Original subtitles

The story you are about to see was inspired by actual events.

The names have been changed to protect the innocent.

*

It was Saturday, bright and clear in Los Angeles.

McCarron and I were working the day shift

out of Robbery/Homicide when the call came in

at 5:34 a.m.

A kid's body in a culvert out by the beach.

The Palisades,

a place RHD didn't work much.

Playground of the rich and Botoxed.

A place where the wealthy could indulge any whim,

no matter how extreme.

A place they tolerated just about anything,

but a corpse.

My name's Friday, I'm a cop.

*

Excuse me?

Tide's out and he isn't wet.

Hasn't been here long.

Three hours at most?

Apparent cause of death?

Hard to say, no obvious trauma,

but the kid died fighting.

Check out the defensive wounds.

Bag the hands and protect the fingernails,

he might have landed a punch, drew some blood.

Torn jeans, was he raped?

Someone might've tried.

An old girlfriend with the same tattoo on her ankle,

means "life."

I'll get the F.I., see if somebody saw the kid alive.

I doubt it.

Body's embedded, probably dumped.

We found these on his person,

a wallet and a pipe.

Robert Henson, seventh grade.

Pot smoker.

21045 Latigo Shore Drive,

Malibu.

Nice.

Make sure the techies check for tire treads.

Put the word out, maybe somebody saw a car

on the shoulder early in the morning.

We'll go tell mom and dad.

Notifying next-of-kin, best part of the job.

The day it gets easy, quit.

- Yes? - Mr. Henson?

Yeah?

Lt. Joe Friday, LAPD.

What's he done now?

*

We're still working on the exact cause of death.

When'd you last see Bobby?

I, uh... last night

around midnight when he came home.

Where'd he been?

Hanging with his friends, I guess.

He said he was tired and went on up to bed.

Are you absolutely positive?

I mean, maybe he let somebody borrow his wallet

or his ID or maybe this isn't his ID at all?

When did you discover Bobby was missing, Mr. Henson?

3:00 a.m., maybe?

His bed was empty.

Anything like this ever happen before?

Well, Bobby liked to test boundaries,

so I wasn't all that surprised.

I just figured he snuck out with his friends again.

Did he have a curfew?

No, we just... we trust him.

Where is Mrs. Henson?

Uh, over at a girlfriend's.

Adrian Murphy.

Adrian had caught a flu bug and couldn't get out of bed,

so, uh, Wanda stayed over to help out.

Did you call her when you discovered Bobby missing?

Well, I went into the kitchen to do just that and see,

that's when I realized that the back door was open.

Notify the sheriff's station.

Tell him we can have a second possible crime scene.

Why?

You think maybe somebody came inside and took Bobby?

Why didn't you call and report him missing?

Well, I mean, I drove around Latigo for a little bit

looking for him, but I--

Hey, Sam.

What's going on?

Who are these people?

*

God, Sam, what the hell's the matter with you?

*

*

*

I don't understand what was so important

that you would let somebody in.

We're not sure anyone entered the house, Mrs. Henson.

It's a theory.

God, I should've been here.

I should have been with him.

Who were you with?

A friend, Adrian Murphy.

She feeling better?

Sam told us she had the flu.

Flu?

God, I told you we went to a party at the Colony.

I'm sorry, I must have misunderstood.

Is there anyone you can think of

who might have wanted to hurt Bobby?

Who would want to hurt Bobby?

Bobby was beautiful.

Bobby was perfect.

Perfect little boy.

I understand.

It doesn't make sense, but is there someone

Bobby may have mentioned?

What about Dowd?

Yeah.

Dowd?

Yeah, a neighbor.

A man who lives next door, um...

Last summer, Bobby said that he exposed himself to him

and asked Bobby to do things to him.

Did you confront this Mr. Dowd?

Yeah, I went up there and I asked him about it,

but, I mean, the guy got really angry

and threatened to get his lawyer involved.

So, you never reported it?

Cooper, Duran.

Once again, the maggots beat you to the scene.

Don't start, I'm missing my kid's birthday.

Kid disappeared last night between 11:00 and 3:00,

back door to the place was open.

So, that means anybody on the beach is a suspect.

Yeah, but start the canvas with the kid's buddies.

We hear his best friend lives right down the street.

Maybe his friend knows something his parents don't?

