What happened? >> I killed somebody. >> You may have killed someone. I don't know why you would do this. You're in big trouble. >> This is 17-year-old Corey Johnson and his mom. Right now, she has just found out her son took part in a brutal murder plot. One that nearly took the lives of three people. >> One, maybe two. >> One, maybe two, maybe three. It doesn't matter. >> But two of Cory's victims survived and they will speak out against this evil teen. >> Yeah. I was like, "Stop, Cory. What are you doing? just focus on just killing me and where to stab me just quietly. >> And as detectives interview him, they will uncover damning secrets that prove Cory is no innocent child. He is a psychopath. >> After I started stabbing him and he started screaming, >> but then you killed him anyway. >> There was no way there was going to escape. >> Are you remorseful for stabbing him? You tell us his name, we'll tell you if the kid's alive. At 5:45 a.m. March 12th, 2018, a resident in Balon Isles Country Club in Florida woke up to frantic knocking on the door. Stood outside was 45-year-old Elaine Simon, and in her arms was her son, Dne. The resident immediately made the following 911 call. >> 911. What's the address of your emergency? >> I have a lady bleeding here. Rang my bell. >> All right. Do you know why she's bleeding? She said somebody attacked her, but you got to get somebody here quick. I called Isles, but they're not here yet. She said there's a killer outside. I don't know what she's talking about. >> She's delirious. >> He had a knife. >> He had a knife. >> There's a murderer here. You got to get somebody. >> You're not going to be You're not being helpful here. >> The two were bleeding heavily from multiple stab wounds. And with the little strength she had left, Elaine managed to utter, "He killed them. Corey killed them." before collapsing to the ground. The resident immediately called 911. Officers arrived with paramedics in tow. Elaine and her son were given emergency care and transported to the nearest hospital where they would luckily survive their injuries. In the meantime, officers had entered her home where they saw blood trails leading from the stairwell to the second floor. And there they would find the lifeless body of Giovanni Sierra, who had been stabbed multiple times. As police moved through the house, they located 17-year-old Cory Johnson upstairs, barricaded in a closet and still armed with the bloodstained knife. Finally, at 6:30 a.m., Cory was arrested and taken into custody where the FBI would be waiting to interrogate him. The following footage has been provided to us by the Palm Beach Gardens Police Department. >> So, I know you've already done this with uh Miranda Warning with with the police. It's just a formality. Uh they said you've been cooperating and talking. We appreciate that. I even said you have a story to tell. But, uh so I'm going to read this to you. We'll have you sign something here. But, uh this way you can tell us your story, what's going on, get your message out. All right. >> No, I understand. I understand. Okay. So, I'm going to go over a few things here today. >> Most importantly, and probably the most urgent, I need to know if you were in contact with anybody else. But are you a part you just pledge your support your allegiance? >> You ever talk anyway? >> No. >> Sorry. Say that again. >> Okay. I talked to you a year ago. >> You told me you converted. You took the shahada in your bedroom. >> You also told me that, you know, you believed in the Quran and believed in being a good Muslim. In fact, after I spoke to you, it sound like your grandmother was driving you to a mosque to actually get an education at the mosque and not self-educate on on the internet. What happened? >> Well, I was I had to ride my bike there. I wasn't doing and then once school started I just stopped going cuz I didn't have time. >> Okay. But when would you say I mean when did you start supporting of Islam? >> I don't support. >> Did you just stab someone to death >> for not believing in the same >> that's not extreme? >> It's the religion. >> It's what? >> It's the religion. >> Elaborate. That's what you have to do. You have to do Tell me what you have to do. What does that mean? Stab your best friends, brothers, friends. What What does that mean? What do you have to do? >> I'm I'm I got to be I be honest. I'm interested in this. Like I I want to understand the religion. I don't understand the religion that well. So, if it's not extreme um for the FBI >> Yeah. Yeah. We're good. Yeah. Yes, sir. He uh explain explain to me like uh why is it if you support religion? Did this guy badmouth the religion? Is that is that what you mean by it's part of the religion? You have to stand up for it or explain to me what you say anything directly. >> Okay. So just tell me your story then. What happened? >> He didn't do anything to me personally that anyone else didn't do. So I'm >> sorry. Let's talk about it. What else have people done to you? What's angered you? >> Nothing. Nothing about anger. It's just just what the what the disbelievers do. >> People who don't and what religion whatever group you think I'm a part of. >> I don't know what you're part of. >> I'm confused. You're a good You're saying you're a good Muslim, >> right? >> Yeah. You interpret the Quran, the Quran in a way that would allow you kill somebody for not sharing the same beliefs as you. >> After the sacred months have passed, kill the pagans wherever you find them. >> The verse mentioned here does exist except this is the complete version. But once the sacred months have passed, kill the polytheists who violated their treaties wherever you