"Psychological autopsy" used to determine mindset of shooting victim

Sergeant Brandon Hauptman of nan Hays Police Department vividly remembers nan dark, acold Halloween greeting arsenic he arrived astatine Kristen Trickle's home.

And he remembers nan infinitesimal he recovered nan 26-year-old adjacent decease successful bed.

Sgt. Brandon Hauptman: I could spot nan firearm. … From what I could show initially, a larger caliber revolver, and laying crossed her abdomen … astir for illustration this.

Erin Moriarty: How was she dressed?

Sgt. Brandon Hauptman: Uh, almost afloat undressed. She was conscionable wearing underwear.

Kristen Trickle Delynn Rice

After Kristen Trickle showed signs of life, nan sergeant quickly moved nan revolver distant from her and carried her into nan surviving room for CPR.

Sgt. Brandon Hauptman: The only wounded that I could spot astatine that constituent was nan entranceway wound.

Erin Moriarty: And wherever was that entranceway wound?

Sgt. Brandon Hauptman: Underneath her, uh, chin present (pointing a digit nether his chin).

There was thing nan first responders could do for Kristen.

Sgt. Brandon Hauptman: I went retired to Colby connected nan structure … and told him that she had died.

COLBY TRICKLE (police bodycam audio): Hello.

SGT. HAUPTMAN: My sanction is Brandon Hauptman … I'm nan sergeant moving today.

Hauptman's assemblage camera was only signaling audio that day.

SGT. HAUPTMAN (police bodycam audio) She died, and I'm truthful sorry.

COLBY TRICKLE (crying): Are you sure? Are you sure?

THE INVESTIGATION BEGINS

Hauptman says he asked Kristen's hubby Colby Trickle to spell to nan constabulary position truthful he could show investigators what happened.

Erin Moriarty: Did he look to beryllium cooperative?

Sgt. Brandon Hauptman: He was, yep. Agreed to spell up, we sewage him immoderate shoes.

At nan station, Colby Trickle said that hours earlier Kristen Trickle had travel location from Walmart, wherever she worked successful nan farming center, and nan mates had played video games. He went to furniture earlier his wife, he said, and woke up to his ears ringing — and past recovered Kristen Trickle, lying adjacent to him, pinch a gunshot coiled to her head.

A tearful Colby Trickle is interviewed by a detective pursuing his wife's death. Ellis County Attorney's Office

COLBY TRICKLE (police interview): I (crying) — I ran up to her and — and she — she was conscionable looking astatine me.

DETECTIVE #1: And what did you do?

COLBY TRICKLE (crying): I ran complete to my telephone and I called 911.

Colby Trickle told investigators that while he was connected nan telephone pinch 911, he checked his wife's beat but felt thing — and past picked nan revolver disconnected her body.

DETECTIVE #1: Where was nan weapon at?

COLBY TRICKLE (crying): It was laying by her neck. I pulled it back.

DETECTIVE #1: What did you do pinch nan gun?

For a moment, he says he thought astir taking his ain life.

COLBY TRICKLE (crying): I started to put — put it to my caput and — but I was — I was connected nan telephone — and they said they were sending people. I thought possibly they could thief her.

While Colby Trickle was still astatine nan station, Kristen's aunt and uncle,  Delynn and Brant Rice — a section pastor — recovered retired she had died.

Delynn Rice: I sewage a telephone from my mom and worst telephone telephone ever to get. She said, Kristen is dead. … She's been shot. And it was conscionable awful. I said, mom, that can't beryllium right. … That can't beryllium right. That doesn't moreover make sense.

But much baffling was that Colby Trickle had said his wife's decease was a suicide.

Erin Moriarty: What did you show investigators initially? … we conscionable don't deliberation she would do this?

Pastor Brant Rice: Oh, a 100 percent. …I said there's nary measurement of each nan group I cognize successful this world, nan past personification that I would ever deliberation  … would return their ain life would beryllium Kristen because of nan joyousness she — she has.

Delynn Rice: It's truthful retired of characteristic to Kristen and really she solves problems … She's not a runner from problems.

Delynn and Brant Rice opportunity Kristen Trickle's family and her 2 dogs meant nan world to her.

Pastor Brant Rice: The thought of her hurting herself successful immoderate measurement is —

Delynn Rice: Or anyone  —  

Pastor Brant Rice:  — is truthful foreign. … She would ne'er return her life and not necktie up loose ends pinch her family, make judge her dogs had location to go.

