00:00:00
[AUDIO LOGO]
00:00:04
[OMINOUS MUSIC]
00:00:12
DISPATCHER: Paducah City 911.
00:00:14
Where is the location
of your emergency?
00:00:17
CARL: Oh, I just
woke up, and my mom
00:00:19
came in screaming and yelling.
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And she's bleeding.
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My dad's out here
lying on the ground,
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and he just got stabbed.
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DISPATCHER: Your dad
just got stabbed?
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CARL: Yeah, I don't know--
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DISPATCHER: What's your--
OK, is your dad breathing?
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CARL: I don't think so.
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DISPATCHER: And he's
in the front yard?
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CARL: No, he's
laying down the road.
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DISPATCHER: He's in the road?
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CARL: Yeah.
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DISPATCHER: OK, hon.
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CARL: I don't think he's alive.
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NARRATOR: This video
provided by a neighbor,
00:00:47
shows a threatening man.
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He's seen walking past
a home holding an ax.
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ROBERT: No, baby, no!
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[SCREAMING]
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[OMINOUS MUSIC]
00:01:03
[SCARE CHORD]
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[WHOOSH]
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DISPATCHER: Did your mom
say who stabbed him?
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CARL: [WHIMPERING]
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[PANTING]
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[WHIMPERING]
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DISPATCHER: Hey, I
know you're upset.
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Did your mom say
who stabbed him?
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CARL: Mom!
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Mom!
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DISPATCHER: OK, hon,
what's your name?
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CARL: Carl.
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DISPATCHER: OK, Carl,
give me one second.
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We're getting help on the way.
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[SIREN BLARING]
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NARRATOR: Police
and paramedics raced
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through a sleepy
Paducah suburb.
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[CAMERA FLASHES]
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When they arrive
at the scene, it's too late.
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Carl's father is already dead.
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CASEY STEENBERGEN: When
I first got the call,
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it was approximately 5
o'clock in the morning.
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My sergeant called me,
notifying me that there were
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two victims of stab wounds.
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He indicated that the two
people were husband and wife
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and that the husband
was deceased.
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For Paducah, Kentucky, two
victims of stab wounds,
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that's extremely uncommon.
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NARRATOR: The murder victim
is 56-year-old Robert Penn.
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His wife, who
survived the attack,
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41-year-old Cocina Penn.
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[CAMERA FLASHES]
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CARL: Several detectives were
there processing the crime.
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I have been provided
details that there
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was a lot of blood
at the scene,
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and I was expecting
traumatic injuries.
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[SIREN WAILING]
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NARRATOR: When Detective
Steenbergen arrives,
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the victim's body has already
been removed by the coroner.
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[SOMBER MUSIC]
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CASEY STEENBERGEN:
The atmosphere
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of the scene when I
arrived was very somber,
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not only myself but EMTs,
fire department personnel.
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Everybody that
responded to the scene
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was shocked at the level
of brutality used against him.
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PHOTOGRAPHER: And then when
we got here, he's laying down.
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But he's got like
cuts on his wrists.
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CASEY STEENBERGEN:
Whomever inflicted
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this level of injury
to Robert Penn
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is an extreme danger
to our community
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and needs to be located
as quickly as possible.
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MAN: Everyone in the house.
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NARRATOR: Cocina, who
suffered knife wounds,
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has been taken to the hospital.
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AMANDA MELTON: Cocina
Penn had stated
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that she and Robert took a walk
during the early morning hours.
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And there was a wooded
area that had a bridge.
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As they were walking, someone,
out of nowhere, attacked them.
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Was that person just
randomly attacking people?
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And where is that person?
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And are any of us in danger?
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So, you know,
my anxiety was up there.
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NARRATOR: County
Coroner Amanda Melton
00:04:00
was one of the first
called to the scene.
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[CAMERA FLASHES]
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AMANDA MELTON: When I arrived,
we had some complications
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removing him.
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[CAMERA FLASHES]
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[OMINOUS MUSIC]
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Just the fact of the wounds and
the injuries, the blood loss.
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[CAMERA FLASHES]
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He was a very
large in size man.
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And he had plunging knife
wounds into his rib area.
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He had wounds to his
arms that were deep.
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He had a laceration across his
abdomen that was penetrating,
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and it had caused his
intestines to protrude
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on the exterior of his body.
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[CAMERA FLASHES]
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He had lacerations
across his wrist.
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He had deep laceration
across his neck.
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[CAMERA FLASHES]
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It was clear that Mr. Penn had
suffered a very violent death.
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- So the husband either?
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OFFICER: I don't
know who Coco is.
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- It's a friend of my family.
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OFFICER: Where do they live at?
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- They live back here somewhere
in one of these houses.
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OFFICER: All right.
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NARRATOR: The attack
happened just yards
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from Robert and Cocina's home.
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[DOG BARKING]
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- Pretty sure the first cut
occurred at the Red Bridge.
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Plus, he was here and then
blood going that way.
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CASEY STEENBERGEN: OK.
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There were several patrolmen
who were there to maintain
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the crime scene perimeter.
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And then we had
detectives there
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that were looking
for additional evidence
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and also photographing
the crime scene.
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NARRATOR: Officers follow
the route Cocina said she
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and her husband took
on their early morning walk.
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They track traces of blood.
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[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC]
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- First drop of blood,
that is right here.
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CASEY STEENBERGEN: OK.
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OFFICER: Doing a buccal on it
just to compare his DNA.
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- They had the K-9 units
out in the woods nearby,
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trying to detect a scent.
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[LEAVES CRACKLING]
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CASEY STEENBERGEN:
Our officers were
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also looking for any witnesses
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that might have heard
a commotion, looked outside
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And saw any portion
of what may have happened.
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NARRATOR: One neighbor
reports speaking with Cocina
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immediately after the attack.
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OFFICER: You said
4:00 in the morning?
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- It was about 4:30
around in there.
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OFFICER: Who came
knocking on the door?
