06x11 - Can I Help You?

[bunniefuu]

Narrator: a brutal m*rder...

Siniff: there was blood on his arms, blood on his face.

...leaves a family heartbroken.

It felt like a bad dream.

I just wanted to wake up.

Narrator: detectives turn to surveillance footage for help.

Cameras don't lie.

Narrator: it's a race against time...

I knew that their intentions were to k*ll me.

This is an emergency.

Narrator: ...to catch a k*ller.

They're on a crime spree.

This is not going to end well.

♪♪

♪♪

♪♪

♪♪

Woman: hello? Anybody here?

♪♪

[ Gasps ]

♪♪

[ Siren wailing ]

[ Police radio chatter ]

On july 24th 2013, we received a 911 call.

The clerk had been shot at

The convenience plus mart on east livingston avenue.

Narrator: detectives siniff and landis

Of the columbus division of police catch the case.

♪♪

As we walked up and looked behind the counter,

We seen a male.

He was definitely deceased.

Narrator: he's a familiar face.

The victim was imran ashgar.

We knew he was married,

Living in columbus.

Narrator: 34-year-old imran lived near the store

With his wife of seven years, kristine.

A popular figure in the community,

Officers often stopped by for coffee.

Siniff: several officers had frequented the store

And knew mr. Ashgar very well.

He was a good guy.

He never did nothing to anyone.

Narrator: but he's been shot twice,

Point blank in the head.

Siniff: had blood on his arms, blood on his face,

Swollen left eye with what appeared to be a b*llet wound

Just below his left eye.

Narrator: investigators' first theory is robbery,

But there's a problem.

Siniff: the cash was still in the cash register.

Did not seem to be anything of value taken from this scene.

The suspects usually get what they want first.

It seemed kind of odd that there was nothing taken.

Narrator: detectives also find the store's g*n

Under the counter.

Siniff: it made us believe that he had no idea the attack

Was coming, and therefore could not defend himself.

Lots of scenarios run through your head.

If robbery was the motivation,

Why did they not get what they were there to get?

He have an argument with somebody in the neighborhood?

Somebody in the neighborhood out to get him?

Was it a family member out to get him?

♪♪

Narrator: as police process the crime scene,

News of the k*lling ripples through the neighborhood.

[ Phone rings ]

Kristine's waiting for imran to come home,

When the phone rings.

Kristine: I was thinkin' maybe it would be imran.

Imran loved his job as a cashier.

His dream was to always to open his own store

Because we wanted to have family.

[ Phone rings ]

Hello?

One of his friends was like, "hey, um, be the one to tell you

This, but your husband was just shot."

That's not funny.

It was kind of a scary street.

He's came home several times thinkin' about gettin'

A different job because it was not safe at all.

I was very afraid for his safety.

[ Line ringing ]

I called my husband's phone.

I was hopin' and prayin' it was a prank.

My heart was racin'.

Come on. Pick up.

[ Line ringing ]

Narrator: but there's no answer.

Not bein' able to get ahold of him, it just felt like

My air was being taken out of me.

It was like I couldn't breathe.

♪♪

Narrator: kristine heads straight to the store.

I just wanted to freeze time for just -- just a little bit

To hold onto the fact that he was maybe still alive.

It just felt like...

A nightmare.

Everything that was

Flashing before me.

Me and imran's wedding day,

Just everything that we went through,

The good, the bad, it just --

I just couldn't picture my life without him.

Narrator: as forensics process the crime scene,

Detectives start their search for the sh**ter.

Siniff: one of our first focuses is to find out

If we have any witnesses who can identify suspects.

One of the employees, a mr. Harshaw,

He was stocking the coolers when this incident occurred.

Siniff: he informed us that he'd thought it was

A .22 caliber firearm that had been discharged.

Yeah? All right.

Siniff: once he heard the g*nshots,

He immediately ran straight back towards the stockroom

And then ran downstairs.

Siniff: he did not go out and check on anything

Until he heard a customer

Asking for service, then went towards the front of the store.

He could see that mr. Ashgar was laying behind

The counter and not moving.

He immediately had the customers leave the store,

And I believe it was mr. Harshaw

Who locked the door and called police.

