Episode 664: David Carpenter: The Trailside Killer (Part 2)

Summary

Morbid Episode 664: David Carpenter: The Trailside Killer (Part 2) – Detailed Summary

Release Date: April 17, 2025

Introduction

In Episode 664 of Morbid, titled "David Carpenter: The Trailside Killer (Part 2)," hosts Ash and Elena delve deeper into the chilling case of David Carpenter, a serial killer whose heinous crimes have left an indelible mark on the Mount Tamalpais (Mount Tam) hiking community. This episode meticulously chronicles Carpenter's progression from a seemingly ordinary individual to a formidable predator, highlighting both his crimes and the systemic failures that allowed him to evade immediate capture.

Background on David Carpenter

David Carpenter's criminal trajectory began with offenses that should have marked him as a high-risk individual. Despite his history, the justice system repeatedly failed to contain him:

• Early Offenses and Parole Issues: Carpenter was paroled to a halfway house intended for felons transitioning back into society. According to his former probation officer, Rich Woods, "He never should have been among them. He should have been kept in jail" ([10:24]). Carpenter appeared to comply with parole requirements, gaining employment and seemingly reintegrating into society. However, moments of escalation hinted at his latent aggression.

Timeline of Murders

Carpenter's reign of terror on Mount Tam saw multiple victims, each adding layers to the investigation and the community's fear:

1. Barbara Schwartz (March 8, 1980):

   • Incident: Barbara went for a jog and encountered Carpenter, who violently attacked her with a butcher knife. Witnesses described the scene: "Barbara had bled to death from multiple stab wounds" ([11:32]).
   • Evidence: A butcher knife and blood-stained eyeglasses were recovered, though challenges in matching the glasses to a suspect emerged.

2. Subsequent Murders:

   • Etta and John Kane: A sad couple who fell victim to Carpenter's brutality.
   • Anne Alderson (October 15, 1979): Found dead from a gunshot wound, Anne's case introduced ballistic evidence linking Carpenter to the murders.
   • Shana May and Diane O'Connell (December 2, 1980): Both were sexually assaulted and murdered, further intensifying the investigation.
   • Rick Stowers and Cindy Moreland: Their disappearance and subsequent discovery near previous crime scenes suggested Carpenter's expanding victim profile.
   • Ellen Hansen and Heather Skaggs (May 1981): These cases solidified Carpenter's pattern of targeting hikers, eventually leading to his identification and arrest.

Investigation and Systemic Failures

The investigation into Carpenter's crimes was marred by significant systemic lapses:

• Parole Oversights: Carpenter's early release and placement in a vulnerable halfway house were critical failures. Elena notes, "He never should have been kept in the halfway house" ([10:24]).

• Sex Offender Registry Gaps: Being on federal probation, Carpenter was exempt from registering as a sex offender, a loophole that critical investigators later identified as detrimental. "If you're out, you should have to sign up for that," Elena emphasizes ([28:25]).

• Underfunded Police Departments: The inadequately staffed and under-resourced sex offender registry in California meant Carpenter slipped through the cracks. "At the time, California's sex offender registry program was woefully underfunded" ([28:38]).

Arrest and Trial

Carpenter's downfall began with a combination of witness testimonies and forensic evidence:

• Key Witnesses: Steve Haredle, a survivor of Carpenter's attack, provided vital descriptions that refined the suspect's composite sketch ([38:22]). Additionally, Roberta Patterson, a 69-year-old woman, identified Carpenter from the sketch, recalling his unsettling behavior from a past encounter ([42:38]).

• Forensic Evidence: Friends and acquaintances confirmed Carpenter's possession of the murder weapon, linking him directly to the crimes. "One of Carpenter's friends, Molly Purnell, testified that she had purchased the gun at David's request" ([48:54]).

• Trial Proceedings: Despite attempts to obfuscate his involvement, including Carpenter's odd behavior during interrogations (e.g., performing dance routines), the mounting evidence was undeniable. After a prolonged trial, Carpenter was found guilty of multiple murders and sentenced to death in July 1984 for the Santa Cruz cases ([50:45]).

Aftermath

Carpenter's legal battles continued beyond his initial convictions:

• Appeals and Overturned Convictions: Some of Carpenter's convictions were temporarily overturned on technicalities but were later reinstated upon review ([51:19]).

• Ongoing Suspicion: Beyond his confirmed victims, Carpenter remains the prime suspect in additional unsolved cases, including the 1979 murder of Mary Bennett ([51:42]).

• Current Status: As of the episode's release, Carpenter resides in San Quentin Prison, aged 94, making him the oldest inmate on California's death row. Despite numerous appeals, his convictions stand, underscoring the relentless pursuit of justice by law enforcement.

Conclusion

Episode 664 of Morbid offers a comprehensive examination of David Carpenter's descent into serial killings, emphasizing both his calculated brutality and the broader systemic failures that initially permitted his continued freedom. Through detailed narratives, witness testimonies, and expert analysis, Ash and Elena highlight the crucial interplay between individual pathology and institutional shortcomings. The episode serves as a somber reminder of the importance of vigilant justice systems and community awareness in preventing such tragedies.

Notable Quotes

• Elena on System Failures: "He never should have been among them. He should have been kept in jail" ([10:24]).

• David Carpenter during Interrogation: "I know you guys think I'm the number one suspect..." ([46:20]).

• Elena on Registry Gaps: "If you're out, you should have to sign up for that" ([28:25]).

Final Thoughts

The Morbid hosts commend the resilience and cohesion of the hiking community, noting how crucial mutual support was in both surviving Carpenter's attacks and aiding the investigation. They conclude with a heartfelt message urging listeners to remain vigilant and supportive of one another, emphasizing the enduring impact of Carpenter's crimes on the Mount Tam community.

Stay Connected

For those seeking a deeper dive into this harrowing case, Morbid continues to explore the intricate details and untold stories of David Carpenter, offering listeners both factual reporting and poignant reflections on the nature of evil and the pursuit of justice.

Transcript

[Ash]

Hey weirdos, it's Ash here. Ready to share a little secret. Have you heard of Wondery Plus? With ad free episodes and one week early access, it's like having an all access pass to our lighthearted nightmare. So come join us on the dark side and try Wondery.

[Elena]

Today.

[Ash]

You can join Wondery plus in the Wondery app or in Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

[Morbid Network]

You're listening to a Morbid network podcast.

[Ash]

Let Audible expand your life by listening explore over 1 million audiobooks and exclusive Audible originals that will inspire and motivate you all in one easy app. Tap into your well being with advice and insight from leading professionals and experts on better health, relationships, career, finance, investing and even more. Maybe you want to kick a bad habit or start a good one. Recently I listened to so Thirsty which was really good. I like how the narrator went between the two characters voices. That was really fun. And then I just started listening to God of the Woods. So good. Get advice and insight from leading professionals and experts on health, relationships, career, finance, investing and more. There's so much opportunity to learn and more to imagine when you you listen. Start listening today when you sign up for a free 30 day trial at audible.com morbid peloton has what you need.

