Most UM fans here can all agree that the murder of the three ATV riders that took place in Tennessee in 1988 was one of the scariest featured stories ever.

http://www.jou.ufl.edu/people/faculty/jfreeman/stewart/photo.htm

Did you guys know that an online petition was set up for people that believe Frank Casteel (the suspect) who think he was wrongfully convicted in the first place?

http://www.petitiononline.com/injust/petition-sign.html

Wow! For those that didn't already know, Frank Casteel was granted another trial, which actually started just a few weeks ago on November 12, 2002. Here's an article from April 5, 2001 that explains the retrial being set up....

http://www.newschannel9.com/vnews/investigations/986528232/

Here is some info I copied and pasted from an article involving this case....

****On July 9, 1988 three men, Richard Mason, Kenneth Griffith and Earl Smock go riding on their ATV's in the back woods on Signal Mountain near Chattanooga Tennessee.

Earlier that year, Frank Casteel decides he wants to buy a piece of property located on Signal Mountain. This piece of property had a place that many local people loved to go, the blue hole.

The people came to this area to go swimming and go camping. But most of the people did not respect the land and it's owner, they would use the ground as a garbage can. When Frank Casteel started going up to the property,with the permission of Carter Patten the man he was buying the property from, he saw a lot of trash, and he knew he had a lot of cleaning up to do. He also saw that he had a lot of people coming and going on the property. These people wanted to use the blue hole to go swimming, so Frank Casteel decided to make a trade, for the use of the blue hole, they could pick up some trash, to help clean the place up.

To help keep track of the people who came and went, with the advise of a police officer, Frank Casteel started writing the names of people who came on his property, he kept it in a book what is now known as the "logbook".

On July 9, 1988, Frank Casteel and his wife decides to go camping on their property, to celebrate their anniversary. Frank's brother in law and his wife was thinking of joining them, because they were married in a double wedding years before. The second couple never came in that night. When Frank and his wife arrived at the campsite, located on the edge of the powerlines. They started setting up camp. Frank's wife walks on down to the blue hole. While Frank Casteel was setting up camp, two boys came in , he told them they couldn't use the blue hole that day, and he talked with them for a while, and after they left he walked down and joined his wife at the blue hole.

The next day, the family of the three men who had left to go riding the night before, had never came home. The family said they looked for them awhile, then decided to call the police to report them missing.

That night the story hit the news, they reported that the three wheelers that the three men left on the night before had been found in a trash dump off the side of the mountain on Roberts Mill Road.

By the next day, Monday, the story was all over the newspapers. It was said by the police, they feared something bad had happened, because of the blood found on the ATV'S. People had been coming forward to help in the search, and give information to the police.

The police were led to a place called the gate, where one man had said he had heard shots from the gate or 300 yards north of the gate. The police said they found blood at this location.

Monday night Frank Casteel was shown on the news, and they reported he was a suspect, and from this day on this made Frank Casteel guilty! On July 27, 1988, the people on the mountain put together a petition to get the Casteel's off the mountain. This was signed by 50 or so people on the mountain.

The bodies were found a few days later in the next county, in a garbage dump. It was then that the police knew the three were shot with a shotgun.*****

Here are a couple more links to anyone interested in reading about the case...

http://www.oakridger.com/stories/051702/stt_0517020066.html

http://www.onlineathens.com/1998/051798/0517.a2tenntrial.html

http://www.oakridger.com/stories/051198/aps_trail.html

Watched this case. This honestly is one of the worst, just totally uncalled for. Did Frank Casteel do it? I guess it cant be said for certain he did it, but he probably did. Casteel's family has a website up. But my question is are all those people that told their stories about Casteel lying? There were many people who said that Casteel was very angry about people trespassing on his land and that he had intimidated people with a shotgun that had tried to come on his land or had trespassed on his land before. I remember reading an account from two gentleman who had been met at the gate to Casteel's property just days before the murders Kenneth Griffith, Richard Mason and Earl Smock. They said Casteel met them at the gate with a shotgun that he threatened to kill them and that he even pointed the shotgun at them and laughed and that only after talking to them to a while did he agree to let them go. This was just totally uncalled for regardless of who the killer was. It was probably Casteel. It seems the three men must have been met at the gate by Casteel. Whether there was any conversation between the men and Casteel is unknown. As they said Griffith and Mason were probably killed instantly by their wounds. It appears Smock was the furthest back of the ATV riders and was the last one shot. Apperantly he was shot once and attempted to run away but Casteel caught up to him and shot him again killing him. So unless all those witnesses at the trial were lying then Casteel probably did it. His wife threatened his mistress saying that Casteel was the ATV killer but then his wife now says that she was just trying to scare the mistress and that Casteel wasnt really the ATV killer. Casteel's son also swears his dad is innocent. Yet some have mentioned that Casteel's son was actually probably the one that helped his dad load up and get rid of the ATV's and the bodies. Casteel would have needed the help of at least one person for that he couldnt have done it by himself.

I think he is guilty. Yes, the case is mainly circumstantial evidence. Each piece alone, from the wife threatening the mistress, to the logbook, to Casteel threatening the two men w/ the shotgun, etc, aren't much. However, when you put them all together, you have a compelling case for murder. These men did not have enemies that had a motive to kill. Casteel did. People have a right to their opinions, though.

His son's website is garbage. Maybe it's just me, but when I see a website that has the rantings of a lunatic littered with spelling and grammatical errors, it makes the person being defended look even more guilty.

Was watching this case just now and I was interested in finding out the locations of the crime scenes on Google Earth. It turns out a very creative someone out there has created a tour de Casteel and Signal Mountain where it shows where all the crime scenes were. Very interesting to see how far apart they were from one another.

Was watching this case just now and I was interested in finding out the locations of the crime scenes on Google Earth. It turns out a very creative someone out there has created a tour de Casteel and Signal Mountain where it shows where all the crime scenes were. Very interesting to see how far apart they were from one another.

That's pretty neat. It's extremely easy to get lost out there and very difficult to discern property lines (as in most of rural East Tennessee). The police were dead-on on the murderer being a local resident; no one else on the face of this earth would've been able to navigate those roads!

Tour de Casteel, has a sense of humour the bloke who did that :)

I found it odd that when UM updated the segment about Casteel being arrested they said he was a suspect all along, but on the original broadcast of the segment he was never even mentioned at all.

If some guy owns property and has been threatening people on his property with a shotgun previous to these murders, and the murders take place on a part of his property, guess who's guilty?

Was Casteel ever convicted?

I found it odd that when UM updated the segment about Casteel being arrested they said he was a suspect all along, but on the original broadcast of the segment he was never even mentioned at all.

If some guy owns property and has been threatening people on his property with a shotgun previous to these murders, and the murders take place on a part of his property, guess who's guilty?

I see your point. I seem to recall during the segment, some local citizens had an idea who it was, but didn't mention a name for fear of what might happen to them.

Also, in some segments on UM, there were suspects, but they were not named. The Mikki Jo West case comes to mind.

Was Casteel ever convicted?

Yep. He's at South Central Correctional Facility in Clifton, TN and is eligible for parole in 2028.

Yeah UM didn't elaborate on any details when they said something about locals knowing who it was, but not speaking out for fear of retaliation. And they didn't even mention that fact in the actual segment, it was only as a before-commercial attention grabber which didn't make sense to me. I found the information about locals saying that Casteel chased them/threatened them with a shotgun while they were on his property on the website that's set up as a way to exonerate Frank Casteel...but if it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck...

That was a scary episode, for the fact an innocent ride lead to be shot to pieces. :\nkfgdn.k

any updates in this case? where does it stand at the moment?

He was convicted for a second time an is currently in prison in Tennesse on a life sentence. He is guilty and deserves to be where he is.

He was convicted for a second time an is currently in prison in Tennesse on a life sentence. He is guilty and deserves to be where he is.

He is not on death row?

He is not on death row?


No, I don't believe he is on death row. This case was one of the scariest/eeriest cases I ever saw. I'm quite certain that Frank Casteel is the killer. This is probably the most heinous and unecessary murders I have ever heard about. All these guys were doing was riding their ATV's. Did anyone see the "City Confidential" about this case? frank's son Trever was on there and he swears up and down that the blue hole was his dads private property even though the town they live in and the state of Tennessee have said otherwise. Frank Casteel deserves to be where he is.

Kenneth Griffith, one of the victims, was my husband's uncle. Casteel had another hearing this past year to see if he had inadequate counsel and grounds for appeal. I believe that has been denied, but I have not seen the last paperwork. He has been found guilty 2 times. This man killed 3 innocent people and their families still can't move on because there is always another hearing or an insane website put up by the son of this monster that has the autopsy reports listed on it that keep everything so fresh in their minds. My husband is 27 and Kenneth was murdered when he was 5. The victims keep being victimized by the system and the illiterate moron that spews his garbage across the internet with his idiotic web site. Frank Casteel is serving 3 consecutive life sentences. The only was he will get out of prison is in a pine box. The sad thing is, even when he dies, the families will still have the empty chairs at the table and the memories of the grizzly way these men were killed.

Kenneth Griffith, one of the victims, was my husband's uncle. Casteel had another hearing this past year to see if he had inadequate counsel and grounds for appeal. I believe that has been denied, but I have not seen the last paperwork. He has been found guilty 2 times. This man killed 3 innocent people and their families still can't move on because there is always another hearing or an insane website put up by the son of this monster that has the autopsy reports listed on it that keep everything so fresh in their minds. My husband is 27 and Kenneth was murdered when he was 5. The victims keep being victimized by the system and the illiterate moron that spews his garbage across the internet with his idiotic web site. Frank Casteel is serving 3 consecutive life sentences. The only was he will get out of prison is in a pine box. The sad thing is, even when he dies, the families will still have the empty chairs at the table and the memories of the grizzly way these men were killed.

My condolensces are with you and your family. You are absolutely right. Trevor Casteel, Frank's son, is a moron. He keeps posting these crazy websites stating that his father was wrongfully convicted. Also, on the site that shall not be named, if you upload the Unsolved Mysteries segment about this case, he contacts authorites who are over that website and threatens legal action if it isnt removed. That whole family is a bunch of whack jobs. Frank Casteel deserves to be where he is, I only wish he were on death row.

If some guy owns property and has been threatening people on his property with a shotgun previous to these murders, and the murders take place on a part of his property, guess who's guilty?

HAHAHAHAHAHA. Excellent point. One of the funniest retorts I've ever read on here.

I was just reading some articles online about this case. Witnesses claim to have seen two men loading ATV's near the crime scene. Also a woman (or maybe it was a man, not sure) says that a woman in a truck was blocking the road on which the murders took place. It has been widely assumed that the woman blocking the road was Casteel's wife. She even said as much in one of the letters to Frank's mistress, when she said she helped him. But, I wonder if the other man seen with Casteel loading ATV's was his son Trever?

He is not on death row?

No. He's eligible for parole in 18 years.

If some guy owns property and has been threatening people on his property with a shotgun previous to these murders, and the murders take place on a part of his property, guess who's guilty?

Yeah, because that's the way the justice system works in this country. I guess David Dowaliby should be sitting behind bars for killing his daughter, or maybe Jeff Oberholtzer is long overdue for an arrest. :rolleyes:

Without a shadow of a doubt Frank Casteel is a murderer, but the mere fact that he threatened people for trespassing in an area where blood was found does not automatically make him guilty.

Where's kadrmas when you need him? :lol:

Hmm, even I will not defend Frank Casteel on this one. I have checked out that website that his son put up and it is pretty wild. I mean I am sure Casteel oversees the thing from prison but since he cannot have access to a computer his son runs it. But yeah, I mean Casteel's son who I actually believe was probably an accomplice to Casteel in this has posted autopsy reports on all sorts of other things that are pretty vile in an attempt to prove not only his dad's innocence but also this massive conspiracy by the Hamilton County Sheriff's Department to nail Casteel. I mean if it was this grand conspiracy, they sure had a funny way of showing it, not even arresting Casteel until 9 years after the crimes.

Now when I say I think Casteel's son was an accomplice, I do not mean that he was present when the murders happened. But I think he helped his dad dispose of the ATV's and the bodies thus he was an accessory after the fact. Like I said, I just do not think Casteel could have disposed of all of that stuff on his own without help. I do not think Casteel is guilty because the murders happened on his property, that is pretty dumb. However I think he is guilty more or less because of his behavior. I mean he had a history of threatening to shoot people that came on his property, and he had this kind of passive aggressive manner and he ended up lashing out at these guys by killing them. Casteel just seemed very irrational, I mean why not do what other people do when you find someone on your property that you do not want there? Ask them to leave.

