Prior to the murders of Twila Busby and her two sons, Twila attended the New Year’s party of Howard Mitchell. Witness testimony given at trial categorically stated that Twila left that party early as she grew increasingly nervous of the presence of her uncle Robert Donnell, who followed her around and made rude sexual advances towards her. Donnell had a history of violence, rape and abuse to women, including Twila herself. The same witness testified that Donnell departed from the party very shortly after Twila. Despite this, and despite the fact that Twila’s body was found in a condition suggestive of possible sexual assault (pants unzipped and blouse raised above her stomach), no investigation into Donnell was ever mounted.]

Steven C. Losch, Attorney at Law explains the results of his investigations: “The authorities refused to investigate the hypotheses that Robert Donnell murdered Twila Busby and her sons. Howard Mitchell told Officer Connie Brainard that Donnell was at the party with Twila and he believed that Donnell was the killer. Brainard’s report did not include Donnell on the list of people who were at the party on the night on the night of the capital murder that she obtained from Mitchell…”

“…When Bill McMinn (state prosecution investigator) interviewed Mitchell nine months later, Mitchell gave him a detailed explanation of why he believed that Donnell was the killer, including the fact that Donnell served time in prison for murdering someone. McMinn told Mitchell, “that’s the kind of information we don’t have”. Mitchell informed McMinn that he gave the same information about Donnell to the Police.” “….Donnell was never questioned. No effort was made to ascertain his whereabouts at the time of the offense. The fingerprint that was not made by Skinner on a bag that contained a likely murder weapon was not compared to copies of Donnell’s prints …. No one asked Donnell … to submit samples … that could be compared to the blood under Twila’s fingernails and the hairs that were found in her hands.”

Regarding this extraordinary neglect on the part of both the police and prosecution investigators, Dr. Glenn Larkin MD, a forensic pathologist experienced in criminal cases states: “While a spouse or live-in is naturally a first suspect, information pointing to to others cannot be shrugged off casually. In the instant case, there is significant evidence pointing to Mr. Donnell as developed, and is not trivial. This should have been subject to cross-examination at trial.”