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NARRATOR: New Orleans,
The Big Easy,
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is known
for its Southern charm,
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renowned jazz,
and vibrant night life.
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KATIE: A group of friends
decided to go out
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and hit the town.
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NARRATOR: But it's not
without its dark side.
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KATIE: By the end of that night,
one of them was dead.
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JOLENE: There was a car
that had a body burned in it
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and shot in it,
and I just knew.
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NARRATOR:
A close circle of friends,
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an unthinkable crime.
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LAUREN: It left a lot of blanks
and a lot of questions
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as to, like,
what exactly happened.
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NICHOLAS: Who is this woman?
What was going on in her life
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and what led to her murder?
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NARRATOR:
Now the victim's own words.
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NARRATOR: Could be the key
to solving this murder.
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ROBERT: Our jaws dropped.
It was the most horrific call.
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On the night in question,
she wanna go out
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and have a good time
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and it ended in horror.
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[♪♪♪]
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NARRATOR: It's a hot
sultry summer weekend
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in New Orleans, Louisiana.
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KATIE: New Orleans is the place
where people come to cut loose.
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It is a place where I think
people feel like anything goes.
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♪ [ INDISTINCT ] the chic and
the other a couple behind ♪
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♪ You can see the flowers,
pretty on the dress ♪
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♪ Back every single day,
I come in finesse ♪
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NARRATOR: And on this night,
a group of girls
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is getting ready
to hit the town.
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LAUREN: Jessica and Lindsay,
they were my best friends.
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Jessica was almost
like our mom.
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She was like the mom
of the group.
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She's fun but she's to herself.
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She's not as outgoing
as the rest of us.
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Lindsay was very outgoing,
very funny,
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very fun to be around.
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JESSICA: Lindsay called me
and I was getting my hair done.
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And she was really excited
about being home
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because she's always working
out of town.
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And she was asking
what I was doing
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and she wanted to hang out.
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So we decided to go out
and celebrate her being home
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and us not seeing each other
for quite some time.
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LAUREN: That night, they wanted
me to come with them.
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I didn't. I had my kids.
I didn't have a babysitter.
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So I stayed home.
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The group of friends that me
and Lindsay and Jessica
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that we hang out with,
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it's pretty much
the same crowd every time.
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So what happened that night
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definitely wasn't what I was
expecting at all.
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It was shocking.
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JESSICA: I was gonna take
my car at first
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and then Lindsay
was kind of upset with me
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and was like
"Please ride with me."
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And then we headed to a lounge
that we used to hang out
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and eat and just drink
and listen to music.
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[INDISTINCT CHATTER]
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ROBERT: Lindsay and Jessica
were out at Gabby's
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which is a sports bar.
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They would run into different
people that they knew.
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They've been hanging out.
They were drinking.
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They went to Gabby's
for a little while.
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Then they went
and met Melanie and Bam
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at Spice.
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Melanie was very outgoing,
very fun to be around.
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Bam, he was a good friend.
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He was almost
like a big brother.
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After they went to Spice,
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Jessica decided
she wanted to go home.
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Not unusual. Jessica is always
the first person
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to leave anytime we go out.
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JESSICA: It wasn't
that I didn't like Spice.
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It wasn't the atmosphere
or anything.
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I just started to feel
extremely weird
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and I was telling her,
I was like
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I think we really
should go home,
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call it a night.
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LAUREN: Jessica, she leaves,
finds a ride home.
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Lindsay wasn't ready
to go home.
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So they went to Passions.
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NICHOLAS:
Passions is a strip club
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that a lot of locals go to.
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It's in New Orleans east.
It's in what's considered
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a rougher part of town.
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It's not considered
an upscale establishment
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but it's cheap which is why
a lot of locals go there.
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I think the night of this crime.
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I think the cover
was like five dollars
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to get in
or something like that.
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LAUREN: Passions.
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That's not anywhere
that Lindsay or Melanie
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hung out very often
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but they knew the doorman.
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It was a friend of theirs,
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so they went
to just hang out there.
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At Passions,
they ran into the friend
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of Lindsay's, Thayon,
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he was out that night
with his friend Troy.
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They were drinking, you know,
laughing, talking.
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NARRATOR: As the night
slips into early morning,
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Bam and Lindsay
are ready to head home,
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leaving Melanie
at the club alone.
