He loved sports, being with his friends and ripsticking (kind of like skateboarding, but your back leg always moves). They also heard someone saying no and crying out for help. But who's looking, you know, 40 yards off, 50 yards off the street on a dark, rainy night for someone jumping out a window?". Rain is no longer in office, and the new St. Lawrence County D.A., Gary Pasqua, was reluctant to discuss the tip in an interview with NCPR. He had minutes left to live. As of this week, the source who originally contributed the new lead said that they have not been contacted by Potsdam investigators roughly six months since this person first attempted to share information with law enforcement. If you've got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the Metro.co.uk entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@metro.co.uk, calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page - we'd love to hear from you. Trainum has an extensive background workingon cases himself. Let me know what you think in the comments. Nick and Tandy met while Tandy was working part time as a bartender. On October 26, two days after the murder, Nick was brought into the station. His brilliant field leadership at St. Lawrence, next door to Potsdam, had made him a college All-American. Dateline's been covering the case of Garrett Phillips for over a year. No one else has ever been named a suspect. The last time Phillips was seen alive was on school surveillance footage, in which he's seen making his way home on a Riptide skateboard. Privacy Policy. Photo: David Sommerstein, Oral "Nick" Hillary was found not guilty on Wednesday in the 2011 murder of twelve-year-old Garrett Phillips. After Nick was done smoking, he kept the butts in his pocket and even put one in the drain. "You would think, like, wouldn't someone hear somebody yelling, or see something or do anything? 1.) https://www.nny360.com/news/new-leads-surface-in-phillips-murder/article_129462bd-bed2-53ab-b550-39d06dfacc74.html. Hillary was the ex-boyfriend of Phillips' mother Tandy Cyrus, but another of her exes, John Jones, proved to be a key figure in the case as well. Jobs People Learning Dismiss Dismiss. "To date we do not know who murdered that 12 year-old boy," said WilliamBastuk, executive director of It Could Happen To You, a Rochester-based not-for-profit that fights to overturn wrongful convictions. IE 11 is not supported. Phillips refused to make an example out of anyone. Variety is a part of Penske Media Corporation. In Shanna-Kays cross-examination, the prosecution brought her attention to surveillance footage that showed her walking home at 4:02pm, which would have gotten her home at 4:12pm, and therefore into the shower at 4:22 pm. They moved in just months before Garrett died, after Cyrus and Hillary broke up. He added: "It was definitely frustrating. Oral "Nick" Hillary and Tandy Cyrus are pictured in an undated photo. Nick Hillary, Tandy Cyrus Collins, lawyer who questioned Hillary in civil suit to be featured on NBC https://t.co/EkWKVOTN1o #lawyer. Rain ran for district attorney of Potsdam in 2013 with a platform that specifically singled out Tandy Phillips, promising to prosecute someone for the murder of Garrett. And while the killer of the 12-year-old boy could still be on the loose, Oral Nick Hillary paid the price at the time of the murder, as he was initially named as a key suspect. 2023 Variety Media, LLC. Read more at watertowndailytimes.com. Whatever has come to light or will come in the years ahead Phillips said hes tried to focus on the good. — -- It was Oct. 24, 2011, when 12-year-old Garrett Phillips was found strangled to death inside his home in Potsdam, New York, a small town near the Canadian border. Nick Hillary Found Not Guilty in Murder of 12-Year-Old Garrett Phillips. But despite being a free man, it seems Hillary is still struggling to clear his name in his community. He spent more than two decades asa homicide detectivein Washington, D.C., where he eventually opened a cold case unit. Back in the hospital, Garrett Phillips was pronounced dead at 7:18pm. The neighbors knocked on the door, and heard what sounded like the door being locked and latched. But at around 5 p.m., when the murder is estimated to have occurred, no one saw anyone jump or flee from the building. We reached out to Murray this winter ask how hes handling the investigation, but he declined to comment. proceeds with the case. 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After being found not guilty of murder, former college soccer coach Nick Hillary opened up to ABC News' Elizabeth Vargas for his first post-verdict interview. His mothers ex-boyfriend, Nick Hillary, was found not guilty of the murder just over two years ago in a trial that captivated the region. There were people outside changing a tire, but they only reported hearing the window screen being pushed out, Murray said. His neighbours turned against the proud father, and he was soon fired from his job back in 2011. The lawsuit alleged that Hillary's civil rights had been violated during his trial. On October 24, 2011, the neighbors of Garretts heard noises coming from next door. is available to stream on Sky Crime. Who Killed Garrett Phillips? Who Killed Garrett Phillips? airs July 23 and 24 on HBO. Garrett didnt ever want to be alone with Nick, even though Nick said he never had any problems with Garrett. But he said Hillarys situation fits in with nationwide protests over racism in policing a Black man associated with a crime even after a not guilty verdict. Whether Phillips mother agrees remains to be seen. In the wake of the shocking murder of the boy -- in the very early hours of the investigation -- Tandy and her family believed that Nick Hillary was the likely killer. With the case still very much open and unsolved, justice for Phillips has not been achieved. On September 21, Hillarys daughter, Shanna-Kay, took the stand to defend her father. (Also pictured: Potsdam Village attorney Thomas Mortati.) Photo: Brit Hanson, Groups call for independent probe of Garret Phillips murder, Groups call for independent probe of Garrett Phillips murder, David Sommerstein (News Director), cleared in Garrett Phillips death almost four years ago, local police and prosecutors declared the case closed, Nick Hillary's civil rights case, and how it links to a broader moment of reckoning, A phone call from inside the investigation, Gumball machine serves up free poetry in the Adirondacks, Not in Old Forge's backyard? Even more interesting is that Brandon has a cousin who was 15 at the time named Amos who is black and Hillary's lawyer believes they have information that puts Amos and Brandon at the scene