Detective Randall Meyer
Appearances
Dateline Originals
Deadly Mirage - Ep. 3: Tickling the Wire
at 6.51. Same stature, knees very high on the gas tank, wearing a backpack, which the subject was wearing a backpack on Goodrick Road. So at that point in time, we believe same motorcycle, same subject, but with a clothing change.
Dateline Originals
Deadly Mirage - Ep. 5: Busted
They were now called evidence. From Jonathan's residence, we were able to seize the motorcycle that was ridden. We seized two styles of helmets.
Dateline Originals
Deadly Mirage - Ep. 1: Death in the High Desert
I checked in with the officer who was manning the crime scene tape and then stepped into the area and waited for the other detectives to arrive.
Dateline Originals
Deadly Mirage - Ep. 3: Tickling the Wire
He entered inside the business to purchase some water and Gatorade with helmet on, sunglasses.
Dateline Originals
Deadly Mirage - Ep. 1: Death in the High Desert
That evening, I believe we had four detectives at the time.
Dateline Originals
Deadly Mirage - Ep. 5: Busted
The supervisors felt at that point in time that we needed some follow-up investigative work done with Sabrina.
Dateline Originals
Deadly Mirage - Ep. 3: Tickling the Wire
Yes, definitely. From the information we gathered, we started looking into phone records.
Dateline Originals
Deadly Mirage - Ep. 1: Death in the High Desert
That was the first homicide that I had arrived to and was assigned as the lead detective.
Dateline Originals
Deadly Mirage - Ep. 5: Busted
No smoking gun is what we would call it. She didn't admit to being involved or committing the murder of Rob Lamont.
Dateline Originals
Deadly Mirage - Ep. 1: Death in the High Desert
During our walkthrough, we were able to approach the body. I noticed there was blood pooling underneath the deceased. It appeared that he had been shot twice. Cartridge casings on the ground? We did not locate any shell cases on the ground.
Dateline Originals
Deadly Mirage - Ep. 5: Busted
I actually had met with the district attorney that was assigned to the case at the time, and she had given me what we call a wish list. It's a list of items that they would wish or want us to get done. Before they can charge her. Yes. What were those items? Obviously, they wanted the admission, which we weren't going to get.
Dateline Originals
Deadly Mirage - Ep. 3: Tickling the Wire
There were thousands of contacts. They had multiple conversations via telephone calls and text messages. Clear evidence of an affair, to be sure.
Dateline Originals
Deadly Mirage - Ep. 5: Busted
They requested we speak to the friends again and find out if anybody had any idea that this was occurring, speak with Jonathan's friends to assist with the investigation.
Dateline Originals
Deadly Mirage - Ep. 3: Tickling the Wire
abruptly stopped. Sometime in April, about the 25th of April of 2014, those phone calls stopped and a new phone showed up on Jonathan Hearn's phone records. When you run that number, who's it come back to? It came back to no subscriber information found.
Dateline Originals
Deadly Mirage - Ep. 1: Death in the High Desert
How do you formulate that theory so quickly? It did not appear that somebody had gone through all the drawers in the business. And if they're there to do a burglary, they're going to take items of value. There was still a computer inside the office.
Dateline Originals
Deadly Mirage - Ep. 4: David and Bathsheba
And basically with that story, King David finds a woman very beautiful, ends up being Bathsheba. The story of two people who have an affair. Right.
Dateline Originals
Deadly Mirage - Ep. 2: The Man on the Motorcycle
How many phone calls did you get? A lot. I would say in the 50s or more, there was a lot of phone calls.
Dateline Originals
Deadly Mirage - Ep. 1: Death in the High Desert
They told me that Rob Lamone is somebody who would help anybody out if they needed help at any point in time. Good guy. Good guy.
Dateline Originals
Deadly Mirage - Ep. 3: Tickling the Wire
There's conversations daily via either phone or text messages. Every once in a while, you'd have a day that there was nothing, but most of the days there was some sort of conversation going on.
Dateline Originals
Deadly Mirage - Ep. 4: David and Bathsheba
Yes. Through their conversations, they believed they were doing what was God's work. And they talked about that many times.
