Okay. >> I tapped her, just asking do she want to go to the bathroom do she need to go to the bathroom. And she didn't respond. >> Did you try doing CPR this morning? >> Yes, sir. >> And it was not successful? >> No, sir. >> I'm asking you that because there's a bunch of videos that were deleted on the 12th. And they were only deleted by one user, and that's either you or your mom. There's a video of her proceeding wearing wearing a wrap on her foot of her running in place and you kicking her >> Some killers like to think that they've covered every trace, not realizing that they've been caught on camera. But what happens when the footage plays back and their darker secrets come to light? >> Do you know what happened? >> I don't know, sir. >> How many times? >> I don't know, probably two. >> Well, from what I can see from the video so far, what ain't going to look good for you is you going up and executing when he's on the ground. >> So, if he got out of his car without his gun, that was his fault. It's not my fault that I shot him with his own gun cuz he was threatening me. >> But your head going in, now that's where you're reaching in, grabbing that. >> Here are the times killers have realized that their secrets were recorded. Starting with the moment Hollis Daniels murdered an officer in a police station. >> I'll be transporting 111 male. >> What was that big thump? >> Oh, my my handcuffs. >> They only got one? >> Yeah. >> You got kids? >> Three old. I haven't said anything really. They but they're pretty hot. So, so I've proof for days. >> You see me in this bro. >> Yeah, I don't you know me. You care you know me. I'm not going to say >> On August the 8th, 2017, police pulled over 19-year-old Texas Tech freshman Hollis Daniels the third, the son of a former city councilman, after his friend called and reported the teen for stealing a firearm from his place during an argument. >> So, what's going on, man? I'm lost. Please help me. >> Where were you coming from? We got a call about you causing a disturbance. >> A >> What's the >> Yeah, over at your friend's house. What's your friend's name? >> Uh Leo. >> Leo? Okay, why is Leo calling us telling us that you're messing with him? >> I I I have no idea, sir. Cuz I guess he didn't I don't know. I don't know. I'm not I'm not sure, sir. >> Okay. Do you have any guns or any weapons in the vehicle? Any drugs or anything like that? Step out here and talk to me, man, okay? >> Okay. Is that necessary, sir? >> Yeah, it is necessary, okay? Just come stand over here for me, okay? Just come stand over here for me, okay? >> You You're doing a search of the vehicle? Yeah, we're doing a search of on your person, yes, sir. >> No, I I thought it was down. Yeah, I thought it was >> Okay, if we search your vehicle >> Yes, sir. >> For what? You don't want us to search your vehicle? >> Yeah, but not because I don't want to run. I just I just don't I don't know what's up with that. I just don't It's not necessary. I'm on my way home. >> No, it is necessary cuz right now you're involved in an investigation. That's why I'm asking if you have a gun in your car. >> No. >> I can search your vehicle for a gun. >> Yes, sir. >> Okay, then hang on to him. I'm going to go in and see what's going on in that side. >> You want me to go with you? >> Might as well just put him in the back of the vehicle. >> All right. Okay. >> Damn, he said I tried to kill him? Or he said that I said that? >> That's what he told the other officer. You carry on with your night, man. You're all set, buddy. Just be nice to your friends. >> However, the officers released him when they couldn't find the weapon on his person. That proved to be a fatal mistake on their part. Had they attempted to search Daniel's vehicle, they would have found the firearm stashed in the back. Essentially, the officers unknowingly let the teen go while he was in possession of a dangerous weapon. The next evening, officers were called to his dorm room for a welfare check after his dorm mates reported hearing the sound of shots from his place. >> Texas A&M Police Department, we're keying in. Hey, what's up, man? What's your name? >> Andy. >> Andy? >> Is that who we're looking for? >> No, we're looking for Hollis. >> I just woke up. I'm sorry. I didn't >> That's okay. What do you know about your partner that lives in this room down here? Hollis Daniels? >> Hollis? I don't know a whole lot about him. >> Really? Um I don't know. I haven't I haven't really hung out with these guys a whole lot. >> Okay. >> There's a gun right here. Revolver. >> Is it yours, too? >> Probably has some drugs and paraphernalia in there, but we can't tell from plain view, so we'll just go ahead and seize all of that. And I don't know what those pills are, but there's another It's in there. And these When I was looking inside this box, it looks like there's a little bag with some marijuana, maybe. >> Just about that time, Daniels returned to his dorm room, shocked to find four officers inside. >> Hey, what's your name, bud? >> Hey, buddy. >> What's up? >> What's your name? >> Andreas. >> No, it's not. >> What? What's going on? >> No, what's going on? >> We've already talked to your other three roommates. We know what they look like. >> Yeah. >> That was a good try, though. Hey. >> Hey. >> Stand up for me real quick. Do you have any weapons or anything on you? Interlace your fingers on top of your head. Spread your feet out a little for me. What's all in this pocket? >> Uh money. >> Money? >> Yeah, I can take it out? Uh yes. >> Is it okay to just empty out all your pockets while we're doing this? >> Uh do you have >> Don't move your hands. >> Do you have Is that necessary? >> I'm asking you a question. >> Uh no, I don't think so, but yeah. >> Okay. >> What officers didn't notice while searching the teen was the presence of a loaded firearm tucked away in his waistband, a blunder that would cost them dearly in the future. They then sat Daniels down for a few routine questions, unaware that they were up against an armed psychopath. >> So, what's going on with all the stuff in your room? >> Um I store bought some times to sell, and I have a few things just that I sell. >> I was searching the drawers. >> Yes, sir. >> Okay. So, So have a prescription for Xanax? >> No, sir. Cuz that's a lot of pills for one person. >> I have a Oh, oh, oh, I do have a I do have a pellet gun, but it's not loaded. >> Yeah, we saw that, too. What do you use the CO2 gun for? >> Uh honestly, I haven't even loaded it since I got here. Uh back home, we used to just shoot squirrels and stuff. I thought it'd be kind of fun, but then I realized I got here, there's not many squirrels here, you know what I'm saying? Uh then we also got a report of the gunshot. There was no gunshot. In here? >> That's what we're told. >> By who? >> Uh somebody that heard it. >> So yeah. Oh, no, no, no, yeah. I didn't know, yeah. I didn't I wasn't even here last night. I was over at my buddy uh uh 28th Street. >> What time did did the shot go off? >> Cuz if you if you >> I don't know. >> If you look up the police reports from Officer What's-His-Name, it was Duckworth, Officer Duckworth. Uh we had we went through this whole thing. >> Did he write you a ticket or anything? >> He didn't write me a ticket. He let me go because the whole situation was uh they they thought that I stole their gun. And so then they went and searched my car. You can look at I see you can look at his uh what time he pulled me over, and I bet that whatever time the gunshot was reported won't won't actually because I that wasn't >> It was >> Even though the officers didn't find what they were looking for, they still took Daniels into custody for the possession of the substances. Officer Floyd E. Junior placed him in the squad car where he once again overlooked a crucial detail. >> I'll be transporting 111 male. >> What was that big thump? >> Oh, my my uh handcuffs. >> That noise was in fact not created by Daniel's handcuffs. Rather, it was the noise of his firearm plopping against the bottom of the squad car. Inside the station, Officer Floyd removed Daniel's handcuffs because of his apparent cooperation and led him to the briefing room. The chain of events that followed would prove to be one of the most haunting moments Texas Tech University Police Department had ever seen. >> Do you have any knowns? Yes. How many kids? Three years old. Yeah. >> It was at this moment that Daniels retrieved the firearm from his sock and fired at Officer Floyd who had done nothing to warrant such a deadly response. Daniels then fled the scene unaware that the incident had been recorded on a hidden camera. The station immediately went up in chaos with officers rushing to find the armed killer. >> 6:58, the PD is not secure. Got officer down in shot in our briefing room. We don't know where the suspect went. He's about a 19-year-old white male, skinny. >> What's he wearing? >> Uh blue jeans, uh believe a light colored t-shirt. Um he had muddy mud on his jeans from the knees down. >> Blue jeans and a white t-shirt? >> Yeah, and he's got facial hair. >> Can you can you relay the information one more time? >> Yeah. >> To our sergeant so we can get all the perimeter units clear on what we're looking for. >> What's his last name? >> Daniels. Daniels last name, first name Hollis. >> Officers eventually did find Daniels and immediately took him into custody for the second time. The same night Daniels got on a call with his mother and discussed the incident without a sliver of remorse. >> Do you have a cell phone with you and you have a cell phone of the Texas attorney? I would really advise you not to say anything. >> Yeah, on the call I haven't said anything. >> Huh? >> I haven't been saying anything really. They they but there's pretty hot so so I pray for against me in this problem. I I >> I I know I know I know that. I know that and I know that and I know that and I know that it doesn't matter but I'm telling you it's your fault. No. >> All right, I I you know me, Carrie, you know me. I'm not going to say I I was I supported someone who was slandering me yesterday. I said, "No, he didn't even slander me." I you know me. I'm not going to say anything that that would jeopardize that. >> I'm just saying it's I love you and you'll get through this. >> Yeah, yeah, yeah. It's my dumb fault that I shouldn't have done this anyway. I'm stupid. But this may be a little more extreme. I think that they're probably going to kick me out of the Texas Tech high school. And I think that they're Huh? >> The parents seem to play a massive role in Daniel's twisted outlook on life as they continued to coddle him despite the heinous crime that he had just committed. Officers then took the boy in for questioning wanting to understand what exactly led up to that irreversible chain of events. >> So, I I got back to my dorm. There was already police officers in there. They busted me for X and marijuana. And they shipped me back to the to the to the station and I uh and I uh I to my head you know, I can't have this third strike that gets me this is going to be a you know what I mean? Not thinking logically and so I did something very illogical and and regret it deeply and and I don't I don't know ever how I'll ever make up for it. Okay? Is that kind of cover what you're asking? I was uh taken back to the police station and something just clicked in my head and I said, I can't I can't 25 to life. Plus more cuz there's other stuff. I mean look look, that would be the responsible thing to do is to just give me jail time and then maybe I can grow up with parole, but that's just going to change not your problem. It's just going to change how I have to go about what I'm going to do. >> All of that's up to the district attorney's office. Okay? >> And of course the district attorney's office is going to give me 25 to life. So, let's say Okay. Do you have anything else you want to say? >> I guess so. >> In February 2023, Hollis Daniels pleaded guilty to capital murder of a police officer and was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole, bringing an end to one of the most disturbing cases in Texas Tech's history. Speaking of killers being exposed, this was the moment detectives uncovered hours of footage of a stepmother tormenting her young one, leading to her demise. >> What happened? >> I think she did it. >> She did it. >> I don't care what y'all think. I know for a fact she did it. >> So, I'm asking you what happened on the 12th to cause a bunch of videos to be deleted. There's another video too of her running in place. You had her running in place and then for whatever reason you kicked her from behind. Um, we got 2,820 videos that I had to go through. >> On June the 17th, 2024, a 911 call shattered the quiet of Orange County, Florida. 9-year-old Jamaria Sessions had been found unresponsive inside a small home. Officers rushed to the scene, but the moment they stepped inside it was already too late. Jamaria was gone. Confusion filled the air as investigators turned toward the woman living there, 34-year-old Tyshaun Man, Jamaria's stepmom. >> What's your name, ma'am? >> Tyshaun Man. >> And what's your date of birth? >> 9/12/1989. >> And how old are you? >> 34. >> All right, so I have a couple of questions for you. So, yesterday I understand you went to the airport to try to fly some kids out to California to visit their grandmother, correct? >> Yes. >> What time did you leave the house? >> I want to say maybe 5-ish. >> Okay. And then you got to the airport. What happened along the way to the airport? >> Um, she threw up. >> Who's she? >> Jamaria. >> Okay. And did you guys get her breakfast? Is that what she threw up? >> Yes. >> What did you guys get her for breakfast? >> Banana and Gatorade. >> Okay, so she threw that up. And then you guys get there and then what happens? >> We was almost there when she threw up. Um when we got out the car, she was walking fine and then she was like when we got halfway down the um roadway, she was like I'm feeling starting to feel weak. So I walked her back to the car and the girls went ahead of me. So I got in the car and I went and picked the girls up. I mean I went and told the girls that I was going to go around and for them to go ahead and go to the airport so I can get her wheelchair assistance. >> So you got her a wheelchair? >> I wasn't able to. >> Oh, you weren't able to? Okay. >> when they said that I have to book it through the airline. I mean I have to go through the airline or something to get the wheelchair or something. So we remained in the car. >> Okay. So why was she not able to why was she feeling weak? Just cuz she was sick or was she having any other injuries? >> We just came back from um um out of the country or whatever. So she's she's been sick and about six, seven other >> At first Tashay seemed calm, collected, and even there was something off about her. Something in her tone that made the officer's instincts flare and not in a good way. >> Did fall the other day. Um we have um I guess a leak from the ceiling um in our living room and I guess she was she said she was walking in the dark and didn't see the dog food bag, tripped over the dog food bag, fell because slipped in the puddle of water. Um she said she hit her head, but when I checked, I didn't see any bumps or anything. So she said she's um twisted ankle. I put a compression sock on and allowed her to ice it. >> How long ago did that trip happen? >> That was maybe two maybe three days ago. >> So, like Friday? >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> And she was actually walking on it fine. She said when she got in the tub to sit down, it swelled up. >> Okay. >> From the being in the water, that's what she say. So, we gave her the crutch that we had. The um >> crutch that we had in the house for the um >> gave her the crutches. Did you guys take her to the doctor at all? >> No, we didn't. >> Okay. So, where does I know Montier now. Does he normally live here? >> Yes. He's only been gone for I think 3 days. >> So, he left on Thursday or Friday? >> Yeah. >> What does he do for work? >> Um he works at a um Is it a paint uh it's a paint shop or something? >> Does he know about his daughter already? >> So, I called him to tell him to come to the house, but I didn't tell him. >> Okay. So, he doesn't know anything yet. >> It was clear that talking about Jamaria's supposed illness had shaken Taisha enough that she couldn't even remember where her boyfriend worked. The officer was now sure that she was hiding something. So, he continued the questioning hoping to hit gold soon. >> I was sleeping all day. Um Jamaria was actually telling me that she felt better. Once we got back, I gave her popsicle, two popsicles. She ate them. She was on the couch. Before I went to sleep, I told the girls I was going to sleep and alarm in the house. They went to the park or something. >> Jamaria did? >> I'm not sure. >> Okay, you're not sure. You were asleep, right? So, what time did you wake up? >> I woke up like around I woke up periodically. Um but I stayed in bed. >> Right. >> Um You mean like when I found her? >> Yeah, like so did you did you stay in bed throughout the night last night? >> when I went to sleep, it was only about 6:00 7:00 at night. >> Okay. >> So, I think I slept about 12:00 something. Got up. Um and sat up in the bed, drank something, laid back down, and I think I was calling my mom back cuz I saw she had a missed call or whatever. I don't I don't remember. I just know that um I never got out of bed. >> Look at that phone and see what time you called your mom back. >> It's She called me at 11:43. That's probably what woke me. I called her back at 12:05. >> And then where was Jamaria at at that time at 12:05? Was she in her room or you don't know or she was or was she with you? >> She was I don't know where she was at that time. >> Okay. You never got a fear check on anybody? Okay. >> She but she sleeps She doesn't have a room. She sleeps anywhere. >> Anywhere? Okay. >> Mostly in Nia's the Nia's room. Um >> Okay. >> Or on the couch. Well, she was sleeping in Denia's room, but she was doing things that her dad didn't like. So, her dad made her start made her sleep on the couch. >> What was that? >> Um stealing from the girls. Um talking um about boys a lot, being nasty, not bathing, and stuff like that. >> Tysha's timeline was all over the place as she appeared to be jumping from one detail to the next. But soon in the middle of her rambling, she would soon reveal a disturbing detail that would stop the officers cold. Okay. Um so this morning, you get up out of bed and you go to check on Jamaria. What happened there? Like why did you go in there to check on her? >> No, I actually turned the I got up and I turned the light on and I noticed that she was on the mattress. >> So, she was in the same room you were in? >> Yes. >> Okay. >> I tapped her, just her do she want to go to the bathroom, do she need to go to the bathroom? And she didn't respond. >> And then you called 911? >> Yes. >> What was she wearing? >> She didn't have on anything. >> No socks, no shoes, no clothes, nothing? >> No, she she must have um but that's normal. Uh um most of the girls walk around like that. >> Okay. >> My I don't know. She my I have a autistic daughter and she does it all day long. Um I think Jamaria probably was hot or something or I don't know. >> She had a burn on the top of her foot. How did she get the burn? >> So, my daughter she does hair as well. Um >> Which daughter? >> My 9-year Well, all of them, but my 9-year-old daughter does hair and she did her hair and they both put it dipped her hair in the hot water. That's just a method of doing hair and she said some of the hot water spilled on her foot, but she said she never saw a burn and I'm thinking it's due to the compression sock being on her. >> That she's wearing? >> Jamaria never complained about a burn. Um and I'm I mean, I never we we didn't take the compression sock off until today. >> So, you took it So, when I said if you found her wearing any clothes, you said no she wasn't wearing any clothes and now you're saying you took the compression >> Well, not Monday, Sunday. >> Sunday. Okay, so Sunday you took it off and then you saw the burn. >> Yes. >> Did you guys do anything at that point to treat that burn? >> Yes. >> What did you guys do? >> Um um Neosporin we put Neosporin on it. But it was only at the top of her toe. >> Okay. >> So, I was like >> Did it look bad? >> No, it didn't look bad at all. Um my daughter said I believe she said her skin was coming off when she took the compression sock off. >> And that was Sunday? >> Yes. >> Is Julia um Jamaria's sister? >> She's with um um his mom. >> And that's in Orlando? >> Yes. >> All right. Why is she there? >> Apparently, she said she didn't want to be around us. We were too strict on her and all type of stuff. Um that's that's what she was saying. So, it was just becoming too much of a problem and I was just we made the decision for her to go over there and be cared for because you know, it was a lot of like situ- a lot of stuff going on with her. >> Did you try doing