04x07 - Ties That Bind

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Narrator: 11-year-old

Ricky stetson went for an

Evening run on a jogging trail

In portland, maine.

Witnesses recalled seeing the

Boy and a young man right behind

Him on a bicycle.

The next day, ricky stetson's

Body was discovered in a nearby

Ravine.

He had been m*rder*d.

The k*ller left very few clues,

But he left behind something he

Couldn't hide -- his signature.

His family lived in a

Working-class section of

Portland, maine, a coastal city

Known primarily as a summer

Vacation destination.

Around 8:00 p.m. On

August 23, 1983, ricky went for

A short run along a biking and

Jogging path called black cove.

He never returned home.

His body was discovered the next

Day in a grassy area just off

The jogging path.

There was evidence both

Externally and internally, as I

Recall, of asphyxiation, that

Is, of choking around the neck.

And it appeared to the medical

Examiner as though he was choked

Manually and probably by a

Ligature.

Narrator: he had also been

Stabbed.

The autopsy revealed that the

Boy had not been sexually

Assaulted, but there were bite

Wounds on various parts of his

Body.

And the bite marks had been

Gouged with a knife.

None of the forensic dentists

Had seen a case before in which

There had been a bite mark with

Slashing and cutting through it

As if to hide the bite mark.

And so that's what the law calls

A signature crime, that is, it

Is done in a way that is very

Unique, that is very unusual,

That the culprit, the

Perpetrator, is leaving, as it

Were, his signature on the

Crime.

Narrator: to portland police,

Ricky stetson's m*rder appeared

Similar to a series of knifings

That occurred two years earlier

In the oakdale section of the

City.

Michael witham was just 9 years

Old when he had an encounter

With the so-called

"Oakdale slasher."

There's a wooded lot between

A couple of houses which have a

Couple of paths.

And I was called into the wooded

Lot by a guy who I didn't know

At the time.

He had asked me a few

Questions -- my age, my name,

Where I lived.

And after I had answered his

Questions, he said I could

Leave.

As I turned to leave, he grabbed

Me and cut my throat.

Narrator: witham got away,

But the injury was just inches

From being fatal and required 12

Stitches to close.

All witham could say was the

Attacker was a white male in his

Late teens or early 20s.

That description was similar to

The one of the man seen riding

His bicycle behind

Ricky stetson.

For a full year, police searched

For the k*ller and eventually

They identified a suspect --



He was also a suspect in the

Attempted m*rder of a 9-year-old

Girl.

But there was a problem.

Police in bellevue, nebraska,

Had a similar m*rder -- a



And markings identical to

Ricky stetson's.

If the nebraska m*rder was

Related to the stetson case in

Maine, joseph anderson wasn't

The k*ller.

A serial m*rder*r was on the

Loose on a 1,500-mile k*lling

Spree.

Narrator: in the fall of



Bellevue, nebraska, were

Searching for a missing



Danny joe eberle.

Danny joe had been delivering

Newspapers early one sunday

Morning when he mysteriously

Disappeared.

He was partially through is

Paper route, and now has

Disappeared.

And he wasn't with any of his

Playmates, any of his relatives,

Wasn't in any of the

Neighborhoods.

And we knew something was

Terribly wrong right then.

Narrator: danny joe's bicycle

Was found in front of a home he

Delivered newspapers to, but

There was no sign of a struggle

And no sign of the boy.

Danny's bicycle -- his

Brother and sister and his

Mother and dad said his whole

Life was that bicycle.

That's why he delivered

Newspapers -- to buy

Accessories, to keep the bicycle

Shiny.

He was really proud of it.

Narrator: police searched for

Danny joe eberle across the

State of nebraska.

His picture was seen on nightly

Television programs and in the

Newspapers.

Three days later, investigators'

Worst fears were realized --

Danny joe eberle's body was

Found on a desolate stretch of

Road four miles from his

Bicycle.

He had been stabbed to death.

The town's mayor, joe baldwin,

Personally delivered the news to

The boy's mother.

We broke the news to her, and

We were all crying, including

The fbi guy.

He was crying, and I was crying.

The chief was crying.

A very traumatic-type thing to

Tell some woman -- "your son was

Found, and he's dead."

Most traumatic thing I think

I've ever done.

Narrator: danny joe eberle's

Hands and feet were tied with

Rope, and a star-shaped pattern

Had been cut into his chest.

But there was no sign of sexual

as*ault.

Police turned to fbi behavioral

Analyst robert ressler for a

Psychological profile of the

k*ller.

We had a biter, an individual

That was compelled to bite his

Victims and then cutting the

Flesh away to deny that evidence

To the police.

Narrator: since the body was

Found so close to the road,

Ressler suspected the k*ller was

Slightly built and not strong

Enough to carry the body very

Far.

The location also told ressler

That the k*ller was

Inexperienced.

That it was right off the

Side of the road really would

Indicate to me that the k*ller

Was in a little state of panic,

Wanted to get rid of the body,

Didn't want to be found with the

Body in the car but wasn't

Sophisticated or knowledgeable

Enough about the area to do it

Effectively.