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[♪♪♪]
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NICHOLAS: On the morning
of June 21st, 2015 at 6:17,
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our communications department
received a call
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from some security guards
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about an abandoned
possible stolen vehicle.
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Then about 7:17,
we got another phone call
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about that vehicle being on fire
on the side of the road.
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[SIREN WAILING]
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NARRATOR: Firefighters arrive
to more smoke than fire.
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But soon,
make a gruesome discovery.
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NICHOLAS: And they found
the body in the trunk.
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That's when homicide
was notified.
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ROBERT: I get to the scene.
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Trunk's open,
the doors are open.
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And then I walk to the trunk.
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I've been doing this
for a while
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and it was a pretty horrific
crime scene.
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She was kind of lying.
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Her back kind of almost
somewhat fetal position
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and she had obvious burn marks
to her body.
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I could see at least
one gunshot wound to her neck.
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Also importantly
there was a gun in the trunk.
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It was also burned.
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We have crime scene techs
come out
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and they photographed
the entire scene.
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They photographed the car,
the inside of the car,
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the trunk of the car.
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We ran the license plate.
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The car comes back
to Lindsay Nichols.
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We found Lindsay's work ID
in the door.
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We saw the photograph
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and it did match
the girl in the trunk.
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I wanted to find out
why is this girl out here?
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Where is she coming from?
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Who was she with?
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MELANIE: I didn't know him.
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All I knew
is that was the last person
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that left with my friend.
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NICHOLAS: He discovered
that she actually,
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the victim herself,
called 911.
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A couple hours
before we found her body.
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[♪♪♪]
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NICHOLAS: On the morning
of June 21st, 2015,
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somebody called 911
and said
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there was a vehicle on fire
in New Orleans
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East on Michoud Boulevard.
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ROBERT: Firefighters go out,
extinguishes the fire,
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pop the trunk open.
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And there was a female
in the trunk.
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NARRATOR: Thirty-one year old
Lindsay Nichols
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has been viciously murdered.
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ROBERT: Our coroner's office
came out.
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We removed Lindsay's body
from the trunk.
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And further examined her wounds.
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Saw some additional
gunshot wounds.
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Looked like
she had been strangled.
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She was burned.
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A very horrible manner
of death.
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I looked inside the vehicle.
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There was a plastic bag
on the passenger seat
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that the exterior was burned
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but the contents
were still intact.
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But before we had it processed,
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we had to apply
for a search warrant.
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Upon recovering her remains
and having her
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taken to the coroner's office,
the detectives towed the car
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back to the police
department's headquarters
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where it would be processed
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with an advanced
crime scene lab.
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[♪♪♪]
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JOLENE: June 21st
was Father's Day.
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In the morning,
I did text Lindsay
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to remind her
that it was Father's Day
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so she would text my husband
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and wish him
a Happy Father's Day.
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And I didn't think much of it
when she didn't text back
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because I figured she had been
out the night before
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and she was probably
sleeping late.
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So I waited a little while
and in the meantime,
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I just happened to get
a voicemail from a gentleman
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that bought our house
in St. Charles Parish.
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And the message
was that the cops
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had come by my house
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looking for the parents
of Lindsay Nichols.
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Well, at that point
I knew something was wrong.
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[♪♪♪]
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I received a call
from a mutual friend
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that they found a car
on the side of the interstate
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that looks like Lindsay's car
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and they said that a body
was in the trunk.
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From there,
I turned on the news
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to see
what they were talking about
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and look at the car
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to see if it, like,
resembled Lindsay's.
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I just got a really
bad feeling in my--
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I'm sorry. [ SOBS ]
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JOLENE: So then we started
making phone calls
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and I finally got a hold
of the police
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when they told me
the only thing I could do
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is come to the morgue
in the morning.
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NARRATOR: Lindsay's family
and friends
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identify her body the next day
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then they have
the impossible job
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of breaking the news
to her young son Peter.
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JOLENE:
Telling a nine year old
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that his mom had been shot.
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He thought we were joking
and he felt we were teasing,
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00:12:52,100 --> 00:12:54,400
and he kept saying,
"You're teasing me, stop."
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And it was so hard.
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It was just heartbreaking,
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00:13:01,433 --> 00:13:04,100
and we kept saying,
"No, it's true."
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And he, he, he broke down.
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I had no idea
who could've done it,
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I mean, I didn't know
who she had been
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with that night,
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um, I had no clue.
