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[Music] state of idah Hope plaintiff versus Lori Narin ballow AKA Lori Narin deel
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defendant count one conspiracy to commit first-degree murder first degree murder count three
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conspiracy to commit first-degree murder and count four first degree murder count
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five conspiracy to commit first-degree murder the crimes are UNAM imagable Lori valel stood trial for the murder of her
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own children 16-year-old Tye and 7-year-old JJ she was also accused of killing Tammy debel the wife of her
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current husband Chad the judge in the case did not allow cameras in the Idaho courtroom during testimony but we have
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audio and transcripts of the proceedings here was prosecutor Lindsay Blake money
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power and sex that's what this case is about it didn't matter what obstacle she had to
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remove to get what she wanted and if it was a person it didn't matter who Lori was a beauty contestant anybody
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you spoke to who knew Lori back then said that she was like the mother of the year the problem really seems to have
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started when Lor started following Chad debel Chad was a podcaster and author of
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Doomsday novels then in late 2019 Lorie's two children mysteriously disappeared meantime Lori and Chad are
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on the beach in Hawaii having the time of their lives they get married and they wouldn't talk to police at all and they
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wouldn't tell anybody where the kids were even after Lori was arrested she still refused to say anything about
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where the kids were how come you're not telling anybody where your kids are people looked all over the country for
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these kids months after Vanishing Into Thin Air the remains of JJ Val and Tyle Ryan were found buried here in Chad de
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Bell's backyard what we have gathered was that Chad had this belief that some people who were on this Earth weren't
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really the people they were supposed to be they were zombies and the only way to
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release their Spirits was To Kill the bodies and if that's not disturbing enough Lori started referring to her
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children as zombies she had this um grading system where she could read people's auras and
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they were either dark or light and she had described Tyle as having a dark spirit I feel like she's kind of a
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monster but defense attorney Jim arjal claimed there was no way for Lori to have committed the crimes Lori valow was
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in her own apartment in Rexx for Idaho when JJ valow and Tyler Ryan died and Lori was in Hawaii when Tammy Dell died
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I've thought a lot about why this story hits such a chord with a wide variety of
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people and I think it's because these kids and then when you throw in the cult aspect of this we've certainly seen
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movies with all of this but I'm not sure we've ever seen anything like this in real life in true crime in regards to
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count one of the amended indictment answer guilty count two guilty count three guilty count four guilty count
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five guilty count seven guilty [Music] [Music] can you tell me where your kids are did
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you do something to your children where are your children welcome back Lori where are your kids anything you want to
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say Lori Lori beginning in 2019 Lori valel spent months denying her missing children were in
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danger many including her sister summer shifflet believed her at the time something's not adding up here where are
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they where is JJ and tyly it's a great question we would love to know the answer to that we don't know but we know
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we are very confident that Lor would never harm her children ever but during 4 weeks of testimony the
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prosecution chipped away at the facade of the former Beauty contestant until it exposed Lori valel for the person it
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claimed she really was prosecutors have painted a picture of somebody who was ruthless Morgan low is an investigative
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reporter and CBS News consultant somebody who would do anything to get what she wants according to the prosecution Lori
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was a master Puppeteer pulling the strings in a heinous murder plot that left three innocent people dead her
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16-year-old daughter Tyle Ryan her 7-year-old son JJ valow and Tammy debel Chad Bell's wife of almost 30 years it
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didn't matter what obstacle she had to remove to get what she wanted 48 Hours has been following the
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Twisted Saga of the so-called cult mom and her Paramore Chad debel since the story broke in
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2019 months before the remains of her two children were discovered in Shallow graves in Chad Dell's backyard when we
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started it was almost inconceivable to friends like a Raymond that she would harm her children she did everything for
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JJ everything for Ty they were the center of her world and so I'm not sure what hijacked
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that priority April met Lori in 2015 in Hawaii at the time Lori was married to businessman Charles valow the couple
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were raising two children Tye Lor's teenage daughter from her former marriage and their adopted son JJ who
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was diagnosed with autism JJ was very difficult to take care of so I really admired how patient she
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was with him and how much care she took of him his big sister was just as devoted to him says Ty's best friend via
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itao I loved being around JJ and Tyle Ty was really protective over JJ and she was kind of like another another Mama to
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him are you taking a video of my child your child my child I just kind of loved how she would just play with him and
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just always have like a really good time with him and I really love JJ he's the sweetest Soul I've ever met but around
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2017 friends say Lorie's relationships with her kids began to shift about the time she started reading
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the books of Chad debel I've recently released my autobiography dbel was a former
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Gravedigger turned doomsday novelist and podcaster from Rexburg Idaho he tapped into this prepper
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element out there people who wanted to prepare for Armageddon Lori met Chad for the first
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time in 2018 at a conference in St George Utah the first time Chad met Lori he told her that they had been married
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in a past life he said he was James and she was Elena and that they had lived this biblical life in the past and
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instead of scaring her off that seems to have attracted her even though Lorie was
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still married to Charles valow and Chad was married to the mother of his five children Tammy debel Lor's friend
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Melanie Gibb testified the two soon began an affair did Lori ever tell you directly that she and Chad would meet at
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hotels or motels yes did Lori ever indicate to you whether or not she and Chad were engaged in an affair she would
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just share that they were intimate Witnesses testified that Lori took on Chad's extreme religious beliefs
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says Morgan low Lori believed that she was chosen to lead the 144,000 after the apocalypse to lead the
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survivors of the human race to an eternal life while the rest of society burned she also believed she had been
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appointed another more ominous role says April part of her mission on Earth was to eliminate the darkness the Demonic uh
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the evil April says one of those evil spirits according to Lori was her then husband Charles valow the way she had
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explained it to me about Charles was that Charles was already dead and that there was a demon living inside of him
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for the first time we heard at trial that Lori held what she called casting ceremonies it involved getting into a
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circle with other like-minded followers and casting out dark Spirits from people
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getting rid of demons Lor's friend zulma pastenes attended several of these castings there are certain spirits that
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can only be cast out by prayer and fasting here she is on the stand talking about one of the Demons Lori claimed was
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living inside Charles and what was that that Spirit or Demon's name I believe they called him Ned Ned
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Schneider to be precise don't you come over here in January of 2019 Charles was so spooked
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by Lor's ramblings about the demon named Ned he called police what did she say yesterday she said you're not Charles I
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don't know who you are what you did with Charles their conversation was recorded
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on the officer's body count okay so what makes her a danger to herself and to others she threatened me murder me kill
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me she threatened to murder you yes in the winter of 2019 Charles changed the beneficiary of his $1 million life
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insurance policy from Lori to his sister K Woodcock JJ's biological grandmother after almost 13 years of marriage
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Charles filed for divorce she scared the crap out Charles valow had good reason to be
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scared on the morning of July 11 2019 Charles valow went to the Chandler Arizona home of his estrange wife Lorie
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valow to pick up JJ and take him to school he goes into the house Lori and Tye and JJ are there and so is Alex Cox
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Alex Cox Lor's brother at trial Lor's friend zulma pennis who would later marry Alex testified that Chad had
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assigned him a mission ordained by God dad had told him that he was going to be a warrior a Defender and the sole
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purpose for him coming to this Earth was so that he could be Lor's protector and
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Defender did Alex believe this absolutely shortly after Charles entered Lor's home that summer morning in
