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[Narrator]: A shotgun
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blast through a windshield
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ends the life of a dedicated
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father in an instant.
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When I saw the
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carnage in this car,
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it reminded me of a
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mob-style execution.
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[Narrator]: An execution the
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victim feared was coming.
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He had been the target
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of an earlier shooting
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where they didn't get him.
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Whoever had done this
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first shooting had gotten away
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and had not been identified.
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He knew somebody was
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trying to kill him.
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He was wearing
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a bulletproof vest
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at the time that
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he was killed.
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[Narrator]: Investigators
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realize no witness is safe.
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People were just scared
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that if they said anything,
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they would either
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be killed or harmed.
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[Narrator]: One detective
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must risk it all
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to expose a
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heartless mastermind.
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She gave me instructions
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to meet her at the cemetery,
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and to come alone.
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Worst case was that somebody
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was going to be waiting there
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to ambush me.
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[Narrator]: Authorities
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uncover a meticulous plot
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crafted by a powerful criminal.
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It was fairly astounding,
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the control she was able
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to exert over other people.
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She was a woman that
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you need to be fearful of,
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because if you crossed her,
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she was gonna get you.
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[theme music]
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[Narrator]: November 18, 1991.
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Spokane, Washington.
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It's 7:00 PM when a frenzy
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of 911 calls flood into
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the Spokane County Sheriff's
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Office reporting a shooting
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at the Willow Street Apartments
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[Mark]: I was home after a full
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day shift on a Monday night
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and got a call that I was needed
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to respond to a homicide scene
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in the Spokane Valley.
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[Narrator]: When first
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responders arrive,
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they quickly gather information
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from several of the
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witnesses who called 911.
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People in the complex heard
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the gunshots and then, you know,
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immediately called police.
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The person that did this
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then escaped right away.
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[Narrator]: They direct
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officers to a vehicle,
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where they locate
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an unresponsive male
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slumped behind the
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steering wheel.
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Deputies found him
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shot dead in his vehicle.
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And detectives, forensics,
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uh, people were called out
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and started their investigation
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there at the scene.
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[Mark]: The crime scene was
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a small apartment
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complex parking lot.
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There was a male in the
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car that--fully dressed,
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still seat-belted into
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the driver's seat.
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And he had a massive
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head and face wound.
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[Narrator]: The level
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of carnage is shocking
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even for seasoned detectives.
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He'd been shot
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point blank, almost.
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The shot had actually
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been through the window glass.
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He had died instantly.
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When I saw the
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carnage in this car,
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there was no question
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that he was a target
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that somebody was making
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sure that they eliminated.
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It reminded me of a
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mob-style execution.
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I'd been down a lot
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of homicide scenes,
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and we just didn't
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see those in our area.
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[Narrator]: Whoever
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pulled the trigger
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left a key piece of
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evidence on the ground
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just a few feet from the car.
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The person that committed the
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crime left the shotgun there.
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[Mark]: The shotgun led
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us to initially feel
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that was probably
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the murder weapon.
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It was a Winchester .12-gauge.
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The only distinguishing things
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on it was a little chunk of wood
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that was broken
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out of the stock.
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And there was some type of paint
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rub-off on the stock as well.
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[Narrator]: While
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technicians continue
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processing the crime scene,
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detectives question residents
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of the apartment complex
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to ID the victim.
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He was identified
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as Peter Zeihen.
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He was about forty years old.
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The witnesses from the
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apartment complex told us
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that he was a resident
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there at the apartments,
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along with his girlfriend,
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and that he had probably
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just arrived home from work
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when the shooting occurred.
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[Narrator]: But none of
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Pete's neighbors have any idea
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why he would have been the
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target of such a brutal murder.
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[Mark]: Starting into
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this investigation,
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there was many, many
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background questions
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surrounding Pete Zeihen.
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This was a target.
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This man was wanted
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dead by somebody,
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and they made sure they got him.
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Why would somebody sneak up
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on him in a ambush attack?
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[Narrator]:
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Born on June 27, 1951,
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Peter Zeihen came
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from modest roots.
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Pete had grown up in
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Chewelah, Washington.
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They, uh, lived on a small
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farm, where they had a mill.
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Pete's, uh, father was a
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real, uh, hardworking guy
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that would work the fields
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and knew how to do just about
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everything around the farm.
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Pete's mom was on
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the city council.
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They were a strong base,
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uh, for Pete to grow up under.
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[Narrator]: With a work ethic
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as strong as his parents',
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Pete pursued a career in
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a highly demanded trade.
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Pete and I met at
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Spokane Community College
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while we were taking
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Industrial Electricity.
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Pete was a good
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electrician, hard worker,
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friendly, outgoing,
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kind of almost bubbly.
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[Narrator]: At 35 years old,
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Pete was living in
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Spokane, Washington
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when he met someone who would
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change his life forever--
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30-year-old Orinne Goldberg.
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An avid runner, she met Pete
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during a local road race.
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[Chris]: Her parents,
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Mel Goldberg and JoAnn,
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they had one son,
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that was Theil.
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They had two daughters,
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Orinne and Merv.
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They were very well known.
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[Narrator]: Orinne
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worked for her parents
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at their realty office
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in Newport, Washington,
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one hour outside of Spokane.
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[Mark]: JoAnn Goldberg,
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as the matriarch
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and the main head of the
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family,
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she made the decisions.
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She insisted things
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be done her way.
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Mel was pretty easygoing
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and was really friendly,
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was a really nice guy.
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[Narrator]: Pete and Orinne
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dated for about a year
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before moving in together.
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Four months later,
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Orinne became pregnant.
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They married in 1988, after
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the birth of their daughter,
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and made their home in Spokane.
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His eyes would just twinkle
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talking about this little girl.
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He'd smile from ear to ear.
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He thought she was
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just heaven on earth.
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[Narrator]: But by 1989, not
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everything in Pete's life
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was going as smoothly
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as fatherhood.
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[Enrique]: I think not long
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after that the child was born
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that their marriage
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started to go south.
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[Peter]: He was a good father.
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His daughter meant a lot to him.
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He made that very clear.
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And I think that he
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would've stayed married
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just for the sake
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of his daughter.
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[Narrator]: When their
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attempts to reconcile failed,
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Orinne left with
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their infant daughter.
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When she left
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and took the child,
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she moved up to
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Newport, Washington,
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which is about sixty
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miles from Spokane.
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That was to her
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parents' residence.
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Orinne kind of kept a low
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profile and let her mother,
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JoAnn, really handle things.
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[Narrator]: Pete began
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traveling to the Goldbergs
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on the weekends to spend
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time with his daughter,
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and eventually
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filed for divorce.
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[Chris]: That, of course,
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involved a request for, uh,
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visitation with his daughter,
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and at least partial
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custody of his daughter.
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And that just didn't
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sit well with JoAnn.
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That's not the way that
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she imagined her family,
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with the granddaughter
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being able to be away
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for any period of time.
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The divorce proceedings,
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they became a bit ugly.
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JoAnn had basically
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told Peter that,
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"There's no way you're going
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to get my granddaughter."
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[Rick]: He was going
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through the custody battle.
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He was sad, kind of depressed
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over the whole situation.
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He wanted to get
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his mind in a position
295
00:09:42,482 --> 00:09:45,185
where he could go
296
00:09:42,482 --> 00:09:45,185
on with his life.
297
00:09:48,488 --> 00:09:50,123
[Narrator]: While Pete
298
00:09:48,488 --> 00:09:50,123
struggled for access
299
00:09:50,156 --> 00:09:51,825
to his beloved daughter,
300
00:09:51,858 --> 00:09:53,893
he found solace in his work
301
00:09:53,927 --> 00:09:56,763
and eventually met someone new-
302
00:09:56,796 --> 00:10:00,330
34-year-old Helen Eken.
303
00:10:00,660 --> 00:10:01,801
[Peter]: We had some
304
00:10:00,660 --> 00:10:01,801
discussions about her,
305
00:10:01,835 --> 00:10:04,838
and, and she was
306
00:10:01,835 --> 00:10:04,838
a very good person,
307
00:10:04,871 --> 00:10:07,540
had a good, responsible job.
308
00:10:08,508 --> 00:10:10,477
[Narrator]: In the fall of 1990
309
00:10:10,510 --> 00:10:13,460
about a year after
310
00:10:10,510 --> 00:10:13,460
his split from Orinne,
311
00:10:13,790 --> 00:10:17,317
Pete was starting to settle
312
00:10:13,790 --> 00:10:17,317
into a new life with Helen.
313
00:10:17,350 --> 00:10:20,720
[Mark]: He was living with
314
00:10:17,350 --> 00:10:20,720
Helen at her apartment.
315
00:10:20,754 --> 00:10:23,757
Her and Pete were waiting
316
00:10:20,754 --> 00:10:23,757
for the divorce to be final
317
00:10:23,790 --> 00:10:27,160
so they could move forward
318
00:10:23,790 --> 00:10:27,160
in their relationship.
319
00:10:27,193 --> 00:10:28,661
[Rick]: He was going
320
00:10:27,193 --> 00:10:28,661
through a hard time,
321
00:10:28,695 --> 00:10:30,130
going through a divorce.
322
00:10:30,163 --> 00:10:33,199
But he still had a,
323
00:10:30,163 --> 00:10:33,199
he had a good outlook on life.
324
00:10:37,404 --> 00:10:40,507
[Narrator]: But Pete's attempt
325
00:10:37,404 --> 00:10:40,507
at a fresh start is cut short
326
00:10:40,540 --> 00:10:44,344
on November 18, 1991.
327
00:10:44,377 --> 00:10:48,515
Peter is shot point blank
328
00:10:44,377 --> 00:10:48,515
range with the shotgun
329
00:10:48,548 --> 00:10:50,817
through the window,
330
00:10:48,548 --> 00:10:50,817
right at his head,
331
00:10:50,850 --> 00:10:53,920
and he dies instantly.
332
00:10:53,953 --> 00:10:57,557
The, uh, shotgun is, uh,
333
00:10:53,953 --> 00:10:57,557
dropped there at the scene.
334
00:10:57,590 --> 00:11:00,126
The assailant, uh, fled.
335
00:11:01,294 --> 00:11:03,329
[Narrator]: Though the
336
00:11:01,294 --> 00:11:03,329
scene indicates an ambush,
337
00:11:03,363 --> 00:11:06,299
what investigators
338
00:11:03,363 --> 00:11:06,299
discover under Pete's coat
339
00:11:06,332 --> 00:11:10,403
swiftly calls that
340
00:11:06,332 --> 00:11:10,403
theory into question.
