How Police Captured The Texas Church Assassin | Forensic Files

[bell] >> Pastor? How are you, sir? Thank you for coming out here. >> Inside this church in May, Texas, locals
are gathering to mourn the tragic death of 25-year-old Shante Blankenship. Somewhere within this crowd is Shante's
killer, hiding in plain sight and watching town folks pointing suspicions in all directions.
>> Has she had problems with anybody? >> There's this guy that called and we used
to have problems cuz he used to ride around with them and stuff. >> Whoever it is is pretty sick person and
they're still out there somewhere. >> I think it's your boyfriend, Don. >> You know, she's a good-looking girl and
that makes me a dirty old man. That I think that's what was said. >> As detectives exhaust every lead, the
case eventually goes cold, [music] leaving this small community questioning if any one of them might be the next
victim. Yet, for over a year, one unusual witness sits quietly unnoticed, holding the answer detectives had been
hunting for all along. >> He was so devious and smart. He just didn't know that that was going to be
the thing that would finally catch him. >> The actions that we're showing on this
is, man, you're you're off the freaking charts. >> And here he is, right in front of us.
How did I miss that? >> It's May 15th in the small town of May, Texas. Nearly 48 hours have passed since
25-year-old Shante Blankenship mysteriously vanished after going on her usual evening walk. Since then, church
volunteers have searched tirelessly for any sign of her until this Sunday morning, around 11:00 a.m., when one
couple stumbles upon something. [music] >> Brown County Sheriff's Office, what's
the location of your emergency? >> I don't have no idea where I'm at. I am in the middle of nowhere.
>> We were looking for Shantae Golden ship. Okay. >> We found her. >> Okay. >> It's the
>> Okay, ma'am, it's face down. Face down. Real still for me, okay? I'm going to try to
ping your location. >> It's actually the the old haunted house is what everybody calls it.
>> Is she okay? Does she need any medical attention? >> She's alive. She's dead.
>> What you talking about? >> Oh my god. >> Okay, it's Yeah, I've got everybody headed that direction, okay?
>> Right away, the Brown County Sheriff's Office dispatches [music] two patrol deputies to the caller's location, an
abandoned farmhouse nearly 25 miles away. Once they arrive, they find Charlie and Jackie anxiously pacing
outside, ready to go into detail about the gruesome discovery they had just made inside.
>> We were just driving around looking for her. They did a a Everybody met at 3:00 at the church to
go look for her, and we were just driving around. We looked at every creek and >> The uh
>> culvert. We didn't find her. >> The peel out marks were already here. >> Those over there, yeah.
>> I've seen those tracks, and they pulled in. They didn't go on through. They would just stop.
>> These aren't y'alls? >> Uh-uh. No, this is the vehicle we're in. >> Are these Are those over to the gate?
Are those your shoe prints? >> Probably mine. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> Okay. >> Let's stay over here on the rocks and
not walk around where there's any footprints. >> Don't let them leave there till I get
out there, please. >> 10-4, they're waiting for everybody. >> To the deputies, this discovery
immediately raises questions. The farmhouse sits miles out of town in an isolated location that many locals don't
even know exists. So, while they wait for additional officers to arrive, the deputy begins pressing for answers,
trying to understand how this couple ended up here in the first place. >> How long did you guess y'all called
immediately when y'all found her? >> Which gate did y'all jump? I walked around the house. I didn't see nothing
in there. Then I went out to >> Do what? >> I walked around in the house. >> Uh-huh.
>> I didn't see nothing in there. Went to all the outbuildings. >> Yeah. >> And I was coming back and that storm
cellar there had a bunch of grass knocked down. So, I run around and looked and there she is. She's upside
down in there. And she is beat. >> I got a daughter that age. >> [snorts] >> She's naked. Is this J Burton or she got
on is that white shirt she was wearing around in probably when I seen her? [ __ ]
it. My hand on them so Did she done that? I thought They done that right there, flashes. I took them bastard.
I know Bonnie. She had the mentality of a 9-year-old. >> There's a old house back there?
They apparently all met up at the church earlier in North Lake and they were just
coming out driving around looking. She's in a cellar. >> You serious? >> Yeah. I said they were just out looking for a
place to stay. Yeah, I think so. They said they said they found hair laying out on the ground. They're
like, "What the heck is that?" So, they've already picked they picked it up. It's like, "That ain't cow hair or
anything." They were wandering around and found her in the cellar. The gate's locked, [music] so we'll have
to cut it. But there's tire tracks that pull in there and then pull straight back out.
>> Fresh tracks? >> Yeah, like today fresh. >> Indeed, these are very fresh marks
planting a terrifying thought in the deputies' minds that Shante's killer could be somewhere nearby keeping a
close eye on the area. Shortly afterward, more units begin arriving at the scene including the crime scene
photographer. And as the deputies prepare to head towards the body's location, they'll soon realize that
whatever the couple told them is nothing compared to what they're about to see. >> What's that wire?
>> Yeah. >> It's It's on your gun. There you go. You're good. All right. Here, John. Hold this. I'm
