936 --> 00:27:19,072
The obvious conflict
that he would create
420
00:27:19,105 --> 00:27:21,441
if he became a
witness in the case
421
00:27:21,474 --> 00:27:23,810
against his client,
Colleen Harris.
422
00:27:27,480 --> 00:27:29,449
[Narrator] Investigators
push forward,
423
00:27:29,482 --> 00:27:31,885
continuing to build their case.
424
00:27:33,219 --> 00:27:35,855
They reach out again
to Bob's daughter,
425
00:27:35,889 --> 00:27:38,491
47-year-old Pam Stirling,
426
00:27:38,525 --> 00:27:41,594
who agrees to come
in for an interview.
427
00:27:41,628 --> 00:27:44,364
[Lensing] The very first thing
that she brought up is that
428
00:27:44,397 --> 00:27:47,901
Colleen had been the suspect
in the homicide in 1985,
429
00:27:47,934 --> 00:27:49,903
and they knew about it.
430
00:27:49,936 --> 00:27:53,273
Bob knew about it, but Bob
didn't seem to be too worried
431
00:27:53,306 --> 00:27:57,677
and believed her, that
it was in self-defense.
432
00:28:01,214 --> 00:28:04,651
[Narrator] Like Colleen,
Pam mentions the infidelity,
433
00:28:04,684 --> 00:28:08,621
but says that Colleen
was extremely upset
434
00:28:08,655 --> 00:28:11,024
that Bob might be
having an affair--
435
00:28:11,057 --> 00:28:14,527
so much so, that it had
driven Bob to seek a divorce
436
00:28:14,561 --> 00:28:18,264
in September of 2012.
437
00:28:18,298 --> 00:28:22,836
She was texting Pam, you know,
asking, why he's doing this?
438
00:28:22,869 --> 00:28:24,637
Is he in love with
somebody else?
439
00:28:24,671 --> 00:28:27,273
One string of texts,
Colleen is very hopeful
440
00:28:27,307 --> 00:28:29,943
that her and Bob are going
to get back together.
441
00:28:30,043 --> 00:28:32,212
The next one, she's despondent
about Bob leaving her
442
00:28:32,245 --> 00:28:35,048
and about their
relationship ending.
443
00:28:38,051 --> 00:28:39,519
[Narrator] Two months later,
444
00:28:39,552 --> 00:28:43,456
Colleen convinced Bob to
come back to the family home,
445
00:28:43,490 --> 00:28:46,059
at least temporarily.
446
00:28:46,092 --> 00:28:48,261
[Joe] Colleen was scheduled
to have hip surgery,
447
00:28:48,294 --> 00:28:51,364
and she needed
someone to help her.
448
00:28:51,398 --> 00:28:53,533
[Lensing] Bob moved back.
449
00:28:53,566 --> 00:28:56,069
He stated upon her recovery,
450
00:28:56,069 --> 00:28:58,938
he was going to move to Tahoe,
to a second home,
451
00:28:58,972 --> 00:29:01,775
and end their relationship.
452
00:29:04,044 --> 00:29:05,812
[Narrator] The night
before the murder,
453
00:29:05,845 --> 00:29:08,381
Bob was still at the
home in Placerville
454
00:29:08,415 --> 00:29:13,420
when Pam received the last text
she would ever get from Colleen
455
00:29:14,754 --> 00:29:16,322
[Lensing] During
that last exchange,
456
00:29:16,356 --> 00:29:19,859
Colleen indicated that she
had caught Bob on the phone
457
00:29:19,893 --> 00:29:22,362
with his girlfriend
from Mongolia.
458
00:29:22,395 --> 00:29:24,798
Pam said Colleen was
very concerned with Bob
459
00:29:24,831 --> 00:29:27,200
being on the phone
with this woman.
460
00:29:27,233 --> 00:29:29,536
[Lensing] Talking to Pam,
that kind of gives us
461
00:29:29,569 --> 00:29:31,204
a little bit of context.
462
00:29:31,237 --> 00:29:36,876
Colleen actually was angry about
the relationship dissolving.
463
00:29:36,910 --> 00:29:39,279
Colleen never
mentioned that to us.
464
00:29:39,312 --> 00:29:42,415
Or anything about
Bob leaving the home.
465
00:29:42,449 --> 00:29:43,917
The moment somebody leaves
466
00:29:43,950 --> 00:29:46,119
is the moment that
is most dangerous.