[David Carpenter]

To achieve your fitness goals. No matter why you got started. Me, I got started in actuality when I had kids and I think it was really me just being like one, I gotta chase them around and have fun with them and not be out of breath and two, I want to be healthy and strong and around for them for a long time. And the cool thing about Peloton is that you can kind of customize it to what you need it to be. So I could fit it into my busy child care routine very easily and it helped me gain some confidence. Whether you need 10, 20 or 45 minutes of you time to sweat or get grounded, Peloton provides flexibility with daily on demand and live classes that will fit your busy schedule and just everyday life. Peloton has thousands of members whose lives were changed by the workouts, experiences, community. Just the teachers I love. I honestly I love the Peloton instructors. They're my favorite. I mean Bradley Rose, let's you know, find your push, find your power with [e-mail] hey weirdos.

[Elena]

I'm Ash.

[David Carpenter]

And I'm Elena.

[Ash]

And this is morbid.

[David Carpenter]

This is morbid. Oh oh, oh.

[Elena]

That's like Trixie and Katya show. Oh yeah, because it's their show and not yours.

[David Carpenter]

Oh they're so Funny.

[Elena]

I love them a lot.

[David Carpenter]

They make a mid laugh.

[Elena]

They're kind of like us, actually.

[David Carpenter]

They are.

[Elena]

I saw. I don't know if it's recent or not. I saw a clip of their show the other day and I think Katya was house sitting for Trixie. And Trixie was like a little intense. And Katya was like, I can't handle this. And I was like, that is us.

[David Carpenter]

Yes.

[Elena]

Not that you're intense about your home, but you're just intense. Period.

[David Carpenter]

Just intense. Period, period. And I feel like the aesthetic is.

[Elena]

Very similar, but you're Katya in that sense.

[David Carpenter]

Exactly. And I'm a Trixie. Oh, yeah. I don't think. I mean, we got. We got some good stuff happening, but it's in the background and will be something you guys know about in a little while.

[Elena]

Yeah, like. Like months.

[David Carpenter]

But like. Well, but be psyched about that.

[Elena]

Yeah, it's pretty cool. My water is loud.

[David Carpenter]

It's loud. My water is loud.

[Elena]

Covering it is loud. If I leave it uncovered, I'll throw it there.

[David Carpenter]

Cool stuff happening that we'll, you know, we'll let you know about. Don't worry. Soon enough, it's. It's like the Tobias thing. How. Don't worry. You'll find out.

[Elena]

Yeah.

[David Carpenter]

We'll always tell you.

[Elena]

Tldr. Don't worry.

[David Carpenter]

Also, how cool was that?

[Elena]

The cool.

[David Carpenter]

I know that happened weeks ago.

[Elena]

I'm just going to slide that in there.

[David Carpenter]

Still very cool face of.

[Elena]

How cool was that?

[David Carpenter]

How cool was that?

[Elena]

Check that out.

[David Carpenter]

No, that was pretty cool. But yeah, I'm trying to think of any other updates that could be coming your way.

[Elena]

I can't think of anything.

[David Carpenter]

Anything to talk about.

[Elena]

I was going to apologize because I'm a little bit sick. So my voice might be a little bit annoying, but also I find it kind of sultry.

[David Carpenter]

I was just going to say you're sultry. Thank you. So I'm sure everyone will agree.

[Elena]

Thank you.

[David Carpenter]

Yeah. That's a plane landing on our house right now. I apologize.

[Elena]

She said. She really said. I'm blank.

[David Carpenter]

We're saying. Are you okay up there? Hello? Are you all all right?

[Elena]

Yellow jackets.

[David Carpenter]

How's everyone doing? Flying. How you guys doing?

[Elena]

I'm just not.

[David Carpenter]

Period. I'm still scared. Remain scared.

[Elena]

I remain scared.

[David Carpenter]

I'm a little scared. I don't know if I am.

[Elena]

Drew and I are going on a trip in a couple weeks and I will not fly. We're driving.

[David Carpenter]

But how are you guys doing? Is anybody else. Anybody have any tips, tricks, anything? That's making you feel better about it right now? No. One thing I can tell you in case anybody else shares, which I know you do, shares my fear of flying in this, you know, gestures broadly at the world has made it worse lately. Follow some. Some pilots on TikTok. Okay, I'll start. You know what I'm going to do for you guys because it's helped me and I want to share the love.

[Elena]

Wow, look at you.

[David Carpenter]

I'm going to start sharing on my story. Some pilots that I follow in case anybody needs some like help getting through it because Mikey's just playing music over there. He's like, shut the fuck up, Alina, no one cares. No, but I'll start sharing it because they have helped me. They kind of bring you back to reality for the situation because right now it's so scary. But they'll bring you back to a place of at least being able to be like, okay, someday I will step on a plane again. Well, and I think it might be helpful.

[Elena]

Right now is obviously scary, but it's also like being so.

[David Carpenter]

Well, it's among everything. It's so prominent right now and it's just among all the chaos. So I think it's definitely because it's a problem, that's for sure. But I think it's. It can pilots like actual people who do this all the time. If you're listening and you're a pilot.

[Elena]

Like we're pouring one out for you.

[David Carpenter]

Superhero, shout out superhero. But they can bring you to a place of like, okay, yeah, like this isn't where we're going to be. Okay, so I'll start sharing them on my stories if you need.

[Elena]

You're so.

[David Carpenter]

If you need some help because it's helpful. That's one thing I love TikTok for is like that kind of shit.

[Elena]

Oh, bitch.

[David Carpenter]

I love TikTok.

[Elena]

That's the one streaming thing I keep.

[David Carpenter]

Yeah, I do love a Tik Tok social media thing. I love it for the recipes for the pilots that tell me everything's gonna be okay. I love organizations and organizations.

[Elena]

What did you say?

[David Carpenter]

I said organizations like organ organizing TikToks.

[Elena]

Those are organizations.

[David Carpenter]

I got too much sleep last night.

[Elena]

Sometimes that is detrimental. Which like. No, I actually believe sometimes that I perform better on less sleep and then I'll get more sleep. And I'm like, oh, maybe don't talk to me today.

[David Carpenter]

Yeah, we went to. We actually went to bed at like a decent time, like upstair stairs to sleep because we always just try to get as much time when the kids go to sleep. We try to make the most of the time between then and when we have to go to bed, get things done that we can't get done while the kids are awake. So it's hard because you want to use up all that time. We'll try to watch the shows we can't watch when they're awake, all that stuff. But it's not really great when I'm going up to bed at midnight every night, so.

[Elena]

And then waking up, like, super duper.

[David Carpenter]

Because then you wake up early with kids, so it's like, whatever. But we went up a little early last night, and I have my little watch that, like, tracks sleep. And it told me I got, like, five and a half hours of core sleep.

[Elena]

Damn.

[David Carpenter]

Which I think is, like, pretty fucking rad.

[Elena]

The competition girly in me just wants to start wearing a watch when I sleep to be like, I got more sleep than you.

[David Carpenter]

You know, you probably would.

[Elena]

I would, yeah. But I'd win, so.

[David Carpenter]

Yeah, you would.

[Elena]

At least I win that.

[David Carpenter]

Would it feel like a win?

[Elena]

Yeah.

[David Carpenter]

Would it?

[Elena]

Yeah. I feel like it wouldn't. I'll take that one. You got to take your W's where you can get.

[David Carpenter]

It's true. Right now, especially, we got to take all the W's again.

[Elena]

I'll scoop that W right up.

[David Carpenter]

Speaking of W's and the opposite of them, which is an L's. Wait, like. Like a loft? The way you looked at me like.

[Elena]

What I was like, how is that an L? That's fair. Wow. That's. That's. I'm sick. Okay.

[David Carpenter]

She's on that cold medicine. Speaking of elves like losers, we're talking about David Carpenter. Oh, the trailside killer here.