going to I'll step up here and I'll grab the camera and hold it while you >> laying right on the other side on the
human turf. >> Okay. You said there's a little bracelet. Right here on the other side of the
gate, you said. Yeah, right over there in the middle of that grass. There's one of those wristbands, those little rubber
bands like this one. >> It looks, the way this grass is, right here, like someone's been through it recently
or something. Knife laying on the ground. I don't know if Looks like it's been there a little while.
>> Yeah, it's been there a while, but we'll go ahead and photograph it just in case.
>> I don't see any blood anywhere, though. I haven't seen drops. >> Mhm. >> I wonder if someone pulled around to the
back side of this house where it wasn't as obvious. >> Yeah. Let's just follow this.
>> We'll follow the dirt tracks. The grass is disturbed. She had her knee pants on.
>> Oh my goodness. >> Yeah. Video here. I want to say he said he pulled this uh >> Metal bar.
>> We need to find out I mean, cuz you can see where there's a path right through
here. >> Mhm. >> Man, this grass is still thick. There's not There's not going to be any prints.
This metal right here we'll need to process, probably. However, I would say Here's another pink
band right here, John. >> Oh, yeah. It's a legit homicide, it looks like. >> blood all on that rock right there.
Once all your guys get out here, I'm sure they'll want to go through this building and make sure that there's not
something inside here, either. >> Yeah. >> On the ground, halfway inside the cellar, lies Shante's deceased and
partially clothed body, beaten so severely that she is almost unrecognizable. Beside her is a broken
lawnmower blade stained [music] with blood. Its condition and placement leave investigators with little doubt that
they're looking at the murder weapon. All of it, the secluded location, the sheer brutality of the attack, and the
way Shante's body is positioned leave deputies wondering just what kind of a deranged person could have done this.
Following this, Shante's body is taken away for autopsy while officers clear the abandoned house. [music] Inside,
they find trash, empty alcohol bottles, and decay, but no blood or signs of a struggle. The next step for
investigators is to speak with the remaining search volunteers, so they release the couple who found the body,
instructing them not to tell anyone about the discovery to avoid alerting the killer. But, that's easier said than
done because for Brown County discoveries like this carry a familiar weight as the area has been no stranger
to tragedy. In 1989, 13-year-old Amanda Goodman was abducted while walking home from school
and murdered. Seven years later, in 1996, 30-year-old Juan Morales was found shot to death beside his burning car.
Decades [music] later, both cases remain unsolved. And even more recently, police
recovered the remains of two missing residents in remote areas of Brown County. So, while investigators hope to
keep details of Shante's murder from spreading, in a town this small news travels extremely fast, and
investigators are about to learn that the hard way. >> And this is the church North Lake.
>> Because May, Texas is a [music] deeply religious community, the search for Shante has been organized through the
local North Lake Community Church. So, investigators head there, but by the time they arrive, the situation has
already changed dramatically. A volunteer firefighter has just informed Shante's family that her body has been
found, [music] putting deputies at a significant disadvantage. And as the deputy approaches the church, he's met
with uneasy stares [music] from the crowd as he scans the room for any potential suspects.
>> Okay. >> Who are you sir? I'm just looking. >> Oh. >> I'm just making observations.
>> Oh, appreciate it. >> Okay. >> Thank you. >> You're not doing what sir? >> Nothing.
>> Okay. That's fine. All right, come on. Hey folks, could you have your attention
just a minute? Folks. Folks. Hello. Ladies, gentlemen. If you're believe you have information
that will assist in this investigation, >> [music] >> I ask you don't discuss it with anybody
else. I don't want to mix your notes with anybody else's notes or anybody else's observations. [music] That's
important because I want your recollections to be your own. Thank you very much for your
cooperation. >> Pastor. >> How are you sir? >> Good. >> You're doing okay? >> Doing well, sir.
Thank you for coming out here. >> While the community may not trust the deputy yet, they do trust Pastor Ron
Keener. Having spent nearly five decades in ministry and years helping local charities, he knows this town inside and
out, and having him on their side could prove invaluable to the investigation. As the deputy continues moving through
the church, he notices people beginning to leave. With no legal authority to stop them, he urges Pastor Keener to
help gather Shante's family and those closest to her. But as detectives begin speaking with the people who knew Shante
best, one person quickly draws their attention, her boyfriend, John Adams. And as they sit down with him, his
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investigation where Shontae's boyfriend, John, is about to exhibit some behavior
that detectives would find highly suspicious. >> My name's John Harper. I'm an investigator with Bracket Insurance
Agency. >> Okay. >> get in trouble anymore. >> What does that mean? >> Well, me and Bracket Sales are over one
time. >> Now, now now I remember who you are. Yes, now I remember who you are. How long have you been with her?
>> A little over 3 years. October 7th, 2012. >> Okay. How was you How did you How did
you and her How did you and her get along? >> How did you get along? >> Yeah. >> I mean like we