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- Uh, uh, Coco, I
think, is her name.
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OFFICER: OK.
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What did the--
what did she say?
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- She just said-- she
was just crying so hard.
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And I kept trying to ask
her what happened,
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and she was just
saying some big dude.
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That's all she said.
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NARRATOR: With no other
witnesses to Robert's murder,
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Detective Steenbergen urgently
needs to speak to Cocina.
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[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC]
00:07:08
CASEY STEENBERGEN:
Cocina Penn had
00:07:09
been treated for two small
cuts on her right hand
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as well as a small
stab wound in her back.
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NARRATOR: Processed
by forensics,
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her clothes have been
taken into evidence.
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CASEY STEENBERGEN:
She'd agreed to travel
00:07:24
from the hospital
to the police department
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with one of our detectives.
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OFFICER: Need to heat
up on the coffee?
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You want some fresh coffee?
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I can make fresh.
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COCINA: No, just a warm-up.
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OFFICER: Just a warm-up?
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OK.
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[CLINKING]
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- Is it "Co-see-nah
or "Co-kee-nah?"
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- "Co-kee-nah."
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Can I go by "Coco," if that
makes it easier for y'all.
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- OK.
00:07:50
OK.
00:07:51
Well, what would you
prefer me call you?
00:07:53
- Coco.
CASEY STEENBERGEN: Coco.
00:07:55
That's what we can do then.
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I was initially trying
to gather details
00:07:59
about who this person
was that attacked
00:08:03
her and also brutally attacked
and murdered her husband.
00:08:08
She said that she and Robert
had been out on a morning walk.
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- We went over there to look at
the bridge like we normally do.
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We were just standing
there kissing,
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and he said he would
rather just go to the house
00:08:21
this morning.
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And I said, OK, and--
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and when he turned
to walk that way,
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that's when that guy jumped
out and grabbed hold of him
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by his neck.
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- Did you hear him walking
up or see him walking up?
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- No.
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It's like he was just there.
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- She stated that she couldn't
see anything about this man,
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that he looked like a shadow.
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- He grabbed him like, right as
we went to walk off the bridge.
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And when I said it looked
like he was choking,
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he grabbed his throat and was
running, hollered, run.
00:08:57
And me and him
both was running.
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And that's when I felt my
collar and my shirt get pulled.
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That's all I felt though.
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- OK.
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So when y'all
were running, were
00:09:08
you in front of your husband?
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- At first, yes.
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- OK.
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- And then I turned around.
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And he had been caught up with
my husband, was attacking him,
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and had a knife.
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And I run back to try
to grab the knife.
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This, when I tried taking
the knife, I seen the blood,
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and I passed out.
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I don't know
anything after that.
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I wish I did.
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CASEY STEENBERGEN: Her
account seemed believable.
00:09:39
And she said that
after she woke up
00:09:42
she learned that Mr. Penn's
wallet had been taken
00:09:44
and that their two cell
phones had been taken.
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[DOG BARKING]
00:09:49
NARRATOR: Police combed
the Penn residence for clues.
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[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC]
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- There's two buildings
in the back, a car in the back.
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CASEY STEENBERGEN: When
our investigators arrived
00:10:00
at the home, they saw blood
00:10:02
on the front door frame.
00:10:05
[OMINOUS MUSIC]
00:10:07
[CAMERA FLASHES]
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Then they found blood on one
of the kitchen cabinets.
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NARRATOR: Blood samples are
sent for testing at the lab.
00:10:19
CASEY STEENBERGEN: We had
detectives looking for blood
00:10:21
trails, looking for weapons
00:10:24
that might have been
used to commit this crime
00:10:27
Looking at neighboring
houses, buildings,
00:10:30
looking for people
being on scene
00:10:33
at the time of this crime.
00:10:34
[DOG CREAKING]
OFFICER: Hello.
00:10:36
How are you today?
00:10:37
WOMAN: Do you know her name?
00:10:38
CASEY STEENBERGEN: Being
a mostly residential area,
00:10:41
our officers
recognized that there
00:10:43
was a high likelihood
of seeing some doorbell cameras
00:10:46
on a neighboring house.
00:10:48
OFFICER: You don't happen to
have any security cam footage
00:10:51
or, like, ring door cameras
or anything like that?
00:10:52
- No.
00:10:54
We were just talking
about getting one.
00:10:55
- I got one, but I
didn't put it up.
00:10:56
OFFICER: Ain't put it up yet?
00:10:57
OK.
00:10:59
CASEY STEENBERGEN:
We were looking
00:11:00
for cameras that would capture
any aspect of Mr. and Mrs. Penn
00:11:05
walking that morning
and anybody else
00:11:07
that may have been in the area.
00:11:10
The hope is that
we see this shadow
00:11:12
man that Cocina Penn is
describing caught on camera and
00:11:16
that we're able
to go arrest him.
00:11:19
[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC]
00:11:22
DYLAN PAYNE:
The community reaction
00:11:24
to the murder of Robert Penn
was one of genuine shock.
00:11:31
This is a small,
quiet community.
00:11:34
Most of the scuttlebutt that
happens in the community
00:11:37
is some sort of personal drama.
00:11:40
[CAR WHOOSHING]
00:11:41
If you hear about a burglary,
OK, that's pretty common.
00:11:46
If you hear about someone
who stole a lawnmower,
00:11:49
that's something that
you might expect.
00:11:52
When you hear
about a murder, you
00:11:54
don't expect that in any
community, certainly
00:11:56
in Western Kentucky.
00:12:01
It's really unbelievable
that a person could do
00:12:04
this to another human being.
00:12:07
Certainly, it was one
of the most violent
00:12:09
murders that had ever
happened in the history
00:12:11
of McCracken County.
00:12:15
[DOGS BARKING]
00:12:17
[CONTEMPLATIVE MUSIC]
00:12:22
- My name is Tania Hopkins.
00:12:23
My uncle, it's my mom's
brother, is my Uncle Robert.
