Transcripts For MSNBC Dateline 20241007

Craig voiceover No One thought it could happen to him. He was a tough guy prepared for anything. Darla he always would say, if anyone tries to break in here, ill kill him. Craig voiceover instead, he was killed, stabbed in his own home. Dispatcher on phone youre sure your dads cold to the touch . Craig voiceover his Son And Daughterinlaw stumbled into a terrifying scene. Thats when i saw the gun. Roger they said were going to have to kill you now. Craig voiceover a strange story that only got stranger. They had purple gloves on. And they had blue fuzzy gloves. Something Isnt Right here. Craig voiceover could he have killed his own father . What really happened in that house . I did not do this. Craig voiceover then a witness came forward and changed everything. In this bizarre story, the strangest thing of all was The Truth. Fern he planned for any scenario, except for the one that happened to him. [music playing] hello, and welcome to dateline. Kay mortensen was a strongminded man who had built a fortune and a fortress to protect it. Then kay was attacked, turning his home into a bloody crime scene. How, police wondered, could someone so vigilant be taken by surprise . It was a riddle that threatened to destroy Kays Family until someone with an explosive secret revealed the horrifying truth. Heres Keith Morrison with mystery in payson canyon. Keith voiceover there are people on this glorious sunkissed planet of ours who get up each morning to the miracle of being alive and worry. Not that there arent things to worry about, of course, whether we can do anything about them or not. But some people worry a very great deal indeed and do try to be prepared for whatever. And one of those prepared people was a brilliant retired University Professor named Kay Mortensen, whose sister was a woman named, fern. Fern i said, well, kay, what would happen if im not prepared, and im hungry or my kids are hungry . Can we come to your house . And no, ill probably just shoot you. You know, so jestingly. He wouldnt have, but he was definitely willing to protect what he had. Keith voiceover oh, yes, he certainly was. And sure enough, one Night Dispatcher on phone 911. Whats the address of your emergency . Keith voiceover but were getting ahead of ourselves. What happened that night was a long time coming. It was long before that when kay became a survivalist with attitude. He knew exactly what he thought about everything, and even though he knew what he was saying was going to be outrageous and not excited, he would say it anyway. Keith voiceover he had a Black Belt in karate. He owned scores of firearms, kept guns in just about every room in the house and in all of his cars, a fully stocked Concrete Bunker outside his Home And Base in utah. Darla he had food. He had everything there. You know, water, a way to go to the bathroom, magazines, books to read. Keith Voiceover Kay was very clear about it with his wife, darla. Darla and hed say this is where you and i are going to end up because theres going to be a nuclear war. And id say, i dont want to live if Everybody Else is dying. [laughs] so, oh, he was a true patriot, and he worried about things and wanted to be prepared for the Civil War that was going to erupt. And so he was a little over the top. Keith Voiceover Darla Wasnt thrilled about it, but she accepted him and his radical views. After all, they were still, kind of, in their honeymoon phase. It was all kind of surreal. I think we both felt like we were back being teenagers again, so. [laughs] because we both, you know, hadnt really had love for quite a few years. Keith Voiceover Theyd found Each Other late in life, after both had raised families. Kay had three adult children by then, one of whom, his eldest, roger, stayed close. He was my best friend. We did everything together. Keith Voiceover Mind you, roger was not at all like kay. For one thing, hed suffered a Brain Injury in an accident years ago. So unlike kay, he couldnt work much, lived on disability. But he liked to hang out with his dad. We lived less than a mile apart because we did enjoy spending so much time together. If i ever needed help, he was hed be there in a minute to help me. Keith voiceover although, said Rogers Wife pam, it wasnt always easy. Thats just the Way Kay was wired. Rogers dad was a very strongwilled person. It was his way or the highway. Keith voiceover so roger learned early to shy away from confrontation with his father. Not at all how it was with his new love, darla. When she was around, they said, kays tough hide melted. We knew then that he really loved her, and that he was willing to compromise and do some things, so that he could make her happy, also. Did it seem to kind of soften him up a little bit . Yes, it did. It did, a lot. It did. Keith voiceover So Kay and darla got married. And they were as happy as either one of them had ever been. Darla hed say, what else do we need to do . Were retired. We have plenty of money. Well just have fun. Keith Voiceover Kay was a rich man. Made most of his money buying gold at 250 an ounce, said darla. He just had the foresight. Hed always he was you know, the