20/20 True Crime Vault: Girl Scout Murders
Podcast: 20/20
Host: ABC News
Episode Date: October 21, 2025
Episode Overview
This gripping episode of ABC’s "20/20 True Crime Vault" delves into one of the most shocking unsolved cases in American history: the brutal 1977 murders of three young Girl Scouts at Camp Scott in Oklahoma. Through archival audio, interviews with families, law enforcement, journalists, and legal experts—plus a deep dive into new forensic efforts—the episode explores not just the original tragedy but its decades-long aftermath, community fallout, and ongoing search for justice. The story raises profound questions about trauma, the investigative process, and whether truth or closure is ever possible.
Key Discussion Points and Insights
1. The Crime and Its Immediate Aftermath
- The Murders: On their first night at camp, three girls—Michelle Guse (9), Lori Lee Farmer (8), and Denise Milner (10)—were found murdered. The brutality and senselessness of the act shocked the nation.
- Discovery at Camp Scott ([00:46] - [05:43]):
- First Responders’ Shock: "The closer I got, I could just see that this young girl was dead." – [D], [01:01]
- The camp is described as peaceful, safe, and full of fond childhood memories, making the crime even more jarring.
- Law Enforcement Response: Harold Berry (retired highway patrol) recounts the call and early confusion. Initial disbelief quickly gives way to the grim reality of intentional murder.
- Scene Descriptions: Detailed forensic descriptions bring listeners inside the tents and campgrounds, emphasizing both physical evidence and profound emotional impact.
2. Community, Family, and Lasting Fear
- National and Local Shock ([09:50] - [12:06]):
- The town of Locust Grove is suddenly in the national spotlight; families reel as children are bused home and the enormity of the loss sinks in.
- Changes in Behavior: “First time I ever locked it [my door].” – [B], [10:05]
- Family Grief: Raw interviews with the victims’ mothers bring home the emotional aftermath.
- “When those girls got on that bus to go to camp, they didn’t want to die and they should not have died. And we’ve lived with that for 45 years.” – [H], [05:43]
- “It never, never occurred that after you got there you might die.” – [F], [02:57]
- Letters written by the girls from camp are read aloud; their innocence and excitement now heartbreaking ([22:58]).
3. The Investigation and Early Suspicions
- Physical Evidence ([24:07] - [26:21]):
- Details about evidence: fingerprints on a flashlight, a note predicting three deaths (thought a prank by counselors at the time), and various lost or stolen items.
- Forensics and investigative methods of the era are discussed, as well as later advances.
- “Whoever wrote the note said, I’m gonna kill three Girl Scouts. And the counselors thought it was just a prank.” – [C], [25:36]
- Largest Manhunt in Oklahoma History ([28:07]):
- Hundreds of officers, volunteers, helicopters, and dogs are deployed in a fruitless search for the perpetrator.
- Early focus lands on Gene Leroy Hart, local Native American and convicted rapist/escapee. Family proximity to Camp Scott and his criminal history bring suspicion.
4. Community Division and Racial Tensions
- Hart as Suspect and Community Split ([29:09] - [35:11]):
- Many locals, including Native Americans and old acquaintances, express doubt about Hart’s guilt. The trial takes on undertones of racial injustice and community division.
- “They believe Gene Leroy Hart was being framed.” – [C], [33:06]
- Myths and legends crop up about Hart’s alleged abilities to evade police, becoming part of local folklore.
5. Arrest and the Trial
- The Manhunt Ends ([41:41] - [50:27]):
- Ten months after the murders, Hart is dramatically captured in the Cookson Hills at the cabin of a Native American medicine man.
- “My van was covered in dust, and I took my hand and I wrote, we got Hart. H A R T. Real big. You know, we got Hart.” – [B], [50:11]
- Trial Proceedings and Public Spectacle ([52:13] - [62:14]):
- Enormous media coverage, a deep divide among locals (many defending Hart), and dramatic lawyering characterize the trial.
