// BEGIN editorial data var i = 0; var dtl_poplar = new Array(); dtl_poplar.ID = "dtl_poplar"; dtl_poplar.ID_WB = 23959944; dtl_poplar.sPubDate = "4/5/2008 1:08:16 AM GMT"; dtl_poplar.navsectionID = "3032599" dtl_poplar.appFmt = 2; dtl_poplar.itemsPerPage = 1; dtl_poplar.appWidth = 460; dtl_poplar.appHeader = ""; dtl_poplar.appFooter = "Click here to read the full story and see related video."; dtl_poplar.appNavStyle = 7; dtl_poplar.bPrintable = 0; dtl_poplar.bDhtml = 0; dtl_poplar.appLayout = 2; dtl_poplar.copyHeight = 320; dtl_poplar.copyMargin = 9; dtl_poplar[i++] = new Array("","Kim and Laurie","","http://msnbcmedia4.msn.com/j/msnbc/Sections/TVNews/Dateline%20NBC/_Stories/Poplar/poplar%20gallery/kim_laurie.standard.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "left", "", "", "298", "293", "#000000", "", "", "", ""); dtl_poplar[i-1].body = "
Kim Nees, pictured on the left, was a 17-year-old living in Poplar, Mont., in 1979."; dtl_poplar[i++] = new Array("","Kim as a sophomore","","http://msnbcmedia2.msn.com/j/msnbc/Sections/TVNews/Dateline%20NBC/_Stories/Poplar/poplar%20gallery/kim_sophomore.standard.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "left", "", "", "298", "194", "#000000", "", "", "", ""); dtl_poplar[i-1].body = "
She was her school's valedictorian, a national honors graduate, about to leave town for college."; dtl_poplar[i++] = new Array("","Graduation","","http://msnbcmedia1.msn.com/j/msnbc/Sections/TVNews/Dateline%20NBC/_Stories/Poplar/poplar%20gallery/kim_graduation.standard.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "left", "", "", "298", "211", "#000000", "", "", "", ""); dtl_poplar[i-1].body = "
Around midnight on June 15, 1979, she left her house and headed for a well-known party spot just outside of town."; dtl_poplar[i++] = new Array("","Crime scene","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/msnbc/Sections/TVNews/Dateline%20NBC/_Stories/Poplar/poplar%20gallery/crimescene19_edit.standard.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "left", "", "", "298", "166", "#000000", "", "", "", ""); dtl_poplar[i-1].body = "
At around 7 a.m., investigators discovered her family's abandoned pick-up truck. They followed a trail of blood from the truck for about 250 feet or so, to the Poplar River. There they found the battered body of Kim Nees. "; dtl_poplar[i++] = new Array("","Investigators outside truck","","http://msnbcmedia2.msn.com/j/msnbc/Sections/TVNews/Dateline%20NBC/_Stories/Poplar/poplar%20gallery/crimescene6.standard.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "left", "", "", "259", "298", "#000000", "", "", "", ""); dtl_poplar[i-1].body = "
\"The term I have used is 'overkill,'\" said Dean Mahlum, who was an undersheriff, and later the country sheriff, in charge of the murder investigation."; dtl_poplar[i++] = new Array("","Dashboard","","http://msnbcmedia2.msn.com/j/msnbc/Sections/TVNews/Dateline%20NBC/_Stories/Poplar/poplar%20gallery/crimescene10.standard.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "left", "", "", "298", "253", "#000000", "", "", "", ""); dtl_poplar[i-1].body = "
\"There was a high level of rage,\" said Mahlum. \"Someone was very angry.\" There were 20 or 21 blows received to Kim’s skull, any of which could have caused her death."; dtl_poplar[i++] = new Array("","Fingerprints on door","","http://msnbcmedia2.msn.com/j/msnbc/Sections/TVNews/Dateline%20NBC/_Stories/Poplar/poplar%20gallery/crimescene7.standard.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "left", "", "", "298", "262", "#000000", "", "", "", ""); dtl_poplar[i-1].body = "
