1
00:00:12,545 --> 00:00:15,079
<i> - In a rural</i>
<i> north carolina county</i>

2
00:00:15,081 --> 00:00:17,382
<i> Known for its holiday spirit,</i>

3
00:00:17,451 --> 00:00:21,854
<i> A brutal triple homicide</i>
<i> grips the town.</i>

4
00:00:21,922 --> 00:00:23,822
<i> - Dispatcher put a call out.</i>

5
00:00:23,891 --> 00:00:27,792
There was multiple shootings
at the hudler farm.

6
00:00:27,862 --> 00:00:30,729
- Nothing like that's
ever happened before.

7
00:00:30,798 --> 00:00:34,533
- We were just thinking,
who in the world did this?

8
00:00:34,601 --> 00:00:36,901
- They didn't deserve it.
It's hard.

9
00:00:36,971 --> 00:00:38,503
I'm sorry.

10
00:00:38,505 --> 00:00:41,806
<i> - And a trail</i>
<i> of clues and tips...</i>

11
00:00:41,876 --> 00:00:45,444
- This letter is a direct line
to the evidence

12
00:00:45,512 --> 00:00:46,945
That we've been looking for.

13
00:00:47,014 --> 00:00:51,750
<i> - Leads to a devil in</i>
<i> disguise, driven by greed.</i>

14
00:00:51,818 --> 00:00:55,988
- You know the old saying
"greed's the root of all evil"?

15
00:00:56,056 --> 00:00:58,791
<i> - But just when it</i>
<i> seems like all his sins</i>

16
00:00:58,859 --> 00:01:00,659
<i> Have been accounted for...</i>

17
00:01:00,727 --> 00:01:03,094
<i> - He said, for money,</i>
<i> I will tell you information</i>

18
00:01:03,164 --> 00:01:05,263
On a missing-persons case.

19
00:01:05,332 --> 00:01:07,699
- He's the epitome
of the calculating,

20
00:01:07,768 --> 00:01:09,768
Cold-blooded killer.

21
00:01:12,505 --> 00:01:15,574
<i> ["just another ghost"]</i>

22
00:01:15,642 --> 00:01:18,210
<i> ♪ ♪</i>

23
00:01:18,278 --> 00:01:21,947
<i> - ♪ oh, child ♪</i>

24
00:01:22,015 --> 00:01:25,784
<i> ♪ come home</i>
<i> to the gallows pole ♪</i>

25
00:01:27,354 --> 00:01:29,420
[birds chirping]

26
00:01:29,422 --> 00:01:32,524
[church bells tolling]

27
00:01:32,593 --> 00:01:34,960
<i> - Nestled within</i>
<i> the blue ridge mountains,</i>

28
00:01:35,028 --> 00:01:38,597
<i> Just a stone's throw away</i>
<i> from the virginia state line,</i>

29
00:01:38,665 --> 00:01:41,366
<i> Ashe county, north carolina,</i>
<i> is a scenic slice</i>

30
00:01:41,435 --> 00:01:44,636
<i> Of southern tranquility.</i>

31
00:01:44,705 --> 00:01:47,339
<i> It's certainly not the kind</i>
<i> of place you'd expect evil</i>

32
00:01:47,407 --> 00:01:49,340
<i> To be lurking about.</i>

33
00:01:49,342 --> 00:01:52,511
<i> [suspenseful music]</i>

34
00:01:52,579 --> 00:01:54,913
<i> - Ashe county,</i>
<i> the high country.</i>

35
00:01:54,982 --> 00:01:57,749
It's god's country.

36
00:01:57,818 --> 00:02:01,420
We're a christmas tree capital
of the united states, I reckon.

37
00:02:01,488 --> 00:02:05,390
<i> Everybody wanted</i>
<i> a north carolina fraser fir.</i>

38
00:02:05,458 --> 00:02:07,392
<i> - We're</i>
<i> a tight-knit community.</i>

39
00:02:07,460 --> 00:02:09,961
Everybody truly do
love their neighbor.

40
00:02:09,963 --> 00:02:13,197
<i> And certainly</i>
<i> nobody's out to get you.</i>

41
00:02:13,199 --> 00:02:15,500
[bird cawing]

42
00:02:15,569 --> 00:02:19,238
<i> - That is,</i>
<i> until January of 2008,</i>

43
00:02:19,306 --> 00:02:22,707
<i> When a 911 call came in</i>
<i> from one of ashe county's</i>

44
00:02:22,776 --> 00:02:25,476
<i> Most successful</i>
<i> christmas tree farms.</i>

45
00:02:25,478 --> 00:02:27,913
<i> [siren wailing]</i>

46
00:02:27,981 --> 00:02:29,681
<i> [indistinct chatter</i>
<i> over police radio]</i>

47
00:02:29,750 --> 00:02:31,550
<i> - That day, dispatch</i>
<i> had put a call out.</i>

48
00:02:31,618 --> 00:02:34,252
There was multiple shootings

49
00:02:34,254 --> 00:02:36,955
On 16 north at hudler farms.

50
00:02:37,023 --> 00:02:38,790
<i> Well, I was in shock.</i>

51
00:02:38,859 --> 00:02:42,027
<i> Everybody knew the hudlers--</i>
<i> well-respected people</i>

52
00:02:42,095 --> 00:02:43,528
<i> In the county.</i>

53
00:02:43,597 --> 00:02:45,730
So I went straight
to the scene.

54
00:02:45,799 --> 00:02:48,667
<i> [sirens wailing]</i>

55
00:02:50,971 --> 00:02:52,504
<i> I got there.</i>

56
00:02:52,573 --> 00:02:54,939
There was a couple
other officers there.

57
00:02:55,009 --> 00:02:57,909
<i> And there was a body</i>
<i> laying in the driveway.</i>

58
00:02:57,978 --> 00:03:00,378
<i> ♪ ♪</i>

59
00:03:00,447 --> 00:03:02,847
<i> It was dead silence</i>

60
00:03:02,849 --> 00:03:05,817
Except for a wind chime
tinkling in the breeze.

61
00:03:05,886 --> 00:03:09,387
[wind chime tinkling]

62
00:03:09,456 --> 00:03:11,790
<i> - Not far</i>
<i> from this grisly site,</i>

63
00:03:11,858 --> 00:03:15,027
<i> Sheriff williams notices</i>
<i> two other deputies talking</i>

64
00:03:15,095 --> 00:03:16,928
<i> With bill hudler,</i>

65
00:03:16,997 --> 00:03:20,532
<i> The youngest son of family</i>
<i> patriarch, ron hudler.</i>

66
00:03:20,601 --> 00:03:25,003
<i> And bill's got</i>
<i> blood all over him.</i>

67
00:03:25,071 --> 00:03:27,272
<i> - His house was</i>
<i> just down the road</i>

68
00:03:27,341 --> 00:03:29,975
A little ways
from his dad's house.

69
00:03:30,043 --> 00:03:31,676
<i> He just drove up there.</i>

70
00:03:31,745 --> 00:03:34,078
And he's the one
that happened upon the scene

71
00:03:34,148 --> 00:03:36,848
And called it in.

72
00:03:36,917 --> 00:03:38,950
<i> - Bill identifies</i>
<i> the deceased man</i>

73
00:03:39,019 --> 00:03:41,552
<i> On the driveway</i>
<i> as his brother,</i>

74
00:03:41,554 --> 00:03:45,857
<i> 44-year-old father of 2,</i>
<i> fred hudler.</i>

75
00:03:45,859 --> 00:03:50,562
- It was a fatal shot
that went into his head,

76
00:03:50,631 --> 00:03:54,199
Leading down toward his back.

77
00:03:54,267 --> 00:03:56,701
It also appeared that
he may have gotten shot

78
00:03:56,770 --> 00:03:59,638
Through the garage door...

79
00:03:59,706 --> 00:04:02,908
Because there were some bullet
holes in the garage door.

80
00:04:04,911 --> 00:04:07,579
<i> - Sheriff williams sends</i>
<i> one of his deputies</i>

81
00:04:07,648 --> 00:04:12,550
<i> To investigate the</i>
<i> bullet holes in the garage.</i>

82
00:04:12,619 --> 00:04:16,722
<i> But bullet holes aren't</i>
<i> the only thing he finds.</i>

83
00:04:18,625 --> 00:04:21,893
<i> - He found</i>
<i> a 25-year-old young man</i>

84
00:04:21,962 --> 00:04:24,629
Been shot in the head,
laying in there.

85
00:04:24,698 --> 00:04:26,064
<i> [indistinct chatter</i>
<i> over police radio]</i>

86
00:04:26,133 --> 00:04:28,933
<i> Bill told us</i>
<i> it was john miller.</i>

87
00:04:28,935 --> 00:04:30,435
He was very upset.

88
00:04:31,705 --> 00:04:33,872
<i> - John worked for the hudlers.</i>

89
00:04:33,940 --> 00:04:36,141
He was definitely considered
one of their right-hand man,

90
00:04:36,209 --> 00:04:38,009
So to say.

91
00:04:38,078 --> 00:04:40,278
<i> - Like fred hudler,</i>
<i> sheriff williams</i>

92
00:04:40,346 --> 00:04:43,748
<i> Notices that john's blood</i>
<i> is still fresh.</i>

93
00:04:43,817 --> 00:04:46,818
<i> It appears he's only been dead</i>
<i> for a couple of hours.</i>

94
00:04:46,887 --> 00:04:50,922
<i> But before investigators can</i>
<i> secure the two crime scenes,</i>

95
00:04:50,991 --> 00:04:55,159
<i> They make another</i>
<i> horrific discovery.</i>

96
00:04:55,229 --> 00:04:58,363
<i> ♪ ♪</i>

97
00:04:58,431 --> 00:05:02,534
- They found ron hudler near
the kitchen area of the house

98
00:05:02,602 --> 00:05:05,103
<i> On his tree farm.</i>

99
00:05:05,171 --> 00:05:07,906
<i> He lived by himself.</i>

100
00:05:07,974 --> 00:05:11,043
- Hudler was shot once
in the back of the head.

101
00:05:11,111 --> 00:05:14,079
- Bill told us that ron hudler
was gone up north

102
00:05:14,147 --> 00:05:17,716
To some christmas tree
organizational meeting

103
00:05:17,784 --> 00:05:21,052
<i> And wasn't supposed to be back</i>
<i> till the next day.</i>

104
00:05:21,121 --> 00:05:22,687
<i> Bill was in shock.</i>

105
00:05:22,756 --> 00:05:24,956
It's mighty hard for him.

106
00:05:24,958 --> 00:05:27,892
<i> - Investigators ask bill</i>
<i> to wait in the driveway</i>

107
00:05:27,961 --> 00:05:31,062
<i> So they can ask him</i>
<i> more questions later.</i>

108
00:05:31,131 --> 00:05:34,833
<i> Meanwhile, they continue</i>
<i> to examine the crime scene.</i>

109
00:05:36,336 --> 00:05:38,803
<i> - You know, you got</i>
<i> three people murdered.</i>

110
00:05:38,805 --> 00:05:41,706
And we're just thinking,
who in the world did this?