I mean yes, I suppose the case was circumstantial but you had the prior bad acts by Casteel. That and he happened to own a firearm of the very same type that was used to kill the victims. I mean yes the case was lacking in terms of direct physical evidence that Casteel did it. But that said in order to believe someone else besides him did this, you would have to believe that someone else killed the 3 men on Casteel's property and did all of this just to frame Frank Casteel. Now of course Casteel claims that it was not his gun that fired the shot and his shot gun was tested and there was not a conclusive match, the results were inconclusive.

Then Casteel has the gall to complain about the cops taking things from his home. They had a search warrant for the home, but in typical Casteel fashion he seems less concerned about being arrested for murder and more concerned about the cops trashing his home, 'stealing' stuff and urinating in his toilet without flushing it. Now there is a second shot gun that was taken during this time, that gun I believe is one that was similar to the rounds fired into the victims but there was so much damage it was hard to be conclusive. Casteel claims he did not buy that shot gun until after the victims were dead.

Casteel also goes to great pains to point out an unidentified palm print on one of the ATV's. No finger prints of Casteel's were found on the ATV's that part is true. The palm print did not belong to Casteel or any of the victims. So Casteel claims this proves he did not dump the ATV's. But yet there was several pairs of rubber gloves discovered, they had been placed inside a rotten stump 6 to 10 feet into the woods. A kid and his dad and grandpa were hunting and were walking and the kid kicked the stump and all of these gloves came out. There was various evidence on them. Casteel claims the cops planted the gloves. Casteel also claims the ATV's could not have fit in the back of his Jeep. It is unclear if Casteel owned any other vehicles.

The first trial, I believe was held before a Chattanooga jury. You also have to remember, that both times he got life because he was being tried under 1988 laws. It was a lot harder to give the death penalty in 1988 than it would be now. Also because he was convicted under 1988 law, he will be eligible for parole much quicker whereas these days if you are convicted of first degree murder in TN if you do not get death you basically get LWOP. So that is why he will be eligible for parole when he is 81 years old.

This case is a lot like some other cases I have seen. It is very obvious the person did it even though there is not any physical evidence that ties them to it. I mean there is no evidence that Casteel was the one that actually fired the shots, there were no fingerprints, etc. But there was blood on his property and again to believe Casteel's story you would have to beleve the victims were killed there and that someone else did it and that it was this grand conspiracy to frame Casteel. In fact Casteel has tried claiming the murders did not even happen on his property. He has never given an explanation of the pools of blood and why they were covered up.

As the cops speculated, when Casteel killed the victims and dumped the bodies he thought they would be found right away as in, within 24 hours. If the bodies had been found right away then the cops would not have gone around looking at the fence and the crime scene would have never been found and Casteel would have got away with it. Where his plan backfired is that the bodies were not found for 3 or 4 days. Thus the cops were poking around searching all over the place for them.

This case reminds me in a lot of ways of the recent case in Tennessee of Raynella Dosset-Leath, a black widow in grandmother's clothing. That case was out of Knoxville in Megtheegg's old stomping grounds. Raynella Dossett's first husband, Knox County District Attorney Ed Dossett who had been diagnosed with cancer, died in 1992. At the time, police thought he was stomped to death by milk cows he was feeding on his farm.

Dossett had terminal cancer and was on morphine, he had maybe a year to live if that. I do not know why Raynella could not have just waited? I mean he had a few months maybe a year to wait at the most but was not content to wait. But because at the time, his death was ruled as an accident, there was no real investigation although an autopsy was conducted. However it was not until over 15 years later that test results were looked it and it was found the levels of morphine in his blood were sky high even for a cancer patient.

Prosecutors began theorizing that Raynella who administered her husband's morphine to him, purposely overdosed him. The reason behind the murder it was rumored was money. She would have got life insurance benefits had Ed died naturally but because it was an accident, she was aware that she could claim greater insurance benefits. She later was awarded triple indemnity or three times the amount the policy was originally worth. She was able to do this as many insurance policies have double or triple indemnity clauses if the person insured dies in an accident and is under the age of 60 as Ed Dossett was.

Ed Dossett was 51 and suffering from colon cancer that had become terminal when he died on July 9th, 1992. He was on morphine to eliminate or at least decrease pain due to his cancer being in the advanced stages and he knew he only had a few months to live. What is also interesting is at the time, Raynella initially refused an autopsy. She only agreed to allow it after she discovered that the only way an accident could be confirmed was through an autopsy, thus that is the only way she would be able to collect triple indemnity. Now she could have waited for Ed to die of natural causes but there was way more in it for her, three times more to be exact if he died specifically of an accident. Average amount of morphine found in a cancer patient anywhere from 0.020 to 0.036 milligrams per liter, yet at the time of death, Ed Dossett had 0.64 milligrams per liter. Raynella and Ed ha three kids together. Their youngest two, a 16 year old girl and an 11 year old boy, were riding in a car together, the 16 year was driving when she got in a bad accident, killing her brother.

It was not until July of 2008 that Raynella was indicted in Ed;s death. In January of 1993 she had re-married to Ed's friend David Leath. David Leath was found shot to death in the couples bed in March of 2003. She claimed it was a suicide, sedatives and painkillers not prescribed to him were found in his system. She was eventually indicted in David Leath's death in November of 2006 and was free on bond for that when she was indicted in Ed's death, her bond was doubled and again she was released on bond. Her first trial in David's death in March of 2009 ended in a hung jury. Her 2nd trial in January of 2010 resulted in a conviction and she was sentenced to life in prison. She is due to stand trial in Ed's death in August.

The reason I bring the above case up is because while there is no direct evidence that Raynella killed either of her husbands, I believe she killed David for sure. The fact she killed David makes it look more and more like she killed Ed too. The evidence in that case, Ed's death is a lot more shaky than in David's death. I just think it is something where Raynella got away with it once before and thought she could get away with it again. She had also been arrested in 1995 for attempted murder after she lured a man to her barn, it was a man whose wife claimed one of their two sons had been the illegitimate son of Ed Dossett as the man's wife and Ed Dossett had had an affair. Raynella seemed to know the child was Ed's and she told the man she would kill him and his wife and take custody of the kid for herself. She fired several shots at him, chased him across a hayfield but missed. She was later acquitted of the charges.

Had the victims heard about Casteel threatening visitors to the blue hole or did they believe there was still complete access to the property? I'm under the impression that it was known that Casteel was acting aggressive towards visitors prior to this and he was absolutely the type of crackpot that you didn't want to tangle with.

There's an increasing amount of contention between landowners/farmers and trespassing ATVers and hunters in my area. I'm in no way condoning violence or Casteel's behavior but it won't be surprising if this sort of crime occurs again.

Did anyone see the "City Confidential" about this case?

I did, and I believe the previous owners were interviewed as saying they had warned Casteel it would difficult to prevent people from visiting the property. I don't recall the son's interview but the whole family sounds warped. Who owns the blue hole now? Hopefully the state.

Trevor was very young at the time. The thought was never that he was the one...he has an older brother.

Trevor was very young at the time. The thought was never that he was the one...he has an older brother.

How old is Trever? I always assumed it was him as well that helped his father. I wonder if Trever actually believes his father is innocent or just wants to get him out of jail.

I kind of follow Casteel's appeals. He takes the opportunity to do such every possible time he can and they are systematically denied each time.

The first trial, I believe was held before a Chattanooga jury. You also have to remember, that both times he got life because he was being tried under 1988 laws. It was a lot harder to give the death penalty in 1988 than it would be now. Also because he was convicted under 1988 law, he will be eligible for parole much quicker whereas these days if you are convicted of first degree murder in TN if you do not get death you basically get LWOP. So that is why he will be eligible for parole when he is 81 years old.

Yep. Richard d'Antonio is another example. He was tried under 1989 laws for the murder of Kevin Hughes and attemped murder of Sammy Sadler in Nashville, and will be eligible for parole relatively close to the same time. In fact, he received no sentence for Sadler's shooting, as the statute of limitations had long passed by 2003.

Man this guy Casteel was a psycho. His son seems to be one too in a non murdering type of way with his website nonsense.

Man this guy Casteel was a psycho. His son seems to be one too in a non murdering type of way with his website nonsense.

Yea, I mean I can understand a son being upset that his father is in prison but come on man, all the evidence points to your pops. Plus his "evidence" that he says proves his innocence is far fetched to say the least. He blathers on and on about it being a full moon and the temperature outside. Frank Casteel is 100% guilty. I also believe someone helped him clean up the murder site and dispose of the ATV's. Have any of you ever tried to lift an ATV? They aren't exactly light.

Actually I work for Tennessee Department of Correction and the first time that he is eligible for Parole will be in October 2027. That will be to soon for me because he is guilty and yes Trevor is an Idiot!

Everything I have seen says he is guilty. I was so glad to see the update on this case on lifetime. I remember watching this case when it first aired when I was just a kid. Scared the hell out of me then. Glad they got the guy. If they aren't giving him the death pennalty, they should pump in the sounds of 3 ATVs into his cell night and day 24/7. That should drive him completely insane. Not that he isn't already...

Frank Casteel seems like typical backwoods trash, I work as a surveyor and have run into people with a similar mentality. They got the idea that owning rural property basically is the equivalent to running your own little country where you can do whatever you want to whoever you want. Not that simple Frankie.

I mean, if he didn't do it who did? Clearly whoever shot those three men was trying to hide the fact that the murders occured there at that spot, who else would do that besides the landowner?

Now I have heard that the gate where the murders took place was actually where two properties met, so I suppose its conceivable that the adjoining landowner might be a suspect as well and do the same, but I assume whoever that is they were questioned and possibly cleared. But he was known to threaten people with a shotgun, he had the exact same type used in the murders, he owned the land where the murders took place.......

Thats about as hard a circumstantial evidence as you will ever come across.

I remember when this case first aired and it talked about how the three fellows were shot to death at a gate where a bunch of no trespassing signs were nailed up. I remember thinking surely the landowner had to be a suspect, but Casteel's name was never mentioned on the segment. Makes it more mysterious I suppose. But it makes sense he was a suspect from the beginning.

Yea, I mean I can understand a son being upset that his father is in prison but come on man, all the evidence points to your pops. Plus his "evidence" that he says proves his innocence is far fetched to say the least. He blathers on and on about it being a full moon and the temperature outside. Frank Casteel is 100% guilty. I also believe someone helped him clean up the murder site and dispose of the ATV's. Have any of you ever tried to lift an ATV? They aren't exactly light.

No they are very heavy, there is no doubt he had help, probably his closest friends whom lived nearby. Casteel probably told them that if anyone ever entered his property that he was going to get rid of them. I really can't believe that this guy is living and breathing in jail he surely should have been put to death, I really don't know of a more unspeakable crime featured on UM.

No they are very heavy, there is no doubt he had help, probably his closest friends whom lived nearby. Casteel probably told them that if anyone ever entered his property that he was going to get rid of them. I really can't believe that this guy is living and breathing in jail he surely should have been put to death, I really don't know of a more unspeakable crime featured on UM.

I could think up a ton of more unspeakable crimes from UM, lol, but this is probably one of the most unnecessary crimes ever featured on UM. I mean all these guys were doing was vacationing with their families while on military leave. Frank Casteel is trash.

BTW, I would expect that Trever will soon find this board and start threatening us all with lawsuits. He did it on the site that shows videos that shall not be named.

I could think up a ton of more unspeakable crimes from UM, lol, but this is probably one of the most unnecessary crimes ever featured on UM. I mean all these guys were doing was vacationing with their families while on military leave. Frank Casteel is trash.

BTW, I would expect that Trever will soon find this board and start threatening us all with lawsuits. He did it on the site that shows videos that shall not be named.

No one has mentioned it, but I am betting these were not the first murders Casteel ever committed. Or at least he has some kind of history of violence.

I mean its not like this was a crime of passion where someone snapped and went wild. As far as I've heard Casteel didn't even know these men that well if at all. This was merely a case of a man who thought he was above the law just because he owned rural property and had no qualms about murdering people who annoyed him. It seems unlikely such a person would commit their first murder at 40.

Thats not to say he is a serial killer, obviously he doesn't fit that mold. More like he is a man who has no qualms about murdering someone if by his own twisted logic he feels he has a right to. In that sense he isn't to different from mobsters who kill people who get in their way, or for some other greedy reason.

The man obviously has no conscience. So I'd honestly be surprised if this was the first crime he ever committed.

No one has mentioned it, but I am betting these were not the first murders Casteel ever committed. Or at least he has some kind of history of violence.

I mean its not like this was a crime of passion where someone snapped and went wild. As far as I've heard Casteel didn't even know these men that well if at all. This was merely a case of a man who thought he was above the law just because he owned rural property and had no qualms about murdering people who annoyed him. It seems unlikely such a person would commit their first murder at 40.