There was times, I ain't going to lie, we'd argue, I mean like, but she's not capable of
handling things. I mean like, she has mental problems, I mean like I try to cut She has a habit of yelling and
stuff, and I just try to Sometimes I leave, and then sometimes I could just talk her out
and be nice, and she'd calm down. >> Mhm. >> But she just has I mean like I can't say it.
She'd express herself different, I mean like, just Sometimes there's like a wall, but like
I mean like, she showed me love, you know what I mean? >> Despite just learning that Shontae has
been found dead, John doesn't ask a single question about what happened to her that night, leaving detectives to
wonder if he somehow already knows. At this stage, deputies are looking for anyone who may have had a reason to harm
Shontae. And without hesitation, John would point investigators towards another man, someone who had just
slipped out of the church the moment the deputy arrived. >> Anything else you can Has she had
problems with anybody? >> Basically, this guy, yeah. Or this guy, Colin. >> Guy where?
>> Colin. >> Yeah. >> What about Colon Smith? >> Well, me and we used to have problems
cuz he used to chase the ride around with him and stuff. And he used to just do stupid stuff and he like driving
drunk. >> Mhm. >> Stuff like that and I didn't like that and he like I shouldn't hang around and stuff but
it's pretty much me and him got into it one time cuz he came up to the house. She was drunk, uh,
drunk or off drunk. >> Mhm. >> I'm off of work. I mean, I'm thinking, "What the hell?"
And me and her stood out there and we were out there and straightened out and I never heard much
out of him. He [music] He pretty much turned his nose and at me. >> Okay. >> And then I've heard off and on she goes
over there, I mean, but it's just something I can't really get myself upset about and
I mean, but and that fool was over. >> As John's interview comes to an end, deputies still aren't sure what to make
of him. Although he agreed to speak with him voluntarily and remains cooperative,
detectives find his behavior oddly unconcerned. For now, John points investigators towards the only possible
suspect he can think of, Colon Smith, a man deputies soon learn is no longer at the church. And as the church empties
and the night comes to an end, detectives decide to wrap up the interviews and continue the
investigation at first light. But when the community finally learns who the killer really is, they would be left
speechless that someone they thought they could trust was capable of such evil. >> I mean, we've got her's been brutally
murdered. And here he is right in front of us. How did I miss that? How did I miss that?
>> The next morning, just as deputies prepare to head back into town, they receive a major update from the forensic
team. The initial autopsy results are in. Shante's cause of death is determined to be blunt force trauma to
the head and neck. Her injuries are consistent with the broken lawnmower blade found at the scene. She has no
defensive wounds. While bruising on her arms suggests she had been dragged by the elbows, but investigators uncover
something even more disturbing. Shante's body had been violated as she was dying
or even after her death. Male DNA is recovered giving detectives their first concrete clue about the person they're
looking for. And combined with the sheer brutality of the attack, investigators begin to suspect that this was not the
killer's first time and that other victims may still be hidden somewhere. At 10:00 a.m., deputies make their way
into town and split up interviewing men throughout the area and collecting DNA samples in hopes of identifying the
killer. Suspecting they're dealing with a serial killer, they know they can't afford to waste time as anyone could be
a potential suspect. But the terrifying part is that they have no idea which of those encounters will be the one with
the killer. >> I guess you know why I'm here. >> Well, I'm sure it has nothing to do with
Shante. >> Yes, sir. What do you know about Shante, sir? >> I've lived here about 4 years and she
walks up and down the streets every day. >> Something was said and I'm not sure about the source cuz it I was just
assigned to come out. >> Okay. >> Something about, you know, that uh you had said that you get excited
when you see her. >> Uh there might have been a comment made to say that you know, she's a good looking girl and
that makes me a dirty old man. That I think that's what was said. And I don't give a [ __ ] if you're male and you
ain't, you're going to look at a young lady and say, "Well, damn, she's pretty." You know.
>> Yeah, I hear you. Somebody reported a dead body hanging in there. And they got on that gate there and came
up and went in. He told me she's sleeping. Now, look what they told me. Oh, ago was that?
>> Oh, that's been >> 10 years. >> Oh, okay. And you just you just seen her and waved
to her. You didn't stop and talk to >> I did stop and talk to her. I had stopped and talked to her in the past
some. She's a good little girl. >> You know, there's boys that were you know, wanting to be with her or
and John said that he was her boyfriend and she'd say Colin was her boyfriend. You never know. You didn't.
>> After speaking with more than a dozen residents, detectives uncover a troubling reality. There is no shortage
of men who knew Shantae, knew her routine, and may have had the opportunity to harm her. Meaning there
are still too many possibilities and no clear suspect. So, in search of a breakthrough, the lead detective
contacts Shantae's family and learns from her mother, Michelle, that the last person likely to have seen her before
