In 1992, 19-year-old Mischelle Lawless' bloodied body was found in an abandoned car on a desolate strip of highway in Benton, Missouri. Four months into the investigation, investigators got a break: 17-year-old Joshua Kezer had been held briefly in the county jail on assault charges, where, according to several inmates, he confessed to killing Lawless. Kezer was convicted and sentenced to 60 years in prison. Sheriff Rick Walter re-opened the case in 2005. Judge Richard Callahan agreed to review the case and, citing prosecutorial misconduct and a lack of evidence, declared Josh Kezer an innocent man. But someone killed Mischelle and high on the list of suspects is a local man, Mark Abbott, who was once a star witness for the prosecution. “48 Hours" correspondent Erin Moriarty reports. This classic "48 Hours" episode last aired on 7/21/2012. Watch all-new episodes of “48 Hours” on Saturdays, and stream on demand on Paramount+. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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There's got to be something at the heart of that evidence that they've got.
Yeah.
I'm Payne Lindsey.
And I'm Maggie Freeling.
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I was the first responding deputy to the scene that night of November of 92. I'll never forget that night. A couple came in and reported that a car was sitting down at the off ramp with the lights on and the engine running. We opened the door and looked in with my flashlight. And that's when I saw this girl slumped over in the seat. There was a lot of blood in her hair.
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