You're 14? Yes. There's a dead girl. You need to think. I didn't want to hurt her feelings. This crybaby is 14-year-old Aaron Schmit. Right now, Aaron is throwing a hissy fit after murdering his ex-girlfriend, Alana Callahan. And as he watches his life come crumbling down, he will do the one thing he does best, call for mommy. I don't want to hurt her her feelings. You don't want to hurt whose feelings? Alana's? >> Mom. And over the course of this investigation, detectives will begin to [music] discover a trail of damning clues. Getting to the bottom of what happened to Alana one way But some other dude did everybody tries to say that. It does not add up. or another. You're all over this whole thing. Period. It's the one. The yard, the house, the road. You, Aaron, are over everything. You haven't any to tell me the truth. On January 31st, 2011, Dispatch in rural Georgia received a heartbreaking 911 call that changed their community forever. Call me back at 911. Where's your emergency thing? I called her on the phone. I found her in the woods. What happened to her? How old is How old is she? She's 14. And what's her name? Alana. Alana Callahan loved church, riding four-wheelers, and school. She had never been in any kind of trouble [music] and was a strict rule follower who rarely left her home alone. How she ended up in the woods behind her family home barely clinging to life was a mystery. However, when police arrived at the scene, pieces of that mystery slowly started to come together. At the scene, they discovered Alana's older sister who had placed the 911 call >> [music] >> and her next-door neighbor, a 14-year-old named Lacy Aaron Schmit. Aaron and Alana were very close friends and Aaron [music] was a fixture at their home, often joining them for dinners and even on family vacations. Not only that, but the two had previously been in a relationship as well. But at the scene, Aaron wasn't playing the part of a grieving family friend. He was very clearly trying to play that [music] part and failing miserably. Detectives noted at the scene that Aaron frequently tried to force tears when speaking to [music] them or whenever he felt someone was looking at him. As soon as he believed eyes weren't on him, the tears would instantly stop. And when detectives [music] bring him in for questioning, his acting only gets worse. First things first. [music] Tell me what you know happened. I mean, start from the very beginning. Well, tell me what you know happened. The sweat. Well, when I went up to the road cuz I know Amanda comes down to pick her up when it's raining. It was a little bit rainy earlier. Well, I went up to the road and tell Amanda that I won't be able to come for 2 weeks cuz I got restrictions. Mhm. 2 weeks. And I told her everything and I was going back down to the house and there's like a a little gate right there and there was cable hanging there. Mhm. Well, I saw somebody run across it and it was all tangled in it. So, my uncle don't like no one on land and I had to get them off cuz, you know, in the past there's people trying to start fires and stuff like that. Mhm. Or try to plant something that don't need to be there. Mhm. Well, I went to go to go see where he went. I was looking around, looking around, looking around. I went to go go see if Amanda knew where he went if she seen him or anything. But when I went to go get and she had to go follow her, she was already halfway down the the road with the the truck to go pick up the little Chase from the bus. Mhm. Because and when I went to I said I can't catch up with her in the truck and I just stopped and I went to go turn around to go back go back to the house. Well, when I turned around saw somebody kind of tall as cuz you know how far distance it looks like somebody's taller up there some higher Mhm. like on that back porch. Well, he was dressed in grayish blackish pants, black boots, and a black jacket on and a black beanie on. And he saw me, looked at me, and ran. He was white. He was a white man. He ran away down to the creek bank and I cut kind of thought that was kind of dumb because there ain't nothing down that way except just dead end. Mhm. Just a little bit of four-wheeler trails. So, I went to go see if anything was gone or missing you know how somebody try to break in and go run away. Well, I seen the chair knocked over and I saw a bunch reddish looking stuff. Mhm. I thought it was Kool-Aid myself cuz Amanda kept on saying it was Kool-Aid and I said it it didn't look like Kool-Aid. Okay. I went and looked out the back door and I saw some like, you know, like drag marks. Mhm. Well, I seen that and I saw a bunch of more dead stuff figured out that when Amanda came up, that Alana was missing. So, I went out and started helping Amanda look for her. And I found Alana out on the side of the road. You know, weren't you there? Mhm. Weren't you there? At the scene? Yeah. I mean, afterwards, yeah. I came up. Well, where she was, she was laying Well, all out. And I got Amanda I got sick on my stomach. I didn't know what to do. Mhm. I just grabbed the phone from her and I was talking to some person talking about CPR. Aaron's story is about as solid as a slice of Swiss and police aren't the only ones who have realized that by this point. When Alana's sister was questioned at the scene, she expressed to police that she had concerns about Aaron. Firstly, when the two went to search for Alana outside, Aaron seemed to know exactly where she was. As soon as they were outside, he pointed to the direction where she was found. However, according to Alana's sister, there was no possible way he could see her from where they were standing. On top of that, when they approached the body, Aaron took a twig out of her hair and then proceeded to freak out telling Alana, "Now they're going to find my DNA on her. They're going to think I did something." Little does Aaron know, his DNA being found on her isn't the most condemning evidence that law enforcement have and the investigation has just begun. I went and turned around and walked out in front of that burnt pile and looked down that trail and that's when I saw Alana. And I got a upset stomach and I was feeling woozy. And Amanda's saying, "Where she at? Where she at?" And I said, "Down that trail." And she said, "Which trail? The one behind me?" That one or that one? I said, "That one over there." And she