AI Summary
5 min readIn rural Wisconsin, a dog's discovery of a skull in 2017 unraveled a mystery dating back to 2014, when Gary Herbst vanished from his home. Genetic genealogy three years later identified the remains—shot in the back of the head—as Gary's. His wife, Connie, and adult son, Austin, had claimed he simply walked out with cash and clothes, driven away by a stranger. Inconsistencies in their accounts, combined with forensic evidence and neighbor tips, pointed to murder inside the family home.
Initial Suspicions and Shifting Stories
Connie reported Gary missing only after his sister inquired months later following a family death. She first said Gary left while she was home, taking $5,000 and her .40-caliber gun; later, she placed herself at the library. Austin's interviews evolved too: a stranger pickup became a "sketchy tattooed man." Both passed early scrutiny, but Austin failed a polygraph while Connie did not. No body or direct evidence tied them to foul play at first, so police released them despite hunches.
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What you'll learn
- 1 (03:01) **Case Introduction** - Natalie Morales introduces Gary Herbst's 2014 disappearance and 2017 skull discovery with gunshot wound
- 2 (04:52) **Victim Identification** - Genetic genealogy in 2020 IDs remains as Gary after 2017 woods search
- 3 (05:28) **Connie's Initial Story** - Claims Gary left with cash, clothes, unknown driver in gray Honda, left phone behind
- 4 (06:12) **Inconsistent Interviews** - 2020 stories change: Connie shifts from home to library; Austin alters driver description; polygraph flags Austin
- 5 (07:44) **Neighbors' Observations** - Recall 2013 middle-of-night floor scrubbing, loading bags/rug into truck
- 6 (09:52) **Cadaver Dog and Luminol Hits** - Radar alerts at stain spot, basement door; luminol glows extensively confirming murder scene
- 7 (11:25) **Arrests and Confession** - November 2020 arrests on circumstantial case; fourth interview yields Austin's admission of shooting sleeping father
+ Full timestamped outline available in the app
Show Notes
48 Hours correspondents Natalie Morales and Peter Van Sant discuss the case of Gary Herbst, who was reported missing in 2014, and his remains were discovered years later in the woods of Wisconsin. They share extended clips of Peter’s exclusive interview with the convicted killer, how dogs helped solve the case, and details from neighbors who observed the murder scene clean-up.
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