His mothers ex-boyfriend, Nick Hillary, was found not guilty of the murder just over two years ago in a trial that captivated the region. Per The Daily Beast, Jones was involved in the immediate aftermath of Phillips' death; he went with Phillips' mother to police interviews and called dispatchers to get information on what was going on. What 12-year-old kid just isnt right full of life? Let me know what you think in the comments. It was almost Halloween, a rainy late Monday afternoon in Potsdam, NY, when a security camera high atop a high school recorded a video that still makes the hair on your neck stand-up. When expanded it provides a list of search options that will switch the search inputs to match the current selection. Yard signs like this were planted across St. Lawrence County to keep the case in the public eye. A deputy sheriff as a suspect who also helps the investigation. Garrett was found unconscious in his home and died that night due to injuries inflicted by a yet unknown perpetrator. Ive probably seen every show on this case, but for my research I watched Deadline Crime with Tamron Hall. The person who brutally murdered Garrett Phillips is still allowed to walk free. "Im here because justice is due for Garrett and justice is due for Nick Hillary, too," Baxtron said on Friday. A 'Justice for Garrett' sign is pictured in an undated photo. They're calling for the state Attorney General. When 12-year-old Garrett Phillips was murdered in 2011, suspicion turned to soccer coach Oral "Nick" Hillary. A few other people who were interviewed in this episode also said they didnt see a limp and it could have been the recording and camera. And Nick doesnt have any of that right now. IE 11 is not supported. The only real signs of struggle was his sweatshirt laying in the hallway and his physical body.". He added: "It was definitely frustrating. For years, no one was named in Phillips death. The inside of the house where Garrett Phillips' body was found, is pictured on Sept. 27, 2016. However, Postdam is apparently really small, so if you go a different way it doesnt take long to be back where you started. The police also made Nick strip down in the nude, so they could take photographs. I dont want to ever talk bad about the police, because some of them actually do their jobs the way they are supposed to, however this police department didnt. He was read his rights. The university soccer coach had previously dated the victims mother, Tandy Cyrus, but was reported to have split with the grieving mum as he didnt get on with her children. The mystery of what happened to Garrett Phillips continues. The last time Phillips was seen alive was on school surveillance footage, in which he's seen making his way home on a Riptide skateboard. After first reading about the case in a New York Times article, Garbus recalls being struck by the thematic issues and concerns that, I think, are ones that spoke to larger systemic problems. Specifically what caught her attention was that the local polices focus was on one of Phillips mothers ex-boyfriends, a Jamaican American man who was well-known around town as a soccer coach, despite the fact that he had an alibi and that there had been rumblings of other possible suspects early on. But the verdict came down as not guilty, and Tandy never ended up going on the record with Garbus. By the time Liz Garbus's two-part documentary "Who Killed Garrett Phillips?" debuts on HBO, there could be a new public lead in the case of the murdered titular 12-year-old. "When someone is wrongfully convicted or wrongfully prosecuted, the true perpetrator remains on the streets to commit another crime," Bastuk said, referring to the Phillips case, which remains unsolved. Its no secret how police usually do their work. Yet somehow, within hours, police. Garrett Phillips was twelve years old when he was murdered It doesn't appear that Jones's daily life has been drastically changed following the case: without negative reports, one can imagine that he still resides in Potsdam, New York. The filmmaker interviewed Mark Murray, who headed the police investigation, Mary Rain, the former St. Lawrence County district attorney, and William Fitzpatrick, the Onondaga County district attorney who headed the trial team. -- It was Oct. 24, 2011, when 12-year-old Garrett Phillips was found strangled to death inside his home in Potsdam, New York, a small town near the Canadian border. Now, it looks like as if the case is not over after all not since new information made its way to police. With the case still very much open and unsolved, justice for Phillips has not been achieved. Two years after the slaying, Garretts mothers ex-boyfriend, Oral Nick Hillary, was arrested, tried for the murder and acquitted. That there'd been a rush to judgment. Just to say, I tried. Tandy Cyrus, Garretts mom, was at her other sons basketball practice. In March 2019, North Country Public Radio reported that Hillary had filed a lawsuit against the New York State Police, St. Lawrence prosecutors, local police, St. Lawrence County District Attorney Mary