Original subtitles

[ CREAKING ]

♪

♪

Mogle: HAWKINS, TEXAS, IS 100 MILES EAST OF DALLAS.

Harris: HIGH SCHOOL IS THE HEART OF THE TOWN.

ONCE YOU'RE A HAWK, YOU'RE ALWAYS A HAWK.

Beggs: LAKE HAWKINS IS A BEAUTIFUL LAKE -- IT WAS THE HANGOUT.

Barber: THAT'S KIND OF WHERE THIS ALL STARTED WAS OUT

ON LAKE HOPKINS.

WE HAD A LOT OF OUTSIDERS

THAT WERE, FROM TIME TO TIME, CAUSING PROBLEMS.

I MEAN, IT JUST KNOCKED THE BREATH OUT OF ME.

I'M FROM TEXAS -- TEXAS GIRLS KNOW ABOUT GUNS.

THIS WAS THE MOST FEARED MAN,

THE MOST HATED MAN IN EAST TEXAS.

Stevenson: IT'S JUST A DAZE. IT'S LIKE A BLUR.

FROM THAT POINT ON, IT WAS JUST A SUMMER OF DREAD.

♪

♪

♪

[ GIRL LAUGHING ]

OH, MY GOODNESS -- SO EXCITED FOR THE LAKE.

-OH, YEAH. -YOU BETTER NOT PUSH ME

IN AGAIN, THOUGH. -THAT WAS ONE TIME!

[ TALKING AND LAUGHING ]

MAY 4, 1986, IT WAS A SUNDAY,

AND BRYAN AND GENA AND SUZANNE HAD GONE OUT TO THE LAKE.

Narrator: THE THREE FRIENDS ARE 19-YEAR-OLD BRYAN BOONE,

20-YEAR-OLD GENA TURNER,

AND 18-YEAR-OLD SUZANNE HARRISON.

IN TEXAS, IT'S SUMMER IN MAY,

AND THAT'S WHERE WE HUNG OUT IN THE SUMMERTIME.

YOU WENT TO LAKE HAWKINS.

IT WAS NOT UNUSUAL FOR THESE THREE FRIENDS

TO BE AT LAKE HAWKINS,

BUT IT WAS UNUSUAL FOR THEM TO NOT COME HOME --

AND THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO BE AT HOME AT 10 O'CLOCK.

HERE IN TEXAS,

IN A SMALL TOWN LIKE THAT, SOMEBODY ALWAYS KNOWS

WHERE YOU ARE.

IT'S HARD TO IMAGINE LIFE BEFORE CELL PHONES,

WHEN YOU JUST -- YOU WERE NOT CONNECTED TO PEOPLE LIKE THAT.

SO WHAT YOU RELIED ON IS BEING AT THE RIGHT PLACE

WHEN YOU SAID YOU WERE GONNA BE.

[ KETTLE WHISTLING ]

-[ PHONE RINGS ] -I'LL GET THAT.

Narrator: SUZANNE'S MOM CALLS GENA'S PARENTS.

HELLO?

LIKE, HEY, THEY'RE NOT HOME YET. WHERE ARE THEY?

WELL, I'M GETTING A LITTLE BIT WORRIED.

I HAVEN'T HEARD FROM SUZANNE.

WE'RE A LITTLE BIT CONCERNED, TOO, BECAUSE IT'S NOT

LIKE GENA TO BE OUT THIS LATE.

SUZANNE AND HER MOM WERE VERY CLOSE.

SUZANNE WAS HER ONLY CHILD, AND SHE LOVED THAT GIRL.

SUZANNE WAS HER LIFE.

SO HER MOM WAS VERY CONCERNED.

VERY UPSET.

SUZANNE WAS A RAY OF SUNSHINE.

WE HAD FUN AT SCHOOL.

SHE WENT TO CHURCH WITH US AT FIRST BAPTIST.

SHE WAS ALWAYS VERY POSITIVE,

VERY UPBEAT -- SHE HAD A BOUNCE IN HER STEP.

Stevenson: SHE WAS JUST KIND OF EVERYBODY'S LITTLE SISTER.

EVERYBODY LOOKED OUT FOR HER.

YOU JUST -- YOU JUST LOOKED OUT FOR SUZANNE.

Harris: SHE WANTED TO BE A TEACHER.

ALL OF OUR GROUP OF FRIENDS,

WE WERE ALL GONNA GRADUATE AND GO OFF TO COLLEGE.

Narrator: HER BEST FRIEND

IS GENA TURNER.

GENA WAS A REALLY GOOD STUDENT.

SHE STUDIED HARD.

I WAS VERY PROUD OF GENA.

Narrator: GENA HAD GRADUATED HAWKINS HIGH TWO YEARS EARLIER.

Beggs: SHE WAS VALEDICTORIAN, WHICH SHE WAS VERY PROUD OF,

AND THE DAY THAT SHE GAVE HER SPEECH,

IT JUST TOUCHED EVERYONE.

-HEY, SUZANNE? -YEAH!

COULD I BORROW YOUR PINK TOP?

Beggs: GENA AND SUZANNE WERE JUST SUPER FRIENDS,

ALWAYS HUNG OUT TOGETHER.

THAT WAS BACK IN THE DAY WHEN A LOT OF TIMES YOU WORE

THE SAME CLOTHES, THEY WOULD, YOU KNOW, HAVE THE SAME SHOES

OR THE SAME SHIRT.

THEY WERE JUST SUPER GOOD EAST TEXAS GIRLS.

Narrator: BRYAN BOONE IS ALSO A RECENT HAWKINS HIGH GRADUATE.

BRYAN HAD THE CRAZIEST SENSE OF HUMOR.

HE'D JUST CRACK ME UP -- BRYAN WAS JUST CRAZY,

UH, BUT HE WAS TOUGH.