111
00:05:41,774 --> 00:05:43,408
<i> We needed extra help.</i>

112
00:05:43,476 --> 00:05:45,644
<i> So we went, called dispatch,</i>

113
00:05:45,712 --> 00:05:48,813
And we had backup coming
from everywhere.

114
00:05:48,882 --> 00:05:50,682
<i> - And one of those</i>
<i> dispatch calls</i>

115
00:05:50,751 --> 00:05:53,151
<i> Makes it over the state line</i>
<i> into virginia</i>

116
00:05:53,220 --> 00:05:55,954
<i> To grayson county sheriff</i>
<i> richard vaughan.</i>

117
00:05:57,924 --> 00:06:00,859
- I'd been sheriff
literally for 24 days

118
00:06:00,927 --> 00:06:04,128
When this triple homicide
occurred.

119
00:06:04,197 --> 00:06:06,064
<i> And I thought, well,</i>
<i> being in the new sheriff,</i>

120
00:06:06,132 --> 00:06:09,701
I'll ride over
and see if we can assist.

121
00:06:09,703 --> 00:06:11,970
<i> - But he's met</i>
<i> with a big surprise</i>

122
00:06:12,038 --> 00:06:14,373
<i> Before he even arrives</i>
<i> on the scene.</i>

123
00:06:14,441 --> 00:06:15,874
<i> - The hudler tree farm</i>

124
00:06:15,942 --> 00:06:18,710
Was right on the ashe county,
north carolina,

125
00:06:18,779 --> 00:06:21,780
<i> And grayson county,</i>
<i> virginia, line.</i>

126
00:06:21,848 --> 00:06:25,117
<i> - The hudler family,</i>
<i> all from ashe county.</i>

127
00:06:25,185 --> 00:06:30,121
And most of the hudlers'
tree farm is in ashe county.

128
00:06:30,190 --> 00:06:33,391
So we assumed, naturally,
at first, that this

129
00:06:33,460 --> 00:06:35,994
Was going to be our case.

130
00:06:36,062 --> 00:06:38,129
<i> But then when we</i>
<i> started checking tax records</i>

131
00:06:38,198 --> 00:06:39,698
<i> To make sure.</i>

132
00:06:39,766 --> 00:06:43,735
<i> And the crime scene area</i>
<i> is 100 yards or so</i>

133
00:06:43,737 --> 00:06:45,937
<i> Just inside virginia.</i>

134
00:06:46,005 --> 00:06:49,440
<i> - We were about halfway there</i>
<i> when the dispatcher hollered</i>

135
00:06:49,510 --> 00:06:51,243
On the radio and said,

136
00:06:51,311 --> 00:06:54,045
This shooting is actually
in grayson county.

137
00:06:54,114 --> 00:06:57,515
<i> I spoke with sheriff williams,</i>
<i> who had already on scene.</i>

138
00:06:57,584 --> 00:07:00,552
And that's when it
started sinking in.

139
00:07:00,620 --> 00:07:03,755
<i> - He fell right out of the</i>
<i> frying pan and into the fire</i>

140
00:07:03,823 --> 00:07:08,292
Right quick
on a triple homicide.

141
00:07:08,294 --> 00:07:11,029
<i> - Sheriff williams offers</i>
<i> to help sheriff vaughan</i>

142
00:07:11,097 --> 00:07:14,933
<i> In any way he can to bring</i>
<i> this heinous crime to justice.</i>

143
00:07:15,001 --> 00:07:17,802
<i> So the two sheriffs</i>
<i> join forces</i>

144
00:07:17,871 --> 00:07:20,272
<i> And start searching</i>
<i> for answers.</i>

145
00:07:20,340 --> 00:07:21,806
- Your mind's racing.

146
00:07:21,875 --> 00:07:24,142
<i> What is the motive here?</i>

147
00:07:24,210 --> 00:07:26,811
<i> ♪ ♪</i>

148
00:07:26,813 --> 00:07:29,513
<i> - As they begin processing</i>
<i> the crime scene,</i>

149
00:07:29,515 --> 00:07:33,317
<i> News of this shocking tragedy</i>
<i> barrels through the community</i>

150
00:07:33,387 --> 00:07:35,186
<i> Like a brush fire.</i>

151
00:07:35,188 --> 00:07:37,555
<i> ♪ ♪</i>

152
00:07:37,624 --> 00:07:40,291
<i> - I was at my cabin.</i>

153
00:07:40,293 --> 00:07:42,461
<i> And I remember</i>
<i> hearing my phone,</i>

154
00:07:42,529 --> 00:07:44,095
And it was a buddy of mine.

155
00:07:44,097 --> 00:07:48,499
And he said,
have you heard the news

156
00:07:48,569 --> 00:07:50,401
<i> About the hudler farm?</i>

157
00:07:50,470 --> 00:07:53,437
Somebody killed them.

158
00:07:53,507 --> 00:07:57,041
I said, what? No way.

159
00:07:57,043 --> 00:08:00,846
<i> It was like</i>
<i> a kick in the teeth.</i>

160
00:08:02,148 --> 00:08:04,416
[inhales shakily,
exhales deeply]

161
00:08:04,484 --> 00:08:06,951
It's hard.
I'm sorry.

162
00:08:07,020 --> 00:08:10,021
I apologize.
[sniffles]

163
00:08:12,593 --> 00:08:14,592
<i> I worked</i>
<i> on the hudler tree farm</i>

164
00:08:14,594 --> 00:08:16,961
<i> For probably 13 years.</i>

165
00:08:16,963 --> 00:08:19,097
Good guys, every one of them.

166
00:08:19,165 --> 00:08:22,700
<i> Ron hudler was awesome.</i>
<i> Great guy, great heart.</i>

167
00:08:22,769 --> 00:08:24,803
Hell of a tree farmer.

168
00:08:24,871 --> 00:08:27,305
<i> - He was married</i>
<i> several times.</i>

169
00:08:27,374 --> 00:08:29,440
<i> He had three sons--</i>

170
00:08:29,509 --> 00:08:32,143
<i> Fred, dale, and bill.</i>

171
00:08:32,145 --> 00:08:35,647
Fred and bill
worked on the farm.

172
00:08:35,715 --> 00:08:38,650
- Fred was like
a father figure to me.

173
00:08:38,718 --> 00:08:40,585
You know, I grew up
with no father.

174
00:08:40,654 --> 00:08:45,023
So fred was--
kind of took that role.

175
00:08:45,025 --> 00:08:47,826
<i> And he'd say these one-liners</i>
<i> that would just</i>

176
00:08:47,894 --> 00:08:52,264
Make you bust out
belly laughing.

177
00:08:52,332 --> 00:08:55,166
<i> It was john's first season</i>
<i> working for the farm.</i>

178
00:08:55,235 --> 00:08:57,568
<i> He was strong--</i>
<i> big old boy.</i>

179
00:08:57,570 --> 00:08:59,470
<i> He could throw them trees up.</i>

180
00:08:59,539 --> 00:09:01,739
I liked him a lot, for sure.

181
00:09:01,808 --> 00:09:03,875
I had a new little family.

182
00:09:05,878 --> 00:09:08,446
<i> - So one of the saddest things</i>

183
00:09:08,515 --> 00:09:11,015
<i> Was that young man,</i>
<i> john miller.</i>

184
00:09:11,084 --> 00:09:13,485
<i> Hadn't been married too long.</i>

185
00:09:13,553 --> 00:09:17,155
Just trying to make an extra
dollar with a new baby.

186
00:09:17,223 --> 00:09:20,024
Never got to live any life yet.

187
00:09:20,093 --> 00:09:21,693
<i> [indistinct chatter</i>
<i> over police radio]</i>

188
00:09:21,761 --> 00:09:23,962
<i> - Back at the crime scene,</i>
<i> sheriff williams</i>

189
00:09:24,030 --> 00:09:28,099
<i> And sheriff vaughan</i>
<i> discover several clues.</i>

190
00:09:28,101 --> 00:09:31,303
<i> - They had found some</i>
<i> round-shaped glass</i>

191
00:09:31,371 --> 00:09:35,907
<i> Near ron hudler that appeared</i>
<i> to be from a rifle scope</i>

192
00:09:35,976 --> 00:09:38,242
And some .22 casings.

193
00:09:38,311 --> 00:09:40,611
<i> But there was no weapon.</i>

194
00:09:40,613 --> 00:09:44,649
<i> - We got into the garage</i>
<i> and saw that the big safe</i>

195
00:09:44,718 --> 00:09:47,785
Had been moved around.

196
00:09:47,854 --> 00:09:49,321
<i> - The safe, it was ajar.</i>

197
00:09:49,389 --> 00:09:52,524
<i> The door was open</i>
<i> with the keys in it.</i>

198
00:09:52,592 --> 00:09:57,295
<i> There was also some scratches</i>
<i> and marking onto the safe</i>

199
00:09:57,363 --> 00:10:00,965
That indicated to us that
whoever this suspect was,

200
00:10:01,034 --> 00:10:04,068
Was there to try
to steal that safe...

201
00:10:04,137 --> 00:10:06,470
<i> But were unsuccessful.</i>

202
00:10:06,472 --> 00:10:11,209
So we felt like that this
was a robbery gone bad.

203
00:10:11,277 --> 00:10:15,579
<i> - Investigators made contact</i>
<i> with ron hudler's secretary</i>

204
00:10:15,649 --> 00:10:19,217
<i> To see if she can shed</i>
<i> more light on the safe.</i>

205
00:10:19,285 --> 00:10:22,120
<i> - We learned</i>
<i> from ron's secretary</i>

206
00:10:22,188 --> 00:10:26,390
That he had a large amount
of cash normally in that safe.

207
00:10:26,460 --> 00:10:30,762
<i> There was supposed to be</i>
<i> around $10,000 in there.</i>

208
00:10:30,830 --> 00:10:32,630
But there was no cash.

209
00:10:32,699 --> 00:10:34,365
<i> ♪ ♪</i>

210
00:10:34,434 --> 00:10:37,735
<i> At this point,</i>
<i> our best lead is the safe.</i>

211
00:10:37,804 --> 00:10:40,404
Whoever did this
probably knew that ron

212
00:10:40,473 --> 00:10:42,974
Kept a large amount of cash
there in that safe.

