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Cops Think Roommate Killed Her—Until They Find This Footage | The Case of Amie Harwick play icon
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Cops Think Roommate Killed Her—Until They Find This Footage | The Case of Amie Harwick

Unseen .
By Unseen .Jan 12, 2026
Unseen .
Driven by the belief that there’s always more to the story, Unseen delves beyond the headlines to uncover the quiet resilience, courage, and humanity at the heart of real cases. With a focus on the untold and the overlooked, Unseen shines a light on what’s often left in the shadows, creating moments of connection and understanding.
See Full Bio
Follow:

THE WRONG SUSPECT

This is Michael Herman. The footage you are about to see, was filmed just minutes after he claimed he heard his roommate, get thrown out of a window. Michael leads the police to the back of the house, at this moment, they have no way of knowing if there is someone violent still on the premises, or if Michael is lying.

On the ground, 38-year old, Amie Harwick is covered in blood, and barely breathing. As it becomes clear that no one else is on the property, police see Michael as the only suspect. Michael appears nervous, jittery, his answers are suspicious, and his hands are covered in blood. As Amie clings to life, cops immediately bring Michael into the police station.

But there is only one problem: Michael is innocent. And the only person who can reveal the truth, is Amie herself..

THE CRIME SCENE THAT DOESN’T ADD UP

Thirty-eight-year-old Los Angeles resident Amie Harwick, who had just spent Valentine's Day with her closest friends, is now, in critical condition, fighting for her life. Emergency responders work to keep her alive as police quickly begin gathering as much information as possible from the rest of the crime scene, trying to piece together what happened to Amie.

Just inside, scattered among the broken shards of glass from the door, there are several small red blood stains. But, as cops continue through the house, the entire rest of the first floor looks strangely untouched.
The home is full of valuables and personal items that could easily have been taken.Electronics, art and other expensive belongings are still where you'd expect. Nothing is missing. As they continue their search, making their way upstairs to Amie’s bedroom, something immediately catches their attention.

Unlike the rest of the house, Amie’s bedroom is in complete disarray. Her comforter is pushed back, as if someone had gotten out of bed in a hurry, and Amie’s personal belongings are thrown everywhere. The beads trail, from the bedroom out through the open balcony doors. Between the ransacked room and the blood downstairs, it’s clear Amie’s fall was no accident. And though the full motive isn’t obvious, cops now need to talk to the one person they can’t ignore any longer: Amie’s roommate.

MICHAEL’S STORY

Michael explains to cops that he met Amie, through a mutual friend and they’ve only known each other for a little under a year. A few months prior, Amie had rented out her downstairs bedroom to Michael as a way to supplement her income— a purely practical arrangement. But detectives still have to wonder: is he being truthful?

When detectives ask him to walk them through the last 24 hours, he says he spent Valentine’s Day alone, went to bed early around 8 p.m., and then woke up around 9 p.m. to the sound of glass breaking. Thinking it was just Amie upstairs dropping something, he went back to sleep. It wasn’t until around 1 a.m. that he was jolted awake again—this time to Amie’s screams, followed by what he describes as the sound of her being thrown out of a window. Michael then claims that he ran outside and, then in the chaos, scraped his hands while jumping over the wrought-iron fence, before using a neighbor’s phone to call 911.

THE RING CAMERA EVIDENCE

Even if detectives want to believe Michael, all of the evidence so far seems to incriminate him. However, If he’s innocent, the real suspect is still out there. Detectives decide to broaden their search to the surrounding area, hoping someone saw something on the night Amie was attacked. Fortunately, Amie’s next door neighbor has exactly what they are looking for.
February 15th, 1:08 am : The first camera captures their prime suspect, Michael Herman. The video, from 1 am on the night of Amie's attack, shows Michael frantically running from neighbor to neighbor, knocking on doors, trying to get help. It’s the first solid piece of evidence that appears to back up his version of events—and the timestamp matches up with his call to 911. The footage seems to support what Michael told detectives, but it still isn’t enough to fully prove his innocence. The neighbor’s second camera shows something disturbing from several hours earlier.

February 14th, 8:53 pm : The camera shows an unknown white male wearing a baseball hat and gloves. His face isn’t covered but the low video quality makes it nearly impossible to identify him. What is evident though, is that the man in the footage, is not Michael Herman. Then, as the unknown man moves toward Amie’s property, they notice he’s wearing large, work style gloves. Even more strangely, he reaches up to cover the camera – clear evidence, he’s trying to cover his tracks.

But even with this new footage, investigators have no idea who the man is, or who he might be targeting next. The video quality is poor, the figure is blurry, and in a city as massive as Los Angeles, a grainy image of an unidentified white male isn’t much to go on. Whoever this man is, though, he has now become suspect number one.

THE ONE CLUE SHE LEFT BEHIND

Investigators return to the crime scene with a fresh perspective hoping to find even a single overlooked detail that could help them identify the culprit. They methodically search Amie’s house one more time, looking for any clues she might have left them—and, in the chaos, they find a crucial item: her cell phone. It’s lying near the edge of the mattress and seemingly undamaged.
With Amie in the hospital and unable to tell her side of the story, hopefully, something in her phone can help.
As investigators begin digging through the phone, they uncover a long list of contacts, including family, colleagues, and friends. Amie is a beloved family therapist with a PhD, and is even a local public figure, appearing on talk shows, radio and TV, for her work. She has hundreds of acquaintances; her phone is filled with tons of messages and dozens of people—all potential suspects in her attack. And for detectives, it’s a huge challenge to figure out where to start.
However, Amie had shared her phone’s live location with a single contact: Robert Coshland, giving him the ability to track where she was. At this point, investigators don’t know who Robert is—but they’re about to learn he isn’t just another name in her phone: Robert is Amie’s best friend.

AMIE'S BEST FRIEND KNOWS THE TRUTH

Robert is in a state of shock, but willing to do whatever it takes to help Amie. He starts at the beginning, telling police everything he knows about his best friend.

Amie grew up in Lansdale, Pennsylvania, with loving and supportive parents. In 1999, she graduated from North Penn High School, and two years later, she moved to the west coast to attend college, hoping to some day make a positive impact on the world as a therapist.

Robert meets Amie in 2012, when they’re both guests at an LA pool party. They quickly bond over shared interests and their same offbeat sense of humor. What starts as casual conversation turns into a friendship that, over the years, keeps getting stronger. They grow closer, becoming best friends—the person they can talk to every day and go to for support. Robert clearly knows Amie better than anyone, and police realize, if there’s anyone who can help find Amie’s attacker, it’s him.

Cops then ask him about a picture sent to Amie’s phone, at 2:05 am.. In it, Amie sits with a friend on a green couch, wearing the same outfit she had on when police found her in the backyard… and, most importantly, she’s wearing the same black necklace whose beads cops found scattered all over the crime scene. This photo was taken just two hours before the attack.

Robert helps police work through the timeline of the evening of February 14th. Amie had joined several friends for a girls’ night out at a show in Los Angeles. According to the group chat and their messages back and forth, nothing seemed out of the ordinary. They watched a live performance, had fun, and by around midnight, everyone left—including Amie, who went home, alone. However, their interview is suddenly interrupted by a knock at the door—and it’s an officer, with news no friend should ever have to hear.

Robert is devastated, he has just lost his closest friend. Someone he considered family, has now been taken from him. He is now tasked with the heavy burden of notifying those who loved and cared for Amie, about the tragic news of her murder.

He can’t seem to process the fact that Amie is dead; it doesn’t make any sense. Amie was generous, kind and actively fulfilling her dreams of helping people through her therapy work all across the world-— it seems impossible that someone so full of life could suddenly be gone. While Robert tries to comprehend what’s just happened to his best friend, police notify her parents.

THE EX WHO NEVER LEFT

As Amie’s friends and family struggle to come to terms with the tragedy, the news of her murder hits the media. Her face is displayed on every news channel and the city of Los Angeles goes on high alert.

With Amie’s murder made public, her friends, family and concerned citizens want her death answered for. But, thanks to their interview with Robert, police have a solid lead; he has explained to them exactly, what she has been going through, for years.

It’s 2014, 6 years before Amie’s murder. Robert receives a panicked call from her, who has just returned from a work trip. She tells him she believes someone broke into her house while she was gone.

Concerned for his friend, Robert immediately drives over to her apartment to make sure Amie is ok. When he arrives, it is clear this was not a normal robbery. All of the typical valuables: her TV, art pieces, and jewelry, are still there. Only a few sentimental items are missing. This feels less like a stranger looking for quick cash, and more like someone trying to scare her—and send a strong message. What’s even more troubling, is that all the files on Amie’s laptop, are gone.

Amie calls the police, but they can’t do anything to help. Whoever broke in was careful not to leave any incriminating evidence behind. Distressingly, the break-in is just the beginning of a series of disturbing incidents that will follow Amie for years to come: disparaging emails are sent to her workplace, she’s targeted by anonymous online attackers, and there’s even a man who keeps lurking near her house at night. Robert does what he can to help, installing cameras on her property, encouraging her to buy self-defense items, and Amie even shares her location with him, to feel safer.

Robert and Amie were never able to gather enough proof, but they knew exactly who was behind the escalating attacks, and now, Robert tells police their theory—that Amie was being harassed, and stalked by one man who’s been obsessed with her for years, and his name, is Gareth Pursehouse.

The year is 2010: 10 years before Amie’s murder. Then in her late 20s, Amie is still working on her degree, when she attends a party in Hollywood. There, she notices someone, who can’t seem to take his eyes off her. The man strikes up a conversation with her, and Amie is drawn to his seemingly down-to-earth energy. He works a day-job as an IT specialist, is a photographer, and an aspiring stand up comedian. The pair instantly hit it off, and exchange numbers.

Things move quickly, and the two soon make their relationship official. From the outside, they look like a great couple with a bright future—two very talented and ambitious people building a life together in LA.

However, over time, Amie’s friends notice subtle changes. The once extremely social, outgoing woman starts spending less time with friends and appears withdrawn. She shows up less and less to outings, and drifts away from the people who used to be part of her inner circle. Gareth has an opinion on everything, and it feels like he’s always there, even when he isn’t. The Amie they once knew—loud, present, and fully herself—starts to fade.

THE RESTRAINING ORDER

When Amie realizes what he’s doing, she challenges him. Arguments flare over increasingly small things—what she wears, who she talks to, when she is allowed to go out. And then one night, an argument spirals out of control and he crosses a line. She immediately calls 911 for help. Amie’s reached a breaking point: she ends the relationship and begins to build a case against him. She takes photos of her injuries, documents the harassing texts, and angry audio messages, blocking him everywhere, but Gareth won’t back down. Day after day, he keeps reaching out on every platform he can find, though she’s told him she’s done. Finally, armed with pages of evidence, she brings her case to the police.

The court grants a five-year restraining order, and Amie tries to move forward. With the protective order in place, Gareth is out of her life, on paper... In reality, Amie is still looking over her shoulder – she just can’t shake the feeling he is still out there – watching. Although Amie and Robert both know that Gareth is behind the disturbing incidents over the last several years, like many stalking cases there’s no hard proof. And so, the restraining order expires.