HAWKINS WAS, YOU KNOW,

EVERY SMALL TOWN IN TEXAS KIND OF REVOLVES AROUND

ITS FOOTBALL, AND BRYAN PLAYED FOOTBALL,

AND HE WAS CERTAINLY GOOD ON DEFENSE,

AND YEAH, YOU WEREN'T GONNA JUST RUN OVER HIM.

YOU KNEW HE WAS THERE. HE WAS HANDSOME,

SO THE GIRLS LIKED BRYAN.

BRYAN WAS A GOOD FRIEND.

HE NEVER LET ME DOWN.

HE WAS ALWAYS THERE FOR ME. HE HAD MY BACK.

Narrator: BUT NOW, ALL THREE SEEM TO HAVE VANISHED.

THESE WEREN'T THE KIDS THAT WOULD BE OUT

LOOKING FOR TROUBLE, YOU KNOW, THESE WERE KIND OF

ALL-AMERICAN KIDS, YOU KNOW?

SUZANNE WAS A RULE FOLLOWER AND SHE KNEW WHAT TIME

SHE WAS SUPPOSED TO BE HOME.

Beggs: GENA WOULD HAVE CALLED.

WE WERE TAUGHT,

MY MOM AND DAD TAUGHT US,

YOU CALL.

♪

GENA DID NOT COME HOME THE NEXT DAY,

SO ON MONDAY,

MY DAD GOT ON HIS HORSE AND WENT TO LAKE HAWKINS.

WE WEREN'T FAR FROM LAKE HAWKINS,

AND HE TOOK OFF ON HORSEBACK TO LOOK FOR GENA,

SUZANNE, AND BRYAN.

Stevenson: AND BRYAN'S OLDER BROTHER, KENDALL, WENT LOOKING FOR HIM

OUT AT LAKE HAWKINS, AND THAT'S WHEN

HE FOUND THE TRUCK.

♪

♪

[ CAR DOOR OPENING ]

[ QUIETLY ] WHAT?

Stevenson: AND THAT'S WHEN HE FOUND THE PURSES

AND THE KEYS IN THE CAR.

THERE'S NOTHING YOU CAN THINK ABOUT

THAT'S GONNA MAKE THAT BE GOOD.

Narrator: THE FAMILIES IMMEDIATELY

CONTACT WOOD COUNTY AUTHORITIES.

IT WAS VERY URGENT AT THE TIME, BECAUSE WE KNEW

THAT SOMETHING WAS WRONG.

EVERYBODY WAS IN KIND OF A STATE OF PANIC.

ALL THE COUNTY LAKES HAVE A COUNTY ROAD,

THAT GOES COMPLETELY AROUND THE LAKE,

AND SO LAW ENFORCEMENT PATROLLED AROUND THE LAKE.

WE HAVE SMALL ROADS THAT GO EVERYWHERE,

BECAUSE THERE'S OLD DRILLING WELLS,

WHICH MAKES IT A LITTLE MORE DIFFICULT

WHEN YOU HAVE A LIMITED NUMBER OF PERSONNEL

TO LOOK FOR THOSE PEOPLE.

Narrator: AS THE SEARCH BEGINS,

WORD SPREADS THROUGH TOWN.

[ SCHOOL BELL RINGS ]

Moore: MY FATHER WAS THE PRINCIPAL HERE AT HAWKINS FOR 30 YEARS.

THAT MONDAY, MY DAD CAME TO ME SECOND PERIOD AND ASKED ME

WHERE SUZANNE WAS, AND I SAID,

"I DON'T KNOW."

AND HE SAID, "WELL, SHE'S MISSING."

Harris: AND, UH, WOOD COUNTY DEPUTIES SHOWED UP AT SCHOOL,

AND THEY WERE ASKING US IF WE HAD SEEN SUZANNE

OR HEARD FROM BRYAN AND GENA.

AND THEN THEY SAID, "WELL,

"WE FOUND BRYAN'S CAR AT THE LAKE,

AND SUZANNE'S PURSE WAS IN THE CAR."

Stevenson: AT THE TIME, I WAS IN ARKANSAS IN COLLEGE

THAT MONDAY MORNING,

AND THE GUY SAYS, "YOU'RE NOT GONNA BELIEVE THIS,

"DUDE -- YOUR TOWN IS ON CNN.

THERE ARE THREE PEOPLE MISSING FROM YOUR TOWN."

I WASN'T REPAIRED THAT IT WAS GONNA BE MY BEST FRIEND

AND GENA AND SUZANNE.

Mogle: EACH PASSING HOUR, IT'S BECOMING MORE

ANXIETY-RIDDEN -- WHAT IS GOING ON?

THIS IS NOT NATURAL.

THIS DOES NOT HAPPEN IN HAWKINS, TEXAS

♪

Narrator: THEN, AT 12:45 P.M.

MONDAY AFTERNOON,

A DISCOVERY NO ONE WANTED TO MAKE.

ALL OF A SUDDEN, ABOUT 20 MILES OR SO AWAY

IN A REALLY REMOTE AREA CALLED BARNWELL MOUNTAIN,

A ROAD CREW WORKING IN THIS AREA

COMES ACROSS A BODY IN A DITCH.

♪

♪

Mogle: WE FIND HAWKINS, TEXAS, IN A GROWING STATE OF PANIC.

THREE OF THEIR BRIGHTEST YOUNG PEOPLE,

18-YEAR-OLD SUZANNE HARRISON,

19-YEAR-OLD BRYAN BOONE, 20-YEAR-OLD GENA TURNER

ARE MISSING.

AND THEN THIS ROAD CREW SORT OF RANDOMLY COMES BY,

AND THEY FIND THE BODY IN THE DITCH.

AND, OF COURSE, THEY CALLED

LAW ENFORCEMENT IN UPSHUR COUNTY.

6-3 TO DISPATCH, I FOUND A BODY.

