Morgan Absher

So I thought that was really interesting on your episode. So after discovering this gun, Hellyer gave it to the sheriff, who, for some unknown reason, did not accept the gun as evidence. Get this. He actually cleaned the gun off. Cleaned it.

Like, oh, haha, free gun.

Like, oh, haha, free gun.

Like, oh, haha, free gun.

I mean, I, again, went down the rabbit hole on this case probably too hard. Like, I was like, did they know DNA existed at this time? And yes, they did. They knew of its existence, but it hadn't been yet used in crime cases. Right, yeah. So... I get, you know, it might not have been thought to like, oh, preserve this blood. We can test it later. But they knew of DNA at least.

I mean, I, again, went down the rabbit hole on this case probably too hard. Like, I was like, did they know DNA existed at this time? And yes, they did. They knew of its existence, but it hadn't been yet used in crime cases. Right, yeah. So... I get, you know, it might not have been thought to like, oh, preserve this blood. We can test it later. But they knew of DNA at least.

I mean, I, again, went down the rabbit hole on this case probably too hard. Like, I was like, did they know DNA existed at this time? And yes, they did. They knew of its existence, but it hadn't been yet used in crime cases. Right, yeah. So... I get, you know, it might not have been thought to like, oh, preserve this blood. We can test it later. But they knew of DNA at least.

And they didn't do that. Yeah. They did nothing. They did nothing with this gun. And something that I think is also really interesting is Detective Graven's grandson, Greg Graven, who is actually the current chief of police in Yamhill, Oregon. He actually tells reporters for the KOIN 6 News podcast.

And they didn't do that. Yeah. They did nothing. They did nothing with this gun. And something that I think is also really interesting is Detective Graven's grandson, Greg Graven, who is actually the current chief of police in Yamhill, Oregon. He actually tells reporters for the KOIN 6 News podcast.

And they didn't do that. Yeah. They did nothing. They did nothing with this gun. And something that I think is also really interesting is Detective Graven's grandson, Greg Graven, who is actually the current chief of police in Yamhill, Oregon. He actually tells reporters for the KOIN 6 News podcast.

He says, quote, there are protocols that are required to take place even back then regarding the finding of a firearm. And those protocols were not met.

He says, quote, there are protocols that are required to take place even back then regarding the finding of a firearm. And those protocols were not met.

He says, quote, there are protocols that are required to take place even back then regarding the finding of a firearm. And those protocols were not met.

I'm surprising. But Detective Graven does learn about the gun during his investigation in early 1959. And this is when he really starts putting the pieces together and going back to what he learned about Donald Martin. and puts it together that the gun he stole from Meyer and Frank's store was also a .38 caliber handgun.

I'm surprising. But Detective Graven does learn about the gun during his investigation in early 1959. And this is when he really starts putting the pieces together and going back to what he learned about Donald Martin. and puts it together that the gun he stole from Meyer and Frank's store was also a .38 caliber handgun.

I'm surprising. But Detective Graven does learn about the gun during his investigation in early 1959. And this is when he really starts putting the pieces together and going back to what he learned about Donald Martin. and puts it together that the gun he stole from Meyer and Frank's store was also a .38 caliber handgun.

When he found the serial number for that stolen handgun, 15861LW, he realized it was identical to the one found along the highway.

When he found the serial number for that stolen handgun, 15861LW, he realized it was identical to the one found along the highway.

When he found the serial number for that stolen handgun, 15861LW, he realized it was identical to the one found along the highway.

I think this is something that is going to come up, you know, from time to time in these cases that we cover. But this is something that feels a little botched to me. And by botched, I mean carried out badly or carelessly. It just feels like this was a piece of evidence that really could have helped this case back then. And it just wasn't handled as it should have been.