00:00:00
I'm not going. My heart is beating, bro. >> This group of teenagers are in the middle of exploring an abandoned
00:00:09
building in Michigan. Just a few [music] feet away from them is something they were never meant to see.
00:00:16
>> You want me to get a closeup for you? >> Hey, >> come on. Come on. When police arrive to investigate, they
00:00:36
discover [music] this killing might be part of something far darker. With ritualistic clues pointing to a murder
00:00:43
orchestrated by a cult. And as detectives begin closing in on its members and turning them on each other,
00:00:50
they discover that this may not have been the cult's first victim. [music] ritual, so to speak, that they wanted to
00:01:01
kill right after getting married. >> It's like a gang or something. >> No, it wasn't a gang. It was Steve
00:01:06
called it a family. >> I know you didn't say the number I heard. Right. >> 16. >> I killed 16 people.
00:01:13
>> You've killed 16 people is what I said. It's a late Thursday evening in Monroe
00:01:23
County, Michigan, when seven high school students decide to explore an abandoned
00:01:28
juvenile detention center. But the moment they step inside, they stumble upon something they were never meant to
00:01:36
see and immediately start recording. >> I don't even know if I'm going to really
00:01:40
get a >> All right, so we seen my thought. We seen a body >> this is for my heart is beating bro.
00:01:54
>> Tell me >> I don't want >> I'm not looking either. >> Bro, you could be. >> You want me to get a closeup for you?
00:02:05
>> Hey, the face >> here. Move it. >> What am I moving? Hold up. Yes. Move the door. We'll take that door
00:02:14
off. >> Come on. Come on. Upon seeing what appears to be the dead body of a young woman, the boys run back
00:02:40
to their car and drive off. Despite knowingly trespassing, one of them calls 911 and begins describing in detail the
00:02:49
gruesome discovery they had just [music] made inside. >> Hello, County 911. What's the address of
00:02:54
your emergency? >> Um, hi. Uh, so we were a exploring a abandoned building and I think we found
00:03:00
a dead body. >> Okay. What was the address >> right now? We're at the Monroe Travel
00:03:04
Center. >> Where was he exploring? >> It's the old student center of like a old school or something.
00:03:09
>> You're pretty far away from from [music] Neto. >> Yeah, because we drove away and we
00:03:13
didn't know what to do. >> Tell me exactly what happened. >> Like he moved a door that was on the
00:03:18
ground and underneath it there was his heart and under this hearth he fell slip. So we left and called.
00:03:24
>> Can you give me a call when you get back to the the pilot center? >> Yes. After directing the teens to a safe
00:03:31
location, Michigan State Police are dispatched to Boy'sville, an abandoned juvenile campus with dozens of rooms and
00:03:38
corridors. Once officers arrive with no electricity and a potential homicide scene waiting inside, they draw their
00:03:45
weapons and prepare to move in. >> Just keep track of how many rooms, like, look at how many sections there are of
00:03:52
the building. Keep track of how many sections you think you're going through so you don't get lost. Place another.
00:03:57
>> Yeah, >> one room at a time. >> So you three want to go first? Me and the Well stay back.
00:04:05
>> One room. A long hallway. Long hallway. On the floor underneath the tarp lies
00:04:50
the deceased body the teens found earlier. But before officers can properly examine it, they have to clear
00:04:57
the rest of the building and make sure they're the only ones inside. [music] There's a series of rooms.
00:05:24
[music] Multiple doors here. Let me take a right. the hallway. Walking through. >> Walking through. Walking through. Take.
00:05:52
>> After an hour of clearing the building room by room, officers find no one else
00:05:56
inside. With the building now cleared, officers return to the victim and begin trying to identify her. Given the
00:06:03
location, they initially assumed she may have been homeless and simply overdosed.
00:06:07
But that assumption would quickly be turned upside down upon further inspection. But there was a time where
00:06:14
people were coming in here like on a regular basis like the haunted house type stuff, you know, like looking for
00:06:19
ghosts and whatnot. Think it's blood on her head like she got hit or around her.
00:06:25
>> Yeah. Blood. >> Well, unless you unless suspect is on top and slam your head on the ground.
00:06:31
>> Yeah. It's not blood. >> No, it's like bronze. Gold. >> It's on her face, her arms,
00:06:41
>> on her neck, >> her shirt. Look at how her legs are positioned. Shirts pulled up. I'll get
00:06:47
my fingerprint scanner out here in a little bit. >> Yeah, it wasn't. >> Yeah, probably what mid20s 30s maybe.
00:06:54
This seemed like not any local. It might be somebody a truck driver picked up. As
00:06:59
officers continue examining the body, they notice several unusual details. The victim is covered in an unfamiliar
00:07:06
substance surrounded by candles and across her legs are what appear to be scribbles and strange markings. While
00:07:14
one officer moves to retrieve a portable fingerprint scanner, a few miles away, another group of officers makes contact
00:07:21
with the teens who discovered the body. They're all shaken up yet cooperative, handing over the video they recorded
00:07:28
inside. [music] And it quickly becomes clear to detectives that they're far more worried about a trespassing charge
00:07:34
than being tied to what happened to the victim. So, they're eventually let go. Back at the abandoned property, the
00:07:41
officer scans the victim's fingerprints and learns that she is in fact a local, 22-year-old Kayla Saddowski.