With Robert pointing them to Gareth, police now have a name and a face to compare to the Ring camera suspect. And, when they place the photo of Gareth next to a still of the unknown man from the neighbor’s footage, it becomes evident that both Amie and Robert have been right all along.

Now that the police are certain they have the killer’s identity, they review the remainder of the footage, with Gareth in mind – piecing together exactly what happened the night Amie was murdered.

It’s February 14th, Valentine’s Day, 8:53 pm: Gareth Pursehouse is captured on the neighbor’s Ring camera, sneaking into Amie’s yard, by climbing into her property. Then, he uses his gloved hand to smash through the glass of the French doors, accidentally cutting himself in the process, and enters the house—this was what Michael, asleep downstairs, would later say he thought, was just Amie dropping a glass. He leaves the downstairs untouched, creeps up to Amie’s bedroom, and, terrifyingly, slips into her bed under the covers. Minutes turn into hours, as Gareth waits patiently for the moment Amie, his ex-girlfriend, from 9 years ago, will come home.

FROM STALKER TO MURDERER

February 14, 2020, 1:01 am: Amie, returning from her night out with friends, sends a text to Robert. He has no idea that this will be the last communication he will ever receive from her. She heads upstairs like she always does, unaware that anything is wrong—until she reaches her bedroom. There, she’s suddenly face-to-face with Gareth. He lunges at her. Instinct kicks in—she throws her phone at him, then turns to run. At 6ft 4 inches, and nearly 250 pounds, Gareth has a huge advantage. Amie stands no chance, as he pushes her towards the edge of the balcony.

Gareth makes a quick escape, and is spotted again on the same neighbor’s ring camera, just as Michael, Amie’s roommate, runs for help and calls 911. With all the evidence police have collected: the blood at the crime scene, the text messages, the history of stalking and abuse, the restraining order, and the footage from the ring camera - they have everything they need to make an arrest.

February 15, 2020, 4:30 pm : Officers race to Gareth’s apartment in Playa del Rey. They arrive in the nick of time, confronting him just as he is attempting to leave.

As detectives process Gareth, they discover scratches all over his body, clearly he’s been in a fight. There’s also a large bruise on the inside of his bicep, which looks suspiciously like a bite mark. Detectives obtain a DNA sample from Pursehouse, to compare with the blood found at Amy's home.

THE TRIAL, THE LETTER, AND THE VERDICT

When Gareth Pursehouse refuses to answer any questions about the death of his ex-girlfriend, detectives are forced to stop the interview. He shuts down, offers nothing—and that silence is very telling. He is booked into L.A. County Jail. Nearly three years later Gareth Pursehouse stands trial for first degree murder.

Although Amie can no longer speak for herself, her family and friends never miss a court date, ensuring her voice is the loudest in the room. During the trial, dozens of Amie’s friends step forward to testify, giving the court a clear picture of who she was—a beautiful, inspiring woman, a loyal friend, and a positive light in the lives of everyone who knew her. Robert takes the stand and walks the jury through her story from the very beginning: how Gareth stalked her for years, how he broke into her home and stole her photos, and how he harassed her online. Amie took countless measures to protect herself, yet it still wasn’t enough to deter him. Prosecutors also present another crucial piece of evidence—the blood from the crime scene, found near the shattered glass at the door, matching Gareth’s DNA.

The most powerful moment in court, though, comes from Amie herself. In a letter she had written, just 30 days before her murder, she details a disturbing encounter with Gareth, right after her restraining order against him, expired. He finally showed his face after many years of anonymous harassment, caused a public scene, screaming at Amie, and then vanished as quickly as he had appeared. This letter becomes her voice at the trial, making sure the jury, and Gareth himself, are confronted with Amie’s truth.
September 28th, 2023. The jury presents their verdict. Gareth Pursehouse is guilty of all charges, including first degree murder. The judge hands down the maximum sentence, life without the possibility of parole.

After the heartache, grief, and years of fighting, Amie, her family, and friends finally receive justice. Amie’s story inspires others to live life unapologetically, just as she did, and to refuse to give their power to anyone else.

Amie’s life, her words, and her work had all been centred on one thing: lifting up the people around her. Her legacy lives on through her friends and family fighting for the causes she cared about, including a petition in her honor to pass legislation to help survivors by changing laws on stalking and domestic violence.

RELATED CONTENT:

A jealous ex turns heartbreak into homicide, forcing a fiancée to unravel a chilling murder plot to get justice for the man she loved: The Case of Patrick de la Cerda

Credits:

Directed, written & edited by Matthew Rice

Researched by Tiffany Loxton

Co-written by Kat Gardilcic & Tiffany Loxton

Voiceover by William Akana

Produced by Salim Sader

For more stories like this, subscribe to our YouTube here

*********************************************

Sources:

“The Final Hours of Amie Harwick.” 48 Hours: CBS Broadcasting Inc., 2022. (CBS News)

“Justice for Amie Harwick.” 48 Hours: CBS Broadcasting Inc., 2024. (CBS News)

“Celebrity Sexpert.” Death By Fame: Warner Bros. Discovery Inc., 2023 (AMPLE Entertainment)

“Love, Death, and Obsession In Hollywood.” A Plan to Kill: Oxygen Media LLC, 2024 (Peacock)

Man Walks Outside To Find Decapitated Roommate, Dr. Insanity, 2024.

Nightline, ABC News,

CBS Mornings, CBS Broadcasting Inc.

Inside Edition, CBS Broadcasting Inc.

Getty Images

Up next

Cops Think Roommate Killed Her—Until They Find This Footage | The Case of Amie Harwick play icon
- YouTube
youtu.be
solving a murder

Cops Think Roommate Killed Her—Until They Find This Footage | The Case of Amie Harwick

Unseen .
By Unseen .Jan 12, 2026
Unseen .
Driven by the belief that there’s always more to the story, Unseen delves beyond the headlines to uncover the quiet resilience, courage, and humanity at the heart of real cases. With a focus on the untold and the overlooked, Unseen shines a light on what’s often left in the shadows, creating moments of connection and understanding.
See Full Bio
Follow:

THE WRONG SUSPECT

This is Michael Herman. The footage you are about to see, was filmed just minutes after he claimed he heard his roommate, get thrown out of a window. Michael leads the police to the back of the house, at this moment, they have no way of knowing if there is someone violent still on the premises, or if Michael is lying.

On the ground, 38-year old, Amie Harwick is covered in blood, and barely breathing. As it becomes clear that no one else is on the property, police see Michael as the only suspect. Michael appears nervous, jittery, his answers are suspicious, and his hands are covered in blood. As Amie clings to life, cops immediately bring Michael into the police station.

But there is only one problem: Michael is innocent. And the only person who can reveal the truth, is Amie herself..

THE CRIME SCENE THAT DOESN’T ADD UP

Thirty-eight-year-old Los Angeles resident Amie Harwick, who had just spent Valentine's Day with her closest friends, is now, in critical condition, fighting for her life. Emergency responders work to keep her alive as police quickly begin gathering as much information as possible from the rest of the crime scene, trying to piece together what happened to Amie.

Just inside, scattered among the broken shards of glass from the door, there are several small red blood stains. But, as cops continue through the house, the entire rest of the first floor looks strangely untouched.
The home is full of valuables and personal items that could easily have been taken.Electronics, art and other expensive belongings are still where you'd expect. Nothing is missing. As they continue their search, making their way upstairs to Amie’s bedroom, something immediately catches their attention.

Unlike the rest of the house, Amie’s bedroom is in complete disarray. Her comforter is pushed back, as if someone had gotten out of bed in a hurry, and Amie’s personal belongings are thrown everywhere. The beads trail, from the bedroom out through the open balcony doors. Between the ransacked room and the blood downstairs, it’s clear Amie’s fall was no accident. And though the full motive isn’t obvious, cops now need to talk to the one person they can’t ignore any longer: Amie’s roommate.

MICHAEL’S STORY

Michael explains to cops that he met Amie, through a mutual friend and they’ve only known each other for a little under a year. A few months prior, Amie had rented out her downstairs bedroom to Michael as a way to supplement her income— a purely practical arrangement. But detectives still have to wonder: is he being truthful?

When detectives ask him to walk them through the last 24 hours, he says he spent Valentine’s Day alone, went to bed early around 8 p.m., and then woke up around 9 p.m. to the sound of glass breaking. Thinking it was just Amie upstairs dropping something, he went back to sleep. It wasn’t until around 1 a.m. that he was jolted awake again—this time to Amie’s screams, followed by what he describes as the sound of her being thrown out of a window. Michael then claims that he ran outside and, then in the chaos, scraped his hands while jumping over the wrought-iron fence, before using a neighbor’s phone to call 911.

THE RING CAMERA EVIDENCE

Even if detectives want to believe Michael, all of the evidence so far seems to incriminate him. However, If he’s innocent, the real suspect is still out there. Detectives decide to broaden their search to the surrounding area, hoping someone saw something on the night Amie was attacked. Fortunately, Amie’s next door neighbor has exactly what they are looking for.
February 15th, 1:08 am : The first camera captures their prime suspect, Michael Herman. The video, from 1 am on the night of Amie's attack, shows Michael frantically running from neighbor to neighbor, knocking on doors, trying to get help. It’s the first solid piece of evidence that appears to back up his version of events—and the timestamp matches up with his call to 911. The footage seems to support what Michael told detectives, but it still isn’t enough to fully prove his innocence. The neighbor’s second camera shows something disturbing from several hours earlier.

February 14th, 8:53 pm : The camera shows an unknown white male wearing a baseball hat and gloves. His face isn’t covered but the low video quality makes it nearly impossible to identify him. What is evident though, is that the man in the footage, is not Michael Herman. Then, as the unknown man moves toward Amie’s property, they notice he’s wearing large, work style gloves. Even more strangely, he reaches up to cover the camera – clear evidence, he’s trying to cover his tracks.

But even with this new footage, investigators have no idea who the man is, or who he might be targeting next. The video quality is poor, the figure is blurry, and in a city as massive as Los Angeles, a grainy image of an unidentified white male isn’t much to go on. Whoever this man is, though, he has now become suspect number one.

THE ONE CLUE SHE LEFT BEHIND

Investigators return to the crime scene with a fresh perspective hoping to find even a single overlooked detail that could help them identify the culprit. They methodically search Amie’s house one more time, looking for any clues she might have left them—and, in the chaos, they find a crucial item: her cell phone. It’s lying near the edge of the mattress and seemingly undamaged.
With Amie in the hospital and unable to tell her side of the story, hopefully, something in her phone can help.
As investigators begin digging through the phone, they uncover a long list of contacts, including family, colleagues, and friends. Amie is a beloved family therapist with a PhD, and is even a local public figure, appearing on talk shows, radio and TV, for her work. She has hundreds of acquaintances; her phone is filled with tons of messages and dozens of people—all potential suspects in her attack. And for detectives, it’s a huge challenge to figure out where to start.
However, Amie had shared her phone’s live location with a single contact: Robert Coshland, giving him the ability to track where she was. At this point, investigators don’t know who Robert is—but they’re about to learn he isn’t just another name in her phone: Robert is Amie’s best friend.

