- Almost True - Page 274

Yet it was money that Tommy Zeigler didn't need.2  In all of their investigation, including the extraordinary opportunity to examine Zeigler's financial records, police investigators were unable to show that his finances were anything but solid.  His material well-being was assured.  The furniture store was a thriving enterprise, Tommy's pet project and solid foundation of the family's wealth: yet, if the state is to be believed, this was the place that Zeigler chose to stigmatize forever with a quadruple murder—the ultimate example of fouling one's own nest.

Two elements of the state's own evidence suggest that the insurance could have been no more than an afterthought.

First, Frank Smith and Mary Ellen Stewart claimed that Zeigler was attempting to buy guns as early as the spring of 1975.  Yet Zeigler didn't apply for the first insurance policy on Eunice until September. the OCSO's investigation showed that one of the insurance agents had tried to sell Zeigler a life policy as early as April 1975, and Zeigler put him off.

But perhaps Zeigler had another motive, and at some point added the insurance to benefit from a murder that he intended to commit anyway.  If so, he was working at cross purposes.  The state's theory is that Zeigler hoped the investigation would be a low-key affair under the jurisdiction of his friend Don Ficke, whom he might be able to manipulate.  But the huge insurance policies virtually guaranteed that other agencies would enter the picture.  Zeigler could not hope to keep the fact of the policies hidden; the companies themselves would demand a thorough investigation.

Second, if Zeigler intended to murder his wife for money, why should he commit the crime at such a time, and in such a way, that he would be forced to kill his in-laws?  For if he is guilty, then the evidence is clear: Perry and Virginia Edwards did not walk into the store by chance.  Zeigler knew that they were only a few minutes behind.  He must have arranged for them to be there.

This is the most glaring drawback to the purported insurance motive that Robert Eagan carefully laid out at trial: It does not explain the murders of Mr. and Mrs. Edwards.

Don Frye's answer is what might be called Version B of the motive, based on Cheryl Clafler's statement.  This theory is that a great rift had opened between Tommy and Eunice because she had discovered his homosexual affair, that she had told her parents of her unhappiness and her fears, and that she intended to leave with them after Christmas; therefore Tommy was forced to act quickly.  He

__________________________________________

2   The magnitude of Zeigler's defense is proof of this.  The family hired multiple lawyers, two of them full-time, and multiple investigators, two of whom worked overtime for more than five months, and multiple experts.  Neither Tommy and Beulah, nor the attorneys, dispute the estimate that the defense cost well over $500,000.