Original subtitles

ALL DETROITERS KNOW THIS STORY.

- THESE TWO ARE ROLLING. - OKAY, ROLLING.

YOU TALK TO ANYBODY ON THE STREET OF A CERTAIN AGE,

THEY KNOW THIS STORY.

I'M A DETROITER. I KNOW THIS STORY.

DETROITER OVER THERE KNOWS THIS STORY,

AND DETROITER OVER THERE KNOWS THIS STORY,

AND WE ALL BOND OVER THIS STORY WHEN WE TALK ABOUT IT --

"HEY, YOU REMEMBER THE OAKLAND COUNTY CHILD KILLER?"

"**** YEAH."

MURDER IN DETROIT SUBURBS IS UNCOMMON,

BUT RESIDENTS ARE PANICKING OVER THE RECENT MURDERS OF CHILDREN.

FOR MORE THAN FOUR DECADES...

I JUST CAN'T IMAGINE FOUR PARENTS

GOING THROUGH WHAT THEY WENT THROUGH.

...SOMEONE HAS GOTTEN AWAY WITH MURDERING CHILDREN.

I TRUSTED THE COPS.

I TRUSTED THEM FOR 30 PLUS YEARS.

OTHERS HAVE GOTTEN AWAY

WITH A MASSIVE CHILD-ABUSE RING.

YOUR AVERAGE JOE DON'T COME TO THIS ISLAND,

HAVE SEX WITH A CHILD.

I COULD RIP THIS **** CABIN DOWN.

I CAN JUST... I COULD DESTROY THIS ****

**** CABIN JUST TO PUT THE PAIN AWAY,

MAKE THE MEMORIES GO AWAY.

BUT WHAT IF SOME OF THE SAME PEOPLE WERE INVOLVED?

THERE WERE HUNDREDS OF MEN,

MEN IN THE GOVERNMENT, MEN WITH POWER.

A BRAND-NEW TWO-PART INVESTIGATION STARTED BY ONE KID

WHO GOT AWAY...

WHEN I WAS 7 YEARS OLD,

SOMEBODY TRIED TO ABDUCT ME.

ALL OF THE THINGS THAT HAPPENED TO THOSE KIDS

COULD HAVE HAPPENED TO ME.

...WILL UNPACK SHOCKING NEW DETAILS...

I CAME ACROSS THIS CATALOGUING OF EVIDENCE,

AND IT STOPPED ME IN MY TRACKS.

...WHERE COVER-UPS ARE EXPOSED...

THIS CASE COULD HAVE BEEN SOLVED THREE DECADES AGO.

IN FACT, THIS CASE MAYBE WAS SOLVED THREE DECADES AGO.

...AND DECADES OF SILENCE ARE FINALLY BROKEN.

WE DEFINITELY FELT THAT WE HAD

THE OAKLAND COUNTY CHILD KILLERS.

-- Captions by VITAC-- www.vitac.com

CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS

IN THE SUBURBS OF DETROIT,

ANOTHER FRUSTRATING SEARCH FOR A SEX KILLER

HAS BEEN PRESSED FOR THE PAST 16 MONTHS.

FOUR CHILDREN HAVE BEEN MURDERED, THE LAST IN MARCH.

A LOT OF CHILDREN IN THIS AREA.

THE LUCKY ONES HAVE DECIDED NOT TO GO WITH HIM.

WHEN I WAS 7 YEARS OLD,

SOMEBODY TRIED TO ABDUCT ME.

J. REUBEN APPELMAN WAS A KID IN THE SUBURBS OF DETROIT

IN THE LATE 1970s WHEN HE ENCOUNTERED A STRANGER.

HE HAD SIDEBURNS. HIS HAIR WAS THINNING.

HE HAD DARK EYES, DARK HAIR.

THIS GUY PULLED UP IN A LITTLE CAR,

AND HE OPENED THE DOOR, AND HE REACHED OVER,

AND HE TRIED TO GRAB MY ARM, AND HE SAID, "GET INTO THE CAR."

I JUST TOOK OFF, AND I REALIZED THAT I HAD ALMOST FALLEN VICTIM

TO THE OAKLAND COUNTY CHILD KILLER.

I COULD HAVE BEEN A VICTIM.

ALL THE THINGS THAT HAPPENED TO THOSE KIDS

COULD HAVE HAPPENED TO ME.

THE INCIDENT STUCK WITH HIM FOR DECADES.

IT NEVER REALLY OCCURRED TO ME

UNTIL I WAS RAISING MY OWN KIDS,

THE GRAVITY OF THAT MOMENT FOR ME,

AND I GOT OUT OF BED, CHECKED ON MY KIDS,

AND I JUST STARTED GOOGLING THE OAKLAND COUNTY CHILD KILLER.

IT TRIGGERED AN INVESTIGATIVE OBSESSION.

IN 2005,

WHEN I STARTED DIGGING INTO THIS CASE,

THE INTERNET WAS SORT OF AFLAME.

YOU COULD FINALLY GET ONLINE AND SEARCH

FOR EVERYTHING YOU WANTED, PRACTICALLY.

I THOUGHT, "ANYBODY COULD SOLVE A MURDER CASE.

YOU'VE JUST GOT TO BURY YOURSELF IN THE EVIDENCE FOR LONG ENOUGH,

AND YOU'LL FIGURE IT OUT."

I WANT TO KNOW WHO KILLED THOSE FOUR KIDS.

I JUST DECIDED, "I HAVE TO SOLVE THIS CRIME SOMEHOW."

HIS AMATEUR INVESTIGATION

HAS CONSUMED 13 YEARS OF HIS LIFE.

THE DEEPER HE DUG, THE MORE AND MORE VIOLENT THE STORY GOT.

THE OAKLAND COUNTY CHILD KILLER CASE

IS A NIGHTMARE,

BUT ONCE YOU ACCEPT THAT,

THERE'S NOTHING ELSE TO DO BUT UNRAVEL IT.

TODAY, APPELMAN

AND THE FAMILY OF ONE OF THE VICTIMS

THINK THEY KNOW WHAT HAPPENED.

FOR 30 YEARS, THE COPS WERE SITTING ON

WHAT CONTINUE TO BE THE PRIMARY SUSPECTS.

NOT ONLY DID WE NOT CATCH THE KILLER,

WE CAUGHT THE KILLER, LET HIM GO KILL MORE KIDS.

I THINK THERE'S ABSOLUTELY A POSSIBILITY

THAT THERE'S A COVER-UP HERE.

AND LONGTIME DETECTIVE CORY WILLIAMS

IS DETERMINED TO MAKE THE CASE.

AS OF NOW, I AM THE LONGEST-SERVING DETECTIVE

ON THE CASE AND PROUD TO BE.

OUR GOAL IS TO SOLVE THE CASE

AND TO BE ABLE TO TELL THE VICTIMS' FAMILIES AFTER SO LONG.

THAT WOULD BE AMAZING.

I'M SORRY.

I NEED ONE SECOND HERE.

IT ALL STARTED ON THIS STREET

IN FERNDALE, MICHIGAN, IN 1976.

RIGHT HERE IS WHERE MARK STEBBINS

STARTED HIS JOURNEY HOME AFTER VISITING WITH HIS MOTHER

AT THE AMERICAN LEGION HALL.

MARK WANTED TO LEAVE

BECAUSE THERE WAS A WAR MOVIE COMING ON.

MARK IS A QUIET, LIKABLE KID.

HE COLLECTS TOY SOLDIERS AND LOVES ALL THINGS MILITARY.

HE WANTED TO GROW UP AND GO INTO THE MARINE CORPS.

HE'S LIKE, "THAT'S WHAT I WANT TO DO."

IT'S A 3-BLOCK WALK HOME FROM THE LEGION,

AND IT'S BROAD DAYLIGHT.

YOU KNOW, THIS ISN'T A BUSTLING CITY FULL OF STRANGERS.

THIS IS A TINY, LITTLE MIDDLE-AMERICA INTERSECTION.

I LEFT PROBABLY ABOUT AN HOUR OR SO LATER,

AND WHEN I GOT HOME, MARK WASN'T THERE.

THEN MY MOTHER CALLED ME, AND SHE ASKED ME,

"WHERE IS MARK?"

I SAYS, "I DON'T KNOW, MOM. HE'S NOT HERE."

AND I TRIED TO CALL A FEW OF MARK'S FRIENDS.

NOBODY HAD SEEN HIM.

10 HOURS LATER, STILL NO MARK.

HIS MOTHER, RUTH, CALLS THE POLICE.

"THERE HASN'T BEEN A KIDNAPPING IN FERNDALE IN 10 YEARS,"

THEY ASSURED HER.

MARK'S DESCRIPTION GOES OUT TO THE POLICE RADIOS --

JUST UNDER 5 FEET TALL, RED-BLOND HAIR AND BLUE EYES.

THEY LAUNCH A DOOR-TO-DOOR SEARCH.

NO ONE HAS SEEN A THING.

429 EAST SARATOGA, FERNDALE, WAS FOUND IN THE REAR

OF A PARKING LOT OF AN OFFICE PLAZA.

I HATE TO USE THE WORD. HIS BODY WAS DUMPED.

IT WAS ON 10 MILE ABOUT 100 YARDS WEST OF GREENFIELD.

HE WAS 3/4 OF A MILE FROM HOME.

AND THERE WAS A WALL BETWEEN A SHOPPING CENTER

AND SOME BUILDINGS,

AND HE WAS PLACED IN A SNOWBANK NEXT TO THIS WALL.

HE WAS FULLY CLOTHED, WEARING A BLUE PARKA AND BLUE JEANS.

THE AUTOPSY FOUND MARK WAS SMOTHERED TO DEATH.

THERE WERE ROPE BURNS ON HIS NECK, WRIST AND ANKLES,

AND HE'D BEEN SODOMIZED.

SO WE KNEW THIS WAS A LITTLE MORE

THAN JUST AN ABDUCTION KILLING.

JUST A FEW WEEKS EARLIER,

LOURN DOAN HAD BEEN PROMOTED

FROM PATROL OFFICER TO DETECTIVE.

I WAS STILL A NEW DETECTIVE, AND, YOU KNOW,

I WAS LEARNING AS I WAS GOING.

DETECTIVE DOAN GETS A TIP

FROM A LOCAL PAROLE OFFICER

TO CHECK OUT A RECENTLY RELEASED PRISONER,

34-YEAR-OLD ARCH SLOAN.

CONVICTED OF SODOMY IN PENNSYLVANIA,

SLOAN WAS NOW LIVING IN SOUTHFIELD

AND WORKING AS A TOW-TRUCK DRIVER AND MECHANIC

IN NEARBY FARMINGTON HILLS.

THEY TOOK TAPINGS OF HIS CAR TO GET FIBER EVIDENCE

AND ANY HAIRS THAT THEY HAD, AND THEY STORED IT AWAY.

BUT NO PHYSICAL EVIDENCE

TIES SLOAN TO MARK'S MURDER.

AFTER MONTHS, THE POLICE HAVE NO CLUES,

NO WITNESSES AND NO SUSPECTS.

HIS MURDER SEEMS UTTERLY RANDOM.

WE HAD NO INFORMATION

BEYOND THE FACT THAT A CHILD

WAS WALKING DOWN THE STREET, DISAPPEARED,

AND THEN HIS BODY WAS FOUND.

THE WHOLE FAMILY FELL APART AT THE TIME --

MYSELF, MY MOTHER.

WELL, I KIND OF PUT THAT OUT OF MY MIND,

BUT IT STILL HURTS.

IT IMPACTED HER PRETTY HARD,

AND SHE FELL INTO BAD HEALTH.

I TOTALLY KICKED MYSELF IN THE BUTT.

IF I WOULD HAVE WALKED HOME WITH HIM,

HE MAY HAVE MADE IT HOME SAFE.

EVERYBODY WANTED TO SOLVE THIS REALLY BAD.

AT THAT TIME, OF COURSE, WE DIDN'T KNOW

THAT THIS WAS GOING TO BLOSSOM LIKE IT DID.

FIVE MONTHS AFTER MARK'S MURDER,

ANOTHER STORY WAS UNRAVELING

ONE HOUR NORTH OF DETROIT IN PORT HURON.

AN 8-YEAR-OLD BOY IS SEXUALLY MOLESTED SO BADLY

HE'S TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL.

EDDIE'S MOTHER CALLS THE POLICE.

THE MAN ARRESTED IS A GYM TEACHER

AND THE DIRECTOR OF A BOYS' CAMP

FOR TROUBLED TEENS ON AN ISOLATED ISLAND

IN LAKE MICHIGAN -- NORTH FOX ISLAND.

WHAT STATE POLICE LEARN OPENS A PANDORA'S BOX.

IT WAS A SPIDER'S WEB.

AND REALLY, IT WAS A FRONT.

IT WAS A FRONT FOR PEDOPHILES, AND IT WAS A FRONT

FOR PEDOPHILES TO FILM CHILD PORNOGRAPHY.

ONE SMALL MICHIGAN NEWSPAPER REPORTER GOT THE TIP,

BUT IT WOULD TAKE YEARS TO UNRAVEL.

IT WAS ONE OF THOSE THINGS WHERE THE DEEPER SHE DUG,

THE MORE DIRT SHE FOUND.

THESE WERE BAD GUYS.

THESE WERE BAD PEOPLE.

ALL OF THAT IS IN THE UNRAVELING

OF THE OAKLAND COUNTY CHILD KILLER CASE.

