Catherine Townsend

We're driving across the Pendleton Bridge, the one that runs over the Sabine River and separates Texas and Louisiana. We're headed to a remote spot on Toledo Bend Lake, right across the Texas border in Hempel. It's the spot where, on December 13th, 2020, at 528 p.m., right before the sun disappeared behind the horizon, police in Sabine County got a call about a houseboat on fire.

We're driving across the Pendleton Bridge, the one that runs over the Sabine River and separates Texas and Louisiana. We're headed to a remote spot on Toledo Bend Lake, right across the Texas border in Hempel. It's the spot where, on December 13th, 2020, at 528 p.m., right before the sun disappeared behind the horizon, police in Sabine County got a call about a houseboat on fire.

The houseboat was docked behind 322 Echo Ridge off of Cedar Grove Road on Highway 21 in the Pendleton area of Toledo Bend. And that scene very quickly descended into total chaos. The firefighters had trouble getting out to the remote location, so it took a while. And by the time they did get there, the boat was completely engulfed in flames.

The houseboat was docked behind 322 Echo Ridge off of Cedar Grove Road on Highway 21 in the Pendleton area of Toledo Bend. And that scene very quickly descended into total chaos. The firefighters had trouble getting out to the remote location, so it took a while. And by the time they did get there, the boat was completely engulfed in flames.

One person who commented on Facebook and claimed to have been one of the first responders on the scene wrote, quote, Once fire was knocked down, I had members sweep and notice the remains, end quote. Firefighters and paramedics rushed to the scene, but it was too late. By the time they got there, the walls had caved in, and the boat had very quickly been completely eviscerated by the flames.

One person who commented on Facebook and claimed to have been one of the first responders on the scene wrote, quote, Once fire was knocked down, I had members sweep and notice the remains, end quote. Firefighters and paramedics rushed to the scene, but it was too late. By the time they got there, the walls had caved in, and the boat had very quickly been completely eviscerated by the flames.

And then, when they did dig through the remains, they found the body of 64-year-old Doug Janis. His charred remains were found in the bedroom of the boat. At first, they thought the house fire had been some kind of accident, that Doug had died as a result of a propane leak. But then they took Doug's body in for an autopsy. At the forensic exam, they saw the two bullets in his head.

And then, when they did dig through the remains, they found the body of 64-year-old Doug Janis. His charred remains were found in the bedroom of the boat. At first, they thought the house fire had been some kind of accident, that Doug had died as a result of a propane leak. But then they took Doug's body in for an autopsy. At the forensic exam, they saw the two bullets in his head.

Doug Janis had been murdered, and his much younger estranged wife, April Mae Janis, was nowhere to be found. But Doug's death was just the beginning of a story that goes back 20 years and involves sex, allegations of corruption, and multiple murders. I'm Katherine Townsend.

Doug Janis had been murdered, and his much younger estranged wife, April Mae Janis, was nowhere to be found. But Doug's death was just the beginning of a story that goes back 20 years and involves sex, allegations of corruption, and multiple murders. I'm Katherine Townsend.

Over the past five years of making my true crime podcast, Hell and Gone, I have learned that there is no such thing as a small town where murder never happens. I have received hundreds of messages from people all around the country asking for help with an unsolved murder that's affected them, their families, and their communities.

Over the past five years of making my true crime podcast, Hell and Gone, I have learned that there is no such thing as a small town where murder never happens. I have received hundreds of messages from people all around the country asking for help with an unsolved murder that's affected them, their families, and their communities.

I heard about this case when a podcast listener reached out. She was a friend of Doug's who said that Doug's death was all over the news in that rural region of East Texas. But then all of a sudden, it wasn't. No one ever heard any more about the death investigation. Her name is April, not to be confused with Doug's wife, April. Doug's friend, April, said that she knew Doug through church.

I heard about this case when a podcast listener reached out. She was a friend of Doug's who said that Doug's death was all over the news in that rural region of East Texas. But then all of a sudden, it wasn't. No one ever heard any more about the death investigation. Her name is April, not to be confused with Doug's wife, April. Doug's friend, April, said that she knew Doug through church.

She said that he was always friendly and kind and that she believed he was a religious man. She said that in the final years of his life, Doug became very involved with a local Pentecostal church. That's where she knew him from. There wasn't much information out there about Doug Janis' murder.

She said that he was always friendly and kind and that she believed he was a religious man. She said that in the final years of his life, Doug became very involved with a local Pentecostal church. That's where she knew him from. There wasn't much information out there about Doug Janis' murder.

Local news stations quoted an affidavit, but it was brief and just said the cause of death was due to Doug Janis being shot in the head. The houseboat, as we said before, had gone up in flames. At first, the police and paramedics thought it was some kind of a propane leak or freak accident. Doug was a very well-known commercial cat fisherman in the area.

Local news stations quoted an affidavit, but it was brief and just said the cause of death was due to Doug Janis being shot in the head. The houseboat, as we said before, had gone up in flames. At first, the police and paramedics thought it was some kind of a propane leak or freak accident. Doug was a very well-known commercial cat fisherman in the area.

He had not only built a houseboat over the years, he had also acquired several smaller houseboats. He kept them all together. So he had a lot of property down there. He also had a fireplace on that houseboat and propane tanks. But once they took Doug's body to Beaumont, Texas and did the autopsy, they saw the cause of death had been the fatal shots to his head, not the house fire.

He had not only built a houseboat over the years, he had also acquired several smaller houseboats. He kept them all together. So he had a lot of property down there. He also had a fireplace on that houseboat and propane tanks. But once they took Doug's body to Beaumont, Texas and did the autopsy, they saw the cause of death had been the fatal shots to his head, not the house fire.