Siniff: seemed to be genuine.

You can never rule anybody out

Until proper information comes forward

To clear each and every person involved.

Narrator: two hours into the investigation,

Kristine arrives at the store.

Kristine: tell me he's alive. Please say he's alive, please.

The worst part of the job is when you have to inform

Somebody that their loved one will never be home again.

I'm so sorry.

[ Crying ] no! No!

[ Crying ]

It was, like, literally just reached in

And just pulled out my heart and just smashed it.

[ Crying ]

It felt like a bad dream. [ Crying ]

I just wanted to wake up.

And then the reality started kickin' in...

That I lost my best friend.

Narrator: with a sh**ter on the loose,

Detectives need to know if imran had any enemies.

Say a prayer for the victim and do your job.

Did she know of any enemies that mr. Ashgar may have had,

Or had he complained about any incidents

Taking place at the store itself?

No. Nothing.

Narrator: with no immediate suspect,

Detectives are desperate for a lead.

Pressure's on because the longer a homicide case goes,

The less chance you have of solving it.

Narrator: they could be in luck.

Siniff: the store had several cameras outside

As well as inside.

Narrator: and they're staring directly at the cash register.

The hope is that the crime is captured on surveillance.

That's your eyewitness.

Cameras don't lie.

♪♪

♪♪

[ Gasps ]

Narrator: following the sh**ting of 34-year-old imran ashgar

In a convenience store in ohio,

Detectives have found security cameras

They hope have captured his k*ller.

They bring up the first angle.

You always wonder, how good is this footage gonna be?

There was a camera in the back that

You could see a view of the entire store.

Narrator: imran can be seen top of the screen

Standing at the cash register opposite the entrance.

This camera gives us a clear view of

Every person coming in and out of that door.

Narrator: detectives cue it to 11:06 p.m.,

The time of the 911 call,

And watch.

♪♪

You have to watch every bit of frame,

And every second of the cameras.

You could see the coolers to the right,

Where that howard harshaw was filling the coolers.

♪♪

♪♪

Narrator: they soon realize that the camera's timestamp is off,

So they have no idea when the sh**ting will occur.

Everything appears normal...

Until suddenly...

[ g*nsh*t ]

He just comes straight in from outside.

Play it again.

♪♪

Lowe: you can see the suspect with a orange shirt

Approach imran with a g*n out right in front of him,

And just walk up and basically sh**t him in the face.

It's hard to watch.

Narrator: it's a chilling moment.

When you're watching video footage of somebody

Being m*rder*d,

It is sad, but you have to always keep it in the back

Of your mind, it's evidence.

♪♪

Narrator: to the right, a stunned howard harshaw

Can be seen seeking cover at the back of the store,

Just like he said.

But who is the mystery attacker?

It appeared that there was nothing

Premeditated about this as*ault.

There was no words discussed.

There was no punches thrown.

There was no demands made.

It was obvious mr. Ashgar never had a chance

To reach for his firearm.

It was just a straight rush and shot.

And we're thinking it's personal.

This mr. Ashgar has to know this suspect.

There has to be something more to it.

Narrator: but the camera is too far away to id the sh**ter.

They need a clearer view.

So they switch to a camera mounted behind

The cash register, covering the entrance.

Lowe: this camera view was wonderful

'Cause you can see people come in and out of the store.

Narrator: they cue the footage to the time of the attack.

♪♪

♪♪

♪♪

It's always hard to watch someone m*rder*d on film,

To see.

It's never comfortable.

It's never fun.

This case is a little bit different from

Most of the cases I work on.

I rarely have surveillance cameras that are of such

Quality that you can make out who the people are.

It was if you were watching it on tv --

That's how good the camera was and how close it was.

Narrator: but detectives don't recognize his face.

They look at the footage for any other clues.

Siniff: a male with a white t-shirt can be observed

Just standing in the doorway of the convenience store.

Narrator: the sh**ter is not working alone.

Lowe: but you can tell from the video that these

Are young kids. These are teenagers.

They were

Smiling, giggling, was --

You know, it's disturbing to watch that these people just --

They didn't take it seriously at all.

Narrator: detectives keep watching.

From this camera angle, we can see that the men

Exited the store.

