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♪ ♪
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A funeral home is
a temporary resting place
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for the dead,
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00:00:13,795 --> 00:00:17,267
which it now is for me,
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00:00:17,334 --> 00:00:21,075
but not in the way
I'd ever expected.
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I ran this place for years,
from back here in this office.
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But today, calls
will go unanswered
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by me and my intern, James.
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Moments ago,
violence reverberated
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through the stillness
of this place,
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our killer making sure
the secrets I knew
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were secrets I kept.
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My name is Dan O'Connell,
and this is Me Hereafter.
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♪ ♪
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♪ ♪
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The day
of the homicide,
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I came into the funeral home.
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I was a medical examiner
for St. Croix County.
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St. Croix County, at the time,
was a fairly rural county.
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I think Hudson was
the biggest city or town.
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And O'Connell Funeral Home
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was the busiest funeral home
in the county.
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My job would be to interact
with the funeral directors
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within the county
any time there was a death,
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and that's what I had
to do at O'Connell's.
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I was going to sign
a death certificate.
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Simply go in, sign
the death certificate.
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Um, and that was my day.
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I didn't know that anything
was out of place
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until I came around the corner.
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When I walked into the room,
I first saw James.
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He had a defensive wound
to his hand,
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and a gunshot wound
to the side of his head.
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Dan was sitting on the floor.
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He had had a gunshot wound
to the head as well.
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The killer would have to be
fairly proficient
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in carrying out this homicide.
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I backed out of the room
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and went outside
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and called dispatch
right away.
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It was a chilling experience
to walk in and realize
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that I had just missed being
a--
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a homicide victim myself.
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♪ ♪
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The day Marty found us
was a warm one
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for Hudson, Wisconsin,
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especially for the dead
of winter.
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00:03:12,586 --> 00:03:15,858
That would typically be
the talk of my small town.
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00:03:15,925 --> 00:03:18,764
But today was
anything but typical.
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When it first came in,
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it was just ironic
that two people
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were shot in the funeral home.
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It was right during
midday in Hudson.
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There was no forced entry.
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There were three shell casings
that were at the scene.
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There did not appear to be
anything disturbed or missing.
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There were no doors
that had been left open.
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There were really
no more clues,
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um, than the shell casings.
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Those types of cases
don't happen in Hudson.
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00:03:57,407 --> 00:03:59,846
There were a few things
that set it apart.
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Number one is, the O'Connells
are very well known,
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00:04:03,053 --> 00:04:05,424
and they were really involved
in the community.
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00:04:05,491 --> 00:04:07,762
Dan was easy
to communicate with,
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easy to take care
of business with.
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Just an all-around good guy.
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00:04:13,373 --> 00:04:15,611
I had met James
a couple of times
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while at the funeral home.
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Dan said he was
a promising intern
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who was working on
his funeral director license.
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There was a lot of work
for us,
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00:04:25,497 --> 00:04:27,334
and for law enforcement, to do
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to try to figure out
who did this.
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00:04:34,616 --> 00:04:37,421
Police rolled out
the crime scene tape.
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00:04:37,488 --> 00:04:39,158
It would only be
a matter of time
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00:04:39,225 --> 00:04:41,863
before everyone in Hudson
would be terrified.
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After all, who would want
to kill me?
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00:04:44,602 --> 00:04:47,074
To kill us?
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I'd taken over
as funeral director
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of my family's funeral home
almost four years ago.
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It wasn't a role I ever
really pictured myself in,
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but friends and family
always said helping people
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came naturally to me.
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He didn't want to be
a funeral director at first.
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00:05:03,841 --> 00:05:07,380
He told his parents that he was
going to go to nursing school.
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00:05:07,447 --> 00:05:08,918
But Dan started helping out
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00:05:08,985 --> 00:05:11,757
with visitations
and death calls
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in the evenings,
when he was home,
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00:05:13,627 --> 00:05:15,598
and changed his mind.
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00:05:15,664 --> 00:05:17,936
He knew it was hard.
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It's something that--
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you just don't wake up
one morning
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and you want to be
a funeral director.
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You have to work with it.
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I think grief--
it's like a fingerprint.
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We all have different grief.
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And he could deal with that.
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♪ ♪
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Tuesday began
like any other day.
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It would be just James and me
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working at the funeral home later.
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But I had a meeting
with my brother Mike
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in the morning,
before heading in.
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Absolutely typical morning.
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Got up.
He made the coffee.
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James and Dan were
going to clean the garage
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because new caskets
were coming in.
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I didn't know James that well.
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Dan said he was
an absolute wonderful fit
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00:06:03,827 --> 00:06:06,099
for the funeral home.
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We were getting ready
to celebrate
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our son's birthday
the next day.
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He was so proud of his kids.
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He loved to play with them,
get on the floor
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and wrestle around.
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Oh, stop!
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What's that?
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And how old are you?
Two.
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00:06:27,474 --> 00:06:31,215
My dad was a very loud
and funny person,
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00:06:31,281 --> 00:06:33,921
who--he walked into a room,
and you would know he's there.
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And big smile, starts
cracking jokes at everything.
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00:06:38,095 --> 00:06:41,970
And it's kind of like
what I am now.
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Kyle was getting
a big present
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for his birthday:
a weight set.
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And I couldn't wait
to celebrate with him, Jennie,
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00:06:48,483 --> 00:06:50,486
and our daughter Kaitlyn,
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00:06:50,554 --> 00:06:53,794
but first, I had to get
through my day.
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00:06:53,861 --> 00:06:55,864
I prided myself
on keeping track
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00:06:55,931 --> 00:06:57,835
of every detail
for all the families
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00:06:57,902 --> 00:06:59,806
who turned to me for help.
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It's why I kept
everything in a calendar.
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00:07:03,514 --> 00:07:06,786
Or almost everything.
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00:07:06,853 --> 00:07:09,057
There was one meeting
I didn't write down
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00:07:09,124 --> 00:07:11,730
for the afternoon
I was killed.
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If only I would have.
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♪ ♪
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It was the day
before my son's birthday.
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Sorry.
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00:07:29,599 --> 00:07:32,538
I was home making the snack
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00:07:32,605 --> 00:07:34,408
that he was gonna bring
to school.
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00:07:36,947 --> 00:07:40,153
And I got a phone call
from a friend
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00:07:40,220 --> 00:07:43,594
saying that, um, somebody was
trying to get a hold of Dan,
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00:07:43,660 --> 00:07:45,063
and the phone
at the funeral home
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was just ringing,
ringing, ringing, ringing.
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♪ ♪
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So I turned the oven off,
and I got in the car.
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♪ ♪
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Jennie wasn't prepared
for the scene that unfolded.
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But who would be?
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00:08:02,632 --> 00:08:06,005
Officer Glen Hartman,
who just so happened to be
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00:08:06,072 --> 00:08:08,342
a really good friend of ours,
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00:08:08,409 --> 00:08:11,850
told me the news that, um--
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00:08:11,917 --> 00:08:15,791
that Dan had been shot
and killed,
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00:08:15,858 --> 00:08:18,764
and that James had been shot
and killed also.
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00:08:21,469 --> 00:08:27,214
Then I screamed, and I fell
to the ground with Glen.
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I just cried.
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00:08:28,751 --> 00:08:32,925
♪ ♪
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00:08:32,992 --> 00:08:34,896
Well, it's got
some good, fun games.
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I had no clue
who would do this to him,
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00:08:37,267 --> 00:08:40,808
to Dan, to our lives,
to our children, to James.
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00:08:42,812 --> 00:08:45,885
I didn't know
who wanted him dead.
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00:08:45,952 --> 00:08:48,557
I had no--no idea.
I was scared.
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00:08:48,623 --> 00:08:51,062
I didn't know who to trust.
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What no one knew yet
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was that I was murdered
to bury
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my killer's darkest secrets.
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00:09:06,459 --> 00:09:09,431
Dan was a great brother.
168
00:09:09,498 --> 00:09:11,301
He was a great son.
169
00:09:11,368 --> 00:09:14,809
He was a great husband,
father, uncle, cousin,
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00:09:14,876 --> 00:09:16,947
and friend to a lot of people.
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00:09:17,013 --> 00:09:20,854
He was very well-liked
within the community.
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00:09:20,921 --> 00:09:23,728
I would like to thank,
um, Pepper Fest for placing
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00:09:23,794 --> 00:09:26,332
their confidence in me
to, uh, represent
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00:09:26,398 --> 00:09:27,602
the village of North Hudson.
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00:09:27,669 --> 00:09:30,340
It was an honor,
and I thank them for that.
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00:09:30,407 --> 00:09:34,214
James was
a very, very loving young man.
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00:09:34,281 --> 00:09:36,820
Being a funeral director
was right up his alley.
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00:09:36,887 --> 00:09:38,924
He cared about people.
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00:09:38,991 --> 00:09:43,333
If Dan was here today, knowing
what happened to James,
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00:09:43,399 --> 00:09:45,638
it would break his heart.
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♪ ♪
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My mom came to pick us up
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and had the teachers
come get us.
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00:09:53,821 --> 00:09:57,828
And she was crying
in the office.
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00:09:57,895 --> 00:10:01,970
Brought me and my sister
up to her room.
186
00:10:02,037 --> 00:10:04,509
Said, "I--I need to talk
to you guys.
187
00:10:04,576 --> 00:10:08,049
There's been an accident."
188
00:10:08,115 --> 00:10:12,324
You know, she told us
that my father was shot.
189
00:10:12,390 --> 00:10:13,894
And so I initially thought,
190
00:10:13,960 --> 00:10:16,065
"Oh, well, let's go see him
at the hospital."