467
00:29:49,356 --> 00:29:51,224
[Narrator] Coming up--
468
00:29:51,257 --> 00:29:55,829
The Harris home begins
to give up its secrets.
469
00:29:55,862 --> 00:29:58,865
She kept extensive
journals over the years.
470
00:29:58,898 --> 00:30:02,235
[Narrator] And investigators
catch a break.
471
00:30:02,268 --> 00:30:05,038
[Shiloh] Not only does she leave
her home for that evening,
472
00:30:05,071 --> 00:30:07,207
she's able to have
the wherewithal
473
00:30:07,240 --> 00:30:11,411
to give her location
accurately to AAA.
474
00:30:26,126 --> 00:30:30,196
[Narrator] Days after the
heinous murder of Bob Harris,
475
00:30:30,230 --> 00:30:34,367
investigators are homing in
on Bob's wife, Colleen Harris,
476
00:30:34,401 --> 00:30:36,236
as the prime suspect.
477
00:30:38,004 --> 00:30:40,073
[Lensing] Once we had
received the search warrants,
478
00:30:40,106 --> 00:30:42,008
we went back to the residence,
479
00:30:42,042 --> 00:30:45,812
and we found a series
of handwritten journals
480
00:30:45,845 --> 00:30:47,847
that were Colleen's.
481
00:30:47,881 --> 00:30:51,818
They claimed to have
started in 1985.
482
00:30:51,851 --> 00:30:53,687
[Joe] She portrays
herself in the journals
483
00:30:53,720 --> 00:30:58,324
as a faithful, loving
wife whose husband, Bob,
484
00:30:58,358 --> 00:31:02,295
is mistreating her,
and she forgives him.
485
00:31:04,964 --> 00:31:06,466
[Narrator] While
reading the journals,
486
00:31:06,499 --> 00:31:11,137
investigators can't
ignore a growing hunch.
487
00:31:11,171 --> 00:31:13,473
There's aspects of
them that would suggest
488
00:31:13,506 --> 00:31:15,508
they're fabricated.
489
00:31:15,542 --> 00:31:20,947
Some of the entries had
dates, and most did not.
490
00:31:20,980 --> 00:31:23,083
And again, the chronology.
491
00:31:23,116 --> 00:31:25,719
You'd expect you would
write and fill a page
492
00:31:25,752 --> 00:31:27,520
and you'd go on
to the next page.
493
00:31:27,554 --> 00:31:32,759
The chronology following it in
that context didn't really fit,
494
00:31:32,792 --> 00:31:34,394
and that's why I
strongly suspect
495
00:31:34,427 --> 00:31:36,529
that they were written
retrospectively.
496
00:31:37,497 --> 00:31:41,101
That would indicate
a great deal of planning.
497
00:31:41,134 --> 00:31:42,669
The amount of time
that it would take
498
00:31:42,702 --> 00:31:46,006
to fill years' worth of journal
499
00:31:46,106 --> 00:31:51,111
would have to have been
started months in advance.
500
00:31:56,149 --> 00:31:57,751
[Narrator] Hoping to
bolster their case
501
00:31:57,784 --> 00:31:59,753
for first-degree murder,
502
00:31:59,786 --> 00:32:02,355
investigators keep digging.
503
00:32:02,389 --> 00:32:04,557
We felt that
writing a search warrant for
504
00:32:04,591 --> 00:32:06,593
the cellphone records of Colleen
505
00:32:06,626 --> 00:32:09,763
may give us more information.
506
00:32:09,796 --> 00:32:13,500
When we received the results
of those cellphone records,
507
00:32:13,533 --> 00:32:15,568
it was alarming.
508
00:32:15,602 --> 00:32:18,405
[Narrator] In the hours
after investigators believe
509
00:32:18,438 --> 00:32:23,877
Bob was murdered, they
trace Colleen's movements.
510
00:32:23,910 --> 00:32:25,879
During her interview,
Colleen had claimed
511
00:32:25,912 --> 00:32:29,149
that she never left the
house on Wilderness Way
512
00:32:29,182 --> 00:32:31,284
on the weekend of the murder.
513
00:32:31,317 --> 00:32:34,587
But we found out that
her cellphone traveled from
514
00:32:34,621 --> 00:32:39,793
the Wilderness Way address
all the way down Highway 50
515
00:32:39,826 --> 00:32:42,629
to Highway 80 and
to the Bay Area.
