He wasn't afraid to make choices that would destroy everything. In court, he smiled like nothing could break him. But behind that smile was a fear so deep it would lead to an ending no one expected. Aaron Hernandez was a rising football star playing for the New England Patriots, one of the biggest and most successful teams in the NFL. With a huge contract and fame on every field, he seemed unstoppable. Fans and teammates respected him, and the world watched as he dominated the sport. But off the field, Hernandez's world was far more complicated. He surrounded himself with people from his old neighborhood, mixed loyalty with pride, and often felt caught between the life he had left behind and the one he was trying to build. Friends later said he was paranoid, convinced others were talking about him or trying to cross him. That tension came to a head in June 2013. Prosecutors said Hernandez became angry with Odin Lloyd, a semi-pro football player who was dating the sister of Hernandez's fiance. The two had gone out together just days earlier, and something that night allegedly triggered Hernandez's suspicion that Lloyd had disrespected him in front of others. According to investigators, in the early morning hours of June 17, Lloyd got into a car with Hernandez and two of his friends. Surveillance cameras from Hernandez's home showed the group leaving the house and later returning without Lloyd. A worker discovered Lloyd's body a short distance from Hernandez's neighborhood later that day. The discovery stunned the community and the sports world. >> And so this guy was jogging and he found a body and he came over here and knocked on the door said, "Would you please call 911?" So that's that's what we did. >> Police quickly connected the dots, phone records, text messages between Lloyd and Hernandez, and footage from Hernandez's own security system, all pointing investigators toward the athlete. A few days later, Hernandez was arrested at his home in front of television cameras. The man who had once been celebrated for his strength and fearlessness on the field now faced the biggest test of his life, a courtroom, a jury, and the possibility of never walking free again. When Hernandez first appeared in court, he smiled, leaned back, and acted untouchable. To the public eye, he seemed fearless, even in the face of mounting evidence. But behind that confident exterior, those closest to him revealed a different truth. Hernandez had told friends he couldn't handle prison. That the thought of life behind bars was unbearable. Some said he had even considered ending his life rather than spending decades locked away. Even as prosecutors presented evidence, footages, and witness testimony, Hernandez maintained a smile that masked terror, acting like nothing could touch him. But the man behind the smile was terrified of the reality closing in. The prosecution laid out their case, presenting cell phone records, text messages, and surveillance footage. They painted a picture of a man whose temper, pride, and fear of being disrespected had spiraled out of control. They described how Hernandez had interacted with Odin Lloyd in the days leading up to the incident and how in the early hours of June 17th, security footage showed Hernandez leaving home with two friends to pick up Lloyd. Hours later, cameras captured the same car returning, but this time Lloyd wasn't with them. Investigators said the evidence pointed clearly to Hernandez as the central figure. Hernandez's defense team countered by questioning the evidence, arguing that the investigators had assumed too much and that media coverage had tainted the public perception. They painted Hernandez as a dedicated athlete and father, emphasizing his commitments to his daughter and fiance, Cheyana. Throughout the trial, Hernandez maintained his smile and confident posture, seemingly unfased by the weight of the courtroom. But observers noticed subtle cracks, fleeting moments where anxiety flashed across his face, attention behind the otherwise calm exterior. After weeks of testimony, arguments, and deliberation, the jury finally returned with a guilty verdict. >> Madam for person, on indictment 2013-93- charging the defendant Aaron Hernandez with murder, what say you, madam for person? Is the defendant not guilty? Guilty of murder in the first degree or guilty of murder in the second degree. >> Guilty of murder in the first degree. >> Madam court person, by which theory or theories? Deliberate premeditation andor extreme atrocity or cruelty. >> Extreme atrocity or cruelty. >> The four persons spoke the words that would define the rest of his life. The man who had walked in confident and smiling now faced the full reality of life without freedom. In 2015, Hernandez was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. >> Mr. Hernandez, an indictment BRC 2013-0983- A for your charge with the crime of murder. The jury returning a verdict of murder in the first first degree and in consideration of the crime for which you now stand committed. You were sentenced by order of the court as follows. You're committed to the MCI Cedar Junction for the term of your natural life without the possibility of parole on BRC 2013-0983-B where you were charged with the crime of unlawful possession of a firearm after the jury finding you guilty and the court in consideration of the crime for which you now stand committed or stand convicted. You are punished by imprisonment to MCI Cedar Junction for a term of not less than two and one half years to not more than three years committed concurrent with the life sentence imposed on count A. The sentence was clear, final, and crushing. Hernandez's demeanor in court remained composed to outsiders, but those who knew him understood the terror he felt. Friends later said he had fredded endlessly about life behind bars and that his confidence had always been a mask hiding a deep fear. Months into his sentence, Hernandez's mental state deteriorated. Letters and testimony from those who interacted with him in prison described a man tormented by regret, fear, and isolation. He had once said he couldn't survive prison, and that fear became an unrelenting shadow. On April 19th, 2017, Aaron Hernandez was discovered unresponsive in his cell. Officials confirmed he had ended his own life. The man who had smiled in court, who had carried himself with the confidence of a champion, could not face the life he had so feared. Behind the bravado, behind the fame, and behind the smiles was a man consumed by fear. A man who chose an ending no one expected rather than endure the reality of prison. Aaron Hernandez's death has been ruled a suicide now by the medical examiner, and there are new details about the circumstances surrounding that death. Investigators found three handwritten notes next to a Bible in his prison cell. Meanwhile, his family has filed papers asking the court to preserve all evidence related to his death. Add to that Odin Lloyd's mother, who spoke to reporters today, her son was the one Hernandez was convicted of killing in 2013. She said she wants to be a voice for mothers who have lost loved ones. >> It's not even about Odin Lloyd is about the person that committed the crime for Odin Lloyd. If it wasn't for that, you guys wouldn't be here to ask me questions about Odin Lloyd. So today, I'm speaking up for Odin Lloyd and for the families out there that is fighting for justice and doesn't have the voice that I can provide for them. You will never know and you will never understand unless you're in that boat of the tremendous loss. I lost my best friend. I lost my son. I lost the love of my life. I lost a strong boy in my family. Aaron Hernandez's story is a reminder of how fear and pride can collide and how even those who appear untouchable can be broken by the consequences they once thought they could handle. He once sat in a courtroom deciding who would go home and who would lose their freedom. But years later, the same justice system he served would turn its full weight against him. And the most chilling part is that he was given a second chance and the outcome was even worse. >> Put your hands up. PUT YOUR HANDS UP NOW. Cannot believe I did this. >> You're a vicious liar with no remorse. >> I accept full responsibility for it. I'm ashamed. >> You deserve the maximum sentence of state request. >> Lance Mason was a former judge, a state lawmaker, and a man deeply embedded in Ohio's legal and political system. In 2014, Lance Mason's name appeared in headlines for a reason no judge ever wants. Authorities responded to a serious emergency involving his wife, Aisha Fraser. A 911 call brought police to the scene. A call that would later become central to the case. >> 91 checker. Police emergency. >> Yes. Uh my husband just beat me and threw me out the car. He has my two daughters in the car. >> Where you at? >> Van Aken Boulevard. >> Yeah. >> And like Avalon. She just threw me out the car. Orange Saturn View 2008. I'm afraid he's gonna hurt my daughters. >> Is he with you now or did he drive off? >> She drove off. They're taking me to South Point now. >> Who's taking you to South Point? >> I some nice people in the car stopped. I jumped in. >> Are you in the car now? >> In another person's car. Please find my kids. >> Are you injured? >> Yes. >> What investigators found that day was enough to trigger a criminal prosecution. >> How's my wife? What do you mean how's your wife? Where was wife? >> She was on She jumped out the car. >> She's okay. >> She's okay. All right. >> The judge then sentenced him to 2 years in prison with credit that ultimately resulted in 9 months served. After serving his time, Lance Mason was released. And this is where the story takes a turn that still troubles many people today. In 2018, emergency services received another urgent call. This time, the situation was far more severe. Aisha Fraser was found outside a home with life-threatening injuries. Police responded immediately. During the arrest process, Mason attempted to flee. His effort to escape resulted in a collision with a police vehicle, injuring an officer. That action alone added serious charges to an already devastating case. >> Put your hands UP NOW. PUT YOUR HANDS UP. HAND UP. Put your hands up. Put your hands up. I got I got contacts. Put your hands behind your back. Do it now. >> Watch. Watch. Watch. Is anyone else in the house? >> My daughter's in my sister. >> Where are they? Are they hurt? >> They're in They're in this bedroom. >> Are they hurt? >> No, not in any way. >> Okay. Where's the weapon? They're outside. I see you on. >> All right, roll to your side. Let's get you on your feet. >> Stand on feet. >> Yeah. Okay. Have a seat right here. >> Put him up. He's just a hindrance. Two people uninjured in there. Here. >> Three people. >> Three people uninjured. >> Yeah. My two daughters and cannot believe I did this. Within hours, Mason was in custody. The man who once commanded courtrooms was now facing multiple felony charges, including charges connected to the loss of life. This time, there would be no ambiguity, no second chance, no return to public life. The legal system moved swiftly. Initially, Lance Mason pleaded not guilty. >> Do you understand the charges against you? >> Yes, your honor. >> Do you wish to Please, sir. >> Uh, not guilty. >> Court accepts a plea of not guilty. >> But as the case moved forward, evidence mounted, legal options narrowed, and reality closed in. Mason eventually changed his plea. He entered a guilty plea, bringing the case closer to its final chapter. >> Mr. Mason, then it were at that point going to ask you how you plead to count one aggravated murder. >> Guilty. How do you plead to count two, murder? >> Guilty. >> How do you plead to count three, Felonius assault, Alissa Frasier? >> Guilty. >> How do you plead to count four, violating a protection order? >> Guilty, honor. >> How do you plead to count five, grand theft? >> Guilty. >> How do you plead to count six, felonious assault? >> Guilty, honor. Court accepts the plea of guilty, finds you guilty with regard to each and every one of those accounts. >> Your honor, I wish to take responsibility for the crimes I committed. I don't wish to prolong it or delay it or hurt my family. I affected any more than I have >> and I and I respect that. >> Before sentencing, Mason addressed the court. His words were measured. He spoke of regret. He spoke of responsibility. He spoke as someone who finally understood the full weight of what the law demands. But the court was not there to reflect on his past status. It was there to determine consequences. I I'm accept full responsibility for the horrific act I've done. I'm ashamed of it and you know I'm prepared to be sentenced. >> Thank you. You deserve the maximum sentence of state request. However, if there is something anything positive to transpire out of this in the future is for you to make a difference while you are in prison. To help others with your background, to demonstrate a servant attitude. It is for that reason only that after you serve the five years for officer Flynn and 30 years for the aggravated murder as part of a life sentence, you will then be eligible to appear before a parole board. I am hopeful that during that period of time with that glimmer of hope that you will take advantage of that and you will in fact make a difference in the lives of those people around you. In summary, the court sentences you to life in prison with proeligibility in 30 years and five years for the felonious assault of Officer Flint. Those sentences to be served consecutively. >> The judge imposed a sentence of life in prison with the possibility of parole after 35 years. It was one of the harshest penalties under Ohio law and it marked the definitive end of Lance Mason's journey through the justice system. Ali Abalaban was famous online. His impressions, his comedy videos, his confident personality, it all drew millions of views. To his followers, he was funny, charismatic, and ambitious. But behind the screen, his personal life was falling apart. He was married to Anna Abalaban, and together they had a young daughter. To many, they looked like a perfect social media couple. But according to court records, their relationship had become toxic. Arguments, jealousy, accusations, all hidden behind curated smiles and filters. Anna had finally asked him to move out of their apartment. She wanted peace, space, and safety. But Ali didn't take that rejection well. He secretly made a copy of the apartment key, installed a recording device inside, and began listening in on her conversations. and what he heard next would send him spiraling. One day, Ali claimed he overheard another man's voice inside the apartment, the voice of Rayurn Cardinus Baron, a close friend of Anna. Fueled by rage and obsession, Ali returned to the apartment armed with a weapon. Prosecutors say he walked in and carried out an act that would forever destroy multiple lives. Moments later, he fled the scene, but not before calling his mother. According to investigators, he told her what he'd done in tears, saying his life was over. Police later located and arrested him on the highway with his daughter in the vehicle. During an interview, he broke down. One moment sobbing uncontrollably, the next blaming Anna, insisting it was her fault. To >> see her kissing Ray on my couch. with his feet on my table, with my feet, my money, my apartment, my life IN THE HOUSE THAT MY DAUGHTER SLEEPS IN ON THE FURNITURE THAT I PUT TOGETHER. WHAT DO YOU EXPECT A MAN TO FEEL? WELL, I guess THAT'S THE END OF my family. He said he just snapped. But to prosecutors, it wasn't a moment of madness. It was planned. >> You got off the elevator. What What happened next? >> As you can see, I was in a hurry to get in there. I didn't even wait for the door to open. Um, I was running, running, running. Um, I used my key card. The only thing I had in my hand was my key card. I opened the door. I barged in. I was immediately startled. I stopped right in my tracks like a deer in the headlights. They weren't in the bedroom. They weren't having sex. They're right there cuddling on the couch. I didn't expect that Aaron would ever do that to me. Him of all people. I mean, she knew how I felt about him. She knew how I felt. I was trying to believe her. I was trying to believe that she wasn't cheating on me, that she would let me fix this cuz I was sick. I was struggling from drugs and mental illness and I [ __ ] up. I [ __ ] up a lot. But I was trying to fix this. And when I saw that it was him, I couldn't take it. I couldn't take the [ __ ] betrayal. I couldn't believe that she could do that to me, to our daughter. And then before I could stop myself, I just [ __ ] snapped. And my gun was in my hand. And next thing I'm shooting and and I can't stop. I'm just shooting. I'm shooting and I I'm even startled. It's like I'm watching it happen. I'm like I'm in the passenger seat of my own body. I can't stop it. And I hear Anna screaming and crying. And then I don't even remember shooting Anna. I just remember running back to the front door and I grabbed the door handle and then it hit me. I'm like, did that just happen? And I turn around and I see I see Anna lean forward and there's blood and I'm like I couldn't believe I did that. Throughout the trial, Ali's behavior stunned everyone. He smiled, winked, even joked during testimony. >> I'm sorry. At times he stared directly at the jury as if daring them to judge him. He snapped at prosecutors when they questioned him. >> You shot Anna in the head. You pushed her head down into Ray's lap, right? >> Oh, get out of here. >> I'm not going to tolerate this. >> On October 18th, you were also re researching uh teen porn videos, correct? >> What? What did you just say? >> That's what you were researching. Correct. >> Say it again. >> Teen porn videos. >> You're out your mind. >> Show me the teen you just said. You want to pay me some kind of unless show me what show me what you just said. I've never seen that in a discovery. I've been incarcerated three years. You never showed that to my my team. Where did you get that? >> But when they played the video of what took place at the apartment, he couldn't stop crying. He cried and cried and cried. Then came the text messages, one showing jealousy, anger, and control. The courtroom went silent. But through it all, Ali was still convinced that somehow he could talk his way out of it, that somehow he could beat the case. But when the verdict was read, the smile and confidence was gone. He quickly reacted angrily towards the victim's families who was rejoicing to the verdict. >> The jury above entitled cause find the defendant Ali Nasser Abulaban guilty of the crime of murder in the first degree. silence. >> His face turned pale and he began to cry. The same man who once made millions laugh online was now just another defendant hearing the word guilty. And then the moment everyone waited for the sentencing. The judge looked straight at him and said, >> "He will die in prison. He will never be a free man. He will take his last breath there. The courtroom erupted. Gasps, claps, tears of relief. For the families, justice had finally spoken. >> This was the best, the best we could hope for. And we just thank God that our prayers have been answered and now we can all rest. >> For Ali, the world he built, the followers, the fame, the ego, all collapsed in seconds. He tried to speak. He read a statement crying, apologizing, but no one was moved. To many, it was just another performance and the show was over. Ali Abulaban's story is a haunting reminder that the masks we wear online can't hide who we truly are. A man who once made millions laugh ended up making millions gasp. Two men, Jason G and Michael W. disappeared after leaving a Tampa nightclub. Family and friends raised alarms. 17 days later, Michael's body was found in the trunk of his own Jeep, wrapped in a fitted sheet. Jason was never located. Police traced both disappearances to a residence 10 minutes away from the club at 213 West Powhattan, where investigators executed search warrants and uncovered digital chats, drug paraphernalia, photographs, and blood stains tied to Lorenzo and his accomplice, Scott Schwikert. Chat logs confirmed Lorenzo's shared intent with Schwiker to incapacitate and control men for sexual gratification. DNA on a gas mask and blood on his garage floor matched Jason with odds of any other match being in the trillions. Multiple photographs showed Michael's lifeless body inside the home, posing evidence Lorenzo later denied recalling. Schwikert initially denied involvement, but then admitted participating in both deaths, including dismembering Jason and wrapping Michael's body for disposal in Michael's vehicle. In 2016, Schwikert accepted a plea deal, life in prison without parole, in exchange for full cooperation as a witness against Lorenzo. His sworn testimony during the penalty phase in February 2023 described how he and Lorenzo lured both victims, drugged them, and committed the atrocities. >> You chose to invite Jason Gail House back to Steven Lorenzo's house. Is that right? >> Uh Steven back. Yes. >> Tell us about what happened then. >> Uh well, we went back to Steven's place. Uh we all stood down in Steve's bedroom. Uh Jason uh climbed out of the bed and was shackled to the bed. Uh there were shackles that were already on the bed at the headboard and the footboard uh in the middle of both. >> But take us through the next step. What happened thereafter? >> Um well I I climbed onto the bed and I was starting to make out with him and playing with his his testicles a little bit, slapping them a little bit. Uh he was getting aroused hard. I unfortunately was not. As I said, wasn't my type. Uh, and I stepped to the bathroom to use the bathroom. I was gone maybe four or five minutes. I came back. Stephen was sitting basically behind him, had him in a choke hole and was choking him out. Uh, Michael was kicking a little bit and Stephen asked me to come over and hold his legs down. I think he was afraid that he might uh kick the kick the shackles loose from the foot forward or something along those lines. Uh, so I went over, I put my over his legs, the whole thing in place. And after about another minute, maybe less, uh, he just stopped moving. Afterwards, I asked him, "What was that?" He said, "Was a choke hole, something wanted to do, choke somebody out, you know, >> all right." After after Steven Lorenzo said that's that's always something he wanted to do, uh, what other discussion? >> There wasn't much of a discussion at that point. He He immediately went into cleanup mode. He started with the legs, his one leg, you know, cut it at the thigh bone, you know, cutting through. Uh, and, uh, after he cut one off, he grabbed a trash bag, put that body part in it, tie it off with a zip tie, shove it inside of another trash bag, and tie it off with a zip tie. He said, "This way it won't leak." Uh, he said, "Uh, we work so well together, I want to see, you know, if we can do it again. 606 driving. So that's where he went and uh that's where he met Michael. Now Stephen wanted to ride with Michael back to the house. So they rode together in Michael's vehicle and I go Steven back behind him. >> Okay. You arrived. Where did you go? What did you do? What did Michael Walks do? What did Steven Morenzo do? >> Well, like I said, we we came into the house and uh I needed to use the bathroom. I barely made it to the bathroom and Stephen tells her, "Scott, Scott, come here. I need your help." And I come back into the living room. Uh, Stephen is almost kneeling in front of Jason between his legs, holding his arms as Michael is trying to get away from him. And I come in and I see this and I'm like, "Oh shit." And I jump in and turn my arms around Michael and hold him down. Stephen grabs a rag from somewhere. of maximum impact, sprays it on the rag and holds it over Michael's face until he goes unconscious. At that point, we quickly strip all his clothing off him, leaving the rag on his face so that he doesn't conscious. After he's totally completely naked, we throw cuffs on him. At some point, Steven got undressed as well. And then uh after that, Stephen jumped in, rolled him back onto his stomach, and uh climbed on top of him and uh basically straddling his legs, pull hands on the back of his uh upper back, uh forcing his face into the ground off to the side, and was basically uh tippy bucking his ass cheeks, dry humping in a sense, I guess. Well, once again, I had uh I had checked for the pulse and then found none. We removed the cuffs. Uh Stephen had once again grabbed a trash bag, started picking up Michael's belongings. He says, "Grab a grab a sheet out of that closet there in the hallway just outside the bathroom." And he told me spread it out there on on the floor. Uh so we did. And then we lift the body out of the tub, laid it on the sheet, wrapped it up in the and then carried out to Michael's vehicle. >> The body of Michael Walks in his vehicle were left abandoned in an apartment complex parking lot a distance away from Steven Lorenzo's house. Is that right? >> Yes. >> That testimony helped prosecute the case against Lorenzo. Lorenzo spent nearly two decades denying involvement. Then in December 2022, he submitted a 147page handwritten letter to the court asking to plead guilty and specifically request the harshest penalty, even waving appeals. In his words, "The end results will prove to be identical." He fired his defense team, represented himself, and entered a plea in open court, accepting responsibility in exchange for what he termed a more comfortable environment than federal prison. Two counts, first-degree murder. Mr. Lorenzo, how do you wish to plead to those two charges? >> Open guilty. >> At the penalty hearing in February 2023, Lorenzo stated that he could be on death row for 10 to 15 years, arguing that death row is a lot more comfortable than the federal system. He also expanded on his reincarnation beliefs, stating that the sooner he get euthanized, the sooner he can get himself a new body and come back again. I'm seeking the death penalty. It's in my best interest basically because um it's a comfort. It's mine. I'll be living a lot lot more comfortable than I would in the federal system living on death row, believe it or not. And uh and of course that may sound selfish, but I've lived in a private cell for the last 5 years and I'm going to have a private cell on death row. At my age, I want to be comfortable. I want my privacy. That's what I want. So that's what I'm doing. It may sound selfish, but that's the way it is. You live for today. You don't live for the past. You live for today. So I'm asking you to give me the death sentence because that'll be more comfortable for me to live out my lifetime. I know I can be on death row for about 10 or 15 years, which I think is crazy. But um uh as far as I see it, it's just euthanasia. I already have a death sentence. Everybody in this room has a death sentence. So, as far as I'm concerned, you're just offering me a euthanasia that I'm looking to do willingly. That's all it really comes down to. And so, I'm asking you to do that. So, uh, and I'm going to try to speed up this process so I don't have to wait 15 years because I got better things to do to my time. The sooner that I, uh, uh, get euthanized, as far as I'm concerned, the faster I can get, the sooner I can get fetch myself a new body and come back again, a fresh body. That's how I look at it because that's how it is. That's how a spiritual work. We're eternal beings. So, the way I look at it is the sooner I uh euthanize, the sooner I can come back. I've got better things to do with my time than to hang out and spend the next 15, 20 years on death row or in any prison system. So, that's what I'm asking for. It's selfish. That's what I want. >> Judge Christopher Sabella replied stating that he don't know if what he say is some form of reverse psychology, but he will not consider what he want in issuing his sentence. The judge imposed the ultimate punishment by injection. >> I don't know if uh what you say is uh perhaps some form of reverse psychology, nor do I care. I will not consider what you want in issuing my sentence. >> I know that. >> All right. In the words of Miss Pam Williams, from one Italian to another, tando amorte, that translates to I sentence you, Mr. Lorenzo, to death. That is the punishment that you deserve >> for these horrific crimes. >> State Attorney Susan Lopez affirmed, stating that this is not about Steven Lorenzo. this is about Jason Gailhouse and Michael Waltz and that the harshest sentence is the only appropriate one. In June 2025, Florida's Supreme Court unanimously upheld Lorenzo's convictions and sentences, confirming he knowingly waved counsel, plead guilty, and represented himself during the penalty phase. Despite asking for the maximum punishment, Lorenzo has begun appealing the sentence, arguing procedural errors and excessiveness. That reversal, fighting a decision he asked for, reveals the ultimate irony. His manipulative reverse psychology gambit failed, and now he fights to avoid what he once demanded. Lorenzo disavowed traditional remorse, framed himself as spiritually eternal, and believed he could trick the system into giving him lesser punishment. He referred to his jail cell comforts and reincarnation multiple times. He mocked the idea of legal mercy, claiming childish and ridiculous systems. Justice prevailed, driven by victims voices, not by Lorenzo's manipulation. Lorenzo assumed clinical detachment and calculated theatrics would protect him. Instead, the legal system saw through it and gave him exactly what he said he wanted. Steven Lorenzo fought himself untouchable. He walked into court thinking he was in control. That reverse psychology and manipulation would save him. But the judge wasn't fooled. Now he's sitting on death row trying to escape the very outcome he asked for. He thought he was playing the system. But in the end, the system played him. Dr. Matthews built a reputation as a gifted and trusted heart doctor. To patients, he was calm, charming, and confident. But behind that persona, authorities say he used sedatives, manipulation, and his medical knowledge for one purpose, to take advantage of women. Some of these women trusted him completely. Others were barely conscious when they realized something wasn't right. Would you ever imagine that the person checking your heartbeat could be capable of something like this? Over the span of several years, Matthews was accused of drugging multiple women. sometimes at his home, sometimes under the guise of medical help. In many cases, the women reported waking up confused, disoriented, realizing something was horribly wrong. >> He seemed like the perfect match, a successful cardiologist on a dating app. But women who went out with him say he was a monster who spiked their drinks and then brutally sexually assaulted them. >> I got in the hot tub and the very last thing I remember is just looking at the water and then just lights out. Audrey, she asked that only her first name be used, says it happened on her first date with Dr. Matthews. Her mother found her at home. >> She was in the shower, you know, half clothed and just making uh making no sense. >> After Audrey came forward to tell her story, 10 more women found the courage to accuse Dr. Matthews. Prosecutors say there are likely dozens more victims staying in the shadows. each had the same story, waking up groggy after a first date with no recollection of what had happened. >> What made the case even more disturbing was how calculated it was. Authorities uncovered text messages, hidden footage, and patterns of manipulation. Matthews often used his charm to disarm his victims, making them feel safe, even cared for, right before betraying that trust in the most personal way. When the case finally went to trial, the courtroom was filled with tension. Multiple survivors testified, some breaking down as they recalled what they experienced. >> I am scarred by what happened to me that afternoon. I have been in therapy for the last 18 months. Steven Matthews took away what normal looks like for me. I developed debilitating anxiety and PTSD when having sexual encounters where men touching me made me tremble and cry. I don't think there are words to describe what it felt like to know that I was losing control of my ability to function and protect myself and that there was nothing I could do to stop it from happening. >> The prosecution laid out a chilling pattern, a man who used his position of power to harm repeatedly and intentionally, but Dr. Matthews denied everything. His defense tried to paint the accusations as exaggerated, even fabricated, but the evidence was too strong, too consistent. And when the guilty verdict was read, Matthews, once confident and composed, began to cry. Was it regret or just the realization that his secret life had finally caught up with him? >> We, the jury, find the defendant, Steven Matthews, guilty of choose only one. It is sexual assault, incapable of appraising nature of conduct. >> When Steven Matthews heard the word guilty, he collapsed onto the table, sobbing uncontrollably. But that was just the beginning. On the day of sentencing, he walked into court knowing prison was inevitable. What he didn't expect was the staggering 158-year sentence the judge handed down. >> And in here today, there is a room full of pain. And this is pain that you have caused your victims. >> Mr. Matthews, you know, you have diminished this world. You have dimmed many of its lights. You've hurt our society and it's a darker place because of you. It would be improper if you did not serve a sentence for each victim individually. The total number of years are 158 years in prison. This matters concluded. >> The weight of it crushed him. As his mother stood and gave a tearful statement, Steven broke down, crying even harder. The reality of it all was fully setting in. I hope that I will one day be able to hug you and see you on the other side of these walls. >> But the courtroom wasn't moved by his tears. The victims made it clear they didn't care that he was crying. One victim said, "He had no mercy for us. Why should we feel sorry for him now?" Another added, "He deserves every year he got." >> I don't think if he was ever allowed back out that this would be something that would stop. So, a life sentence. Um, and that's hard. I, you know, obviously never wish that on anyone, but he's made his choices and there are consequences for that. >> He will repeat this. He will do it again. It is who he is to his core. He should never be allowed to do it again. >> Did you look over at him and see his reaction at all? >> Yes. >> What did you think? >> I don't care. You did this to all of us. You took away our memory. You took away the ability to live our life carefree. I was 22 when this happened to me. I'm 24. spent almost 2 years dealing with the trauma and stress and anxiety, so I don't care. It's been really heavy on us, too. So, I can't even imagine all the victims in this as well. >> Alexa and Lauren sat on the jury for the whole month and served as alternates. >> It was a good wakeup call. Um, but it was really hard to see um the victims and the pain that they were enduring. Um, and the amount of victim blaming that was happening is a really good representation of how the world is right now. One survivor in a powerful statement said, "I trusted him with my health. I didn't know I was handing him control over my life. Can you imagine the betrayal?" How would you feel if your own doctor had done this to someone you love? The Matthews case has now become a story about power, trust, and how appearances can be deceiving. It's a warning that predators don't always come in shadows. Sometimes they wear white coats and smile in daylight. I know that everybody's a little bit concerned right now with what's going on. And I think that there are some things that we can do to kind of ease ourselves. One of them being making sure that every single time uh we kind of touch a doorork knob or touch a handle, we make sure to wash our hands afterwards. That's really important. Anytime that we're thinking about eating, we should make sure that we wash our hands before we eat as well as after we eat. Other things as far as, you know, making sure that you're not going into a group of people is going to be really important as well. It's okay to still be around your family though because I think at this point in time, family is really important and you just have to take measures as far as if somebody's not feeling well to then ask them to make make sure that they try to get the care they need. >> Dr. Steven Matthews thought he was too smart to be caught, too trusted to be questioned, too respected to be stopped. But in the end, the truth caught up with him. The courtroom exposed him and justice buried him. From the very beginning, Ronnie Anneil's case was anything but normal. It was March 2018 in Riverview, Florida. What unfolded inside of his home was nothing short of horrific. Prosecutors would later say that Ronnie launched a brutal attack on his own family. His girlfriend Kinyatta Baron and their daughter, his son, who survived, would later tell a chilling story of what happened that night. Neighbors recalled hearing screams followed by the sound of chaos. One desperate 911 call captured Kinyatta begging for her life. >> What's your emergency? >> I'm shot. Help me. I'm shot. Help me, please. Please help me. I'm shot. What's the address of the emergency, ma'am? >> What's the What's the address of your shot? Help me, please. >> What's your address? >> Help me. Help me, please. >> Ma'am, hello. The next call was from Ronnie himself, claiming that he was attacked by white demons. 