AMIE'S BEST FRIEND KNOWS THE TRUTH

Robert is in a state of shock, but willing to do whatever it takes to help Amie. He starts at the beginning, telling police everything he knows about his best friend.

Amie grew up in Lansdale, Pennsylvania, with loving and supportive parents. In 1999, she graduated from North Penn High School, and two years later, she moved to the west coast to attend college, hoping to some day make a positive impact on the world as a therapist.

Robert meets Amie in 2012, when they’re both guests at an LA pool party. They quickly bond over shared interests and their same offbeat sense of humor. What starts as casual conversation turns into a friendship that, over the years, keeps getting stronger. They grow closer, becoming best friends—the person they can talk to every day and go to for support. Robert clearly knows Amie better than anyone, and police realize, if there’s anyone who can help find Amie’s attacker, it’s him.

Cops then ask him about a picture sent to Amie’s phone, at 2:05 am.. In it, Amie sits with a friend on a green couch, wearing the same outfit she had on when police found her in the backyard… and, most importantly, she’s wearing the same black necklace whose beads cops found scattered all over the crime scene. This photo was taken just two hours before the attack.

Robert helps police work through the timeline of the evening of February 14th. Amie had joined several friends for a girls’ night out at a show in Los Angeles. According to the group chat and their messages back and forth, nothing seemed out of the ordinary. They watched a live performance, had fun, and by around midnight, everyone left—including Amie, who went home, alone. However, their interview is suddenly interrupted by a knock at the door—and it’s an officer, with news no friend should ever have to hear.

Robert is devastated, he has just lost his closest friend. Someone he considered family, has now been taken from him. He is now tasked with the heavy burden of notifying those who loved and cared for Amie, about the tragic news of her murder.

He can’t seem to process the fact that Amie is dead; it doesn’t make any sense. Amie was generous, kind and actively fulfilling her dreams of helping people through her therapy work all across the world-— it seems impossible that someone so full of life could suddenly be gone. While Robert tries to comprehend what’s just happened to his best friend, police notify her parents.

THE EX WHO NEVER LEFT

As Amie’s friends and family struggle to come to terms with the tragedy, the news of her murder hits the media. Her face is displayed on every news channel and the city of Los Angeles goes on high alert.

With Amie’s murder made public, her friends, family and concerned citizens want her death answered for. But, thanks to their interview with Robert, police have a solid lead; he has explained to them exactly, what she has been going through, for years.

It’s 2014, 6 years before Amie’s murder. Robert receives a panicked call from her, who has just returned from a work trip. She tells him she believes someone broke into her house while she was gone.

Concerned for his friend, Robert immediately drives over to her apartment to make sure Amie is ok. When he arrives, it is clear this was not a normal robbery. All of the typical valuables: her TV, art pieces, and jewelry, are still there. Only a few sentimental items are missing. This feels less like a stranger looking for quick cash, and more like someone trying to scare her—and send a strong message. What’s even more troubling, is that all the files on Amie’s laptop, are gone.

Amie calls the police, but they can’t do anything to help. Whoever broke in was careful not to leave any incriminating evidence behind. Distressingly, the break-in is just the beginning of a series of disturbing incidents that will follow Amie for years to come: disparaging emails are sent to her workplace, she’s targeted by anonymous online attackers, and there’s even a man who keeps lurking near her house at night. Robert does what he can to help, installing cameras on her property, encouraging her to buy self-defense items, and Amie even shares her location with him, to feel safer.

Robert and Amie were never able to gather enough proof, but they knew exactly who was behind the escalating attacks, and now, Robert tells police their theory—that Amie was being harassed, and stalked by one man who’s been obsessed with her for years, and his name, is Gareth Pursehouse.

The year is 2010: 10 years before Amie’s murder. Then in her late 20s, Amie is still working on her degree, when she attends a party in Hollywood. There, she notices someone, who can’t seem to take his eyes off her. The man strikes up a conversation with her, and Amie is drawn to his seemingly down-to-earth energy. He works a day-job as an IT specialist, is a photographer, and an aspiring stand up comedian. The pair instantly hit it off, and exchange numbers.

Things move quickly, and the two soon make their relationship official. From the outside, they look like a great couple with a bright future—two very talented and ambitious people building a life together in LA.

However, over time, Amie’s friends notice subtle changes. The once extremely social, outgoing woman starts spending less time with friends and appears withdrawn. She shows up less and less to outings, and drifts away from the people who used to be part of her inner circle. Gareth has an opinion on everything, and it feels like he’s always there, even when he isn’t. The Amie they once knew—loud, present, and fully herself—starts to fade.

THE RESTRAINING ORDER

When Amie realizes what he’s doing, she challenges him. Arguments flare over increasingly small things—what she wears, who she talks to, when she is allowed to go out. And then one night, an argument spirals out of control and he crosses a line. She immediately calls 911 for help. Amie’s reached a breaking point: she ends the relationship and begins to build a case against him. She takes photos of her injuries, documents the harassing texts, and angry audio messages, blocking him everywhere, but Gareth won’t back down. Day after day, he keeps reaching out on every platform he can find, though she’s told him she’s done. Finally, armed with pages of evidence, she brings her case to the police.

The court grants a five-year restraining order, and Amie tries to move forward. With the protective order in place, Gareth is out of her life, on paper... In reality, Amie is still looking over her shoulder – she just can’t shake the feeling he is still out there – watching. Although Amie and Robert both know that Gareth is behind the disturbing incidents over the last several years, like many stalking cases there’s no hard proof. And so, the restraining order expires.

With Robert pointing them to Gareth, police now have a name and a face to compare to the Ring camera suspect. And, when they place the photo of Gareth next to a still of the unknown man from the neighbor’s footage, it becomes evident that both Amie and Robert have been right all along.

Now that the police are certain they have the killer’s identity, they review the remainder of the footage, with Gareth in mind – piecing together exactly what happened the night Amie was murdered.

It’s February 14th, Valentine’s Day, 8:53 pm: Gareth Pursehouse is captured on the neighbor’s Ring camera, sneaking into Amie’s yard, by climbing into her property. Then, he uses his gloved hand to smash through the glass of the French doors, accidentally cutting himself in the process, and enters the house—this was what Michael, asleep downstairs, would later say he thought, was just Amie dropping a glass. He leaves the downstairs untouched, creeps up to Amie’s bedroom, and, terrifyingly, slips into her bed under the covers. Minutes turn into hours, as Gareth waits patiently for the moment Amie, his ex-girlfriend, from 9 years ago, will come home.

FROM STALKER TO MURDERER

February 14, 2020, 1:01 am: Amie, returning from her night out with friends, sends a text to Robert. He has no idea that this will be the last communication he will ever receive from her. She heads upstairs like she always does, unaware that anything is wrong—until she reaches her bedroom. There, she’s suddenly face-to-face with Gareth. He lunges at her. Instinct kicks in—she throws her phone at him, then turns to run. At 6ft 4 inches, and nearly 250 pounds, Gareth has a huge advantage. Amie stands no chance, as he pushes her towards the edge of the balcony.

Gareth makes a quick escape, and is spotted again on the same neighbor’s ring camera, just as Michael, Amie’s roommate, runs for help and calls 911. With all the evidence police have collected: the blood at the crime scene, the text messages, the history of stalking and abuse, the restraining order, and the footage from the ring camera - they have everything they need to make an arrest.

February 15, 2020, 4:30 pm : Officers race to Gareth’s apartment in Playa del Rey. They arrive in the nick of time, confronting him just as he is attempting to leave.

As detectives process Gareth, they discover scratches all over his body, clearly he’s been in a fight. There’s also a large bruise on the inside of his bicep, which looks suspiciously like a bite mark. Detectives obtain a DNA sample from Pursehouse, to compare with the blood found at Amy's home.

THE TRIAL, THE LETTER, AND THE VERDICT

When Gareth Pursehouse refuses to answer any questions about the death of his ex-girlfriend, detectives are forced to stop the interview. He shuts down, offers nothing—and that silence is very telling. He is booked into L.A. County Jail. Nearly three years later Gareth Pursehouse stands trial for first degree murder.

Although Amie can no longer speak for herself, her family and friends never miss a court date, ensuring her voice is the loudest in the room. During the trial, dozens of Amie’s friends step forward to testify, giving the court a clear picture of who she was—a beautiful, inspiring woman, a loyal friend, and a positive light in the lives of everyone who knew her. Robert takes the stand and walks the jury through her story from the very beginning: how Gareth stalked her for years, how he broke into her home and stole her photos, and how he harassed her online. Amie took countless measures to protect herself, yet it still wasn’t enough to deter him. Prosecutors also present another crucial piece of evidence—the blood from the crime scene, found near the shattered glass at the door, matching Gareth’s DNA.

The most powerful moment in court, though, comes from Amie herself. In a letter she had written, just 30 days before her murder, she details a disturbing encounter with Gareth, right after her restraining order against him, expired. He finally showed his face after many years of anonymous harassment, caused a public scene, screaming at Amie, and then vanished as quickly as he had appeared. This letter becomes her voice at the trial, making sure the jury, and Gareth himself, are confronted with Amie’s truth.
September 28th, 2023. The jury presents their verdict. Gareth Pursehouse is guilty of all charges, including first degree murder. The judge hands down the maximum sentence, life without the possibility of parole.

After the heartache, grief, and years of fighting, Amie, her family, and friends finally receive justice. Amie’s story inspires others to live life unapologetically, just as she did, and to refuse to give their power to anyone else.

Amie’s life, her words, and her work had all been centred on one thing: lifting up the people around her. Her legacy lives on through her friends and family fighting for the causes she cared about, including a petition in her honor to pass legislation to help survivors by changing laws on stalking and domestic violence.

RELATED CONTENT:

A jealous ex turns heartbreak into homicide, forcing a fiancée to unravel a chilling murder plot to get justice for the man she loved: The Case of Patrick de la Cerda

Credits:

Directed, written & edited by Matthew Rice

Researched by Tiffany Loxton

Co-written by Kat Gardilcic & Tiffany Loxton

Voiceover by William Akana

Produced by Salim Sader

For more stories like this, subscribe to our YouTube here

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Sources:

“The Final Hours of Amie Harwick.” 48 Hours: CBS Broadcasting Inc., 2022. (CBS News)

“Justice for Amie Harwick.” 48 Hours: CBS Broadcasting Inc., 2024. (CBS News)

“Celebrity Sexpert.” Death By Fame: Warner Bros. Discovery Inc., 2023 (AMPLE Entertainment)

“Love, Death, and Obsession In Hollywood.” A Plan to Kill: Oxygen Media LLC, 2024 (Peacock)

Man Walks Outside To Find Decapitated Roommate, Dr. Insanity, 2024.

Nightline, ABC News,

CBS Mornings, CBS Broadcasting Inc.

