1
00:00:07,440 --> 00:00:11,076
Ic northwest,
2
00:00:11,144 --> 00:00:13,945
A beautiful young woman
goes missing.
3
00:00:14,882 --> 00:00:18,851
She had this abundant energy,
and was always smiling.
4
00:00:19,286 --> 00:00:21,553
Men really loved sherry
[chuckling],
5
00:00:21,622 --> 00:00:23,121
And there was never a point
6
00:00:23,190 --> 00:00:24,757
Where she wasn't in
a relationship.
7
00:00:25,359 --> 00:00:29,027
[narrator] but her apartment
reveals a harrowing tale.
8
00:00:29,963 --> 00:00:32,230
[rebecca] they find the carpet
torn up,
9
00:00:32,299 --> 00:00:34,600
And the linoleum,
and the smell of bleach.
10
00:00:35,435 --> 00:00:37,001
What they don't find is sherry.
11
00:00:37,471 --> 00:00:39,204
There was a lotta evidence in
that bedroom
12
00:00:39,272 --> 00:00:41,340
That a serious assault
took place.
13
00:00:43,410 --> 00:00:45,944
[narrator] the investigation
leads detectives somewhere
14
00:00:46,013 --> 00:00:47,746
They weren't expecting...
15
00:00:48,849 --> 00:00:50,949
[belladonna] witches try to live
in harmony with the earth,
16
00:00:51,018 --> 00:00:55,120
But witchcraft draws people who
want to have power over others.
17
00:00:56,189 --> 00:00:59,024
He tried to use that as a tool
to control her.
18
00:01:00,394 --> 00:01:03,829
[narrator] but they soon
discover a terrifying truth:
19
00:01:04,365 --> 00:01:06,998
Black magic does exist.
20
00:01:07,835 --> 00:01:11,369
He wanted to break off and start
his own coven.
21
00:01:12,205 --> 00:01:15,273
It was his sick, demented,
twisted ideology.
22
00:01:15,909 --> 00:01:20,845
To cut up people and discard
their parts like garbage,
23
00:01:21,282 --> 00:01:24,450
It's not common that people
go to that extreme.
24
00:01:33,493 --> 00:01:45,504
[music]
25
00:01:45,972 --> 00:01:47,706
[music]
26
00:01:47,774 --> 00:01:49,875
[narrator] new years day, 2010.
27
00:01:50,878 --> 00:01:54,445
It's a misty day in the town
of everett, washington,
28
00:01:55,448 --> 00:01:58,983
And julie roberts is waiting fo
her friend, sherry harlan,
29
00:01:58,985 --> 00:02:00,352
To meet her after work.
30
00:02:01,788 --> 00:02:04,322
[julie] I was going on ten years
clean and sober,
31
00:02:04,391 --> 00:02:08,326
And sherry and I had made plans
to go to my meeting,
32
00:02:08,395 --> 00:02:09,861
So I could get my ten-year chip.
33
00:02:09,863 --> 00:02:12,297
I was so happy.
She was happy for me.
34
00:02:13,934 --> 00:02:15,067
But she didn't show up.
35
00:02:15,135 --> 00:02:17,869
[music]
36
00:02:17,938 --> 00:02:20,639
She just didn't show up,
and that wasn't like sherry.
37
00:02:21,375 --> 00:02:25,009
I called, I must've called
13, 14 times and left messages.
38
00:02:25,011 --> 00:02:28,012
"call me!"
and there was nothing.
39
00:02:28,082 --> 00:02:29,748
There was just no return,
40
00:02:29,816 --> 00:02:31,917
And I, I started getting worrie
about it.
41
00:02:31,985 --> 00:02:35,654
[music]
42
00:02:35,722 --> 00:02:39,491
[narrator] julie isn't
the only one who's concerned.
43
00:02:39,893 --> 00:02:41,693
A co-worker of hers was worried
44
00:02:41,695 --> 00:02:44,329
Because sherry had
missed several shifts.
45
00:02:44,931 --> 00:02:46,197
She didn't show up Saturday,
46
00:02:46,633 --> 00:02:49,902
And she didn't show up again
on Tuesday.
47
00:02:50,804 --> 00:02:52,537
[rebecca] on Tuesday,
January 5th,
48
00:02:52,606 --> 00:02:55,908
One of sherry's co-workers
called 911.
49
00:02:55,976 --> 00:02:58,376
She was really worried about
50
00:02:58,445 --> 00:03:01,113
If something was going on
with sherry.
51
00:03:01,181 --> 00:03:03,815
Sherry, her dog,
and her car are missing.
52
00:03:03,884 --> 00:03:07,819
And so, the police prepared to
go to sherry's apartment.
53
00:03:08,221 --> 00:03:09,954
[kelly] the deputies that
were working,
54
00:03:10,024 --> 00:03:11,155
They went to the location,
55
00:03:11,225 --> 00:03:14,859
And they were able to get in
touch with a maintenance man
56
00:03:14,928 --> 00:03:16,395
Who had a key to the apartment.
57
00:03:17,530 --> 00:03:19,330
And they went into
the apartment,
58
00:03:19,332 --> 00:03:20,799
Which is normal,
they do a welfare check.
59
00:03:20,867 --> 00:03:22,601
You know,
they're lookin' for her.
60
00:03:22,669 --> 00:03:26,504
[music]
61
00:03:26,573 --> 00:03:29,073
[narrator] the moment
officers step inside,
62
00:03:29,075 --> 00:03:30,876
They know something's wrong.
63
00:03:32,279 --> 00:03:34,979
[craig] there was an obvious
odor of bleach.
64
00:03:35,049 --> 00:03:36,414
Someone had made some efforts
65
00:03:36,483 --> 00:03:38,784
To clean the interior of
the apartment.
66
00:03:39,986 --> 00:03:40,952
But as they went in further,
67
00:03:41,021 --> 00:03:44,556
There were portions of both tile
from the flooring
68
00:03:44,624 --> 00:03:49,027
And carpet that had been cut out
on the, in, in the back bedroom.
69
00:03:49,596 --> 00:03:52,497
On all four walls,
there was blood spatter.
70
00:03:54,167 --> 00:03:56,134
So, it was pretty evident that
71
00:03:56,203 --> 00:03:58,604
Violence had occurred in
the bedroom.
72
00:03:59,773 --> 00:04:02,774
What they don't find is sherry
and her dog.
73
00:04:02,843 --> 00:04:10,082
[music]
74
00:04:10,150 --> 00:04:15,120
[narrator] sherry harlan was
born on January 21st, 1974,
75
00:04:15,188 --> 00:04:17,722
In the suburbs of
portland, oregon.
76
00:04:17,791 --> 00:04:19,858
[music]
77
00:04:19,926 --> 00:04:23,095
[rebecca] sherry lived with her
brother and mother and father
78
00:04:23,163 --> 00:04:24,929
Outside of hillsboro.
79
00:04:24,931 --> 00:04:27,866
They were there until she was
a teenager,
80
00:04:28,268 --> 00:04:30,068
And then her parents divorced,
81
00:04:30,136 --> 00:04:33,271
And she moved with her mother
and stepfather and brother
82
00:04:33,440 --> 00:04:35,774
To washington state.
83
00:04:35,976 --> 00:04:37,141
A lot of her friends,
84
00:04:37,211 --> 00:04:40,912
They described her as sweet,
and very kind, and caring.
85
00:04:40,981 --> 00:04:42,147
A little naive.
86
00:04:42,215 --> 00:04:45,984
[music]
87
00:04:46,052 --> 00:04:49,688
[elizabeth] I met sherry when we
went to rose hill junior high.
88
00:04:50,157 --> 00:04:52,957
Throughout her entire life,
she never walked into the room.
89
00:04:53,026 --> 00:04:54,759
She, like, bounced into a room.
90
00:04:54,761 --> 00:04:57,129
She had this abundant energy,
91
00:04:57,197 --> 00:04:58,897
And was always smiling
92
00:04:58,965 --> 00:05:01,733
And tryin' to make other
people happy.
93
00:05:02,769 --> 00:05:05,137
Sherry finished high school in
washington state
94
00:05:05,205 --> 00:05:07,872
And then she went to
the community college
95
00:05:07,941 --> 00:05:09,174
For a couple of years.
96
00:05:09,242 --> 00:05:12,144
But she wasn't really into
academics.
97
00:05:12,212 --> 00:05:14,446
[music]
98
00:05:14,514 --> 00:05:16,781
[elizabeth] she mostly pursued
relationships.
99
00:05:17,350 --> 00:05:20,819
Most of them were
not great choices, so...
100
00:05:20,887 --> 00:05:24,356
She had somebody that she
was engaged to in oregon
101
00:05:24,424 --> 00:05:27,693
Who had kids that were older
than she was.