Dateline Originals
Deadly Mirage - Ep. 3: Tickling the Wire
Very difficult. Courts take that very seriously, and so it does take an substantial amount of effort to get that warrant.
Dateline Originals
Deadly Mirage - Ep. 1: Death in the High Desert
This murder was God's work. They spoke about that many times. They were doing God's work.
Dateline Originals
Deadly Mirage - Ep. 3: Tickling the Wire
Early November 2014, I was able to get a wiretap authorized, and so we were able to go up on the phones and listen to their conversations.
Dateline Originals
Deadly Mirage - Ep. 3: Tickling the Wire
I'm guessing your bosses at some point said to you, you're killing us here. It is very expensive to conduct an operation like that. There's lots of manpower. You start actual surveillance on Jonathan. Yes. Just prior to the wire tap, we had surveillance out there, and they were typically on them while they were moving during the day.
Dateline Originals
Deadly Mirage - Ep. 3: Tickling the Wire
Once the wire tap was initiated, the surveillance is 24 hours a day.
Dateline Originals
Deadly Mirage - Ep. 1: Death in the High Desert
Yes, he was alone in the vehicle.
Dateline Originals
Deadly Mirage - Ep. 4: David and Bathsheba
I provided Sabrina with the actual description that matched Jonathan, tall, white male, possibly riding a motorcycle when the murder occurred, and with a possible name of John.
Dateline Originals
Deadly Mirage - Ep. 4: David and Bathsheba
We had a lot of music, but it wasn't actually on a sheet.
Dateline Originals
Deadly Mirage - Ep. 1: Death in the High Desert
We did show it to several people who worked there, and they were unable to identify the person.
Dateline Originals
Deadly Mirage - Ep. 1: Death in the High Desert
Detective Meyer couldn't be sure. It did appear to be an older motorcycle, a street bike type. And... The rider's wearing a helmet? Yes, wearing a helmet. But appears to be a man? Appeared to be a man. The bike appeared to be a smaller motorcycle. You could tell his legs and knees were high up on the gas tank of the motorcycle.
Dateline Originals
Deadly Mirage - Ep. 1: Death in the High Desert
Hi, this is Detective Meyer with the Kern County Sheriff's Office.
Dateline Originals
Deadly Mirage - Ep. 1: Death in the High Desert
Right now, Sabrina, we're at the very preliminary stages of this whole investigation, and we don't have a lot of information right now. That's it. We just don't know. She sounded pretty upset. I could hear some voices in the background. Maybe some friends were over at the residence to console her.
Dateline Originals
Deadly Mirage - Ep. 1: Death in the High Desert
She was crying, asked what happened to her husband, and I basically told her we didn't have a lot of answers. But you said it was a homicide. We didn't actually tell her it was a homicide at the time. I told her he was deceased.
Dateline Originals
Deadly Mirage - Ep. 3: Tickling the Wire
I know you guys probably don't get our news channels there, but I just wanted to give you a warning just in case you see it on the news.
Dateline Originals
Deadly Mirage - Ep. 1: Death in the High Desert
That was the first homicide that I had arrived to and was assigned as a lead detective.
Dateline Originals
Deadly Mirage - Ep. 3: Tickling the Wire
The crime lab just sent me an email and said they got a good DNA sample from what they believe was a sweat drop. It's the best news we've gotten so far.
Dateline Originals
Deadly Mirage - Ep. 3: Tickling the Wire
Sabrina clearly found the whole thing a little unsettling. After months of hearing very little from the detective, she was suddenly hearing from him every day. What did it all mean?
Dateline Originals
Deadly Mirage - Ep. 1: Death in the High Desert
She was very composed, actually. I think a couple times during the interview, she did get upset and began to cry. She seemed to be handling it pretty well.
Dateline Originals
Deadly Mirage - Ep. 5: Busted
We actually were prepared to go to trial on Jonathan starting January of 2017. That's lead detective Randall Meyer. Jonathan's attorney approached the district attorney and spoke with him and said that Jonathan could provide information that would lead to the possible prosecution of Sabrina Limon.
