1 00:00:01,467 --> 00:00:02,600 [Sheri] There reached a point 2 00:00:02,600 --> 00:00:04,367 when we were getting frustrated 3 00:00:04,367 --> 00:00:08,533 because the manhunt started to take a long time. 4 00:00:09,467 --> 00:00:11,734 And when the leaves started changing 5 00:00:11,734 --> 00:00:14,600 and another season was coming 6 00:00:14,600 --> 00:00:16,533 and Lori was not here, 7 00:00:16,533 --> 00:00:19,066 I did go through, uh... 8 00:00:20,266 --> 00:00:22,700 a real depression 9 00:00:22,700 --> 00:00:25,734 that made it hard to function. 10 00:00:26,266 --> 00:00:27,233 [sniffles] 11 00:00:29,100 --> 00:00:30,000 [Alicia] By December of 1977, 12 00:00:30,000 --> 00:00:30,734 [Alicia] By December of 1977, 13 00:00:30,734 --> 00:00:34,367 the manhunt for Gene Leroy Hart is called off, 14 00:00:34,367 --> 00:00:37,066 and a new tactic is employed. 15 00:00:37,867 --> 00:00:39,467 [Christine] Lot of law enforcement believed 16 00:00:39,467 --> 00:00:41,867 that Hart was still in the community, 17 00:00:41,867 --> 00:00:44,367 and his family and friends were harboring him. 18 00:00:44,367 --> 00:00:47,700 [Marty] The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation agent Harvey Pratt 19 00:00:47,700 --> 00:00:48,867 is a Native American 20 00:00:48,867 --> 00:00:51,066 and fit in with a lot of the people 21 00:00:51,066 --> 00:00:52,600 in that community, 22 00:00:52,600 --> 00:00:55,233 so he went undercover in... in the Locust Grove area. 23 00:00:56,634 --> 00:00:58,867 [Harvey] My focus was apprehension, 24 00:00:58,867 --> 00:01:00,000 you know, taking somebody into custody, 25 00:01:00,000 --> 00:01:01,266 you know, taking somebody into custody, 26 00:01:01,266 --> 00:01:03,967 knowing that if he doesn't surrender, you know, 27 00:01:03,967 --> 00:01:06,433 he's probably gonna get killed 'cause of the type of crime. 28 00:01:07,700 --> 00:01:09,700 So as we got into the investigation, 29 00:01:09,700 --> 00:01:12,467 we found out, supposedly, that Gene Leroy Hart 30 00:01:12,467 --> 00:01:14,734 was living with, uh, this older gentleman, 31 00:01:14,734 --> 00:01:16,867 but we didn't know where he lived. 32 00:01:16,867 --> 00:01:19,367 [Marty] Eventually, he developed a confidential informant 33 00:01:19,367 --> 00:01:22,700 who was able to identify a woman 34 00:01:22,700 --> 00:01:25,233 who knew where Gene Leroy Hart was hiding out. 35 00:01:26,100 --> 00:01:29,734 And Harvey Pratt approached this woman. 36 00:01:29,734 --> 00:01:30,000 I said, "You need to let us take him into custody, 37 00:01:30,000 --> 00:01:32,100 I said, "You need to let us take him into custody, 38 00:01:32,100 --> 00:01:34,533 because we are not gonna hurt him." 39 00:01:34,533 --> 00:01:36,900 I said, "There's a good chance that someone's probably gonna kill him." 40 00:01:38,100 --> 00:01:39,734 You could see that she was nervous, 41 00:01:39,734 --> 00:01:42,100 you know, maybe little frightened. 42 00:01:42,100 --> 00:01:45,367 And that's when she told us where she thought he might be. 43 00:01:46,700 --> 00:01:49,367 [Christine] Agent Pratt finally tracked down Hart 44 00:01:49,367 --> 00:01:52,266 to a cabin in the Cookson Hills. 45 00:01:57,100 --> 00:02:00,000 [Sheri] Ten months after Lori was murdered, 46 00:02:00,000 --> 00:02:00,166 [Sheri] Ten months after Lori was murdered, 47 00:02:00,166 --> 00:02:03,734 they found and captured Gene Leroy Hart. 48 00:02:05,500 --> 00:02:08,734 It was certainly a very emotional time. 49 00:02:09,700 --> 00:02:12,266 And after Hart was captured, 50 00:02:12,266 --> 00:02:16,800 Bo and I were there that day when they arraigned him. 51 00:02:18,367 --> 00:02:22,000 [Bo] It was just a very unsettling feeling 52 00:02:22,000 --> 00:02:24,266 to know that we were in the same room 53 00:02:24,266 --> 00:02:26,500 with the person that very possibly 54 00:02:26,500 --> 00:02:28,333 could have killed our daughter. 55 00:02:29,266 --> 00:02:30,000 [Sheri] I did want to make eye contact with him. 56 00:02:30,000 --> 00:02:32,600 [Sheri] I did want to make eye contact with him. 57 00:02:32,600 --> 00:02:34,600 I felt like I would know 58 00:02:34,600 --> 00:02:37,467 by looking at him if he did this. 59 00:02:37,467 --> 00:02:39,533 But he did never look at us. 60 00:02:40,500 --> 00:02:43,500 Gene Hart was charged with three counts of murder, 61 00:02:43,500 --> 00:02:46,634 three counts of kidnapping, three counts of rape. 62 00:02:47,500 --> 00:02:50,266 Gene Hart pled not guilty to all the charges, 63 00:02:50,266 --> 00:02:53,100 and so we prepared ourselves to go to trial, 64 00:02:53,100 --> 00:02:55,066 and he had a lot of supporters. 65 00:02:56,066 --> 00:02:57,367 Within the context of the time, 66 00:02:57,367 --> 00:03:00,000 Cherokee community members supported my uncle Gene 67 00:03:00,000 --> 00:03:00,634 Cherokee community members supported my uncle Gene 68 00:03:00,634 --> 00:03:02,533 as someone who was representing 69 00:03:02,533 --> 00:03:05,433 the struggle against injustice. 70 00:03:06,266 --> 00:03:08,533 That was and is still... 71 00:03:09,600 --> 00:03:11,233 a big issue for us. 72 00:03:12,166 --> 00:03:15,166 [Bo] They were having community events, 73 00:03:15,166 --> 00:03:16,600 chicken dinners, 74 00:03:16,600 --> 00:03:21,100 and there would be a big jar there for donations 75 00:03:21,100 --> 00:03:23,066 to raise money for Hart. 76 00:03:24,700 --> 00:03:26,066 [reporter] Hart grew up near here. 77 00:03:26,066 --> 00:03:27,734 Fourteen-hundred people in his hometown 78 00:03:27,734 --> 00:03:29,967 helped raise money for his defense. 79 00:03:29,967 --> 00:03:30,000 His attorneys don't feel they can find 80 00:03:30,000 --> 00:03:31,367 His attorneys don't feel they can find 81 00:03:31,367 --> 00:03:33,900 a more sympathetic jury anywhere else. 82 00:03:35,734 --> 00:03:38,367 [Sandi] My name is Sandi Garett. 83 00:03:38,367 --> 00:03:41,634 I was a jurist on the Gene Hart trial. 84 00:03:43,600 --> 00:03:46,233 I am a part Cherokee... 85 00:03:47,367 --> 00:03:50,867 and it shocked me that I was still on there. 86 00:03:50,867 --> 00:03:53,867 Being Cherokee, and having Cherokee friends, 87 00:03:53,867 --> 00:03:57,066 I just thought I weren't a very good candidate, 88 00:03:57,066 --> 00:03:59,867 that I had something I needed to be doing 89 00:03:59,867 --> 00:04:00,000 and, uh, so I set my mind to it. 90 00:04:00,000 --> 00:04:03,100 and, uh, so I set my mind to it. 91 00:04:04,533 --> 00:04:06,700 [Sheri] When we went over for the trial, 92 00:04:06,700 --> 00:04:09,266 I just felt like I needed a personal journal 93 00:04:09,266 --> 00:04:12,166 of our experience while we were there. 94 00:04:12,166 --> 00:04:17,734 And, of course, the first one is March 19th, 1979. 95 00:04:17,734 --> 00:04:21,166 "Today testimony is to begin finally, 96 00:04:21,166 --> 00:04:26,266 21 months and six days after Lori was murdered. 97 00:04:26,266 --> 00:04:30,000 Hart arrived and is dressed in a blue suit with a vest, 98 00:04:30,000 --> 00:04:30,100 Hart arrived and is dressed in a blue suit with a vest, 99 00:04:30,100 --> 00:04:32,367 suddenly he's an ordinary-looking. 100 00:04:32,367 --> 00:04:36,433 Of course, they have worked really hard to give him this new look." 101 00:04:38,066 --> 00:04:41,867 [Alicia] As the trial starts, the prosecution lays out their hypothesis of events 102 00:04:41,867 --> 00:04:46,533 for before, during, and after the murders took place. 