Dollar Bill is not going to be worth anything. Keith voiceover he put his money into a trust, so that roger and his other children would inherit everything once he was gone. Heaven knows, he wasnt spending it. Worth millions, but darla he was very frugal. Very frugal. And i just i used to say to him you know, like, he just i said, when is it youre going to spend your money . You know . What are you waiting for . Keith voiceover So Kay promised darla hed travel with her, see the world. But he made sure his bunker was stocked, and he kept his guns close to hand, just in case. And then it was november 16, 2009. Darla was away watching her granddaughters. Kay was alone in his house and pacing. Dispatcher on phone 911. Whats the address of your emergency . Keith voiceover it was evening when the call came in. Dispatcher on phone i have help on the way, but i just need to get some information. And youre sure that hes dead . Keith Voiceover Darla was on her way home. Her Cell Phone chirped. It was a neighbor. And he just says, well, something terrible has happened at payson canyon. And he says, i think its at your house. Keith Voiceover Darlas mind flashed to kay and his guns. And i thought, oh my gosh. Hes probably shot somebody, an invader or something. Keith voiceover she phoned a Family Friend named chris andress. I said, somethings going on. Im alone. I just i need to be somebody. Can you come down and be with me . Keith Voiceover Chris rushed to meet darla at the foot of the canyon. Police had blocked off the road that led to kay and darlas house. And now darla and chris thought exactly the same thing. Kay probably shot someone. Craig voiceover coming up, Roger Mortensen makes an agonizing discovery and stumbles directly into a murder scene. They said the wrong place, wrong time. Craig voiceover when dateline continues. Stay ahead of your childs moderatetosevere eczema. And they can show off clearer skin and less itch with dupixent, the 1 prescribed biologic by dermatologists and allergists, that helps heal your Childs Skin from within. Serious allergic reactions can occur that can be severe. Tell your doctor about new or worsening Eye Problems such as Eye Pain or vision changes including blurred vision, Joint Aches and pain, or a parasitic infection. Dont change or stop asthma medicines without talking to your doctor. Ask your Childs Eczema Specialist about dupixent. Billy one second, grandma. This guy is going to buy my car. Okay . Ask your Childs Eczema Grandma you need carvana. Entering plate number. Grandma no accidents, right . Billy no. Grandma generating offer. 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What would become of them when they discover robinhood gold allows others to earn their very liberal rates on idle cash, unlimited Deposit Bonuses and handsome Retirement Matching . They would descend into chaos. Merciless chaos. Keith Voiceover Everyone knew that Kay Mortensen was always prepared, surrounded himself with a veritable arsenal of firearms just a tough old bird who could defend himself against just about anything. He always would say, if anyone tries to break in here, ill kill him. Keith voiceover but life, no matter how well we prepare, is full of rude surprises, as it was for Kay Mortensen. It was november 16, 2009, just before thanksgiving. Dispatcher on phone hi, this is we we have the police on the way to help you there. Are you sure your dads your dads cold to the touch . Keith Voiceover Kay did not shoot some intruder, as hed long promised he was prepared to do. No, somebody killed him without firing a shot. Roger on phone yes, hes leaned over face forward in the bathtub with his throat sliced with a butcher knife, all the way up. Keith voiceover and the man on the phone reporting the crime, Roger Mortensen, kays eldest son. Dispatcher on phone they sliced his throat . Roger on phone yeah. Keith voiceover it wasnt long before kays wife, darla, had made it to the mouth of the canyon and was led to the Command Post that had been set up just down The Hill from their home. Thats where they gave her the news. Your life just comes tumbling down. You know . You have it all planned out. You think you know what its going to be, and then everythings gone. Keith Voiceover Kay caught offguard . Not kay, thought darla. Impossible. But that seemed to be just what happened. At least, thats what Roger And Pam told the police, and later, us. And a very strange story it was that began, they said, when pam received a pie at work as a gift. We knew how much he loved that pecan pie. And we decided, as soon as she got home from work, to take him that pie. Keith voiceover so they said they went to his house, intending to drop off the pie and then leave. But when they got there, they said, there was an unfamiliar car in the driveway. Pam said she knocked on the door, and a young man answered. Pam i said, is kay here . He said, he is. Hes upstairs. I said, were just here to drop off a pie. And they said, go ahead in. I got to about the landing when i was asked to come back down. I heard the door shut. And when i turned around, thats when i saw the gun. Keith what was it like to see that . It was a shock. As