The Misery Machine - The Case of the Hi-Fi Murders

Episode Date: November 20, 2025

In the quiet city of Ogden, Utah, the spring of 1974 should have been ordinary, filled with warm evenings, small-town routines, and a sense of safety people trusted without question. But on one April night, that calm was shattered inside a small, unassuming electronics store: the Hi-Fi Shop.What began as a simple robbery spiraled into one of the most shocking and brutal crimes in Utah’s history. Hostages were taken, tortured, and left fighting for their lives, while the community struggled to comprehend the cruelty that unfolded behind those walls. The violence was so disturbing, so senseless, that it changed the way investigators, victims’ families, and the entire state looked at crime forever.Today, we’re revisiting the Hi-Fi murders, a case marked by unimaginable suffering, extraordinary bravery, and a long fight for justice that continued long after the store went dark. This is the story of what really happened inside the Hi-Fi Shop… and why its horror is still remembered decades later.💸You’re 30 seconds away from being debt free with PDS Debt. Get your free assessment and find the best option for you at https://pdsdebt.com/tmmSupport Our Patreon: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/themiserymachine⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠PayPal: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.paypal.me/themiserymachine⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join Our Facebook Group: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://t.co/DeSZIIMgXs?amp=1⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram: miserymachinepodcastTwitter: misery_podcastDiscord: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://discord.gg/kCCzjZM⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠#themiserymachine #podcast #truecrimeSource Materials:Sources available upon request as the amount of links has exceeded the word count allowed by Spotify in their descriptions.

Carol, Courtney, Stanley, Oren, Michelle. On April 22nd, 1974, these five names would forever be linked by an event. Own it all. Pay off your home, travel for life, drive a Ferrari. In celebration of the world premiere of the Monopoly Big Board Buckslot Machine by Aristocrat Gaming, Yamava Resort and Casino at San Manuel is giving one person a $1.6 million dream package. The biggest prize in Yamava's history. Club Serrano members can earn daily instant prizes and secure a spot of

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You can watch the record-breaking phenomenon at home. You're clearly, working at. Zootopia, too. Now available on Disney Plus rated PG. ...vent that shook the city of Ogden, Utah, forever. Carol Naysbitt was born Carol Elaine Peterson on Christmas Day, 1921. She was said to have exquisite taste in a high-energy charm that had drawn people to her since she was a little girl. While attending high school, Carol met Byron Naysbit.

They fell head over heels for each other. He gave her the pet name Shorty. Carol and Byron were married on May 29, 1942 in the Salt Lake Temple. After their wedding, Byron was drafted into the army. His interest in medicine meant he could serve his country in a Texas hospital rather than overseas on the front lines. After Byron's days in the military, he became a doctor in Gynaecon. and obstetrics while Carol worked as a medical auxiliary. They had three sons, Gary, Brett,

Byron, Jr., and one daughter, Claire. Carol was an attentive, caring mother, and she often fell into the overprotective, over-worryed archetype when it came to her children. Everyone called the younger Byron by his middle name Courtney to distinguish him from his father. Courtney was born on September 25, 1957, the baby of his family. As a young, young boy, he was an Eagle Scout and was so dedicated he worked to receive 10 more badges than he needed. He was awarded with a Golden Palm Award for his commitment. Courtney was known for his curiosity. His love for learning steered him into science. He went first place at a science fair with a telescope he constructed himself. Most of all, he absolutely loved airplanes. He took flight lessons at the

Weber State College. At only 16 years old, Courtney was flying aircrafts and progressing towards a pilot's license. Our other three names, Orrin, Stanley, and Michelle have less information about their backgrounds. However, we will do the best we can with what we have. Stanley, Orrin Walker, was a 20-year-old employee of Ogman's high-fi shop on 2323 Washington Boulevard. The store was actually owned by one of Carol and Courtney's relatives. He was a great salesman and was always eager to help his customers. In addition, he was a church elder for Ogden's 10th LDS ward. He was also a basketball coach for some of the church's young boys. Stanley's father, Orrin William Walker, Jr. was in the Air Force.

He was the cool under pressure type. He and his wife, Joyce, were also active in the LDS church and served in many positions. They had one other son, a teenager named Lynn. Orrin was outdoorsy and loved animals. He also had interest in electronics, technology, and radio, and shared his excitement with anybody who would listen to him. Sherry Michelle Ansley was 18 years old, described as sociable and charming. She graduated from Bonneville High School. She lived with her parents, Laura and Bill.

She had two brothers named Dan and Larry. She was engaged and had her wedding date set for August 5, 1974. She'd been working at the same hi-fi shop with Stanley for about a week, holding the position of cashier and bookkeeper. Today, Ogden, Utah is a World War II heritage city, and it's easy to see why. Not only was the city a large operating hub during the war, but it was also home. home to the Hill Air Force Base. The Air Force was not technically its own military branch until after World War II. The base was in operation as early as 1934. Dale Selby Pierre was born in 1953

on the Caribbean island of Tobago, but he grew up in Trinidad. His family relocated when he was three after his mother's brother murdered their pregnant sister. His family were seventh-day Adventists. Dale was smart and athletic, but also arrogant. He liked to brag about, his achievements. When he failed at something, it was never his fault. When Dale lost his temper, it also was never his fault. When instructors, family, or any other kind of adult authority came by, Dale could go from a blind rage to unnervingly composed. He once bashed an older boy in the head with a rock and hit another child with a cricket bat. In his mind, they deserved it. As an adult, Dale would go back and forth on what his upbringing was like.

