08x33 - Death by a Salesman

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NARRATOR: No one in this quiet, residential community

saw or heard anything unusual on the day

a neighbor was brutally att*cked,

but a store's security camera, a fingerprint,

and forensic computer analysis helped

to identify a suspect in another state

within hours of the crime.

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NARRATOR: In , Eskalene DeBorde

moved to a residential neighborhood

in Knoxville, Tennessee.

She lived just a few blocks away from her daughter and grandson.

LIZ NOFFSINGER: So as soon as I became pregnant,

she moved to Knoxville to be with me.

She was very family oriented.

She liked being with her children.

NARRATOR: The area was virtually crime free.

-If you were to match up the different sectors

of this county, uh, I think most everybody in Knox County

would agree with you that it's one

of the safest places in our county.

-They're all families.

Lots of children in the neighborhood.

Nice yards, picket fence.

You know, the-- the quintessential American story.

Very nice.

NARRATOR: Eskalene worked at home, using her computer

to type medical transcriptions for the University of Kentucky.

She spent the rest of her free time with her family.

-My mother saw my child every day,

and they talked on the phone numerous times.

She would miss him.

She'd have to walk the two blocks from her house

to my house because she said, I need-- you know,

I need a grand-fix.

I've gotta-- I've gotta be with him.

NARRATOR: Late in the afternoon on August , ,

Liz realized she hadn't heard from her mother

since talking to her that morning.

She always called me around :, :.

If she wasn't at my house, she would always at least

call around :, right before dinner-- : or :.

And I hadn't heard from her.

So around, um, :, I began to get concerned.

NARRATOR: Calls to Eskalene's home went unanswered

and weren't picked up by her answering machine.

So I got in my car and drove to her house.

And her door was locked and the blinds were closed.

My mother loved light, so this looks different.

So I used my key to walk in.

And that's when I found her on the floor.

NARRATOR: Her mother had been m*rder*d.

OPERATOR [ON PHONE]: FEMALE SPEAKER [ON PHONE]:

Was the door locked when you came in?

LIZ [ON PHONE]: Yes.

Things are just all over the place.

And the-- her-- her, uh, wallet is out of her purse.

And there's credit cards strewn all over the floor.

There's like-- they've gone through things.

The phone was unplugged down here.

That's why her answering machine didn't pick up.

And they've gone through cabinets

and-- and her back window's closed. [CRYING] Mama!

Mama!

Oh, Mama, don't die!

NARRATOR: The house had been ransacked

and it appeared as if someone had

gone through Eskalene's jewelry.

The bruises and cuts on her hands and arms

were defensive wounds, indicating

that she had fought her attacker.

Eskalene's wallet was empty.

And while some of her credit cards were found on the carpet,

most of them were missing.

-Uh, he took everything out of the wallet.

Took time to look at every little piece of paper

in the wallet and found the pin code

numbers for the credit cards.

NARRATOR: Investigators found no signs of forced entry.

-It told us it was a possibility that she knew the person

or that, for some reason, they surprised

her at the front of the house.

And that the door was opened for whoever this was.

-Well, we really didn't know.

The first impression would be someone that she knew,

because of no forced entry.

NARRATOR: But Eskalene's daughter didn't believe it.

-She was so reserved, so-- she was very quiet and, again,

a very, very, um, um, easy-going person.

I can't-- I could never imagine anybody knowing her, um,

anybody she knew would want to hurt her.

NARRATOR: In the kitchen, the investigators

found a soda can, a drinking glass, and a cigarette butt

on the floor.

-This perpetrator had spent a considerable amount of time

in the residence, had taken time to eat some food

and drink some cola and just was in control.

NARRATOR: Liz also told detectives

her mother's car was missing.

-We were able to relay to other agencies

throughout the area to be on the lookout for her vehicle,

because we only could assume that whoever had m*rder*d

Eskalene DeBorde also had her vehicle.

NARRATOR: Investigators canvased the whole neighborhood,

but no one had heard or seen anything unusual.

-In a matter of probably minutes of my arriving

on the scene, I had somewhere in the neighborhood of ,

people working on that crime.

-Unfortunately, if it's not solved within a hour

after the fact, things can happen very quickly.

Evidence can be destroyed.

The case is getting cold very quickly.

NARRATOR: In time, they would discover an important clue

inside Eskalene DeBorde's computer.

There were no signs of forced entry

at Eskalene DeBorde's home.

But her daughter Liz told police that her mother often

left her front door unlocked.

-She was trying to make it easier for me,

if I had something in my hands or I was holding my son,

I could just come in and not have to fiddle with keys,

and-- she was thinking about me.

NARRATOR: There were plenty of clues in the townhouse.

-We found latent prints, uh, on two glasses.

The location of the prints on the glasses led us to believe,

or did confirm, that someone had a hold of the top

of the glasses carrying those in there.