103 00:04:50,500 --> 00:04:52,600 [Mike] It was believed that Gene Hart created 104 00:04:52,600 --> 00:04:56,000 this manipulated flashlight at the cave, 105 00:04:56,000 --> 00:04:58,500 which is a premeditated tool 106 00:04:58,500 --> 00:04:59,734 so he can sneak around better 107 00:04:59,734 --> 00:05:00,000 not having very much light emitted out of it. 108 00:05:00,000 --> 00:05:02,000 not having very much light emitted out of it. 109 00:05:03,000 --> 00:05:06,500 [Alicia] They said at some point Hart burglarized 110 00:05:06,500 --> 00:05:10,500 Jack Shroff's farmhouse just a short distance away. 111 00:05:10,500 --> 00:05:14,500 [Mike] Hart stole the black duct tape, a nylon rope. 112 00:05:14,500 --> 00:05:18,266 While he was there, he left a boot mark on the floor. 113 00:05:18,266 --> 00:05:20,266 [Alicia] After breaking into Shroff's farmhouse, 114 00:05:20,266 --> 00:05:22,166 it's believed that Hart walks 115 00:05:22,166 --> 00:05:24,600 the three-quarters of a mile to Camp Scott, 116 00:05:24,600 --> 00:05:27,700 and that while the campers were eating dinner, 117 00:05:27,700 --> 00:05:30,000 he burglarized the tents, stealing various items. 118 00:05:30,000 --> 00:05:32,166 he burglarized the tents, stealing various items. 119 00:05:32,166 --> 00:05:35,700 At that point, Gene Hart sat there just waiting for the girls to go to sleep, 120 00:05:35,700 --> 00:05:38,467 just a short ways from Kiowa. 121 00:05:39,867 --> 00:05:44,600 [Alicia] Once comfortable that the entire camp was asleep, 122 00:05:44,600 --> 00:05:49,166 he made is way over to the Kiowa Unit tent number seven, 123 00:05:49,166 --> 00:05:52,634 guided by the modified flashlight. 124 00:05:54,734 --> 00:05:57,700 [Mike] Documentation stated, it appeared Gene Hart 125 00:05:57,700 --> 00:05:59,333 entered the rear of the tent... 126 00:06:02,266 --> 00:06:04,600 and then attacked these three children. 127 00:06:04,600 --> 00:06:06,100 [thunderclap] 128 00:06:06,100 --> 00:06:08,600 [Alicia] Although a murder weapon was never found, 129 00:06:08,600 --> 00:06:10,500 it's believed that Hart 130 00:06:10,500 --> 00:06:14,634 bludgeoned Michelle Guse and Lori Farmer to death. 131 00:06:16,266 --> 00:06:19,500 [Mike] At that point, Gene Hart gets control of Denise Milner 132 00:06:19,500 --> 00:06:23,467 by binding her with cord, and he put the gag on her, 133 00:06:23,467 --> 00:06:24,634 but she was still alive. 134 00:06:25,700 --> 00:06:28,867 [Alicia] Prosecutors are certain that Lori Farmer 135 00:06:28,867 --> 00:06:30,000 and Michelle Guse are... 136 00:06:30,000 --> 00:06:31,867 and Michelle Guse are... 137 00:06:31,867 --> 00:06:34,100 sexually assaulted postmortem. 138 00:06:34,100 --> 00:06:36,166 [thunderclap] 139 00:06:36,166 --> 00:06:41,266 Afterwards, Hart hastily gathered the little girls' bodies. 140 00:06:42,266 --> 00:06:44,100 [Mike] Hart took the sleeping bag 141 00:06:44,100 --> 00:06:45,867 and just crammed the child in there, 142 00:06:45,867 --> 00:06:48,467 and then he just grabbed those sleeping bags 143 00:06:48,467 --> 00:06:50,867 and took these three small children 144 00:06:50,867 --> 00:06:53,233 roughly a 150 yards to this tree. 145 00:06:54,266 --> 00:06:57,000 [Alicia] At this point, prosecutors say 146 00:06:57,000 --> 00:07:00,000 Hart sexually assaults Denise 147 00:07:00,000 --> 00:07:00,166 Hart sexually assaults Denise 148 00:07:00,166 --> 00:07:02,533 and strangles her to death. 149 00:07:04,867 --> 00:07:07,367 [Mike] Hart up and leaves and went back to the cave 150 00:07:07,367 --> 00:07:08,734 with all this stuff 151 00:07:08,734 --> 00:07:11,333 that had been stolen from the camp. 152 00:07:12,634 --> 00:07:15,000 [Sandi] Seeing and hearing what happened, 153 00:07:15,000 --> 00:07:18,533 I couldn't imagine, it sounded like a... a monster. 154 00:07:19,700 --> 00:07:21,900 It was such a horrific thing. 155 00:07:23,166 --> 00:07:26,000 [Alicia] The prosecution presents what they believe to be 156 00:07:26,000 --> 00:07:28,634 an overwhelming amount of circumstantial evidence, 157 00:07:28,634 --> 00:07:30,000 including hair and semen samples 158 00:07:30,000 --> 00:07:31,000 including hair and semen samples 159 00:07:31,000 --> 00:07:34,734 said to belong to Hart taken from the crime scene. 160 00:07:36,000 --> 00:07:38,467 [Andrea] While Gene Leroy Hart was in jail, 161 00:07:38,467 --> 00:07:40,367 law enforcement collected his underwear 162 00:07:40,367 --> 00:07:44,166 and submitted those to the laboratory for forensic testing... 163 00:07:44,166 --> 00:07:47,367 and there were sperm identified in his underwear. 164 00:07:47,367 --> 00:07:49,867 [Christine] During the trial, an expert testified 165 00:07:49,867 --> 00:07:52,600 that the semen that was found in Hart's underwear 166 00:07:52,600 --> 00:07:54,533 was deformed. 167 00:07:54,533 --> 00:07:58,867 The experts had said Hart's semen could have become deformed 168 00:07:58,867 --> 00:08:00,000 due to a botched vasectomy 169 00:08:00,000 --> 00:08:00,867 due to a botched vasectomy 170 00:08:00,867 --> 00:08:03,100 he had received, you know, in the mid-'60s. 171 00:08:04,867 --> 00:08:07,500 [Alicia] The prosecution points out that this distinct trait 172 00:08:07,500 --> 00:08:10,000 is also noted on the semen collected 173 00:08:10,000 --> 00:08:14,233 by the Tulsa County medical examiner during the autopsies. 174 00:08:16,367 --> 00:08:18,100 [Dick] This was a strong case. 175 00:08:18,100 --> 00:08:20,700 Sure, it's all circumstantial evidence, 176 00:08:20,700 --> 00:08:22,600 but my God, how many circumstances 177 00:08:22,600 --> 00:08:23,634 can there be? 178 00:08:25,533 --> 00:08:26,700 [Gary] In the eyes of the public, 179 00:08:26,700 --> 00:08:29,634 obviously, it made him look bad initially. 180 00:08:29,634 --> 00:08:30,000 And Garvin and I both just sort of took it as a challenge. 181 00:08:30,000 --> 00:08:32,867 And Garvin and I both just sort of took it as a challenge. 182 00:08:32,867 --> 00:08:35,867 We didn't hesitate to push the limits. 183 00:08:35,867 --> 00:08:40,367 And so, Garvin and I held a press conference for Gene. 184 00:08:40,367 --> 00:08:42,967 [interviewer] Gene, how do you feel you may have been treated in the jail 185 00:08:42,967 --> 00:08:44,634 you've been spending your time in? 186 00:08:45,266 --> 00:08:47,000 My mama always told me 187 00:08:47,000 --> 00:08:49,700 never to say anything ab your host. 188 00:08:49,700 --> 00:08:52,700 [Gary] Overall, I think that he presented himself well. 189 00:08:52,700 --> 00:08:55,066 He looked like a regular guy, um, 190 00:08:55,066 --> 00:08:57,867 and not some kind of monster as he'd been portrayed. 191 00:08:57,867 --> 00:08:59,967 [interviewer] Do you have, uh, a view of yourself, 192 00:08:59,967 --> 00:09:00,000 and can you share that with us? 193 00:09:00,000 --> 00:09:02,066 and can you share that with us? 194 00:09:02,066 --> 00:09:03,266 I am not a hero. 195 00:09:04,467 --> 00:09:07,266 [Sheri] Whether you thought he did this or not, 196 00:09:07,266 --> 00:09:09,266 he escaped from jail, 197 00:09:09,266 --> 00:09:13,700 and he'd done time in prison for some horrible crimes. 198 00:09:13,700 --> 00:09:17,734 To give him centerstage at a press conference seemed... 199 00:09:19,734 --> 00:09:21,634 so unnecessary. 200 00:09:23,734 --> 00:09:28,467 After the press conference, it's time for the defense to present their case. 201 00:09:28,467 --> 00:09:30,000 The prosecution told the case was built on circumstantial evidence, 202 00:09:30,000 --> 00:09:32,166 The prosecution told the case was built on circumstantial evidence, 203 00:09:32,166 --> 00:09:35,734 and we felt that they were having to draw a lot of conclusions. 