S1: E5 – Murder in the Desert, Part 2

Summary

American Homicide: S1E5 – Murder in the Desert, Part 2

Introduction

In the fifth episode of the first season, titled "Murder in the Desert, Part 2," American Homicide delves deeper into the chilling triple murder case that shook the serene community of Las Cruces, New Mexico. Hosted by journalist Sloan Glass, this episode meticulously unpacks the investigation, the relentless pursuit of justice, and the profound impact the case had on both the victims' families and the local law enforcement. Through interviews with key figures such as prosecutor Amy Orlando and detectives like Robin Gokovich, listeners are guided through the intricate web of deceit, fear, and determination that characterized this high-stakes investigation.

The Triple Murder Case

The foundation of this episode rests on the harrowing events of 2010, when the lives of Jill DeLisle, her wife Helga DeLisle, and business partner Peter Wythe were abruptly ended in a violent triple homicide. Sloan Glass sets the stage by highlighting the significance of this case within Las Cruces, an otherwise safe and tight-knit community.

Sloan Glass [03:36]: "That safe feeling was shattered in 2010 following the triple murder of Jill and Helga DeLisle and Peter Wythe."

Prosecutor Amy Orlando provides insight into the community's reaction, emphasizing the unprecedented nature of such a tragedy in Las Cruces.

Amy Orlando [03:43]: "This was the biggest homicide that we had had since the 80s. And trust me, as the prosecutor, leading kind of the legal part of it and working with law enforcement, we all felt that stress because we did not want to be, you know, the group that went down to not solve a triple homicide, which was our biggest case of that nature in Las Cruces."

Investigating the Suspect: Gino Ferry

As the investigation unfolds, suspicion initially falls on Gene O'Farre (referred to as Gino Ferry), a contractor with business ties to the victims. The breakdown of their professional relationship, marked by financial disputes and eventual bankruptcy, sets a plausible motive.

Sloan Glass [04:15]: "Amy Orlando: We narrowed in on kind of one suspect, and his name was Gene O'Farre."

Gino Ferry's behavior raises red flags among the detectives. His arrogance and perceived ability to outsmart law enforcement lead them to employ more sophisticated surveillance tactics.

Detective Robin Gokovich [06:05]: "He was a type of individual that thought he was smarter than everybody and he could get away with anything that he did."

Ricky Huckabee: The Reluctant Witness

A turning point in the investigation comes with Ricky Huckabee, a convicted felon who had worked odd jobs with Ferry, including driving him to the victims' home on the day of the murders. Initially fearful of Ferry's wrath, Huckabee is persuaded to cooperate with authorities in exchange for protection.

Sloan Glass [05:28]: "Amy Orlando: So Ms. Tuckerby, I think, was getting a little frustrated with Gino because he'd always talk in circles."

Huckabee's eventual cooperation provides crucial evidence. During a conversation, Ferry's nonchalant admission inadvertently solidifies his guilt.

Sloan Glass [05:42]: "Amy Orlando: There's one point in the investigation where he said to Gino, 'Would you really do it again? Would you do anything different?' And Gino said to him, 'Yes, I would do it again.'"

Despite this seemingly damning statement, the district attorney remains cautious, insisting on further evidence to build a watertight case.

The Hunt Intensifies

As months pass, the pressure mounts on law enforcement to apprehend Ferry. His increasing paranoia leads him to surveil investigators, prompting them to adopt more aggressive strategies, including placing GPS trackers on his vehicles.

Robin Gokovich [07:09]: "He had the mentality of, like, he was like the godfather, you know?"

The discovery of over a hundred guns and a bizarre collection of stuffed exotic animals in Ferry's storage units adds layers to his criminal profile, though initially, these items do not directly link him to the murders.

Sloan Glass [08:58]: "Robin Gokovich: We found over 500 animals, like exotic animals, like lions, tigers, full size animals, bears, deer, elk, rhinos."

These revelations not only highlight Ferry's potential for violence but also suggest a deeper, more disturbed psyche.

The Arrest and Flight

On April 8, 2012, just days shy of a year after the murders, law enforcement finally secures a warrant for Ferry's arrest. However, the story takes a dramatic turn when GPS data reveals Ferry's attempted escape to Mexico.

Sloan Glass [10:34]: "Detective Alex Cross: We thought that somehow he had found out that we were about to charge him and we think he's fleeing."

The urgency escalates as authorities mobilize an extensive pursuit, leading to Ferry's capture in El Paso, Texas, without incident.

Robin Gokovich [12:27]: "We get to El Paso, we're in communication with El Paso Police Department. He's here at this location. He's at this intersection."

Trial and Heightened Security

The trial of Gino Ferry in May 2013 is depicted as a high-security affair, fraught with tension and fear. Ferry's erratic behavior and explicit threats necessitate an unprecedented level of protection within the courthouse.

Amy Orlando [20:10]: "We had snipers on the roof every day, and lunch break, any break, they combed the courthouse with the dogs."

Ferry's antagonistic demeanor and continuous threats to harm witnesses like Ricky Huckabee underscore the genuine danger faced by those seeking justice.

Robin Gokovich [20:32]: "He's a scary guy and we don't want that kind of person in our community."

Key Testimonies and Defense Tactics

Ricky Huckabee takes the stand as the prosecution's pivotal witness. His testimony recounts Ferry's confession and the gruesome details of the murders, painting a clear picture of Ferry's culpability.