and may have information regarding the murder. Nick did say he was at the high school that day, watching a soccer game. His arms were at his side and his legs close together. At 9pm, Dateline will air The Accused, which will focus on law enforcement and community response to the horrific crime, according to Syracuse.com. Garbus says she would do a follow-up to her doc if need be, but she admits that after her experience getting to know the Potsdam police for the project, she doesnt think its likely. Inside the home that day, "Everything was very clean," Murray said. A 'Justice for Garrett' sign is pictured in an undated photo. He thought Nick [Hillary] was the guy, so I think the likelihood of this being pursued by the police and the DA needs the police to do the pursuing is pretty low. And while the killer of the 12-year-old boy could still be on the loose,. His admiring teammates in their undefeated season called him, "The General. He'd parlayed his experience into a job as the head coach of the men's soccer team at Clarkson. And, once I started working on the film, I realized that another major issue was the lack of oversight and the free reign given to the district attorneys.. Director Liz Garbus is pictured in an undated photo. The duo were joined by lawyer Mani Tafari, who also shared his view on the case. Ive probably seen every show on this case, but for my research I watched Deadline Crime with Tamron Hall. Also the Mom of Brandon's girlfriend also overheard Brandon talking about this unidentified male. "Ideally, it should be used as a learning experience, where all the parties go back and theyre open with each other and honest with each other," Trainum said. A silent picture of a kid on a skateboard moves into the frame from lower right, sails past for about 16-seconds and exits frame left. ), Police canvassed the neighborhood, but no one had witnessed anything, Murray said. The mystery of what happened to Garrett Phillips continues. "And so, whos going to challenge him?". Bastuk admits theyre just familiarizing the AGs office with the details of the case. I think of Michelle McNamara: Did that book [Ill Be Gone in the Dark] solve that case? Forty minutes later, he was found strangled to death in his mother's bedroom. Sky Crime launched the documentary Who Killed Garrett Phillips? But in a county thats population is more than 90% white, the killing of a child -- a crime that screamed out for justice -- became an investigation that boiled with questions of racial fairness. He said: Its important to note I think that the cops may have been somewhat intellectually challenged, but the district attorney that prosecuted this case has been a district attorney for three decades, thats thirty years in New York. Hillary was confused, especially because Jones was not in his deputy uniform and he wasn't sure if Jones was there in an official capacity or not. The cops checked out the alibis of the significant men in Tandy's life, including a sheriff's deputy, but they seemed to always have their sights on Hillary. Tandy and Aaron have since moved out. He argued that Garrett was the victim of overzealous prosecutors and poor defense attorneys. He was, they said, the only person in town with a grudge against Garrett, blaming him, the family argued, for the break-up of his relationship with Tandy. Theyre Aug 17, 2020 Advocates for the wrongfully accused are trying to draw new attention to the murder of Garrett Phillips in Potsdam nine years ago. Police suspect the killer escaped through this window. Director: Liz Garbus. "Thats not gonna change.". The people who lived downstairs didn't report hearing or seeing anything, Murray said. The murder trial began in the county seat, Canton, New York this month. Nicks defense team said right away that the police had tunnel vision and said it was a race issue. "When someone is wrongfully convicted or wrongfully prosecuted, the true perpetrator remains on the streets to commit another crime," Bastuk said, referring to the Phillips case, which remains unsolved. Dateline's been covering the case of Garrett Phillips for over a year. he was with his girlfriend til 11pm (his girlfriends mom confirmed this). Garrett was found unconscious in his home and died that night due to injuries inflicted by a yet unknown perpetrator. He also had deep rug burns, scratches on his face, a black eye and cauliflower ear. miaomy 3 yr. ago. Lauren Rosenthal (Investigative Reporter and Producer), A phone call from inside the investigation, Gumball machine serves up free poetry in the Adirondacks, Not in Old Forge's backyard? He was just all about control.". According to Grantland, Officer Mark Wentworth investigated the apartment at 100 Market Street. He was a popular, athletic kid. And the focus right now is to start puttin this in the rearview mirror.. He was the last person seen with him and he was know to be violent and committed a confirmed violent act. Is Nick guilty or innocent? Tandy Cyrus, Garretts mom, was at her other sons basketball practice. Where was he on the day of the murder? On May 14, 2014, Nick was arrested and charged with second degree murder. Talking on Build, ahead of the series which dropped onto Sky Crime earlier this month, Hillary spoke about his life after the case. Hillary has since moved back to the city, where he coaches soccer and wishes the film will put pressure on cops to solve the murder. Again, I saw an abrasion, but it ankle didnt look swollen to me. As least, that's. Shanna-Kay, who is now 19-years-old, has testified that on the day of the murder, she was at Potsdam High School. Director Liz Garbus is pictured in an undated photo. Garretts mother, Tandy Cyrus, has said that her son was a gregarious boy who had absolutely no fear. Garrett, 12, was found strangled in his empty home on October 24, 2011, with no witnesses reporting seeing the killer enter or exit the second-floor apartment. Its season 6 episode 2 titled Home Alone.. ", 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. Nick said he went home after. Garrett Cunningham Expand search. Fourteen at the time of the murder, she was one of his two alibi witnesses. He found Nick Hillary not guilty. He was asked many questions about where he was the day of the murder. ", Brian Phillips, Garretts uncle, said he hadn't been notified about the existence of any tips but he also admitted he's not too interested in continuing to hear them. If there's been an acquittal, Trainum said, thats all the more reason for investigators to take a step back and consider how the case unfolded. Loved sports, being with his friends and ripsticking ( kind of like skateboarding, for! 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