NARRATOR: The prints were entered into the Automated

Fingerprint Identification System known as AFIS

and compared to millions of prints

in a nationwide database.

The search did not immediately produce a match.

-Sometimes it takes, uh, a matter of hours, maybe even

days, because you're looking at several million entries.

NARRATOR: The biological samples from the r*pe test kit

were sent to the forensics lab for testing.

First, the sample was placed into a vial

with a stain extraction buffer, which breaks down

all nonbiological particles and proteins surrounding the DNA.

Phenol/chloroform was then added,

allowing the DNA to congeal.

And this was analyzed using a polymerase chain reaction test.

The result was believed to be the k*ller's DNA profile.

Next, forensic analysts examined Eskalene's computer

and with the help of her employer's mainframe computer,

found an important clue.

-When we looked at Eskalene DeBorde's computer,

we discovered that she had sent out an email at : the day

that she was found dead.

[typing]

That led us to believe that she was alive

and obviously had been working on her computer

prior to whoever had entered her home

before she had contact with them.

NARRATOR: And investigators found evidence

that Eskalene's computer had automatically logged off

three minutes after sending that email.

That meant the time of her death was some time after :.

-We were trying to get a time frame for the death itself.

We were also trying, at the same time,

to learn if there was anything out

of the normal in the community.

NARRATOR: Neighbors told police there were magazine salesmen

going door to door on the afternoon of Eskalene's m*rder.

-Many people relayed to us that these people

had been in their-- their residence or

in their subdivision during the time of :

in the morning up until almost : PM.

NARRATOR: Local ordinances require sales organizations

to have permits for each and every salesman selling

door to door.

But there had been no permits granted to any sales groups

that week.

Sheriff Tim Hutchison knew that traveling sales groups from out

of state usually stay at the local motels.

Typically, a company van would pick them up

at the motel in the morning, take them to a neighborhood

to sell door to door, and then take them back

to the motel at the end of the day.

-We've had problems in the past with some of these people

being very pushy, trying to push their selves in on women.

And getting in arguments or fights.

And so that set an alarm bell off the minute

that the word came back to us at the scene

that there were some magazine salesman in the neighborhood

that afternoon.

NARRATOR: Detectives canvased several local motels

but turned up nothing.

Back at the crime scene, investigators

followed another lead.

Eskalene's wallet was empty and her daughter told them

it was normally full of credit cards.

Detectives thought the intruder may

have stolen them and tried to use them.

-So we started looking through the drawers trying

to find past bills which would have those credit card numbers

on them, which companies that they were with.

And so by doing that, uh, we found which cards were missing.

NARRATOR: Police asked the bank to notify them if anyone tried

using one of those stolen cards.

They never dreamt that the k*ller

would walk right into their trap.

Only a few hours after Eskalene DeBorde's m*rder,

officials at her bank told police

that someone tried to use one of her credit cards at an ATM

at a local gas station.

NARRATOR: And they had retrieved about, I think, $ or so,

out of the ATM.

NARRATOR: Detectives checked the a ATM surveillance video.

They saw tall, thin man, wearing a white shirt and black tie,

standing at the machine for eight minutes.

Afterwards, he picked up a drink and went to the counter

to pay for it.

It appeared he was asking the store clerk for directions.

-Whoever used Eskalene DeBorde's card,

was dressed wearing the white shirt and black tie,

led us to believe that was one of the magazine salesmen

who, in fact, had been in her residence.

All the neighbors we spoke to said the magazine salesmen that

came to their residence were wearing

white shirts and black ties.

NARRATOR: Detectives questioned the store clerk

and she clearly remembered the customer.

He told her he was from New York City

and ask for directions to the motel on Paper Mill Road.

Police went immediately to the motel

and they spotted two vans, similar to those used

to transport the traveling salesmen.

Across the street, police also saw Eskalene DeBorde's car,

which was immediately processed for fingerprints.

-When we spoke with the magazine salesmen

that we're at the Super , we discovered

that one of the magazine salesmen

didn't show up for their pickup point at : PM.

NARRATOR: That salesman was -year-old Roger Broadway.

-When we first spoke with the manager of the magazine

salesmen, he was reluctant to give us information.

NARRATOR: When the sheriff threatened to impound his vans,

the supervisor changed his mind.

-He started telling us that there was one individual that

worked for him that was from New York City that had got word

that his relatives were sick, and he immediately

needed to leave to go back home.

NARRATOR: The manager admitted that they recruited salesmen

with criminal records, but claimed

they were rehabilitated.

-The manager of the magazine salesmen

told us that many of the people that they hire

are from halfway houses in inner cities,

just to give them the opportunity to make some money

and get out of the city.

NARRATOR: Roger Broadway told his employer

that he had a family emergency and needed

to go back to New York City immediately.

-The manager took Roger Broadway to the bus station,

purchased him a bus ticket, and sent

him on a bus back to New York.

NARRATOR: Police knew they needed

to catch Broadway before he got off that bus.

