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Show ‘The Salt Lake Tribune NATION Sunday, January 16, 2000 A Dark Cloud 27 a)in - Making A confession frees husband from suspicion nearly three decadesafter his wife’s murder is BY SHARON COHEN THE (TED PRESS LINO Minn. — i but Gilbert Peppin knew the rumors would not die, the talk would not fade sway and he might never clear his a the lawyer, says La- Tourelle confessed because “he had sort of a religious where he felt this [secret] was something briefly after his sister’s death. Any suspicions Tom Brouillard one dispelled by Peppin's dais, “He came around our family ee kan eee eee One disappears needed to let go of. He had buried it a long time himself.” bag. He entered an unlocked screen door and as she tried to flee down the hallway, he shot her four times, continuing to fire while she lay dying. aman iting to meet for months. Her hunch about his identity had been by his lawyer just days before the meeting. 7 Charles LaTourelle’s hairline “He was hung up on dark- mont LaTourelle knew detaiia only after 27 #3 Not only was there a confession, but Mann was able to solve haired women,” Mann says. the killer would know: The keys were in the door, the Peppins’ puppy, Tuffy, scurried out of the house, Phyllis’ hair was in pig- falla, here was afer ale”sighon she says. “I can only imagine whatit felt like for Gib ‘Mone/The Associated Press Gilbert and Adrienne Peppin watch the video ofthe confession story. Pioneer Press and collected the one more mystery. It turned out LaTourelle delivered the Sunday Saint Pau! Mann dialed Peppin’s number from hercar with the news: money from Phyllis Peppin, came home at4 p.m., knowing “Gib,” she said, ‘‘it’s the two hours before her husband. paperboy.” her home. So even her husband understood how,atfirst, the cloud of suspicion would hang overhim. . Peppin protested his innocence. Andsince police hadno ev- idence, he was never charged. But he was never cleared,either. Like so many other unsolved ‘ \ crimes, the murder of Phyllis Peppin faded from the news. Peppin married again, had two children and resigned himself to believing Phyllis’ murder would remain unsolved and doubts about him would linger. “T had given up hope,”he says. “After10, 15 years, Inever thought they'd find anyone.” ‘Then last spring, Peppin got a call while cuttinghair in the same barbershop he was working in whenhis wife was murdered. “Are you the same Gilbert Pep- 1 Oe pin wholived in Arden Hills 27 years ago?” the police officer asked. “Yes,” he said warily. Then camethe thunderbolt of news: “We've got new information that may solve your wife’s ADD MONEYAT ANY TIME. homicide.” Cold Case: Sgt. Lucienne Mann had never worked a “cold OPPORTUNITIES case” before. The Ramsey County sheriff's investigator knew unsolved murders were puzzles and now,all of a sudden, there was a newpiece for an old case: An unidentified person wanted to talk to police abouta 1972 homicide. That person was represented by Deborah Ellis, a lawyer, who TO WITHDRAW WITHOUT told Mann and the county attor- ney’s office that her client had PENALTY. ‘been 17 at the time and the victim wasPhylligPeppin. Ellis wanted to talk abouta deal. “Obviously, the case was ice cold for them,” she says. “On the other hand, there was no upside * : PAYS HIGH MARKETRATES. ~ for my client to come forward. I was looking for away to give everyone somepeace. ee So atfirst, she didn’t reveal her client's name, whereabouts or evenif it was a man or woman. As the talks plodded along, Mann and her colleague, Dave Watson, began trying to identify the anonymousperson,figuringif any deal fell through, there might bea different way to approachthis xe Ke Ke Ke ek Kk Kk OK case. Theinvestigators assumed the mystery suspect was in prison, andwith help from the county attorney’s office, they searched fall recordsfor inmates between ages 40 and 45 who had committed heinouscrimes andlived in the area. Now ts the time to make your CD rollover, financial windfall, or savings work harder. After compiling a list of about 350 names, they showed it to Peppin. He didn’t recognize anyone. Because police reports had been lost, Mann also met with Charles Zacharias, oneofthefirst investigators on the scene that day — and someone who always believed in Peppin’s innocence. “He's got a memory like an elephant,” Mann says of Zacharias. “T can remember95.percentof the Historical2-year Typically, CD's are inflexible. The Ultimate CD, however,is tied directly to U.S. Treasury Note details,” confirms Zacharias, now aU.S. marshal. the interest rate of a higher yielding 2-year U.S. Treasury Note. The interest Prime Suspect: By early July, authorities pezeroed in ona promising suspect: yHis name was Charles Tor urelle. Hewas in prison for raping and murdering a college studentin St. Cloud in 1980. And in 1972, he was bes ae: rate earned is at least within 0.75%of the 2-year U.S. Treasury Note. This 1997 5.99% meanssolid returns with a rate that increases with the market. You can add moneyto the Ultimate CDat any time. So you'll continually earn a competitive Arden Hills and market rate. Returns increase as the balance grows. Andthere are opportunities uding —from the 1971 to withdraw without penalty.:To open ‘pau Ultimate CDcall 1-800-429-9979, E 23 it one of our branches,or stop by any of ZIONS BANK 7 iar pel! H tel SE F ourin-store locations with extended hours. Pil adedrcrnemer \ es dear: Abel i www.ztondbank.com ca sry sir a gaps yornamsttendge Cee \ J Member FDIC 4 h « v |
