Cold Case Files - Dead West: Lovers, Lies and Canyon Murder

Episode Date: November 18, 2025

In 1987, 28-year-old Carol Murphy is found dead in a wooded area of Boulder, Colorado. It will take 20 years and a new technology to finally solve her murder.Check out our fall deals!!Hydrow: Trying to stay fit during the holidays? Go to Hydrow.com and use code COLDCASE to save up to $600 on your Hydrow rower!IQ Bar: Looking for a brain boosting snack? Get 20% off all products PLUS free shipping when you text COLD to 64000Rosetta Stone: Want to learn a new language? Get your LIFETIME MEMBERSHIP for 50% off at RosettaStone.com/coldcaseShopify: Need help with your business? Sign up for a $1 per month trial period at Shopify.com/coldcaseProgressive: Quote your car insurance at Progressive.com to join the over 28 million drivers who trust Progressive!Homes.com: Looking for a new home? Homes.com has done your homework!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The following episode contains intensely disturbing accounts of violence. Listener discretion is advised. My mother, she loved Colorado. Whether it be the piece of the planes or the mountains, that's what made it home. She was definitely a free spirit. Nothing can bring her down. Being able to come west was an escape for her to get away from the abuse. I felt like I needed to.

You find my mother. It appears to be a female human body. It takes a special kind of person to do something that evil. And he got down on his knees and started crying that he had just killed somebody. He was allegedly abusive, violent. Should they be a witness or should they be a suspect? I was scared. but there was not one second that I thought

I should just stop the search. Stop was not an option. There are over 100,000 cold cases in America. Only about 1% are ever solved. This is one of those rare stories. It's June 26, 2023. in Aurora, Colorado. John Kalner is a district attorney

for the 18th Judicial District. Aurora is the gateway to the Rockies. You've got the mountains to the west, you've got the wide open plains to the east. You've got everything that really makes Colorado, Colorado. Aurora is the kind of place you can go to reinvent yourself. But like a lot of people here in Colorado,

Carolyn came out here to try and start a new chapter in her life to start over. And she ended up being brutally murdered and just thrown away like a piece of trash. I started my career in the 18th Judicial District in 2013. Before that, I was a prosecutor in the Boulder County District Attorney's Office. And before that, a prosecutor in the United States Marine Corps. So I've been doing this cold case work for years. I've been to Afghanistan. I've seen how cheaply life can be treated.

And, you know, seeing what happened to Carolyn and how she was treated just, you know, really shook me to my core. This case sat as a cold case for over a decade, waiting for a detective and a prosecutor willing to take on that challenge. And that's what we decided to do. Hi, Roy, Emergency 9-1-1. My name's Richard Johnson. I was just moving some stuff off my patio that the other friend

had stored. And one of the boxes and slowly, it appears to be the female human body. It's a quiet summer evening, and as the sun starts to set, over the Rocky Mountains, police get an emergency call from a worried resident. I can see a bracelet. I can see one reddish brown hair. Dispatch sends the Aurora Police to investigate, including retired detective Stephen Connor. The officer's exit the car and approached the house, and the only way it can be described is the odor of decaying flesh. That was the worst that I've ever smelled.

I mean, it was bad. As the police investigate the scene, they find that a large plastic container wrapped in duct tape is emitting the foul odor. It was a fairly heavy-duty rubber plastic box. The odd part of it was the amount of duct tape that was around it.

So whoever taped it wanted to make sure it wasn't open. The officer who actually looked inside saw a skeletal remains. Kirk Mitchell is a retired reporter for the Denver Post. It was grotesque. The body was found scrunched up in a fetal position where their knees almost touching her chin. It takes a special kind of person to do something you know, that evil.

