Original subtitles

**

**

IN 1982,

THERE WERE 410 HOMICIDES IN METROPOLITAN PHILADELPHIA.

THIS IS THE STORY OF ONE OF THOSE CASES.

THE MAIN LINE DERIVES ITS NAME

FROM THE OLD PENNSYLVANIA RAILROAD,

WHICH WENT WEST FROM PHILADELPHIA,

AND THE NEIGHBORHOOD ADJACENT TO IT

BECAME KNOWN AS THE MAIN LINE.

THE SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES ARE WEALTHY HOMES,

EXCLUSIVE HOMES, MANSIONS.

THE MAJORITY OF PEOPLE THAT LIVED IN THAT AREA

WERE VERY WELL-TO-DO.

EVERYONE, JUST FOR A MOMENT...

AND THE GROSS FAMILY, VERY PROMINENT

AND VERY RECOGNIZED ON THE MAIN LINE.

COURTLAND, ALEXANDRA, I THINK WE ALL WISH

WE HAD THE KIND OF LOVE AND MARRIAGE

YOU TWO HAVE HAD FOR THE PAST 40 YEARS,

AND SO HERE'S TO 40 MORE YEARS OF LOVE AND HAPPINESS.

- CHEERS. - CHEERS.

A COUPLE OF ELDERLY PEOPLE SLAIN WITHIN THEIR HOME,

KILLED IN THIS MANNER --

IT WAS SENSELESS.

WE WERE LOOKING FOR SOMEBODY WHO WAS A VERY DANGEROUS MURDERER.

**

**

**

**

THE GROSSES' ESTATE

WAS ON THE NORTHWESTERN EDGE OF THE TOWNSHIP,

JUST ABOUT A MILE FROM THE PHILADELPHIA BORDER.

GET THE TOOLS OUT. I'LL SAY "HI" TO MRS. GROSS.

THERE WAS SOME ROOFING WORK

GOING ON AT THE HOUSE OVER THE PAST SEVERAL DAYS.

MRS. GROSS?

IT'S BILLY.

**

THE ROOFERS ARRIVED, AND THEY FOUND

AND SAW A DOOR PARTIALLY OPEN.

MRS. GROSS, THE DOOR'S OPEN.

**

HE OPENED THE DOOR

AND DISCOVERED TWO VICTIMS IN THE KITCHEN.

MY GOD.

ALL UNITS BE ADVISED,

WE HAVE REPORTS OF A SHOOTING AT 1230 ARROWMINK ROAD.

WITHIN MINUTES OF GETTING THE CALL,

DETECTIVE STANLEY KADELSKI RUSHES TO A PART OF PHILADELPHIA

WHERE CRIME IS RARE AND MURDER IS UNHEARD OF.

**

FROM THE ROADSIDE, YOU COULD NOT SEE ANY OF THESE HOMES

BECAUSE THEY WERE ALL SET BACK OFF THE ROADWAY.

WHEN YOU WENT UP THE DRIVEWAY AND YOU APPROACHED THE HOME,

THEN THE VEGETATION AND THE SHRUBBERY AND TREES

WOULD OPEN UP, AND YOU SAW THIS BEAUTIFUL HOME.

**

TWO BODIES INSIDE.

HEY, KADELSKI.

ANTHONY SPAGNOLETTI, FROM LOWER MERION TOWNSHIP,

IS ONE OF THE FIRST DETECTIVES TO ENTER THE HOME.

WHEN WE CAME UPON THE SCENE,

WE NOTICED THAT IT WAS A DOUBLE HOMICIDE,

AND THERE WERE TWO INDIVIDUALS,

AN ELDERLY MAN AND ELDERLY WOMAN,

LYING IN POOLS OF BLOOD IN THE KITCHEN AREA OF THE HOME.

THEY'VE BEEN HERE, WHAT, A DAY AT THE MOST?

IT LOOKS LIKE MAYBE THEY JUST GOT HOME,

WALKED IN ON SOMETHING.

MR. GROSS WAS SHOT THROUGH THE WRIST

AND HIS ANKLE AND HIS HIP BONE,

AND THEN ONCE IN THE HEAD.

MRS. GROSS WAS CLOSEST TO THE ENTRY DOOR TO THE KITCHEN.

SHE WAS SHOT SEVERAL TIMES.

SEEING THE ENTRY WOUNDS IN THE ANKLES LED US TO BELIEVE

THAT THE SUSPECT HAD THEM AT GUNPOINT

AND WAS QUESTIONING THEM, INTERROGATING THEM.

LOOKS LIKE THEY MIGHT HAVE STARTED FROM THE BOTTOM

AND WORKED THEIR WAY UP.

SAME TYPE OF THING WITH THIS VICTIM, ARM THEN HEAD.

BY SHOOTING THEM IN THE ANKLES, HE WAS LETTING THEM KNOW

THAT HE WAS GOING TO WORK HIS WAY UP

IF THEY DIDN'T TELL HIM WHAT HE WANTED TO KNOW.

IT'S A SOBERING MOMENT FOR THE DETECTIVES,

REALIZING HOW THE VICTIMS HAD BEEN TERRORIZED BY THEIR KILLER.

THEN, THEY HEAR A WARNING FROM AN OFFICER

WORKING THE SCENE ELSEWHERE IN THE HOUSE.

BE ADVISED, WE'VE GOT VOICES ON THE SECOND FLOOR.

LET'S CLEAR THIS PLACE.

**

**

WE THEN HAD TO

SEARCH THE WHOLE RESIDENCE TO BE SURE

THERE'S NOT AN INTRUDER STILL IN THE HOUSE.

"NOW HE WHO SUPPLIES SEED TO THE SOWER

"AND THE BREAD FOR THE FOOD

"WILL ALSO SUPPLY AND INCREASE YOUR STORE OF SEED

AND WILL ENLARGE THE HARVEST OF YOUR RIGHTEOUSNESS."

"YOU WILL BE ENRICHED IN EVERY WAY

"SO THAT YOU CAN BE GENEROUS ON EVERY OCCASION,

"AND THROUGH US, YOUR GENEROSITY WILL RESULT

IN THANKSGIVING TO GOD."

IT WAS A PRETTY OUTRAGEOUS SCENE

COMING UPON A THIRD INDIVIDUAL.