soon as we turned around and saw the gun, another guy started walking down the stairs, also. He had in his hand a wad of Zip Ties. They turned to us and said, youre here at the wrong place, wrong time. Pull out your hands. Keith voiceover the intruders zip tied their wrists, forced them down on The Living Room floor, then zip tied their ankles. Roger after we were tied up, they said that, well, im sorry, but youve seen our faces. Were going to have to kill you now. Keith Voiceover Pam, quaking in terror, she said, looked up at a picture of jesus that was hanging on The Living Room wall. I kept thinking, Heavenly Father, if you really love me and care for me, please make us get through this. And it calmed me to keep looking at that picture of christ and to be able to help roger stay calm. That really had an impact on you. It did. Huh. Why . It just brought me comfort. It brought me peace to know that even if they killed you. To know that the my Heavenly Father loves me and that he would do the right thing for me. Keith voiceover both men left the room, they said. And then roger began praying aloud. He was in midsentence, he said, when the men walked back in, and something quite amazing happened. Well, my wife nudged me, and she says, ok, be quiet. Theyre back. And one of them says, no, thats ok. Keep praying. Go ahead. And they both folded their arms in front of them, and bowed their heads, and listened to me as i continued this entire prayer. How weird is that . When i got done with the prayer, we both sat down. And their demeanor changed at that point. One of them looks at us and says, well, weve decided were not going to kill you. Weve decided that were going to tell you a story that you need to relay to the police. Keith voiceover what was that story that the intruders told them to say . That three black men with Ski Masks invaded the house. Three, not two, as they actually were. Black, not white, as they actually were. And then, said roger, they took his drivers license, told him theyd know if he or pam ever told The Truth. And if that happened, theyd hunt him down, and theyd kill him. And then the two men left. Roger and pam waited a while, got out of the Zip Ties, and Roger Ran upstairs while Pam Dialed 911 and was on the phone with the operator, when roger found his father in the upstairs bathroom. And i saw my Father Kneeling over the bathtub. His feet were tied, and he was his head was down in the bathtub. Keith voiceover inconceivable. Tough, resilient, armedtotheteeth kay murdered with his own Kitchen Knife . What a story. Eric knutzen, then a sergeant with the Utah County Sheriffs Office, was assigned as one of the lead detectives. He was sitting in the office when, from up at the house, the first officer to talk to Pam And Roger called him. And said, you know, Something Isnt Right here. It seems, from his perception, that maybe this is some things were staged, or some things were just not what he would think would be normal for a crime as heinous or as vicious as this. Keith Voiceover Something about that bizarre story didnt sit right. He just couldnt put his finger on it. Not yet, anyway. Craig voiceover coming up, problem was that bizarre story got weirder by the minute. They had purple gloves on. And they had blue fuzzy gloves. Craig voiceover when dateline continues. Announcer what if you could whiten your teeth by simply brushing your teeth . Now you can with smileactives, the Teeth Whitening breakthrough that safely gets your teeth white and keeps them white every day just by brushing your teeth. Christine i never thought that whitening my teeth could be so easy. I just put the gel on the brush, the toothpaste on it, brush and i can see my white teeth. Announcer simply add smileactives to any toothpaste, and our Patented Polyclean Technology Activates into a powerful Micro Foam that penetrates into the Enamel Surface to safely lift and remove stains. Robert you need a simple way to withen your teeth without strips, without trays, without going to the dentist. 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Thats two for one and save 58 . We■ll even include free shipping. Get your teeth whiter, guaranteed, or return it within 60 days for your money back. I smile every day now. The difference is literally night and day. So now im always smiling or cheesing because now my teeth are much wither. Announcer this offer is not available in stores, so call or click now before the special buy one, get one free offer goes away. Beforkeith voiceover the death of Kay Mortensen was horrific, humiliating, helpless to defend himself inside his own sacred fortress. The killer had bent him over his own bathtub, slashed his throat several times, stabbed his neck. All those guns, and not a single one fired. It seemed so personal. Sergeant Eric Knutzen of the Utah County Sheriffs Office got a briefing from the first officer at the scene, who turned on his Audio Recorder when he met kays son, roger, and Rogers Wife, pam. Roger had found the body and was already suggesting possible killers. Roger on recorder he told me he had an appointment for lunch at noon with a guy named Mike Kipp discussing 25,000 worth of