911, >> what is your emergency? >> Hey, I just been attacked by some white demons inside and she tried to kill me and kill her stupid ass. >> By the time police arrived, the home was engulfed in flames and the scene inside was one of devastation. But here's the question. How do you explain the unexplainable when the person accused is a father, a partner, the one meant to protect? Before trial even began, Ronnie made a bold choice. He fired his legal team because he believed nobody could fight for him like he could. Standing tall before the judge, he declared he would be his own lawyer. It wasn't just unusual, it was dangerous. Because when you go against experienced prosecutors, every word matters. And Ronnie's words would become his downfall. As his own lawyer, Ronnie had to cross-examine witnesses, including his own son. His father and son faced each other. Despite severe injuries, this young boy took the stand and pointed directly at his father. He described in heartbreaking detail how this mother was attacked and how he himself was targeted. Imagine the jury hearing those words, not from police, not from lawyers, but from a child who lived through it. How do you argue against that? Ronnie believed he could, so he cross-examined his son and asked him if he had hurt him that night. And in a heartbreaking scene, the boy calmly said, "Yes, >> did I hurt you that night of this incident?" >> Yes, >> I did. And how did I hurt you? >> You stabbed me. Instead of dismantling the boy's testimony, Ronnie's questions only highlighted his child's pain. The boy stayed firm. His story didn't change, and every word he spoke chipped away at Ronnie's defense. After days of testimony, it all came down to Ronnie's closing statement. This was his chance to convince the jury, his moment to stand tall and declare his innocence one last time. But then came the slip. In the heat of his fiery speech, Ronnie shouted at the prosecutors. I want you to know the actual facts. I did kill, but I want you to tell it like it is IF YOU GOING TO TELL IT. The courtroom froze. Even the judge could not believe what she heard. And just like that, his entire defense collapsed. He had spent days screaming not guilty. But in that single moment, he admitted the very thing he had denied. It didn't take long. The jury returned with a guilty verdict on all counts. >> State of Florida versus Rio the third case number 2018 CF 004019 vert form tri division one. We the jury find as follows as the accountant of the charge. The defendant is guilty of first-degree murder as charged. The defendant did actually possess and discharge a firearm causing death. We the jury find as follows as account two of the charge. The defendant is guilty of first-degree murder, premeditated murder and felony murder. Did the jury find as follows count three of the charge? The defendant is guilty of attempted first-degree murder is charged. We the jury find as follows the count four of the charge. The defendant is guilty of arson dwelling is charged. We the jury find as follows to count five of the charge. The defendant is guilty of aggravated child abuse is charged. We the jury find as follows to count six of the charge. The defendant is guilty of aggra I'm sorry aggravated child abuse is charged. We the jury find as follows to count seven of the charge. The defendant is guilty of resisting an officer without violence as charged. So say we all this 21st day of June 2021. >> During sentencing Ronnie's tone didn't shift. He tried shouting again but the judge wasn't having it. I am not sorry for something I didn't do and I am not sorry for the things I did do. >> Mr. Neil, listen. Stop. Right. Stop. Listen to me. I'm not >> You're not going to raise your voice again. >> I'm not going to raise my voice again. >> I'm not. >> I will have you removed from this courtroom. I consented you without you being present. >> Yes, ma'am. >> I understand y'all. >> Thank you. >> But I will say I'm sorry for your loss. >> 19 years I've been at this job. I've seen human beings killed at the hands of others in every way imaginable. You name it, I've seen it. shootings, stabbings, drownings, suffocating, blown apart by uh cars and DUI manslaughter cases. Horrible things. This is the worst case I have ever seen as far as the facts go. The way that Miss Baron died was horrific. And that 911 call, which captured truly all of it, >> I you heard and everyone who's heard that 911 call heard a death scream. If anybody ever wants to know what it sounds like before a human being dies, knowing that their death is imminent, that's exactly what it is. That was a death scream. >> We don't see if it's true. >> Ronnie O'Neal was sentenced to life in prison without parole. Ronnie thought he could play lawyer. He thought he could shout down the truth, but in the end, his own words sealed his fate. The man accused of plowing his SUV into a Christmas parade that left six dead and more than 60 injured wasn't pleading for mercy. He was fighting. Fighting the judge, fighting the prosecutors, fighting the very system that tried to hold him accountable. He pounded his fists, accused the court of being biased, and called the entire process a game. >> One more interruption, and you're going to be removed to the next court. >> That's what you want to do anyway. >> It's not what I want to do. Do not interrupt attorney oper. >> So, your honor, >> I believe he has seven prior criminal convictions via OWI second from 2003, criminal trespass dwelling from 2006. >> I need to take a break. This man right now is having a staredown with me. It's very disrespectful. He pounded his fist. Frankly, it makes me scared. >> And we're taking a break. >> It wasn't just defiance. It was chaos. But let's step back for a minute. On November 21st, 2021, the city of Wauaawa, Wisconsin was glowing with holiday cheer. Families lined the streets for the annual Christmas parade. It was supposed to be joy until it turned into horror. At 4:39 p.m., a red Ford Escape burst past the barricades and roared down the parade route. Witnesses say it was swerving intentionally, targeting clusters of people. In seconds, laughter turned to screams. Six lives were stolen that day, including 8-year-old Jackson Sparks. 62 others were injured. Behind the wheel was Daryl Brooks Jr., a career criminal with a rap sheet stretching back to the 1990s. Just 2 days earlier, he had walked free on a $1,000 bond for another violent case. And now, the unthinkable had happened. His arrest was almost surreal. After fleeing the SUV, Brooks knocked on a stranger's door, claiming he was homeless and waiting for an Uber. But within minutes, police swarmed and took him into custody. Hey, can I Hands up. Put your hands WHERE I CAN SEE >> WHOSO. >> The case seemed open and shut, but what unfolded in court was anything but simple. Brooks fired his public defenders and insisted on representing himself. >> Do you wish to represent yourself in this case? >> Yes, I do. >> Before I'm sorry, go ahead. >> I would like to represent myself pro. >> If you are allowed to represent yourself in this case, sir, you will not have attorneys assisting you. If I let them withdraw, they are gone from this case. Do you understand that? >> From that moment, the courtroom became a battlefield. He flooded the trial with sovereign citizen arguments, denying the state's jurisdiction, questioning the court's authority, and objecting to nearly every sentence spoken by prosecutors and even the judge. Day after day, the disruptions mounted. Brooks ripped his shirt off, hid notes in his pants, and at one point had to be wheeled into a separate courtroom where he could watch proceedings on a monitor, muted when necessary. His outbursts weren't just frequent, they were volcanic, he shouted at Judge Doro in one explosive exchange, saying, "Your life is not on the line. Mine is time, your honor. >> It is based on the list that you provided and >> that didn't have a time that didn't have a time or of this game with you, sir. >> It's not no game. That's what you don't seem to understand. I believe that fully. >> I don't care what you believe fully. >> It's not a game. >> I don't take this as a game. That's what That's what nobody That's what nobody You don't got to explain nothing to me. >> Do you want >> That's what you don't understand. You think that this is a whole game to me. This is not a game to me, your honor. >> Nothing about this is a joke. >> That's what y'all don't understand. >> And it's unfair. It's unfair and it's disrespectful to me that you think I would come in here purposely and treat this like a joke or a game. >> I never said it was a joke. >> What type What type WHAT TYPE OF WHAT TYPE OF statement is that? M >> your life is not on the line. Mine is. >> AND YOU THINK THAT I think this is funny? >> I don't think it's funny whatsoever. >> So I think your honor, WITH ALL DUE RESPECT, I THINK YOU SHOULD SHOW SOME RESPECT. OKAY, 5m minute break and when we come back the jury's coming out and you need to call your next witness. Thank you. We are in reach. >> No, you you not rushing me to judgement. I don't care which one. >> Through it all, Doro maintained control though it wore on her. She described the case as the most challenging of her career. Jurors watched patiently as if waiting for Broke storm to run out of thunder, but the evidence was overwhelming. Videos of the SUV tearing through the parade. dozens of eyewitnesses, survivors who pointed at Brooks as the man behind the wheel. On October 26th, 2022, after just three hours of deliberation, the jury returned guilty on all 76 counts. >> We, the jury, find the defendant, Daryl E. Brooks, guilty of firstdegree intentional homicide as charged in count three of the information. And I should state as to count two, it was signed and dated by the four person, same as to count three. Did the defendant commit first-degree intentional homicide while using a dangerous weapon? Answer: yes. >> Six lives taken, 61 more endangered and countless families shattered. Sentencing came weeks later, and it became one of the most emotional hearings in Wisconsin history. 45 survivors and family members stepped forward. Their words cut through the courtroom like glass. Even then, Pros tried to argue. He interrupted again, challenged the victims, and declared he too was a victim of a broken system. >> You want to sit up here, >> stop >> and try to try to add something in that you know for a fact never even happened. You want to sit up here and talk about who has grace and all this. You talking about someone with five kids that don't have custody? >> You need to stop right now or you will be removed. >> Remove me then. >> All right, he will be removed. He cannot simply stay quiet anyway. I don't consent to this. >> But when it was finally her turn, Judge Doro's composure gave way. Fighting tears, she spoke directly to Brooks, saying, "There are no words to describe the depth of pain you have caused. It's hard not to think about what I watched and not have this reaction. Those were images that frankly kept me up at night that I saw over and over and over for their band director. She is a hero to me to get up on the stand to talk about. And that was Sarah Waymire Aparicio to identify each one of her students. Talk about their formation. Talk about what she saw so strong for all of you. Then came the sentence. Six consecutive life sentences without the possibility of parole. One for each victim, plus more than 762 years for the dozens of others injured. >> Frankly, Mr. Brooks, no one is safe from you. This community can only be safe if you are behind bars for the rest of your life. On counts 1 through six, this court is imposing a life sentence without the possibility or eligibility for extended supervision consecutive to one another. One life sentence for Virginia Sorenson. One life sentence for Lyanna Owen. One life sentence for Tamara Durant. One life sentence for Jane Kulic. One life sentence for Bill Hospel. And one life sentence for Jackson Sparks. on counts 7 through 67 consecutive to any other sentence that I've imposed here today. That is 762 and a half years of initial confinement and 305 years of extended supervision on top of the life sentences that I've imposed. Has anyone else joined the Zoom? >> No. It was in essence a punishment meant to keep Daryl Brooks behind bars forever. And for the first time, after weeks of arrogance and anger, Brooks broke. He stood at the defense table, lips folding, taking deep breath, though you can barely see the tears sliding down his face. The same man who had mocked the court, shouted at the judge, and denied his own name, finally turned soft, showing signs of crying when his own fate was sealed. The Wakaawa parade attack will always be remembered as one of the darkest days in Wisconsin's history. But in that courtroom, justice was delivered loudly, painfully, and with tears from both the families of the victims and from the very judge who handed it down. Now, here's the question I want to leave you with. Daryl Brooks turned his trial into a circus, arguing, shouting, and showing no remorse until the very end. But when the judge handed down his sentence, he finally broke down in tears. Do you think those tears were real? True regret for what he did, or was it just the realization that he'd never walk free again? Let me know what you think in the comments. He wasn't afraid to make choices that would destroy everything. In court, he smiled like nothing could break him, but behind that smile was a fear so deep it would lead to an ending no one expected. Aaron Hernandez was a rising football star playing for the New England Patriots, one of the biggest and most successful teams in the NFL. With a huge contract and fame on every field, he seemed unstoppable. Fans and teammates respected him, and the world watched as he dominated the sport. But off the field, Hernandez's world was far more complicated. He surrounded himself with people from his old neighborhood, mixed loyalty with pride, and often felt caught between the life he had left behind and the one he was trying to build. Friends later said he was paranoid, convinced others were talking about him or trying to cross him. That tension came to a head in June 2013. Prosecutors said Hernandez became angry with Odin Lloyd, a semi-pro football player who was dating the sister of Hernandez's fianceé. The two had gone out together just days earlier, and something that night allegedly triggered Hernandez's suspicion that Lloyd had disrespected him in front of others. According to investigators, in the early morning hours of June 17, Lloyd got into a car with Hernandez and two of his friends. Surveillance cameras from Hernandez's home showed the group leaving the house and later returning without Lloyd. A worker discovered Lloyd's body a short distance from Hernandez's neighborhood later that day. The discovery stunned the community and the sports world. >> And so this guy was jogging and he found a body and he came over here and knocked on the door said, "Would you please call 911?" So that's that's what we did. >> Police quickly connected the dots, phone records, text messages between Lloyd and Hernandez, and footage from Hernandez's own security system, all pointing investigators toward the athlete. A few days later, Hernandez was arrested at his home in front of television cameras. The man who had once been celebrated for his strength and fearlessness on the field now faced the biggest test of his life, a courtroom, a jury, and the possibility of never walking free again. When Hernandez first appeared in court, he smiled, leaned back, and acted untouchable. To the public eye, he seemed fearless, even in the face of mounting evidence. But behind that confident exterior, those closest to him revealed a different truth. Hernandez had told friends he couldn't handle prison, that the fought of life behind bars was unbearable. Some said he had even considered ending his life rather than spending decades locked away. Even as prosecutors presented evidence, footages, and witness testimony, Hernandez maintained a smile that masked terror, acting like nothing could touch him. But the man behind the smile was terrified of the reality closing in. The prosecution laid out their case, presenting cell phone records, text messages, and surveillance footage. They painted a picture of a man whose temper, pride, and fear of being disrespected had spiraled out of control. They described how Hernandez had interacted with Odin Lloyd in the days leading up to the incident and how in the early hours of June 17th, security footage showed Hernandez leaving home with two friends to pick up Lloyd. Hours later, cameras captured the same car returning, but this time Lloyd wasn't with them. Investigators said the evidence pointed clearly to Hernandez as the central figure. Hernandez's defense team countered by questioning the evidence, arguing that the investigators had assumed too much and that media coverage had tainted the public perception. They painted Hernandez as a dedicated athlete and father, emphasizing his commitments to his daughter and fiance, Shyana. Throughout the trial, Hernandez maintained his smile and confident posture, seemingly unfazed by the weight of the courtroom. But observers noticed subtle cracks, fleeting moments where anxiety flashed across his face, attention behind the otherwise calm exterior. After weeks of testimony, arguments, and deliberation, the jury finally returned with a guilty verdict. >> Madam for person, on indictment 2013-93- charging the defendant Aaron Hernandez with murder, what say you, madam for person? Is the defendant not guilty? Guilty of murder in the first degree or guilty of murder in the second degree. >> Guilty of murder in the first degree. >> Madam court person, by which theory or theories? Deliberate premeditation andor extreme atrocity or cruelty. >> Extreme atrocity or cruelty. >> The four persons spoke the words that would define the rest of his life. The man who had walked in confident and smiling now faced the full reality of life without freedom. In 2015, Hernandez was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. >> Mr. Hernandez, an indictment BRC 2013-0983- A for your charge with the crime of murder, the jury returning a verdict of murder in the first first degree. And in consideration of the crime for which you now stand committed, you were sentenced by order of the court as follows. You were committed to the MCI Cedar Junction for the term of your natural life without the possibility of parole on BRC 2013-0983-B where you were charged with the crime of unlawful possession of a firearm after the jury finding you guilty and the court in consideration of the crime for which you now stand committed or stand convicted. You are punished by imprisonment to MCI Cedar Junction for a term of not less than two and one half years to not more than three years committed concurrent with the life sentence imposed on account. The sentence was clear, final, and crushing. Hernandez's demeanor in court remained composed to outsiders, but those who knew him understood the terror he felt. Friends later said he had fredded endlessly about life behind bars and that his confidence had always been a mask hiding a deep fear. Months into his sentence, Hernandez's mental state deteriorated. Letters and testimony from those who interacted with him in prison described a man tormented by regret, fear, and isolation. He had once said he couldn't survive prison, and that fear became an unrelenting shadow. On April 19th, 2017, Aaron Hernandez was discovered unresponsive in his cell. Officials confirmed he had ended his own life. The man who had smiled in court, who had carried himself with the confidence of a champion, could not face the life he had so feared. Behind the bravado, behind the fame, and behind the smiles, was a man consumed by fear. A man who chose an ending no one expected rather than endure the reality of prison. Aaron Hernandez's death has been ruled a suicide now by the medical examiner, and there are new details about the circumstances surrounding that death. Investigators found three handwritten notes next to a Bible in his prison cell. Meanwhile, his family has filed papers asking the court to preserve all evidence related to his death. Add to that Odin Lloyd's mother, who spoke to reporters today, her son was the one Hernandez was convicted of killing in 2013. and she said she wants to be a voice for mothers who have lost loved ones. >> It's not even about Odin Lloyd is about the person that committed the crime for Odin Lloyd. If it wasn't for that, you guys wouldn't be here to ask me questions about Odin Lloyd. So today, I'm speaking up for Odin Lloyd and for the families out there that is fighting for justice and doesn't have the voice that I can provide for them. You will never know and you will never understand unless you're in that boat of the tremendous loss. I lost my best friend. I lost my son. I lost the love of my life. I lost a strong bone in my family. Aaron Hernandez's story is a reminder of how fear and pride can collide and how even those who appear untouchable can be broken by the consequences they once thought they could handle. He once sat in a courtroom deciding who would go home and who would lose their freedom. But years later, the same justice system he served would turn its full weight against him. And the most chilling part is that he was given a second chance and the outcome was even worse. >> Put your hands up. Put your hands up now. Cannot believe I did this. >> You're a vicious liar with no remorse. >> I accept full responsibility for it. I'm ashamed. >> You deserve the maximum sentence or state request. >> Lance Mason was a former judge, a state lawmaker, and a man deeply embedded in Ohio's legal and political system. In 2014, Lance Mason's name appeared in headlines for a reason no judge ever wants. Authorities responded to a serious emergency involving his wife, Aisha Fraser. A 911 call brought police to the scene. A call that would later become central to the case. >> 91 checker. Police emergency. >> Yes. Uh my husband just beat me and threw me out the car. He has my two daughters in the car. >> Where you at? >> Van Aken Boulevard. >> Yeah. >> And like Avalon. She just threw me out the car. Orange Saturn View 2008. I'm afraid he's going to hurt my daughters. >> Is he with you now or did he drive off? >> She drove off. They're taking me to South Point now. >> Who's taking you to South Point? >> I some nice people in the car stopped. I jumped in. >> Are you in the car now? >> In another person's car. Please find my kids. >> Are you injured? >> Yes. >> What investigators found that day was enough to trigger a criminal prosecution. >> How's my wife? What do you mean how's your wife? Where would wife be? >> She was on She jumped out the car. >> She's okay. >> She's okay. >> All right. >> A judge then sentenced him to two years in prison with credit that ultimately resulted in 9 months served. After serving his time, Lance Mason was released. And this is where the story takes a turn that still troubles many people today. In 2018, emergency services received another urgent call. This time, the situation was far more severe. Aisha Fraser was found outside a home with life-threatening injuries. Police responded immediately. During the arrest process, Mason attempted to flee. His effort to escape resulted in a collision with a police vehicle, injuring an officer. That action alone added serious charges to an already devastating case. >> PUT YOUR HANDS UP NOW. PUT YOUR HANDS UP. HAND UP. Put your hands up. Put your hands up. I got I got contacts. Put your hands behind your back. Do it now. >> Watch. Watch. Watch. Is anyone else in the house? >> My daughters and my sister. >> Where are they? Are they hurt? >> They're in They're in this bedroom. >> Are they hurt? >> No, not in any way. >> Okay. Where's the weapon? They're outside. I see you on. >> All right. Roll to your side. Let's get you on your feet. >> Stand on feet. >> Yeah. Okay. Have a seat right here. >> Put him up. He's just a hindrance. Two people uninjured in there. Here. >> Three people. >> Three people uninjured. >> Yeah. My two daughters and cannot believe I did this. Within hours, Mason was in custody. The man who once commanded courtrooms was now facing multiple felony charges, including charges connected to the loss of life. This time, there would be no ambiguity, no second chance, no return to public life. The legal system moved swiftly. Initially, Lance Mason pleaded not guilty. >> Do you understand the charges against you? >> Yes, your honor. >> Do you wish to Please, sir. >> Uh, not guilty. >> Court accepts a plea of not guilty. >> But as the case moved forward, evidence mounted, legal options narrowed, and reality closed in. Mason eventually changed his plea. He entered a guilty plea, bringing the case closer to its final chapter. >> Mr. Mason, then it were at that point going to ask you how you plead to count one aggravated murder. >> Guilty. How do you plead to count two, murder? >> Guilty. >> How do you plead to count three, Felonius assault Alissa Frasier? >> Guilty. >> How do you plead to count four, violating a protection order? >> Guilty, honor. >> How do you plead to count five, grand theft? >> Guilty. >> How do you plead to count six, felonious assault? >> Guilty, honor. >> Court accepts the plea of guilty. find you guilty with regard to each and every one of those accounts. >> Your honor, I wish to take responsibility for the crimes I committed. I don't wish to prolong it or delay or hurt my family affected any more than I have >> and I and I respect that. >> Before sentencing, Mason addressed the court. His words were measured. He spoke of regret. He spoke of responsibility. He spoke as someone who finally understood the full weight of what the law demands. But the court was not there to reflect on his past status. It was there to determine consequences. I I'm accept full responsibility for the horrific act I've done. I'm ashamed of it and you know I'm prepared to be sentenced. >> Thank you. You deserve the maximum sentence of state requests. However, if there is something anything positive to transpire out of this in the future is for you to make a difference while you are in prison. to help others with your background to demonstrate a servant attitude. It is for that reason only that after you serve the five years for officer Flint and 30 years for the aggravated murder as part of a life sentence, you will then be eligible to appear before a parole board. I am hopeful that during that period of time with that glimmer of hope that you will take advantage of that and you will in fact make a difference in the lives of those people around you. In summary, the court sentences you to life in prison with proeligibility in 30 years and 5 years for the felonious assault of officer Flint. Those sentences to be served consecutively. >> The judge imposed a sentence of life in prison with the possibility of parole after 35 years. It was one of the harshest penalties under Ohio law and it marked the definitive end of Lance Mason's journey through the justice system. Ali Abiban was famous online. His impressions, his comedy videos, his confident personality, it all drew millions of views. To his followers, he was funny, charismatic, and ambitious. But behind the screen, his personal life was falling apart. He was married to Anna Abalaban, and together they had a young daughter. To many, they looked like a perfect social media couple. But according to court records, their relationship had become toxic. Arguments, jealousy, accusations, all hidden behind curated smiles and filters. Anna had finally asked him to move out of their apartment. She wanted peace, space, and safety. But Ali didn't take that rejection well. He secretly made a copy of the apartment key, installed a recording device inside, and began listening in on her conversations. and what he heard next would send him spiraling. One day, Ali claimed he overheard another man's voice inside the apartment, the voice of Rayburn Cardinus Baron, a close friend of Anna. Fueled by rage and obsession, Ali returned to the apartment armed with a weapon. Prosecutors say he walked in and carried out an act that would forever destroy multiple lives. Moments later, he fled the scene, but not before calling his mother. According to investigators, he told her what he'd done in tears, saying his life was over. Police later located and arrested him on the highway with his daughter in the vehicle. During an interview, he broke down. One moment sobbing uncontrollably, the next blaming Anna, insisting it was her fault. Did >> you see her kissing Ray on my couch? with his feet on my table, with my feet. I'm putting my apartment, my life, IN THE HOUSE THAT MY DAUGHTER SLEEPS IN, ON THE FURNITURE THAT I PUT TOGETHER. WHAT DO YOU EXPECT A MAN TO FEEL? WELL, I GUESS THAT'S THE END OF my family. He said he just snapped. But to prosecutors, it wasn't a moment of madness. It was planned. >> You got off the elevator. What What happened next? >> As you can see, I was in a hurry to get in there. I didn't even wait for the door to open. Um, I was running, running, running. Um, I used my key card. The only thing I had in my hand was my key card. I opened the door. I barged in. I was immediately startled. I stopped right in my tracks like a deer in the headlights. They weren't in the bedroom. They weren't having sex. They're right there cuddling on the couch. I didn't expect that Anna would ever do that to me. Him of all people. I mean, she knew how I felt about him. She knew how I felt. I was trying to believe her. I was trying to believe that she wasn't cheating on me, that she would let me fix this cuz I was sick. I was struggling from drugs and mental illness and I [ __ ] up. I [ __ ] up a lot. But I was trying to fix this. And when I saw that it was him, I couldn't take it. I couldn't take the [ __ ] betrayal. I couldn't believe that she could do that to me, to our daughter. And then before I could stop myself, I just [ __ ] snapped. And my gun was in my hand. And next thing I'm shooting and and I can't stop. I'm just shooting. I'm shooting and I I'm even startled. It's like I'm watching it happen. I'm like I'm in the passenger seat of my own body. I can't stop it. And I hear Anna screaming and crying. And I don't even remember shooting Anna. I just remember running back to the front door and I grabbed the door handle and then it hit me. I'm like, did that just happen? And I turn around and I see I see Anna lean forward and there's blood and I'm like Anna and I couldn't believe I did that. Throughout the trial, Ali's behavior stunned everyone. He smiled, winked, even joked during testimony. >> I'm sorry. At times he stared directly at the jury as if daring them to judge him. He snapped at prosecutors when they questioned him. >> You shot Anna in the head. You pushed her head down into Ray's lap, right? >> Oh, get out of >> I'm not going to tolerate this. >> On October 18th, you were also re researching uh teen porn videos, correct? >> What? What did you just say? >> That's what you were researching. Correct. >> Say it again. >> Teen porn videos. >> You're out your mind. >> Show me the teen you just said. You want to me some kind of tell unless you show me what show me what you just said. I've never seen that in a discovery. I've been incarcerated 3 years. You never showed that to my my team. Where did you get that? >> But when they played the video of what took place at the apartment, he couldn't stop crying. He cried and cried and cried. Then came the text messages, one showing jealousy, anger, and control. The courtroom went silent. But through it all, Olly was still convinced that somehow he could talk his way out of it. that somehow he could beat the case. But when the verdict was read, the smile and confidence was gone. He quickly reacted angrily towards the victim's families who was rejoicing to the verdict. >> The jury above entitled cause find the defendant Ali Nasser Abulaban guilty of the crime of murder in the first degree. Silence. His face turned pale and he began to cry. The same man who once made millions laugh online was now just another defendant hearing the word guilty. And then the moment everyone waited for the sentencing. The judge looked straight at him and said, >> "He will die in prison. He will never be a free man. He will take his last breath THERE in this." The courtroom erupted. Gasps, claps, tears of relief. For the families, justice had finally spoken. >> This was the best, the best we could hope for. And we just thank God that our prayers have been answered. And now we can all rest. >> For Ali, the world he built, the followers, the fame, the ego, all collapsed in seconds. He tried to speak. He read a statement crying, apologizing, but no one was moved. To many, it was just another performance and the show was over. Ali Abulaban's story is a haunting reminder that the masks we wear online can't hide who we truly are. A man who once made millions laugh ended up making millions gasp. Two men, Jason G and Michael W. disappeared after leaving a Tampa nightclub. Family and friends raised alarms. 