**

SHE WAS STILL BOUND AROUND HER WAIST AND ARMS,

AND SHE HAD A...

WHAT WAS PROBABLY COVERING HER EYES AT ONE TIME,

A SCARF AROUND HER NECK.

I WALKED TO THE FRONT OF HER AND NOTICED

THAT SHE WAS SHOT IN THE HEAD.

MONTGOMERY COUNTY CHIEF DETECTIVE OSCAR VANCE

ARRIVES TO WORK THE DOUBLE-TURNED-TRIPLE HOMICIDE.

- TONY. - CHIEF.

IT WAS NOT ONLY GRUESOME BUT ALSO TERRIFYING IN TERMS

OF THE WAY THOSE MURDERS WERE CONDUCTED.

IT'S A MASSACRE.

**

THE THIRD VICTIM IS IDENTIFIED AS CATHERINE VANDERVEUR,

THE GROSSES' MAID AND A LONGTIME FIXTURE AT THE ESTATE.

**

A BLOODBATH IN PHILADELPHIA'S WEALTHIEST ENCLAVE

IS SHOCKING ENOUGH,

BUT THESE AREN'T JUST ANY VICTIMS.

**

COURTLAND GROSS WAS THE FOUNDER AND C.E.O.

OF LOCKHEED CORPORATION,

HUGE IN THE AIRCRAFT-BUILDING INDUSTRY.

COURTLAND WAS ACTUALLY ON THE COVER OF "TIME" MAGAZINE

IN THE 1960s

BECAUSE OF THE SUCCESS OF THAT COMPANY.

AND DO YOU HAVE, BY CHANCE...

ALEXANDRA'S FAMILY WERE BLUE-BLOOD,

HIGH-SOCIETY COLONIAL FOUNDERS OF THE PHILADELPHIA REGION.

HER UPBRINGING, HER CLASS, JUST A WONDERFUL HUMAN BEING,

UNPRETENTIOUS,

VERY WELL RECOGNIZED IN MAIN LINE SOCIETY.

**

INVESTIGATORS SUSPECT THE GROSSES' PROMINENCE

MIGHT HAVE LED TO THE TRAGEDY.

INITIALLY, WE DIDN'T FIND ANYTHING

THAT WE COULD ACTUALLY SAY WAS TAKEN FROM THE HOME.

BECAUSE OF HIS STATURE IN THE BUSINESS WORLD,

WE DID NOT RULE OUT THAT IT WASN'T

AN ASSASSINATION OF SORTS.

THERE WAS A HUGE AMOUNT OF PRESSURE

ON OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT TO TRY TO SOLVE THIS.

BUT BEFORE INVESTIGATORS DRAW ANY CONCLUSIONS,

THEY SEARCH THE ENTIRE HOUSE FOR ANY TRACE

OF THE KILLER AND HIS MOTIVE.

**

AND THEY FIND SOMETHING IN THE BASEMENT.

**

WHAT DO WE HAVE HERE?

IT WAS A LARGE SAFE, AND IT HAD BEEN COVERED

WITH SOME TYPE OF DROP CLOTH OR A BLANKET,

BUT IT WAS OBVIOUS THAT THIS BLANKET WAS TURNED BACK,

SO THAT INDICATED TO ME THAT THE PERSON

THAT BROKE INTO THE HOME WAS DOWN IN THE BASEMENT,

HAD LIFTED THE BLANKET OFF THE SAFE,

WAS PROBABLY TRYING TO FIGURE OUT,

"IS IT POSSIBLE TO GET THIS OPEN?"

**

THERE WERE NO PRINTS ON THE SAFE,

ON THE DOOR HANDLES OR ANYTHING

THAT THE SUSPECT WOULD HAVE TOUCHED.

AND IT APPEARED AS IF THE SCENE HAD BEEN WIPED CLEAN.

**

WITH ROBBERY NOW THE POSSIBLE MOTIVE,

INVESTIGATORS TRY TO PIECE TOGETHER

A LIKELY SCENARIO OF WHAT HAPPENED.

**

THE PERP JIMMIES THE DOOR.

HE JAMS IT TO GET IN.

THE DOOR WAS FORCIBLY PUSHED IN.

**

CATHERINE THE MAID'S DOWNSTAIRS.

SHE'S ALL ALONE.

THE GROSSES ARE OUT.

HE TAKES HER UPSTAIRS, TIES HER TO A CHAIR, GOES TO WORK ON HER.

WHERE'S THE MONEY? WHERE'S THE JEWELRY?

AND DURING THIS INTERROGATION OF THE MAID,

THAT'S WHEN MR. AND MRS. GROSS CAME HOME.

**

THE GROSSES COME IN.

THE PERP HEARS IT, HE COMES DOWN,

SURPRISES THEM, HOLDS THEM AT GUNPOINT.

"WHERE'S THE JEWELRY? WHERE'S THE MONEY?"

MAYBE THEY RESIST.

GET OUT OF HERE BEFORE YOU... HE SHOOTS.

KILLED ALL THREE OF THEM, GOT NOTHING FOR IT.

CHIEF, TAKE A LOOK AT THIS.

THE PERPETRATOR DID NOT BOTHER TO PICK UP THE SHELL CASINGS.

.380.

AND THEY WERE .380 CALIBER CASINGS.

AT THAT TIME, THE INVESTIGATION

WAS EXTREMELY FRUSTRATING

BECAUSE WE HAD NOTHING MORE THAN BULLET CASINGS.

**

WITH MULTIPLE SPENT SHELL CASINGS,

INVESTIGATORS TURN THEIR ATTENTION

TO SEARCH FOR WITNESSES,

GOING DOOR-TO-DOOR ASKING NEIGHBORS

IF THEY SAW ANYTHING OUT OF THE ORDINARY.

IN DOING THAT, WE DID COME UP WITH A VEHICLE

THAT WAS NEVER SEEN IN THAT AREA BEFORE.

THERE WAS A RED CAR THAT WAS SEEN IN THAT VICINITY,

AND WE THOUGHT THAT THERE COULD POSSIBLY

BE SOME TIE-IN WITH THAT MURDER.

