Was an Oregon 15-year-old the mastermind behind her father’s murder?

The quiet metropolis of Medford, Oregon was shaken by Maggie Friar’s determined 911 name within the early morning hours of Oct. 2, 2017.

MAGGIE FRIAR to 911: I do not know the place my ex-husband or my oldest daughter is.

911 OPERATOR: I perceive that.

MAGGIE FRIAR to 911: One thing occurred on the home. One thing occurred over there.

Maggie Friar’s ex-husband, Aaron Friar, and their 15-year-old daughter Ellen, nicknamed Ellie, had been lacking.

MAGGIE FRIAR (to 911): My concern is for the each of them. We do not know the place they’re … 

Maggie Friar: You may solely think about … all of the issues that had been working round in my thoughts. I did not know who was lifeless, and who was alive.

When Medford Police Officer Logan Boyd arrived at Aaron Friar‘s home, he discovered a grotesque scene: blood spattered partitions, shattered glass, and a path of blood — to nowhere.

OFFICER BOYD (bodycam/exterior by the entrance door): It begins from there, kinda goes all the way in which out within the filth.

DETECTIVE: Goes out in direction of the carport.

OFFICER BOYD: Yeah.

DETECTIVE: That is not good.

This led investigators to note what additionally was lacking: Aaron Friar’s automotive — seen on a neighbor’s safety digital camera leaving the Friar residence round 5:30 that morning.

Officer Logan Boyd: We’re form of coping with what I’d describe as like a two-headed monster.

A FATHER AND DAUGHTER DISAPPEAR

An all-hands-on-deck name went out to each Medford Police detective, together with to Det. Invoice Ford.

Det. Invoice Ford: We did not know at that exact time whether or not this was a lacking individual case or a kidnapping. … We simply did not know.

Det. Shannon Reynolds, Ford’s colleague and spouse of 20 years, had a special take.

Det. Shannon Reynolds: In my thoughts, I robotically assumed that the 15-year-old daughter was the sufferer … of a … murder.

Natalie Morales: So, a case like this — the place did this one kind of slot in?

Det. Shannon Reynolds: In all probability probably the most attention-grabbing, heinous crimes I’ve seen in my profession.

Investigators hoped Ellie’s youthful sister, 11-year-old Sierra, would possibly make clear the unknown. Reynolds, who makes a speciality of crimes towards youngsters, was tasked with interviewing her.

Det. Shannon Reynolds: Sierra wasn’t like outright crying, however you possibly can inform, she was anxious.

Natalie Morales: Who was she anxious about?

Det. Shannon Reynolds: Her dad and Ellie.

Sierra Friar: I attempt to not actually take into consideration that point quite a bit, however …

Sierra, 18 years outdated on the time of this unique interview, nonetheless finds it tough to discuss the day her father and sister vanished.

Sierra Friar: I used to be, you realize, only a little one and, um — I am sorry. (cries)

The second of three ladies, Sierra says she cherished being within the center.

Sierra Friar: I get to be an older sister and a youthful sister, so I get like one of the best of each worlds. … I just like the connection and the bonds that we’ve.

Sierra says her older sister Ellie cherished music and will play many devices — a ability Ellie appeared to have picked up from their father.

Sierra Friar: One time, he tried to show me the best way to play the drums, however I wasn’t superb at it, so. (smiles)

In 2016, Sierra’s mother and father, Maggie and Aaron Friar, ended their marriage. Sierra says the divorce took a toll on her and her sisters.

Sierra Friar: It affected us quite a bit. It was really not a really nice expertise for everybody concerned.

Sierra says that when her mother and father separated, her dad moved into that small two-bedroom home. Maggie and Aaron Friar shared custody, and the ladies would stick with their dad each different weekend. In September 2017, Sierra determined to reside together with her dad full-time.

Sierra Friar: I wanna be round him and fill my life with him.

Then, round 5:30 a.m. on Oct. 2, 2017, the Friar household was endlessly damaged. Sierra was asleep within the bed room she shared together with her youthful sister.

Sierra Friar: I awoke and it was simply pitch black. … I keep in mind waking up …  to — like a dinging noise over and again and again … then I heard … glass shatter. … And I heard the struggle that occurred.

The sound was coming from the lounge.

Natalie Morales: So then what does she hear? As a result of she actually is kind of an earwitness to all that occurred.