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00:10:16,132 --> 00:10:18,169
♪ ♪
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00:10:18,236 --> 00:10:20,139
I didn't really get it.
193
00:10:20,206 --> 00:10:21,241
I was only seven.
194
00:10:21,308 --> 00:10:24,114
I was just like, "Okay."
195
00:10:24,181 --> 00:10:25,885
You know, it didn't really hit
196
00:10:25,951 --> 00:10:28,389
until I was a little bit older
and I understood
197
00:10:28,455 --> 00:10:32,431
what killing and murder was.
198
00:10:32,497 --> 00:10:34,201
Pedal. Pedal. Pedal!
199
00:10:34,268 --> 00:10:35,170
Kyle, watch out.
200
00:10:35,237 --> 00:10:36,873
Don't--
201
00:10:36,940 --> 00:10:39,111
Kaitlyn wants to learn
how to ride her bike.
202
00:10:39,178 --> 00:10:42,017
It's fun for me
to watch the videos,
203
00:10:42,084 --> 00:10:43,887
because that's the only time
I kind of get to remember
204
00:10:43,954 --> 00:10:46,359
his voice,
is through the videos.
205
00:10:46,425 --> 00:10:49,565
And I also have, like,
a little bottle of his cologne
206
00:10:49,632 --> 00:10:51,301
to remember what
he smells like.
207
00:10:53,540 --> 00:10:55,376
People were asking, you know,
208
00:10:55,443 --> 00:10:56,647
"Do you have any idea
what happened?"
209
00:10:56,713 --> 00:10:58,082
And I said, "No, I have--
210
00:10:58,149 --> 00:11:01,590
"I have no idea
why anybody would want
211
00:11:01,656 --> 00:11:03,827
to murder Dan and James."
212
00:11:03,894 --> 00:11:05,029
Someone walked
213
00:11:05,096 --> 00:11:06,298
into the O'Connell
Funeral Home
214
00:11:06,365 --> 00:11:07,234
and gunned down Dan
215
00:11:07,301 --> 00:11:08,871
and his intern, James Ellison.
216
00:11:08,938 --> 00:11:10,741
Investigators are baffled
by this case.
217
00:11:10,808 --> 00:11:12,044
Nothing was stolen.
218
00:11:12,110 --> 00:11:13,581
No one knows
why anyone would kill
219
00:11:13,647 --> 00:11:14,682
the two victims.
220
00:11:16,184 --> 00:11:18,188
People in Hudson
were terrified,
221
00:11:18,255 --> 00:11:21,763
and authorities couldn't
put them at ease.
222
00:11:21,830 --> 00:11:24,000
As investigators
analyzed the scene,
223
00:11:24,067 --> 00:11:26,238
they sketched out
the layout of my office,
224
00:11:26,305 --> 00:11:28,108
trying to piece together
a picture
225
00:11:28,175 --> 00:11:30,615
of how the murders unfolded.
226
00:11:30,681 --> 00:11:36,358
Whoever shot Dan and James
was standing on the other side
227
00:11:36,425 --> 00:11:38,363
of the office.
228
00:11:38,429 --> 00:11:42,505
They figured I was shot
first, behind my desk.
229
00:11:42,572 --> 00:11:45,845
Another bullet struck
a painting on the wall.
230
00:11:45,911 --> 00:11:48,216
As James came running
to investigate,
231
00:11:48,283 --> 00:11:51,154
they believe the killer
hid behind the door,
232
00:11:51,221 --> 00:11:54,395
then shot him in the hand
and in the head.
233
00:11:54,462 --> 00:11:57,735
They decided to hold back
those details from the public
234
00:11:57,802 --> 00:11:59,672
so they'd always have something
235
00:11:59,739 --> 00:12:01,776
only the killer would know.
236
00:12:01,843 --> 00:12:04,414
One thing in particular
made them think
237
00:12:04,481 --> 00:12:07,655
I might have known
who shot us.
238
00:12:07,722 --> 00:12:10,126
Dan is a professional,
239
00:12:10,193 --> 00:12:12,865
and if he did not know somebody,
240
00:12:12,932 --> 00:12:15,269
he would walk out
in front of his desk
241
00:12:15,336 --> 00:12:17,942
to greet them
as they came in the front door
242
00:12:18,008 --> 00:12:20,080
or the hallway.
243
00:12:20,146 --> 00:12:24,254
But there I was,
behind my desk.
244
00:12:24,321 --> 00:12:26,860
Because of that, police
thought our killings
245
00:12:26,927 --> 00:12:28,495
might not be random.
246
00:12:28,563 --> 00:12:32,805
But they didn't close
the door on any theories.
247
00:12:32,871 --> 00:12:34,909
Nothing was precluded.
248
00:12:34,976 --> 00:12:37,948
It was a wide net,
no question about it.
249
00:12:38,015 --> 00:12:39,619
Police knew
they needed to narrow down
250
00:12:39,686 --> 00:12:42,825
when we were killed
to establish a timeline
251
00:12:42,892 --> 00:12:44,729
for who could have done it.
252
00:12:44,796 --> 00:12:49,539
At 1:07 p.m., I had a call
with an engraving company.
253
00:12:49,606 --> 00:12:51,843
It means
that Dan O'Connell was alive
254
00:12:51,910 --> 00:12:54,348
at 1:07.
255
00:12:56,919 --> 00:13:01,228
At 1:22 p.m., somebody tried
to call James Ellison,
256
00:13:01,295 --> 00:13:04,669
and he did not answer
his phone.
257
00:13:04,736 --> 00:13:09,979
Sometime after 1:07
but before 1:22,
258
00:13:10,046 --> 00:13:15,256
both Dan and James
were shot, or killed.
259
00:13:15,323 --> 00:13:19,900
And at 1:40 p.m.,
police were dispatched.
260
00:13:22,905 --> 00:13:26,144
♪ ♪
261
00:13:26,211 --> 00:13:29,050
My mom was a wreck.
262
00:13:29,117 --> 00:13:31,021
I was too young to even know
what was going on,
263
00:13:31,088 --> 00:13:32,057
so I couldn't console her.
264
00:13:32,124 --> 00:13:34,695
I didn't know how.
265
00:13:34,762 --> 00:13:37,266
There was just a bunch
of people at our house.
266
00:13:37,333 --> 00:13:40,406
It was just all
family and friends.
267
00:13:40,473 --> 00:13:43,379
I remember the priest being
at the house, first night.
268
00:13:43,445 --> 00:13:45,149
He was there,
just consoling my mom,
269
00:13:45,216 --> 00:13:47,487
praying over her and all that.
270
00:13:47,555 --> 00:13:51,228
We went to
St. Patrick's Catholic Church.
271
00:13:51,295 --> 00:13:52,463
And it was very important.
272
00:13:52,531 --> 00:13:54,869
We were both born
and raised Catholic.
273
00:13:54,936 --> 00:13:56,906
Ryan Erickson had worked
with my dad
274
00:13:56,973 --> 00:14:00,714
and Dan and Mike for funerals.
275
00:14:00,781 --> 00:14:04,221
Having Father Erickson,
who was someone I knew well,
276
00:14:04,287 --> 00:14:09,031
comforting my own family
was surreal, to say the least.
277
00:14:09,098 --> 00:14:11,201
And while he preached
about forgiveness
278
00:14:11,268 --> 00:14:13,005
as a tenet of our faith,
279
00:14:13,072 --> 00:14:14,975
it would be a long time coming
280
00:14:15,042 --> 00:14:18,115
for everyone I loved.
281
00:14:18,182 --> 00:14:19,585
He talked to me
at the visitation.
282
00:14:19,652 --> 00:14:21,722
And he did tell me, you know,
"One of these days,
283
00:14:21,789 --> 00:14:24,494
you have to forgive
the person that did this."
284
00:14:24,562 --> 00:14:28,503
And I said,
"I'm not ready for that."
285
00:14:28,570 --> 00:14:30,774
Four days after family
gathered at my house
286
00:14:30,841 --> 00:14:34,114
to console one another, police
were no further in finding
287
00:14:34,181 --> 00:14:38,791
leads in the murders.
288
00:14:38,857 --> 00:14:42,164
I was laid to rest
amid so much uncertainty.
289
00:14:42,230 --> 00:14:46,371
♪ Thus my savior ♪
290
00:14:46,438 --> 00:14:50,848
♪ Lord, there is none
like you ♪
291
00:14:50,915 --> 00:14:54,020
♪ All of my days ♪
292
00:14:54,087 --> 00:14:57,394
♪ I want to praise ♪
293
00:14:57,461 --> 00:15:01,235
There were just
hundreds of people.
294
00:15:01,301 --> 00:15:06,078
It was standing room only
in that huge church.
295
00:15:06,145 --> 00:15:08,415
Many people spoke
at my funeral.
296
00:15:08,482 --> 00:15:11,388
Several close friends
and clergy members,
297
00:15:11,455 --> 00:15:14,194
including Father Erickson.
298
00:15:14,260 --> 00:15:17,000
I consider the sufferings
of the present
299
00:15:17,066 --> 00:15:19,104
to be as nothing
compared with the glory
300
00:15:19,170 --> 00:15:21,676
to be revealed in us.
301
00:15:21,743 --> 00:15:27,889
There were hundreds
and hundreds of EMS, police,
302
00:15:27,955 --> 00:15:29,559
fire personnel,
303
00:15:29,625 --> 00:15:31,195
'cause he had been
a paramedic in the cities
304
00:15:31,261 --> 00:15:32,598
for many years.
305
00:15:32,665 --> 00:15:34,769
It was absolutely
breathtaking to see
306
00:15:34,836 --> 00:15:40,781
all those first responders
in their vehicles,
307
00:15:40,847 --> 00:15:44,053
all the lights on.