ALTHOUGH FRUSTRATED WITH THE FACT THAT HERE

ARE THESE THREE PEOPLE EXECUTED IN THEIR HOME,

THERE'S A BREAK-IN, THERE'S NO FINGERPRINT EVIDENCE

OTHER THAN THE SHELL CASINGS,

AND NEIGHBORS SEEING THIS SUSPICIOUS RED CAR,

NOT TOO MUCH TO GO ON.

**

FOR NOW, INVESTIGATORS ARE EAGER

TO QUESTION THE MAN WHO FIRST DISCOVERED THE CARNAGE.

THE FOCUS, NATURALLY, ON THE WORKMEN

THAT HAD ACCESS TO THE HOUSE,

THAT WERE THERE, THAT FOUND THE BODIES,

THEY HAD TO BE INTERVIEWED.

JUST THE TWO OF YOU ON THIS JOB?

TODAY, YEAH, BUT WE HAVE HAD SOME GUYS IN AND OUT UP HERE.

I'M GOING TO NEED THEIR NAMES AND NUMBERS.

LET ME SEE...

THERE'S JIMMY McCAVEY...

...RASHEED MORGAN.

MORGAN.

STEVIE PRICE.

WE COLLECTED ALL THEIR INFORMATION

AND LOOKED INTO THEIR BACKGROUNDS AND PASTS

TO FIND OUT IF THEY COULD POSSIBLY BE SUSPECTS IN THIS.

STEVIE PRICE, HE'S BEEN MIXED UP WITH THE POLICE BEFORE.

THERE WAS ONE ROOFER IN PARTICULAR

WHO DID HAVE A JADED BACKGROUND.

HE WAS ARRESTED FOR BURGLARIZING A HOUSE,

AND OUT OF ALL THE REST OF THE ROOFERS,

FIT THE PROFILE.

YOU KNOW WHERE WE CAN GET A HOLD OF HIM?

STEVIE? WHO KNOWS.

SOMETIMES HE SHOWS, SOMETIMES HE DON'T.

WHERE WAS THE MISSING ROOFER?

HAD HIS CRIMES JUST ESCALATED FROM BURGLARY TO MURDER?

**

**

ON THE MAIN LINE, ONE OF THE WEALTHIEST

AND MOST EXCLUSIVE PARTS OF GREATER PHILADELPHIA...

**

...THREE PEOPLE HAVE BEEN GUNNED DOWN.

COURTLAND AND ALEXANDRA GROSS AND THEIR HOUSEKEEPER,

CATHERINE VANDERVEUR,

WERE FOUND BY ROOFERS INSIDE THEIR LAVISH ESTATE

RIDDLED WITH BULLETS.

OUR FIRST SUSPECTS WERE THE ROOFERS FROM THE STANDPOINT

THAT THEY FOUND THE BODY

AND THE FACT THAT THERE WAS ONE OF THE INDIVIDUALS

THAT HAD BEEN ARRESTED BEFORE.

SO THIS STEVIE PRICE, HE NEVER SHOWED UP

AT THE GROSSES' HOUSE AGAIN FOR WORK.

WHY NOT?

SOMETIMES HE SHOWS, SOMETIMES HE DON'T.

ALL RIGHT.

**

IN FACT, PRICE HAD WORKED

AT THE GROSSES' ESTATE THREE WEEKS BEFORE THE MURDER.

TRACKING HIM DOWN TAKES INVESTIGATORS

OUT OF THE TONY SUBURBS

AND INTO NORTH PHILLY,

AN AREA POLICE CALL THE BADLANDS.

**

**

ARE YOU STEVE PRICE?

YEAH, THAT'S ME.

YOU HEARD ABOUT THE MURDERS,

THE GROSS MURDERS AND THEIR CHEF, CATHERINE?

OF COURSE. IT WAS ALL OVER THE NEWS.

YEAH, WELL, YOUR NAME CAME UP ALL OVER THAT.

MY NAME? AND WHY IS THAT?

BECAUSE I WORKED THERE FOR A FEW DAYS?

WHEN HE WAS THERE, MRS. GROSS ASKED HIM

TO MOVE SOME PATIO FURNITURE,

SO HE WAS THE ONLY PERSON THAT WE KNEW

THAT ACTUALLY HAD CONVERSATION WITH THE GROSSES.

LET ME ASK YOU A QUESTION, MR. PRICE.

- DO YOU OWN A.380? - .380, NO.

I AIN'T NEVER OWNED A GUN IN MY LIFE.

YOU SEEM LIKE AN HONEST GUY, MR. PRICE.

THAT'S HOW I WAS RAISED.

GOOD. I'M GLAD YOU SAY THAT.

HOW ABOUT WE CLEAR THIS UP RIGHT NOW?

**

INVESTIGATORS BRING STEVEN PRICE

TO LOWER MERION POLICE HEADQUARTERS

FOR A POLYGRAPH.

DID YOU WORK AT THE HOME OF ALEXANDRA AND COURTLAND GROSS?

YES.

**

DID YOU KILL COURTLAND, ALEXANDRA, AND CATHERINE?

NO.

**

ALL RIGHT, STEVE.

HANG TIGHT.

**

I'LL BE RIGHT BACK.

**

NO DECEPTION HERE OR HERE.

FLIP IT OVER.

THAT LAST QUESTION'S ON THE BACK.

"DID YOU KILL COURTLAND, ALEXANDRA, AND CATHERINE?"

CUT MR. PRICE LOOSE.

HE PASSED THE POLYGRAPH,

AND HE WAS TAKEN OFF THE SUSPECT LIST,

AND THAT LEFT US BACK WHERE WE STARTED FROM,

HAVING NO IDEA WHATSOEVER WHO COMMITTED THIS CRIME.

**

WE HAD NOTHING THAT WE COULD COME FORTH AND SAY,

"AN ARREST IS IMMINENT." WE HAD NOTHING.

IT'S A DIFFICULT MOMENT FOR THE INVESTIGATION,

BUT THEN DETECTIVES ARE HANDED A POSSIBLY RELATED CASE

WITH A LIVING WITNESS.

THERE WAS A VERY, VERY SIMILAR HOME INVASION

THAT OCCURRED IN WORCESTER TOWNSHIP, PENNSYLVANIA,

WHICH IS ALSO A VERY NICE NEIGHBORHOOD.

