Zahn: A YOUNG WOMAN VANISHES.
YOUR KID IS MISSING.
"WHERE IS SHE? WHERE IS SHE?"
Zahn: DID A BROKEN MARRIAGE END IN A TERRIBLE CRIME?
DID IT SEEM TO YOU THAT STEVEN CONTROLLED JAMI?
OH, I MEAN, THERE WAS NO QUESTION.
WHERE WAS JAMI?
Mains: WHY SHE WOULD BRING HER CAR UP TO THIS LOCATION,
THERE IS NO RHYME OR REASON FOR THAT.
Zahn: THE INVESTIGATION TESTED FRIENDSHIPS
AND PUSHED SUSPECTS TO THE EDGE.
HE BLAMES THE DISAPPEARANCE ON JAMI WITH TOBY.
TOBY HAD TURNED THE FINGER RIGHT BACK TO STEVE.
INTRIGUE...
BETRAYAL...
AND A MOTHER'S HEARTBREAK.
WHAT WERE THE LAST WORDS
THAT YOU REMEMBER HER SAYING TO YOU?
SHE SAID, "ALL HE CAN DO IS KILL ME."
[ SIREN WAILS ]
-- Captions by VITAC -- www.vitac.com
CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS
HI. I'M PAULA ZAHN,
AND TONIGHT WE'RE ON THE CASE IN REDMOND, WASHINGTON,
A SUBURB OF SEATTLE,
WHERE A YOUNG MOTHER SEEMED TO VANISH INTO THIN AIR.
IT WAS A MYSTERY THAT PUZZLED INVESTIGATORS
AND WOULD LEAD A FAMILY ON A DARK JOURNEY
THAT, EVEN IN THEIR WORST NIGHTMARES,
THEY NEVER COULD HAVE IMAGINED.
SEPTEMBER 30, 1990,
JUST ANOTHER SUNDAY AROUND 12:15 P.M.
26-YEAR-OLD JAMI SHERER CALLED HER MOTHER,
WHO WAS BABYSITTING FOR HER.
SHE SAID SHE WAS COMING OVER
TO PICK UP HER 2-YEAR-OLD SON, TYLER.
SHE CALLED ME AND TOLD ME SHE WAS ON HER WAY HOME.
SHE LOVED TACO TIME,
SO SHE WAS GONNA STOP AT TACO TIME,
PICK UP SOMETHING 'CAUSE WE HAD TYLER,
AND SHE WAS GONNA BE RIGHT HOME.
Zahn: THE TRIP SHOULD HAVE TAKEN NO MORE THAN 30 MINUTES,
SO WHEN AN HOUR PASSED WITH NO SIGN OF HER DAUGHTER,
JUDY HAGEL BEGAN TO WORRY.
SHE ALWAYS LET ME KNOW WHERE SHE WAS AT,
AND I JUST NEVER REALLY WORRIED ABOUT HER
'CAUSE SHE WAS SO SENSIBLE.
AS THE ONLY GIRL GROWING UP WITH THREE BROTHERS,
JAMI AND HER MOM HAD A SPECIAL BOND.
SHE HAD A GREAT SENSE OF HUMOR.
VERY AFFECTIONATE.
I'D FIND NOTES IN THE HOUSE TELLING ME HOW SHE LOVED ME.
AND NOW SHE HAD BLOSSOMED INTO A RESPONSIBLE YOUNG WOMAN.
JAMI HELD DOWN A FULL-TIME JOB
IN THE H.R. DEPARTMENT AT MICROSOFT,
WAS MARRIED, AND HAD A TODDLER SHE ADORED.
HOW MUCH JOY DID TYLER BRING INTO JAMI'S LIFE?
I MEAN, MY GOSH, SHE'D TAKE HIM TO WORK,
SHOW HIM OFF AT WORK.
SHE WAS SO PROUD OF TYLER.
AND THEN SHE'D BRING HIM OVER,
AND THEY'D SPEND HOURS JUST PLAYING.
AND SHE PLAYED WITH HIM AT HOME.
EVERYTHING WAS TYLER.
THAT'S WHY IT DIDN'T MAKE SENSE
THAT JAMI HADN'T SHOWN UP TO PICK UP HER SON.
BY LATE AFTERNOON, JUDY WAS STARTING TO PANIC.
SHE SPOKE WITH JAMI'S HUSBAND, STEVEN,
AND ONE OF JAMI'S CLOSEST FRIENDS,
BUT NO ONE KNEW WHERE SHE WAS.
Young: IT WAS JUST LIKE, "THAT'S REALLY ODD."
SHE WOULDN'T DO THAT,
ESPECIALLY LEAVING TYLER.
AND SHE WOULD CONTACT AT LEAST ONE FRIEND.
AND WITH NOBODY HEARING FROM HER,
THEN THAT'S WHEN WE KNEW, "THIS IS SERIOUS."
Zahn: AN UNSETTLING DAY TURNED INTO A TERRIFYING NIGHT.
I WAS IN SUCH A FOG AT THIS POINT,
BECAUSE I WAS SO SCARED.
I WAS WORRIED FOR JAMI. "WHERE IS SHE? WHERE IS SHE?"
YOUR KID IS MISSING.
JUDY CLUNG TO THE HOPE
THAT SOMEHOW JAMI WOULD TURN UP AT WORK THE NEXT DAY
AND HER NIGHTMARE WOULD BE OVER.
ON MONDAY MORNING,
JUDY CALLED HER DAUGHTER'S OFFICE,
DESPERATE TO HEAR HER VOICE.
I CALLED MICROSOFT, AND I CALLED,
AND I CALLED, AND I CALLED, AND THERE WAS NO ANSWER.
THEN ABOUT 9:00, I CALLED THE POLICE,
AND I SAID, "OKAY, MY DAUGHTER DIDN'T COME HOME LAST NIGHT."
JUDY AND JAMI'S HUSBAND, STEVEN, FILED A MISSING-PERSON REPORT.
A REDMOND POLICE OFFICER
IMMEDIATELY WENT TO JAMI AND STEVEN'S HOUSE
TO SEARCH FOR CLUES.
Faddis: THERE WAS NOTHING IN THE HOUSE.
DIDN'T SEE ANYTHING.
THERE WAS NOTHING REALLY TO GO ON --
NOTHING LOOKED MISSING, NOTHING WAS BROKEN,
DIDN'T LOOK LIKE THERE HAD BEEN ANY ARGUMENTS, FIGHTS,
ANY OF THOSE TYPE OF THINGS
THAT NORMALLY WOULD JUMP OUT AT YOU RIGHT AWAY.
Zahn: THE OFFICER TURNED TO STEVEN
AND ASKED A POINTED QUESTION --
"IS THERE ANYTHING I SHOULD KNOW?"
STEVEN ADMITTED THAT HE AND JAMI HAD AN ARGUMENT THE DAY BEFORE
AS SHE WAS LEAVING TO PICK UP TYLER AT HER MOTHER'S HOUSE.
HE SAID JAMI WAS SO UPSET,
SHE HAD EVEN PACKED AN OVERNIGHT BAG.
THEY HAD HAD AN ARGUMENT
AND THAT SHE HAD WANDERED OFF AND GOTTEN IN HER CAR
AND DRIVEN OFF TO GO BACK TO HER MOTHER'S HOUSE.
AND HE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED TO HER.
Zahn: BECAUSE OF THE ARGUMENT,
POLICE DIDN'T BELIEVE JAMI'S DISAPPEARANCE
WAS ANYTHING MORE THAN A DOMESTIC SITUATION.
Ith: MAYBE JAMI HAD JUST RUN AWAY.