25 years earlier, a young girl is growing up in Washington County, Ohio. My name is Victoria Baker. I was adopted when I was 13, 14 months old. I was born in Amsterdam, New York, but grew up in Ohio. When I was growing up in my adoptive husband, home. I was told very little about, in fact, almost nothing about my family of origin. I often wondered why I had poor vision and thick glasses, and I always want to know why. You know, why I'm visually impaired. I don't know why I have the hair color I do. When I was 11 or 12, I began to really have a

desire to know my birth mother's identity. If I didn't know who she was, did I completely know who I was? I wanted to find her so I could find myself. Back in Aurora, Colorado, it has been four hours since the body has been found. Uh, headquarters, it's a dead body in a box. Go ahead. Sergeant's out here right now. Okay. Thank you. Detective's interview Richard Johnson, the man who found the foul-smelling storage bin. Johnson claims that the storage bin belongs to an acquaintance named J.D. Harrington. Richard said, I just stored it for him. He never touched J.D.'s stuff. It just sat there.

And then three years later, when he's moving it, that's when the body was discovered. Johnson also tells police that he thinks he recognizes the body in the box as a friend from the neighborhood. Richard saw the hair first. Reddish Brown hair, and he immediately thought it was Carolyn Janssen. Richard met Carolyn through J.D. Carolyn Janssen was a roommate of J.D. Harrington. They both worked at the Waffle House in Aurora. They were both hurting for money, so they decided to rent an apartment together.

When Richard Johnson was interviewed, he said that Carolyn was a woman who was working hard trying to turn her life around. But he told the police about how J.D. Harrington was saying, Carolyn took off with my rent money. Carolyn disappeared. Rick Yunt is Carolyn Jansen's son. My mom was very hardworking. Whether she was a cashier at a Circle K or whether she was a waitress at a restaurant, Carolyn gave it her all. We grew up poor, and she taught us how to, you know, cook chicken, make fudge.

Carolyn taught us, you know, those were the small things that it was enough to get by. I remember from a very young age that she always made it adamant that we looked out for one another. Carolyn struggled with demons all over life, but she loved us kids, man. She, uh, we were her world. A DNA test confirms that the body is indeed Carolyn Jansen. Carolyn suffered a fracture to the skull above the left eye. The cause of death was blunt force trauma, homicide. Now a murder investigation, police searched Johnson's property.

Inside, they discover an unsettling scene. This was a jumbled mess of a house. This man is a person who a lot of folks would probably call it a hoarder, a pack rat. But they also found some disturbing things that created concern for them. There was a mannequin in there. They found some hidden cameras in the restroom to take video of anyone who was in the bathroom. And he had a lot of odd sexual toys that some... some folks would say, is out of the ordinary.

Although the contents of the home raise suspicion, investigators don't find anything linking Johnson directly to Carolyn's murder. But they do make other discoveries. They found possessions that all belong to Carolyn Jantz. There was a social security card that was there. There was a day planner. And I wonder,

Okay, well, did Richard Johnson take these because there's some kind of trophy and he knows about what's happened to Carolyn? If you save everything in your home, did he maybe save the body of Carolyn Jansen? Did he maybe take her in that plastic container and keep her like many of the other possessions in his home? It's a dead body in a box We wonder about Richard Johnson And really that was the focus of the detectives He acted in a way that you would expect somebody to act If they found a dead body on their back patio

He called 911 But did Richard commit this crime You know how the holidays sneak up on us and suddenly our schedules are all cookies, travel, and chaos? That's why this year I've promised myself one thing. I'm keeping my workouts simple, efficient, and actually doable. The hydro rowing machine makes all of that possible. It delivers amazing results in just 20 minutes a day and works 86% of your muscles, arms, legs, and core, all in one smooth, satisfying mode. It's like leveling up your fitness game without spending half your day doing it.

Hydro is the best way to work out at home. You can hop on between calls or before breakfast and still feel like you've trained hard. And the workouts are beautiful to watch. They're filmed on real rivers around the world with Olympians and world-class athletes guiding you through every stroke. Whether you're chasing new goals or just trying to stay consistent through the holidays, Hydro meets you right where you are. Their members see amazing results, from stronger performance and faster recovery to

real lasting fitness habits. And if you want to bring that energy home, Hydro's newest model, the Hydro Arc, was just named GQ's best rower of 2025. Plus, you can try at risk-free with a 30-day trial, free standard shipping, and a one-year warranty. So this year, give yourself something that moves, motivates, and actually delivers your own hydro rower. Head over to hydro.com and use code cold case to save up to $600 on a hydrororo during this holiday season. That's H-Y-D-R-O-W.com Code Coldcase to save up to $600. Hydro.com Code Cold Case. The holidays are sneaking up again, and I've been thinking, what's a gift that actually

