Hi, good morning. >> I'm so sorry. I'm super embarrassed. Hi, puppy. >> This is 74 year old John Arthur Getru, an aging homeowner from Hayward, California. As he speaks, he has no idea that the woman across from him is an undercover officer, quietly working to bring a decades old secret into the light. What begins as a simple conversation is about to unravel into something far more shocking. >> I Oh, it's okay. I love dogs. Um, I was turning around in your driveway and I accidentally hit your car. >> Which one? >> The one parked in the driveway. >> Yeah, there's two of them. Or is it that little that one now? >> Yeah. Um, do you want to maybe take a look to see if we should exchange insurance information? >> Take a peek. >> Oh, man. I'm so sorry. So embarrassing. Yeah, go ahead. Be on your back. Face the car. Go ahead. Face the car. >> All right. Watch this. We'll >> talk in a minute. >> Don't quit. >> Anybody else in the house? >> No, my wife's at work. Good line for coming out of the house. Get you that guy out of the house. Several months before this moment, cold case detectives in Santa Clara County breathed new life into a homicide file that had sat dormant for nearly half a century. By running DNA from the original crime scene through a public genealogy database, they were able to map out a family line, one that pointed directly to John, a longtime husband, father, and once respected boy scout leader. Now seated in an interview room, he faces questions that could finally unmask the truth. Was he an innocent man caught in the wrong web? or had his entire life been a carefully constructed disguise for something far darker. All of the footage you are about to see was obtained directly from the police department through special requests. >> So, I'm Sergeant Cortez. Okay. Um I'll let you know what's going on and why you're here today. >> I'd like to know. >> Yeah. Yeah, absolutely. Of course. Umh before uh before I let you know what's going on, I just want to get your personal information just just to confirm your your name. Your full name is John Arthur >> Get >> G E T R EU. >> Okay. Do you go by any other names? >> No. >> No. Okay. Um have you ever been arrested in the past? >> No. >> No. Okay. >> John begins by recounting simple details from his early life. He explains that he was born in Newark, Ohio, but rarely stayed in one place for long. His father's military service meant constant relocation. Much of his adolescence was shaped overseas, particularly in West Germany, where the family settled for several years on a US military base. >> Okay. So, I've been doing this investigation. Okay. And um in this investigation, I've talked to numerous people. Um and >> um your name came up in my investigation as well. That's why you're here. I want to talk to you about that investigation. Um, and I'd like to tell you what's going on. Um, but before I ask you any questions, I'm going to read you your rights. Okay. >> Yes. >> Um, you have the right to remain silent. Do you understand? >> Yes. >> Okay. Now, you mentioned that um you had never been arrested. Um, and I found out something about that something happened in Germany. Okay. Can you tell me about >> I was arrested in Germany. >> Okay. What happened with that? Can you tell me about that? >> I was accused of murder. >> Okay. Uh, I I spent six years of a 10-year sentence in jail. >> Oh, wow. >> In a juvenile jail. >> So, you This was as you were juvenile at the time. >> Yeah. This is when I was Yeah. >> Uh, how about how old do you think you were when this happened? >> Just out of high school. >> Okay. Right out of high school. And then they accused you as as a juvenile. >> Yeah. As a juvenile. >> Okay. >> With some with a girl. >> Okay. >> You know, and that was it. >> Okay. Um, did you I mean obviously you talked to the authorities there about what happened, right? >> Yeah. Talked I was investigated by the authorities. >> Not not by the military. >> By the German authorities. >> Yeah, German police. >> Okay. Did it happen? Did this uh incident happen on the base or >> in June? Off the base. >> Off the base. Okay. >> But in a h military housing area. >> Ah. Um, and so you you spent actually six years in prison on >> something like that. >> Wow. And then how uh after you released uh what happened? >> I just was dropped off at the M Maguire Air Force Base and my father picked me up and that was it. >> That was it. You came back to >> Never heard a word from him? Nothing. >> Okay. Okay. And then uh at some point u there was another accusation against you about a sexual assault uh from the Pelto Police Department. all the police department. That's when I was the leader of an explorer