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2019 Alex Cox the defender shot him dead 911 where is your emergency at 8:36 a.m. Alex calmly
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called 911 is he breathing I can't tell he said I need to report a shooting I shot my brother-in-law in self-defense
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and is he hurt or is he alive or yeah there's whaty he's he's not moving the police arrived and shot this
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video of Alex on the curb outside the home Alex told them Charles and Lori got into a fight so you both so you get an
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argument what is it over I was over my sister he was he was uh getting physical with her so my niece came out Alex told
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them he got between Charles and Lorie and shot Charles in the chest when Charles charged at him at some point
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Lori Tyle and JJ got into the car and left Lori takes JJ to school and she comes back later with Ty police body cam
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caught the moment Ty's face was blurred because she was a minor how long have you lived here like 3 weeks oh jeez yeah
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okay that's why the neighbor last gotcha like Hi Neighbor sorry what was striking
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about the footage that we saw was that there's no remorse there's no oh my gosh my husband's dead Lori Alex and Tyle
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were questioned at the police headquarters all told similar stories of self-defense and were sent home 3 Days
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Later Chad and Lori were exchanging steamy Tex here's FBI agent Doug Hart reading one
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on the stand I need so badly to just gently kiss you for hours it would likely lead to other activities likely
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or luckily it would luckily lead to nakedness but prosecutors say the lovers were in for a big surprise they were
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about to find out that Charles had changed the beneficiary of that $1 million life insurance policy here's
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Detective Nathan Duncan reading Lor's text to Chad after she found out I just got the letter from the insurance
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company saying that I am not the beneficiary it's a spear through my heart this is one of the strongest
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points that prosecutors have made is that Lori was motivated by money she wanted Charles's
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money according to prosecutors Lori started drawing the Social Security death benefits JJ received from his
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father Charles valow she moved with her two kids to Rexburg Idaho not far from where Chad deel lived
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with his wife Tammy Lorie's brother Alex Cox her designated Defender moved into the same complex he was there to take
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care of the problems prosecutors alleged Lor's first problem was her 16-year-old
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daughter Tyler Ryan according to zemma Lori told her that a demon named Hillary had taken over Ty's body now if somebody
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is possessed by a demon are those people dangerous they're considered to be dark
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and to bring only bad things to happen yeah so yes would be dangerous these are the last known
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pictures of Tyler Ryan on September 8th 2019 she was with Lori JJ and Alex at Yellowstone National Park the
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16-year-old was never seen again Tye was JJ's protector once she was gone JJ had nobody he had nobody to
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protect him or watch out for him just two weeks later JJ Val went missing this photo of JJ wearing red pajamas was
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taken on September 22nd 2019 it is the last known photo of him Melanie Gibb who was staying at Lor's
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house that evening says she saw Alex take JJ upstairs she believes to Lor's room but the little boy was nowhere to
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be seen the next morning is that when she told you JJ was a zombie yes Melanie Gibb told
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prosecutors Alex Cox believed JJ was a zombie as well he said he 100% believed it according to their religious
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teachings a zombie had to be killed the body had to die and the body count was climbing
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according to prosecutors Lori and Chad had identified another evil spirit in the way what we learned from witness
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after witness is that Chad told some people that his wife was not going to be around much longer and that he was going
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to have a life before Tammi and a life after Tammi [Music] [Music] the week after JJ was last seen and 2
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months before the world would learn that the children were missing Lori was planning her fifth
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wedding at trial prosecutors called an FBI specialist to the stand did you learn whether or not uh there was ever a
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successful purchase of wedding rings there were on October 2019 there was just one problem Chad was
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still married to Tammy debel but that was about to change G deel is one of five deel children if I
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was asleep and I heard a thump and heard my dad yell G G come quick gu found his mother 49-year-old
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Tammy deel lying half on the bed half on the floor I just ran over and picked her up
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and put her back on the bed I said to my dad I said I think she's dead the coroner initially determined
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Tammy died of natural causes and the family declined an autopsy Chad's neighbor Alice Gilbert
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testified that a week later he had already moved on we asked him how he was doing and he
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said actually I'm doing really good and that he'd met the woman he was going to marry did you find did it
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surprise you that he seemed to be doing so well yes we were shocked Alice and her husband Todd
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Gilbert met Lori shortly after they came to the house and his arm was around her
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and she was giggling and laughing and they look like teenagers Alice says the conversation
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turned to Children then Chad said and she recently just lost a daughter so I told her oh I'm sorry and
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she said thank you this is significant because at that time Lori is still telling her sister
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and everybody else that the kids were okay this is like a slip up an early slip up and
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admission against interest here it did not seem to worry Chad and Lori on their big day 17 days after Tammy Dell's death
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there was Lori dancing on the beach in Hawaii as her new husband strummed his ukulele exchanging those Rings according
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to investigators the cost of the wedding trip was courtesy of the groom's dead wife's life insurance little do they
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know that the clock is now ticking soon after the newlyweds returned to Idaho the Rexburg police
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came knocking on Lorie's door Looking for JJ his grandmother K Woodcock had asked authorities to do a welfare check
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the conversation was recorded on the officer's body cam here's Lori talking about JJ he's with one of my friends in
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Arizona who's the friend he's with my friend Melanie Chad called that friend Melanie
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Gibb who testified he asked her not to pick up the phone when the police called later she says Lori asked her to lie and
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tell the police that JJ was staying with her in Arizona and I felt in a very weird and
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uncomfortable position and I really did not know what to do at first Melanie Gibb wasn't forthcoming to the police
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but 12 days later she made a call to Lori and Chad and secretly recorded it is JJ
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safe She is safe and happy Chad said they couldn't tell her where JJ was for her own security if you knew that put
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you in a danger Melanie handed that secret recording to authorities and investigators launched a nationwide
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search but not just for JJ they would soon learn that his big sister Tyle was also missing a search for two children
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from Idaho listen up you may know something the children mysteriously disappeared it was huge news especially
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to Lor's new stepchildren when did you know that she had two kids I first heard of her children when a detective came to
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my work and asked me about them I had never heard of them before that point so even after your father Weds Lori you
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didn't know that there were two kids in the picture at that point I did not as the hunt for the children intensified
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Lori and Chad again headed to Hawaii but the honeymoon was over sir Kawai authorities caught up
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with Lori by the pool she would be arrested on child abandonment charges and extradited to
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Idaho please be seated Chad the loyal Husband by her side but now Chad himself was Under Suspicion
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with the children missing that's when the police took a closer look at the death of
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Tammy her body had been exhumed on December 11th 2019 the Utah State medical examiner
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immediately saw bruising on her body and he determined that Tammy died of asphixiation the medical examiner
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testified that that bruising was consistent with somebody being restrained meaning she was held down and
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suffocated Alex's wife zulma pastenes says that when she heard about Tammy she started pressing Alex for Answers by
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then she says Lori and Chad had cut Alex off here she is on the stand talking about when she asked Alex what was
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happening what did he say he was very quiet and un responsive and then he said um I think I'm being their Fall Guy I
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said Fall Guy for what what is it that that you have done what what have you done that you would be the Fall Guy for
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and then he said either I am a man of God or I am not here's the prosecutor addressing
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that mysterious statement what exactly Alex meant by this or what he knew we may never know
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because Alex Cox died the next day on December 12th of 2019 and a truth is Stranger Than
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Fiction plat twist the man Lori and Chad designated her Defender her brother Alex
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Cox suddenly dropped dead an autopsy determined of natural causes that was a jaw-dropping moment right before his