213
00:10:43,043 --> 00:10:45,243
<i> So we're just</i>
<i> trying to determine</i>

214
00:10:45,311 --> 00:10:47,711
<i> Who would have known that.</i>

215
00:10:47,713 --> 00:10:50,848
<i> - Ron's secretary says</i>
<i> the only two people</i>

216
00:10:50,917 --> 00:10:54,118
<i> Who have keys to the safe</i>
<i> are her and ron.</i>

217
00:10:54,187 --> 00:10:58,022
<i> Investigators inquire about</i>
<i> ron's two surviving sons,</i>

218
00:10:58,090 --> 00:11:00,624
<i> Bill and dale, checking</i>
<i> for any signs of motive</i>

219
00:11:00,626 --> 00:11:02,126
<i> Within the family.</i>

220
00:11:02,128 --> 00:11:06,164
<i> And she makes one comment</i>
<i> that catches their ears.</i>

221
00:11:06,232 --> 00:11:09,533
- We also learned
from ron's secretary

222
00:11:09,535 --> 00:11:13,004
<i> That his son bill</i>
<i> had financial problems.</i>

223
00:11:13,072 --> 00:11:15,940
<i> - Investigators turn</i>
<i> their attention to bill,</i>

224
00:11:16,008 --> 00:11:18,142
<i> Who remains on the scene.</i>

225
00:11:18,211 --> 00:11:20,478
- As you can imagine,
bill was panicked.

226
00:11:20,547 --> 00:11:22,080
<i> He found his brother dead.</i>

227
00:11:22,148 --> 00:11:26,717
His father is dead,
and a worker, john, also dead.

228
00:11:26,787 --> 00:11:28,620
<i> That's the toughest thing</i>

229
00:11:28,688 --> 00:11:31,155
<i> He's ever had to deal with</i>
<i> in his life.</i>

230
00:11:31,157 --> 00:11:33,424
- His comment was
that he had no idea

231
00:11:33,493 --> 00:11:35,026
Who could have done this.

232
00:11:35,095 --> 00:11:38,196
<i> But there was blood</i>
<i> on his clothing.</i>

233
00:11:38,264 --> 00:11:43,067
- And if there was anybody you
could ever start looking at,

234
00:11:43,069 --> 00:11:45,169
It would have been the one
that discovered the scene,

235
00:11:45,171 --> 00:11:47,571
You know, and called it in.

236
00:11:47,641 --> 00:11:49,407
- And that was bill hudler.

237
00:11:51,545 --> 00:11:52,744
<i> - Coming up...</i>

238
00:11:52,812 --> 00:11:56,447
- We got three people murdered,
and everybody was on edge.

239
00:11:56,449 --> 00:11:59,317
- She says, I'm not saying
that he did this crime.

240
00:11:59,385 --> 00:12:01,752
<i> But last year,</i>
<i> he was questioned</i>

241
00:12:01,822 --> 00:12:05,022
In the disappearance
of his nephew.

242
00:12:05,091 --> 00:12:08,259
<i> - ♪ come home</i>
<i> to the gallows pole ♪</i>

243
00:12:13,499 --> 00:12:16,067
<i> - ♪ judgment day shall come ♪</i>

244
00:12:17,970 --> 00:12:20,138
<i> - ♪ save yourself ♪</i>

245
00:12:20,206 --> 00:12:24,408
<i> ♪ for the devil's on his way ♪</i>
<i> [siren wailing]</i>

246
00:12:24,477 --> 00:12:27,979
<i> - This morning, fred hudler,</i>
<i> his father, ron hudler,</i>

247
00:12:28,047 --> 00:12:30,848
<i> And their employee</i>
<i> john miller,</i>

248
00:12:30,850 --> 00:12:32,684
<i> Were all found shot to death</i>

249
00:12:32,752 --> 00:12:36,454
<i> At the beloved</i>
<i> hudler carolina tree farm.</i>

250
00:12:37,823 --> 00:12:40,024
<i> And investigators</i>
<i> don't have to look far</i>

251
00:12:40,093 --> 00:12:43,027
<i> To find a person of interest.</i>

252
00:12:43,096 --> 00:12:46,030
- Bill hudler had
financial problems.

253
00:12:46,098 --> 00:12:49,633
<i> And there was blood</i>
<i> on his clothing.</i>

254
00:12:49,703 --> 00:12:53,838
<i> So he had to be considered</i>
<i> a suspect.</i>

255
00:12:53,906 --> 00:12:55,373
<i> He told us that morning,</i>

256
00:12:55,441 --> 00:12:58,175
<i> When he got</i>
<i> to his dad's property,</i>

257
00:12:58,244 --> 00:13:01,479
He saw a dump truck was still
in the driveway running.

258
00:13:01,547 --> 00:13:04,816
<i> When he went over to check,</i>
<i> he saw his brother fred</i>

259
00:13:04,884 --> 00:13:06,484
Dead in the driveway.

260
00:13:06,552 --> 00:13:08,987
We actually checked
bill's clothing

261
00:13:08,989 --> 00:13:11,155
For some high-impact
blood spatter

262
00:13:11,157 --> 00:13:13,524
<i> At the scene using a light</i>

263
00:13:13,593 --> 00:13:15,559
Because anybody who had been
close enough

264
00:13:15,561 --> 00:13:17,395
To fire those shots
would have had

265
00:13:17,463 --> 00:13:20,064
Some high-impact blood spatter
on their clothing.

266
00:13:22,001 --> 00:13:24,302
But the blood,
it wasn't consistent

267
00:13:24,370 --> 00:13:26,404
<i> With high-impact</i>
<i> blood spatter.</i>

268
00:13:26,472 --> 00:13:29,307
It was simply transfer of blood

269
00:13:29,375 --> 00:13:31,809
<i> From when he was trying</i>
<i> to help his brother.</i>

270
00:13:31,877 --> 00:13:34,445
<i> And in the end,</i>

271
00:13:34,514 --> 00:13:37,548
<i> After interviewing him</i>
<i> and people close to him,</i>

272
00:13:37,617 --> 00:13:42,286
<i> We determined</i>
<i> that he was not involved.</i>

273
00:13:42,355 --> 00:13:47,158
We also looked into
ron's other son, dale hudler.

274
00:13:47,226 --> 00:13:50,028
<i> Dale was distraught</i>
<i> when we talked to him.</i>

275
00:13:50,096 --> 00:13:53,731
<i> But we wanted to know if he</i>
<i> could have been involved.</i>

276
00:13:53,799 --> 00:13:57,335
But we confirmed he was
approximately, you know,

277
00:13:57,403 --> 00:14:00,204
30 minutes away at the time.

278
00:14:00,273 --> 00:14:05,109
No other family members
were suspects at that point.

279
00:14:05,178 --> 00:14:06,877
<i> - Before the victims' bodies</i>

280
00:14:06,879 --> 00:14:08,680
<i> Are taken</i>
<i> to the morgue for autopsy,</i>

281
00:14:08,748 --> 00:14:12,517
<i> Sheriff vaughan and</i>
<i> sheriff williams take stock.</i>

282
00:14:12,585 --> 00:14:15,386
<i> - Normally, when you work</i>
<i> a crime in this area,</i>

283
00:14:15,455 --> 00:14:18,089
It's domestic-related
or drug-related.

284
00:14:18,157 --> 00:14:21,825
You know who
the suspects are early on.

285
00:14:21,827 --> 00:14:25,396
<i> - But at that point,</i>
<i> we didn't have any clue.</i>

286
00:14:25,465 --> 00:14:29,000
Got three people murdered,
and everybody was on edge.

287
00:14:29,068 --> 00:14:31,769
<i> [suspenseful music]</i>

288
00:14:31,837 --> 00:14:34,872
- So we started trying to
narrow down our suspect pool.

289
00:14:34,941 --> 00:14:37,475
<i> ♪ ♪</i>

290
00:14:37,543 --> 00:14:41,945
<i> And we asked ourselves,</i>
<i> who else knew about the safe?</i>

291
00:14:41,947 --> 00:14:44,682
<i> And we started with employees.</i>

292
00:14:44,750 --> 00:14:47,318
<i> - During harvest,</i>
<i> the hudler farm</i>

293
00:14:47,387 --> 00:14:49,687
Bring in a lot
of seasonal workers

294
00:14:49,756 --> 00:14:53,958
From all over because that's
when all the muscle's needed.

295
00:14:54,026 --> 00:14:57,261
<i> - So we talked to the workers.</i>

296
00:14:57,263 --> 00:15:00,664
But we didn't develop
any leads from them.

297
00:15:00,733 --> 00:15:04,702
<i> ♪ ♪</i>

298
00:15:04,770 --> 00:15:07,972
<i> - Meanwhile,</i>
<i> with a killer roaming free,</i>

299
00:15:07,974 --> 00:15:10,541
<i> Fear hangs heavy in the air.</i>

300
00:15:10,610 --> 00:15:13,677
<i> - The hudler family,</i>
<i> they were concerned.</i>

301
00:15:13,747 --> 00:15:17,148
People in the community
were concerned.

302
00:15:17,216 --> 00:15:21,018
<i> So we actually put</i>
<i> out a tip line.</i>

303
00:15:21,087 --> 00:15:23,254
And we were getting
quite a few calls.

304
00:15:23,322 --> 00:15:25,689
<i> ♪ ♪</i>

305
00:15:25,691 --> 00:15:28,792
<i> - And approximately 12 hours</i>
<i> after the shootings,</i>

306
00:15:28,862 --> 00:15:32,896
<i> A tip comes in and grabs</i>
<i> sheriff vaughan by both ears.</i>

307
00:15:32,898 --> 00:15:36,768
<i> - I was speaking</i>
<i> with dale hudler's wife.</i>

308
00:15:36,836 --> 00:15:39,737
And she mentioned a guy--
freddie hammer.

309
00:15:39,806 --> 00:15:43,708
She said freddie used to work
up there on the hudler farm

310
00:15:43,776 --> 00:15:46,644
<i> And maybe</i>
<i> he possibly saw something</i>

311
00:15:46,712 --> 00:15:49,347
<i> Because he was always</i>
<i> in the area.</i>

312
00:15:49,415 --> 00:15:51,282
<i> - Till now, sheriff vaughan</i>

313
00:15:51,350 --> 00:15:53,484
<i> Has never heard</i>
<i> of freddie hammer.</i>

314
00:15:53,553 --> 00:15:56,287
<i> Dale's wife tells him that</i>
<i> he's known around town</i>

315
00:15:56,355 --> 00:15:59,991
<i> For running a successful</i>
<i> firewood business.</i>

316
00:16:00,059 --> 00:16:01,092
- Freddie p's firewood--

317
00:16:01,160 --> 00:16:03,327
I mean, that's where
everybody got their firewood.

318
00:16:03,329 --> 00:16:05,963
<i> - He delivered wood to a lot</i>
<i> of people in ashe county.</i>

319
00:16:06,031 --> 00:16:09,467
He'll help you out around the
house if you need stuff done.

320
00:16:09,535 --> 00:16:12,536
That's just how he was.