said, "Here." And she ran over there and called 911 and just started screaming [snorts] and crying. Let me ask you this. This is about where the only thing is kind of I'm not really sure about. When you look out the back door and you saw what you said about him and you knew it was and you saw the drag marks. All right. We take We drag garbage out. Okay. But you said you already saw you had by this time you'd already seen the guy in the dark clothing twice. Um saw him at least once at the back door or whatever. And you walk in and you see the you see this drag mark leading to the creek. to that trail over here. Why don't you follow it? Because I thought it was cuz a couple days ago me chasing little Paul cuz they got little brother that's got after school that comes at 6:00. Mhm. Well, we was taking out garbage the other day going out around that tree cuz we kept on going straight there's like metal chain out there that we can't hardly notice. But we drag it over and it's going to rip open the bag and it's going to spill out all that garbage everywhere. Okay. So, he's telling us go that way and that's why I thought I wasn't I'm used to that black mark. I kind of don't understand why if you'd already been around that area of the creek. Down here. Well, you said you'd been all over there. I'm looking. Going down through here in that back trail. Okay. But you You're in the backyard when you come out the back door, right? Yes, sir. And you turn immediately and go back down the way that you just had already checked. I mean, you came from your house all the way down that trail all alone searching the fields looking around, come all the way back up the front of the house go all the way down halfway down the driveway look at that field, you know, look through that field to see the guy on the back porch apparently. Come back around go in the house come through the house see the see the drag trail right back around to the only area where you have not been. And what do you do when you come out the back door again? You go immediately back down to the other area which you've already checked which you said that you already knew he wasn't down there. No, down here. I knew he wasn't down there. I knew he had not checked this one trail right through there. Yeah, but I mean, is there anything that would lead you to believe that he would hang around in that one trail? I mean, you've been all over that area all through there. I don't know. The only thing I can tell you is I can understand I can understand most everything you're telling me. And you And you have to kind of go with me here on this. You You have You You know anything about how kind of this thing works as far as with, you know, crime scene investigations and all that kind of stuff. You know how any of that works? I mean, you seen anything like CSI or anything like that? I have, but I'm not really paying attention to it. Don't really pay attention to it. I mean, I don't know if you like it or not, you kind of you know, kind of part of this falls into that CSI kind No, we don't do it all in hour and all that kind of stuff. I mean, it takes a little bit longer, but one of the things that that that we did is we had dogs come out. I don't know if you saw them or not. Yeah, I saw one. Saw one. There was at least two we had out there. And do you have any idea what those dogs do? No, not really. All I know from one time from Jersey City last Thursday, we had like a little event for the military showing off the dogs doing tricks. They smell out like weapons, stuff like that, drugs, bombs, stuff like that. >> Yeah. And also ours. And guard dogs. >> People. What do you call tracking dogs? >> Tracking dogs. And we had not one but two dogs go all over that area. On the back of the house, all the way back down that trail, as far as they could go, back down toward the creek and all over that area. And you know one thing they didn't find? Mhm. They didn't find a trail. The dogs kept kind of looping back around back to the house. And I'm trying to wonder if there was another person down there besides you that was leaving a trail down there that was doing all that running around that you said you saw him doing. Why wouldn't we have a trail back there for that? I don't know. You don't know? No, sir. Well, and even under the standpoint of they went over there in that area where a lot of woods and worked that area, too. I would figure >> Any area would be pretty hot and heavy on on that and they could pick something off of that. And weren't able to do that either. I'm just wondering if maybe you could kind of fill in some blanks for me there on on on I mean, these dogs trained. I mean, they're trained. I know they trained. They trained to do their job. Yeah. And that's one thing that I do know about the dogs. The dogs don't have to worry about back talking us or the dogs don't have to worry about second guessing. Once you put them down there, they just run and smell. That's all dogs do. Mhm. Pretty much other than eating and pooping, right? If I've got a dog down there and I've got not one, we think, well, maybe that dog's not having a good day. Cuz I mean, they're like people that don't have good days sometimes. Not always. Not a whole lot, but sometimes they're you know. So, we put two. Just to be on the safe side, did the same thing. Did the same. Nothing. Absolutely nothing. Well, we're not trying to not trying to say anything one way or the other, but I'm just we're trying to get a big picture because Yeah, I ain't trying to put it in it kind of don't feel like a good picture because dogs don't get no scent. Well, it would be different if it was some. You know, maybe. Cuz we've had that before. Well, maybe. I mean, I got all the way down as far as here, but that's about it. I'm talking about zilch, none, zero. I'm talking about running around down there all throughout that area where you said you saw this person running and nothing. I mean, the dog didn't even act like it was even even just just I yeah, neither one of them. Cuz right where that fence is, I follow his following footprints. That's why Well, and that's where I was going with it, too, because they went down there and the handlers and the handlers have somebody with them called a spotter. Yes, sir. What do you think the spotter's job is? To see if he sees anything. And to take care of the handler and make sure that