Dead West: Murder In The City of Saints

Summary

Cold Case Files: Dead West - Murder In The City of Saints

Podcast Information:

• Title: Cold Case Files
• Host: Paula Barros
• Episode: Dead West: Murder In The City of Saints
• Release Date: May 27, 2025

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Introduction

In the gripping episode titled "Dead West: Murder In The City of Saints," Paula Barros delves into the harrowing cold case of Sherry Black, a beloved bookstore owner whose brutal murder shook the serene community of South Salt Lake City, Utah. This detailed investigation not only uncovers the relentless pursuit of justice by dedicated law enforcement but also highlights the profound impact on Sherry's family and community.

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The Crime: Sherry Black's Murder

On a chilly afternoon, [04:34] Earl Black recounts the tragic discovery:

"I walked in the shop and hollered Sherry. And she didn't appear... She had a pair of scissors sticking out of her belly."

Sherry Black, a passionate book lover and respected member of her community, was found brutally murdered in her family-run bookstore. The scene was gruesome, with extensive blood evidence indicating a violent struggle.

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Initial Investigation

Detective Duane Ruth, then deputy chief of the South Salt Lake City Police Department, responded to the emergency call [08:51]:

"As you walk in, it's a little bit of a labyrinth. Books everywhere... The human in me cried. It was a horrific sight to see."

The initial response focused on securing the scene and collecting vital evidence, including a large pair of bloody shears, broken glass, and partial fingerprints. The absence of a clear motive complicated the early stages of the investigation.

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Suspicion Falls on the Husband

Earl Black, Sherry's husband, became the primary suspect due to the immediate assumption that a spouse is often the first to be considered in such cases [10:14]:

"The husband's always number one suspect... I'd seen enough movies and read enough books."

However, surveillance footage corroborated Earl's alibi, eliminating him from suspicion [10:27] and shifting the focus of the investigation.

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Family and Community Impact

Sherry's family, including her daughter Heidi Miller and granddaughter Courtney Hawkes, grappled with the loss and the ensuing investigation. Heidi reflects on her mother's quiet strength and her untimely death [08:31]:

"She was strong and courageous. I wish she would have been more fearful and a little more careful to protect herself."

The Miller family's connection to the prominent local business community, particularly through Larry H. Miller's legacy, amplified public interest and media attention around the case [11:04].

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Case Goes Cold

Despite extensive efforts, including DNA and fingerprint analysis, the case stalled after three years [22:34]. Detective Duane Ruth expressed frustration over the lack of viable leads:

"We spent a lot of time trying to figure out if anything was taken from that store. There wasn't any money missing... You wonder, who, why?"

As tips dwindled and investigative avenues closed, the case felt increasingly stagnant, leaving Sherry's family desperate for answers.

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Breakthrough with Investigative Genetic Genealogy

Seven and a half years later, in March 2018, the investigation took a pivotal turn with the introduction of investigative genetic genealogy. Detective Ben Pender spearheaded this innovative approach, leveraging DNA databases to trace potential relatives of the perpetrator [23:49].

"We know that there are multiple different databases people will submit their DNA to... we can trace back to our suspect."

This method led to the identification of Adam Antonio Spencer Durbrough, whose DNA matched evidence from the crime scene [26:30]. Extensive surveillance and forensic analysis connected Adam to the murder, culminating in his arrest.

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Confession and Arrest

In a tense interrogation, Adam Durbo (later identified as Adam Durbrough) confessed to the murder [29:55]:

"I was so angry, and I just lashed out... I hit her in the back of the head."

His admission provided closure to the Black family and the community, revealing that personal frustrations and unaddressed emotional turmoil led to the tragic act [32:11].

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Sentencing and Aftermath

Adam Durbo was swiftly sentenced to life without the possibility of parole [34:10]. The Black family expressed a mix of relief and lingering pain, with Heidi Miller emphasizing the importance of advocacy and remembrance [35:11]:

"It was a huge relief to know he's done... that gives me comfort."

Detective Ruth reflected on the significance of the case, acknowledging the collective effort that led to justice [34:58]:

"I do believe justice was served... it's a privilege to have been part of witnessing people that come together for a greater good."

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Sherry Black's Legacy

In the wake of the case, Sherry Black's family championed legislation to support the use of investigative genetic genealogy, ensuring that her story would aid in solving future cold cases [35:36].

