Murder in Massachusetts

Out Cold

After swallowing three Tylenol PMs, washing them down with a gulp of white wine, Patricia crawled into bed next to Neil and fell asleep—knowing, of course, that Neil was going out to the barn to feed Hannah at any moment.

She claimed it was the last time she saw Neil alive.

The remainder of that first statement Patricia gave to police details, primarily, the moments after she found Neil unconscious in the barn. Still, it wasn't the last time she would sit with police and talk about the events leading up to her husband's murder. Massachusetts State Police would soon be back asking more questions.

Indeed, at the same time law enforcement interviewed Patricia, taking her first statement, Troopers Brian Berkel and Michael Hill were up the road speaking to Christopher Robinson—and what a "story" he had to tell.

Mountain View Motel

About a half-mile down the road from the Olsen house, the Mountain View Motel stands across the street from Pontoosuc Lake, a massive body of water bordering North Main Street (Route 7), on the eastern side. A rather tiny, cabin-like dwelling, with maybe six or seven rooms, the motel houses travelers, visitors to the lake region, but also those who have nowhere else to live and need a room by the night. Christopher had been expelled from the Olsen house by Patricia and Neil since the fall of 2004. In October of that year, Patricia wrote Christopher a "no trespass order." She wrote, "You are hereby notified to leave and remain away from the [restaurant] ... as well as from the premises owned and occupied by Neil Olsen and his wife ..." Further into the letter, Patricia explained to Christopher that she had "notified the public safety officials in ... Pittsfield ... and Lanesboro ... [i]f you appear at either of these premises is in violation of this notice, you will be subject to arrest."

Pittsfield Police Department patch

The letter appeared to have been copied to both the Lanesborough and Pittsfield police departments. Patricia had signed it, but, for some reason, Neil hadn't. According to her statement later, Patricia never gave it to Christopher or sent it to police.