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[Music] [Music] when I was in Vice as an undercover I spent approximately 18 months walking
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the streets of Queens doing prostitution the only difference was that I was working undercover and this was their
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actual life but we had a lot of similar stories to hear their stories and not able to talk to them about my story and
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how I survived it was heartbreaking a lot of the times my name is Katrina cook brown Lee
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and when I was 22 years old I lived with my ex fiance in a house of horror I don't remember not having a black eye
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whether it been the right one the left one it was a busted lip it was always something that's why Shades became a
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signature for me I called the police on him several times he was a New York City correction
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officer and every time he would flash that badge and every time he flashed that badge badge they would walk away
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that badge was much more important than my life she got to the point where she feared for her safety and the safety of
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her kids and that's when she decided no more but when the decision was made to leave the risk factor for Katrina went
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through the roof my name is Carrie Herzog in January of 1993 I was an assistant district
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attorney I don't think she in any way could have foreseen what was going to happen to her when she came through that
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[Music] door he opened the door and he just had like a weird look on his face it was
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strange and he pointed a gun to me and said this is the day you die and he shot me in my
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stomach and then he shot me again and he emptied the gun after the first five reloaded and proceeded to shoot her
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again five more times each time he would say to Katrina are you ready to die Katrina bang is
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this the day you're going to die Katrina Bang bang you know you deserve this Katrina
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bang this was a man on a mission and he was armed and deadly this could have easily been a
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homicide but because of Katrina's will to live and will to survive it wasn't God had a whole different plan
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for me my story starts from a very dark place and and it becomes a story of Grace a story of love and a story of
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Hope why did you want to become a cop I wanted to become a good cop there's a difference
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yeah a good cop has empathy a good cop cares about people that they have to protect and have to
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serve I was a great cop [Music] [Music] [Music] this is the photograph that says
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suffering to me assistant a Carrie Herzog will never forget opening the case File this shows a path of blood
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through the living room and leading into the adjacent room it literally took my breath
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away Carrie rushed to the Intensive Care Unit at Brook Haven Memorial Hospital on
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Long Island as soon as she learned the victim was still alive there was a horror show unfolding right before my
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eyes the first thing that came to my head is how did this woman even survive in the afternoon of January 9th
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1993 a car came screeching up to Brook Haven's emergency room entrance the driver hurriedly put a woman in a
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wheelchair and pushed her in the door then sped off that woman was Katrina cook brownley barely conscious and riddled
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with bullets the 22-year-old mother of two somehow managed to tell authorities who did this to her and where he lived
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that's the house that's the house right there lead detective Raymond Blasco raced to the house where a man calmly
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opened the door and said I was expecting you it was Katrina's ex- fiance Alex Irvin I proceeded to arrest him at that
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point the crime scene indicated a violent brutal attack and that the victim during
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it was moving around from room to room trying to get away during the attack the floor of the bathroom there a lot of
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blood on everything in the bathroom it shows extensive bleeding because of the blood loss I did not believe she would
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survive neither did the Young assistant DA carry took a dying declaration from Katrina at the hospital to use as
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evidence for a grand jury her voice was just above a whisper each breath took a certain
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amount of labor on her part but she was able to do what we needed to have her do
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I didn't think I'd ever see her again but Carrie didn't know just who she was dealing with Katrina had been
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been beating the odds most of her life right there that was my bedroom right there Katrina was a struggling
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18-year-old single mom living in the breor projects in Brooklyn when she met the man she thought would get her the
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house with a white picket fence she'd always dreamed of a correction officer on New York's notorious Riker's Island
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it was Alex Irvin so when I get into this relationship with this person it's a way out it's a way out I was in
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survival mode and he had a car wasn't used to riding around in a fancy car he was a
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correction officer he had a job he had a great a good a career a gun so to me it
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was like okay my man got a gun he got a good job I'm from the projects and look at me you thought you'd Escape
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correct right that's what I'm thinking like I'm winning when actually I was losing Katrina says he showed his
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violent temper almost immediately that's where it began here out in those streets and yeah he would
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beat you in the streets oh yeah Katrina knew she should end it but says her grandmother the only adult in
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her life she trusted convinced her toay my grandmother said to me you know this man has a job and he can provide for you
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and you have a daughter and he's willing to take on your daughter and to take care of you and I think that this is
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something you should try to consider so when your grandmother tells you that then you think well maybe you know what
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maybe I should do this this is knowing that he had physically assaulted you yeah how do you see that now
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was the worst advice that I could have ever gotten they soon had a baby together a
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girl Katrina's second daughter but Katrina says it didn't stop the beatings what would spark his anger um maybe it
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was just a bad day at reich's Allen maybe I didn't want to have sex with him maybe the baby was
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crying Maybe I had on something he didn't like to see me in he was that abusive yeah was that
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abusive krina says she called 911 several times every time that I called the police on him they either would come
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and tell us to work it out or he would have a separate conversation either outside or in the room with them and
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they would walk away she called it the blue wall of Silence the minute they saw his badge she says they left after a
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while Katrina says she stopped calling I had no respect for cops I had no respect
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for them at all in 1992 Alex Irvin moved Katrina and the two girls from Brooklyn
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to a small house in Medford Long Island but she says the abuse continued and only got worse finally after 5 years of
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getting beaten black and blue Katrina said enough I was pregnant and I said to myself I'm not bringing another child
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into this toxic violent relationship with this man and that I am going to save my money get some strength from
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somewhere somehow and get out of this relationship and that's what I did Katrina and her daughters moved to a
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local motel but after a month she ran out of money desperate she called Alex servant Katrina says he was like a
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different person and even offered to help her get back on her feet we talk and were friendly with one another
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something that I had never experienced with him ever you were hopeful yeah and I didn't think he was clever enough to
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like try to set me up on January 9th krina says she walked straight into a trap she left her older daughter with a
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neighbor and went with her younger daughter to Irvin's house this is what she told us happened next a warning you
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may find it disturbing he opened the door and he just had like a weird look on his face
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it was strange I went to place my youngest daughter in her bed cuz she was asleep
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and as soon as I came out he shot me in my stomach and then he shot me again I fell back on our couch and I
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looked down and my stomach had flattened and I wasn't like bleeding and I said to
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him I'm like why am I not bleeding and I remember him saying shut up and um I remember trying to get up and
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crawl and he shot me in my arm here I remember picking up the phone and trying to call 911 the phone lines were
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cut you in the living room there crawling on the floor like a dog I remember I looked up to him and he
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took his foot and he kicked me in my face this man tortured me tortured me he tortured me
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[Music] this was an angry angry man Alex Irvin didn't just want Katrina dead says Carrie Herzog
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he wanted her to suffer you can almost hear the defendant saying it ain't over till I say it's
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over he was mocking her as he was firing on her is this the bullet that's going to do it
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Katrina and he was in no hurry says Katrina when she could no longer crawl he put her in the bed and covered her
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gunshot wounds with Band-Aids and at one point he carried her to the bathroom leaving behind a
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Blood Stained blueprint of the attack this didn't happen like within like 20 minutes or 30 this was like a
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long period of time that he's torturing me and shooting me over the course of an hour and a
