00:00:09
The one thing I've learned in this job is that anything is possible. People will do anything.
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And if you have $80,000 to throw around, you can absolutely find someone in Los Angeles County to kill your wife.
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This story is definitely ripe for a made for TV movie where you have the ex-model
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turned [music] housewife with the millionaire husband who is cheating on his wife and tries to hire a hitman
00:00:43
because he's not winning his divorce. Monica Olsen used to be a model and she ran her own skinare company. Do you know
00:00:53
googly was a successful [music] businessman in Los Angeles? He was the lead singer of a rock band,
00:01:02
but he would pay to have the rock band play at the House of Blues. And he would tell his employees that they were
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required to go to his shows. Monica and Dino, they were married for about 7 years, and it looked to be a
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pretty happy marriage. They had two really beautiful children. What Monica didn't know was that there wasn't a time
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that he wasn't cheating on her. >> She was in love with this man. >> Yeah. >> And had no clue no
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>> what was going on behind her back. >> Dino wanted too much. He wanted the hot model wife and his
00:01:45
kids, [music] but then he also wanted everything on the side. And I think he wanted Monica to be a
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certain person or to just follow whatever he said and do whatever he wanted her to do and control her. But he
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couldn't do that. Someone like Mr. Googly Melly when they don't get their way will do whatever
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they need to do legal or illegal to get their way. And ultimately he decided [music] that he wanted to end it not
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through the legal proceedings [music] but he wanted to kill his wife. and he wasn't going to do it himself. He was
00:02:20
going to get somebody else to do it. >> He wanted her dead. He didn't care how it was done. Beat her up, cut her head
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off, put her in a ditch. My name is Richard Ferman and Dino Guggle hired me to murder his wife.
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>> [music] >> Okay. Tonight's 48 hours, appropriately set in Los Angeles, is a twisted tale of greed
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and murder that at times may seem like a Hollywood blockbuster. Like any good thriller, it's one part romance, two
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parts Hitchcock, but in the end, it's all true. >> It wasn't a joke to him. It was very
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serious. Get it over with. Be bloody. Be bad about it. And end it. Meet Rick Ferman. In 2012, millionaire
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Dino Gugglei asked him to kill the mother of his children. >> Did you ever say, "How would the
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children feel if they lost their mother?" >> More than once. >> And what did he say?
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>> He would say, "They'll be much better off without her. I will find them a good
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mother, and I'll even have you check her out first and make sure she's great and
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make get your approval." >> Just 9 years earlier, this horror story was a love story. Monica Olsen, a small
00:04:38
town girl from Canada, [music] made it big as a New York fashion model and then moved to Los Angeles to try her
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hand at acting. >> Monica's working very hard towards it, being successful in modeling and acting.
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>> Monica's close friend, Ola Bernard. >> She was beautiful. I mean, she's very photogenic. If this whole thing wouldn't
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happened, we would see her in the big screens right now. Definitely. Olia says Monica wasn't in Los Angeles
00:05:04
for very long before she was swept off her feet by Dino, a charming farm boy from a big family in Walaw Wala,
00:05:12
Washington. >> We all grew up in the same house where my parents live currently.
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>> Alio Gugli says his brother Dino's first love was music. [music] >> He's always been a musician. very very
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interested in music. >> Dino dropped out of college and moved to Los Angeles to be a rock star.
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>> But that's not how he would make his fortune. Living in the land of health and
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fitness, Dino saw a need and capitalized on it. He started making and distributing vitamins and other dietary
00:05:52
supplements. >> There's nobody in the world doesn't want to live longer. And so he parlayed that
00:05:58
into a great business. Dena would eventually build the hugely successful multi-level supplements and skincare
00:06:05
company Creations Garden. >> Dena was a young successful man with a lot of money and a lot of power. And
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when he met Monica, he wanted her and he knew how to get her. >> 6 months after they met, Dena flew
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Monica to Italy and proposed. >> It sounds like a fairy tale in the beginning because he proposed to her in
00:06:26
Venice. I mean, there was a love at first sight. You don't hear those stories happened.
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>> The couple was married just 3 months later and Dino's brother, Gino Gugglei, attended the lavish wedding.
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>> It was pretty fancy for me, the whole thing. >> Gino says Dena's model wife seemed to
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complete his baby brother's transformation from farm boy to mogul. >> He had a successful business. He had
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nice cars. I think that just added to the image. >> What were your impressions of Monica? I
00:06:58
didn't care for her. I thought she was a gold digger and had other motives. I don't know what it was. Something about
00:07:03
her I didn't really care for. >> She wanted her lifestyle that wasn't sitting at home. You know, her lifestyle
00:07:10
was to go to Hollywood and whatever they do in Hollywood. They had nannies, people with the girls, you know, all day
00:07:17
long. So he he's probably spent more time with him because when he'd come home from work sometimes she wouldn't
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come back till later in the evening. >> I think she was a great wife and from what I saw uh of their life, I mean they
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were perfect together. >> But Gino lived with his brother and Monica for 6 months early on in their
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marriage and says he saw trouble from the start. just two people with the same kind of egos and I think she really
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wanted to have a career and I think he wanted her to be a mom. >> Olia says Monica was a great wife and
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mother but when she wanted more their relationship changed and so did Dino. >> Monica was at home taking care of kids
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for a couple years and it was time for her to be more independent. I think Dino was scared of losing control off of
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Monica, started being more aggressive, more controlling towards her. >> By the time Rick Ferman came into the
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picture, their marriage was in its final act. >> I knew he was dating all sorts of girls
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because he liked to brag about it. >> Rick and Dena were in business together, supplying vitamins and supplements to
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the military. Rick had served as an enlisted man years earlier and had contacts and says that impressed Dino.
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>> You two became friends >> close. >> And the closer they got, the more Dino confided in Rick.
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>> Dino told me that Monica was a very bad mother. Always gone all the time and slept around with men, women, drank too
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much, did drugs. Dino filed for divorce and Rick says he became consumed with the thought of losing half his assets
00:09:01
and custody of his children. >> Dino is uh for lack of a better word a complete control freak and a game
00:09:09
player. He had to be one step ahead of everybody. He had to win at the end of the day. Rick says when Dena was ordered
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to pay a whopping $55,000 a month in alimony, he hatched a plan to have his Canadian-B born wife arrested and
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deported. And he turned to Rick for help. >> With my military background, Dino thought I was perfect. He would like me
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to plant drugs in her car, follow her around, and call the police when she's driving erratically to see if she can
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get pulled over. I had Monica's house keys, Monica's car keys, Monica's credit card statements showing me everything
00:09:46
that she's done, every place that she's been. Dino filed papers showing his company was in trouble and the alimony
00:09:53
was reduced to 25,000. But Rick says it was still too much, >> too late. >> What was the final straw for him? He got
00:10:02
an email from his own attorney to him stating that he was just better off to give her the $25,000 a month and the
00:10:11
credit card and just leave it alone and that to him he just lost. His own attorney said, "Dude, you just
00:10:19
you you lost. Give it up. Just just pay." It's like asking him to stop breathing. He he can't do that.
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>> So, what were his instructions to you? >> This has got to end. She's got to go.
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Get it. Get it done. >> If I wasn't going to do it, he was going to find somebody to do it.
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>> Rick told Dino he would take care of Monica, and he did. Just not the way Dino wanted.
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Why are you still alive? >> You know, I think Rick had did the noble thing. >> Monica Olsen.
00:10:52
>> Remarkable. >> And Deputy District Attorney Emily Cole. >> Monica is really lucky that Mr. googly
00:10:59
picked the wrong guy, otherwise she'd be dead. I remember the first time I saw him, he
00:11:21
was smiling at me. When Monica Olsen married Dino Guggler, she was sure he was her happily ever after.
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>> He was persistent. He was charming. >> She never [music] dreamt their story would end so tragically.
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>> You don't think that the person that you've created a life with can want to harm you
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and make you suffer. Monica is very intelligent and has a master's degree in international
00:11:52
finance. But she says that like a lot of women, she was blinded by Dino's charm and the spoils of his riches.
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>> We went out on a date and he said, "You know, I have two plane tickets and I want to take you to Paris. Throughout
00:12:06
our marriage, he spoiled me." But Monica says things began to change in 2008 when she decided she wanted to
00:12:15
go back to work and asked Dino to help her create a skincare line called Skin by Monica.
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>> That was kind of my baby. [laughter] >> But Dino took charge. >> Everything was kind of under his control
00:12:29
and I was kept out of the loop. Don't ask too many questions. >> Monica says the more questions she
00:12:36
asked, the angrier Dino became. So she worked on reigniting her modeling career, but that just made Dino furious.
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There was a change in his personality. >> Huge. He went dark. I mean, it was it was as if he was possessed.
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>> Monica says she was never the one sleeping around and doing drugs. Dino was. And at the height of that madness, he
00:13:06
created his heavy metal rock band. >> Dino dyed his hair and polished his nails black and told Monica it was all
00:13:16
for show, but she says she became terrified of him and started documenting his behavior.
00:13:22
>> Everything that's going on, she's recording on a cell phone, >> which is fine. She can do that. She has
00:13:27
a replay. When Dina started behaving really badly, uh Monica would record him on her on her cell phone.
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>> Come on, let's go. Let's go get your backpack. >> Showing these videos to everyone saying,
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"Look, I don't know what happened to him. This is this is really crazy. He's behaving like a lunatic."
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>> In this incident, Dino fired a nanny who his children love. >> You don't understand. You can't be here.
00:13:53
>> Because she was too loyal to Monica. >> You can't do that. Look it. It's not a choice.
00:14:02
>> After Dino filed for divorce, he had refused to move out. What Monica didn't know is that while Dino was living in
00:14:08
the guest house, he was already planning to get rid of her by paying his friend Rick Ferman to do it.
00:14:16
>> How did he want Monica killed? >> Now, it depended on the day. >> Rick says he tried to keep Dino happy
00:14:22
and stall him through the divorce, hoping it would all end when there was an agreement. But things just kept
00:14:29
escalating. >> She was definitely putting him through the ringer and he wanted her to suffer.
00:14:35
So I came up with this idea of letting him know that she was infected with AIDS and then just a matter of time, Dino,
00:14:43
it'll all be over. Don't worry about it. And that worked for months. >> How did he react when you told him that
00:14:48
you infected Monica with HIV virus? >> How big can you smile? It's not a joke. I mean, literally, how big can you
00:14:55
smile? cuz this was pretty big. >> Rick made it clear he never actually infected Monica with the virus. It was
00:15:01
just a lie to Stalino. But meanwhile, things at the Google home were about to spiral out of control. It
00:15:10
was the night of January 16th, 2012. >> He was getting in my face right then and
00:15:16
there in front of the kids. My first thing was to get the kids removed. Monica says she rushed the children into
00:15:25
her room and locked the door. But before she could dial 911, Dino once again beat
00:15:31
her to it and accused her of assaulting him. >> He said that she wrapped her hands
00:15:38
around his neck and it caused scratches and that she hit him. >> Monica was arrested and Emily Cole was
00:15:47
assigned to the case. The story was corroborated somewhat by their daughters. So the case was filed as a misdemeanor
00:15:55
domestic violence case. >> So there was evidence that she had struck him. >> There were pictures.
00:16:01
>> He showed me a picture that his daughter or one of his friends took or something
00:16:05
of this ed. And I basically said, "Man up. I've cut myself worth shaving." Still, Dena was able to get a
00:16:13
restraining order against Monica and was granted full custody of their daughters.
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>> I'm being given a restraining order to stay away from my kids, to stay away from the house, to stay away from my
00:16:26
business. >> It all sounds too familiar to this woman. >> Do you see parallels between your story
00:16:32
and Monica's? >> This is the same story almost. >> Licia Divine, Dino's ex-wife. At any
00:16:40
given moment, he would do anything to make me lose my kids. That was his goal. >> Leysa says during their divorce, Dino
00:16:50
accused her of doing drugs and being abusive and then took everything, their daughter, their home, and the business
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they started together, Creation's Garden. >> The Dino I married was a caring and
00:17:03
compassionate guy. The guy I divorced was callous, mean, calculating. The best way to describe it is Jackalon
00:17:11
Hyde. >> Looking back in hindsight, this is exactly what he did to his second wife.
