The rerun of Dateline: Secrets Uncovered season 8, which aired on October 25, 2022, at 10 PM, looks back at the brutal murder of Joel Lovelien, a North Dakota native who was beaten to death outside a local bar the weekend before Halloween in 2007.
The circumstances around which the crime took place, the confusion regarding the timings, and the fact that almost everyone was dressed up in Halloween costumes, made the case all the more complicated. Though a suspect was found and charged, the jury acquitted him of all charges owing to a lack of forensic evidence or witnesses.
Joel Lovelien was visiting the Broken Drum lounge and casino in Grand Forks with his fiancee Heather when a party bus pulled outside the bar. Joel went outside to take a call at around 11:30 PM and returned to tell Heather that a man had been left behind from the bus and needed help. Joel walked out of the bar, and it was the last time he was seen alive.
The synopsis from the episode reads:
"It was just before Halloween. Joel Lovelien and his fiancee headed to a local bar packed with people in costume. Then, Joel stepped outside and walked into a troubling mystery. Police rounded up potential suspects, but could they unmask a killer?"The entire case is shrouded in mystery. Here are five chilling details from the night of the murder.
Five quick facts about Joel Lovelien's murder
1) Joel Lovelien died suffocating in his own blood
Joel Lovelien was found unresponsive on the pavement after a man rushed into the bar screaming for help. Heather Eastling, his fiancee, recalled:
"Joel was laying there with blood all over the cement near his head in the parking lot...We couldn’t get a response out of him."He was rushed to the ER but was pronounced dead. The bones in his face were badly broken, and he died from choking on his blood.
2) Authorities received information about a clown, a cowboy, a gangster, a construction worker
The party bus had already left when the police arrived. With descriptions from people in the bar, the authorities singled out a clown, a cowboy, a gangster, and a construction worker as potential suspects and were able to track them down by following the bus. Though they were uncooperative after a night of heavy drinking, they sobered up the next morning and told their versions of the story.
3) The only piece of forensic evidence found near the body was a lion's paw
Authorities found a blood-soaked paw near Joel's body as the only piece of forensic evidence. Upon hearing that authorities were looking for a man dressed as a lion, Travis Stay, a nursing student, visited the police station and informed them that he was dressed as a lion on Halloween night.
Later, his costume was used as evidence to arrest him.
4) The jury found Travis not guilty of Joel Lovelien's murder
Due to inconsistencies in the story, timeline, and witness reports, there was not enough evidence to charge Travis, according to the jury. Though prosecutors tried to paint a picture of a sore bar fight loser who allegedly beat the man who tried to help him, the jury acquitted Travis of all charges.
5) The real killer of Joel Lovelien may still be on the loose
With conflicting beliefs about Joel's death, most, including the legal system, believe that Joel's killer is still on the loose. Joel's sister Erika Lovelien also believes that Travis is not the killer. 15 years later, Lovelien's family is still seeking justice for his death.
The rerun of Dateline: Secrets Uncovered, which aired on October 25, 2022, at 10 PM, focused on these aspects of the case.
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