A fishing vessel blaze reveals a sinister cover-up attempt | Forensic Files

summer is on its way to our listeners in the northern hemisphere one of the best
things about summer is getting to do all your favorite indoor things outside sharing meals having a barbecue chatting
with friends everything is better Alfresco articles curated catalog of outdoor furniture is here to help you venture
Outdoors this summer they've got everything you need to really make things your own from outdoor
sofas to dining sets to decor article believes in delightful design for every home and thanks to their
online only model they have some really delightful prices too case File team member atavia recently
ordered a couch from article she loved how easy it was to choose and order from articles user-friendly website and when
the couch arrived atavia was really impressed with the quality wood and materials the delivery process was
seamless and the article team communicated throughout atavia loves how her new couch looks in
her space article is offering our listeners 50 off your first purchase of 100 or more
to claim visit article.com forward slash case File and the discount will be automatically applied at checkout
that's a r t i c l e.com forward slash case file for fifty dollars off your first purchase of one hundred dollars or
more during the winter of 1993 the Melbourne suburb of Frankston was terrorized by a
vicious serial killer named Paul Daniel three decades later Danielle has applied
for parole to coincide with Daniel's bid for parole casefile presents is launching a
long-form series about the case as a reminder that Dania must never be released researched written and hosted by
award-winning crime writer Vicky betrayedus the Frankston murders podcast uncovers new material and new victims
stalked by Danya in the lead-up to the killings all 11 episodes of the Frankston murders
are available to listen to right now be sure to follow the Frankston murders wherever you get your podcasts
stay tuned until the end of today's episode to hear the trailer and be sure to follow the Frankston murders wherever
you get your podcasts foreign [Music] still with serious and often distressing incidents if you feel at any time you
need support please contact your local crisis center for suggested phone numbers for
confidential support please see the show notes for this episode on your app or on
our website today's episode involves crimes against children and won't be suitable for all
listeners [Music] on the night of Sunday September 5 1982 the crew aboard a fishing vessel called
the decade through a party they were celebrating the coming end of the fishing season
while they drank inside their boat a storm raged across the southern Alaskan Coast outside
around 6 the following morning a hungover crew member stuck it out to the deck to be sick over the side
the sun was breaking Over The Misty Horizon as rain drizzled across the cold Blue Waters of the Pacific
the crew member took in his surroundings and caught sight of something [Music] another fishing vessel a 58-foot percina
dubbed the investor was slowly drifting out to sea barely visible in the gloomy weather was
the Investor's Pilot House where its navigation equipment was held at the helm was a man
he looked to be in his twenties and was of average height with a stocky build he was wearing a baseball cap though
some of his light-colored hair was visible the final phase of the summon season was
being reopened by Alaska's Department of Fish and Game that day it seemed the investor was getting a
head start The Man Behind The Wheel was assumed to be the Investor's Captain 28 year old
mark colthurst the decade crew member waved to him the man raised a single hand in response
as he steered the investor silently away [Music] foreign [Music] 1982 and dozens of fishing trawlers were
docked in the remote Alaskan Village of Craig located on Prince of Wales island in the
southern part of the state Craig faces outwards to the Gulf of Alaska with several other smaller largely deserted
Islands inside the local community of just 600 people relied on its strong fishing industry
supported by the abundance of halibut and salmon in the surrounding Waters Craig was a stopping point for fishing
vessels as they journeyed between Alaska and the continental United States boats docked at the Village overnight
then set sail shortly before first Allied in search of a fishery areas of sea where fish occurred in large
quantities captains and their Crews were known to Anchor at a fishery for several days
before returning to Craig to sell their catch the fish were then sent to the Island's
Cold Storage plant and Cannery the investor was one of the more impressive boats docked in Craig
the state of the art red and gray fiberglass Cena was the largest size of boat permitted to fish in Alaskan Waters
valued at around one and a half million dollars The Vessel was comfortable to live in and decked out with the latest
fishing gear the investor was just one year old when its current Captain Mark coldhurst
boarded Mark was a naturally gifted fisherman from the state of Washington he had taken up fishing in his teens
starting out with a wooden skiff he used to net Herring for profit he then upgraded to an old rusted
trawler during a week-long expedition in 1979 ma called in an impressive 105 thousand
dollars worth of fish eventually he bought the boat of his dreams the investor in a feature article for Pacific
fishermen magazine Mark explained that he had named to the investor after the money he was certain it would make
he hoped it would facilitate his plans to retire at the age of 50. in 1982 Mark arrived in Craig on Sunday
September 5. after two weeks at sea it was a rare stop he didn't usually visit the island
Village it was also the first time he'd been there in his new boat a broom was attached to the Investor's
Mast a message to other vessels that it had so far caught one hundred thousand pounds of salmon
because there weren't enough morage spots on Craig's dock to accommodate so many boats the investor was Tethered to
the decade which was tied to another boat called the defiant in the early hours of Monday September 6
the investor was on the move aside from The Hungover crew member aboard the decade a number of other
fishermen noticed the investor quietly slipping away Mike coldhurst had left the investors
tie lines the heavy braided rope that had connected it to the decade on the other boat's deck
tie lines cost over 100 dollars they were not the type of thing fishermen discarded lightly
at around 7 30 a.m it stopped at fish egg Island a small landmass about a mile away
then a heavy fog rolled in obscuring the investor from side the fog hung low across the harbor for
the rest of the day it finally cleared by the following morning of Tuesday September 7.
revealing that the investor hadn't moved from its spot alongside fish egg Island
just after 4 pm that day fisherman Bruce Anderson noticed thick black smoke by fish egg Island
he wondered whether it was engine exhaust from a vessel that had just started its motor
the smoke remained heavy and didn't dissipate Bruce grew concerned and grabbed a pair
of binoculars he recognized that the investor it was engulfed in flames Bruce and his wife Jan Kittleson raced
towards the fire in their own boat as they drew closer they saw a smaller boat speeding towards them from the
investors Direction it was a 20-foot red and gray fiberglass skiff a craft used to maneuver a person