321
00:16:12,605 --> 00:16:16,440
<i> - But dale's wife--well,</i>
<i> she has a different story</i>

322
00:16:16,442 --> 00:16:18,375
<i> To share with sheriff vaughan.</i>

323
00:16:18,444 --> 00:16:22,480
- She says to me, I'm not
saying that he did this crime.

324
00:16:22,548 --> 00:16:24,848
<i> But last year,</i>
<i> he was questioned</i>

325
00:16:24,850 --> 00:16:27,218
In the disappearance
of jimmy blevins.

326
00:16:27,286 --> 00:16:29,520
<i> ♪ ♪</i>

327
00:16:29,522 --> 00:16:32,190
<i> Jimmy was freddie's nephew.</i>

328
00:16:32,258 --> 00:16:34,492
And jimmy had worked
for freddie

329
00:16:34,560 --> 00:16:38,996
<i> At his firewood business</i>
<i> until he went missing in 2007.</i>

330
00:16:39,065 --> 00:16:41,799
<i> ♪ ♪</i>

331
00:16:41,868 --> 00:16:44,268
<i> - At the time,</i>
<i> many folks believed</i>

332
00:16:44,337 --> 00:16:49,073
<i> The devil in the bottle was</i>
<i> behind jimmy's disappearance.</i>

333
00:16:49,141 --> 00:16:53,511
- A lot of people knew that
jimmy had an alcohol problem.

334
00:16:53,579 --> 00:16:55,279
<i> Maybe he got lost</i>
<i> out in the woods</i>

335
00:16:55,348 --> 00:16:57,114
<i> And fell over or something.</i>

336
00:16:57,183 --> 00:17:00,050
<i> I know we searched around</i>
<i> the woods and stuff</i>

337
00:17:00,052 --> 00:17:03,587
And all around where he lived,
but we never found anything.

338
00:17:03,656 --> 00:17:05,590
<i> ♪ ♪</i>

339
00:17:05,658 --> 00:17:08,392
<i> - When investigators</i>
<i> got wind from a neighbor</i>

340
00:17:08,460 --> 00:17:10,928
<i> That jimmy was last seen</i>
<i> alive at his trailer</i>

341
00:17:10,996 --> 00:17:12,596
<i> With his uncle freddie,</i>

342
00:17:12,665 --> 00:17:15,299
<i> They brought freddie in</i>
<i> for questioning.</i>

343
00:17:15,367 --> 00:17:18,636
<i> - Freddie hammer said</i>
<i> he dropped him off that night</i>

344
00:17:18,704 --> 00:17:22,173
<i> And never heard</i>
<i> from him again.</i>

345
00:17:22,241 --> 00:17:24,709
Some people were
pretty hot under the collar

346
00:17:24,777 --> 00:17:28,546
That we would even interview
him about jimmy blevins.

347
00:17:28,614 --> 00:17:32,850
He was pretty well-liked,
married, with a stepson.

348
00:17:32,919 --> 00:17:34,985
<i> He taught Sunday school.</i>

349
00:17:35,054 --> 00:17:39,189
They just thought he was an
upstanding, good christian man.

350
00:17:39,259 --> 00:17:43,561
And in the end, we didn't have
enough to charge him on jimmy.

351
00:17:43,629 --> 00:17:45,897
Had nothing
other than suspicion.

352
00:17:47,833 --> 00:17:50,668
<i> - So I called the</i>
<i> ashe county sheriff's office</i>

353
00:17:50,736 --> 00:17:53,637
<i> Before heading</i>
<i> to freddie hammer's house,</i>

354
00:17:53,639 --> 00:17:56,073
And I spoke
with an investigator there.

355
00:17:56,141 --> 00:17:57,408
<i> And he told me</i>

356
00:17:57,476 --> 00:17:59,943
<i> That freddie hammer</i>
<i> was a powder keg,</i>

357
00:17:59,945 --> 00:18:01,545
<i> That he hated the police</i>

358
00:18:01,614 --> 00:18:04,615
<i> For interviewing him</i>
<i> about his nephew.</i>

359
00:18:04,684 --> 00:18:07,618
<i> And he advised us not to go</i>
<i> down to his farmhouse</i>

360
00:18:07,687 --> 00:18:08,786
That night.

361
00:18:08,855 --> 00:18:10,888
<i> ♪ ♪</i>

362
00:18:10,956 --> 00:18:12,990
<i> - But in a murder</i>
<i> investigation,</i>

363
00:18:13,058 --> 00:18:14,625
<i> Every second counts.</i>

364
00:18:14,694 --> 00:18:17,628
<i> And with freddie being a</i>
<i> former employee of the hudlers</i>

365
00:18:17,697 --> 00:18:19,830
<i> And no stranger</i>
<i> to law enforcement,</i>

366
00:18:19,832 --> 00:18:22,933
<i> Sheriff vaughan decides</i>
<i> to take his chances.</i>

367
00:18:23,002 --> 00:18:25,603
<i> ♪ ♪</i>

368
00:18:25,671 --> 00:18:28,539
<i> [indistinct chatter</i>
<i> over police radio]</i>

369
00:18:31,777 --> 00:18:33,911
<i> - When we got there,</i>
<i> it was pitch-black.</i>

370
00:18:33,979 --> 00:18:36,513
<i> ♪ ♪</i>

371
00:18:36,582 --> 00:18:38,315
<i> We knock on the door.</i>

372
00:18:38,384 --> 00:18:39,750
[footsteps approaching]

373
00:18:39,819 --> 00:18:42,319
<i> And freddie hammer comes</i>
<i> barreling down the hallway</i>

374
00:18:42,388 --> 00:18:44,888
Wearing a tank top
and his boxer shorts.

375
00:18:44,958 --> 00:18:47,557
And he says, you can just get
the hell out of here.

376
00:18:47,559 --> 00:18:49,961
<i> ♪ ♪</i>

377
00:18:50,029 --> 00:18:51,995
<i> And I said, now,</i>
<i> wait a minute, freddie.</i>

378
00:18:51,997 --> 00:18:53,664
<i> I'm the new sheriff</i>
<i> over in grayson county.</i>

379
00:18:53,733 --> 00:18:55,399
I said, I'm just here
trying to figure out

380
00:18:55,468 --> 00:18:56,800
Who killed your friend.

381
00:18:56,869 --> 00:18:59,036
So he gave me that
sort of sideways look,

382
00:18:59,104 --> 00:19:01,171
<i> And he's like, well,</i>
<i> I'll talk to you.</i>

383
00:19:01,173 --> 00:19:04,675
But I'm not talking to these
ashe county sobs over here.

384
00:19:04,744 --> 00:19:09,046
<i> ♪ ♪</i>

385
00:19:09,114 --> 00:19:11,949
<i> Freddie tells us</i>
<i> his wife had told him</i>

386
00:19:12,017 --> 00:19:14,585
<i> About the triple homicide.</i>

387
00:19:14,654 --> 00:19:16,553
Freddie goes down the hallway,

388
00:19:16,622 --> 00:19:19,022
And he's like,
I want to show you something.

389
00:19:19,024 --> 00:19:22,359
And he grabs this big bolt.
And he says, see this bolt?

390
00:19:22,428 --> 00:19:26,497
<i> Fred hudler sandblasted</i>
<i> and painted this bolt for me.</i>

391
00:19:26,565 --> 00:19:29,066
You know, he's my friend.

392
00:19:29,134 --> 00:19:32,369
<i> And then I asked freddie,</i>
<i> did you go anywhere</i>

393
00:19:32,438 --> 00:19:34,572
<i> Near grayson county today?</i>

394
00:19:34,640 --> 00:19:36,207
And he said, no, I did not.

395
00:19:36,275 --> 00:19:38,575
<i> I went</i>
<i> to todd, north carolina,</i>

396
00:19:38,577 --> 00:19:43,280
And I was working on a house
for my friend marlon.

397
00:19:43,349 --> 00:19:45,449
<i> - Sheriff vaughan leaves</i>
<i> and makes a note</i>

398
00:19:45,518 --> 00:19:48,486
<i> To confirm hammer's alibi.</i>

399
00:19:48,554 --> 00:19:50,487
<i> And even though it's winter,</i>

400
00:19:50,556 --> 00:19:53,724
<i> This rookie sheriff</i>
<i> is feeling the heat.</i>

401
00:19:53,793 --> 00:19:56,827
- There was fear and anxiety
just in the community.

402
00:19:56,896 --> 00:20:00,197
<i> Nothing like this</i>
<i> has ever happened before.</i>

403
00:20:00,266 --> 00:20:03,300
You do have a lot of pressure
from your citizens,

404
00:20:03,369 --> 00:20:06,504
You know, calling--hey,
are you going to get this guy?

405
00:20:06,572 --> 00:20:08,172
Do you have any leads?

406
00:20:08,241 --> 00:20:10,474
<i> ♪ ♪</i>

407
00:20:10,542 --> 00:20:12,543
<i> - But the next day,</i>
<i> sheriff vaughan</i>

408
00:20:12,545 --> 00:20:16,480
<i> Gets another clue, courtesy</i>
<i> of the preliminary ballistics</i>

409
00:20:16,549 --> 00:20:18,782
<i> And autopsy reports.</i>

410
00:20:18,851 --> 00:20:20,584
<i> At the crime scenes,</i>

411
00:20:20,586 --> 00:20:22,820
<i> The amount</i>
<i> of bullet casings collected</i>

412
00:20:22,888 --> 00:20:25,356
<i> Outnumbered the total number</i>
<i> of gunshot wounds</i>

413
00:20:25,424 --> 00:20:27,057
<i> Sustained by the victims.</i>

414
00:20:27,126 --> 00:20:30,227
<i> In the murderous melee,</i>
<i> could one of the victims</i>

415
00:20:30,296 --> 00:20:33,564
<i> Have gotten a hold of the</i>
<i> killer's gun and fired back?</i>

416
00:20:33,632 --> 00:20:35,766
<i> ♪ ♪</i>

417
00:20:35,835 --> 00:20:37,835
<i> - We called</i>
<i> the local hospitals</i>

418
00:20:37,903 --> 00:20:40,671
To see if someone came in
with a gunshot wound

419
00:20:40,740 --> 00:20:44,175
Or some type of wound
that would have been consistent

420
00:20:44,243 --> 00:20:48,779
To being in a struggle with any
of the victims at the scene.

421
00:20:48,848 --> 00:20:50,681
And we did receive one call

422
00:20:50,750 --> 00:20:53,116
From a north wilkesboro
hospital

423
00:20:53,186 --> 00:20:56,854
<i> That a man had came in with</i>
<i> a gunshot wound to the hand</i>

424
00:20:56,922 --> 00:21:00,690
<i> Shortly after the crimes</i>
<i> had occurred.</i>

425
00:21:00,692 --> 00:21:04,294
We thought, could he be
connected to our crime?

