He said, "What took you so long at work? Why was you at work all day?" I was telling the truth. I said, "I'm at work. There's nothing. No, nothing." He thought maybe it was guys I was hanging out with. I don't know. >> The doctor at the hospital said it wasn't self-inflicted. >> Cheating is downright awful, but it's an act that must be kept a secret. Sometimes guarding such secrets can mean that cheats have to end their spouses if that's what it takes to keep them in the dark forever. >> There's blood all the way around to the corner. Look at that. >> Damn. This wasn't planned. This wasn't supposed to happen. >> Except you're talking about your husband with your lover. >> He grabbed her wrist and he shoved her and I told him like Shane, I will you need to let her go. He wouldn't listen. >> Here are several moments when partners each other to hide secret affairs. Starting with a cheating wife and her younger boyfriend schemed for life insurance money but earned a permanent price instead after causing permanent damages. Where is the ambulance? >> Where's the guy? >> Your relationship with Houston. >> Yeah, >> my friend. >> So, like with me and Karina, the hard thing with all that rumor being spread, >> she is sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. >> On June the 18th, 2021, a highway dispatcher received an alarming call from a man named Aaron Cooper. He wasn't entirely sure what he was reporting, but he wasn't about to take any chances. >> I'm going to tell you in a minute. I just got a call from my sister-in-law that somebody's in their house. >> Okay. Someone's in our house. >> Yep. I'm just pulling in now. >> And you're there. >> I'm just coming in my driveway. >> Okay. Cuz that's up in TR area. >> Yep. Yep. >> I have a I have a What's your What's your sister's name? >> Karina Cooper. Super Korean. >> To make matters worse, 911 received a call from the same location earlier. No explanation, no details, just panic and then a deafening silence. >> Nobody here. My kids are here. Nobody's here. My kids are here. >> Just then, Aaron arrived at the house, still on the line. A firefighter. He was armed and was about to give the first clear glimpse of what was really happening inside. >> We have a female on 911 that can't understand her. >> Okay. >> Um I'm just wondering if that's her. >> It probably is. Um >> she's still screaming. >> Yeah, she's still screaming. >> So I can find out what's going on. >> But she said there was somebody in her house. >> I am armed. Do you want me to proceed? >> Yeah. Okay, just came out and told me to come out. >> We need ambulance. >> Okay, we need an ambulance. All right. >> All right. No, I just got blood coming out of his mouth. >> Minutes later, Iowa police and EMS reached the scene, silently hoping that the situation wasn't beyond saving. >> WHERE IS THE AMBULANCE? WHERE'S the guy? >> My brother. >> The officers entered the house and met a grizzly scene. Ryan Cooper, aged 42, sat unresponsive in his recliner with two hits to the face. Walls were splattered. A lone round casing hinted at the killer, but the firearm was gone. Ryan's three little ones were safe, and the house was searched. The suspect was still out there, or at least remained unknown, leaving the officers with only Karina to turn to. >> Karina, >> can you tell me what happened? >> A loud noise. I thought something. >> Then what happened? >> I got I peeped in my bedroom and then I went to the kitchen. inviting me. >> You didn't hear or see anyone else? >> No. What if they're here? >> What? >> WHAT IF THEY'RE HERE? >> I don't. But you didn't actually see anybody. >> Okay. You came out and you're and he was like that. You turned the light. You saw him. >> Hey, listen. >> We're here. Okay, I'm here for you. Could the thing that you thought fell possibly been a >> Okay, Karina, I need you to sit up. Karina. Karina, I need you to sit up. Okay, so we got to figure out what happened. Okay, the loud thump. Do you think it was a or not? >> I know this is hard, okay? The situation remained puzzling as on-site interviews went nowhere and the intruder left no trail. By 9:00 a.m., a calm Karina and Aaron were at the station, giving investigators their first real shot at untangling the strange case. >> Anything else um kind of off or or just strange about last night? >> Nothing. >> Nothing. Okay. So, you fall asleep between midnight. You think that you get up around three because that's your kind of your usual >> normal time. >> Okay. And then um then you go back to bed. I shut the door. The kids were in there and went back to sleep. >> Okay. >> And I made it feel like I was like hard asleep when there was a sounded like something crashed in the kitchen. Sound like something falling, which seems to happen a lot in that house. But the house is tore apart right now cuz we're working on it. I've got stuff sitting everywhere. >> Okay. >> It was loud. >> Like a help me out here. >> So, our wire we have a wire rack in the shower and it's on a suction hook thing and it fell a couple days ago and it was loud and it sounded just like that. Not just like that, but loud like that. Like a racket. >> You get up, you hear the noise, you wait there for a minute, you get up, >> and you go out, you see him sitting there. Then you go and turn on the light to the kitchen. >> I went in the kitchen. There's always a light on in there. So, I didn't turn a lot of light. I went in the kitchen and looked out the window over the sink. >> Okay. >> Towards the driveway. looked around the living room or the kitchen. There's nothing on our walls anywhere because we've been painting and everything. I didn't see anything. So, I went in and I said, "Okay, >> I turned off the light and it just looked like he was sleeping." I looked at the fridge before I went to the kitchen and it looked like he was sleeping. >> Okay. >> He was sleeping. >> Okay. And I walked up to him and I just there's blood like everywhere. >> So you said you thought that maybe somebody was in the house. Did you hear any other sounds or commotions or anything other than the one that woke you up? >> No. >> Like cars all night. I didn't see I I looked out the kitchen window. I didn't see anything. >> Karina and Ryan had lived in the house since the start of their relationship. And with Ryan's success and Koopa Farms booming, an intruder initially seemed possible. But as investigators dug in, that theory fell apart. There was no forced entry. Nothing was missing, and not even the family dog had reacted. A brief question lingered, but forensics quickly dismissed it, confirming Ryan's injuries were not self-inflicted, leaving the case more disturbing than ever. >> WHY DON'T your truck, >> huh? You put her in the shop. >> Right here. Oh. >> Oh, you got your brother in there. You said >> you already go in there. >> Does he have a problem? Mental health problem? >> Even with no signs of a break-in, investigators were left with one troubling detail. A single shell casing from a 222 revolver, a weapon no one in the family owned. As the search continued, one thing became clear. Ryan was the target. Back in the interrogation room, detectives regrouped, trying to figure out what they had missed and who wasn't telling the full story. >> No sounds of like the front door slamming shut or >> no running down your deck or down your steps or anything like that. >> No, not me. >> I tried to get stupid don't even know how to work and have never out of the safe. Hey, could you hear me again? >> When officers questioned Aaron, he contradicted Karina outright, saying she knew her way around a firearm. The follow-up question sounded casual, but they were carefully aimed. >> No real issues between the two of you? >> Okay. >> We didn't get married till we were mid30s. We've been through all that garbage. >> Yeah. >> No affairs of any kind? >> No. by him or by you or and the only reason is is if if someone went in and did something to him and again we don't know could be that could be could be medical we we don't know I'm just thinking about like the scorn lover type of thing that >> no >> just like before Karina had told police another lie what she didn't know was that just like her in the next room Aaron was talking too and he had just dropped a bombshell he claimed Karina was rumored to be seeing another man a client from her hair styling work named Houston Danker. With that information in hand, officers moved in to confront her and observe her reaction. >> What can you tell me about your relationship with Houston? >> Yeah, >> my friend. And I'm going to be blunt with you and be forward with you. The only reason we ask is um Aaron made mention about uh maybe Ryan seeing something on your Snapchat. Not that that was Houston, but there maybe there was a something with your Snapchat. >> Last fall there was a Snapchat that wasn't even meant for me. >> Okay, tell me about that. >> Supposedly Ryan saw it, not me. And he told me about it. It was something about a married woman and naked, seeing her naked or something like that. >> Okay. >> And Ryan saw it and confronted me and I confronted Houston who were friends on Snapchat. That's it. >> Has Houston seen you naked? >> NO. GOD. >> OKAY. >> He's 22 years old. >> No. >> I just stupid. Tell them they're rumors. No. >> Okay. I can't see you. >> You know, you see the large amount of blood and you realize that something something's wrong, right? Um, do you make any attempt at you do you touch him? Do you do you >> I crawled up on him. I hit him. I think I was shaking him and screaming in his face. Oh my god. >> Okay. >> To cover all bases, police interviewed Karina's rumored boyfriend to clear the air. What I'm going to do is I'm going to really cut to the chase because uh social media I I started law enforcement like 25 years ago and social media and have Facebook and like go nonsense and now that we do every time something happens everybody's on the internet. Why your name came up is um Brian Ryan Cooper died. >> See and Okay. Ryan Cooper died and one of the first I don't know >> in the first hour someone said, "Hey, we heard that uh Darina had an affair with Houston." >> So that's why you're here. Okay. >> Yeah. >> Well, keep in mind. Okay. So, let me let me explain things a little bit more. >> Yeah. >> So, we have her phone. Okay. We have Ryan's phone. >> Yep. >> And what we are able to do is we basically are able to clone everything off the phone. >> Gotcha. um in order to so any conversations that she's had with you, even if she deleted it, we can still get it. It's like FBI technology stuff. So, we'll still be able to get that. We'll be able to get locations. We'll be able to get >> all that kind of data. I mean, the the stuff that we can do now as opposed to what we could do back in the '90s with cell phone, it's like um >> it's unbelievable really, right? So, >> um >> there's no point. you kind of dance if you were screwing around with her or what doesn't make you a or anything like that, right? >> Um yeah, guess what? People have affairs all the time, >> right? >> But there's not a perfect marriage out there, at least that I'm aware of. Yeah. where people don't sometimes do things that they don't regret. Whether it's, you know, have a argument that they said something they shouldn't have or they have an affair or they, you know, use too many drugs or drink too much alcohol or gamble too much. Everybody's got weird going on in their lives, right? Okay. The rumor that's going around is Ryan or you and Karina were Snapchatting. Did that actually happen at some point? Yeah, you know, she watched my kids a couple times when I was in a pent. >> You know how small towns talk. You know, Houston's kids are over at Karina's. He's nailing her, you know, and then Yeah. >> I don't want you to get too nervous about it cuz if you had an affair with Karina doesn't make you guilty of anything other than you had an affair with her, >> right? Well, and that that I'll put it this way. I I'll completely dumb it down. So, like with me and Karina, the hard thing with all that rumor being spread >> is I was literally sitting there like a I would say a gay best friend. I was having, you know, I me and my baby mama split up, okay? I was getting my haircut by Karina and I have two kids. You know, she loves kids, whatever. And >> she she always told me, you know, if you're ever in a pinch, hey, you know, I don't have a problem watching your kids, whatever. And so we were all, you know, everybody was friends, whatever, you know. Well, then, you know, she watched my kids a couple times when I was in a pinch. Well, then, >> you know how small towns talk, you know. >> Houston's kids are over at Karina's. He's nailing her, you know, and then Yeah. And I guess that's probably where Ryan probably got upset, you know. I mean, >> you kind of keep in I don't know you. I've known you for what 10 minutes now. >> Yeah. But you you kind of got a reputation where you're pretty successful with the ladies, right? I one >> better luck than >> not as bad as others. >> Years ago. >> Years ago. >> Yeah. I mean, it's bad to say, but I'm young with two kids, you know, >> right? But >> um >> So the two kids have two different moms. Is that >> No, same. >> Same. Same. >> But you guys aren't married? >> No. Though the detective joked around, he sent something off about Houston and aimed to lower his guard. What Houston didn't know was that within days, police would access both his and Karina's Snapchat. >> And then the Snapchatting, did that kind of coincide with watching the kids or not? >> Yeah, that's that's where that's where that picked up was, you know, there for a while. Karina, she was just my, you know, cut my hair, whatever. And then, you know, I started having kids and she, you know, I honestly needed help is what I, you know, and I wasn't I wasn't telling her. >> I wasn't telling her I needed help, but I was kind of, you know, >> and then she offered and yeah, that's where the I would say that's where the chatting started, you know, the the friendship, you know. >> Mhm. >> And then you described it as what? You're her gay friend or how do you describe it? >> I the best way I could put it is Yeah. Just a gay best friend. Yeah. Thousands of Snapchats between Houston and Karina revealed lies and a darker plan to permanently remove Ryan. For 2 years, his remained a mystery. Despite Karina offering a reward until a $515,000 life insurance payout revealed a motive. Digital evidence exposed chilling secrets. Karina had researched ammunition months before while Houston searched for poison, accidental, and ways to cover his tracks. deleted messages from the night of Ryan's demise, reconstructed events. Karina and the family went to bed after a football match. Ryan passed out in his recliner, and messages flew between Karina and Houston, plotting his fate. By morning, Ryan's fluid had began to coagulate and backsplatter revealed Karina's staged grief. 