find them. This verse was revealed during a very specific historical context. It addressed a time when Muslims were permitted to fight back in war, specifically against groups who had broken their peace treaties. Cory, however, twisted this verse completely out of context. He used his own delusional interpretation to justify his violent beliefs. And Islam wasn't the only ideology he distorted, as you're about to see. >> Did you ask him to convert and he wouldn't? >> No. >> How do you know he wasn't a Muslim? just the way he acts and doesn't pray. >> So you were praying and he wouldn't pray next to you. >> No, not that. I just I just I just I don't know. It just the way he acts and plus when I when I went to pray, he didn't pray. So I'm positive he wasn't. >> So the So you guys were celebrating at least it sounds like there was a birthday party for some reason. >> It was his birthday. >> It was his. So you're telling me everybody else in that group are Muslims? >> No. >> The one you probably days ago he's not a Muslim. >> That was my best friend. I wouldn't kill him. Well, he was my best friend. >> But he's not a Muslim though. So you guys don't >> He's not He's not your best friend. No. >> I mean, you just say he writed me out and I'm sure he wouldn't appreciate me stabbing his brother and mother. >> No, I don't think he does. Several names mentioned in this interrogation are muted, so let's quickly make sense of every character. Cory's best friend mentioned here is 15-year-old Kyle. Kyle was Elaine Simon's son and Dne's brother. As for Giovanni, the victim who unfortunately passed away, he was their family friend. On the day of the murder, it was Giovanni's birthday, and he had planned to celebrate it with Dne and Kyle. Since Cory was Kyle's best friend, he was invited, too. After the party, they decided to have a sleepover at Dne and Kyle's house. Unbeknown to the family, welcoming Cory, despite his strong beliefs, would cost them dearly. >> Are you remorseful for stabbing them, >> or is it just that's just part of the game? >> Yeah, I probably should have done something different. >> All right. What? Did he know you were going to do this? >> No. >> This was premeditated. You brought a knife. You brought a knife. So, this wasn't a knife you found at the house. You actually brought a knife there. >> I bought I brought a knife, but it wasn't for knife. It was just I bought a knife for self-defense. And it just happened that this was an easy opportunity because they were all sleeping in different rooms. >> Okay. easy opportunity to kill people that don't share the same beliefs. I'm still trying to understand your motivation for killing somebody who was hanging out with you. You guys were you guys are in the same group, same family. You're under the same roof. Why would you target him? I mean, Cory, you're you're elaborating on a lot of different things, which I appreciate that you're you're being uh forthcoming with me, especially considering our our relationship. You know, I've been to your house. You just accuse me of trying to say you were a bad person. >> Okay. So, I'm I guess I'm I'm just a little confused when you decide not to talk about certain motivations. >> Explain your side of the story. your friendly just as I was regret more. Yeah, I shouldn't have done that. I don't nothing I can do now. >> So, you feel bad for killing him? >> Yeah. >> Just because you were caught because you genuinely feel bad that >> there there was no way I was going to escape that. I didn't think at all there was any way I could escape that. So, it's not >> All right, we're gonna we're going to go back a little bit. You know, I know you're a little bit newer to the investigation, but you're you're up to speed. When I saw you a year ago, I I was confronting you about the school, McCauley High School. Okay. >> That was a big deal. Told you it made the news over there. Kids were pulled out of school. Since then, everybody in your family told me that you you've uh you changed. You knocked that stuff off. You weren't even spending as much time on the computer. >> The Malli thing was before I was even a Muslim. It was completely unrelated. I did it by mistake. What do you mean? When you use one of your screens that is a insultive name, it's not it's an insult. >> Before accepting Islam, Cory was exposed to a plethora of dangerous ideologies. In 2016 during middle school, he was inspired by the well Austrian painter if you catch my drift and took part in researching harmful belief systems with an online friend. Moreover, Cory was making online threats left, right, and center on his social media profiles. One of these was made to a Catholic institute in England, which resulted in it being shut down. Because of these threats, the FBI was involved and a case was opened on him, declaring him a juvenile subject of interest. Later, Cory would explain it was his hatred for these groups that resulted in him using their name. But that hatred led to research and soon turned to fascination and he accepted Islam in 2017, though he missed the point of the religion entirely. >> When when did you when did you become a Muslim? When did you take the sh? January 1st, 2017. All right, we bounced around a little bit. Let's just let's go back to uh yesterday. What happened? Tell me. I want to know everything from the time you woke up Sunday morning. Yesterday. >> Sunday morning. Yesterday. >> Yeah. You were at your house in Jupiter? >> No, I was at You can't look at the video that they just recorded. Um, I was I was at an abandoned plaza which I was sleeping inside of. >> Where What's the address? >> There's no address. It's It's the McDonald's near the Melting