Thats not to say he is a serial killer, obviously he doesn't fit that mold. More like he is a man who has no qualms about murdering someone if by his own twisted logic he feels he has a right to. In that sense he isn't to different from mobsters who kill people who get in their way, or for some other greedy reason.

The man obviously has no conscience. So I'd honestly be surprised if this was the first crime he ever committed.


I completely agree. I mean hell, the guy kept a book of people he warned/threatened with their names and dates. Anyone ever wondered why he did that? My guess has always been that he kept their names and dates as a warning and if they came again, he would take action against them. Maybe these three men who were killed had been there earlier that day or in the days of their vacation and once Casteel saw them again, he got pissed off and killed them. Plus there were three of these men. The accounts of other people threatened by Casteel were never in a bigger group. The most was two people. High and mighty Casteel probably went out there and these three guys probably said something back to him about it being a public place and then he got pissed any killed them.

Does anyone know where I can find this episode? I'm not sure what season it was, I'm sure I saw it.

Does anyone know where I can find this episode? I'm not sure what season it was, I'm sure I saw it.

Just do a search under "ATV Murders" on the forbidden site and you'll find it.

Robin, thanks for replying...everyone keeps talking about the forbidden site. I feel stupid, I have no idea what that is. I don't want to get you in trouble for naming it, so I guess I'll continue you to google. Thanks again.

Actually, I think I may have just found it! I'm still curious what the forbidden site is, everyone keeps mentioning it.

Robin, I think I know now what the Forbidden site might be. Does the first initial start with an E? Still not sure why it is forbidden.

Robin, I think I know now what the Forbidden site might be. Does the first initial start with an E? Still not sure why it is forbidden.

It rhymes with "Glue Boob"

What Hambone said.

The only reason we don't actually type the site name here is because I believe it automatically gets blocked out.

Hambone, that's hilarious. Thanks for clarifying. I found it on Glue Boob.

It rhymes with "Glue Boob"

:lol: :lol: :lol:

I spit my Sprite up when I read that.

Was watching this case just now and I was interested in finding out the locations of the crime scenes on Google Earth. It turns out a very creative someone out there has created a tour de Casteel and Signal Mountain where it shows where all the crime scenes were. Very interesting to see how far apart they were from one another.


Do you still have this map or know where to find it?? I would LOVE to see this.

Anyone else know?

Do you still have this map or know where to find it?? I would LOVE to see this.

Anyone else know?

Try what one of the posters did in this thread: http://www.sitcomsonline.com/boards/showthread.php?t=236687

Yea I stumbled across that thread after I made the initial post. I have not had any luck so far with any of that.

So is there any update to this case? Was the killer caught?

You really can't ride on people's private property especially when they have No Trespassing signs posted. When it happens time & time again the property owners get very angry & will often call the sheriff on you & still others will shoot up in the air to warn you off. Nobody should be killed over it but when tempers flare anything can happen. Our entire family rides atv's, and we have ran into trouble when riding. It's best to always ask permission & even better to get it in writing. There are several places in Tennessee & Southern Ky where you can pay a fee to ride your atv to your hearts content. I feel bad for the men who lost there lives & I even feel kind of bad for the landowner.

Sorry, I have no sympathy for the person/persons who carried this out. A 13 child was essentially decapitated in CT 4 years ago because someone put a rope across a motorbike trail. The suspect in that case is alleged to be a 12 year old boy. I don't care. He should be in a juvenile facility. Grown men should certainly go to jail.

Sorry, I have no sympathy for the person/persons who carried this out. A 13 child was essentially decapitated in CT 4 years ago because someone put a rope across a motorbike trail. The suspect in that case is alleged to be a 12 year old boy. I don't care. He should be in a juvenile facility. Grown men should certainly go to jail.

I agree, nobody should be killed over trespassing on another's property. The property owner should call the police & have the trespassers arrested. Often by the time the police arrive the atv riders are gone so it can be very difficult to catch them. I've seen the problem from both sides of the fence. I know what damage atv riders can cause to people's property, I've seen them drive through people's crops. But as atv rider's we need places to ride safely & where we won't cause problems for anyone. That's why you need to always get permission to ride on someone else's property. I wouldn't want a bunch of strangers riding behind my home and neither does anyone else. But I would certainly never harm anyone over it.

So is there any update to this case? Was the killer caught?
Frank Casteel apparently shot the men because he thought they were trespassing. Worst reason ever to kill someone, in my opinion. "You were on my property and not doing anything wrong. Instead of telling you to get out, I'm just going to blow you to pieces."

Frank Casteel apparently shot the men because he thought they were trespassing. Worst reason ever to kill someone, in my opinion. "You were on my property and not doing anything wrong. Instead of telling you to get out, I'm just going to blow you to pieces."

Thanks for the update. So what happened to Frank?

Thanks for the update. So what happened to Frank?
The first page of this thread says that he's serving life for the three murders but will be eligible for parole in 2028. I don't know how old Casteel is, but he probably won't make it that long or will be very elderly when he makes it to that year.

The first page of this thread says that he's serving life for the three murders but will be eligible for parole in 2028. I don't know how old Casteel is, but he probably won't make it that long or will be very elderly when he makes it to that year.

What?? How could he not get death for 3 murders and HOW could he not at least get LWOP for THREE murders??

What?? How could he not get death for 3 murders and HOW could he not at least get LWOP for THREE murders??

This is all explained in the previous 4 pages of the thread.

After doing some more searching...I found the map. Right under our noses almost. On the sons website freecasteel.org.....there is a link to a map. This map has all the locations pin pointed. Granted this a website of Trevor Casteel. So take that for what it's worth.

FreeCasteel on the forbidden site has uploaded the City Confidential and Crime Stoppers videos of this case

I just watched the City Confidential episode on this yesterday. Talked about how one witness was so afraid of Casteel that she moved to Florida. Also talked about how it is believed that Casteel's wife placed threatening phone calls to other witnesses the day after the murders. She had also sent several "Did you know your boyfriend is a killer?" type letters to her husband's mistress, then later claimed she did that because she wanted to scare the mistress off. The wife is a real piece of work.

It also offered up one possible reason Casteel was so stingy with the property. It said that people from this area aren't rich in the traditional sense, in that they don't have a lot of money, have huge homes or fancy cars, but they do own property. Apparently, property is a big deal there.

One conflicting thing though: in the UM segment, Richard Mason's wife talks about how she wasn't initially concerned they hadn't returned because it was a cloudy night and figures they couldn't have seen very well. But someone else, I think it was one of the other guys's wife, says it was a full moon out and you could see very well even at dark. Weird.

I just watched the City Confidential episode on this yesterday. Talked about how one witness was so afraid of Casteel that she moved to Florida. Also talked about how it is believed that Casteel's wife placed threatening phone calls to other witnesses the day after the murders. She had also sent several "Did you know your boyfriend is a killer?" type letters to her husband's mistress, then later claimed she did that because she wanted to scare the mistress off. The wife is a real piece of work.

I haven't seen the CC episode, but I did read the original court transcript some years ago. She's definitely a peach.

It also offered up one possible reason Casteel was so stingy with the property. It said that people from this area aren't rich in the traditional sense, in that they don't have a lot of money, have huge homes or fancy cars, but they do own property. Apparently, property is a big deal there.

As an East Tennessean myself, I can confirm this is true. Property is often a family heirloom. It's common to see people living on 20-50 acres of land who for all intent and purpose can be classified as working poor.

As much as I find what Casteel did abhorrent, I can perfectly understand his mindset. While the homicidal tendency is very obviously not in everyone, property lines are sharply drawn and you don't wander across them. It's akin to walking into someone's house uninvited and propping your feet on the coffee table--and it doesn't matter if you "meant to do it" or not.

Also, it is a legitimate concern that you may be confronted with someone carrying a firearm. It would really surprise me if the three actually rode the ATVs with full knowledge that it was Casteel's property they were doing it on without asking him.

Yeah. I think the wife should have been charged with aiding and ebetting, and/or being an accessory, but at least I can take comfort in knowing Frank will probably never see the light of day again.

One conflicting thing though: in the UM segment, Richard Mason's wife talks about how she wasn't initially concerned they hadn't returned because it was a cloudy night and figures they couldn't have seen very well. But someone else, I think it was one of the other guys's wife, says it was a full moon out and you could see very well even at dark. Weird.

I always interpreted that statement as speculation - like Mrs. Mason was trying to come up with a reason why they hadn't returned. I never thought she said that it was cloudy - that MAYBE it was too cloudy for them to find their way back.

Yeah. I think the wife should have been charged with aiding and ebetting, and/or being an accessory, but at least I can take comfort in knowing Frank will probably never see the light of day again.

I agree. There's not a doubt in my mind that every single time an "unidentified" woman comes up in Casteel's saga--such as the woman blocking the road as recounted in the segment--it's her.

EDIT: Just caught this one today (we must run a day behind the mainland's schedule). Now pretty well convinced Susie Casteel is not really "all there".

Also, I miss the aquarium. Being going there since I was five years old.

No, that was just a coincidence. I recorded most of the episodes a little while back and am editing out the commericals and making menus for a dvd set. This just happened to be the episode I worked on this weekend. And then I noticed they aired it on Monday.

I must say I got a kick out of hearing Paul mention Moon Pies.

Yeah, because that's the way the justice system works in this country. I guess David Dowaliby should be sitting behind bars for killing his daughter, or maybe Jeff Oberholtzer is long overdue for an arrest. :rolleyes:

I know this is 4 years later, but dang, I must have caught Meg on a bad day!

I know this is 4 years later, but dang, I must have caught Meg on a bad day!

:rofl: I guess so! LORD was I rude!

Sorry about that. Nothing but love, brother.

That's pretty neat. It's extremely easy to get lost out there and very difficult to discern property lines (as in most of rural East Tennessee). The police were dead-on on the murderer being a local resident; no one else on the face of this earth would've been able to navigate those roads!

Meg, I know your from Tennessee, have you been to Signal Mountain or the area profiled in the segment?

I think they did an episode of an I.D. show on this case earlier this year. May have been Swamp Murders? I can't remember.

It also offered up one possible reason Casteel was so stingy with the property. It said that people from this area aren't rich in the traditional sense, in that they don't have a lot of money, have huge homes or fancy cars, but they do own property. Apparently, property is a big deal there.

I haven't seen the case in years, but iirc wasn't Casteel a northern transplant? He wasn't born and raised in east TN if I remember correctly. I mention this because I always felt he didn't fit into the culture there and may not have understood it.

Now for a story: I used to own a lot of rural land in an adjoining state and used to have ATV riders tracking up the place a lot. That didn't bother me as much as people hunting, though. I was always worried about going out there and getting shot accidentally on my own property.

I had a gate blocking the entry from the main road. Someone ran through it with their car (or a big truck) and almost tore it down. This was one of those pretty hefty iron gates, so it took a lot of force to do the damage that was done. And, yes, it was intentional because the gate was far enough off the road that it couldn't have been an accident. I suspect someone in an old pickup either rammed it or tied a chain to it and attempted to pull it.

I had a key to the gate's lock inside an old pill bottle. I had the pill bottle hidden in a location about 20 yards from the gate. It was hidden well (no way you'd come across it by accident). The day I noticed that my gate had been damaged, I went to look for the key and it was gone. The pill bottle was there where I left it but the key was missing. I then noticed that the lock on the gate was open and someone had definitely used that key to unlock it. Someone had to have been watching me while I was out there previously; there's just no way they find that key otherwise. Keep in mind that this is an area where the closest house is probably a mile away.

The land was my dad's who passed it on to me after his death. Apparently before his death he was mad at one of his "neighbors" out there but I didn't know the whole story (my father didn't live out there, just had property). After he died, I listened to his answering machine and he had inadvertently let it record one of his calls to his friend. I heard my dad say "I am going to kill that SOB" referring to this same neighbor.

There were some characters in the area. My dad told me a story that once he was out there and a young woman came running down his road (he had a long driveway on the property) screaming for help. He said the hair on his neck stood up and he put his hand on his gun because he wasn't sure if it was an ambush and someone was using the girl as bait. IIRC, she claimed she had escaped from a car and ran to the nearest location for help. I don't remember whatever came of it or what happened after that. I heard this particular story second hand after my father's passing.

I also know there were pretty large marijuana growing operations in the area (just from local news and police busts and what not), so I know there were some shady characters out there.

My dad was a Vietnam combat vet (1st Cav) with PTSD. He was also a gun enthusiast and had a small arsenal. He often went out there just to get away and shoot his favorite guns (though he didn't hunt and didn't believe in killing animals). He told me once "never come out here unless you're carrying." I am not sure what prompted him to say that and I didn't ask.

Eventually I got tired of the trespassers and vandals so I just sold the property. Someone out there really didn't like us trying to keep the land private and I got tired of worrying about it.

