---
title: ep.177 - Hi-Fi Murders | Blood & Barrels Podcast
description: Discover the chilling story of the Hi-Fi Murders in Ogden, Utah, a brutal crime that shook the community in 1974, leaving three dead & two forever scarred.
image: https://bloodandbarrels.com/hubfs/featured_Hi-Fi%20Murder.jpg
---
[Skip to content](https://bloodandbarrels.com/episodes/hi-fi-murders#main-content)
[](https://bloodandbarrels.com)
- [Episodes](https://bloodandbarrels.com/episodes)
- [Featured Booze](https://bloodandbarrels.com/featured-booze)
- Get In Touch
Show submenu for Get In Touch
- [Suggest A Case](https://bloodandbarrels.com/suggest-a-case)
- [State Case Vote](https://bloodandbarrels.com/case-vote)
- [Suggest Merch](https://bloodandbarrels.com/suggest-merch)
- [Contact Us](https://bloodandbarrels.com/contact)
- [Merch](https://bloodandbarrels.com/merch#!/all)
- [](https://bloodandbarrels.com/merch#!/basket)
- [Episodes](https://bloodandbarrels.com/episodes)
- [Featured Booze](https://bloodandbarrels.com/featured-booze)
- Get In Touch
Show submenu for Get In Touch
- [Suggest A Case](https://bloodandbarrels.com/suggest-a-case)
- [State Case Vote](https://bloodandbarrels.com/case-vote)
- [Suggest Merch](https://bloodandbarrels.com/suggest-merch)
- [Contact Us](https://bloodandbarrels.com/contact)
- [Merch](https://bloodandbarrels.com/merch#!/all)
- [](https://bloodandbarrels.com/merch#!/basket)
[Join Patreon](https://www.patreon.com/bloodandbarrels)
Episode 177
July 9, 2024
[Murder](https://bloodandbarrels.com/episodes/tag/murder), [Spree Killers](https://bloodandbarrels.com/episodes/tag/spree-killers)
# Hi-Fi Murders
On the evening of April 22, 1974, the quiet town of Ogden, Utah, was shattered by a crime so brutal that it would haunt the community for decades. The Hi-Fi Shop, a small home audio store, became the scene of one of the most horrific crimes in American history, known as the Hi-Fi Murders. This gruesome event involved the torture of five innocent people, three of whom tragically lost their lives. What began as a robbery turned into a nightmare that would leave an indelible mark on all those involved.
The Crime Unfolds
The nightmare began just before closing time at the Hi-Fi Shop when six men arrived in two separate vans. These men, including 21-year-old Dale Pierre and 19-year-old William Andrews—both Air Force servicemen—entered the store armed and ready to commit a robbery. While two stayed behind in the vans, four men stormed into the store, immediately taking the employees, 20-year-old Stanley Walker and 18-year-old Michelle Ansley, hostage. Both were bound and taken to the basement as the men proceeded to loot the store.
Michelle Ansley, whose full name was Sherry Michelle Ansley, had only been working at the store for a week. She was engaged to be married in August, making her tragic fate even more heartbreaking. Tragically, a 16-year-old high school student named Byron “Cortney” Naisbitt became the next hostage when he stopped by the store to thank Stanley for allowing him to park his car there. Soon after, Stanley’s father, Orren Walker, and Cortney’s mother, Carol Naisbitt, arrived at the shop, concerned about their children’s whereabouts. Both were captured and tied up with the other hostages, bringing the total to five.
Torture and Desperation
What followed was a series of unimaginable acts of cruelty. The men decided to force their hostages to drink liquid Drano, a drain cleaner, believing it would kill them instantly. The idea had been inspired by a scene from the movie Magnum Force, where a character dies after drinking Drano. However, the reality was far different. The chemical burned their victims' mouths, throats, and tongues, causing excruciating pain but failing to kill them as quickly as the assailants had hoped.
When this method proved ineffective, Dale Pierre took matters into his own hands. He shot Cortney and Carol in the head, killing Carol instantly, while Cortney miraculously survived, though he would never be the same. Pierre then turned his attention to Stanley, killing him with a single shot. Orren was shot twice but survived both attempts on his life. Tragically, Pierre then assaulted Michelle before shooting her in the back of the head, ending her life.
The brutality didn’t end there. Orren, still alive despite the horrific injuries he sustained, witnessed Pierre and Andrews jamming a pen into his ear, puncturing his eardrum and pushing the pen through to his throat. Miraculously, Orren survived this, too, and later provided crucial testimony during the trial.
The Aftermath and Trial
It took three agonizing hours for the bodies to be discovered. Orren’s wife and other son, worried when they didn’t return home, went to the store and called the police after hearing noises from the basement. Despite his injuries, Orren was able to give a detailed description of the attackers. The investigation quickly zeroed in on Pierre and Andrews, thanks in part to an anonymous tip from an Air Force employee and the discovery of stolen items linked to the crime.
Three of the six men involved were convicted, with Pierre and Andrews receiving the death penalty. Pierre was executed by lethal injection in 1987, and Andrews followed in 1992, despite widespread debate over his culpability since he hadn’t directly killed any of the victims. The racial dynamics of the trial, including the all-white jury, added another layer of controversy, as did the note passed to a juror saying, “Hang the N.”
The Survivors
Two people survived the horrific ordeal, though their lives were forever changed. Cortney Naisbitt, who suffered severe brain damage, lived with chronic pain and memory loss until his death at 44. Orren Walker, who testified at the trial, lived with the haunting memories of that night until his death at 69.
