DCI Nolan:
Well, yes, I think he only cracked because of the pressure I applied in the interview, but that doesn’t mean the confession isn’t good. If it were the only piece of evidence, then I might entertain the idea, but there was other evidence tying Billy to the murders: forensic and circumstantial. And he pleaded guilty, remember. This isn’t what your podcast is about this time, is it? Trying to prove Billy innocent?
Pip:
No, not at all. I’m just trying to tell the true story of the DT Killer, in all its detail.
DCI Nolan:
OK, good, because I wouldn’t have agreed to this interview otherwise. I don’t want you to try to make me look stupid.
Pip:
Oh, I wouldn’t dream of it, David. So, a lot of the evidence tying Billy to the case seems to be connected with his job. He worked at a grounds maintenance company called Green Scene Ltd. I just wondered whether you were aware of Green Scene’s connection to the murders, before Billy became your number one suspect.
DCI Nolan:
Yes. We certainly were looking into Green Scene before that. It was after Bethany Ingham – the third victim – was killed, because she worked there. Then when Julia Hunter was killed, we made the connection that a couple of the dump sites were places where Green Scene was contracted. We asked to search the premises, and I remember the owner being very helpful and considerate, and that’s when we discovered they used the exact same brand of blue rope and duct tape as used by DT. So that was sort of the slam dunk, really, and we started to look into current employees. But there’s only so much looking you can do without probable cause. Then Billy Karras came along, was the one who found Tara Yates and we knew pretty quickly he was our guy.
Pip:
Did you have any suspects before Billy? Before Tara was killed? Anyone connected with Green Scene?
DCI Nolan:
I mean, we had a few persons of interest, but nothing concrete or substantial.
Pip:
I suppose you’re not going to tell me any names, are you?
DCI Nolan:
I don’t even remember them, to be honest.
Pip:
Fair enough. So, I’ve spoken to Harriet Hunter, Julia’s younger sister, and she told me about some weird occurrences at their house, in the weeks before Julia died. Some dead pigeons brought into the house, chalk figures drawn near their house, and prank phone calls. Was this ever a focus of your investigation? And had the families of other victims reported similar incidents?
DCI Nolan:
Oh yes, I remember the dead pigeons now. Yes, the younger sister, she told us about them at the time. And we asked the friends and family of the previous victims, but they’d never heard anything of the sort. We asked Billy if he had had contact with the victims before abducting them. He told us that he watched them, so he knew when they were alone et cetera, but he didn’t make contact with them, not with dead birds or phone calls or any other method. So, it’s unrelated to the case, unfortunately. Though it makes for a more compelling story, I give you that.
Pip:
Got it, thanks. So, now on to the trophies. You know exactly what item the DT Killer took from each victim. Something personal they had on them when he abducted them: earrings, a hairbrush, and so on. But you never found these trophies in Billy’s possession, did you? Does that concern you?
DCI Nolan:
No. He told us he threw them away. They’re probably all in a landfill site somewhere in the country. We would never have found them.
Pip:
But isn’t the whole point of a trophy that it’s something you keep with you? To remind you of the violent crime, and to delay the compulsion to kill again. Why would he throw them away?
DCI Nolan:
He didn’t say, but it’s obvious, isn’t it? He knew we were zeroing in on him after Tara, and he got rid of the evidence before we got a warrant to search his house. I don’t think he wanted to throw the trophies away.
Pip:
Got it, OK. But, going back to Tara: why would Billy draw attention to himself like that, staging that he found her body? He might not have really been on your radar before then, why would he draw attention to himself like that? That’s essentially what got him caught.
DCI Nolan:
This goes back to something that has been observed in a lot of serial killing cases similar to this. The killers will show a lot of interest in their own cases: will follow coverage on the news, discuss it with all their friends and family. I’m no psychiatrist, but it’s a narcissism thing, I believe. Thinking they are so clever and it’s right under everyone’s noses. And some of these killers, they even try to insert themselves into the police investigation somehow: offering tips or to help with search parties and the like. That’s what Billy was doing, being the hero and finding Tara so that he could insert himself into the investigation, maybe find out what we knew so far.