426
00:21:04,364 --> 00:21:06,930
<i> ♪ ♪</i>

427
00:21:06,999 --> 00:21:10,701
<i> - ♪ come home</i>
<i> to the gallows pole ♪</i>

428
00:21:15,374 --> 00:21:18,909
<i> - ♪ judgment day shall come ♪</i>

429
00:21:25,051 --> 00:21:27,618
<i> - Based on the preliminary</i>
<i> ballistics</i>

430
00:21:27,687 --> 00:21:29,787
<i> And autopsy reports,</i>

431
00:21:29,855 --> 00:21:31,889
<i> Investigators learn</i>
<i> there's a possibility</i>

432
00:21:31,957 --> 00:21:34,324
<i> That the hudler</i>
<i> carolina tree farm killer</i>

433
00:21:34,394 --> 00:21:35,659
<i> Might have taken a bullet</i>

434
00:21:35,728 --> 00:21:37,394
<i> Before he fled</i>
<i> the crime scene.</i>

435
00:21:37,396 --> 00:21:40,430
<i> [dramatic music]</i>

436
00:21:40,500 --> 00:21:42,833
- And they found a man
at a local hospital

437
00:21:42,902 --> 00:21:44,902
With a bullet wound
to his hand.

438
00:21:44,970 --> 00:21:48,038
<i> And they thought</i>
<i> that he might be the guy.</i>

439
00:21:48,107 --> 00:21:50,774
- We had to send investigators
down there to the hospital

440
00:21:50,843 --> 00:21:52,009
<i> To look into that.</i>

441
00:21:53,913 --> 00:21:56,179
<i> - But when investigators</i>
<i> get to the hospital</i>

442
00:21:56,249 --> 00:22:00,517
<i> And get eyes on him,</i>
<i> they're met with a surprise.</i>

443
00:22:00,586 --> 00:22:02,586
<i> - The hospital workers</i>
<i> confirmed</i>

444
00:22:02,655 --> 00:22:04,689
That it was a self-inflicted
wound to the hand.

445
00:22:06,325 --> 00:22:09,226
<i> - Indeed, according</i>
<i> to his family members,</i>

446
00:22:09,295 --> 00:22:13,196
<i> This shooting was a result</i>
<i> of reckless gunplay.</i>

447
00:22:13,266 --> 00:22:16,467
- He was not connected
to our crime at all.

448
00:22:17,737 --> 00:22:19,703
<i> - But a few hours later,</i>

449
00:22:19,772 --> 00:22:21,672
<i> Sheriff williams</i>
<i> receives a visit</i>

450
00:22:21,741 --> 00:22:23,941
<i> From the local</i>
<i> fire department chief.</i>

451
00:22:24,009 --> 00:22:27,445
<i> And he puts investigators</i>
<i> right back on the heels</i>

452
00:22:27,447 --> 00:22:30,381
<i> Of ashe county's own</i>
<i> friendly firewood merchant.</i>

453
00:22:30,449 --> 00:22:32,683
<i> ♪ ♪</i>

454
00:22:32,752 --> 00:22:35,218
- He says, you know,
I saw that fred hammer

455
00:22:35,288 --> 00:22:38,421
Coming down 16 that morning
at about 9:00,

456
00:22:38,423 --> 00:22:41,459
Just before the murders
happened.

457
00:22:43,062 --> 00:22:45,663
<i> - Freddie hammer's truck had</i>
<i> a magnet on the side of it</i>

458
00:22:45,731 --> 00:22:47,998
That said
"freddie p's firewood."

459
00:22:48,067 --> 00:22:51,902
<i> So you could spot this truck</i>
<i> from a mile away.</i>

460
00:22:51,971 --> 00:22:54,605
- So that puts
freddie hammer's vehicle,

461
00:22:54,673 --> 00:22:56,840
You know, within
two or three miles

462
00:22:56,842 --> 00:22:59,943
Of this road
that leads to the hudlers

463
00:22:59,945 --> 00:23:03,046
<i> On the morning of the murders.</i>

464
00:23:03,048 --> 00:23:04,982
<i> ♪ ♪</i>

465
00:23:05,050 --> 00:23:06,984
<i> - But freddie swore</i>
<i> to sheriff vaughan</i>

466
00:23:07,052 --> 00:23:09,086
<i> That on the morning</i>
<i> of the murders,</i>

467
00:23:09,155 --> 00:23:11,889
<i> He was over 30 miles away</i>
<i> from the hudlers' farm,</i>

468
00:23:11,957 --> 00:23:14,892
<i> Working on his friend</i>
<i> marlon's home.</i>

469
00:23:14,960 --> 00:23:18,329
<i> Could the fire chief</i>
<i> have remembered wrong?</i>

470
00:23:18,397 --> 00:23:21,999
<i> Or is old freddie lying</i>
<i> through his teeth?</i>

471
00:23:22,067 --> 00:23:24,034
- I was in a rush
to get back to my vehicle

472
00:23:24,103 --> 00:23:25,869
To make that phone call
to marlon,

473
00:23:25,871 --> 00:23:28,005
Just to see
if his story checked out.

474
00:23:28,073 --> 00:23:31,609
<i> And he told me that he did</i>
<i> see freddie hammer that day...</i>

475
00:23:33,079 --> 00:23:35,880
But he didn't see him
that morning.

476
00:23:37,783 --> 00:23:40,050
<i> We're all excited</i>
<i> at this point.</i>

477
00:23:40,119 --> 00:23:41,552
<i> We've put freddie hammer</i>

478
00:23:41,620 --> 00:23:44,255
In the proximity
of the crime scene,

479
00:23:44,323 --> 00:23:46,890
In the time frame
that it occurred,

480
00:23:46,959 --> 00:23:49,192
And contradicted
his statement to us

481
00:23:49,262 --> 00:23:52,029
About not being anywhere near
grayson county that day.

482
00:23:52,097 --> 00:23:54,665
<i> We didn't have</i>
<i> physical evidence.</i>

483
00:23:54,733 --> 00:23:56,900
<i> But we had enough</i>
<i> circumstantial evidence</i>

484
00:23:56,902 --> 00:24:00,037
To convince a magistrate
to issue a search warrant

485
00:24:00,105 --> 00:24:03,073
For freddie hammer's residence.

486
00:24:03,142 --> 00:24:05,642
<i> - With search warrants</i>
<i> in hand,</i>

487
00:24:05,711 --> 00:24:08,178
<i> Ashe county and grayson county</i>
<i> law enforcement</i>

488
00:24:08,247 --> 00:24:10,514
<i> Team up</i>
<i> to scour through several</i>

489
00:24:10,583 --> 00:24:11,982
<i> Of freddie's properties.</i>

490
00:24:12,051 --> 00:24:16,187
<i> ♪ ♪</i>

491
00:24:16,255 --> 00:24:20,757
- His stepfather had a house
at mountain air golf course.

492
00:24:20,826 --> 00:24:22,760
<i> And there we found</i>
<i> freddie's truck.</i>

493
00:24:24,630 --> 00:24:27,298
But there was
nothing in the truck.

494
00:24:27,366 --> 00:24:30,867
<i> - And there's no sign</i>
<i> of freddie either.</i>

495
00:24:30,937 --> 00:24:32,736
<i> Investigators</i>
<i> impound the truck</i>

496
00:24:32,805 --> 00:24:37,807
<i> So the forensics team can take</i>
<i> a look for any hidden clues.</i>

497
00:24:37,809 --> 00:24:39,977
<i> Meanwhile,</i>
<i> sheriff vaughan's team</i>

498
00:24:40,045 --> 00:24:41,611
<i> Searches freddie's camper.</i>

499
00:24:41,681 --> 00:24:44,114
<i> ♪ ♪</i>

500
00:24:44,183 --> 00:24:47,250
<i> - Freddie hammer's</i>
<i> not there either.</i>

501
00:24:47,319 --> 00:24:50,654
But one of the investigators
walking around the camper,

502
00:24:50,722 --> 00:24:53,957
He smells the strong odor
of kerosene.

503
00:24:53,959 --> 00:24:56,359
And he goes over
to a little fire pit

504
00:24:56,429 --> 00:24:58,796
That's got a ring around it,

505
00:24:58,864 --> 00:25:02,233
<i> And he starts digging</i>
<i> through this fire pit.</i>

506
00:25:02,301 --> 00:25:05,068
And he finds the little eyelets
for some work boots.

507
00:25:05,137 --> 00:25:06,837
<i> ♪ ♪</i>

508
00:25:06,906 --> 00:25:08,706
<i> And he finds some pieces</i>
<i> of clothing.</i>

509
00:25:11,443 --> 00:25:13,810
And we're thinking,
he had actually disposed

510
00:25:13,879 --> 00:25:16,713
And burned of his clothing
over there.

511
00:25:16,782 --> 00:25:18,415
<i> - Armed with this</i>
<i> new evidence,</i>

512
00:25:18,483 --> 00:25:21,384
<i> Sheriff vaughan hightails it</i>
<i> over to freddie's house.</i>

513
00:25:21,454 --> 00:25:25,555
<i> But there, he's met</i>
<i> with even more shocking news.</i>

514
00:25:25,625 --> 00:25:28,391
<i> - We found out</i>
<i> from his stepson</i>

515
00:25:28,461 --> 00:25:31,528
That he had actually took off
to florida.

516
00:25:31,597 --> 00:25:33,464
<i> - That was very suspicious.</i>

517
00:25:33,532 --> 00:25:37,367
You can look at flight
as evidence of guilt.

518
00:25:37,369 --> 00:25:40,471
<i> - We felt like freddie</i>
<i> was hiding out.</i>

519
00:25:40,539 --> 00:25:43,206
<i> We're thinking, now that</i>
<i> he's in a different state,</i>

520
00:25:43,208 --> 00:25:45,676
Are we going to be able
to get him back to virginia

521
00:25:45,744 --> 00:25:48,445
To question him
about these crimes?

522
00:25:48,514 --> 00:25:51,615
<i> ♪ ♪</i>

523
00:25:51,617 --> 00:25:53,183
<i> - Coming up...</i>

524
00:25:53,185 --> 00:25:56,153
- There was a .22 rifle
with a scope

525
00:25:56,221 --> 00:25:59,690
That was missing
from freddie's house.

526
00:25:59,758 --> 00:26:01,191
- Everybody was just in shock.

527
00:26:01,260 --> 00:26:03,427
I don't know
what to take of it.

528
00:26:03,495 --> 00:26:04,862
<i> - So that's another indication</i>

529
00:26:04,930 --> 00:26:07,430
Of what a despicable individual
he is.