Ricky Huckabee [22:36]: "He used a key to get inside the DeLisle's house and wore a mask and rubber gloves. When Jill DeLisle first arrived, Gino shot him repeatedly. A short time later, Peter Wythe unexpectedly showed up. Gino grabbed him by the back of the head and then forced him into a bathroom shower where he shot him. When Helga arrived, Gino shot her once in the back of the neck."

Ferry's defense attorney, Gary Mitchell, aggressively challenges Huckabee's credibility, suggesting alternative motives and questioning the validity of the confession.

Gary Mitchell [23:36]: "I think this idea that Rick Huckabee says that Gino confessed to him is a bunch of nonsense."

The defense presents an alibi for Ferry, supported by a receipt and testimony from a friend, attempting to create reasonable doubt.

Gary Mitchell [24:17]: "We had an alibi depending on the time you're talking about. He was either eating a meal or he was visiting with a friend that he had here."

However, the prosecution adeptly undermines this defense by revealing discrepancies, such as the incorrect timestamp on Ferry's receipt due to daylight savings time adjustments, which places him at the deli during the time of the murders.

Sloan Glass [25:01]: "...the clocks on his cash register were wrong. They were an hour behind because they hadn't been adjusted for daylight savings time."

Jury Deliberation and Verdict

After an intense trial marked by heightened security measures and the ever-present fear of retaliation, the jury deliberates for a notably short period of two and a half hours before delivering a verdict.

Sloan Glass [31:30]: "Amy Orlando: When they came back quickly. It's always an uneasy feeling. It's obviously either a good sign or bad sign."

The swift deliberation suggests a consensus on Ferry's guilt, culminating in his conviction on three counts of first-degree murder.

Sloan Glass [32:00]: "Jury found Gino Ferry guilty."

Ferry is subsequently sentenced to three life terms without the possibility of parole for 90 years, effectively ensuring he remains incarcerated for the rest of his life.

Sloan Glass [32:40]: "The judge sentenced Gino Ferry to three life sentences. He was 50 years old at the time of his sentencing and won't be eligible for parole for 90 years."

Aftermath and Reflections

The resolution of the case brings a semblance of closure to the victims' families and the Las Cruces community. However, the emotional toll on law enforcement, particularly Sergeant Joe Renaud, underscores the personal sacrifices made in pursuit of justice.

Detective Alex Cross [33:17]: "I was blown away."

Ferry's continued defiance, including a civil lawsuit against the New Mexico Department of Corrections, illustrates his unrepentant nature even behind bars.

Sloan Glass [36:16]: "But Gino Ferry would never be done. In 2018, Gino filed a civil lawsuit against the New Mexico Department of Corrections."

For the community, Las Cruces gradually returns to its peaceful state, though the scars of the triple murder and the intense investigation remain.

Concluding Thoughts

"Murder in the Desert, Part 2" masterfully captures the relentless pursuit of justice in the face of intimidation and danger. Through detailed narratives and firsthand accounts, Sloan Glass and his interviewees paint a vivid picture of the complexities involved in solving one of Las Cruces' most notorious crimes. The episode not only highlights the procedural aspects of the investigation but also delves into the psychological and emotional dimensions experienced by those involved. As the community heals and law enforcement reflects on the lessons learned, the episode stands as a testament to the resilience and dedication required to confront and overcome such tragic events.

Notable Quotes

• Amy Orlando [03:43]: "This was the biggest homicide that we had had since the 80s."
• Robin Gokovich [06:05]: "He was a type of individual that thought he was smarter than everybody and he could get away with anything that he did."
• Ricky Huckabee [15:56]: "Gino had arrived back at the park where they had planned to meet, Gino had gone into the portable outdoor bathroom latrine and he walked in with a duffel bag and he walked out without the bag."
• Detective Alex Cross [15:24]: "The crime lab calls us and they did in fact confirm that all three were killed with a 9 millimeter handgun, which was an Uzi type weapon, which leaves very distinctive marks."
• Gary Mitchell [22:36]: "I think this idea that Rick Huckabee says that Gino confessed to him is a bunch of nonsense."
• Amy Orlando [28:25]: "The worst part for a prosecutor is when the jury leaves the courtroom to deliberate because there's absolutely nothing else we can do."
• Detective Alex Cross [33:17]: "I was blown away."

Conclusion

This episode of American Homicide not only recounts a compelling criminal case but also humanizes the individuals striving to uphold justice against formidable odds. Through in-depth storytelling and poignant interviews, listeners gain a comprehensive understanding of the multifaceted challenges inherent in solving complex murder cases. "Murder in the Desert, Part 2" serves as a powerful narrative of resilience, dedication, and the unyielding pursuit of truth in the face of darkness.

Transcript

[Sloan Glass]

Now streaming on Prime Video.

[Detective Alex Cross]

You can call me Detective Alex Cross.

[Sloan Glass]

Based on characters created by James Patterson. We have to catch this serial killer. I don't kill for fun. And created by Ben Watkins.

[Detective Alex Cross]

This killer thinks he's the smartest guy in the room.

[Sloan Glass]

Aldous Hodge is DC's funniest Alex Cross. If we don't find him soon, we may never have another chance.

[Amy Orlando]

Clock's ticking.

[Sloan Glass]

You think you can stop him? I know I can. Because I know him better than he knows himself. Cross A new original series only on Prime Video. Watch now. What's good. It's Colleen Witt. And Eating While Broke is back for season three. Brought to you by the Black Effect podcast network and iHeartRadio. We're serving up some real stories and life lessons from people like Van Lathan, D.C. young, fly phone Thugs and Harmony, and many more. They're sharing the dishes that got them through their struggles and the wisdom they gained along the way. We're cooking up something special, so tune in every Thursday. Listen to Eating While Broke on the Black Effect Podcast Network, iHeartRadio app, Apple.

