They said the door's unlocked. >> Yep. Door's unlocked. If they're not going to come out. >> Yep. Shield. >> You ran a shield before? >> Yeah. >> Okay. Have you commit with the shield? >> Commit with shield. >> Lethal. Lethal. >> Less lethal in hands. >> Maybe get one more. [snorts] We'll pop the door, give some commands, and then >> Smithfield. >> This is the Orange County Sheriff's Office. >> If you got shield, >> we got movement. >> Step out of the house. Step out of the house. Step out of the house. All good there. It was late Saturday evening on April 15th, 2023 in Orlando, Florida. The birthday party for a 6-year-old had wound down, and the house on Smithfield Drive, a well- manicured suburban area, had gone quiet. But inside, the situation was unraveling quickly. At 10:25 p.m., 48-year-old Richard Racia picked up his phone. He wasn't calling for an ambulance or the police. Instead, he typed out a message to his father, Daniel, who lived over 30 minutes away. He had something urgent to share, and he had to get it off his chest. The message was stark. I just shot Allison. Daniel, [music] staring at his screen, couldn't reconcile the day's festivities with the brutality of the message. He replied, "This is a bad joke." But Richard was not in a playful mood. "She was attacking me. I had to put her down," he insisted. Confused and not certain what to believe, his father replied. "Call 911 now." Richard would not. Instead, 30 minutes later, he sent his father and brother a photo of the victim's body. According to the arrest report, Daniel drove to the scene and encountered his son standing outside a bedroom door. Richard calmly asked, "You want to see her?" He led his father into the master bedroom where he observed Allison lying face down in a pool of blood. That is when 911 was finally called more than 2 hours after the initial text. Soon [music] thereafter, responding units from the Orange County Sheriff's Office pulled up to the Smithfield Drive residence. They didn't just walk up to the front door. They immediately canvased the area to lock down the perimeter. They knew the stakes were high because dispatch had just flagged a critical detail. >> Just received reporting. With that information, the tension skyrocketed. They had no way of knowing if they were facing a barricaded suspect, a potential ambush, or a peaceful surrender. Yet, even in that volatile uncertainty, the operational goal remained clear. Detain the suspect with minimal force and rescue any savable victims. Officers established tactical positions behind cover. And then the wait was over. From the safety of a patrol cruiser parked at the curb, a voice boomed over the PA system, cutting through the darkness and barking commands across the front lawn. Residents of Smithfield Drive, this is the Orange County Sheriff's Office. One at a time, come out the front door with your hands up. >> You want to go further in the back? Let's cover the back. >> Yeah. >> Yeah, let's go in the back. Let's cover the front. >> All right, let's go. Send it. crash car. All right. >> All right. >> You got the right, I got the left. >> All right. >> Orange County Sheriff's Office. One at a time. Your hands up. Exit through the front door. >> See anything? >> You see anything? No. >> Open that. winning. >> Just stay right here. >> Drive. This is the Orange County Sheriff's Office. One at a time with your hands up, exit through the front door. >> Keep your light off. You see anything? >> No, >> bedroom. >> That's a bedroom possibly on the right. And that one as well on the left. >> We got a good view of the house from the back. So far, >> it's still over here. Sorry. This is the Orange County Office. >> Okay. What's that? >> CPR right here. >> Okay. No. >> Why can't someone else do CPR so he can come out? >> Step out of the house. >> Keep walking. Come on. >> Walking. >> All right. Come on. She's breathing in there a little bit. >> Where's the gun at? >> The gun is on the dresser. >> Okay. >> Wait. >> Okay. Go to the mark car. Go to the mark car right now. >> All right. [ __ ] you. You want to just go? >> We got it. >> All right. Let's go. Hey, we're making our approach. >> Okay. Go to them. >> Slow down, guys. Slow down. >> Hey, where you at? >> All right. That sounds like back left. You guys with me? Cover the right. >> Upon entry, officers surveyed the scene. Once they got to the master bedroom, the grim reality of the situation came into focus. There, they found 46-year-old Allison Marie Shehan suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. She was Richard's girlfriend of 8 years and the mother of their six-year-old. First responders didn't waste a second. They