17 days later, Michael's body was found in the trunk of his own Jeep, wrapped in a fitted sheet. Jason was never located. Police traced both disappearances to a residence 10 minutes away from the club at 213 West Powhattan, where investigators executed search warrants and uncovered digital chats, drug paraphernalia, photographs, and blood stains tied to Lorenzo and his accomplice, Scott Schwiker. Chat logs confirmed Lorenzo's shared intent with Schwiker to incapacitate and control men for sexual gratification. DNA on a gas mask and blood on his garage floor matched Jason with odds of any other match being in the trillions. Multiple photographs showed Michael's lifeless body inside the home, posing evidence Lorenzo later denied recalling. Schwikert initially denied involvement, but then admitted participating in both deaths, including dismembering Jason and wrapping Michael's body for disposal in Michael's vehicle. In 2016, Schwikert accepted a plea deal, life in prison without parole, in exchange for full cooperation as a witness against Lorenzo. His sworn testimony during the penalty phase in February 2023 described how he and Lorenzo lured both victims, drugged them, and committed the atrocities. >> You chose to invite Jason Gay House back to Steven Lorenzo's house. Is that right? >> Uh Steven back. Yes. >> Tell us about what happened then. >> Uh well, we went back to Steven's place. U we all stripped down in Steve's bedroom. Uh Jason uh climbed out of the bed and was shackled to the bed. Uh there were shackles that were already on the bed at the headboard and the footboard uh in the middle of both. >> Take us through the next step. What happened thereafter? >> Um well I I climbed on the bed and I was starting to make out with him and playing with his his testicles a little bit, slapping them a little bit. Uh he was getting aroused hard. I unfortunately was not As I said, wasn't my type. Uh, and I stepped to the bathroom to use the bathroom. I was gone maybe four or five minutes. I came back. Stephen was sitting basically behind him, had him in a choke hole and was choking him out. Uh, Michael was kicking a little bit. Stephen asked me to come over and hold his legs down. I think he was afraid that he might uh kick the kick the shackles loose from the footboard or something along those lines. Uh, so I went over, I put my over his legs to hold him in place. And after about another minute, maybe less, uh, he just stopped moving. Afterwards, I asked him, "What was that?" He said it was a choke hole, something I was going to do, choke somebody out, you know, >> all right. After after Steven Lorenzo said that's that's always something he wanted to do, uh, what other discussion? >> There wasn't much of a discussion at that point. He went into he immediately went into cleanup mode. He started with the legs. His one leg, you know, cut it at the thigh bone, you know, cutting through uh and uh after he cut one off, he grab a trash bag, put that body part in it, tie it off with a zip tie, shove it inside of another trash bag, and tie it off with a zip tie. He said, "This way it won't leak." Uh he said, "Uh, we work so well together, I want to see, you know, if we can do it again. wanted to go back to 66. That's where he went and uh that's where he met Michael. Now, Stephen wanted to ride with Michael back to the house. So, they rode together in Michael's vehicle and I go Steven's back behind him. >> Okay, you arrived. Where did you go? What did you do? What did Michael Walk do? What did Stephen Morenzo do? >> Well, like I say, we we came into the house and uh I needed to use the bathroom. I barely made it to the bathroom and Stephen's hollering, "Scott, Scott, come here. I need your help." And I come back into the living room. Uh, Stephen is almost kneeling in front of Jason in between the legs, holding his arms as Michael is trying to get away from him. And I come in and I see this and I'm like, "Oh shit." And I jump in and turn my arms around Michael and hold him down. Uh, Stephen grabs a rag from somewhere, a can of maximum impact, sprays it on the rag and holds it over Michael's face until he goes unconscious. Uh, at that point, we quickly strip all his clothing off, leaving the rag on his face so that he doesn't conscious yet. After he's totally completely naked, we throw cuffs on him. At some point, Steven got undressed as well. And then uh after that, Stephen jumped in, rolled him back onto his stomach, and uh climbed on top of him and uh basically uh straddling his legs, pull hands on the back of his upper back, uh forcing facing ground off to the side, and was basically tippy bucking his ass cheeks, you know, dry humping in a sense, I guess. Well, once again, I had uh I had checked for the pulse and then found none. We removed the cuffs. Uh Stephen had once again grabbed a trash bag, started picking up my old belongings. He says, "Grab a grab a sheet out of that closet there in the hallway just outside the bathroom." And he told me spread it out there on on the floor. Uh so we did. And then we lift the body out of the tub, laid it on the sheet, wrapped it up in the and then carried out to Michael's vehicle. >> The body of Michael Walks in his vehicle were left abandoned in an apartment complex parking lot a distance away from Steven Lorenzo's house. Is that right? >> Yes. >> That testimony helped prosecute the case against Lorenzo. Lorenzo spent nearly two decades denying involvement. Then in December 2022, he submitted a 147page handwritten letter to the court asking to plead guilty and specifically request the harshest penalty, even waving appeals. In his words, "The end results will prove to be identical." He fired his defense team, represented himself, and entered a plea in open court, accepting responsibility in exchange for what he termed a more comfortable environment than federal prison. Two counts, firstdegree murder. Mr. Lorenzo, how do you wish to plead to those two charges? >> Open guilty. >> At the penalty hearing in February 2023, Lorenzo stated that he could be on death row for 10 to 15 years, arguing that death row is a lot more comfortable than the federal system. He also expanded on his reincarnation beliefs, stating that the sooner he get euthanized, the sooner he can get himself a new body and come back again. I'm seeking the death penalty. It's in my best interest basically because um it's a comfort. It's mine. I'll be living much lot more comfortable than I would in the federal system living on death row, believe it or not. And uh and of course that may sound selfish, but I've lived in a private cell for the last 5 years and I'm going to have a private cell on death row. At my age, I want to be comfortable. I want my privacy. That's what I want. So that's what I'm doing. It may sound selfish, but that's the way it is. You live for today. You don't live for the past. You live for today. So I'm asking you to give me the death sentence because that'll be more comfortable for me to live out my lifetime. I know I can be on death row for about 10 or 15 years, which I think is crazy. But um uh as far as I see it, it's just euthanasia. I already have a death sentence. Everybody in this room has a death sentence. So, as far as I'm concerned, you're just offering me a euthanasia that I'm looking to do willingly. That's all it really comes down to. And so, I'm asking you to do that. So, uh, and I'm going to try to speed up this process so I don't have to wait 15 years because I got better things to do in my time. The sooner that I, uh, uh, get euthanized, as far as I'm concerned, the faster I can get, the sooner I can get fetch myself a new body and come back again, a fresh body. That's how I look at it because that's how it is. That's how a spiritual work. We're eternal beings. So, the way I look at it is the sooner I uh euthanize, the sooner I can come back. I've got better things to do with my time than to hang out and spend the next 15, 20 years on death row or in any prison system. So, that's what I'm asking for. It's selfish. That's what I want. >> Judge Christopher Sabella replied stating that he don't know if what he say is some form of reverse psychology, but he will not consider what he want in issuing his sentence. The judge imposed the ultimate punishment by injection. >> I don't know if uh what you say is uh perhaps some form of reverse psychology, nor do I care. I will not consider what you want in issuing my sentence. >> I know that. >> All right. In the words of Miss Pam Williams, from one Italian to another, tando amorte, that translates to I sentence you, Mr. Lorenzo, to death. That is the punishment that you deserve >> for these horrific crimes. >> State Attorney Susan Lopez affirmed, stating that this is not about Steven Lorenzo. this is about Jason Gail House and Michael Walks and that the harshest sentence is the only appropriate one. In June 2025, Florida's Supreme Court unanimously upheld Lorenzo's convictions and sentences, confirming he knowingly waved counsel, plead guilty, and represented himself during the penalty phase. Despite asking for the maximum punishment, Lorenzo has begun appealing the sentence, arguing procedural errors and excessiveness. That reversal, fighting a decision he asked for, reveals the ultimate irony. His manipulative reverse psychology gambit failed, and now he fights to avoid what he once demanded. Lorenzo disavowed traditional remorse, framed himself as spiritually eternal, and believed he could trick the system into giving him lesser punishment. He referred to his jail cell comforts and reincarnation multiple times. He mocked the idea of legal mercy, claiming childish and ridiculous systems. Justice prevailed, driven by victims voices, not by Lorenzo's manipulation. Lorenzo assumed clinical detachment and calculated theatrics would protect him. Instead, the legal system saw through it and gave him exactly what he said he wanted. Steven Lorenzo thought himself untouchable. He walked into court thinking he was in control. That reverse psychology and manipulation would save him. But the judge wasn't fooled. Now he's sitting on death row trying to escape the very outcome he asked for. He thought he was playing the system. But in the end, the system played him. Dr. Matthews built a reputation as a gifted and trusted heart doctor. To patients, he was calm, charming, and confident. But behind that persona, authorities say he used sedatives, manipulation, and his medical knowledge for one purpose, to take advantage of women. Some of these women trusted him completely. Others were barely conscious when they realized something wasn't right. Would you ever imagine that the person checking your heartbeat could be capable of something like this? Over the span of several years, Matthews was accused of drugging multiple women, sometimes at his home, sometimes under the guise of medical help. In many cases, the women reported waking up confused, disoriented, realizing something was horribly wrong. >> He seemed like the perfect match, a successful cardiologist on a dating app. But women who went out with him say he was a monster who spiked their drinks and then brutally sexually assaulted them. I got in the hot tub and the very last thing I remember is just looking at the water and then just lights out. >> Audrey, she asked that only her first name be used, says it happened on her first date with Dr. Matthews. Her mother found her at home. >> She was in the shower, you know, half clothed and just making uh making no sense. >> After Audrey came forward to tell her story, 10 more women found the courage to accuse Dr. Matthews. Prosecutors say there are likely dozens more victims staying in the shadows. Each had the same story, waking up groggy after a first date with no recollection of what had happened. What made the case even more disturbing was how calculated it was. Authorities uncovered text messages, hidden footage, and patterns of manipulation. Matthews often used his charm to disarm his victims, making them feel safe, even cared for. right before betraying that trust in the most personal way. When the case finally went to trial, the courtroom was filled with tension. Multiple survivors testified, some breaking down as they recalled what they experienced. >> I am scarred by what happened to me that afternoon. I have been in therapy for the last 18 months. Steven Matthews took away what normal looks like for me. I developed debilitating anxiety and PTSD when having sexual encounters. where men touching me made me tremble and cry. I don't think there are words to describe what it felt like to know that I was losing control of my ability to function and protect myself and that there was nothing I could do to stop it from happening. >> The prosecution laid out a chilling pattern, a man who used his position of power to harm repeatedly and intentionally. But Dr. Matthews denied everything. His defense tried to paint the accusations as exaggerated, even fabricated, but the evidence was too strong, too consistent. And when the guilty verdict was read, Matthews, once confident and composed, began to cry. Was it regret or just the realization that his secret life had finally caught up with him? >> We, the jury, find the defendant, Steven Matthews, guilty of choose only one, it is sexual assault, incapable of appraising, nature of conduct. When Steven Matthews heard the word guilty, he collapsed onto the table, sobbing uncontrollably. But that was just the beginning. On the day of sentencing, he walked into court knowing prison was inevitable. What he didn't expect was the staggering 158-year sentence the judge handed down. >> And in here today, there is a room full of pain. And this is pain that you have caused your victims. >> Mr. Matthews, you know, you have diminished this world. You have dimmed many of its lights. You've hurt our society, and it's a darker place because of you. It would be improper if you did not serve a sentence for each victim individually. The total number of years are 158 years in prison. This matter is concluded. The weight of it crushed him. As his mother stood and gave a tearful statement, Steven broke down, crying even harder. The reality of it all was fully setting in. >> I hope that I will one day be able to hug you and see you on the other side of these walls. >> But the courtroom wasn't moved by his tears. The victims made it clear they didn't care that he was crying. One victim said, "He had no mercy for us. Why should we feel sorry for him now? Another added, he deserves every year he got. >> I don't think if he was ever allowed back out that this would be something that would stop. So, a life sentence. Um, and that's hard. I, you know, obviously never wish that on anyone, but he's made his choices and there are consequences for that. >> He will repeat this. He will do it again. It is who he is to his core. He should never be allowed to do it again. >> Did you look over at him and see his reaction at all? >> Yes. >> What did you think? >> I don't care. You did this to all of us. You took away our memory. You took away the ability to live our life carefree. I was 22 when this happened to me. I'm 24. Spent almost 2 years dealing with the trauma and stress and anxiety. So, I don't care. It's been really heavy on us, too. So, I can't even imagine all the victims in this as well. >> Alexa and Lauren sat on the jury for the whole month and served as alternates. >> It was a good wakeup call. Um, but it was really hard to see um, the victims and the pain that they were enduring. Um, and the amount of victim blaming that was happening is a really good representation of how the world is right now. >> One survivor in a powerful statement said, "I trusted him with my health. I didn't know I was handing him control over my life. Can you imagine the betrayal?" How would you feel if your own doctor had done this to someone you love? The Matthews case has now become a story about power, trust, and how appearances can be deceiving. It's a warning that predators don't always come in shadows. Sometimes they wear white coats and smile in daylight. >> Know that everybody's a little bit concerned right now with what's going on. And I think that there are some things that we can do to kind of ease ourselves. One of them being making sure that every single time uh we kind of touch a doorork knob or touch a handle, we make sure to wash our hands afterwards. That's really important. Anytime that we're thinking about eating, we should make sure that we wash our hands before we eat as well as after we eat. Other things as far as, you know, making sure that you're not going into a group of people is going to be really important as well. It's okay to just still be around your family though because I think at this point in time, family is really important and you just have to take measures as far as if somebody's not feeling well to then ask them to make make sure that they try to get the care they need. >> Dr. Steven Matthews thought he was too smart to be caught, too trusted to be questioned, too respected to be stopped. But in the end, the truth caught up with him. The courtroom exposed him and justice buried him. From the very beginning, Ronnie O'Neal's case was anything but normal. It was March 2018 in Riverview, Florida. What unfolded inside of his home was nothing short of horrific. Prosecutors would later say that Ronnie launched a brutal attack on his own family, his girlfriend Kinyatta Baron, and their daughter. His son, who survived, would later tell a chilling story of what happened that night. Neighbors recalled hearing screams followed by the sound of chaos. One desperate 911 call captured Kinyatta begging for her life. >> What's your emergency? >> I'm shot and help me. I don't know. I'm shot. Help me, please. Please help me. I'm shot. >> What's the address of the emergency, ma'am? >> What's the What's the address of your shot? Help me, please. I'm >> What's your address? >> Help me. Help me, please. Where >> ma'am? Hello ma'am. >> The next call was from Ronnie himself claiming that he was attacked by white demons. >> 911. What is your emergency? Hey, I just been attacked by some white demons inside and she tried to kill me and I just killed her stupid ass. >> By the time police arrived, the home was engulfed in flames and the scene inside was one of devastation. But here's the question. How do you explain the unexplainable when the person accused is a father, a partner, the one meant to protect? Before trial even began, Ronnie made a bold choice. He fired his legal team because he believed nobody could fight for him like he could. Standing tall before the judge, he declared he would be his own lawyer. It wasn't just unusual, it was dangerous. Because when you go against experienced prosecutors, every word matters, and Ronnie's words would become his downfall. As his own lawyer, Ronnie had to cross-examine witnesses, including his own son. Father and son faced each other. Despite severe injuries, this young boy took the stand and pointed directly at his father. He described in heartbreaking detail how this mother was attacked and how he himself was targeted. Imagine the jury hearing those words, not from police, not from lawyers, but from a child who lived through it. How do you argue against that? Ronnie believed he could. So, he cross-examined his son and asked him if he had hurt him that night. And in a heartbreaking scene, the boy calmly said, "Yes." >> "Did I hurt you that night of this incident?" >> "Yes, >> I did." And how did I hurt you? >> You stabbed me. >> Instead of dismantling the boy's testimony, Ronnie's questions only highlighted his child's pain. The boy stayed firm. His story didn't change, and every word he spoke chipped away at Ronnie's defense. After days of testimony, it all came down to Ronnie's closing statement. This was his chance to convince the jury, his moment to stand tall and declare his innocence one last time. But then came the slip. In the heat of his fiery speech, Ronnie shouted at the prosecutors. >> I want you to know the actual facts. I did kill Ben. But I WANT YOU TO TELL IT LIKE IT IS IF YOU GOING TO TELL IT. The courtroom froze. Even the judge could not believe what she heard. And just like that, his entire defense collapsed. He had spent days screaming, "Not guilty." But in that single moment, he admitted the very thing he had denied. It didn't take long. The jury returned with a guilty verdict on all counts. >> State of Florida versus Rio Neil the third case number 2018 CF 004019 verdict form tri division one. Are we the jury find as follows as account one of the charge the defendant is guilty of first-degree murder as charged. The defendant did actually possess and discharge a firearm causing death. Are we the jury find as follows as account two of the charge? The defendant is guilty of first-degree murder, premeditated murder, and felony murder. If the jury finds the count three of the charge, the defendant is guilty of attempted first-degree murder is charged. We the jury finds the count four of the charge. The defendant is guilty of arson over dwelling is charged. We the jury find as follows to count five of the charge. The defendant is guilty of aggravated child abuse is charged. We the jury find as follows to count six of the charge. The defendant is guilty of aggra I'm sorry, aggravated child abuse is charged. We the jury find as follows to count seven of the charge the defendant is guilty of resisting an officer without violence as charged. So say we all that this 21st day of June 2021. >> During sentencing, Ronnie's tone didn't shift. He tried shouting again, but the judge wasn't having it. I am not sorry for something I didn't do and I am not sorry for the things I did do. >> Mr. O'Neal Listen, stop right stop. Listen to me. I'm not >> You're not going to raise your voice again. >> I'm not going to raise my voice again. >> I'm not. >> I will have you removed from this courtroom. I consented you without you being present. >> Yes, ma'am. >> I understand y'all. >> Thank you. >> But I will say I'm sorry for your loss. >> 19 years I've been at this job. I've seen human beings killed at the hands of others in every way imaginable. You name it, I've seen it. shootings, stabbings, drownings, suffocating, blown apart by uh cars and DUI manslaughter cases. Horrible things. This is the worst case I have ever seen as far as the facts go. The way that Miss Baron died was horrific. And that 911 call, which captured truly all of it. I you've heard and everyone who's heard that 911 call heard a death scream. If anybody ever wants to know what it sounds like before a human being dies knowing that their death is imminent, that's exactly what it is. That was a death scream. >> We don't see if it's true. >> Ronnie O'Neal was sentenced to life in prison without parole. Ronnie thought he could play lawyer. He thought he could shout down the truth, but in the end, his own words sealed his fate. The man accused of plowing his SUV into a Christmas parade that left six dead and more than 60 injured wasn't pleading for mercy. He was fighting, fighting the judge, fighting the prosecutors, fighting the very system that tried to hold him accountable. He pounded his fists, accused the court of being biased, and called the entire process a game. I mean, >> one more interruption and you're going to be removed to the next court. >> That's what you want to do anyway. >> It's not what I want to do. Do not interrupt attorney. >> So, can your honor, I believe he has seven prior criminal convictions via OWI second from 2003, criminal trespass dwelling from 2006. >> I need to take a break. This man right now is having a staredown with me. It's very disrespectful. He pounded his fist. Frankly, it makes me scared. and we're taking a break. >> It wasn't just defiance, it was chaos. But let's step back for a minute. On November 21st, 2021, the city of Wauaawa, Wisconsin was glowing with holiday cheer. Families lined the streets for the annual Christmas parade. It was supposed to be joy until it turned into horror. At 4:39 p.m., a red Ford Escape burst past the barricades and roared down the parade route. Witnesses say it was swerving intentionally, targeting clusters of people. In seconds, laughter turned to screams. Six lives were stolen that day, including 8year-old Jackson Sparks. 62 others were injured. Behind the wheel was Daryl Brooks Jr., a career criminal with a rap sheet stretching back to the 1990s. Just 2 days earlier, he had walked free on a $1,000 bond for another violent case. And now the unthinkable had happened. His arrest was almost surreal. After fleeing the SUV, Brooks knocked on a stranger's door, claiming he was homeless and waiting for an Uber. But within minutes, police swarmed and took him into custody. Hey, can I my ID? My ID. >> Hands up. Put your hands where I can SEE >> 500 block. The case seemed open and shut, but what unfolded in court was anything but simple. Brooks fired his public defenders and insisted on representing himself. >> Do you wish to represent yourself in this case? >> Yes, I do. >> Before I'm sorry, go ahead. >> I would like to represent myself pro. So if you are allowed to represent yourself in this case, sir, you will not have attorneys assisting you. If I let them withdraw, they are gone from this case. Do you understand that? >> From that moment, the courtroom became a battlefield. He flooded the trial with sovereign citizen arguments, denying the state's jurisdiction, questioning the court's authority, and objecting to nearly every sentence spoken by prosecutors and even the judge. Day after day, the disruptions mounted. Brooks ripped his shirt off, hid notes in his pants, and at one point had to be wheeled into a separate courtroom where he could watch proceedings on a monitor, muted when necessary. His outbursts weren't just frequent, they were volcanic. He shouted at Judge Doro in one explosive exchange, saying, "Your life is not on the line. Mine is >> time, your honor. >> It is based on the list that you provided." and and >> that didn't have a time that didn't have a time or of order this game with you. >> It's not no game. That's what you don't seem to understand. >> I believe that fully. >> I don't care what you believe fully. >> All right. >> It's not a game. >> I don't take this as a game. That's what That's what nobody That's what nobody You don't got to explain nothing to me. >> Do you want >> That's what you don't understand. You think that this is a whole game to me. This is not a game to me, your honor. >> Nothing about this is a joke. I never >> THAT'S WHAT Y'ALL DON'T UNDERSTAND. >> And it's unfair. It's unfair and it's disrespectful to me that you think I would come in here purposely and treat this like a joke or a game. >> I never said it was a joke. >> WHAT TYPE WHAT TYPE WHAT TYPE OF WHAT TYPE OF statement is that? M >> your life is NOT ON THE LINE. Mine is. And you think that I think this is funny? >> I don't think it's funny whatsoever. >> So So I think your honor, WITH ALL DUE RESPECT, I THINK YOU SHOULD SHOW SOME RESPECT. 5 minute break and when we come back the jury's coming out and you need to call your next witness. Thank you. We are in reach. >> No, you you not rushing me to judgment. I don't care which one. >> Through it all, Doro maintained control though it wore on her. She described the case as the most challenging of her career. Jurors watched patiently as if waiting for Broke storm to run out of thunder, but the evidence was overwhelming. Videos of the SUV tearing through the parade. dozens of eyewitnesses, survivors who pointed at Brooks as the man behind the wheel. On October 26th, 2022, after just three hours of deliberation, the jury returned guilty on all 76 counts. >> We, the jury, find the defendant Daryl E. Brooks guilty of firstdegree intentional homicide as charged in count three of the information. And I should state as to count two, it was signed and dated by the four person, same as to count three. Did the defendant commit firstdegree intentional homicide while using a dangerous weapon? Answer: Yes. >> Six lives taken, 61 more endangered and countless families shattered. Sentencing came weeks later, and it became one of the most emotional hearings in Wisconsin history. 