2 and 1/2 years later, police recovered a 222 rifle from a friend of Houston's handed off to hide it from investigators. >> She's in a tough spot cuz she husband and she got caught. So yeah, it's tough to sit up there and try to talk around all the evidence. And that's why so much of what she said was completely inconsistent and insulting. >> By the time the case went to trial, Houston and Karina had broken up. Houston was already seeing someone else, but their lethal conspiracy connected them forever. >> That at this time, Miss Cooper's adjudicated to be guilty of the offense of the first degree in violation of Iowa code sections 701.7 and 707.2 parent 1, parent A. and judgment is entered accordingly. She is sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. >> On October the 3rd, 2025, Houston was given a life sentence without the chance of release. Unlike Karina, who needed an accomplice to eliminate her husband, meet Brandy, who took matters into her own hands, ending her boyfriend's life over a dispute about spending too much time at work. >> He said, "What took you so long at work? Why was you at work all day, and you didn't have no breaks in between?" And he was just asking me questions like that if I couldn't even tell you where I am. I don't know. >> Since kids, he had me to father my kids. I would never do this to my work. >> On April the 23rd, 2023, Cleveland authorities arrived at a scene of irreversible damage. Randy waited outside, eager to lead them to her boyfriend, Carlos Isaac Pales, soaked in his own injuries with a severe firearm wound across his chest. Neighbors heard her shout that it was an accident. This simple statement prompted Brandy to be taken into custody. >> So you get home, what's going on? >> So already when I was at work, he was saying, "What's taking so long at work?" You know, >> are they calling you or texting you? >> Texting. >> Texting? >> Yeah. Saying, "What's going on? I know you're up to something. You're just hanging out at work having a good time." He's always been like this. I never took it serious. I just said, "I'm at work. You know, you can call the 91." He's accusing you of >> And I said, "You can call the NQ Queen. They'll tell you the cruise times. They'll tell you that I'm on the boat. I'm stuck on the water. There's nothing I can do." And he was just upset. I guess it was a hard day with the kids and you know the house and just everything. And when I walked in the door, he was standing at the top of the landing and he had a mean face. And I came up and I went to pick my apron off. I went in the room and he let me walk past him. I went up to the room. He said, "What took you so long at work? Why was you at work all day?" And you didn't have no breaks in between. And he was just asking me questions like that. And honestly, I had a long day. And I started screaming. I said, "Stop asking me questions. I just got off work." And he pulled out a gun. I've seen the for. It's for protection for our household. We have rowdy neighbors in the street and I know this gun was for protection. He pulled it out and he just was like, "Tell me the truth. Where was you at?" And I said, "I was at work." I said, "You can call the Nautica. You can call my managers, whoever you would like to get a clock out flip." I explained to him that he could check any option possible. >> At this point, is he waving at you. >> He had it like in his hip and he was just like that like just tell me where you are, where you were. >> So he's not pointing at you. His hand on it. >> Yeah. At the time. >> Is it in his waistband? Yeah, it was like at his place. Then he took it out cuz I wasn't telling him no lies. I was telling the truth. I said I'm at work. There's nothing, no nothing. He thought maybe it was guys I was hanging out with. I don't know. So he started screaming and like I said, he took the out of his way. He said, "I'm going to tell you one more time. Tell me one more time." And I said there was nothing going on. You know, I was telling him there was nothing else. And all of a sudden, I turned around. Honestly, I wanted to like run out the door cuz I was scared. He had the He was screaming and I I didn't think it was loaded. Obviously, I wouldn't think he'd have it loaded with kids in the house, of course, if he kept it under the mattress. So, that's like a nonsafe spot, you know, like to have a loaded. So, he once he pulled it out of there, I seen that he put it in his hip and I'm like, "Okay, he don't have it loaded." So, I'm yelling at him, screaming back, saying, "Stop arguing. I don't want to hear it no more." I went to walk out the house because he was getting violent and just loud. And soon as we opened the door, he went up the stairs to take like a few steps to go up and then he turned back around and he pulled the out again. And this time he had it out of his way in his hand. He's like, "What was you doing?" And then all I heard all of a sudden I heard a big pop and I was at this point walking out the door. I was going to try to open the door and walk out. And that's when I heard the pop. And the door was already open once it popped. So I turned around and I seen that he had a hole right here. It looked like in his chest area. I didn't see the hole, but I seen blood. And he was holding it. And he said it was loaded. And I said, "Why would you have a loaded?" And he just fell to the floor. I grabbed him. He got up. We ran to the porch. I said neighbors heard the obviously cuz they were outside. That's when I heard the bullet. I heard the sh sound of I wasn't facing his direction. I was like running and I I was just trying to get out the house. >> You were on the steps >> right at the top of the landing. >> For someone who had just lost a life, she showed no trace of grief. Her words were cold and calculated. She tried to keep herself out of the story, but in her overcorrection, she betrayed too much. The female detective had been watching every word, every pause, noting the cracks in her carefully built story. >> So, you didn't see him pull the trigger? >> No, absolutely not. >> I didn't even think he pulled the trigger. I thought maybe it shook and just popped cuz he was had it kind of like aggressively like yelling and just I thought maybe that's what happened that it maybe just popped off. But he he wouldn't have himself. I'm almost positive. So that doesn't make any sense. He wouldn't have shot himself today. When he when he after he had it, it dropped to the floor. And I looked at it. I said, "It's loaded." And I grabbed it cuz the kids were upstairs. And I didn't know if it was going to go off on the floor. I didn't know if he shook it and it went off. I didn't know if it was triggered by something. And I grabbed the and I I don't know if I grabbed him first. I think I grabbed him first and I picked him up and I said, "Let's call the ambulance." I was looking for my phone. I was in panic. I didn't see the phone. So, I we went outside on the front porch, like I said, and there was neighbors already outside. And that's when I told the neighbors, "Please call 911." And I had the gun and he he was right there. But I set the gun somewhere, I believe, cuz when I seen he was bleeding, I went to cover him up. >> So, you went upstairs and grabbed the >> Well, we were on the stairway. So, like I said, he was at the top of the Atlantic. When I heard the I ran up, I didn't know he had like bullets in it, like I said. So, when I went up and the off, I seen it was he was bleeding and I said, "Oh my god, it was loaded and I like >> So, where was the >> I think at the top of I think at the top of the lake." >> They heard her words, but her behavior had already set off alarms and soon the inconsistencies in her stories made their skepticism undeniable. >> I just remember like I was like, "Oh my god, it was loaded." Like I didn't know if it was real or a dream. I just seen a hole in him. And like that's when I lost it. That's when I didn't I realized it was real because the bullet sound I didn't know for sure what was going on until I seen that he was bleeding and then that's when I went in shock. >> Now this is this whole truth? >> Yes. >> We have some discrepancies with that. Okay. Um the doctor at The hospital said it wasn't self-inflicted and that uh the angle of the bullet it was in the center chest but it exited his right lower back and there was a gsr test done on you on >> I know. I know. >> So is there a chance that you shot him? >> You have to be honest with us. >> I know. >> Okay. I thought you was going to me. >> Okay. >> So, I took it. >> Okay. So, >> out his hand. >> All right. So, now we're going to go with the the whole truth this time from this time forward. Let's go with the whole truth. Okay. Cuz you do have three little kids that are going to need a mom. So, you need the whole truth. >> I don't care to be here. You guys could take me forever. But I'm going to be honest, >> okay? Be >> cuz I don't want to be here. I'll probably in person. But the honest truth, yes. I came in from work. He thought I was out having a fun time out with guys. I was at work. I came inside. It's not the first time he pulled the on me. And yeah, I >> I see. I see you guys have a history. So So >> I don't want to say it's going to be bad. Please. So >> you come home, you're mad. No. >> No. No. No. Absolutely not. He came at me with the I would never ever do that in the house with the kids ever. I would never even at him. He was coming at me with it. And I just remember >> where where is this happening at right now? >> Upstairs. >> In the room. In the hallway. >> About in the hallway. I would take my I just took my apron off. >> Okay. >> I don't even know where my phone was. He was yelling and screaming. I barely even remember, honest to God, how it went because he was screaming. He was mad. I seen the I kind of got just nervous cuz he took it out before and he said, "It's loaded." And he set it down on the table and he said, "What you do?" And then he said, "Tell me again." And that's when I turned around and I went to run down the stairs cuz I was scared. I thought he's going to try to me. I don't know. And once I went to to run, he came with the and he's like, "Tell me one more time." And then he broke down like he was crying. He was like I started crying. >> Where's the stair >> and the stairway like at the landing? >> And that's when I took the from him and he said, "It's loaded." He told me again, he said, "It's loaded, Brandy." And he was running at like following me down the stairs and he said, "It's loaded." And I said, "Stop chasing me." me and he kept following me and I didn't even realize that I was pressing the trigger that hard and I obviously done it. >> Although she claimed self-defense, her confession felt more like damage control. The interviewers weren't convinced because from the very start she wasn't honest, especially compared to what the neighbors had reported at the scene, shouting that it was an accident. They knew there was far more to the story than she was letting on. >> So, where were you at? Where were you at when you were pressing on the trigger? To be honest, this whole night is a blur. If I couldn't even tell you where I am. I don't know. >> But you said you were running down the stairs. >> I was running down the stairs and he was coming after me. So, I don't know if it was at right in front of the door or if it was at the landing, but he was coming at me and I turned around. I don't know how to I never shot a gun in my life. And I didn't even think that it was loaded. He kept telling me it was loaded, but he said that many times. and it wasn't loaded just to scare me. So I'm thinking, okay, you know, he's just saying this and he was coming at me and I just >> So when he put the he put the nightstand and he he told you it was loaded. >> Yes, he did say it was loaded >> and then you said somebody >> But he said that many times and it was never loaded that he you know tried to scare me and and usually we didn't have bullets. We didn't even have bullets. It was really just, you know, for like a a something to like scare somebody. I don't know if they're going to break in our house or >> They put it down and you grabbed it. Where was he at? >> When I went to try to grab it when it was on the nightstand and he pushed me out the way and he said it was loaded and then he started crying. once he did the breakdown. That's when I grabbed cuz he was in like and like it was he grabbed it off the nightstand. So it was in his hand when he was crying and I grabbed it from him out of his hand and I ran down the stairs and that's when I ran down the stairs he was following behind me and that's when I turned around and I said, "Stop chasing me. Stop." And he just kept coming at me and I feel like the I love him to but he's threatened me so many times and I just didn't know what to do. We've been together 10 years. >> We've been with each other 10 years. >> Yeah. Since kids, he had he's the father of my kids. I would never do this thing on purpose. I was >> When did the enter the house? >> How long How long have you guys got this done? >> Say maybe 8 months. Eight months. So in that eight months with that house, how many times has that been brought out with domestic violence? >> Just once. >> Just one other time besides tonight was one other time. >> He's threatened, of course, to bring it out, but he's only brought it out once. >> Does that is that