341
00:11:10,437 --> 00:11:12,539
[Mark]: He was
342
00:11:10,437 --> 00:11:12,539
carrying a handgun.
343
00:11:12,572 --> 00:11:15,875
Plus, he was also wearing
344
00:11:12,572 --> 00:11:15,875
a bulletproof vest.
345
00:11:17,377 --> 00:11:21,810
It was not common for
346
00:11:17,377 --> 00:11:21,810
us to encounter people
347
00:11:21,810 --> 00:11:23,750
wearing bulletproof
348
00:11:21,810 --> 00:11:23,750
vests at that time.
349
00:11:23,783 --> 00:11:25,952
That he had one on
350
00:11:23,783 --> 00:11:25,952
was quite unusual.
351
00:11:25,985 --> 00:11:27,554
It told me that he was scared,
352
00:11:27,587 --> 00:11:30,757
and he was trying
353
00:11:27,587 --> 00:11:30,757
to protect himself.
354
00:11:33,593 --> 00:11:35,950
[Narrator]: Coming up--
355
00:11:35,950 --> 00:11:38,980
detectives discover this
356
00:11:35,950 --> 00:11:38,980
isn't the first time
357
00:11:38,980 --> 00:11:43,937
the victim faced an armed
358
00:11:38,980 --> 00:11:43,937
assailant hell bent on murder.
359
00:11:43,970 --> 00:11:46,106
[Andrew]: This person
360
00:11:43,970 --> 00:11:46,106
was chasing him,
361
00:11:46,139 --> 00:11:49,909
bullets hitting off
362
00:11:46,139 --> 00:11:49,909
brick through the alley.
363
00:11:49,943 --> 00:11:51,711
He was a changed guy.
364
00:11:51,745 --> 00:11:53,313
Paranoia had set in.
365
00:11:53,346 --> 00:11:54,347
[gunshot]
366
00:12:09,229 --> 00:12:14,234
[Narrator]: November 18, 1991.
367
00:12:09,229 --> 00:12:14,234
Spokane, Washington.
368
00:12:14,267 --> 00:12:16,870
Investigators on the
369
00:12:14,267 --> 00:12:16,870
scene of Pete Zeihen's
370
00:12:16,903 --> 00:12:19,873
ambush-style murder are
371
00:12:16,903 --> 00:12:19,873
working to piece together
372
00:12:19,906 --> 00:12:23,977
a puzzling array of clues.
373
00:12:24,770 --> 00:12:27,147
[Mark]: The crime scene
374
00:12:24,770 --> 00:12:27,147
essentially consisted of
375
00:12:27,180 --> 00:12:30,917
the car that the victim
376
00:12:27,180 --> 00:12:30,917
was in, his body,
377
00:12:30,950 --> 00:12:34,870
and the shotgun on the ground.
378
00:12:34,870 --> 00:12:37,323
There really wasn't any
379
00:12:34,870 --> 00:12:37,323
other physical evidence.
380
00:12:37,357 --> 00:12:41,127
There was no video evidence
381
00:12:37,357 --> 00:12:41,127
or anything else at that scene.
382
00:12:41,161 --> 00:12:42,896
[Narrator]: While there
383
00:12:41,161 --> 00:12:42,896
are no surveillance cameras
384
00:12:42,929 --> 00:12:47,467
in the area, police do
385
00:12:42,929 --> 00:12:47,467
find a potential witness.
386
00:12:47,500 --> 00:12:49,102
[Mark]: At the time
387
00:12:47,500 --> 00:12:49,102
of the shooting,
388
00:12:49,102 --> 00:12:52,639
one of the tenants in
389
00:12:49,102 --> 00:12:52,639
the apartments, Pamela,
390
00:12:52,672 --> 00:12:55,175
heard the shot, ran outside,
391
00:12:55,208 --> 00:13:00,814
and saw a gold or a
392
00:12:55,208 --> 00:13:00,814
tan-colored vehicle
393
00:13:00,847 --> 00:13:04,117
accelerate very fast
394
00:13:00,847 --> 00:13:04,117
out of the parking lot
395
00:13:04,150 --> 00:13:06,319
onto the street.
396
00:13:06,353 --> 00:13:09,389
She couldn't really say
397
00:13:06,353 --> 00:13:09,389
for sure the people,
398
00:13:09,422 --> 00:13:12,580
if there was more than one.
399
00:13:09,422 --> 00:13:12,580
She just knew there was a noise
400
00:13:12,580 --> 00:13:14,600
and there was a car
401
00:13:12,580 --> 00:13:14,600
racing out of there.
402
00:13:14,600 --> 00:13:19,432
Her being able to identify the
403
00:13:14,600 --> 00:13:19,432
car as specifically as she did
404
00:13:19,466 --> 00:13:20,767
was pretty helpful,
405
00:13:20,800 --> 00:13:23,737
because a lot of witnesses
406
00:13:20,800 --> 00:13:23,737
aren't that good.
407
00:13:27,407 --> 00:13:29,709
[Narrator]: Officers fan
408
00:13:27,407 --> 00:13:29,709
out in search of the vehicle
409
00:13:29,743 --> 00:13:31,344
based on the description,
410
00:13:31,378 --> 00:13:35,715
while detectives begin tracking
411
00:13:31,378 --> 00:13:35,715
down Pete's loved ones.
412
00:13:35,749 --> 00:13:38,218
At the time of, of his murder,
413
00:13:38,251 --> 00:13:40,954
Peter was living with
414
00:13:38,251 --> 00:13:40,954
his girlfriend, Helen Eken.
415
00:13:42,880 --> 00:13:43,456
[Narrator]: Investigators
416
00:13:42,880 --> 00:13:43,456
immediately locate
417
00:13:43,490 --> 00:13:48,940
the couple's apartment within
418
00:13:43,490 --> 00:13:48,940
the complex to break the news.
419
00:13:48,128 --> 00:13:50,196
[Andrew]: This is
420
00:13:48,128 --> 00:13:50,196
typical police procedure,
421
00:13:50,230 --> 00:13:54,134
to interview boyfriends,
422
00:13:50,230 --> 00:13:54,134
girlfriends, significant others.
423
00:13:54,167 --> 00:13:55,435
[Mark]: Meeting with Helen,
424
00:13:55,468 --> 00:14:01,374
her reaction to Pete being
425
00:13:55,468 --> 00:14:01,374
dead was appropriate to someone
426
00:14:01,408 --> 00:14:05,545
who had just suffered
427
00:14:01,408 --> 00:14:05,545
a severe loss.
428
00:14:05,578 --> 00:14:06,946
She was home for the evening.
429
00:14:07,470 --> 00:14:10,517
She had heard the
430
00:14:07,470 --> 00:14:10,517
sound of the shotgun,
431
00:14:10,550 --> 00:14:12,185
but didn't realize what it was
432
00:14:12,218 --> 00:14:14,287
and fortunately
433
00:14:12,218 --> 00:14:14,287
hadn't gone outside.
434
00:14:18,324 --> 00:14:20,827
[Narrator]: When detectives
435
00:14:18,324 --> 00:14:20,827
ask Helen about the handgun
436
00:14:20,860 --> 00:14:23,797
and bulletproof
437
00:14:20,860 --> 00:14:23,797
vest found on Pete,
438
00:14:23,830 --> 00:14:27,400
Helen reveals some
439
00:14:23,830 --> 00:14:27,400
startling news.
440
00:14:27,434 --> 00:14:31,571
[Enrique]: He had also been the
441
00:14:27,434 --> 00:14:31,571
target of an earlier shooting
442
00:14:31,604 --> 00:14:33,473
where they didn't get him.
443
00:14:38,780 --> 00:14:42,282
[Andrew]: Approximately two
444
00:14:38,780 --> 00:14:42,282
weeks earlier was October 25.
445
00:14:42,315 --> 00:14:45,885
At 7:00 in the morning,
446
00:14:42,315 --> 00:14:45,885
he had gotten up for work,
447
00:14:45,919 --> 00:14:50,290
noticed that his tire
448
00:14:45,919 --> 00:14:50,290
was flat on his car.
449
00:14:50,323 --> 00:14:54,361
And he drove across the
450
00:14:50,323 --> 00:14:54,361
street to a, a mini mart.
451
00:14:55,462 --> 00:14:57,163
[Chris]: He went to
452
00:14:55,462 --> 00:14:57,163
re-inflate the tire,
453
00:14:57,197 --> 00:15:00,600
at which time he noticed that
454
00:14:57,197 --> 00:15:00,600
somebody was standing by him.
455
00:15:00,633 --> 00:15:04,804
And when he looked up, there
456
00:15:00,633 --> 00:15:04,804
was a figure that had a, uh,
457
00:15:04,838 --> 00:15:07,107
Richard Nixon mask on.
458
00:15:08,441 --> 00:15:11,440
That person was
459
00:15:08,441 --> 00:15:11,440
holding a, a revolver.
460
00:15:12,145 --> 00:15:14,314
This person is
461
00:15:12,145 --> 00:15:14,314
completely disguised,
462
00:15:14,347 --> 00:15:17,450
heavy clothing and
463
00:15:14,347 --> 00:15:17,450
something over their face.
464
00:15:17,484 --> 00:15:21,221
And they immediately
465
00:15:17,484 --> 00:15:21,221
fire a round at him.
466
00:15:23,323 --> 00:15:25,658
Pete reacts by
467
00:15:23,323 --> 00:15:25,658
jumpin' up, starts runnin'.
468
00:15:25,692 --> 00:15:30,630
This person keeps chasing him,
469
00:15:25,692 --> 00:15:30,630
shooting rounds as they run.
470
00:15:31,164 --> 00:15:35,568
[Andrew]: This short, stocky
471
00:15:31,164 --> 00:15:35,568
person, uh, was chasing him,
472
00:15:35,602 --> 00:15:40,730
bullets hitting off
473
00:15:35,602 --> 00:15:40,730
brick through the alley.
474
00:15:40,730 --> 00:15:41,608
[Mark]: None of
475
00:15:40,730 --> 00:15:41,608
the rounds hit him,
476
00:15:41,641 --> 00:15:46,513
and the person finally
477
00:15:41,641 --> 00:15:46,513
leaves and outta sight.
478
00:15:46,546 --> 00:15:50,830
Pete gets on the phone, calls
479
00:15:46,546 --> 00:15:50,830
911, says, "I just got shot at."
480
00:15:53,286 --> 00:15:56,890
[Narrator]: Helen confirms
481
00:15:53,286 --> 00:15:56,890
that Pete filed a police report
482
00:15:56,890 --> 00:15:59,225
two weeks earlier.