transported her to Oyola Regional Hospital in a desperate bid to save her life, but the trauma was catastrophic. And after some time, the attending physician called off all life-saving efforts. Meanwhile, back at the house, the master bedroom told investigators a chaotic story. Resting on a dresser inside the room was an unloaded 40 caliber firearm. Two spent shell casings were observed on the floor and bizarrely a shell casing was found inside a fish tank along the wall. Thankfully, amidst all that chaos, deputies found the six-year-old physically unharmed. As for Richard, he was taken into custody on scene without further incident. But if you were looking for a guy in shock, Richard wasn't it. Considering what he had just done, his behavior could best be described as nonchalant, erratic, and self-absorbed. >> I'm not running. >> I want her alive. Where's your car at? Right there. >> Right there. On the right. Keep eyes on him. >> Don't I wouldn't grab them cuz you don't got gloves on. >> I am not here. Go the road. Come over here. >> I'm not running. >> Come over here. >> Yeah. >> Can you sit on the ground for us >> in this [ __ ] >> Yeah. Take a seat. >> Covered in blood anyway, sir. >> I'm not trying to I'm trying to help you out. It's on the grass. I'm not dirty water. It's hard to like hold down. I got you. We got you. We'll >> All right. >> There you go. All right. You stay with him. >> Might be. >> Do you need to get checked out? Do you need the fire department check you out? >> I can't hear you. What? >> Do you need the fire department to come check you out as well? Are you injured? Do you have any injuries? Um, >> I feel injured. >> What? What injuries do you have? just being hit. >> Okay. >> Yeah, that's why it's starting. I got Look at bruises on my foot. >> But you know what? I I just want her to live. That's the most important thing. >> Where's your car at? right here. >> Just got to take them to your >> Okay, up. >> All right. >> One, two, three. >> All right. Perfect. Thank you. >> I hope she's alive. >> Good person. You good? Watch your leg. Let me breathe a little bit. Sweat my eyeballs. Sure. >> I don't know. She got transported to hospital. the baseball running up a little bit in that back seat to look anything that's in there I can get in charge of. You understand? >> What does that mean? >> If I find anything in the seat, there's nothing back there. Hey, it smells better than the last one. >> I didn't kill him. >> Typically, the next stop is County Jail for booking, but Richard continued to complain of dehydration, so deputies transported him to Hunter Creek emergency room to get him medically cleared first. That didn't stop the detectives, however. They met him right there at the hospital. Detectives needed to lock him into a specific version of events before he had time to sanitize his story. They wanted him to commit to the mechanics of his self-defense claim immediately so they could test his words against the forensic evidence. The crime atlas is the first to obtain the recording of this interview. While the agency didn't provide video, likely due to the medical setting, the audio speaks for itself. Listen closely and you can practically hear the gears turning as he tries to manufacture a justification in real time. And then my thing was like to shoot her in the ass. That was my intention just to but I never did in the whole time I've known her. Never did but she would wow on me. So that was my only like protection is like either do that or or or get a domestic violence thing if I like push her off and hit her cuz then I'll get called on anyways >> but it wasn't the right thing to do. >> Okay. So you mentioned that she stomped on your foot or something happened to your foot. >> Yes. >> She did something to your foot. >> Okay. So where where were you when she hurt your foot? >> The master bedroom. >> Okay. Um, and what specifically did she do to your foot? >> Well, she just stomped on me, pushed me. >> Okay. >> I actually fell over this way. I was like, the >> So, she pushed you uh like with both hands or one hand or how did she push you? >> Both hands. Yeah. She needs both hands. She's sure. She alive. >> Okay. Um, and when she when she pushed you, >> she's at Ocola, right? >> She's at Ocola Hospital. problem. Yeah, they're working on her, but she's not at your hospital. God, please keep her alive for my son. >> Um, >> for my son. >> So, she pushed you. >> I had to defend myself. >> Did you fall like fall completely over? >> Yeah, I fell. >> Okay. On your back. >> I fell into the >> There's a What do you call that? My arm. >> Yeah. >> I fell into that. >> Okay. And then I don't know. I just got up and