308
00:15:44,120 --> 00:15:47,762
On St. Croix County's dispatch,
309
00:15:47,828 --> 00:15:54,174
there was a one minute
of silence for Dan O'Connell.
310
00:15:57,213 --> 00:16:00,821
♪ ♪
311
00:16:00,888 --> 00:16:02,658
I was at the funeral,
312
00:16:02,725 --> 00:16:07,400
working the outside
of the church at that time,
313
00:16:07,467 --> 00:16:11,910
providing security
and also documenting
314
00:16:11,977 --> 00:16:14,915
people, license plates,
315
00:16:14,982 --> 00:16:20,761
and also looking for onlookers
that would be at the perimeter.
316
00:16:20,828 --> 00:16:24,936
The killer, at times,
does show up.
317
00:16:25,003 --> 00:16:26,171
Police were keeping
318
00:16:26,238 --> 00:16:27,875
an eye on things
at the funeral.
319
00:16:27,942 --> 00:16:29,845
But they'd only
discover later,
320
00:16:29,912 --> 00:16:31,415
the killer was sitting
321
00:16:31,482 --> 00:16:34,589
right there, front and center.
322
00:16:43,607 --> 00:16:46,679
♪ ♪
323
00:16:46,746 --> 00:16:51,121
Each morning after sunup,
people would drive by.
324
00:16:51,188 --> 00:16:52,725
They'd leave flowers.
325
00:16:52,792 --> 00:16:56,599
They knew what happened,
but they didn't know why.
326
00:16:56,666 --> 00:16:59,538
In most cases, there
is a suspect right away.
327
00:16:59,605 --> 00:17:02,343
In this case, there was
not a clear suspect,
328
00:17:02,410 --> 00:17:05,116
and there wasn't
a clear motive.
329
00:17:05,183 --> 00:17:09,390
When there is no suspect,
everybody becomes one.
330
00:17:09,457 --> 00:17:13,165
Police will interview
2,000 people in the case,
331
00:17:13,232 --> 00:17:16,071
and no one is off-limits.
332
00:17:16,137 --> 00:17:18,943
I got questioned.
Um, the entire family,
333
00:17:19,010 --> 00:17:22,183
O'Connell family, my family
even got questioned.
334
00:17:22,250 --> 00:17:25,089
I was literally
a suspect as well
335
00:17:25,156 --> 00:17:31,134
because when you find anyone
deceased, you are a suspect.
336
00:17:31,969 --> 00:17:35,343
I had a polygraph,
uh, voice stress analyzed,
337
00:17:35,410 --> 00:17:36,713
several interviews.
338
00:17:36,780 --> 00:17:39,050
It was thought that,
you know, "This guy,
339
00:17:39,117 --> 00:17:41,288
he's telling the truth."
340
00:17:41,354 --> 00:17:43,960
With many people
close to me ruled out,
341
00:17:44,027 --> 00:17:46,533
local investigators
turned to the FBI
342
00:17:46,600 --> 00:17:49,137
to help dig deeper
for clues in the case.
343
00:17:51,108 --> 00:17:54,414
There was information
that came in from the FBI
344
00:17:54,481 --> 00:17:58,690
about a religious group based
out of Augusta, Wisconsin.
345
00:17:58,757 --> 00:18:03,032
They did not believe
in embalming.
346
00:18:03,099 --> 00:18:05,436
The head
of that religious group
347
00:18:05,504 --> 00:18:08,075
is Kathryn Padilla.
348
00:18:08,142 --> 00:18:11,716
Augusta is only an hour
and a half away from Hudson
349
00:18:11,783 --> 00:18:13,787
and my funeral home.
350
00:18:13,853 --> 00:18:15,156
Kathryn Padilla
351
00:18:15,223 --> 00:18:16,592
and her small band
of followers
352
00:18:16,659 --> 00:18:18,930
believed that she was
a prophet
353
00:18:18,997 --> 00:18:20,600
and could speak for God.
354
00:18:20,667 --> 00:18:23,305
She and the group thought
that the embalming practice
355
00:18:23,372 --> 00:18:24,942
desecrated the body
356
00:18:25,009 --> 00:18:27,180
and that the dead
should simply be wrapped
357
00:18:27,246 --> 00:18:28,449
in a white sheet.
358
00:18:28,517 --> 00:18:31,121
There were
several letters sent out
359
00:18:31,187 --> 00:18:34,027
to several funeral homes.
360
00:18:34,093 --> 00:18:37,500
I got one the year before
James and I were killed.
361
00:18:37,568 --> 00:18:39,404
It was just one paragraph:
362
00:18:39,471 --> 00:18:41,474
"Thus saith the Lord,
363
00:18:41,542 --> 00:18:44,213
because you have heard not
the words of the Lord,
364
00:18:44,280 --> 00:18:46,953
"I take from you
your sons and daughters
365
00:18:47,020 --> 00:18:48,456
"into early graves.
366
00:18:48,524 --> 00:18:51,862
Prepare for your own burial."
367
00:18:51,929 --> 00:18:54,434
I showed the death threat
to my secretary.
368
00:18:54,502 --> 00:18:57,541
She was worried, but I
didn't take it seriously.
369
00:18:57,608 --> 00:19:00,480
He just ripped it up
and threw it away.
370
00:19:00,547 --> 00:19:02,518
But when similar letters
ended up
371
00:19:02,585 --> 00:19:05,189
on the desks
of several funeral directors
372
00:19:05,256 --> 00:19:07,226
after James and I
were murdered,
373
00:19:07,293 --> 00:19:08,596
the police investigated
374
00:19:08,663 --> 00:19:10,900
everyone tied to the group.
375
00:19:10,967 --> 00:19:14,274
Any people that were involved
had alibis on that day.
376
00:19:14,341 --> 00:19:17,447
There was no, um, indication
377
00:19:17,515 --> 00:19:19,384
that they were involved
in the murders
378
00:19:19,451 --> 00:19:22,625
of Dan and James.
379
00:19:22,692 --> 00:19:24,562
It's frustrating
that investigators
380
00:19:24,629 --> 00:19:26,833
were back to square one.
381
00:19:26,900 --> 00:19:29,137
As for Kathryn,
she was charged
382
00:19:29,204 --> 00:19:30,373
with a couple of misdemeanors
383
00:19:30,440 --> 00:19:32,511
for sending the letters.
384
00:19:32,578 --> 00:19:34,849
But prosecutors agreed
to drop the charges
385
00:19:34,915 --> 00:19:40,293
if she agreed to stop
sending more, which she did.
386
00:19:43,700 --> 00:19:45,937
The first year,
a lot of people
387
00:19:46,004 --> 00:19:47,908
came forward with information
388
00:19:47,975 --> 00:19:50,781
that was followed,
that hit a dead end.
389
00:19:50,847 --> 00:19:55,456
There were crazy theories
going around.
390
00:19:55,524 --> 00:19:58,462
I remember the thoughts
of someone breaking in
391
00:19:58,530 --> 00:20:02,504
to get embalming fluid
to soak marijuana in
392
00:20:02,571 --> 00:20:05,644
to enhance that experience.
393
00:20:05,711 --> 00:20:07,346
Or somebody went in there
394
00:20:07,413 --> 00:20:09,484
to commit a burglary
or robbery,
395
00:20:09,551 --> 00:20:12,624
for maybe some electronics.
396
00:20:12,691 --> 00:20:16,599
Most of the tips dried up
within the first year.
397
00:20:16,666 --> 00:20:19,337
Even more discouraging,
the following year,
398
00:20:19,404 --> 00:20:22,377
virtually no new tips came in.
399
00:20:22,443 --> 00:20:24,848
Police needed a break
in the case.
400
00:20:24,915 --> 00:20:29,191
There was pressure to give
some relief to the community
401
00:20:29,257 --> 00:20:31,060
and the family.
402
00:20:31,127 --> 00:20:32,463
No one realized
403
00:20:32,531 --> 00:20:34,869
that a possible clue
to solving the murders
404
00:20:34,935 --> 00:20:37,607
had been sitting at
the Hudson Police Department,
405
00:20:37,674 --> 00:20:39,878
gathering dust, for a year.
406
00:20:42,751 --> 00:20:46,692
January of 2004,
407
00:20:46,759 --> 00:20:48,796
the chief said
he just wanted me
408
00:20:48,863 --> 00:20:52,003
to strictly work
on the unsolved murders
409
00:20:52,069 --> 00:20:54,608
of Dan and James.
410
00:20:54,675 --> 00:20:59,150
At first, I went back
and I looked, reviewed,
411
00:20:59,217 --> 00:21:04,529
and read most of every report
that was written.
412
00:21:04,595 --> 00:21:08,202
I had thought,
"Who else is there?
413
00:21:08,268 --> 00:21:15,015
"Who is really close and has
a lot of interaction with Dan,
414
00:21:15,082 --> 00:21:17,921
or even with James,
at the funeral home?"
415
00:21:17,988 --> 00:21:20,059
One person came to mind,
416
00:21:20,125 --> 00:21:23,465
who had never been questioned
as a suspect in my case,
417
00:21:23,533 --> 00:21:26,038
but whose name had come up
in another.
418
00:21:26,104 --> 00:21:30,513
We had received a videotape
from Bismarck, North Dakota.
419
00:21:30,580 --> 00:21:33,519
That tape was
from a young man.
420
00:21:33,586 --> 00:21:39,130
He told them that he was
a victim of abuse
421
00:21:39,197 --> 00:21:43,371
while he was in Hudson.