Inside Edition, CBS Broadcasting Inc.

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Victim Solves Her Own Murder | The Case of Kristil Krug play icon
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Victim Solves Her Own Murder | The Case of Kristil Krug

Unseen .
By Unseen .Jan 12, 2026
Unseen .
Driven by the belief that there’s always more to the story, Unseen delves beyond the headlines to uncover the quiet resilience, courage, and humanity at the heart of real cases. With a focus on the untold and the overlooked, Unseen shines a light on what’s often left in the shadows, creating moments of connection and understanding.
See Full Bio


WELFARE CHECK LEADS TO GRUESOME DISCOVERY

On December 14th 2023, the Broomfield police do a welfare check at this house, where Kristil Krug lives with her husband Dan, and their 3 loving children. The footage you’re about to see was filmed just minutes after Kristil’s family life, took a disturbing turn for the worse. One month earlier, Kristil walks into the Broomfield police department, claiming that her crazy ex boyfriend, has been stalking her. Detectives send units to follow Kristil around, and her husband installs security cameras on their property. The problem is, police have been unable to track down the suspect… and the stalking, doesn’t stop.

On December 14th, at 8:56am, Kristil sends this text message to her husband. She is never heard from after that. After going around the house, officer O’Hara notices the garage door has windows. But they’re too high for him to see. The footage then shows him returning to his vehicle. Before he pulls his car up the driveway, close to the door, so he can use it to climb up. That’s when he sees it. Right there, on the floor of the garage, is 44 year old Kristil Krug, unconscious. She has a head injury, but officer O’Hara is not sure if she simply fell, or if she was attacked.

THE IMMEDIATE AFTERMATH AND FAMILY REACTION

Outside, Kristil’s mother Linda walks up to the house, just as officer O’Hara opens the garage door, for the paramedics. As other family members start arriving, police secure the rest of the house. Police can tell Kristil was attacked getting into or out of her car. She was hit over the head, before the person stabbed her. Soon after, a scream is heard coming from down the road. It’s Kristil’s husband Dan. He’s just learned the news, that his wife was murdered, and runs into the arms of Kristil’s family. Dan is in shock. He suddenly goes weak in the knees, and can no longer stand on his own.

With the killer still at large, Dan is brought in for further questioning. But when Detective Martinez goes to see him, he’s in no state to be interviewed. To make things easier for him, detective Martinez tells Dan, that he has people in his team who can help break the news to their children. But Dan insists. He wants to be the one to tell them.

KRISTIL' S CALL FOR HELP

For now, Detective Martinez is worried about protecting Dan and his 3 kids, before the killer claims another victim. Kristil’s other family members are also brought in, each put into separate interrogation rooms. But while investigators are hoping to gain any information on the identity of Kristil’s stalker, there’s one person that holds the key to solving the case. Kristil Krug herself.

One month before her murder, Kristil makes a phone call to the Broomfield police department. Detective Martinez is the one assigned to her case. When she sits down to talk with Detective Martinez, Kristil tells him that for the last few weeks, a stalker has been following her around, and harassing her online. Kristil has come prepared. She’s gathered all the information about the stalking instances onto a spreadsheet.

THE STALKER TIMELINE BEGINS

The first date on the stalker log, is September 23rd, 2023. This is when everything started. On that day, her husband Dan saw an intruder running out of their home.When the officer shows up at the house, Dan is already waiting outside, in the middle of his driveway. He explains to the officer that he saw the intruder, when he got back home that afternoon.

When Kristil learns about the incident, she’s more annoyed than afraid. Dan takes care of changing the locks, so there no longer seems to be anything to worry about. Just a few days later, on October 2nd, Kristil receives a strange text from a number she doesn’t recognize. It reads “Hi Kristil it’s Anthony. Hope it’s ok I looked you up. I go to boulder every few weeks and thought we could hook up. You game?” Kristil’s log details her relationship with Anthony over the years, starting in 1999, when she graduated high school.

THE ESCALATION OF THREATS

About a year later, while studying to get her degree in chemical engineering, Kristil met Dan. In the years that followed, while Kristil was building her life with Dan, Anthony would still reach out, from time to time, on social media. So when Kristil gets a text from Anthony in October of 2023, she doesn’t reply. The next day, she receives a more disturbing message. “You should say yes when I offer pity sex. Whatever. Saw your pics. You got fat. Bet your loser husband won’t fuck your fat ass.”

Kristil is shocked. This doesn’t sound like the Anthony she knows. Kristil doesn’t answer, hoping things will just blow over, and if this is in fact Anthony, he’ll get the hint, and leave her alone. But she has no idea that her nightmare is only just beginning.

After researching online, Kristil discovers a classified ad, with her name and phone number on it. The ad solicits men to send her obscene photos of themselves. Kristil is convinced, someone posted the ad, to torment her. But she can’t be sure if Anthony is behind this.

DIGITAL HARASSMENT AND SURVEILLANCE FEAR

Whoever it was, this bizarre incident is causing tension between her and Dan.

On October 31st, almost a month after those first text messages, she gets an email, with a picture of her husband, Dan. It was taken at his work, without him knowing. The email was sent by an A. Holland Kicks at gmail dot com. (a.holland.kicks@gmail.com)

The message comes with a threat, against Dan. It reads, “This your husband? Can’t believe you wanna fuck his dick but not mine. He needs to drive safe. Don’t wanna clear rubber hose in his tailpipe.”

Kristil now has a clear indication, that she and her family are being followed. And she’s terrified. But the thing that bothers her the most, is she never thought her ex-boyfriend Anthony Holland would be capable of doing something like this.

PROTECTING HER FAMILY AT ALL COST

When her parents come to visit her that weekend, Kristil doesn’t hide what’s been happening. Kristil has already hired a private investigator, to find Anthony, so she can serve him the restraining order. But tracking him down proves to be much harder than expected. Dan installs security cameras on their house, and both buy dash cams for their car, in case Anthony follows them while they’re driving.

First and foremost, Kristil is worried for the safety of her children, and her husband Dan. So she starts carrying a Sig Sauer 9mm. With everything that’s happened, Kristil’s children have started to notice that their mother is upset. She now has to explain to them what’s been going on. Kristil is doing her best to keep their lives as normal as possible. She makes sure her oldest daughter, can focus on her dance classes, instead of worrying about her mommy’s stalker.

THE FINAL DAYS BEFORE THE MURDER

With Christmas just around the corner, Kristil’s daughter will be performing in 2 productions of the Nutcracker, something she’s been looking forward to this whole year. But because of what’s been going on, and because no one knows where the stalker is, Kristil is asked by the artistic director, and the company, to stop volunteering, and to stay away from her daughter’s performances.

The first thing Detective Martinez wants to do is confirm the identity of the stalker. He serves search warrants to Verizon, TextNow, and Google. Their records could prove that Anthony Holland is in fact the one behind these threats.

November 9th, just 2 days after her meeting with Detective Martinez, Kristil receives another text message, that only makes things worse. It reads “Saw you at dentist. U got so ***** an ******* in my car. So I came on yours. See you soon.” Kristil immediately notifies detective Martinez, who sends an officer over to her house. That “saw-you-at-dentist-text” has gotten Kristil worried her stalker might have put a tracker on her car.

The constant paranoia is taking a toll on Kristil, causing more strife in her relationship. She and Dan have been fighting more and more, to the point where Kristil tells her parents, they’re headed for divorce. And then, more texts come in, making it clear, what Anthony is planning next, and who he’s aiming for. “I’ll get rid of him, and then we can be together. So easy. Give me the signal, and he won’t come home.” So Dan also comes in, to talk to detective Martinez.

The anxiety has become unbearable, and Kristil fears she won’t be able to prevent the worst from happening. That sooner or later, someone will get killed. But what she fears the most, is that her children will get hurt, and she can’t let that happen.

THE LAST TEXT SHE EVER SENT

On December 13th, the last day before her murder, the dashcam in Kristil’s car catches a rare glimpse into her life. Instead of showing her stalker following her car, the footage only shows how exhausted she’s become, and how the last three months have visibly worn her down.

Thursday, December 14th. The security cameras around the Krug residence show the activity that morning. At 6:45am, Dan drives their eldest to the bus stop, before returning minutes later, just before 7.

At 7:42am, Kristil is seen driving away, as she takes their younger two kids to school. She returns just before 8. Then, at 8:24am, Dan pulls out, heading off to work about a half hour away.

Dan is on the road, when at 8:56, he receives a text from Kristil, asking him to pick up their daughter after school, because she has a meeting with Detective Martinez. Dan responds when he arrives at the office, 20 minutes later. “Sure thing, FYI, I forgot my chicken on the counter, please put it in the fridge.” But Kristil doesn’t message back, which has Dan worried. He tries calling her, but gets no answer. For the next three hours, he keeps trying to reach her. Until at 12:01pm, Dan asks for that welfare check. He also calls Kristil’s mother, who lives close-by.

THE TRUTH NO ONE EXPECTED

When Kristil’s mother Linda arrives at the house, she walks up the driveway. As the garage door opens, she peaks inside. Kristil’s family is completely distraught. When Dan arrives, he breaks down crying, held close in their arms. With the killer still at large, Detectives begin combing through the crime scene, while others start looking for the suspect.

They haven’t been able to locate Anthony in the last few months, but what they do have, is a license plate attached to his name. Police put out a nationwide alert to be on the look out for his vehicle. Almost immediately, they get a hit. Only, it’s not on any roads leading out of Colorado, but in North Central Utah. Investigators contact authorities there. Multiple deputies in Utah zero in on Anthony’s vehicle, parked outside a residence. They have a warrant for Anthony’s arrest, on stalking charges. The most shocking thing, is that Anthony is already home, just a couple of hours after the murder. Anthony invites the officers inside, waiting to be told what all this is about.

The deputies go through the events of Anthony’s morning. Apparently, he had been shopping for clothes at a store in American Fork, just 10 miles outside Salt Lake city. He shows them the receipt from his purchase, and the officers are able to confirm, Anthony is telling the truth. The strange thing is, Anthony admits to having texted Kristil after their split, but says the last time he messaged her, was in 2016.

Colorado Police are now left without any legal basis to arrest Anthony. They have no proof he was Kristil’s stalker, or her killer, as he was provably 500 miles away at the time of the murder. Detectives might have lost their prime suspect, but with a murder on their hands, they can now escalate those search warrants. Martinez has been waiting for nearly a month, for the digital information that would tell him where those stalking messages came from. But now, almost immediately, the companies respond. And what he discovers in the data, is shocking.

Dan Krug is arrested, for the murder of his wife Kristil. He was pulled over on his way to their daughter’s performance of the Nutcracker.

JUSTICE WRITTEN IN DATA

The data provided by Verizon, TextNow and Google, showed that the stalker had been using the wifi at Dan Krug’s office. The burner phone first used to text Kristil was traced back to a store in Broomfield, and it had been purchased using a gift card, registered to Dan Krug.

