Crime Junkie – MURDERED: Jill & Julie Hansen

Host: Ashley Flowers
Release Date: February 16, 2026
Main Theme:
This episode revisits the harrowing double murder of teenage twins Jill and Julie Hansen, who were shot and died in a fire that consumed their California home in 1986. While their stepbrother Donnie quickly became the focus of the investigation, Ashley Flowers questions whether the case was as open-and-shut as it first appeared, drawing listeners through the twists, investigative pitfalls, court drama, and the Hansen family’s lasting pain and unanswered questions.

Case Overview

• Date & Location: November 15, 1986, Willow Creek, California
• Incident: At 3am, the Hansen family’s trailer erupts in flames. Both 16-year-old twins, Jill and Julie Hansen, are shot; Julie initially survives but later dies in the hospital.
• Initial Suspect: Stepson Donnie, present that night, rapidly becomes the prime suspect based on physical evidence and shifting witness statements.
• Family Impact: The tragedy fractures the family further, as suspicions and accusations destroy relationships.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Night of the Fire

• Timeline:
  • [00:47] Hans Hansen, his wife Betty, and their children are jolted awake by fire.
  • Hans tries to save Jill and Julie but is blocked by flames. Donnie, who was sleeping on the couch, is already gone when Hans checks.
  • Firefighters rescue Julie, who is gravely injured; Jill’s remains are found in the kitchen later that morning.
• Crucial Discovery:
  • [03:32] At the hospital, doctors inform the family that Julie’s injuries are not from the fire, but from a close-range gunshot wound.
  • Jill's autopsy later reveals she was also shot.
  • Quote: “Julie’s stomach injury isn’t from the fire. The doctor tells them that she was shot at close range.” (Ashley, 03:32)

2. Evidence and Initial Investigation

• Arson Confirmed: Police find two empty gas cans likely used to start the fire.
• Suspicious Gun Connection:
  • Spent shotgun shells found in the trailer.
  • A 12-gauge shotgun, with a clear palm print, discovered hidden in Hans’s warehouse.
  • Unspent shotgun shells matching those found in Donnie’s car.
• Donnie’s Explanation:
  • Donnie claims he and a friend used the gun for target practice days prior and left it in his car by accident.
• Witness Accounts:
  • [07:17] Neighbors see two teen boys, one with ashes on his shoulder, standing near the burning home; reports of a car peeling away.

3. Donnie’s Behavior and Statements

• Moving the Gun:
  • Donnie admits in later interviews to moving the shotgun during the chaos: “He says in the midst of the fire, he was scared he would be framed... So he moved it.” (Ashley, 17:46)
  • His palm print is found on the shotgun, encased in fire extinguisher residue.
• Changing Stories:
  • Julie’s recounting of the night is inconsistent, sometimes suggesting she saw Donnie near her, never conclusively identifying him as the shooter.
• Family Fracture:
  • After Hans confronts Donnie about the gun, Donnie’s angry reaction (“He yells at his stepdad that he didn’t do it and runs out...”) leads to complete estrangement.

4. Flaws in the Police Investigation

• Neglected Evidence:
  • Police only test Donnie’s print, not others, on the gun or shells.
  • No thorough follow-up on the two teens seen at the scene; the interviewing deputy was one teen's uncle, and their interaction is left out of official reports.
  • [22:23] Defense uncovers the trailer’s sliding glass door lock had been tampered with, indicating possible forced entry.
  • Quote: “The defense’s investigation also found that the lock on the trailer’s sliding glass door had been tampered with, evidence that someone could have broken into the house that night.” (Ashley, 23:09)
• Community Context:
  • Area known as “Murder Mountain” for drug-related violence, suggesting possible outside suspects.

5. The Trial

• Donnie’s Defense:
  • A scenario is presented where Donnie is a victim—not the perpetrator—potentially surprised by unknown intruders.
  • All evidence is circumstantial; reasonable explanations exist for Donnie’s print on the shotgun.
  • A crucial point: A voice was heard calling for help after Donnie and Julie were outside—suggesting Donnie could not have shot Jill.
  • Quote: “All the evidence against Donnie is circumstantial. Like his handprint could be on the gun because Donnie shot the girls, or because he simply panicked and moved the gun...” (Ashley, 24:35)
• Prosecution’s Motive Theory:
  • Claims Donnie killed for substantial life insurance money (family policies could yield up to $500,000).
  • Evidence includes Donnie allegedly talking about “coming into six figures soon.”
• Doubt and Acquittal:
  • Jury deliberates for just six hours, finding Donnie not guilty due to lack of conclusive evidence and investigative gaps.
  • Notable aftermath: Donnie and his lawyer socialize with some jurors after the verdict.
  • Quote: “Apparently the defense was able to discredit the prosecution’s narrative so much that the jury members wanted to hang out with the guy accused of the crime.” (Ashley, 30:41)
  • Defense attorney Alan Chelfey later describes the investigation as “flat out incompetence bordering on deliberate malfeasance.”

Memorable Quotes & Moments

• “That popping sound he heard when he woke up, that could have been gunshots. But none of it is making sense.” (Ashley, 04:11)
• “It seems like kind of a huge leap to go from just bickering with his mom to murder.” (Ashley, 13:37)
• “If I’m Donnie and I’m innocent… I’m probably going to react pretty strongly, too.” (Ashley, 16:59)
• “And really, one of the teen’s uncles questioning them and it not being reported truly takes the cake for me.” (Ashley, 33:43)

Aftermath & Legacy

• Family Fallout:
  • Hans cuts Donnie off for life after the confrontation; Donnie changes his last name and never reconnects with the family.
• Donnie’s Fate:
  • Donnie dies in a car accident in 2025; his obituary recalls a loving family man.
  • “Donnie’s death didn’t really feel like a huge blow because Donnie’s been dead to him since that November night all those years ago.” (Ashley, 32:55)
• Still Seeking Justice:
  • Hans and Betty continue to offer a $50,000 reward for new information about the murders.
  • The family remains divided, plagued by unanswered questions.

Notable Timestamps

| Segment | Description | |---------|-------------| | [00:00] | Case Introduction, setup of the Hansen family home and dynamics | | [03:32] | Revelation of the girls’ gunshot wounds | | [07:17] | Witness reports of teens seen at the scene | | [13:37] | Ashley questions the leap to Donnie’s alleged motive | | [16:59] | The pivotal confrontation between Hans and Donnie | | [17:46] | Donnie’s admission of moving the shotgun | | [23:09] | Evidence found by defense: tampered lock | | [24:35] | Discussion on circumstantial evidence against Donnie | | [30:41] | Jury’s rapid deliberation and unusual post-trial events | | [32:55] | Reflections on Donnie’s passing and family estrangement | | [33:43] | Ashley’s view on investigative failures |

Closing Reflections

Ashley concludes by emphasizing the ambiguity of the case and the lingering pain for the victims’ family, noting both the investigative mistakes and the possibility that Donnie was wrongly accused or a killer who outwitted the system. The episode closes with a call for anyone with information to reach out, underscoring the enduring ripples of unsolved tragedy.

Crime Junkie reminds us: No true crime story is as simple or straightforward as it seems, and the unanswered questions in the Hansen murders haunt a family and a community still desperate for closure.