And they judge they knew her amended than conscionable astir anyone else. They had watched her turn up.

Delynn Rice: It is difficult to find a photograph she is not smiling conscionable fully.

She had had that grin moreover though DeLynn and Brant Rice opportunity Kristen Trickle had a reliable childhood. Her mother near her and her begetter erstwhile she was 2 years old. When she was 17, Kristen moved successful pinch her aunt and uncle and their 3 kids. The Rice's opportunity she thrived.

Pastor Brant Rice: She loved being pinch our family. She loved nan bid successful our home.

Chloe Rice is Brant and Delynn Rice's daughter.

Chloe Rice: Kristen was my older sister fig successful my life … and I really looked up to her. … she was conscionable for illustration ever location to make maine grin and consciousness important.

Kristen and Colby Trickle Kristen Trickle/Facebook

The family remembers erstwhile Kristen met Colby Trickle; they were some 18 years old.

Pastor Brant Rice: Colby attended our church. Colby, for a time, uh, was connected nan believe squad astatine our church. … They are nan set that plays nan believe euphony during our services.

Pastor Brant Rice: He wowed her pinch his guitar playing abilities, songs that he had written.

But conscionable 5 years later, Kristen Trickle was dormant and Colby Trickle was saying she took her ain life. Coroner Lyle Noordhoek examined nan segment and looking astatine nan coiled he believed nan revolver was successful adjacent scope to her chin erstwhile it was fired. And successful Noordhoek's experience, that was not different for a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

Erin Moriarty: How would you judge … nan revolver was being held?

Lyle Noordhoek: Close to nan chin and parallel to nan body.

Erin Moriarty: More for illustration this?

Lyle Noordhoek: Yeah.

But Detective JB Burkholder had besides been called to nan house.

Det. JB Burkholder: We respond to suicides. They hap respective times a year.

And to him, this didn't look for illustration suicide.

Det. JB Burkholder: Having a female pinch a gunshot wound, particularly to nan head, was different for us.

Erin Moriarty: Why? Why is that much different for women, you think?

Det. JB Burkholder: For women, they're a small spot much concerned astir looks. … moreover aft death, and truthful they deliberation astir that.

And location was thing else.

Det. JB Burkholder: When I sewage there, I retrieve an siren going off.

Kristen Trickle's cellphone siren is heard many times connected audio recorded by first responders.

Det. JB Burkholder: I deliberation I've really silenced it. … She had group an siren to get up, to get fresh for work, and had plans for that day. A batch of times, individuals who are reasoning astir termination … They're not mounting alarms. it doesn't matter erstwhile they get up.

Det. JB Burkholder: … location was candy group out, um, successful nan room area.

Det. JB Burkholder: She and Colby had planned for, uh, Halloween to spell connected arsenic it usually would pinch … instrumentality aliases treating.

And thing troubled him much than that limb recovered astatine nan scene. Burkholder wasn't judge Kristen Trickle was nan 1 who fired it.

Det. JB Burkholder: The weapon … was a … full-size .357 revolver, a large-caliber weapon. … astir 11 to 12 inches. … It tin beryllium difficult to handle. … and truthful being capable to … spot that weapon nether your chin … and discharge that firearm conscionable didn't look very apt … for a smaller female … successful what was described arsenic a acheronian bedroom.

Det. JB Burkholder: This wasn't … an open-and-shut termination case. There was questions.

COLBY TRICKLE'S ACTIONS RAISE SUSPICIONS

After his woman Kristen Trickle died successful nan early greeting hours connected Halloween, Colby Trickle said pinch investigators for much than 11 hours. He was asked complete and complete again to recount nan events of nan nighttime before.

OFFICER #1 (police interview): Do you, guys person immoderate fights, thing for illustration that yesterday?  

COLBY TRICKLE: No.

Colby Trickle besides told investigators astir his occupation pinch nan U.S. subject arsenic portion of quality intelligence.

COLBY TRICKLE (police interview): There's immoderate absorbing places they nonstop you pinch being intel, but they sent maine to Middle East, and they sent maine down into Central America.

OFFICER #1: Sounds for illustration immoderate movie worldly correct there.

Det. JB Burkholder: First impressions of Colby Trickle … is that he was a feline who … was successful nan military. He had a, I guess, a dressed up past of overseas tours. … And past besides Colby Trickle was a feline who loved his wife.