she disappeared was her closest friend, [music] Caitlyn. After getting Caitlyn's
address, detectives drive to her house, unaware that the woman they're about to meet may hold the key to unraveling the
entire case. Because no one in this house knows Shantae better than she does, or the three strange men who had
recently entered her life. >> Caitlyn, we're just trying to get as much information on this as we can. Can
you just kind of tell me about Friday? What was she talking about? >> She was talking to me about a whole
bunch of different stuff. One thing that really got me was she told me her and Colin got back together. Her and her
boyfriend, John, talked about how they broke up because she didn't like him. And then said that uh actually Colin
told her yeah, told her to meet him in the shed behind his house that night. Sorry.
>> It's okay. Take your time. >> And then this guy he drove by us in Bronco. It's white and red. You You when
you see somebody you think is really creepy, you kind of get this feeling. He looked kind of creepy and he waved at
her and she was like, "Yeah, that's so-and-so, but he really creeps me out." >> Caitlin points to the three men who may
have been involved in Shanti's disappearance, John, Colin, and a third man she can't remember, except for one
detail, a red and white Ford Bronco. Once investigators locate the only matching vehicle registered in the area,
the name comes [music] back as Bobby Sosa. So, with three potential suspects now at the forefront of the
investigation, John, Colin, and Bobby, deputies split up and head out to each of their homes. The first team makes
their way to Bobby's property, and when officers arrive, they're immediately struck by something unusual, a strong
odor coming from inside the trailer. >> Uh just follow up on everything. I think
I mean, I don't think you're being, you know, misleading with us or anything, but just for us to cover anything since
the vehicle's in the area, do you mind if we go in your in your trailer and just make sure everything's okay and
there's nobody in there? >> Yeah, you can check. There's nobody in here, but it's a mess.
>> It's just It's just more just to cover all of our bases. >> Sure, I mean, I'll show you
No problem. >> Any guns in there, anything like that? >> No, no weapons. >> No weapons?
>> Maybe a pocket knife here or there. >> All right. How long you lived out here, man?
>> Uh like I said, man, a month. >> Oh, yeah? >> It's a mess. >> Oh, okay. >> Let's follow him.
>> Surely you've been in worse. >> I don't know. Not unless you got a hoarder around here.
>> Do what? >> Oh, we got we got plenty of those, man. Hoarders. >> Oh, yeah? Yeah, freezer looks like it works good,
man. >> It runs on propane. >> Do what? >> It runs on propane. >> Really? Hey, as long as we're here real quick,
your storage unit shed right here, is that cool? Appreciate it, man. >> You got it.
>> You know what a dog did? >> No. That smell coming from the dog being in your stomach there.
>> You know what that is? >> I got to use that little thing there cuz I'm out of gas.
Go and haul it to that place down the street. >> Oh, really? You got to dump it in there
and haul it down there? >> Yes, sir. >> Awesome, man. >> I'm sorry about the smell. I just I'm
trying to get everything good if it's >> You're good, man. >> Despite the strong odor on the property,
which Bobby claims is gasoline, officers failed to find anything that [music] connects him to Shante's murder. And
while officers continue questioning Bobby, another team makes its way to Colin's house. At first, they're
prepared to treat him like any other potential witness, but [music] Colin's behavior and his refusal to cooperate
would soon shoot him to the top of the suspect list. >> How you doing, sir? What's your name?
>> Colin. >> You mind if I You want to ride with me up to the SO and then Yeah, and I'll
bring >> I'll go and do it. >> Okay, you don't want to go with me? >> I mean, it's ridiculous that I'm even
being looked at. She's got a boyfriend or a husband, John Adams. >> Mhm. >> She's like infatuated with me. She'll
just walk up and down. >> Did y'all have any type of physical relationship at all? Cuz some of the
people we talked to is that y'all had a relationship at one time. So, never? >> Nope.
>> What What kind of relationship did she and the boyfriend have? >> He'd always pick her up and tell her to
go get her belongings. He treated her like a dog. And every There's a lot of people that are kind of looking at him.
I mean, it's >> Yeah, well, he's I mean, he's one of the people I need to I'm going to have to
interview. Are you working anywhere right now? >> I do lawn mowing out here. >> Okay.
>> According to Colin, he never had any kind of relationship with Shante, but detectives aren't buying it. And when
the conversation turns to his job, Colin reveals he works in lawn care, giving him access to the same type of weapon
detectives believe was used to murder Shante. But, seeing how defensive Cullen is becoming, detectives decide to leave,
asking him to come to the station the following day to provide a DNA sample and answer a few more questions. So, now
with three key figures firmly on the investigators' radar, detectives back at the station begin taking a closer look
at each of them, and what they uncover is peculiar, to say the least. John has prior burglary and assault
charges and withheld critical details about his relationship with Shante. Bobby has a previous assault charge
against a woman and was known to spend time near the area where Shante's body was found. And Cullen, while having no
known criminal history, has long been the subject of rumors about his violent temper. And this is when detectives
realize that any one of these men could be Shante's killer, but figuring out which one will prove far more difficult