[Amy Orlando]

Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Sloan Glass]

Presented by State Farm. Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there. Hey, listeners. Have a gamer on your holiday gift list, but you're still not sure what to get them. Head to Lenovo to shop unexpectedly great deals on tech this season. Gift your number one player with a brand new PC. Help them go beyond performance in game without Compromise with Intel Core i9 processors. Gaming happens with Intel. Shop now [e-mail] the pressure was on Las Cruces police to solve what was called the worst killing in 20 years.

[Amy Orlando]

We never had a case where three people had been killed all in one home and all at one time.

[Sloan Glass]

For prosecutor Amy Orlando, the unsolved case shattered this safe and affluent community.

[Amy Orlando]

People were concerned and they were fearful. That was something very unusual for our community.

[Sloan Glass]

But the suspect would turn the police's investigation inside out. These guys think they're gods with power. Well, I'm not a God, but I have powers of a God. And I'm going to show them what the powers are. Today we're back in the remote hills of Las Cruces, New Mexico, for the conclusion of Murder in the Desert. I'm Sloan Glass, and this is American Homicide. The views and opinions expressed are solely those of the individuals participating. This podcast also contains subject matter which may not be suitable for all audiences. Discretion is advised.

[Amy Orlando]

New Mexico is an odd state because if you go up to northern New Mexico, you're Gonna just see a lot more museums and a lot of art. And then you get down south, and we're still kind of slow moving here.

[Sloan Glass]

Las cruces is where Amy Orlando started her 19 year career as a prosecutor.

[Amy Orlando]

We don't honk at people a lot when they're going the wrong way or going too slow. I like to think we're a little bit more friendly. We have a lot of ranchers and farmers here, and then we have, I think five or six starbucks. And so I think that tells you kind of the size of what we are.

[Sloan Glass]

Actually, Las cruces is a city of 100,000. But those who live there say it feels like a small town.

[Amy Orlando]

I like that it feels safe and that we lock our doors, but you could still walk around at night. You don't feel like you just have to rush to your car when you're leaving the mall. We have our crime, but we have great law enforcement, and it just feels like it's still safe.

[Sloan Glass]

That safe feeling was shattered in 2010 following the triple murder of Jill and helga delisle and peter wife.

[Amy Orlando]

This was the biggest homicide that we had had since the 80s. And trust me, as the prosecutor, leading kind of the legal part of it and working with law enforcement, we all felt that stress because we did not want to be, you know, the group that went down to not solve a triple homicide, which was our biggest case of that nature in las cruces.

[Sloan Glass]

As the months passed, it appeared from the outside that the investigation had stalled. But the reality was very different.

[Amy Orlando]

We narrowed in on kind of one suspect, and his name was Gene o'farre.

[Sloan Glass]

Gene o'ferry was a contractor who did some business with the victims. But the deal went south after Gino's tab climbed above $1 million. Jeal sued him, but gino filed for bankruptcy. A lengthy court battle ensued. The day before the conclusion of that trial, Jill, his wife helga, and his business partner, Peter wythe, were murdered.

[Amy Orlando]

Gino claimed he had an alibi and had nothing to do with it. And so we knew we had to prove it.

[Sloan Glass]

By the spring of 2011, nearly a year after the murders, a witness named Ricky huckabee began cooperating with investigators. Rickey was a convicted Felon who served 10 years in prison and later did some odd jobs with Gino, including driving geno to the delisles house. On the day of the murders, he.

[Amy Orlando]

Tells us the events that happened up to the killing of the victims.

[Sloan Glass]

There was no question Ricky was afraid of gino. So the police offered to Protect him. In return, Ricky would record his conversations with Gino. But getting Gino to talk freely about murdering three people wasn't easy.

[Amy Orlando]

So Ms. Tuckerby, I think, was getting a little frustrated with Gino because he'd always talk in circles. He knew what to say without saying anything. We tell him, you've just got to try and get him to talk about it, but you can't put words in his mouth. But you got to get him to talk about it.

[Sloan Glass]

One afternoon, Ricky found a way.

[Amy Orlando]

There's one point in the investigation where he said to Gino, well, would you really do it again? Would you do anything different? And Gino said to him, yes, I would do it again.

[Sloan Glass]

As open and shut of a confession as that seems, it still wasn't enough for the DA. They were still building their case. That became a familiar refrain to detective Robin Gokovich.

[Robin Gokovich]

We were frustrated. It was already almost a year, and we're still gathering evidence. We want to put this guy away. We know for a fact that he killed these people, but yet he's still walking the streets, our streets in our community, where our families live. And he's dangerous. And to the point where we as detectives have to take different routes home because he knows where we live.

[Sloan Glass]

Investigators started looking over their shoulders because Gino seemed to be watching them.

[Robin Gokovich]

He was a type of individual that thought he was smarter than everybody and he could get away with anything that he did. And we needed to keep an eye on him to prevent other crimes from happening and to prevent him from leaving town. Mexico's right there, and he had the money to leave.

[Sloan Glass]

At one point, detectives placed what's called a bird dog or a gps tracker on Gino's vehicle. That same day, something unsettling happened.

[Robin Gokovich]

We went back to the sheriff's department, did a briefing. Then Geno ferry was parked across the street and just sitting there. And it was almost like he was conducting his own surveillance on us. And he had the mentality of, like, he was like the godfather, you know?

[Sloan Glass]

I know this sounds more and more like a movie plot, but it wasn't. These were real cops in New Mexico trying to put this guy away, all while looking over their shoulders and worrying about their loved one's safety. But if they arrested Gino now without a formal charge, there would be nothing keeping him in police custody.