Pot on US1. It's by there. >> I need to know exact Can you Can you pull it out on your phone? Do you have a phone on you? I need to know on the map what that is. McDonald's near US1. >> Yeah. So, anyway, I was around there. I slept there. I woke up there and I was just up and about. I went to McDonald's for breakfast. >> Why? Why weren't you at home? How weren't you living at home? >> Cuz of having problems with Jay. >> What's the problem? >> He's just abusive. >> Abuse physically or verbally? >> Both. >> He's hit you. >> He's pushed me down. He shoved me against walls. He's never punched me. >> What about the verbal abuse? What happened? just saying I'm lazy and immature and you know getting up in my face and all and screaming. >> Did he tell you that I spoke in there? >> Um no, but I know. I mean, >> why do you know? How do you know? >> Um I'm not trying to get anyone in trouble. >> No, it doesn't. The only person that's in trouble right now is you. Okay. >> Yeah. All right. Well, um I know he was instructed not to tell anyone. He told my mom and he told my mom not to tell anyone and my mom told me >> that I called him for an update on you. >> Yeah. >> Okay. Did that upset you? >> No, I >> I mean you knew we were on you were on our radar. >> It wasn't surprising. >> Okay. Okay. Mother told you. Why didn't she tell you? Was it a warning? Hey, >> know he recorded you and sent it to me. >> Okay. >> And then I told my mom about it. I actually watched it with my mom and that's when my mom told me about it. >> Okay. What was your mom's reaction to that knowing that we were still looking into you? Well, it was part of it was funny because of how inaccurate some of the things were. Like, oh, he celebrates Matin's birthday. Muslims don't even celebrate their own birthdays, much less some random guy. >> Just stuff like that, inaccuracies. And it just, you know, she thought there was nothing wrong. I'm fine. She told me, she said, uh, keep her updated. >> Your mom said there was nothing wrong with you. >> There was, in fact, a lot wrong with Corey. About a year earlier in 2017, the FBI met with Cory and his mother to address concerns about his online behavior. During the discussion, Cory acknowledged that he had been viewing violent material and had expressed concerning admiration for certain figures known for committing acts of violence. agents warned him about the seriousness of this activity and urged him to stop engaging with such content online. However, since he was still a minor and there was no evidence of any immediate threat, they chose not to take further action at the time. In 2018, just a few days before the stabbing, the FBI had developed probable cause to arrest Cory, but had not obtained an arrest warrant. They did however alert local law enforcement to use caution if they encountered him and warned both his family and Elaine to be careful around him. It's heartbreaking to think that if things had moved just a little faster, Giovanni might still be alive today. >> All right, so let's go let's go back yesterday morning. You woke up in this abandoned building. >> I went outside. I was just uh I went at McDonald's. I ate there. Um, then I just uh I was just on on my phone at McDonald's. I think I was on Instagram or Telegram or one of those just wasting time until work. And um that that's when I decided to go to the like uh maybe like around 2:50 maybe I decided to head to the Publix on foot and that's where I bought I bought some dates, I bought the knife and I bought um a drink. >> What job were you waiting? >> I worked at I worked at Windix. >> For how long? I thought you just started. I thought you had even starting two weeks ago. When did you start? >> This This is probably like my third week. >> Okay. What were you doing there? >> I'm a stalker. >> I'm sorry. You said you bought dates, a knife, and what else? >> A It's just a drink. Like a fruit drink at coconut mango. Okay. >> All right. So, roughly what time is this? She done with Pel. >> Well, I think I got the time wrong. I went there. I don't know. When I got out, it was like >> No, maybe it was around It was around 3 when I got out, I think. No. Yeah, around three. And um so I was going back to where my bike was. I had my bike hooked up to a tree near the in the plaza area, but I came back and it was stolen. Somebody broke the lock off and took my bike. So, um, so then I just, uh, I was walking to work, but I wasn't even halfway there, and I was already late by maybe a half hour, an hour. >> All right. So, you guys get back to the house between 9 10:00 last night. All right. So, what happened? >> Um, nothing happened. He's just uh just they were listening to music. They were facetiming people. That's the reason. >> All right. >> And uh nothing nothing happened. >> How late I mean you got When did everybody say all right night going to sleep? >> How did you guys 6 hours? >> I haven't slept yet. So 4:00 a.m. everyone decides to go to sleep >> around 9:00. >> So all you guys did for 6 hours was FaceTime friends, listen to music, and I don't I know I don't know. >> Okay. All right. So 4:00 a.m. everybody was asleep. But you never fell asleep though. Where were you? you guys were sharing bed together. >> He was um he had a blowup bed and we're all around that all around the area, but he fell asleep. He ended up falling asleep on the blowup bed right next to us in his room. >> And you can't sleep. What's going through your mind? >> I was just thinking now is a good opportunity. That's why >> opportunity to do what? just to kill or to attack. >> Man, I have my reasons for all. >> That's all that's the most important thing I need to know. What were your