than they expected. As the day comes to an end, rumors begin spreading throughout the community and
neighbors start keeping a watchful eye on one another. And with Shante's funeral set for the following day,
detectives will be doing the same, watching the crowd for a killer hiding in plain [music] sight.
>> I've always had this different part of me. It just wants nothing but destruction and evil. It wanted to kill
somebody. >> The following morning, medical examiners release Shante's body to her family for
the funeral, but not before delivering one final unexpected update. Examiners have discovered unusual markings on
Shante's chest, markings investigators cannot explain and believe may point to something ritualistic.
To make matters even more unsettling, detectives realize Shante had been murdered on Friday the 13th, a detail
that only adds a weight [music] to this theory. But with no way of knowing whether the markings are significant or
simply a coincidence, investigators file the possibility away as the community prepares [music] to say its final
goodbye. Around 11:00 a.m., nearly 100 churchgoers begin gathering for Shante's funeral. The church is so crowded that
some are forced to wait outside, and among them, patiently waiting, is Shante's killer. Inside, Pastor Keener
leads the service as the family and friends pay their final respects. The ceremony lasts for hours, though a
handful of attendees quietly slip away before it ends, including the men responsible for Shante's death.
A short time later, Shante's coffin is carried to Pleasant Valley Cemetery, where she's finally laid to rest.
[music] And despite all their best efforts, police fail to recognize the killer.
With the funeral over, detectives turn their attention back to the investigation. They call all three key
suspects and ask them to come to the station for questioning. Around 4:00 p.m., Bobby and John are first to arrive
at the station, handing over their phones to be searched for potential evidence. And as detectives sit down
with both men, it quickly becomes clear that they both have some explaining to do.
>> Uh of course, I guess they told you when they download the phone they get everything. They get pictures, they get
text messages, they get phone calls, all that stuff. All right? Have you ever Do you delete
your text messages? >> Yeah. But I was like long places and they want my phone out there.
>> No, that's not what this these text messages uh that you deleted. And you know what
I'm talking about, because you even told somebody, "Hey, my phone's clean." What
are you worried about DNA so bad about? >> I don't know what you're worried about.
I don't like needles. I don't like stuff like that. >> Well, she was alive. I don't know why
she's worried >> What do you mean? >> She said you were texting her and asked her what they wanted my DNA. Why do they
want my DNA? >> I'm sure why they do. That's what the text message just said. That's strange.
I don't know. That's why I'm asking you. I smoke. I just don't want that. I'm telling you
it's not a time thing with me. Like I just might go to a friend's or something like that.
>> I don't care. I don't care if you smoke. I don't care if you smoke or something.
I don't care if you blaze all the time. Well, I I I don't care about that. I'm talking about what we got going on right
now and then that we find your phone and you knew we were fixing to look at everything that and then we find the
message going or cuz they can tell what's been deleted and what hadn't been deleted. And then they look and they
like deleted deleted deleted. If if you did have something to do with this, you need to let me know now.
>> have told you if I knew what it was. Okay? If I would have been around anything serious like that or knew
anything or anybody >> or knew anybody that had anything to do with it. >> Cuz if I had anything to help out, you
know, I have I have nieces out there. I have my sister up there. Until we figure
out who this person is, I mean, everything's kind of like you said, kind of locked down cuz everybody's
scared to death right now. >> Shantae told um one of the girls that she was walking
with that night that she was supposed to be coming back to meet Colin Smith. >> Yeah, that's what we heard.
>> Does that make you jealous if she's going to go over there and meet with Colin?
>> Yeah, that makes me jealous, but I have to say but it was still in a way that I can't do anything about
it. I mean >> So, it wouldn't make you mad if she was hooking up with somebody else?
It wouldn't make you mad? >> It would, but not to to the extent of this far away. A mother and her
daughter, I mean. I'll never be that federal. I don't really have much family around here. My
dad's in a nursing home. Sister's in Dallas. >> Well, that would make it even worse
though, because the one person that you care about and she's sleeping around with somebody
else, that would Now, the only connection you got out here. >> Yeah. I'd just move on.
>> Upon speaking with both men, detectives notice they appear more nervous than before. That said, they also know both
have prior run-ins with law enforcement and could simply be wary of being wrongly targeted. But, one detail stands
out. Only John appears to have deleted messages from his phone. By the end of both interrogations, only circumstantial
evidence remains. So, detectives release the men while instructing them to provide DNA samples. Shortly afterwards,
Colin arrives at the station and this time things would take a very different turn.
Feeling as though he may be their strongest suspect yet, investigators immediately ask him to take a polygraph
test. And as they sit down with him, it doesn't take long before Colin admits he
