SHE WAS JUST LAYING THERE, AND I KNEW IMMEDIATELY.
MY BROTHER SAID, "KAREN'S BEEN MURDERED."
Zahn: AND NEXT TO THE VICTIM'S BODY, AN INCREDIBLE CLUE --
THREE LETTERS WRITTEN IN BLOOD.
THAT IS THE STRANGEST THING. WHAT WAS SHE TRYING TO TELL US?
Zahn: WAS IT THE FINAL ACT OF A WOMAN POINTING TO HER OWN KILLER?
THEY CHECKED ME THREE WAYS TO SUNDAY.
I'M LIKE, "YOU GOT TO BE KIDDING ME."
WHY DOES SOMEBODY LIE ABOUT A TIMEFRAME?
IT'S 'CAUSE HE'S THE KILLER.
Zahn: DID YOU MAKE THAT CALL BECAUSE YOU NEEDED
AN ALIBI FOR THE MURDER OF KAREN?
Zahn: A BEAUTIFUL LIFE CUT SHORT.
A RELENTLESS SEARCH FOR A COLD-HEARTED KILLER.
IT LOOKED AS IF THE DEVIL HAD JUST ENTERED THE INTERVIEW ROOM.
[ SIREN WAILS ]
-- Captions by VITAC -- www.vitac.com
CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS
HELLO, I'M PAULA ZAHN,
AND TONIGHT, WE'RE ON THE CASE IN OLDSMAR, FLORIDA,
ABOUT 15 MILES NORTHWEST OF TAMPA,
WHERE A VIOLENT CRIME SCENE HELD A BIZARRE AND MYSTERIOUS CLUE --
THREE LETTERS WRITTEN IN BLOOD
ON A WALL RIGHT NEXT TO THE VICTIM.
FOR INVESTIGATORS, THOSE LETTERS WERE THE BEGINNING
OF A DIFFICULT JOURNEY TO FIND THE TRUTH.
OCTOBER 11th, 2003.
A ROUTINE SATURDAY MORNING AT TAMPA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT,
EXCEPT FOR ONE THING.
KAREN PANNELL,
A RELIABLE AND RESPECTED CUSTOMER-SERVICE SUPERVISOR,
HADN'T SHOWN UP FOR HER SHIFT.
HER CO-WORKERS WERE WORRIED.
Mallet: IT WAS VERY UNUSUAL.
THERE WAS NO PHONE CALL, THERE WAS NOTHING, AND SHE NEVER SHOWED UP.
Zahn: KAREN'S BOYFRIEND TRIED TO REACH HER SEVERAL TIMES,
BOTH AT HOME AND ON HER CELL.
HE SAID HE BECAME CONCERNED.
KAREN WASN'T ANSWERING. SO THAT WAS WHEN I WENT OVER THERE.
WHAT TIME DID YOU SHOW UP AT HER HOUSE?
I WANT TO SAY 10:00, 10:30. THEREABOUTS.
DESCRIBE WHAT HAPPENED
FROM THE MOMENT YOU GOT OUT OF THE CAR.
HER CAR WAS THERE, SO I KNEW SHE WAS STILL THERE.
SO I WALKED IN, AND AS SOON AS I WALKED IN,
I TOOK MAYBE...
[SIGHS] ...TWO STEPS,
AND I SAW HER.
WHAT DID YOU SEE?
SHE WAS JUST LAYING THERE...
...AND I KNEW IMMEDIATELY.
THE INSTINCT WAS JUST, "GET HELP HERE," AND I CALLED 911.
[ SIREN WAILS ]
POLICE ARRIVED AT KAREN'S HOME JUST MINUTES LATER.
IT WAS AN HORRIFIC SCENE.
KAREN WAS FOUND ON THE KITCHEN FLOOR, LAYING ON HER BACK,
WITH A LARGE AMOUNT OF BLOOD ON THE GROUND BELOW AND BESIDE HER.
THERE WAS BLOOD PRETTY MUCH ALL OVER THE WALLS IN THE KITCHEN.
THERE WAS BLOOD ON THE TABLE. THERE WAS PAPERS ON THE FLOOR.
BOXES HAD BEEN KNOCKED OVER.
Zahn: 39-YEAR-OLD KAREN PANNELL WAS PRONOUNCED DEAD AT THE SCENE.
Holbrook: THE MEDICAL EXAMINER DETERMINED
THAT THE CAUSE OF DEATH TO KAREN PANNELL
RESULTED FROM MULTIPLE STAB WOUNDS.
KAREN HAD STAB WOUNDS TO THE FRONT OF HER UPPER TORSO,
STAB WOUNDS TO HER BACK.
SHE HAD STAB WOUNDS IN BOTH ARMS.
SHE ALSO HAD DEFENSIVE WOUNDS TO HER FOREARMS AND HER HANDS.
Zahn: IN THE CHAOS OF THE CRIME SCENE,
INVESTIGATORS DISCOVERED A CRYPTIC CLUE --
THE LETTERS "ROC" WRITTEN IN BLOOD
ON A WALL DIRECTLY ABOVE KAREN'S BODY.
I JUST REMEMBER THINKING, "THAT IS THE STRANGEST THING."
WAS SHE ATTEMPTING TO WRITE AN ENTIRE NAME
AND DIDN'T FINISH OUT THE NAME?
WAS THE "C" AT THE END -- WAS THAT NOT A COMPLETE LETTER?
WAS IT SUPPOSED TO BE ANOTHER "O"?
IS IT A CODE WORD? WHAT WAS SHE TRYING TO TELL US?
Zahn: AS THE FORENSIC TEAM COLLECTED EVIDENCE,
DETECTIVES ASKED KAREN'S BOYFRIEND,
THE MAN WHO DISCOVERED HER BODY,
ABOUT THE LAST TIME HE SAW HER ALIVE.
ON THE NIGHT OF OCTOBER 10th, 2003,
DESCRIBE HOW THE TWO OF YOU GOT TOGETHER.
I WENT OVER TO HER HOUSE.
WE JUST SAT AND KIND OF TALKED ABOUT OUR DAYS,
WHAT WE WERE PLANNING ON DOING, AND THEN I LEFT.
WHEN YOU LEFT KAREN THAT NIGHT,
DID SHE SEEM BOTHERED BY ANYTHING?
NO, NOT AT ALL.
HE LEFT HER RESIDENCE AROUND 7:30, IS WHAT HE TOLD US.
RECEIVED A PHONE CALL FROM HER MAYBE 15 MINUTES LATER,
AND THAT WAS THE LAST TIME THAT HE HAD TALKED TO HER.
HE WENT BACK TO HIS APARTMENT
THAT HE SHARED WITH A ROOMMATE AND CO-WORKER, GEORGE SOLOMON.
Zahn: TIM SAID HE GOT HOME AROUND 7:45 P.M.
AT 8:00, HIS ROOMMATE, GEORGE,
WAS HEADING OUT TO SPEND THE NIGHT AT HIS GIRLFRIEND'S HOUSE
AND INVITED TIM TO JOIN THEM.
TIM SAYS HE ACCEPTED THE OFFER.
WHEN DETECTIVES INTERVIEWED GEORGE, HE CONFIRMED THE STORY.
IT SEEMED TO GIVE TIM A SOLID ALIBI.