204 00:09:36,266 --> 00:09:38,500 But the pieces don't all fit. 205 00:09:38,500 --> 00:09:41,266 A good example is when they tried to link Gene 206 00:09:41,266 --> 00:09:43,800 to the cave in which they found the pictures. 207 00:09:46,166 --> 00:09:50,500 These pictures that Gene had developed during his time granted in prison 208 00:09:50,500 --> 00:09:56,100 had been in his possession when he was incarcerated in Mayes County jail in 1973 209 00:09:56,100 --> 00:09:58,166 and were left there when he escaped 210 00:09:58,166 --> 00:10:00,000 four years before the Girl Scouts' murders ever happened. 211 00:10:00,000 --> 00:10:01,467 four years before the Girl Scouts' murders ever happened. 212 00:10:03,000 --> 00:10:05,600 So it calls into question how those pictures 213 00:10:05,600 --> 00:10:09,000 then became present in that cave 214 00:10:09,000 --> 00:10:11,634 since they were left behind in that jail cell. 215 00:10:12,967 --> 00:10:16,433 Our take from that was that the evidence had been planted. 216 00:10:18,100 --> 00:10:21,000 I felt like that that was suspicious... 217 00:10:22,100 --> 00:10:25,266 and going forward, I was very skeptical. 218 00:10:26,000 --> 00:10:28,166 You don't want anyone lying, 219 00:10:28,166 --> 00:10:30,000 especially someone from the law enforcement. 220 00:10:30,000 --> 00:10:31,166 especially someone from the law enforcement. 221 00:10:38,533 --> 00:10:43,266 [Gary] I think after we called into question the origin of the pictures, 222 00:10:43,266 --> 00:10:45,900 we were able to call into question the legitimacy 223 00:10:45,900 --> 00:10:49,100 of all of the other evidence presented by the state, 224 00:10:49,100 --> 00:10:51,367 and we began to poke holes in their theory. 225 00:10:52,634 --> 00:10:55,533 [Alicia] The defense dissects each piece of evidence, 226 00:10:55,533 --> 00:10:57,533 starting with a hair found at the scene. 227 00:10:58,533 --> 00:11:02,100 [Gary] They could say that it looks exactly alike, 228 00:11:02,100 --> 00:11:06,677 but you couldn't say that that meant that was his hair. 229 00:11:06,677 --> 00:11:07,000 but you couldn't say that that meant that was his hair. 230 00:11:07,000 --> 00:11:10,166 Same thing with the broken, fractured semen. 231 00:11:11,100 --> 00:11:13,100 It doesn't prove any more to you 232 00:11:13,100 --> 00:11:15,100 than the hair proves to you. 233 00:11:15,100 --> 00:11:16,533 It looks like, 234 00:11:16,533 --> 00:11:19,266 but you can't identify where it came from. 235 00:11:19,266 --> 00:11:25,000 And that's because there was no acceptable DNA science in 1979. 236 00:11:27,467 --> 00:11:31,100 Of course, we had to take that into consideration. 237 00:11:31,100 --> 00:11:34,100 [Bettye] The things that were coming up about hair and DNA 238 00:11:34,100 --> 00:11:36,677 was presented in a way to confuse the jury. 239 00:11:36,677 --> 00:11:36,800 was presented in a way to confuse the jury. 240 00:11:37,734 --> 00:11:40,166 [Bo] The defense team was putting up 241 00:11:40,166 --> 00:11:44,166 every conceivable straw man theory 242 00:11:44,166 --> 00:11:47,233 to try to plant down in the... in the jury's mind. 243 00:11:48,900 --> 00:11:52,967 [Alicia] After 26 days of an intense trial, 244 00:11:52,967 --> 00:11:56,166 the jury adjourns to deliberate. 245 00:11:56,166 --> 00:11:59,266 [reporter] If the jury finds Hart guilty of first-degree murder, 246 00:11:59,266 --> 00:12:03,734 then under Oklahoma law, he could be sentenced added to life in prison 247 00:12:03,734 --> 00:12:05,433 or death by injection. 248 00:12:09,800 --> 00:12:12,867 [Sheri] Pretty early in the morning we were notified 249 00:12:12,867 --> 00:12:15,467 that jury had come back with a verdict. 250 00:12:15,467 --> 00:12:18,900 So we rushed over to the courthouse. 251 00:12:19,967 --> 00:12:23,967 "March 30th, 1979, 252 00:12:23,967 --> 00:12:26,634 09:15, the verdict is in. 253 00:12:32,367 --> 00:12:33,800 It's not guilty." 254 00:12:40,166 --> 00:12:41,734 It's all over now. 255 00:12:47,867 --> 00:12:50,734 [Gary] You know, it was exciting, it was emotional, 256 00:12:50,734 --> 00:12:53,867 and at the same time, understanding the disappointment 257 00:12:53,867 --> 00:12:56,734 of not having the final conclusion 258 00:12:56,734 --> 00:12:59,066 of all this for the families of those little girls. 259 00:13:01,100 --> 00:13:02,533 [Dick] It broke my heart. 260 00:13:04,000 --> 00:13:06,677 Those little girls didn't receive a fair trial. 261 00:13:06,677 --> 00:13:07,166 Those little girls didn't receive a fair trial. 262 00:13:09,100 --> 00:13:10,367 [Bettye] I think after the trial, 263 00:13:10,367 --> 00:13:12,867 I came out with the feeling that 264 00:13:12,867 --> 00:13:15,634 the law is a game, and who plays it the best 265 00:13:15,634 --> 00:13:17,467 is the one who wins. 266 00:13:17,467 --> 00:13:19,533 And it's not all about justice. 267 00:13:22,000 --> 00:13:24,166 [Sheri] After the verdict was read, 268 00:13:24,166 --> 00:13:26,800 we went to the judge's chambers 269 00:13:26,800 --> 00:13:29,900 and he just said, "In our system of justice... 270 00:13:30,533 --> 00:13:34,066 sometimes guilty go free." 271 00:13:36,100 --> 00:13:36,677 [Sandi] I voted not guilty. 272 00:13:36,677 --> 00:13:38,467 [Sandi] I voted not guilty. 273 00:13:38,467 --> 00:13:45,166 I was really waiting for that big bang from the attorneys. 274 00:13:45,166 --> 00:13:47,634 You gotta have the evidence. 275 00:13:47,634 --> 00:13:51,467 And I didn't feel like they had proof. 276 00:13:51,467 --> 00:13:55,967 The jurists that are saying that there was no smoking gun, 277 00:13:55,967 --> 00:14:01,533 well, the only thing I'm saying about that is... is that, um... 278 00:14:02,467 --> 00:14:04,433 they may not have done their job. 279 00:14:07,166 --> 00:14:09,266 [Alicia] Immediately after the trial, 280 00:14:09,266 --> 00:14:11,467 Gene Leroy Hart is sent back to prison 281 00:14:11,467 --> 00:14:15,467 to finish serving the remaining 305 years 282 00:14:15,467 --> 00:14:19,166 of his 308-year sentence 283 00:14:19,166 --> 00:14:23,233 for his burglary convictions and parole violations. 284 00:14:26,166 --> 00:14:28,734 [Sheri] When we left the courthouse, I said to Bo, 285 00:14:28,734 --> 00:14:30,900 "I would really like to have Lori's things back." 286 00:14:32,467 --> 00:14:35,367 They'd been in their possession now for two years. 287 00:14:36,533 --> 00:14:36,677 And so, we went over there and they gave us the box 288 00:14:36,677 --> 00:14:39,900 And so, we went over there and they gave us the box 289 00:14:39,900 --> 00:14:42,433 of Lori's things, and we came home. 290 00:14:46,467 --> 00:14:48,533 [Alicia] On June 4th, 1979, 291 00:14:48,533 --> 00:14:51,367 more news about Hart makes headlines, 292 00:14:51,367 --> 00:14:54,533 sending shock waves around the nation. 293 00:14:56,000 --> 00:14:59,100 I remember being with my mom watching TV, 294 00:14:59,100 --> 00:15:01,367 when the news bulletins came across the bottom. 295 00:15:02,367 --> 00:15:04,533 And I remember my mom having this reaction 296 00:15:04,533 --> 00:15:05,800 and starting to cry. 297 00:15:07,467 --> 00:15:09,533 [Gary] Gene Hart was in the exercise yard. 298 00:15:10,467 --> 00:15:13,066 He had lifted weights and he was now jogging. 299 00:15:13,967 --> 00:15:16,166 And he had a heart attack, and he died there, 300 00:15:16,166 --> 00:15:18,634 in the... in the exercise yard in McAlester. 301 00:15:20,100 --> 00:15:23,100 [Sheri] Well, I just assumed that one day I would get to talk to him, 302 00:15:23,100 --> 00:15:26,066 and he will tell us everything he knows. 303 00:15:27,867 --> 00:15:30,900 I was so shocked when he had died in prison. 