Ep 38. Foundation of Lies

Foundation of Lies, the 38th episode of the first season of Forensic Files, follows the case of an elderly man named Harold Stegeman who was found murdered in his home in Bay City, Michigan. The 67-year-old retired teacher and antique dealer had suffered blunt force trauma to his head and neck, and his home had been ransacked.

The investigation into Stegeman's death was led by the Michigan State Police and Detective Sergeant Brian Postma. They discovered that Stegeman had been involved in several business deals in the months leading up to his death, including the sale of a piece of land to a local businessman named James Kelly. Kelly had paid Stegeman $60,000 for the land, but Stegeman had failed to transfer the title to him even though months had passed. This had caused Kelly to become impatient and angry with Stegeman.

As the investigation unfolded, many suspects emerged, including a neighbor who was angry with Stegeman for not allowing him to pass through his property, a friend who had recently become homeless and had been staying with Stegeman, and an acquaintance who owed Stegeman a large sum of money. However, none of these leads panned out.

Detective Postma and his team began to focus on James Kelly as the prime suspect. They discovered that Kelly had a history of business dealings gone bad and had been involved in several lawsuits. They also uncovered evidence that Kelly had been involved in an altercation with another man a few months before Stegeman's murder. This led them to believe that Kelly had a violent personality and was capable of committing murder.

The investigators were able to obtain a search warrant for Kelly's home and found evidence that linked him to the crime scene. They found Stegeman's wallet, personal papers, and jewelry in a box in Kelly's garage. They also discovered a pair of gloves with Stegeman's blood on them in Kelly's bedroom.

Despite the overwhelming evidence against him, Kelly insisted that he was innocent and that the items found in his home had been planted there by the police. He claimed that Stegeman had asked him to hold onto his belongings and that he had no idea how the gloves had ended up in his possession.

At trial, the prosecution presented the evidence against Kelly, including the items found in his home and the fact that he had lied to police about his whereabouts on the night of the murder. The defense argued that the evidence had been planted and that Kelly had been framed by the police. However, the jury ultimately found Kelly guilty of first-degree murder.

Foundation of Lies is a gripping episode that demonstrates the power of forensic evidence in solving crimes. The investigation into Harold Stegeman's murder was long and complex, but through persistence and careful analysis of the evidence, Detective Postma and his team were able to successfully prosecute his killer. The episode serves as a reminder that even the most carefully crafted lies are no match for the truth.