48 Hours Podcast: "What the Neighbors Saw"

Air Date: March 23, 2026
Podcast: 48 Hours
Host: CBS News Correspondents

Episode Overview

This episode of "48 Hours" explores the deeply complex investigation into the disappearance and murder of Gary Herbst, a reclusive and disliked man from Minnesota. Spanning nearly a decade, the case was cracked wide open by a series of neighbor observations, genetic genealogy, and emotional confessions. The episode dives into the tension within the Herbst family, the community’s conflicted responses, and the eventual unraveling of a murder mystery with profound questions around justice, abuse, and motive.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Discovery and Initial Investigation

• The Case Breaks Open
  • December 3, 2017: A dog brings home a human skull with a gunshot wound in rural Wisconsin ([02:58]).
  • Det. Jeff Nelson coordinates a search, discovering a clandestine grave and scattered remains ([03:13]-[03:48]).
  • Early uncertainty: murder or suicide?

    "We literally have human bones, human remains with a gunshot wound to the head. And at that point, is this a murder? Is this a suicide?"
    — Prosecutor Sarah Wendorf ([03:48])

2. Victim Identification

• Genetic Genealogy as a Breakthrough
  • Genetic genealogist Robin Espenson uses DNA to identify the remains as Gary Albert Herbst ([04:31]-[05:00]).
  • Gary is tracked to Scott County, MN; last seen in 2013 ([04:55]).
• Neighbors' Suspicion
  • Neighbors remember the night in 2013—scrubbing, garbage bags, a rolled-up carpet ([05:17]-[05:34]).

    "I turned to Chad and I was like, what is going on? And Chad looked at me and he said, 'Kaya, I think they finally killed him.'"
    — Kaya Cramell ([05:34])

3. Family Dynamics and Disappearance

• Gary's Troubled Personality
  • Described as a loner, volatile, and often unpleasant; estranged from family ([06:24]-[06:53]).
• Connie's Unreported Missing Persons Case
  • Sister Linda is shocked Gary's wife Connie didn't initially report his disappearance ([07:12]-[07:28]).
• Suspicion Grows
  • Contradictory statements from Connie and Austin (Gary's son); changing stories about Gary's departure ([09:20]-[12:01]).

    "We're suspicious of their stories right away. So there was a lot of things this didn't match up."
    — Det. Jeff Nelson ([11:20])

4. Investigation Evolves: Evidence and Interrogations

• Polygraphs and Changing Stories
  • Connie passes, Austin fails polygraph; both stories increasingly inconsistent ([16:24]-[17:34]).

    "So the story changed and morphed each time you talked with him."
    — Det. Jeff Nelson ([17:34])

  • Austin pushes the narrative of a mysterious tattooed man—investigators see it as fiction ([17:54]).
• Returning to the Scene
  • Neighbors recount Gary’s history of harassment and psychological manipulation ([18:31]-[20:19]).

    “He was just an evil person.”
    — Neighbor Chad Cramell ([19:12])

• Physical Evidence at the Home
  • Red stains found in the house; former neighbors recall suspicious activity ([21:02]-[23:08]).
  • Cadaver dog (Radar) detects scent of human remains and luminol reveals blood stains ([25:18]-[26:46]).

    “It certainly consistent and corroborates what the neighbors saw. We believed Gary was most likely murdered inside that particular house.”
    — Det. Jeff Nelson ([26:50])

5. Breaking the Case: Confessions and Charges

• Confrontation with Evidence
  • Connie and Austin are confronted with forensic evidence and neighbor statements. Both continue to deny; body language signals defeat ([27:56]-[28:17]).
• Circumstantial Case Goes to Prosecutors
  • Without a confession, but with mounting evidence, charges move forward ([29:47]-[29:58]).
  • November 19, 2020: Connie and Austin are arrested for second-degree murder ([30:11]).