The limb that killed Kristen Trickle. Ellis County Attorney's Office

But Burkholder says he had questions astir Colby Trickle's relationship of nan greeting his woman died. After uncovering Kristen, Colby Trickle says he called 911, and arsenic he later told police, he picked up nan weapon and thought astir ending his life. What troubled Burkholder is wherever Colby Trickle put nan weapon aft he changed his mind: backmost connected Kristen's stomach.

COLBY TRICKLE (police interview): I put it backmost down and ran outside.

Det. JB Burkholder: Just very odd. Um, it doesn't look arsenic though if I'm calling 911, if my wife's dying, um, connected — connected nan furniture that I would spot nan weapon backmost down … connected her body.

Colby Trickle was asked if location was immoderate life security connected Kristen Trickle.

COLBY TRICKLE (police interview): I person immoderate connected maine (crying) from military, but that's it.

No security connected his wife, he said, and past was asked if he had thing to do pinch Kristen Trickle's death.

DETECTIVE #1 (police interview): Uh, did you, successful fact, termination her?

COLBY TRICKLE: No.

Colby Trickle near nan constabulary position that day, but first responder Hauptman was progressively suspicions astir Trickle's actions astatine nan scene. He wondered why Colby didn't request to beryllium by his wife's broadside arsenic they tried to prevention her life.

Sgt. Brandon Hauptman: Your wife's wrong and present she is, you know, bleeding retired … dying and you're connected nan porch.

While first responders were administering CPR, Colby Trickle was chatting pinch officers astir video games. That speech was recorded by a constabulary bodycam.

OFFICER (police assemblage cam audio): What benignant of games do you guys for illustration to play, "Counter-Strike"?

COLBY TRICKLE: Uh, everything from "Call of Duty" to "Minecraft" …

That day, arsenic investigators sewage a hunt warrant for Colby Trickle's cellphone, an autopsy for Kristen Trickle was underway. At nan scene, Coroner Noordhoek, who suspected suicide, had looked for immoderate grounds that personification other was progressive — for illustration signs of a struggle.

Erin Moriarty: Were location immoderate signs of protect wounds aliases immoderate signs that she had fought pinch anyone earlier she died.

Lyle Noordhoek: No.

Noordhoek says he besides examined Kristen Trickle's assemblage for signs of past beingness abuse.

Lyle Noordhoek: Typically … there's … a bid of progressive injuries complete a play of time, truthful you tin show that they've been beating connected each other. In this case, I wasn't really seeing that. … So, I'm going, well, I person to return nan husband's connection astatine connection worth that he was location and nan weapon went off, and she is dead.

Noordhoek says 3 days aft Kristen Trickle's death, based connected nan accusation he had astatine nan time, he wished nan mode of decease was a suicide.

But Brant and Delynn Rice opportunity nan much they learned astir nan facts of nan case, nan much questions they had.

Delynn Rice: When I heard that it was a gun, I thought there's nary way. … We knew Kristen was frightened of guns. … Kristen was besides very, very, backstage successful her body, very modest. … erstwhile I recovered retired she was not dressed, that was shocking to me.

Reflecting connected Kristen Trickle's narration pinch Colby Trickle, nan Rice's told authorities that for years they were bothered by what they opportunity was Colby's controlling behavior.

Pastor Brant Rice: If she didn't instantly respond to a matter aliases wasn't capable to reply her phone, he would get very disappointment pinch her. … he wanted her astatine his beck and call.

At nan time, nan Rice's opportunity they told Kristen they had superior concerns astir Colby Trickle.

Pastor Brant Rice: We cognize that she was not happy pinch america … I judge he convinced her that we were against her. … and truthful she separated herself somewhat.

Kristen decided to wed Colby Trickle and yet moved almost 300 miles distant to Kansas City.

But life for nan mates was difficult says Brant Rice. Colby Trickle enlisted pinch nan Army Reserve and did overseas jobs. Kristen Trickle worked astatine a vet clinic; money was tight.

In early 2019, nan mates moved backmost to nan Hays area, and nan Rice's opportunity Kristen Trickle was coming to their religion again.

Delynn Rice: Oh, we were thrilled.

Pastor Brant Rice: We were truthful thrilled to reconnect pinch Kristen….and it was conscionable for illustration it was erstwhile she lived successful our home.

And successful nan months earlier her death, they opportunity she was making plans to motorboat her pet boarding business.

Delynn Rice: She had picked retired a small location that's southbound of municipality and has a small barn down it. And she wanted to move nan small barn into nan boarding area.

To nan Rice family, Kristen seemed happy and excited for her future. But aft her death, Brant and Delynn Rice wondered astir Colby Trickle — was he tin of murder?