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ROBERT: In this case,
the condition of the car
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and the condition
of Lindsay's body,
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it seemed very personal
like someone knew her,
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maybe ex-boyfriend, lover,
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00:13:34,300 --> 00:13:36,400
or some kind of love interest
or something like that,
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00:13:36,433 --> 00:13:38,166
we really didn't know.
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00:13:38,200 --> 00:13:40,200
We didn't know much
about her background yet.
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MELANIE:
Lindsay, she worked a lot.
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00:13:44,133 --> 00:13:46,266
She was a workaholic.
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JOLENE: She would work
seven days a week,
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00:13:50,567 --> 00:13:52,367
twelve hours a day.
233
00:13:54,367 --> 00:13:57,266
JESSICA B: Lindsay did
timekeeping so she would travel
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00:13:57,300 --> 00:13:59,467
to different locations
where they needed that.
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00:14:02,266 --> 00:14:05,100
MELANIE: She very seldom
got to let her hair down
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00:14:05,133 --> 00:14:06,200
and go out.
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00:14:08,333 --> 00:14:10,767
So when she got the chance,
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00:14:11,000 --> 00:14:13,333
that's exactly
what she wanted to do.
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00:14:16,200 --> 00:14:18,033
ROBERT: We're able
to reach her friends
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00:14:18,066 --> 00:14:19,767
that were out there
with her that night
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00:14:20,000 --> 00:14:22,767
they came in and laid out
the whole story that night
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00:14:23,000 --> 00:14:26,367
which gave us a blueprint
of where to start.
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00:14:26,400 --> 00:14:28,266
MELANIE: I met up with Jessica
and Lindsay
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00:14:28,300 --> 00:14:31,300
at Spice Bar and Grill
on St. Bernard Avenue.
245
00:14:33,200 --> 00:14:35,266
And when I got there,
Jessica was waiting
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00:14:35,300 --> 00:14:38,233
on her ride to leave.
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00:14:43,100 --> 00:14:44,533
Then me, Lindsay,
and a friend of hers
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00:14:44,567 --> 00:14:48,200
that she knew from Spice,
his name was Bam.
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00:14:50,767 --> 00:14:54,200
And we decided to leave
and go to Passions,
250
00:14:57,200 --> 00:15:02,300
he rode with Lindsay
to Passions
251
00:15:02,333 --> 00:15:05,133
and I followed them there.
252
00:15:10,400 --> 00:15:12,266
And when we got there,
253
00:15:12,300 --> 00:15:16,367
Lindsay had noticed
someone that she knew,
254
00:15:16,400 --> 00:15:20,200
Thayon, and she gave him
a big hug
255
00:15:20,233 --> 00:15:22,333
and jumped into his arms,
256
00:15:22,367 --> 00:15:25,300
and she engaged
in a conversation with him
257
00:15:25,333 --> 00:15:27,166
for a few minutes
258
00:15:28,600 --> 00:15:31,233
and then she returned
to the bar with me
259
00:15:31,266 --> 00:15:33,100
and had a couple of drinks.
260
00:15:34,467 --> 00:15:36,600
Lindsay was very popular,
very known,
261
00:15:36,633 --> 00:15:39,500
she had a lot, a lot,
a lot of friends,
262
00:15:39,533 --> 00:15:42,233
so I didn't pay any mind to it.
263
00:15:47,233 --> 00:15:51,066
Later on, Lindsay and Bam
decided to call it a night
264
00:15:51,100 --> 00:15:54,066
and leave,
I decided to stay
265
00:15:54,100 --> 00:15:56,233
and have a few more drinks.
266
00:15:56,266 --> 00:15:58,333
She said she would give me
a call the next day
267
00:15:58,367 --> 00:16:01,133
that maybe we could go swimming
or, you know,
268
00:16:01,166 --> 00:16:03,133
just hook up and chill.
269
00:16:03,166 --> 00:16:07,533
Lindsay said that she was
dropping Bam off at his car.
270
00:16:09,133 --> 00:16:11,200
He was the last one with her.
271
00:16:13,533 --> 00:16:15,400
I didn't know him.
272
00:16:15,433 --> 00:16:18,100
All I knew is
that was the last person
273
00:16:18,133 --> 00:16:20,033
that left with my friend
274
00:16:20,066 --> 00:16:21,467
and then all of a sudden,
275
00:16:21,500 --> 00:16:25,633
I found out
that my friend's car
276
00:16:25,667 --> 00:16:28,300
and her body got burned up
277
00:16:30,033 --> 00:16:31,367
in New Orleans
and I just thought
278
00:16:31,400 --> 00:16:33,433
he had something
to do with it.