00:07:50
Moments later, paramedics arrive and examine the body, confirming two things. She's [music] been here for some time,
00:07:58
and the head injuries are consistent with three gunshot wounds. Sometime after midnight, officers lock down the
00:08:04
rest of the building and return to the station, intent on resuming the investigation [music] at first light.
00:08:10
And as the investigation would begin coming together, detectives would become [music] convinced this is not only a
00:08:16
homicide, but part of something far more [music] disturbing, possibly even ritualistic.
00:08:22
>> If you live with him and you leave and he finds out you leave, needless to say,
00:08:26
you're going to be the next. >> Steve said that she's screaming, "STEVE, STEVE, HELP. STEVE, HELP."
00:08:33
>> Do you want to go see your dad? Do you want to be with your mom or you want to
00:08:38
live? The next morning, officers begin [music] reviewing every available CCTV camera in
00:08:45
the area. And after hours of combing [music] through footage dating back 2 weeks, they finally spot her. On
00:08:52
February 15th, at around 10 p.m., Kayla is seen leaving the Rosler Street apartments and [music] walking across
00:08:59
the Roser Street bridge. An hour later, at around 11 p.m., she appears on camera
00:09:04
again, walking across the same bridge. But this time, she stops, turns around, and gets [music] into a black Mercury
00:09:12
Milan wearing the same skirt she would later be found dead in. When officers run the vehicle's license plate, they
00:09:19
learn it's registered to 44year-old Steven Bales, a man Kayla has an active protective order against. And just like
00:09:27
that, investigators have their first suspect. That same afternoon, officers rush to
00:09:35
Steven's house. But what they find is troubling to say the least. A note taped to the front door stating that he and
00:09:43
his wife Narina have left for their honeymoon. To investigators, the timing seems far too convenient. So
00:09:52
they try calling him, but he never picks up. This is Steven Bales. Leave a message
00:09:59
after the beat. >> A search warrant is requested, but in the meantime, there's little police can
00:10:06
do but [music] wait, while Steven and whoever else may be responsible remains free to roam the streets.
00:10:14
Two weeks pass after the body is discovered. Yet, there's still no sign of Steven. But then, more than 100 m
00:10:22
away in Shelby, Ohio, police receive a 911 call they certainly aren't expecting. As 19-year-old Brin Smith
00:10:30
tells dispatchers someone is trying to kill him. And when Ohio officers go to meet him, they would unknowingly step
00:10:37
into another state's investigation [music] and give them an unexpected lead. >> Hello. What's going on?
00:10:46
>> So, I finally got away from it and I just called the cops. So, they're here now. So, I got you on the phone cuz
00:10:51
you're a witness for me. >> So, my cousin in Monroe, Michigan. >> This is my aunt, by the way. She knows
00:10:58
like everything going on. Is >> she on FaceTime? >> Yeah, she's on FaceTime. She's You can't
00:11:02
really see her. >> I couldn't see it. Okay, grab. >> So, he's wanted for murder right now in
00:11:07
Monroe, Michigan. um for the Kayla Saddowski death and I was apparently wanted for it as well at some point, but
00:11:14
I left his house >> today. Just ran away from him because like he never gives me. He's like weird.
00:11:21
He'll keep you at his house. He'll use you for your money. >> Do you have any ID on you?
00:11:24
>> I have nothing on me except my tablet, my phone, and socks. >> Well, I tell you what I'm going to do
00:11:28
just cuz I don't know you. I'm just going to pat you down. >> Do you have any knobs or anything on
00:11:32
you? >> No, just socks. >> Okay. Well, let me pat you down. Do you live here? >> No. This is some strange button called
00:11:37
gods. >> So, what's this cat's name? >> Steve Bales. >> Like, I ran away from him. Like, I ran.
00:11:43
I don't know how long I've been running. I just ran away from him. We stopped at
00:11:46
the gas station. I just ran. >> Does that make sense? Like, I stopped cuz like I lived with him and he won't
00:11:51
let you leave his house when you're there. >> He's weird. He will hurt you. I have
00:11:55
videos of the person that did it admitting to it. >> Oh, wow. because I lived with all of
00:12:01
them in the house together, like our own bedroom. >> And she was acting real funny one day.
00:12:07
So, I had like walked away and I called her on my own phone and I got videos of her.
00:12:11
>> Why don't Why don't we go have a seat in the back of this officer's car on the
00:12:14
other side? >> Go. >> Yeah. As if the investigation wasn't complicated enough, Brin is accusing
00:12:23
someone other than Steven of being the killer and even refers to a group of people he and Steven had been living
00:12:29
with. The problem is these officers are from another state and know nothing about Kayla's murder. So, they decide to
00:12:38
take him to the station to get some clarity on the situation. Upon arriving, officers contact Michigan State Police,
00:12:45
and that's when they are finally briefed on Kayla's murder investigation. More than anything, Michigan investigators
00:12:51
are fixated on this alleged confession video, urging Ohio detectives to obtain it as [music] quickly as possible. And
00:12:59
once Brinn sits down for his interview, what he would go on to describe would [music] sound to detectives almost as if
00:13:05
he had just escaped a cult. >> Now you don't got to worry about me being killed.
