Real Life Real Crime | Justice For Hailey Ep 31

Podcast: Real Life Real Crime
Host: Woody Overton
Guest: Scott Roeder (Evidence Room)
Air Date: February 18, 2026

Overview

In this episode, Woody Overton presents the second part of his in-depth interview with forensic expert Scott Roeder of the Evidence Room. They discuss the ongoing independent investigation into the death of Hailey, exploring the forensic evidence, systemic limitations in police investigations, the pursuit of truth over passion, and the importance of maintaining objectivity in the justice process. The episode also highlights the commitment of both men—rooted in personal faith and empathy—toward securing justice for Hailey's family. The conversation gives listeners transparent insight into the forensic review process and the barriers faced in revisiting cases deemed closed.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Status of the Hailey Case & the Evidence Room Investigation

• Scott Roeder’s Role: He and his team are conducting an independent, in-depth forensic reconstruction of Hailey’s death, moving beyond initial police interpretations.
• Financial Transparency: All GoFundMe money raised is going directly to cover the Evidence Room’s significant operating costs (staff time, materials), not for profit. (04:24)
  • “All the money Ms. Barbara's raising is going to the evidence room. ...they want to see justice however it shakes out. But he is unequivocally said, no way. This is anything but a murder.” —Woody Overton (04:24)

2. Blood Alcohol Level & Physical Possibility of Suicide

• Questionable BAC Findings: Hailey’s extremely high blood alcohol content (0.38) is discussed in practical and investigative terms.
  • “As a cop, if you put somebody on a breathalyzer and it hits 3.0, you have to send them to the hospital. ... hers was double mine. I don't even know how you could even talk at that.” —Woody Overton (04:24-07:25)
• Feasibility Experiments: Discussion about reconstructing the event, specifically whether someone of Hailey’s stature could physically manipulate the weapon in the described manner.
  • “Can a person Haley's size even hold up a shotgun that weighs almost eight pounds horizontally? ... There's no way.” —Woody Overton (04:24)

3. Forensic Reconstruction & Small Department Limitations

• Expertise Gaps in Local Police: Many police departments lack in-house forensic experts; this can affect the outcome and quality of investigations.
  • “They don't have an in house reconstructed team ... even the Cleveland Police Department. ... I'm hoping that this will open their eyes a little bit, and they'll independently verify... and factor in the totality of the circumstance.” —Scott Roeder (08:47-09:41)
• Physical Evidence & Scene Analysis: Blood spatter analysis and weapon orientation are central to the new evaluation of what happened.
  • “She had to have been in a somewhat vertical position ... and the gun had to have been horizontal. That I'm 100 sure of.” —Scott Roeder (35:30)

4. Objectivity vs. Emotional Response in Forensics

• Professional Detachment: Both Scott and Woody discuss the necessity of separating personal feelings from professional analysis, even in cases with morally repugnant suspects.
  • “I'm here to tell you... I am not working this case out of hate or out of rage ... I'm working this case based on just what I can prove and what is valid in.” —Scott Roeder (10:35)
  • “Even though I'm dealing with, whether it's career, child rapists or whatever, I'm trying to get the facts ... you're going from a scientific ... work experience.” —Woody Overton (11:31)
• The Role of Faith & Empathy: Both men reflect on how personal faith and empathy inform their work, while being careful not to compromise scientific rigor.
  • “I try to let [Christ] guide my hand and guide my skill to find the truth.” —Scott Roeder (17:18)
  • “But to do what you do, you have to be somewhat empathetic... You're going to let the science speak for itself...” —Woody Overton (18:00)
• Limits of Objectivity: Scott shares that he refuses sexual assault cases because he can’t be impartial due to their emotional toll (19:20).

