Lise Olsen

The confession was detailed, providing street names and other specific locations, and it was signed, Michael Lloyd Self. Case closed, right? But when Self met with his attorney, he immediately recanted. He claimed he gave a false confession after Chief Morris beat him and forced him to play Russian roulette.

The confession was detailed, providing street names and other specific locations, and it was signed, Michael Lloyd Self. Case closed, right? But when Self met with his attorney, he immediately recanted. He claimed he gave a false confession after Chief Morris beat him and forced him to play Russian roulette.

In response, sheriff's deputies visited him in jail to set things straight, and the result was pretty strange. Self agreed to take the deputies on a tour of all the places he said he brought the girls that night, including the exact spot where he confessed to leaving them. There are even photographs of the tour, which you can check out in The Eleven.

In response, sheriff's deputies visited him in jail to set things straight, and the result was pretty strange. Self agreed to take the deputies on a tour of all the places he said he brought the girls that night, including the exact spot where he confessed to leaving them. There are even photographs of the tour, which you can check out in The Eleven.

It's hard to know for sure, but some say the location of the girl's remains was public knowledge at this point. Small town, news traveled fast. But he topped off the tour with a second confession, just three days after his first. So he stayed behind bars, charged with murdering Sharon Shaw. Prosecutors didn't charge him with Renee Johnson's murder in case he was acquitted at trial.

It's hard to know for sure, but some say the location of the girl's remains was public knowledge at this point. Small town, news traveled fast. But he topped off the tour with a second confession, just three days after his first. So he stayed behind bars, charged with murdering Sharon Shaw. Prosecutors didn't charge him with Renee Johnson's murder in case he was acquitted at trial.

They wanted an opportunity to go after him again if they needed to. They didn't. In 1973, Self was found guilty and sentenced to life imprisonment. But that's not the end of this story. As years passed, more and more people started to doubt whether Self really killed Sharon or Renee. For one thing, there was never any physical evidence to link him to the crime or support his confession.

They wanted an opportunity to go after him again if they needed to. They didn't. In 1973, Self was found guilty and sentenced to life imprisonment. But that's not the end of this story. As years passed, more and more people started to doubt whether Self really killed Sharon or Renee. For one thing, there was never any physical evidence to link him to the crime or support his confession.

In fact, the opposite is true. Self said he flung their clothes out his car window as he drove away from the crime scene, but that's not where the clothing was found. It was discovered close to the bodies. There were also discrepancies between Self's two separate confessions. In one, he said that he and Renee met Sharon at one place. In another, he said they met her somewhere else entirely.

In fact, the opposite is true. Self said he flung their clothes out his car window as he drove away from the crime scene, but that's not where the clothing was found. It was discovered close to the bodies. There were also discrepancies between Self's two separate confessions. In one, he said that he and Renee met Sharon at one place. In another, he said they met her somewhere else entirely.

Timing was also a problem in his second confession. He said he picked Sharon up at her house at a time when she was already missing. Then there's Chief Morris and his right-hand man, Tommy Deal. They'd had several run-ins with Self leading up to his arrest, including a charge for cannabis possession. So there's a theory that the officers just wanted the case closed.

Timing was also a problem in his second confession. He said he picked Sharon up at her house at a time when she was already missing. Then there's Chief Morris and his right-hand man, Tommy Deal. They'd had several run-ins with Self leading up to his arrest, including a charge for cannabis possession. So there's a theory that the officers just wanted the case closed.

They didn't like Self and believed he'd be easy to intimidate. Other witnesses have come forward claiming they saw Morris resort to threats and violence at work over the years. And Fred Page learns that one former investigator saw Morris threaten another man with a game of Russian roulette, which is what self-said happened to him. But nobody really doubted Morris and Deal's intentions at the time.

They didn't like Self and believed he'd be easy to intimidate. Other witnesses have come forward claiming they saw Morris resort to threats and violence at work over the years. And Fred Page learns that one former investigator saw Morris threaten another man with a game of Russian roulette, which is what self-said happened to him. But nobody really doubted Morris and Deal's intentions at the time.

They were new and they were hot shots. For the most part, everybody stood behind their work and their character. That is, until 1975, when they were both arrested for robbery and kidnapping. That September, up in Caddo Mills, northeast of Dallas, Tommy Deal walked into the state national bank. He brought along an accomplice named George Marshall.

They were new and they were hot shots. For the most part, everybody stood behind their work and their character. That is, until 1975, when they were both arrested for robbery and kidnapping. That September, up in Caddo Mills, northeast of Dallas, Tommy Deal walked into the state national bank. He brought along an accomplice named George Marshall.

One customer exiting the building at the same time noticed something weird. Both men were wearing surgical gloves. It didn't look right to him, so he went straight to the mayor, who happened to be across the street from the bank, and told him about the two suspicious men. Inside the bank, Deal and his partner brandished guns and demanded cash. They made off with over $15,000.

One customer exiting the building at the same time noticed something weird. Both men were wearing surgical gloves. It didn't look right to him, so he went straight to the mayor, who happened to be across the street from the bank, and told him about the two suspicious men. Inside the bank, Deal and his partner brandished guns and demanded cash. They made off with over $15,000.

Only their cover had already been blown, and they knew it right away. So Deal and his cohort took a hostage, the bank president's 19-year-old daughter. As Deal and Marshall drove off with her, the mayor himself ran after their car and shot out one of their tires. Meanwhile, a posse of armed citizens gathered and chased Deal down. When his car broke down, they cornered him.

Only their cover had already been blown, and they knew it right away. So Deal and his cohort took a hostage, the bank president's 19-year-old daughter. As Deal and Marshall drove off with her, the mayor himself ran after their car and shot out one of their tires. Meanwhile, a posse of armed citizens gathered and chased Deal down. When his car broke down, they cornered him.