DETECTIVES WERE ALSO IMPRESSED WITH HOW MUCH
TIM SEEMED TO BE TRYING TO HELP THEM WITH THE INVESTIGATION.
Nalven: TIM WAS VERY COOPERATIVE.
ALLOWED US TO TAKE HIS VEHICLE, TO LOOK THROUGH HIS VEHICLE,
ALLOWED US TO TAKE HIS CLOTHING SO WE COULD HAVE IT PROCESSED,
AND WE RESPONDED TO HIS APARTMENT.
HE LET US LOOK AROUND THERE.
SO HE WAS VERY COOPERATIVE.
Zahn: KAREN'S DEATH WAS A DEVASTATING LOSS.
THE PEOPLE WHO KNEW HER BEST
SAID HER ENERGY COULD LIGHT UP A ROOM.
SHE WAS A LOYAL FRIEND
AND A LOVING SISTER TO FIVE OLDER BROTHERS.
THE SHOCKING NEWS HIT HER FRIENDS AND FAMILY HARD.
HOW AND WHEN DID YOU GET THE NEWS ABOUT KAREN'S DEATH?
I GOT A PHONE CALL FROM MY BROTHER ROBIN,
AND HE SAID THAT --
HE SAID, "ARE YOU SITTING DOWN?"
AND HE SAID, "KAREN'S BEEN MURDERED."
THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS THAT GO THROUGH YOUR MIND.
OBVIOUSLY, "IT CAN'T BE KAREN.
IT'S SOME MISTAKE."
Mallet: YOU CAN'T EVEN THINK.
IT'S UNBELIEVABLE. IT DOESN'T SEEM REAL.
IT'S JUST HORRIBLE.
IT'S JUST A TERRIBLE THING.
IT WAS JUST... NUMBINGLY SHOCKING.
THINGS WERE JUST SWIRLING AROUND,
AND I HAD NO IDEA WHAT WAS GOING ON.
Zahn: AS DETECTIVES PROCESS THE CRIME SCENE,
THERE WERE SIGNS THAT THE ATTACK ON KAREN
MIGHT HAVE BEEN CONNECTED TO A BOTCHED ROBBERY.
Nalven: ON ONE OF THE COUNTERTOPS,
HER PURSE HAD BEEN DUMPED OVER ONTO THE COUNTERTOP.
Zahn: WHEN DETECTIVES CANVASS THE NEIGHBORHOOD,
THEY GOT A TIP THAT BOLSTERED THE ROBBERY THEORY --
A SUSPECT IN A BANK HEIST LIVED CLOSE TO KAREN'S HOUSE.
Nalven: TRACKED THIS INDIVIDUAL DOWN
TO TRY AND ACCOUNT FOR HIS WHEREABOUTS.
Zahn: AT THE CRIME SCENE,
THERE WAS PLENTY OF EVIDENCE OF A VIOLENT STRUGGLE,
BUT INVESTIGATORS HAD TROUBLE FINDING ANYTHING TO SUGGEST
THAT SOMEONE HAD BROKEN INTO KAREN'S HOUSE
TO COMMIT A ROBBERY.
WE LOOK FOR FOOTPRINTS, SHOE PRINTS,
PRY MARKS TO WINDOWS, DAMAGE TO -- GLASS BROKEN.
AND, WHILE DOING THE PERIMETER CHECK,
WE REALLY DIDN'T SEE ANYTHING THAT WAS DISTURBED.
NONE OF THE WINDOWS WERE BROKEN.
THERE WAS NO DISRUPTION TO THE DIRT UNDERNEATH THE WINDOWS.
THE DOOR WAS SLIGHTLY AJAR,
BUT, UPON INSPECTION OF THE LOCKING APPARATUS,
THERE WASN'T ANY DAMAGE.
Zahn: WITH NO SIGNS OF FORCED ENTRY,
DETECTIVES GREW DOUBTFUL
THAT THE SUSPECTED BANK ROBBER WAS THEIR MAN.
Nalven: WE DID EVERYTHING WE COULD,
AND THERE WAS NOTHING PUTTING HIM AT THE SCENE.
HE WAS AT OTHER LOCATIONS
THAT HE WAS AT DURING THAT TIMEFRAME, AS WELL,
AND WE WERE ABLE TO RULE HIM OUT.
Zahn: WITH THE BANK-ROBBERY SUSPECT RULED OUT,
INVESTIGATORS STARTED TO THINK IT WAS MORE LIKELY
THE KILLER HAD ACCESS TO THE HOME,
OR THAT KAREN HAD WILLINGLY OPENED HER DOOR
FOR THE PERSON WHO ENDED UP KILLING HER.
POLICE QUESTIONED FRIENDS AND RELATIVES
TO FIND OUT IF ANYONE CLOSE TO KAREN
MIGHT HAVE HAD A MOTIVE TO HARM HER.
THAT QUICKLY BROUGHT THEM ANOTHER LEAD.
DURING OUR INTERVIEW WITH TIM PERMENTER,
HE TOLD US ABOUT KAREN'S EX-HUSBAND
AND SAID THAT KAREN
WAS RECENTLY TRYING TO GET MORE ALIMONY FROM HIM.
Zahn: IT LOOKED LIKE A PROMISING LEAD,
AND POLICE WOULD FOLLOW UP ON IT QUICKLY.
BUT WHAT INTRIGUED THEM THE MOST
WAS THAT MYSTERIOUS CLUE WRITTEN IN BLOOD.
WHAT DID THOSE THREE LETTERS MEAN?
WOULD THE ANSWER LEAD THEM
STRAIGHT TO KAREN PANNELL'S KILLER?
WHILE DETECTIVES HUNTED FOR KAREN PANNELL'S KILLER,
HER FAMILY AND FRIENDS GRIEVED
OVER HER SUDDEN AND BRUTAL DEATH.
THE NEWS WAS A DEVASTATING BLOW TO KAREN'S FIVE BROTHERS.
THEIR VIVACIOUS LITTLE SISTER WAS GONE.
KAREN WAS NOT ONLY THE YOUNGEST IN YOUR FAMILY,
SHE WAS THE ONLY GIRL. Mike: RIGHT.
HOW DID THAT SHAPE HER?
HAVING A BUNCH OF BIG BROTHERS AROUND,
SHE GREW UP TO BE TOUGH.
YOU HAVE TO BE TO SURVIVE IN THAT FAMILY. RIGHT, ABSOLUTELY.
FIVE BIG BROTHERS. YEAH.
HOW IMPORTANT WAS FAMILY TO HER?
SHE WAS THAT GLUE THAT KEPT THE FAMILY TOGETHER.
SO SHE WOULD PLAN FAMILY REUNIONS, BIRTHDAYS? MM-HMM. RIGHT.
SHE WOULD PUT THE STRONG ARM ON YOU
UNTIL YOU MADE SURE
THAT YOUR SCHEDULE ALLOWED YOU TO BE AT THESE EVENTS.
I CAN SEE HOW TOUCHED YOU ARE
WHEN YOU THINK BACK
TO WHAT KAREN PROVIDED FOR YOUR FAMILY.
MM-HMM.
YOU MISS THAT RUDDER.
I DO. I DO. YEAH.
AT THE TIME SHE WAS MURDERED,
TIM PERMENTER HAD ONLY BEEN DATING KAREN A FEW SHORT MONTHS.