-If he'd have made it back to New York, where he was from,

it would be really impossible to find him there.

-He's on home turf then.

And those people, if they know you're after them,

they can hide out for long-- sometimes long periods of time.

-He would have went underground, I'm sure.

NARRATOR: A background check revealed that Roger Broadway

had served a prison term for aggravated robbery.

Detectives checked with the bus company

and were told the bus would take Interstate

Highway to New York.

And they also told police exactly where

the bus would be during its journey.

Shortly after midnight, police asked sheriff's officers

in Virginia to try to intercept that bus.

[sirens]

NARRATOR: Sheriff's deputies were able to catch up

with the bus they believed was carrying Roger

Broadway on Interstate in Virginia.

When they pulled the bus over and sheriffs walked on board,

Roger Broadway surrendered without incident.

In his luggage, investigators found bloody clothing,

Eskalene DeBorde's engagement ring, and her car key.

-He held something in his pocket that my mother wore

and it was violating, I guess.

The experience I had was that it was a very violating experience

that he would even touch something that was her,

that touched her, I suppose.

NARRATOR: Broadway's fingerprints

were compared to those on the drinking glass at the crime

scene and on Eskalene's car window.

A computer program identified small shapes

within the fingerprints called minutia,

shown here in green squares.

Hundreds of these points matched.

-Those prints belong to the suspect, uh, Roger Broadway.

NARRATOR: Investigators took a blood sample

from Broadway for DNA testing.

As expected, Broadway's DNA profile

matched the biological samples at the crime scene.

-The scientist told us that, uh, the odds of this

being incorrect, the odds were greater

than the population of the world.

NARRATOR: Based on the forensic evidence,

prosecutors believe Broadway entered Eskalene DeBorde's

unlocked townhouse intending to burglarize

it, not knowing she was upstairs.

[typing]

NARRATOR: Eskalene was working upstairs on her computer.

And she sent her last email at :.

The computer logged off three minutes later.

Eskalene must have heard someone downstairs

and gone to investigate.

-What do you think you're doing there?

-Stop! -Don't-- [WHIMPERING].

NARRATOR: After a scuffle, Broadway

k*lled Eskalene, then cut the telephone cords.

Before he left, Broadway helped himself

to a soda and cigarettes.

He took Eskalene's credit cards and her car.

Then drove to the ATM for cash and directions.

He never realized the store's security camera, normally used

to prevent robbery, in this case, helped solve a m*rder.

Broadway then ditched the car, told his supervisor

he needed to leave town, and took

the first bus to New York City.

-I aspect of a number of our more senior citizens that

live alone would have been terrified

that there was a madman on the loose.

So, we were very fortunate that we didn't have

to live through that and try to calm

the fears of a number of our citizens here.

NARRATOR: When he saw the amount of forensic evidence,

Roger Broadway plead guilty to m*rder and aggravated robbery.

In return, he was sentenced to life in prison

without parole, plus years.

-Roger Broadway showed no remorse for what he had done

and to me I think he received the-- the best

penalty that was available to him.

And I hope he has the rest of his life to think about that.

NARRATOR: Liz Noffsinger wears her mother's engagement ring

to keep the memory of her always with her.

-I love you.

And I miss you.

That's about the only thing I could say to my mom right now.

Or I wish you were here.

NARRATOR: But she says she will not allow a k*ller

to ruin what remains of her family.

-I don't want my son to remember his grandmother that way,

and I don't want to remember my mother that way.

I want to remember her how she lived.

I don't want to remember her how she d*ed.

NARRATOR: Officials in Tennessee have introduced legislation

to regulate companies who use convicted

felons as door-to-door salesmen.

-No one here knew that-- that this convicted,

violent felon was in our neighborhood

selling and working.

And so we would like to see a law on the books

where the people must register with local law enforcement

if they have a criminal record.

-I would like to feel as though I had something

to do with changing the industry and making it safer

so if someone does knock on your door,

they are licensed and bonded and they have

identification with their picture on it.

NARRATOR: Even if those laws were to be passed,

detectives warn people to be extremely careful when

dealing with door-to-door salesmen.

-You don't know their backgrounds.

You don't know what they're capable of.

You really don't what their intentions

are once they get into your home.

So I would strongly advise not allowing people

into your residence that you don't know.

-You know, lock your doors.

I don't care where you live, how safe it is.

This is a safe community where murders never occur,

but it did here.

NARRATOR: Forensic computer analysis, DNA testing,

fingerprint analysis, and a store's security camera all

worked together to solve a case within hours of the crime.

[sirens]

-The collection of that evidence, the way

it was collected here, the way it was preserved,

maintained, is a textbook example

of how any investigation, and particularly

a homicide investigation should be run.

-Thank goodness, thank goodness that we do,

that we have the technology and the tools

to be able to do that.

So it's essential that-- that the forensics, the science

is a part of the process.

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