as fishing net into place before the net is pulled on board Bruce and Jan identified this skiff as
belonging to the investor as it was made of the same fiberglass and painted to match the larger vessel
but they didn't recognize the lone man in it he had tanned skin and slightly long
hair partially obscured by a baseball cap Bruce thought he had a California Surfer
look about him Jan waved for the man to stop but he seemed it determined to avoid them
Bruce cut the skiff off forcing the man to stop about 15 feet away are there people on the boat Jan shouted
the man didn't reply Jen repeated herself several times wide-eyed the man finally said
yes there are people on the boat he then sped off at Full Throttle towards Craig
Sue dominowski and her boyfriend Paul Page were watching the chaos unfolding from the docks in Craig
had seemed like every boat in town was moving towards the fire except one a man in a red and gray fiberglass skiff
was heading to shore he looked about 20 or 21 years old and roughly 150 pounds he had brown or blonde hair and was
wearing a baseball cap with a logo on it what was striking was how one bothered the man looked as if nothing out of the
ordinary was happening he was driving at such rapid speed he caused waves that flooded the engine of
a passing rescue party the man landed the skiff with a crash hitting its bow into the dock that Sue
domonowski was standing on she felt its Shake beneath her feet the young man leapt from the skiff and
hurriedly tied it to the dock his face was pale but his cheeks appeared slightly flushed
he carried what looked like a shoebox under one arm Sue and her boyfriend Paul asked if the
man had come from the boat that was burning no he replied before explaining that he
was in a hurry he fidgeted awkwardly and kept his gaze downcast Sue then asked if there was anyone on
the burning boat it was hard to get a clear answer the man spoke slowly as though in shock
he reiterated that he had to go yet he just remained standing there he offered the couple use of his skiff
before saying that he had to go call the Coast Guard no one's called the Coast Guard yet Sue
cried out in Surprise the man walked away without a reply the fire was fierce producing waves of
heat so intense it was impossible to move in to stop it it consumed to the Investor's wheelhouse
and spread along the back deck a smaller more Nimble vessel circled closer to the investor to see if anyone
was on board nothing was visible aside from a few unidentifiable objects bobbing in the
water with no way to get close enough to douse the Flames onlookers watched helplessly
at 4 20 PM Alaska State Trooper Bob Anderson was alerted to the situation he took his personal boat to fish egg
Island where a small Fleet surrounded the investor from a safe distance by now the investors entire cabin Galley
bridge and scene net were Ablaze the speed and viciousness of the fire left Trooper Anderson in No Doubt
it had been deliberately lit Trooper Anderson rushed back to Craig to locate the Investor's Captain
he was informed that Mark Colt Hurst hadn't been fishing alone That season he was joined by four decades 18 year
old Chris Heyman and Mike Stewart Dean Moon and Jerome Cowan who were all 19. also traveling aboard the investor were
Mark's wife Irene and their two children five-year-old Kimberly and four-year-old
John Irene was three months pregnant Trooper Anderson got to work tracking down everyone who had been on the
investor the last time the coldhursts and their crew had been seen was two days earlier
on Sunday September 5. that afternoon Mark and his decades returned to Craig to offload salmon
they'd caught payment wouldn't come through until the following day faced with some Spare Time Mark gave his
crew the night off Dean Moon and Jerome Cowan headed into town Chris Heyman and Mike Stewart weren't
seen with them it was presumed they remained behind on the investor Mark Colt Hurst opted to spend the night
with his wife and children it was the Family's last chance to be together for a while
Irene Kimberly and John were flying back to Washington the next day to prepare for Kimberly starting school
September 5 also happened to be Mark's 28th birthday the coldhursts had a celebratory dinner
at a local restaurant before returning to the investor just before 10 o'clock they were witnessed clambering over the
two boats the investor was Tethered to passing a party in full swing along the way
no one from the investor was cited after that night at 8 pm state trooper Bob Anderson
received a call that the fire had been extinguished the once gleaming investor was now a
charred and melted wreck Trooper Anderson boarded the ruined boat it was slick from water and leaning
slightly to the right making it difficult to walk on where the Gully door had once stood was
what appeared to be the badly burnt carcass of an animal perhaps a dog lying on its side with its legs sticking out
on closer inspection Trooper Anderson realized the corpse was actually human [Music]
case File will be back shortly thank you for supporting us by listening to this episode's sponsors
this show is sponsored by betterhelp getting to know yourself can be a lifelong process especially because
we're always growing and changing things that happen to us whether good or bad change Who We Are
and sometimes we don't know what we want or why we react the way we do until we talk through things
better help connects you with a licensed therapist who can take you on that journey of self-discovery from wherever
you are at casefile we know how important it is to look after our Mental Health that's why better help is so beneficial
we can chat to a therapist who not only listens but helps us to set goals and checks in to see how we're doing along
the way in the process we've learned so much about ourselves and how to roll with
life's punches if you're thinking of starting therapy give better help a try it's entirely
online and designed to be convenient flexible and suited to your schedule just fill out a brief questionnaire to
get matched with a licensed therapist and switch therapists at any time for no additional charge
discover your potential with better help visit betterhelp.com casefile today to get 10 off your first month
that's better help h-e-l-p.com slash case File your challenge if you choose to accept
it is this let's go let's go show up on day one work out with us for 30 minutes feel good right away yo repeat five days
a week for three weeks we're body and we call that a body block take the fourth week off and then start again choose a
new body block each month have fun avoid burnout reach your goals that you're not
gonna quit on yourself today you win start a body block today visit body.com for a free trial that's bodi.com
thank you for listening to this episode's ads by supporting our sponsors you support case File to continue to
deliver quality content dental records confirmed the body belonged to 19 year old deckhand Mike
Stewart he was also Captain Mark coldhurst's cousin Mike's remains were too destroyed to
determine a cause of death [Music] a second body was soon discovered beneath a section of melted fiberglass
where the investors stateroom had been this one was Tiny it was five-year-old Kimberly the eldest
of the two coldhurst children while Kimberly's body was also too damaged to determine a cause of death
there was evidence that she might have been bludgeoned another two bodies were found under a