279
00:16:41,333 --> 00:16:44,500
[♪♪♪]
280
00:16:46,200 --> 00:16:47,567
ROBERT: Lindsay went out
with some friends
281
00:16:47,600 --> 00:16:50,200
and they go out
to have a good time
282
00:16:50,233 --> 00:16:51,667
and this critical event happens
283
00:16:51,700 --> 00:16:54,667
and the whole night
goes sideways.
284
00:16:54,700 --> 00:16:58,300
Lindsay's friends tells about
this guy she's with,
285
00:16:58,333 --> 00:17:02,300
Bam, and that he,
he's a friend, you know,
286
00:17:02,333 --> 00:17:04,333
no romantic involvements,
287
00:17:04,367 --> 00:17:07,333
and he was the last one
with Lindsay.
288
00:17:07,367 --> 00:17:09,266
So obviously he's someone
we got to talk to
289
00:17:09,300 --> 00:17:11,367
because you're the last person
with Lindsay
290
00:17:11,400 --> 00:17:14,166
and now she's dead.
291
00:17:14,200 --> 00:17:16,500
NARRATOR: Nobody knows
Bam's real name.
292
00:17:16,533 --> 00:17:19,467
So finding him
could prove challenging.
293
00:17:19,500 --> 00:17:21,333
NICHOLAS: Detective Barrere
had a nickname
294
00:17:21,367 --> 00:17:22,533
to start working with,
295
00:17:23,667 --> 00:17:25,533
and he started checking
various databases,
296
00:17:25,567 --> 00:17:27,467
eventually he's able to find
an individual
297
00:17:27,500 --> 00:17:30,266
that fits the description,
298
00:17:30,300 --> 00:17:31,734
he still got some
of Lindsay's friends
299
00:17:31,767 --> 00:17:34,266
in the office
so he prints up a picture,
300
00:17:34,300 --> 00:17:36,633
shows it to 'em, and bam,
301
00:17:36,667 --> 00:17:39,166
they identified
this guy named Bam.
302
00:17:44,233 --> 00:17:47,300
A couple days
after we found Lindsay's body,
303
00:17:47,333 --> 00:17:48,700
Detective Barrere
and his partner
304
00:17:48,734 --> 00:17:50,734
rode out to Bam's house
and convinced him
305
00:17:50,767 --> 00:17:54,233
to come into the homicide office
and sit down with the detectives
306
00:17:54,266 --> 00:17:55,667
and talk to us about her death.
307
00:17:58,333 --> 00:18:00,500
ROBERT: He comes in
and just says, you know,
308
00:18:00,533 --> 00:18:02,233
"It's terrible
what happened to her.
309
00:18:02,266 --> 00:18:03,700
I saw her that night."
310
00:18:03,734 --> 00:18:07,200
And then Bam lays out
what he did.
311
00:18:09,367 --> 00:18:11,567
He confirmed that they were
at these series of clubs,
312
00:18:15,200 --> 00:18:17,233
she brought him
back to his car,
313
00:18:17,266 --> 00:18:19,600
he went to a convenience store,
314
00:18:19,633 --> 00:18:21,500
bought some food,
315
00:18:21,533 --> 00:18:24,367
went home,
and that was it.
316
00:18:26,600 --> 00:18:29,700
So we go out
and look his alibi.
317
00:18:34,767 --> 00:18:38,233
We found a camera near another
convenience store outside
318
00:18:38,266 --> 00:18:40,467
facing Bam's house
319
00:18:40,500 --> 00:18:44,533
to confirm that he gets home
at the time he said he did.
320
00:18:44,567 --> 00:18:47,500
And we find out that he was
nowhere near Lindsay
321
00:18:47,533 --> 00:18:49,633
at the time of this homicide.
322
00:18:49,667 --> 00:18:51,500
So we moved on from Bam.
323
00:18:56,300 --> 00:18:58,467
NARRATOR: Their first lead
now fruitless.
324
00:18:58,500 --> 00:19:01,700
Investigators hope Lindsay's
car will provide clues
325
00:19:01,734 --> 00:19:04,400
about the night
she was murdered.
