Nick said he went home after. Oral Nick Hillary stands outside the St. Lawrence County Courthouse Wednesday in Canton during a press conference after he was found not guilty of murdering Garrett Phillips. But where was the evidence to put before a jury? Garrett was described as always being a happy kid, who always had a smile on his face. Around 5:16pm, the police arrived. Tandy said she broke up with Nick because Garrett didnt like him. Then, at the hospital, she found out he was in cardiac arrest. Would love your thoughts, please comment. The Murder of Garrett Phillips: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know, Copyright 2023 Heavy, Inc. All rights reserved. She added Nick warned her, "If I didn't get Garrett under control or get him on a more strict schedule, then when he got older I wasn't gonna be able to control him. Garbus film, which debuts on Tuesday, uses police footage and photos, video evidence and interviews to recount what went wrong in meticulous detail. She was raising two boys, he had three kids from a past relationship. ", 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. What was his relationship like with Garrett? However, if youre innocent, why would it matter? Nick was interviewed for 9 hours that day. and our But he backed off after the main suspect was acquitted. According to North Country Now, that includes civil actions filed against DA Rain and Jones. As least, that's. When expanded it provides a list of search options that will switch the search inputs to match the current selection. Garrett, 12, was found strangled in his empty home on October 24, 2011, with no witnesses reporting seeing the killer enter or exit the second-floor apartment. He was read his rights. (Hillary has denied visiting the apartment without Cyrus' permission. Is Nick guilty or innocent? His backpack was taken off. Genre: Documentary. His rip stick was neatly propped up against the wall. She told ABC, I just remember him looking down at me over the tops of his glasses, telling me that there was nothing else that they could do., Cyrus was initially told that Garrett fell. At 4:40pm, Shanna-Kay took a shower. "It's very frustrating," he told "20/20." Pasqua and local police have declined to comment. ", "That day, I pulled the sign out of my yard. He would be both judge and jury in what's called a bench trial. ", Brian Phillips, Garretts uncle, said he hadn't been notified about the existence of any tips but he also admitted he's not too interested in continuing to hear them. He added: "It was definitely frustrating. Rain said she was "100% certain" she'd prosecuted the right person. She attended soccer practice after school, and when she arrived home at 4:30pm, her father was there. Oral Nick Hillary exhales as he leaves the St. Lawrence County Courthouse in Canton Wednesday after being found not guilty of murdering Garrett Phillips. Edward F. Narrow, the Canton attorney who represented Oral "Nick" Hillary, the former Clarkson University men's soccer coach acquitted of the boy's murder, said that leads involving inconsistent statements . Ive probably seen every show on this case, but for my research I watched Deadline Crime with Tamron Hall. There are no clues as to who killed Garrett. He denied any butt-head moment with Garrett, or spats over homework or chores. New York, 2011: Garrett Phillips, 12, is found strangled. Nick did drive a blue car, however the footage is so blurry that you cant tell who is driving or see the license plate. He also said he'd talked with police and met with Garrett Phillips mother but he didn't want to discuss his findings. 2023 BDG Media, Inc. All rights reserved. Though the crime happened almost five years ago, the whodunit of it all has consumed this quiet area. Then, ABC News 20/20 will interview the accused ex-boyfriend of Phillips mother, Oral Nick Hillary, for the first time since he was acquitted two days ago. A new foreign DNA company called Starmix said that Nicks DNA matched the crime scene, however, during the investigation, the police said the DNA mixture was too small. "In my mind, that investigation is still out there.". "He was something else. From the polices point of view, they thought they had the best suspect the most they could put together on someone, says Garbus. She said they were still intimate that night, but she demanded her key back. 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." HBO's new two-part documentary "Who Killed Garrett Phillips?," premiering on July 23 and 24, is a stunningand enragingexamination of race and the U.S. criminal justice system. It would take 18 more months for any more information about what happened to Garrett would come to light. They realized that the killer could have had an injury since the jump was pretty far. Garrett Cunningham Expand search. They tried to revive him, but he was pronounced dead at the hospital around 7pm. Garrett Phillips' mother, Tandy Cyrus. Jones said he had had a "civil" conversation with Hillary in front of Hillary's home, but Hillary did not categorize it that way. In Shanna-Kays cross-examination, the prosecution brought her attention to surveillance footage that showed her walking home at 4:02pm, which would have gotten her home at 4:12pm, and therefore into the shower at 4:22 pm. Theyre 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. Rain ran for district attorney of Potsdam in 2013 with a platform that specifically singled out Tandy Phillips, promising to prosecute someone for the murder of Garrett. Her father said Ill be right back through the door, and when she got out of the shower 20 minutes later, her father was home. aired on HBO on Jul. Hillary still swears by his innocence, while the cops and prosecutor reiterate that Hillary was the only person who could have done this and had opportunity