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Edit Transcript - Cops Catch Man After Dumping Chopped Up Body Into River
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Cops Catch Man After Dumping Chopped Up Body Into River
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Well, she just came to the house, she said she found a foot. >> Your granddaughter did? >> Yeah. That is real, right? >> Looks real that way. >> A teenager's walk near the water turns into a nightmare when she discovers dismembered human remains. Within days, detectives are led away from the river and straight to a house of horrors. >> All I remember is cleaning it up in the water. [clears throat] The water. >> The following footage has never been seen before. On September 18th, 2024, officers in Bay City, Michigan are dispatched to a local boat launch after receiving a report of human remains discovered in the water. They arrive to find a man and his granddaughter who tell a disturbing tale. >> Well, she just came to the house, she said she found a foot. >> Your granddaughter did? >> Yeah. And she said, "Will you go back over with me?" I said, "Yeah, I'd be, you know, I've lived here my whole life. Like, I've always wondered, like, this happens, I hope it don't happen too often." >> What body part did you see first? >> That one. >> The the foot? >> Yep. And then and then she did a walk-through and that's when she found the hand. That is real, right? >> Looks real that way. Look at the tissue. >> I don't know how the hell does that happen? >> Who cuts it off? >> Where's the hand at? Can you point to where it's at on the other side of the dock or what? >> No, it's right here in between all the trees. >> The officer follows the teen's directions and discovers a severed left arm floating palm up in the water. According to police records, both limbs appear to have been cleanly severed, one leg at the lower calf and one arm near the bicep. In a later report, one officer describes what appears to be a saw blade or chop mark on the bone. >> So, this is the only other one you've seen? >> Yes, I did. I only saw that. >> Yeah, this is legit. >> The scene is secured and officers conduct a thorough search of the shoreline. As they make their way along the edge of the water, they make more gruesome discoveries. Another partial arm and leg also appearing to be cut with a sharp object. However, the rest of the body is nowhere to be found, prompting a larger search that continues the following morning. While nothing else of note is discovered in the water, officers receive another concerning call. >> So, what brought you out here today? >> That man. We were just out looking for his car. I went back to grab her cuz we were going to go over to the my other brother's house. >> Mhm. >> He called saying he found the car. >> The same day the remains in the river were discovered, family members of 41-year-old Justy Stillwell reported him missing. His loved ones had not heard from him in days, and now his missing Jeep had turned up abandoned in a parking lot less than 1 mile from where the body parts were found. >> So, do you have any idea how long this vehicle's been out here for at all? >> No idea at all. All I know is from my knowledge, when we were in his house yesterday, we were looking at the calendar and the last he x'd off every day. He didn't x off Saturday. And I don't think maybe even Friday and his trash was below. So, then we're like, what the hell's going on? But I'm 41-year-old male, you know, sometimes they can just decide to But it wasn't like him. >> Has he mentioned anything about talking to anyone new or out of the ordinary? Cuz >> I didn't talk to him that much. The last time I seen him was a dead squirrel. >> According to his brothers, Justy is a man of habit who doesn't have any enemies, making his sudden disappearance all the more concerning. Although no one has officially connected Justy to the remains, everyone at the scene knows what had been found the night before. >> Yeah, she's all worked up with everything that's going on on the other side of town. But it's plastered all over Facebook for me. >> I know you're not going to give me any information, but I got a pretty damn good idea. It's It's not complete what we found. >> Right. >> You know, but And as an officer, I I look at situations and coincidences sometimes are don't make sense. >> I did yesterday. I made it I already put it in my head. It's It is what it is. This is so out of character. Like >> Keep the hope alive. >> 40-something years and never done anything like this. >> According to police records, the remains are identified through fingerprints as Justy Stillwell. Detectives turn to Justy's digital life and a breakthrough comes from a young man who had been chatting with him on Grindr the day he disappeared. The young man wanted to meet up, but he tells investigators that Justy was walking to a friend's house and said he couldn't. Doing some detective work of his own, he reached out to the friend online. The friend responded, sent back a selfie, and with that photo, investigators identified him as 40-year-old Robert Tweedley. On September 25th, he's taken to the law enforcement center where investigators sit him down for an interview. >> So, what is your understanding for why we're here talking to you today? >> I don't know what exactly what happened. I don't know. I've been going through a lot. Sorry about my language. It's okay. Few months ago, I called community mental health to admit myself for violent tendencies and hurting others and nobody would listen. Nobody would give me the help that I needed. I got drunk one night and somebody was months ago, somebody offered me meth. Well, I got kind of hooked on it. I don't remember much. I just remember getting high and killing him. After that, I didn't know. I saw him and I knew what was happening. I put two and two together, so. As far