the handler's concentrating on the dog. If the dog does anything that says, "Hmm, we've got something here." The handler's going to see that. The spotter looks around the handler. >> anything. So, if he sees anything or anybody or anything of any kind of, you know, significance, he'll know where it is and he can mark it. So, in case they have to come back. Nothing. Not footprints, not nothing. You know how muddy it was. I mean, you can see all this mud right here. Mhm. He's got it all over his pants. He's got a little bit of there, too. And but I was walking around and stuff and I was trying to be careful and I was stomping all through it. And I mean, there was all kind of footprints and stuff down there, but get off down in that muddy area down there around that creek, I think there was a section of Yeah, but there was nothing. So, unless this person evaporated, Not even consistent. So, what does that lead us? What what does that lead us back to? I mean, it leads back to me. It doesn't just lead back to Aaron. It points flashing neon arrows at him. Throughout the initial interrogation, Aaron changes his story regarding the man he supposedly saw running away from Alaina's house multiple times. Initially, he states the man was black and tall, then not black, but wearing black clothing. Even later in the investigation, he tells detectives that the man was short, fattish, and brownish. If you're going to make up a suspect, at least stick to one description. Though at this point, it doesn't matter. Tracking dogs at the scene found no trail left by anyone aside from Alaina's sister and Aaron. The trail leading to her body only went from the house to the woods and back. Meaning that whoever dragged her there didn't run off in the woods. They meandered back to the house as if nothing happened. Is there any chance that maybe there wasn't that second guy, that other guy? There wasn't another guy. What do you mean by how you just said yourself? I mean, people don't just >> that >> into thin air. I know what you're saying, but I know I wouldn't hurt anyone. Didn't think you would. But that [ __ ] hurt like my sister. And and and and that's where I was going to go with it. I mean, from what I understand, you're very good with her. We've been good friends ever since the day she moved there. Yep. Did I mean, did did you did y'all date at ever? At first, but kind of went out. It was uh then we just became friends because she said if it don't work out we just be real good friends. But uh did that and then we went to be real good friends. Okay. Real good friends. And and and and from what I gathered from everybody that I've talked to that we've talked to, that's what they said. I don't think by any stretch of the imagination that what happened was something that was malicious. I mean, that's another thing that we can kind of tell when we when we see these things and we were trying to put two and two together here. We wanted to have that before. Yes, sir. And it's just a matter of getting a few pieces of the puzzle together to kind of get there. And one of those huge pieces of the puzzle that didn't fit was that fact about the guy. But the other one is, you know, we can kind of tell that this is not something that we think that was just a malicious deal. I mean, truth be known, it could have been an accident. Yes, sir. I mean, things could have happened and it might have been one of them you know, one of them unfortunate deals. I mean, I don't know, there was a movie out at one time called Lemony Snicket: A Series of Unfortunate Events. I've seen that. I hadn't either. I've just heard the title and it kind of fits. You know, it's kind of a series of unfortunate events. It doesn't necessarily mean somebody went out here and planned to do this like some cold-hearted, callous person did, but maybe, just maybe, things happened in such a way that it was an accident. Didn't mean for it to happen. And things happen. You know, they happen and we try to get past them and you know, the person that, you know, did these things is extremely extremely sorry for and wants things to be different more than anything in this world. Wants things to be different. The only thing that I could tell a person in that situation would be what we know we can work with, what we don't know, we'll have to add our own thing to the equation and come out with four. And sometimes, you know, that doesn't always look good. Yes, sir. So, the only thing I'm telling you is if you'll help me, I'll try to do everything I can to make sure that we keep this straight and that we give everybody the benefit of the doubt. But certain things I don't think are adding up. And I don't want to wind up going out of here and giving anybody the wrong impression of how things Is there anything that you need to that you need to change about what happened? No, there's nothing that I know that is changeable cuz I know I didn't put nothing in there that I did. Cuz I can't do stuff like that. You can't do stuff like what? Try to hurt her. She's actually a nice person I almost know. Sure. Well, I mean, I get that. And and and but that's what I'm saying. But if there is stuff there that says you were there, how are we going to get around that? Cuz there again, I mean, CSI, the way it works is we find things. Sometimes we don't find anything. Other times we find stuff. And when we find stuff, you know, it's got to come from somewhere. You know. It's got to be an explanation. It's got to be. And I ain't got one explanation Well, there's two explanations. There's what I can make of it or there's what I'm told. I'm trying to give everybody the benefit of the doubt without trying to put words in their mouth or without trying to make anything up. I love it. Can't think that something else happened, but it didn't I I don't know. I don't know. You tell me. I don't know. Aaron and Alaina had dated briefly in the past, though their split was reportedly amicable. Aaron continued visiting the home, going on vacations with the family, and even spending holidays with them. Because unfortunately, Aaron's home life left much to be desired. His mother was the stepdaughter of his father, which makes for a rather tangled and tragic family tree. As a result, he was living with his older half-sibling from his [music] father's previous relationship. His life was reportedly incredibly unstable, which led