00:12:30
My sister called me and told
me that Uncle Robert
00:12:33
had been killed--
00:12:34
[SIGHS] on my birthday.
00:12:40
It's gut wrenching.
00:12:44
He was fun.
00:12:47
We were poor growing up,
so he used to do things for us
00:12:49
to have fun.
00:12:50
And he was like a dad to me.
00:12:52
I just always loved
my Uncle Robert.
00:12:56
As a loving, caring,
nurturing man,
00:13:00
he was always there for anybody
that ever needed him.
00:13:02
Friends, family, blood
or not, he didn't care.
00:13:05
He always accepted everybody.
00:13:11
He's a big guy,
but he was sweet.
00:13:13
Like, he didn't have
a mean bone in his body.
00:13:17
Total loss.
00:13:20
Yeah, I'm gonna miss him.
00:13:24
[WHOOSH]
00:13:26
[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC]
00:13:28
NARRATOR: As friends and family
mourn Robert's death,
00:13:31
his body is transported to the
county coroner for autopsy.
00:13:39
[DOOR CREAKS]
00:13:43
AMANDA MELTON: It was a very
violent death that he suffered.
00:13:51
He had so many injuries that
would have been lethal and
00:13:55
deadly, that it was hard
to determine exactly
00:13:57
which one was the fatal blow.
00:14:01
Mr. Penn was
a large, strong man.
00:14:05
It was clear that his attack
was sudden and unexpected.
00:14:11
I do not think he had a chance
to fight or defend himself.
00:14:17
I believe he was incapacitated
fairly quickly, which
00:14:20
led me to believe that that was
a premeditated attack on him.
00:14:26
It just seemed like there
was a motive involved
00:14:31
that would have created
that type of anger.
00:14:39
CASEY STEENBERGEN:
Most of the time,
00:14:40
in a robbery case,
the perpetrator
00:14:43
is gonna use the least
amount of force
00:14:46
possible to achieve a theft.
00:14:50
It's an anomaly
anywhere that someone
00:14:53
would use that level
of violence and brutality
00:14:56
to achieve a robbery.
00:14:59
Things were not
making sense to me.
00:15:02
So for those reasons, it was
not adding up in my mind.
00:15:09
[STREET BUZZING]
00:15:10
[TENSE MUSIC]
00:15:16
CHUCK WALTER: I first
became aware of this case,
00:15:18
like a lot of people
in Paducah,
00:15:21
hearing items on the news.
00:15:23
This was a fairly
horrendous, nasty homicide,
00:15:27
and it attracted a fair amount
of attention here locally.
00:15:31
And when news like that
hits, I always think
00:15:35
well, there's a possibility
I'll be involved in the trial
00:15:37
and litigation of this matter.
00:15:39
Just how vicious
and brutal the attack was
00:15:44
obviously, someone
wanted Robert Penn dead.
00:15:48
The injuries to his
face, the fact
00:15:50
that he was disemboweled,
almost decapitated,
00:15:56
this was not a robbery.
00:15:59
This was a crime of someone
who knew the victim.
00:16:04
It was personal.
00:16:06
[SCARE CHORD]
00:16:08
[DISTANT DOG BARKING]
00:16:14
CASEY STEENBERGEN: We
started entertaining
00:16:15
the idea that someone
personally knew the victim
00:16:20
and did have animosity
00:16:22
some type of grudge.
00:16:26
AMANDA MELTON: Who could
have a vendetta against him?
00:16:29
Who could attack
him that viciously
00:16:32
and cause his death
in that manner?
00:16:35
- Listen to it, just
the way you know--
00:16:37
- Yeah, I'll get some
more quotes for it.
00:16:40
Yeah, you've heard it.
00:16:41
OFFICER: And that solidifies--
00:16:43
like, you know for a fact.
00:16:45
CASEY STEENBERGEN: Ms.
Penn described her husband
00:16:46
as a big old Teddy bear.
00:16:48
She said that he
was a kind man.
00:16:50
When asked if he
had any enemies,
00:16:54
she said that she
wasn't aware of any.
00:16:57
I still had several questions
I wanted to ask Cocina.
00:17:01
Any detail could be
huge in an investigation
00:17:04
of this magnitude.
00:17:06
You know, our main priority
is to figure out what happened
00:17:11
and make sure we do
right by your family
00:17:13
and figure out who did
this to your family.
00:17:15
OK.
00:17:18
Was he hiding in that area
or just happened to be--
00:17:22
- There was no walking.
00:17:24
There was no sound.
00:17:25
- OK.
00:17:26
- He was just there.
00:17:28
I don't know where
he come from.
00:17:30
He was just there.
00:17:31
There was no
footsteps, no nothing.
00:17:34
- OK.
00:17:35
The more details we ask for
00:17:38
the more reluctant she was to
give us details, to cooperate
00:17:44
in the investigation.
00:17:46
What was the first contact
he made with your husband?
00:17:50
Can you describe what
that looked like?
00:17:52
- It just looked like
he jumped up on his back
00:17:55
and had his hands on his neck.
00:17:57
That's all I remember.
00:17:58
- OK.
00:17:59
And what did
your husband say or do?
00:18:04
- Nothing.
00:18:05
He hollered, run.
00:18:06
- Hollered, run.
- He hollered run.
00:18:08
And that's what I did.
00:18:10
We're not used
to that kind of stuff.
00:18:11
- Sure.
00:18:13
I'm sure it's terrifying.
00:18:14
So you were running--
00:18:16
- Towards the house.
00:18:17
We was running back home.
00:18:19
- OK.
00:18:20
She, at one point,
became kind of defensive
00:18:24
and indicated that
she didn't want
00:18:28
to answer any of my questions.
00:18:30
- I don't know why we're
going back over this.
00:18:33
I just don't know if my heart
can handle this [BLEEP] again.
00:18:38
- But there may be something
little that we can bring
00:18:42
up that will jog your memory.