post. >> Okay. Can you tell me about what happened there? >> Nothing. >> Okay. >> You know, >> accused, interviewed, and that was it. >> Okay. Did uh did you end up serving time for that? Do do you remember? >> Uh no. I I didn't wasn't ser didn't serve any time that I know of. >> Okay. >> I can't Yeah. It was so pitily that um >> it didn't didn't you weren't uh didn't go to trial or anything like that. Okay. >> Okay. All right. >> I can't remember anything about it. So >> Okay. Yeah. It's a long time ago, right? Like 1975 around there. >> You got more information than I >> Yeah. No. >> Yeah. You got it written down. >> You know, I did a little bit of research. I tried to at least did a lot of research. Yeah. >> Um >> cuz I totally forgot about city. >> I'm trying to I'm starting to remind you some things from the past. Huh. >> I just wanted to see like what you remember from that um like the Germany um >> case that you had. >> What do you remember about that? Can you tell me about that? >> I know you you mentioned that you spent six years in prison over there. >> Yeah. >> Um what do you recall happened back then? You're in prison. It was was surprisingly juvenile prison. And >> it's a juvenile prison. It wasn't adult. You weren't involved. >> I took an apprenticeship there and got my license in cabinet making. And >> Oh. Um, tell me about what happened. What What was the accusation against you? >> I killed a chaplain's or not chap. Yeah. A chaplain's daughter. >> Okay. >> That was all I knew. >> Okay. Did they Do you remember what happened? Did >> No. >> With this young female? >> No. >> No. >> I didn't even know her. >> You didn't even know her? >> How did uh how were you arrested for it if uh >> how I was arrested? >> Yeah. How why did they arrest you? I mean, if >> probably the the next day. >> Okay. >> After they found the body, I guess. >> Okay. How did they tie you to this body? How did they connect you to this body? Somebody had seen me, you know, walk that direction or walk towards a school or >> Okay. >> was in elementary school. >> Okay. Did you I mean I I don't know the details of what happened. >> I don't know the details either. So >> Okay. Did you actually meet this young lady? >> That's what they say. >> Okay. And do you remember meeting her? >> Okay. >> Never arrested, just casually tied to a murder in Germany. as if it were nothing out of the ordinary. Back in 1963, 15-year-old Margaret Williams attended a Saturday night dance at an American youth club. John, then 18, was also in the area. According to reports, the two crossed paths later that night, and Margaret agreed to let him walk her home. By the next morning, her body was discovered on a baseball field behind the club. Evidence showed she had been sexually assaulted before being strangled. What do you remember about that whole event, the whole incident starting from when the police talked to you until you were convicted? >> Till I was committed. >> Convicted? Yeah. >> Do you remember the investigation itself? Like no. >> Who you talked to? >> No. >> What they talked about? >> No. >> Just a psychiatrist, I guess it was, and asked me the same questions over again. >> Okay. >> That was it. >> That was it. Yeah. >> How did they prove you guilty? Do you know? >> Well, the proof, I guess, was the seeing me more and you know, I was the only person there and whatever it was, but you know, I don't remember. >> Okay. >> And if you want to get investigated, this juvenile records are locked up. So, >> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. >> I'd like to know. >> Yeah. Right. >> Yeah. >> I mean, did you tell them you did it? >> No. >> Okay. Because I mean that's uh that's that's what I was wondering about that. You know how they uh you know how he ended up spending time in prison over there. That's kind of odd. >> It was like it was more like a Hollywood not a prison >> really. So they actually took care of you and >> Yeah. >> That's good. At least you weren't uh you know suffering. >> I wasn't tried. I wasn't beaten or anything else. >> Good. Good. Then you were able to come back and and you know >> the only thing and fun part was the two APs they gave me to drive to the airport was was a lot of fun. >> Yeah. You get two escorts, right? >> Yeah. And being close the first time they got it. That was a a perfect, you know. >> Yeah. Uh was your I know you mentioned your father was stationed over there, right? Do you remember what military base that was? >> It's closed now. >> Oh, it's closed? Yeah. Okay. That's one of the ones that closed. >> What town was it? India. >> Rose Barracks, I think, was Yeah, Rose Barracks was the the the there was a department