102
00:05:28,328 --> 00:05:30,028
We were...
103
00:05:30,096 --> 00:05:31,963
17 at that time, I think.
104
00:05:32,999 --> 00:05:34,866
[narrator] the engagement
fell apart,
105
00:05:34,935 --> 00:05:38,003
But sherry kept looking for
mr. Right.
106
00:05:39,106 --> 00:05:42,174
Unfortunately, her bad luck wit
relationships
107
00:05:42,242 --> 00:05:44,743
Would continue into her 30s.
108
00:05:46,180 --> 00:05:48,713
[elizabeth] men really loved
sherry [chuckling],
109
00:05:48,715 --> 00:05:50,248
And there was never a point
110
00:05:50,317 --> 00:05:51,750
Where she wasn't in
a relationship.
111
00:05:51,818 --> 00:05:55,854
There was always somebody there
waiting to catch her
112
00:05:56,256 --> 00:05:58,456
If a relationship didn't
work out.
113
00:05:58,525 --> 00:06:02,694
I met sherry about nine and
a half months before.
114
00:06:03,830 --> 00:06:05,196
We just clicked.
115
00:06:05,265 --> 00:06:08,299
She had just
gotten back from hawaii.
116
00:06:08,301 --> 00:06:11,035
She was there thinking things
would work out with somebody
117
00:06:11,104 --> 00:06:12,003
And it didn't,
118
00:06:12,072 --> 00:06:15,307
So she was kind of in a,
in a low life spot,
119
00:06:15,608 --> 00:06:18,143
And she just wanted to get
her life back.
120
00:06:18,211 --> 00:06:20,044
[music]
121
00:06:20,113 --> 00:06:23,915
[narrator] by 2009, sherry was
struggling to get by,
122
00:06:25,051 --> 00:06:27,953
Living out of her car and
looking for work.
123
00:06:29,022 --> 00:06:33,125
Instead, she found
two more chances at love.
124
00:06:34,127 --> 00:06:38,496
In the spring of 2009,
she met eric christensen.
125
00:06:38,565 --> 00:06:42,300
They were both doing some
online dating
126
00:06:42,769 --> 00:06:44,669
And going to some dating sites.
127
00:06:44,738 --> 00:06:47,439
And they must have liked
128
00:06:47,507 --> 00:06:50,008
What they heard from the other
in a conversation
129
00:06:50,076 --> 00:06:51,510
Or a first meeting,
130
00:06:51,578 --> 00:06:54,879
Because they got together
fairly quickly.
131
00:06:54,948 --> 00:06:56,915
[music]
132
00:06:56,983 --> 00:06:59,384
[elizabeth] sherry was always
positive.
133
00:06:59,452 --> 00:07:02,987
So, she came in, and like
any other relationship,
134
00:07:03,056 --> 00:07:05,390
She's excited about it.
135
00:07:06,393 --> 00:07:08,160
And at the time,
she wasn't working.
136
00:07:08,228 --> 00:07:11,295
She was just kinda involved in
the relationship.
137
00:07:12,232 --> 00:07:15,367
[narrator] sherry had only been
dating eric for a few months
138
00:07:15,435 --> 00:07:17,803
When another man came into
her life.
139
00:07:19,339 --> 00:07:23,175
She met a man named dan young,
who was going through a divorce.
140
00:07:23,243 --> 00:07:24,576
He had a motorcycle,
141
00:07:24,644 --> 00:07:27,311
And he and sherry enjoyed takin
off on that
142
00:07:27,313 --> 00:07:28,679
And doing some trips,
143
00:07:28,749 --> 00:07:30,882
And she was having a really
good time.
144
00:07:31,584 --> 00:07:33,117
[craig] he was
a general contractor,
145
00:07:33,186 --> 00:07:35,353
And he was working on
a project locally,
146
00:07:35,421 --> 00:07:41,092
And that he and sherry had met
on some sorta dating platform.
147
00:07:41,661 --> 00:07:42,594
He had money,
148
00:07:42,662 --> 00:07:45,430
And he wasn't shy about spendin
it on sherry.
149
00:07:46,733 --> 00:07:48,333
[kelly] he was a little bit
older than her .
150
00:07:48,401 --> 00:07:50,535
He knew that she was seeing
eric.
151
00:07:50,603 --> 00:07:52,337
So, he was aware of eric.
152
00:07:52,405 --> 00:07:53,938
[rebecca] he bought her
a laptop,
153
00:07:54,007 --> 00:07:56,608
And eventually, he helped with
the down payment
154
00:07:56,676 --> 00:07:58,376
On a new apartment
155
00:07:58,445 --> 00:08:00,812
So she could have a new start
again.
156
00:08:01,481 --> 00:08:03,415
[julie] we'd had a lot of talks
about him.
157
00:08:03,483 --> 00:08:04,549
I hadn't met him yet.
158
00:08:04,618 --> 00:08:06,551
He helped get the furniture
for her,
159
00:08:06,619 --> 00:08:08,686
Things that she
couldn't get right away,
160
00:08:08,755 --> 00:08:10,488
And she was so happy.
161
00:08:10,557 --> 00:08:15,960
[music]
162
00:08:16,029 --> 00:08:18,430
[narrator] sherry's new
romantic prospects
163
00:08:18,498 --> 00:08:20,932
Weren't the only changes
in her life.
164
00:08:21,902 --> 00:08:24,503
That fall, while dating
both men,
165
00:08:24,571 --> 00:08:27,739
She also landed a job at
a department store.
166
00:08:29,042 --> 00:08:32,377
Sherry really liked her job at
jc penney.
167
00:08:32,846 --> 00:08:35,747
She loved the customers,
she loved the friends she made,
168
00:08:35,815 --> 00:08:38,116
And she was very well-liked.
169
00:08:38,184 --> 00:08:40,752
[music]
170
00:08:40,820 --> 00:08:42,354
[narrator] with a steady income,
171
00:08:42,422 --> 00:08:45,257
Sherry adopted a dog
she named roscoe.
172
00:08:46,326 --> 00:08:50,128
Just a little, a little mutt.
Just a, a mangey mutt!
173
00:08:51,864 --> 00:08:54,966
Dumb as a box of rocks,
but she loved that dog.
174
00:08:55,035 --> 00:08:56,668
[music]
175
00:08:56,736 --> 00:08:58,670
[narrator] 2010 was shaping up
176
00:08:58,738 --> 00:09:01,439
To be the best year of
sherry's life.
177
00:09:02,542 --> 00:09:04,676
Which is why her friends
and coworkers
178
00:09:04,744 --> 00:09:06,744
Have grown increasingly
concerned
179
00:09:06,813 --> 00:09:11,149
When no one has seen or heard
from her in four days.
180
00:09:11,217 --> 00:09:15,853
[music]
181
00:09:15,922 --> 00:09:17,689
[narrator] after finding
evidence of
182
00:09:17,757 --> 00:09:20,224
An attack inside sherry's
apartment,
183
00:09:20,761 --> 00:09:23,261
Officers immediately call
for backup.
184
00:09:24,197 --> 00:09:27,832
Snohomish county detectives
quickly respond to the scene.
185
00:09:29,135 --> 00:09:30,068
[kelly] when we did
the walk-through,
186
00:09:30,136 --> 00:09:33,305
There was blood visible on
a, a master bedroom,
187
00:09:33,707 --> 00:09:36,508
In the bedroom, on a wall,
by the closet.
188
00:09:36,576 --> 00:09:39,978
There was blood on a glove,
there was blood on a shirt.
189
00:09:40,046 --> 00:09:43,314
There was knife marks in
the mattress
190
00:09:43,316 --> 00:09:45,116
With tissue at the bottom.
191
00:09:45,185 --> 00:09:47,051
There was a lotta evidence in
that bedroom
192
00:09:47,120 --> 00:09:48,987
That a serious assault
took place.
193
00:09:49,923 --> 00:09:54,492
There was spatter, you know,
on all four walls up high,
194
00:09:55,161 --> 00:09:57,295
Indicating, you know,
some velocity
195
00:09:57,363 --> 00:09:59,230
Of the various blows.
196
00:10:00,400 --> 00:10:02,333
And the working assumption at
that point
197
00:10:02,402 --> 00:10:04,569
Was that a knife had been used.
198
00:10:04,637 --> 00:10:09,006
[music]
199
00:10:09,075 --> 00:10:10,474
[narrator] one thing is clear:
200
00:10:10,544 --> 00:10:14,679
Whoever attacked sherry tried t
get rid of the evidence.
201
00:10:15,415 --> 00:10:17,949
[kelly] one of the things inside
the apartment that we found was
202
00:10:18,017 --> 00:10:20,952
Box of these white trash bags
with red ties on 'em.