SHE WAS A GROWN-UP,
AND, YOU KNOW, SHE HAD THE RIGHT TO DO THAT.
THEY CONSIDERED IT A DISPUTE BETWEEN THE TWO,
AND THEY FIGURED SHE'D JUST GONE OFF SOMEWHERE
TO COOL OFF, YOU KNOW?
FOR 72 HOURS, THEY DON'T PAY ANY ATTENTION.
Zahn: BUT JAMI'S FAMILY WAS CERTAIN FOUL PLAY WAS INVOLVED
AND SOMETHING NEEDED TO BE DONE.
NINE DAYS AFTER JAMI WENT MISSING,
THEY REACHED OUT TO THE LOCAL MEDIA FOR HELP.
SHE NEVER TOOK OFF BEFORE.
SHE'S NEVER DONE ANYTHING LIKE THIS,
YOU KNOW, IN HER 26 YEARS, AND I --
YOU KNOW, SHE DOESN'T DO THINGS LIKE THIS.
Zahn: THE FAMILY OFFERED A $10,000 REWARD
FOR ANYONE WITH INFORMATION TO HELP THEM FIND JAMI.
Hagel: ANYTHING TO GET SOMEBODY TO --
YOU KNOW, MAYBE IF THEY'VE SEEN HER
OR, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING, JUST TO LOOK OUT FOR HER.
'CAUSE THAT'S WHAT WE --
WE GOT TO HOPE ON THE PUBLIC NOW TO FIND HER FOR US.
Zahn: FRIENDS AND FAMILY WENT TO DOWNTOWN SEATTLE
AND FANNED OUT ACROSS THE SUBURBS,
PUTTING UP POSTERS EVERYWHERE.
JUDY WAS DESPERATE FOR ANSWERS.
WHAT WAS THAT LIKE FOR YOU TO BE A PART THE SEARCH
AND TO BE INVOLVED WITH PUTTING POSTERS UP,
MISSING-PERSONS POSTERS UP ALL OVER THE TOWN?
I DON'T KNOW. I JUST --
I WAS JUST AT MY WITS' END.
I WAS JUST FOLLOWING LIKE A ZOMBIE.
I WAS JUST DOING STEPS.
THEIR EFFORTS PAID OFF.
FINALLY, SOMEONE SPOTTED HER CAR IN A CHURCH PARKING LOT.
THE SEARCH FOR JAMI SHERER
WAS ABOUT TO TAKE A DRAMATIC TURN.
THE DISAPPEARANCE OF 26-YEAR-OLD JAMI SHERER WAS A MYSTERY.
EVEN THOUGH SHE HAD A FIGHT WITH HER HUSBAND,
HER FAMILY BELIEVED
THERE WAS NO WAY SHE WOULD HAVE JUST TAKEN OFF
WITHOUT CONTACTING SOMEONE.
THEY STARTED TO FEAR THE WORST.
WHEN HER DAUGHTER DISAPPEARED, JUDY HAGEL WAS FRANTIC.
JAMI WAS A DEVOTED AND RESPONSIBLE MOTHER.
IT WAS COMPLETELY OUT OF CHARACTER
FOR HER TO JUST DISAPPEAR.
AND AS THE DAYS DRAGGED ON, JUDY HAGEL FELT
THE POLICE WEREN'T TAKING THE SITUATION SERIOUSLY.
AT THIS POINT, THEY WERE TREATING IT SIMPLY,
IN YOUR MIND, AS A MISSING-PERSONS CASE.
THEY WERE SO LACKADAISICAL ABOUT THE WHOLE THING.
I DON'T KNOW IF IT WAS A BUDGET
THEY DIDN'T WANT TO SPEND MONEY ON.
YOU KNOW, I JUST DON'T KNOW.
POLICE THOUGHT THAT JAMI SIMPLY LEFT HOME TO COOL OFF
AFTER AN ARGUMENT WITH HER HUSBAND, STEVEN.
THE WAY JAMI'S FRIENDS DESCRIBED THE MARRIAGE,
IT MADE THAT SCENARIO SEEM VERY PLAUSIBLE.
HE DIDN'T LIKE JAMI BEING WITH HER FRIENDS,
BECAUSE WE WOULD TELL HER,
"YOU'RE IN A RELATIONSHIP THAT'S WRONG."
SO, HE DIDN'T LIKE US FROM THE BEGINNING.
WHEN SHE DESCRIBED SOME OF THEIR SITUATIONS THAT THEY WERE IN,
SOME OF THE FIGHTS THAT THEY HAD,
YOU KNOW, I SAID, "JAMI, JUST GET OUT."
THERE WAS NO REASON TO STAY IN A RELATIONSHIP
THAT'S ABUSIVE AND NOT VERY MUCH FUN.
Zahn: HAD JAMI FINALLY DECIDED TO LEAVE THE RELATIONSHIP?
SOMEONE REPORTED SEEING HER CAR
IN A CHURCH PARKING LOT IN SEATTLE,
A 40-MINUTE DRIVE FROM HOME.
IT DIDN'T MAKE SENSE TO INVESTIGATORS.
I THINK THE BIG QUESTION IS,
WHY WOULD JAMI BRING HER CAR UP HERE
AND JUST PARK IT IN A TOTALLY UNKNOWN PARKING LOT?
JAMI DIDN'T ATTEND THE CHURCH OVER HERE
WHERE HER CAR WAS FOUND.
SHE DIDN'T WORK OVER IN THIS AREA.
IT WAS ON A SUNDAY AFTERNOON,
AND WE HAD HEARD FROM STEVEN SHERER
THAT SHE'D BEEN AT THE HOUSE
IN THE MORNING WHEN SHE DISAPPEARED.
WHY SHE WOULD BRING HER CAR UP TO THIS LOCATION,
THERE IS NO RHYME OR REASON FOR THAT.
Zahn: INVESTIGATORS BEGAN LOOKING FOR CLUES
INSIDE THE CAR.
BEHIND THE FRONT SEAT,
THEY FOUND AN OVERNIGHT BAG FULL OF JAMI'S CLOTHING.
IT LOOKED LIKE
JAMI MIGHT HAVE BEEN PLANNING TO RUN OFF AFTER ALL.
BUT WHY HADN'T SHE TAKEN THE BAG WITH HER?
WHAT'S THE POINT OF PACKING IT,
LEAVING IT BEHIND THE SEAT IN THE CAR,
AND WALKING AWAY?
YOU KNOW, AS YOU START LOOKING AT IT,
IT MADE NO SENSE AT ALL THAT IT WAS LEFT BEHIND.
Zahn: AS INVESTIGATORS LOOKED THROUGH THE BAG,
IT'S WHAT THEY DIDN'T FIND THAT MADE THEM WONDER.
IT HAD NO WOMEN'S PANTIES IN IT.
NONE.
IT HAD MISMATCHED CLOTHING, OTHER LINGERIE,
THINGS THAT DIDN'T GO TOGETHER, BUT NO WOMEN'S PANTIES.
Zahn: NO UNDERWEAR AND UNMATCHED ITEMS --
IT DIDN'T LOOK LIKE THE BAG
OF ANYONE PLANNING TO SPEND TIME AWAY FROM HOME.
THERE WAS ALSO SOMETHING SUSPICIOUS
ABOUT THE WAY THE DRIVER'S SEAT WAS POSITIONED.
Brenneman: THE DRIVER'S SEAT WAS FOUND
PUSHED ALL THE WAY TO THE BACK POSITION.
JAMI WAS A VERY PETITE YOUNG WOMAN
WHO HAD TO HAVE THE CAR SEAT PUSHED ALL THE WAY UP
TO BE ABLE TO DRIVE.