00:17:16
He brought up domestic violence charges and he was able to get custody of their child then. And that's exactly what it
00:17:24
looks like he was doing with Monica. >> I'll do the pink fairy. You do. >> Monica lost custody of her girls for 13
00:17:30
months and then charges were finally dropped for lack of evidence. But that's when Dino pushed Rick Ferman to execute
00:17:37
the plan. >> The pressure was on to kill her. Three, five, seven, 10 times a week.
00:17:43
Phone calls at 4:00 a.m. in the morning. When's this going to end? Are you sure you can get it done?
00:17:49
>> There's always problems. Even in normal divorces with couples that fight over
00:17:53
certain things, but you somehow make it work for the benefit of your children. There is no such a concept in his mind.
00:18:05
It's all or nothing. It's the Hunger Games. It's kill or be killed. >> Monica was about to find out how right
00:18:13
she was. Rick Ferman couldn't stall Dino any longer and says he's no killer. So,
00:18:19
we decided to visit Monica's divorce attorney and spill the beans. >> We had quite a detailed discussion. And
00:18:27
you told him >> everything. >> You told him everything that Dino wanted Monica dead.
00:18:32
>> Absolutely. >> How did your husband want you killed? >> I mean, in a horrific way.
00:18:40
He wanted to make it look like a drug killing. Like I had been kidnapped in Mexico and he wanted me raped and he
00:18:48
wanted my head cut off. >> It's pretty horrific. Monica's lawyer took Rick Ferman's
00:18:58
information to the district attorney's office and the case of attempted murder was assigned to none other than Emily
00:19:04
Cole. >> I didn't automatically recognize the googly name. It was his daughter's names
00:19:09
that I recognized from the domestic violence case. That's what clicked in my head that I'd met this guy before.
00:19:16
>> But before Cole could make an arrest, her investigators needed solid evidence.
00:19:22
The detective said, "Would you be willing to wear a wire?" And I said, "Sure." >> On October 1st, 2013, he did just that.
00:19:33
>> You're positive >> that what? >> You want her dead? >> 100%. >> Why wouldn't I?
00:19:41
>> Why wouldn't you? Good question. On the afternoon of October 1st, 2013, [music] Rick Ferman and Dino Gugglei did
00:20:08
something they' done many times. >> They were just going to have lunch and uh this is where they usually went.
00:20:17
spicy mint chicken. >> Let's do the penet curry beef. >> But prosecutor Emily Cole made sure that
00:20:25
this time the tables were turned. >> The detectives in this case from the sheriff's department major crimes. They
00:20:33
were sitting here watching Dino and Ferman have their lunch. >> There's no going back when we get up out
00:20:41
of this seat. So, what did Ferman have to get out of Dino? >> Well, first of all, he needed to give
00:20:48
him an opportunity to say no, to back out at all times. Um, but he needed for Dino to understand that at the end of
00:20:57
this conversation, by the time they walked out that door, that there was no way that Dino was going to be able to
00:21:03
stop what he would put in motion. >> I'll be happy when it's all over. That's when I really happy.
00:21:09
>> We did exactly the same routine as we've done for a year. It was the same conversation. Nothing was changed.
00:21:16
Nothing was embellished. Nothing was made up. >> In a moment Rick calls typical, Dino is
00:21:22
heard justifying his desire to have Monica killed because she lied during a deposition in the domestic violence case
00:21:29
against her. >> She went into her deposition and lied and said that I scratched myself to set
00:21:36
her up. I mean, she never touched me. And then all those scratches came from me going to the bathroom and scratching
00:21:45
myself and she looked me straight in the eyes and said that's when I knew where I
00:21:50
wanted her that I could never ever trust her or anything or anything came out of her
00:21:55
mouth and I knew then that she would do anything to her. >> This is a clip from the recording that
00:22:02
was made that day at this restaurant between Dino and Mr. Ferman. I >> I'll ask you a simple question.
00:22:12
You're positive >> that what? >> You want her dead? >> A >> 100%. >> Are you sure the girls are they're fine?
00:22:21
>> They're totally fine. All I know is probably they're dead. >> So, this is significant because it was
00:22:31
this was a clear declaration that he wanted his wife dead. No matter the consequences,
00:22:37
he wants her dead regardless of who it's gonna hurt. >> It's like a dream come true. Seriously,
00:22:46
>> she's tried so hard to hurt me for so long and done so much, you know, evil things.
00:22:56
>> Three or four times I gave him the way out. Are you sure you want her dead? when I get up out of this seat, it's
00:23:07
done. It's over. I think his words were, "It's been a long time." But why wouldn't I?
00:23:12
>> Why wouldn't I? >> Why wouldn't you? Good question. >> But what are the kids going to do for a
00:23:17
mother? Don't worry about it. I'll find a good one. >> By the time we're out at lunch, it's
00:23:22
already done. You just need to figure out how to pay me. >> Oh, I'll pay. >> How much?
00:23:29
>> You already told me how much. >> 80,000. >> That's what you told me. Rick says that in earlier conversations
00:23:35
about killing Monica, Dino made it clear he wanted it done while she was traveling abroad. So Rick told Dino that
00:23:41
while they were at lunch, Monica was away on vacation in Mexico where she would die that day.
00:23:50
>> Are you telling me it's going to be done today? Are you serious? >> Yes. >> Want to leave this room? Rick convinced
00:23:58
Dino that a hired assassin in Mexico would kill Monica before they had time to digest their lunch.
00:24:04
>> I don't want to know anything. >> There you go. I'm not going to tell you that.
00:24:08
>> I'll read about it in the paper. >> Yes, you will. Mexican. >> Painfully aware of the staying
00:24:15
operation, Monica was hiding out in a hotel room in Beverly Hills. That night, Dena went home to his daughters,
00:24:23
presumably thinking their mother was dead. The following day, the recording was brought to me. We listened to it and
00:24:30
I and then I filed the case. >> Dino Gugglei was arrested at his home in Valencia, California in front of his
00:24:37
daughters and charged with attempted murder. >> They saw him being arrested. >> The girls were taken into protective
00:24:44
custody and Monica had to pick them up at the jail. What I don't understand is why the hate,
00:24:53
the deepseated anger and hatred towards you, >> you know. Um, that's a question for him.
00:25:05
>> One I would eventually get to ask him over the phone. >> You have a prepaid call from
00:25:13
an inmate in corporate in California. >> [groaning] >> Hello, Dino. >> Hi, Charlie. I just want to remind you
00:25:46
that you are you are being recorded. Dino, >> the only way I could ask Dino Guggle why
00:25:51
he wanted his wife Monica killed was via telephone. >> My first question to you is what
00:25:58
mistakes did you make? What are you guilty of? >> Dino is being held in this facility in
00:26:04
Corkran, California, which doesn't allow cameras. Well, I would say I'm probably uh I
00:26:11
could say that I'm guilty of allowing myself to to be betrayed and manipulated. I'm guilty of working too
00:26:18
hard. I'm guilty of trusting too much. >> Dino says he is the victim here. He calls Rick Ferman a master con man who
00:26:28
convinced him they could make millions selling vitamins and supplements to the military. When that con started to
00:26:34
unravel, Dino says Rick set him up for attempted murder. >> You're not taking any responsibility for
00:26:40
this. >> No, I'm no fur. Why did he do it after two years and a manipulation on a military
00:26:50
contract and a and all this stuff? Why did he do that? He didn't have to. I wasn't going out trying to find somebody
00:26:57
to knock off my wife. >> He had a conversation. Prosecutor Emily Cole confirms that Rick did indeed
00:27:04
condino into thinking there was a big contract coming his way. >> Rick forged Department of Defense
00:27:12
documents to lead Mr. Googly Melly to believe that there was some big business deal. And Mr. Ferman explains that he
00:27:20
did that in order to keep Mr. Googly Melly happy because a happy Dino doesn't want to kill his wife.
00:27:27
>> Is there a military contract? There's military contracts given every day. Um,
00:27:32
I particularly am seeking one for supplements. Um, and I'm still working on it today.
00:27:39
And that's really all I'll say with that. >> Our investigation brought forward the
00:27:44
information that Mr. Ferman only spent a year in the military. He had a very basic military background. He was
00:27:50
honorably discharged on injury. Rick Ferman is a chameleon because he'll be whatever you want him to be. And just
00:27:56
like Emily Cole, we found Richard Ferman hard to pin down. >> Are you a hitman? >> No.
00:28:04
>> Have you ever killed somebody? >> Um, not on US soil. That's it. Move on. >> But you have killed someone.
00:28:15
>> Move on. >> He'll say and do what he thinks you want him to do. I think Dino and Mr. Furman
00:28:25
were very similar in that respect and I think that's why they got along so well.
00:28:29
>> But while it was obvious that Rick Ferman was a phony, the conspiracy to kill Monica was very real.
00:28:36
>> By the time we're out of lunch, it's already done. You just need to figure out how to pay me.
00:28:41
>> Oh, I'll pay. >> How much? >> You already told me how much. >> 80,000. >> That's what you told me.
00:28:52
I've listened to the tape and it's very clear on the tape. You wanted your wife killed and you were willing to pay
00:28:58
$80,000 to make it happen. >> Well, the whole money aspect come up numerous times
00:29:06
about him wanting money and needing money. And I've been paying him money for a long time. I don't know how much
00:29:12
money I paid him. I think I in total I I paid him probably $50,000 to secure the military contract. And it
00:29:20
was always, well, how are you going to give me the money and where's the money going to come from? I was question all
00:29:23
the time. By the time the hour and a half lunch was up and he asked me those questions, I wasn't, you know, was it
00:29:30
about killing somebody? I really didn't think anybody was going to be dead. I mean, I'm just answering the question. I
00:29:35
know what the tape appears to be like, but I didn't take any of it seriously. I really do.
00:29:41
Dino claims it was Rick Ferman who wanted to get rid of Monica because she was trying to sabotage his military
00:29:48
contract. >> He convinces me that Monica is calling them and trying to kill the contract. So
00:29:56
he's like, you know, I want to get her out of the country. I want anything I can do to get rid of her. I'm like,
00:30:02
Richard, don't talk like that. Just we'll just pay her when the contract happens. No, no, no. We're not going to
00:30:07
get the contract. Do you understand what she's doing? sending letters to them. >> Are you saying to me, Dino, that Rick
00:30:14
Ferman was the one who proposed killing Monica >> all the time? Yeah. >> And you and you never said that.
00:30:24
>> You No, you never said >> the more I pressed Dino about what he said on the tape, the more he blamed
00:30:30
Rick Ferman and the less his story made sense. Well, on the tape, it's very clear that you understood that once the
00:30:38
lunch with Rick was over, there was no turning back, that he was going to kill Monica.
00:30:43
>> He said that to me many times. There's no turning back once this happens. He he
00:30:48
would say, "There's no turning back if we don't pay the people on the military contract. They're going to kill both of
00:30:54
us." I mean, these were things that he used to say all the time. I didn't take any of it seriously.
00:31:00
I mean, it's it was normal protocol for him to keep talk like that. >> I don't think it's my place to go into
00:31:07
detail because >> But we listen to the whole tape and there is no mistaking what Dino and Rick
00:31:12
were discussing. Even Dino's brother agrees. >> Did you hear the recordings? >> Yes.
00:31:17
>> Between your brother and Rick Ferman. >> Yes. >> What did you make of it? Um, the recordings kind of speak for
00:31:25
themsel that they had a conversation about uh killing Monica. >> Dino made it clear more than once that
00:31:33
he wanted her dead. >> Yes. >> And he was willing to pay $80,000 to have it done.
