How to Catch A Criminal: The Rent Comes Due

In the film “All the President’s Men,” Woodward and Bernstein’s confidential source of information, Deep Throat, advised them to “follow the money.” The two investigative journalists are able to track shady campaign contributions and connect them to the criminals involved in the burglary of the Watergate Complex. Woodward and Bernstein were able to bring the Nixon administration to its knees by unraveling the scandal and connecting the corrupt activities all the way to the White House. The phrase “follow the money” not only told Woodward and Bernstein exactly where to look, but is also quite telling about human nature. Money is possibly the most powerful motivator mankind knows. The promise of cold hard cash has caused people to do unspeakable, morally bankrupt things they would otherwise never do. The same can be said for those who find themselves in debt. Lack of money and growing bills can make someone desperate to the point of recklessness. To make the debt go away, an individual may even go as far as murder.

Feb. 26, 2014, Buttermilk Ski Area in Colorado. Kathy Carpenter, concerned for her friend Nancy Pfister, drives to Pfister’s cabin in the near Aspen. Carpenter hadn’t heard from Pfister in several days, which was uncommon. Carpenter arrived at Pfister’s home and made her way inside. Pfister was nowhere to be found, but there was a terrible stench coming from her bedroom closet, and blood smeared across her headboard. Unable to investigate further because the closet door was locked, Carpenter rushed home, fearing the worst. She retrieved a spare key Pfister had entrusted her with, and raced back to the cabin. Carpenter unlocked the closet door and came upon a terrible sight. She found what appeared to be a person, wrapped in blankets, lifeless. Carpenter called 911 in a panic, hysterical about the death of her close friend. Through sobs and screams, Carpenter described to the 911 operator what she saw, and who she believed was responsible, but eventually her hysteria was too much and she had to be sedated at a nearby hospital.

Nancy Pfister was considered Aspen royalty. In fact, her father helped create the Buttermilk Ski Area when he sold the family ranch for a handsome sum. Pfister was a wealthy philanthropic socialite, who loved to party, even in her 50s. However, she had a reputation of being a bit demanding, even of her friends. Pfister was certainly the type who preferred to get her way and was not everybody’s cup of tea. Despite this, Kathy Carpenter loved to spend time with Pfister. Her shock upon finding her friend dead was certainly understandable. Pfister liked to spend her winters away from the freezing ski town, opting for warmth elsewhere. Nancy had a fun in the sun Australian Summer in mind to take the place of the 2013-2014 Winter. This lengthy trip meant someone would have to watch over her spacious abode back in Colorado. Nancy Pfister opted to rent out her home during this period so someone would be there full time, plus a little extra money never hurt anyone. A lot of money, however, can prove quite dangerous.

In need of a fresh start, Trey and Nancy Styler were looking to move from Denver to Aspen. Trey Styler was a retired anesthesiologist and Nancy Styler was a botanist looking to open a spa in Aspen which she and Trey could run. In the 2000s, Trey developed a degenerative neurological disease which made it difficult for him to continue work as a doctor. After retiring, Trey sued his previous employer over their use of software he created, but was unsuccessful. Now out a considerable amount of cash, he attempted to sue his former attorney for over charging him. This lawsuit was also unsuccessful, and the Styler’s savings were definitely not what they used to be. Now in their mid-60s, the Styler’s next move was to find somewhere they could stay while they got their footing in Aspen. They responded to a newspaper ad from Nancy Pfister seeking full-time tenants (no cats allowed) while she was away. They met with Pfister soon after in October of 2013. Pfister and the Stylers quickly hit it off and Nancy asked them move in with her a month before she left for Australia. The Stylers paid $6,000 up front for a few months rent, though Pfister had asked for $12,000. With the money exchanged and the Stylers moved in, true colors began to bleed through.