Det. Shannon Reynolds: Sure. Sure. … She heard her dad yell the f-word. … She heard dragging. She heard issues being moved.

Sierra Friar: After that, it was utterly silent.

Natalie Morales: Did she have any thought what was occurring on the time?

Det. Shannon Reynolds: No. … She was frightened sufficient to remain in her room till … she felt prefer it was OK to return out.

When Sierra lastly did come out, she discovered that horrific scene.

Natalie Morales: Needed to be so scary, although.

Det. Shannon Reynolds: So scary.

Sierra informed Reynolds that earlier than leaving her room, she had seen one thing out of her bed room window.

Shannon Reynolds: She … might see folks strolling backwards and forwards.

Sierra noticed two younger males exterior of her dad’s home — one was an individual Sierra did not know. The second was somebody Sierra instantly acknowledged. It was Gavin MacFarlane.

Sierra Friar: He was Ellen’s boyfriend on the time. … This was her large love. … In keeping with her, he was an excellent man. However based on my mother and father, he was not an excellent man.

Det. Shannon Reynolds: Sierra insinuated this was a bit little bit of a forbidden love. Dad had forbade … Ellie from seeing Gavin.

This was the break investigators had been hoping for.

Det. Invoice Ford: As soon as we’ve a reputation: Gavin MacFarlane. Now we bought an image. … Now we all know who we’re on the lookout for.

The seek for Aaron and Ellie Friar — and now Gavin MacFarlane — was on.

Det. Invoice Ford: We in all probability had … 70, 75 folks out on the streets of Medford.

Ellie and Aaron Friar’s telephones had been present in the home. Investigators now started monitoring MacFarlane’s telephone.

Det. Invoice Ford: We began getting cellphone tower hits up within the East Medford space. 

Patrol officers instantly headed in that route.

Det. Invoice Ford: A patrol sergeant locates the automotive. … That was enormous.

Because the officers approached Aaron Friar’s car, they realized that one thing wasn’t proper.

Det. Invoice Ford: We might see … there was blood on the surface of the bumper that had been dripping down … When this trunk is opened up … there may be massive quantities of blood. I imply it’s soaked into the carpet.

However no Aaron Friar — and no Ellie. However the automotive was nonetheless heat, so the police knew they had been shut.

Det. Invoice Ford: We had tons of individuals up there driving round, on the lookout for them.

After which, simply an hour later, investigators could not consider who they discovered subsequent.

THE SEARCH FOR AARON FRIAR

Then simply 4 hours after that 911 name reporting her lacking, Medford Police discovered Ellie Friar. She was alive, seemingly unhurt, and had been strolling down a busy avenue with Gavin MacFarlane.

Det. Invoice Ford: They’re strolling down the sidewalk.

Natalie Morales: In plain sight.

Det. Invoice Ford: Plain sight. … So, now we all know Ellie is secure.

Which made two issues clear: Aaron Friar was the sufferer, and, based mostly on all that blood in his automotive and on the home, time was shortly working out to search out him.

Det. Invoice Ford: We had Aaron … on the market, both severely injured or deceased.

Strolling together with MacFarlane and Ellie, was somebody investigators hadn’t been on the lookout for.

OFFICER (bodycam): Do you’ve ID together with your identify on there?

RUSSELL JONES: Uh, no. I do not — I hardly carry my ID round.

OFFICER: OK.

He turned out to be Russell Jones, a good friend of  MacFarlane’s.

RUSSELL JONES (bodycam/in police automotive): I will not make it laborious on you.

OFFICER: (laughs) Alright.

Jones had apparently made an impression on Sierra, says Reynolds. He matched the outline of that second younger man she noticed at her father’s home that morning.

Natalie Morales: So, she bought a very good —

Det. Shannon Reynolds: Sure.

Natalie Morales: — take a look at this individual.

Det. Shannon Reynolds: Sure.

Investigators now had a witness inserting MacFarlane and Jones on the crime scene. Ford says he wasn’t certain what to make of Ellie being discovered with them.

Det. Invoice Ford: That does not imply that Ellie is concerned in one thing.

However Ford says that she, MacFarlane, or Jones would possibly maintain the important thing to discovering Aaron Friar.

Det. Invoice Ford: Ellie, Gavin, and Russell are separated, detained, and transported to the Medford Police Division for questioning.