"I want people to remember my mom and my mom's story because I want them to know that they can have an impact on unsolved crimes... they can be genetic witnesses."

Through advocacy and community engagement, Sherry's legacy continues to inspire and facilitate breakthroughs in criminal investigations.

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Conclusion

"Dead West: Murder In The City of Saints" masterfully intertwines a tragic personal loss with the relentless pursuit of justice, showcasing the transformative power of advanced forensic techniques and the enduring strength of a grieving family. Sherry Black's story serves as a poignant reminder of the impact one life can have on a community and the importance of never giving up on finding the truth.

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Notable Quotes:

• Earl Black [05:27]: "Knocked over. You're not thinking straight... I’ll never forget it."

• Heidi Miller [08:31]: "I wish she would have been more fearful and a little more careful to protect herself."

• Detective Duane Ruth [17:29]: "We have suspect DNA... but there was no match in the database."

• Heidi Miller [35:11]: "It was a huge relief to know he's done, he's put away, and he won't ever hurt another person."

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This comprehensive summary encapsulates the emotional journey, investigative challenges, and ultimate resolution of Sherry Black's murder, highlighting key moments and insights shared throughout the episode.

Transcript

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[Earl Black]

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[Dave Colley]

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[Earl Black]

My wife, Sherry loved to read. Her life was books. She was always helping people, teaching people. She got along with everyone.

[Heidi Miller]

My dad called and he said, somebody's killed your mom. I'm having anxiety right now.

[Earl Black]

Just get here. You can't save her. She's gone. She had a pair of scissors sticking out of her belly. How do you forget finding someone you love like that?

[Detective Duane Ruth]

There was blood on the books, blood on the bookshelves. The human in me cried.

[Ryan Reynolds]

The entire state was concerned at who this person was and are they going to do this again?

[Detective Duane Ruth]

It was just a rapid, violent slashing and thrashing.

[Adam Durbo]

I was silently fuming. There was a pair of scissors nearby, picked them up and I hit her.

[Heidi Miller]

I knew I knew we would get a solve.

[Dave Colley]

There are over 100,000 cold cases in America. Only about 1% are ever solved. This is one of those rare stories. It's 1:30pm on November 30, 2010 in Salt Lake City, Utah when a call comes in to emergency dispatch.

[Ryan Reynolds]

9, 1 1. What is the address of the emergency?

[Earl Black]

Oh, my wife's been murdered.

[Ryan Reynolds]

And what city are you in?

[Earl Black]

Salt Lake.

[Ryan Reynolds]

Are you in South Salt Lake?

[Earl Black]

Yes. I come home, my wife's been murdered. Pair of scissors sticking and I pulled him out.

[Detective Duane Ruth]

Okay.

[Ryan Reynolds]

Is she awake?

[Earl Black]

No, she's dead.

[Ryan Reynolds]

Okay.

[Dave Colley]

Is she breathing at all?

[Earl Black]

No, she's dead.

[Dave Colley]

Dwayne Ruth is the former deputy chief of the South Salt Lake City Police Department.

[Detective Duane Ruth]

South Salt lake is about six square miles. The population is roughly 20,000 people. On one side you have the mountains, the other side you have Utah Lake and the Great Salt Lake.

[Dave Colley]

Dave Colley is the host of the true crime podcast Cold.

[Greg Miller]

No skyscraper in Salt Lake City will ever steal the majesty of the peaks that ring the Salt Lake Valley. There is a history of mining and kind of that Old west feel to some of the buildings that still stand from a century ago.

[Detective Duane Ruth]

It's predominantly one religion, which is the LDS faith of the Latter Day Saints. Anywhere you go is very family oriented, which I think just makes this place a really innocent place to live. It's not uncommon to have zero homicides in a year in South Salt Lake. They just don't happen. So when an obvious homicide case happens, it's the all hands on deck investigation.

[Dave Colley]

It's a chilly, late autumn afternoon as freezing winds flow in from the shores of the Great Salt Lake. Earl Black returns home from work. Attached to the residence is a family owned bookstore run by his wife Sherry.

[Earl Black]

My wife Sherry, her car was in her parking place, so I figured she's home. I walked in the shop and hollered Sherry. And she didn't appear. There's room across the back. This door was shut at that time and I could see blood right above me. So I opened the door and that's when I found her.

