On April 13, 1986, 79-year-old Pauline Martz was found dead in her home in Aurora, Missouri. She was beaten, bound and gagged, and left for dead in her house, which had been set ablaze. The authorities also believed that she had been sexually assaulted. An autopsy would reveal that Martz died of
carbon monoxide poisoning as a result of the fire. Several days later, the police brought in Johnny Lee Wilson, a mentally challenged twenty-year-old, for interrogation. He was interrogated for over four hours, before confessing to the murder. Wilson was initially connected to the case through an eyewitness, who told police that Wilson revealed implicating information to him at the scene during the fire, though he would later recant his statements. Among the evidence against Wilson was women's underwear and jewelry that was found at his residence, which the authorities theorized was taken by him after the murder. However, the items were never confirmed as coming from the Martz home. Wilson was charged with first-degree murder and, in order to avoid the
death penalty, pleaded guilty. He received a life sentence without parole. ==Appeals and exoneration==