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half the correction officer emptied his service revolver two times at the pregnant mother of
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two and ultimately he shot me 10 times Alex Irvin had planned for everything says Katrina the locked doors
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and windows the cut phone line everything but a knock on the door as Katrina lay bleeding on the
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floor There Was An Unexpected visit by a family friend of Katrina's fiance and upon entering the home he
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looked at something which can only be described as something out of the Texas Chainsaw
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Massacre according to the friend statement to police Alex Irvin told him he had shot Katrina and then he flipped
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out Irvin then LED his young friend only 20 at the time to the bathroom Katrina was lying face down on the bathroom
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floor panicked the young man picked her up and carried her to the car Irvin helped him put Katrina in the back
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seat the two men headed to the hospital with the friend driving the entire way Katrina was in
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and out of Consciousness and he was begging her to hold on that they were close to getting help don't go Katrina
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don't go it was the young man who put Katrina in the wheelchair that day her wounds still covered with Band-Aids if
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he hadn't come by that house oh I wouldn't be talking to you I would not be talking to
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you Katrina was rushed into surgery as soon as she got to the hospital after the attack multiple operations followed
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in the days ahead but doctors were unable to remove six of the bullets that had entered her
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body says Carrie the placement removal could have been more dangerous to her than leaving the bullets in place after
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days of drifting in and out of Consciousness Katrina finally woke up the first thing I wanted to know where
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was my baby that I was having where were my children that was the first thing I said there she was having been
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brutalized and her first concern was for her children it made me want to cry it makes
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me want to cry right now Katrina was told her two daughters were safe and staying with a relative
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sadly Katrina says the baby she was carrying a boy didn't make it most of the injuries were concentrated between
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her chest and her pelvis and it became evident that future children were were not going to be in the cards for for
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Katrina that wasn't all says Carrie she was very limited in her Mobility there were
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concerns that she might not be able to walk again Katrina remembers the day the doctor delivered the Grim news I said
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what when you say that and I'm not going to walk again and never have a normal life like what does that mean and he
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said you know you you're going to be confined to a wheelchair and you have people to have
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to take care of you and then I said to him I don't have anybody to take care of me I'm homeless
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I don't I don't have a place to live I said I didn't have a place to live before I came
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here and you're thinking what am I going to do was it fear desperation at your Wood's end or all of
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that wrapped up into one yeah I mean I'm now I'm really all alone I really am Rock Bottom I'm at the lowest place
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that I think a human being can be at at that point your son is murdered you can't take care your
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children you have nowhere to live you have no family it doesn't get no worse than
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that Alex Irvin's mother let Katrina move into her house in Brooklyn unoccupied at the time Katrina had
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round-the-clock care and daily sessions with a speech and physical therapist but
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deeply depressed she refused to work at her therapy Katrina fell into a hole that was so deep and so wide that she
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couldn't see bottom and she couldn't see side to side then one day her physical therapist gave her hope that she would
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fully recover he said I believe something tells me that you're going to walk again and I don't know what it was
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that day gave me the will gave me the hope that it would be done and I started from the wheelchair
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then I went to the Walker and then I went to a cane and then I started to walk so that was a process Katrina
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devoted her entire being to showing the doctors she could get better so what were the things they said you couldn't
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do I wasn't going to walk again I wasn't going to have a normal life again so you
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went check right it was like check check check check check check check she also checked
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off another box self-esteem I started to believe in myself I started to build up
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who I was as a person but the fates weren't done with Katrina cook brownley she was about to
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be tested yet [Music] again there were many stops along the way that could have derailed Katrina
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cook browny's Journey out of Darkness Katrina says that getting thrown out of Alex Irvin's mother's house in Brooklyn
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while still recovering was one of them she asked me to write a letter stating that I shot myself 10 times so that her
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son did not go to jail when Katrina refused she says the mother booted her to the street I became even more
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homeless I don't know how much homeless you could be but then I really became homeless I am standing in front of a
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shelter and where I used to live Katrina who by then had her two girls back ended
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up in this homeless shelter on the Lower East Side of New York rats were there roaches was there it was really really
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bad here really bad what is going through your head as you were looking at your two
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daughters I'm in survival mode everything for me at this point is survival stay alive just stay alive
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protect my girls protect my girls because I felt like I had already failed they didn't choose him I chose
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him you know Katrina says the shelter was so filthy she wouldn't use the bathroom I remember putting my youngest
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daughter in the sink in McDonald's to bathe her and me as a grown woman having to wash
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up in a at a sink while Katrina and her girls were struggling to survive Carrie Herzog was methodically building
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a strong case against Alex Irvin I was going to do everything in my power to bring Justice to Katrina I fought for
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her tooth and nail but Katrina who had been cooperating with the prosecution started
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backing away Carrie discovered that Alex Irvin against court orders had been calling and threatening Katrina from
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jail I wanted to rain down on him with the white hot intensity of a thousand Sons the arrogance for him to be having
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this conversation with her from inside the jail was outrageous he needs to pay but then the
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defense presented this letter to the judge purportedly written by Katrina herself by Katrina cook the victim in
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this case has decided that I don't want to press charges due to duress at the time of my accident this is a woman who
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had been shot 10 times and here she's portraying it as an accident and then the icing on the cake if I am subpoenaed
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to court I will testify on the defendant's behalf I was horrified but I wasn't necessarily surprised Katrina had
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already been placed in the position of of nearly seeing her life ended if she showed any cooperation with me or the
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court it could be worse for her years later Katrina would tell Carrie she did not write that letter but at the time
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Carrie was convinced she had she got Katrina on the phone she said I'm not coming in I'm not going to talk about it
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in fact I'm going to disappear and you're never going to find me rage was starting to build up inside
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of me I let out this Bellow and said Katrina I will hunt you down like a dog if I have
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to and then she hung up on me despite issuing a subpoena Carrie didn't expect Katrina to appear in court
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but even without her star witness Carrie believed she would win a conviction in April
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1994 1 year and 3 months after the attack jury selection began they were on day four when suddenly the courtroom
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door flew open I turn around and I I see her she's in a a brightly colored dress and her presence
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that day actually made me gasp out loud I never ever never expected her to appear but there she was I had decided
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that I'm going to walk in this courtroom and whatever is going to happen is going
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to happen I didn't even look at him I wasn't giving him that power cuz at that point I had got back my power
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and got back my control so I wasn't even going to look at him he didn't even matter to me I think that the defendant
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saw the whites of her eyes that day and knew that the game was over and she was going to do whatever she needed
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to do to take him down she was back she was back with a vengeance soon after Alex Irvin plad
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guilty to all charges attempted murder in the second degree assault in the first degree and criminal use of a
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firearm there would be no trial his sentence was now in the hands of the judge I was very angry that he took the
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plea she was more angry I think than I was she lost her mind I was calming her down because I told I said I've been
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through this already ain't not going to happen to him he got that Shield it's nothing going to happen to him Carrie
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made an impassioned plea to the judge to give Katrina's abuser a minimum of 20 years behind bars but the judge did not
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heed car's pleas he gave Alex Irvin the lightest sentence possible 5 to 15 years