lasts longer than the wrapping paper? And then it struck me, giving the gift of language. Imagine helping someone finally learn Francais, Español, or even Nihon Go. Whether it's connecting with family roots or prepping for that dream trip, Rosetta Stone makes it's simple to start something really meaningful in 2026. Rosetta Stone has been a trusted language expert for over 30 years and for a good reason. Their method feels natural. No endless wordless, no confusion. Just learning the way you'd pick things up if you were actually living the language. I've been using it to brush up on my espagnol, and honestly, it's been a bright spot in my mornings. The lessons fit right

into my coffee routine, and true accent has really helped me sound more confident, like I could order Piaa and Valencia without embarrassing myself. And if you're thinking about goals for the new year, learning something new for yourself is as good as it gets. Rosetta Stone's lifetime membership gives access to all 25 languages forever. Start with one now, try another next year at no cost, and keep expanding what you can say and understand. So give the gift of language this season, something that lasts, something that grows. Don't wait. Unlock your language learning potential now. Cold case Files listeners can grab Rosetta Stone's lifetime membership for 50% off. That's unlimited access to 25 language courses for life. Visit rosettastone.com slash cold case to get started and claim

your 50% off today. Give a gift that keeps giving. Go to rosettastone.com slash cold case and start learning today. This episode is brought to you by IQ Bar, our exclusive snack and hydration sponsor. IQ Bar is the better for you plant protein based snack made with brain boosting nutrients to refuel, nourish, and satisfy hunger without the sugar crash. I'm a big fan of their ultimate sampler pack because it lets you taste everything they make, nine IQ bars, eight IQ mix sticks, and four IQ Joe sticks. It's like an intro course in staying sharp and hydrated. What I really appreciate about IQ bar products is the ingredient list. Clean, simple, and entirely free from gluten, dairy, soy, GMOs, or artificial sweeteners.

They're packed with things that truly help you feel good. magnesium, lion's mane, adaptogens, and plant protein that actually keeps you going. Recently, I've been loving the peanut chip bars and the blueberry pomegranate hydration sticks. They're delicious and both feel like a small reward during a busy day. With over 20,000 five-star reviews and counting, more people than ever are fueling their days with IQ bars, bars, hydration mixes, and mushroom coffees. Their ultimate sampler pack has a little bit of everything to get you started. I've made IQ bar part of my daily routine, an IQ Joe to kick off the morning and an IQ mix in the afternoon, and they need a little lift that actually lasts.

And right now, IQ Bar is offering our special podcast listeners 20% off all IQ bar products, including the sampler pack, plus free shipping. To get your 20% off, text cold to 64,000. Text cold to 64,000. That's cold to 64,000. Message and data rates may apply, see terms for details. Hey, Ontario, come on down to BenMGM Casino and check out our newest exclusive. The price is right, fortune pick.

Don't miss out. Play exciting casino games based on the iconic. game show only at BetMGM. Access to the Price is right fortune pick is only available at BetMGMGM Casino. BetMGM and GameSense remind you to play responsibly. 19 plus to wager, Ontario only, please play responsibly. If you have questions or concerns about your gambling

or someone close to you, please contact Connix Ontario at 1866-531, 2,600 to speak to an advisor free of charge. BetMGM operates pursuant to an operating agreement with Eye Gaming Ontario. At police headquarters, detectives speak with Richard Johnson. The question is, just how did Carolyn

and Jansen's body end up on his property. Under the circumstances, I can understand why I'm here and why I'm answering all the questions. I'm the guy that found her. Yeah. You know, most of the stuff that was in the garage, I had moved back into the shed. He almost was reliving the event because he would get a little amped up while he's talking about it. So it sounded kind of strange that she shut up and split. but I never gave it much more thought than that.

And there were a number of items that I just thought that she might like if she ever contacted me. And so I saved those. Three years earlier in Ohio, 1,000 miles away from the mountains and prairies of the West. Adoptee, Victoria Baker, now 24 years old, scours public records looking, for her birth family. So I decided, okay, I know where I was born, and I know where I was adopted. I got a phone book, and I wrote a letter to every single baker in that phone book. Upwards of 180, 190 letters.