CPR this morning? >> Yes, sir. >> And it was not successful? >> No, sir. >> The absence of emotion on Taishay's end made the whole situation even more eerie. To shatter her composure, the officer decided to ask an important question. >> Just to put it in context, do you discipline Jamaria and Julia when she lived here? >> Yes. >> How do you discipline? >> Um, they're posted line. If they do something, they supposed to do squats. Um, or you know, dad have made them like just go up and down the stairs or whatever. Holding something or whatever. Um I have popped them on the hands before. Um, I pretty much if dad feel like he want to whoop them, leave that to him. Um, you know, going with the other kids to places, staying home. If you know, you haven't did what you supposed to do. >> All right. So, last question I have for you, last couple questions. The all the bites and stuff she has on her, where are those from? >> So, her and Egypt broke out from She She saying the kids told me that she was doing stuff to herself. I I I didn't witness it myself. Um, but she did break out her and Egypt broke out while we were in Puerto Rico. I put medicine on it that she broke out from. Um, but as far as a bite, she had she has a bite mark from the dog, which was stitched up. >> And that was And that was called months ago, right? >> Yeah. >> All right. How bad was that dog bite? How bad? >> To me it wasn't that bad. Um, to me it wasn't that bad because she wasn't like she cried and like for about 5 minutes and it stopped. >> The mere fact that Ta'Shay would claim that Jamaria hurt herself only to cover up her own abuse was a new low, even for her. The officers didn't buy it for a second and they pushed harder, adamant to extract the truth from her. How often she go to the doctor? >> Um, they have only taken her to the doctor once since we've had them. >> How long you've had them? >> Since October of '23. >> You had You had everybody downstairs and you were going to go lay down. You You You set the alarm. >> No, I I told them I told the girls that yeah, I was going to set the alarm on the house. >> Okay. Is that something you normally do whenever you >> Yeah. >> lay down and just to make sure the house is safe and >> Yeah. Um, yeah, cuz I have a autistic daughter. >> Okay. So, if a door opens, it Does the alarm advise you that the door is open? >> Yes. >> And you said they they went to the park after that. >> I I think they went to the park, yeah. >> Okay. There was the alarm Did the alarm go off? >> No. >> Okay. >> I did I hadn't alarmed the house at that time. >> Okay. But you said you when you went to sleep when you went to lay down that you set the alarm. >> Yeah, I know. I said I told them I was going to set the alarm. >> Okay. >> Um Let me see when I set the alarm. Oh, stop. I don't have an connection. >> Once Taisha realized that she had slipped up, her story began to unravel completely. In a desperate attempt to cover it up, Taisha only complicated matters for herself. >> When I called 911, they if I told them, they said they heard flat on her back. I said, she is flat on her back. They um >> How'd you move her? >> Said she needed to be on a flat surface, so I removed the mattress from up under her. >> So, in your room, how many mattresses are in your room? >> The room that she was in? >> Yes. >> Two. >> Okay, so two mattresses in there. Is that the room that you were sleeping in? >> Yes. >> Okay, so she was on a different mattress than the one you were on. >> Yes. >> Okay. Do you have any objections to us going through your phone? Is that a no? >> No, I don't. >> Okay. All right, so if you can leave that phone with me, we'll put it on airplane mode, and then we'll go from there. The officers then broke the devastating news to Jamaria's father, Loquon Sessions. Loquon's grief gave way to defensiveness almost immediately when the officers began asking some pointed questions. >> This is where I last seen my baby, man. >> Very sorry for your loss, sir. Do you have any idea what's going on this morning? >> My mama just told me my baby Man, what? My last daughter that got in trouble too much, I sent her to my mom. So, I don't I don't This not This not adding up, cuz why Why Why Why Why did they just tell me to come get my baby, man? Why did she She had just been with me? >> Why did she move out? >> She not comfortable being here. One from out of town, you know? >> You weren't tired? >> Yeah. >> Okay. And Julia's lived here for how long? >> A couple months. >> A couple months? What happened that she moved from here with >> She was just having a hard time adjusting. Her mother Um her grandmother and them weren't raising her correctly. We tried to instill rules and principles in her, like to try to get her to be a child. She was beyond her years. It just it wasn't working out. I was feeling like I was having to get on to her too much and you know, maybe pop her a little bit more than I should as a father. >> Okay. >> So I sold her to my mother. I don't even know why she's being I keep asking her she's telling me I'm bad I'm not trying to be bad dad I'm not trying to do this stuff. I'm I I don't know. I was going to take her to a doctor. I was under the impression she was going to California right now. >> Okay. >> She got back we was going to go to a doctor I was going to go see what's wrong with her. When I'm asking her what's your problem why are you doing it? And she's telling me I don't know I'm not trying to. I don't I'm not trying to dad I'm not trying to I'm trying to be good but I just can't. >> At that point one thing was clear to the officer. Tyesha had not acted alone and Lequan definitely had it in him to be violent. This was later confirmed by their rap sheet which included a history of dealing in substances and violence. But then he said something that froze everyone in the room. >> Does Tyesha normally sleep naked? >> I don't know. Now that I don't when they're asleep I don't go in their room and being that I'm the only man in the house I wasn't here so it's possible. >> Okay. >> Where was she where did she normally sleep? Who did she normally sleep with? If she had a room to call her own where would it be? >> She's supposed to have her own room but I haven't got to it yet but between Nia and Shara and Nia and Shara. >> So downstairs? >> Yes. When she gets in trouble I make her sleep upstairs on the couch so I can keep an eye on her. >> Talk to me about when Seven attacked Tyesha. >> I wasn't here. >> You know anything about it? >> No. I was ready to kill the dog the same day they all begged me not to. >> Okay. Do you know what started it what happened? Was it a toy? Was it food? Was it just him being a >> She told me that she tried to take some food from him while he was eating. >> However, this was only half true as the officers later determined that the dog bite wasn't accidental at all. >> How was she in school? Well, one has to go to work. >> Um toward the I mean in the beginning she would just go to sleep in class when she didn't want to do her work. >> Do you have any reason to believe that Tyshay would harm your child? >> I don't. >> Nothing that indicated otherwise? And what about the girls? >> They all kids. I don't think so. >> Later it was revealed that many family members had made calls to child and family services and requested multiple welfare checks indicating that the suspected abuse wasn't something new. And the officers' suspicions were confirmed the moment they talked to Jamaria's uncle. >> No, you're fine. Do you sit right there? I don't want you to sit on the ground. I don't want you falling out. Are you one of her brother? Yes. Okay. Get in the car. >> The most chilling breakthrough came from surveillance footage inside the home. Recorded on June the 15th, the footage showed Jamaria naked and terrified trying to cover herself as Tyshay kicked and dragged her across the floor. In other clips she was forced to run until her body gave out, beaten and humiliated over and over again. The officers obtained more than 2,800 videos that captured the horror of her final days. Two days later, Jamaria was gone. When officers arrested Tyshay Martin for murder, aggravated abuse, and neglect, they thought that they'd seen the worst. Still, nothing could have prepared them for her chilling calm during the interrogation. >> What happened? >> Honestly, I can't say how she passed away. She was when I found her, she was sleeping. Um All I can say is, you know, she did receive whoopings. The girls told me that she fell that day when I was asleep. When I was sleeping, um I did not witness that fall. I don't know how she passed I don't know how she passed away. I honestly don't. >> How did she get the the pinch marks all over her body? >> I have pinched her before, but the from what I saw, I didn't pinch I didn't do all of that. >> Did anybody else pinch her? >> Yeah. >> Who? >> Dad. >> Dad? So, what kind of would or what kind of discipline would would Lawan use on Jamaria? >> What do you mean like use? >> Like whoopings, would she time outs, what kind of >> she got in trouble for >> Like if she got in trouble for something, what would be the recourse that Lawan would do? >> Um I mean, initially it would start out with maybe having to run in place. Um That's a lot of things that he would tell her. They They They would have to stand on the wall sometimes. And then it eventually resulted into to a whooping. >> How did Jamaria sprain her ankle and when? >> She told me that she tripped over the dog food downstairs when she was walking in the dark in the living room. >> So, downstairs living room? How did she get the burns to her feet and her back? >> Said it was some hot water from the hair. >> What was she doing with the hair? I understand it was already this hair, but it tries to heat up the hair. >> Yes, she has to dip it in hot water. Um And apparently she had moved or something. >> Do you know about um how her lip got busted or her teeth got broken out of her mouth? >> Um I thought it was from the treadmill. >> Why do you think it was a treadmill? >> Because that's what she's I believe she told us already that. >> When did that happen? >> That week I don't know exactly which day. >> Did you guys take her to the doctor for it? I mean teeth injuries are pretty painful. >> Um no, she didn't No. >> Did she ever complain about it or anything? >> No, I didn't even see it. She didn't even show it to me. >> By then, Ta'Shay's indifference had pushed the officers to their limit. They were done holding back and this time they were confronting her with hard evidence. >> And has anybody ever been locked in that room? >> No. >> As punishment? >> No. >> Do you know what Blue Star is? >> No. >> You ever seen CSI shows where they have like the spray they spray on blood and they call it luminol? >> Mhm. >> And it lights up the blood? >> Mhm. >> All right, so you see a little bit now when you look at the floor now? >> Okay. >> This is a better picture. This is a floor when the door closed. >> Okay. >> So why would there be blood there? >> I don't know why there would be. >> Is this human blood? >> Mhm. >> Or monkey. It's primate or human. >> I mean I have animals so >> But it's not blood so it won't react to animals. So this is the couch that Jamari slept on? >> Yes. >> Seems about same to me. >> Um Yeah. >> Okay. And then this is your bathtub upstairs in the master. >> Yes. >> Ta'Shay definitely hadn't seen that coming, but the officer wasn't done just yet. >> After this incident, those are the only two phones that are registered with Vivint to have access to the system. When you set up your account on your phone, it logs that data. >> Okay. >> Okay, so we know whose phone is doing what. >> Okay. >> So when I asked you earlier, what happened on the 12th, I'm asking you that because there's a bunch of videos that were deleted on the 12th. And they were only deleted by one user, and that's either you or your mom. So, I'm asking you what happened on the 12th that caused a bunch of videos to be deleted. If something happened where you hit Lajuan, I don't care. He probably deserved it, to be honest with you. But, I'm just trying to understand the dynamics inside the house. And there's another video, too, of her running in place. You had her running in place, and then for whatever reason, you kicked her from behind, she trips over the bag of dog food. That's when she sprained her ankle. I mean, that's cuz the next video in her with her in it, she's wearing an ankle wrap. It fits. There's no video of her wandering through the downstairs living room, um you know, uh tripping over bag of dog food. There's a video of her proceeding wearing wearing a wrap on her foot of her running in place, and you kicking her, and her falling over a bag of dog food. So, >> He sprained her ankle at that time. I did not know >> No, that's that's fine. But, I'm telling you that she you kicked her over a bag of dog food, and she may have sprained her ankle at that time, right? But, there's no video of her wandering around the room. I mean, I will tell you this, that your cameras are top notch. Um we got 2,820 videos that I had to go through. Um and it captured a lot. A lot inside your home. >> Yeah, I did. He told me that for the cops, that's it. I mean, I know what he told me. So, that's what, you know, I was leaning more towards, but >> What did he tell you? >> Um well, not me, but told her. He said like basically they I know that he was on the phone. So, I mean, I don't know if that was a scare tactic or what, but I honestly >> That was the moment I Shay felt her crimes closing in and in a final act of desperation she tried one last move to save herself. >> So what do you think LaJuan did? >> could have caused her to die. >> What do you think LaJuan did? >> I don't know. >> Do you see the marks on her? >> Right. >> Who caused those marks? You, LaJuan, someone else? >> I mean I feel like LaJuan did. >> You feel like he did or you know he did? >> I mean other people it could be is my kids and I know they didn't do that. I honestly can't say what all he did to her because like I said I walked away from it. Um >> But we at least admit to me that you saw those marks on her body. I I just can't believe that you didn't. >> The marks of the >> Those marks that you just saw in that picture, yeah. >> Yeah, I I did pinch I didn't see the remark the reaction from the pinch, no, but I did pinch her. >> What about her face? Were you aware that her face was swollen, she had been hit or suffered some kind of injury to her head where it caused her face to swell up? Do you know all that? >> No. I mean when I saw her she I just thought >> What about the 16th, the day prior? Do you know about it? >> No. >> That was a fatal mistake because the detectives immediately hit her with undeniable proof of her lies. >> Text you and says hey maybe we should reschedule this this flight let us fully go down on her head or face. Text you that. Deny I saw it. >> Did I respond? >> Yes, there was a whole conversation. >> Jamaria came moved into our house eating cereal and noodles. If she lost a lot of weight because she told us because we may had meals she told us >> has to eat. Dad told her she has to eat those meals that is served to her. So, Jamaria lost weight because she couldn't eat cereal and noodles anymore. >> She was in the corner so long she peed herself. >> That was on the ship, sir. >> But that's my point is that her mindset, she's 9 years old, she's not an adult. She's so scared of you and and Lawan that she would stand in the corner and piss herself. >> Well, she told me that she did that because he told her she couldn't leave out the corner time out for anything. >> She's so scared. Her dad's a million miles away in her mind. She's out in the ocean. She's on another country. That's so far away. And that's it's mental. That's She's so programmed and so scared of both of you that she will do whatever it takes. >> I don't think she was scared. I honestly feel like it's a set up. You know, like he's never left the house. He's never left the house. He's never ever ever ever ever >> By who? Lawan? >> Yeah. >> Then why are you trying to protect him by saying I didn't see any of those marks on her? If that's true. >> Taysha was charged with first-degree murder, aggravated manslaughter of a young person, and aggravated abuse, to which she pleaded not guilty. Lawan was also charged with aggravated manslaughter of a young person and pleaded not guilty. Taysha got what was coming to her, no doubt, and so did Dominique, a heartless killer who ended the life of his childhood friend over a girl. >> You are under arrest right now for the charge of murder. What happened after you shot him? >> I called uh I told the people to call the police. >> Because I'll put it to you like this. Uh that whole thing's caught caught on tape, man. Video. >> Mhm. >> I hope you know that. Why did you shoot him while he's on the ground? >> Because what are you talking about? >> You said you told me you didn't shoot him. >> On January the 8th, 2022, Fort Worth police responded to shots fired in the 8500 block of Aventine Lane and found 23-year-old Curtis Dewayne Sims Jr. lying in an apartment complex parking lot with multiple shot wounds. The medical examiner ruled his death a homicide. Officers arrested a suspect the same day identified as Dominique Amari Davis. What Dominique didn't know was that deputies already had footage of him committing the crime and assumed they arrested him with no evidence at all. >> Do you understand what's going on? I So, uh you are under arrest right now for the charge of >> Mhm. >> I understand you may have made a statement to an officer when he got on scene that you took a gun from somebody and stuff like that. I don't know. That's what I'm here to talk about you about. But based on investigations so far, I believe that uh you are responsible for a murder, okay? >> Mhm. >> Uh if there's any claims of self-defense you want to make, heck, I'd love to hear you talk about it and stuff, but that's up to you. Uh since you are under arrest for murder, I have to read you your Miranda warnings, okay? >> Mhm. I was walking. >> Hold on, wait a second. Do you would you like to talk to me today? >> Yeah, I'll talk to you, but I'm not going to say much. >> Okay, well, that's up to you. I mean, as long as you're saying you want to talk to me, we can talk. Okay. >> I don't know if it was It was really just me defending myself. Somebody pulled up, got out the car, was trying to fight, flashed a gun a little bit. And uh once they got to saying get on me, I got closer to their car because I you should just basically >> Can I ask a question? Do you know this person? >> Yeah, I know that person. >> Who is it? >> Uh it was a friend. >> Okay. How close were y'all as friends? >> We was real close. >> What happened? >> I don't know. >> Just fell out? >> Mhm. >> Y'all grew up together, all that kind of stuff? >> Yeah. >> Okay. Do you think reasons matter for why most people do stuff? I think they do. You didn't just walk up to nobody and do nothing, did you? >> I didn't walk up to nobody. There you go. >> I didn't do nothing. >> So, that could make a difference. Okay. With this being said is tell me about the gun. That's important in this thing. Is is this gun your gun? >> No. >> No doubt about it, it's not your gun. >> mine. >> Okay, whose gun is it? >> the person that's dead. >> Who's that? >> The person that's dead. >> Curtis? >> Yeah. >> How do you know he's >> They told me. >> Yeah, okay. So, where did you get the gun? >> From inside his car. >> From in his car? >> Mhm. >> Can you explain that to me? >> He was fighting on me thinking that I was hurt. >> Uh-huh. >> Because I was like this. >> Where were you at? Were you inside the car when you're fighting or outside the car? >> outside of it. >> Okay. >> All right, he got out of his car. >> Okay. >> That's >> So, where did you get the gun? Did you reach in through an open window? >> the window. The window was down. I reached through the window. >> Oh, hey, man, I'm sorry. I'm not Yeah, it's all right. It's all right. I understand. Hey, dude, I understand this is a it's a big deal, man. I understand it's a big deal for you. You know, we can get up. But just let's try to be as calm as we can cuz I'm just trying to get the information cuz obviously, you know, this is recorded. This this interview is recorded. There's no secrets. And I want your story for everybody to hear it, okay? >> My own story is he got out the car trying to fight me. >> Uh-huh. >> I guess he thought that I was hurt or something like that because when he started, I started moving towards his car. >> You have Look like you have an injury on your eye. >> Yeah, he hit me. Obviously, we was fighting. >> Okay. Well, I'm going to need to take some pictures of that. So, where did you get the gun from the car? >> In the cup holder. >> The cup holder. It was just sitting there in the cup holder. So, you went in through the driver side or the passenger side? >> Passenger side. >> Is it a two-door? Okay, two-door. And then you didn't open the door, but you just reached in. >> Just through the