Dateline Originals
Deadly Mirage - Ep. 2: The Man on the Motorcycle
Early November of 2014, I was able to get a wiretap authorized. And so we were able to go up on the phones and listen to their conversations.
Dateline Originals
Deadly Mirage - Ep. 1: Death in the High Desert
His wife said he was a great person, would help anybody if they ever needed help with anything. Did she mention anybody that might have a problem with her husband? No, she said that everybody loved Rob.
Dateline Originals
Deadly Mirage - Ep. 1: Death in the High Desert
You guys ever have any problems or anything or any issues with infidelity or anything like that?
Dateline Originals
Deadly Mirage - Ep. 1: Death in the High Desert
At any point in time, did you ever think that maybe Rob may have had a girlfriend or anything?
Dateline Originals
Deadly Mirage - Ep. 1: Death in the High Desert
How about yourself? Have you ever had a boyfriend or anything like that?
Dateline Originals
Deadly Mirage - Ep. 1: Death in the High Desert
We're not sure if maybe those are just photos from the internet or if they're personal photos. That's why we're asking. So there are some of you on there? Okay, all right. We're trying to limit the fact that if maybe he had a girlfriend, if her husband or boyfriend found out and was trying to harm him.
Dateline Originals
Deadly Mirage - Ep. 1: Death in the High Desert
Did you guys have an open relationship then?
Dateline Originals
Deadly Mirage - Ep. 1: Death in the High Desert
Just maybe out partying at the river?
Dateline Originals
Deadly Mirage - Ep. 5: Busted
Yes, he said they had conversations and were worried about law enforcement looking at their phone records. And so he had talked to Sabrina and they felt that they would ditch the plan for now.
Dateline Originals
Deadly Mirage - Ep. 3: Tickling the Wire
It obviously caused some suspicion for me.
Dateline Originals
Deadly Mirage - Ep. 3: Tickling the Wire
That was the first. So did you guys have an open relationship? No? I just heard some rumors out there.
Dateline Originals
Deadly Mirage - Ep. 5: Busted
Yes, it was a great feeling. Thousands of hours were put into the investigation, listening to phone calls and surveillance, and so it did feel good.
Dateline Originals
Deadly Mirage - Ep. 4: David and Bathsheba
First, I wanted to talk to you about my meeting with the crime lab this morning.
Dateline Originals
Deadly Mirage - Ep. 2: The Man on the Motorcycle
He told me that he and some fellow friends went to a local bar and got into a small argument with some of the patrons inside the bar. That's the voice of lead detective Randall Meyer. Argument about what? I believe he said he bumped into somebody and then it caused some confusion and that's where it occurred.
Dateline Originals
Deadly Mirage - Ep. 4: David and Bathsheba
We're actually the first county in the United States that started using the software. And since we started using it, some other counties have. And they've actually solved some cases and stuff they're working on.
Dateline Originals
Deadly Mirage - Ep. 4: David and Bathsheba
Well, it's amazing. The mixing and stuff. It is. It is simply amazing.
Dateline Originals
Deadly Mirage - Ep. 2: The Man on the Motorcycle
Did it get to the point of, you know, punches being thrown? No, he said quickly once the argument started, he then left the bar with his friends and they went home. On the face of it, it doesn't seem like a big a deal. No, it didn't seem to be a big deal at the time.
Dateline Originals
Deadly Mirage - Ep. 2: The Man on the Motorcycle
He said the gentleman, Mark, was having issues with the firearm and asked the gunsmith to change out the firing pin.
Dateline Originals
Deadly Mirage - Ep. 2: The Man on the Motorcycle
Not very often. That was very suspicious to us.
Dateline Originals
Deadly Mirage - Ep. 2: The Man on the Motorcycle
It was not the gun that was used to kill Rob Lamone.
Dateline Originals
Deadly Mirage - Ep. 2: The Man on the Motorcycle
It was disappointing at first. Back to the grind.
Dateline Originals
Deadly Mirage - Ep. 5: Busted
I need to basically put it on the record that I didn't force you to come here, that you came here because you decided you wanted to talk to me, right? Yes. And I need to read your rights again.
