Patrick W. Kearney: The Trash Bag Murderers

After hearing three hours of evidence, the Riverside County Grand Jury refused to indict David Hill.

Public Defender Malcolm MacMillan spirited him out of jail under a cloak of secrecy to protect him from reporters and photographers. Hill fled California and returned to Lubbock.

Riverside District Attorney Byron Morton said "the evidence against Mr. Hill was weak," adding that much of the information unearthed by Riverside investigators tended to exonerate Hill. McMillan said he was not surprised the grand jury refused to indict Hill, adding that he did not think there was sufficient evidence to hold him to answer in Superior Court.

Kearney said that Hill was neither involved in nor aware of the murders. He said that he committed all the murders while Hill was away.

Did Kearney take all the blame to free an innocent man, or to absolve his lover? Is it likely that Hill was innocent?