Deadline for Justice

Summary

48 Hours – "Deadline for Justice" (May 6, 2026)

CBS News Podcast

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Overview

This gripping episode of “48 Hours” explores two cases where the pursuit of justice endures beyond initial heartbreak and years of unanswered questions. The first half centers on the unsolved murder of aspiring news reporter Jennifer Servo, whose bright future was abruptly ended in Abilene, Texas in 2002—a cold case still awaiting resolution. The second half profiles the tragic death of Patty Scoville in Vermont in 1991, whose family’s relentless fight led to the establishment of a DNA database that finally brought her killer to justice. Through poignant interviews, investigative details, and hard-earned wisdom, the episode spotlights both the relentless pain of unresolved tragedy and the triumphs that come only with persistence.

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Case 1: The Murder of Jennifer Servo

Jennifer Servo’s Promise and Tragic End

• [00:53 – 01:48] Introduction to Jennifer Servo via family recordings, her passion for reporting, and her move from Montana to Texas to pursue her dream career as a television journalist.
  • Cheri Able (Sister): “She loved being in front of the camera. She loved recording all kinds of stories.” [01:01]
  • Jennifer Servo: “I’m Jennifer Servo reporting from Buffalo Gap, KRBC 9.” [01:31]
• [01:48 – 02:37] The discovery of Jennifer’s murder shocks colleagues and the community.
  • Her body is found in her apartment after co-workers notice her absence.

The Investigation: Loss, Suspicions, and Heartbreak

• [02:47 – 03:41] Initial confusion and sorrow after the murder.
  • Cheri Able (Sister): “I thought for sure it would be solved and taken care of within three months. And then more time passes.” [03:00]
  • The case is moved to the cold case division due to lack of immediate leads.
• [03:50 – 04:38] Background on Jennifer’s fresh start in Abilene and her work life.
  • Colleagues describe her as a natural talent: “She had it and she hit the ground running.” [04:31]

The Suspects: Relationship Troubles and Clues

• [04:49 – 06:01] Jennifer’s romantic relationships and their impact on the investigation:
  • Ralph Sepulveda, an older boyfriend with a checkered past, follows Jennifer to Texas.
  • Discovery of his previous engagement and fathering a child strains the relationship, eventually leading to a breakup.
  • Brian Travers (Co-worker): “A whole new world was being opened up for her and a weight was lifted off her shoulders. She was just so exuberant about him being out of there.” [06:01]
• [06:30 – 08:12] Jennifer’s integration into the newsroom and growing circle of friends.

The Crime Scene: Troubling Details

• [09:43 – 10:37] Detectives detail the lack of forced entry, implying Jennifer knew her killer.
  • Jeff Bell (Detective): “I personally do feel that she knew who did this to her.” [10:30]
  • The assault involved both strangulation and blunt force trauma. No physical evidence led to a clear suspect.
• [12:13 – 12:42] Forensic challenges include contaminated evidence due to her cat.

Focus on Two Key Suspects

• [12:53 – 13:36] Detectives focus on Ralph Sepulveda and Brian Travers:

  • Both had relationships with Jennifer.
  • Both lack solid alibis for the estimated time of death.
  • Brian Travers: Last saw Jennifer when she dropped him off after a late shift. [13:51]

• [14:13 – 14:32] Family strongly suspects Sepulveda, citing possessiveness.

  • Cheri Able (Sister): “I think he was a jealous, bitter person. If he couldn’t have her, nobody could.” [14:16]

• [14:32 – 14:48] Alarming testimony surfaces about Sepulveda’s behavior, including sexual acts involving strangulation.

Dead Ends and Continuing Efforts

• [15:15 – 15:59] Years pass with neither man cleared as a suspect, both leading quiet lives far from Abilene.
  • Jeff Bell: "We don't have enough probable cause to go out and make an arrest on this case. I just don't think we're there yet." [15:07]
  • David Adkins (Detective): “Whoever did this is going to tell somebody someday. That's all it's going to take.” [15:59]

Impact on Loved Ones

• [16:23 – 16:46] Family, friends, and colleagues express their grief and pride in Jennifer’s legacy.
  • Norman Olson (Father): “When Jennifer died, every bit of magic in the world left with her.” [16:26]
  • Jennifer's Professor: “We give a scholarship in her name every year… She won't ever die at the University of Montana.” [16:38]

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Case 2: The Murder of Patty Scoville and the Fight for Justice

Patty Scoville’s Disappearance

• [17:30 – 18:22] Patty, a 28-year-old seeking a new life in Vermont, vanishes after a bike ride.

  • Patty’s Father: “She was vivacious, outgoing, energetic.” [18:17]

• [18:29 – 20:02] Large-scale search ensues; discovery of her bike, gloves, and finally her body.

  • Investigator: “The killer took the time to conceal the crime... we were fortunate to even recover her body that season.” [20:15]

Forensic Roadblocks and the DNA Revolution

• [21:04 – 21:10] Detectives, the FBI, and the governor join efforts.

• [24:02 – 24:43] DNA found doesn’t match anyone in Vermont due to the absence of a local DNA database.

  • Dr. Eric Buell: “...in 1991, we didn't have a DNA database.” [24:32]

• [25:06 – 26:01] Patty’s family channels their grief, lobbying tirelessly for legislative change.