516
00:32:42,662 --> 00:32:45,098
So this wasn't a woman
who was in a fog.
517
00:32:45,098 --> 00:32:47,334
This wasn't a woman
who had remained in
518
00:32:47,367 --> 00:32:49,936
the Wilderness Way
address, like she claimed.
519
00:32:51,304 --> 00:32:54,107
[Narrator] Records show
that following Bob's murder,
520
00:32:54,140 --> 00:32:57,811
Colleen made the three-hour
drive to San Francisco,
521
00:32:57,844 --> 00:33:00,413
arriving around 10AM.
522
00:33:02,048 --> 00:33:04,751
On her way home,
she makes a stop,
523
00:33:04,784 --> 00:33:07,120
because her car
becomes inoperable.
524
00:33:07,153 --> 00:33:10,056
And because of that,
she has to call AAA
525
00:33:10,056 --> 00:33:12,525
and ask for a tow truck.
526
00:33:12,559 --> 00:33:15,061
[Joe] We were able to get the
recording of Colleen Harris
527
00:33:15,061 --> 00:33:18,198
calling AAA from
the side of US 80.
528
00:33:40,854 --> 00:33:42,856
[Lensing]
She was very articulate.
529
00:33:42,889 --> 00:33:45,859
She stated where she
was at, what she needed,
530
00:33:45,892 --> 00:33:47,894
how to get there.
531
00:33:47,927 --> 00:33:49,896
There doesn't seem
to be any confusion.
532
00:33:49,929 --> 00:33:52,232
And that was just
the information
533
00:33:52,265 --> 00:33:54,234
that we were looking
for to confirm
534
00:33:54,267 --> 00:34:00,273
that this claim of
amnesia is false.
535
00:34:00,306 --> 00:34:02,275
[Shiloh] They're able
to find that not only
536
00:34:02,308 --> 00:34:04,377
does she leave her
home for that evening,
537
00:34:04,411 --> 00:34:08,214
then on her way home, she's
able to have the wherewithal
538
00:34:08,248 --> 00:34:12,218
to give her location
accurately to AAA.
539
00:34:16,623 --> 00:34:18,725
[Narrator] Now
investigators want to know
540
00:34:18,758 --> 00:34:23,430
where Colleen was
headed and why.
541
00:34:23,463 --> 00:34:26,499
[Joe] We found one of the
towers the phone pinged off of
542
00:34:26,533 --> 00:34:32,105
was right next to Colleen
Harris' adult son's residence
543
00:34:32,138 --> 00:34:34,974
in San Francisco.
544
00:34:35,075 --> 00:34:36,209
[Lensing] We found
that to be odd,
545
00:34:36,242 --> 00:34:37,644
because during this period,
546
00:34:37,677 --> 00:34:40,714
she was claiming to
be in a gray fog.
547
00:34:40,747 --> 00:34:41,848
After finding this information,
548
00:34:41,881 --> 00:34:47,454
we attempted to contact
her son, Wesley Thornberry.
549
00:34:49,723 --> 00:34:53,626
Initially, Wesley said he didn't
have any contact with his mother
550
00:34:53,660 --> 00:34:56,463
on Sunday, January 6.
551
00:34:56,496 --> 00:34:58,765
[Narrator] However,
Wesley tells investigators
552
00:34:58,798 --> 00:35:03,136
that his mother did try
to call him that morning.
553
00:35:03,169 --> 00:35:04,571
[Joe] She was in the Bay Area,
554
00:35:04,604 --> 00:35:06,639
and she was hoping
to meet up with him.
555
00:35:06,673 --> 00:35:10,377
But he insisted that he never
actually met up with her.
556
00:35:10,410 --> 00:35:13,580
He was unable to do so because
Wesley had gone out to brunch
557
00:35:13,613 --> 00:35:15,415
with his fiancée.
558
00:35:18,685 --> 00:35:21,454
[Narrator] Certain there
is more to this story,
559
00:35:21,488 --> 00:35:26,359
detectives take a closer look
at Colleen and Bob's finances,
560
00:35:26,393 --> 00:35:28,228
and they stumble
across something
561
00:35:28,261 --> 00:35:31,164
that sparks their interest.