422
00:21:43,438 --> 00:21:45,142
In his videotaped interview
423
00:21:45,209 --> 00:21:46,613
with Bismarck police,
424
00:21:46,679 --> 00:21:49,117
the young man detailed
his abuse allegations,
425
00:21:49,184 --> 00:21:51,722
which the agency forwarded
to Hudson,
426
00:21:51,789 --> 00:21:54,795
since that's where the events
in question occurred.
427
00:21:54,862 --> 00:21:56,999
The tape was
in a separate case file,
428
00:21:57,066 --> 00:21:59,404
but police realized
the accused
429
00:21:59,471 --> 00:22:02,009
was someone I knew:
430
00:22:02,076 --> 00:22:04,147
someone at my funeral.
431
00:22:06,418 --> 00:22:08,155
When I started college
432
00:22:08,222 --> 00:22:10,058
in Bismarck, North Dakota,
433
00:22:10,125 --> 00:22:12,129
I was taking
a psychology course.
434
00:22:12,196 --> 00:22:17,941
And predators came up
as what we were discussing,
435
00:22:18,008 --> 00:22:20,948
and so they started explaining
what grooming was.
436
00:22:21,014 --> 00:22:25,557
And a lot of bells
started going off.
437
00:22:25,624 --> 00:22:26,625
I mean, it was
like that text was written
438
00:22:26,692 --> 00:22:29,363
from my experience.
439
00:22:29,430 --> 00:22:31,602
I was in high school.
440
00:22:31,669 --> 00:22:33,138
I must have been a freshman.
441
00:22:33,205 --> 00:22:38,415
I got in a little bit of--
little bit of mischief,
442
00:22:38,481 --> 00:22:39,985
and, uh--
443
00:22:40,052 --> 00:22:42,323
and found myself with 40 hours
of community service
444
00:22:42,389 --> 00:22:43,526
to do through--
445
00:22:43,593 --> 00:22:46,198
through the--the court.
446
00:22:46,264 --> 00:22:48,068
It was suggested
that I could complete
447
00:22:48,135 --> 00:22:52,409
those 40 hours doing work
at the church or the rectory.
448
00:22:52,476 --> 00:22:55,149
The parish priest was
a pretty trusted--
449
00:22:55,215 --> 00:22:57,588
pretty trusted person.
450
00:22:57,655 --> 00:23:00,527
Or at least, he should be.
451
00:23:00,594 --> 00:23:02,664
That wasn't the case here.
452
00:23:02,731 --> 00:23:05,603
Not with Father Ryan Erickson.
453
00:23:05,670 --> 00:23:07,774
I guess if we're looking
at the spectrum
454
00:23:07,841 --> 00:23:09,878
for Father Erickson,
he would be the--
455
00:23:09,945 --> 00:23:14,522
on the--the end of evil,
rather than on good.
456
00:23:17,460 --> 00:23:18,796
♪ ♪
457
00:23:18,863 --> 00:23:20,366
I would perform my hours.
458
00:23:20,433 --> 00:23:21,702
A buddy would swing by.
459
00:23:21,769 --> 00:23:23,773
The three of us
would do dinner.
460
00:23:23,840 --> 00:23:27,080
And yeah, there was
always beer available.
461
00:23:27,146 --> 00:23:30,954
Here's a person who's
offering to be a role model
462
00:23:31,021 --> 00:23:33,626
and a mentor
to a teenager
463
00:23:33,693 --> 00:23:35,530
who's making
some poor decisions.
464
00:23:37,300 --> 00:23:43,078
The events that led up to me
requiring community service
465
00:23:43,145 --> 00:23:44,882
were around alcohol.
466
00:23:44,949 --> 00:23:47,887
Again, in hindsight, it was--
it was a perfect--
467
00:23:47,954 --> 00:23:51,461
it was a perfect fit,
you know, for--for him.
468
00:23:51,529 --> 00:23:54,200
We played a game occasionally.
469
00:23:54,267 --> 00:23:55,770
It was called
Around the World.
470
00:23:55,837 --> 00:23:58,709
And he had this
very antique globe
471
00:23:58,776 --> 00:24:00,614
in the corner of his office.
472
00:24:00,681 --> 00:24:01,849
It was basically
a liquor cabinet.
473
00:24:01,916 --> 00:24:03,919
Inside it,
there was a half a dozen,
474
00:24:03,986 --> 00:24:05,824
maybe 10 bottles of liquor.
475
00:24:05,891 --> 00:24:08,194
And the--the loser of whatever
476
00:24:08,261 --> 00:24:10,366
the question
or the challenge was
477
00:24:10,432 --> 00:24:15,611
would take a shot from
somewhere around the world.
478
00:24:15,677 --> 00:24:17,213
It would start off with,
you know--
479
00:24:17,279 --> 00:24:19,317
you know, one or two.
480
00:24:19,384 --> 00:24:20,854
And it would slowly progress
to even more.
481
00:24:20,921 --> 00:24:21,855
And, "Hey, you know what?
482
00:24:21,922 --> 00:24:23,358
"You've had too much.
483
00:24:23,425 --> 00:24:25,129
"I'll let your parents know
you guys are gonna crash
484
00:24:25,196 --> 00:24:26,231
here tonight."
485
00:24:26,297 --> 00:24:28,669
Like so many victims of abuse,
486
00:24:28,736 --> 00:24:31,608
Thomas came to realize
something was wrong,
487
00:24:31,675 --> 00:24:34,982
but he didn't report it
right away.
488
00:24:35,049 --> 00:24:38,188
The definition of grooming
is forming a relationship
489
00:24:38,255 --> 00:24:40,226
with a young person
with the intention
490
00:24:40,292 --> 00:24:41,995
of sexual assault.
491
00:24:42,062 --> 00:24:43,799
Thomas believed that is what
492
00:24:43,866 --> 00:24:45,970
Erickson was doing with him.
493
00:24:46,037 --> 00:24:50,046
When did I realize
this was a problem?
494
00:24:50,112 --> 00:24:53,620
When it became
completely apparent to me
495
00:24:53,686 --> 00:24:56,859
was the first time I woke up
496
00:24:56,926 --> 00:25:01,467
with no recollection
of 80% of the night before.
497
00:25:01,535 --> 00:25:04,006
♪ ♪
498
00:25:04,073 --> 00:25:09,150
I had gotten very intoxicated
and gotten sick.
499
00:25:09,217 --> 00:25:12,356
And I remembered
being brought to a shower
500
00:25:12,423 --> 00:25:14,293
so that I could clean myself,
501
00:25:14,360 --> 00:25:16,965
and I wasn't even really able
to stand up.
502
00:25:19,470 --> 00:25:24,715
I know he helped me shower.
503
00:25:24,782 --> 00:25:28,088
♪ ♪
504
00:25:28,154 --> 00:25:34,300
And I don't remember... anything.
505
00:25:34,902 --> 00:25:37,641
We were planning
on going north
506
00:25:37,708 --> 00:25:40,145
for the weekend, camping.
507
00:25:40,212 --> 00:25:42,483
And I called
the Friday afternoon
508
00:25:42,550 --> 00:25:44,555
before we were gonna go,
and I canceled.
509
00:25:44,622 --> 00:25:47,292
Um, understanding
what grooming is,
510
00:25:47,359 --> 00:25:51,668
I have to wonder if maybe that
wasn't kind of his final--
511
00:25:51,735 --> 00:25:55,944
final part of his plan,
was that camping weekend.
512
00:25:56,011 --> 00:25:58,549
Years later,
that psychology class
513
00:25:58,616 --> 00:25:59,918
Thomas took in college
514
00:25:59,985 --> 00:26:02,891
is what made him
decide to come forward.
515
00:26:02,958 --> 00:26:05,362
In addition to events
that were a blur,
516
00:26:05,428 --> 00:26:09,203
he also reported molestation
he remembered clearly.
517
00:26:09,270 --> 00:26:13,913
The alleged abuse began
two years before my murder.
518
00:26:13,980 --> 00:26:16,886
I went to the Bismarck
Police Department
519
00:26:16,952 --> 00:26:19,558
and said that I needed
to file a--a report.
520
00:26:19,625 --> 00:26:21,929
♪ ♪
521
00:27:15,603 --> 00:27:17,841
No charges were filed
at the time
522
00:27:17,908 --> 00:27:20,045
Hudson police received
the tape.
523
00:27:20,112 --> 00:27:22,082
Shortly before I was killed,
524
00:27:22,149 --> 00:27:23,853
I told at least one friend
525
00:27:23,920 --> 00:27:25,557
that I'd heard
about allegations
526
00:27:25,623 --> 00:27:27,660
against Erickson.
527
00:27:27,727 --> 00:27:29,832
Police didn't know that yet,
528
00:27:29,899 --> 00:27:31,836
but wanted to talk to Thomas regardless,
529
00:27:31,903 --> 00:27:33,539
to look
into his reported abuse
530
00:27:33,606 --> 00:27:37,179
and also any potential ties
to the murders.
531
00:27:37,246 --> 00:27:39,317
I did interview him.
532
00:27:39,383 --> 00:27:44,694
The main topic at that point
was the abuse.
533
00:27:44,761 --> 00:27:48,268
My secondary topic
underneath that
534
00:27:48,334 --> 00:27:51,509
was about the murders.
535
00:27:51,576 --> 00:27:53,913
What police were about
to find out
536
00:27:53,980 --> 00:27:55,549
about Erickson's past
537
00:27:55,616 --> 00:27:58,122
were things no one expected.
538
00:27:58,188 --> 00:28:00,593
I've been asked
if, at the time
539
00:28:00,660 --> 00:28:02,129
that I came forward
540
00:28:02,196 --> 00:28:03,933
with my sexual abuse allegations,
541
00:28:04,000 --> 00:28:06,471
if I thought
he was capable of murder.