window. >> Okay. Then what happened? >> Then I shot him. >> How many times? >> I don't know, probably two. >> What happened after you shot him? >> I called uh told the people to call the police. >> Okay. Did When you shot him, how close was he to you? >> He was close. >> Was he still swinging at you? What happened? >> Mhm. As soon as I hit him the first time, he dropped to the ground. >> Did you shoot him anymore when he's on the ground or anything like that? Nothing? Okay. Uh Okay. So, did he say any comments to you like I'm going to kill you? Did he say anything like that? >> I didn't hear anything much. >> Kind of got tunnel vision or whatever. It happens. That's what I hear, so. Uh So, just so I know, that gun does not belong to you. You have never touched that gun before other than when you got it from his cup holder. >> Mhm. >> Is that correct? Okay. Would you have any problem with me collecting a DNA sample from you just so I can prove that? >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> Without knowing that the deputies had hold of the evidence, Dominique cleverly attempted to paint the whole incident as self-defense. And with how informed these investigators were, there was no chance they'd let Dominique evade the consequences. >> So, what I'm going to jail? >> You're going to jail, man. >> Okay. >> This is the thing about it. Just cuz you get go to jail tonight, don't mean the case is over, okay? Cuz people look at these cases and stuff. I got to go up there. I understand there may be some video of this fight. If all that stuff checks out for you in the fight, that's going to look good for you in the future, man. Your cooperation. You get Looks good for you. You know, like people have respect for you, stuff like that. I don't know. I wasn't out there. You were out there. What I'm going to do is I'm going to document your injuries. You know what I'm saying? If you guys were fighting, I don't know who's getting better who, who wasn't getting the better who or anything like that. Uh we're still out there in the process of talking to witnesses, though. All this information I'm gathering is, you know, pretty much to to complete a thorough investigation in case, Dominique. And if you did If that ain't your gun, cuz we're going to be able to We can tell now, the DNA so good is I know you already touched that bottle, but if I touch it, too, they can tell who touched it first. You understand what I'm saying? So, his DNA should be all over that gun. And that that would go to your claim that you took the gun from his car, right? >> Although Dominique had started opening up a little bit more, he still wasn't being entirely truthful. The investigator wanted to hear something more from Dominique, a motive for the crime. >> Uh did you guys ever go to school together, anything like that? >> Mhm. >> What school did you all go to? >> Central. >> Central? Did you end up graduating? You got any kids, anything like that? >> Mhm. >> How many kids you got? >> One. >> One? Boy or girl? >> Girl. >> How old is your little girl? >> She just turned three. >> She just turned three. I understand. I had some people come up to me out there and said this this fight might have been over a girl. Is that a Is that accurate? You don't want to tell me or >> I don't know. >> Uh the girl in particular is Sierra Reddick? >> Mhm. >> Don't know anything about that? So, why would he come over Curtis come over today and try to fight you? >> I don't know. >> Do you have any phone communications with him recently, texting him, threatening him, anything like that? Nothing like that in your phone? Do you have any problem with us if we download it to conduct a forensic download of your phone to to prove that as well for for your sake? >> Mhm. I don't know, man. >> No, it's up to you, man. >> Nah. >> You don't want me to do that? Okay, cuz I would say somebody told me that there might have been communications in there where you threatened him, said that you're going to shoot him. I think if those messages aren't in your phone, I think that would be important, but if they are in your phone, I can understand you not wanting to do that as well. So, you do not want me to do that. Okay. >> Realizing that Dominique's guard had now gone considerably up as compared to the start of the interview, the investigator decided to cut to the chase and drop a bomb on the killer. >> Because I've put it to you like this. Uh that whole thing's caught caught on tape, man. Video. >> Mhm. >> I hope you know that. You didn't reach into his car. >> Yes, I did. >> No. >> I was in the window. What are you talking about in reaching to his car? >> It's not enough >> Okay, either way, I don't care. >> If I show you the video >> Yeah, show me the video so I can show you where, bro. Cuz now y'all trying to say I'm lying, bro. So, pull up the camera right now and show me the video so I can show you because obviously y'all didn't see it. >> Okay, I'll say I'll even say give you that that you reached into the car. I'll say that. Why did you shoot him while he's on the ground? >> Because what are you talking about? >> You said you didn't I mean you didn't shoot him. >> How many times was he punching you whenever you were reaching into the car? >> I don't know. >> This ain't important to you, Dominick? >> It is important to me, but like what is what is it what is there? Like, you know what I mean? Bro is dead now. >> well, well, let me let me tell you what it is. If you if you had to make a decision on what happens to you >> Mhm. >> does it matter if the person's sorry for what happened? You don't think it does? >> No, I mean >> it matters if the person's telling the truth? >> I'm telling you the truth. >> Well from what I can see from the video so far what ain't going to look good for you is you going up and executing when he's on the ground. >> Mhm. Okay. >> What I'm saying is would you like to tell anybody about that? Somebody's got to make a decision. I don't make a decision what happens to you. You know that? I just put the facts together and here you guys go. Judges, juries do this. Okay? That's who makes the decision. I think if I had done something wrong that there's no doubt that you pulled the trigger. There's no issue with that whatsoever. Okay? I know that for a 100% fact. You even admitted it >> to us. >> You said that. Yes, yes, yes. Go ahead. >> Where did I get the gun from? >> I don't know. I think you got it from your waistband. >> As I was going like this, right? >> I mean so, man. >> I I don't know. That's what it looked like to me. But, with that being said is we're going to have time to go frame by frame by frame. This is just early in the investigation. I can tell you this. This is far as I saw, I never saw you reach into the window or had the opportunity to do that. You know what I'm saying? This is what I saw. Now, hey, keep in mind when I get all the video downloaded and extracted and doing this, and we go frame by frame, we'll be able to blade slow it down to where we're like robots watching through there. We'll be able to see how many times everybody hit each other. I don't know that stuff now. So, what I'm saying is there is there any reason cuz reasons matter for this, man. It looks like then is this like why is he coming over your place? And I don't know why you don't think it's important that you tell us all this, man, but that's up to you. I'm I'm not mad at you if you don't you know don't want to tell me the reasons. But I think somebody who's going to decide what happens, I think they should know. Me personally, man. You're not a bad guy, Dominic. I think something went wrong today, man. And I don't think you're I don't know, man. It's up to you, man. I'm not going to beat you down or waste your time or anything like that, but I think it's important that you tell us the backstory, what's going on, why he even came over, how did he even know you was going to be over at the apartments? How's all that? >> Mhm. You got any questions, Detective Anderson? >> So, my thing is again, going back, if you're getting beat on, why you're reaching under the car, that's what we're saying. He's hitting you, you grab the gun. At that point, you fire, correct? >> Yes. >> Okay. What happens to him? What does he do after you fire that one shot? Falls backwards on the ground? >> Mhm. I mean, like they got the video, too, so they can see what happened. >> cuz you can only explain your emotions and your reactions at this time. Videos shows a lot, but it doesn't show what goes on in your head and what what you're thinking at that point. He falls down on the ground, is that a fair statement? >> Mhm. >> You still have the gun. Explain to me the next step though of you shooting another one or two times while he's laying on the ground. What at that point what was the threat from him at that point? >> Because he had a gun in his hand when he pulled up. >> At that point while he's laying on the ground, did he have a gun in >> he got out of the car. You see what I'm saying? I don't take nothing like that. >> He caught on pretty quickly that he couldn't argue his way out of the predicament that he was in. Not with the investigators increasingly turning up the pressure on him. >> So, that's important you should say. So, when he got out of the car Show me with your hands. How do you know he had a gun? >> When I was >> If you have Do you see what I'm saying though? We can't All right, but listen, hold on real quick. >> We can't concede the car. That would answer your question for sure. >> He was in the car when he came. He was talking through the car. I set my things down. When I set my things down I looked back and see him outside of the car. >> Okay. >> So, when we got to fighting I was getting closer to his car. Because Like, why are you fighting if he was just flashing you a gun and stuff like that? >> So, when was he flashing? I'm I'm I'm missing something. So, he was flashing the gun while he was still sitting in the car earlier. >> He had it on his lap right here. When he pulled up, yes. He had it on his lap. Yeah. He had it on his lap. And he was like, "Yeah, uh-huh. What you woah woah woah woah woah." I don't know what he was saying cuz I didn't really give a [ __ ] I see you got your gun, so obviously you on something. Okay, cool, bro. So, I don't care about none of that. You know what I mean? I've had guns being pointed at me multiple times. Like, you know what I mean? That don't phase me. It's all about what you're going to do with it. So, if he got out of his car without his gun, then that was his fault. That's not my fault that I shot him with his own gun because he was threatening me. >> I thought you said that he got out of the car with the gun. Is that not >> No, I did not I never said that. >> Okay, I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I didn't confuse you. You said he had it when he pulled up. But when he came out of the car, he was ready to fight. >> I guess so. Yeah. >> You fought. Y'all fought. Fair fight going. You end up over on the car. You're saying you reach in the car that time, you get the gun. You fire that one shot. But my question to you is while he's laying on the ground what and before you fire your other two shots into him, what is this What is he doing to make you fearful that you need to fire those other two shots? >> Yeah, already came over. I didn't have to I wasn't fearful. I wasn't in fear. >> Did you need to fire those other two shots? >> No, probably not. >> Where did you shoot him on those two shots? >> I don't know, I shot him in the head. >> The first shot, where do you think you shot him in? >> I don't know, in the stomach right where he was at. >> In the stomach? >> Mhm. >> If you'd done that, shot him in the stomach, walked off, called the police saying, "Hey, this guy jumped me." Do you think there was a possibility he could maybe still be alive right now? >> Probably, yeah. >> But those other two shots, you said into the head, that was basically taking his life at that point. >> Mhm. >> Is that fair? >> Yeah. >> Why does Another issue I want to say, why do you look like on a video that you kind of, you know, like you guys are ready to fight? That you want Why didn't you just take off or something like that? >> I don't want to run from nobody. >> Have you guys ever been in a fight before? Never? You guys never You guys grew up together and all this? Is it true about the girl? Having a falling out about the girl? >> I don't know. I'm not sure. I don't know. >> What I mean >> know. I'm not sure. I don't know, bro. I ain't got no problem with it. >> No? Do you never have Do you know who CR is? >> Yeah. >> Seems like that's a touchy subject for you, so I I'll leave it alone. I I don't know. I'm just trying to think of the reasons, man. Uh So you don't even know what kind of gun you had in your hand. >> It was a 9 mm. >> How do you know that? >> Cuz I know my friend, bro. That was my friend. You hear me? That was my brother. You hear me? We was close. >> Well, that's what I'm trying to get at. How long do you When did y'all fall out? >> Last month, right before my birthday, man. On my daughter's birthday. >> And you don't even want to tell me why you fell out? >> No, I'll tell you. Whoever it is. >> So you I just take their word for it? >> I mean, like you listen here. I already told you what happened, and y'all don't believe that y'all thinking that I pulled the gun out of my waistline, and I had this zipped up the whole time. So I don't even know how y'all could be >> Well, like I said, I got to go back and look at the video very, very well. >> Y'all know, man. >> But I can tell you this, you said you got it from the car, the cup holder, right? >> Mhm. >> Okay. What do you think should happen to you? >> I don't know. You're probably going to put me in jail. >> Well, you're under arrest, but I mean when when it all shakes out. Just cuz you go to jail, you can bond out tomorrow if you got bond money. You know what I'm saying? What do you think should happen? >> Um I'm not sure. >> Given the same circumstances >> At this point in the conversation, it was pretty apparent that Dominique was 100% in the wrong. The question was no longer about the crime itself. Rather, the investigators were more interested to know whether the man felt any remorse over his actions. >> Would you do the same thing? >> Would I do the same thing to what about what? >> Same circumstances happen. Say this didn't happen. You know now given the same circumstance, would you have shot shot him, Curtis? >> I didn't not, no. >> Why not? >> Uh I don't know. I'm lying to you. Yeah, I probably would have. There is no doubt in my mind. If I see somebody with a gun pointing it towards me or acting like they're going to do something with it, bro, if I get a hold to it, the next day fault because they should have used it first. That's all I'm going to say, man. So, no, I'm not I'm not taking none of this back. And if it was a time to where this happened again, I would hope they would just shoot me first instead of let me get a hold to their own gun. >> Okay. Okay. Uh You got any other questions? >> Would you have shot the other two rounds if you had a time to do it again? >> No. >> You just shot the one? >> Huh? >> Would you have just shot the first round and been done? Or shot the other two rounds at the end if you had a chance? >> I don't know. It probably just how I was feeling. I don't even know. I didn't even realize I was doing all that until after I did it. >> Kind of heat of the moment? >> Yeah. >> Uh All right, this is what's going to happen. I'm going to have my crime scene guys come over here. I want to document your injuries. You know what I'm saying? So cuz to document that there was a fight and stuff like I'm going to collect your cell phone. I'm going to write a search warrant for it. Now, keep it with the case and make sure there's no messages and stuff in there. >> All right, I'm going to show this to you. See if you can help me understand what I'm looking at. So, we still don't have it enhanced or anything, but So, this is y'all fighting, okay? Is that fair? >> Mhm. >> Okay. So, he's hitting. What is he doing right there? >> He's hitting me. >> Okay. Where are you at on the car at this point? >> On the window. >> You're on the window? >> Mhm. >> Are you just hanging onto the side of the door? >> Mhm. >> Okay. At what point are you reaching in? >> Right there when you see me disappear. >> So, you stick your whole head into the car. >> Mhm. >> So, you're basically Do you grab the gun with your left hand or right hand? >> My left. >> So, you're here. You reach. You grab with your right. Do you shoot? So, I guess you come up. He's still hitting you? >> Mhm. >> Is that the shot? >> Mhm. First shot. >> Huh? >> Mhm. >> Okay. >> Just play it. Just play it. Let me see it. Let me see it. >> With your head going in, though, that's where you're reaching in, grabbing that. >> Mhm. Okay. >> All right. >> Over the following year, the case proceeded through Tarrant County court filings. And on March 29th, 2023, Davis pleaded guilty to the murder charge and was sentenced to 15 years in prison. That wasn't the only killing that got recorded as CCTV footage also caught North, a jealous boyfriend who ended his girlfriend's life out of rage. Would there be any reason why Mickelson would say that you did something to harm Teresa? >> No. Did he? >> I'm asking you. You know, Mickelson is telling us that you guys are riding around. You said that you killed her and threw her in a lake. >> I played some basketball, too. I ain't get scratched up like that. The only time I got scratched up like that is when I was tramping through the woods. You know, I'm here to do whatever I can to help. >> All right, so where is >> On September the 26th, 2021, in Jacksonville, Florida, panic began to spread among the friends and family of 27-year-old Teresa, who had visited her boyfriend earlier that evening and never returned. By the early hours of September the 27th, less than 24 hours later, detectives were already questioning everyone close to her, and every lead pointed straight to one man, her boyfriend, North Pridgen. >> Hey, man, I'm Detective Lee. This is my partner, Detective Barnhart. >> Hey, man. >> Okay. Your name, is it North North? >> North Samuel Pridgen. North Samuel Pridgen. >> What do you go by? >> North. North. >> Now, North, it's my understanding that you came down here on your own free will to help us uh >> Of course. >> find uh find Teresa, right? Now, what's your relationship to her? >> Um boyfriend {slash} close friend {slash} just, you know, just uh family kind of. >> All right, Cole, can you uh I mean, North, can you read and write? >> Yes, sir. >> What's the highest level of education you have? >> Um high school diploma. >> High school? Where'd you go to high school? >> Uh Sandalwood. >> Sandalwood? And are you currently under the influence of any alcohol? >> Uh just marijuana, but it's pretty much uh faded faded away by now. >> When was the last time you smoked some >> Um 4 hours ago, roughly. Um >> But no alcohol? >> Uh no, sir. >> All right, cool. So, you said you and Teresa are boyfriend and girlfriend? >> Yeah, I mean we we try not to label it. >> Try not to label it. How long have y'all been >> Uh >> in this relationship? >> 2 months now. >> About 2 months? >> Mhm. >> I've known her I've known her for quite a while though. >> How long have you known her? >> Uh since 2009. >> Since '09? >> Yes, sir. >> How'd y'all meet? >> Um well, we got to really know each other through a mutual friend about a year and a half to 2 years ago. >> How'd you meet her in '09 though? >> Um >> Did y'all just go to school together or >> No, I had a friend that knew her, so I knew of her and so I didn't really like >> But you said about a year ago is when somebody kind of introduced y'all. Right. And who was that that introduced y'all? >> Um >> Roger. >> Roger? >> Mhm. >> And then you guys just kind of remained friends and then >> Yeah. >> Like >> good really good chemistry. >> Yeah. >> And then recent So, it's about you said 2 months ago is when y'all started I guess dating quote unquote if you will. >> Yeah. >> All right. So, when was the last time you spoke to her? >> Um I want to say between 1:00 and 2:00 roughly in the afternoon today, roughly. >> On Sunday? Okay. And did you speak to her in person or on the phone? >> In person. >> In person. Okay. Where were you guys at when you >> Uh my house. >> At your house on Wollaston? >> Mhm. All right, got you. She usually comes over here. Every every day, every other day. >> And you said that was between 1:00 and 1:30? >> Roughly. >> Did she come over or was she already there? >> Um I had ordered her a Lyft over. >> You had ordered her a Lyft to come over to your house? So, you ordered her a Lyft. >> Mhm. >> And then she gets to your house between like 1:00 and uh 1:30? >> No, no. She She She came over way earlier. >> Oh, okay. >> Yeah. Came over around like uh 10:00 >> 10:00? >> 9:30. >> So, you guys >> Don't take my word like verbatim on that cuz this is just a normal day. Yeah, normal day for us, you know, we don't really keep