Dionte was arrested and charged for a serious crime, something he claimed he did not do. He sat in court smiling with his family, showing confidence. He was sure he was going home, but when the judge mentioned the possibility of the death penalty if found guilty, everything changed. In that instant, he planned his escape. At the right moment, standing in court, another jailer helped him release the handcuffs. He then exploded into action, running past the court officers, down the hallway and out the door. The bold escape launched a massive manhunt. Five days later, he was dragged back into the exact same courtroom he escaped from. When the judge addressed him, he claimed he only ran to find evidence to prove his innocence, a bold claim no one believed. And in that moment, he knew he was not going home, not now, not anytime soon. Dionte didn't grow up wealthy. He and his younger brother were known for breaking into upscale homes, not for violence, but for money. To them, it was survival. They had done this before, and police knew it. But no one, not even the officers who'd arrested him on smaller charges, believed he was capable of something as brutal as what would happen next. On September 8th, 2014, inside the home of a wealthy neighborhood, lived 59-year-old Jill Halliburton Sue, a devoted mother and respected member of her community. That morning, Jill's husband, who was at work, called his son. He told him he saw someone inside the house on the home security feed, a shadow, a figure he didn't recognize. The son rushed home to check. Moments later, he dialed 911. 911, what is YOUR EMERGENCY? NO, MY mom killed Okay, what Okay, what is the address of the emergency? 10327 Southwest 22nd Place. Okay, is she Is she breathing? No, she's not. I I tried I Uh is she She's not. OH MY GOD. [Music] SHE'S CUT ALL OVER HERSELF. I GOT A KNIFE IN THERE. SHE cut her neck? I don't know I think this is I don't know if this IS A MURDER. I THINK cuz she Her hands are tied. Her hands are tied? When did you find I I did I I DID IT I I DID IT. I'M SCARED RIGHT NOW. OKAY. AND I I think there's a lot Oh my god. Oh wait. I I hope the house isn't robbed or something. What did you find? I found a broken door. I found a broken door. And you found a broken door where? Uh in the guest room. Justin? What the [ __ ] where is my knife? Don't This is This is This is dirty. This is dirty. Okay, were you saying something about a knife, Justin? Yeah, I I I just saw a knife near the front door. So, I'm just walking around my house right now. Justin, don't touch anything. In the call, he sounds frantic, confused, panicked, saying he found his mother in the bathroom, unresponsive, tied, injured, a scene no child should ever have to see. When police arrived, they questioned everyone, including the son, including the father. They found the knife at the scene, later confirmed to belong to the son, but had no fingerprints from any family member. Still, investigators weren't satisfied. They brought the father and the son in for questioning. They questioned the father for hours. They questioned the son even longer. I then call my son. Cell phone off. And I asked him, "Where is he?" I said, "Is he at your home?" He said, "No." I said, "Okay. Did you or have you tried to joke with me by masking putting the mask cover your face and try to No. Uh uh uh what cover the turn off the uh uh camera?" He said, "No." I said, "Did you Also, you didn't do it today, but did you do it in the past?" Then I can see the recording there. He thought what I'm saying. He said, "No, I never done that before." Uh he he called me and said, "Did you mess with the cameras? Did you like Did you go with the mask up to the camera and take it down?" And I said, "No, I'm not even home yet." And that's when I started I started getting a bad feeling. Whoever did this knows where the security camera is. Because both of them being unplugged indicate that they know this camera. Let me ask you who who knows where these security My son. Okay. If there's somebody inside your house that he sees on a camera, and your first thought is to go home and Shut up for a minute. Your first thought is to take off your shoes and go in your bedroom first? Yeah. What What's wrong with that? I I was going to check it out. I had a knife in my hand. What knife did you have in your hand? What? I I had I had a pocket knife. Which one? The one from my car. What's it look like? >> It was just in my pocket, dude. I just >> Where is it now? It's in my car still. I put it back in my car. What's it look like? It's black. So, you put that back in your car before the cops got there? No. You said you had a knife in your hand. >> [ __ ] you guys You guys are You guys are putting [ __ ] in my head head. >> it, man. Did you have an opportunity to go to your car? Yeah, when I was in my car when I dropped it. What? When did you have an opportunity to go to your car? When I got out of the car. When did you ask again? You're a smart guy. I'm not trying to insult you. The whole thing with the knife I I made up cuz you when you told me like, "Why would you go in the house?" cuz I was defending myself. >> Yeah. That's a problem. Sorry. Don't do that again. I just told you I just told you you're not making sense, and your stories are all over the place, and you just going to sit there and tell me you made that up about going back in your car? >> Yeah. That's the only thing I lied about. Sorry. If anything, I'm most confrontational. Do you have Did you have anything to do with this? Me? >> No. Okay. Absolutely not. I was in my office. Okay. Something wasn't adding up. But then, forensic evidence came back. DNA found inside the home belonged to Dionte, not the father, not the son, and that changed