  • Howard Dean (Governor): "They put their heart and soul into getting this passed. They were the face of this." [25:12]

• [26:13 – 27:39] After seven years, database is created, but it takes more years before a match is found in 2005, fourteen years post-crime.

  • Dr. Eric Buell: “I was flabbergasted… this is the way to solve this case, and it happened.” [27:39]

Solving the Case: The Arrest of Howard Godfrey

• [27:55 – 28:30] Howard Godfrey, a convicted felon, is identified by DNA match to crime scene evidence.
• [28:52 – 29:16] Investigators collect Godfrey’s DNA from discarded cigarette butts, confirming the match.
  • Prosecutor: “We had a match.” [29:10]
  • Narrator: “People talk about a smoking gun, but in this case, it turned out to be a smoking cigarette.” [29:15]

Trial and Conviction

• [30:05 – 34:15] Godfrey initially denies knowing Patty, then changes his story when confronted with DNA evidence, claiming sex was consensual.

  • Jury is left to consider if Godfrey’s story is plausible.

  • Ultimately, the jury finds Godfrey guilty after only two hours of deliberation. [34:46]

  • Prosecutor on the DNA: “DNA is really hard to refute. Juries accept it. We see it every day on TV.” [31:34]

Legacy: Tenacity and Reform

• [35:31 – 35:49] Patty’s family finds bittersweet closure; their legislative push ensures lasting change for future victims.

  • Patty’s Parent: “He took Patty’s future. He took our future.” [35:31]
  • Patty’s Parent: “For all victims of crime, it was almost a silent. Okay, Patty, there you go. We did it.” [35:35]

• [35:53 – 36:34] Detective Bruce Merriam reflects: “You never give up the fight until the fight’s done.”

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Notable Quotes & Moments

• On the pain of not knowing:
  • Norman Olson (Jennifer’s Father): “I can’t escape from the fact that my only daughter is a homicide victim and I won’t get to be with her again in this world.” [11:40]
• On law enforcement unwavering commitment:
  • David Atkins (Detective): “You know, whoever did this is going to tell somebody someday. That's all it's going to take.” [15:59]
• On the power of DNA databases:
  • Howard Dean (Governor): “So having the database was critical. We never would have found Howard Godfrey if it hadn’t been for the database.” [35:21]
• On the emotional toll:
  • Cheri Able (Jennifer’s Sister): “It’s really hard not having my sister.” [16:23]
  • Patty’s Parent: “There’s this fear that people will forget, you know, that she’ll be forgotten.” [27:09]

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• [00:53 – 04:49] Jennifer Servo’s career and arrival in Texas
• [09:43 – 10:30] Details of her murder and initial police theories
• [12:53 – 15:15] Investigation zeroes in on two suspects
• [15:15 – 16:46] Closure remains elusive; family and community mourn Jennifer
• [17:30 – 20:02] Patty Scoville’s disappearance, search, and discovery
• [24:02 – 27:39] DNA challenges and the eventual match
• [29:01 – 34:46] Godfrey’s trial and conviction
• [35:31 – 36:34] Reflections and legacy

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Conclusion

This 48 Hours episode deftly juxtaposes the agony of an unsolved case with the hope brought by persistence and procedural reforms. Jennifer Servo’s case, still open, stands as a testament to enduring pain and unanswered questions that haunt families and investigators. In contrast, Patty Scoville’s relatives transform their grief into advocacy, leading to legislative change and—ultimately—justice. Both stories exemplify determination and the refusal to let victims be forgotten, proving that for many, the deadline for justice never truly expires.

Transcript

[Narrator/Announcer]

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[Jennifer Servo (Reporter)]

Since the three women were so brutally murdered here just a few short days ago, the hair gallery has been considered a crime scene.

[Cheri Able (Jennifer's Sister)]

She loved being in of the camera. She loved recording all kinds of stories.

[Jennifer Servo (Reporter)]

Many restaurants actually pay to have their fry grease hauled away. But when David comes and picks it up for free, he modifies it and uses it as fuel in his van.

[Jennifer's Professor or Friend]

Jennifer told her friends, her parents, her professors that she would be in Katie Couric's seat one day. And we didn't have any doubt about that.

[Cheri Able (Jennifer's Sister)]

I was so proud.

[Jennifer's Mother]

That's my daughter on tv.

[Jennifer Servo (Reporter)]

I'm Jennifer Servo. I'm Jennifer Servo reporting. Reporting from Buffalo Gap, I'm Jennifer Servo, KRBC 9.

[Narrator/Host]

As you have probably heard, one of our reporter was found dead at her apartment today.

[Jeff Bell (Detective)]

Jennifer moved to Abilene, Texas on the hopes that her life was just beginning. Somebody cut that short. My name is Jeff Bell. I've been assigned to Jennifer Servo's homicide case since September of 2002.

[David Adkins (Detective)]

My name is David Adkins. I'm a detective with the Abilene Police Department.

[Jeff Bell (Detective)]

They left their lunchtime. We received a call. Apparently some co workers had not seen Jennifer in several days and they went to the apartment.

[Brian Travers (Co-worker and Romantic Interest)]

I knew right away, once we saw the windowsill and the shades were down that something was wrong.

[Jeff Bell (Detective)]

Something had happened. There was blood on the floor.

[Interviewer/Reporter]

It was obviously it was going to be a homicide.

[Jennifer's Mother]

I said, it's Jen, isn't it? I just started sobbing. I couldn't stop.