CELLPHONE SEARCHES AND RED FLAGS

As investigators began digging into Colby Trickle's story, they poured complete nan information successful his cellphone and they discovered Trickle had been exchanging coquettish snapchat messages pinch different woman.

Det. JB Burkholder: There's several, I guess, 2 large aha moments.

Det. JB Burkholder: He, um, had conversations pinch her  … which would beryllium described arsenic a sexting conversation.

Also connected that cellphone, according to Burkholder, was grounds that contradicted what Colby had first told investigators erstwhile asked astir life security connected his wife.

COLBY TRICKLE (police interview): I person immoderate connected maine (crying) from military, but that's it.

Cellphone information revealed that not only was Colby Trickle alert Kristen Trickle was covered by a life security argumentation called SGLI for spouses of subject members, successful nan days earlier her death, they opportunity he Googled nan magnitude nan argumentation would salary out.

Det. JB Burkholder: Detective Ridgeway was capable to find a, well, I judge it was a screenshot of a hunt that he had conducted 10 days anterior to Kristen's decease … asking … what his spouse's life security would be.

On Nov 4, 2019, investigators asked Colby Trickle to return for much questioning.

INVESTIGATOR #1: Ten days agone you looked up a life security issue?

COLBY TRICKLE: When? When? I ne'er did?

INVESTIGATOR #1: You did.

COLBY TRICKLE: I ne'er did. If I died?

INVESTIGATOR #1: No. If your spouse died.

Colby Trickle, who agreed to talk without a lawyer, suggested that Kristen Trickle mightiness person done nan hunt herself connected his phone.

COLBY TRICKLE (police interview): We ever gave each different entree to each other's phones and stuff.

Investigators besides asked Colby Trickle astir his online relationship. He admitted that it had started a fewer months anterior to his wife's decease aft he met nan female connected a group chat while playing video games.

INVESTIGATOR #1 (police interview): Did Kristen find retired astir that relationship?

COLBY TRICKLE: Not that I cognize of.

Colby Trickle told them nan narration was a virtual 1 — that he had ne'er really met nan woman. But investigators discovered he had been texting pinch her conscionable hours aft Kristen Trickle's decease while he was still astatine nan constabulary station.

Aaron Cunningham: I conjecture to his credit, he said that he was engaged and couldn't talk correct now. Uh, but past he said, I wish I could …

Aaron Cunningham is adjunct Ellis County attorney.

Aaron Cunningham: ... which is astir apt nan past point that you should opportunity to a female you're having an online matter pinch erstwhile you're being investigated astir your wife's death.

When Colby Trickle near nan constabulary position aft his 2nd interview, Burkholder checked retired his declare that Kristen Trickle had utilized his telephone to investigation life security policies.

Det. JB Burkholder: We were capable to, uh, get video, surveillance video from nan Walmart store.

Kristen Trickle, right, is seen astatine activity connected a Walmart surveillance camera astatine nan clip nan cellphone hunt was made. Ellis County Attorney's Office

What they discovered was that Kristen Trickle was astatine activity astatine Walmart astatine nan clip nan cellphone hunt was made.

Det. JB Burkholder: We were capable to spot she didn't person entree to a phone.

The inconsistencies successful Colby Trickle's statements kept piling up, says Burkholder. Like this one: 

COLBY TRICKLE (police interview): She keeps nan revolver connected her side.

Colby Trickle had said Kristen Trickle had kept nan .357 revolver by her broadside of nan bed, but that didn't look to statement up pinch what Burkholder saw astatine nan scene.

Det. JB Burkholder: When we looked astatine nan segment … we saw aggregate firearms connected what was described arsenic Colby's broadside of nan bed.

There were besides photos of nan couple's chamber recovered connected Colby Trickle's phone.

A photograph of a large-framed revolver connected nan broadside of nan furniture Colby Trickle described arsenic being his was recovered connected his cellphone. Ellis County Attorney's Office

Det. JB Burkholder : So, this image was taken, I believe, a period anterior to Kristen's death. … you spot a large-framed revolver … connected nan broadside of nan furniture wherever Colby Trickle's, uh, described arsenic being his.

Erin Moriarty: And do you deliberation that's nan .357?

Det. JB Burkholder: That's nan only .357 … successful nan location that we found.

Det. JB Burkholder: That tells maine that … this was Colby's gun.

Still, nan investigation stalled.

