Criminal Discourse Podcast
Welcome to our true crime podcast, where we explore intriguing cases with the same passion as true crime enthusiasts like you. With each episode, we delve deep into the facts, theories, and mysteries of each case, offering a riveting discourse that will keep you on the edge of your seat. Tune in for a criminally good time!
Criminal Discourse Podcast
Innocence Lost: The Murder of Sarah Yarborough
Certain cases stand out for the way they impact those who knew the victim along with those investigating their demise. This case is no different. When a bright light is extinguished all too soon, all that is left are questions. The hope is that those questions can be answered quickly but when they are not, those answers and justice may seem out of reach. Time and technology were the hope for the family of Sarah Yarborough but just how long would they have to wait?
Persons of InterestFrom murderers to money launderers, thieves to thugs – police officers from the...
Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify
Hi everyone and welcome to another edition of Criminal Discourse podcast. I'm Trish, I'm Wendy and we're back with you with an all-new episode. So glad you could join us today.
Wendi:No case updates, but we do have a shout-out.
Trish:Well, a couple shout-outs from people that have reached out to us on Instagram and Facebook, and just the other day had one from Gwyneth, who gave a case suggestion, which, surprisingly enough, is one I'm already working on, so I know it's the right case to do so. Stay tuned for that one.
Wendi:And send us more case suggestions If you have them. We love those. Now we know there are so many true crime podcasts out there to choose from and only so many hours in a day, so we want to take a moment to say that we truly appreciate you choosing to listen to our podcast today. Now, if you want to join the discourse, you can reach out to us on our website, criminaldiscoursepodcastcom, or on social media. We're on Facebook, instagram and YouTube at Criminal Dispod and Criminal Discourse Podcast. And one last thing before we get started the views and opinions discussed on the Criminal Discourse Podcast are just our views and opinions. Everyone is presumed innocent until convicted in a court of law. All right, you ready, I'm ready. Where are we going to today?
Trish:We are going to the state of Washington, so certain cases always stand out for the way they impact those who knew the victim, along with those investigating their demise. In this case is no different. When a bright light is extinguished all too soon, all that is left are questions. The hope is that those questions can be answered quickly, but when they're not, those answers and justice may seem out of reach. Time and technology were the hope for the family of Sarah Yarborough, but just how long would they have to wait? am am on the 14th of 13-year-old 1991, Drew Miller and his friend were taking a shortcut through Federal Way High School grounds in Federal Way, Washington. Now Federal Way is named after Federal Highway US 99, and is part of Seattle's metropolitan area. Now Drew would recall that it was freezing that morning, so much so that the mud puddles had frozen over. He and his friend were headed out to skateboard after having a sleep over the night before, and what should have been a fun, relaxing outing that Saturday morning would be a moment that would have a profound impact on Drew's life as well as the Federal Way community. As the boys were breaking up the frozen puddles, they passed by the tennis courts and they noticed a man in the bushes off to the side. Now, this man was originally crouched down and just seemed to be staring at them. The man suddenly stood up casually, walked out of the high bush line and then walked ahead of the boys on the path leading between the hill with the bushes and the tennis courts. Now, initially they thought they caught him smoking some weed, like oh you know, our bad. But then the boys saw what the man had walked away from Lying on the ground was the body of a partially clothed young woman. She was not moving. When the boys looked in the direction the man had been walking, their shock soon turned to fear, as they saw the man had stopped and was staring back at them, with only a few yards away from them. Drew and his friend took off, running back home and called the police. Now, one of the first officers to arrive on the scene was Detective Scott Strathey.
Trish:What investigators would come to find was that the victim was 16-year-old Sarah Yarbrough, a student at Federal Way High School. There was a pile of clothing near Sarah's body. It was her drill team jacket and some undergarments, and she still had curlers in her ponytail. She looked to have been strangled by nylon stockings tied in a ligature around her neck. The stockings were her own. Sarah's car, which was her father's vehicle, was in the high school parking lot approximately 300 feet away from where her body was found. So all still on school property. Detectives from the King County Sheriff's Office Major Crimes Unit examined Sarah's car. Now, investigators could see no signs of struggle in or around the vehicle. There was a container of orange juice still sitting upright in the front seat of her car. In one of the links I have in the resource section you can see pictures of the inside of her vehicle. They took that day and it's one of those Tupperware juice containers. It took me back, taking us back to the old days, taking us back to my childhood. Detectives would find that Sarah had made the container that morning and she had taken it with her to her drill team competition. She was to have that day. Now the question was how did Sarah get from her car to the bush-covered hill? After talking to family and friends, one early theory was that she had been coaxed in some way. Perhaps the man seen emerging from the bushes had asked her for some help in finding some lost keys or a dog, and Sarah was known for always being helpful.