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death it does look like Alex was second guessing what he had done and why Chad and Lori had asked him to do what he
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[Music] did they say dead men don't talk but this one did Alex Cox's cell phone harbored a tale of Horrors waiting to be
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discovered in Chad Dell's backyard and it would give prosecutors the evidence they had been waiting for
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on June 9th 2020 law enforcement descended on Chad Dell's backyard according to the
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prosecution Alex Cox's cell phone data placed him here for 2 hours the day after Tyler Ryan was last seen
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authorities later discovered her remains in this same spot it was an area the debel family
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once used as a pet cemetery it now contained Ty's badly burned remains she had been dismembered detective Ray herio
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took the stand and described finding what was left of Tyle there was a partial human skull
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underneath the melted bucket Alex's cell phone led them to a another section of the yard about 5050 yard away under a
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shade tree investigators started digging they removed a layer of rocks beneath the Rocks they found wooden planks below
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that a layer of black plastic one of the crime scene investigators cut a hole in the top of
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this plastic and beneath the black plastic was some white plastic like plastic bag and they cut through that
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that's when we were able to see what appeared to be brown human hair uh sticking out from the white
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plastic it was JJ he was still dressed in his red pajamas and covered head to toe in duct tape several layers of duct
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tape from his chin to his forehead area uh his arms were duct tape with several layers of duct tape his feet
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were were also duct taped and bound forensic pathologist G Warren testified how JJ had died I determin the cause of
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death to be asfixia by plastic bag over the head and duct take C in the mouth it's
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unimaginable what his last minutes of Life were like experts couldn't determine Ty's cause of death because of
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the condition of her remains but prosecutors alleged the way in which both children were killed aligned with
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Chad and Lor's teachings about demons and zombies zulma testifies that if they're trying to cast a demon or a
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zombie out of somebody there's two minutes after the casting where another demon can enter that person and the only
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way to prevent that is to burn the person or bind them Ty was burned JJ was bound despite all the talk of zombies
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and demons prosecutors argued that Lor's true motive to murder her kids was much
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more mundane Kylie had already lost her father and she received Social Security benefits because of that Ty had money
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Lori wanted it Ty's gone JJ also was entitled to Social Security benefits the defendant didn't want to have to take
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care of JJ anymore she wanted the money JJ's gone while the prosecution's case was mostly circumstantial DNA matching
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Ty's profile was found on a shovel and pickaxe in a garage on the debel property a forensic specialist testified
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they also found a finger and palm print belonging to Alex Cox on one of the black plastic bags that cover
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JJ investigators also found one strand of hair that was stuck in the tape that was around the
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bag DNA showed that that hair belonged to Lorie valow that's significant because that's really the only physical
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evidence they have that ties Lori to JJ at the time of his death some of the most powerful testimony in the
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prosecution's case came from Lor's own family they played an emotional jailhouse phone call between Lori and
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her only surviving child son Kobe Ryan you ripped my heart out and you ripped out everyone in this family's heart out
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then Lorie's sister summer shifflet took the stand she told prosecutors that she
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believed Lori when she told her the children were safe did that change yes why I felt lied to and my trust in
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my sister was broken prosecutors played a jailhouse phone call between summer and Lori after the children's bodies
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were found you went up to Hawaii were dancing on the beach while your are in the ground this phone call is painful to
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listen to Summer is screaming at Lori we were just little KS I don't understand you that's what I thought you still
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if you let that happened to them and didn't tell us if be the ground like a piece of trash that I don't know
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you toward the end of its case the prosecution put on Lor's former friend Audrey
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barito she delivered some of the most damning testimony of the trial she threatened to kill me okay did she say
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how yes she said that she would cut me up and something about that she wasn't in the mental place to do that but she
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would get herself in that place to do it but that she didn't want to have to cuz it' be so messy and there' be so so
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much blood and the bleach and something about trash bags and that she would buing me
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worse she where no one would ever find me Audrey Barro's testimony is critical because this is a firsthand description
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of Lori being ruthless with the threat to kill her this is the first time anyone in Lor's group of
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friends really described her as being capable of killing on cross the defense of
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aggressively tried to discredit Barro's testimony so you now want the jury to believe that even though you previously
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testified under oath and nothing of this sort was talked about that you come here
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today and say you are so scared that's why you didn't previously testify about it objection your honor argumentative
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so what was your question you want the jury to believe that you did just didn't make this L crap
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up I did not make it up after 60 Witnesses and four weeks of testimony the prosecution rested its
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case the defense declined to call any Witnesses your honor after consultation with my client we don't believe the
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state has proven its case so the defense rests each side would get a last chance
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to persuade the jury in closing arguments on May 11th 2023 defense attorney Jim archol stood
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before the jury and argued for his client's in inocence who is Lorie bow what happened where did it happen when did it
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happen why did it happen that's what you've been asked to figure out archal painted a picture of Lori as
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a devoted mother someone not capable of murder he pointed to this early testimony from Lorie's sister summer
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shifflet I think Lor was a loving mother and tyly adored her mother were you ever concerned about the
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safety of Tye around Lori no would you ever imagine your sister wanting to kill her kids
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no he also directed The Jury to this testimony from Lorie's son kobby Ryan you said my mom has spent her whole life
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protecting us kids yes after she met Chad de Bell she changed I don't remember but yes you never once thought
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your mom would hurt someone is that fair to say yes archal argued that there is no evidence tying Lori to the murders of
00:35:48
Tyle or JJ and he said that hair stuck on the duct tape used to wrap JJ's body means nothing Lori was Raising JJ JJ was
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living at Lor's house the defense can easily argue that that hair could have gotten on JJ for a hundred reasons none
00:36:05
of them having anything to do with murder instead archal shifted the blame towards Lorie's husband Chad deel and
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her brother Alex Cox remember all the GPS data Lor's not in the backyard when Chad and Alex are she's not there
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there's not one Smoking Gun that ties Lori to any of these murders and in order to explain Lorie's lies to the
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police while the children were missing archal suggested that Lori was manipulated by Chad how can someone have
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that much control over you reason and common sense just go out the window sometimes when religious principles are
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involved Lori sees Chad as if Chad is Jesus Chad sold his Spiel to Lori and she bought it and about Tammy Dell's
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death the defense question whether that was even a crime was she even murdered is it a natural death all they need to
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do is raise a couple of questions in a couple of the jurors but prosecutor Rob wood would get the last word Lor's lies
00:37:22
tell us she's guilty the innocent don't need to lie the guilty lion don't let Lori pin this
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all on one other person she was 100% involved in this you must convict her when the case went to the jury they
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deliberated for 7 hours over the course of 2 days before returning with a verdict the Corp shared video of Lorie
00:37:51
Val deel as she learned her fate the defendant would please rise in regards to count two of the amended
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indictment is Lori naren bow not guilty or guilty of first degree murder of Tye Ryan answer guilty in regards to count
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for the amended indictment is Lori naren valow not guilty or guilty of first murder of Joshua Jackson bow answer
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guilty in regards to count five of the amended indictment is Lori nen valow not guilty or guilty of conspiracy to commit
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firsty murder of Tamara Tammy D answer guilty guilty on all counts Lori appeared emotionless she will be
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sentenced at a later [Music] date as JJ's grandparents Larry and K Woodcock exited the courthouse the crowd
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outside greeted them by singing JJ's favorite song We Will Rock You we [Music] will Larry Woodcock had been playing the
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song while awaiting the verdict love always wins JJ I love you Pap Papa wish you were here Ty Papa