IT IS EXACTLY THE WORST THAT YOU CAN IMAGINE.

FIVE HOURS SOUTH IN OAKLAND COUNTY,

THE POLICE INVESTIGATING MARK'S MURDER HAVE NO IDEA

THERE IS ANY CONNECTION TO NORTH FOX ISLAND.

I WAS NOT AWARE OF THAT.

I MEAN, I WAS COMPLETELY TUNED IN

TO WHAT WAS HAPPENING RIGHT HERE IN OAKLAND COUNTY.

AS POLICE IN OAKLAND COUNTY

CONTINUE TO HUNT FOR MARK STEBBINS' KILLER,

MICHIGAN STATE POLICE IN ST. CLAIR COUNTY

BEGIN TO UNCOVER THE GROTESQUE GOINGS-ON AT NORTH FOX ISLAND,

THE BOYS' CAMP FOR TROUBLED TEENS.

ON THAT ISLAND,

THOSE BOYS WOULD BE ROUTINELY MOLESTED,

PHOTOGRAPHED WHILE BEING MOLESTED

AND KEPT BASICALLY IN A SORT OF CAPTIVITY

UNTIL THEIR CAMP SESSION WAS OVER.

THE ISLAND WAS OWNED BY PHILANTHROPIST

AND LIFELONG BACHELOR FRANCIS SHELDEN.

FRANCIS SHELDEN WAS FROM A VERY WEALTHY

AND PROMINENT EAST-SIDE-OF-DETROIT FAMILY,

AND IN 1959, HE BOUGHT FOX ISLAND.

AND HE SAID HE WAS GOING TO BUILD VACATION HOMES THERE,

BUT INSTEAD, HE TURNED THE CABINS

AND ALL THE BUILDINGS HE BOUGHT THERE

INTO A PLACE WHERE HE COULD BRING KIDS

AND FILM THEM AND MOLEST THEM.

THE CAMP OPERATED FOR TWO SUMMERS IN 1975 AND '76.

EVENTUALLY, AN ARREST WARRANT GOES OUT FOR SHELDEN

FOR TWO COUNTS OF SEXUAL ABUSE,

BUT BY THEN, HE'S CLEANED OUT HIS ANN ARBOR HOME

AND FLED IN HIS PRIVATE PLANE.

THE BOYS ON NORTH FOX ISLAND

WERE ROUGHLY THE SAME AGE AS MARK STEBBINS.

WE KNOW THAT THE MEN THAT TRAVELED UP TO FOX

ALSO OPERATED IN DETROIT

AND THROUGHOUT THE SUBURBS SURROUNDING DETROIT.

AND WE CAN SAY NOBODY MADE ANY CONNECTION

BETWEEN THE ABDUCTION OF MARK STEBBINS

AND NORTH FOX ISLAND.

I THINK IT IS NOT NECESSARILY BELIEVABLE.

THEY ALL KNEW EACH OTHER. THEY ALL DEPENDED ON EACH OTHER

BECAUSE IT'S A COMMUNITY OF PEOPLE

OPERATING TO INDUSTRIALIZE

THE MOLESTATION AND PHOTOGRAPHY OF CHILDREN.

POLICE CONTINUE TO INVESTIGATE NORTH FOX ISLAND

WHILE THE MYSTERY IN OAKLAND COUNTY IS ABOUT TO GROW WORSE.

THREE NIGHTS BEFORE CHRISTMAS

IN A SUBURB JUST NORTH OF FERNDALE,

KAROL ROBINSON AND HER 12-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER, JILL,

GET INTO AN ARGUMENT.

I HAD ASKED HER TO HELP WITH DINNER,

AND SHE REFUSED AND SAID SHE DIDN'T WANT TO BE HERE

AND JUST MADE A SNOTTY REMARK AGAIN,

AND I JUST... I JUST THINK I HAD IT,

AND I JUST SAID, "WELL, JILL, IF YOU DON'T LIKE BEING HERE,

WHY DON'T YOU JUST GET YOUR COAT ON

AND STAND OUT IN THE FRONT YARD AND THINK ABOUT IT?

AND WHEN YOU FEEL LIKE TALKING ABOUT IT, COME ON BACK IN."

JILL PACKED HER BAG

AND PUT HER LITTLE BOOK IN HER BACKPACK

AND RODE OFF INTO THE NIGHT TO GO AND SEE HER DAD.

SHE DIDN'T COME BACK IN.

HER DAD, TOM, AN ENGLISH TEACHER,

LIVES A FEW MILES AWAY IN BIRMINGHAM,

BUT JILL NEVER ARRIVES,

AND SHORTLY BEFORE MIDNIGHT, TOM CALLS THE POLICE.

A FAMILY FRIEND SAYS THEY SAW JILL

PEDALING NORTHWARD ON WOODWARD AVENUE

AROUND 7:30, ABOUT AN HOUR AFTER SHE LEFT HOME.

OTHER THAN THAT, THE POLICE HAVE NOTHING,

AND LIKE MARK STEBBINS,

JILL ROBINSON JUST SEEMED TO HAVE VANISHED.

IT'S THE DAY AFTER CHRISTMAS.

A MOTORIST ON THE I-75 NEAR TROY SPOTS

SOMETHING IN THE SNOW ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD --

THE BODY OF SIXTH GRADER JILL ROBINSON.

JILL WAS LAYING ON HER BACK, FULLY CLOTHED

AND WEARING HER BLUE KNAPSACK.

THERE WAS A GUNSHOT WOUND TO HER FACE.

UNLIKE MARK STEBBINS, THE AUTOPSY REVEALS

JILL HADN'T BEEN SEXUALLY MOLESTED.

SHE HAD BEEN SHOT AT CLOSE RANGE AT THE SPOT

WHERE HER BODY WAS FOUND.

SOME PEOPLE BELIEVE THIS MEANS SHE WASN'T ASPHYXIATED.

SOME PEOPLE BELIEVE THIS MEANS THAT SHE WASN'T VICTIM

TO THE ALLEGED OAKLAND COUNTY CHILD KILLER.

OTHER PEOPLE, LIKE RETIRED COP JACK KALBFLEISCH,

AN ORIGINAL TASK FORCE MEMBER,

BELIEVES NO, SHE PROBABLY WAS ASPHYXIATED.

WHEN A PERSON IS SUFFOCATED,

THERE'S STILL A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF OXYGEN IN THE LUNGS.

I BELIEVE WHEN SHE WAS DROPPED, THE PRESSURE ON THE BACKPACK

CAUSED HER TO MAKE A MOANING SOUND AS THE OXYGEN ESCAPED.

AT THAT POINT, HE SHOT HER...

...TO MAKE SURE SHE WAS DEAD.

THE AUTOPSY ALSO REVEALS

THAT WHEREVER JILL HAD BEEN HELD FOR THE PAST THREE DAYS,

SOMEONE HAD WASHED HER CLOTHES AND FED HER.

YEAH, IT WAS...

THIS WAS A BAD PERIOD.

IT'S ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT NEVER GOES AWAY,

SO I'M STUCK THINKING ABOUT IT EVERY MORNING AND EVERY EVENING.

BOTH THE TROY AND ROYAL OAK POLICE TALK

TO HER FAMILY AND FRIENDS.

NO ONE KNOWS WHERE SHE'D BEEN OR WHO MIGHT HAVE DONE THIS.

THE ONLY LEAD -- A WITNESS REPORTS SEEING A LIGHT BLUE

PONTIAC LE MANS STOPPED ON THE SIDE OF I-75

WHERE JILL'S BODY WAS FOUND.

AS THEY APPROACHED,

THE CAR PULLED OUT FROM THE SIDE OF THE ROAD,

AND AFTER THEY PASSED, THEY NOTICED THE CAR PULL BACK

INTO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD ON 16 AND I-75.

YOU TALK TO JACK KALBFLEISCH,

AND HE'LL TELL YOU TIME AND AGAIN

THAT HE TRIED TO GET THIS LEAD LOOKED AT.

THERE'S PLENTY OF DOCUMENTATION THAT SAYS THIS LEAD

INTO THE LE MANS IS A CREDIBLE LEAD,

AND SO YOU WONDER WHY IT WASN'T LOOKED AT AT GREATER LENGTHS.

THE SECOND DAY OF JANUARY, 1977.

KRISTINE MIHELICH WANTED TO GO TO A PARTY STORE

JUST A FEW BLOCKS FROM HER HOME IN BERKLEY.

KRIS HAD HELPED MY MOM

TAKE THE CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS DOWN,

AND KRIS HAD ASKED IF SHE COULD WALK TO 7-ELEVEN

TO BUY A TEEN MAGAZINE OF SORTS.

AND I TOLD HER NO BECAUSE SHE HAD TO CROSS TWELVE MILE,

AND THAT'S A BUSY STREET,

AND I REMEMBER SAYING TO ME "WELL, I DID YOU A FAVOR,"

AND SHE'S, YOU KNOW, "WON'T YOU DO THIS FOR ME?"

I SAID, "IF YOU GO TO THE LIGHT AND PROMISE ME

YOU'LL CROSS AT THE LIGHT," I SAID, "I'LL LET YOU GO."

THE STORE IS JUST A FEW BLOCKS FROM THE HOUSE.

DEBBIE FIGURES KRIS WILL BE HOME WITHIN HALF AN HOUR.

AFTER AN HOUR, THOUGH, THERE'S NO SIGN OF KRISTINE.

AND I THOUGHT, "WELL, MAYBE SHE RAN INTO HER DAD,

AND HE PICKED HER UP,

AND THEY JUST FORGOT TO GIVE ME A CALL."

IT WAS GETTING DARK, AND THAT'S WHEN I REALLY BECAME CONCERNED.

DEBBIE REPORTS HER DAUGHTER MISSING

TO THE BERKLEY POLICE.

THEY JUST TOOK THE INFORMATION,

AND THEY TOLD ME THEY WERE GOING TO PUT IT ON THE 11:00 NEWS,

AND THAT ALWAYS STRUCK ME KIND OF ODD

THAT THEY WERE SO QUICK TO GET THAT OUT ON THE NEWS.

IT NEVER ENTERED MY MIND, REALLY, THAT SHE WAS KIDNAPPED.

YOU KNOW, YOU JUST DON'T THINK IN THOSE TERMS.

THE POLICE RETRACE HER LAST-KNOWN STEPS.

WE KNOW THAT SHE MADE IT TO THE 7-ELEVEN STORE

BECAUSE THE CLERK DID GIVE A STATEMENT

THAT SHE MADE IT THERE.

AND THAT WAS THE LAST SHE WAS SEEN.

I NEVER CONNECTED IT WITH JILL

AND NEVER WITH MARK.

I WAS FRANTIC, BUT I... SHE WAS GONNA SHOW UP.

BUT AFTER THE FIRST 24 HOURS, THEN, YOU KNOW,

YOUR IMAGINATION JUST GOES WILD,

AND THEN YOU'RE OBVIOUSLY THINKING OF, YOU KNOW,

SOMETHING TRAGIC HAS HAPPENED.

THE POLICE ARE THINKING THE SAME THING.

KRISTINE WAS THE THIRD CHILD TO GO MISSING IN OAKLAND COUNTY

IN ALMOST 11 MONTHS, AND THE FIRST TWO WERE MURDERED.

MY BOSS AND I,

WE STARTED THINKING MAYBE WE'VE GOT A SERIAL KILLER.

SOUTHFIELD POLICE FORM A TASK FORCE

INCLUDING ALL LOCAL FORCES AROUND OAKLAND COUNTY.

LIEUTENANT JACK KALBFLEISCH FROM THE BIRMINGHAM POLICE

WAS AT THAT FIRST MEETING.

AND THAT WAS THE START OF MY INVESTIGATING

THE CHILD KILLINGS.

THE TASK FORCE WAS 50 TO 60 MEN FROM VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS

WHO VOLUNTEERED THEIR PEOPLE TO COME OVER

WHETHER THEY WERE ONE OF THE VICTIMS' CITIES OR NOT.

THEY SAID, "LET'S GET THIS PERSON."

THE PUBLIC IS NOW TAKING NOTICE.

IF YOUR YOUNGSTERS MAY HAVE BEEN HERE, MAY HAVE SEEN SOMETHING,

IF THEY MAY HAVE BEEN APPROACHED BY A STRANGER,

ASK THEM ABOUT IT.

WE HAD A NUMBER THAT YOU COULD CALL TO THE TASK FORCE,

AND WE HAD SEVERAL PEOPLE THAT WOULD WRITE OUT THE TIPS,

AND WE'D GO FROM THERE.

19 DAYS AFTER SHE WENT MISSING,

ABOUT 7 MILES FROM BERKLEY

ON A DEAD-END STREET IN FRANKLIN VILLAGE,

A MAILMAN SPOTS SOMETHING IN THE DITCH.

AND HE SAW SOMETHING RED STICKING OUT OF THE SNOW.

TURNED OUT IT WAS KRISTINE'S HAND.

WHEN I WENT TO THE CRIME SCENE,

THE BODY WAS STILL AT THE SIDE OF THE ROAD.

SHE WAS LAYING PARTIALLY COVERED IN SNOW

WITH HER ARMS STICKING OUT, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY DEAD.

IT'S 1977, AND MICHIGAN POLICE CONTINUE

INVESTIGATING A CHILD ABUSE RING WHICH OPERATED

FROM AN ISOLATED ISLAND IN LAKE MICHIGAN.