Trish:Sarah Yarborough was the oldest of three. Born to Tom and Laurie Yarborough, she had two younger brothers. Her closest at the time was her 11-year-old brother, andrew. Sarah was in her junior year of high school and would tell her parents that her plans were to go far away for college. She was not staying local. Her mother described her as adventurous and wanting to either study engineering like her father or maybe to become a museum curator. Sarah is described by those who knew her best as artistic and creative and smart and imaginative, and at times feisty, but always kind. She would be the last to wait for someone, but the first to offer them any help, especially with their homework.
Trish:And she, so she was like a cheerleader, right she was on the drill team, which I'm not sure if that's a different version of cheerleading, I think it might be different. I think your drill team is when you use the wooden rifles. Maybe, oh, okay, that's what I took it as a drill team. They're not. I don't think they're popular around our area, but I know in other areas of the country they are.
Wendi:She seems fun. Peppy yeah, fiery red hair yeah.
Trish:Investigators would find that, although the crime scene looked like a sexual assault had taken place, sarah had not been raped. She had been beaten and died by strangulation. From those pantyhose found around her neck and semen would be found on her jacket and underwear, but also under Sarah's fingernails, proving that she had put up a fight. Detectives were hopeful when a full DNA profile was obtained. Now they just needed to match that profile to their murderer. Also in the investigation's favor were the two witnesses who had gotten a good look at the suspect and were able to give a detailed sketch. Drew and his friends described a younger looking white male, approximately six feet tall, with a medium build. He had shoulder length straight hair. His bangs were cut above his eyebrows. The suspect wore a dark colored trench coat and dark colored pants. Now police released that sketch after Sarah's murder and leads started pouring in, but they would eventually dry up. There was a killer among the citizens of Federal Way and these citizens now lived under a constant fear if or when the killer would strike again. So a year and a half would pass with no suspecting custody and sketches of Sarah's killer still placed up around town.
Trish:Sarah's family and friends were still mourning their loss and worked hard to keep her memory alive. They channeled their efforts into putting together memorial for Sarah and in June 1993, a bench was placed outside Federal Way High School. Engraved on the bench were the words Carpe Diem or Seize the Day, a mantra, sarah embodied. Also beside the bench, encased in bronze, were some of Sarah's favorite possessions her ballet shoes, her favorite books and a replica of her beloved dog Gibby. On the plaque to honor Sarah at Red, 1975 to 1991, seeker of Knowledge, holiness and Holiness, seer of Truth, beauty and Dreams. A gift from her class of 1993, family, friends and Generous Donors. So Sarah's friend Shannon. She was the last friend to see her alive.
Trish:In interviews years later, shannon would say that she lived with regret. She wished she would have asked other drill team members what time the team was to meet that morning for their competition. Sarah's drill team was to meet at the school that day at 9 am, not 8 am, as Sarah had thought. She had rushed out of the house so quickly she hadn't had time to take the curlers out of her hair. Her parents were out of town that weekend for her brother's soccer tournament, so she had her friends stay over the night before. Neither had known. Sarah had no need to rush out that morning. Now, what would have been Sarah's graduation day, june 12, 1993, was also her birthday. Sarah's close friends would later say that every joyful event, every occasion, was filled with sorrow and regret because Sarah wasn't there. Now, on that graduation day, her mom actually came to her graduation to support her friends and she did that because they were such a support for her.
Wendi:I can't imagine how hard that had to be for the community. I don't know how big they were, but regardless, that's not normal to lose someone in that way and then to have it be her birthday on top of it.
