In Too Deep

A College Girl Gets Caught Up In A Gruesome Murder Case

(CBS)  But Laura's behavior on the day of the murder was so bizarre, it defies explanation.

Remember how Laura said Colton had shown her the body and then abruptly let her go? There's actually a little more to that story: investigators now believe that Laura went back to Colton's apartment later that day.

Laura admits that Colton called her, and again, she couldn't refuse him. Asked why she returned to the apartment, Laura says, "I don't know."

"She had every opportunity in the world to call the police, send them to Colton's apartment and certainly she would have been safe from Colton for a long time had she done that," prosecutor Bishop says.

Prosecutors intend to prove that not only was Laura present during the dismembering of the body, but that she also took part in it.

Laura's defense is simple: she says didn’t do it. She did not dismember Jennifer’s body and she did not plot Colton's escape.

Bishop says the idea that Laura was forced to do anything by Colton will not stand up in court. He says a photograph, the only one from the couple’s life on the run in Mexico, paints a true picture of the real Laura Hall.

"This was at the hotel manager's house when they went to go watch Ultimate Fighting and that's his child's playpen that they're playing in, playing with dolls and a sombrero," Bishop explains. "She does not appear to be there against her will."

"I think that people are gonna look at this and they're going to see how articulate you are, and they’re going to say, 'Ok either this girl is really stupid…or she's a sociopath.' With all due respect, which one is it?" Maher asks.

"I’m definitely not a sociopath," Laura says. "I've been destroyed in the media. I mean the image of me is just, it’s this monster that doesn’t exist."

It now up to the jury to decide whether Laura is a good girl, or a killer’s helper.

With Colton serving 55 years, Laura now has to go before a judge and jury, who will decide once and for all whether she was or wasn't involved.

"I think Laura’s more guilty of the mutilation than Colton," says Jennifer's mother Sharon. "I think Colton was the laborer. I think Laura was the planner."

"I think just from a physical standpoint, Colton Pitonyak probably did the bulk of the work. Just because physically it would be very difficult to do. But I also don’t believe one person could have done some of the things that were done," Bishop says.

In the weeks leading up to her trial, Laura spent most of her time in seclusion.

At trial, this time with no cameras allowed, prosecutor Bill Bishop outlines Laura's ever-changing account of events. "She gave a series of statements to the police… She had previously made a statement that she had no idea what happened, she'd never seen the body. Her statement then became she’d seen the body but didn’t know what had happened," Bishop said. "And it eventually grew into, 'I was a victim, I was kidnapped, I had nothing to do with it.'"

In addition to the witnesses who claim Laura told them about her involvement in the mutilation, Bishop says Laura's DNA was also found at the scene. "Her DNA was on the gun, the murder weapon itself, that was found in Colton’s car," Bishop said.

[bifuna]

WHAT MAKES MAUREEN MAHER THE BEST REPORTER IN THIS MYSTERIES IS THE WAY SHE BALANCES THE STORY BETWEEN ALL THE PARTIES CONCERNED. AND THIS IS ONE OF HER BEST.

[karen7868]

I watched this episode the first time it aired this past January. Is it just me, or did they cut out several things from the first time it aired. I didn''t see the part where she said "that''s just how I roll", nor the part about her handwriting was the one that wrote the list of things for Colton to pick up from the hardware store, hacksaw, Febreeze, etc. If he was supposedly so messed up on drugs, he would not have the sense to come up with things like "Febreeze." I think he took the fall for her on this one. She''s just a psychotic *(&%^& that flew into a jealous rage and killed this poor girl. What person in their right mind would have the guy''s name tatooed on her ankle AFTER the murder???? But I was wondering why they cut these parts out of this episode. Anyone know????

[graceesmom]

This is s bad situation and I believe that Colton might not be guilty. I watched this before when it aired and Laura seemed to have an answer for everything. I think she killed this girl herself because she has a sociopathic personality. I cannot believe she only got 5 years for something so terrible. I hope the victims family is ok. May she rest in peace.

