Page 9 - Jack Proctor News Today

Say? they were at my house for like two hours. so i just need to know from you like what i should do? >> tell them you dont know anything. >> i just dont want them to know they can get to you too. >> i know, man. >> im just scared because they seem to know a lot of things too. >> like what? >> they were saying something about hearing gunshots and they were also saying that they might know what the weapon is. you still have that? >> oh, no. >> good. that would come up right away. what do you want...

Journal" ran an article on the missing mechanic and father. the cold case, which had been virtually dead for years was suddenly picking up steam. reporter jack proctor -- >> it triggered some tips to the police department and it got people, you know, talking about this as something other than a husband who had walked off on his family. >> reporter: for the first time, albuquerque police were publicly calling the case a potential homicide investigation and that caught the attention of a man named...

This morning. after calling u.s. troops for christmas, president trump said this morning the government shutdown will not end until congress funds a border wall. for now, back to "dateline." welcome back to "the secret." im craig melvin. ellen snyder was arrested for killing her husband mike but there were still a lot of questions that needed answers. in this mystery, where there had been so many secrets and lies, the truth seemed as elusive as ever. once again, josh mankiewicz. >> reporter: y...

It was quite simply very, very odd. with the investigation seeming to stall, detective wilson called the local paper, the "albuquerque journal" asking if they would file a story on the cold case. maybe the attention would shake loose some leaves. journalist jack proctor. >> police were willing to say publicly that they believed this may have been a homicide. >> its no secret that in any homicide investigation, the spouse is always the first to be questioned. but before the detective had a chance...

Information on mike snyder. who was this confidential source? >> somebody that was a friend with michael sheffield. >> reporter: ellens son? >> ellens son. >> reporter: the mans name was patrick, a 26-year-old motorcycle technician. he and ellens son michael sheffield had gone to high school together and were close friends. >> he had been living with me in my house with my son for months. they lived there rent free. >> reporter: out of the goodness of your heart. >> because it was michaels frien...

>> reporter: excavation resumed for two more days. finally on the third day searchers uncovered a waterproof tarp. inside were the remains of mike snyder. >> ellen had been saying mike was in phoenix, mike this, mike that, and all along, mike wasnt in phoenix. >> reporter: for mikes family, the finality was devastating. >> to not know for eight years and somewhat hold on to hope and to have that hope finally just pulled out from under you was very difficult for all of us. >> reporter: ellen snyd...

Mikes sister terry. but without any real proof ellen had something to do with mikes disappearance, there was nothing that could be done about those aching suspicions. >> there was nothing that could tangibly prove murder enough to get an arrest warrant for it until they had a body. >> reporter: and so another four years passed. mikes sister terry became more and more dissatisfied with the progress detective wilson was making. >> i think at first he was very zealous. he felt that youre right, a l...

Asked the judge for leniency. >> she does ask your honor that the court sentence her to five years in prison. which will allow her to at least be at her daughters graduation from college. >> the judge addressed ellen directly, focusing on that construction waste shed buried on top of her husbands body. >> it was reported that you unceremoniously threw trash in the same hole that mr. snyder had been placed. >> with that, ellen was given the maximum sentence of 11 years behind bars. >> ms. snyder ...

His family had waited for mike to call after he disappear disappeared. they waited for the police to call when investigators first said theyd look for him. that didnt happen either. years later with ellen snyder facing a murder charge for killing mike, they waited for justice. mikes sister, terry. >> how could you look at us, the family, in the face and tell us that you have no idea where mike is at or you just spoke to mike and mike is doing just fine? >> thus, giving all of you hope. >> thus g...

One month earlier. she was turned down after a routine background check. >> and you couldnt? what happened? >> it was a fraud charge. >> reporter: what did you guy that got you in trouble? >> i was working for a company that i wrote a check on. >> reporter: it turns out that in the late 80s, ellen had pled guilty to embezzlement. the charges were dropped after her probation. suddenly ellen snyders skeletons were starting to see the light of day. and while detective wilson was doing his investiga...