to him leaning on the Callahans for love and comfort. Love and comfort which they happily gave to him. At least until he started to betray it. What do you think happened to her? To Alanna. When I first seen her on the ground like the how she was, I first thought she was or something bad happened. And you could tell this how? You said when you first saw her, you could tell that. How? I don't know how. It's just the way I Some No one would just come up and just hurt her. She's actually She don't let anybody try to touch her inappropriately. Okay. >> thing she don't do. Do you think somebody might have been there and maybe tried to tried to go a little further than what she was comfortable with? I don't know. Cuz quite honestly, that that's maybe what I was kind of thinking. That you know, maybe somebody was there and maybe they were talking and cutting up and you know one thing led to another and you know things went a little bit out of hand. But then again that's just kind of what I think. Could that be a possibility? I don't know. That's all All I saw was what I told you it was that black person. Whether or not black person because all black >> We've already pretty much established wasn't there. Yeah, that's what you said. Y'all was saying. Well, I mean that's what the evidence shows us. No dogs or anything like that. No dogs, no like a footprints, lack of anything else that tells me But Aaron, let me let me ask you this. What point would it be for me to sit here and try to trick you? There isn't. There isn't. No way. No that ain't a job. >> Then you look at me and you listen to what I'm saying. I'm not. I'm not trying to trick you. I am absolutely not trying to make you out to be an idiot. Nothing. I'm on a serious business here. I want to tell you There's nothing we got right now to show that there was a man there, period. Nothing. Nothing. Trying. You saw those cars that were out there, right? Yes. >> more cars that you didn't see that were all the way up the road, both sides, all the way around. They had that area cordoned off because when they hear somebody ran, the first thing they want to do is set up a perimeter. There were perimeter cars set up. Mhm. Nobody saw anything. It's kind of something like y'all trying to say that I did something that I know I didn't do. We're not trying to fill in No, we're trying to fill in I know what y'all saying, but it's kind of saying that like it makes it sound like it's coming directly back to me. Like I did something wrong. What What Trying to do out here is we're trying to find out everything that happened there. That's what I'm trying to tell you, but But there's just I mean I know you're trying to tell us about this blackish black guy out there with If he If he didn't exist I don't want to have nobody out here looking for this you know, non-existent person when they could be doing something else. >> sitting here right now and you telling me all about about this person. I wouldn't be sitting here. I would already confessed that a long time ago that I did something which I won't do cuz I don't do that. I don't. You called for GSR. Yeah. All right. Aaron should have looked into a career at the local stadium because really he's already a professional goalpost mover. From this point in the interrogation, the lies spread like wildfire with a new one popping up for every inconsistency that the detectives point out. And they were far from the first to point out Aaron's habit of lying. Just a few days prior to Alanna's murder, her parents came home to find Aaron standing in their home. The door had been unlocked and with no one home, it was clear that Aaron had somehow snuck in. Alanna's mother, upset by the crossed boundary, told Aaron that he wasn't allowed to come to the home for 2 weeks as punishment for essentially breaking into their home. You think we can figure out if she's lying? >> [snorts] >> Okay. Aaron You what? Aaron Aaron You know it's a small town here. Okay. I know. You can do this all night long. This whole thing just got twisted turned around. And like I said the way we talked to you, you know you're not that kind of guy. You know they can brush you in the family tree just like that. I mean Accidents happen. Accidents happen. You can Or something like this. But You You saw Alanna and what she had on her. You saw what happened to her. Yeah. I think she deserves to know. What happened to her body. I think she's been I think she was first to know. I don't find my girl stupid or anything. Please do. But I was not the only person there. Okay. But I did not shoot the gun. Okay. I was actually trying to stop it. Okay. Well, I did see the person jump it, the fence and everything. I I kind of did do that, but I went straight to the house. But when I went in and and a gun was shot. And when that happened, he pointed the gun at me and I got scared. He started lying to y'all. Who Who had the gun? Y'all like I said, college student. I don't know who it was. Tune in I don't know his name though. Listen. Listen. I know what's the truth and I'm I'm trying to give truth, but I don't But every time I try to say it right now, it comes right back [clears throat] down to me. I know. I know. We know. But I was not the only person there. I swear to God. If I had a video camera, I would have put it on. I mean This is something This is about you. This is about you. Nothing on the bottom of my bottom of my I know. Okay. Here's Here's Here's your another piece of the puzzle. You talking about my feet? I'm talking about your feet. How is it you get blood on top of your feet walking around on it on the floor? I'm trying to tell y'all, but I just have tell y'all that that one part. >> Okay. Okay. Cuz he aimed the gun at me and I didn't know if he was going to shoot. >> Where did the gun come from? Huh? Where did the gun come from? Sir, I don't know, sir. What's going to happen if they find that gun? That's got your fingerprints on it and on top of that it's got gunshot residue on your hand. How are we going to explain that? I'm sorry. Well, I know I know you are. I'm sorry, but I did not shoot her. Did you see it happen? Yes, sir. How did you >> to ditch the weapon. Okay. You had to ditch the weapon? Sir. >> Where did you ditch the weapon at? It's over there near the dirt like the bushes near the truck. I I I had to help him move the dirt. Yeah, I didn't want to. I didn't know