00:13:12
So, what was And this gentleman that apparently killed this girl, what's his name?
00:13:18
>> Steve. >> Well, I know who killed her. I have a video of her admitting to it cuz we all
00:13:24
lived in the same apartment together. There was a one-bedroom apartment that he owned, him and his wife.
00:13:29
>> He had like eight people living there. I was one of them. And in order to live
00:13:32
there, he took your food stamp card. He would take whatever card you had and basically your money and everything was
00:13:38
his. I did not agree to that. So, he knew not to take from I just stayed there. I
00:13:44
slept on the couch. I woke my head and I I laid my head. So, we're going down and
00:13:48
he's he gets married through all this. Now, our ex becomes missing. So, I was wondering cuz
00:13:56
>> you say our ex? >> Yeah. We both have dated the same woman. >> Okay. >> So, she becomes missing and everybody in
00:14:03
the house starts acting weird. So, I'm going to try to pull up this video of Caitlyn, the one who supposedly killed
00:14:10
Gayla, admitting that she did it. >> Did you ever think about going to the Michigan authorities with this?
00:14:15
>> I couldn't. >> Why? >> If you if you're if you're if you live with him and you leave and he finds out
00:14:21
you leave and he finds you, basically, needless to say, you're going to be the next. So, if you live with him, you're
00:14:28
not allowed to leave. He's basically a person who's gonna get you in his house and he's going to trap you and him, keep
00:14:34
you just for your money. >> To detective surprise, Brin seems unusually open and talkative for someone
00:14:41
who believes he's being hunted. [music] After all, there's no telling whether Steven will come after him the moment
00:14:47
this interview is over. At this point, investigators need to see this video Brin can't stop talking [music] about.
00:14:53
But what they're about to see would be far more than Brinn promised. So, who do you think killed this girl?
00:15:00
>> I know who killed her. I got the video right here to show you. >> Okay. Well, let's see it, my man.
00:15:05
>> Wow. Okay, >> you can obviously tell I was shocked as hell. >> How many? >> I know you didn't say the number I
00:15:15
heard, right? >> 16. >> 16 people. >> You've killed 16 people is what I said. >> I have never been to jail for it.
00:15:24
>> And you see, I've never been to jail for it. And now I have one more video of her
00:15:29
admitting that I was the killer of Kayla. Basically, >> why did you do it? >> Threatened my son.
00:15:38
>> She threatened my son. So that conversation that I that I watched, she said that she did it because she
00:15:46
threatened her son. >> Yeah. >> Do you now do you know some more information about that?
00:15:50
>> No, that's all I know. Church like is her >> Apparently she threatened her son at
00:15:54
church. That's the most I know of that. >> And she How'd she kill her? >> She said that she shot her twice.
00:16:01
>> Okay. >> On the video. >> Wow. >> She even said that she threw the gun in the river. What river? If I know.
00:16:07
>> Mhm. >> The woman in the video is 33year-old Kayn Ramsay, seemingly implying that she
00:16:14
was responsible not only for Kayla's death, but for 15 other murders as well. It's a chilling claim that investigators
00:16:22
would have no choice but to look into, especially coming from someone they would later connect to a deadly cult.
00:16:30
After several more hours of questioning, Brin is eventually released and told to
00:16:35
notify investigators of any contact from Steven or Kalin, unaware that the man they've just let go may not be as
00:16:43
innocent as he claims. Later that evening, investigators call Kalin and are surprised to learn that
00:16:50
she's also in Ohio. So, they ask her to come to the station the following day to
00:16:54
assist with the investigation, withholding the real reason they want to speak with her. And interestingly, she
00:17:01
agrees, almost as if she already has a plan to outsmart the detectives. The next morning, Kayn arrives at the Hiron
00:17:08
County Sheriff's Office in Ohio, and alongside her is her lawyer. But as she's escorted to the interrogation
00:17:14
room, there's a surprise waiting for her. Detectives from the Michigan State Police, including lead investigator
00:17:21
Detective Peterson, have traveled to Ohio for this very interview. And as Kalin's interview begins, her story
00:17:29
would quickly start to unravel until she eventually slips up and says something she was never supposed to know. But
00:17:37
before we get to that, this case is a disturbing reminder of how quickly someone else's actions can change your
00:17:43
life forever. In January 2021, 62-year-old Lewis Brown was driving to work at his job as a deli meat cutter
00:17:51
when another driver pulled out into an intersection and collided with him. The crash left him with severe injuries that
00:17:57
changed his life forever. And the worst part, he was only offered $50,000 to settle the case. [music] Instead of
00:18:03
accepting that, he turned to this video's sponsor, Morgan and Morgan. With their experienced legal team, the case
00:18:10
ultimately resulted in a $5.8 million jury verdict for Mr. Brown. There's a reason his case didn't [music] end at
00:18:18
$50,000. And that's the reason why Morgan and Morgan is America's largest injury law firm. For over 35 years,
00:18:25
they've been fighting for the people and have recovered over $30 billion for their clients. With more than 1,000
00:18:32
lawyers and over 100 offices nationwide, they have the resources to handle serious injury cases across all 50
00:18:38
states. If you're ever injured because of someone else's negligence, you deserve fair compensation. Morgan and
00:18:43
Morgan fights to get their clients the best possible outcome. And crucially, you don't pay a fee unless they win.