Narrator: detectives think they've fled the scene,

But just a few seconds later,

They unexpectedly reappear...

♪♪

Now joined by a third man.

A male with a blue t-shirt and a hat can be seen

Being pulled into the store by one of the men.

He walks up to imran to see if he's still alive.

Narrator: suddenly, something grabs the detectives' attention.

Stop. Punch in to the guy with the white shirt.

Lowe: yeah, this camera angle, it shows clearly

The non-sh**ter in the white t-shirt's

Got a semiautomatic handgun.

When he's talking with the sh**ter,

He's gesturing with it,

And it's a wonderful angle to see that he is also armed.

We're dealing with two dangerous individuals.

Narrator: they keep watching.

Siniff: the male wearing the blue t-shirt,

Walks over to the two men.

It's obvious that they're having some kind

Of discussion or words.

♪♪

Lowe: the individual in the white t-shirt

Looks like he's directing the sh**ter in the orange t-shirt.

He appears mad saying, "you go take care of this.

"You finish this.

"You didn't k*ll him.

You need to finish the job, and we need to get out of here."

Narrator: they play on, anxious to see what happens next.

♪♪

♪♪

The male with the orange t-shirt reapproaches

The counter where mr. Ashgar is behind.

He takes careful aim,

And he fires a second shot at mr. Ashgar.

Narrator: it's a cold-blooded assassination.

If you're willing to sh**t someone in the face,

You want to finish the job to make sure that no one could

Testify against you, uh, if you get caught.

Siniff: when you commit that type of crime

And sh**t a person the second time,

Who could never, ever defend themselves,

Their actions were just ruthless.

Narrator: this angle may also offer detectives

A possible motive.

Siniff: the suspect can be seen reaching into the counter area,

But it's unknown what he is reaching for

Or what he is trying to do.

Narrator: whatever he is doing...

Is just out of shot.

Okay, next camera.

Narrator: detectives switch to a third camera on the far end

Of the counter.

Lowe: I've done several murders where the camera is just,

You know, six inches off frame for the sh**ting,

But when you get a good camera angle like this,

It's wonderful.

Narrator: the angle shows an even clearer

View of an innocent man's execution.

It's terribly sad every time you see it.

Anyone who can come into a store and sh**t someone

Without demanding anything is an individual who needs

To be locked up and the key needs to be thrown away.

Narrator: detectives now want to know what the k*ller

Is reaching for.

After the second shot, the male with the orange t-shirt

Can be seen reaching around

The counter area but cannot open up the cash register.

It's clear when you see him reach for the cash register

That that's what they're there for.

They're there for the money,

And they're just not bright enough to get the cash.

When the individual reaches and makes such a small effort

To get money and doesn't get it,

It's just like, oh well, and kills an individual over that,

It's just -- it's staggering the -- just the callousness.

Narrator: after the three suspects leave the store,

Howard returns and calls 911, just as he told police.

He's cleared of any involvement.

With no sign of a getaway vehicle,

Detectives need names in order to track them down.

Is this a one-time thing?

Is this going to continue?

Has this person already done this before,

And we don't know about it?

The police are in a race against time to make sure

That this person doesn't k*ll again.

♪♪

First resource is to look at

The police officers who work in the area.

They know the players usually,

And the people that run around the streets.

Narrator: they're in luck.

The officers identify one of the suspects straightaway.

They immediately were able to identify the sh**ter

As an individual by the name of devonere simmonds.

He had previously broken into a house

And threatened the homeowner with a knife.

Narrator: officers are immediately dispatched

To his last known address,

But he's not there.

Siniff: they're now on the run. They're scared.

They're going to do whatever they can

To maintain their freedom.

Narrator: detectives release the images of the suspects

To the state's media.

Woman: police released this surveillance video they say

Shows the suspect, 17-year-old devonere simmonds.

Well, columbus police say this wanted suspect

Is armed and dangerous,

And police are urging the public not to confront him.

If you release a photo of someone, um,

There's a chance that you spook them.

There's a chance that you make them more dangerous,

But you've got a look out for the public safety.

Narrator: the news report is a risk that pays off.

It sparks an immediate response.