track of every second. >> trying to get a ballpark. >> Right, right, right. >> So, about 10:00 a.m. she gets about 12:30 That's right. You guys are just what, hanging out? >> Yeah. Do you need me to go into details? >> Yeah, absolutely. >> Uh um a lot of the time we just listen to music, you know, we do intimate things, we dance, and um we smoke a little bit, and uh we eat. >> North story was already starting to sound pretty shady, but the detectives played it cool, waiting for the right opportunity to strike. Detectives sometimes use this tactic to help suspects feel more relaxed, and many times it does enable suspects to open up and reveal their darkest secrets. >> Does um Teresa have a phone? >> She does not. >> She does not? >> No, I've been urging her and urging her to get a job and you know, you know, I'll tell her I hope you like with money, you know, if that's the case, but I know better than to do everything for somebody, and I I've I understand how that ends up playing out, so. >> How do you get a hold of her then if you she doesn't have a phone? >> Um she has a laptop on Facebook which she's on 24/7 while she's at the house and she'll message me and we'll make up a plan and she'll be like, "Okay, I'm on my way." or "Okay, I'm ready." you know, stuff like that. And that's how >> what Is that what you did today? Is you sent her you sent her a message on on Facebook? >> Mhm. >> Did she bring that laptop with her to your house? >> No, no, she'll leave it. That's her father's laptop and she always leaves it at home. >> So, you said you last spoke to her between 1:00 and 1:30. So, what where did she go from there? >> Um she was supposed to be going home. >> Okay. And how was she supposed to get home? >> She was walking home, you know, I insisted on ordering another Lyft, but she's so humble, she feels bad and she just really said, "No, let me walk. Let me walk, you know, we need to save money, this and that." so. >> So, she left your house and walked? >> Yes, sir. >> Is that typical for her to walk home from your house or >> Um no, not typical. She does walk home a lot, you know, from Zach's home and to Zach's home. That is the person she does her ice with and the person who I tried to, you know, get her to, you know, not be around so much, not do the ice so much with. >> It struck officers as strange that North kept bringing up details about an individual named Zach out of nowhere. But once they dug deeper, they understood exactly why he seemed so bitter toward that particular man. >> And who's Zach? >> Zach Morgan is somebody who she believes is her cousin >> Mhm. >> who she admitted to me last night it was Benton said, "Guess what? Zach finally admitted that he was my cousin." And it's someone she has sexual relationships with, so it's very tricky. She's um uh a clinically insane person, if you will. She has bipolar, uh borderline personality, schizophrenia. You can name the list. Great person, great human, worth the time and energy and investment, but the Those are the facts, if that's what you're looking for. >> So, she's she's known to do ice? Have you seen her do ice before? Do you do it with her? >> No. >> I did it with her on a uh couple times because I I discouraged her from doing it so many times that I felt like a hypocrite and I said, "You know what? I'll do it so I know what it feels like for you." And then I did it and I told her, "Hey, you don't need it. I don't want you on this stuff. It's a waste of money and I mean the high is just kind of paranoia, if anything, and it explains why you kind of, you know, tweak out and act a little paranoid at times. >> Has she been that way with you, where she's acting all paranoid? >> No, um she's done it once or twice, but usually I'm able to like hug her and calm her down. She She'll smile and realize that it's a >> And they didn't do any ice today? >> Actually not, sir. >> All right. I guess when y'all were hanging out earlier y'all smoked some weed or >> No. >> Just smoked some So, what's Reese's left her house, she's walking >> Mhm. >> And that's the last time you spoke to her? >> Mhm. And usually her plan is to message me as soon as she gets home so I know she's okay. She She enjoys the walk. She walks from her house to the Dollar General by Huffman all the time. She's just her thing. >> Where is Where does Zach live? >> Okay, I have his address on my phone and one of you guys to stop by and him and see if he may Maybe she's with him is is my thing. Have you been able to talk to him? >> Zach Morgan. Okay. She said she was She said she told you she was going home or you just assumed she was going home? >> Both. >> She said she told you? >> Yes, and I I believed her. >> Okay. What did you do after that? >> Um I just went back and just turned um my TV, turned my music up, and just um just relaxed. >> So, you didn't go anywhere or hang out with anybody else? >> Nope. I used to stay away from all of my other older friends and never replaced them with Teresa. And I put more of my time and energy into her. Trying to see that flower blossom cuz I know it it's blossoming, so. >> Did you care for her a lot? >> A lot. A lot. Otherwise, I would I would would not be here unless I actually had to, you know. >> That right there seems like the perfect motive. Teresa's alleged relationship with her side piece, Zach. The fact that North mentioned Zach and Teresa's addiction now seemed less like a slip-up and more like a calculated move. As if he was setting the stage for his own innocence. >> So, how can you help us find her? >> Okay, so you have Zach's um information, his address. A good idea would be to start by asking him um there's um I know she got hard, which is crack, I believe, right? From a guy named Hassan Ware. And I think she makes her do, you know, sexual things to get it. Um and I don't know if anything occurred between the two of them two of them and escalated from there. Um again, I'm just spec- speculating, throwing things out there. I'm not accusing or cuz you know >> Did it upset you that you knew she was doing >> Absolutely. >> things like that? >> Absolutely. >> How did it affect >> You weren't good with that? >> No, but you know, the thing is what she taught me is to accept and love no matter what, you know, and to not hold any types of resentment or harbor. And the thing is, I've had a history of addiction issues, so I understand it, so it's >> What were you addicted to? >> Um, had a real problem with Xanax. >> Xanax? >> Mhm. >> Okay. >> And mixing it with a little bit of alcohol it makes you a little, you know. >> North tried hard to point fingers at everyone but himself. What he didn't know was that officers already had information that could tear his story to shreds. >> So, your parents' house over there on Woolston Drive. Do you actually stay there like full-time? >> Um, outside the house? >> No, no, I I've been staying on the patio for the past 2 months. And that's where she would come over and we would, you know, hang out and spend the day or the night. >> Like is there like a like a like a setup on the patio for you like bed and like TV and all that stuff? >> And were your parents home today this afternoon when when Teresa was over there? >> Yeah, my mom was home in the morning. >> In the morning? >> Mhm. >> When she So, your mom saw Teresa, she talked to her? >> Um, I can't say for certain. I don't I don't know cuz I don't know if my mom even came out there or not that morning. But, she she often does and says hi to Teresa and maybe that's something you can talk to her and ask her to verify with her. >> But, your But, your parents they know they know Teresa, they >> Yeah, well. >> Yeah. They'd recognize her if they saw her? >> We went out to dinner together for her birthday a couple days ago to watch the Sunday game. >> Cool. >> Cuz her birthday was the 18th, mine's the 22nd. No, no, they they they love her, you know. I'm I'm trying. I'm I just I don't know. I I don't know how serious it is because I I know she's she has a tendency to go out and go to the beach bars with, you know, Michaela, her friend, or Alexa, her friend. Spend the night with some guy she met, and then I hit me up until the next day. So, I don't know how serious it is, you know. >> Is it common for her to uh go like long periods of time without getting in contact with you? >> Long periods of times meaning 2 days, yes. 4, no. >> So, 2 days is normal for her like, you know, >> One or two, yes. >> So, she goes to you for like >> Two or four, and I'd be like I'd feel some type of way. >> Has that happened though? Like if y'all got to a bad argument or >> No. >> You know? Yeah, that's always good. You get within a couple days. >> No, cuz it's like in the usual We're always good. We're always good. >> Within a day or two y'all are good again? >> Always. >> It didn't make sense that Teresa was supposedly cheating on him, yet they continued to live like this picture-perfect couple that never argued. Detectives didn't buy that for a second. They knew something darker was at play. >> She didn't go anywhere else with anybody else today? >> No, sir. >> Didn't go any place with uh with your friend Mickinson? Mick? You know Mick? >> I know Mickinson. >> Okay. Didn't go anywhere with him today? >> Um Well, I seen Mickinson today. I don't remember where it was, but um I don't think I went anywhere in specific with him. I think I may have just seen him outside and just >> You seen him outside how? >> Um driving by. Just told him, you know, good friend. I love him. Stay up. >> And And like that, the officers caught North in another lie. >> Would there be any reason why Meggison would say that you did something to harm Teresa? >> No. Really? >> I'm asking you. >> Mhm. No. No. >> There's no reason for him to say that you did something to Teresa and then threw her in the lake? >> What? No. I did not. >> You're asking me these questions, you know, >> No, sir. >> You know, cuz I asked you before if you had left your house going anywhere. You said no. >> My house, right? >> Yeah, your house. And then you said that Meggison just kind of rolled by, you guys said, "What's up?" and that was it. That would go from that to now you in this car rolling around, you know, driving around. So >> I don't remember exactly that it was if the exact step-by-step how my day was cuz I don't you know. >> Well, the biggest thing here, North, is finding Teresa. >> Absolutely. >> All right. And we brought you down here because, you know, you want to help us find her. But at the same time, you know, Meggison is telling us that you guys are riding around. You said that you hurt and threw her in the lake. >> No. I I did not say that. I did not say that. >> So you're saying he's a liar? >> Yes, sir. >> Why would he lie about that? >> I have no clue. >> I mean, could you have said just said that to him in in in jest? >> No. That's not funny. >> Then where did that come from, man? >> I don't know. I'm really kind of pissed off right now. >> What are you pissed off at him? >> Yes, sir. >> Cuz you see how that looks, right? >> Absolutely. My wife on the line if if anything happens to Teresa. >> North was absolutely rattled by how easily he got exposed. The officer's revelation hit harder than he expected, especially since he thought that he had been playing the perfect innocent act. >> Mr. Pirtle, how'd you get all banged up, man? You're limping, you got scratches and red marks all over you. >> I played basketball and it got a little rough. My ankle is from the um >> Who'd you play basketball with? >> A whole bunch of friends at Huffman. >> Today? >> Yes, sir. >> So, that's another place you you didn't say you forgot about earlier? >> Oh, if if you would ask me through what I did throughout my whole day, I would have gone through the whole day with you. >> Y'all play some Y'all play some rough basketball, man. I played ball basketball growing up, too, and I never got all scratched up >> Huffman is different. Huffman is different. >> Y'all ball harder >> And I haven't balled in a while, too, so my body wasn't >> Okay. I played some basketball, too. I didn't get scratched up like that. The only time I got scratched up like that is when I was tramping through the woods. >> The silence that followed spoke louder than any confession ever could. The officer's suspicions were now confirmed, and they realized that they were dealing with a cold and calculated killer. >> I just don't like her selling her body for >> But you feel like she cares for Zach kind of like on the same level she cares for you? >> Okay. And I encourage her to do so because I think she's a great person. It's all love. >> Does that make you feel jealous or anything or you just kind of feel like some type of way about that like it wasn't No. >> No. Maybe maybe at first though, but then I started to understand the dynamic and I I became more comfortable with it. I get what you're implying and implying, but that >> Would you get why we're implying it? We didn't make it up, right? You know, somebody's saying this. And obviously somebody's very concerned about this young lady as we are. >> Yeah. >> So if something happened to her be it by you or someone else, most important thing we can do now is focus on working together and trying to find her, right? >> Absolutely. And I'm I'm here to do whatever I can to help. >> All right, so where is >> I do not know, sir. >> I think you do know. Okay, and uh >> I'm willing to do whatever I can to help you, but I can't just make up a lie and tell you that I know where she's at when she doesn't. >> The officers left North alone in the interrogation room for four long hours. He slumped in his chair while detectives searched for Teresa, but once they obtained the nearby surveillance footage, it told them what they dreaded. >> Mr. Brejan. North. All right, now we're going to get you out of here and get your phone back to you and all that stuff, all right? But before we do that, uh all right. You know, we had some inconsistencies earlier, so I'm going to give you this this opportunity to kind of take us back through Sunday, September 26th, all right? Just kind of take us through the your the day's events. Don't leave nothing out, all right? And let's go line by line, incident by incident, all right? Cuz you kind of left some stuff out before, so let's just fill all that stuff up, okay? How did How did you How did How did Dickinson like come in contact with you today? >> Um it must have been just random sighting. >> Just random sighting? >> Yes, sir. >> You didn't like call him or ask him to come get you? >> No, I don't No, I don't No, I don't think so. >> Where did he pick you up at? >> I don't remember exactly. Probably somewhere around the neighborhood cuz that's usually where we end up seeing each other. >> But you weren't at the park when he picked you up? >> No. I was probably on my way to the park, honestly. >> So you were on your way to the park? >> Probably. Cuz it This happened multiple times. >> But was it before or after you played basketball when you ran into him? >> Oh, before, for sure. >> Before? >> Yes, sir. >> All right, so where did you guys go? You and Dickinson. >> Um we just drive around, talk a little bit, and um then he just dropped me off at the park, and um that's it. >> What North didn't realize was that police already had footage from that night. Teresa had been seen walking down the street yelling for North to leave her alone. He kept following her until both disappeared from view. 30 minutes later, North limped back toward his house, drenched and disheveled, and Teresa was gone. The truth was staring detectives in the face, but they let the act play out knowing North would eventually crack. >> Well, here's the thing. You know, we talked to your parents. Um you know, we talked to Teresa's parents and her family. That's all obviously they're very concerned right now. And you being the last person to see her. All right? >> Yeah. >> You kind of play a key role in this right now. >> I understand. And that's why I >> And what makes it makes it difficult though, North, is that, you know, your buddy Mickelson, I mean, he calls us. He actually comes down here to the police station to tell us that while you guys were riding around, you tell him that you killed Teresa. >> I I don't know where you got that from or why he said that. I mean, >> I spoke to Mickelson myself. And he's not the type of person that's going to mix stuff up. >> No, and I've known Mickelson for a while, too, but that's that's definitely not what I don't know, maybe he took something out of context or maybe >> He said you told her that you shot her and drowned her. >> That's not true. >> So, that's not taken You can't really take that out of context. >> No, sir, that's honestly that's not even fair for me to hear, cuz that's not right, and that's not I would never do that, and that's >> North, let me ask you this then. What if we find Teresa and she's in the water and been Then what? >> I'd be devastated. >> It'd be you more than devastated at that point. >> Not that somebody said that, that's exactly what you said you did to her. >> Did you guys get in a fight? Was it an accident, man? Huh? >> No, I don't Crazy [ __ ] happens sometimes, man, in emotion. Love. >> I mean, do you care about her at all? >> I do, sir. Yes, absolutely. I I I love her. >> You love her? >> Over the death. >> You love her to death? The chairs are scaring me now. >> Well, well, we're trying to figure out what happened. >> lady that's missing and no one knows where she is. >> Okay. >> And then there's another guy saying that you claimed to be responsible for that, so obviously >> So, your friend that you were riding around in the car with said that you told him and killed her. >> I wouldn't do that. She knows I wouldn't do that. >> Then where is she? >> I'm not sure. But when she when she pops up I'll I'll be very really you too. >> Is she going to pop up? >> Knowing her? >> Yeah. >> So where did that story come from then? Why would you tell him something like that? >> I have no clue why he said that. No clue. >> Well, he's wondering why you said that. >> I I'll talk to him and I'll straighten it out with him, but I I do not know why he would come up with something like that. But >> The detectives had Noles cornered and decided that it was time to call out every single lie. >> The first time we talked you left out the fact that you rode with a Lyft driver to the house to get Teresa. You left out the fact that you got in a car and drove around with Makinson. And you left out the fact that you were over at the park bowling. You said you stayed at home all day. >> All right. All right. Well, I'm sorry about that. I I wasn't sure about how important each detail was. >> Well, we're talking less than 24 hours, you know? >> Mhm. >> That this stuff had happened. >> Okay. >> I can tell you you added something. >> Well, here's the thing. I didn't know something so severe was like occurring. So >> Well, the first time we talked to you that only been like 12 hours since all that happened, you know? It wasn't like it's been a long time ago. So >> Yeah, you said you got those scratches and on your arms and legs from playing basketball. Basketball? >> Yeah. No, I we we play rough out there. I fell a few times. Yeah. >> Yeah, I ain't buying that, man. I mean, did you Like I said, those to me those scratches on your I'm looking at them right now, man. That's not from playing ball. That shit's from going through the woods. Did you take a shortcut through the woods or anything to get to the get to the park? >> No, sir. I'm No, sir. I'm sorry if you don't believe me, but no, sir. Yeah, I would like to go now. >> Well, standby. Like I said, we got to wait on your phone and we're getting uh somebody come and photograph your your injuries from playing ball. All right? But in the meantime, you think about the Think about her and where she's at. >> Yes, sir. Yes, sir. >> One thing was crystal clear. North wasn't leaving that room until they got the truth. But before they could process his first false statement, they caught him in yet another lie. >> Now, I know you said you wanted to go, but uh there's a couple of things in your phone that I kind of want to clarify if you're okay with going over that and clarifying that with us. >> We'll do everything we can to help you. >> So, so when I asked you earlier if um you know, how you and uh Mickinson got hooked up today, >> Mhm. >> you said that it was just a chance encounter. You just saw >> Right. Did did Did we reach out Did I reach out to him or something? >> Well, you told me that it was just a chance encounter, right? >> That that's that's the best I I remember it. Okay. >> Well, >> and and my phone >> at 5:50 at 5:50 p.m. you sent him a message that says, "Pick me up ASAP." And he sends back, "Where you at?" You said you're at Seven Lakes. And he asks, "Are you in danger?" And you said, "Yes." Okay. >> I just wanted his attention. I just wanted to talk to him. >> Okay. You just wanted to talk to him? >> Yeah. >> North, this is 18 hours ago, man. You don't You don't remember like that mean that's it? You just wanted to get his attention? Why