everything. Police knew Dionte's pattern. He broke into wealthy homes. Jill's home was wealthy. The neighborhood matched previous burglary patterns. Entry point matched previous break-in. Evidence pointed to a struggle, and prosecutors argued the situation turned violent after the homeowner interrupted him. They zeroed in on him immediately. Before we talk to you, you know, your Miranda rights. You don't want to talk to me? Um I don't know what's going on, so Okay, no problem. You're going to be charged with first-degree murder. For For first First-degree murder, okay? What What am I being charged with first-degree murder for? It's I can't talk to you, so What? He was arrested, charged, and held without bond, and that brings us to the courtroom. At first, he didn't take the case seriously. Court officers described him as relaxed, smiling, even playful, like he'd been through this routine before and expected to walk away again. But when prosecutors hinted at forensic evidence, when they mentioned DNA under the victim, when they discussed the possibility of the death penalty, reality hit him, and that's when everything exploded. With a sudden leap, he sprinted past court deputies, bolted out of his shackles, jumped a courtroom barrier, ran through the courthouse, and vanished. Florida had just witnessed one of the boldest courthouse escapes in state history. For five days, he stayed hidden with help, not just from friends, but from people willing to risk everything for him, because they are confident he's innocent. Resiles, as you know, is 21 years old. He's approximately 5 ft 10. He's 170 lb. He has tattoos on about both arms, and he is armed and dangerous. Let me repeat that. He is armed and dangerous. SWAT teams and choppers moved in, but still nothing. We were set up within minutes to have a perimeter to isolate and contain. We believe he defeated the perimeter before we even got in place. Dionte was found hiding in a motel in Palm Beach County, surrounded, cornered, captured, but he wasn't the only one arrested. Seven people, including his girlfriend, were charged for helping him escape. In court, his girlfriend cried as her family told her they love her. She was charged with harboring a fugitive, aiding escape, and obstruction. The others were charged with similar offenses. After several hearings and legal delays, the retrial moved forward. Prosecutors presented DNA evidence, burglary patterns, and the scene they believed proved their case. During his trial, Dionte took the stand in his own defense. He maintained his innocence, repeatedly mentioned that he has already spent nearly 7 years in jail, have been reflective, and could never commit a crime like this. He argued that he have morals and principles, and that he was set up. I would never take a life from her husband. I would never take a mother from her child. 25 times Mrs. Superstar. That's beyond my comprehension. I don't possess the hate, rage, inside my heart to commit such a heinous crime. Any day, at any hour, any decade, if it will provide you guys with the solace. Take him up to me up to a polygraph test at any given time. Ask me any question they wish. And my answer will remain the same. I did not kill Mr. Sue. And that's all I have to say. And to my family, I love y'all. I don't want y'all Don't cry for me. No matter what I got to go through, I'll get through it. It doesn't bother me. It's not going to bother me. It's just a small bump in the road. I'll continue on learning my fight. But just tell them Tell my daughter for me. Just let her know I love her. And y'all don't got it. Y'all don't got to watch me. I'll be fine. And to my attorneys, I want to tell you guys I really appreciate it. I'm grateful. I'm thankful. I've gone through this process. You guys came sort of telling me through your sleep. And I've had this conversation with you guys multiple times. But I thank you guys for everything. And though my tears fall, I'll be all right. All lies. Because everything he said is against the facts. Was it difficult for you to sit there and listen to that? I saw you at times just shaking your head. >> Of course it is difficult. Because I I don't want to sit there and listen to all the lie. And he's lying very well. After days of testimony, after the jury heard all the evidence, the DNA, the nature of the crime, and Deonte's audacious escape as evidence of his guilt, they found him guilty of all the charges. His defense team fought fiercely against the death penalty, arguing for a more lenient sentence given his troubled background and the complexities of the case. Eventually, in a significant development, the death penalty was taken off the table. This was a major victory for the defense, ensuring that Deonte would face a life sentence rather than the ultimate punishment. Deonte was sentenced to life in prison. To this day, he continues to maintain his innocence, filing appeals and attempting to prove that he was wrongly accused and convicted. His escape, while daring, only further cemented the prosecution's case against him. After everything you've heard, after the escape, after the evidence, after the verdict, do you think the justice system got it right in convicting Deonte? Do you believe he is truly innocent considering the initial evidence they had against the son? Is Deonte telling the truth and he was set up? Share your thoughts in the comments below. And if you found this story captivating, make sure to click the video on your screen right now for the next true crime courtroom story. I know my brother can't tell me that he's going to go in there and kill this lady because he don't want to catch a burglary uh My brother ain't never killed He's not even a fighter. He wouldn't even fight in the first place.