The Hi-Fi Murders remain a stark reminder of the cruelty that can emerge from human beings. The 50th anniversary of the murders in 2024 brought renewed attention to this dark chapter, with those involved recalling the horror and the lasting impact it had on their lives.
###### Category
- [Murder](https://bloodandbarrels.com/episodes/tag/murder)
- [Unsolved](https://bloodandbarrels.com/episodes/tag/unsolved)
- [Serial Killer](https://bloodandbarrels.com/episodes/tag/serial-killer)
- [Cold Case](https://bloodandbarrels.com/episodes/tag/cold-case)
- [Spree Killers](https://bloodandbarrels.com/episodes/tag/spree-killers)
- [Mass Shooter](https://bloodandbarrels.com/episodes/tag/mass-shooter)
- [Kidnapping](https://bloodandbarrels.com/episodes/tag/kidnapping)
- [Suicide](https://bloodandbarrels.com/episodes/tag/suicide)
- [familicide](https://bloodandbarrels.com/episodes/tag/familicide)
- [Beer](https://bloodandbarrels.com/episodes/tag/beer)
- [Cult](https://bloodandbarrels.com/episodes/tag/cult)
- [Disappearance](https://bloodandbarrels.com/episodes/tag/disappearance)
- [Female Killers](https://bloodandbarrels.com/episodes/tag/female-killers)
- [Mass Murder](https://bloodandbarrels.com/episodes/tag/mass-murder)
- [Organized Crime](https://bloodandbarrels.com/episodes/tag/organized-crime)
- [Parricide](https://bloodandbarrels.com/episodes/tag/parricide)
- [Presumed Innocent](https://bloodandbarrels.com/episodes/tag/presumed-innocent)
- [Sorocide](https://bloodandbarrels.com/episodes/tag/sorocide)
- [Survivor Story](https://bloodandbarrels.com/episodes/tag/survivor-story)
- [Whiskey](https://bloodandbarrels.com/episodes/tag/whiskey)
- [infanticide](https://bloodandbarrels.com/episodes/tag/infanticide)
###### Popular Post
- [The Hovey Street Murders](https://bloodandbarrels.com/episodes/the-hovey-street-murders)
- [Jennifer Ramsaran](https://bloodandbarrels.com/episodes/jennifer-ramsaran)
- [The Yahweh Cult Murders](https://bloodandbarrels.com/episodes/ep-92-the-yahweh-cult-murders)
- [David Copenhefer](https://bloodandbarrels.com/episodes/david-copenhefer)
- [Lawrence Dame](https://bloodandbarrels.com/episodes/lawrence-dame)
###### Subscribe
## Leave a Comment
### Similar Blogs
[](https://bloodandbarrels.com/episodes/david-alan-gore)
###### [David Alan Gore](https://bloodandbarrels.com/episodes/david-alan-gore)
[By Blood & Barrels 23 April 2024](https://bloodandbarrels.com/episodes/author/blood-barrels)
David Alan Gore and Fred Waterfield were cousins who became notorious for their gruesome crimes...
[READ MORE](https://bloodandbarrels.com/episodes/hi-fi-murders)
[](https://bloodandbarrels.com/episodes/eve-carson)
###### [Eve Carson](https://bloodandbarrels.com/episodes/eve-carson)
[By Blood & Barrels 2 April 2024](https://bloodandbarrels.com/episodes/author/blood-barrels)
Today, we revisit North Carolina to explore the life and tragic death of Eve Carson, a bright...
[READ MORE](https://bloodandbarrels.com/episodes/hi-fi-murders)
[](https://bloodandbarrels.com/episodes/the-eyeball-killer)
###### [The Eyeball Killer](https://bloodandbarrels.com/episodes/the-eyeball-killer)
[By Blood & Barrels 2 July 2024](https://bloodandbarrels.com/episodes/author/blood-barrels)
Charles Frederick Albright, known infamously as "The Eyeball Killer," was born on August 10,...
[READ MORE](https://bloodandbarrels.com/episodes/hi-fi-murders)
[](https://www.hubspot.com/)
Blood & Barrels is a true crime and comedy podcast. Whether you're a crime buff or just looking for a new way to experience drinks, we always have a good time.
-
-
-
-
-
###### [ Episodes](https://bloodandbarrels.com/episodes)
###### [ Featured Booze](https://bloodandbarrels.com/featured-booze)
###### [ Merch](https://bloodandbarrels.com/merch#!/all)
###### [ Get In Touch](https://bloodandbarrels.com/contact)
Copyright © Blood & Barrels Podcast. All Rights Reserved.
[Privacy Policy |](https://www.hubspot.com/) [Terms & Condition](https://www.hubspot.com/)
```json
{
"@context" : "https://schema.org",
"@type" : "BlogPosting",
"author" : {
"@type" : "Person",
"name" : "Blood & Barrels",
"url" : "https://bloodandbarrels.com/episodes/author/blood-barrels"
},
"dateModified" : "2024-08-24T18:04:25.172Z",
"datePublished" : "2024-07-09T18:03:00.000Z",
"headline" : "ep.177 - Hi-Fi Murders | Blood & Barrels Podcast",
"image" : [ "https://bloodandbarrels.com/hubfs/featured_Hi-Fi%20Murder.jpg" ],
"mainEntityOfPage" : {
"@id" : "https://bloodandbarrels.com/episodes/hi-fi-murders",
"@type" : "WebPage"
},
"publisher" : {
"@type" : "Organization",
"logo" : {
"@type" : "ImageObject",
"url" : "https://bloodandbarrels.com/hubfs/blood_and_barrels_logo_white.png"
},
"name" : "Blood & Barrels"
}
}
```