BUT HE SAYS THAT WAS MORE THAN ENOUGH TIME
TO HAVE FALLEN IN LOVE.
Permenter: SHE WAS... VERY FREE-SPIRITED.
VERY OPINIONATED.
WHICH WAS REFRESHING.
AND SMART.
MAN, SHE WAS VERY, VERY INTELLIGENT.
AND... JUST FUN TO BE AROUND.
REALLY, REALLY FUN TO BE AROUND.
I DO MISS HER. I REALLY DO.
IT WAS SUCH A SENSELESS CRIME,
AND KAREN'S LOVED ONES WANTED SOME ANSWERS.
POLICE RESPONDED
WITH A COMPREHENSIVE, AGGRESSIVE INVESTIGATION.
WHEN DETECTIVES LEARNED
THAT KAREN WAS HAVING PROBLEMS WITH HER EX-HUSBAND,
THEY TRACKED HIM DOWN.
KAREN HAD RECENTLY RE-OPENED HER DIVORCE
IN AN ATTEMPT TO INCREASE HER ALIMONY PAYMENTS.
Zahn: IT SEEMED LIKE A POSSIBLE MOTIVE,
BUT, ONCE HE WAS LOCATED,
DETECTIVES FOUND THE EX-HUSBAND HAD A SOLID ALIBI.
HE WASN'T EVEN IN THE AREA WHEN THIS OCCURRED.
HE WAS ABLE TO PROVIDE US WITH RECEIPTS, DOCUMENTATION
SHOWING THAT HE WAS AWAY FROM THIS AREA
DURING THE TIMEFRAME OF HER MURDER.
WE WERE ABLE TO RULE HIM OUT AS A SUSPECT.
Zahn: ANOTHER LEAD HAD GONE NOWHERE.
BUT DETECTIVES WERE ABOUT TO GET AN ANSWER
TO THEIR MOST CRITICAL PIECE OF EVIDENCE --
THE LETTERS "ROC" WRITTEN IN BLOOD ABOVE KAREN'S BODY.
THAT INFORMATION WAS REVEALED
WHEN DETECTIVES QUESTIONED TIM PERMENTER.
HE TOLD US ABOUT A PREVIOUS RELATIONSHIP
THAT KAREN HAD WITH AN INDIVIDUAL NAMED ROC.
HE SAID KAREN TOLD HIM IT WAS KIND OF A ROUGH RELATIONSHIP.
Zahn: IT WASN'T SUCH A CRYPTIC MESSAGE AFTER ALL.
THE LETTERS SPELLED OUT THE NAME OF A FORMER BOYFRIEND, ROC --
R-O-C.
IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE NOT TO DRAW THE GRUESOME CONCLUSION
THAT KAREN'S DYING ACT
MAY HAVE BEEN WRITING HER KILLER'S NAME IN HER OWN BLOOD.
I THOUGHT HE DID IT.
THE FACT THAT HIS NAME WAS ON THE WALL --
THAT WAS THE FIRST THING THAT POPPED INTO MY MIND.
WHAT DID KAREN SHARE WITH YOU
ABOUT HER RELATIONSHIP WITH ROC?
SHE WAS SCARED OF HIM.
TIM DESCRIBED KAREN'S RELATIONSHIP WITH ROC
AS THEM HAVING A LOT OF DOMESTIC DISTURBANCES.
THAT ROC, AT SOME POINT, HAD A DRUG PROBLEM.
KAREN HAD TOLD HIM
THAT THERE HAD BEEN VIOLENCE IN THE RELATIONSHIP.
TIM ALSO TOLD US THAT KAREN HAD SAID
SHE WAS RECEIVING SOME PHONE CALLS FROM ROC RECENTLY.
HE DESCRIBED THOSE -- YOU KNOW, ROC WAS HARASSING KAREN.
WE HAD TO FIND ROC.
Zahn: DETECTIVES QUICKLY TRACK DOWN
THE MAN WITH THE UNUSUAL FIRST NAME.
THEY FOUND THE 45-YEAR-OLD INSURANCE ADJUSTER
WAS NOW LIVING IN A TOWN
ABOUT 90 MILES SOUTH OF THE CRIME SCENE.
DETECTIVE HOLBROOK AND I WENT TO HIS RESIDENCE UNANNOUNCED
AND, ACTUALLY, HE WAS IN HIS DRIVEWAY WHEN WE PULLED UP.
WHEN THE DETECTIVES CAME TO YOUR HOME,
WHAT DID THEY SAY TO YOU?
Herpich: THE FIRST COMMENT WAS,
"A FRIEND OF YOURS HAS A LITTLE PROBLEM,
AND WE WANT TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT IT."
AND I SAID, "WELL, WHAT FRIEND MIGHT THAT BE?"
AND HE SAID, "KAREN PANNELL."
I'M THINKING, "WELL, NOW, WHAT'D SHE DO?"
I'M THINKING MAYBE SHE HIT SOMEBODY,
YOU KNOW, MAYBE SHE HIT AND RUN.
WHO KNOWS? I REALLY WASN'T SURE. HAD NO CLUE.
AND THE NEXT THING HE SAID IS, "WELL, NO, SHE'S DEAD."
MM. HE SAID IT THAT BLUNTLY. YEAH!
NOW, I DON'T KNOW IF HE'S LOOKING FOR A RESPONSE
OR WHAT I DO AFTER THAT.
'COURSE, I'M JUST DUMBFOUNDED AND SIT THERE.
WHAT DO YOU DO? WHERE DO YOU GO WITH THAT?
AND I SAID, "WHAT DO YOU MEAN, SHE'S DEAD?"
AND HE GOES, "WE NEED TO GO TALK ABOUT THIS."
DETECTIVES QUESTION ROC
ABOUT THE DETAILS OF HIS RELATIONSHIP WITH KAREN.
ROC SAID THEY HAD STARTED DATING TWO YEARS BEFORE.
HOW DID YOU TREAT KAREN?
I TREATED HER WITH UTMOST RESPECT,
AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED.
WERE YOU IN LOVE WITH KAREN? YES.
AND IT GOT STRONGER.
BUT, OVER TIME, IT BECAME A TUMULTUOUS RELATIONSHIP,
AND, ON MORE THAN ONE OCCASION, THE POLICE HAD TO INTERVENE.
THERE WERE THREE PHONE CALLS ON RECORD TO THE POLICE
INVOLVING AN ALTERCATION BETWEEN THE TWO OF YOU.
CORRECT.
SO IT WAS NOT A HEALTHY RELATIONSHIP.
AT THE END, NO. IT WASN'T.
WE HAD, YOU KNOW, THE ARGUMENTS,
AND THE POLICE WERE AT THE HOUSE,
AND SHE'D LOCKED ME OUT,
AND I WOULD LITERALLY KICK THE DOOR IN TO GET INTO THE HOUSE.
I SAW IT DETERIORATE OVER THE MONTHS.
SHE'D COME TO WORK VERY UNHAPPY, LOOKING TIRED,
AND I USED TO SAY, "JUST LEAVE. LEAVE HIM."
AND SHE DID. SHE LEFT HIM.
SHE DID NOT NEED THIS GUY IN HER LIFE.
