Ogden Hi Fi killer Pierre Dale Selby died for his crimes in August 1987. His accomplice, William Andrews, may yet die for his role in the robbery and torture-killings.
But the man prosecutors contend was the mastermind behind the April 22, 1974, robbery-turned-killing-spree will not die.Keith Leon Roberts, the third man charged in the Hi Fi killings, was paroled from the Utah State Prison on May 12, 1987.
Roberts, who served almost 13 years on two convictions of aggravated robbery stemming from the Hi Fi case, was never convicted on the three counts of first-degree murder filed against him, Andrews and Selby.
Today, Roberts lives a quiet, trouble-free life with relatives in rural Chandler, Okla. He works at an electronics company near Oklahoma City.
His parole record is so good he has just been approved for "mail-in" status, meaning he can mail in his monthly parole report rather than report personally to a parole officer.
"He's doing real good," said parole officer Mike Greg, who declined to reveal any specifics about Roberts. "I think he's going to make it."
Roberts may be released from parole as early as mid-1990.
Roberts' parole is being supervised by the Oklahoma Probation and Parole Division, and regular progress reports are sent to the Utah Department of Corrections.
Roberts' life was forever changed on April 22, 1974, when he accompanied fellow airmen Andrews and Selby into Ogden. Later that evening, the Hi Fi Shop was robbed and five individuals were taken hostage in the basement.
One of the hostages was raped, after which all were forced to drink liquid drain cleaner and were then shot in the head. Michelle Ansley, 18; Carol Naisbitt, 52; and Stanley Walker, 20; were all killed. Cortney Naisbitt, 17, the son of Carol Naisbitt, and Orren Walker, the father of Stanley Walker, both miraculously survived.
While the role of Selby and Andrews in the robbery and killings has been well-documented, the involvement of then-20-year-old Roberts is not so well-known. In fact, most Utahns today probably don't remember there even was a third defendant in the case.
According to Roberts' testimony at the trial, he had two wisdom teeth pulled about 9 a.m. the day of the killings and returned to the dentist in the afternoon for pain pills.
Roberts said he was asleep in the barracks until awakened about 4 p.m. by Selby and Andrews to go into Ogden. Roberts drove Andrews' van as they moved through Ogden looking for an apartment for Roberts' wife and baby boy.
But Roberts became sick and changed seats with Selby, who then drove the van. They finished looking for apartments, then drove downtown where Andrews and Selby got out of the van.
Roberts, still sick, waited several minutes for Andrews and Selby to return, then left the keys in the van and walked to a friend's house to catch a ride back to Hill Air Force Base. He arrived there about 7 p.m. and was asleep at the time of the killings, he testified.
However, a number of prosecution witnesses testified that Roberts had been "casing" another Ogden stereo shop a few days before the Hi Fi Shop robbery, and that Roberts was seen pacing back and forth in front of the Hi Fi Shop at the time the robbery and killings would have occurred.
No witnesses ever put Roberts inside the Hi Fi Shop, and survivors of the attack said Roberts was not present during the murders and attempted murders.
In later testimony before the Board of Pardons, Roberts admitted he met Andrews in Ogden the day of the killings and was eager to participate in the burglary of a stereo shop to make some easy money. But he said he was under the impression no one would be in the store at the time.
Roberts agreed to drive the getaway vehicle but again maintained - as he has done since his arrest - that he became sick and left the parked van so he could return to Hill Air Force Base.
Despite the conflicting testimony, the jury would not totally acquit Roberts, however. The same day Selby and Andrews were found guilty of three counts of murder and two counts of aggravated robbery, Roberts was found guilty only of two aggravated robbery charges.