separate layer of fiberglass one was on top of the other the body on top was Mark coldhurst
under him was Irene called Hurst it appeared Mark had died while protecting his pregnant wife
both had been shot multiple times including at least once in their head as Mark Irene Kimberly and Mike's
remains were being collected the fire broke out again the First Responders were forced to
disembark as firefighting efforts resumed it took until the following night of Wednesday September 8 to put the fire
out for good what remained of the investor was towed to shore a device that detects accelerants
uncovered traces of pure white gasoline on the wreckage what gasoline is primarily used in camp
stoves and lanterns its presence on the investor confirmed that the fire was the result of arson
a burnt Ruger Mini-14 semi-automatic rifle was also recovered in the wreckage this was an unexpected find
Mark and Irene colthurst had been executed with a 22 caliber firearm its specifics unknown
this meant the murder weapon was still missing between five and seven pounds of bone
fragments were found where the Deccan slept a partial Jawbone belonged to 19 year
old Jerome Cowan the remaining bones couldn't be identified it was possible they belonged to one or
both of the remaining decades nineteen-year-old Dean Moon and 18 year old Chris Heyman
no trace of the cold hurst's youngest child four-year-old John Colt Hurst was found
investigators considered the possibility that he'd been taken from the vessel but
it seemed more likely that his body had been entirely lost to the fire the fact that the blaze had melted the
fiberglass vessel was indicative of its extremely high temperature John was known to sleep on a daybed in
the Wheelhouse where the fire might have been lit investigators suspected that all the
victims were shot and killed beforehand Kimberly and the deccans were killed in their beds with the exception of Jerome
Cowan the location of his remains suggested he'd been by the Gully door when he died
as though heading out to the deck perhaps he'd been trying to escape no one aboard the investor was seen
after the evening of Sunday September 5 meaning they were likely killed that night
in order to reach the investor the killer had to walk across two other boats the decade and the defiant
it was possible they hadn't been noticed due to the raucous parties taking place
on both vessels the gunshots could have been drowned out by the noise the investor was witness to drifting
away at dawn the next day with an unidentified man behind the steering wheel he was using the vessels far quieter
auxiliary motor likely to avoid attention upon reaching fish egg Island it was believed that the killer tried to sink
the investor by opening the engine rooms of valves dense fog concealed The Vessel for the
remainder of the day when it cleared the killer would have seen the investor was still afloat
Mark coldhurst was so safety conscious he had filled the hull of the investor with flotation material
realizing his initial plan had failed the killer returned to the boat and set it Ablaze
Craig was reeling in the wake of such a violent crime rumors spread with many claiming to know
who was responsible Market didn't store cash on his boat ruling out the likelihood it was a
robbery gone wrong some believed it was the work of Alaska native fishermen Furious about the
large-scale fishing by Outsiders others theorized that a float plane had flown The Killers away from the scene
under the cover of night it was also speculated that four-year-old John colthurst whose body
was never found had been kidnapped John was a friendly child who stopped in on other boats to say hello during his
family's brief time in Craig he'd often tell people that he wanted to be a fisherman like his dad
had the chatty and independent John Fallen victim to a predator one day state troopers received a call
from a man asking for information he wanted addresses for relatives of missing investor crew member Chris
Heyman and Little John coldhurst the man knew detailed information about the investor crime scene including where
some of the bodies were found he then dropped a bombshell Chris Heyman and John colthurst were
alive he had helped them escape and driven them back to Washington this call was traced to Goshen a town in
the midwest state of Indiana the phone number led to a man who identified himself as T-Rex Mullins
when asked what the tea stood for the man replied Tyrannosaurus T-Rex was questioned for two hours
initially his story about Chris Heyman and John Colter's survival seemed credible
then he described the route he'd driven the pair through Alaska it was completely at odds with the
state's geography Troopers charged t-rex with filing a false record he said that if the police wanted
further Evidence they should check beneath a sofa cushion in his house they did and discovered a sensationalist
true crime magazine it featured an article titled mystery of the sailing skeletons that contained
lots of details about the investor murders law enforcement hadn't realized that this information had somehow been made
available to the media one of the more popular rumors about the case was that Mark colhurst had been
smuggling cocaine interviews with Mark's family and colleagues convinced investigators that
there was no truth to this rumor Mark wasn't the type to get involved in illegal activity
moreover there was no way he would risk the lives of his wife and children by bringing them on a drug trafficking
operation being from out of state the colt hursts and their crew knew few locals in Craig
yet the brutality and concealment of their murders indicated the crime was committed by someone with a personal
grievance Irene colthurst was described as loving caring and thoughtful she helped run Mark's boats with skill
while fostering her creative Side by making her own clothes and jewelry Mike Stewart and Jerome Cowan were
exceptional University students both had taken up fishing in the break between semesters
Chris Heyman had only just finished high school Dean Moon had been a star footballer in
his own school days and was now finding great success in the fishing industry it seemed unlikely that any of them had
been the Killer's prime target this left mark coldhurst unlike the others he had been shot
execution style several times as though the killer harbored deep resentment for him
when speaking of Mark Few had a harsh word to say about him he was the type of guy others jumped at
the opportunity to work with Mark typically hired young people as he wanted them to make money to continue
their education he was aware that he could catch more with an older more experienced crew but
Mark didn't care though Mark had a good reputation as a hard worker some found him arrogant and
argumentative at times he had spoken to extended family on the phone hours before his murder who wished
him a happy birthday as far as they were aware there were no issues aboard the investor
Mark also hadn't mentioned hiring any new crew it was clear that the killer was very
experienced with boats particularly with personas like the investor the obvious suspects were the two
decades whose remains hadn't been found eighteen-year-old Chris Heyman was from California
his father owned a marina muck coldhurst had met Chris's dad during a fishing Expedition and offered
Chris a deckhand position on the investor it was Chris's first ever Fishing Job he was the only person on board who
wasn't from Washington he didn't really have tires to anyone else in the group nineteen-year-old Dean Moon had spent