There were more than two dozen fingerprints on the truck. Foot prints were left in and around the trail where Kim’s body was dragged to the river."; dtl_poplar[i++] = new Array("","Palm print","","http://msnbcmedia3.msn.com/j/msnbc/Sections/TVNews/Dateline%20NBC/_Stories/Poplar/poplar%20gallery/crimescene12.standard.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "left", "", "", "258", "298", "#000000", "", "", "", ""); dtl_poplar[i-1].body = "
On the truck, near the passenger door, there was a palm print in what appeared to be blood."; dtl_poplar[i++] = new Array("","Kim in boat","","http://msnbcmedia3.msn.com/j/msnbc/Sections/TVNews/Dateline%20NBC/_Stories/Poplar/poplar%20gallery/kim_boat.standard.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "left", "", "", "213", "298", "#000000", "", "", "", ""); dtl_poplar[i-1].body = "
The lack of any apparent motive led many people to wonder if perhaps the standard scenarios did not apply. Rumors ran around town that this was not a man who committed the murder, or a woman even, but a group of girls -- Kim's contemporaries. Their supposed motive? Jealousy."; dtl_poplar[i++] = new Array("","Barry in high school","","http://msnbcmedia3.msn.com/j/msnbc/Sections/TVNews/Dateline%20NBC/_Stories/Poplar/poplar%20gallery/barry_highschoolr.standard.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "left", "", "", "298", "255", "#000000", "", "", "", ""); dtl_poplar[i-1].body = "
Barry Beach was a neighbor of Kim Nees', and had once dated her sister, Pam."; dtl_poplar[i++] = new Array("","Barry mugshot","","http://msnbcmedia4.msn.com/j/msnbc/Sections/TVNews/Dateline%20NBC/_Stories/Poplar/poplar%20gallery/migshot_84.standard.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "left", "", "", "298", "213", "#000000", "", "", "", ""); dtl_poplar[i-1].body = "
In January, 1983, Barry Beach was arrested on a minor charge in Louisiana. His stepmother told police he had once been a suspect in the Montana murder years earlier."; dtl_poplar[i++] = new Array("","Barry in sweats","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/msnbc/Sections/TVNews/Dateline%20NBC/_Stories/Poplar/poplar%20gallery/barry4.standard.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "left", "", "", "298", "162", "#000000", "", "", "", ""); dtl_poplar[i-1].body = "
According to former Sheriff Mahlum, Barry Beach would never flat-out deny killing Kim Nees. So the sheriff in Louisiana, Jay Via, began questioning Beach about the murder."; dtl_poplar[i++] = new Array("","Barry with his mother and step-father","","http://msnbcmedia1.msn.com/j/msnbc/Sections/TVNews/Dateline%20NBC/_Stories/Poplar/poplar%20gallery/stepdad_barry_mom.standard.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "left", "", "", "298", "293", "#000000", "", "", "", ""); dtl_poplar[i-1].body = "
Under questioning by Louisiana investigators, Barry Beach confessed to killing Kim Nees. He would later recant his statements, saying they were made under duress. He is pictured here with his stepfather and his mother, Bobbi Clincher."; dtl_poplar[i++] = new Array("","Barry Beach mugshot","","http://msnbcmedia4.msn.com/j/msnbc/Sections/TVNews/Dateline%20NBC/_Stories/Poplar/barry_mug_98.standard.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "left", "", "", "298", "229", "#000000", "", "", "", ""); dtl_poplar[i-1].body = "
Barry Beach's confession would lead to a conviction for murder -- but that's not the end of the story. With the help of Centurion ministries, Barry Beach continues to proclaim his innocence and fight a legal battle for his freedom."; dtl_poplar[i++] = new Array("","More links","","","","", "", "", "", "", "left", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", ""); dtl_poplar[i-1].body = "
Click here for the full story with video

Click here to read Keith Morrison's blog on the case

Click here for more Dateline crime reports"; // END editorial data