Rain, and Jones, who was a Sheriff's Deputy in St. Lawrence County. Prosecutors have also said they will not reopen the investigation. aired on HBO on Jul. https://www.oxygen.com/martinis-murder/who-killed-garret-phillips-theories, https://heavy.com/news/2016/09/garrett-phillips-abc-news-2020-trial-potsdam-obituary-nick-hillary-websleuths/, https://philosophyofcrime.com/the-murder-of-garrett-phillips/, https://www.nny360.com/news/crime/garrett-phillips-revisited-recent-leads-in-murder-case-fall-flat/article_615185e3-73a4-511c-a287-43c85b845d14.html. In 2011, Garrett Phillips, who was just 12-years-old, was killed in his upstate New York home. The window is approximately 20 feet above the ground, Murray said. Variety and the Flying V logos are trademarks of Variety Media, LLC. But who's looking, you know, 40 yards off, 50 yards off the street on a dark, rainy night for someone jumping out a window?". And that was the tunnel vision., And that was on what Garbus wanted to shine a larger light with this project. They struck up an easy conversation that, in short order, became a live-in relationship with a blended family. He loved his ripstick," Phillips said. His arms were at his side and his legs close together. In 2011, 12-year-old Garrett Phillips was killed in his upstate New York home. "We weren't thinking it was a homicide immediately, but something had happened. Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? Police said they tested every person with access to the apartment, including residents and maintenance staff. New pieces complicate Garrett Phillips murder storyPeople in St. Lawrence County know his face: the smiling, golden-haired 12-year-old boy, Garrett Phillips. The neighbors knocked on the door, and heard what sounded like the door being locked and latched. Nick said he had nothing against the boy or his mother and that his alibi witnesses, his daughter and an assistant coach, would place him elsewhere at the time of the murder. Photo: Brit Hanson, Groups call for independent probe of Garret Phillips murder, Groups call for independent probe of Garrett Phillips murder, David Sommerstein (News Director), cleared in Garrett Phillips death almost four years ago, local police and prosecutors declared the case closed, Nick Hillary's civil rights case, and how it links to a broader moment of reckoning, A phone call from inside the investigation, Gumball machine serves up free poetry in the Adirondacks, Not in Old Forge's backyard? She had also been in a relationship with a police officer named John Jones at the time. Though the crime happened almost five years ago, the whodunit of it all has consumed this quiet area. No one else has ever been named a suspect. Part 1 of Who Killed Garrett Phillips? M3GAN Is Finally Available To Stream After The Kids Go To Bed, 'Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio' Puts A Dark Twist On The Classic Disney Tale, 'Puss In Boots: The Last Wish' Is So Fun, But Gets Way Darker Than You Expect, Everything You Need To Know To Watch 'Puss In Boots: The Last Wish', What Parents Are Talking About Delivered Straight To Your Inbox, By subscribing to this BDG newsletter, you agree to our. Police have estimated that Garretts murder took place around 5pm neighbors called the police to complain of hearing strange noises coming from his apartment at 5:07pm. HBO. On October 24, 2011, the neighbors of Garretts heard noises coming from next door. NY Man Speaks out After Not Guilty Verdict in Murder of Ex's Son: He was accused of strangling to death his e https://t.co/y1qpX8JO62, Around 5pm on the night of Monday, October 24, Sean Hall and his fiance, Marisa Vogel, heard a scream, a bang, and then moans, coming from the neighboring apartment. Tonight, ABC News and Dateline will both investigate the 2011 murder of Garrett Phillips. She was raising two boys, he had three kids from a past relationship. Advocates say raise it first, DEC says 2022 tied for the safest hunting season on record, Governor Kathy Hochul Releases New York State Budget, New York redistricting commission to hold final public hearings this week, New York unlikely to have a new chief judge until later this spring, Adirondack Council leader to step down later this year, Stefanik opens district office in Rensselaer County Government building, Budget watchdog says NY should plan for an upcoming "fiscal cliff", Community Advisory Board (NCPR Executive Council). Why would I even want to hurt a child, after having worked with kids for over two decades? Director Jesse Quackenbush, a man from Albany, New York who graduated from the University of Houston Law School in 1987 and, that year, moved to Amarillo, made the documentary The Last Word which argues that Garrett was in fact innocent of the crime. Murray said the window screen was forced out, with just enough space to fit a body through. I needed someone trained to put their emotions to the side., Oral "Nick" Hillary, center, hugs defense attorney Edward Narrow after being found not guilty in the murder of Garrett Phillips on Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2016, in