[morilcayes]

I agree with zgomer human behavior is very complex and not too many of us can claim that they understand it perfectly. A trapped animal will do anything to get out of a dire situation. Some individuals are masters of deceit: the pimps are but the extreme of this category.
Again, I am suggesting we look inside of ourselves and see what''s in there. The tendency is to judge and pass sentence without having a full view of the human condition.
We have a part of us that the media, the court system and us as citizens have no clue about, and if we do we choose to ignore it because it is very uncomfortable to bear.
So, before giving Laura 55 years why don''t we study what brings human beings to be the way they are. For when it comes to the fact we are being manipulated this case is the tip of the iceberg.
How many of us are willing to admit that we have not been that innocent in our dealings with lovers, family members, friends and neighbors?

[cmpool1]

55 years.

[cjmyler]

I have a hard time believing that Maureen Maher was able to keep a straight face throughout her interview with Laura Hall. Some of the statements Hall made and some of the assessments she made convinced me that Jennifer Cave''s mother was right -- Hall is a sociopath. I listened to the tape online of the interview Hall had with the police, and she described the situation at Colton''s apartment as if it were a joke, and it is clear she is just not mentally balanced. I don''t buy any of her act, just from watching how she would smile at the camera or make light of things. She knew exactly what she was doing.

[smurfcrusher]

Perhaps she''ll start a new club in prison: "Dismembers Only".

[morilcayes]

Another view:
I have followed the story closely and read all the comments on this blog.
I am not advocating guilt or innocense, but only this: to me the media, the prosecutor and the defense have overlooked the simple fact that when on is on drugs and that relationship is abusive, the prey just cannot get away form that locked relationship.
Laura may have helped, she may even have suggested the gruesome scene, but for anyone who understands the psychology of abuse, in all its forms, the lying, the lack of logic in testimonies are but the result of this trapped ''psyche'' that we underestimate so much in our society.
A good way to honor and remember Jennifer''s death properly is to look deeply into ourselves, and see how much or a Colton or a Laura we are not.

[misterzoo]

Lauren Hall got away with murder because she did it and Colton helped her cover it up and she loves him for that. It''s so obvious and just goes to show you how stupid DA''s are because they''re more interested in busting strip bars and prostitutes then getting murder cases right. What about busting the drug dealers that gave the cocaine to these kids because it wreaked their minds. The whole situation makes me sick. All these people involved are going to pay the ultimate price one day for eternity unless they repent and change their ways.

[misterzoo]

Lauren Hall got away with murder because she did it and Colton helped her cover it up and she loves him for that. It''s so obvious and just goes to show you how stupid DA''s are because they''re more interested in busting strip bars and prostitutes then getting murder cases right. What about busting the drug dealers that gave the cocaine to these kids because it wreaked their minds. The whole situation makes me sick. All these people involved are going to pay the ultimate price one day for eternity unless they repent and change their ways.

[tattoogirly1]

Does anybody know when they will post this one online to watch? I live in austin and would love to watch it!

[sunburn4]

LAURA IS GUILTY AS SIN. SHE CAN PUT A PRETTY GOOD ACT ON! MOST LIKELY SHE WALKED IN THE APT AND FOUND THIS POOR GIRL THERE AND THATS WHEN THINGS HAPPENED. SHE STATED SHE WAS CRAZY ABOUT THE GUY. SHE SURE DID''NT SHOW ANY EMOTION FOR THAT GIRL THE WHOLE TIME, EVERYTHING WAS ME ME ME! 5 YEARS IS A JOKE! SHE SHOULD HAVE GOTTEN 50 TO LIFE! SHE''S ONE COLD INDIVIDUAL! HOPE SHE BURNS IN HELL!

[yankeerebel7]

I lived in Austin during this and remember it clearly. One of my friends had met Colton a few times. Just a crazy situation. That chick Laura Hall is a freaking pyschopath.