Moral of the story, people in rural locations take their property seriously. I can see how Casteel was ticked off at trespassers, but that is no excuse to gun them down (especially 3 of them -- that's definite premeditation).

I personally never cared about the ATV riders. I just didn't like the fact that someone kept messing with my gate. (And what's funny about it is that any ATV could have made it easily around the gate). So whoever did it just did it to send a message.

I haven't seen the case in years, but iirc wasn't Casteel a northern transplant? He wasn't born and raised in east TN if I remember correctly. I mention this because I always felt he didn't fit into the culture there and may not have understood it.

Now for a story: I used to own a lot of rural land in an adjoining state and used to have ATV riders tracking up the place a lot. That didn't bother me as much as people hunting, though. I was always worried about going out there and getting shot accidentally on my own property.

I had a gate blocking the entry from the main road. Someone ran through it with their car (or a big truck) and almost tore it down. This was one of those pretty hefty iron gates, so it took a lot of force to do the damage that was done. And, yes, it was intentional because the gate was far enough off the road that it couldn't have been an accident. I suspect someone in an old pickup either rammed it or tied a chain to it and attempted to pull it.

I had a key to the gate's lock inside an old pill bottle. I had the pill bottle hidden in a location about 20 yards from the gate. It was hidden well (no way you'd come across it by accident). The day I noticed that my gate had been damaged, I went to look for the key and it was gone. The pill bottle was there where I left it but the key was missing. I then noticed that the lock on the gate was open and someone had definitely used that key to unlock it. Someone had to have been watching me while I was out there previously; there's just no way they find that key otherwise. Keep in mind that this is an area where the closest house is probably a mile away.

The land was my dad's who passed it on to me after his death. Apparently before his death he was mad at one of his "neighbors" out there but I didn't know the whole story (my father didn't live out there, just had property). After he died, I listened to his answering machine and he had inadvertently let it record one of his calls to his friend. I heard my dad say "I am going to kill that SOB" referring to this same neighbor.

There were some characters in the area. My dad told me a story that once he was out there and a young woman came running down his road (he had a long driveway on the property) screaming for help. He said the hair on his neck stood up and he put his hand on his gun because he wasn't sure if it was an ambush and someone was using the girl as bait. IIRC, she claimed she had escaped from a car and ran to the nearest location for help. I don't remember whatever came of it or what happened after that. I heard this particular story second hand after my father's passing.

I also know there were pretty large marijuana growing operations in the area (just from local news and police busts and what not), so I know there were some shady characters out there.

My dad was a Vietnam combat vet (1st Cav) with PTSD. He was also a gun enthusiast and had a small arsenal. He often went out there just to get away and shoot his favorite guns (though he didn't hunt and didn't believe in killing animals). He told me once "never come out here unless you're carrying." I am not sure what prompted him to say that and I didn't ask.

Eventually I got tired of the trespassers and vandals so I just sold the property. Someone out there really didn't like us trying to keep the land private and I got tired of worrying about it.

Moral of the story, people in rural locations take their property seriously. I can see how Casteel was ticked off at trespassers, but that is no excuse to gun them down (especially 3 of them -- that's definite premeditation).

I personally never cared about the ATV riders. I just didn't like the fact that someone kept messing with my gate. (And what's funny about it is that any ATV could have made it easily around the gate). So whoever did it just did it to send a message.

Where I'm currently living in the north a lot of land from farms and the woods a lot people just passing through use it as their dumping ground for garbage, old cars, and boats. They make sure to care of everything so nothing can be trace back to the dumpers. Sometimes they do it right in the beginning of a well develop neighbourhood. I'm just surprise they havn't found a body yet. Sometimes you get your serial dumpers who can keep coming back they're easy to find and report to the police. A lot of them are people who are city transplants or tourist coming through for the weekend.

Good thread going here. I appreciate the candor of the folks that have lived in the country. I've lived in the big city or suburban areas for most of my life now and it is a lot different. My early years as a child I lived on my family's ranch with my grandmother and spent most summers there as a kid. It was a magical place for me as a child. When uninvited people came by it was always to turn around or they were lost and needed directions. Now my grandma had a gun rack so When that happened it always entered my mind because it's just a different mindset.

With that said if I saw atv riders ride onto our ranch I don't think shooting them would have happened. Maybe confronting yes. And my question would be were they indeed trespassing? In our ranch it is completely gated to include the driveway that we mostly left open if at home. So you couldn't really accidentally trespass...and I don't see such a scenario being possible there.

The land dumping would be a major problem. That's not cool and despite the gates someone recently did that on our ranch. It takes a lot of work to clean up and it is hurtful especially if it was someone that knows you...

I'm not exactly sure where this thread is going, but I live out in the country in the north and we've never had a problem with any of that stuff. My neighbors allow my brother to hunt on their property after he asked their permission. Dogs and other animals frequently roam from one property to another and for the most part, nobody cares. During the first few weeks of us living there, a lamb from a neighboring house wandered onto our property and started eating the leaves off our trees. I found it...rather amusing to be honest. We had just came from living in the city where most of the townsfolk were ritzy snobs, and one of our neighbors used to like to eavesdrop on us.

There are all sorts of amusing stories I have to tell about animals in the country. Sometimes, the horses from one of the neighboring houses would come over and stand at the bird feeder and eat the birdseed! Scared all the birds away. :lol: My black lab would chase them and they would run from her even though she was way smaller than them.

It was all in good fun.

But in regards to the killings, they seem totally senseless to me. Big deal there was some littering on his property, that seems like the kind of thing George Zimmerman would call 911 about. I don't think Casteel had a pre-existing issue with the 3 men he killed, but if he did, the matter could have been easily cleared up by him telling them not to come on his property anymore, and if for some reason that didn't work, getting the police involved. And while I can't tell for certain, it appeared Casteel's property was quite vast, so if there are some issues with noise or trespassing from the ATV's or whatnot at the far end of his property line, I doubt it could have been that much of a disturbance to him. This seems to be an issue of Casteel taking a trivial issue way too seriously and not wanting anyone on *HIS* property.

I'm not exactly sure where this thread is going, but I live out in the country in the north and we've never had a problem with any of that stuff. My neighbors allow my brother to hunt on their property after he asked their permission. Dogs and other animals frequently roam from one property to another and for the most part, nobody cares. During the first few weeks of us living there, a lamb from a neighboring house wandered onto our property and started eating the leaves off our trees. I found it...rather amusing to be honest. We had just came from living in the city where most of the townsfolk were ritzy snobs, and one of our neighbors used to like to eavesdrop on us.

There are all sorts of amusing stories I have to tell about animals in the country. Sometimes, the horses from one of the neighboring houses would come over and stand at the bird feeder and eat the birdseed! Scared all the birds away. :lol: My black lab would chase them and they would run from her even though she was way smaller than them.

It was all in good fun.

But in regards to the killings, they seem totally senseless to me. Big deal there was some littering on his property, that seems like the kind of thing George Zimmerman would call 911 about. I don't think Casteel had a pre-existing issue with the 3 men he killed, but if he did, the matter could have been easily cleared up by him telling them not to come on his property anymore, and if for some reason that didn't work, getting the police involved. And while I can't tell for certain, it appeared Casteel's property was quite vast, so if there are some issues with noise or trespassing from the ATV's or whatnot at the far end of his property line, I doubt it could have been that much of a disturbance to him. This seems to be an issue of Casteel taking a trivial issue way too seriously and not wanting anyone on *HIS* property.
I agree totally....really nothing other than true self defense warrants shooting someone like that and we all know the story.

sorry to get off topic. the animal part is funny. We had animals too and they are the funniest creatures to watch. Cows and chickens in particular are about as dumb as it gets but I love them. I guess our ranch we didn't have any neighbors that we knew or that were close enough aside from 1. And he actually did not care if we went on his land because he knew us. Every now and then a sheriff would come by and look for dumpers. Dumping was a big deal because people would leave their cars, dump appliances, bulk etc that aren't exactly easy to dispose of. People would dump in our nearby creeks too which sucks.

I got chased off a farmer's land once while ATVing on the outskirts of his property. I saw him run to his ATV and start charging toward me. I was fairly far away and he stopped once he saw me zooming down the road.

So, my mom and stepdad live out in the country and my stepdad owns about 300 acres. This is north of Buffalo,NY and not far from the Ontario, Canadian border. Anyways, people are truly nuts in the country lol. This past fall, my stepdad went to climb into his tree stand and (thankfully) happened to notice someone had taken all of the screws out of the board on the part he would stand on. Meaning, had be actually not noticed and stepped onto it, he would've fell straight down and could have ended up paralyzed, seriously injured or even dead. He had just put the tree stand together that week. He had a motion activated camera for deer near the tree stand and when he reviewed the camera, it showed someone intentionally (hiding their face) waived what looked like a puppet or stuffed animal bear in front of the camera. He called the police and they investigated it pretty seriously but in the end they couldn't prove who did it. His neighbor down the street who has had like three DWIs and no license yet still boldly drives his truck all the time has always been jealous of my stepdad. He's pretty sure its this guy but no proof. My stepdad , in retaliation, now calls the cops every time he sees him driving down the road. Its never ending. This guy has also asked permission to hunt on my stepdads property in the past and being pretty intense about hunting my stepdad said no. This guy then snuck on his property and went hunting anyways. My uncle who built his house down the street from my parents was trying to buy more land from this other neighbor who I guess was in the process of changing genders from a man to a woman. Anyways, he apparently told others he thought my uncle was trying to hit on him. lol Lastly, this past summer my uncle had a peeping tom who would park his truck on the side of the road every weekday morning at like 6am and watch my uncle through his bathroom window (don't ask me why when he had his house built he put a floor length window facing the road in his bathroom) lol . After getting his plate the cops came and scared him pretty bad so he never came back after that. I am not making any of this up. Its absolutely crazy. That area is a nice area socio economically speaking so its not some back country trailer park. I have no clue why they are so crazy.

Whether intentionally or unintentionally trespassing, I think what triggered their actual murder was probably a verbal altercation. Casteel comes off to me as an egomaniac and by past accounts chased and threatened others who came on or near his property. I think one of the ATV riders told Casteel off in some manner when Casteel initially threatened the three. That probably enraged Casteel and he shot and killed him. He then knew he had to kill the other two who were eyewitnesses. After reading on this case, I think that's what triggered the murder IMO

So, my mom and stepdad live out in the country and my stepdad owns about 300 acres. This is north of Buffalo,NY and not far from the Ontario, Canadian border. Anyways, people are truly nuts in the country lol. This past fall, my stepdad went to climb into his tree stand and (thankfully) happened to notice someone had taken all of the screws out of the board on the part he would stand on. Meaning, had be actually not noticed and stepped onto it, he would've fell straight down and could have ended up paralyzed, seriously injured or even dead. He had just put the tree stand together that week. He had a motion activated camera for deer near the tree stand and when he reviewed the camera, it showed someone intentionally (hiding their face) waived what looked like a puppet or stuffed animal bear in front of the camera. He called the police and they investigated it pretty seriously but in the end they couldn't prove who did it. His neighbor down the street who has had like three DWIs and no license yet still boldly drives his truck all the time has always been jealous of my stepdad. He's pretty sure its this guy but no proof. My stepdad , in retaliation, now calls the cops every time he sees him driving down the road. Its never ending. This guy has also asked permission to hunt on my stepdads property in the past and being pretty intense about hunting my stepdad said no. This guy then snuck on his property and went hunting anyways. My uncle who built his house down the street from my parents was trying to buy more land from this other neighbor who I guess was in the process of changing genders from a man to a woman. Anyways, he apparently told others he thought my uncle was trying to hit on him. lol Lastly, this past summer my uncle had a peeping tom who would park his truck on the side of the road every weekday morning at like 6am and watch my uncle through his bathroom window (don't ask me why when he had his house built he put a floor length window facing the road in his bathroom) lol . After getting his plate the cops came and scared him pretty bad so he never came back after that. I am not making any of this up. Its absolutely crazy. That area is a nice area socio economically speaking so its not some back country trailer park. I have no clue why they are so crazy.

Whether intentionally or unintentionally trespassing, I think what triggered their actual murder was probably a verbal altercation. Casteel comes off to me as an egomaniac and by past accounts chased and threatened others who came on or near his property. I think one of the ATV riders told Casteel off in some manner when Casteel initially threatened the three. That probably enraged Casteel and he shot and killed him. He then knew he had to kill the other two who were eyewitnesses. After reading on this case, I think that's what triggered the murder IMO

lol that's A good story thankfully your stepdad wasn't injured because then it wouldn't be funny at all. Aside from trying to be a transgender I have 2 uncles who are like that neighbor you described although if they could capitalize off of changing genders in some way I wouldn't put it past them. Aside from that They are out of control in just about every aspect and I don't really talk to them anymore. One actually shot, killed, and cooked his own brothers pig without his permission and they didn't talk for a few years afterward. And that's just one thing that they did that is messed up. You can't make this stuff up. Hashtag countrylivin

I also totally agree about casteel. If it didn't go down that way and he just sniped them for no reason like the UM reenact shows then I'm left speechless. Either way a murderer is what he/she is and they need to do their time. Don't know where his son is coming from with his campaign.