ALMOST 300 MILES SOUTH, A THIRD CHILD HAS BEEN MURDERED

AND PLACED IN THE SNOW IN SUBURBAN DETROIT.

THERE WAS A KNOCK AT THE DOOR,

AND THERE WAS LAW ENFORCEMENT AND A MINISTER,

AND I KNEW RIGHT THEN THAT IT WAS,

YOU KNOW... WHAT HAD HAPPENED.

AFTER 19 AGONIZING DAYS,

12-YEAR-OLD KRISTINE MIHELICH OF ROYAL OAK

IS NOW THE THIRD CHILD TO BE ABDUCTED,

MURDERED AND DUMPED IN THE SNOW AT THE SIDE OF THE ROAD.

KRISTINE'S AUTOPSY REVEALS SIMILARITIES

TO THOSE OF JILL ROBINSON AND MARK STEBBINS.

LIKE JILL, SHE HAD NOT BEEN SEXUALLY ASSAULTED,

BUT LIKE MARK, SHE WAS SUFFOCATED.

ALL WERE FULLY CLOTHED, WASHED, WELL-FED,

AND ALL THREE KILLED HOURS

BEFORE THEY WERE DUMPED IN THE SNOW.

AND THAT'S WHEN WE SAID, "WE ARE FULL SCALE.

WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE SAME PERSON OR PERSONS."

AFTER THE ABDUCTION OF KRISTINE MIHELICH,

WHICH WAS VICTIM NUMBER THREE,

THE PAPERS STARTED FILLING UP WITH ARTICLES ABOUT THESE KIDS.

IT STARTED TO BECOME ON THE RADAR OF PARENTS

AND SCHOOLTEACHERS

THAT WE'RE PROBABLY LOOKING FOR A SERIAL KILLER

OR KILLERS OR SOME ENTITY.

WHERE THE VICTIMS LIVED ARE TAKING SPECIAL PRECAUTIONS.

THEY'RE WITH ME ALL THE TIME NOW.

PEOPLE DIDN'T EVEN LET THEIR CHILDREN

GO IN THE BACKYARD WITHOUT A PARENT BEING THERE.

THE VERY THINGS YOU HAD MOVED TO ESCAPE

WHEN YOU CAME FROM DETROIT HAD LANDED THERE.

BY NOW, HUNDREDS OF TIPS

ARE POURING IN TO THE FLEDGLING TASK FORCE.

ONE STANDS OUT -- TIP NUMBER 370.

THOMAS WALDER FROM THE FLINT POLICE DEPARTMENT

CALLED MY BOSS IN SOUTHFIELD

AND RELAYED TO HIM THAT THEY HAD A SUSPECT IN CUSTODY

FOR ONE OF THEIR CASES THAT SAID HE KNEW

WHO THE OAKLAND COUNTY CHILD KILLER WAS.

THAT SUSPECT IS 27-YEAR-OLD GREGORY GREENE,

A PEDOPHILE ARRESTED FOR MOLESTING A YOUNG BOY

IN FLINT, MICHIGAN.

AND IT WAS OBVIOUS THIS IS WHAT WERE LOOKING FOR,

SO MY BOSS AND I WENT UP THERE.

DETECTIVE DOAN HAS NEVER SPOKEN PUBLICLY

ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED.

UNDER QUESTIONING, GREENE TELLS DOAN

THAT HIS FRIEND AND FREQUENT PARTNER IN CRIME

KILLED THE FIRST VICTIM, MARK STEBBINS.

HE SAID IT WAS CHRISTOPHER BUSCH.

25-YEAR-OLD CHRISTOPHER BUSCH

LIVES IN ALMA, MICHIGAN,

WHERE HE RUNS A RESTAURANT, THE SCOTSMAN.

HE AND GREENE ARE ACCUSED OF FORCING BOYS

INTO SEX ACTS AND LEWD PHOTOGRAPHY.

APART FROM THESE CHARGES, BUSCH HAS NO PREVIOUS RECORD.

HIS FATHER, H. LEE BUSCH,

IS A HIGHLY PLACED GENERAL MOTORS EXECUTIVE.

WE WENT UP TO ALMA WHERE HE WAS STAYING, AND WE ARRESTED HIM.

HE WANTED TO GO BACK AND GET A TOOTHBRUSH,

AND WE THOUGHT MAYBE THIS WOULD GET US IN HIS HOUSE

AND SEE WHAT WAS THERE, AND IT DID.

HE SAID, "I'VE GOT NOTHING TO HIDE. YOU CAN GO THROUGH IT."

WHAT THEY FIND IS CHILLING.

WE FOUND A SUITCASE FULL OF...

I THINK IT WAS MAGAZINES OR CUTOUTS OF YOUNG KIDS.

THEY ALSO FIND CHILD-PORN FILMS

ON 8-MILLIMETER REELS,

ROPES AND LIGATURES AND TWO SHOTGUNS.

HE ADMITTED TO BEING A PEDOPHILE, TO PICKING UP KIDS,

AND TWO OF THEM WERE DEFINITELY IN THE AREAS OF TWO OF OUR KIDS

THAT WERE ABDUCTED AND KILLED,

ONE BEING MARK STEBBINS AT NINE AND WOODWARD

AND THE OTHER, KRISTINE MIHELICH,

AT THE 7-ELEVEN.

BUSCH DIDN'T HOLD BACK ABOUT HIS FANTASIES.

HE WAS OBSESSED WITH BOYS.

IT SOUNDED LIKE HE AND GREENE HAD WORKED TOGETHER

AND TALKED ABOUT ABDUCTING YOUNG BOYS

AND HOW THEY WOULD KEEP THEM DURING THE DAY.

ONE WOULD WORK DAYS, AND THE OTHER WOULD WORK NIGHTS,

AND THEN THEY'D ALWAYS HAVE SOMEBODY THERE.

IT'S DAMNING.

DETECTIVE DOAN ASKS BUSCH TO TAKE A POLYGRAPH.

HE SAYS, "I'VE GOT NOTHING TO HIDE, AND I WANT TO TAKE IT."

THE OAKLAND COUNTY ASSISTANT CHIEF PROSECUTOR

FLIES UP TO FLINT TO WITNESS THE POLYGRAPH.

THEY HAVE A GLASS WINDOW THAT YOU CAN SEE IN,

BUT THEY CAN'T SEE OUT,

AND YOU COULD STAND THERE AND LISTEN TO THE POLYGRAPH.

BUSCH DENIES ANY KNOWLEDGE

OR INVOLVEMENT IN THE KILLINGS.

THE EXAMINER SHOCKS THE POLICE AND SAYS BUSCH

WAS BEING TRUTHFUL.

WE THOUGHT FOR SURE HE WOULD FLUNK IT OR CONFESS,

AND CHARGES WOULD BE MADE AGAINST HIM.

WE WERE ALL KIND OF FLABBERGASTED

WHEN HE PASSED THE POLYGRAPH BECAUSE WE DEFINITELY FELT

THAT WE HAD THE OAKLAND COUNTY CHILD KILLERS.

BUSCH STILL FACES CRIMINAL SEXUAL CONDUCT CHARGES,

BUT WITH NO PREVIOUS RECORD, HIS FAMILY POST BOND,

AND BUSCH IS SET FREE.

YOU KNOW, THE BOTTOM LINE WAS, "LOOK, HE WAS A SUSPECT,

AND WE DID POLYGRAPH HIM, AND HE PASSED THE POLYGRAPH,"

AND POLYGRAPHS BACK IN THE DAY WERE THE BE-ALL AND END-ALL.

POLYGRAPH RESULTS WEREN'T ADMISSIBLE IN COURT,

BUT BACK THEN, THE POLICE USED THEM AS A KEY TOOL

IN ELIMINATING POTENTIAL SUSPECTS.

GREENE ALSO PASSES THE POLYGRAPH BUT ISN'T FROM A WEALTHY FAMILY

AND CAN'T POST BOND AND REMAINS IN CUSTODY.

THE TWO ARE NO LONGER SUSPECTS.

ROUGHLY A WEEK AFTER CHRISTOPHER BUSCH

IS RELEASED ON BOND FROM THE CRIMINAL SEXUAL CONDUCT CHARGES,

TIMOTHY KING GOES MISSING,

AND I DON'T FIND THAT TO BE COINCIDENTAL.

HAS BEEN KIDNAPPED BY A PSYCHOTIC

WHO HAS KILLED SEVERAL YOUNGSTERS IN THE LAST YEAR.

SEVEN DAYS AFTER THE COPS' MOST PROMISING SUSPECT,

CHRISTOPHER BUSCH, WAS RELEASED FROM CUSTODY,

11-YEAR-OLD TIM KING BORROWS 30 CENTS FROM HIS SISTER

TO BUY A CANDY BAR AT THE PHARMACY A FEW BLOCKS AWAY.

SO TIMOTHY KING WAS TAKEN FROM THIS PARKING LOT.

HE HAD GONE TO THE PHARMACY, AND HE'D COME OUT THE BACK.

TIM WOULD HAVE WALKED HERE OFF AND ON HIS WHOLE CHILDHOOD,

JUST LIKE THE OTHER KIDS, JUST LIKE I WOULD HAVE.

WE WENT UP TO PEABODY'S AND HAD DINNER.

MARION AND I GOT HOME ABOUT 8:30 OR 9:00,

AND TIM WAS NOT HERE.

CAME HOME AND THERE WERE POLICE CARS IN DRIVEWAY.

MOM RAN OUT AND SAID, "HAVE YOU SEEN TIM?"

AND I SAID, "WELL, WHAT DO YOU MEAN?"

AND SHE SAID, "HE'S MISSING."

AND THEN I GRABBED TIM'S BASEBALL BAT

AND JUST RAN AROUND, LOOKING FOR HIM

BECAUSE WE KNEW THIS HAD TO BE SOMETHING BAD.

TIM HAS BEEN MISSING ONLY A FEW HOURS,

BUT THIS TIME, THE POLICE KNOW TO ACT IMMEDIATELY.

INVESTIGATORS WILL CONTINUE TO WORK INTO THE NIGHT,

HOPING TO FIND A LEAD ON TIMOTHY KING'S WHEREABOUTS.

THE POSSIBILITY OF CATCHING THE PERSON

WITH TIMOTHY STILL ALIVE AND IN THE TRUNK OF A CAR

BEING TRANSPORTED WAS VERY MUCH THE HOPE.

EVERY AVAILABLE POLICE OFFICER IN BIRMINGHAM

WAS PRESSED INTO THE SEARCH FOR TIMOTHY KING,

HOPING, PRAYING THAT THE YOUNGSTER WOULD BE FOUND ALIVE.

THERE WERE HELICOPTERS ALL OVER OAKLAND COUNTY

SEARCHING FOR TIM.

EVERYWHERE YOU WENT, THERE WAS LOCKDOWN.

POLICE CARS WERE IN FORCE, EN MASSE, EVERYWHERE,

CHECKING CARS, DRIVING AROUND.

THE CITIES WENT BONKERS.

PLAYGROUNDS EMPTIED, DOORS LOCKED,

PANIC SETTLES IN.

THE UNKNOWN KILLER THAT KEEPS KILLING EVERY LITTLE KID.

HAVE GOOD LUCK.

I AM A 9-YEAR-OLD GIRL FROM TECUMSEH, MICHIGAN.

I AM A LITTLE GIRL THAT HAS NIGHTMARES AT NIGHT

WHEN I TRY TO GO TO SLEEP."

THE STORY GOES NATIONAL.

THE MICHIGAN STATE POLICE TAKE CHARGE OF THE TASK FORCE

INTO WHAT IS NOW BEING CALLED THE OAKLAND COUNTY CHILD KILLER.

TWO DAYS LATER, POLICE GET THEIR FIRST LEAD.

SOMEONE THINKS THEY'VE CAUGHT A GLIMPSE OF THE KILLER.

A WITNESS SAID THAT SHE HAD SEEN TIM TALKING TO A MAN,

AND HE WAS STANDING NEXT TO A BLUE GREMLIN.

ALL OF THEM LOOKING FOR THIS MAN.

WITH THAT FLYER EVERYWHERE, EVERYBODY KNEW

ABOUT THE OAKLAND COUNTY CHILD KILLER.

IT WAS ON THE NEWS.

IT WAS ON THE RADIO.

IT WAS IN THE PAPERS CONSTANTLY.

ALL HELL BROKE LOOSE.

EVERY BLUE GREMLIN IN THIS COUNTY

AND SURROUNDING COUNTIES WAS A SUSPECT,

AND POLICE WERE RELUCTANT TO, YOU KNOW, PUT OUT A...

YOU KNOW, HAVE A STOP, AND,

YOU CAN'T JUST DO THAT ON SUSPICION.

YOU'VE GOT TO HAVE PROBABLE CAUSE.

I SAID, "FORGET IT. I'LL TAKE THE HEAT.

YOU STOP THE GREMLINS WHEN YOU SEE THEM."

NOBODY COMPLAINED.

EVERY GREMLIN OWNER UNDERSTOOD.

THE BLUE GREMLIN BECAME THE ICONIC FIGURE OF THIS CASE.

EVERYBODY IN THE CITY OF DETROIT WAS LOOKING FOR A BLUE GREMLIN.

IN DESPERATION, MARION AND BARRY

PLEADED WITH THEIR SON'S KIDNAPPER.