So there was a woman, saw the news reports,

And recognized the individuals who committed the homicide.

Siniff: she could identify the male with the white shirt as

Mr. Nathaniel brunner.

And he's 18?

And she knew this male because it was her ex-boyfriend.

Narrator: she says simmonds and brunner took her green pontiac.

Thank you, ma'am. That's incredibly helpful information.

Lowe: at this point, you've got two dangerous individuals.

We know they're willing to k*ll.

It's a matter of time before someone else gets k*lled.

♪♪

Narrator: it's been three days since imran was shot.



Deputy gibson of the madison county

Sheriff's office is on his night shift.

Gibson: july 27th was a regular night.

I was sort of driving around when a radio call came in

For a report of a sh**ting at the truck stop

That was within a quarter mile of my location.

[ Siren wails ]

This is an emergency.

♪♪

[ Siren wailing ]

Narrator: imran ashgar's assassins have been on the run

For three days. Now, 25 miles to the west,

Law enforcement have yet another sh**ting on their hands.

And that's where I encountered william rudd for the first time.

He had been shot in the head.

Narrator: william "joe" rudd is in a critical state.

Part of his face and jaw area was

Fairly d*sfigured with a good amount of blood.

Really thought that mr. Rudd's injuries would be fatal,

And I started filming short video clips.

I immediately recognized that I had a sh**ting victim

Who could tell me his story.

Mr. Rudd was quite remarkable, and it was my thought

That what I was recording was mr. Rudd's last testimony,

And that if I didn't collect this initial important

Information immediately, it'd be lost forever.

That was the first moment that we start to

Develop a profile of who the potential suspects are.

So now we have a stolen vehicle,

Armed suspects, and we don't know where they're going.

Narrator: paramedics can't wait a moment longer.

[ Siren wailing ]

Joe rudd is rushed to hospital for emergency treatment.

Gibson: he may very well die.

We were about



From william rudd's description of his suspects

And his vehicle, we were able to within minutes

Start broadcasting information

To surrounding law enforcement agencies.

This is deputy gibson.

It's a great dodge magnum.

The occupants are two teenagers, black, male.

[ Phone ringing ]

Narrator: the victim's mother, pat rudd, is fast asleep

As the phone rings.

[ Phone ringing ]

I got a phone call and I thought, oh, well, that's joe.

[ Phone ringing ] hello? Joe?

I picked up the phone and heard this terrible screaming,

And it was his ex-wife.

They had contacted her,

And she said, "joe's been shot in the head."

You can't bring a child into the world and -- and then hear

News like that and not think

This is the worst thing in the world

That could ever happen to anybody.

I don't remember ever being so upset,

So devastated. Felt like somebody had

Ripped my heart out of my body.

And so I just hung up, tried to stay calm,

And started packin' a few clothes.

I didn't know what I was gonna find

When I got to the hospital.

I just knew that I -- we had to get there.

Narrator: as officers seal off the crime scene,

Detective siniff happens to be driving by.

Siniff: on july 27th, I had been working late that day.

I observed the bp station, and I seen that they

Had major crime scene going on.

Piqued my interest,

Knew it was a possible travel route for the suspects.

As I drove up into the scene, basically being nosy.

Columbus p.d.

Was this a sh**ting?

Yeah, two black male teenagers shot a guy in the face.

Narrator: the description and m.o. Match that

Of imran ashgar's K*llers.

Siniff: there was very good chance at that point in time,

It was mr. Brunner and mr. Simmonds.

They guided me towards their lead investigator

Who was going to show me video.

Narrator: the gas station has no cameras outside by the pumps,

So there's no footage of the sh**ting,

But there are cameras inside the store itself.

Witnesses said the shooters were inside

The truck stop before the attack took place.

Gibson: the employees of the truck stop

Had been really helpful.

They'd already narrowed it down to a timeframe

Of when the sh**ting happened, and the set of cameras

That gave them the best viewable angles.

Narrator: if it's the same shooters,

They're K*llers on a spree.

And there's no knowing how many more bodies could turn up.

♪♪

♪♪

Narrator: following a second sh**ting

At a gas station in ohio,

Detectives fear they could be dealing with K*llers on a spree.