Speaking about country folk, the other day I was trying to find just a little more info on that handsome young guy that's in those dish network commercials, the one that lives in a rural area and is glad he can get satellite out there. The one that pets his horse. I generally hate commercials nowadays, but I always liked this one. I was curious if he was an actor that had been in anything significant. I didn't find anything, but came across several people that were creeped out by another one of the actors in those commercials, the one that says "Now we can do anything we want on the internet." I hadn't noticed it before, but that line is creepy.

Whether intentionally or unintentionally trespassing, I think what triggered their actual murder was probably a verbal altercation. Casteel comes off to me as an egomaniac and by past accounts chased and threatened others who came on or near his property.

Yeah, but UM left out all of this info. They didn't even mention Casteel in the segment (or even refer to him anonymously) which I find odd. I realize they had to be careful naming suspects because of lawsuits and all that, but I've seen them "allude" to possible suspects in other cases (without giving names).

For the best info on the case, you'll have to watch Cold Case Files or City Confidential or whatever other show featured this story (I think there were several). I've seen these before, but it's been a long time. IIRC, Casteel was known around the area for confronting people on his land and brandishing firearms. His land had a popular swimming hole on it called the "blue hole." Again, UM made no mention of this either.

I agree that he and the riders probably had an altercation which led to the shooting.

Wow, here on the Canadian version of Netflix, they just added a new true crime documentary series called "Bloodlands" and it looks like one of the episodes is going to be covering the Signal Mountain ATV murders.

I've never heard of this show and can't find much info about it on the Net. Since this is the Canadian version of Netflix, I don't know if this episode anywhere for viewing in the U.S.

Wow, here on the Canadian version of Netflix, they just added a new true crime documentary series called "Bloodlands" and it looks like one of the episodes is going to be covering the Signal Mountain ATV murders.

I've never heard of this show and can't find much info about it on the Net. Since this is the Canadian version of Netflix, I don't know if this episode anywhere for viewing in the U.S.

You're right, I had even posted a programming alert about it once, so it has aired in the United States.

Wow, here on the Canadian version of Netflix, they just added a new true crime documentary series called "Bloodlands" and it looks like one of the episodes is going to be covering the Signal Mountain ATV murders.

I've never heard of this show and can't find much info about it on the Net. Since this is the Canadian version of Netflix, I don't know if this episode anywhere for viewing in the U.S.

I just watched in on Youtube. It has some details not covered elsewhere. For instance, there was a guy who was a "keeper" of the grounds in the area (he was hired by another land owner not connected to Casteel) and was known to chase people off the land with a shotgun. Police eventually ruled him out because he had a rock solid alibi (in another state).

They also explained who the woman blocking traffic on the road that night was. Apparently it was innocent and had nothing to do with the killings. It took her many years to come forward because her ex-con husband was with her and she was afraid he would get blamed for the murders.

Interesting.

I saw the Bloodlands episode as well. One thing that stuck out to me about the episode is that the driver of the Blue Chevy Nova that was blocking the road, actually called the UM hotline the night that the segment aired. She said her car was there using the headlights to help get their dune buggy out as the engine had stopped on them. She was afraid to call because her husband was an ex con who had recently gotten out of prison.

I saw the Bloodlands episode as well. One thing that stuck out to me about the episode is that the driver of the Blue Chevy Nova that was blocking the road, actually called the UM hotline the night that the segment aired. She said her car was there using the headlights to help get their dune buggy out as the engine had stopped on them. She was afraid to call because her husband was an ex con who had recently gotten out of prison.

So it was a co-in-ci-dence? That is bizarre...

I wonder if they took that bit out of later versions of the story?

So it was a co-in-ci-dence? That is bizarre...

Yep.

The segment also said that the police feel very confidant that Casteel's wife did help him but they did not discuss why she was never charged as an accessory.

Yep.

The segment also said that the police feel very confidant that Casteel's wife did help him but they did not discuss why she was never charged as an accessory.

I'm not sure of the specific reason why Susie Casteel was never charged as an accessory, but given the admitted lack of evidence (although I too definitely believe she DID help dump those ATVs and bodies, and furthermore she had threatened trespassers with a firearm herself on at least one occasion according to the trial transcript) I can see why that never ultimately came to fruition.

For what it's worth, there were a number of recorded telephone conversations admitted into evidence in which Mrs. Casteel discusses being beaten by Mr. Casteel for a number of reasons--one of which is presumed to have been talking about the murders, although it was never expressly stated in those conversations. Nonetheless, I wonder if Mrs. Casteel's status as a "battered wife" did--or even could--come into play here as a possible reason as to why charges against her were never pursued.

http://www.tncourts.gov/sites/default/files/OPINIONS/tcca/PDF/012/casteelfrank.pdf

Thanks for that link, Meg. Its crazy how many people he threatened yet none of them went to the police. Seems like if just one went to the police and the police in turn spoke to him, he may not have continued acting that way.

Great link Meg! I read witness after witness statement describing Casteel shoving a shotgun in peoples faces, intimidating them, and making threats. It even says his wife called Casteel to the scene once, and at one point she was holding the shotgun on some trespassers. The clincher was this statement by Casteel three days before the murders, “people like you driving trucks I generally don’t have a problem with, but people riding them $&#@ four-wheelers, I’ll shoot one of them bastards if I have to.”

If Casteel and his wife were camping together, doesn't it make sense they would be together when Casteel confronted the riders? And two witnesses identified his son Donnie as the Jeep's driver at 1:30 am. Clearly there are people involved that have not been brought to justice.

If Casteel and his wife were camping together, doesn't it make sense they would be together when Casteel confronted the riders? And two witnesses identified his son Donnie as the Jeep's driver at 1:30 am. Clearly there are people involved that have not been brought to justice.

I agree. Seems like his wife and son should have been charged with various crimes for assisting Casteel.

I agree. Seems like his wife and son should have been charged with various crimes for assisting Casteel.
or the person who was directing traffic that day as the witnesses claimed. obviously someone was helping casteel.

Was it ever discovered who the woman directing traffic was?

Was it ever discovered who the woman directing traffic was?

It was never proven but common sense says it was most likely Casteel's wife. Everyone in that family had a screw loose.

HOLY COW! The "Free Casteel" youtube page posted another comp of the news covering his trial. It was revealed that the brother of one of the victims ID'd the ATVs for the cops, then needed to hitch hike home. Who picked him up? Frank Casteel! The men discussed the case and the brother noticed that Casteel's truck bed was wet from a fresh washing.

Okay, that's scary. :eek:

Instead of reading this garbage get the true facts on this case
https://www.amazon.com/Statement-Facts-State-vs-Casteel/dp/0578229722/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=trever+casteel&qid=1591170876&sr=8-1

Instead of reading this garbage get the true facts on this case
https://www.amazon.com/Statement-Facts-State-vs-Casteel/dp/0578229722/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=trever+casteel&qid=1591170876&sr=8-1

Thank you for this link. I am going to read this with an open mind.

Thank you for this link. I am going to read this with an open mind.

:lol::lol::lol::lol::lol:

:lol::lol::lol::lol::lol:

I'm being 100% serious. I'm about 1/3 done now, and am definitely getting some Paul Ferrell-esque vibes from some of the investigators. And by that I mean that the investigators zeroed in on Casteel (even before the bodies were found) and chose not to investigate another equally promising suspect, as well as a group of people (one of which was cleaning a shotgun) near the swimming hole the morning after the men went missing.

I'm being 100% serious. I'm about 1/3 done now, and am definitely getting some Paul Ferrell-esque vibes from some of the investigators. And by that I mean that the investigators zeroed in on Casteel (even before the bodies were found) and chose not to investigate another equally promising suspect, as well as a group of people (one of which was cleaning a shotgun) near the swimming hole the morning after the men went missing.

What motive would someone else have to kill three men and hide their bodies?

They were on Frank's property, so that would give him motive.

What motive would someone else have to kill three men and hide their bodies?

They were on Frank's property, so that would give him motive.

Speculation, and I haven't finished the book yet, but it seems like Casteel's property was along several other dense properties in the area which had many trespassers. There are hints that another local guy, who was known to get aggressive with "outsiders" could have been involved. The same with the prior caretaker to the property. He was known to pull weapons on people who would trespass, and had an altercation with Richard Mason (which he pulled a gun and pointed it at him) 7 months prior to the murders. There were also rumors (a la Norman Ladner & Henry/Ives) that there was drug smuggling going on in that area.

The other point away from someone other than Casteel is that he kept meticulous notes of the people who came and went on his property. When the investigators went and interviewed these people (at the time of the murders), they all agreed that Casteel, while not exactly pleasant, wasn't threatening or angry against them, and for the most part would allow them to swim on his property as long as they went and picked up trash for him. It seems bizarre to me that this guy who approached 50+ people on his property prior, would suddenly just murder 3 guys ATV'ing out of the blue one night.

The other point away from someone other than Casteel is that he kept meticulous notes of the people who came and went on his property. When the investigators went and interviewed these people (at the time of the murders), they all agreed that Casteel, while not exactly pleasant, wasn't threatening or angry against them, and for the most part would allow them to swim on his property as long as they went and picked up trash for him. It seems bizarre to me that this guy who approached 50+ people on his property prior, would suddenly just murder 3 guys ATV'ing out of the blue one night.

Interesting. I read some fascinating things about Mr. Casteel:

"A total of eighteen witnesses testified at Casteel's trial, describing their encounters with him while on his property. In most cases, he threatened them while wielding a shotgun. In some cases, he pointed the shotgun at the heads of the witnesses. Two witnesses testified that on the day of the murders, they were headed to the "blue hole" when he confronted them with a shotgun."

"Yet another witness testified that one of the trespassers Casteel was annoyed by was "Mason", the last name of one of the victims. He told another witness that he was specifically annoyed by ATV riders and "may have to shoot one of them if [I] have to"."

Sounds like Frank came through on his promise

Interesting. I read some fascinating things about Mr. Casteel:

"A total of eighteen witnesses testified at Casteel's trial, describing their encounters with him while on his property. In most cases, he threatened them while wielding a shotgun. In some cases, he pointed the shotgun at the heads of the witnesses. Two witnesses testified that on the day of the murders, they were headed to the "blue hole" when he confronted them with a shotgun."

"Yet another witness testified that one of the trespassers Casteel was annoyed by was "Mason", the last name of one of the victims. He told another witness that he was specifically annoyed by ATV riders and "may have to shoot one of them if [I] have to"."

Sounds like Frank came through on his promise

The 2 witnesses who says he confronted them on the day of the murder say that he was non-threatening and never pointed the shotgun at them. Also, Casteel's shotgun did not match any of the shell casings found at the crime scene. No blood was found on his jeep. Nothing of evidentiary value was found in his home. Multiple residents in that area would be known to carry weapons, even if they were to go ATV riding (one of the murdered men is alleged to have always carried a .44 with him at all times), hiking, hunting, etc. When you read this book, which cites several police interviews and newspaper articles written at this time, the carrying a shotgun around isn't as weird as I once thought it was. There is also this imaginary caricature of Casteel as this backwoods hillbilly (a la Deliverance) patrolling his property and confronting trespassers constantly. In reality, he was a semi-brilliant engineer who held a full time job and worked and lived roughly 40 minutes away from the vast property where the murders were committed. Casteel would mostly visit the property to meet with surveyors and prospective builders, because he was eventually going to build a home on the property and relocate his family there.

Also side note regarding Casteel's first trial:

7 of the jurors answered "I agree" when, during the jury selection process, they were posed the question, "In this case, Frank Casteel should take the witness stand to prove he is innocent."

ETA: The 2 witnesses who testified as to being confronted by Casteel on the day of his murders (at his trial in 1996) told detectives in 1989 and 1990 that Casteel did not point the gun at either of them, and that he was not angry or confrontational. At his trial, when confronted with the fact that their testimony was different than their initial statements to the police, they said it was because they thought that by "pointing" they were meaning that Casteel raised his gun up to his shoulder and took aim at them, and they claim that he did not do that, but held the gun at his waist and pointed it at them.

Another witness alleged that Casteel approached him and 2 of his friends while in their car (and on his property) and that Casteel cocked a shotgun and pointed it at their dash and said they had to leave or he would shoot them. One of the friends testified that he was too scared to report it to police. But in his initial police statement when asked why he didn't report it, he said, "I just didn't, I don't know, I didn't think it was that bad of an incident, you know what I mean. I mean we were trespassing, we were in the wrong you know. I just didn't think it was that big of a deal." What's interesting about all of this is that the date listed in Casteel's logbook shows that this was prior to him owning a shotgun.

