Dateline: Secrets Uncovered - A complete timeline of the Doug Carlile murder case, revisited

In Dateline: Secrets Uncovered, the murder of Doug Carlile has been highlighted. But this case does not follow a straight path. In such cases, we often end up losing track of the timelines, and several times, the timelines overlap. Yet, Carlile’s case remains relevant as it proves how money and control can drive extreme choices and consequences.

It started as a quiet Sunday night shooting in Spokane, but gradually took a turn into a full murder-for-hire scheme. Coming to the timeline, it stretches across various places, including North Dakota, several players, and three years of investigation.

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Dateline: Doug Carlile's murder

It all started on December 15, 2013: The night Doug Carlile was killed

Doug Carlile, 63, returned home with his wife, Elberta, after church on Spokane’s South Hill. So, Elberta went upstairs while Doug walked into the kitchen.

Dateline revealed that from the stairs, she heard her husband talking to someone he did not know, and moments later, she saw a masked man pointing a gun at Doug. Now, Doug told his wife to leave and tried to calm the intruder. Elberta ran upstairs, heard four to five gunshots, and hid in a closet. She called 911 while Doug Carlile lay dead in the kitchen.

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Early clues that pushed the case forward

Neighbors reported seeing a white van near the home around the time of the shooting, and surveillance footage backed up those sightings.

Police also found a leather glove outside the house, which stood out because it was dry, despite having rained earlier that night. Also, the DNA from the glove gave investigators their first solid lead, according to Dateline.

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January 2016: A suspect finally emerges

Detectives traced the van to a business called IRS Environmental. Records showed the van had been used by Timothy Suckow. All witness descriptions matched Suckow’s appearance.

A search of Suckow’s Tahoe uncovered a mask matching Elberta’s account. On the other hand, the police also found a handwritten list detailing tools, gear, and planning steps. Suckow was arrested on January 13, 2016, and charged with first-degree murder.

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Why Doug Carlile?

Nothing had been stolen from the home, and Doug Carlile did not know Suckow. So why him? The greatest mystery lies in deciphering the motive.

Detectives believed the crime was planned, not random, and the attention shifted to Carlile’s business life. His family shared one key name: James Henrikson.

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Business deals, oil money, and growing fear

Dateline reported that Carlile and Henrikson collaborated on North Dakota oil ventures. These companies involved millions of dollars and valuable land rights.

Evidently, tensions grew over money, control, and future profits, and Carlile feared Henrikson and told his son who to look at if something happened. Much later, Henrikson admitted that Carlile owed him $1.88 million.

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Connecting the middlemen

Investigators learned about Henrikson’s associate, Robert Delao, who had a violent criminal past and close ties to Henrikson. An informant pointed police to Todd Bates, known as Henrikson’s enforcer.

On the other hand, Bates had connections to Timothy Suckow, and the chain became clear: Henrikson to Bates, Bates to Suckow.

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Closing the Loop

Dateline revealed that James Henrikson was convicted of the murders of Doug Carlile and KC Clark, and federal agents arrested him in North Dakota. Henrikson received two life sentences in 2016, and Suckow was sentenced to 30 years in prison. Other accomplices received sentences ranging from 8 to 22 years.