What the Neighbors Saw | Full Episode + Post Mortem
Quick Read
Summary
Takeaways
- ❖A human skull with a gunshot wound was discovered by a dog in rural Wisconsin in December 2017, leading to a cold case investigation.
- ❖Genetic genealogy identified the victim as Gary Albert Herpst, who had been reported missing in 2014.
- ❖Investigators found multiple inconsistencies in the accounts of Gary's wife, Connie, and son, Austin, regarding his disappearance.
- ❖Neighbors reported seeing Connie and Austin cleaning their house extensively in the middle of the night and disposing of large garbage bags and a rolled-up carpet around the time Gary vanished.
- ❖Gary Herpst was widely described by neighbors as a 'mean, horrible human being' who engaged in retaliatory and psychologically abusive behavior.
- ❖A cadaver dog, Radar, detected human remains in the former Herpst residence, and luminol tests confirmed the presence of blood.
- ❖Austin Herpst confessed to shooting his father in July 2013, citing years of physical and psychological abuse against himself and his mother.
- ❖Austin and Connie disposed of Gary's body in the woods, hoping wildlife would consume it, and burned other evidence like the blood-stained couch and rug.
- ❖Prosecutors argued Austin's actions were not self-defense, as Gary was asleep at the time of the shooting and no prior abuse reports existed.
- ❖Austin was sentenced to 12 years and 6 months for second-degree murder, and Connie received 2 years and 3 months for aiding an offender, serving only 3 months.
- ❖Neighbors expressed empathy for Austin and Connie, with some hoping they would not serve time, believing Gary's elimination was justified.
Insights
1Genetic Genealogy Solves a Cold Case
The identity of the human skull, found in 2017, remained unknown until 2020 when genetic genealogy was employed. This technique allowed investigators to build a family tree from the victim's DNA, ultimately identifying him as Gary Albert Herpst, who had been missing for seven years.
Robin Espenson of the DNA Doe Project used DNA to build family trees, leading to the identification of Gary Albert Herpst (, ).
2Inconsistent Accounts and Suspicious Behavior from Family
Connie and Austin Herpst provided conflicting stories about Gary's disappearance. Connie's initial missing person report stated she was home when Gary left, but she later claimed she was at the library. She also failed to mention her stolen .40 caliber gun initially. Austin's story evolved from a stranger picking up Gary to a 'sketchy' tattooed man.
Connie's missing person report stated she was home (), but in 2020, she told police she was at the library (, ). She also did not initially report her .40 caliber gun missing (, ). Austin's story changed from a stranger to a heavily tattooed man (, , ).
3Neighbors' Observations and Collective Relief
Neighbors recalled seeing Connie and Austin engaging in unusual activity around the time Gary disappeared in 2013, including scrubbing floors, loading large garbage bags, and a rolled-up carpet into a truck late at night. They also described Gary as a 'mean, horrible human being' and expressed a sense of liberation and happiness from Connie and Austin after his disappearance, even holding a yard sale for his belongings.
Neighbors Chad and Ka Kraml saw Austin and Connie scrubbing floors, loading garbage bags, and a rolled-up carpet into a truck at midnight (, ). Chad remarked, 'I think they finally killed him' (, , ). Neighbors described Gary as 'mean, horrible' () and 'evil' (). Connie and Austin appeared 'happy' and held a yard sale for Gary's items (, ).
4Forensic Evidence Corroborates Suspicions
A cadaver dog, Radar, alerted to the presence of human remains in the former Herpst home, specifically near a red stain the new owner had observed and by a sliding basement door. Subsequent luminol tests confirmed the presence of blood in these areas, indicating the house was likely the murder scene.
Cadaver dog Radar alerted heavily against a wall in the garage and around a red stain in a room, as well as the basement sliding door (, , , ). Luminol tests 'literally lighting up' confirmed blood presence (, ).
5Austin's Confession and Claim of Abuse
After repeated interrogations and a polygraph test indicating deception, Austin confessed to shooting his father. He claimed he acted in self-defense, believing his mother's and his own lives were in danger due to years of severe physical and psychological abuse by Gary, including being burned with cigarettes and thrown down stairs.
Austin's polygraph showed deception (). He confessed after being arrested () and described shooting his father while he slept (). He detailed abuse, including a cigarette burn () and being thrown down stairs (), and his mother being punched ().
Notable Moments
A dog discovers a human skull in rural Wisconsin.
This initial, unexpected discovery in 2017 was the catalyst that eventually led to the unraveling of a seven-year-old murder mystery.
Genetic genealogy identifies the victim as Gary Albert Herpst.
After years of the skull remaining unidentified, this advanced forensic technique provided the crucial breakthrough, linking the remains to a missing person and initiating a focused investigation into his family.
Neighbors recall seeing Austin and Connie Herpst cleaning their house and disposing of items suspiciously after Gary's disappearance.
These observations, made in 2013 but not reported until 2020, provided critical circumstantial evidence that contradicted the family's story and suggested foul play, highlighting the power of community memory in solving crimes.
A cadaver dog alerts to human remains and luminol confirms blood in the Herpst's former home.
This forensic evidence directly linked the former residence to the murder, corroborating neighbor accounts and providing concrete proof that Gary was likely killed inside the house.
Austin Herpst confesses to shooting his father, detailing the act and the disposal of the body.
Austin's confession, after years of denial, provided the direct evidence needed to charge him and his mother, and offered a detailed, albeit self-serving, account of the murder and subsequent cover-up.
The judge gives Austin and Connie lenient sentences, believing Austin's claims of abuse.
This outcome sparked controversy, as prosecutors argued against the self-defense claim due to lack of prior reports, while the judge's decision reflected a recognition of the potential impact of long-term domestic violence on the perpetrators' actions.
Quotes
"It tells me that it's most likely the story of murder."
"I strongly felt she had certainly knowledge of his murder. I figured she had some form of involvement."
"We repeatedly heard the term the biggest [expletive] that you'll ever meet."
"I looked and in their back window you could see the red light from the camera on and I walked out there and I could see the camera and Gary behind the camera."
"Well, it certainly consistent and corroborates what the neighbors saw. We believed Gary was most likely murdered inside that particular house."
"I sling him over my shoulder and I walk into the forest."
"In my heart of hearts, I knew that my mother's life was in danger and by extension my own. It all just culminated like, 'Oh my god, he's going to kill her.'"
"I have to refer back to again 18 years I've been told if you try to have me arrested, if you try to flee, if you try to, you know, go your own way, I will find you and kill you."
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