A Knock On The Door

Detectives Revisit 1982 Murder Mystery

(CBS)  The stakes are high. If convicted, Mangelsdorf, now a father of five, could spend the rest of his life in prison. In Feb. 2006, appearing in court for a pre-trial hearing, Mangelsdorf shocks everyone with a statement of his own.

"Mr. Mangelsdorf does plead guilty and does agree he did participate in this crime," Sherman announced in court.

After 24 years of maintaining his innocence, Mark now admitted he helped kill his close friend, David Harmon.

"I felt it was time for me to plea guilty and get this behind us," Mark told reporters outside the courthouse, with his wife by his side.

Pleading to second-degree murder, Mark stood there while prosecutor Paul Morrison read Melinda's confession.

"The week before the homicide, Mangelsdorf informed Melinda that he had purchased a weapon, specifically a crowbar, with which to murder David. He indicated at that time for the homicide was getting closer," Morrison read.

And in the confession, Melinda related a chilling scene: It was at her husband's funeral that Mark allegedly whispered in Melinda's ear that he got rid of the murder weapon. Remarkably, for a couple who now admits they committed this brutal murder to have a relationship, it was the last time they were together.

"She was ready to testify that during this relationship she had with Mark Mangelsdorf, during their discussions about how they were going to end up together, her and Mark, for her it came down to the fact she chose murder over the social stigma of divorce," says Morrison.

"Bottom line: She was just one of the factors we all considered in deciding whether or not Mark should plead guilty. Mark finally made the call himself. He wanted to get on with his life. He saw the possibility of a conviction, he saw the possibility of an acquittal and elected to plead guilty," says Sherman.

On May 12, 2006, in two separate hearings, Mark Mangelsdorf and Melinda Raisch are sentenced for the horrific murder of David Harmon.

They are both sentenced to 10 to 20 years in prison.

"To the Harmon family, words do not adequately express the things that I feel in my heart," Melinda said. "I'm horrified beyond words that I was ever connected to this and I knew the moment it happened that it was wrong. I'm very, very, very sorry."

"I have pled guilty to this. I've acknowledged my involvement and I hope that in some small way that helps for you to have some closure in this," Mark said. "I'm truly, truly sorry for David's death and for the loss of the time that you've experienced not being able to spend time with him."

But for David's father John, who lost his only child, Melinda and Mark's apologies will never be enough.

"Melinda, I hold you more responsible than Mark," John addressed Melinda. "You, as the wife could have called a halt to the plot at any time. You could have stopped it."

John also had something to say to Mark. "Mark, you're not only a murderer, you are also a thief. You took our one and only child in a vicious, not just normal, a vicious attack and act of violence ... you conned everybody while you were living a lie for over 20 years."

It took 24 years, but for Olathe, Kan., the memory of a haunting murder can finally be laid to rest - and for David Harmon, a 24-year-old injustice has come to an end.

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Melinda Raisch and Mark Mangelsdorf will both be eligible for parole after serving 5 1/2 years.