headquarters for Eighth Infantry Division. >> Okay. And but it's closed now and no longer there. What German town was that in >> by Crounk. >> Okay. Um you came back here and then ended up going back to uh Fort >> Campbell. I mean Fort Bragg. >> Fort Bragg. Correct. With your parents for a while. So you moved to San Jose. >> Yeah. >> Um, now there was that other accusation against you back in uh in PaloAlto about this young girl. Can you tell me about that >> young girl? >> Uh there was a like a rape accusation against you. >> A what? >> A rape accusation. Remember I reminded you about 1975 case? >> Yeah. I don't I don't remember much about it. But you uh >> I would I I never went to trial. >> Okay. >> Not that I remember. >> Do you remember talking to the police about? >> Yeah, I talked to the police. >> It was very short. One time it it wasn't I don't even know where it was. Okay. It was my house or the police department. >> Oh, okay. Did they uh did they tell you what you were being accused of? >> Mhm. >> Okay. And did they tell you who was accusing you of this allegation? >> Yeah, I took blood tests and everything else. Nothing. >> Nothing. Um, >> I stayed the scouts. >> Oh, yeah. >> Yeah. >> Um, what's this allegation? I got to ask you. Yeah. You know, >> this allegation that this young girl made against you that you, you know, sexually assaulted her, did that actually happen? >> No, not that. Yeah. Not that I know of. And if I was if I was uh arrested for specifically that and then not even tried and then nothing's happened. Like I told him, nothing happened. >> I never saw her again, >> you know. >> Where did you where did you meet her? Where do you know her from? >> In her house. She was one of my explorers. >> Okay. >> So you you met her in her house? >> No. No. I met her at a at a explorer post meeting, >> you know. Okay. >> And uh I guess this happened at her house or someplace. >> Okay. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. Um how what happened at her house? >> That I raped her. >> Okay. That's what she said. >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> Yeah. >> So you ended up going to her house. >> Yeah. >> And I guess I accused of raping her. Wow. >> Uh did she come on to you? >> I don't even remember. >> Okay. because that's that's kind of like that's kind of weird that she would accuse >> you of Yeah, it was because nothing ever come of it. >> Earlier when we first started talking, I mentioned uh there was a homicide in the hills like right west of Stamford. Remember the the I talked to you about the this young man who committed suicide up in the paper. Yeah, >> you read in the paper, right? At the same time, there was a murder of a young lady up in the hills. Did you read about that? That >> I didn't. >> No. So, there was a murder uh in the hills uh west of Stanford. Again, I told you of a young lady. Um >> were there any was would there be any reason for your DNA to be on her? >> It have to be mighty slim. You ever see this young lady? >> You know her? >> No. Who's that? >> It's a young lady that an investigation I'm doing and she was murdered. >> Do you ever see her at all? >> No. >> Look familiar? >> Would there any I think I asked you would would there be any reason for your DNA to be on this young lady here? >> No. >> Okay. Cuz you you said you didn't know. I I don't even recognize her. >> In 1973, 21-year-old Leslie Marie Pearllof had recently graduated from Stanford University and was working as a law clerk at the North County Law Library in Palo Alto, California. Not long after, her body was discovered in the Stanford Dish hiking area. Around her neck, investigators found a floral scarf knotted tightly used as the weapon that ended her life. Decades later, DNA collected from beneath her fingernails pointed directly to John, who at the time of the crime had been employed nearby as a campus security guard. >> She don't even look familiar. >> Okay. >> No, I'm sorry. >> Okay. Do you remember ever stopping by the side of the road and looking into this vehicle? No, >> it's an orange uh Chevy Nova. >> No. >> No. >> No, sir. >> Okay. >> There's a couple more creatures in there. >> Yeah. Yeah. I guess it's >> over there. >> It's this one. And then >> the colored photograph. >> Yeah. These are the the photos of the vehicle. >> Oh, there's a Yeah. Yeah. Take a picture. >> No, I never never never seen this vehicle. Nope. >> So, if you notice in the background there, uh, that's the area. >> That's a farm. It looks like. >> Yeah. >> Off a page build up in that area. >> Yeah. >> Is all farms. >> Would you have any idea this uh murder I'm investigating in 1973 where a murder in 