like him. [laughter] Mhm. Mhm. He kept the line with the gun at me though and I tell him to do it. Saying every time I do something, he's going to get me. He's going to get me. I'm [laughter] scared. But he had the gun on you. >> [gasps] >> But then you took Then he threw the gun down and ran. And you had to ditch it and then you ran out and you tried to look for him and you >> [clears throat] >> He was gone at that point. What Why would you Why would you tell Amanda? Because she was trying to tell us something. >> [laughter] >> And trying to hurt Alanna. How would How would that be? I don't [laughter] know, sir. Well, then you're not helping us. I know. Listen to me. Listen to me. Listen to me. The only way we're going to do anything as far as trying to explain to Alanna's mom what really happened is for you to just go ahead and let us know what happened and that we will >> I'm telling you right now like God You You You telling us You telling us something. Listen to me. [clears throat] This is not all. This is not all. I did not pull the trigger. I I said there when it showed the app. So if we find the gun and we find the fingerprints on the trigger and find all that stuff is yours, I mean how You see what I'm saying? Yes, sir. He was the one that told you. I know that I took off my shoes and I went there and [ __ ] that dirt and I moved line. On top of her feet. I mean, I can >> [clears throat] >> I know cuz I had it lifted up the way Why didn't he do it? He said he didn't want to get any blood on him. Who was he talking to? >> [clears throat] >> I don't know. It's for Connor to shoot. I don't know him. >> [laughter] >> It was some kind of short, average brownish person. He ain't too short. >> said before it was a tall black >> I know, but I had to say that so he don't get on me. >> [clears throat] >> I know who he is though. >> [laughter] >> I know who he is, but I don't know his name. Where does he live? >> [laughter] >> He's the guy who likes shooting all his weapons. Down the road. Finally, Aaron has narrowed in on a person to blame the murder on. A person who obviously has absolutely nothing to do with Alana's death. But Aaron keeps digging deeper. We all know sitting in this room there was no second man. Who was Listen to me. I'm not lying about the guy though. >> Listen to me. Listen to me. I did not stand there and make him help this lie about this dude standing there with it. Listen to me. Aaron, are you going to listen to me? >> [laughter] >> I can tell you a little bit of me sitting here, just like he can, there was no other man. So this boils down to one of two things. It leads [laughter] right down to me. It is either No, listen to me. It is either somebody that went over there with the intention of hurting Alana. And this was a premeditated cold-blooded deal. Or the only other thing it could be was things got a little out of hand and it was a complete and total accident. And that person [snorts] that did it is scared to death right now trying to figure out how to make it right. This is what named David guy. Mhm. He is kind of psycho who would do do like that. He told me a couple days a week or couple kept on kept on telling me that Alana likes making fun of him making gestures. And he kept on making fun of him and everything. And he wanted to kind of get back to her. Mhm. Kept on cuz he kept on annoying me and making fun of his girl that he kept on trying to hit on. Mhm. And he wanted to scare her a bit. >> [clears throat] >> And he went to go go in there and go scare I didn't know he was going to do anything stupid. Are you trying to say David Matthews was the one that shot her? He came all dressed up and came like bunch. And we kept on hitting stuff. He said let's just start her up and scare her. And we we kept on banging on the side of the house, but he was you know, we'll go up and say Alana, are you home? David wants to say something. And he didn't say once she didn't want to go out, he went in there and was talking to her. And he kept on doing this that and the other and them two were yelling at each other for a couple seconds and he kicked him stupid. >> [clears throat] >> They were fighting now. They were yelling at each other. And then what? He [snorts] pulled her out out of the elevator. >> [laughter] >> But he didn't pull her out. He went there and sat over there on her parents' dresser cuz he ran with running around at her house. He went there and cut it. He went and what? He cut it when he went to go to go scare her. He shot her in the arm. She ain't dead. >> He actually shot her. It takes the police about 3 seconds to shoot down this alternate story because somehow Aaron hasn't realized that the fact that the dogs didn't track a second mystery person still holds up, even if he knows who the mystery person is. At the end of the day, the only people at the scene of the crime were him and Alana. All evidence points to Aaron shooting Alana inside the home, then placing her body out into the woods where he left her and watched as Alana's sister tried to save her. Bottom line is you're all over this whole thing, period. Not just the gun, the yard, the house, the the road, everything. You're over everything. You, Aaron, are over everything. Nobody else is over everything. You're forgetting there were other people in that yard too with you. The dogs kept tracking back to the same spot, which is in the backyard. Kept running around over here running around trying to find other stuff and they couldn't find other stuff and they ran back in the front yard. Because nobody left that backyard, Aaron. Nobody left that backyard. If anybody left that backyard, those dogs would have made a beeline off of it and ran through the woods over there cuz they ran that way. They looked that way. But they kept coming back. Why? Because the person didn't leave. There was no time. It does not add up. If it was an accident, it was an accident, but you got to tell us. You got to tell us. If it was an accident, let's sit here and quit talking about what it is. Whatever happened. >> [clears throat] >> The stop on the some other dude did it. And everybody tries to say that. And everybody that's said it, it don't wash. I told you, it's not going to add up. You can say it, you can try to believe it, but you know it doesn't add up. If it was an accident, say it was an accident. I'm not trying to put words in