A couple testified at Casteel's trial that Casteel stopped them and approached them in a threatening manner demanding their driver's licenses or identification. They said that Casteel said that they were "playing a dangerous game", but then say that he calmly said he was just trying to keep the peace around on his property for his family. The female then said, "And the gun keeps the peace?" The implication is that if Casteel was as threatening as they testified, why would the female feel comfortable enough to get smart with him like that?

I'm close to halfway done the book at this point. As of right now, Casteel seems guilty of nothing more than being an ******* to people on his property.

The 2 witnesses who says he confronted them on the day of the murder say that he was non-threatening and never pointed the shotgun at them. Also, Casteel's shotgun did not match any of the shell casings found at the crime scene. No blood was found on his jeep. Nothing of evidentiary value was found in his home. Multiple residents in that area would be known to carry weapons, even if they were to go ATV riding (one of the murdered men is alleged to have always carried a .44 with him at all times), hiking, hunting, etc. When you read this book, which cites several police interviews and newspaper articles written at this time, the carrying a shotgun around isn't as weird as I once thought it was. There is also this imaginary caricature of Casteel as this backwoods hillbilly (a la Deliverance) patrolling his property and confronting trespassers constantly. In reality, he was a semi-brilliant engineer who held a full time job and worked and lived roughly 40 minutes away from the vast property where the murders were committed. Casteel would mostly visit the property to meet with surveyors and prospective builders, because he was eventually going to build a home on the property and relocate his family there.

Also side note regarding Casteel's first trial:

7 of the jurors answered "I agree" when, during the jury selection process, they were posed the question, "In this case, Frank Casteel should take the witness stand to prove he is innocent."

ETA: The 2 witnesses who testified as to being confronted by Casteel on the day of his murders (at his trial in 1996) told detectives in 1989 and 1990 that Casteel did not point the gun at either of them, and that he was not angry or confrontational. At his trial, when confronted with the fact that their testimony was different than their initial statements to the police, they said it was because they thought that by "pointing" they were meaning that Casteel raised his gun up to his shoulder and took aim at them, and they claim that he did not do that, but held the gun at his waist and pointed it at them.

Another witness alleged that Casteel approached him and 2 of his friends while in their car (and on his property) and that Casteel cocked a shotgun and pointed it at their dash and said they had to leave or he would shoot them. One of the friends testified that he was too scared to report it to police. But in his initial police statement when asked why he didn't report it, he said, "I just didn't, I don't know, I didn't think it was that bad of an incident, you know what I mean. I mean we were trespassing, we were in the wrong you know. I just didn't think it was that big of a deal." What's interesting about all of this is that the date listed in Casteel's logbook shows that this was prior to him owning a shotgun.

A couple testified at Casteel's trial that Casteel stopped them and approached them in a threatening manner demanding their driver's licenses or identification. They said that Casteel said that they were "playing a dangerous game", but then say that he calmly said he was just trying to keep the peace around on his property for his family. The female then said, "And the gun keeps the peace?" The implication is that if Casteel was as threatening as they testified, why would the female feel comfortable enough to get smart with him like that?

I'm close to halfway done the book at this point. As of right now, Casteel seems guilty of nothing more than being an ******* to people on his property.

Weird. It's like we're reading two very different things about Frank.

"Casteel claimed that he and his wife were at a campsite on his property on the night of the murders. It was in close proximity to "the gate". Several witnesses reported hearing gunshots from his property that night. Witnesses also saw him driving his Jeep Scrambler that night. A jeep matching this description was seen later that night with ATVs in the back. Throughout the night, the jeep was seen multiple times near the sites where the ATVs and the bodies were later found."

"Early the next morning, a witness saw a woman washing blood out of the back of a jeep at a local car wash. She told him that the blood was from a pig that she had taken to a slaughterhouse. However, the witness was suspicious because slaughterhouses were normally closed on Sundays. He wrote down the license plate of the jeep; it belonged to Casteel. Later that day, a witness (coincidentally Kenneth's brother) was given a ride by Casteel in his jeep. He noticed that the back of the jeep was wet, which was odd since it had not rained recently."

"A few weeks before the murders, Casteel told three men to "get off my property or I'll shoot you". A witness also testified that she asked him about dealing with trespassers, and he stated that he "would kill if he had to". Another witness testified that he had fired above the head of his friend while they were trespassing and said that if the trespassing didn't stop, he "would have to start shooting people".

"Casteel claimed that he and his wife were at a campsite on his property on the night of the murders. It was in close proximity to "the gate". Several witnesses reported hearing gunshots from his property that night. Witnesses also saw him driving his Jeep Scrambler that night. A jeep matching this description was seen later that night with ATVs in the back. Throughout the night, the jeep was seen multiple times near the sites where the ATVs and the bodies were later found."

These witnesses saw the jeep, with a Collie in the backseat, leaving the area in the early morning hours (6-7 a.m.) after the murders. The jeep was being driven by a woman. Casteel, his wife, and the other couple he was camping with testified that their dog was sick and that they had left the medication at their home. So Casteel's wife left the area with the dog to go get the medication. The woman who says she saw a jeep leaving the area towing the ATV's knew Casteel and knew his jeep. She told the police that it was not Casteel's jeep. This was overlooked at his trial.


"Early the next morning, a witness saw a woman washing blood out of the back of a jeep at a local car wash. She told him that the blood was from a pig that she had taken to a slaughterhouse. However, the witness was suspicious because slaughterhouses were normally closed on Sundays. He wrote down the license plate of the jeep; it belonged to Casteel. Later that day, a witness (coincidentally Kenneth's brother) was given a ride by Casteel in his jeep. He noticed that the back of the jeep was wet, which was odd since it had not rained recently."

This same man said 2 months prior to the trial that the vehicle he saw this woman cleaning out blood from was a pickup truck. He also saw Casteel and his jeep 2 days after the murders at a "command post" the investigators had set up. He testified that this was when someone had pointed out to him Casteel and how he was a potential suspect in the murders.

Casteel took his daughter and a friend swimming on the day he ran into Kenneth's brother. Which could explain why there was remnants of water in the jeep. Casteel gave a ride to Kenneth's brother because he and some other men had gotten their vehicle stuck in the mud. Some of the men stayed behind while Casteel left with Kenneth's brother and one other man. The ones that stayed behind ultimately were the ones that found the ATVs. Why would Casteel be so brazen to drive back to the area where he dumped the ATVs and then agree to give some of the men and not all of them a lift? And luminal testing on his jeep was negative.

"A few weeks before the murders, Casteel told three men to "get off my property or I'll shoot you". A witness also testified that she asked him about dealing with trespassers, and he stated that he "would kill if he had to". Another witness testified that he had fired above the head of his friend while they were trespassing and said that if the trespassing didn't stop, he "would have to start shooting people".

The same 2 men who said that Casteel said he "would have to start shooting people" initially told police that he approached them, one of the men took off on his motorbike and the other was left behind stranded in his jeep because the engine was dead. The man with the jeep says that Casteel followed him out of the property. "Cause my engine died, my battery was dead, or alternator wasn't charging, and he pulled me till I got it started and he just, well, he made sure that I made it all the way out." Does this sound like someone who just threatened these 2 men to then go around and help one of them get their vehicle started and help him find his way off of the property?

Casteel's prints (nor his wife) didn't match a bloody palm print found on one of the ATVs. The slugs found at the murder site did not come from Casteel's shotgun. Blood was not found in his jeep. Literally the only evidence against him was people claiming to have been confronted on his property while he was holding a shotgun. Often times their stories changed from what they initially told police to when they testified at his trial. There is no way in the world that I would have convicted him off of that.

Casteel's prints (nor his wife) matched a bloody palm print found on one of the ATVs. The slugs found at the murder site did not come from Casteel's shotgun. Blood was not found in his jeep. Literally the only evidence against him was people claiming to have been confronted on his property while he was holding a shotgun. Often times their stories changed from what they initially told police to when they testified at his trial. There is no way in the world that I would have convicted him off of that.

I'll agree here. While I think he had the motive, means, and opportunity, there was nothing concrete to convict him with

At Casteel's 2nd trial, a local man who had been dumpster diving in the area on the evening of the murders. He says that when leaving the area to head home (around 7:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.) he was stopped by a woman in the road (which was shown on UM), and he argued with the woman to let him pass. She begrudgingly moved her vehicle (which was blocking the road), and when the man drove past, he claims to have seen 2 men dumping the ATVs from a pickup truck. He identified one of the men as the previous caretaker of the Casteel property, the same man who had a prior history with Richard Mason, the same man who fired at Richard Mason for trespassing on the land prior to Casteel purchasing the land.

At Casteel's 2nd trial, a local man who had been dumpster diving in the area on the evening of the murders. He says that when leaving the area to head home (around 7:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.) he was stopped by a woman in the road (which was shown on UM), and he argued with the woman to let him pass. She begrudgingly moved her vehicle (which was blocking the road), and when the man drove past, he claims to have seen 2 men dumping the ATVs from a pickup truck. He identified one of the men as the previous caretaker of the Casteel property, the same man who had a prior history with Richard Mason, the same man who fired at Richard Mason for trespassing on the land prior to Casteel purchasing the land.

Previous caretaker though, the land had now belonged to Frank so why would he kill Mason now?

It's possible that he was helping Frank with the ATV's but I'm sure that was Frank's wife in the truck. I read the tape transcripts of when Marie Hill's house was bugged and his wife seemed adamant that she "helped" him do something illegal.

Previous caretaker though, the land had now belonged to Frank so why would he kill Mason now?

It's possible that he was helping Frank with the ATV's but I'm sure that was Frank's wife in the truck. I read the tape transcripts of when Marie Hill's house was bugged and his wife seemed adamant that she "helped" him do something illegal.

The caretaker and Richard Mason had issues. 7 months prior to Casteel purchasing the land was when he fired his gun at Mason. This area was heavily frequented by locals (one of whom was the previous caretaker). It's entirely possible that they ran into each other and had a confrontation which lead to their murders near Casteel's property.

Casteel's wife made reference to "helping him up on that mountain" in the tape. She gave up her inheritance which funding the purchasing of the land. This could have been a reference to that.

One would think that if she knew that Casteel was a murderer, she would have been more vocal about it to the police (since Casteel was having an affair with Marie Hill). In fact, she had the perfect opportunity to throw him under the bus while he was carrying on his affair with Hill, but she never did.

Here are portions of the transcript that are the most daming, IMO:

Wife:
"I've stood by you through one of the worst things we could ever go through. I had myself drug down to the police station and fingerprinted because of what you've done. What I went through eight years ago, doesn't that prove to you that I love you?"

Casteel says nothing.

Wife:
"About the murders on the mountain. See there is a law that I don't have to testify against my husband. But if we were divorced, then I would have to testify against him, if they ever arrested him."

Casteel:
"That should really scare me I suppose."

Wife:
"No, I don't think so, because you know that I wouldn't do it."

This could be taken 2 ways. She either knows he's guilty and is pleading with him to prove that she really loves him and how she would never turn him in, OR she is pleading with him by saying she was the only one who stuck up for him when everyone else thought he was guilty.

The caretaker and Richard Mason had issues. 7 months prior to Casteel purchasing the land was when he fired his gun at Mason. This area was heavily frequented by locals (one of whom was the previous caretaker). It's entirely possible that they ran into each other and had a confrontation which lead to their murders near Casteel's property.

He didn't live on the property anymore, so him driving back and forth disposing of ATV's should've caught Franks attention. Why didn't Frank confront the caretaker about his suspicious movements? Why didn't he tell the police? It seems like Frank kept a keen eye on his property and was constantly confronting people.

Castell's wife made reference to "helping him up on that mountain" in the tape. She gave up her inheritance which funding the purchasing of the land. This could have been a reference to that.

One would think that if she knew that Casteel was a murderer, she would have been more vocal about it to the police (since Casteel was having an affair with Marie Hill). In fact, she had the perfect opportunity to throw him under the bus while he was carrying on his affair with Hill, but she never did.

Saying she was "helping him up ON that mountain" wouldn't make sense in terms of her helping purchasing the land. That obviously implies that she was helping him with something else ON the mountain.

If she helped Frank as an accessory then maybe she didn't want to implicate herself by snitching because then Frank could also rat her out. I also read that Frank heavily abused her, so it's possible that she suffered from battered woman syndrome and was afraid of him.

It seems like his wife sent out letters stating that Frank was a murderer to Marie.