guns. Keith voiceover Mike Kipp . Mike was kays former student. Roger and pam identify him real quick. They say, hes involved. He owes my dad money. Hes the one who did this. Keith Voiceover Roger told detectives that kay was holding a collection of mikes weapons, about 30 of them, mostly pistols and rifles, and some shotguns. Kay put the guns in his bunker. Roger thought there might be a grudge involved. When detectives went to look for the guns, they were gone. So we pull in Michael Kipp that night, too. And we interview him, and we can get his alibi. Its quick. Keith Voiceover Nothing suspicious about it, it turned out. Mike had not a thing to do with Kays Murder. He simply needed money, and kay agreed to buy his guns. By now, tips were coming in. And this female said its the Baker Boys. She said the Baker Boys did this. Keith voiceover the Baker Boys were brothers who, fairly or not, had developed a reputation as the towns troublemakers. Detectives found them. They had solid alibis. Then the next day, another tip a woman who implicated her own husband. He came home last night, the time frame before the homicide. He grabbed a bunch of stuff, including a knife. And hes been looking for for guns. So i know hes involved. Keith voiceover but the Womans Husband was eventually eliminated as a suspect. Detectives hoped maybe the stolen guns would lead them to kays killer. And we recovered a lot of firearms that were stolen, just, again, none linked. Keith voiceover now that just highlighted another aspect of the mystery. Kay, remember, collected firearms, had close to 100 valuable guns locked up at his house. Yet the thieves just stole the cheaper ones from the bunker. Pretty bizarre robbery to take those guns and not take the far more valuable collection that kay had. Agreed. Keith voiceover in fact, the inside of Kays House was pristine, untouched, no Sign Anybody had stolen anything. If this was a home invasion, it was an odd one. But by then, truth be told, detectives were already homing in on the two people who admitted they were there the whole time kays son, roger, and his wife, pam. Dispatcher on phone youre sure that hes dead . Keith voiceover starting with that 911 call they made, something odd about it. It didnt sound how i would think that a Phone Call should be made to 911 right. After discovering your father had just been killed with the Throat Cut and zip tied in the bathtub. Keith Voiceover Roger and pam, said the detectives, appeared to be unemotional, uncaring, even callous, even though they claimed the gunmen stood over them, kept them hostage for almost two hours. At first, Pam Couldnt seem to describe the men. Dispatcher on phone ok. Did the guy that had the gun what did he look like . Was he a white guy, black guy, hispanic . Pam on phone maam, i dont know. Keith voiceover she seemed uncertain even about the number of gunmen. Dispatcher on phone how many were there . How many guys were there . Pam on phone um, there could have been three. Keith voiceover but listen to what happened next. Roger took the phone and changed the story. Dispatcher on phone were they white, black, hispanic . Roger on phone they were white. Dispatcher on phone three white males, ok, but how roger on phone two. Two white males. Dispatcher on phone two white males . Keith Voiceover Roger explained the reason for all the apparent confusion, that if they ever revealed what their captors looked like, theyd be hunted down and killed. Did you buy that . Not really. I didnt. They didnt appear fearful. They were saying it. They werent really acting fearful. Keith voiceover anyway, why would vicious killers not have killed them, too . Night of the murder, knutzen interviewed them. My names Eric Knutzen, by the way. Im pamela. Keith did they seem nervous or agitated not really nervous or agitated, just just kind of unemotional. Keith voiceover even at times cold toward the victim, rogers father. Hes a cantankerous old fart, and he says his mouth to everybody. Keith voiceover and as they told their stories, detectives started noticing subtle differences. And they had blue fuzzy gloves. They looked like Womens Winter driving gloves or something, the fuzzy kind. They had i know they had purple gloves on. Purple you know, your medical gloves. Keith Voiceover Lots of details on which they didnt agree. So Sergeant Knutzen decided to employ a wellknown police interview technique. He got tough, accusing. Quite frankly, i think the storys a bunch of crap. I think the storys a bunch of crap that you and roger have come up with, ok . Im sorry you dont believe me, but im trying to does It Sound too rehearsed . Or yeah. Ok. I want them to say, i had nothing to do with this, you know . Detective, youre crazy. I had nothing to do with this. Thats what i wanted to hear. And it never came out. Keith voiceover but listen to what did come out. Is your husband capable of killing somebody . I need to get a drink. I wouldnt hope i mean, i wouldnt think he is. I wouldnt think that hes capable of killing his father. Keith voiceover a search of Roger And Pams home showed they appeared to be in financial trouble. Detectives found collection notices and unsent mortgage