the past three fishing Seasons working with Mark Colt Hurst he was a good employee having received a
promotion and two percent pay rise weeks earlier but Dean also liked to party when a previous investor deckhand quit
Dean asked his friend Jerome Cowan to join them the two friends were seen in Craig hours
before the murders and reportedly bought cannabis there did this solicit purchase have something
to do with the murders perhaps Dean was confronted by Mark over the drugs or some other conflict flared
up between them apparently Dane Moon owned a gun that he carried on the investor
investigators considered whether the young man witnessed the driving the Investor's gift ashore during the blaze
was Chris Heyman or Dean Moon he was described as being in his early twenties about five feet ten inches tall
with a medium build and with blonde or light brown hair that fell below his ears
this Loosely matched both Chris and Dean's appearances some said the man looked like he had
acne others remembered him wearing black framed glasses he was also wearing a baseball cap
rubber boots and either a hooded sweatshirt or fishing jacket the skiff was seen tied up in Craig on
Monday morning the day before the fire this was further proof that the murders were committed on Sunday night and the
fire was a backup plan after an attempt to sink the investor failed fishermen said they'd noticed this GIF
next to the investor at fish egg Island before the blaze broke out this hadn't seemed unusual as gifts were
often tied to fishing vassals the skiff itself was still tied to the docks when investigators went to examine
it by then it had been there for three days rain had washed it and it had been moved
a couple of times by fishermen needing to maneuver around it found inside the skiff was a plastic
nozzle from a red Jerry can a flat-sided metal container used for transporting liquids typically water or gasoline
this discovery appeared significant when linked to an encounter reported by a local gas station owner named Jim
Robinson he recalled a short stocky young man wearing a baseball cap had come into His
store carrying a two and a half gallon Jerry can the man explained that he needed some
gasoline Jim told him to go ahead and pump it himself the man seemed nervous and hyperactive
as though in a hurry to leave he then left on foot and didn't appear to have a car
the investor arsonist would have had to have sourced their own gasoline as Mark coldhurst didn't stock his own
he was considered a real stickler about fire danger Mark allowed a diesel on his boat as it
was necessary but he didn't permit any other type of gasoline alcohol or propane
he was so cautious he was even reluctant about having cigarette lighters on board
the only way out of Craig was by boat or plane so if the skiff driver had skipped town
he must have flown or sailed away air traffic was temporarily grounded in Craig but the sea presented a greater
challenge there had been up to 200 boats docked in town potential Witnesses and suspects was an
enormous and difficult task investigators traveled all across America in pursuit of Leeds
after an extensive search it became clear the skiff driver had successfully eluded
them as the first anniversary of the murders approached the investigative team met in
Craig to go over what they knew they kept coming back to the investors missing deckhands
Chris Heyman had called home hours before he was killed he spoke enthusiastically about the trip
telling his mum it's hard work but I'm having a really good time Chris was ultimately crossed off the
suspect list he didn't have the personal connection to Mark Colt Hurst that likely motivated the crime
then there was Dane Moon he was an experienced fisherman who'd been promoted to the role of skiff man a
week or so before the attack so he definitely knew how to operate the Investor's skiff
plus investigators had received a tip-off that Dean was a heavy drug user who also trafficked
the informant claimed Dean had made frequent drug runs between California and Vancouver
this person also said Dean stole half an acre of cannabis plants and ripped someone else off for twenty to thirty
thousand dollars in cocaine money [Music] a fisherman who'd known Dane Moon came
forward to say he'd seen the missing man in early 1983 months after the murders the fishermen had been at a restaurant
in San Francisco when Dean Moon walked by the window the fishermen had previously worked with
Dane and was certain he was looking at the same person investigators went to San Francisco and
headed to Fisherman's Wharf the area where Dean was allegedly cited when shown a photograph of Dane one
person thought they'd recognized him they said he worked in the nearby coastal city of Monterey
investigators followed up with Monterey's Fisherman's Association it was a dead end
further investigations undermined the informant who'd claimed Dean was a drug trafficker
he had said that they went to school together but he was actually almost seven years older than Dean
they hadn't been students at the same time it seemed highly unlikely that 19 year
old Dean could have survived on the run for almost a year without reaching out to anyone he knew
it was also widely reported that Dean had idolized Mark Colt Hurst who he saw as a father figure
Mark in turn treated Dean like a son Dean moon was ultimately crossed off the suspect list
investigators were certain that he Chris Heyman and John colthurst all died on the investor
they were all officially declared deceased when discussing their case notes investigators mulled over another lead
they'd picked up on in the early days of the investigation in the immediate aftermath of the
investor Blaze state troopers had walked around Craig on the lookout for anyone who fit the skiff driver's description
they were helped by a local named Jerry Mackey he was Craig's Village safety patrol
officer a uniformed first responder role created for Rural Alaskan communities as detailed by author Leyland Hale and
Jerry went to check the local bar as it was a popular hangout spot for fishermen
there were around 10 to 15 people inside drinking Jerry looked around at the room taking
in every face most of the patrons returned his gaze but one man quickly looked away
he continued to sneak looks at Jerry and appeared uneasy Jerry noted that this man looked to be
around the same age height and appearance as the skiff driver Jerry informed the Troopers patrolling
the area one fetched to Bruce Anderson and a Jan Kittleson the married couple who had
first cited the skiff driver and got the best look at him the couple were asked to go into the bar
one at a time to see if they could identify him Bruce went in first he stopped near the entrance but didn't
see anyone familiar Jan took a little longer walking around to see people up close
she didn't recognize the skiff driver either [Music] despite this state trooper Captain Mike
colavoski was struck by how certain Jerry Mackey had been he asked Jerry to point out the
suspicious man he was sitting by windows that overlooked the street outside he had a longish dirty blonde hair and
was around five foot ten he certainly had that California Surfer look about him Captain colvoski noticed that the man
kept looking over at them when approached he identified himself as John peel he provided a driver's license from the
state of Washington peel revealed that he'd been friends with the victims of the investor murders