00:31:38
>> Yes. Yes, he did. >> Does that surprise you? >> Yes, it does surprise me. And uh I truly
00:31:48
believe though the whole situation snowballed out of control. I believe in my heart there maybe you know how guys
00:31:57
talk everybody gets mad. You say things and whatever. He could say I wish she was gone. Somebody said I can get rid of
00:32:03
her for you if you want. The guy was a real blowhard and I could see the situation where he'd say I can take care
00:32:12
of that. No problem. I can do that for you. Sure. Go ahead. Richard told me the whole time, "I don't know Monica, but I
00:32:18
hate her guts. What she's done to you and those children, she should be deported. She should be this. She should
00:32:24
be that." I mean, to the depth of the deception here. I'm not lying. I'm telling you the truth. Yeah. I fell into
00:32:33
a military contract where I was blinded by that. I just kind of ignored it because that was my focus. And that was
00:32:43
wrong. It does show a weakness in me being greedy. I should have recognized what was going on and I'll never forgive
00:32:52
myself for that. But to Emily Cole, this wasn't about a phony military contract or Rick Ferman.
00:33:01
This was a clear-cut case of murder for hire by Dino. >> And you sure the girls are they're fine?
00:33:08
>> They're totally fine. All they need is their dad. All they all think is they're
00:33:13
dead. >> There was just one problem. Cole's star witness was an alleged con man.
00:33:21
>> Were you concerned about putting Rick Ferman on the stand >> to an extent? >> Why?
00:33:27
>> He had his own credibility issues and that was brought forward in the preliminary hearing. There were a lot of
00:33:33
things that the defense attorney brought up that didn't make [music] him look great.
00:33:38
The defense portrayed Ferman as a fraud who manipulated Dino with a fictional multi-million dollar military contract
00:33:45
for supplements. Cole knew that would happen again if Ferman was called as a witness in front of a jury.
00:33:52
>> But the case wasn't Mr. Ferman. It was [music] the tape. >> But would the tape be enough to convince
00:33:57
the jury? [music] You're positive. >> Then what? >> You want her dead. >> Nine months after Dino Guggliam was
00:34:25
caught on tape and charged with attempted murder for trying to have his wife killed, Emily Cole was preparing
00:34:30
for trial. The evidence from the tape had the potential to send Dino away for life.
00:34:37
>> When Mr. Ferman tells him that when he leaves this room, he can't change the fact that Monica is going to be killed.
00:34:43
And Mr. Googlamelly agrees to that, that is Mr. Googlame pointing the proverbial
00:34:48
gun at Monica. >> And there's no way for them to like come track it back to me, right?
00:34:55
>> No. That's why I asked you about the money. Cole had solid evidence on that tape, but she also had a big problem.
00:35:02
Rick Ferman himself. Just before trial, she decided she wasn't going to take any
00:35:06
chances and made a stunning decision. She offered Dino a deal, plead guilty to attempted murder in the second degree,
00:35:14
and serve only 9 years in prison. >> He had never spent a day in jail previous to this incident. He didn't
00:35:23
have a record. Mr. Googli didn't commit violence on anyone either. Um, and I think this was a fair sentence.
00:35:29
>> I think my life is worth more than that. To me, the intent shows the criminal
00:35:35
mind, the intention. So, if I try to kill you and the bullet misses you by half an inch, am I less of a criminal
00:35:43
because I don't have a good aim? Is he less of a criminal because Richard came forward?
00:35:50
>> Did you want this to go to trial? >> Yes, absolutely. I was shocked. I remember calling asking them, "Why are
00:36:00
you offering him a plea?" Um, what I got back was, "Don't worry about it. He'll never take it. Don't worry about it.
00:36:07
He's going away for life." >> Why did you take the preal? >> I didn't want to. As you know, I went
00:36:16
all the way to the last second before I took the deal. But my mom um my my whole
00:36:22
family pleaded with me to take the deal. I wasn't going to. I thought the one to
00:36:28
five chance was really worth taking the risk and I told him all that. Um I didn't think a jury was going to
00:36:35
find me guilty. Um but after my mom said, "Please just take the deal." I took the deal.
00:36:45
>> Dino is serving his time here at this state prison in Corkran, California. He
00:36:50
will be eligible for parole in 2021. He will get out angry. He will get out vengeful. And he will
00:37:00
get out thinking that the game still needs to be won. >> Despite suspicions that Rick Ferman is a
00:37:07
con man, he has not been charged with any crime. His biggest fear is when Dino is released.
00:37:14
>> That's what's scary for me. There isn't any doubt in my mind that my life would
00:37:20
be in danger. And Monica fears for her safety as well. >> I know that my husband's very
00:37:26
resourceful. He may have asked Rick, but he could have asked many other people, too. He had a lot more than 80,000 at
00:37:32
his disposal to have me killed. >> So, do you believe money will be waiting for him when he's released?
00:37:38
>> If he has control over it from prison, then absolutely who will have access to
00:37:44
um several millions. >> Dena's brother, Gino, insists there is no money left. She claims that there's
00:37:52
$4.5 million overseas. Okay, go find it. His second wife. Oh, there's $20 million overseas. Go find it. How
00:38:02
come nobody's finding it? Seriously, where is it? Honestly, the guy is in prison. Can't
00:38:12
somebody go get it? >> Do you have any sympathy for Monica? No, I think she I think she pretty much
00:38:20
brings on all of her misfortune herself, but I didn't like her before, so I'm certainly not going to like her now.
00:38:30
>> What if your brother was actually associating with a real headman? Monica could be dead today. I guess by
00:38:40
the tape it's probably true, but I believe that my brother in his business world probably knew more
00:38:50
capable people if you wanted something like that done than Richard Ferman. That's why I think it was just a
00:38:55
something said between two guys that spiraled out of control. >> Does Monica have any reason to fear for
00:39:01
her safety after you are released from prison? >> Of course not. I just want my I want to
00:39:07
take care of my kids. I want to pay child support. I want to be a good providing citizen and a good providing
00:39:15
father. >> But Dino might have a hard time with that. Monica is proceeding with the
00:39:21
divorce, fighting for the house, whatever money is left, and she has full custody of their daughters.
00:39:28
>> How do you explain something like this? And how do you make them adjust to a new
00:39:33
life knowing that their father's alive, knowing that their father, you know, is in prison?
00:39:40
>> Do they know why he's in prison? >> Yes. They saw him being arrested. So they were they were very present that
00:39:46
morning. Vendela, my my youngest, she said um she said, "You know, mommy, God gave daddy a timeout."
00:39:57
But Dino still claims he is the victim. >> I've been criminalized, Troy, which is
00:40:04
just destroyed my life. And I don't get it. I don't understand why everyone wants to attack me and this
00:40:13
guy set me up. Monica is lucky because in the end, Rick Ferman is not a killer. He's someone
00:40:21
that might bend the truth or omit the truth, but he's not a killer. And that's what saved Monica.
00:40:29
>> Monica's main concern now is her children. >> I know his intention is to reunite
00:40:36
himself with the kids and take those children away from me. I know that that's >> Is that one of your greatest fears?
00:40:43
>> Do I think about it? Yes. Am I going to live in fear every day? No. I'm not going to allow this man to do this to
00:40:51
me. No. I intend on really making something of my experience [music] and not shying away from what happened. Um
00:41:00
because I think that if somebody can look at my life and what I've been through and learn from it,
00:41:07
then I've done something right. >> Anything else you want to say? >> You have 30 seconds remaining.
00:41:15
>> Um you know 15 minutes of fame has turned into 30 seconds of fame. I can only describe it as evil.
00:41:39
Something horrible >> from 48 hours. This is trained to kill the dog trainer, the ays, and the
00:41:45
bodyguard. >> He couldn't control his obsession. Who was the hunter and who was the hunted?
00:41:51
Follow and listen on the free Odyssey app or wherever you get your podcasts. It is farm country, horse country,
00:42:25
bucolic, upwardly mobile, >> wealthy type of community, affluent. >> It's a quiet place,
00:42:43
>> tiny, unassuming house. Just a a simple farmhouse. >> Colts neck has a lot of these.
00:42:53
>> Yes. >> This beautiful little farmhouse with this beautiful farm star, you know, in
00:42:59
the middle of it. In July of 2013, I was an assistant prosecutor in Mammoth County, New
00:43:11
Jersey. Donna and Shako was alone. She had just gone to bed for the evening. >> An intruder came into her house and
00:43:23
attacked her, stabbing her repeatedly. >> 911. Where's emergency? >> Oh, my name is Don Chuck. I just got
00:43:32
stabbed. >> Where are you? >> Really bad. >> Kid just came in and stabbed me. My heart. I'm pouring gushing blood.
00:43:44
>> Okay. >> I'm losing consciousness. >> Keep your eyes open. >> Donna. Donna. >> I was driving home.
00:44:01
It was maybe like 3:00 in the morning, 3:30. As I pulled up closer, I saw big SUVs,
00:44:12
cop cars, lights flashing everywhere. I was like, where is my mom? And they were like, well, she has been
00:44:26
attacked and she's on her way to the hospital. They couldn't tell me whether she was
00:44:34
alive or she wasn't. >> I was new into major crimes. I didn't have the experience that some of the
00:44:44
older detectives, so I had never seen that much blood in before. >> Why would somebody do this? Who did
00:44:53
this? What did she ever do to anybody? You know, on that night in the early morning
00:45:01
hours, we got a 911 call from a worker from this restaurant. >> About how far from Donna's house are we
00:45:10
standing right here? >> This is about an 8-minute drive. They called because they saw a subject
00:45:17
walking through their drive-thru. >> I have detention, please. One of my customers were in drive-thru were
00:45:22
approached by a man with no shirt but had a knife in his hand >> knocking on windows carrying a knife.
00:45:29
>> One of the witnesses who saw the young man, she agreed to come in and give us a
00:45:35
sketch. >> Everybody was asking about the police sketch. It was in every store. People
00:45:42
were frightened. >> Can you tell me about the tip? >> I get a call. The woman on the other end
00:45:51
says that she's calling about the stabbing in Colts neck. She said, "I think my cousin may have something to do
00:45:57
with that. Tiny Colts, New Jersey sits just 50 miles from New York City, but it might as well be a world away.
00:46:55
So, in July 2013, this quiet community was rocked by news of a violent home invasion where the victim was stabbed
00:47:03
repeatedly. The only thing more shocking, >> my name is Donna Angakaco. >> The victim survived.
00:47:14
>> I lost in in total close to 3/4 of the blood in my body. There's no earthly reason why I'm alive.
00:47:24
None. >> If I had asked you at the time to give me a list of a hundred things you're
00:47:29
worried about, where would have home invasion been? >> Oh, no. Never. Donna worked for a company that brokered
00:47:39
fuel for ships on the nearby Jersey shore. She and her daughter Kirstston lived in
00:47:45
this farmhouse on the edge of flower fields. >> She was 20 when she had me, so we're
00:47:51
only 20 years and one day apart. >> Friend Sharon Sharp hired Donna decades ago.
00:47:57
>> Kirsten had just been born. >> Yeah, Kirsten was a baby. I thought she was really brave being a single mom,
00:48:05
very young. >> I was by her side all the time. >> Kirsten, who now works as a welder,
00:48:18
recalls what life was like just prior to her mother's attack. >> We were going to the gym multiple times
00:48:25
a week. Not only was she like mentally strong, but she was physically strong. >> She was so fit. She did tough mutters
00:48:32
with uh Kirsten. >> I like that competition. I like to show strength, uh physical strength. Things
00:48:38
couldn't have been any better at that time. >> That's when Saturday of July 4th weekend
00:48:48
rolled around. Mammoth County Detective Andrea Tazzy says they were having a heat wave.
00:48:54
>> It was humid, but we had no rain or anything like that. I mean, it was a dry night. So, Donna
00:49:00
>> had her windows open. Yes, she had her windows open just to cir obviously to circulate air.
00:49:08
>> Kirsten was out at a party. So, I was home doing laundry. I'd say about 11, 11:30. Um, I decide I'm going to get
00:49:20
ready for bed. Um, I let the cat out. I went brushed my teeth. But just as she was drifting off to
00:49:30
sleep, >> I heard what I thought was the cat. I heard something and I remembered, "Oh, I
00:49:36
forgot to let the cat in." >> Without turning on any lights, Donna headed downstairs to open the front door
00:49:44
for her cat. >> But instead, when I opened the door, I saw someone standing there.