[summerweeds4]

the saddest part is that the one person that would have been there for him, is the one person he will never see again, jennifer. yeah he should of called the police- but noone knows what type of situation he was in- whether it be his life on the line, or whether it be paranoia bc he did just get out of jail for coke possession right before this for having a party and called the cops on himself, because someone got in a fight and bashed out his neighbors window. i don''t know much about the case, but i do know that he has a good heart and that he was the guy that always stood up for people that others made fun of. yeah he was the life of the party but he wasn''t a druggie in highschool. he was like number 2 at catholic highschool for boys- and dude managed to get along better with girls than he did with guys because he actually was friends with them, not always trying to get some like the rest of us.

[summerweeds4]

i grew up with colton. we were actually really good friends. we ran around with the same crowd. i can say that colton is not capable of any of this. what he is capable of is feeling responsible that his best friend was killed and brutally dismemembered in his apartment. i heard from one of his best friends that he had fallen in with the wrong crowd and he actually was about to move back to little rock and that he actually had been threatened by drug dealers or enemies i don''t really know. but the colton that i alawys knew is the gentleman that would feel responsible for something even if it didn''t do it, but he would hold himself responsible because of his actions of making enemies or whatever he did- they took away his best friend.

[duster17]

she text messaged him that night before midnight saying ugh... you really should of called me. in her 48 hr interview you can see how mad she is that colton implicated her as the one that did the mutilating and that she regretted not testifying. BS- SHE SHOWED UP TO PLEAD th 5th AND WAS ROLLING HER EYES THE WHOLE TIME!!!! colton even seemed scared to speak the truth that it was her because he said every time he walked back there, noone was there. obviously she threatened him. unfortunately he took some bad advice in my opinion.

[duster17]

COLTON DIDN''T HAVE A MOTIVE! THE OBSESSED GIRL DID! WATCH HER INTERROGATION VIDEOS AND SEE HOW SHE SHIFTS FROM THE FAKE "OH IM TRYING TO PROTECT HIM" TO THE FAKE CRYING TO THE AGGRESSIVELY STRONG "WHAT DO YOU WANT TO KNOW? WHAT DO YOU WANT TO KNOW ABOUT COLTON?"
HER facebook profile was updated the day before this went down and it said " i really should be more of a horrific person it''s in the works," another time she wrote something like - i don''t want my apartment becoming a crime friend, and if someone''s gonna pay its not gonna be me. something to that effect. why would she be calling this girl a *** a year after she was murdered?? she even said in a blog to someone- "whose to say someone didn''t make him go to the hardware store"- if someone is holding you at gunpoint waiting outside the store with a crew what the hell is he supposed to do? thats my interpretation.

[duster17]

COLTON IS INNOCENT. the only thing he is guilty of is being stupid enough to ever of taken the fall for this girl. HE TOOK THE FALL FOR THIS GIRL OUT OF FEAR-

[bayamon00960]

Wao this case is so creepy, does anyone know if the facebook profile of Laura and Colton is still available?????? let me know... and my opinion is that laura did kill Jenifer cause she found her in Coltons apartment and the rest of the story is easy to make it up

[drdavedmd]

POLICE!!!!! DISTRICT ATTORNEY!!!!! Are you reading these comments being posted???? There is no jury in the world that would see Laura Hall innocent of anything.... in fact, she should get the death penalty for her clear involvement. Laura Hall is eligible for parole after serving how many years in prison? Just a couple???? Is this really fair to the victim''s family and friends??? If I were lead prosecutor I would not hesitate and indict her of first degree murder. The evidence is beyond overwhelming. Don''t let her good looks fool you.... And don''t let a cold-blooded murderer walk scott free. It''s one of the most heinous crimes a person in the US can ever commit... Forget just murdering a person... she badly mutilated the body without any mercy! This is just so heinous and reprehensible that it offends the decency of all mankind... Throw her in prison, and then throw away the key! GUILTY.... GUILTY.... GUILTY....Prosecute her before she gets out and goes to Mexico again.