Zahn: DURING THE INTERROGATION, DETECTIVES PRESSED ROC
ABOUT THE MULTIPLE PHONE CALLS HE HAD MADE TO KAREN RECENTLY
AFTER THEIR BREAKUP.
DID YOU EVER MAKE A SINGLE HARASSING PHONE CALL TO KAREN? NEVER. NEVER.
WHY WERE YOU CALLING HER? TO TRY TO GET MY FURNITURE BACK.
I HAD A $900 ROLLTOP DESK IN THERE.
ROC BEGAN TO GET NERVOUS WHEN DETECTIVES SHARPENED
THEIR QUESTIONING ABOUT THE NIGHT OF THE CRIME.
WHERE WERE YOU THE NIGHT THAT KAREN WAS MURDERED?
I WOULD HAVE BEEN AT THE HOME IN NORTH PORT, FLORIDA.
DURING QUESTIONING, ROC'S NEW GIRLFRIEND CAME INTO THE GARAGE
AND ASKED WHAT WAS GOING ON.
Nalven: I IMMEDIATELY LEFT DETECTIVE HOLBROOK WITH ROC
TO GET HER INSIDE THE RESIDENCE SO SHE COULD NOT HEAR ANYTHING
THAT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT WITH ROC.
THEREFORE, THAT RULES OUT ANYBODY SAYING
THAT THEY WOULD HAVE HAD THE TIME
TO GET TOGETHER, TO GET THEIR STORY STRAIGHT.
Zahn: DETECTIVES WERE DETERMINED NOT TO GIVE ROC A CHANCE
TO CREATE AN ALIBI WITH HIS GIRLFRIEND TO COUNTER EVIDENCE
THAT WAS BEGINNING TO LOOK VERY INCRIMINATING.
YOU HAD FINGERPRINTS ALL OVER HER HOUSE, RIGHT? EXACTLY.
OH, THEY'RE EVERYWHERE.
YOU HAD A KEY TO HER HOUSE, DIDN'T YOU?
EVEN AFTER YOU BROKE UP. SURE, I DID.
ROC INSISTED IT HAD BEEN MONTHS
SINCE HE HAD BEEN INSIDE KAREN'S HOME,
BUT INVESTIGATORS BROUGHT IN A FORENSIC SPECIALIST ANYWAY,
TO COLLECT FINGERPRINTS AND DNA THAT COULD BE COMPARED
WITH THE EVIDENCE FOUND AT THE CRIME SCENE.
THEY TOOK PRINTS OF EVERYTHING --
FRONT SIDE OF THE HANDS, BACK SIDE OF THE HANDS,
MY PALMS, MY FEET, FINGERNAIL CLIPPINGS.
AND I'M LIKE, "THIS IS KIND OF BIZARRE."
AND THEN WHEN I GAVE THEM THE FOOTPRINT,
I'M LIKE, "YOU GOT TO BE KIDDING ME, MAN."
YOU HAVE TO ADMIT, YOU GOT PRETTY TESTY... WELL, I HAD TO,
BECAUSE I'M THINKING, "NOW, YOU GUYS ARE --
"THIS IS CRAZY.
"YOU GUYS ARE ACCUSING ME
"OF SOMETHING THAT COULDN'T EVEN --
I'M NOT EVEN CAPABLE OF DOING,
LET ALONE ACTUALLY PULLING IT OFF."
Zahn: COMING UP, COULD THE VICTIM
HAVE ACTUALLY SCRAWLED THOSE LETTERS IN BLOOD?
SHE DID SUSTAIN A SPINAL-CORD INJURY.
IT MADE NO SENSE AT ALL.
DETECTIVES WERE QUESTIONING ROC HERPICH
IN THE STABBING DEATH OF KAREN PANNELL.
ROC AND KAREN HAD GONE THROUGH A BITTER BREAKUP
AFTER A YEAR-LONG RELATIONSHIP.
WHEN POLICE MADE THE CONNECTION BETWEEN ROC
AND THE LETTERS WRITTEN IN BLOOD AT THE CRIME SCENE,
HE BECAME THE PRIME SUSPECT.
IT'S DISTURBING TO ME, BECAUSE, GOD BLESS HER,
I WOULDN'T HURT HER NO MATTER WHAT.
WE MIGHT HAVE HAD OUR DIFFERENCES NEAR THE END...
...BUT I THINK THAT'S JUST PART OF THE BREAKUP THING.
ROC HERPICH INSISTED HE WAS AT HOME,
90 MILES FROM THE CRIME SCENE, ON THE NIGHT OF KAREN'S MURDER.
WHILE DETECTIVES CHECKED OUT HIS ALIBI,
FORENSIC EXPERTS PROCESSED
ALL OF THE EVIDENCE FOUND AT KAREN'S HOUSE.
THEY WERE ESPECIALLY INTERESTED IN A TINY TRAIL OF BLOOD
DISCOVERED BETWEEN KAREN'S BODY AND THE KITCHEN SINK.
A SUSPECT CAN INJURE THEMSELF IN THE COMMISSION OF A CRIME.
IF KAREN HAD INJURED HER ATTACKER,
THE BLOOD EVIDENCE COULD BE THE KEY TO SOLVING THE CASE.
WAS THE TRAIL OF DROPLETS THE KILLER'S BLOOD?
SAMPLES WERE COLLECTED AND SENT TO THE CRIME LAB.
Cox: SUBSEQUENTLY, ALL OF THE BLOOD THAT WAS TESTED
CAME BACK TO BE KAREN'S.
Zahn: IT WAS A DISAPPOINTMENT,
BUT OTHER PARTS OF THE BLOOD EVIDENCE
WERE ABOUT TO GIVE POLICE ANOTHER BIG BREAK.
INVESTIGATORS FOCUSED ON THE FACT
THAT KAREN HAD BLOOD ON THE FINGERTIPS OF HER RIGHT HAND
BUT NONE ON HER LEFT.
THAT SUGGESTED SHE HAD WRITTEN THE LETTERS "ROC"
WITH HER RIGHT HAND.
EXPERTS CONDUCTED A METICULOUS ANALYSIS
IN AN ATTEMPT TO RECONSTRUCT
HOW KAREN HAD ACTUALLY WRITTEN THE LETTERS.
WE MEASURED THE BOTTOM OF THE LETTERS
TO THE TIPS OF HER RIGHT HAND, AND IT WAS WELL OVER 4 FEET.
SO THAT IS PRETTY FAR FOR SOMEBODY TO HAVE TO ROLL
IN ORDER TO WRITE THE LETTERS AT LEAST A FOOT UP ON THE WALL.
Zahn: IT STARTED TO LOOK DOUBTFUL
THAT KAREN WOULD HAVE BEEN ABLE TO WRITE ON THE WALL.
THEN POLICE LEARNED SOMETHING ELSE
THAT ADDED TO THEIR SUSPICIONS.
WAS KAREN RIGHT-HANDED OR LEFT-HANDED?
SHE WAS LEFT-DOMINANT EVERYTHING.
AND IS THAT SOMETHING THAT OCCURRED TO YOU
TO SHARE WITH DETECTIVES
WHEN YOU HEARD ABOUT "ROC" BEING WRITTEN?
WE DIDN'T HAVE TO.
THEY WERE AWARE THAT SHE WAS LEFT-HANDED.
