A fugitive turns herself in after 12 years

Isaac Brekken / AP Heather Catherine Tallchief, flanked by attorneys, turns herself in to authorities in Las Vegas on Thursday, 12 years after she allegedly drove off in an armored car containing $3.1 million.

Heather Tallchief has been through some harrowing moments in her 33 years, but never one like this:

Heather Tallchief: There’s no running away anymore. I’ve done enough of that.

She announced to "Dateline" that she’s is going to surrender to U.S. marshals, and her lawyer is making her case.

Bob Axelrod, Heather Tallchief’s attorney: If the story she’s telling you is true, and if Solis has the capacity to manipulate her, and if the world is compassionate enough—then perhaps she goes home to her child.

And of course, we can’t know if the story she’s telling us is true.

There are those who find it difficult to believe she knew nothing of the crime until the morning it occurred.

Heather Tallchief: I certainly didn’t plan, devise, brainstorm anything. I’d be lucky if I can coordinate an outfit in the morning. So there is no way I would do anything that complex in my life.

Authorities concede Roberto Solis was probably the mastermind and  manipulated Tallchief. But is Heather as innocent as she claims? Authorities say they found false IDs for Tallchief as well as Solis when they searched their apartment after the robbery.

Keith Morrison, Dateline correspondent: How many driver’s licenses did you get before this happened?

Heather Tallchief: One.

Morrison: You didn’t have identities in several different names?

Heather Tallchief: No.

Morrison: You didn’t have driver’s licenses from a number of states?

Heather Tallchief: No.

Morrison: Just one state?

Heather Tallchief: Nevada.

Morrison: Under your own name?

Heather Tallchief: Yes.

Morrison: And no other names?

Heather Tallchief: No.

Is it even possible she didn’t know she had multiple I.D. cards?

Morrison: You’re relying on people to believe your story.

Heather Tallchief: I believe my story. My partner believes my story. I think I could live with that, regardless of what everybody else thinks.

And so one recent sunny morning, Heather Tallchief, her lawyer beside her,  met with the media and talked about the last time she spoke with her son.

Heather Tallchief: I tried to keep it very, uh, casual. Tried not to make him feel nervous, he’s very aware of what’s going on. And I just want him to have a normal day at school. I said goodbye, I’ll be away for a while, so.

And then it was time: It was a short walk to the U.S. attorney’s office. Authorities had been given a few minutes notice. The system swallowed her up, and she was gone.

And once again, Heather Tallchief was the lead story in Las Vegas, as she had been 12 years before.

Scott Stewart, the armored car courier who was working with Heather that day, got a call from a reporter.

Scott Stewart, worked with Heather on the day of the heist: He calls me up at work and says, “You’re not gonna believe this. Heather turned herself in.” And it was kind of like, wow. She’s alive.

Former police sergeant Larry Duis: I use the term “shark bait.” I thought that the may have just gotten rid of her, now there’s no witness. He has all the money himself. So I was extremely surprised when she showed up.

And Heather’s family? Fred was at work when a friend told him the news.

Fred Tallchief, Heather's father: He says, “Heather just turned herself in.” And it was just like that same feeling like when she did it, that shaking inside. My nerves were just shaking.

And what about Skyler, the little brother, now 13 years old, who has never met Heather?

Morrison: What would you say to her if you could go see her right now?

Skyler Tallchief, Heather's younger brother: Oh, I’d say, “I love you.”

Her sister Elaine is less forgiving, and feels wounded— not just because Heather took part in the heist and not just because she vanished from their lives— but because, since her surrender, she had not reached out to contact her family.

Elaine Tallchief, Heather Tallchief's sister: Our life has definitely been turned upside down.

Morrison: Are you angry at her?

Elaine Tallchief: Yes, I am.

Morrison: Why?

Elaine Tallchief: A lot of reasons. She gave up a lot. She gave up her family for something she probably didn’t thoroughly think about.

Keith Morrison: It feels like she has said good-bye to her family and doesn’t want them back?

Elaine Tallchief: She has said goodbye to us. When she made that choice to do what she did, she said goodbye to us.

The family wants to get to know the nephew they have never met, who is still in Amsterdam. Fred wants desperately to see the daughter he hasn’t seen in 13 years.

Morrison: What did you bring with you?

Fred Tallchief: I got a couple photos of grandkids she doesn’t know exist. And Skyler.

He took them to the Las Vegas jail where Heather is being held, but wasn’t allowed in to see her. It wasn’t her unit’s visiting day.

Fred Tallchief: It’s another chapter that’s done with. Now I got through this. The crime, the capture, this first experience, which was an experience for me, I’ve never visited anyone in jail.

And so Heather Tallchief waits in jail for a deal or a trial. And Roberto Solis? Your guess is as good as anyone’s.  Heather says she lost track of him 10 years ago and has no idea what happened to what’s left of the $3 million.

Solis may have gotten away with the perfect crime after all.

As for Heather, she says she’s discovered that life on the run isn’t life at all. It’s a lesson she hopes to teach her son.

Heather Tallchief: Maybe later in life he will understand that I’ve done something wrong and I came to do the right thing. And I think, I hope that he will appreciate that.

Heather Tallchief faces 10 criminal counts— all felonies. She is in negotiations with the U.S. attorney’s office on a possible plea agreement. Heather and her father have exchanged letters since our interview; but, apparently some old wounds will have to heal before Heather is ready to re-unite with her family. Fred Tallchief hopes that happens soon.

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