Zahn: DETECTIVES WONDERED
IF JAMI WAS EVEN IN THE CAR WHEN IT WAS ABANDONED.
THEY BROUGHT A K-9 UNIT TO THE VEHICLE.
A TRACKING DOG WAS GIVEN A SAMPLE OF CLOTHING
FROM JAMI'S HAMPER.
THE DOG PICKED UP THE SAME SCENT IN THE CAR.
THE DOG FOLLOWED A SCENT FROM THE DRIVER'S SEAT OF THIS CAR
TO A BUS STOP NEARBY.
Zahn: THE EVIDENCE SUGGESTED
THAT JAMI HAD WALKED FROM THE CAR TO THE BUS STOP,
BUT DETECTIVES WEREN'T CONVINCED OF THAT.
THEY DECIDED IT WAS TIME
TO RE-INTERVIEW THE PERSON WHO HAD LAST SEEN JAMI --
HER HUSBAND, STEVEN.
AT THE STATION,
STEVEN ONCE AGAIN DENIED KNOWING WHERE JAMI WAS.
BUT THEN HE REVEALED SOMETHING NEW,
AND IT WAS A SHOCKER.
HE TOLD DETECTIVES
THE REASON HE AND JAMI HAD BEEN FIGHTING THAT MORNING
WAS BECAUSE HE FOUND OUT SHE HAD BEEN WITH ANOTHER MAN --
SOMEONE NAMED TOBY PARKER.
Mains: HE TOLD US
THAT TOBY PARKER HAD BEEN INVOLVED WITH HIS WIFE
AND THAT THEY HAD BEEN TOGETHER
THE NIGHT BEFORE SHE DISAPPEARED.
AND HE KNEW ABOUT IT, AND HE WAS UNHAPPY ABOUT IT.
Zahn: STEVEN SAID HE AND TOBY HAD BEEN FRIENDS.
POLICE ALSO LEARN THAT THE MORNING JAMI DISAPPEARED,
SHE HAD ADMITTED THAT AFFAIR TO HER MOTHER.
Zahn: WHAT DID SHE TELL YOU
ABOUT WHAT HAD HAPPENED THE NIGHT BEFORE?
SHE SAID THAT SHE WAS WITH THIS FRIEND OF STEVE'S.
AND, YES, THEY WERE TOGETHER.
I CAN'T SAY THEY WEREN'T. THAT'D BE A LIE.
AS POLICE CONTINUED QUESTIONING STEVEN,
HE WAS IN NO MOOD TO PROTECT THE MAN
WHO HAD BETRAYED HIS FRIENDSHIP
BY HAVING AN AFFAIR WITH HIS WIFE.
Mains: HE BLAMED THE DISAPPEARANCE ON JAMI WITH TOBY,
AND IF THERE WAS SOME FINGER POINTING TO BE DONE,
TOBY WOULD BE THE GUY TO LOOK AT.
Faddis: IT WAS CERTAINLY CAUSE FOR CONCERN
BECAUSE NOW YOU HAVE ANOTHER INDIVIDUAL INVOLVED
AND HAVE TO FIGURE OUT, "OKAY, HOW SERIOUS WAS THIS
AND HOW WAS HE REALLY INVOLVED AT THAT POINT?"
Zahn: DETECTIVES LOOKED INTO TOBY PARKER'S BACKGROUND
AND LEARNED HE HAD A CRIMINAL HISTORY.
Ith: HE HAD CLEAR DRUG ABUSE.
HE HAD SOME VIOLENT HISTORY.
HE WASN'T AN UPSTANDING CHARACTER.
HE WAS STILL MARRIED TO HIS WIFE AT THE TIME,
AND THEY HAD SOME DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IN THE PAST.
HE WAS VERY AGGRESSIVE.
Zahn: TOBY PARKER WAS NOW A PERSON OF INTEREST.
POLICE BROUGHT HIM IN FOR QUESTIONING.
SOMETHING COULD HAVE WENT WRONG WITH NARCOTICS THAT NIGHT,
AND SHE COULD HAVE ENDED UP DEAD.
Zahn: JUST LIKE STEVEN,
HE INSISTED HE HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH JAMI'S DISAPPEARANCE.
TOBY...WAS ADAMANT
THAT HE DID NOT HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH
THE DISAPPEARANCE OF JAMI.
AND RIGHT OFF THE GET-GO,
HE POINTED THE FINGER BACK AT JAMI'S HUSBAND, STEVE.
HE WAS JUST ADAMANT ABOUT THAT.
Zahn: TOBY TOLD POLICE THAT STEVEN HAD A VIOLENT TEMPER
AND HAD THREATENED TO KILL JAMI IF SHE EVER LEFT HIM.
TOBY HAD TURNED THE FINGER RIGHT BACK TO STEVE
AND SAID, "LOOK, HE'S THE ONE WITH THE ANGER.
"HE'S THE ONE THAT HAS SAID,
"'I WANT TO KILL HER IF SHE DOES THIS OR THAT,'
AND, CLEARLY, HE'S TAKEN THAT STEP NOW."
AND TOBY WANTED US TO FOCUS ON HIM.
Zahn: NOW POLICE HAD TWO MEN ACCUSING EACH OTHER.
AS THEY CONTINUED QUESTIONING TOBY,
HE ADMITTED HE WAS WITH JAMI AT THE CREST MOTEL IN SEATTLE
THE NIGHT BEFORE SHE WENT MISSING.
Faddis: THE CAR HAPPENED TO BE FOUND
ONLY A FEW BLOCKS AWAY
FROM THE HOTEL THAT THEY HAD STAYED IN.
Zahn: THEN DETECTIVES ASKED TOBY WHERE HE THOUGHT JAMI WAS.
HE LOOKS UP AND SAYS, YOU KNOW, "I THINK SHE'S IN HEAVEN."
AND, IMMEDIATELY, OKAY, NOW HE'S ADMITTING SHE'S DEAD
WITHIN A WEEK OF WHAT'S GOING ON HERE.
Zahn: IT WAS A BIZARRE AND SUSPICIOUS ANSWER.
Faddis: YOU'VE GOT TO GO, "WOW. THAT'S A HUGE FLAG FOR TOBY.
"WHAT'S GOING ON HERE?"
AND MAYBE HE'S THE ONE THAT DID IT
AND IS TRYING TO POINT THE FINGER AT STEVE.
Zahn: POLICE WERE FRUSTRATED.
THEY HAD TWO SUSPECTS,
BUT THERE JUST WASN'T ANY PHYSICAL EVIDENCE
THAT PROVED A CRIME HAD BEEN COMMITTED.
BUT JAMI'S MOTHER WAS CONVINCED
SHE KNEW WHAT HAD HAPPENED TO HER DAUGHTER.
Hagel: I WAS LAYING IN BED,
AND IT WAS JUST LIKE SOMEBODY HAD TAKEN A PROD TO ME.
I SAT UP IN BED, AND I SAID, "STEVE DID IT.
STEVE KILLED JAMI."
Zahn: COMING UP, WAS JUDY RIGHT?
HAD STEVEN KILLED JAMI?
OR WAS HER MOTHER'S INTUITION LEADING HER
IN THE WRONG DIRECTION?
I STARTED HIRING INVESTIGATORS AND A COUPLE PSYCHICS.
AND I GAVE UP ON THE POLICE. THEY WERE WORTHLESS.
THE INVESTIGATION INTO THE DISAPPEARANCE OF JAMI SHERER
HAD STALLED.
POLICE HAD TWO SUSPECTS
BUT NO WAY TO MAKE A CASE AGAINST EITHER ONE OF THEM.