[Narrator/Host]

We're still puzzled about what happened, what

[Interviewer/Reporter]

sequence of events took place.

[David Adkins (Detective)]

We have no witnesses. Nobody saw anybody suspicious leaving the ap.

[Cheri Able (Jennifer's Sister)]

I thought for sure it would be solved and taken care of within three months. And then more time passes.

[Jeff Bell (Detective)]

We've kind of handed this case over to our cold case division.

[Investigator/Police Officer]

Whoever did it did a good job of Covering his tracks.

[Cheri Able (Jennifer's Sister)]

I just knew it has to be him. He was definitely the first person that came to mind.

[David Adkins (Detective)]

At some point we're going to come to an end with this case and he's not going to be free.

[Jeff Bell (Detective)]

All it takes is one small piece of information.

[Cheri Able (Jennifer's Sister)]

He'll pay one way or another, either on this earth or in heaven or hell.

[Investigator/Police Officer]

Deadline for justice. Tonight's 48 Hours Mystery.

[Narrator/Host]

It's more than 1700 miles from the lush mountains of northern Montana to the grassy plains of western Texas. A long way from home for a young just out of college. But when Jennifer Servo showed up for work as Abilene's newest television reporter, it was clear there was no place she'd rather be.

[Jennifer Servo (Reporter)]

I'm Jennifer Servo. KRBC 9

[Narrator/Host]

anchorwoman Jennifer Lauren and weatherman Brian Travers, who Both worked at KRBC in 2002.

[Friend or Colleague of Jennifer]

So I thought this guy looked a little bit like Brian.

[Narrator/Host]

Quickly discovered that that the new kid on the block was a natural.

[Friend or Colleague of Jennifer]

A lot of people say when you come into the news business, you either have it or you don't. She had it and she hit the ground running.

[Narrator/Host]

From day one, there was no doubt Jennifer Servo was good at her job. But when it came to relationships, it seemed she still had a bit to learn.

[Friend or Colleague of Jennifer]

On her first day at work. I said, so you came out here by yourself? And she said no, actually there's a guy that's with me and. Oh, so you have a serious boyfriend? No.

[Narrator/Host]

Ralph Sepulveda, who was 34 when he started dating 22 year old Jennifer Servo, had moved to Abilene to continue what he thought was a long term relationship.

[Cheri Able (Jennifer's Sister)]

So she agreed to let him come down there with her and stay for a while.

[Investigator/Police Officer]

We didn't know this guy, we didn't know anything about him.

[Cheri Able (Jennifer's Sister)]

But he had these tattoos covering all his arms and legs and chest. And I said, Jen, this isn't anybody like you've ever brought home before. What are you thinking?

[Narrator/Host]

Whatever she was thinking, Jennifer had a change of heart after Seplovita told her some startling news. It turns out he had left another woman back in Montana. His fiance Jennifer later discovered that he had fathered a child during a previous relationship as well.

[Friend or Colleague of Jennifer]

She didn't really think that things were working out and that she had asked him to get his own place.

[Narrator/Host]

They agreed to remain friends and Sepulveda moved into an apartment nearby. After that, Jennifer seemed to blossom.

[Brian Travers (Co-worker and Romantic Interest)]

A whole new world was being opened up for her and a weight was lifted off her shoulders. She was just so Exuberant about him being out of there.

[Friend or Colleague of Jennifer]

We were all fresh out of college, so all we did was hang out

[Brian Travers (Co-worker and Romantic Interest)]

with each other, going out to clubs and the bars. She was becoming one of us. Her and I took a trip by ourselves to Roswell.

[Friend or Colleague of Jennifer]

At one point we all went to the Texas State Fair together, which was fun. She was really big into experiencing where she was.

[Jennifer Servo (Reporter)]

I'm here in Minter park in downtown Abilene for art walk.

[Narrator/Host]

In just eight weeks, Jennifer became a valued member of the KRBC family. So when she didn't respond to a call to cover for a sick colleague, her co workers began to worry.

[Friend or Colleague of Jennifer]

I tried calling her too, and she didn't answer. Left her voicemails. She's mia, we gotta find her. Brian and I drove over to her apartment. Her car was parked there. We knocked on her door, there was

[Narrator/Host]

no answer, hoping she'd soon turn up. No one raised an alarm. But after two days, it was clear that something was terribly wrong.

[Friend or Colleague of Jennifer]

And I told my news director what had happened. He immediately was concerned and said, no, this isn't right. I'm calling her apartment complex.

[Brian Travers (Co-worker and Romantic Interest)]

I just hopped in my car and drove probably 90, 100 miles per hour over there. And then remember seeing the ambulance and everything out there.

[Friend or Colleague of Jennifer]

So I'm standing there talking to the executive producer and the police scanners are right behind her and all of a sudden I hear her address. With a DOA dead on arrival.

[Narrator/Host]

It was here that Jennifer Servo's dream

[Interviewer/Reporter]

of reporting the news was finally becoming a reality.

[Narrator/Host]

But her colleagues never imagined that just weeks after she had been hired, they would have to report that Jennifer Servo had been brutally murdered. As you have probably heard, one of our reporter was found dead at her apartment today.

[Brian Travers (Co-worker and Romantic Interest)]

And then we just for 28 minutes sat on a picture of Jennifer Servo.

[Narrator/Host]

In the news business, we report on

[Interviewer/Reporter]

death and crimes all the time. This was different though, wasn't it?