203
00:10:21,021 --> 00:10:24,655
And there was some blood on
the box.
204
00:10:24,725 --> 00:10:26,757
[music]
205
00:10:26,827 --> 00:10:30,761
You see this kind of evidence,
reeking of bleach;
206
00:10:30,831 --> 00:10:33,632
We know bleach is used to
clean and to cover,
207
00:10:33,700 --> 00:10:36,034
And sometimes to destroy dna.
208
00:10:37,036 --> 00:10:38,903
[narrator] but one
important clue
209
00:10:38,972 --> 00:10:40,905
Survived the cleaning.
210
00:10:41,374 --> 00:10:43,007
There was a bloody footprint,
211
00:10:43,276 --> 00:10:46,511
Actually found on a t-shirt
inside of the apartment.
212
00:10:47,313 --> 00:10:50,781
It was in detail enough that
they ever found a,
213
00:10:50,851 --> 00:10:52,817
A shoe that they thought might
have made it,
214
00:10:53,286 --> 00:10:55,519
They would be able to compare
the tread on the shoe
215
00:10:55,521 --> 00:10:57,455
To the, the bloody shoeprint.
216
00:10:58,158 --> 00:10:59,557
[kelly] upon looking at
the apartment
217
00:10:59,625 --> 00:11:01,593
And what we were
finding in there,
218
00:11:01,661 --> 00:11:04,061
I didn't have a good feeling
about it at all.
219
00:11:04,130 --> 00:11:06,797
I felt like she was either
assaulted and hurt,
220
00:11:06,867 --> 00:11:09,400
Or that she was
a homicide victim.
221
00:11:09,469 --> 00:11:12,670
[music]
222
00:11:12,739 --> 00:11:13,638
[narrator] coming up.
223
00:11:14,974 --> 00:11:18,342
Investigators dig into
sherry's complicated love life.
224
00:11:19,145 --> 00:11:22,780
One the last text messages was,
"this is what," you know,
225
00:11:22,849 --> 00:11:25,417
"being with two men at
the same time will do to ya."
226
00:11:26,119 --> 00:11:28,753
[narrator] but the truth is more
bizarre than
227
00:11:28,821 --> 00:11:30,722
Anyone can imagine.
228
00:11:32,358 --> 00:11:38,730
[music]
229
00:11:46,439 --> 00:11:48,406
[narrator] police in everett,
washington
230
00:11:48,808 --> 00:11:51,109
Are investigating
the disappearance of
231
00:11:51,177 --> 00:11:53,678
35-year-old sherry harlan.
232
00:11:54,780 --> 00:11:56,514
From the evidence in
her apartment,
233
00:11:56,582 --> 00:12:00,318
It appears she was the victim
of a violent attack.
234
00:12:00,954 --> 00:12:03,921
When somebody has taken the time
to tear up the flooring,
235
00:12:03,990 --> 00:12:05,189
That's very concerning.
236
00:12:05,258 --> 00:12:08,692
Which means that we need to
start doing the victimology
237
00:12:08,694 --> 00:12:10,762
On the person who's missing.
238
00:12:11,731 --> 00:12:14,198
Who are the people closest
to her?
239
00:12:14,200 --> 00:12:17,101
[music]
240
00:12:17,103 --> 00:12:19,203
[narrator] sherry's neighbors
tell detectives
241
00:12:19,205 --> 00:12:21,940
She was usually quiet and kept
to herself.
242
00:12:23,609 --> 00:12:27,345
The only time they saw her was
when she was walking her dog.
243
00:12:28,849 --> 00:12:32,383
But several days ago,
there was a disturbance.
244
00:12:34,086 --> 00:12:37,154
[kelly] one of 'em reported that
the Saturday prior,
245
00:12:37,223 --> 00:12:38,756
She had heard arguing.
246
00:12:38,824 --> 00:12:42,526
A male voice using expletives;
"shut up."
247
00:12:42,896 --> 00:12:44,595
Things being thrown around,
248
00:12:44,597 --> 00:12:47,766
And what she believed was coming
from sherry's apartment.
249
00:12:48,568 --> 00:12:49,701
[narrator] a few minutes later,
250
00:12:51,070 --> 00:12:54,305
The witness saw a strange man
lurking near sherry's car.
251
00:12:55,041 --> 00:12:56,908
[kelly] it was parked by
the dumpsters,
252
00:12:56,976 --> 00:12:57,975
The trunk was ajar.
253
00:12:58,044 --> 00:13:02,480
Her dog was tied to the inside
on the driver's side,
254
00:13:02,549 --> 00:13:05,482
And she saw a male crouching
down in front of the vehicle.
255
00:13:06,852 --> 00:13:09,620
[tedd] this neighbor saw him in
front of the car dry-heaving,
256
00:13:09,689 --> 00:13:10,821
And then he sneezed.
257
00:13:10,891 --> 00:13:14,726
And, I'm thinking, "what causes
a person to dry-heave?"
258
00:13:15,261 --> 00:13:18,029
I'm thinking, "well, we have
an apartment where,
259
00:13:18,097 --> 00:13:20,464
Heavy bleach smell,
the floors are torn up."
260
00:13:20,466 --> 00:13:22,033
All these things are kinda
adding up,
261
00:13:22,101 --> 00:13:24,435
And, you know, my concern was,
262
00:13:24,437 --> 00:13:27,671
Had he killed her and
dismembered her?
263
00:13:27,673 --> 00:13:30,875
Because that
can be a very gruesome process.
264
00:13:30,943 --> 00:13:33,210
[music]
265
00:13:33,279 --> 00:13:35,313
[narrator] investigators
prioritize
266
00:13:35,381 --> 00:13:37,215
Identifying the suspicious male
267
00:13:37,283 --> 00:13:39,550
And finding
sherry's missing car.
268
00:13:39,886 --> 00:13:41,385
To find out more,
269
00:13:41,454 --> 00:13:44,254
They ask the building manager
for sherry's apartment records.
270
00:13:44,925 --> 00:13:48,025
[rebecca] while the police are
looking at the crime scene
271
00:13:48,094 --> 00:13:49,827
And looking for sherry,
272
00:13:50,096 --> 00:13:52,530
They learn from the manager of
the apartment house
273
00:13:52,598 --> 00:13:57,168
That dan young had helped
sherry with the down payment.
274
00:13:58,371 --> 00:14:01,572
So, he's also somebody they nee
to check into.
275
00:14:01,574 --> 00:14:04,242
[music]
276
00:14:04,310 --> 00:14:06,778
[narrator] sherry's friends and
coworkers confirm
277
00:14:06,846 --> 00:14:09,280
That dan is one of her
boyfriends.
278
00:14:09,349 --> 00:14:11,448
[music]
279
00:14:11,518 --> 00:14:13,151
She loved him so much.
280
00:14:14,787 --> 00:14:16,120
But he was married,
281
00:14:17,423 --> 00:14:21,292
And he was leaving her
and was gonna be with sherry.
282
00:14:21,361 --> 00:14:24,461
But she was worried about
the husband/wife thing
283
00:14:24,531 --> 00:14:27,631
And when he was going to leave
his wife.
284
00:14:27,701 --> 00:14:30,501
[music]
285
00:14:30,503 --> 00:14:31,969
[narrator] to seasoned
detectives,
286
00:14:32,038 --> 00:14:34,405
It's an immediate red flag.
287
00:14:34,940 --> 00:14:37,809
Sherry seemed convinced dan
loved her,
288
00:14:38,077 --> 00:14:39,510
But could he have been having
289
00:14:39,579 --> 00:14:41,979
Second thoughts
about leaving his wife
290
00:14:42,181 --> 00:14:44,415
And looking for a way out?
291
00:14:45,785 --> 00:14:48,686
[kelly] we discovered some
text messages on her cell phone
292
00:14:48,754 --> 00:14:50,854
That coincided with
the same weekend
293
00:14:50,856 --> 00:14:52,523
That she disappeared.
294
00:14:54,260 --> 00:14:56,093
She had texted dan young,
295
00:14:56,630 --> 00:14:58,929
And she said,
"hey, I'm not feeling well."
296
00:14:59,599 --> 00:15:02,366
[craig] they were going back
and forth,
297
00:15:02,368 --> 00:15:08,306
And one the last text messages
that mr. Young sent her was,
298
00:15:09,275 --> 00:15:11,609
"lol, this is what," you know,
299
00:15:11,677 --> 00:15:14,045
"being with two men at
the same time will do to ya."
300
00:15:14,113 --> 00:15:17,214
[music]
301
00:15:17,283 --> 00:15:20,451
[narrator] sherry's friends say
dan was probably referring to
302
00:15:20,520 --> 00:15:23,588
Her other boyfriend,
eric christensen.
