Episode 3: The Crime Scene (and why the evidence doesn’t point to Chester)

Imagine being any one of the members of law enforcement standing in St. Louis Canyon on March 16th, 1960. These were small-town cops who had spent most of their careers dealing with domestic disputes, bar brawls, and livestock theft. Suddenly, they were responsible for investigating the most high-profile murder in the state’s history.

All three women seemed to have been left posed. Their arms and legs were extended and spread out as if they were making snow angels, but their undergarments were pulled down, their wrists bound and their faces had been beaten so badly that they were unrecognizable.

The crime scene provided more questions than answers but there was a tantalizing bit of evidence. In the clenched hand of Lillian Oetting were two strands of hair that didn’t belong to the victims. One hair was fine and light brown. The other strand was coarse and dark. Who did these hairs belong to?

In this episode, we explore the crime scene, key evidence collected, and how a closer look suggests Chester could not have committed this crime. There is a lot more to this conversation so make sure you listen to the episode and take a look at the documents and photographs provided and outlined below for more context to the discussion and the case! For our audience without the ability to listen to the audio, check out the full transcript provided!