[Brian Travers (Co-worker and Romantic Interest)]

When it happens to your friend, your good friend, a co worker, it takes on a whole new meaning. I remember walking into the newsroom and seeing her desk and just breaking down and walking right on out,

[Narrator/Host]

Thousands of miles away.

[Cheri Able (Jennifer's Sister)]

So I just had a feeling. I just had an odd feeling. Something's wrong.

[Narrator/Host]

Cheri Able was chilled by the memory of a dream she had had months earlier. A dream that she had lost her daughter forever.

[Cheri Able (Jennifer's Sister)]

Tried to call Jen on Sunday and she didn't answer. And I tried calling her on Monday and still no answer. And that's not like her at all.

[Narrator/Host]

Two days later, an unexpected visitor turned her dream into a terrible reality.

[Cheri Able (Jennifer's Sister)]

And I look out and there's the sheriff's officer. I get a feeling that I had this dream before.

[Jennifer's Mother]

I said, it's Jen, isn't it? And he said, yes, ma'. Am. I said, is she dead? And he said, yes, ma', am, I'm sorry. And I said, what happened? Was it a car accident? Because that was my dream. He said, no, ma'. Am. She was murdered. And I just started sobbing. I couldn't stop.

[Narrator/Host]

Abilene police detectives David Atkins and Jeff Bell began their investigation here at Jennifer Servo's apartment.

[Jeff Bell (Detective)]

When we first got in, we noticed the obvious signs that an assault had occurred there. Right here, directly next to the bed, is where we feel pretty much the initial incident occurred. There's a large area of blood as well as a trail into the bathroom area where it looks like Jennifer's body was moved.

[David Adkins (Detective)]

Medical examiner tells us that she had strangulation and the blunt force trauma and either or both could have killed her.

[Narrator/Host]

Investigators collected fingerprint, blood and DNA evidence, but their first lead came from what they didn't find. Any sign of a break in.

[Jeff Bell (Detective)]

I personally do feel that she knew who did this to her. I think she had issues with someone and this person obviously had issues with her.

[Friend or Colleague of Jennifer]

I know she was very smart and very safe, and she would not have opened that door to anyone. She did not know.

[Cheri Able (Jennifer's Sister)]

The first person that I thought of was Ralph. I just knew that it has to be him.

[Brian Travers (Co-worker and Romantic Interest)]

Everyone was like, go find Ralph. I remember those three words.

[Interviewer/Reporter]

What did he tell you about where he was during the time Jennifer Cerval was killed?

[Jeff Bell (Detective)]

Ralph told us that he was at his apartment.

[Interviewer/Reporter]

Any witnesses?

[Brian Travers (Co-worker and Romantic Interest)]

No.

[Interviewer/Reporter]

Were you able to verify that he was at his apartment at that time?

[Jeff Bell (Detective)]

No, we couldn't.

[Narrator/Host]

But Sepulveda wasn't the only suspect they were looking at.

[Norman Olson (Jennifer's Father)]

When she changed her last name to Servo. She never spoke to me again after that.

[Narrator/Host]

It was a bitter divorce that first separated Norman Olson and his daughter Jennifer Servo. But it was her murder that ended their relationship forever.

[Norman Olson (Jennifer's Father)]

I can't escape from the fact that my only daughter is a homicide victim and I won't get to be with her again in this world.

[Narrator/Host]

In 2003, Olson launched a website, justiceforjennifer.org hoping it would generate tips that would lead to an arrest.

[Interviewer/Reporter]

Are you worried that someone might get away with murder?

[Norman Olson (Jennifer's Father)]

It's sure something I can't accept.

[Narrator/Host]

It's something the investigators in Abilene won't accept either.

[David Adkins (Detective)]

These are the shorts that Jennifer Servo was wearing.

[Narrator/Host]

When we found her, at first, detectives were confident crime scene clues would lead them to Jennifer Servo's killer. But it turned out much of the evidence was badly contaminated by the only witness to the crime, Jennifer's cat, Mr. Binks.

[Jeff Bell (Detective)]

It took the lab quite a while to actually differentiate between the cat hair, human hair, any kind of fibers.

[Interviewer/Reporter]

Did the evidence collected point to any

[Jeff Bell (Detective)]

specific suspect, physical evidence? No, it did not. You obviously have circumstantial evidence that would lead you to believe it was somebody who she knew.

[Narrator/Host]

With that in mind, investigators focused on the two men who fit that description best, Ralph Sepulveda and Brian Travers being a suspect.

[Brian Travers (Co-worker and Romantic Interest)]

You know, it didn't click in my mind at first. I'm like, oh, they just need to know when I saw her last. You know, it just didn't click.

[Narrator/Host]

In fact, they needed to know a lot more because it turned out Travers wasn't just Jennifer Servo's co worker.

[David Adkins (Detective)]

Brian and Jennifer had a romantic relationship also on the side.

[Brian Travers (Co-worker and Romantic Interest)]

And we hit it off as friends right off the bat. Even though she had a boyfriend at the time living with her. As that kind of waned, we became closer.

[Narrator/Host]

Travers was with Jennifer just hours before the time investigators determined she was murdered.

[David Adkins (Detective)]

Brian said they worked a late shift together, made the decision that they were going to go to Walmart.

[Narrator/Host]

Seen here on this security video, it would be Jennifer's final appearance on camera. Did you drop her off at home?