AND, WHEN I SAW THE PICTURE OF THE KITCHEN,
THAT WAS THE FIRST THING I SAID,
WAS, "YOU KNOW, SHE'S LAYING ON HER LEFT SIDE,
AND SHE'S LEFT-HANDED."
AND HER LEFT HAND HAD NO SIGNS OF BLOOD ON IT.
IT DIDN'T SEEM PLAUSIBLE THAT THE LEFT-HANDED KAREN
WOULD HAVE WRITTEN THE LETTERS WITH HER RIGHT HAND.
Cox: IN ORDER TO BELIEVE
THAT KAREN PANNELL HAD ACTUALLY WRITTEN THE LETTERS HERSELF,
WE WOULD HAVE TO BELIEVE THAT, ON HER LAST DYING BREATH,
THAT SHE WAS ABLE TO WRITE THE NAME.
NOT ONLY THAT, SHE HAS TO BE ABLE TO DO IT
SO THE LETTERS ARE SYMMETRICAL
AND THAT THEY ARE AT LEAST A FOOT UP OFF THE GROUND.
Zahn: WHEN THE AUTOPSY WAS COMPLETED, THE MEDICAL EXAMINER'S REPORT
PROVIDED EVEN STRONGER EVIDENCE
THAT IT WOULD HAVE BEEN IMPOSSIBLE
FOR KAREN TO WRITE ROC'S NAME ON THE WALL.
SHE DID SUSTAIN A SPINAL-CORD INJURY,
WHICH WOULD HAVE DEBILITATED HER ABILITY TO MOVE.
AFTER REVIEWING ALL THAT,
I FELT VERY COMFORTABLE IN THE BELIEF
THAT KAREN PANNELL DID NOT WRITE THE LETTERS "ROC" ON THE WALL.
Zahn: THE IMPLICATIONS WERE ENORMOUS.
IF KAREN DIDN'T WRITE THE LETTERS,
THEN THEY MUST HAVE BEEN WRITTEN BY HER KILLER --
AND IT SEEMED FAR-FETCHED THAT ROC WOULD IMPLICATE HIMSELF
BY WRITING HIS OWN NAME ON THE WALL.
BUT INVESTIGATORS STILL WANTED TO BE SURE.
SO THEY DOUBLE-CHECKED HIS STORY
ABOUT BEING HOME ON THE NIGHT OF THE MURDER.
HE WAS ABLE TO ACCOUNT FOR HIS WHEREABOUTS THE PREVIOUS NIGHT.
HIS FIANCéE, MICHELLE, WAS ALSO THERE, AND HER SON.
EVERYBODY'S STORY WAS CONSISTENT.
TO FURTHER VERIFY ROC'S STORY,
WE SUBPOENAED CELLPHONE RECORDS FROM HIS CELLPHONE.
Zahn: THE PHONE RECORDS SUPPORTED ROC'S STORY --
THAT HE WAS AT HOME WITH HIS GIRLFRIEND AND HER SON,
ALMOST TWO HOURS AWAY FROM THE CRIME SCENE.
OTHER THAN THE NAME "ROC" BEING ON THE WALL,
THERE WAS NOTHING ELSE LINKING ROC TO THE MURDER OF KAREN.
Zahn: ROC HERPICH WAS OFFICIALLY CLEARED
AS A SUSPECT IN KAREN'S MURDER.
THEY CHECKED ME THREE WAYS TO SUNDAY
TO PROVE THAT I COULDN'T HAVE DONE THIS.
WITH ROC NO LONGER A SUSPECT,
DETECTIVES TURN
TO OTHER, LESS OBVIOUS EVIDENCE FOUND AT KAREN'S HOME.
Nalven: DURING THE INVESTIGATION,
OUR FORENSICS SPECIALIST CAME ACROSS A PIZZA BOX
THAT WAS AT THE LOCATION.
THERE WAS A RECEIPT WITH THE PIZZA BOX.
Zahn: THE TIME PRINTED ON THE RECEIPT
WAS 8:48 P.M. ON THE NIGHT OF THE MURDER.
INVESTIGATORS WONDERED IF THE KILLER WAS AT KAREN'S HOME
WHEN THE PIZZA WAS DELIVERED.
A PIZZA BOX WAS BROUGHT BACK
FROM THE ACTUAL LOCATION WHERE THE HOMICIDE OCCURRED.
Zahn: FORENSIC SPECIALISTS CHECK FOR FINGERPRINTS
BY SPRAYING THE BOX WITH A CHEMICAL.
ALMOST IMMEDIATELY, PRINTS STARTED TO APPEAR.
Cox: WHAT YOU ARE ACTUALLY SEEING
IS THE ACTUAL DEPOSIT OF FINGER-RIDGE DETAIL,
OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE FINGERPRINT.
WE THEN PHOTOGRAPH THAT SO THAT OUR FINGERPRINT SPECIALISTS
CAN COMPARE THE PRINT TO EITHER A VICTIM OR A SUSPECT.
Zahn: THE FORENSIC TEAM
WAS ABLE TO LIFT CLEAN FINGERPRINTS FROM THE PIZZA BOX.
BUT THEY KNEW THEY MIGHT HAVE BEEN LEFT THERE
BY KAREN OR THE DELIVERY MAN.
COMING UP...
WOULD THE PRINT TURN OUT TO BE ANOTHER FALSE LEAD,
OR WOULD A PIZZA BOX POINT THE WAY TO A KILLER?
FORENSIC SPECIALISTS DISCOVERED FINGERPRINTS ON A PIZZA BOX
THAT WAS DELIVERED TO KAREN PANNELL'S HOUSE
THE NIGHT SHE WAS MURDERED.
WHEN THE CRIME LAB PROCESSED THE PRINTS,
THEY FOUND A MATCH FOR A MAN
WHO HAD ALREADY OFFERED TO HELP THE INVESTIGATION
IN ANY WAY POSSIBLE.
[ CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKS ]
THE PRINTS BELONGED TO KAREN'S BOYFRIEND, TIM PERMENTER.
FINDING FINGERPRINTS ON THE PIZZA BOX
WAS A BIG PART OF THIS INVESTIGATION,
BECAUSE TIM HAD ALL ALONG BEEN TELLING US
HE LEFT THAT RESIDENCE AT 7:30.
AND WE KNOW FOR A FACT
THAT THE PIZZA WAS NOT DELIVERED UNTIL AFTER 8:30.
Zahn: WHEN DETECTIVES FIRST INTERVIEWED TIM PERMENTER,
HE NEVER MENTIONED ANYTHING ABOUT A PIZZA
AND WAS ADAMANT HE HAD LEFT KAREN'S HOUSE AT 7:30.
NOW, HIS FINGERPRINTS WERE FOUND
ON THE PIZZA BOX THAT WAS DELIVERED AROUND 9:00 P.M.
INVESTIGATORS QUESTIONED THE PIZZA-DELIVERY MAN.
Nalven: HE REMEMBERED TALKING WITH KAREN,
AND HE REMEMBERED SEEING AN INDIVIDUAL INSIDE THE RESIDENCE
THAT DIDN'T SEEM TOO HAPPY WITH HIM
FOR HAVING A CONVERSATION WITH KAREN.