count tonight or >> No, that was this was the second time. >> So this would be the second time. >> Told your brothers. >> Yeah. >> Okay. And uh people your head. How long ago was that? >> Like 6 months ago. >> 6 months ago. >> 85. >> Had you told your brothers? >> How many brothers you have? >> Eight. >> Brandy said that she Carlos on the stairs, but the crime scene told another story. A streak of blood led from the bedroom to the porch. A damning trail that spelled her undoing. What came next from the detectives would tear apart her story of self-defense. >> How are you guys getting into domestic fights? >> Honestly, I haven't been often because my daughter's getting bigger and I just I just do what he says. just listen and do whatever I can so there's not a fight. >> How often does it get physical? >> It hasn't been physical in years since the last case when I called the cops. >> So it hasn't been physical in years. >> Yeah. >> But he put it in your head. >> Well, of course that was that that was the last the last one. No, I did not report it. Okay. Um, did the children's sort of witness that? >> No, they did not. So, I had them at a sitter that night and I think that's why he took advantage of that. >> So, the children have they witnessed any of the violence >> back in the day when I called the cops. He held me hostage in the house. So, that was one of the incidents that the kids was underneath the mattress when I finally found out. But before I found out, I had no clue. He was very close. He was running closer and closer. I didn't want to do it. I waited till last minute. >> So, >> but you were on the >> feet. How many feet would you say? >> I'd say maybe 2 to 3 ft. >> So, we're talking like this close to you. >> Do you think he was on like the second or third stove then? >> Yeah. Or maybe even at the landing while I was running out the door, I was like trying to get out the door and I turned around and there he was and it just was like an instant thing. I didn't even try to aim it at him. Like I just pulled the trigger and it was just like instant. It was It hit him. So I'm going to probably be in jail for the rest of my life. Right. >> That I don't know. Um we don't we don't make them decisions at all. Uh what we do is the evidence that we collected on scene doesn't show that struck him in the chest. Was it a downward and exit on his back? That would be impossible from being on the stairs. >> Well, I said he was coming down the stairs, so it was probably at the landing at the bottom once he got >> cuz I was running out the door, but it was still inside the house. >> The bullet would have went up through his chest. >> He was up the stairs, right? He wasn't up top. He was running down and I was going out the door. So, by the time I turned around, he was probably at >> We know we know that's that's not even possible. >> The spent shell casing is upstairs on the second floor. >> The shell? Yeah. So when you gun it ejects to the right >> showcasing. >> So I upstairs. >> Yes. >> I think I think you while he was sitting on the bed. >> He was coming after me. >> There was in the bedroom, right? He was he was in the room when he see I just got off work and I had a few drinks and I was emotionally, you know, just a mess when he was coming at me with all these things. So it could have been upstairs, but even then I know he was chasing me. I had to, you know, turn around and just pull. >> And then you would then you would had to run upstairs to put the gun where it was located at. >> I dropped it. >> Okay. That was upstairs, >> right? >> On the second story. >> Then that's where See, then that's where it happened then. But I do know that it happened in 5 seconds. I ran down the stairs. He said, "I'm I seen the hole and I seen I did that and I ran and yelled, "Someone call 911. I couldn't find my phone." He gave us very consistent probably three or four times that you had your hand. and he ran downstairs and he came after you and he was at probably the second or third step when he >> the landing upper. >> Well, the truth the truth it doesn't change. >> Okay, I know but I like I said I I know it's a you know extremely traumatic experience but again the truth doesn't change. >> I understand. In the end, she was charged with her attempts to justify her actions proving futile both legally and morally. The next case takes us to Romeoville, where a lover's betrayal ignites a web of lies that leaves an entire family eliminated. Even the dogs weren't spared, forcing fate to react just as the culprit thought they were safe. We're investigating. We have in our possession some phones. All right, we've read them. We're pretty clear that somebody's pretty upset at the victim. Okay. Is there any way that these text messages are going to come back to you? >> Deceased girl and her last slinger boyfriend or whatever is you. >> Got cover. Got cover. >> On September the 19th, 2023, just after 6:00 p.m., Melinda was confronted by an unexpected visitor. Someone who came with questions about a officers from the Romeoville Police Department were deep into an investigation that had begun as a routine welfare check. one that quickly spiraled out of control and led them straight to her door. >> Hello. >> Hello. >> Hi, Melinda. My name is Detective Garcia. >> Hello. >> From the Romeo Police Department. This is Detective Wagner. >> Hello. >> I know you know what's going on and why you were here. Okay. Um, I know you were talking on the phone with your husband right now. >> Husband and boyfriend. Okay. Okay. Does he live here with you? How long have you guys been together? 2015. >> Okay. We're investigating. >> Okay. >> So, we have in our possession some phones. Okay. And in those phones, we're doing what it's called the phone dump. So what happens is if anybody's talking on a text app that you can download for example text now we can retrieve those messages. >> Okay. >> We have retrieved those messages. All right. We've read them. We're pretty clear that somebody's pretty upset at at um at the victim. Okay. Is there any way that these text messages are going to come back to you or your name or your phone or anything associated with that? Okay. We'd like to speak with you without impression. Are you okay with that? >> Sure. Do you want me to walk away? >> Wherever you're comfortable, wherever you're comfortable, right? >> Well, the dogs are out. >> Oh, yeah. But we're out front or in the house in the backyard. Right. I'm not saying go. I'm not saying go in the house, but we can talk with you out over here. You okay with that? We can go over by my car if you'd like. >> Soon, officers placed her in the cruiser, and from that moment on, a series of disturbing revelations began to come to light. >> Okay. >> No, you can have a seat in the front passenger. >> It's all >> I don't want him to come out. And Molina, do you mind if we walk if we drive down the street? If he comes out, he's probably going to tell you to go back inside. Are you going to do that or what do you want to do? >> Well, you guys obviously have me. He can't really say much, right? >> Well, it's it's what we we want to talk to you alone, separate from him. That That's what we're trying. >> I want to make sure that you're safe. >> Okay. Can we go by the park? >> Sure. Down that way. >> Okay. Um, do you want to What I'm going to do is I just got to document mileage and stuff. Okay. We got body cams on. Just tell me where we're going. Going to text you. That's awesome. >> It's all right. >> It's not all right. I'm saying it's okay if you cry. >> Just keep smoking. >> You want to touch? >> Yeah. Okay. So, >> this Do you want to go to the Streamwood Police Department? Is that down the street or No. >> Would you rather just lay here by the park? You do a U-turn park in front of the park. >> Okay. Go to Sunnydale. >> Mhm. on this side here. >> Yeah. >> Okay. So, Sunny Dale and Siri Drive, Sunnydale Park. >> Okay. Okay. when you left. >> Yeah. >> How long have you known Kiwi? >> Since probably 2015. >> Okay. Why are you scared of him? >> Oh, I'm not scared. Well, >> okay. Why are you scared right now? >> Because when I called him because I was scared. I didn't know where he was. >> He said, "Someone's following me." >> Okay. >> So, I called and I called and then I heard him say, "Why are you following me? Do you want to search the car? And then and then someone said to him, "There are messages from you and it's because her husband found out you were having an affair." And I didn't know that. >> You didn't know what? >> But he was having an affair. >> Okay. >> When did you find that out? Right now. >> I know. >> Okay. When's the last time that he had an affair? >> Cuz I know this is not the first time. >> No, it's not. >> Okay. When's the last time you knew he had an affair? >> When we first started dating, >> 2015. >> 2015 to maybe 17. You know what? His son was born and he said, "I'm not having any more affairs. I'm not cheating on you." >> Okay. >> Stupidly. Okay. >> Do I know if he stopped? >> No, I don't know. >> Okay. So, the last time you >> Well, hold on. >> So, then I had a party at my house. >> Mhm. >> And I fell asleep and apparently he said someone kissed him and that was all the So, I don't know. Maybe it was 2019. >> Okay. >> And he said, "No, she kissed me and that was it." Come on. We're all drunk. >> You know him better than we do. So >> anyways, he said that he he said that he was no longer going to do that. >> Okay, >> that's why I'm upset. >> The chilling chain of events began on September the 17th, 2023, when Romeoville police were called to perform a welfare check on a family that hadn't been heard from in days. And when officers arrived around 9:00 p.m., they were met with a quiet evening that hit a discovery far louder and more disturbing than anyone could have expected. Got a red Chevy Equinox. flag with the next jumper. There's a light on the back. The back one. >> Hey, I got a TV knocked over and a coffee table knocked over. Rom 367. Can we get another unit to Camden, please? Everything's 104. >> Hey, >> 379. >> Get on the phone with the 17 and call and figure out more information on this call. down for 28 came back out of uh we're going to go on that side of There's a gate over there. >> He's going really far to get the number. >> All right. You see the TV in the uh >> Hey, hold on. You look on this wheel. here. Wait, keep shining so I can kind of see a little bit better now. >> Okay, >> there's a Oh, wait. >> Lights are all off. Precision. >> No, there's uh nothing in this room. >> Something lights are off. It's 9:00 on a Sunday. >> And uh No, there's lights on in the back room. You can see it through that second. >> Soon, additional officers showed up, all quietly bracing themselves, though none could have imagined the terrible events that were about to reveal themselves. Let's go. See if you can peek in the back. There's a window, right? >> Yeah. Here, look over this window. This window's open. No, it's not. >> Uh oh. Oh god. Dogs are too big. >> I need more units here. >> Hold this. >> 350. >> I got two dogs. TV's knocked over and a cocktail knocked over in the front room. Hey, open the trunk. >> Units from 367. I'm waiting for at least one more to make entry. to the front of the back wall. >> We'll do back 50 of a ram. Uh we're going to make entry through the back door. >> No, but I got two dogs. TV's knocked over and a cocktail was flipped over in the front room. >> That light was on when we came up right there. >> Yeah. All right. >> You can you can see the light in that other room back there. No, I hear you. >> You want the shield or you want You know what? I kind of want to grab my rifle. >> Grab your rifle. >> You go grab the rifle. >> Yeah. I'm going to have your beautiful cover run. >> Hey Drake, I need the keys. >> Can you have a fire stage? 350. Any luck on that ramp? >> I'm sorry. I'll be there. >> No worries. I'm going to force entrance to the back. I got enough units here. We're going to get going. >> You with me? cover. >> You guys hold the front thing from a position of cover, please. I don't know if anybody's in there or not. >> You got another door right here. >> Hey, you know what? Hey, uh, one of you guys holding this one. One of you guys holding the front. >> There were no other side doors, right? >> No, not that I know of. >> Hey, Ron. >> Yep. >> Here's what we're going to do. Okay, I'm going to boot it. We're going to go nice and slow. All right, guys. Right on me, >> Drake. You stay behind me. >> Hey, no. No. You're behind me. Okay. >> You stay in the back of the stack. You watch our six as we move through the house. Okay. >> Cory, come up here. Cover this door. This window. Got it. >> Lights is dead. >> No, I got one. I got one. >> Check the door >> here. Cover the window. What do you see, Cory? >> Move up. Move up. >> I have nothing. >> How many dogs you got? >> We got one dog right here. We got a second dog over you check the door handle first. Never mind. >> The first thing officers saw was devastating. Zarita, her husband Alberto, their two young boys, and even the family dogs, all unresponsive. Initially, it looked like a robbery had gone horribly wrong. But as detectives combed through the victim's phones, a darker, more twisted story began to surface, pulling Irma Linda into the center of the investigation. Do you know any uh of the names of the affairs that he's had in the past? Any of the female names? >> Um he he was with his don't know names. I know that they said one time to me that he was he's he was probably a lot of he's probably with a lot of people. >> Okay. >> Um but he had recently said I haven't been with a lot of people. I I don't know. I don't know. >> Do you trust him? >> I obviously I can't trust him now, can I? >> But you said you you believe he's had multiple or many affairs while you two have been together. >> I was hoping that they were done because I was hoping to trust. >> According to police reports, Nathaniel and Melinda's partner had been seeing Zarita. It appeared that her Melinda was already aware of the relationship, but when questioned, she insisted that she had just discovered the affair that day. A claim that