[Elena]

Yikes.

[David Carpenter]

He's a. He's a big L. He's a M maniac. There you go.

[Elena]

How about that?

[David Carpenter]

There you go. Yeah, he's definitely an M. He's an L. He's nothing good. And when we last talked to you about him, he had been released on parole, which was crazy, because one thing about this case is it's a prime example of the system failing on an extraordinary level.

[Elena]

Yikes.

[David Carpenter]

I mean, failing superbly into oblivion.

[Elena]

I have one of those coming up, too.

[David Carpenter]

Yeah. Several times they should have kept this guy behind bars. And they just kept letting him out. Kept giving him slaps on the wrist. He would keep re.

[Elena]

Offending and that kind of thing.

[David Carpenter]

Yeah, and he kept escalating, too. It's like, what are you doing? And when we last talked about this we talked about Etta Kane and John Kane, the couple who were very established hikers. Edda had gone out by herself and she hadn't returned home. They had eventually found Edda dead, unfortunately. And when we last talked about it, poor John had just kind of like withered away after she died. It's very, very sad now that had happened in like early fall. Now, a few weeks later, on September 6th, David Carpenter was discharged from the halfway house because remember, he had been paroled to a halfway house where he was being like conditioned to kind of go out back into society. It was a specific halfway house that was for like felons who were being reintroduced into society.

[Elena]

Yep.

[David Carpenter]

He never should have been among them. He should have been kept in jail. Yeah.

[Elena]

No, he's not the kind of person that can be reformed.

[David Carpenter]

No. So he was discharged from the halfway house and returned to his parents house.

[Elena]

Which I was like, ooh.

[David Carpenter]

His former probation officer, Rich woods said, I'd gone over to the house a number of times before he got home from work. I talked to the parents to see how he was doing. And as far as anyone would say, him moving back into the house had really not caused any problems. And things seemed to be going well. That's really all they could go on at that point. A few Months later, in February 1980, David found work in a keychain distributor and seemed to be meeting all the requirements for his parole. Okay, but this is kind of what he does. He does, he meets all the points that he has to and then something happens and he just flips a switch.

[Elena]

Yeah. Like veers completely the problem.

[David Carpenter]

Now. On the morning of March 8, 1980, Barbara Schwartz went out for a jog on the trails of Mount Tam. That afternoon, another hiker on the trail spotted 23 year old Barbara arguing with a man who appeared to be in his 20s, according to this person. Then the man pulled a knife from his belt and started stabbing Barbara.

[Elena]

Oh.

[David Carpenter]

Out of nowhere. By the time the police arrived to the spot. Because they immediately called the police. Yeah. By the time they got to the spot where Barbara had been last seen, her attacker was nowhere to be seen. And Barbara had bled to death from multiple stab wounds.

[Elena]

Oh my God.

[David Carpenter]

Where she was stabbed. Yeah. Barbara Schwartz's death was the second murder on the mountain in a pretty short period of time. And like we had talked about before, there had been deaths on this mountain, of course.

[Elena]

Yeah.

[David Carpenter]

But as far as they knew, there wasn't any murders before this. Right. But unlike Edda Kane's murder, this time there was Evidence recovered at the scene, in addition to finding a butcher knife that investigators were virtually certain was the kill. The murder weapon.

[Elena]

Yeah.

[David Carpenter]

They also found a pair of blood stained eyeglasses.

[Elena]

Oh, shit. That'll tell you a lot.

[David Carpenter]

Always wild when they, like, are in such a frenzy that they leave something that important. Now, there's no way of knowing who these glasses belonged to, but the prescription was a very heavy bifocal that, if matched to the right person, could be a very compelling evidence if it was in a trial. Yeah, this is. This is not a regular bifocal. It's a very thick, heavy bifocal. Now, in their first examination of the body, it looked like Barbara had gone to great lengths to fight back. Sergeant Keating said she was repeatedly stabbed, but she put up a hell of a fight. Now, based on her defensive wounds, Sheriff's detectives actually strongly suspected that Barbara's killer had most likely, very likely been wounded in this attack.

[Elena]

Good.

[David Carpenter]

Yeah. Now, that night, a little past 7pm, David Carpenter arrived at the emergency room.

[Elena]

Oh, imagine that.

[David Carpenter]

In Peninsula Hospital in san Mateo, about 35 miles from where Barbara Schwartz's body had been discovered.

[Elena]

Stupid ass.

[David Carpenter]

He had a deep cut on his right hand and his thumb. When the attending doctor asked how he got this injury, David said, quote, there was an attempted robbery at a Seven Eleven store in Burlingham. Burlingame. Excuse me. I was attacked and injured by the holdup man. Now, so he's claiming I tried to stop a holdup.

[Elena]

I am a hero.

[David Carpenter]

I'm a hero and I got hurt there. So the hospital policy was that any injuries sustained during an illegal act had to be reported to police.

[Elena]

That makes sense.

[David Carpenter]

So the doctor did that despite no report of a robbery ever having been received in that area. The officers that interviewed David Carpenter just accepted his story and they allowed him to go on his way after being stitched up.

[Elena]

What?

[David Carpenter]

So they saw that there was no reports of a robbery there, and they.

[Elena]

Just said, okie dokes.

[David Carpenter]

And they were just like. He said it, though. They could have stopped him right now.

[Elena]

Yeah, of course.

[David Carpenter]

Like, this could have been. When I tell you, the failures at every single layer here, that's also just wild.

[Elena]

Like, you would think that. Yeah, that would hold him up for a little while.

[David Carpenter]

Yeah, you would think. No, they just let him go. He got stitched up, Let him go. And the doctor did his job. He called them to try to figure out what was going on.

[Ash]

Right.

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[David Carpenter]

So it wasn't until the next day that San Mateo police received the all points bulletin about Barbara's murder. And by then, the interviewing officers had completely forgotten about him. Like they just didn't even. They didn't even put the pieces together.

[Elena]

Come on.

[David Carpenter]

So things were relatively quiet in the months after Barbara Schwartz's murder. Detectives continued investigating her murder and the murder of Etta Kane. But without any new information or evidence, they really weren't gonna be able to get anywhere. Then in October, the sheriff's department got another call about someone having gone missing at Mount Tam. This time it was a couple. Oh, 19 year old Rick Stowers and his girlfriend, 18 year old Cindy Moreland. Okay, so the couple had just been. They had just gotten engaged. Oh, and Rick had gotten his orders from the Coast Guard that were gonna require him to report for his latest position at Point Reyes, which was a small coastal village about, you know, an hour outside of San Francisco.

[Elena]

Okay.

[David Carpenter]

On the morning of October 8th, Rick had picked up Cindy and they were headed out to Point Reyes to kind of check out the area to see where they were going to be staying.

[Elena]

Yeah.

[David Carpenter]

So later that afternoon, they were shopping in that area, and another couple saw them at a bookstore in town. Then they were seen a little bit later than that by two hikers, Sharon Melnick and Larry Drapkin. They saw them on Bear Valley Trail a little later. Melnick and Drapkin were hiking when they heard a succession of loud booms. Later, they said they sounded like noises in rapid succession from a backfiring motorcycle. But they couldn't really tell where it was coming from. They were having trouble, like, pinpointing it, because sometimes when you're in an area like that sounds. Sound like they're coming from either one place when it's a totally opposite one, or they sound like they're coming from everywhere.