00:49:51
In the split second after seeing this person on my porch, I saw the knife. He was trying to cut into the screen of
00:50:02
the window that was right next to the front door. >> She says she didn't recognize the young
00:50:07
white male standing right in front of her holding a large knife. >> I tried to slam and shut the door.
00:50:15
My fingers were protruding out. He stuck the knife through the opening and cut my
00:50:20
finger. Um, so that I immediately let go of the door and then he pushed his way in.
00:50:27
I'm backing into my kitchen. We're face to face. It didn't register to me that he was
00:50:34
actually going to stab me. >> But without a word, that's exactly what the stranger did.
00:50:42
>> He slashed my cheek. And you can see that here. Actually, it starts back here. There was no way to process that
00:50:52
that happened. >> Donna's attacker came at her with the knife again. >> He then slashed three times on the side
00:51:01
of my neck. >> She tried grabbing the knife, but only cut her own hand in the process. Did you
00:51:08
feel like you were dealing with somebody who was really strong? No, but I felt like he was very sure,
00:51:16
like he was very in control of himself. >> Donna was starting to weaken from the
00:51:21
injuries. >> I felt like my legs were going to give out, so I braced myself against the
00:51:29
corner of um my bathroom right next to the front door. >> Sure enough, she slid down to the floor.
00:51:36
I was in fetal position and I'm bleeding and he came over and it was kind of like
00:51:41
he was playing, you know, with the knife and just started jabbing at me. So that's when he caught me here. Um, and
00:51:50
he got me in the back of my neck here. >> Finally, Donna's attacker spoke to her.
00:51:55
>> This was when he decided to ask me for my car keys and if I had a lighter. >> A lighter?
00:52:02
>> Mhm. I just answered him. Um, there's a lighter in my purse and my purse was on the
00:52:07
table back in the kitchen. So, he went over and was rumaging through my purse and got the keys, got the lighter.
00:52:15
>> Donna's asalent ended up taking her entire purse with him, but not before returning one last time to Donna, still
00:52:23
bleeding on the floor. >> He said, "You dead bitch." and plunged the knife into my chest.
00:52:31
Once he plunges the knife in and then removes it, what does he do then? >> He just walked out the door.
00:52:39
>> With no neighbors and earshot, Donna knew she must get help somehow. >> Your phone isn't in reach.
00:52:47
>> No, my phone was upstairs in my bedroom charging. >> Donna had no landline in the house. But
00:52:54
even as the blood was draining rapidly from her body, she had one pressing concern. above her own survival.
00:53:03
>> Kirstston could come home and find me. I just didn't want her to have to experience any level of the horror that
00:53:09
I had just gone through or any other levels in finding me there dead. >> So, this is a mother's instinct as pure
00:53:19
as it gets. >> Yes. Absolutely. Yeah. >> You know, you have to get upstairs if you're going to be able to make a call
00:53:27
for help, >> right? How do you get up those stairs? >> That I don't know. There was divine intervention that
00:53:39
helped me up those stairs. No doubt. No doubt in my mind. A mother disappears. Evidence points to
00:53:54
homicide. The suspect is gone, too. Leading US marshals on a relentless manhunt. The chase is on. Justice is
00:54:00
coming. 48 hours tonight on CBS and streaming on Paramount Plus. >> Being an FBI agent is not just a job.
00:54:07
>> Our city is under attack. >> It's a life. We're hunting a serial killer. The life we chose. People are in
00:54:14
danger. >> That only works if we're doing it together. >> Teamwork. >> Cover me. Let's rock and roll. Yeah,
00:54:30
the FBI's new episodes Tuesday on CBS and streaming on Paramount Plus. >> We know how his story ended. [music] Now
00:54:39
see how it all began. NCIS Origins, coming CBS fall. She's a tiny little woman. You have to imagine that many stab
00:54:58
wounds and she just willed it. She was not going to die there. >> Former Mammoth County Assistant
00:55:05
Prosecutor Lorie Ghart says Donna Anshakaco was determined her daughter Kirstston would not come home to find
00:55:13
her dead. She knew she had to get to her cell phone upstairs. >> I don't remember my feet or my hands
00:55:21
actually touching the stairs. The energy that it took for me to get up off the ground and up those stairs. I
00:55:30
was definitely guided. The amount of strength that goes into that is just unimaginable.
00:55:38
>> But the motivation was you. >> Yeah. Yep. Maybe I was there guiding her in spirit.
00:55:48
>> Once Donna made it upstairs, she faced a new challenge after peering out her bedroom window.
00:55:55
>> She had a car sitting right here, >> right? She had a car sitting right in this area.
00:55:59
>> I could still see the car was there and I could see he the car was on and he was
00:56:02
in it. If I take my phone off the charger, it's going to light up. He's going to see the light. Afraid her
00:56:08
attacker would come back for her, Donna did her best to hide the light of the phone. Then just getting it to work
00:56:16
became the next hurdle. >> My hands are covered in blood, my touchcreen. I was trying to swipe and
00:56:22
swipe. So I ended up having to wipe my hands off, wipe the phone off, wipe it down on the bed, and then I was able to
00:56:29
do the touchcreen and get through to 911. >> Oh, my name is Don Chuck. I just got
00:56:33
stabbed really bad. Kid just came in and stabbed me. He stole my car. >> Okay. Okay. Okay. Just stand up on me.
00:56:39
Okay. Where did you get stabbed? >> In the neck. Blood is cushing out and in the chest.
00:56:44
>> Detective Andrea Tazzy says Donna's ability to place that call despite her injuries was amazing. But then Donna did
00:56:52
something even more extraordinary. She gave a detailed description of her attacker.
00:56:58
>> Okay. Do you know what he looked like? >> Yeah. He was probably about 17. white,
00:57:04
real skinny, curly hair, blonde, dirty blonde hair, backpack. >> It was pretty chilling to listen to
00:57:12
Donna and be able to hear her accurately talk about this is what happened. This is what he looks like.
00:57:18
>> I'm losing consciousness. >> And then hear her fade out. >> Donna. >> Donna. >> Hello, Donna.
00:57:30
>> Donna. Yes, ma'am. >> I think he just sat down for a minute. >> Police and paramedics arrived less than
00:57:39
eight minutes after Donna dialed 911, but her attacker had already fled. Donna was rushed to Jersey Shore University
00:57:47
Medical Center and into trauma surgery. It would be a few more hours before Kirstston arrived home from her party to
00:57:55
a house surrounded by flashing lights. I saw the caution tape and that her car was gone.
00:58:02
>> Police told Kirsten what happened to her mother. You were deeply shaken. >> Oh, yeah. I remember at one point my
00:58:09
knees buckled. They had the SUV, the undercover cop car. The trunk was open, so I was like, "Can I sit here because I
00:58:17
feel like I'm going to pass out." >> As Kristen was processing the news, an allout manhunt had already begun for
00:58:24
Donna's asalent. Detective Tazzy says another 911 call had come in shortly before Donna's attack.
00:58:32
>> I was going to pick up my daughter and there was a kid hitchhiking >> from a driver who saw someone walking
00:58:39
along the road near Donna's house. >> They saw a young man with a backpack and khaki pants. He was walking close to the
00:58:47
fog line and kind of stepping into traffic and she felt that he was kind of a hitchhiker. He was on the northbound
00:58:54
side walking southbound and I'm afraid he's going to get hit by a car. >> How old about?
00:59:01
>> I'm going to say like 18, 19, 20, some something like that. >> She was concerned because she just
00:59:08
thought that maybe he needed help in some way. >> And was a car dispatched? >> Yes. Yes. They didn't find him, though.
00:59:15
>> Still, the good Samaritan driver had inadvertently given the investigation its first leave. I felt that the the
00:59:24
hitchhiker was my person. It was too coincidental for that time of the night in that area for somebody to be walking.
00:59:31
And then 15 minutes later, Donna is calling say that she was stabbed. >> And there was about to be another tip.
00:59:38
Not long after Donna's 911 call from a fast food restaurant 5 miles from her house. They saw a subject walking
00:59:47
through their drive-thru, knocking on windows, carrying a knife, and it looked like it had blood on it.
00:59:54
>> Employees from the Taco Bell quickly called police. >> You have any description of him?
00:59:59
>> Yeah, he was wearing um you know, like those army pants and he had no shirt. He
01:00:03
was white with like really like bushy hair, but it was like long like the skater type hair.
01:00:09
>> How old was he? >> I don't know. He looked like he was like 18. Police rushed to the Taco Bell and
01:00:15
started canvasing the nearby shopping center. They didn't find their suspect, but they did find something else.
01:00:23
>> So, there had been a bolo put out on on Donna's vehicle. >> Be on the lookout,
01:00:27
>> right? And in the process of looking for this person here, they found the car.
01:00:33
>> Donna's stolen car, this BMW, had been ditched behind a movie theater. It was
01:00:40
lights on and and it was running. So, it clearly was an abandoned vehicle. >> Tazzy says the car would become crucial.
01:00:50
>> There was blood all over it and so we were hoping that we would get some kind
01:00:54
of DNA evidence of our suspect. >> Did you? >> We did. Sharon Sharp will never forget the dread
01:01:22
she felt when she arrived at the hospital to see her friend Donna Anakaco, only to be told she wasn't
01:01:29
there. I'm picturing the color draining from your face and the air leaving your lungs like
01:01:34
>> totally. No, this cannot be. There's no way [music] she has to be here. >> Did you think maybe she had died?
01:01:39
>> Yes. Yes. >> It turned out with her attacker still on the loose, the hospital had admitted
01:01:45
Donna under an alias to protect her. Sharon was allowed to see Donna the next day.
01:01:51
>> An intensive care room I've never seen before. It looked like an enlarged, massively
01:01:57
enlarged cockpit wall because there were [music] tons of machines behind her and
01:02:03
she looked almost like a puppet. Surgery [music] was 7 hours, I believe. >> Despite losing 34 of the blood in her
01:02:12
body, trauma surgeons had saved Donna's life, but at a tremendous cost. You may find the pictures you're about to see
01:02:20
disturbing. I pretty much looked like [music] a living cadaver. >> I had 37 stitches on my face and neck,
01:02:30
38 staples [music] in my chest, seven stitches in my hand, and now internally my sternum is wired
01:02:37
shut. >> And as for that final stab to Donna's chest just before her asalent left,
01:02:44
>> it missed my heart by the edge of a dime is what I remember them telling me. the
01:02:51
edge of a dime >> when she talks about the margin that the knife missed her heart by.
01:03:02
>> Yeah. If she was any slouched over anymore, that would have been it. >> Kirsten says as soon as her mother was
01:03:11
able to talk, she had one simple request. >> I remember her saying, "All I smell is
01:03:18
this blood in my hair. Can somebody please wash my hair? >> Sharon says they got permission and then
01:03:27
she and two of Donna's family members did their best to wash Donna's hair as she lay in her hospital bed.
01:03:34
>> We were determined to see if we can make her smile. So, we turned it into a ridiculous idiot session with three of
01:03:42
us like a factory line. We laughed through our tears and anytime anybody would get too serious, we would make it
01:03:49
funny. >> But her hair was far from Donna's biggest concern. She was sure her attacker would find her and finish the
01:03:58
job. >> She was convinced that he was in the hospital. And we kept telling her, "No,
01:04:03
you're here under an alias." I survived. I stood face to face with him. I could 100% positively identify him. He's
01:04:12
coming back for me. Detective Tazzy says they were pretty sure the young man knocking on windows at the Taco Bell
01:04:19
drive-thru shortly after Donna's attack was their suspect. Within two days, a customer who saw him met with a police
01:04:28
sketch artist >> and was able to provide pretty great details on the person she saw that
01:04:35
night. >> Investigators then took the sketch to the hospital. >> What did Donna say when she saw that
01:04:42
sketch? She said, "Yeah, that's was incredibly accurate." She tweaked it a little bit. She said that yes, that
01:04:48
looks like the person who stabbed me. >> His curly blonde hair, he was like a surfer kid or a skateboarder or
01:04:58
something like that. >> Former assistant prosecutor Lorie Ghart says the sketch of the suspect was soon
01:05:04
plastered all over Mammoth County and on law enforcement social media. So, people
01:05:11
are obviously talking and trying to figure out, do we know him? Where is he from? Who is this kid? And it's scary
01:05:18
because you like to have a sense of security in your community. >> Investigators reviewed the cameras of
01:05:26
stores in the shopping center near the Taco Bell to see if they'd get lucky and spot their suspect, hoping the more
01:05:33
images they had, the more likely the chance of identifying him. We were trying to go back and look at video from
01:05:40
various businesses to see the description and really to put out the bolo like this is who we're looking for.