45 survivors and family members stepped forward. Their words cut through the courtroom like glass. Even then, Brooks tried to argue. He interrupted again, challenged the victims, and declared he too was a victim of a broken system. >> You want to sit up here, >> stop >> and try to try to add something in that you know for a fact never even happened. You want to sit up here and talk about who has grace and all this. You talking about someone with five kids that don't have custody? >> You need to stop right now or you will be removed. >> Remove me then. >> All right, he will be removed. He cannot simply stay quiet anyway. I don't consent to this. >> But when it was finally her turn, Judge Doro's composure gave way. Fighting tears, she spoke directly to Brooks, saying, "There are no words to describe the depth of pain you have caused. It's hard not to think about what I watched and not have this reaction. Those were images that frankly kept me up at night that I saw over and over and over for their band director. She is a hero to me to get up on the stand to talk about. And that was Sarah Wayer Aparicio to identify each one of her students. Talk about their formation. Talk about what she saw. So strong for all of you. Then came the sentence. six consecutive life sentences without the possibility of parole, one for each victim, plus more than 762 years for the dozens of others injured. >> Frankly, Mr. Brooks, no one is safe from you. This community can only be safe if you are behind bars for the rest of your life. On counts one through six, this court is imposing a life sentence without the possibility or eligibility for extended supervision consecutive to one another. One life sentence for Virginia Sorenson. One life sentence for Lyanna Owen. One life sentence for Tamara Durant. One life sentence for Jane Kulic. One life sentence for Bill Hospel. And one life sentence for Jackson Sparks. on counts 7 through 67 consecutive to any other sentence that I've imposed here today. That is 762 and a half years of initial confinement and 305 years of extended supervision on top of the life sentences that I've imposed. Has anyone else joined the Zoom? >> No. It was in essence a punishment meant to keep Daryl Brooks behind bars forever. And for the first time, after weeks of arrogance and anger, Brooks broke. He stood at the defense table, lips folding, taking deep breath, though you can barely see the tears sliding down his face. The same man who had mocked the court, shouted at the judge, and denied his own name, finally turned soft, showing signs of crying when his own fate was sealed. The Wakaaw parade attack will always be remembered as one of the darkest days in Wisconsin's history. But in that courtroom, justice was delivered loudly, painfully, and with tears from both the families of the victims and from the very judge who handed it down. Now, here's the question I want to leave you with. Daryl Brooks turned his trial into a circus, arguing, shouting, and showing no remorse until the very end. But when the judge handed down his sentence, he finally broke down in tears. Do you think those tears were real? True regret for what he did, or was it just the realization that he'd never walk free again? Let me know what you think in the comments. He wasn't afraid to make choices that would destroy everything. In court, he smiled like nothing could break him, but behind that smile was a fear so deep it would lead to an ending no one expected. Aaron Hernandez was a rising football star playing for the New England Patriots, one of the biggest and most successful teams in the NFL. With a huge contract and fame on every field, he seemed unstoppable. Fans and teammates respected him, and the world watched as he dominated the sport. But off the field, Hernandez's world was far more complicated. He surrounded himself with people from his old neighborhood, mixed loyalty with pride, and often felt caught between the life he had left behind and the one he was trying to build. Friends later said he was paranoid, convinced others were talking about him or trying to cross him. That tension came to a head in June 2013. Prosecutors said Hernandez became angry with Odin Lloyd, a semi-pro football player who was dating the sister of Hernandez's fianceé. The two had gone out together just days earlier, and something that night allegedly triggered Hernandez's suspicion that Lloyd had disrespected him in front of others. According to investigators, in the early morning hours of June 17, Lloyd got into a car with Hernandez and two of his friends. Surveillance cameras from Hernandez's home showed the group leaving the house and later returning without Lloyd. A worker discovered Lloyd's body a short distance from Hernandez's neighborhood later that day. The discovery stunned the community and the sports world. >> And so this guy was jogging and he found a body and he came over here and knocked on the door said, "Would you please call 911?" So that's that's what we did. >> Police quickly connected the dots, phone records, text messages between Lloyd and Hernandez, and footage from Hernandez's own security system, all pointing investigators toward the athlete. A few days later, Hernandez was arrested at his home in front of television cameras. The man who had once been celebrated for his strength and fearlessness on the field now faced the biggest test of his life, a courtroom, a jury, and the possibility of never walking free again. When Hernandez first appeared in court, he smiled, leaned back, and acted untouchable. To the public eye, he seemed fearless, even in the face of mounting evidence. But behind that confident exterior, those closest to him revealed a different truth. Hernandez had told friends he couldn't handle prison, that the fought of life behind bars was unbearable. Some said he had even considered ending his life rather than spending decades locked away. Even as prosecutors presented evidence, footages, and witness testimony, Hernandez maintained a smile that masked terror, acting like nothing could touch him. But the man behind the smile was terrified of the reality closing in. The prosecution laid out their case, presenting cell phone records, text messages, and surveillance footage. They painted a picture of a man whose temper, pride, and fear of being disrespected had spiraled out of control. They described how Hernandez had interacted with Odin Lloyd in the days leading up to the incident and how in the early hours of June 17th, security footage showed Hernandez leaving home with two friends to pick up Lloyd. Hours later, cameras captured the same car returning, but this time Lloyd wasn't with them. Investigators said the evidence pointed clearly to Hernandez as the central figure. Hernandez's defense team countered by questioning the evidence, arguing that the investigators had assumed too much and that media coverage had tainted the public perception. They painted Hernandez as a dedicated athlete and father, emphasizing his commitments to his daughter and fiance, Shyana. Throughout the trial, Hernandez maintained his smile and confident posture, seemingly unfazed by the weight of the courtroom. But observers noticed subtle cracks, fleeting moments where anxiety flashed across his face, attention behind the otherwise calm exterior. After weeks of testimony, arguments, and deliberation, the jury finally returned with a guilty verdict. >> Madam for person, on indictment 2013-93- charging the defendant Aaron Hernandez with murder, what say you, madam for person? Is the defendant not guilty? Guilty of murder in the first degree or guilty of murder in the second degree. >> Guilty of murder in the first degree. >> Madam court person, by which theory or theories? Deliberate premeditation andor extreme atrocity or cruelty. >> Extreme atrocity or cruelty. >> The four persons spoke the words that would define the rest of his life. The man who had walked in confident and smiling now faced the full reality of life without freedom. In 2015, Hernandez was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. >> Mr. Hernandez, an indictment BRC 2013-0983- A for your charge with the crime of murder, the jury returning a verdict of murder in the first degree. And in consideration of the crime for which you now stand committed, you were sentenced by order of the court as follows. You were committed to the MCI Cedar Junction for the term of your natural life without the possibility of parole on BRC 2013-0983-B where you were charged with the crime of unlawful possession of a firearm after the jury finding you guilty and the court in consideration of the crime for which you now stand committed or stand convicted. You are punished by imprisonment to MCI Cedar Junction for a term of not less than 2 and 1/2 years to not more than three years committed concurrent with the life sentence imposed on account. The sentence was clear, final, and crushing. Hernandez's demeanor in court remained composed to outsiders, but those who knew him understood the terror he felt. Friends later said he had fredded endlessly about life behind bars and that his confidence had always been a mask hiding a deep fear. Months into his sentence, Hernandez's mental state deteriorated. Letters and testimony from those who interacted with him in prison described a man tormented by regret, fear, and isolation. He had once said he couldn't survive prison, and that fear became an unrelenting shadow. On April 19th, 2017, Aaron Hernandez was discovered unresponsive in his cell. Officials confirmed he had ended his own life. The man who had smiled in court, who had carried himself with the confidence of a champion, could not face the life he had so feared. Behind the bravado, behind the fame, and behind the smiles was a man consumed by fear. A man who chose an ending no one expected rather than endure the reality of prison. Aaron Hernandez's death has been ruled a suicide now by the medical examiner, and there are new details about the circumstances surrounding that death. Investigators found three handwritten notes next to a Bible in his prison cell. Meanwhile, his family has filed papers asking the court to preserve all evidence related to his death. Add to that Odin Lloyd's mother, who spoke to reporters today, her son was the one Hernandez was convicted of killing in 2013. and she said she wants to be a voice for mothers who have lost loved ones. >> It's not even about Odin Lloyd is about the person that committed the crime for Odin Lloyd. If it wasn't for that, you guys wouldn't be here to ask me questions about Odin Lloyd. So today, I'm speaking up for Odin Lloyd and for the families out there that is fighting for justice and doesn't have the voice that I can provide for them. You will never know and you will never understand unless you're in that boat of the tremendous loss. I lost my best friend. I lost my son. I lost the love of my life. I lost a strong bone in my family. Aaron Hernandez's story is a reminder of how fear and pride can collide and how even those who appear untouchable can be broken by the consequences they once thought they could handle. He once sat in a courtroom deciding who would go home and who would lose their freedom. But years later, the same justice system he served would turn its full weight against him. And the most chilling part is that he was given a second chance and the outcome was even worse. >> Put your hands up. PUT YOUR HANDS UP NOW. Cannot believe I did this. >> You're a vicious liar with no remorse. >> I accept full responsibility for it. I'm ashamed. >> You deserve the maximum sentence of state request. >> Lance Mason was a former judge, a state lawmaker, and a man deeply embedded in Ohio's legal and political system. In 2014, Lance Mason's name appeared in headlines for a reason no judge ever wants. Authorities responded to a serious emergency involving his wife, Aisha Fraser. A 911 call brought police to the scene. A call that would later become central to the case. >> 91 checker. Police emergency. >> Yes. Uh my husband just beat me and threw me out the car. He has my two daughters in the car. >> Where you at? >> Van Aken Boulevard. >> Yeah. >> And like Avalon. She just threw me out the car. Orange Saturn View 2008. I'm afraid he's going to hurt my daughters. >> Is he with you now or did he drive off? >> She drove off. They're taking me to South Point now. >> Who's taking you to South Point? >> I some nice people in the car stopped. I jumped in. >> Are you in the car now? >> In another person's car. Please find my kids. >> Are you injured? >> Yes. >> What investigators found that day was enough to trigger a criminal prosecution. >> How's my wife? What do you mean how's your wife? Where was wife? >> She was on She jumped out the car. >> She's okay. >> She's okay. All right. >> The judge then sentenced him to two years in prison with credit that ultimately resulted in 9 months served. After serving his time, Lance Mason was released. And this is where the story takes a turn that still troubles many people today. In 2018, emergency services received another urgent call. This time, the situation was far more severe. Aisha Fraser was found outside a home with life-threatening injuries. Police responded immediately. During the arrest process, Mason attempted to flee. His effort to escape resulted in a collision with a police vehicle, injuring an officer. That action alone added serious charges to an already devastating case. >> Put your hands up now. PUT YOUR HANDS UP. Pull them up. Pull them up. Put your hands up. Put your hands up. >> I got I got contact. Put your hands behind your back. Do it now. >> Watch. Watch. Watch. Is anyone else in the house? >> My daughter's in my sister. >> Where are they? Are they here? >> They're in They're in this bedroom. >> Are they hurt? >> No, not in any way. >> Okay. Where's the weapon? >> They're outside. I use the armor. >> All right, roll to your side. Let's get you on your feet. >> Stand on feet. >> Yeah. Okay. Have a seat right here. >> Putting him up. He's just a hindrance. Two people uninjured in there. >> Three people. >> Three people uninjured. >> Yeah. my two daughters and cannot believe I did this. >> Within hours, Mason was in custody. The man who once commanded courtrooms was now facing multiple felony charges, including charges connected to the loss of life. This time, there would be no ambiguity, no second chance, no return to public life. The legal system moved swiftly. Initially, Lance Mason pleaded not guilty. Do you understand the charges against you? >> Yes, your honor. >> Do you wish to enter a plea, sir? >> Uh, not guilty. >> Court accepts a plea of not guilty. >> But as the case moved forward, evidence mounted, legal options narrowed, and reality closed in. Mason eventually changed his plea. He entered a guilty plea, bringing the case closer to its final chapter. >> Mr. Mason, then it were at that point. I'm going to ask you how you plead to count one, aggravated murder. >> Guilty. >> How do you plead to count two murder? >> Guilty. >> How do you plead to count three, Felonius assault, Alissa Frasier? >> Guilty. >> How do you plead to count four, violating a protection order? >> Guilty, honor. >> How do you plead to count five, grand theft? >> Guilty. How do you plead to count six, felonious assault? >> Guilty, honor. >> Court accepts the plea of guilty. Find you guilty with regard to each and every one of those accounts. >> Your honor, I wish to take responsibility for the crimes I committed. I don't wish to prolong it or delay or hurt my family. I should affect any more than I have. >> And I and I respect that. >> Before sentencing, Mason addressed the court. His words were measured. He spoke of regret. He spoke of responsibility. He spoke as someone who finally understood the full weight of what the law demands. But the court was not there to reflect on his past status. It was there to determine consequences. >> I I accept full responsibility for the horrific act I've done. I'm ashamed of it. And you know, I'm prepared to be sentenced. >> Thank you. You deserve the maximum sentence of state requests. However, if there is something, anything positive to transpire out of this in the future is for you to make a difference while you are in prison. to help others with your background to demonstrate a servant attitude. It is for that reason only that after you serve the five years for officer Flint and 30 years for the aggravated murder as part of a life sentence, you will then be eligible to appear before a parole board. I am hopeful that during that period of time with that glimmer of hope that you will take advantage of that and you will in fact make a difference in the lives of those people around you. In summary, the court sentences you to life in prison with proeligibility in 30 years and five years for the felonious assault of officer Flint. Those sentences to be served consecutively. >> The judge imposed a sentence of life in prison with the possibility of parole after 35 years. It was one of the harshest penalties under Ohio law and it marked the definitive end of Lance Mason's journey through the justice system. Ali Abulaban was famous online. His impressions, his comedy videos, his confident personality, it all drew millions of views. To his followers, he was funny, charismatic, and ambitious. But behind the screen, his personal life was falling apart. He was married to Anna Abalaban, and together they had a young daughter. To many, they looked like a perfect social media couple. But according to court records, their relationship had become toxic. Arguments, jealousy, accusations, all hidden behind curated smiles and filters. Anna had finally asked him to move out of their apartment. She wanted peace, space, and safety. But Ali didn't take that rejection well. He secretly made a copy of the apartment key, installed a recording device inside, and began listening in on her conversations. and what he heard next would send him spiraling. One day, Ali claimed he overheard another man's voice inside the apartment, the voice of Rabburn Cardinis Baron, a close friend of Anna. Fueled by rage and obsession, Ali returned to the apartment armed with a weapon. Prosecutors say he walked in and carried out an act that would forever destroy multiple lives. Moments later, he fled the scene, but not before calling his mother. According to investigators, he told her what he'd done in tears, saying his life was over. Police later located and arrested him on the highway with his daughter in the vehicle. During an interview, he broke down. One moment sobbing uncontrollably, the next blaming Anna, insisting it was her fault. To >> see her KISSING RAY ON MY COUCH. WITH HIS FEET ON MY TABLE, with my feet, my money, my apartment, my life, IN THE HOUSE THAT MY DAUGHTER SLEEPS IN, ON THE FURNITURE THAT I PUT TOGETHER. WHAT DO YOU EXPECT A MAN to feel? Well, I GUESS THAT'S THE END OF my family. He said he just snapped. But to prosecutors, it wasn't a moment of madness. It was planned. >> You got off the elevator. What What happened next? >> As you can see, I was in a hurry to get in there. I didn't even wait for the door to open. Um, I was running, running, running. Um, I used my key card. The only thing I had in my hand was my key card. I opened the door. I barged in. I was immediately startled. I stopped right in my tracks like a deer in the headlights. They weren't in the bedroom. They weren't having sex. They're right there cuddling on the couch. I didn't expect that would ever do that to me. Him of all people. She knew how I felt about him. She knew how I felt. I was trying to believe her. I was trying to believe that she wasn't cheating on me, that she would let me fix this cuz I was sick. I was struggling from drugs and mental illness and I [ __ ] up. I [ __ ] up a lot. But I was trying to fix this. And when I saw that it was him, I couldn't take it. I couldn't take the [ __ ] betrayal. I couldn't believe that she could do that to me, to our daughter. And then before I could stop myself, I just [ __ ] snapped. And my gun was in my hand. And next thing I'm shooting and and I can't stop. I'm just shooting. I'm shooting and I I'm even startled. It's like I'm watching it happen. I'm like I'm in the passenger seat of my own body. I can't stop it. And I hear Anna screaming and crying. And then I don't even remember shooting Anna. I just remember running back to the front door and I grabbed the door handle and then it hit me. I'm like, did that just happen? And I turn around and I see I see Anna lean forward and there's blood and I'm like Anna and I couldn't believe I did that. Throughout the trial, Ali's behavior stunned everyone. He smiled, winked, even joked during testimony. >> I'm sorry. At times he stared directly at the jury as if daring them to judge him. He snapped at prosecutors when they questioned him. >> You shot Anna in the head. You pushed her head down into Ray's lap, right? >> Oh, get out of I'm not going to tolerate this. >> On October 18th, you were also re researching uh teen porn videos, correct? >> What? What did you just say? >> That's what you were researching. Correct. >> Say it again. >> Teen porn videos. >> You're out your mind. >> Show me the teen you just said. You want to me some kind of unless show me what show me what you just said. I've never seen that in a discovery. I've been incarcerated 3 years. You never showed that to my my team. Where did you get that? >> But when they played the video of what took place at the apartment, he couldn't stop crying. He cried and cried and cried. Then came the text messages, one showing jealousy, anger, and control. The courtroom went silent. But through it all, Ali was still convinced that somehow he could talk his way out of it. that somehow he could beat the case. But when the verdict was read, the smile and confidence was gone. He quickly reacted angrily towards the victim's families who was rejoicing to the verdict. >> The jury above entitled cause find the defendant Ali Nasser Abulaban guilty of the crime of murder in the first degree. Silence. His face turned pale and he began to cry. The same man who once made millions laugh online was now just another defendant hearing the word guilty. And then the moment everyone waited for the sentencing. The judge looked straight at him and said, >> "He will die in prison. He will never be a free man. He will take his last breath THERE in this." The courtroom erupted. Gasps, claps, tears of relief. For the families, justice had finally spoken. >> This was the best, the best we could hope for. And we just thank God that our prayers have been answered. And now we can all rest. >> For Ali, the world he built, the followers, the fame, the ego, all collapsed in seconds. He tried to speak. He read a statement crying, apologizing, but no one was moved. To many, it was just another performance and the show was over. Ali Abulaban's story is a haunting reminder that the masks we wear online can't hide who we truly are. A man who once made millions laugh, ended up making millions gasp. Two men, Jason G and Michael W. disappeared after leaving a Tampa nightclub. Family and friends raised alarms. 17 days later, Michael's body was found in the trunk of his own Jeep, wrapped in a fitted sheet. Jason was never located. Police traced both disappearances to a residence 10 minutes away from the club at 213 West Powhattan, where investigators executed search warrants and uncovered digital chats, drug paraphernalia, photographs, and blood stains tied to Lorenzo and his accomplice, Scott Schwikert. Chat logs confirmed Lorenzo's shared intent with Schwiker to incapacitate and control men for sexual gratification. DNA on a gas mask and blood on his garage floor matched Jason with odds of any other match being in the trillions. Multiple photographs showed Michael's lifeless body inside the home, posing evidence Lorenzo later denied recalling. Schwikert initially denied involvement, but then admitted participating in both deaths, including dismembering Jason and wrapping Michael's body for disposal in Michael's vehicle. In 2016, Schwikert accepted a plea deal, life in prison without parole, in exchange for full cooperation as a witness against Lorenzo. His sworn testimony during the penalty phase in February 2023 described how he and Lorenzo lured both victims, drugged them, and committed the atrocities. >> You chose to invite Jason Gay House back to Steven Lorenzo's house. Is that right? >> Uh Steven back. Yes. >> Tell us about what happened then. >> Uh well, we went back to Steven's place. Uh we all stripped down in Steve's bedroom. Uh Jason uh climbed out of bed and was shackled to the bed. Uh there were shackles that were already on the bed at the headboard and the footboard uh in the middle of both. >> Take us through the next step. What happened thereafter? >> Um well I I climbed on the bed and I was starting to make out with him and playing with his his testicles a little bit, slapping them a little bit. Uh he was getting aroused hard. I unfortunately was not As I said, wasn't my type. Uh, and I stepped to the bathroom to use the bathroom. I was gone maybe four or five minutes. I came back. Stephen was sitting basically behind him, had me in a choke hole, and was choking him out. Uh, Michael was kicking a little bit. Stephen asked me to come over and hold his legs down. I think he was afraid that he might uh kick the kick the shackles loose from the foot forward or something along the lines. So I went over I put my arms over his uh legs to hold him in place and after about another minute maybe less uh he just stopped moving afterwards I asked him what was it say was a choke hole something I was want to do choke somebody out >> all right after after Stephen Lorenzo said that's that's always something he wanted to do uh what other discussion >> there wasn't much of a discuss At that point, he went into he immediately went into cleanup mode. He started with the legs, his one leg, you know, cut it at the thigh bone, you know, cutting through. Uh, and uh, after he cut one off, he grab a trash bag, put that body part in it, tie it off with a zip tie, shove it inside of another trash bag, and tie it off with a zip tie. He said, "This way it won't leak." Uh, he said, "Uh, we worked so well together, I want to see, you know, if we can do it again. He wanted to go back to 606 driving. That's where he went and uh that's where he met Michael. Now Steven wanted to ride with Michael back to the house. So they rode together in Michael's vehicle and I drove Steven back behind him. >> Okay. You arrived. Where did you go? What did you do? What did Michael Walk do? What did Steven Morenzo do? Well, like I say, we we came into the house and uh I needed to use the bathroom. I barely made it to the bathroom and Stephen's hollering, "Scott, Scott, come here. I need your help." And I come back into the living room. Uh Stephen is almost kneeling in front of Jason in between the blades, holding his arms as Michael is trying to get away from him. And I come in and I see this and I'm like, "Oh shit." and I jump in and throw my arms around Michael and hold him down. Uh Stephen grabs a rag from somewhere in a can of maximum impact, sprays it on the rag and holds it over Michael's face until he goes unconscious. Uh at that point, we quickly strip all of his clothing off him, leaving the rag on his face so that he doesn't conscious. After he's totally completely naked, we throw cuffs on him. At some point, Steven got undressed as well. And then uh after that Steven jumped in, rolled him back up to his uh stomach and uh climbed on top of him and uh basically uh straddling his legs hands on the back of his uh upper back, forcing his face into the ground off to the side and was basically tippity bucking his ass cheeks, you know, dry humping in sense, I guess. Well, once again, I had uh I had checked for the pulse and then found none. We removed cuffs. Uh Stephen had once again grabbed a trash bag, started picking up Michael's belongings. He says, "Uh, grab a grab a sheet out of that closet there in the hallway just outside the bathroom." And he told me spread it out there on on the floor. Uh so we did. And then we lift the body out of the tub, laid it on the sheet, wrapped it up in the and then carry it out to Michael's vehicle. >> The body of Michael Walks in his vehicle were left abandoned in an apartment complex parking lot a distance away from Steven Lorenzo's house. Is that right? >> Yes. >> That testimony helped prosecute the case against Lorenzo. Lorenzo spent nearly two decades denying involvement. Then in December 2022, he submitted a 147page handwritten letter to the court asking to plead guilty and specifically request the harshest penalty, even waving appeals. In his words, "The end results will prove to be identical." He fired his defense team, represented himself, and entered a plea in open court, accepting responsibility in exchange for what he termed a more comfortable environment than federal prison. Two counts, firstdegree murder. Mr. Lorenzo, how do you wish to plead to those two charges? >> Open guilty. >> At the penalty hearing in February 2023, Lorenzo stated that he could be on death row for 10 to 15 years, arguing that death row is a lot more comfortable than the federal system. He also expanded on his reincarnation beliefs, stating that the sooner he get euthanized, the sooner he can get himself a new body and come back again. I'm seeking the death penalty. It's in my best interest basically because um it's a comfort. It's mine. I'll be living a lot lot more comfortable than I would in the federal system living on death row, believe it or not. And uh and of course that may sound selfish, but I've lived in a private cell for the last 5 years and I'm going to have a private cell on death row. At my age, I want to be comfortable. I want my privacy. That's what I want. So that's what I'm doing. It may sound selfish, but that's the way it is. You live for today. You don't live for the past. You live for today. So I'm asking you to give me the death sentence because that'll be more comfortable for me to live out my lifetime. I know I can be on death row for about 10 or 15 years, which I think is crazy. But um uh as far as I see it, it's just euthanasia. I already have a death sentence. Everybody in this room has a death sentence. So, as far as I'm concerned, you're just offering me a euthanasia that I'm looking to do willingly. That's all it really comes down to. And so, I'm asking you to do that. So, uh, and I'm going to try to speed up this process so I don't have to wait 15 years because I got better things to do in my time. The sooner that I, uh, uh, get euthanized, as far as I'm concerned, the faster I can get, the sooner I can get fetch myself a new body and come back again, a fresh body. That's how I look at it because that's how it is. That's how a spiritual work. We're eternal beings. So, the way I look at it is the sooner I uh euthanize, the sooner I can come back. I've got better things to do with my time than to hang out and spend the next 15, 20 years on death row or in any prison system. So, that's what I'm asking for. It's selfish. That's what I want. >> Judge Christopher Sabella replied stating that he don't know if what he say is some form of reverse psychology, but he will not consider what he want in issuing his sentence. The judge imposed the ultimate punishment by injection. >> I don't know if uh what you say is uh perhaps some form of reverse psychology, nor do I care. I will not consider what you want in issuing my sentence. >> I know it. >> All right. In the words of Miss Pam Williams, from one Italian to another, tando amorte, that translates to, I sentence you, Mr. Lorenzo, to death. That is the punishment that you deserve >> for these horrific crimes. >> State Attorney Susan Lopez affirmed, stating that this is not about Steven Lorenzo. this is about Jason Gail House and Michael Walks and that the harshest sentence is the only appropriate one. In June 2025, Florida's Supreme Court unanimously upheld Lorenzo's convictions and sentences, confirming he knowingly waved counsel, plead guilty, and represented himself during the penalty phase. Despite asking for the maximum punishment, Lorenzo has begun appealing the sentence, arguing procedural errors and excessiveness. That reversal, fighting a decision he asked for, reveals the ultimate irony. His manipulative reverse psychology gambit failed, and now he fights to avoid what he once demanded. Lorenzo disavowed traditional remorse, framed himself as spiritually eternal, and believed he could trick the system into giving him lesser punishment. He referred to his jail cell comforts and reincarnation multiple times. He mocked the idea of legal mercy, claiming childish and ridiculous systems. Justice prevailed, driven by victims voices, not by Lorenzo's manipulation. Lorenzo assumed clinical detachment and calculated theatrics would protect him. Instead, the legal system saw through it and gave him exactly what he said he wanted. Steven Lorenzo thought himself untouchable. He walked into court thinking he was in control, that reverse psychology and manipulation would save him. But the judge wasn't fooled. Now he's sitting on death row trying to escape the very outcome he asked for. He thought he was playing the system, but in the end, the system played him. Dr. Matthews built a reputation as a gifted and trusted heart doctor. To patients, he was calm, charming, and confident. But behind that persona, authorities say he used sedatives, manipulation, and his medical knowledge for one purpose, to take advantage of women. Some of these women trusted him completely. Others were barely conscious when they realized something wasn't right. Would you ever imagine that the person checking your heartbeat could be capable of something like this? Over the span of several years, Matthews was accused of drugging multiple women, sometimes at his home, sometimes under the guise of medical help. In many cases, the women reported waking up confused, disoriented, realizing something was horribly wrong. >> He seemed like the perfect match, a successful cardiologist on a dating app. But women who went out with him say he was a monster who spiked their drinks and then brutally sexually assaulted them. I got in the hot tub and the very last thing I remember is just looking at the water and then just lights out. >> Audrey, she asked that only her first name be used, says it happened on her first date with Dr. Matthews. Her mother found her at home. >> She was in the shower, you know, half clothed and just making uh making no sense. >> After Audrey came forward to tell her story, 10 more women found the courage to accuse Dr. Matthews. Prosecutors say there are likely dozens more victims staying in the shadows. Each had the same story, waking up groggy after a first date with no recollection of what had happened. What made the case even more disturbing was how calculated it was. Authorities uncovered text messages, hidden footage, and patterns of manipulation. Matthews often used his charm to disarm his victims, making them feel safe, even cared for. right before betraying that trust in the most personal way. When the case finally went to trial, the courtroom was filled with tension. Multiple survivors testified, some breaking down as they recalled what they experienced. >> I am scarred by what happened to me that afternoon. I have been in therapy for the last 18 months. Steven Matthews took away what normal looks like for me. I developed debilitating anxiety and PTSD when having sexual encounters. where men touching me made me tremble and cry. I don't think there are words to describe what it felt like to know that I was losing control of my ability to function and protect myself and that there was nothing I could do to stop it from happening. >> The prosecution laid out a chilling pattern, a man who used his position of power to harm repeatedly and intentionally, but Dr. Matthews denied everything. His defense tried to paint the accusations as exaggerated, even fabricated, but the evidence was too strong, too consistent. And when the guilty verdict was read, Matthews, once confident and composed, began to cry. Was it regret or just the realization that his secret life had finally caught up with him? >> We, the jury, find the defendant, Steven Matthews, guilty of choose only one. It is sexual assault, incapable of appraising nature of conduct. When Steven Matthews heard the word guilty, he collapsed onto the table, sobbing uncontrollably. But that was just the beginning. On the day of sentencing, he walked into court knowing prison was inevitable. What he didn't expect was the staggering 158-year sentence the judge handed down. >> And in here today, there is a room full of pain. And this is pain that you have caused your victims. >> Mr. Matthews, you know, you have diminished this world. You have dimmed many of its lights. You've hurt our society, and it's a darker place because of you. It would be improper if you did not serve a sentence for each victim individually. The total number of years are 158 years in prison. This matter is concluded. The weight of it crushed him. As his mother stood and gave a tearful statement, Steven broke down, crying even harder. The reality of it all was fully setting in. >> I hope that I will one day be able to hug you and see you on the other side of these walls. >> But the courtroom wasn't moved by his tears. The victims made it clear they didn't care that he was crying. One victim said, "He had no mercy for us. Why should we feel sorry for him now? Another added, he deserves every year he got. >> I don't think if he was ever allowed back out that this would be something that would stop. So, a life sentence. Um, and that's hard. I, you know, obviously never wish that on anyone, but he's made his choices and there are consequences for that. >> He will repeat this. He will do it again. It is who he is to his core. He should never be allowed to do it again. >> Did you look over at him and see his reaction at all? >> Yes. >> What did you think? >> I don't care. You did this to all of us. You took away our memory. You took away the ability to live our life carefree. I was 22 when this happened to me. I'm 24. Spent almost 2 years dealing with the trauma and stress and anxiety. So, I don't care. It's been really heavy on us, too. So, I can't even imagine all the victims in this as well. >> Alexa and Lauren sat on the jury for the whole month and served as alternates. >> It was a good wakeup call. Um, but it was really hard to see um the victims and the pain that they were enduring. Um, and the amount of victim blaming that was happening is a really good representation of how the world is right now. >> One survivor in a powerful statement said, "I trusted him with my health. I didn't know I was handing him control over my life. Can you imagine the betrayal?" How would you feel if your own doctor had done this to someone you love? The Matthews