I did have two or three. Very kind, very sweet responses. I wish we could help you. we don't know. So I contacted a private investigator. And I discovered that my biological mother's married name was Carolyn Jansen. I found out that I had five siblings.

I was definitely excited. And then I had the opportunity to meet them. Jonathan Crutzer is Carolyn Jansen's son We'd always known about Victoria We'd just never met her That was our sister Victoria But we knew that she was given up We just didn't know where she was

When I first met Victoria in person I saw my mother Actually Victoria looks a lot like my mom Victoria learns from her siblings that they haven't heard from their mother in several years. Everybody was like, oh, mom's missing. And some of us were, like, not really concerned too much about it

because this is something that she does every once in a while. They shared with me some really hard stories, some things that were hard to hear. My mother didn't always make the best choices. I learned that she did move around quite a bit. New York, of course, where I was born. And Oregon, Nevada, Colorado. Almost every place that she moved, it was to escape an abusive relationship.

The West was an escape for her to get away from the abuse that she'd already been putting up with her entire life. And every time we moved a little further west, it was something. something new. She never dwelled on the things that we had to move away from. But mom struggled heavily with alcohol. On her good days, man, she was away of sunshine. But when the demons got the best of her, she was low. And there was no talking her out of making another drink. Victoria and her newly reunited family travel to Aurora, Colorado, to find their mother. I created missing persons flyers for my mom

and put those up at locations where she was known to have frequented. You know, please call your kids are worried about you. I went over to the old apartment complex, knocked on a couple of doors just to see if the old neighbors had remembered or I'd seen her. I started doing some investigating of my own and found out that her social security number wasn't being used. She wasn't working anywhere,

but my mom usually always had a job and sometimes two or three jobs. So it really was odd to me. We needed to find mom. I received a call from my step-sister, and she asked me if I was sitting down. And she informed me that in Aurora, Colorado, the police had located the remains of a body that they believed was Carolyn Jansen, my mother. and I felt like I failed. I let her down.

Maybe if I had found her sooner, maybe if I had hired a private investigator sooner, maybe if I'd stuck with it, I would have found her and I could have protected her. I never got the opportunity to meet my mother, I never had the opportunity to say goodbye. They reached out to me and some of the siblings to inform us that mom had been murdered. She had been stuffed into a plastic storage bin and pretty much put on some guys' back porch like a piece of trash.

And, yeah, that was probably the hardest thing I've ever heard. who would do such a gruesome act? It's just, it's mind-blowing to me. While detectives are still unsure of homeowner Rick Johnson's involvement, they turn to the next logical suspect, J.D. Harrington, the supposed owner of the storage container. J.D., do you have any ideas in that box? No.

Who would? I don't know. Like I said, my stuff has been there for a year. Harrington admits that these are his plastic containers. He admits that he actually duct-taped a number of them. He wanted to protect those things from the elements in Colorado. Forensic analysis reveals that fingerprints from both J.D. Harrington and Richard Johnson are on the bin.

But it's like, yeah, well, J.D. and Richard both handled the bin. So naturally, their fingerprints are going to be on the net. There wasn't any physical evidence pointing to a particular suspect. J.D. denied having anything to do with Carolyn's death. He claimed that he stacked his boxes outside his home the day before moving day. The implication was that during that time, somebody, whoever was a killer, would have put the body in the plastic container. J.D. told police that in early February 2002,

he last saw Carolyn in his apartment, and she just took off. He never saw her again. The only problem with that is she left behind things that would be important to most people. Her purse, her Social Security card. Harrington points the finger at another possible suspect. If something happened to Carolyn, and I actually had to think yes, I would say her husband.