Dateline Originals
Deadly Mirage - Ep. 5: Busted
You were probably upset and scared, and you didn't know what to say. So I know tons of stuff about all this that's gone on, and I want you to tell me the truth.
Dateline Originals
Deadly Mirage - Ep. 4: David and Bathsheba
You said you really liked the party a lot? We just liked to have fun. We did a lot of stuff.
Dateline Originals
Deadly Mirage - Ep. 4: David and Bathsheba
Did you guys have an open relationship? No? No. I just heard some rumors out there.
Dateline Originals
Deadly Mirage - Ep. 4: David and Bathsheba
viewed by maybe some. I think we typically call it swinging. Yeah, I know.
Dateline Originals
Deadly Mirage - Ep. 2: The Man on the Motorcycle
I asked him what was suspicious about the message. He said the message basically was him asking for forgiveness for some stuff he'd done in his past. which he thought was very odd.
Dateline Originals
Deadly Mirage - Ep. 4: David and Bathsheba
We may never really know exactly why and what happened.
Dateline Originals
Deadly Mirage - Ep. 2: The Man on the Motorcycle
I had met the Bernatines at Sabrina Limon's house when I did my first interview with her in person. But that was just happenstance because they had to be there consoling her. Yes, it was just briefly.
Dateline Originals
Deadly Mirage - Ep. 5: Busted
Right. I know we've talked about your open relationship before, and you told me you didn't have one. I was dreading it.
Dateline Originals
Deadly Mirage - Ep. 4: David and Bathsheba
We've been looking at a bunch of people.
Dateline Originals
Deadly Mirage - Ep. 2: The Man on the Motorcycle
Jason told me that he knew of a prior affair.
Dateline Originals
Deadly Mirage - Ep. 2: The Man on the Motorcycle
Jason actually told me that he wasn't going to say anything to law enforcement at all about it. However, with the text message and then another text message and a voicemail, he thought it was very suspicious.
Dateline Originals
Deadly Mirage - Ep. 5: Busted
So did you think it would be okay, I mean, with Rob, if you were seeing Jonathan? Because... You know, you guys kind of had that open relationship. I guess that's how I justified it.
Dateline Originals
Deadly Mirage - Ep. 5: Busted
So Rob's going to work, and then he's working overtime shifts and stuff, and Jonathan would be at your house? Sometimes. Late at night? Yeah. When the kids were sleeping or whatever?
Dateline Originals
Deadly Mirage - Ep. 5: Busted
From Sabrina's residence, we were able to obtain lots of documents regarding financial stuff from life insurance companies, from BNSF Railroad, letters from Jonathan to Sabrina.
Dateline Originals
Deadly Mirage - Ep. 5: Busted
How did Jonathan know that Rob was going to be working in Tehachapi? Well, he wasn't supposed to be working in Tehachapi, but I did tell him.
Dateline Originals
Deadly Mirage - Ep. 5: Busted
You told them where the shop was at, off the freeway right there?
Dateline Originals
Deadly Mirage - Ep. 5: Busted
It's your husband's place of business. Why would you specifically tell him that it's a business rather than freeway in Tehachapi? That's where he works at.
Dateline Originals
Deadly Mirage - Ep. 5: Busted
You know what? I think if you would have never told him that, he would have never been able to find it because it's not on the map. You can't Google it and find it. I tried.
Dateline Originals
Deadly Mirage - Ep. 3: Tickling the Wire
Detective Meyer. After checking Jonathan's registration for that motorcycle, we went to the Yamaha website, checked out some other motorcycles similar in the same year, and was able to look at those motorcycles compared to the video that we captured from Goodrick Road, and they were very similar.
Dateline Originals
Deadly Mirage - Ep. 5: Busted
It wasn't about the affair. This is about him concealing the fact that he murdered your husband and he didn't want people to find out about it. And he thought he was doing God's work because you were living a life of sin. And he wanted to save you from that.
Dateline Originals
Deadly Mirage - Ep. 3: Tickling the Wire
Jonathan Hearn also owned guns. The firearms that were registered to Jonathan matched the same or similar caliber bullet that killed Rob LeMond. Big bullet, big gun. Yes. He had a couple .45 caliber firearms that were registered to him.