326
00:19:04,433 --> 00:19:06,433
ROBERT: We got the search
warrant for Lindsay's car
327
00:19:06,467 --> 00:19:08,600
and we had it processed
a few days later,
328
00:19:10,734 --> 00:19:13,500
and then the biggest piece,
in my opinion,
329
00:19:13,533 --> 00:19:17,200
is that plastic bag
that was meant to be burned.
330
00:19:17,233 --> 00:19:19,333
In that bag,
we located a white undershirt,
331
00:19:19,367 --> 00:19:21,600
it had blood on the outside
of the shirt,
332
00:19:21,633 --> 00:19:22,700
there are a pair of, like,
333
00:19:23,700 --> 00:19:25,233
red gym shorts
with blood on them
334
00:19:26,367 --> 00:19:28,266
and there are a pair
of tube socks that were bloody,
335
00:19:28,300 --> 00:19:29,700
it was male clothing
who's believed
336
00:19:29,734 --> 00:19:33,467
is the possibly
the suspect's clothing.
337
00:19:33,500 --> 00:19:35,467
We believe
that whoever did this
338
00:19:35,500 --> 00:19:36,700
wanted to burn the evidence
in the car
339
00:19:36,734 --> 00:19:39,667
but lucky for us,
it didn't burn.
340
00:19:43,400 --> 00:19:45,000
NICHOLAS: They processed the car
that morning
341
00:19:45,033 --> 00:19:46,400
and by that afternoon
[ INDISTINCT ]
342
00:19:46,433 --> 00:19:48,667
bagging up
the clothing collected
343
00:19:48,700 --> 00:19:51,667
and called in the DNA lab
at the state police crime lab
344
00:19:51,700 --> 00:19:54,567
and trying to make arrangements
to get that expedited test,
345
00:19:56,333 --> 00:19:57,667
because the inside of the
shorts is gonna have
346
00:19:57,700 --> 00:20:00,000
just the owner
of the shorts' DNA.
347
00:20:01,333 --> 00:20:04,200
We had a chance
to identify the suspect.
348
00:20:07,667 --> 00:20:10,567
ROBERT: At that point
we got Lindsay's phone number
349
00:20:10,600 --> 00:20:13,700
and I requested a search warrant
for her cell phone records.
350
00:20:19,667 --> 00:20:21,633
NARRATOR: The search warrant
and the DNA results
351
00:20:21,667 --> 00:20:23,734
will take time to process
352
00:20:23,767 --> 00:20:27,400
but Lindsay's preliminary
autopsy report is in
353
00:20:27,433 --> 00:20:31,400
and the details
are devastating.
354
00:20:31,433 --> 00:20:34,533
ROBERT: And it showed that she
was shot multiple times,
355
00:20:34,567 --> 00:20:37,400
uh, she was manually strangled,
356
00:20:37,433 --> 00:20:40,600
she had bruising to her face
indicating she was beaten.
357
00:20:42,533 --> 00:20:44,333
And then she also have
thermal damage
358
00:20:44,367 --> 00:20:46,033
to her body from the fire.
359
00:20:48,767 --> 00:20:51,467
She had a lot of injuries
and that to me screams
360
00:20:51,500 --> 00:20:54,100
someone who is super angry
like hateful,
361
00:20:54,133 --> 00:20:56,767
like, something happened
to set this person off
362
00:20:57,000 --> 00:20:58,633
to do this to this young girl.
363
00:21:03,400 --> 00:21:05,533
JOLENE:
The coroner's report
364
00:21:06,734 --> 00:21:10,033
was the hardest part, yeah.
365
00:21:12,300 --> 00:21:16,266
Um, just, I'm not gonna go
into details.
366
00:21:22,033 --> 00:21:25,400
[♪♪♪]
367
00:21:27,533 --> 00:21:30,667
JESSICA B: We were allowed
to view her body
368
00:21:30,700 --> 00:21:32,500
before she was cremated.
369
00:21:35,734 --> 00:21:39,100
They say that if it's
a tragic accident, like,
370
00:21:39,133 --> 00:21:41,600
you know, something tragic
happens to someone,
371
00:21:41,633 --> 00:21:43,633
I expected her to look, um,
372
00:21:45,033 --> 00:21:47,667
like tense and scared,
373
00:21:47,700 --> 00:21:50,633
and, but she just looked
like she was sleeping.