He spoke of his mother, a believer in physical discipline, in a mixed light. He didn't care much for his father, believing him to be a workaholic. Dale once told a psychiatrist that he'd gotten into a motorcycle accident when he was a teenager, resulting in a head injury. He lost consciousness and was hospitalized. When he was discharged, he had seizures, but this was all a lie. When he was 13, he rode a bicycle into a short. street lamp. While he needed stitches, there was no damage to his skull or his brain.

After Dale stole from multiple people, he accompanied his parents to New York when he was 17. He worked for a telephone company and in fast food during the worker strike until he joined the Air Force in May of 1973. Boot Camp took him to San Antonio. He underwent tech training in Wichita Falls and finished his training in Ogden, Utah. In 1973, Dale was a suspect in a homicide investigation. The victim was Sergeant Edward Jefferson, a fellow airman. Dale was the last person to see Edward before his death. Edward suspected Dale stole his keys and had them copied, so he got his locks changed. He confronted Dale, which led to a heated argument. Next morning, Edward was found dead, stabbed with a bayonet. He denied everything in an interrogation

and remained calm and collected. While police heavily suspected Dale's involvement, there was not enough evidence to make an arrest. He was once arrested for car theft, but posted bail. The two vehicles he stole were later seen near the barracks where he resided. He was arrested yet again, but was only jailed for six weeks. By the time he was 21 years old, he was quick to anger. He had few people he could call friends and was known as a loner. Further isolated himself while he was in the Air Force, said that those who had interactions with him kept their distance out of fear of him. Two of the few he was on better terms with were named William Andrews and Keith Roberts. Similar to three of our victims, the coverage of William Andrews and Keith Roberts pales in comparison to that of Dale.

We know that they were both 19 years old. They were each fathers to young children and Keith was married. William was born in Louisiana and was a mechanic on the Air Force Base, the same line of work as Dale. He liked electronic equipment, which drew his attention. to the Ogden high-fi shop. William told one of his fellow Air Force mechanics how he and Dale once planned to rob a bank, but they never went through with it. In the same conversation, he said, one of these days, I'm going to rob that high-fi shop. And if anybody gets in the way, I'm going to kill them. Dale and William both wanted out of the Air Force, since it wasn't giving them the personal fulfillment that they expected. Dale's criminal record while on the base meant officials

were looking into discharging him. William, meanwhile, approached the office and made the request himself. Dale watched the 1973 movie Magnum Force and was captivated by a specific scene. In the scene, a sex worker and her employer, because YouTube won't let us say the word, played respectively by Margaret Avery and Albert Popwell, get into an altercation in a taxi cab. Popwell's character forces Drano down Avery's throat, which kills her instantly in the movie. Dale's greatest takeaway for Magnum Force was that Drano, in his mind, was a fast-acting poison. If he wanted to, he could swiftly kill someone if he made them drink it.

During their time together, Dale and William formulated a plan to strip the hi-fi shop of its merchandise and kill any witnesses inside. They roped in Keith Roberts and three other men who may or may not have also lived on the base. Keith, believing no one would be hurt, visited other electronic shops in the area's potential tar. targets. Dale rented a storage unit from a man named Robert Burbridge, claiming he needed space to store his car while he was overseas in Korea. Robert noted not only Dale's appearance, intelligence, and unassuming attitude, but also his handwriting, which he described, is very pretty. The evening of April 22nd, 1974, Dale, William, Keith, and three other men arrived at the hi-fi shop. To this day, the identities of these unknown men still remain a mystery.

Keith initially sat in the driver's seat, but he felt unwell since he had his wisdom teeth pulled earlier that day. Dale took over in the driving. Michelle and Stanley were on the clock and were getting ready to close the store down for the day. The shop owner was in San Francisco and he left Stanley in charge. Dale, William, and two of their lackeys entered the shop wielding guns while Keith and the other man waited outside in the two getaway bands. Keith's involvement mostly ends here. He was seen pacing outside the hi-fi shop during the robbery. Heath claimed he left on foot when Daly and William took too long to return the van.

Dail and William led the frightened Stanley and Michelle towards the basement, and the other two men stuffed their bags with everything that wasn't nailed down. We'll be back in just one minute. Please stick around for the following ad. It not only supports the channel, but it also supports charities in our area. At first, the clues don't seem to connect. A bill here, a hidden fee there. But if you step back, the pattern is clear.

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if I needed to get out of debt. If you're in trouble, know that you are 30 seconds away from being debt-free. Get your free assessment and find the best option for you right now at pdsdebt.com slash Tm. That's pdsdebt.com slash Tmm. Thanks and back to the episode. Earlier that day, Courtney reached a major milestone in his flight training. He operated an aircraft on his own. He was a static. In the naysbit household, Carol was recovering from jet lag. Her oldest son Gary stopped by for a short visit. They called the airport to check in with Courtney and asked if he could pick up the process photographs from their parents' overseas vacation. Courtney was reluctant at first, but agreed.

He left his car behind at the high-fi shop with Stanley's permission. After running his errands, Courtney returned to the high-five shop to pick up his car. He opened the door, saw Stanley in the sound room, and said, Thanks for letting me park behind the store stand. Stanley tried to warn him. Stop, Courtney, he's going to shoot you. As Courtney was about to. to leave through the back entrance, one of the burglars pulled a gun on him.