didn't you tell us that the first time? Like you would have remembered that. >> No, I I honestly didn't. I honestly didn't remember reaching out to him in that manner. >> From 18 hours ago, you don't remember texting somebody saying help like basically I'm in danger? >> No, I'm sorry. I do not. >> Oh, by the way, I spoke to your mom and she wanted to make to make sure that I let you know that it is abundantly clear that you were not welcome at their home. >> Okay. >> Does that apply to you? >> Okay. And why why why would that be? >> Just over time, deterioration, fights, you know, just it's hard to explain 20, you know, years of life. >> Just to recap though, when when you and when you and Teresa, you said you guys were at your house, right, hanging out or something whenever you guys came back with the lift, right? Right? Um and you guys were hanging out at your house you said for about 2 to 3 hours. >> Give or take. >> take, okay. Did you guys have I don't mean to pry, but did you guys have >> Uh yes, sir. >> You seem kind of hesitant. Is that >> Um no, I'm just I'm just answering the question. It just it just rude a little bit, but I mean it's a very special situation, so I understand the question. >> Okay. So, you did have >> Yes, sir. >> Okay. All right. Um Oh, with that being said then obviously would you mind if we get your DNA then? >> I don't know. I don't >> Um Just cuz I want to, you know, make sure that we get over and we can eliminate everything. >> Right, right. >> I just want to make sure. This is also a showing just how you know, that that cooperating. Your story is a little wishy-washy, but uh but you're cooperating. >> I'm I'm trying my best to recall it. >> You just have um a hard time remembering [ __ ] then? >> The elaborate web of lies that North had spun was beginning to unravel quickly, and the panic was now very obvious in his eyes. >> Do you guys argue at all? >> Um so, with Teresa, it's a little different. Um it's not really arguing. It's she'll have like false memories that um at first I would argue with, and then after I got to understand the type of person she was, I stopped arguing with it and sort of just >> And what kind of false memories would she come up with? >> So, she she's would say that the the government abducted her five children. And her five children were made of magic. >> But she's never had kids, though, right? >> As far as to my knowledge, no. >> Uh do me a favor, you can read that over. Uh that's just you saying giving us consent to get your DNA. >> Okay. >> And then just sign whenever you done, just sign there. >> All right, guys. What is this, like >> All right, your story's not Hey, look, man, just hit your story's going to out of holes, so >> I mean, that's just being honest with you, you know? And you can't explain it. >> Yeah, well, so then it's our job to >> Okay. I understand. I I've tried everything I can with you guys. If If there's anything else, you know, more related to Teresa and helping her out, I would love to >> talk about it. >> That's what we're trying to get to. We're trying to get you to help us find Teresa. >> Okay. Now, I'm the last person that saw her. >> Right. Okay. Now, >> And you were the last person that >> I don't I don't understand why I didn't make sure that I wore the high-top Nikes instead of this pair, you know? And it cost it cost me my ankle, and you know, and that's how we live and we learn, and >> But you understand we're going to come at you >> No, I I understand >> very careful because you're the last person that >> and I and I can respect that. I totally understand that. Yeah. >> So, >> If you want to know well, A, there's a lot of things that you were inconsistent about, okay? Call it lying, call it inconsistent, label it whatever you want to label it. But, the evidence is there that some of the stuff you told us when we started our conversation, right? Is not true. It's just not true. >> I I'm sure that happens a lot with this type of situation. It's so hard to recall things. >> Sometimes when there's weeks in between, it's hard, but not just a few hours, you know? At the time we started talking to you this morning, there's only been like 12 hours in between this happening >> And we are I mean, I'm sleep deprived now at this point. I've been kept in a room. I haven't been able to get to sleep. It's it's it's been rough on me. Now, if if you guys want to do this again on another day, then maybe I can do do do do do do it for you, but at this point, I'm done. I'm done. >> Are you worried about Teresa? I mean, do you think she there's legit something wrong with her? Or do you think she's just out there shacked up somewhere? >> I'm praying that she's shacked up somewhere. >> Teresa's body was found in the Southern Lake subdivision near a pond, covered with branches and debris in a failed attempt to hide her remains. In March 2022, North was arrested and charged with second-degree murder. During the trial, he pleaded guilty in exchange for a 30-year prison sentence, followed by 10 years of probation. North's secret got exposed for the world to see, and so did Riley's when his own friends recorded him admitting to murdering his ex. >> They interrogated me for 2 and 1/2 hours. >> If they could, they would have arrested me already. >> Anything about that gun, just say I must have mis- understood or something because I was tripping balls. I really don't know what was going on. >> Cuz I mean, this is 70 years in jail if I get convicted of something I didn't do. Plus, killing your boss is pretty cuz I I need to hear figure. >> On the morning of November the 21st, 2016, Jill Walker went into her 16-year-old Emma's bedroom to wake her up for school. She initially thought Emma was just oversleeping, but when she tried to wake her, Emma didn't respond. Jill noticed that Emma was unusually pale and cold, which sent her into a panicked frenzy, after which she called 911. >> I just got back and got my daughter from school and she was real cold. >> How old is she? >> She's 16. >> You said that she's non-responsive? >> Yeah, her tongue's hanging out of her mouth. >> Okay, I'm going to stay on the line. I'm transferring you to Rural Metro. >> Emma Walker, a high school cheerleader from Knoxville, was found lifeless inside her bedroom. It appeared that a bullet had traveled through the wall and struck Emma in the head while she slept, fired from outside her bedroom window. The precision of the shot sent chills down investigators' spines. Her family and friends were heartbroken, and among the mourners was her ex-boyfriend Riley Gaul. He appeared devastated, posting tributes online and attending vigils. But soon officers began to question the validity of those public displays of grief. And eventually brought in Riley for some procedural questioning. >> Tell me a little bit about yourself. I know you obviously play football at Maryville College. I'm assuming you played football in high school. >> Yes. What position? >> Wide receiver, cornerback, part-time kick returner, part-time >> Must be pretty good. Well, you kicked calls but all over the place last year, so that's been your senior year at high school. >> Uh yeah, that was good. >> It's always painful to lose you guys, but uh um Good luck. Hang in there and uh stay straight at it. Work at it. Let's start with Friday. What do you have classes during the day? >> Monday, Friday, I have an 8:00 a.m. and a 9:00 a.m. And Tuesday, Thursday, I have a 6:00 a.m. and an 11:00 a.m. And then the other class on Monday, Wednesday, Friday is a 1:00 p.m. >> Wow. You stay pretty busy, don't you? Well, let's start with Friday. You get out of class at 1:00 p.m. What happens from there? >> During questioning, Riley revealed the perfect alibi for his whereabouts on the night of the incident. What came next instantly raised red flags. >> She was She was kind of acting frantic over the phone. And she said that someone was trying to get into her house. Somebody was dressed in all black. They had a face mask on. She said that she saw him. She said she thought they were just taking a walk in the neighborhood. And then when she passed in the lawn to her driveway, they put on a pair of glasses. And they started like She said they kind of like sped up, so she went into the garage and shut the garage, and that's when I drove all the stuff I had in my Civic that I was and drove all the way to her neighborhood. >> Do you have Do Did you say she texted you that information? >> She or just She texted me like She was asking if it was me at first. And I told her, "No, what's going on?" And that's when she FaceTime called me. She was crying and freaking out. So, I said, "Okay, give me a minute. I'll come down and check it out." I uh I went to her backyard, made sure, you know, nobody was back there, checked under the porch and everything. >> Mhm. >> Um looked up and down the street. >> Um do you believe that Where did you go Sunday morning? >> I don't know what time I woke up, but when I woke up, I went back to my grandparents' and then went back over to Mel's house. And I got back to campus around 11:30, 11:45. I got back up to my dorm, and I tried logging in onto my Medical College email. But I realized I couldn't because I was logged in on my grandparents' uh my grandmother's laptop back in Knoxville. And it was late, almost 12:30, 12:15, or 12:30, around there. So, I didn't think they were awake, so I drove back to Knoxville cuz I needed to do my homework. And I left my stuff at the laptop at my grandparents' house. My grandfather was awake, though. He saw me log my laptop, and from there I left. >> It seems strange that Riley repeatedly emphasized the fact that his grandfather saw him that night. However, it wouldn't take long for the detectives to see why Riley was so concerned about having his story straight. >> I ended up not doing any of my homework. Instead, I drove back to campus around 1:00 a.m. And just sat in my car for about 2 hours, 2 and 1/2 hours, and just slept. 4:30 I fell asleep. Fell asleep around then. And that's when I woke up to people calling me about what had happened. Well, first he he texted me, and he was like, "Hey, man, I'm sorry about what happened." So, I was like, "What are you talking about?" And he called me after that, and he said, "Did you not hear what happened?" I said, "No, what are you talking about?" And he said, "Uh they found him uh dead in her bed this morning." Or unresponsive is what he told me. And that's when I started uh freaking out, having a breakdown. So, my parents or my mom and my grandmother were coming out to campus to get me. They probably got there around 9:00 9:30, somewhere around there. >> Okay. So, then once your grandparents got to you and you went back to their house >> My mom and my grandmother >> Yeah. Is that Is that who got you and that's where you laid up? >> Back in my room. I spent all I spent all day in my grandparents' house today. >> Until now. Got you. Tell me tell me what Nobody in this passing. I know there's been all kinds of rumors and speculation. What have you heard? >> I've tried to but I've been piecing all of it out together. I heard several different things. I heard she just passed in her sleep. Heard she tried to kill I heard a stray bullet came through the wall, but that made no sense to me because it's her room If a stray bullet had gone through all of them it would have to be from the backyard cuz that's where her window is. So, I don't know. That one didn't make sense to me but those are the main three. >> Who have you talked to where have you heard these rumors about um passing in her sleep and all that stuff? >> Um I've got a bunch of my my friend who visited me today at my grandparents' house. And they would just tell me different stuff that they've heard from different people. >> Okay. >> The way Riley spoke about Emma's passing, his body language, told a story that his words didn't. And he would soon learn that detectives hadn't brought him in by coincidence. >> Do you remember who told you that stray bullet? >> Um yeah, he it was actually about an hour ago when he showed up and his name's Jacob. >> How do you know Jacob? >> We've been friends since second grade. >> Did Did he say where he heard the stray bullet theory? >> No, he said it was the same thing like hearsay. He said he probably said that that didn't sound right to him anyway but >> Can you think of anyone that would want to hurt Emma? >> No, off the top of my head no cuz I mean she was >> Did she have any enemies? >> No. She She had no enemies that would want to hurt her. I mean she had high school drama enemies but like this girl she didn't like but none that would none that would do that. >> And she she kind of got along with everybody. I mean I I I don't know >> Yeah, she was she was very likeable. She didn't I mean she was friends with mostly anybody that she talked to. >> The last time you talked to her you said was Sunday? >> Sunday night. >> Sunday night. Did she make any comments about anybody being mad at her or upset at her or anything that would hurt her? >> No, but the only thing that I thought of was whoever the person was at her uh house Saturday morning. That's the first thing I thought of when I heard that she had passed this morning. >> Do you got people that are mad at you that have done hurt to you or anything? >> I'm trying to I don't know. >> You haven't been uh nobody's hurt you nothing or >> Kidnapped me? >> Yeah. >> Then came the moment Riley realized that he had slipped up. What the officers revealed next made it very clear that they already knew that he was lying. >> When did this alleged kidnapping take place? >> Um Friday. >> This past Friday? >> Mhm. >> When did that happen? >> Sometime last night. I just don't know. I don't remember much about it. There was only two guys. Literally, I was Friday night before I got to know this when I left my stepdad's house. And then I pulled in the driveway and this van pulled up over across in the city circle. And these two guys were like walking across the street and I was didn't think anything of it because they weren't I mean they weren't in a rush. >> Mhm. >> And I turned around and I'm about to get in my car and the next thing I know one of them grabs my back and the other one's around the corner and they just like put their hands over my face and just took me to their van or whatever. >> And then what happened? >> I I don't remember much. They just had me I couldn't see anything. They had something over my eyes. I haven't told my mom or anybody about this. >> Oh, really? >> No. >> Why not? >> They're probably >> You still You ain't got any money? >> No. >> You didn't gamble anything? Do you gamble? >> No. >> So these guys just randomly picked you out for no reason? >> I guess. They did ask me. They're like And they're like, "Who do you want to talk to for the last time?" And so I started freaking out and I said Emma and they made me call Emma. She wouldn't answer my phone multiple times so they used their And I was just crying and screaming, and she thought it was a joke. She thought I was playing a prank on her. >> The fact that Emma thought that Riley could have been playing a joke on her indicated that something must have happened in the past. And within minutes, the detectives found out just what that something was. >> We dated for We dated on and off for about 2 years until about 2 weeks ago is when she really cut it off. I cut it off in the past before. She cut it off before. We just kind of went back and forth. It would be months at a time, and we'd have a small fallout, and then we'd get back together. >> Emma's friends and family soon described a disturbing picture. Riley was possessive, controlling, and obsessed with Emma. He wanted her entirely to himself, dictating what she wore and who she saw. When Emma broke up with him, Riley resorted to manipulation and even staged a fake kidnapping to win her back. The detectives that proved a motive. Now, they needed the means, the murder weapon. >> Now, I don't understand that your grandfather has had a gun stolen or missing or something to that effect. >> Yeah. >> All right. Can you tell me about that? >> It was during the week last week cuz he he came and switched out my car with his car to go get it to go get the oil changed uh back in Knoxville. So, he left his car on >> on campus. >> But he took his keys with him. And he said when he got back, we'd switch out cars again, and he took off, and he called me maybe 10 minutes later or 5 or 10 minutes later and said, "You know my gun's there." I said, "No, I haven't been in your car." >> Do you Do you remember what time last week it was? >> It might have been Friday then. It was I'm sorry. It was Thursday or Friday he came to do that. But he left his car on campus, but he took his keys with him. >> Okay. >> So, I didn't even go to the car cuz it only took an hour. He brought my car back. We switched out again, and that's when he got on the road and called me about 5 or 10 minutes later and asked if I >> What did he say to you? >> I don't >> Does So, did you have a way to use his car? I mean, did he give you a set of keys or not? >> No, that's He He took the keys with him. >> Well, I mean, I didn't know if you had an extra set or I mean, like I've got keys to my brother's vehicle. >> He's got his. He's got an extra to my car that he uses. I kept my keys on me because I needed a key to my door. >> Got you. But, have you ever taken your grandfather's gun? >> No. >> Okay. And like take it to your buddy or anything and bring it back or nothing like that? Do you have any idea where your grandfather's car keys are? >> No. >> A firearm doesn't vanish on its own. If anyone would know where it went, it was Riley. Detectives were now sure that he had the means and the motive, and all they needed now was an opportunity to stick the crime onto him. >> So, you went to the backyard, checked to see if you saw anything. How did you get in the backyard? >> It's There's a Off to the right side of her house, there's a gate that has no lock. You just open up the latches and let it go. >> The shot had come from the backyard, and Riley, who somehow knew those details before police released them, suddenly looked like the only person who could have fired that bullet. >> And her mom pulled up. Her mom saw me there. >> Mhm. >> And I uh I heard her parents aren't fond of me, so she just saw me and told me to leave. And I was coming up to the car, I was like, "I'm not here to arrest her." I was just here cuz her parents didn't care for me at all. >> Why was that? >> Uh because of the first time we broke up, and uh I had cheated on her. And her parents never forgave me for after even know, she did. And they never let us out. Never let us have an actual relationship for the remainder of the time we were together. After that, I finally went back over to Noah's house. >> Uh, do you have your phone with you? >> I do not. >> Oh, man. I would like to see that text message from him just to >> I don't I don't After After that, we deleted everything. >> Okay. >> Cuz I don't want anybody So, I just don't want to think about >> Deleting texts with a murdered ex-girlfriend isn't normal behavior. For detectives, it was a clear sign that Riley had something to hide. And when he realized that they had caught on, his story took a bizarre turn. >> You got back to your dorm at around 12:15. >> Yeah, my dorm. >> Mhm. Walker's there. >> Yes. >> So, how do you have a conversation when you come in at 12:15 about how to get fingerprints off >> No, it wasn't a conversation with him. I walked in there, and I was about to get on my laptop, so I was in there for maybe 5 minutes, and then realized that I had to go back to log myself out of my medical college email address. >> Mhm. >> And he was like, "Hey, I have this rifle or whatever." He was like, "Do you know how to get smudges and stuff off like the barrel, the handle, the butt, all that?" And I was like, "What do you mean smudges?" He was like, "Like your fingerprints, like the oil and dirt and all that." And I was like, "I don't know." And when I called Noah up said about that, I told Noah on the phone, I said, "When I asked him that question, he was like, it's a really sketchy question to ask." And I was like, "I know, but you're the first person on the phone, so I figured I'd just ask you." >> Riley made a weak attempt to create an alternate version of events, trying to cover up the conversation about removing fingerprints from a firearm. However, detectives were already convinced that they had uncovered clear evidence of his guilt. >> You got back to campus around 1:00, and you just sat in the car and wept for 2 or 3 hours. >> Yeah, just cried. >> And why was that? >> I just kept kept it up. Knew she wasn't going to come back. And always gotten her to come back in the past, and I was just She blocked me on everything, so I couldn't send her anything. The only thing I could send her messages on was Twitter. That's when I told you I sent that message around 1:00. And you just told me that message. I just told her how much I loved her and that I was sorry that she didn't want what we had anymore, and