case has now become a story about power, trust, and how appearances can be deceiving. It's a warning that predators don't always come in shadows. Sometimes they wear white coats and smile in daylight. >> Know that everybody is a little bit concerned right now with what's going on. And I think that there are some things that we can do to kind of ease ourselves. One of them being making sure that every single time uh we kind of touch a doorork knob or touch a handle, we make sure to wash our hands afterwards. That's really important. Anytime that we're thinking about eating, we should make sure that we wash our hands before we eat as well as after we eat. Other things as far as, you know, making sure that you're not going into a group of people is going to be really important as well. It's okay to just still be around your family though because I think at this point in time, family is really important and you just have to take measures as far as if somebody's not feeling well to then ask them to make make sure that they try to get the care they need. >> Dr. Steven Matthews thought he was too smart to be caught, too trusted to be questioned, too respected to be stopped. But in the end, the truth caught up with him. The courtroom exposed him and justice buried him. From the very beginning, Ronnie O'Neal's case was anything but normal. It was March 2018 in Riverview, Florida. What unfolded inside of his home was nothing short of horrific. Prosecutors would later say that Ronnie launched a brutal attack on his own family, his girlfriend Kinyatta Baron, and their daughter. His son, who survived, would later tell a chilling story of what happened that night. Neighbors recalled hearing screams followed by the sound of chaos. One desperate 911 call captured Kinyatta begging for her life. >> What's your emergency? >> I'm shot and help me. I'm going shot. Help me, please. Please help me. I'm shot. >> What's the address of the emergency, ma'am? >> What's the What's the address of your emergency? >> I'm shot. Help me, please. >> What's your address? >> Shut me. Help me, please. where >> ma'am. Hello. >> The next call was from Ronnie himself, claiming that he was attacked by white demons. >> 911. What is your emergency? Hey, I just been attacked by some white demons inside and she tried to kill me and killed her stupid ass. >> By the time police arrived, the home was engulfed in flames and the scene inside was one of devastation. But here's the question. How do you explain the unexplainable when the person accused is a father, a partner, the one meant to protect? Before trial even began, Ronnie made a bold choice. He fired his legal team because he believed nobody could fight for him like he could. Standing tall before the judge, he declared he would be his own lawyer. It wasn't just unusual, it was dangerous. Because when you go against experienced prosecutors, every word matters, and Ronnie's words would become his downfall. As his own lawyer, Ronnie had to cross-examine witnesses, including his own son. Father and son faced each other. Despite severe injuries, this young boy took the stand and pointed directly at his father. He described in heartbreaking detail how this mother was attacked and how he himself was targeted. Imagine the jury hearing those words, not from police, not from lawyers, but from a child who lived through it. How do you argue against that? Ronnie believed he could. So, he cross-examined his son and asked him if he had hurt him that night. And in a heartbreaking scene, the boy calmly said, "Yes." >> "Did I hurt you that night of this incident?" >> "Yes, >> I did." "And how did I hurt you?" >> You stabbed me. >> Instead of dismantling the boy's testimony, Ronnie's questions only highlighted his child's pain. The boy stayed firm. His story didn't change, and every word he spoke chipped away at Ronnie's defense. After days of testimony, it all came down to Ronnie's closing statement. This was his chance to convince the jury, his moment to stand tall and declare his innocence one last time. But then came the slip. In the heat of his fiery speech, Ronnie shouted at the prosecutors. >> "I want you to know the actual facts. I did kill Ben. But I WANT YOU TO TELL IT LIKE IT IS IF YOU GOING TO TELL IT. The courtroom froze. Even the judge could not believe what she heard. And just like that, his entire defense collapsed. He had spent days screaming, "Not guilty." But in that single moment, he admitted the very thing he had denied. It didn't take long. The jury returned with a guilty verdict on all counts. >> State of Florida versus Ronnie O'Neil the third. Case number 2018 CF 004019 verdict form tri division one. Are we the jury find as follows as account one of the charge? The defendant is guilty of first-degree murder as charged. The defendant did actually possess and discharge a firearm causing death. Are we the jury finds as account two of the charge? The defendant is guilty of first-degree murder, premeditated murder, and felony murder. Then the jury finds the count three of the charge. The defendant is guilty of attempted first-degree murder is charged. We the jury finds the count four of the charge. The defendant is guilty of arson over dwelling is charged. We the jury find as follows to count five of the charge. The defendant is guilty of aggravated child abuse is charged. We the jury find as follows to count six of the charge. The defendant is guilty of aggra I'm sorry aggravated child abuse is charged. We the jury find as follows to count seven of the charge. The defendant is guilty of resisting an officer without violence as charged. So say we all that this 21st day of June, 2021. >> During sentencing, Ronnie's tone didn't shift. He tried shouting again, but the judge wasn't having it. I am not sorry for something I didn't do and I am not sorry for the things I did do. >> Mr. O'Neal, >> listen. Stop. Right. Stop. Listen to me. I'm not >> You're not going to raise your voice again. >> I'm not going to raise my voice again. >> I'm not. >> I will have you removed from this courtroom. I consented you without you being present. >> Yes, ma'am. >> I understand y'all. >> Thank you. >> But I will say I'm sorry for your loss. >> 19 years I've been at this job. I've seen human beings killed at the hands of others in every way imaginable. You name it, I've seen it. shootings, stabbings, drownings, suffocating, blown apart by uh cars and DUI manslaughter cases. Horrible things. This is the worst case I have ever seen as far as the facts go. The way that Miss Baron died was horrific. And that 911 call, which captured truly all of it, >> I you heard and everyone who's heard that 911 call heard a death scream. If anybody ever wants to know what it sounds like before a human being dies, knowing that their death is imminent, that's exactly what it is. That was a death scream. >> We don't see if it's true. >> But >> Ronnie O'Neal was sentenced to life in prison without parole. Ronnie thought he could play lawyer. He thought he could shout down the truth. But in the end, his own words sealed his fate. The man accused of plowing his SUV into a Christmas parade that left six dead and more than 60 injured wasn't pleading for mercy. He was fighting. Fighting the judge, fighting the prosecutors, fighting the very system that tried to hold him accountable. He pounded his fists, accused the court of being biased, and called the entire process a game. >> One more interruption, and you're going to be removed to the next court. >> That's what you want to do anyway. >> It's not what I want to do. Do not interrupt attorney oper. >> So your honor, I believe he has seven prior criminal convictions via OWI second from 2003, criminal trespass to dwelling from 2006. >> I need to take a break. This man right now is having a staredown with me. It's very disrespectful. He pounded his fist. Frankly, it makes me scared. >> And we're taking a break. >> It wasn't just defiance. It was chaos. But let's step back for a minute. On November 21st, 2021, the city of Wauaawa, Wisconsin was glowing with holiday cheer. Families lined the streets for the annual Christmas parade. It was supposed to be joy until it turned into horror. At 4:39 p.m., a red Ford Escape burst past the barricades and roared down the parade route. Witnesses say it was swerving intentionally, targeting clusters of people. In seconds, laughter turned to screams. Six lives were stolen that day, including 8-year-old Jackson Sparks. 62 others were injured. Behind the wheel was Daryl Brooks Jr., a career criminal with a rap sheet stretching back to the 1990s. Just 2 days earlier, he had walked free on a $1,000 bond for another violent case. And now, the unthinkable had happened. His arrest was almost surreal. After fleeing the SUV, Brooks knocked on a stranger's door, claiming he was homeless and waiting for an Uber. But within minutes, police swarmed and took him into custody. Hey, can ID my ID? Hands up. Put your hands where I can see. HANDS UP. WHOA. WHOA. WHOA. HANDS UP. 500 block. >> The case seemed open and shut, but what unfolded in court was anything but simple. Brooks fired his public defenders and insisted on representing himself. >> Do you wish to represent yourself in this case? >> Yes, I do. >> Before I'm sorry, go ahead. >> I would like to represent myself pro. >> If you are allowed to represent yourself in this case, sir, you will not have attorneys assisting you. If I let them withdraw, they are gone from this case. Do you understand that? >> From that moment, the courtroom became a battlefield. He flooded the trial with sovereign citizen arguments, denying the state's jurisdiction, questioning the court's authority, and objecting to nearly every sentence spoken by prosecutors and even the judge. Day after day, the disruptions mounted. Brooks ripped his shirt off, hid notes in his pants, and at one point had to be wheeled into a separate courtroom where he could watch proceedings on a monitor, muted when necessary. His outbursts weren't just frequent, they were volcanic. He shouted at Judge Doro in one explosive exchange, saying, "Your life is not on the line. Mine is >> time, your honor. >> It is based on the list that you provided." And >> that didn't have a time that didn't have a time or of this game with you, sir. >> It's not no game. That's what you don't seem to understand. >> I believe that fully. >> I don't care what you believe fully. >> All right. >> It's not a game. >> I don't take this as a game. That's what That's what nobody That's what nobody You don't got to explain nothing to me. >> Do you want >> That's what you don't understand. You think that this is a whole game to me. This is not a game to me, your honor. >> Nothing about this is a joke. >> THAT'S WHAT Y'ALL don't understand. >> And it's unfair. It's unfair and it's disrespectful to me that you think I would come in here purposely and treat this like a joke or a game. >> I never said it was a joke. >> WHAT TYPE WHAT TYPE WHAT TYPE OF WHAT TYPE OF statement is that? >> Mr. >> Your life is not on the line. Mine is. And you think that I think this is funny? >> I don't think it's funny whatsoever. I understand. >> So So I think your honor, WITH ALL DUE RESPECT, I THINK YOU SHOULD SHOW SOME RESPECT. 5M minute break and when we come back the juryy's coming out and you need to call your next witness. Thank you. We are in reach. >> No, you you not rushing me to judgment. I don't care which one. >> Through it all, Doro maintained control though it wore on her. She described the case as the most challenging of her career. Jurors watched patiently as if waiting for Broke storm to run out of thunder, but the evidence was overwhelming. Videos of the SUV tearing through the parade. dozens of eyewitnesses, survivors who pointed at Brooks as the man behind the wheel. On October 26th, 2022, after just three hours of deliberation, the jury returned guilty on all 76 counts. >> We, the jury, find the defendant Daryl E. Brooks guilty of firstdegree intentional homicide as charged in count three of the information. And I should state as to count two, it was signed and dated by the four person, same as to count three. Did the defendant commit first-degree intentional homicide while using a dangerous weapon? Answer: Yes. >> Six lives taken, 61 more endangered, and countless families shattered. Sentencing came weeks later, and it became one of the most emotional hearings in Wisconsin history. 45 survivors and family members stepped forward. Their words cut through the courtroom like glass. Even then, Brooks tried to argue. He interrupted again, challenged the victims, and declared he too was a victim of a broken system. >> You want to sit up here, >> stop, >> and try to try to add something in that you know for a fact never even happened. You want to sit up here and talk about who has grace and all this. You talking about someone with five kids that don't have custody? >> You need to stop right now or you will be removed. >> Remove me then. >> All right. He will be removed. He cannot simply stay quiet. >> I don't consent to being sent anyway. I don't consent to this. >> But when it was finally her turn, Judge Doro's composure gave way. Fighting tears, she spoke directly to Brooks, saying, "There are no words to describe the depth of pain you have caused. It's hard not to think about what I watched and not have this reaction. Those were images that frankly kept me up at night that I saw over and over and over for their band director. She is a hero to me to get up on the stand to talk about and that was Sarah Wayer Aparicio to identify each one of her students. Talk about their formation. Talk about what she saw so strong for all of you. Then came the sentence. Six consecutive life sentences without the possibility of parole. One for each victim, plus more than 762 years for the dozens of others injured. >> Frankly, Mr. Brooks, no one is safe from you. This community can only be safe if you are behind bars for the rest of your life. On counts 1 through six, this court is imposing a life sentence without the possibility or eligibility for extended supervision consecutive to one another. One life sentence for Virginia Sorenson. One life sentence for Lyanna Owen. One life sentence for Tamara Durand. One life sentence for Jane Kulic. One life sentence for Bill Hospel. And one life sentence for Jackson Sparks. on counts 7 through 67 consecutive to any other sentence that I've imposed here today. That is 762 and a half years of initial confinement and 305 years of extended supervision on top of the life sentences that I've imposed. Has anyone else joined the Zoom? >> No. It was in essence a punishment meant to keep Daryl Brooks behind bars forever. And for the first time, after weeks of arrogance and anger, Brooks broke. He stood at the defense table, lips folding, taking deep breath, though you can barely see the tears sliding down his face. The same man who had mocked the court, shouted at the judge, and denied his own name, finally turned soft, showing signs of crying when his own fate was sealed. The Wakaawa parade attack will always be remembered as one of the darkest days in Wisconsin's history. But in that courtroom, justice was delivered loudly, painfully, and with tears from both the families of the victims and from the very judge who handed it down. Now, here's the question I want to leave you with. Daryl Brooks turned his trial into a circus, arguing, shouting, and showing no remorse until the very end. But when the judge handed down his sentence, he finally broke down in tears. Do you think those tears were real? True regret for what he did, or was it just the realization that he'd never walk free again? Let me know what you think in the comments. He wasn't afraid to make choices that would destroy everything. In court, he smiled like nothing could break him, but behind that smile was a fear so deep it would lead to an ending no one expected. Aaron Hernandez was a rising football star playing for the New England Patriots, one of the biggest and most successful teams in the NFL. With a huge contract and fame on every field, he seemed unstoppable. Fans and teammates respected him, and the world watched as he dominated the sport. But off the field, Hernandez's world was far more complicated. He surrounded himself with people from his old neighborhood, mixed loyalty with pride, and often felt caught between the life he had left behind and the one he was trying to build. Friends later said he was paranoid, convinced others were talking about him or trying to cross him. That tension came to a head in June 2013. Prosecutors said Hernandez became angry with Odin Lloyd, a semi-pro football player who was dating the sister of Hernandez's fianceé. The two had gone out together just days earlier, and something that night allegedly triggered Hernandez's suspicion that Lloyd had disrespected him in front of others. According to investigators, in the early morning hours of June 17, Lloyd got into a car with Hernandez and two of his friends. Surveillance cameras from Hernandez's home showed the group leaving the house and later returning without Lloyd. A worker discovered Lloyd's body a short distance from Hernandez's neighborhood later that day. The discovery stunned the community and the sports world. >> And so this guy was jogging and he found a body and he came over here and knocked on the door said, "Would you please call 911?" So that's that's what we did. >> Police quickly connected the dots, phone records, text messages between Lloyd and Hernandez, and footage from Hernandez's own security system, all pointing investigators toward the athlete. A few days later, Hernandez was arrested at his home in front of television cameras. The man who had once been celebrated for his strength and fearlessness on the field now faced the biggest test of his life, a courtroom, a jury, and the possibility of never walking free again. When Hernandez first appeared in court, he smiled, leaned back, and acted untouchable. To the public eye, he seemed fearless, even in the face of mounting evidence. But behind that confident exterior, those closest to him revealed a different truth. Hernandez had told friends he couldn't handle prison, that the fought of life behind bars was unbearable. Some said he had even considered ending his life rather than spending decades locked away. Even as prosecutors presented evidence, footages, and witness testimony, Hernandez maintained a smile that masked terror, acting like nothing could touch him. But the man behind the smile was terrified of the reality closing in. The prosecution laid out their case, presenting cell phone records, text messages, and surveillance footage. They painted a picture of a man whose temper, pride, and fear of being disrespected had spiraled out of control. They described how Hernandez had interacted with Odin Lloyd in the days leading up to the incident and how in the early hours of June 17th, security footage showed Hernandez leaving home with two friends to pick up Lloyd. Hours later, cameras captured the same car returning, but this time Lloyd wasn't with them. Investigators said the evidence pointed clearly to Hernandez as the central figure. Hernandez's defense team countered by questioning the evidence, arguing that the investigators had assumed too much and that media coverage had tainted the public perception. They painted Hernandez as a dedicated athlete and father, emphasizing his commitments to his daughter and fiance, Shyana. Throughout the trial, Hernandez maintained his smile and confident posture, seemingly unfazed by the weight of the courtroom. But observers noticed subtle cracks, fleeting moments where anxiety flashed across his face, attention behind the otherwise calm exterior. After weeks of testimony, arguments, and deliberation, the jury finally returned with a guilty verdict. >> Madam for person, on indictment 2013-93- charging the defendant Aaron Hernandez with murder, what say you, madam for person? Is the defendant not guilty? Guilty of murder in the first degree or guilty of murder in the second degree. >> Guilty of murder in the first degree. >> Madam court person, by which theory or theories? Deliberate premeditation andor extreme atrocity or cruelty. >> Extreme atrocity or cruelty. >> The four persons spoke the words that would define the rest of his life. The man who had walked in confident and smiling now faced the full reality of life without freedom. In 2015, Hernandez was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. >> Mr. Hernandez, an indictment BRC 2013-0983- A for your charge with the crime of murder. The jury returning a verdict of murder in the first first degree. And in consideration of the crime for which you now stand committed, you are sentenced by order of the court as follows. You are committed to the MCI Cedar Junction for the term of your natural life without the possibility of parole. on BRCR 2013-0983-B where you were charged with the crime of unlawful possession of a firearm after the jury finding you guilty and the court in consideration of the crime for which you now stand committed or stand convicted. You are punished by imprisonment to MCI Cedar Junction for a term of not less than 2 and 1/2 years to not more than 3 years committed concurrent with the life sentence imposed on account. The sentence was clear, final, and crushing. Hernandez's demeanor in court remained composed to outsiders, but those who knew him understood the terror he felt. Friends later said he had fredded endlessly about life behind bars, and that his confidence had always been a mask, hiding a deep fear. Months into his sentence, Hernandez's mental state deteriorated. Letters and testimony from those who interacted with him in prison described a man tormented by regret, fear, and isolation. He had once said he couldn't survive prison, and that fear became an unrelenting shadow. On April 19th, 2017, Aaron Hernandez was discovered unresponsive in his cell. Officials confirmed he had ended his own life. The man who had smiled in court, who had carried himself with the confidence of a champion, could not face the life he had so feared. Behind the bravado, behind the fame, and behind the smiles, was a man consumed by fear. A man who chose an ending no one expected rather than endure the reality of prison. >> Aaron Hernandez's death has been ruled a suicide now by the medical examiner, and there are new details about the circumstances surrounding that death. Investigators found three handwritten notes next to a Bible in his prison cell. Meanwhile, his family has filed papers asking the court to preserve all evidence related to his death. Add to that Odin Lloyd's mother who spoke to reporters today. Her son was the one Hernandez was convicted of killing in 2013. She said she wants to be a voice for mothers who have lost loved ones. >> It's not even about Odin Lloyd. It's about the person that committed the crime for Odin Lloyd. If it wasn't for that, you guys wouldn't be here to ask me questions about Odin Lloyd. So today, I'm speaking up for Odin Lloyd and for the families out there that is fighting for justice and doesn't have the voice that I can provide for them. You will never know and you will never understand unless you're in that boat of the tremendous loss. I lost my best friend. I lost my son. I lost the love of my life. I lost a strong bone in my family. >> Aaron Hernandez's story is a reminder of how fear and pride can collide and how even those who appear untouchable can be broken by the consequences they once thought they could handle. He once sat in a courtroom deciding who would go home and who would lose their freedom. But years later, the same justice system he served would turn its full weight against him. And the most chilling part is that he was given a second chance, and the outcome was even worse. >> Put your hands up. PUT YOUR HANDS UP NOW. >> Cannot believe I did this. >> You're a vicious liar with no remorse. >> I accept full responsibility for it. I'm ashamed. >> You deserve the maximum sentence of state request. Lance Mason was a former judge, a state lawmaker, and a man deeply embedded in Ohio's legal and political system. In 2014, Lance Mason's name appeared in headlines for a reason no judge ever wants. Authorities responded to a serious emergency involving his wife, Aisha Fraser. A 911 call brought police to the scene. A call that would later become central to the case. >> 91 checker. Police emergency. >> Yes. Uh my husband just beat me and threw me out the car. He has my two daughters in the car. Where you at? >> Orange Van Aken Boulevard. >> Yeah. >> And like Avalon. >> She just threw me out the car. Orange Saturn View 2008. I'm afraid he's going to hurt my daughters. >> Is he with you now or did he drive off? >> She drove off. They're taking me to South Point now. >> Who's taking you to South Point? >> I some nice people in the car stopped. I jumped in. Are you in the car now? >> In another person's car. Please find my kids. >> Are you injured? >> Yes. >> What investigators found that day was enough to trigger a criminal prosecution. >> How's my wife? >> What do you mean how's your wife? Where was wife? >> She was on She jumped out the car. >> She's okay. >> She's okay. >> The judge then sentenced him to 2 years in prison with credit that ultimately resulted in 9 months served. After serving his time, Lance Mason was released. And this is where the story takes a turn that still troubles many people today. In 2018, emergency services received another urgent call. This time, the situation was far more severe. Aisha Fraser was found outside a home with life-threatening injuries. Police responded immediately. During the arrest process, Mason attempted to flee. His effort to escape resulted in a collision with a police vehicle, injuring an officer. That action alone added serious charges to an already devastating case. >> Put your hands UP NOW. PUT YOUR HANDS UP. Put your hands up. Put your hands up. I got I got contact. Put your hands behind your back. Do it now. Get it now. >> Watch. Watch. Watch. Is anyone else in the house? >> My daughters and my sister. >> Where are they? Are they hurt? >> They're in They're in this bedroom. >> Are they hurt? >> No, not in any way. >> Okay. Where's the weapon? >> They're outside. I use the armor. All right. >> All right. Roll to your side. Let's get you on your feet. Stand on our feet. >> Yeah. Okay. Have a seat right here. putting him up. He's just a hindrance. Two people uninjured in there. >> Three people. >> Three people uninjured. >> Yeah. My two daughters and cannot believe I did this. >> Within hours, Mason was in custody. The man who once commanded courtrooms was now facing multiple felony charges, including charges connected to the loss of life. This time, there would be no ambiguity, no second chance, no return to public life. The legal system moved swiftly. Initially, Lance Mason pleaded not guilty. >> Do you understand the charges against you? >> Yes, your honor. >> Do you wish to enter a plea, sir? >> Uh, not guilty. >> Court accepts the plea of not guilty. But as the case moved forward, evidence mounted, legal options narrowed, and reality closed in. Mason eventually changed his plea. He entered a guilty plea, bringing the case closer to its final chapter. >> Mr. Mason, then it were at that point going to ask you how you plead to count one, aggravated murder. >> Guilty. >> How do you plead to count two murder? >> Guilty. >> How do you plead to count three, Felonius assault? Alissa Frasier, >> guilty. >> How do you plead to count four, violating a protection order? >> Guilty, honor. >> How do you plead to count five, grand theft? >> Guilty. >> How do you plead to count six, felonious assault? >> Guilty, honor. >> Court accepts the plea of guilty. Find you guilty with regard to each and every one of those accounts. >> Your honor, I wish to take responsibility for the crimes I committed. I don't wish to prolong it or delay or hurt my family rights affected any more than I have and I and I respect that. >> Before sentencing, Mason addressed the court. His words were measured. He spoke of regret. He spoke of responsibility. He spoke as someone who finally understood the full weight of what the law demands. But the court was not there to reflect on his past status. It was there to determine consequences. I'm I accept full responsibility for the the horrific act I've done. I'm ashamed of it and you know I'm prepared to be sentenced. >> Thank you. >> You deserve the maximum sentence of state requests. However, if there is something, anything positive to transpire out of this in the future is for you to make a difference while you are in prison, to help others with your background, to demonstrate a servant attitude. It is for that reason only that after you serve the five years for officer Flynn and 30 years for the aggravated murder as part of a life sentence, you will then be eligible to appear before a parole board. I am hopeful that during that period of time with that glimmer of hope that you will take advantage of that and you will in fact make a difference in the lives of those people around you. In summary, the court sentences you to life in prison with proeligibility in 30 years and five years for the felonious assault of officer Flint. Those sentences to be served consecutively. >> The judge imposed a sentence of life in prison with the possibility of parole after 35 years. It was one of the harshest penalties under Ohio law and it marked the definitive end of Lance Mason's journey through the justice system. Aliaban was famous online. His impressions, his comedy videos, his confident personality, it all drew millions of views. To his followers, he was funny, charismatic, and ambitious. But behind the screen, his personal life was falling apart. He was married to Anna Abalaban, and together they had a young daughter. To many, they looked like a perfect social media couple. But according to court records, their relationship had become toxic. Arguments, jealousy, accusations, all hidden behind curated smiles and filters. Anna had finally asked him to move out of their apartment. She wanted peace, space, and safety. But Ali didn't take that rejection well. He secretly made a copy of the apartment key, installed a recording device inside, and began listening in on her conversations. and what he heard next would send him spiraling. One day, Ali claimed he overheard another man's voice inside the apartment, the voice of Rabburn Cardinus Baron, a close friend of Anna. Fueled by rage and obsession, Ali returned to the apartment armed with a weapon. Prosecutors say he walked in and carried out an act that would forever destroy multiple lives. Moments later, he fled the scene, but not before calling his mother. According to investigators, he told her what he'd done in tears, saying his life was over. Police later located and arrested him on the highway with his daughter in the vehicle. During an interview, he broke down. One moment sobbing uncontrollably, the next blaming Anna, insisting it was her fault. Did >> you see her kissing Ray on my couch? with his feet on my table, with my feet, my money, my apartment, my life, AND THE HOUSE THAT MY DAUGHTER SLEEPS IN ON THE FURNITURE THAT I PUT TOGETHER. WHAT DO YOU EXPECT A MAN TO FEEL? WELL, I guess THAT'S THE END OF my family. He said he just snapped. But to prosecutors, it wasn't a moment of madness. It was planned. >> You got off the elevator. What What happened next? >> As you can see, I was in a hurry to get in there. I didn't even wait for the door to open. Um, I was running, running, running. Um, I used my key card. The only thing I had in my hand was my key card. I opened the door. I barged in. I was immediately startled. I stopped right in my tracks like a deer in the headlights. They weren't in the bedroom. They weren't having sex. They're right there cuddling on the couch. I didn't expect that Anna would ever do that to me. Him of all people. I mean, she knew how I felt about him. She knew how I felt. I was trying to believe her. I was trying to believe that she wasn't cheating on me, that she would let me fix this cuz I was sick. I was struggling from drugs and mental illness and I [ __ ] up. I [ __ ] up a lot. But I was trying to fix this. And when I saw that it was him, I couldn't take it. I couldn't take the [ __ ] betrayal. I couldn't believe that she could do that to me, to our daughter. And then before I could stop myself, I just [ __ ] snapped and my gun was in my hand. And next thing I'm shooting and and I can't stop. I'm just shooting. I'm shooting and I I'm even startled. It's like I'm watching it happen. I'm like I'm in the passenger seat of my own body. I can't stop it. And I hear Anna screaming and crying. And then I don't even remember shooting Anna. I just remember running back to the front door and I grabbed the door handle and then it hit me. I'm like, did that just happen? And I turn around and I see I see Anna lean forward and there's blood and I'm like Anna and I couldn't believe I did that. Throughout the trial, Ali's behavior stunned everyone. He smiled, winked, even joked during testimony. >> I'm sorry. At times he stared directly at the jury as if daring them to judge him. He snapped at prosecutors when they questioned him. >> You shot Anna in the head. You pushed her head down into Ray's lap. Right. >> I don't get I'm not going to tolerate this. >> On October 18th, you were also re researching teen porn videos. Correct. >> What? What did you just say? >> That's what you were researching. Correct. >> Say it again. >> Teen porn videos. >> You're out your mind. >> Show me the teen you just said. You want to pay me some kind of problem? Melissa, show me what show me what you just said. I've never seen that in a discovery. I've been incarcerated three years. You never showed that to my my team. Where did you get that? >> But when they played the video of what took place at the apartment, he couldn't stop crying. He cried and cried and cried. Then came the text messages, one showing jealousy, anger, and control. The courtroom went silent. But through it all, Ali was still convinced that somehow he could talk his way out of it, that somehow he could beat the case. But when the verdict was read, the smile and confidence was gone. He quickly reacted angrily towards the victim's families who was rejoicing to the verdict. >> The jury above entitled cause find the defendant Ali Naser Abulaban guilty of the crime of murder in the first degree. silence. >> His face turned pale and he began to cry. The same man who once made millions laugh online was now just another defendant hearing the word guilty. And then the moment everyone waited for the sentencing. The judge looked straight at him and said, >> "He will die in prison. He will never be a free man. He will take his last breath there. The courtroom erupted. Gasps, claps, tears of relief. For the families, justice had finally spoken. >> This was the best, the best we could hope for. And we just thank God that our prayers have been answered and now we can all rest. >> For Ali, the world he built, the followers, the fame, the ego, all collapsed in seconds. He tried to speak. He read a statement crying, apologizing, but no one was moved. To many, it was just another performance and the show was over. Ali Abulaban's story is a haunting reminder that the masks we wear online can't hide who we truly are. A man who once made millions laugh ended up making millions gasp. Two men, Jason G and Michael W. disappeared after leaving a Tampa nightclub. Family and friends raised alarms. 