only deepened investigators suspicions. >> When you find out about him, like what happens? Do you guys get into arguments? Do you talk to the women that he's having affairs with? >> No. For what? >> I don't know. Leave your leave your man alone kind of thing. >> No. Too old for that. >> I'm 50 years old. There's no reason for me to like know. And quite honestly, it's not the female's fault, it's his fault, >> right? >> So, no. No. >> I mean, obviously you get upset over it. >> Um, well, yeah, I'm trying to hold it back right now. Um, but like I said, I probably went through years. I mean, yeah, I I had said he was doing security and I had said to him, "Are you cheating on me?" and he said, "No, you know what? They they flirt with me, but I don't fall into that." >> What kind of security does he do? >> Um, like at at clubs? >> Like a bouncer? >> Yeah. >> Is it armed security? >> No, I don't think he can carry arms there. >> Okay. Does he own >> No. >> No. Has he ever been known to have >> Mm-m. He has that um Give me a second, please. He goes to Milwaukee, Bristol, and there's It's not paint. It's airsoft. >> He plays it. He does airsoft stuff. >> Yeah, he does airsoft. He's in a team. I'm sorry. No. Okay. Do you guys have water? >> Um I don't This is a sealed uh drink. >> I'm not taking that from you. No. Are you sure? Okay. >> Yeah. Because that's that's a big thing. Um >> so if you don't want to drink in obviously you can try and filter it out when you're done. >> Yeah. >> Um and he airsoft airsoft. >> He has an airsoft. >> That's it. Um >> are you How sure are you that person? >> I'm actually very positive. >> Okay. Do you have You've never ever seen him with a >> um Well, we go to the range and we'll >> So, he has a FOD card? >> No, he does not. >> I have a FOD card. >> Okay. Do you do you own any? >> Yes. >> The affair had sparked jealousy in Herminda, but her next move was where things took a disturbing turn. Investigators learned that she had catfished her fianceé, posing as a cartel leader and using fake personas to convince him that Zorida was a grave threat, claiming she was working with dangerous criminals and plotting against him. A story that sharply contradicted what Linda had just told officers. Just one day after the murder victims were discovered on September the 18th, 2023, Romeoville police tracked down Nathaniel Hwey Jr. to his workplace to question him about the murders of Zarita and her family. So, we were talking with the the bosses and they said, "Well, we we already went through phones. They already got one half of of of the conversation." Um, and you said you talked to her on your phone, right? >> Yeah. >> Okay. Um, so what we'd like or what we're asking for is consent to to get the text messages off your phone between you and her or Snapchat or whatever it is between you. So, we have both sides of it. trying to eliminate you as a suspect. But >> in the computer, >> you can get it out of the computer. >> No, we have to take the phone. We plug it in, we take it out, and we give your phone back. >> I mean, I have anything in there. >> They seem better. >> No, I I believe you, but Well, yeah. I mean, just let me see it. >> But I mean, I believe you. The problem is is that that that >> this is all I have right there for anything back. >> Oh, this from this morning. >> Yeah. Everything else. So, you had to grab it from the from the computer. >> Well, I mean it'll be on there. It'll be on your phone. You can't still in the in the in the thing >> in the >> in the catch. >> When you delete stuff, it's never actually >> So, let's just say you have like a 64 gig phone, you use about 58 of it. The rest is the catch. It stays in the catch. And and why I asked is the is the bosses called right away. They were like, "Well," they're like, "Um, we'd like to see if we can get the the stuff, you know, from your end back that way and see if maybe your, you know, maybe your husband got wind of it and pulled it off." So, we was going to take a look. I mean it it on our on our side of it we can get a search warrant you know to go through the phone and it take a little longer but on on the fastest way would be consent pull off and give your phone back than it would be to and again I explained to you earlier I'm trying to eliminate you >> I mean we have a a deceased girl and her last flinger boyfriend or whatever is you and And I'm sure that that you know if if you're an outsider looking in, who do you who's your suspect? I mean, and so I'd like to eliminate that. I'd like to say, well, no, we went we looked through his stuff. He didn't have nothing to do with it. We're done with it. >> I guess the computer. >> I agree with you. But but again, there's um it it takes it would take us, you know, a couple hours to pull information off the phone that could eliminate you as a suspect like right from the start. It's up to you. >> That feels like you're pretty suspecting, man. >> Well, I mean, I'm not joking with you. We we anytime somebody you look at the husband, the boyfriend, if it's a girl, if it's a guy, you look at his wife and any kind of lovers he had and we look that's what we look at. We start there and then this person was at work. So we eliminate that. This person was, you know, we went through the phone. There's nothing between those two. No threats. No, I mean you're telling us there's no threats, but but >> I can't go to, you know, to our bosses. I can't go to a state and say, "No, I verified it. There there's no threats." I have to I can verify and say, "No, I went through the phone. There's no threats. There they were seemed to be good together. There was no threats. There was no animosity between the two of them. There was no fighting. There was none of that stuff again. just just go on the computer with you cuz I don't I don't give up my phone. You know what I'm saying? >> I understand. I'm just telling you it's >> I like I I I completely understand what you're saying and I'm not even trying to get your hard time, but like taking my phone and all that like and and you told like you can get it you can get it from >> we can we can get her side of it. I can't get your side of the problem. >> So I can get her side of it. Um, if you know where she's got in her phone, I can get that side of it. >> When Melinda discovered the affair, police records showed that she used fake online identities to manipulate him, convincing him that Zarita and her family were a lethal threat and that mur was the only way out. On September the 16th, 2023, she drove him to the family's home where he staged a fake breakin and carried out the kill. The next day, Nathaniel went to work as usual, which was when police finally located and questioned him. >> I understand. I mean, we're married. I understand why you'd want to keep it on the down low. So, >> yeah, >> we're just Yeah, we're just trying to figure out um >> it's not like she's like in that grip. Just that, you know, like I don't know, just kind of close, you know. >> All right. What kind of car do you drive? Um, what is it? GLC Denali. >> Denali like a like a SUV? >> Yeah. >> Okay. Um, >> Oh, okay. >> So, so, um, and you said you've never had contact with her husband, like he's never sent you a message or called you or contacted you? >> No. All right. Um, do you have any of like information like uh like any save text messages or Snapchats or anything from her? >> Okay. >> Well, before I I'm running myself ragged here before I I forget everything. All right. So, your first name's Nate. What's your last name? Can you spell it? >> Hu EI. >> Hu EI. Is it Nathaniel? >> Yeah. >> Um, what's your birthday? >> 591. >> All right. Do you have a phone number? What's your cell phone? All right. Well, I'm not trying to ruin your marriage or life. So, not like I'm going to I'm going to, you know, I'll try to keep this if we can, you know, from just with us in this room talking, but we're trying to figure out what happened at that house. >> Yeah. >> Um Yeah. Has she ever told you about any other like romantic relationships she had um out of her marriage? >> He or >> her? Did she say her husband cheating on her or does she say she didn't pass anything? When you leave this room, we're not telling you work anything. It's none of their business. This is our conversation. So, it's up to you whatever you want to tell them. Um, obviously, we talked to her family. We talked to friends and stuff, hence why we're here, and that's why we're sitting in this room talking to you. And like, I got to ask, did you have anything to do with this? No. >> Okay. You know, I have to ask. and you know that your number is going to be in her phone and we're going to find your text messages and we're going to find that stuff and and I want to get a surprise later on that you guys are fighting or that there was something going on between you two or just three of you that I don't know about you know >> nobody was threatening anybody weren't fighting like ranger you know what I'm saying >> okay so We, you know, this is so new to us investigation wise. We have tons of videos to go through and license plates, readers, and like text messages, Snapchat messages, and all that stuff. So, we're so it's so in the beginning of this investigation that we're just kind of reaching out to talk to all her family, friends, and everybody like that. And that's why we're here talking to you. And um I just hope I mean, in your head, if you could think of something like, "Oh, you guys should know about this. It's the time to tell us now before we find it later on, you know, in a computer, you know, we find it in a phone message or something. >> Linda appeared to be deliberately pulling the pieces apart, subtly steering the story away from where the evidence was leading, but detectives already had solid leads and were there for only one reason, to connect the dots. >> Have you ever met Sida? >> No. >> I seen a picture of her? >> No. >> So that name comes up to you because you saw it. Well, really that name stuck in my head because that night I thought, "Are you cheating on me?" >> Was the person calling? >> They're calling in. >> Okay. >> More than once. And it was a long name. I thought it was Bartholomew actually. >> Mhm. >> It was a long name. But >> so when we asked your husband if he knew this person, Sida, he said, "I've never heard of that name." Why? Why would he be lying to us? >> I don't know. I don't know. Should I believe him? >> I don't know. Please don't tell him. I told >> We're not going to tell him anything. >> I don't I I thought that you guys said to him he was having an affair. Somebody said he's having an affair. >> Okay. Well, that's that that is probably very accurate, but we're not here to put him on a have a trial on whether or not he had an affair. Okay? We have a matter of someone lost their life. >> So, him having the an affair is the least of my worries. >> I understand where what you're saying. >> Suck it up. It's not It's not your problem. I get it. >> You didn't do it. He did. >> I'm just praying >> again. I understand. >> Okay. >> I know. I I talk a lot and I know what what that what you guys are here for something else and I'm making it about cheating and it's not. >> Well, I mean, it could be. I mean, >> so are you guys saying that you're trying to find out if he's the husband? >> We're trying to find out who was involved. So, we're talking to everyone. We're talking to you, we're talking to him, we're talking to other people because, as you may be aware, people lie to the police, right? So, we don't know who's lying. >> Gotcha. >> Um, what I would like to ask you is on either Friday or Saturday nights, did he go out with his friends? No. Did he work >> Friday night? No, he was with me >> Saturday night. >> No. No. Okay. This is what happened. >> Mhm. >> When I get a chance to be with him, I'm with him. >> Okay. >> So, Friday night, we started drinking and we were at home and we were drinking and drinking and drinking. We drink a lot. >> Okay. >> Okay. We probably fell asleep. He sleeps in the garage. I sleep in my room. And >> why does he sleep in the garage? because he says that he's more comfortable in the garage. But >> is there a bed in there? >> No, it's a couch. >> He sleeps on a couch in the garage. Garage isn't finished. >> Mm- >> Okay. >> I know, but that's not why we're here. >> Um, and I don't mean to be rude. >> No, you're not being rude at all. >> I'm just saying I'm not going to get in. And now I know. Um, so we were drinking and then um we woke up and we were hung over >> on Saturday. >> Uh-huh. So, um, he said, "We got to move." I said, "Okay." Um, I really want to go to Ross. I want to buy some jeans. Um, and and then he said, "Let's get something to eat." I said, "Okay." let I said, "You decide." He said, "Okay, let's go to Jersey Mike's." This was It was still day. Um, and I got home, I fell asleep, and apparently I woke up and yelled at everybody. >> What time did you fall asleep? >> No, it was day. It was still day, but he was with the kids playing GTA. >> Okay. And then um my daughter had said to me, my daughter had said to me, "Did you wake up in the middle of the night?" And I said, "No, why?" And she said, "Well, I was just wondering cuz you were yelling at everybody and it seemed like you were just sleeping and I think I heard you talking in your sleep." I said, "No, I didn't." And then I said, "Maybe it was Nate that was talking in his sleep." And she said, "No, Nate was snoring." um because the door was open and everybody was hearing him snore. I said, "I didn't hear that." And then um I think we woke up Sunday like 9 and I said, "We need to do laundry." >> Soon, officers began poking at the holes in her story, pressing for answers and hoping she would finally give up the information that they had been waiting for. How do you know he was still sleeping? If you guys sleep, >> I saw him. I He had the garage door open. Remember I said my daughter heard him snoring. >> Mhm. >> He had the garage door open. So I got up, I looked, and he was on the couch. Well, you're right. Maybe he was facing the couch, not sleeping. >> Okay. If he if he were to leave in the middle of the night one day, would it be safe to say that you probably wouldn't have not known? No, I think everybody would knows when he leaves because when you slam our door, the front door, you don't even have to slam it. Like you hear it in the house is I mean it's fragile. You hear everything. So no, especially like maybe if I would like Friday night maybe because we were drinking and if I would have passed out on Friday, Friday does to in the morning maybe he could have done that. But I was already had been sleeping off a hangover. So, >> did you go anywhere Saturday night then? >> No, I was home. Well, I it wasn't night. It was afternoon. No, I did not. I was here. >> Are you telling me the truth? >> Yeah. >> 100%. >> Yeah. >> You wouldn't be covering for for Nate at all? >> No, he was here. Even my daughter said he was here. Investigators were not convinced and the case against Mindainda and Nathaniel Huey kept growing. The couple fled Illinois, sparking a nationwide manhunt. At first, police thought Linda had been abducted, but it soon became clear she left willingly with her fiance. 