Horton was thrown down the basement stairs. He, Stanley, and Michelle were bound with electrical wires. Some time went by. Carol and Oren were expecting their sons to have come home by now. They were more and more concerned as the evening drew on. By her oldest son and husband's reassurances that everything was fine, her mother's intuition told Carol that something was very, very wrong. Last thing she said to them was, I don't care what you two say.

I know something's wrong, and you're not going to talk me out of it. She promptly disposed of Courtney's untouched dinner and drove around to find him. She searched Weber State College for her son's Brown Buick. She couldn't find it. So Carol returned home and made some phone calls to Courtney's friends, but no one had seen him since the school day ended. Carol expressed her worries to Byron and Gary, but she was dismissed yet again. Carol took a few minutes to cry, then she snapped, aren't you too concerned at all?

Something has happened to Courtney. I know it, and you won't even try to help me find him. How can you sit there and keep making excuses? How many more excuses are you going to come up with? She stormed off back to the car, speeding off. Her husband and oldest... Ready or not? Summer is coming, and Wayfair's Memorial Day clearance is on now.

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Dale stationed himself at the top of the basement stairs and William at the bottom. When Orrin opened the door, he was met with the barrel of a gun. William shouted, What are you doing here, man? Dale herded Orrin into the basement. He cooperated, keeping his hands and arms at his sides as Dale and William continued. to hold him at gunpoint. When he recognized his father, Stan said, why'd you have to come down, dad? Dale, in response, fired his gun twice.

Michelle and Courtney screamed and begged, frightened to their core that they would die before their adult lives had truly begun. Stanley and Orrin tried to reason with the burglars. They could take what they wanted and no one would report them to the police. Dale and William ignored them as they began to argue. William, despite having heavily planned this,

was starting to have second thoughts. The burglars could have easily loaded the vans with a stolen equipment and left the store, along with the captives for the morning staff to find. They were caught. They would have been charged with robbery and false imprisonment. If plea bargains were on the table, they would have served even smaller sentences. But they chose to escalate the situation. Dale told William to get a bottle of Drano from the van.

Ian Dale claimed it was a mixture of pills and alcohol that would only put them to sleep. They poured some into a cup and, ordered Oren to give it to the three bound captives. Orrin refused. So Dale bound Oren and made him lie face down on the basement floor. As Dale and William argued some more, Carol arrived. She all but kicked down the back door. She looked down the basement stairs and William pointed his gun at her.

She was confused and a little defiant. Yale forced her down the stairs at gunpoint and bound her. Dale then force fed the drano to the captives. Carol was first, then Courtney. then Stanley, Michelle, Oren, and Stanley once again. Adrano gave them blistering chemical burns on their mouths and throats. They convulsed and screamed as Zadrano burned them from the inside, all but Oren. Oran watched how Carol and Courtney reacted.

He was forced to drink. He held the liquid in his mouth and slowly let it drip to the floor. He acted the screams and convulsions to avoid suspicion. They vomited, coughed, and drooled. Almost immediately, the burns made a pulse. Huss-like discharge. Burglars tried to tape the captive's mouth shut, but the discharge stopped the tape from sticking. They'll realize their plan was going awry, and his anger rose exponentially. He and William resumed their argument. The plan with the Drano failed. They had to pivot.

William was too scared to do it himself. They all ordered him to leave the basement. He told him, Give me about 30 minutes. He'll paste and stopped in front of Courtney and Carol. He shot the mother and son each in the back of the head. He paced some more and shot Oren, but he missed. Then he shot Stanley. Michelle asked softly, Stan, are you okay? Stan replied, I've been shot. Dale shot Oren a second time, but only grazed the back of his head. Despite the pain, he lay still and closed his eyes. Dale untied Michelle and ordered her to take off her clothes. Scared for what would come next, but even more scared for her life, she did what was demanded. He then, for 20 to 30 minutes, violently assaulted her.

Afterwards, he pulled her into the bathroom and watched her use the toilet. Dale made Michelle lie down between Orrin and Stanley. He ran upstairs and Michelle gently bumped Orrin asking, Are you okay? Orin opened his eyes briefly. Dale returned and felt Orrin's pulse. He shot Michelle and Stanley this time fatally. Angered that Orrin was still alive,

Dale straddled him from behind and tried to strangle him with a wire. He may have thought that strangulation took only a few seconds to a minute, like how he thought Drano could poison someone instantly. When Orrin didn't die quick enough for his liking, Dale dropped the wire. He and William found a pen. Dale jammed it into Oran's ear, stomping his foot on Orin's head until the tip impaled through his throat.

He stopped moving, and Dale was satisfied. The burglar stuffed the vans, with the stolen equipment and fled this scene. Three hours later, around 10.30 p.m., the other two members of the Walker family were still waiting for Oren and Stanley to return home. Concerned, Oren's wife, Joyce, and younger son Lynn, drove to the high-fi shop to find out what had held them up.

They arrived at the empty store. Oren's son rang the buzzer in the back entrance. Warren regained consciousness and shouted for someone to get help. Joyce called the local police and Lynn broke down the basement door. He ran inside and was met with the sight of his father, critically injured, his brother dead, and three other victims lying completely still on the floor. Police cars arrived minutes later, soon followed by ambulances. Orrin, bloody but conscious, managed to climb the basement stairs with some help.