17 days later, Michael's body was found in the trunk of his own Jeep, wrapped in a fitted sheet. Jason was never located. Police traced both disappearances to a residence 10 minutes away from the club at 213 West Powhattan, where investigators executed search warrants and uncovered digital chats, drug paraphernalia, photographs, and blood stains tied to Lorenzo and his accomplice Scott Schwikert. Chat logs confirmed Lorenzo's shared intent with Schwiker to incapacitate and control men for sexual gratification. DNA on a gas mask and blood on his garage floor matched Jason with odds of any other match being in the trillions. Multiple photographs showed Michael's lifeless body inside the home, posing evidence Lorenzo later denied recalling. Schwikert initially denied involvement, but then admitted participating in both deaths, including dismembering Jason and wrapping Michael's body for disposal in Michael's vehicle. In 2016, Schwikert accepted a plea deal, life in prison without parole, in exchange for full cooperation as a witness against Lorenzo. His sworn testimony during the penalty phase in February 2023 described how he and Lorenzo lured both victims, drugged them, and committed the atrocities. >> You chose to invite Jason Gay House back to Steven Lorenzo's house. Is that right? >> Uh Steven back. Yes. >> Tell us about what happened then. >> Uh well, we went back to Steven's place. U we all stripped down in Steve's bedroom. Uh Jason uh climbed out of bed and was shackled to the bed. Uh there were shackles that were already on the bed at the headboard and the footboard uh in the middle of both. >> Take us through the next step. What happened thereafter? >> Um well, I I climbed on the bed and I was starting to make up with him and playing with his his testicles a little bit, slapping them a little bit. Uh he was getting aroused hard. I unfortunately was not. As I said, wasn't my type. Uh, and I stepped to the bathroom to use the bathroom. I was gone maybe four or five minutes. I came back. Stephen was sitting basically behind him, had him in a choke hole and was choking him out. Uh, Michael was kicking a little bit. Stephen asked me to come over and hold his legs down. I think he was afraid that he might uh kick the kick the shackles loose from the footboard or something along those lines. So I went over, I put my arms over his legs to hold him in place. And after about another minute, maybe less, uh, he just stopped moving. Afterwards, I asked him what was that. He says it was a chokeold, something I was going to do, choke somebody out, you know, >> all right. After after Stephen Lorenzo said that's that's always something he wanted to do, uh, what other discussion? There wasn't much of a discussion at that point. He went into he immediately went into cleanup mode. He started with the legs, his one leg, you know, cut it at the thigh bone, you know, cutting through uh and uh after he cut one off, he grab a trash bag, put that body part in it, tie it off with a zip tie, shove it inside of another trash bag, and tie it off with a zip tie. He said, "This way it won't leak." Uh he said, "Uh, we work so well together, I want to see, you know, if we can He wanted to go back to 66. He was driving back and uh that's where he met Michael. Now Steven wanted to ride with Michael back to the house. So they rode together in Michael's vehicle and I drove Steven back behind him. >> Okay. You arrived. Where did you go? What did you do? What did Michael Walk do? What did Steven Morenzo do? >> Well, like I said, we we came into the house and uh I need to use the bathroom. I barely made it to the bathroom and Stephen's hollering, "Scott, Scott, come here. I need your help." And I come back into the living room. Uh Stephen is almost kneeling in front of Jason in between the blades, holding his arms as Michael is trying to get away from him. And I come in and I see this and I'm like, "Oh shit." And I jump in and throw my arms around Michael and hold him down. Uh Stephen grabs a rag from somewhere and a can of maximum impact, sprays it on the rag and holds it over Michael's face until he goes unconscious. Uh at that point, we quickly strip all his clothing off him, leaving the rag on his face so that he doesn't conscious yet. After he's totally completely naked, we throw cuffs on him. At some point, Stephen got undressed as well. And then uh after that, Stephen jumped in, rolled him back up to his stomach and uh climbed on top of him and uh basically uh straddling his legs, pull hands on the back of his uh upper back, forcing his facing ground off to the side and was basically tippy bucking his ass cheeks. Dry humping in sense, I guess. Well, once again, I had uh I had checked for the pulse and then found none. We removed the cuffs. Uh Stephen had once again grabbed the trash bag, started picking up Michael's belongings. He says, "Grab a grab a sheet out of that closet there in the hallway just outside the bathroom." And he told me, "Pread it out there on on the floor." Uh so we did. And then we lift the body out of the tub, laid it on the sheet, wrapped it up in the and then carried out to Michael's vehicle. >> The body of Michael Walks in his vehicle were left abandoned in an apartment complex parking lot a distance away from Steven Lorenzo's house. Is that right? >> Yes. >> That testimony helped prosecute the case against Lorenzo. Lorenzo spent nearly two decades denying involvement. Then in December 2022, he submitted a 147page handwritten letter to the court asking to plead guilty and specifically request the harshest penalty, even waving appeals. In his words, "The end results will prove to be identical." He fired his defense team, represented himself, and entered a plea in open court, accepting responsibility in exchange for what he termed a more comfortable environment than federal prison. Two counts first-degree murder. Mr. Lorenzo, how do you wish to plead to those two charges? >> Open guilty. >> At the penalty hearing in February 2023, Lorenzo stated that he could be on death row for 10 to 15 years, arguing that death row is a lot more comfortable than the federal system. He also expanded on his reincarnation beliefs, stating that the sooner he get euthanized, the sooner he can get himself a new body and come back again. I'm seeking the death penalty. It's in my best interest basically because um it's a comfort. It's mine. I'll be living a lot lot more comfortable than I would in the federal system living on death row, believe it or not. And uh and of course that may sound selfish, but I've lived in a private cell for the last 5 years and I'm going to have a private cell on death row. At my age, I want to be comfortable. I want my privacy. That's what I want. So that's what I'm doing. It may sound selfish, but that's the way it is. You live for today. You don't live for the past. You live for today. So I'm asking you to give me the death sentence because that'll be more comfortable for me to live out my lifetime. I know I can be on death row for about 10 or 15 years, which I think is crazy. But um uh as far as I see it, it's just euthanasia. I already have a death sentence. Everybody in this room has a death sentence. So, as far as I'm concerned, you're just offering me a euthanasia that I'm looking to do willingly. That's all it really comes down to. And so, I'm asking you to do that. So, uh, and I'm going to try to speed up this process so I don't have to wait 15 years because I got better things to do in my time. The sooner that I, uh, uh, get euthanized, as far as I'm concerned, the faster I can get, the sooner I can get fetch myself a new body and come back again, a fresh body. That's how I look at it because that's how it is. That's how a spiritual work. We're eternal beings. So, the way I look at it is the sooner I uh euthanize, the sooner I can come back. I've got better things to do with my time than to hang out and spend the next 15, 20 years on death row or in any prison system. So, that's what I'm asking for. It's selfish. That's what I want. >> Judge Christopher Sabella replied stating that he don't know if what he say is some form of reverse psychology, but he will not consider what he want in issuing his sentence. The judge imposed the ultimate punishment by injection. >> I don't know if uh what you say is uh perhaps some form of reverse psychology, nor do I care. I will not consider what you want in issuing my sentence. >> I know it. >> All right. In the words of Miss Pam Williams, from one Italian to another, tando amorte, that translates to, I sentence you, Mr. Lorenzo, to death. That is the punishment that you deserve >> for these horrific crimes. >> State Attorney Susan Lopez affirmed, stating that this is not about Steven Lorenzo. this is about Jason Gailhouse and Michael Woltz and that the harshest sentence is the only appropriate one. In June 2025, Florida's Supreme Court unanimously upheld Lorenzo's convictions and sentences, confirming he knowingly waved counsel, plead guilty, and represented himself during the penalty phase. Despite asking for the maximum punishment, Lorenzo has begun appealing the sentence, arguing procedural errors and excessiveness. That reversal, fighting a decision he asked for, reveals the ultimate irony. His manipulative reverse psychology gambit failed, and now he fights to avoid what he once demanded. Lorenzo disavowed traditional remorse, framed himself as spiritually eternal, and believed he could trick the system into giving him lesser punishment. He referred to his jail cell comforts and reincarnation multiple times. He mocked the idea of legal mercy, claiming childish and ridiculous systems. Justice prevailed, driven by victims voices, not by Lorenzo's manipulation. Lorenzo assumed clinical detachment and calculated theatrics would protect him. Instead, the legal system saw through it and gave him exactly what he said he wanted. Steven Lorenzo thought himself untouchable. He walked into court thinking he was in control, that reverse psychology and manipulation would save him. But the judge wasn't fooled. Now he's sitting on death row trying to escape the very outcome he asked for. He thought he was playing the system, but in the end, the system played him. Dr. Matthews built a reputation as a gifted and trusted heart doctor. To patients, he was calm, charming, and confident. But behind that persona, authorities say he used sedatives, manipulation, and his medical knowledge for one purpose, to take advantage of women. Some of these women trusted him completely. Others were barely conscious when they realized something wasn't right. Would you ever imagine that the person checking your heartbeat could be capable of something like this? Over the span of several years, Matthews was accused of drugging multiple women. sometimes at his home, sometimes under the guise of medical help. In many cases, the women reported waking up confused, disoriented, realizing something was horribly wrong. >> He seemed like the perfect match, a successful cardiologist on a dating app. But women who went out with him say he was a monster who spiked their drinks and then brutally sexually assaulted them. >> I got in the hot tub and the very last thing I remember is just looking at the water and then just lights out. Audrey, she asked that only her first name be used, says it happened on her first date with Dr. Matthews. Her mother found her at home. >> She was in the shower, you know, half clothed and just making uh making no sense. >> After Audrey came forward to tell her story, 10 more women found the courage to accuse Dr. Matthews. Prosecutors say there are likely dozens more victims staying in the shadows. each had the same story, waking up groggy after a first date with no recollection of what had happened. >> What made the case even more disturbing was how calculated it was. Authorities uncovered text messages, hidden footage, and patterns of manipulation. Matthews often used his charm to disarm his victims, making them feel safe, even cared for, right before betraying that trust in the most personal way. When the case finally went to trial, the courtroom was filled with tension. Multiple survivors testified, some breaking down as they recalled what they experienced. >> I am scarred by what happened to me that afternoon. I have been in therapy for the last 18 months. Steven Matthews took away what normal looks like for me. I developed debilitating anxiety and PTSD when having sexual encounters where men touching me made me tremble and cry. I don't think there are words to describe what it felt like to know that I was losing control of my ability to function and protect myself and that there was nothing I could do to stop it from happening. >> The prosecution laid out a chilling pattern, a man who used his position of power to harm repeatedly and intentionally. But Dr. Matthews denied everything. His defense tried to paint the accusations as exaggerated, even fabricated, but the evidence was too strong, too consistent. And when the guilty verdict was read, Matthews, once confident and composed, began to cry. Was it regret or just the realization that his secret life had finally caught up with him? >> We, the jury, find the defendant, Steven Matthews, guilty of choose only one. It is sexual assault, incapable of appraising nature of conduct. >> When Steven Matthews heard the word guilty, he collapsed onto the table, sobbing uncontrollably. But that was just the beginning. On the day of sentencing, he walked into court knowing prison was inevitable. What he didn't expect was the staggering 158-year sentence the judge handed down. >> And in here today, there is a room full of pain. And this is pain that you have caused your victims. >> Mr. Matthews, you know, you have diminished this world. You have dimmed many of its lights. You've hurt our society and it's a darker place because of you. It would be improper if you did not serve a sentence for each victim individually. The total number of years are 158 years in prison. This matters concluded. >> The weight of it crushed him. As his mother stood and gave a tearful statement, Steven broke down, crying even harder. The reality of it all was fully setting in. I hope that I will one day be able to hug you and see you on the other side of these walls. >> But the courtroom wasn't moved by his tears. The victims made it clear they didn't care that he was crying. One victim said he had no mercy for us. Why should we feel sorry for him now? Another added, "He deserves every year he got." >> I don't think if he was ever allowed back out that this would be something that would stop. So, a life sentence. Um, and that's hard. I, you know, obviously never wish that on anyone, but he's made his choices and there are consequences for that. >> He will repeat this. He will do it again. It is who he is to his core. He should never be allowed to do it again. >> Did you look over at him and see his reaction at all? >> Yes. >> What did you think? >> I don't care. You did this to all of us. You took away our memory. You took away the ability to live our life carefree. I was 22 when this happened to me. I'm 24. spent almost two years dealing with the trauma and stress and anxiety, so I don't care. It's been really heavy on us, too. So, I can't even imagine all the victims in this as well. >> Alexa and Lauren sat on the jury for the whole month and served as alternates. >> It was a good wakeup call. Um, but it was really hard to see um the victims and the pain that they were enduring. Um, and the amount of victim blaming that was happening is a really good representation of how the world is right now. One survivor in a powerful statement said, "I trusted him with my health. I didn't know I was handing him control over my life." Can you imagine the betrayal? How would you feel if your own doctor had done this to someone you love? The Matthews case has now become a story about power, trust, and how appearances can be deceiving. It's a warning that predators don't always come in shadows. Sometimes they wear white coats and smile in daylight. >> That everybody is a little bit concerned right now with what's going on. And I think that there are some things that we can do to kind of ease ourselves. One of them being making sure that every single time uh we kind of touch a doorork knob or touch a handle, we make sure to wash our hands afterwards. That's really important. Anytime that we're thinking about eating, we should make sure that we wash our hands before we eat as well as after we eat. Other things as far as, you know, making sure that you're not going into a group of people is going to be really important as well. It's okay to just still be around your family though because I think at this point in time, family is really important and you just have to take measures as far as if somebody's not feeling well to then ask them to make make sure that they try to get the care they need. >> Dr. Steven Matthews thought he was too smart to be caught, too trusted to be questioned, too respected to be stopped. But in the end, the truth caught up with him. The courtroom exposed him and justice buried him. From the very beginning, Ronnie O'Neal's case was anything but normal. It was March 2018 in Riverview, Florida. What unfolded inside of his home was nothing short of horrific. Prosecutors would later say that Ronnie launched a brutal attack on his own family, his girlfriend Kinyatta Baron, and their daughter. His son, who survived, would later tell a chilling story of what happened that night. Neighbors recalled hearing screams followed by the sound of chaos. One desperate 911 call captured Kinyatta begging for her life. >> What's your emergency? >> I'm shot. Help me. Shot. Help me, please. Jesus. I'm shot. >> What's the address of the emergency, ma'am? >> What's the What's the address of your emergency? >> I'm shot. Help me, please. >> What's your address? Help me. Help me, please. >> Ma'am. Hello, ma'am. >> The next call was from Ronnie himself, claiming that he was attacked by white demons. >> 911. What is your emergency? Hey, I just been attacked by some white demons inside and she tried to kill me and I just killed her stupid ass. >> By the time police arrived, the home was engulfed in flames and the scene inside was one of devastation. But here's the question. How do you explain the unexplainable when the person accused is a father, a partner, the one meant to protect? Before trial even began, Ronnie made a bold choice. He fired his legal team because he believed nobody could fight for him like he could. Standing tall before the judge, he declared he would be his own lawyer. It wasn't just unusual, it was dangerous. Because when you go against experienced prosecutors, every word matters, and Ronnie's words would become his downfall. As his own lawyer, Ronnie had to cross-examine witnesses, including his own son. His father and son faced each other. Despite severe injuries, this young boy took the stand and pointed directly at his father. He described in heartbreaking detail how this mother was attacked and how he himself was targeted. Imagine the jury hearing those words, not from police, not from lawyers, but from a child who lived through it. How do you argue against that? Ronnie believed he could. So, he cross-examined his son and asked him if he had hurt him that night. And in a heartbreaking scene, the boy calmly said yes. >> Did I hurt you that night of this incident? >> Yes, >> I did. And how did I hurt you? >> You stabbed me. >> Instead of dismantling the boy's testimony, Ronnie's questions only highlighted his child's pain. The boy stayed firm. His story didn't change. and every word he spoke chipped away at Ronnie's defense. After days of testimony, it all came down to Ronnie's closing statement. This was his chance to convince the jury, his moment to stand tall and declare his innocence one last time. But then came the slip. In the heat of his fiery speech, Ronnie shouted at the prosecutors. >> I want you to know the actual facts. I did kill Ben. But I WANT YOU TO TELL IT LIKE IT IS IF YOU GOING TO TELL IT. The courtroom froze. Even the judge could not believe what she heard. And just like that, his entire defense collapsed. He had spent days screaming not guilty. But in that single moment, he admitted the very thing he had denied. It didn't take long. The jury returned with a guilty verdict on all counts. >> State of Florida versus Daniel O'Neal the third case number 2018 CF 004019 verdict form tri division one. We the jury find as follows as account one of the charge. The defendant is guilty of first-degree murder as charged. The defendant did actually possess and discharge a firearm causing death. We the jury find as follows as account two of the charge. The defendant is guilty of first-degree murder, premeditated murder and felony murder. Then the jury find this follows the count three of the charge. The defendant is guilty of attempted first-degree murder is charged. We the jury find as follows to count four of the charge. The defendant is guilty of arson overdwelling is charged. We the jury find as follows to count five of the charge. The defendant is guilty of aggravated child abuse is charged. We the jury find as follows to count six of the charge. The defendant is guilty of aggravate I'm sorry aggravated child abuse is charged. We the jury find as follows to count seven of the charge. The defendant is guilty of resisting an officer without violence as charged. So say we all did it this 21st day of June, 2021. >> During sentencing, Ronnie's tone didn't shift. He tried shouting again, but the judge wasn't having it. >> I am not sorry for something I didn't do, and I am not sorry for the things I did do. Mr. O'Neal, >> listen. Stop. Right. Stop. Listen to me. I'm not You're not going to raise your voice again. >> I'm not going to raise my voice again. >> I'm not. >> I will have you removed from this courtroom. I consented you without you being present. >> Yes, ma'am. >> I understand, y'all. >> Thank you. But I will say I'm sorry for your loss. 19 years I've been at this job. I've seen human beings killed at the hands of others in every way imaginable. You name it, I've seen it. Shootings, stabbings, drownings, suffocating, blown apart by uh cars and DUI manslaughter cases. horrible things. This is the worst case I have ever seen as far as the facts go. The way that Miss Baron died was horrific and that 911 call which captured truly all of it. >> I you heard and everyone who's heard that 911 call heard a death scream. If anybody ever wants to know what it sounds like before a human being dies, knowing that their death is imminent, that's exactly what it is. That was a death scream. >> We don't see if it's true. >> Ronnie O'Neal was sentenced to life in prison without parole. Ronnie thought he could play lawyer. He thought he could shout down the truth. But in the end, his own words sealed his fate. The man accused of plowing his SUV into a Christmas parade that left six dead and more than 60 injured wasn't pleading for mercy. He was fighting. Fighting the judge, fighting the prosecutors, fighting the very system that tried to hold him accountable. He pounded his fists, accused the court of being biased, and called the entire process a game. >> One more interruption, and you're going to be removed to the next court. >> That's what you want to do anyway. >> It's not what I want to do. Do not interrupt attorney oper. >> So your honor, >> I believe he has seven prior criminal convictions via OWI second from 2003, criminal trespass dwelling from 2006. >> I need to take a break. This man right now is having a staredown with me. It's very disrespectful. He pounded his fist. Frankly, it makes me scared. >> And we're taking a break. >> It wasn't just defiance. It was chaos. But let's step back for a minute. On November 21st, 2021, the city of Wauaaw, Wisconsin was glowing with holiday cheer. Families lined the streets for the annual Christmas parade. It was supposed to be joy until it turned into horror. At 4:39 p.m., a red Ford Escape burst past the barricades and roared down the parade route. Witnesses say it was swerving intentionally, targeting clusters of people. In seconds, laughter turned to screams. Six lives were stolen that day, including 8-year-old Jackson Sparks. 62 others were injured. Behind the wheel was Daryl Brooks Jr., a career criminal with a rap sheet stretching back to the 1990s. Just 2 days earlier, he had walked free on a $1,000 bond for another violent case. And now, the unthinkable had happened. His arrest was almost surreal. After fleeing the SUV, Brooks knocked on a stranger's door, claiming he was homeless and waiting for an Uber. But within minutes, police swarmed and took him into custody. Hey, can ID my ID? Hands up. Put your hands WHERE I CAN SEE >> WHOA. 26 500 block on the 26th. >> The case seemed open and shut, but what unfolded in court was anything but simple. Brooks fired his public defenders and insisted on representing himself. >> Do you wish to represent yourself in this case? >> Yes, I do. >> Before I'm sorry, go ahead. >> I would like to represent myself pro. >> If you are allowed to represent yourself in this case, sir, you will not have attorneys assisting you. If I let them withdraw, they are gone from this case. Do you understand that? >> From that moment, the courtroom became a battlefield. He flooded the trial with sovereign citizen arguments, denying the state's jurisdiction, questioning the court's authority, and objecting to nearly every sentence spoken by prosecutors and even the judge. Day after day, the disruptions mounted. Brooks ripped his shirt off, hid notes in his pants, and at one point had to be wheeled into a separate courtroom where he could watch proceedings on a monitor, muted when necessary. His outbursts weren't just frequent, they were volcanic. He shouted at Judge Doro in one explosive exchange, saying, "Your life is not on the line. Mine is >> time, your honor. >> It is based on the list that you provided and and >> that didn't have a time that didn't have a time or of this game with you, sir. >> It's not no game. That's what you don't seem to understand. >> I believe that fully. >> I don't care what you believe fully. >> All right. >> It's not a game. >> I don't take this as a game. That's what That's what nobody That's what nobody You don't got to explain nothing to me. >> Do you want >> That's what you don't understand. You think that this is a whole game to me. This is not a game to me, your honor. >> Nothing about this is a joke. >> That's what y'all don't understand. >> And it's unfair. It's unfair and it's disrespectful to me that you think I would come in here and treat this like a joke or a game. >> I never said it was a joke. >> WHAT TYPE WHAT TYPE WHAT TYPE OF WHAT TYPE OF statement is that? >> M. >> Your life is not ON THE LINE. MINE IS. >> And you think that I think this is funny? >> I don't think it's funny whatsoever. >> I understand. >> So I think your honor, WITH ALL DUE RESPECT, I THINK YOU SHOULD SHOW SOME RESPECT. TAKE A 5minut break and when we come back the juryy's coming out and you need to call your next witness. Thank you. We are in reach. >> No you you not rushing me to judgement. I don't care which one. >> Through it all. Doro maintained control though it wore on her. She described the case as the most challenging of her career. Jurors watched patiently as if waiting for broke storm to run out of thunder. But the evidence was overwhelming. Videos of the SUV tearing through the parade. dozens of eyewitnesses, survivors who pointed at Brooks as the man behind the wheel. On October 26th, 2022, after just three hours of deliberation, the jury returned guilty on all 76 counts. >> We, the jury, find the defendant, Daryl E. Brooks, guilty of first-degree intentional homicide as charged in count three of the information. And I should state as to count two, it was signed and dated by the four person, same as to count three. Did the defendant commit first-degree intentional homicide while using a dangerous weapon? Answer: Yes. >> Six lives taken, 61 more endangered and countless families shattered. Sentencing came weeks later, and it became one of the most emotional hearings in Wisconsin history. 45 survivors and family members stepped forward. Their words cut through the courtroom like glass. Even then, Brooks tried to argue. He interrupted again, challenged the victims, and declared he too was a victim of a broken system. >> You want to sit up here, >> stop, >> and try to try to add something in that you know for a fact never even happened. You want to sit up here and talk about who has grace and all this. You talking about someone with five kids that don't have custody? >> You need to stop right now or you will be removed. >> Remove me then. >> All right. He will be removed. He cannot simply stay quiet. >> I don't consent to this anyway. I don't consent to this. >> But when it was finally her turn, Judge Doro's composure gave way. Fighting tears, she spoke directly to Brooks, saying, "There are no words to describe the depth of pain you have caused. It's hard not to think about what I watched and not have this reaction. Those were images that frankly kept me up at night that I saw over and over and over for their band director. She is a hero to me to get up on the stand to talk about and that was Sarah Wayer Aparicio to identify each one of her students. Talk about their formation. Talk about what she saw so strong for all of you. Then came the sentence. Six consecutive life sentences without the possibility of parole. One for each victim, plus more than 762 years for the dozens of others injured. >> Frankly, Mr. Brooks, no one is safe from you. This community can only be safe if you are behind bars for the rest of your life. On counts 1 through six, this court is imposing a life sentence without the possibility or eligibility for extended supervision consecutive to one another. One life sentence for Virginia Sorenson. One life sentence for Lyanna Owen. One life sentence for Tamara Durant. One life sentence for Jane Kulic. One life sentence for Bill Hospel. And one life sentence for Jackson Sparks. on counts 7 through 67 consecutive to any other sentence that I've imposed here today. That is 762 and a half years of initial confinement and 305 years of extended supervision on top of the life sentences that I've imposed. Has anyone else joined the Zoom? >> No. It was in essence a punishment meant to keep Daryl Brooks behind bars forever. And for the first time, after weeks of arrogance and anger, Brooks broke. He stood at the defense table, lips folding, taking deep breath, though you can barely see the tears sliding down his face. The same man who had mocked the court, shouted at the judge, and denied his own name, finally turned soft, showing signs of crying when his own fate was sealed. The Wakaawa parade attack will always be remembered as one of the darkest days in Wisconsin's history. But in that courtroom, justice was delivered loudly, painfully, and with tears from both the families of the victims and from the very judge who handed it down. Now, here's the question I want to leave you with. Daryl Brooks turned his trial into a circus, arguing, shouting, and showing no remorse until the very end. But when the judge handed down his sentence, he finally broke down in tears. Do you think those tears were real? True regret for what he did, or was it just the realization that he'd never walk free again? Let me know what you think in the comments. He wasn't afraid to make choices that would destroy everything. In court, he smiled like nothing could break him, but behind that smile was a fear so deep it would lead to an ending no one expected. Aaron Hernandez was a rising football star playing for the New England Patriots, one of the biggest and most successful teams in the NFL. With a huge contract and fame on every field, he seemed unstoppable. Fans and teammates respected him, and the world watched as he dominated the sport. But off the field, Hernandez's world was far more complicated. He surrounded himself with people from his old neighborhood, mixed loyalty with pride, and often felt caught between the life he had left behind and the one he was trying to build. Friends later said he was paranoid, convinced others were talking about him or trying to cross him. That tension came to a head in June 2013. Prosecutors said Hernandez became angry with Odin Lloyd, a semi-pro football player who was dating the sister of Hernandez's fianceé. The two had gone out together just days earlier, and something that night allegedly triggered Hernandez's suspicion that Lloyd had disrespected him in front of others. According to investigators, in the early morning hours of June 17, Lloyd got into a car with Hernandez and two of his friends. Surveillance cameras from Hernandez's home, showed the group leaving the house, and later returning without Lloyd. A worker discovered Lloyd's body a short distance from Hernandez's neighborhood later that day. The discovery stunned the community and the sports world. >> And so this guy was jogging and he found a body and he came over here and knocked on the door said, "Would you please call 911?" So that's that's what we did. >> Police quickly connected the dots, phone records, text messages between Lloyd and Hernandez, and footage from Hernandez's own security system, all pointing investigators toward the athlete. A few days later, Hernandez was arrested at his home in front of television cameras. The man who had once been celebrated for his strength