Missing Pieces: The Mysterious Murder of Penn State Student Betsy Aardsma - Part 2

Still a hot topic, but what's being done to solve the 40 + year old cold case?

I first interviewed Derek Sherwood, Administrator of 'Who Killed Betsy?' (http://www.whokilledbetsy.org/) website, on my radio show Missing Pieces. That was July of 2008. Now fast forward to November 2010 and still so much interest in the case.

A good start would be to read the original interview -

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/943001/the_mysterious_murder_of_penn_state.html?cat=4

Now I want to take some time with Derek once again to get an update. Currently the "Who killed Betsy?" site contains this statement.

"We strongly believe now, after two years of intensive research, that we know who knows who killed Betsy. His name is Dr. Richard C. Haefner, deceased in 2002. A vast body of circumstantial evidence indicates Haefner may have either participated in the murder, or have had information regarding the murder of Betsy Aardsma. Currently, we are seeking information about Haefner that could conclusively prove his guilt or innocence , but any other information about a possible second man is always appreciated."

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Todd: How are you involved in the Aardsma case?

Derek: I have been working on it since 2008 with Sascha Skucek, an author who has worked on it since 1999. Neither of us are police officers. Since the time we started working together, there has been more forward movement on the case than at any time in the 41 year history of the case. Dozens of newspaper articles, a person who has emerged as a potential suspect, and a lot of new information about this individual have all come out as we have cooperated with Trooper Leigh Barrows, who is the current State Trooper on the case. Trooper Barrows is, incidentally, one of the most thorough police officers I know, as well as being personable and approachable. All of this is possible because she listened to us when we brought her information, and didn't just dismiss what we had found as the work of a couple of amateurs.

Todd: Have you visited Betsy's grave/ Do you know any of her family members?

Derek: I have not visited her grave, but Sascha has. She is buried in Michigan. I have spoken with her sister Carole.

Todd: Do you plan to go? Might be good place to meet with Carole. I've found that the trip to the actual grave in these cases helps to understand the connections.

Derek: We both wrote letters to the family, but they don't seem to want to interact with anyone pursuing this anymore. I can understand that. Perhaps someday I'll go and see her grave.

Todd: Who is helping with website -- and why?

Derek: Sascha and I do the website. Actually, all of the coding and technical work is done by me. Sascha and I split the cost of hosting it, but it doesn't cost us much to run it, and it's a very valuable focal point for the case. It gets anywhere from 15-30 hits per day on average. It's a place where people can come to get reliable information or learn more about the case.

Todd: Have you been able to help provide any investigative leads that have been taken into account by law enforcement?

Derek: Yes, we have provided a number of leads, tape recorded interviews, photos, handwriting samples, court documents and arrest records, along with other pieces of evidence that have been added into evidence.

Todd: I'd be interested in seeing the handwriting samples. I have a friend who is a document examiner.

Todd: On the website you have posted -- "9/15/2010, we are offering a $3,000 reward, out of our own pockets, to the person who provides information that leads to the PA State Police being able to definitively close the Betsy Aardsma case. This reward is payable upon closure of the case by the PA State Police, and to claim it you need only contact me with confirmable proof that you provided the evidence necessary to crack the case". --
Tell me more about how and why this came about.

Derek: Sascha and I decided that it was time to bring the reward back, in hopes that someone who might know something specific to Haefner would be able to put two and two together and bring the missing pieces to us. However, so far it has not been successful, and anyone who gave information prior to the reward is considered ineligible, since obviously the police have not closed the case as of yet with the information we have already provided them.

Todd: Who is Rick Haefner -- still alive?

Derek: Rick Haefner was a Geology Master's and PhD candidate at the time. He met Betsy and they dated several times before breaking up, according to him, less than a month before she was murdered. He went on to be quite a controversial character, getting arrested for child molestation in the 1970s, then assaulting police officers as well as women on different occasions in the 1990s. He died in 2002 in Death Valley, where he was pursing some geological studies. There is a large amount of circumstantial evidence that links Haefner to the crime.

Todd: How did your relationship with law enforcement evolve?

Derek: The relationship with LE evolved over time. Originally we worked with Kent Bernier, who was later transferred. He must have put in a good word with his replacement, Trooper Barrows, because we started speaking to her and bringing her information as well, and we now have a good working relationship with her.

Todd: I know it has to be a good feeling to get to this point after much effort. You must have a feeling of accomplishment in this alone.

Derek: Yes, it feels like we've come such a long way from 2008, when Sascha and I had some ideas, but really no strong suspects, and everything was really a possibility. There was even a real possibility that we would never find who did it, and that was discouraging. Now, focusing on an individual, and having more come out with each phone call and email and interview, it really feels like we're getting somewhere. If I had to stop today, I would feel confident that I know who did it, without a doubt.

Todd: Satisfaction but also maybe a bit of frustration?

Derek: Yes, there's frustration, especially because the cousin of the individual, who has come forward, has admitted to withholding information from police. He claims to have documents that would help the case but he wants "large amounts of money" for them.
Todd: Any interest (by police) to make a move to seize the data?