[Elena]

Even certain sounds, I feel like do that. Like, even we'll be watching TV sometimes, and it's a sound on TV that sounds like it's coming from, like, the back of our house.

[David Carpenter]

Yes. That happens to us all the time too. I think it's the girls, like, coming down or like, ask yelling my name or something. And we'll always be pausing and like, listening or going upstairs.

[Elena]

There's so many times where I'm like, was that our alarm? Yeah.

[David Carpenter]

I'm like, what the fuck was that? So that evening, Rick and Cindy had plans to meet Cindy's sister Alice for dinner. And when they didn't show up, she got very worried. And around 9pm she called her brother and explained the situation. But he was like, I don't know. Don't overreact. He was like, maybe wait until tomorrow, see if Cindy shows up for work. Which I was like, okay. I don't really understand that. But Alice said Cindy was supposed to work at her job on Sunday morning. I was a little overprotective, I think, and I didn't want to worry anyone, which, like, I get that.

[Elena]

Yeah.

[David Carpenter]

But the next day, Cindy didn't show up to work, and she wasn't heard from. From anybody. So Alice and the rest of the family started taking everything a little more seriously, and they reported both of them missing. A few days later, on October 15, a third body of a. Of a murdered woman was discovered on Mount Tam.

[Elena]

Damn.

[David Carpenter]

A research Scientist and former Peace Corps consultant, 26 year old Anne Alderson. So she was visiting her parents in San Rafael over the holiday weekend when on October 13, she just decided to go for a solo hike on Mount Tam. So she was literally visiting, like, wouldn't.

[Elena]

Have been there otherwise.

[David Carpenter]

And again, a research scientist and Peace Corps consultant.

[Elena]

That's crazy.

[David Carpenter]

Like, come on. So she had. She just wanted to go out for a solo hike on Mount Tam. And days later, a witness named John Henry told police he'd seen Anne sitting alone in the amphitheater around 5pm and had considered warning her about the recent attacks that had occurred on the mountain. He just wanted to be like, you should just be a little careful.

[Elena]

Yeah.

[David Carpenter]

Especially like being alone, he said. But she was so deep in introspection, I didn't want to bother or scare her.

[Elena]

Oh, man.

[David Carpenter]

Yeah. So Anne was one of two people that Henry saw on the mountain that day. He also saw a man in the parking lot. He later said he was just hanging around. He was in his late 40s, early 50s. But there was something different about him. He was simply standing there, all but motionless and wearing street clothing, slacks and a Hawaiian like shirt. The man would later be identified as David Carpenter.

[Elena]

It reminds you of that thing where it's like, would you rather run into a bear in the woods or a man?

[David Carpenter]

A bear. The next day, two park rangers were out on the mountain looking for some wild ridgeback hogs that had been spotted in the area when they received an APB about a young woman, Ann Alderson, who had gone missing on the mountain. According to the bulletin, Ann had told her parents she'd be back by six that night, but they waited until the following day to report her missing. Search and rescue teams, along with family and friends, had combed the mountain that night looking for Ann, but found no sign of her. It wasn't until the next day, October 15, that Ann's body was discovered in an area of overgrowth about a quarter mile from the amphitheater where she had last been seen by John Henry.

[Elena]

Oh, that's awful.

[David Carpenter]

Unlike the other two victims, none of Ann's clothing or jewelry had been taken except for one gold earring.

[Elena]

Yeah, that's so chilling.

[David Carpenter]

She had been sexually assaulted. And the cause of death was a gunshot wound to the right side of her head. And it was from a, quote, high powered weapon. Like a rifle.

[Elena]

Yeah.

[David Carpenter]

Although she was clothed when her body was discovered, investigators believe that her attacker redressed her after. So she was undressed.

[Elena]

That is scarier.

[David Carpenter]

Yeah. That afternoon The Sheriff's department shut down Mount Tim to the public and detectives searched the area for evidence and found, among other things, a metal fragment from the bullet jacket and Ann's underwear, which appeared to contain semen that the investigators believed was likely left by her killer.

[Elena]

Right.

[David Carpenter]

Although DNA testing was obviously not available at the time, this sample was analyzed by lab technicians and determined to be, quote, a type consistent with about 6 to 8% of the general population, or.

[Elena]

At least that's small.

[David Carpenter]

That's a small something, but it's like, ugh. Now, on December 2, 1980, about six weeks after Ann's murder, teams of park rangers were searching the mountain looking for 25 year old Shana May and 22 year old Diane O'Connell, who had been reported missing a few days earlier. God, when somebody missing people when they made. So they're looking for Shana May and Diane O'Connell and they made a horrific discovery. So O'Connell and May had gone out for a walk along the National Seashore at point Reyes on November 28, and when they failed to return home that afternoon, they were tourists. So people were like, where the fuck would they have gone?

[Elena]

Right.

[David Carpenter]

They were immediately reported missing. It was in a heavily wooded and sparsely traveled area on Mount Tam where they were found. They were both unfortunately murdered. They were nude and had been shot in the head. Both of them.

[Elena]

Gosh.

[David Carpenter]

Based on the initial evaluation, it looked like Diane O'Connell had been strangled by, quote, something like a narrow piece of cord of wire and a pair of women's underwear had been shoved in her mouth.

[Elena]

Oh, my.

[David Carpenter]

There was no evidence to indicate that O'Connell had been raped. Shawna May, on the other hand, had been sexually assaulted before being shot. And there were ligature marks around one one of her wrists which indicated she'd been bound at some point. Now, the discovery of two more murder victims on Mount Tam was bad enough, but less than an hour later, rangers discovered the decomposed remains of Cindy Moreland and rick stowers about 200 yards from where they found O'Connell and May Jesus. Both bodies were found lying face down in what appeared to be a shallow, very crudely dug grave. Bullet wounds were in both of the back of their heads. They had been in the woods for about seven weeks at this point, so they had undergone a lot of decomposition. And Cindy's remains had to be identified through dental records.

[Elena]

That's always so sad.

[David Carpenter]

Yeah. When they left Morland's house on the day they went missing, neither Cindy nor Rick had said anything about going hiking that's the problem. So when they were reported missing, they just never thought to look in the area of Mount Tam. Cause no one knew they were hiking.

[Elena]

Right. It was like a.

[David Carpenter]

It was just like a spontaneous thing. Now the body count now was at 7.

[Elena]

Jesus.

[David Carpenter]

And the sheriff's office finally started. You know, were like, you know what? I think there is one killer that's responsible for all these victims. This doesn't feel like just a coincidence.

[Elena]

Right.

[David Carpenter]

Sheriff Al Howenstein told reporters the two most recent victims may have been slain by the killer to draw attention to the earlier killings. He said, we're looking, we believe, at an individual who has strong feelings about women. And he also said, sometimes the Slayer can control his feelings, and other times he cannot. I could see that when you think of it like he killed Diane O'Connell and Shana May just to draw attention. Because he left them. Right. He did it and left them right near where Rick and Cindy were. For him to do that just so that they to be like, oh, you haven't found them yet.

[Elena]

Right.

[David Carpenter]

So I'll just take two other people's lives. Like that is so fucking chilling.

[Elena]

That line of thinking is just.

[David Carpenter]

That's so chilling, Wild, and it's very him.

[Elena]

Yeah.

[David Carpenter]

So the news that there was yet another serial killer. Cause remember, we're in that time period and in that place, that location where serial killers were running a fucking muck around here. They were confusing the cases, confusing the victims, like they were overlapping. They were working in the same kind of areas.

