Hyperventilating. Murdered in her sleep it did appear that it was a crime of rage. Where would investigators start . An ex boyfriend . Some stories about a jilted lover. Her new tenants . They were a couple that had been pushed over the edge. Her old friend . I just remember her hair theres no way she saw what she said she saw. The real killer would stun them all. Took my world and just flipped it upside down. We were all wrong. I mean, everybody was wrong in this case im lester holt and this is dateline. Heres Keith Morrison with while she was sleeping. My, my friend, oh my, my frie , oh my god my, my friend reporter a cold night. February, 2014. Shes not. Shes full of blood reporter 911 callers can often be hysterical. This one was all but incomprehensible. I found my friend in the closet. Shes dead reporter but then, this sort of thing just doesnt happen to people like the one now lying dead in the closet. Shes dead, full of blood, wrapped in a thing reporter and certainly not in the callers zip code. We dont see very many homicides in Pitkin County. Reporter but there are moments when no place is safe. No person, not the storied victim, not her secure and pampered shangrila in the snow. There are no words for it, you know . When a childhood friend dies reporter yes, and Nancy Pfister . Life of the party, confidant of bell hops and billionaires. Who would want to harm her . And why . Aspen, colorado. The tiny Municipal Airport here tells a story in the long line of private jets, parked and waiting for their well heeled owners to come down from their mountainside chalets. Their beginner castles, as the late Nancy Pfister used to call them. Half playfully, of course. These were her friends. As were the passing tourists, ski bums and busboys and just about everybody. Mary conover met nancy when they were both teenagers. You cannot come to this town without meeting nancy. Reporter come on, really . Everybody met nancy at one point or another. Ill be showing you all the rich and famous people that i know. Reporter including this french tv crew. Nancy gave them a tour of aspen glitz. This is where all the rich and famous people come in their private jet. Ive never known another person like her. As joyful and outsized personality and all of that that she was, she had a very deep and soulful connection to the world. Reporter some special sauce in Nancy Pfister, and when she smiled it was just pure radiance, you know . It was just beaming. Reporter Billy Clayton was perhaps closer to nancy than anybody, almost like a brother. It was like she had a secret and she wanted to share it with you. And that secret was, lets all lighten up and have fun and enjoy life and be grateful. Reporter nancy had reason to be grateful. She was born to a legendary aspen family, a bit like local royalty. Her father, art pfister, made a fortune when he turned his ranch into the buttermilk ski resort. And her mother betty was a World War Two pilot who, in later years, flew a helicopter, parked it in her driveway. And nancy . Stories about nancy would fill a book. Like the one about how she met jack nicholson. A convertible pulled up and asked them directions. And nancy said, well, ill ill take you there but i want to ride in that nice car of yours. And the next thing you know shes she and jack are best friends. This is the house of jack nicholson. Reporter nancy could and did live any way she wanted, out loud. Many, many times, um, when i just thought we were going to have a normal day and do something around here, she would say, lets go to st. Barts, or, lets go to hawaii, or, lets go somewhere, and id go, okay. Reporter but a relationship with the impulsive and gregarious nancy, billy had to admit, came with a price. Your business was her business, your stuff was her stuff and sometimes, she just expected friends to give her the stuff she wanted. It was it was quite a job to love nancy. Reporter quite a job to love nancy . Yeah. She would do things she felt, uh, were okay at any time. Reporter so, after what happened to her, flies on a carcass, the tabloids feasted on the gossip and half truths that flew around town. She was a spoiled wildchild, they howled. Jack nicholsons party girl, hunter s. Thompsons drinking buddy. An incurable flirt once engaged to Michael Douglas all very breathless, these stories about the, quote, aspen socialite. And insulting, said her friends. Didnt paint nancys character accurately at all. Some people collect famous people as friends. Its important to them to be able to, you know, talk about definitely not her. She had a lot of famous friends. She had a lot of friends who