304 00:15:33,533 --> 00:15:34,967 [Alicia] With Hart dead, 305 00:15:34,967 --> 00:15:36,677 a confession is now impossible, 306 00:15:36,677 --> 00:15:37,533 a confession is now impossible, 307 00:15:37,533 --> 00:15:40,266 and rumors begin to swirl. 308 00:15:42,100 --> 00:15:45,100 [Mike] Some people believed law enforcement framed Gene Hart 309 00:15:45,100 --> 00:15:47,800 during the investigation in 1977. 310 00:15:49,100 --> 00:15:51,634 You know, a good example of this was, um, 311 00:15:51,634 --> 00:15:55,166 the law enforcement found two foot prints in the tent. 312 00:15:55,166 --> 00:15:58,367 There was this big boot, and then there was some sort of a... 313 00:15:58,367 --> 00:16:01,000 Another tennis shoe type track. 314 00:16:01,000 --> 00:16:04,000 And so they started thinking, "Oh, my gosh, 315 00:16:04,000 --> 00:16:05,467 maybe it was more than one person." 316 00:16:07,867 --> 00:16:11,800 [Alicia] Then, in 1981, Mayes County residents elected a new sheriff, 317 00:16:11,800 --> 00:16:14,734 and armed with some new information, 318 00:16:14,734 --> 00:16:18,734 he takes the multiple killer theory very seriously. 319 00:16:20,000 --> 00:16:22,100 [Marty] A woman from Locust Grove 320 00:16:22,100 --> 00:16:24,166 relayed a story that her brother 321 00:16:24,166 --> 00:16:26,266 had been out with two of his friends 322 00:16:26,266 --> 00:16:28,967 the night before the homicides. 323 00:16:28,967 --> 00:16:32,734 And she believed all three were responsible for the Girl Scout murders. 324 00:16:40,467 --> 00:16:43,100 The Sheriff of Mayes County, Paul Smith, 325 00:16:43,100 --> 00:16:48,634 said that a woman told him she was coming home the morning of the homicides, 326 00:16:48,634 --> 00:16:51,533 and she'd seen her brother's two friends 327 00:16:51,533 --> 00:16:54,500 walking down the road from the Girl Scout area, 328 00:16:54,500 --> 00:16:56,967 no shirts and no shoes on. 329 00:16:58,166 --> 00:17:01,467 [Marty] Later that morning, her brother had come home... 330 00:17:02,100 --> 00:17:03,967 and he was covered in blood. 331 00:17:05,533 --> 00:17:07,367 He appeared to be under the influence of drugs 332 00:17:07,367 --> 00:17:08,956 and he was acting nervous. 333 00:17:08,956 --> 00:17:09,233 and he was acting nervous. 334 00:17:10,467 --> 00:17:13,533 He was mumbling some stuff about "the poor little girls." 335 00:17:14,734 --> 00:17:17,467 [Alicia] She then tells Paul Smith that her brother 336 00:17:17,467 --> 00:17:20,500 revealed how he and these two other men 337 00:17:20,500 --> 00:17:23,967 disposed off the murder weapon and any evidence. 338 00:17:25,166 --> 00:17:27,166 [Mike] According to her, these three suspects, 339 00:17:27,166 --> 00:17:28,900 one of 'em being her brother, 340 00:17:28,900 --> 00:17:31,533 was in a Super Bee car, 341 00:17:31,533 --> 00:17:35,166 and they took the shirts and the shoes that was bloody, 342 00:17:35,166 --> 00:17:38,956 and the murder weapon, put it in the car... 343 00:17:38,956 --> 00:17:39,166 and the murder weapon, put it in the car... 344 00:17:39,166 --> 00:17:42,266 and took the car and pushed it off into the water 345 00:17:42,266 --> 00:17:43,900 down by Spring Creek. 346 00:17:48,000 --> 00:17:52,533 [Mike] In 1981, Paul Smith hires a private investigator 347 00:17:52,533 --> 00:17:55,166 for the sole purpose of working on this Girl Scout case. 348 00:17:57,000 --> 00:18:01,166 [Alicia] For years, the private investigator looks into this lead, 349 00:18:01,166 --> 00:18:05,367 and in 1984, Sheriff Paul Smith goes public 350 00:18:05,367 --> 00:18:07,166 and announces in The Oklahoman 351 00:18:07,166 --> 00:18:08,956 that he's investigating this lead. 352 00:18:08,956 --> 00:18:09,533 that he's investigating this lead. 353 00:18:09,533 --> 00:18:11,900 [Mike] He says he has three suspects, 354 00:18:11,900 --> 00:18:14,000 and he blatantly says 355 00:18:14,000 --> 00:18:16,333 he's going to make some arrests. 356 00:18:19,166 --> 00:18:21,634 [Alicia] But the arrests never come, 357 00:18:21,634 --> 00:18:25,967 and the community is left wondering why. 358 00:18:28,900 --> 00:18:31,166 [Sheri] As the years passed by, 359 00:18:31,166 --> 00:18:34,800 our belief in God lifted us and carried us 360 00:18:34,800 --> 00:18:38,956 in our weakest grieving times. 361 00:18:38,956 --> 00:18:39,166 in our weakest grieving times. 362 00:18:39,166 --> 00:18:41,467 Our family and friends loved us 363 00:18:41,467 --> 00:18:43,367 when we weren't lovable, 364 00:18:43,367 --> 00:18:47,100 and I'm thankful for all those people who helped. 365 00:18:47,100 --> 00:18:51,166 But I know that I needed to help other people as well. 366 00:18:52,166 --> 00:18:55,367 I wanted for Lori and for her honor 367 00:18:55,367 --> 00:18:59,634 there should be something good that would come. 368 00:19:00,166 --> 00:19:02,266 And so, Bo and I formed 369 00:19:02,266 --> 00:19:07,800 the chapter of Parents of Murdered Children in 1984, in Oklahoma. 370 00:19:09,000 --> 00:19:12,367 Immediately, it just got much bigger 371 00:19:12,367 --> 00:19:15,634 than I would have ever, ever guessed, 372 00:19:15,634 --> 00:19:20,433 and people drove from all over Oklahoma to come. 373 00:19:25,367 --> 00:19:27,634 [Alicia] During the time while the conspiracy theories 374 00:19:27,634 --> 00:19:30,166 continued to cast a shadow over the case, 375 00:19:30,166 --> 00:19:33,533 the OSBI decides to try a brand-new 376 00:19:33,533 --> 00:19:36,800 scientific advancement that's available to them, 377 00:19:36,800 --> 00:19:38,266 DNA. 378 00:19:39,900 --> 00:19:43,367 [Grace] My name is Grace Helms and I'm the primary DNA analyst 379 00:19:43,367 --> 00:19:45,533 who's worked on the Girl Scout case. 380 00:19:45,533 --> 00:19:49,100 In 1989, DNA testing had only been around 381 00:19:49,100 --> 00:19:52,800 and used in criminal courts for a few years. 382 00:19:52,800 --> 00:19:56,867 In 1989, we sent a semen stain from a pillow case 383 00:19:56,867 --> 00:20:00,634 that was in Michelle Guse's sleeping bag for testing. 384 00:20:00,634 --> 00:20:03,266 [Alicia] After the FBI receives the semen stain sample, 385 00:20:03,266 --> 00:20:08,900 they compare it to semen stain samples taken from Hart's underwear. 386 00:20:10,266 --> 00:20:14,266 [Bo] When we first found out that they were doing DNA testing, 387 00:20:14,266 --> 00:20:16,266 we were very encouraged 388 00:20:16,266 --> 00:20:19,000 that we were going to very quicky 389 00:20:19,000 --> 00:20:20,800 come to a resolution of this. 390 00:20:22,166 --> 00:20:24,734 [Andrea] With the particular testing technique that was used, 391 00:20:24,734 --> 00:20:27,000 there are five locations on the DNA strand 392 00:20:27,000 --> 00:20:30,000 that analysts look at in an evidence sample 393 00:20:30,000 --> 00:20:33,333 and then they'll look at those same locations from a known sample. 394 00:20:34,467 --> 00:20:38,956 Results at the three of those locations matched Mr. Hart. 395 00:20:38,956 --> 00:20:39,800 Results at the three of those locations matched Mr. Hart. 396 00:20:40,867 --> 00:20:44,000 [Andrea] Because only 60% actually matched, 397 00:20:44,000 --> 00:20:46,600 the whole thing is considered partial. 398 00:20:46,600 --> 00:20:50,800 And so, we were not able to say that Gene Leroy Hart was the murderer. 399 00:20:51,734 --> 00:20:55,900 Basically, it points to him, but it's not conclusive. 400 00:20:57,367 --> 00:20:59,100 [Alicia] After the DNA falls short, 401 00:20:59,100 --> 00:21:02,000 the OSBI works quietly behind the scenes 402 00:21:02,000 --> 00:21:05,266 for over two decades... 