that I hoped that she was going to do great things in the future. >> Did you have anybody saw you in your car? >> Not that I know of. I was on my phone on my phone looking at pictures of us. >> For 3 hours? >> Mhm. 2 and 1/2 maybe. I mean, I just sat there and cried. I've done that before. >> The officer knew that they had Riley just where they needed him. So, he leaned in with the question that would break everything open. >> And every time every time I talked to somebody today the the gun has come up, the English and English apartment. You turned her away with a gun? They're saying that I might have a gun. I don't want to wear a vest at you or anything like that. >> Not in the English apartment. >> Not there, but you have you done that before? >> What is No, I've never done that. >> What What is What is people saying that you might have a gun? >> I don't know. >> I mean, they're your friends. I mean, they're they're your they're your boys. They're your they're your peeps. Why would they keep telling me that they had that you have a gun? I I mean, help me understand that. >> Um >> So, are are Alex, Isaac, and Noah your three That's your three best friends? >> Three of them, yes. I mean, y'all three I mean, you spent the weekend with Noah, correct? >> With Noah for the whole weekend. >> Okay. So, maybe are they liars? Are they dishonest? >> Everybody's a liar. >> Are they No, not necessarily. >> Everybody lies. I don't know why they would lie or why they got that common misconception that I >> Did one of them have it? >> The gun? >> Yeah. >> No. >> You don't think one of them had it? >> No. >> Would somebody in your circle have it? >> Nobody could get to it. My grandfather always kept it under his car or under the bed. >> We have a gun that belongs to your grandfather that is missing. Okay? We have all your friends saying that you've been talking about this gun. We have one of your friends saying that he saw you with the gun, that you showed him the gun, and that you told him you got it from your grandfather. Okay? >> Okay. I find it hard to believe these guys are just making it >> up. >> I don't have anything else to say. >> All right. I've told you that I've told you the truth from the beginning. >> All right. >> Um I don't think it's going to be the same question. That's the same answer. >> We've recovered um some rounds. And those rounds happen to match the same type of ammunition that your grandfather uses in his gun. >> So, you do know how she died. >> And you can say that. Absolutely. We have recovered some rounds, and those rounds are the same type of rounds that your grandfather uses in his gun. >> That was the moment Riley realized that the officers knew more than he had anticipated. With all the evidence now pointing straight at him, it was clear that he was looking for a way out, but the detectives were already two steps ahead. >> I do want to thank you for coming in and talking to us, Riley. But, I do appreciate that. >> The officers then contacted Riley's friends who had told them about his firearm. And with incredible courage, the friends agreed to wear a wire and set up a hidden camera to meet with Riley, hoping to capture Riley's confession in real time. As expected, following the interrogation, Riley went straight to his friend's place. And what he said on camera would soon shake the entire investigation. >> Sorry. Okay. Listen, you know we were talking about the gun. Yeah. Yeah, that's fine. Okay. Yeah, I'll walk over there. All right. I'll see you. Why did he say that? Why did he say he just wanted to talk to me? No. Holy Why did he want me talk to you about? Oh no, man. Oh no. All I can think about is that he didn't trust you with anything. Which I mean, yeah, cuz I was involved in her murder. >> Mhm. >> All right. FYI, guys, my roommate is not home. He's going to be at work till about like 1:00 or 2:00 a.m. in the night. >> When Riley called his friend later that night, he had one desperate favor to ask. >> They would have automatically ruled out any kind of suicide. Or I mean, not ruled it out, but like if she would have got shot through the wall you don't just get shot and die instantly unless you get hit in the throat or in the head. >> Yeah. >> Unless she got shot directly in the heart, but still even that, like you're going to feel that and wake up and be able to try and like crawl out of your bed. >> Yeah, that that doesn't make sense. Like I still don't understand how she died. >> I don't either, but if like she would have got shot through the wall, then she would like say it hits her in the stomach. Say somebody shot her in the wall, hit her in the stomach. She's going to She's going to wake up. You don't just get shot and sleep there. >> Yeah, I don't see how she wouldn't scream or something. >> Like anything. And she just like unless it was just like a ridiculous shot. If they would have hit her in the head, then they would have saw that. >> Well, yeah, but >> You don't You don't know You don't know You didn't see that though. They could have walked in and seen her just All they would have seen is it was a It was a murder investigation from that morning. >> As far as I know, like they never >> They always knew anything about how she was found or when she was found. >> I know. >> What they always knew Whatever you hear it from >> could not be true. >> They knew it was a homicide from the first day because they put me in protective custody. >> You serious? >> Yeah. >> They interrogated me for 2 and 1/2 hours. If they could, they would have arrested me already. >> Terrified and cornered, Riley rambled about the investigation, then said something that shocked his friends to their core. >> What I'm saying is is if I have to go to court in front of a grand jury or anything and you have to testify or if the cops try to talk to you again, whenever you talk to them, just be like you were too afraid to tell them that you were on acid because you thought you were going to get in trouble. >> Yeah, that's true. I I would never mention that, you know. >> Yeah, and if anything about that gun, just say I must have misunderstood or something because I was tripping balls. I really don't know what was going on. He was just like Raleigh was just complaining to me about some stuff. I guess I thought I heard something about a gun and his grandfather thinking that he took it, you know. If you tell them you're on LSD, you were drunk, and you were high, your mind was altered. Whatever statement you gave them wasn't a straightforward answer. If you just tell them that you were on acid, high, and drunk, and just you didn't really understand what I was saying. You just kind of went along with it. I just tell them I was the only sober person here. And I'll guess I'll talk to Isaac cuz Isaac's going to be sketchy about that, too, with telling the cops that he was on a drug, but I'll talk to him another time. I understand he told you about the gun. I had that gun because I was scared about what happened to him. I know you don't believe me. You probably don't either. Whatever. I'm telling you >> I mean, I don't believe that, but I I believe you more that you didn't shoot him because that's a big step. >> But I'm trusting you guys like with my life cuz I mean, this is 70 years in jail if I get convicted of something I didn't do. And are you guys are you busy right now? Are you about to do anything? I mean, you know, I mean once can get a bus. It's pretty cuz I I need your video. I got to watch I'm going to throw it in the water. They will never They'll never find it in there. I've tried to get the water with like rocks in it. I Well, you know, we did the water We did it with beer bottles once. Sure. We can go on that the smaller ledge that really looks out in the water. I mean, I know it's your bad, man. I just need to cross this, dude. I got to cross this. If it goes If it's anything zero, then they will never find it. So, that's why I just want to eliminate that from the equation as a whole. I was just covering your bases. I got to cover your bases. I mean, I see you. That's that's that's your decision. Well, do you have any gloves on you right now? I'm finally going to grab some I'm going to grab a snack. I'm starving. I'm starving. I'm starving. >> Moments later, Riley and his friends went to get rid of the weapon, unaware that officers were already waiting. >> If you're not back in 10 minutes, I'll come after you. >> I just want to throw it and be done. I'm going to be dealing with like I just don't want to draw any attention. I think there's gloves that are too big, so put the gloves on. I think we'll get me used to that. But, I just don't want to put my hands on it. >> Are you serious? >> I'll put the [ __ ] gloves on. I'll carry carry it up with gloves on. Get to the top. I'll throw the bullets individually. We'll throw the clip down the hill. >> Dude, let me see this thing. >> I don't want you to touch it. I shouldn't have gloves on on a stolen car. >> I mean, they don't have my fingerprints in any database. >> I don't give a [ __ ] if I got arrested. >> Yeah, but they didn't print me. Oh my god. What? Is this my This This a real gun? What the What the Oh my god. My Come on. What the Damn. What the >> EVERYBODY PUT YOUR HANDS out of the vehicle now. >> Oh, [ __ ] >> Yeah. All right, what you got? Leave your hands out of the vehicle. >> Oh, [ __ ] Oh, [ __ ] Rear passenger, can you hear me? >> Yes. >> I need you to open the door from the outside. Open the door from the outside. Open the DOOR ALL THE WAY. Exit the vehicle. Keep your hands up. Hands up. Rear passenger, do not move. Do you understand me? >> Yes. >> Do you understand? >> Yes. >> Do not move your hands. >> Pick it up. Help. You got gloves? >> No. >> No gloves? Right there. Right there. Move the bag back toward the seat. >> Yep. >> Okay. Hey, you come here. >> Yep. >> Just not it. Just pull that bag enough to let Just to see the serial number. Just to see the serial number. How good do you want to look at this? Do you want me to start the serial number for a hold and see if we can take care of that. >> The warrant is a I I'll call the city >> Huh. >> God damn right, boys. >> The operation was a success. The officers retrieved Riley's grandfather's firearm, the same one he used to murder Emma in cold blood. When the trial began in May 2018, Riley and his attorneys introduced a bold and unconventional defense. They argued that Riley never meant to harm Emma. According to them, the two shots that struck her home were merely an attempt to scare her, hoping that she'd reach out to him for comfort once more. They claimed her death was never his intention. But the jury saw through it. In the end, Riley was found guilty of stalking, theft, reckless endangerment, possession of a firearm during a dangerous felony, and first-degree murder. Daniels deserved to go to prison, and so did this babysitter whose negligence resulted in the loss of a baby's life. >> And her role on the cheerleading squad her third year had just gotten underway, and she was loving it. Then, the morning of Monday, November 21st, arrived. Like she'd done so many times before, Jill went to her daughter's room to wake Emma for school around 6:00. Right away, it was apparent that something was terribly wrong. >> I just tried to wake up my daughter for school, and she has no pulse. >> How old is she? >> She's 16. >> You said that she's non-responsive? >> Yeah, her tongue hanging out of her mouth. >> Okay, I'm stay on the line. I'm transferring you to Rural Metro. >> Word of the mysterious tragedy spread quickly. Among those hit particularly hard by the devastating news of Emma's death was her boyfriend of two years, Riley Gaul. The two had first met in the fall of Emma's freshman year at Central High. She was the only freshman to secure a spot on the cheerleading squad. It was right around then that Emma caught the attention of junior and star wide receiver, Riley Gaul. It came as no surprise that the two were soon inseparable. A steady stream of posts with photos saturated their social media feeds, documenting the fun times they shared. There were collages such as the one that read, "Look how lucky I am." posted by Emma in May of 2016. By the time that fall of 2016 rolled around, Emma and Riley were two years into their relationship. Emma, now a junior, remained a dedicated member of the cheerleading squad at Central High. Though Riley had graduated that previous spring, he stayed close to his hometown and was attending Maryville College, where he quickly made a name for himself as a wide receiver on the football team. Then, just a few months into the new school year, young Emma was gone. As routine procedure goes, the Knox County Sheriff's Office immediately began speaking with those closest to Emma. Riley was brought in that evening on the outside chance that he might be able to aid in the investigation. Based on a tweet from earlier that day, he was very distraught and understandably so. "That's my beautiful Emma. Rest easy now, sweetheart." it read. And it just so happens, word has gotten back to law enforcement that Riley has some particularly eerie information to share. Apparently, Emma had been receiving threatening text messages from an unknown source during the course of the previous weekend. The detectives start with brief introductions, then get a technical matter out of the way. The following footage has been analyzed by a qualified team, including a licensed attorney, a licensed clinical psychologist, a former licensed professional counselor, and a licensed professional counselor. >> Before we get started, I understand you're not under arrest right now. You came down on your free. You were with your granddad and your mom. But because you're in a secure area, I have to read you your rights, okay? Um because basically, if you're in a position that you can't get up and leave and get out on your own, they technically look at that in court as being custody. But I understand you're not in custody. I have not put handcuffs on you. I have not >> After Riley is read his rights, they engage him in a bit of small talk and efforts to build rapport, establish a baseline, and make him feel comfortable. >> Um while we're waiting on him, tell me a little bit about yourself. I know obviously you played football in Maryville College. I'm assuming you played football in high school. >> Yes. What position? >> Wide receiver, quarterback, punt returner, kick returner, punter. >> You must be pretty good. Well, you kicked calls but owned the place last year, so that's been your senior year in high school. Uh yeah, that was good. It's always painful to leave you guys, but good luck. Hang in there and stay straight at it. Work at it. >> A few minutes later, the detectives dive into the true reason for the meeting. They ask Riley to provide a timeline of his whereabouts over the previous weekend. >> Let's start with Friday. What do you have classes >> during the day? >> Monday, Friday, I have an 8:00 a.m. and a 9:00 a.m. And Tuesday, Thursday, I have a 6:00 a.m. and an 11:00 a.m. And then the other class on Monday, Wednesday, Friday is a 1:00 p.m. >> Wow. You're still pretty busy, aren't you? Well, let's start with Friday. You get out of class at 1:00 p.m. >> Mhm. >> What happens from there? >> Riley explains that he headed to his grandparents' home that evening, then went to his friend Noah's home shortly after, where he spent the night. Then, according to Riley, his seemingly normal morning took a chilling turn. And it all started with a message from Emma. >> And she was She was kind of acting frantic over the phone. And she said that someone was trying to get into her house. Somebody was dressed in all black. They had a face mask on. She said that she's on She said she thought they were taking a walk in the neighborhood. And then when she passed them and went onto her driveway, they put on a pair of glasses. And they started like She said they kind of like sped up, so she went into the garage and shut the garage, and that's when I drove all the way to her neighborhood. >> Did you have Did you say she texted you that information? >> She or just She texted me like She was asking if it was me at first, and I told her, "No, what's going on?" And that's when she FaceTime called me. She was crying and freaking out, so I said, "Okay, give me a minute, and I'll come down and check it out." >> Riley raced to Emma's home and approximately 10 minutes later, he arrived. >> I uh I went to her backyard, made sure, you know, nobody was back there, checked under the porch and everything. >> Mhm. >> Um looked up and down the street. >> But, by that time, the would-be intruder was gone. Still, a residential surveillance camera captured a few seconds of footage as the man walked down the street. Riley returned to Noah's house somewhere around 8:00 p.m. and stayed the night once again. >> What time do you leave and where do you go Sunday morning? >> I don't know what time I woke up, but when I woke up, I went back to my grandparents' and then went back over to Noah's house. And I got back to campus around 11:30, 11:45. >> Naturally, the college freshman had left his homework until somewhere around midnight Monday morning. >> I got back up to my dorm and I tried logging in onto my American College email. But, I realized I couldn't because I was logged in on my grandparents', uh my grandmother's laptop back in Knoxville. And it was late, almost 12:30, 12:15, or 12:30, around there. So, I didn't think they were awake, so I drove back to Knoxville cuz I needed to do my homework. I left myself out a laptop at my grandparents' house. My grandfather was awake, though. He saw me log out of the laptop and from there, I left. >> It's intriguing that Riley felt the need to emphasize how his grandfather saw him log out of the laptop, almost as if he's expecting that the detectives will think he's lying about why he went home. >> He saw me log out of the laptop. >> When someone who's being questioned acts defensive before they have even been accused of something, it can be seen by law enforcement as a possible sign of deception. >> I ended up not doing any of my homework and instead, I got back to campus around 1:00 a.m. and just sat in my car for about 2 hours, 2 and 1/2 hours, and just wept. 4:30 I fell asleep fell asleep around then. And that's when I woke up to people calling me about what had happened. Well, first he he texted me and he was like, "Hey, man, I'm sorry about what happened." So, I was like, "What are you talking about?" And he called me after that and he said, "Did you not hear what happened?" I said, "No, what are you talking about?" And he said, "Um they found him dead in in her bed this morning or unresponsive is what he told me. And that's when I started uh freaking out having a breakdown. So, my parents or my mom and my grandmother were coming out to campus evening. They probably got there around 9:00 9:30 somewhere around there. >> As soon as he starts talking about being told about Emma's death, Riley starts stroking his face. This is a self-soothing behavior indicative of heightened anxiety. This could be because the topic is distressing for him, which would be understandable, or a hint that maybe something else about the topic makes him nervous. Although some dismiss nonverbal analysis as pseudoscience, and whether or not the viewer agrees with it, it is used by the FBI, CIA, and police during interrogations, which is why we include it. When the CIA is interrogating an individual, they look for clusters of three or more indicators that occur in either quick succession or all at once. These indicators can be signs of discomfort or uncertainty in what the individual is stating, rather than indicators of deception. It's extremely important to note that you cannot detect deception through nonverbal analysis alone. >> Okay. So, then once your grandparents got you and you went back to their house? >> My mom and my grandmother >> Yeah. Is that they came and got you and that's where you went >> back in our I I've spent all I spent all day at my grandparents' house today. Until now. >> Got you. >> After a comprehensive run-through of Riley's previous weekend, the detectives transition to the sensitive subject of his long-time girlfriend's unexpected death. Perhaps Riley can provide something for law enforcement to go on. A detail that may seem insignificant to him may be the very information needed to crack the case. >> Tell me Tell me what you know about Emma's passing. There has been all kinds of rumors and speculation. What have you heard? >> I've heard that but I didn't think all of that because I heard some different things. I've heard she just passed in her sleep. I heard she tried to kill herself. I heard a stray bullet came through the wall, but that made no sense to me because it's her room. If a stray bullet hit the wall, it's from it had to be from the backyard cuz that's where her window is. I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. That one didn't make sense to me, but those are the main three. >> Who have you talked to? Where have you heard these rumors about um passing in