[Brian Travers (Co-worker and Romantic Interest)]

No, she actually dropped me off at home. I walked her back to her car, gave her a kiss goodnight, then she pulled on out of the parking lot. That was the last I saw.

[Narrator/Host]

Jennifer returned home shortly after midnight. Sometime after that, police believe Jennifer opened her door to a killer.

[Interviewer/Reporter]

Who do you think killed your daughter?

[Cheri Able (Jennifer's Sister)]

Ralph Sepulveda.

[Interviewer/Reporter]

Why do you think he did it?

[Cheri Able (Jennifer's Sister)]

I think he was a jealous, bitter person. If he couldn't have her, nobody could.

[Narrator/Host]

While investigators lacked the evidence to reach the same conclusion, they did discover a stunning reason to move Sepulveda to the top of their list.

[Friend or Colleague of Jennifer]

She did tell me one time that she did not like the way that he treated her when they were together intimately. Meaning that he wanted to strangle her while they were having sex. And she did not like that.

[Interviewer/Reporter]

She told you that?

[Forensic Expert]

Yes.

[Narrator/Host]

Initially, Sepulveda cooperated with investigators, consenting to interviews, searches, and DNA sampling. But that didn't last long.

[Jeff Bell (Detective)]

Would not take a polygraph. Later, on subsequent interviews, he refused to talk to us as the investigation proceeded.

[Interviewer/Reporter]

Why was he never arrested for the murder?

[Jeff Bell (Detective)]

We don't have enough probable cause to go out and make an arrest on this case. I just don't think we're there yet.

[Narrator/Host]

It's been more than six years since the murder of Jennifer Servo. But this case is far from closed.

[Interviewer/Reporter]

Of all the people you looked at as possible suspects, have all of them been cleared today?

[Jeff Bell (Detective)]

No, they haven't.

[Interviewer/Reporter]

The people you had as suspects five years ago remain suspects?

[Jeff Bell (Detective)]

Pretty much.

[Narrator/Host]

Investigators say neither man has any history of criminal activity. In 2005, Brian Travers relocated to Chattanooga, Tennessee. Ralph Sepulveda reenlisted in the army and served a one year tour in Kuwait. Now living in Turkey, Tacoma, Washington. He is currently stationed here as an environmental science officer. He has declined our requests for an interview.

[David Adkins (Detective)]

You know whoever did this is going to tell somebody someday. That's all it's going to take.

[Jeff Bell (Detective)]

We owe it to the city, Jennifer's family and ourselves to find out who did this.

[Narrator/Host]

Jennifer Servo was a young girl with a big dream. A dream shared by everyone who knew her. Now all they can share are the thoughts of what might have been.

[Cheri Able (Jennifer's Sister)]

It's really hard not having my sister.

[Norman Olson (Jennifer's Father)]

When Jennifer died, every bit of magic in the world left with her.

[Brian Travers (Co-worker and Romantic Interest)]

I miss her smile, miss her enthusiasm.

[Friend or Colleague of Jennifer]

She was inspiring. And sometimes you need some inspiration.

[Jennifer's Professor or Friend]

We give a scholarship in her name every year, so we remember her. She won't ever die at the University of Montana.

[Jennifer's Mother]

I was so proud, so beautiful and did such a wonderful job.

[Interviewer/Reporter]

And she was determined to make her dream come true.

[Jennifer's Mother]

She was, and she would have.

[Narrator/Host]

Never giving up. It's a powerful conviction for families of crime victims. In fact, never giving up is what helped solve the case of another young woman whose dreams were also cut short by murder. Her parents did something remarkable. Taking matters into their own hands to put a killer behind bars.

[Prosecutor or Legal Official]

Vermont is a beautiful, tranquil, serene place.

[Investigator/Police Officer]

Stowe is a resort town. It's a place where people often come to vacation and enjoy themselves.

[Narrator/Host]

And that's what attracted 28 year old Patty Scoville, a Cornell graduate who was looking for a more laid back lifestyle. So in October 1991, after working at a corporate job in Boston, Patty moved here to Vermont and applied to become a children's ski instructor.

[Patty Scoville (Victim)]

She loved to have fun.

[Jennifer's Mother]

That's what the cow says.

[Patty Scoville (Victim)]

She was a family oriented person.

[Narrator/Host]

Patty's dad David and her mother Ann couldn't wait to visit their daughter.

[Patty Scoville (Victim)]

She was vivacious, she was outgoing, she was energetic.

[Narrator/Host]

But before they could make that trip, Ann became concerned when Patty's roommate hadn't heard from her in two days.

[Patty Scoville (Victim)]

When I hung up, from that call, I knew there was something very wrong.

[Narrator/Host]

Patty's roommate called police. Last night about 8:30, we received a report of a 28 year old female. I went out for a bike ride and has not been seen since. Just three weeks after moving, Patty had vanished. Detective Bruce Merriam got the call.

[Investigator/Police Officer]

Initially, we're looking for a lost or injured person and the search was far and wide. There was an elderly gentleman that had called in. He said, I think I saw our bike.

[Narrator/Host]

The tip led police to Patty's bike. It was found at Moss Glen Falls, a local scenic hiking trail.

[Interviewer/Reporter]

What did you think when they found the bike?

[Interviewee or Family Member]

Something's wrong.

[Narrator/Host]

A command post was set up and the search was on.