And it would indicate to me,

Possibly, that this may have

Been the first time that he had

k*lled in this particular area.

Narrator: the rope used to

Bind danny joe eberle was of

Particular interest to

Investigators and was sent to

Fbi headquarters in

Washington, d.c.

Special agent wayne oakes

Conducted the analysis.

I had never seen anyone like

This.

None of the other examiners in

The laboratory who deal with

Ropes on a daily basis for a

Number of years had ever seen a

Rope like this.

Narrator: the outside of the

Rope was common white nylon, but

The inner core was extremely

Unusual.

There were 24 different types of

Fibers and 106 different colored

Yarns.

There were polyesters, nylons,

Rayons, acrylics, polyethylenes,

Wools, and cottons, which is

What made the rope unique.

Oakes took the rope to the

National cordage institute, a

Trade association of all rope

Manufacturers in the

United states.

Their technical experts had

Never seen a rope like this,

Either.

Back in bellevue, nebraska,

Police were desperate to find

The k*ller of danny joe eberle,

And parents were warned to keep

A close eye on their children.

People are reluctant to let

Their children out to go

Sledding or skating or any of

The normal activities.

Children are watched over at

Shopping centers.

The parents are keeping a very

Tight rein on their children for

Their safety.

Narrator: despite the

Precautions, the unthinkable

Happened again.

Another young boy, 12-year-old

Christopher walden, was abducted

As he walked to school.

It was about eight blocks

From his house, again in

Bellevue, and he was at a

Four-way stop when a young man

Came up and forced him into the

Car and drove off with him.

Narrator: in the sub-zero

Temperatures, police searched

For christopher walden.

Three days later, a group of

Pheasant hunters stumbled upon a

Snow-covered figure.

Christopher walden's frozen body

Was found in the same area as

Danny joe eberle's.

Like danny joe, walden had been

Stabbed to death, and he had the

Same star-shaped pattern etched

On his body.

Narrator: two sets of

Footprints led into the woods

Where christopher walden's body

Was discovered, but only one set

Of footprints left the scene, an

Indication the k*ller did not

Have an accomplice.

The star-shaped pattern told

Investigators that this was the

Same individual who k*lled

Danny joe eberle three months

Earlier.

Witnesses saw christopher walden

With a young, white male in his

Early 20s on the walkway near

The school.

From those descriptions, police

Created a composite drawing,

Which was distributed to

Newspapers and local television

Stations.

Robert ressler refined his

Profile of the k*ller with

Information gathered from the

Second m*rder.

I felt that the individual,

Because of this need to be close

To young males and having an

Attraction for them, that he

Would be involved in some sort

Of activities with youth -- a

Soccer coach, baseball coach,

Boy scouts.

Narrator: since the k*ller

Was using a knife to obscure the

Bite wounds, ressler suspected

That the k*ller read police and

Detective magazines, because

Matching bite wounds to a dental

Impression is often discussed in

These types of publications.

Police talked to a woman who was

Walking her dog near the

Intersection at the time

Christopher walden was abducted.

She thought she saw the

Abduction, but she wasn't

Entirely sure, so police asked

Her to undergo hypnosis.

Hypnosis can sometimes help a

Witness to recall details of an

Event they can't otherwise

Remember.

But hypnotically enhanced

Recollections are usually not

Admissible in court.

She underwent hypnosis, and

Something came out in the

Session.

And it was just driving her

Crazy, and it all came back to

Her.

And that's when she realized

That she had seen

Christopher walden being

Kidnapped.

Narrator: she said that

Christopher walden was with a

Man who was approximately the

Same height.

The car leaving the scene was

Brown.

The license number started with

The letter "r" followed by a

Series of numbers.

Sheriff patrick thomas issued a

Challenge to the k*ller during a

News conference.

And I think that the

Individual who's responsible for

These acts is very sick...

Spineless, a coward.

And I would urge him to call a

Minister or a priest or me.

There was a lot of

Monday-morning quarterbacking

From then on that maybe

This shouldn't have been done or

Maybe -- whatever.

But I felt that I would see what

He's made of, because I knew

That he was watching the press,

He was watching tv, he was

Monitoring us as much as they

Do.

That's part of their profile.

That's part of their m.o.

And I figured that maybe he

Would make a mistake.

Narrator: and it worked.

A local woman, barbara weaver,

Told friends that she had been

Praying for the capture of the

Serial m*rder*r, and she did

Something else.

In her prayers, she offered

Herself in any way possible to

Help find the k*ller.

Barbara weaver worked in a

Day-care center, and she usually

Arrived at work early to get her

Classroom ready.

When she looked outside, she

Noticed a strange car in the

Parking lot.

The driver was wearing a ski cap

And looked similar to the

Composite drawings of the k*ller

She saw on television.

As she was writing down the

License-plate number, the man

Entered the classroom.

He threatened to k*ll her and

Pulled a knife.

Mrs. Weaver ran past him and

Fled to the house next door,

Which belonged to the pastor of

The church.