542
00:28:06,539 --> 00:28:10,412
Somebody who's capable
of sexually abusing a minor,
543
00:28:10,479 --> 00:28:14,320
in my opinion,
is capable of anything.
544
00:28:14,387 --> 00:28:16,692
Turns out,
there was even more to know
545
00:28:16,759 --> 00:28:18,395
about the priest at my parish,
546
00:28:18,462 --> 00:28:22,169
things that would shake
my community to its core.
547
00:28:30,319 --> 00:28:33,291
♪ ♪
548
00:28:33,358 --> 00:28:37,333
The information that we
gathered about Father Ryan
549
00:28:37,400 --> 00:28:39,103
is that he was extreme.
550
00:28:39,169 --> 00:28:41,140
There's a lot of people
that thought he was very good,
551
00:28:41,207 --> 00:28:43,579
and he had
some big detractors.
552
00:28:43,646 --> 00:28:46,217
As police dug
into Erickson's past,
553
00:28:46,284 --> 00:28:50,192
allegations of violent
behavior began turning up.
554
00:28:50,259 --> 00:28:52,764
One member of the church
reportedly watched him
555
00:28:52,831 --> 00:28:55,970
raise his arms as he
pretended to hold a long gun
556
00:28:56,037 --> 00:28:57,407
and shoot at parishioners
557
00:28:57,473 --> 00:28:58,976
he didn't like.
558
00:28:59,043 --> 00:29:01,180
Police collected statements
from people,
559
00:29:01,247 --> 00:29:03,652
one of whom said
he would shoot fish
560
00:29:03,719 --> 00:29:06,123
just to watch them explode.
561
00:29:06,190 --> 00:29:08,696
He was a very good shot.
562
00:29:08,763 --> 00:29:11,500
While psychologists say
there is a known connection
563
00:29:11,568 --> 00:29:13,939
between animal abuse
and murder,
564
00:29:14,006 --> 00:29:16,979
it didn't mean
Erickson was a killer.
565
00:29:17,046 --> 00:29:20,987
Still, it was
unsettling for police.
566
00:29:21,054 --> 00:29:23,826
They wanted to know
more about him.
567
00:29:23,893 --> 00:29:25,195
He had
quite a gun collection.
568
00:29:25,262 --> 00:29:28,101
He had a couple of shotguns.
569
00:29:28,168 --> 00:29:31,240
He said it was
for bear hunting.
570
00:29:31,307 --> 00:29:35,382
He had a large bear tattoo
on his bicep,
571
00:29:35,449 --> 00:29:40,458
and that seemed to be
a point of pride.
572
00:29:40,526 --> 00:29:43,599
Because the world
itself will be freed
573
00:29:43,666 --> 00:29:45,269
from its slavery to corruption
574
00:29:45,335 --> 00:29:48,776
and share in the glories
and the freedom
575
00:29:48,843 --> 00:29:50,145
of the children of God.
576
00:29:50,211 --> 00:29:53,986
His sermons were
very conservative.
577
00:29:54,053 --> 00:29:57,761
He, um, carried himself
in a way that,
578
00:29:57,828 --> 00:30:01,301
um, drew attention to himself.
579
00:30:01,367 --> 00:30:03,071
There were some members
of the church
580
00:30:03,138 --> 00:30:06,410
that thought he was odd.
581
00:30:06,477 --> 00:30:07,947
While he was
still studying
582
00:30:08,014 --> 00:30:09,651
to be a priest at seminary,
583
00:30:09,718 --> 00:30:12,557
allegations surfaced
of sexual misconduct
584
00:30:12,624 --> 00:30:15,997
between Erickson
and two different minors.
585
00:30:16,064 --> 00:30:18,134
Erickson even admitted
to these incidents,
586
00:30:18,201 --> 00:30:19,938
but church authorities determined
587
00:30:20,005 --> 00:30:21,307
in their own investigation
588
00:30:21,374 --> 00:30:23,512
that the events
were not predatory,
589
00:30:23,579 --> 00:30:27,587
and Erickson continued
on his path to priesthood.
590
00:30:27,654 --> 00:30:30,760
Different priests
that are in the seminary--
591
00:30:30,827 --> 00:30:32,396
they couldn't believe, uh,
592
00:30:32,462 --> 00:30:35,937
that they allowed him
to be a priest.
593
00:30:36,004 --> 00:30:39,745
Ryan Erickson hadn't been
at St. Pat's even two years
594
00:30:39,812 --> 00:30:43,484
when I started to hear things
from worried parents.
595
00:30:43,552 --> 00:30:46,157
He had just--
was hearing things,
596
00:30:46,224 --> 00:30:49,430
numerous complaints,
against Erickson
597
00:30:49,497 --> 00:30:51,400
from church members.
598
00:30:51,467 --> 00:30:54,240
And one of them had
even mentioned to me
599
00:30:54,307 --> 00:30:58,248
that they saw Erickson
hanging around with boys,
600
00:30:58,315 --> 00:31:01,087
uh, in the river
at the retreat.
601
00:31:01,154 --> 00:31:05,997
And then he began to rub mud
all over their body.
602
00:31:06,063 --> 00:31:09,070
Everybody confided in Dan.
603
00:31:09,137 --> 00:31:12,209
He just had that aura
about him.
604
00:31:12,276 --> 00:31:15,115
If you needed to call
somebody and needed help,
605
00:31:15,182 --> 00:31:17,587
he'd be the first person
you'd wanna call.
606
00:31:17,654 --> 00:31:23,799
Dan would want
to confront Erickson first,
607
00:31:23,866 --> 00:31:28,041
and let him know that--
"I know this about you,
608
00:31:28,108 --> 00:31:29,611
"and I think it's wrong,
609
00:31:29,678 --> 00:31:31,515
"and you need to come forward.
610
00:31:31,582 --> 00:31:35,690
"And if you don't,
I'm going to go to the police
611
00:31:35,756 --> 00:31:39,063
with what I know."
612
00:31:39,129 --> 00:31:41,467
The bells started
to go off then,
613
00:31:41,535 --> 00:31:45,242
at that point,
that we may have something
614
00:31:45,309 --> 00:31:49,718
here, um, as a suspect.
615
00:31:49,785 --> 00:31:53,692
My faith instilled in me
compassion and mercy.
616
00:31:53,759 --> 00:31:57,500
I thought a priest
would be merciful, too.
617
00:31:57,567 --> 00:31:59,103
I was wrong.
618
00:31:59,170 --> 00:32:00,773
♪ ♪
619
00:32:00,840 --> 00:32:02,376
Police would find out later
620
00:32:02,442 --> 00:32:04,013
that Erickson confided
in a friend
621
00:32:04,080 --> 00:32:05,983
that he and I had argued
622
00:32:06,050 --> 00:32:07,653
the day before I was killed.
623
00:32:07,720 --> 00:32:09,691
But that friend
didn't come forward
624
00:32:09,758 --> 00:32:11,194
with that information
right away
625
00:32:11,261 --> 00:32:12,964
because he didn't suspect
626
00:32:13,031 --> 00:32:15,469
a priest could be involved.
627
00:32:15,537 --> 00:32:19,109
The day after that argument,
I was dead.
628
00:32:19,176 --> 00:32:21,682
Father Erickson
then told the same friend,
629
00:32:21,749 --> 00:32:23,519
"the devil is gone."
630
00:32:23,586 --> 00:32:26,692
♪ ♪
631
00:32:26,758 --> 00:32:29,263
Once police had questioned
Thomas and looked
632
00:32:29,330 --> 00:32:31,467
into Father Erickson's past,
633
00:32:31,535 --> 00:32:33,672
they needed to interview him
face to face.
634
00:32:33,739 --> 00:32:37,045
By that time,
he was long gone.
635
00:32:37,112 --> 00:32:43,057
♪ ♪
636
00:32:43,124 --> 00:32:46,698
He'd been shuffled to two
other parishes after 2003,
637
00:32:46,765 --> 00:32:49,203
once due
to parishioner complaints
638
00:32:49,269 --> 00:32:52,442
and once because
of his alcohol abuse.
639
00:32:52,510 --> 00:32:55,114
He landed
in Hurley, Wisconsin,
640
00:32:55,181 --> 00:32:58,354
a tiny town up north.
641
00:32:58,421 --> 00:33:01,795
Myself
and the other detective
642
00:33:01,862 --> 00:33:03,532
went up to Hurley.
643
00:33:03,599 --> 00:33:06,805
So the voices that you'll be
hearing on this tape
644
00:33:06,872 --> 00:33:11,915
are Detective Jeff Knopps,
Detective Shawn Pettee,
645
00:33:11,982 --> 00:33:17,459
and Father Ryan G. Erickson.
646
00:33:17,527 --> 00:33:21,334
Erickson, when we arrived,
invited us in.
647
00:33:21,400 --> 00:33:25,108
But as time went on, he seemed
to become
648
00:33:25,175 --> 00:33:28,248
a little bit more guarded.
649
00:33:28,315 --> 00:33:29,885
What stood out in front of me,
650
00:33:29,952 --> 00:33:33,391
and I almost had to take
a double look at it,
651
00:33:33,458 --> 00:33:38,401
was the globe
that Thomas had mentioned.
652
00:33:38,468 --> 00:33:41,140
And I right away thought
that Thomas
653
00:33:41,207 --> 00:33:43,444
was not making up this story.
654
00:33:43,512 --> 00:33:46,618
He was a reliable victim.
655
00:34:47,405 --> 00:34:50,513
The thing is,
police knew the news media
656
00:34:50,579 --> 00:34:53,653
never reported
where I was sitting.