374
00:21:50,667 --> 00:21:54,000
[♪♪♪]
375
00:22:04,700 --> 00:22:06,533
NARRATOR: On July 15th,
376
00:22:06,567 --> 00:22:09,467
investigators finally receive
Lindsay's phone records,
377
00:22:09,500 --> 00:22:14,400
and what they learn
is haunting.
378
00:22:14,433 --> 00:22:16,066
NICHOLAS: While Detective
Barrere looked through
379
00:22:16,100 --> 00:22:18,100
Lindsay's cell phone records,
380
00:22:18,133 --> 00:22:22,033
he discovered that she actually,
the victim herself, called 911
381
00:22:22,066 --> 00:22:24,033
couple hours
before we found her body.
382
00:22:25,734 --> 00:22:28,033
ROBERT:
So we rushed over to our, um,
383
00:22:28,066 --> 00:22:30,567
communication section
where they have the 911 Center,
384
00:22:30,600 --> 00:22:34,033
we have them pull the 911 call
Lindsay made from her car
385
00:22:34,066 --> 00:22:36,133
and we all listened to that.
386
00:22:43,567 --> 00:22:45,166
It was-- it was incredible.
387
00:22:45,200 --> 00:22:48,467
So our jaws dropped,
it was the most horrific call.
388
00:22:50,767 --> 00:22:54,367
[♪♪♪]
389
00:23:03,600 --> 00:23:06,100
[♪♪♪]
390
00:23:11,533 --> 00:23:15,433
JOLENE: It was Lindsay
telling them over and over,
391
00:23:15,467 --> 00:23:17,500
"Please send somebody,
I need help.
392
00:23:17,533 --> 00:23:21,000
Please send somebody as quickly
as possible, I need help."
393
00:23:42,633 --> 00:23:44,667
ROBERT: And then eventually,
they get into the car
394
00:23:44,700 --> 00:23:47,133
and you could start
to hear them, like, beat on her
395
00:23:47,166 --> 00:23:48,533
and they're cursing her out,
396
00:23:48,567 --> 00:23:50,600
and they're saying
horrific things to her.
397
00:23:50,633 --> 00:23:54,200
MAN:
[ INDISTINCT ] [ BLEEP ]
398
00:23:54,233 --> 00:23:57,667
[PHONE LINE STATIC]
399
00:23:57,700 --> 00:23:59,667
ROBERT: And then,
there's a period of open air
400
00:23:59,700 --> 00:24:01,500
where the phone's
still connected
401
00:24:01,533 --> 00:24:03,500
and you can just hear,
like, just background noise.
402
00:24:03,533 --> 00:24:06,567
LINDSAY: [ CRYING ]
403
00:24:11,533 --> 00:24:15,233
[PHONE LINE STATIC]
404
00:24:15,266 --> 00:24:18,166
Just basically that for, like,
405
00:24:18,200 --> 00:24:20,600
elongated period of time,
her moaning and just yelling,
406
00:24:20,633 --> 00:24:24,266
and you hear her getting struck,
and it's like just the worst--
407
00:24:24,300 --> 00:24:27,133
the worst call I've ever heard
on the job.
408
00:24:30,767 --> 00:24:33,700
NARRATOR: After nearly
eight desperate minutes,
409
00:24:33,734 --> 00:24:35,100
the line goes dead.
410
00:24:37,533 --> 00:24:41,200
NICHOLAS: The 911 operator
really failed Lindsay Nichols.
411
00:24:41,233 --> 00:24:43,533
Lindsay says that
she's been held at gunpoint,
412
00:24:43,567 --> 00:24:45,033
her life is in danger,
413
00:24:45,066 --> 00:24:47,300
and the dispatcher did not relay
that information.
414
00:24:47,333 --> 00:24:48,767
[SIREN BLARING]
415
00:24:50,166 --> 00:24:50,667
NICHOLAS: So when the officers
finally got there,
416
00:24:51,467 --> 00:24:53,000
our low-level responds.
417
00:24:53,033 --> 00:24:55,000
The suspect already
was probably halfway
418
00:24:55,033 --> 00:24:56,667
to his final destination
419
00:24:56,700 --> 00:24:59,100
where he was gonna kill her.
420
00:25:03,633 --> 00:25:06,300
JOLENE: It bothers me
knowing that her last minutes
421
00:25:06,333 --> 00:25:08,133
was so brutal,
422
00:25:08,166 --> 00:25:10,767
that really bothers me.