Dateline Originals
Deadly Mirage - Ep. 5: Busted
What do you do now? You tell me everything you know. Because I'll be honest with you. What I get out of this interview is going to make a huge decision on if you ever touch and see your kids again, ever, in your entire life.
Dateline Originals
Deadly Mirage - Ep. 3: Tickling the Wire
Highway 58 and Highway 395, there's a couple of gas stations located on that corner there.
Dateline Originals
Deadly Mirage - Ep. 5: Busted
Jonathan's going to tell me that you started all this and you talked him into it. Well, that wouldn't be true. He's going to tell me exactly what happened.
Deadly Mirage
Busted
They were now called evidence. From Jonathan's residence, we were able to seize the motorcycle that was ridden. We seized two styles of helmets.
Deadly Mirage
Busted
The supervisors felt at that point in time that we needed some follow-up investigative work done with Sabrina.
Deadly Mirage
Busted
No smoking gun is what we would call it. She didn't admit to being involved or committing the murder of Rob Lamont.
Deadly Mirage
Busted
I actually had met with the district attorney that was assigned to the case at the time, and she had given me what we call a wish list. It's a list of items that they would wish or want us to get done. Before they can charge her. Yes. What were those items? Obviously, they wanted the admission, which we weren't going to get.
Deadly Mirage
Busted
They requested we speak to the friends again and find out if anybody had any idea that this was occurring, speak with Jonathan's friends to assist with the investigation.
Deadly Mirage
Busted
We actually were prepared to go to trial on Jonathan starting January of 2017. That's lead detective Randall Meyer. Jonathan's attorney approached the district attorney and spoke with him and said that Jonathan could provide information that would lead to the possible prosecution of Sabrina Limon.
Deadly Mirage
Busted
Yes, he said they had conversations and were worried about law enforcement looking at their phone records. And so he had talked to Sabrina and they felt that they would ditch the plan for now.
Deadly Mirage
Busted
Yes, it was a great feeling. Thousands of hours were put into the investigation, listening to phone calls and surveillance, and so it did feel good.
Deadly Mirage
Busted
I need to basically put it on the record that I didn't force you to come here, that you came here because you decided you wanted to talk to me, right? Yes. And I need to read your rights again.
Deadly Mirage
Busted
You were probably upset and scared, and you didn't know what to say. So I know tons of stuff about all this that's gone on, and I want you to tell me the truth.
Deadly Mirage
Busted
Right. I know we've talked about your open relationship before, and you told me you didn't have one. I was dreading it.
Deadly Mirage
Busted
So did you think it would be okay, I mean, with Rob, if you were seeing Jonathan? Because... You know, you guys kind of had that open relationship. I guess that's how I justified it.
Deadly Mirage
Busted
So Rob's going to work, and then he's working overtime shifts and stuff, and Jonathan would be at your house? Sometimes. Late at night? Yeah. When the kids were sleeping or whatever?
Deadly Mirage
Busted
From Sabrina's residence, we were able to obtain lots of documents regarding financial stuff from life insurance companies, from BNSF Railroad, letters from Jonathan to Sabrina.
Deadly Mirage
Busted
How did Jonathan know that Rob was going to be working in Tehachapi? Well, he wasn't supposed to be working in Tehachapi, but I did tell him.
Deadly Mirage
Busted
It's your husband's place of business. Why would you specifically tell him that it's a business rather than freeway in Tehachapi? That's where he works at.
Deadly Mirage
Busted
You know what? I think if you would have never told him that, he would have never been able to find it because it's not on the map. You can't Google it and find it. I tried.
Deadly Mirage
Busted
It wasn't about the affair. This is about him concealing the fact that he murdered your husband and he didn't want people to find out about it. And he thought he was doing God's work because you were living a life of sin. And he wanted to save you from that.
Deadly Mirage
Busted
What do you do now? You tell me everything you know. Because I'll be honest with you. What I get out of this interview is going to make a huge decision on if you ever touch and see your kids again, ever, in your entire life.