He pointed the officers to the basement. He followed them and tore through storage containers. When asked what he was doing, he said, This is my boy, Stanley. I've got to save him. I need a pair of diagonal pliers or a knife or something to cut him loose. The officers told Oren there was nothing more anyone could do. Stanley was dead.

Since his grief and trauma, the officers sent Oren back upstairs while they tended to Courtney and Carroll. They were the only two with signs of life. The victims were brought to St. Benedict's Hospital. As they were being brought into the ambulance, reporters and cameramen showed up to report on the crime. Ambulances didn't have enough space for everyone, so the drivers needed to take two trips. Carol and Courtney were the first to arrive. At first, the medical professionals at St. Benedict's Hospital

thought they were dealing with some kind of domestic dispute or drunken brawl turned deadly. One of their ambulance drivers was so panicked, he was unintelligible. Attendants all tried speaking at once, and the hospital staff began to understand the gravity of the situation. First, Carol and Courtney were removed from the ambulance. Carol was not moving. She was sweaty and cold, and her tan.

tangled blonde hair partially obscured the bullet hole in her head. Courtney was conscious, his skin blew and he was gasping for air. Dr. Jesse Jess Wallace immediately clocked the Drano scars, even though he wasn't sure what they were or where they came from. He examined Courtney himself and aided the neurosurgeon in Carroll's exam. When Dr. Wallace got a look at Carol's face, he remarked, boy, she looks familiar. It took x-rays of Carol's skull. The bullet broke apart in her head and her body stopped functioning. There was nothing more they could do. Carol had already passed away.

Courtney was actively dying on the exam bed, but Dr. Wallace still moved forward with the tracheostomy. Then they rushed him into the intensive care unit. If the boy's heart, lungs, or brain stopped working, then only then would they let him go. Dr. Wallace monitored Courtney throughout his entire stay in the hospital. he thought to himself that if the boy died, all of those intensive, invasive procedures would have been for nothing. They likely would have only put more stress on him.

Carolyn Courtney were both labeled as Mary Doe and John Doe, as their identities were still unknown to law enforcement in the medical professionals. Police officers stepped into the ICU. There were still no leads on their patient's identity. One of the respiratory technicians spoke with the officers, with few other options. with few other options, he said. A friend of mine in this respiratory therapy program is studying downstairs. He used to date a girl whose cousin owns the hi-fi shop.

Ray Moser was present when Courtney and Carol rushed inside. He didn't recognize them at the time and didn't know how helpful he would be. Still, he met the officer upstairs and peered closer at the John Doe before him. He then realized this was Courtney Naysbid. Dr. Wallace asked, You mean Byron Naesbitt's boy? Ray replied, yes, sir. I used to date his sister, Claire. Ray identified Carol as well. Meanwhile, Courtney was struggling to breathe again, and Dr. Wallace called for more hands to help resuscitate him. He also tried to get in contact with Byron

Nesbit, Courtney's father, but it was late and no one answered the phone. He left that task with a nursing supervisor while he tended to Courtney's needs. Byron was still at home when he learned about the news of the hi-fi shop. A friend called asking, what the hell's going on in Ogden? He briefly explained the five people found dead in the shop his nephew owned. Byron hung up and drove there,

chastising himself for brushing Carol off. County prosecutor Robert Newey had also arrived at the scene. Ian Byron were well acquainted, and Newey realized it fell to him to break the news to the worried father. He didn't know the identities of the deceased and injured just

yet, only that a woman and a teenage boy were rushed to St. Benedict's Hospital. Byron was allowed a brief glimpse into the basement, then immediately marched back to his car. He tried to slow him down, even offering a police escort to the hospital. Instead, Byron floored it to St. Benedict's Hospital. In recounting what he felt at the time, Byron said, I was thinking of all the possibilities, everything going through my mind all at once, one right after the other. But the one thing I knew for a fact is that they'd born.

both been shot. My wife and my son had both been in a disaster. And there was no way I could do anything about it. But I wanted to get there to see if I could help. And I had a feeling that nothing could go fast enough. Like I was coming to a deadline I couldn't beat. I had a hollow feeling inside. I felt emptiness. I felt fear. I felt anxiety. I wanted to get there, get there, get there, and nothing could get me there fast enough. When he arrived at the hospital, Byron was led to his son's bed in the ICU, separated by glass. The doctors told him Carol was gone, but he still peered into the other cubicles in search of her. It took until Dr. Wallace described the jade ring on Carol's hand,

a ring that Byron had bought her in Hawaii that she often wore as her engagement ring for Byron to fully process that she was gone. Still, Byron had to identify Carol's body. He was brought down to the morgue. He recognized the dress she was wearing earlier that night and looked upon her her bloody, pale face. While walking back down the hallway, his knees gave out. He sat down emotionally cat-tonic and cried and remembered that he needed to be strong for his son. The doctors were frank with Byron. Courtney may not make it through the surgeries. If he did, he would need around-the-clock assistance for the rest of his life. Byron's mind was already made up. He said, I want you to go ahead and do everything you can. We'll worry about the rest of it later.

One of Courtney's own brothers actually assisted in one of his operations. Emotional as he was, he put his nerves aside to help his youngest sibling. Orin and Courtney both came out of everything alive, but Courtney was in critical condition and suffered brain damage that impeded his memory of the night, so it was solely up to Oran to speak with investigators. In spite of three shooting attempts, one strangulation attempt and injuries from the pen shoved into his ear, Orrin remembered everything with near perfect clarity. When his immediate injuries were seen to, he gave his account of the night to the investigators, along with descriptions of Dale and William. Coincidentally, one of the detectives investigating the hi-fi shop had interrogated Dale in the previous year during the Edward Jefferson homicide case. Another one of the officers had arrested him for car theft, so they were very familiar with him.