To find out, detectives hope

The security cameras can i.d. The shooters.

The store manager brings up the first camera

And cues it to 2 a.m., The time witnesses

Say the men came into the store.

♪♪

♪♪

♪♪

The video shows two gentlemen enter the shot.

They had matched william rudd's description of

His suspects.

It's obvious that these are the guys who would

Eventually sh**t and try to k*ll william rudd.

Narrator: but is detective siniff also

Looking at his fugitives?

Gibson: one of the suspects approaches the counter,

And then he's quickly joined by the second suspect.

They make a purchase at the counter.

Lowe: they're not nervous.

They're not upset. They're not worried.

They're going about their business looking for snacks.

Narrator: the two men also match the description

Of imran ashgar's K*llers,

But the footage is too grainy to be certain.

Have you got anything closer?

Narrator: they switch to a camera covering the food aisles.

♪♪

♪♪

Lowe: you can see them walking through the store.

One of them appeared to be cold from the temperature.

Gibson: you see him with his hands inside of his shirt.

They don't look like they're looking to hurt anyone.

They just look like two teenagers in a gas station,

But they basically are sharks circling their prey.

They're looking for someone that they can prey upon.

They'd locked onto their prey,

William rudd.

Narrator: but the image still isn't clear enough to i.d. Them.

So detective siniff cues up one final camera

Overlooking the main walkway.

It's his last chance to get a clear look at their faces.

Play on.

♪♪

Narrator: this time the closeup image reveals

The suspects' features.

Siniff: it was definitely mr. Brunner.

♪♪

When viewing the video from mr. Ashgar's homicide,

It -- everything matched. It was him.

Narrator: while the image of the second male isn't as clear,

Detective siniff is confident he can make an i.d.

I was 99% sure it was mr. Simmonds because

Mannerisms, haircut,

The way he was walking.

Narrator: the footage confirms detectives' worst fears.

These guys just didn't care about anyone.

Didn't even care about themselves.

Makes them even more dangerous than they were before.

[ Police radio chatter ]

They're not thinking about consequences.

They're thinking I don't want to be caught by the police,

So I'm gonna sh**t someone, get a car,

Get us far away as I can.

Narrator: detectives put a bolo out on the dodge magnum,

As every officer in the state is put on red alert.

Lowe: these people have no regard for human life,

And that's a scary proposition.

They're gonna keep sh**ting

And stealing and getting what they need.

Narrator: back in columbus, joe rudd's parents arrive

At the hospital.

I was so afraid when I got to the hospital.

Not knowin' is the worst part.

It had blown out his jaw and his eye was swollen shut,

And I mean, it was it was a terrible, terrible sight.

But he was alive.

I knew that I'd been shot, and the b*llet's in my neck,

And, um...

But I didn't realize how close things were.

The b*llet traveled within an eighth of an inch

Of an artery.

If it would have severed that artery,

I would have lied there and had stroke after stroke,

And would have died in the parking lot.

The b*llet's still lodged in my neck.

It was dangerous to go in and remove it

Because of the -- the location of the b*llet.

I didn't put up a fight,

And they just shot me.

The g*n never left my head.

I knew...

That their intentions at that point were to -- to k*ll me.

And that's when i...

Took this shot to the -- to the --

To the head.

[ g*nsh*t ]

Don't know what kept me from

Just passing out.

Think I stayed alive to

Make sure they wouldn't be out to hurt others, so, yeah.

Narrator: with armed and dangerous K*llers on the run,

Detectives know the chances of another attack are high,

But they have no idea where the shooters are.

At that point, the police were on the lookout

For any car that matches the description.

You've already k*lled once, k*lling again

Is not a big deal.

It's the police's job to track

Them down and get them in custody.

♪♪

It's a statewide emergency as police sweep ohio for simmonds,

Brunner, and the gray dodge magnum.

Siniff: you keep with it.

You never stop.

They're now on the run,

And whoever they run across is also in danger of being

Assaulted by them.

Narrator: within hours, an officer spots

Joe's gray dodge magnum in dayton,



[ Police radio chatter ]

He kept an eye on the vehicle,

And he waited for uniformed officers

To respond to the location.