00:18:50
There are no upfront costs. You pay nothing out of pocket unless they recover money for you. If you ever find
00:18:56
yourself in that situation, you can check out Morgan and Morgan by visiting www.forthethepeople.com/drinssanity.
00:19:04
First link in the description or by scanning the QR code on screen. Again, that's forthepeople.com/drinssanity.
00:19:13
With that said, let's get back to Kayn's interview where she's about to reveal something only someone connected to the
00:19:19
murder should have known. >> We're going to be asking you a lot of questions. A lot of these questions we
00:19:24
already know the answer to. So you know I don't play games. You know how you know that we went and got him to make
00:19:30
sure you had him here. >> Right. That's important that I want to make sure you feel comfortable.
00:19:35
>> Rate your life on a scale from 1 to 10. One is the worst life ever. 10 is the
00:19:39
best life ever >> right now. >> Yeah. >> It's a one. >> It's a one. >> But after hopefully today it'll be a 10.
00:19:46
>> Okay. So what's going wrong right now? >> Me living my life in fear. >> And why are you living in fear?
00:19:53
because of this guy Steven Bails. >> Okay. Why Why are you so afraid of Steven Bails?
00:19:57
>> He's threatened my life. >> Okay. How How does he threaten you? >> He's threatened to kill me.
00:20:02
>> Okay. Do you know Kayla Saddowski? >> I knew of her. She was one of my friends
00:20:07
at one point until I moved out here 3 years ago and we lost contact. >> Tell me about her. Tell me about Kayla.
00:20:14
>> She was such a sweetheart. Oh my god. She even loved my youngest son. She was a sweetheart. She was just like
00:20:22
me. Outgoing, laidback, calm, give her shirt off her back to whoever needed it more than her.
00:20:29
>> Her and I were a lot alike. >> Um, was she easy to get along with them? >> Oh, yeah. She was very easy to get along
00:20:35
with. Such a sweetheart. >> Okay. Did you have any conflict with her ever? >> No, I've never had a conflict with her
00:20:42
at all whatsoever. >> Was there a time where um recently where she accused you of of hitting with her
00:20:49
belt? No, not that I'm aware of. >> Okay. >> I mean, it's something I would never do.
00:20:54
I don't have a mean bone in my body. >> Okay. >> Understand. >> Anyone you talk to about me will tell
00:20:58
you I'm such a sweetheart. >> Okay. I believe it. >> Last contact I had with her was just
00:21:03
shortly before whatever happened to her and it kills me. I had just talked to her about
00:21:12
maybe the day before or maybe a few days before she had passed at the grocery store. Okay. When was that?
00:21:21
>> Um, around Valentine's Day. >> Here, Kalin seemingly places the murder around Valentine's Day, nearly 2 weeks
00:21:31
before Kayla's body was discovered. To investigators, this appears to be a major slip up as the precise date of the
00:21:39
murder has never been publicly released. The detective, however, refrains from confronting her, careful not to cause
00:21:47
her [music] to shut down. But now he would reveal the real reason she's here and see [music] if she can somehow
00:21:54
explain it away. >> I'm not making this up. I'm not here to trick you. We have a video of you saying
00:21:59
that you you were the one that killed her. >> No, I would never kill anybody cuz I'm
00:22:06
I'm a sweetheart. I would never listen. This is why I take the time. This is why
00:22:10
I take the time to talk to you. for the spy videos. >> Let's go. We'll go through a mall if you
00:22:15
want to. >> They're trying to pin this on me that I had nothing to do with. >> Well, let's watch these and I want to
00:22:22
talk to you cuz I want Let's just >> How many? I know you didn't say the number I heard, right? 16.
00:22:28
>> That was all forced. They forced me to say hello. >> Let's watch them all and then I want to
00:22:33
hear >> how did you get there? How did you get hurt there? >> See, you can clearly tell they're trying
00:22:37
to set me >> a white man. This isn't my first time. This is what I'm trying to get you. Listen to what
00:22:45
I'm telling you to do. >> Obviously, I want your side to that, >> right? That's why we're here. So, what
00:22:50
is your side to that? >> My side to it is I had nothing to do with Kayla's death
00:22:54
>> because you can really help us. Okay. And in turn, I don't make guarantees, but there's a there's a chance you might
00:23:01
help yourself, but I want to make something clear. We know when Kayla died, okay? And we also know that we
00:23:08
have a video of you with Steve, okay, and Narina very short time after her death together at a party store. I do
00:23:17
not think you're the mastermind. I think that there's a lot of influence by Steve. There's no doubt there's a lot of
00:23:23
influence by Steve. >> Do you want to talk to me again? >> I think I'm done for today.