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loves you Tammy you are a part of our life my heart hurts for these three this is what this has been all
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about why Lori why Lori why power sex and greed for what for what it's been nearly 4 years since the
00:39:56
world Lo Tye a freckled-faced teenager her baby brother JJ and Tammy a mother of five we'll never know the lives they
00:40:05
would have gone on to live but we do know what they left behind happy family their
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smiles their laughter their Grace [Music] [Music] 48 Hours don't miss an episode
00:40:53
[Music] I don't want her to be a Cold Case please get some water hydrate are you ever overwhelmed as you
00:41:39
look around at this wide open space no they're we going to find her got to keep searching this one and this one right
00:41:46
this one yeah I want her to be [Music] found I want to bring her home to her kids to our families how often do you
00:41:56
think about your sister all the time I still can't believe it's like she just vanish my impression of Maya was that
00:42:05
she had a beautiful home life she was an accomplished career woman she was a super
00:42:14
mom what was she like as a friend kind funny witty her voice oh my God she could
00:42:22
sing she could play the guitar she's very talented she could do martial arts Jeeping off-roading there's my
00:42:31
adventurous little girl it's so pretty she Lov the outdoors when did you notice something
00:42:42
was wrong she's planning for her daughter's birthday and we haven't heard anything from her this is not her at
00:42:49
all when we walked in the house was a mess boxes everywhere i r away knew there was something really really wrong
00:42:57
here did you ever think in that moment in that house that Larry did something to Maya
00:43:04
yeah Larry was the last person that saw her what was his demeanor when you showed up and started asking questions
00:43:12
calm he hadn't slept much it didn't look like he was unconcerned about his wife being gone he
00:43:20
said this wasn't all that unusual for her I didn't have the answers at that point but I was very suspicious so I
00:43:28
needed to gather more evidence the family was well aware this marriage was not working out he went on the internet
00:43:36
found a website that does witchcraft cast spells he bought one of the Spells I don't even know how to make
00:43:44
this out so I I I need your help this is the spell that he cast on Maya and that's blood that's on there he created
00:43:52
the Witchcraft Altar and he puts down the picture of himself and my uh he wrote can you hex to have her hurt
00:44:02
enough that she will have to depend on me maybe an accident or broken bone this really hard to hear what kind of person
00:44:12
do you believe Larry is very damaged person do you think Maya left that house on her own no
00:44:22
no sorry it's been it is our family we're still asking the public please help us bring my sister home
00:44:40
[Music] [Music] more than a year has gone by since 39-year-old Maya May milete mother of
00:45:35
three young children vanished in Chula Vista California I still have hope I still had that hope that we'll
00:45:45
find her alive Maya's Sister Mary Chris and her husband Richard julier have fought hard
00:45:55
so Maya's dis appearance doesn't become a cold case it's been a really really tough year with the whole
00:46:04
family we still don't have answers yet Maya was 13 years old when she immigrated to the United States from the
00:46:15
Philippines with her parents and five siblings in 1995 Mary Chris says her sister thrived
00:46:22
in Honolulu Hawaii where the family settled to build a new life she's always been you know the smart one and uh she's
00:46:29
very active about school education is very important to the family I always been so proud of her Maya met her future
00:46:38
husband Larry milete when they were both working at a fast food restaurant in Honolulu Larry's family had also
00:46:45
immigrated from the Philippines when Larry turned 18 and joined the Navy the couple decided to get married they were
00:46:53
so young yeah teenagers yeah she the first one to get married so it was a shock for everyone but we respected her
00:47:03
decision Maya and Larry moved to Southern California and built their careers working for the Navy Larry was
00:47:11
an optician at the Naval Medical Center and Maya worked as a supervisor contract
00:47:16
specialist at this Naval Station in San Diego she was my mentor from day one she
00:47:22
was like this little tiny person but she was a big personality Claudia hola and Alice and
00:47:31
Alexander worked with Maya at the base and became friends we actually negotiate contracts for the US Navy and she was
00:47:40
very good at it I used to you know joke around with her and you know because she
00:47:45
had a photographic memory I had a lot of respect for her she was a very strong and confident
00:47:52
leader a lot of the women in the office really looked up to her there was no glass ceiling we could get wherever we
00:47:59
wanted didn't matter where we came from Maya and Larry decided to wait 10 years before starting a family the couple
00:48:08
eventually welcomed two daughters and a son it's a joy to see them you know that
00:48:13
they have their own family too we're always out camping we're always Outdoors it's so
00:48:21
pretty lry was a good dad always attened to the kids a great parents what kind of mother was she very caring
00:48:30
loving mother she hands on she's um always teaching them something especially you
00:48:37
know music she has some videos with her son singing with her word by word yeah word
00:48:49
by word brings us to tears every time we watch it her kids were everything she enjoyed her
00:49:03
kids in early January 2021 Maya was focused on planning a ski trip to Big Bear for her daughter's
00:49:12
birthday but her family grew concerned when she suddenly stopped communicating on January
00:49:19
7th what her not to tell us what's going to happen for her daughter's birthday you know that was a big deal
00:49:27
Mary Chris says when their brother Jr drove over to check on Maya the next day her husband Larry told him Maya had been
00:49:35
in the bedroom for several hours Jr knocked on the door but got no response he kind of just thinks okay maybe she
00:49:43
just maybe she's sleeping Larry did say that they had an argument he left it at that we believed Larry they had an
00:49:51
argument and she just she just want to be left alone the following day when there was still no news from Maya Mary
00:49:58
Chris and Richard drove over to the milete house when we walked in the house was a mess which I've never seen their
00:50:05
house Messi and it was cold it was January and he had the AC running which was really
00:50:12
odd this time Larry told them Maya was out so Larry says Maya's been where hiking she went hiking suspicious that
00:50:23
something wasn't right Mary Chris reported her sister missing to the Chula Vista Police Department that night how
00:50:31
did the police react they sent uh three officers went through the house and they
00:50:38
questioned us Mary Chris and Richard were upset with what they say was a lack of concern from the police it seemed
00:50:47
like there was no urgency for the police department to investigate it properly by
00:50:51
January 10th Maya had now been missing for 3 Days her family gathered at her home to celebrate her daughter's
00:50:59
birthday hoping against hope we're all like looking at the door hoping she'll walk in on her
00:51:09
daughter's birthday she never did I feel so bad after that she said Mommy didn't show up for my
00:51:25
birthday I didn't know how to comfort [Music] her as Maya's family tried to keep some
00:51:41
normaly for the sake of the children Richard was watching Larry during the party just laid back wearing his Navy
00:51:50
sweats on a Sunday no shoes and Larry had no concern whatsoever on his face for his missing wife
00:51:57
not even for his daughter's birthday that night Claudia got the distressing news that Maya was missing
00:52:06
and drove over to the milete house by now the birthday party had turned into a search party so they were outside with
00:52:16
babies and blankets trying to look for their sister their daughter her parents are elderly the
00:52:27
brothers and the brother-in-law were out knocking on doors giving out flyers and
00:52:32
he had no interest in helping as words spread that Maya was nowhere to be found more friends stepped
00:52:40
in trying to help my wife Lou was working at the 32nd Street Naval Base said that a friend of hers went missing
00:52:49
the family is concerned would you help them somebody ask for help you just do it right so if she was still alive I
00:52:58
needed to get to her quickly that's why I went straight to where the last place she was seen which was that house I had
00:53:03
no idea that it would turn into what it [Music] was on January 11th 202 21 4 days after
00:53:28
Maya milete was last heard from I knew what had to be done uh and I did it attorney Billy little a former criminal
00:53:36
defense investigator for the US Navy decided to step into the missing person's case I went straight to where
00:53:43
the last place she was seen which was that house little wanted to talk to Larry milete amongst other things he had
00:53:51
found it odd that Maya's husband wasn't the one who initially called the Chula Vista Police Department in fact when the
00:53:59
family wanted to call 911 he discouraged it were there police around also investigating at this point no no
00:54:08
according to the family the police had come he had given them I guess the same story in news reports at the time a
00:54:16
Trula Vista Police spokesperson stated that Larry was being cooperative they were treating it as a missing person's
00:54:23
case and had found no indication of foul little says after he showed Larry his Naval civilian ID he let him in I
00:54:32
started looking for things that I thought might be suspicious in the house just like Mary Chris and Richard he
00:54:39
noticed something strange most of the windows in the house were open it was clear he was trying to air the house out
00:54:47
little knew from Maya's family that the couple had had a fight on the day she was last heard from I was looking to see
00:54:55
if there's any damage in the house it would indicate some domestic violence I'm also looking for
00:55:00
defensive wounds on his hands which I don't see but little says he did see something outside the miletti bedroom we
00:55:09
went upstairs where her bedroom was the first thing I noticed was the hole in the door right next to the handle cuz
00:55:16
it's right in the area where if you need access to a locked room you're going to
00:55:20
punch right through there and I touched the patch and it felt new it felt wet I made a comment to Larry about hey was
00:55:29
this and he says oh yeah uh Maya punched a hole in the door there inside the bedroom little says he noticed another
00:55:36
hole on the wall that also appeared to have been recently repaired that would have been too high for Maya to punch cuz
00:55:44
she was small right and I said Larry what about this hole and he said oh yeah she uh got man punched that
00:55:53
too Larry's creating a picture here of a woman who is violent is this adding up to you no none of his story is adding
00:56:04
up when you left the house that day after collecting those puzzle pieces what were you thinking I thought Larry
00:56:12
killed her and we need to find out what he did and what he did with the body but
00:56:18
I wasn't ready to tell Mary Chris yet cuz I didn't know right I could be wrong little began canvasing the
00:56:25
neighborhood and knocking on doors to track down home security footage to see if anything suspicious was caught on
00:56:32
camera around the mil day house so I knew we had to get that uh quickly and preserve it quickly time was of the
00:56:40
essence oh God yes what little found was a treasure Trove of Clues he says a camera from a neighboring house recorded
00:56:49
the voices of the milet children playing in the yard at 10:30 p.m. on the night their mother
00:56:56
was last heard from on a school night and it's cold outside and the weather I believe it was
00:57:06
in the high 40s that night another camera recorded Larry backing their Lexus into the garage at 5:58 a.m. the
00:57:15
next morning so you can't see what's going on but you can see it going in the garage Larry then leaves the house at
00:57:23
6:45 a.m. and doesn't return home for almost 11 and 1/2 hours you could have moved on why did
00:57:33
you stay on this case and take matters into your own hands in my mind my job wasn't nearly complete it was just
00:57:40
beginning it was just beginning when I see Mary Chris and I see her crying I'm just like I got to figure
00:57:48
this out as Billy little continued investigating it's just not in me to quit so I don't
00:58:00
Mary Chris and Richard turned to local media and organized the first search for Maya on the hiking trails behind her
00:58:08
house we were desperate for answers wanted action we wanted to do something staying at home sitting down
00:58:15
wasn't going to bring us answers bring her home her sister goes on television and