GO AHEAD AND START THE CRIME SCENE UNIT.

SHE HAD SUFFERED A HORRENDOUS BEATING.

SHE WAS PARTIALLY NAKED, AND HER PANTIES,

WERE LEFT AROUND HER THROAT,

WHICH AT LEAST SEEMED TO SUGGEST FROM THE BEGINNING

THAT SHE HAD BEEN SEXUALLY ASSAULTED.

Narrator: AUTHORITIES PROCESS THE SCENE,

A PARK AREA AT BARNWELL MOUNTAIN,

15 MILES NORTHEAST OF LAKE HAWKINS.

THE CLOTHING MATCHES THAT WORN

BY SUZANNE HARRISON.

YOU CORDON THAT AREA OFF,

AND THEN WE SEARCHED THAT AREA JUST GRID BY GRID.

THE QUICKER YOU CAN GET TO IT,

THE MORE EVIDENCE YOU'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO FIND.

Narrator: ONE UNSETTLING DETAIL --

A SECOND SET OF WOMEN'S SHORTS AND UNDERWEAR,

PRESUMED TO BE GENA TURNER'S FOUND NEAR THE BODY.

INVESTIGATORS BELIEVE THIS BODY IS SUZANNE'S,

BUT THEY NEED TO BE SURE.

SUZANNE HARRISON WAS WEARING A WATCH,

AND THEY HAD ASKED AN AUNT,

WOULD YOU BE ABLE TO IDENTIFY THIS WATCH THAT WE HAVE FOUND

ON THIS BODY? AND THE AUNT

KNEW IMMEDIATELY, THAT WAS SUZANNE HARRIS,

BECAUSE THE AUNT HAD THE SAME WATCH,

THE EXACT SAME WATCH.

♪

Harris: IT WAS MONDAY EVENING,

AND MY MOM AND I HAD GONE TO PICK UP MY SHOES FOR THE PROM.

WE HAD GOTTEN SHOES BACK THEN TO MATCH OUR DRESS,

AND WE WALKED IN, AND MY BROTHER SAID, "DAD CALLED.

THEY FOUND SUZANNE."

I SAID, "WHERE? WHERE IS SHE?

HOW IS SHE? WHAT SHE'S DOING?"

AND DON, MY BROTHER SAID,

"SHE'S DEAD."

AND I COULDN'T COMPREHEND IT

OR UNDERSTAND IT.

I MEAN, IT...

IT JUST KNOCKED THE BREATH OUT OF ME.

IT IS FULL-FLEDGED PANIC MODE NOW.

THEY SET UP A PERIMETER, AND THEY TRY TO CHECK ALL ROADS

GOING OUT OF THE COMMUNITY,

FIND OUT IF ANYBODY THEY STOP

ON THAT VEHICLE HAD SEEN

ANYTHING THAT WAS OUT OF PLACE.

I DID. I DID SEE A FORD BRONCO DRIVING PRETTY CRAZY

AROUND HERE THE OTHER NIGHT.

Narrator: ONE MOTORIST REPORTS THAT ON THE NIGHT THE TRIO

WENT MISSING,

HE SAW A LIGHT BLUE BRONCO SPEEDING ERRATICALLY AWAY

FROM THE PARK,

BUT HE DID NOT GET THE LICENSE PLATE.

THAT WAS IT.

Stevenson: I JUST REMEMBER DRIVING IN THAT FIRST NIGHT,

AND IT WAS TWO OR THREE IN THE MORNING.

THE FIRST THING THAT MADE ME REALIZE THIS WAS NOT GONNA BE

MY NORMAL VISIT TO THIS TOWN

WAS THAT THE POPULATION SIGNS HAD BLACK RIBBONS

TIED AROUND 'EM.

Moore: HAWKINS LOST

ITS INNOCENCE THAT DAY -- WE'RE COMMUNITY THAT FELT LIKE

THAT WE WERE IN A BUBBLE

AND THAT NOTHING COULD EVER HAPPEN

LIKE THAT HERE.

AND WE HAD TO FACE THE FACT THAT IT DID.

Narrator: SINCE GENA AND BRYAN ARE STILL MISSING,

AUTHORITIES HAVE TO ASK,

COULD THEY HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN SUZANNE'S MURDER?

THERE WAS NEVER AN ISSUE THAT THEY WERE

SOMEHOW ROMANTICALLY INVOLVED WITH EACH OTHER.

THERE WAS NEVER, EVEN FROM THE BEGINNING,

THIS IDEA THAT THIS WAS SOME ROMANTIC TRIO THAT HAD GONE

TERRIBLY WRONG OR SOMETHING.

Narrator: IT MEANS IT COULD HAVE BEEN AN OUTSIDER.

Taylor: IN THE OIL BUSINESS,

THERE WERE LITERALLY THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF

OIL FIELD WORKERS, AND THEY CAME INTO THE EAST TEXAS AREA.

SOME ARE TRANSIENTS.

Narrator: AS DEPUTIES REVIEW FILES

OF ANYTHING THAT MIGHT BE RELATED,

THEY LEARN ABOUT ANOTHER INCIDENT THAT OCCURRED

AT LAKE HAWKINS THE SAME NIGHT SUZANNE,

GENA, AND BRYAN DISAPPEARED.

♪

MY BOYFRIEND, MY WOULD-BE HUSBAND, CLIFTON,

WE WERE JUST LISTENING TO MUSIC,

JUST HANGING OUT AT THE LAKE LIKE PEOPLE DO.

[ KISSING NOISES ]

AS IT GOT LATER,

THERE'S SOMEBODY WHO DROVE BY REALLY SLOW,

MADE EYE CONTACT.

I CAN'T EXPLAIN IT, BUT I FELT UNCOMFORTABLE.

HE OBVIOUSLY WAS INTERESTED IN WHAT WE WERE DOING.

I WAS FRIGHTENED.

I WAS SCARED.