Trish:Detective John Free joined a long line of investigators who would continue to work on Sarah's case over the years. Now, over 3,000 leads were pursued and the unknown, mysterious DNA profile was eventually entered into CODIS, the combined DNA index system, when it became fully operational in the mid to late 90s. But there was no success. There was no match. In 2011, investigators reached out to Dr Colleen Fitzpatrick. She was an early pioneer in the field of forensic genetic genealogy. Since this was a newer investigative tool, dr Fitzpatrick offered her services for free, and it wasn't long before she came up the name of a possible suspect.
Wendi:For free.
Trish:I hope she's charging now because these are valuable services she may be now, but back then, because it was so new, nobody really knew of it. But she saw the potential of what it could be as an investigative tool. Not that you solely rely on it. It's just something like a profile right Like a criminal profile, behavioral profile. You just use it as a tool to help narrow down suspects and she proved it.
Wendi:She didn't put the money barriers in the way.
Trish:No, dr Fitzpatrick, using the DNA profile, was able to identify the killer's family tree and came up with one name Robert Fuller. Now his family tree dates back to early settlers who came over on the Mayflower. Robert, or Bill Fuller as he was known, was a close family friend of the Arboros. He even helped get Sarah's Memorial Bench built. Now, from the start, the Arboros did not believe that Bill had anything to do with Sarah's death. He didn't fit the description of the killer. Bill was short and had short hair. Plus, he was 48 at the time of Sarah's murder. He was not the younger man that fit the profile and Bill cooperated fully with investigators and willingly gave his DNA. That did not match the DNA left at the scene, but Dr Fitzpatrick felt strongly that Sarah's killer was somewhere on the Fuller family tree and she went to work whittling it down. So in September 2019, dr Fitzpatrick made another breakthrough in Sarah's case. She had two new suspects, brothers, edward and Patrick Nicholas, distant cousins of Bill Fuller. So investigators ran their DNA profiles against Edward Nichols as his DNA was uploaded into CODIS due to being convicted of rape and a registered sex offender. But no match. So they turned their attention to Patrick.
Trish:Now, by 2019,. Patrick Nicholas was described as a divorced loner who was working in an auto parts store. He was still living in Washington state, actually a couple towns away from Federal Way. Nicholas had no children and didn't appear to have any friends or close acquaintances. He didn't even drive. His main form of transportation was by taking the bus. Now, what piqued Detective Free's interest was the fact that Federal Way High School is along a bus route Nicholas had often taken.
Trish:Another point of interest was that when Sarah had been murdered, nicholas was 27 and looked very much like the witness sketch. So now detectives needed to get Nicholas's DNA, so they started to surveil him, with a plan to secretly collect a sample. So in late September 2019, undercover officers watched Nicholas enter a laundry mat, so they follow him inside. You know they're observing him and they see him go outside shortly after and smoke two cigarettes, discarding them on the ground along with a napkin that had fallen out of his pocket. Officers quickly took the cigarettes and napkin and immediately sent them off to the crime lab. Within days, the results were in a perfect DNA match and over 4000 tips that had been sent into authorities over the years. Patrick Nicholas's name was never mentioned.
Trish:Patrick Leon Nicholas was taken into custody shortly after Now, during questioning, nicholas asked what he was being charged with and detectives told him that they were investigating the death of a young girl, sarah Yarborough. Nicholas's response what year Now? This shocked detectives and detective free asked why would you ask that? Nicholas replied this is it. I'm not gonna say anything. And he didn't. And an hour and a half later the next thing he said is he asked for an attorney. So when Drew Miller saw an updated picture of Nicholas, he knew immediately that he was the man he saw so many years ago and that they had the right guy. He was the same guy, just older, and he would say quote evil eyes. Those eyes stayed the same.
Wendi:I bet he remembered after being terrified of him that day.
Trish:He said it did have a profound impact on him.
Trish:And years later he would also say that he felt such a weight on his shoulders because detectives would come back to him initially in the early stages of the investigation, asking more questions because they didn't really have any other leads, and he felt really responsible like, oh my gosh, what more could I do? You know it was a lot of pressure on the young man. Investigators looked into Patrick Nicholas's criminal background, which confirmed their suspicions that Sarah's attack was not his first or his last. In June 1983, now this is eight years before Sarah's murder Anne Crony had been hanging out by her car one morning along the Columbia River, and that is when a man approached her and struck up a friendly conversation.