THE HOME INVASION HAPPENED ON THE SAME DAY,

NOT FAR FROM THE GROSS KILLINGS,

AT THE RESIDENCE OF A MASONRY CONTRACTOR

NAMED RICHARD KIRKPATRICK.

CAN YOU TELL ME WHAT HAPPENED?

THERE WAS A CAR PARKED OUTSIDE WHEN I DROVE UP.

I SHOULD HAVE KNOWN SOMETHING WAS UP RIGHT THEN AND THERE.

DID YOU GET THE MAKE AND MODEL?

NAH, I JUST KIND OF BLEW RIGHT BY IT.

THOUGHT IT BELONGED TO ONE OF MY WIFE'S FRIENDS.

IT WAS A -- A REDDISH SEDAN.

WHAT ELSE CAN YOU TELL US?

IT STARTED THE SECOND I WALKED IN THE HOUSE.

HE WALKS IN AND IS CONFRONTED BY THE PERPETRATOR.

PULLS A GUN, ANNOUNCES, "DON'T LOOK AT ME.

I'LL SHOOT YOUR EYES OUT."

WHEN SOMEONE THREATENS TO SHOOT YOUR EYES OUT,

YOU DO WHAT THEY SAY.

**

FROM THERE, KIRKPATRICK'S STORY

SOUNDS EERILY SIMILAR TO THE HORROR

THAT DETECTIVES BELIEVE PLAYED OUT AT THE GROSSES' HOUSE.

**

HE SAID THAT THE ASSAILANT TOLD HIM

HE WOULD START FROM THE BOTTOM,

START SHOOTING HIM IN THE FEET,

AND WORK HIS WAY UP UNTIL HE KILLED HIM

IF HE DIDN'T TELL HIM WHAT HE WANTED.

HE SAID KEEP MY HEAD DOWN, SO I KEPT MY HEAD DOWN,

BUT I COULD STILL HEAR HIM

WORKING HIS WAY AROUND THE HOUSE.

HE DID RANSACK THE HOUSE UP AND DOWN

AND REMOVED A WHOLE BOX OF MOSTLY COSTUME JEWELRY.

HE CAME BACK TO WHERE I WAS ON THE FLOOR.

HE HAD A GUN ON ME.

HE TOLD ME TO STAND UP, TOLD ME TO GET IN THE CLOSET.

I WAS IN THAT CLOSET A LONG TIME.

I HEARD HIM LEAVE,

BUT I WASN'T SURE IF HE WAS STILL OUT THERE SOMEWHERE.

NO, YOU DID THE RIGHT THING.

HE WAS THE ONE WITH THE GUN, NOT ME.

AND HE USED THAT GUN,

LEAVING BEHIND FAMILIAR EVIDENCE.

HE FIRED A NUMBER OF SHOTS INTO THE FLOOR OF THE CLOSET

AND THEN LEFT THE HOME.

THE TWO SHELL CASINGS HAPPENED TO BE.380 CALIBER.

THEY WERE EXACTLY THE SAME SHELL CASINGS FROM BOTH SCENES.

AT THIS POINT, WE KNOW WE HAVE TWO THINGS THAT MATCHED UP,

AND THAT WAS THE RED CAR...

AND THE BULLET CASINGS.

LOOK, I KNOW YOU WERE ON THE GROUND MOST OF THE TIME,

BUT DID YOU GET A LOOK AT HIM?

YEAH.

I WON'T FORGET THAT FACE.

IT WAS A WHITE MALE,

YOUNG, PROBABLY IN HIS MID-TO-LATE-20s.

**

AROUND 5'10" TO 5'11",

AVERAGE BUILD.

MR. KIRKPATRICK, WE'RE GOING TO ARRANGE FOR YOU

TO COME DOWN TO THE STATION

AND GIVE US A FORMAL STATEMENT OF EVERYTHING YOU JUST TOLD US.

**

BASED ON KIRKPATRICK'S DESCRIPTION,

A SKETCH ARTIST DRAWS A COMPOSITE OF THE ATTACKER.

THE IMAGE IS SENT TO POLICE

ALL OVER THE STATE.

AND SOON, THERE'S A HIT.

A UNIFORMED PENNSYLVANIA STATE TROOPER

SAW THE WANTED POSTER

AND SAID, "HEY, THAT COMPOSITE DRAWING

LOOKS JUST LIKE A GUY

THAT I HAD ARRESTED PREVIOUSLY FOR A MINOR DRUG VIOLATION."

THE MAN'S NAME IS CHRISTOPHER BENSON.

**

I GOT SOMETHING TO SHOW YOU. ALL RIGHT.

**

**

TAKE A GOOD, LONG LOOK AT THOSE PICTURES.

**

**

IS IT HIM?

**

**

**

INVESTIGATORS IN SUBURBAN PHILADELPHIA

HAVE A TRIPLE HOMICIDE

AND A VIOLENT HOME INVASION ON THEIR HANDS,

LIKELY COMMITTED BY THE SAME MAN.

THE POSSIBLE SUSPECT'S NAME IS CHRISTOPHER BENSON.

AS AUTHORITIES HUNT HIM DOWN,

INVESTIGATORS SHOW THE VICTIM-WITNESS

FROM THE HOME INVASION, RICHARD KIRKPATRICK,

A PHOTO LINEUP.

**

IS THAT HIM?

THIS IS HIM.

**

MR. KIRKPATRICK SAID THAT THAT PHOTOGRAPH OF CHRISTOPHER BENSON

LOOKED MOST LIKE THE PERSON THAT CONFRONTED HIM IN HIS HOME

AND ROBBED HIS HOME.

**

WE ROUNDED UP CHRISTOPHER BENSON,

BROUGHT HIM INTO OUR DETECTIVE DIVISION,

INTERVIEWED AND INTERROGATED HIM AT LENGTH.

WE OBTAINED SEARCH WARRANTS FOR CHRISTOPHER BENSON'S RESIDENCE,

SEARCHED IT THOROUGHLY.

WE GOT GUYS SEARCHING YOUR HOUSE RIGHT NOW ON THAT WARRANT.

FOR WHAT?

GUNS, JEWELRY, ANYTHING FROM THE GROSS HOUSE

OR THE KIRKPATRICK PLACE.

