Jennifer Amell

He had spent the previous winter in an unheated store and later slept in a junked-out car. He was raised by his mother, Joan, and stepfather, William, in the subsidized homes of Jarvis Street. Jarvis Street actually had quite a reputation. Steve McCullough, Heidi's neighbor, actually worked at the factory in Windsor that subsidized those tenement homes on Jarvis Street.

He had spent the previous winter in an unheated store and later slept in a junked-out car. He was raised by his mother, Joan, and stepfather, William, in the subsidized homes of Jarvis Street. Jarvis Street actually had quite a reputation. Steve McCullough, Heidi's neighbor, actually worked at the factory in Windsor that subsidized those tenement homes on Jarvis Street.

So he took me to see it for myself.

So he took me to see it for myself.

No, they all live down here. And then what was the street known for? Was it like drugs or?

No, they all live down here. And then what was the street known for? Was it like drugs or?

Windsor is just five miles south of Heartland. That spring, a local Heartland man named David Files took pity on Tallman and allowed him to sleep in their garage on Martinsville Road. He even hooked him up with odd jobs, too. So that off-duty Windsor cop, Robert Mattson, also lived in Heartland. Mattson saw Tallman two times on May 20, 1984, the day of Heidi's murder.

Windsor is just five miles south of Heartland. That spring, a local Heartland man named David Files took pity on Tallman and allowed him to sleep in their garage on Martinsville Road. He even hooked him up with odd jobs, too. So that off-duty Windsor cop, Robert Mattson, also lived in Heartland. Mattson saw Tallman two times on May 20, 1984, the day of Heidi's murder.

Mattson first saw Tallman walking up Route 5 near the Heartland Town Center at 2 p.m. There was no mud on him. Then, shortly after 3 p.m., Mattson saw Tallman emerging from the Martinsville woods near the cemetery. Tallman slipped down the embankment of Route 5, and Mattson slowed down his car. He was certain about it being just after 3 p.m. because he had a watch that beeped on the hour.

Mattson first saw Tallman walking up Route 5 near the Heartland Town Center at 2 p.m. There was no mud on him. Then, shortly after 3 p.m., Mattson saw Tallman emerging from the Martinsville woods near the cemetery. Tallman slipped down the embankment of Route 5, and Mattson slowed down his car. He was certain about it being just after 3 p.m. because he had a watch that beeped on the hour.

Mattson said Tallman, quote, appeared very nervous, shaken, and fidgety. Matson said, quote, his eyes got real big, like I didn't expect to see you. He described Tallman's dungarees, or jeans, as appearing brown, but as he got closer, realized that they were muddy. There were big mud splotches on his knees, which kind of suggested that maybe he was kneeling in the mud.

Mattson said Tallman, quote, appeared very nervous, shaken, and fidgety. Matson said, quote, his eyes got real big, like I didn't expect to see you. He described Tallman's dungarees, or jeans, as appearing brown, but as he got closer, realized that they were muddy. There were big mud splotches on his knees, which kind of suggested that maybe he was kneeling in the mud.

Mattson also described a streak of mud on Tallman's face that extended down the left side of his cheek to his chin. There was never any mention of seeing any blood on Tallman. He watched Tallman walk north on Route 5 toward Heidi's neighborhood at a, quote, fast gate. The next day, Robert Madsen heard the fire alarm ring and knew that a search party was being organized.

Mattson also described a streak of mud on Tallman's face that extended down the left side of his cheek to his chin. There was never any mention of seeing any blood on Tallman. He watched Tallman walk north on Route 5 toward Heidi's neighborhood at a, quote, fast gate. The next day, Robert Madsen heard the fire alarm ring and knew that a search party was being organized.

Later that morning, he switched on the radio and heard that a young girl had been killed in the Martinsville woods. He immediately remembered seeing Tallman and called Vermont State Police Detective Robert Haynes to tell him what he saw. So, with the word of a sworn police officer placing Tallman near the scene of the crime, the state pounced.

Later that morning, he switched on the radio and heard that a young girl had been killed in the Martinsville woods. He immediately remembered seeing Tallman and called Vermont State Police Detective Robert Haynes to tell him what he saw. So, with the word of a sworn police officer placing Tallman near the scene of the crime, the state pounced.

They sent Bethel State Trooper Dane Shortsleeve to pick up Delvert Tallman. Shortsleeve found Tallman ducking behind a parked truck in South Royalton, a town about 30 miles north of Heartland. He didn't put up a fight. And it's while Tallman is in custody awaiting trial that the state starts to build their case. In my opinion, the prosecution makes the oldest mistake in the book.

They sent Bethel State Trooper Dane Shortsleeve to pick up Delvert Tallman. Shortsleeve found Tallman ducking behind a parked truck in South Royalton, a town about 30 miles north of Heartland. He didn't put up a fight. And it's while Tallman is in custody awaiting trial that the state starts to build their case. In my opinion, the prosecution makes the oldest mistake in the book.

They start with a preferred narrative and bend the facts to fit it. The state, and pay attention because this is important, is alleging that Delbert Tallman killed Heidi Martin. Eyewitnesses placed Tallman near the crime scene between 2 and 3 p.m. So the victim, the state argued, must have died between 2 and 2.15 p.m.

They start with a preferred narrative and bend the facts to fit it. The state, and pay attention because this is important, is alleging that Delbert Tallman killed Heidi Martin. Eyewitnesses placed Tallman near the crime scene between 2 and 3 p.m. So the victim, the state argued, must have died between 2 and 2.15 p.m.