303
00:15:24,990 --> 00:15:28,059
Before sherry moved into
her new apartment,
304
00:15:28,127 --> 00:15:31,162
She was living with eric
30 miles away.
305
00:15:32,265 --> 00:15:35,132
[craig] christensen lived out at
a home out in gold bar,
306
00:15:35,201 --> 00:15:38,269
Which is a very rural area in,
in east county.
307
00:15:38,704 --> 00:15:41,773
It was small, but it was owned
by the parents
308
00:15:41,841 --> 00:15:43,941
Of a friend of,
of christensen's,
309
00:15:44,009 --> 00:15:47,211
And he gave it
to him for nominal rent.
310
00:15:48,814 --> 00:15:50,548
It was fairly apparent that
311
00:15:51,417 --> 00:15:54,485
Sherry was seeing both dan youn
and christensen
312
00:15:54,688 --> 00:15:56,120
At the same time.
313
00:15:56,188 --> 00:15:58,456
[music]
314
00:15:58,524 --> 00:16:00,925
[narrator] both men are
a few years older than sherry,
315
00:16:01,327 --> 00:16:03,761
But the similarities end there.
316
00:16:03,829 --> 00:16:06,597
[music]
317
00:16:06,599 --> 00:16:09,167
[narrator] dan acted like
sherry's benefactor,
318
00:16:10,470 --> 00:16:13,737
While she and eric shared
a more spiritual connection.
319
00:16:13,806 --> 00:16:17,575
[music]
320
00:16:17,643 --> 00:16:19,477
[narrator] according to
sherry's friends,
321
00:16:19,545 --> 00:16:21,278
They bonded over an interest in
322
00:16:21,347 --> 00:16:23,581
The pagan religion known as
wicca.
323
00:16:23,649 --> 00:16:25,416
[music]
324
00:16:25,485 --> 00:16:26,484
[narrator] its practitioners
325
00:16:26,552 --> 00:16:29,587
Sometimes refer to themselves
as witches.
326
00:16:31,357 --> 00:16:35,659
[craig] eric christensen had
been a fairly steady goer
327
00:16:35,661 --> 00:16:36,327
To the wicca church.
328
00:16:36,396 --> 00:16:38,296
He had introduced sherry to
that.
329
00:16:38,364 --> 00:16:41,865
Some of their mutual friends
were also involved in wicca,
330
00:16:42,736 --> 00:16:45,969
And this was something that
he had some interest in.
331
00:16:46,472 --> 00:16:48,172
[julie] when I lived in
snohomish,
332
00:16:48,240 --> 00:16:50,741
I was going to
the wiccan church.
333
00:16:50,810 --> 00:16:53,810
It was mindset community;
334
00:16:54,180 --> 00:16:58,215
Easy-going, friendly,
no hostilities.
335
00:16:58,818 --> 00:17:02,553
It was just a place to meet up
and find other people
336
00:17:02,622 --> 00:17:05,923
That were interested in
the same beliefs.
337
00:17:05,992 --> 00:17:08,559
[music]
338
00:17:08,561 --> 00:17:11,429
[narrator] the wiccan church
eric and sherry belonged to
339
00:17:11,497 --> 00:17:14,598
Is in the neighboring town
of index, washington,
340
00:17:14,667 --> 00:17:17,701
In the foothills of
the cascade mountains.
341
00:17:17,770 --> 00:17:19,403
[music]
342
00:17:19,472 --> 00:17:23,240
I am the most reverend
belladonna laveau
343
00:17:23,309 --> 00:17:25,309
Of the aquarian tabernacle
church.
344
00:17:25,445 --> 00:17:28,446
I replaced the archpriest
345
00:17:28,514 --> 00:17:31,315
Who was in charge of the church
at that time.
346
00:17:32,318 --> 00:17:36,154
The religion of wicca is
an earth-based religion.
347
00:17:36,222 --> 00:17:39,857
We see mother nature as a deity
a force.
348
00:17:39,926 --> 00:17:45,796
We see the different aspects of
nature as spiritual,
349
00:17:45,865 --> 00:17:49,767
And we believe that all things
are in balance.
350
00:17:49,835 --> 00:17:52,403
[music]
351
00:17:52,471 --> 00:17:56,273
People tie Halloween to wicca
and witchcraft
352
00:17:56,742 --> 00:17:59,276
Because it's our most
sacred day.
353
00:17:59,345 --> 00:18:01,312
We honor our ancestors.
354
00:18:01,380 --> 00:18:03,548
We put an extra plate at
the table.
355
00:18:04,917 --> 00:18:06,517
So, it's evolved over the year,
356
00:18:06,586 --> 00:18:10,188
And Halloween and trick-or-trea
and all of that kinda stuff
357
00:18:10,256 --> 00:18:12,523
Is, is the children's side
of it.
358
00:18:14,360 --> 00:18:16,260
You dress up like the dead,
359
00:18:16,328 --> 00:18:19,463
And you go around
and you ask for alms,
360
00:18:19,933 --> 00:18:21,565
That's the lore behind it.
361
00:18:21,567 --> 00:18:26,037
[music]
362
00:18:26,105 --> 00:18:29,006
[narrator] while sherry embraced
the religion's tenets of
363
00:18:29,074 --> 00:18:31,075
Harmony and non-violence,
364
00:18:31,143 --> 00:18:35,145
Friends say eric was more
interested in its occult side.
365
00:18:35,147 --> 00:18:37,047
[music]
366
00:18:37,116 --> 00:18:40,017
[belladonna] she was a very
beloved member of the church.
367
00:18:40,085 --> 00:18:41,319
She was there all the time,
368
00:18:41,321 --> 00:18:43,987
She worked on the gardens
and the property.
369
00:18:44,490 --> 00:18:46,490
[rodney] I knew eric for like,
a year.
370
00:18:47,426 --> 00:18:50,628
Eric was very strange,
had a lotta weird ideas.
371
00:18:51,130 --> 00:18:53,597
Didn't like a lot of people at
the church;
372
00:18:53,599 --> 00:18:57,034
Wanted to break off
and start his own coven.
373
00:18:57,570 --> 00:18:59,470
[belladonna] he was tryin' to
recruit people into that.
374
00:19:00,205 --> 00:19:04,408
He had these other ideas that
are not really wiccan
375
00:19:04,878 --> 00:19:09,780
That he wanted to incorporate
into that coven culture.
376
00:19:10,616 --> 00:19:13,484
[narrator] and law enforcement
learn from church members
377
00:19:13,552 --> 00:19:18,155
Many of those ideas involved
rituals to control others,
378
00:19:18,223 --> 00:19:19,891
Including sherry.
379
00:19:20,993 --> 00:19:22,726
[belladonna] you know, witches
try to live in harmony
380
00:19:22,795 --> 00:19:23,728
With the earth,
381
00:19:25,230 --> 00:19:28,799
But witchcraft draws people who
want to have power over others.
382
00:19:29,301 --> 00:19:31,669
Just like in any kind of group,
383
00:19:31,737 --> 00:19:34,271
You have to figure out where
the predators are
384
00:19:34,340 --> 00:19:36,207
And what the red flags are.
385
00:19:37,376 --> 00:19:40,978
[julie] there was somethin' odd
about him.
386
00:19:41,447 --> 00:19:42,513
He was quick to anger.
387
00:19:42,582 --> 00:19:49,086
He was always just right on that
edge of dangerous type,
388
00:19:49,154 --> 00:19:50,588
And I didn't like it.
389
00:19:51,223 --> 00:19:52,590
He scared me.
390
00:19:52,658 --> 00:19:59,630
[music]
391
00:20:08,874 --> 00:20:11,041
[narrator] after learning about
the two men
392
00:20:11,043 --> 00:20:14,612
Sherry harlan was dating at
the time of her disappearance,
393
00:20:14,680 --> 00:20:18,616
Investigators take a closer loo
at their histories.
394
00:20:19,985 --> 00:20:24,055
Of the two, eric christensen's
record and reputation
395
00:20:24,123 --> 00:20:26,590
Draws investigators' suspicion.
396
00:20:26,659 --> 00:20:28,826
And police records show
that isn't
397
00:20:28,894 --> 00:20:31,962
The only unsettling thing
about him.
398
00:20:32,698 --> 00:20:34,765
[craig] christensen had to
register as a sex offender
399
00:20:34,834 --> 00:20:38,135
'cause he had a, a conviction
for statutory rape
400
00:20:38,203 --> 00:20:41,672
Out of oregon, you know,
some 15, 20 years previous.
401
00:20:41,741 --> 00:20:44,641
[music]
402
00:20:44,710 --> 00:20:45,509
[narrator] a few years later,
403
00:20:45,578 --> 00:20:49,280
Eric was imprisoned for
another offense.
