The Murder of Doug Carlile: 'Dateline: The Smoking Gun' unveils a hidden monster
SOUTH HILL, VIRGINIA: On December 15, 2013, businessman Doug Carlile was killed in his home shortly after he and his wife, Elberta, returned from church. Elberta, who was upstairs then, heard noises coming from the kitchen. Elberta went to the kitchen and saw a masked man pointing a gun at Doug. At Doug's urging, she quickly retreated upstairs. However, she hid in the closet and dialed 911 after she heard multiple gunshots.
The police initially labeled the murder as a robbery gone wrong and, after further investigation, arrested Timothy Suckow on January 13, 2016. He was charged with First-Degree-Murder and was held on a $2 Million bond. A police raid on a garage owned by one of Timothy's co-workers uncovered around 20 firearms linked to the suspect. Officials initially suspected that the murder weapon would be among the seized firearms, but further investigation revealed unexpected and shocking details. Oxygen's 'Dateline: The Smoking Gun' will delve into a very complicated, and wide-ranging investigation of Doug's entangled murder.
Who was Doug Carlile?
Doug Carlile was a successful businessman with multiple companies in North Dakota. He was married to his high school sweetheart, Elberta Carlile, for 42 years. The couple shared six children and 20 grandchildren. However, he was tragically killed after he failed to pay back his debt.
After years of investigation, Doug’s killers—Timothy Suckow, Lazaro Pesina, Robby Wahrer, and Robert Delayo—were eventually arrested. Doug's wife Elberta addressed the men responsible for the murder in the court and tearfully said, "There are no words that can describe the magnitude of my loss. You took what time I had left with my husband away from me, away from my children, away from my grandchildren. You stole it from us." However, she chose to forgive all four killers for their misdeeds.
Why did Timothy Suckow kill Doug Carlile?
Doug Carlile's murder case proved to be far more complex than it initially appeared. Investigators began to question Timothy Suckow’s true intentions when they noted that the killers hadn’t taken anything from Carlile’s home. This unusual detail led them to suspect there was more to the murder than a simple robbery.
In a shocking revelation, Doug Carlile’s son disclosed that Doug had confided in him, saying that if anything happened to him, it would likely be James behind it. Concerned for his father’s safety, Doug’s son had even loaned him a gun for protection. James initially denied any connection to Doug or his murder but later claimed that the victim had owed him $1.88 million. However, the investigators' suspicions were further fueled after James claimed he was frustrated because Doug wasn't paying him back.
Doug Carlile and James Henrikson were a business partner
Doug Carlile and James Henrikson were business partners working together in North Dakota’s oil fields in 2012. They co-owned a trucking company named Bridgewater Energy and an oilfield development company named Kingdom Dynamics Enterprises. Doug reportedly hired investors for their oilfield company to fund the purchase of 640 acres of land on the MHA Nations Reservation.
The investors in the businesses included Douglas Helton, who invested $920,000; James Henrikson, who contributed $340,000; and James’ significant other, Sarah Creveling, who invested $300,000. James Henrikson had a history of criminal activity and was revealed to be the mastermind behind Doug Carlile's murder. During the investigation into Doug's death, it was uncovered that James was also responsible for the murder of another businessman, KC Clarke.
Uncover Doug Carlile's tragic death in 'Dateline: The Smoking Gun' on Thursday, November 7, at 8 pm ET on Oxygen.