00:18:45
That was a huge red flag
00:18:46
because I'm simply trying
to identify her husband's
00:18:50
murder and her own attacker.
00:18:53
So what--
00:18:55
- But he took off back
across the bridge, though.
00:18:59
- The guy that attacked you?
00:19:00
- That attacked
my husband and me, yes.
00:19:03
He took off back
across the bridge.
00:19:05
- So after the attack
was over, he--
00:19:06
- He went back towards, like he
was heading towards Emma Court.
00:19:09
- OK.
00:19:10
OK.
00:19:12
The more I spoke to Cocina
Penn, the more suspicious
00:19:15
I became of her.
00:19:19
NARRATOR: Officers
searching the crime scene
00:19:21
also questioned Cocina's story.
00:19:24
[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC]
00:19:26
CHUCK WALTER: The canine
didn't hit anything.
00:19:29
There was no human
scent on the other side
00:19:30
of the bridge, where apparently
this mysterious stranger
00:19:34
had appeared.
00:19:37
Therefore, nobody
came from that area
00:19:40
and attacked them when they
were by the footbridge.
00:19:43
There was nobody coming
from the other side.
00:19:46
Her story had no
support from the facts.
00:19:50
- OK.
00:19:51
They ran at the house
over here?
00:19:53
NARRATOR: Detectives
decide to delve
00:19:55
deeper into Cocina's
relationship with Robert.
00:19:58
They turned to social
media for clues.
00:20:00
- --no one over here.
00:20:02
[STREET BUZZING]
00:20:04
[TENSE MUSIC]
00:20:07
CASEY STEENBERGEN: We
didn't find a social media
00:20:09
presence for Robert Penn,
but we did find a social media
00:20:12
presence for Cocina Penn.
00:20:15
All the pictures
that she had posted
00:20:17
were of herself
and grandchildren
00:20:20
but never a picture of her
and Robert together.
00:20:25
[CONTEMPLATIVE MUSIC]
00:20:28
TANIA HOPKINS: I always
thought they were good.
00:20:30
She was nice.
00:20:31
She was fun.
00:20:33
They played with one another
like, you know, couples do.
00:20:36
She took care of a lot of kids.
00:20:38
They had a lot of kids.
00:20:41
20 years ago, a cousin
of mine got them two together.
00:20:44
And then Cocina
was married to him.
00:20:47
From my understanding, the
relationship was very loving.
00:20:50
They showed affection
to each other.
00:20:53
They just acted like
a normal couple.
00:20:58
CASEY STEENBERGEN: The absence
of a picture of her
00:21:00
and Robert on her
social media suggested
00:21:02
that maybe
their relationship wasn't as
00:21:06
close as people had thought.
00:21:09
Maybe there were some
issues or estrangement.
00:21:14
[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC]
00:21:18
[LEAVES RUSTLING]
00:21:21
NARRATOR: Officers
canvassed the neighborhood,
00:21:24
hoping to find home security
footage, anything that
00:21:27
can shed light on the murder.
00:21:30
- Hello.
00:21:31
MAN: Yeah?
00:21:33
- This is Casey Steenbergen
with Paducah Police Department.
00:21:35
- Sure.
00:21:36
- We're wondering
if this records.
00:21:37
- Yeah, I just had a guy
stop by, another cop.
00:21:39
He was undercover, I guess.
He caught up in a--
00:21:41
CASEY STEENBERGEN:
Real tall guy?
00:21:43
- Yes, skinny.
00:21:44
But I don't know
if he had glasses.
00:21:45
CASEY STEENBERGEN:
And, like, crazy tall?
00:21:46
- Yes, like wicked tall.
00:21:48
We reviewed
the cameras with him,
00:21:49
and I didn't have
anything to show up.
00:21:53
NARRATOR: As the investigation
continues,
00:21:56
officers at Paducah's
police station
00:21:58
get an unexpected visit from
a woman wanting to talk.
00:22:03
OFFICER: Right here, so.
WOMAN: Oh.
00:22:05
OK.
00:22:07
- Let's go in and have
a seat in that chair is fine.
00:22:10
And then someone's gonna
be in with you, OK?
00:22:12
WOMAN: OK.
00:22:15
CASEY STEENBERGEN:
She had found out
00:22:16
that Robert Penn
had been murdered
00:22:19
and felt the need
to come forward and
00:22:21
talk to investigators.
00:22:24
- And what information
do you have for me today?
00:22:26
- Uh, let's see.
00:22:29
Um, William Tabor has been
having an affair with Coco.
00:22:32
[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC]
00:22:35
CASEY STEENBERGEN: Discovering
that Cocina Penn was having
00:22:37
an affair was a huge
deal in our investigation
00:22:40
because that presented
investigators with a motive.
00:22:45
NARRATOR: William Tabor is
well known to Paducah PD.
00:22:51
CASEY STEENBERGEN: Knowing
William Tabor's affiliations
00:22:54
with known criminals, you
can't help but entertain
00:22:59
the possibility
that maybe he was
00:23:02
more involved in these
events than simply just
00:23:06
being Cocina Penn's lover.
00:23:08
[TENSE MUSIC]
00:23:12
CHUCK WALTER: William
Tabor is the patriarch
00:23:14
of a family that has
substantial criminal history
00:23:18
here in Paducah.
00:23:21
You have to consider
him a suspect
00:23:23
because you've got a motive.
00:23:25
When you fool around
in someone's family,
00:23:28
stupid things can happen.
00:23:32
CASEY STEENBERGEN:
We immediately
00:23:33
sought out William
Tabor, who was working
00:23:36
in construction at that time.
00:23:40
When approached
by our investigators,
00:23:43
he said, yeah, I think I
know why y'all are here.
00:23:50
OFFICER: You're
not in any trouble.
00:23:52
You just need to help us.
00:23:54
CASEY STEENBERGEN: He
agreed to come back
00:23:56
to the police department
for an interview
00:23:58
with our investigators.
00:24:02
OFFICER: Right, come in here.