WE WERE ABLE TO SHOW HIM A PICTURE OF TIM PERMENTER,
AND HE WAS ABLE TO SAY WITH MOST CERTAINTY
THAT THAT WAS THE INDIVIDUAL HE SAW AT THE RESIDENCE.
Zahn: THE NEW EVIDENCE CALLED TIM'S ENTIRE ALIBI INTO QUESTION,
AND DETECTIVES DECIDED TO TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT HIM.
THEY DISCOVERED HE HAD A TROUBLING HISTORY.
WE LEARNED THAT TIM HAD BEEN ARRESTED FOR ATTEMPTED MURDER.
HE HAD SHOT AN INDIVIDUAL,
AND WHAT WE WERE ABLE TO LEARN
WAS THAT TIM WAS RUNNING AN ESCORT BUSINESS
AND HE GOT INTO A SHOOTOUT WITH ANOTHER PERSON
RUNNING AN ESCORT BUSINESS UP IN TALLAHASSEE.
TIM SUBSEQUENTLY SERVED 12 YEARS OF A 20-YEAR SENTENCE
FOR THE SHOOTING.
Zahn: KAREN KNEW NOTHING ABOUT TIM'S TROUBLES WITH THE LAW.
HE KEPT THEM A SECRET.
IT WAS MONTHS INTO THE RELATIONSHIP
WHEN SHE FINALLY LEARNED THE WHOLE, SHOCKING TRUTH.
WHEN KAREN FOUND OUT
THE SPECIFICS OF TIM'S INCARCERATION,
SHE IMMEDIATELY DECIDED
THAT THAT WASN'T A RELATIONSHIP SHE WANTED TO PURSUE.
Zahn: A NUMBER OF KAREN'S FRIENDS SAID
THAT SHE WANTED TO BREAK UP WITH YOU.
IF SHE DID, SHE NEVER LET ME KNOW.
BUT YOU DO HAVE TO ADMIT, ANY WOMAN FINDING OUT
A MAN SHE'S BEEN DATING FOR A COUPLE MONTHS,
TO SEE THAT YOU'D ACTUALLY SERVED PRISON TIME
FOR ATTEMPTED MURDER
IS GONNA RAISE SOME SERIOUS RED FLAGS.
YES, MA'AM.
SHE WAS ANGRY AT FIRST -- MORE THAT I KEPT IT FROM HER.
HER BROTHER SAYS KAREN TOLD HIM A DIFFERENT STORY.
DID KAREN EVER SHARE WITH YOU
HER FEARS OF TRYING TO GET OUT OF THIS RELATIONSHIP?
SHE HAD CALLED ME.
TIM HAD PRESSED HER UP AGAINST HER REFRIGERATOR
AND WAS CHOKING HER.
HOW WORRIED WERE YOU WHEN KAREN CALLED YOU AND SAID,
"TIM TRIED TO CHOKE ME TO DEATH"?
WHEN SHE TOLD ME,
I DEMANDED THAT SHE CONTACT THE POLICE.
KAREN NEVER REPORTED THE ALLEGED CHOKING INCIDENT TO POLICE.
BUT JUST DAYS BEFORE HER MURDER, KAREN CALLED 911
WITH AN ARGUMENT WITH TIM GOT OUT OF CONTROL.
TIM SAYS THAT INCIDENT WAS ALL A MISUNDERSTANDING
AND NOT A BIG DEAL.
THERE WERE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO BELIEVE
THAT KAREN NEVER FOLLOWED UP ON THAT 911 CALL
BECAUSE SHE DIDN'T WANT TO HURT YOU.
SHE JUST WANTED YOU OUT OF HER LIFE.
OKAY.
SO WHY DID SHE INVITE ME OVER A DAY LATER?
IT'S VERY EASY TO SAY, "I DON'T WANT YOU HERE."
BUT THAT DIDN'T HAPPEN.
DETECTIVES WERE BECOMING SUSPICIOUS
OF EVERYTHING TIM WAS SAYING.
THEY ZEROED IN ON THE NIGHT OF THE MURDER
AND BEGAN CHIPPING AWAY AT INCONSISTENCIES IN HIS STORY.
YOU TOLD INVESTIGATORS YOU LEFT KAREN'S HOUSE AT ABOUT 7:30.
AND YET, A PIZZA-DELIVERY MAN
SAID HE SAW YOU IN HER HOME
AROUND 9:00 P.M. THAT NIGHT. YES, MA'AM.
CAN YOU EXPLAIN THE DISCREPANCY TO ME?
IF YOU TALK TO PEOPLE THAT KNOW ME --
I NEVER WORE A WATCH, AND I'M JUST BAD WITH THAT.
I MEAN, WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT A HALF-HOUR DIFFERENCE.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT AN HOUR-AND-A-HALF CHUNK OF TIME HERE.
IF YOU ASK ME, I'LL SAY "THE OTHER DAY,"
WHEN IT WAS A WEEK AGO.
I MEAN, THAT'S WHAT I'M SAYING.
IT WAS NOT AN ATTEMPT TO DECEIVE.
DID YOU EAT PIZZA AT KAREN'S HOUSE? YES, ABSOLUTELY.
ABSOLUTELY. AND I NEVER DENIED THAT I DIDN'T.
I DIDN'T TRY TO DECEIVE THEM ABOUT THE PIZZA MAN.
ADMITTING HE WAS WITH KAREN AT AROUND 9:00 P.M.
SHATTERED THE TIMELINE OF TIM'S ALIBI,
INCLUDING HIS STORY
ABOUT A PHONE CALL HE HAD WITH HIS ROOMMATE, GEORGE.
GEORGE HAD TOLD US
THAT HE RECEIVED A CALL FROM TIM AROUND 9:30,
AND TIM WAS TELLING HIM, "HEY, I NEED TO COME TALK TO YOU.
I NEED TO COME SEE YOU."
Zahn: TIM SAID THE 9:30 CALL WAS MADE FROM HIS APARTMENT,
MILES AWAY FROM KAREN'S HOME.
POLICE HAD EVIDENCE HE WAS LYING.
YOU TOLD POLICE YOU MADE A PHONE CALL AROUND 9:30,
AND YOU SAID YOU MADE IT MILES AWAY FROM KAREN'S HOME,
AND YET, CELLPHONE RECORDS SHOW THAT, IN FACT,
THAT CALL WAS PLACED VERY CLOSE TO KAREN'S HOME.
YES.
WHY DID YOU LIE ABOUT THAT?
IT'S ONE OF THOSE WHERE YOU'RE TRYING TO GENERALIZE.
WELL, YOU KNOW, WHEN DID YOU MAKE THE CALL?
"OH, WELL, I GOT IN MY CAR, AND I THINK I WAS ABOUT,
MAYBE, TWO OR THREE MILES AWAY OR WHATEVER."
WHEN YOU'RE TALKING OFF THE CUFF,
YOU SAY THINGS THAT WEREN'T REALLY ACCURATE,
BUT IT WASN'T AN ATTEMPT AT DECEPTION AT ALL.
DID YOU MAKE THAT CALL AT 9:30
BECAUSE YOU NEEDED AN ALIBI FOR THE MURDER OF KAREN?
NO, NOT AT ALL.
DURING A TAPED INTERROGATION, POLICE WERE ABLE TO EXPOSE
SEVERAL INCONSISTENCIES IN TIM'S STORY.