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after hearing that it was almost a Blind Fury that that took over me I gathered up my belongings and returned to my
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office and I kicked my garbage can from one end of the office to the other and I
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actually kept that garbage can for the rest of my career with this huge dent in its side Carrie couldn't deliver the
00:28:02
sentence they both wanted but she did deliver something perhaps even more important nobody ever cared enough to
00:28:09
fight for me she fought for me when I couldn't fight for myself she gave me hope when I didn't have hope for myself
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I'm grateful to [Music] her what do you think of the prison sentence that Alex Irvin received go
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inside the case at 48 [Music] hours.com with her ex fiance and would be killer imprison Katrina cook brownley focused
00:28:51
on her future a future that included a job at a very unlikely place the New York City Police
00:29:00
Department so the criminal justice system failed you they failed me and then you go and enter the criminal
00:29:08
justice system yeah that was logical for you yeah I was like nope I'm doing it you
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could have knocked me over with a feather no one was more surprised than Katrina's former Advocate and now friend
00:29:23
Carrie Herzog Katrina and I actually talked about why she would join the police department and one of the things she
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mentioned that you know the best way to change a system is from the inside out a
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system that Katrina says repeatedly turned its back on her when she'd call 911 after being beaten in the years
00:29:47
before she was shot Katrina wanted to become what she says she needed all those years ago a
00:29:56
good cop why not why wouldn't I want to help protect and serve just because I didn't receive
00:30:07
it um it doesn't mean that I shouldn't want to help [Music] others in July 2001 8 and a half years
00:30:19
after her brutal attack Katrina was one of 1600 new recruits sworn in at the nypd's police academy they would go on
00:30:28
to be known as the 911 class when just 2 months into training Katrina and her fellow police Cadets became First
00:30:36
Responders on September 11th that was like one of the times where I was like uh maybe I don't think I can do
00:30:45
this I pushed through it because the other people that was in the academy also you know we always was feeling the
00:30:52
same and I think we just basically was going off of each other's strength as Katrina started a new life within the
00:31:00
criminal justice system Alex irin the correction officer turned convict was released from prison
00:31:09
after serving 10 years Carrie recalls Katrina's reaction it was almost a a sigh of of resignation when the time
00:31:19
finally came up I was at the beginning of my career and I wanted to really just put the energy into that and not into
00:31:27
him coming out [Music] from the start Katrina sought out a tough assignment going undercover in
00:31:35
Brooklyn and Queens even adopting this cigar smoking Persona to catch drug dealers anything that would inail
00:31:44
undercover I did anything anything so it put you in some dangerous situation oh absolutely I asked myself why would
00:31:54
would someone who's been through what Katrina has been through put herself into that
00:32:02
situation and then I think what can anyone do to scare her at this stage of her life she was right at death's
00:32:14
door and came through right now we are on a strip that I used to work when I was in Vice doing
00:32:22
undercover work and this was kind of like home for me many of days many of nights though
00:32:31
the mission was to arrest pimps and those soliciting prostitution Katrina felt a connection to the women she
00:32:38
encountered being out there um in the streets I realized that each and every one of these young ladies were were me
00:32:48
in some form or fashion it allowed me to realize how it was important for me to do my work to
00:32:57
the best of my ability while I was out there after five hard years working under cover on the streets Katrina took
00:33:08
to the streets again as a Community Affairs officer I just felt that I had so much that I could give back being a
00:33:16
police officer despite being the good cop she had always wanted to be Katrina worried
00:33:24
that the secret of her past would hurt her career so you're on your dream job you're doing
00:33:30
a great job MH and yet you're living with always the fear of being discovered correct your past my past coming back to
00:33:41
haunt you y every single day I went to work I always thought that you never shared this secret nope
00:33:49
it was painful not to be able to painful because Katrina believes that the trauma she suffered would have made
00:33:57
Su the NYPD questioned if she was fit to serve I don't want her on this job she's
00:34:04
a domestic violence she may go off and kill somebody she might not be mentally stable though still in fear of being
00:34:12
outed Katrina forged ahead becoming a detective first grade the nypd's highest investigative rank it wasn't many women
00:34:23
that were first grade Detectives [Music] no one handed anything to Katrina what Katrina has done she has
00:34:36
earned it's still amazing to me now to think about the progress that she made and not not just progress
00:34:47
success she and I have have talked about it that a lot success is the best revenge and Katrina wasn't done yet
00:35:14
never ever ever ever give up on yourself I don't care who's against you believe in
00:35:22
[Music] yourself Katrina cook brownley had spent a lifetime defying the odds climbing out
00:35:32
of poverty surviving a near fatal attack walking after believing she would never
00:35:38
walk again and in the final years of her NYPD career she would Buck the odds once
00:35:45
again when you were growing up in Brooklyn had you did you ever expect you would be
00:35:52
working at the mayor's Mansion no never not even even remotely close in 2014 Katrina became one of the few black
00:36:04
women in NYPD history assigned to protect a New York city mayor when she was chosen to serve on Mayor Bill
00:36:11
deblasio's Advanced security detail you're just one step ahead I'm just one step ahead if I if I'm walking
00:36:19
into a ditch he's going to follow me into that ditch right if I'm walking into the sunset he coming in that
00:36:25
sunset in 2020 1 after 20 years on the force Katrina retired from the NYPD in her last meeting with the mayor
00:36:36
she finally opened up about something she had been hiding for decades her [Music]
00:36:46
past and I said um well Mr Mayor I wrote a book and he said well what is the book
00:36:52
about and I said well um Mr Mayor I got shot 10 times and he took a deep breath and he was
00:37:01
like but you never said anything and I said you wasn't I wasn't supposed to she was carrying around a secret and
00:37:11
now she has been unburdened I think people looking at you would never have an inkling that you had
00:37:21
Liv the life you lived I often wonder and ask myself that do I look like this has happened to me you know and I have
00:37:29
scars right um so for a long time the scars used to bother me so I I put tattoos on my stomach so that when I
00:37:38
looked in the mirror when I'm getting dressed I didn't see it if I may be so bold ask what are your
00:37:47
tattoos roses this a bunch of roses yeah flowers cuz that's what I felt like that's what I became
00:37:58
Katrina has also found a way to let go of the emotional scars in spite of everything that has happened to me
00:38:07
Ryan I [Music] forgive I forgive you forgave you're a salent you're abuser yeah I I had to I
00:38:18
had to forgive him so I can get back my control so I can get back my power and so that I could have a peace
00:38:27
Within Myself there's no peace when you Harbor in Anger when you're mad there's no
00:38:35
peace in it you remember K when she was young yes I remember her we went back with Katrina
00:38:44
to the projects where she had grown up I remember when you was growing up with your
00:38:50
grandmother Trina you know Trina she's moved away but not so far that she has forgotten all the other katrinas who are
00:38:59
now where she once was what's next for you um just to tell my story and um to continue to work on my organization with
00:39:12
my girls young ladies of our future Katrina's organization has been mentoring young ladies for the past 10
00:39:20
years you don't want any other girl or woman to ever ever ever have to go through 5% of what I went
00:39:35
[Music] through if you build and you teach and give young people these tools you save them every single time oh
00:39:45
you know I'm checking report cards she has that helping Jean in her this is what I have to give to these girls is
00:39:53
love good she is offering help that surpasses what she had how does the Katrina sitting here
00:40:06
today differ from that 22-year-old Katrina oh wow the 22y old Katrina was lost broken
00:40:21
forgotten violated at the lowest point that a person can be and now today I feel like
00:40:32
I am a beautiful black queen that fought the fight [Music] yeah a young woman vanishes her missing
00:40:56
phone could provide critical Clues just one problem a needle and a hay stack and
00:41:01
a huge moving body of water how can police do what seems impossible I think I got the phone 48 Hours next on CBS and
00:41:10
streaming on Paramount Plus [Music] I wake up every single day and I cry and I miss
00:41:35
her it's so frustrating because you just you can look back and you you wish you did
00:41:44
more maybe my sister was scared to go to the law because her husband was a police
00:41:54
officer Jones County District Attorney's office office I believe Seth peralt was
00:41:59
an individual that had a lot of people fooled say hi Honey hi he doesn't want to say I think you hid behind a badge
00:42:08
and wore a mask every day nice house nice car law enforcement but behind that door to that house he was pretty abusive
00:42:20
stop the k no let's not let's tell the truth stop the camera no maybe she was scared to get out
00:42:28
it's February 3rd 2020 set the scene for me what happened I'm sitting at my desk
00:42:32
in my office I see and the phone rings and it's the police chief he said I got Seth peralt on the phone he's told me
00:42:41
his wife killed herself and I knew that we need to get there and get this man investigated and
00:42:48
do it right describe what you saw when you got to the scene Seth paral sitting on the
00:42:55
front steps he's sitting there hands holding over his face I ask her to go inside search
00:43:02
the house and he gave consent for that had you ever seen a suicide that looked like that I never seen anything
00:43:11
like that her body is flat on the back her legs are almost together and her arms
00:43:19
are tucked against her side with her hands cut this wasn't right he's worked a lot of cases he told told me he said
00:43:27
the scene is not right there's something not adding up and the more we investigated the otter it got obviously
00:43:35
we have a death investigation here I asked him would he come downtown to talk to us further I don't know how this
00:43:43
happened he said that they were in bed and they were arguing all I know is my wife was upset she looked at me and said
00:43:50
I can't do no more he loved her she was his world he never done anything to harm
00:43:56
her ever my wife looked at me and executed herself and if you look at the logistics of it you're going to see that
00:44:05
I had nothing to do with it we all called Sheriff SS that night and said we know our sister didn't do
00:44:12
this we know she didn't take her own life that he had something to do with this I'll look you in your face as as a
00:44:19
law enforcement officer I did not do me I had nothing to do with it 7 months months later the medical
00:44:29
examiner report comes out and what does it say [Music] suicide well I was astounded Dr derile is a renowned
00:44:40
medical examiner so her certification of suicide we thought was basically open shot you have to remember she works for
00:44:48
the state I'm Justin Kenny an attorney for Seth peralt it all came down to the forensics could the state actually prove
00:44:56
that Seth had pulled the trigger and shot his wife in the head [Music] [Music] just an hour and a half after Seth
00:45:48
peralt said his 44-year-old wife Amanda shot herself right in front of him he was struggling to tell his story I shock
00:45:58
my wife of 8 years that I love more than anything in this world I don't know anywh to start sir I've lost everything
00:46:08
in my life 44-year-old peralt then a police officer for the city of Eatenton Georgia
00:46:17
told the county sheriff Howard Sills that his wife Amanda had shot herself in the head what did he say happened he
00:46:25
said that they were in bed and they were arguing and then all of a sudden she just produced the gun out of thin air
00:46:34
and executed herself I just sat there watch my wife execute herself in all my years of questioning anybody for suicid
00:46:45