00:23:30
>> Okay. >> My stress levels getting too high. It's slowly making me sick. After being shown
00:23:36
the video, Kayn does exactly what investigators [music] feared most. She ends the interview before giving them
00:23:44
enough probable cause to detain her, and so she's released. The following day, detectives [music]
00:23:52
finally get their first lucky break. The search warrant for Steven's apartment is
00:23:57
approved. Wasting no time, Michigan officers rush back to his residence, hoping to find answers to Kayla's murder
00:24:04
and perhaps a clue as to where Steven may have fled. Upon entering the cramped one-bedroom apartment, deputies are
00:24:12
stunned to find evidence that at least seven people had been living here, and things would only get stranger from
00:24:18
here. Throughout the apartment, officers notice a recurring theme, the Grim Reaper. Steven had adopted the name
00:24:26
Grim, labeling many of his belongings with it. Inside a journal, deputies discover that he referred to his wife
00:24:33
Narina as Lady Death. The group even had its own name, the Reapers. [music] At this point, investigators begin to
00:24:40
suspect they're not dealing with a group of friends or even a gang, but a full-blown cult.
00:24:48
As the search unfolds, investigators back at the station begin monitoring Steven's online activity. And before
00:24:54
long, a Facebook photo stops them in their tracks. The image was taken during Steven's wedding on February 14th,
00:25:02
Valentine's Day. Police immediately recognized Steven, his wife Narina, Brin, and Kalin. But the remaining four
00:25:10
people are complete unknowns to the investigators and detectives suspect they may also have been involved in the
00:25:17
homicide. Steven's mother is quickly rolled out along with a family friend who appears to have little connection to
00:25:23
the group, but the same can't be said for the remaining two, Alex Fico and Sierra Bez. Two people Steven has taken
00:25:31
under his wing. That same afternoon, Detective Peterson calls them both and asks them [clears throat] to come to the
00:25:37
station. And as Detective Peterson prepares to interview them, he needs to answer two critical questions. What is
00:25:44
their connection to Steven? And where does their loyalty to him end? >> Tell me about your relationship with
00:25:51
Steve Bales. >> He was a good father kind of. Didn't really get along. >> Good father kind of. What? What didn't
00:26:01
you get along with him for? >> Because he always wanted to take my money and use my food stamps. Did you
00:26:06
let him? >> I gave him my card and he never gave it back. >> I want you to tell me everything you
00:26:12
can, everything you know about the death of Kila Scowski. >> Everything I know. Um, all right. So,
00:26:20
Steve Bales, I met him at Bushi's Pizzeria um uh Monroe Street. I was uh real strung out one day and um drunk at
00:26:33
the same time and um guy took me by the hands, looked me dead in my eye, told me
00:26:38
that I could get over it. You know, he got a nod. You can see Yeah. So, a very firm handshake and it felt brotherly. It
00:26:48
felt like he was expressing love towards me. They they made me feel good for like
00:26:56
being sober and not drinking. >> That was nice of them actually. Okay. Was there anything good about Steve?
00:27:04
>> No. >> No. Cuz uh you described as a good father. So there was nothing good about
00:27:10
them. >> No, not really. >> Okay. Do you think he used you? >> Yes. >> Okay. >> Interestingly, Sierra struggles to find
00:27:18
a single good thing to say about Steven. Yet both she and Alex still consider him
00:27:24
family. Like many manipulative leaders, Steven targeted vulnerable people at their lowest, offering them support,
00:27:31
housing, and a sense of belonging. Over time, that trust turned into control with members handing over their income
00:27:39
and providing for him financially. But Steven's influence extended far beyond money and into violence, as Detective
00:27:47
Peterson is about to learn. So, when was the night that Kayla got hurt? >> I believe it was the night of their
00:27:55
wedding. Like, they just crazily went out and, you know, that was their rich so to speak that they wanted to
00:28:06
kill right after getting married. Kaitlyn K, the the the one who she did the killing. She's at least she said she
00:28:16
did the killing. So Kayn and Kayn didn't get along. >> Why not? >> Because they were always fighting over
00:28:22
Steve. >> So [snorts] were Kayyn and Steve, were they romantically involved? >> Yes.
00:28:29
>> Okay. And Kayla and Ka uh Steve were romantically involved. >> Yes. >> And so Kayn,
00:28:36
you're saying, don't I don't put words in your mouth, was jealous of Kayla? >> Yes.
00:28:40
>> Was Steve planning this at the wedding? Um, not like sit down saying we're doing this, this, this, this,
00:28:48
this, this, this, and I'm doing this. No. >> So, based on what you can tell, you do
00:28:54
you think Steve helped plan this? >> Yeah, I think Steve planned it all. He said he said that she's got to go.
00:29:04
>> As the interviews continue, Detective Peterson learns that Steven was involved
00:29:09
with three women at once. his wife Narina, Kalin, and Kayla. With tensions between Kalin and Kayla escalating for
00:29:17
months, detectives suspect Steven was deliberately fueling his rivalry for his own [music] benefit. But Detective
00:29:24
Peterson would soon learn that Steven wasn't the only man in the house, exploiting the women.