Trish:He introduced himself as Pat Nichols, telling Anne that he had just moved to town. And in their conversation, you know, she's like oh, have you gone waterskiing yet? You know, because they were along the river and that's a big sport. He let her know that no, because he doesn't know how to swim. So after a few more minutes of conversation Anne starts to feel uncomfortable and that's when she notices Pat's voice had started to become shaky, so her gut's telling her OK, time to go. Anne told Pat that she had to go and got in her car, but when she went to close the door, pat put a knife to her throat and he ordered her to take off her clothes. Afterwards he stuffed her underwear in her mouth to prevent her from screening and he directed her to walk ahead of him down to the nearby riverbank. Now, halfway down the riverbank he told her to stop, but Anne, remembering that Pat told her he couldn't swim, decided and made the bravest decision of her life. She dove into that water and she swam away. Now Anne would be found by a passerby at a nearby dock, who then called the police.
Trish:Now, once Anne gave the name of her attacker, they had very little difficulty locating him, as he was no stranger to police. Nicholas at the time was about 19 years old and, as a juvenile, had been convicted of two prior rapes and an attempted rape. He had only just been released from a detention center for a few months when he attacked Anne. Now, days later, nicholas was arrested and pleaded guilty to an attempted first degree rape of Anne. Crony, nicholas would tell the police quote I realize I have a problem concerning raping girls. Anne spoke at Nicholas's sentencing asking the judge for the maximum sentence, and the judge agreed. Patrick Nichols was sentenced to 10 years behind bars. But he didn't serve 10 years behind bars. Nichols was released just after three and a half years. Now, to add injury to insult, anne was never notified by correction officials that her attacker was to or had been released, and Nichols didn't have to give his DNA sample at the time, as CODIS was not launched into the mid to late 1990s.
Wendi:Well, the people responsible for these decisions are the ones who should be feeling pressured, not the ones who discovered Sarah's body. That's terrible. Not only was he let out so early, after already having two rapes and an attempted rape to his name, but now, three years after he tried to get and saying that I have a problem concerning raping girls, that's I'm going to do it again.
Trish:So Anne barely thought of Patrick Nichols until October 2019, when police knocked on her door and shock turned to anger when told that Nichols had been arrested for Sarah's murder, knowing that he would have still been behind bars in December of 1991, had he been made to serve his whole sentence. Now we know people get let out for good behaviors, prison overcrowding, but this was a man who had a history as a teenager of doing this. He should have been made to serve his entire sentence, but he wasn't.
Trish:At least four charges at least four. Well now, this would have been probably his first as an adult. Remember, the rest were juvenile. So maybe because it was his first time being charged as an adult, good behavior in prison, they let him out Three and a half. Yeah, I don't know how to justify that, but it happened. It kind of took me back to the toolkit murders. Yeah yes, you know those guys with their history of going in and out of jail very big sentences but very little time served.
Wendi:And we can use the excuse they didn't know as much then and we know better now. But it's still so disappointing to see. It still feels like they should have known better, especially when you have someone saying things, admitting things, like that.
Trish:To King County Deputy Prosecutors Cecilia Lee and Mary Barbosa. They knew that Patrick Nicholas was a serial predator even after Sarah's murder. Nicholas had an additional conviction in 1994. This was three years after Sarah's murder of sexually assaulting his six year old stepdaughter. At the time, which should have been a first degree child molestation charge was able to be pleaded down to a gross misdemeanor that did not require his DNA collection. Now, in an attempted rape and other rape convictions, nicholas was never required to submit his DNA, which would have been uploaded into CODIS because CODIS didn't exist then.
Wendi:I'm flabbergasted. No other comment.
Trish:Yeah, I'm not sure why it got pleaded down to a gross misdemeanor and it could have been because of the victim was so young, not having her testify. Right, you know, they were getting something better than nothing. Maybe the mother was intimidated, nervous, absolutely we don't know the circumstances surrounding that. So to prosecutors, nicholas had a clear pattern of behavior. He would approach young women near or in their car. He would start up a friendly conversation with them and then pull a knife on them and order them to walk ahead of him. Now, once at the location of his choosing, he ordered them to take off their clothes and then rape them. Now in Ann's case, he had to take off her clothes in the car and then walk ahead of them. But I think this was pretty much an empty, deserted parking lot, similar to Sarah's too, but he took her into the bush line before she removed some of her clothing. So even though Nicholas had a criminal history, the trial judge ruled that none of it could be used as evidence in his upcoming trial. It's highly prejudicial. So Patrick Nicholas, now 59, was being tried for first degree felony murder in Sarah Yarborough's death.