9 hours south, officers spotted them at a Walmart in Katusa, Oklahoma, captured on surveillance, smiling as if their escape wasn't ending. But the real chaos started when police approached their vehicle, and they realized they weren't in the clear just yet. We're still traveling west 6300 44 on fire. >> CAR'S ON FIRE. GET OUT OF THE CAR. >> WATCH your watch your background. GET OUT OF THE VEHICLE. GET OUT. MELINDA AND Nathaniel tried to escape the police, but fate caught up with them. Their vehicle crashed and caught fire. Inside the SUV, rang out. Nathaniel first struck Erinda in the head, then turned the firearm on himself. His first attempt didn't succeed, so he tried again just as the officers arrived. There you go. >> Yep. >> Oh, you want to go in? >> Let's go. >> Yes. On your right. There's a deer right behind you. I got door. Do not see movement. No movement. >> Get out. GET OUT. >> GET OUT. GET OUT. GET OUT NOW. COME OUT NOW. >> I don't see anything. Got your cover. Cover. Got it. Got it. Nothing. Floorboard. Floorboard. Get her. Got cover. Got cover. Grab the belt. Grab the belt. Grab the belt. You got that door. >> Can't see. >> Can't see. >> Where's fire? >> Fire extinguisher at least. Fire. Come up here. We need extinguisher >> behind you. >> I got driver door. Get a baton. >> Moving to your left. Go ahead. Eventually, neither of them made it. They succumbed to their injuries on the spot. Next came a volatile polyamorous entanglement warped by jealousy and greed. Romance man's final words offered a chilling glimpse of what happens when love turns toxic. He >> said he did not do it to himself. >> I saw him as a threat to that house or to that child and I did what I thought I had to do to protect him. I of pure self-defense. >> Under circumstances did we plan for this to happen. Victoria, this is the time to tell the truth. >> I am. This wasn't planned. This wasn't supposed to happen. >> On September the 26th, 2021, just after 2:30 a.m., Minersville police responded to a call about a coming from a residential garage, Corporal Cox rushed to the scene, unaware that everything inside was part of a carefully crafted and deeply evil plant. >> Hello. Beaver 6, go ahead and send medical in. We're in the garage. >> All right, man. I got some help coming for you. Got one maybe through and through braid >> through the chest. So, we're going to have to expedite some things here. >> One through in the chest. >> The injured man was later identified as Shane Davis, and by the time officers reached him, he was barely conscious. Before paramedics could rush him to the hospital, Shane forced out a few words, sounding like someone who knew the end was close and wasn't willing to go without leaving one last clue behind. >> Looks like he's walked out of here. Just keep talking to us, Shane. You'll be good. >> Shane, my name's Christine. I'm with the ambulance. If things go quiet, just keep going. >> We're just going to roll you back, Shane. Okay. >> Very good. He said he did not do it to himself. Okay. >> Shane insisted he hadn't shot himself, pushing detectives to suspect foul play. Six people are at the scene, technically witnesses, but their suspicious attitudes and body language along with the missing make them all feel like potential suspects. >> There's about six people in the house. >> Do you guys know Shane to own a >> He does own a >> Okay. >> It's in my room with him. I'm married to him. >> I don't see one out here anywhere, so I'm wondering where it's at. Nobody's seen a gun or anything like that. He's got a wound to his chest. As Shane fought for his life with officers racing him to the hospital, detectives turned their attention to his wife, Victoria Worth. The first person who stands to benefit if Shane never makes it home, especially with him insisting he didn't. >> Is she going to be okay? >> I'll tell you later. That's all I can say. Was Shane arguing with anybody tonight? >> Uh, just a little bit with me over his stupid comment. He's been drinking non-stop. He was driving. I told him to come home. He needed to stop his um that is a fight that has come up quite a bit between the two of us is drunk driving because of his ticket last time, which scares me. I have a 2-year-old daughter in the home, and the only comment I had made that if he entered the home that I would protect at any cost necessary for my daughter's sake. >> Sure, guys. any reason for anybody to cause Shane any harm? Anybody that may be involved with this that we might want to look at? >> I don't know. He's got his fair share of enemies. Some people have issues with him because of uh him getting physical with me a while back in the past. He had left. He was drunk. I told him bring his home because last time he went out drunk driving, he ended up in jail. >> So guys, did anybody see Shane with Did he make any comments about harming himself? >> I don't know. He's been drinking and when he gets drunk, he gets kind of dumb. When he gets to drinking, he doesn't always make the smartest decisions. >> Uhhuh. >> Um, he has been going through a lot lately. >> Did anybody see Shane with the brand? And you discovered him? >> I discovered him originally. >> Victoria remained on her phone, answering police like she was reading a script, tearing down Shane's reputation, or more like already pointing fingers. To make matters worse, the housemate stayed eerily calm, hinting they might have also wanted him gone. There's blood all the way around to the corner. And look at this here. Here. He's come out to this point or try down there to this point. I don't see anything past here. Okay. >> What do they have to say? Anything? You talk to him? >> Yeah, I talked to his wife. She says it was just him and her arguing that he's been drinking all day. >> They had offered the officers little to work with, but the seasoned cops soon spotted a trail in the kitchen. immediately punching holes in Victoria's early story. >> Well, I don't know how well you guys know him, but he scares the living hell out of me. Since I do have a 2-year-old in my home, I will do whatever it takes in my power to protect my daughter at any cost necessary. >> Now, you said Shane did have a from what you told me. >> He has a pistol in my room. I can actually show it to you. >> Yeah, just take me away and I'll look at it if you don't mind. >> Yeah. Um, we do have he has his own and I have a rifle. >> Okay. >> So, they're both in here. Is that the only two firearms in the house? >> Yeah. Um, his is His is right there. >> Okay. >> So, that's his. >> Set that right there. >> And I have a rifle, which is >> Okay, we can leave it right there. That's fine. What caliber? >> Uh, 7mm08. >> Neither of these have been fired. >> And these are supposedly the only two in the hall. Maybe we may have a somewhere. They examined the rounds in each firearm and concluded that none had been fired. With this revelation, the detectives returned to question the residents. >> Do me a favor, guys. Just everybody hang tight right here. I'm going to get come back and get a statement from everybody. And >> well, I don't know where my other partner is. I have two. I'm polyamorous. Um, he's been gone for a while, though. Long beforehand. >> Okay. >> So, he's he left earlier today and has been out and about for a while. >> Okay. >> Okay. Yep. Just hang tight right here, guys. >> Just as the officers were about to leave, a resident revealed that Victoria's secret lover hated Shane and was seen leaving the house around the man, Mike Miller, was already known to police for his criminal record. Hours later, a license plate confirmed his location and 27-year-old Miller cooperated, agreeing to come in for questioning. >> He proceeded to walk towards me and ended up going through the garage. I know she tried to keep him out of the house by keeping him pinned to the door for a minute. She kind of kept him there and then he got kind of pretty physical with her. He grabbed her wrist and he shoved her and I told him like Shane I will you need to let her go. He wouldn't listen. I did what I did to protect I him. She had me go tell him to shut truck off. And I'd looked at him like, "Dude, I'm just telling you what I was told to tell you cuz he does tend to at times get kind of physical uh when he's drinking. I wasn't going to just sit there and let him hurt the woman I love. I saw him as a threat to that household or to that child. And I did what I thought I had to do to protect them. I pure self-defense and protection for that household." Despite his seemingly cooperative act, police let Mike play his part, watching as he slowly sank himself. But before they could press, he dropped a new name. Someone said to be even more dangerous than Shane. Shawn, who he was on the phone with, he had called her quite a few times. She had given the warning to Shawn that if he came here, it wasn't going to end well. From what I understand, Sean is a very violent person. And Shane kind of said something to Sean saying. He's like, "You know what, Sean? go ahead and come down here that then there posed a threat on the household because Shawn wasn't going to come down here and just talk everything out. He would be armed and he was going to come down here for a fight. >> Even an inexperienced mind could see his story was full of holes. Mike's self-defense claim might sound convincing to him, but it didn't hold up to the detectives who began zeroing in and pressing him for answers. >> Why did you immediately go to the rather than try to physically stop him? cuz there's two of you and just one of him. >> Uh the light wasn't on and like I said, it's really cluttered in that garage so I would have ended up falling and something. >> Hindsight 2020. Is there a way that you would have handled this differently? >> Yes. If he hadn't been so stubborn. >> Yeah. I mean, but rather with using the weapon. Yeah, I and that's something I thought about throughout the night while I was driving is that I probably could have handled that a lot differently, but like I said, he was already getting fairly aggressive with everyone else and pretty loud. >> So, was there been any like jealousy squables between you and Shane? I mean, have you like seen him with Victoria and became jealous? >> We've had our moments where, you know, he wasn't really giving him toys. Everything had came out that me and Victoria were together and had been together for quite some time and whatnot. She basically told him she was staying with me. That was that he was going to have to deal with it or, you know, end the relationship. >> Jealousy and rage explained Mike's actions better than self-defense. After a short while, Shane passed away at the hospital while Mike remained in custody. Victoria assumed that she had succeeded. Then on November the 7th, an anonymous tip led detectives to her Snapchat. So, I mean, were there ever times that that you and Mike talk about shame together and that you were both upset with him because of things he >> Yeah. >> What was that about? >> Just the way that he was acting and his behaviors at hand and that if it was going to continue on that we were going to sit down and sit there and say no more alcohol allowed in the house at all. >> Mike had had multiple usernames on Snapchat. You remember a demo of Addy 13? >> I might be one of his. You ever remember having a conversation with Mike about Shane when he was using that Devil Daddy 13? >> Not off the top of my head. >> So, I want to show you this and maybe I can jog your memory, too. This is those snaps between Devil Daddy and Rebel Princess. Everything that I read between you and Mike, you said, "Some days I just wish you would get in an accident or something." So, >> I didn't have to deal with this crap. >> Let's just read through these pictures. >> Okay. So, touch your risk to get caught. >> Uh, it was supposed to say too much of a risk, your dumb ass would get caught. >> So, then, you know, Mike responds back to you, it can be done if done right, and it wouldn't be hard to do. And then you responded back to him saying, >> "Yeah, >> not without getting caught or guilty." >> And that's where I'm sitting here trying to convince him like, "No, you're not doing this. One, you're going to get caught. Two, you're going to feel hell guilty about." So then again Mike to you getting caught would be wouldn't be an issue doesn't carry guilt person has no hold on Mike reports back to you there's a lot of things that could be done to make it look like natural causes based off his depression and all that's going through his head. I've done it to my dad before. Not enough to help him, but enough to get a point across and and make a difference to a point in he can't defend himself. We can all say he's been acting hella different. The right story by everyone can dismiss it all. And then you say, "I'd rather it look an accident. It's the only way. I'm going to keep house." We are sitting here and I only want one thing from you and one thing only. I want the truth. You didn't even expect us to have those. >> Her illusion of freedom didn't prepare her for this, especially the hard