Det. Stephanie Jackson was tasked with getting Ellie Friar’s account of the earlier 24 hours.

DET. STEPHANIE JACKSON (interrogation): So what have you ever been as much as at present?

ELLIE FRIAR:  I have not been residence and now I am actually involved about what’s been occurring.

DET. STEPHANIE JACKSON: Mm-hmm. The place had been you?

ELLIE FRIAR: Out.

Ellie was saying every little thing had appeared regular when she left her father’s home for a protracted stroll.

DET. STEPHANIE JACKSON (interrogation): And also you had been strolling down the road, it feels like at present?

ELLIE FRIAR: Mm-hmm.

DET. STEPHANIE JACKSON: Who had been you with?

ELLIE FRIAR: I used to be with my buddies.

In keeping with Ellie, she had run into these “buddies”— MacFarlane and Jones—solely by likelihood not lengthy earlier than being noticed by police.

DET. STEPHANIE JACKSON (interrogation): And so everyone’s actually involved … as a result of we really do not know the place your dad is correct now.

ELLIE FRIAR: That is actually … disturbing to listen to. … Perhaps he was on the lookout for me.

DET. STEPHANIE JACKSON: We’re very anxious about your dad.

ELLIE FRIAR: So am I.

Ellie was saying she had no thought the place her father was or what occurred on the home.

DET. STEPHANIE JACKSON (interrogation): So the place did all of the blood come from in your home?

ELLIE FRIAR: I do not know.

Round that point, Ford was making ready to interrogate the opposite two detainees. Strategically, he determined to let Gavin wait in a holding cell and commenced interviewing Russell.

Det. Invoice Ford: He is a talker … very, very talkative. … so I form of knew … he would … have a tough time conserving his mouth shut.

DET. BILL FORD (interrogation):  Spin round within the chair there and face me, so I can discuss to ya.

RUSSELL JONES: Yeah, I’ve nothing to cover …

Jones was prepared to speak. However he needed one thing first: a cigarette.

RUSSELL JONES (interrogation): I discuss higher when I’ve a cigarette.

Ford took him exterior.

Det. Invoice Ford: Simply form of smokin’ and jokin‘ is what we name it.

The digital camera did not report audio, however Ford says Jones started telling him that he and MacFarlane had gone over to the Friar home early that morning.

Det. Invoice Ford: He informed us that he was making an attempt to assist get Ellie out of a nasty scenario.

That “dangerous scenario,” based on Jones, was Aaron Friar.

Det. Invoice Ford: And the very first thing that he tells us is, “he is not an excellent individual.”

Natalie Morales: Aaron Friar isn’t an excellent individual?

Det. Invoice Ford: Right.

He did not elaborate additional about Aaron Friar, however Jones was claiming he and MacFarlane had been solely there to secretly transfer Ellie out.

Det. Invoice Ford: So, the following factor I inform him is “look, Russell, we bought detectives on the market proper now pulling video from each home, the alleys … So if this ain’t the reality … you have to be truthful with me proper now.” And he appears me sq. within the eyes and he says, “Effectively, 95% of it is the reality and … 5% of it’s a lie.” So, I am considering robotically, what is the lie right here?

Ford determined it was time for a brand new tactic and tried interesting to Jones’s conscience.

Det. Invoice Ford: I take a look at him and I am like, “You already know, Russell, I do not desire a little one to search out Aaron … on the market someplace, come throughout one thing like that.” … I mentioned, “Can you’re taking us to Aaron?” … he did not beat a watch. He is similar to, “Yeah, I am going to take you to him.”

The veteran detective wasted no time.

Det. Invoice Ford (to Morales): We load Russell up. He is really sitting within the seat that you simply’re sitting in now.

Det. Invoice Ford: We bought him handcuffed in entrance. … he is mainly telling us, OK, flip proper, flip left.

They had been ascending a rural mountain move 20 miles exterior city.

Det. Invoice Ford: After which abruptly Russell says “Cease.” … “Cease proper right here.”

THREE SUSPECTS, THREE DIFFERENT STORIES  

DET. FORD (bodycam on the website the place Aaron Friar’s physique was discovered): The place did you cease your automotive and again up?

RUSSELL JONES: Uh — In all probability proper the place that rock is.

DET. FORD: Proper right here on this inexperienced tarp?

Natalie Morales (on the website the place Aaron Friar’s physique was discovered): Do you see the physique instantly?