01:05:47
>> Security cameras had captured the suspect once again. >> The surveillance we got from the store
01:05:53
over there was from inside the store but it was pointing outwards. >> I see. And it definitely caught him.
01:05:58
>> Oh yeah. You could see him [music] walking. >> Wow. As police kept looking for the suspect,
01:06:05
Donna was turning a corner, at least physically. Amazingly, after just 4 days, Donna Angakaco was released from
01:06:14
the hospital. Sharon says that was all due to the training Donna had done prior to the attack.
01:06:21
>> Clearly, she's very physically fit. She wouldn't have survived this if she wasn't.
01:06:26
>> It's an amazing thing. You were out in 4 days, but as you leave the hospital, you are also
01:06:35
walking back into a world where whoever did this to you is still out there, >> right? But also, I wasn't going back to
01:06:44
the farm. I wasn't going back to my house. No, there was no way. >> In fact, Donna would never step foot in
01:06:52
her house again. She and Kirsten moved in with family living in New Jersey. Then just 8 days after the attack, not
01:07:01
long after the police sketch began circulating, Detective Tazzy's phone rang. >> I take the call and the woman on the
01:07:09
other end says that she's calling about the stabbing in Colts neck. >> I said, "Okay." I said, "How can I help
01:07:15
you?" And she said, "I I think my cousin Brennan Doyle may have something to do with that."
01:07:22
It was the first time Tazzy had heard the name Brennan Doyle. He was just 16 years old. His cousin told Tazzy word
01:07:32
was going around her family that Brennan was involved in the Colts neck stabbing.
01:07:38
The cousin had seen Brennan just days prior to Donna's attack >> between July 3rd and 6th because he was
01:07:45
up in Connecticut for her wedding with his [music] family. >> He had attended her wedding. He attended
01:07:51
her wedding and she was able to provide us a picture of what he looked like during the time he was up there for the
01:07:58
wedding. >> The photo she sends is Brennan with long curly hair wearing camouflage shorts
01:08:04
looking very much like the kid in the sketch and more importantly on the videotapes.
01:08:10
Brennan's resemblance to the sketch all around town was about to become even more important because of what the
01:08:17
cousin told Detective Tazzy happened a few days later. >> She was staying at Brennan's family's
01:08:24
[music] lake house in New Hampshire as a wedding gift. And Brennan, his brother, and the
01:08:30
mother showed up there unexpected. >> Hang on. This woman is in Lake Winnipegasi.
01:08:36
She's on her honeymoon. >> Yes. And all of a sudden, there's Brennan, Brennan's mother, Brennan's
01:08:42
brother, crashing her honeymoon. >> Yes. And the dog. >> But what was even more surprising was
01:08:49
Brennan's appearance. >> Brennan's hair was cut. >> The next time she sees him, he's cut his
01:08:56
hair. >> Yes. >> So, that's a big red flag. >> Yes. Brennan Doyle's cousin told investigators that [music] Brennan
01:09:15
showed up just days after Donna's attack, hundreds of miles from home with his hair suddenly cut short, similar to
01:09:23
this. Like Donna, the Doyle family resided in Colt's neck. Former assistant prosecutor
01:09:30
Lorie Ghart. We lived in a very nice house. Two sons, a mom and a dad. The life of a typical Colts next teenager.
01:09:38
It's a life of wealth. It's a life of privilege. >> Doyle was a student athlete on wrestling
01:09:44
and hockey teams. Detective Tazzy started digging into his background. >> He had never been arrested. There was
01:09:51
never any charges filed against him [music] prior to our investigation. According to the prosecutor's records,
01:09:58
police had been called to the Doyle House for what they refer to as family conflicts. The location of the home
01:10:06
would turn out to be very important. >> Where did Brennan live? >> So, if you make a right up here and you
01:10:12
go up maybe a quarter of a mile on the left. >> So, that's close. >> Yeah. >> The teen and his family lived within
01:10:19
walking distance of Donna's house up the very road that driver had reported seeing someone. she described as a young
01:10:26
hitchhiker just prior to Donna's attack. >> I'm afraid he's going to get hit by a
01:10:31
car. >> When does the Doyle family return to Colts neck? >> Later in July >> with Brennan and his family back in
01:10:41
town, Tazzy reached out to the family saying investigators were canvasing the neighborhood.
01:10:47
>> What happened when you went to the house? >> We spoke with Mrs. Doyle. She was
01:10:51
nervous. Her voice was cracking. And >> did this raise an eyebrow for you? >> It did. We asked if Brennan and his
01:10:58
brother could come and look at the composite sketch and if they had any idea who that person might be on the
01:11:04
sketch. >> Did Brennan come out? >> He did. >> Tazzy says she wanted to see Brennan's
01:11:09
hair to confirm what his cousin had told her, that it had been cut much shorter.
01:11:16
It seemed the teen tried to stay a step ahead when he came out to greet the detective.
01:11:22
He was wearing a hat. He was wearing a baseball hat. >> I think wearing a baseball cap was a
01:11:27
calculated move. >> It might have been, but it didn't work. >> You could tell his hair was cut short.
01:11:34
>> Next, Tazy showed Brennan the police sketch of the suspect. The same one Donna helped tweak to look just like her
01:11:42
attacker. >> How did he react? >> He looked away. He looked at it, looked away, and said, "I don't know. I don't
01:11:49
know." He was nervous and he was scared and he got very quiet. >> There is a reaction. Eyes are down. No
01:11:55
eye contact. People are nervous. Mom starts redirecting the conversation. >> Doyle's family and his attorney denied
01:12:03
our request for an interview. We asked CBS News consultant defense attorney Matt Troano to study the case file.
01:12:11
>> And I think that that probably confirms what they believe going in. Brennan's
01:12:16
odd behavior and resemblance to the sketch and video evidence may have been striking, but with nothing else to go on
01:12:23
yet, Tazzy thanked the Doyless for their time and left. >> Did you know that was your guy?
01:12:30
>> I was pretty confident that we were on the right track with him, but we also have a duty. We had other leads that
01:12:36
were coming in, so we were doing a lot of follow-ups. >> As investigators worked the case, Donna
01:12:42
was struggling. Weeks after the attack, the reality of what had happened to her had taken hold.
01:12:49
>> I lost everything that night. I lost my home. [music] Had nowhere to go. I lost
01:12:54
my car. They took it into evidence. >> Donna, you lost more than half your blood.
01:12:59
>> I Exactly. I lost I lost a lot. >> Donna says that's when in addition to her physical recovery, she faced a new
01:13:09
challenge. symptoms um of PTSD started to show up. I'm not eating. I'm not sleeping. I don't care about anything.
01:13:17
I'm angry. I'm sad. I'm happy. I'm you know, every emotion under the sun at any minute. I felt like I was going crazy. I
01:13:25
was always thinking, I don't know who this kid is, but he climbed through the window in that second that I fell asleep
01:13:32
and now he's hiding in the closet. You know, kind of crazy thoughts. Sharon Sharp says Donna's fear meant even
01:13:40
friendly visits required a new protocol, including announcing her arrival every step of the way so as not to trigger
01:13:48
Donna. >> I'm going to come around the hedges now and [music] I'm going to enter the
01:13:52
backyard. I'm going to be touching the gate in 3 2 1. I would shake my keys first, which had bells on them. Say,
01:14:00
"It's me, Sharon. I'm coming." >> The investigation lasted through the summer of 2013. Brennan Doyle remained
01:14:08
the only likely suspect. Detective Tazy says investigators took the next step in
01:14:14
September. We got a warrant to obtain his DNA, his fingerprints, photographs of him, just things that are personal to
01:14:23
him. >> When the results came back, >> there's a fingerprint match. Then ultimately there's a DNA match. Brennan
01:14:30
Doyle's DNA was a spot-on match to unknown DNA found in Donna's car in a number of places.
01:14:39
11 different DNA samples and pieces of evidence found in that vehicle. And really, there's no reason why Brennan
01:14:47
Doyle's DNA should be in this woman's vehicle. He's a stranger to her. One more crucial piece of evidence was
01:14:55
found in early October in the most unexpected spot. >> Repair men [music] were servicing an air
01:15:03
conditioning unit that was on the top of the strip mall. They found the knife on
01:15:07
the the roof right near the air conditioning unit. A knife looking weathered as though it had been there
01:15:13
for months, found on a bowling alley roof in the very same shopping center where the Taco Bell was located and
01:15:20
where Donna's car had been abandoned. How important was the knife? >> It ended up being very important because
01:15:27
the knife was from a set. We determined that that knife matched another knife that we knew came from the Doyle
01:15:35
household that had been taken months earlier. Through a twist of timing and fate, the Colts Neck police already had
01:15:44
another night from the Doyle home taken after police were called to the house a few weeks prior to Donna's attack
01:15:51
following an altercation between Brennan and his brother. >> There's a knife that's apparently used
01:15:57
by the younger brother in in a threatening manner. Police are called. Police take the knife and the situation
01:16:02
ends. >> There was no charges or anything that came of it, but they secured the knife
01:16:06
in their evidence vault. It was the same brand name, the same look. It was a silver knife.
01:16:13
>> It was from the same collection. >> Correct. That was kind of the icing on the cake to get a search warrant. They
01:16:19
had moved during the course of this investigation. [music] So, we got a search warrant for their new home.
01:16:25
>> The search of the new Doyle residence, also in Colts Neck, turned up the rest
01:16:30
of the knife set matching the one found at top the shopping center. In late October 2013, Brennan Doyle was
01:16:38
arrested. [music] >> What kinds of charges was he facing? >> Serious ones. Attempted murder,
01:16:45
carjacking, weapons possession. These are the most serious of crimes that we have.
01:16:55
What do you make of the evidence against Brennan Doyle? Take a look at the complete investigation at 48our.com.
01:17:11
Months after Donna's brush with death, her alleged attacker, Brennan Doyle, was in custody, facing six counts, including
01:17:20
attempted murder and carjacking. He pleaded not guilty. >> You have to look at the seriousness of
01:17:27
the offense. The prosecution felt the crime warranted trying Doyle as an adult, even though he was 16 at the
01:17:34
time. >> And in juvenile court, Brennan is looking at four years maximum in a youth
01:17:40
detention facility. In adult court, he's looking at up to 30 years. >> A judge would rule in assistant
01:17:46
prosecutor Ghart's favor, but there was a catch. Doyle would now be entitled to post bail set at $760,000,
01:17:57
which he did. When you heard he was out, did all of the fear come rushing back? >> It wasn't so much fear as it was anger
01:18:06
that he was even allowed to be bailed out. >> The thought of running into Doyle terrified Kirsten. She says he even
01:18:15
haunted her dreams. >> I didn't realize how much it was affecting me. I had no idea until I was
01:18:21
like falling asleep and all I see is his face. >> As prosecutors develop their case, the
01:18:27
details of what happened that horrific night began to emerge. >> What does Brennan Doyle say happened the
01:18:35
night of July 6th heading into the morning of July 7th, 2013? >> Mushrooms. He says he was under the influence of a
01:18:45
hallucinogenic mushrooms. According to investigative reports he examined, Matt Triano says that on the night of Donna's
01:18:54
attack, Doyle claimed he was losing touch with reality and had gotten into a fight with his father.
