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[The Tragic Tale of Scott Sessions and Heather Frank: A Deadly Jealousy]-[The Last Weekend]

Dateline NBC · B2 · 2023-12-12

True crime
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📋 Summary

The Tragic Disappearance and Murder of Scott Sessions

The peaceful community of Greeley, Colorado, was shattered on February 10, 2020, when the body of beloved local trumpeter Scott Sessions was discovered in the remote Poudre Canyon. Sessions, a 53-year-old musician known for his "infectious smile" and status as a top-tier trumpet player, had vanished just days before a scheduled performance. His absence was immediate and glaring; as his bandmate and radio host George Gray noted, "Scott was entirely dependable," making his failure to appear for a sound check a profound cause for alarm.

The Discovery of a Crime

The investigation began when a snowplow driver discovered a burning log in a remote mountain area, which turned out to be the charred remains of a human body. Investigators from the Larimer County Sheriff’s Office, including Justin Atwood, quickly determined this was a homicide. The victim had been "wrapped in a light blue blanket and plastic" and secured with "duct tape." The severity of the violence was staggering; the victim’s neck had been "slashed deep, almost clear through," indicating an "immediate attack" fueled by "somebody in a rage."

Unraveling the Web: Heather Frank and Kevin Eastman

As police traced Sessions' final movements, they discovered he had been communicating with a woman named Heather Frank, a waitress at Doug's Diner. While initial suspicions fell on Sessions' ex-girlfriend, Loretta Bullock, investigators soon cleared her after uncovering private Facebook messages between Sessions and Frank.

However, the investigation took a dark turn when police discovered Heather Frank’s ex-boyfriend, Kevin Eastman, had been stalking her. Surveillance footage and cell phone data placed all three individuals—Sessions, Frank, and Eastman—in close proximity on the night of the murder. Evidence suggested that Eastman had lured Sessions to Frank’s home, where he ambushed the musician.

A Double Tragedy

Tragically, while police were conducting surveillance on Eastman and Frank, they failed to realize the immediate danger Frank was in. As Investigator Atwood later reflected, the realization that Frank had also been murdered hit him "like I got hit by a wrecking ball." Frank’s body was found on a farm, hidden under lumber and wrapped in the same manner as Sessions', indicating Eastman’s intent to dispose of the evidence in the same brutal fashion.

Pursuit and Justice

Kevin Eastman’s behavior during the police investigation was erratic. He was observed burning items on a remote property and attempting to secure fuel, likely to destroy further evidence. Lieutenant Donnie Robbins ultimately arrested Eastman at a gas station. Despite Eastman’s attempts to deflect blame—even claiming he had "never even seen this dude"—the evidence was overwhelming.

It became clear that Eastman, who had a history of domestic violence against Frank, had killed Sessions out of "jealous rage" and subsequently murdered Frank to prevent her from exposing his crimes. In June 2022, a jury found Kevin Eastman guilty of two counts of first-degree murder. He was sentenced to two consecutive life sentences.

Epilogue

The community and the families of the victims were left to grapple with the senseless loss. Scott Sessions’ father, Stan, who had adopted Scott as an infant, was forced to mourn the loss of his son and, shortly after, his wife, Linda. The memorial concert held in Greeley served as a poignant tribute to a man who, as his father noted, was "only really, really happy... when I'm on that stage playing my trumpet."

🎯Key Sentences

1
That's what we do.
2
She was fearing for her own life.
3
She didn't seem herself that day at all.
4
Something was wrong.
5
Something was off.
Expand All

📝Key Phrases

1
in a rage
2
fearing for her own life
3
live through
4
suffice
5
not seem oneself
Expand All

📖 Transcript

introducing Elvis music.
That's what we do.
You know, we're starting to really worry.
We got about 10 minutes before the show and Scott's still not there.
One of my backup vocalists said, hey, there's been some news about the finding of a body.
You know, we're all thinking, well, it can't be Scott.

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