Det. Invoice Ford: You might see the tarp; you could not see any portion of the physique.

Detectives descended the wooded ravine and pulled again that tarp revealing that, simply six hours after that 911 name, they’d discovered Aaron Friar.

Det. Ford: It was … apparent that he was deceased.

Natalie Morales: Whenever you discovered your husband was lifeless, what did you assume?

Maggie Friar: Uh … I used to be utterly shocked; I did not know what to assume.

Maggie Friar says the police hadn’t but informed her Ellie was of their custody being questioned — and even that she had been discovered.

Maggie Friar: I used to be very anxious in regards to the destiny of my daughter. … I had no thought if my daughter was even alive, too.

Maggie Friar then confronted the unimaginable job of sharing the information of Aaron’s loss of life with their two youthful daughters. The truth was nearly an excessive amount of for then-11-year-old Sierra.           

Sierra Friar: I simply actually did not wanna consider it for a very very long time.

Whereas investigators started processing the scene, Ford drove Russell Jones again to police headquarters. He says Jones was claiming that every one he had achieved was assist get rid of Aaron Friar’s stays.

Det. Invoice Ford: He is like … I am not gonna be a witness towards Gavin.

Russell was saying Gavin MacFarlane was Aaron Friar’s killer, however that MacFarlane had been provoked.

Det. Invoice Ford: His story was … that Aaron had a rifle and was pointing it at Gavin.

Natalie Morales: So making it seem to be a self-defense … due to — he had a gun pointed at him.

Det. Invoice Ford: Precisely.

Again on the station, Ford returned Jones to the interrogation room, whereas detectives gathered for a briefing.

That is when Russell started taunting them by way of the digital camera.

RUSSELL JONES (alone in interrogation room): you are listening in on my conversations, aren’t you?

RUSSELL JONES (alone in interrogation room): I can nonetheless twist your little thoughts. Do not piss me off.

Natalie Morales: This, I think about, bought everyone to cease what they had been doing and collect across the monitor —

Invoice Ford: Yeah.

Natalie Morales: — and watch this.

Det. Invoice Ford: Yeah. That is what you do. 

RUSSELL JONES (alone in interrogation room): So we will play it the simple approach or the laborious approach.

Det. Invoice Ford: He would go into these rants and … making calls for and stuff.

RUSSELL JONES (alone in interrogation room): Gavin and Ellie are to be launched to me.

And Jones was claiming he nonetheless hadn’t been completely truthful.

RUSSELL JONES  (alone in interrogation room): And Mr. Ford, you need the entire story? ‘Trigger I did miss just a few elements.

For her half, Ellie was now saying Jones was the one accountable.

ELLIE FRIAR (interrogation): I consider that Russell’s the one which killed my father.

With the conflicting claims, Ford determined it was lastly time to interview MacFarlane.

GAVIN MACFARLANE (interrogation): I do know I am in deep trouble, aren’t I?

DET. BILL FORD: Effectively, we have to determine what occurred.

MacFarlane began by saying how risky Aaron Friar could possibly be.  

GAVIN MACFARLANE (interrogation): He is threatened my life … He is like, no, steer clear of my daughter. … I am gonna kill you.

One month earlier, MacFarlane had referred to as the police claiming Aaron Friar had proven up at his home, banging on his door, threatening to kill him.

GAVIN MACFARLANE (interrogation): I do not know what precipitated him to not like me anymore.

Detectives found no less than one motive: MacFarlane’s age. He was 19 years outdated, relationship 15-year-old Ellie. And making issues worse, MacFarlane was now claiming Ellie was going to have his child.

DETECTIVE: She informed you she was pregnant?

GAVIN MACFARLANE (interrogation): I’ve recognized for about two weeks now.

Whereas MacFarlane was admitting to having a sexual relationship with a minor — itself against the law — he was accusing Aaron Friar of being the one who had been abusive to Ellie.

GAVIN MACFARLANE (interrogation): The anger had simply been build up ‘reason for the issues that Ellie had been telling me.

DET. BILL FORD: Mm-hmm.

GAVIN MACFARLANE: I used to be simply making an attempt to guard Ellie.

DET. BILL FORD: OK.

GAVIN MACFARLANE: And my doable little one.