AND WITHOUT PROOF THAT JAMI HADN'T SIMPLY RUN OFF,
THE CASE WENT COLD.
AS MONTHS TURNED INTO YEARS,
JUDY BEGAN TO FACE THE AGONIZING TRUTH
THAT JAMI WAS NEVER COMING HOME.
DID YOU ALL BUT GIVE UP HOPE YOU'D EVER FIND JAMI ALIVE?
JAMI WOULD HAVE NEVER, EVER NOT GOTTEN IN CONTACT WITH US.
NEVER.
I KNOW SHE'S NOT AROUND, 'CAUSE IF SHE WERE,
SOMEHOW SHE WOULD GET AHOLD OF US
AND LET US KNOW SHE'S OKAY.
I KNOW THAT.
THERE'S NOT EVEN A DOUBT IN MY MIND.
Zahn: POLICE OFFICIALLY CLOSED THE MISSING-PERSONS CASE,
BUT JUDY WOULDN'T GIVE UP.
SHE WAS MORE DETERMINED THAN EVER
TO FIND OUT EXACTLY WHAT HAD HAPPENED TO HER DAUGHTER.
I GAVE UP ON THE POLICE. THEY WERE WORTHLESS.
AND SO I STARTED HIRING INVESTIGATORS
AND A COUPLE PSYCHICS.
WHEN THAT DIDN'T WORK OUT,
SHE ONCE AGAIN TURNED TO THE LOCAL MEDIA
WITH HER GRANDSON TYLER BY HER SIDE.
PLEASE, PLEASE HAVE A CONSCIENCE AND JUST HELP US OUT.
ALL WE ASK IS, "WHERE IS SHE?"
THAT'S ALL WE WANT TO KNOW, AND NO QUESTIONS ASKED.
JUST TELL US WHERE SHE'S AT.
JUDY'S EFFORTS WENT NOWHERE.
THEN, THERE WAS A DEVELOPMENT IN REDMOND
THAT WOULD HAVE FAR-REACHING CONSEQUENCES TO THE CASE.
IN JANUARY OF 1997,
MORE THAN SIX YEARS AFTER JAMI DISAPPEARED,
LIEUTENANT JIM TAYLOR TOOK OVER THE REDMOND POLICE DEPARTMENT'S
CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS DIVISION.
HE DECIDED TO REVIEW UNSOLVED CASES
AND OPENED THE FILE MARKED "JAMI SHERER."
I TOOK THE CASE HOME WITH ME FOR PERHAPS ABOUT A MONTH.
AND AFTER REVIEWING IT,
IT WAS MY BELIEF THAT A LOT OF CRITICAL MISSTEPS HAD OCCURRED
BY THE INITIAL OFFICER,
BY SUPERVISORS THAT CAME ALONG LATER,
THAT PERHAPS THEY DIDN'T DO AS MUCH AS THEY COULD'VE.
Zahn: LIEUTENANT TAYLOR OFFICIALLY REOPENED JAMI'S CASE.
HE TOLD HER MOTHER SHE DESERVED NOTHING LESS.
Taylor: I SAID, "I PROMISE YOU,
"I PROMISE YOU I WILL DO EVERYTHING I CAN
TO HOLD ACCOUNTABLE WHOEVER CAUSED YOUR DAUGHTER'S DEMISE."
I SAID, "AT THIS PARTICULAR TIME,
I DON'T KNOW, BUT WE'RE GONNA FIND OUT."
I FINALLY HAD CONFIDENCE WE WERE GONNA GO SOMEWHERE.
Mains: I DECIDED THAT THE BEST THING TO DO
WOULD BE TO START FROM SCRATCH,
MAKE NO JUDGMENTS ABOUT ANYTHING,
HAVE NO MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT THE ENTIRE CASE.
Zahn: FIRST, THE DETECTIVES CONTACTED RECORDS OFFICIALS
IN ALL 50 STATES, AND EVEN CANADA,
TO SEE IF THERE WAS SOME SHRED OF EVIDENCE
THAT JAMI WAS STILL ALIVE.
WE CHECKED NOT ONLY SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBERS
AND WORKED WITH INTERPOL,
TRIED SEARCHING ON ANY NAME
THAT WAS REMOTELY CLOSE TO THE ONE THAT SHE HAD HAD.
THE DUE DILIGENCE
TO PROVE THAT AN ADULT HAS NOT ONLY DISAPPEARED,
BUT IS NO LONGER LIVING
AND HASN'T JUST TAKEN UP A NEW NAME
AND MOVED ON TO SOMETHING ELSE
WAS A DIFFICULT TASK AND ONE THAT WAS PRETTY ARDUOUS.
Zahn: WHEN NOTHING TURNED UP, THE KING COUNTY MEDICAL EXAMINER
AGREED TO PRONOUNCE JAMI SHERER LEGALLY DEAD.
ON MAY 12, 1997,
JAMI WAS OFFICIALLY DECLARED DEAD.
ON AN EMOTIONAL LEVEL, IT HAD TO BE DEVASTATING.
YOU DON'T WANT TO ACCEPT IT, BUT YOU HAVE TO.
AND THEN WHEN I SAW THE PIECE OF PAPER, WELL...
THAT'S NOT A NICE PIECE OF PAPER TO SEE.
IT'S NOT AT ALL,
ESPECIALLY WHEN IT'S YOUR LITTLE GIRL.
Young: THAT WAS KIND OF LIKE...
[Voice breaking] JUST A PUNCH IN YOUR GUT, YOU KNOW?
IT WAS, UM...
IT'S LIKE YOU KNEW IT, BUT JUST ACTUALLY...
IT BEING LIKE OFFICIAL, IT WAS HARD.
IT WAS REALLY HARD.
'CAUSE, LIKE, YOU KNOW, "THIS IS IT. THIS IS REALITY."
AND SHE ISN'T COMING BACK.
[ SNIFFLES ]
Zahn: AS THE DETECTIVES SORTED THROUGH THE CASE FILE,
THEY WERE STUNNED BY HOW MUCH HAD BEEN LEFT UNDONE.
I'M THINKING THERE IS A LOT OF THINGS
THAT NEED TO BE GONE THROUGH
AND A LOT OF WITNESSES THAT NEED TO BE TALKED TO
THAT HAVEN'T BEEN TALKED TO.
Mains: HER BROTHER HAD NEVER BEEN INTERVIEWED.
HER FATHER HAD NEVER BEEN INTERVIEWED,
AND I WAS ACTUALLY SHOCKED BY THAT.
Zahn: AS DETECTIVES SPOKE WITH THOSE CLOSEST TO JAMI,
THE TRUTH ABOUT HER MARRIAGE TO STEVEN BEGAN TO EMERGE,
AND IT MADE HER FAMILY AND FRIENDS' SUSPICIONS
EVEN STRONGER.
DID IT SEEM TO YOU THAT STEVEN CONTROLLED JAMI?
OH, I MEAN, THERE WAS NO QUESTION.
Young: HE COULD DO WHATEVER HE WANTED TO HER,
AND SHE WOULD FORGIVE HIM.
AND IT KIND OF MADE HER SELF-ESTEEM
KIND OF KEEP GOING LOWER AND LOWER AND LOWER.
Harris: SHE WOULD DESCRIBE THAT HE HIT HER, AND I'M LIKE,
"JAMI, YOU DON'T NEED TO BE WITH A GUY THAT HITS YOU."
SHE SAID, "WELL, I LOVE HIM, AND HE LOVES ME."
DID SHE SEEM UNHAPPY? DEPRESSED?
OH, YES, TERRIBLE.