your mouth. I'm not trying to trick you. Nobody was going to end up dying. >> You don't even know what's going to happen any more than I do. I don't want to hurt her or hurt her feelings. You don't want to hurt whose feelings? Her feelings. Alana's? Her feelings are already hurt, Aaron. How much more hurt could they be? >> I didn't mean to hurt her. All right then, what happened? >> [laughter] >> She was goofing around and I was goofing around. But first I went over there to tell her that I couldn't be over here for 2 weeks like I was saying. And cuz I know Amanda kind of a little bit forgets stuff when she's doing a lot of busy stuff. Mhm. And I told her and she said she wanted to go outside and let's go and do something. Well, I didn't know the gun was loaded. Okay. And what happened? And she was acting like she was pulling the trigger. >> [laughter] [gasps] >> And I said don't do that. And I took it away. And I went to go try to go put it up so I can go leave. And it went off. >> [laughter] >> Where was she at when it went off? Over there at the computer was. Mhm. Over at the computer. How close to you when you when it went off? I had it right there in my hands grabbing it taking away. So you were right behind her when it went off? Right in front of her. And she was in front of you and her head back and her hands in her face, isn't it? >> [laughter] >> No. When I see you making it sound like I tried to shoot her in the back of the We're not trying to make it seem that's what the evidence shows, buddy. I know. So you know that, then why are you saying we're making it up? No, but I didn't even have her head at all when I grabbed it and it went off. Where were you at when you grabbed it? Right in front of her. When I grabbed it the gun tilted up and I went and when it tilted up it went off. Alana was struck in the back of the neck while she was looking at her Facebook page on the family computer. The shot was at a downward angle indicating that whoever shot her was standing over her. Which doesn't exactly match the picture that Aaron is painting, does it? You're out there looking at the where that table is now and where the computer chair is you're sitting in. And you're telling me it's not possible that the gun was fired from the table height to where it hit her. The gun was fired up up higher. Oh yeah, we were out there all night. But the gun was fired up higher. It wasn't fired at table height. It's not possible. The way she was sitting in that chair did happen. No, what I'm saying is that the tra trajectory, the way the bullet went, it came from up to down. Okay? And did it go through? The table. Couldn't do that. Okay? That would be down to up if you were on the table. If I'm sitting here playing on Facebook and I'm down here on the table. You're down there on the table. See what I'm saying? The bullet's going up but this one came down. So it would have to be fired from up here. I never [clears throat] did do that though. What I'm saying is up here doing it. I mean I'm just telling you I'm just trying to you know, put these put these pieces together like you said. I'm getting a little agitated and I'm trying not to. Aaron, I really am. I'm getting to the I'm trying to tell you the truth. >> No, you're not trying to tell us the truth. If you were trying to tell us the truth, you'd just tell us the truth and quit trying. No. You would quit trying to just make stuff fit what we're telling you. Listen, we're we're we're telling you what the evidence is and what the facts are, okay? I know it was >> And we're showing that that that it >> range of that was probably way too close and it went in her hand to a diameter weight. Listen, we're trying to tell you that the evidence does not It contradicts what you're saying, okay? It's not It's not going with what you're saying, okay? We're telling you that's what happened. You can't lie about that. I mean, you can't We can't. That's the way it is It is the way it is the way it is, okay? You understand what I'm saying? Yes, sir. Okay. So, I know for a fact that that gun was not there on the table like this when it went off, okay? No, I never did say it went off like when it like that because when I when I had it >> was up above her. Yes, it was higher than where it went off. It was up. It wasn't down. It was up is what I'm telling you. If you were playing some kind of game, you thought it was unloaded, you come in there and, you know, pow, whatever, and it went off, you didn't know it was loaded, okay. But, what I'm asking you and what I'm telling you is that's not the way it happened, okay? Tell me the way it happened. Tell me the way it happened, Aaron. We could go back and forth all night and I can tell you that it didn't happen that way, okay? Am I going to be in trouble if I do? I don't want to know the truth. I want to know what happened. Huh. Okay, I've been dumb. I grabbed it when after she handed it to me. I was trying to do it like I was saying like I did. But, I thought it can go back again so I can just, you know, pull it back again, but it wasn't budging. And I picked it up and I was going to try to go outside, but the door did not want to go open with with just one hand. And I was doing that. I gave it a zip and it pulled back and it let out the bullet. And it didn't and my hand was on the trigger and it just went off. But, that still doesn't figure out. You're over there by the door now. And not at behind her like you were. I was at the glass door beside me. But, what we're trying to tell you is, Aaron, somebody I mean, let's just pull it down to brass tacks. This happened because somebody was standing up behind her at a certain angle. I had the gun when >> when I was doing that. I was doing this trying to see if it would come out cuz >> Okay. Now, you got to point it up in the air. Yeah, now you got to point it up in the air. I had it sideways in my hands. So, I can grasp onto it like this and just pull it back. I was doing this and I kept on doing that. Pulling it back. >> you standing when you're doing this? Up against the glass door. Which would have meant she's beside you, right? No. No. Well, you know where I was saying where I was sitting at, right? >> Mhm. You said you were sitting by the table. Yeah, I grabbed I picked it up and I was doing this and I was looking I actually had it pointing at me at first. And I was doing that. And I and