SHE HAD SAID ONE OF HIS FAVORITE MEALS

WAS KENTUCKY FRIED CHICKEN,

AND SHE WOULD GET THAT FOR HIM WHEN HE CAME HOME.

WE LOVE YOU, TIM. GOD BLESS YOU.

STAY TOUGH.

SAY YOUR PRAYERS, AND WE'RE WITH YOU, BUDDY,

AND CATHY AND CHRIS AND MARK

SAY TO TREAT HIM JUST LIKE YOU WOULD A BROTHER,

AND WE ALL WANT HIM BACK, AND PLEASE SEND HIM.

- HEY, DAD! - HI, GANG! WELCOME.

- HEY! HOW ARE YOU? - DOING WELL.

THIS IS THE FIRST TIME TIM'S SIBLINGS

HAVE TALKED TOGETHER ON CAMERA.

HI, GUYS.

THEY TRIED TO HIDE THINGS FROM US.

THEY WOULDN'T LET US WATCH TV.

THEY HID THESE PAPERS WE HAVE FROM THAT TIME.

AS MUCH AS THEY TRIED TO TAKE OUR MIND

OFF OF THINGS AND CHEER US UP,

YOU COULD TELL DEEP IN THEIR FACE

THAT IT WAS BLEAK.

I DIDN'T THINK HE WAS EVER GONNA COME BACK

BECAUSE OF THAT OTHER...

THE OTHER KIDS THAT WERE MISSING.

BARRY WAS RIGHT.

HOPING AGAINST HOPE,

THE PARENTS OF 11-YEAR-OLD TIMOTHY KING OF BIRMINGHAM

WERE TODAY CONFRONTED WITH THEIR WORST FEARS.

I WAS IN BED WITH THE RADIO ON,

AND THE ANNOUNCEMENT CAME

THAT THEY'D FOUND A BOY'S BODY IN LIVONIA,

AND I WAS 99% SURE IT WAS TIM.

I DROVE DOWN THERE, AND THERE WAS NOTHING MORE WE COULD DO

EXCEPT POSSIBLY IDENTIFY TIM.

I STILL FEEL THE MOST IMPORTANT ASPECT IS THE INVESTIGATION

AND GET THIS ANIMAL OFF THE STREET.

IT'S HEAVY.

IT'S THE WORST JOB YOU'VE GOT.

WAS FOUND LAST NIGHT.

HE'D BEEN SUFFOCATED AND SEXUALLY MOLESTED.

LIKE THE FIRST VICTIM, MARK STEBBINS,

TIM'S WRISTS SHOWED EVIDENCE OF BEING BOUND,

AND LIKE ALL THREE VICTIMS, HIS BODY WAS DESCRIBED

AS BEING METICULOUSLY CLEANED.

THE MEDICAL EXAMINER SAID

THAT THE COMPOUND CALLED PHILAHEX

WAS FOUND ON THE BODY.

IT'S A CLEANING SOLUTION

THAT WAS USED IN THE MEDICAL PROFESSION.

ARE WE LOOKING FOR SOMEBODY IN THE MEDICAL PROFESSION?

ARE WE LOOKING FOR SOMEBODY THAT HAS A SKIN DISORDER

AND USES THAT SOAP?

THE AUTOPSY FINDS

ABOUT 6 HOURS BEFORE HIS BODY WAS DISCOVERED,

TIM HAD EATEN HIS FAVORITE MEAL -- FRIED CHICKEN.

TIM WAS KIDNAPPED, SEXUALLY ABUSED AND SUFFOCATED.

I CAN'T THINK OF A MORE HIDEOUS DEATH,

AND I'VE ALWAYS BELIEVED

THAT TIM KNEW WHAT WAS GONNA HAPPEN

BECAUSE OF WHAT WE TOLD HIM...

ABOUT NOT GETTING IN CARS.

THERE WAS NO INDICATION

THAT OUR VICTIMS FOUGHT BACK,

AND I HAVE WONDERED IF THEY WERE BATHED

THINKING THEY WERE GOING TO BE RETURNED HOME

WRAPPED IN A LARGE TOWEL

AND THEN FROM BEHIND WERE SUFFOCATED.

UNLIKE THE OTHER THREE VICTIMS,

THE KILLER DUMPED TIM'S BODY IN NEIGHBORING WAYNE COUNTY.

THIS IS GILL ROAD.

THIS IS JUST OVER THE BORDER TO LIVONIA,

ABOUT 40 MINUTES FROM WHERE TIM WAS ABDUCTED,

AND IT'S INTERESTING THAT HE WAS PLACED HERE

BECAUSE IT'S JUST OVER THE BORDER OF NOT

JUST A NEW CITY BUT A NEW COUNTY.

6:30 THE EVENING HE WAS DROPPED,

IT WAS ON THE NEWS THAT WAYNE COUNTY

WAS GOING TO JOIN OAKLAND COUNTY IN CAR STOPS

STARTING WITH THEIR MIDNIGHT SHIFT,

AND HE WAS DROPPED AT APPROXIMATELY 10:30.

I'M SAYING THAT SOMEBODY WATCHED THE NEWS.

THE TASK FORCE WAS STARTING TO BREATHE DOWN THEIR NECKS,

AND THEY GOT RID OF HIM.

THE TASK FORCE IS NOW CONVINCED

IT IS ONE KILLER ABDUCTING CHILDREN IN THE SAME AREA,

ALONG THE WOODWARD CORRIDOR BETWEEN FERNDALE AND BIRMINGHAM,

PICKING HIS VICTIMS AT RANDOM.

SAY THE KILLER IS ATTRACTED TO CHILDREN

BETWEEN 10 AND 12 YEARS OLD,

THAT HE SEXUALLY ASSAULTS THE BOYS BUT NOT THE GIRLS.

THE ONLY DISSIMILARITY WAS THE FACT

THAT WE HAD TWO BOYS AND TWO GIRLS.

THE WAY THE CRIMES WERE COMMITTED,

THE WAY THE KIDS WERE ABDUCTED IN PLAIN SIGHT,

THE FACT THAT THEY WERE HELD FOR A PERIOD OF DAYS,

THE FACT THAT THEIR BODIES CAME BACK CLEAN,

THEY WERE WELL-FED --

THEY KNEW THEY WERE ALL CONNECTED FOR THOSE REASONS.

THE POLICE ALSO KNOW THAT IN THE 1970s,

BEFORE THE INTERNET, PEDOPHILES RAN IN GROUPS.

THERE WAS HUNDREDS OF THEM,

THESE PEDOPHILE RINGS,

AND THEY ALL KNEW EACH OTHER.

THEY DIDN'T HAVE THE LUXURY OF CELLPHONES

AND COMPUTERS TO COMMUNICATE WITH EACH OTHER,

BUT THEY KNEW WHERE TO MEET, AND IF THEY TRAVELED,

THEY KNEW HOW TO CONNECT WITH PEDOPHILES IN DIFFERENT CITIES,

AND SO THE RINGS WERE JUST UNBELIEVABLY ORGANIZED.

THERE WAS AN ATMOSPHERE OF FEAR.

THE WANTED POSTERS FOR THE ALLEGED

OAKLAND COUNTY CHILD KILLER WERE EVERYWHERE.

THEY WERE SCOTCH-TAPED TO LIGHT POSTS.

THEY WERE PLASTERED IN THE WINDOWS

OF THE DRY-CLEANING STORES.

EVERY KID WAS TERRIFIED.

IT WAS WHAT WE WERE TOLD TO BE.

HAVE BEEN REPORTING SUSPICIOUS BEHAVIOR.

POLICE LINES HAVE BEEN JAMMED FOR DAYS.

CALLERS HAVE BEEN TURNING IN THEIR PRIESTS,

THEIR BARBERS, THEIR CHILDREN'S TEACHERS, THEIR EX-HUSBANDS.

IS THIS REGARDING TIMOTHY KING?

HERE IS THIS ALL-AMERICAN FAMILY

WALKING INTO A CATHOLIC CHURCH TO BURY TIM

AND THEN A LITTLE CASKET.

I MEAN, IT'S JUST UNBELIEVABLY HEART-WRENCHING.

HALLOWED BE THY NAME.

THY KINGDOM COME.

THY WILL BE DONE...

I HAVEN'T BEEN TO CHURCH IN 35, 39 YEARS.

AND NONE OF MY FAMILY GOES TO CHURCH ANYMORE.

I MADE A DEAL WITH GOD, AND HE DIDN'T LIVE UP TO IT.

WHEN DID YOU MAKE THAT DEAL WITH GOD?

WHEN TIM WAS MISSING.

CAN YOU TELL ME ABOUT WHAT THAT IT IS?

I DON'T WANT TO.

6:45 A. M. ON 6/14/77,

MELINDA McLEAN, M- C-L-E...

IN THE DAYS AND WEEKS THAT FOLLOW,

AN ARMY OF COPS FROM 12 DIFFERENT AGENCIES

WORK DAY-IN, DAY-OUT, VOLUNTEER THEIR TIME,

SIFT THROUGH ALMOST 20,000 TIPS.

AFTER ALMOST A YEAR, DETECTIVES CLEAR 7,400 SUSPECTS,

79 OF THEM THROUGH POLYGRAPH TESTS,

TRACK SOME 3,000 BLUE GREMLINS,

SCREEN SCORES OF CHILD-PORNOGRAPHY FILMS

AND REVIEW FILES ON MORE THAN 10,000 KNOWN SEX DEVIANTS.

THAT YOU WILL CATCH HIM?

AFTER ALL THIS TIME, DOESN'T IT MAKE IT

MORE DIFFICULT TO CATCH HIM?

I THINK IT MAKES IT MORE DIFFICULT THE LONGER IT GOES,

BUT EVERY INVESTIGATOR HERE IS CONFIDENT IN HIS OWN MIND

THAT THERE WILL BE AN APPREHENSION.

HE WAS WRONG.

A YEAR AFTER THE FOURTH VICTIM, TIM KING, WENT MISSING,

THE LARGEST TASK FORCE IN U. S. HISTORY SHUTS DOWN.

WE DIDN'T HAVE ANY VIABLE SUSPECTS.

WE DIDN'T HAVE MONEY.

WE DIDN'T HAVE ANYTHING.

I THINK EVERY MEMBER OF THAT TASK FORCE THAT WENT BACK,

THAT CASE WAS WITH HIM UNTIL THE DAY AT LEAST THEY RETIRED.

THE CASE LANGUISHES IN A BLACK HOLE FOR YEARS.

THE POLICE NEVER PHONED TO SAY THAT THEY HAD SUSPECTS

THAT THEY WERE WORKING ON AND PERSONS OF INTEREST.

THERE WAS NOT THAT DIALOGUE THERE, NONE.

WHAT WOULD YOU THINK, WHEN YOU GO TO BED AT NIGHT...

YOUR DAUGHTER WAS WITH SOMEONE FOR 19 DAYS.

YOU HAD THAT THOUGHT IN YOUR HEAD 24 HOURS,

7 DAYS, 365.

IT DOESN'T LEAVE.

IT'S A DARK, DARK WORLD YOU ENTER

WHEN YOU ENTER THE CASE OF THE OAKLAND COUNTY CHILD KILLER

BECAUSE YOU KNOW THERE'S SOMETHING BIGGER OUT THERE

THAT HASN'T BEEN FINISHED YET.

I LOOKED THROUGH HUNDREDS OF ARTICLES

WHEN I FIRST DUG INTO THIS CASE

BECAUSE IT WAS THE EASIEST STUFF TO ACCESS,

AND MOST OF THE ARTICLES WERE ABOUT NO LEADS, NO LEADS,

NO LEADS, NO LEADS, NO SUSPECTS, NO SUSPECTS, NO SUSPECTS,

BUT OCCASIONALLY I WOULD ALSO STUMBLE ONTO AN ARTICLE

ABOUT FOX ISLAND.

NORTH FOX ISLAND IN LAKE MICHIGAN,

OWNED BY MILLIONAIRE FRANK SHELDON.

FOUR MONTHS AFTER MARK STEBBINS' MURDER,

THE ISLAND, SET UP AS A BOYS' CAMP,

WAS EXPOSED AS A HAVEN WHERE PEDOPHILES

FROM ALL OVER MICHIGAN MOLESTED YOUNG BOYS, FILMED IT,

AND SOLD THE FILMS WORLDWIDE.

SHORTLY AFTER THE STEBBINS MURDER,

FOX ISLAND GETS BROKEN UP, AND THERE REALLY WASN'T MUCH

MADE OF WHAT WAS GOING ON UP NORTH IN THE BIG PAPERS,

BUT THEN I FOUND OTHER ARTICLES.

LITTLE BURIED LINES WOULD MENTION

THAT INVESTIGATORS UP NORTH ARE LOOKING INTO THE POSSIBILITY

THAT THE OAKLAND COUNTY CHILD KILLINGS

MAY HAVE BEEN RELATED TO THE PORNOGRAPHY MILL

ON NORTH FOX ISLAND.

HERE IS A SMOKING GUN.

FOR **** SAKE, IT'S A SMOKING GUN IF THERE EVER WAS ONE.

YOU WANT TO KNOW WHAT'S REALLY HAPPENING TONIGHT?

IT'S A SERIES OF UNANSWERED TERRIFYING QUESTIONS,

AND THEY ARE, WHO MURDERED TIMMY KING?

WHO STRANGLED KRISTINE MIHELICH?