1973? >> Investigating. >> Investigating. I'm doing the investigation on this murder. >> Man, they got you loaded with several of them. >> Yeah. Oh, yeah. So, this this one in 1973 was of this young lady that's the I showed you the picture of. >> Yeah. >> Um, will there be any reason why you're involved in this? >> Yeah. Why am I involved in that? Usually DNA now. >> Sure. Yeah. >> Would there be any reason for your DNA to be on her? >> No. Definitely would be No. >> Okay. You did do you know the name of Leslie Pearlov? >> Pearlo. >> Leslie Pearlov. >> No. >> No. Okay. She wasn't a girlfriend of yours. >> Oh, no. >> Okay. I had to ask. Uh, >> she's cute anyway. >> Yeah. >> That would be about She'd be about 18 years old, I guess. >> Okay. >> At Stanford. Yeah. Stanford. Stanford graduate. Yeah. But that's it. I don't even recognize her. >> Why do you Why do you say that she's a Stanford graduate? >> Well, just by the way she dresses and all in this area, you know. Sure. >> But you know, I didn't say graduate either. I said, you know, she's a college kid. Oh, >> okay. Now, this this young lady was obviously murdered, like I said. Um, she was strangled. >> Mhm. >> Um, would you ever think about doing anything like that? >> Nope. >> Okay. What about um I know you had >> except Sue when I was married to Sue. >> Sure. >> After you found out she was cheating on you, right? >> Yeah. >> Um I know that um you were accused of a sexual assault, right? >> Um would you ever think about committing a sexual assault? >> I have no reason for it. >> And I'm going to ask you these tough questions because it's just part of the investigation. >> Um >> so do do you ever think about doing anything like that? I think I asked you that. No. >> Okay. In this investigation, if your DNA was on this young lady, how do you think why would you think your DNA was on her? I >> have the slightest idea. >> Would you were you involved in in the murder of this young girl? >> Nope. >> If uh if I had a lie detector test, >> I'll take a lie detector test. >> Oh, yeah. Yeah. >> What would it come back as? Feel >> should come back negative. >> Okay. >> Depends on what questions you ask me. >> Sure. If I if I asked you if you killed her, what would it say? >> No. >> Okay. And that's the reason I'm talking to you right now. >> All right. Earlier I asked you about DNA. What What do you know about DNA? >> Just what I've read and heard on TV, you know. >> Okay. Tell me about that. >> What do you mean? >> Tell me about what you know about DNA. What you've read, what you've heard on TV. Oh, I mean it how they match it. I mean, I don't really know why I've seen on TV, but I know it's in books that I've read and >> Okay. >> And you know, >> um, you said you read some books on DNA. What? No, >> I mean, these are novels like Oh, okay. You know, they're not uh any medical books or no. And so in a in a you know in a crime investigation, criminal investigation, what do you know about DNA? What have you heard? >> Nothing. >> Nothing. Do you know DNA is transferred on people? >> No. >> No. How do How do you think your DNA would be on a person? >> Don't know. >> You don't know. Okay. >> Especially this these this person or these two persons? >> What two persons? >> Well, that you're you're talking about the two young women. Okay. Uh I showed you a picture of that one young lady. >> Yeah. No. >> Okay. What's the second uh young lady? >> The one up on the the one up on the hill. >> Okay. >> Yeah. There's two different places you're talking about. >> Okay. What's one of them's up on the hill? >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> Interestingly, the sergeant withholds one crucial fact. He never reveals to John that Leslie had once graduated from Stanford. Yet, even without mentioning it, Jon's own words begin to validate the suspicions against him. What the sergeant doesn't realize is that Leslie wasn't the only victim. In 1974, just a year after Leslie's body was discovered, 21-year-old Janet Taylor was found along Sand Hill Road in the very same Stanford Dish hiking area. Reports confirm she, too, had been assaulted and strangled. For decades, the man behind both murders would remain unidentified. His crimes hidden in the shadows until now. >> And then uh up on what hill? >> Well, you mentioned the hill. >> Yeah, you mentioned >> I mentioned I mentioned the hills. >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> Um and what's the other one? Cuz I don't remember another one. >> Well, there's there's the two girls. It's not both the same place. >> Okay. There was I mentioned one girl up in the hill. >> Yeah. I mean the Okay. Wherever she was, wherever the second girl was. >> Okay. Um >> I