AND I'D TRY TO TALK TO HER, AND IT WAS --
YOU KNOW, SHE'D COME WITH BRUISES,
AND I'D SAY, "OKAY, JAMI, WHAT HAPPENED?"
AND, YOU KNOW, THE OLD STORY IS, "OH, I FELL" OR "IT'S THIS,"
AND I SAID, "JAMI, I" --
YOU DIDN'T BELIEVE HER? NO.
I SAYS, "YOU KNOW I KNOW BETTER THAN THIS,"
BUT SHE JUST DIDN'T WANT TO TALK ABOUT IT.
Zahn: AS POLICE CONTINUED THEIR INVESTIGATION,
THEY UNCOVERED A TALE OF SEX AND MANIPULATION
IN THE WEEKS LEADING UP TO JAMI'S DISAPPEARANCE.
DETECTIVES LEARN THAT STEVEN HAD A VOYEURISTIC STREAK.
HE HAD COERCED JAMI INTO A SEXUAL ENCOUNTER
WITH HIS FRIEND TOBY PARKER WHILE HE WATCHED.
BUT FOR STEVEN, THE ARRANGEMENT DIDN'T GO AS PLANNED.
JAMI AND TOBY BEGAN SEEING EACH OTHER BEHIND HIS BACK.
I LOOKED AT HER, AND I SAYS, "JAMI, HOW COULD YOU DO THAT?"
I SAYS, "HE'S NO BETTER THAN STEVE."
"WELL, AT LEAST HE WAS NICE TO ME,
AND HE TALKS TO ME, AND HE TREATS ME GOOD."
Brenneman: I THINK JUST THAT CONTACT WITH SOMEONE ELSE,
TOBY, WHO, IN FACT, TREATED HER IN A DIFFERENT WAY,
NOT AS IF SHE WAS SOMETHING THAT BELONGED TO HIM,
BUT AS IF SHE WERE A REAL PERSON,
WAS ENOUGH TO LET JAMI KNOW
THAT SHE ACTUALLY HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO LEAVE STEVE.
Zahn: EARLY ON IN THE INVESTIGATION,
STEVEN AND TOBY HAD MADE ACCUSATIONS AGAINST ONE ANOTHER.
DETECTIVES NOW TOOK A SECOND LOOK AT TOBY PARKER.
TOBY REALLY HAD NO MOTIVE TO DO A THING TO JAMI.
I MEAN, THEY WERE INVOLVED IN AN INTIMATE RELATIONSHIP,
IT'S TRUE, BUT IT WAS AN EARLY-STAGE SITUATION.
THERE WAS NO HISTORY BETWEEN THEM.
THE POLICE EXAMINED HIS WHEREABOUTS, HIS SITUATION,
YOU KNOW, WHAT HE SAID HE DID THAT DAY,
AND IT ALL MADE SENSE, AND IT FELL TOGETHER.
Zahn: ONCE AGAIN, TOBY PARKER WAS DROPPED AS A SUSPECT.
WHEN YOU PEEL BACK ALL THE LAYERS
AND YOU GO BACK
AND TALK TO WITNESSES AFTER WITNESS AFTER WITNESS
AND YOU BEGIN TO WORK ON A CASE AND IT ALL COMES TOGETHER,
IT'S KIND OF LIKE A COMPASS,
WHERE IT SLOWLY BEGINS TO POINT TO THE NORTH.
Zahn: AND NOW THAT COMPASS
SEEMED TO BE POINTING DIRECTLY AT STEVEN SHERER.
DETECTIVES FOCUSED IN
ON THE DAYS BEFORE JAMI DISAPPEARED.
THEY LEARNED THAT SHE HAD BEEN INDEED MAKING PLANS
TO WALK AWAY FROM HER ABUSIVE MARRIAGE
AND MOVE IN WITH A FRIEND.
MY EX-HUSBAND HAD MOVED OUT, AND I SAID,
"WHY DON'T YOU MOVE IN? "YOU CAN STAY HERE.
WE CAN HELP EACH OTHER WITH OUR KIDS."
Zahn: JAMI WAS CAREFUL TO KEEP THE PLAN TO HERSELF
AND NOT LET STEVEN KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT IT.
HER MOM TOLD DETECTIVES
THAT WHEN SHE TRIED TO LEAVE HIM BEFORE,
HE PULLED HER HAIR SO HARD,
HE TOOK A PIECE OF HER SCALP WITH IT.
HOW AFRAID OF STEVE DID JAMI SEEM?
OH, SHE WAS AFRAID OF HIM. THERE WAS NO QUESTION.
'CAUSE HE HAD THREATENED HER FROM THE TIME...
AS LONG AS I CAN REMEMBER,
"IF YOU EVER LEAVE ME, I'LL KILL YOU."
HAD STEVEN MADE GOOD ON HIS THREAT?
DETECTIVES WERE BEGINNING TO THINK
THAT WAS A STRONG POSSIBILITY.
COMING UP, A MOTHER'S GRIEF AND GUILT.
WHAT WERE THE LAST WORDS
THAT YOU REMEMBER HER SAYING TO YOU?
POLICE HAD REOPENED THE JAMI SHERER INVESTIGATION,
THE YOUNG MOTHER WHO HAD DISAPPEARED WITHOUT A TRACE.
NOW DETECTIVES WERE FOCUSING ON HER HUSBAND
AS THEIR PRIME SUSPECT,
BUT JAMI'S MOTHER HAD ALREADY MADE UP HER MIND.
SHE WAS CONVINCED HER SON-IN-LAW WAS A MURDERER.
JUDY HAGEL HADN'T SHARED THAT SUSPICION WITH ANYONE
FOR A VERY GOOD REASON.
SHE WAS NOW RAISING HER GRANDSON TYLER,
AND TO PROTECT THAT RELATIONSHIP,
SHE DECIDED IT WAS BEST JUST TO KEEP QUIET ABOUT STEVEN.
I COULDN'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT,
BECAUSE HE'D TAKE TYLER.
AND HE KNEW IT. HE KNEW HE HAD CONTROL.
DURING THE INITIAL INVESTIGATION,
PEOPLE SEEMED RELUCTANT TO TALK ABOUT STEVEN.
JAMI'S BROTHER WAS ONE OF THEM.
BUT NOW HE OPENED UP TO DETECTIVES.
HE SAID STEVEN HAD FOUND OUT THAT JAMI HAD LIED TO HIM
ABOUT SPENDING THE NIGHT AT THE CREST HOTEL WITH TOBY.
SHE TOLD HIM SHE WAS VISITING A GIRLFRIEND THAT NIGHT.
HE SAID STEVEN'S REACTION HAD BEEN CHILLING.
HE SAID THAT STEVE TURNED TO HIM
AND WAS FURIOUS THAT JAMI WASN'T AT LISA'S HOUSE
AND SAID, "I'M GONNA KILL HER."
Zahn: JAMI DISAPPEARED THE VERY NEXT DAY.
I SAID, "SO ALL THESE YEARS, YOU'VE HAD THIS INFORMATION,
AND NOBODY EVER EVEN INTERVIEWED YOU ABOUT THIS?"
HE SAYS, "NO."
Zahn: DETECTIVES ALSO QUESTIONED JEFF CASTON,
ONE OF STEVEN'S FRIENDS.
HE TOLD THEM THAT JAMI WAS GOING TO END HER MARRIAGE,
AND THAT THE LAST TIME HE SPOKE WITH HER,
SHE WAS PACKING HER BAGS.
SHE TOLD HIM SHE WAS TRYING TO GET OUT OF THE HOUSE
BEFORE STEVE CAME BACK.
SHE TOLD JEFF CASTON SHE WAS VERY SCARED.