[Robin Gokovich]

And from that point, we almost took a different path on getting geno ferry.

[Sloan Glass]

Authorities went after Gino the same way law enforcement took down old school gangsters like al Capone.

[Robin Gokovich]

Okay, if we can't get him on the homicide right now. Let's get him on a white collar crime.

[Sloan Glass]

Detectives knew that Gino had gone through bankruptcy proceedings. And in digging deeper, he had just gotten divorced. Police took that information and connected it to a tip that Ricky Huckabee provided. He said that Gino had a bunch of storage units where he hid property and assets from the courts, which is against the law.

[Robin Gokovich]

He had cars. At one point. He had preschool stuff like chairs and desks and stuff.

[Sloan Glass]

But more than just preschool furniture turned up.

[Robin Gokovich]

We found over 100 guns in multiple large safes that belonged to Gino.

[Sloan Glass]

The detectives must have been thrilled this was the breakthrough they were looking for. But none of the guns matched up with the bullets found at the crime scene. But then something odd happened. When detectives opened the door to another of the storage units, they were speechless.

[Robin Gokovich]

We found over 500 animals, like exotic animals, like lions, tigers, full size animals, bears, deer, elk, rhinos.

[Sloan Glass]

Just to be clear, these animals weren't alive. They were stuffed and mounted. Not to mention some of them were endangered species.

[Robin Gokovich]

He claimed he was going to use the animals for a museum here in Las Cruces. In my career, I've never seen anything like it.

[Sloan Glass]

These hundreds of stuffed life size animals that Gino had hidden were valued at, and get this, $1.25 million. And hiding those assets from the courts is a crime known as possession of encumbered property.

[Robin Gokovich]

We can get this guy, we can get him off the streets. So using the white collar crime to get him off the streets was the way we needed to go so we could actually take our time on the homicide and get everything that we needed to make sure it was a solid case so he would not get out.

[Sloan Glass]

On April 8, 2012, police went to the DA to state their case. They had Genos tape, confession to Ricky Huckabee. They also had him on encumbered property. Plus, there was the growing fear that Gino was stalking them and could retaliate.

[Robin Gokovich]

He's a scary guy and we don't want that kind of person in our community.

[Sloan Glass]

This time, the district attorney had a change of heart.

[Robin Gokovich]

He gave me the green light. You have enough to make an arrest on this guy?

[Sloan Glass]

Just a couple days shy of the one year mark of the murders, detectives finally got a warrant for Gino Ferry's arrest.

[Robin Gokovich]

I was super excited, super nervous, super anxious. And then I get a phone call saying we're tracking him, he's leaving town.

[Sloan Glass]

The GPS tracker on Gino's vehicle showed Gino heading south for the border.

[Detective Alex Cross]

We thought that somehow he had found out that we were about to charge him and we think he's fleeing.

[Sloan Glass]

Sergeant Joe Renaud knew Gino had a second home in Mexico, and so we.

[Detective Alex Cross]

Did not want him to hide down there because he had the funds. We believed he had money stashed and other items possibly that he could turn over for money.

[Sloan Glass]

Aside from a lengthy extradition process, the authorities had other fears.

[Detective Alex Cross]

He had tons of guns, long range rifles and stuff like that.

[Sloan Glass]

And the race to catch Geno Ferry was on.

[Robin Gokovich]

That day was very intense.

[Sloan Glass]

I10 is the highway from Las Cruces that leads to Mexico. That afternoon, it quickly filled with squad cars heading south.

[Robin Gokovich]

We have other units, other detectives going. Everybody is just anxious about getting this guy.

[Sloan Glass]

Authorities believe they could catch Gino just north of the border in El Paso, which is about 45 miles away.

[Robin Gokovich]

We tracked him through GPS on a laptop.

[Sloan Glass]

The bird dog they placed on Gino's vehicle allowed them to follow his every move.

[Robin Gokovich]

It's about a 45 minute drive, depending on traffic and doing over 100 miles an hour. It took us about 20 minutes.

[Sloan Glass]

Finally, the string of cop cars caught up with Gino's vehicle in El Paso. That's where they were joined by El Paso police and the SWAT team.

[Robin Gokovich]

We get to El Paso, we're in communication with El Paso Police Department. He's here at this location. He's at this intersection.

[Sloan Glass]

Investigators watched as Gino pulled into a parking lot in a secluded area.

[Robin Gokovich]

And we call them and like, move now, move now. And so El Paso pd, we all move in on him as he's getting out of the vehicle and we're able to get him right through the vehicle.

[Sloan Glass]

Police arrested Gino Ferri without incident and charged him with concealing encumbered property.

[Robin Gokovich]

They take him to El Paso Sheriff's Department and we go up there to see if he will give us a statement. And of course, he said he didn't want to talk to us.

[Sloan Glass]

Even with Gino in custody, the police had work to do.

[Robin Gokovich]

It's not over. We still needed the murder weapon. And once we put him in jail, Ricky Huckabee was just like, okay, let's talk.