657
00:34:53,719 --> 00:34:55,790
He seemed to know
658
00:34:55,857 --> 00:34:59,798
things that the public
did not know:
659
00:34:59,865 --> 00:35:04,674
that Dan and James each were
shot once in the head, and...
660
00:35:05,677 --> 00:35:08,849
That Dan was behind the desk.
661
00:35:08,916 --> 00:35:14,459
And also, James had
walked into the room
662
00:35:14,527 --> 00:35:18,434
after Dan
had already been shot.
663
00:35:18,501 --> 00:35:21,240
The killer could not exit
the funeral home
664
00:35:21,307 --> 00:35:23,444
without James seeing him,
665
00:35:23,512 --> 00:35:27,252
so the killer shoots James
and then leaves.
666
00:35:27,319 --> 00:35:31,829
♪ ♪
667
00:35:31,895 --> 00:35:34,333
All of this
was information police
668
00:35:34,400 --> 00:35:36,204
had in their back pocket.
669
00:35:36,270 --> 00:35:38,508
They had never revealed
those details,
670
00:35:38,575 --> 00:35:40,445
even after all these years.
671
00:35:40,513 --> 00:35:43,118
We were actually
quiet in the car
672
00:35:43,185 --> 00:35:45,957
on our return trip to Hudson.
673
00:35:46,023 --> 00:35:49,163
Then we began to talk,
and it was kind of like,
674
00:35:49,230 --> 00:35:55,509
"Wow.
This may be the killer."
675
00:36:04,326 --> 00:36:06,096
We would go back
676
00:36:06,163 --> 00:36:08,001
and interview Erickson again
677
00:36:08,068 --> 00:36:09,838
in Ladysmith, Wisconsin,
678
00:36:09,905 --> 00:36:11,206
at the sheriff's office.
679
00:36:11,273 --> 00:36:16,584
He arrived in his full cassock.
680
00:36:16,651 --> 00:36:19,089
Erickson was troubled.
681
00:36:19,156 --> 00:36:24,133
He was not the man the people
thought that he was.
682
00:36:24,199 --> 00:36:28,141
I believe that Erickson
killed Dan to keep the secret
683
00:36:28,207 --> 00:36:29,476
from getting out
684
00:36:29,544 --> 00:36:32,751
about his abuse
of the children,
685
00:36:32,817 --> 00:36:34,520
the alcohol,
686
00:36:34,587 --> 00:36:37,359
who he actually was
687
00:36:37,426 --> 00:36:40,866
behind the cassock
that he would wear.
688
00:36:40,933 --> 00:36:42,770
The reason
that we're up here again--
689
00:36:42,837 --> 00:36:44,741
we talked to you before--
is about the double homicide
690
00:36:44,808 --> 00:36:47,446
that happened at the, uh,
O'Connell Funeral Home
691
00:36:47,514 --> 00:36:51,789
on Tuesday, February 5, 2002.
692
00:36:51,855 --> 00:36:55,562
Um, at that time,
you were living in Hudson.
693
00:36:55,629 --> 00:36:57,499
In Hudson, at the rectory.
694
00:36:57,567 --> 00:36:59,269
I hate to ask,
but am I a suspect
695
00:36:59,336 --> 00:37:01,440
in Dan O'Connell's murder?
That's, uh--
696
00:37:01,507 --> 00:37:02,877
Well, you understand
where we're coming from.
697
00:37:02,944 --> 00:37:04,547
We told you, we got--
we got a void on that day...
698
00:37:04,614 --> 00:37:05,650
- Yeah, I understand.
- And we're trying
699
00:37:05,717 --> 00:37:06,551
to fill that in.
700
00:37:06,618 --> 00:37:08,856
Do you know why he was killed?
701
00:37:08,922 --> 00:37:11,460
No, I don't know
why he was killed.
702
00:37:11,528 --> 00:37:13,231
Why was James Ellison killed?
703
00:37:13,297 --> 00:37:14,667
I don't know.
704
00:37:14,734 --> 00:37:17,005
In the course
of this investigation,
705
00:37:17,072 --> 00:37:21,782
never once has anybody from
the Hudson Police Department
706
00:37:21,849 --> 00:37:27,726
ever mentioned where the bodies
were, positions, et cetera.
707
00:37:27,793 --> 00:37:29,765
Nor, in the course
of this investigation,
708
00:37:29,831 --> 00:37:34,707
through 1,900 and some people,
has anybody ever brought up
709
00:37:34,774 --> 00:37:38,448
a speculation,
a probability, a possibility,
710
00:37:38,515 --> 00:37:40,285
or anything like that,
711
00:37:40,352 --> 00:37:43,091
as far as where
the bodies were.
712
00:37:43,158 --> 00:37:46,865
Nor has anybody told us
how many times they were shot,
713
00:37:46,932 --> 00:37:48,201
or where they were shot.
714
00:37:48,267 --> 00:37:50,706
Why do you know that?
715
00:37:50,773 --> 00:37:52,175
I don't know why I know that.
716
00:37:52,242 --> 00:37:53,612
It could have been office talk.
717
00:37:53,679 --> 00:37:55,315
It could have been
from the media, okay?
718
00:37:55,382 --> 00:37:56,852
I'm not sure.
719
00:37:56,919 --> 00:37:59,489
He had also asked people
720
00:37:59,557 --> 00:38:01,561
before this interview
721
00:38:01,628 --> 00:38:04,366
if they could give him
an alibi,
722
00:38:04,432 --> 00:38:08,976
which--nobody was able
to give him an alibi
723
00:38:09,042 --> 00:38:12,750
on the day and the times
of the murders.
724
00:38:12,817 --> 00:38:14,921
You didn't go to the church.
725
00:38:14,988 --> 00:38:17,225
You didn't tell anybody up at
the church where you're going.
726
00:38:17,292 --> 00:38:22,268
They tried to make
contact with you.
727
00:38:22,335 --> 00:38:25,375
They were looking
for your assistance
728
00:38:25,442 --> 00:38:27,547
up at the funeral home.
729
00:38:27,614 --> 00:38:30,553
You were nowhere to be found.
730
00:38:30,619 --> 00:38:33,592
I don't know where I was,
other than to say
731
00:38:33,658 --> 00:38:35,863
I could have been shopping.
732
00:38:35,929 --> 00:38:37,533
They pushed him pretty hard.
733
00:38:37,600 --> 00:38:40,204
They thought he was
gonna say something.
734
00:38:40,271 --> 00:38:43,546
And, uh--
but he didn't confess.
735
00:38:43,612 --> 00:38:47,687
You don't quite understand
the predicament I'm in.
736
00:38:47,754 --> 00:38:49,991
The only one thing I love
above everything else,
737
00:38:50,057 --> 00:38:51,695
that's being a priest.
738
00:38:51,762 --> 00:38:53,732
And it's the only thing
I've ever wanted.
739
00:38:53,799 --> 00:38:57,305
Do you think the person
that killed these two men
740
00:38:57,372 --> 00:38:59,143
can really live
with themselves?
741
00:38:59,209 --> 00:39:00,178
I don't believe so.
742
00:39:00,245 --> 00:39:01,782
I don't think anybody--
743
00:39:01,848 --> 00:39:03,117
Don't you think it just--
don't you just think it
744
00:39:03,184 --> 00:39:04,654
just would eat them right up?
745
00:39:04,721 --> 00:39:06,658
I don't believe
anybody who would kill somebody
746
00:39:06,725 --> 00:39:09,496
could live with it.
747
00:39:09,564 --> 00:39:11,902
Police believe the opposite.
748
00:39:11,969 --> 00:39:14,974
Someone definitely
was doing that,
749
00:39:15,041 --> 00:39:19,015
and that person was
Father Erickson.
750
00:39:19,082 --> 00:39:21,755
After the interview,
police asked Erickson
751
00:39:21,822 --> 00:39:24,025
if they could search his car.
752
00:39:24,092 --> 00:39:28,635
When he said yes, they found
something troubling.
753
00:39:28,702 --> 00:39:33,879
He had a fully loaded
9-millimeter handgun,
754
00:39:33,946 --> 00:39:38,722
and that that gun
had been uncased
755
00:39:38,789 --> 00:39:40,993
underneath the seat of his car.
756
00:39:41,060 --> 00:39:43,866
When asked,
"Why would you carry
757
00:39:43,933 --> 00:39:46,203
a loaded handgun underneath
your seat?"
758
00:39:46,270 --> 00:39:48,241
he states, "You never know
759
00:39:48,308 --> 00:39:50,445
when you're gonna hit a deer."
760
00:39:50,512 --> 00:39:53,752
It wasn't the gun used
to kill James and me,
761
00:39:53,819 --> 00:39:55,121
but that didn't change
762
00:39:55,187 --> 00:39:57,527
police's point of view
on Erickson.
763
00:39:57,593 --> 00:40:02,469
Erickson wanted to be
the priest so bad,
764
00:40:02,536 --> 00:40:06,444
he would kill in order
to stay a priest.
765
00:40:09,517 --> 00:40:13,157
♪ ♪
766
00:40:18,602 --> 00:40:22,876
♪ ♪
767
00:40:22,943 --> 00:40:25,014
It took a week to get
a search warrant
768
00:40:25,081 --> 00:40:27,118
for the rectory
where Erickson lived
769
00:40:27,185 --> 00:40:28,889
in Hurley, Wisconsin.
770
00:40:28,956 --> 00:40:33,698
I did contact
the police chief in Hurley.
771
00:40:33,765 --> 00:40:38,909
I said, "I don't know how
Erickson is going to react."