evidence proving her active role in every stage of the crime. Yet, despite the mounting proof and the meticulous planning, Victoria still clung to the hope that she could slip free. Victoria could tell things were weighing heavily on her mind. >> There was a lot of with man, but that doesn't mean that I never wanted to lose. Under circumstances, did we plan for this to happen? What went through Mike's head that night that it went all down, I don't know. Shane gets to drink and he gets violent and he gets terrifying. Now, I know what the conversation was like, but at the tail end of that relationship with Shane, it did feel like I was trapped. That night, it just went way too far. >> Shane gets shot, he falls down. Who helps him? Anybody try to stop the bleeding? >> No, I can't handle blood. And he wouldn't let me touch him anyways. All he did was crutch and make weird noises. >> You can't explain that, Victoria. This is the time to tell the truth. >> I am. This wasn't planned. This wasn't supposed to happen. >> Except you're talking about your husband with your lover. We're making this right for Shane. Shane's the victim here. >> And I understand that, but I didn't plan my husband's mind. >> How often have you talked about someone? >> Oh, Lord. >> No. Seriously, how often have you had these conversations with people? You're telling me that you're a perfect person and you've never done a single wrong thing in your life or made a wrong conversation about >> Okay. But you've never sat there and made a wrong retort. >> Remember when I told you Shane was that morning? >> Yeah. >> You remember when you said back to me? >> No. >> And you actually said to me you were worried about losing your house. Your husband just told you that. Do you think those things planted the seed in life? >> And it might have. So planting the seed in there possibly. I very well might have without even intending to do so. 90% of that yes was smart. Can I please tell you this right now? Absolutely no. What I have for you is an arrest warrant signed by the fifth district court judge. >> Seriously? >> Seriously. You are being placed under arrest. I did not know my husband and that will come up and I will sit there and make sure of it. You guys are making a huge mistake. >> Victoria's carefully coaxed confession sealed both her fate and Mike's. Months later, she was arrested and taken to Beaver County Jail, the same facility holding her lover. Mike Miller pleaded down from to manslaughter and received a sentence of 8 years to life. Victoria Worth was convicted of criminal solicitation and conspiracy to commit aggravated and sentenced to 3 years to life in prison. The last case was awful, just like the next affair that turned messy where an apartment bathroom stood as the only witness and testifier to a saved from obscurity by tiny crucial details. >> I'm so sorry. >> Yeah, you just see it's funny cuz you can see her. >> We are f we're friends. >> Okay. She is a girlfriend of mine. >> Oh my god, I'm married. >> The scene tells a completely different story. This is not us just throwing stuff up in the air, taking a chance. >> On December the 16th, 2022 in St. Paul, Minnesota, just before 3:00 a.m., police received a call from a man so disoriented he could barely form his words. When officers rushed to the scene, they were met with something grim and unexpected. And while everything appeared carefully orchestrated, certain clues stood out to season. >> I I got a a girl who herself. >> Are you with her right now? >> Yeah. >> Okay. Is she breathing? >> No. >> Two toilets. Oh my. Okay. Oh my god. >> Just lashed the door. >> Yeah, we left the door. >> Oh my god. >> To the what? Watch out. Stop. >> You want her phone? That's your fault. Okay. Okay. Okay. >> I'm so sorry. >> Yeah. You just It's It's fine cuz you can sit here. That's >> [ __ ] >> You got to breathe. Keep breathing. You You got to keep breathing. You got to keep breathing. I know it's shocked. I know it's hard. I'm so sorry. >> What she doing? >> Were you going to argue? Were you guys arguing or something? >> No. >> Did Did she say anything? >> We are f we're friends. >> Okay. >> She is a girlfriend of mine. Oh my god. I'm married and she has been oh my girlfriend always just >> for like 2 years. >> The disoriented man who was identified as Hecker soon began offering his version of how things had spiraled this far and almost immediately officers started comparing his story to what their own eyes could see. >> Oh, he came back here. >> Okay. >> And I have a concealing car license. >> So that was yours? >> Yeah. It was my >> in my backpack. >> It was in your backpack? >> Yeah. >> How did she get it? >> She just crap. >> Did she make any threat threat before that that she was going to >> herself? She just crammed her to her head. >> Were you guys arguing or something? >> No. >> No. I when her and her boyfriend argued, I stepped in between him and that's something. He punched me and we were fine for like an hour. I don't know what happened. >> Do you know where where her boyfriend's right now? >> I don't know. I don't know. I think he >> Did he come here too or No. >> No. He was you or her? >> He didn't come here. It was just me and her. Okay. >> He got kicked out of the bar and we stayed for like 45 minutes to an hour and then we left and we walked and we came here and she just and then she went into the bathroom and her >> backpack just on the dry blood on here too. in the building. >> What? >> Up here. >> That's right. >> So, from what I'm piecing together, he said that it was holstered in his backpack. I'm assuming this is the backpack. The thing I'm kind of curious on is how she may have known it was in there. >> I'm sorry interjecting. I know you've been talking to this officer, but she she locked herself in the bathroom. >> Yes, she did. >> How did you get into the bathroom? I broke it. I I just like slammed into the door after I heard the sh >> Okay. And then how long it said that you waited a little bit to call police? >> No, I looked at her. I ran back out and I couldn't find my phone and I tried to find >> What kind of phone is yours? >> It's an an Apple phone. Apple >> I think a 12 11 whatever. Okay. Do >> you know where it is in there? >> It's maybe on the >> Is it the one with the black case? >> It's the black case that says Night Eyes on the back. >> Okay. Where was it? >> Um maybe on the um on the kitchen. >> And then uh did you touch her at all or move her? >> I did. Yeah, absolutely. >> Where was she? >> She was laying where she was. >> Okay. So, how did you like where did you do I not? >> I tried on the thing. I just hold the hole in her head and she was trying to breathe. >> She was trying to breathe and you were trying to stop the breathing or the blood. >> So, what how did you try to get first aid? >> I know you're a lot. >> I don't I don't I don't um I'm an NP. >> Okay. by working in an emergency department and I started taking a couple of just like chain still breathing. Yeah. >> Like I understood >> this is just done. >> She just I I I tried what I could. >> So and I know that I just have to cuz I have medical examiner. >> I get it. Like I I I tried to do what I could. >> Okay. >> And then I wash my hands and >> you wash your hands. >> Correct. That's why I don't have anything. >> And then you then you called the police. >> Yeah. >> Officers quickly noticed gaps in his story. Either he hadn't thought it through or he didn't expect the questions. He claimed he had washed himself in the sink, but it looked unused. That detail raised eyebrows and the officers decided to take him to the police station for proper questioning. given everything that had happened. I have a concealed carry permit and I did had that on not at the bar, but I had had that on prior to when I got to her place initially. I had taken that off and I just put it in a backpack and I was just sitting on her couch just kind of seal it up that way. She went into my backpack, pulled up the cocked it and held it to her head, started backing up towards the back. And I asked her what she was doing and she said, "Don't come closer. Just if you come any closer, pull the trigger." I was like, "Okay." And and I don't know where this came from. It wasn't I know there had been some issues with her boyfriend prior to this, but she seemed fine. You know, I we were laughing on the way home. Everything was fine. And she backed up towards her bathroom. I kind of followed her and she then went in and shut the door and locked it. And I asked her what she was doing and I heard pop. And so, you know, I I tried to get in and my recollection here is that the door was locked and I laid a shoulder into it after I heard the Bob open the door and she was just And honestly, it's ridiculous. I I have medical training. I know what to do, but in that instance, I didn't know what to do. as it just a hole in her head spin. I move the and then I when I realized that like obviously there's nothing I can do at this point by myself, I got up and for some weird reason wash my hands. >> Did she take the the holster the out of the holster before backing up to go to the bathroom? >> I don't think so. How was she holding when she was backing up to the bathroom? >> She was She had it down here first and then she cocked it. Her left hand cocked it, but she ended up holding it to her left hand. >> His description of how the victim, identified as Alex Penning, a Minnesota nurse, handled the firearm only deepened suspicion. Alex was right-handed, yet his account suggested otherwise. The story was starting to stink, but officers remained patient. Men like him often hang themselves with their own words. >> She's mutated. >> She's not not. So it was weird. >> So then you just she just went back up and went into the bathroom. And >> she this and she started backing up and I said, "What are you doing?" She's like, "Don't come closer. I'm going to pull the trigger." Now, this doesn't make sense. What are you doing? And then she kind of kept backing up and said, "Don't come closer." And then she went into the bathroom and shut the door. And I said, I believe she locked it cuz I could not get in. >> Okay. >> And if I remember right, I mean, I I know I did lay a shoulder to it was locked or not, but I lay shoulder the door after I heard the off. >> How long she get in the bathroom, shut the door? How long till 2 seconds? >> Okay, >> maybe. Maybe it was fast. So, explain to me when you open when you got the door open, explain the scene to me like what how was she laying? >> She was on her back hereish and I grabbed it and I put it on her chest and I was trying to I don't know. Like I said, I I had medical training and like just for some weird reason, I just was like trying to hold the blood in her head. That made no sense to me. I didn't know what else to do. And it took about maybe a minute to realize like I'm not going to be able to fix this by myself. Like this is actually really happening. I think I was just in shock. And that was when I got up. I quit rock. I don't know why. I washed my hands. I washed my hands. >> Did you hear after the up? >> Did you hear like a bump or anything like she fell? >> No, I just heard the pop and I think at that point my brain just said like I knew what had happened and I hoped to God that she had just the ceiling or into the wall or something stupid. I didn't hear I thought I didn't hear fall backwards. or anything. I just That was when I laid his shoulder into the door and tried to get down. >> When technicians repositioned Alex's remains, they found a metal fragment from the bathroom door lock beneath her head. The damage showed the door was forced before the shot, not after, as Eker insisted. From that moment on, detectives pushed harder, ready to stress test every part of his story. >> Explain to me what happened. If you got into a struggle and she took your I don't I just need to know. But I can tell you right now, every piece of evidence in there and everything that you've told so far does not match up. >> Yeah. I >> And I just don't want to see you go down that road of you know what I'm going to stay. I'm going to stay to this story and see see where it happens because that's where it makes you look terrible. I'm just telling you. Oh god. And we're, like I said, we're close to the same age. And I'm just telling you right now, you do not want to see you screw your rest of your life up by trying not to tell us the truth because the evidence on these is so clearcut and it's so easy. We have our crime lab out there right now processing everything. >> Yeah. >> And I I guarantee they're going to find more things that we didn't see initially. I mean, it was enough to the officers at the scene to call us cuz normally on the pretty clear time. this one. Like there's a lot of things that are not adding up here. Giving you an opportunity. >> Oh my god. >> Now to do the right thing and to not make yourself look like a vicious person. Because I'm telling you right now, this the story that you're saying, you can try to say to that is will never fly and it's going to make it a lot worse for you. The scene tells a completely different story. This is not us just throwing stuff up in the air, taking a chance. We sat out there and studied that already without the crime lab. >> For starters, I suck at with my left hand because I am right-handed, right? So, I'm not going to do something with my left hand if I wanted >> with her left hand. It was in her left hand. >> But then to have her left hand completely cleaned. >> It was in her left hand. >> I can't explain that. >> Even if she did do it to herself, there would be blood on your hand, right? >> I would think so. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. And then if you say what you did and put it back on, there definitely 100% should be blood on her hand. Right. >> Yeah. >> Her hand is completely dry. >> That's what my partner here is saying right now. All this evidence does not add up. >> I can't. >> I just want you to just think. I just want you to think about this. And what what you're >> You're asking me to confess to something I didn't do. >> No, I'm not. I'm asking you just to think about it. Okay, >> I'm asking you to think about it. I'm asking you to think about your wife and your four kids. >> Oh my god. >> I'm asking you just to think about that. Okay. >> Officers left him alone in the interrogation room, hoping that when they returned, his cooperation would help untangle the mess. >> So, the change that I have and I I was scared after this had happened and I maintain that the went off behind the clothes store. I was not in the bathroom. I will maintain that until the day I did take the game and I put it in my suitcase. I got scared for a second. I didn't know what was going on. I took it. I put it in the holster. I don't remember if I did or not. I put it in the suitcase, went back, looked at her, and said, "Yep." went back to the suitcase, grabbed the and put it back there. I don't know what my plan was there. I don't know what I was thinking. I got scared for a second, but that's that is what I did. >> Did you clean the off? >> I did not clean the gun. >> So, there's going to be blood inside the holster and blood inside the suitcase. >> There should be if there was blood on there, there should be. >> That's I didn't clean the gun. What was your your point of getting rid of the job was why >> I got scared. >> So then you need to think in your head how you're going to tell whoever it is you got to tell about her hand being completely clean with your fingernails cuz we're going to take pictures. There's no blood in there. There's no blood on her hand. There's no blood on that shirt. It's a white shirt. Gray. Light gray. There's no blood anywhere. You just got to you just got to think about how you're going to how you're going to explain. I don't >> Well, you got to think of a good one. I don't >> you got to think of a good story >> cuz right now, like my partner said, all this evidence is not adding up, right? She herself left-handed. >> Then now you're you're telling us more truth, which is good, but now you're telling us you got scared. You grab the door. Even though she herself behind a closed door, you got scared and you grabbed back on. You put it back in the closer. >> You opened the door. >> Yeah, >> I opened the door. I mean, >> but if you knew that she herself behind a closed door because the door was closed. >> I heard the window off. I didn't know that she herself until I opened the door. >> Think about that. What you have to do? The only reason you're talking about this is because we told you about moving her hand on top of her. No, I what I did was I I don't know if I put her hand on that. I might have put her hand on there. I was rolling her a little bit. I was looking at the other side of her head. I was looking at one side of her head. >> But now you say that you went and and then you know you grab the way then you went back in there. You saw that she's so then you go back you grab the you put the on her chest. You're already, you know, your hands are full of blood and then and then you grab her hand and you put her hand on the gun and then you wrap her hand around the >> I didn't wrap her hand around the >> Then maybe she came alive for two seconds and put her hand around her arm. >> Not purposefully. I did not purposefully. >> But is that isn't that kind of weird? >> Psychotic. That's weird that you would put her hand back on your firearm that she just used behind a closed door that you were standing on the other side of. >> No one No one takes upet. I was sad. I was >> I'm laying right here. I take a gun from right here. >> Yep. >> And move it right here. So, I have to perform and look and do things with the gun right here on her chest. Right. Then you're going to take the because you're scared and go put it in your backpack. You're going to come back, grab the gun, put it back on her chest, put her left hand around the looked like she shot. >> Oh god. No. >> That's exactly what that's exactly what you're telling us, right? Cuz when the cops got there, the gun when they walked in the door was pointing at them with their hand around it. So they had to remove the not knowing what's going on and make it safe. >> Physical evidence contradicted his suicide claim. And under pressure, Ekker admitted moving the gun and placing it on Alex's chest. Investigators concluded that he was rewriting events while prosecutors argued that he forced entry and in the end Matthew Eker was convicted of secondderee and sentenced to 30 years in prison. Next up is a secret affair, a lavish life insurance policy, two conspirators, and a few letters that whispered the truth. Enough to turn a carefully plotted wicked scheme into a nightmare. Do you think for a minute if I believed he would ever in a million years do anything, do you think I would have kept the letters? And I ain't, man, I ain't mean to take that man's life. Man, if you if you want to be with me, you know what I'm saying? You got to go ahead and get rid of that first. >> Sometime in December 2001, 57year-old Donna Roberts made frantic calls to police claiming her husband, Robert Finger Hut, had been attacked with a firearm. Officers checked her fingerprints, but they didn't match. As the investigation deepened, they uncovered signs of an illicit affair. One potent and toxic enough to cause irreparable damage. >> Maybe you could catch Gary up and kind of run through the story and tell him again what happened. >> Again, >> if if you could just start off with uh with Tuesday, the day this happened. >> It was just a normal day. There was nothing special planned, work, nothing. I don't know, 9:30 or something. I mean, I woke up with Robert and I laid there for a while. >> But you you had to pick up Nate, right? >> I don't want to say anymore. Jerry told me not to talk anymore unless he was here. Well, Donna, the reason we're talking to you is because when we came to your house tonight, you told us that you wanted to talk to us and explain things to us. That's the reason we're sitting here. >> I did. >> Yes, you did. >> First got there and I I talked to you shortly after the uh the deputies had arrested you. You said that there was uh I told you that tonight we could sit down and talk and you could explain some things to us. we would give you a chance to do that. >> What could I explain anymore? What can I say anymore? >> Donna, we both know there's there's some things that you've left out. >> What did I leave out? >> Like I told you before, I said, you know, most people want to tell us the truth. They don't always tell us the whole truth. They tell us part of the truth. You were kind of truthful. You told me that you went to Red Lobster and you had dinner. had a nice dinner and you did, but you left out the part about Nathaniel being with you. Now, you did clear that up and you did tell me about it, but you didn't want to. >> I was afraid. >> Yeah. There's no reason to be afraid. >> But in the back of my mind, I thought maybe he did do something wrong. >> See, those are things you got to tell us >> just for a second. But he said he didn't. >> Has Nate ever lied to you? Yes. >> You think maybe this time he was lying to you again? >> I don't want to believe it. I don't want to believe it. He talked about getting his license and getting a job and getting an apartment. He wrote about that, too. >> What about talking about Robert? >> No, he didn't even mention him. I swear. Just like the last time he got out of jail. Okay. >> He talked about it and then it was over when he got out. >> What did he What did he say about it, >> Donna? >> What? >> About doing anything to Robert? >> He didn't say anything. He didn't say a word from Sunday on. >> Has he ever said anything about doing anything to Robert >> in the letters? >> In any of your conversations you've ever had with him, did he ever talk about doing anything to Robert? >> Sometimes. And I would say, "Nate, please stop talking like that. You know you're not going to do anything. That's crazy." Those were like almost my exact words. And then he changed the subject. >> Donna and her husband owned a bus station and restaurant, but Donna ran it her way. Employees and customers said she smoked, entertained men in the back, and ignored any possible boundaries. That was where she met Nathaniel, who was just released from prison and passing through on a bus. He wanted the easy version of the American dream. And together they talked openly about removing her husband. Ston often bragged about a $500,000 life insurance policy, telling Nathaniel the money would set them both up. >> What did he want to do to Robert? >> I don't know. He never said he never said anything else but that. >> All those letters that were in the trunk of your car, did you write those? Those ones you wrote with Nate's prison stuff. You wrote every one of them. What about all the letters that were in your dresser? >> You wrote >> from Nate. >> Nate wrote those. >> But they were just prison thug talk. It had to be. He said a lot of things. He said he was going to come to work with me every day when he came home till we found a job. And he did. He did. >> He came Monday. I got there on the bus. And he never mentioned Robert from Sunday on. I swear. >> Anything else he said he was going to do? He said he was going to come work with you when he did. >> Not work with me. Keep me company. >> Keep company. >> You don't understand. You're forgetting one thing. >> I'm trying. >> I'm trying to cope with that picture of walking in and finding him. Okay. It's in front of my eyes, it's very sick. >> It's terrible. >> And now he's >> And until you prove to me that he did this, I'm not going to believe it. I cannot believe it. And I won't. I don't think he would do this to me. I don't believe it. You're going to have to prove it. >> Let me ask you another question, Don. You're you're telling us you don't know anything about any anything planned that Nate might have had. >> He never said any kind of plan. I swear to you. Never. Never. >> Okay. >> Because if he did, do you think I would have let him? >> No. I'm just asking you. He never if he ever talked about doing it. >> I swear he never said like, "I want to do this." Never. There was never. I'm telling you, since Sunday, he never mentioned it. He never mentioned Robert. Did he ever ask you to help him do it? >> No. >> He ever talk about how he might do it? >> No. He never said things like that. He just talk like a thug, a tough guy. He was going to do something. You know, >> you said that before, Donna. But what do you mean by do something? >> Whatever he wrote. Do you think for a minute if I believed he would ever in a million years do anything, do you think I would have kept the letters? >> But you didn't think he was going to do it. Is that correct? >> Never in a million. >> Did you ever say anything on the phone about doing anything? >> No, we never talked about that. We didn't never waste time on that. I mean, I feel guilty enough if it's cuz of me. It happened probably. That's what you think. because of who I knew. But he was always nice and he was always nice to me except when he said he was going to me. >> Was that on the phone? >> It was in the letters and on the phone. >> Remember how long it was? >> Yeah. A week before he got out when I told him I wasn't coming. >> Donna could tell the connection had been uncovered, but she wasn't out of tricks yet. Unaware that lies have a way of exposing themselves. Don't let this be me. Please. >> I That's I just don't have any control of. >> Please. Then it's all my fault if it is. >> How could I believe that you would do that? >> Do you really think he did it? >> Why? Why? For real? No. No. I don't believe you. You're lying. He did bad things, but he wouldn't do that. Please tell me you're lying. >> This is This is >> Please tell me you're lying. Please, you're lying. No, you're lying. Please. Please. You are. Please. >> If they did it. No, I don't believe you. Then it's my fault for knowing him. Oh no. Please. Please. No. Oh my god. Oh my god. Oh no. Oh, please. You're lying. Please. You're just saying that, >> Don. It didn't go as easy as Nate thought it would. >> What? >> Got to the end. >> Oh, no. No. Don't tell me. Please. Oh, no. No. Detectives believed two things were clear. Nathaniel was inside the house before Robert got home, which meant Donna had let him in. And there was a struggle over the gun. One that severed the tip of Nathaniel's pinky and sent Donna on a late night trip for first aid supplies. When police accused her of helping set it up and even buying him a mask, Donna shut down and demanded a lawyer. In the next room, investigators turned their focus to Nathaniel. >> Told you, you know what I'm saying? I mean, how it was, man. I mean, I don't even like to talk about it, man. You know what I'm saying? I mean that's you know what I'm saying? I mean told you what happened man. You know what I'm saying? I mean I don't even want you know what I'm saying discussing nobody man. You know cuz that ain't going you know ain't going to bring ain't going to bring the man back. >> Let's let's go over the events that occurred on December 11th. That's Tuesday. That's the day that um the occurred. All right. You get up early in the morning, right? You hook up with Don on Tuesday. It's over, man. You know what I'm saying? I said what I had to say, man. You know what I'm saying? That's it, man. Anything else, man? You know, we just, man, you know, I get it. You know, I ain't no I ain't no For real, man. You know, I'm just always a hustler, man. You know what I'm saying? That's all. I mean, trying to, you know what I'm saying? I mean, making on my own, man. You know, >> about how long after you told him to meet you up by St. Sea Staples before he comes up there? >> Guess it was after he got off work, you know what I'm saying? Whatever time he got off work, you know? >> Okay. Robert rolls up and what happens? >> Pulled up. You know what I'm saying? Car. You know what I'm saying? >> He rolls up a sea stable. He wants something from you, right? >> Hey, he want >> How much he want? >> Huh? >> How much he want? >> He wanted an ounce. >> He didn't have an ounce. >> Okay. Did you have any with you? >> Huh? >> What do you want from him? >> I don't I