403 00:21:05,266 --> 00:21:08,956 until 2012, when Agent Fielding decides 404 00:21:08,956 --> 00:21:09,000 until 2012, when Agent Fielding decides 405 00:21:09,000 --> 00:21:13,634 to make another big push to bring this case to a close. 406 00:21:13,634 --> 00:21:16,367 And at the time, I was a forensic biologist 407 00:21:16,367 --> 00:21:19,000 in the biology DNA unit. 408 00:21:19,000 --> 00:21:21,967 So I pulled the case file and started looking at it. 409 00:21:22,800 --> 00:21:24,500 I was very surprised to realize 410 00:21:24,500 --> 00:21:26,800 that only two items of evidence had been tested 411 00:21:26,800 --> 00:21:29,000 when there were hundreds of items of evidence 412 00:21:29,000 --> 00:21:31,734 that could have been forensically analyzed. 413 00:21:32,367 --> 00:21:33,734 And so, I wanted to make sure 414 00:21:33,734 --> 00:21:37,166 that everything that could be tested, we were able to test. 415 00:21:37,166 --> 00:21:38,956 [Alicia] Agent Fielding begins processing hundreds of items 416 00:21:38,956 --> 00:21:40,900 [Alicia] Agent Fielding begins processing hundreds of items 417 00:21:40,900 --> 00:21:43,266 for eventual DNA testing. 418 00:21:43,266 --> 00:21:45,100 And as she's going through this process, 419 00:21:45,100 --> 00:21:47,166 she contacts the girls' families 420 00:21:47,166 --> 00:21:50,000 to let them know that OSBI 421 00:21:50,000 --> 00:21:53,266 is looking to test new evidence in the case. 422 00:21:53,266 --> 00:21:57,900 And Sheri Farmer reveals that she may be able to help. 423 00:21:57,900 --> 00:22:01,100 [Andrea] Sheri Farmer told me that when the trial was over, 424 00:22:01,100 --> 00:22:03,100 she insisted in getting 425 00:22:03,100 --> 00:22:04,367 all of Lori's personal items back, 426 00:22:04,367 --> 00:22:06,367 she had with her at the camp, 427 00:22:06,367 --> 00:22:08,000 including her blood-stained sleeping bag, 428 00:22:08,000 --> 00:22:08,956 and clothing items. 429 00:22:08,956 --> 00:22:09,266 and clothing items. 430 00:22:09,266 --> 00:22:12,734 I was very surprised to learn Bo and Sheri 431 00:22:12,734 --> 00:22:15,467 wanted everything that could be tested, tested. 432 00:22:15,467 --> 00:22:16,634 So I went to their home 433 00:22:16,634 --> 00:22:18,333 and retrieved the items of evidence. 434 00:22:19,734 --> 00:22:22,734 [Sheri] When Andrea Fielding came to our house 435 00:22:22,734 --> 00:22:24,734 to see if we had some things here 436 00:22:24,734 --> 00:22:27,166 that she and Mike can do testing on with... 437 00:22:27,166 --> 00:22:33,000 one of the things that she was interested in was Lori's sleeping bag. 438 00:22:33,000 --> 00:22:37,634 My mother and dad had given each of the children a sleeping bag. 439 00:22:38,166 --> 00:22:38,956 And so Lori took this. 440 00:22:38,956 --> 00:22:40,467 And so Lori took this. 441 00:22:43,266 --> 00:22:45,634 As you can see, 442 00:22:45,634 --> 00:22:51,367 there were parts of it cut for doing DNA testing, 443 00:22:51,367 --> 00:22:54,000 and so there's holes in this 444 00:22:54,000 --> 00:22:57,533 and holes in the sleeping bag that's inside here. 445 00:23:00,100 --> 00:23:03,000 [Andrea] The family stood around while I went through 446 00:23:03,000 --> 00:23:07,000 items from the crime scene that belonged to Lori. 447 00:23:07,000 --> 00:23:08,956 And so it was definitely difficult for the family, 448 00:23:08,956 --> 00:23:10,634 And so it was definitely difficult for the family, 449 00:23:10,634 --> 00:23:14,367 but they... they all supported each other and were there for each other, 450 00:23:14,367 --> 00:23:16,533 and it was an incredible thing to experience. 451 00:23:18,533 --> 00:23:21,367 [Alicia] Encouraged by the renewed efforts, 452 00:23:21,367 --> 00:23:23,867 the Farmers approached the new Mayes County Sheriff 453 00:23:23,867 --> 00:23:27,000 hoping he might be able to investigate a different angle, 454 00:23:27,000 --> 00:23:30,367 which is, namely, the three alleged suspects 455 00:23:30,367 --> 00:23:32,533 that were never arrested. 456 00:23:32,533 --> 00:23:35,533 [Mike] Shortly after I became Sheriff in 2013, 457 00:23:35,533 --> 00:23:37,900 Bo and Sheri Farmer came to my office. 458 00:23:38,734 --> 00:23:38,956 [Sheri] We met with Mike Reed, 459 00:23:38,956 --> 00:23:40,634 [Sheri] We met with Mike Reed, 460 00:23:40,634 --> 00:23:44,634 and I said, "I just want you to take a second look, fresh eyes." 461 00:23:44,634 --> 00:23:46,734 I said, "I just want you to be open 462 00:23:46,734 --> 00:23:50,333 for anything to help solve the murders." 463 00:23:51,600 --> 00:23:53,467 [Mike] It was pretty emotional. 464 00:23:53,467 --> 00:23:56,233 I gave 'em my word I would help any way I could. 465 00:23:57,734 --> 00:24:02,634 I quickly found out that OSBI ran this investigation. 466 00:24:02,634 --> 00:24:05,533 So they have the original files, they have original everything. 467 00:24:06,800 --> 00:24:08,900 [Alicia] Sheriff Reed contacts OSBI 468 00:24:08,900 --> 00:24:08,956 to gain access to the case files 469 00:24:08,956 --> 00:24:11,533 to gain access to the case files 470 00:24:11,533 --> 00:24:17,367 and soon, he's shocked by what he finds. 471 00:24:17,367 --> 00:24:21,166 [Mike] At the time, the Paul Smith theory was still alive. 472 00:24:21,166 --> 00:24:24,800 But one of the first things that I noticed was his three suspects 473 00:24:24,800 --> 00:24:27,266 actually had been brought in, they had been interviewed, 474 00:24:27,266 --> 00:24:29,000 they had been polygraphed. 475 00:24:29,000 --> 00:24:31,266 None of that information were out there. 476 00:24:31,266 --> 00:24:35,800 So I was like, "Man, there's lot of stuff here that's... We don't know." 477 00:24:36,734 --> 00:24:38,956 [Alicia] Sheriff Reed digs into the investigation 478 00:24:38,956 --> 00:24:39,100 [Alicia] Sheriff Reed digs into the investigation 479 00:24:39,100 --> 00:24:41,900 that was done on the three suspects. 480 00:24:41,900 --> 00:24:46,066 [Mike] In '84, OSBI tracked down these three subjects. 481 00:24:47,000 --> 00:24:49,000 One of 'em says he wasn't there, 482 00:24:49,000 --> 00:24:51,600 and he actually alibied one of the other suspects, 483 00:24:51,600 --> 00:24:54,600 saying, "Well, he was with me drinking at the dam." 484 00:24:54,600 --> 00:24:57,266 He immediately agrees to take polygraph test. 485 00:24:57,266 --> 00:24:58,900 And he passes his polygraph test. 486 00:24:59,900 --> 00:25:01,900 So they go to the next suspect, 487 00:25:01,900 --> 00:25:05,000 the brother of the informant, and he tells them, 488 00:25:05,000 --> 00:25:07,734 "No, I wasn't there, had nothin' to do with it." 489 00:25:07,734 --> 00:25:08,956 [Alicia] The suspect tells the OSBI agents 490 00:25:08,956 --> 00:25:09,634 [Alicia] The suspect tells the OSBI agents 491 00:25:09,634 --> 00:25:11,634 that he was at home with his father 492 00:25:11,634 --> 00:25:13,467 and his two brothers the night of the murders, 493 00:25:13,467 --> 00:25:17,800 and he was nowhere near the Girl Scout camp. 494 00:25:17,800 --> 00:25:21,600 And he agrees to take a polygraph test and he passes it. 495 00:25:21,600 --> 00:25:25,900 [Alicia] At this point, the OSBI returns to Paul Smith's informant 496 00:25:25,900 --> 00:25:27,533 to question her again. 