‘Dateline: The Knock At The Door’ Who Killed Tara Ord-Sidarovich?
While Season 30 of Dateline officially wrapped up in May, fans are still able to enjoy repeat episodes. Friday’s episode Dateline: The Knock At The Door was a rerun about a case that had gone cold for years. Do we know who killed Tara Ord-Sidarovich now?
‘Dateline: The Knock At The Door’
This episode of Dateline investigates the murder of Tara Ord-Sidarovich. The family had recently relocated to Punta Gorda, Fla. from Scranton, Pa. On October 1, 2001, Tara went missing from her home while waiting for repairmen to come to perform septic work.
Credit: YouTube/Dateline NBC
Her younger siblings returned home from school to find a few things that weren’t quite right. Neither Veronica nor Paul Ord could find their sister anywhere. Yet, her car was parked out front and even her purse was in the house. Some jewelry and cash were missing but that was not the most disturbing of the evidence left behind.
Tire marks in the yard, damage to a palm tree out front, and scuff marks were seen on Tara’s dresser. Plus, two of her ribbons on the ground in front of the door were also noted by the family and investigators. Tara was initially reported missing and the police became involved in a months-long search for her. The search tragically ended in July 2002 when they found a makeshift grave with Tara’s remains in the middle of nowhere. There were no clues as to what happened to her or who could have committed such a terrible act.
The case went cold for six years until true crime coverage helped lead to the arrest and conviction of two men. So, who are the people who killed Tara Ord-Sidarovich?
Who Killed Tara Ord-Sidarovich?
Finding suspects for Tara’s murder seemed to happen by chance. A man named Michael Artell saw the case being covered on a television show in 2007. He believed a man he met in prison, Phillip Barr, was connected to the case. During their time in jail, Barr allegedly confided in Artell that he was worried about becoming a suspect in the case.
Upon reopening the case, the police found that Barr was at Tara’s house the day she disappeared along with David Ray McMannis. The two men were performing some kind of septic work at the house, according to reports.
Credit: YouTube/Dateline NBC
Lt. Brian Harrison of the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office said that he witnessed Barr cleaning out his truck the day after Tara was reported missing. Barr’s girlfriend at the time also added to the case by telling police that she saw him load a “large bloody bundle” into the back of his truck. When she questioned him about it, he told her it was just a dead hog, but she believed it to be Tara’s body.
In 2015, Barr was convicted of murdering Tara Ord-Sidarovich and sentenced to life. Two years later, his accomplice David Ray McMannis faced the same fate. Friday’s episode saw the case come to a close and brought attention to Tara’s story once again.
Dateline will return for its 31st season this fall. Until then, fans can enjoy repeat episodes like The Knock At The Door throughout the summer.
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