as what? His name is Justy. >> Despite what he claims, the investigators have gathered more incriminating evidence, which they'll confront him with later. But for now, they tell Robert the brutality of his actions could make people see him as something far worse, unless he explains what happened. >> The FBI just wanted to get involved in this because of what happened. >> [clears throat] >> They They've thrown out things like serial killer and stuff like that. And I don't I don't think anybody I don't think I don't think that's what happened here. I think that this is something that got out of hand, some sort of domestic situation. I know he can be a persistent guy. >> Only you can fill in the details. >> I don't remember everything. >> You may not remember everything, but you remember some of it. >> I blacked blacked out for a few hours. Gage came over to talk to and helped me >> [clears throat] >> through communication, you know, we were able to talk to have somebody to talk to. >> Okay. >> Um I've only known him for a couple months or so. All I remember is drinking and drinking water. a lot of >> The sergeants conducting the interview aren't convinced that Robert doesn't remember killing Justy, but the more they let him talk, the more he seems to recall. >> How did you kill him? >> I don't think I know how I did it. I pushed him down the stairs. >> Did you push him down the stairs? >> I think I did, yeah. I pushed him down because he was getting out. >> He was getting out? >> Yeah. >> Leaving the house with you? >> Yeah. >> How did you kill him? When you say you pushed him down the stairs, did that kill him or did something else kill him? >> I don't I don't I think he would have been battered, but I think I um choked him. I I choked him. >> So, when you pushed him down the stairs, was he hurt from that? >> Yeah, he was barely breathing. >> How did you choke him? >> I don't know. I don't know. I strangled him. >> One with a rope or with my hands? One hand or two hands? [clears throat] >> Both. >> Do you remember how that felt? >> I couldn't stop. That was the thing. If I wasn't scared I would have called 911. >> By Robert's account, with Justin deceased at the bottom of the stairs, he was faced with the issue of getting him out of the house. But, Robert explains Justin's body was too heavy. So, he did the unthinkable. >> I chopped him up. So I could get him out of the basement. >> What did you use to chop him up? >> Probably an axe. >> Probably or is that what you used? >> That's what I used. >> Robert says he walked to Justin's home, took his Jeep and drove it to Walmart where he used cash from Justin's wallet to purchase the axe. Afterwards, he used the Jeep during the disposal of the remains. He admits to dumping his arms and legs into the river, but placed the remainder of his body in a nearby field. >> I didn't mean to. [laughter] >> I believe that. You don't know what happened to this though? >> I meant to help him. The state of Michigan it wouldn't help me. I called and I begged for help, but they wouldn't help me. >> We need to start saying something's right. >> Um I just feel like I I told you I have his arms and legs, but I would like to get the rest of his body and his head so that we can give him a proper burial for his family. >> [ __ ] you. You're a criminal. >> Would you please help me with that today? It'll go a long way to show that you >> I don't deserve whatever chance because I'm not a monster. They know I didn't want to I wanted to kill myself. >> I know >> anybody else. >> I believe that. >> After disposing of Justy's remains, Robert spent time cleaning up any evidence of his sinister actions, even posting about his cleaning spree on social media. In a chilling Facebook post made the day after Justy was killed, Robert wrote, "I'm so tired I can't sleep at night. I cleaned my house today. I got back on a cleaning kick. Just wishing I had the right cleaning supplies lol, but hoping to get some sleep tonight. I have a 10-hour shift." >> May I ask a question? >> Sure. >> How How did you guys know it was me? >> A lot of really good police work. A lot of really good detectives put it together. >> Towards the end of the interview, investigators ask if he'll lead them to the rest of Justy's remains. Robert agrees and guides them to a nearby field. >> Go in that direction. >> I'm assuming that you drive through here. >> That thing >> How far back? >> About that >> All the way back to There's a fence that divides those >> About that fence, there's a hole in the fence. >> This way? >> Then you follow that fence like Darren said. >> Yeah, it goes all the way >> Is he on that side of the fence? >> That hole in the fence It's right there. >> Cadaver dogs assist in the search and investigators recover Justy's pelvis, upper legs, torso, and head. Meanwhile, Robert's home is searched and investigators find multiple items used in the crime that Robert admits trying to burn in a fire pit. In the basement, they find apparent blood and marks in the concrete consistent with an axe blade. Robert is permitted to write an apology letter to Justy's family, which reads in part, "If I could take it all back, I would and trade places with Justy. I pray to God that his soul is at rest and I pray to God for you, his mother, and family can move on and remember Justy for who he was, a kind, loving man who only wanted to help a friend in need. Robert was arrested and held on a $1 million bond. He now faces two charges, homicide, open murder, and dead bodies disinterment and mutilation. His trial is scheduled for 2026. Watch our full videos as they were originally made with no randomly muted words or details cut. We've also dropped brand new EWU videos available only on EWU Plus, available now on iOS, Roku, Amazon Fire, Apple TV, and Google TV. Download EWU Plus and see what you've been missing.
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