497 00:25:28,166 --> 00:25:30,467 [Mike] OSBI interview her. 498 00:25:30,467 --> 00:25:34,266 She immediately admits that she actually didn't know 499 00:25:34,266 --> 00:25:36,634 nothing about who killed the Girl Scouts 500 00:25:36,634 --> 00:25:38,956 and is remorseful for lying all these years 501 00:25:38,956 --> 00:25:41,100 and is remorseful for lying all these years 502 00:25:41,100 --> 00:25:43,333 and making this story up. 503 00:25:44,266 --> 00:25:47,266 [Marty] She reported that the reason she did this 504 00:25:47,266 --> 00:25:50,166 was because she was upset with her brother, 505 00:25:50,166 --> 00:25:52,533 claimed that he had sexually assaulted her in the past, 506 00:25:52,533 --> 00:25:55,000 and she was trying to get even with him. 507 00:25:55,000 --> 00:25:57,634 [Mike] At this point, she passes the polygraph, 508 00:25:57,634 --> 00:26:00,367 admitting that she made all this up. 509 00:26:00,367 --> 00:26:02,066 So that whole story... 510 00:26:03,266 --> 00:26:04,900 had no merit whatsoever. 511 00:26:05,734 --> 00:26:08,467 [Marty] Even after she reported 512 00:26:08,467 --> 00:26:08,956 that she had made the story up, 513 00:26:08,956 --> 00:26:10,467 that she had made the story up, 514 00:26:10,467 --> 00:26:13,000 Paul Smith still believed her initial story 515 00:26:13,000 --> 00:26:17,000 and he did not let go of that. 516 00:26:17,000 --> 00:26:20,734 [Alicia] For years, Paul Smith clings to this theory, 517 00:26:20,734 --> 00:26:25,233 even after someone in his own camp denies its validity. 518 00:26:26,867 --> 00:26:31,900 [Mike] In 1988, private investigator that was hired by Paul Smith 519 00:26:31,900 --> 00:26:33,800 to solely investigate the Girl Scout murders 520 00:26:33,800 --> 00:26:36,533 goes to the Governor, and the State's Attorney, 521 00:26:36,533 --> 00:26:38,956 OSBI agents there, and they had a big meeting about this. 522 00:26:38,956 --> 00:26:39,533 OSBI agents there, and they had a big meeting about this. 523 00:26:39,533 --> 00:26:44,000 And the private investigator states that he no longer believes 524 00:26:44,000 --> 00:26:47,000 that these three suspects had anything to do with it 525 00:26:47,000 --> 00:26:49,533 and he believes Hart committed this crime solely 526 00:26:49,533 --> 00:26:51,734 and he has no other suspects. 527 00:26:51,734 --> 00:26:54,333 That is Paul Smith's own investigator. 528 00:26:57,734 --> 00:26:59,900 [Marty] And to this day, there are people 529 00:26:59,900 --> 00:27:03,467 who don't have all the information that we have, 530 00:27:03,467 --> 00:27:06,533 who believe that this is a viable story. 531 00:27:09,734 --> 00:27:12,166 People say, "Well, it wasn't looked into." 532 00:27:12,166 --> 00:27:13,233 But it was. 533 00:27:14,266 --> 00:27:18,634 In our eyes, as Lori's Mom and Dad, 534 00:27:18,634 --> 00:27:21,634 Paul Smith's theory is not plausible. 535 00:27:27,100 --> 00:27:29,367 [Christine] It must be so frustrating for family members 536 00:27:29,367 --> 00:27:32,900 to hear all these conspiracy theories... 537 00:27:32,900 --> 00:27:37,800 to constantly have to relive the death of their daughter... 538 00:27:37,800 --> 00:27:38,956 must be incredibly hurtful and... and painful. 539 00:27:38,956 --> 00:27:41,433 must be incredibly hurtful and... and painful. 540 00:27:48,734 --> 00:27:51,533 While Sheriff Reed has debunked the Paul Smith theory, 541 00:27:51,533 --> 00:27:56,500 he still cannot prove that Hart was the sole killer. 542 00:27:56,500 --> 00:27:59,367 -[telephone ringing] -[Alicia] But the next break in the case comes 543 00:27:59,367 --> 00:28:03,233 when Sheri receives a call out of the blue. 544 00:28:04,867 --> 00:28:08,956 [Sheri] I got a call from someone who said Lori's death 545 00:28:08,956 --> 00:28:09,166 [Sheri] I got a call from someone who said Lori's death 546 00:28:09,166 --> 00:28:10,900 greatly affected her 547 00:28:10,900 --> 00:28:15,634 and she wanted to help us solve her murder. 548 00:28:23,967 --> 00:28:25,734 [Sheryl] My name is Sheryl Stokes, 549 00:28:25,734 --> 00:28:28,266 and Lori Farmer was my childhood friend. 550 00:28:29,166 --> 00:28:31,066 When Lori was killed, 551 00:28:31,066 --> 00:28:35,367 I knew I wanted to be someone that is there supporting families 552 00:28:35,367 --> 00:28:37,367 when the worst happens. 553 00:28:37,367 --> 00:28:40,467 I am now a senior family advocacy specialist 554 00:28:40,467 --> 00:28:44,100 at the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. 555 00:28:44,100 --> 00:28:47,166 In 2013, I told Sheri and Bo 556 00:28:47,166 --> 00:28:50,699 my colleague could probably be a big help on this case. 557 00:28:50,699 --> 00:28:51,266 my colleague could probably be a big help on this case. 558 00:28:51,266 --> 00:28:53,266 [Sheri] She asked if we were interested, 559 00:28:53,266 --> 00:28:56,367 and we both said, "Oh, of course." 560 00:29:01,634 --> 00:29:04,000 [Richard] My name is Richard Leonard. I'm the program manager 561 00:29:04,000 --> 00:29:07,333 at the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. 562 00:29:08,734 --> 00:29:12,734 We decided that we would do a comprehensive case review 563 00:29:12,734 --> 00:29:16,500 with folks from the FBI's Behavioral Analysis Unit, 564 00:29:16,500 --> 00:29:20,699 specific to child crimes, cold case investigators, analysts, lab experts, 565 00:29:20,699 --> 00:29:23,367 specific to child crimes, cold case investigators, analysts, lab experts, 566 00:29:23,367 --> 00:29:26,166 to look at every facet of that investigation. 567 00:29:27,867 --> 00:29:30,166 Looking at the facts about the case, 568 00:29:30,166 --> 00:29:32,100 the behavioral analysts folks 569 00:29:32,100 --> 00:29:36,266 gave a picture of who you would expect that offender to be. 570 00:29:36,266 --> 00:29:40,734 And, obviously, Gene Hart had a criminal background 571 00:29:40,734 --> 00:29:45,266 and part of that background was abduction and rape. 572 00:29:45,266 --> 00:29:48,166 And in the Girl Scout case, he brought certain tools 573 00:29:48,166 --> 00:29:50,699 very similar to the ones that were used in that assault at Tulsa. 574 00:29:50,699 --> 00:29:51,634 very similar to the ones that were used in that assault at Tulsa. 575 00:29:53,367 --> 00:29:55,500 Additionally, one of the things 576 00:29:55,500 --> 00:29:58,867 that Gene Hart was known to do 577 00:29:58,867 --> 00:30:02,467 when he went out and did burglaries was to take eye glasses, 578 00:30:02,467 --> 00:30:04,734 which, to me, would be his signature. 579 00:30:04,734 --> 00:30:07,066 The girls that he assaulted in Tulsa, 580 00:30:07,066 --> 00:30:09,000 he took their eyeglasses as well. 581 00:30:09,000 --> 00:30:11,166 And glasses were taken from Camp Scott 582 00:30:11,166 --> 00:30:12,533 the night this happened. 583 00:30:16,166 --> 00:30:19,000 [Alicia] During the meeting, investigators also discussed 584 00:30:19,000 --> 00:30:20,699 the theory that perhaps multiple weapons 585 00:30:20,699 --> 00:30:21,734 the theory that perhaps multiple weapons 586 00:30:21,734 --> 00:30:24,000 had been used in the murders. 587 00:30:24,000 --> 00:30:27,634 Because the original autopsies had suggested 588 00:30:27,634 --> 00:30:32,166 that each child's injuries varied. 589 00:30:32,166 --> 00:30:34,166 Looking at all the autopsy photos, 590 00:30:34,166 --> 00:30:37,000 it was decided that the weapon that was used was probably 591 00:30:37,000 --> 00:30:39,367 a single small camp hatchet. 592 00:30:41,000 --> 00:30:42,867 [Mike] When I looked at the image reports, 593 00:30:42,867 --> 00:30:46,467 you can see 90-degree corners 594 00:30:46,467 --> 00:30:48,266 of the bruising 595 00:30:48,266 --> 00:30:50,699 that match the rectangular part of a small hatchet. 596 00:30:50,699 --> 00:30:53,266 that match the rectangular part of a small hatchet. 597 00:30:53,266 --> 00:30:56,500 But something that you have to take into consideration 598 00:30:56,500 --> 00:30:59,967 is at least one child's probably struggling, 599 00:30:59,967 --> 00:31:01,600 so there is absolutely no way 600 00:31:01,600 --> 00:31:04,166 you're gonna make a perfect hit. 601 00:31:04,166 --> 00:31:08,066 So you're gonna have all kinds of different patterns of wounds. 