he had previously worked for Mark Colt Hurst on another boat and had once dated Mark's sister
at the time of the murders peel had been stationed on the Libby 8. a vessel tied
up behind the investor he claimed to have been asleep by six o'clock in the Libby eights crew
quarters on the night of the killings the reason he'd gone to bed so early was because he was stoned
While most who knew John peel considered him to be a good guy some described him
as untrustworthy he had a temper and would get a wild look in his eyes sometimes
while working for Mark Colt Hurst peel passed out from inebriation as a joke other deckhands tied his hands
and legs to a table when peel regained Consciousness he started yelling Dane Moon went to help him as peel
threatened to kick his ass peel Drew Mark called hurst's ire by smoking cannabis and a drinking beer
while on duty but the final straw was when peel turned up two hours late one day
Mark fired him John peel maintained that there had been no bad blood between him and Mark
in fact the coldhursts had bought peel and his wife a wedding present after his dismissal
yet peel was known to angrily complain about Mark behind his back in July 1982 peel bumped into Mark in
the Alaskan city of Ketchikan Mark was there with his family and crew on his new boat
peel asked if he could hitch a ride with them to Craig where he was hoping to find work
Mark Todd peel they weren't headed that way so peel pawned his watch to catch a ferry to Craig instead
once there he was hired to work on the Libby 8. two months later the investor arrived in
Craig on the night of Sunday September 5 1982 peel and Othello Libya crew member named
Brian palinkus went into Craig according to Brian they soon came across investor decades Dean Moon and Jerome
Cowan peel was said to have sold the young men four hundred dollars worth of cannabis
though he denied this peel and Brian then returned to the Libya for dinner afterwards they headed back out
while in town Brian looked away for a moment when he turned back John peel was gone
Brian returned to the Libby Aid at around midnight Peel's bed was empty John peel later told Brian that he'd
been at his girlfriend's house on the night of the murders although peel had a wife in Washington
he'd been seeing a young woman in Craig Peel's story to Brian palinkus was at odds with what he told investigators
that he was asleep on the Libby 8 from 6PM onwards investigators followed up with pills
girlfriend she said she'd ended things with him months earlier after finding out he was
married another Libya crew member named Dawn holmstrom was good friends with the John
peel she hadn't seen him on the boat on Sunday night or Monday either but late on Tuesday she bumped into him
and Craig peel was wearing blue jeans a flannel shirt and a blue baseball cap with a
cannabis life on her that he almost always wore the following day after news of the
investor murders had broken Dawn saw John peel again he seemed fine but expressed disbelief
that someone could have killed his friends then peel suddenly said he was scared
and started to cry I can't believe I could have done that peel said it all happened so fast
that same day John peel flew home to Washington though he initially told police he'd left on September 9.
according to him the reason for his sudden departure was that he was going on vacation
first peel had to catch a six-seater plane to catch a can it was the last flight that left the
island before all air traffic was grounded peel spent the flight from Ketchikan to
Washington drinking and smoking cannabis another passenger felt that peel couldn't wait to get home
he drank so much that he passed out in a bathroom and had to be carried off the plane
despite having not been id'd as the skiff driver John peel maintained a lingering presence in the investor
murder's case at one stage Mark Colt hurst's mother phoned investigators to let them know
she thought the composite sketch of the suspect resembled peel then investigators received a letter
from a man who'd been visiting Craig at the time of the fire Joe Weiss had gone to Alaska to fish the
previous year on the evening of Sunday September 5 he'd been at Craig's laundromat
he spotted some young men smoking cannabis Joe would later come to realize that these men were Dean Moon and Jerome
Cowan at 10 o'clock the next morning one day before the fire and Joe saw a lone man
pull up at the dock in what looked like the Investor's scarf he thought nothing of this sighting at
the time a year later Joe Weiss came across an article about the murders it featured a composite image of the
skiff driver sought by investigators it looked like the same man Joe had seen in the Investor's skiff the morning
after the murders Joe contacted the authorities and was presented with a photographic lineup of
six different men he was asked who looked to most like the skiff driver he'd seen
almost immediately Joe replied if I had to pick a most alike I think number three
the man Joe identified was John peel [Music] case File will be back shortly thank you
for supporting us by listening to this episode's sponsors well I'll be a hitchhiker in an Easter
bunny costume how bad were you headed BJ's Wholesale Club to do my Easter shopping I have so many baskets to fill
that costume is so lifelike there's not even a zipper oh there's BJ's I can hop out here look at him go get a 15 digital
coupon when you spend 150 on practically anything in one transaction through April 9th coupon will appear in your
digital coupon gallery on April 13th go to bjs.com Easter coupon for details BJ's absurdly simple savings well I'll
be a hitchhiker in an Easter bunny costume how bad were you headed BJ's Wholesale Club to do my Easter shopping
I have so many baskets to fill that costume is so lifelike there's not even a zipper oh there's BJ's I can hop out
here look at him go get a 15 digital coupon when you spend 150 on practically anything in one transaction through
April 9th coupon will appear in your digital coupon gallery on April 13th go to bjs.com Easter coupon for details
BJ's absurdly simple save things thank you for listening to this episode's ads by supporting our sponsors
you support casefile to continue to deliver quality content foreign ERS orchestrated for Joe Weiss to go to
Washington to ID John peel in person they casually escorted Joe to the harbor where peel was in a small boat with a
friend Joe agreed that peel looked like the man he'd seen in the Investor's skiff
state troopers planted stories in the local media reminding people about the crime and hinting that they were closing
in on a suspect then they made arrangements to question John peel newspaper clippings about the case were
laid out on a table in the interview room peel was left alone to take in the site
before two Troopers joined him they informed peel that an eyewitness had identified him as the missing skiff
driver in the investor murders case oh you think you got your man right pure last sarcastically
he asked what they thought his motive was it was laid out to him clearly [Music]
as a boss Mark holdhurst could be hard to please and had a reputation for being difficult
had been vocal in his anger about being fired by Mark then when Mark arrived in Craig after
refusing to give peel a lift there Peel's feelings intensified on the night of the murders he headed
over to the investor to make amends and to wish Mark a happy birthday but Mark was out with his family