483
00:15:59,259 --> 00:16:02,620
Whoever had done this
484
00:15:59,259 --> 00:16:02,620
first shooting at Pete Zeihen
485
00:16:02,950 --> 00:16:07,300
had gotten away and
486
00:16:02,950 --> 00:16:07,300
had not been identified.
487
00:16:07,334 --> 00:16:09,336
The examination at
488
00:16:07,334 --> 00:16:09,336
the scene determined
489
00:16:09,369 --> 00:16:13,106
that there was a hole in the
490
00:16:09,369 --> 00:16:13,106
tire in a place that somebody
491
00:16:13,139 --> 00:16:15,875
had punctured the
492
00:16:13,139 --> 00:16:15,875
tire intentionally
493
00:16:15,909 --> 00:16:18,780
to let the air out.
494
00:16:21,948 --> 00:16:24,384
[Narrator]: In Pete's
495
00:16:21,948 --> 00:16:24,384
statement on October 25,
496
00:16:24,417 --> 00:16:29,550
he offered up his own theory
497
00:16:24,417 --> 00:16:29,550
of who was responsible.
498
00:16:29,550 --> 00:16:33,326
He told, uh, detectives
499
00:16:29,550 --> 00:16:33,326
that the reason why
500
00:16:33,360 --> 00:16:35,195
I think this happened is because
501
00:16:35,228 --> 00:16:37,297
I'm in a bitter child
502
00:16:35,228 --> 00:16:37,297
custody dispute.
503
00:16:39,232 --> 00:16:41,701
Peter, you know,
504
00:16:39,232 --> 00:16:41,701
made it very clear
505
00:16:41,735 --> 00:16:43,703
that if anything
506
00:16:41,735 --> 00:16:43,703
happened to him,
507
00:16:43,737 --> 00:16:46,673
that it would be
508
00:16:43,737 --> 00:16:46,673
his ex-wife's family
509
00:16:46,706 --> 00:16:48,508
that they needed to look at.
510
00:16:50,677 --> 00:16:52,712
[Rick]: I saw him a
511
00:16:50,677 --> 00:16:52,712
short time after that,
512
00:16:52,746 --> 00:16:56,820
and he was a changed guy.
513
00:16:56,116 --> 00:16:59,850
I mean, he was,
514
00:16:56,116 --> 00:16:59,850
paranoia had set in on him.
515
00:16:59,850 --> 00:17:02,422
He, he was scared to death
516
00:16:59,850 --> 00:17:02,422
'cause back of his mind,
517
00:17:02,455 --> 00:17:06,260
he knew somebody was
518
00:17:02,455 --> 00:17:06,260
trying to kill him.
519
00:17:06,260 --> 00:17:07,594
[Andrew]: He told them
520
00:17:06,260 --> 00:17:07,594
that, "Well, from now on,
521
00:17:07,627 --> 00:17:09,729
"I'm gonna start carrying
522
00:17:07,627 --> 00:17:09,729
a sidearm with me
523
00:17:09,762 --> 00:17:11,364
and wear a bulletproof vest."
524
00:17:15,435 --> 00:17:16,869
[Narrator]: Though
525
00:17:15,435 --> 00:17:16,869
Pete felt confident
526
00:17:16,903 --> 00:17:19,406
he knew who was out to kill him
527
00:17:19,439 --> 00:17:24,176
he died before investigators
528
00:17:19,439 --> 00:17:24,176
could substantiate his claims.
529
00:17:24,210 --> 00:17:26,746
[Mark]: That case was
530
00:17:24,210 --> 00:17:26,746
still being looked into
531
00:17:26,780 --> 00:17:29,820
at the time the murder occurred.
532
00:17:29,115 --> 00:17:32,318
Another detective handled
533
00:17:29,115 --> 00:17:32,318
that investigation.
534
00:17:32,352 --> 00:17:37,490
And the issues with Pete's
535
00:17:32,352 --> 00:17:37,490
estranged wife, Orinne,
536
00:17:37,524 --> 00:17:40,493
and the child custody
537
00:17:37,524 --> 00:17:40,493
had been brought up,
538
00:17:40,527 --> 00:17:44,330
but there hadn't been any
539
00:17:40,527 --> 00:17:44,330
interviews conducted yet,
540
00:17:44,364 --> 00:17:46,990
and there wasn't
541
00:17:44,364 --> 00:17:46,990
really much evidence
542
00:17:46,132 --> 00:17:48,268
to really narrow it down.
543
00:17:51,338 --> 00:17:53,306
[Narrator]: After learning
544
00:17:51,338 --> 00:17:53,306
of Pete's accusations
545
00:17:53,340 --> 00:17:56,776
towards his former in-laws,
546
00:17:53,340 --> 00:17:56,776
homicide detectives reach out
547
00:17:56,810 --> 00:17:58,578
to Pete's longtime attorney
548
00:17:58,611 --> 00:18:02,150
to learn more about
549
00:17:58,611 --> 00:18:02,150
the custody battle.
550
00:18:02,480 --> 00:18:03,316
They appointed a
551
00:18:02,480 --> 00:18:03,316
guardian ad litem,
552
00:18:03,350 --> 00:18:06,319
which is not unusual
553
00:18:03,350 --> 00:18:06,319
in a, a divorce case.
554
00:18:06,353 --> 00:18:09,656
So the guardian ad litem is
555
00:18:06,353 --> 00:18:09,656
there to protect the child and,
556
00:18:09,689 --> 00:18:13,159
and to give a candid
557
00:18:09,689 --> 00:18:13,159
opinion to the judge
558
00:18:13,193 --> 00:18:16,363
as to who would be
559
00:18:13,193 --> 00:18:16,363
the best parent.
560
00:18:16,396 --> 00:18:20,433
Her report said that
561
00:18:16,396 --> 00:18:20,433
Orinne should have custody,
562
00:18:20,467 --> 00:18:26,106
and that Pete, uh, would have
563
00:18:20,467 --> 00:18:26,106
traditional, um, visitation,
564
00:18:26,139 --> 00:18:28,508
which would include
565
00:18:26,139 --> 00:18:28,508
overnights on weekends.
566
00:18:34,681 --> 00:18:37,650
[Andrew]: Orinne's family had
567
00:18:34,681 --> 00:18:37,650
sworn that he's never going to
568
00:18:37,684 --> 00:18:40,520
see his daughter.
569
00:18:40,553 --> 00:18:45,525
JoAnn could not stand to
570
00:18:40,553 --> 00:18:45,525
have, uh, her granddaughter,
571
00:18:45,558 --> 00:18:50,630
uh, be given to
572
00:18:45,558 --> 00:18:50,630
Peter, her son-in-law,
573
00:18:50,630 --> 00:18:52,232
even on the weekend.
574
00:18:52,265 --> 00:18:54,434
[Chris]: She decided she
575
00:18:52,265 --> 00:18:54,434
would take care of it.
576
00:18:54,467 --> 00:18:58,371
And her way to try and take
577
00:18:54,467 --> 00:18:58,371
care of it is she alleged,
578
00:18:58,405 --> 00:19:02,242
uh, sexual abuse by
579
00:18:58,405 --> 00:19:02,242
Mr. Zeihen on his own daughter.
580
00:19:08,548 --> 00:19:13,353
Pete denied these
581
00:19:08,548 --> 00:19:13,353
false allegations against him.
582
00:19:13,386 --> 00:19:16,623
Child Protective
583
00:19:13,386 --> 00:19:16,623
Services got involved.
584
00:19:16,656 --> 00:19:19,559
The Spokane Police
585
00:19:16,656 --> 00:19:19,559
Department got involved
586
00:19:19,592 --> 00:19:23,463
and were conducting
587
00:19:19,592 --> 00:19:23,463
an investigation.
588
00:19:23,496 --> 00:19:26,499
They said that there was
589
00:19:23,496 --> 00:19:26,499
a lack of probable cause.
590
00:19:26,533 --> 00:19:29,869
And the clinical psychologist
591
00:19:26,533 --> 00:19:29,869
thought it was unusual
592
00:19:29,903 --> 00:19:32,505
that she met with Orinne
593
00:19:32,539 --> 00:19:35,141
and that there was never
594
00:19:32,539 --> 00:19:35,141
any discussion about
595
00:19:35,175 --> 00:19:37,243
any sexual abuse with the child.
596
00:19:37,277 --> 00:19:42,820
And then all of a sudden,
597
00:19:37,277 --> 00:19:42,820
it pops up a-afterwards.
598
00:19:42,115 --> 00:19:43,717
So they came to the decision
599
00:19:43,750 --> 00:19:48,455
that there wasn't any substance
600
00:19:43,750 --> 00:19:48,455
to these, um, allegations.
601
00:19:49,589 --> 00:19:51,291
[Narrator]: With
602
00:19:49,589 --> 00:19:51,291
his name cleared,
603
00:19:51,324 --> 00:19:54,928
Pete continued to
604
00:19:51,324 --> 00:19:54,928
advocate for visitation.
605
00:19:54,961 --> 00:19:56,896
It was coming down
606
00:19:54,961 --> 00:19:56,896
to a pivotal time
607
00:19:56,930 --> 00:20:01,634
in the divorce proceedings
608
00:19:56,930 --> 00:20:01,634
because a trial was forthcoming.
609
00:20:01,668 --> 00:20:04,270
The final decisions
610
00:20:01,668 --> 00:20:04,270
were going to be made
611
00:20:04,304 --> 00:20:05,772
who the child would go with,
612
00:20:05,805 --> 00:20:09,342
if there was going to be
613
00:20:05,805 --> 00:20:09,342
child support, visitation,
614
00:20:09,376 --> 00:20:12,812
those types of issues that
615
00:20:09,376 --> 00:20:12,812
surrounded the infant child.
616
00:20:17,650 --> 00:20:19,552
[Narrator]: As homicide
617
00:20:17,650 --> 00:20:19,552
detectives dig into
618
00:20:19,586 --> 00:20:23,230
the police report from the
619
00:20:19,586 --> 00:20:23,230
first attempt on Pete's life,
620
00:20:23,560 --> 00:20:26,493
one detail immediately
621
00:20:23,560 --> 00:20:26,493
stands out.
622
00:20:26,526 --> 00:20:28,194
[Mark]: At that first shooting,
623
00:20:28,228 --> 00:20:31,970
three weeks before
624
00:20:28,228 --> 00:20:31,970
Pete was murdered,
625
00:20:31,131 --> 00:20:33,667
there was another witness
626
00:20:31,131 --> 00:20:33,667
in the parking lot
627
00:20:33,700 --> 00:20:37,437
that has seen this
628
00:20:33,700 --> 00:20:37,437
car leaving the scene.