602 00:31:12,066 --> 00:31:13,500 [Alicia] The other piece of evidence 603 00:31:13,500 --> 00:31:15,967 that skeptics have pointed to is 604 00:31:15,967 --> 00:31:19,734 the presence of multiple footprints in tent seven, 605 00:31:19,734 --> 00:31:20,699 which gave credence to the theory 606 00:31:20,699 --> 00:31:22,166 which gave credence to the theory 607 00:31:22,166 --> 00:31:24,867 that there was more than one person involved. 608 00:31:24,867 --> 00:31:29,166 But the NCMEC experts see things differently. 609 00:31:30,000 --> 00:31:31,734 [Mike] When you come to the photograph 610 00:31:31,734 --> 00:31:33,266 of the footprints in the tent, 611 00:31:33,266 --> 00:31:34,734 there was this big boot 612 00:31:34,734 --> 00:31:38,166 and there was a small tennis shoe type track. 613 00:31:38,166 --> 00:31:42,066 So let's say, you had grown guys who was out here doing this, 614 00:31:42,066 --> 00:31:44,634 why has one of 'em got little small tennis shoes on? 615 00:31:46,467 --> 00:31:47,800 Yeah, I don't see that. 616 00:31:48,600 --> 00:31:50,699 Plus, the small tennis shoe type track 617 00:31:50,699 --> 00:31:51,500 Plus, the small tennis shoe type track 618 00:31:51,500 --> 00:31:54,266 was on top of the blood and it was clean and crisp. 619 00:31:54,266 --> 00:31:56,867 So that means it was that these tracks got in here after 620 00:31:56,867 --> 00:31:58,900 the sleeping bags and the girls was taken out. 621 00:32:00,266 --> 00:32:03,734 And when you go back and you read the interviews of the counselors, 622 00:32:03,734 --> 00:32:07,100 the next move, the counselors said they actually physically 623 00:32:07,100 --> 00:32:13,000 went into the tents touching each girl, counting them. 624 00:32:13,000 --> 00:32:16,467 And so, it's believed that it's probably 625 00:32:16,467 --> 00:32:18,800 one of the counselors that stepped in blood. 626 00:32:22,967 --> 00:32:25,166 [Leonard] After three days, and at the end of looking 627 00:32:25,166 --> 00:32:27,734 at the totality of the circumstances, 628 00:32:27,734 --> 00:32:30,266 all of us in that case review, 629 00:32:30,266 --> 00:32:32,467 um, came to a consensus of opinion... 630 00:32:34,000 --> 00:32:36,867 that Gene Hart was, in fact, the person that was involved 631 00:32:36,867 --> 00:32:38,634 and he acted alone. 632 00:32:40,367 --> 00:32:43,433 There's nothing to suggest anyone else was involved. 633 00:32:44,867 --> 00:32:49,000 We recommended the use of specific labs 634 00:32:49,000 --> 00:32:50,699 outside the norm of a state lab 635 00:32:50,699 --> 00:32:50,734 outside the norm of a state lab 636 00:32:50,734 --> 00:32:53,266 that could provide advanced technologies, 637 00:32:53,266 --> 00:32:55,367 particularly in the area of DNA, 638 00:32:55,367 --> 00:32:57,367 in order to help law enforcement 639 00:32:57,367 --> 00:32:59,333 bring justice to those families. 640 00:33:01,367 --> 00:33:03,266 [Alicia] Heeding the advice from the meeting's experts, 641 00:33:03,266 --> 00:33:05,867 Sheriff Reed collects DNA samples 642 00:33:05,867 --> 00:33:08,000 from known suspects in the case 643 00:33:08,000 --> 00:33:13,066 in order to compare that to any new DNA that is discovered. 644 00:33:14,634 --> 00:33:16,533 Most people that was brought up as a suspect, 645 00:33:16,533 --> 00:33:18,734 like Paul Smith's suspects, 646 00:33:18,734 --> 00:33:20,699 there was already blood, semen, hair 647 00:33:20,699 --> 00:33:20,867 there was already blood, semen, hair 648 00:33:20,867 --> 00:33:23,367 they had taken as evidence in the past. 649 00:33:23,367 --> 00:33:26,266 Others was in prison or in jail, 650 00:33:26,266 --> 00:33:30,634 and their DNA is in what's considered CODIS, it's a federal data base. 651 00:33:31,867 --> 00:33:35,266 Once Sheriff Reed and Andrea Fielding collected enough evidence, 652 00:33:35,266 --> 00:33:39,634 hundreds of samples are shipped off for DNA testing. 653 00:33:39,634 --> 00:33:44,433 I think all of us felt that this is going to finally bring closure to those families. 654 00:33:53,166 --> 00:33:54,600 [Sheri] I was hoping and praying 655 00:33:54,600 --> 00:33:57,066 that the results would show 656 00:33:57,066 --> 00:33:59,800 the person who killed Lori, 657 00:33:59,800 --> 00:34:01,734 Michelle and Denise. 658 00:34:03,166 --> 00:34:07,066 [Andrea] Hundreds of items of evidence have been forensically analyzed. 659 00:34:07,967 --> 00:34:09,800 We found out from the testing 660 00:34:09,800 --> 00:34:11,467 that pretty much everything was degraded 661 00:34:11,467 --> 00:34:13,734 to a point that we didn't get anything usable. 662 00:34:15,100 --> 00:34:17,500 Out of all of the evidence items, 663 00:34:17,500 --> 00:34:20,800 the original semen's analysis back in 1989 664 00:34:20,800 --> 00:34:21,946 and the hair, sweat from the tent 665 00:34:21,946 --> 00:34:23,533 and the hair, sweat from the tent 666 00:34:23,533 --> 00:34:26,734 were the only profiles of someone 667 00:34:26,734 --> 00:34:28,266 other than a victim or a family member 668 00:34:28,266 --> 00:34:32,600 that had been obtained to-date in this case. 669 00:34:32,600 --> 00:34:37,000 And both of those resulted in a partial profile consistent with Mr. Hart. 670 00:34:39,367 --> 00:34:42,533 [Sheri] The results were devastating. 671 00:34:42,533 --> 00:34:49,367 We all were disappointed that it was not a more conclusive answer. 672 00:34:49,367 --> 00:34:51,367 [Andrea] We've tested all of the people of interest, 673 00:34:51,367 --> 00:34:51,946 and all of those individuals have been excluded 674 00:34:51,946 --> 00:34:54,467 and all of those individuals have been excluded 675 00:34:54,467 --> 00:34:56,800 form the DNA profiles that we have obtained. 676 00:34:56,800 --> 00:34:59,100 But Gene Leroy Hart cannot be excluded 677 00:34:59,100 --> 00:35:02,100 as being the possible perpetrator of this crime. 678 00:35:02,100 --> 00:35:03,634 So it was a positive. 679 00:35:03,634 --> 00:35:05,433 Absolutely, it was a positive. 680 00:35:06,166 --> 00:35:08,367 And everything that I've looked at 681 00:35:08,367 --> 00:35:11,100 still points to Gene Hart. 682 00:35:11,100 --> 00:35:13,900 And I don't have a single other thing pointing to somebody else. 683 00:35:15,734 --> 00:35:18,100 [Bo] Sheri and I definitely believe 684 00:35:18,100 --> 00:35:21,946 that Gene Leroy Hart was the sole person 685 00:35:21,946 --> 00:35:22,367 that Gene Leroy Hart was the sole person 686 00:35:22,367 --> 00:35:24,634 that committed this crime 687 00:35:24,634 --> 00:35:26,166 and was the sole person 688 00:35:26,166 --> 00:35:28,800 that was in that tent that night. 689 00:35:30,266 --> 00:35:33,734 But Sheri and I are still open 690 00:35:33,734 --> 00:35:35,800 to any information... 691 00:35:37,100 --> 00:35:39,734 that might show 692 00:35:39,734 --> 00:35:43,166 that he may have had an accessory 693 00:35:43,166 --> 00:35:46,800 help him in some way after the fact. 694 00:35:47,734 --> 00:35:51,946 If people know something and they come forward, 695 00:35:51,946 --> 00:35:52,266 If people know something and they come forward, 696 00:35:52,266 --> 00:35:54,100 it will be looked into. 697 00:35:55,100 --> 00:35:56,500 [Kim] You know, members of my family 698 00:35:56,500 --> 00:35:59,266 supported my uncle Gene during that trial. 