This summary of the video was created by an AI. It might contain some inaccuracies.
00:00:00 – 00:21:03
The video follows the harrowing kidnapping and murder of Sally Weiner, the wife of Harry Weiner, by David Copenhefer. Sally's abduction leads to a high-stakes crisis for the Weiner family, with ransom demands escalating. Despite initial investigations and false leads, Sally is tragically found dead with a gunshot wound. Through forensic evidence, including ransom notes and physical materials linked to Copenhefer, such as unique ammunition and computers, the FBI uncovers the chilling truth. Copenhefer had meticulously planned the crime, with evidence from deleted documents pointing to his guilt. His endgame involved targeting both Sally and Harry Weiner for murder. Despite maintaining his innocence, Copenhefer is arrested, charged, and convicted of first-degree murder and kidnapping. The case signifies a turning point in the utilization of modern computer forensics in criminal investigations.
00:00:00
In this segment of the video, the Weiner family, known for their community involvement through their church, faced a dire situation as Sally Weiner was kidnapped. Sally received a call instructing her husband, Harry, to follow ransom demands to save her life. The ransom note demanded money from Harry’s bank vault to be placed in a gym bag and brought to a deserted bridge as instructed. The situation was serious as Sally’s life was threatened, and the family was in a high-stakes crisis.
00:03:00
In this segment of the video, Harry contacts local police and the FBI after his wife, Sally, is kidnapped. He is instructed to drive to the back of the police station to pick up a law enforcement officer. Harry drives to a railroad bridge with a shotgun in his car, accompanied by a sharpshooter and FBI agents hiding nearby. After waiting for hours, the FBI tells Harry to go home. The next day, a ransom note is found near the railroad bridge. The note instructs Harry to proceed to different locations, leading to an abandoned church where the trail stops. Investigators fear the worst as 18 hours pass with no further word from the kidnappers. Sally Weiner, the kidnapped wife, and her husband, Harry, have no known enemies.
00:06:00
In this segment of the video, Sally’s car was found near a church with no signs of struggle. Her body was later found with a gunshot wound to the head. The killer used a Glaser-type bullet that exploded on impact. The FBI analyzed ransom notes typed on a computer word-processing program. A breakthrough occurred when a police officer recognized a symbol from a bookstore window matching the ransom note. The bookstore owner, a friend of the Weiner family, denied involvement in Sally’s murder.
00:09:00
In this segment of the video, investigators confiscated the suspect’s computers based on similarities between the ransom note and a sign in his store window. A forensic entomologist estimated the time of the victim’s death using insect activity. The suspect’s alibi was questioned, and further forensic evidence linked him to the crime, including matching crepe paper and ransom notes found in his trash. A background check revealed a motive for the suspect, who was placed under surveillance by the FBI. The FBI found suspicious items in the suspect’s trash, including crepe paper matching the ransom notes and torn pieces of a duplicate note left at a crime scene.
00:12:00
In this segment of the video, the FBI discovered metal file cabinet rods in Copenhefer’s shed, similar to the ones found with the ransom notes. Forensic metallurgist William Tobin analyzed the rods and found unique marks linking them to the ransom notes. The police also found Glaser-brand ammunition in Copenhefer’s home, the same type used in a murder. Authorities asked the FBI to analyze Copenhefer’s computers, and the team manually reconstructed deleted documents over 33 days due to lack of software at the time.
00:15:00
In this segment of the video, it is revealed that a deleted document called “The Plan” outlined the steps for kidnapping and murdering Sally Weiner. Evidence from recovered data connected the computer, the suspect David Copenhefer, and the crime. The document indicated that Harry Weiner was also a target for murder after the ransom was retrieved. Copenhefer disguised his voice to lure Sally for a planning meeting, abducted her, recorded a ransom message, and killed her within hours. He planned to kill Harry at an abandoned church. Motives included revenge for a loan application rejection and the desire for money.
00:18:00
In this segment of the video, it is revealed that despite being warned not to involve the police, Harry did so after a journalist overheard about the kidnapping on a police scanner. David Copenhefer denied any knowledge of the situation when questioned by the journalist. Copenhefer was eventually arrested, charged, and convicted of kidnapping and first-degree murder based on forensic evidence, including a misspelling that matched his computer input. Despite the overwhelming evidence against him, Copenhefer maintained his innocence. It is noted that the case marked the beginning of modern computer forensics.