Trey and Nancy Styler soon learned Nancy Pfister’s reputation for being demanding was well deserved. The Stylers claimed Pfister ordered them around like slaves, making them fetch her champagne, rub her feet, sew her clothes and help her pack for her trip abroad as if they were servants to a queen rather than renters. Pfister’s trip was coming soon and the $6,000 was already paid, so the Stylers just needed to hang on a little longer to have the large home all to themselves and get their Aspen life started. Finally, in November, the Stylers were free of Nancy Pfister, at least temporarily, and the only person they needed to report to was Kathy Carpenter. Carpenter was tasked with caring for Pfister’s dog and collecting the rent money from the Stylers while her friend was down under. Kathy apparently had a knack for Nancys, because she and Nancy Styler became good friends as well. They bonded over their criticisms of Pfister’s behavior and treatment of her friends. Once the Stylers came up with the remaining $6,000, Carpenter put the money in a safe deposit box per Pfister’s orders. However, Pfister was insistent the money had not been paid, and additional costs for utilities were due.

The relationship between Pfister and the Stylers deteriorated at breakneck speed. Between emails and social media posts, there were no kind words exchanged, just accusations and demands. Pfister insulted the Stylers and insisted they were trying to get one over on her. Eventually, Pfister decided to return from Australia in February of 2014 and tasked Carpenter with evicting the Stylers before she arrived back in Aspen. She returned home on the 22nd and wasted no time making her presence felt. Nancy Pfister had Kathy deliver an itemized list outlining every penny she believed the Stylers owed her for damages, utilities and outstanding rent, which they had stopped paying because Pfister refused to make necessary repairs to the home. The grand total: $14,000. After losing nearly everything before moving to Aspen, and scraping together $12,000 for rent, and investing much of their remaining savings in spa equipment, the Stylers were not in a position to meet Pfister’s demands. Perhaps if they were able to get their spa business off the ground they would be able to turn a profit and pay off this debt, but the equipment they purchased was stored in their former residence, and Nancy Pfister refused to let them return to retrieve their belongings until they paid what she felt they owed. With no other options, the Stylers moved into a hotel room in nearby Basalt, Colorado. Broke and nearly homeless, their dreams of prospering in Aspen were crushed, and a $14,000 albatross hung from their necks. Naturally, they were desperate to make their Pfister problems go away.

After discovering Nancy Pfister’s body, Carpenter told the 911 operator Pfister was owed money by the Stylers, and they were not happy about it. Clearly, they were the prime suspects and were brought in for questioning, but denied any involvement in Pfister’s death, though Trey did fail a polygraph test. Contrary to what is seen in television shows, a failed polygraph test is not enough to arrest someone for murder, and the Stylers were free to go, but they certainly weren’t in the clear. Just a few days later, a blood-covered hammer was found in a dumpster at the Styler’s hotel. Along with the hammer was prescription bottles belonging to Nancy Pfister. Police continued checking the area and found a key near the Styler’s hotel room. The key, of course, unlocked the door to the closet in which Pfister was found. Criminal masterminds, they were not. Kathy Carpenter was also questioned about the murder, and made statements which indicated she had intimate knowledge of the killing. Soon, both the Stylers and Carpenter were arrested for the Murder of Nancy Pfister. All three insisted they were innocent. Until Trey had a change of heart.

Prior to the initial court hearing, Trey Styler made a confession to police. He told them the stress of dealing with Nancy Pfister had gotten to him, and he wanted to punish her for what she was doing to him and his wife. He stated he lost his rational mind, and he was solely at fault for the murder. Trey went on to explain he left the hotel room while his wife was asleep and traveled to Nancy’s house. He arrived and found her asleep, and became consumed with rage. He retrieved several items from downstairs and brought them to Nancy’s room. He beat her within an inch of her life by repeatedly striking her in the head with a hammer, and finished the job using an ax to slice into her abdomen. He then wrapped her body in sheets and placed it in the closet. Trey took her medication and a few other personal belongings in the hopes anyone looking for Pfister would think she simply wasn’t home.

There was some doubt as to whether or not an elderly man with a degenerative neurological condition would be able to carry out the attack alone when simply walking up or down stairs was difficult for him. However, this confession and a guilty plea was enough to have the charges against Nancy Styler and Kathy Carpenter dropped as part of a deal with prosecutors. Trey was sentenced to 20 years in prison for the murder of Nancy Pfister, and was found dead of suicide in August 2015.

Trey Styler was pushed to do the unthinkable when his financial troubles started mounting. He became reckless and took the only way out he thought he had. Styler thought killing Nancy Pfister would put an end to his problems, but it was only the beginning of the end for him. He may have tried to cover up what he did, but it wasn’t difficult for investigators to solve the crime. All they had to do was follow the money.