were not famous. She treated everyone the same way. She had a very genuine connection with people. She didnt have the entitlement that made a snooty little rich kid or something. She had an entitlement that sh every day of life was precious and and and should be lived to the fullest. Reporter nancy was a traveling philanthropist. A devoted environmentalist. She had a daughter, too, juliana, born when nancy was 29. And sometimes she took juliana with her when she traveled, but sometimes she didnt. Nancy has a lot of very Close Friends and people who loved juliana and, you know, we all raised our children together. Reporter unusual . Oh certainly. But she just truly, deeply loved juliana and did feel that this was her greatest role of her life was was to be a mother. Reporter thing is, Nancy Pfister trusted people. Even with the care of her own daughter, with her house, with her money. Like the teller she happened to meet in her local bank. She loved people, you know. All kinds. It didnt matter who you were. Reporter kathy carpenter was that teller. And one day seven years ago, out of the blue, nancy asked her to lunch. Kathy accepted. And learned firsthand another of nancys hallmark traits. She was sometimes brutally honest. Reporter no edit button . No edit button. I like that. Yes. No edit button. She actually, when i first met her, told me that i was very fat. Reporter what a thing to say to somebody when you first meet them. Hi. Be my friend. Youre fat. Reporter so she was blunt. Undiplomatic. But irresistable. By the time lunch was over nancy and kathy were fast friends. Just how nancy was. Like when she made plans to leave town for the winter, she decided to rent her house to a retired doctor and his horticulturalist wife, total strangers whom she befriended in a heartbeat. Actually invited them to move in a month early. And so she, dr. Trey styler and his wife, who also happened to be named nancy, they all lived together like roommates. She kinda said, im gonna take you under my wing and have you meet all my friends, and i know a lotta people around here. Reporter but now, in february 2014, at just 57, Nancy Pfister was gone. Murdered, apparently in her own bed. While the grief was still very fresh, much of aspen crowded into the storied hotel jerome for a memorial that was more like a goodbye party. Well, however she died, we need to celebrate her life. Thats what she wouldve wanted because her life was a celebration. Reporter except one person, notably absent from the overflow crowd in the jerome, wasnt celebrating. But certainly could hear the music and laughter that burst out of hotel windows that night, and drifted down the street and into a particular cell in the county jail. 3 f2 y las risas paraban hasta una when we come back, the awful discovery that launched this aspen mystery. Oh my god, no hard to get that image out of your mind. It is. That house has a story to tell. And are we going to be able to figure out what that story is . With blanketlike softness and up to 12 hours of protection, all you feel is love. Wishing you love, sleep and play. Pampers. Fithe columbus day mattress spectacular. Get up to 60 off plus 10 off, plus an extra 5 off or up to 60 months special financing, and free delivery and assembly. Start your mattress search at sears where members get more. And the lovins greater than ever. Monopoly at mcdonalds. Nows your chance to score fifties, hundreds, or a cool million,. Shop til you drop with a 5,000 giftcard from target. Win a chartered flight on a cessna jet for you and your crew,. Or a oneonone experience with lebron. I appreciate it thank you. Its its mr. Monopoly welcome back. You too. Lets play this game welcome to the new cricket wireless. Just how big is our 4g lte network . Bigger than tmobile, sprint and metropcs. phone rings. plans start at just 35 dollars a month. After 5 dollar auto pay credit. Cricket. Something to smile about. To help entertain some friends at the beach. Before earning 1 cash back everywhere, every time. And 2 back at the grocery store. Even before he got 3 back on gas. All with no hoops to jump through. Rafael was inspired to use his bankamericard cash rewards credit card to spend a night watching the stars, under the stars. Thats the beauty of rewarding connections. Apply online or at a bank of america near you. Reporter aspen, colorado, this past february, any february, is the center of the universe, for a certain crowd, that is. This year as always an avalanche of skiers crowded onto lifts and filled the restaurants and bars and shops that line aspens carefully tended avenues. A lovely, if pricey, skiing