[Sloan Glass]

Did Ricky Huckabee, the man who told police he drove Geno Ferry to the Delisles home the day they were murdered? No more than he was letting on. And if he did, what was he holding back? Detectives were about to find out. Holiday magic is in the air and DSW's got all the shoes to make your season extra merry Believe you've got parties to attend and lists to check twice. So DSW is taking care of the details like gifts to make their eyes all aglow styles that bring joy to your world Brands everyone wants like Ugg, Nike, Birkenstock and more and deals to make your budget bright. Find the perfect shoes for you and yours at a DSW store near you or dsw.com hey listeners, have a gamer on your holiday gift list but you're still not sure what to get them. Head to Lenovo to shop unexpectedly great deals on tech this season. Gift your number one player with a brand new PC. Help them go beyond performance in game without compromise with Intel Core i9 processors. Gaming happen happens with intel shop now [e-mail] hi, I'm Cindy Crawford and I'm the founder of meaningful beauty. When Dr. Sabah and I decided to do a skincare line together, he said to me, we are going to give women meaningful beauty. And I said, that's exactly right. We want to give women meaningful beauty. Which means each and every product is meaningful. It has a a reason to exist. It's efficacious, you're going to get results and then you just go out and live your life. Meaningful beauty confidence is beautiful. Learn [e-mail] Police charged Gino Ferry with concealing encumbered property and they believed he was also responsible for the murders of Jill and Helga De Lisle and Peter Wythe. For Sergeant Renaud and his team to charge Gino for those crimes, they needed to find the murder weapon.

[Detective Alex Cross]

The crime lab calls us and they did in fact confirm that all three were killed with a 9 millimeter handgun, which was an Uzi type weapon, which leaves very distinctive marks. We eventually discovered that Gino owned a weapon like this.

[Sloan Glass]

That information came courtesy of their informant, Ricky Huckabee. With Gino now behind bars, Ricky seemed more at ease and revealed some additional information about what happened after the murders. When Gino went to a public bathroom at a park to change his clothes.

[Detective Alex Cross]

Ricky remembered that when Gino had arrived back at the park where they had planned to meet, Gino had gone into the portable outdoor bathroom latrine and he walked in with a duffel bag and he walked out without the bag. And as soon as he got back in the car, he looked at Ricky and said, man, I think I just up. And as time went on and as we started to work together, he started to realize, you know, I think maybe the gun's in there.

[Sloan Glass]

So if Gino did dispose of his murder weapon in that park outhouse, the Chances of finding a gun in an outhouse toilet a year later, we're slim to none. But for Sergeant Renaud, it was worth a look.

[Detective Alex Cross]

And I said, shine a light down that dang toilet, please, and tell me what you see. He calls me back. He says, yeah, I see a lot of crap. And I said, well, what else do you see? He says, I see a gun. It looks like an Uzi. It's literally half a mile from our department. I hauled Bud over there, and I looked in the toilet. Sure enough, there it was, just laying there, Straight down on the bottom of.

[Sloan Glass]

The outhouse toilet sat the murder weapon.

[Detective Alex Cross]

This gun's been sitting in this toilet for a year. It was rusty. It was. It had stuff all over it.

[Sloan Glass]

So who was going to fish the gun out of that toilet?

[Detective Alex Cross]

I got the honors of dropping a magnet down and getting it, because nobody wanted to go in there. And the magnet was able to pick it up. And we pulled it up, and it was the most disgusting piece of evidence I have ever recovered in my career. And we put it in a box. I had to let it air dry. And from there, it went to the crime lab. I thought, there is no way this gun is going to fire again. The lab did what they do, and they called us two weeks later and said, it's a match. That was just incredible.

[Sloan Glass]

Twelve days after being arrested in El Paso, and just a year after the triple homicide, authorities were finally able to charge Gino Ferry with three counts of first degree murder.

[Detective Alex Cross]

We held a news conference, and they wanted, you know, all the investigators up there behind me, they asked me, were you afraid of genome? And I said, yeah, we all were.

[Sloan Glass]

You rarely hear cops get emotional. But talking about the threat that, you know, was to the public and to law enforcement struck a nerve for Sergeant Renaud.

[Detective Alex Cross]

We knew what he was capable of, and we knew that you could get within a hundred yards of every entrance at our sheriff's department. And he had guns, and we believed he still had guns that were capable of hitting their mark. And he was very familiar with all types of weapons, and it was just something that was within his mentality to pull off.

[Sloan Glass]

That afternoon, Sergeant Renaud proudly stood with his team of investigators to announce Gino's arrest.

[Detective Alex Cross]

Mr. Fedee was the initial person of interest, based on the information that we initially got that he was a defendant in civil litigation filed by Gilles Delisle against him. And then when the Delisles did not show up for the final court hearing on that, the day their bodies were discovered, that was the first Place we went.

[Sloan Glass]

Prosecutor Amy orlando also spoke at that press conference and shared what Gino told Ricky huckabee right after the murders.

[Amy Orlando]

The defendant made the remark that what he did at the delisles home, it felt good to him.

[Sloan Glass]

In May 2013, two years after his arrest, Gino's case finally went to trial. Just as it was about to begin, more threats came from geno.

[Amy Orlando]

One of the good things that is a law enforcement tool is we're able to listen in on phone calls that happened at the jail. Well, he started to make threats, saying he was going to take somebody out during the trial. He was going to do it in front of the jury. It was going to be on camera.

[Sloan Glass]

I will get my vengeance when I get the out of here. That's all that counts. Okay, they've kicked me in the. It's time to do some kicking myself. This is bull. Between these cops, that idiot, and all these other guys that are coming after me, these guys think they're. They're gods with power. Well, I'm not a God, but I have powers of a God, and I'm going to show them what the. The powers are.

[Amy Orlando]

And so we had to have the bomb dogs come. We had snipers on the roof every day, and lunch break, any break, they combed the courthouse with the dogs. There was extra security in the courtroom. In fact, we were told by the judge, if we wanted to, that as the attorneys, we all had the right to wear, like, a bulletproof vest under our clothes.