AND MY INSTINCTS TOLD ME THAT WE SHOULD LEAVE.

HE'S COMING BACK.

DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT. IT'S GONNA BE FINE, OKAY?

I VIVIDLY REMEMBER THINKING I'M NOT --

I'M JUST NOT GONNA LOOK AT HIM.

SO I WAS LOOKING AT CLIFF,

AND...

[ VEHICLE DOOR SLAMS ]

WHEN I TURNED TO LOOK, IT WAS IN MY FACE.

Man: GET OUT OF THE CAR!

I KNEW IT WAS A .38 STEEL REVOLVER.

I'M A SOUTHERN GIRL. I'M FROM TEXAS.

TEXAS GIRLS KNOW ABOUT GUNS.

AND THEN I THOUGHT, I'M GONNA DIE.

TODAY'S THE LAST DAY OF MY LIFE.

-GET OUT! -OKAY, OKAY.

IT'S HARD TO GET PAST THINKING YOU'RE GONNA DIE.

GIVE ME YOUR DAMN MONEY RIGHT NOW, BOY.

-I DON'T HAVE ANY, DUDE. -GIVE ME YOUR MONEY,

OR I'M GONNA TAKE YOUR DAMN WOMAN RIGHT NOW.

Cliff: YOU'RE NOT TAKING MY WOMAN.

THEN CLIFF OPENS THE TRUNK, AND THAT'S WHEN HE GETS

A BEER OUT.

HAVE A BEER, ALL RIGHT? LET'S JUST CALM DOWN.

[ BOTTLES CLINKING ]

HERE YOU GO.

I THINK THAT HE WAS TAKEN BY SURPRISE

THAT CLIFF WAS JUST --

DID NOT APPEAR TO BE SCARED OF HIM.

I CAN'T TELL YOU HOW MUCH TIME PASSED.

FELT LIKE FOREVER.

AT SOME POINT,

THE GUY PUT THE GUN IN HIS WAISTBAND.

AND CLIFF MENTIONS THAT WE'RE GOING TO LEAVE.

LOOK,

HER DAD'S GONNA COME LOOKING FOR HER,

SO WE'RE GONNA CRUISE, DUDE.

♪

[ CAR DOOR SLAMS SHUT ]

[ ENGINE STARTS ]

JUST DIDN'T SEEM POSSIBLE TO ME THAT WE WERE LEAVING,

BECAUSE I KNEW THAT I WAS GONNA DIE.

-PLATE. -YEAH.

CLIFF TOLD ME, HE SAID, "GET THE LICENSE PLATE NUMBER.

THAT GUY'S GONNA KILL SOMEBODY TONIGHT."

♪

Taylor: THEY GOT 5 TO 6 NUMBERS, I THINK,

OFF OF THE LICENSE PLATE,

AND THEY COULD DESCRIBE IN DETAIL THE VEHICLE.

IT WAS SORT OF THIS LIGHT BLUE FORD BRONCO.

REALLY CREEPY-LOOKING DUDE, TATTOOS.

THERE'S A LOT OF OIL FIELD WORKERS IN HAWKINS,

AND THERE'S HARD-WORKING PEOPLE,

BUT HE JUST LOOKED MORE WILD.

Taylor: THEY OBSERVED MANY DETAILS

ABOUT ALL HIS DIFFERENT TATTOOS,

AND HIS TATTOOS WERE VERY IMPORTANT IN IDENTIFICATION,

ESPECIALLY THE TATTOO ON HIS CHEST THAT SAID, YOU KNOW,

"DEATH BEFORE DISHONOR FOR THE LONESOME LOSER."

CLIFF HAD TOLD THIS GUY THAT HIS NAME WAS CLIFF AND ASKED

WHAT HIS NAME WAS, AND HE SAID,

"THEY CALL ME ANIMAL."

HE NEVER GAVE US HIS NAME.

HE JUST SAID, "THEY CALL ME ANIMAL."

♪

Narrator: IT HAS BEEN ONE DAY SINCE SUZANNE HARRISON

WAS FOUND SLAIN.

GENA TURNER

AND BRYAN BOONE ARE STILL MISSING.

NOW, POLICE HAVE A DESCRIPTION AND A PARTIAL

LICENSE PLATE FOR A MAN WHO MIGHT BE CONNECTED.

Taylor: THEY WERE ABLE TO RUN THE LICENSE PLATE

AND VEHICLE DESCRIPTION, AND THEY FOUND THAT

THE LICENSE PLATE

WITH THOSE FIVE NUMBERS

WAS REGISTERED TO A FORD BRONCO REGISTERED TO

A MRS. McFADDEN IN ORE CITY, TEXAS.

THEY SENT SOMEBODY TO THE ADDRESS,

BUT THEY DID NOT FIND ANYONE THERE.

THEY HAD AN APB OUT,

AND EVERY LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER IN THIS PART

OF THE WORLD WAS LOOKING FOR THAT VEHICLE.

[ POLICE SIRENS WAIL ]

THEN, ON MAY 6, THEY SEE THIS VEHICLE.

THEY STOP THE DRIVER.

Officer: DRIVER, LET ME SEE YOUR HANDS!

PUT YOUR HANDS UP!

STEP OUT OF THE VEHICLE.

KEEP YOUR HANDS WHERE I CAN SEE THEM.

LIFT THE FRONT OF YOUR SHIRT UP

AND TURN AROUND!

Taylor: AND WHEN THEY GOT HIM OUT,

THEY SAW THE TATTOO THAT SAID, "DEATH BEFORE DISHONOR

FOR THE LONESOME LOSER."

HIS NICKNAME WAS ANIMAL. HIS NAME WAS JERRY McFADDEN.

HELP YOU UP -- STAND UP.

Taylor: AT THAT POINT IN TIME,

THEY WEREN'T SURE THIS WAS A MURDER SUSPECT,

BUT THEY SURE KNEW THEY HAD HIM FOR A ROBBERY CASE.