00:58:23
is begging the public for help help me find my missing sister and that really moved people Ela V an attorney and true
00:58:31
crime author saw Maya's case on the news and started following it closely you realized that this was somebody that was
00:58:39
very vibrant that was really out there living her life and that is part of why it's all so shocking that she's missing
00:58:47
it shocks her conscious as the case gathered steam in the media on January 23rd 2021 2 weeks
00:58:56
weeks after Maya's disappearance the Chula Vista Police Department searched the milete house and what they did find
00:59:04
was that Larry had a lot of firearms They seized two Glock handguns a rifle and a shotgun and they found that he was
00:59:10
in possession of an illegal assault weapon investigators also downloaded images from Larry's phone 3 days later
00:59:20
the police were back on January 26th they served another search warrant and the police take the navigation system
00:59:27
the GPS from Larry's Lexus meanwhile Maya's friends had been revealing details about the couple's
00:59:36
relationship I would say March or so of 2020 the obsession became obvious Larry's Behavior had grown alarming
00:59:47
before his wife went missing he would do subliminal messages for her to be that perfect spouse house and it was
00:59:57
everywhere she walked at different times they would turn on that is insane it sounds like from a
01:00:08
[Music] movie she didn't just walk out that's something she would never do about a
01:00:26
month after Maya's disappearance her husband Larry milete hired a lawyer and stopped cooperating with
01:00:34
investigators I believe that he did something to her Billy little was told by Maya's
01:00:40
friends and family that troubling signs in the marriage began emerging the year before and it started back in January of
01:00:48
2020 when they started have marital problems Larry will call every single one of us trying
01:00:53
to ask for help to intervene you know into the marriage Larry was complaining that Mya was having a midlife crisis he
01:01:04
said well she's been going out with her friends more often and she has a lot of single friends but my sister is saying
01:01:09
you know it's not me it's it's Larry Maya's friend Claudia spent time with the couple socially his relationship was
01:01:17
very kind of to the side and just very watchful from what my observation of him he always had to be in control Claudia
01:01:26
recalls an instance when Larry couldn't get a hold of Maya at work you know when
01:01:31
somebody might be agitated or you overhear their voice I did hear where are you it takes you this long to get
01:01:38
from your car to your office who were you talking to he wants her to be submissive for her to comply to him to
01:01:47
be the same person as you know she used to but Maya's loved ones say that Maya was changing she was was growing into
01:01:56
someone new a strong woman for sure as the months passed in 2020 Larry's grip on Maya tightened he's now tracking her
01:02:07
spending habits he's gotten into all of her social media accounts she doesn't have any privacy and he suspected that
01:02:14
she was straying Larry accused her of having affairs with several Men at Work wrote emails to her boss at work he
01:02:22
knows that if he tells the boss that she's having an affair with somebody at work that she will get fired he tells
01:02:28
all of Maya's family she's cheating she's sinful help me get her back on the Christian religious way and starts
01:02:35
forcing her to go to church these are texts that Larry sent to Maya's family and he's quoting the Bible and it says
01:02:44
for the lips of the adulterous woman drip honey her feet go down to death her steps lead straight to the Grave he
01:02:51
talking about Maya in his own words he said that he was getting desperate and he felt that the devil was tempting
01:02:57
him at some point Maya's family says they told her they were concerned about what was unfolding at that time we knew
01:03:07
that my sister is ready to move on we told her whatever your decision is we're here to support you by the fall of 2020
01:03:16
Billy little says Larry was growing increasingly desperate to hold on to Maya and so what does he do he goes to
01:03:25
uh witchcraft there are people on the internet that will sell you for five bucks you know how to make a spell that
01:03:31
will get her to be attracted to you to bind your marriage in Blood and that's what he tried to do
01:03:40
does little witchcraft blood alter that is the picture that he took of the altar
01:03:45
an old photo of them with blood thrown on it little says Larry contacted numerous spellcasters and even wrote a
01:03:54
review for one and he writes of this spellcaster she is kind professional and courteous my
01:04:02
casting has not yet manifested but I'm really hoping and counting on it leaving a review like one would leave on Yelp
01:04:09
for a food order like it's an Uber ride like ah five stars good job spellcaster so he's not quite as smart as he thinks
01:04:17
he is he doesn't realize that all of that stuff is point the finger di by December of 2020 Maya and Larry were
01:04:24
sleeping in separate rooms little says Maya found speakers in her room and confronted Larry he admitted he had been
01:04:32
playing subliminal messages while she slept Maya messaged a friend and said her marriage was definitely over what
01:04:41
was that message that was coming out of those speakers under the bed it's right there no more no more men no more
01:04:48
men on New Year's weekend Maya told her family her decision she's ready for the course she's fin finally made up her
01:04:56
mind I just told her just be careful just be careful on January 7th the last day she was heard from Maya
01:05:06
filled out this form and made an appointment with a divorce attorney I think she told him that she was going to
01:05:14
file for divorce he snapped when he found out that he was finally losing her what had happened in the house that
01:05:21
night little thinks he knows after a neighbor reached out with some information the neighbors do they say oh
01:05:28
yeah we heard gunshots yeah not only did they tell me that they've got gunshots but they've got the audio a home
01:05:35
surveillance system from the neighbor captured these loud bangs around 10 p.m. that
01:05:44
night little also believes they are gunshots it's coming from Larry and Maya's house remember Billy little had
01:05:55
track down that other home security footage that police agreed captured audio of the milete kids playing in the
01:06:03
backyard at 10:30 p.m. the picture is becoming more and more clear he's got to clean up and he's
01:06:14
got to move the body so he needs to send those kids outside in the school night at 10:30 do you try to speak to law
01:06:21
enforcement I did and I told them what I found and time and time again there was just
01:06:28
no followup by the police the Chula Vista Police Department declined our request for an interview but in April
01:06:36
2021 they told local media that it had been an active investigation since mid January and they were keeping their
01:06:43
cards close to the vest it's tough there was very minimal details and that was part of our frustration working with the
01:06:52
police department the family now is having various rallies in front of the Chula Vista Police Department basically
01:07:00
demanding answers but the police are not going to release a lot of information to
01:07:05
the family this is potentially a murder investigation in May of 2021 the police served Larry milete with a gun violence
01:07:15
restraining order among the reasons investigators had found this image on Larry's phone another photo which had
01:07:23
been redacted featured the couple's 4 4-year-old son surrounded by weapons authorities retrieved more
01:07:31
firearms from the Milad house and I think that was a smart move by the police it protects the children while
01:07:37
they try to buy a little bit of time but it also protects them if they have to go
01:07:41
in and arrest him in the summer of 2021 investigators named Larry milete a person of interest in his wife's case
01:07:52
she keep wondering is this going to be the time that they're going to arrest Larry
01:07:56
on October 19th 9 months after The Disappearance of Maya investigators did just that today at 11:42 a.m. the Chula
01:08:07
Vista Police Department SWAT team arrested Larry m for the murder of his wife and with that even more evidence
01:08:16
came to light Maya's family and friends anticipated the news of an arrest for months I
01:08:41
understand that there is a case that needs to be built there's only one shot but it just seemed like it was too
01:08:50
long yet when Maya's husband Larry m was arrested for her murder in October 2021 it was still a mixed range of
01:08:59
emotions Claudia what was your reaction relieved yet at the same time sad and so
01:09:06
although you keep that hope up now it became real I think we had different reactions I said
01:09:17
finally she started crying he's been with us for 20 years my sister did Lov him she gave him three
01:09:33
kids just can't let go in a press conference San Diego County district attorney summer Stefan
01:09:43
laid out some of the details of the monthlong law enforcement investigation in homicide cases there's often a
01:09:50
triggering event in this case the last call Rec Ed that may made was to a divorce attorney that call was at 3:48
01:10:02
p.m. home security cameras captured her arriving at her house at 4:42 p.m. there
01:10:08
were no images of her leaving investigators had also turned up more evidence of Larry trying to keep Maya in
01:10:17
the marriage through the supernal before she went missing I've never had a case where that was involved
01:10:27
but the Spells they discovered went beyond more than asking Maya to be attracted to him according to the arrest
01:10:34
warrant Larry now wanted Maya to be harmed before Maya went missing Larry sent this message to a website that
01:10:42
claims to cast spells please punish May and incapacitate her enough so she can't
01:10:48
leave the house it's time to take the gloves off it was evidence they say of his unbalanced mind mindset and
01:10:56
homicidal ideation the day Maya went missing Larry sent countless emails to spellcasters I think she wants me to
01:11:04
snap I'm shaking inside ready to snap what's more according to the arrest warrant Larry had allegedly snapped
01:11:12
before one of Maya's friends said that Maya told her Larry choked her to the point where she was unconscious I just
01:11:22
heard that oh I was mad could he do that Maya had never shared that with Mary Chris she didn't share what she's going
01:11:32
through cuz she didn't want the family to worry about her she was also protecting Larry and she was protecting
01:11:39
the children were you aware of any physical abuse no no she would say little things here and
01:11:49
there but not always to the same person there were already incidents that were huge red
01:11:57
flags that if we all knew it at the same time it would have been a bigger picture
01:12:04
I feel guilty at the you know after the fact once she went missing it was a very harsh reality for me I wasn't able
01:12:13
to help her and I will forever live with [Music] that nobody had the full picture right
01:12:24
besides the two of them Evelyn Rodriguez is an associate professor of Sociology who teaches on topics of race and
01:12:32
identity at the University of San Francisco she reviewed the case for 48 hours the signs of domestic abuse can be
01:12:41
so hard to identify because we as a society are unable to distinguish the line that divides that kind of like
01:12:49
zealous passionate love from controlling Behavior Larry m checks all the boxes for domestic partner abuse he knew what
01:13:02
Maya's pressure points were and so he weaponized her work he weaponized her children her family her religion before
01:13:13
he got desperate enough to try these other means of controlling her and keeping her in that
01:13:20
marriage Rodriguez suggests when Larry turned to spellcaster as another method to control Maya he may have been
01:13:28
inspired by an oldw World form of folk magic in the Philippines and this is stuff of like the old world to our
01:13:38
parents even somehow that has evolved into what I think Larry was able to find but Rodriguez points out that it is
01:13:47
important not to lose sight of what the issue is here really the story here is that this was an abusive partner
01:13:58
regardless of his culture Who was exhibiting every single sign of domestic abuse this one and this one right one
01:14:10
this is where we're going to be stay in with Maya's alleged killer Behind Bars her family knew their work was not done
01:14:18
don't go too far they were more determined than ever to find her energized with new information that had
01:14:25
come out after Larry's arrest el v was part of that search the thing that this case really needed was to be able to
01:14:34
know where to search that was the problem here you can't just search the entire world where are we right now it's a hot
01:14:43
spot that Larry could have brought miles's body out here like Billy little investigators obtained footage that