I asked. Mm-hmm. Brent Jansen was Carolyn's ex-husband. There's allegations he was abusive of Carolyn. We had to find out if that person could have killed her. You know, when I started my podcast, it was just an idea between friends. I wanted to create something that connected people, but I also had no clue how to actually build it into a real business. The tech part, the store setup, the branding, all of that felt

pretty intimidating. That's where Shopify comes in. Shopify is the commerce platform behind millions of businesses worldwide, including 10% of all e-commerce in the U.S. Whether it's big names like Mattel and Jim Shark or small creators just finding their stride, everyone's using Shopify to turn their ideas into something that lasts. If you're not a designer, that's okay. Shopify's ready-made templates make it easy to launch a site that actually looks like you. Need a little extra help? That's okay too. Their built-in AI tools can handle things like polishing your product photos, writing descriptions, or even creating discount codes in seconds. And if you're wondering how people will find you, Shopify helps with that too. Simple tools

for email and social campaigns that spread the word without feeling overwhelming. Plus, their award-winning 24-7 support team is always there when you hit a roadblock. So if you've got a dream sitting in your notebook right now, maybe it's time to open it back up and let Shopify help you bring it to life. Turn those dreams into and give them the best shot at success with Shopify. Sign up for your $1 per month trial and start selling today at Shopify.com slash coldcase. Go to Shopify.com slash coldcase. Shopify.com knows that when it comes to home shopping, it's never just about the house or condo. It's about the home.

And what makes a home is more than just the house or property. It's a location and neighborhood. If you have kids, it's also schools, nearby parks, and transportation options. That's why Homes.com goes above and beyond to bring home shoppers the in-depth information they need to find the right home. And when I say in-depth, I'm talking deep. Each listing features comprehensive information about the neighborhood complete with a video guide.

They also have details about local schools with test scores, state rankings, and student-to-teacher ratio. They even have an agent directory with the sales history of each agent. So when it comes to finding a home, not just a house, this is everything you need to know all in one place. Homes.com. We've done your homework. Coldcase files is brought to you by Progressive Insurance. Do you ever find yourself playing the budgeting game, shifting a little money here, a little there, and hoping it all works out? Well, with the name your price tool from Progressive, you can be a better budgeter and potentially lower your insurance bill too. Utah Progressive, what you want to pay for car insurance, and they'll help you find options within your budget.

Try today at Progressive.com. Progressive Casualty Insurance Company and Affiliates, price and coverage matched limited by state law, not available in all states. I wanted to be a prosecutor early on in my life to be the person who's able to help deliver justice for somebody who's so badly needs it. Out here in Colorado, we've got a lot of people from somewhere else. A lot of people just passing through, looking for something new. We've got all kinds of different opportunities for somebody who's looking to start a new chapter in their life.

I think that's what Carolyn was trying to do. When detectives began to look into Carolyn's life, some focus turned to an ex-husband who lived in Wyoming, so just a few short hour drive away from where her body was ultimately found, a man named Brent Jansen. and he was allegedly abusive. He was allegedly violent. And so naturally, some suspicion terms to the ex-husband.

Detectives wondered where was Jansen when Carolyn went missing. Brent Jansen was a person of interest because of his volatile relationship with Carolyn. Brent was a very violent man. In fact, J.D. Harrington portrayed himself as risk. rescuing Carolyn from that relationship and moving her into the apartment where he could protect her. What was her situation? Was she married? Well, she was staying with me to get away from her husband because the guy was just beating the crap out of him. Really?

Mm-hmm. Okay. Brent Jansen was a bigger guy. My first impression of Brent was he seemed right out the bat that he was brash. My sister would tell me stories of Brent being physically violent with mom. Investigators reach out to Jackson, Wyoming authorities to track down Carolyn's ex. Brent Jansen said, you know, I'm not going to talk to you. He was very uncooperative.

So it was tough in the back of your mind thinking, yeah, it could be him. Ultimately, they found out he was not even in the state in the time that Carolyn Jansen disappeared. He was in Wyoming. Nobody had seen or heard of him coming into Aurora in that time frame. He wasn't related to the bins in any way. He didn't know where Carolyn Jansen lived, that she had moved into the apartment. All these things told us that he's probably not the guy we're looking for.

He was ultimately cleared. Investigators turn their attention back to Carolyn's roommate, J.D. Harrington. One of the things looked at was, what is the change circumstance between the people who were involved? And by that, I mean maybe an ex-girlfriend who now says, we're not in a relationship, so I'm willing to tell information now that earlier wasn't the case. When they interview JD's former girlfriend, she makes a shocking revelation. Detective Connor interviewed a former girlfriend of JD's. She explained that after Carolyn Jansen went missing, he came to her house, broke down in tears.