reasons? >> You just were hanging out having fun with them. We're friends with them. >> It's bizarre because I mean, you know, we already have all the physical evidence. Not like we're trying to make a case against you. >> You clearly killed him. You admitted to it. >> I figure this would be the part you'd want to share with us. Why? Tell me in in the simplest terms um was he was earlier in the day he was saying stuff about how people are gods and like sheer and stuff like that. >> Who say it again the last part? Sh is in polytheism biggest sin in Islam. >> The term Corey just said is sherk which means associating partners with God in Islam and is considered a major sin. Most likely Joanni was referring to other individuals as God which triggered Cory's so-called religious beliefs. Now I'm just the narrator here, but in all my research, I found nothing in Islam or any religion for that matter that condones harming an innocent person over belief. As Corey continues to explain himself, it becomes painfully clear that this wasn't about faith in the first place. It was a desperate attempt to rationalize a senseless act of violence. >> So he believed in many gods is what you're saying. >> No, he's just saying that like humans are gods, which is very plus just he's a bad person. He he like does fornication. He's doing stuff with girls. He's smoking weed. All that kind of stuff. So I knew he wasn't a good person to begin with. So weed, fornication. >> The only reason I attacked him first was because of where he was. >> That's not the only reason. You just listed three reasons. >> No, that's the reason I attacked him first. >> Wow. So you're saying all these other people had a room behind closed doors. >> All right. All right. Logistically, let's go back. You're you're in reach them. So you decide I'll just jump out of bed and go to the outside of the room. >> It's just it's just like a couple feet. It's it's really close by. >> What was couple feet? The the >> log. It's just a couple steps. >> The knife was in your bed with you. >> The knife was in my >> Okay. >> Yeah. >> When did you do when did you decide you were going to commit the attacks? >> Once everyone was asleep and >> No, no. That's when you found an opportunity to commit the attacks. When did you decide I want to >> attack someone in general or >> Yeah, that was just I mean obviously you you >> forever I guess >> you've always wanted to kill somebody. >> I guess you could say that >> before you were a Muslim. >> No. >> So since becoming a Muslim >> you wanted to kill her. >> You never had thoughts of harming other people. You you attacked your sister before you converted. >> No. Yeah. That's another thing that was inaccurate. She did sleep with a Yeah, she did sleep with a knife. Um, but it had nothing to do with me. She just did that. But, and the thing about me kicking her in the head was um, it was some altercation. We were arguing about something and I ended up hurting her badly somehow. I don't remember if it's kicking or hitting, but I guess she wasn't she wasn't hurt physically, but I guess it hurt, but she wasn't damaged at all. And um I guess the next day at school, she reported it to the school police and they opened it case. But the knife was I think the knife was even before that. It was unrelated to >> But my point is you had violent tendencies before converting. No, not me. >> You kicked a girl in the head. >> Sister. >> No, we don't. All right. She was fighting me, too. So, >> was And then we actually got into a an actual argument and then that's when things escalated. She was throwing things at me. I ended up hitting her, kicking her, whatever. Did not get. >> Okay, let's go back to You knew you said you always want to kill somebody. I still want to know when did you want to kill these people who were connected to your friends? >> When you bought that knife, did you buy that knife with the intention of killing these people that day? >> I bought it just so I could have a knife on me. set you when he was talking about polytheism. >> Well, no, that's just that's just another reason to the pile. I mean >> to the pile because he was he smoked weed and >> he's a Cath. Yeah. So, all that stuff together. >> Okay. How long have you known him? >> I met him yesterday at the downtown. >> You met him yesterday afternoon? >> Yes. >> How do you know we bragged about it? You know what kids do? Well, >> I mean bragging and kind of cool or but just him even saying that there's work there's work in dying over the >> main thing was because he's not Muslim. He's a citizen of this country. So your belief is that every person who's a citizen of this country and is not Muslim should be dead? >> No. Um you're attacking our country, your government, and killing the citizens and the Quran says fight them as they fight you or something along those lines. >> So you're killing our innocent civilians. So you feel it's right there. >> Same retaliation. >> Just all that extra stuff with the the foration and the and the weed and the sheer. It's just all >> So do you know how many people you killed? >> No, I know. I killed >> He's dead. >> I saw him. He was He was He was squirming and moving and then he just stopped. >> Yes. >> Did you have any regrets at that point? when after I started stabbing him, I think I stabbed him in the stomach first. Um, and he started squaring it. I was like, "Oh, I shouldn't." >> But then you killed him anyway. >> Oh, well, why why why did you have that that doubt at that point? >> Because it's just at that point like it was realized, oh, I just ruined my life. And then >> So, this wasn't about feeling bad for the the trauma you inflicted on on people. seeing