[Elena]

Like it was a wild time.

[David Carpenter]

It was. I can't imagine being in this time, this place, in the United States at this time, especially as a woman. I really can't imagine it.

[Elena]

No.

[David Carpenter]

Horrifying. So this just. The news that there was yet another one of these assholes operating in the San Francisco area was met with a lot of justifiable fear and anxiety from residents. Hauenstein said in a warning to the residents in the area, without question, this individual is capable of striking again, which must have been horrifying to him.

[Elena]

That's very scary.

[David Carpenter]

He said he commits his acts in an effort to achieve psychological relief, but the murders will not satisfy him and the problem will get worse. And in the same statement, he released a sketch of the man they believe was responsible. And he was described as, quote, a clean cut man in his late 20s or early 30s, dressed in hiking clothes with a knapsack on his back.

[Elena]

Okay.

[David Carpenter]

And according to witness statements, he's beginning to fall apart psychologically. And so Hauenstein said hikers especially, remain vigilant and do not go on solo hikes. Yeah, like, no more solo hiking, everybody. But it's. What's even worse is you're not safe. Even with two.

[Elena]

Well, yeah, because, look, Cindy and Rick were together.

[David Carpenter]

Cindy and Rick and Diane and Shawna.

[Elena]

Yeah. And like, you do inherently, I think, as a woman, sometimes feel a little bit more defending when you're with, like, a man.

[David Carpenter]

But that didn't even matter either.

[Elena]

Yeah. Like, that's very genuinely scary.

[David Carpenter]

It's horrifying. Now, investigators checked the local sex offender registry for anyone who might match these descriptions. But because Carpenter was still technically a federal prisoner on probation, he was not yet required to sign up for the registry. And so he hadn't.

[Elena]

If you're out, you should have to sign up for that.

[David Carpenter]

Agreed.

[Elena]

Like, what?

[David Carpenter]

Another fail?

[Elena]

Yup.

[David Carpenter]

Also, at the time. This is even worse. At the time, California's sex offender registry program was woefully underfunded.

[Elena]

Really?

[David Carpenter]

And overworked. And it was run by three people. That department.

[Elena]

What?

[David Carpenter]

Yeah. It lacked even the basic resources to operate as a department, much less operate as, like, a functional arm of law enforcement. Like, three people are having to deal with all this.

[Elena]

Insane.

[David Carpenter]

So the fact that he fell through the cracks in that scenario, not surprising at all.

[Elena]

Awful.

[David Carpenter]

I would have been surprised if they actually found him on the registry.

[Elena]

Truly.

[David Carpenter]

Now, as for David Carpenter, the sheriff was more or less kind of accurate with what he said. He was starting to fall apart psychologically, or, you know, he was becoming more reckless, at the very least.

[Greenlight]

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[Mr. Ballin]

You know those creepy stories that give you goosebumps? The ones that make you really question what's real? Well, what if I told you that some of the strangest, darkest, and most mysterious stories are not found in haunted houses or abandoned forests, but instead in hospital rooms and doctor's offices? Hi, I'm Mr. Ballin, the host of Mr. Ballin's Medical Mysteries. And each week on my podcast, you can expect to hear stories about bizarre illnesses no one can explain, miraculous recoveries that shouldn't have happened and cases so baffling they stumped even the best doctors. So if you crave totally true and thoroughly twisted horror stories and mysteries, Mr. Ballin's medical mysteries should be your new Go to weekend listen to Mr. Ballin's medical mysteries on the Wondery app or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen early and ad free right now by joining Wondery plus in the Wondery app or on Spotify or Apple podcasts.

[David Carpenter]

Now. On March 29, 1981, 20 year old Ellen Hansen and her boyfriend Stephen Herdle were camping near Henry Cowell park in Santa Cruz, not far from Point Reyes. Okay, this was a popular area at the time and it had about 90 other campers on site at the time. If Henry Cowell park in Santa Cruz sounds a little familiar, this is the same camping area that Herbert Mullen took solitary hikes in and brutally ended up murdering 18 year old David Olaker, 18 year old Robert Spector, 19 year old Brian Scott Card and 15 year old Mark Drebelbus in their tent.

[Elena]

Oh wow. This is the same place and around the same time.

[David Carpenter]

Yep. And this is where Ellen Hansen and her boyfriend Stephen Hartel were camping.

[Elena]

Oh man.

[David Carpenter]

So that morning, Hansen and Harold woke up early and went for a walk along the beach. For much of the walk they were alone, but eventually Steve spotted another person on the beach. This was a man wearing what looked to be a backpack and very heavy bifocal glasses.

[Elena]

We got them replaced and he was walking towards them. No thanks.

[David Carpenter]

So as they got closer, Steve and Ellen could hear what Steve later described as, quote, shuffling steps and then heavy breathing and cursing. Oh, but they thought like whatever. And they just kind of like. Because they were walking towards each other but like going past each other.

[Elena]

Yeah. So you're just going to say like hey.

[David Carpenter]

So he said. They nodded a hello and he did too. And then they just kept walking. Now later that afternoon and nothing came of that.

[Elena]

Yeah.

[David Carpenter]

So they were just like whatever. Later that afternoon, Steve and Ellen ran into that same man from the beach again. This time while they were hiking Ridge Trail on Mount Tam. When he saw them, he said, oh, I see we run into each other again. So they just kind of were like ha. Yeah, like weird. And then as they're being like, oh yeah, that's like funny as they're saying that he reached into the waistband of his pants and produced a revolver.

[Elena]

Can you imagine?

[David Carpenter]

You just see this man again and he's like oh funny. We run into each other again and you're like yeah. And he's just puts a gun in your face.

[Elena]

Like what the.

[David Carpenter]

Like the fear.

[Elena]

The fear. And just like the split second change there.

[David Carpenter]

Cuz he just pointed it right at them.

[Elena]

My God.

[David Carpenter]

Like that one, you're probably like, what.

[Elena]

The fuck the universe? Like, why did I call it this man's path again?

[David Carpenter]

Now at the time, Steve was fixated on his. The man's hands, which he later described as extraordinarily white and clean, which is strange. He also noticed the strange way that the man was holding the gun. He said it was like very specific. He said he had pulled back the hammer, but had his thumb between the hammer and the firing pin because he's injured. Yeah. So if the hammer slipped, it would hit his thumb rather than discharging a bullet too.

[Elena]

Right.

[David Carpenter]

Like, which is strange. The man said, if you don't want to get hurt, do what I say. Put your hands on your head and you won't get hurt. So he was like, this is weird. So he's thinking we're just being robbed because he also, him putting his finger, his thumb between that probably just armed him. Probably made him think like, okay, even if he pulls the trigger, we're not being fired at. So to me, that would probably make me be like, okay, this guy's bluffing.

[Elena]

Right?

[David Carpenter]

Like, this is up.

[Elena]

Let's just do what he says.

[David Carpenter]

And I think that's why Steve was like, okay, I think he's just robbing us and he's trying to threaten us with a.

[Elena]

With a gun. Yeah.

[David Carpenter]

So Steve pushed Ellen out of the way and thrust his wallet at this man. But the man was like, no. And this is one of the most chilling things I have ever heard.

[Elena]

Oh no.

[David Carpenter]

He said to him, I don't want any money. I want something else. You know what I mean? All I want to do is rape her.