Trish:The prosecutor's focus was on the DNA and the emerging field, forensic genetic genealogy. So we're going to talk a little bit about forensic genetic genealogy, and we've talked about this in other cases that we've covered. That, of course, involves using DNA evidence collected from crime scenes to identify potential suspects by tracing their family trees through publicly available genetic databases such as Jed Match or Family Tree DNA. Now this technique gained prominence, of course, in recent years due to successes in solving cold cases, including homicide, sexual assault and unidentified remains cases.
Trish:In cases where traditional investigative methods have been exhausted and DNA evidence is available but not matched to any known suspects in law enforcement databases, forensic genetic genealogy can offer a new avenue for investigation. Like I said, it's a tool and you upload the DNA profile from the crime scenes into this genetic genealogy databases. Those investigators then search for familial matches to the unknown suspects, dna potentially identifying distant relatives who share genetic similarities, and this can be distant. So we're not like I mean, if you're lucky it's a first cousin, but sometimes it's many, many, many, many, many, many cousins. Once removed, twice removed.
Trish:So, it's, yeah, it's looking for the kind of that needle in a haystack in a way.
Wendi:And if you use any of the websites like Ancestry or Jed. Match you know that the majority of the matches you get are like third, fourth, fifth cousins. They're not. There's very few that are very close matches to you.
Trish:So, once potential relatives are identified, genealogists work backwards through their family trees and they use publicly available records, such as census data, birth and death certificates, obituaries, to build this extensive family trees and identify potential suspects. Law enforcement can then use this information to narrow down their search and focus on individuals who fit the profile of the predator. Now, forensic genetic genealogy has been instrumental in solving several high profile cold cases, leading to the arrest and prosecution of individuals who previously alluded law enforcement. However, it has also raised ethical and privacy concerns regarding the use of genetic data for law enforcement purposes and the potential implications for individuals and their relatives who may unwittingly become part of a criminal investigation. Now, this investigative tool especially in 2018, helped crack a numerous cold cases.
Trish:We talked about this before in Michelle Martinko's case that we covered, yes, and the Golden State Killer, of course, is the most famous one of Joseph D'Angelo. Whereas the prosecution was focused on the DNA, the defense, led by public defender David Montes, challenged how forensic genetic genealogy was an unproven science. He claimed it was a junk science at this time. So this trial would be the first in Washington state to introduce genetic genealogy into evidence in a criminal trial. Now, nicholas's trial began on April 17, 2023, not even a year ago at the Norm Melling Regional Justice Center in Kent, washington. So in April, dr Colleen Fitzpatrick president of Identifiers that is the name of her organization testified to the privacy issue that the defense had raised concerning the Washington state constitution the judge cited. With the state, though, that there was no violation of privacy, since JEDMATCH did not provide any information that included private health information or genetic makeup. And also, remember, when you upload your data into JEDMATCH, you are choosing to do so as a private individual, knowing that it's going to be used publicly.
Wendi:You sign off on that. Other people have access to it and you do have some security settings to make it more or less private, but absolutely you agree to those terms Also any DNA left at a crime scene that yields personal familial information is not considered a quote private affair per the Washington Constitution.
Trish:Nor are the open source, like JEDMATCH materials used to identify that relationship. So there was no issue regarding privacy for the courts. So, as prosecutors Lee and Barbosa pointed out during the trial, the defense argument really was kind of mute because Nicholas's DNA found it Sarah's murder scene. Of course the semen left on the jacket, the underwear and under her fingernails had a one in 120 quadrillion chance that belonged to someone else.
Wendi:Yeah, so for me I feel like the defense there was when we talked about the tube sock murders. I forget the suspect's name, but he was convicted in one of the couple's murders that was connected to the unsolved ones, and instead of fighting you know whether the genetic genealogy is junk science he fought. Well, yeah, you found my DNA there. Here's why. So like an explanation for why his DNA might be at the crime scene, almost like a transfer. Yes, because and his excuse was well, we did have sex, but it was consensual, because you cannot fight one in 120 quadrillion odds that your DNA is at the crime scene. So it's like it's there. So what's?