[Sloan Glass]

They locked me up in the. And they don't expect me to have feelings. They don't expect me to be angry for something I haven't done. And the I'm going through them all. Let us have a war when I get the out of here. I don't believe in the government. County, city, state, federal, anything. This government could go themselves.

[Amy Orlando]

Everyone was just on heightened alert.

[Sloan Glass]

Were Gino's threats real, or was it just another way to intimidate his latest foe?

[Amy Orlando]

I mean, he had killed three people. So no doubt he's evil and he's dangerous, but you just can't let that get to you or you'd be preoccupied with it.

[Sloan Glass]

Even with the extra security came another threat.

[Detective Alex Cross]

We uncovered a plot to kill Ricky huckabee. A legitimate plot with a known cartel member.

[Sloan Glass]

Ricky huckabee was the prosecution's star witness. And this plot to assassinate him led sergeant renaud to personally escort him in and out of the courthouse.

[Detective Alex Cross]

Then I haven't seen that done that much security for a case for his.

[Sloan Glass]

Protection, Rickey was even moved out of the state. But gino's lawyer, Gary mitchell, believed these threats were all taken out of context.

[Gary Mitchell]

The state tried to exploit everything they could about Gino's profile. The way he talks and his a type personality profiles him as somebody. Well, this is a gangster kind of guy that will do whatever to get whatever, and that profiles him. It's wrong to profile him that way. For gino, it was sort of funny. I mean, he just said, okay, why not? The sopranos was a popular show. He can act like he's from new jersey, and he can act like he's a tough guy. That's the way people saw him. He could fit in and have fun with it.

[Sloan Glass]

Tough guy. Gino Ferry gritted his teeth as rickey walked to the witness stand wearing a bulletproof vest. The judge even ordered photographers not to take pictures of Rickey's face in order to protect him on the witness stand. Ricky huckabee testified that Gino confessed to him. According to ricky, Gino used a key to get inside the delisle's house and wore a mask and rubber gloves. When jill delisle first arrived, Gino shot him repeatedly. A short time later, Peter white unexpectedly showed up. Gino grabbed him by the back of the head and then forced him into a bathroom shower where he shot him. When helga arrived, Gino shot her once in the back of the neck. Rickey testified that he kept quiet because gino threatened him, and that's why he originally didn't want to cooperate with investigators. It was damning testimony against geno, although his lawyer thought otherwise. Here's Gary mitchell again.

[Gary Mitchell]

I think this idea that Rick huckabee says that Gino confessed to him is a bunch of nonsense. I don't think Gino confessed to him. It's not in his nature to go confess to somebody like that. I think that's just Rick huckleby, as I said to the jury, trying to protect himself, point the finger at gino and help the state out. And realizing, well, the state now has all the power. My friend, whom I really liked because he took care of me and helped me out, and this sort of thing no longer has the power, and the state has the power. So I'm going to go with the state.

[Sloan Glass]

Along with calling Ricky huckabee a liar, Gino's attorney argued that Gino wasn't the killer because he couldn't be in two places at once.

[Gary Mitchell]

We had an alibi depending on the time you're talking about. He was either eating a meal or he was visiting with a friend that he had here.

[Sloan Glass]

When clients face murder charges, most lawyers try to keep them off the witness stand. But when you have an ego as big as Gino's, there was no keeping him from testifying. Gino emphatically denied confessing to Ricky Huckabee. He testified that during that 4:30 to 6:30pm window when the murders happened, he was at a friend's house and then grabbed a hot pastrami sandwich from a deli. He even had a receipt timestamped 6:09pm that backed up his story.

[Gary Mitchell]

Our sandwich receipts showed that it was impossible for him to have done this.

[Sloan Glass]

But prosecutors said, not so fast. The owner of that deli where Gino was said to be at 6:09pm testified that the clocks on his cash register were wrong. They were an hour behind because they hadn't been adjusted for daylight savings time. That would put Gino at the deli at 7:09pm A deli employee even testified that Gino left the deli around 7:45pm.

[Gary Mitchell]

It was a neat argument that the state made, which made our defense a lot weaker because they threw out the suggestion to the jury that we didn't have the correct time, that we were an hour earlier or an hour late.

[Sloan Glass]

And remember how Gino said he was with a friend at the time of the murders? Well, Geno's friend testified that Geno called him on his way over sometime around 5pm But Gino's phone records showed no such phone call. That visit with his friend was something new to prosecutor Amy Orlando. She asked Geno why he failed to mention this visit when he first talked with investigators. Gino muttered that he simply forgot. The judge had to tell the usually brash and boisterous Gino to speak up because he was speaking so quietly.

[Amy Orlando]

He turned his back to me to the point that the judge had to call his defense counsel up to say, that's not really effective. The jury isn't gonna like that. And his defense attorney was like, I can't control him. The judge had to order him to turn around.

[Sloan Glass]

Gino later admitted to lying under oath during previous hearings for divorce and bankruptcy. He proudly said, I'll lie to protect what's not right.

[Amy Orlando]

I knew that I was getting under his skin, which, I mean just affirms that one, that I'm right, meaning that we had the right person and that you have no doubt. And the fact that he was trying to control even that situation. And I wasn't going to let him control it.

[Sloan Glass]

From day one, prosecutors focused on Geno Ferry. This was something that his defense attorney pointed out to the jury.

[Gary Mitchell]

It could have been any number of people. And I wanted the jury to take a good hard look at that and say, listen, I mean, just because the district attorney selects just one person doesn't necessarily mean these others should be off the hook. And we in fact argued during the case that there were other people that were around that could have easily have done this.