♪♪

Narrator: responding officers waste no time

In approaching the vehicle.

Siniff: you make sure you know what you're doing,

And you need to make sure that you know if it comes

To a deadly result that you're not the one on the losing end.

The only thing you can hear

Is your heart pounding through your chest.

Lowe: you don't approach a car like that with felons

That have m*rder*d someone very lightly.

They're on a crime spree. This is not going to end well.

♪♪

Narrator: officers have tracked down imran ashgar

And joe rudd's shooters 50 miles away in dayton, ohio.

As they close in on their suspects,

They brace themselves for a fierce firefight.

[ Indistinct yelling ]

Lowe: devonere simmonds and nathaniel brunner

Were in the car, sleeping.

You know, that's what you do after you've m*rder*d someone,

sh**t 'em, you just gotta catch a nap.

So they were able to be taken without

Any, uh -- any violence.

Lowe: when they got arrested, mr. Brunner had the firearm

That was linked to the homicide of mr. Ashgar.

It was on his lap.

Siniff: really great to know that they had finally

Been picked up and would not be hurting

Anybody else.

Narrator: simmonds and brunner are both taken back

To police headquarters for questioning.

Detectives know they did it,

But they still don't know why.

Nathaniel brunner is up first.

Lowe: in his interview, nathaniel brunner

Just looked calm and relaxed

And not scared at all.

Just kind of, you know, like he was sitting waiting for,

You know, a dentist appointment.

He said,

"I'll just let the video speak for itself."

Narrator: investigators now turn their attention

To devonere simmonds.

Siniff: he wasn't worried about us,

Wasn't worried about his fate.

He just didn't care about anything.

Narrator: the third man involved in imran ashgar's m*rder,

Is i.d.'D as darrell durham.

Detectives bring him in.

He had cut his hair off, so his hair was not the same

Length as it was in the video.

He was nervous.

He was gittery.

After a long time, we eventually broke him

Down to get him to tell us what happened.

He said his only job was to be a lookout

Through this whole process.

Narrator: but they didn't carry the robbery out as planned.

Siniff: they entered the convenience store with

Every intention of taking the money,

And instead, they sh**t mr. Ashgar

Before they get a dime.

It was just a robbery gone bad.

You can see him put his head

Down basically because he knows their surveillance

Doesn't want to be seen, and he just kind of

Leans forward and looks over

And sees that imran is still alive,

And he goes back and tells simmonds and brunner.

Lowe: at that point, I think they were scared,

And they -- and they ran off.

Mr. Ashgar posed no threat to nobody.

Why he was shot,

It can only be that the suspects never wanted

A witness.

Lowe: want to k*ll someone before you take something

From them either to make sure there's no witnesses

Or just 'cause you don't want the hassle is --

Is a scary thought.

Narrator: but the men hadn't counted on

Another type of witness.

Lowe: I rarely have surveillance cameras that are of such

Quality that you can make out who the people are

And have them be identified.

It was our smoking g*n.

Siniff: had we not had this footage,

Who knows if this case would be solved today?

♪♪

Narrator: brunner, simmonds, and durham

Are all charged and sentenced

For their roles in the m*rder of imran ashgar.

Siniff: mr. Durham received a sentence

Of 15 years for aggravated robbery

And for involuntary manslaughter.

Mr. Brunner is also found guilty

For his involvement in the m*rder of mr. Ashgar

And the sh**ting of mr. Rudd.

He is sentenced to 78 years to life.

Mr. Simmonds was found guilty of the m*rder of mr. Ashgar

And for sh**ting mr. Rudd.

He was sentenced to life plus 45 years.

Rudd: you know, I -- I deal with the pain and stuff,

And that's enough memory to worry about.

If I keep the hatred, it's just gonna make things worse,

So I don't really have a lot of hate against them.

He's very, very lucky to be alive.

But like I've always said, he had angels watching

Over him that day.

♪♪

Narrator: kristine ashgar is still coming to terms

With her husband imran's death.

I miss everything about imran.

Our lives, our cuddles.

If I have a bad day,

I could talk to him.

He would listen.

Now that he's not here, I don't have no one

To comfort,

And to go to like I used to him.

♪♪

♪♪