01:19:00
>> He has a knife in his hand. Dad kicks him out and he kind of loses his mind, makes bad decisions.
01:19:07
>> Police thought it was likely that Doyle, who lived a short distance away, approached Donna's home looking to steal
01:19:14
her car. I don't know if his intent was to kill Donna. Certainly, when he started stabbing her, that became his
01:19:21
intent. >> To me, what he's doing is he's getting rid of the witness. >> Ghart believes Doyle did not act like
01:19:28
someone incapacitated by drugs. Doyle drove 5 miles to that shopping center after leaving Donna's house.
01:19:36
>> This kid manages to ditch a knife. He abandons the car. And that's not a kid who's so high on mushrooms, he doesn't
01:19:43
know what he's doing. Triano says while a lot of the evidence against Brennan Doyle was strong, the
01:19:49
knife, the security camera videos, one thing put this case over the top. >> What is going to seal the fate of of
01:19:58
this boy, this kid, is that there's DNA in her vehicle that links to him. It's indefensible.
01:20:07
>> But as it turned out, there would be no need for a defense. In August of 2015,
01:20:13
Brennan Doyle agreed to a plea deal. In return, the prosecution dropped all but the two most serious charges, carjacking
01:20:22
and attempted murder. >> It was very important for me that he admit his guilt. If he took the plea, he
01:20:29
would have to confess his guilt to the [music] court. In October 2015, Brennan Doyle, now 18 years old, appeared in
01:20:39
Mammoth County Superior Court for sentencing. Donna, who'd attended every court appearance, was there to face him
01:20:48
one last time. >> Even though I felt overpowered by fear, I wanted [music] him to see me as strong
01:20:57
and as a survivor. It was an emotional day for Kirsten there to support her mother.
01:21:07
>> When you would look at him in court, what do you remember feeling? >> Anger. Just very angry.
01:21:17
>> Sorry. >> The drugs turned me into a monster that night. >> Doyle was permitted to address the
01:21:26
court. I pray and hope her wounds will lessen and she will recover eventually. I am asking you to forgive me. Going to
01:21:36
prison will be the hardest thing I will ever have to face in my life. I'm afraid.
01:21:43
>> Brennan Doyle was sentenced to 15 years in state prison. The law requires him to
01:21:49
serve at least 85% of that time. Justice has to be done on both sides and we we have to be sensitive to that. We have a
01:21:57
16-year-old kid who for the most part had absolutely no prior history. The court has a balancing act to do.
01:22:04
>> Did it feel like justice? >> It did not. >> What would have felt like justice to
01:22:09
you? >> More like 30 years, 40 years, 50 years, if not longer. Even with Doyle off the streets, Donna
01:22:22
was still struggling. She had found PTSD and domestic violence support groups, but says there were none for victims of
01:22:31
random attacks. So, in 2015, she decided to create her own survivors of violent crimes.
01:22:40
>> Reason we took to the support group was to help each other cope. Donna connected
01:22:46
with fellow survivors Tiffany and Dana Richards. Together, they held meetings and felt gratified they could help when
01:22:55
more survivors joined. >> They're finding relief and knowing that they're not alone.
01:23:01
>> But Donna says her work isn't done. Her future plans include helping victims connect with trauma therapists and
01:23:08
offering self-defense classes. As she grows her support group, she's also educating others. She travels to
01:23:16
prisons, meeting with inmates, and addresses police cadets so they can understand the victim's point of view.
01:23:24
>> I got up. I made it up the stairs to my bedroom where my cell phone was, but I
01:23:29
got through to 911. [applause] >> She survives and she's building a life. How could
01:23:40
anyone not applaud that? >> Donna says the physical scars that remain are a reminder of the surgeons
01:23:51
who saved her life. >> This is artwork. They're beautiful artwork. You could either get sucked into the
01:24:00
darkness or you just keep going. I did what I had to do to to be here today and go another day.
01:24:34
A mother disappears. Evidence points to homicide. >> And she's nowhere to be found.
01:24:39
>> The suspect is gone, too. Leading US marshals on a relentless manhunt. >> He was using the railways to move
01:24:45
around, hopping trains. >> The chase is on. >> Justice is coming. >> 48 hours next on CBS and streaming on
01:24:51
Paramount Plus. Ever think in your wildest dreams that someone might want to kill you?
01:25:10
>> I would have never thought that anyone would want to kill me ever in my life.
01:25:14
Ever. >> My dad's a sweet guy. I mean, he's very calm. He's full of laughter. He's full
01:25:20
of energy. He's like a life of the party. My life was once beautiful, wonderful. I
01:25:26
have three wonderful kids, was married to a beautiful lady. >> Hi guys, my name is Lulu.
01:25:33
>> My business was booming. >> And I'm Ramos Sosa, head coach boxing. >> Welcome to women's boxing [music] and
01:25:40
fitness. >> Outside the ring, boxers, they're very loving. They want love from their fans
01:25:48
and they want to give it back. They're the nicest people. I was a very very low-key kind of guy.
01:25:56
That's the furthest thing from my mind that somebody wanted me dead. >> I remember walking in one night as the
01:26:03
gym was in its final hours before it closed. I remember a conversation was taking place about Hitman.
01:26:12
>> What was it about this conversation that caught your attention? [music] >> What caught my attention was whose name
01:26:16
came up. >> Did they mention Raone? >> Yes. Now my focus was just on talking to Raone.
01:26:24
>> I said, "Mundo, you're joking around. You know what's going on." >> Raone was like, "Don't don't play with
01:26:28
me like that. This is some serious stuff." >> And then he said, "I seen that look on
01:26:32
people's eye before they want to kill somebody." >> It's like a screenplay, something
01:26:37
straight out of Hollywood. And it would fit right in with every other horror flick that we've seen in the past.
01:26:41
>> Except this is real. >> It is real. We're taking you inside the twists and turns of a complex sting operation. And
01:26:51
here's what makes it unique. The target of the murder for hire plot becomes an undercover operative to catch the person
01:27:00
who wants him dead. >> So, Lieutenant, where are we heading? >> We are heading to what we refer to as
01:27:07
the dig site. >> This is the actual grave where I was supposed [music] to be dead. They had me
01:27:12
lay down with my hands behind my back, my head turned. It was a photographer. All I could hear was just the clicking
01:27:20
of the camera. [music] >> That was somebody's choice. They told someone, "This is what I want. This is
01:27:25
how I want you to do it. And this is where I want you to put him." It's horrifying.
01:27:30
>> I saw myself in a grave dead. Literally, I was supposed to be dead. I'm the only
01:27:36
person alive that has ever walked out of his own grave. Heat. Heat. [music] To this day, Ramon Sosa finds it surreal
01:28:13
that he was the target in a murder for higher plot. >> I would have never believed it. I would
01:28:20
have thought I would have thought it was just something that is you only see in movies or on TV.
01:28:27
I would have never thought that it would be happening to me. He appeared to have the perfect life
01:28:38
from rubbing shoulders with celebrities like Hugh Hefner to owning a successful boxing gym in
01:28:46
Houston. And he had found the love of his life, Lulu. >> Life was very [music] sweet.
01:28:56
>> Beth Blur is a friend of the Sosas. I saw two fun, outgoing, love to party, love to [music] get together with people
01:29:06
and have barbecues and the more people the marrier. Ramon's zest for life started early. He
01:29:14
was born with a fighting spirit. Originally from Karolina, Puerto Rico, Ramon grew up boxing with his father.
01:29:22
>> I fell in love with the sport of boxing. I I saw how the training and and there
01:29:26
was a few world champions that trained there and and I just loved it from from the time I I was little.
01:29:32
>> After training for more than 10 years, Ramon took a shot at the pro boxing circuit.
01:29:40
>> They used to call me uh the Puerto Rican Express. When I turned 17, I turned pro.
01:29:44
>> So, did you ever knock anybody out in the ring? >> Oh, yeah. There was a lot of knockouts.
01:29:49
>> Eventually, the Puerto Rican Express ran out of steam. Raone hung up his boxing
01:29:54
gloves and decided to pursue the American dream. >> I went back to school, uh, got my
01:30:01
education and and and started and I still kept training, you know, always wanted to be involved with boxing in
01:30:06
some kind of way. >> Raone got married young [music] and had three children with his first wife. He
01:30:13
eventually settled down in Houston, Texas, where he opened a boxing [music] gym of his own where he could continue
01:30:20
to teach his passion. I think Ramon is a a nice, humble guy, friendly, uh, family
01:30:27
oriented. >> Raul Marquez is an Olympic boxer >> and Showtime commentator. He is also Ramon's longtime sparring
01:30:38
buddy. >> Anybody that goes in the ring, it's got to be tough. It's got to be mentally
01:30:42
tough, you know. I think he's physically and mentally tough, but like I always say, he wasn't tough enough to beat me,
01:30:48
you know, beat my butt, you know. [laughter] So, who is the better fighter? You or Ramon?
01:30:53
>> Well, records speak speak for themselves. Just look at look it up. Look it up. [laughter]
01:31:00
>> Ramon's first marriage ended in 2000. By 2007, Ramon, then 40, was ready [music]
01:31:07
to get back in the ring. But this time, he was looking for a different kind of knockout.
01:31:13
>> And a friend of mine said, "Hey, man. There's a place where they play live music. I heard there's a lot of
01:31:17
beautiful ladies out there, Latina ladies. Ramon decided to go and see this place
01:31:24
for himself. And as soon as he arrived, someone special caught his eye. >> Place was packed and I noticed her.
01:31:32
>> Are you thinking, man, I'm fighting out on my weight class here? >> Yeah. Yeah. She was very, very
01:31:37
attractive. You know, she looked very nice and she danced very, very well. So, I just kept my eye on her.
01:31:43
>> The woman he noticed was Lulu Durant. >> [music] >> Next thing I know, she walks by me and
01:31:49
she steps on my toe. >> Now, do you think she might have stepped on your foot on purpose?
01:31:54
>> Oh, she sure did. She She even admitted later on. >> Ramon and Lulu had an instant [music]
01:32:00
connection. >> And that was it. I mean, as soon as we started dancing, we didn't get off the
01:32:05
dance floor for the whole night. >> Ramon still remembers the very [music] first song they danced to, a popular
01:32:11
Latin tune that the salsa band played that night. It would become their song. >> Bruheria is a song by Elran Ko Puerto
01:32:26
Rico. >> And it means what? >> Witchcraft. >> Witchcraft. And forgive the pun, but you
01:32:32
were under her spell, right? >> Basically, yes, I was under her spell. >> Spellbound. After dancing the night
01:32:39
away, Ramon went home with Lulu and the rest was history. She doted on him. She was great.
01:32:47
>> Beth had a ringside seat to their relationship. >> She'd bring him coffee and get up every
01:32:52
morning with him and make his breakfast and I was just thought it was really neat their relationship. You know, they
01:32:59
got along really well. >> They looked at very very happy couple. They would compliment each other. They
01:33:03
were into each other. >> After less than a year of dating, Ramon [music] dropped to one knee.
01:33:11
>> I proposed to her. It was around Christmas time. I remember proposing [music] to her. She started crying. She
01:33:17
cried and cried and cried, you know, and she was happy, you [music] know, and but
01:33:23
she couldn't wait to get married. >> Lulu Durant became Lulu Sosa on March 15th, 2009.
01:33:31
>> She treated me well. She treated him like a king. [music] >> Lulu, originally from Mexico, came to
01:33:38
the United States with her son and daughter. what brought her to Houston, >> you know, to have a new life, a better
01:33:46
life for her children's to, you know, to start again because she was divorced in
01:33:51
Mexico and then she come here. >> Natalia Flores is a hair stylist and one of Lulu's closest friends. She met Lulu
01:33:59
back in 2007. >> She was a nice friend, a good mom, a good worker, a hard worker. Lulu was
01:34:09
often generous with her friends. >> If I would say, "I love that ring." She'd take it off and give it to me. I'd
01:34:15
always be careful to say, "I don't like that." Because she'd end up giving it to
01:34:18
me. >> In 2010, Ramon opened a second gym. This time, Lulu was by his side. She kept the books and became a personal
01:34:29
trainer. >> We offer boxing, kickboxing, and fitness training. >> Come check us out.