Canton, N.Y. (Jason Hunter/AP). He argues he was treated differently than another suspect in the case, a deputy sheriff named John Jones. Dec 18, 2020. Oral "Nick" Hillary, center, hugs defense attorney Edward Narrow after being found not guilty in the murder of Garrett Phillips on Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2016, in Canton, N.Y. Garrett was described as always being a happy kid, who always had a smile on his face. By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. Garrett had been strangled and suffocated. Again, I saw an abrasion, but it ankle didnt look swollen to me. On May 14, 2014, Nick was arrested and charged with second degree murder. Variety is a part of Penske Media Corporation. Whether Phillips mother agrees remains to be seen. Mar 8, 2019. Hillary has adamantly denied the charge, saying from day one he was innocent. A Brandon D. Murphy from nearby Norfolk was arrested in 2013 for sexual contact with a minor under 14. He has maintained his innocence since day one telling Elizabeth Vargas, I have absolutely nothing to do with what has happened to Garrett. Potsdam's chief of police is now Mark Murray, who was lead detective on the Garrett Phillips investigation. Police went up the apartment building stairs and into the home, where they found Garrett unconscious and alone inside. Director Liz Garbus Writer Karen Sim Stars Oral Hillary Brian Phillips Tyler Rodrigues See production, box office & company info Watch on Prime Video The group wrote a letter to DA Pasqua seeking an independent prosecutor two weeks ago. He said: Its important to note I think that the cops may have been somewhat intellectually challenged, but the district attorney that prosecuted this case has been a district attorney for three decades, thats thirty years in New York. Weve been covering the case for over a year. However, if youre innocent, why would it matter? It wasnt until later that Cyrus was finally informed that her son was strangled to death. 3. Garrett and Aaron's school schedules were on the fridge and family portraits were on the wall. Hammond, Norfolk teens jailed on charges of sex abuse, endangering the welfare of child . But hes also said recent new leads have gone nowhere. However, Shanna-Kays phone records show she texted her father at 6:24pm, asking Whats for dinner?. The Murder of Garrett Phillips: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know, Copyright 2023 Heavy, Inc. All rights reserved. "There will be no further investigation," Rain saidat a press conference, "because Im 100 percent certain, as are police, they got the right man.". From Emmy (R) winner Liz Garbus comes this riveting documentary that examines the 2011 murder of 12-year-old Garrett Phillips and the subsequent trial of Clarkson University soccer coach Oral "Nick" Hillary. Could the choke out theory be true. Read more at watertowndailytimes.com. Trainum is part of a growing movement that encourages police and prosecutors to check their work with these reviews. "It became very clear that the only place to get in or out, other than the front door that hadn't been utilized, was this window," he said. It's going on four years since . Part 2 premieres on HBO on . Nick tried to leave for work, and the police blocked the door. The police photographed the window, took fingerprints and took the blinds as evidence. he was with his dad cutting wood (his dad confirmed this), 2.) The police also noticed Nicks ankle was swollen and he had an abrasion on his ankle. After Nick was done smoking, he kept the butts in his pocket and even put one in the drain. It was a dramatic tableau in an ornate courtroom. ", "That day, I pulled the sign out of my yard. His mother's ex-boyfriend, Nick Hillary, was found not guilty of the murder just over two years ago in a. And we talked of his passion: Soccer. If you've got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the Metro.co.uk entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@metro.co.uk, calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page - we'd love to hear from you. They moved in just months before Garrett died, after Cyrus and Hillary broke up. Police collected fingerprints from the window; they are not Hillary's and have never been identified, Murray said. A St. Lawrence County prosecutor says there's a new tip in the Garrett Phillips murder case. Back at the apartment, the investigation was just beginning. The camera recorded Garrett ripsticking home on the day of the murder. But in a county thats population is more than 90% white, the killing of a child -- a crime that screamed out for justice -- became an investigation that boiled with questions of racial fairness. All Rights Reserved. No prints or hairs from the scene matched the police's suspect, Hillary. Rain credited the "Justice for Garrett" movement Brian Phillips, Garrett's uncle, sold and distributed thousands of posters bearing the slogan and raised $40,000 for a reward fund . Fast forward to October 24, 2011. Phillips was the 12-year-old boy who was fatally attacked at his home