629
00:20:38,571 --> 00:20:41,775
It was tan or a
630
00:20:38,571 --> 00:20:41,775
brown-colored car,
631
00:20:41,808 --> 00:20:45,645
and it had fled out of
632
00:20:41,808 --> 00:20:45,645
the area and out of view.
633
00:20:47,147 --> 00:20:50,250
They knew that there was the
634
00:20:47,147 --> 00:20:50,250
connection with the getaway car,
635
00:20:50,283 --> 00:20:51,751
because of the fact
636
00:20:50,283 --> 00:20:51,751
that, you know,
637
00:20:51,785 --> 00:20:56,690
it was described as a brown
638
00:20:51,785 --> 00:20:56,690
car in the first shooting,
639
00:20:56,723 --> 00:20:58,892
second shooting as well.
640
00:20:58,925 --> 00:21:00,493
[Narrator]: Detectives
641
00:20:58,925 --> 00:21:00,493
release the witness's
642
00:21:00,527 --> 00:21:04,197
description of the
643
00:21:00,527 --> 00:21:04,197
vehicle to the public.
644
00:21:04,230 --> 00:21:05,799
It's a shot in the dark,
645
00:21:05,832 --> 00:21:09,690
but you try to at least get
646
00:21:05,832 --> 00:21:09,690
somethin' to start lookin' for.
647
00:21:13,730 --> 00:21:17,677
[Narrator]: Coming up--
648
00:21:13,730 --> 00:21:17,677
a flood of tips rushes in.
649
00:21:17,711 --> 00:21:19,813
Witnesses came out,
650
00:21:17,711 --> 00:21:19,813
said the same vehicle
651
00:21:19,846 --> 00:21:22,982
had been parked in
652
00:21:19,846 --> 00:21:22,982
front of their residence
653
00:21:23,830 --> 00:21:24,984
for a couple of weeks.
654
00:21:25,850 --> 00:21:27,887
[Narrator]: And a killer
655
00:21:25,850 --> 00:21:27,887
tries to silence witnesses
656
00:21:27,921 --> 00:21:29,989
at any cost.
657
00:21:30,900 --> 00:21:34,894
She was really afraid of
658
00:21:30,900 --> 00:21:34,894
providing more information.
659
00:21:34,928 --> 00:21:36,730
[Andrew]: They said,
660
00:21:34,928 --> 00:21:36,730
"You know, not for nothing,
661
00:21:36,763 --> 00:21:40,633
but we're extremely
662
00:21:36,763 --> 00:21:40,633
scared of this family."
663
00:21:40,667 --> 00:21:42,235
[Mark]: Within a
664
00:21:40,667 --> 00:21:42,235
couple of weeks,
665
00:21:42,268 --> 00:21:43,937
their house had
666
00:21:42,268 --> 00:21:43,937
been set on fire.
667
00:21:43,970 --> 00:21:45,839
[fire crackling]
668
00:22:00,186 --> 00:22:03,523
[Narrator]:
669
00:22:00,186 --> 00:22:03,523
November 19, 1991.
670
00:22:03,556 --> 00:22:05,959
Less than 24 hours
671
00:22:03,556 --> 00:22:05,959
after the murder of
672
00:22:06,590 --> 00:22:08,261
40-year-old Pete Zeihen,
673
00:22:08,294 --> 00:22:10,563
a BOLO issued for
674
00:22:08,294 --> 00:22:10,563
the getaway car
675
00:22:10,597 --> 00:22:14,567
yields promising leads
676
00:22:10,597 --> 00:22:14,567
from Spokane locals.
677
00:22:14,601 --> 00:22:16,736
[Andrew]: Photos were,
678
00:22:14,601 --> 00:22:16,736
uh, publicly disseminated
679
00:22:16,770 --> 00:22:17,837
of the vehicle.
680
00:22:17,871 --> 00:22:21,274
Witnesses recognized
681
00:22:17,871 --> 00:22:21,274
those photos, uh,
682
00:22:21,307 --> 00:22:25,145
and made contact with
683
00:22:21,307 --> 00:22:25,145
the Sheriff's Office.
684
00:22:25,178 --> 00:22:28,715
We got called that this car
685
00:22:25,178 --> 00:22:28,715
was sittin' out pretty much
686
00:22:28,748 --> 00:22:31,384
in plain view in front
687
00:22:28,748 --> 00:22:31,384
of this lady's house,
688
00:22:31,418 --> 00:22:33,687
approximately half a mile or so
689
00:22:33,720 --> 00:22:35,455
from the where the
690
00:22:33,720 --> 00:22:35,455
murder occurred.
691
00:22:38,625 --> 00:22:41,294
[Narrator]: Investigators
692
00:22:38,625 --> 00:22:41,294
respond and find a car
693
00:22:41,327 --> 00:22:43,596
matching the description
694
00:22:41,327 --> 00:22:43,596
of the getaway vehicle
695
00:22:43,630 --> 00:22:46,433
parked on the suburban street.
696
00:22:46,466 --> 00:22:49,169
The vehicle was
697
00:22:46,466 --> 00:22:49,169
recovered abandoned
698
00:22:49,202 --> 00:22:51,538
in front of a residential house.
699
00:22:51,571 --> 00:22:53,673
The license plates
700
00:22:51,571 --> 00:22:53,673
had been altered
701
00:22:53,707 --> 00:22:56,710
to make them not
702
00:22:53,707 --> 00:22:56,710
identifiable immediately.
703
00:22:58,111 --> 00:23:02,215
[Narrator]: The altered plates
704
00:22:58,111 --> 00:23:02,215
raise the level of suspicion.
705
00:23:02,248 --> 00:23:06,353
Inside the unlocked Chevrolet,
706
00:23:02,248 --> 00:23:06,353
investigators find the VIN
707
00:23:06,386 --> 00:23:08,755
and run it through
708
00:23:06,386 --> 00:23:08,755
their database.
709
00:23:08,788 --> 00:23:10,924
It turned out the
710
00:23:08,788 --> 00:23:10,924
car had been stolen
711
00:23:10,957 --> 00:23:13,293
couple, three weeks
712
00:23:10,957 --> 00:23:13,293
prior to all this
713
00:23:13,326 --> 00:23:15,610
from an area north of Spokane,
714
00:23:15,610 --> 00:23:18,631
probably ten miles from
715
00:23:15,610 --> 00:23:18,631
where the murder occurred.
716
00:23:18,665 --> 00:23:22,936
And because of that, we were
717
00:23:18,665 --> 00:23:22,936
able to seize it as evidence.
718
00:23:25,772 --> 00:23:28,108
We still hadn't
719
00:23:25,772 --> 00:23:28,108
necessarily confirmed it
720
00:23:28,141 --> 00:23:29,576
as the murder vehicle,
721
00:23:29,609 --> 00:23:32,212
but we did take a picture
722
00:23:29,609 --> 00:23:32,212
of it back to Pamela
723
00:23:32,245 --> 00:23:34,247
at the apartment complexes.
724
00:23:34,280 --> 00:23:37,830
She identified that
725
00:23:34,280 --> 00:23:37,830
car in the picture
726
00:23:37,830 --> 00:23:41,821
as the same one she had seen
727
00:23:37,830 --> 00:23:41,821
leaving the scene of the murder.
728
00:23:45,525 --> 00:23:46,493
[Narrator]: While
729
00:23:45,525 --> 00:23:46,493
crime scene techs
730
00:23:46,526 --> 00:23:48,528
sweep the car for evidence,
731
00:23:48,561 --> 00:23:51,931
investigators interview
732
00:23:48,561 --> 00:23:51,931
Pete's estranged wife, Orinne,
733
00:23:51,965 --> 00:23:57,103
and her parents, Mel and
734
00:23:51,965 --> 00:23:57,103
JoAnn, on November 19.
735
00:23:57,137 --> 00:24:00,640
[Enrique]: Police suspected
736
00:23:57,137 --> 00:24:00,640
the, uh, family members
737
00:24:00,674 --> 00:24:05,311
because of all of just the
738
00:24:00,674 --> 00:24:05,311
rancor and the animosity that,
739
00:24:05,345 --> 00:24:09,382
uh, had come up from
740
00:24:05,345 --> 00:24:09,382
the divorce proceedings.
741
00:24:10,517 --> 00:24:15,689
[Mark]: Mel, JoAnn, and Orinne
742
00:24:10,517 --> 00:24:15,689
said that they would be willing
743
00:24:15,722 --> 00:24:18,910
to sit down and answer
744
00:24:15,722 --> 00:24:18,910
any of our questions,
745
00:24:18,124 --> 00:24:21,428
but only as a group.
746
00:24:21,461 --> 00:24:24,664
And that, that was the
747
00:24:21,461 --> 00:24:24,664
only way they would do it.
748
00:24:28,435 --> 00:24:30,103
[Narrator]: The
749
00:24:28,435 --> 00:24:30,103
family offers alibis
750
00:24:30,136 --> 00:24:32,639
for the night of Pete's murder.
751
00:24:32,672 --> 00:24:34,507
The family told investigators
752
00:24:34,541 --> 00:24:36,176
that they were at
753
00:24:34,541 --> 00:24:36,176
a family dinner.
754
00:24:37,210 --> 00:24:39,512
[Mark]: JoAnn and Mel's
755
00:24:37,210 --> 00:24:39,512
daughter and son-in-law,
756
00:24:39,546 --> 00:24:42,215
Merv and Greg, alibi them
757
00:24:42,248 --> 00:24:45,819
for that late afternoon,
758
00:24:42,248 --> 00:24:45,819
early evening.
759
00:24:45,852 --> 00:24:48,555
The family had shown up
760
00:24:45,852 --> 00:24:48,555
sometime in the afternoon
761
00:24:48,588 --> 00:24:51,910
and stayed for dinner.
762
00:24:51,910 --> 00:24:53,560
So from 5:00 to 9:00,
763
00:24:53,593 --> 00:24:55,995
they were at Greg
764
00:24:53,593 --> 00:24:55,995
and Merv's house.
765
00:25:00,330 --> 00:25:03,169
[Enrique]: The family members
766
00:25:00,330 --> 00:25:03,169
all had, uh, strong alibis.
767
00:25:03,203 --> 00:25:07,540
And police couldn't connect
768
00:25:03,203 --> 00:25:07,540
the family to the first shooting
769
00:25:07,574 --> 00:25:09,409
or the second shooting.