I have never heard anybody use the term [Music] executed I knew she hadn't I knew that
00:46:55
he was lying from the very beginning Angie and Alicia Johnson say they had questions about what happened to their
00:47:02
sister Amanda we knew better we knew our sister Amanda love life she wouldn't put
00:47:08
us through this about 8 years earlier in the fall of 2011 a recently divorced Amanda met
00:47:19
Seth peral online I remember being kind of excited about it he treated her differently from some of the past
00:47:27
relationship she had been in where you know she wasn't respected Seth battling cancer and unemployed at the time seemed
00:47:37
to fall for Amanda fast and hard and they moved in fairly quick like he had her move in within 6 months of the
00:47:44
meeting Seth was living an hour away with his mother who was caring for him but Angie says Amanda would quickly take
00:47:52
over the role of Seth's caretaker when she moved out there he didn't want her to work
00:47:57
they say Seth's parents were paying all of the couple's bills and helping with expenses for Seth's daughter from a
00:48:04
previous relationship so Seth was basically dependent on his family very much very much and Amanda was dependent
00:48:12
on Seth for the longest time like he wouldn't let her have any kind of phone cell phone or anything like that it
00:48:17
would be his phone or a landline she didn't even have a car to drive he monitored her
00:48:24
constantly as time went on Alicia and Angie say they saw less and less of their sister he kept us from being able
00:48:32
to see her so come to like any of our Christmas events or like any of our events because she had to host for his
00:48:41
family and cook for all of V Amanda lived with Seth for 5 years then on June 23rd
00:48:49
2017 the couple surprised everyone when they quietly went to the local courthouse and got married
00:48:58
Angie and Alicia believe the only reason Seth married their sister was to help him get custody of his daughter that's
00:49:06
why I feel like he asked her to marry him Seth's custody battle had been going on for almost exactly a year at that
00:49:14
point do you think Seth Maring Amanda helped him gain custody absolutely Seth's attorney Justin Kenny if Amanda
00:49:23
was going to be present in his daughter's life they had to get married I think that was one of the Paramount
00:49:29
issues for him to gain custody Kenny says Seth did love Amanda and his daughter and was just trying to do what
00:49:36
he thought was best for everyone this was a guy that doed on his daughter he was a family man he would do on his wife
00:49:44
I just thought he was a stand-up individual a few months after Amanda and Seth were married he was granted custody
00:49:52
of his daughter a little over a year later he was hired by the eeden in police department and his father bought
00:49:59
him this house near Lake aone she loved their new home this should have been everything she hoped for yeah it was you
00:50:07
know except for the relationship Alicia and Angie say they didn't know just how bad things had
00:50:15
gotten but were hearing more and more stories of fighting fueled my alcohol I've heard stories and interviews that
00:50:24
you know when they were sober they were loving toward another but it's when alcohol came into the mix that's when it
00:50:29
became toxic a little over a year after joining the police force Seth fell down some
00:50:36
stairs at the couple's home and had to go on medical leave now along with the alcohol there were pain pills and the
00:50:44
sisters say the fighting seemed to be escalating you could hear it like on phone calls has tone and demeanor around
00:50:51
her I would ask you want me to call 911 can I call 911 she would tell you no no don't call you know we' just been
00:50:58
drinking we'll be everything will be okay later on maybe she knew her situation would become even worse you
00:51:05
know then things did get worse on January 28th 2020 just days before her death Amanda called
00:51:15
911 can would you help please she called me she had barricaded herself in a back bedroom it's my
00:51:25
husband and he's putting his hands on me she ended up having to run next door he
00:51:30
locked me out of the house and I'm just trying to get my things out of the house
00:51:33
please she's at the neighbor's house right now another Sheriff's dispatcher was alerted and she said her husband is
00:51:41
an officer with the ENT Police Department that second dispatcher said he knew Seth foral and said he had a
00:51:49
reputation I ain't supposed to know this but he's been out of work with his back
00:51:54
and apparently he's over there whipping up on her ass Seth made local headlines when he was
00:52:00
arrested on charges of simple battery and Family Violence she told me would I come get her the next morning and I told
00:52:08
her yes to make sure to pack everything have it ready instead Amanda decided to attend
00:52:15
Seth's bond hearing when the judge agreed to release Seth on bail he asked Amanda if she wanted a staya away order
00:52:22
added Amanda said no and then let Seth come home cuz she was scared she knew he was mad she knew that it was public that
00:52:33
he had been arrested he's a police officer you know I have to bring him home and make this right I talked to her
00:52:40
the day he got out and I said how are things and she said he's being unusually nice Alicia says she doubted Seth's new
00:52:49
attitude and felt that underneath he must be seething knowing that if he was convicted on AB use charges he was in
00:52:58
danger of losing custody of his daughter and his job he knew he was going to embarrass his family and he had already
00:53:05
put himself up here on this pedestal like he was King and then to be humiliated in front of people I think it
00:53:13
made him very angry Alicia says Amanda was terrified and looking for a way out we were all on
00:53:21
a chain message and we were telling her just get out divorce him tell his father
00:53:28
that you don't want anything but a vehicle and she said I'm not trying to get killed just 5 days later Amanda was dead
00:53:42
[Music] [Music] Sheriff Howard Sills says that from the very start of his investigation into the
00:54:04
death of Amanda peralt he wasn't buying her husband's story I knew something was
00:54:09
wrong the day I walked in the house for starters the position of Amanda's body depicted in this 48 Hours
00:54:19
animation based on the crime scene photos left SS certain that Amanda could not have shot her
00:54:27
self okay this is the actual gun also of concern to sils was the way this Smith and Wesson 380 which belonged to Seth
00:54:36
was found lying next to Amanda's body with its magazine ejected the magazine it was near her right
00:54:46
side and the pistol itself was way down here below her left foot what me the ejected magazine even
00:54:58
more Curious says Sills is the fact that there was a bullet found inside the gun's chamber it's a semi-automatic gun
00:55:05
so when it fires the slide comes back the spent cartridge Cas is ejected and it picks up the next round because of
00:55:14
that bullet in the chamber the magazine had to be ejected after the gun was fired says Sills and unless the gun is
00:55:23
defective the only way to eject the magazine is to push this button now I don't do this at home but when you do
00:55:31
this how you going to get your hand your second hand around there to do it there
00:55:36
was also no blood on Amanda's hands or the long sleeves of her shirt and something else caught the sheriff's eye
00:55:43
in the middle of the closet on the floor was a damp green towel that somebody had
00:55:49
dried off with it no doubt about that one of the first deputies on the scene said Seth smelled like shampoo
00:56:00
also alarming the bedroom was littered with 20 miniature bottles of Fireball whiskey all of them
00:56:08
empty sill says he didn't have the manpower to process the scene so we called in Agents from the Georgia Bureau
00:56:16
of Investigation while they collected physical evidence and Amanda's body was transported to the State medical
00:56:23
examiner Sills focused on on Seth he came in and sat right in this blue leather chair Seth spoke to sills in his
00:56:34
office for over an hour without an attorney present I'm not going to lie to you I'm I have no reason to lie to you I
00:56:42
wanted to know what had happened that day how did the magazine get out of the gun how did the gun get where it was did
00:56:49
you touch that gun today the 380 yeah I me it's SP M no today yes sir how does her body get into that position no
00:57:00
answer cuz he never touched her no never touched her but s says that didn't make
00:57:06
any sense so he kept pressing and then Seth changed his story how are you maybe I I don't know I probably did
00:57:16
touch her I was probably hugging the out her I was probably like I'm so like honey what the hell's going on Sheriff
00:57:24
Sills says Seth tried several times to deflect questions with his badge I take pride in being a good law enforcement
00:57:33
agent and I can't remember how many times he looked me in the eye and said I'm a good police officer I'm I'm a good
00:57:41
officer I'm a good police officer I'm a good police officer I'm a good officer I'm a good police officer Amanda he said
00:57:49
also knew what a good cop he was and how assault charges would ruin both their lives she hated to see my reputation
00:57:59
destroyed on the news cuz she knows what a good police officer I am and she was so worried I lose my daughter she wanted
00:58:07
to come down here and tell you that it was a lie Seth insisted that Amanda had lied the day she called 911
00:58:17
and felt so bad about it that she wanted to confess to perjury he said that she had written something that she intended
00:58:24
to bring to me recan an in what she had told the deputies and he told me where it was this handwritten letter was found
00:58:32
in Amanda's nightstand it reads in part I Amanda pero would like to retract my statement my husband never put his hands
00:58:42
on me ever I feel horrible for the humiliation I put my husband and my family through I am willing to take any
00:58:51
punishment I may deserve for what I have done I don't deny she wrote it but look
00:58:57
at the penmanship there's not the slightest error of any kind what we've got here is a
00:59:05
inexperienced police officer dictating what's to be written like Sills Amanda's sisters are certain Seth was behind the
00:59:14
letter she wrote it but she was coached I think he was telling her I need you to
00:59:19
write this to get me out of trouble but Seth told Sills he was not about to let Amanda confess to lying to authorities I
00:59:27
knew if she came down here it was a false statement and a felony I knew it but according to Seth Amanda couldn't
00:59:35
take the guilt anymore so she put his gun to her head and pulled the trigger she looked at
00:59:43
me and said I'm sorry I'm sorry I put you through this boo I couldn't even say a word sheriff
00:59:53
it was the Seth tried to convince Sills that Amanda killed herself because her call to 911 had potentially ruined their
01:00:02
lives but the sheriff didn't see that as a reason for suicide instead he saw a motive for
01:00:12
murder believing that Amanda would never take her own life this made sense to her
01:00:17
sisters as well he had to make it look like she took her life so that he could be cleared of all this wrongdoing
01:00:28
Sheriff Sil says he was convinced that Seth foral was somehow involved in his wife's death but that day he felt he
01:00:36
didn't have enough to arrest him I wanted to see if I could get some more evidence and I did
01:00:57
one of the clues that convinced Sheriff SS that Seth peralt wasn't telling the truth were his actions just 20 minutes
01:01:05
before he reported his wife Amanda was dead that's when s's Deputy Terell abery arrived at his front door trying to
01:01:15
deliver paperwork on an upcoming case they had one of those video doorbell things and I rang
01:01:23
that the scene was captured Ed in this video I expected him to answer the door and I expected to hand him his copy of
01:01:31
the subpoena I mean you're a policeman you know how this works abery says he could tell someone
01:01:40
was home and what' you hear I heard footsteps or footfalls heavy ones I'm announcing myself who I am what it is I
01:01:49
even turn my back to the door I don't care if you're in your underwear just answer the door and take the paper
01:01:56
he waited 7 minutes and then left subpoena still in hand in my heart I believe that Amanda peralt had already
01:02:05
been shot when abery rang the doorbell I think he was concerned that somebody heard the gunshot and that's why he
01:02:13
didn't go to the door district attorney Wright Barksdale believed Seth was trying to figure out
01:02:20
what to do next think about this he's in the process of stay in this scene and he
01:02:27
hears the doorbell ring can you imagine what was going through his mind but attorney Justin Kenny says that is not
01:02:35
what happened why didn't they come to the door when Deputy abery rang that Bell fear of what he's bringing Seth is
01:02:45
afraid that his ex is about to serve him with custody modification paperwork what
01:02:51
does that say happened after that so believe it there is a heated discussion that takes place he lays down diffuse a
01:02:58