MacFarlane was claiming he and Jones had gone to the home that morning, however not like what Jones mentioned — that Aaron Friar had not confronted him with a gun. As an alternative, MacFarlane was saying Aaron Friar had been in the lounge asleep on the sofa and that MacFarlane had crept in armed with a baseball bat. Then, MacFarlane made a startling admission.

GAVIN MACFARLANE (interrogation):  I simply acted on intuition.

DET. BILL FORD: OK. Inform us what occurred.

GAVIN MACFARLANE: I simply swung the bat downwards. It was darkish, I could not see.

DET. BILL FORD: What number of instances do you assume you hit him?

GAVIN MACFARLANE: Like 5 or 6 perhaps.

DET. BILL FORD: 5 or 6 instances?

GAVIN MACFARLANE: Yeah.

The bodily proof would again up MacFarlane’s story. Aaron Friar had died from blunt pressure trauma to his head, and a bloodied baseball bat was recovered from a tree department above the place his stays had been discovered.

Testing would verify the blood was Aaron Friar’s.

Det. Invoice Ford: And he demonstrated for us within the interview room. … how laborious he swung it down on … Aaron’s head.

GAVIN MACFARLANE (demonstrating throughout interrogation): I went over the shoulder the primary time. After which I began going up above my head.

Det. Invoice Ford: I imply, there have been 5 distinct blows to his head.

Explaining that dinging sound Sierra had heard.

Det. Invoice Ford:  It fractured his cranium. Caved his cranium into his mind.

GAVIN MACFARLANE (interrogation):  I am — I am actually sorry. (crying)

And investigators quickly discovered proof that Aaron’s homicide had been meticulously plotted for weeks. They found notes — some in Russell’s handwriting — at Gavin’s home.

Det. Invoice Ford: We discovered … a number of homicide plans. … And so they really had plan A, plan B, there have been a number of plans. And I believe finally, they give you the bat.

Natalie Morales: And based mostly on what you possibly can see from the planning … who’s the mastermind of all of this?

Det. Invoice Ford: Ellie, consider it or not.

Ford says he believes it was Ellie who needed Aaron Friar murdered, pointing to messages Ford says she despatched to MacFarlane. In a single she says, “We want to ensure he is lifeless by the point we go away his home.” And in one other, she requested “You wish to kill him now dont you”… after which “…You may kill him in lower than a min, proper?”

Det. Invoice Ford: She’s pushing all of it. … She desires to be with Gavin. … She desires to be out from beneath the authority of her father.

GAVIN MACFARLANE (interrogation): Ellie needed me to kill him, however I did not wish to.

Ford says Ellie may need made up these abuse allegations presumably as a strategy to inspire MacFarlane to kill her father.

Det. Invoice Ford: She could be very manipulative.

Det. Invoice Ford: For me watching that complete interview … she lied and lied and lied.

DET. STEPHANIE JACKSON (interrogation): Are you Ellie?

ELLIE FRIAR: No.

DET. STEPHANIE JACKSON: How outdated are you?

ELLIE FRIAR: 18.

DET. STEPHANIE JACKSON: How did Gavin get in the home this morning?

ELLIE FRIAR: He wasn’t in the home.

After a number of hours, Ellie did ultimately admit a few of her function — even saying that she had handed MacFarlane the homicide weapon.

DET. STEPHANIE JACKSON (interrogation): And what do you say to Gavin?

ELLIE FRIAR: I mentioned, “I am prepared if you find yourself.”

STEPHANIE JACKSON: OK. What did you imply by that?

ELLIE FRIAR: “Whenever you do that, we’re in it collectively.”

STEPHANIE JACKSON: What did you imply while you mentioned, “while you do that?”

ELLIE FRIAR: Kill my dad.

With proof all of them conspired to kill Aaron Friar, Gavin MacFarlane, Russell Jones, and Ellie Friar had been charged along with his homicide.

Aliza Kaplan|Ellie Friar’s protection legal professional: From the day after she was arrested … there was this narrative and her aspect was by no means informed

Till now.

Aliza Kaplan: The story that the state has … why is it the correct one?

ELLIE FRIAR’S DEFENSE

Maggie Friar: My daughter left to go keep at my ex-husband’s home for the weekend, and by no means got here residence.

Natalie Morales: I think about that second haunts you continue to.

Maggie Friar (emotional): In fact, it does. My little one by no means got here residence.

After hours of fear, Maggie Friar was lastly informed her 15-year-old daughter, Ellie, had been situated.