404
00:20:49,348 --> 00:20:51,682
An ex-girlfriend had, had broken
up with him,
405
00:20:51,751 --> 00:20:54,752
And he had got his rifle and had
attempted to snipe her,
406
00:20:55,655 --> 00:20:57,120
And had indicated to
law enforcement
407
00:20:57,190 --> 00:20:58,488
When they arrested him
408
00:20:58,490 --> 00:21:00,291
That the only reason that
they were alive
409
00:21:00,359 --> 00:21:03,327
Because his, his sights were off
on the rifle.
410
00:21:04,364 --> 00:21:07,698
There is a certain portion of
the population
411
00:21:08,934 --> 00:21:09,934
That's not mentally ill,
412
00:21:11,237 --> 00:21:14,738
But is driven towards more
psychopathic behavior.
413
00:21:15,074 --> 00:21:17,742
They don't empathize like
the rest of us do.
414
00:21:18,844 --> 00:21:22,013
They can only see it from
the perspective of,
415
00:21:22,615 --> 00:21:24,315
"what does that mean for me?"
416
00:21:25,284 --> 00:21:27,184
And, "how have I been wronged?"
417
00:21:27,253 --> 00:21:29,419
[music]
418
00:21:29,489 --> 00:21:31,488
[narrator] detectives learn
sherry met eric
419
00:21:31,557 --> 00:21:33,557
Not long after his release,
420
00:21:34,827 --> 00:21:38,029
But she didn't know about
his violent past.
421
00:21:38,097 --> 00:21:41,365
[music]
422
00:21:41,433 --> 00:21:44,235
[julie] she seemed happy with
eric at first,
423
00:21:44,437 --> 00:21:46,703
But within maybe six weeks,
424
00:21:47,172 --> 00:21:49,473
She could see what
she was involved with.
425
00:21:50,576 --> 00:21:54,345
His whole face would change when
he was angry.
426
00:21:55,514 --> 00:21:58,315
They found a place to live,
but she was miserable.
427
00:21:58,918 --> 00:22:01,385
She wanted nothin' more than to
get the hell away from him.
428
00:22:01,454 --> 00:22:03,687
[music]
429
00:22:03,756 --> 00:22:07,692
[narrator] sherry got her chance
in November, 2009.
430
00:22:08,961 --> 00:22:11,529
[tedd] their relationship
started to get strained,
431
00:22:11,531 --> 00:22:16,533
And then when he was picked up
in November for warrants,
432
00:22:16,602 --> 00:22:17,835
While he was in jail,
433
00:22:17,903 --> 00:22:20,838
She took that opportunity
to leave.
434
00:22:21,841 --> 00:22:23,807
[kelly] she was going on with
her life for that month,
435
00:22:23,876 --> 00:22:25,910
And dan young helped her get
an apartment
436
00:22:25,978 --> 00:22:29,146
And helped her buying things to
set up the apartment.
437
00:22:29,214 --> 00:22:30,747
She had gotten a job.
438
00:22:30,816 --> 00:22:32,950
[music]
439
00:22:33,018 --> 00:22:35,419
[narrator] but according to
sherry's friends,
440
00:22:35,487 --> 00:22:39,189
She knew eric wouldn't let her
go that easily.
441
00:22:39,658 --> 00:22:41,892
[dr. Stanfill] there's research
that shows
442
00:22:41,961 --> 00:22:45,095
People that engage in
acts of domestic violence,
443
00:22:45,298 --> 00:22:46,396
If they engage in one,
444
00:22:46,398 --> 00:22:48,932
They're much more likely to
engage in multiple.
445
00:22:49,935 --> 00:22:52,402
[elizabeth] I ran into her in
jc penney's,
446
00:22:52,472 --> 00:22:57,574
And she tells me that her
boyfriend was in jail.
447
00:22:58,110 --> 00:23:01,379
I asked her what she's gonna do
next and she's like,
448
00:23:01,447 --> 00:23:03,947
"well, I have to go back to
him."
449
00:23:04,584 --> 00:23:07,718
I'm like, "okay, well, you know,
there's places you can go,
450
00:23:07,787 --> 00:23:09,252
There's things we can do to
help you.
451
00:23:09,322 --> 00:23:10,521
You don't have to go back."
452
00:23:10,589 --> 00:23:14,224
And she just very
nonchalantly said,
453
00:23:14,293 --> 00:23:16,093
"no, he'll kill me if I leave."
454
00:23:16,161 --> 00:23:20,764
[music]
455
00:23:20,833 --> 00:23:24,101
[kelly] eric wasn't aware of dan
until he got out of jail.
456
00:23:24,904 --> 00:23:27,537
When he got home, he realized
sherry had left.
457
00:23:27,607 --> 00:23:28,672
All of her stuff was gone.
458
00:23:28,741 --> 00:23:32,275
And he started asking friends of
hers, "where is she?"
459
00:23:32,345 --> 00:23:34,878
And one of her friends made
the mistake of
460
00:23:35,348 --> 00:23:38,315
Giving him the address of where
she had moved to.
461
00:23:38,384 --> 00:23:42,385
[music]
462
00:23:42,387 --> 00:23:44,287
[narrator] sherry's phone
records show
463
00:23:44,357 --> 00:23:46,623
Eric was the last person to
call her
464
00:23:46,692 --> 00:23:48,225
Before she disappeared.
465
00:23:49,161 --> 00:23:52,229
A fact which makes police
even more interested
466
00:23:52,297 --> 00:23:53,964
In tracking him down.
467
00:23:54,033 --> 00:23:55,999
[music]
468
00:23:56,068 --> 00:23:58,502
[narrator] they find him
less than 24 hours
469
00:23:58,570 --> 00:24:00,738
After sherry was
reported missing.
470
00:24:01,640 --> 00:24:05,142
They find him at a nearby
medical center
471
00:24:05,210 --> 00:24:09,312
Where he's been treated for
a wound to one hand.
472
00:24:09,915 --> 00:24:12,882
And they can tell he's been
roughed up a bit.
473
00:24:12,884 --> 00:24:15,919
He had some scratches and some
bruises and some cuts.
474
00:24:16,855 --> 00:24:18,421
[tedd] I figured,
"I'm going to just
475
00:24:18,423 --> 00:24:22,225
Record a statement with him,
he's just standing here."
476
00:24:22,295 --> 00:24:24,962
And that turned out to be gold.
477
00:24:38,477 --> 00:24:42,079
[narrator] detectives believe
there's a simpler explanation.
478
00:24:43,148 --> 00:24:46,083
[tedd] when a person is stabbing
another person,
479
00:24:46,351 --> 00:24:47,651
It's a bloody affair.
480
00:24:47,720 --> 00:24:50,020
It is a messy, slippery event,
481
00:24:50,089 --> 00:24:53,924
And it is very consistent to se
injuries on the stabbing hand.
482
00:24:55,527 --> 00:24:59,963
Eric did not present himself as
a sophisticated liar.
483
00:25:00,299 --> 00:25:02,533
We talk about it in our circle,
in the police circle,
484
00:25:02,601 --> 00:25:04,435
As somebody who's thinking abou
one layer deep.
485
00:25:04,837 --> 00:25:06,537
They have that initial lie,
486
00:25:06,605 --> 00:25:08,906
And if you try to go any deeper
than that,
487
00:25:09,308 --> 00:25:10,507
They're, they stumble.
488
00:25:10,576 --> 00:25:11,842
And that's the way eric was.
489
00:25:12,812 --> 00:25:14,311
[narrator] when they ask
about sherry,
490
00:25:14,379 --> 00:25:18,381
Eric admits that he became
enraged when he learned
491
00:25:18,451 --> 00:25:20,150
She was seeing another man.
492
00:25:29,995 --> 00:25:32,395
[narrator] on December 18th,
2009,
493
00:25:32,465 --> 00:25:36,867
He went to her apartment to
'purify their relationship'.
494
00:25:38,403 --> 00:25:42,640
That involved what eric refers
to as a wiccan blood oath.
495
00:26:14,940 --> 00:26:16,073
[narrator] according to eric,
496
00:26:16,141 --> 00:26:19,944
The penalty for breaking
such an oath is severe.
497
00:26:33,125 --> 00:26:36,426
[music]
498
00:26:36,495 --> 00:26:38,996
[narrator] two weeks after
their December blood oath,
499
00:26:39,398 --> 00:26:43,733
On January 2nd,
eric found out sherry was lying
500
00:26:44,403 --> 00:26:47,037
[tedd] he said that he ended up
going through her phone
501
00:26:47,106 --> 00:26:50,140
And he saw that she had been
texting daniel young,
502
00:26:50,543 --> 00:26:52,610
And this infuriated him.
503
00:27:25,244 --> 00:27:28,278
[rebecca] eric admits to police
that they had a fight.