But they didn't piece together just yet that they were chasing a past elusive suspect. Local news coverage was extensive and it didn't take long for a reliable tip to come in. An anonymous man on the Air Force Base called the police department. It was that same man months earlier, William had told one of these days, I'm going to rob that high-fi shop. And if anybody gets in the way, I'm going to kill them. He had overheard Dale and William discussing the plan and knew that Dale drove a band similar to the one described in the press. while two middle school-age boys found the victim's driver's licenses within the Hill Air Force Base.

They were dumpster diving when they, by pure chance, found three wallets and two purses. The dumpster was just outside one of the barracks. They turned one of the purses over to an 18-year-old airman. The purse had a checkbook with a phone number on it, along with a name, Michelle Ansley. The airman used a pay phone to dial the phone number. He asked for Michelle Ansley by name. Shell's mother, Laura, passed the phone off to one of her sons. He rattled off questions. Where did they get their phone number? How did he have her purse?

Where is he? Why is he calling? Until both parties agreed to alert authorities. The detectives pieced together that their suspects were likely men living on the base. More specifically, they were very likely to be Dale and William. The wallets and purses were turned in as evidence. Detective Delroy White arrived. A crowd had formed near the judge.

dumpster as word spread, a pantomime finding the wallets and purses to observe their suspects. Detective White made a deliberate show of gathering the evidence. He spoke loudly and clearly, holding the wallets and purses with a set of tongs for all to see while watching the airmen in the crowd. Most of them stood still, as expected of the trained airmen. The two caught his attention immediately for their nervous behavior. Dale and William didn't think the victim's IDs would be found. They shifted anxiously and spoke amongst themselves. as Detective White put on his show. They hid in the barracks and eventually tried to flee, but they were quickly apprehended.

William was more cooperative than expected, after some coaxing, but he was still not giving up all the information on his own accord. Officer Ari Peterson said about the interrogation, until we had him arrested and down here, I don't think he fully realized what he had done. He reminded me of a guy who was trying to play it as cool as possible, but he wasn't a cool character. When I confronted him with a piece of evidence, he would just stare at the wall and I'd have to bring him back again. Then he seemed to remember and he would talk and then suddenly he would seem to go, oh my God, as realization came back. I think he wanted to talk about it to get it off his chest,

but he just wouldn't let himself. I was looking for him to blame it all on Pierre, but he was scared to death of him. Whenever I asked him about Pierre, he would tighten up. I think he would have talked if he hadn't had so damn much fear of Pierre. While they were being questioned, the police obtained a search warrant for their living space in the barracks. I found a flyer for the shop and a storage unit contract. A time later, Dale and Williams' names were released to the press. Their names reached Robert Burbridge's ears, and he recognized Dale as the man he rented the storage unit to, called Ed Ryan, the Weber County Sheriff, to share what he knew. Robert and some deputies arrived at the unit in question only to find Ogden police were already there with a warrant.

The unit was full of the stolen high-fi products, totaling to about $24,000. For reference, when adjusted for inflation, that's over $160,000 of today's money. They also found the bottle of Drano, which was half emptied. Robert Burbridge said, it scared the liver out of me. That's a kind of excitement I wouldn't want to go through again. Investigators spoke with the other airmen on the base. Keith Roberts' name came up multiple times. He was found carrying a concealed weapon and tampering with evidence.

He was also arrested and his charges were increased to murder and robbery. Like with many cases we've covered, the community was left shaken and scared by the sudden event. Before, local businesses didn't even think twice about an unlocked door or window. Introducing Taco Bell's new jalapino citrus salsa with bright citrus, real red jalapinos, guahillo chilis. Usually, you add sauce to the food, but when you're not, the sauce is this good. The food is just there to get the sauce to your mouth. That rolled cassidia, not a rolled cassidia anymore. Now it's a sauce shovel. Taco Bell's halapeno citrus salsa. Get it with any item on the canteen of chicken menu while it's here. The participating

U.S. Taco Bell locations for a limited time only, while supplies last, contact store for availability. But after April 22nd, everything was locked up tight before closing. Employees were fearful for their safety. At the same time, they were grateful that law enforcement made arrests so swift. while incarcerated, Dale chucked a trade a guard and tried to file a lawsuit against the county sheriff. His state-appointed attorney resigned. She claimed she wasn't cut out for the public backlash, and she had a conflict of interest since she was a patient of Byron Naysbit. In addition, her superior lived near the Naysbit, so she advised Dale to seek private counsel. A Supreme Court case from two years prior, Furman v. Georgia had tightened the rules on the death penalty.

Utah lawmakers responded with the creation of new legislation. A person convicted a first-degree murder would face the death penalty or life in prison. Following a guilty verdict, both the judge and a jury would have the say in what the sentence would be. William, Dale, and Keith each face murder and robbery charges, and they were tried together. The trial lasted from October 15th to November 16th. Dale was analyzed by a psychiatrist and determined to be legally sane, even though Dale tried to lie and had made some factual errors. The psychiatrist recommended neurological testing, but it didn't change his professional opinion. At one point, Keith's attorney was caught guiding witnesses to answers he wanted.