[Investigator/Police Officer]

It was large.

[Interviewer/Reporter]

How many people involved?

[Investigator/Police Officer]

Over 100 for sure.

[Narrator/Host]

The search involved helicopters, divers, dogs and volunteers. The whole community, even her parents were looking for Patty.

[Interviewer/Reporter]

The second thing they found were her gloves.

[Patty Scoville (Victim)]

Yes.

[Interviewee or Family Member]

Yes.

[Interviewer/Reporter]

They're on some rocks.

[Interviewee or Family Member]

Yes.

[Interviewer/Reporter]

What are you thinking at this point?

[Interviewee or Family Member]

Something's definitely wrong.

[Narrator/Host]

More than a week would pass without finding any more clues and police were about to call off the search.

[Investigator/Police Officer]

Have you come up with King? And eight days after Patty was last seen, a searcher found Patty's water bottle.

[Interviewer/Reporter]

How soon after you found the water bottle did you find her body?

[Investigator/Police Officer]

Minutes later.

[Narrator/Host]

Patty's body was covered with leaves, dead wood and branches.

[Investigator/Police Officer]

The killer took the time to conceal the crime that he committed and did so in such a way that we were fortunate to even recover her body that season.

[Patty Scoville (Victim)]

What happens is you go through all these scenarios about what her last moments were like. She was our firstborn. She was everything. She was everything.

[Investigator/Police Officer]

The investigation clearly showed that Patti Scoville was raped and killed and the killer left behind his DNA.

[Narrator/Host]

With the DNA evidence, police and her parents were confident Patty's killer would be easy to find.

[Patty Scoville (Victim)]

I expected an arrest, you know, next week. If it wasn't next week, it was going to be next month.

[Narrator/Host]

But incredibly, it would take the efforts of the police, the FBI, the governor of Vermont and Patty's own parents to bring the killer to justice.

[Lloyd Lockridge (Podcast Host)]

Hi, my name is Lloyd Lockridge and I'm the host of a new podcast from Odyssey called Family Lore. In this podcast, I'm going to have people on to tell unusual and sometimes far fetched stories about their families.

[Narrator/Host]

I've heard my whole life that she indented the margarita.

[Lloyd Lockridge (Podcast Host)]

And then we're going to investigate those stories and find out how much of it is true.

[Narrator/Host]

He gets a patent one month before the Wright Brothers. Oh my God.

[Lloyd Lockridge (Podcast Host)]

Please follow and listen to Family Lore An Odyssey podcast, available now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your shows.

[Howard Dean (Governor)]

I had actually been up to Moss Glen Falls a bunch of times. That's the place I used to like to hike and stow. So when I read it, I was really shocked.

[Narrator/Host]

In a small state like Vermont, the murder of Patty Scoville touched everyone, even former presidential candidate, then governor Howard Dean.

[Howard Dean (Governor)]

It was a real shock to the community. When somebody gets murdered, you feel like it's your neighbor.

[Narrator/Host]

And the job of solving that murder fell largely to a young detective, Bruce Merriam, then 28.

[Investigator/Police Officer]

And I have to tell you, I was the youngest guy on that team. So I caught a lot of flack from some of these senior state police detectives.

[Narrator/Host]

One of those was this man, his dad a state trooper, also working the case.

[Investigator/Police Officer]

He did a lot of legwork from a lead investigator standpoint. Not that he took orders well, but he was great and he worked the case hard.

[Narrator/Host]

A 15 man squad was assigned to the investigation. They looked closely at Patty's whereabouts the day she disappeared.

[Investigator/Police Officer]

We collected all the material tracing her, her movements during the time period that she was in Stowe, including phone records and banking records and calendar information.

[Interviewer/Reporter]

And these are bank photos we see here.

[Investigator/Police Officer]

These are photos with Patty.

[Narrator/Host]

These are the last pictures of Patty alive making a bank deposit before she rode her bike to Moss Glen Falls.

[Investigator/Police Officer]

The falls themselves are deafening. At that location, you can't hear anything but the waterfalls.

[Interviewer/Reporter]

So if she were to scream, no one would hear?

[Investigator/Police Officer]

No.

[Interviewer/Reporter]

What story did the crime scene tell you?

[Investigator/Police Officer]

It rather quickly told me that we were investigating a sexual homicide. She was struck from behind and she was raped and murdered right there.

[Narrator/Host]

The best physical evidence would be the DNA recovered from the crime scene.

[Dr. Eric Buell (Forensic DNA Lab Head)]

We didn't know who it belonged to, but when a sample eventually came in, we felt good that we could match it to a person.

[Narrator/Host]

Dr. Eric Buell, now head of Vermont's forensic DNA lab, was hoping to match that DNA to one of 20 suspects, men who knew Patty or were at the falls that day.

[Interviewee or Family Member]

They investigated and investigated and investigated and still came up empty.

[Dr. Eric Buell (Forensic DNA Lab Head)]

It was something that we had hoped to be able to solve since we had such great evidence. But in 1991, we didn't have a DNA database.

[Narrator/Host]

Vermont was one of the last states without a DNA database, so they couldn't compare crime scene DNA against known offenders.

[Interviewee or Family Member]

We needed the DNA database in order to find Patty's killer.

[Narrator/Host]

The Scovilles realized that the key to finding justice for Patty was to channel their grief and energy. Lobbying Lawmakers for a DNA database.

