Physical evidence at the McHugh Creek murder scene was pathetic at best. With the warming temperatures of Christmas Day, the ability to capture tire or boot prints was hampered by the thaw. The search for Beth’s missing clothing turned up nothing. All they had was the wire that bound her wrists and the scraps of clothing she still wore. But this much they knew: Beth was brought to the scene in a vehicle. The search for that vehicle now assumed heightened importance.
Soon enough, troopers impounded Robert Hansen’s vehicle and brought him in for questioning. They needed to search the minutiae of his life. But they missed at least one potentially crucial piece of evidence.
Accompanying Sgt. Hughes to the Hansen residence, where they impounded the vehicle believed to have been used in Sandra Patterson’s kidnapping, was Anchorage Police Detective Ron Rice. It was Rice who spied a spool of wire in Hansen’s garage. Rice who mentioned it to Sgt. Hughes. Rice who was told that they couldn’t seize that wire, because they lacked a search warrant for the garage or items other than Hansen’s vehicle.
INFORMATION: On 12/28/71, along with a warrant for the arrest of the suspect, Mr. ROBERT C. HANSEN, a search warrant was obtained upon probable cause for his vehicle, a 1967 Pontiac, Alaska License Number 36042. This warrant was executed at Mr. HANSEN’s address, 327 Thomas Circle, at approximately 4:30 p.m. on 12/29/71 and the seized vehicle was towed by a wrecker to the Anchorage City Police garage, where it was placed under guard until 12/29/71, at which time it was searched.