772
00:40:38,975 --> 00:40:42,550
When the chief started
knocking on the door,
773
00:40:42,617 --> 00:40:45,088
Erickson began to run
up the stairs
774
00:40:45,155 --> 00:40:47,727
and had to be stopped
from running up the stairways
775
00:40:47,794 --> 00:40:49,997
up towards his bedroom.
776
00:40:53,070 --> 00:40:57,579
There was a lot of child porn
on his computers.
777
00:40:57,646 --> 00:41:03,190
It was obvious he had tried
to get rid of all of that.
778
00:41:03,257 --> 00:41:05,829
The forensic labs
were still able
779
00:41:05,896 --> 00:41:07,667
to find these files
780
00:41:07,733 --> 00:41:10,137
deep into the system.
781
00:41:10,204 --> 00:41:12,175
While possession
of child pornography
782
00:41:12,241 --> 00:41:15,516
is illegal, it didn't mean
he was a murderer.
783
00:41:15,582 --> 00:41:18,555
Police kept searching
for more clues.
784
00:41:18,622 --> 00:41:20,993
We found a handgun--
785
00:41:21,060 --> 00:41:25,636
magazine was loaded--
in his sock drawers.
786
00:41:25,703 --> 00:41:30,779
I believe that it may
have been an attempt,
787
00:41:30,846 --> 00:41:34,787
if he could get to it,
by suicide by cop.
788
00:41:34,854 --> 00:41:36,657
He had a lot of other guns,
789
00:41:36,724 --> 00:41:38,829
too, just like Thomas said,
790
00:41:38,895 --> 00:41:41,033
but not the one
they were looking for:
791
00:41:41,099 --> 00:41:44,540
the one used
to kill James and me.
792
00:41:44,607 --> 00:41:46,009
I don't think we
were real surprised,
793
00:41:46,076 --> 00:41:48,615
because if somebody's gonna use
that gun in a homicide,
794
00:41:48,682 --> 00:41:50,819
they're not gonna keep it.
795
00:41:50,886 --> 00:41:52,623
Not finding
the murder weapon
796
00:41:52,690 --> 00:41:54,159
was a setback,
797
00:41:54,226 --> 00:41:57,967
but police continued to put
their case together.
798
00:41:58,034 --> 00:42:00,573
Erickson was in
a fragile state.
799
00:42:00,639 --> 00:42:03,210
Police worried
about his mental health.
800
00:42:03,277 --> 00:42:06,250
He spent the next two days
venting about the cops
801
00:42:06,316 --> 00:42:08,287
to his friends.
802
00:42:08,354 --> 00:42:10,759
Then, on a snowy Sunday
803
00:42:10,826 --> 00:42:13,131
less than a week
before Christmas,
804
00:42:13,197 --> 00:42:14,366
it was too much.
805
00:42:16,538 --> 00:42:19,376
St. Mary's Church was
preparing for mass,
806
00:42:19,443 --> 00:42:23,184
like any other Sunday morning.
807
00:42:23,250 --> 00:42:27,392
Father Ryan Erickson was
preparing for something else.
808
00:42:30,465 --> 00:42:35,909
♪ ♪
809
00:42:35,976 --> 00:42:38,013
I got a call.
It was Sunday morning.
810
00:42:38,080 --> 00:42:41,086
Father Ryan had hung himself
from the fire escape,
811
00:42:41,153 --> 00:42:44,661
and he's dead.
812
00:42:44,727 --> 00:42:46,096
I said, of course,
813
00:42:46,163 --> 00:42:47,332
"Did he--well, was
there any confession?
814
00:42:47,398 --> 00:42:50,104
Did you find a note?"
815
00:42:50,171 --> 00:42:55,148
"Please have masses
said for my soul's rest."
816
00:42:55,215 --> 00:42:58,789
It was Father Ryan Erickson's
last wish.
817
00:42:58,856 --> 00:43:00,124
He also left letters
818
00:43:00,191 --> 00:43:02,095
for his friends
and his parents,
819
00:43:02,162 --> 00:43:04,833
and a ring he wore every day--
820
00:43:04,900 --> 00:43:07,573
the ring shaped like a crown
of thorns,
821
00:43:07,640 --> 00:43:09,009
a symbol of suffering
822
00:43:09,076 --> 00:43:10,946
harkening back to Christ.
823
00:43:11,012 --> 00:43:14,253
It's the same ring he tapped
on the table nervously
824
00:43:14,319 --> 00:43:16,891
when being questioned
by police about the murders.
825
00:43:16,958 --> 00:43:18,662
Only one thing I love
826
00:43:18,728 --> 00:43:20,298
above everything else,
827
00:43:20,364 --> 00:43:21,366
that's being a priest.
828
00:43:21,433 --> 00:43:23,806
And it's the only thing
I've ever wanted.
829
00:43:23,872 --> 00:43:25,442
The worn book used
830
00:43:25,509 --> 00:43:27,913
when administering
the sacrament of penance,
831
00:43:27,980 --> 00:43:30,218
found on his body
when he hanged himself,
832
00:43:30,284 --> 00:43:34,393
begs the question--
did he wrestle with his sins?
833
00:43:34,459 --> 00:43:36,998
It's about contrition, confession,
834
00:43:37,065 --> 00:43:39,469
penance, and absolution.
835
00:43:39,537 --> 00:43:41,841
The man was
a sick individual.
836
00:43:41,908 --> 00:43:44,412
Erickson wanted attention,
837
00:43:44,479 --> 00:43:48,655
and he got it that day
when he killed himself,
838
00:43:48,722 --> 00:43:51,226
for everybody to see
before church.
839
00:43:51,293 --> 00:43:54,834
I was absolutely thrilled
to death the guy was dead.
840
00:43:54,901 --> 00:43:57,472
He deserved to die.
841
00:43:57,540 --> 00:44:00,879
What we had found was
a last will and testament,
842
00:44:00,946 --> 00:44:03,250
a suicide note, uh, saying
843
00:44:03,317 --> 00:44:07,091
that he was sorry
about Thomas.
844
00:44:07,158 --> 00:44:10,933
But in there,
he did say that, uh,
845
00:44:11,000 --> 00:44:14,607
he did not kill Dan and James.
846
00:44:14,674 --> 00:44:17,646
That ran counter
to what he said to the deacon
847
00:44:17,713 --> 00:44:19,683
sometime during the 12 days
848
00:44:19,750 --> 00:44:23,457
between Erickson's meeting
with police and his suicide.
849
00:44:23,525 --> 00:44:29,804
After Erickson's suicide,
the deacon had stated to us,
850
00:44:29,870 --> 00:44:32,542
Erickson stated, "I did it.
851
00:44:32,609 --> 00:44:34,713
And they're gonna catch me."
852
00:44:38,087 --> 00:44:40,357
I remember we had a meeting
on, what do we do?
853
00:44:40,424 --> 00:44:43,565
We said, "Let's continue
the investigation."
854
00:44:43,632 --> 00:44:44,767
It would take
855
00:44:44,834 --> 00:44:47,172
what's called
a John Doe hearing
856
00:44:47,239 --> 00:44:49,877
to determine whether police
and prosecutors
857
00:44:49,944 --> 00:44:51,781
had enough evidence to prove
858
00:44:51,848 --> 00:44:53,150
Erickson was the killer.
859
00:44:53,217 --> 00:44:55,254
Well, John Doe is
like a grand jury,
860
00:44:55,321 --> 00:44:57,058
except that's in front
of a judge.
861
00:44:57,125 --> 00:44:59,830
So you present evidence
in front of a judge.
862
00:44:59,897 --> 00:45:03,037
We heard from a bus driver.
863
00:45:03,104 --> 00:45:06,309
She saw Dan that morning.
864
00:45:06,376 --> 00:45:09,984
Dan had asked if she
had ever seen Erickson
865
00:45:10,051 --> 00:45:13,123
with boys, or around boys.
866
00:45:13,190 --> 00:45:16,029
He also stated that
he was going to meet
867
00:45:16,096 --> 00:45:20,371
Erickson later that afternoon.
868
00:45:20,438 --> 00:45:24,580
I believe that Dan had come
into the office,
869
00:45:24,647 --> 00:45:28,487
was behind his desk.
870
00:45:28,555 --> 00:45:32,195
He was going to have
a meeting with Erickson.
871
00:45:32,262 --> 00:45:34,534
Instead of the speaking
with him,
872
00:45:34,601 --> 00:45:38,373
that's when Erickson
shot and killed Dan.
873
00:45:39,577 --> 00:45:43,952
♪ ♪
874
00:45:44,019 --> 00:45:47,425
James walked in, saw Dan.
875
00:45:47,492 --> 00:45:51,634
♪ ♪
876
00:45:51,701 --> 00:45:53,938
Erickson could not exit
or leave
877
00:45:54,005 --> 00:45:56,176
the funeral home
without being seen,
878
00:45:56,243 --> 00:45:58,447
so then he had to kill James.
879
00:45:58,515 --> 00:46:02,723
♪ ♪
880
00:46:02,790 --> 00:46:04,159
At a certain point
in the evidence,
881
00:46:04,226 --> 00:46:07,600
he asked the judge to make
a probable cause finding.
882
00:46:07,666 --> 00:46:10,739
Judge Lundell--he said
that in his opinion,
883
00:46:10,806 --> 00:46:13,611
it would--met the standard
of beyond a reasonable doubt.
884
00:46:13,678 --> 00:46:15,882
I remember that stood out.
885
00:46:15,949 --> 00:46:19,255
It's a very strong case,
uh, for probability.