SHE WANTED TO BE OUT OF THE HOUSE.
Zahn: JEFF ALSO DESCRIBED
A DISTURBING CONVERSATION HE HAD WITH STEVEN
THE DAY AFTER JAMI WENT MISSING.
Faddis: JEFF HAD NOTICED
THAT THERE WAS A SHOVEL IN THE BACK OF THE CAR,
AND HE WAS INTERESTED IN THAT.
SO THEY START TALKING ABOUT IT,
AND STEVE MAKES A COMMENT TO HIM, AS WELL,
THAT, YOU KNOW, WITH ALL THE WOODS IN WASHINGTON,
YOU CAN GET RID OF A PERSON RATHER EASILY.
Zahn: NONE OF THIS INFORMATION HAD BEEN UNCOVERED
DURING THE ORIGINAL INVESTIGATION.
BUT NOW IT WAS PAINFULLY CLEAR
JUST HOW VOLATILE
JAMI'S RELATIONSHIP WITH STEVEN HAD BECOME.
JUDY HAGEL IS STILL HAUNTED
BY THE LAST TIME SHE SAW HER DAUGHTER.
Zahn: WHAT WERE THE LAST WORDS
THAT YOU REMEMBER HER SAYING TO YOU?
"ALL HE CAN DO IS KILL ME."
AS SHE WALKED OUT THE DOOR,
SHE SAID, "ALL HE CAN DO IS KILL ME."
AND SHE WALKED OUT THE DOOR, AND I LET HER GO OUT THAT DOOR.
IT'S AWFUL.
JUST AWFUL.
THE INVESTIGATION WAS PICKING UP STEAM.
NEXT, DETECTIVES SPOKE WITH STEVEN'S SISTER.
SHE SAID SHE VISITED STEVEN SHORTLY AFTER JAMI DISAPPEARED
AND SAW A LARGE RED STAIN ON HIS CARPET.
I SAID, "SO YOU SAW A BIG SPOT THE SIZE OF A WATERMELON
"NEAR THE TOP OF THE STAIRS.
IT WAS A REAL DARK PURPLISH, REDDISH COLOR?"
SHE SAID, "YES."
AND I SAID, "WELL, WHAT DID YOUR BROTHER TELL YOU ABOUT THAT?"
SHE SAID, "WELL, HE SAID THAT TYLER HAD SPILLED SOME JUICE."
Zahn: DETECTIVES FOUND A CLEANING-SERVICE RECEIPT
IN THE CASE FILE.
THE ORIGINAL INVESTIGATORS HAD IGNORED IT,
BUT THE NEW TEAM TRACKED DOWN A CARPET CLEANER
WHO ADMITTED HE HAD GONE TO THE SHERER HOUSE
TO CLEAN WHAT HE CALLED "A SPECIAL SPOT"
SHORTLY AFTER JAMI WENT MISSING.
THE PIECES WERE STARTING TO COME TOGETHER,
BUT IT WAS A PAINSTAKING PROCESS.
DETECTIVES CONTINUED WORKING THE CASE FOR THREE LONG YEARS.
I TRACKED DOWN OVER 250 WITNESSES ON THE CASE,
TRAVELED TO ABOUT THREE OR FOUR STATES.
JUST ABOUT ANYPLACE THAT STEVEN SHERER HAD BEEN,
WE WERE THERE.
Zahn: THE INVESTIGATION CONFIRMED
THAT STEVEN WAS ABUSIVE DURING HIS MARRIAGE,
BUT WITNESSES ALSO DESCRIBED
A PATTERN OF DISTURBING BEHAVIOR AFTER JAMI DISAPPEARED.
DETECTIVES LEARN
THAT JUST A FEW WEEKS AFTER JAMI WAS FIRST REPORTED MISSING,
STEVEN WAS ALREADY DATING WOMEN AND STAYING OUT ALL NIGHT.
FOR A MAN WHOSE WIFE HAD VANISHED WITHOUT A TRACE,
STEVEN DEMONSTRATED A SHOCKING AND BIZARRE INSENSITIVITY.
HE WAS SEEN OUT IN THE COMMUNITY,
OUT AT BARS WITH JAMI'S PANTIES TIED AROUND HIS ARM,
AND WHEN PEOPLE WOULD SAY, "WHAT'S UP WITH THAT?"
HE WOULD SAY,
"THIS IS JUST MY WAY OF STAYING CLOSE TO JAMI."
Zahn: POLICE OBTAINED A SEARCH WARRANT
AND FOUND THAT STEVEN HAD KEPT A SUITCASE
FULL OF JAMI'S CLOTHING.
Faddis: IT WAS HIS TROPHY CASE, ESSENTIALLY,
WITH A LOT OF VERY PERSONAL THINGS IN THERE
THAT WERE FOCUSED ON JAMI.
BUT MOSTLY --
I MEAN, NOT JUST SOME PIECES OF JEWELRY OR THINGS LIKE THAT --
VERY INTIMATE OUTFITS THAT SHE MIGHT HAVE WORN,
AND HE HAD KEPT ALL THOSE.
Zahn: ONCE AGAIN, STEVEN CLAIMED IT WAS A COPING MECHANISM
FOR A TERRIBLE LOSS.
BUT DETECTIVES WERE CONVINCED HE WAS A KILLER.
FINALLY, THEY WERE READY TO MAKE THEIR MOVE.
WE KNEW THAT WE HAD DONE EVERYTHING HUMANLY POSSIBLE
TO TRY TO SOLVE THIS CASE.
WE WERE CONFIDENT IN WHO THE SUSPECT WAS.
Zahn: STEVEN SHERER WAS ARRESTED AND TAKEN INTO CUSTODY.
Faddis: HE MADE THE COMMENT TO ME THAT,
"WELL, YOU MUST HAVE FOUND THE BODY,
BECAUSE THERE'S NO WAY YOU COULD CHARGE ME OTHERWISE."
WE WERE CONFIDENT IN WHO THE SUSPECT WAS,
AND WE FELT IT WAS TIME, AS WELL, TO MAKE THE ARREST,
GO TO THE TRIAL, PUT IT IN A JURY'S HANDS,
TO LET THEM LISTEN AND HEAR WHAT WE ALREADY KNEW.
Zahn: IT HAD BEEN 10 LONG YEARS SINCE JAMI DISAPPEARED.
THE TWO DETECTIVES FROM THE CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS UNIT
HAD WORKED ON NOTHING ELSE SINCE THEY REOPENED THE CASE.
THEY BELIEVED THEY HAD BUILT A STRONG ONE.
BUT IN AN INTERVIEW BEFORE THE TRIAL,
STEVEN SHERER CONTINUED TO DENY ANY WRONGDOING.
Woman: DID YOU KILL HER?
NO.
WHY SHOULD WE BELIEVE THAT?
HOW DO WE KNOW THAT JAMI'S DEAD?
Zahn: AND THAT WAS A QUESTION
THE DEFENSE WOULD BE SURE TO REPEAT AT A TRIAL.
WITH NO BODY, NO FINGERPRINTS,
NO WEAPON, NO DNA,
COULD ANYONE BE CONVICTED OF MURDERING JAMI?
COMING UP, A SURPRISE WITNESS AND A SHOCKING STORY.
HE PULLED A GUN OUT OF THE GLOVE BOX
AND ASKED ME IF I KNEW WHAT RUSSIAN ROULETTE WAS.
I REALLY THOUGHT I WAS GONNA DIE.
Zahn: WANT MORE "ON THE CASE"? GO TO...
...AND VIEW MORE EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEWS
AND BEHIND-THE-SCENES VIDEO.