530
00:26:07,500 --> 00:26:10,033
<i> ♪ ♪</i>

531
00:26:10,035 --> 00:26:13,771
<i> - ♪ come home</i>
<i> to the gallows pole ♪</i>

532
00:26:18,376 --> 00:26:21,946
<i> - ♪ judgment day shall come ♪</i>

533
00:26:26,952 --> 00:26:28,919
<i> - Investigators</i>
<i> have just learned</i>

534
00:26:28,987 --> 00:26:30,420
<i> That their prime suspect</i>

535
00:26:30,489 --> 00:26:33,957
<i> In the hudler carolina</i>
<i> tree farm triple homicide,</i>

536
00:26:34,026 --> 00:26:37,627
<i> Freddie hammer,</i>
<i> has flown the coop.</i>

537
00:26:37,697 --> 00:26:39,262
<i> - At that point,</i>
<i> we were getting</i>

538
00:26:39,331 --> 00:26:41,331
Really close to obtaining

539
00:26:41,400 --> 00:26:44,267
A warrant on him
for capital murder.

540
00:26:44,269 --> 00:26:47,338
<i> But we learned from</i>
<i> freddie hammer's stepson</i>

541
00:26:47,406 --> 00:26:48,805
<i> That freddie and his wife</i>

542
00:26:48,874 --> 00:26:52,976
Had actually gone
to punta gorda, florida.

543
00:26:53,044 --> 00:26:56,680
<i> So we called the u.S. Marshals</i>

544
00:26:56,749 --> 00:26:58,481
<i> To locate freddie hammer.</i>

545
00:26:58,551 --> 00:27:01,952
<i> Then our team executed</i>
<i> the search of his home</i>

546
00:27:02,020 --> 00:27:04,287
In north carolina.

547
00:27:04,289 --> 00:27:06,757
<i> [indistinct chatter</i>
<i> over police radio]</i>

548
00:27:06,825 --> 00:27:11,328
We found paperwork to where
he was in financial problems.

549
00:27:11,396 --> 00:27:13,564
I think he even had
a bankruptcy payment

550
00:27:13,632 --> 00:27:15,165
That was due soon.

551
00:27:15,233 --> 00:27:18,902
<i> And there was</i>
<i> around $10,000 missing</i>

552
00:27:18,970 --> 00:27:20,370
<i> From the hudler safe.</i>

553
00:27:20,439 --> 00:27:24,307
So this gave him the motive
to commit this crime.

554
00:27:24,309 --> 00:27:26,343
<i> [dramatic music]</i>

555
00:27:26,411 --> 00:27:29,546
- And freddie's stepson
was very helpful,

556
00:27:29,615 --> 00:27:32,649
Because near ron hudler's body,

557
00:27:32,718 --> 00:27:35,719
<i> They had found some glass</i>

558
00:27:35,787 --> 00:27:37,955
That appeared to be
from a scope

559
00:27:38,023 --> 00:27:40,657
<i> And casings from a .22 rifle.</i>

560
00:27:40,726 --> 00:27:43,460
<i> And the stepson indicated</i>

561
00:27:43,529 --> 00:27:46,463
That there was a .22 rifle
with a scope

562
00:27:46,532 --> 00:27:50,434
<i> That was missing</i>
<i> from freddie's house.</i>

563
00:27:50,502 --> 00:27:53,136
<i> - The evidence was mounting</i>
<i> against him at that point.</i>

564
00:27:53,205 --> 00:27:57,540
And we finally obtained
the capital-murder warrants.

565
00:27:57,610 --> 00:28:02,012
<i> - So time was of the essence</i>
<i> for the marshals to find him</i>

566
00:28:02,081 --> 00:28:04,547
<i> Because we had</i>
<i> all sorts of speculation</i>

567
00:28:04,617 --> 00:28:07,651
That, oh, he's going to drop
a murder weapon in some swamp

568
00:28:07,719 --> 00:28:10,553
Or off a bridge somewhere
between here and florida.

569
00:28:10,555 --> 00:28:13,356
<i> U.S. Marshals</i>
<i> act very quickly.</i>

570
00:28:13,425 --> 00:28:17,360
<i> And they were able to ping</i>
<i> his cell phone</i>

571
00:28:17,362 --> 00:28:20,330
<i> And track him pretty much</i>
<i> between here and florida</i>

572
00:28:20,399 --> 00:28:22,833
<i> To where</i>
<i> his father-in-law lives.</i>

573
00:28:22,901 --> 00:28:28,038
<i> ♪ ♪</i>

574
00:28:28,107 --> 00:28:30,407
- The u.S. Marshals
go out to the house.

575
00:28:30,475 --> 00:28:32,175
<i> ♪ ♪</i>

576
00:28:32,244 --> 00:28:34,411
<i> They do surveillance.</i>

577
00:28:34,479 --> 00:28:36,446
<i> ♪ ♪</i>

578
00:28:36,515 --> 00:28:38,581
Couple hours later,
freddie hammer

579
00:28:38,651 --> 00:28:39,850
<i> Returned from dinner.</i>

580
00:28:39,918 --> 00:28:42,319
<i> ♪ ♪</i>

581
00:28:42,387 --> 00:28:44,354
And they were able to take
freddie into custody

582
00:28:44,423 --> 00:28:45,756
Without any problems.

583
00:28:47,526 --> 00:28:48,392
<i> - Freddie is hauled off</i>

584
00:28:48,460 --> 00:28:50,894
<i> To the local county jail</i>
<i> for questioning,</i>

585
00:28:50,962 --> 00:28:52,796
<i> But he denies everything.</i>

586
00:28:52,865 --> 00:28:57,701
<i> Meanwhile, investigators</i>
<i> search his in-laws' home.</i>

587
00:28:57,769 --> 00:28:59,436
<i> - They search around,</i>

588
00:28:59,504 --> 00:29:02,872
But they didn't find
the murder weapon.

589
00:29:02,874 --> 00:29:05,608
<i> So we have to keep looking.</i>

590
00:29:05,610 --> 00:29:08,111
Meanwhile, we extradite
freddie hammer

591
00:29:08,113 --> 00:29:09,813
Back to virginia.

592
00:29:09,881 --> 00:29:12,882
<i> ♪ ♪</i>

593
00:29:12,952 --> 00:29:14,918
<i> - Back on virginia soil,</i>

594
00:29:14,986 --> 00:29:17,954
<i> Freddie hammer's facing</i>
<i> a slew of charges,</i>

595
00:29:18,023 --> 00:29:21,391
<i> Including multiple counts</i>
<i> of capital murder and robbery.</i>

596
00:29:21,460 --> 00:29:25,596
<i> While he maintains</i>
<i> his innocence behind bars,</i>

597
00:29:25,664 --> 00:29:28,631
<i> Ron hudler, fred hudler,</i>
<i> and john miller</i>

598
00:29:28,701 --> 00:29:30,367
<i> Are laid to rest.</i>

599
00:29:30,435 --> 00:29:33,270
[distant bell tolling]

600
00:29:36,609 --> 00:29:38,108
<i> - The funeral--</i>

601
00:29:38,177 --> 00:29:42,279
I remember there was just a lot
of people there.

602
00:29:42,347 --> 00:29:46,683
It was a moving,
beautiful service.

603
00:29:46,752 --> 00:29:49,452
<i> Sad, like you'd expect.</i>

604
00:29:49,521 --> 00:29:52,322
- They were
some kick-ass dudes.

605
00:29:54,192 --> 00:29:55,926
<i> I miss them all.</i>

606
00:29:55,994 --> 00:29:58,028
<i> - And as the community</i>
<i> comes together</i>

607
00:29:58,096 --> 00:29:59,930
<i> To mourn these fine men,</i>

608
00:29:59,998 --> 00:30:01,364
<i> Folks grapple with the news</i>

609
00:30:01,433 --> 00:30:03,466
<i> That the</i>
<i> Sunday-school-teaching,</i>

610
00:30:03,535 --> 00:30:06,536
<i> God-fearing freddie hammer</i>
<i> they thought they knew</i>

611
00:30:06,538 --> 00:30:10,808
<i> Is the same man who now stands</i>
<i> accused of these murders.</i>

612
00:30:12,210 --> 00:30:14,478
<i> - Everybody was just in shock.</i>

613
00:30:14,546 --> 00:30:16,079
I don't know
what to take of it.

614
00:30:16,148 --> 00:30:17,547
I really don't,

615
00:30:17,616 --> 00:30:20,683
<i> Because to me,</i>
<i> freddie wasn't a bad guy.</i>

616
00:30:20,753 --> 00:30:24,421
<i> - The hudler family--</i>
<i> they were very upset</i>

617
00:30:24,489 --> 00:30:26,023
And surprised.

618
00:30:27,559 --> 00:30:30,093
<i> - To nail hammer</i>
<i> for all his sins</i>

619
00:30:30,162 --> 00:30:32,229
<i> And guarantee</i>
<i> a guilty conviction,</i>

620
00:30:32,297 --> 00:30:35,365
<i> Prosecutors are going</i>
<i> to need harder evidence.</i>

621
00:30:37,168 --> 00:30:39,469
- We visited two different
convenience stores

622
00:30:39,538 --> 00:30:42,873
<i> Along the route</i>
<i> to hudler farm.</i>

623
00:30:42,941 --> 00:30:46,243
<i> And we were able to locate</i>
<i> surveillance video footage</i>

624
00:30:46,311 --> 00:30:48,678
<i> Of freddie hammer's truck</i>

625
00:30:48,680 --> 00:30:51,682
<i> And freddie hammer</i>
<i> in that truck</i>

626
00:30:51,750 --> 00:30:55,318
<i> Shortly after the crimes</i>
<i> had occurred.</i>

627
00:30:55,387 --> 00:30:57,387
<i> Now we can show that</i>
<i> he had gave us</i>

628
00:30:57,456 --> 00:31:00,457
<i> An inconsistent statement</i>
<i> about his whereabouts</i>

629
00:31:00,525 --> 00:31:03,560
<i> The morning of the murders.</i>

630
00:31:03,628 --> 00:31:07,564
And one of our investigators
went back to the garage

631
00:31:07,633 --> 00:31:11,401
Where freddie hammer's vehicle
was impounded

632
00:31:11,469 --> 00:31:14,771
To look and see if there was
anything that we had overlooked

633
00:31:14,840 --> 00:31:16,739
In the beginning.

634
00:31:16,809 --> 00:31:21,077
And he noticed on the frame
of the flatbed,

635
00:31:21,146 --> 00:31:23,746
There was actually
some paint transfer.

636
00:31:23,816 --> 00:31:28,618
And the transfer indentations
from the back of the truck bed

637
00:31:28,687 --> 00:31:31,754
<i> Matched up perfectly</i>
<i> with the markings on the safe</i>

638
00:31:31,824 --> 00:31:33,856
<i> At the hudler residence.</i>

639
00:31:33,858 --> 00:31:35,958
<i> ♪ ♪</i>

640
00:31:35,960 --> 00:31:39,096
- That puts freddie hammer's
vehicle at the crime scene.

641
00:31:40,799 --> 00:31:44,033
But we need the murder weapon.