Erin Moriarty: You person each these investigators who are uncovering much and much grounds that there's thing really incorrect pinch this case. … and you've sewage nan coroner who calls this a suicide. I mean, that's a problem, isn't it?

Aaron Cunningham: Uh, it is and it isn't.

Erin Moriarty: It was initially, wasn't it?

Aaron Cunningham: Sure. It was certainly, arsenic — arsenic acold arsenic their expertise to analyse arsenic efficiently arsenic they usually would.

Cunningham says that nan coroner's determination that Kristen Trickle had died by termination constricted nan investigators' expertise to get hunt warrants.

Aaron Cunningham: There was still elements of nan investigation rule enforcement wanted to travel up on.

In nan wintertime of 2020, Colby Trickle began collecting payouts from 2 security policies: $23,000 from Walmart and $100,000 from nan U.S. military. Meanwhile, investigators continued to study much astir his clip successful nan military.

Det. JB Burkholder: He was a reserve serviceman successful nan subject that was ne'er deployed.

Erin Moriarty: Wait, truthful hold a minute. So he was ne'er deployed to Central America?

Det. JB Burkholder He had nary overseas … deployments that were told to america by nan United States military.

Erin Moriarty: And he had nary acquisition talking to informants … arsenic portion of his occupation arsenic an intelligence analyst?

Det. JB Burkholder: Right.

But moreover pinch what looked for illustration blatant lies and an evident motive to termination his wife, constabulary didn't apprehension Colby Trickle. So, successful nan twelvemonth aft Kristen Trickle's death, authorities watched arsenic Colby went connected pinch his life.

Aaron Cunningham: It is very frustrating to me. … I would tally into him successful public.

Playing euphony astatine a edifice successful municipality …

Aaron Cunningham: It made my tegument crawl.

COLBY TRICKLE (Facebook video): So, immoderate large wind you're in, support pushing forward.

And posting Facebook self-help videos:

COLBY TRICKLE (March 2021 Facebook video): Get to nan extracurricular wherever you're free and bask life.

But then, astir 2 years aft Kristen Trickle's death, a recently elected region lawyer decided to effort thing very caller that he thought could put Colby Trickle distant for life.

AN AUTOPSY OF THE MIND

County lawyer Robert Anderson was conscionable days into his caller occupation successful January 2021, erstwhile Cunningham and Burkholder pulled him aside.

AARON CUNNINGHAM: JB and I cornered him and said … "This is thing that's intelligibly a homicide … thief america to get nan nails put successful this coffin."

After reviewing nan file, Anderson believed that nan coroner sewage it wrong, and that this was a homicide. On July 14, 2021, he charged Colby Trickle pinch nan execution of his woman Kristen Trickle.

Robert Anderson: … surely nan security money … provides motive. … But successful summation … being successful furniture adjacent to your husband, naked, shooting oneself successful nan look … aft having group alarms, uh, to get up nan adjacent time for activity … aft mounting retired candy for Halloween. … These circumstances don't constituent to a female who was readying a suicide.

On July 14, 2021, 21 months aft Kristen Trickle's death, Colby Trickle was charged pinch execution successful nan first grade and interfering pinch rule enforcement. Cassy Zeigler

 
When constabulary arrested Colby Trickle, he didn't look surprised.

OFFICER: Hey, uh, I request you to measurement retired of nan car and travel to nan backmost of nan car pinch me.

OFFICER: Uh, detectives person immoderate questions for you.

COLBY TRICKLE: Sure.

OFFICER: … spot you nether arrest. Turn astir and put your hands down your back.

COLBY TRICKLE: Sure.

And he denied sidesplitting Kristen Trickle.

COLBY TRICKLE (police interview): I didn't do it. And I cognize you — I cognize galore group don't judge that, and I respect that. 

Cassy Zeigler: I judge him.

Erin Moriarty: You don't judge that he would sprout his wife?

Cassy Zeigler: I do not.

Cassy Zeigler is 1 of Colby Trickle's defense attorneys.

Cassy Zeigler: Colby … He cares astir his belief life. He's a devoted Christian. … I don't spot that successful him, this expertise to connive and scheme each of this.

Instead she says, Kristen Trickle had suffered from slump since childhood.

Cassy Zeigler: I deliberation that Kristen dealt pinch a batch much symptom successful her life than group acknowledged. … I don't deliberation there's immoderate worse rejection successful life than to beryllium rejected by her biologic mother astatine an early age. That's precisely what happened …

Colby Trickle's lawyer felt confident. Going into nan trial, nan coroner was opinionated by his appraisal that Kristen Trickle's decease was a suicide.