coupons, suggesting, at least, that they were behind in their house payments. I know were in a lot of debt, but we i, personally, would not have my fatherinlaw killed for his money. Keith voiceover and yet as roger told the detective im not the sole beneficiary, but i get a big share of my dads millions, too. Keith voiceover within days of the murder, Pam And Roger agreed to go back to the house with detectives for a Videotape Retelling of their intruder story. Oh, go ahead. At the front door, my wife was holding a pie right here. That provide you any useful information . It provided useful information from our standpoint as far as more Circumstantial Evidence that theyre not being 100 truthful. Keith voiceover once again, detectives heard foggy memories. She either knocked on the door or rang the doorbell. I believe she knocked on the door. Keith voiceover they heard dialogue that sounded like a bad crime movie. He pointed it at us and said, youre here at the wrong time. Put out your hands. Keith voiceover but then there was that same strange lack of emotion when roger described what should have been the worst moment of his life. I left. I came back downstairs, and i and my wife was talking at the time to 911 dispatch. And i said, hes dead. Keith Voiceover Roger and pam took a Polygraph Test. And what do you know . Roger was found to be deceptive. And pam was jumpy. The Operator Couldnt complete the test. But still, Roger And Pam swore up and down they had nothing to do with it. They were victims themselves. Truth be told, the police needed some real evidence. And out of the blue, something arrived. Investigators are confronted with new evidence, and strange does not begin to describe it. Someone saw the killing in a dream. Craig voiceover coming up. So i have a Photo Lineup drawn up. And then she puts her finger on it. She puts it right on rogers face. Craig voiceover when dateline continues. When you have moderate to severe eczema, its okay to show off. With dupixent, show off your clearer skin and less itch. Because you have plenty of reasons to show off your skin. With dupixent, the 1 prescribed biologic by dermatologists and allergists, you can stay ahead of your eczema. It helps block a key source of inflammation inside the body that can cause eczema to help heal your skin from within. Many adults saw 90 clearer skin, some even achieved longlasting clearer skin and fast Itch Relief after first dose. Serious allergic reactions can occur that can be severe. 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Tropical Storm Milton is coming in several days. For now, back to dateline. Out g Kay Mortensen dead at the hands of two Armed Intruders did not add up. And with kay gone, roger stood to inherit a fortune. Soon, an unlikely witness would bolster the Detectives Case with her own chilling tale of what happened that night. Continuing with mystery in payson canyon, heres Keith Morrison. Keith voiceover within days of Kay Mortensens murder, members of his family began hearing deeply troubling reports from the Utah County Sheriffs Office. The investigation was leading, sure as can be, detectives told them, to kays own son, roger, and Rogers Wife, pam. Darla said she couldnt believe it at first. I was just adamant that they couldnt have done it. I was their biggest defender. Keith voiceover but then detectives asked her to listen to Roger And Pams recorded statements. And she, too, started to wonder. They told lies, and then it got it just put more suspicion on them. Keith voiceover gradually, her conviction grew. Same for kays sister, fern. I could buy the fact that they were thinking of rogers involvement. Keith voiceover there were just too many things about Roger And Pams story. It didnt make any sense to fern. And there was something else, too a possible witness. Remember that woman who suspected her husband was involved . The police found him here in Salt Lake City on a Drug Binge with some friends. They were high on meth. And one of the people there, a woman named cami bills, told the detectives she had a story to tell about a Dream Shed had. She describes, in what she calls a dream, well, seeing somebody get killed. She describes being outside of a room. She describes a female off to her left, crying in hysterics. And she describes three or four males in the bathroom. And she says theres one male who i think is related to the female thats on the floor screaming. Keith voiceover and remember, the woman was on methamphetamine, reporting not what she saw, but what she dreamed she saw. Still, you never know until you ask. So i have a Photo Lineup drawn up. And she stares at it, and she puts her head down, and she puts her finger on it. She puts it right on rogers face. Keith voiceover the next day, detectives took cami to Kays House, showed her the crime scene. And again, she named roger. Cammy I Cant really see roger, just arms. Hes holding kay. Keith you dont hear a story like that and say, wow, thats a piece of crap, and go on from there . No, not when she gives that that amount of detail. Keith voiceover the suspicion of Roger And Pam was hardening by the minute. Detectives kept the rest of the Mortensen