(CNN) -- For Clem Pellett, tracking down his grandfather's killer was not his original mission. 

"I was just putting together an old family story ... and these serendipitous events happened, and we accidentally caught him," Pellett, of Bellevue, Washington, told CNN in a phone interview Wednesday. 

That "old family story" focuses on two men: Clarence Pellet -- a grandfather that Clem Pellett never knew -- and a drifter named Frank Dryman. 

According to the Montana Department of Corrections, on April 4, 1951, Clarence Pellett picked up a hitchhiker near Shelby, Montana. The hitchhiker was Dryman, then a 19-year-old drifter who was carrying a loaded gun that, according to the state, he used to shoot and kill Clarence Pellett on the side of windswept Montana road. 

Dryman took the car and drove to Canada, where he was later arrested for the murder, according to the Montana Department of Corrections. 

After several trials and appeals, Dryman was convicted in Montana and sentenced to life in prison, then paroled in 1969, according to state records. Less than two years after his parole, Dryman was listed by the Montana Department of Corrections as "absconded." He had disappeared. 

And that is where the "old family story" stopped for nearly 40 years, until last year when Clem Pellett came across some old newspapers clippings of the murder, which had occurred two years before he was born. 

"So what I knew of it (was) 'never pick up a hitchhiker,' and 'your grandfather died begging for his life,'" he said. 
What was Clem Pellet doing?
What did he find?
Where did he live?
Who did he do an interview with?
What did he learn?
When did his grandfather die?
What was his name?
What did he do?
Whose name was what?
How old was he?
What was he?
where did he escape to?
Was he caught?
Was he convicted?
Was there one trial?
What was the sentence?
Did he stay in prison?
what happened?
What happened then?
When his grandfather was killed how old was Clem?
putting together an old family story
"I was just putting together an old family story ... a
his grandfather's killer
For Clem Pellett, tracking down his grandfather's killer was not his original mission. 
Bellevue, Washington
Pellett, of Bellevue, Washington
CNN
 Pellett, of Bellevue, Washington, told CNN in a phone interview Wednesday. 
never pick up a hitchhiker
"So what I knew of it (was) 'never pick up a hitchhiker,' and 'your grandfather died begging for his life,'" he said. 
April 4, 1951
April 4, 1951, Clarence Pellett picked up a hitchhiker near Shelby, Montana.
Clarence Pellett
Clarence Pellett picked up a hitchhike
Picked up a hitchhiker
, Clarence Pellett picked up a hitchhiker near Shelby, Montana. T
Frank Dryman
The hitchhiker was Drym
19
The hitchhiker was Dryman, then a 19-year-old drifter who was carrying a loaded gun that,
a drifter
The hitchhiker was Dryman, then a 19-year-old drifter who was carrying a loaded gun that, according to the state, he used to shoot and kill Clarence Pellett on the side of windswept Montana road. 
Canada,
Dryman took the car and drove to Canada,
yes
Dryman took the car and drove to Canada, where he was later arrested for the murder, according to the Montana Department of Corrections. 

yes
After several trials and appeals, Dryman was convicted in
At least
After several trials and appeals, 
life in prison,
 Dryman was convicted in Montana and sentenced to life in prison,
no
 then paroled in 1969, according to state records. Less tha
He was paroled
then paroled in 1969, according to state records. Less than two 
He was listed as absconded
 Less than two years after his parole, Dryman was listed by the Montana Department of Corrections as "absconded." He had disappeared. 
He had not been born yet.
And that is where the "old family story" stopped for nearly 40 years, until last year when Clem Pellett came across some old newspapers clippings of the murder, which had occurred two years before he was born. 