00:24:03
Here if you want.
00:24:06
When did the affair start?
00:24:11
- Uh-- I think
it was this year.
00:24:16
- This year?
00:24:17
Do you remember if it was the
beginning of this year, summer?
00:24:22
- No, it was more
the beginning.
00:24:24
CASEY STEENBERGEN:
It was so important
00:24:26
that he confirmed he was having
an affair with Cocina Penn.
00:24:30
But the biggest question
was, was Tabor actually there
00:24:35
when Robert was murdered?
00:24:37
[TENSE MUSIC]
00:24:40
- Do you know her husband?
00:24:41
- Yes, he--
00:24:44
- Did he know about you--
00:24:45
- --probably a good person.
00:24:47
- He's a good person?
00:24:48
- Did he by any chance
know about you and Coco?
00:24:52
No?
00:24:53
CHUCK WALTER: They
questioned Tabor in relation
00:24:56
to where he put himself
vis-a-vis the crime scene.
00:25:01
- What time did you get home?
00:25:03
- When, last night?
00:25:04
- Mm-hmm.
00:25:05
- That I'm off, around 5:00.
00:25:10
- 5:00 PM?
00:25:12
Did you stay at home
the whole time?
00:25:13
- Yeah.
00:25:14
- OK.
00:25:15
And then you stayed
at your house until
00:25:18
5:00 AM the next morning?
00:25:19
OK.
00:25:20
Was anyone there with you?
00:25:22
- Yes, ma'am.
00:25:25
NARRATOR: Tabor says he was
at home with his girlfriend.
00:25:28
If that checks out, he couldn't
have killed Robert Penn.
00:25:34
Then Tabor makes
a shocking claim.
00:25:38
- She did come up to my job
one time to tell us all that,
00:25:42
uh, she was tired of him.
00:25:46
She liked for somebody
to do away with him.
00:25:48
[OMINOUS MUSIC]
00:25:50
- Yeah.
00:25:51
So she came over, said
she's tired of him,
00:25:52
would someone go over
and get rid of him?
00:25:56
- Or see him.
00:25:58
She didn't really
put it like that.
00:25:59
It's just--
00:26:00
- What words did she use?
00:26:05
- Kind of like, I wish I knew
somebody that-- or y'all know
00:26:09
somebody that go bump him off?
00:26:12
CASEY STEENBERGEN: When
I heard that statement,
00:26:14
it showed that she had hatred
towards Robert that she loved
00:26:19
William, wanted Robert
out of the picture,
00:26:22
and wanted to be
with William Tabor.
00:26:25
- Like I was telling
him, when you go--
00:26:27
NARRATOR: Officers
seize Tabor's phone
00:26:29
and find deleted
texts from Cocina.
00:26:31
OFFICER: Seven days.
00:26:32
- I think it's 10 days
back from where we're at.
00:26:34
OFFICER: So we
definitely need to work--
00:26:36
CASEY STEENBERGEN: Through
digital forensic examination
00:26:38
of his phone, we found out
that Cocina had sent him a text
00:26:44
message, which indicated that
they spoke of moving to Florida
00:26:49
together and used the words,
"and he'll be gone,"
00:26:54
referring to Robert.
00:26:56
[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC]
CHUCK WALTER: The motive?
00:26:58
Yeah, she had the motive.
00:27:01
She wanted him dead.
00:27:02
She wanted to traipse off
to Florida with her paramour.
00:27:07
NARRATOR: The search
for surveillance footage
00:27:09
pays off when a neighbor
hands over video
00:27:12
from his doorbell cam.
00:27:15
[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC]
00:27:17
CASEY STEENBERGEN:
Hey, I'm Casey.
00:27:19
I'm a detective with
the police department.
00:27:20
MAN: OK.
00:27:21
CASEY STEENBERGEN: Do
you get the videos?
00:27:23
I think, detective got 'em.
00:27:26
MAN: I've seen them, too.
00:27:27
CASEY STEENBERGEN: Yeah.
00:27:28
Thank you for getting us that.
00:27:30
The biggest question for me was
00:27:32
what is that video
footage gonna show?
00:27:36
The hope is that it captures
everything that happened.
00:27:40
MAN: At the end
of the day, he don't
00:27:42
expect something
like this to happen
00:27:43
right in front of the house.
CASEY STEENBERGEN: Yeah.
00:27:44
Thank you.
00:27:45
Yeah, that's gonna
be hugely helpful.
00:27:48
As gruesome as it
would be to watch
00:27:50
you hope that it would capture
the totality of this attack.
00:27:58
NARRATOR: While
the footage is analyzed,
00:28:00
Steenbergen tracks down
William Tabor's girlfriend.
00:28:05
CASEY STEENBERGEN:
You're not, are you?
00:28:07
You are?
00:28:08
[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC]
00:28:10
I spoke to William
Tabor's girlfriend
00:28:12
to corroborate the affair
00:28:13
that William was
having with Cocina.
00:28:16
Well, I don't think it's
any secret at this point.
00:28:22
So there's been a murder.
00:28:26
- That's not good.
00:28:27
CASEY STEENBERGEN: Yeah.
00:28:28
- That's not good at all.
00:28:30
CASEY STEENBERGEN:
The victim is Robert.
00:28:33
- And see, I was
gonna talk to Robert.
00:28:35
CASEY STEENBERGEN: OK, OK.
00:28:36
Well, that's why we're here.
00:28:38
That's what we'd
like to talk about.
00:28:40
- And also, I can vouch
for my own man being here, too.
00:28:42
CASEY STEENBERGEN: Yeah.
00:28:43
And that's something that we
wanted to talk about, you know.
00:28:46
What was going on with
Coco and William and Robert
00:28:50
and just kind
of the dynamic of that?
00:28:54
And then she showed
me a text message
00:28:57
that she had sent
to Cocina, warning her
00:29:00
that she was gonna alert
Robert of the affair
00:29:03
if Cocina did not leave
William Tabor alone.
