Catching Killers (2021) s01e03 Episode Script

I'd like to ask you,
do you know Taunja Ann Bennett?
Not not
to my recollection, sir.
We have been to your apartment
and retrieved various things,
one of them being a piece of paper
with the name "T. Bennett."
Is that your printing?
I cannot answer that
in full honestness.
Okay,
then once again, I'll ask you,
and this will be the final time I ask you.
Do you have any knowledge
of the death of Taunja Bennett?
No, sir.
I make the above statement
freely and voluntarily.
I have been advised of my rights,
which I understand.
I have seen T. Bennett at JB's truck stop
on several occasions.
The last time
was 21 January, 1990.
I was visiting with Chuck,
who was playing darts.
Later on in the evening, Chuck left,
and T. Bennett left shortly after.
I believe
she left to go to a motel room
to have fun with Chuck.
Later that evening, I saw Chuck
and asked him for a ride home.
I believe I saw a body
in the back of the car.
I got into
the front passenger seat.
The body was wrapped in a blanket.
The body was one of a white female adult.
During this ride home,
the dead female
was in the back of his car.
Okay.
What happened during
the evening hours of January 21st, 1990?
The phone rang.
It was John Sosnovske calling
to tell me he was in trouble
and to come fast.
And to bring bring something large
to wrap something in.
What did you take with you
when you went to see John
at the J&B Lounge?
A blue shower curtain.
When you arrive there,
Laverne, what did you find?
A female.
She was lying, uh, on her side,
very prone, very quiet.
And John Sosnovske came up to the window,
and I asked
if she's sick.
He says, "Worse than that, she's dead."
I said,
"I think we need
to take her to a hospital."
"We need to report this, John."
He says, "No, no, I'll go to death row."
"You will not do it,
because I will kill you
and harm your family
and your grandchildren."
He opened the back door
on the passenger side
and pulled her out.
He went off into the woods
and he was gone about 15 minutes.
When you drove over
to JB's from your daughter's house
and you pulled into the lot
what did you see, if anything?
Um, I seen John standing
with the young lady,
and they appeared
to be arguing in a playing way.
He said to her,
"Get in the car, it's cold."
And as you
continue to drive,
there was a point
that Taunja Bennett apparently agreed
to have sex with John.
Yes, she did.
We arrived at Crown Point.
They got out of the car.
I remained in the car.
I understand
that a short period of time went by,
and John came back to the car.
- Is that true?
- That's true.
He went to the trunk,
and there was rope in there.
And he took the rope.
I asked him, "Why do you need the rope?"
He says, "I'm gonna tie her up, it's
more of a thrill this way."
So
at that point,
you walked with John to where Taunja was?
Where did you see Taunja?
She was laying in a doorway,
and she was laughing.
He told me to take the rope
and, uh
put it around her neck.
What happened then?
Did Did John have sex with her?
Yes.
And I had my eyes shut
because I knew what he was doing,
and I didn't wanna observe it.
And he kept saying, "Hang on, hang on."
I must have tightened it
as I was hanging on.
He was hitting her in the face.
- What was he hitting her with?
- His fists.
And then
Then she became limp.
Did you realize
that Taunja Bennett had expired?
Yes.
Ms. Pavlinac,
let me ask you a question.
Do you believe, sitting here today,
that by pulling that rope tight,
that you caused the death
of Taunja Ann Bennett?
Yeah.
You do?
I I feel like it's my fault.
Ms. Pavlinac,
let me ask you a question.
Do you believe that,
by pulling that rope tight,
that you caused the death
of Taunja Ann Bennett?
Yeah.
- You do?
- I I I feel like it's my fault.