10 YEARS AFTER JAMI SHERER DISAPPEARED,
HER HUSBAND, STEVEN, WAS ABOUT TO STAND TRIAL FOR HER MURDER,
EVEN THOUGH HER BODY HAD NEVER BEEN RECOVERED.
PROSECUTORS HAD A DIFFICULT TASK.
THEY WOULD HAVE TO CONVINCE A JURY
TO CONVICT STEVEN FOR MURDER
WITHOUT DEFINITIVE PROOF THAT JAMI WAS DEAD.
ON MAY 3, 2000,
THE STATE BEGAN ITS CASE AGAINST STEVEN SHERER
IN A PACKED SEATTLE COURTROOM.
PROSECUTORS TOLD THE JURY
THAT JAMI SHERER WAS THE VICTIM OF A JEALOUS, VIOLENT HUSBAND.
THEY SAID WHEN STEVEN DISCOVERED JAMI HAD BEEN WITH ANOTHER MAN,
HE FLEW INTO A RAGE AND THREATENED TO KILL HER.
THEN THEY PRESENTED THEIR THEORY OF HOW THE CRIME WAS COMMITTED.
Brenneman: I THINK STEVEN STRANGLED JAMI.
HE PUT HER BODY BY THE DOOR, AND THEN HE PUT HER IN THE CAR.
AND THEN CALLING JUDY, "WHERE'S JAMI?"
SO IT WOULD APPEAR
THAT HE, YOU KNOW, NO LONGER HAS CONTACT WITH HER.
AND THEN HE MADE SOME DECISION ABOUT WHERE TO PLACE HER BODY
AND CREATED A PHONY ALIBI BY FALLING ASLEEP AT HIS MOTHER'S.
Zahn: WITNESSES TESTIFY THAT DESPITE HER TROUBLED MARRIAGE,
JAMI WOULD NEVER HAVE RUN AWAY WITHOUT HER SON, TYLER.
THE IMPLICATION WAS CLEAR --
NOTHING SHORT OF A TERRIBLE CRIME COULD HAVE KEPT HER AWAY.
THEN THE PROSECUTION CALLED A SURPRISE WITNESS
TO THE STAND --
A WOMAN WHO DATED STEVEN AFTER JAMI DISAPPEARED.
SHE WAS ONLY 16
AND STILL IN HIGH SCHOOL WHEN THEY MET.
DID STEVE EVER SHARE WITH YOU
WHAT WAS GOING ON IN HIS PERSONAL LIFE
PRIOR TO YOUR COMING INTO HIS LIFE?
HE WAS ACTUALLY A MYSTERY.
I REMEMBER THE FIRST TIME I EVEN LEARNED ABOUT JAMI.
WE HAD GONE TO THE GROCERY STORE,
AND HE LEFT ME IN THE VEHICLE WHILE HE RAN IN.
AND BEING SNOOPY,
I WAS LOOKING AROUND AND OPENED THE GLOVE BOX,
AND THERE WAS A STACK OF THE MISSING-PERSON FLIERS.
SHE TESTIFIED THAT STEVEN DIDN'T WANT TO TALK ABOUT JAMI,
YET HE ASKED HER TO WEAR HER CLOTHES.
THINGS STARTED TO GET VERY UNCOMFORTABLE FOR HER.
STEVE'S SON, AT ONE TIME, TYLER,
EVEN CALLED YOU "MOMMY," DIDN'T HE?
YES.
YES. WHEN WE WERE IN DISNEYLAND.
AND STEVE DIDN'T STOP IT...
NO.
...OR SAY, "SHE'S NOT YOUR MOMMY"?
NO. HE DIDN'T STOP IT.
IT WAS HIS MOM WHO CORRECTED HIS SON AND SAID,
"SHE JUST A VERY PRETTY LADY.
SHE LOOKS LIKE A MOMMY, BUT SHE'S NOT MOMMY."
IT WAS AN AWKWARD, STRANGE INCIDENT.
BUT WHAT THE WITNESS SAID HAPPENED NEXT
ON THE DRIVE HOME FROM DISNEYLAND WAS TERRIFYING.
SHE DESCRIBED A SIDE OF STEVEN THAT WAS EXPLOSIVE,
THREATENING, AND SEEMED TO COME OUT OF NOWHERE.
I WAS DRIVING,
AND HE PULLED A GUN OUT OF THE GLOVE BOX.
AND HE STARTS PLAYING WITH IT AND THEN PUTS IT TO MY HEAD
AND ASKED ME IF I KNEW WHAT RUSSIAN ROULETTE WAS.
WHAT DID YOU SAY?
"NO."
I WAS MORTIFIED. I WAS TERRIFIED.
AT THAT POINT, I THOUGHT I WAS GONNA DIE.
I REALLY THOUGHT I WAS GONNA DIE.
Zahn: STEVEN EVENTUALLY PUT THE GUN AWAY,
BUT THE PROSECUTOR USED THE INCIDENT
TO FILL OUT THE PORTRAIT OF STEVEN
AS A VIOLENT, DANGEROUS MAN CAPABLE OF MURDER.
DO YOU THINK STEVEN MURDERED JAMI?
YES.
NO DOUBT IN YOUR MIND?
NO DOUBT.
WHY DO YOU BELIEVE THAT SO STRONGLY?
I THINK THE EVIDENCE SPEAKS FOR ITSELF.
AND MY EXPERIENCE WITH HIM, WHEN HE PUT THE GUN TO MY HEAD,
I HAVE NO DOUBT IN MY MIND.
THEN CAME STEVEN'S DEFENSE.
ATTORNEYS ARGUED THE ONLY THING THE PROSECUTION HAD PROVED
WAS THAT STEVEN SHERER WAS NOT A VERY NICE MAN,
BUT THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE HE WAS A MURDERER.
Mair: THERE'S GONNA BE THINGS YOU WON'T LIKE ABOUT STEVE,
AND YOU MAY NOT LIKE HIM AT ALL AT THE END OF THIS.
BUT NOT LIKING SOMEBODY
AND PROVING A FIRST-DEGREE MURDER CASE
IS A BIG, BIG GAP.
IT ONLY BECAME A MURDER CASE
AS PEOPLE'S MEMORIES, OVER THE YEARS,
STARTING ADDING FACTS, ADDING THINGS,
AND ADDING EVIDENCE.
Zahn: THE DEFENSE HAMMERED HOME THE POINT
THAT THE STATE'S CASE WAS BUILT ON THEORIES, NOT FACTS.
THERE'S NO BODY. THERE'S NO PHYSICAL EVIDENCE.
THERE'S NO WEAPON. THERE'S NO BLOOD.
YOU DON'T HAVE FINGERPRINTS ON A SHOVEL.
YOU DON'T HAVE BLOODSTAINS ON SHOES.
YOU DON'T HAVE ANYTHING THAT YOU CAN SAY FOR SURE
THAT STEVEN SHERER KILLED HIS WIFE
AND DISPOSED OF HER BODY SOMEWHERE IN THE WORLD.
Zahn: THEN THE DEFENSE PRESENTED ITS OWN THEORY --
THAT JAMI WAS A RUNAWAY.
IT ARGUED THAT THE BLOODHOUND THAT TRACKED HER SCENT
FROM HER ABANDONED CAR TO A BUS STOP
SUPPORTED THAT SCENARIO.
BUT ON CROSS-EXAMINATION, THE TABLES WERE SUDDENLY TURNED.
THE DOG HANDLER SAID THE CLOTHES USED FOR THE SCENT
HAD COME FROM JAMI AND STEVEN'S HAMPER,
AND THE DOG MIGHT ACTUALLY HAVE BEEN TRACKING STEVEN.