423
00:25:11,000 --> 00:25:12,333
That haunts me still.
424
00:25:12,367 --> 00:25:15,066
[♪♪♪]
425
00:25:21,734 --> 00:25:24,166
LAUREN: It was terrible.
426
00:25:24,200 --> 00:25:27,033
It's the most terrible thing
I've ever heard in my life.
427
00:25:29,667 --> 00:25:33,100
Um, she's begging them
to just leave her alone
428
00:25:33,133 --> 00:25:34,233
and let her go.
429
00:25:34,266 --> 00:25:36,266
She's literally begging
for her life.
430
00:25:36,300 --> 00:25:38,166
Um...
431
00:25:38,200 --> 00:25:41,000
literally begging for her life.
432
00:25:44,400 --> 00:25:47,367
[♪♪♪]
433
00:25:47,400 --> 00:25:50,367
NICHOLAS: The city gets about
40,000 calls
434
00:25:50,400 --> 00:25:52,734
to the communications division
every month,
435
00:25:52,767 --> 00:25:55,367
so there wasn't a connection
made between Lindsay's murder
436
00:25:55,400 --> 00:25:57,100
and the 911 call.
437
00:25:57,133 --> 00:25:59,734
[PHONE RINGING]
438
00:25:59,767 --> 00:26:02,066
NICHOLAS: When we made mistakes,
people can die.
439
00:26:06,333 --> 00:26:08,567
It was devastating for
the investigators on this case.
440
00:26:08,600 --> 00:26:11,734
[♪♪♪]
441
00:26:13,333 --> 00:26:15,200
NARRATOR:
Detectives, now three weeks
442
00:26:15,233 --> 00:26:16,567
into their investigation,
443
00:26:16,600 --> 00:26:22,000
are hopeful the 911 call
will provide needed clues.
444
00:26:22,033 --> 00:26:23,767
She described the location
where she was at,
445
00:26:24,000 --> 00:26:25,734
she was, like,
next to a car dealership,
446
00:26:25,767 --> 00:26:28,033
in her verbiage,
it was two men.
447
00:26:31,667 --> 00:26:35,300
She stated that, "This guy
I only saw one time before."
448
00:26:37,233 --> 00:26:41,033
NICHOLAS: So all these things
that we heard on the 911 call,
449
00:26:41,066 --> 00:26:44,200
the victim herself basically
was helping Detective Barrere
450
00:26:44,233 --> 00:26:47,000
solve her murder
before she had even died.
451
00:26:47,033 --> 00:26:50,166
[♪♪♪]
452
00:26:51,367 --> 00:26:53,200
ROBERT:
I sat down again
453
00:26:53,233 --> 00:26:56,567
and went through Lindsay's
cell phone records.
454
00:26:59,233 --> 00:27:02,600
And before 911,
she calls this random number,
455
00:27:02,633 --> 00:27:03,767
we don't know who it is,
456
00:27:05,066 --> 00:27:06,200
and there's like calls
back and forth.
457
00:27:06,233 --> 00:27:10,000
So we ran that number
458
00:27:10,033 --> 00:27:12,066
and found that it was linked
to a Thayon Samson.
459
00:27:15,734 --> 00:27:18,700
NICHOLAS: Lindsay was calling
Thayon's phone
460
00:27:18,734 --> 00:27:21,767
the night she was murdered.
461
00:27:22,000 --> 00:27:23,700
Shortly before she's murdered.
462
00:27:27,333 --> 00:27:30,333
NARRATOR:
So just who is Thayon Samson?
463
00:27:30,367 --> 00:27:33,133
And what's his connection
to Lindsay?
464
00:27:36,033 --> 00:27:37,700
I reached out
to Lindsay's friends.
465
00:27:37,734 --> 00:27:40,066
I'm like, "Hey, does she know
a guy named Thayon Samson?"
466
00:27:43,133 --> 00:27:46,000
JESSICA: Lindsay met him
just three months
467
00:27:46,033 --> 00:27:47,734
prior to her passing.
468
00:27:51,400 --> 00:27:53,066
LAUREN:
Me, Lindsay, Jessica,
469
00:27:53,100 --> 00:27:55,233
and another one of
our friend Sherri,
470
00:27:55,266 --> 00:27:58,333
we're out one night.
471
00:27:58,367 --> 00:28:00,767
There was a placed called
the Tiki Hut.
472
00:28:01,000 --> 00:28:03,400
We ended up meeting Thayon.