heaven. Except, that is, for Nancy Pfister. It used to be really different in the old days. But now it has gotten more towards the champagne. Reporter did she ever think of leaving here permanently . I know she was away a lot. She thought of it all the time. She thought about because aspens changed so much. Its not that sleepy little town. Theres traffic. I got stuck in traffic today, you know. Reporter with her daughter, juliana, grown and out of the house by then nancy, at the peak of ski season, had no reason to winter in aspen. Which is why she rented her house to that retired doctor and his wife from denver. While she sipped her champagne in warmer climes. This year, australia. So it was a surprise when, this february, she notified her friends she was coming home early. She arrived in aspen saturday the 22nd of february. Kathy carpenter picked her up at the airport. I hung out with her that evening, helped her unpack, and to get organized. Reporter how was it to have her back . It was wonderful. It was fun. She shared a lot of her video clips that she took on her trip. Reporter did you stay over the weekend or i did. She asked me if i would stay with her. So i did. Reporter on monday morning, february 24th, kathy got up early and left for work, leaving nancy and her dog, gabe, at the house. Knowing nancy would need peace and quiet to get over her jet lag, she put a note on the front door asking wouldbe visitors to leave nancy alone. She did not want to be disturbed. Nancy pfister did never wanted to be disturbed when she slept. Reporter right. You do not call her. You do not wake her. And she always slept with her ear plugs and her eye mask. Everything shut, close the door, and do not disturb. Reporter Billy Clayton also left nancy alone, but felt much better just knowing she was home. I worried about her constantly when she was away from aspen. But when she returned to aspen, i didnt worry about her. I would relax. I sent her an email. There with a photo of my fouryearold son. To aunt nancy, were so glad youre home. Because when youre home we dont worry about you and everythings good. Reporter but billy didnt hear back. Not a word. And then on wednesday, the people whod been renting nancys house called kathy. Theyd moved out quickly on nancys return and had been going back and forth to the house all week clearing out the last of their stuff. And they found it odd that they hadnt seen nancy not once. So this is monday, tuesday, and then wednesday, and you still hadnt seen her. Still hadnt seen her. Reporter but they did see nancys dog, gabe. And then i went and called kathy and said, this dog has been alone for two days. Its clear that she hasnt been back. I was concerned because normally thats not nancys behavior. She would call me and ask me to pick the dog up. Reporter so after work kathy drove up to nancys place on Buttermilk Mountain to check on her friend. What was it like when you went inside the house . I called her name out, and gabe was there. He was happy to see me. Reporter but nancy wasnt there. Kathy checked her bedroom. You know, stuff that was there that i unpacked, you know, it was clear cleaned up. And when i turned, went to the closet, it was locked. Reporter was it usually locked . No. Not i mean, not with Nancy Pfister home. Reporter kathy knew that when nancy rented her house, she kept her personal belongings locked in a closet in the master bedroom. But she and kathy had unlocked it when she got home. At that point, i just i was not feeling comfortable. Something was not right. Reporter kathy who often house sat for nancy had a spare key. But it was back at her house. She went home, got the key, returned. Opened the closet door. When i opened that door, that odor is so overwhelming, it hit me in the face. And i looked down, and i could see the shape. Reporter a shape hidden under a pile of blankets and coverings. But with one glimpse, kathy just knew, she said. It was Nancy Pfister. Hard to get that image out of your mind. It is. Reporter kind of stuck there. It it is. Reporter kathy fled the house, got in her car, called 911. Oh my god, no its pretty desolate up there. So, i jumped in the car and i thought ill just drive down the hill and get to the police department. I i i dont know. Reporter her hysterics made it very hard for the dispatcher to comprehend. Can you get near your friend . No no, i cant. What is she what is your friend wrapped in . Reporter then, finally understanding, the dispatcher told kathy, pull over, wait for First Responders. I want you to pull over and put your flashers on. Okay. When the police arrive, they you know, i