504
00:27:51,636 --> 00:27:52,669
[tedd] the more he shared,
505
00:27:52,738 --> 00:27:56,674
The, the more I believed
this man's definitely involved.
506
00:27:57,876 --> 00:28:00,210
[narrator] investigators
officially rule out
507
00:28:00,279 --> 00:28:03,546
Sherry's other boyfriend, dan,
as a suspect.
508
00:28:03,616 --> 00:28:05,382
[music]
509
00:28:05,450 --> 00:28:08,952
[narrator] but now, they still
need evidence tying eric
510
00:28:09,020 --> 00:28:10,187
To the crime scene.
511
00:28:12,057 --> 00:28:15,024
Two days after sherry was
reported missing,
512
00:28:15,094 --> 00:28:17,027
They take eric into custody
513
00:28:17,096 --> 00:28:19,663
And conduct a search warrant
at his home.
514
00:28:19,731 --> 00:28:21,998
[music]
515
00:28:22,067 --> 00:28:24,835
[craig] when they're going
through where eric lived,
516
00:28:24,903 --> 00:28:28,371
They found some blue jeans that
had some blood spatter on it.
517
00:28:28,440 --> 00:28:31,074
They found what appeared to be
a bloody sock
518
00:28:31,143 --> 00:28:32,843
That efforts had been to
burn it.
519
00:28:33,779 --> 00:28:38,248
And they found a flat-screen tv
that matched in all measurables,
520
00:28:38,317 --> 00:28:41,885
The flat screen that had been a
sherry's apartment.
521
00:28:43,388 --> 00:28:47,424
And in the house is where we
recovered the shoe
522
00:28:47,492 --> 00:28:50,960
That matched the print on
the t-shirt
523
00:28:50,962 --> 00:28:52,830
That we found in sherry's home.
524
00:28:53,865 --> 00:28:55,598
[rebecca] everything points to
the fact
525
00:28:55,668 --> 00:28:57,534
This was a homicide that
took place.
526
00:28:57,602 --> 00:28:59,002
But there is no body,
527
00:28:59,071 --> 00:29:01,472
And they don't know where she
is.
528
00:29:01,540 --> 00:29:03,206
[music]
529
00:29:03,275 --> 00:29:05,609
[elizabeth] we live in
a smaller community out there,
530
00:29:05,677 --> 00:29:09,512
And, you know, it's definitely
the talk of the town.
531
00:29:10,249 --> 00:29:15,052
There was no question in
my mind what had happened.
532
00:29:15,120 --> 00:29:18,822
[music]
533
00:29:18,891 --> 00:29:19,823
[narrator] coming up.
534
00:29:20,926 --> 00:29:23,527
Detectives make
a disturbing discovery.
535
00:29:24,763 --> 00:29:28,431
We found a skull on the front
seat of the vehicle.
536
00:29:29,000 --> 00:29:32,402
[narrator] and sherry's friends
question her killer's motives.
537
00:29:33,538 --> 00:29:35,572
This had nothing to do with
a blood oath.
538
00:29:35,641 --> 00:29:38,241
That's all he wanted,
was control.
539
00:29:38,243 --> 00:29:43,914
[music]
540
00:29:51,290 --> 00:29:54,257
[music]
541
00:29:54,259 --> 00:29:56,593
[narrator] after finding
incriminating evidence
542
00:29:56,662 --> 00:30:00,330
In eric christensen's home
in gold bar, washington,
543
00:30:00,399 --> 00:30:03,600
Snohomish county police arrest
him for the murder of
544
00:30:03,669 --> 00:30:05,602
His girlfriend, sherry harlan.
545
00:30:05,670 --> 00:30:08,271
[music]
546
00:30:08,340 --> 00:30:10,640
[narrator] but they still face
a problem.
547
00:30:11,176 --> 00:30:14,277
They certainly had suspicions
about what had occurred,
548
00:30:15,013 --> 00:30:17,146
But no body had been located
yet.
549
00:30:17,216 --> 00:30:20,116
[music]
550
00:30:20,185 --> 00:30:23,086
[narrator] later that night
on January 7th, 2010,
551
00:30:23,488 --> 00:30:25,955
Investigators catch
a lucky break.
552
00:30:26,491 --> 00:30:29,559
Police were tipped that
somebody'd come across
553
00:30:29,628 --> 00:30:30,561
An abandoned vehicle
554
00:30:30,629 --> 00:30:34,965
Out in the middle of nowhere
on a gravel road.
555
00:30:35,901 --> 00:30:38,835
It is indeed
sherry's nissan sentra.
556
00:30:39,371 --> 00:30:41,571
[kelly] the car had been
burnt out.
557
00:30:41,840 --> 00:30:43,574
We're always gonna
match it to the vin.
558
00:30:43,642 --> 00:30:44,508
Even if a vehicle is burnt,
559
00:30:44,576 --> 00:30:47,344
We can still figure out what
the vin is.
560
00:30:47,412 --> 00:30:48,745
We realized it was her car.
561
00:30:48,813 --> 00:30:50,147
[music]
562
00:30:50,215 --> 00:30:53,550
And in the car,
we found a skull.
563
00:30:54,519 --> 00:30:56,286
On the front seat.
564
00:30:56,355 --> 00:30:58,655
[music]
565
00:30:58,723 --> 00:31:02,959
And there were also knives found
in the vehicle front compartment
566
00:31:03,028 --> 00:31:04,461
As well as the vehicle trunk.
567
00:31:04,930 --> 00:31:06,463
It was as if, you know,
568
00:31:06,531 --> 00:31:10,533
Somebody had posed the head
and the knife in the front seat.
569
00:31:10,602 --> 00:31:16,005
[music]
570
00:31:16,075 --> 00:31:17,707
[kelly] the medical examiner
571
00:31:17,776 --> 00:31:19,409
Came out and recovered
the skull,
572
00:31:19,478 --> 00:31:21,644
And it later was found to be
sherry's skull.
573
00:31:22,514 --> 00:31:26,649
There was a knife tip that they
found embedded in the skull.
574
00:31:27,219 --> 00:31:30,119
And we were later able to
determine that the knife set
575
00:31:30,189 --> 00:31:32,189
Had come from sherry's
apartment.
576
00:31:33,225 --> 00:31:36,226
The case is now a, a homicide
577
00:31:37,095 --> 00:31:38,962
And no longer
a missing persons case.
578
00:31:39,031 --> 00:31:42,699
[music]
579
00:31:42,768 --> 00:31:45,034
[narrator] four days after
finding her skull,
580
00:31:45,236 --> 00:31:46,637
Police get a tip about
581
00:31:46,705 --> 00:31:49,573
Where to find the rest of
sherry's remains.
582
00:31:49,975 --> 00:31:51,274
[rebecca] on January 11th,
583
00:31:51,343 --> 00:31:56,113
A man named ryan comes forward
to share some information about
584
00:31:56,115 --> 00:31:58,114
His friend, eric,
with the police.
585
00:31:58,183 --> 00:31:59,416
[kelly] there was somethin'
bothering him.
586
00:31:59,484 --> 00:32:02,085
And basically, ryan couldn't
live with himself.
587
00:32:02,154 --> 00:32:04,287
He was, he was involved to
a certain degree.
588
00:32:04,289 --> 00:32:07,323
[julie] ryan is very,
very gullible,
589
00:32:07,392 --> 00:32:10,060
And very easily to be
manipulated.
590
00:32:10,762 --> 00:32:13,997
[belladonna] ryan would come and
help around the church,
591
00:32:14,065 --> 00:32:16,933
And he was always there to help
if you needed him.
592
00:32:17,469 --> 00:32:19,502
[craig] he had indicated to
law enforcement
593
00:32:19,571 --> 00:32:22,605
That he had been part of
the blood oath via telephone.
594
00:32:22,674 --> 00:32:26,242
[music]
595
00:32:26,311 --> 00:32:29,746
[narrator] ryan tells detectives
eric used him as a witness
596
00:32:29,814 --> 00:32:31,615
For sherry's blood oath.
597
00:32:32,617 --> 00:32:36,619
Then, on January 3rd,
eric called him again.
598
00:32:37,722 --> 00:32:41,491
Christensen wanted ryan to
meet him at a park-and-ride
599
00:32:41,560 --> 00:32:44,761
Where he supposedly
locked his keys in his vehicle.
600
00:32:44,829 --> 00:32:45,963
So, ryan goes there.
601
00:32:46,031 --> 00:32:47,998
And he realizes it's
sherry's vehicle.
602
00:32:48,400 --> 00:32:51,601
Ryan sees this rolled-up carpet
and rolled-up vinyl.
603
00:32:52,604 --> 00:32:55,037
And as they were driving in
the car,
604
00:32:55,039 --> 00:32:57,274
Eric said he had
sherry's body in the trunk.