886
00:46:19,322 --> 00:46:22,729
Uh, on a scale of, uh,
one to ten,
887
00:46:22,796 --> 00:46:23,899
as far as strength of evidence,
888
00:46:23,965 --> 00:46:25,869
I would consider this a ten.
889
00:46:25,936 --> 00:46:27,606
The judge cited a deacon
890
00:46:27,673 --> 00:46:29,275
who says Erickson confessed,
891
00:46:29,342 --> 00:46:31,012
the fact that one
of the victims
892
00:46:31,079 --> 00:46:32,381
was about to confront
the priest
893
00:46:32,448 --> 00:46:34,687
with allegations
of sexual abuse of minors,
894
00:46:34,754 --> 00:46:36,356
and the priest's knowledge
895
00:46:36,423 --> 00:46:38,193
of secret details
of the killings
896
00:46:38,260 --> 00:46:40,532
known only to police.
897
00:46:43,605 --> 00:46:48,180
♪ ♪
898
00:46:48,247 --> 00:46:49,817
When my murder happened,
899
00:46:49,884 --> 00:46:51,453
it was early on
in the discovery
900
00:46:51,521 --> 00:46:53,423
of the priest sex abuse scandals
901
00:46:53,490 --> 00:46:55,395
that would rock
the Catholic Church
902
00:46:55,461 --> 00:46:58,602
for decades and blanket
the airwaves.
903
00:46:58,668 --> 00:47:01,874
News coverage in the region
focused on the murders
904
00:47:01,941 --> 00:47:03,678
and on people hoping
for change
905
00:47:03,745 --> 00:47:05,716
on a local and national level.
906
00:47:05,783 --> 00:47:06,884
Parents stood
907
00:47:06,951 --> 00:47:08,555
outside St. Francis Xavier church
908
00:47:08,622 --> 00:47:10,124
this morning to remember.
909
00:47:10,191 --> 00:47:11,561
They held posters
with pictures
910
00:47:11,628 --> 00:47:14,031
of Dan O'Connell and James Ellison,
911
00:47:14,098 --> 00:47:15,769
but they also
handed out flyers
912
00:47:15,836 --> 00:47:18,875
hoping to raise awareness
about priest sex abuse
913
00:47:18,941 --> 00:47:21,446
going on
right now across the country.
914
00:47:21,514 --> 00:47:25,955
Some 80%
of the victims were boys--
915
00:47:26,022 --> 00:47:28,461
boys like Thomas,
whom I wanted to protect
916
00:47:28,528 --> 00:47:32,402
from predators
like Ryan Erickson.
917
00:47:32,468 --> 00:47:36,076
♪ Standing outside
with my mouth open wide ♪
918
00:47:36,143 --> 00:47:38,615
♪ Ah, ah, ah-ah,
ah-ah-ah, ah-ah-ah ♪
919
00:47:43,257 --> 00:47:45,628
What's that?
And how old are you?
920
00:47:45,695 --> 00:47:47,231
Two.
921
00:47:47,298 --> 00:47:50,204
I would have rather
have him get caught
922
00:47:50,271 --> 00:47:54,881
and go through a trial
and be put in prison,
923
00:47:54,948 --> 00:47:57,586
instead of taking
the easy way out
924
00:47:57,653 --> 00:48:00,090
and trying to avoid all that.
925
00:48:02,094 --> 00:48:03,965
It was pretty merciful of Dan
926
00:48:04,032 --> 00:48:06,838
to have given him
the opportunity
927
00:48:06,905 --> 00:48:08,608
to come forward himself
928
00:48:08,675 --> 00:48:12,816
instead of somebody else,
um, going to the diocese,
929
00:48:12,883 --> 00:48:14,252
going to police.
930
00:48:14,319 --> 00:48:17,225
I think Dan would see it
as the ultimate betrayal.
931
00:48:17,292 --> 00:48:19,029
My family would say
932
00:48:19,095 --> 00:48:21,500
that's just the kind of guy
I was:
933
00:48:21,567 --> 00:48:23,871
merciful, kind.
934
00:48:23,938 --> 00:48:26,644
He would actually give
you the shirt off his back,
935
00:48:26,711 --> 00:48:29,984
which--he actually gave
the suit off of his back
936
00:48:30,050 --> 00:48:32,957
to a gentleman that had lost
his, uh, 16-year-old daughter
937
00:48:33,024 --> 00:48:34,492
in a car accident.
938
00:48:34,560 --> 00:48:37,599
This man said that he
didn't have a suit to wear
939
00:48:37,666 --> 00:48:39,269
to his daughter's funeral.
940
00:48:39,336 --> 00:48:40,939
Then Dan had him stand up
and said,
941
00:48:41,006 --> 00:48:43,545
"Well, you kind of look
like you're about my size."
942
00:48:43,612 --> 00:48:47,251
He says, "I will have it
cleaned and pressed,
943
00:48:47,318 --> 00:48:50,324
and I'll get a tie for you."
944
00:48:50,391 --> 00:48:53,230
Dan was an absolutely
compassionate man.
945
00:48:53,297 --> 00:48:56,403
He was just born with it.
946
00:48:56,470 --> 00:48:58,742
Two weeks before I died,
947
00:48:58,808 --> 00:49:01,781
I drove
with Detective Jeffrey Knopps,
948
00:49:01,848 --> 00:49:03,450
whom I'd known for years,
949
00:49:03,517 --> 00:49:06,123
to the funeral
of a police officer.
950
00:49:06,190 --> 00:49:08,294
We talked about
a lot of things,
951
00:49:08,361 --> 00:49:11,499
but not what I knew
about Ryan Erickson.
952
00:49:11,567 --> 00:49:14,640
To this day, yeah, I don't
know why he didn't tell me.
953
00:49:19,149 --> 00:49:21,053
♪ ♪
954
00:49:21,119 --> 00:49:24,827
I'll need a Kleenex, quick.
955
00:49:24,894 --> 00:49:29,168
I just wish that, um...
956
00:49:29,235 --> 00:49:32,943
♪ ♪
957
00:49:33,010 --> 00:49:35,348
Dan would have just, you know,
958
00:49:35,415 --> 00:49:41,493
said something to us,
to me, to law enforcement,
959
00:49:41,561 --> 00:49:43,497
about the priest.
960
00:49:43,565 --> 00:49:47,773
Because, um, possibly,
you know, could have saved
961
00:49:47,839 --> 00:49:53,350
his and James's life.
962
00:49:53,417 --> 00:49:56,022
What a sick, twisted person,
963
00:49:56,089 --> 00:49:59,897
speaking at my father's funeral.
964
00:49:59,963 --> 00:50:04,205
Uh, just a lot of emotions.
965
00:50:04,272 --> 00:50:07,145
♪ ♪
966
00:50:07,212 --> 00:50:10,519
A lot of just betrayal.
967
00:50:10,585 --> 00:50:16,931
I mean, he's the reason why
I don't go to church anymore.
968
00:50:20,004 --> 00:50:27,117
♪ ♪
969
00:50:28,788 --> 00:50:31,627
My dad would feel horrible,
what happened to James.
970
00:50:31,694 --> 00:50:34,166
It's just the wrong place
at the wrong time for him,
971
00:50:34,232 --> 00:50:36,804
and--young kid.
972
00:50:36,871 --> 00:50:40,444
It's just--it--it's horrible,
what happened to him.
973
00:50:46,423 --> 00:50:49,496
My dad was trying to protect
974
00:50:49,563 --> 00:50:53,137
not just the boys
that he was molesting,
975
00:50:53,204 --> 00:50:56,677
but future boys,
trying to end this.
976
00:50:56,744 --> 00:50:58,615
Thinking that
this person, who was held
977
00:50:58,681 --> 00:51:00,418
with such high esteem
in the community,
978
00:51:00,484 --> 00:51:02,288
ultimately put his life
on the line
979
00:51:02,355 --> 00:51:05,494
over a rumor for a boy
he'd never met,
980
00:51:05,562 --> 00:51:06,898
and I was that--
981
00:51:06,964 --> 00:51:08,033
I was that boy.
982
00:51:08,100 --> 00:51:14,179
Um, it--
983
00:51:14,245 --> 00:51:16,283
there was a lot of guilt.
984
00:51:16,350 --> 00:51:18,120
If Thomas didn't
come forward,
985
00:51:18,186 --> 00:51:21,326
I don't think today
we would know who did it.
986
00:51:21,393 --> 00:51:25,334
I think he was the final piece
to this big puzzle.
987
00:51:25,401 --> 00:51:29,577
And it was two years after,
and I firmly believe
988
00:51:29,643 --> 00:51:32,783
God gave us those two years
to get our hearts ready
989
00:51:32,850 --> 00:51:34,820
to find out who did it.
990
00:51:34,887 --> 00:51:36,857
♪ ♪
991
00:51:36,924 --> 00:51:40,732
I learned early on
that death is part of life--
992
00:51:40,799 --> 00:51:45,542
not a part to be feared,
but to be accepted.
993
00:51:45,609 --> 00:51:48,113
Whether it comes
quickly or slowly,
994
00:51:48,180 --> 00:51:53,758
is unexpected or planned for,
it is inevitable.
995
00:51:53,825 --> 00:51:57,632
It's also hard for those
who are left behind.
996
00:51:57,699 --> 00:52:01,139
As the Irish prayer outside
the funeral home promises,
997
00:52:01,205 --> 00:52:03,477
we'll meet again.
998
00:52:03,545 --> 00:52:06,116
Until then, there
should be comfort
999
00:52:06,183 --> 00:52:09,355
in knowing I died as I lived--
1000
00:52:09,422 --> 00:52:11,961
in service to others.
1001
00:52:12,028 --> 00:52:19,141
♪ ♪
78437
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