I turned it like that and I kept on I like So, what point I mean, you didn't grab the rag or anything? Did Did that Did None of that happen, right? You didn't grab the rag? Well, I did grab the rag, but I didn't really get use it cuz it didn't grab the grip. >> You're confusing me more. You're confusing me more. Look. He's turning the weapon. This one was kind of having to grab No. Yeah, he's already pretty much said. All right. Here's the deal. Whose prints are supposed to be on that gun? Aaron's. Aaron. Okay. Whose prints? It's all his own. It's all his own the gun. Alana's prints are on it. Hm? Alana's prints are on it. Who? Alana. Her name Alana? Is her name Alana? No, that's Aaron. I'm telling him. Yeah, Aaron's prints cuz we got his prints on file. That's Yeah. Your prints are on it. That's all. Aaron doesn't seem to realize the weight of what the forensic analysis has just told detectives. His fingerprints being on the gun are obviously important, but Alana's lack of fingerprints on the gun are just as much so. But, here's the thing. Her fingerprints are on it on that gun. You know why they're not on that gun? Hm? You tell me. Cuz she went in there and got it. Well, because she didn't have the gun. Well, Aaron, I told you we're going to pick apart every little thing. Quit trying to think of something else to cover it up. Just tell me the truth. Okay, but she did want to use it. Okay. >> I'm not lying about that. She wanted it. I didn't want to grab it, but she said I wasn't going to get in trouble if I do go in there and get it. So, I went in there and got it. And she said I'd be fine. And she wanted to go grab it and pull it back, but I ended up grabbing it bringing it back myself cuz she Well, I'm trying to focus on her hand cuz this is You just You just No, you're trying You No. >> No, I'm not saying that. You went and got the gun. Yes. >> You came out. Yes, but >> Was it It was already halfway down. Okay. I didn't know what to do. What clip was already halfway down? So, what hammer? No. Yeah, hammer. But, you said you went like that. Yeah, I thought Yeah, I thought I did because of that the back thing went down. Mhm. The little hammer thing went back down. Okay. But, I went like that and hit it down. And I didn't know how to get it back up without it going off. Yeah. Okay. So, what happened? Like I was saying, I grabbed it not right at the bottom of the barrel at top of the barrel. I was doing that to try to make sure that it didn't go off. But, like I said, it slid off of my hand and it went off. Now, here's another little piece. We've got where there's some fingerprints on the curtains by the back door. Well, it looks like somebody reached up and tried to pull up on the curtains. She was trying to pull us up. That's my hand print. Down low? Down low? Down where she was? No, that's when she fell over if it's down low. Well, that's what I'm saying. So, she didn't just fall over and lay there. She was down low trying to reach up and >> if she was all right. She She didn't move. She wasn't breathing. But, you just told me a minute ago she Two minutes ago she was moaning. That was it. It went It went off there. She went She fell over. Did she ever grab at the curtains? No, she just fell over the chair and she just went down. I'm not lying about this. I'm not saying you are. I'm just >> I said that so many times it's probably so old. Mhm. Yeah, unfortunately. Yeah. Police know without a doubt that Aaron murdered her, but the question is, was it premeditated? At this point detectives don't have the biggest piece of evidence pointing to the fact that it likely was. As they work on getting it, another group of interrogators take a turn questioning Aaron. Explain to me exactly what happened. She wanted Well, cuz the other couple of days ago the door was open. >> No, what caused you No, listen to me. What caused you to go to her house today? Why did you go to this girl's house? What's her name? Uh Amanda. The girl that Alana. Is that the girl that got shot in the head? Okay. Why was you at her house today? Well, I went over there to tell her to remind Amanda or just go up to uh Miss Betty to tell her that I'm on restriction for 2 weeks. >> Why does she need to tell them that? Because I told Amanda and I know Amanda sometimes forgets. Cuz Miss Betty >> You told Amanda You told Amanda that you were on restriction, but then you went to this girl's house to remind Amanda that you were on restriction? That don't make sense. >> What? Cuz sometimes Amanda forgets cuz she's all the time busy with Chasin and Little Paul. But, you told her. You said, "Amanda, I'm on restriction." Is that right? So, then you went over to this girl's house who's now dead and you said, "Hey, remind Amanda that I'm on restriction." Is that what it is? You know what I'm saying? Okay. And who's Betty? Uh her mom. Who's mom? The dead girl? What's the dead girl's name? Alana. Alana, okay. Alana. >> Stop saying dead girl. I'm sorry. I'm sorry, but she is dead. So, okay. All right. So, Alana. So, you went to Alana's house today to tell Alana, "Hey, when you see Betty and when you see What's her name? Amanda. Amanda. Remind them I'm on restriction." All right? So, you go to the house to do that. What door did you go in when you got to the house? >> Front door. Did she let you in? Yes, sir. I knocked on the door and she let me in. Okay. But, she she said, "Hold up. Didn't they say you was on restriction?" I said, "Yeah, but I'm here to let you know to remind Amanda." When did you tell her you was on restriction? I I texted No, I didn't text her. Tell the truth. I I am telling the Mhm. No, you're not. Yes, I am. Why would you go Why would you go to her house to tell her you're on restriction when she opens the door to you and like, "Oh, dude, you can't be here. You're on restriction." That don't make sense. She already knows you're on restriction. Why would you go to tell her? She had to know. Who told her? Uh Amanda. I believe I don't know. I I never even told her. You never told her? >> told Amanda. Right. So, you're going to It's Alana. Alana. Tell Alana, "Hey, I'm on restriction." But when she opens the door, she knows you're on restriction. And what did she say to you? Well, when I when I walked in, she said, "Take off your >> No, no, no. Wait a minute. Wait a minute. You She opens the door and she says, "Oh, wait a minute. You're on