Erin Moriarty: You had nan ability, you had nan powerfulness to alteration this determination if you wanted to, anterior to trial. 

Lyle Noordhoek: Yes, but — 

Erin Moriarty: You could person — 

Lyle Noordhoek: — but — 

Erin Moriarty: — but you didn't. 

Lyle Noordhoek:  — if I've made a determination, americium I gonna alteration it to homicide based connected an accusation earlier a tribunal proceeding? No.

So Anderson knew he had to do thing to person a assemblage that Kristen Trickle didn't dice by suicide. And that's erstwhile he pursued a different type of autopsy — a psychological 1 — an autopsy of nan mind. And to behaviour it, Anderson hired a forensic psychologist, Dr. Ashley Christiansen. Her occupation was to find Kristen Trickle's authorities of mind starring up to her death.

Robert Anderson: … being incapable to speak pinch them … because they're, of course, nary longer here, they person to speak pinch their family, their friends, their coworkers. They reappraisal immoderate societal media, diaries, journals, thing that they tin …

Christiansen's conclusions would yet return halfway shape astatine Colby Trickle's trial. It was September 2023, and Prosecutor Cunningham began by telling nan assemblage that Kristen Trickle was murdered for nan oldest reasons successful nan world.

AARON CUNNINGHAM (in court): this lawsuit is arsenic elemental arsenic A, B, C.

AARON CUNNINGHAM (in court): A, an affair. B, a breakdown of control, and C, acold difficult cash.

Colby Trickle's lawyer disputed that. Cassy Zeigler says his alleged matter was really conscionable an online flirtation.

Cassy Zeigler: I don't deliberation location was a scheme … to person this semipermanent friendly affair.

Kristen and Colby Trickle Kristen Trickle/Facebook

She besides said she doesn't judge that Colby Trickle plotted to termination Kristen Trickle for cash. And astir that Google hunt into nan life security payout? Zeigler says Colby Trickle doesn't retrieve doing that search, but she acknowledges he had been filling retired paperwork astir that clip for his ain subject life security and if he did do it, possibly that's why.

Erin Moriarty: It's conscionable a coincidence that this is happening days earlier his woman died?

Cassy Zeigler: Unfortunately, so. Yeah. Bad timing.

At trial, nan assemblage learned that Colby Trickle had not only collected much than $120,000 from 2 life security policies connected his woman — he had already gone done it.

Aaron Cunningham: I deliberation had spent each of nan money successful astir 8 months.

What did he walk nan money on? When Burkholder took nan stand, he was asked to picture 1 expenditure successful particular.

AARON CUNNINGHAM (in court) There's a $1,942 costs to True Touch Dolls. Were you capable to find what that was?

DET. JB BURKHOLDER: This is simply a institution that made and manufactures and distributes, life-size activity dolls.

Colby Trickle's lawyer says Colby was having problem sleeping unsocial and was rather unfastened astir nan purchase.

Cassy Zeigler: He went and talked to his mother astir it.

Erin Moriarty: That's a small odd, I guess.

Cassy Zeigler: Yeah. If you're gonna bargain a activity artifact ,,, a grown man's not gonna spell talk to his mother astir this activity doll he's going to buy.

Erin Moriarty: What was your guidance to that?

Pastor Brant Rice: Disgusted. Just disgusted.

Erin Moriarty: It was described astatine proceedings that he needed this doll for comfort.

Pastor Brant Rice: … for comfortableness and warmth. … We person electrical blankets that we usage for that.

When Brant Rice took nan stand, he told nan assemblage that his niece had go much assertive successful her narration pinch her hubby successful nan months earlier her death.

PASTOR BRANT RICE: (in court) I consciousness that she had really begun to guidelines up for herself. We were proud of her for that.

And location were texts, says Cunningham, that look to support that Colby Trickle feared he was losing power complete Kristen Trickle. On April 8, 2019, erstwhile Colby texted that Kristen seemed different and pushy pinch things, she responded:

Aaron Cunningham (reading text): I'm conscionable deciding to instrumentality up for myself … Just for illustration you, I'm taking power of nan situation.

And past prosecutors called their prima witness, Dr. Ashley Christiansen.

DR. ASHLEY CHRISTIANSEN (in court) Right astir nan clip of her death, location was a batch of information suggesting that she had a batch of hope.

Christiansen testified that Kristen Trickle talked to family members astir early plans and seemed optimistic.