[Elena]

Oh my God.

[David Carpenter]

Said this to her boyfriend. Steve was probably like, what the actual fuck?

[Elena]

And what do you.

[David Carpenter]

And imagine Ellen being like, like, what the fuck? Like, I. What do you do in that scenario?

[Elena]

I have no idea.

[David Carpenter]

And it didn't. It's so scary. It's like so scary. And apparently it didn't occur to Steve in the moment, but he later said that the man was slowly pushing them back off the trail and into the woods as this was happening. And Steve and Ellen were moving backwards and he was just kind of like advancing space and he's like getting them out of the way now. Eventually, Steve and Ellen made a move to run and things just erupted into chaos. Steve said, I heard two Shots. And then I felt like somebody hit my neck with a sledgehammer. I remember falling to the ground with a buzzing sensation in my arm, and everything was slowing down. The bullet had ripped through Steve's neck and severed an artery in his arm and then had settled in his sternum.

[Elena]

Oh, my God.

[David Carpenter]

So he went unconscious, I'm sure. When he regained consciousness a few moments later, the first thing he saw was Ellen laying beside him, and her head was resting in a pool of blood. The man who. Who had shot them both looked like he was walking away. And Steve knew if he didn't stop him, they might never find him and he might hurt someone else. So despite being incredibly injured, Steve forced himself to his feet.

[Elena]

Oh, my God.

[David Carpenter]

He's been shot in the neck and an artery has been severed.

[Elena]

Not only the fact that he's gravely injured, but the fact that he knows that this man still has a gun and could shoot him again. Exactly. Going up against him because he doesn't.

[David Carpenter]

Want somebody else to get hurt. Wow. He forces himself to his feet and slowly starts walking after him. Walking up the trail in the direction of the observation deck. And he hadn't made it very far before he found a father and son hiking the trail. And he's, like, hysterical, and he's slipping into, like, shock at this point.

[Elena]

Yeah.

[David Carpenter]

And Steve did his best to explain to them what happened, but he wasn't making a lot of sense. And Lee Fritz, who was one of the guys, said, he told us that he and his girlfriend had been shot and he thought she was dead.

[Elena]

Oh.

[David Carpenter]

Which, like, I can't even imagine having to say that.

[Elena]

No.

[David Carpenter]

So with the help of some other hikers, Fritz managed to get Steve to the observation deck, where they called the police. And later, several witnesses on the trail that day recalled hearing the gunshots and passing a man in a gold jacket as they rushed to see what the commotion was about.

[Elena]

It's also just so crazy to think that, like, so many people that day were just out for hikes. Like that guy that Steve ran into is just on a hike with his son.

[David Carpenter]

Yeah.

[Elena]

And, like, think of that. The headspace that they're in. Like, they're like, oh, nature beautiful.

[David Carpenter]

Yeah. And this guy's fucking everything up.

[Elena]

Woke up from being shot next to.

[David Carpenter]

His girlfriend, seeing his girlfriend shot next to him. So two of the hikers from the observation deck ventured out into the woods and found Ellen's body. She was dead. She had been killed by a gunshot wound to her head. The two men sat with her body until the rescue team arrived, which I'm glad they did that. In the meantime, Steve was loaded into Lee Fritz's camper van and they started their way down to the hospital. So, like, all these campers are like, helping each other out. When they reached the parking lot, Fritz spotted a man driving a Volkswagen Beetle that appeared to be stuck in the mud.

[Elena]

Good.

[David Carpenter]

Fritz said. Something about the rearview mirror caught my eye. It was extra large for the car, like so. It was just a very specific thing. As they passed, Lee and the other driver made direct eye contact with one another. And it occurred to him that it was the same man that he'd passed on the trail just before he found Steve.

[Elena]

God, can you imagine?

[David Carpenter]

And he said, he said, he yelled, there's. There goes the person I think committed the crime. But he said, at the moment, I had to get Steve to a hospital. I was worried he was gonna die. Like, I couldn't stop and try to apprehend this man. You have to weigh out what is more important. He's like. So I just had to get Steve to where he needed to go. Now, despite the serious physical and psychological trauma that he'd endured, Steve was able to provide a very detailed description of the killer.

[Elena]

That's incredible.

[David Carpenter]

And he used that description to refine the existing composite of the sketch of the suspect.

[Elena]

Nice.

[David Carpenter]

The problem, though, was that they still had no one to match the drawing to. And unfortunately, it was going to take one more murder before this man was finally identified as David Carpenter.

[Elena]

Jesus Christ.

[David Carpenter]

Now, with the exception of the attack on Lois DeAndrati in 1960, all of David Carpenter's victims were completely unknown to him and were just kind of like victims of opportunity. Unfortunately for that reason, it's really strange that in choosing his last victim here, he chose someone that he knew, like, pretty well, really, and could easily be traced back to him with very minimal effort.

[Elena]

Cause again, psychologically, he's unwinding.

[David Carpenter]

He's unwinding now. On May 2, 1981, just one month after the murder of Ellen Hansen and the attempted murder of Steve Haredle, 20 year old Heather Skaggs was attending the same trade school where David Carpenter was working as a printer. And she mentioned that she was looking to buy a used car since hers had finally broken down for good. Well, as it happened, Carpenter told her he had a friend in Santa Cruz who had a car for sale at a pretty good price. And he was happy to drive her over there after they both finished their shifts.

[Elena]

Okay.

[David Carpenter]

If she could get the car, Carpenter pointed out, he could help her get a job at the school. Heather agreed, you know, there. But there were two things she did find unusual about this whole thing. Carpenter had told her to bring cash and not tell anyone when she was going.

[Elena]

Okay, that's strange.

[David Carpenter]

Yeah. So Heather's mother, Mary Jones Skaggs, said that Heather called her that afternoon and seemed upset and was like, I feel like something's weird about this. She actually broke into tears at one point. She said, it doesn't feel right.

[Elena]

Yeah.

[David Carpenter]

So her mother begged her, like, trust your instincts. Don't go with this guy. But Heather was like, I can't pass up the opportunity for a job, which is so sad.

[Elena]

I know.

[David Carpenter]

And so she told her mom, don't worry. Don't worry about it, Mom.

[Elena]

Just wish that somebody else could have given her a ride.

[David Carpenter]

I know. And that was the last time Mary Jones Skaggs talked to her daughter.

[Elena]

Oh, my God.

[David Carpenter]

Now, later that night, when no one had heard from Heather, some of her friends reached out to David Carpenter for information, actually, because they knew the two had plans that afternoon because some people were there when they made these plans.

[Elena]

Yeah.

[David Carpenter]

But David claimed that they hadn't met up as planned because, quote, he overslept and had car trouble.

[Elena]

Okay.

[David Carpenter]

So because multiple people knew she had plans to go look at a car with David Carpenter, When Heather was reported missing to police, his name came up repeatedly.

[Elena]

Yeah.

[David Carpenter]

But when investigators interviewed him, he just said, I overslept and my card wouldn't work. I didn't see her that day.

[Elena]

You know, it's just a coincidence that.

[David Carpenter]

I'm a violent criminal and it's easy alibi. I overslept. I didn't see her. Now, at the same time that investigators were looking into his background in the context of the Heather Skaggs case, the composite sketch that had been updated with the help of Steve was finally starting to get some traction.

[Elena]

Nice.