01:34:34
>> How big of operation was it? The gym was about 5,000 square feet and we average
01:34:38
about 200 some members a month. Everything was great. >> Little did Raone know he would soon be
01:34:46
in the fight of his life. [music] What was it like growing up Sosa? >> Oh my gosh, it was like being a
01:35:12
superstar almost because everyone knows my dad. Everyone knows who my dad is. >> For Ramon's daughter, Mia, a former
01:35:20
model and beauty pageant contestant, and her two brothers, growing up around a local boxing celebrity had its perks.
01:35:29
>> It was just fun. Our dad was a jokester, so every time we were around, it was
01:35:35
tons of laughs and smiles and all things like that. >> Lots of blended families experience
01:35:41
growing pains. But Mia says life after Lulu arrived, >> hi, my name is Ramos Sosa.
01:35:47
>> I am Lulu Sosa. >> Was not as harmonious as those gym ads made it seem. >> She didn't want anything to do with us.
01:35:58
We were like nothing to her. Mia found Lulu's coldness not just mean, but ominous.
01:36:07
>> It wasn't like she was trying to become a stepmom. She knew that [music] at some
01:36:12
point we weren't really going to be in her picture. >> What's more, the spell Lulu seemed to
01:36:17
cast over Ramon started to eat away at his relationship with his own children. >> She didn't like him spending money on
01:36:25
his kids and seeing them. >> We're not hanging out as much. And I know we're not doing it because he's got
01:36:31
someone else that he's paying his attention to. [music] And it's like, why? I'm your daughter.
01:36:36
Don't Where are you going? >> Ramon says there was so much animosity between Lulu and his children. They
01:36:43
weren't there for a major event in his life. >> My kids didn't go to my wedding. That's
01:36:48
one thing that hurt me. >> That day that we found out that he had got married. [music] It was
01:36:54
heartbreaking. Heartbreaking. Raone and his new bride focused on growing [music] their gym into a
01:37:02
powerhouse for world class training and fitness. >> How much money were you guys making a
01:37:09
month or a year? >> It was probably about over 18 20,000 a month. >> 18 $20,000 a month in profit.
01:37:15
>> Yeah. >> But after 6 years of marriage, the Sosa spell began to break. Lulu started
01:37:24
confiding in her friends. She told me that he doesn't want to work too much and he stay more at home and she's
01:37:30
working hard and hard and hard. >> And accusations of Ramon's laziness were just the beginning.
01:37:37
>> And she said on an occasion or two that he was physical with her, that he had
01:37:42
come in drinking and was physical with [music] her. >> What did she mean by physical?
01:37:47
>> Like grabbing her or pushing her. because he's a strong guy. He came and forced to do things that she doesn't
01:37:56
want in that moment. >> Like sex. >> Uh-huh. >> Did she ever tell you that Ramon would
01:38:05
force himself [music] upon her and force her to have sex with him when she did not want to?
01:38:10
>> Yes, she did. She had said that [music] on occasion. >> Lulu claims that you have raped her.
01:38:17
Yeah, she's tried everything to ruin my life from rape, being abusive to being a
01:38:23
drunk and all these claims. Not one of them, not one have have I been uh charged for. And and I tell you, sir,
01:38:33
that hands have never hit a woman in my in their lives. These have always been for
01:38:39
fighting in the ring, not even the streets. Not even in the streets. For her to say something like that, that was
01:38:46
really hurtful. >> Around the [music] same time that Lulu was complaining to her girlfriends,
01:38:54
Ramon says another problem suspiciously appeared. Missing money. >> After we started having problems at home
01:39:03
with the marriage, there was issues with the gym. [music] >> I'm working people out a lot more and I
01:39:09
see new faces all the time. But when I see the bottom line here, it's not adding up.
01:39:14
>> Are you worried that she's skimming money? >> I I was worried and I was wondering what
01:39:18
she was doing with the money. >> Raone soon learned where some of that money may have gone. In March 2015, Lulu
01:39:26
hired divorce attorney Julio Hoglar. >> Lulu was in fear for her safety. >> Hoglar says he was shocked by what Lulu
01:39:35
brought with her to his office. She was able to take pictures of scratches that he left on her arms, legs,
01:39:48
shoulders. >> He shared the photos with 48 hours. >> According to Lulu, this was caused by
01:39:54
Rammon at one time when he wanted to force himself to her and there was a altercation and [music]
01:40:02
Rammon grabbed her and >> Can I see? >> Scratched her. Yeah. That is evident that he was using force
01:40:10
to push her legs out. >> There's scratches on her upper arm and she claims there's a bruise on her leg
01:40:17
that you inflicted [snorts] on her. >> Those are all fabricated. I I can tell you those are all fabricated.
01:40:24
>> This is >> But there was one photo that even Ramon says was not made up. And as you can see
01:40:31
in this picture, uh, Rammon punched that door and that can give you an idea of the strength of this man
01:40:41
that I admit to that punch. She was accusing me of stuff and that's one thing I did. I took my frustrations out,
01:40:49
but as far as putting a hand on her, never ever. Despite allegations of physical abuse,
01:40:57
Ramon and Lulu remained in the same house even after she filed for divorce. They lived on different floors.
01:41:05
>> And was Lulu afraid of Ramon? Afraid that he may seriously hurt her. >> Yes, she was afraid of that. [music]
01:41:14
>> And it was at that time in June 2015 that this man who asked we not show his face was working out at the gym. He said
01:41:23
to call him Mundo. >> Ramos Sosa. He's a friend. [music] He's a very good mentor to me.
01:41:33
>> Mundo had grown up on the tough streets of East Houston. >> And he had a very very rough background,
01:41:38
[music] gangs and and drugs and and fighting the streets. Then he wanted a new life and he became like like a son
01:41:47
to me. >> Mundo says he was friends with Lulu as well. She was there talking to her
01:41:53
16-year-old daughter when he overheard them. >> A conversation was taking place about a
01:41:59
customer that was there that supposedly was claiming to be a big shot that he had connections of a hitman or or just
01:42:07
people that could inflict harm. What caught my attention was towards the end of the conversation whose name came
01:42:14
up. >> Did they mention Ramon? >> Yes. Stunned, Mundo said nothing. He came back here the next day and confronted
01:42:24
Lulu, who told him that Ramon was physically abusing her. Then she said something else.
01:42:34
>> She's like, "I'm tired. I'm tired of him. It's already too much, you know. I wish he'll disappear. I wish something,
01:42:42
you know." And I'm like, "Disappear? What do you mean disappear?" Like, "What? Disappear?
01:42:48
And I did the pistol sign. [music] Mundo was certain that Lulu had murder on her mind and that his [music] friend
01:43:16
Raone was in danger. >> And what was it about the way she was talking to you that made you think this
01:43:23
was something [music] more than just idle words? >> Her eyes. Just her eyes. I've seen that
01:43:29
look before. Just people that are serious about what they're saying. >> Knowing Lulu was dead serious, Mundo had
01:43:37
to think fast. He came up with a plan to stop her. Mundo offered to get involved
01:43:43
and hire the hitman himself. >> I gave Lulu the impression that I was going to reach out to a hitman that I
01:43:51
have the guys already ready. >> Mundo convinced Lulu he believed her claims of abuse and would help her. But
01:43:59
it was actually all a ploy to protect his friend Ramon, who he called [music] as soon as he left the gym. and he tells
01:44:06
me, "Lu wants to kill you." >> As shocking as the news was, Ramon says he instantly knew why.
01:44:15
>> If I died after the divorce was finalized, she was not going to get the money that I have for my retirement.
01:44:23
>> The value of the gym, the value of >> She had everything already figured out.
01:44:28
Ramon immediately contacted police, but was told nothing could be done based only on conversations with an angry
01:44:36
wife, as threatening as they sounded. >> The sheriff's department needed more. They needed more evidence.
01:44:42
>> So, the two old boxing buddies came up with a plan. They would launch their own
01:44:47
sting operation. >> The tape recorder I'm going to use. >> Using his street smarts, Mundo would
01:44:52
pretend to hire a hitman. [music] He'd send texts to this fictitious killer with details about the hit.
01:44:59
Details he'd share with Lulu. >> She needs to see that I'm going back and forth with somebody.
01:45:05
>> Ramon and Mundo bought two disposable cell phones. Little did Lulu know that the target, [music] her own husband, was
01:45:13
holding that second phone. >> And the phone he's going to use to play his own hitman.
01:45:18
>> Play his own hitman. >> Yes, sir. I started stressing because, you know, here we are, Mia Mundo, doing this
01:45:25
amateur investigation or undercover investigation. I don't know what I'm doing. >> But Mundo did.
01:45:33
>> He started recording his daily conversations with Lulu. Yeah. As the days passed, both men worried
01:45:59
Lulu might have another hitman waiting in the wings. >> My thing was, what if her patience runs
01:46:06
out? You know, Ramon ends up dead or what if her patient runs out and I end up dead? Raone told no one about what he
01:46:15
and Mundo were up to and living in fear over what Lulu might be up took its toll. He started carrying a gun.
01:46:24
>> I'd be at a stoplight and and you know I would put the gun in between my legs, you know, looking left
01:46:32
and right the whole time at a light. >> Ramon could not even escape his fear at night.
01:46:38
>> And you're in bed. Where's the gun? Uh >> he's underneath my pillow. loaded. >> So, Mundo kept the pretend negotiations
01:46:47
on track. >> We used that phone, >> acting as the middleman between the fake hitman and Lulu.
01:46:54
>> She's like, "Well, tell them I'm offering the white truck. Tell them I'm offering them jewelry. Tell them I'm
01:46:59
offering them, you know, this much money." >> All this time, Ramon and Lulu were still
01:47:06
living under the same roof. On June 9th, 2015, before Mundo overheard Lulu's threat, police had been called to the
01:47:14
Sosa house. >> Lulu's defense attorney says there was an argument between [music] Lulu's son
01:47:21
and Raone over a truck which Lulu's son recorded on his cell phone. >> Whose vehicle is this?
01:47:27
>> This is my vehicle. I have legal documents on the right which I need today. >> Please don't take my vehicle. Rammon
01:47:34
went to take the vehicle away from Lulu's son. And when Lulu's son basically told him, "No, you're not
01:47:41
going to take my vehicle. >> Please step out of my car." >> Ramon punched him on his face.
01:47:48
>> Raone, please step out of my car. >> Ramon was issued a citation for assault,
01:47:56
but he says his hand only made contact with the phone. >> I'm an ex-professional fighter. If I
01:48:02
would have hit that kid, believe me, he would not be standing up right now. >> Raone, please step out of my car.
01:48:08
>> I didn't put my hand on that kid. >> On June 30th, Ramon and Lulu faced off in court. Lulu wanted a restraining
01:48:17
order against him. >> Her attorney wrote up the order that I was abusive, that I hit her son, that
01:48:22
they're fear for their lives, you know, living with me staying in my house. Ramon was ordered to move out of their
01:48:28
home and [music] stay away from the Woodlands gym, but he also got an order restraining Lulu from the first gym he
01:48:35
owned, the one he'd [music] opened before meeting her. Raone says he kept his eye on the bigger prize, exposing
01:48:42
Lulu's plot against him. >> You know, she thought she had me on the ropes about to knock me out and boxing.
01:48:50
Let's call an 8 count. I took an 8 count. I got kicked out of my own house. But the boxer was about to make [music]
01:48:57
a comeback. 10 days after launching their Sting, Ramon, posing as Paco, the [music] fake hitman, texts Mundo. He's
01:49:05
gotten a 9 mm gun costing $200. >> When Mundo received the down payment for the gun to have me killed from Lulu,
01:49:16
that's when I said, "You know what? I think we have enough. Let's take this to the police." Now,
01:49:21
>> I got a call on a Sunday. Lieutenant Mike Atkins works for the precinct 3 constable office in Montgomery County,
01:49:29
Texas. >> We had a individual claiming that uh there was a murder for hire against him.