I- I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHO THOSE PEOPLE ARE.

DON'T WASTE MY TIME.

WE GOT AN EYEWITNESS SAY YOU ROBBED HIM AT GUNPOINT.

I ALREADY TOLD THE OTHER OFFICER, AND I'LL TELL YOU,

I WAS AT WORK.

- YOU WILLING TO SWEAR TO THAT? - YES, OF COURSE.

GOOD. I'M GLAD YOU SAID THAT.

WE CAN TAKE CARE OF THIS RIGHT HERE, RIGHT NOW.

OKAY. HOW?

LIE DETECTOR.

YEAH. YEAH, OKAY. I GOT NOTHING TO HIDE.

OKAY.

YOU SIT TIGHT.

I'LL BE RIGHT BACK.

WHILE DETECTIVES PERFORM A POLYGRAPH,

POLICE COMPLETE THE SEARCH OF BENSON'S HOUSE.

NO EVIDENCE WAS FOUND LINKING HIM TO ANY OF THE CRIMES.

NO GUN, NO AMMUNITION,

NO RECOVERED PROPERTY, NOTHING.

**

**

CHRIS, GOT YOUR READOUT.

OKAY.

MR. BENSON, YOU'RE FREE TO GO.

AFTER INTERVIEWING HIM, AFTER TALKING WITH HIM,

INTERROGATING HIM, USING EVERY MEASURE THAT WE POSSIBLY HAD,

IT BECAME CLEAR THAT CHRISTOPHER BENSON

WAS NOT OUR GUY.

WITH CHRISTOPHER BENSON CLEARED,

INVESTIGATORS ARE BACK TO SQUARE ONE,

AND EVERY DAY THE GROSSES' KILLER IS ON THE LOOSE,

THE TENSION RATCHETS UP EVER HIGHER.

THERE WAS A LOT OF FEAR AND CONCERN AMONG NEIGHBORS

THAT SOMETHING LIKE THIS COULD HAPPEN AGAIN.

PHILADELPHIA'S MAIN LINE RESIDENTS

ARE USUALLY INSULATED FROM THE KIND OF CRIME

THAT FESTERS JUST A FEW MILES AWAY IN PHILADELPHIA --

BUT NOT ALWAYS.

WEALTH IS OUT HERE,

AND CRIMINALS USUALLY COME FROM THE URBAN AREAS

TO COME OUT AND PREY ON THE WEALTHY PEOPLE.

WE DON'T HAVE A FENCE KEEPING PEOPLE OUT AT CITY LINE AVENUE.

SO WE'RE PRETTY SURE WE GOT A PERPETRATOR

WHO'S OUT OF PHILADELPHIA DOING CRIME

AND DID CRIME IN MONTGOMERY COUNTY.

BUT THERE'S A CHANGE IN THAT PATTERN

WHEN PHILLY POLICE NOTIFY MONTGOMERY COUNTY DETECTIVES

OF A CASE IN CENTER CITY, PHILADELPHIA

WITH A SIMILAR PROFILE.

THE INVESTIGATOR FROM

THE CENTRAL DETECTIVE DIVISION IN PHILADELPHIA

HAD BECOME AWARE OF THE ROBBERY

AND SHOOTING AT A BUSINESS ON PINE STREET IN PHILADELPHIA.

THEY HAD A SHOOTING-ROBBERY

IN A HEAD SHOP.

IT WAS CALLED THE GOOD SENSE TOBACCO SHOP.

IT BASICALLY SOLD DRUG PARAPHERNALIA.

EVIDENCE RECOVERED AT THAT SCENE

BY PHILADELPHIA CRIME SCENE DETECTIVES WAS A SHELL CASING

WHICH WAS.380 CALIBER.

IT'S THE SAME CALIBER FOUND AT THE GROSS

AND KIRKPATRICK CRIME SCENES.

EXCUSE ME, NATHAN COWEN?

YEAH, THAT'S ME.

COWEN, THE GOOD SENSE TOBACCO SHOP OWNER

WAS SHOT IN THE ANKLE DURING THE ROBBERY.

DETECTIVE KADELSKI.

- HEY. - HOW ARE YOU, MR. COWEN.

I'M GOING TO NEED ANOTHER SURGERY, THEY SAY.

IT WENT STRAIGHT TO THE BONE.

PHILLY POLICE SAY THAT YOU GOT A GOOD LOOK AT HIM.

YEAH, DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH GOOD IT'S GOING TO DO YOU.

HE CAME STORMING IN OUT OF NOWHERE.

**

A YOUNG, WHITE MALE HAD COME IN,

A GARMENT OF CLOTHING WRAPPED AROUND HIS HEAD,

SORT OF LIKE A TURBAN, HAD SUNGLASSES ON,

AND BEFORE ANYTHING WAS SAID, HE SHOT MR. COWEN IN THE FOOT.

I WOULD HAVE GIVEN HIM THE MONEY,

BUT HE SHOT ME AND TOOK IT.

DID YOU SEE WHERE THE GUY WENT WHEN HE LEFT?

NO. I WAS ABOUT TO PASS OUT.

ONE OF THE PEOPLE OUTSIDE SAW HIM GET IN A RED, A REDDISH CAR.

REDDISH? WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY REDDISH?

RED, REDDISH, THAT'S WHAT THEY SAID.

SOMEONE NEARBY THE GOOD SENSE SHOP

HAD SEEN A RED CAR PARKED IN THE VERY SMALL STREETS THERE.

OKAY. DID THE GUY SAY ANYTHING?

YEAH, HE DID.

I WON'T FORGET IT, EITHER.

HE THREATENED TO SHOOT MY EYES OUT IF I LOOKED AT HIM.

IT'S THE SAME GRUESOME WARNING

ROBERT KIRKPATRICK'S ATTACKER GAVE HIM.

WHEN SOMEONE THREATENS TO SHOOT YOUR EYES OUT,

YOU DO WHAT THEY SAY.

NOW WE WERE CERTAIN THAT WE HAD THE SAME SHOOTER

IN ALL THREE INCIDENCES.

**

AT FIRST, THE WEALTHY PHILADELPHIA SUBURBS

WERE UNDER SIEGE.

NOW, IT SEEMS NOWHERE IS SAFE.