[David Carpenter]

And the first tip came in from a 69 year old woman in Ben Lomond, California, named Roberta Patterson. She reported recognizing the man in the sketch as a man she'd been on a cruise with 26 years earlier. Patterson wouldn't have remembered someone from that long ago, she said normally. But she recalled being very disturbed by Carpenter and it was David Carpenter because he was making her teenage daughter very uncomfortable because he wouldn't stop touching her shoulders. Ew. Patterson told a reporter from the San Francisco Chronicle, I just didn't like the guy. It turned out this was not the first time that Patterson had reported this particular man.

[Elena]

To the police.

[David Carpenter]

Years earlier, she called police after seeing a sketch of the Zodiac on tv.

[Elena]

Oh shit. Yeah, we're about to cover that.

[Chico Felitti]

Some people get a wild haircut or book a spontaneous trip when life throws them a curveball. But Molly, well, she dove headfirst into a world of no strings attached sex, secret rendezvous, forbidden affairs and unforgettable adventures. And together, we tell every juicy detail in Diamond Dying for Sex Wondries award winning podcast that's now streaming on a TV near you, starring Michelle Williams and Jenny Slate. And to top it off, we're dropping brand new bonus episodes where I sit down with the cast to spill all the spicy secrets, desire, friendship, self discovery, and the ultimate bucket list of pleasure. This is a story that had everyone talking. Listen to the original Dying for Sex and brand new episodes on the Wondery app or wherever you get your podcasts. You can binge the original series before anyone else and completely ad free on Wondri.

[David Carpenter]

Now. By the time they called him in for an interview about the disappearance of Heather Skaggs, investigators already suspected him of being involved in the murders at Mount Tam. But in person, he was much less believable as a threat to anyone. Detective Walt Robinson said when he sat down and started talking to Carpenter, the first time he opened his mouth, I thought, my God, this guy can't possibly be involved in the Santa Cruz homicide. In addition to just appearing pretty meek, according to them, like, he just didn't seem like a, you know, judging a book by its cover, I suppose they were also saying he was struggling to get a single sentence out without stuttering. When they asked about Heather, his response caught their detectives off guard because he said, I hope she hasn't been killed. I hope she hasn't been raped. But they said he stuttered very hard on the words killed and raped. Oh, so that's why it, like, really hit them. They were like, first of all, why would you say that?

[Elena]

That's just bizarre.

[David Carpenter]

And second of all, like, why are those words hitting so hard?

[Elena]

Yikes.

[David Carpenter]

The more he talked, the more investigators started seeing the facade of a mild, awkward man to someone who is clearly very more controlling, manipulative and cunning. To Robinson and his partner, Carpenter's alibi seemed way too perfect. His descriptions were too well rehearsed. Everything was too much. So sensing he would need to establish some kind of rapport with the suspect, Robinson told Carpenter that, like David, he had also been forced to take dance classes as a kid and would often get made fun of by his peers. At that, David calmly rose from his chair and for nearly 10 minutes he went through all the dance positions he could remember moving fluidly around this little interrogation room as the detectives just watched him without any emotion that you would be hospitalized.

[Elena]

You would see that in a movie and be like, that's too much.

[David Carpenter]

That's a lot.

[Elena]

Like, that was crazy.

[David Carpenter]

No, that is.

[Elena]

It's also like, he did weirdly sad.

[David Carpenter]

Yeah.

[Elena]

But, like, I don't feel bad for him, but.

[David Carpenter]

Yeah. Like, the entire performance from, you know, the awkward, you know, weird embarrassment and the. The dance routine. It all felt very planned, though, to them. Because at first, when you hear that, you're like, oh, like, he's just really. Like, he's really going out there. You know, he's trying to make it seem like to them, they felt like this is part of it. They said he was playing a game with them.

[Elena]

Yeah.

[David Carpenter]

As he danced, David said, I know you guys think I'm the number one suspect as he's dancing. Oh. And they reminded him that they were from missing persons, not homicide, and. But all David said was, hey, I'm the number one suspect. I should. If I should be. If I'm not, what the fuck? And the detectives concluded their interview and took three Polaroid photos of Carpenter, then allowed him to leave.

[Elena]

That's so bizarre.

[David Carpenter]

They said it was all. It's all felt very rehearsed, like he planned all of it.

[Elena]

It's. He literally did a dance rehearsal.

[David Carpenter]

Yeah. In the days that after that, FBI agents working with the Santa Cruz County Sheriff's office ran a 247 tale on David Carpenter.

[Elena]

Oh, I always love that.

[David Carpenter]

And during that time, they witnessed him attempting to sell his.38 pistol, among other things. And in the meantime, Santa Cruz homicide detectives continued to investigate the Hansen murder, focusing on David Carpenter. It was during an interview with his former girlfriend, Candy Townsend, that the first break came. During their conversation, Townsend mentioned a gold jacket of David's that had gone missing in early April.

[Elena]

Oh.

[David Carpenter]

Which he told her had been stolen out of his car.

[Elena]

I bet.

[David Carpenter]

Detective Stoney Brook said. And his name is Stoney Brook.

[Elena]

That's iconic.

[David Carpenter]

I just need to. Can we all just take hold space for that.

[Elena]

He had to be detective.

[David Carpenter]

That's a great name.

[Elena]

It is.

[David Carpenter]

He said. Up to this point, we lacked the nexus, the connection. We had him fitting the description, but we could not put him at the scene with the gun in his hand. That jacket, was it the Nexus?

[Elena]

I love it.

[David Carpenter]

Only Stony, only Detective Stony Brook could say it like that. It's true.

[Elena]

And only Detective Stony Brook would say nexus.

[David Carpenter]

Exactly. That's the only. That. Only Stoney now, along with the pistol and the witness descriptions. The jacket put David Carpenter at the scene of the Hansen murder the previous month. That afternoon, Brooke called the FBI surveillance team and reported what they'd learned. On the afternoon of May 15, David Carpenter was arrested for the murder of Ellen Hansen. Following his arrest and arraignment for the murder, seven witnesses, including Steve Haredle, identified Carpenter as the man who they'd seen fleeing Mount Tam on the day Ellen Hansen was murdered. About a week later, on May 24, hikers walking along the railway at Big Basin State park unfortunately discovered the nude, decomposing body of Heather Skaggs.

[Elena]

Oh.

[David Carpenter]

She had been sexually assaulted and shot in the face with a.38 caliber handgun.

[Elena]

Oh, God.

[David Carpenter]

The same gun used in the shooting of Ellen Hansen and Steve Haredle. During the trial, one of Carpenter's friends, Molly Purnell, testified that she had purchased the gun at David's request. And two other witnesses testified to having been shown the gun by David Carpenter at various points in the previous year.

[Elena]

Yikes.

[David Carpenter]

During his interviews, Carpenter claimed not to own a gun, but one of the former halfway house residents David lived with had turned on him and confessed to having been given the gun by Carpenter and asked to destroy it.

[Elena]

Oh, my God.

[David Carpenter]

Yeah.

[Elena]

You just like the fact that he thought that was never going to come back.

[David Carpenter]

You really think they're going to have your back here?

[Elena]

No.

[David Carpenter]

Like, come on. That man led police to where he had thrown it, and the weapon was recovered.

[Elena]

Whoa.

[David Carpenter]

Yep. In late July 1981, David Carpenter was charged with five counts of murder, rape, and attempted rape in Santa Cruz County.

[Elena]

Also, in his 1981 mugshot, he's wearing a monogrammed sweater.