01:14:50
showed Larry leaving the house in the couple's Lexus for almost 11 11 and 1/2 hours the day after his wife was last
01:14:58
heard from they analyzed the car's navigation system according to the information that we have now he was
01:15:05
about 2 and a half hours out from his house when he put his address in somewhere 2 and 1/2 hours away from his
01:15:12
house Larry had entered his address to find his way back home that information was enough to Center the searches on
01:15:21
places Larry was familiar with like this desert area where where he and Maya had
01:15:26
gone hiking what are you specifically looking for as you comb this area at this point un fortunately I H
01:15:36
you say but we're probably just looking for clothing or [Music] bones over the months droves of
01:15:43
volunteers have responded to her family's calls to the community and have joined team Maya we're just so thankful
01:15:50
and blessed to have everybody here three together I'm San Diego City re tired firefighter I got a team and we go out
01:15:57
and we systematically cover areas where someone could possibly hide a body and it's you know it's very sad to even talk
01:16:03
about but you have to do it and it's the the proverbial needle and a Hast tack why are you here today uh really just to
01:16:10
support the family hopefully we can bring peace to the family always make sure you've got eyes on somebody what
01:16:16
drives you to do this for a total stranger somebody you didn't even know I I felt that it should be a community
01:16:21
effort you just want closure for this family so much and that's why we're out here it's why we keep coming they
01:16:28
deserve it Maya deserves it as the search for Maya continues in the vast lands of Eastern San Diego The Quest For
01:16:37
Justice is just beginning in the halls of the San Diego court system the problem with this case is you don't have
01:16:44
a body what would inspire you to join a search for a missing person go inside The mayam Disappearance at 48
01:17:04
hours.com Mr M you have the right to have a preliminary examination hearing within 10 C Court days
01:17:13
of his ego was so damaged by the fact his wife didn't want to be with him anymore and he couldn't handle it so he
01:17:21
killed her Larry milete has been behind bars since his arrest in October 2021 awaiting trial and at this time would
01:17:30
like to enter a plea of not guilty he pled not guilty to charges of murder and illegal possession of an assault weapon
01:17:37
if convicted Larry could face up to 25 years to life in prison so we're just going to do 14 then although there is
01:17:46
still hope Maya could be found any day a victim's body is not required to convict
01:17:52
someone of murder and this is one of the strongest circumstan cases I've ever seen you don't have a body so what you
01:17:58
don't get to get away with murder because you're good at disposing of bodies but Larry maintains Maya left on
01:18:05
her own his defense attorney Bonita Martinez turned down our request for an interview but spoke with reporters after
01:18:13
a hearing where Larry was denied bail his wife was used to leaving the house in the past and you cannot rule out that
01:18:21
she's alive Larry maintains that Maya voluntarily left him left the children to start her own New Life do you believe
01:18:30
that no nope not at all never believe that never Maya love her kids there's no way she would have up and left the best
01:18:42
argument for the defense here is Maya is not dead they don't have a body she's alive and well attorney alavon says a
01:18:51
nobody defense has worked before in other cases she says without a body the prosecution
01:18:58
may be at a disadvantage they need strong evidence and the question is what do they have do they have something that
01:19:06
they're going to bring out in a courtroom that definitely ties Larry to murder those loud bangs recorded on the
01:19:16
neighboring security camera may not be proof of anything an FBI analysis was inconclusive they couldn't defin ly say
01:19:25
those were gunshots because the sound quality was not good enough in November 2021 Larry's attorney filed documents
01:19:33
with the San Diego Superior Court with more allegations about Maya they believe that she had this wild lifestyle that
01:19:43
she was out there having Affair she's dating different men off the internet that she's drinking excessively that
01:19:49
she's become this completely different person and so they're pointing to third party cability if she's harmed it was
01:19:57
somebody [Music] else Larry and his parents claim in court documents that Maya was
01:20:03
essentially a party girl definitely not the Maya that I know he was a devoted mother not long after Maya's
01:20:14
disappearance Mary Chris and Richard say Larry cut off contact between the children and Maya's side of the family
01:20:21
we're just trying to see him going from hanging out hugging them jumping on my back seeing them at least once or twice
01:20:30
a month at least to not seeing them at all for 9 months the milete children are still
01:20:38
living at home in the care of Larry's parents but after months of not seeing them Maya's family was granted
01:20:46
visitation rights in November 2021 but the fight is not over Mary Chris has filed a petition for
01:20:53
guardianship of her sister's children just show them that the whole entire family are waiting for them and you know
01:21:00
are eager to be with them again glory be to the father and to the son but those children will go through
01:21:07
all those moments in life when they need their mom and she's not going to be there it breaks my heart in January
01:21:15
2022 Maya's family and friends held a vigil to Mark the oneyear anniversary of her
01:21:21
disappearance there's somebody out there that knows something that seen something
01:21:26
they should come forward have it in your heart to help us bring it home you say tomorrow I'll be
01:21:40
G tomorrow I'll be gone away from she will forever be my hero that's what I'm going to take with me it's that
01:21:57
bright shining star of a woman that gave Every Other Woman regardless of what she
01:22:02
was going through an inspiration to be whoever they wanted that's who Maya is [Music]
01:22:22
[Music] these trees that are all around us here played a role in solving a murder
01:22:32
absolutely a young mother dead will DNA from a tree found on a suspect's boots help catch your killer 48 hours Saturday
01:22:42
on CBS and streaming on Paramount Plus [Music] I have lived 44 years with his face
01:23:09
etched in my brain it was everything that you pray to God never happens to anyone for me it's really tough I'm I'm
01:23:25
I'm struggling I'm struggling to do the interview at all we were at our grandparents house
01:23:38
and Keith our first cousin came over asked us if we would come to his house to help him clean so we went to his
01:23:46
house and when we were done he needed gas so we stopped at 7-Eleven and as we pulled
01:23:55
up there was a um a man standing there he said well can you give me a ride instantly we knew something wasn't right
01:24:11
but Keith tell him he would give him a ride I think we just cut off circulation in each other's hands we were squeezing
01:24:20
our hands so tight because you just have a gut feeling that this is not [Music] good he was telling us the directions on
01:24:32
where to go which took us to the little California road he told us to get out of the car he
01:24:40
opens the trunk and he puts Keith in the trunk at that point he tell us to take off our clothes
01:24:57
did you plan to tell anybody what happened no why because we were afraid he would come back and kill
01:25:05
us when did the Twins actually go to the police I think it was about 2 weeks later a little bit more than 2 weeks you
01:25:11
said the man was black yes did they ever give you a ride no did you ever meet them at a gas station no
01:25:21
never I didn't rape Karen and Sharon sadness I don't know these people when I saw him in that lineup I
01:25:32
didn't have to think twice when I looked at him I knew him he got convicted and received two
01:25:41
50-year consecutive sentences that's insane it's horrible it disgusted me there's no hairs no fibers
01:25:50
no blood no sweat no semen there's nothing Vincent Simmons is an innocent man who is railroaded by a racist system
01:26:00
is it possible that you picked the wrong man no no when I close my eyes there's no other face that I see
01:26:13
stop it stop it when are we going to talk about the facts why did we pick him why it was Mr Simmons because it was Mr
01:26:23
Simmons s [Music] [Music] every time I talk about it makes me feel like I'm 14 again for identical twins
01:27:18
Karen and Sharon Sanders life is broken into two parts before May 197 7 and after they say what Happened One Night
01:27:27
that may changed everything the limitations it put on our life like with anxiety depression panic attacks
01:27:38
crippling really is taken a lot from us back in 1977 the 14-year-old Twins were living with their grandparents in
01:27:48
the quiet small town of Marksville Louisiana and for the most part they say they were happy there staying busy and
01:27:56
enjoying the little things in life I was all about makeup and perfume and being prissy and Karen was more uh outside
01:28:07
playing in the dirt this is true life was simple until it wasn't what makes it so
01:28:16
difficult for you Karen 44 years later to even talk about well it's a lot happened that
01:28:27
night the twins say it All Began May 9th 1977 when their cousin Keith lebard picked them up so that they could help
01:28:36
him clean his house by the time they finished cleaning it was just beginning to get dark Keith was driving them home
01:28:44
and that's when they say he stopped at that gas station and encountered a black man he walked up to the
01:28:50
car and to Keith that he almost h him and Keith you know did not and Keith was tell him he didn't want to fight and
01:29:01
he said I don't fight I shoot the man said this the man said it instantly Karen went inside to pay for the
01:29:10
gas and me and Keith were talking to this man and we exchanged names and he said his name was
01:29:22
Simmons the twins say any tension between Keith and the man soon lifted and that's why
01:29:29
they say Keith agreed to give the man a ride we were like Keith you know don't and he's like it'll be okay it'll be
01:29:38
okay but they say they knew it wasn't okay when the man directed them to that desolate area of little California road
01:29:47
and threatened them he told us that before we could get a gun he would shoot shoot us mhm which we
01:29:56
did not have a gun so we knew he had a gun they say the man ordered them out of the vehicle and forced Keith into the
01:30:06
trunk Keith's how old 18 so he got in the trunk yes he did he tell us to take off our
01:30:14
clothes Karen started to run at that point and I yelled and she stopped he said this
01:30:24
one's going to give me trouble and so he opened the trunk and he put me in the trunk with
01:30:30
Keith and he had Sharon I took off my clothes told me to get in the back seat and I
01:30:38
did and he told me how to lay and I did I can hear Sharon crying and of course I can't take it so I'm
01:30:53
back banging on the trunk and I'm banging and I'm screaming take me take me leave her alone take me take me Karen
01:31:02
was back there making all kinds of commotion and things didn't work out for him with
01:31:12
me sorry and he was very frustrated you could see it and feel it and he got very
01:31:21
aggravated and told me to put my clothes back on and when you say things didn't work out
01:31:26
for him what do you mean he tried to penetrate and was unsuccessful but at the time I was 14 I did not know
01:31:38
he was unsuccessful I really thought you had lost your virginity I had lost my virginity I had no
01:31:48
clue afterwards Sharon says she was put in the trunk with Karen and Keith and then the man started driving we just
01:31:57
found each other's hands and began to pray and then the car stopped and he said you out and pointed at you Karen
01:32:10
yes he told me to lay in the back seat he uh he write me then with Sharon and Keith still in
01:32:22
the trunk Karen says the man just wanted to talk it's like nothing had happened that we were like
01:32:31
best friends that we were just hanging out and you went along with it just talking absolutely to keep him calm and
01:32:38
how long did this go on for to me a lifetime he told me he came from a large family about where he had lived and all
01:32:47
this and he had just gotten back from Texas she says when they stopped talking the man raped her again
01:32:54
multiple times I remember like laying in that back seat in his chest I mean the heavy his
01:33:02
heaviness on my chest and the sweat and it was just disgusting she says he then drove them
01:33:12
to a local Cemetery where he got out of the car he opens the trunk and he lets them out he's going to let us go and he
01:33:21
told us if you tell anyone I know where y'all live I've Got Friends he said and I will come back and we all
01:33:32
swore to each other that we would not tell a soul and I know they say just the fear of what might happen if they told