BUT ON THE MOST CRITICAL QUESTION, HE REMAINED FIRM,
INSISTING HE DIDN'T KILL HIS GIRLFRIEND.
WHEN HE WAS CONFRONTED AND CHALLENGED ON HIS DISCREPANCIES,
HE STILL REALLY COULDN'T PUT A REASON
AS TO WHY HE WAS WRONG WITH HIS TIMES.
AT THAT POINT, HIS DEMEANOR -- HE KIND OF GOT DARKER, QUIET.
BEFORE THAT, HE WAS THIS VERY COOPERATIVE,
VERY TALKATIVE, SOMETIMES JOKING.
THAT WAS ALL TURNED OFF. THIS WAS A DIFFERENT PERSON NOW.
Holbrook: WHEN WE CONFRONTED HIM,
TIM BECAME UPSET AND PUT HIS FACE DOWN IN HIS HANDS.
TIM STAYED IN THIS POSITION FOR ABOUT A MINUTE.
WHEN TIM LOOKED UP,
IT LOOKED AS IF THE DEVIL HAD JUST ENTERED THE INTERVIEW ROOM.
Zahn: COMING UP, EVIDENCE MOUNTS AGAINST TIM PERMENTER.
BUT CAN PROSECUTORS MAKE A CASE AGAINST HIM?
HE WAS LYING TO THE POLICE ABOUT THE TIMEFRAME.
AND SO, OF COURSE, WHY DOES SOMEBODY LIE ABOUT A TIMEFRAME?
Zahn: WANT MORE "ON THE CASE?" GO TO...
...AND VIEW MORE EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEWS
AND BEHIND-THE-SCENES VIDEO.
DETECTIVES DISCOVERED SEVERAL CRUCIAL INCONSISTENCIES
IN TIM PERMENTER'S STORY
AND STRONGLY SUSPECTED HE HAD KILLED KAREN PANNELL.
THEY SUBMITTED HIS DNA
TO TEST AGAINST THE EVIDENCE FROM THE CRIME SCENE,
AND THEY STARTED RE-EXAMINING
EVERYTHING TIM HAD DONE AROUND THE TIME OF THE MURDER.
DETECTIVES LEARNED THAT, SOON AFTER REPORTING KAREN'S DEATH,
TIM CALLED KAREN'S CO-WORKER.
THERE WAS A DETAIL IN THE CONVERSATION
THAT CAUGHT THEIR ATTENTION.
Mallet: THE PHONE RINGS, AND IT'S TIM TELLING ME,
"I'M AT KAREN'S HOUSE. SHE'S DEAD. SHE'S BEEN STABBED."
"WHAT DO YOU MEAN, SHE'S BEEN STABBED?"
AND ALL OF A SUDDEN, I REALIZED, I'M LIKE,
"WELL, HOW DO YOU KNOW THAT?"
[ SIREN WAILS ]
Nalven: THE PARAMEDICS WHO ARRIVED ON SCENE
AND CONFIRMED THAT KAREN WAS DEAD
COULD NOT EVEN TELL US THAT SHE HAD BEEN STABBED.
SO THAT MADE US WONDER, HOW DOES TIM KNOW THAT SHE WAS STABBED?
PROSECUTORS SAY WHEN YOU CALLED ONE OF KAREN'S COLLEAGUES
TO TELL HER THAT KAREN HAD BEEN MURDERED,
YOU SAID SPECIFICALLY THAT SHE HAD BEEN STABBED.
I SAID, "SHOT OR STABBED," IS EXACTLY WHAT I SAID.
AND I WOULD SWEAR THAT ON MY MOTHER.
THEY SAY YOU COULDN'T HAVE KNOWN IT,
BECAUSE, FROM WHERE YOU WERE STANDING IN HER HOUSE,
YOU COULD NEVER HAVE SEEN THE EXTENT OF HER INJURIES.
IT DOESN'T TAKE A ROCKET SCIENTIST
TO LOOK AT A BODY ON THE FLOOR
AND SEE A FOOT OF BLOOD SURROUNDING IT.
BUT I KNOW WHAT I SAW,
AND I KNOW WHAT I SAID TO KAREN'S CO-WORKERS.
Zahn: WITH THE INVESTIGATION CLOSING IN ON TIM PERMENTER,
THE DNA RESULTS CAME BACK FROM THE CRIME LAB.
DNA TAKEN FROM UNDERNEATH KAREN'S FINGERNAILS
WAS IDENTIFIED AS TIM PERMENTER'S.
Loughery: SHE WAS FIGHTING AND STRUGGLING DURING THIS ATTACK.
AND SO, IT WOULD BE CONSISTENT
WITH THEM FLAILING OUT AND TOUCHING THEIR ASSAILANT.
AND SO, PERMENTER'S DNA IS THERE,
CONSISTENT WITH THAT SITUATION.
NOBODY ELSE'S DNA IS THERE, WHICH YOU WOULD EXPECT TO SEE
IF THERE WAS SOMEBODY ELSE INVOLVED.
YOUR DNA WAS FOUND UNDER KAREN'S FINGERNAILS.
HOW DID YOUR DNA END UP UNDER HER FINGERNAILS?
I CAN'T OVERCOME THE FACT
THAT YOU'RE GONNA HAVE DNA ON SOMEBODY YOU'RE CLOSE WITH,
AND WE WERE INTIMATE.
HOW DO YOU EXPLAIN THE DEFENSIVE WOUNDS
THAT WERE FOUND ON KAREN'S HANDS?
INVESTIGATORS SAID SHE PUT UP A REAL FIGHT FOR HER LIFE.
SHE HAD DEFENSIVE WOUNDS.
WAS IT A SITUATION THAT SHE SCRATCHED ME?
OKAY, IF THAT'S THE CASE, WHERE ARE MY SCRATCHES?
WHERE ARE THE SCRATCHES?
I ALLOWED THEM TO PHOTOGRAPH MY ENTIRE BODY.
I HAD NO SCRATCHES ON ME AT ALL. NONE.
WELL, YOU WERE A MUCH BIGGER GUY THAN SHE WAS. YEAH, YES.
I HAD NO BLOOD ON ME. NONE.
NO EVIDENCE OF ANY BLOOD ON ME AT ALL.
THEY SEARCHED MY BODY. THEY SEARCHED MY HOUSE.
I DIDN'T HAVE ANY BLOOD.
NOT MY OWN, NOT HERS. NOTHING.
IN MAY OF 2004, EIGHT MONTHS AFTER KAREN PANNELL'S MURDER,
TIM PERMENTER WAS CHARGED WITH FIRST-DEGREE MURDER.
PROSECUTORS WERE CONFIDENT.
THEY KNEW IT WASN'T AN OPEN-AND-SHUT CASE.
THE MURDER WEAPON HAD NEVER EVEN BEEN FOUND,
AND MOST OF THE EVIDENCE WAS CIRCUMSTANTIAL.
AS THE TRIAL BEGAN, KAREN'S FAMILY WONDERED
IF THAT WOULD BE ENOUGH FOR A CONVICTION.
WHEN THE TRIAL GOT UNDER WAY,
WHAT DID YOU THINK ITS OUTCOME WOULD BE?
I WAS NOT CONVINCED THAT THERE WAS ENOUGH
HARD EVIDENCE TO IMPLICATE MR. PERMENTER.