00:29:08
- I did send her a message.
00:29:09
I did tell her that I was
going to let her husband know.
00:29:11
And three days
later, this happened.
00:29:14
CASEY STEENBERGEN:
The text message
00:29:16
from William Tabor's
girlfriend to Cocina Penn
00:29:19
was very likely
the catalyst to this murder.
00:29:24
CHUCK WALTER:
Boyfriend's girlfriend
00:29:25
is going to go to Robert
Penn and spill the beans.
00:29:29
That establishes a lot.
00:29:31
[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC]
00:29:33
NARRATOR: But rumors
of an affair
00:29:34
aren't enough to arrest Cocina.
00:29:37
Steenbergen needs
solid evidence.
00:29:39
And the recently
discovered doorbell footage
00:29:42
could be a game changer.
00:29:45
[TENSE MUSIC]
00:29:50
CASEY STEENBERGEN: The camera
is pointed in the area
00:29:52
that Cocina described,
that she and
00:29:55
Robert ran from while
the attack was occurring.
00:29:58
The attack beginning off in the
darkness here, in the darkness,
00:30:02
is the red footbridge.
00:30:08
ROBERT: No, baby, no!
00:30:09
[CRYING] Listen, baby!
00:30:13
No, baby, no!
00:30:14
[SCREAMING]
00:30:17
[DOGS BARKING]
00:30:19
[ROBERT YELLING]
00:30:22
CASEY STEENBERGEN:
This is a sombering
00:30:24
video for everyone to watch,
especially the audio aspect.
00:30:30
ROBERT: No, baby, no!
00:30:35
CASEY STEENBERGEN:
Hearing a man that we knew
00:30:37
had been brutally
murdered, hearing him
00:30:40
throughout that process
in the last stages of his life,
00:30:44
was a difficult thing for all
the investigators to digest.
00:30:50
But the obvious thing
that we're looking for
00:30:53
is any evidence of a third
person being at this scene.
00:30:57
And as they pass underneath
the street light,
00:31:01
you clearly see that it's
two people, not three people,
00:31:06
as Cocina Penn described
there would have been
00:31:10
when they reached this area.
00:31:14
When I heard Robert
Penn say, no, baby, no.
00:31:17
That solidified to me that
the attacker that he was
00:31:20
referring to was Cocina Penn.
00:31:23
[CAR WHOOSHING]
00:31:28
NARRATOR: Nick Barreiro is
a forensic video analyst.
00:31:31
Using special software,
he can look at the footage
00:31:34
more closely.
00:31:36
[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC]
00:31:38
NICK BARREIRO: There's
a variety of tools and software
00:31:41
that we use as forensic
analysts that
00:31:43
are not available
to the average detective
00:31:46
working on a case.
00:31:48
So the first thing
I'm gonna do is
00:31:49
I'm gonna magnify
the area where
00:31:51
these people were running.
00:31:53
And then I'm gonna
enhance the brightness
00:31:56
and contrast in that area.
00:31:59
Particularly at night, when
people are moving fast,
00:32:02
the camera doesn't
have an opportunity
00:32:04
to capture a lot of detail.
00:32:07
I'm gonna go to a frame
where these people
00:32:09
are visible, where they're
running under the light here.
00:32:14
To get the most control
over these very bright parts
00:32:18
of the screen and the darkest
parts of the screen,
00:32:21
I would use
a curves adjustment.
00:32:26
And with the curves
adjustment, it
00:32:27
allows me to adjust
the different tonal
00:32:30
ranges within the frame.
00:32:33
We get a pretty clear
view of the action, right.
00:32:37
It's two people running.
00:32:39
And I've watched this video
from beginning to end,
00:32:42
and there are no other people.
00:32:45
There's no other
movement that's
00:32:47
visible within this
frame that would
00:32:50
account for a third person.
00:32:52
ROBERT: No, baby, no!
00:32:55
[SCREAMING]
00:32:59
NICK BARREIRO: So the video
footage only tells us so much.
00:33:02
It's limited in its detail.
00:33:05
We can see the general idea
of what's happening there.
00:33:08
But the real evidence
in this clip, I believe,
00:33:12
comes from the audio track.
00:33:14
ROBERT: No, baby, no!
00:33:16
[SCREAMING]
00:33:18
[DOG BARKING]
00:33:20
NICK BARREIRO: I think
it's highly unlikely
00:33:22
that two people being
chased would result
00:33:27
in this audio clip,
where we only really
00:33:30
hear one person screaming.
00:33:34
We would expect
to hear both people
00:33:37
doing that if in fact, there
was a third person involved.
00:33:41
[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC]
00:33:44
With the enhanced version--
00:33:47
ROBERT: Listen, baby!
00:33:49
No, baby, no!
00:33:50
[SCREAMING]
00:33:53
[MOUSE CLICKS]
00:33:54
NICK BARREIRO:
--I think it would
00:33:55
be very hard to argue
that he's saying anything
00:33:56
other than, no, baby, no.
00:34:00
As an investigator, I would be
looking at this video footage.
00:34:03
I would be listening
to this audio.
00:34:07
And it would be pretty easy
to come to the conclusion
00:34:11
that there was one person
being chased by another person.
00:34:17
And the person who
was being chased
00:34:20
was very familiar with
the person chasing
00:34:23
them and calling them, baby.
00:34:29
NARRATOR: Robert
Penn's autopsy report
00:34:31
also throws doubt on Cocina's
account of the night.
00:34:36
[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC]
00:34:40
CASEY STEENBERGEN: One
of the most striking things
00:34:41
that I learned was that
a significant time lapse had
00:34:44
occurred between the time
that Robert Penn died and
00:34:48
law enforcement was
alerted to this incident.
00:34:51
[CAMERA FLASHES]
00:34:52
The time lapse
told me that there
00:34:55
was a very high likelihood
that Cocina Penn was not
00:34:59
being honest about
the times that she and
00:35:02
Robert left the house and the
time that this attack occurred.