[Sloan Glass]

Gio Delisle was not only a businessman, but also an inventor. At the time of his death, he was negotiating the sale of another invention, something said to extend gas mileage by 30%. The proceeds of the sale would have gone to charity, but just before the sale, two of his partners involved in the invention mysteriously died. One was poisoned, and the other fell off a ladder while repairing his roof.

[Gary Mitchell]

There were a lot of people that could have done this other than Gino. Here's the bottom line. You screw with people from a business sense to the point that you bankrupt them, to the point that you take everything away from them. And you think in this day and age, people aren't going to get upset over that kind of stuff. You know, those chickens come home to roost after a while.

[Sloan Glass]

Gino's defense team wanted the jury to know that someone else had a motive.

[Gary Mitchell]

At the end of the day, it was a tough, hard nosed, tried case in which the lawyers brought out everything that they could and jurors are left with jumping to one conclusion or the other.

[Amy Orlando]

The worst part for a prosecutor is when the jury leaves the courtroom to deliberate because there's absolutely nothing else we can do.

[Sloan Glass]

Just before noon that day, the jury began deliberations and lawyers prepared for for a long night of waiting.

[Amy Orlando]

It was nerve wracking because you never know what a jury's gonna believe.

[Sloan Glass]

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[Detective Alex Cross]

Was authorized to do whatever it took to secure that courthouse.

[Sloan Glass]

Sergeant Joe Renaud not only investigated the case, but oversaw courtroom security.

[Detective Alex Cross]

We had undercover agents inside the courtroom, undercover agents outside the courtroom, cameras rolling. We had snipers, we had Ricky Huckabee in a bulletproof vest, and we didn't take any chances.

[Sloan Glass]

Ricky Huckabee was the prosecution's key witness, but there were fears he wouldn't make it into the courthouse alive.

[Detective Alex Cross]

We had verified information of a planned assassination attempt of Ricky Huckabee.

[Sloan Glass]

Although there were no incidents during the trial, additional law enforcement joined the already packed courtroom once the jury returned with a verdict. And although the lawyers were expecting a long wait, the jury returned with their answer relatively quickly.

[Amy Orlando]

Normally, when it's a long trial, they deliberate for a long period of time.

[Sloan Glass]

The fact that they deliberated for just two and a half hours stuck out to prosecutor Amy Orlando.

[Amy Orlando]

When they came back quickly. It's always an uneasy feeling. It's obviously either a good sign or bad sign.

[Sloan Glass]

Defense attorney Carrie Mitchell read a little deeper into the jury's short deliberation.

[Gary Mitchell]

It wasn't days later that he came in. It was hours. And I told Gino, I said, you know, it's not long enough to have an acquittal, so prepare yourself.

[Sloan Glass]

On the three counts of first degree murder, the jury found Gino Ferry guilty. From the back of the courthouse came a scream. It was Gino's mother. An undercover agent stood behind her just in case she started any trouble. But nothing happened.

[Amy Orlando]

It was a relief because it had taken us two, three years to get to trial and finally to be able to give the victims some closure, even though they're deceased, but to know who killed them and then to give the survivors around them and our community that Gina was never going to be on the street again.

[Sloan Glass]

The judge sentenced Gino Ferry to three life sentences. He was 50 years old at the time of his sentencing and won't be eligible for parole for 90 years. Gino didn't utter a word. He just stood there emotionless, while prosecutors embraced one another and celebrated their victory.

[Amy Orlando]

We knew that we had the right person in jail and charged with the crimes.

[Detective Alex Cross]

There's TV shows out there that say if a murder's not solved within 48 hours, most likely it will never be solved. So when this verdict was read on Gino, I was blown away.

[Sloan Glass]

For Sergeant Renaud, the long, complicated and dangerous case was finally over. And it featured many firsts.

[Detective Alex Cross]

I would tell these guys in the investigative team, watch your back. Don't take the same route home every time. Don't eat at the same restaurants every day. Tell your girlfriends to be careful. First time I've ever had to do that in my career. With all the homicides I worked, all the officer involved shootings I've worked. And never in my wildest dreams would I have to tell cops to be super extra careful and protect their families. Because Gino was just a hothead. He was a hothead, and if you said the wrong thing, it pressed a button and the fuse was lit.

[Sloan Glass]

Gino's defense attorney believed the jurors had made up their minds long before his closing arguments.

[Gary Mitchell]

They jumped pretty quick to that one conclusion because primarily that gun business. And here's the big thing that overshadowed the whole trial, the number of homicides involved. I mean, excuse me, this was not a single homicide. This looked like somebody had gotten angry about something. And so it all sort of fit in to point the finger at Gino.

[Sloan Glass]

He believes that Ricky Huckabee was responsible for the triple murders.

[Gary Mitchell]

Rick Huckabee walked away from this case. Interesting, isn't it, that he walks away? You know, I think a lot more of this evidence pointed toward Rick Huckabee than to my client. But I'm not the prosecuting attorney and I'm not the investigating police departments.

[Sloan Glass]

Ricky Huckabee drove Gino to the delisle's house and even called the house while Gino was there killing Jill Helga. And Peter Rickey was never charged. But Sergeant Renaud understands why people believe he could have been connected to the murders.

[Detective Alex Cross]

Could he have been more knowledgeable than what he led on, sure, you know, they could have hashed us out and said, I'm going to go over there and I'm going to kill these people. And this is our plan. But we never got any evidence to support that. I honestly, truly believe Ricky Huckabee is a decent person and did the right thing and took great courage to do what he did. Huge courage. Ricky Huckabee, wherever he is now, and he's still in danger. He is absolutely still in danger. I don't know where he's at. I wish him well.