WHO SHOT JILL ROBINSON IN THE FACE, ENDING HER YOUNG LIFE?

WHO KIDNAPPED MARK STEBBINS AND THEN STRANGLED HIM

AFTER SEXUALLY ASSAULTING THAT FERNDALE BOY?

THE CHILDREN OF OAKLAND COUNTY HAVE BEEN WARNED,

"STAY AWAY FROM STRANGERS."

THE KILLER COULD STRIKE AGAIN.

IN 2005, JASON APPLEMAN'S OBSESSION WITH SOLVING

THE OAKLAND COUNTY CHILD KILLER CASE WENT INTO OVERDRIVE.

WHEN I REALLY COMMITTED TO THE INVESTIGATION,

I KNEW THAT I HAD TO GO BACK TO DETROIT.

I HAD BEEN GONE FOR ABOUT 15 YEARS.

I KNEW I HAD TO GET REALLY DEEP INTO IT

BY TALKING TO THE PEOPLE THAT WERE TOUCHED BY THE CASE,

WALKING THOSE STREETS WHERE THE KIDS WERE ABDUCTED.

A YEAR LATER, ONE OF THE VICTIM'S FAMILY MEMBERS

HERE'S HIM TALKING ABOUT THE CASE ON THE RADIO.

IT'S ONE OF THE MANY STRANGE COINCIDENCE'S IN THIS CASE.

APPLEMAN REMEMBERS THE COMPOSITE SKETCHES

POSTED AROUND HIS NEIGHBORHOOD.

DURING THIS TIME, WHEN I WAS VERGING ON 8,

SOMEBODY TRIED TO ABDUCT ME.

I WAS LISTENING TO NPR, AND I HEARD THE PERSONS

TALK ABOUT HOW, YOU KNOW, "MY NEXT GUEST HAD AN NEAR BRUSH

WITH AN ABDUCTOR DURING A TIME WHEN A SERIAL KILLER

WAS RUNNING LOOSE IN OAKLAND COUNTY, MICHIGAN."

CATHY IS THE OLDER SISTER OF THE FOURTH VICTIM,

TIM KING.

CATHY GAVE HER BROTHER THE 30 CENTS

TO BUY CANDY AT THE STORE WHERE HE DISAPPEARED.

SHE'S NOW A LAWYER AND LIVING IN CHICAGO.

SHE AND HER FAMILY HAVE SPENT DECADES SEARCHING FOR ANSWERS.

CATHY ACTUALLY REACHED OUT TO ME,

WHICH WAS A STROKE OF LUCK

OR DIVINE INTERVENTION OR SOMETHING.

SHE SAID, "I'D LIKE TO HELP YOU SOLVE THIS CRIME SOMEHOW."

AND I JUST SAID, "YOU'RE NOT GOING TO GET ANYWHERE

IN DETROIT.

YOU'D BETTER STOP IN CHICAGO AND SEE WHAT I'VE GOT."

SHE HANDS HIM MORE THAN 3,000 DOCUMENTS HER FATHER, BARRY,

GATHERED THROUGH THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT.

THE DOCUMENTS INCLUDE FBI TRANSCRIPTS OF STATEMENTS,

STATE POLICE TRANSCRIPTS OF STATEMENTS,

DAILY LOGS AND AUTOPSIES AND CRIME-SCENE REPORTS.

THERE IS SO MUCH INFORMATION THAT WE DIDN'T KNOW 30 YEARS,

THAT WE KNOW NOW.

THE COPS KNEW IT 30 YEARS AGO, BUT WE DIDN'T KNOW IT.

I NOTICED THAT ONE OF THE INVESTIGATORS,

DETECTIVE CORY WILLIAMS, HAD AN ACTIVE PRESENCE IN THE CASE.

A PRESENCE THAT GOES BACK 40 YEARS.

WELL, I GREW UP IN BERKLEY IN A LAW ENFORCEMENT FAMILY,

AND MY DAD WAS A DETECTIVE IN THE '50s,

'60s AND '70s IN BERKLEY,

AND HIS BEST FRIEND WAS A MAN NAMED BOB BELL,

AND BOB HAD A DAUGHTER AND THEN A GRANDDAUGHTER,

NAMED KRISTINE MIHELICH.

IN JANUARY OF 1977, 10-YEAR-OLD KRISTINE MIHELICH

BECAME THE THIRD VICTIM OF THE OAKLAND COUNTY CHILD KILLER.

I WAS 15.

SHE WAS LAST SEEN AT THE 7-ELEVEN

THAT WAS RIGHT DOWN THE STREET FROM MY HOUSE

AND THE BOWLING ALLEY. I USED TO BOWL THERE AS A KID.

THE NIGHT THAT KRISTINE WAS ABDUCTED,

BOB BELL CALLED MY DAD AT HOME,

AND I WAS THE ONE THAT ACTUALLY ANSWERED THE PHONE.

SO I PUT MY DAD ON THE PHONE IN THE KITCHEN,

AND HE SAID, "MY GRANDDAUGHTER IS MISSING, LEE.

WHAT DO WE DO?"

A 10-YEAR-OLD GIRL MISSING 18 DAYS,

FOUND LYING IN A SNOWBANK, SUFFOCATED.

IT WAS HORRIBLE.

LIFE CHANGED IN THE SUBURBS FOR KIDS.

OFFICERS ARE STILL CONVINCED THAT SOMEONE, SOMEWHERE,

KNOWS SOMETHING THAT WILL LEAD THEM TO A SICK, SICK INDIVIDUAL.

FAST FORWARD 30 YEARS.

IN 2005, WILLIAMS, FOLLOWING IN HIS FATHER'S FOOTSTEPS,

IS NOW A DETECTIVE WORKING FOR THE LIVONIA POLICE

IN WAYNE COUNTY.

WHILE WORKING ON AN UNRELATED CASE,

DETECTIVE WILLIAMS READS A TRANSCRIPT

OF A SUSPECT NAMED RICHARD LAWSON,

A KNOWN PEDOPHILE FROM DETROIT.

BURIED IN THAT REPORT ARE EIGHT TINY WORDS

THAT CHANGED THE COURSE OF WILLIAMS' CAREER.

WHEN LAWSON WAS ARRESTED,

HE MADE A STATEMENT TO THE DORMONT DETECTIVES,

"I KNOW WHO DID THE MICHIGAN SNOW KILLINGS."

WELL, THAT DIDN'T MEAN ANYTHING TO THEM.

BUT WHEN I READ IT IN THE REPORTS THEY FAXED TO ME,

IT MEANT EVERYTHING TO ME.

I KNEW IT MEANT THE OAKLAND COUNTY CHILD KILLINGS.

A CASE HE KNEW ALL TOO WELL, GROWING UP IN OAKLAND COUNTY.

I SAID, "I READ THE STATEMENT, RICHARD,

WHERE YOU ACTUALLY SAID,

'I KNOW WHO DID THE SNOW KILLINGS.'"

HE SAID, "THAT'S NOT WHAT I SAID.

I SAID, 'I THINK I MIGHT KNOW WHO WAS INVOLVED.'"

DETECTIVE WILLIAMS LEARNS THAT IN THE '70s,

LAWSON WAS ACTUALLY HELPING THE POLICE

IDENTIFY POTENTIAL SUSPECTS

IN THE OAKLAND COUNTY CHILD KILLER CASE.

LAWSON WAS A BIG BRAGGER,

BRAGGED ABOUT HOW THEY USED HIM ON TV.

HE WAS THE PEDOPHILE THE NEWS TALKED TO ABOUT

HOW PEDOPHILES OPERATE, BECAUSE IN THE 1970s,

PEOPLE DIDN'T REALLY KNOW WHAT PEDOPHILES EVEN WERE.

EVEN WENT AS FAR AS TO SAY

THAT THE DETROIT POLICE AUTHORIZED HIM TO MOLEST KIDS,

AS LONG AS HE GOT INFORMATION ABOUT THE CHILD KILLINGS,

WHICH WE KNOW IS FAR-FETCHED AND DETERMINED LATER

NOT EVEN TO BE CLOSE TO THE TRUTH.

LAWSON TELLS WILLIAMS HE AND OTHER PEDOPHILES

HUNG OUT IN DETROIT'S CASS CORRIDOR.

BACK IN THE '70s, IT WAS A 10-BLOCK CESSPOOL

OF DOPE DEALERS, HOOKERS, BARS, AND A MECCA FOR PREDATORS.

THE KIDS WERE SO READILY AVAILABLE.

THEY WERE POOR KIDS,

LIVING IN SINGLE-PARENT APARTMENT BUILDINGS,

AND SOME OF THESE HAD 200, 300 KIDS LIVING IN THEM,

AND THE PEDOPHILES TOOK ADVANTAGE OF THAT.

AND THESE WERE THE GUYS LAWSON BELIEVED MAY HAVE BEEN INVOLVED.

ONE OF THEM WAS A GUY NAMED BOB MOORE,

AND MOORE WAS A VERY VIOLENT GUY.

BAD-EYED BOB, AS HE WAS KNOWN,

OWNED A BIKE REPAIR SHOP IN THE CASS CORRIDOR.

SO OBSESSED, HE LIKED TO FILM THEM.

THEY'D HAVE PARTIES WHERE THEY WOULD BRING CHILDREN

AND SWAP CHILDREN AND SWAP POLAROID FILMS,

AND THEY ALL KNEW EACH OTHER.

THEY DIDN'T HAVE THE LUXURY OF CELLPHONES AND COMPUTERS

TO COMMUNICATE WITH EACH OTHER, BUT THEY KNEW WHERE TO MEET.

THESE KIDS WERE POOR, AND THEY'D GIVE THEM MONEY,

OR THEY'D GIVE THEM DRUGS, OR THEY'D GIVE THEM ALCOHOL,

AND, YOU KNOW, THE KIDS WANTED TO BE PAID.

AND SO THEY'D TAKE THEM TO THESE PARTIES,

AND THE KIDS WOULD TELL EACH OTHER,

"THIS IS ALL YOU HAVE TO DO."

IT WAS BIG BUSINESS IN THE '70s,

AND BAD-EYED BOB HAD HIGH-PAYING CUSTOMERS.

WHEN WE REALIZED AND STARTED IDENTIFYING

THESE PEDOPHILE RINGS DOWN IN THE CORRIDOR,

WE OBSERVED THAT THERE WAS A SUBJECT NAMED FRANCIS SHELDEN.

THAT IS A NAME DETECTIVE WILLIAMS RECOGNIZES,

THE 48-YEAR-OLD MILLIONAIRE BACHELOR FROM ANNE ARBOR,

AN OWNER OF NORTH FOX ISLAND IN LAKE MICHIGAN.

BOB MOORE WAS GIVING THESE FILMS TO SHELDEN TO SHIP TO AMSTERDAM.

SHELDEN, THE MAN WANTED FOR SEXUALLY ABUSING

AN 8-YEAR-OLD BOY

AND RUNNING THE BOYS' CAMP ON NORTH FOX ISLAND.

THAT STORY WAS UNFOLDING AT THE SAME TIME

AS THE OAKLAND COUNTY CHILD KILLINGS WERE OCCURRING.

FRANK SHELDEN ABSCONDED.

SO WE WANTED TO TAKE A LOOK AT HIM,

AND WE WERE LOOKING AT THE CHILD PORNOGRAPHY

AS A MOTIVE IN THIS CASE,

JUST BECAUSE IT HADN'T REALLY BEEN RESEARCHED BEFORE.

IN THE DETECTIVES' REPORTS, THERE WAS DRAWINGS OF THE ISLAND

AND HOW HE WOULD FLY KIDS TO THE ISLAND,

AND HE AND HIS OTHER PEDOPHILE ASSOCIATES FROM PORT HURON

WOULD MOLEST THESE BOYS THAT ARE ON THE ISLAND.

MR. RICHARDS, WOULD YOU PLEASE STAND?

ONE OF THOSE MOLESTERS WAS A 48-YEAR-OLD MARRIED MAN,

FATHER AND CATHOLIC SCHOOL GYM TEACHER FROM PORT HURON.

THIS GUY, GERALD RICHARDS,

WAS A MAGICIAN FOR CHILDREN'S PARTIES,

WHO WAS ALSO A CONVICTED PEDOPHILE.

HE EVENTUALLY BLEW THE LID

OF THE NORTH FOX ISLAND PORNOGRAPHY SYNDICATE.

THERE WAS A 12-YEAR-OLD BOY

WHO RICHARDS WAS ONE OF HIS NEIGHBORS,

WHO HE TOOK UP TO NORTH FOX ISLAND WITH HIM

AND MADE PORNOGRAPHIC FILMS WITH.

YOU KNOW, THAT'S SOMEBODY WHO YOU COULD GET

A LOT OF INFORMATION OUT OF, IF HE WAS WILLING TO TALK.

HIS NAME IS MICHAEL FARQUHAR,

AND HE SPEAKS HERE FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 40 YEARS.

IT'S TIME TO LET GO OF A LOT OF THINGS,

AND IT'S TIME TO GET A LOT OF THINGS RIGHT AND STRAIGHT.

THE FACT THAT YOU'RE SITTING HERE TODAY,

DID YOU EVER THINK THIS WOULD HAPPEN?

I THINK DEEP DOWN INSIDE, THE LORD HAS BEEN GIVING ME

A SIGN THAT I KNOW I HAD TO DO THIS.