Come on, Jimmy, we'll take Dowd the Flasher.

We're doing a standard canvassing procedure, Mr. Dowd.

But you came here first.

Something wrong with that?

My guess is the Hensons may have told you a few things.

Honey, do you really think that you--

No, sweetheart, this is a murder.

I don't want any problems.

It's just best to get everything

right out on the table.

Last summer, Bobby Henson claimed,

I mean, he claimed...

wow, there's really no delicate way to put this.

Don't try.

Bobby Henson claimed I made a lewd gesture,

that I tried to solicit sex from him.

And you're saying that's not true?

Of course it isn't.

His father came over and we talked about it

and it was obvious he believed me

because we never heard anything about it since,

but I'll be honest, that kid scared me.

I had my lawyer on speed dial just in case.

You understand we have to ask you

about last night?

Yeah, sure.

Uh, I wasn't here.

I met my trainer at the gym

and worked out till about 9:00, 9:30,

went to the office, worked late, past midnight,

came home, and crawled into bed.

Can you verify the time your husband came home?

I was asleep.

The alarm went off at 7:00 and there he was.

You guys are, like, totally serious, right?

This isn't some kind of joke?

No.

Bobby's dad told us the two of you were tight.

Yeah, I guess so.

Jeez, my parents are gonna completely flip.

Where are your parents?

My dad's scouting locations in South Africa.

He's a studio exec.

My mom, well...

actually I'm not really sure where my mom is.

I think she went to Palm Springs for the weekend.

So, mom and dad out of town?

You must've partied last night.

Yeah.

Some kids hung out by the pier.

But Bobby cashed out early.

Did he say where he was going?

No, just left.

So, your t-shirt, you're into shooter games?

Yeah, Bobby liked Doom 3.

You know?

Lot of blood and guts.

Bobby an angry kid?

Like everyone, right?

Who was he angry with?

Sam, mostly.

That's what he called his dad, Sam.

I dunno, he couldn't stand the guy.

I don't know, they had kind of a weird family.

That's why he smoked dope?

Nobody's gonna bust anybody.

We just wanna know where he might have bought it.

He didn't buy it, he grew it.

In the hills around Topanga.

He sell it?

No, you know, he just gave it away

to his friends.

To friends, like you?

Nah, I say no to drugs.

Good for you.

Keep it that way.

Sir?

I hope you catch whoever did it.

My guess is the killer used a heavy zippered object--

a coat, maybe, perhaps a pillow--

to cover the kid's face.

Why zippered?

These marks.

His skin got caught in the zipper teeth.

Any fibers in the nostrils or mouth?

Negative.

What about the abrasions on his arms?

They're not abrasions and they're not related

to the crime.

Chronic psoriasis, has it on both elbows.

Any evidence of sexual molestation?

Not that I can find.

Pants were ripped, but no seminal fluid.

How about under the nails?

Unfortunately, no.

Tox screen shows he had THC in his system.

So, he was high when he died?

High is an understatement.

The kid was in orbit.

I've got 27 unreturned messages

on my desk.

I gotta give the media something.

There's nothing to give, tip line got 230 calls

in the first 12 hours.

Right now, I don't know if we have a drug deal,

a sex crime, or what.

On the sex angle, I just pulled a list

of registered sex offenders of Latigo.

Six within a half mile of Henson's house.

All right, was Dowd one of them?

No, Dowd's a businessman.

Made a killing with a sign and banner company.

Clean record, one red flag,

he grew up in a foster home after being sexually molested

by his father.

Maybe he passed on the legacy?

Let's run down his alibi.

That personal trainer, Virgil Wilkins, check him out.

What else?

Wanda, the mother, never went to college,

barely got her GED, parents live in

a San Bernardino trailer park,

two short marriages to losers.

Smartest move she ever made?

Marrying Henson.

Because?

He's a big-time engineer.

Three patents under his belt,

graduate degrees from Stamford and MIT.

The guy's literally a rocket scientist.

Well, between the two of them, they botched up her alibi.

Yeah, he said she was with a sick friend,

she said she was out partying.

Time to meet the sick friend,

Adrian Murphy.

My guess, she's got another version of the story.

You learn about someone by the company they keep.

Wanda Henson's company lived in a blown-out studio

on a bad block in a bad neighborhood.

It told me Wanda had a past,

one she hadn't escaped,

not even in Malibu.