00:35:07
[TENSE MUSIC]
00:35:10
CHUCK WALTER: The coroner's
report said the murder
00:35:12
happened around 3:13.
00:35:14
She had her youngest
son call in the murder
00:35:17
of his father about 4:45.
00:35:20
[CAMERA FLASHES]
00:35:22
By that time, the body's
cold, rigor mortis
00:35:26
was already setting in.
00:35:27
So that tells you,
why did he lay out
00:35:31
there for an hour and a half?
00:35:34
What fit with
our theory was she
00:35:37
used that opportunity
to hide evidence,
00:35:40
to construct her robbery
theory, all sorts of things.
00:35:43
[DOGS BARKING]
00:35:46
CASEY STEENBERGEN: It
is reasonable to think
00:35:49
that suspects would try
to conceal evidence,
00:35:53
weapons used
in the commission of a crime
00:35:55
within their own homes.
00:35:58
I remember one
of our detectives
00:36:00
telling me that the house
was very clean and orderly.
00:36:05
- And even inside, is
it not, like-- you know,
00:36:07
like bloody, you know?
00:36:09
Like, she hadn't been
cleaning herself up.
00:36:10
Like--
00:36:11
OFFICER: I looked at the sink.
- She got like.
00:36:13
OFFICER: Well, you
don't have any blood.
00:36:17
CASEY STEENBERGEN: They
found bleach in a drain trap
00:36:20
underneath the kitchen sink.
00:36:22
Who washes their dishes with
bleach before they go to bed?
00:36:26
There was no reason for there
to be bleach in the drain
00:36:31
trap of their kitchen sink.
00:36:36
NARRATOR: Still
searching for Cocina and
00:36:37
Robert's missing
phones, Steenbergen
00:36:40
makes an important discovery.
00:36:42
OFFICER: Here's the snapshot.
00:36:43
CASEY STEENBERGEN:
Our patrol staff
00:36:45
requested that dispatch
pinged both phone numbers that
00:36:48
were obtained through
Cocina and Carl
00:36:51
in an effort to locate
those phones.
00:36:55
CHUCK WALTER: So they start
pinging those cell phones.
00:36:57
And those cell phones are
found about 25, 30 miles south
00:37:01
towards Mayfield, Kentucky.
00:37:03
CASEY STEENBERGEN:
Through my investigation,
00:37:04
I determined that
garbage pickup
00:37:07
routes ran every single
day in the city of Paducah.
00:37:11
CHUCK WALTER:
The police department
00:37:12
were able to track those
cell phones to a landfill
00:37:17
in the next county south.
00:37:19
I believe that she had thrown
away the phones in a trash can.
00:37:22
She had thrown
away the wallets.
00:37:24
She was obviously trying to
say, look, this is a robbery.
00:37:27
I had nothing to do with it.
00:37:29
[WIND WHOOSHING]
00:37:34
NARRATOR: When the DNA results
from the blood found in Cocina
00:37:37
and Robert's home come
back from the lab,
00:37:41
the last piece of the puzzle
finally falls into place.
00:37:45
CASEY STEENBERGEN:
The lab confirmed
00:37:47
that the blood
on the kitchen cabinet door
00:37:50
was Robert's blood,
along with her
00:37:54
and Robert's blood found
deeper into the house.
00:37:57
Directly conflicted
with her account,
00:37:59
which was that she burst
through the front door
00:38:02
and went straight to Carl's
room, which is just
00:38:05
inside the front door
of the residence,
00:38:07
to notify him that, your dad
is hurt and call 911.
00:38:12
[CAMERA FLASHES]
00:38:13
Knowing that Robert's blood
found in the kitchen and
00:38:17
bleach in the drain
trap, it proves
00:38:20
that Cocina went deeper
into the residence
00:38:23
and was cleaning
and concealing evidence.
00:38:29
CHUCK WALTER: I
thought Ms. Penn
00:38:31
was clever but not very
smart, if it's possible to be
00:38:36
those two things.
00:38:37
- He's gonna switch
the cuffs around.
00:38:41
[HEART POUNDING, TENSE MUSIC]
00:38:45
CASEY STEENBERGEN: One
of our other investigators
00:38:47
recognized that the cuts
on Cocina's hands
00:38:51
are consistent with injuries
sustained by stabbing
00:38:55
attacker rather than a victim.
00:38:59
Frequently,
in a stabbing attack,
00:39:01
blood being viscous and sticky,
surfaces such as a knife
00:39:07
handle become slippery.
00:39:09
And it's a common thing that
the attacker's hand will
00:39:13
slip off of a knife
blade, and they'll
00:39:15
actually cut themselves.
00:39:17
[CAMERA FLASHES]
00:39:18
CHUCK WALTER: Comparing
the carnage that
00:39:21
happened to Robert Penn with
the one superficial wound
00:39:28
to her back, I admire her
flexibility in making it.
00:39:34
She-- [SIGHS] she
wasn't smart enough
00:39:37
to have a shirt
on at the time because there
00:39:39
was no corresponding
cut in her shirt.
00:39:43
But, OK, here, I'm gonna--
00:39:44
I was cut too.
00:39:46
Well, that was minor
compared to what
00:39:49
happened to her husband.
00:39:52
And that also shows whoever
killed Robert Penn wanted to,
00:39:57
had it in for Robert Penn.
00:39:59
One little stab on her?
00:40:02
That's nothing.
00:40:03
That's nothing.
00:40:07
OFFICER: [INDISTINCT SPEECH]
You just want to put her--
00:40:13
CASEY STEENBERGEN:
Cocina Penn had
00:40:14
means, motive, and opportunity
to murder Robert Penn.
00:40:21
NARRATOR: Cocina is
charged with the capital
00:40:24
murder of her husband.
00:40:26
OFFICER: Coco, I'm putting your
stuff in his front seat, OK?
00:40:30
CASEY STEENBERGEN: She
was taken to the jail
00:40:32
here in McCracken County.