Maggie Friar: I bought a telephone name from a police officer … that they’d discovered her.

However fear morphed into anger, when she was then informed Ellie had been arrested for her father’s homicide.

Maggie Friar: And I mentioned, “So you have had my daughter in your custody, and also you’re interrogating her? And also you by no means as soon as referred to as me to let me know so I can perhaps get her some illustration?”

Aliza Kaplan ultimately turned one among Ellie’s attorneys. She says the narrative about Ellie Friar has been fallacious from the very starting.

Aliza Kaplan: On this case … she was made out to be the — the … mastermind or one thing, you realize? … She deliberate all of this, when she was 15 years outdated, and so they had been 19 and 22.

Natalie Morales: She was the manipulator.

Aliza Kaplan: She was the manipulator, proper? And that this was all due to her relationship with an older man.

However Kaplan says this crime really occurred due to the alleged abuse Ellie suffered by the hands of her father, Aaron Friar.

Aliza Kaplan: She was sexually abused, emotionally abused, and bodily abused.

Abuse that Ellie described in her police interrogation.

ELLIE FRIAR (interrogation): He was an excellent father, however he began getting abusive about three years in the past.

Aliza Kaplan: I picked out a bunch of issues, however …

Studying from the case file, Kaplan recounted a number of allegations of molestation and abuse. Warning: the next could also be disturbing.

Aliza Kaplan (studying): Her father would seize at her breasts. … He informed her to provide in to him.

ELLIE FRIAR: He tried to take my garments off. And I slapped him away. (crying)

Aliza Kaplan (studying): He would masturbate on high of her when he thought she was sleeping.

ELLIE FRIAR: I felt so soiled. … And so ashamed of myself.

Aliza Kaplan: He pushed her down stairs. Referred to as her whore, fool, silly, slut shamed her.

ELLIE FRIAR: And he would pin me up towards the wall and he would name me these names.

Aliza Kaplan: After which, when he would get drunk, it could all worsen.

In keeping with the police report, three of Ellie’s buddies informed investigators that … “Ellie mentioned her dad abuses her” …  Ellie shared “that her dad was tough on her and emotionally and bodily abused her” … and Ellie mentioned “her dad mentally and verbally abused her.” However Ellie admits she by no means informed her buddies in regards to the sexual molestation, and neither Ellie nor her buddies informed the police about any form of abuse earlier than her father’s homicide.

Natalie Morales: And so far as allegations of abuse … was there … any proof in any way that your detectives might discover to again up what Ellen Friar was saying occurred to her?

Det. Invoice Ford: No, there was none.

Ford says with Aaron’s loss of life, the potential for proving abuse might have died with him.

Det. Invoice Ford: We won’t go to Aaron and ask “Aaron, had been you abusing your daughter?” … We might by no means know the reality. If she informed her mother, did she inform her mother forward of time?

DET. STEPHANIE JACKSON (interrogation): Have you considered having a dialog together with your mother about that?

ELLIE FRIAR: No. I am horrified to even speak about it. …

DET. STEPHANIE JACKSON: Who have you ever talked to about your dad masturbating?

ELLIE FRIAR: I informed Gavin about it, however that is it.

Ellie informed Det. Jackson that the primary time she had informed Gavin was two days earlier than he bludgeoned her father to loss of life. 

DET. STEPHANIE JACKSON (interrogation): I do know that is laborious to speak about. I do know.

ELLIE FRIAR: (crying) Why me? Why did he do it to me? I do not — I don’t know what he is achieved to my sisters. (crying)

Aliza Kaplan: I see … a youngster who … would do something to outlive and to guard her sisters.

Det. Shannon Reynolds says 11-year-old Sierra was requested if there have been any issues at residence.

Det. Shannon Reynolds: She really solely had good issues to say about her father.

When Reynolds interviewed the youngest Friar daughter, she recalled the final dialog she had with Ellie minutes after their father’s homicide.

Det. Shannon Reynolds: She had mentioned that Ellie had woken her up … [Ellie] mentioned she was leaving, and that she was leaving as a result of mother and pa had been abusive.

Earlier than Reynolds might say something, the 8-year-old gave her opinion on the matter.

Det. Shannon Reynolds: And he or she informed me, “My mother and pa weren’t abusive.”