She was a great mother.

She gave Bobby whatever he wanted,

whenever he wanted it.

So, you guys have known each other a long time?

Years, we were young and crazy.

Partied a lot together?

Five, six nights a week.

But now, it's more like once a month.

Like last night, Wanda mentioned

you two went to a party.

Yeah, a wine tasting.

The invitation's on the fridge.

Yeah, I was gonna ask you...

...what kind of wine tasting costs $150?

One you feel a day and a half later.

*

Hi, I'm Virgil Wilkins.

You two looking for me?

Yeah, Paul's one of my best clients.

You were with him last night?

Uh, yeah, every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday

for the past three years.

That many workouts, you must really get to know a guy.

Well, Paul doesn't really have the most athletic body,

but he's very dedicated and that can make up for a lot.

I meant on a more personal level.

Oh, well, uh, he's a family man.

You know, goes on about his kids.

He ever mention a kid named Bobby Henson?

That boy from the news?

Uh-huh.

Wait, you don't think that Paul has got--

No, we don't think anything, we're just asking questions.

The trainer verified he was with Doug

from 8:00 to 9:00.

I'm tired of all this honesty.

Then I got good news, Dowd was at the office,

only not when he said he was.

This is video from Dowd's parking structure.

He arrived around 6:00, left around 9:00.

But Wilkins and Dowd said they were at the gym

at 8:00.

About time someone started lying.

Is this gonna take long?

I'm teaching a step class at 3:00.

It won't take long at all.

Once my partner gets here, we'll get--

Speak of the devil.

Virgil.

Guys, I appreciate the two of you taking the time.

What is this about?

Well, we went over your statements.

The good news, you got your alibi together.

The bad news, it's a lie.

Now, Paul, you weren't in your office

like you said you were, we have video to prove it.

And Virgil, there was nobody toning their abs on the night

Bobby was killed.

We thought we'd give you two a chance to clear the air.

I-I need to call my attorney.

Feel free, but why spend the $500 now?

We can clear this up in five minutes.

Especially if you're innocent.

Paul, um...

Paul, we should just tell them.

You know, it's time.

We...

I can't believe it's coming out like this.

Okay, okay, I'll tell you.

Paul and I were not at the gym, as you know,

but we were together.

See, Paul and I...we're lovers.

*

We only lied to keep the affair from my wife.

She doesn't know?

It would destroy our family.

That's not something I'm willing to do.

We went to the Viceroy in Santa Monica,

we chatted in the lobby, and then rented a room

and went upstairs.

Paul left around 3:00 and I stayed until morning.

You can call them, you'll see.

I will.

I'd also like permission to search your house.

Well, you know, whatever you gotta do.

You cannot tell my wife, I beg you.

Better make sure she's not home for the search.

- Search? - That's right.

Voluntary, otherwise, I'm gonna go get a warrant

and she's gonna find out for sure, okay?

Unhappy and rich is a dangerous combination.

Paul Dowd was both.

Locked in a loveless marriage

with nothing but time on his hands.

*

Virgil Wilkins was vain and neurotic.

They had lied about their relationship.

One could only wonder what else they had lied about.

God, it's that obvious?

*

Detective!

Yeah?

Wanda wants to know

why you haven't arrested him yet.

We arrest someone, we like it to stick.

Tell her to be patient.

She can't get out of bed.

She's taking sedatives every three hours

because the man who murdered Bobby

lives next door.

I understand.

Do you have children, detective?

No.

Then you can't understand.

*

Why don't you take her out?

Get her back to a routine.

Take her to Sweet Ambrosia.

*

It's a wine tasting.

I heard.

She doesn't need more alcohol,

she needs closure.

*

They never understand.

It's unfair that we expect them to.

They've lost a child.

For us, keeping our feelings out of it,

it's part of the job.

Where's the wife?

Pilates.

Still no idea?

How's that work?

Look, just so you know, I ended it with Virgil.

Over, once and for all.

I love my wife and kids.

Just wanna...

*

...just wanna get on with my life.

*

Nothing from the searches, but I found a bartender

at the Viceroy who remembered seeing both Wilkins and Dowd.

Big weekend crowd, he remembers two guys?

That's what he says.

Room checks, too.

Wilkins put it on his Visa around 11:00, didn't leave

till noon the next day.