stepped out of the vehicle. I think i was going into shock, hyperventilating. Reporter dash cam video shows a distraught kathy as she was taken to the hospital. And sheriffs deputies arrived on Buttermilk Mountain to look in that room and confront a mystery. That house, and that room in particular has this story to tell. And are we going to be able to figure out what that story is . Coming up they knew they were looking for a body. The discovery in the closet. Who was behind it . Hard to do that alone . It is awkward and difficult to move a body. More than one suspect. And maybe more than one killer . When dateline continues. Snackon it. Isnt this my breakfast cereal . Its also a snack. So, then its snackreal. Clever. Your favorite cereals. At any time of day. All at unbeatable walmart prices, guaranteed by savings catcher. Save money. Live better. Walmart. On my journey across america, ive learned that when you ask someone in texas if they want big savings on car insurance, its a bit like asking if they want a big hat. scuse me. Or a big steak. Or big hair. I think we have our answer. Geico. Fifteen minutes could save you fifteen percent or more on car insurance. Reporter lisa miller, the das investigator for the county that includes aspen, is a tall, rangy woman with an impish grin that looks like its hiding a secret. Investigator miller was in an unfamiliar situation up here on Buttermilk Mountain. Murder in aspen . Just doesnt happen. Or hadnt, at least, in more than a decade. I was a little surprised that we had a murder in aspen. Railroad and being called to a persons home like Nancy Pfister, i should think, especially so . Correct. Reporter and yet here she was in nancys living room, looking out the big picture window. The juxtaposition of arriving at that house and taking a look at this beautiful scenery and then knowing an act of terrible violence had occurred just down the hallway reporter though, in the bedroom, she saw surprisingly little evidence of it. There was a small blood smear on the headboard. There was couple small droplets of blood on the carpet and a little bit of spatter on the wall. Reporter and the body in the closet . Well, when First Responders opened the door they knew they were looking for a body. And they open the door and they look inside and they didnt immediately recognize the body. You just looked down and you saw white coverings. Reporter and underneath those coverings miss pfister had been bound with an extension cord. She had multiple plastic bags over her head that had been bound and secured tightly. And then another large one of the tearresistant, darker colored bags over her body also. Reporter with blankets wrapped all around that. Investigator miller could clearly see that the killer, whoever it was, had gone to a lot of trouble to hide what he or she had done but there was no hiding now. When the crime scene personnel started taking a look, they flipped the mattress and found, uh blood on the bottom part of the mattress. Reporter so, it was clear nancy was killed on the bed, dragged to the closet, stashed there, wrapped up like a mummy. Then whoever did it took the extra trouble to flip the mattress in an effort to hide the soakedin pool of blood. Deputy District Attorney andrea bryan started working the case on the night nancys body was found. We learned that she had died from Blunt Force Trauma to the head and it appeared she had had several blows to the head. Reporter any defensive wounds . No. Reporter so this appeared to come out of the blue for her . It did appear to be, yes, a premeditated crime that occurred while she was sleeping. Reporter it looked as if it happened early monday morning. And then, the body lay in the closet undiscovered until wednesday evening. The investigators began compiling a list of possible suspects, a long list. None of us really lived like nancy, so open. I mean she was totally open to strangers. Reporter that openness made nancy friends everywhere she went, said billy. But then again, when nancy opened herself up, people didnt always like what came out. Say what she thought when she thought. Reporter did she realize she was going to maybe make a negative impression sometimes when she did that . Well, she definitely [ bleep ] people off theres no doubt about that. She, you know, many times i could just see peoples, you know, steam coming out of their ears and theyre thinking, no ones ever talked to me like that before. Reporter yeah. But her thinking was, someone should have a long time ago. You know . Reporter no question nancy rubbed some people the wrong way. Spoke her mind a bit too often,