00:29:32
As Alex's and Sierra's interviews are unfolding, detectives decide to give Bren a call and ask him to come to the
00:29:39
station. After being the first to expose Kalin and appearing in Steven's wedding
00:29:43
photos, Peterson is convinced he must know more about the murder than he initially admitted. And as he sits down
00:29:50
for his interview, investigators are about to discover that Brin played a role as well. One he conveniently failed
00:29:57
to mention the first time around. >> Cuz I know you guys have camera footage of me driving. I know you guys got
00:30:04
footage from where I picked her up. I'm not stupid. >> Exactly. And where did you pick her up
00:30:07
at? >> At the corner store. Did you just pick up her? Are you alone or you with anybody else?
00:30:11
>> Oh, no. There was someone else in the car. >> Who was with you? >> Steve. >> So, what was the conversation that led
00:30:16
to you picking her up? >> Hey, where are you? What are you doing? Uh, nothing. Off of work. What are you
00:30:21
doing? Nothing. You want to hang out for a few? Well, there was Steve's chance cuz he knew I was talking to her. Yeah,
00:30:28
you better do that. >> Okay. So, does does she think [clears throat] and I'm not sure. Does she think that
00:30:34
you guys are dating again at this point on February 16th? Yesing cuz she called me babe at one point.
00:30:38
>> Okay. So what makes you think that she's now >> I didn't like that. >> What makes you think she's now
00:30:44
>> she believes [clears throat] that you two are together as a couple? >> Cuz she called me babe for like three
00:30:50
times. I didn't say anything but the fourth time I said something. >> So before you picked her up on February
00:30:54
15th or 16th in the black car with Steve hiding in the back seat. >> If I got anything wrong correct me. I
00:31:00
just like to kick it back out so we're on the same page. When was the last communication you had
00:31:06
before that? Was there any communication that made her think that you guys were together as a couple? Many any like
00:31:12
pillow talk type of stuff? >> The most I can think that she'd think we were together is when I said um
00:31:17
[clears throat] I love you. You're a really good friend of mine and I said that on Valentine's Day cuz she called
00:31:22
me and said, "I got chocolate for you." Although Brinn insists he was simply following Steven's orders, what he
00:31:29
doesn't realize is the detectives have already recovered his text messages with Kayla, telling a very different story.
00:31:36
For weeks, Brinn had been romantically speaking with Kayla online. In fact, just days [music] before her death, she
00:31:44
had saved his number in her phone as boyfriend. [music] And now detectives would begin looking at Brinn, Sierra,
00:31:51
and Alex side by side, comparing their stories and exposing contradictions. With pressure mounting and the
00:31:59
possibility of prison looming over them, the Reapers are moments away from turning on one another, shattering the
00:32:05
loyalty Steven spent years building. >> Okay. You were there when she was shot. >> But I didn't pull the trigger, nor did I
00:32:12
go in the building. >> Thank you. >> Exactly. So, I was a driver threatened by my life. Do you want to go see your
00:32:19
dad? Do you want to be with your mom or you want to live? >> Save the why. Save the lie. Cuz that's
00:32:25
the why is more important. She said the third shot. >> She put it to her head. >> Steve said that she was screaming,
00:32:35
"Steve, Steve, help. Steve help." >> And then Bin specifically said, "Drop that." Oh, this gun [clears throat] I
00:32:45
had possession of it at one point in time. This how my DNA would be on it. They said somebody's threatening them. This
00:32:54
how they manipulated me. They said somebody was threatening them that, you know, they needed protection.
00:33:01
Can we get that gun back? >> Then they came out and we all left it at home. >> Okay. What was said in the car when they
00:33:09
all came out? >> That she's finally dead. Who said that? >> Steve or Kayen. >> Steve and Kaitlin.
00:33:16
>> They told me how they killed her. >> Okay. And what did they tell you? >> They said they were talking to her and
00:33:21
Kayn just shot her in the back of her head. >> Kayn shot her in the back of the head.
00:33:25
>> Yes. >> Okay. And who was talking to her? >> Steve. >> Okay. As you see, >> the same green pocket knife.
00:33:35
>> Yeah. As you seen, it was >> you guys have green pocket knife. >> Well, we also all have green band-aids.
00:33:40
>> What? It's like a gang or something. >> No, it wasn't a gang either. Steve called it a family.
00:33:45
>> Although multiple members of the Reapers identify Kalin as the shooter, they consistently point detectives back to
00:33:52
the same person as the mastermind, Steven. The picture detectives begin to piece together is this. Brinn tricked
00:34:00
Kayla and lured her to Boy'sville. Alex supplied the gun. Kalin pulled the trigger. and Steven watched it all
00:34:08
unfold without ever getting his hands dirty. With this, Alex, [music] Brin, and Sierra's interviews come to an end
00:34:15
as all three are placed under arrest while a nationwide bolo is issued for Steven and Nina. And while the couple
00:34:22
believes they've managed to disappear for good, even the most brilliant masterminds eventually make a mistake,
00:34:29
and they are no exception. Over the next several weeks, authorities chase lead after lead until they finally
00:34:40
pick up Steven's trail. Bank surveillance cameras capture Steven and Arena on CCTV. And before long, [music]
00:34:47
investigators track the couple more than 700 m from Michigan to a relative's home
00:34:52
in New Hover County, North Carolina. A SWAT team is called in and the house is quickly surrounded. But despite repeated
00:35:00
commands to come outside, Steven refuses to surrender, barricading himself inside
00:35:05
and preparing for his final stand. Hours pass with little progress, forcing officers to deploy tear gas that finally
00:35:13
drives the couple out of the house. More than 6 weeks after the murder, Steven and Narina are taken into custody
00:35:21
and transported into the new Hanover County Sheriff's Office. At this point, detectives know a lot, but not
00:35:28
everything. They still need to determine whether Steven orchestrated Kayla's murder or if the Reapers acted on their
00:35:35
own. And with investigators believing they're dealing with a dangerous cult, they can't rule out the possibility that
00:35:41
there are other victims still waiting to be found. Perhaps even the 15 other murders Kalin claimed to have committed.
