Lost some sleep over this one after seeing the Dateline episode, so can scarcely imagine how this whole sorry chain of events upset and divided his family!

http://www.westword.com/news/william-macumber-convicted-killer-freed-by-justice-project-back-in-jail-for-child-sex-assault-5870400

http://truecrimediscussions.blogspot.com/2016/01/the-william-macumber-case.html

What do you think happened here? This Linda Primrose, almost certainly present at the murders, said a man named Ernie committed them, and later a terribly evil man named Ernie confessed. Years later Linda Primrose, apparently wanting to put the past behind her, recanted her story and said she invented it all and was never there. (Despite leading police right to the scene and revealing details not made public.)

The more I think about it, the more I think Macumber's ex-wife Carol, who worked at the sheriff's department, knew of this 12-year-old girl and possibly other of his victims. This could have been one of the factors which broke up their marriage. Bill's two older sons tried to tell his younger one this but he suspected his mother of merely having poisoned their minds. Almost certainly she framed her ex-husband for these murders, not just to be vengeful over his getting the house and kids, but to protect past and potential future victims. As for why not report the actual crime(s), rape was not taken seriously back then and she may have also felt reluctant to drag the victims through public scrutiny--much more effective to frame him for an unsolved crime. Linda Primrose either knew this and said what the heck, let him take the fall, or really recanted due to not wanting to be involved.

The two young girls Macumber was convicted of molesting after being released were his own great-granddaughters, in other words the granddaughters of his youngest son Ronald who worked for 12 years to have him released from prison! Both girls were born after Ron started this quest which makes it even more sick and gross. If it were proven that Carol framed Bill for murders he did not commit, yes she could get in trouble for evidence tampering and perjury, but look at all the potential victims she saved by keeping him under lock and key for 38 years!

As for him being a model prisoner the others looked up to as "Pops" it just adds a creepy dimension to the whole creepy story!

Thing is, for my theory to be true--that Carol did indeed frame Bill for murders he did not commit because she knew he had molested at least one underage girl--Carol has to be almost as big a piece of work as Bill. So she cuts off contact with Ron because he contacts Bill, then lets Ron spend TWELVE YEARS working to get Bill out of prison, presumably saying nothing the whole time of her knowledge or suspicions? I can see not wanting to admit to evidence tampering, but once two granddaughters were born to Ron, knowing if Bill were released he would be in contact with at least these girls and any friends their age, Carol still did not let Ron know, directly or indirectly? Ron has a right to be almost as pissed at Carol as at Bill!