Introducing: Murder in Apartment 12
03:26 Share

It was murder, alright. Anyone who walked into Apartment 12 that winter night could plainly see that. A brutal, violent death. Lamps overturned. Blood soaked into the carpet, smudged on walls, spattered on the kitchen stove. I could just see that someone had hurt her terribly. A local beauty queen, battered and beaten, dead.

The week before Christmas, just days short of her 20th birthday. They had found a condom wrapper in the crime scene. Her body was disrobed. There are boyfriends who became suspects in this story. One with blood on his hands. I didn't do it. I didn't do it. I didn't do it. I didn't do it. Some scumbag did this to my girlfriend and I wanted to put him to death for it and I didn't do it.

But there was also a stranger who lived nearby, one with a history of violence against women. So who did it? The young detective in charge was sure he knew. Listen, I process crime scenes. My primary function in this department is to collect evidence, interpret a crime scene, and I'm good at it.

Our latest podcast takes us to a small town where murder is rare and intense media coverage is unheard of. This case probably had more statewide publicity than any criminal case in many, many years, perhaps ever, in Arkansas.

It's a story of what happens when the awesome power of the state is misdirected, when theory trumps fact, when opinion distorts truth. This is a little town in Arkansas. They wanted a neck. They wanted somebody to hang. Everybody has an opinion, but that doesn't convict in our courts. It's about hubris and pride and reputation. I have been brutalized nationwide that I'm an inept investigator.

that I don't know what I'm doing. Locally, I've been fried. I've had enough of that. Most of all, this is the story of how decisions made long ago on a frigid night in apartment 12 nearly put an innocent man in prison for life and allowed a predator to roam free. And I'm really glad I found the courage to call the police on this man because there's no telling what could have happened if I didn't.

I'm Keith Morrison, and this is Murder in Apartment 12, an all-new podcast from Dateline. You can listen to the latest episode of Murder in Apartment 12 each week, completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium on Apple Podcasts. Subscribers get early access to new episodes and can listen to all Dateline podcasts ad-free. ♪

At Egg Life, we believe eating better should taste great. That's why we created the Perfect Wrap. Made with egg whites, never flour. Egg Life wraps are packed with 5 grams of protein, less than 1 gram of carbs, and zero compromises. Transform your favorite foods with a simply smarter tortilla. Egg Life wraps have the fresh taste you love and the nutrition you need. So see ya, tortilla. And hello, Egg Life, the Perfect Wrap. Find us chillin' in the fridge at Aldi, Safeway, Wegmans, and more.