I AIN'T DONE NOTHIN' WRONG, BOY!

NOTHING!

♪

[ EXHALES HEAVILY ]

WE RAN HIS CRIMINAL HISTORY,

AND WE FOUND OUT THAT HE HAD BEEN CONVICTED OF RAPE

IN DENTON COUNTY IN, LIKE,

1971 AND WENT TO PRISON FOR THAT.

BUT THEN WHEN HE GOT OUT OF PRISON FOR THAT CASE,

HE WORKED IN THE OIL FIELD.

HE ACTUALLY GAVE A STATEMENT

IN REFERENCE TO THE ROBBERY

WHERE HE CLAIMED THAT HE SAW CLIFTON,

AND HE THOUGHT THAT HE WAS A GUY

THAT HE HAD SEEN AT SOME BAR RECENTLY.

AND SO HE JUST STOPPED TO CHITCHAT

AND SAY HELLO,

AND WHEN HE SAID, "THIS IS A ROBBERY," HE WAS JUST KIDDING.

AND THAT, UH, THE GUN WAS A TOY.

Narrator: WHEN QUESTIONED ABOUT SUZANNE, GENA, AND BRYAN,

McFADDEN REFUSES TO TALK.

HE WAS ARRESTED AND CHARGED WITH THE AGGRAVATED ROBBERY.

WHEN THEY PROCESSED THE VEHICLE, THEY VACUUMED IT.

THEY CHECKED IT FOR FINGERPRINTS

AND EVERYTHING ELSE,

BUT THEY DID NOT FIND ANY HAIRS OR FLUIDS

OR ANYTHING FROM ANY OF OUR THREE VICTIMS.

Mogle: WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO BRYAN,

AND WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO GENA?

WHERE ARE THEY?

Beggs: EVERY TIME THE PHONE RANG,

EVERY TIME SOMEBODY DROVE UP...

SORRY.

YOU'RE HOPING THAT THEY'RE GOING TO TELL YOU

SOMETHING GOOD,

BUT THEY DIDN'T.

IN THE MEANTIME,

SUZANNE'S FAMILY IS PLANNING A FUNERAL,

AND WE STILL DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT GENA AND BRYAN.

Narrator: FOUR DAYS AFTER SUZANNE'S BODY WAS DISCOVERED,

HER FUNERAL WAS HELD AT HAWKINS HIGH.

SUZANNE'S FUNERAL WAS IN THE AUDITORIUM,

BECAUSE THERE WERE NO BUILDINGS

OR CHURCHES THAT WERE LARGE ENOUGH TO HOLD

THE AMOUNT OF PEOPLE THAT WERE GONNA BE IN ATTENDANCE.

Harris: THE AUDITORIUM WAS PACKED, ABSOLUTELY PACKED.

MEMBERS OF THE FOOTBALL TEAM WERE, UM,

HONORARY PALLBEARERS.

I JUST REMEMBER WE JUST HUGGED, AND WE CRIED.

IT'S HIGH SCHOOL PRIDE, AND WE WERE PROUD TO BE TEXANS.

WE WERE HAWKINS HAWKS. WE WERE FAMILY.

WHETHER YOU WERE --

GRADUATED IN 1935 OR YOU WERE ABOUT

TO GRADUATE IN 1986, WE WERE A FAMILY,

AND THAT AUDITORIUM WAS FILLED WITH OUR FAMILY.

♪

Narrator: AFTER THE FUNERAL,

EVERYONE GETS RIGHT BACK TO WORK LOOKING

FOR GENA AND BRYAN.

LAW ENFORCEMENT ORGANIZED SEARCHES,

AND PEOPLE WERE INVITED TO PARTICIPATE.

Harris: THEY WERE SEARCHING AT THE LAKE,

PLACES ALL OVER WOOD COUNTY.

IT WAS ON THE NEWS EVERY NIGHT.

MEN WOULD FINISH THEIR JOBS FOR THE DAY,

AND THEY WOULD GO OUT AND JOIN SEARCH TEAMS.

Mogle: YOU HAVE TO REMEMBER THAT THIS IS

A VERY RURAL AREA OF EAST TEXAS.

TONS OF FORESTS ARE ALL AROUND,

SO WHEN YOU'RE SEARCHING THIS AREA,

YOU'RE THRASHING THROUGH BRUSH, YOU'RE SOMETIMES WALKING

IN SWAMPY AREAS, SNAKY AREAS.

Beggs: THE WHOLE TOWN HELPED IN SOME WAY.

IF THEY JUST SAID, "WE'RE GONNA PRAY FOR YOU ALL TODAY,"

THEY DID THAT.

WE WERE JUST A LITTLE HAWKINS, IT'S A LITTLE EAST TEXAS TOWN,

AND WHEN YOUR NEIGHBOR'S IN TROUBLE,

NEIGHBORS COME AND HELP.

WE WERE HORRIFIED ABOUT SUZANNE,

BUT WE WERE HOPING MAYBE BRYAN AND GENA WERE STILL ALIVE.

THAT WAS THE HOPE THE WHOLE WEEK THAT THEY WERE MISSING.

THEY'RE STILL ALIVE. THEY'RE STILL ALIVE.

♪

Mogle: BUT SIX DAYS LATER, THEY FIND THOSE TWO.

THEIR BODIES HAVE BEEN DUMPED IN A DITCH.

THEY HAVE BEEN SHOT TO DEATH.

ANY HOPE, ANY SMALL, LINGERING HOPE THAT

SOMEHOW THEY HAVE EVADED HARM, IS GONE.

EVERYBODY HAS TO ACCEPT THE FACT NOW THAT THERE HAS BEEN

A TRIPLE MURDER, AND THINGS WILL NEVER BE THE SAME AGAIN.