Police also did a digital analysis of that photo of Dan outside his office. It showed the photo had been taken in selfie mode, with a timer. But what about the text message sent from Kristil’s phone at the time Dan was arriving at work? Investigators found out the text was scheduled to be sent after he had already left the house.

As it turns out, not everyone was surprised to discover Dan had killed his wife. Just hours after Kristil’s death, her mother Linda tells Detectives, that maybe Anthony isn’t the only suspect they should look at. But the most shocking statement comes from Donna, Kristil’s stepmother. It appears Kristil was about to discover, that Dan was her stalker all along. And it’s possible that Dan decided to kill her, before she found out the truth.

April 4th 2025, Dan Krug pleads not guilty to first degree murder, and stalking. While all the digital information points to Dan, the physical evidence against him is thin. If Dan Krug walks free, he will have full custody of Kristil’s children, and their lives will be in danger. But there’s one witness, that will change everything. One of Dan’s ex-girlfriends. To this day, she’s still terrified of him, so much so, that she asked to remain anonymous. She says that after she broke up with him, she began receiving disturbing messages and phone calls, from someone she did not know.

At the time, the messages were investigated by police, and traced back, to Dan’s college, on the East Coast. The woman got a temporary restraining order against him, but he was never charged with any crime. Until now. After 7 days of testimony, the jury in Kristil Krug’s murder case is asked to deliberate. When the jury returns with a verdict, Kristil’s parents are holding their breath.

Dan Krug thought he could fool everyone, and get away with his crimes. He just never thought Kristil would outsmart him. It was her efforts that helped police, solve her own murder, and put a monster behind bars. At the cost of her own life, she made sure her children would always be safe. Now, with their mother gone, and their father in prison, Kristil’s children live with her parents.

It’s only been 2 years since her death, and for her parents, the pain is still hard to bear. But they do all they can, to make sure Kristil’s memory lives on with her children.

To help support Kristil’s children, visit: https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-for-the-krug-fa...

RELATED CONTENT:

A mother of three is found murdered, but the evidence she leaves behind ensures her killer won’t get away with it : The Case of Becky Bliefnick

Credits:

Written, directed and edited by Justin Chalifoux

Researched by Bianca Yzabelle Tan

Voiceover by William Akana

Produced by Salim Sader

For more stories like this, subscribe to our YouTube here

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Sources:

“He’s Right Behind You.” ABC 20/20: ABC Entertainment, 2025

“The Phantom.” Dateline: NBCUniversal Media, LLC, 2025.

“The Setup Murder of Kristil Krug.” 48 Hours: CBS Interactive Inc., 2025.

Bodycam Captures Wife’s Final Moments Before It All Went Wrong, Beyond Evil, 2025.

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Texas Valentine's Day Serial Killer Caught 46 Years Later | The Case of Carla Walker play icon
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Texas Valentine's Day Serial Killer Caught 46 Years Later | The Case of Carla Walker

Unseen .
By Unseen .Dec 22, 2025
Unseen .
Driven by the belief that there’s always more to the story, Unseen delves beyond the headlines to uncover the quiet resilience, courage, and humanity at the heart of real cases. With a focus on the untold and the overlooked, Unseen shines a light on what’s often left in the shadows, creating moments of connection and understanding.
See Full Bio


A KILLER WHO WALKED FREE FOR HALF A CENTURY

This is 77-year-old Glen McCurley. He’s suspected of having kidnapped and killed up to 7 women and girls in Fort Worth, Texas, between 1967 and 1985. For almost 50 years, he has evaded the authorities and gotten away unscathed. And today is no different. The police have no motive, no evidence, and, worst of all, no warrant. But when the system fails, it sometimes only takes one man to bring a case back to life. Jim Walker, the brother of one of his victims, has waited 46 years to get revenge for his sister’s kidnapping, rape, and murder, and he refuses to wait any longer.

THE LAST PROMISE

But this isn’t just any date for 18-year-old Rodney McCoy. For months, he’s been planning to give Carla something special — a promise ring. He knows Carla is the one–and with the ring, he promises to stand by her forever. With a smile, she accepts the ring. Soon after, they head to the school dance to celebrate with their friends. After the dance, the couple leaves to find a place where they can be alone. But little do they know, their perfect night is about to be violently interrupted. Rodney looks up and sees a dark silhouette holding a pistol in the open door. Before he can react, the stranger strikes him in the face with the butt of his gun.

Back at the Walkers’ house, Carla's little brother Jim is sleeping on the couch in the living room when the sound of screeching tires suddenly wakes him up. The twelve-year-old runs outside and sees his sister’s boyfriend stumbling across the front lawn. He’s covered in blood. The passenger side of his car is empty — Carla is nowhere to be found. The family rushes out to meet Rodney–the 18-year-old is frantic and out of breath, but he tries to explain what happened.

FROM BOYFRIEND TO ONLY SUSPECT

The next morning, police, FBI agents, and Sheriff’s staff arrive at the Walkers’ home to set up the search effort. Rodney is their sole suspect. Everyone — from Carla’s classmates to the Walkers’ neighbors — is convinced Rodney is involved in her disappearance — everyone, except the Walkers. After three days of unsuccessful searching, one of the detectives remembers a case from a year before — Becky Martin, a missing girl around Carla’s age, had been discovered inside a cattle culvert on the outskirts of Fort Worth. On that hunch, the search party, along with the Walkers, focus their efforts on the underground tunnels scattered across the countryside, when suddenly, their search takes a turn for the worse.

Carla’s brutal murder shakes Fort Worth. The whole town grieves the loss of the young girl. At the funeral, over a thousand members of the community gather to pay their respects to Carla, and the Walkers. Rodney attends with the family, but a heavy cloud of suspicion looms over him. He faces the judgmental looks of his classmates, their parents, and everyone else in attendance. In spite of this, Rodney gathers the courage to walk over to Carla’s casket. As he looks at her for one last time, something catches his eye. The promise ring he gave her is nowhere to be found. The night she was taken flashes before his eyes — and Rodney breaks down. This will be his last day sleeping in Carla’s bed at the Walkers. Right after graduation, Rodney moves to Alaska to work in an oil rig, never to return to Fort Worth.

GRIEF TURNS INTO OBSESSION

With Rodney’s departure, Jim feels even more isolated. Everybody around him is consumed by grief, but the 12-year-old only feels anger. It becomes an obsession; he wants revenge for what happened to Carla. Neither Jim nor the police ever catch a glimpse of the killer. But he refuses to give up. He’s convinced he can solve the case himself and applies to the police academy as soon as he’s old enough. He’s accepted, but something goes wrong during one of his exams. His vision is blurry, and it’s only getting worse. Jim is eventually diagnosed with a rare genetic condition that throws a wrench in his future as a detective. He’s going blind.

With Jim's career in law enforcement cut short, he begins to lose all hope of ever bringing his sister’s killer to justice. All of his siblings eventually leave Fort Worth. Years turn into decades. Come 2020, Jim is the only Walker left in Fort Worth. With everyone around him gone, Jim’s drive to find Carla’s killer becomes stronger. Every year, he does the only thing he can do: call the Fort Worth Police and try to convince whoever’s in charge of their cold case department to reopen his sister’s case. At the other end of the line is Fort Worth Police Department’s new cold case investigator, Detective Leah Wagner. Thanks to Jim’s call, Wagner decides to reopen Carla’s case. After 46 years of frustration and setbacks, hope is renewed. Jim has spent his entire life looking for a way to get justice for his sister, and now, with a new expert finally willing to work the case, he’s ready to do whatever it takes to help.

THE DETECTIVE WHO REFUSED TO REPEAT HISTORY

First, Wagner goes over the events of Carla’s abduction on the night of the 1974 Valentine’s Day dance. After the attacker struck Rodney on the head with the butt of his gun, his weapon jammed. As Rodney began to lose consciousness, the attacker started clearing his pistol. Realizing that the man was preparing to shoot Rodney, Carla stepped up, saying she’d go with him if he stopped hurting Rodney. Even though they didn’t solve the case back in 1974, the police still did their due diligence, and collected every piece of evidence, including a full pistol magazine, Carla’s torn dress and clothing, and a final clue that, to them, implicated Rodney — the promise ring. For reasons no one could explain, it had been pulled off her finger and left in the culvert next to her body. No matter what happened with the ring, Wagner refuses to fall into the same trap as past investigators. She is determined to find who actually killed Carla and exonerate Rodney, who has been living in exile after the backlash he endured as a suspect back in 1974. The detective knows how new DNA technologies can re-ignite cold cases, and hopes Carla’s case will be no different. All she needs is a sufficient amount of DNA. Yet two things block her progress. First, at 5 nanograms, the sample is by far the smallest the detective has ever had to work with. Any and all manipulation carries a high risk of destroying the fragile genetic material. And second, the partial profile they identified doesn’t match any of the criminals already registered in the database.

SOLVING A 46 YEAR OLD MURDER WITH DNA

But Detective Wagner knows of a way to get more. A private laboratory south of Houston has developed a new technology to identify suspects using only small amounts of DNA. This technique would use up the entire remaining sample, and success isn't guaranteed. But Leah and Jim are willing to take that risk to get answers. The gamble pays off. With the new DNA profile, Detective Wagner finally has a name: Glen McCurley. She recognizes it right away as suspect #22 from the 1974 investigation. Back then, police questioned every local owner of registered Ruger pistols after a loaded clip was found at the scene of the abduction. McCurley was one of them; he even took a polygraph and passed, but DNA doesn’t lie. He reacts jokingly at first. But his tone shifts once Wagner starts asking questions. But Glen McCurley’s wife, Judy, isn’t about to let her husband lie to the detective. And when he starts trying to build an alibi for the night Carla was taken — and for the days that followed — his wife cuts in again, correcting him. McCurley has the right to refuse Wagner’s request, but the detective won’t let that deter her.

UNMASKING A SERIAL KILLER

When night falls, she sends officers to dig through the suspect’s trash for anything that might have his DNA on it. They recover a plastic McDonald’s straw. They are able to match it to the original sample and get a warrant for his arrest. On September 21st, 2020, he’s taken into custody. During the ensuing interrogation, McCurley finally cracks. Later during the interview, Detective Wagner asks McCurley where he left Carla’s body. He starts giving directions, insisting it was beside a building. But this isn’t where Carla was found. This raises red flags for the detectives; she may not be the killer’s only victim. When they try to push him for answers, the 77-year-old suspect completely shuts down, leaving Wagner with nothing. For Jim, the feeling of defeat is familiar. He’s lived with it for decades. But he’s not a twelve-year-old boy anymore. In the years since Carla was taken, anger has been keeping him moving. But now, sitting this close to the truth, he knows he isn’t here for revenge, but for answers, and for peace. Jim has had Carla on his mind for a long time, but the thought that McCurley might have been a serial killer all along has never escaped his or Detective Wagner’s minds. Since Carla’s murder, several women and girls have been abducted and killed around Valentine’s Day in the Fort Worth area–each of their cases remaining unsolved to this day. And another family is now also painfully aware of these facts: the McCurleys. A few days before the trial, Roddy McCurley, the killer’s own son, tries desperately to get answers from his father.