5. Reconstruction Challenges & Physical Limitations

• Weapon Weight & Human Ability: Detailed discussion about the (im)possibility of Hailey handling a heavy shotgun in such a way that her death could be a suicide.
  • “Imagine that baseball bat is seven and a half pounds ... How are you going to hold that up at seven and a half pounds and you're a five foot tall, female ... with a non dominant hand? ... It’s not happening.” —Scott Roeder (37:03)
• Upcoming Tests: Evidence Room team will use a model of similar stature to Hailey with gel mannequins and video to provide clear evidence in support of their findings (37:43-38:00).
  • “My Mia is five foot tall, 110 pounds. And we're going to be using her as our model in our... reconstruction.” —Scott Roeder (37:43)

6. The Purpose and Impact of the Evidence Room’s Involvement

• Justice, Not Vengeance: Efforts are focused on truth, not framing a suspect or mounting a witch hunt.
  • “It's not a witch hunt. I told Barbara and I've said it on the show before... if Scott Roeder comes back and says, nope, sorry, it is what it is, then we’re OK with that.” —Woody Overton (14:08)
• Broader Mission: Both men hope that their work will give exposure to the need for independent forensic reviews and help other families find justice.
  • “I would like to see that in the end this morphs into the Evidence Room ... your team being able to help more people in the future because they heard about Haley’s case.” —Woody Overton (33:19)

7. Community, Gratitude, and Next Steps

• Thanking Supporters: Both continually express gratitude to listeners and donors supporting the investigation.
  • “I want to thank everybody for that as well ... the money ... goes directly to my employees ... that's so they can, you know, because I can't get my employees to dedicate free time ... they're responsible for the mortgages.” —Scott Roeder (29:46)
• Open Communication: Evidence Room’s contact given for those interested in their work or with tips: evidence-room.net (42:49)
• Team Shoutout: Recognition of Evidence Room’s staff; shoutouts to Via, Megan, and Patrick (43:26).

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Objectivity:
  • “I'm not working this case out of hate or out of rage or out of passion. … I'm working this case based on just what I can prove and what is valid.” —Scott Roeder (10:35)
• On Hailey’s BAC:
  • “I blew on the machine and I blew a .014. Look, I was almost black out ... and mine was only at a point 13 or 0.14 and hers was double mine.” —Woody Overton (04:24-07:25)
• On Physical Impossibility:
  • “She had to have been in a somewhat vertical position. … And the gun had to have been horizontal.” —Scott Roeder (35:30)
  • “How are you going to hold that up at seven and a half pounds and you’re a five foot tall, female ... with a non dominant hand? ... It’s not happening.” —Scott Roeder (37:23)
• On Mission & Empathy:
  • “To do what you do, you have to be somewhat empathetic. Right. Meaning that ... you're going to let the science speak for itself ... but you still, you're a human being and you're a Christian.” —Woody Overton (18:00)
• On Broader Impact:
  • “There's a lot of people out there that need justice and a lot of cases out there that are unsolved.” —Scott Roeder (34:13)

Timestamps of Key Segments

| Timestamp | Segment Description | |-----------|----------------------| | 02:15 | Woody’s disclaimer on episode content and emphasis on first-hand sources | | 04:24 | Fundraising and Evidence Room’s reduced rate for Hailey’s case | | 07:11 | Conversation on Hailey’s BAC and physical realities of heavy drinking | | 08:47 | Limitations of small police departments in forensics | | 10:35 | Handling personal feelings when working cases | | 12:32 | Discussing objectivity, even in defense work | | 15:38 | Staying in the professional lane—focusing on the “how” not the “why” | | 17:18 | Emphasis on justice system and fair trial, not lynching suspects | | 18:00 | On empathy and balancing science with humanity in casework | | 19:20 | Scott on why he refuses sexual assault cases | | 35:30 | Forensic conclusions—Hailey could not have been lying down, weapon must have been horizontal | | 37:03 | Discussion of weight and leverage required for weapon manipulation | | 42:49 | Evidence Room contact info shared | | 43:26 | Shoutouts to Evidence Room team members |

Final Notes

• Action Request: Woody encourages donations to the GoFundMe for the independent forensic review, emphasizing transparency and accountability (44:00+).
• Next Steps: Ongoing forensic analysis, potential future episodes including a visual/video demonstration of findings. (31:04)
• Legacy: A hope that exposing this case and the evidence process will inspire further independent reviews and assist other families seeking justice.

This episode provides a raw, detailed look at how independent forensic investigations can make or break a case, especially when systemic limitations exist in law enforcement. Woody and Scott blend compassion, faith, and hard science in a determined pursuit to uncover the truth—no matter where it leads.