[Patty Scoville (Victim)]

Anything that we can do to level the playing field is, you know, what we're after.

[Howard Dean (Governor)]

I was so impressed when I met David and Ann for the first time. They put their heart and soul into getting this passed. They were the face of this.

[Narrator/Host]

Lawmakers wanted to force convicted felons to submit to the DNA testing.

[Howard Dean (Governor)]

I was always looking for ways to make sure that people who were guilty couldn't threaten folks again.

[Narrator/Host]

But even with the support of Governor Howard Dean, getting the legislation passed was a tough sell.

[Howard Dean (Governor)]

People really are very sensitive to their invasion of privacy. And there was some resistance in getting this passed.

[Narrator/Host]

Years began to pass. In the meantime, Patty's family kept her memory alive with memorial bike rides, dedication ceremonies, and offers of rewards.

[Investigator/Police Officer]

It was difficult to talk to them during those anniversaries where we didn't have any new information for them.

[Narrator/Host]

Until finally, after seven long years of lobbying, Patty's parents saw the bill creating Vermont's first DNA database signed into law. They had achieved the impossible.

[Interviewer/Reporter]

Okay, so law was signed by governor Dean.

[Patty Scoville (Victim)]

Yes.

[Interviewer/Reporter]

The DNA database was established.

[Narrator/Host]

Okay, what happened next? Did you get your killer? No, no, no, no. The DNA from Patty's killer was run against the first group of samples, but there was no match. Dr. Buhl, who had worked side by side with the Scovilles, felt their anguish.

[Dr. Eric Buell (Forensic DNA Lab Head)]

I'm a parent, but, you know, it's one of those things where you can't, you know, as a forensic scientist, you have to divorce yourself of these cases.

[Narrator/Host]

So the unidentified DNA from the Scoville case was now part of the new database.

[Interviewee or Family Member]

My worst fear all the way through was that either I would die or the person who committed the crime would die before he was discovered.

[Patty Scoville (Victim)]

There's this fear that people will forget, you know, that she'll be forgotten.

[Narrator/Host]

Progress was slow. There was a massive backlog of cases and little money for testing.

[Dr. Eric Buell (Forensic DNA Lab Head)]

DNA analysis is not a cheap affair. It takes money. These things took time, and we didn't have the funding.

[Narrator/Host]

But suddenly, in 2005, seven years after the database was established and 14 years after Patty was murdered, there finally was a match.

[Dr. Eric Buell (Forensic DNA Lab Head)]

I was flabbergasted. It was just remarkable that we were saying that this is the way to solve this case, and it happened.

[Patty Scoville (Victim)]

Is this really it this time? You know, it can't go wrong. It's a hit.

[Narrator/Host]

After testing 80 people and following up on 1,000 leads, investigators had a name. Howard Godfrey, a 59 year old window installer who had served time for assault.

[Prosecutor or Legal Official]

I'm feeling like we've waited a long time for this, and we're not gonna mess this up.

[Narrator/Host]

Cindy McGuire is Vermont assistant State's Attorney.

[Prosecutor or Legal Official]

We wanted to know everything about him before we sat down to interview him.

[Narrator/Host]

His DNA was taken in 2000 when he was released from prison.

[Interviewer/Reporter]

Why was he in the database?

[Prosecutor or Legal Official]

As a result of the conviction from 1996 for the aggravated assault.

[Narrator/Host]

But before police can make an arrest, the law, which the Scovilles helped pass, required police to reconfirm the source of the DNA. But investigators couldn't risk just walking up and asking for a sample. They needed to find a secret way to get Howard Godfrey's DNA. So they staked out his window business.

[Interviewer/Reporter]

So you knew he was a smoker through your surveillance?

[Investigator/Police Officer]

Yes. We were able to surreptitiously gather his discarded cigarette butts.

[Narrator/Host]

Police bagged and tagged the cigarettes and sent them to the lab for testing. This time, the DNA results came back a lot quicker.

[Prosecutor or Legal Official]

We had a match.

[Narrator/Host]

People talk about a smoking gun, but

[Interviewer/Reporter]

in this case, it turned out to

[Narrator/Host]

be a smoking cigarette.

[Prosecutor or Legal Official]

Yes. Yes, it did.

[Narrator/Host]

After 14 long years of waiting, Miriam had his man. Or did he?

[Investigator/Police Officer]

I've been here 24 years, and this is the only homicide we've ever had. It was scary in that for so many years, we didn't know who we were looking for.

[Narrator/Host]

Now, with the suspected killer, Howard Godfrey, identified, linked to the crime by DNA, Detective Bruce Merriam couldn't wait to confront him.

[Investigator/Police Officer]

I was ready for the interview. I'm not sure where you were.

[Narrator/Host]

Back in 1991, Detective Miriam wore a hidden wire during his first interview with Godfrey, hoping he would say something incriminating.

[Prosecutor or Legal Official]

Did you ever date?

[Investigator/Police Officer]

He said he never knew her, never dated her, never had sex with her.

[Interviewer/Reporter]

So when he says, I never had sex with her, what does that tell you?

[Prosecutor or Legal Official]

He's lying.

[Interviewer/Reporter]

What were you thinking?

[Investigator/Police Officer]

I knew we had him. He was our man.

[Narrator/Host]

But when police told him they had his DNA at the crime scene, his story suddenly changed. I had sex with Patricia Scoville.