don't want any from me. You know what I mean? I mean, >> you didn't want him to put you up in his crib for a while, >> huh? >> Didn't you say you wanted him to put you up for a while? >> Actually, you know what I'm saying? Can I can I come up there? You know what I'm saying? And chill. You know what I mean? You ain't got you ain't got to put me up. You know I mean I'm I'm going to ask you. You know what I'm saying? I mean cuz I mean ain't nothing to a failure but a try. You see what I'm saying? >> I mean >> but you asking if you could come over there and hang out. >> Did you end up in his car? >> Yeah. He took me. >> He told you to get in his car. >> Yeah. When we when he first pulled up, you know what I'm saying? He unlocked the door. you know what I'm saying? Got in, you know, and um we was we was driving up. I said, "Look here. Check this out, man." Um I said, "Um, you think you can go ahead and um let me chill, you know what I'm saying, at night, man?" you know, I mean, then, you know, we get an early start at the mall, you know, take me down there, you know, show me how to, you know, get progress, you know, I mean, with the luggage bags and you know, man, just >> So, you were going to start working for him, right? >> Yeah. >> And you were he was discussing with you how you were going to go about your job. >> Yeah. you know then when we get to the house he's saying yeah you know you got the um you telling me about the street life and [ __ ] you know what I'm saying I'm going you know I'm going to do this forever and you know but I'm like man you know damn man why why would you down somebody like that you know what I'm saying I mean >> disrespectful >> everybody everybody changed you know what I'm saying I mean but it's like a lot of know I'm saying I can just take and eat up you know what I'm saying I mean you You can call me what you want. You know what I'm saying? Say what you want to say. You know what I mean? I'm not I mean I'm I'm I'm more I'm more than a man on that. You know what I'm saying? Cuz I ain't going to let no words sit here and intimidate me. You know what I'm saying? To try to hurt nobody. You know what I'm saying? Cuz it's all you doing, you know? I mean, but you going you going you going to pull a weapon on me, man. I mean, damn. You just let me know right then. You know what I'm saying? It's like, you know, you for real. >> Nathaniel tries to pass off his bold violent behavior as confidence, using it as cover to control the room, but the officers saw it for what it was, a mask that was about to slip under pressure. >> Phew. For real. >> So, when you got out the house, did you guys Where did Where did the guys put the car at? >> Uh, we put the car in the garage. >> Okay. And then they put the garage door down. >> Mhm. >> And you went into the house? >> Yeah. So you guys go in the house, you guys sit down at the kitchen table and talk. >> Yeah. Sitting there, you know, we was talking, you know, and he was telling me, you know, all you, you know what I'm saying? You black guys the same this and that. You know, y'all don't want to do nothing for y'all, you know. And then, you know, then he make me think like, well, damn. You know, you you trying to, you know what I'm saying now? And I'm I'm a funky or something. You know what I'm saying? cuz you you you telling me all this, you know, you about to hire me. So it's like, you know, you just saying, "Huh?" Yeah. Yeah. [ __ ] got you. You know what I'm saying? Working for me. But, you know, I mean, I still like that I overlook. You know what I'm saying? I mean, I'm just trying to, you know, I'm trying to, you know, make it a different lifestyle. You know what I'm saying? And try to work something. You know, I listen to anything, you know what I'm saying? Somebody, you know, try to tell me and say, you know what I mean? I ain't going to just take it and throw it away, you know. I mean, I'm going go ahead and put some use to it, you know. I'm listening at him and said, you know, then he was telling me I told him, "Well, man, look at here, man. I mean, come give me a lecture or something, man. I mean, [ __ ] could have left me." You know what I'm saying? Down the hood. I mean, if I knew I was coming up here for this [ __ ] man. You know, he had to, man. You know what I'm saying? I go grab a [ __ ] man. I'm like, you know what I'm saying to myself, man? This cat >> this comes out. Why Why does it come out? >> Cuz I told him, man. I said, "Look here." I said, "Look, >> if you blow me up here, man, for all this [ __ ] man. You you you could have left me back." You know what I'm saying? I mean, man, you know, I mean, I don't got to be here. You know, he was talking about you you can um you can walk and man, look here, man. I said, "Hey, man. Look, then again, I ain't I ain't walking." You know what I'm saying? I ain't walking. He talking about, oh, you know, you can get the out of here now. You know what I'm saying? I'm like, yeah, I understand. When I look up, man. >> Where did it come from, >> man? I don't know, man. >> I ain't see I ain't see nothing, man. You know what I'm saying? He just like flip, man. You know what I'm saying? I mean, you just Dr. Jack on his side. So he flips, >> pulls the out whether he's got on his clothes or wherever it comes from. >> Yeah. You know what I'm saying? He got the gun pointed at you. >> He got up, you know what I'm saying? So I reached up, you know what I'm saying? I I go to grab, you know what I'm saying? You know, I mean, I got the front of it. You know what I'm saying? I'm trying to, you know, hold it back away from me, man. You know, >> and what happened? >> Wow, man. You know what I'm saying? He squeezed on me, man. >> Squeezed on me. >> Yeah. >> What happened? I that's when I that's when I felt my finger and man you know I'm like what the >> you Robert >> man I mean yeah I didn't mean to man I mean how many times did you >> man I just man I just heard off you know what I'm saying like two times man they going off you know what I'm saying like couple times man I mean I ain't I ain't mean you know what I'm It wasn't like I'm sitting here, you know, counting those like, "Yeah, this this is what I'mma do." You know what I mean? I ain't, man. I ain't want to do it, man. >> I swear to God, I ain't want to do it, man. >> I'm serious, man. And I ain't want to take nobody's life, man. We like this, you know what I'm saying? I mean, I mean, I'm a side, you know what I'm saying? I'm trying to touch him with the, you know what I'm saying? He He got the ups on me, you know what I'm saying? I mean, he he trying to, you know what I'm saying? Really bent me over and I'm thinking like, man, you know, I'm I'm I'm gone, man. You know, >> again, >> huh? >> You squeeze the trigger again. >> Man, that's that's how it was, man. You know what I'm saying? >> Then what happens after that, >> man? I ran junk in the car, man. You left, man. >> I was scared, man. I ain't want to do that [ __ ] man. And I ain't I ain't need to take that man's life, man. >> The final question for detectives was Donna's role. The letters and phone calls made it clear she knew about the plan, but investigators needed to determine how far her involvement really went. >> You know what I'm saying? >> Did you tell did you tell Donna what happened? >> So she get you a room. >> You know what I'm saying? She helped me out. >> So you guys go back to the day's end and she drops you off in the room and she goes to Walgreens and gets some bandages and broxot and is that right and she brings it back to the room. >> But what I'm saying is I mean she gets you the room, right? She helps you out. But see, why am I gonna sit here? Why am I gonna sit here and want to talk to you? You know what I'm saying? When I know I just did something. You know what I'm saying? >> No, what I'm saying is I mean, she gets the room, right? She gets a room for you. >> Okay. So, how does she pay for it? >> I don't know, man. I mean, I don't I don't go I mean, I don't go through all that. >> But then she goes to Walgreens and brings the stuff to the room. Look. Hey man, I you know I I told you, you know what I'm saying what I had to say, man. I mean, I man, I can't just sit here, you know what I'm saying? I mean, just just keep on, you know what I'm saying? Backtracking. I don't even want to talk about it no more, man. I'm I'm through it, man. Just Man, you know, I mean, these guys found a pair of gloves over at Chila's house. You know about those pair of gloves. Got a hole in the finger. Got a hole in this finger. Say what? You got Do you have those on when you got through? You know what I'm saying? I mean, >> well, there's there's more here that we didn't get to. We we some of the like I said, man, I talk to my lawyer, man. You know what I'm saying? Other than that, man, you know. >> So, you you're going to put this all on you? >> I mean, it it got to be, man. got me in here. I did it, man. You know what I'm saying? I mean, like I say, man, I mean, I ain't going I ain't going to jog your dog in the water, you know what I'm saying? Don't want to go, you know what I'm saying? >> For real. >> Nothing about it, >> man. I ain't know nothing about it, man. I mean, I ain't going I ain't going to sit here, you know what I'm saying? I mean, if we was if you was my worst enemy, you know what I'm saying? I mean, I ain't going to put nothing on you, you know what I'm saying, that you been through, man? You know, flat out, man. I mean, I ain't never been the type of person to do that, man. If I do something, man, I take the fall for it myself, man. Cuz if I did it, but if you if you had something to do with it, oh, most definitely. You know what I'm saying? You got to go with me. But if you ain't had nothing to do with it, man, I mean, that's just like, man, you know, I'm I'm taking your life. You know? >> Yeah. But just because Donna wasn't there and didn't pull the trigger mean ain't had nothing to do with it at all, man. The lady ain't had nothing to do with it, man. You know what I'm saying? I mean, all the lady was was nice, man. You know what I'm saying? I mean I mean and it man it hurted me. You know what I'm saying after that happened man? You know I mean I ain't going to just say you know what I'm saying drag a lady down after nothing man. You know and I wouldn't and and and and furthermore you know if I'mma if I'mma do something like this intentionally you know what I'm saying? I mean, I'm going I'm going to ride along. You know what I'm saying? Cuz I ain't going to never tell on me. You know what I'm saying? So, I I ain't never I ain't never I ain't never used nobody. You know what I'm saying? For me to try to get here. If I'm going to do something, I'mma do it by myself, man. You know what I'm saying? I mean, like I say, it wasn't like nothing. Nathaniel believed he could walk away with the secret, but the bold handwriting and mounting evidence made it clear he was lying. He looked like he wanted to escape the interrogation room. Yet, the officers pressed on, determined to nail both him and Donna, the criminal mastermind. >> Did you ever talk to Donner or they write in letters back and forth about, you know, you need a ski mask, you need gloves, you need to get some things so the job can be done. So, >> how do you explain that? >> How do you explain what? So, >> why would you need a ski mask? >> I mean, yeah, that's that's what I'm saying. >> Why would you need clothes? >> I'm saying that's what I'm saying. >> You know, >> why would you need Donna to let you in? >> I mean, >> you got to be in the house, but you know, when he comes home, >> look at you. Check this out. Check this out. >> Okay, check it out. Go ahead. >> If it's Man, look here. Like I say, man, if it was some intensity, you know what I'm saying? Planning on doing, man. I mean, like I say, man, I cut him down in my neck of the woods, man. You know what I'm saying? >> Yeah, but this is the way you wanted it done. >> You guys wanted to be together, man. I mean, it's like this >> and Robert knew because he found your letters. >> I can I can have I can have, you know what I'm saying? I mean, I'm I'm entitled to any female I want. You know what I'm saying? I mean, if you know what I mean, if if if we we don't be together, you know what I'm saying? And you know, you know that you you know what I mean? You got a little a string attached, you know what I'm saying? I mean, hey, well, hell, you know what I'm saying? If you if you if you want to be with me, you know what I'm saying? You got to go ahead and get rid of that first. You know what I'm saying? I mean, you know what I'm saying? Then go ahead and buy this business. You see what I'm saying? Well, I know what you're saying. But >> But look, >> I mean, were you and Donna kicking it? >> I don't You know what I'm saying? I mean, I wasn't trying to I wasn't trying to sit here, you know what I'm saying? I mean, and and and hide nothing. You know what I'm saying? I keep it real. >> If that's if that's a fair statement, let me ask you this. You said you got rid of the off the bypass, right? Then why was it laying on the kitchen floor? Well, how do you explain that? I know you say it's prison talk, but you and Donna have these letters going back and forth. You telling her you have it planned out. It's all in your head. You know what needs to be done. You're street wise. You know what you got to do. Day after you get out of prison, it's got to be done. >> Yeah. But how do you explain the gloves? I mean, >> you know, you got them gloves there. There's blood on them. Blood's going to come probably come back to you. I mean, the part of the gloves is torn where the you were >> or Robert, you're right. I >> mean, why would you wear gloves into the house? >> That's what I'm saying. >> Cuz you don't want the fingerprints, right? >> It was all in your letter. >> In the end, both Donna and Nathaniel were convicted of firstdegree. Nathaniel was sentenced to though a federal court vacated it in May 2025, and he now awaits resentencing with a minimum of life in prison. Donna requested the death penalty for herself and the judge granted it, making her the only female on Ohio's row where she remains to this day.