peel stayed on the boat and drank with Dean Moon and Jerome Cowan whom he knew and was friendly with
by the time the cold hursts returned shortly before 10 pm peel was drunk ordered him to leave
peel then flew into a rage and pulled out a gun it hadn't been his intention to kill
anyone but things spun out of control peel listened to the theory before replying
I think you're nuts man [Music] he repeatedly professed his innocence and agreed to take a polygraph test
the results indicated that peel was being deceptive still he was released from custody
investigators felt they had gotten what they needed a confession written transcripts of the interview
revealed that peel had seemingly slipped up when told he had to make up his mind
about what to do next peel replied I'm scared man I can't believe the things I did in there
the case finally had some momentum all the people who had seen the skiff driver were shown photographic lineups
they all picked out Peel's image this included married couple Bruce Anderson and to Jan Kittleson
the pair had missed peel when he'd been sitting in the bar in the days after the
murder but successfully pointed him out in a lineup out of all the witnesses only one caught
a glimpse of anyone suspicious on the investor the night of the killings Larry demet Jr was the skipper for the
Libby 8 the fishing vessel John peel worked on that was positioned next to the investor
between 10 and 11 pm Larry cited a person climbing aboard the investor in Larry's words The Stranger looked
like a dirty old fisherman Larry woke at around to 2AM upon hearing something strange
as detailed in author Leland Hale's book what happened in Craig Larry didn't say
what that something was all he told investigators at the time was I felt evil I felt evil in the air
after speaking with police Larry drank alcohol where previously he'd abstained he'd also started taking Valium and
carrying a gun he said he needed it to feel safe investigators tried to coax more from
Larry eventually he admitted that the real reason he'd woken at two on the night of
the murders was because he'd heard what sounded like six to eight gunshots followed by a woman's scream
Larry had peered out of a porthole but saw nothing after a few minutes he got up and opened
the door to his cabin looking outside he noticed a man walking across some neighboring boats
he was wearing a plaid shirt and a blue cap with a cannabis leaf on it in his right hand was a rifle
it was John peel [Music] Larry demet Jr was one of many eyewitnesses that implicated John peel
during his murder trial in January 1986. with no physical evidence the entire case rested on the testimony of the 150
or so people who took the stand in the words of a memory expert testifying on behalf of their defense
the problem was that human memories are not perfect to recordings of past events
they can change and be manipulated over time the eyewitnesses had not identified John
peel with as much certainty as had been presented the majority said peel looked the most
like the skiff driver out of all the images in the photographic lineups yet none were 100 sure
[Music] some said peel looked a bit older than the person they'd seen others said his
hair was a different shade [Music] one lineup included 29 images eight were of John peel
some were posed others were candid a few had been taken from behind a two-way mirror during a police interview
the other photos included a missing and declared dead victims Dean Moon and Chris Heyman as well as some men who
looked like peel but had no connection to the case John peel was the only person in the
photographs who was wearing a baseball cap as the skiff driver had been [Music] under cross-examination a number of the
prosecution's witnesses admitted that they weren't certain peel was the skiff driver at all
other witness accounts were weakened entirely Peel's lawyer also introduced a witness
who had seen the skiff driver that hadn't been called upon by their prosecution this witness said the man had been quote
a stocky native witness Jim Robinson was zeroed in on by the defense he was the local gas station owner who'd
sold a Jerry can of gasoline to a man believed to be the skiff driver shortly before the fire
[Music] and Jim had been shown the photographic lineups but was never able to identify
anyone in them as the customer he'd served he changed his mind after seeing John
peel in person at a court hearing he now claimed that peel bought the gasoline it turned out that Jim Robinson was
actually a wanted fugitive named Kenneth Robertson in 1981 a year before the investor fire
Robertson escaped Arizona where he was serving a criminal sentence Peel's lawyer wanted to question
Robertson about his past conviction on the stand saying it was relevant to the case but the judge disagreed
therefore the jury wasn't informed that Robertson had been previously found guilty of arson
he'd set a car on fire that belonged to his ex-wife's boyfriend he'd also threatened to kill an ax and
her family with explosives and a sworn off shotgun after fleeing Arizona Robertson managed
to leave Incognito in Craig for a number of years the jury deliberated for six days but
were unable to reach a verdict most were in favor of acquitting John peel though a few wanted to convict
realizing they were hopelessly deadlocked the judge declared a mistrial there were several key elements of the
case that raised serious concerns two witnesses who had been John Peel's crewmates on the Libby 8 alleged that
investigators had coerced statements from them one was Dawn holmstrom who had spoken
with peor the day after the fire he had started crying questioning how someone quote could do that to his
friends this part of Dawn's story had changed by the murder trial she claimed that peel
had actually said I can't believe I could have done that Dawn claimed that investigators had
threatened and sworn at her until she changed her statement her colleague Brian polinkas made
similar allegations about the aggressive nature of the questioning then there was the matter of Peel's
alleged confession to police according to the transcript of his police interview peel had said
I can't believe the things I did in there when the defense team listened to a recording of the interview they heard
peel actually say I can't believe the things you think I did in there these issues were raised in a pre-trial
hearing though were dismissed by the judge he didn't think the jury would give much
weight to the interview transcript and disagreed that Witnesses had been coerced
but he was concerned when evidence showed that the traces of gasoline found on the investor didn't match the
gasoline John peel was alleged to have purchased the residue on the boat was from Pure
White gasoline whereas the gasoline from the gas station was the regular kind it was possible two clients were used
and one had burned away leaving no Trace but the judge still determined that the
prosecution had presented this evidence incorrectly the prosecution remained determined to
convict John peel consequently a ray trial was scheduled it commenced in January 1988
investigators thought luck was on their side when they found a new Witness Charles Samuelson was a fisherman who
John peel worked for in 1983. Charles said he and his brother had been fishing with peel one day when pill
turned to him with a strange smile he then said I did it I killed them Charles dismissed this as a joke but it
played on him over the years after the first trial concluded he decided to come forward