HOW WORRIED DID THAT MAKE YOU?
I WAS CONCERNED. I WAS CONCERNED.
FROM THE START, THE PROSECUTION HAMMERED HOME
THE POINT THAT TIM PERMENTER'S STORY
WAS RIDDLED WITH INCONSISTENCIES AND LIES.
DETECTIVES TESTIFIED
THAT PERMENTER HAD GIVEN THEM FALSE INFORMATION
WHEN HE SAID HE LEFT KAREN'S HOUSE AT 7:30 P.M.,
EVEN THOUGH HIS FINGERPRINTS
WERE FOUND ON A PIZZA BOX DELIVERED CLOSE TO 9:00 P.M.
PROSECUTORS ALSO PRESENTED CELLPHONE RECORDS
PROVING PERMENTER HAD PLACED A 9:30 P.M. PHONE CALL
NEAR KAREN'S HOUSE --
A CALL HE CLAIMED HAD BEEN MADE MILES AWAY FROM THE CRIME SCENE.
THAT CLEARLY SHOWED THAT, FROM THE GET GO,
HE WAS LYING TO THE POLICE ABOUT THE TIMEFRAME.
AND SO, OF COURSE, WHY DOES SOMEBODY LIE ABOUT A TIMEFRAME?
THERE'S ONLY ONE EXPLANATION. IT'S 'CAUSE HE'S THE KILLER.
Zahn: THE PROSECUTION WAS BUILDING A PORTRAIT
OF A MAN WITH SOMETHING TO HIDE.
THEN THEY CALLED
PERMENTER'S BEST FRIEND AND ROOMMATE, GEORGE SOLOMON,
TO THE STAND.
YOUR BEST FRIEND TESTIFIED
THAT YOU ACTUALLY CONFESSED TO HIM... Permenter: YES, HE DID.
...THAT YOU MURDERED KAREN. YES, HE DID.
AND THAT WAS HIS THIRD VERSION OF THE TESTIMONY.
DID YOU EVER TELL YOUR BEST FRIEND...
NO. OF COURSE NOT.
...THAT YOU MURDERED KAREN? NO.
WHAT INCENTIVE WOULD GEORGE -- YOUR BEST FRIEND -- HAVE
TO LIE ABOUT A CONFESSION?
WHAT WAS TO BE GAINED? I DON'T KNOW.
IT HIT US OUT OF THE BLUE, TOO.
AND MY LAWYERS ASKED THE SAME QUESTION.
"WHY? WHY WOULD HE BE DOING THIS?"
"I DON'T KNOW."
PROSECUTORS BELIEVED THEY HAD PRESENTED A STRONG CASE.
AFTER THEY RESTED,
TIM PERMENTER TOOK THE STAND IN HIS OWN DEFENSE.
WHAT WAS YOUR REACTION TO TIM ON THE STAND
DURING CROSS-EXAMINATION?
HOW DID HE STRIKE YOU?
EXTREMELY ARROGANT,
AND I BELIEVE THAT HE FELT
THAT HE COULD MANIPULATE THE SYSTEM OR THE JURY
OR THE D.A. OR THE JUDGE OR WHOEVER NEEDED TO BE.
BOTH SIDES ARGUED OVER THE CRITICAL EVIDENCE
FOUND AT THE CRIME SCENE --
THE NAME "ROC" WRITTEN IN BLOOD NEAR KAREN'S BODY.
THE FACT THAT "ROC" WAS PAINTED ON THE WALL
INDICATES THAT IT WASN'T A STRANGER THAT KILLED HER. OKAY?
IT HAD TO BE SOMEBODY THAT KNEW HER,
KNEW THAT SHE HAD A BOYFRIEND NAMED ROC.
ROC HAD A SOLID ALIBI, YOU KNOW, SO HE DIDN'T DO IT.
Zahn: PROSECUTORS SAID THE EVIDENCE SHOWED
IT WOULD HAVE BEEN IMPOSSIBLE FOR THE GRAVELY WOUNDED KAREN
TO HAVE WRITTEN THE LETTERS JUST BEFORE SHE DIED.
THEY ARGUED THAT TIM PERMENTER,
AFTER SAVAGELY KILLING HIS GIRLFRIEND,
WROTE THOSE THREE LETTERS
IN A CALCULATED EFFORT TO FRAME ROC HERPICH.
PROSECUTORS SAY YOU MADE A KEY MISTAKE...
OKAY.
...WHEN YOU WROTE THE NAME "ROC" ON THE WALL,
BECAUSE, UP UNTIL THAT TIME... MM-HMM.
...THE CRIME MIGHT HAVE BEEN VIEWED
AS JUST A RANDOM ACT OF VIOLENCE.
OKAY. YES.
BUT I DIDN'T WRITE IT ON THE WALL.
WHO DID?
I DON'T KNOW.
AFTER A FULL WEEK OF TESTIMONY,
TIM PERMENTER'S FATE WAS IN THE HANDS OF THE JURORS.
THEY RETURNED QUICKLY WITH THEIR VERDICT.
TIM PERMENTER -- GUILTY OF FIRST-DEGREE MURDER.
THE JURY RECOMMENDED THE DEATH PENALTY,
BUT THE JUDGE SENTENCED PERMENTER
TO LIFE IN PRISON WITHOUT PAROLE.
WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO SAY TO TIM PERMENTER?
HE TRIED TO FRAME YOU IN THE MURDER OF KAREN.
SAY, "IT'S A GOOD THING YOU'RE BEHIND BARS."
THAT'S ALL I CAN TELL YOU.
I SWEAR, I DON'T KNOW
IF I'D EVEN TRUST MYSELF AROUND THAT GUY.
IF HE WAS WILLING TO SEND ME TO PRISON...
[ SCOFFS ]
UNH-UNH. THAT'S WRONG. THAT'S JUST CRAZY.
HE GOT NO LOVE LOST HERE.
TO THIS DAY, TIM PERMENTER STILL CLAIMS HE'S INNOCENT.
DID YOU KILL KAREN?
NO. NO, I DID NOT.
DO YOU THINK TIM PERMENTER
WILL EVER ADMIT HE KILLED YOUR SISTER? Mike: NO.
FROM MY PERSPECTIVE,
THEY GOT THE GUY THAT DID IT, AND HE WAS CONVICTED.
AND, REGARDLESS OF WHAT HE SAYS, KAREN'S STILL NOT HERE.
I WANT TO REMEMBER KAREN,
AND I WANT TO REMEMBER KAREN FOR WHO SHE IS,
NOT FOR THE EVENT.
YOU KNOW, THAT TAKES AWAY FROM WHO SHE WAS.
I WANT TO REMEMBER HER AS, YOU KNOW,
THE...
ENGAGING, BRILLIANT, BEAUTIFUL YOUNG WOMAN SHE WAS.
AFTER HIS CONVICTION,
TIM PERMENTER FILED AN APPEAL, WHICH WAS DENIED.
MORE APPEALS ARE POSSIBLE,
BUT THE PROSECUTOR SAYS HE'S CONFIDENT THAT TIM PERMENTER
WILL SPEND THE REST OF HIS LIFE BEHIND BARS.
I'M PAULA ZAHN.
JOIN US NEXT TIME WHEN WE'RE BACK "ON THE CASE."