From there, she called police.

She writes down his license

Tag.

That's the first thing she did.

Sharp woman.

And the fact of it is, when she

Saw the car, she said, "that

Looks like the car of this

k*ller."

This is all that's on everyone's

Mind.

This is the biggest case they've

Ever had in nebraska.

Narrator: police tracked the

License-plate number to a



Stationed at offutt air force

Base.

His name was john joubert.

Joubert was a maintenance

Mechanic in the radar unit.

He was also an eagle scout

And was an assistant scout

Leader for a local troupe.

Joubert denied having anything

To do with the two murders.

But there was an interesting

Coincidence -- joubert had been

Living in portland, maine, the

Year before at the time of

Ricky stetsons's m*rder.

Narrator: when john joubert

Was questioned about the murders

Of danny joe eberle and

Christopher walden, he had

Little to say to investigators.

But he fit the fbi's profile of

The k*ller.

He was 19 years old, slightly

Built, and an eagle scout who

Volunteered his time as an

Assistant scout leader of a

Local troop.

Joubert read soft-core

Pornography and detective

Magazines, which were found in

His footlocker at the air force

Base.

But what police found in his

Automobile was of particular

Interest.

On the right floorboard was a

Brown caucasian head hair, which

Was sent to the fbi for

Analysis.

A microscopic examination of

The questioned hairs found from

The vacuum sweepings in the

Vehicle with the known standards

From the victim, they were the

Same microscopically.

And I indicated in my report

That the hairs in the vehicle

Were consistent with head hairs

From the victim

Danny joe eberle.

Narrator: police also found a

Knife and a roll of tape, and in

Joubert's automobile was a piece

Of rope.

At first it appeared to be

Common nylon rope similar to the

Type sold in thousands of

Retail outlets throughout the

United states, but inside the

Rope was a surprise.

The core of the rope was so

Unique with 106 different fibers

In there.

Every single one of those fibers

Was mounted on a glass

Microscope, and the generic

Class of fiber was identified to

Make sure they were the same

Color, composition, diameter,

Cross-sectional shape, and to

Make sure that the acetates

Matched the acetates and the

Polyethylenes matched the

Polyethylenes.

I found that they were identical

In all respects --

Microscopically, instrumentally,

Chemical tests.

There were no differences

Between the two ropes.

Narrator: joubert had no idea

The rope was so rare.

He said he had been given the

Rope years earlier in the

Boy scouts.

When confronted with the

Evidence, joubert confessed.

He said, "let me tell you

About the second boy first

Because it's fresher in my

Mind."

And we started questioning him,

And he told us and provided us

With facts concerning the

Killings and the abduction of

Both boys that would only be

Known to the individual that had

Committed the crimes.

Narrator: joubert also

Admitted that he was the oakdale

Slasher, and his att*cks on

People like michael witham were

Practice for his subsequent

k*lling spree.

He also revealed that after

k*lling danny joe eberle, he

Walked into a mcdonalds

Restaurant, washed the blood

From his hands in the

Men's room, and ordered some

Breakfast.

After the christopher walden

m*rder, joubert said he attended

A boy scout meeting, where he

Was an assistant troop leader.

At that meeting, the troop

Discussed the abductions.

Guys, you know, as long as

You look out for each other, you

Have nothing to worry about,

Okay?

Narrator: after 116 days and

One of the most intensive

Manhunts in nebraska history,

Police finally had their k*ller,

And portland, maine, had theirs,

As well.

In maine, joubert was sentenced

To life in prison for the m*rder

Of ricky stetson.

In nebraska, for the murders of

Danny joe eberle and

Christopher walden, joubert was

Convicted and sentenced to

Death.

I specifically asked him if

He disliked the boys, and his

Statement was, "how could I

Dislike him?

I didn't even know him."

Narrator: no one knows what

Drove john joubert to k*ll.

And I remember one day, I

Said, "john, if I let you out of

Jail today and just let you walk

Away from here, do you think

You've learned now that you

Would never do that again?"

He thought for quite some time,

And he says, "no."

"No," he says, "I don't think I

Could help myself."

I says, "do you mean you would

Go k*ll another little boy?"

"Yeah, probably," he said.

"Yeah, I probably would."

Narrator: on july 17, 1996,

John joubert was put to death in

The electric chair.

Joubert's presence is still felt

To this day in the small town of

Bellevue.

Former mayor joe baldwin

Regularly visits the victims'

Graves and remembers the



Stalked his community.

The most horrible thing that

Ever happened in this city,

You know, to have a young person

Like that -- two young persons

And even three -- to have their

Life taken away by a person like

That.

I think that is terrible.

You can't believe how traumatic

It is when that happens.

Just the other day in a

Grocery store, a lady said that

She's just fearful of her

Little boy playing after dark,

That she remembers joubert.

She says, "I don't know how to

Instill in them that it may

Happen again."

I told her to hope and pray that

Never it would happen again, but

Make sure she keeps an eye on

Her little boy.

You just have to be careful.

Children have to be very

Careful.

There are people out there that

Prey on them.