Crime scene photos: Deadly home invasion

Three days before Christmas in 1990, authorities entered an isolated vacation cabin in the mountains of Oakley, Utah. A rookie deputy found a crime scene that he could only describe as "looking like a mini war zone."

Video: Three Days Before Christmas

A picturesque cabin nestled among the Utah Mountains was the scene of a brutal crime — Utah Medical Examiner's Office

A picturesque cabin nestled among the Utah Mountains was the scene of this brutal, callous, and senseless crime. In the winter, residents could only access the area by snow mobile.

Video: Three Days Before Christmas

Twenty-one years after the crime, Linae Tiede, right, and her sister, Tricia, gave "48 Hours" their first extensive interview about how they survived a horrific home invasion.

Video: Three Days Before Christmas

Tricia, left, was 16, and Linae, right, was 20, when two strangers broke into their their cabin. It was a bitterly cold winter day and the men had been lying in wait.

Video: Three Days Before Christmas

Kaye and Rolf Tiede; Beth Potts — Tiede family

Linae watched in horror as the two men fatally shot her mother, Kaye Tiede, left, and her grandmother, Beth Potts, right, in cold blood. Linae and Tricia both witnessed their father, Rolf, center, being shot. The sisters were then kidnapped and taken from the cabin.

Video: Three Days Before Christmas

Fire at the Tiede family cabin, Oakley Utah — Utah Medical Examiner's Office

Before the men left the cabin, they poured gasoline and intentionally set the upper floors on fire in order to destroy evidence of their crimes. They forced the sisters to snowmobile down the mountain with one killer on the back of each vehicle.

Video: Three Days Before Christmas

Randy Zorn, Linae and Tricia's uncle, was by the gate at the main road. He had just arrived for a holiday visit when the sisters passed him on snowmobiles. He waved, but the girls ignored him in the hopes that the killers would not shoot him.

Video: Three Days Before Christmas

At a nearby parking lot, the killers forced the Tiede sisters off the snowmobiles and into the family car. — CBS

At a nearby parking lot, the killers forced the girls off the snowmobiles and into the family car. The car raced past their uncle as he ran up to talk to his nieces. Within minutes, Randy Zorn saw another snowmobile approach the main road.

Video: Three Days Before Christmas

Although the temperature was well below zero, the person on the snowmobile was not wearing a coat, gloves or helmet. His face was was swollen and bloody. When the rider got closer, Randy was terror stricken to realize that the person on the snowmobile was his brother, Rolf Tiede.

Video: Three Days Before Christmas

Tiede shower where Rolf doused flames — Utah Medical Examiner's Office

Neither Rolf's daughters nor the killers knew that Rolf had played dead after he had been shot. In her "48 Hours" interview, Tricia Tiede said that she later learned that her dad had been doused with gasoline and he caught on fire himself. He had to run into the shower and tear off his snowsuit while on fire. This is the shower where Rolf doused the flames.

Video: Three Days Before Christmas

Randy Zorn learned from his brother, Rolf Tiede, that intruders who broke into the cabin killed Rolf's wife and kidnapped his daughters. Randy then called authorities to get help for the girls and to get his brother airlifted to a hospital.

Video: Three Days Before Christmas

The killers were apprehended after eluding roadblocks and engaging authorities in high-speed chase through several towns — Summit County Sheriff's Office

Armed with the information that Randy provided, the police mobilized to capture the suspects and save the young girls. The killers were apprehended after eluding roadblocks and engaging authorities in high-speed chase through several towns.

Video: Three Days Before Christmas

Von Lester Taylor mug shot — Utah Dept. of Correction

Von Lester Taylor, 25, had been previously convicted of an aggravated burglary.

Video: Three Days Before Christmas

Edward Steven Deli mug shot — Utah Dept. of Correction

Edward Steven Deli, 21, had previously been convicted of an arson.

Video: Three Days Before Christmas

View from Tiede family cabin, Oakley, Utah — CBS/S.A. McCain

Deli and Taylor had hitchhiked their way up to the particular locale because Taylor had family that owned a cabin in the area. They spent several days on the mountain, breaking into a number empty of cabins. Authorities theorized that the men saw the family leave their home and had waited for them to return.

Video: Three Days Before Christmas

Tiede cabin crime scene photo — Utah Medical Examiner's Office

In the garage there was a 12 to 18-inch puddle of fresh blood. The blood was frozen solid by the sub-zero temperature. The first deputy on the scene described the smell of burning hair and clothing as he began to walk through the cabin.

Video: Three Days Before Christmas

Fire-ravaged upstairs sleeping area of Tiede family cabin — Utah Medical Examiner's Office

As the sheriff's deputies continued to search the house, they discovered that the top floor was on fire. This is a picture of the fire-ravaged upstairs sleeping area.

Video: Three Days Before Christmas

Investigators found an extremely cold and bloody crime scene. The living room carpet was so drenched with blood that it pooled on the wood planks underneath; the oozing blood formed crimson colored icicles where it leaked through the cabin floorboards.