situation he lays down to take a nap he awoke Amanda mumbling something Whispering something and her pulling the
01:03:06
trigger and and shaoting herself Kenny points out that Amanda was impaired by alcohol three times the legal limit when
01:03:14
tested by the medical examiner that and the escalating tension in her marriage became a deadly
01:03:22
combination the nice house the daughter the Financial Security all of this was crumbling around Amanda and then you
01:03:30
tack on a23 blood alcohol content she thought that that was the only way to to fix it to to end it she was really drunk
01:03:40
absolutely maybe she accidentally shot the gun how'd she accidentally get the magazine out of it how'd she
01:03:46
accidentally get posed as she was Sills was also very troubled because Seth didn't call 911 when his wife
01:03:56
allegedly shot herself instead peral called his boss the Eatenton chief of police on his cell phone 48 Hours made
01:04:07
several unsuccessful attempts to reach the former Chief for comment obviously we're not going to
01:04:13
have a recording of that and they have at least a 20 minute conversation before I'm
01:04:19
caught hoping the peral's neighbors had heard something the day Amanda died Sills had Deputy abery go back to the
01:04:28
paroled house to question them what he learned made Sills even more suspicious about Seth's involvement in Amanda's
01:04:36
death we found out that there had been a true pattern of domestic violence for years and years neighbors said the
01:04:48
couple could be heard fighting nearly every day and in their eyes Seth was almost all always the aggressor they
01:04:57
told stories about a physical altercation between Seth and Amanda where he actually grabbed her by the
01:05:04
back of the hair and pulled her down and pushed her into the driveway one neighbor told abery that he would often
01:05:11
stand by in case things got really violent he talked about how at times he would just stand in the yard and just
01:05:19
wait to see if he needed to call 911 because it was so violent over there another neighbor said that a man had
01:05:26
twice made this chilling comment that if she were to wind up dead that peralt is the one that did it and
01:05:35
she made this neighbor promise that she would insist that her death be investigated as homicide did anyone call
01:05:41
the police no why not well one of the answers was that well we were scared to call because he was the
01:05:51
police it's hurtful it's hurtful and this is why I wanted to do this show is to make sure that
01:05:59
people know to speak up the day Amanda died the neighbor said they didn't hear a thing the only witness to what
01:06:07
happened was Seth peral and Sills was sure he couldn't trust him after the interview in his office according to
01:06:15
Seth they take the child to school they come back home and they go nowhere at all other than down the
01:06:24
street to the convenience store well that didn't happen he lied s says the proof was on this
01:06:34
surveillance camera footage of the couple found 12 mil away at this drive-thru liquor store where a Manda
01:06:41
bought those 20 miniature bottles of Fireball whiskey she drives up this drive in window right there's the camera
01:06:49
that catches the truck I see it simultaneously Seth was captured on a camera next door at this convenience
01:06:59
store you see him walk and he actually comes down I believe it's this aisle and he walks and he gets something
01:07:09
to drink this video says Barksdale would become a crucial piece of evidence not because of what was purchased but
01:07:18
because of what Seth was wearing this Pink Floyd t-shirt these black black athletic pants
01:07:27
nearly 4 hours later when sheriff's deputies arrived at the peral home to investigate Amanda's death Seth was
01:07:35
wearing something else when we get there he is dressed in shorts and a dark t-shirt and the clothing Seth was
01:07:44
wearing in the video we found those in the washing machine the clothing was dry and had clearly not been
01:07:53
laundered but there was that Deputy who had reported that Seth smelled freshly washed and there was that damp towel
01:08:02
that was found on the closet floor Seth says he took a bath Seth's attorney Justin Kenny says Seth did wash up at
01:08:11
some point after you take a bath you're going to change clothes there was no evidence that the washing machine had
01:08:18
actually been turned on it looked like the washing machine was being used as a a laundry
01:08:23
basket only a tiny Speck of blood was found on the backside of peral's pants and a trace amount of gunpowder residue
01:08:32
was found on his left hand when tested they did it 3 hours later after potential contamination from being at
01:08:39
the police station Amanda's hands were never tested and the gun was never dusted for
01:08:46
fingerprints but Sills felt he now had enough evidence to make an arrest just two days after Amanda's shooting now
01:08:54
former Edenton police officer Seth peral was taken into custody Sheriff SS called
01:09:01
me and let me know that they were going to arrest him for her murder and I my whole family just was so relieved and
01:09:10
and happy that she was getting Justice yes but before a grand jury could hear the evidence and decide if there was
01:09:19
enough to go to trial Co shut down the courts Seth would sit in this jail for nearly 9 months until that autopsy
01:09:30
report was released by the medical examiner declaring Amanda's death a suicide her decision was based primarily
01:09:39
on the lack of gunpowder around the wound which meant the gun would have to have been right up against Amanda's head
01:09:47
when it went off and there were no signs of a struggle nobody is just going to allow somebody to put a gun to their
01:09:54
head and pull the trigger without putting up some sort of fight first thing I just called the da I said you're
01:10:00
not going believe this did you think maybe you made a mistake absolutely not we going to take every bit of the
01:10:06
evidence and try to piece this thing together but Justin Kenny did think the prosecution was making a mistake and
01:10:15
that the autopsy report was all the evidence needed to defend Seth peral I mean it was it seemed pretty open shot
01:10:23
to me [Music] it was November 3rd 2020 and Seth peral still unindicted had been in jail for
01:10:48
nearly 9 months when covid restrictions finally eased a grand jury was set to decide de if there was enough evidence
01:10:57
against him to go to trial and you know the first thing I put up for that grand jury to see the crime scene pictures no
01:11:05
ma'am the autopsy report that said suicide ladies and gentlemen the State Crime Lab medical examiner says this was
01:11:13
a suicide now I'm going to show you the evidence I found members of the grand jury did see the crime scene photos and
01:11:23
heard evidence of domestic abuse and quickly decided that despite the medical examiner's report Seth peralt
01:11:31
should face a jury of his peers what were the charges malice murder felony murder and aggravated assault peral pled
01:11:40
not guilty to all charges at his trial in February of 2022 he decided not to testify leaving
01:11:49
defense attorney Justin Kenny to tell his story I think there was a complete complete absence of sufficient evidence
01:11:57
that Seth killed his wife the prosecution showed a jury of eight women and four men the crime scene photos
01:12:05
including the way Amanda's body and the gun were found they also heard testimony
01:12:11
from that sheriff's deputy who thought Seth smelled freshly showered they watched the footage of Deputy abery at
01:12:18
the paro's front door and listen to all 60 Minutes of herold's interview with Sheriff s
01:12:25
I don't know how this happened district attorney Barksdale says that some of the
01:12:31
most compelling evidence was found on Amanda's cell phone like this video she recorded 7 months prior to her death
01:12:39
it's sad it's sad because you know what I married you and I I'm not going to I'm
01:12:45
dude you're done I'm done Amanda's sisters were seeing the video for the first time it made me angry I want to
01:12:53
have a good weekend you burn that up you try to put that phone in my face what phone in your face oh right there oh
01:12:58
you're you're videotaping yeah because you're being I'm going to show you tomorrow you didn't videotape all this
01:13:03
you when you hit me and smack hit you youing chok me eight times the video was problematic but it it doesn't show
01:13:12
everything that took place Seth also states that she had acted violently toward him as well he doesn't want to
01:13:19
say there was no evidence of Seth having been abused introduced at trial but but
01:13:25
Amanda's phone also contained photos of her with bruises a black eye and a split
01:13:31
lip along with text like this one to her sisters Seth just choked me till I nearly passed out busted my lip wide
01:13:41
open I was scared that um one of them might get hurt this is Seth's then 8-year-old daughter being interviewed by
01:13:50
a forensic child psychologist remember she was a witness as to what happened the day Amanda called 911 they were
01:13:59
cussing at each other Miss Amanda was cussing too but she didn't touch Daddy at all Daddy was like touching her nose
01:14:07
like this like get out of my house right now the jury was shown most of the interview she was on the floor like this
01:14:15
yeah trying to get her stuff then all of a sudden Daddy just started grabbing her
01:14:19
arms and Daddy just pushed her over the laundry table and then um open the door and push her out the door while her
01:14:28
father spent the night in jail she said Amanda begged her not to tell anyone what happened or there could be deadly
01:14:35
consequences Amanda tells her that night if your daddy loses custody of you he's
01:14:42
going to shoot me dead your daddy would come shoot me dead but when barkdale called the now
01:14:50
10-year-old to the witness stand she said she couldn't recall what happened that day or what she said in the
01:14:56
interview she I think felt really torn I seen her look at her dad a couple times
01:15:02
I felt like she was more careful about what she was saying like somebody had been coaching her in cross-examination
01:15:10
the defense asked if anyone had coached her on what to say she said no but Justin Kenny says he believes another
01:15:19
prosecution witness may have been coached a jailhouse informant named Jack fult who had shared a dorm block with
01:15:27
Seth peral Jack faul has a criminal history I believe 28 pages long numerous contacts with the police and he had
01:15:33
every incentive to lie and make up a story folk had come forward three weeks before the medical examiner report was
01:15:41
released claiming he had valuable information about Amanda's death he knew things that only Seth paral could have
01:15:49
told him in these two handwritten letters Faulk claimed that Seth told him the camera catching him with the clothes
01:15:57
on was his biggest concern he also claimed that Seth said he had been giving a Mana painkillers all day and
01:16:05
that she was passed out at the time of her death I think he was in the bed with her after she was passed out and held
01:16:12
the gun against her head than he was behind her behind her or slightly to the side the defense argued that Amanda shot
01:16:20
herself because her lies about Seth assaulting her had potentially r ruined their lives furthermore only that tiny
01:16:29
trace of gunshot residue was found on peral's left hand and there was just that one Speck of blood found on his
01:16:38
clothing Justin Kenny says the hardest thing for the defense to explain was the way Amanda's body was found we knew that
01:16:46
it was going to be a problem the body had to be moved in some way had to be touched in some way Kenny says there is
01:16:52
one explanation that makes sense to him him something peral said in his interview with Sheriff Sills I probably
01:16:59
did touch her I was probably hugging the out of her and that would potentially account for her arms being by her sides
01:17:07
as for the way Seth's gun was found beside Amanda's body with the ejected magazine by her side the defense hired
01:17:15
an expert who testified he fired the gun six timeses and after one of those firings the magazine spontaneously
01:17:23
ejected it shows that that firearm can drop the magazine when it's fired Howard SS took
01:17:31
that very gun out and shot it several times the gbi examined that gun didn't notate in their report any malfunctions
01:17:41
whatsoever Dr Laura L O R A derasa then there was the medical examiner Laura derasa barkdale called her to the stand
01:17:51
and asked her to explain how she came to her conclusion of suicide as the manner of death what I
01:17:58
wanted the jury and for her to see she did not consider all the evidence she had not considered cth daughter's
01:18:08
interview she had not considered the cell phone data the prior domestic abuse videotape all but Dr darasa
01:18:18
defended her conclusion and in this statement to 48 Hours the Georgia Bureau of Investigation backed her up our
01:18:26
agency stands behind the original expert opinion of Perot's death were you worried at all about the
01:18:34
verdict what I try to remind myself it is my job to pursue Justice and to present a case for the jury to consider
01:18:44