"Another tipster led them to Marie Hill, who was having an affair with Casteel. She had received "anonymous" letters from his wife, stating that he was responsible for the murders. He later took one from her and burned it, claiming that it had "harmful" information about him. She later agreed to have her house bugged in an attempt to get a confession from Casteel. However, during their meeting, his wife burst into Marie's home and confronted them both. She noted that she had helped Casteel with "something" on the mountain. However, they did not directly confess to the murders."

He didn't live on the property anymore, so him driving back and forth disposing of ATV's should've caught Franks attention. Why didn't Frank confront the caretaker about his suspicious movements? Why didn't he tell the police? It seems like Frank kept a keen eye on his property and was constantly confronting people.

Casteel never encountered the previous caretaker on his property after it was sold as far as I know. The ATVs were found miles away from Casteel's property. Apparently Casteel's campsite and the area he was known to "patrol" on his property was nowhere near "the gate" area where the murders were committed. Look at this map (https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Roberts+Gap,+Tennessee+37377/The+Hellican,+Tennessee+37377/35.2382095,-85.2939464/@35.2291866,-85.3019245,6323m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m15!4m14!1m5!1m1!1s0x88608ca5f49720a1:0x704fa5e9cfb95eb7!2m2!1d-85.2616258!2d35.2170135!1m5!1m1!1s0x8860f37246a3436b:0x5ec8beb628f7d539!2m2!1d-85.3049604!2d35.2300696!1m0!3e0). The murder site was "The Hellican", the spot off of Roberts Mill Road was the approximate spot where the ATVs were found, and the "Hamilton County School District" spot is where Casteel and his wife were camped out for the night. This was the spot where he usually "patrolled" because it lead to a road that went right into the "blue hole". So if Casteel and his wife were camped out there, "patrolling" the blue hole area, he wouldn't have been anywhere near the murder site that evening. It should be noted that "the gate" was not on Casteel's property. Casteel's property started at that power line (marked on the map as Adams Ridge) and it extended north. I believe you could have accessed a road at "the gate" which eventually crossed into Casteel's property and then the blue hole, but he would have no reason to be patrolling around that area that wasn't even his property. All but one of the alleged encounters between Casteel and trespassers took place near the power lines at the blue hole (where he was camped the night of the murders). The one encounter that was alleged to have taken place by "the gate", this person says they were confronted by a woman with a shotgun.


Saying she was "helping him up ON that mountain" wouldn't make sense in terms of her helping purchasing the land. That obviously implies that she was helping him with something else ON the mountain.

I mean this is subjective, but it's certainly not evidence that she is admitting to helping him cover up the murders.

If she helped Frank as an accessory then maybe she didn't want to implicate herself by snitching because then Frank could also rat her out. I also read that Frank heavily abused her, so it's possible that she suffered from battered woman syndrome and was afraid of him.

So Casteel would have had to have killed the 3 men, ditched the ATVs (with the help of his wife, because of severe back issues he was having at the time), cleaned up the crime scene, dump the bodies 11 miles away, clean up the crime scene, his jeep, and do all of this to where his wife could then take their dog back home (as seen by a neighbor) in the early morning hours between 6:30 and 7 a.m.? All of this would have to have been accomplished in complete darkness. I don't see how it would be possible.

"Another tipster led them to Marie Hill, who was having an affair with Casteel. She had received "anonymous" letters from his wife, stating that he was responsible for the murders. He later took one from her and burned it, claiming that it had "harmful" information about him. She later agreed to have her house bugged in an attempt to get a confession from Casteel. However, during their meeting, his wife burst into Marie's home and confronted them both. She noted that she had helped Casteel with "something" on the mountain. However, they did not directly confess to the murders."

This letter was never produced, because the mistress, who was working with police, claimed that Casteel threw it into a fire. She was allowed to testify at his first and second trial about the contents of this letter, despite no evidence of this ever existing. I believe Casteel's wife admitted to sending anonymous letters to his mistress in an attempt to scare her away from seeing him. The big implication was that Casteel was a suspect in a triple murder. There wasn't anything incriminating in these letters, nor did they ever elicit a confession from Casteel (or his wife, outside of the vague phrasing) in any of the audio tapes.

Casteel never encountered the previous caretaker on his property after it was sold as far as I know. The ATVs were found miles away from Casteel's property. Apparently Casteel's campsite and the area he was known to "patrol" on his property was nowhere near "the gate" area where the murders were committed. Look at this map (https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Roberts+Gap,+Tennessee+37377/The+Hellican,+Tennessee+37377/35.2382095,-85.2939464/@35.2291866,-85.3019245,6323m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m15!4m14!1m5!1m1!1s0x88608ca5f49720a1:0x704fa5e9cfb95eb7!2m2!1d-85.2616258!2d35.2170135!1m5!1m1!1s0x8860f37246a3436b:0x5ec8beb628f7d539!2m2!1d-85.3049604!2d35.2300696!1m0!3e0). The murder site was "The Hellican", the spot off of Roberts Mill Road was the approximate spot where the ATVs were found, and the "Hamilton County School District" spot is where Casteel and his wife were camped out for the night. This was the spot where he usually "patrolled" because it lead to a road that went right into the "blue hole". So if Casteel and his wife were camped out there, "patrolling" the blue hole area, he wouldn't have been anywhere near the murder site that evening. It should be noted that "the gate" was not on Casteel's property. Casteel's property started at that power line (marked on the map as Adams Ridge) and it extended north. I believe you could have accessed a road at "the gate" which eventually crossed into Casteel's property and then the blue hole, but he would have no reason to be patrolling around that area that wasn't even his property. All but one of the alleged encounters between Casteel and trespassers took place near the power lines at the blue hole (where he was camped the night of the murders). The one encounter that was alleged to have taken place by "the gate", this person says they were confronted by a woman with a shotgun.


If the ATVs and bodies were moved then isn't it possible that they were riding on Frank's property or close to where he was camped before the murders took place? I mean if you murdered someone and didn't want to be tied to that murder then you'd move the evidence far from your own property. And the woman with the shotgun was possibly his wife, since it was close to his property


So Casteel would have had to have killed the 3 men, ditched the ATVs (with the help of his wife, because of severe back issues he was having at the time), cleaned up the crime scene, dump the bodies 11 miles away, clean up the crime scene, his jeep, and do all of this to where his wife could then take their dog back home (as seen by a neighbor) in the early morning hours between 6:30 and 7 a.m.? All of this would have to have been accomplished in complete darkness. I don't see how it would be possible.

So how would the caretaker have accomplished this? There was a woman blocking the road and they said there was a second "man" helping. So if the caretaker was there visiting then how did he quickly get all of these people to help him?

I don't understand your logic about Frank and his family not being able to do all of this in darkness, but a visitor could?

Frank lived nearby, wouldn't it make more sense for someone who lived nearby to have access to flashlights, tools, etc?

The problem with your theory is that you don't know if the caretaker was actually there or not. That's an assumption. It's a fact that Frank owned the land and lived near to where the ATVs were found

The caretaker and Richard Mason had issues. 7 months prior to Casteel purchasing the land was when he fired his gun at Mason. This area was heavily frequented by locals (one of whom was the previous caretaker). It's entirely possible that they ran into each other and had a confrontation which lead to their murders near Casteel's property.

Casteel's wife made reference to "helping him up on that mountain" in the tape. She gave up her inheritance which funding the purchasing of the land. This could have been a reference to that.

One would think that if she knew that Casteel was a murderer, she would have been more vocal about it to the police (since Casteel was having an affair with Marie Hill). In fact, she had the perfect opportunity to throw him under the bus while he was carrying on his affair with Hill, but she never did.

Here are portions of the transcript that are the most daming, IMO:

Wife:
"I've stood by you through one of the worst things we could ever go through. I had myself drug down to the police station and fingerprinted because of what you've done. What I went through eight years ago, doesn't that prove to you that I love you?"

Casteel says nothing.

Wife:
"About the murders on the mountain. See there is a law that I don't have to testify against my husband. But if we were divorced, then I would have to testify against him, if they ever arrested him."

Casteel:
"That should really scare me I suppose."

Wife:
"No, I don't think so, because you know that I wouldn't do it."

This could be taken 2 ways. She either knows he's guilty and is pleading with him to prove that she really loves him and how she would never turn him in, OR she is pleading with him by saying she was the only one who stuck up for him when everyone else thought he was guilty.

The caretaker you are referring to was Cecil Hickman. He was investigated and its believed he was in Kentucky at the time of the murders and was ruled out as a suspect. Though how much was done to verify this alibi is not clear. And the witness who supposedly saw him dumping the ATV's was believed to have credibility issues.

Also, I knew for awhile that the gate was not on Casteel's property, was always my impression that it was within a stone's throw, would be interested to know exactly how far it was from his line. And if the no trespassing signs there were his. I do know that his property was about 130 acres. That's a good sized piece of land for sure, but small enough it would not be that difficult to partol different parts of it, especially if you had a vehicle and roads all around it. I worked many years as a land surveyor and even 500 and 600 acre pieces of property provided there were trails and roads could be traversed in a relatively short time. So i don't think proximity in this case is enough of a problem to cast doubt on Casteel's guilt. To put it into perspective, a square mile is 640 acres and his tract was only 130 or so. And it was established that these men were definitely headed for the blue hole on Casteel's property that night.

Still, you raise some interesting points. I would personally be interested to know who the adjacent landowners were and if any of them had a reputation for threatening people. Because its pretty obvious whoever shot these guys took great pains to protect the crime scene, something I think only a land owner or someone with strong ties to it would do. I don't see a strong enough motive for Hickman to do that.

Also, that Trevor Casteel is going to these lengths to try and clear his dad's name is admittedly interesting. Given Frank is dead he doesn't have much to gain at this point, name clearing is not generally a big time interest for killers or protectors of killers, mostly its just to get them out of prison or to save their neck.

This is yet another case where people who were local residents at the time of the murders might could come on the board and shed some light on this. At the very least clear up some of the he said she said about exactly how Casteel was with trespassers whether he was generally threatening or relatively benign.

I still lean towards Casteel being guilty, but you never know.

If the ATVs and bodies were moved then isn't it possible that they were riding on Frank's property or close to where he was camped before the murders took place? I mean if you murdered someone and didn't want to be tied to that murder then you'd move the evidence far from your own property. And the woman with the shotgun was possibly his wife, since it was close to his property

The murder site was at the gate because that's where blood evidence was found. Obviously whoever killed the men would want to move around the evidence. I should point out that in Trever Casteel's book, he says that 2 men admitted to being present when a blood hound trainer, who was carrying a bucket of blood to use to help get the dog to search for blood, spilled blood near the gate, and that these men covered the blood spots with leaves. His argument is that the gate may not have been the actual murder site.

So how would the caretaker have accomplished this? There was a woman blocking the road and they said there was a second "man" helping. So if the caretaker was there visiting then how did he quickly get all of these people to help him?

The witness said that it was Cecil Hickman, the previous caretaker, and one of his sons who were dumping the ATVs.

I don't understand your logic about Frank and his family not being able to do all of this in darkness, but a visitor could?

A visitor wasn't seen at 6:30 the morning after the murders leaving in a relatively clean vehicle with a dog in the backseat.

The problem with your theory is that you don't know if the caretaker was actually there or not. That's an assumption. It's a fact that Frank owned the land and lived near to where the ATVs were found

And if the men's bodies were found prior to the ATVs, Casteel would have never been a suspect, IMO. The bodies were dumped 11 miles away from Signal Mountain.

The caretaker you are referring to was Cecil Hickman. He was investigated and its believed he was in Kentucky at the time of the murders and was ruled out as a suspect. Though how much was done to verify this alibi is not clear. And the witness who supposedly saw him dumping the ATV's was believed to have credibility issues.

Hickman's alibi was that he was at a county fair in Kentucky on the 9th, and that he was looking forward to attending a tractor pull event, but it got rained out. Trever Casteel uncovered evidence that this fair was not until 2 weeks after the date given by Hickman to the authorities.

Also, I knew for awhile that the gate was not on Casteel's property, was always my impression that it was within a stone's throw, would be interested to know exactly how far it was from his line. And if the no trespassing signs there were his. I do know that his property was about 130 acres. That's a good sized piece of land for sure, but small enough it would not be that difficult to partol different parts of it, especially if you had a vehicle and roads all around it. I worked many years as a land surveyor and even 500 and 600 acre pieces of property provided there were trails and roads could be traversed in a relatively short time. So i don't think proximity in this case is enough of a problem to cast doubt on Casteel's guilt. To put it into perspective, a square mile is 640 acres and his tract was only 130 or so. And it was established that these men were definitely headed for the blue hole on Casteel's property that night.

I wish there was a map available which accurately showed Casteel's property line, but the sense that I got from reading Trever's book was that Casteel's property line started around the power lines, and extended north. I believe people used "the gate" to access the blue hole, but they would have to trespass on Casteel's property to access the blue hole. According to one of Casteel's appeals online, the gate area was approximately eight-tenths of a mile away from Casteel's campground.