54-YEAR-OLD MICHAEL FARQUHAR

IS ABOUT TO BREAK HIS SILENCE

ABOUT HOW ONE MAN, GYM TEACHER GERALD RICHARDS,

LURED HIM INTO A WORLD OF PORNOGRAPHY AND ABUSE.

WHEN I SHOW YOU THIS...

YEP, THAT'S HIM.

THAT'S HIM.

IT STARTS OUT INNOCENTLY.

I MET HIM IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD,

SHOVELING HIS SIDEWALK.

I WAS 12 YEARS OLD AND TRYING TO HUSTLE SOME MONEY.

YOU KNOW, I WAS INTO MINIBIKES AND MOTORCYCLES AND STUFF

AND, YOU KNOW, I WAS DETERMINED

AND COME ACROSS A LITTLE GREEN HOUSE,

AND THERE WAS AN UNUSUAL MAN THERE,

WHOSE NAME WAS GERALD RICHARDS.

BACK IN 1975, GERALD RICHARDS WAS A FAMILY MAN, MARRIED,

WITH A KID, TEACHING GYM AT AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

AND DOING MAGIC SHOWS AND PHOTOGRAPHY ON THE SIDE.

HE WAS QUITE AN INTERESTING GUY FOR A 12-YEAR-OLD KID.

MYSELF AND ANYBODY ELSE INTERESTED

IN GETTING MODELS AND, IF YOU WOULD LOOK FOR IT,

IT WOULD BE SOMEONE THAT HAD A POOR FAMILY BACKGROUND,

AS FAR AS A FATHER IMAGE IN THE HOME

BECAUSE THE YOUNG MODEL LOOKS TOWARDS THAT MAN

WHO IS HIS FRIEND AND PHOTOGRAPHER, TOO,

AS A FATHER SUBSTITUTE, MANY TIMES.

WITHIN A WEEK'S PERIOD, HE CONTACTED MY PARENTS

AND GOT ME SET UP AT THE YMCA,

AND EVENTUALLY I BECAME HIS ASSISTANT,

YOU KNOW, ON MAGIC,

AND WE WOULD TRAVEL AROUND QUITE A BIT AND DO SOME MAGIC SHOWS.

I WOULD GET PAID, LIKE, $50 FOR THAT.

IT'S BIG MONEY FOR A 12-YEAR-OLD BOY,

BUT IT CAME WITH A PRICE.

AND HE WAS TELLING ME ABOUT, YOU KNOW,

PHOTOGRAPHY AND THE ART OF IT.

- I REALLY ONLY HAD ONE WHO WAS - A FELLOW THAT I HAD MET,

A YOUNG FELLOW, ACTUALLY,

WHO AGREED TO POSE,

AND I SOLD -- - HOW OLD WAS HE, MR. RICHARDS?

AT THE TIME, HE WAS, I BELIEVE, 14.

HE SLOWLY WORKED HIS WAY IN TO, YOU KNOW, TAKING PICTURES OF ME,

GETTING ME MORE COMFORTABLE WITH LESS CLOTHES AND EVENTUALLY,

IT GOT DOWN TO WHERE I WAS, YOU KNOW, COMPLETELY NAKED.

NOW, THESE WERE NOT PARTICULARLY OFFENSIVE

TYPE OF POSING AT THAT TIME.

THEY WERE GENERALLY WHAT YOU WOULD CONSIDER,

A PHYSIQUE-TYPE OF POSING. OKAY?

WITHIN 2 MONTHS, MICHAEL MOVES FROM MAGIC SHOW

ASSISTANT TO MODEL, TO SOMETHING MUCH DARKER.

THERE WERE PLACES, LIKE, YOU KNOW,

THERE WAS A COUPLE CHURCHES IN THE DETROIT AREA

WHERE WE WOULD GO, AND WE WOULD DO THE MAGIC SHOW,

AND WHEN IT CLEARED OUT, IT BECAME QUITE A BIT UGLIER.

MORE OFTEN, IT WAS A TRIP TO A MOTEL.

THEY'D BE WANTING TO TAKE PICTURES OF ME,

AND THEY'D BE WANTING TO,

YOU KNOW, PERFORM IMMORAL ACTS ON ME

AND HAD ME TO DO THAT TO THEM, TOO.

THE FIRST TIME, IT WAS LIKE MY SOUL LEFT MY BODY.

IT WAS LIKE I WAS LOOKING DOWN, WATCHING US,

AND TODAY, THAT'S THE WAY I STILL SEE IT.

I SEE MYSELF LOOKING DOWN.

THERE WAS A REVEREND INVOLVED.

THERE WAS SEVERAL TIMES WITH SEVERAL WELL-TO-DO MEN

FROM AROUND THE COUNTRY.

BASICALLY WHAT IT WAS WAS PROSTITUTION.

YOU KNOW?

I WAS BEING SOLD, BY GERRY RICHARDS,

TO ELITE PEOPLE.

THESE PEDOPHILES DON'T CARE ABOUT THESE KIDS.

THEY'RE JUST OBJECTS TO THEM.

IT WASN'T JUST LURING AND GROOMING.

THERE WERE THREATS INVOLVED, TOO,

AND THESE PEDOPHILES WILL GO TO ANY AND ALL EXTREMES

TO GET WHAT THEY'RE AFTER.

I COULDN'T TELL MY MOM WHAT WAS REALLY GOING ON.

SHE WAS SO PROUD OF ME.

I KNEW IT WAS WRONG.

KIDS JUST DON'T.

THEY DON'T.

YOU KNOW?

HE DID ALL HIS DEVELOPING OF THE FILMS

IN HIS DARKROOM IN HIS BASEMENT.

THERE WAS A BOOKSTORE IN PORT HURON,

AND I REMEMBER I WOULD SIT IN THE CAR

WHILE HE WOULD GO IN THERE WITH THE FILMS,

AND THEN HE WOULD TAKE THE FILMS TO THE POST OFFICE,

AND HE WAS USING THE POST OFFICE

TO MAIL THEM OUT TO OTHER PEOPLE.

THE MAIN ORGANIZATION IN THE UNITED STATES

IS AN ORGANIZATION CALLED BETTER LIFE,

WHICH IS A PHILOSOPHICAL GROUP.

ACCESSED ONLY THROUGH THE MAIL, "BETTER LIFE MONTHLY"

BILLED ITSELF AS AMERICA'S NUMBER-ONE BOY-LOVE MAGAZINE.

IT'S MASTHEAD PROMISES GUIDANCE AND FRIENDSHIP,

SERVING THE INTERESTS OF PEDOPHILES WORLDWIDE.

AND AS IT PROGRESSED, I RAN INTO A MAN,

ALSO THROUGH AN AD,

WHO ASSISTED IN MAKING PLACES AVAILABLE

WHERE I COULD FILM THE MODELS.

FRANCIS DUFFIELD SHELDEN, YEAH, THAT'S HIM.

BACK THEN, FRANCIS SHELDEN, YOU KNOW,

HE WAS, LIKE, A JOLLY OLD GUY.

HE WAS GREAT WITH PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, GREAT WITH THE KIDS,

YOU KNOW, REALLY FRIENDLY.

BUT, YOU KNOW, IN THE BACK OF MY MIND,

I KNEW WHAT HIS ULTIMATE GOAL WAS.

HE WAS ALSO GREAT IN BUSINESS.

IN 1975, SHELDEN, RICHARDS AND ANOTHER WEALTHY PEDOPHILE,

DYER GROSSMAN, SET UP BROTHER PAUL'S

CHILDREN'S MISSION ON NORTH FOX ISLAND,

A CHARITY TO HELP TROUBLED TEENAGE BOYS.

I'VE BEEN THE ISLAND SEVERAL TIMES.

THERE WAS TIMES WHEN I WENT ON THE ISLAND WITH JUST FRANK,

JUST ME AND FRANK SHELDEN.

ONE TIME, HE PUT HIS AIRPLANE IN AUTOPILOT

AND GAVE ME ORAL SEX,

WHILE THE PLANE WAS IN AUTOPILOT.

THE CAMP CLAIMED TO OFFER TUTORING, COUNSELING,

LODGING AND EMERGENCY CARE FOR RUNAWAYS.

THEY DIDN'T CHARGE FOR THE BOYS,

BUT SPONSORS WERE ASKED TO MAKE DONATIONS.

THIS CAMP RECEIVED FEDERAL AND STATE FUNDING, SUBSIDIZING.

FRANK SHELDEN'S WORK WITH THESE TROUBLED TEENS,

WHO WOULD COME IN FOR THE SUMMER FOR VARIOUS AMOUNTS OF TIME,

GET DROPPED OFF BY THEIR PARENTS ON THE SHORE OF LAKE MICHIGAN,

AND THEN WERE FLOWN OVER TO FOX ISLAND.

IT WASN'T REALLY A CAMP AT ALL FOR --

NO, IT WAS NOT A CAMP.

IT WAS FOR UNDERPRIVILEGED YOUTH,

BUT IT WAS NO CAMP OF ANY KIND OF GOODNESS.

IT WAS A CAMP OF PURE...

PERVERSION.

A LITTLE ROUGH CLIMBING OUT OF HERE.

IT'S BEEN 40 YEARS SINCE MICHAEL LAST SET FOOT ON THE ISLAND.

GOT TO BE CAREFUL WHO YOU PUT YOUR CHILDREN'S HANDS IN.

YOU KNOW?

BECAUSE OF THIS, MY DAUGHTERS WEREN'T ALLOWED TO GO TO CAMPS.

THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS THEY WEREN'T ALLOWED TO DO

BECAUSE OF THIS.

****

NEVER MORE THAN FIVE OR SIX BOYS

ON THE ISLAND AT ANY ONE TIME,

THEY'RE FREE TO DO WHATEVER THEY WANT.

WE WOULD HIKE THE ISLAND.

YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LOT OF TRAILS ALL THROUGH HERE.

WE WOULD GO SWIMMING, AND WE'D PLAY FOOTBALL,

YOU KNOW, PLAY CATCH.

THERE WAS NOTHING ORGANIZED OR COORDINATED

ABOUT WHAT US KIDS WERE DOING.

IT WAS, "YOU GUYS HAVE FUN, YOU KNOW, GO FOR A HIKE."

YEAH, WE HAD WINE. WE HAD WEED.

WE BROUGHT THE WEED, YOU KNOW.

I BROUGHT THE WEED.

THERE WAS ONE ORGANIZED EVENT

THAT NO ONE COULD ESCAPE.

WE CALLED IT PICTURE TIME.

"IT'S PICTURE TIME."

YEAH, THEY'D BE FOLLOWING US WITH THE CAMERAS.

SEEMS TO ME LIKE THEY GET EXCITED ABOUT TAKING PICTURES,

HUNDREDS WERE TAKEN, HUNDREDS.

ONE TIME, THEY HAD ME TIED TO A TREE AND WAS TAKING PICTURES,

HAD US KIDS TIED TOGETHER, YOU KNOW,

AND THEY WERE SETTING IT UP LIKE IT WAS A FUN THING TO DO.

NONE OF US WERE REALLY HAPPY ABOUT THAT,

BUT WE FELT THAT IT WAS OUR DUTY,

OUR OBLIGATION, YOU KNOW, TO DO WHAT THEY WANTED.

IT WAS A PEDOPHILE'S PARADISE.

SOME OF THE PICTURES WERE SOLD TO ACTIVE SPONSORS.

FOR A CHARITABLE DONATION,

THEY COULD ACCESS THE ISLAND AND THE BOYS.

THE MEN ON THE ISLAND, THEY WERE LAWYERS.

THEY WERE DOCTORS. THEY WERE POLITICIANS.

YOU KNOW, YOU HAD TO HAVE BIG MONEY TO PLAY IN THIS GAME.

YES.

MEMORIES.

IF THE MEN WANTED TO TAKE PICTURES, YOU KNOW,

PICTURES WERE GOING TO BE TAKEN.

IF THEY WANTED TO HAVE SEX WITH ME,

THEY WERE GOING TO HAVE SEX WITH ME,

AND THEY DID, YOU KNOW, SEVERAL TIMES.

THOSE ARE MEMORIES THAT YOU LIKE TO KEEP, PUT FAR, FAR DEEP AWAY.

I WAS MOLESTED IN THIS ROOM.

YEAH, IT WAS --

A LOT OF BAD THINGS HAPPENED HERE.

YEAH, THERE WAS A TIME THAT I'D HAVE BURNT THIS WHOLE ISLAND

RIGHT TO THE GROUND,

JUST TO PUT THE PAIN AWAY, MAKE THE MEMORIES GO AWAY.

AND WHY IN THE **** AM I TRYING TO REMEMBER THIS ****?

WHAT THE **** THEY'D JUST DO TO ME.

WE NEED TO TAKE A BREAK, GUYS. - YES, SIR, SURE.

I'M **** STARTING TO HALLUCINATE ****

FOR TWO SEASONS, BROTHER PAUL'S CHILDREN'S CAMP

OPERATED HIDDEN IN PLAIN SIGHT.

NOBODY WOULD TALK. NOBODY WOULD STEP UP.

I WASN'T SMART ENOUGH TO TELL MY PARENTS,

AND TO THIS VERY DAY, I DON'T KNOW WHY I WAS DOING IT,

WHY I DIDN'T SAY ANYTHING.

IN JULY OF 1976, ONE KID BROKE THE SILENCE,

AND 15-YEAR-OLD MICHAEL FARQUHAR

FINDS HIMSELF IN THE BACK OF A POLICE CAR.