642
00:31:44,103 --> 00:31:46,303
<i> - With the trial date</i>
<i> marching closer,</i>

643
00:31:46,371 --> 00:31:49,372
<i> Investigators spend months</i>
<i> searching high and low</i>

644
00:31:49,441 --> 00:31:52,809
<i> For the murder weapon,</i>
<i> with no luck.</i>

645
00:31:52,878 --> 00:31:56,446
<i> All the while, freddie awaits</i>
<i> his day in court from jail.</i>

646
00:32:00,085 --> 00:32:02,686
<i> But then one man's trash</i>

647
00:32:02,754 --> 00:32:05,756
<i> Becomes</i>
<i> an investigative treasure.</i>

648
00:32:05,824 --> 00:32:09,659
- Freddie hammer had befriended
an inmate

649
00:32:09,728 --> 00:32:12,029
<i> That was getting ready</i>
<i> to be released.</i>

650
00:32:13,565 --> 00:32:17,067
<i> - The guards are cleaning up</i>
<i> this inmate's cell,</i>

651
00:32:17,135 --> 00:32:20,069
And a paper falls
out of some other papers

652
00:32:20,139 --> 00:32:22,138
<i> That are there.</i>

653
00:32:22,207 --> 00:32:26,343
And it's this letter
to this inmate's girlfriend.

654
00:32:26,411 --> 00:32:30,547
<i> And I remember the feeling</i>
<i> when we got that call.</i>

655
00:32:30,615 --> 00:32:34,017
This letter is a direct line
to the evidence

656
00:32:34,085 --> 00:32:36,787
<i> That we've been looking for.</i>

657
00:32:36,855 --> 00:32:40,457
<i> - ♪ come home</i>
<i> to the gallows pole ♪</i>

658
00:32:45,396 --> 00:32:49,066
<i> - ♪ judgment day shall come ♪</i>

659
00:32:54,072 --> 00:32:56,606
<i> - A guard</i>
<i> at the local county jail</i>

660
00:32:56,608 --> 00:32:58,741
<i> Has just found</i>
<i> a discarded letter</i>

661
00:32:58,811 --> 00:33:01,712
<i> To an inmate's girlfriend</i>
<i> in his trash can.</i>

662
00:33:01,780 --> 00:33:04,714
<i> And the letter reveals</i>
<i> a key piece of the puzzle</i>

663
00:33:04,783 --> 00:33:08,618
<i> That investigators</i>
<i> desperately need.</i>

664
00:33:08,687 --> 00:33:11,421
<i> - In this letter,</i>
<i> this inmate says,</i>

665
00:33:11,490 --> 00:33:14,725
<i> I've gotten to meet</i>
<i> this guy here, freddie hammer.</i>

666
00:33:14,793 --> 00:33:19,462
All I've got to do is to go
get rid of a couple of guns,

667
00:33:19,464 --> 00:33:23,132
And he's going to give me
some money for doing that.

668
00:33:23,134 --> 00:33:26,503
- Freddie drew him a map of
where the murder weapon was at

669
00:33:26,571 --> 00:33:28,871
<i> And approximately $10,000.</i>

670
00:33:28,941 --> 00:33:33,176
And he told him that he could
keep $2,000 of that for himself

671
00:33:33,178 --> 00:33:35,478
If he would bring the rest
of it to the jail

672
00:33:35,547 --> 00:33:39,349
And put it on the books
for his use.

673
00:33:39,417 --> 00:33:42,652
And, remember,
there was around $10,000

674
00:33:42,721 --> 00:33:45,087
<i> Missing from ron's safe.</i>

675
00:33:45,089 --> 00:33:47,223
<i> [dramatic music]</i>

676
00:33:47,292 --> 00:33:49,626
<i> - Faster than a hot knife</i>
<i> through butter,</i>

677
00:33:49,694 --> 00:33:52,462
<i> Investigators get their hands</i>
<i> on freddie's map.</i>

678
00:33:52,531 --> 00:33:55,097
<i> And it leads them</i>
<i> straight to freddie's camper</i>

679
00:33:55,099 --> 00:33:57,500
<i> In cripple creek.</i>

680
00:33:57,502 --> 00:34:00,570
- So we all rush down
to cripple creek.

681
00:34:00,639 --> 00:34:04,707
We go exactly where
the map had described.

682
00:34:04,709 --> 00:34:09,946
<i> ♪ ♪</i>

683
00:34:10,015 --> 00:34:11,681
<i> And we dig down.</i>

684
00:34:11,750 --> 00:34:15,251
<i> [shovels scraping]</i>

685
00:34:15,320 --> 00:34:18,421
We find a cigar box.

686
00:34:18,423 --> 00:34:20,790
<i> And there's approximately</i>
<i> $10,000 in cash</i>

687
00:34:20,859 --> 00:34:21,724
<i> In the cigar box,</i>

688
00:34:21,726 --> 00:34:24,561
Just like freddie hammer
had described.

689
00:34:24,629 --> 00:34:28,398
<i> - And then they strike gold.</i>

690
00:34:28,466 --> 00:34:30,433
<i> [indistinct chatter</i>
<i> over police radio]</i>

691
00:34:30,435 --> 00:34:33,269
- We were able to locate
the .22 magnum rifle

692
00:34:33,338 --> 00:34:34,671
That was used in the murders.

693
00:34:34,739 --> 00:34:38,808
<i> ♪ ♪</i>

694
00:34:38,877 --> 00:34:40,777
- And that was nails
in his coffin.

695
00:34:42,481 --> 00:34:44,414
<i> - After we had</i>
<i> the murder weapon,</i>

696
00:34:44,482 --> 00:34:46,449
<i> We met with his defense team.</i>

697
00:34:46,451 --> 00:34:50,753
And once we laid out
all this new evidence to them,

698
00:34:50,755 --> 00:34:53,055
<i> They were ready</i>
<i> to enter a plea.</i>

699
00:34:53,057 --> 00:34:55,425
<i> ♪ ♪</i>

700
00:34:55,494 --> 00:34:57,560
- Freddie says
he needed a lot of money

701
00:34:57,629 --> 00:35:00,463
To pay himself out of debt.

702
00:35:00,465 --> 00:35:04,967
<i> Freddie had seen lots of money</i>
<i> in ron's safe</i>

703
00:35:04,969 --> 00:35:07,303
<i> When he worked with him.</i>

704
00:35:07,372 --> 00:35:09,739
So he thought,
this was the best way

705
00:35:09,741 --> 00:35:12,542
That I can get out of the debt.

706
00:35:12,611 --> 00:35:15,845
<i> - He learned from</i>
<i> the hudler farm secretary</i>

707
00:35:15,847 --> 00:35:18,448
That ron had been
out of town that week

708
00:35:18,517 --> 00:35:22,619
<i> And wasn't supposed to be back</i>
<i> until the next day.</i>

709
00:35:22,687 --> 00:35:25,222
So he came up with the idea

710
00:35:25,290 --> 00:35:28,991
Of breaking into and stealing
the cash from the safe.

711
00:35:29,061 --> 00:35:32,962
[wind chimes tinkling]

712
00:35:32,964 --> 00:35:35,332
<i> - He thinks</i>
<i> that nobody is there.</i>

713
00:35:35,400 --> 00:35:37,600
<i> ♪ ♪</i>

714
00:35:37,602 --> 00:35:40,737
He backs his truck
into the garage.

715
00:35:40,805 --> 00:35:43,206
<i> He started tilting the safe up</i>

716
00:35:43,275 --> 00:35:46,108
<i> And gotten it</i>
<i> against his truck,</i>

717
00:35:46,178 --> 00:35:47,877
<i> Scratching it.</i>

718
00:35:47,946 --> 00:35:50,480
<i> - But then fred hudler</i>
<i> and john miller--</i>

719
00:35:50,549 --> 00:35:52,849
They pulled up in the driveway.

720
00:35:52,917 --> 00:35:54,951
<i> ♪ ♪</i>

721
00:35:55,019 --> 00:35:58,621
<i> - Freddie is kind of cornered</i>
<i> at that point.</i>

722
00:35:58,623 --> 00:36:01,023
<i> He retrieves his firearm.</i>

723
00:36:01,093 --> 00:36:04,627
<i> And as miller walks</i>
<i> in the garage,</i>

724
00:36:04,629 --> 00:36:08,297
He shoots him with the rifle
through the temple.

725
00:36:08,299 --> 00:36:10,567
<i> ♪ ♪</i>

726
00:36:10,635 --> 00:36:12,669
[gunshot]

727
00:36:12,737 --> 00:36:15,705
- Fred hears the shots,
and he comes running.

728
00:36:17,342 --> 00:36:19,942
And then hammer starts
shooting at him.

729
00:36:20,011 --> 00:36:21,411
[gunshot]

730
00:36:21,479 --> 00:36:24,313
<i> - Gets a shot</i>
<i> through the garage door,</i>

731
00:36:24,315 --> 00:36:27,117
<i> Falls down into the driveway.</i>

732
00:36:27,185 --> 00:36:28,918
<i> - And unbeknownst to freddie,</i>

733
00:36:28,987 --> 00:36:31,521
<i> Ron hudler</i>
<i> had actually returned home</i>

734
00:36:31,589 --> 00:36:33,189
<i> The night before.</i>

735
00:36:33,257 --> 00:36:34,657
- He hears all the commotion,

736
00:36:34,659 --> 00:36:37,027
And he comes running
out of his house.

737
00:36:37,095 --> 00:36:40,663
<i> And he sees his son fred</i>
<i> laying here, dying.</i>

738
00:36:40,665 --> 00:36:42,865
<i> And here comes freddie p.</i>

739
00:36:42,867 --> 00:36:45,735
Puts the gun on him,
marches him back in the house,

740
00:36:45,804 --> 00:36:49,071
<i> Makes him give him the keys</i>
<i> to the safe.</i>

741
00:36:49,073 --> 00:36:51,341
<i> Ron said, I don't care</i>
<i> what you do to me,</i>

742
00:36:51,409 --> 00:36:53,610
Just let me call 911
for my son.

743
00:36:53,678 --> 00:36:58,081
And freddie pointed the gun at
his head, pulled the trigger.

744
00:36:58,149 --> 00:36:59,281
It dropped him right there.

745
00:36:59,283 --> 00:37:02,151
[gunshot]

746
00:37:02,220 --> 00:37:04,821
<i> - Hammer then goes back out</i>
<i> to the driveway</i>

747
00:37:04,889 --> 00:37:07,724
And fires one final shot
at fred.

748
00:37:07,792 --> 00:37:10,292
[gunshot]

749
00:37:10,294 --> 00:37:13,896
<i> - Goes back in the garage,</i>
<i> gets the money...</i>

750
00:37:13,898 --> 00:37:15,998
<i> ♪ ♪</i>

751
00:37:16,067 --> 00:37:18,435
<i> And took off to hide</i>
<i> and burn his stuff.</i>

752
00:37:20,305 --> 00:37:24,374
- He did say he was sorry.
He didn't want to kill them.