Each of Ellie’s sisters informed Reynolds that what Ellie had referred to as “abuse” was really their mother and father disciplining her for sneaking round with Gavin.

Det. Shannon Reynolds: As a result of they took her electronics away and so they yelled at her.

Natalie Morales: What do you say to that?

Aliza Kaplan: Yeah … Effectively, they had been youthful … proper? … That is really quite common in households the place there’s abuse. That there is one little one who takes on nearly all of it … and … wish to defend the others within the household.

Natalie Morales: You already know, you, you described her as this protecting older sister, however but … she left them there on the home. How is that defending them?

Aliza Kaplan: Yeah. … And I believe, you realize, these are issues that Ellen will reside with … for the remainder of her life. … And he or she clearly understands how a lot harm she has precipitated her sister. 

Ford says that with no proof to again up Ellie’s abuse claims, he stays suspicious that she might have made all of it as much as manipulate MacFarlane. And it seems, Ellie was by no means pregnant.

Det. Invoice Ford: I believe you bought to take a look at it two methods: perhaps she thought she was pregnant or perhaps she’s utilizing that to affect Gavin to kill her dad.

Ellie’s authorized group says Ellie did assume she was pregnant, which is why she purchased a being pregnant check at a retailer hours after her father’s homicide.

Investigators say it is clear Ellie has a difficulty with the reality.

Det. Shannon Reynolds: She lied throughout that interview for no motive.

Kaplan says a lot has been product of the numerous lies Ellie informed throughout her police interrogation.

Aliza Kaplan: As a dad or mum, we — everyone knows that our children typically try this.

However Kaplan says the actual focus needs to be on the hours, and hours, and hours Ellie spent in that interview room.

ELLIE FRIAR (interrogation): I’ve a proper to stay silent.

Aliza Kaplan: She requested to not discuss. She mentioned, “I wanna stay silent,” proper? … She was there for 10 hours — straight.

DET. STEPHANIE JACKSON: However together with your wishing to stay silent, it is actually tough to kinda unravel all of that. 

ELLIE FRIAR: Then let’s discuss. 

A minor with no guardian or legal professional.

Natalie Morales: Is it regular to maintain a 15-year-old in an interrogation room … for 10 hours like that?

Det. Invoice Ford: Yeah. I imply there is no regulation towards it. So we gave her breaks. … There was instances the place she laid on the ground and slept.

Kaplan says that though it might have been authorized in Oregon, it wasn’t proper.

Aliza Kaplan: And look, police have their jobs to do. I get it. I simply assume the principles are actually completely different when you’ve a child. And in that, she appears like a child. She’s appearing like a child. She’s in worry like a child can be.

A child who Kaplan says was taken benefit of by somebody she calls one other abuser: 19-year-old Gavin MacFarlane.

Aliza Kaplan: A grown man reaching over to a 15-year-old woman who was so susceptible. … It doesn’t matter what her, textual content messages mentioned, it doesn’t matter what her involvement was … I do not even perceive how you do not take a look at that as, him being the controller.

Reynolds says she noticed a few of that controlling conduct on show in letters MacFarlane wrote to Ellie after they had been arrested.

Det. Shannon Reynolds: He was, saying that … she wanted to you’ll want to say that her dad was abusing her. … And he was telling her, “We’ll take this to a jury and we will win the jury over, and the way in which to do this is to cry. Ensure you cry.”

WHO WAS THE MASTERMIND?

ELLIE FRIAR (interrogation): I’ve given every little thing I can. And when this goes to courtroom, I want to be tried as an grownup. 

However there can be no trial. In January of 2019 — a bit greater than a 12 months after her father’s loss of life — Ellie Friar took a plea deal.

Natalie Morales: How did you are feeling about that call?

Maggie Friar: I did not prefer it, ‘trigger I am fairly certain that she did it ‘trigger she was scared. … I do not assume she needed to go to courtroom.

Ellie Friar pleaded responsible to an grownup cost of conspiring to homicide her father, Aaron.

ELLIE FRIAR (in courtroom): I’d first wish to say that I am sorry for all of the ache that I’ve precipitated to others by way of this complete ordeal.

The deal was brokered by a special protection legal professional. In keeping with courtroom paperwork, that legal professional wrote that Ellie Friar’s co-defendants, Gavin McFarlane and Russell Jones, “had been going to be testifying towards” her and say that she “was the mastermind behind all of this; it was her thought from the start.” Ellie’s textual content messages would have been used towards her at trial too.