I'm like she she was like she was coming at me. I'm like holy crap. Like I never seen her like this. But she was weird this whole week. Like she really wanted to come after me. She was pissed at me all week. All week she was pissed. So I was like, you know, wrong thing to do. Pull out a weapon like that. But >> where did you where did you pull the weapon out from? >> I have it in uh right next to the right side of my bed. I have a >> on the right side of your bed. >> Yeah, there's a I have a a safety thing, but you just put your fingerprint on there and it flops open. >> Okay. Do you sleep on the left side or the right side? >> I sleep on the right. She sleeps on the left. >> Okay. So, you're looking at the bed. You sleep on the right side. >> Yeah. >> Okay. So, she push >> pushed me there. I went to I went there. I went popped it. I went lights up. Grab it. I went like this and I said enough is enough. Kept coming. I just I had to I I Or I could have I could have punched her. It would have been a lot easier right now. But I don't I didn't know what to do. Like she was like coming at me. >> Okay. How tall she was? She was doing shots, too. That and she's not used to doing that. >> Oh, so you think she was drunk? >> Yeah. Oh, she was definitely drunk. >> Okay. Um, how tall is she? >> 52, 5'3. >> Okay. And how much do you think she weighs? >> And now you're going to ask >> 131. Okay. >> She told me the other day. >> Okay. Um, and how tall are you? >> I'm 6'1, 190 and a half today. >> Okay. But she was coming at you like a bat out of hell. >> Oh, [ __ ] yeah. >> What specifically was she doing like when she was coming at you? I I thought she was going to claw my eyes out. Seriously, I was like, "The hell is going on here?" She was just pissed. And I I don't I don't like to say this. She was in her feminine thing, too. >> Mhm. >> So, I don't know if that >> we get we get a little crazy when we're [laughter] >> Yeah, >> but >> but yeah, it doesn't >> Okay. >> excuse pulling out a weapon. So, um, so just I just want to kind of recap since the recordings, um, didn't start immediately. Um, so after we talked about your rights and everything, you were telling me that you guys were having, you were having a party for cuz he just turned six. >> Yes. >> Um, you had a pool party. You guys hired a lifeguard. Um, you had a bunch of friends over. >> Um, y'all have been drinking today. Um, and at some point, um, you think she got a little jealous over something? Um, because you said her friends were in town or or she was upset about something. She'd been upset all week. >> I think I'm a little bit jealous that I was hanging out with my buddies and also one of her friends came in town too that was with her new boyfriend. >> Okay. >> But her friend always had Google eyes for me. >> Okay. So, I think that kind of bothered her with the with the hormone thing going on stirring up and I was like, >> but you know what? She did a lot of work for the party. >> Yeah. >> And she was already stressed out. >> I'm sure. I'm sure >> she did a lot of work for the party. >> Yeah. >> So, I can't take that away. >> I have kids. I understand. Birthday parties, man. They're stress. >> Oh my gosh. We had Publix, we had Chick-fil-A, we had this. >> We had the good stuff, >> you know. >> Yeah. Um, >> it was going great. >> Yeah. Yeah. And then you mentioned >> I don't know the word foot. >> Yeah. So you mentioned like going into the the bedroom at some point. She got really upset and you your foot got injured. >> It was already injured a little bit. >> Okay. >> But she knew it it was cuz she knew it was bruised cuz my son hit me with a hockey. My my son's a hockey player. He plays at the ice arena. So he hit it. So it was bruised already but she knew it. So she >> went after it again. Gotcha. >> And it hurt like hell. >> Yeah. Even after Jameson, it still hurts. >> Yeah. >> And then >> it looks pretty swollen. >> Yeah. No kidding. See, >> so I had to play defense and I'm like, [ __ ] what do I do here? I the best thing was to get the hell out of there, which I didn't do because I like to approach or play, you know, come back and I, you know, so, you know, I didn't manhandle or anything, but I did the wrong thing. And I never do that. If you're going to pull your gun out, you shoot it. Don't put your gun Don't brandish it. Shoot. And you know what? I made the [ __ ] wrong decision. >> Yeah. You [snorts] You said you thought she was going to claw your eyes out. Like, has she >> Yeah, I was I was actually worried that she was going to attack me because I was a w. You have to remember I was I had drinks with my friends. She could have came at me and just clawed my