[Prosecutor or Legal Official]

He told us that actually he had had sex with Patricia Scoville, but that he didn't kill her.

[Interviewer/Reporter]

And did he say this was consensual?

[Prosecutor or Legal Official]

He didn't elaborate, but it was certainly a different story than he had told us a couple hours earlier.

[Narrator/Host]

Godfrey is arraigned and charged with killing Patti Scoville. He pleads not guilty. Thank you. Please be seated. January 2008. 17 years after Patty's death, Godfrey is on trial for her murder.

[Prosecutor or Legal Official]

I want you to ask yourself where Howard Godfrey could have possibly had consensual sex with Patricia Scoville. Because there's no evidence of that, his

[Narrator/Host]

defense attorney has a lot to overcome. Mainly Godfrey's DNA found on Patty's body and clothing.

[Prosecutor or Legal Official]

DNA is really hard to refute. Juries accept it. We see it every day on TV.

[Forensic Expert]

The DNA between K14, which was the known sample from Howard Godfrey, matched the DNA from Q40 at all 13 DNA locations.

[Narrator/Host]

But defense attorney Carrie dewolf then dropped a bombshell. There is other DNA on Patty's body. Unidentified hairs found in her mouth, which FBI tests showed didn't belong to Godfrey.

[Cheri Able (Jennifer's Sister)]

I did exclude him as being the

[Forensic Expert]

source of all of those hairs that we discussed.

[Narrator/Host]

So could investigators and prosecutors be wrong? Could it be that Godfrey didn't commit the crime and the hair belonged to the real killer?

[Prosecutor or Legal Official]

The link between the deposit of that seminal fluid is. And her time of death was so close that it was really preposterous to accept that some other person other than the donor killed her.

[Narrator/Host]

And there was something else that convinced the prosecutor she had the right man. That assault in 1996, which Godfrey had served time for.

[Forensic Expert]

He hit me in the head with a mallet, and I felt like I was going to pass out, but I didn't.

[Narrator/Host]

The attack on Karen. Karen was eerily similar to Patty's murder.

[Forensic Expert]

She got hit on the head. He had raped her, and I was hit on the head, and I fought my way out of it. If I hadn't, he would have killed me.

[Narrator/Host]

Karen, a district sales manager for Burlington free press, was lured by Godfrey to his cabin to talk business.

[Forensic Expert]

When I came up around, he had a shotgun in my stomach. I pleaded with him. I said, I just got married. I want to have a family. And so I took the barrel, pulled it away from me with both hands, and we started a struggle. And I asked him to please let me go. And he said, no, he couldn't do that. And he said he had done something in the past, and I didn't know what it was. I didn't care what it was. At that point, I was thinking of my life and my family.

[Narrator/Host]

Karen managed to escape. She went for help and called. She remembers saying, you know, you got

[Forensic Expert]

the missing girl in stow. Is there a connection?

[Investigator/Police Officer]

At the time of that assault, I was aware of the incident. And in fact, Howard Godfrey made our top 10 list, if you will, in October of that year. We were prioritizing our leads based on information with Patty, and we had no connection between Patty and Howard Godfrey.

[Interviewer/Reporter]

What makes Howard Godfrey so dangerous?

[Prosecutor or Legal Official]

He's A predator.

[Narrator/Host]

But the jury never got to hear about Karen's attack because the judge ruled it was prejudicial. Now they have to decide if Patty had consensual sex with Godfrey and was killed by someone else.

[Interviewee or Family Member]

Does the jury reach the verdict?

[Jeff Bell (Detective)]

Yes, you, Honor.

[Narrator/Host]

In a scant two hours, Howard Godfrey is found guilty.

[Interviewer/Reporter]

How are you feeling?

[Prosecutor or Legal Official]

Relieved. Relieved. Relieved for the family and relieved for the public because he's a very dangerous man.

[Narrator/Host]

Governor Dean, now chairman of the Democratic National Committee, followed the case all these years and was thrilled with the verdict.

[Howard Dean (Governor)]

So having the database was critical. We never would have found Howard Godfrey if it hadn't been for the database.

[Narrator/Host]

For Patty's parents, it's a battle they wish they never had to fight.

[Interviewee or Family Member]

He took Patty's future. He took our future.

[Narrator/Host]

But one they're glad they did.

[Patty Scoville (Victim)]

For all victims of crime, it was almost a silent. Okay, Patty, you know, there you go. We did it.

[Interviewer/Reporter]

How has this investigation and trial affected you?

[Investigator/Police Officer]

Investigation has affected me. You know, the length of time, right out of high school, I joined the Marines. And that gave me certain tools in that you never give up the fight, So you never give up the fight until the fight's done.

[Narrator/Host]

In 2013, Howard Godfrey died while serving his life sentence.

[Narrator/Host for Blood is Thicker Series]

When beloved family patriarch Gary Ferris went missing, his family looked everywhere on their property until they came across something horrifying. It's a homicide.

[Jeff Bell (Detective)]

Absolutely.

[Narrator/Host for Blood is Thicker Series]

The blame game in this family went round and round. This is Blood is Thicker, the Ferris wheel.

[Jeff Bell (Detective)]

I would don't see how anyone can look at this story and think they were happy.

[Narrator/Host for Blood is Thicker Series]

Binge the full series. Blood is Thicker, the Ferris Wheel on the Free Odyssey app or wherever you get your podcasts.