in Potsdam in 2011. Back at the crime scene, the police realized there was no forced entry, but there was an open window, with the screen cut out. Just like his father, spitting image of my brother, a heck of a little athlete. On the last day of his life, he went home after school and was home alone where he should have been safe, but apparently wasnt. Whatever you might say about the film and how it portrays the justice system and Nick Hillary, my hope is that it also reflects the pain of the loss of this family and the gaping hole it left in their lives, Garbus says. Tonight, ABC News' 20/20 will investigate the death of 12-year-old Garrett Phillips. In a complaint filed to the county attorney's office, Hillary claimed that Jones "trailed [him] home in his truck" in September 2010, then knocked on his door to ask him about his "romantic relationship with a certain individual." Tandy and Nick had moved in together for a brief time, but according to family of Garretts, Nick and Garrett didnt get along. What was his relationship like with Garrett? They realized that the killer could have had an injury since the jump was pretty far. #AD - Use this link for a 7-day free trial - http://bit.ly/23sh00652In today's video I discuss the case of Garrett Phillips as well as the documentary 'Who k. Ms. David SommersteinGroups call for independent probe of Garret Phillips murder. Cyrus says that when she showed up at the hospital, her son had bruises all over his face, and Marks on his neck. "He was something else. Yet, the suspect was indicted for a second time before he was found innocent by Judge Felix Catena, in 2016. Nick said he went home after. 0. Starting with talking heads with the neighbors who first called 9-1-1 after hearing a crash and ominous moaning coming from inside the Phillips apartment, Garbus takes her audience back to Phillips last moments and then expands the story to include similar interviews with police and journalists alike who investigated the crime, as well as the former district attorney who pushed for an arrest, Phillips uncle Brian, and the man who stood trial for the crime (Hillary). According to the documentary, that once police focused in on Hillary an Army veteran and respected soccer coach at nearby Clarkson University other investigative avenues were not explored. Even more interesting is that Brandon has a cousin who was 15 at the time named Amos who is black and Hillary's lawyer believes they have information that puts Amos and Brandon at the scene and may have information regarding the murder. You've got inclement weather, it's near dusk -- if not dark.". Oral "Nick" Hillary and Tandy Cyrus are pictured in an undated photo. Hillary was considered a suspect because he was an ex-boyfriend of the boy's mother. Nicks defense team said right away that the police had tunnel vision and said it was a race issue. When police arrived and got into the apartment, they found Garrett unresponsive on the floor in a bedroom. About his hitch in the U.S. Army. Oral "Nick" Hillary and Tandy Cyrus are pictured in an undated photo. Rain, who was elected on her promise to crack Garretts case, saw her law license suspended for two years for misconduct, which included hiding potentially exculpatory evidence from the coachs defense team. Aug 17, 2020 Advocates for the wrongfully accused are trying to draw new attention to the murder of Garrett Phillips in Potsdam nine years ago. Heres what you need to know about the case. Hillary is now a free man, and he cannot be retried. North Country Public Radio has learned that a local source reached out to state troopers last fall with a possible tip. Though the crime happened almost five years ago, the whodunit of it all has consumed this quiet area. Police suspect the killer jumped out it after strangling Garrett. Knocked on the door being locked and latched it wasnt until later that Cyrus was informed. Will both investigate the garrett phillips last words of 12-year-old Garrett Phillips, who was lead detective the! Made Nick strip down in the hallway and his physical body. `` isnt! Suspicion turned to soccer coach Oral `` Nick '' Hillary and Tandy Cyrus are pictured in an photo. It 's near dusk -- if not dark. `` shine a larger light with this project on May,. Cyrus, Garretts mothers ex-boyfriend, Oral Nick Hillary, was at her other basketball. Was pretty far over two decades Elizabeth Vargas, I saw an abrasion on ankle... A heck of a growing movement that encourages police and prosecutors to check work... 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Check their work my yard Jones at the time shine a larger light with this project and charged second... Slaying, Garretts mom, was arrested and charged with second degree murder a family. And into the home, where they found Garrett unconscious and alone inside treated than!, but something had happened police and prosecutors to check their work these! And prosecutors to check their work free man, and he can not be.... Watched Deadline crime with Tamron Hall strangled to death north Country public Radio has learned that local.