and if they were to walk him out the door I would be able to look to Amanda peral's family and say we did everything
01:18:52
we could go inside the case and see more of the evidence at 48 [Music] hours.com when they called us all back
01:19:10
in we all just held hands and dropped our head it had been just under 2 and 1/2 hours when the jury in the murder trial
01:19:20
of Seth bral announced that they had reached a verdict I just remember praying saying God you
01:19:29
know just please you know please do this for our family let us have Justice for our
01:19:35
sister and Justice is what they feel they got the verdict guilty of murder it was bittersweet
01:19:47
because we got justice but it didn't bring her back and didn't bring our best friend back
01:19:58
that same day perals was sentenced to life without the possibility of parole I want many years of him praying to God
01:20:07
and being on his knees that he would have took his own life instead of my sisters Justin Kenny says he believes an
01:20:13
innocent man is now behind bars for life my heart sank I've known Seth for almost a decade
01:20:22
now and I don't think he did it [Music] every August on her birthday Amanda's sisters honor her memory by releasing
01:20:37
love letters tied to purple balloons I love you Amanda I hope you're having a beautiful birthday in
01:20:46
[Music] heaven happy birthday dear Amanda happy birthday to you in 2022 the notes also included the
01:21:05
National Domestic Abuse Hotline number and hopefully this will find somebody that really needs it we just want to
01:21:12
create awareness around domestic abuse and for people to don't sit back and just let it happen
01:21:21
no matter what the the victim is telling you fight for them you know help them help
01:21:29
them any way you can there's so many things I wish I could go back now and do different I wish I could go back and
01:21:37
save her you're going to save somebody with this I hope so [Music] taken from her friends and family too
01:22:15
soon she was artistic she was creative she was smart she was feisty a murderer roams free for too long there was that
01:22:22
constant fear is this going to happen again you will never forget Sarah yarboro 48 Hours next on CBS and
01:22:29
streaming on Paramount [Music] plus Amy wrote Shadows are created around us whenever something or someone
01:22:51
blocks the light we are created to to live in the light he is calling me out of the
01:22:58
darkness turn toward the light and the [Music] truth Amy's Outlet was her journaling
01:23:12
she wrote to me about The Bible and having faith I believe that her faith was important to her because she lived
01:23:19
by her faith she was the salt of the earth genuine and loving I found out that Amy had passed
01:23:30
in a phone call from our mutual friend the next sentence I found out how she had passed it's not a phone call you
01:23:42
know you want to get 911 the sign is recorded what's the address of your emergency hi this is Brian fion I'm at
01:23:48
in North Road my wife just shot herself can you send me some help all right Brian we'll get him right
01:23:55
out there okay I remember my supervisor telling me we have a death investigation in
01:24:08
Westfield and it's a police officer's wife that was a rarity to me I had not experienced a case like that she's gone
01:24:17
I'm sorry God okay are you sure yes yes Brian's role at the Westfield Police Department he was their uh evidence guy
01:24:30
and the detective Bureau we both knew Brian he was very well [Applause] respected when you walked in the fan
01:24:39
house what did you see then I walked into the dining room and that's when I observed the body of
01:24:46
Amy fan and a pool of blood on the floor with a gunshot to the right side of her
01:24:52
head I saw the 45 caliber Smith and Wesson firearm on the stairs that led to the
01:25:02
Breezeway there was a police radio paperwork mail and so forth chairs pushed about and on top of this dining
01:25:09
room table you had a peanut butter and jelly sandwich intact on a plate you had an empty plate that had some blood smear
01:25:17
on it what was Brian's demeanor when you arrived he seemed like he was in a State
01:25:22
of Shock he was looking straight ahead just just snap the gun just exploded just so
01:25:31
quick at all I'm the only one that could make her that angry I offered her my condolences I
01:25:39
told Brian that you know that I was going to conduct a thorough investigation that it was going to be by
01:25:44
the numbers is it standard for the District Attorney's office to be involved in a suicide investigation yes
01:25:52
part of our duties at the District Attorney's office was to investigate all deaths what can this deceased tell us
01:26:02
about what happened right before she found herself in that state so I'm taking in everything that I
01:26:12
can about that scene and I saw the entry wound to her head it didn't seem right in that moment
01:26:25
how would something like that happen [Music] [Music] it was 1 p.m. on May 8th 2018 when
01:27:16
massachusett state police detectives arrived at a farmhouse in Westfield 51-year-old Amy fan laid dead in the
01:27:23
dining room from a single gunshot wound to the head detective Mike MCN Amy was essentially in a pile of blood that was
01:27:33
beginning to congeal under her left side Amy's husband Brian fan a detective in the Westfield Police Department had
01:27:41
called 911 minutes earlier reporting that his wife had shot herself the dining room rearranged to accommodate
01:27:49
medical personnel was in disarray as detectives work to identify Clues of what may have happened there was a blood
01:27:57
spatter around that window frame from that dining room into the Breezeway there was a pair of glasses that looked
01:28:04
like it had some kind of red Brown spatter on it and then there was the bullet detectives Brendan OU and Mike Blanchet
01:28:16
the actual projectile was in that front enclosed porch area the Spen shell casing was
01:28:24
still in the dining room we could see the direction that it traveled through Amy's
01:28:32
head that round impacted that dresser came to arrest right around there in the Breezeway Brian was sitting in a chair
01:28:41
with his back to the wall and he's with the chief of police from the Westfield Police Department who's talking with him
01:28:48
everyone was in a State of shock everyone including Amy's brother Eric Hansen who told to detectives that he
01:28:54
had just finished playing disc golf behind the house when he heard Brian's cry for help and that's when he walked
01:29:01
into the house saw Amy on the floor a gun next to her and Brian holding Amy's hand so he picked up the gun himself and
01:29:11
moved it out of Brian's reach because he was worried about Brian's state of mind
01:29:16
having just lost his wife yes what kind of gun was he used it was a Smith the Wesson uh MMP 45 Brian Fan's Duty weapon
01:29:26
did that give you any pause that it was Brian Fan's weapon yes it gave me pause at this point I know that I'm going to
01:29:33
really do a detailed investigation to avoid conflict of interest otou said he decided that his
01:29:39
unit the Massachusetts State Police would be the sole investigators that he wanted to get Brian away from the house
01:29:46
to get a statement I asked if he would accompany me to the massachusett state police barracks and Russell and I took a
01:29:53
tape recorded statement from him Tuesday May 8th it's 2:41 p.m. I'm with Brian fion Brian um you understand I got to
01:30:01
record around right now yes Brian told detective otou that he left his office at the Westfield police
01:30:09
station around 11:45 a.m. and drove to North Road to meet his wife who was on her way home to prepare their lunch what
01:30:17
was she making butter and jelly sandwiches Brian said that when he arrived they continued an AR arent from
01:30:24
the night prior an argument that had gotten pretty heated that evening when you say heated I guess well just
01:30:33
uh I don't know she just uh was very angry okay what was your argument about um I'm retiring soon we're discussing
01:30:44
what each of us expects retirement to be Brian said he told Amy that he didn't want to spend his retirement maintaining
01:30:53
their 200 year old home which Amy still loved they also discussed their aging dog and his reluctance to get another
01:31:01
one yeah I want to be tied down by a dog she always wants to have a dog I want to
01:31:06
travel more than she does according to Brian that afternoon during lunch Amy told him she had scheduled them to
01:31:13
attend a family member's play on the day Brian wanted to attend a disc golf tournament I just said no I don't like
01:31:21
that stuff why would you commit me here without asking that's when according to Brian things soon took a turn for the
01:31:30
worst it took my G out of the holster and put it on our Hutch because I had to use the bathroom where's the hutch
01:31:37
located in the dining room Brian said he closed the bathroom door and when he came out Amy had the gun in her hand she
01:31:46
has the gun pointed up to the right side of her head what did you hear her say I
01:31:50
think she said I guess you don't want it's you don't want me to around or you want to be around me was she seated or
01:31:57
no she stood she was standing okay according to Brian he was four to 5 ft away when he tried to stop Amy from
01:32:04
pulling the trigger tried to get to her I almost did the gun just exploded just so
01:32:14
quick hesitate at all I just went over and I just held her hands Elder 911 Rec Ryan called 911 and yelled
01:32:31
out to Amy's brother Eric for help Eric uh what is how do you spell your last name Hansen h a n s
01:32:40
e Eric told detectives that Brian said he and Amy had been having a tense argument and she grabbed the gun he just
01:32:49
was so distraught he say what they were I mean about no I was just trying to consult and say
01:32:57
it's not your fault it's not your fault Amy's death had shocked the Westfield Community my name is Stephanie Barry and
01:33:06
I'm a reporter for the Republican in Springfield Massachusetts Amy's maiden name was Hansen she came from a fairly
01:33:15
large family she and her sisters were all known as some of the prettiest girls in school some of the smartest and some
01:33:22
of the nicest it was 1983 when 16-year-old Amy met 19-year-old Brian fion fion came from a
01:33:31
long line of police officers and politicians and in Westfield the fan name was a source of Pride the fions
01:33:40
were kind of like the kennedies of Westfield they were well regarded Brian and Amy tied the knot in
01:33:48
1985 and the couple eventually had two children Travis and Victoria Amy's close friend Terry lardi says Amy loved being
01:33:57
a stay-at-home mom Amy's Focus was Raising her children she thought that being a parent was the best job in the
01:34:05
whole world the fans deeply committed to their faith dedicated their lives to God
01:34:11
and community service with Brian serving as a church Deacon and working as a missionary to build wells in
01:34:19
Mexico after 30 years of marriage the fans were planning their next phase of life when those plans derailed is there
01:34:27
any knowledge that Amy F had had any mental health issues or suffered from depression so I I asked Brian and um he
01:34:35
mentioned um many years earlier when she was having some psychological issues and
01:34:40
we done medicine for a period of time other than that nothing nothing recent but what Brian did stress was that Amy
01:34:48
had bouts with anger she had a temper but she hit it well from everyone but me she only
01:34:56
got that angry when we were alone Midway into the interview detective otou asked
01:35:02
Brian if there were any female friends in his life they have a woman who lives in Pittsfield that I met
01:35:11
recently I did a mission trip to Mexico and we become good friends what's that lady's name
01:35:19
Cory does she have a last name or Cory noes okay n o l you guys aren't going to contact her
01:35:28
are you for detective OU Brian fions admitted friendship with another woman raised
01:35:50
questions Ryan had told detectives that Karin no known as Corey was a fellow missionary at a nearby Church the two
01:35:58
met in November 2017 on a mission trip in Mexico and a friendship developed but it had never gone beyond
01:36:06
that an emotional affair he said there was some flirting but he qualified it that it wasn't sexual a sexual it was
01:36:14
not a his term was it was not a friends with benefits at the end of the interview
01:36:22
detective otou asked Brian to turn over his personal phone I turned off the recorder and that's when Brian told me
01:36:31
is you're going to see some things on there and it's not what it appears to be a red flag for you yeah there's several
01:36:38
red flags as a an investigator you have to keep an open mind within a week of Brian's interview
01:36:46
on May 14th 2018 Amy's wake was held Brian planted a tree in nearby Stanley Park in his wife's
01:36:57
[Music] memory but the investigation into her sudden death was just beginning detectives recovered a treasure Trove of
01:37:10
deleted text messages from Brian's phone there were just hundreds of text that expanded
01:37:25
the relationship that he was having with Cory on May 7th the day before Amy died
01:37:32
Brian and Corey exchanged 72 text messages until 9:47 p.m. that evening in one exchange at 9:23 p.m.