HE WAS DOING SHOOTING AND ROBBERIES

IN MORE OF AN AFFLUENT AREA

AND THEN GOING TO CENTER CITY, PHILADELPHIA.

HE HAD NO RHYME NOR REASON AS TO WHO HE WAS GOING TO ROB

AND WHAT HE WAS GOING TO DO.

HE WAS JUST ON A ROBBERY-SHOOTING SPREE.

AND WHERE THIS KILLER STRIKES NEXT IS ANYONE'S GUESS.

**

**

POLICE FROM ACROSS THE GREATER PHILADELPHIA AREA

ARE SEARCHING FOR THE COLD-BLOODED KILLER

WHO GUNNED DOWN ALEXANDRA AND COURTLAND GROSS

AND THEIR HOUSEKEEPER, CATHERINE VANDERVEUR.

**

THE MAIN LINE AND THE REST OF PHILADELPHIA

ARE STILL REELING FROM THE LOSS OF TWO PILLARS

OF THEIR COMMUNITY.

- THE NEIGHBORS LOVED THEM. - THEY WERE VERY QUIET.

THEY WOULD OFTEN BE SEEN WALKING IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD

OF THEIR HOMES.

THE BEST CITIZENS YOU WOULD EVER WANT TO MEET.

THEY HAD SCORES AND SCORES OF FRIENDS,

AND THE NEIGHBORS WERE TRAGICALLY SAD

ABOUT THE LOSS OF THIS WONDERFUL COUPLE

THAT WAS SO IMPORTANT IN THE COMMUNITY AND THEIR LIVES.

MERCER, IS THAT HER NAME?

IT HIT A LOT OF PEOPLE HARD.

FOR SOMETHING THIS TERRIBLE TO HAPPEN TO SUCH NICE PEOPLE,

YOU KNOW, IT JUST DIDN'T SEEM FAIR.

**

THE GROSS AND VANDERVEUR MURDERS

ARE PART OF A TERRIFYING STRING OF SHOOTINGS

THAT RANGE FROM THE STREETS OF INNER-CITY PHILADELPHIA

ALL THE WAY OUT TO THE WEALTHY MAIN LINE SUBURBS.

POLICE KNOW FOR CERTAIN THAT THE CRIMES ARE RELATED,

BUT THE PERPETRATOR REMAINS ELUSIVE.

WE HAVE BULLET CASINGS COLLECTED FROM ALL THE SCENES.

EACH ONE OF THEM MATCH EACH OTHER,

AND WE NOW KNOW THAT THEY ALL CAME FROM THE SAME GUN.

AND WE ALSO KNOW THAT THE CAR THAT WAS SEEN

AT ALL THREE PLACES

IS THE SAME CAR THAT THE SHOOTER USED IN ALL THREE INCIDENCES.

THE ONLY THING WE DON'T HAVE AT THIS POINT

IS THE IDENTITY OF THE SHOOTER.

STANLEY, LET'S GET KIRKPATRICK IN HERE.

I WANT TO TRY TO JOG HIS MEMORY.

I WANT TO PUT HIM UNDER.

IT'S UNORTHODOX, BUT INVESTIGATORS

DECIDE TO TRY HYPNOSIS TO HELP THEM FIND A KILLER.

MR. KIRKPATRICK, THANK YOU FOR DOING THIS.

HEY, GLAD TO DO IT. I HOPE IT HELPS.

RICHARD KIRKPATRICK, WHO SURVIVED A HOME INVASION

THAT OCCURRED ON THE SAME DAY

AS THE GROSS MURDERS, AGREES TO PARTICIPATE.

FORENSIC HYPNOSIS IS NOT

VERY OFTEN USED IN LAW ENFORCEMENT.

IT'S SORT OF LIKE A LAST RESORT.

WE'RE JOINED IN THE ROOM BY DETECTIVE KADELSKI

OF THE MONTGOMERY COUNTY DETECTIVE'S OFFICE.

YOU UNDERSTAND THAT YOUR PARTICIPATION

HAS TO BE VOLUNTARY.

YEAH, THIS IS VOLUNTARY.

WE FELT THAT WE COULD GET SOME ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

IN REFERENCE TO THE CAR.

MR. KIRKPATRICK, PLEASE CLOSE YOUR EYES.

I'M GOING TO BEGIN BY COUNTING BACKWARDS FROM THE NUMBER 20.

WITH EACH NUMBER, I WANT YOU TO TAKE A DEEP BREATH,

RELAX AND FOCUS ON THE SOUND OF MY VOICE.

OKAY.

TWENTY...

AND IN THAT RELAXED MOOD,

THE INDIVIDUAL IS ABLE TO TELL THE INVESTIGATORS

JUST EXACTLY WHAT IS STORED WITHIN THEIR SUBCONSCIOUS MIND.

DESCRIBE STEPPING OUT OF YOUR CAR.

WHAT DID YOU SEE?

I WALKED UP MY DRIVEWAY, AND I SAW A CAR.

IT WAS PARKED IN FRONT OF MY GARAGE.

IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE YOU CAN TELL ME ABOUT THAT CAR?

DESCRIBE IT TO ME.

IT IS BURGUNDY.

THE SUBCONSCIOUS MIND IS TOTALLY OBJECTIVE.

IT TAKES IN EVERYTHING, FORGETS NOTHING,

AND IT TAPES EVERYTHING THAT IS SAID,

EVERYTHING THAT IS HEARD,

EVERYTHING THAT IS WITNESSED DURING THAT PERIOD OF TIME.

IT HAS FOUR DOORS.

IT HAS A BEIGE TOP, AND IT HAS DAMAGE ON ONE SIDE.

WHAT KIND OF DAMAGE?

IT HAS A MISSING HUBCAP ON THE FRONT RIGHT.

MR. KIRKPATRICK, HOW ELSE COULD YOU DESCRIBE IT?

IT WAS BIG. IT WAS OLD.

IT WAS A SKYLARK.

SKYLARK?

**

IT WAS A BUICK SKYLARK.

AS A RESULT OF THIS HYPNOTISM,

WE GOT A MUCH CLEARER IMAGE OF THE VEHICLE THAT WAS BEING USED.