6. Austin Confesses

• Austin’s Full Account
  • During interrogations and on "48 Hours," Austin details the killing: abuse claims, shooting his father to protect his mother, disposal of the body ([32:11]-[33:39]).
  • Detailed description of escalation and the fateful day ([34:33]-[35:58]):

    "I grabbed the gun, I pointed at him, and I pulled the trigger. It broke me. It changed who I am irrevocably."
    — Austin Herbst ([36:12])

  • Relief after the act; no longer living in fear ([36:29]-[36:37]).
• Dismemberment and Coverup
  • Body wrapped in rug, dumped in Wisconsin ([36:50]-[37:22]).

7. Prosecutorial Perspective & Sentencing

• Scrutiny Over Self-Defense Claim
  • Prosecutors Mike Grow and Sarah Wendorf dispute claims of immediate threat or self-defense, citing lack of evidence of abuse ([37:49]-[41:12]).

    "We have never seen any information to suggest that there was any abuse that Gary had committed against Austin or his wife."
    — Prosecutor Sarah Wendorf ([41:22])

• Sentencing
  • Judge finds Austin’s belief in imminent threat credible, sentences him to 12.5 years; eligible for release in 2029 ([44:27]).
  • Connie sentenced to 2 years, 3 months; served 3 months ([45:32]-[45:46]).
• Family and Community Reaction
  • Gary’s sister, Linda, disappointed by sentence leniency ([45:09]-[45:17]).
  • Neighbors express relief or even support for Austin and Connie ([46:09]-[46:26]):

    "I hope he's doing well, and when he gets out, please look us up. I'd like to help him in any way I can."
    — Neighbor Jason Grimm ([46:21])

  • Some neighbors believe the Herbsts are not a danger to society.

8. Reflections and Aftermath

• Austin’s Regret and Search for Meaning
  • Expresses shame, confusion, a desire to leave a different legacy ([47:00]-[47:11]):

    "My only goal in life is to leave something behind that's worth remembering. This isn't it."
    — Austin Herbst ([47:11])

• Lingering Questions
  • Did Connie play a larger role? Was Austin protecting her with his confession? ([42:22]-[43:09])
  • Community divided: justified act or not?

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• [03:13] "It had an obvious gunshot wound to the back of the head." — Det. Jeff Nelson
• [05:34] "Kaya, I think they finally killed him." — Chad Cramell
• [19:12] "He was just an evil person." — Chad Cramell
• [36:12] "It broke me. It changed who I am irrevocably." — Austin Herbst
• [41:22] "We have never seen any information to suggest that there was any abuse that Gary had committed..." — Sarah Wendorf
• [46:21] "I hope he's doing well, and when he gets out, please look us up. I'd like to help him in any way I can." — Jason Grimm
• [47:11] "My only goal in life is to leave something behind that's worth remembering. This isn't it." — Austin Herbst

Timestamps for Important Segments

| Segment | Timestamp | |----------------------------------------------------|------------| | Initial Discovery of Skull and Grave | 02:42–03:48| | Case passed to DNA Doe Project | 04:31 | | Neighbors witness strange night activities | 05:17–05:34| | Family Interviews: Contradiction and Suspicion | 09:20–12:01| | Polygraph Interviews and Fictional Stories | 16:24–17:54| | Neighbors Comment on Gary’s Abusive Behavior | 18:31–20:19| | Cadaver Dog and Luminol Evidence | 25:18–26:46| | Final Confrontation and Arrest | 29:47–30:11| | Austin’s Detailed Confession | 32:11–36:37| | Prosecutors’ Self-Defense Analysis | 37:49–41:12| | Sentencing and Community Response | 44:27–46:26| | Austin’s Reflections on Remorse and Future | 47:00–47:11|

Tone and Closing Thoughts

The tone oscillates between investigative rigor, empathy for people affected by violence, and unease at the gray areas of justice and moral justification. The case prompts difficult questions: How much can claims of abuse—never reported, never corroborated—mitigate a brutal act? The community’s relief at Gary’s absence sits in stark contrast to the horror of the murder itself.

The story, as told in this episode, is a powerful meditation on abuse, desperation, justice, and the unforeseen consequences of violence even in quiet suburban neighborhoods.