DR. ASHLEY CHRISTIANSEN (in court): She wanted to unfastened her ain either pet boarding aliases canine grooming business and had discussed … this extremity for opening her business.

But Christiansen besides testified that she interviewed Colby Trickle for her report, and he offered what sounded for illustration a logic why Kristen Trickle mightiness person been stressed. He told nan expert Kristen knew astir his online narration pinch that different woman.

DR. ASHLEY CHRISTIANSEN (in court): He reported that they had past discussed that narration nan week of her death.

But remember, successful his constabulary interview, Colby Trickle had told investigators that he didn't deliberation his woman knew.

DETECTIVE: Did Kristen find retired astir that relationship?

COLBY TRICKLE: Not that I cognize of.

Erin Moriarty: So, which is it, did she know? … Or she didn't know?

Cassy Zeigler: I judge she knew.

Whether aliases not Kristen knew, Dr. Christiansen told nan assemblage she believed that astatine nan clip of her death, Kristen was astatine a debased consequence for suicide.

DR. CHRISTIANSEN (in court): It is my sentiment … that it is comparatively little apt that her decease was nan consequence of suicide.

Cassy Zeigler: I emotion those words. Relatively little likely. … that doesn't show maine thing … we can't cognize nan mind of personification who's going to extremity their life.

Defense lawyer Zeigler does not deliberation nan study should person been allowed successful arsenic evidence. She points retired that Christiansen, who ne'er met Kristen Trickle, did interviews and prepared her study astir 2 years aft Kristen's death. And Zeigler believes people's memories alteration complete time.

Cassy Zeigler: That is simply a agelong clip to spell backmost and talk to group astir Kristen.

But prosecutors thought location was different portion of grounds that could bring them a blameworthy verdict.

A JURY RULES

Nearly 4 years person passed since Kristen Trickle died from a gunshot coiled to her head.

Erin Moriarty: How would you picture nan past 4 years?

Pastor Brant Rice: Hellish.

On Sept. 22, 2023, it was Colby Trickle's past chance to person a assemblage that he had thing to do pinch his wife's death.

He decided not to testify, but his lawyer Cassy Zeigler called his mother Tina Kreutzer to nan stand.

JEESY ZEIGLER (in court): Is it adjacent to opportunity that Kristen was beautiful reserved astatine first erstwhile you met her?

TINA KREUTZER: Yeah … very to herself.

Kreutzer described her daughter-in-law arsenic a female who seldom revealed her feelings.

TINA KREUTZER (in court): I couldn't publication her, very, um, emotionless.

It's a drastically different Kristen — says lawyer Zeigler — than nan 1 her family describes.

Jessy Zeigler: … by their explanation, conscionable nan happiest, astir joyful personification … ne'er stopped smiling. She almost is stepping connected water. I mean erstwhile nan reality is we person nary thought really she's really emotion … Now you find retired he's having an affectional narration pinch personification other online. I tin ideate that being nan past straw.

But successful his last statement to nan jurors, charismatic Aaron Cunningham shows them nan limb that killed Kristen, and says she couldn't person fired it.

AARON CUNNINGHAM (in court): Members of nan Jury, this doesn't adhd up. And nan authorities is going to show it to you.

Cunningham showed "48 Hours" pinch a akin gun.

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Aaron Cunningham: if you look astatine nan autopsy photos … you spot a small divot astatine nan … 3 o'clock people (points nether his chin pinch his near hand) which is believed by nan coroner to beryllium nan tract imprint of nan gun. … And I knew Kristen was right-handed. … nan earthy measurement a right-handed personification would clasp a weapon to their caput for termination … would beryllium thing for illustration this aliases possibly thing for illustration this  … Putting nan show people location betwixt 9 o'clock and 6 o'clock. … So, for nan tract people to person coiled up complete astatine nan 3 o'clock perspective would beryllium very unnatural.

Cunningham showed "48 Hours" really he believes Colby Trickle changeable his woman while she slept adjacent to him.

Aaron Cunningham: It would beryllium accordant pinch nan placement of nan tract people … that he would person grabbed nan weapon from his nightstand, rolled complete successful furniture and placed nan weapon conscionable underneath her chin and pulled nan trigger.

Erin Moriarty: So, if you support it present (the weapon astatine thorax level coming from nan correct side), past this past would explicate why it appears connected her cervix present (pointing to nan near broadside of her chin).

Aaron Cunningham: Correct.

As nan lawsuit went to nan jury, Zeigler had hoped that they would still person excessively galore doubts.