Another time, a juror found a sketch in a napkin depicting gallows with a caption that included racial slurs. The defense tried to file for mistrial, but the judge, judge denied their motion. Due to his brain damage, Courtney was not fit to testify in court. Delta Orrin to be the prosecution's star witness, or it was only he that was both alive and able to tell the story of what happened. He identified Dale and William while on the stand, cried while testifying about the death of his son. Byron Maysbitt also testified describing Courtney's injuries, hospital stay, and his current state of health. After the prosecution presented photographs of the victim's chemical burns and bullet wounds.

Dale turned to his lawyer and said he was sick. His lawyer called for a doctor. Before the verdict was read, Keith was seen laughing with his wife. Dale and William were each found guilty of three counts of murder and two counts of robbery. Keith, meanwhile, was only found guilty of two counts of robbery. Sentencing hearing came on November 20th. The final statement to the jury, prosecutor Robert Newey said, I submit to you that these murders require and warrant the death.

death penalty. I am not here on behalf of the people of Utah to make an impassion plea to you. I think you should not consider this with passion. I think you should consider this objectively. And I think you should also keep in mind the rights of the people of the state of Utah and the rights of the five victims in this case, whether they be alive or dead. Dale's lawyer, Gilbert Athe, replied, If the death penalty is a deterrent, we should televise the executions and publicize it. The Ten Commandments don't say thou shalt not kill except for the state of U.S. Utah. They say, thou shalt not kill, period. But what have we attained? Do you really believe the

families of the victims will feel that much better? If they gain any satisfaction in another person dying, then I say they are sick. If anyone gains any satisfaction in another person's dying, they are sick. Dale and William were given three death sentences each. They were transported to the Utah State Prison's death row. The night before, William cried, Dale snacked on potato chips. Their lawyers attempted to appeal their sentences, but the results were not in their favor. After being placed on death row, Dale tried everything he could to change his future. He claimed he was studying the Bible while in prison, and doing so, changed him for the better. He ultimately couldn't persuade the courts to remove him from death row, and as such, he was given the lethal injection in 1987.

I don't think that anyone short of being there can never understand that. In the years following the high-fi murders, a lot of people in Ogden did come to understand that it did happen in their hometown. KUTV's Rod Arquette is in Ogden tonight with more on Ogden's day after, Rod. Well, Randall, there were mixed emotions here in Ogden today, of course, about Pierre Dale Selby's execution. It's hard to find anybody here who did not want to see Dale Selby die. They also want William Andrew's debt, but they know another execution means more attention on a tragedy they'd like to put behind them. It's the kind of news Ogden has been waiting to hear for 13 years. Dale Selby's execution means this community's worst nightmare is half over.

It's a relief. It's gone. It's done. I think it's great. Each appeal and everything has brought back all of the pain of what happened 13 years ago, and hopefully we can put it to rest. The execution dominated table talk today at Gabby and Irene Nelson's Mexican restaurant. The customers were still angry over what seemed like a never-ending string of legal delays that tried to keep Dale Selby alive. But they were relieved today because that string has ended. I think they felt better that he was dead. Most of them were disappointed, like I say, that it took so long to do it.

Some residents say the high-fi crime has made Ogden's minority community feel uneasy. But others say the murders drew people together in a common cause to find justice. The citizens, the merchants, the people in the town become closer knit in a cause. And that cause was, we've got to find out what caused this crime to stop it and get the people arrested. People have reacted to the execution in different ways. Some of those who sought justice through death celebrated Dale Selby's last night alive. But most people today just went about their business. Their thoughts were on the events of the last 24 hours.

Their hopes were that the hi-fi story is nearing its final chapter. William's death sentence was controversial. While he admitted to forcing the victims to drink the Drano and intended to commit murder, it was Dale who shot them. The next person to be executed in Utah may be William Andrews, Dale Selby's partner in the hi-fi robbery. Last March, when she worked for KUTV, freelance reporter Jennifer Skiff got an exclusive interview with William Andrews.

KUTV promised Andrews that much of the material from that interview would not be released until after Selby's final appeal. KUTV's Rod Decker is now here with a report on the Schiff interview. Rod? Michelle, Andrew's appeal is now before the United States Supreme Court. His case is at the position Selby's was about six months ago. But as Andrews is quick to point out, there are important differences between his case and Selby's. In an exclusive interview, Andrews told Jennifer Skiff how he met Selby in the Air Force and his impressions of the man. That's the strange thing about Selby.

He didn't like to go out very much. He was basically a loner. Selby told the Utah Board of Pardons that he was drunk or on drugs much of the time before the murder. Andrews contradicts that story. If he drank, I never saw him drunk. Andrews and Selby planned to rob the high-fi shop together as they were getting out of the Air Force and leaving the state. Take the money and run.

money and run. Andrews says he knew and liked victim Stanley Walker, a clerk at the high-fi shop. The only one I knew, like I said, was Stanley and I did like him. He said he joked with Walker during the robbery. I remember joking with Stanley about how good he, how good a sale he had done with me on the equipment, how he had created a desire in me to have his equipment. Friendly feelings didn't help. Andrews and Selby forced Walker and the other victims to drink Drano. I held a gun and he gave me the Drano. He held a cup. I poured it into the cup and he handed it to the people. Andrews says he didn't intend for the Drano to kill anyone. I was never under the impression that the Drano would actually kill anyone. The prosecutor

say Andrews is lying. The Drano was intended to kill, and Andrews gives himself away with statements such as this. I was informed that the Drano hadn't worked. It apparently hadn't accomplished the aims that he wanted to achieve. Andrews told Selby he would not kill and left. I said, starting a business, can seem like a daunting task, unless you have a partner like Shopify. They have the tools you need to start and grow your business. From designing a website to marketing, to selling, and beyond, Shopify can help with everything you need. There's a reason millions of companies like Mattel, Heinz, and all birds continue to trust and use them. With Shopify on your side, turn your big business idea into, sign up for your $1 per month trial at Shopify.com slash special

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I can't kill these people. I don't believe you can kill these people. So let's just leave. Let's get out of here. And I left. But when I left the high-fi shop at that time, no one was dead. No, everyone was still alive.