605
00:32:57,342 --> 00:33:00,110
[music]
606
00:33:00,178 --> 00:33:03,079
Christensen indicated that
he had, in fact, killed sherry
607
00:33:03,615 --> 00:33:06,349
And that he needed help getting
rid of
608
00:33:06,418 --> 00:33:09,453
The various
portions of her body.
609
00:33:10,989 --> 00:33:13,656
And for two days,
that's what ryan did.
610
00:33:13,725 --> 00:33:18,528
[music]
611
00:33:18,597 --> 00:33:21,131
[kelly] he had driven to these
locations
612
00:33:21,199 --> 00:33:23,266
Around east county,
up off reiter road.
613
00:33:23,268 --> 00:33:25,769
And eric would tell him,
"okay, stop here."
614
00:33:25,837 --> 00:33:27,070
Eric would throw something,
615
00:33:27,139 --> 00:33:30,640
And ryan could hear it hitting
the water or hitting the ground
616
00:33:31,876 --> 00:33:35,178
Or eric would get a bag from
the back of the trunk
617
00:33:35,514 --> 00:33:37,280
And would head into the woods
with a shovel.
618
00:33:37,616 --> 00:33:39,683
So, he knew
exactly what was going on.
619
00:33:39,685 --> 00:33:44,220
[music]
620
00:33:44,289 --> 00:33:46,623
[narrator] ryan agrees to show
investigators
621
00:33:46,691 --> 00:33:49,226
Where eric dumped
the body parts.
622
00:33:50,328 --> 00:33:51,861
We drove to all of
these locations.
623
00:33:51,930 --> 00:33:55,765
That way we could document
the exact locations via gps
624
00:33:56,434 --> 00:33:59,435
Where items were and where
we needed to bring cadaver dogs
625
00:33:59,504 --> 00:34:00,937
So that we could find them.
626
00:34:00,939 --> 00:34:02,639
[music]
627
00:34:02,707 --> 00:34:04,775
[kelly] there were some parts
that were never found.
628
00:34:06,711 --> 00:34:09,879
But her torso was found in
one location,
629
00:34:09,881 --> 00:34:11,314
Just laying out in the open.
630
00:34:12,517 --> 00:34:14,918
I know we found a thigh
and we found arms,
631
00:34:15,386 --> 00:34:17,020
And I believe the
medical examiner did
632
00:34:17,088 --> 00:34:20,123
Find evidence that they were cut
with a knife.
633
00:34:20,125 --> 00:34:25,862
[music]
634
00:34:25,930 --> 00:34:28,665
There's not anything that you
could do
635
00:34:29,067 --> 00:34:33,269
That would justify you killing
somebody.
636
00:34:34,005 --> 00:34:36,739
He was trying to say
these things about wicca
637
00:34:36,808 --> 00:34:38,141
That just were not true.
638
00:34:38,543 --> 00:34:40,610
We just don't,
for the most part,
639
00:34:40,679 --> 00:34:44,147
Believe in violence,
dominating other people,
640
00:34:44,683 --> 00:34:47,083
Makin' people do things
they don't wanna do.
641
00:34:47,152 --> 00:34:50,287
[tedd] this is not what
wiccan practices.
642
00:34:50,289 --> 00:34:53,256
This leans towards
the satanic end of things.
643
00:34:53,258 --> 00:34:56,726
[music]
644
00:34:56,728 --> 00:34:59,929
[narrator] an autopsy confirms
police suspicions
645
00:34:59,931 --> 00:35:02,199
About the ritualistic attack.
646
00:35:03,368 --> 00:35:05,735
What the doctor was able to tell
us that she had
647
00:35:05,804 --> 00:35:10,707
Several stab wounds to her torso
and a stab wound to her head.
648
00:35:11,976 --> 00:35:13,009
The stab wounds to her body,
649
00:35:13,078 --> 00:35:16,079
Assuming that she'd been alive
when those had occurred,
650
00:35:16,881 --> 00:35:17,881
Could have been fatal,
651
00:35:19,083 --> 00:35:21,184
But he was unable to determine
with certainty
652
00:35:21,252 --> 00:35:23,453
That those, in fact,
were the cause of death.
653
00:35:23,522 --> 00:35:25,355
[music]
654
00:35:25,423 --> 00:35:28,591
This is a really ugly, heinous,
heinous crime.
655
00:35:28,593 --> 00:35:30,560
Eric has cut off her limbs.
656
00:35:30,629 --> 00:35:33,763
He's also cut out her
sexual organs
657
00:35:34,166 --> 00:35:36,933
And really decimated the body.
658
00:35:37,001 --> 00:35:39,903
They thought he even tried to
cut out her heart,
659
00:35:40,339 --> 00:35:41,905
But didn't manage to do it.
660
00:35:41,973 --> 00:35:45,508
But it says a lot about this
crime, and about him,
661
00:35:45,576 --> 00:35:50,046
And about how, the rage that
he must've had towards her.
662
00:35:50,114 --> 00:35:53,649
[music]
663
00:35:53,651 --> 00:35:56,786
You have to be able to overcome
a certain psychological barrier
664
00:35:58,189 --> 00:36:00,690
To go through the process of
dismemberment.
665
00:36:02,560 --> 00:36:06,563
But to be able to develop a plan
and then act on that plan...
666
00:36:06,631 --> 00:36:08,865
[music]
667
00:36:08,933 --> 00:36:11,100
[dr. Stanfill] creates
a significant amount of,
668
00:36:11,803 --> 00:36:14,704
Call it emotional repression in
being able to do that.
669
00:36:14,773 --> 00:36:22,379
[music]
670
00:36:22,381 --> 00:36:24,847
[narrator] two weeks after
sherry's disappearance,
671
00:36:24,916 --> 00:36:28,017
News spreads quickly about
eric's hand in
672
00:36:28,086 --> 00:36:29,052
Her gruesome death,
673
00:36:30,388 --> 00:36:33,590
Leaving the residents of
everett desperate for justice.
674
00:36:33,992 --> 00:36:36,459
[julie] I caught the news,
and there's sherry's picture.
675
00:36:36,528 --> 00:36:39,229
I said, "oh my god, he did it.
676
00:36:39,297 --> 00:36:41,598
Oh my god.
He did, he killed sherry."
677
00:36:42,601 --> 00:36:45,168
[kelly] he was already in
the snohomish county jail,
678
00:36:46,405 --> 00:36:49,572
And that's when I went ahead and
added the murder charge.
679
00:36:50,108 --> 00:36:52,141
[craig] the defense in this
particular case
680
00:36:52,143 --> 00:36:53,209
Made the strategic decision
681
00:36:53,277 --> 00:36:56,246
To try to get this to trial as
quickly as possible.
682
00:36:57,382 --> 00:37:00,283
We didn't have all of our
forensic results in yet.
683
00:37:00,819 --> 00:37:04,154
We still needed to prove all
the elements of the crime.
684
00:37:04,222 --> 00:37:10,560
[music]
685
00:37:18,202 --> 00:37:20,470
[music]
686
00:37:20,538 --> 00:37:23,039
[narrator] after
a week-long investigation,
687
00:37:23,107 --> 00:37:26,609
40-year-old eric christensen
has been charged with
688
00:37:26,611 --> 00:37:29,613
The first-degree murder of
sherry harlan.
689
00:37:30,982 --> 00:37:34,317
But police suspect there is
another victim.
690
00:37:35,587 --> 00:37:37,520
[kelly] I know that sherry
really loved her dog,
691
00:37:37,522 --> 00:37:41,124
And I did make attempts,
you know, to try to locate him.
692
00:37:41,460 --> 00:37:44,060
But unfortunately,
he was never found.
693
00:37:44,128 --> 00:37:48,064
[music]
694
00:37:48,133 --> 00:37:50,500
[narrator] after learning of
eric's actions,
695
00:37:50,568 --> 00:37:53,502
The wiccan church distances
itself from
696
00:37:53,572 --> 00:37:54,871
His twisted beliefs.
697
00:37:55,740 --> 00:37:58,875
The idea that you would have
a blood oath is,
698
00:37:59,544 --> 00:38:04,948
It's just not heard of any
relationship in wicca.
699
00:38:06,251 --> 00:38:11,954
Eric christensen was an evil,
demented, manipulative man
700
00:38:12,023 --> 00:38:14,824
That wanted to control.
701
00:38:15,227 --> 00:38:16,893
That's all he wanted.
702
00:38:16,961 --> 00:38:19,329
[music]
703
00:38:19,397 --> 00:38:21,064
[narrator] in may 2010,
704
00:38:21,800 --> 00:38:24,634
The story comes under
even greater scrutiny
705
00:38:25,103 --> 00:38:27,369
When eric's murder trial begin.