01:37:44
Brian writes good night my love I hope you have wonderful dreams of amazing days and nights to come and Cory
01:37:51
responds good night my love I will dream of you and all that the future holds for
01:37:57
[Music] us the next morning at 10:30 a.m. Corey texts when can I hold you again to which
01:38:07
Brian responds not soon enough turning into a very long morning and within an hour to Amy fanan
01:38:19
is dead yes for female party who possibly intentionally shot herself police in rout Brian has not been entirely
01:38:38
truthful to us at this point and so we want to speak with him again on May 17th 2018 3 days after
01:38:48
Amy's wake Brian fan arrived at the District Attorney's State Police office for another round of questioning Brian
01:38:55
so we just needed to you know clarify some things we you know you're Miranda right so I'm going to read them out this
01:39:01
form the other day you didn't do this has something changed so you're not you're not under arrest I know
01:39:08
that and on that same day across town detectives met with Corey nolles to learn more about her involvement with
01:39:16
Brian if somebody wants to say who's Cory who are you Cory NOS a 48-year-old wife grandmother a member of her
01:39:24
Church's choir told detectives that Brian's friendship helped her work through a troubled second marriage Bri
01:39:32
were easy to talk to nothing but affirmation and love and I'm here for you but over time their relationship
01:39:41
moved from Friendship to flirtation did I feel passion for him absolutely by April 16th 2018 5 months
01:39:49
into Brian and Cory's relationship their texting gave way to is something more intimate When Corey visited Brian's
01:39:56
house before they left for volunteer work was that the first time you were intimate that you kissed on that April
01:40:02
dat the 16th Y and then then where was that on kitchen I got there before got home Cory
01:40:11
told detectives that by late April she and Brian were having passionate make out sessions in her truck
01:40:22
[Music] Brian left work early met up with Corey in Westfield at Stanley Park and they
01:40:32
made out there was some sexual touching but according to Corey Brian could not perform more like because I'm
01:40:41
still married to to Amy we've seen the text messages and all honesty Brian it looks like it's a lot
01:40:49
more than a friendship you know I know it escalated and I'm completely embarrassed by it ashamed
01:40:55
of it and shouldn't happen but a lot of people have affairs and correct don't kill their wife
01:41:06
correct detective otou then asks Brian to go back over his statement of what happened beginning at the moment when
01:41:14
Brian said he placed his gun on the hutch and went inside the bathroom all right so you come out of
01:41:21
the bathroom right she's at the table where where just indicate like where between the table and the hutch and a
01:41:28
chair right there I don't know if she was sitting or standing I think she was standing I mean not Sho I think she was
01:41:36
sitting now when we were trying to get these stepbystep details he seem to be wavering so you come out of the bathroom
01:41:48
Okay and then what's the first thing that happens I just remember her saying that that you obviously
01:41:55
here and then detective OU asked Brian to demonstrate what Amy did with the gun just remember seeing her hand come up
01:42:02
with the towards her head yeah so she puts it to the side of her head yes okay and and where was the gun when it went
01:42:10
off was it in the sink but there is a problem what Brian did not know was that a CSI report and Amy's autopsy results
01:42:19
had arrived The Gunshot entrance womb was was not consistent with a self-inflicted wound fair to say it took
01:42:27
this case in a whole new Direction yes during the second interview with Brian fion detectives otou and Blanchet
01:42:49
found themselves facing a challenge that tested their experience as investigators this is not a a normal
01:42:57
interview for myself and Mike we've done thousands of interviews you know we're pretty good at it but it's hard when
01:43:05
it's a police officer because he knows exactly how we work it was a difficult interview
01:43:13
there's a problem I'll straight detectives laid out what they considered to be crucial evidence in their
01:43:18
investigation there's no indication so whatsoever so far that she had a gun close to the side of her head
01:43:28
then you're wrong cuz she did cuz I saw happen you know how do you say there's no indication well I mean that's what
01:43:36
that's what you know that's what it's showing us right now the medical examiner listed Amy's
01:43:43
manner of death as undetermined and combined with CSI findings investigators did not believe
01:43:50
that Amy died of a self-inflicted wound I mean there's no doubt she get was shot but but the question is from
01:43:59
what distance it was right freaking there I'm telling you do what you need to but I'm
01:44:07
telling you it was right there in Amy's case distance mattered this is because with self-inflicted
01:44:14
gunshot wounds debris known as gunshot residue is expelled from the firearm and leaves a distinct pattern on and inside
01:44:22
the wound known as stippling has demonstrated here like Brian you you understand like guns and stippling and
01:44:30
all that stuff you do and I can't there's none honor Brian there's none honor there has to be cuz the gun was
01:44:37
there right freaking there there's not H then they're wrong I'm telling you they're they're flat out wrong cuz it
01:44:46
was right freaking there the other option is you got pissed and you're a foot or few feet away and you shot her
01:44:52
head when she sitting eating sandwich didn't happen didn't happen did not happen
01:44:58
right with Fan's Affair exposed and CSI reports in hand detectiv suspected fan had likely shot his wife but they still
01:45:08
needed more evidence on May 24th 2018 detectives obtained a search warrant for Fan's home and when detectives arrived
01:45:17
Brian asked if I was there to arrest him and I told him I wasn't and then he asked me if I thought he did
01:45:26
it were you surprised he asked you that I was noting it I didn't know how to feel and I didn't answer his
01:45:34
question detectives took additional measurements to analyze the trajectory of the
01:45:40
bullet Fan's home electronics were confiscated and at the same time his desktop computer and laptop at the
01:45:47
Westfield police station were seized for data extraction do you see any any signs that
01:45:54
Brian fion planned to kill his wife any evidence that points to that we see a totality of all the evidence here
01:46:03
um we're not the fact finders um we're we're detectives so we we collect all this information and then it's going to
01:46:10
be presented someone else is going to make a determination on that and that someone would be Hampton County
01:46:18
assistant District Attorney Mary sandstrom new to the homicide division s had arrived in Massachusetts by way of
01:46:25
New York is it fair to say you were a fish out of water a bit it's always um hard not being from
01:46:34
the area in which you prosecute uh it's a very small very intimately connected town so yes you're never at an advantage
01:46:43
where you don't know everybody by name adding to the difficulty Brian Fanon is a detective yes and
01:46:50
respected very much and in that Community as spring gave way to Summer Corey ended her relationship with fan
01:47:00
and by early 2019 fion retired from the police force the investigation into Amy's death
01:47:07
continued we're still trying to get some testing done because we want to have as
01:47:11
strong a case as possible before we go in before the grand jury and a complication in the form of a letter was
01:47:17
among the Case Files Amy's family members expressed their unfailing supportive Brian fion saying we are
01:47:25
certain Amy took her own life the letter was signed by Amy's siblings and even her own
01:47:32
mother that's got to be tough for you it's an awkward position for a prosecutor where your victim family
01:47:39
isn't supporting you it was an odd spot to be in an odd spot perhaps but not a deterrent on November 6th 2019 17 months
01:47:51
after Amy died did detectives arrived at Brian Fan's door Brian came to the dining room door
01:47:59
pretty quickly as I recall it and he said something to the effect of come in then Mike Blanchett began to describe to
01:48:06
Brian Brian we have an arrest warrant for you police say Brian fion told them that his wife shot herself with his gun
01:48:14
while he was at home on a lunch break last year I remember telling him put your hands behind your back I took out my
01:48:21
handcuffs through the investigation they only solidified their suspicion that Brian pulled the trigger he was eating
01:48:28
assorted nuts was uh popping some in his mouth and as he put his hands behind his
01:48:33
back he let him drop to the floor we transported Brian to the russle state police
01:48:41
barracks and he's processed photographed fingerprinted stand's accused of killing
01:48:46
his wife inin I assessed a feeling of Despair on Brian's face like I can't believe this is
01:49:09
happening Stephanie Barry a crime reporter at the Republican newspaper recalls the unusual scene that played
01:49:16
out 15 miles away in Springfield Massachusetts inside the Hampton County Superior Court in early November
01:49:23
2019 there's no one who spent any amount of time in Westfield who didn't know who
01:49:29
Brian fion was it was a pretty full house and the kind of palpable shock remained throughout the entire
01:49:38
proceeding fion who appeared for his initial arraignment entered a plea of not guilty and sitting right behind him
01:49:46
were members of both Brian's and Amy's family I can't think of another instance when when I've seen the family of a
01:49:56
victim sticking up for the accused murder of their loved one and despite the absence of support from members of
01:50:04
Amy's family Ada sandstrom continued to build her case what was Amy fan like she sounds
01:50:12
like a fairy tale giving selfless completely dedicated to her family according to sandstrom the night
01:50:21
before Amy died she was making a gift for an upcoming baby shower that she planned to attend and was texting her
01:50:28
daughter Victoria did anyone ever say that Amy was ever suicidal she wasn't a person
01:50:35
who was ready to die Amy was healthy she was happy what do you think Brian Von's
01:50:41
motive was he was ready to start a new chapter of his life that did not include Amy fion he's chosen his life partner
01:50:49
and Corey Amy's the only thing standing in the way now and that's always the million-dollar question why not divorce
01:50:56
he can't divorce Amy for how he's going to be seen in this community divorce is public but in his mind murder doesn't
01:51:04
