GUILTY Ca - Becky Friedli, 18, Vicki, 53, & Jon Hayward, 55, Slain, Palm Desert, 17 Sep 2006

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Zak Dahlheimer KESQ
‏ @ZakDahlheimer
1m1 minute ago

LeClair: Took card to DOJ in July 2007, about 10 months since finding the card at the scene.

Court is in morning recess. Will resume at 11:20 a.m.
 
I live in SoCal (San Diego area) and this is the first I have heard of this case. I just read the entire thread.

I don't quite understand the motive here. Yes, she was an ex, and maybe he was angry or jealous about something... but murder? Her AND her mom and mom's bf? Why?? If they brought gas cans, that meant that it was planned, not just some random argument that went too far. Did the parents somehow contribute to the breakup? And why would Robert's friend Cristen go along with this?

Also, on the first page of this thread (before an arrest was made), there is a statement in a linked article (but link no longer works) that "The night before the murder, a former boyfriend and a friend of his had an argument with Becky at Denny's in Palm Desert, California, where she worked as a waitress. She got off work at 7pm so the argument occurred prior. From what is known the altercation was so intense that it resulted in the friend and former boyfriend being ejected from Denny's. Then of course there was the close friend who picked Becky up from her house at 8 pm (an hour after she got off work at Denny's). That close friend appeared to be the last person to see Becky alive He dropped her back at her house sometime before 1am the next day."

So, are Robert and Cristen the ex-bf and friend referred to? Why is this argument not being mentioned in court? And is Javier the friend who is the "last person to see Becky alive". That doesn't sound correct... there were a lot of places she went on the day she died (after 1am).

Finally, I drove on highway 74 from the Palm Desert area to Anza (strange route that we chose to get back from Palm Springs) for the first time back in January 2018. It is quite a winding road... It must have been hard to live up there and to have your entire social life, school, etc down in the Valley. I would've guessed that kids up there would go to school in Idyllwild, but apparently not! To be honest, I don't think there is cell phone on that entire route even now in 2018.
 
Zak Dahlheimer KESQ
‏ @ZakDahlheimer
16m16 minutes ago

Court is back in session. Cross examination between Dolan and LeClair continues

LeClair: Card was taken to a company called HIT, not a part of the state of California. It's a private organization. Department was utilizing the company at the time

LeClair: After taking card to HIT, didn't discuss assignment. Directions given to HIT included conducting a DNA test on this piece of evidence. No other requirement

LeClair: Card was checked for fingerprints. In October 2006, two prints found on card. One was not comparable, the other was comparable.

Judge Schwartz addresses jury stipulation regarding two fingerprints on business card. After visual inspection of pictures, experts believe fingerprints were not sufficient for computer search. Therefore, they're non-comparable

LeClair: On 9/28/06, LeClair interviewed Smith at address on 30th Avenue in Cathedral City. About 25 minutes away from Palm Desert Sheriff Station. Father was initially present, excused himself at LeClair's request

LeClair: Interview was about more than an hour at father's home, mother lived across the street. Girlfriend lived in Palm Springs. Never interviewed mother or girlfriend.

LeClair: During interview, LeClair learned Pape and Smith were at ampm. Sent investigator to ampm to find possible surveillance video showing two there. No video was found. No receipt records found. Heard they bought chap stick. No records of purchase found.



Court is in recess for lunch. Will resume at 1:30 p.m.


and as yesterday, I will post the rest of the afternoon tweets in the morning!

Thanks for reading! :eek:nline:
 
Hi Essbee! :wave:

This case is so old - now you have me wondering about that fight.... I'm getting too old for this! LOL!

Welcome to the thread!
 
Hey guys, I would have to look for the article, but I believe that after interviewing Becky’s bosses at Denny’s they weren’t able to get statements backing that up. That’s why it has been dropped and hasn’t popped up. Many coworkers came forward saying that wasn’t true, it had never happened.

I honestly don’t think there will be a conviction unless the prosecution finds the person that was driving the red truck the firefighters encountered and explain what they were doing.
 
Rest of yesterday's (4/26) tweets after lunch:

Zak Dahlheimer KESQ
‏ @ZakDahlheimer
10h10 hours ago

Back in Riverside for the #PinyonPines trial. Follow me on Twitter @ZakDahlheimer for live updates from inside the courtroom. We’ll have the latest from testimony today in court at 5 p.m. on KESQ News Channel 3 and 5:30 on CBS Local 2 https://www.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=1839592969424603&id=550335708350342 …

Court is back in session. Robert Pape's attorney, Jeff Moore, begins cross examination of LeClair. LeClair says prior to the murders, he'd been in law enforcement about 15 years. Testified many times in cases.

LeClair: Wasn't assigned to be lead investigator when he arrived on scene. Duties were based on how Becky Friedli was found.

LeClair: Told about shoe tracks and tire tracks, took it upon himself to investigate that. Determine if they had anything to do with the crime they were investigating

LeClair: Never examined wheelbarrow. Considered it outside his duties as an investigator that day.