IT WAS A CRITICAL MOMENT IN THE TRIAL,
SUGGESTING IT HAD ACTUALLY BEEN STEVEN
WHO HAD DRIVEN JAMI'S CAR TO THAT LOCATION.
THE PROSECUTOR, FAIRLY SUCCESSFULLY, SHOWED
THAT THE DOG HANDLER'S SCENTS THAT HE HAD USED
TO FOLLOW FROM THE CAR TO THE BUS STOP
WAS ACTUALLY PROBABLY STEVEN SHERER'S SCENT.
AND IT WAS AN ENORMOUS BACKFIRE FOR THE DEFENSE,
AND IT RAISED HUGE DOUBTS.
Zahn: BUT IT STILL WASN'T EASY
FOR A JURY TO DECIDE WHETHER STEVEN WAS GUILTY.
GETTING 12 PEOPLE TO ALL GO ALONG WITH
FINDING STEVE GUILTY BEYOND A REASONABLE DOUBT
WAS GONNA BE A TOUGH, TOUGH JOB.
Snyder: WE KEPT GOING BACK AND FORTH AND BACK AND FORTH,
AND WE FINALLY STARTED PUTTING STUFF UP ON A BOARD
AND WRITING PROS AND CONS
AND TRYING TO PICK AT EVERY LITTLE THING
TO TRY TO GET US ALL IN AGREEMENT.
Zahn: THEN, FINALLY, AFTER FIVE LONG DAYS,
THERE WAS A VERDICT.
WE, THE JURY, FIND THE DEFENDANT, STEVEN FRANK SHERER,
GUILTY OF THE CRIME OF MURDER IN THE FIRST DEGREE
AS CHARGED IN COUNT ONE.
Zahn: STEVEN SHERER, GUILTY OF MURDERING HIS WIFE.
WHEN THE VERDICT WAS READ,
I THINK THAT HE COULD JUST NOT BELIEVE
THAT HE WAS FOUND GUILTY.
HE ACTUALLY KIND OF LOOKED SHOCKED.
AND THEN THE ANGER CAME.
Zahn: SHERER LASHED OUT AT THE JURORS,
ACCUSING THEM OF CONVICTING AN INNOCENT MAN
Ith: AS THEY WERE LEADING HIM OUT OF THE COURTROOM,
HE TURNED AND LOOKED OVER HIS SHOULDER,
AND HE JUST UNLEASHED A TORRENT OF CURSES
AT JUDY HAGEL, AT JAMI'S MOTHER.
HE CALLED HER EVERY WORD IN THE BOOK
THAT WE COULDN'T PRINT IN THE NEWSPAPER
AND BASICALLY TOLD HER HOPED SHE ROTTED IN HELL.
IN HIS MIND, HE REALLY THOUGHT HE WAS INDESTRUCTIBLE --
HE COULD DO WHATEVER HE WANTED,
WHENEVER HE WANTED, TO WHOEVER HE WANTED,
AND EVEN IN COURT,
EVEN FACING, YOU KNOW, A MURDER TRIAL,
HE STILL THOUGHT THAT.
I WAS SORT OF SHOCKED, IN A WAY,
BECAUSE I THOUGHT,
"WHY ARE YOU MAD AT ME? "I DIDN'T DO IT.
YOU DID IT."
Zahn: AT HIS SENTENCING,
SHERER CONTINUED TO PROCLAIM HIS INNOCENCE.
I HAVE LED MAYBE A LIFE THAT WASN'T CORRECT....
BUT I'M NOT A MURDERER.
I DID NOT MURDER MY WIFE,
AND I HAD NOTHING AT ALL TO DO WITH IT.
Zahn: THE JUDGE SENTENCED SHERER
TO 60 YEARS AT WALLA WALLA STATE PENITENTIARY.
BUT THE CASE DIDN'T END THERE.
THE RAGE SHERER EXPRESSED
TOWARDS JAMI'S MOTHER IN THE COURTROOM
BOILED OVER AS HE STARTED TO SERVE HIS SENTENCE.
FROM BEHIND BARS,
HE TRIED TO HIRE SOMEONE TO BURN DOWN JUDY'S HOUSE.
THIS GUY ENDED UP GOING TO THE POLICE AND SAYING,
"STEVE SHERER TOLD ME HE KILLED HIS WIFE
AND OFFERED ME VALUABLE JEWELRY"
THAT WAS SUPPOSEDLY STASHED UNDER HIS MOTHER'S HOUSE
IF HE WOULD KILL THE FAMILY.
Zahn: POLICE CAME UP WITH AN UNORTHODOX PLAN
TO PROVE THE ALLEGATION.
THEY STAGED A FIRE NEAR JUDY'S HOME.
THEY SAT A BARREL IN THE BACKYARD,
AND IT COME UP OVER THE HOUSE.
THE NEIGHBORS CALLED THE FIRE DEPARTMENT,
AND IT LOOKED LIKE A FIRE.
SO THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ACTUALLY HELPED YOU STAGE THE FIRE?
OH, YES, AND BELLEVUE POLICE WERE RIGHT THERE.
IT LOOKED LIKE A REAL FIRE.
[ SIREN WAILS, TRUCK HORN HONKING ]
Zahn: WHEN STEVEN HEARD ABOUT THE FIRE IN PRISON,
HE CELEBRATED.
THAT SEEMED TO CONFIRM THE INFORMANT'S STORY.
DO YOU THINK IT WAS STEVE'S INTENT
TO HAVE ANYONE WHO WAS IN THAT HOME BE KILLED,
INCLUDING HIS OWN SON?
DEFINITELY.
HE DIDN'T CARE. HE WAS GETTING WHAT HE WANTED.
HE DIDN'T LIKE ME,
AND HE DIDN'T CARE WHO HE TOOK OUT IN THE PATH.
EVEN HIS OWN SON?
HIS OWN SON WAS LIVING IN OUR HOUSE.
HE WANTED IT DONE AT NIGHT WHILE WE WERE IN BED, SLEEPING.
YEAH, HE HAD EVERY INTENTIONS OF HAVING US DIE.
BUT JUDY AND TYLER WERE SAFE.
SHERER WAS CONVICTED OF SOLICITING ARSON
AND WAS GIVEN A LIFE SENTENCE.
JUDY HAGEL IS GRATEFUL
HER FORMER SON-IN-LAW WILL SPEND THE REST OF HIS LIFE IN PRISON,
BUT THAT HASN'T EASED THE HEARTACHE OF WHAT HE TOOK AWAY.
DO YOU THINK YOU'LL EVER FIND OUT
WHAT HAPPENED TO JAMI AND WHERE HER BODY IS?
I DON'T EVER LOOK FOR HIM TO TELL ME WHERE JAMI'S AT
UNTIL I'M ON MY DEATHBED.
AND JUST TO BE MEAN,
I JUST ENVISION HIM WHISPERING, "THIS IS WHERE SHE'S AT."
HE WILL NEVER --
HE'LL NEVER LOSE THAT SENSE OF CONTROL.
THAT'S WHAT HE'S GOT LEFT,
AND HE'S GONNA USE IT UNTIL THE END.
IN 2003, STEVEN SHERER'S STATE APPEAL WAS DENIED.
HE'S NOW APPEALING HIS CASE IN FEDERAL COURT.
JUDY AND TYLER CREATED A MEMORIAL GARDEN FOR JAMI,
AND EVERY YEAR, THEY PLANT A ROSEBUSH ON MOTHER'S DAY.
I'M PAULA ZAHN.
PLEASE JOIN US NEXT TIME WHEN WE'RE BACK ON THE CASE.