in their minds.. New information has come to light and is being investigated in the 2011 murder of 12-year-old Garrett J. Phillips. The police also made Nick strip down in the nude, so they could take photographs. (Also pictured: Potsdam Village attorney Thomas Mortati.) But despite being a free man, it seems Hillary is still struggling to clear his name in his community. Nothing is ever 100 percent, but Nick is a highly decent lovely person, with no sign of a temper and no weird evasions, explained Garbus, who says she came to the table with an open mind. July 18, 2019 2:39 pm ET. The police asked him why he turned the opposite way. We reached out to Murray this winter ask how hes handling the investigation, but he declined to comment. This led to Hillarys arrest, which satisfied Brian Phillips, who still passionately professes his belief that Hillary is guilty in Garbus doc. Thats why Who Killed Garrett Phillips? devotes so much time to following Hillary himself. Bastuk admits theyre just familiarizing the AGs office with the details of the case. Garrett was described as always being a happy kid, who always had a smile on his face. A state investigator whos close with the murdered boys family. Garbus shares that she was in contact with Tandy while in production on the project, and she expressed the possibility of sitting down for an interview once the trial was over. After the schoolboys body was found suffocated and strangled, all fingers pointed to Nick as the murderer. Garbus questioned them about their missteps and lack of physical or DNA evidence tying Hillary to the crime. Filling the benches behind, were foursquare supporters of Hillary across the aisle from Tandy's extended family. Trainum has an extensive background workingon cases himself. Photo: Lauren Rosenthal, Over 50 people gathered to release balloons in memory of Garrett Phillips in 2016. And that was the tunnel vision., And that was on what Garbus wanted to shine a larger light with this project. The new documentary Who Killed Garrett Phillips?, airing on HBO July 23 and 24, looks into the unsolved 2011 death of a 12-year-old boy by that name. 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. The only real signs of struggle was his sweatshirt laying in the hallway and his physical body.". No, the police did. POTSDAM Nearly nine years after Garrett J. Phillips was strangled to death in his Potsdam home, the case remains open and no one has been convicted in connection to the 12-year-old's murder. But at around 5 p.m., when the murder is estimated to have occurred, no one saw anyone jump or flee from the building. He was 19 at the time of the 2013 arrest, which makes him the same age as the Brandon D. Murphy in question for Garrett's murder. The window is approximately 20 feet above the ground, Murray said. Variety and the Flying V logos are trademarks of Variety Media, LLC. Interim Police Chief in Potsdam, New York, Mark Murray, stands in the house where Phillips' body was found on Sept. 27, 2016. Now, it looks like as if the case is not over after all not since new information made its way to police. Tonight, ABC News' 20/20 will investigate the death of 12-year-old Garrett Phillips. Jones was briefly a suspect in the murder as well, though he didn't receive nearly the same level of scrutiny that Hillary did. Powered by. Related stories:A phone call from inside the investigationPasqua wouldnt provide any details beyond that, but it appears state troopers passed the new information to Potsdam Village Police, which is still the lead agency in control of the case. What 12-year-old kid just isnt right full of life? Fourteen at the time of the murder, she was one of his two alibi witnesses. Theyre calling for the state Attorney General to appoint a special prosecutor to investigate the 12 year-old boys death. The lawsuit alleged that Hillary's civil rights had been violated during his trial. Phillips died soon after at a hospital. Nicks defense team said right away that the police had tunnel vision and said it was a race issue. You know, outlandish thoughts like, 'Maybe Garrett fell out the window and made his way back up here and died,' or an accident happened in the apartment and one of the kids didn't wanna get caught or in trouble, so he went out the window. Phillips's final hours. By then, the D.A. Part 2 premieres on HBO on . His mother's ex-boyfriend, Nick Hillary, was found not guilty of the murder just over two years ago in a. 24. They're calling for the state Attorney General. Residents of upstate New York, where Phillips was killed, are reportedly split between those who believe in Hillarys guilt and those who believe in his innocence. The Phillipps family was victims of prosecutorial misconduct, as well as Nick, says Garbus. Nick said he was at the high school to watch a soccer game, went home and talked with his daughter, and then went to his assistant coachs house. According to Grantland, Officer Mark Wentworth investigated the apartment at 100 Market Street. They also heard someone saying no and crying out for help. North Country Public Radio has learned that a local source reached out to state troopers last fall with a possible tip. About his hitch in the U.S. Army. His mother's ex-boyfriend, Nick Hillary, was found not guilty of the murder just over two years ago in a. After Hillary was cleared, Rain claimed the case was closed because she still believed he was guilty, which is crazy, according to Garbus. I did everything I could. However, Postdam is apparently really small, so if you go a different way it doesnt take long to be back where you started. aired on HBO on Jul. Ignorance and arrogance walk hand in hand through "Who Killed Garrett Phillips ?"documentarian Liz Garbus 's incendiary true-crime drama about the death of . Nick did say he was at the high school that day, watching a soccer game. Vogel called the police to tell them what shed heard, and police arrived at the apartment less than ten minutes later. In the gallery, Tandy slumped and cried. The issues around race and policing and prosecutorial misconduct have been huge issues across our nation. Again, I saw an abrasion, but it ankle didnt look swollen to me. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. Hillary was the ex-boyfriend of Phillips' mother Tandy Cyrus, but another of her exes, John Jones, proved to be a key figure in the case as well. "You would think, like, wouldn't someone hear somebody yelling, or see something or do anything? Despite housing crisis, there's pushback against development, Rochester man dies in snowmobile crash on the Tug Hill, Hochul wants to tie the minimum wage to inflation. I believe John Jones committed the murder. Tips come in. After Nick Hillary was found not guilty almost four years ago in a trial that captivated the North Country and gained national headlines, local police and prosecutors declared the case closed, insisting on Hillary's guilt. ABCwrites, Almost immediately, police focused on her ex-boyfriend Hillary as the prime suspect, but it would take them several years before they arrested him for the murder., Cyrus and Hillary broke up a few monthsbefore Garrett was killed, and Cyrus believes that Hillary blamed Garrett for the breakup. ABC News writes, While Cyrus said she never saw Hillary hit a child, lose his temper with a child or threaten a child during their nearly one year together, she told 20/20 that she has no doubt that Hillary killed her son., Nick Hillary's Daughter: Race 'Definitely' a Factor in Murder Case https://t.co/mu2gutc1Qo pic.twitter.com/GcybAmJpxJ, Marko Zelic (@SnoperMZ) September 30, 2016. Tafari, a lawyer who provided legal support to his former Tilden High School friend, doesnt believe this film can change a corrupt system. (Courtesy of HBO ), There was systemic racism and police tunnel vision but when both are linked it becomes really problematic, Garbus explained. Related stories:Nick Hillary's civil rights case, and how it links to a broader moment of reckoningJoining It Could Happen To You, the wrongful convictions groups, were local Black Lives Matter activists. The sentiment in the town echoes Rains idea that the killer got off, so theres not a lot of public pressure to investigate a killer who might be on the loose, Garbus said. His white mom names black ex-boyfriend Nick Hillary as most likely to kill Garret. The big question now is how law enforcements following up. ), Police canvassed the neighborhood, but no one had witnessed anything, Murray said. The police had a theory about the motivation, a story about obsessive love gone wrong. Director of the documentary Liz Garbus, added: And what you dont know if you havent seen the documentary yet is Nick was an all American soccer champion and a graduate from Saint Lawrence University and became a coach at Clarkson, coaching a great soccer team and a military veteran. After being found not guilty of murder, former college soccer coach Nick Hillary opened up to ABC News' Elizabeth Vargas for his first post-verdict interview. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. In 2006, Hillary was acquitted of murder after a trial before a judge without a jury, The jury pool came from the same individuals who had elected the district attorney, Hillary, 45, told The News. They were biased right away. The coachs daughter Shanna-Kay Hillary testified for her father and said he was in their house at the time of Garretts murder. But now, St. Lawrence Countys new prosecutor, Gary Pasqua, says he's learned of another lead that points away from Hillary. A deputy sheriff as a suspect who also helps the investigation. You would send a wave of evidence, you know, expecting a probative piece of DNA, or fingerprint or a hair or fiber then just not getting that. If Carranza, the dude changing a tire at 100 Market, saw a black man in the window, could it have been Amos? They knew that Garrett and his brother lived there and had heard noises before, but never this loud. "It was a true tragedy," he said. Here was the thing about the investigation though: crime scene techs could come up with no forensic clues -- no fingerprints, no DNA, no tissue and no hair linking Nick to what was theorized to be a violent hands-on struggle in a small space. Soon afterwards, a neighbor in Garretts apartment building heard strange noises and called 911. ", Shortly after he took office in 2018, the new St. Lawrence County D.A., Gary Pasqua, told NCPR he wanted to conduct his own review. Nick is innocent, and cannot be retried. It doesnt say what his relationship was like. Garretts mother, Tandy Cyrus, has said that her son was a gregarious boy who had absolutely no fear. 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. The accused was Nick Hillary, 37 years old at the time of the boy's death. It wasnt until later that Cyrus was finally informed that her son was strangled to death. Where was he on the day of the murder? Nick is targeted. We need to start a true dialogue about how can we bring forth changes, he explained. The police photographed the window, took fingerprints and took the blinds as evidence. The district attorney, Mary Rain, teared up at a post-verdict press conference, and said Tandy told her, I know you guys tried., But Nicks attorney Earl Ward, speaking to a group of press outside the courthouse, reiterated what the defense team maintained all along: Nick Hillary is an innocent man., Nick spent that afternoon surrounded by a group of family, supporters and former soccer teammates. As Tandy would tell us, Nick was rigid -- a man with a plan for every day. 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