HE DESCRIBED IT AS BEING A LATE-MODEL BUICK SKYLARK

WITH A MISSING HUBCAP.

IF POLICE CAN FIND THE BUICK SKYLARK,

THEN THEY CAN FIND THE KILLER.

SO WE THEN PUT OUT A BROADCAST

TO ALL DEPARTMENTS EVERYWHERE

TO SEE IF THEY HAD ANY SIMILAR CRIMES

USING A VEHICLE OF THIS MAKE AND MODEL.

**

4-1-1 TO DISPATCH, I NEED A DMV CHECK.

VEHICLE IS 1124, RED OR BURGUNDY LATE-MODEL SKYLARK.

THEY EVENTUALLY FOUND THAT CAR ABANDONED,

AND WHEN THEY FOUND THE CAR ABANDONED,

THEY FOUND A PAIR OF GLASSES IN THAT CAR

THAT WERE THE SAME TYPE OF GLASSES

THAT WERE WORN DURING THE GOOD SENSE BURGLARY.

AND WE COULD TELL THAT WE WERE

ON THE RIGHT TRAIL OF THE SUSPECT,

BUT HE WAS ONE STEP AHEAD OF THE POLICE.

**

UNFORTUNATELY, THEIR SUSPECT WILL NOW BE

DRIVING A DIFFERENT CAR,

MAKING IT THAT MUCH HARDER FOR DETECTIVES TO IDENTIFY HIM.

BUT DAYS LATER, INVESTIGATORS CATCH A BREAK.

THEY HEAR ABOUT A HOUSE BURGLARY IN A NEIGHBORING COUNTY

THAT WAS JUST INTERRUPTED.

THE SUSPECT, A WHITE MALE IN HIS 20s, IN ON THE LOOSE.

INVESTIGATORS QUICKLY REALIZE HE'S A MATCH

TO THEIR KILLER'S DESCRIPTION

WHO IS CONSIDERED ARMED AND DANGEROUS.

THE OWNER OF THE HOUSE HAD SURPRISED THE BURGLAR,

GOT A PARTIAL LICENSE NUMBER.

THAT WAS PUT OUT BY THE POLICE, AND LO AND BEHOLD,

AN ADJOINING JURISDICTION

SAW THE CAR COME THROUGH AN INTERSECTION

AND PULLED THE STOP ON IT.

411 TO DISPATCH, I GOT THAT VEHICLE STOPPED.

I NEED BACKUP.

WE KNEW THAT WE WERE LOOKING FOR SOMEBODY WHO WAS VERY DESPERATE

AND ALSO HAD NO HESITATION OF USING HIS GUN.

DRIVER, PUT YOUR HANDS OUT THE WINDOW.

THE OFFICER APPROACHED THE CAR, AND AS HE APPROACHED THE CAR,

HIS INSTINCTS STARTED TO KICK IN,

WHETHER OR NOT IF THIS INDIVIDUAL WAS ARMED,

WHETHER THIS INDIVIDUAL WAS DANGEROUS.

DO IT NOW, DRIVER!

THE OFFICER, HE DID NOT KNOW AT THAT PARTICULAR TIME

THAT THIS GUY WAS A TICKING TIME BOMB.

DO IT NOW!

**

**

SUBURBAN PHILADELPHIA POLICE,

HUNTING FOR A KILLER IN THE TRIPLE HOMICIDES

OF COURTLAND AND ALEXANDRA GROSS AND THEIR HOUSEKEEPER,

HAVE PULLED OVER A BURGLARY SUSPECT.

DRIVER, PUT YOUR HANDS OUT THE WINDOW.

**

DO IT NOW, DRIVER!

**

NOW, GET OUT OF THE CAR SLOWLY

WITH YOUR HANDS ON TOP OF YOUR HEAD

AND YOUR FINGERS INTERLACED.

NOW, GET IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET AND GET ON YOUR KNEES.

DISPATCH, I HAVE HIM ARRESTED.

THE MAN WHO AUTHORITIES BELIEVE IS LINKED TO THE GROSS MURDERS

IS IDENTIFIED AS A JUNKIE FROM PHILLY

NAMED ROGER BUEHL.

ROGER BUEHL WAS A SUSPECT

BECAUSE HE FIT THE DESCRIPTION OF THE PERSON

THAT WAS DESCRIBED BY THE GOOD SENSE TOBACCO SHOP

AND ALSO MR. KIRKPATRICK.

POLICE DETAIN ROGER BUEHL FOR PRELIMINARY QUESTIONING.

ROGER, MY MAN.

YOU WERE DRIVING AROUND WITH SOME PRETTY STRANGE STUFF

IN YOUR CAR.

WHEN THEY SEARCH BUEHL'S CAR,

POLICE FIND SOME VERY SUSPICIOUS ITEMS IN THE BACK.

THERE WAS A MEAT CLEAVER.

THERE WAS BONDING MATERIAL, DUCT TAPE,

ALL THE INSTRUMENTS OF A CRIME

THAT A BURGLAR WOULD BE CARRYING.

CARE TO COMMENT?

IT'S NOT MY CAR.

THAT'S TRUE. IT WAS STOLEN.

BUT YOU KNOW WHAT?

WE FOUND SOMETHING ELSE INSIDE.

SOMETHING WE KNOW IS YOURS.

**

I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THAT IS.

COME ON, ROGER. TAKE A GOOD LOOK AT THAT.

IN HIS POSSESSION, THERE WAS A RECEIPT

FOR A SPORTING GOODS STORE.

THE RECEIPT IS FOR THE PURCHASE OF.380 CALIBER AMMUNITION,

THE SAME KIND OF BULLETS USED IN THE GROSS MURDERS.

ROGER, IF YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY, NOW IS THE TIME.

I ALREADY DID. I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THAT IS.

SUIT YOURSELF.

**

INVESTIGATORS DIG INTO ROGER BUEHL'S BACKGROUND

AND FIND HE'S A SUSPECT WITH A SHADY PAST.

BUSY BOY, THIS ROGER BUEHL.

LOOK AT THIS.

HE'S GOT A RECORD GOING BACK TO WHEN HE WAS A KID.

THEN WE FOUND OUT THAT HE WAS ALSO INVOLVED

IN DRUG DEALING AND DRUG USING.

