Naman Shrestha
In Investigation Discovery’s ‘The Hidden Bullet,’ the primary focus is on the sudden and mysterious death of Greg Fleniken in a Texas hotel in September 2010. In the initial stages of the investigation, the detectives were perplexed about the possible motive and means with which the crime was committed. As they dug deeper, an unexpected conspiracy was uncovered, leading them to the killer. The documentary features emotional and insightful interviews with Greg’s loved ones and the officials who helped solve the case.
Greg Fleniken Was Found Dead in His Hotel Room Under Mysterious Circumstances
Born on December 26, 1954, Gregory “Greg” Joseph Fleniken was the beloved son of Jane N. Fleniken and Carroll J. Fleniken. Growing up in a loving and supportive household, he shared a close-knit bond with his two sisters, Cindi Baxter and Sondra Young, and brother, Michael Fleniken. Apart from being an animal lover, Greg also grew up to be a sociable man with a deep appreciation for nature, sunrises, sunsets, stargazing, hunting, and fishing. He also loved exploring new places with his wife, Susie Aycock Fleniken. Based in Lafayette, Louisiana, Greg was the Vice President of OGM Land Company in Beaumont, Texas.
Working in Beaumont during the week for one and a half decades, he returned home on the weekends to spend time with his family, welcoming guests at the Bed & Breakfast Inn that he ran with his wife. During the week in Beaumont, he usually stayed at the MCM Elegante Hotel. Unfortunately, his travel to the same hotel in September 2010 ended in a tragedy for him and his loved ones. On the fateful night of September 15, 2010, 55-year-old Greg checked into his room 348 in the Beaumont hotel, where he was found dead the following morning by his coworkers. When the police arrived at the scene, they found Greg dead while the TV was still on and more than $1,000 of cash still in the room, helping them to eliminate the case of a botched robbery.
Moreover, there was neither any sign of a struggle in the room nor any blood on the scene. Initially, the cause of his death was believed to be a heart attack, but upon further examination, the medical examiner noticed internal damage to his remains, including lacerations to the liver and scrotum, broken ribs, and a hole in the heart caused by blunt force trauma. His death was eventually ruled a homicide, after which the authorities launched an investigation, and the Fleniken family offered a $50,000 reward for any kind of information that could lead to the perpetrator.
Greg Fleniken’s Killer Was Staying in the Adjacent Hotel Room
As part of the investigation, the detectives retraced the movements of Greg Fleniken before his murder and chased several potential pieces of evidence, only leading to dead ends. They also interviewed his wife, Susie Fleniken, to eliminate her as a suspect. When the investigation stalled, she hired a private investigator to find answers. The private investigator teamed up with the local detective and began digging deeper into the case. They learned that a handyman went to Greg’s room that night to fix a circuit breaker, but he provided them with an air-tight alibi.
During the investigation, the detectives focused on a group of three electricians/union workers — Tim Steinmetz, Trent Pasano, and Lance Mueller — who stayed in the room next to Greg’s. While examining Greg’s room, the detectives spotted a tiny hole in the wall, opposite which was the room where the three men were staying that fateful night. Upon inspecting that room, they noticed that the hole was plugged with dried toothpaste. The authorities then brought the three men for questioning, and initially, they denied having anything to do with the homicide.
Eventually, the detectives got Tim to talk during the interrogation. He claimed that they had been drinking and watching sports that night when Lance was showing off his 9mm Ruger handgun. As per his account, while Lance was playing with the weapon, it discharged. The three men then patched the hole in the wall with toothpaste in a state of panic, unaware that the bullet had struck Greg fatally next door. When Tim’s story was corroborated by Trent, Lance was arrested and charged with manslaughter on June 16, 2011. He was held at the Chippewa County jail on a $75,000 bond.
Lance Mueller Has Seemingly Been Released After Completion of His Sentence
More than a year later, on October 16, 2012, Lance Robert Mueller pleaded no contest to reckless manslaughter and criminally negligent manslaughter in connection with Greg Fleniken’s killing. A couple of weeks later, on October 29, his sentencing hearing took place. During the hearing, the prosecution highlighted that Lance had been arrested in Jackson County for drunk driving while he was out on bond. Greg’s wife, Susie Fleniken, also took the stand and addressed the killer.
She stated, “You would never have come forward with the truth. . . . You murdered him. No, you didn’t intentionally seek him out to murder him, but you murdered him, with every lie you told, with every intentional selfish deception, with every cover-up, over and over again…. You saw his body taken out of the room in a body bag the next day. You knew you killed him.” Ultimately, he was sentenced to 10 years in prison for his crime. From what we can tell, by 2022, Lance had been released from prison, and currently leads a private life, away from the limelight.
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