Aliza Kaplan started engaged on Ellie Friar’s behalf in 2024.

Aliza Kaplan: I run the Legal Justice Reform Clinic. … We’re Ellen’s case … principally as a result of we consider that she has an extreme sentence.

Natalie Morales: And what’s her sentence?

Aliza Kaplan: 25 years.

Gavin MacFarlane and Russell Jones additionally took plea offers, with Gavin MacFarlane pleading responsible to homicide and homicide conspiracy costs. He was sentenced to 25 years to life in jail. Russell Jones entered a no-contest plea to conspiracy to commit homicide. He was sentenced to fifteen years.

Kaplan is preventing to cut back Ellie Friar’s sentence. She says Ellie shouldn’t have been sentenced to 10 extra years than Jones for a similar crime.

Aliza Kaplan: She was 15, he was 22 and her sentence is a lot greater than his.

Natalie Morales: The concept Ellen is the grasp manipulator, I imply she’s a 15-year-old. I imply, do not [MacFarlane and Jones] bear extra duty as a result of they’re the adults?

Det. Invoice Ford: Uh, I do not — I would not agree with that. … Ellie is completely simply as accountable as Gavin, besides Gavin was the one which took and held the bat in his fingers.

Detective Shannon Reynolds is not as sure as her husband about Ellie’s function.

Det. Shannon Reynolds: I commute … The mastermind of it … I initially thought was Ellie. … Then studying the letters from Gavin that he wrote to Ellie, telling her what she wanted to say … then I began to assume perhaps Gavin was the mastermind of all of this. I commute.

Ford says no matter who crafted the plan, all three are accountable within the eyes of the regulation.

 

Det. Invoice Ford: As a result of with out her, this would not have occurred. With out Gavin, this would not have occurred. I doubt with out Russell, it might have occurred.

Aliza Kaplan: I wanna be very clear, she was concerned. She participated, she was a co-conspirator, little doubt, proper? She takes full accountability for her function on this crime.

Ellie Friar, now 23, has been serving her sentence in a juvenile detention middle. In December 2026, she might be moved to an grownup jail. She not too long ago earned two grasp’s levels: one in psychology and one other in justice research.

 

Aliza Kaplan: Which, by the way in which, isn’t that straightforward to do while you’re in jail. … She’s actually unimaginable.

Maggie Friar: I am very happy with her. I’ve all the time been happy with her … after what she went by way of.

Det. Invoice Ford: Aaron’s lifeless. …Who’s gonna converse out for Aaron? 

Sierra Friar will. 

Sierra Friar: My dad was a form man who cherished me and my sisters and all the time tried to fill my life with pleasure. … He was an excellent father to me. … He goes with me wherever I’m going.

 Sierra has joined the Nationwide Guard — one thing she says her father all the time needed for her.

Det. Shannon Reynolds: It is mind-blowing that the little woman I interviewed is now grown up. The truth that she is becoming a member of … the Nationwide Guard lets me know … she did not let this, you realize, derail her life.

A life Sierra has needed to reside with out her father, whose reminiscence has been marred by these abuse allegations. A “48 Hours” producer requested Sierra about them.

Lauren A. White | “48 Hours”: Ellie claims that your father abused her. What do it’s important to say to that?

Sierra Friar: Uh, I do not wanna speak about that simply ‘trigger I’ve my very own emotions about it.

Sierra is simply as guarded with regards to her ideas about her sister, Ellie, although the 2 have maintained a relationship through the years.

Sierra Friar: It’s extremely laborious to clarify as a result of lots of people would not perceive. … I’ve bought my very own emotions about her.

However Sierra’s emotions about her father are very clear.

Sierra Friar: I really like him and I am so sorry for every little thing that occurred. (crying) … I’ve religion and I’ve hope that someday, that we’ll meet once more. (voice cracks, nods)

Ellie Friar might be eligible for parole in 2032. She might be 30 years outdated.

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Produced by Richard Fetzer and Lauren A. White. Greg Fisher is the event producer. Megan Kelly Brown is the affiliate producer. Grayce Arlotta-Berner, Diana Modica and Mike Baluzy  are the editors. Peter Schweitzer is the senior producer. Nancy Kramer is the chief story editor. Judy Tygard is the chief producer.