01:33:40
kept them silent for 2 weeks until Karen says she couldn't keep it in anymore she
01:33:46
says she can fight it in Keith's sister and I said but please please don't tell anyone please don't tell anyone she said
01:33:54
I'm not going to tell anymore and it just unraveled from there the next day Keith's parents found
01:34:03
out and soon Karen Sharon and Keith all ended up at the Sheriff's Office Karen and Sharon each gave statements
01:34:12
reporting that they had been raped and less than 24 hours later on the morning of May 23rd
01:34:20
1977 25-year-old Vincent Simmons was was taken into custody as he was walking down the street did you know Karen and
01:34:28
Sharon Sanders never seen him before in my life [Music] [Music] it was May 23rd 1977 when Vincent Simmons was brought to
01:34:59
the Sheriff's Office which used to be here on the second floor of the avy's Parish courthouse in Marksville and they
01:35:06
took me and put me in a lineup Karen Sharon and Keith were all there to see if they could identify a
01:35:19
suspect we're all three in the room but we're not all walking up to the window at the same
01:35:25
time Keith goes first Keith writes the number down on a pad I walk up I look at him and I go to
01:35:36
the pad I write his number down and then Sharon goes up to the window looks out and wres number down what number did
01:35:47
you all right four four and then they said you remember that oh my gosh yeah then they said to us y'all have all
01:35:57
picked the same man that man they identified was 25-year-old Vincent Simmons he was from a big family in the
01:36:06
next town over from Marksville and this wasn't the first time he found himself in the sheriff's
01:36:13
office I didn't have a daddy you know so basically I grew up on my own looking out for my little
01:36:22
sisters I was doing wrong I was going in the stores just to get food to feed them
01:36:30
Vincent was convicted of a home burglary at the age of 18 while incarcerated he escaped from the jail in Marksville he
01:36:38
lived on the run in Texas for nearly 6 years until he came back to town shortly before that lineup and when I walked up
01:36:45
to the window and I looked I had no second doubt I know exactly who raped me that night
01:36:55
after Sharon Karen and Keith ided Vincent he says he was brought upstairs to the jail where he waited while an
01:37:02
officer was writing something down I'm sitting on the chair and a handcuff when he gets to he say I want you to sign I
01:37:09
said what is that he said this is a confession saying that you uh committed this crime I said what crime you know he
01:37:17
said rap for those two white girls said I don't even know these white girls Vincent says when he refused to sign the
01:37:24
confession the officer knocked him down and as they struggled another officer shot him
01:37:32
boom I was burning it through my chest you know and I fell on the floor when I woke up I'm in the
01:37:40
hospital now the two officers involved tell a very different story they say Vincent grabbed one officer's gun and
01:37:48
was pointing it at both of them when the second officer shot Vincent in the shoulder in
01:37:54
self-defense whatever the truth Vincent was never prosecuted for that incident instead less than two months after he
01:38:03
was shot he was brought to court to face Karen and Sharon less than 60 days after
01:38:09
he was arrested Vincent went on trial is that a pretty rapid time in 1977 I would say for major cases they
01:38:17
went to court quickly Charles Riddle was not the district attorney back then but he is
01:38:23
now now and he's very familiar with the details of the case what was the evidence against him the testimony of
01:38:30
the witnesses the victims Karen Sharon and Keith all took the stand walk into a courtroom your
01:38:39
parents everybody that loves you is sitting there and seeing him for the very first
01:38:48
time we have not seen him since the lineup and then seeing him face to face was really hard of course I had to put
01:38:58
my hand on the Bible and swear to tell the truth nothing but the truth which is all I had
01:39:05
anyway they all testified that on the night of the rape Vincent had told them his last name believe it or not all
01:39:13
night long we called him Simmons he told us to call him Simmons at trial they all
01:39:21
say Simmons Simmons the man told us is name was Simmons what' you think then I thought they were
01:39:27
crazy I actually thought they were crazy you mean to tell me I'm going to do something to y'all and let y'all know
01:39:34
my name I'm going tell you who I am no that don't make sense man the jury got to see Keith's car and
01:39:43
a photo that police had taken of Karen Sharon and Keith reenacting how they fit in the trunk when it was the defense's
01:39:50
turn Vincent took the stand I told the jury that I was innocent I didn't rape nobody Vincent's lawyers also called
01:40:01
three Alibi Witnesses who claimed that Vincent was at a bar on the night of the alleged crime the bar owner said Vincent
01:40:08
was there all night he got into a fight and police were called but the prosecution called a police officer who
01:40:14
said the bar fight was on another night after a two-day trial I don't think they had much of a
01:40:21
defense the jury three sided with Karen Sharon and Keith Vincent Simmons was found guilty of two counts of attempted
01:40:30
aggravated rape I was shot guilty I ain't did none when the verdict came back guilty
01:40:40
unanimously how did that feel s relief we knew we were free Vincent was sentenced to two
01:40:51
consecutive 50-year terms 100 years behind bars we thought we'd never have to face him
01:41:00
again but Vincent refused to give up hope I wanted to prove that I'm innocent man I never know these people more than
01:41:10
four decades later Justin bonis a newly mened lawyer from Brooklyn New York would become involved in Vincent's
01:41:17
defense and was immediately skeptical of the prosecution's case I looked at the discovery I was like well everything
01:41:24
they said at trial is a lie it's all a lie there's nothing that supports what they
01:41:33
[Music] say generations of men have have labored in the fields at Louisiana State
01:41:57
Penitentiary it is the country's largest Maximum Security Prison built on the site of a former slave plantation called
01:42:05
Angola you know we had to work seven days a week till it get dark that's our Ang Goa
01:42:15
was since the day that cell door closed behind him Vincent Simmons has been working to overturn his conviction
01:42:24
in 1993 16 years after that guilty verdict he finally succeeded in getting a copy of the prosecution's case File
01:42:33
mail man came and he gave me this big old envelope when I opened it up I man I was
01:42:41
in shock inside that envelope were items that Vincent had never seen before including copies of the initial
01:42:49
statements that Karen Keith and Sharon gave to police remember all three testified at trial that they knew their
01:42:55
attacker's name he told us to call him Simmons but as it turns out when they first spoke to the investigators they
01:43:04
didn't say that defense attorney Justin bonus has since reviewed those statements when the girls initially went
01:43:10
to police they didn't say the name Simmons No what name did they say they didn't give a name and bonus noticed
01:43:19
something else in those statements Sharon used the nword to refer refer to her attacker and said quote All Blacks
01:43:26
look alike to me which she does not deny saying so what did you say when they asked you to identify the man I said all
01:43:33
blacks look alike but still Karen Keith and Sharon all picked vinent out of that
01:43:39
lineup and bonus says he may know why this photo that was in the file appears to show the lineup look at Vincent he's
01:43:48
the only one in handcuffs when you saw that lineup photo what' you think what I said this is crazy nuts highly suggested
01:43:57
when you put the cuffs on them you're telling them that's who we want you to pick but Charles Riddle the current
01:44:03
district attorney says that photo was taken after the twins ID Vincent they call it the lineup it was a photo of the
01:44:11
lineup after he was identified and placed in cuffs but how do you know it was after because the girls told me that
01:44:18
so when you picked him out of the lineup was he wearing handcuffs no he was not not at all and Karen says they initially
01:44:26
didn't tell police the name Simmons out of fear I mean we were scared of him and
01:44:33
see I don't know why I didn't I mean I think fear we we're afraid of him and there's another item in that file that
01:44:41
bonus says is critical and was never seen at the trial it's this report from a doctor who also happened to be the
01:44:48
local coroner he examined the Girls 2 weeks after the reported rape and he did not document any signs of sexual assault
01:44:57
how big a deal do you think the coroner's report plays in this story massive and bonus says that report
01:45:03
suggests Sharon was still a virgin the doctor wrote that her Heyman was intact but Charles Riddle says the report does
01:45:12
not prove that the twins were not raped because the definition of rape is slightest penetration and the rep about
01:45:18
no sign of sexual assault after 2 weeks it's very probable that there would be no sign of sexual
01:45:26
assault bonus thinks the jury should have had the chance to consider all of that at trial his attorneys they had
01:45:33
nothing they went in there Flying Blind with their arms tied behind their back in a boxing match that's that's
01:45:39
literally what it was so you're telling me the original statements that the girls and Keith gave to police where
01:45:44
they could not identify this individual right that was never heard by the jury absolutely not and the medical report
01:45:51
from the coroner was never heard by the jury right and the lineup photo not seen
01:45:56
by the jury no if the statements from the girls had been presented at trial right if the
01:46:04
coroner's report had been known and presented at trial do you think Vincent still would have been found guilty no
01:46:10
absolutely not back in 1993 when Vincent first got his hands on that evidence he made it
01:46:17
his mission to get his case in front of a judge he filed numerous pleadings over
01:46:22
multiple years but no court ever ruled in his favor and not a single judge felt like there was enough evidence not the
01:46:28
appell courts federal courts state courts Supreme Court Vincent was hoping that the parole board at the prison
01:46:36
might have more sympathy so in 1997 20 years into his 100-year sentence he had his first
01:46:45
hearing with him and it was all filmed as part of a documentary called the farm which profiled inmates at Angola
01:46:53
showed them the evidence that his defense did not have at trial we didn't have none of this evidence none of this
01:46:59
evidence was presented before the jury you the only one handcuffed in the lineup I'm the only
01:47:06
one okay uh yall step out we discuss the case Vincent hoped the board would rule
01:47:13
in his favor years I come up with something oh yeah did but they would not Mr Simmons after uh listening to
01:47:25
testimony going over the reports the board has voted at this time to deny your request
01:47:33
Pro I was hopeless but I know the truth and no matter how many times they knock you down keep getting
01:47:44
up almost 20 years later Justin bonis watched the farm documentary with his wife and we were shopped and she told me
01:47:53
you know you should take this case she basically said you need to write him and it wasn't really uh a
01:47:59
suggestion it was right and that's what I did what do you think would have happened if the jury had heard all of
01:48:09
the evidence see more of the case against Vincent Simmons at 48 hours.com [Music]
01:48:30
you're a Brooklyn guy you go down to Marksville I felt like my cousin Vinnie I mean it was like country
01:48:41
okay by early 2020 Justin bonus had become Vincent Simmons lawyer he had just a year of experience under his belt
01:48:49
and was warned that the odds were against him it's over like he doesn't have any more peels I was like nah
01:48:57
that's not true it's never true absolutely not Vincent had been fighting unsuccessfully for decades to overturn
01:49:04
his conviction all the while Karen and Sharon remained firm about his guilt we have no reason to lie why would we lie
01:49:12
why would we let someone spend their life in prison if we even had the slightest doubt that it wasn't him not
01:49:19
long after Vincent's ill- fated parole hearing documentary cameras were rolling again in the late 90s when he and the
01:49:26
twins agreed to a Reconciliation meeting it's where victims and offenders come together to try and heal we came today
01:49:35
not to free you from your prison but to free us from our prison today I am closing the door to my
01:49:42
pain I'm Letting Go when the time came for Vincent to speak he had questions my questions going to be
01:49:50
directly based on your state no we're not going there and that's when the meeting unraveled what are you doing
01:49:58