ONE OF THEM LOOKED AT ME AND SAID,

"IF YOU DON'T TELL US WHAT'S GOING ON,

JULY 15, 1976, AFTER TWO SEASONS IN OPERATION,

ONE BOY TELLS HIS MOTHER THE SECRET OF NORTH FOX ISLAND.

EDDIE WAS ONE OF THE YOUNGER KIDS.

HE WAS ONLY 8 OR 9 DURING THE TIME.

EDDIE TELLS THE POLICE HE WAS SEXUALLY ABUSED

BY BOTH GERALD RICHARDS AND FRANK SHELDEN

NUMEROUS TIMES.

IT'S AN ALLEGATION THEY CAN'T IGNORE,

AND WHEN THE POLICE COME LOOKING FOR MICHAEL, THEY WANT ANSWERS.

I CLAMMED RIGHT UP.

I HAD NOTHING TO SAY, NOTHING.

I WAS SCARED TO DEATH.

THEY RELEASED ME, AND I WENT HOME.

THERE'S SO MUCH INFORMATION I COULD HAVE GAVE THEM.

IF YOU WANT TO TALK TO A KID, DON'T EVER THREATEN THEM,

BIGGEST MISTAKE THEY EVER MADE IN THIS CASE.

I GOT ON THE PHONE, AND I CALLED GERRY RICHARDS.

I TOLD HIM, "THE POLICE JUST TALKED TO ME.

THEY WANT TO KNOW WHAT YOU'RE DOING."

AT THAT POINT, GERRY RICHARDS STARTED HIDING STUFF,

ALL THE PICTURES AND STUFF.

HE TOLD ME THAT HE BURIED THEM IN HIS BACKYARD.

THE DETECTIVES, THEY EVENTUALLY GOT TO MY MOM AND DAD

AND TOLD THEM WHAT WAS GOING ON, AND MY DAD EXPLAINED TO ME

I HAD TO TELL THE TRUTH.

I THINK IT KILLED MY MOM.

I DO.

I THINK THE GUILT KILLED MY DAD.

WHEN I WAS A CHILD, I COULDN'T UNDERSTAND

WHAT MY PARENTS WERE GOING THROUGH.

TODAY, YEAH, I SEE IT.

BASTARDS.

AND I REMEMBER SEEING EDDIE, AND I ASKED HIM,

"WHY DID YOU TELL EVERYBODY?"

AND HE TOLD ME, "BECAUSE THEY HURT ME."

I UNDERSTOOD THEN, YOU KNOW.

THEY HURT HIM.

NO ONE UNDERSTOOD THE SECRET WORLD HE'D EXPOSED.

TWO WEEKS LATER, RICHARDS IS CHARGED

WITH CRIMINAL SEXUAL CONDUCT WITH A MINOR.

IN EXCHANGE FOR A LESSER SENTENCE,

GERALD RICHARDS HANDED OVER THE CLIENT LIST.

HE RATS OUT HIS WEALTHY ACCOMPLICES

IN BROTHER PAUL'S CHILDREN'S MISSION,

MULTIMILLIONAIRE DYER GROSSMAN AND FRANCIS SHELDEN.

AS SOON AS GERALD RICHARDS WAS ARRESTED,

SHELDEN WAS TIPPED OFF, AND HE WENT TO ANN ARBOR

AND CLEANED OUT EVERYTHING IN HIS APARTMENT

AND FLED THE COUNTRY.

FRANK SHELDEN WAS VERY POLITICALLY CONNECTED.

HE WAS ONE OF THE WEALTHIEST PEOPLE IN THE STATE.

YOU'RE NOT GOING TO GET THE JUMP ON THAT GUY.

MONEY OR WEALTH AND POWER

CAN MAKE A LOT OF THINGS GO AWAY.

AFTER MONTHS OF LEGAL FOOT-DRAGGING,

THE POLICE ISSUE ARREST WARRANTS ON BOTH SHELDEN AND GROSSMAN

ON TWO COUNTS OF CHILD ABUSE, BUT THEY'RE LONG GONE.

SHELDEN HAS ESCAPED TO AMSTERDAM.

GROSSMAN IS SOMEWHERE IN CALIFORNIA.

RICHARDS PLEADS GUILTY AND IS SENTENCED TO 2 TO 20 YEARS

IN JACKSON PRISON.

NONE OF THE OTHERS EVER PAYS FOR THEIR CRIMES AGAINST THOSE BOYS.

WELL, AFTER, YOU KNOW, '76 WHEN RICHARDS WENT TO JAIL,

IT ALL JUST KIND OF WENT AWAY.

THEY KIND OF JUST LEFT ME HANGING OUT THERE,

DEALING WITH ALL THE HUMILIATION

AND ALL THE CONSEQUENCES FOR MY SINS.

THE CAMP ON NORTH FOX ISLAND WAS BUSTED,

BUT THE PEDOPHILES SCATTERED THROUGHOUT MICHIGAN.

280 MILES SOUTH AND 4 MONTHS LATER,

THE OAKLAND COUNTY CHILD KILLER STRIKES AGAIN,

ABDUCTING AND KILLING JILL ROBINSON,

KRISTINE MIHELICH, AND TIM KING OVER A SPAN OF 4 MONTHS.

THE POLICE ARE PREPARED TO PURSUE THIS CASE

ON A MASSIVE SCALE, FOR 6 MONTHS, IF NECESSARY.

THEY HOPE AND PRAY THEY FIND THE KILLER QUICKLY.

EVERY HOUR THEY LIVE WITH THE FEAR THAT HE COULD STRIKE AGAIN.

WHEN DETECTIVE WILLIAMS REOPENS THE CHILD MURDER CASE IN 2005,

HE EMPLOYS A MODERN INVESTIGATIVE TOOL -- DNA.

A NEWLY-ASSEMBLED TASK FORCE HAS SET UP A NEW COMMAND CENTER

TO HOUSE ALL THE EVIDENCE IN THE 30-YEAR-OLD MURDER MYSTERY.

THEY BEGIN RE-ANALYZING THE PHYSICAL EVIDENCE

FROM 1976 AND 1977.

DETECTIVE WILLIAMS, NOW PART OF THAT TASK FORCE,

LOOKS FOR A CONNECTION BETWEEN THE PHOTOS

AND THE FILMS MADE IN DETROIT AND NORTH FOX ISLAND

AND THE OAKLAND COUNTY CHILD KILLER.

WE REALIZED FRANCIS SHELDEN WOULD DEVELOP,

THROUGH OTHER PEDOPHILES, CHILD PORNOGRAPHY,

AND HE WAS SHIPPING IT TO AMSTERDAM

TO BE PROCESSED AND SOLD AT A WORLDWIDE DISTRIBUTOR THERE.

WE LOOKED AT A POSSIBILITY OF WERE THE KIDS

SNATCHED FOR SNUFF PORN FILMS,

WHERE THE KIDS ARE MOLESTED AND KILLED ON CAMERA,

AND THEN THE FILMS ARE SOLD.

DETECTIVE WILLIAMS LEARNS THAT IN 1993,

MOUNTAINS OF ILLICIT MATERIAL

WERE CEASED FROM FRANK SHELDEN'S DISTRIBUTOR IN AMSTERDAM.

THEY HAD HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF PHOTOS AND VIDEOS OF KIDS,

AND WE SENT PHOTOS OF OUR KIDS, OUR VICTIMS,

AND WE WANTED TO SEE IF THEY COULD DO A COMPARISON.

COULD THIS BE THE BREAK THEY WERE LOOKING FOR?

IT WAS MONTHS LATER WE GOT A RESULT BACK FROM THEM

THAT THEY DIDN'T SEE OUR KIDS

INVOLVED IN ANY OF THE FILMS OR PICTURES.

DURING THIS COLD-CASE INVESTIGATION IN 2005,

POLICE INFORMANT AND PEDOPHILE RICHARD LAWSON

GIVES DETECTIVE WILLIAMS

THE NAME OF ANOTHER SEXUAL PREDATOR

IN THE CASS CORRIDOR WHERE HE HUNG OUT.

IT WAS A NAME HE HAD MENTIONED TO THE TASK FORCE 30 YEARS AGO.

HE SAID, "CORY, THERE'S A PEDOPHILE

THAT WAS IN THE CASS CORRIDOR AREA NAMED TED ORR.

HE WENT BY THE NAME TED ORR."

AND HE SAID, "CORY, I THINK, IF I REMEMBER RIGHT,

ORR HAD A --

THAT WAS JUST HIS NAME HE USED IN CASS CORRIDOR --

BUT HIS REAL LAST NAME WAS, LIKE, L-A-M SOMETHING."

SO I WENT THROUGH THE OLD 18,000 TIPS AT THE STATE POLICE POST

AND FOUND A THEODORE LAMBORGINE.

TIPS NUMBER 278 AND 279.

LAWSON TOLD ME ONE TIME,

HE AND LAMBORGINE WERE AT BOB MOORE'S HOUSE,

WHILE TIM KING WAS EITHER MISSING

OR RIGHT AFTER HE WAS MISSING.

AND BOB MOORE HAD A PHOTO ALBUM THAT HAD CHILD PICTURES IN IT,

AND THAT LAMBORGINE SAID TO LAWSON,

"DOES THAT NOT LOOK LIKE THE KING KID,"

AND KIND OF SNICKERED.

IN 2005, DETECTIVE WILLIAMS TRACKS LAMBORGINE DOWN

IN OHIO, WHERE HE WORKS AT THE FORD PLANT.

AT THAT TIME, HE DENIED ANY INVOLVEMENT

IN THE CHILD KILLINGS,

ADMITTED THAT, YES, HE'S A PEDOPHILE,

LIKES YOUNG BOYS, LIVED IN DETROIT IN THE '70s.

THE 64-YEAR-OLD EVEN AGREES TO TAKE A POLYGRAPH.

AFTER 30 YEARS AND HUNDREDS OF COPS CHASING THOUSANDS OF LEADS,

DETECTIVE WILLIAMS ISN'T HOLDING HIS BREATH.

WOULD THIS BE ANY DIFFERENT?

THIS CASE HAS BEEN A ROLLER-COASTER RIDE

FROM DAY ONE, AS FAR AS,

YOU KNOW, YOU GET EXCITED ABOUT A LEAD.

YOU FOLLOW IT THROUGH UNTIL IT'S EXHAUSTED.

WHEN THE POLYGRAPH RESULTS COME IN,

LAMBORGINE HAS FAILED IT SO MISERABLY

THAT THE COPS MAY CRACK THE CASE THAT'S ELUDED THEM FOR SO LONG.

HEY, TED, CAN YOU TELL ME WHY THE POLICE

AND THE FBI ARE INTERESTED IN YOU?

NO.

NEWS OF A NEW PLAYER IN THE ALMOST-30-YEAR-OLD

UNSOLVED CASE LEAKS OUT TO THE MEDIA.

DO YOU KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THOSE MURDERS?

CAN YOU TELL ME WHY YOU FLUNKED THE POLYGRAPH?

SCARED.

BUT A FAILED POLYGRAPH IS NOT ENOUGH TO ARREST TED LAMBORGINE.

IF YOU DON'T KNOW ANYTHING AT ALL,

WHY WOULD THEY BOTHER TO COME DOWN AND TALK TO YOU?

THAT'S WHAT I DON'T UNDERSTAND.

HE'S THE MOST PROMISING LEAD IN DECADES.

THE TASK FORCE BEGINS TRACKING DOWN

SOME OF HIS PEDOPHILIA VICTIMS FROM THE '70s.

IT MIGHT GIVE THEM THE LEVERAGE THEY NEED FOR A CONFESSION.

THE VICTIMS THAT I INTERVIEWED OF LAMBORGINE,

MOST OF THEM WERE EITHER TAKEN ON TRIPS,

GROOMED WITH DRUGS OR ALCOHOL, OFFERED MONEY.

ONE OF THE VICTIMS WAS AS YOUNG AS 9 YEARS OLD,

AND TED MOLESTED HIM ON THE FRONT SEAT OF HIS CAR,

OVER BY THE TRAIN STATION HERE IN DETROIT.

THE MORE VICTIMS THEY TALKED TO,

THE MORE LAMBORGINE FITS THE PROFILE.

SOME OF THE VICTIMS THAT WE INTERVIEWED

ABOUT WHAT LAMBORGINE HAD DONE TO THEM

WAS NOT ONLY MOLESTED THEM FORCEFULLY AND VIOLENTLY,

BUT LAMBORGINE WOULD FORCE THESE KIDS INTO A TUB AFTER

TO MAKE SURE THEY GOT RID OF ANY DNA.

AT LEAST THE ONE SUBJECT WHOSE FACE WAS PUSHED IN A PILLOW

AND THOUGHT HE WAS GOING TO SUFFOCATE,

OBVIOUSLY OUR VICTIMS WERE SUFFOCATED.

SO THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT WE WERE LOOKING AT.

WE DID A SEARCH WARRANT ON HIS APARTMENT TO SEE

IF WE COULD FIND ANY CONNECTION TO THE CHILD KILLING CASE.

HIS APARTMENT, I CAN SAY, WAS A VERY ODD PLACE,

THE CLEANLINESS OF IT.

HIS FURNITURE WAS ALL COVERED, WITH TAGS ON IT,

SUPER CLEAN AND NEAT.

NO FOOD IN THE REFRIGERATOR WHATSOEVER,

HE ATE OUT THREE MEALS A DAY.