[Dave Colley]

Earl's wife Sherry lays prone on the floor. She's not breathing.

[Earl Black]

She had a pair of scissors sticking out of her belly. I was running around crazy and yeah, there's blood.

[Ryan Reynolds]

Shit.

[Earl Black]

Knocked over. You're not thinking straight. Yeah, total shock. That's all I could DO to dial 911. Just get here. You can't save her. She's gone. I'll never forget it. I mean, how do you forget finding someone you love? Like that. No, it'll always be right there.

[Dave Colley]

Heidi Miller is Sherry's daughter.

[Heidi Miller]

The morning of November 30, I tried to call my mom and she didn't answer her cell phone. I just felt like that that was really weird. My mom would always answer her phone. I had an appointment, came home and my dad called and he said, somebody's killed your mom. Get here as fast as you can. So I'm having a panic attack. And my daughter happened to be there and she drove us to my parents house. I'm having anxiety right now.

[Dave Colley]

Courtney Hawkes is Sherry's granddaughter.

[Courtney Hawkes]

I remember seeing a detective and I said, I need to get in, I need to go see her. And he said, you do not want to go in there. And it was at that moment that it was real, that there's no saving her. That we had just entered into a different life.

[Heidi Miller]

My mom Sherry's birthday is October 14, 1946. She was born in Provo, Utah and raised in Provo and Orem her whole life. She's had an average upbringing. She would walk home from school. She would stop at the library every day and get a book and take it home and read it that night. The next day she would return it and get another book. She spent a lot of time just by herself, reading.

[Earl Black]

I didn't get to know her till junior high school. The two of us were on a bowling team together. I thought she was just cute, you know, I didn't have a chance with her. Oh, hell. And then later on we went skiing with friends. And that's when things progressed. It just clicked. We dated for a good year and then we got married. I was only 17. Sherry was 18. Heidi was born in 1965. Jason was born in 71. They were good kids. Heidi was an excellent kid. Jason was very giving. Cute little guy.

[Dave Colley]

Sherry and Earl's family isn't the only thing that's growing.

[Heidi Miller]

My mom just started collecting all these books and it just got bigger and bigger and bigger. She told my dad that she always wanted to have her own library. And she had her own library. Her bookstore was a little bit of chaos. She specialized in rare and valuable LDS books. But she had Steinbecks and Hemingway's and novels, children's books. She had it all.

[Courtney Hawkes]

I had a very special bond with my grandma. My earliest memories of her or her reading to me and then teaching me to read.

[Heidi Miller]

I don't know that my mom ever really felt unsafe. She wasn't fearful. She was strong and courageous. I wish she would have been more Fearful and a little more careful to protect herself. Yeah.

[Dave Colley]

One hour after Sherry's body is found, Detective Duane Ruth receives a call.

[Detective Duane Ruth]

I was participating in some tactical training and my phone rang. I was a lieutenant at the time, which puts me in charge of scene oversight. I went into the bookstore. As you walk in, it's a little bit of a labyrinth. Books everywhere. I was directed towards the back. And our murder victim was on the ground and clearly deceased. The human in me cried. It was a horrific sight to see. She died violently. And at whose hands we don't know yet. We knew instantly that this was a homicide. There was a struggle. There was some evidence that was obvious to me. A large pair of shears, probably 10 inches long. They were bloody. They were next to her. She had a slipper boot that had been removed. She clearly had been injured in a number of different locations. There was blood around her, blood under her, blood on her, blood on the books, blood on the bookshelves. I noticed a broken bottle and some shards of glass. So clearly there was violence. But this is where it happened. I'm a religious man, and there was a presence of evil in that back room. Based on my experience, the romantic partner is going to be the first one that's looked at. Absent any obvious suspects.

[Earl Black]

Well, when something like this happens, you know, the husband's always number one suspect. I expected it. You know, I'd seen enough movies and read enough books.

[Detective Duane Ruth]

The alibi. The Earl explained to us he left at roughly 9 o' clock in the morning and came back roughly at 1pm Same day. We were looking for surveillance cameras in hopes of seeing anything that may lead to this suspect. We found a camera that proved Earl's alibi. Him leaving in the morning and him returning when he said he returned. So the alibi that he explained to us became fact with Earl.

[Dave Colley]

In the clear word spreads of Sherry Black's murder and her connection to a prominent local family, the Millers.

