Ep 4. The Gravel Pit Murders

The Gravel Pit Murders is the fourth episode of the seventh season of the true-crime documentary series, Murder in the Heartland. This episode revolves around a heinous crime that took place in Iowa in 1983.

The episode starts with the introduction of two teenage boys, Kenneth Meyers and Steven Fisher, who were found brutally murdered on June 19, 1983. Their bodies were discovered in a secluded gravel pit, and the autopsy report revealed that both of them died due to severe blunt force trauma to the head. The case shook the small farming town of Newton, Iowa, where the boys lived.

The investigation was initially slow as the police had little evidence to work with, and the local authorities were not equipped to handle such a grim case. However, with assistance from the state police and FBI, the investigation soon began to gain traction. The episode then introduces several key individuals involved in the case, including the boys' families, friends, and authorities.

The episode shows how the police got their first big break when they found a pair of bloody shoes near the crime scene. The shoes were a match to a shoe print found near the bodies, which helped the investigators zero in on a suspect. However, the investigators hit a dead end soon after, as the shoe size was common, and it did not lead them to any specific individual.

Months passed, and the case began to go cold as leads began to dry up. However, the situation changed when a thirteen-year-old girl named Paula Oberbroeckling went missing from another Iowa town. The police, fearing that the case might be connected to the Gravel Pit Murders, launched a massive search operation to find her.

The episode shows how over a hundred volunteers scoured the area looking for Paula. After an exhaustive search, her body was eventually found decapitated, and her head was never recovered. The police began to suspect that Elaine Orr, a woman who had lived in both Newton and the town where Paula was abducted, might be involved in both the cases.

The episode then throws light on the investigation against Elaine Orr, who had been arrested for Paula's murder. The investigators found several similarities between the Gravel Pit Murders and Paula's abduction, leading them to believe that Elaine was a serial killer. The episode shows how the police interrogated Elaine and the techniques they employed to extract a confession from her.

The episode ends with the revelation of Elaine Orr's shocking confession, in which she admitted to both the Gravel Pit Murders and Paula's abduction. The episode shows how the people of Newton were devastated by the news, and how the community came together to mourn the loss of the young boys.

In summary, The Gravel Pit Murders is a gripping episode of Murder in the Heartland, which documents a heart-wrenching case of a serial killer. The episode does an excellent job of presenting the evidence and piecing together the events leading up to the investigation's conclusion. The viewers are left with a sense of sadness and despair as they witness the tragic loss of young lives and the aftermath of a senseless crime.