here then since you're innocent what are you doing here y'all put him here we did
01:50:03
no a choice that you chose to make put you here okay I think we're I think we've had enough I think think it's kind
01:50:11
of going sour Pon maybe one day you can get out of your pain if you're mising they didn't let him speak because
01:50:20
they don't view him as a human being bonus wanted to put a spotlight on the case and really dig deeper but he needed
01:50:27
some help so he turned to Jason flam a recording industry executive known for launching the careers of Katy Perry
01:50:35
Matchbox 20 and Lord among others flam is also a criminal justice Advocate and he hosts a podcast called wrongful
01:50:43
conviction which has featured bigname guests like Kim Kardashian when I heard about Vincent's case I was just like
01:50:50
this is another level I had to do something about it flam featured Vincent's case on his podcast how could
01:50:56
anyone get convicted on the basis of this this is a man whose life was stolen away from
01:51:03
him and he gave Justin bonus money to go out and hire a private investigator in Louisiana named Brian Andrews Justin
01:51:12
actually asked me to be the boots on the ground take statements gather information Andrews Tracked Down Diane
01:51:20
prer the lone surviving juror from Vincent's trial and the only African-American on the jury turns out
01:51:27
she says she never wanted to convict Vincent Prader was in her 20s at the time of trial and says she still
01:51:33
remembers her reaction to the twins testimony when they told a story I'm like Ain't No Way in the world that
01:51:41
happened like that put a black man in your car that time you didn't believe it because at that period in history you
01:51:49
just couldn't see white people giving a ride to black people correct was there a
01:51:55
lot of racism in Marksville yes it was it was in Marksville it was everywhere and she says the jury Foreman told her
01:52:01
her vote wouldn't matter in 1977 Louisiana juries could convict a defendant with only 10 out of 12 voting
01:52:09
guilty just so say myself well it ain't going to do me no good to say nothing but I never never never believed vinon
01:52:16
was guilted the private investigator also tried to talk to relatives of Karen Sharon and Keith with me right now that
01:52:25
I'm speaking with he ended up conducting a videotaped interview with Keith's cousin Dana bruette and she told him a
01:52:32
shocking story Dana said that Keith told her in a bar long after the trial that Vincent Simmons was never with them on
01:52:40
little California road that night he came out and told me there was never a black
01:52:48
man instead in a sworn affidavit Dana says that Keith told her he had consensual sex with one of the girls and
01:52:56
locked the other in the trunk he had gone down little California road and he locked Sharon in
01:53:05
Trump and he said the sex between him and Karen was consensual he said but the other one was
01:53:12
a little Hellcat that's the one that put scratches on his neck in the affidavit Dana said that
01:53:18
Keith had scratches on his neck she told the private investigator that she believes Keith and the twins made up the
01:53:25
story about a black man to explain away those scratches blew my mind the things that
01:53:32
she said had Dana ever told anyone that to my knowledge I I don't think she had should have come forward a long time ago
01:53:42
I really did think the man got released and Dana's allegations didn't stopped there she also gave the private
01:53:48
investigator a copy of a Facebook message exchange that she says she had with Karen in October 2020 Karen and
01:53:55
Dana were talking about how Keith had allegedly made sexual advances toward female relatives we asked Karen about
01:54:03
that you said I didn't realize how sick he was I thought it was only me I don't remember saying that yeah cuz that's the
01:54:12
message from you so what did you mean by that okay we need to cut right now cut this
01:54:22
can we cut for a second yeah yeah right then Karen said she was not ready to talk about that exchange with
01:54:30
Dana but 2 weeks later in a follow-up interview with both her and Sharon she admitted that years before she says they
01:54:37
were attacked when she was a child and Keith was a teenager something happened did you have consensual sex with Keith
01:54:46
laort okay let's put it like this we were kids yes ma'am we experimented so yes how old were you
01:54:55
when it happened I have I can not honestly I don't know 9 10 maybe and is this the first time you're saying this
01:55:03
publicly yes it is but that has nothing to do with what Vincent did that's two separate incidents David think about it
01:55:14
if me and Keith had had consensual sex way way before now why is he locking Us in the TR trunk of a car why is he
01:55:23
taking us down a dirt road but bonus believes they wanted to cover up what happened that night it gives motive for
01:55:30
why they would lie it shows that Karen always was hiding something from day one Keith was 18 Karen was 14 so what do
01:55:40
they do they blame a black man to be clear was Keith the perpetrator that night no he was a
01:55:47
victim also Keith was a victim he was not he was a victim mhm he stayed in that trunk the whole
01:55:59
time I went to Keith lebo's house to speak with him about all of this no one answered the door so later I
01:56:07
called him hello keyth hello Keith this is David begno with CBS News when reached by phone Keith now 63
01:56:33
years old denied ever having sex with his cousin Karen he said they had just quote played around like children end
01:56:42
quote and he also insisted that whatever had happened between him and Karen had nothing to do with what Vincent Simmons
01:56:50
did that night that godamn is guilty I don't give and yeah he's a goddamn and you could put that on TV I
01:56:57
ain't scared of him despite the allegations concerning Karen and Keith District Attorney
01:57:05
Charles Riddle says he believes the right man was convicted I'm firmly convinced that he's guilty I don't
01:57:12
believe that the cousin was the one but bonus was more determin than ever to see
01:57:17
Vincent walk free and in April 2021 the district attorney made an office offer that would allow for just that riddle
01:57:25
said he felt like Vincent had done enough time Vincent could have walked right out the door but there was a catch
01:57:31
Vincent would have had to been a sex offender though Vincent turned that down and said I'm not a sex offender I didn't
01:57:38
do this I am innocent I'm not a sex offender what you think when you hung up the phone I mean that's it we're going
01:57:43
to war bonus kept fighting and in February 2022 he finally got a hearing where a
01:57:51
judge would decide Vincent's fate once and for all the day of the hearing as Karen and
01:57:57
Sharon made their way into the courthouse they paus to pray when Vincent Simmons arrived in a
01:58:07
prison van he was carrying a Bible a group of supporters greeted him they were [Music]
01:58:15
cheering how are you feeling today POS of you love you good [Music] cameras were not allowed in the
01:58:27
courtroom as judge William Bennett delivered his decision what did the judge decide he
01:58:34
decided to give Vincent a new trial because of the Constitutional violation that he didn't receive a fair trial
01:58:38
Vincent's conviction was thrown out due to the evidence that he himself had obtained almost 30 years earlier and the
01:58:48
fact that his defense team didn't even have it back in 1977 judge Bennett made it clear though that
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he did not Place fault on anyone for that instead he found that the speediness with which the case went to
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trial made it likely that the original district attorney on the case Eddie null didn't even have all the evidence
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himself at the time so just to be clear you believe that in 1977 the police didn't turn over key
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evidence to the district attorney that's the only explanation feasible and logical after studying everything that I
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did that's it are you blaming the police no I don't believe anybody intentionally
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hid anything it's just the way it happened because it was fast in a court affidavit the original da Eddie null
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said he did not hide or deny Simmons any evidence nor did he prosecute him because of bias and he continues to
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believe that Vincent is guilty and he's not the only one that feels that way current District Attorney Charles Riddle
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do you believe a man who was convicted at a trial that was not fair should have ever served a day in
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prison illegally legally okay legally no but he did yes the judge decided that okay let me tell you he deserved to
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serve the 44 years why because he's guilty judge Bennett was careful to say he has no opinion on the guilt or
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innocence of Vincent Simmons with his decision it was now up to district attorney riddle to decide whether he
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wanted to retry the case you stood up and said what I said that he served enough time and that we're not going to
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prosecute him again in the eyes of the people and the constitu he is presumed innocent and when Charles Riddle
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dismissed that case that presumption of innocence carries you free brother you free you
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done so happy to see you I'm so happy to see you God is good to you let me get a
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[Music] picture Vincent is a free man but for Karen and Sharon nothing has changed he
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went in guilty he's guilty now and guess what he will die guilty so I'm I'm happy I got 44 years
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all right that's good the twins say they accept the judge's decision but they are
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still hurt by it the legal system didn't just fail him it failed us in many ways
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also while Vincent has his freedom they say they still don't have theirs it's frustrating because no one sees our bars
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they don't see our prison we still have our anxiety we still have our depressions we still have our fears our
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bars are real and if you look deep enough you can see them judge Bennett is sympathetic toward
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the women but he is confident in his decision the case holds extra meaning for him because his father now deceased
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was one of the many judges who denied motions filed by Vincent over the past years but that was before Vincent had
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gained access to the prosecutions file he and I had talked about the Vincent Simmons case years ago and uh I know if
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he would be here he today would have done what I did what's on your heart because I can see
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the emotion I did the right thing to Freedom just hours after the judge delivered his decision and right before
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the sunet Vincent Simmons walked out of Angola he went in when he was just 25 years old
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and was released 3 days before his 70th birthday love you man man later that night he shared a
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celebratory meal with his family and friends let go to Freedom what's it like being out of
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prison oh man this it's a Jo that is unexplainable really but with that Joy comes challenge it's
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going to take me a while got a phone adjusting to life outside Prison Walls has proven to be difficult so much has
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changed since 1977 man new technology I'm just like a little bab you got to learn what are the simple things that
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you enjoy now breeding a free air walking outside basically it's freedom to just
02:04:01
enjoy the moment [Music] [Music] a popular college professor found dead in a hot tub accident or murder
02:04:28
suspected her boyfriend there then a stunning act from their host a sudden shotgun blast there's something he's
02:04:37
hiding 48 Hours next on CBS [Music]