[Greg Miller]

Larry H. Miller was a big deal in the Utah business community. He built a car dealership empire and during the 1980s, was instrumental in keeping the Utah Jazz, the NBA franchise, here in Utah. Larry H. Miller passes away and his son Greg Miller takes over this business empire, inherits the Utah Jazz, and Sherry Black was the mother in law of Greg Miller. That connection between the Black family and the Miller family elevated the interest in this story.

[Dave Colley]

As crime scene investigators continue processing the scene for evidence, police develop a theory about what happened to Sherri and discover the killer may have left multiple clues behind.

[Detective Duane Ruth]

What became evident is clearly there. Was a fight in this back room with all of this blood, we have to assume that maybe this murderer's blood is going to be there also. We also were able to locate a partial fingerprint and a palm print. We felt elated because, as we know, just like DNA, fingerprints are specific to one particular individual. Palm prints are the same.

[Dave Colley]

Police collect the fingerprints and blood samples and send them off for analysis. Sherry's body, meanwhile, is transported to the morgue.

[Detective Duane Ruth]

The body is taken by the medical examiner's office up for an autopsy, which reveals the extent of the injuries. Their report detailed that she was struck 15 times around her face, around her head, around her neck. She received some injuries to her fingers, presumably some defensive wounds. They determined the cause of death was from a slash in the left side of her neck, presumably from the shears. And then she essentially bled out relatively quick. It was just a rapid, violent, brutal slashing and thrashing.

[Heidi Miller]

She fought for her life, and maybe that made it more violent because she fought so hard. It's really hard to think about what her last moments were like. I'm sure she was really scared and really sad to leave her family.

[Dave Colley]

While detectives pour over the autopsy report, a new detail comes to light about a potential suspect at the crime scene. The day Sherry was killed, investigators learned.

[Detective Duane Ruth]

That a regular customer of Sherry Black's was the last person to be in that bookstore during, before or after Sherry was brutally murdered. And obviously, that became very critical to the investigation and a priority for us to get on immediately. This customer was a primary suspect just right out the gate.

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[Detective Duane Ruth]

The customer who was in the bookstore on the day of the murder agreed to meet with us. We gathered DNA swabs, cell phone logs, a written account of what he did, and also photographs of his hands and his torso. We were doing that because we were looking at the suspect as potentially being injured. This customer provided an explanation as to what took place that day. He had scheduled an appointment with Sherry. He was going to be late because of traffic, so he wound up calling Sherry and telling her that he was going to be late. This was at 10:15, the morning of the murder. He went into the bookstore, did not find her, tried to call her, and then decided that he was going to wait in the bookstore. And he just sat in there. After 45 minutes and not having any contact with her, he just got up and left. There was nothing that indicated that he had heard anything, witnessed anything, or had any idea that Sherry Black presumably was laying in that back room while he was there.

[Dave Colley]

The customer is cleared by law enforcement just as Sherry's family lays her to rest.

[Heidi Miller]

My mom was buried December 6, 2010, was the day before my 45th birthday. I helped dress my mom for her funeral. Part of that's our religion. But for me, it was also a last act of service, something that I could do for her. I saw her defensive wounds and knew she fought like heck and it was really hard.

[Courtney Hawkes]

She had a lot of life before her, and laying her to rest before she was ready was very painful. We felt an immense sense of having been robbed of this pillar in our lives.

[Dave Colley]

Eight days after Sherry's murder, results from the blood and fingerprints collected from the scene come back offering new clues about the suspect's identity.

[Detective Duane Ruth]

We were able to find blood evidence at the scene that did not belong to our murder victim, Sherry Black. Our suspect, we learned through DNA, was a male, and his blood was found on Sherry Black's sock, on that doorway to the back room, those maps, and also on that Armani exchange belt, in addition to the exit door to the business itself. When I found out that we had suspect DNA, we ran it into codis, which is a database of criminal offender DNA, and we were informed that there was no match for DNA in that Database. As far as the fingerprints and the palm prints, we didn't get any hits. I was disappointed. But this unnamed known profile from the crime scene became critical because now we could start to eliminate suspects based on the DNA.

[Dave Colley]

Investigators expand their ranks to search for Sherry's killer. And cold case investigator Ben pender joins the case.