Derek: Not so far.

Todd: Back to your website, who is helping with website -- and why?

Derek: Sascha and I do the website. Actually, all of the coding and technical work is done by me. Sascha and I split the cost of hosting it, but it doesn't cost us much to run it, and it's a very valuable focal point for the case. It gets anywhere from 15-30 hits per day on average. It's a place where people can come to get reliable information or learn more about the case.

Todd: Do tips come into the site?

Derek: Tips do occasionally come in to the site, but most of the work is hard, detective legwork, done by Sascha and myself. I scour documents, talk to people, and do real primary research in order to get to the bottom of rumors and things that I have heard. Very few good leads actually fall into our laps through the website, but it's there if people wish to use it as a way to get a hold of us quickly.
Todd:Do you have a policy of passing along info? There's a need for responsibility in the volunteer world.

Derek: We pass EVERYTHING along, even things that seem inconsequential. Everything that comes to us goes to Trooper Barrows and the PA State Police -- usually the same day, if not within minutes.

Todd: Have you been able to help provide any investigative leads that have been taken into account by law enforcement?

Derek: Yes, we have provided a number of leads, tape recorded interviews, photos, handwriting samples, court documents and arrest records, along with other pieces of evidence that have been added into evidence.
Todd: On the website you have posted -- "9/15/2010, we are offering a $3,000 reward, out of our own pockets, to the person who provides information that leads to the PA State Police being able to definitively close the Betsy Aardsma case. This reward is payable upon closure of the case by the PA State Police, and to claim it you need only contact me with confirmable proof that you provided the evidence necessary to crack the case" -- Tell me more about how and why this came about.

Derek: Sascha and I decided that it was time to bring the reward back, in hopes that someone who might know something specific to Haefner would be able to put two and two together and bring the missing pieces to us. However, so far it has not been successful, and anyone who gave information prior to the reward is considered ineligible, since obviously the police have not closed the case as of yet with the information we have already provided them.

Todd: Do LE support the reward concept?

Derek: I don't know, honestly. We've never spoken about that aspect of it. I have found the reward to be more of a talking point with media, who are always interested in the reward aspect of it, than anything that people actually question me about -- no one has ever even ASKED about claiming it.
Todd: Love to know if they feel it is of value. Sometimes a reward can generate false leads etc. Doesn't seem to be a problem with this case if you have had no one trying to claim.

Derek: Yeah, I don't know. I've always felt it was like chicken soup for a cold -- can't hurt, might help. Penn State offered a $20,000 reward back in the early 1970s, no one claimed it. That's substantially more than we are able to come up with on our own.
Todd: Who is Rick Haefner -- still alive?

Derick: Rick Haefner was a Geology Master's and PhD candidate at the time. He met Betsy and they dated several times before breaking up, according to him, less than a month before she was murdered. He went on to be quite a controversial character, getting arrested for child molestation in the 1970s, then assaulting police officers as well as women on different occasions in the 1990s. He died in 2002 in Death Valley, where he was pursing some geological studies. There is a large amount of circumstantial evidence that links Haefner to the crime.
Todd: Any direct or circumstantial evidence that might connect him to this case?

Derek: Plenty. Some we can talk about, some we can't. Rick was on campus the day of the murder, and showed up less than an hour after Aardsma was killed at the home of one of his professors, where he knew that a girl had been murdered as well as knew WHO, which is odd -- no one we have talked to knew WHO was murdered that day, outside of the police. From there, he lied to police when he was questioned about where he was that day, and unfortunately the professor's story never made it to the State Police until Sascha and I came along. Rick also said and did things with other people that indicate that he had a unique and possibly inside knowledge of the case. He also had a history of obsession and stalking women.

Todd: If a connection were found -- with him being deceased -- what would happen?

Derek: The only thing I can think is that they could do what is called an "Exceptionally cleared and closed" ruling on it, which is what happens when "exceptional circumstances," such as the death of the suspect, make a trial or conviction impossible. For example, a bank robber is killed in the process of committing a crime. The police know he did it, they have prints, witnesses, etc., but guess what, he's dead. They can say it was cleared beyond a reasonable doubt but they cannot truly "convict" anyone.
Todd: What do you foresee -- (or hope for) as a final chapter in this story?

Derek: I'd like to see the State Police close the case. I don't know if they have enough evidence to do it -- that's up to them, and what's in their files. But I feel that there is enough evidence that a grand jury could probably find Rick guilty, or that a reasonable person would feel that he was. I've talked to dozens of people who do feel that he was guilty, and that's why they came forward.
Todd: Makes you wonder just what it will take to grab justice. Are you confident that you will indeed see resolution?

Derek: I used to think we would eventually find the culprit, and that the case would be closed or an arrest would be made. Of course, part of me always thought it would end like this, as a deadlock with not enough evidence to close it, and a dead suspect. I think maybe all the resolution I'm meant to see is knowing that I know who did it. Maybe the answers in this case are meant by some higher power to be more personal.