him riding in pain. I mean, that was a little >> mostly because this was self-preservation. That's where the regret came from. Sure. >> So, why not run out of the house at that point? Why run back in and start killing other people or stabbing other people? >> Run back in. >> No, no, no. I mean, not not run out of the house. If self-preservation was on your mind, if >> you felt bad, you thought you screwed your Well, you just decided screw it. I'm going to keep going now. >> Well, after I was attacked, woke up and she came and said, "What's going on?" And she eventually came up the stairs and then that's when she saw me covered in blood with a knife. >> What do you do to her? >> And then I I I I lunged at her. I don't know if I hit her or not, but she ended up falling down the stairs. And then when she was on the floor, I I stabbed her. >> Where? >> I think in the stomach, but she was kicking. So, I don't know if I actually hit her or not. like in the hallway between his room and and the wall. >> After attacking him, how did you attack him? You stabbed him in the stomach and tried to cut his throat. >> Stomach, throat, dude. >> Okay. Then what? >> Is he dead? >> No, we're not going to give any of that right now. Okay. You're gonna find that funny. A lot of time to think about what happened. >> Around 4:00 a.m., Cory made the decision to attack Jovanni, claiming it was because of his beliefs and lifestyle choices and because he viewed him as an easy target. He entered the room and using a kitchen knife he had bought earlier that began stabbing him multiple times. Giovanni's screams woke Elaine, who rushed upstairs only to find the horrific scene unfolding before her. Before she could react, Corey started attacking her. Hearing his mother's cries, Dne ran in to help. Despite their injuries, Elaine and Dne fought back bravely, managing to escape the house and to reach a neighbor for help. Meanwhile, Cory woke up his friend Kyle and calmly told him what had just happened, assuring him he wouldn't be harmed. He then hid inside a closet until he was busted by officers. >> Okay, so let's just wrap up this because I want to go back to a few things, but I want to finish series of events. What did you say to him? He said he thought I was joking to wake up. >> Don't you think waking up your friend saying, "I just killed your brother." Don't you think a negative emotion is going to happen there? Or if you guys are just so close, it doesn't even matter. >> I just wanted him to know that I wasn't going to hurt him. I didn't want him to wake up like random bodies and he thinks he's in trouble. by me. You think I'm going to kill him? Just wanted to let him know that I I think I said I'm sorry, but um hurt you, my best friend. I said, I want you to become Muslim. >> What do you say to that? >> He was just He didn't say anything to me. He just sat in his bed. >> And then say anything about I don't want to become Muslim, so I don't want to pray five times a day. That was like before times just whenever I brought it up in the past. Okay. >> And he didn't say, "Is my mom okay?" Nothing. >> I didn't mention his mom. >> Okay. But you said you texted his brother. He didn't run out to see if his brother was okay or what did he do? >> He just sat there. He He just woke up. I didn't He might have thought I was still joking, but I think he eventually saw body. >> So So at what point do you guys walk out of that room together? >> I don't walk out with him. I just leave him there and I run downstairs and um I go in the bathroom and I sit down because I'm getting all dizzy. I my eyesight's going out barely stand. So I sit down inside the like the shower area in the bathroom. >> And I take my wallet out. I take my the knife sheet out of my pocket. I still have a knife. And I put them down. Then eventually I decide to run to like a walk-in closet area with some some cabinets or like drawers. And um >> why'd you go there? >> Just seemed like a star at the time. >> Were you waiting for something to happen? Were you >> I was waiting for the cops to show up. >> So you didn't point. >> No. >> Why did you try to leave? >> Because they just chased me on >> Why is that? >> Cuz you just killed a bunch of people tonight >> and I saw how painful it was. Sucks. No. What? Why didn't you get a gun? Why only a knife? >> I don't have access to a gun. >> If you had access to a gun, you would have chosen that. >> Did you ever try to get into your your uh >> know the combination, right? >> You know, he removed the guns at our request last year. >> Put back in. >> You told me that cuz you thought you were on the right track. >> Yeah. You uh withdrew from high school 3 weeks ago? >> Yes. >> And you started taking online classes? >> We were signing up for it. I But I never got around. It >> was weird. You and your mom. >> My mom and my grandma like just watching random YouTube videos. >> What though? >> There's a YouTuber called GradeA Under. He's just making funny videos. I think one of you watch stupid things my brain do does say random things like that. So nothing. >> Kyle would reveal they were indeed watching propaganda videos. According to him, it was common for them to watch footage glorifying violence and that night they were watching similar content. >> What do you have to say about I mean I'm friends with a lot of Muslims. I work with Muslims on my squad. They're good people. They don't hurt other people don't work for Catholic. Don't work for what now? Say that again. >> Disbeliever. >> What do you have to say about all the Muslims that pray and go to mosque and don't harm other people? Have no intention of harming other people. That's their thing. So, are