770
00:25:10,477 --> 00:25:13,146
[Narrator]: With nothing to
771
00:25:10,477 --> 00:25:13,146
hold the Goldberg family on,
772
00:25:13,179 --> 00:25:16,490
investigators let them go.
773
00:25:16,490 --> 00:25:19,753
We could not say who
774
00:25:16,490 --> 00:25:19,753
actually pulled the triggers.
775
00:25:23,560 --> 00:25:25,291
[Narrator]: And detectives
776
00:25:23,560 --> 00:25:25,291
hit another dead end
777
00:25:25,325 --> 00:25:28,610
when the search of the
778
00:25:25,325 --> 00:25:28,610
suspected getaway vehicle
779
00:25:28,940 --> 00:25:31,640
yields no results.
780
00:25:31,640 --> 00:25:33,199
[Mark]: We were feelin' pretty
781
00:25:31,640 --> 00:25:33,199
confident we had the right car,
782
00:25:33,233 --> 00:25:36,603
but we didn't have anything
783
00:25:33,233 --> 00:25:36,603
in the car immediately
784
00:25:36,636 --> 00:25:40,907
to identify anybody
785
00:25:36,636 --> 00:25:40,907
that had used it.
786
00:25:40,940 --> 00:25:42,575
[Narrator]: Without
787
00:25:40,940 --> 00:25:42,575
any physical evidence
788
00:25:42,609 --> 00:25:45,780
and no new leads to follow,
789
00:25:45,780 --> 00:25:50,830
the investigation
790
00:25:45,780 --> 00:25:50,830
begins to stall in 1992.
791
00:25:50,830 --> 00:25:52,585
It wasn't progressing much,
792
00:25:52,619 --> 00:25:54,721
and I had other cases
793
00:25:52,619 --> 00:25:54,721
I was working on.
794
00:25:54,754 --> 00:25:57,924
But I would make callbacks often
795
00:25:57,957 --> 00:26:00,760
to everybody that
796
00:25:57,957 --> 00:26:00,760
we had talked to before
797
00:26:00,794 --> 00:26:04,640
to develop further information.
798
00:26:04,970 --> 00:26:07,233
But it was moving slowly.
799
00:26:07,267 --> 00:26:11,710
It really goes cold when
800
00:26:07,267 --> 00:26:11,710
there's not, uh, other tips
801
00:26:11,104 --> 00:26:14,140
or new information
802
00:26:11,104 --> 00:26:14,140
coming in to act upon.
803
00:26:19,450 --> 00:26:21,715
[Narrator]: In late
804
00:26:19,450 --> 00:26:21,715
November of 1993,
805
00:26:21,748 --> 00:26:24,951
Newport residents
806
00:26:21,748 --> 00:26:24,951
Bob Laam and Marci Harrington
807
00:26:25,510 --> 00:26:27,287
reach out to the Spokane
808
00:26:25,510 --> 00:26:27,287
County Sheriff's Office
809
00:26:27,320 --> 00:26:32,959
with information that could
810
00:26:27,320 --> 00:26:32,959
break the case wide open.
811
00:26:33,590 --> 00:26:35,729
[Mark]: Bob and Marci
812
00:26:33,590 --> 00:26:35,729
Harrington were neighbors
813
00:26:35,762 --> 00:26:40,600
of the Goldbergs' property
814
00:26:35,762 --> 00:26:40,600
up in the Newport area.
815
00:26:40,633 --> 00:26:44,104
They said they were
816
00:26:40,633 --> 00:26:44,104
the owner of the shotgun
817
00:26:44,137 --> 00:26:46,740
that was used in this murder.
818
00:26:48,675 --> 00:26:50,643
Of course, that got my
819
00:26:48,675 --> 00:26:50,643
attention immediately.
820
00:26:52,679 --> 00:26:54,581
[Narrator]:
821
00:26:52,679 --> 00:26:54,581
Detectives are curious.
822
00:26:54,614 --> 00:26:56,816
After all, they've never
823
00:26:54,614 --> 00:26:56,816
released a description
824
00:26:56,850 --> 00:27:00,200
of the murder weapon
825
00:26:56,850 --> 00:27:00,200
to the public.
826
00:27:00,530 --> 00:27:03,723
Bob Laam identified
827
00:27:00,530 --> 00:27:03,723
this shotgun
828
00:27:03,757 --> 00:27:07,560
specifically with the
829
00:27:03,757 --> 00:27:07,560
particulars about the damage
830
00:27:07,594 --> 00:27:11,865
to the wood stock and
831
00:27:07,594 --> 00:27:11,865
the paint rub-off.
832
00:27:11,898 --> 00:27:15,468
They had it stored kind
833
00:27:11,898 --> 00:27:15,468
of in an off the hallway,
834
00:27:15,502 --> 00:27:17,871
up against, behind a door.
835
00:27:17,904 --> 00:27:21,574
One day, Orinne's brother,
836
00:27:17,904 --> 00:27:21,574
Theil Goldberg, had showed up.
837
00:27:21,608 --> 00:27:24,344
He picked it up
838
00:27:21,608 --> 00:27:24,344
and walked out with it.
839
00:27:24,377 --> 00:27:25,779
It wasn't unusual because
840
00:27:25,812 --> 00:27:29,549
Theil Goldberg was known
841
00:27:25,812 --> 00:27:29,549
to borrow their stuff often.
842
00:27:29,582 --> 00:27:31,484
[Narrator]:
843
00:27:29,582 --> 00:27:31,484
But after Pete's murder,
844
00:27:31,518 --> 00:27:35,355
they say Theil started
845
00:27:31,518 --> 00:27:35,355
acting strange.
846
00:27:35,388 --> 00:27:37,791
He went back to the neighbor
847
00:27:35,388 --> 00:27:37,791
and attempted to buy the weapon
848
00:27:37,824 --> 00:27:40,126
from them, explaining that
849
00:27:37,824 --> 00:27:40,126
he couldn't return it.
850
00:27:43,930 --> 00:27:45,765
[Narrator]: Investigators
851
00:27:43,930 --> 00:27:45,765
ask Bob and Marci
852
00:27:45,799 --> 00:27:49,135
why it took them so
853
00:27:45,799 --> 00:27:49,135
long to contact police.
854
00:27:49,169 --> 00:27:54,774
And they confess their guilt ha
855
00:27:49,169 --> 00:27:54,774
finally outweighed their fear.
856
00:27:54,808 --> 00:27:56,876
They said, "You
857
00:27:54,808 --> 00:27:56,876
know, not for nothing,
858
00:27:56,910 --> 00:28:01,810
"but we're extremely
859
00:27:56,910 --> 00:28:01,810
scared of this family.
860
00:28:01,114 --> 00:28:04,500
"And we didn't come forward
861
00:28:01,114 --> 00:28:04,500
or cooperate originally
862
00:28:04,840 --> 00:28:07,870
with any information because
863
00:28:04,840 --> 00:28:07,870
of our extreme fear of them."
864
00:28:10,790 --> 00:28:12,559
[Narrator]: After speaking
865
00:28:10,790 --> 00:28:12,559
with Bob and Marci,
866
00:28:12,592 --> 00:28:14,940
it quickly becomes clear
867
00:28:14,127 --> 00:28:18,598
that the couple had a
868
00:28:14,127 --> 00:28:18,598
good reason to be afraid.
869
00:28:18,631 --> 00:28:20,100
[Mark]: Within a
870
00:28:18,631 --> 00:28:20,100
couple of weeks,
871
00:28:20,133 --> 00:28:23,937
Bob and Marci's
872
00:28:20,133 --> 00:28:23,937
house burned down.
873
00:28:24,370 --> 00:28:27,730
We were pretty convinced
874
00:28:24,370 --> 00:28:27,730
that it had been set on fire,
875
00:28:27,107 --> 00:28:30,477
and it was because the
876
00:28:27,107 --> 00:28:30,477
conversations about them
877
00:28:30,510 --> 00:28:33,713
being witnesses, where they
878
00:28:30,510 --> 00:28:33,713
might be asked to testify.
879
00:28:36,783 --> 00:28:38,218
[Narrator]: Despite
880
00:28:36,783 --> 00:28:38,218
the assertions,
881
00:28:38,251 --> 00:28:43,223
nothing links the Goldberg
882
00:28:38,251 --> 00:28:43,223
family to the fire.
883
00:28:43,256 --> 00:28:45,258
[Chris]: And of
884
00:28:43,256 --> 00:28:45,258
course, as a result,
885
00:28:45,291 --> 00:28:49,620
Mr. Laam decided they no
886
00:28:45,291 --> 00:28:49,620
longer wanted to cooperate
887
00:28:49,620 --> 00:28:51,264
out of fear of what
888
00:28:49,620 --> 00:28:51,264
might happen to them.
889
00:28:54,567 --> 00:28:57,971
[Narrator]: After the fire,
890
00:28:54,567 --> 00:28:57,971
Pete's case stagnates yet again
891
00:28:58,710 --> 00:29:01,574
leaving investigators
892
00:28:58,710 --> 00:29:01,574
frustrated.
893
00:29:01,608 --> 00:29:04,678
[Enrique]: Someone is making
894
00:29:01,608 --> 00:29:04,678
sure that no one's gonna talk,
895
00:29:04,711 --> 00:29:08,140
because they're gonna be
896
00:29:04,711 --> 00:29:08,140
fearful for their life.
897
00:29:08,140 --> 00:29:11,785
So without any hard
898
00:29:08,140 --> 00:29:11,785
evidence whatsoever,
899
00:29:11,818 --> 00:29:14,870
the police are just stuck.
900
00:29:14,120 --> 00:29:18,240
This case languishes
901
00:29:14,120 --> 00:29:18,240
for several years.
902
00:29:18,240 --> 00:29:21,270
There is no break in
903
00:29:18,240 --> 00:29:21,270
the case whatsoever.
904
00:29:25,632 --> 00:29:30,403
[Narrator]: Then, in 1999,
905
00:29:25,632 --> 00:29:30,403
eight years after Pete's murder
906
00:29:30,437 --> 00:29:32,839
investigators get a big break.
907
00:29:34,140 --> 00:29:38,278
[Mark]: I got a call to
908
00:29:34,140 --> 00:29:38,278
my office from a lady
909
00:29:38,311 --> 00:29:40,280
who was real mysterious.
910
00:29:40,313 --> 00:29:46,453
And she wanted to talk about
911
00:29:40,313 --> 00:29:46,453
the Pete Zeihen murder.