[Sloan Glass]

New Mexico state law automatically triggers an appeal for anyone sentenced to life in prison. In 2015, the New Mexico Supreme Court upheld Gino's conviction. He will be eligible for parole when he is 142 years old. With Gino now behind bars for life, the city of Las Cruces slowly returned to being that safe, small, tight knit city. Sometimes too small for Sergeant Renaud.

[Detective Alex Cross]

And how small of a world it is over here. My daughter was playing soccer for a local high school and an incoming freshman stood up and said, my dad is in prison for killing people and happened to be Gino's daughter. And, you know, that's how small of a town this is. Gino has a son and a daughter, and they've turned out to be great people.

[Sloan Glass]

But Gino Ferry would never be done. In 2018, Gino filed a civil lawsuit against the New Mexico Department of Corrections. He alleged that his constitutional rights were violated following what's known as a facility shakedown. That's when prisoners placed their belongings in a bin, and items that don't fit in that bin are sent to the prisoner's home. In his 133 page complaint, he voiced his anger that some clothing and four AA batteries were taken from him. He demanded the prison provide him with a desk and called out one of the guards for being a, quote, narcissist. In 2020, a judge dismissed his suit. Today, Gino remains in a medium security prison in New Mexico.

[Detective Alex Cross]

We got the son of a bitch. That's the only thing that mattered to me.

[Sloan Glass]

For Jill's friend and neighbor, Bob Senecal, he still holds onto his anger.

[Detective Alex Cross]

I know they don't have the death penalty in the state, but he's gone for the rest of his natural life and he deserves it. And I, for one, hope he rots in hell.

[Sloan Glass]

Back in 2011, nearly a year after the triple murders, Bob wrote a letter to the editor that was critical of law enforcement's handling of the case.

[Detective Alex Cross]

A week later, they arrested Gino so I had to write a me culpa saying, I'm glad you guys did your job and I'm sorry I tried to rat you out.

[Sloan Glass]

In the end, Bob believes it all boils down to one thing.

[Detective Alex Cross]

There's a lot of good people in this world and there are some bad.

[Sloan Glass]

People in this world. And as long as the good people.

[Detective Alex Cross]

Try to keep the bad people under control, we're going to be okay.

[Sloan Glass]

During those months following the murders, an outlaw named Gino Ferry continued to walk the streets of Las Cruces. It was something that scared Ricky Huckabee and even law enforcement. But for Bob Seneco, he actually hoped he would run into gino.

[Detective Alex Cross]

I kept my 12 gauge under my bed because I was just praying he'd come and talk to me.

[Sloan Glass]

Next time on American Homicide. A beaten and bruised woman escapes her captor after a horrific ordeal. As more details emerge, what police uncover would be much bigger than they ever imagined. I'm Sloan Glass. We'll make our final trip to New Mexico and head to Elephant Butte. That's next time on American Homicide. You can contact the American Homicide team by emailing [e-mail] that's AmericanHomicidePodmail.com American Homicide is hosted and written by me, Sloan Glass and is a production of Glass Podcasts, a division of Glass Entertainment Group in partnership with iHeart Podcasts. The show is executive produced by Nancy Glass and Todd Ganz. The series is also written and produced by Todd Ganz with additional writing by Ben Federman and Andrea Gunning. Our associate producer is Kristin Melcuri. Our iHeart team is Ali Perry and Jessica Krynchak. Audio editing and mixing by Matt D'Alvecchio. Additional editing support from Nicaruka Tanner Robbins, Brit Robichaud and Patrick Walsh. American Homicide's theme song was composed by Oliver Baines of Noiser Music Library, provided by My Music. Follow American Homicide on Apple Podcasts and please rate and review American Homicide. Your five star review goes a long way towards helping others find this show. For more podcasts from iHeart, visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcast now streaming on Prime Video.

[Detective Alex Cross]

You can call me Detective Alex Cross.

[Sloan Glass]

Based on characters created by James Patterson. We have to catch this serial killer. I don't kill.

[Gary Mitchell]

For fun and created by Ben Watkins.

[Detective Alex Cross]

Ms. Killer thinks he's the smartest guy in the room.

[Sloan Glass]

Aldous Hodge is DC's funnest Alex Cross. If we don't find him soon, we may never have another chance.

[Amy Orlando]

The clock's ticking.

[Sloan Glass]

You think you can stop stop him? I know I can. Cuz I know him better than he knows himself. Cross a new original series only on prime video. Watch now. This holiday season, skip the crew socks and ugly sweaters. Shop for Lenovo holiday sale and gift the gamer on your list with the PC they really want. With deals this great, you may end up buying yourself one too. With new Intel Core i9 processors, they'll be able to go beyond performance in game without compromise. Gaming happens with intel. Head to lenovo.com now.

[Detective Alex Cross]

You wake up, put on your Ray Ban meta glasses. You're living all in.

[Sloan Glass]

You realize you need coffee so you say hey Meta, how do I make a latte brew two shots of espresso? After Meta AI gets you caffeinated, you're.

[Detective Alex Cross]

Ready for some beats.

[Sloan Glass]

Hey Meta. Play hip hop music.

[Detective Alex Cross]

You head to meet some friends but can't remember the place.

[Sloan Glass]

Hey Meta. Call Eva Ray Ban Metaglasses the next generation of AI glasses. Just say hey Meta.

[Detective Alex Cross]

To harness the power of Meta AI. Shop now at meta. Com smartglasses.