hasn't been entirely honest with them. >> Whoever it is is pretty sick person and
they're still out there somewhere, whether it's a guy or a girl. I mean >> What do you think it's going to take to
pass the test today? >> To pass the test? What do you mean? >> What do you think it's going to take to
pass the polygraph? >> Honestly? >> Honestly, yeah. Yeah, that's going to be the
>> I'm an honest person, so >> I I I don't know. When she was with John, she always had advantages [music] in
John. Always looked like something was wrong with her. She was always telling me about him putting her hands on her.
>> Were you all uh pretty sexual back then? >> I had sex a couple of times and then I
told him no the other day just cuz I was scared. >> As far as uh how she died, what all do
you know about how she died? >> This is the first first story we got, all right? This
sitting honestly. Sorry for cussing, but It's always sick to think of how many people out there have been gossiping and
like making their own stories up, you know what I mean? Like >> What do you think the person that that
killed her is feeling right now? >> I don't know. >> Think they're feeling a little guilty
[snorts] about it? Do you think >> it's her boyfriend, Dylan. Only thing I can say is maybe Dylan did it out of
like a crime of passion, you know. It >> Interestingly, Colin admits that he was,
in fact, involved in an intimate relationship with Shontae, but he insists that he has been truthful about
everything else. However, that claim would soon be put to the test when the polygraph examination begins. And before
long, something would happen that would cause Colin to abruptly end the interview.
>> Hey, uh Colin, when we take this test, man, I'm starting to see some things in here
that's a little bit concerning to me. You know, you got to be sure to be still when we take the test.
>> All right. Sounds good. >> First off, secondly, you know, you got to be keep everything the same
as far as when you're answering. There's a little bit of movement going on, okay?
So, just, you know, everything you do, just just be yourself, okay? That's all all we're asking. [snorts] Colin, what
what do you think the best uh question to ask you is going to be today? >> Did I kill Shontae Black and tell you?
>> Whether it be through strangulation, whether it be through what, through what, whether it be through whatever.
Did you physically cause the death of Shontae is what I'm asking, okay? So, your response is no.
What have you not been honest with me about? >> I've been honest to you about everything.
>> Okay. So, why why is it showing that you're being deceptive about this? >> I guess cuz
I don't understand how it's what's showing. Tell me what's showing. >> You're not even You're not even showing
any reactions to those questions where I'm telling you to lie about it, where I'm telling you
>> Cuz you told me to stay as calm as I can and look at the board, so I'm just saying yes and no.
>> Yeah. And you know what? The reactions that we're showing on this is man, you're
you're off the freaking charts. >> I'm telling you, I didn't do anything wrong and I'm I'm not I'm about to
leave. >> And that's up to you. I can't force you to be here, but you know, you're the one
that's that that needs to clear this thing up. >> I I did come in here to clear it. I gave
DNA right off the bat, the very first one to test for DNA and I came in here and like this is a bunch of crap, man.
>> Yeah, there's the door. >> [snorts] >> I did what I was supposed to do. I was
100% cooperative. >> As Colin walks out of the room, detectives begin to believe they may
have found their killer. Because while Colin had been adamant that he had nothing to do with Shante's death,
[music] his polygraph results appear to tell a very different story. His elevated emotional responses, reflected
in changes to his breathing, heart rate, blood pressure and perspiration, suggest
he may not have been entirely truthful when answering questions about Shante's death. [music] That said, polygraph
results aren't foolproof and aren't admissible in court as proof of guilt. DNA, however, is a very different story
and with DNA samples now collected from John, Colin and Bobby, detectives believe the answer to who killed Shante
must lie with one of them. The samples are sent to the Tarrant County Medical Examiner's laboratory in
Fort Worth, more than 100 miles away. And while detectives and the entire community wait for answers, the killer
remains free to roam the streets. A month passes and the DNA results finally arrive. But [music] when the DNA
profile is entered to the national DNA database, there are no matches. No match to John, Colin, or Bobby and no matches
to any known offenders in the area. Detectives are left with a troubling possibility. Perhaps their killer wasn't
a local, but someone passing through town who had already disappeared for good. More than a year into the investigation,
in October 2017, another investigator who had worked on Shante's case, Carlyle Gover, would make an incredible
discovery. While watching a true crime show, Gover learns about an emerging technology known as DNA phenotyping, a
technique that had successfully solved another cold case by generating a snapshot prediction of what a person may
look like using only their DNA. The next day, Gover rushes to tell the lead detective, Scott Byrd. Within
hours, the $4,000 needed for the testing is secured and the DNA is submitted. And
as the image slowly begins to take shape, suspects would be eliminated one by one until the true killer turns out
to be someone no one ever expected. >> Yeah, by the time that the Blankenship case came along, we had a couple of