562
00:35:31,197 --> 00:35:33,767
[Joe] Colleen and Bob
had actually divorced
563
00:35:33,800 --> 00:35:37,337
for about a year in 2004.
564
00:35:37,370 --> 00:35:40,206
And apparently
the divorce was done
565
00:35:40,240 --> 00:35:43,443
so that Colleen could take
advantage of some financial
566
00:35:43,476 --> 00:35:47,347
death benefits from her
former husband, Jim Batten.
567
00:35:48,181 --> 00:35:53,420
She got his survivor benefits--
I think $1100 a month.
568
00:35:53,453 --> 00:35:56,523
They had remarried after
Colleen had been able to
569
00:35:56,556 --> 00:35:58,525
secure those benefits.
570
00:35:58,558 --> 00:36:02,762
At the very least,
it proved how keenly focused
571
00:36:02,796 --> 00:36:05,765
Colleen was on finances.
572
00:36:08,034 --> 00:36:10,637
[Narrator] Investigators learn
that Colleen could expect
573
00:36:10,670 --> 00:36:15,342
another payday
following Bob's death.
574
00:36:15,375 --> 00:36:18,745
Bob had had a, a long
career and a pension.
575
00:36:18,778 --> 00:36:20,480
And they were well off,
576
00:36:20,513 --> 00:36:24,818
with an estate of approximately
a million dollars.
577
00:36:24,851 --> 00:36:29,389
In both cases, she stood to gain
from the demise of her husband.
578
00:36:34,327 --> 00:36:36,229
[Narrator] As detectives
are collecting evidence
579
00:36:36,262 --> 00:36:38,365
of Colleen's motives,
580
00:36:38,398 --> 00:36:42,335
they get a strange
call from David Weiner.
581
00:36:42,369 --> 00:36:46,339
I was contacted by
attorney Dave Weiner, um.
582
00:36:46,373 --> 00:36:48,842
He stated that he
had some possessions
583
00:36:48,875 --> 00:36:52,078
that were given to him that
he wanted or felt that needed
584
00:36:52,078 --> 00:36:54,614
to be turned over
to law enforcement.
585
00:36:54,647 --> 00:36:57,317
So he didn't tell us
the relevance of it.
586
00:36:57,350 --> 00:37:00,754
And essentially, Attorney Weiner
had stated, you'll find out.
587
00:37:03,890 --> 00:37:05,291
[Narrator] Coming up--
588
00:37:05,325 --> 00:37:08,228
The reason for Colleen's trip
to the Bay Area
589
00:37:08,261 --> 00:37:10,730
is finally revealed.
590
00:37:10,764 --> 00:37:13,099
The entire collection was
probably worth twenty, thirty,
591
00:37:13,133 --> 00:37:15,268
forty thousand dollars or so.
592
00:37:15,301 --> 00:37:19,472
[Narrator] And later,
it's déjà vu all over again.
593
00:37:20,373 --> 00:37:22,509
In the middle of the trial,
594
00:37:22,542 --> 00:37:26,179
Colleen says that she starts
to get some memory back.
595
00:37:41,461 --> 00:37:43,697
[Narrator] As Colleen
Harris awaits trial
596
00:37:43,730 --> 00:37:46,933
for the shooting death of
her husband, Bob Harris,
597
00:37:46,966 --> 00:37:50,537
investigators get a
surprising phone call.
598
00:37:51,871 --> 00:37:55,375
[Lensing] I was contacted
by attorney Dave Weiner.
599
00:37:55,408 --> 00:37:57,911
He'd represented her in
Jim Batten's homicide,
600
00:37:57,944 --> 00:38:01,581
and he was representing
her in the homicide now.
601
00:38:02,382 --> 00:38:05,318
He had property that
belonged to Bob Harris.
602
00:38:05,352 --> 00:38:08,822
And it included a
large coin collection.
603
00:38:08,855 --> 00:38:12,625
We subsequently learned that
those items were brought to him
604
00:38:12,659 --> 00:38:17,564
by Colleen Harris'
son, uh, Wesley.
605
00:38:17,597 --> 00:38:21,201
He took all those items
and gave them to David Weiner
606
00:38:21,234 --> 00:38:24,104
as opposed to giving
them to the police.
607
00:38:24,137 --> 00:38:27,540
Wesley claimed that he found
the items in his garage
608
00:38:27,574 --> 00:38:29,209
after his mother
had been arrested
609
00:38:29,242 --> 00:38:31,411
for the murder of Bob Harris.