WHEN THE TRIAL TOOK AN UNEXPECTED TURN

On August 19th, 2021, Glen McCurley’s murder trial begins. From his seat, Jim notices the heavy silence that follows Rodney’s testimony, who has returned to Fort Worth to tell his story. He’s also aware of the McCurley family nearby — and even though he can’t see them, he knows the weight they’re carrying. Jim has lived with Carla’s murder for 46 years. For the McCurleys, this is all happening in real time. And despite everything he has been through, Jim knows he needs to do something. After one of the days in trial, he approaches their son, Roddy. The next day, Jim and Rodney sit next to the McCurleys. Together, all the victims and survivors form a united front. Roddy locks eyes with his father as the judge asks everyone to sit down. At that moment, something shifts in Glen McCurley. He quietly says a few words to his attorney, who then walks straight to the judge, and the court is immediately adjourned.

HEALING LIKE AFTER THE TRIAL

To mark the end of the case and Rodney’s return to Fort Worth, Jim and Wagner prepare a surprise for him. They return something he lost — 46 years ago. Today, Jim remains close friends with not only Wagner and Rodney but also with Roddy McCurley. Jim stands by Roddy, helping him find peace and acceptance for his father’s crimes, and move forward with his life, just as he already did for himself. Glen McCurley, now dubbed the Valentine’s Day Killer, is suspected of having killed between 4 and 7 women and girls in and around Fort Worth between 1967 and 1985. To solve these crimes and countless other cold cases with insufficient DNA samples, police need new resources to access advanced forensic technology.


Related content:

A mother vanishes without a trace, and 20 years later her daughter uncovers the family secret that explains who made her disappear: The Case of Lalana Bramble

Credits:

Written, directed and edited by Alexandre Gendron

Edited by Hannah Alicbusan

Researched Bianca Yzabelle Tan

Voiceover by Will Akana

Produced by Salim Sader

For more stories like this, subscribe to our YouTube here

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Sources:

“The Last Dance.” Forensic Files II: Cable News Network, Inc., 2022.

“The Night He Turned Bad.” Evil Lives Here: Discovery Communications Inc., 2024

“After the Dance.” Dateline: NBCUniversal Media, LLC, 2023.

“Dance to Doom.” On the Case With Paula Zhan: Discovery, 2021.

“Glenn McCurley.” World’s Most Evil Killers: Woodcut Media LTD, 2024.

“High School Homicide.” The DNA of Murder With Paul Holes: Oxygen Media Productions, LLC, 2019.

“Carla’s Last Valentine.” Bloodline Detectives: Peninsula Television, 2022.


News Reports:

Teen's 1974 Murder Changed the Way Cold Cases Are Solved, Inside Edition

Proposed ‘Carla Walker Act' could fund advanced DNA testing to solve cold cases, NBC

Suspect in 1974 murder of Carla Walker pleads guilty, gets life in prison, WFAA

The Promise Ring, Dateline NBC

Getty Images

Bill named in memory of North Texas teen Carla Walker would create funding to help solve other cold, WFAA, 2024

Glen McCurley Pleads Guilty During Trial To Murdering Carla Walker In Fort Worth In 1974, CBS Texas, 2021

Capital Murder Trial Underway in Carla Walker Cold Case, NBCDFW, 2021

Fort Worth police give update on officer-involved shooting, NBCDFW, 2024

Alaska Serial Killer Exposed After Victim Leaves This Clue Behind | The Case of Samantha Koenig play icon
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Alaska Serial Killer Exposed After Victim Leaves This Clue Behind | The Case of Samantha Koenig

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By Unseen .Dec 22, 2025
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Driven by the belief that there’s always more to the story, Unseen delves beyond the headlines to uncover the quiet resilience, courage, and humanity at the heart of real cases. With a focus on the untold and the overlooked, Unseen shines a light on what’s often left in the shadows, creating moments of connection and understanding.
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SAMANTHA'S LAST SHIFT

Pay attention to this footage. It shows what happened before Samantha Koenig was kidnapped. February 1st 2012, 18 year old Samantha Koenig is busy closing up the coffee stand, where she works, in Anchorage, Alaska. She constantly checks her phone, expecting a text message from her boyfriend. The temperature outside is well below zero, and no one has been seen in the area in a while. It’s 8:15pm. On one of the security cameras, a dark figure emerges from across the parking lot, walking towards the drive thru window. Samantha is then seen talking to someone, before she goes off to make a coffee. At first, everything seems normal. She engages with the man, as she would any other customer.

Until… Samantha takes a step back, holding both her hands up. She seems terrified. But watch closely, in the next few minutes, she’s going to leave a clue behind, that could ruin his plan. Following the man’s orders, she turns off the lights, in the front and in the back. It’s hard to make out what’s happening inside the coffee stand, at this point, but Samantha appears to remove money from the cash register, before she crouches on the floor, and puts her coat on. The man then asks her to turn around, before he leans in through the drive thru window, and binds her hands behind her back. He then jumps through the window, and into the coffee stand.

For the next several minutes, Samantha is trapped, not knowing what’s going to happen to her. When they get up to leave, she has something stuffed in her mouth. At 8:25pm, Samantha walks out of the coffee stand, with the man close at her side. They cross the parking lot, and turn right on Fairbanks street, before disappearing out of the frame. 18 year old Samantha Koenig has been kidnapped, and no one knows she’s been taken. But look closer, inside the coffee stand, there’s a light flashing. Samantha has left her phone behind. Which will come as a shock to police, because her boyfriend got a text from her, 3 hours after she disappeared.

THE TEXT THAT TRIGGERED A FATHER'S INSTINCT

The year is 2012. In the city of Anchorage Alaska, 18 year old Samantha Koenig is living a happy life with her father James, who loves her more than anything in the world. James has had full custody of Samantha since she was 2 years old, and does all he can to keep her safe. But she's now a high school senior, and enjoys going out with friends. James has allowed her boyfriend Duane to come live with them at his house, knowing it would make her happy. Samantha is excited for the coming prom. Her dad has been helping her get ready, and she’s been saving up for a dress. She just started work at a new place, called the Common Ground espresso coffee stand, and on February 1st, she’s working the evening shift, alone. Her boyfriend Duane is supposed to pick her up after work.

It’s 8:30pm. Duane arrives late at the coffee stand, and finds all the lights are closed, and the place is empty. He tries calling Samantha’s cellphone multiple times, but gets no answer. Because he was late, Duane thinks Samantha simply got a lift from someone else, so he decides to go home, and wait for her there. It’s 11:55pm, 3 hours later, when Duane finally gets a text back from Samantha. But the message only confuses him further. She writes “F U asshole. I know what you did. I’m going to spend a couple of days with friends. Need time to think plan. Acting weird… Let my dad know.” Duane is shocked. He doesn’t understand what he could have done, that would make her angry.

He shares the message with James, Samantha’s dad, who immediately thinks, this doesn’t sound like Samantha. It’s 3am, Duane is unable to sleep. He's waiting on the porch outside, hoping Samantha will come home, when he sees a tall dark figure rummaging through his truck. Duane shouts out to the person, and runs inside to get James. But when they get back out, the dark figure, is already gone.

THE FOOTAGE THAT CHANGED EVERYTHING

February 2nd. At 12:39pm, the Anchorage police department receives this 911 call. Officer Kevin Ehm, is the first to arrive at the scene. When Officer Ehm turns his attention to the coffee stand, he talks to the barista who came in and opened that morning. But everything changes when they get their hands on the security footage. Detectives cue the tapes to 8pm, around the time when Samantha was supposed to get off work. Right away they can see she’s alone, cleaning and wiping things down, as she’s getting ready to close. At 8:15pm, a man approaches on foot, and walks up to the drive-through window.

Samantha goes to greet the man, and starts making a coffee. Several times, she is seen engaging with him. Samantha recoils, and puts her hands up. Detectives are convinced, the man is pointing a gun at her.The officers watching the footage then see her going to the cash register, and removing the money. She puts her coat on, and drops to the floor, so he can bind her hands together. Detectives have no idea what the man looks like, as he’s completely out of shot. Until Samantha moves away from the window. The man stuffs napkins in Samantha’s mouth, and leads her out of the coffee stand. Officers then see both of them walking away in the parking lot. Agents are rewatching the footage, over and over. And there’s a few elements that raise red flags. This, is Samantha’s phone, ringing every time Duane called her the night she was kidnapped.

The problem is, Duane received this text message, at 11:30pm that night, from Samantha’s phone. Investigators fast-forward the footage… until they see movement, at 11:26 pm. The man came back, specifically to get Samantha’s phone, and left. The suspect sent a misleading text message, to Samantha’s boyfriend, to delay as much as he could, someone calling the police.This new development is terrifying. Where was Samantha, while the man came back? Was she tied up in the car? Held captive somewhere? Or worse.

THE SEARCH BEGINS

While police investigation turns into high gear, Samantha’s father James is leading efforts to find his daughter. The Anchorage police department asks for help from the FBI, but they have very little to go on. February 4th. Samantha has been missing for three days. James Koenig has started collecting money for a reward fund. And donations are pouring in by the hundreds. The investigation expands, and the FBI retrieves surveillance footage from the Home Depot Parking lot, across the street from the coffee stand. From there, they proceed to get surveillance tapes from the street cameras. While the quality of the footage is too grainy to see any license plate, they now have the suspect’s vehicle. The problem is, there’s around 700 White Chevy pick-up trucks identical to this one, in the city of Anchorage alone. Days pass by, and while investigators are following up every lead, they're no closer to finding Samantha. Days soon turn into weeks. James refuses to stand by idly while his daughter is still out there. So he takes to social media, and publicizes Samantha’s disappearance.

THE RANSOM NOTE AND "PROOF OF LIFE"

It’s February 24th. Samantha has been missing for 23 days. James is out having a meeting at a restaurant, with the search party team, when Samantha’s boyfriend Duane gets a text. His face goes sheet white, and he walks over to James, and shows him the text. James and his family rush over to Connor park, where there’s a bulletin board. Underneath a picture of a dog named Albert, there’s a ziploc bag. Inside, is a white sheet of paper folded over. The letter is a ransom note, written with a typewriter. The note confirms that Samantha, is alive. There’s a debit card number, attributed to Samantha’s account, where the funds should be deposited. Along with the ransom note, there’s a photo, of a young woman. The picture is a proof of life, showing a woman next to a newspaper from February 23rd. When James learns about the ransom, he immediately tells Sergeant Markiewicz to use money from the reward fund. That same day, 5 thousand dollars are deposited into the account.