Family informed of developments. What did this do to you . Oh, man. It just it it threw me for a loop. Keith voiceover when Pam And Roger attended kays funeral, the tension was thick. It was very difficult to be there because everybody wanted to know what happened that night. Keith voiceover but they couldnt say anything, said pam. Detectives told them not to. And my sister came up to me at one point and says, tell me what really happened. And i told her, im sorry. I cannot talk about this. Keith voiceover shortly after Roger And Pam took the Polygraph Test and were told about the dismal results, they hired a lawyer. Few in the Mortensen Family could understand why they would do a thing like that if they were innocent, that is. I try to say, what would i do if i was in their situation . I would do everything i could to help get these people that had caused such horror in their lives and murder kay. Keith voiceover on the advice of their attorneys, Roger And Pam stopped talking. And the lopsided rift in the Mortensen Family widened from mistrust, to anger, to outright accusation. Chris andress, the woman darla called the night of the murder, was one of very few people who continued to support Roger And Pam. They were left to hang out and dry. How did you feel about that . Oh, so angry. I was just so, so angry. I couldnt believe that you could love somebody and do that to him. Even if i thought roger had done it, i would not have abandoned him. And they did . Oh, absolutely did. Not only did they abandon him, they crucified him. Keith voiceover months dragged by. Roger and pam were Headline News in utah. But in the absence of definitive physical evidence linking them to Kays Murder, they remained free. Day by day, they went about their business, as if their lives were still quite normal. Then on july 28, 2010, Utah County prosecutor Tim Taylor took a dramatic step to break the logjam. He presented the case against Roger And Pam to a Grand Jury. So why call the Grand Jury . Why not just charge them . We thought the Grand Jury was a great tool to force them to come in to talk. Keith voiceover it was a secret proceeding. No defendants, no defense attorney, only prosecutors, police, some members of the Mortensen Family, even some of pams coworkers, all in front of 16 jurors, whose job was to decide whether or not they should charge Roger And Pam with Kays Murder. And, in just over an hour, the jury decided to indict. So what did that say to you . Well, there was enough to proceed. It sort of reinforced what you were already thinking. It it it did. Keith voiceover and that same day, eight months after Kay Mortensen was found dead in his home, Roger And Pam were deposited in the county jail. Chris andress, the Family Friend who still believed they were innocent, went to rogers sister. I said, julie, we need some money to hire an attorney for roger. We think Pams Family can come up with money for pam. But weve got to get him a separate attorney. Can you help me . Theres millions of dollars in the trust. She told me her words were, not one Red Penny will be spent on his defense. Keith Voiceover Julie told us she did not use those specific words. But she said the family was advised by their attorney not to use Kays Money to pay for rogers defense, which meant that roger, who stood to inherit a big chunk of his dads millions, would have to rely on a public defender. Were he and pam diabolical killers, as detectives and their own family, had come to believe . Of course, we and Everybody Else just had to know. Craig voiceover coming up, Roger And Pam face some tough questions. Keith as the interrogations continued, your stories didnt stay the same, according to the police, anyways. Craig voiceover when dateline continues. [music playing] have you always had trouble losing weight and keeping it off . Same. Discover the power of wegovy®. With wegovy®, i lost 35 pounds. And some lost over 46 pounds. And im keeping the weight off. 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The evidence against them their strange demeanor, their alleged financial troubles, rogers failed polygraph, but mostly, according to detectives, the bizarre and ever changing story they told about the night of the murder. What was The Truth . We asked the only people who knew for sure, starting at The Beginning with that strange 911 call. Dispatcher on phone who held you hostage . Pam on phone um, i dont know. Keith our viewers hear that 911 call, and theyre like, wait a minute. Somethings wrong there. That doesnt you know, people scream on 911 calls. Theyre theyre crazed. And i think i was in a lot of shock, too. And i dont know the real reason why i was i could stay as calm as i can. But um, i just thats just my personality. And thats the type of person i am. Keith voiceover and although she didnt sound like it, she was terrified, she said. Their captors had just threatened to kill them if they told The Truth. Pam and so when the 911 operator asked me, how many were there, i was totally confused what to say. Do i tell The Truth, which is what i wanted to do. Keith Voiceover Roger said he knew exactly what he had to do when he discovered his father in the