restriction, right?" Did that stop you at the front door for a second till you tried to explain to her? What did you tell her to get you in the house? If she stopped and was kind of wary about you coming in the house and saying, "Well, wait a minute." What got you in the house? She told me to come in real fast. Well, what do you mean? Come in real fast. What does that mean? No, I'm just trying to I'm just trying to understand, really, dude. >> about going in and help her with something. And I didn't know what to do. >> Okay. Here we go. Who is it? Yeah. Okay. Open the door. Hey, man, you're on restriction. That's where we're at. Okay? She recognized that you were on restriction. You tell me you were there to tell her that she that you're on restriction. Okay? What you just told me was that she stopped you at the front door. And by stop And by stop, I don't mean kicking in the groin or nothing. She just said, "Oh, wait a minute." Okay? What happened after that? Cuz when I turned around, I was about to leave. She said, "Hold Since I was there, can you hold up for a minute and help me out?" Cuz she asked before if I can help her out with the gun the gun issues. What? >> Stuff like that. What did she ask you to help her out with that got you in the house today? She just said, "Come here real fast and help." Cuz I always help her out with anything. Help me bake a cake? Help me sew a hat? Help me shine a shoe? What was you in the house to do today? What were you going in there to help her do today? What put you in the house? >> told me when she sat down on Facebook and she was going to say, "Oh, hold up. I got to delete this picture and put in a couple more on there." To this day, police have not released a clear motive on why Aaron murdered Alana. However, based on evidence found in his home, it seems to have been premeditated. Inside Aaron's bedroom, police discovered the owner's manual, gun box, and extra ammunition for the gun that was used to kill Alana. If you recall, the gun was owned by Alana's father. However, given the tight timeline of events, it would have been impossible for Aaron to have hidden those items the day of the murder. Meaning that he must have stolen them days prior, which gave him plenty of time to read over them and become familiar with the weapon that ultimately took Alana's life. And though why he took her life is still a mystery, police have some suspicions. Because they have one more shocking accusation to throw at Aaron. So, she kept on and on and on and on you about you showing her how to use the handgun? Yes, sir. Why? And she said cuz she in case if somebody tries to break in or do something. We've checked the residence. There's never been a breaking over there. Exactly. That's what I've been telling her. It's always clean down here. She likes It's always clean where on Miles Road? No, about breaking in. I ain't saying about clean like drugs, stuff like that, cuz it ain't talking about that. So, the whole reason she kept on nagging and nagging and bugging you cuz she didn't want anybody break in or do something to her. So, cuz sometimes she gets off the bus and she has to walk >> years old, she's wanting to learn She's on you about wanting to learn how to shoot a handgun. Yes, sir. 14 years old? Yes, sir. A female? Yes, sir. That's on Facebook most of the time and worried about who's good-looking and who's not. She's going to be worried about wanting to learn how to shoot a handgun? Yes, sir, because not I It may sound stupid, but >> May? I'm not saying it is or isn't. Well, how about let me tell you? I you're going to say it is. I mean, this Because she said she's been seeing something going around her house, messing around with her. >> Like Like what? Like a head. She's saying she's been seeing a face around. Somebody saw you dressed in camouflage watching their daughter change into the pajamas. Wait. Yeah. We got a guy that's going to come up here and say you've been sitting there in the woods or wherever it's at. Maybe you don't have woods. Don't start splitting hairs with me. But he knows that you've been watching his daughter change into the pajamas. I'm afraid we're going to go off on another tangent of lies, so let's just redirect ourselves. >> All right. Why did you lie and tell those investigators that she touched that gun when that girl has never put her fingers on that gun? Why did you lie about that? I don't know. Sure, you do. Why did you lie in an official investigation where someone you know is and you have dragged their body out Uh-uh. You're not going to do that to me. Not until you just said that she girls. What? Until you kept on saying that girl. And that's when I finally figured out that she was finally You think she's been alive all this time? I don't know. All I know is she wasn't moving or nothing. 3 hours later, we're still getting lies from you. That's why I don't think you've told us everything. You've lied. Something happened in that house that only you, the good Lord in heaven, and that girl knows. And Mr. Can you walk out of this room with that on your conscience? Trust me. You're worried about in about what's going to happen to you tonight. Trust me. In about 3 or 4 weeks, you're going to wish to God you'd finally broke down, finally manned up, and said, "You know what? Damn. Here it is. By God, this is what happened. It Whatever it was happened. I don't know. You've told us lies for a reason. We read you like a book. Told us lies for a reason. To throw us off of the truth. You tell a lie to cover up the truth. 10-7. You're going to regret the day that you let us leave this room with these issues not cleared up. Trust me. It's going to come back to bite you. Twice as hard. Ultimately, in spite of his age, Aaron was convicted of malice murder and sentenced to life without the possibility of parole. He has repeatedly tried to appeal his conviction, claiming that giving him a life sentence at such a young age counts as cruel and unusual punishment, which seems fitting given the cruel and unusual way in which he murdered a girl who trusted him and betrayed a family who took him in. Our thoughts are with the Callahans and all who knew and loved Alana. Thank you for watching today's video. Whether you're new here or have been with us for a while, check out one of the craziest cases I've ever covered right here or one of my newest uploads right here.