William attended a clemency hearing in August of 1989, and his lawyers tried to change his sentence to life in prison without parole. Michelle's mother, Laura, wrote a letter to the judge, asking to go through with the death penalty. She wrote, let him join his companion in hell. In the end, they didn't change the sentence. Like Dale, William was executed by lethal injection in 1992. I'm Susan Furness. In news this morning, after nearly 18 years and scores of failed appeals, death row inmate William Andrews was executed by lethal injection at 146 this morning. Andrews was condemned to die for the 1974 torture slings of three people

during a robbery of the Ogden Hi-Fi shop. KUTV's Ron Bird was one of nine media witnesses at the prison. Here is his account of the execution. An unforgettable image. William Andrew's broad, pronounced smile greeted his loved ones as the witness curtain was drawn open. Hi, Mama, he mouthed to his sister Audrey, who was really the only mom he ever knew. I love you, he said, and blue kisses. Andrews laid his head down and spoke his last words to Bruce Egan, Deputy Corrections Director.

I said, thank those who tried so hard to keep me alive. I hope they continue the fight for equal justice after I'm gone. Tell my family goodbye and that I love them. At 1.35 a.m., Andrews lifts his head again. I love you. Bye-bye. A deep breath. The fatal drugs begin to flow into his IV. Only seconds pass, Andrew's breathing becomes shallower. His eyes blink, then close, his hands relax.

A few quiet cries from his sister. Eleven minutes later, 146 a.m., William Andrews is pronounced dead by the prison doctor. During Andrews' last hours, he expressed to prison officials he was tired. It was time to go. I said to him, I said, this has been a long haul for you, hasn't it? and his comment to that was he said yes he said I'm actually very tired in other words I'm more or less settled

and ready to face the ultimate that apparently is before me for 18 years there were pleas for Andrew's life pleas and appeals that went unanswered even down to the last minute his final reprieve would come through death an end that Andrews faced with that familiar smile Ron Bird, KUTV News at the Utah State Prison. The courts determined Keith was not privy to the murders before or as they happened. He was given five years to life in prison but was paroled in 1987.

While serving his sentence, he spoke at middle and high school assemblies. He told his story in an effort to convince the students to stay away from criminal acts. He moved to Oklahoma where he worked at an electronics company. His parole officer was whole. hopeful that Keith would complete his parole without incident. However, Keith removed himself from this earth in 1992, about one week after William's execution. After the judge and jury decided on the death penalty, Dale was interviewed in his cell. It's reported he said the following and keep in mind these are Dale's words, not our own. And I quote, I like to consider myself as

knowledgeable, like to know a little bit of everything. I often feel that I am white, but I don't feel bad being black. I consider myself superior to most blacks. I don't trust them. They're boisterous, not well-mannered, and they have habits like smoking and blaspheming that I was not brought up with. And I don't get all dressed up and go flashing around like other blacks. I got my own unique way of carrying myself. Given many factors, including but not limited to the decade, location, and the LDS church's influence in the state and the history with race, this case had heightened racial tensions in the state of Utah. Robert Harris was an Ogden-based Reverend preacher. minister and civil rights activists.

He honored the victims of the hi-fi murders with an hour-long memorial service on local radio along with the day of fasting. A brief interview with the Ogden Standard Examiner, he said, I hope that justice will take its course without creating a situation of racial tension. As black citizens of Ogden, we too are deeply disturbed and grieved over the murders. James Gillespie, president of the NAACP's Ogden chapter, said, they took it out on the whole black community. You know, they didn't even live in Weber County.

Every black person who had ever committed a crime and some who were out late were harassed and still upset that black people were harassed. A 1989 article from Deserate News reported a shift in public opinion. William Andrews at the time was the longest serving inmate on death row due to various appeals to his sentence. The support even extended to white members of the LDS Church. James Gillespie, among many others, believed William didn't deserve the death penalty. While Reverend Harris disagreed, he questioned openly why William deserved the death penalty.

while two white mass killers, Myron Lance and Walter Kelbach, were taken off death row. Law shifted while William was awaiting his death sentence. Previously, those accused of first-degree murder had the choice between the death penalty or life in prison with a chance of parole. During his incarceration, new legislation gave the option of life in prison without parole. William supporters widely believed this to be a fairer sentence for him than the death penalty. While their efforts were for naught in the end, William expressed thanks that they tried. the time he was on death row longer than any other United States inmate, totaling to about 18 years. Now, that title goes to Raymond Riles, who served 45 years before being taken off of death row in 2021.

