The Vengeful Heart

First, a search warrant was necessary. In order to secure it, Craft would have to convince a judge there was probable cause to believe Dr. Schmidt had tried to kill Janice Trahan. Just her story, including the parts Craft so far had been able to confirm, wouldnt do the job.

As it happened, Schmidt himself inadvertently supplied the added evidence. Following the injection, when Trahan developed troubling symptoms of HIV infection, Schmidt informed one of her doctors that hed tested Trahans blood, and that she was negative for the virus. That single lie, taken together with the rest of the evidence, was sufficient to secure Capt. Craft his search warrant.

On July 13, 1995, Craft deployed two search teams; one that he led to Dr. Schmidts office, and a second group that went to the doctors residence to prevent any possible destruction of evidence.

The search began after all of the doctors patients and staff had departed, and the physician had called his attorney. After reading Schmidt his Miranda rights, the first thing Capt. Craft looked at was a large black binderSchmidts office appointment book. According to the detective, all entries for 1994 were missing.

When he was asked for Janice Trahans medical records, Schmidt claimed he had none.

She was my girlfriend, not my patient, Craft recalls the doctor saying.

But as he said that he moved over and stood in front of the T section of his files. That was pretty obvious. We searched the Ts and found a pretty thick medical file on Janice. There were tests and other things hed done for ten years. Thus we knew right away that this guy wasnt going to be honest. He was going to lie to us.

Craft also asked Schmidt if he had personal items that Janice Trahan had given him.

Look, I knew Janice, the doctor answered. We had an off and on relationship for a couple of years and it was over. When we broke up I threw all that stuff away.

Im told you dated Trahan for ten years and you had a son with her, Craft calmly said.

Dr. Schmidt had little more to say during the rest of the search.