and fearlessness on the field now faced the biggest test of his life, a courtroom, a jury, and the possibility of never walking free again. When Hernandez first appeared in court, he smiled, leaned back, and acted untouchable. To the public eye, he seemed fearless, even in the face of mounting evidence. But behind that confident exterior, those closest to him revealed a different truth. Hernandez had told friends he couldn't handle prison. That the fought of life behind bars was unbearable. Some said he had even considered ending his life rather than spending decades locked away. Even as prosecutors presented evidence, footages, and witness testimony, Hernandez maintained a smile that masked terror, acting like nothing could touch him. But the man behind the smile was terrified of the reality closing in. The prosecution laid out their case, presenting cell phone records, text messages, and surveillance footage. They painted a picture of a man whose temper, pride, and fear of being disrespected had spiraled out of control. They described how Hernandez had interacted with Odin Lloyd in the days leading up to the incident and how in the early hours of June 17th, security footage showed Hernandez leaving home with two friends to pick up Lloyd. Hours later, cameras captured the same car returning, but this time Lloyd wasn't with them. Investigators said the evidence pointed clearly to Hernandez as the central figure. Hernandez's defense team countered by questioning the evidence, arguing that the investigators had assumed too much and that media coverage had tainted the public perception. They painted Hernandez as a dedicated athlete and father, emphasizing his commitments to his daughter and fiance, Shyana. Throughout the trial, Hernandez maintained his smile and confident posture, seemingly unfazed by the weight of the courtroom. But observers noticed subtle cracks, fleeting moments where anxiety flashed across his face, attention behind the otherwise calm exterior. After weeks of testimony, arguments, and deliberation, the jury finally returned with a guilty verdict. >> Madam for person, on indictment 2013-93- charging the defendant Aaron Hernandez with murder, what say you, madam for person? Is the defendant not guilty? Guilty of murder in the first degree or guilty of murder in the second degree. >> Guilty of murder in the first degree. >> Madam court person, by which theory or theories? Deliberate premeditation andor extreme atrocity or cruelty. >> Extreme atrocity or cruelty. >> The four persons spoke the words that would define the rest of his life. The man who had walked in confident and smiling now faced the full reality of life without freedom. In 2015, Hernandez was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. >> Mr. Hernandez, an indictment BRC 2013-0983- A, you're charged with the crime of murder. The jury returning a verdict of murder in the first first degree and in consideration of the crime for which you now stand committed. You were sentenced by order of the court as follows. You're committed to the MCI Cedar Junction for the term of your natural life without the possibility of parole on BRC 2013-0983-B where you were charged with the crime of unlawful possession of a firearm after the jury finding you guilty and the court in consideration of the crime for which you now stand committed or stand convicted. You are punished by imprisonment to MCI Cedar Junction for a term of not less than two and one half years to not more than three years committed concurrent with the life sentence imposed on counting. The sentence was clear, final, and crushing. Hernandez's demeanor in court remained composed to outsiders, but those who knew him understood the terror he felt. Friends later said he had fredded endlessly about life behind bars and that his confidence had always been a mask hiding a deep fear. Months into his sentence, Hernandez's mental state deteriorated. Letters and testimony from those who interacted with him in prison described a man tormented by regret, fear, and isolation. He had once said he couldn't survive prison, and that fear became an unrelenting shadow. On April 19th, 2017, Aaron Hernandez was discovered unresponsive in his cell. Officials confirmed he had ended his own life. The man who had smiled in court, who had carried himself with the confidence of a champion, could not face the life he had so feared. Behind the bravado, behind the fame, and behind the smiles was a man consumed by fear. A man who chose an ending no one expected rather than endure the reality of prison. Aaron Hernandez's death has been ruled a suicide now by the medical examiner, and there are new details about the circumstances surrounding that death. Investigators found three handwritten notes next to a Bible in his prison cell. Meanwhile, his family has filed papers asking the court to preserve all evidence related to his death. Add to that Odin Lloyd's mother, who spoke to reporters today, her son was the one Hernandez was convicted of killing in 2013. She said she wants to be a voice for mothers who have lost loved ones. >> It's not even about Odin Lloyd is about the person that committed the crime for Odin Lloyd. If it wasn't for that, you guys wouldn't be here to ask me questions about Odin Lloyd. So today, I'm speaking up for Odin Lloyd and for the families out there that is fighting for justice and doesn't have the voice that I can provide for them. You will never know and you will never understand unless you're in that boat of the tremendous loss. I lost my best friend. I lost my son. I lost the love of my life. I lost a strong boy in my family. Aaron Hernandez's story is a reminder of how fear and pride can collide and how even those who appear untouchable can be broken by the consequences they once thought they could handle. He once sat in a courtroom deciding who would go home and who would lose their freedom. But years later, the same justice system he served would turn its full weight against him. And the most chilling part is that he was given a second chance and the outcome was even worse. >> Put your hands up. PUT YOUR HANDS UP NOW. I cannot believe I did this. >> You're a vicious liar with no remorse. >> I accept full responsibility for it. I'm ashamed. >> You deserve the maximum sentence of state request. >> Lance Mason was a former judge, a state lawmaker, and a man deeply embedded in Ohio's legal and political system. In 2014, Lance Mason's name appeared in headlines for a reason no judge ever wants. Authorities responded to a serious emergency involving his wife, Aisha Fraser. A 911 call brought police to the scene. A call that would later become central to the case. >> 91 checker. Police emergency. >> Yes. Uh my husband just beat and threw me out the car. He has my two daughters in the car. >> Where you at? >> Van Aken Boulevard. >> Yeah. >> And like Avalon. He just threw me out the car. Orange Saturn View 2008. I'm afraid he's gonna hurt my daughters. >> Is he with you now or did he drive off? >> She drove off. They're taking me to South Point now. >> Who's taking you to South Point? >> I some nice people in the car stopped. I jumped in. >> Are you in the car now? >> In another person's car. Please find my kids. >> Are you injured? >> Yes. >> What investigators found that day was enough to trigger a criminal prosecution. >> How's my wife? What do you mean how's your wife? Where was wife? >> She was on She jumped out the car. >> She's okay. >> She's okay. All right. >> The judge then sentenced him to two years in prison with credit that ultimately resulted in 9 months served. After serving his time, Lance Mason was released. And this is where the story takes a turn that still troubles many people today. In 2018, emergency services received another urgent call. This time, the situation was far more severe. Aisha Fraser was found outside a home with life-threatening injuries. Police responded immediately. During the arrest process, Mason attempted to flee. His effort to escape resulted in a collision with a police vehicle, injuring an officer. That action alone added serious charges to an already devastating case. >> Put your hands UP NOW. PUT YOUR HANDS UP. HAND UP. Put your hands up. Put your hands up. I got I got contacts. Put your hands behind your back. Do it now. >> Watch. Watch. Watch. Is anyone else in the house? >> My daughter's in my sister. >> Where are they? Are they hurt? >> They're in They're in this bedroom. >> Are they hurt? >> No, not in any way. >> Okay. Where's the weapon? They're outside. I usually draw on. >> All right. Roll to your side. Let's get you on your feet. >> Stand on feet. >> Yeah. Okay. Have a seat right here. >> Put him up. He's just a hindrance. Two people uninjured in there. >> Three people. >> Three people uninjured. >> Yeah. My two daughters and cannot believe I did this. Within hours, Mason was in custody. The man who once commanded courtrooms was now facing multiple felony charges, including charges connected to the loss of life. This time, there would be no ambiguity, no second chance, no return to public life. The legal system moved swiftly. Initially, Lance Mason pleaded not guilty. >> Do you understand the charges against you? >> Yes, your honor. Do you wish to enter a plea, sir? >> Uh, not guilty. >> Court accepts a plea of not guilty. >> But as the case moved forward, evidence mounted, legal options narrowed, and reality closed in. Mason eventually changed his plea. He entered a guilty plea, bringing the case closer to its final chapter. >> Mr. Mason, then it were at that point going to ask you how you plead to count one aggravated murder. How do you plead to count two, murder? >> Guilty. >> How do you plead to count three, Felonius assault Alysa Frasier? >> Guilty. >> How do you plead to count four, violating a protection order? >> Guilty, honor. >> How do you plead to count five, grand theft? >> Guilty. >> How do you plead to count six, felonious assault? >> Guilty, honor. >> Court accepts the plea of guilty. find you guilty with regard to each and every one of those accounts. >> Your honor, I wish to take responsibility for the crimes I committed. I don't wish to prolong it or delay it or hurt my family or I should affect any more than I have >> and I and I respect that. >> Before sentencing, Mason addressed the court. His words were measured. He spoke of regret. He spoke of responsibility. He spoke as someone who finally understood the full weight of what the law demands. But the court was not there to reflect on his past status. It was there to determine consequences. I mean, I I'm I accept full responsibility for the horrific act I've done. I'm ashamed of it and you know, I'm prepared to be sentenced. >> Thank you. You deserve the maximum sentence of state requests. However, if there is something, anything positive to transpire out of this in the future is for you to make a difference while you are in prison. To help others with your background, to demonstrate a servant attitude. It is for that reason only that after you serve the five years for officer Flynn and 30 years for the aggravated murder as part of a life sentence, you will then be eligible to appear before a parole board. I am hopeful that during that period of time with that glimmer of hope that you will take advantage of that and you will in fact make a difference in the lives of those people around you. In summary, the court sentences you to life in prison with proeligibility in 30 years and five years for the felonious assault of Officer Flint. Those sentences to be served consecutively. >> The judge imposed a sentence of life in prison with the possibility of parole after 35 years. It was one of the harshest penalties under Ohio law and it marked the definitive end of Lance Mason's journey through the justice system. Ali Abalaban was famous online. His impressions, his comedy videos, his confident personality, it all drew millions of views. To his followers, he was funny, charismatic, and ambitious. But behind the screen, his personal life was falling apart. He was married to Anna Abalaban, and together they had a young daughter. To many, they looked like a perfect social media couple. But according to court records, their relationship had become toxic. Arguments, jealousy, accusations, all hidden behind curated smiles and filters. Anna had finally asked him to move out of their apartment. She wanted peace, space, and safety. But Ali didn't take that rejection well. He secretly made a copy of the apartment key, installed a recording device inside, and began listening in on her conversations. and what he heard next would send him spiraling. One day, Ali claimed he overheard another man's voice inside the apartment, the voice of Rayburn Cardanis Baron, a close friend of Anna. Fueled by rage and obsession, Ali returned to the apartment armed with a weapon. Prosecutors say he walked in and carried out an act that would forever destroy multiple lives. Moments later, he flagged the scene, but not before calling his mother. According to investigators, he told her what he'd done in tears, saying his life was over. Police later located and arrested him on the highway with his daughter in the vehicle. During an interview, he broke down. One moment sobbing uncontrollably, the next blaming Anna, insisting it was her fault. To >> see her kissing Ray on my couch. with his feet on my table, with my feet. I'm putting my apartment, my life, IN THE HOUSE THAT MY DAUGHTER SLEEPS IN ON THE FURNITURE THAT I PUT TOGETHER. WHAT DO YOU EXPECT A MAN TO FEEL? WELL, I guess THAT'S THE END OF my family. He said he just snapped. But to prosecutors, it wasn't a moment of madness. It was planned. >> You got off the elevator. What What happened next? >> As you can see, I was in a hurry to get in there. I didn't even wait for the door to open. Um, I was running, running, running. Um, I used my key card. The only thing I had in my hand was my key card. I opened the door. I barged in. I was immediately startled. I stopped right in my tracks like a deer in the headlights. They weren't in the bedroom. They weren't having sex. They're right there cuddling on the couch. I didn't expect that Anna would ever do that to me. Him of all people. I mean, she knew how I felt about him. She knew how I felt. I was trying to believe her. I was trying to believe that she wasn't cheating on me, that she would let me fix this cuz I was sick. I was struggling from drugs and mental illness and I [ __ ] up. I [ __ ] up a lot. But I was trying to fix this. And when I saw that it was him, I couldn't take it. I couldn't take the [ __ ] betrayal. I couldn't believe that she could do that to me, to our daughter. And then before I could stop myself, I just [ __ ] snapped. And my gun was in my hand. And next thing I'm shooting and and I can't stop. I'm just shooting. I'm shooting and I I'm even startled. It's like I'm watching it happen. I'm like I'm in the passenger seat of my own body. I can't stop it. And I hear Anna screaming and crying. And then I don't even remember shooting Anna. I just remember running back to the front door and I grabbed the door handle and then it hit me. I'm like, did that just happen? And I turn around and I see I see Anna leaning forward and there's blood and I'm like Anna and I couldn't believe I did that. Throughout the trial, Ali's behavior stunned everyone. He smiled, winked, even joked during testimony. >> I'm sorry. At times he stared directly at the jury as if daring them to judge him. He snapped at prosecutors when they questioned him. >> You shot Anna in the head. You pushed her head down into Ray's lap, right? >> Oh, get out of here. >> I'm not going to tolerate this. >> On October 18th, you were also re researching uh teen porn videos, correct? >> What? What did you just say? >> That's what you were researching. Correct. >> Say it again. >> Teen porn videos. >> You're out of your mind. >> Show me the teen you just said. You want to some kind of unless you show me what show me what you just said. I've never seen that in a discovery. I've been incarcerated 3 years. You never showed that to my my team. Where did you get that? >> But when they played the video of what took place at the apartment, he couldn't stop crying. He cried and cried and cried. Then came the text messages, one showing jealousy, anger, and control. The courtroom went silent. But through it all, Olly was still convinced that somehow he could talk his way out of it. that somehow he could beat the case. But when the verdict was read, the smile and confidence was gone. He quickly reacted angrily towards the victim's families who was rejoicing to the verdict. >> The jury above entitled cause find the defendant Ali Nasser Abulaban guilty of the crime of murder in the first degree. Silence. His face turned pale and he began to cry. The same man who once made millions laugh online was now just another defendant hearing the word guilty. And then the moment everyone waited for the sentencing. The judge looked straight at him and said, >> "He will die in prison. He will never be a free man. He will take his last breath there." The courtroom erupted. Gasps, claps, tears of relief. For the families, justice had finally spoken. >> This was the best the best we could hope for. And we just thank God that our prayers have been answered and now we can all rest. >> For Ali, the world he built, the followers, the fame, the ego, all collapsed in seconds. He tried to speak. He read a statement crying, apologizing, but no one was moved. To many, it was just another performance and the show was over. Ali Abulaban's story is a haunting reminder that the masks we wear online can't hide who we truly are. A man who once made millions laugh ended up making millions gasp. Two men, Jason G and Michael W. disappeared after leaving a Tampa nightclub. Family and friends raised alarms. 17 days later, Michael's body was found in the trunk of his own Jeep wrapped in a fitted sheet. Jason was never located. Police traced both disappearances to a residence 10 minutes away from the club at 213 West Powhattan, where investigators executed search warrants and uncovered digital chats, drug paraphernalia, photographs, and blood stains tied to Lorenzo and his accomplice, Scott Schwiker. Chat logs confirmed Lorenzo's shared intent with Schwiker to incapacitate and control men for sexual gratification. DNA on a gas mask and blood on his garage floor matched Jason with odds of any other match being in the trillions. Multiple photographs showed Michael's lifeless body inside the home, posing evidence Lorenzo later denied recalling. Schwher initially denied involvement, but then admitted participating in both deaths, including dismembering Jason and wrapping Michael's body for disposal in Michael's vehicle. In 2016, Schwikert accepted a plea deal, life in prison without parole, in exchange for full cooperation as a witness against Lorenzo. His sworn testimony during the penalty phase in February 2023 described how he and Lorenzo lured both victims, drugged them, and committed the atrocities. >> You chose to invite Jason Gay House back to Steven Lorenzo's house. Is that right? >> Uh Steven back. Yes. >> Tell us about what happened then. >> Uh well, we went back to Steven's place. U we all stood down in Steve's bedroom. Uh Jason uh climbed out of the bed and was shackled to the bed. Uh there were shackles that were already on the bed, the headboard and the footboard uh in the middle of both. But >> take us through the next step. What happened thereafter? >> Um well, I I climbed down the bed and I was starting to make up with him and playing with his his testicles a little bit, slapping them a little bit. Uh he was getting aroused hard. I unfortunately was not. As I said, wasn't my type. And I stepped to the bathroom to use the bathroom. I was gone maybe four or five minutes. I came back. Stephen was sitting basically behind him, had him in a choke hole and was choking him out. Uh, Michael was kicking a little bit and Stephen asked me to come over and hold his legs down. I think he was afraid that he might uh kick the kick the shackles loose from the foot forward or something along those lines. Uh, so I went over, I put my his legs to hold him in place. And after about another minute, maybe less, uh, he just stopped moving. Afterwards, I asked him what was it? He says it was a choke hole, something I always wanted to do, choke somebody out, you know, that way. >> All right. After after Steven Lorenzo said that's that's always something he wanted to do, uh, what other discussion? >> There wasn't much of a discussion at that point. He He immediately went into cleanup mode. He started with the legs. Did one leg, you know, cut it at the thigh bone, you know, cutting through. Uh, and, uh, after he cut one off, he grabbed a trash bag, put that body part in it, tie it off with a zip tie, shove it inside of another trash bag, and tie it off with the zip tie. He said, "This way it won't leak." Uh, he said, "Uh, we work so well together, I want to see, you know, if we can do it again. 606 driving school. That's where he went. And uh that's where he met Michael. Now Stephen wanted to ride with Michael back to the house. So they rode together in Michael's vehicle and I drove Steven back behind him. >> Okay. You arrived. Where did you go? What did you do? What did Michael Walks do? What did Steven Morenzo do? >> Well, like I say, we we came into the house and uh I didn't use the bathroom. I barely to the bathroom and Steven, "Scott, Scott, come here. I need your help." And I come back into the living room. Uh, Stephen is almost kneeling in front of Jason in between his legs, holding his arm as Michael is trying to get away from him. And I come in and I see this and I'm like, "Oh shit." And I jump in and turn my arms around Michael and hold him down. Uh Stephen grabs a rag from somewhere, a can of maximum impact, sprays it on the rag, and holds it over Michael's face until he goes unconscious. Uh at that point, we quickly strip off his clothing off him, leaving a rag on his face so that he doesn't conscious. After he's totally completely naked, we throw cuffs on him. At some point, Steven got undressed as well. And then uh after that, Steven jumped in pulled him back into his uh stomach and uh climbed on top of him and uh basically uh straddling his legs, pull hands on the back of his uh upper back uh forcing his face into the ground off to the side and was basically tippity [ __ ] his ass cheeks, dry humping in a sense, I guess. Uh well, once again, I had uh I had checked for the pulse and then uh found none. We removed the cuffs. Uh Stephen had once again grabbed a trash bag, started picking up Michael's belongings. He says, "Grab a grab a sheet out of that closet there in the hallway just outside the bathroom." And he told me spread it out there on on the floor. Uh so we did. and then lift the body out of the tub, laid it on sheet, wrapped it up in sheet, and then carried it out to Michael's vehicle. The body of Michael Walts in his vehicle were left abandoned in an apartment complex, parking lot a distance away from Steven Lorenzo's house. Is that right? >> Yes. >> That testimony helped prosecute the case against Lorenzo. Lorenzo spent nearly two decades denying involvement. Then in December 2022, he submitted a 147page handwritten letter to the court asking to plead guilty and specifically request the harshest penalty, even waving appeals. In his words, the end results will prove to be identical. He fired his defense team, represented himself, and entered a plea in open court, accepting responsibility in exchange for what he termed a more comfortable environment than federal prison. >> Two counts, first-degree murder. Mr. Lorenzo, how do you wish to plead to those two charges? >> Open guilty. At the penalty hearing in February 2023, Lorenzo stated that he could be on death row for 10 to 15 years, arguing that death row is a lot more comfortable than the federal system. He also expanded on his reincarnation beliefs, stating that the sooner he get euthanized, the sooner he can get himself a new body and come back again. >> I'm seeking the death penalty. It's in my best interest basically because um it's a comfort. It's not I'll be living much lot more comfortable than I would in the federal system living on death row, believe it or not. And uh and of course that may sound selfish, but I've lived in a private cell for the last 5 years and I'm going to have a private cell on death row. At my age, I want to be comfortable. I want my privacy. That's what I want. So that's what I'm doing. It may sound selfish, but that's the way it is. You live for today. You don't live for the past. You live for today. So, I'm asking you to give me the death sentence because that'll be more comfortable for me to live out my lifetime. I know I can be on death row for about 10 to 15 years, which I think is crazy. But, um, uh, as far as I see it, it's just youth in Asia. I already have a death sentence. Everybody in this room has a death sentence. So, as far as I'm concerned, you're just offering me a youth in Asia that I'm looking to do willingly. That's all it really comes down to. And so, I'm asking you to do that. So, uh, and I'm going to try to speed up this process so I don't have to wait 15 years because I got better things to do to my time. The sooner that I, uh, uh, get euthanized, as far as I'm concerned, the faster I can get, the sooner I can get fetch myself a new body and come back again, a fresh body. That's how I look at it because that's how it is. That's how a spiritual work. We're eternal beings. So, the way I look at it is the sooner I uh, euthanize, the sooner I can come back. I've got better things to do with my time than to hang out and spend the next 15, 20 years on death row or in any prison system. So that's what I'm asking for. It's selfish, but that's what I want. >> Judge Christopher Sabella replied stating that he don't know if what he say is some form of reverse psychology, but he will not consider what he want in issuing his sentence. The judge imposed the ultimate punishment by injection. I don't know if uh what you say is uh perhaps some form of reverse psychology, nor do I care. I will not consider what you want in issuing my sentence. >> I know that. Yes. >> All right. In the words of Miss Pam Williams, from one Italian to another, tando amorte, that translates to I sentence you, Mr. Lorenzo, to death. That is the punishment that you deserve >> for these horrific crimes. >> State Attorney Susan Lopez affirmed, stating that this is not about Steven Lorenzo. This is about Jason Gail House and Michael Walks, and that the harshest sentence is the only appropriate one. In June 2025, Florida's Supreme Court unanimously upheld Lorenzo's convictions and sentences, confirming he knowingly waved counsel, plead guilty, and represented himself during the penalty phase. Despite asking for the maximum punishment, Lorenzo has begun appealing the sentence, arguing procedural errors and excessiveness. That reversal, fighting a decision he asked for, reveals the ultimate irony. His manipulative reverse psychology gambit failed, and now he fights to avoid what he once demanded. Lorenzo disavowed traditional remorse, framed himself as spiritually eternal, and believed he could trick the system into giving him lesser punishment. He referred to his jail cell comforts and reincarnation multiple times. He mocked the idea of legal mercy, claiming childish and ridiculous systems. Justice prevailed. Driven by victim's voices, not by Lorenzo's manipulation, Lorenzo assumed clinical detachment and calculated theatrics would protect him. Instead, the legal system saw through it and gave him exactly what he said he wanted. Steven Lorenzo thought himself untouchable. He walked into court thinking he was in control, that reverse psychology and manipulation would save him. But the judge wasn't fooled. Now he's sitting on death row trying to escape the very outcome he asked for. He thought he was playing the system, but in the end the system played him. Dr. Matthews built a reputation as a gifted and trusted heart doctor. To patients, he was calm, charming, and confident. But behind that persona, authorities say he used sedatives, manipulation, and his medical knowledge for one purpose, to take advantage of women. Some of these women trusted him completely. Others were barely conscious when they realized something wasn't right. Would you ever imagine that the person checking your heartbeat could be capable of something like this? Over the span of several years, Matthews was accused of drugging multiple women. Sometimes at his home, sometimes under the guise of medical help. In many cases, the women reported waking up confused, disoriented, realizing something was horribly wrong. He seemed like the perfect match, a successful cardiologist on a dating app. But women who went out with him say he was a monster who spiked their drinks and then brutally sexually assaulted them. >> I got in the hot tub and the very last thing I remember is just looking at the water and then just lights out. >> Audrey, she asked that only her first name be used, says it happened on her first date with Dr. Matthews. Her mother found her at home. She was in the shower, you know, half clothed and just making uh making no sense. >> After Audrey came forward to tell her story, 10 more women found the courage to accuse Dr. Matthews. Prosecutors say there are likely dozens more victims staying in the shadows. Each had the same story, waking up groggy after a first date with no recollection of what had happened. What made the case even more disturbing was how calculated it was. Authorities uncovered text messages, hidden footage, and patterns of manipulation. Matthews often used his charm to disarm his victims, making them feel safe, even cared for, right before betraying that trust in the most personal way. When the case finally went to trial, the courtroom was filled with tension. Multiple survivors testified, some breaking down as they recalled what they experienced. >> I am scarred by what happened to me that afternoon. I have been in therapy for the last 18 months. Steven Matthews took away what normal looks like for me. I developed debilitating anxiety and PTSD when having sexual encounters, where men touching me made me tremble and cry. I don't think there are words to describe what it felt like to know that I was losing control of my ability to function and protect myself and that there was nothing I could do to stop it from happening. >> The prosecution laid out a chilling pattern. a man who used his position of power to harm repeatedly and intentionally. But Dr. Matthews denied everything. His defense tried to paint the accusations as exaggerated, even fabricated, but the evidence was too strong, too consistent. And when the guilty verdict was read, Matthews, once confident and composed, began to cry. Was it regret or just the realization that his secret life had finally caught up with him? We the jury find the defendant Steven Matthews guilty of choose only one. It is sexual assault incapable of appraising nature of conduct. >> When Steven Matthews heard the word guilty, he collapsed onto the table, sobbing uncontrollably. But that was just the beginning. On the day of sentencing, he walked into court knowing prison was inevitable. What he didn't expect was the staggering 158year sentence the judge handed down. >> And in here today, there is a room full of pain. And this is pain that you have caused your victims. >> Mr. Matthews, you know, you have diminished this world. You have dimmed many of its lights. You've hurt our society and it's a darker place because of you. It would be improper if you did not serve a sentence for each victim individually. The total number of years are 158 years in prison. This matter is concluded. The weight of it crushed him. As his mother stood and gave a tearful statement, Steven broke down, crying even harder. The reality of it all was fully setting in. >> I hope that I will one day be able to hug you and see you on the other side of these walls. >> But the courtroom wasn't moved by his tears. The victims made it clear they didn't care that he was crying. One victim said, "He had no mercy for us. Why should we feel sorry for him now? Another added, he deserves every year he got. >> I don't think if he was ever allowed back out that this would be something that would stop. So, a life sentence. Um, and that's hard. I, you know, obviously never wish that on anyone, but he's made his choices and there are consequences for that. >> He will repeat this. He will do it again. It is who he is to his core. He should never be allowed to do it again. >> Did you look over at him and see his reaction at all? >> Yes. >> What did you think? >> I don't care. You did this to all of us. You took away our memory. You took away the ability to live our life carefree. I was 22 when this happened to me. I'm 24. Spent almost 2 years dealing with the trauma and stress and anxiety. So, I don't care. It's been really heavy on us, too. So, I can't even imagine all the victims in this as well. >> Alexa and Lauren sat on the jury for the whole month and served as alternates. >> It was a good wakeup call. Um but it was really hard to see um the victims and the pain that they were enduring. Um and the amount of victim blaming that was happening is a really good representation of how the world is right now. >> One survivor in a powerful statement said, "I trusted him with my health. I didn't know I was handing him control over my life. Can you imagine the betrayal?" How would you feel if your own doctor had done this to someone you love? The Matthews case has now become a story about power, trust, and how appearances can be deceiving. It's a warning that predators don't always come in shadows. Sometimes they wear white coats and smile in daylight. >> Know that everybody is a little bit concerned right now with what's going on. And I think that there are some things that we can do to kind of ease ourselves. One of them being making sure that every single time uh we kind of touch a doorork knob or touch a handle, we make sure to wash our hands afterwards. That's really important. Anytime that we're thinking about eating, we should make sure that we wash our hands before we eat as well as after we eat. Other things as far as, you know, making sure that you're not going into a group of people is going to be really important as well. It's okay to just still be around your family though because I think at this point in time, family is really