FROM ALASKA TO TEXAS: THE ATM TRAIL

The city of Anchorage has about 500 ATM machines, which makes it impossible for them to monitor every single one. That night, the FBI gets a signal, that Samantha’s card has been used. But what they do have, is surveillance footage from the ATM. The suspect is wearing a mask, so they can’t see any facial features. He’s wearing goggles, a hood on, and a big puffy jacket with the words marine corps on the back. But the most interesting part, is the Nissan SUV the man is seen driving away in. This only confuses investigators further. Because the suspect could only withdraw the cash limit of 500$, authorities are counting on the fact that, he will have to withdraw again. The FBI calls for back up, and sends agents to every single publicly accessible ATM machine in the city of Anchorage… But the next time he uses the card, is on March 7th, is in Wilcox Arizona. Over 4000 miles away. The FBI contacts authorities in Arizona, but because of the 10 minute delay, the suspect is already gone. When they receive the footage from the ATM withdrawal, investigators see the same man, hiding his identity. But the car he’s driving, is now a white ford focus.

On March 10th, there’s a withdrawal that is made in Humble, Texas. The FBI gets in touch with the Texas Rangers, and agents issue an alert, to be on the look-out for a white ford focus. While FBI agents are on their way, State Trooper Bryan Henry follows the white ford focus, from a distance. Trooper Henry activates the lights, the car pulls into a local restaurant. As he approaches the vehicle, he looks at the back seat, hoping to find Samantha, but the driver is alone. However, there’s still a chance she could be in the trunk. From the driver’s license, he learns his name is Israel Keyes. The Texas Rangers and FBI agents quickly arrive on site, and take control of the situation. The agents are running out of options. If Samantha is in the trunk of the car, they need to get it open fast. When they open the trunk, Samantha Koenig, is not there. But what they do find, directly connects Israel Keyes to her kidnapping. A grey hoody, a mask, gloves and goggles. The same disguise that was seen in the ATM videos. Inside the pockets, they find Samantha’s phone, and debit card.

ISRAEL KEYES UNDER ARREST

Investigators back in Alaska, take the name Israel Keyes, and execute a search warrant on his house. When they arrive at the house, the first thing they notice, is a Chevy white pick-up truck… And a silver Nissan Extera SUV. After searching every square inch of the property, they find no trace Samantha was ever there. When the FBI dig into Israel Keyes’ life, they learn he has a girlfriend, and a 10 year old daughter. He owns a construction company, and has never had any run-ins with the law. On the outside, no one could tell he was capable of doing something like this. The FBI is hoping to get Israel Keyes talking. Only he knows where Samantha is. But when he’s extradited back to Alaska, Keyes learns from his lawyer, that computers from his house were seized. So he makes the most unexpected move. Keyes directs them to an area north of Anchorage, towards the Matanuska valley, and points to a spot on the lake. Samantha’s father James, is at home, surrounded by family and friends, when he learns the news. The room falls silent. James’ worst fear has come true.

WHAT HAPPENED TO SAMANTHA?

In his interrogation, Keyes gives the details of what happened to Samantha. He tells her not to trigger the alarm, because he will know if the police are notified, and he will kill her. While he’s driving around Anchorage, Keyes asks Samantha for her phone. When she tells him it’s at the coffee hut, he turns around and heads back. She tries to convince him there’s an alarm on the door, but he doesn’t believe her. Then, Keyes drives her to his house, and leads her inside the shed. Keyes doesn’t think twice about keeping Samantha captive, just a few feet away from where his 10 year old daughter sleeps. After tying her to the wall, and turning on some loud music, he asks Samantha for her ATM card. That’s when he learns, she left it in her boyfriend’s truck.

That same night, Israel Keyes rapes Samantha, and kills her. The next morning, Israel returns to his life as usual. He wakes up his daughter, and packs her bags. They’re going on a family trip to New Orleans, where they will stay for the next few weeks. All the while, Samantha’s body is still in the shed. Israel Keyes is counting on the freezing Alaskan temperatures, to preserve Samantha’s remains. But the most disturbing thing, is what he does when he comes back from his trip. He thaws out her body with some heaters, and then puts into action, the next part of his plan. Get a ransom paid, by pretending Samantha is still alive. In reality, Samantha was dead before Police were even notified that she was missing.

UNMASKING A SERIAL KILLER

The details of what happened his daughter are not shared with James Koenig. Yet, he is convinced she was not Keyes’ first victim. He creates a facebook page, to piece together a timeline of Keyes’ whereabouts from 2004, to 2012. He calls the page, “Have You Ever Met Israel Keyes? Possible Serial Killer.” All James wants, is to bring closure to other families who might have lost someone to Keyes. But when tips start coming in, the FBI is alerted of multiple missing person cases across the country, and decide to ask Israel Keyes point blank. Keyes says he’s willing to talk, but he wants it done on his own terms. He knows he has the upper hand.
The reason Israel Keyes doesn’t want this to get out, is because he doesn’t want his daughter, to find out. That doesn’t stop him from enjoying the attention.

As it turns out, James Koenig was right. Israel Keyes is a serial killer. And he has been doing this for many years. He explains how he planned each of his murders, and how he avoided detection. Keyes may be talking, but investigators are struggling to obtain the names of each one of his victims. They spend days talking to him, hours on end, bowing to each of his demands. Until one day, a TV news channel makes this announcement. He finds out his name has been made public, and stops talking.

KEYES’ FINAL DEFIANCE

May 23rd, 2012. Israel Keyes is scheduled to appear in court for a hearing. There’s reporters from every news channel, but no video cameras are allowed inside the courtroom. James Koenig and his family are there. Keyes jumps from his seat, over the guardrail that separates him from the rest of the gallery. One marshal grabs him at the last minute, and throws him to the ground, while another shoots him with a taser gun. November 29th. investigators only have 2 names, but Keyes refuses to cooperate further. After 40 hours of questioning over the course of 8 months, Israel Keyes is shutting down. 3 days later. In the early hours of the morning, a prison guard does a routine check of Keye’s cell, and stumbles upon a shocking scene. Investigators are certain Keyes had killed 11 people, but for now, they only have 3 names. Bill Currier, Lorraine Currier, and Samantha Koenig. However, special agent Kat Nelson is convinced, more cases will be solved. And she continues to work, so that the families of his victims can finally get closure.

KEEPING SAMANTHA’S LIGHT ALIVE

As for James Koenig, Samantha’s father, it’s because of his relentless efforts, that a serial killer was caught, finally putting an end to his reign of terror. Since his daughter’s death in 2012, he’s created an organisation that helps others, find missing family. It works to help conduct research, and offers support and advice. The program is called Seeking Alaska’s Missing… or Sam, for short. Family and friends are also working to pass a bill, that aims to improve workplace safety across Alaska, so that what happened to Samantha, never happens again, naming it, the Samantha Koenig Safety Act. As of today, they are still working to pass this bill, and are asking for support from the public. While James has lost his only daughter, she will always be in his heart. And through his work, he’s making sure Samantha’s memory, lives on.


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Credits:

Written, directed & edited by Justin Chalifoux

Researched by Amanda Hein

Voiceover by Will Akana

Produced by Salim Sader

For more stories like this, subscribe to our YouTube here

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Sources:

Documentaries: “Ain't She Purty”, Wild Crime: Eleven Skulls, 2024 (ABC News/Hulu)

“You’ve got your monster”, Wild Crime: Eleven Skulls, 2024 (ABC News/Hulu)

“Because they’re mine”, Wild Crime: Eleven Skulls, 2024 (ABC News/Hulu)

“Mask of sanity”, Wild Crime: Eleven Skulls, 2024 (ABC News/Hulu)

48 Hours: Tracking the Murders of Israel Keyes, 2020 (CBS Broadcasting Inc.)

“The Cross Country Killer: He Could Make People Disappear” - Part 1 & 2, Very Scary People, 2022 (Investigation Discovery)

Method of a Serial Killer, 2018 (Glass Entertainment Group/ Oxygen Network)


News clips:

Anchorage Police Department released to Anchorage Daily News

ABC Alaska

Fox News

CBS News

KHQ Local News

The Star Ledger

Alaska Public Media

CBS 11 News

NBC 5


Youtube:

Viktoria Evans Sotos DoWhit Yourself Podcast: “The Israel Keyes Investigation” True Crime Bullsh**, 2018 (Studio BOTH/AND).

Book:

Maureen Callahan, “American Predator: The Hunt for the Most Meticulous Serial Killer of the 21st Century”, Viking, 2021


Other:

FBI - Federal Bureau of Investigations

'Send her home': Father of abducted barista pleads for her return - Kyle Hopkins (DailyMotion)

Seeking Alaska’s Missing (S.A.M.) - Facebook

Killer Thinks He Got Away — Until Cops See This On Camera | The Case of Kayleigh & Amy
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Killer Thinks He Got Away — Until Cops See This On Camera | The Case of Kayleigh & Amy

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THE BLACK SUV

Pay attention to this black SUV, it belongs to 24-year-old Amy Lord, a Massachusetts native living in Boston. The vehicle pulls up to a bank. It stops at the ATM. Everything looks normal—until she rolls down the window. Amy isn’t the one driving. The man behind the wheel tries to hide his face from the camera. There’s also something wrong with Amy's face. Her left eye is swollen. The transaction only lasts a few seconds before Amy quickly pulls back. She then shows the driver the money, and the two exit the frame in reverse.

A few minutes later, the SUV stops at the Metro Credit Union. Amy seems more panicked, and her face is in worse shape than before. She looks straight into the CCTV camera. And here again, the pair drives away within seconds. Between 6 and 7 AM, Amy empties her accounts using 5 different ATMs around South Boston. Every time, her face looks more swollen. At 8 AM, her SUV is found ablaze in a parking lot. At 11 AM, her manager reports her missing. With only CCTV footage to guide them, police race to find Amy and stop her kidnapper before he strikes again, but just as the search begins, another woman is found, in a pool of her own blood. Kaylee might be the only one able to stop the South Boston Slasher and find Amy, but first, she has to survive the night.

TROUBLE IN BOSTON

Three months before the attacks, Kayleigh moves to Boston from her small town in Maine. Her best friend offers her a room for the summer, and her mother, Kim, helps her settle in. Yet, Kim worries, as most parents would. Boston is far from Maine, and she can’t shake the feeling that something could go wrong. Three months in, Kayleigh’s balancing an internship, a restaurant job, and field hockey training. So far, the city’s been good to her. But on July 23rd, a chain of events is set in motion, one that will change her life forever.

THE FIRST ATTACK

It’s 4:23 AM. Kayleigh is still asleep. Less than a mile away from her Gates Street apartment, a man randomly attacks a woman right before the sun rises. Alexandra Cruz, a 21-year-old single mother, is on her way to work. Before heading out, she leaves her son with a babysitter. It’s still dark outside. The streets are quiet. She walks along Old Colony Avenue, minutes away from the Dunkin’ Donuts she works at. A man is walking behind her. She doesn’t think much of it—until she feels a hand grab her from behind. Before she can react, he wraps his arm around her neck and begins choking her, dragging her into a nearby parking lot. Alexandra tries to fight him off, but the man starts punching her, and she blacks out. When she wakes up, she’s lying on the ground. Her attacker is crouched nearby, picking up the contents of her purse. By the time the young woman manages to stand up, he’s gone.

Detective McLaughlin from Boston Homicide and Detective Flynn from Southie Police are just getting started with their investigation into Alexandra's attack when even more disturbing news comes in.

WHERE IS AMY ?