bathtub. Roger and i hollered down to her while she was still on the phone, tell them the exact truth. We are going to get these guys. Keith Voiceover But Pam said she still couldnt spit it out. I was kind of staggering through what was going on. Well, there was two. Maybe there was three. Because i didnt know. I was terrified for my life still. And i didnt know what i should have said. Keith voiceover what about their Police Interrogations when their stories didnt match . I thought their gloves were one color. She thought their gloves were another color. Other than that, our stories were basically the same. Keith voiceover they both cooperated fully, said roger. Kept talking for days, even as police brought up one accusation after another. Keith there was an inheritance involved. Yes. And you talked about that with the police. I may have. Im not sure. Keith well, according to them, you talked about it. And it provided one of the classic motivations that children have for killing their parents. Cops [inaudible] do it all the time, right . They say they do. And thats clearly what they were thinking when they talked to you. Yes. Did they make that clear . They didnt make very much clear to us. They just said that we were not being cooperative with them, even though from the very beginning, we told them everything that happened. They just didnt believe it. They didnt believe that two people would kill one person and leave two more alive. Keith voiceover perhaps. But what about Roger And Pams apparent financial troubles . We were not having any financial problems. If we were having financial problems, my father would be glad to help us. We had that type of relationship. Keith voiceover they were certainly not debtfree, they said, but it didnt amount to a whole lot. And as for the pile of unsent mortgage coupons, they simply started paying online, they said, like Everybody Else. And as for that failed Polygraph Test, roger said he should never have been asked to take it. Remember, hes on disability because years ago, he had a serious accident that left him with a Brain Injury, which caused, among other things, short term memory loss, and confusion, and the sort of thing that would make a Polygraph Result quite useless. I said, how could i have failed . I did not do this. Keith voiceover so was he lying, or did police have it all wrong . They didnt know how to proceed. They could not find fingerprints because the people had gloves on. They didnt find a gun because they took it with them. They didnt know what to do. And so being confused, they went after the easiest subjects they could find. It was us. Keith voiceover the days piled up a month, two months four months in jail waiting for their day in court, a day for which rogers lawyer maybe wasnt quite so eager as they were. Anthony we had a case that i believed in. We had a case that i thought we could defend. At the end of the day, i was scared. Keith voiceover and No One was prepared when one cold winter day, in the Utah County Sheriffs Office, the phone rang. Craig voiceover coming up, the unexpected call, The Truth revealed. He said that they took him to the bathroom and bent him over the tub. Craig voiceover a surprising ending you wont believe, when dateline continues. Feeling ughh from a backed up gut . Ughh. Miralax works naturally with the water in your body to help you go. Free your gut and your mood will follow. For 8 grams of fiber, try mirafiber gummies. Air wick. Every year millions of noses are ghosted by their plugins. New Air Wick advanced. Our groundbreaking plugin that Pulses Scent for staying power, up to 60 days. Plus a fragrance boost button. Our noses wont be ignored again. Why choose a mobile Network Plu built for places youllon. Probably never be. Instead of for where you are most of the time . Xfinity mobile was designed for where you need it most. Xfinity internet customers, ask how to get a free 5g Phone and a second unlimited line free for a year. Keith Voiceover Summer turned into winter again. The family marked the grim anniversary of Kay Mortensens maintaining their innocence. Pam said she was offered a deal if she turned States Evidence against roger. Pam if you just tell them what they want to hear, then you could go home. But for me, i was not going to lie, just so that i could be a free person. Keith Voiceover Rogers public defender, anthony howell, believed his client was innocent. Anthony i was looking for that piece of evidence that would be, ah, thats the thing I Cant explain. And there just was nothing. Keith voiceover but here was the rub. Howell knew juries. As his trial approached, he was deeply unsettled. I was worried he was going to be convicted, regardless of what i tried to do. Why . Because this is the kind of case where a jury would be worried that if they didnt convict, that they would be letting a murderer go free. Keith Voiceover But Howell didnt get the opportunity to defend his client in court. The reason was that Phone Call to the Utah County Sheriffs Office, a call from a woman named rachel bingham. And heres what she had to say. Rachel oh, ive just been blocking it out like it didnt happen. And i just watched the