610
00:38:31,444 --> 00:38:33,947
[Paul] Colleen brought
a bunch of coins down to
611
00:38:34,047 --> 00:38:36,549
Wesley's, left them in his
garage.
612
00:38:36,583 --> 00:38:39,786
According to him, never saw him,
and then driven back up.
613
00:38:40,653 --> 00:38:42,355
The entire collection was
probably worth twenty, thirty,
614
00:38:42,389 --> 00:38:44,190
forty thousand dollars or so.
615
00:38:47,260 --> 00:38:50,397
[Narrator] On March 17, 2015,
616
00:38:50,430 --> 00:38:54,567
the trial for Bob's
murder gets underway.
617
00:38:54,601 --> 00:38:56,803
When the coin
collection is addressed,
618
00:38:56,836 --> 00:39:00,340
it points to more
scheming by Colleen.
619
00:39:01,708 --> 00:39:04,411
[Joe] She claimed at trial that
she moved the coin collection
620
00:39:04,444 --> 00:39:06,579
so that they wouldn't be stolen
621
00:39:06,613 --> 00:39:10,650
But that never made
particular sense to me.
622
00:39:10,684 --> 00:39:13,386
And I've always
strongly suspected
623
00:39:13,420 --> 00:39:17,557
that she had some idea
that she would stage, uh,
624
00:39:17,590 --> 00:39:20,593
the house to look like
it had been broken into.
625
00:39:20,627 --> 00:39:24,030
And could claim that she came
home, and she found Bob,
626
00:39:24,064 --> 00:39:26,933
and he must have been killed by
whoever broke into the house.
627
00:39:27,033 --> 00:39:31,504
But I've always believed that
Colleen had shifting ideas abou
628
00:39:31,538 --> 00:39:34,441
what she was going to do to
get away with this crime.
629
00:39:34,474 --> 00:39:36,776
And so, it seems that's
something that she,
630
00:39:36,810 --> 00:39:39,479
she abandoned and didn't
follow through with.
631
00:39:43,049 --> 00:39:46,052
[Narrator] Prosecutors lay
out a timeline of events
632
00:39:46,052 --> 00:39:48,922
leading up to Bob's murder.
633
00:39:48,955 --> 00:39:52,058
[Joe] Colleen and Bob had
had dinner on Saturday night
634
00:39:52,058 --> 00:39:53,960
and watched some television.
635
00:39:54,060 --> 00:39:57,397
Bob at some point of
time must've disclosed
636
00:39:57,430 --> 00:40:00,667
that it was his plan
to drive back up
637
00:40:00,700 --> 00:40:02,869
to the South Lake
Tahoe cabin on Sunday.
638
00:40:04,637 --> 00:40:06,639
The moment she snapped
639
00:40:06,673 --> 00:40:08,508
was knowing that he
was going to leave.
640
00:40:10,210 --> 00:40:13,046
[Narrator] With Bob set
to leave the next morning,
641
00:40:13,079 --> 00:40:16,049
Colleen came up with a plan.
642
00:40:17,384 --> 00:40:20,053
[Joe] She waited
until he was asleep,
643
00:40:20,086 --> 00:40:23,923
and she went into that bedroom
with that sawed-off shotgun,
644
00:40:23,957 --> 00:40:27,093
and she leaned across
that bed and shot him
645
00:40:27,127 --> 00:40:28,995
at near point-blank range...
646
00:40:29,029 --> 00:40:30,797
[gunshot]
647
00:40:30,830 --> 00:40:32,465
[Joe] ...killing him instantly.
648
00:40:33,233 --> 00:40:36,870
[music]
649
00:40:36,903 --> 00:40:39,539
[Narrator] Colleen then
spent the next several hours
650
00:40:39,572 --> 00:40:43,076
plotting her defense.
651
00:40:43,109 --> 00:40:44,544
[Joe] One of the ideas was
652
00:40:44,577 --> 00:40:46,579
trying to clean up
the crime scene.
653
00:40:46,613 --> 00:40:48,882
And she pretty quickly
abandoned that idea, uh,
654
00:40:48,915 --> 00:40:51,451
because it was
just overwhelming.