He was incarcerated only one year after the high-fi killers were. Clinical psychologist Dr. Al Carlyle spoke with Dale and William during their incarceration. Dr. Carlisle previously received recognition for his work evaluating Ted Bundy. As a Utah native, the high-fi case intrigued him. Conversations between them were the basis for episode three, of the crime docu series Violent Minds, Killers on tape. I was careful, you know, to keep myself to myself or to stay away from doing anything, just sit down or lie around because I just knew I did crazy things, you know,

acted fun. And I think that that mostly too, you know, was responsible for the way I kept to myself too. Because like I said, sometimes the reds gave me such an edge, you know, that in and every, offended me. Sure. So would you cocktail and take the reds at the same time? Well, this is another combination. Something I just take the reds with a mesculent. So you just try a different combination?

And combinations. After I tried, I found out that taking any one by themselves affected me to a great degree, to a great degree, you know. Like I said, the res, they're supposed to be sleepers, downers or whatever. They just didn't, I don't think they just gave me, made me down, It made me angry too at the same time. In 1982, a book was published recounting the events written by author and lawyer Gary Kinder. As he spoke with the victims, families, investigators, and perpetrators,

Courtney Nesbitt gradually became the protagonist of the book. Dale Pierre was also a prominent figure. Gary's book served as an invaluable source of information for research of this episode. Carol's funeral service was held at the Lindquist mortuary. She was buried in her temple close. in a white dress pattern with daisies at Washington Heights Memorial Park. Michelle's funeral was held the following day at the same mortuary and cemetery. Stanley's funeral was held at the 10th LDS Ward, and he was buried at the Alteress Memorial Park.

Oren retired from the Air Force in 1985 and opened his own electronic store alongside his son Lynn. In his older years, he spent Sunday afternoons with his four grandchildren. Oren Walker died from cancer on February 13, 2000, five years after his wife Joyce. Lynn Walker followed them in October of 2018. Michelle's father, Bill, died in 1996, followed by her brother, Dan, in 2010, and her mother, Laura, in 2011. Bill and Laura are buried near their daughter in the Garden of Prayer lot in Washington Heights Memorial Park. Courtney had a difficult road to recovery. He remained in the hospital for over eight months, where he gradually had to relearn how to walk, speak, and hold items in his hand.

He had nightmares and violent episodes. It got so bad that he was transferred to a different hospital. His memory of April 22nd disappeared, and he had to relearn that his mother died. He missed a lot of school and was told that he may need to repeat the school year, but he defied the odds and graduated with his peers. At the ceremony, he was recognized for his relentlessness and persistence. While he survived, the brain damage was permanent. He could no longer become a pilot. Instead, he turned to computer science.

He couldn't get his college degree, but after studying at Weber State University and the University of Utah, he brought his talents to the Hill Air Force Base. Despite what he had been through, Courtney did not lose what made him him, his intelligence, curiosity, and kindness. His line of work meant he could have had access to the Internet in its earliest days. He learned how to use and navigate it to sate his thirst for learning.

Life may be over for Dale Selby, but we are always reminded that there is still a great deal of anguish in the lives of his victims and their families. For Courtney Nesbitt, his life was saved, but also transformed from what was once a promising future. KUTV's Deborah Linder has been talking with people who knew him then. and who know him now. The high school years began as exciting ones for Courtney Nesbitt. Computers were on the technical horizon, and Courtney was a computer whiz. There was no doubt in my mind that he would be very, very successful as a medical doctor or even in computers. Larry Latham remembers the bright teenager whose hand was always going up in his science class.

He remembers the teenager who built the winning science project, a homemade telescope. Just did remarkable work in it. When he showed up in the classroom with the telescope, I was amazed at the amount of work that this ninth grade student had put into this project. Nurse Lodora Davidson remembers a different Courtney, a young man who struggled near death through a painful recovery. At times it did, at times, especially when we weren't sure

whether Courtney was going to live or die, it made a big difference to see the family come in as stressed as they were. Did it make your job harder? Not harder. It made us work harder. Because you really wanted to, you really wanted Courtney to get well. The nurses talked to Courtney. They cried with Courtney.

La Dora Davidson helped him fill a tremendous void. For the first couple of years after he was discharged from the hospital, he came to the floor to see me. But I haven't seen Courtney for the last couple of years. Why do you think he came to visit you? I often felt that I was a mother image for Courtney. He talked about his mother. He cried about his mother.

And the day his father took him to the cemetery and told him and showed him where his mother was buried, he cried the entire afternoon. But then the next morning it seemed to be that he wasn't sure where his mother was, but he knew she wasn't available to come and be with him anyway. Courtney Nesbitt's new life is still a painful one. It does include a bright spot, his wife Kathy. But it is a life with a different way of moving, of talking, thoughts which are in his head, but which can't always come out. I lost myself, my identity, and they affixed to me a new identity which not very many people can associate with.

He couldn't wear a watch for ages because he couldn't stand anything around his wrists. It's just a day-to-day hell. And Courtney is one of the most fantastic and gifted people I've ever known. And to see this going on in this man is hell in itself. For everyone who meets him, Courtney is a conster. reminder that survival is still a day-to-day struggle. Courtney spent the last years of his life in Seattle, Washington. He passed away on June 4, 2002 at 44 years old.

His remains were returned to Utah, and he is buried at the Washington Heights Memorial Park. Courtney's father and Carol's husband, Byron, remarried a woman named Eleanor Sue, who passed away in 2013. Byron died in 2020 at 97 years old. He and Carol are buried side by side.