Dateline: The Evil That Watches- 5 harrowing details about the Kentucky triple murder explained

Dateline NBC's episode called "The Evil That Watches" first aired on September 24, 2021, based on the true events of the Kentucky triple murders. The episode deals with the triple murders of Edward Dansereau and a couple, Calvin and Pamela Phillips, in a small town in Kentucky, Pembroke. The three neighbors were fatally murdered on November 18, 2015.

Dateline brings the gripping tales of real-life mysteries by delving deep into investigations, in-depth reporting, and a compelling storyline that makes each episode interesting. This time, it takes us inside the deets of Kentucky triple murders that began with a simple discovery of a half-eaten meal and an open door and led to the arrest of an airplane pilot, Christian "Kit" Martin.

The summary of the episode reads;

"When three people are found dead, on the same day, in a Kentucky town, investigators know that it isn't a coincidence; years pass before there's an arrest, as the case continues to divide the community."

What led to his horrific murder? Who is the culprit? Here are the five details about the Kentucky triple murders that you need to know

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Dateline: 5 harrowing details about about Kentucky triple murder

The chilling phone call of Phillip's family friend LaRock

Phillip's family friend, Marklene LaRock, became increasingly concerned when she couldn't reach Calvin over the phone. Thus, she called Pamela to check on Calvin. LaRock even mentioned noticing their front door was wide open. Pamela seemed quite alarmed, and she left LaRock on the phone when she heard a squealing noise, and the phone disconnected. Feeling quite eerie about Pamela's sudden fear, LaRock reached the Phillips house but didn't enter due to fear.

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Discovery of Pamela Phillip's burned car and Calvin Phillip's lifeless body in the basement

The next day, someone reported that they saw Pamela's car on fire on a remote road. While the car was charred, the investigators were able to see the license plate linking it to Pamela. They found Pamela's body and also the remains of their neighbor, Edward Dansereau. When the detectives went to the Phillips home, they found blood spots on the grass and Calvin's lifeless body in the basement, with a cell phone and handgun lying outside.

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The unsettling discovery at the crime scene- Edward Dansereau's house

When investigation began for the triple murders, the detectives came across an eerie finding where they spotted Dansereau's back door was wide open. They entered the home only to find an unfinished meal and a beer bottle, indicating the owner was in a hurry. They also found the television set put on, and an empty gun holster was found nearby. This suggested Dansereau fled his home after hearing something was wrong with his neighbor Phillips.

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What was the major evidence that led to the arrest of the main culprit in the Kentucky Triple Murder case?

While emptying the house after the unfortunate event, Matt Phillips and his aunt Diana found dog tags on bookshelves belonging to their neighbor Kit Martin, a US Army major. Detectives soon found out that Martin was accused by Joan Harmon, his wife, in a domestic abuse case, but he was ruled out because there was not enough evidence. During one of their heated fights, Harmon decided to leave the house with her children when her neighbor Calvin offered them to seek refuge in his house.

While Harmon was moving her belongings, Calvin found a box belonging to Martin labeled "secret." As a military officer, he took those and submitted them to the FBI, which later proved that it was Kit Martin who killed Calvin and his wife along with their neighbor. Moreover, Calvin was also on the track to give evidence against Martin as he saw a photograph of Martin's son with bruises that proved he was abused by his father, Martin.

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Who was guilty of the Kentucky Triple Murders?

All the evidence collected by the investigators pointed towards Kit Martin. Kit would land in major trouble if Calvin Phillips had testified against him during the upcoming court martial trial. If Martin were convicted, he would lose his job. A witness came forward, stating they saw Martin near the abandoned road where Pamela's car was found. Even the bullet cartridge was from Martin's gun. Kit Martin, however, insisted that he was innocent and did not harm anybody, blaming his estranged wife, Harmon.

Martin was finally arrested at the Louisville airport on May 11, 2019. Special prosecutors Barabara Whaleya and Alex Gracia informed the jury that Kit Martin killed Calvin Phillips because he was scheduled to testify in Martin's court martial trial. The military court, too, convicted Martin of mishandling classified information and assault. He was discharged from the army and sentenced to 90 days in jail.

Finally, in June 2021, former Army Major Kit Martin was guilty of all charges, including three counts of murder, one count of attempted arson, two counts of burglary, and three counts of tampering with evidence. He was put in the Roederer Correctional Complex.