eyes out. >> Mhm. >> So, >> um >> I had to play defense. >> Yeah. So you you're able to go to So after she pushed you into the arm war. >> Yeah. >> Um and I'm sorry if you walk into your room um where >> to it's to the left. >> To the left. Okay. To the left. >> And then your bed is where? >> Straight to the bed. >> Okay. So then you sleep on the right hand side. So you went to the right side of the bed. Um you have a gun safe. You said it was in one of the drawers. >> Yeah. >> Okay. You were able to open that >> with a fingerprint. >> Okay. While you guys >> order code >> while you guys were fighting like arguing. >> Yeah. Okay. And you don't recall what she was saying? [snorts] >> Probably a bunch of nasty stuff, but I don't know exactly what she said. Like when when you're in that state of mind, >> so yeah. So you were able to to retrieve your your firearm and um how many >> I put it on top of the Go ahead. >> No. No. >> On top of the arm war. >> Okay. So you walk right there. Okay. >> Pointing towards the hallway. >> [clears throat] >> and then kept coming at me and then I just went and that's that's it. And I've never I have never even shot that [ __ ] gun to be honest with you. That's like the first bullet I ever shot of that thing. The 40 caliber and it was supposed to be some for somebody else. Don't say [laughter] no. I'm not I'm not a shoe. I do that. I shot feeasants and rabbits growing up. >> [sighs] >> man. And [snorts] I don't know how the hell escalated. I think what what I what I wanted to do was just instead of like going after her like this like like a [ __ ] idiot, I just was going to shoot her in a lake. >> But just to get her off me to defend myself. >> But what what actually ended up happening? I think I shot high. >> You shot high? >> Yeah. >> How many times do you think you shot? >> Four. >> Okay. Do you know where >> her butt? >> And her butt. >> Her butt. >> Do you know if you hit her anywhere other than her butt? >> I don't know. >> Okay. When um >> I was aiming at her butt. I just >> So she was facing away from you. >> I shot her butt. Okay. >> She has to be. Okay. [laughter] We're trying we're trying to picture it. So [clears throat] like when you split, we're trying to like play it in our mind, like recreate the scene in our mind. >> I can I can picture it now. Now that I get more IV in me, I'm starting to get hydrated. >> So you you shot her in the butt. Um what was she doing at the at the time that you shot her in the butt? >> She called me an [ __ ] I don't know what else. [snorts] But then after I put the gun up back up on the on the armhore thing and then I held her. I didn't want her to bleed out. And then I had, you know, I had to have somebody come see her. >> Yeah. Who who came to see her? >> My dad. >> Okay. >> First I say, "Dad, what do I do here? I don't know. Should I call 911 right now?" He goes, "Call 911." Okay. Okay. So then you're scared at the moment. You're like, "What the hell do I do here?" [clears throat] >> Okay. So who ended up calling 911? You or your dad? >> So check if you check my phone. I think I did. >> Okay. Um, what kind of phone do you have? >> iPhone. >> Okay. Is it password protected? >> Okay. So, you said we can check it to see >> Face ID? I don't know. Good question. It's a Face ID. I don't know. Okay. >> I don't even know what the actual password is. >> Um, you said it's an iPhone. >> Yeah. >> Guess what it is. What is it? Cuz otherwise, we're not going to get your timeline. >> The timeline would like What time you called your dad? Oh, okay. I don't know the password. >> Okay. Um, you said it's iPhone is you said iPhone. What model? Like what? >> 14 Pro. Pro 4X. Yeah. >> Okay. What color is it? Black, white, red, blue, yellow. >> Black, I guess. Yeah. >> Okay. [laughter] Okay. No problem. Um, okay. You do. So, so afterwards you went, you held her um and then you called your dad or you texted >> No, I called my dad first. >> Called your dad first. Okay. >> And then um and then he got there. >> Yeah. And he's like, "Rick, call 911." He's like, "I'm getting I'm going home." Then he came back. I said, "Just get out of here. Let me take care of this." >> Okay. So, he came over and then he left and then he came back. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> Okay. >> He's like, "I'm going to come back." And he called my brother. He said my brother from Chicago and said he's coming tomorrow to to check and everything. >> Okay, >> that's the way it went down. I mean, if I need a lawyer, you guys let me know. Cory Cohen is a personal friend of mine. >> High school buddy or something, >> something like that. >> Okay. Um I mean, you're more than you're more than welcome to to contact him if you want. Yeah, I I think I gave you guys a lot. >> Okay. Um >> if am I being charged? >> Um I'm not charging it at the moment. No. >> Okay. >> Um but again, that's So we're we're investigating everything that's going on. >> Yeah. No, I know. I understand completely. You can see my record. >> Yeah. So, have you guys had like domestic incidences before? Like >> we had one incident back in the day, but it was it was stupid. >> What was it about? Um, she was drinking wine that day and just she slapped me in the face and then she called the cops on me. [laughter] >> Yeah. Your dad your dad told us that she's a bartender. So, >> be a problem. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. >> I always told myself not to be bartenders. [laughter] >> Well, >> but she's a good person. I'm telling you. >> My main concern is for her to survive. if something happens to me, whatever. I want to have a good mother. >> And she is a good mother. She's a great mother. [clears throat] >> Yeah. Um so actually while you were while you were using the restroom, um we did get information that she did not make it. [cough] Are you kidding me? Um, >> oh my god. >> Um, Rick, do you do you swear that everything that we talked about today was true and accurate to the best of your knowledge? >> Yes, absolutely. >> Really quick, I have a question. Why did you leave? >> Why did I leave? Where? >> Why didn't you leave your backs where that armor is right by your bedroom door? She's in the centerish of the room and you shot her in the butt. Why didn't you just leave the house? >> You know, she's attacking you. You know, she's acting crazy. Whatever your words. >> I know. Why don't you just walk down that hallway and go to the front yard? >> No kidding. I wish I would have because now I lost my love. >> I guess I I know you wish you would have. And I wish you would have, too. But why didn't you? Like, what made you say, "You know what? [ __ ] this. I'm staying in the room. She's acting like this. She's attacking me. I'm going to walk to my bed, get a gun, walk to the armor, put it down, then pick up the gun, then shoot her >> instead of I'll tell you this. [snorts] I haven't done shots in a long time, too. So, maybe my head wasn't right at, you know, but still that doesn't see instead of leaving the bedroom, you you're in an argument with her. She stomps on your foot. >> But I'm backed in. I'm I'm back. >> You got a bunch of [ __ ] going on. >> You go through the bedroom to your side of the bed. You open a gun safe. You take the gun. You walk back through that bedroom on the dresser. >> Put on the dresser just to keep it there. >> You see what I'm saying? You traveled through the bedroom back and forth at this point. No, no, no, no, no. It's right It's right there. >> Then you go back towards the door of the bedroom. >> It's right here. It's right here. Yeah, it's >> Then you go back to the door of the bedroom. Put it there. >> You stay in the room. You still are doing your thing with her or whatever. Now you're armed with the gun, right? It's on the dresser. It's not in your hand, but it's on the dresser. You still haven't walked out that door. >> Yeah. >> Then she's in the center of the room. She's facing away from you. >> Yep. She comes back at me again. >> But you shot her in the ass. So what when when you did pull the trigger, >> she came back at me a couple times. >> Go ahead. At what point do you not decide just to leave? You know what I mean? Like you shoot her in the ass cuz you want you want you don't want to kill her. You want to put her down. >> I felt trapped actually. >> How? >> Because she was just like coming at me and I'm like >> there's an exit to that bedroom through the bathroom and there's one through the door. You could have left from either side of that room and you had a gun. >> Yeah. >> Right. You could have just walked out. I could have just ran ran off actually cuz she was she was in. >> So I guess the question is why didn't you I'm a man. This isn't going to happen. It's I'm not leaving my own house. Like what what made you stay in that room instead of just saying you know what like I don't need this. I'm going to take a timeout in the front yard. I don't know. I don't know. It was just it got to that point where it was like it was explosive both sides. I was like, "Oh my god." >> But at the point where you felt you had to arm yourself with a gun, right? It wasn't like it was in your waistband. You're like, >> I felt I felt threatened actually even with a 5'2 person. >> And I guess that's my question is if you felt threatened. >> Yes. >> You took the step to get it. Right. I'm >> because