they wrong? Do you think they're >> No, no, >> they're not doing it right. >> They're still up. We're still all that. It's just they're they're doing all that required them to do. They don't need to do what I did. It's just >> So, you could have done what was all that was required without killing somebody. You still chose to kill somebody. >> Is a an individual requirement. I'm just saying that these people, they think they're doing all that they need to do. and they think they're doing right in their mind. >> Where did you learn? >> It's just all in Quran and all the books like the scholars and no >> you're not reading these books online. >> I I I got documents from Telegram. >> Yes, Corey. Telegram sounds like a very reliable place to study religion. >> Telegram is what? I'm an old man. What's >> a secure kind of messaging app? >> Okay. This wasn't half on your phone. >> You could send documents over to the channels where you could distribute documents and videos and audio >> on this Telegram. You're not talking to any other kids or any other kids posting stuff like you were most other kids. >> Nobody's ever approached you trying to recruit you? >> No. >> What about the mosque? >> I haven't been there in a while. >> I know. Before. >> What was your experience like there? >> They they were just they were on their side. They were teaching against they were saying how bad he is. >> You talked about him. You defended him. You pointed that means that our government killed him. >> You did. >> Okay. >> So, the mosque you attended was anti uh sharing. Yeah. >> What was this for the record? >> Um Long Beach. Did >> that upset you when they No, >> I just ignored it and focused on what what what good they were teaching like the classes I went to on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. I don't know if I told that to you or the other people. >> Where people cops earlier today. Okay. Check it. So, it was this Telegram thing that switched you from Islam. What What switched you? What radicalized you? >> I'm not radicalized. I just >> You know what I'm saying? >> Um, nothing nothing in particular. Just the whole everything on YouTube, Instagram, Telegram. >> I mean, give me an example of somebody because this is clearly in your mind a spectrum. Okay. So, you got your your disbelievers, the Muslims I work with at the FBI, right? >> Right. And then you have people who have been and you think you fall somewhere in between there. >> No, your definition is probably different than mine. >> Well, that's what I want to know. My my definition has, you know, involves taking human life and things like that. >> Right. the extremist the real Islam tech which are the uh the people who make declare others apostates like when they commit a big sin like let's say you eat pork and then these say you're not a Muslim because you eat pork even though that's not how it works it's just a sin that's not a nullifier so those are the for the Muslims for >> actually Cy I'm pretty sure both of those cases classify as extremist and he is indeed the worst kind >> for the US government. It's it's just the Muslims that are following the religion truly like state. We're the modernists. I mean there's the extremist peaceful people and these the extremist techies make we declare others apostates and Islamic State is moderate. >> Earlier you said we attacked your country. What country is that? Islamic State. You don't talk online to the Islamic State and they tell you what to do? >> Did you ever try to make contact with them? >> No. >> You never thought about going to Syria to fight? >> There's no way. >> What do you mean? There's no way. We'll do it all the time. No, you can can't get the Syria anymore because the Kurds attacked um Raqqa and they lost it. I know the only way to get to Syria anymore. >> So, you would have tried. >> No, I don't I know I'm on like probably on a no-fly list or whatever and >> right >> and um you don't have a passport or get a passport more sufficient. >> I'm sorry, but I need to know exactly the address of where you were living again and that that show. How how how often have you been sleeping in that place? >> I've only slept there 3 days. Like >> consecutively? >> Not consecutively. Just just whenever I need a place and I can't find a place to sleep over it. >> Something sleeping kid at night. >> If you had Why not attack the guy that's you Why would you attack a sleeping gym? Yeah, sure. >> Right. Is a man that's abusing you, so you say? >> Why not attack a man who's causing you harm instead of >> just all the demons? >> It was just easier. I mean, obviously it's harder to attack a full grown man than a sleeping 13-year-old boy. >> After I saw you last year, obviously at the time the concerns were threats you were making online, which at that time you didn't commit to. Did you get back on the computer and do anything else? never went back on and praised old Marine or his birthday or anything like that. >> You have the computer. Why? I looked at all that evidence. Why? Why shut down at school? Why send those things? You like a girl over there? What was that about? >> That was just a prank I did with my friend. Um, >> which in the UK? >> Okay. So, you have a friend over there. You just met him online. >> What was the name? I'm not giving the names but probably but they probably know him over there. One day I I talked to him. >> You went to that high school. >> No, no, no. >> He lived in a different city. We both This was before we were both uh poor and then we both converted to Islam and um >> go back to that part. Explain that to me. >> We're both basically >> okay. We were both safe from there. What group were you