cases that had used the phenotyping information to help solve their cases, given the investigative capabilities
that they had [music] at that time, which were not DNA. He managed to avoid leaving any clues that got him caught,
but he did leave DNA. He just didn't know that that was going to be the thing that
would finally catch him. >> This is Dr. Ellen Greytak, director of bioinformatics at Parabon NanoLabs, the
company behind the snapshot technology detectives used in the hunt for Shante's killer. Within weeks of receiving the
DNA evidence, Parabon's team analyzes the sample and generates a snapshot report predicting the unknown suspects
physical appearance. And as soon as it lands on Scott Bird's desk, he immediately recognizes the man,
21-year-old Ryan Riggs. Years earlier, before entering law enforcement, Bird had taught Ryan in the fifth grade. When
detectives dig deeper, they discover Ryan had been there the entire time. He was a long-time family friend, attended
Shante's funeral, rode around with John calling out her name during search parties, and even hugged her parents at
the wake. Detectives now know it was all an act, a years-long act that Ryan managed to maintain perfectly.
On November 9th, officers head straight to his address, but instead, they're met
by Ryan's parents, who reveal that he has already fled. Within hours of the image being released, Ryan manages to
slip away, and once again, police are back at square one until the following evening at a church service, when Ryan
decides to do something completely unexpected. >> As I do before every service, God, I
stand in the parking lot greeting people, and there was Ryan standing there with his mother, Michelle, and he
said, "Um I'm going to turn myself in tonight." He said, "I murdered her." And I said, "At that point, I'm going to
step out in the parking lot and call Sheriff Hill. We're going to take you to the law enforcement center." He said,
"Yes, sir. I want to confess to them." >> To detectives' surprise, less than an hour ago, Ryan had unexpectedly shown up
at a Wednesday night service, where he made a horrifying confession. He was responsible for murdering Shante. Not
only that, he had just walked into the sheriff's office alongside Pastor Keener, saying he wants to turn himself
in. Baffled by the situation, detectives bring Ryan into the interrogation room.
And when they sit down with him, they let him speak trying to determine whether this young man in front of them
is truly the dangerous killer they've been hunting for nearly 2 years. >> So, this happened on Friday the 13th.
Tell me about that day. How did you start that day out? >> I don't remember how I started the day.
It was just like an average day to me up until I did what I did. I had stopped her. She
needed a ride. And she got in my truck. And then out of nowhere, I just put my left arm
around her. I began to strangle her. I went back to my truck and got a lawn mower blade out
of the back of my truck. And I went back to where she was. I beat her to death with it to make sure
that she was dead. I've always had this It's like this different part of me that
it just wants nothing but destruction and evil. And whenever I saw her that day, it's
just it took over. So, I was I knew what I was trying to get. It wanted to kill somebody.
>> Ryan's description of what he did to Shante perfectly matches the details from the crime scene. Details that had
never been made public. To detectives, it leaves little doubt that he is in fact the killer.
>> If you could [snorts] say something right now to Shante, what would you say? >> That I'm sorry that I did what I did.
And I whatever I have coming towards me, I deserve. >> What do you think you deserve?
>> Death for sure. >> Anything else? >> No. >> All right, Ryan. You [clears throat] are
officially under arrest for capital murder. >> With the charges laid bare, Ryan Riggs
ultimately pleads guilty to the capital murder of Shante. When news of Ryan's arrest reaches Shante's mother,
Michelle, she releases an emotional statement thanking the community for its support. [music]
>> Hey everyone. Um I don't know if everybody knows, but we caught him. We got him tonight for a capital murder
trial. God has blessed us with him. And it breaks my heart because this man went
to church with her and he's just a kid himself. I wanted everyone to know that we appreciate everything you all have
done. >> In 2019, Ryan is ultimately sentenced to life in prison without the possibility
of parole. But even with Ryan behind bars, [music] the abandoned property where Shante was found continues to
haunt the town. The site became infamously known as the haunted house. People regularly jumped the fence to
explore the property, reopening old wounds for Shante's family. Eventually, in 2025, both the house and the storm
shelter were demolished in an effort to finally bring peace to the community and
allow it to move forward. And while this case left Texas shaken by a killer hiding in plain sight, our next
case takes us to Florida where the warning signs were always there, but no one could do anything to stop what was
coming. >> 4250 14 have a lengthy blood trail leading to several houses. >> Yeah.
>> Oh my god. >> Inside this family home, 21-year-old Dima Tower has just committed the most
heinous crime imaginable against his own parents. >> 4250 14 >> North Court police, armed male.
I see bodies. >> Lying inside are two deceased bodies with over 100 stab wounds. But the man
responsible is already on on run, leading officers on a dangerous multi-hour manhunt as Deema stops at
nothing to escape the country. To watch this exclusive Dr. Insanity episode along with three more episodes from our
new Tubi series, click the link below and check it out now for free on Tubi.

