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The latest episode of ID's true crime show, Murder in the Heartland, delves deep into Nicole Berte's murder investigation. On November 18, 2000, Berte's body was found by a local inside a burned-out pickup truck in Iowa. The official synopsis of the episode reads:
''A local in Algona, Iowa, stumbles upon a smouldering truck with the body of a young mother inside; investigators and family trace the last movements of Nicole Berte to uncover her killer.''
Titled Murder on Beer Can Alley, it's the ninth episode of the fourth season of Murder in the Heartland. Read on to learn more about what happened to Nicole Berte and various other details about the case.
What happened to Nicole Berte?
Sometime in November 2000, Nicole Berte, a young woman, was at a bar in Iowa where she came across Randy Bode, who, after a night of heavy drinking, asked Berte for a ride between 1:30-2:00 AM. Berte agreed to give Bode a ride home. On the way, an intoxicated Bode raped and murdered Berte. Her body was later discovered by a local in a smoldering pick-up truck in Algona, Iowa.
The culprit, Randy Bode, was initially charged with first-degree murder and first-degree sexual abuse. But Bode later pled guilty to voluntary manslaughter and second-degree sexual abuse. In late 2002, Berte's husband, Chad M. Berte, filed a two-count petition against Bode and Pep's, the bar from where Bode drank the night he murdered Berte. The first count alleges assault and battery, and wrongful death against Bode. As per the case filed by Bert's husband against Pep's, the bar is held liable because it supplied the alcoholic beverage to Randy, who then committed the crime.
In March 2002, Randy Bode was sentenced to prison — up to 10 years for manslaughter and 25 years for sexual abuse. He also had to pay 150 thousand dollars in restitution to Berte's estate.
The episode explores the numerous aspects of the case, with investigators focusing on Berte's final movements to trace her killer.
Investigation Discovery's Murder in the Heartland is a true crime show that explores a different case in every episode. The cases are based in the midwest area of the US. The show features interviews with the victims' friends, families, and investigators, along with reenactments of the crime. The show began in 2017 and is currently in its fourth season. The fourth season, which started in December 2021, has aired nine episodes. The next episode, titled Homicide Hotel, will be released on ID on May 23, 2022.
You can watch Murder in the Heartland on Investigation Discovery.
