"She communicates to law enforcement that he was a stranger, so when she'd never seen before. She noticed that he was a little taller than her and he smelled like cigarettes. And also, he had this odd way of talking about the women when he was ordering them around. He referred to Molly as girl number one and Christine as girl number two." — Britt
"The physical evidence collected at the scene got sent out to multiple crime lab around the US, but now, again, this is like a year later, they're finally starting to get some results back. Court documents say that they got DNA off the cigarette butts and the energy drink can happen, and it has led them to a person of interest." — Britt
"The hair belongs to police's original suspect, Dylan Spellman. What is happening in this case? The DA and the police are still adamant that David's their guy, despite this new evidence, which to me like throws up like a crap ton of questions that no one can really answer." — Britt
The episode begins by introducing the horrific crime that occurred at Violet Andrews Park in Portland, Texas, where two young women, Molly Olgin and Christine Chapa, were found shot. One victim was pronounced dead at the scene, while the other, Christine, miraculously survived despite severe injuries. The initial investigation uncovered crucial evidence, including discarded items at the scene and a driver's license belonging to Mary Christine Chapa. As police canvassed the area, they learned that loud bangs were heard around midnight, the estimated time of the attack. The identification process was challenging, with Christine's family eventually confirming her identity. Concurrently, a car registered to Molly Olgin was found, leading to the tragic confirmation of her death, marked by a distinctive hummingbird tattoo.
As the investigation progressed, it was revealed that Molly and Christine were a couple, raising the possibility of a hate crime, especially as both women were found to have been sexually assaulted. The case gained national attention, and several witnesses came forward, including one who saw a white vehicle speeding away from the park. Christine, after regaining consciousness, began communicating with investigators, providing descriptions of the assailant, including his masked appearance, attire, and a unique way of referring to the victims as "girl number one" and "girl number two." Forensic sketch artists created a composite image, but credible leads remained elusive for an extended period.
Over a year later, DNA evidence from the cigarette butts and energy drink can at the scene pointed to Dylan Spellman as a person of interest. His past history, including a prior incident at the same park and a guilty plea to a home invasion with similar elements of duct taping victims, made him a significant focus. However, inconsistencies arose, notably his extreme height (6'8") which didn't align with the witness description. Further complicating matters, a mysterious letter surfaced years later, supposedly from a hitman detailing a plot to kill Christine, implicating Cristobal Melcher. Investigations into Melcher led to David Strickland, a former associate of Melcher who had previously provided a witness statement. Evidence, including gloves and a firearm, linked to Strickland, led to his arrest and conviction. However, the case took another turn with the discovery of a pubic hair on Christine's clothing that did not match David Strickland but did match Dylan Spellman, raising questions about the integrity of the original trial and the true perpetrator.