The GBI collected little information about the work that Nancy Schaefer had done. They interviewed only one person who was involved in helping to produce the video documentary. They did not obtain a copy of the video or interview its producer, William Fain. They also did not attempt to retrieve the documentary from the producer even though the Schaefers had arranged funding for the video and the producer was not necessarily entitled to ownership rights.
THE THREATS
The GBI was aware that Mrs. Schaefer had received threats and warnings as a result of her work. She had already begun taking security precautions. The information she collected was believed to be so sensitive that she could be targeted for professional assassination. Close friends still fear that someone befriended her and committed the crime. The GBI investigation did little to rule out that possibility.
A former federal investigator I contacted told me that a double killing with an untraceable gun should have automatically triggered a normal murder investigation that would have considered all possible scenarios. But, In spite of the threats, Mrs. Schaefer's high profile work and the mysterious gun, the GBI made an immediate initial conclusion that the couple committed a murder-suicide. That severely limited the investigative scope of the case and caused many aspects to not be fully considered.
THE LIMITED SCOPE
The scope of the case file includes no forensics study of the interior of the house to determine if blood, fingerprints or other substances might indicate, or otherwise rule out, foul play. It does not explain what was analyzed to determine there were no visible signs of forced entry. It also does not identify any effort made to search the grounds behind the house. Those grounds are easily accessible from the unsecured sides of the subdivision even though the subdivision has a front gate with a checkpoint.
The case file cited no effort to question or rule out any of the individuals who checked in that front subdivision gate on the day the Schaefer's bodies were found. It also cited no effort to identify the individuals who checked in on the evening before the early morning hours when the Schaefers likely died. In addition, there is no documentation of any substantive investigative work that took place from July to December of 2010 when the final Investigative Summary was written.
DESTRUCTION OF EVIDENCE
During the time from June to December of 2010 individuals, including myself, filed open records requests for reports but the requests were denied because the case was still open. When Special Agent Whidby wrote the Final Investigative Summary in December of 2010, the GBI had destroyed all items that were seized or created at autopsy. They then completed closing the case in February of 2011 and made the file available.
THE OLD AND NEW UNANSWERED QUESTIONS
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