[Ryan Reynolds]

When I heard about Sherry Black's murder, I was assigned to the homicide unit at the unified police department. South Salt Lake police department invited several homicide investigators to talk about Sherry's case to make sure everything's getting covered or if anybody has ideas or suggestions they can provide. But as the case was presented to me, I could see how brutal it was for Sherry Black. I was surprised. It was my community as well that I was living in at the time I grew up in. Everybody was concerned. Not only South Salt Lake police department, but I think the entire state was concerned of who this person was and where they could be. And are they going to do this again?

[Detective Duane Ruth]

One of the most perplexing things about this case is it lacked motive. We spent a lot of time trying to figure out if anything was taken from that store.

[Earl Black]

There wasn't any money missing out of the cash register. She had diamond necklace, diamond earrings, rings on her fingers, and they didn't take any of that. Nothing around the shop appeared to be missing. So you wonder, who, why? You know, what did they want? You have no idea.

[Ryan Reynolds]

We're at the point where interviews have been conducted with the family, friends. We followed up on witness accounts of what they happened to possibly see. And at this point, we still have no suspect.

[Dave Colley]

With the stream of tips slowing to a trickle, Detective Ruth receives a call that may open up the floodgates.

[Detective Duane Ruth]

I received a call from Salt Lake city police indicating they had a similar homicide 18 days after Sherry Black's murder. And it happened 10 blocks away in a place called Fairmont Park. There was an older female that was brutally murdered, very violent, in a bathroom in the park.

[Ryan Reynolds]

The Salt Lake city police department had investigated, and they ultimately came up with a suspect, Paul Vara. We definitely had to take a look at Paul Vara to determine if he was involved in Sherry Black's homicide.

[Detective Duane Ruth]

The fact that this was similar in its brutality made us really think that our suspect who had murdered Sherry Black had murdered this other female victim. I was convinced that Paul Vara was going to be our murderer. We needed to move on it very quickly. We couldn't wait around. I scrambled up my team, and we went out and met with them and wound up learning the details of that brutal Crime and who this perpetrator was. Paul vara's DNA was found in the database, and we subsequently compared them to the murder suspect of Sherry black, and it was not him. He was not our murderer. It was disheartening and upsetting, and I know the family were disappointed as well.

[Dave Colley]

With another suspect ruled out, Sherry Black's family grows increasingly desperate, waiting for information that will lead investigators to her killer.

[Greg Miller]

About a year later, Heidi black Miller and Earl black talked to the media at the bookstore.

[Earl Black]

The main reason for having that meeting there was, you know, just to keep it out there, keep her name fresh in people's minds.

[Greg Miller]

I was on assignment that day. I went to the store, and I remember thinking to myself what a difficult thing it must have been for Earl and Heidi to be standing in this place, only a few feet away from where they know Sherry was murdered, and pleading with us in the media to help them share that story. By 2013, we didn't hear a lot in the media about what, if anything, was happening with the investigation. There wasn't a lot coming up.

[Dave Colley]

After three years of investigation, leads dry up and the case goes cold.

[Heidi Miller]

I would get at least weekly updates in the beginning, and that lasted for a long time. And then we got to where we would have monthly meetings, and then those became fewer and fewer, and then I started to get no calls. I really was feeling frustrated. I never wanted to use that word, cold, but I really was feeling like we're not getting any answers, and we've got to get somebody trying different things.

[Dave Colley]

It's now March 2018, seven and a half years after Sherry's murder, the case.

[Ryan Reynolds]

Was transferred over to the unified police department. I had been involved in assisting south salt lake in this investigation. Now it's exclusively over at unified police department. I would be assigned as the lead investigator to this case, and I decided I wanted to start fresh. In these types of cases, you really have to try to think of anything and try everything that you possibly can. And on occasion, you might turn over that little stone that all of a sudden produces something.

[Dave Colley]

As detective pender searches for strategies to help find Cheri's killer, he comes across a new technology that may hold the key.

[Ryan Reynolds]

I was familiar with genealogy because my mother used to do that to make a little extra money for the family. But I hadn't even heard of anything called investigative genetic genealogy.

[Detective Duane Ruth]

We know that there are multiple different databases people will submit their DNA to to determine their genealogy, their familial history, and if we can find through our suspect DNA who this person may be related to, then there's a good chance that we can trace back to our suspect.

[Ryan Reynolds]

This private company took a look at the DNA. They were able to provide me with four to 600 names. These would have been relatives, but the connection was so far down the line, I was sent out to other states to try to see if we could get a closer match to our perpetrator.