Still, you raise some interesting points. I would personally be interested to know who the adjacent landowners were and if any of them had a reputation for threatening people. Because its pretty obvious whoever shot these guys took great pains to protect the crime scene, something I think only a land owner or someone with strong ties to it would do. I don't see a strong enough motive for Hickman to do that.

I just find it bizarre that Casteel would up and blow 3 guys riding ATVs away on his anniversary, and then have one or more people help him clean up the scene and dump the bodies, etc. Especially since they were expecting company the day after the murders.

I still lean towards Casteel being guilty, but you never know.

I finished the book, and Trever Casteel is obviously extremely biased towards his father, but he wrote a fairly convincing book. I don't think the book proves his father was innocent (and I don't think that was the intention, to be honest), but rather there was certainly enough reasonable doubt to not convict Casteel. His last chapter in the book is what he would have used as a closing argument at Casteel's trial, and it's very convincing.

Hickman's alibi was that he was at a county fair in Kentucky on the 9th, and that he was looking forward to attending a tractor pull event, but it got rained out. Trever Casteel uncovered evidence that this fair was not until 2 weeks after the date given by Hickman to the authorities.



I wish there was a map available which accurately showed Casteel's property line, but the sense that I got from reading Trever's book was that Casteel's property line started around the power lines, and extended north. I believe people used "the gate" to access the blue hole, but they would have to trespass on Casteel's property to access the blue hole. According to one of Casteel's appeals online, the gate area was approximately eight-tenths of a mile away from Casteel's campground.



I just find it bizarre that Casteel would up and blow 3 guys riding ATVs away on his anniversary, and then have one or more people help him clean up the scene and dump the bodies, etc. Especially since they were expecting company the day after the murders.



I finished the book, and Trever Casteel is obviously extremely biased towards his father, but he wrote a fairly convincing book. I don't think the book proves his father was innocent (and I don't think that was the intention, to be honest), but rather there was certainly enough reasonable doubt to not convict Casteel. His last chapter in the book is what he would have used as a closing argument at Casteel's trial, and it's very convincing.

Point taken about the alibi. But I still don't think it was Hickman.

Reason being is because I don't think these murders were planned ahead of time. Whatever happened that night, it was spur of the moment. Simply because other than their families who knew these guys were going to be out there that particular night? Hickman was no longer the caretaker, and though he may have still hung around in that area, the chances of him just happening to be there that very night and running into these guys has to be pretty slim.

As to what caused Casteel to blow that night assuming he did it, From everything I can gather, Griffith, Smock, and Mason were not lightweights and didn't sound like the type of guys who took kindly to being threatened. I think its entirely possible they mistook Casteel for a blowhard and told him to go pound sand when he tried to run them off, and it was a tragic miscalculation. We know Casteel had a temper and was abusive to his wife, the whole thing could have escalated. The fact that he was having time with his wife that night could have even been a catalyst, he didn't like being bothered at all and especially not on their anniversary time. They could have bucked him when he tried to run them off and he just snapped.

As for the proximity issue, is that 8/10ths of a mile from his line or 8/10ths from the campground? That's a little over 4000 feet. Can be traversed on an ATV or jeep in 2-3 minutes and walked in rough 10. He could have heard them coming and went out there. Depending on the shape of Casteel's tract, with a 130 acres you could conceivably be 8/10ths of a mile from your line and still be on your property. To put it in perspective a 4000 ft by 2000 ft tract is about 183 acres, and a 4000 by 1000 tract is about 90 some acres with 130 falling in between. Given that, I don't think proximity to the gate is a big enough issue to cast doubt on Casteel's guilt.

The one thing I would be interested to know, is if Casteel didn't own the exact spot of the murders who did? Because if he didn't do it, I think whoever did has to be the killer.

Reason being is because I don't think these murders were planned ahead of time. Whatever happened that night, it was spur of the moment. Simply because other than their families who knew these guys were going to be out there that particular night? Hickman was no longer the caretaker, and though he may have still hung around in that area, the chances of him just happening to be there that very night and running into these guys has to be pretty slim.

Trever's book notes that a private investigator was hired by Casteel's defense team. I found one of Casteel's appeals online, which goes over what the PI uncovered about the Hickman's. Apparently the elder Hickman was the one who had an issue with Richard Mason. He also found 3 witnesses who said they were confronted by Hickman's sons and that the Hickman's would "pull guns on everyone that was up there." One of these witnesses said that there were low-flying airplanes in the area, and that there were rumors that the Hickman's were involved with drugs. This would be a perfect motive to kill the 3 men, had they rolled up in the middle of a drug deal or a drug drop.

As to what caused Casteel to blow that night assuming he did it, From everything I can gather, Griffith, Smock, and Mason were not lightweights and didn't sound like the type of guys who took kindly to being threatened. I think its entirely possible they mistook Casteel for a blowhard and told him to go pound sand when he tried to run them off, and it was a tragic miscalculation. We know Casteel had a temper and was abusive to his wife, the whole thing could have escalated. The fact that he was having time with his wife that night could have even been a catalyst, he didn't like being bothered at all and especially not on their anniversary time. They could have bucked him when he tried to run them off and he just snapped.

This is possible.

As for the proximity issue, is that 8/10ths of a mile from his line or 8/10ths from the campground? That's a little over 4000 feet. Can be traversed on an ATV or jeep in 2-3 minutes and walked in rough 10. He could have heard them coming and went out there. Depending on the shape of Casteel's tract, with a 130 acres you could conceivably be 8/10ths of a mile from your line and still be on your property. To put it in perspective a 4000 ft by 2000 ft tract is about 183 acres, and a 4000 by 1000 tract is about 90 some acres with 130 falling in between. Given that, I don't think proximity to the gate is a big enough issue to cast doubt on Casteel's guilt.

Casteel was camping right near the power lines, which is where his property line started. So his property started about 8/10 away from the gate area. Had he heard ATVs in the area, I think the murder scene would have been closer to his campground rather than right at the gate. Because every single person who says that Casteel confronted them says that he did so whenever they would have crossed over the power lines.

The one thing I would be interested to know, is if Casteel didn't own the exact spot of the murders who did? Because if he didn't do it, I think whoever did has to be the killer.

It appears that some of what is referred to as "Helican Road" (which was the dirt path you would take to access the gate, and then ultimately the blue hole) was not owned by anyone, but that when crossing the power lines, part of the road was on Casteel's property. I made a map of what the area and the pertinent spots below. The black line is an approximation of "Helican Road" and how it lead from Sivley Trail up to the Blue Hole. The pencil marked line is the approximation of the Casteel property line along the power lines. I marked a spot on the map where Stanley Nixon, the man who had loaned one of his ATVs to the 3 men on the evening of their murders, had spotted a family camping on the morning after the murders. Nixon went to search for the men and followed ATV tracks until he came upon a family camping. The family was swimming except for the adult male who was sitting down cleaning a gun. Nixon did not ask the man his name, nor did he recognize him.

https://i.ibb.co/hWC18GR/Casteel.png

Weird. It's like we're reading two very different things about Frank.

"Casteel claimed that he and his wife were at a campsite on his property on the night of the murders. It was in close proximity to "the gate". Several witnesses reported hearing gunshots from his property that night. Witnesses also saw him driving his Jeep Scrambler that night. A jeep matching this description was seen later that night with ATVs in the back. Throughout the night, the jeep was seen multiple times near the sites where the ATVs and the bodies were later found."

"Early the next morning, a witness saw a woman washing blood out of the back of a jeep at a local car wash. She told him that the blood was from a pig that she had taken to a slaughterhouse. However, the witness was suspicious because slaughterhouses were normally closed on Sundays. He wrote down the license plate of the jeep; it belonged to Casteel. Later that day, a witness (coincidentally Kenneth's brother) was given a ride by Casteel in his jeep. He noticed that the back of the jeep was wet, which was odd since it had not rained recently."

"A few weeks before the murders, Casteel told three men to "get off my property or I'll shoot you". A witness also testified that she asked him about dealing with trespassers, and he stated that he "would kill if he had to". Another witness testified that he had fired above the head of his friend while they were trespassing and said that if the trespassing didn't stop, he "would have to start shooting people".

Trever's book notes that a private investigator was hired by Casteel's defense team. I found one of Casteel's appeals online, which goes over what the PI uncovered about the Hickman's. Apparently the elder Hickman was the one who had an issue with Richard Mason. He also found 3 witnesses who said they were confronted by Hickman's sons and that the Hickman's would "pull guns on everyone that was up there." One of these witnesses said that there were low-flying airplanes in the area, and that there were rumors that the Hickman's were involved with drugs. This would be a perfect motive to kill the 3 men, had they rolled up in the middle of a drug deal or a drug drop.



This is possible.



Casteel was camping right near the power lines, which is where his property line started. So his property started about 8/10 away from the gate area. Had he heard ATVs in the area, I think the murder scene would have been closer to his campground rather than right at the gate. Because every single person who says that Casteel confronted them says that he did so whenever they would have crossed over the power lines.



It appears that some of what is referred to as "Helican Road" (which was the dirt path you would take to access the gate, and then ultimately the blue hole) was not owned by anyone, but that when crossing the power lines, part of the road was on Casteel's property. I made a map of what the area and the pertinent spots below. The black line is an approximation of "Helican Road" and how it lead from Sivley Trail up to the Blue Hole. The pencil marked line is the approximation of the Casteel property line along the power lines. I marked a spot on the map where Stanley Nixon, the man who had loaned one of his ATVs to the 3 men on the evening of their murders, had spotted a family camping on the morning after the murders. Nixon went to search for the men and followed ATV tracks until he came upon a family camping. The family was swimming except for the adult male who was sitting down cleaning a gun. Nixon did not ask the man his name, nor did he recognize him.

https://i.ibb.co/hWC18GR/Casteel.png

The 4 wheelers were dumped on an access road used by everyone on the backside of the mountain (I’ll refer to it as mtn though it’s technically Waldens Ridge). The 4 wheelers were dumped off Roberts Mill Road, which takes you off the mountain. It was probably about 3 miles from Casteel’s property. I haven’t read the books and haven’t seen anything other than the Unsolved Mysteries segment years ago, but lived there at the time it happen every and still live there. Casteel was trying to purchase all the surrounding properties at the time and had contacted my father right around the time of the murders.

Everyone in the area knew who was the main suspect and he had become rather infamous with how he handled it. The area has become pretty upscale in recent years, but always attracted the loons like a Casteel or Byron De La Beckwith.

The 4 wheelers were dumped on an access road used by everyone on the backside of the mountain (I’ll refer to it as mtn though it’s technically Waldens Ridge). The 4 wheelers were dumped off Roberts Mill Road, which takes you off the mountain. It was probably about 3 miles from Casteel’s property. I haven’t read the books and haven’t seen anything other than the Unsolved Mysteries segment years ago, but lived there at the time it happen every and still live there. Casteel was trying to purchase all the surrounding properties at the time and had contacted my father right around the time of the murders.

Everyone in the area knew who was the main suspect and he had become rather infamous with how he handled it. The area has become pretty upscale in recent years, but always attracted the loons like a Casteel or Byron De La Beckwith.

interesting. who do you think did it?

The 4 wheelers were dumped on an access road used by everyone on the backside of the mountain (I’ll refer to it as mtn though it’s technically Waldens Ridge). The 4 wheelers were dumped off Roberts Mill Road, which takes you off the mountain. It was probably about 3 miles from Casteel’s property. I haven’t read the books and haven’t seen anything other than the Unsolved Mysteries segment years ago, but lived there at the time it happen every and still live there. Casteel was trying to purchase all the surrounding properties at the time and had contacted my father right around the time of the murders.

Everyone in the area knew who was the main suspect and he had become rather infamous with how he handled it. The area has become pretty upscale in recent years, but always attracted the loons like a Casteel or Byron De La Beckwith.
was Casteel trying to intimidate and bully the other local residents? I thought we heard this before. Is the argument to his case that he was not proven to have committed the murders, or is the argument that he was innocent and was framed?

was Casteel trying to intimidate and bully the other local residents? I thought we heard this before. Is the argument to his case that he was not proven to have committed the murders, or is the argument that he was innocent and was framed?

From reading his son's book, it was more in the vein of he was not proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

From reading his son's book, it was more in the vein of he was not proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

Ok that makes sense given the circumstances.

I'm re-watching a lot of segments and I just came across this one. In the segment, Detective Larry Sneed says that the killer(s) hoped the bodies had been found due to the fact that the crime scene would have never been discovered. He also said that had the bodies been discovered on Monday instead of Wednesday, that the crime scene would absolutely had not been found. My question is, why was he so sure of this? Does anyone know?