part of? >> No groups. It was just an Instagram thing. We both were in like conservative Instagram. >> How were you saved from that? >> Based on we both converted, kind of helping each other with that. And anyway, before before we both converted, we were just both screwing around. We decided to make these fake. And it wasn't I don't even think that was the first time like the time that it got it was probably like my second account messing with people. And then I guess it got out of hand because the threat that I posted got actually spread outside of Instagram onto uh onto Snapchat and Facebook or whatever the the article said and people thought it was real and then the actual school got shut down. I didn't do it on purpose. It was just by mistake. We were just messing with people. was a prank pretending to be. >> You like there was some girl involved too, right? >> I I don't remember talking to girls. I don't remember what it said. >> Anyways, how did you meet this guy over there? Just online because you you're both forum or something. >> Instagram. >> Instagram. >> Instagram. >> So you can see him and say, "Okay, he shares my beliefs, >> right?" >> How old is that guy? An older dude. How why that school though if he wasn't even in that city? >> I don't remember how he found it. >> He found it for you though. >> No, I found it. >> I don't remember how he found it. >> Does he share? Did he was he saved by or was he still >> at that point? >> No. No. >> Now. >> Yeah. He's a Muslim now. I don't know what. >> So, he converted all. So, you guys converted together >> around the same time, like within the same couple. >> I don't know if he supports any groups or whatever. Um, no. He >> I haven't talked to him in a long time. He deleted his randomly. I haven't >> You meet this guy online and you're white. Most people are not white. So if you have hatred towards people who aren't white, why join a group that's predominantly not white? >> Didn't join a group that was a prank at that point. We both didn't like Muslims at all. >> Right. That's what I would think. >> That's why it was funny at the time. >> That was October of 16. You you converted on January 1st of 17. Talking about couple months. >> How How did that happen so quickly? >> I don't know. You don't know. >> I just started liking it. >> Did you like it because there were more violence in the part of you likes the violence? >> I wasn't originally uh supportive of I mean I was I sort of supported the violence but I wasn't really until after a couple months. >> So I've heard police report at your high school that >> Yeah. on on the video it said apparently I threatened blacks at Dwire but but I don't I never had any trouble with Dwire except for one time I got punched and that was completely unrelated but some guy bumped into me in the hallway I told him to watch where he was going and he ended up punching me that's the only trouble I've ever gotten in the wire so I don't know where the names came from. So Cory went from one extreme to the other and the only constant was violence. According to his mother, his behavior began changing as early as middle school. He became withdrawn, angry, and increasingly obsessed with violent ideas. Despite trying to get him professional help, all she managed was a single visit to a psychologist and a prescription for anti-depressants. Cory refused any further counseling or treatment. Courtappointed mental health experts later diagnosed him with autism spectrum disorder, major depressive disorder, anxiety, and obsessive traits along with signs of emerging psychosis. Ultimately, analysts concluded that Cory's real fixation wasn't religion or ideology. It was violence and control. Cory would later denounce any ideological beliefs, further proving the point. All right. So, you switch and you're kind of talking with this guy online. You guys both agreed's not cool and you we're cool. >> No, not really. We we both went time, but we were thinking like, oh, because the reason I got into the the first place is because I was just trying to find out something that's moral, something that's away from like generacy and all that kind of stuff. >> And I thought like, oh, what I thought at the time is maybe white people are better in that regard than non-whites. But after like seeing being in the community for a while, I saw that not only the white people but just the white were just as bad as everyone else if not worse in some regards. >> Okay. >> So that's just just with like fornication and doing drugs and stuff like that. Just just stuff like that. >> Okay. >> So um so at that point I was kind of disillusioned with the thing. So that's why >> searching for other alternatives find >> I find Islam but it's not like >> okay >> so Muslim >> and this guy you kind of talking with him the whole time like hey what do you think about this Islam versus >> right he's he's the same thing with the morality and the disillusionment >> you guys ever talk on the phone or always online >> just over text >> hey Cory you asked me earlier if Why did you ask me about it? >> I'm just wondering. >> Why? >> Because you're >> hoping he survived or do you want to do you want to see a higher kill count? >> Honestly, I'm just wondering because his wounds seem a lot. It seemed pretty bad. I stabbed her a couple times cuz something bad. So, I figured jeez as all right as you could get after being stabbed a couple times. All right. So, so this guy, you ever talked to this guy overseas about stabbing people? >> No. No, we never talked to any extreme. >> Nothing extreme. >> Do you have any thought that he might do something like this? >> I haven't spoken to one in a long time. >> A