[Dave Colley]

Detective Ben Pender spends the next two years crisscrossing the country collecting DNA swabs from potential relatives of Sherry Black's killer.

[Ryan Reynolds]

The genealogist would put together a list of individuals to contact and see if they would be willing to not only give us some information about their family history, but also be willing to voluntarily give us their DNA. I would knock on the door. I would tell him what I was doing. I was very surprised. Approximately 98% of the people were extremely willing to help. I got a call from the genealogist who said, we have a match to a individual who we believe is closely related to your perpetrator. The family were located in Sacramento, California. I knew I needed to get out there ready to interview them. And I actually brought a photograph of Sherry and Earl Black to this home. As we were talking, I asked the adult son if maybe in high school he would have had some type of intimate relationship. He said, I did, and she had indicated to me that I had fathered a child. He'd received some paperwork signing off custody. That paperwork was actually out of Utah.

[Earl Black]

Foreign.

[Dave Colley]

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[Ryan Reynolds]

September 21st of 2020. We're coming up on 10 years since the Sherry Black murder occurred in her bookstore in South Salt Lake. We have a match to a individual who we believe is closely related to the perpetrator. He had fathered a child with this female and she's also in Utah, which obviously got my attention for sure with that information. He had a photograph of the child and on the back there was a name. Antonio. As soon as I left their residence, I immediately got on the phone with the genealogist. We Just started going crazy trying to figure out who this Antonio was. We were able to actually identify that his name is now Adam Antonio Spencer Durbrough. He had an extensive record in his juvenile criminal history of violence. As far as his adult criminal history, Adam was charged with shoplifting. That's the only thing he has on his adult criminal history. He would have been 19 years of age when Sherri was murdered. And now he was living in The Orem area, 30 miles south of Salt Lake County. The following day, we drove down to Orem and held surveillance on this residence for a number of days to kind of get his routine down. One of the investigators happened to see a sack from a fast food restaurant inside of his vehicle and ultimately saw Adam dispose of this at his residence in the waste container outside. We took the trash, and I informed our state crime lab. They said, great, bring it down to our office. So I went home for the night, went to bed. About two or three in the morning, I actually got a text, and my wife asked, who's texting you at this time in the morning? And I said, it's the lab. It's a match. And I really became emotional at that point. I just laid there and kind of started thinking things through, of where we go from here. We followed Adam to Walmart. Six plainclothes investigators approached Adam. Adam was told he was under arrest. We immediately put him in my patrol vehicle. I'm thinking to myself, we've got to get him to the office. We've got to get this interview going. As we're driving, he says, I know what you want to talk about, and if it's what I think you want to talk to me about, then I would want an attorney present. He lawyered up. However, we did have a warrant already prepared for his fingerprints, for his DNA, and for photographs. And I thought, after we take those items, do I just take him to jail and book him in, or do I put him in the interview room and give it a chance?

[Dave Colley]

Detective Pender rolls the dice. He places Adam Durbo in an interrogation room.

[Ryan Reynolds]

I went into the room and I said, I'm not here to ask any questions because you've asked for an attorney. But I want to tell you a little bit about Sherry Black. I've been working this case for over five years. The reason you're here today is you're here because of the Sherry Black case. Okay? And this was somebody's mother. This was somebody's grandmother.

[Adam Durbo]

When you guys taught me today, I knew. I mean, I haven't done anything Else in my life, this family's been. I see them. They ask for answers.

[Ryan Reynolds]

We sit there in silence for a couple of minutes, and before I even start asking any questions, Adam will then just kind of unload and talk about what happened.

[Adam Durbo]

Probably shouldn't say it was about a lawyer, but honestly, it's just. They do need to know. It's been. It's been a long 10 years. I. I went into that store, and I had no intention at all to do anything. There's no one else in the store. And it'd been a rough week. I remember that my mom was super stressed out. She was afraid that I was just going to be another number in the system again. It just happened. She was there, and I just. I was so angry, and I just. I just lashed out.

[Ryan Reynolds]

When he started opening up, I felt as though he was being a little bit cautious. I mean, he's admitting to it, but is he really going to give us the details?