00:35:49
Once at the station, Steven and Nina are separated and placed into different interview rooms. And Detective Peterson
00:35:56
decides to begin with Narina. If he can get Steven's own wife to start talking, it will become much harder for Steven to
00:36:03
maintain whatever story he's prepared. >> Do you know Kayla? >> I do. >> Okay. Tell me about her.
00:36:12
>> She's a good friend. >> Did you have any conflicts with her? >> No. >> Were you jealous of her at all?
00:36:17
>> No. I mean, you know, was she romantically well before you? So, you didn't have any jealousy or anything
00:36:23
like that about her? So, they went to pick her up. You stayed at the apartments,
00:36:29
>> but you knew at that point that they were going to pick up Kayla to kill her.
00:36:32
>> Yeah, I knew that. >> Okay. At that point, and sharers, any reason you didn't call the police?
00:36:38
>> I did not call the police. >> Any reason you didn't? >> No. >> Okay. >> They came back. They told me that they
00:36:47
were going to go back the next day to go get put lotion on her, body lotion on her, perfume,
00:36:58
whatever they can find because now have that smell on her because that after effect smell everything over her to come
00:37:06
that smell of her. >> Okay. Uh they used to say the reason why I killed her because um he put she put
00:37:14
me in prison for two years. >> What did he say about what they had just done? >> He didn't really say anything. He just
00:37:22
cousin. [clears throat] >> So he didn't say much. >> But was he the organizing this whole
00:37:26
thing? Was he the one kind of uh controlling it and telling people to do this? >> Yeah. Against detectives expectations,
00:37:34
even Steven's own wife is telling them that he's the one behind it. With that, Narina's interview is wrapped up, and
00:37:41
there's only one more person Detective Peterson needs to speak with. As Steven sits in the interrogation room, he has
00:37:49
no idea that the people he spent years controlling, including his own wife, have already turned against him. But
00:37:56
going into this interview, Detective Peterson faces a challenge. Upon hearing of Steven's arrest, his mother has
00:38:03
already requested an attorney who is now on the way to the station. And so the clock is ticking. Detectives need to
00:38:10
extract the truth from Steven before the lawyer arrives and shuts the interview down.
00:38:16
>> I'll answer some questions. What have you guys got? The best that I know, but
00:38:20
my mom says she's going to try to do everything she can to get me a lawyer and everything. [snorts]
00:38:24
>> So, is that you want to answer questions? >> Uh, but I can stop. Anytime you want.
00:38:30
>> Okay. >> You know Kayla Sinoski? >> That's my ex-girlfriend. We me and her had passed for years. And
00:38:36
>> tell me tell me about her. >> I miss that girl, but she's just she's a handful. She's like me and her, we
00:38:44
always argued all the time. >> About what? >> Just [music] just anything. Like she'd get jealous if
00:38:50
I'm talking to somebody. Like if I'm talking to a cousin that's a female, she would think I'm cheating on her and then
00:38:56
she would threaten me. Like she was going to kill me. She pulled a gun out on me and Brian.
00:39:00
>> Were you upset with her specifically about say uh did you blame her for going
00:39:05
to prison or anything like that? >> No, cuz that you want to know the funny thing about that?
00:39:10
>> Put me in prison for a year. >> Said that um I choked her. I slammed her against the wall. She [snorts] lied
00:39:18
because I was messing with her sister at the time. >> So you were not involved in the planning
00:39:24
and execution of of Kayla's death? No, I was not. >> Was Brenn involved? >> He was with me at the time. And the only
00:39:32
time he wasn't with me? No. But yeah, cuz he drove with us. >> And when you say he was with me at the
00:39:38
time, at what time? >> When we were going on our honeymoons and when we went to South Carolina.
00:39:44
>> Okay. So, when was when she was killed? >> I'm not sure. I don't know. >> Well, you brought it up, so I'm just
00:39:51
curious. You said he was with me at the time. What do you mean? Oh, like when I was going down to South Carolina and
00:39:57
Florida's death. >> Oh, I don't know anything about that. >> In an attempt to deflect [music] blame
00:40:05
from Brin, Steven just revealed he was with him at the time of Kayla's murder. But there's a problem. Kayla's time of
00:40:12
death [music] was never made public. And just like Kalin, Steven has unknowingly implicated
00:40:19
himself. In Steven's mind, Kalin is the one who pulled the trigger, which makes him innocent. But detectives see it very
00:40:28
differently. They view Steven the way prosecutors often view notorious cult leaders like Charles Manson. The person
00:40:35
who pulls the trigger isn't always the most responsible. Under the law, the person who plans a killing can be just
00:40:42
as, if not more, culpable than the one who carries it out. Seeing that Steven refuses to tell the truth, Detective
00:40:48
Peterson decides to push harder and reveal damning evidence Steven can't talk his way out of. But this strategy
00:40:56
is about to backfire. >> All right. So, have you ever been to the old boy facility?