912
00:29:46,486 --> 00:29:49,489
She knew somebody
913
00:29:46,486 --> 00:29:49,489
who had told her
914
00:29:49,522 --> 00:29:51,358
they had committed this murder.
915
00:29:52,359 --> 00:29:56,896
She was pretty reluctant.
916
00:29:52,359 --> 00:29:56,896
She mentioned being fearful.
917
00:29:56,930 --> 00:29:59,299
This caller, after quite a
918
00:29:56,930 --> 00:29:59,299
bit of convincing, finally says,
919
00:29:59,332 --> 00:30:02,235
"I'll tell you my first
920
00:29:59,332 --> 00:30:02,235
name," which she did.
921
00:30:02,268 --> 00:30:03,937
It was Shirley.
922
00:30:03,970 --> 00:30:06,840
[Narrator]: Shirley agrees
923
00:30:03,970 --> 00:30:06,840
to meet Detective Henderson,
924
00:30:06,873 --> 00:30:10,577
but only under
925
00:30:06,873 --> 00:30:10,577
certain conditions.
926
00:30:10,610 --> 00:30:12,512
She said, "Well,
927
00:30:10,610 --> 00:30:12,512
you come and meet me,
928
00:30:12,545 --> 00:30:16,316
and it's going to be in this
929
00:30:12,545 --> 00:30:16,316
cemetery outside of town."
930
00:30:16,349 --> 00:30:19,119
She said, "If I see anybody
931
00:30:16,349 --> 00:30:19,119
else or any police cars around,"
932
00:30:19,152 --> 00:30:22,155
she says, "I'm gone, and you
933
00:30:19,152 --> 00:30:22,155
will never talk to me again."
934
00:30:24,824 --> 00:30:26,126
[Narrator]: Coming up--
935
00:30:26,159 --> 00:30:28,561
to solve the case,
936
00:30:26,159 --> 00:30:28,561
Detective Henderson
937
00:30:28,595 --> 00:30:31,564
puts his life on the line.
938
00:30:31,598 --> 00:30:35,468
The worst case that came to
939
00:30:31,598 --> 00:30:35,468
mind was that somebody was there
940
00:30:35,502 --> 00:30:40,240
to either ambush me or was
941
00:30:35,502 --> 00:30:40,240
gonna come in with guns blaring.
942
00:30:55,488 --> 00:30:57,724
[Narrator]: July 1999.
943
00:30:57,757 --> 00:31:02,950
It's been eight years since
944
00:30:57,757 --> 00:31:02,950
Pete Zeihen's brutal murder.
945
00:31:02,128 --> 00:31:04,964
Detective Mark Henderson
946
00:31:02,128 --> 00:31:04,964
is heading to a cemetery
947
00:31:05,650 --> 00:31:10,236
in northern Idaho to meet
948
00:31:05,650 --> 00:31:10,236
a potential witness alone.
949
00:31:10,270 --> 00:31:12,339
I did not think
950
00:31:10,270 --> 00:31:12,339
it was a smart idea,
951
00:31:12,372 --> 00:31:15,975
but I think it was a
952
00:31:12,372 --> 00:31:15,975
calculated risk that I felt,
953
00:31:16,760 --> 00:31:18,345
after years of
954
00:31:16,760 --> 00:31:18,345
chasing this case,
955
00:31:18,378 --> 00:31:22,820
this may be the golden key.
956
00:31:22,115 --> 00:31:24,584
Kind of was on alert
957
00:31:22,115 --> 00:31:24,584
until this pickup shows up
958
00:31:24,617 --> 00:31:26,353
and I meet this lady.
959
00:31:26,386 --> 00:31:30,290
And she starts telling me some
960
00:31:26,386 --> 00:31:30,290
details about the murder case.
961
00:31:30,323 --> 00:31:34,661
She mentioned where
962
00:31:30,323 --> 00:31:34,661
the car had been stashed
963
00:31:34,694 --> 00:31:37,897
and gave the
964
00:31:34,694 --> 00:31:37,897
information on the gun.
965
00:31:37,931 --> 00:31:41,768
She knows about this
966
00:31:37,931 --> 00:31:41,768
murder better than I do.
967
00:31:41,801 --> 00:31:43,103
Either she did it
968
00:31:43,136 --> 00:31:45,500
or she's talked to the
969
00:31:43,136 --> 00:31:45,500
person that did it.
970
00:31:48,341 --> 00:31:50,110
[Narrator]: When Detective
971
00:31:48,341 --> 00:31:50,110
Henderson asks Shirley
972
00:31:50,110 --> 00:31:51,678
who her source is,
973
00:31:51,711 --> 00:31:55,782
she brings a longtime suspect
974
00:31:51,711 --> 00:31:55,782
back into the spotlight--
975
00:31:55,815 --> 00:31:58,151
her new friend, JoAnn.
976
00:31:59,419 --> 00:32:02,922
[Peter]: JoAnn and Mel
977
00:31:59,419 --> 00:32:02,922
Goldberg, her husband,
978
00:32:02,956 --> 00:32:08,610
got a divorce relatively
979
00:32:02,956 --> 00:32:08,610
quickly after Pete's death.
980
00:32:08,610 --> 00:32:11,898
And JoAnn resettled
981
00:32:08,610 --> 00:32:11,898
up in, uh, Idaho.
982
00:32:13,199 --> 00:32:15,235
[Narrator]: Formerly
983
00:32:13,199 --> 00:32:15,235
JoAnn Goldberg,
984
00:32:15,268 --> 00:32:17,404
Shirley's neighbor since 1998
985
00:32:17,437 --> 00:32:20,607
now goes by her
986
00:32:17,437 --> 00:32:20,607
maiden name, Peterson.
987
00:32:22,750 --> 00:32:23,910
Shirley says, over
988
00:32:22,750 --> 00:32:23,910
the past year,
989
00:32:23,943 --> 00:32:26,680
the two women
990
00:32:23,943 --> 00:32:26,680
became fast friends.
991
00:32:26,713 --> 00:32:28,782
But things took a turn recently
992
00:32:28,815 --> 00:32:32,318
when JoAnn began
993
00:32:28,815 --> 00:32:32,318
divulging a dark secret.
994
00:32:34,154 --> 00:32:37,557
JoAnn started to
995
00:32:34,154 --> 00:32:37,557
open up about her life
996
00:32:37,590 --> 00:32:40,660
and things she had done.
997
00:32:40,694 --> 00:32:45,298
And she started talking about
998
00:32:40,694 --> 00:32:45,298
the murder of Peter Zeihen.
999
00:32:47,801 --> 00:32:51,905
And admitted that she was
1000
00:32:47,801 --> 00:32:51,905
the mastermind behind it all.
1001
00:32:54,674 --> 00:32:57,110
[Mark]: Not only does Shirley
1002
00:32:54,674 --> 00:32:57,110
now have statements from her,
1003
00:32:57,110 --> 00:33:00,780
but JoAnn offers to take
1004
00:32:57,110 --> 00:33:00,780
her to Spokane for lunch.
1005
00:33:00,814 --> 00:33:02,849
And after they're
1006
00:33:00,814 --> 00:33:02,849
done with lunch,
1007
00:33:02,882 --> 00:33:05,118
JoAnn drives her a
1008
00:33:02,882 --> 00:33:05,118
short distance away
1009
00:33:05,151 --> 00:33:09,550
into this parking lot of
1010
00:33:05,151 --> 00:33:09,550
this apartment complex.
1011
00:33:09,550 --> 00:33:11,591
Stops, points at
1012
00:33:09,550 --> 00:33:11,591
a slot, and says,
1013
00:33:11,624 --> 00:33:13,960
"That's where Pete got
1014
00:33:11,624 --> 00:33:13,960
shot and killed at."
1015
00:33:16,730 --> 00:33:21,935
It was very detailed
1016
00:33:16,730 --> 00:33:21,935
statement made by Shirley.
1017
00:33:21,968 --> 00:33:24,404
She's got her pointing out
1018
00:33:21,968 --> 00:33:24,404
the crime scene
1019
00:33:24,437 --> 00:33:27,540
and describing it to
1020
00:33:24,437 --> 00:33:27,540
her to a tee, basically.
1021
00:33:29,275 --> 00:33:31,478
[Narrator]: Shirley's
1022
00:33:29,275 --> 00:33:31,478
statement is shocking,
1023
00:33:31,511 --> 00:33:34,147
but detectives need to
1024
00:33:31,511 --> 00:33:34,147
corroborate her story
1025
00:33:34,180 --> 00:33:36,683
before they can bring JoAnn in.
1026
00:33:40,320 --> 00:33:42,489
[Narrator]: Then, a
1027
00:33:40,320 --> 00:33:42,489
little over a month later,
1028
00:33:42,522 --> 00:33:45,525
they get an unexpected
1029
00:33:42,522 --> 00:33:45,525
visit from her son, Theil,
1030
00:33:45,558 --> 00:33:47,293
and her daughter, Merv.
1031
00:33:48,561 --> 00:33:51,765
[Enrique]: Theil and, and his
1032
00:33:48,561 --> 00:33:51,765
sister decide that they got to,
1033
00:33:51,798 --> 00:33:53,500
they gotta talk.
1034
00:33:53,533 --> 00:33:57,103
So they go to the police and
1035
00:33:53,533 --> 00:33:57,103
tell them what had happened
1036
00:33:57,137 --> 00:33:58,405
to Peter Zeihen
1037
00:33:58,438 --> 00:34:01,341
and that their mother
1038
00:33:58,438 --> 00:34:01,341
had killed him.
1039
00:34:03,910 --> 00:34:06,513
[Narrator]: The two then
1040
00:34:03,910 --> 00:34:06,513
provide detectives with details
1041
00:34:06,546 --> 00:34:10,550
about the night of
1042
00:34:06,546 --> 00:34:10,550
November 18, 1991.
1043
00:34:12,520 --> 00:34:13,652
[Mark]: The night of the murder,
1044
00:34:13,687 --> 00:34:17,257
Merv and her husband get
1045
00:34:13,687 --> 00:34:17,257
a phone call from JoAnn,
1046
00:34:17,290 --> 00:34:20,659
who says they're in
1047
00:34:17,290 --> 00:34:20,659
Spokane at a store
1048
00:34:20,694 --> 00:34:24,496
and they're heading
1049
00:34:20,694 --> 00:34:24,496
towards Merv's house.
1050
00:34:24,531 --> 00:34:28,134
This is probably
1051
00:34:24,531 --> 00:34:28,134
7:30-ish in the evening.
1052
00:34:28,168 --> 00:34:31,971
And they said,
1053
00:34:28,168 --> 00:34:31,971
"Well, well, why?"
