Ep 30. The Deliveryman Murders

The episode of 48 Hours season 33 titled The Deliveryman Murders takes a closer look at the brutal murder of two deliverymen and the hunt for their killer. In December 2017, both Keith Edward Taylor and Willard Ron Hess were found dead in an abandoned property in Columbus, Georgia. The two men were employed as delivery drivers for different companies and their murders left the community in shock.

The investigation into the murders was led by Detective Michael Dahnke of the Columbus Police Department. For him, the case was personal as he knew Taylor and had worked with him in the past. Dahnke was determined to apprehend the perpetrator and bring justice to Taylor and Hess's families. The initial investigation led them to places where the two men worked and to individuals who knew them. Despite their efforts, the police were unable to find anything substantial to help them identify the killer.

However, a break in the case came when a woman named Cierra Crowder was arrested for a different crime and gave the police an unexpected lead. Crowder knew the identity of the person who had killed Taylor and Hess. The police were able to use her information to identify the killer as 28-year-old Travis Santay Lewis. Lewis was apprehended and charged with two counts of murder.

The episode takes a closer look at Lewis's background and the events leading up to the murders. The police investigation revealed that Lewis was a suspect in a robbery in the same vicinity where the deliverymen's bodies were found. The police suspected that Lewis had killed Taylor and Hess during the course of a robbery. In interviews conducted with Lewis, he claimed that he did not kill the men and that he did not know who did. However, the evidence against him was strong with DNA evidence linking him to the murders.

The show examines how the police gathered evidence and built their case against Lewis. It looks at surveillance footage of him in the vicinity of the crime scene and analyzes the cell phone records that place him there. The show also features interviews with witnesses who saw Lewis at the scene.

The episode also delves deep into Lewis's past, revealing his troubled history and criminal record. It shows how his early life was challenging, with a mother who suffered from drug addiction and an absent father. Lewis was in and out of the juvenile justice system and had multiple prior convictions, including robbery and theft.

Throughout the episode, the families of the victims are interviewed, and the impact that the murders have had on them is evident. They speak of their loss and the grief they have experienced. The episode shows their journey to find closure and justice for their loved ones.

In conclusion, The Deliveryman Murders is a compelling episode of 48 Hours that examines a heinous crime and the resulting investigation. It provides an insight into the process and techniques used by law enforcement to solve the case. The emotional impact on the families of the victims is also explored, highlighting the tragedy of senseless violence in our communities.