01:49:34
How unusual was that? >> It's extremely unusual. It's the first one of my career.
01:49:39
>> Impressed with the amateur sting, the professionals were now ready to take over. But they needed a streetwise
01:49:46
rookie in their corner. Mundo. I was afraid, sir, that they might get that person to actually do the job.
01:49:54
>> They might go with >> It was important that we not change the investigation. We not change or move
01:50:02
Mundo out of the situation because that might bring alarms. >> Mundo kept stringing Lulu along,
01:50:09
assuring her he was trying to get [music] things done as soon as possible. Finally, he let her know everything is a
01:50:17
go for a meeting on July 20th [music] with the hitman who was really an undercover agent. He looked like he can
01:50:25
be a bad guy in a movie. I said, "Hey, this is the man that's supposed to kill you."
01:50:30
>> Lulu agreed to a night meeting in this parking lot not far from the gym. She brought several watches and some jewelry
01:50:37
as a down payment. Lulu then went to an ATM machine and withdrew $500, which she brought back here to seal the
01:50:46
deal. >> When someone in a murder for hire case actually pays some money, have they
01:50:53
crossed a threshold? >> They have. It shows the uh the level of intent. It shows the fact that they are
01:51:00
serious and it's come to a point where you can't turn back. Police had enough to arrest Lulu right
01:51:09
there and then, but they had concerns, namely Lulu's claims of Ramon's abuse. >> Lulu has never had any problems with the
01:51:17
law. She's a beautiful lady, mother. You We don't want to go to a jury trial and
01:51:22
have one of the jurors feel sorry for her. >> And so, police told Ramon what they
01:51:28
needed to do next. We're planning to take a picture of you uh dead for Ramon. The police sting to bring
01:51:54
down Lulu seemed to be taking a cue from witchcraft. the first song they ever danced to.
01:52:07
>> One of the lyrics, "You want to send me to my cold tomb?" [music] >> "Yeah, we're going to take a picture of
01:52:13
you dead." You know, like in a grave, and we're going to show it to her to show proof that the hitman did the job.
01:52:21
>> He was kind of dumbruck, but then as it was explained to him, he was well on board.
01:52:29
In order to get Raone camera ready, >> it is a bullet wound. >> Police first had to consult some
01:52:36
experts. >> Being uh a bunch of middle-aged men, we don't, you know, we're not exactly
01:52:41
versed on applying makeup. So, naturally, we went to YouTube and learned how to apply makeup from uh from
01:52:48
teenage girls. >> But they also had some deadly examples to follow. Luckily, we had no shortage
01:52:55
of crime scene photos to to use as references. >> The assistant Dave was there and he
01:52:59
brought out some pictures of actual dead people, people with bullet holes to the head.
01:53:07
They picked up the one that they thought that was going to be the best one. And I
01:53:11
looked at >> and they showed you that picture. >> Yeah. I was horrified. >> Next, they had to find Raone a grave.
01:53:19
We're heading to to what we refer to as the dig site. Luckily for us, the county
01:53:26
owned a rideway that would give us the privacy we needed. >> What was going through your mind?
01:53:33
>> Well, I really didn't know what the what it was going to look like. I was at this
01:53:36
point already I mean I already had the uh the makeup. They already started with the with the bullet hole.
01:53:42
>> The final touch fake blood. And they told me once we got to the uh site, they
01:53:49
were going to put more blood on me. >> This is it. My own final resting place. >> So, where were you lying in this grave?
01:53:59
>> My head was there in that corner right there. And I was right over there. >> Yeah. It looked like I had my hands tied
01:54:05
behind my back. They even threw dirt on my on my head. >> It looked like a movie scene, honestly.
01:54:12
>> Was it emotional for you to be in here? >> Yes, very emotional. [music] It was hot.
01:54:16
It was uh scary. It was It was just a feeling of of thoughts of, you know, I [music] can't
01:54:22
believe this what I'm doing. I cannot believe what I'm doing. This is what Lulu wanted right here. This is what she
01:54:27
wanted. >> Now, it's time to show Lulu that this is done and it's uh it's time to get paid.
01:54:39
So, a second meeting was arranged between Lulu and the hitman in the same parking lot, but this time it was all
01:54:46
caught on camera. Lulu then pays him. >> Lulu is shown the photo of Ramon dead in
01:55:23
a grave. She starts laughing. >> No shock at all. No shock. >> What does that tell you about Lulu?
01:55:40
>> She's a pretty cold character. >> The undercover detective and Lulu discuss the remaining payment. All told,
01:55:48
$3,000 in cash, watches, and jewelry, and [music] Ramon's white pickup. Then Lulu is given
01:55:56
more details of her husband's final moments. Lulu maintains she was the victim here.
01:56:21
>> The reality of Ramon's death continues to sink in and Lulu's mood appears to lift.
01:56:34
>> She was happy. She even made a comment to the hitman. She asked me if I was dead, if I was not
01:56:40
going to get up. >> Like a joke. >> Yeah. She wanted to make sure that I was dead. She made gestures with her hand
01:56:46
like, you know, racing the roof. Little did Lulu know that her roof was about to
01:56:52
come crashing down. The next morning, police come to the gym and it's not for a workout. We want to
01:57:01
come in and and say, you know, hey, we're inquiring about your husband that's been missing and we want to get
01:57:08
her reaction. Wearing body cameras. >> Hey, this was >> okay. Detective Martinez with the
01:57:16
council's office. >> Police make it seem like they're stopping in to do a wellness check on
01:57:22
Ramon. >> Is there somewhere we can talk in private? >> Sure. >> Apparently, Mr. hasn't been at work
01:57:28
today. Lulu claims she has no idea where Ramon might be. >> I haven't seen him. I haven't talked to
01:57:35
him. We're going through divorce. >> When's the last time you you saw Mr. >> We saw him on Wednesday 15? The last
01:57:48
day. >> That's the last time you saw him. >> That's the last time I saw him. My mom
01:57:53
and my daughter. >> L seems pretty relaxed. >> She does. She knows that sooner or later
01:58:00
the police are going to come either to say he's missing or they found his body. >> Remember the night before she had seen
01:58:05
his picture, she was all happy. She was all giggles and happy that seemingly dead and now she was acting concerned in
01:58:12
front of the cops. >> So he hasn't contacted leaders in the last 24 hours? >> No. No,
01:58:17
>> she has not. >> Police let Lulu's performance go on a few minutes longer, then lower the boom.
01:58:25
Okay, Miss SA, stand up. Police. You're under arrest. >> You're under arrest. >> Back at the constable's office, Lulu is
01:58:35
already taking issue with how she was arrested. >> She's saying that we're supposed to read
01:58:44
her rights before we put handcuffs on her. That's incorrect. Prior to her interview, Lulu is read her
01:58:53
rights and refuses to speak without a lawyer. >> Lulu is charged with solicitation of
01:59:01
capital murder. It's an injustice, says her divorce lawyer, Julio Hoglar. >> I think that Rammon Sosa is someone that
01:59:13
was very violent to his wife. And I think that the constant hammering, the constant violence, the constant behavior
01:59:21
towards his wife made his wife fear him. I believe that that's what forced her at the end to
01:59:29
make a decision that otherwise she would have never made. >> The question now, will a jury believe
01:59:37
Lulu's claims of abuse? Here lies Ramon Sosa, right? >> Yes, sir. This is like a scene from a
01:59:58
movie where where they kill these guys and just, you know, and just dig up a hole anywhere and put them away. Very
02:00:06
scary. For 3 days, Ramon had to play the part of a dead man >> and nobody knew where I was.
02:00:19
>> Even my family, everybody was looking for me. I was very, very upset. Rage and sadness, [music] all the
02:00:27
emotions came through me. >> Okay, Miss >> You're under arrest. lying. >> Following Lulu's arrest on July 23rd,
02:00:41
2015, Ramon faced the unimaginable task of telling his children that their stepmother had tried to kill him.
02:00:52
>> I had just got off of a shift from working at a comedy club and it was late. You know, I didn't expect my
02:00:59
brother to be sitting on my bed. You can just feel something was wrong. Mia's brother handed her the phone. Her
02:01:09
father was on the line >> and he says very low, "Mia, I'm okay." And I said, "What? What are you talking
02:01:16
about?" And he says, "I'm okay. I'm somewhere safe, but Lulu tried to have someone kill [clears throat] me."
02:01:27
>> Okay. >> And at this point, I mean, you don't hear anything. I didn't know what to do
02:01:35
with myself except [music] cry. I remember sliding on the back of the wall down to the ground and huddled into
02:01:44
my knees, crying my eyes out. >> Now Ramon had a new fight on his hands, defending [music] his reputation.
02:01:57
>> That was what's hurting so much. She has so many people believe all this stuff
02:02:01
that I have put my hands on her that I was an alcoholic that I hit her son. This how psycho this person was. Still,
02:02:13
would Lulu use these allegations as part of her own defense? >> Give me a sense how strong now is your
02:02:20
case against Lulu Sosa? >> We think it was a very strong case. We had our video. We had a down payment.
02:02:28
We had a confirmation to her that the murder had taken place. >> So, you've got her.
02:02:39
>> We got her. As Lulu awaited trial, that assault charge against Ramon. >> Raone, please step out of my car.
02:02:48
>> Was dismissed. [music] And Lulu agreed to a divorce settlement that handed Ramon [music] the gym and
02:02:55
the house. She gave it all up. >> After 15 months in jail, awaiting trial on the murder for higher charges, Lulu
02:03:06
gave up the fight. In October 2016, as Ramon [music] looked on, she pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of
02:03:14
secondderee solicitation [music] of murder, avoiding trial and a possible life sentence.
02:03:22
>> She came here with an American dream, and she got her American dream quick. And to lose everything the way she did
02:03:29
is sad. >> Lulu was given 20 years in prison. >> Is 20 years enough? >> I don't think so. But I'm happy that
02:03:40
it's over with. I'll take it. >> I was just shocked that trying to [music] hire somebody to kill her
02:03:46
husband that that's really all she got was 20 years. >> Personally, because that's my father. I
02:03:51
want you away forever. I don't want you to come out. Not everyone agrees. >> Was that justice in your opinion?
02:03:59
>> My opinion, no. >> Lulu's divorce attorney, Julio Hoglar. >> Because >> because nobody got to hear her sight.
02:04:08
Many times I saw her crying. I felt her desperation. >> Raone says the ordeal has left scars.
02:04:19
>> Are you haunted by this? I'll never be the same person ever again. I call my kids as much as possible. Might be the
02:04:27
last day I say that I love them. >> Ramon's near-death experience has changed him.
02:04:33
>> They love our family. >> Mia is now back in Texas, having patched up their relationship after Lulu drove
02:04:39
them apart. >> It's been a really good outcome for me and for him. You're going to get knocked
02:04:45
out sometimes. You're going to get up, take the loss, and you're going to try harder and get a win.
02:04:54
>> Now, Ramon is a sought after speaker, telling his incredible story of survival. He shared that journey to an
02:05:02
appreciative audience in London. >> Thank you. Thank you, London. I'm alive. >> The man who Lulu thought would help kill
02:05:11
her husband is now an author. Mundo has written a book about his experience. >> If Lulu is watching this broadcast, is
02:05:21
there anything you would want to say to her? >> Redeem yourself. You don't have to be
02:05:27
what everybody tells you you are. You know, everybody's telling me I was something else.
02:05:33
Prove everybody wrong so you could do the same. Today, Raone wears a precious reminder
02:05:42
of how his time on Earth almost ran out. >> Tell me about the watch that's on your
02:05:47
left wrist there. >> She told Mundo that when it killed me to make sure to take my watch. That's what
02:05:54
I wear all the time now. >> I think she ended up picking the wrong man to victimize. Don't you?
02:06:00
>> Yeah. to the last minute of the last round. She had me on the ropes and she had no idea that the whole time I had a
02:06:07
plan, too. [music] >> [music] [music] [music] [music]