Lecture Notes on John Hebel Murder Case

Background Information

• Location: North Liberty, Iowa
• Victim: John Hebel, 28 years old, known to be a recluse.
• Concerns: Mother reported him missing after not hearing from him for over two months.
• Initial Discovery:
  • Sheriff found John's van parked, no response at door.
  • Odor of death detected inside trailer.
  • John found dead in a chair, covered by a blanket, shot twice in the back of the head with a .22 caliber pistol.

Crime Scene Analysis

• Body Condition: Advanced decomposition indicating death occurred weeks prior to discovery.
• Evidence:
  • No forced entry, trailer doors locked.
  • Missing: John’s gun collection (notably a customized Gold Cup .45 pistol) and his dog, Keisha.
  • Drug paraphernalia and small amount of marijuana found in the home.
• Keisha's Condition:
  • Found a month later, clean and wandering miles away.
  • Leash was in John’s van, suggesting transportation after his death.

Timeline of Events

• Body Found: February 1999.
• Keisha Found: January 22, 1999, which coincides with the first unheard message on John's answering machine.
  • This indicates John was deceased around January 22 or 23.

Suspects

• Primary Suspects: Mike Harding, Andrew Rich, Sharon Snyder.
  • Mike Harding:
    • Friend of John, seen near his home.
    • Alibi for time of murder and passed polygraph test.
  • Andrew Rich & Sharon Snyder:
    • Friends from Wyoming, visited John around January 18, 1999.
    • Found in possession of marijuana and .22 caliber bullets.
    • Bullet analysis showed no match with the bullets from John’s body.

Investigation Developments

• Dog Evidence:
  • Keisha's unique nose print couldn’t be matched with smudges found in Richard's Jeep.
  • Dog DNA analysis from hair found in an ammunition box linked to Keisha, suggesting possession of stolen goods.
• Sharon Snyder's Testimony:
  • Revealed that she dropped Andy off at John’s house before the murder and later saw Andy with John’s van.
  • Gave insight into Andy’s behavior and potential motives.

Key Forensic Evidence

• Mitochondrial DNA Analysis:
  • Confirmed that hair found in ammunition box belonged to Keisha.
• Handwriting Analysis:
  • Note listing customizations of the Gold Cup pistol matched John’s handwriting.
• Witness Testimonies:
  • Accumulated evidence suggested a premeditated act driven by the desire for John’s guns.

Trial and Outcome

• Confession:
  • Andy Rich confessed to killing John for his guns before the trial.
  • No remorse shown to John’s family.
• Sentencing:
  • Rich pled guilty to first-degree robbery and voluntary manslaughter, sentenced to 35 years.
  • Sharon Snyder received a lesser sentence for drug possession in exchange for cooperation.

Conclusion

• Role of Keisha:
  • Played a crucial part in solving the case; her evidence led to the conviction of Andy Rich.
  • The case highlights the importance of forensic science and animal evidence in criminal investigations.