THEY WERE FOUND TOGETHER IN A DITCH

ALONG THE ROAD FROM BARNWELL MOUNTAIN.

AND IT'S A DITCH THAT LEADS TO ORE CITY,

AND, IN FACT, IT'S VERY CLOSE TO ORE CITY,

AND THIS IS A TOWN THAT JERRY McFADDEN WAS LIVING IN.

THE ROUTE WAS DIRECTLY ON THE PATH BETWEEN

BARNWELL MOUNTAIN AND HIS HOUSE.

Narrator: DESPITE THE PROXIMITY TO McFADDEN'S HOME,

AUTHORITIES DISCOVER NO PHYSICAL EVIDENCE

LINKING HIM TO THE SCENE.

Moore: I REMEMBER GOING THROUGH A GAMUT OF EMOTIONS

AFTER THEY FOUND 'EM,

AFTER WE KNEW THAT THEY HAD BEEN KILLED.

YOU GO THROUGH EVERYTHING FROM, UH,

DENIAL TO BEING ANGRY

TO, YOU KNOW, EVERYTHING.

Beggs: MY DAD IS A FARMER AND HE'S ALWAYS HAD HORSES, ALWAYS.

AND HE CAME HOME ON THAT HORSE THAT DAY AND PUT THAT HORSE UP,

AND HE DID NOT RIDE A HORSE FOR 8 AND 1/2 YEARS.

Harris: GENA'S FUNERAL WAS AT THE CHURCH.

BY THE TIME

THAT ROLLED AROUND, WE WERE ALL SO TIRED,

JUST HEART-WRENCHING.

Stevenson: I CERTAINLY REMEMBER BRYAN'S FUNERAL,

AND I REMEMBER BEING A PALLBEARER.

ME AND HIS CLOSE FRIENDS

TAKING OUR FRIEND THE FINAL...

STEP OF THE WAY.

COULDN'T STOP CRYING,

BECAUSE I DON'T THINK I HAD CRIED UP TILL THEN,

BECAUSE I HAD REALLY HELD OUT HOPE.

Beggs: YOU GET THROUGH THE FUNERALS,

AND YOU TRY TO GET ON WITH LIFE,

BUT THEN YOU WANT

THE MAN WHO DID THIS TO BE PUNISHED.

Narrator: FORENSICS EXAMINERS COMPARE DNA FOUND

ON SUZANNE HARRISON'S BODY

TO THAT EXTRACTED FROM McFADDEN'S HAIR SAMPLE.

THEY WERE ABLE TO GET DNA

FROM McFADDEN OFF OF THE SAMPLES FROM SUZANNE HARRISON.

Narrator: THAT DNA CONNECTS McFADDEN TO SUZANNE'S MURDER.

BUT DUE TO DECOMPOSITION

AND THE BODIES BEING OUTSIDE FOR SIX DAYS,

NO EVIDENCE LINKS HIM TO GENA TURNER OR BRYAN BOONE.

PROSECUTORS DECIDE TO CHARGE JERRY McFADDEN WITH

CAPITAL MURDER IN THE DEATH OF SUZANNE HARRISON

AND KEEP HIM IN CUSTODY UNTIL TRIAL.

♪

Harris: WE WERE SLOWLY HEALING,

AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN, THE FEAR'S BACK,

BECAUSE HE HAD ESCAPED.

♪

Narrator: CHARGED WITH THE MURDER OF SUZANNE HARRISON AND SUSPECTED

IN THE DEATHS OF GENA TURNER AND BRYAN BOONE,

JERRY McFADDEN IS HELD IN THE UPSHUR COUNTY JAIL

AWAITING TRIAL.

♪

Turner: IT WAS JULY 9, 1986.

I WAS WORKING THE SHIFT OF 3 TILL 11 AT

THE UPSHUR COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT IN GILMER, TEXAS.

[ BANGING NOISE ] HEY!

[ SHOUTING INDISTINCTLY ]

YOU HEAR ME?!

I COULD SEE HIS CELL STRAIGHT DOWN THE HALL FROM WHERE

I WAS SITTING, AND HIS DOOR

WAS JUST RATTLING -- HE WANTED OUT.

OPEN THIS UP! I NEED A PHONE CALL!

YOU HEAR ME?! YOU! YOU!

SO THEY CALLED A DEPUTY TO LET HIM

COME OUT INTO THE HALL AND TO USE THE TELEPHONE.

[ POUNDING ]

McFadden: I NEED ANOTHER PHONE CALL!

NO WEAPONS WERE ALLOWED INSIDE THE JAIL AREA,

SO WHEN THE DEPUTY CAME UP, HE, UM,

HE LOCKED HIS -- HIS GUN.

IT'S ABOUT TIME YOU OPENED THIS, BOY.

I GET A PHONE CALL!

IT'S ABOUT TIME.

Turner: AND AS THEY WERE WALKING TOWARDS ME,

HE HAD A METAL OBJECT.

McFADDEN LIFTED UP HIS RIGHT HAND.

♪

I JUST SAID, "OH, MY GOD." I WAS TERRIFIED.

I WAS REALLY TERRIFIED.

YOU! YOU'RE GONNA HELP ME DRAG HIM IN THAT CELL RIGHT NOW.

COME ON.

♪

GET THE GUN -- GO, OPEN THE SAFE.

-OPEN IT. -OKAY.

ALL RIGHT, LET'S GO.

AND THAT'S WHEN HE TOOK ME HOSTAGE,

AND HE TOLD ME TO WALK TOWARDS MY CAR.

I STARTED WORKING ON MYSELF MENTALLY

TO BE PREPARED FOR WHATEVER WAS TO COME.

[ TIRES SQUEALING ]

HE WAS DRIVING VERY ERRATIC, VERY RECKLESS.