news, and these people are going to go to Jail Prison probably life sentence. Keith voiceover what she had been blocking out was a bombshell. Her exhusband, martin bond, told her he and a friend named Benjamin Rettig went to Kays House to steal his guns. Rachel and they pulled out their guns and told them to put Zip Ties on. And he said that he wasnt willing at first, but he eventually did. Keith voiceover bond, she said, told her everything. Rachel he said that they took him to the bathroom and bent him over the tub. Keith voiceover and cut his throat. And then rachel he just said that right after that, they heard the door the doorbell ring. And it was the two. Keith voiceover the two were Roger And Pam, and we know the rest of this story. Rachel bingham kept the secret for months until finally, her conscience won out. And she told the police one more thing, how the crooks got the drop on Kay Mortensen. It turned out that Martins Dad and kay were old friends. Kay had known martin as a kid, which is why kay, armed against intruders, welcomed him in and turned his back to his killers. He had planned for any worst Case Scenario to happen, except for the one that happened to him. In that, there are so many ironies, arent there . There are so many ironies, yeah. Keith voiceover the biggest perhaps . Roger and pams crazy story about Armed Intruders was true all along, though Sergeant Knutzen still had trouble believing it. I can pick up the case, and i can read through it. And i can read through it, and i can see discrepancy after discrepancy. I can see but can you see where maybe that aint enough . Yeah, mhm. Keith voiceover and as for treating as possible evidence the Dream Sequence of a girl on meth . Keith this is evidence . Well, its its more Circumstantial Evidence. Its a lead. Youd even call that Circumstantial Evidence . I think its a lead . Definitely something we follow up with. Saying she had a dream. Its a good dream, and its pretty close. Keith voiceover and in the end, the prosecutor admitted, he and the detectives got it wrong. Based upon the new physical evidence that we have located, we anticipate dismissing the charges against Roger And Pam mortensen tomorrow. Keith Voiceover Roger and pam were finally freed. Those 4 and 1 2 months seemed like 4 and 1 2 1,000 years. I felt like i was in there forever. Keith Voiceover Pam got a standing ovation from an unlikely crowd. As i was walking out of that big dorm area, there was 90 Women Clapping and cheering for me. They knew i was innocent. And for me, having the situation that i that ive weve dealt with, with Rogers Family turning against us, Friends Turning against us, to have that support of those people that people would consider criminals, to have them cheer, and yell, and scream was a very emotional thing for me. Keith Voiceover Pam wanted the prosecutor to issue a public apology. That would help make up for what all this has cost them, she said. We offered the prosecutor this forum. Am i sorry . Yeah, i am. I have no problem with saying that i made a mistake. We didnt try to defraud anyone. We didnt try to lie. We didnt try to fabricate anything. But we made a mistake. Keith Voiceover Pam and roger filed a lawsuit, arguing that the prosecutors and detectives lied to the Grand Jury. But just a few months later, the Us Supreme Court ruled that Grand Jury witnesses and prosecutors were immune from civil litigation. So the judge dismissed their case. So let me understand this. The police come to your house. Youre arrested. Your names are dragged through the mud. Then somebody gets the right guy, and they say, well, bye. See you later. Exactly. Yes. Keith voiceover as in so many cases, Bond And Rettig ended up blaming Each Other. Rettig took a deal, got 25 to life. Bond went to trial, was convicted, and is doing life without parole. The star prosecution witness, rachel bingham. And if she hadnt come forward, would two innocent people be in Prison Today . Its going to chase you for a while. Um, a little. But you know, i can put it behind me. The case is closed out. What im happy about, for me personally, is the family has closure. Keith voiceover but do they . It isnt just Kays Murder they must learn to live with, but also the wreckage strewn for god knows how long through the familys story. I had emotions of happiness and and relief, but still, theres some regret that i didnt support Roger And Pam from The Beginning. It changes your perspective on the world. It really does. Keith voiceover and by the way, said Roger And Pam, a little piece of advice. If anything happens and theres anything dealing with law enforcement, you dont say a word and you get an attorney. Keith voiceover as for darla, whod finally found the love of her life, what was there to say . That moment of sunshine snatched away, huh . Yep. You just take what life brings you, and its not always what you had expected. When youre a young girl, you have all your dreams of what your lifes going to be. And somehow, it just doesnt quite work out that way. Thats all for this edition of dateline. Im craig melvin. Thank you for watching. [music playing]. 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