Carly and her parents drive all the way from Wilbraham to Boston and meet the detective at Amy's apartment. Most of her belongings are there. There are no signs of struggle or forced entry. Both the police and the Lords are at a loss. But 2 things are missing. Amy’s black Jeep and her wallet. Detective McLaughlin decides to look at Amy’s final bank transactions to try and locate her. What he discovers is disturbing, to say the least. The detective isn’t yet convinced that Alexandra’s attack and Amy’s disappearance are connected, but with both happening so close together, it’s hard to shake the feeling that they might be. While he waits for the various financial institutions to provide him with CCTV footage, McLaughlin tries to explain the situation to the Lords.

WATCHING AMY THROUGH SECURITY CAMERAS

Eventually, the tapes containing the footage start coming in. The first is from Bank of America, timestamped at 6:28 a.m. It shows Amy Lord using the ATM. There’s nothing unusual that could help police find her. Before they can finish their review, another tape, from Citizen Bank, arrives. This one shows a front-facing camera at 6:43 a.m. A black Jeep stops in front of the bank. And something unexpected happens; Amy gets out of her car from the passenger side. While she walks towards the entryway, her vehicle backs up. She isn’t alone — someone else is driving her car. Even stranger, the left side of her face looks swollen. More footage comes in. McLaughlin reviews each frame carefully. The Sovereign Bank tape, at 6:36 a.m., doesn't have a clear view of the driver.

The last two tapes are McLaughlin’s final chance at learning who’s behind the wheel — and they deliver. The Metro Credit Union footage, timestamped at 6:14 a.m., shows Amy’s Jeep turning into the parking lot and stopping at the ATM. Through the glass, the driver can be seen — but he quickly spots the camera, pulls back, and reappears with his face covered. For a split second, he removes his cap, revealing a closely shaven head. On top of the bank footage, Detective Flynn secures video surveillance from a building across the street from Amy’s Dorchester Street apartment. However, before they can investigate any further, detectives are hit with another devastating news. A vehicle found burned beyond recognition earlier that morning in South Boston has just been identified as Amy Lord’s missing Jeep.

A DEVASTATING DISCOVERY

Towards the end of the afternoon, McLaughlin’s worst fears are confirmed. The search for Amy is over, but not in the way anyone had hoped. Detective Flynn is with the Lords when the news breaks. Witnessing their reaction is unbearable, even for a veteran like him. At the scene, McLaughlin’s overwhelmed by what he sees. The young woman he’s been pursuing all day, who was alive just this morning, now lies dead before him — beaten beyond recognition, stabbed over a dozen times, and stripped naked, save for an angel wing necklace she was wearing. The emotional toll is heavy, but McLaughlin can’t dwell on it. There’s a violent killer on the loose, moving too fast for the detective to keep up. He must identify who this man is, prove he’s the same attacker who went after Alexandra Cruz earlier that morning, and stop him before he strikes again. To accomplish this, McLaughlin requests the footage covering the streets between where the first assault happened and Amy’s apartment, hoping the cameras can reveal the path the killer took and maybe even catch his face.

KAYLEIGH’S ATTACK AND HOSPITAL RACE

By nightfall, the murder of Amy Lord dominates the news. Police warn women to stay inside or walk in pairs when moving around South Boston. However, Kayleigh Ballantyne has been working late in Cambridge, unaware of the panic that is taking over her neighbourhood. On her way home, she takes the T to Broadway. From there, she has less than a mile to walk back to her apartment. By 11:45 p.m., she’s only a block away. What happens next isn’t immediately clear. Kayleigh makes it home, but somewhere between the building’s entrance and her apartment door, she’s violently attacked. When her roommate opens the door, there’s blood everywhere. Kayleigh is on the floor, barely alive.

Far from Boston, in rural Maine, Kayleigh’s mother, Kim, is woken up by a call in the middle of the night. With her daughter’s life hanging by a thread, Kim rushes toward Boston. The two-hour drive feels endless, her mind constantly looping back to the worst-case scenario. Back in South Boston, Detective Bobby Flynn walks up Telegraph Street, where Kayleigh’s attacker fled, leaving behind a trail of blood. He and McLaughlin have already spotted a few security cameras in and around the area. From what they’ve gathered, their suspect is a young man in his 20s, with multiple tattoos, wearing a tank top and hat. After nearly twenty hours chasing him through security footage, Flynn feels like they’re finally closing in. But, in fact, the killer is much closer than he ever could have imagined. With lights flashing and sirens wailing, Flynn and his partner rush to Tufts Medical Center. Every second counts. They arrive within minutes and run to Kayleigh’s room. One of the EMTs who heard Kayleigh describe her attacker earlier that night recognizes a man matching her description walking down the hallway. He warns security, and the hospital goes on lockdown.

IDENTIFYING THE BOSTON SLASHER

While Detective Flynn and Kayleigh are at the hospital, Detective McLaughlin is still out on the street, tracking down each and every security camera that could have caught a glimpse of their killer on his way out of Kayleigh’s apartment. He still has the picture of the original suspect from the Alexandra Cruz case in his pocket. But one thing is certain: Flynn won’t let him get close to Kayleigh under his watch. Flynn brings their suspect, now identified as 28-year-old Edwin Alemany, into another room and begins questioning him. He denies everything, fabricates a story about a street fight, and refuses to answer any questions.
While this is happening, Kim finally arrives in Boston. She rushes to Tufts Medical Center where police meet her in the lobby and lead her through the hallway. Her daughter is alive, but just like at the cabin in Maine, Kim can’t shake the feeling that this nightmare isn’t over yet.

EVIDENCE, AFTERMATH AND TRIAL

While Flynn stays at Tufts to protect Kayleigh, McLaughlin reviews the CCTV footage collected from the day before. On one of the tapes, Edwin appears just after Amy’s murder—buying gasoline, minutes before police discover her Jeep engulfed in flames. At the gas station, he even crosses paths with an acquaintance. McLaughlin later tracks the acquaintance down, who confirms without hesitation that it was Edwin Alemany. Later, footage shows Alemany spending Amy’s money across the city. He buys a new phone, and signs the paperwork under the alias: ”Slim Shady.” Cameras also catch him buying lottery tickets, beer, cigarettes—even treating his friends to dinner at a Chinese restaurant. Footage from after Kayleigh’s attack paints an equally chilling picture. Edwin stops at a gas station, bragging about being in a fistfight—the supposed reason for his bloodied hand. He laughs, putting on a show for the cashier and anyone close by. He then takes a cab to the hospital. Now that McLaughlin has pieced together the entirety of Edwin’s day with surveillance footage, it’s up to forensics to tell the rest of the story. Back at the hospital, Flynn tries to figure out how to break the news to Kayleigh concerning Amy’s fate. Kayleigh didn’t just stop a random attacker, but a serial predator and killer.

HEALING, VERDICT AND FORGIVENESS

Two years after the verdict, Kayleigh struggles to come to terms with what happened. Recovery is slow, and reliving her trauma during the legal procedures nearly breaks her, but thanks to McLaughlin and Flynn’s thorough investigation, the jury reaches a verdict quickly. At the sentencing, Kayleigh finally gets the chance to speak to her attacker.

Over the next few years, life returns to some semblance of normalcy. Kayleigh finishes her studies, Alexandra finds her footing again, McLaughlin’s promoted to head detective, and Flynn retires from the force. A strange bond still unites all of them. And one morning, Flynn receives an unexpected call. For years, Kayleigh’s life has been defined by the hatred she felt toward her attacker. But she now sees that forgiveness is the only way to take that power back.


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Credits:

Written, directed & edited by Alexandre Gendron

Researched by Tiffany Loxton

Voiceover by William Akana

Produced by Alexandra Salois & Salim Sader

For more stories like this, subscribe to our YouTube here

*************************************

Sources:

Getty Images

Facebook: Kayleigh Ballantyne

Facebook: Boston Police Department (Official)

Instagram: bpdbs (Boston Police Detectives Benevolent Society)

Impact of Murder: I Speak for Amy, Discovery Communications LLC, 2019'

Impact of Murder: Kayleigh’s Angel, Discovery Communications LLC, 2019

See No Evil: Watching Amy Lord, SNE 2 Productions Inc./Arrow International Media, 2015

South Boston Shocked That Police Could Have Stopped Murder of Amy Lord, GBH News, 2013

Boston Police continue investigation into Wilbraham native, Amy Lord's murder, WWLP-22 News, 2013

Person of interest in Amy Lord case hospitalized, WWLP-22 News, 2013

Boston Police to make an announcement on the Amy Lord murder case, WWLP-22 News, 2013

Wilbraham residents still coping with Amy Lord's death, WWLP-22 News, 2013

Edwin Allemany indicted for murder of Wilbraham native Amy Lord, WWLP-22 News, 2013

Mother of Amy Lord speaks about 'unimaginable' suffering at killer's sentencing, WCVB Channel 5 Boston, 2015

Woman recalls attack by Alemany in hours before Lord's death, WCVB Channel 5 Boston, 2015

BPD unit to probe unsolved homicides, WCVB Channel 5 Boston, 2019

Edwin Alemany Trial Verdict 06/08/15, Law&Crime Network, 2015

The Survival Story of Kayleigh Ballantyne (Massachusetts), Dark Down East, 2021

One person stabbed in South Boston, suspect arrested, NBC Boston, 2025

Haystack Calhoun vs. Buddy Rogers (04/14/1961). Chicago Film Archives presents "Wrestling from Chicago", 2014

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survivor story

Taking Down The Beauty Queen Killer | Tina, Dawn & Linda's Case

LAPD Detective Gets Exposed For Murder | The Case Of Sherri Ramussen
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solving a murder

LAPD Detective Gets Exposed For Murder | The Case Of Sherri Ramussen

Cult Survivor Exposes The Nuwaubian Nation | The Case of Niki Lopez
cult survivor

Cult Survivor Exposes The Nuwaubian Nation | The Case of Niki Lopez

Texas Cop Wrongfully Convicts 3YO's Dad For Murder | The Case of The Morton Family
solving a murder

Texas Cop Wrongfully Convicts 3YO's Dad For Murder | The Case of The Morton Family

13 Year Old Thinks He Got Away With Sister’s Murder | The Case of Ella Bennett
solving a murder

13 Year Old Thinks He Got Away With Sister’s Murder | The Case of Ella Bennett

Denver Cop Takes Down Serial Killer At Mall | The Case of Ashley Ferris
survivor

Denver Cop Takes Down Serial Killer At Mall | The Case of Ashley Ferris

7 YO Outsmarts Killer—Solves 32-Year Cold Case | The case of Rachael, Karen & Nicola
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kidnapping

7 YO Outsmarts Killer—Solves 32-Year Cold Case | The case of Rachael, Karen & Nicola

The Uber Serial Killer | The Case of Abbie & Tiana
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survivor

The Uber Serial Killer | The Case of Abbie & Tiana

Killer Pastor Thinks He Got Away | The Case Of Kari Baker
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solving a murder

Killer Pastor Thinks He Got Away | The Case Of Kari Baker

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