Trish:your excuse for it. So other evidence presented at trial included items found in Nicholas's home which detective free described more like a layer. It had no working electricity. There were just piles of stuff everywhere, especially pornography. In the kitchen drawer was found a picture torn from a magazine of a girl in a cheerleading uniform and there was also a newspaper article from 1994 that had an article on the front page about Sarah's murder. So it took over a day for the jury to render its verdict.
Trish:After nine days of testimony the first charge of first degree murder premeditated. Nicholas was found not guilty. Sarah's family and friends were in shock. But there were two more charges to go. Nicholas was found guilty of the crime of murder in the first degree and guilty of crime of murder in second degree. Both were found to have committed with sexual motivation. After 31 years Sarah Yarborough, her family, her friends finally had justice.
Trish:Nicholas sentencing took place two weeks later. Both Sarah's mother, laura, and her brother Andrew spoke. Drew Miller also confronted Nicholas about coming face to face with pure evil that day and how it deeply impacted his life. Each of Sarah's close friends stood up and spoke about what Nicholas had taken from them that day Probably the last person Nicholas thought would stand to speak was a ghost from his past.
Trish:Anne Crony, who was not allowed to testify at the trial, made sure she faced him one last time. Anne told the court this is a quote from what she said we rely on a system of justice that is designed to protect us from predators like Nicholas, and this system failed me. It failed Sarah, her family, her friends and countless others. I asked the court to please not make the same mistake. Judge Josephine Wiggs spoke directly to Nichols and this is a little snippet of what she said. When I think about this poor child and how she fought for her life, an outrageous violation of a child, this outrageous sexual assault upon a child cultivating in her murder, is the basis for an exceptional sentence. Judge Wiggs sentenced Patrick Nicholas to 548 months or slightly under 46 years in prison.
Trish:Side note, the defense had asked for about a 20-year sentence. They didn't get it. So during an interview after Nicholas's sentencing, prosecutors said that if forensic genetic genealogy was allowed to use familial DNA searches in Washington state, nicholas could have been identified years earlier. Now unknown samples can be compared against profiles that are already uploaded in CODIS, but they are not allowed to search for possible familial matches in CODIS. Remember Edward Nicholas had been in CODIS for years because he was a registered sex offender. Now, would it have stopped Sarah's murder? No, would it have stopped what happened to the six-year-old stepdaughter? No, but he could have been taken off the streets much earlier. California, new York, wisconsin, minnesota, colorado and Florida all allow for familial searches, and even the United Kingdom allows for it.
Trish:Prosecutors and Sarah's family feel that the law in Washington state should be changed. Sarah Yarborough's legacy, according to her mother, was not only bringing people together in life but, more importantly, for those that were left behind by her tragic end. So again, this stays of a very close-knit community. I think I link in the show notes some 48 hours on this case. You see her four friends that still seem very close, and her mom and her brother and even Drew Miller and he's a part of this circle too that they have all supported each other over the years.
Wendi:Yeah, I'm curious too, the ethics of doing the familial searches in CODIS. I mean, to me I don't see any red flags, but that would be one, I guess, for the listeners. If you guys have any opinions on that, we'd like to hear that too, because to me it seems like even less of a concern than the using the Jedmatch and other familial stuff online.
Trish:Well, you figure, if they would have run it, since his brother is already in there, that would have been a closer match than a distant cousin.
Wendi:Right, and we're talking about the DNA of people who've either committed a crime or they're in there because they were suspected of a crime and they gave their DNA willingly, or DNA collected at a crime scene. So to me it's less of an issue. I'm surprised that there aren't more states that allow for it. I'm surprised to hear that you can't search that way in CODIS. Not in some states, not in our state, pennsylvania, come on, I don't know.
Trish:I didn't look. Those were the states that were mentioned in the article I read and it was a more recent article. I've never thought about it.
Wendi:That's interesting.
Trish:Isn't it that you think, oh, they use every tool imaginable? No, not really. It depends on your state.
Wendi:So I assume he continued to plead his innocence. He didn't do it.
Trish:Yeah, they really said.