her sleep and all that stuff? >> Um I've had a bunch of my my friends visit me today at my grandparents' house. >> Mhm. >> And they would just tell me different stuff they've heard from different people. >> Okay. >> Riley has been fidgeting and spinning his seat throughout the interview so far. But as soon as the detectives start asking about Emma's death and the rumors surrounding it, he also begins picking at his fingers, which is typically an anxiety response. >> Okay. Um Do you remember who told you the stray bullet? >> Um yeah, he It was actually about an hour ago when he said it. His name's Jacob. >> How do you know Jacob? >> We've been friends since second grade. >> Did Did he say where he heard the stray bullet theory? >> No, he said it was same thing like hearsay. He said he probably said that didn't sound right to him either, but >> Horrifyingly so, it seems that the detectives are beginning to consider that the killer could be hiding in plain sight, disguised as a grieving friend. Perhaps they even paid Riley a visit in an attempt to avoid suspicion, simply playing the part of another young mourner expressing condolences to the long-time boyfriend of the deceased. Detectives have collected potential leads and Riley's visitors from earlier that day, and with this, the entire trajectory of the investigation has drastically changed. >> Can you think of anyone that would want to hurt Anna? >> Not off the top of my head now, cuz I mean she was >> She have any enemies? >> No, she she had No enemies that would want to hurt her. I mean, she had high school drama enemies, but like this girl she didn't like, but None of them would None of them would do that. >> And she She kind of got along with everybody. I mean, I I I don't know >> Yeah, she was She was very likable. She didn't I mean, she was friends with most anybody that she talked to. >> The last time you talked to her you said was Sunday? >> Sunday night. >> Sunday night. Did she make any comments about anybody being mad at her upset at her or anybody wanting to hurt her? >> No, but the only thing that I thought of was whoever the person was that hurt uh her on Saturday morning. That's the first thing I thought of when I heard that she had passed this morning. >> Then, a completely unexpected revelation is brought to light, and it changes everything. >> Do you got people Did anybody Nobody tried to kidnap you or >> Kidnap me? >> Yeah. >> Repeating the question can be a red flag to detectives. It could mean that the person being interviewed needs time to think about their response. A deceptive individual likely wants to prevent awkward silences after a question, as that could seem suspicious. However, if they need a moment to consider what they should say, they might repeat the question to fill that conversation gap. >> What is a uh I didn't want to I'm sorry I didn't want to help but cuz it was trauma. I didn't think I didn't know what to make of it. And that's very important for us to probably know what it means to like not get that. But I don't I don't know like I don't know anything about it. >> Notice the weak movement Riley makes here. It's a half-hearted shrug and his hands barely raise. Throughout his illustrators have been minimal. We don't have anything of him before the interview to really compare to, but it's an atypical behavior for people in general to have such weak nonverbals. Illustrators help people make points while they speak. In contrast, restrained gesturing is believed to be a telltale sign of deception. >> When did this alleged kidnapping take place? >> Um Friday. >> This past Friday? >> Mhm. >> When did that happen? >> Sometime night. I just don't know. I don't remember much about it. It was like two guys. Literally hours. Friday night. Before I got to Noah's, when I was at my dad's house. And I pulled in the driveway. And this van pulled up over across in a semicircle. And these two guys were like walking across the street. And I was didn't think anything of it because they weren't like in a rush. >> Mhm. >> And I turned around I'm about to get in my car and next thing I know, one of them grabs my back and the other one's around the corner and they just like put their hands over my face and just took me to their van or whatever. >> Finally, we see Riley use larger nonverbal indicators. His palms are up in a position usually indicating that he's asking to be believed or trying to be convincing, but they don't fit with his words. His hands just sit there for quite a long time with no words to go along with it. >> You said Emma, huh? I I don't remember much. They just had me I couldn't see anything. They had something over my eyes. I haven't told my mom or anybody about this. >> Oh, really? >> No. >> Why not? >> Terrified. >> And so I mean, do you owe anybody any money? >> No. >> And you gamble on days you gamble? >> No. >> So, these guys just randomly picked you out for no reason? >> I guess. >> Riley's account sounds a bit questionable, especially because he doesn't give a clear reason as to why he can't remember much of it. He's also left out any mention of his feelings during the event and only mentions being terrified to justify why he hasn't told his mom about it. Most people who were telling the truth about something major such as being kidnapped will express what their emotions were at the time. This is because their emotions are tied to the memory of the traumatic event. When someone leaves these details out, it can be a red flag for possible deception, but the question is, what could he be leaving out? That same night, Emma had attended a gathering at a friend's home after the football game. It was somewhere around 11:30 p.m. when she began receiving alarming text messages from an unfamiliar phone number. >> They did ask me. They're like you know, like who do you want to talk to for the last time? And so I started freaking out, and I said, "Emma, >> Text messages instructed Emma to go outside. They stated that they had her loved one in their possession, and if she didn't comply with their demands, he'd be hurt. >> And they made me call Emma. She wouldn't answer my phone multiple times, so they used their phone. And I was just crying and screaming, and she thought it was a joke. She thought I was playing a prank on her. >> Riley has been fidgeting with his hands and moving in his seat this entire time. This indicates that he's been letting off his excess energy, which is going to be a red flag to the officers that he may be hiding something. The fact that Emma thought Riley was playing a joke on her could suggest that he had done something in the past to make her doubt his sincerity. A friend accompanied Emma outside, and that was when they located Riley lying face down in a nearby ditch. According to her friend, Riley appeared to be disoriented. >> I woke up where Emma was. >> Who was with you? >> In their friend's yard. I don't It's right off Castle Pike. I literally remember them my head ached for the rest of the night when I got back. I don't know what happened after that. >> Did you still have my phone when you were let out? >> Yeah. They thought it was They thought I was messing with them. That's why I haven't talked to anyone about it cuz no one would take me seriously. >> It's interesting that Riley still hasn't asked exactly what happened to Emma. Most people would ask at some point. While maybe not early on, since they don't want to interrupt investigators, they wouldn't want to sit through the entire interview without asking for some kind of information about what happened. This is likely a red flag to detectives. After acquiring the information they need for the time being, the detectives conclude their interview with Riley. >> I do want to thank you for coming in and talking to us, Rodney. I I appreciate that. >> It's clear that investigators know Emma didn't take her own life, but instead believe something far more sinister occurred. Though the information hasn't yet been made public, they're aware that Emma died as a result of a single gunshot. The bullet having traveled through the exterior of her house before striking Emma in the head. Somewhere around this time, law enforcement is approached by friends of Emma who strongly suspect they know the identity of the killer. They want to assist in the investigation. In fact, they believe they can get their hands on the very weapon that might have been used to murder Emma earlier that same morning if the rumors that she died of a gunshot wound are accurate. You see, the person they suspect is also a close friend of theirs. In addition, one of the teens has recently witnessed something quite coincidental. The suspect had recently acquired a firearm. In fact, he'd gone so far as to show it to one of them. With the friends having come forward, the idea that the killer is among them has gained even more credibility, disturbing as it is. Despite the potential dangers of which they're warned, the amateur detectives opt to go through with the sting operation on November 22nd, just one day after Emma had died. A plan is constructed and the friends are wired and equipped with a hidden camera. >> What do you think? >> I would leave. There's nobody else I could go into this with. >> Nobody else I could go into this with. >> I'll try it. >> THIS IS INSANE. >> YOU DO WHAT YOU THINK, GUYS. >> All right. >> 38. >> Everyday life, man. Everyday life. >> you think? >> Let's go play some Modern Warfare. >> There you go. >> This is just another day, man. >> Yeah. Look at that pop. That lights it up. >> I'm going to show it. >> Yeah. Yep. >> I'm going to be lost, guys. What do you think? >> I think you're good. >> guys. >> And with the short briefing from detectives, the precarious mission headed by a brave couple of teens is underway. The friends return to one of their homes and prepare for the suspect to arrive. >> So, dude. Okay. That's me moving back in the good. Yeah. Yeah, that's fine. Okay. Yeah, I'll walk out there. All right. I'll see you. >> Why did he say that? Why did he say he just wanted to talk to me? >> I don't know. >> Holy Why does he want to talk to me at all? >> I don't know, man. I don't know. All I can think about is that he would trust you lately. Which I mean >> Yeah, cuz I was involved with him earlier. >> Mhm. All right. FYI, guys, my roommate is not home. He's going to be at work till about like 1:00 or 2:00 a.m. in the night. >> One of the friends updates law enforcement who's listening in. The suspect is due to arrive in just a few minutes. The hidden camera is strategically placed just before the suspect enters with his friend, and both take a seat on the couch. Apparently, the two had a short conversation outside, and the suspect would like for his friends to accompany him on an errand of sorts. But, before they get to that, they speculate on Emma's potential manner of death. We know that very little information has been made public, and they only have rumors to go on. Well, two of them at least. We suspect that the third knows everything. >> They would have automatically ruled out any kind of suicide. Or I mean, not ruled it out, but like if she would have shot through the wall you don't just get shot and die instantly unless you get hit in the throat or in the head. >> Yeah. >> Unless you got shot directly in the heart, but still even that, like you're going to feel that and wake up and be able to try and like crawl out of your bed. >> Yeah, it doesn't make sense. Like I still don't understand how she died. >> It's likely that no part of this discussion is medically accurate, but the undercover friends play along in an attempt to get more information from the suspect, and the speculation continues. >> I don't really know, but it's like she got shot through the wall and she would like say it hit her in the stomach. Say someone shot her through the wall and hit her in the stomach. She's got She's going to wake up. You don't just get shot and lay there. I don't see how she wouldn't scream or something like anything. And she just lay Unless it was just like a ridiculous shot. >> If they hit her in the head, then they would have saw that. >> They did, but >> Yeah, you don't know You didn't know she was dead. >> Yeah, yeah. They could have walked in and seen her just >> Oh, but they would see it It was a It was a murder investigation from that family that morning. As far as I know, like they never >> They always knew anything about how she was found or when she was found. >> Cuz whatever you hear is not how they do it. They always knew it was a homicide. >> Your phone could not be tracked. >> They knew it was a homicide from the first second because they put in protective custody. >> Are you serious? >> Yeah. >> The suspect is clearly alarmed by this information. The thought of a friend having been murdered would be quite devastating to hear. However, it's much more probable that the shock is from knowing that if her death was in fact a homicide, then law enforcement's main focus will be to locate the killer, which brings us to our next important topic of conversation. >> But I'm trusting you guys. Like with my life cuz I mean this is 70 years in jail if I get convicted of something I didn't do. Yeah. Are you guys Are you busy right now? Like you got to do anything? I mean Who's killing your boss? It's me. Cuz I I need to hear you. Yeah. I'm going to laugh. I'm going to throw you in the water. They would never They'll never find it in there. I've tried to hit the water with like rocks and I think we can do that. >> Well, >> We did it with We did it with beer bottles and lumps. [ __ ] we can go on that the smaller ledge that really looks out in the water. I mean, I've got your back, man. I just need to cross it, dude. I've got [ __ ] If it goes If it's in the Tennessee River, they will never find it. So, that's why I just want to eliminate that from the equation as a whole. I'm trying to cover your bases. Cover your bases. >> I mean I mean I see you. That's That's That's your decision. Well, do you have any right now with I'm starving. You got some You got a stack to start your hot pocket. >> I'm starving. >> I'm starving. I'm hungry. I would love a hot pocket. >> After preparing a couple of hot pockets, the teens depart en route to an area that overlooks the Tennessee River, not far from the University of Tennessee campus known as the Bluffs. It's possible that the suspect isn't just looking for moral support here. By involving his friends in the disposal of the gun, he's likely trying to protect himself. If he gets them to help, they'll be more likely to follow his plan of lying to the police about what they know of the gun, and he'll be able to hold their involvement over them. They won't want legal consequences for their part in getting rid of potential evidence, so they'll feel more motivated to lie for the suspect. >> He said he's going Turn around and go down the street. I'm going to try to see if I can jump the fence in my backyard and snatch the bottle of bleach from the I'll go around to the church. All right, I'll be back. >> If you're not back in 10 minutes, we'll come after you. >> Less than four nerve-racking minutes later, the suspect returns to the vehicle. >> I just want to throw it and be done. I'm done with dealing with like I just don't want to have to deal with it. I think there's gloves in your two big pockets. Put them on before you touch it. I'm saying like The glove would be good. goes. I think we can use that. Ground and pound and take it out. Off the [ __ ] wall. I'll carry us Carry it up with gloves on. Get to the top. We'll throw on that bullets individually. We'll throw on the clip. We'll throw on the gun. >> Judging by the fact that the suspect keeps >> That babysitter wasn't able to get away with their crimes. And neither could Nicholas after they found the lifeless remains in his house. >> Is there a bag in the bathtub upstairs with bloody I'm not sure. Something. >> I'm not so sure going in right now would be a good idea actually. >> I'm not a bad guy. I'm actually a good guy. >> On May the 2nd, 2022, the authorities conducted a welfare check on a man named Richard at his residence after 24 hours of unexplained absence. Upon arrival, officers met Richard's family and began to question his sister to get to the bottom of the situation, but nothing could have prepared them for the horror that they were about to encounter. >> I say you have my assumption. You have the whole family here, huh? >> Yeah. Father-in-law, mother, sister. >> Yeah, the sister. >> So, you're going to go and see >> No, we have >> No, you guys are going to go in there. >> He just has to stay. >> Yeah. Okay. >> So, what's what's what's the story here? Besides what I got was you guys are have, you know, don't like the roommate or there's some problems with the roommate he has mental health issues >> and you haven't heard from your brother in a day? >> Um last Last I heard from him was last night and the only reason it's a concern is cuz his roommate is currently mentally unstable and brought an unregistered firearm with him three days ago. >> Okay. >> Um and they they had some kind of conflict over the weekend cuz he was trying to get him to move out. >> And then you haven't heard from him since last night. And no call, no show to work. Cool. Um so, you got the key? What's your name? >> Courtney. >> Okay, thanks. >> The officers then spoke to victim's roommate, Nicholas, whose odd behavior was beginning to raise suspicions. >> Uh no, I haven't I haven't really seen him lately. He said he was going to go camping and stuff and he just wants to get away for a while. So yeah. >> Um that's super weird. He told me he was going to be home today. Um he might be sleeping. You mind if I check his bedroom? >> Actually, if you want to check his bedroom, I suppose you should but uh >> Yeah, he might be sleeping, you know. >> Yeah, so please um come on in. >> All right. >> I was really hoping to uh get some sleep just now but that's not what's going on so >> All right, we'll be out of your hair in a short time. >> Oh, appreciate it, man. Yeah, this is our other family. They're just worried about him. >> Yeah. >> to come out, I'll give you the details. >> Actually, that's probably okay. I could probably This is probably not a good idea. >> Well, we're just going to go check his room. It's all good. >> Yeah, that's what I was trying to >> I appreciate it, yeah. >> not do. I think maybe we if we could just come outside and talk for a minute here, I would appreciate that. If you could just do that. You guys happen to have a smoke on you cuz I haven't had a cigarette for >> I'm going to check my car but I appreciate that, yeah. Come on here, I'll check my Come over here, I'll >> Oh, it's okay. I'm I'm right here. >> Well, just let him go check the room so we can we can get get out of your hair. >> I was really trying to uh talk with everybody out here for a second. The one girl, girlfriend, um >> K. >> Yeah, K. Lee, yeah. So um K. called and she says "Richie is not here." I says, "Oh, well, he actually did mention that he wanted to do some camping or something without our cell phones and stuff. So he just left like two nights ago and I'm he's in where he is. So, uh Did you say he had a cigarette, though? >> I might have a cigarette, but I got to go check my car. >> Okay, please please you go and check your car. >> Well, you can come with me, cuz they're going to go inside and look for their brother, their family member. They have a key to get in, so. >> Yeah. >> Yep. >> That's probably not the best idea. >> No, that's a good idea. >> Oh, yes. Actually, the cat does need her medication and stuff. Are you familiar with her medication? Okay, yeah. Let's Let's go ahead and do that real quick. Come on in. >> Hey sir, what's your name? >> Uh Nicholas VanCleef. Yeah, don't go in there. Uh that's really not a good idea. Uh don't go in >> in where? >> Nowhere. Nowhere. Uh can we go ahead and Oh, yes, that's a Wow. Yeah, that's crazy. Hey, can She's up. No, go up there. No, no. >> They're going to go check on on their family member. >> Oh, yeah. So, >> So, we're here. Let's go get you see if we can find you a cigarette. >> Yeah, let's go get a smoke, but uh >> Joe >> You and I are going to go to smoke. Come on, let's go, man. >> Yes, actually I would actually like three smokes instead. >> Well, well, if I find some, I'll give you some. >> Yeah, I'm telling you right now >> Come on, dude. Come on. Come on. Come on, bro. Yeah, let's go, man. >> No, but listen, I'm trying to >> I'm going to get a smoke, bro. >> Well, no, I'm >> I'm going to see if I got one. >> What? It's not a good idea. >> No, let's get some smokes, though. >> Well, but you're not listening. Oh my god. >> Why is he >> going to hurt herself? >> I can't tell you. >> What is she doing? >> Please stop. >> What is going on, man? >> Uh I don't exactly know what's going on, but like Do you see any smoke? >> I'm going to go look for one, yeah. >> Oh, damn. Well, uh I haven't had a smoke for >> Sometimes I have them in my in my you know in my car. >> or so. >> Damn, it's a long time. >> It was >> As the situation unfolded, a shocking