00:41:03
>> One time. >> When was that? >> That was many, many, many years ago when it was open.
00:41:08
>> Remember when we started talking, right? >> Yeah. >> I told you I know everything about you,
00:41:13
Steve. I know. I know everything about I know more about your wife and your brin
00:41:21
and yourself probably than you do. [music] So, and I'm going to ask you straight up, is there any reason, or I
00:41:28
should say, would it surprise you to know that we have a Facebook conversation between you and Bin at
00:41:36
Boyy'sville that night? No, >> you don't. I can guarantee we do. >> Well, this is where I need my lawyer
00:41:43
then. Okay. Sounds good. Cuz >> because I know that's a lie. >> Oh, it's a guarantee. You You'll see
00:41:50
that it's it's not a lie. The only thing that's been a lie is what you've been telling me since you sat down.
00:41:55
>> Understand? We've talked to >> So, everything I just said was a lie. >> Okay. I need a lawyer.
00:41:59
>> Okay, that's fine. >> Cuz [music] I just told you everything by play by play of what happened.
00:42:05
>> Okay. Um, just know this. The fellowship you have is broken up. Everyone's talking, including your wife.
00:42:13
We've spoken in an [music] arena. We know everything. And I mean everything. So, it's up to you if you want to talk.
00:42:21
You said you want to talk to your lawyer. I'll let you have your lawyer, but [music] this will not help you.
00:42:26
>> Okay. Any questions for me? >> No, sir. >> Okay. >> The moment detectives confront Steven
00:42:33
with evidence, placing him at the crime scene, he's caught off guard and completely shuts down. And now, even
00:42:40
without Steven's confession, investigators are able to piece together what happened to Kayla that night.
00:42:46
Steven orchestrated the attack, recruited the others to carry it out and later returned to conceal her body
00:42:53
before fleeing the state. Kalin was the attacker. She participated in the assault, and ultimately fired the shot
00:43:00
that killed Kayla. Brin was the lure, posing as her boyfriend for weeks. He gained Kayla's trust and convinced her
00:43:07
to meet him. ultimately driving her directly to her death. >> Bring her with you, too. But don't let
00:43:15
her know >> that you are. >> I'm sleeping in a tent underneath the bridge by myself.
00:43:22
>> Send me a location. I got Kayla. She's in my hands now. She fell right in my trap.
00:43:28
>> Lol. >> Dude, I can't find the gym. >> I hear you. You're getting closer. >> Clear. Sierra acted as part of the
00:43:36
ambush team waiting for Kayla, serving as lookout as the murder unfolded. Narina never went to Boy'sville that
00:43:43
night. Instead, she stayed at the apartment, monitoring a police scanner, ready to warn the group if law
00:43:49
enforcement was approaching, and Alex supplied the firearm, later retrieving it and helping conceal the evidence
00:43:56
afterwards. In the end, none of the Reapers would escape accountability. Alex pleads guilty to tampering with
00:44:02
evidence and accessory charges, receiving a sentence of 5 to 10 years in prison. Narina receives 13 and a half to
00:44:09
30 years, while Sierra is sentenced to 18 1/2 to 30 years after both pled no contest to seconddegree murder. Brinn
00:44:18
and Kalin each plead no contest to seconddegree murder and are sentenced to 40 to 60 years in prison. And Steven
00:44:26
Bales is convicted of first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder, receiving life without parole along with
00:44:33
a second life sentence with the possibility of parole. As for Calin's claims that she had murdered 16 people,
00:44:40
detectives were unable to connect her to any other killings, leading them to believe the confession was fabricated
00:44:46
under pressure by Steven and Brin. Even so, investigators are still looking because there's no way of knowing
00:44:53
whether Kayla was their first victim or simply the first one to be found. And while this case left Michigan shaken by
00:45:00
a deadly cult no one knew existed, our next case takes us to a place where violence and gang activity lurk around
00:45:07
every corner. These are the members of one of the most infamous gangs in Washington. And in just a few moments,
00:45:14
these two seemingly innocent teenagers are about to become their targets. >> By the time police arrive at the scene,
00:45:28
it's already too late. Determined to stop the bloodshed once and for all, investigators embark on a dangerous
00:45:34
mission to infiltrate the gang, turn its members against each other, and ultimately destroy it from within. me
00:45:42
sneech. Not going to happen. >> If you hear anything, >> yeah, you can be anonymous.
00:45:47
>> We need to be careful. Probably a bunch of SSLs around here. >> To watch this exclusive Dr. Insanity
00:45:57
episode along with three more episodes from our new Tuby series.