Doesn't mean they were there.

Pretty tough to prove they weren't.

Computer units processed the cookies they yanked

off Wilkins and Dowd's computer.

Dowd had some garden variety porn,

both straight and gay, nothing we can hold as evidence.

Wilkins, on the other hand, is a different story.

His browser held a bunch of gay S&M sites,

and two months ago, he purchased this

off a site called the Iron Kitten.

It's a top-of-the-line slave mask, 100 percent

rawhide, double-stitched, wide-toothed zipper for that

extra snug fit.

I got one just like that.

You're thinking the teeth might match the zipper marks

on Bobby Henson's neck, good.

Go ahead, check it out.

I called the RSVP line for Sweet Ambrosia.

Surprise, surprise, it's not a wine tasting.

It's a swingers' club.

The Hensons?

Swingers?

No way.

The wife, maybe.

The rocket scientist, no way.

Party once a week for couples to get together

to drink and whatever.

This a great country or what?

Sweet Ambrosia has nothing to do with my son's death.

We know it has nothing to do with wine tasting.

I apologize, I shouldn't have said that.

It's our standard cover.

Sweet Ambrosia ever meet here?

What does that matter?

If you hosted one of these, an entire subject pool

has intimate knowledge of your house.

That's relevant.

We had one.

When?

Couple months ago.

We're gonna need names.

Oh, we don't know any.

Well, how'd you contact people for the party?

Well, the couple that runs Sweet Ambrosia

has addresses, but even they don't know last names.

Was Bobby aware of your alternative lifestyle?

Yeah, I mean, we never talked about it,

but... I think he probably knew.

Detectives, um...

look, I apologize, honestly,

for not coming clean,

but I just thought that maybe the life didn't matter.

Well, I hope it doesn't.

One thing, though.

There's someone from Sweet Ambrosia

you should maybe check on.

Guy who came over once or twice.

Bobby know him?

I don't know, but he's definitely partial to,

you know, kids.

He joked about liking rough stuff

with kids not much older than Bobby.

His name is Brett, that's all I know.

The couple from Sweet Ambrosia said no names without a warrant.

Well, odds on that, zero.

Well, the RSVP line said there's a "wine tasting"

this Friday night.

Maybe Brett's a regular?

Macias, McCarron, you guys wanna find out

how the other half lives this weekend?

Maybe get a last name for Brett?

It would be my pleasure.

*

Hello, welcome.

Come right this way.

Name?

Steve and Melody.

Oh!

You're the couple Sam and Wanda vouched for.

Got you right here.

*

Stick out your tongue for--

Excuse me?

Stick out your tongue or you're not coming in.

We actually both took a hit on the way over, so--

Oh, well!

*

Okay, right, let's mingle.

*

Been in the lifestyle since '87.

Hung in there through AIDS.

It's nice to see the comeback.

Okay, how's it go?

Oh, yeah.

Confusing monogamy with morality has done more

to destroy the human race than, like, anything.

George Bernard Shaw.

We had a great Eyes Wide Shut party,

it was my friend Brett's idea.

Brett, is he here?

Uh, check the Roman spa, that's usually where he is.

Great, thank you.

*

Guys, you have room for two more?

Always.

*

Well, don't just stand there.

In or out?

Now, which one of you two is Brett?

That's me, darling, what can I do for you?

Well, it depends on who you haven't done.

It's getting to be kind of a short list.

*

Gimme one second.

Brett Thorson, he was a prime suspect

in the case of Timothy Cassel, 18,

suffocated 1995 in a house in Reseda.

Second degree murder rap,

first jury hung, second jury acquitted.

Acquitted?

The kid's hands are bound.

Defense called it a sexual misadventure,

proved Cassel's participation consensual,

unlike Bobby Henson's.

Brett Thorson?

Detective Raymond Cooper.

This is my partner, Detective McCarron.

Yeah, we met.

Long time, got a second to talk about Bobby Henson?

Sure, yeah, it's not like you guys are the IRS.

Come on in.

Guys don't mind if I throw a shirt on, do you?

I wasn't really expecting any company today.

Allergic to cops?

Psoriasis.

Lifelong curse.

Little girls used to say I had cooties.

So, Bobby Henson.

Yeah, yeah, I heard about that.

Shame.

Where were you the night of the abduction?