- Debate centers on circumstantial evidence—flashlights, glasses, wedding photos—but defense suggest evidence could have been planted.
- Gene Hart takes the extraordinary step of a press conference, discussing his position as a scapegoat for public distrust ([55:05]).
- Shocking Verdict: After a five-hour deliberation, the jury returns “not guilty” ([62:14]).
6. Aftermath and Lingering Questions
- Impact on Families and Community ([63:21] - [63:57]):
- Families are left feeling doubly victimized by the crime and the legal system. Guilt, trauma, and grief are long-standing.
- “First by the person who committed the crime and second by the justice system. When he was found not guilty … I just said we failed. We failed.” – [F], [63:21]
- Hart’s Fate ([64:11]):
- Despite acquittal, Hart dies in prison of a heart attack, still serving sentences for previous crimes.
7. Pursuit of the Truth: The Case Reopened
- Cold Case Investigations and Advances in Forensics ([65:30] - [80:39]):
- Decades later, Sheriff Mike Reed and forensic experts revisit the evidence, discovering new physical links—like tape and newspapers connecting Hart to the crime.
- Old and new DNA tests, including from hair and sleeping bag samples, provide partial profiles but never absolute certainty.
- “All the DNA testing that’s been done on this case ... excludes every suspect that I’ve ever heard or know of ... except for one person. And that person would be Gene Laruihart.” – [H], [80:24]
- National Center for Missing and Exploited Children panel concurs Hart was the likely perpetrator ([80:49]).
8. Closure, Legacy, and Ongoing Mystery
- Mixed Feelings and the Elusiveness of Resolution ([81:05] - End):
- Families and investigators reflect on the impossibility of true closure.
- Advocacy: The Farmer family becomes national victims’ advocates.
- Theories Persist: Despite new evidence, conspiracy theories and community doubts linger.
- “Solving a case will not give me closure.” – [E], [81:47]
- “We want to see this through for Lori ... but we also want to see it through for Denise and Michelle.” – [H], [82:10]
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
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On the horror and innocence lost:
- “When those girls got on that bus to go to camp, they didn’t want to die and they should not have died. And we’ve lived with that for 45 years.” — [H], [05:43]
- “My God, what happened inside of that tent?” — [B], [07:13]
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On investigation and suspicion:
- “Whoever wrote the note said, I’m gonna kill three Girl Scouts. And the counselors thought it was just a prank.” — [C], [25:36]
- “I think the investigators would say at the time. They only started suspecting him when they found the cave.” — [C], [30:23]
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On justice and its limits:
- “There is no justice in white man’s law.” — [B], [51:50]
- “When it was all over, we felt like we had really been victimized twice.” — [F], [63:21]
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On closure and grief:
- “I don’t think that there’ll ever be closure.” — [D], [81:33]
- “Solving a case will not give me closure.” — [E], [81:47]
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On ongoing investigation and possible resolution:
- “All the DNA testing that’s been done on this case, it excludes every suspect ... except for one person. And that person would be Gene laruihart.” — [H], [80:24]
Important Timestamps
- [00:46] – The crime is discovered and described.
- [05:43] – The immediate shock and mourning in the community.
- [25:36] – The chilling note that foretold the crime.
- [28:07] – The start of the historic manhunt.
- [41:41] – The end of the manhunt and arrest of Gene Hart.
- [53:10] – Pre-trial atmosphere and division.
- [62:14] – Jury acquits Hart.
- [65:30] – Cold case investigation and modern evidence review.
- [80:24] – DNA evidence points back to Hart; scientific advances discussed.
- [81:05] – New consensus and reflections on closure.
Conclusion
This episode expertly illuminates the emotional and investigative labyrinth of the Girl Scout murders—a case marred by tragedy, rumors, complex social dynamics, and unsatisfying legal resolution. Families, law enforcement, and the broader community remain haunted decades later, as new forensic efforts edge closer to answers but never quite deliver full closure. The story is a testament to enduring loss, the evolution of forensic science, and the persistent search for justice—even when its meaning is not always clear.