[David Carpenter]

Yeah, he's. He's terrifyingly normal.

[Elena]

He's wearing a straight up monogram sweater. I don't know what the monogram is, because it's not for his name. Yeah, but.

[David Carpenter]

Which is even scarier somehow. No, it is. I don't know why.

[Elena]

It's just.

[David Carpenter]

It's just like. Whose is that?

[Elena]

I hate it.

[David Carpenter]

Yeah. Now, a trial was scheduled, but in the months that followed, additional charges were added for the murders in Marin county, and that complicated the case. Things were further complicated by multiple requests for a change of venue after Carpenter's lawyers argued that there had been too much press coverage in Santa Cruz and the jury was going to be biased.

[Elena]

Yeah. Yeah.

[David Carpenter]

By the time the case went to trial in April 1984, it took nearly three months to impanel a jury in Los Angeles, where the case had been moved. Now, in July 1984, after a three month trial. David Carpenter was found guilty of all charges in the Santa Cruz cases. And in November of that year, he was sentenced to death.

[Elena]

Goodbye.

[David Carpenter]

Two years later, in September 1986, Carpenter was tried for the murders committed in Marin county, where he was also found guilty of all charges. And in 1988, was also sentenced to death for those as well. Damn.

[Elena]

Two times.

[David Carpenter]

You gonna die twice.

[Elena]

Oof.

[David Carpenter]

Given the complexity of the cases and the fact that death penalty cases are automatically appealed.

[Elena]

Yep.

[David Carpenter]

David Carpenter appealed those convictions and sentences to the state Supreme Court several times. Although two of his convictions for the Hansen and Skaggs murders were at one point overturned on a technicality.

[Elena]

Oh, technicality.

[David Carpenter]

The convictions and sentences for those murders were reinstated upon review. David Carpenter has always denied killing or sexually assaulting any of the individuals he. He was convicted of killing.

[Elena]

Yeah. Yeah.

[David Carpenter]

Despite a wild amount of forensic evidence linking him to the murders. Like, there is no question whatsoever.

[Elena]

Yeah.

[David Carpenter]

In the years since he was incarcerated, he's been linked through DNA to the 1979 murder of Mary Bennett, who was killed while jogging at Land's End. And he remains the prime suspect in the murders of Etta Kane and Barbara Schwartz, who they were never able to pin him for. As of today, he remains incarcerated at San Quentin Prison. And he is 94 years old, and he is the oldest resident on California's death row.

[Elena]

That's.

[David Carpenter]

That is some. That that man is allowed to live.

[Elena]

Shouldn't be allowed to live that long. And I. I hope that death row is just awful, though.

[David Carpenter]

Oh, I hope he's having the worst time. I hope he's having the.

[Elena]

I hope he can't dance. I hope they don't let him dance.

[David Carpenter]

Oh, yeah. I hope they. I hope they just. Oh, I hope he lives with a constant hangnail.

[Elena]

Yeah.

[David Carpenter]

And I hope he always has a cut inside of his nose. And I hope that never heals.

[Elena]

It is always dripping.

[David Carpenter]

Always dripping.

[Elena]

And that mice are in his cell.

[David Carpenter]

And I hope his eye twitches and then it stops, so he thinks it's gone, but then it just goes for like a week straight.

[Elena]

Yeah. And I hope he has a dull headache.

[David Carpenter]

And then I hope he has an abscess in his tooth. Several teeth, actually.

[Elena]

That's crazy.

[David Carpenter]

And a sore throat.

[Elena]

Oh, definitely never pinpoint why. And no cough drops in prison.

[David Carpenter]

Nope. Except for Mucinex. And he's one of those people who. Mucinex makes puke.

[Elena]

Mucinex makes me nauseous.

[David Carpenter]

Me too. And I hope it makes him nauseous. And they only have that.

[Elena]

You heard it here first.

[David Carpenter]

Yeah.

[Elena]

Wow, that's a really sad story. So many of those deaths never would have happened if the justice system had actually prevailed. Oh, can we tell. We gotta tell a story soon. Soon. Where the justice system, like, does good.

[David Carpenter]

Yeah, we definitely need to find one of those, because this was not one of those situations. David Carpenter's an. Those poor people just living their lives and they were just victims of opportunity. Yeah, it's awful.

[Elena]

It is.

[David Carpenter]

But a lot of, like, civilians in this case, a lot of the detectives did a great job on this case, and a lot of civilians really pulled it together in this case.

[Elena]

I feel like, like, camping culture and like, hiking culture. Those people really stick together. Yeah. They take care of each other, which.

[David Carpenter]

Like, good for you guys.

[Elena]

Whenever people go hiking on the, like, do like the crazy Coast High. What is it, Pacific Highway?

[David Carpenter]

No. Why? Well, that's the thing. The Pacific Coast Trail. Right.

[Elena]

Is that it? In my head, I was thinking, like, the Appalachian Trail. Now I'm just thinking Panama.

[David Carpenter]

Pacific Crest Trail.

[Elena]

That's not in my head, but I don't know what it's called, so. At least you had a stab at it.

[David Carpenter]

The Reese Witherspoon movie where she throws her hiking boots. Oh, it's like a whole thing. I've never watched it. And they talk about it in Gilmore Girls, the new one.

[Elena]

I know you're talking about.

[David Carpenter]

Yeah, Pacific Crest Trail. I was right. Okay. I was like. I know I'm not totally off on here. Anyway, she was going to do wild, so that's what it is. It's wild. Yeah. The Pacific. The Appalachian Trail, I think is. Was part of that whole thing. Okay, you were also correct.

[Elena]

See, look at us both being great. Basically. My point was just that when people do that big, long trail and they. And they go wild or they do wild, people take care of them. Everybody takes care of each other during the wild.

[David Carpenter]

They do. I think people who.

[Elena]

It's a community.

[David Carpenter]

People who hike. I think that's just like, in your bones and your blood and, like, which makes you pretty great.

[Elena]

I wish I could hike.

[David Carpenter]

Keep looking out for each other and please be careful.

[Elena]

And with that being said, we hope.

[David Carpenter]

You keep listening and we hope you.

[Elena]

Keep it weird, but not so weird that you don't do and go wild. Wild, wild, wild, wild.

[Ash]

If you like morbid, you can listen early and ad free right now by joining Wondery plus in the Wondery app or on Apple Podcasts. Prime members can listen ad free on Amazon Music. Before you go, tell us about yourself by filling out a short [e-mail] survey.

[Morbid Network]

Everyone has that friend who seems kind of perfect for Patty. That friend was Desiree. Until one day I texted her and.

[Elena]

She was not getting the text. So I went to Instagram. She has no Instagram anymore. And Facebook.

[David Carpenter]

No Facebook anymore.

[Morbid Network]

Desiree was gone. And there was one person who knew the answer.

[David Carpenter]

I am a spiritual person, a magical.

[Morbid Network]

Person, a witch, a gorgeous Brazilian influencer called Kat Torres, but who was hiding a secret from Wondery. Based on my smash hit podcast, From Brazil comes a new series, Don't Cross Cat, about a search that led me to a mystery in a Texas suburb. I'm calling to check on the two.

[David Carpenter]

Missing Brazilian girls, maybe get some undercover crew there. The family are freaking out. They are locked.

[Morbid Network]

I'm Chico Felitti. You can listen to Don't Cross Cat on the Wondery app or wherever you get your podcasts.