Yeah, I was... let's see, Friday night,

Sweet Ambrosia night.

I saw Wanda and her friend, Adrian.

You know the Hensons?

Yeah, man, come on.

We've all been in the life for a long time and it's been

the same thing for a while.

Sometimes I do it with Wanda this way

while Sam watches.

Sometimes, I do it with Sam that way

while Wanda watches.

Keeps it fresh.

You have sex with Sam while Wanda's in the room?

Yeah, yeah.

You'd be surprised how many husbands

are into that kind of thing.

You're just doing your civic duty.

Exactly.

Guy like you must have a girlfriend.

Maybe I'll help you out sometime too, huh?

Maybe I'll knock your teeth out?

Ooh, look how he bowed up like that.

Hey.

Wanna tell us about Timothy Cassel?

That's ancient history, guys.

It was a long time ago.

I was fully acquitted.

Now you're clean?

Clean as I get.

So, it's okay if I look in your closet?

Sure, have at it, it's a bit of a grab bag

in there, enjoy yourself.

Mind if I borrow this?

Whatever floats your boat, buddy.

Popular item this season, everyone's wearing it.

Everyone's wearing this one anyway.

Hair follicles, maybe, and some skin in the zipper.

Get it to the lab and we'll verify

Thorson's alibi.

Wanda was pretty much with him all night.

I got ditched.

Was that something they did often?

Well, you know, they had history,

even before Wanda met Sam.

Brett said he did 'em both.

Kinda weird, huh?

Swinging couples are funny.

You know, I mean, some are open.

No rules, they can pretty much hook up with whoever they want

and others will only mix it up with their spouse in the room.

Feels less like cheating.

Sam and Wanda.

Which way were they?

Oh, Sam did not like Wanda having sex without him around.

Not at all.

Kinda old-fashioned that way.

Yeah, exactly.

I have two masks.

One pulled from Brett Thorson's apartment.

The other is a copy of the mask Wilkins

ordered online.

From the Iron Kitten websites?

Exactly, now the zipper on the Thorson mask

contained hair and skin from over 20 different people.

That's nice.

Unfortunately, Bobby Henson wasn't one of them.

What about the zipper teeth marks?

Well, I've taken impressions from both masks

and compared them

to the teeth marks found on Bobby Henson's neck.

On Thorson's mask, the teeth are both shorter and thinner

and the tongue of the zipper

is a complete whiff.

Tongue on Bobby looks like an oval.

On Thorson's mask, it's rectangular.

What about the other one?

Inconclusive.

See how the tongue is a kind of a rounded square?

It might be a match, might not.

But it's possible Bobby suffocated in a mask like this?

It's possible he suffocated

in a bomber jacket.

Doesn't give you a case.

Here's something new.

Call on a tip line, claims to have seen

a silver BMW driving back and forth on the bridge

the night of the murder.

Same make and model as Henson's.

Won't help, Sam said he was looking for Bobby that night.

Makes sense he crossed that bridge a couple of times.

Well, what if it's a cover?

You know the stats, it's always a relative.

Well, what's motive?

Maybe Sam wised up that Wanda's only in it

for the money.

Maybe he resents her and maybe she drags him

to the swinging scene where she sleeps

with her old squeeze?

Maybe he likes to watch?

Even if he is getting off on it,

all that anger's gotta go somewhere.

Well, listen, why take that anger out on the kid?

Psoriasis.

What?

Psoriasis, Thorson said he had it,

said he had it all his life.

Bobby Henson had psoriasis.

So?

It's an inherited condition.

What if Bobby wasn't Sam's son?

What if he was Thorson's son?

*

Lemme guess, you guys are here

to return my mask?

Actually, we were hoping you'd give us some genetic material.

You know, since you don't mind giving it to everyone else.

Yeah, I can see you guys need to be thorough and all.

I mean, somebody murdered a kid, right?

Be nice if Sam Henson understood that.

Boy, that guy's got issues, huh?

Apparently.

Jealousy, man, it's a killer.

I mean, I can see Sam being a little wary

seeing as me and Wanda had a thing,

but jealousy's got no place in the life, bro.

Sam didn't like you and Wanda together?

No, no, he didn't, especially not alone.

I mean, I think he followed me a couple of times, you know?

Who knows, could have been a coincidence.

We appreciate you two coming down today.