I WAS TRYING TO MAKE HIM JUST CALM DOWN,

SO I STARTED CALLING HIM JERRY, I SAID,

"JERRY, I UNDERSTAND. I UNDERSTAND."

JUST TAKE IT EASY, OKAY, JERRY?

EVERYTHING'S GONNA BE OKAY.

-I DID NOT DO THIS! -I UNDERSTAND.

♪

Narrator: WHEN AUTHORITIES DISCOVER THE ESCAPE,

THEY SET UP ROADBLOCKS THROUGHOUT UPSHUR COUNTY

AND BEGIN AN INTENSIVE MANHUNT.

IT MADE ALL THE NATIONAL NEWS

AS THE LARGEST MANHUNT IN THE HISTORY

OF THE STATE OF TEXAS,

Man: 5,000 TOWNSPEOPLE, A TEAM OF BLOODHOUNDS,

AND AN ARMY OF STATE AND FEDERAL POLICE ARE

LOOKING FOR A MAN THAT BUSTED OUT OF THE UPSHUR COUNTY JAIL,

TAKING 24-YEAR-OLD ROSALIE WILLIAMS HOSTAGE.

WHEN I HEARD THE NEWS OF THE -- I COULD NOT BELIEVE IT.

THIS WAS THE MOST FEARED MAN,

THE MOST HATED MAN IN EAST TEXAS.

HOW COULD THIS POSSIBLY HAVE HAPPENED?

Narrator: SCORES OF ANGRY ARMED TEXANS JOIN THE MANHUNT.

Stevenson: THIS IS TEXAS -- YOU GOTTA UNDERSTAND

THE HISTORY OF TEXAS, YOU KNOW, TEXAS, WE TAKE CARE OF OUR OWN.

WE DO OUR OWN THING. YOU GROW UP WITH THAT.

AND TO COME INTO OUR COMMUNITY AND DO THIS TO US --

YEAH, THERE WERE PLENTY OF PEOPLE WHO WAS LOOKING FOR HIM.

Mogle: IN EAST TEXAS,

YOU GET A BUNCH OF MEN TOGETHER, AND THEY FEEL LIKE

IT'S THEIR DUTY TO AVENGE A DEATH,

TO PROTECT PEOPLE.

THEY'RE GONNA LOAD UP THEIR GUNS,

AND THEY WOULD NOT HESITATE TO USE IT.

[ CRASHING NOISE ]

Turner: AS HE WAS DRIVING,

HE RAN OFF THE ROAD AND STRAIGHT INTO A TREE.

♪

AND WE JUST RUN THROUGH THE WOODS, SEEMED LIKE FOR HOURS.

AND THEN WE WALKED UPON AN EMPTY BOXCAR

THAT WAS PARKED ON THE RAILROAD TRACK.

HE SAID WE WAS GOING TO GO INSIDE.

I SWEAR I'M NOT A BAD PERSON.

HE KEPT SAYING HE DOESN'T

DESERVE TO BE TREATED LIKE A MONSTER

OR AN ANIMAL.

HE SAID, "MY NICKNAME IS ANIMAL,

BUT I'M -- I'M NOT AN ANIMAL."

IT'S GONNA BE OKAY.

WE'RE GONNA GET THROUGH WITH THIS.

I -- I SAID, "I UNDERSTAND. I UNDERSTAND."

I'M GONNA GO FIND SOME WATER. STAY RIGHT THERE.

Narrator: ROSALIE'S LEVEL-HEADED APPROACH WORKS,

AND McFADDEN EVENTUALLY TRUSTS HER ENOUGH

TO LEAVE HER ALONE.

♪

THAT'S WHEN I HEARD THIS VOICE,

THE LORD'S SAYING, "RUN, IT'S YOUR TIME TO MAKE AN ESCAPE."

AND I JUST STARTED RUNNING AND RUNNING,

AND IT SEEMED LIKE I JUST RAN FOR MILES.

♪

AND I RAN UP ON THIS HOUSE,

AND I JUST PUSHED MYSELF ONTO THE DOOR,

AND I JUST FELL.

I CAN REMEMBER HIM

SO CLEARLY, HE SAID, UM, "DON'T CRY.

"DON'T CRY, I JUST SAW YOU.

"I JUST SAW YOU ON TV. I JUST SAW YOU ON TV.

DON'T CRY, DON'T CRY."

Lingle: THIS WAS ABOUT 6:30,

AND I PICKED THE PHONE UP, ONE OF OUR LOCAL CITIZENS,

AND HE SAID, "WE GOT HER."

I SAID, "WE GOT WHAT?"

AND HE SAID, "THAT LADY THAT WAS ON TV, THE JAILER.

WE'VE GOT HER AT OUR HOUSE."

I CAN'T EVEN TELL YOU...

THE THANKFULNESS THAT CAME OVER ME

AND FOR HER, I MEAN, IT'S -- EVEN TO THIS DAY.

Narrator: ROSALIE WILLIAMS IS SAFE,

BUT JERRY MCFADDEN

IS STILL OUT THERE.

HE COULDN'T GET OUT OF THERE BECAUSE ALL THE ROAD BLOCKS,

ALL THE RADIO TRAFFIC, ALL THE HELICOPTER TRAFFIC.

DIFFERENT SWAT TEAMS THAT WERE LOOKING

REAL CLOSE AROUND THAT AREA TO FIND HIM.

THEY LOOK

AT ANY KIND OF PROPERTY WHATSOEVER

THAT HE MIGHT HAVE TAKEN SHELTER IN.

Narrator: THEN THE SEARCH TEAM APPROACHES ONE HOUSE

THAT'S MOSTLY DARK.

IT IS AN ABANDONED HOUSE,

AND SOMEBODY SORT OF NOTICES THIS SHADOW MOVE.

THERE'S SOMEBODY IN THIS HOUSE.