HE HAD A LONG CRIMINAL RECORD GOING BACK TO THE TIME

HE QUIT SCHOOL IN THE 10th GRADE

AND STARTED STEALING AND BUYING DRUGS

AND SELLING DRUGS AND BURGLARIZING HOMES.

CHECK THIS OUT.

LOOK WHERE HE'S FROM.

**

AND HERE WE WERE THINKING WE WERE CHASING SOME

BIG, BAD PHILLY GANGSTER.

**

ROGER BUEHL, THE ACCUSED TRIPLE MURDERER,

DOESN'T HAIL FROM INNER-CITY PHILADELPHIA,

BUT FROM A TOWN ALONG THE MAIN LINE,

JUST LIKE HIS VICTIMS.

**

ROGER BUEHL'S FATHER

HAD DONE REALLY WELL OPERATING A BUSINESS

THAT SOLD AIRPLANES

AND HELICOPTERS AND AUTOMOBILES.

HE WAS VERY WELL KNOWN, VERY WEALTHY,

VERY ACTIVE IN THE AVIATION INDUSTRY.

BUT ROGER BUEHL REJECTED THE WEALTH AND PRIVILEGE

THAT CAME WITH HIS UPBRINGING TO BECOME A CRIMINAL.

**

ALONG CAME THIS -- THIS OUTCAST

FROM A WEALTHY FAMILY

WHO HAD TAKEN TO THE DOWNTOWN STREETS OF PHILADELPHIA,

WHO LIVED IN A WORLD OF THIEVES,

DRUG SELLERS, DRUG TAKERS.

EVENTUALLY, HE -- HE BECAME A VIOLENT HOME ROBBER.

BUEHL'S BACKGROUND MEANT THAT HE KNEW

HIS WAY AROUND THE MAIN LINE.

HE WOULD ROB FINE SUBURBAN HOMES,

AND THEN SLIP BACK INTO THE CITY

TO FENCE HIS GOODS AND BUY CRYSTAL METH.

AND THE GROSSES HAD NOT BEEN A RANDOM TARGET.

HIS FATHER TRAVELED IN THE SAME CIRCLES AS COURTLAND GROSS.

WHERE IS IT, THE MONEY?

WHERE THE HELL IS IT? GET OUT OF HERE.

THE BUEHL FAMILY WOULD HAVE KNOWN THE GROSSES

BECAUSE MRS. GROSS AND MRS. BUEHL

HAD BEEN IN THE SAME GARDEN CLUB AT ONE TIME.

ROGER BUEHL KNEW THE GROSSES.

THEY WERE IMPORTANT PEOPLE. THEY WERE NOT NOBODIES.

**

LOWER MERION POLICE BRING ROGER BUEHL

TO HEADQUARTERS TO CONFRONT THE ACCUSED KILLER

WITH THE EVIDENCE THEY HAVE AGAINST HIM.

EYEWITNESSES, BALLISTICS, A CAR --

WE KNOW YOU DID IT. WE KNOW HOW YOU DID IT.

WE EVEN KNOW WHY YOU DID IT.

COME CLEAN NOW, AND THIS WILL GO EASIER IN COURT.

SO NOW YOU CARE HOW IT GOES FOR ME IN COURT?

HE HAD THE EYES OF A PREDATOR,

AND I LIKEN THAT TO THE EYES OF A WOLF.

THOSE STARING AT YOU, SIZING YOU UP, A TRUE PREDATOR.

LOOK, JUST GIVE US SOMETHING, AND YOU MIGHT GET LIFE WITHOUT.

IF YOU DON'T, WHEN THIS GOES TO COURT,

YOU'RE GOING TO END UP LYING ON A GURNEY

WITH A NEEDLE IN YOUR ARM.

JUST CALM AND COLLECTED --

COOL, SCARY.

IF I WERE A VICTIM, AND HE WAS STANDING IN FRONT OF ME

WITH A.380, I'D BE VERY WORRIED.

NAH.

I WAS OUT OF MY MIND WITH DRUGS, REMEMBER?

I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT I WAS DOING. I'M NOT RESPONSIBLE.

I'M JUST A MIXED-UP KID WHO FELL IN WITH THE WRONG PEOPLE.

ROGER, THAT'S NOT GOING TO WORK. FORGET IT. I WANT A LAWYER NOW.

**

IN JANUARY 1983,

ROGER BUEHL STANDS TRIAL FOR THE MURDERS

OF COURTLAND AND ALEXANDRA GROSS

AND CATHERINE VANDERVEUR.

THE INVESTIGATION WAS CLEARLY THE MOST WIDESPREAD,

DETAILED, INTENSE LOCAL INVESTIGATION

I'VE EVER SEEN IN MY 40 YEARS AS A JOURNALIST.

THE JURY DELIBERATES FOR LESS THAN SIX HOURS

BEFORE CONVICTING BUEHL OF FIRST-DEGREE MURDER

AND RECOMMENDING THE ULTIMATE SENTENCE.

ROGER BUEHL WAS THE ONLY PERSON IN MY MEMORY

THAT RECEIVED THREE DEATH SENTENCES.

FOR EACH VICTIM, HE RECEIVED A SEPARATE DEATH SENTENCE,

VERY UNIQUE.

**

THOSE WHO KNEW THE GROSSES

REMEMBER THEM AS PEOPLE WHO USED THEIR AFFLUENCE

TO MAKE PHILADELPHIA A BETTER PLACE.

THE THING THAT STRUCK ME MOST ABOUT THIS MURDER

IS THE FACT THAT THEY WERE AMAZING PEOPLE,

KIND AND GENEROUS.

THE GROSSES WERE JUST INCIDENTAL VICTIMS,

AND THE MURDER ITSELF HAD SUCH A HUGE IMPACT

ON THE WHOLE COMMUNITY,

BUT ROGER BUEHL IS NEVER GOING TO GET OUT OF PRISON ALIVE.

THERE'S NO REASON THAT HE HAD TO KILL

ANY OF THE PEOPLE THAT HE KILLED,

AND WITH HIS BACKGROUND AND HIS EDUCATION,

THERE WAS NO REASON FOR HIM TO BE INVOLVED

WITH ANY OF THE CRIMES THAT HE WAS INVOLVED WITH.