699 00:35:59,266 --> 00:36:00,734 When I became interested in this case 700 00:36:00,734 --> 00:36:03,367 as a young person and started asking questions, 701 00:36:03,367 --> 00:36:07,734 I got the feeling that Gene's half-brother, my uncle Thurman, 702 00:36:07,734 --> 00:36:09,800 believed that Gene was involved in some way. 703 00:36:11,066 --> 00:36:13,333 But that this was not just Gene. 704 00:36:14,266 --> 00:36:16,467 And I believe that he thought that for a reason, 705 00:36:16,467 --> 00:36:18,266 and a valid reason. 706 00:36:18,266 --> 00:36:20,100 He grew up in the area, you know, 707 00:36:20,100 --> 00:36:21,946 he knew these people that lived around Camp Scott. 708 00:36:21,946 --> 00:36:22,333 he knew these people that lived around Camp Scott. 709 00:36:23,266 --> 00:36:24,600 So, when he stated to me 710 00:36:24,600 --> 00:36:26,634 that there were more people involved, I believed him. 711 00:36:28,467 --> 00:36:34,600 This crime doesn't exemplify our culture or our traditions or our communities. 712 00:36:34,600 --> 00:36:36,600 We don't want anyone 713 00:36:36,600 --> 00:36:38,600 to have their children taken from them like that 714 00:36:38,600 --> 00:36:42,533 in such a violent manner and then have it unsolved. 715 00:36:42,533 --> 00:36:45,433 And we want justice for the victims. 716 00:36:48,000 --> 00:36:50,967 [Bo] Over the years, Sheri developed a presence 717 00:36:50,967 --> 00:36:51,946 about victims' rights. 718 00:36:51,946 --> 00:36:53,734 about victims' rights. 719 00:36:53,734 --> 00:36:58,533 By and large, a criminal had all the rights and victims had no rights. 720 00:36:59,600 --> 00:37:01,634 [Alicia] Using all that she'd learned 721 00:37:01,634 --> 00:37:05,634 as a victims' right advocate, Sheri successfully campaigns 722 00:37:05,634 --> 00:37:09,000 in 2018 to have victims' rights 723 00:37:09,000 --> 00:37:12,100 made part of Oklahoma State Constitution. 724 00:37:13,867 --> 00:37:15,634 [Sheri] By passing Marsy's Law, 725 00:37:15,634 --> 00:37:17,533 victims and victims' families 726 00:37:17,533 --> 00:37:20,533 have a right to be in the courtroom. 727 00:37:20,533 --> 00:37:21,946 They would have the right to have some input, 728 00:37:21,946 --> 00:37:24,266 They would have the right to have some input, 729 00:37:24,266 --> 00:37:27,533 should there be a punishment phase. 730 00:37:27,533 --> 00:37:32,233 And now these rights are in our state constitution. 731 00:37:35,266 --> 00:37:37,533 [Alicia] In October of 2022, 732 00:37:37,533 --> 00:37:40,266 Sheri and Bo are recognized 733 00:37:40,266 --> 00:37:43,734 by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. 734 00:37:43,734 --> 00:37:46,533 [announcer] Please welcome to stage, 735 00:37:46,533 --> 00:37:49,600 Lori Farmer's incredible parents, 736 00:37:49,600 --> 00:37:51,867 Sheri and Bo Farmer. 737 00:37:51,867 --> 00:37:51,946 Surrounded by their four surviving children 738 00:37:51,946 --> 00:37:54,467 Surrounded by their four surviving children 739 00:37:54,467 --> 00:37:55,734 and three of their grandchildren, 740 00:37:55,734 --> 00:37:58,266 the Farmers received the Hope Award 741 00:37:58,266 --> 00:38:00,800 for their relentless work 742 00:38:00,800 --> 00:38:02,867 advocating for victims' rights. 743 00:38:02,867 --> 00:38:07,600 [Sheri] This is really for Lori and Denise and Michelle. 744 00:38:07,600 --> 00:38:11,967 To our children, you have lived with imperfect parents, 745 00:38:11,967 --> 00:38:15,367 who have grappled with the murder of their child, 746 00:38:15,367 --> 00:38:18,600 but somehow, in the midst of all of that, 747 00:38:18,600 --> 00:38:21,867 you have become amazing adults, 748 00:38:21,867 --> 00:38:21,946 and we could not be more proud. 749 00:38:21,946 --> 00:38:23,800 and we could not be more proud. 750 00:38:26,000 --> 00:38:30,967 The Gala was, uh, a really special time for Bo and I. 751 00:38:30,967 --> 00:38:35,233 It was far more emotional than I ever thought I was going to be. 752 00:38:37,166 --> 00:38:41,100 Tonight is a testament to the... the impact that they've had 753 00:38:41,100 --> 00:38:44,533 and the ripple effects that their work has had for 754 00:38:44,533 --> 00:38:46,066 um, many, many people. 755 00:38:46,066 --> 00:38:48,533 And, uh, it's a... a very special event tonight. 756 00:38:49,867 --> 00:38:51,946 [Kali] I really enjoyed seeing my parents being honored 757 00:38:51,946 --> 00:38:53,800 [Kali] I really enjoyed seeing my parents being honored 758 00:38:53,800 --> 00:38:56,800 'cause I know all the hours they've spent 759 00:38:56,800 --> 00:38:59,500 helping other victims. 760 00:38:59,500 --> 00:39:01,734 There's not a day that goes by 761 00:39:01,734 --> 00:39:06,533 that we don't see a picture of Lori or talk about her. 762 00:39:07,800 --> 00:39:13,066 As I've gotten older, I think I have felt the void more now. 763 00:39:14,000 --> 00:39:16,066 It's not just that my sister's not here, 764 00:39:16,066 --> 00:39:18,367 but who she would've married 765 00:39:18,367 --> 00:39:21,233 and their children and their children. 766 00:39:22,500 --> 00:39:24,734 [Bo] Lori, Denise and Michelle 767 00:39:24,734 --> 00:39:28,533 are still just largely recognized 768 00:39:28,533 --> 00:39:31,333 as three Girl Scouts that were murdered. 769 00:39:31,800 --> 00:39:34,000 Those three girls deserve... 770 00:39:34,734 --> 00:39:35,900 much more. 771 00:39:39,166 --> 00:39:41,967 [Bettye] Over 40 years is a long time to wait 772 00:39:41,967 --> 00:39:44,867 for something to be resolved and... 773 00:39:44,867 --> 00:39:46,734 at one time, I guess I thought 774 00:39:46,734 --> 00:39:49,166 that I would live long enough to see that happen, 775 00:39:49,166 --> 00:39:51,333 but now I don't know. 776 00:39:52,367 --> 00:39:54,000 Even if it does, 777 00:39:54,000 --> 00:39:56,900 it won't ever be over for us, the parents. 778 00:39:58,867 --> 00:40:01,166 [Christine] Denise Milner's mother, Bettye, 779 00:40:01,166 --> 00:40:05,166 and Bo and Sheri Farmer 780 00:40:05,166 --> 00:40:07,500 are the only surviving parents, 781 00:40:07,500 --> 00:40:11,000 and have stayed in contact over the years. 782 00:40:11,000 --> 00:40:14,734 I hope that for the families there's more advances 783 00:40:14,734 --> 00:40:21,000 in, uh, DNA technology that they could possibly find undisputed proof 784 00:40:21,000 --> 00:40:21,946 they are so desperately seeking. 785 00:40:21,946 --> 00:40:24,166 they are so desperately seeking. 786 00:40:25,967 --> 00:40:30,467 The summer of '77 was the last summer girls attended Camp Scott. 787 00:40:30,467 --> 00:40:34,166 And eventually, the Girl Scout counsel sold the property in 1988, 788 00:40:34,166 --> 00:40:37,233 and today, it's a hunting ground. 789 00:40:42,533 --> 00:40:47,266 [Alicia] Although it's been almost five decades since the night of the murders, 790 00:40:47,266 --> 00:40:51,467 the tree where the girls were found still remains. 791 00:40:51,467 --> 00:40:51,946 And Lori's parents have come here 792 00:40:51,946 --> 00:40:55,367 And Lori's parents have come here 793 00:40:55,367 --> 00:40:57,900 to mourn one last time. 794 00:41:01,467 --> 00:41:04,433 Gonna put a rose for Michelle... 795 00:41:08,166 --> 00:41:10,433 and a rose for Denise... 796 00:41:13,600 --> 00:41:14,634 [sniffles] 797 00:41:16,467 --> 00:41:18,233 ...and a rose for Lori. 798 00:41:20,533 --> 00:41:21,634 [sighs deeply] 799 00:41:23,100 --> 00:41:25,166 These girls are not forgotten. 800 00:41:26,600 --> 00:41:28,533 -[Bo] Never ever. -[Sheri sniffles] 801 00:41:36,533 --> 00:41:40,333 Closure will not be a part of our lives. 802 00:41:42,000 --> 00:41:46,000 Our pathway has always been justice for Lori 803 00:41:46,000 --> 00:41:47,867 and to help other people, 804 00:41:47,867 --> 00:41:50,066 and we've tried to do both of those.