My clients want to aid the investigation

in any way they can.

Great.

Wanda, how long have you been involved

with Brett Thorson?

What do you mean, "involved"?

I mean sleeping with him.

If it's a ridiculous question, move on.

Anything to help the investigation, right?

I've known him 15 years.

Fifteen years?

Were you in love with him?

I wouldn't call it that.

So, you're not in love with him now?

I'm not in love-love with him.

Not like I am with Sam.

Sam, is your wife telling the truth?

Of course.

Are you asking me or telling me?

Thorson has been sleeping with your wife

throughout your marriage,

correct?

Yes, he has.

So, it must have occurred to you that Bobby might be

Brett Thorson's son?

*

No.

I never wondered if Bobby was mine.

*

Wanda, did you ever see Thorson alone?

No.

Never.

Even the night Bobby was killed?

No, it was a group setting

and I never, uh, was alone with him, I was...

not then, not ever.

Do you believe her, Sam?

*

Wanda, tell the truth.

What?

When?

What have you seen?

I saw you with him!

I saw you, Wanda, plenty of times.

*

Nice piece of work, you two.

That's motive, Henson follows his wife,

sees her screwing Thorson,

and his brain fries.

Goes home and takes it out on the symbol of their union,

Bobby, the kid he suspected all along wasn't his.

No more suspicion.

Lab called.

Paternity test confirmed Brett Thorson

is Bobby Henson's father.

So, we have means, motive, opportunity.

And a witness that puts his car at the bridge.

Plenty for an arrest.

I'm hearing all this enthusiasm,

except from one person.

You charge someone with murdering their child,

you better be damn sure.

Anybody damn sure?

*

All right, we keep it a search.

*

Bag anything with a zipper and an oval tongue.

Pillow, jackets, duffle bags, anything.

Yes, sir.

Wanda Henson was a woman who'd crucify her husband

for leaving a light on, yet here he was suspected

of murdering their child, a crime for which there

was evidence, motive, and a witness.

But she didn't believe it.

Instead, she felt guilty for her affair.

She believed he was innocent.

I don't like it.

Guy like Henson doesn't hold out.

And the motive's thin.

My first week on this job, you said motive is overrated.

But the truth is sometimes you never know.

Why?

Who the hell knows?

Henson's a suspect, with means and opportunity.

I'm sleeping tonight, you should, too.

Wanda told us Bobby said some guy down the street

made a pass at him.

You don't know when to quit, do you?

Now, she never told us that Bobby mentioned

the guy's name.

Just some guy down the street.

What if he wasn't talking about Dowd?

You think Bobby might have been talking

about a different guy?

If it wasn't Dowd, then who?

Your husband's trainer, Virgil Wilkins,

he ever come into the house?

Sure, they ran together three times a week.

Did Virgil ever meet Bobby?

I remember him throwing the football around

with some of the neighborhood kids.

Bobby could've been one of them.

Where's you husband, Mrs. Dowd?

I don't know.

As a cop, you go where the lead takes you,

which sometimes is a dead end.

When that happens, you go back, start over,

as many times as necessary until you know the truth.

Lt. Friday.

Oh, God.

Oh, good for you.

We're here to talk about Bobby Henson.

Great.

Wonderful.

You don't mind if I fix myself one, do you?

Great, wonderful.

Do you know him?

Did you ever hang out with him?

You know, Paul and I broke up.

That's too bad.

No more married guys, now that's a pledge.

He rejected me.

Went back to that bitch.

What a joke.

Look, we're real sorry about your loss,

but we need to know.

Did you know Bobby Henson?

Bobby Henson... Bobby Henson...

well, I know some Bobbys,

but, um, no Henson.

I dunno, who the hell is Bobby Henson?

You know what the worst part is?

What's that?

He can just go back to his life.

Who?

Paul.

That's not the worst.

Oh, it's not?

Go ahead, tell me then.

What's the worst part?

I think you know.

Yeah, you're right.

Poor Bobby.

That is the worst part.

*

You wanna know something else?

*

It was all his idea.

Paul's?

Yup.

I mean...

he just... he just wouldn't take no for an answer, you know?

He can be like that, he's stubborn...

you know, Bobby didn't want to come with us,

but Paul just wouldn't take no.

Then pretty soon, Bobby just wasn't moving,

you know, Paul had put that... that thing on his face,

you know, and he just wasn't moving.