YEAH, HE WAS A OBSESSIVE-COMPULSIVE.

I MEAN, HIS CLOSET, EVERYTHING WAS, LIKE,

THIS FAR APART AND HANGING IN HIS CLOSET.

IT WAS CRAZY.

HE WAS NUTTIER THAN A JUNKYARD RAT.

I CONFRONTED HIM AND SAID, "YOU DIDN'T FAIL THAT POLYGRAPH

BECAUSE YOU WERE AFRAID.

YOU FAILED THAT POLYGRAPH BECAUSE YOU KILLED THOSE KIDS,"

AND HIS RESPONSE TO ME WAS, "GOD HAS FORGIVEN ME."

TODAY LAMBORGINE WAS CHARGED WITH MOLESTING EIGHT BOYS

IN METRO DETROIT.

BUT MANY ARE EAGER TO KNOW

IF HE IS ALSO THE OAKLAND COUNTY CHILD KILLER,

A MAN WHO HAS ELUDED POLICE FOR MORE THAN 30 YEARS.

WHEN IT WAS ALL SAID AND DONE, WE HAD 17 COUNTS,

THREE LIFE FELONY COUNTS ON LAMBORGINE,

FOR CHILD MOLESTATION,

FROM BOYS THAT HE HAD RAPED HERE IN DETROIT BACK IN THE '70s.

THEY OFFER HIM THE POSSIBILITY

OF A LIGHTER SENTENCE AND WITNESS PROTECTION

IF HE AGREES TO A SECOND POLYGRAPH.

HE NOT ONLY TURNED DOWN THE OFFER,

BUT INSTEAD OF TRYING TO NEGOTIATE

SOME SORT OF A PLEA FOR HIMSELF IN ANY WAY,

HE PLEAD STRAIGHT-UP ON THE NOSE ALL 17 COUNTS,

INCLUDING LIFE FELONIES, WHICH TO US WAS VERY TELLING.

IT APPEARED TO US HE DIDN'T WANT TO IMPLICATE HIMSELF

IN SOMETHING THAT MAY BE LARGER OR MORE MASSIVE.

HE WOULDN'T TALK. HE WENT AWAY QUIETLY.

WITH NO PROOF THAT LAMBORGINE IS INVOLVED

IN THE OAKLAND COUNTY CHILD KILLINGS,

THAT DOOR CLOSES, BUT ANOTHER ONE OPENS.

I WAS AT MY OFFICE IN LIVONIA

AND GOT A CALL OUT OF THE BLUE ONE AFTERNOON,

AND IT WAS CATHY KING, TIM KING'S OLDER SISTER.

I HAD NEVER SPOKEN WITH HER BEFORE,

AND SHE HAD SOME INFORMATION THAT THEY HAD GLEANED

FROM A FRIEND OF THEIRS, A FRIEND NAMED PATRICK COFFEY.

PATRICK COFFEY LIVED ACROSS THE STREET

FROM THE KING FAMILY, IN BIRMINGHAM, BACK IN 1977.

HE WAS BEST FRIENDS WITH TIM'S OLDER BROTHER, CHRIS.

WE KNEW THAT WHOLE FAMILY. WE WERE FRIENDS.

THE KING BOYS AND ALL THE COFFEY BOYS,

WE COULD PLAY HOCKEY IN MY UNCLE'S FROZEN BACKYARD.

AS A MATTER OF FACT, IF YOU WERE LOOKING

FOR ONE OF THE KING BOYS OR THE COFFEY BOYS,

THAT'S THE FIRST PLACE THAT FAMILIES WOULD CALL.

POLICE, AND THE PUBLIC WERE HOPING, PRAYING,

THAT THE 11-YEAR-OLD YOUNGSTER WOULD BE FOUND ALIVE.

LATE LAST NIGHT, THOSE DESPERATE HOPES WOUND UP

IN A DITCH BESIDE A DIRT ROAD IN WESTERN WAYNE COUNTY,

WHERE TIMMY KING'S BODY HAD BEEN DUMPED.

I REMEMBER WHEN TIMMY WAS TAKEN AND ULTIMATELY FOUND DEAD,

IT WAS LIKE A SHOCK TO THE SYSTEM.

YOU JUST CAN'T PROCESS IT OR ACCEPT IT.

I REMEMBER LEAVING OUT THE BACK DOOR.

I DIDN'T WANT MY BROTHERS TO SEE ME CRY,

AND I REMEMBER POUNDING MY FISTS...

AGAINST A BRICK WALL

AND THINKING, "THIS CAN'T BE."

PATRICK NOW WORKS AS A POLYGRAPHER

AND EXPERT WITNESS NATIONWIDE.

I'VE BEEN DOING POLYGRAPH EXAMS FOR 30 YEARS,

AND I DO THEM IN THREE LANGUAGES.

I COULD NEVER HAVE ENVISIONED THAT I PERSONALLY COULD HAVE

MADE ANY CONTRIBUTION TO THIS CASE.

UNTIL JULY 2006, IN LAS VEGAS, WHERE A ONE-IN-A-MILLION CHANCE

ENCOUNTER BREAKS DECADES OF SILENCE.

I THOUGHT, "THIS HAS GOT TO BE PROVIDENCE.

THIS HAS GOT TO BE GOD'S HAND IN THIS."

AT A POLYGRAPHERS' CONVENTION

IN VEGAS IN 2006,

PATRICK COFFEY LEARNS THAT WHAT HAPPENS IN VEGAS

DOESN'T ALWAYS STAY IN VEGAS.

I WAS ASKED TO BE A GUEST SPEAKER.

I HAD GOTTEN DONE DOING MY PRESENTATION

OF ABOUT A HALF AN HOUR,

AND AN INDIVIDUAL WALKED UP TO ME,

AND THEY SAID, "THAT WAS A VERY DYNAMIC PRESENTATION."

AND FROM THAT SENTENCE ALONE,

I HEARD THE UNIQUE MICHIGAN NASAL ACCENT,

IF YOU WILL, AND I SAID,

"THE REASON I CAME INTO THIS PROFESSION

WAS BECAUSE OF WHAT HAPPENED TO MY NEIGHBOR BOY.

MAYBE YOU'VE HEARD OF THE CASE. MOST PEOPLE WOULD CALL IT

THE OAKLAND COUNTY CHILD KILLER CASE,"

AND I NOTICED A PHYSICAL CHANGE IN HIS FACE.

HE SAID, "I TESTED THE GUY WHO CONFESSED

TO KILLING YOUR NEIGHBOR BOY."

QUEUE AN INSTANT PRIMAL COLD SWEAT.

HE WENT ON TO TELL ME THAT THEY WERE TESTING SOMEONE

ON A COMPLETELY UNRELATED CASE,

THE MOLESTATION OF A LITTLE GIRL,

AND THAT THIS ATTORNEY HAD SENT THEIR CLIENT

TO HIM TO BE TESTED.

AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF ALL THE QUESTIONS IN THE POLYGRAPH,

HE WAS GETTING SOME RESISTANCE TO CERTAIN QUESTIONS,

AND FINALLY IN FRUSTRATION HE SAID TO THE INDIVIDUAL,

"WELL, WHY CAN'T YOU ANSWER NO TO THAT QUESTION?"

TO WHICH THE INDIVIDUAL REPLIED, "BECAUSE I DIDN'T DO THIS ONE,

BUT I DID THE KING BOY IN BIRMINGHAM."

AS SOON AS THE POLYGRAPHER SAYS IT,

HE REALIZES HE SHOULDN'T HAVE AND REFUSES TO SAY THE NAME.

HE DOES GIVE PATRICK COFFEY TWO CLUES.

THE INDIVIDUAL WHO CONFESSED IS DEAD, AND SO IS HIS ATTORNEY.

LIKE, MIDNIGHT OR 1:00 IN THE MORNING,

YOU KNOW, A PHONE RINGS.

IT'S PATRICK COFFEY, WHO I'VE TALKED TO ONCE IN 30 YEARS,

WHO TELLS ME THIS STORY, AND HE SAID,

"AND I AM TELLING YOU THIS NOW BECAUSE I HAD

A STROKE LAST YEAR, AND I KNOW LIFE CAN BE SHORT.

BUT I WANT YOU TO HAVE THIS BIT OF INFORMATION IN CASE,

GOD FORBID, SOMETHING SHOULD HAPPEN TO ME."

AFTER 30 YEARS, A LEAD IN TIM'S MURDER,

BUT NOT FROM THE POLICE, FROM A FAMILY FRIEND.

BUT WHAT TO DO WITH THIS INFORMATION?

MY FEELING WAS, "OKAY, I'M AN ATTORNEY.

IT WAS AN ATTORNEY-CLIENT PRIVILEGED POLYGRAPH,

AND IF I TAKE IT TO THE STATE POLICE,

THEY'RE GOING TO DEEP-SIX IT."

AND I DIDN'T TELL MY DAD BECAUSE, AT THE TIME,

HE TOLD THE STATE POLICE EVERYTHING.

I KNEW IT WOULD GO IN A CIRCULAR FILE

AND NEVER SEE THE LIGHT OF DAY.

SO I SAID TO MY SISTER, OFFHANDEDLY, I SAID,

"YOU KNOW, CORY WILLIAMS, HE PUT TED LAMBORGINE AWAY.

HE'S A HUSTLER. I'M IMPRESSED WITH HIM,"

AND SO SHE HAD SAID,

"WELL, LET'S BRING THIS PAT COFFEY LEAD TO CORY."

I HAD NEVER MET HIM. I CALLED HIM.

I SAID, "I WOULD LIKE TO TELL YOU SOMETHING,

BUT I WILL ONLY TELL YOU IF YOU WON'T TELL THE STATE POLICE."

AND HE SAID, "WELL, WE CAN DO THAT UP TO A POINT."

I ENDED MY CALL WITH CATHY

AND CALLED MY PROSECUTOR RIGHT AWAY AND SAID,

"LISTEN, WE MIGHT HAVE SOMETHING INTERESTING HERE."

CORY WILLIAMS STARTED INVESTIGATING THAT LEAD.

THAT WAS ONE OF THE REASONS THAT THIS CASE KIND OF

STARTED TO SPARK A LITTLE BIT AGAIN.

OVER THE NEXT YEAR, THE TASK FORCE PORES THROUGH POLYGRAPHS

THAT TOOK PLACE IN FLINT IN 1977.

ALL THEY HAVE IS THE CLUES PATRICK COFFEY GAVE THEM.

THE INDIVIDUAL IS DEAD, AND SO IS THE ATTORNEY.

WE FOUND 40 OR 50 POLYGRAPHS, BUT ONLY TWO PERTAINING

TO THE OAKLAND COUNTY CHILD KILLINGS.

ONE WE WERE ABLE TO EXCLUDE RIGHT AWAY

AS NOT BEING CONNECTED TO OUR CASE.

THE OTHER ONE WAS CHRIS BUSCH AND GREG GREEN.

THOSE NAMES SOUND FAMILIAR TO DETECTIVE WILLIAMS.

IN FEBRUARY OF 1977, CHRISTOPHER BUSCH

WAS THE 25-YEAR-OLD SUSPECT OBSESSED WITH BOYS, ARRESTED,

QUESTIONED, AND POLYGRAPHED WITH HIS FELLOW ACCOMPLICE,

GREGORY GREEN, IN THE MURDERS OF THE FIRST THREE VICTIMS.

WE STARTED PULLING THESE RECORDS AND POLICE REPORTS

MEANING NOT ONLY WAS HE MOLESTING IN OAKLAND COUNTY

AND ALL OVER THE PLACE, WHEN THEY ARRESTED HIM,

HE HAD A SUITCASE WITH ROPES IN THE CAR,

CHILD PORNOGRAPHY, POUNDS OF WEED AND A SHOTGUN.

HE WAS RELEASED ON BOND, AFTER BEING QUESTIONED

RELATED TO THE CHILD KILLINGS,

AND ROUGHLY A WEEK LATER, TIMOTHY KING GOES MISSING.

IN 2010, AS HE DIGS THROUGH THE FILES,

APPLEMAN DISCOVERS ONE SENTENCE BURIED

IN A SMALL-TOWN NORTHERN MICHIGAN NEWSPAPER,

A SENTENCE THAT MAY UNLOCK A DARK CONNECTION.

THIS ARTICLE TALKS ABOUT PORNOGRAPHY

CONFISCATED FROM NORTH FOX ISLAND,

AND PORNOGRAPHY CONFISCATED FROM CHRISTOPHER BUSCH.

HIS NAME WAS FOUND AMONG THE LIST

OF FRANCIS SHELDEN'S CLIENTS AND SUBSCRIBERS.

DID THE COPS HAVE THE KILLER AND LET HIM GO?

NEXT TIME ON "CHILDREN OF THE SNOW"...

THERE'S JUST TOO MUCH STUFF THERE THAT MADE IT LOOK LIKE,

"I'M THE MAN. THIS IS IT. EVERYTHING IS OVER."

"THE VAST MAJORITY OF THE TIME,

THE KILLER'S NAME IS ALREADY IN THE BOX."

DID THE POLICE MISS CRUCIAL EVIDENCE

OR DELIBERATELY HIDE IT?

AND WAS NEVER SEEN AGAIN.

WILL SCIENCE UNLOCK A 40-YEAR-OLD MYSTERY

FROM A SINGLE STRAND OF HAIR?