Linda Slaten case: The nearly 40-year investigation into Florida mom's murder | Forensic Files

this morning 48 Hours has more details about the murder of a Florida woman in her own home a case that went unsolved
for decades Linda Slayton was killed in 1981 and her two young Sons spent years living in fear of an unknown man they
called the monster nearly 40 years after the crime DNA LED police to their mother's killer it turns out he was
someone so close to the family that one son had his photo hanging in his home Jim Axelrod has the 48 Hours
investigation 1981 was the day these men say their childhood ended Jeff Slayton and his
younger brother Tim had been awakened by police and told their mother had been murdered I'd have died that not trying
to save my mom but I didn't hear nothing it's so hard to live with that Lakeland
Florida police hustled the boys outside but Tim still in his pajamas caught a glimpse of his mother's body she had
been raped and strangled I saw the whole crime scene right then and there it's a 12 year old kid
investigators collected a rape kit and a palm print lifted from the windowsill where the killer had entered her
apartment cops questioned a slew of suspects but no one was charged the boys moved in
with their grandparents soon they were back in school they started living life again I guess you know going back to
football Linda Slayton was a divorced mom and Coach Joe Mills had stepped in to help
he's my friend giving me routes to games rise to practice and I looked up to this
guy before long the case went cold and stayed that way for nearly four decades I'll probably take my last breath and I
know who murdered my mom but advances in DNA technology led to renewed hope and that carefully stored
rape kit revealed an unlikely suspect Coach Joe now those car rights to practice looked
a lot different Pete asked us how the case was going he wouldn't ask questions about he just what is any new news or
any new leads and I was like no nothing you know he's talking to a 12 year old boy and trying to keep tabs on a murder
investigation through the son of the murdered woman no yes when he knows exactly who did it he's a
coal holder monster that's for sure Jim Axelrod joins us now to talk about this Jim good morning so what do police
believe happened here well the police thought that Coach Joe who you just saw had dropped the kid off and then circled
back several hours later when Mom and the boys were out of the apartment broke in through a bedroom window hid in the
closet mom comes home with the boys says good night comes in her room and out the
attacker comes and did he know did they was there something going on between the
two and what is the motive here there was not the the real story that you're going to see tomorrow night is a story
of police having this guy talking to him the day after the murder did they suspect him at Angel that's the thing
Gail he was they talked to him on the phone they didn't take any fingerprints they didn't do a face-to-face interview
so he wasn't considered a suspect even though he was within sight of the apartment as he admitted to the cops 24
hours before but this as as much of this is a story of a hideous and heinous crime it's also a story about how
cutting-edge technology can reach back into time nearly four decades and solve a case that had become among the coldest
that the Lakeland Florida Police Department had ever dealt with but I feel for those boys to lead when you
said he had a picture of him in his room the killer in his room okay all those memories now change this this idea think
about this for a second this kid who's 12 has a picture on his wall of his team which which by the way assumes even more
meaning in the wake of this crime he's looking for somewhere to just sort of spend some time so it's his football and
who's over his shoulder and the picture of the team picture the guy who killed his mother wouldn't find out for decades
good on the Lakeland police department for keeping that rape kit all those years that's right you'd be getting in
good condition hopefully that family will find some justice uh Jim mcelrod thank you very much fascinating story
you can see Jim's report the Betrayal of Linda Slayton on 48 hours tomorrow night
at 10 9 Central right here on CBS and on Paramount us

Linda Slaten was murdered in Florida in 1981. CBS News chief investigative correspondent Jim Axelrod joins “CBS Mornings” with details on the investigation that eventually led police to a killer almost 40 years later, and a preview of his "48 Hours" report "The Betrayal of Linda Slaten."

Each weekday morning, "CBS Mornings” co-hosts Gayle King, Tony Dokoupil and Nate Burleson bring you the latest breaking news, smart conversation and in-depth feature reporting. "CBS Mornings" airs weekdays at 7 a.m. on CBS and stream it at 8 a.m. ET on the CBS News app.

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Brief Summary

A Florida woman's murder case is solved decades later through DNA, revealing her killer was a trusted family friend.

Key points

The Murder of Linda Slayton. In 1981, Linda Slayton was murdered in her home, leaving her sons in fear for decades.
A Chilling Discovery. The killer was someone close to the family, a shocking revelation for the sons.
Decades of Silence. The case went cold for nearly four decades until advances in DNA technology revived it.
The Betrayal of Trust. The boys had a picture of their mother's killer in their home, complicating their memories.

Episode highlights

Episode quotes

I guess you know going back to football.

Reflecting on childhood after trauma

1:18WatchDec 2, 2022

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