00:40:35
- That thing squished my wrist
when you hit that bump.
00:40:39
[DRAMATIC MUSIC]
00:40:43
I told them I didn't do this.
00:40:46
Maybe they should prove it.
00:40:48
- Maybe.
00:40:51
NARRATOR: Cocina is held
behind bars until her trial
00:40:54
at McCracken County Courthouse.
00:40:57
[METAL BAR CLANKS]
00:40:59
[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC]
00:41:05
BAILIFF: The Honorable Judge
Tony Kitchen presiding.
00:41:08
Please be seated.
00:41:09
All chairs are
present, Your Honor.
00:41:12
CHUCK WALTER: I was
going to make sure
00:41:14
that she paid for her crime.
00:41:17
That's my job.
00:41:19
I get paid for being tough.
00:41:22
- When you look
at Cocina Penn, I
00:41:24
will tell you that your first
instinct is to think,
00:41:28
I can't imagine that
this lady could have done
00:41:31
what she did to her husband.
00:41:34
CHUCK WALTER:
The first day, we had
00:41:35
submitted a lot of strong
evidence to demonstrate motive,
00:41:41
the fact that it
was premeditated,
00:41:44
and the fact that this
was not a robbery.
00:41:47
We had one more thing that
was gonna tie it all together,
00:41:53
that videotape.
00:41:55
ROBERT: No, baby, no!
00:41:57
[SCREAMING]
00:42:00
CHUCK WALTER: The last
thing the jury
00:42:01
heard on that first
day was, no, baby, no.
00:42:05
Baby, don't kill me.
00:42:08
They heard him
screaming for his life.
00:42:11
[ROBERT SCREAMING]
00:42:14
DYLAN PAYNE: When we're
at the movie theater,
00:42:16
we're used to hearing
those horrific screams,
00:42:18
but we know that those
screams are not real.
00:42:22
[SCREAMING]
00:42:25
And I don't think that
it was lost on anyone
00:42:28
in this courtroom, including
the jury, that what they
00:42:31
were hearing, which is
stuff of nightmares,
00:42:34
was very, very real.
00:42:36
[TENSE MUSIC]
00:42:38
AMANDA MELTON:
The evidence I was
00:42:39
asked for at trial had
to do with my observations
00:42:43
about his injuries
and the impact of his injuries.
00:42:50
When I looked
at Cocina, she seemed
00:42:52
very distant, very stoic.
00:42:57
I never saw her show any kind
of emotion in any kind of way,
00:43:02
even as I was
describing his injuries.
00:43:09
CHUCK WALTER: In court,
people testified
00:43:11
that Robert was a caring,
loving, and doting father,
00:43:16
that he really loved his wife,
that he really loved his kids.
00:43:22
- Well, the first
thing, my dad was-- he
00:43:25
was literally my best friend.
00:43:27
He was literally my everything.
00:43:30
[DRAMATIC MUSIC]
00:43:32
That man, he showed
me a lot of things.
00:43:37
He's made me a very good man.
00:43:39
And I really miss him.
00:43:42
I would do anything
for my father.
00:43:45
It's destroyed me, personally.
00:43:47
My dad didn't deserve this.
00:43:52
CHUCK WALTER:
On the night that she--
00:43:53
NARRATOR: On the third
day of the trial,
00:43:55
the jury is asked
to decide Cocina's fate.
00:43:58
[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC]
00:44:03
CASEY STEENBERGEN:
The jury came
00:44:05
back unexpectedly fast with
a guilty verdict for Cocina.
00:44:10
- It took the jury
less than an hour.
00:44:14
That's unheard of.
00:44:17
DYLAN PAYNE: I'm not sure that
without the doorbell footage,
00:44:21
that we would have even
gotten a conviction.
00:44:24
NICK BARREIRO: Home
surveillance video footage
00:44:27
can be brought into court, and
it acts as the perfect witness.
00:44:31
It doesn't have a memory.
00:44:33
It doesn't have a bias.
00:44:36
It's not gonna be influenced
by outside factors.
00:44:39
That video, when it
comes in to court
00:44:41
and is presented to a jury, is
gonna show exactly what it saw
00:44:47
at the time of the incident.
00:44:50
DYLAN PAYNE: 20% of households
in the United States
00:44:53
have some sort of Ring
video doorbell system.
00:44:56
That's about 23
million households.
00:44:59
And what that means is,
whether you're walking your dog
00:45:04
or whether you're
killing your husband,
00:45:06
there's a good chance
that there's a set of eyes
00:45:08
that you don't realize that
it's watching you do it.
00:45:11
[CAMERA FLASHES]
00:45:13
NARRATOR: Cocina Penn is
sentenced to life in prison.
00:45:16
[CONTEMPLATIVE MUSIC]
00:45:19
AMANDA MELTON: It is a lack
of humanity to brutally kill
00:45:22
someone in the way she did.
00:45:27
CASEY STEENBERGEN:
Cocina Penn has never
00:45:28
shown any remorse
to the consequences
00:45:32
affecting her children.
00:45:35
- It's hard for most people to
wrap their mind around the fact
00:45:40
that you have a child, whose
father has been murdered
00:45:46
and whose mother
was the murderer.
00:45:48
DISPATCHER: He's in the road?
00:45:50
CARL: Yeah.
00:45:51
DISPATCHER: OK, hon.
00:45:53
CARL: I don't think he's alive.
00:45:57
- I hate that she
made him see that.
00:45:58
I hate that that's
probably the last thing
00:46:00
he remembers about his dad.
00:46:04
They say time heals all
wounds, but it's not true.
00:46:06
[CHUCKLES] It's always there.
00:46:09
I hope Robert is remembered by
everybody knowing how loving he
00:46:12
was, how he would
have helped anybody.
00:46:15
He'd give the shirt
off his back.
00:46:17
He really would have.
00:46:19
[THEME MUSIC]
00:46:44
[AUDIO LOGO]