706
00:38:27,371 --> 00:38:29,572
[music]
707
00:38:29,574 --> 00:38:31,241
[craig] what was presented to
the jury was
708
00:38:31,309 --> 00:38:33,076
This is a jealous,
controlling man,
709
00:38:33,144 --> 00:38:36,312
Was losing control of his,
his woman,
710
00:38:36,715 --> 00:38:38,714
And that when he realized
711
00:38:38,783 --> 00:38:41,651
That she was gonna
continue doing these things
712
00:38:41,719 --> 00:38:43,453
That he did not want her to do,
713
00:38:43,521 --> 00:38:44,788
He took action.
714
00:38:46,425 --> 00:38:49,793
We believe that he murdered
her in her bedroom.
715
00:38:51,295 --> 00:38:54,163
And the dismemberment,
I believe,
716
00:38:54,165 --> 00:38:56,232
Happened in the kitchen,
717
00:38:56,234 --> 00:38:58,367
Which would follow with
718
00:38:58,437 --> 00:39:01,704
Why he would
rip up the linoleum.
719
00:39:02,607 --> 00:39:04,540
[craig] there were nine
various portions
720
00:39:04,542 --> 00:39:05,641
That the body was cut into,
721
00:39:05,710 --> 00:39:06,843
And I think ultimately
722
00:39:06,911 --> 00:39:08,945
Law enforcement located
six of 'em.
723
00:39:09,013 --> 00:39:11,548
[music]
724
00:39:11,616 --> 00:39:14,116
[narrator] the prosecution's
star witness
725
00:39:14,118 --> 00:39:16,152
Is eric's friend, ryan.
726
00:39:16,688 --> 00:39:19,589
We ultimately gave him immunity
if he was willing to
727
00:39:19,657 --> 00:39:21,223
Testify truthfully at trial
728
00:39:21,493 --> 00:39:23,626
In regards to what christensen
had told him
729
00:39:23,695 --> 00:39:25,795
And how he had aided christense
730
00:39:25,864 --> 00:39:28,031
In gettin' rid of
the various body parts.
731
00:39:29,400 --> 00:39:33,203
I think ryan is an incredibly
important witness in this case.
732
00:39:33,271 --> 00:39:36,405
There is no eyewitness to
the actual murder,
733
00:39:36,808 --> 00:39:39,375
But you have
a witness to someone saying,
734
00:39:39,443 --> 00:39:43,045
"eric had me drive her body
around and dispose of it."
735
00:39:43,114 --> 00:39:45,548
[music]
736
00:39:45,617 --> 00:39:47,450
[narrator] faced with
the evidence,
737
00:39:47,518 --> 00:39:50,653
Eric's attorneys try to explain
his attack
738
00:39:50,655 --> 00:39:53,289
Instead of arguing
his innocence.
739
00:39:53,892 --> 00:39:56,126
[craig] the defense in
this particular case was that
740
00:39:56,194 --> 00:39:59,529
They admitted that christensen
killed sherry harlan,
741
00:40:00,464 --> 00:40:02,031
But it wasn't premeditated.
742
00:40:02,033 --> 00:40:06,402
The argument was that he had
come upon the text messages
743
00:40:06,470 --> 00:40:08,171
Between sherry and dan young,
744
00:40:08,507 --> 00:40:09,705
And just lost it.
745
00:40:09,774 --> 00:40:13,343
[music]
746
00:40:13,411 --> 00:40:16,879
[narrator] although eric never
speaks in his own defense,
747
00:40:17,281 --> 00:40:20,449
The jury still gets a chance
to hear from him.
748
00:40:21,052 --> 00:40:23,153
[tedd] my entire
man-on-the-street interview
749
00:40:23,221 --> 00:40:25,955
That was recorded
was played for the jury.
750
00:40:39,270 --> 00:40:41,570
[music]
751
00:40:41,572 --> 00:40:43,239
[tedd] when you look at
the jurors
752
00:40:43,307 --> 00:40:44,707
And the looks on their faces,
753
00:40:44,709 --> 00:40:46,275
They are following,
they are tracking,
754
00:40:46,277 --> 00:40:48,844
And they are coming up with
the same responses
755
00:40:48,913 --> 00:40:51,581
I had to what eric was saying.
756
00:40:52,250 --> 00:40:54,584
[narrator] on June 28th, 2010,
757
00:40:54,652 --> 00:40:58,587
The jury finds eric guilty of
first-degree murder.
758
00:40:59,190 --> 00:41:02,792
He's sentenced to 37 and a half
years in prison.
759
00:41:04,095 --> 00:41:07,630
What sticks out the most is that
he just laughed about it.
760
00:41:07,699 --> 00:41:09,699
He was bein' led away
and he just smirkin',
761
00:41:09,767 --> 00:41:11,534
And it's like he didn't
even care.
762
00:41:11,870 --> 00:41:16,639
[music]
763
00:41:16,708 --> 00:41:18,842
[elizabeth] he was allowed to
make a statement,
764
00:41:19,510 --> 00:41:21,944
And his statement was,
765
00:41:22,013 --> 00:41:24,981
"I don't understand why this
is such a big deal.
766
00:41:25,049 --> 00:41:26,516
It was an accident."
767
00:41:26,584 --> 00:41:28,017
[music]
768
00:41:28,086 --> 00:41:31,454
[elizabeth] he just didn't care.
He didn't care what happened.
769
00:41:32,957 --> 00:41:36,258
People get life in prison for
killing somebody,
770
00:41:36,595 --> 00:41:38,528
And they didn't even go to
the extreme of
771
00:41:38,596 --> 00:41:39,928
Dismembering the person.
772
00:41:39,930 --> 00:41:43,099
So, I never really understood
why he wasn't sentenced to more.
773
00:41:43,101 --> 00:41:45,335
[elizabeth] there's no justice
in 37 and a half years,
774
00:41:45,403 --> 00:41:48,538
But I don't know that 99 years
or the death penalty
775
00:41:48,606 --> 00:41:50,073
Would be justice, either.
776
00:41:51,342 --> 00:41:52,742
He had zero remorse.
777
00:41:53,144 --> 00:41:56,378
And if you aren't sorry for what
you've done,
778
00:41:57,248 --> 00:42:00,082
There's nothing to stop you from
doing it again.
779
00:42:00,084 --> 00:42:04,253
[music]
780
00:42:04,322 --> 00:42:06,388
[narrator] in the years since
sherry's death,
781
00:42:06,991 --> 00:42:10,192
Her friends and those who worke
to solve her murder
782
00:42:10,261 --> 00:42:12,595
Are still haunted by it.
783
00:42:13,898 --> 00:42:15,765
[tedd] eric always tried to
paint the picture
784
00:42:15,833 --> 00:42:18,467
That either it was her fault...
785
00:42:19,203 --> 00:42:24,740
That their actions were guided
by his view of the wiccan faith.
786
00:42:25,276 --> 00:42:28,177
He tried to use that as a tool
to control her.
787
00:42:29,647 --> 00:42:31,347
[julie] what he did was not
wicca.
788
00:42:31,416 --> 00:42:34,817
It was demonic, demented, sick.
789
00:42:36,154 --> 00:42:39,756
A criminal with criminal mind
and criminal behavior.
790
00:42:40,958 --> 00:42:43,493
And she suffered for it,
and so did all of us.
791
00:42:43,561 --> 00:42:45,928
[music]
792
00:42:45,997 --> 00:42:47,263
[kelly] when you have
homicide cases,
793
00:42:47,331 --> 00:42:52,569
It's not common that people go
to that extreme to cut up people
794
00:42:52,637 --> 00:42:55,204
And discard their parts
like garbage.
795
00:42:55,873 --> 00:42:57,973
That's what bothered me most
about this case.
796
00:42:58,042 --> 00:43:01,043
[music]
797
00:43:01,112 --> 00:43:03,713
[elizabeth] she was just...
798
00:43:03,781 --> 00:43:05,214
A special person that
799
00:43:05,216 --> 00:43:08,785
Always made everybody else
around her smile.
800
00:43:09,120 --> 00:43:12,322
[julie] even after 13 years...
801
00:43:12,390 --> 00:43:13,822
I still love her.
802
00:43:14,358 --> 00:43:16,960
She'll always have been
my bestest friend.
803
00:43:17,629 --> 00:43:19,829
She was just sherry;
804
00:43:20,665 --> 00:43:22,498
A beautiful, beautiful woman
805
00:43:23,167 --> 00:43:25,768
That got caught up with a very,
very bad man.
806
00:43:27,071 --> 00:43:29,005
And she didn't deserve this.
807
00:43:29,407 --> 00:43:33,175
[music]
808
00:43:33,244 --> 00:43:43,686
[music]