*

And that is the truth as a matter of fact.

A confession, even a drunken one,

is what detectives live for.

We took Wilkins back to the station,

sobered him up, read him his rights,

and then we arrested Paul Dowd for the murder of Bobby Henson.

I can only imagine what they must've thought.

*

I'm guilty, I admit it.

But only of the crime of adultery.

Why would Virgil lie?

I won't leave Krissy.

So, he implicates you in a murder?

He was furious when I tried

to break it off with him.

We were at the Viceroy and he started drinking

and he started saying how he's gonna tell Krissy

everything and...

I've never seen him like that.

Ever.

And I was scared, so I...

I left and I went home.

Alone?

I went home and had an argument with my wife.

She said she didn't see you when you got home.

I know she did.

I think she suspected.

She asked me where I'd been and I just denied it all.

I'm guilty.

I am.

I'm guilty of cheating.

I love my wife

and I love my kids.

I don't know what happened to Bobby Henson.

I'll bet you never got tired of this view.

Bought a condo in Calabasas,

already filed the papers for divorce.

You've known all along.

To this day, he's never admitted it.

Were you aware, Mrs. Dowd, that Mr. Wilkins implicated

your husband in Bobby Henson's murder?

That's why we're here.

We'd like to hear your story again

of what happened that night.

Wilkins said Paul killed that boy?

Yes, he did, and according to our notes,

you were asleep when Paul came home,

didn't notice him until 7:00 a.m.,

so without a hard alibi, we have no choice

but to believe Mr. Wilkins.

My husband was cheating on me...

with a man

and he lied about it.

I want him to suffer, Lieutenant.

He's facing life, maybe the death penalty.

Paul didn't kill Bobby Henson.

How do you know that?

Because he was here,

lying to me.

Is there any way you can prove that?

He set off the burglar alarm that night.

He had to call the company and tell them it was a false alarm.

Atlas Security got a call from the Dowds at 1:32 a.m.,

technician called back, spoke to someone,

but there's no way to confirm it was Paul Dowd,

so the only alibi he has is his wife.

That's not an alibi, that's just Wilkins' word

against hers.

I know Wilkins did it alone,

I just need to hear him say it.

God grant me the serenity to accept the things

I cannot change, courage to change

the things that I can--

And the wisdom to know the difference.

Serenity prayer, learned it when I was a kid.

It's not too late to change things, Virgil.

This is a chance to start over.

Today can be the day.

Where did you find that?

It's not important.

We know what happened.

*

*

Paul said it was over.

He didn't even wanna talk about it,

he just got in his car and... and he left.

So, you started drinking?

Yeah, I bought a fifth and I, um, I drove out

to Malibu.

*

I was in the street in my car

and I was watching Paul

through his window and I could, uh...

see them together, I could see him with her,

and they were...

talking and I knew he was never gonna leave her.

*

And then, I looked up and there he was.

Bobby was just walking home or something

and walked past my car.

He was drunk, high, I don't know.

And I thought...

I thought, "You know, Paul hates this kid.

Paul hates this kid because of what he said

about him.

Wouldn't that show him?

Wouldn't that show him if Bobby and I, if we...

you know, got together, wouldn't that show him?"

*

So, I asked Bobby if he wanted to go for a ride and he said no.

I guess he was still a little afraid of me.

But then, I said that I had some pills

and so, he came along and we went up to Topanga,

up in the hills.

What'd you do after you parked the car?

*

You know, things.

What kind of things?

*

Things like...

things like that.

Even, uh, I put it on him.

I was just joking around and...

I know I thought for a second that he was enjoying it,

but then, he...

changed his mind or something and said he wanted to go home

and I wouldn't let him

and he kicked me and it hurt.

*

You know, I don't really think that I was in my right mind

and I guess I went a little crazy.

*

And I killed him.

*

Sir!

I think I found something.

We'd gotten justice for Bobby Henson,

but it was cold comfort for the parents.

As for Paul Dowd, he'd made decisions

that could not be undone

and had suffered the consequences.

He and everyone else in this tragedy

would change things if they had the chance.

On that, my gut was sure.

*

Virgil Wilkins was convicted of murder in the first degree.

A judge sentenced him to die by lethal injection.

In California, an appeal in capital cases

is automatic.

*

*

*

*