Video: Three Days Before Christmas

Crime scene photo of the painted outlines detailing where the victims were found. Bloody drag marks led authorities to the victims. After the women were killed, the men dragged both women across the living room floor and out on to deck. They covered them with a blanket and snow to hide their deed.

Video: Three Days Before Christmas

Throughout the house there was evidence of the brutality of the crime. This bloody shoe print was found in the garage.

Video: Three Days Before Christmas

VHS tape of suspects in Tiede family home invasion/murder — CBS

Authorities told "48 Hours" that the No. 1 concern in this particular case was rescuing anybody in the cabin who might need assistance. The second priority was to preserve the evidence at the crime scene. One of the most significant pieces of evidence was a video camera. Inside the video camera -- was a videotape.

Video: Suspects videotape themselves opening gifts
Video: Three Days Before Christmas

Suspects caught on tape opening the Tiede family's Christmas gifts.

The lead investigator on the case told "48 Hours" that when he watched the videotape, he had expected to see pictures of family talking, playing games and doing what families do. Instead there was audio and video of the suspects opening the Tiede family's Christmas gifts.

Video: Suspects videotape themselves opening gifts
Video: Three Days Before Christmas

Beth Potts was laid to rest three days after Christmas. Linea Tiede's memory of her grandmother is that she had lots of energy and that she was a fun, vivacious, energetic and happy grandma. She was full of life.

Video: Three Days Before Christmas

Kaye Tiede was laid to rest the same day as her mother. Kaye was known as an extremely devoted mother, who would give up anything for her children. Daughter Tricia remembers her mother as being the perfect friend. She never passed a judgment on anyone. She was always loving and willing to open up her home to anyone.

Video: Three Days Before Christmas

Von Lester Taylor in olice custody — Deseret News

Approximately five months after these crimes, Von Taylor pleaded guilty to two counts of capital murder. The state dropped all of the other charges against him in exchange for that plea. Taylor went for sentencing before a jury and the jury decided that Taylor should receive a death sentence for each murder.

Video: Three Days Before Christmas

Edward Steven Deli went to trial. Investigators expected that he would also be convicted of first-degree murder. Instead, he was convicted of second-degree murder, due to one hold-out juror. The death penalty was no longer an option. Deli was sentenced to five years to life in prison.

Video: Three Days Before Christmas

Trisha Tiede on the witness stand — KUTV

Tricia, shown, and Linae Tiede both testified at trial. Despite their youth, authorities felt that the two sisters they were excellent witnesses. They were very sure about the things they had seen and they were able to speak about the horrors of the day in a detailed and unemotional way.

Video: Three Days Before Christmas

Linae Tilde on witness stand — Deseret Daily News

The girls testimony was not without personal cost. Linae resented that as a victim, she had to put one of the murder weapons in her hands. She had watched her family murdered with these weapons and questioned why she had to touch them.

Video: Three Days Before Christmas

Edward Deli, left, and Von Taylor — Deseret News

Today, Edward Deli, left, is still in prison. It is unlikely he will ever be paroled. Von Taylor, right, remains on death row while appealing his sentence.

Video: Three Days Before Christmas

Rolf Tiede was also a valuable witness. The defendants clearly did not expect that he would live to testify against them.

Video: Three Days Before Christmas

Linea Tiede and her husband, Nathan — CBS

Linae married a childhood sweetheart after her previous marriage ended in divorce. She says that her husband, Nathan, changed her; that he opened his heart and gave her the freedom to do the same. Linae and Nathan now have a blended family with nine children between them.

Video: Three Days Before Christmas

Tricia is a divorced mother of two little girls. She says that when she looks into their eyes, she sees both her mother and her father. She loves her life now. Tricia says that the incident in 1990 doesn't define her, but has helped to make her who she is today.

Video: Three Days Before Christmas

After the fire, Rolf rebuilt the cabin and, according to the sisters, made it better than it was before. They still go the cabin and enjoy it with family and friends. Tricia told "48 Hours" that Von Lester Taylor and Edward Deli took their mom and their "Grams," but that they didn't take away the things that they still loved and enjoyed in their lives. For Linae and Tricia the cabin is magical and it's healing.

Video: Three Days Before Christmas
Read more: "Murder, Death and Rebirth" by Claudia Nelson

Rolf Tiede with daughters Linea and Trisha — Tiede family

Rolf Tiede lived a full and productive life surrounded by family and lots of grandchildren. He passed away in 2008, with his family at his bedside.

Video: Three Days Before Christmas
Read more: "Murder, Death and Rebirth," by Claudia Nelson

Claudia Tidwell Nelson, left, and niece Tricia Tiede Copenhaver on the deck of the family cabin. Claudia has written a book, "Murder, Death and Rebirth," about how she personally coped with the murders of her mother and sister.

Read more: "Murder, Death and Rebirth"
Video: Three Days Before Christmas