assumed they were both in the hills. >> Okay. >> And hills that I'd never been in. >> Okay. >> So you you've never been up in those hills. Um I showed you a picture of of a car. Yeah. >> That that that car >> that car don't mean nothing to me. >> Okay. That car belongs to the victim, the the young girl that died that was murdered. >> Um, you said you've never seen that car, correct? Okay. >> And then I mentioned that I mean you kind of you know about DNA on how it's transferred, right? >> Yeah. >> Um, >> this can be how it's transferred. It's I can always tell. >> Okay. Tell me about that. >> Yeah. One is semen. >> Okay. One is from the mouth. >> Sure. >> You know, >> yeah, >> that's the only two that I know of. Okay. Now, if there's some that are bodily, >> I mean, other than these two, uh, transferred, then it's totally different. >> Okay. And you know about technology now, uh, advances, >> technology is getting good. >> Yeah. So, there's >> they're catching them every day. They're catching them a lot faster than >> they did last year. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. Have you heard of people being caught? >> San Francisco on the news. >> Which one was that? >> Oh, I mean there's several of them. I don't know names. Yeah. >> Nothing specific. >> Yeah. >> Um so you know about sperm, you know about saliva. >> Um now you mentioned earlier u when I told you, hey John, why would your DNA be on this young woman? Mhm. >> And you said >> I go ahead. I said what? >> You said a slim chance. >> There's very slim chance. >> Okay. So, if I was to tell you your DNA was on this young woman. >> Oh, then there's something wrong. >> Okay. Why? And I know I'm trying to, you know, >> you're trying to solve it. >> I'm trying to solve it. And I'm And you've been helping me out greatly. You're remembering a lot of things from back there. Obviously, it's a long time ago. You remember certain things. Okay. I think I'm at at a point in my investigation that um you know >> I'm guilty and that's it. >> Well, I'm trying you know Well, there's there's a couple things, John. Um your DNA is on her. Yeah. >> Okay. >> Um I'm I'm not not trying to find out who did it. >> Mhm. >> What I'm trying to find out is why you did it. >> Mhm. >> And I think you know more than you're telling me. >> No. I wish I knew. I think I think you >> Well, I remember like I said before about five years ago I've lost it all. >> Okay. I'm going show you a picture. Um it's a little bit graphic. Okay. And this is going to be that young lady that I showed you the picture of. Uh you said was a Stanford graduate. Um >> I thought was a never definitely said she was. >> This is her. Uh this is how we discovered her. Okay. And the one you >> Yeah. >> I don't know which one it was. >> Yeah. >> No. >> No. Doesn't look familiar at all. >> Okay. Again, your DNA is on her. Help me. >> What part of her? >> Well, it's it's on her. >> I can tell you that much. >> I can't help you. >> Okay. Why would you ask me what part of her will >> Well, >> does that make a difference? >> Huh? >> Does that make a difference? Well, I mean, I'm trying to Yeah. >> Yeah. I mean, if you're ask me what part of her does it matter? >> Yeah. >> Okay. Tell me what >> Okay, tell me about that. I mean, >> I mean, what part of it would it be on her? >> Okay. >> Yeah. Would it be on her hands? Would it be on her face? Would it be on her clothes? >> Okay. >> Yeah. >> How about all of the above? >> All of them? >> Yeah. >> It was on her hands. >> Well, I'm I'm asking you if it was on all of the above. Well, it could be if you say it's all the above. I still don't know. >> Yeah. >> I still don't know how my DNA got on her. >> Okay. Is there a way you can help me out to explain how your DNA got on her? >> No. >> Okay. And I'm And I'm going to ask you, I mean, did you hurt this young girl? >> Didn't hurt her. Did you kill her? >> Nope. Did not kill her. >> Hey, John. This is uh Sergeant Harper. He's my partner. >> How you doing, John? >> Hi, Sergeant. >> How you doing today? >> I would stand up, but >> Oh, no worries. No worries. I'm not a big fan of standing these days myself. Um, >> so as I told you, my name is Sergeant Harper. Um, I also work homicide with Sergeant Cortez. >> Um, along with Sergeant Cortez, I investigated this case. The situation we have here is we have your DNA tying you to this victim. Okay? We're not saying you killed her, but we're saying we have your DNA tying you to the victim. And we need to figure out a plausible explanation for that. You understand what I'm saying? >> Yeah. >> So, maybe you knew the girl >> and you're afraid. I don't know. >> Hang on. Hang on. Maybe you're afraid to