♪

♪

Narrator: AFTER ROSALIE WILLIAMS ESCAPES BEING HELD HOSTAGE,

♪

AUTHORITIES DESCEND UPON AN ABANDONED HOUSE

WHERE JERRY McFADDEN MIGHT BE HIDING.

I HAD ASKED COLLIN COUNTY,

SAID I WANT TO GET A COUPLE OF THESE SWAT TEAMS

OUT HERE TO GO BACK NORTH AND BREAK INTO THE BUILDING.

♪

♪

SHERIFF'S OFFICE!

STEP OUT -- STEP OUT NOW.

STEP OUT!

PUT THE GUN DOWN.

DROP THE GUN.

-PUT THE GUN DOWN. -DROP THE GUN NOW!

-PUT THE GUN DOWN. -DROP IT!

DROP THE GUN!

[ GUN CLATTERS ]

Lingle: THEY TOLD HIM, "THROW THE GUN DOWN."

HE DID, AND HE LOOKED

PRETTY BEAT UP, TOO,

SO HE WAS PROBABLY READY TO GO BACK TO JAIL,

AND WE WERE HAPPY TO HELP HIM GET THERE.

Woman: ABOUT 50 LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES ASSISTED IN

THE INTENSIVE SEARCH IN AND AROUND

BIG SANDY -- IT WAS SIX MEMBERS OF

THE COLLIN COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE THAT MADE THE ARREST,

AND A BIG CROWD OF LOCAL TOWNSPEOPLE

APPLAUDED THEIR EFFORTS.

[ CROWD CHEERING ]

Mogle: ONCE JERRY McFADDEN IS BACK IN

THE UPSHUR COUNTY JAIL,

PROSECUTORS HAVE TO BEGIN BUILDING THIS CASE.

THEY ARE DETERMINED THEY'RE GONNA DO THIS RIGHT,

EVEN IF IT TAKES SOME TIME,

SO THEY SPEND MONTHS AND MONTHS AND MONTHS.

Narrator: BECAUSE THE DNA EVIDENCE ONLY

CONNECTS HIM TO SUZANNE'S BODY,

PROSECUTORS AND THE FAMILIES AGREE TO

GO AFTER HIM FOR HER MURDER,

ALTHOUGH GENA AND BRYAN'S DEATHS WILL BE PART OF

THE TESTIMONY.

THE STATE APPOINTED A REALLY GOOD MAN TO BE THE ATTORNEY,

AND HE TALKED TO MY PARENTS AND TOLD THEM

THAT HE WAS DOING THIS FOR THE KIDS.

HE WAS GOING TO GET JUSTICE DONE,

AND HE WAS GOING FOR THE DEATH PENALTY.

Narrator: THE TRIAL BEGINS ON MARCH 30, 1987.

Mogle: THE PROSECUTORS PRESENT THIS CASE

THAT JERRY McFADDEN SAW

GENA TURNER, SUZANNE HARRISON,

AND BRYAN BOONE HAVING A GOOD TIME.

THERE APPEARS TO BE NOBODY ELSE AROUND.

PROSECUTORS SAY HE THINKS TO HIMSELF,

THIS IS LIKELY GOING TO BE

AN EASY SCORE.

HE'S A BIG MAN. HE'S GOT A GUN.

THE SEQUENCE OF WHAT HAPPENS NEXT IS A LITTLE SKETCHY.

Narrator: SOMEHOW, HE GETS THEM TO THE PARK

BY BARNWELL MOUNTAIN,

WHERE HE RAPES AND STRANGLES SUZANNE.

HE TAKES HER TO THIS REALLY REMOTE KIND OF ROADSIDE PLACE.

AND EVEN IF SUZANNE HARRISON

HAD SCREAMED AS LOUD AS SHE COULD,

NOBODY'S GOING TO HEAR HER.

Narrator: PERHAPS GENA AND BRYAN ARE BOUND AND HELD NEARBY.

♪

ALTHOUGH McFADDEN IS NEVER PROSECUTED

FOR BRYAN AND GENA'S MURDERS,

AUTHORITIES BELIEVE HE IS RESPONSIBLE.

HE NEVER SAID ANYTHING, NEVER TALKED,

NEVER OPENED HIS MOUTH, HIS ATTORNEY EVEN TOLD ME,

HE NEVER OPENED HIS MOUTH THE WHOLE TIME HE DEFENDED HIM.

♪

Mogle: JERRY McFADDEN IS FOUND GUILTY

OF THE DEATH OF SUZANNE HARRISON,

AND HE'S PLACED IN THE TEXAS PRISON SYSTEM.

Beggs: I WAS PREGNANT WITH MY THIRD CHILD

AND BATTLING CANCER WHEN HE GOT EXECUTED,

AND I DID NOT GO.

I DID NOT WANT TO GO.

MY MOM AND DAD WENT.

♪

IT WAS OCTOBER THE 14th 1999, 6 O'CLOCK AT NIGHT.

ALL THAT WAS OVER -- HE'LL NEVER HURT ANYBODY ELSE.

♪

♪

Stevenson: MOST PEOPLE IN TEXAS WILL TELL YOU

YOU MARK TIME IN A SMALL TOWN

BY THE SPORTS, BY THE SEASONS.

NOW WE MARK TIME IN THIS TOWN,

WAS THIS BEFORE OR AFTER THE KIDS?

AND THAT'S HOW

IT'S KIND OF MARKED IN THIS TOWN.

WERE YOU HERE BEFORE OR AFTER THE KIDS GOT MURDERED?

Beggs: EVERYBODY DID SOMETHING TO HELP

IN ONE WAY OR THE OTHER.

EVERYBODY CAME TOGETHER AS A FAMILY.

THIS LITTLE TOWN

WASN'T ON THE MAP, BUT WE CAME TOGETHER.

ITS NEIGHBORS HELP NEIGHBORS, AND THAT'S WHAT THEY DID.

SO NOW THIS LITTLE TOWN GOES ON.