1054
00:34:32,719 --> 00:34:34,507
They were going to demand
1055
00:34:32,719 --> 00:34:34,507
that Merv alibi them
1056
00:34:34,541 --> 00:34:37,577
for that late afternoon,
1057
00:34:34,541 --> 00:34:37,577
early evening.
1058
00:34:41,214 --> 00:34:42,882
[Narrator]: But
1059
00:34:41,214 --> 00:34:42,882
Theil Goldberg admits
1060
00:34:42,916 --> 00:34:45,618
to a much bigger
1061
00:34:42,916 --> 00:34:45,618
role in the murder.
1062
00:34:46,585 --> 00:34:50,690
Theil was the one who got
1063
00:34:46,585 --> 00:34:50,690
ahold of the weapon that, uh,
1064
00:34:50,724 --> 00:34:54,561
ultimately was used to
1065
00:34:50,724 --> 00:34:54,561
kill, uh, Peter Zeihen.
1066
00:34:55,295 --> 00:34:57,364
He got the shotgun
1067
00:34:55,295 --> 00:34:57,364
from the neighbors
1068
00:34:57,397 --> 00:34:59,399
and then took it to his mother.
1069
00:35:03,403 --> 00:35:06,206
[Narrator]: Theil confirms
1070
00:35:03,403 --> 00:35:06,206
that in addition to the murder,
1071
00:35:06,239 --> 00:35:09,709
his parents were involved
1072
00:35:06,239 --> 00:35:09,709
in the first ambush on Pete.
1073
00:35:12,479 --> 00:35:16,216
Theil confirmed
1074
00:35:12,479 --> 00:35:16,216
JoAnn was the trigger person,
1075
00:35:16,249 --> 00:35:19,520
and that all of them had
1076
00:35:16,249 --> 00:35:19,520
been part of the planning,
1077
00:35:19,520 --> 00:35:20,520
including Orinne.
1078
00:35:24,900 --> 00:35:25,392
[Narrator]: Detectives
1079
00:35:24,900 --> 00:35:25,392
ask why the siblings
1080
00:35:25,425 --> 00:35:30,730
have decided to come forward
1081
00:35:25,425 --> 00:35:30,730
now, after all these years.
1082
00:35:30,764 --> 00:35:33,533
[Mark]: They became convinced
1083
00:35:30,764 --> 00:35:33,533
that JoAnn was going off
1084
00:35:33,566 --> 00:35:38,805
the deep end and she was
1085
00:35:33,566 --> 00:35:38,805
coming after them and Mel.
1086
00:35:40,106 --> 00:35:43,243
JoAnn had started making
1087
00:35:40,106 --> 00:35:43,243
some threats towards Mel,
1088
00:35:43,276 --> 00:35:45,780
and Theil was getting
1089
00:35:43,276 --> 00:35:45,780
real concerned
1090
00:35:45,780 --> 00:35:46,379
about being around her,
1091
00:35:46,413 --> 00:35:48,314
and he was essentially
1092
00:35:46,413 --> 00:35:48,314
getting scared of her.
1093
00:35:49,516 --> 00:35:51,584
[Chris]: I think keeping this
1094
00:35:49,516 --> 00:35:51,584
family secret for so long
1095
00:35:51,618 --> 00:35:53,319
was weighing on Theil.
1096
00:35:53,353 --> 00:35:56,890
He was just so overcome
1097
00:35:53,353 --> 00:35:56,890
with that guilt.
1098
00:35:56,890 --> 00:35:57,657
And I think with
1099
00:35:56,890 --> 00:35:57,657
finally deciding
1100
00:35:57,691 --> 00:36:00,660
he didn't wanna be controlled
1101
00:35:57,691 --> 00:36:00,660
like he was being controlled
1102
00:36:00,694 --> 00:36:04,197
by his mother, that he finally
1103
00:36:00,694 --> 00:36:04,197
decided to come forward.
1104
00:36:08,435 --> 00:36:11,571
[Narrator]: Theil says Orinne
1105
00:36:08,435 --> 00:36:11,571
continued to raise her daughter
1106
00:36:11,604 --> 00:36:15,175
and the family intended to
1107
00:36:11,604 --> 00:36:15,175
insulate her from any trouble,
1108
00:36:15,208 --> 00:36:18,478
but things haven't
1109
00:36:15,208 --> 00:36:18,478
worked out as planned.
1110
00:36:18,511 --> 00:36:22,349
[Chris]: Orinne, at the time,
1111
00:36:18,511 --> 00:36:22,349
was suffering from brain cancer.
1112
00:36:22,382 --> 00:36:26,886
And she was at high risk of,
1113
00:36:22,382 --> 00:36:26,886
you know,
1114
00:36:26,920 --> 00:36:29,255
that ending her life.
1115
00:36:33,326 --> 00:36:35,962
[Narrator]:
1116
00:36:33,326 --> 00:36:35,962
In late October 1999,
1117
00:36:36,620 --> 00:36:40,934
officers move in
1118
00:36:36,620 --> 00:36:40,934
on JoAnn Peterson.
1119
00:36:40,967 --> 00:36:42,402
[Mark]: We took
1120
00:36:40,967 --> 00:36:42,402
JoAnn into custody
1121
00:36:42,435 --> 00:36:45,472
on the federal weapons
1122
00:36:42,435 --> 00:36:45,472
charge on that date.
1123
00:36:46,606 --> 00:36:48,875
[Narrator]: When news of
1124
00:36:46,606 --> 00:36:48,875
JoAnn's arrest spreads,
1125
00:36:48,908 --> 00:36:53,246
her ex-husband, Mel Goldberg,
1126
00:36:48,908 --> 00:36:53,246
surrenders to police.
1127
00:36:54,714 --> 00:36:57,684
[Enrique]: He basically opened
1128
00:36:54,714 --> 00:36:57,684
up and said, "Yeah, I did this.
1129
00:36:57,717 --> 00:37:01,388
She did it, and I was involved.
1130
00:36:57,717 --> 00:37:01,388
I was the getaway driver."
1131
00:37:03,923 --> 00:37:07,270
[Narrator]: Mel agrees to tell
1132
00:37:03,923 --> 00:37:07,270
detectives exactly what happene
1133
00:37:07,270 --> 00:37:10,130
the night of the murder.
1134
00:37:10,163 --> 00:37:12,499
[Mark]: He filled in the blanks.
1135
00:37:14,734 --> 00:37:17,337
Mel and JoAnn were
1136
00:37:14,734 --> 00:37:17,337
waiting to see Pete
1137
00:37:17,370 --> 00:37:19,439
pull in his parking lot.
1138
00:37:19,472 --> 00:37:20,540
They had a place
1139
00:37:19,472 --> 00:37:20,540
where they could
1140
00:37:20,573 --> 00:37:23,710
watch him from, discretely.
1141
00:37:23,743 --> 00:37:26,790
[Chris]: After Mr. Zeihen
1142
00:37:23,743 --> 00:37:26,790
had backed his car in,
1143
00:37:26,112 --> 00:37:29,490
Mel drove up to
1144
00:37:26,112 --> 00:37:29,490
Mr. Zeihen's vehicle.
1145
00:37:29,490 --> 00:37:32,850
Ms. Peterson got out of the
1146
00:37:29,490 --> 00:37:32,850
passenger side of the vehicle
1147
00:37:32,118 --> 00:37:35,388
with the shotgun.
1148
00:37:35,422 --> 00:37:39,159
[Enrique]: Mel tells police,
1149
00:37:35,422 --> 00:37:39,159
"JoAnn wanted to make sure that
1150
00:37:39,192 --> 00:37:44,640
"Peter would know
1151
00:37:39,192 --> 00:37:44,640
that she was the one
1152
00:37:44,640 --> 00:37:48,335
"that was going to kill him.
1153
00:37:48,368 --> 00:37:50,303
"And she looked him
1154
00:37:48,368 --> 00:37:50,303
right in the eye
1155
00:37:50,337 --> 00:37:53,730
and then pulled the trigger."
1156
00:37:53,730 --> 00:37:55,208
[gunshot]
1157
00:37:57,610 --> 00:38:01,281
After she had, uh, discharged
1158
00:37:57,610 --> 00:38:01,281
this firearm into Mr. Zeihen,
1159
00:38:01,314 --> 00:38:03,416
killing him, she
1160
00:38:01,314 --> 00:38:03,416
dropped the shotgun.
1161
00:38:05,585 --> 00:38:09,220
I don't think that shotgun
1162
00:38:05,585 --> 00:38:09,220
was meant to be left behind.
1163
00:38:09,220 --> 00:38:10,423
I think she shot that gun,
1164
00:38:10,457 --> 00:38:12,325
and it surprised
1165
00:38:10,457 --> 00:38:12,325
the hell out of her.
1166
00:38:16,429 --> 00:38:18,310
[Narrator]: Coming up--
1167
00:38:18,310 --> 00:38:22,680
the case seems like a
1168
00:38:18,310 --> 00:38:22,680
surefire win for prosecutors.
1169
00:38:22,102 --> 00:38:26,406
At this point, really the
1170
00:38:22,102 --> 00:38:26,406
case is going to be a slam dunk.
1171
00:38:26,439 --> 00:38:29,776
[Narrator]: But the
1172
00:38:26,439 --> 00:38:29,776
defendants have other plans.
1173
00:38:29,809 --> 00:38:32,545
[Mark]: We expected
1174
00:38:29,809 --> 00:38:32,545
him to plead guilty
1175
00:38:32,579 --> 00:38:35,315
because he fully confessed.
1176
00:38:32,579 --> 00:38:35,315
But he didn't.
1177
00:38:49,662 --> 00:38:51,664
[Narrator]: Following
1178
00:38:49,662 --> 00:38:51,664
detailed confessions
1179
00:38:51,698 --> 00:38:54,734
from JoAnn Peterson's
1180
00:38:51,698 --> 00:38:54,734
estranged family,
1181
00:38:54,768 --> 00:39:00,400
police file an array of charges
1182
00:38:54,768 --> 00:39:00,400
in the murder of Pete Zeihen.
1183
00:39:00,730 --> 00:39:05,110
Both Mr. Goldberg and JoAnn
1184
00:39:00,730 --> 00:39:05,110
Peterson were charged with
1185
00:39:05,110 --> 00:39:07,414
aggravated first-degree murder.
1186
00:39:07,447 --> 00:39:11,117
And Theil was charged
1187
00:39:07,447 --> 00:39:11,117
with first-degree murder,
1188
00:39:11,151 --> 00:39:12,585
because he had
1189
00:39:11,151 --> 00:39:12,585
obtained the shotgun
1190
00:39:12,619 --> 00:39:14,521
knowing what it
1191
00:39:12,619 --> 00:39:14,521
would be used for.
