Cold Case Files Classic Season 1 Episode 16 Killer in the County
- March 21, 2001
In "Killer in the County," the sixteenth episode of the first season of Cold Case Files Classic, viewers are taken back to the unsolved murder of 18-year-old Lisa Ziegert in 1992. Lisa was found brutally murdered in the gift shop where she worked in Agawam, Massachusetts. Her killer left few clues behind, leading the case to go cold for years.
The episode opens with footage from the local news coverage of Lisa's murder, highlighting the shock and fear that ran throughout the community in the wake of the crime. Detectives working the case at the time of the murder recount the frustration of not being able to find the killer and the impact the case had on them personally and the community at large.
The case is reopened years later, in 2016, with advancements in DNA technology leading to a breakthrough in the investigation. Detectives are able to match DNA found at the crime scene to a suspect, Gary Schara, who had previously been linked to the case but was never conclusively tied to the crime.
Through interviews with police detectives, witnesses, and family members of both Lisa and Schara, the episode delves into the lengthy investigation leading up to Schara's arrest, as well as his subsequent confession to the murder.
The episode also touches on the emotional toll that Lisa's murder had on her loved ones over the years. Her sister, Lynn, speaks candidly about the lasting impact the tragedy had on her family, including the fear and anxiety that gripped her hometown after the murder.
Viewers of "Killer in the County" are taken on a journey through the decades-long investigation into Lisa's murder, which serves as a testament to the tireless efforts of detectives and the advancements in technology that allow cold cases to be reopened and solved.
Overall, the episode is a gripping account of a haunting crime and the impact it had on a small Massachusetts town. Through interviews with those involved in the case and Lisa's loved ones, the episode tells a story of perseverance, trauma, and justice finally served.