The truth was bound to hit Darla Hansen at some point. April 25, 1984, was one of those days. The day she found three rings and a gold nugget necklace in her house. She knew they weren’t hers. Which meant that they belonged to another woman. Or other women. Bob’s women. Bob’s dead women. Note, too, Glen Flothe’s precision in marking the handover. 4:10 p.m. had to be an awkward encounter.
Rings found among Hansen’s mementoes (modeled by AST employees)
Troopers searching for bodies, meanwhile, continued their fight with Mother Nature; the ground was still frozen 8 to 10 inches down. They would soon learn that Darla’s husband didn’t bother to dig deep graves for his victims. He didn’t have time for that. Sometimes, he didn’t bother with graves at all. In his haste, he simply left them where they fell. And here, his lack of respect had a silver lining. Bodies left on the ground were easier to find.
Knik Graves: Depth Measure (courtesy Alaska Times)
4/25/84: Sergeant FLOTHE, Lieutenant KASNICK, Trooper VonCLASEN, Sergeant HAUGSVEN search grave site #3, parking area Old Kink River Bridge. Ground frozen 8 to 10 inches down. Return later. Trooper VonCLASEN, Sergeant HAUGSVEN check grave site #8, island south of GOULDING’s body in sandbar, negative. Not sure of exact location easy digging. Use 4X4 pickup and helicopter.
Sergeant FLOTHE, Lieutenant KASNICK check grave site #7. Grave site adjacent to GOULDING. Ground still frozen 8 to 10 inches deep. Not sure of exact location, will return. Used helicopter.
Sergeant FLOTHE, Lieutenant KASNICK, helicopter pilot check grave site (lying on ground) at #9, Horseshoe Lake. Body located approximately 50 feet from flag left by HANSEN. Body lying face down prone, fully clothed. Mostly skeletal with some tissue in protected areas of remaining clothing.
4/25/84 4:10 p.m.: 3 rings, gold nugget necklace to Flothe from Darla.
Purchase Butcher, Baker