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In 1987, document control was weak with paper folders and one archivist working intermittently. Harris came to archive under pretext of reviewing the case, removed the folder and destroyed it. No electronic copies existed. In April, Harris officially closed the case under false pretense of information about voluntary relocation. This allowed NCIC record removal. Materials were destroyed.
Harris deposited money and spent it on renovations. Walker died in 2003. Harris died in 2008. Only accidental investigation in 2014 uncovered events almost 30 years later. But the complete truth of what happened in those minutes on that road would never be known.
On April 25th, 2015, the prosecutor held a closed meeting with Viven Thompson. Detective Johnson and journalist Davis attended. The prosecutor explained they needed to tell her everything. He handed her the examiner’s conclusion. Vivian read it, hands shaking—fractured hyoid bone, mechanical strangulation.
She asked what it meant. The prosecutor explained carefully that one daughter, Kiara, may have been alive after being hit. They could not state this with certainty. The expert said the fracture could have occurred from impact, but did not rule out another possibility. After a long pause, Viven quietly asked if her daughter was strangled.
The prosecutor answered they did not know. Collins refused to answer. The expert could not give definitive conclusion. Viven covered her face and wept. Johnson told her they did everything possible but could not prove murder beyond reasonable doubt without definitive expert testimony.
Viven asked if Collins was free. The prosecutor confirmed criminally, yes, due to time passage and lack of proof, but they could pursue civil liability and tell everyone the truth. On May 15th, the Thompson family filed civil lawsuit against Collins for wrongful death, intentional infliction of emotional distress, and concealment. The complaint mentioned the examiner’s conclusion about fractured hyoid and strangulation possibility. Collins’s attorneys understood the case was unfavorable.
Even without criminal charges, civil court had lower burden of proof. Jurors would hear about the fractured hyoid and draw conclusions. On July 25th, parties reached civil settlement. Collins signed agreement officially recognizing responsibility for concealing deaths, paying $200,000 compensation, and not disputing examiner findings. The agreement contained no murder admission but did not deny it.
On August 28th, an official hearing approved the settlement in circuit court. The judge read case facts in open session, including examiner conclusion. Collins attended silently, face expressionless. When the judge read about the fractured hyoid, people gasped. The judge approved settlement.