long time. >> Months. I mean, >> why seem like a pretty good friend online. >> Just deleted his telegram randomly. >> But you were you said you were texting us. You got his phone number, right? >> I I had his telegram. >> Oh, okay. >> Did you tell him that the FBI spoke to you about the uh high school threat? >> I think I did. >> And then he deleted his account. >> Not immediately. Like after like a couple weeks after, so I don't know if it was related or not. I figured maybe somebody like talked to him and he got scared. >> After this conversation, detectives leave the room to gather the information they have. Although Cory's online friend was never publicly identified, investigators did uncover another digital connection, a person with the alias Hafsa, during his arrest, police found a handwritten letter addressed to her thanking her for her support and claiming he had shared images of his crime. While there was no proof that any images were ever sent, investigators discovered that Hofsa had encouraged Cory's beliefs and expressed a fascination with violence. Her true identity was never uncovered and she was never charged. Still, her influence played a significant role in fueling Cory's already dangerous mindset. And throughout all of this, there is one more victim that was never named. Cory's mom, who had to watch her son turn into a monster. A monster that she will now come face to face with. [Music] >> What happened? [Music] >> What happened? >> What happened? I killed somebody. >> You killed somebody? >> Why? >> And what were you trying to do? >> I don't know. >> What? >> I don't know. >> When did you get to their house? You were staying at their house. >> So for that? >> I know. >> Yes. >> But you were staying at their house last night. >> Yes. >> Well, why was I everyone rushing upstairs? >> Cuz I heard the guy screaming. >> What guy? >> The guy I stabbed. >> He's dead. >> Okay. >> Why did you stab him? >> But what? Were you all sleeping in the same room? >> No. All different parts of the house. Who? >> Where did the knife come from? Like >> No. Why can't you just stay home and not run away and follow my rules? >> Your rules are dumb. >> Well, now you're going to have really dumb rules. >> Jay said, "I don't like the rules. Leave the house." So, I did. Your boyfriend told me to do that. Yeah. Eating in your room and coming in at a decent hour is not bad. Now the rules you're going to have to follow are going to be way worse. >> You know my eating schedule. I eat one meal a day and I snack. Taking away the snacks. You're taking away half my food. >> You know how to make food. >> I don't want to talk about that. >> Why would you hurt someone? >> Cuz he's not Muslim. >> He's not Muslim. Oh my god. I'm not either. >> I don't know. I don't know what's happened to you. Why? I don't know why you would do this. You're in big trouble. >> I know. >> You may have killed someone. Nobody will tell me anything. I don't know. >> One, maybe two. I don't know. >> One, two, maybe three. It doesn't matter to you. >> There's nothing I could do now. Just sit here. That's just one reason. Mom, I destroy the camel back. >> Doesn't really matter what my rules in my house are now cuz you're not there. You won't be Seriously, can you tell me why you did that? >> I did. >> Were you sleeping? >> I was the only one awake. >> You were just laying awake all night. >> I wasn't playing. It was at 4 in the morning. >> And what was the other kid doing? Sleeping. >> Everyone was sleeping >> and you stabbed someone and then they were sleeping. Yes. >> Yes. >> I don't know. I don't even know you. >> You're going to say that you want to >> I don't know you. I need help. You need I need your help. I've been trying to get you help. Obviously, nothing worked. Shortly after this, Cory's interview comes to an end. 3 days later, Elaine also manages to recover from her injuries and is called in for a quick interview. And hearing her is nothing short of heartbreaking. >> I first saw Corey when I said, "What? What?" I first heard Javon moaning. I didn't know what was going on. I asked him to go to sleep. What was going on? Were they playing something? What was going on? And Corey said, "Go back into your room. We're going to go to sleep. I'll take care of this." I started to walk back to my room and I kept hearing the moaning louder and it didn't stop. I ran up the stairs to see what was wrong. I can see you. >> So he came at you >> and then there was a struggle and he just kept knifing me down the stairs. Yeah. I was like, "Stop, Corey. What are you doing?" I mean, I was loud. He was quiet and he >> Was he saying anything at all? just focused on just killing me and where to stab me. Just quiet. >> So, what made him stop attacking you, >> Dane? >> So, when Dane came out yelling, "Mom, mom, please." >> I think he said to Dane, "I'm not going to hurt you. I'm not going to stab you." And then he did. >> He said that to D. >> I I I He tried to get Dane not to not to not to fight me. Tried. And then Dane fought him and basically he got Dane and Dane was fighting. >> Was that downstairs or upstairs? >> Downstairs. >> Cory's trial took place in late 2021, 3 years after the 2018 stabbings. Cory's defense pleaded guilty on an account of insanity. However, the jury rejected it and he was charged with one count of first-degree murder and two counts of attempted firstdegree murder. Cory was given three life sentences, two consecutive and one concurrent. In court, Cory tearfully apologized to the victim's families and denounced his twisted beliefs that had influenced him. But Cory's apology cannot undo his crimes. 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.