Charles Samuelson had a few misdemeanor charges pending against him the state agreed to drop these in
exchange for his testimony John Peel's defense attorney revealed the deal to the courtroom to undermine
Charles's evidence his brother who had also been present for the exchange admitted that he
thought Peel's remark was just a joke Peel's lawyers also attacked witness Larry demott
the Libya Skipper claimed he had heard gunshots on the night of the murders he later revealed that he'd seen peel
fleeing the investor with a rifle in his hand Peel's lawyers questioned why it took
Larry so long to come forward with such significant information dubbing him last
minute Larry on the stand Larry came across as vague and Confused his use of Valium was scrutinized while
Peel's lawyer suggested he was only testifying to get out of drug charges but Larry demet remained adamant that
John peel was responsible for the murders this time the jury spent four days deliberating
they found a John peel not guilty on all counts having spent the last four years of his
life on house arrest John peel was a free man it was one of the only times in U.S
history where a jury had acquitted someone accused of a mass murder speaking outside Court peel remarked
I'd just like to say it's terrible being innocent and being accused of a crime thank God it's over and to Justice did
work this time to John Peel's family and friends his acquittal was a vindication
those closest to him had always insisted that peel wasn't a violent person and wouldn't so much as punch someone
they described him as a mellow easy-going person who was polite and hard-working
he had sold small amounts of recreational drugs on occasion but had no serious criminal history
after Peel's initial arrest a petition asking for the charges to be dropped reached 1500 signatures within days
the families of the victims felt differently Ruth the mother of missing crew member
Dean moon was upset she'd endured her son's name being dragged through the mud over the years
as it was speculated that he was the Killer Peel's lawyers had even presented Dean
as a likely a suspect than their client despite the teen having been officially declared dead
Ruth had been expecting peel would be found guilty Mark colhurst's parents also believed
John peel was guilty But ultimately accepted the verdict quote we have to basically now work with going
on with our lives and put it all behind us nothing will bring our children back and
if that's just the way it is authorities made it clear that they believed a guilty man had gotten away
with murder as far as they were concerned the case was solved they just hadn't gotten the outcome they wanted
the state had spent 2.7 million dollars Prosecuting John peel at the time it was the most expensive
case in Alaska's history some jurors later spoke out one explained that there had been a few
on the jury who believed appeal was guilty but the state's evidence just wasn't good enough to support a
conviction John peel filed a civil suit against the state for wrongful prosecution
he said he'd suffered mental anguish emotional distress and a loss of income as a result of the charges
he asked for 177 million dollars with some to be allocated to his wife son parents and sister
the case was settled for nine hundred thousand dollars in 2017 John peel spoke to People
magazine after long refusing to give interviews somebody was responsible for this he
said somebody out there knows what happened but I'm not going to waste any more of
my life on it [Music] every year on the first Sunday in May blessings for members of commercial
fishing fleets who have lost their lives at Sea are held in Blaine and Bellingham
the Washington cities where almost all of the investor victims were from [Music]
one of Mark coldhurst's sisters always attends and to make sure to memorialize Mark Irene Kimberly and John coltr as
well as Chris Heyman Dean Moon Jerome Cowan and Michael Stewart the investor murders Remains the largest
ever unsolved mass murder in the state of Alaska there is still speculation as to who was
responsible some are convinced that John peel was guilty others believed the drug smuggling
Theory it's also been suggested that the culprit and their motives will remain forever unknown
whatever the truth authorities have no intention of reinvestigating the case [Music]
thank you [Music] in June 1993 Elizabeth Stevens 18 was murdered on her way home from the bus
stop her death began a seven-week reign of terror for the people of Frankston I remember thinking like how can it happen
to someone that's fought so hard to get away and have a good life a serial killer was on the loose no one was safe
not young mother Debbie frame 22 taken on a trip to the shops nor Natalie Russell 17 murdered on her way home from
school then two detectives came in and they just said to Brian myself can we go somewhere pride and we went into the
bedroom and they said I'm sorry to tell you it's Natalie the serial killer Paul Daniel was captured and sentenced to
life in prison on appeal he was granted a 30-year minimum sentence and I guess I
saw her in his face that yeah almost by the new sort of thing he was praying of what he had done fast forward 30 years
and adenya has applied for parole award-winning crime writer Vicky petratus was on patrol with police the
night the final murder took place as a true crime author I found myself right in the heart of Frankston and doing
ride-alongs with the local police when the murders were happening she wrote the best-selling book The Frankston murders
which has never been out of print Vicky has Revisited the case in a long-form podcast to remind the world why denya
must never be released Dania isn't just dangerous where young women are concerned he is dangerous to all women
babies school girls friends strangers older women everyone the Frankston murders podcast uncovers new material
and new victims stalked by Danya in the lead up to the killings the woman policeman turned to me and said you
should take a ticket in tax as much as to say I was the luckiest person around Vicky interviews prison guards police
officers family members and people caught in the periphery of a serial killer he has not learned his lesson he
has not changed he has not become remorseful he has not repented or even apologized a scale of one to ten I'd
easily put him as a 20. it's that far off the scale the Frankston murders is the latest
podcast from casefile presents available now wherever you get your podcasts well I'll be a hitchhiker in an Easter
bunny costume how bad were you headed BJ's Wholesale Club to do my Easter shopping I have so many baskets to fill
that costume is so lifelike there's not even a zipper oh there's BJ's I can hop out here look at him go get a 15 digital
coupon when you spend 150 on practically anything in one transaction through April 9th coupon will appear in your
digital coupon gallery on April 13th go to bjs.com Easter coupon for details BJ's absurdly simple savings well I'll
be a hitchhiker in an Easter bunny costume how bad were you headed BJ's Wholesale Club to do my Easter shopping
I have so many baskets to fill that costume is so lifelike there's not even a zipper oh there's BJ's I can hop out
here look at him go get a 15 digital coupon when you spend 150 on practically anything in one transaction through
April 9th coupon will appear in your digital coupon gallery on April 13th go to bjs.com Easter coupon for details
BJ's absurd simple savings