LeClair: After being made lead investigator, read reports of other investigators. Duties included knowing the status of investigation, knowing what has and hasn't been done. Gets copies of the reports

LeClair: Sometimes it could be months until someone may write down what they find in the investigation.

LeClair: In terms of processing at the scene of the Friedli home during the week of 9/18/06, LeClair estimates writing at least two pages of notes. Interviewed Javier Garcia and collected a shell casing, would've written down those elements

LeClair: Didn't take notes of meteorological conditions, wind speed, believes there was no precipitation that night. Didn't check on when the last time it rained, or any recent historical wind speeds in the Pinyon Pines area
 
Zak Dahlheimer KESQ
‏ @ZakDahlheimer
8h8 hours ago

LeClair: Waited until sunrise to begin work to not disturb anything and to be able to see as much as possible

LeClair: Started investigation near wheelbarrow. Identifies picture showing placard 'A' and wheelbarrow handles. Trail starts at 'A' heads towards the water tank towards the top center of the picture

LeClair: Placard 'A' is 25 feet away from wheelbarrow. Saw no track in between the wheelbarrow and where he picked up the track and footprint near placard 'A'

LeClair: Didn't direct investigators to document every single footprint. According to report, said it would be "futile"

LeClair: No videos were taken to document the wheelbarrow track

LeClair: Investigators had GPS coordinates device taking coordinates, taking notes. Assumed GPS coordinates were logged with placards, but they never got into a police report. Asked if information would still be available, but was told it wouldn't be

LeClair: Didn't realize information was gone until after leaving the Central Homicide Unit. Remained designated lead investigator on the case until leaving Central Homicide Unit in 2009

LeClair: Involved in search on 9/18/06 with forensic technicians, other deputies

LeClair: When search was done, followed placards to the best of his ability. Found no other evidence to collect, including blood, hair, DNA source of any sort, clothing, weapons, plant matter (broken trees or branches).
 
Zak Dahlheimer KESQ
‏ @ZakDahlheimer
8h8 hours ago

LeClair: Nothing caught his attention other than wheelbarrow track and footprints

LeClair: Doesn't recall how far boot prints went. Identifies picture of boot print and boot print heel. Didn't ask anyone to compare boot prints to pictures taken

LeClair: When looking at diagram, wheelbarrow track ends at placard 'E' (160 yards away from wheelbarrow). One line goes towards a bush. The other points out to where the business card was found. Estimated business card was found 60 feet (20 yards) away from placard 'E'

LeClair: Found some disturbed earth, looked like there was a hole in the center of it near the card. Attempted to excavate the hole, dug a couple feet down. Didn't find anything. Was loose dirt. Didn't sift through dirt to see if anything, besides business card, was found

LeClair: Didn't see any other wheelbarrow tracks around the property. Didn't look into what types of shoes Jon Hayward, Vicki Friedli, anyone else were wearing.

LeClair: In February 2016, investigators took LeClair back up to walk through what was there. Prosecutor Aki wasn't there. Couldn't remember if Prosecutor Smith was or not.

LeClair: Didn't bring notes to February 2016. Didn't bring them to DA investigators until August 2016 because they didn't ask, didn't know if they needed them, thought GPS coordinates were documented, but actually were not

LeClair: Doesn't remember if he had plastic gas cans collected for evidence examined for accelerants

LeClair: Doesn't remember if metal gas cans were processed for examination of trace evidence, fingerprints, DNA

LeClair: Significant items taken off Becky Friedli's shoe. Doesn't remember if he submitted the items off the shoe for DNA testing
 
Zak Dahlheimer KESQ
‏ @ZakDahlheimer
8h8 hours ago

LeClair: Got phone records for data from phones for Becky Friedli, Robert Pape and Cristin Smith. For phone records request, asked for cell site information. Nothing requested for cell sector information

LeClair: Requested voicemails, didn't get any

LeClair: Only records from Pape were from 9/15 to 9/21. For Smith, it was 9/10 to 9/20. No other records were requested from Smith while LeClair was on the case

LeClair: Asked about cell sector. Said in 2006, referred as "cell site."

LeClair: To his knowledge, it was Sgt. Ramirez's duty to examine the wheelbarrow

LeClair: Looking at pictures of wheelbarrow bed after Becky Friedli's body was removed. Along scoop of wheelbarrow, appears to be a black substance. Doesn't know exactly what it is. At bottom of wheelbarrow, looks to be a lot of charred material. Can't confirm what that is

LeClair: Didn't know if investigative partners did anything with contents inside wheelbarrow.

LeClair: When asked if wheelbarrow track and shoe prints could be unrelated to the death of Becky Friedli, "it's possible."

LeClair: Looking at pictures taken by LeClair and other investigators on 9/19, debris still present in wheelbarrow. Doesn't know if anyone ended up sifting through the wheelbarrow. Doesn't remember personally looking through the wheelbarrow

Moore finishes cross-examination. Prosecutors continue questioning with LeClair
 
Zak Dahlheimer KESQ
‏ @ZakDahlheimer
7h7 hours ago

LeClair: Interviews are tape recorded. Important during homicide cases. Took notes of wheelbarrow track

Dolan proceeds with questioning

LeClair: Said Cristin Smith is linked to crime scene. Referring to business card found 180 yards (2 football fields) away from major crime scene.