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When 25-year-old Chantay Blankinship disappears from the small town of May, Texas, detectives launch an investigation that quickly spirals into one of the most unusual homicide cases in Brown County history.

After every suspect is eliminated and the DNA leads nowhere, investigators Scott Bird and Carlyle Gover turn to revolutionary Snapshot DNA phenotyping from Parabon NanoLabs, led by Dr. Ellen Greytak, uncovering a shocking truth that had been hiding in plain sight all along.

_______

This video was made for educational purposes only.

The video is presented to provide genuine footage of police incidents to promote transparency in government while providing educational, informative and newsworthy content allowing viewers to examine and assess public safety material. This is a fact-checked documentary using authoritative sources.

We are committed to accuracy in every case we cover. Because videos cannot be updated after publication, any corrections, clarifications, or new information will be documented on our official corrections page: https://corrections.drinsanity.com/

Brief Summary

Shante Blankenship was murdered in Texas; her killer, Ryan Riggs, confessed after evading capture for nearly two years.

Key points

Community Mourning. Locals gather to mourn Shante Blankenship's tragic death, unaware of the killer among them.
Gruesome Discovery. A couple searching for Shante makes a horrifying discovery in an abandoned farmhouse.
Suspicious Behavior. Shante's boyfriend, John, exhibits odd behavior during questioning, raising suspicions.
Autopsy Results. Initial autopsy reveals Shante's cause of death and disturbing details about the crime.
Detectives Uncover Troubling Reality. Detectives find many men knew Shantae and her routine, raising suspicions.
Caitlyn Holds Key to Case. Caitlyn reveals Shantae's last plans, including a meeting with Colin.

Episode highlights

Episode quotes

She's dead.

The shocking confirmation of Shante's fate.

2:25WatchJul 7, 2026

Tension

85/ 100High tension

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