655
00:40:51,484 --> 00:40:54,087
[Narrator] Instead, Colleen
called the same man
656
00:40:54,120 --> 00:40:57,223
who helped her back in 1985--
657
00:40:57,257 --> 00:41:01,695
defense attorney David Weiner.
658
00:41:01,728 --> 00:41:03,697
[Phil] She called her lawyer
from the crime scene,
659
00:41:03,730 --> 00:41:07,367
and then he calls the police.
660
00:41:07,400 --> 00:41:10,236
And she met
with him hours before
661
00:41:10,270 --> 00:41:11,905
law enforcement was notified.
662
00:41:15,575 --> 00:41:17,110
[Narrator] In court, the defense
663
00:41:17,143 --> 00:41:22,115
struggles to find their footing
the second time around.
664
00:41:22,148 --> 00:41:25,518
[Joe] The defense kept
presenting different defenses--
665
00:41:25,552 --> 00:41:29,789
suicide, accident,
self-defense, amnesia.
666
00:41:29,823 --> 00:41:32,292
I mean, they fluctuated
between those different ideas,
667
00:41:32,325 --> 00:41:34,394
much like Colleen
seemed to fluctuate
668
00:41:34,427 --> 00:41:35,729
between different ideas as to
669
00:41:35,762 --> 00:41:37,430
how she was going to
cover up the murder.
670
00:41:39,099 --> 00:41:42,769
The recording of the call
to AAA was really compelling,
671
00:41:42,802 --> 00:41:46,973
because the jury was able to
hear in Colleen's own voice
672
00:41:47,007 --> 00:41:51,978
and own words that she was aware
of her surroundings, cognizant,
673
00:41:52,012 --> 00:41:55,582
she was answering questions
and giving information.
674
00:41:55,615 --> 00:41:57,684
This wasn't a woman
who was in a fog.
675
00:41:59,352 --> 00:42:01,054
[Joe] Colleen
claimed at one point
676
00:42:01,054 --> 00:42:03,823
that Bob had assaulted her
earlier in that evening.
677
00:42:05,525 --> 00:42:07,594
[Shiloh] In the
middle of the trial,
678
00:42:07,627 --> 00:42:11,097
Colleen says that she starts
to get some memory back.
679
00:42:11,131 --> 00:42:13,867
And then she's able to
get some flashes about
680
00:42:13,900 --> 00:42:16,603
some sort of struggle,
in which she describes
681
00:42:16,636 --> 00:42:19,472
she can feel the
shotgun with her hands,
682
00:42:19,506 --> 00:42:22,609
and that Bob ends
up taking control
683
00:42:22,642 --> 00:42:25,645
and accidentally
fires the weapon.
684
00:42:27,414 --> 00:42:28,548
He is killed.
685
00:42:29,649 --> 00:42:31,084
None of which is supported by
686
00:42:31,084 --> 00:42:33,887
any of the crime scene
evidence whatsoever.
687
00:42:36,356 --> 00:42:38,391
[Narrator] After
a five-week trial,
688
00:42:38,425 --> 00:42:43,963
it takes the jury less than
two hours to reach a verdict.
689
00:42:43,997 --> 00:42:46,766
[Joe] She was convicted
of first-degree murder.
690
00:42:46,800 --> 00:42:49,836
She was also convicted of
a special allegation of
691
00:42:49,869 --> 00:42:53,173
using a firearm in order
to commit the murder,
692
00:42:53,206 --> 00:42:56,476
resulting in an overall
sentence of 50 years to life
693
00:42:56,509 --> 00:42:58,712
for Colleen Harris.
694
00:43:00,447 --> 00:43:04,184
[Narrator] Even though Colleen
finally ended up behind bars
695
00:43:04,217 --> 00:43:08,888
Bob's family still grapples
with what could've been.
696
00:43:10,056 --> 00:43:11,358
[Phil] We think of
Grandpa Bob all the time,
697
00:43:11,391 --> 00:43:12,826
and we talk about him.
698
00:43:12,859 --> 00:43:15,462
His children and their
children, my kids and his--
699
00:43:15,495 --> 00:43:16,763
five grandkids total.
700
00:43:16,796 --> 00:43:19,165
And that's probably the legacy
that hopefully will live on,
701
00:43:19,199 --> 00:43:21,868
and the kids will all learn
who he was and what he did
702
00:43:21,901 --> 00:43:24,571
and carry that on forever.
703
00:43:28,608 --> 00:43:34,748
[music]