tell us because that makes you look guilty. But without a plausible explanation, we can't go back to our bosses and go, "Yeah, his DNA is tied to the victim, but this is how." >> You know what I mean? Yeah, he knew her. Maybe he was afraid to tell us because that would make him look guilty, but how can we in good conscience just let you walk out of here when your DNA ties you to a victim without an explanation? So, I know you're frustrated sitting here and I know it's hard for you to remember things, but you need to kind of understand our side of it, too. >> I'm a pretty honest and upfront kind of guy, John. Okay. So, >> what >> I said I'm a pretty honest and upfront kind of guy. >> Yeah. >> So, I'm going to fill you in on a on a couple things that that might help your decision-m process here. Okay. >> So, I know we've been pretty vague on a lot of the details that we've discussed with you, right? And maybe you're holding on to some chance that this can be explained away in the courts by, oh, maybe I brushed up against this girl on accident. That's how my DNA got there. Or maybe my hair fell on her clothing by happen stance and that's how they're placing me with the victim in the crime scene. But I'm going to tell you straight out, John, that's not the case. That's not what happened in this case. It's not an accident that your DNA got there. your DNA and the type of DNA and where it is on the victim. There's no other explanation. >> You committed this crime. We know you committed this crime. Okay. >> Mhm. >> What we don't know is why and we're going to give you the opportunity to explain it to us. >> You don't have to. I thought about it and that's all I can think of. No. >> No. What? >> No, I'm not guilty. >> Okay. Well, I'm telling you right now, you are. >> Okay, fine. >> Okay. We know you did it. >> Mhm. >> We don't know why. What we don't understand is why you took responsibility for the crime in Germany >> and why you took responsibility for the crime in Palo Alto, >> but you're sitting here and denying this one. >> Mhm. >> You had to have known this day was coming. >> Yeah, I know that. That's why it took so damn long. >> So, why her? I don't I don't even know who she is. If that's the first girl or the one girl that's up on the hill or whatever, you know. >> What do you mean the first girl? >> Well, he said there's two people. There's two girls. He said there was two girls. >> And that's misunderstood. They were they were killed within probably an hour of each other and two hours of each other or day you know day or who knows. >> Do you remember how do you remember the those details? >> What do you some of the questions he's asked me? Do you remember seeing any newspaper articles or media about those? I >> Nobody. But that girl there is not the other one that was that he showed me. If that's the girl there with uh you know the other picture. I doubt it. >> What's that? >> I mean look at the look at the body. >> Mhm. >> It could be somebody else. I don't think they're the same one. >> Is that why you don't recognize her? >> No. >> Because that's not the girl that you killed. >> Question. I don't recognize her. I've never been seen her. >> Do you think it was a different girl that you killed and that's not the one we're showing you? >> I didn't kill any girl. >> You didn't kill the girl in Germany. >> No. Well, that's totally different. That's when I was 18 years old or younger. >> So, what happened in that situation? >> What >> did things go too far? >> No. I don't know what happened. >> Well, you said it was a completely different circumstance. I'm just trying to understand how it was different. >> What was different about that? >> Like I said, John, we're not we're not here to judge. We're just we're here to try to understand. >> I'm just here to listen then. >> And you're doing a pretty good job of it. I mean, you seem to remember a lot of details about what detective >> I feel like get an attorney and let them handle it. Yeah. Arrest me, take me to Sanita or whatever. Wherever you go. >> Well, we're not in Sanita. We're in a different county, >> but you know, >> not in Alama County. >> So, what do you want to do, John? do what you have to do. >> Well, what I have to do is is try to figure this out. >> Well, let's figure it out. As far as Looks like we hit a roadblock. >> Not really. >> Not really. >> I don't know. >> I sense a I sense a lot of >> I did not do it. So, >> Well, we know you did. >> Oh, well, that's >> And I'm not going to I'm not going to get I'm not going to get angry with you. I'm not going to yell at you, >> you know, but we know you did. >> You're raising your voice. >> No, not not at all. Not at all. You