Forensic Transmissions

Episode 33: Paige Birgfeld Murder Trial

Nov 17, 2017

In this gripping discussion, Joseph Carruth, Paige Birgfeld’s neighbor and early suspect, shares his complicated interactions with the victim, revealing an attraction that took an unexpected turn. Kara Smith, the determined defense attorney, highlights the courtroom strategy that aimed to make Carruth a scapegoat. Meanwhile, Dan Rubinstein, the composed District Attorney, navigates the intricacies of witness testimonies and the impact of digital evidence on the case. Tune in for an enlightening dive into a murder trial that intertwines personal relationships and criminal intrigue.

01:38:21

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Episode guests

Dan Rubinstein

Kara Smith

Joseph Carruth

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Episode notes

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Quick takeaways

The episode highlights the importance of judicial protocol and transparency when witness testimony scheduling conflicts arise during a trial.

Carruth's recollection of his interactions with Paige Birgfeld adds a personal dimension to the case, illuminating their acquaintance and the nature of their relationship.

The meticulous analysis of phone records and timing underscores the investigative efforts to establish a comprehensive timeline of events leading to Birgfeld's disappearance.

Deep dives

Witness Testimonies and Scheduling Issues

The episode examines court proceedings where witnesses are called out of order due to scheduling conflicts. This leads the judge to discuss with the jury the necessity of this procedure and explains how the defense was informed and agreed to this adjustment. The judge's emphasis on maintaining transparency with the jury highlights the importance of judicial protocol. The decision to proceed with an alternate witness indicates the challenges associated with managing multiple testimonies and the need for flexibility in trial schedules.

Intro

4min

Courtroom Testimony: The Stand of Joseph Carruth

1min

A Surprising Encounter Before Disappearance

2min

Courtroom Dynamics and Visual Evidence

2min

Interwoven Conversations: Unearthing Connections

11min

Unraveling Conversations in a Bachelorette Case

11min

Unraveling Testimonies

11min

Courtroom Proceedings and Witness Examination

2min

Unraveling Connections: The Paige Bergfeld Case

3min

10.

Tracing Connections: Phone Records in the Birgfeld Case

14min

11.

Analyzing Call Records in a Murder Case

7min

12.

Understanding Voicemail Order and Communication Sequence

2min

13.

Unraveling Communications in a Murder Case

11min

14.

Analyzing Call Logs in the Murder Trial

17min

When Paige Birgfeld went missing from her home in Grand Valley, Colorado on June 28 2007, police were faced with a baffling number of suspects. The 34-year-old twice-divorced mother-of-three was also known as “Carrie.” She had worked as a stripper in Las Vegas in the past, and currently owned an escort agency called Models, Inc. She advertised on Craigslist, among other locations, sometimes answering her business cellphone pretending to be a secretary in an attempt to convince men she had several women available. Sometimes she did, but often it was just Paige. It took police seven years to comb through the alibis of the various suspects in the case, on of whom was her neighbor, Joseph Carruth, who testifies here.

Carruth explains that he met Birgfeld at a pool party that she had for her son’s soccer team, on which Carruth’s son also played. Carruth admits that he was attracted to Birgfeld and called her that night and asked for a date, but she politely turned him down. A couple of months later, Carruth called an escort service for a massage, and recognized Birgfeld when “Carrie” arrived. Birgfeld later told her ex-husband, with whom she was in the process of reuniting, that she didn’t recognize Carruth at first, but he recognized her.

Carruth told investigators she asked him to consider “dancing for her at bachelorette parties,” and he said he would think about it. The two played phone-tag the following day, which was the day Birgfeld disappeared. Eventually, another of her clients, 63-year-old Lester Jones, was convicted of her murder.

Listen to the calm, placid, polite voice of the judge in the case, Brian Flynn. Also of note is Kara Smith, Lester Jones’s young defense attorney who tries to make Carruth into a viable suspect, and, in his defense, the unruffled D.A., Dan Rubinstein.

Listen to Carruth’s testimony here.

Learn more about the case here.