[Adam Durbo]

So I entered the store, asked if she had a particular book series in stock. She didn't, but I decided to look around anyways. I was just silently fuming. She walked over and asked if everything was fine. Told her it was fine. She smiled and turned away. There was just a pair of scissors nearby. Picked them up, and I hit her. I just hit her in the back of the head. At one point. I. I do remember. It was by her, like, her cashier station. It was this bottle, and I picked it up and hit her over the back of the head with it.

[Ryan Reynolds]

Okay.

[Adam Durbo]

I ran out of that store. I'm surprised nobody saw me. Didn't realize what I had done until I was in the bathroom, just scrubbing.

[Ryan Reynolds]

He appears to be pretty deflated. He's been caught in my mind. I'm really wanting him to provide all the information he can. And the reason why he would have done what he did. When you get over to the bookstore, is there. Is there something that. I mean, is there something that sets you off?

[Adam Durbo]

I think it was just her being kind. Honestly, just. I saw myself as a terrible, terrible person.

[Ryan Reynolds]

I guess I'm trying to understand why her? Well, why. Yeah, why her? Why Sherry?

[Earl Black]

I don't know, man.

[Adam Durbo]

I just. I don't know. I thought that I was this horrible person growing up. I was young and stupid, and I didn't control myself. I wasn't personal. It wasn't planned. It was spontaneous. I wish I could take it back.

[Ryan Reynolds]

I'm not 100% sure why Adam picked Sherry, other than the fact that I do believe Sherry was kind to Adam. And I think Adam had not had that in his life. And I also believe based on her kindness, for whatever reason, that snapped Adam and unfortunately just brutally killed she.

[Earl Black]

It was the opening day of the deer hunt up in Idaho. All of us family, we were up at the ranch. My son in law, Greg just happened to get a phone call. They needed us back in Salt Lake. Greg and I drove like a bat all the way to Salt Lake. Couldn't get here soon enough.

[Heidi Miller]

We all met at the sheriff's office and then Ben came in and just looked at us and said, we got him.

[Ryan Reynolds]

Wow.

[Heidi Miller]

Finally, huge sigh of relief.

[Earl Black]

I dealt with that memory as a joyful moment. It doesn't take it away, the pain, but it certainly was a joyful moment.

[Greg Miller]

As Adam Durbo went into court, it was maybe a mercy that he fast tracked his own case. He did not try to fight the charges. He did not try to plead down to get a lighter sentence for himself.

[Dave Colley]

Sherry Black's family gathers at the courthouse for Adam Durbo sentencing. But before the judge announces the decision, Sherry's family addresses the court.

[Courtney Hawkes]

Okay, so this is part of my victim's impact statement. I believe we lost an advocate. She was an advocate for her daughter Heidi, first and foremost. She was an advocate for my sweet grandpa Earl and all the things he wanted to do. She was an advocate for my father and for her six grandchildren. She helped anyone she could, any way she could. Here's the real irony of all this. She would have kindly spoken with, helped or taught Durborough, perhaps even becoming his advocate or friend, if he'd only chosen a different path.

[Dave Colley]

The judge sentences Adam Durbo to life without the possibility of parole.

[Detective Duane Ruth]

I do believe justice was served. Should there be some other condemnation. That's not for me to decide.

[Earl Black]

Rot in hell, you son of a bitch. That's what I think. Just rot in hell. There's no answer that Tavaro could give me to make me feel any better or any different about him.

[Heidi Miller]

It was a huge relief to know he's done, he's put away, and he won't ever hurt another person. That gives me comfort, and I hope it gives everybody else comfort.

[Detective Duane Ruth]

I consider it a privilege to have been part of witnessing people that come together for a greater good and utilizing Sherry's death in ways that will help other people. From here on out, the family of.

[Greg Miller]

Sherry Black have advocated for a new law in the state of Utah that basically establishes some guardrails for police use of this investigative genetic genealogy.

[Heidi Miller]

It's the Sherry black law. I want people to remember my mom and my mom's story because I want them to know that they can have an impact on unsolved crimes, that they can be genetic witnesses.

[Courtney Hawkes]

I think my grandma would be very grateful to know that she is a part of helping solve other crimes. If I could say anything to my grandmother, it would be I miss you. I miss you.

[Heidi Miller]

I keep my mom in my heart with me all the time. I celebrate her by advocating for people who are going through what we're going through and by remembering her name for good.

[Detective Duane Ruth]

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[Ryan Reynolds]

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[Detective Duane Ruth]

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