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okay these are my files on the case and I have them in alphabetical order for the most part the Abundant if somewhat
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messy files tell the story we have affidavits of Joel Davis's 12year dedication to this case I've had people
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say you're you know you're obsessed you're obsessed with this and I'm like no I'm not obsessed I just did my job
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Joel who's Now 50 attended High School in Davis California with John Riggins he decided in the year 2000 to write a book
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about the so-called sweetheart murders what was it about this case that captured your imagination well having
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grown up here it had just a seismic impact on the community how did the murders change the town of Davis I think
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like any small town I know there was a lot of [Music] fear I think it left kind of an
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indelible imprint because in my estimation it's probably the the most shocking crime in the history of this
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City looking down the road where Joel admits he rattled some cages as he sought answers to why the case hadn't
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been closed it just sort of bothered me that it was unresolved after all these years and he persisted even as he
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battled a devastating diagnosis at the age of 38 he was told he had Parkinson's disease 48 Hours talked to him about it
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back in 2006 when you have Parkinson's you got to say the half the glass is half full that's the way you survive it
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it is a disease that uh Michael J Fox likes to say he calls it the gift that always
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takes I've had my ability to walk taken away I've had my ability to sign a check
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taken away but I can still right thanks to modern medicine Joel can still control his hands enough to use a
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computer he's undergone two deep brain stimulation surgeries and though it's tough to walk he made it to through
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years of drawn out proceedings he plans to update his book why do you think people were still fascinated with this
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case after 32 years I think it's kind of the classic good versus evil story it also plays into that CSI DNA who done it
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uh classic sort of mystery but while DNA and an experienced team of investigators
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ultimately closed this case the father of murder victim John Riggins believes Joel's efforts also played a role I like
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to fight Joel Davis and his book Justice weights he really kept this flame of Justice alive and it was about to go out
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when Dr rigin acknowledge you in court it was an emotional moment for you yeah the fact that he was kind enough to
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acknowledge me on the witness stand really made me feel good I do think that the pot needed to be stirred and the
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case needed to be held up to the light but