Case 242: The Investor Murders *** Warning: This case involves a child victim *** On the afternoon of Tuesday, September 7 1982, residents of the tiny Alaskan fishing village of Craig noticed smoke across the harbour. A fishing vessel was on fire. It belonged to successful Washington fisherman Mark Coulthurst, who was travelling with his wife Irene, their two children, Kimberley and John, and four teenage deckhands: Dean Moon, Michael Stewart, Jerome Keown and Chris Heyman.

CREDITS

Narration – Anonymous Host Research & writing – Erin Munro Creative direction – Milly Raso Production and music – Mike Migas Music – Andrew D.B. Joslyn

SOCIAL LINKS

Website https://www.casefilepodcast.com Facebook https://www.facebook.com/casefile Twitter https://twitter.com/case_file Instagram https://www.instagram.com/casefilepodcast Patreon https://www.patreon.com/casefile Casefile Presents https://casefilepresents.com

RESOURCES

For all credits and sources, please visit https://casefilepodcast.com/case-242-the-investor-murders

Brief Summary

The episode details the Investor murders and John Peel's trial for the brutal killings of a family and crew in 1982.

Key points

Summer is Coming. Summer brings outdoor fun and barbecues, making everything better when enjoyed alfresco.
The Investor Fire. A fishing vessel named the Investor catches fire, leading to a tragic discovery.
Tragic Family Loss. Mark Coldhurst and his family suffer a devastating fate during a fishing trip.
Missing Child. The youngest child of the Coldhurst family, four-year-old John, is never found after the fire.
Evidence of Arson. Investigators find traces of gasoline, confirming the fire was deliberately set.
The Mysterious Call. A man claims Chris Heyman and John Colthurst are alive, leading to a shocking investigation.

Episode highlights

Episode quotes

Everything is better Alfresco.

0:12WatchApr 8, 2023

Tension

85/ 100High tension

More from Casefile

Solve the Crime

Read a real case one clue at a time, then see how your call held up against the investigators.