Steve Gates given immunity deal
Eyewitness Steve Gates, who could have been charged with obstruction of justice, was granted full immunity in exchange for testifying against Paul Hicks.
Where this was said
Why Steve Stayed Silent — and Why He Finally Spoke
At 37:20 · chapter starts 35:00
Morrison presses Gates on why he didn't simply call 911 from Paul's car while Paul drove the body to the pond. Gates admits it was a good idea — and that he just didn't do it. He describes living for 24 years looking over his shoulder, acutely aware that Paul 'always had an angle' and that threats circulated through the small town's grapevine without leaving a paper trail with law enforcement. His attorney Bernie Davis argues that Gates, at 20, genuinely believed Paul's accusation that he was complicit — and that fear calcified into decades of silence. Steve also clarifies that while the town may have suspected he witnessed the murder, they thought he actually participated, adding a layer of shame and isolation to his silence.
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Paul Hicks was indicted by a grand jury and arrested in April 2025, charged with murder and kidnapping, more than 23 years after the crime.
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