discovery was made, triggering widespread panic. >> What what's Let's go Let's go check his car out, man. He He said he might have one. >> And I know what you have in that bag. Can I please have a cigarette? Look, let me Let me sit down. >> Yeah, yeah. Take a seat right there. >> A very long and grueling day. >> No, man. There's We don't have I don't have any. Sometimes I have them spares lying around in the side of the door, but they're >> You don't understand. You don't deserve a smoke. >> No, I didn't say that. I just don't have one. >> No, I completely understand. But I'm trying to I I really don't think it's a good idea for What am I talking about? They're going to do whatever they want because they're family, and so yeah. >> Sir, we need you in here, please. >> Well, what's going on? Why don't you come out here and tell me? >> Why is he Wait, I didn't tell you. I'm not saying nothing. >> No, I'm talking to her. >> No, but it's it's not I'm trying to get I'm trying to get >> We found a bag in the bathtub upstairs with bloody I'm not sure. Something. >> Okay. Did you find your family member? >> No. >> Okay. All right. >> Okay. So >> You say nothing. You go this way. 2016. >> No. >> No. Go. >> I may need a second. I'm going to call the supervisor here. No. No. Yeah, go here. Go sit down. Go sit down. Hey, can you guys go pull the car up such that she can sit down? We are going to do something. Uh what I need you to do right now is I need you to go sit in your car. All right? We're going to do something. I'll have you get in the car. >> Officer here besides uh >> Sir, can I get start get your name, please? >> Oh, yes. My name is Nicholas. >> He went camping? >> Yes, sir. >> Did he go by himself? >> I suppose he went with some people. I don't know who he went. He just said he wanted to go camping. He's been known to go camping for a few days. He used to do that with his parents and stuff. I don't know. >> And you guys have been getting along? Any problems with the two of you? >> No, everything's fine. Yeah, we just went camping. >> And he said he was with a girl or something? >> I don't know who he was with. >> Oh, okay. He has a girlfriend? >> No. >> Oh, okay. All right. All right. So, where are all of you guys going to go inside like the angle here? >> I'm going to let you in. Um so, he had been on one of the stairs. >> Uh-huh. >> And she searched in the bathroom. Okay. I checked all the other rooms. There's nothing in the other rooms. So, she went for his bathroom and then I followed her in there. >> Is there a bathroom a common bathroom or is it just for him? >> Just for him. Uh there is a common bathroom upstairs, but there's nothing in that one. >> In in the master bathroom >> In the master bathroom, that's his bedroom. >> two white trash bags coated with what I would assume is blood. Heavier I just picked it up by the edge with both this hand, but heavier than I'd say 25 lb of sugar. One of the bags had what I would uh >> Did you open them up? >> I tried to. There's like bags within bags. So, I I'll just There was more red blood on those, but one of the bags protruding out or something ripped out, which I put this in his mouth. And then there's a lot of blood on the carpet and then there's blood on the floor that's smeared dry like it temporarily. >> And then did you guys go in the garage and look at his car? >> I opened the door and I looked in. >> Did you go inside and look like look inside the garage? >> No, I didn't. >> The officer went on to properly question Nicholas, whose response raised more questions than answers. >> Nicholas, I got a question for you, man. So there there were obviously worried about their family, remember, right? And then when they when they went up into his room, they're telling me that they found uh a couple of garbage bags that are really heavy that have blood on them. >> Yeah, I don't even know what that's about. I haven't seen them. >> Another question. Uh you don't have a firearm or anything in the house, do you? >> I do. >> You do? Where is it? >> In my room, but it's not loaded. Um yeah. >> It's in your room, it's not loaded. Where is it in your room? >> On my bed. >> On your bed? >> Yeah. >> Like just sitting there? >> Yes, sir. >> Okay. You said it's not loaded. Where's the Where's the ammunition? >> In the whatever the magazine maybe is called. >> And where's the magazine? In the gun? >> No. I think No, I think I cleared it out, you know. >> You think you cleared it out? >> I think so. Yeah. But yeah, like I said, I don't I don't know. Yeah. Insanity or something. I don't [ __ ] know. Since I plead the fifth, I don't I don't know anymore. >> And why are you worried about pleading the fifth? Like why are you Why are you bringing that up? >> I don't know how you know how that works. >> How what works? >> And temporary insanity, I guess. >> Temporary insanity. Why are you talking about temporary insanity? >> I don't know what you're talking about. >> No, I'm just I'm asking you why you're asking Why you said those things. >> I have no idea. >> You don't know why you said >> I'm not sure. >> I plead the fifth and temporary insanity. >> don't know. I don't know. >> Okay, do you have any uh you don't have your gun on you right now, do you? >> Absolutely not. >> you I see you have a knife in your pocket. >> Do I have a knife? >> Yeah, you have a knife. >> Oh, you guys always carry a knife? Oh, no. This is This is just one of those >> For my safety, can I take that for you for a little bit? Yep. Yep. You got anything in here either? What's What's all this? Keys? I don't think so. >> You mind if I look at it just feeling outside of this package, too? Is that cool? >> Sure. Yeah. >> That's just your wallet? >> That's my wallet. Yes. >> All right. So, I'm just going to set this right over here. >> You can set that right over there. >> Yep. >> Okay. >> He came back and we found him weird. He wasn't here. >> And like what? You said you found him like that. What does that mean? I have no idea. Just I didn't even find him, you know? He was just He just came back and then he's here. Like I didn't find him anywhere. It's okay. I guess I don't need to smoke anymore ever, actually. I don't deserve to be able to smoke cigarettes. >> Why Why don't you deserve to smoke a cigarette? >> Yes, I don't have the money for it. I don't have I can't afford them, so why even got to try? What good, you know? It would be nothing. You know what? I'm going to shut the [ __ ] up. >> Well, I mean, you're not under arrest or anything. Uh we're just here to check on the roommate and they found some things that they're that make them worry. And because of that, now we're just going to go inside and and check. That's it. So, any information that you have to help, you know? >> Richie was my good friend. He's still my good friend. >> Why? What do you >> Oh, my god. What's going Okay. Listen, I wish and it's okay. I don't I don't need a cigarette. I don't deserve I didn't Why? I would like to smoke. That's not important. I think I'm just going to sit. >> Moving along as we get out of your hair, right? The family's obviously go gone upstairs to check on their loved one. Yeah. Right? And they found some stuff that made them a little afraid. >> Yeah, like I said, I I don't know. >> because he isn't here and you live here, >> Yeah. >> right? We want to ask you, right? If it's cool if we go inside and check on his things. >> I mean, I don't know. I I have not been up here. I have not been here lately. I've been out and about trying to do DoorDash and stuff like that, you know. But yeah, I I live here. Yeah. >> Yeah, we want to go upstairs. Right? And look in the master bedroom where I it's a your roommate's bedroom for him. Just to check on him and see what's in there, all right? >> Yeah, if that's if that's what Yeah, yeah. I mean, wait. You want to go upstairs and do what? >> We want to check and make sure everybody's okay. >> Well, go by all means. Like, make sure everybody's okay. Yeah, I mean >> Officers spoke with a neighbor seeking more details to finally solve the case. >> I just heard a lot of like movement. I thought something was happening over there. I was like, okay, whatever. It sounded like something was hitting the wall. >> What time was that? >> I want to say it was like probably midnight or Yeah. >> Nicholas continued with his strange behavior, inadvertently revealing more about himself with each passing moment. >> We're just going to be saying something real quick and then we'll >> I'm not so sure I'm not so sure going in right now would be a good idea, actually. >> What do you mean? >> Well, he's just Let him Let him stay. He's gone somewhere is he not? I mean >> I'm sorry, what? >> Is he He's gone somewhere is he not? >> Your roommate? >> Yes. Yes. >> Well, I don't know where where did he go? >> He went camping. >> How did he get there? >> I don't know. He's got some friends and stuff. Yeah, I Last time I talked to him I mean, I I I'm his friend but I don't I don't >> Well, his family said he talked to him last night and he wasn't camping. >> He wasn't camping. I have no idea. >> You're saying he went camping 2 days ago and took his phone. >> A couple of days. Well, I don't I don't know. >> didn't tell them last night. >> He mentioned he wanted to not take his phone and stuff. >> Yeah, that's fine but they talked to him last night. >> to them last night? Who talked to them last night? >> His family said they talked to him last night at 7:00 p.m. >> I don't know. I don't know. He didn't tell me >> But >> Okay. >> Yeah, I think it'd be best not to go in >> Oh, you don't want us to go in there? >> No, I don't think it'd be a good idea. >> Is there a reason for that? >> I know there's no reason. It's just I still got to probably go back to work and stuff and so I didn't do nothing. I'm not under arrest or anything like that. >> you're not under arrest. >> We're concerned with her family, which makes sense to me, too. >> Yeah, I mean they're they're concerned that Hey, Dietrich. >> Yeah. >> He changed his mind. >> No. >> Yeah. They saw some stuff inside that's concerning. Okay, so we want to go inside and make sure that everybody's okay. They saw some blood and stuff like that, so they're concerned that their family member could be hurt. >> Uh what I'm what I'm thinking is um I'm not going to think of anything. Yeah. >> But you don't want us going in there? >> No. >> going to give us consent? >> think there's no reason to. >> Okay. Thank you. Take. >> Wait. Uh We're we're hanging tight. >> How long have you been here? >> Five. Five or six months or so. Not >> Oh, that's it? >> What are we having for? >> Were you still here in Federal Way or were you in a different city? >> Yeah, something. And I don't really recall where I was exactly. It was >> Huh. >> Uh 7:02 >> You work at Jimmy John's? >> Jimmy John's. >> Yeah, the JJ hat. Thought that was Jimmy John's. >> Oh, yeah, no. That's that's just a show hat like Yeah, yeah. I'm I do DoorDash. Like >> Oh, okay. >> Yeah. You like it? >> Do I like it? Good days and bad days. >> It's like every job, man. But it's you that can determine if it is a good day. Don't let other people determine if it's going to be a bad day. >> Yes and no. There's I can I'm not going to kill I'm going to go get a coat on. Is that correct? Can I do that? >> You're going to get a coat on? >> I'd prefer no. Why? Why am I not >> want you to go back inside right now until we figure out what's going on out there. Can I go in with you? >> Sure, come on. Yeah, you can stand at the door. >> Where's the coat at? >> And FYI, there is a gun on his bed up in his room. The what? >> Never mind. >> Don't go back in yet. >> I'm not. What? I can't walk in with you to get the coat, right? No, I was trying to >> The reason why I don't want you inside right now is cuz supposedly there's a gun inside. >> Yeah, it's upstairs. >> But it's fine. >> And we appreciate that that you're letting us know, but for everybody's safety 100% of the time we're going to just keep people in away from guns, right? Even if they're their own guns, right now. So we just want you to just That's one of the reasons why we're going to kind of ask you to step >> So I should have Oh my goodness. That So >> He's not allowed in there. >> Uh you're not allowed in there. >> Cool. All right. You know what? You know what? Never mind. I don't need it. I don't need it. I don't need it. I don't need it. I'm fine. >> While the investigation went on, the cops updated Richard's family to keep them informed and to address their concerns. >> We have some sort of suspicion that something is going on. >> Okay. >> Now, because we didn't find or you guys didn't find, you know, a human being, um and that removes kind of our authority to go in for a welfare a welfare check, right? If we If we If we If we The law says that if we have reason to believe that somebody's life is in imminent risk of, you know, their bodily harm, that kind of stuff, then we can go in right away and make sure that everybody is safe, okay? Because that doesn't exist right now, what we're doing is we have to follow the law, right? He's asked He He's He's said some some suspicious things to you. >> I mean, you guys already turned the prosecutor a warrant. If it helps, I'll I'll go back in. >> Yeah, well, at this time, you know, because, you know, cuz the suspicion is Well, our you know, our hope obviously is that everything is fine and who knows what we're going to that that there is no crime. That's our hope, but if you In the event that that's not the case, we want to make sure that every any evidence that we collect, anything that we find out has was is done according to the law. >> She is his coworker and best friend. She's the one that originally called for the first welfare check and she was chatting with him night, so >> Any like family stuff, cabin stuff. >> Nicholas, on the other hand, tried to play games with the cops, but they were always one step ahead of him. >> Don't get my utility knife. So, I >> No, we'll leave that right there. >> But, it's my knife. >> Yeah, you'll get it back. Do you need to cut something right now? Cuz I don't There's nothing to do. I don't think you have a need for it. You're not in any danger. You got three police officers protecting you. >> Wait a minute. I should go take a pee in my bathroom real quick. You guys mind if I >> No, you can't go back inside. >> But, I'd like to go pee in the tree. >> Well, you can't go pee inside. You just can't We're not letting you back inside right now. >> So, I can pee out here. >> I'm not going to stop you. >> That's very nice. Um, but I can't go back inside. But, that's okay. I don't need to go back inside. Yeah, I'll just pee by the tree, I >> Can you hold it? >> What do you want me to hold? >> Huh? >> You want me to hold what? >> I mean, you can't hold it like a big boy? >> Oh, yeah. Right here, I'll go pee by the tree. It's right You guys don't want me to go pee. I don't know. >> Well, I mean, we don't want you to pee out in public. You can hold it. But, I understand that it's frustrating. You can go inside the bathroom. >> I was just going to go pee right on the tree, that way it's out of the way, and nobody's in looking, right? Isn't that how people can pee, or Yeah. >> And that's how people pee outside. >> Yeah, cuz that's what I have to do is pee in the outside. You're saying hold it, and I don't know. I'm going to try to just pee real quick. >> Fellas, he's going to uh take a pee real quick. He can't hold it. >> You got it out there? >> Yep. Yep. Yep. >> I don't quite understand why we're I don't quite know what to do, but Wait a minute. Yeah, I can hold it. >> Then you're good. >> Yep. I can hold it. >> Yep. Then you're good. >> I don't understand what you guys are doing. >> We're trying to figure that out too, my friend. We're We're not cuz you're you're a good guy. You're You've been talking to us, so I appreciate that. >> know what? You don't need to talk to guys. I mean, I just I I do. I I haven't I'm missing him at all lately, but I need to go >> Go ahead. >> What do you need to do? >> There's something wrong here. >> Nothing's going on, man. Nothing's going on. >> What are you going to do? >> I'm good. You want us to both stand right here? >> Uh absolutely not. I I like you over on that side and maybe him just standing right there and then I was going to go pee right there and then I got this I have a peripheral vision over here on this one and then peripheral vision over there on that one. I don't know, you know, but um I'm going to sit down. >> Hey, so uh I don't know if they kind of told you what's going on right now. Uh I got some detectives that want to come out and talk to you real quick. Right now, it sounds like we're probably going to go search warrant for your residence. >> I don't think that they We don't need a search warrant, actually. I don't need a search warrant. Feel free >> We we do, though. >> Why you Why would you need a Oh, you Why would you need a search warrant? That just makes no sense. >> Well, like I said, we're we're concerned about the well-being of your room >> The suspect's confidence in escaping justice shattered as the handcuffs snapped into place, bringing him back to reality. >> Hey, Nicholas, uh you are under arrest. Just stay seated. Okay, we're going to grab your hands and put them behind your back. >> I'd rather you just I'd rather Oh, I'd rather I'd rather sit up now. >> Come on, man. >> I'm not trying this. Can we not Wait, I know. I'm trying I'm trying >> What is You're going to have a talk to our detectives? >> Why we Why we have so many people around me? >> There's so many people we got here right now. So, we're going to take you back to our station, have you talk to the detectives. We're going to advise you of your rights real quick, okay? >> Okay. >> Okay. >> I can't move. >> It's best to move. >> No, probably not. >> I'm not >> really doing so good. >> Uh Nicholas, you have the right to remain silent. Anything that you say can will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right at this time to talk to a lawyer and have him present with you while you're being questioned. If you cannot to afford to hire a lawyer, one will be appointed to represent you before questioning if you wish. You can decide at any time to exercise these rights and not answer any questions or make any statements. Uh do you understand each of these rights as I've explained them to you? Nicholas, do you understand these rights as I've explained them to you? >> All right, we're going to walk to a car over here, Nicholas. >> Upon entering the residence, officers found the remains of Richard scattered in different parts of the house alongside threatening weapons. In response to this, Nicholas's words tumbled out incoherently, seemingly disconnected from the horrific reality of his actions. >> All right, bud. Here, lean back so I can get this uh seat belt a little loose for you. >> Good. I would like these cuffs off. >> Yeah, we're going to get you in a just in just a little bit. We're going to walk inside. >> One, two, three. Step aside right here so I can close the door. And I'm going to go right to that door right there. We'll get you out of them in just a second. >> I don't know if I can believe you anymore. That's what you keep saying to me. >> Okay, how about this? A few minutes. >> Well, I would like to just get out of them now. And then But I I don't have a choice, do I? I'm trying to I wonder why, though. I'm a good person. Why have I seen you before? I've seen you before and >> Well, we've been we've you know, we've been hanging out and talking for like the last almost 2 hours. If that's what you mean. Although your name does kind of ring a bell. Yeah. >> I don't know if I can believe you. It's fine. I don't need to I'm not waiting for you to take me anywhere. >> Yeah, yeah, you're You look like a bad guy. >> I'm not going to go out that way. You need to stop. I'm not a bad guy. I'm actually a good guy. Oh, yeah, please take these cuffs off. I can't >> Yeah, we're not going to do that. >> How am I supposed to sit down? >> Put your feet in. >> We can't do this anymore. This This has to stop. I cannot keep having this happen, especially now when I get to do anything. Even though Listen to me. >> Okay, I'm listening. >> Listen to me. >> I'm listening. You can give me your statement now. >> I cannot get in with these handcuffs. Listen to me. >> Okay, look that way again. >> You're not listening. >> Look that way for me. I'm going to put this in front of me. >> stop. You're not listening. >> I am listening. >> I did not do anything. But that's not a guarantee that I did something. >> Can you scoot back? >> No, how am I supposed to No, these things are >> Okay, look that way again. >> I can't. Listen Listen, you're not Why are you not listening? >> I am listening. >> Cuz you are not I'm not important anymore. I forgot >> That's not true. I'm listening to you. >> Listen, these These These cuffs on my fingers I cannot get I cannot >> as they're supposed to be. >> Nicholas was eventually charged with first-degree homicide and his bail was set at $2 million.