I know she grabbed the gun and she knows how to shoot. She could have grabbed. >> So why not just leave, >> right? You had to go get it, put it there, have it ready for yourself. Like you almost made it ready. Like, okay, I'm going to stay here. We're going to keep doing this. But when I'm done doing this, my gun's right here. You know what I mean? Like, >> no, no, I hear you. It's like the first time I ever did that. I just It's I really felt like that she would have done something to me. Like seriously, like like get a knife or something like that. I was like, "This is something's not right." I could tell it was off. My poor baby's gone. [ __ ] me. Oh man. >> Richard tried to spin a story of self-defense, claiming a foottomping attack forced him to retrieve his weapon from a biometric safe, but the logistics of scanning a fingerprint during a struggle were shaky at best. The forensics simply didn't back up Richard's story of a face-to-face defensive shooting. It was the medical examiner, however, who delivered the final blow. While Richard claimed Allison was charging him, coming at him to claw his eyes out. The autopsy revealed the truth. She had been shot in the back four times. The evidence pointed to an execution. Detectives saw right through it. They concluded that the physical evidence completely contradicted Richard's version of events. There was no stand your ground here. Following his medical discharge from the hospital, Richard Racia was transported to the Orange County Jail and booked on one count of first-degree murder. Bond was denied and he was held in custody pending trial. Fighting back tears, family members did their best to try to make sense of the senseless. >> The most devastating call that a human could ever get. It's just absolutely awful. >> Dennis Castanis is still trying to make sense of what happened to his sister, Allison. Shien, >> she was loving. She was a great mom. I mean, that's the saddest part of this whole situation is that, you know, there's a little boy involved and uh and he's going to be without his mommy. And she was really really uh just a great mom. And I think it's it's important for everyone to know how much she she loved uh her son. Sheen had a six-year-old son with her longtime boyfriend, Richard Reiac. Investigators say they were celebrating their son's birthday at this house in Hunter Creek on Saturday. After the party, the couple got into an argument. Allisonson's fantastic. And uh at this moment, based on the information we have, uh you know, he he he's a monster and uh and what he did is just robbed many people of a special person. Dennis Castanis does take some comfort knowing how his sister spent her last day. >> Allison's last day here got to be celebrating her son's birthday. And uh that's just a good way to think about it. >> Unfortunately for Allison's loved ones, as is the case far too often in the American criminal justice system, it took less than a month for that charge to be reduced to seconddegree murder. And Allison's brother was not happy about it. The loss of my sister has been just a uh a terrible tragedy for our family. >> Prosecutors contend Allison Sheen was shot in the back by her boyfriend Richard Raciac in April. Racia was arrested on a first-degree murder charge, but about a month later lowered the charge to seconddegree murder. Shoots my sister in the back twice. I I don't know how you can't charge first-degree murder based on that information. Ultimately, Mr. Castansis would not get his wish. On December 20th, 2024, Richard Racia plead guilty to secondderee murder with a firearm. According to court records, a 25-year minimum mandatory sentence was imposed. This means it is possible that Richard Raciac could walk the streets as a free man once again. 25 years might sound like a lifetime, but for Allison's family, the math doesn't add up. A prison sentence gives Richard a finish line, a specific date when he can step outside, breathe fresh air, and reclaim his life. That is a future Alison Shehan will never have. And then there is her six-year-old son. Remember, this nightmare began as a birthday celebration. In the span of a single night, he went from blowing out candles to losing his entire world. He doesn't get a plea deal or time off for good behavior. He simply has to grow up in the silence left by a father who treated his mother as disposable. Resilience, however, is something a murderer can never take away. Allison's legacy isn't found in a court file. It's alive in a resilient community that remembers her and in the future of the son she loved. A boy who is now safe, surrounded by family, and wrapped in the loving memories she left behind.