know, that's typical police attitude. >> What do you mean? >> I didn't do it. Look at how many police have been let off in the last 6 months. >> Mhm. >> For for murder, for, you know, for shooting a a suspect. You know, I'm just going to let it that go. >> Okay. >> Well, that's not what we're here talking about. >> Okay, that's fine. So can you explain to me how the one in Germany was different from this girl? >> The Germany is not involved in this. >> Oh, I know. I mean obviously there were different time periods, different places. >> Yeah, different time, >> you know. So what were the circumstances? What happened in Germany? >> I was underage. >> How old were you? >> How old were you? >> I guess right out of high school, I guess. >> 18, 19. >> Mhm. >> Yes. Yeah, I know. I don't think I was that old. >> Okay. >> But I, you know, >> so I investigate these types of crimes. I find them interesting. >> Okay. >> Okay. So, when I'm talking to somebody that's been involved in them, I generally like to find out the circumstances and why. >> Wow. >> Right. Makes me better at my job. >> Yeah. That's good. I wish you luck. >> So, what happened? What happened in Germany? >> You said you were young. >> Yeah, I was young. I was fresh out of school. No, who knows? >> How did you meet the girl in Germany? >> Just a random person. >> Did you guys live on the same military base? >> Yeah, her father was in the military there. >> What' your dad do in the military? >> I can't say. >> You can't say because you don't know or you're just not allowed to say. >> I'm not allowed to say it. >> Okay. So, you'd mentioned Fort Bragg. Was he in special forces? >> Could be. >> Could be. Okay. Did the girl in Germany, what was her name? >> I don't know. Did you guys meet in school? >> I never met her in school. Okay. >> Never introduced. >> Were you guys the same age? >> No, not that I know of. >> Was she younger or older? >> I guess they said I was older. >> You were older. >> Do you remember how much older? >> No. >> So, what were the circumstances that led up to the situation in Germany? Uh the situation that was not the situation they accused me of originally was not true. >> What did they accuse you? >> I wasn't there. >> Well, I'm confused. On one hand, you said you weren't there, but on the other hand, you said you were young. >> Well, I was >> and that the situation circumstances were were completely different. >> I wasn't there. you find or do you understand how difficult it is for us to believe that >> there's I understand it >> there's a situation in Germany where a girl ends up dead >> and you weren't there. >> Mhm. Then we have a situation >> here. >> Here >> that was >> years later after you came back to the States where a girl ends up dead and you say you weren't there yet your DNA is there. >> Mhm. >> What do you think the chances are of that happening? >> I don't know. >> What would you do if you were us and you were investigating this case? What would that look like to you? >> There's there's a brick wall. >> What do you mean there's a brick wall? >> Well, I mean you found out. You couldn't find out. So, >> what do you mean I found out and I couldn't find? >> Oh, nothing. I'm just let it go. I'm I'm >> Well, you understand it's my job not to let things like that. >> I'm not there. I have nothing to say else to say about it. >> It's got to be quite a burden, John. >> Mhm. Well, I'm going to put the question in from here on unless I'm representative by somebody in the courts. >> What do you mean? >> A lawyer. I'd like you a lawyer. >> I'd like a lawyer. >> Okay. >> Okay. >> Thanks, Sean. >> Once John asked for an attorney, the interrogation wrapped up. But it wasn't long before justice finally closed in. At 74, John Arthur Getro was taken into custody and booked into the Santa Clara County main jail. His bond set at an extraordinary $10 million. In January 2019, investigators confirmed the DNA recovered from the torn clothing of Janet Taylor matched get true. Two years later, in September 2021, a jury convicted him of firstdegree murder with great bodily injury for Janet's killing. He was sentenced to 7 years to life in prison, at last placing behind bars a man who had evaded justice for nearly half a century. In January 2023, Gatro pleaded guilty to the murder of Leslie Pearllof, earning a second life sentence to run consecutive with the first. According to multiple news reports, John Gatro died of natural causes on September 22nd, 2023 at the age of 79. His DNA profile remains in the state's database where it continues to be checked against evidence from unsolved cases in the hope of finally bringing closure to other long cold investigations. S.