important and you just have to take measures as far as if somebody's not feeling well to then ask them to make make sure that they try to get the care they need. >> Dr. Steven Matthews thought he was too smart to be caught, too trusted to be questioned, too respected to be stopped. But in the end, the truth caught up with him. The courtroom exposed him and justice buried him. From the very beginning, Ronnie Anneil's case was anything but normal. It was March 2018 in Riverview, Florida. What unfolded inside of his home was nothing short of horrific. Prosecutors would later say that Ronnie launched a brutal attack on his own family, his girlfriend Kinyatta Baron, and their daughter. His son, who survived, would later tell a chilling story of what happened that night. Neighbors recalled hearing screams followed by the sound of chaos. One desperate 911 call captured Kinyatta begging for her life. >> What's your emergency? >> I'm shot and help me. I'm shot. Help me, please. Jesus, help me. I'm shot. >> What's the address of the emergency, ma'am? >> What's the What's the address of your emergency? >> I'm shot. Help me, please. >> What's your address? >> Help me. Help me, please. Where? >> Ma'am. Hello, ma'am. >> The next call was from Ronnie himself, claiming that he was attacked by white demons. >> 911. What is your emergency? Hey, I just been attacked by some white demons inside and she tried to kill me and I just killed her stupid ass. >> By the time police arrived, the home was engulfed in flames and the scene inside was one of devastation. But here's the question. How do you explain the unexplainable when the person accused is a father, a partner, the one meant to protect? Before trial even began, Ronnie made a bold choice. He fired his legal team because he believed nobody could fight for him like he could. Standing tall before the judge, he declared he would be his own lawyer. It wasn't just unusual, it was dangerous. Because when you go against experienced prosecutors, every word matters, and Ronnie's words would become his downfall. As his own lawyer, Ronnie had to cross-examine witnesses, including his own son. His father and son faced each other. Despite severe injuries, this young boy took the stand and pointed directly at his father. He described in heartbreaking detail how this mother was attacked and how he himself was targeted. Imagine the jury hearing those words, not from police, not from lawyers, but from a child who lived through it. How do you argue against that? Ronnie believed he could. So, he cross-examined his son and asked him if he had hurt him that night. And in a heartbreaking scene, the boy calmly said yes. >> Did I hurt you that night of this incident? >> Yes, >> I did. And how did I hurt you? >> You stabbed me. >> Instead of dismantling the boy's testimony, Ronnie's questions only highlighted his child's pain. The boy stayed firm. His story didn't change, and every word he spoke chipped away at Ronnie's defense. After days of testimony, it all came down to Ronnie's closing statement. This was his chance to convince the jury, his moment to stand tall and declare his innocence one last time. But then came the slip. In the heat of his fiery speech, Ronnie shouted at the prosecutors. >> I want you to know the actual facts. I did kill Kenya. >> But I WANT YOU TO TELL IT LIKE IT IS IF YOU GOING TO TELL IT. The courtroom froze. Even the judge could not believe what she heard. And just like that, his entire defense collapsed. He had spent days screaming, "Not guilty." But in that single moment, he admitted the very thing he had denied. It didn't take long. The jury returned with a guilty verdict on all counts. >> State of Florida versus Rio Neil the third case number 2018 CF 004019 vert form tri division one. Are we the jury find as follows as account one of the charge the defendant is guilty of first-degree murder as charged. The defendant did actually possess and discharge a firearm causing death. Are we the jury finds as account two of the charge? The defendant is guilty of first-degree murder, premeditated murder, and felony murder. The jury finds this follows the count three of the charge. The defendant is guilty of attempted first-degree murder is charged. We the jury find as follows the count four of the charge. The defendant is guilty of arson dwelling is charged. We the jury find as follows to count five of the charge. The defendant is guilty of aggravated child abuse is charged. We the jury find as follows to count six of the charge. The defendant is guilty of aggra I'm sorry aggravated child abuse is charged. We the jury find as follows to count seven of the charge the defendant is guilty of resisting an officer without violence as charged. So say we all that this 21st day of June 2021. >> During sentencing, Ronnie's tone didn't shift. He tried shouting again, but the judge wasn't having it. I am not sorry for something I didn't do and I am not sorry for the things I did do. >> Mr. O'Neal, listen. Stop. Right. Stop. Listen to me. I'm not >> You're not going to raise your voice again. >> I'm not going to raise my voice again. >> I'm not. >> I will have you removed from this courtroom. I consented you without you being present. >> Yes, ma'am. >> I understand y'all. >> Thank you. >> But I will say I'm sorry for your loss. >> 19 years I've been at this job. I've seen human beings killed at the hands of others in every way imaginable. You name it, I've seen it. Shootings, stabbings, drownings, suffocating, blown apart by uh cars and DUI manslaughter cases. Horrible things. This is the worst case I have ever seen as far as the facts go. The way that Miss Baron died was horrific and that 911 call which captured truly all of it. I you've heard and everyone who's heard that 911 call heard a death scream. If anybody ever wants to know what it sounds like before a human being dies knowing that their death is imminent, that's exactly what it is. That was a death scream. >> We don't see if it's true. >> Ronnie O'Neal was sentenced to life in prison without parole. Ronnie thought he could play lawyer. He thought he could shout down the truth, but in the end, his own words sealed his fate. The man accused of plowing his SUV into a Christmas parade that left six dead and more than 60 injured wasn't pleading for mercy. He was fighting, fighting the judge, fighting the prosecutors, fighting the very system that tried to hold him accountable. He pounded his fists, accused the court of being biased, and called the entire process a game. One more interruption and you're going to be removed to the next courtroom. >> That's what you want to do anyway. >> It's not what I want to do. Do not interrupt attorney oper. >> So, your honor, I believe he has seven prior criminal convictions via OWI second from 2003, criminal trespass dwelling from 2006. >> I need to take a break. This man right now is having a staredown with me. It's very disrespectful. He pounded his fist. Frankly, it makes me scared. and we're taking a break. >> It wasn't just defiance, it was chaos. But let's step back for a minute. On November 21st, 2021, the city of Wauaaw, Wisconsin was glowing with holiday cheer. Families lined the streets for the annual Christmas parade. It was supposed to be joy until it turned into horror. At 4:39 p.m., a red Ford Escape burst past the barricades and roared down the parade route. Witnesses say it was swerving intentionally, targeting clusters of people. In seconds, laughter turned to screams. Six lives were stolen that day, including 8-year-old Jackson Sparks. 62 others were injured. Behind the wheel was Daryl Brooks Jr., a career criminal with a rap sheet stretching back to the 1990s. Just 2 days earlier, he had walked free on a $1,000 bond for another violent case. And now the unthinkable had happened. His arrest was almost surreal. After fleeing the SUV, Brooks knocked on a stranger's door, claiming he was homeless and waiting for an Uber. But within minutes, police swarmed and took him into custody. Hey, can I my ID? My ID. >> Hands up. Put your hands where I can SEE >> 2600 block. >> The case seemed open and shut, but what unfolded in court was anything but simple. Brooks fired his public defenders and insisted on representing himself. >> Do you wish to represent yourself in this case? >> Yes, I do. before I'm sorry. Go ahead. >> I would like to represent myself pro court per >> if you are allowed to represent yourself in this case, sir. You will not have attorneys assisting you. If I let them withdraw, they are gone from this case. Do you understand that? >> From that moment, the courtroom became a battlefield. He flooded the trial with sovereign citizen arguments, denying the state's jurisdiction, questioning the court's authority and objecting to nearly every sentence spoken by prosecutors and even the judge. Day after day, the disruptions mounted. Brooks ripped his shirt off, hid notes in his pants, and at one point had to be wheeled into a separate courtroom where he could watch proceedings on a monitor, muted when necessary. His outbursts weren't just frequent, they were volcanic. He shouted at Judge Doro in one explosive exchange, saying, "Your life is not on the line. Mine is >> time, your honor. >> It is based on the list that you provided." And >> that didn't have a time that didn't have a time or of this game with you, sir. >> It's not no game. That's what you don't seem to understand. >> You I believe that fully. >> I don't care what you believe fully. >> All right. >> It's not a game. >> I don't take this as a game. That's what That's what nobody That's what nobody You don't got to explain nothing to me. >> Do you want >> That's what you don't understand. You think that this is a whole game to me. This is not a game to me, your honor. >> Nothing about this is a joke. >> That's what y'all don't understand. >> And it's unfair. It's unfair. And it's disrespectful to me that you think I would come in here purposely and treat this like a joke or a game. >> I never said it was a joke. >> WHAT TYPE WHAT TYPE WHAT TYPE OF WHAT TYPE OF statement is that? M >> your life is not on the line. Mine is. And you think that I think this is funny? >> I don't think it's funny whatsoever. >> So I think your honor, WITH ALL DUE RESPECT, I THINK YOU SHOULD SHOW SOME RESPECT. >> TAKE A 5M minute break and when we come back, the jury's coming out and you need to call your next witness. Thank you. We are in >> No, you you not rushing me to judgement. I don't care which one. >> Through it all, Doro maintained control. Though it wore on her, she described the case as the most challenging of her career. Jurors watched patiently, as if waiting for Broke storm to run out of thunder. But the evidence was overwhelming. Videos of the SUV tearing through the parade. Dozens of eyewitnesses, survivors who pointed at Brooks as the man behind the wheel. On October 26th, 2022, after just 3 hours of deliberation, the jury returned guilty on all 76 counts. We the jury find the defendant Daryl E. Brooks guilty of firstdegree intentional homicide as charged in count three of the information. And I should state as to count two it was signed and dated by the four person same as to count three. Did the defendant commit firstdegree intentional homicide while using a dangerous weapon? Answer yes. >> Six lives taken, 61 more endangered and countless families shattered. Sentencing came weeks later and it became one of the most emotional hearings in Wisconsin history. 45 survivors and family members stepped forward. Their words cut through the courtroom like glass. Even then, Brooks tried to argue. He interrupted again, challenged the victims and declared he too was a victim of a broken system. >> You want to sit up here, >> stop, >> and try to try to add something in that you know for a fact never even happened. You want to sit up here and talk about who has grace and all this. You talking about someone with five kids that don't have custody. >> You need to stop right now or you will be removed. >> Remove me then. >> All right. He will be removed. He cannot simply stay quiet anyway. I don't consent to this. >> But when it was finally her turn, Judge Doro's composure gave way. Fighting tears, she spoke directly to Brooks, saying, "There are no words to describe the depth of pain you have caused. It's hard not to think about what I watched and not have this reaction. Those were images that frankly kept me up at night that I saw over and over and over for their band director. She is a hero to me to get up on the stand to talk about and that was Sarah Wayer Aparicio to identify each one of her students. Talk about their formation. Talk about what she saw so strong for all of you. Then came the sentence. Six consecutive life sentences without the possibility of parole. One for each victim, plus more than 762 years for the dozens of others injured. >> Frankly, Mr. Brooks, no one is safe from you. This community can only be safe if you are behind bars for the rest of your life. On counts 1 through six, this court is imposing a life sentence without the possibility or eligibility for extended supervision consecutive to one another. One life sentence for Virginia Sorenson. One life sentence for Lyanna Owen. One life sentence for Tamara Durant. One life sentence for Jane Kulic. One life sentence for Bill Hospel. And one life sentence for Jackson Sparks. on counts 7 through 67 consecutive to any other sentence that I've imposed here today. That is 762 and a half years of initial confinement and 305 years of extended supervision on top of the life sentences that I've imposed. Has anyone else joined the Zoom? >> No. It was in essence a punishment meant to keep Daryl Brooks behind bars forever. And for the first time, after weeks of arrogance and anger, Brooks broke. He stood at the defense table, lips folding, taking deep breath, though you can barely see the tears sliding down his face. The same man who had mocked the court, shouted at the judge, and denied his own name, finally turned soft, showing signs of crying when his own fate was sealed. The Wakaawa parade attack will always be remembered as one of the darkest days in Wisconsin's history. But in that courtroom, justice was delivered loudly, painfully, and with tears from both the families of the victims and from the very judge who handed it down. Now, here's the question I want to leave you with. Daryl Brooks turned his trial into a circus, arguing, shouting, and showing no remorse until the very end. But when the judge handed down his sentence, he finally broke down in tears. Do you think those tears were real? True regret for what he did, or was it just the realization that he'd never walk free again? Let me know what you think in the comments. He wasn't afraid to make choices that would destroy everything. In court, he smiled like nothing could break him, but behind that smile was a fear so deep it would lead to an ending no one expected. Aaron Hernandez was a rising football star playing for the New England Patriots, one of the biggest and most successful teams in the NFL. With a huge contract and fame on every field, he seemed unstoppable. Fans and teammates respected him, and the world watched as he dominated the sport. But off the field, Hernandez's world was far more complicated. He surrounded himself with people from his old neighborhood, mixed loyalty with pride, and often felt caught between the life he had left behind and the one he was trying to build. Friends later said he was paranoid, convinced others were talking about him or trying to cross him. That tension came to a head in June 2013. Prosecutors said Hernandez became angry with Odin Lloyd, a semi-pro football player who was dating the sister of Hernandez's fianceé. The two had gone out together just days earlier, and something that night allegedly triggered Hernandez's suspicion that Lloyd had disrespected him in front of others. According to investigators, in the early morning hours of June 17, Lloyd got into a car with Hernandez and two of his friends. Surveillance cameras from Hernandez's home showed the group leaving the house and later returning without Lloyd. A worker discovered Lloyd's body a short distance from Hernandez's neighborhood later that day. The discovery stunned the community and the sports world. >> And so this guy was jogging and he found a body and he came over here and knocked on the door said, "Would you please call 911?" So that's that's what we did. >> Police quickly connected the dots, phone records, text messages between Lloyd and Hernandez, and footage from Hernandez's own security system, all pointing investigators toward the athlete. A few days later, Hernandez was arrested at his home in front of television cameras. The man who had once been celebrated for his strength and fearlessness on the field now faced the biggest test of his life, a courtroom, a jury, and the possibility of never walking free again. When Hernandez first appeared in court, he smiled, leaned back, and acted untouchable. To the public eye, he seemed fearless, even in the face of mounting evidence. But behind that confident exterior, those closest to him revealed a different truth. Hernandez had told friends he couldn't handle prison, that the thought of life behind bars was unbearable. Some said he had even considered ending his life rather than spending decades locked away. Even as prosecutors presented evidence, footages, and witness testimony, Hernandez maintained a smile that masked terror, acting like nothing could touch him. But the man behind the smile was terrified of the reality closing in. The prosecution laid out their case, presenting cell phone records, text messages, and surveillance footage. They painted a picture of a man whose temper, pride, and fear of being disrespected had spiraled out of control. They described how Hernandez had interacted with Odin Lloyd in the days leading up to the incident and how in the early hours of June 17th, security footage showed Hernandez leaving home with two friends to pick up Lloyd. Hours later, cameras captured the same car returning, but this time Lloyd wasn't with them. Investigators said the evidence pointed clearly to Hernandez as the central figure. Hernandez's defense team countered by questioning the evidence, arguing that the investigators had assumed too much and that media coverage had tainted the public perception. They painted Hernandez as a dedicated athlete and father, emphasizing his commitments to his daughter and fiance, Shyana. Throughout the trial, Hernandez maintained his smile and confident posture, seemingly unfazed by the weight of the courtroom. But observers noticed subtle cracks, fleeting moments where anxiety flashed across his face, attention behind the otherwise calm exterior. After weeks of testimony, arguments, and deliberation, the jury finally returned with a guilty verdict. >> Madam for person, on indictment 2013-93- charging the defendant Aaron Hernandez with murder, what say you, madam for person? Is the defendant not guilty? Guilty of murder in the first degree or guilty of murder in the second degree. >> Guilty of murder in the first degree. >> Madam court person, by which theory or theories? Deliberate premeditation andor extreme atrocity or cruelty. >> Extreme atrocity or cruelty. >> The four persons spoke the words that would define the rest of his life. The man who had walked in confident and smiling now faced the full reality of life without freedom. In 2015, Hernandez was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. >> Mr. Hernandez, an indictment BRC 2013-0983- A for your charge with the crime of murder, the jury returning a verdict of murder in the first first degree. And in consideration of the crime for which you now stand committed, you were sentenced by order of the court as follows. You were committed to the MCI Cedar Junction for the term of your natural life without the possibility of parole on BRC 2013-0983-B where you were charged with the crime of unlawful possession of a firearm after the jury finding you guilty and the court in consideration of the crime for which you now stand committed or stand convicted. You are punished by imprisonment to MCI Cedar Junction for a term of not less than two and one half years to not more than three years committed concurrent with the life sentence imposed on account A. The sentence was clear, final, and crushing. Hernandez's demeanor in court remained composed to outsiders, but those who knew him understood the terror he felt. Friends later said he had fredded endlessly about life behind bars and that his confidence had always been a mask hiding a deep fear. Months into his sentence, Hernandez's mental state deteriorated. Letters and testimony from those who interacted with him in prison described a man tormented by regret, fear, and isolation. He had once said he couldn't survive prison, and that fear became an unrelenting shadow. On April 19th, 2017, Aaron Hernandez was discovered unresponsive in his cell. Officials confirmed he had ended his own life. The man who had smiled in court, who had carried himself with the confidence of a champion, could not face the life he had so feared. Behind the bravado, behind the fame, and behind the smiles, was a man consumed by fear. A man who chose an ending no one expected rather than endure the reality of prison. Aaron Hernandez's death has been ruled a suicide now by the medical examiner, and there are new details about the circumstances surrounding that death. Investigators found three handwritten notes next to a Bible in his prison cell. Meanwhile, his family has filed papers asking the court to preserve all evidence related to his death. Add to that Odin Lloyd's mother, who spoke to reporters today, her son was the one Hernandez was convicted of killing in 2013. and she said she wants to be a voice for mothers who have lost loved ones. >> It's not even about Odin Lloyd is about the person that committed the crime for Odin Lloyd. If it wasn't for that, you guys wouldn't be here to ask me questions about Odin Lloyd. So today, I'm speaking up for Odin Lloyd and for the families out there that is fighting for justice and doesn't have the voice that I can provide for them. You will never know and you will never understand unless you're in that boat of the tremendous loss. I lost my best friend. I lost my son. I lost the love of my life. I lost a strong bone in my family. Aaron Hernandez's story is a reminder of how fear and pride can collide and how even those who appear untouchable can be broken by the consequences they once thought they could handle. He once sat in a courtroom deciding who would go home and who would lose their freedom. But years later, the same justice system he served would turn its full weight against him. And the most chilling part is that he was given a second chance and the outcome was even worse. >> Put your hands up. Put your HANDS UP NOW. I cannot believe I did this. >> You're a vicious liar with no remorse. >> I accept full responsibility for it. I'm ashamed. >> You deserve the maximum sentence of state request. >> Lance Mason was a former judge, a state lawmaker, and a man deeply embedded in Ohio's legal and political system. In 2014, Lance Mason's name appeared in headlines for a reason no judge ever wants. Authorities responded to a serious emergency involving his wife, Aisha Fraser. A 911 call brought police to the scene. A call that would later become central to the case. >> 91 checker. Police emergency. >> Yes. Uh my husband just beat me and threw me out the car. He has my two daughters in the car. >> Where you at? >> Van Aken Boulevard. >> Yeah. >> And like Avalon, she just threw me out the car. Orange Saturn View 2008. I'm afraid he's going to hurt my daughters. >> Is he with you now or did he drive off? >> She drove off. They're taking me to South Point now. >> Who's taking you to South Point? >> I some nice people in the car stopped. I jumped in. >> Are you in the car now? >> In another person's car. Please find my kids. >> Are you injured? >> Yes. >> What investigators found that day was enough to trigger a criminal prosecution. >> How's my wife? What do you mean how's your wife? Where would wife be? >> She was on She jumped out the car. >> She's okay. >> She's okay. All right. >> The judge then sentenced him to 2 years in prison with credit that ultimately resulted in 9 months served. After serving his time, Lance Mason was released. And this is where the story takes a turn that still troubles many people today. In 2018, emergency services received another urgent call. This time, the situation was far more severe. Aisha Fraser was found outside a home with life-threatening injuries. Police responded immediately. During the arrest process, Mason attempted to flee. His effort to escape resulted in a collision with a police vehicle, injuring an officer. That action alone added serious charges to an already devastating case. >> PUT YOUR HANDS UP NOW. PUT YOUR HANDS UP. HAND UP. Hands up. >> I got I got contacts. Put your hands behind your back. Do it now. Watch. Watch. Watch. Is anyone else in the house? >> My daughter's in my sister. >> Where are they? Are they hurt? >> They're in They're in this bedroom. >> Are they hurt? No, not in any way. >> Okay. Where's the weapon? >> They're outside. I use the drone. All right. >> All right. Roll to your side. Let's get you on your feet. >> Stand on feet. >> Yeah. Okay. Have a seat right here. >> Put him up. He's just a hindrance. Two people uninjured in there. Here. >> Three people. >> Three people uninjured. >> Yeah. my two daughters and cannot believe I did this. >> Within hours, Mason was in custody. The man who once commanded courtrooms was now facing multiple felony charges, including charges connected to the loss of life. This time, there would be no ambiguity, no second chance, no return to public life. The legal system moved swiftly. Initially, Lance Mason pleaded not guilty. Do you understand the charges against you? >> Yes, your honor. >> Do you wish to enter a plea, sir? >> Uh, not guilty. >> Court accepts a plea of not guilty. >> But as the case moved forward, evidence mounted, legal options narrowed, and reality closed in. Mason eventually changed his plea. He entered a guilty plea, bringing the case closer to its final chapter. >> Mr. Mason, then it were at that point. I'm going to ask you how you plead to count one, aggravated murder. >> Guilty. >> How do you plead to count two, murder? >> Guilty. >> How do you plead to count three, Felonius assault, Alicia Frasier? >> Guilty. >> How do you plead to count four, violating a protection order? >> Guilty, honor. >> How do you plead to count five, grand theft? >> Guilty. How do you plead to count six felonious assault? >> Guilty honor. >> Court accepts the plea of guilty. Find you guilty with regard to each and every one of those accounts. >> Your honor, I wish to take responsibility for the crimes I committed. I don't wish to prolong it or delay or hurt my family any more than I have. >> And I and I respect that. >> Before sentencing, Mason addressed the court. His words were measured. He spoke of regret. He spoke of responsibility. He spoke as someone who finally understood the full weight of what the law demands. But the court was not there to reflect on his past status. It was there to determine consequences. >> I I accept full responsibility for the horrific act I've done. I'm ashamed of it. And you know, I'm prepared to be sentenced. >> Thank you. You deserve the maximum sentence of state requests. However, if there is something anything positive to transpire out of this in the future is for you to make a difference while you are in prison. to help others with your background to demonstrate a servant attitude. It is for that reason only that after you served the five years for officer Flint and 30 years for the aggravated murder as part of a life sentence, you will then be eligible to appear before a parole board. I am hopeful that during that period of time with that glimmer of hope that you will take advantage of that and you will in fact make a difference in the lives of those people around you. In summary, the court sentences you to life in prison with proeligibility in 30 years and five years for the felonious assault of officer Flint. Those sentences to be served consecutively. >> The judge imposed a sentence of life in prison with the possibility of parole after 35 years. It was one of the harshest penalties under Ohio law and it marked the definitive end of Lance Mason's journey through the justice system. Ali Abulaban was famous online. His impressions, his comedy videos, his confident personality, it all drew millions of views. To his followers, he was funny, charismatic, and ambitious. But behind the screen, his personal life was falling apart. He was married to Anna Abalaban, and together they had a young daughter. To many, they looked like a perfect social media couple. But according to court records, their relationship had become toxic. Arguments, jealousy, accusations, all hidden behind curated smiles and filters. Anna had finally asked him to move out of their apartment. She wanted peace, space, and safety. But Ali didn't take that rejection well. He secretly made a copy of the apartment key, installed a recording device inside, and began listening in on her conversations. and what he heard next would send him spiraling. One day, Ali claimed he overheard another man's voice inside the apartment, the voice of Raburn Cardinus Baron, a close friend of Anna. Fueled by rage and obsession, Ali returned to the apartment armed with a weapon. Prosecutors say he walked in and carried out an act that would forever destroy multiple lives. Moments later, he fled the scene, but not before calling his mother. According to investigators, he told her what he'd done in tears, saying his life was over. Police later located and arrested him on the highway with his daughter in the vehicle. During an interview, he broke down one moment sobbing uncontroller blaming to see her kissing Ray on my couch. Anthony, my apartment, my place IN THE HOUSE THAT MY DAUGHTER SLEEPS IN ON THE FURNITURE THAT I PUT TOGETHER. WHAT DO YOU EXPECT A MAN TO FEEL? WELL, I guess THAT'S THE END OF my family. He said he just snapped. But to prosecutors, it wasn't a moment of madness. It was planned. >> You got off the elevator. What What happened next? >> As you can see, I was in a hurry to get in there. I didn't even wait for the door to open. Um, I was running, running, running. Um, I used my key card. The only thing I had in my hand was my key card. I opened the door. I barged in. I was immediately startled. I stopped right in my tracks like a deer in the headlights. They weren't in the bedroom. They weren't having sex. They're right there cuddling on the couch. I didn't expect that Aaron would ever do that to me. Him of all people. I mean, she knew how I felt about him. She knew how I felt. I was trying to believe her. I was trying to believe that she wasn't cheating on me, that she would let me fix this cuz I was sick. I was struggling from drugs and mental illness and I [ __ ] up. I [ __ ] up a lot. But I was trying to fix this. And when I saw that it was him, I couldn't take it. I couldn't take the [ __ ] betrayal. I couldn't believe that she could do that to me, to our daughter. And then before I could stop myself, I just [ __ ] snapped. And my gun was in my hand. And next thing I'm shooting and and I can't stop. I'm just shooting. I'm shooting and I I'm even startled. It's like I'm watching it happen. I'm like I'm in the passenger seat of my own body. I can't stop it. And I hear Anna screaming and crying. And then I don't even remember shooting Anna. I just remember running back to the front door and I grabbed the door handle and then it hit me. I'm like, did that just happen? And I turn around and I see I see Anna lean forward and there's blood and I'm like Anna and I couldn't believe I did that. Throughout the trial, Ali's behavior stunned everyone. He smiled, winked, even joked during testimony. >> I'm sorry. At times he stared directly at the jury as if daring them to judge him. He snapped at prosecutors when they questioned him. >> You shot Anna in the head. You pushed her head down into Ray's lap, right? >> Oh, get out of >> I'm not going to tolerate this. >> On October 18th, you were also re researching uh teen porn videos, correct? >> What? What did you just say? >> That's what you were researching. Correct. >> Say it again. >> Teen porn videos. >> You're out your mind. >> Show me the teen you just said. You want to me some kind of unless you show me what show me what you just said. I've never seen that in a discovery. I've been incarcerated 3 years. You never showed that to my my team. Where did you get that? >> But when they played the video of what took place at the apartment, he couldn't stop crying. He cried and cried and cried. Then came the text messages, one showing jealousy, anger, and control. The courtroom went silent. But through it all, Olly was still convinced that somehow he could talk his way out of it. that somehow he could beat the case. But when the verdict was read, the smile and confidence was gone. He quickly reacted angrily towards the victim's families who was rejoicing to the verdict. >> The jury above entitled cause find the defendant Ali Naser Abulaban guilty of the crime of murder in the first degree. Silence. His face turned pale and he began to cry. The same man who once made millions laugh online was now just another defendant hearing the word guilty. And then the moment everyone waited for the sentencing. The judge looked straight at him and said, >> "He will die in prison. He will never be a free man. He will take his last breath THERE in this." The courtroom erupted. Gasps, claps, tears of relief. For the families, justice had finally spoken. >> This was the best, the best we could hope for. And we just thank God that our prayers have been answered and now we can all rest. >> For Ali, the world he built, the followers, the fame, the ego, all collapsed in seconds. He tried to speak. He read a statement crying, apologizing, but no one was moved. To many, it was just another performance and the show was over. Ali Abulaban's story is a haunting reminder that the masks we wear online can't hide who we truly are. A man who once made millions laugh, ended up making millions gasp. Two men, Jason G and Michael W. disappeared after leaving a Tampa nightclub. Family and friends raised alarms. 17 days later, Michael's body was found in the trunk of his own Jeep, wrapped in a fitted sheet.