Tim Masters

After the interview with Linda Wheeler, I had put it all behind me, I thought it was over. And I thought the Fort Collins police knew I didn't do it. So I didn't even think about it.

After the interview with Linda Wheeler, I had put it all behind me, I thought it was over. And I thought the Fort Collins police knew I didn't do it. So I didn't even think about it.

And he said, are you Tim Masters? I said, yeah. He said, you're under arrest. I said, what? What for? And he wouldn't tell me. And he handcuffed me. And as he's taking me out the door, Jim Broderick meets me there and he goes, you're under arrest for the murder of Peggy Hetrick. And I went, phew, what the hell? You've got to be kidding me. It was a complete shock.

And he said, are you Tim Masters? I said, yeah. He said, you're under arrest. I said, what? What for? And he wouldn't tell me. And he handcuffed me. And as he's taking me out the door, Jim Broderick meets me there and he goes, you're under arrest for the murder of Peggy Hetrick. And I went, phew, what the hell? You've got to be kidding me. It was a complete shock.

As I was standing there, I was thinking, I'm going home. I'll be going home after today. Yeah. And then the jury came out and I kind of knew something was off. None of the jury would make eye contact with me. Like, oh God. And then the judge asked, have you reached a verdict? And the foreperson on the jury says, we have.

As I was standing there, I was thinking, I'm going home. I'll be going home after today. Yeah. And then the jury came out and I kind of knew something was off. None of the jury would make eye contact with me. Like, oh God. And then the judge asked, have you reached a verdict? And the foreperson on the jury says, we have.

and they hand it to the judge and the judge reads it, Tim Astor, you have been found guilty. And so the media at the time described me as being completely emotionless as the verdict is read. It wasn't a lack of emotion, it was complete shock. Like, oh my God, I can't believe this. I just got convicted of murder. They cuffed me, they took me to the county jail and now I know I'm going to prison.

and they hand it to the judge and the judge reads it, Tim Astor, you have been found guilty. And so the media at the time described me as being completely emotionless as the verdict is read. It wasn't a lack of emotion, it was complete shock. Like, oh my God, I can't believe this. I just got convicted of murder. They cuffed me, they took me to the county jail and now I know I'm going to prison.

So the judge sentenced me to life in prison with possibility of parole after 40 years. Oh, it was awful. It was like a world ending event. Like your life is over.

So the judge sentenced me to life in prison with possibility of parole after 40 years. Oh, it was awful. It was like a world ending event. Like your life is over.

So I'm in the unit. All of a sudden, the whole facility locks down for some reason. And they lock down a lot. You just assume a fight broke out somewhere, somebody got hurt, whatever. So I'm sitting in my cell and my case manager comes up while everybody's locked down. And he says, Tim, your lawyer just called. She wants you to call her back. I'm like, okay, I'm locked down, what am I gonna do?

So I'm in the unit. All of a sudden, the whole facility locks down for some reason. And they lock down a lot. You just assume a fight broke out somewhere, somebody got hurt, whatever. So I'm sitting in my cell and my case manager comes up while everybody's locked down. And he says, Tim, your lawyer just called. She wants you to call her back. I'm like, okay, I'm locked down, what am I gonna do?

He says, I'll try and get you out here in a minute. So he goes down, then he comes back a little bit later, they take me out, or no, he goes back down to talk about it, and the news comes on, and there's an announcement from the special prosecutors in my case, and they announced that they're gonna dismiss the case against me, and I'll be released on a PR bond.

He says, I'll try and get you out here in a minute. So he goes down, then he comes back a little bit later, they take me out, or no, he goes back down to talk about it, and the news comes on, and there's an announcement from the special prosecutors in my case, and they announced that they're gonna dismiss the case against me, and I'll be released on a PR bond.

And I'm like, and everybody in the unit was cheering. Yeah, you're going home, masters. You're out of here. I'm like, wait a minute, wait a minute. I'm going to talk to the lawyer later today. We'll find out for sure. Because at this point, I'm so pessimistic. I don't even believe what I just saw on the news. And then I go down to the case manager's office. He calls my lawyer, Maria Lou.

And I'm like, and everybody in the unit was cheering. Yeah, you're going home, masters. You're out of here. I'm like, wait a minute, wait a minute. I'm going to talk to the lawyer later today. We'll find out for sure. Because at this point, I'm so pessimistic. I don't even believe what I just saw on the news. And then I go down to the case manager's office. He calls my lawyer, Maria Lou.

And she says, you're out of there. They're letting you go. So ironically, I made it, I wasn't in prison for quite 10 years, but I was in there almost 10 years, and oh man, it was weird. My lawyers bought me a suit out of their own pocket, and I got to wear a suit. They talked the sheriff into letting them release me from the courthouse rather than coming back to the county jail to be processed.

And she says, you're out of there. They're letting you go. So ironically, I made it, I wasn't in prison for quite 10 years, but I was in there almost 10 years, and oh man, it was weird. My lawyers bought me a suit out of their own pocket, and I got to wear a suit. They talked the sheriff into letting them release me from the courthouse rather than coming back to the county jail to be processed.

So I went in there and they released me out of the courthouse. That never happens in Colorado. If you get released, you got to go back to the county jail, wait around while they process you. And they let them release me from the courthouse. My entire family was there. My family was so big that they couldn't fit in the courtroom and the courtroom was packed anyway with people.

So I went in there and they released me out of the courthouse. That never happens in Colorado. If you get released, you got to go back to the county jail, wait around while they process you. And they let them release me from the courthouse. My entire family was there. My family was so big that they couldn't fit in the courtroom and the courtroom was packed anyway with people.