753
00:37:24,442 --> 00:37:26,108
- He didn't have to do it.

754
00:37:26,178 --> 00:37:29,779
It pisses me off that
he was a coward like that.

755
00:37:31,216 --> 00:37:33,483
<i> - As punishment</i>
<i> for his heinous crimes</i>

756
00:37:33,551 --> 00:37:35,151
<i> At the hudler farm,</i>

757
00:37:35,220 --> 00:37:40,223
<i> Freddie hammer is handed</i>
<i> seven life sentences.</i>

758
00:37:40,291 --> 00:37:43,259
<i> - The hudler family--</i>
<i> they were sobbing</i>

759
00:37:43,328 --> 00:37:44,894
<i> When he was being sentenced.</i>

760
00:37:44,896 --> 00:37:48,999
They were glad to be
rid of this, though.

761
00:37:49,067 --> 00:37:50,733
- It's very gratifying

762
00:37:50,735 --> 00:37:53,903
When you finally get
a case like this finished.

763
00:37:53,972 --> 00:37:56,539
<i> You've done the job</i>
<i> and put a killer away</i>

764
00:37:56,607 --> 00:37:58,407
For the rest of his life.

765
00:37:58,409 --> 00:38:00,910
<i> ♪ ♪</i>

766
00:38:00,979 --> 00:38:02,878
<i> - But just when</i>
<i> sheriff vaughan</i>

767
00:38:02,948 --> 00:38:05,782
<i> And sheriff williams think</i>
<i> it's finally over,</i>

768
00:38:05,850 --> 00:38:09,485
<i> Freddie's greed triggers</i>
<i> a shocking new revelation</i>

769
00:38:09,554 --> 00:38:10,887
<i> About an old sin.</i>

770
00:38:10,955 --> 00:38:13,556
<i> - Freddie says, for money,</i>

771
00:38:13,624 --> 00:38:16,125
I'll tell you information
of a missing-person case

772
00:38:16,127 --> 00:38:18,094
In ashe county.

773
00:38:18,163 --> 00:38:22,432
- And that open case--it was
his nephew jimmy blevins.

774
00:38:22,500 --> 00:38:24,701
<i> ♪ ♪</i>

775
00:38:24,769 --> 00:38:28,672
<i> - ♪ come home</i>
<i> to the gallows pole ♪</i>

776
00:38:33,176 --> 00:38:36,779
<i> - ♪ judgment day shall come ♪</i>

777
00:38:36,848 --> 00:38:39,049
<i> [nik ammar's "guilty man"]</i>

778
00:38:39,117 --> 00:38:43,219
<i> - ♪ there's a devil</i>
<i> in my soul ♪</i>

779
00:38:43,288 --> 00:38:46,823
<i> ♪ and this is my confession ♪</i>

780
00:38:46,825 --> 00:38:49,125
<i> - After being sentenced</i>
<i> to life in prison</i>

781
00:38:49,194 --> 00:38:51,293
<i> For the greed-fueled</i>
<i> triple murders</i>

782
00:38:51,363 --> 00:38:54,797
<i> Of ron hudler, fred hudler,</i>
<i> and john miller,</i>

783
00:38:54,799 --> 00:38:57,600
<i> Freddie hammer offers up</i>
<i> another confession,</i>

784
00:38:57,669 --> 00:39:00,136
<i> If he can get a payout.</i>

785
00:39:00,205 --> 00:39:02,438
<i> And it concerns</i>
<i> the disappearance</i>

786
00:39:02,507 --> 00:39:06,108
<i> Of his beloved nephew</i>
<i> jimmy blevins,</i>

787
00:39:06,178 --> 00:39:09,211
<i> Who hasn't been seen</i>
<i> in over two years.</i>

788
00:39:09,281 --> 00:39:11,147
<i> [dramatic music]</i>

789
00:39:11,216 --> 00:39:14,317
- In the past, he denied
everything, everywhere.

790
00:39:14,385 --> 00:39:17,119
<i> But after the hudler thing</i>
<i> come to light,</i>

791
00:39:17,188 --> 00:39:20,056
<i> Going to be in prison</i>
<i> all his life anyway.</i>

792
00:39:20,124 --> 00:39:22,859
So then he wanted
to start making a deal.

793
00:39:22,927 --> 00:39:25,227
<i> Jimmy blevins' family</i>

794
00:39:25,229 --> 00:39:28,765
<i> Offered $15,000 reward</i>
<i> in that case.</i>

795
00:39:28,833 --> 00:39:32,668
<i> And freddie wanted that money.</i>

796
00:39:32,737 --> 00:39:34,570
<i> He's holding</i>
<i> the family hostage,</i>

797
00:39:34,639 --> 00:39:38,841
Their son's body hostage,
for the reward money.

798
00:39:38,910 --> 00:39:40,843
So that's another indication

799
00:39:40,912 --> 00:39:43,413
Of what a despicable individual
he is.

800
00:39:45,249 --> 00:39:47,650
<i> - To get justice</i>
<i> for jimmy's family,</i>

801
00:39:47,719 --> 00:39:49,919
<i> Authorities</i>
<i> decide to play along</i>

802
00:39:49,988 --> 00:39:53,155
<i> With freddie's greedy,</i>
<i> no-good scheme.</i>

803
00:39:53,224 --> 00:39:56,526
<i> - The money was put</i>
<i> into his account.</i>

804
00:39:56,594 --> 00:39:59,095
And freddie described
to sheriff williams

805
00:39:59,163 --> 00:40:02,064
Where jimmy blevins's body
was at.

806
00:40:02,066 --> 00:40:03,833
<i> ♪ ♪</i>

807
00:40:03,902 --> 00:40:05,768
<i> - He drew us a map to it.</i>

808
00:40:05,837 --> 00:40:10,306
And he walked us
to about the spot where it was.

809
00:40:10,375 --> 00:40:12,709
And we found jimmie blevins.

810
00:40:14,445 --> 00:40:15,678
<i> - And much like</i>

811
00:40:15,746 --> 00:40:17,414
<i> The hudler farms</i>
<i> triple murder,</i>

812
00:40:17,482 --> 00:40:19,616
<i> The motive</i>
<i> was all about money.</i>

813
00:40:19,684 --> 00:40:21,784
<i> ♪ ♪</i>

814
00:40:21,853 --> 00:40:24,554
- He said he owed jimmy
about $1,500

815
00:40:24,622 --> 00:40:26,622
For some work
that he had did for him.

816
00:40:26,691 --> 00:40:28,290
And jimmy had
mentioned to freddie

817
00:40:28,292 --> 00:40:29,191
That, if you don't pay me,

818
00:40:29,261 --> 00:40:32,461
I'm going to take you to court
to get my money.

819
00:40:32,531 --> 00:40:34,731
<i> And that made him mad.</i>

820
00:40:36,167 --> 00:40:39,702
<i> Freddie said</i>
<i> there was an old landfill,</i>

821
00:40:39,771 --> 00:40:42,438
And he had jimmy to go over
to the edge and look in.

822
00:40:42,507 --> 00:40:45,007
<i> ♪ ♪</i>

823
00:40:45,076 --> 00:40:46,709
[gunshot]

824
00:40:46,778 --> 00:40:48,678
<i> And he just shot him</i>
<i> in the back of the head,</i>

825
00:40:48,746 --> 00:40:50,246
Pushed him into the hole,

826
00:40:50,315 --> 00:40:52,749
And covered him up
with some building materials.

827
00:40:54,652 --> 00:40:57,419
- He's the epitome
of a calculating,

828
00:40:57,489 --> 00:40:58,955
Cold-blooded killer.

829
00:41:00,758 --> 00:41:03,226
<i> - On December 7, 2010,</i>

830
00:41:03,294 --> 00:41:07,029
<i> Freddie hammer is handed down</i>
<i> another life sentence</i>

831
00:41:07,098 --> 00:41:09,098
<i> For the murder</i>
<i> of jimmy blevins.</i>

832
00:41:09,167 --> 00:41:11,667
<i> And then the police serve him</i>
<i> another slice</i>

833
00:41:11,736 --> 00:41:13,469
<i> Of sweet justice.</i>

834
00:41:13,537 --> 00:41:16,238
- Freddie liked to jerk
law enforcement around,

835
00:41:16,307 --> 00:41:19,208
<i> But we're not going to play</i>
<i> his game anymore.</i>

836
00:41:19,277 --> 00:41:22,679
Hammer didn't realize that he
couldn't profit from his crime.

837
00:41:28,686 --> 00:41:31,453
Which infuriated mr. Hammer.

838
00:41:31,523 --> 00:41:34,356
<i> ♪ ♪</i>

839
00:41:34,426 --> 00:41:36,559
<i> - Now the man</i>
<i> who killed for money</i>

840
00:41:36,628 --> 00:41:39,295
<i> Ain't got a dime to his name.</i>

841
00:41:39,363 --> 00:41:43,232
- You know the old saying that
"money's the root of all evil"?

842
00:41:43,301 --> 00:41:47,103
<i> Well, that's hammer--</i>
<i> pure greed.</i>

843
00:41:47,171 --> 00:41:50,340
- It was like
his soul was black.

844
00:41:50,408 --> 00:41:53,443
He was a evil, evil person.

845
00:41:53,511 --> 00:41:56,112
<i> ♪ ♪</i>

846
00:41:56,180 --> 00:41:58,781
<i> - And in spite</i>
<i> of so much tragedy,</i>

847
00:41:58,850 --> 00:42:02,285
<i> The hudler carolina tree farm</i>
<i> carries on.</i>

848
00:42:02,353 --> 00:42:05,187
<i> - Dale and bill took over</i>
<i> the hudler tree farm.</i>

849
00:42:05,189 --> 00:42:07,790
It still
has a great reputation.

850
00:42:07,858 --> 00:42:11,627
- But fred and ron and john--

851
00:42:11,696 --> 00:42:13,529
<i> That's...</i>

852
00:42:13,598 --> 00:42:16,398
<i> That hole can never be filled.</i>

853
00:42:16,400 --> 00:42:17,900
There's no filling it.

854
00:42:17,969 --> 00:42:22,271
<i> They didn't deserve</i>
<i> to be killed, not at all.</i>

855
00:42:22,340 --> 00:42:26,542
Fred hammer--
he hurt a lot of hearts.

856
00:42:26,611 --> 00:42:28,610
He ripped--

857
00:42:28,612 --> 00:42:32,081
I hate to look like
a damn crybaby in a cowboy hat.

858
00:42:33,752 --> 00:42:37,253
[sighs, sniffling]

859
00:42:37,321 --> 00:42:40,790
<i> I pray for all the families</i>
<i> that this has took a toll on</i>

860
00:42:40,858 --> 00:42:43,859
And shattered and ripped apart.

861
00:42:43,928 --> 00:42:46,229
<i> ♪ ♪</i>