LeClair: Doesn't know exactly when and how the card got to that location. Doesn't know who put it there. Theory is it has something to do with the crime scene

LeClair: Nothing at placards 'A' through 'E', at the house, in the wheelbarrow, gas cans, wheelbarrow handles, clothing found in wheelbarrow, car scenes link to Cristin Smith

LeClair: Confirmed his partner went to amp (Date Palm Drive) on 9/30. Didn't ask for any cash information or inventory information. Did ask for surveillance video from the night of 9/17. Learned video wasn't available because it was only available for 7 days

Moore continues with questioning

LeClair: Doesn't remember if they found any traffic cameras near the area of Highway 74 heading into the valley floor. Didn't look into any neighborhoods for surveillance cameras.

LeClair: In addition, wrote a search warrant into Smith's bank account to see if he made a purchase at the ampm. No other search efforts taken at ampm

LeClair is excused. Afternoon recess is underway, will resume at 3:30 p.m. Stay tuned to @KESQ at 5 and @LocalTwo at 5:30 for the latest from today in court


and that's all!

Will be back later today....
 
Friday, April 27th:
*Trial continues (Day 10) (@ 9:30am) - CA - Rebecca 'Becky' Annaleigh Friedli (18), Vicki Friedli (53) & Jon Hayward (55) (Mom's BF) (Sept. 17, 2006) - *Cristin Conrad Smith (29/17 @ time of crime) faces LWOP (juvenile @ time of crime) accused & charged with 3 counts of murder w/special circumstances allegedly of committing multiple murders. Pled not guilty.
*Robert Lars Pape (29/18 @ time of crime) (ex-BF) charged with 3 counts of murder with special circumstances allegedly of committing multiple murders & faces LWOP. Pled not guilty.
**Both arrested in March, 2014, but case was dismissed in October, 2014
 
Oops - I might be mistaken on court today. California courts are usually dark on Fridays and I see Zak hasn't tweeted anything and I believe it just after 10am there in California! Is it sunny?? :D

Here's one from last night:

Zak Dahlheimer KESQ Retweeted
KESQ News Channel 3
‏ @KESQ
12h12 hours ago

The former lead investigator in the Pinyon Pines triple murder testified today. @ZakDahlheimer was in court today and has more on the testimony.

article:
Former lead investigator of Pinyon Pines triple murder testifies
http://www.kesq.com/news/updating-i...he-pinyon-pines-triple-murder-trial/735000916
 
Thanks for all the info Niner! I am following along. I can't believe this case isn't getting more attention.
 
Monday, April 30th:
*Trial continues (Day 9) (@ 9:30am) - CA - Rebecca 'Becky' Annaleigh Friedli (18), Vicki Friedli (53) & Jon Hayward (55) (Mom's BF) (Sept. 17, 2006) - *Cristin Conrad Smith (29/17 @ time of crime) faces LWOP (juvenile @ time of crime) accused & charged with 3 counts of murder w/special circumstances allegedly of committing multiple murders. Pled not guilty.
*Robert Lars Pape (29/18 @ time of crime) (ex-BF) charged with 3 counts of murder with special circumstances allegedly of committing multiple murders & faces LWOP. Pled not guilty.
**Both arrested in March, 2014, but case was dismissed in October, 2014
No court on Fridays.


and I'll be back to do the tweets.... :eek:nline:
 
Reading up on everything again, here is the transcript to the 48hrs episode that was made shortly after the first arrest...this is a pretty comprehensive history up until the point the suspects were released, prior to the rearrest.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/48-hours-triple-murder-in-pinyon-pines/

This is where it was discussed that the encounter at Denny’s couldn’t be corroborated. If you’re following the case and haven’t read it, I recommend it.
 
Well, it's 10:30am in California and Zak has not posted a tweet yet....

:waiting:

Is it a Holiday? It is here.... don't ask "what" holiday here though - I haven't a clue! :giggle:
 
:eek:fftopic:

Ok - you probably don't care, but I had to look up to see what Holiday it is today.

It's the Bridge Holiday for May Day.

Tried to find "what" the Bridge Holiday means but have nothing....
 
:eek:fftopic:

Ok - you probably don't care, but I had to look up to see what Holiday it is today.

It's the Bridge Holiday for May Day.

Tried to find "what" the Bridge Holiday means but have nothing....
In Germany, a bridge holiday is called „Brückentag“ and usually is a Monday before or the Friday after the „real“ holiday. Many people take this day off to have an extended weekend.
 
Wondering if the attorney is sick again, or someone else. You would think Zak would let us know, eh?

:dunno:

Anyone local see anything?
 
In Germany, a bridge holiday is called „Brückentag“ and usually is a Monday before or the Friday after the „real“ holiday. Many people take this day off to have an extended weekend.

Thanks for the explanation! I just moved here - well - been here a year and a half from California, so getting used to these evenings where the sun is still up - as now at 9:30pm! Love the extra light!

But what does the "Bridge" part come from, if you know?
 

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