have to be the trial started today for a former Westfield police officer who's accused of murdering his wife on
01:51:12
February 23rd 2023 in what would be Westfield's most publicized case Brian Fan's trial began he faced a life
01:51:20
sentence for the first-degree murder of wife 48 Hours made several interview requests to Brian fion his attorney
01:51:27
Jeffrey Brown as well as family members of both Amy and briyan but never received a response this is a big case a
01:51:35
lot of attention how are you feeling for any trial you're always nervous and this
01:51:41
was probably the most high-profile case I've ever done opening statements revealed
01:51:46
conflicting accounts of the circumstances surrounding Amy Fan's death the defendant was a at wyan Union
01:51:53
Church and an officer for the Westfield Police Department the evidence will show
01:51:58
that while the defendant was repulsed by continuing his marriage with Amy he couldn't divorce her either leaving him
01:52:05
trapped and once that evidence is before you I will ask you to find the defendant
01:52:11
guilty of murder in the first degree Fan's defense focused on Amy's anger issues and claimed she suffered from
01:52:19
anxiety Brown alleged that on the day of of Amy's death an argument over Brian's
01:52:25
retirement plans and his refusal to attend a family member's play pushed her over the
01:52:31
edge in the days before Amy shot herself Amy was very mad at he had to tread lightly around the Amy for fear of
01:52:39
setting her off and at the conclusion of the evidence in this case I'll ask that
01:52:44
you find Brian F not guilty thank you Anna Hansen Amy's younger sister was the first witness for
01:52:53
the prosecution she was the only family member who signed the letter of support that willingly testified against Brian
01:53:02
fyon Anna stated that during the investigation into Amy's death her brother-in-law confided that he was
01:53:09
worried about searches he had conducted on his computer I asked him what that search
01:53:14
was and he said how to make a murder look like a suicide he specifically said he searched quote how to make a murder
01:53:21
look like a suicide those were his exact words Anna told the jury that when she asked her brother-in-law why he made
01:53:29
this search fan told her that Amy asked him to do it after they watched a CSI show it was a show that Anna questioned
01:53:36
if Amy had ever watched did she ever say that she liked those shows she never shared that with
01:53:44
me the prosecution's next witness was Fan's former lover a divorced Cory nolles now Corey Hasty who told the jury
01:53:52
that fan was concerned about ending his marriage did ever talk about what could happen to him
01:54:00
ifce yes if Amy was to ever leave excuse me he divorced her that she would take him for everything he's got because he
01:54:10
would y suain on retirement that the prosecution called Tom forest from the Cyber crimes unit all of Fan's devices
01:54:18
were examined but it was Fan's office computer that produced some Curious results Forest said fan visited common
01:54:27
and dangerous poisons which drug causes the most deaths each year 16 common household items that could kill
01:54:34
you but it's only when this affair starts up that all of these incriminating searches start to appear carbon monoxide
01:54:42
The Invisible Killer household poisons common prescription overdoses and 11 days prior to Amy's
01:54:51
death fan used office computer to view a news report on YouTube called what gunshot residue tests tell
01:54:59
us he wasn't assigned to any active investigations in April and May of 2018 that would necessitate looking up
01:55:05
gunshot residue nobody in the Westfield police department does gunshot residue testing
01:55:11
I was trying to keep a very open mind about what the evidence was going to show but I didn't think that was great
01:55:17
news for Brian fet morning detective John Shrine a ballistic expert and a crucial witness for the prosecution
01:55:25
testified that Amy's wound was not self-inflicted citing the absence of gunshot residue near the wound coupled
01:55:33
with the trajectory of the bullet Shrine concluded that Amy fion was shot from a
01:55:38
downward angle and at a distance of at least 18 in not at close range as fion had
01:55:45
claimed you form an opinion as to whether or not the defendant firearm was discharged at distance of 18 in or
01:55:55
greater over 18 in without anything intervening that's correct after 12 days of testimony and
01:56:04
27 Witnesses the prosecution rested but waiting in the wings was a defense poised to introduce a significant
01:56:12
element that could potentially unravel the DA's case any prosecutor who's not worried about a defense probably isn't a
01:56:19
good prosecutor what do you think is the most damning piece of evidence chat now with the 48
01:56:26
Hours team on Facebook and [Music] X defense attorney Jeffrey Brown whose client faced life in prison launched a
01:56:44
Counterattack when he cross-examined Fan's former lover Corey Hasty according to this state fanion fair was the
01:56:52
primary motive for murdering his wife but Hasty admitted to the defense that when she ended their relationship
01:57:01
fan didn't try to stop her when ultimately you ended it with Brian his response was okay isn't that
01:57:13
right to my recollection he didn't say to you oh my god I killed Amy for you and you're leaving me he never said that
01:57:21
right correct and what about the websites detective forest from the Cyber crimes unit said
01:57:27
fion visited carbon monoxide The Invisible Killer common and dangerous poisons 16 common household items that
01:57:37
could kill you the defense argued that some of the websites he visited were related to an aging house an old wood
01:57:44
burning stove and the potential hazards it might pose to a young family member did you know that the fions um were
01:57:51
beginning to have a young niece a child stay in their home during that time frame no I did not but what the defense
01:57:59
couldn't reconcile were fion searches about gunshot residue days before Amy's death and there was Amy's sister Anna
01:58:07
the only family member who willingly testified for the prosecution she claimed that Brian told
01:58:13
her he searched how to make a murder look like a suicide on his computer you didn't find any sites that
01:58:21
were searched or visited relating to the terms how to make a murder look like a suicide isn't that true that is
01:58:31
true the defense narrowed its focus and scrutinized Amy's personality by cross-examining Amy's own
01:58:40
mother Patricia Taran did your daughter Amy have a temper yes a temper according to Amy Sister
01:58:51
Hall that would typically be directed toward her husband well did she snap at Brian in
01:58:58
front of you she would I was embarrassed for her you don't usually talk to your husband
01:59:07
kind of in that way maybe the you reprimand a child but not a husband but what Amy's temper lead to an
01:59:17
impulsive decision such as grabbing Fan's gun according to Amy's son Travis it would I could easily picture or Envision
01:59:29
her grabbing the gun impulsively to make a point that she picked it up intending
01:59:36
to complete a trigger pull and and shoot herself but what would explain the lack
01:59:42
of gunshot residue on Amy her wound is consistent with a Clos range gunshot wound based Alexander Jason a senior
01:59:51
certified crime analyst testified for the defense that's the foundation of the whole prosecution and this whole idea
01:59:58
that it had to be 18 in because the absence of gunshot residue is not valid Jason says the lack of gunshot residue
02:00:06
was not due to distance it was due to Amy's Hair what could Amy Fan's hair have told
02:00:14
us Amy fan had very dense thick hair that will block The Gunshot residue Jason's research effect of hair on the
02:00:24
deposition of gunshot residue was published by the FBI's forensic science journal in 2004 Jason says there could
02:00:32
have been gunshot residue commonly known as GSR embedded in Amy's Hair the crime
02:00:38
scene analyst did not test her hair what they should have done is taken the hair and then analyz those little
02:00:44
specs to see if their gunshot residue or not which was a mistake Jason's testimony was limit at
02:00:52
trial to support his theory he and his daughter Juliana met us at a gun range in California to demonstrate what may
02:00:59
have happened to Amy fion I'm going to fire two times using a 45 caliber gun and ammunition identical to what was
02:01:08
found at the scene Jason fired a single round into a mound of hair backed by a ballistic skin
02:01:14
simulant so you just shot a 45 caliber gun 3 in away through hair yes Amy fion had considerable hair maybe more dense
02:01:24
than this where the bullet entered and the hair will act as a filter and prevent The Gunshot residue from
02:01:31
reaching her skin for comparison Jason positioned the gun at the same distance using identical ammunition and fired
02:01:38
into the skin simulant without hair and I pull this away wow you can see there's a big difference now look at
02:01:47
that that's a very clean wound that's a very dirty wound that's incredible well all from the hair all from the hair the
02:01:55
hair acted as a filter pretty fascinating while Jason believes this scenario is what happened to Amy fan he
02:02:03
stopped short of saying whether or not fan killed his wife filtered that stuff out but what he does believe is that
02:02:09
basing the case on the absence of gunshot residue is wrong and he should not be convicted on that basis that's my
02:02:17
bottom line after 40 Witnesses and 15 days of testimony closing arguments she raised the gun up to her
02:02:29
head in a fit of rage and in effect caused her own death this defendant murdered Amy Fon with deliberate
02:02:41
premeditation on March 21st 2023 the jury got the case and after 2 days of deliberations
02:02:49
the verdict po person would say you is is the defendant guilty or not guilty guilty guilty of what guilty of what
02:02:58
degree Brian fan was found guilty of the first-degree murder of his wife Amy fion and sentenced to life without out
02:03:08
parole that same day Brian side of the aisle just collapsed in sobs these people L Brian and sincer
02:03:22
thought that he was innocent for assistant District Attorney Mary sandstrom Fun's conviction was
02:03:34
bittersweet and hard one it's never a victory Amy fion should be here she should be with her daughter
02:03:45
and son and her now grandchildren and she's not and it was all for nothing so that Brian F
02:03:56
could enjoy his life and end [Music] hers a mother disappears evidence points to homicide and she's nowhere to be
02:04:19
found the suspect is gone too leading us marshals on a Relentless Manhunt he was
02:04:24
using the railways to move around hopping trains the chase is on Justice is coming 48 hours Saturday on CBS
02:04:31
streaming on Paramount Plus