I didn't expect him, but first thing he did was got down on his knees and started crying that he had just killed somebody. Detective Connor interviewed a former girlfriend of J.D. Haringer. and she explained that after Carolyn Jansen went missing, he came to her house with an incredible story. I didn't expect him, but first thing he did was got down on his knees and started crying that he had just killed somebody. What's going on?

Because at the time, I honestly didn't believe it. Police interview J.D. Harrington yet again. He admits that these are his plastic containers and that he had duct taped a few of them, but claimed not to know what was inside. And you ask, does it look like this tape had ever been removed and then reapplied? The answer is no. And that sets off some alarm bells. It just didn't make sense.

The investigation narrows its focus on J.D. Harrington, and Carolyn's family feels more certain that detectives are on the right path. He was the last person to have seen my mother. In my eyes, he was my prime suspect. I thought, okay, well, he's going to get arrested. And that was not quite as easy as I thought it was going to be. It's now been six months since Carolyn's body was found. It was a circumstantial case.

We had no physical evidence of time to connect J.D. Herring. him to the crime scene other than the body being at the address, and everybody's saying, this is how this bin got here. There's a big distinction between direct and circumstantial evidence. Direct evidence is something you actually saw. Circumstantial evidence is taking pieces of a puzzle, putting them together one by one. It's inferring from all the evidence what that likely outcome is. I felt there was sufficient evidence to pursue prosecution. The former DA said it wasn't there.

I wasn't part of that prosecutor's office in 2006, but they just felt they didn't have enough to prove this case beyond a reasonable doubt. It made no sense to me. It made me feel like they saw my mother's life as having no value. there was nothing else I could do with it. That DA would not take the case.

After a year of investigating, with no new evidence, Carolyn's case goes cold and stays that way for another two years until Detective Connor is assigned to work on cold cases full-time. All of a sudden, the state of Colorado mandated that all cold cases be reported to the state. Great idea, I thought. So they said, who wants to work cold cases? I first met Victoria Baker at a cold case conference in Colorado Springs. And I didn't know who she was immediately until she started talking about her mom's case.

Then I knew exactly who she was. Detective Connor, let me know that cold didn't mean done. Didn't mean it was over. And I never for one minute. felt like he had forgotten. It's now 2013. Detective Connor has kept Carolyn's case file on his desk for five long years, until a call from newly appointed Deputy District Attorney John Kellner changes everything.

When John Kellner became the cold case DA, he actually called me at my office and wanted me to submit five of the best cold cases I had for prosecution. Our goal with every single case was to take a look and try to solve it and bring it to closure. The Carolyn Jansen case, it was complicated. There were folks that said it cannot be proven beyond a reasonable doubt. So we had some work to do to bring this case forward. John Kellner, he's dogged and he's got a huge brain. I can't remember 30,000 pages of documentation.

but John can remember quite a few more than me. We were going to do our best to bring Carolyn's killer to justice. What turned a lot of attention towards J.D. Harrington is the fact that he claimed that these were, in fact, his containers, that he did, in fact, duct tape them closed, and a body doesn't just magically appear inside a container that's been tightly sealed. killed with duct tape. We have to take the steps to be able to prove that JD is the one that killed Carolyn.

There's very few cases I attach myself to emotionally. But I met Victoria Baker and she was very emotional. I told Victoria there seemed to be a disconnect at that point between the detectives and the DA's offices. And I need physical Evans to connect J.D. Harrington. to that body. So I kept reading through the case file and I'm going, okay, I can sure up this.

I need to do a second interview over here and I need to review the evidence on the bin. Morning, Cindy. Spread over the evidence for you. Okay. We still smell it after all these years. Here is the duct tape. They had peeled off of the plastic container.

that Carolyn was found in. On this side, they would have done the fingerprinting. And on the backside, they would have swapped for DNA in hopes of recovering whoever it was that sealed the container. Nine years after Carolyn Jansen's body is found, Detective Connor examines the plastic bin once again. That duct tape, what I was concerned about is how old it was. It had been exposed to extreme heat, extreme cold in our Colorado weather, and that can degrade DNA.