Wendi:So I guess, because he's on that bus route, he must have just seen her there. They think it was more of a crime of opportunity. Yeah.
Trish:She had again thought that she was late, she rushes out of the house. It's the window of when this occurred, remember. Drew Miller comes across to her around nine o'clock in the morning. So she leaves the house like closely around eight o'clock, thinking she's late, flying out the door. So it's within that hour, when Drew Miller and his friend are walking along that path, that they discover Sarah's body. So they think you know she's rushing out, she's in her car. She might have been standing outside of her car if he was on the bus route.
Wendi:Probably the only one there.
Trish:Yes, so they didn't have to be there till nine, not for an hour, right, and that again was a crime of opportunity. He sees this young, beautiful girl they weren't ever specific about where he got off on the bus. If he had taken the bus that day, in terms of did he get off and he was walking along, you know, by Federal High School and sees Sarah there, or by a bus, and sees Sarah there, and then get off on the next stop and walk back, but at some point he confronts her, striking up a conversation. Her friend seemed to think like oh hey, have you seen my dog? I lost him. Can you help me find him? Get her out of the car and then confront her and walk her into the bush line. That's what they think happened.
Wendi:Yeah, but he's never going to say I think it's also fascinating the behavior with the boys that he encountered too, the fact that he did just let them go, like, oh, it's not going to matter, I'm fine. It kind of shows a confidence. But we know now that he already like oh, if I have to serve time, it won't be that bad. Get out in three years. Well, if they even find me Right.
Trish:That is true, and this is 1991. You're not thinking even of DNA back then. This is pre-selfo right. You're not thinking any of that. And it's sad that it took so long, though, to find him and it's. And then he, of course, goes on and does what he does to his young stepdaughter. And my understanding, I looked to see. You know, was he looked at for any other unsolved sexual assaults, right, murders? Nothing popped that I could see. But Anne says, you know she was lucky she got away. Think about it as a juvenile he had raped those young girls. He ended up going away doing time. Well, I can't let someone live then to identify me. Oh yes, so Anne gets away, right. And then Sarah, eight years later, doesn't write the escalation right.
Wendi:That's another sad component. Well, there is more to this case. I feel like a lot of questions that I still have, especially about how we treat DNA in the criminal justice system, but if you want to learn more about today's case, you can head on over to our website. That's criminal discourse podcastcom. There you'll find Trisha's detailed show notes and all the resources that she used, including that 48 hours special, and I feel like I saw in one of the articles they mentioned there was a documentary on Paramount Plus recently. I don't know what it's called, just putting that out there.
Wendi:I'm sure there's other specials about this case as well, and it is like Trish mentioned the family element. How everybody came together is really interesting to see how they talk about it and she yeah, it's interesting to hear about her life too. She was quite a person. We invite you also to join the discourse and let us know your thoughts on today's or any other case through our website contact page or by messaging us on social media. Reach out anytime to tell us more about yourself, let us know what you think about the issues that come up with today's case, or suggest a new case for us to cover If you enjoyed this episode, you can also subscribe on whatever platform you're listening to us on. Leave us a five star review we love those and tell a friend so they can join the discourse too.
Trish:And if you'd want to share this episode with someone I know on Spotify and I think Apple podcast you can I think you can click on the episode, hit those three dots and then you can share it with someone. So, as always, if you see something, know something, say something, you might have that missing piece of the puzzle it takes to solve a crime, and not a missing piece of the puzzle per se. But Anne Crony hats off. She spoke her truth in court. Initially she asked for the maximum. She got the maximum and the correction system, the parole system. They let her down when you let them out after like three and a half years. Had he served those whole 10 years, based upon his history as a juvenile, taking that into account and I'm not sure why you wanted he would have never murdered Sarah.
Wendi:I also have to give a shout out to Dr Colleen Fitzpatrick.
Trish:Oh, yeah, yeah.
Wendi:Putting it out there, doing it for free? No, this is really good guys. I'll even do it for you for free because I believe in this as an investigative tool how you can bring closure to families and proving it. Doing it yeah, actually bringing closure to families because of the work that she did. Good job, Colleen.
Trish:And before we go, remember to stay safe out there. We need to be kind to one another, we need to support one another and we need to watch out for one another. So until next time, guys. Bye.