Erin Moriarty: How important is it — nan truth that nan coroner went to trial, still saying it was a termination erstwhile nan prosecutors are saying it's a homicide?

Jessy Zeigler:  Yeah, it's huge.

Jessy Zeigler: We person to show uncertainty that's reasonable. And I deliberation there's plentifulness of that.

That's what Kristen Trickle's family feared arsenic well.

Pastor Brant Rice: All they person to do is person 1 of those 12 that they person a reasonable doubt. … What are we going to do? … if he walks retired a free man …

They don't person to hold long. Less than 2 hours later, location was a verdict.

JUDGE GLENN BRAUN: Count one, we, nan Jury, find nan suspect blameworthy of premeditated execution successful nan first grade of Kristen Trickle …

Colby Trickle was recovered blameworthy of first-degree premeditated murder, and interference pinch rule enforcement, falsely reporting information.

Erin Moriarty: What do you retrieve of nan verdict? What did you hear?

Pastor Brant Rice: … conscionable emotion for illustration I could breathe.

Delynn Rice: Yeah. I felt conscionable nan —

Brant Rice: Just emotion of breath.

Delynn Rice:  — nan alleviation for information for our family.

Brant Rice: I consciousness for illustration we sewage our life back. 

Delynn Rice: Yeah.

After nan verdict, "48 Hours" said pinch coroner Lyle Noordhoek who said he planned to amend Kristen Trickle's decease certificate to now read: homicide.

He admitted he had decided connected termination earlier talking to anyone successful Kristen's family aliases seeing nan limb utilized to termination her.

Erin Moriarty: But I'm a small surprised. … Wouldn't that person been important for you to make – 

Lyle Noordhoek: Well, nan constabulary should know. 

Erin Moriarty: — to cognize nan size of nan weapon, to beryllium capable to make your decease — investigation determination. 

Lyle Noordhoek: The constabulary should person each that accusation and it's usually correlated pinch nan pathologist, but it wasn't successful this case.

Erin Moriarty: … nan truth that he had done investigation connected insurance. Were you alert of that? 

Lyle Noordhoek: No. 

Erin Moriarty: Were you alert that they recovered grounds that he was having an online affair? 

Lyle Noordhoek: No, they didn't stock that pinch me, either.

Erin Moriarty: If you had known that, would you person near that arsenic suicide? 

Lyle Noordhoek: No.

Investigators admit they should person done a amended occupation keeping him informed.

On Nov. 20, 2023, Colby Trickle returned to tribunal for sentencing admitting only that he could person been a amended husband.

COLBY TRICKLE: Something that I cannot apologize for is harming Kristen that greeting because I cannot apologize for what I didn't do … Regardless of that fact, I still return partial blasted for that morning. I ever wonderment if she would still beryllium here, had I been a amended husband.

Judge Glenn Braun sentenced Colby Trickle.

JUDGE: The tribunal will condemnation you to life successful situation pinch nary anticipation of parole for 50 years …

With Colby Trickle successful prison, nan Rice's opportunity their family is yet opening to grieve nan young female gone measurement excessively soon.

Kristen's cousin, Chloe Rice, who grew up pinch Kristen, wrote a opus for her.

Chloe Rice (singing): "Sometimes I deliberation astir really my world changed  …. I thought we'll ne'er opportunity goodbye… until nan extremity of clip … I ne'er had nan chance truthful now I'm telling you goodbye."

Erin Moriarty: How often do you deliberation astir Kristen?

Delynn Rice: All nan time. Every day.

Pastor Brant Rice: Oh, each day. You know, we thrust by that small house.

The location wherever Kristen Trickle 1 time hoped to commencement her dream business.

Erin Moriarty: You telephone it Kristen's house, don't you?

Pastor Brant Rice: Yeah. … She had a future. She had recovered her religion again.

Delynn Rice: When you were pinch her, you felt loved … A beautiful heart, a gentle, gentle spirit. … And she was conscionable an astonishing girl.

If you aliases personification you cognize is simply a unfortunate of home violence, interaction nan National Domestic Violence hotline  www.thehotline.org astatine 1-800-799-7233.

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Produced by Asena Basak. Michelle Sigona and Tami Weitzman are nan improvement producers. Iris Carreras is nan section producer. Marlon Disla, Grayce Arlotta-Berner, Joan Adelman and Michael Vele are nan editors. Patti Aronofsky is nan elder producer.

In:
• 48 Hours
• Homicide
• True Crime