Page 2 - Bud Fleming News Today

>> the only reason why he would lie like that is if he had something to do with the murder. when we walked away, it was, yeah, we got him. this is our guy. theres no question about it. >> and just like that, a dead, old case was fully reborn. now the man steve davis had been chasing all these years could finally be arrested. >> youre a free man. you think you got away with it, and then all of a sudden, they drop the hammer on you. >> it was davis who called christies sister, rhonda, and her fath...

Guilty conscience. still, when the jury retired to consider a verdict, and the first full day dragged by with no verdict -- >> i was scared to death they were going to say not guilty. looking at the jurors faces, i just couldnt tell where they were going. >> it took them a day and a half. arturo gutierrez was found guilty of murder in the first degree. a secret preserved by a cigarette for 14 years finally produced justice, that and a detectives determined patience. >> any time you convict a mur...

Detectives started out with a list of four possible suspects, men whom christie had dated, and each one of them was questioned, their movements and alibis checked, and then one by one, they were cleared. but christies father, bud fleming, remembered something. there had been a young man years earlier when christie was a teenager, but he had forgotten all about the kid, wouldnt have thought of him at all except a few months before christie was murdered. >> he gets a phone call one day. "hi, this ...

Established that there was a list of maybe three or four that were good possible suspects. >> each was questioned, submitted saliva samples, and was given a polygraph test, and within a few days, all dropped off the list of suspects. christies father, bud, who had taught his daughter to be so security conscious, tried to help solve what he could not prevent, by hanging posters all over town. >> if anybody out there knows anything at all, im begging them to please come forward. we sure need the h...

So rhonda went to her mothers house anyway thinking her ungioer sister would show up. >> but christy wasnt there which was very unusual because she was always on time, never, ever late. and my mom hadnt talked to her. i called christie again. the phone is still busy. now i know something is wrong. >> panic now. rhonda called her father, bud fleming. he was divorced but raised both girls and kept close tabs on them, especially christie, who was single. >> he hadnt talked to her either. as soon as...

>> i know my dad didnt want art back in contact with her. but its hard for a father because a father wants his daughter to be happy. >> of course. >> so on the one hand, he knew that she loved the guy once upon a time, and hes probably thinking, oh, you know, if this is what she wants, i want her to be happy, but on the other hand, youre always protective of your kids. >> sure. what should a father do? he certainly didnt like the guy, but christie was a grown-up. it wasnt really his business any...

List of maybe three or four that were good possible suspects. >> each was questioned, submitted saliva samples, and was given a polygraph test, and within a few days, all dropped off the list of suspects. christies father, bud, who had taught his daughter to be so security conscious, tried to help solve what he could not prevent, by hanging posters all over town. >> if anybody out there knows anything at all, im begging them to please come forward. we sure need the help. >> she was his baby. he ...

This is our guy. theres no question about it. >> and just like that, a dead, old case was fully reborn. now the man steve davis had been chasing all these years could finally be arrested. >> youre a free man. you think you got away with it, and then all of a sudden, they drop the hammer on you. >> it was davis who called christies sister, rhonda, and her father, bud. >> i mean, i just cant even describe to you what a feeling that was for both of us that that had happened. in fact, the very day t...

Without answers. >> you have to tell yourself that god will take care of it. at some point, this person will pay for what they did. its really the only way to be able to accept it. >> christie and rhondas father, bud fleming, took it very hard. life didnt seem to be worth much to him anymore. >> he was under the care of a psychiatrist for the rest of his life and never recovered from it. he really -- he really aged. it really took its toll physically, mentally. >> really only about one thing kep...

Their movements and alibis checked, and then one by one, they were cleared. but christies father, bud fleming, remembered something. there had been a young man years earlier when christie was a teenager, but he had forgotten all about the kid, wouldnt have thought of him at all except a few months before christie was murdered. >> he gets a phone call one day. "hi, this is a voice from your past." buds, like, "well, i dont have time for this. who is this?" hes like "its me, its art." >> art? who ...