April 23, 1993: the owner of Ajax Liquor store, Steve Weltig, is found dead on the floor on the floor of his shop. Investigators say it appears a struggle took place just before Weltig is shot in the head.
Detectives work the case and develop a suspect sketch, but no real evidence leading to a killer is found and the case goes cold. The case is assigned to different investigators over the years. New leads are investigated, and evidence is collected. In 2015, reliable tips led detectives to Loril Harp. Harp’s former wife contacted police and told them Loril Harp shot Weltig.
She tells detectives she did not drive her former husband to the liquor store on the day of the murder. She was at home and when Harp came home that morning he immediately took a shower. She tells police her ex-husband tells her he just shot a man in an Arnold liquor store.
A friend and former co-worker of Weltig’s also tells Arnold police that Harp told him that he shot Weltig. Harp is brought in for an interview but investigators fail to gather enough evidence to seek charges for the murder.
Twenty-seven years after the murder of Steve Weltig, another set of detectives take over the case. Looking back over the case file, they watch the 2015 interview with Loril Harp. In that interview, detectives leave the room for a few minutes.
During the break, Loril Harp makes a call on his cell phone and what he says lights a fire under the investigation. Loril Harp tells the person on the phone that he is not under arrest, but “I probably will be before I leave here.”
The detectives recognize this as a near admission that Loril Harp is expecting something after all these years. Harp is brought back in for a new interview.
Investigators Cpl. Brett Acklermann and Detective Corporal Josh Wineinger spend hours talking to Loril Harp. At 68 years old, Harp is in bad health and needs 24-hour nursing care. During his interview with the detectives, Loril Harp says he did not shoot Steve Weltig multiple times.
Harp admits that he and Weltig got into a fight, and Harp says he hit Weltig a few times and left. Harp claims he went home and took a shower, right away. And the detectives begin talking about cleaning up the blood when Harp is asked if he had a little blood on him, Harp replies “I must have if I shot him.”
This phrase is all detectives need.
Joining Nancy Grace Today
Additional Guest
- Detective Corporal Josh Wineinger – Arnold Police Department
“Crime Stories with Nancy Grace” on Fox Nation is also a national radio show on SiriusXM channel 111, airing for two hours daily starting at 12 p.m. EST. You can also subscribe and download the daily podcasts at iHeart Podcasts.
[Feature Photo: Steve Weltig/Handout]