I remember from my time serving in Afghanistan how we would sometimes look at the sticky side of tape from IEDs to find out who's creating the IEDs. So we wanted to know could they potentially pull DNA from the sticky side of that duct tape? In the early 2000s, there was not touched DNA that was going to be, you know, found on that duct tape or on the container. But now we're really dealing with a completely different technological time with new forensic science. But it is a big risk because, look, it could come back with nothing. After months of painstaking work, the forensics team successfully extract DNA from the state. sticky adhesive portion of the duct tape, and send it off for testing. Two months later, the results come back.

J.D. Harrington could not be excluded. And this is important, because when you add all of those pieces up together, you're talking about placing one circumstantial brick in the wall one at a time. It just helped us feel confident to bring this case forward on J.D. Harrington and make him face these charges in court. So 2014 finally rolls around. We've got our DNA evidence in hand. We've got our statements from our suspect. It's now time to pull the trigger. J.D. Harrington was finally charged with the murder of Carolyn. Johnson.

You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can will be used to get into court's law. I was excited that I actually had him for real to keep. So it was a sense of relief. With these rights in mind, would you be willing to answer some questions now? No, I'm not going to answer any questions. And he just looked at me and said, I want an attorney. So I thought, okay, we're done.

And we took him to jail. What I'm going to now place under arrest for a murder of Carolyn Johnson? of Carolyn Janssen? Do you have any questions to me? I'll think that's enough. I received a phone call from Detective Connor informing me about the arrest of J.D. Harrington in connection with my mother, Carolyn's murder.

It was almost 10 years. That's a long time for any family to wait for justice. I was optimistic, but I also was holding back a little. You don't know what's going to happen when you ask 12 random strangers to decide somebody's guilt or innocence. And there's just no telling, you know, what happens once we get into this trial. Can you prove it in court? I remember walking in the courtroom and feeling a lot of pressure. that her family was truly counting on us to answer questions

that had been unanswered during all this time. I couldn't be let down again. I just couldn't. My mother's murder was being taken seriously, but at this point, it had been so many years that I stayed fairly guarded on the issue until I saw court dates happening and that showed that this was moving forward.

forward and moving forward quickly. On August 18, 2015, the trial of J.D. Harrington begins at the Arapaho County Courthouse. Walking into the courtroom, it was, it was tense. I remember sitting, you know, and looking at J.D. Harrington, and I'm thinking to myself, I could fly off at the handle at any moment and feeling the tension so thick in the air. That's when it's like, well, here is where we determine with everything that we've done up to this point, if it's going to pay off. I really tried to let the jury understand that this had taken many years to get to where we were, but not for lack of trying, and not because people didn't care about Carolyn Janssen.

J.D. Harrington was known as a guy who would get potentially violent if somebody messed with his money. The story that comes out of this is that maybe Carolyn had taken. in their rent money and used it for something. We don't know for what. But I suspect that could be the trigger that set him off that caused him to kill her. After hearing a week of evidence, the jury deliberates. And I just kept thinking and praying, let it be enough. It was nerve-wracking because you got one shot.

And it's either get it right or... It's done. On August 25, 2015, the jury delivers its verdict. The jury convicted J.D. Harrington as charged of second-degree murder for the killing of Carolyn J. Janssen. He was ultimately sentenced to 25 years in prison. To me, it was just a feeling of satisfaction. It's like, gotcha, you know, finally.

Thank God. finally justice. I remember feeling relieved that the guilty verdict brought justice to my mother's case. I honestly don't believe, however, that I will ever have closure.

There's this saying about justice delayed is justice denied and I don't buy into that. I believe that there is justice at the end. at the road and sometimes it takes a tremendous amount of patience and you know a lot of hope and prayer to get there my mother had a hard life but she was a wonderful woman she didn't she didn't deserve what she got if my mom were here today she would know how strong her kids have become Throughout my search for my mother, I've learned that I'm stronger than I ever thought I was.

But strength doesn't mean that you don't hurt. What you do with that hurt determines your strength. I feel grateful for being able to talk about my mom, talk about this story, her life. as almost my chance to make her proud. And I'm very grateful for that opportunity.