1192
00:39:15,522 --> 00:39:18,240
[Narrator]: Despite
1193
00:39:15,522 --> 00:39:18,240
suspicions of her involvement,
1194
00:39:18,240 --> 00:39:22,929
Pete's ex-wife, Orinne,
1195
00:39:18,240 --> 00:39:22,929
continues to evade the law.
1196
00:39:23,290 --> 00:39:26,990
[Chris]: Orinne, at the
1197
00:39:23,290 --> 00:39:26,990
time of the prosecution,
1198
00:39:26,132 --> 00:39:28,601
was suffering from
1199
00:39:26,132 --> 00:39:28,601
a brain cancer.
1200
00:39:28,635 --> 00:39:30,770
It wasn't a slam dunk
1201
00:39:28,635 --> 00:39:30,770
case against her.
1202
00:39:30,804 --> 00:39:33,606
And the elected prosecutor
1203
00:39:30,804 --> 00:39:33,606
ultimately made the decision
1204
00:39:33,640 --> 00:39:36,309
that she would not be
1205
00:39:33,640 --> 00:39:36,309
charged for those reasons.
1206
00:39:41,470 --> 00:39:46,820
[Narrator]: In January 2000,
1207
00:39:41,470 --> 00:39:46,820
Theil Goldberg cements his fate
1208
00:39:46,853 --> 00:39:49,550
Theil plead guilty
1209
00:39:46,853 --> 00:39:49,550
to a reduced charge
1210
00:39:49,550 --> 00:39:51,391
of second-degree murder.
1211
00:39:51,424 --> 00:39:55,610
Of course, that was
1212
00:39:51,424 --> 00:39:55,610
a negotiated plea.
1213
00:39:55,610 --> 00:39:57,964
He got the benefit of the
1214
00:39:55,610 --> 00:39:57,964
fact that he came forward
1215
00:39:58,640 --> 00:40:00,734
and broke this case.
1216
00:40:00,767 --> 00:40:05,305
[Mark]: Theil Goldberg received
1217
00:40:00,767 --> 00:40:05,305
a fairly lenient sentence, uh,
1218
00:40:05,338 --> 00:40:06,773
for his cooperation,
1219
00:40:06,806 --> 00:40:09,909
and he agreed to testify
1220
00:40:06,806 --> 00:40:09,909
in trial against his parents.
1221
00:40:11,811 --> 00:40:14,140
At this point,
1222
00:40:11,811 --> 00:40:14,140
really the case is,
1223
00:40:14,470 --> 00:40:15,982
is going to be a slam dunk.
1224
00:40:19,285 --> 00:40:21,421
[Mark]: We expected
1225
00:40:19,285 --> 00:40:21,421
Mel to plead guilty
1226
00:40:21,454 --> 00:40:23,356
because he fully confessed.
1227
00:40:23,390 --> 00:40:24,791
But he didn't.
1228
00:40:26,260 --> 00:40:28,610
[Narrator]: When the time
1229
00:40:26,260 --> 00:40:28,610
comes for Mel Goldberg
1230
00:40:28,940 --> 00:40:29,562
to submit his plea,
1231
00:40:29,596 --> 00:40:32,899
his decision is
1232
00:40:29,596 --> 00:40:32,899
a shock to prosecutors.
1233
00:40:32,932 --> 00:40:35,769
He decided,
1234
00:40:32,932 --> 00:40:35,769
"I'm going to trial."
1235
00:40:35,802 --> 00:40:36,803
[Chris]: Mel Goldberg
1236
00:40:35,802 --> 00:40:36,803
was scared to death
1237
00:40:36,836 --> 00:40:39,673
of JoAnn Peterson, and
1238
00:40:36,836 --> 00:40:39,673
he would've done whatever
1239
00:40:39,706 --> 00:40:42,842
she requested him to do during
1240
00:40:39,706 --> 00:40:42,842
the time they were married.
1241
00:40:46,112 --> 00:40:49,783
[Narrator]: But prosecutors
1242
00:40:46,112 --> 00:40:49,783
argue he is far from innocent.
1243
00:40:51,584 --> 00:40:53,853
[Chris]: It was very
1244
00:40:51,584 --> 00:40:53,853
clear to us as prosecutors
1245
00:40:53,887 --> 00:40:58,458
that he was highly
1246
00:40:53,887 --> 00:40:58,458
involved in the planning,
1247
00:40:58,491 --> 00:41:00,326
and he was actively
1248
00:40:58,491 --> 00:41:00,326
involved, of course,
1249
00:41:00,360 --> 00:41:03,930
in covering up the
1250
00:41:00,360 --> 00:41:03,930
murder after it occurred.
1251
00:41:03,963 --> 00:41:06,766
Mr. Goldberg was sentenced
1252
00:41:03,963 --> 00:41:06,766
to life in prison
1253
00:41:06,800 --> 00:41:08,735
without the
1254
00:41:06,800 --> 00:41:08,735
possibility of parole.
1255
00:41:12,238 --> 00:41:15,342
[Narrator]: As prosecutors
1256
00:41:12,238 --> 00:41:15,342
prepare for JoAnn's trial,
1257
00:41:15,375 --> 00:41:18,545
they work to pin
1258
00:41:15,375 --> 00:41:18,545
down her motive.
1259
00:41:18,578 --> 00:41:22,820
JoAnn was a person who was just
1260
00:41:18,578 --> 00:41:22,820
totally self-involved
1261
00:41:22,820 --> 00:41:23,450
and controlling,
1262
00:41:23,483 --> 00:41:27,220
and wanted to control
1263
00:41:23,483 --> 00:41:27,220
every part of her own life,
1264
00:41:27,253 --> 00:41:30,557
and so that extended
1265
00:41:27,253 --> 00:41:30,557
to her family.
1266
00:41:30,590 --> 00:41:35,195
And she just could not envision
1267
00:41:30,590 --> 00:41:35,195
having her granddaughter
1268
00:41:35,228 --> 00:41:37,364
leaving her family to visit
1269
00:41:37,397 --> 00:41:41,534
even with her own
1270
00:41:37,397 --> 00:41:41,534
biological father.
1271
00:41:41,568 --> 00:41:44,104
She decided to
1272
00:41:41,568 --> 00:41:44,104
commit this murder
1273
00:41:44,104 --> 00:41:47,440
so that he would not get
1274
00:41:44,104 --> 00:41:47,440
visitation in this custody case.
1275
00:41:50,343 --> 00:41:52,612
[Narrator]: Prosecutors are
1276
00:41:50,343 --> 00:41:52,612
ready to argue their case
1277
00:41:52,645 --> 00:41:55,115
in December of 2000.
1278
00:41:55,115 --> 00:41:59,919
But suddenly they get word
1279
00:41:55,115 --> 00:41:59,919
JoAnn has changed her mind.
1280
00:41:59,953 --> 00:42:03,556
JoAnn turns around and pleads
1281
00:41:59,953 --> 00:42:03,556
guilty to the murder charges.
1282
00:42:06,590 --> 00:42:09,950
Completely surprised
1283
00:42:06,590 --> 00:42:09,950
me and all of us.
1284
00:42:09,129 --> 00:42:11,598
There was no way that she
1285
00:42:09,129 --> 00:42:11,598
was going to plead guilty.
1286
00:42:11,631 --> 00:42:13,990
JoAnn was the talker
1287
00:42:13,133 --> 00:42:16,736
and the person who loved
1288
00:42:13,133 --> 00:42:16,736
bragging about stuff.
1289
00:42:16,770 --> 00:42:20,140
It's like, didn't
1290
00:42:16,770 --> 00:42:20,140
see that coming.
1291
00:42:20,173 --> 00:42:24,944
[Chris]: JoAnn decided to plead
1292
00:42:20,173 --> 00:42:24,944
guilty to first-degree murder.
1293
00:42:24,978 --> 00:42:27,614
I'm sure that JoAnn Peterson's
1294
00:42:24,978 --> 00:42:27,614
attorney advised her
1295
00:42:27,647 --> 00:42:29,282
that she was at
1296
00:42:27,647 --> 00:42:29,282
high risk of getting
1297
00:42:29,315 --> 00:42:31,951
an aggravated murder conviction,
1298
00:42:31,985 --> 00:42:34,120
in which case she would
1299
00:42:31,985 --> 00:42:34,120
have gotten a, a sentence of
1300
00:42:34,154 --> 00:42:36,589
life in prison and she
1301
00:42:34,154 --> 00:42:36,589
would've never gotten out.
1302
00:42:39,759 --> 00:42:42,862
[Narrator]: However, the
1303
00:42:39,759 --> 00:42:42,862
impact of JoAnn's manipulation
1304
00:42:42,896 --> 00:42:47,100
will not soon be forgotten.
1305
00:42:47,100 --> 00:42:50,437
[Mark]: Pete was always a
1306
00:42:47,100 --> 00:42:50,437
good father, very caring.
1307
00:42:50,470 --> 00:42:52,639
Loved his daughter dearly.
1308
00:42:52,672 --> 00:42:55,175
Not only were her
1309
00:42:52,672 --> 00:42:55,175
grandparents in prison,
1310
00:42:55,208 --> 00:42:57,610
her mom dies and her dad's dead.
1311
00:42:57,644 --> 00:43:01,815
This poor girl just
1312
00:42:57,644 --> 00:43:01,815
ended up with no family.
1313
00:43:01,848 --> 00:43:05,752
She never did get a chance
1314
00:43:01,848 --> 00:43:05,752
to know her father's family
1315
00:43:05,785 --> 00:43:09,923
and, uh, that was a real shame.
1316
00:43:09,956 --> 00:43:12,580
[Peter]: People had
1317
00:43:09,956 --> 00:43:12,580
great respect for Pete.
1318
00:43:12,580 --> 00:43:14,928
Pete was just a
1319
00:43:12,580 --> 00:43:14,928
wonderful person.
1320
00:43:14,961 --> 00:43:17,497
He was always happy,
1321
00:43:14,961 --> 00:43:17,497
in a good mood.
1322
00:43:17,530 --> 00:43:19,432
Uh, he was a hard worker.
1323
00:43:19,466 --> 00:43:21,601
He was friendly.
1324
00:43:21,634 --> 00:43:24,137
It was hard to find
1325
00:43:21,634 --> 00:43:24,137
fault with Pete.
1326
00:43:27,540 --> 00:43:33,680
[music]