473
00:28:03,433 --> 00:28:06,133
And, you know,
him and Lindsay kicked if off
474
00:28:06,166 --> 00:28:08,400
and they exchanged numbers.
475
00:28:10,100 --> 00:28:11,767
ROBERT:
We learned from her friends
476
00:28:12,000 --> 00:28:15,166
and through social media
that he was an exotic dancer.
477
00:28:16,667 --> 00:28:19,767
He, uh, had used the name
Bonafyde or Bone
478
00:28:20,000 --> 00:28:22,700
was like his stage name.
479
00:28:22,734 --> 00:28:24,166
And he would go
basically to, like,
480
00:28:24,200 --> 00:28:25,433
various clubs around the city
481
00:28:25,467 --> 00:28:26,767
and he would dance
on a ladies' night.
482
00:28:27,000 --> 00:28:30,133
[♪♪♪]
483
00:28:34,100 --> 00:28:36,734
JESSICA: They exchanged texts
a couple times here and there,
484
00:28:36,767 --> 00:28:41,433
and she just so happened to run
into him again that night.
485
00:28:41,467 --> 00:28:44,767
ROBERT: We started doing a--
a background on Thayon,
486
00:28:45,000 --> 00:28:47,000
we learned that he lives
in New Orleans East,
487
00:28:47,033 --> 00:28:49,100
gone in Chef Menteur Highway,
488
00:28:49,133 --> 00:28:52,367
which is right next
to a car dealership,
489
00:28:52,400 --> 00:28:55,467
which Lindsay describes
to the 911 call.
490
00:28:55,500 --> 00:28:59,767
I'm like,
"Okay. This could be our guy."
491
00:29:00,000 --> 00:29:01,333
We got to find this guy.
492
00:29:13,000 --> 00:29:16,533
[♪♪♪]
493
00:29:16,567 --> 00:29:21,467
JESSICA: When they were trying
to find Lindsay's killer,
494
00:29:21,500 --> 00:29:26,166
it was an extremely,
um, rough time,
495
00:29:26,200 --> 00:29:28,266
where I had nightmares,
496
00:29:28,300 --> 00:29:29,467
we didn't know
who would actually
497
00:29:29,500 --> 00:29:31,300
do something like that.
498
00:29:36,500 --> 00:29:39,166
NARRATOR: After learning
one of Lindsay's last calls
499
00:29:39,200 --> 00:29:41,166
was to Thayon Samson,
500
00:29:41,200 --> 00:29:44,467
investigators are eager
to learn more.
501
00:29:48,100 --> 00:29:52,300
I elect to call him in
for an interview.
502
00:29:57,367 --> 00:29:59,367
Thayon comes in.
503
00:29:59,400 --> 00:30:01,100
He basically says that
504
00:30:01,133 --> 00:30:02,600
he goes to a strip club
505
00:30:02,633 --> 00:30:04,767
together with his friend.
506
00:30:06,200 --> 00:30:10,033
And while he's there,
he sees Lindsay.
507
00:30:11,300 --> 00:30:12,500
He hugs her.
508
00:30:14,233 --> 00:30:16,533
And he said,
after he left the strip club
509
00:30:16,567 --> 00:30:18,200
on the night in question,
510
00:30:18,233 --> 00:30:20,000
he went home,
511
00:30:20,033 --> 00:30:22,300
his girlfriend was there,
his friend came over.
512
00:30:22,333 --> 00:30:23,600
And I said, like,
"Who's your friend?"
513
00:30:23,633 --> 00:30:26,467
He said, Troy Varnado.
514
00:30:26,500 --> 00:30:28,367
I'm like, "Look, did you ever
just leave at all after that?"
515
00:30:28,400 --> 00:30:32,166
He goes, "No, man, I stayed
at home the whole night."
516
00:30:32,200 --> 00:30:33,533
I said, "Look, man, um,
517
00:30:33,567 --> 00:30:35,433
because you hugged her
and you had contact with her,
518
00:30:35,467 --> 00:30:37,266
we're taking swabs to make sure,
519
00:30:37,300 --> 00:30:39,633
you know, just to--
to test evidence."
520
00:30:39,667 --> 00:30:42,000
He said, "All right. Cool."
521
00:30:43,233 --> 00:30:45,233
He was very relaxed.
522
00:30:45,266 --> 00:30:49,133
So, he let me take a swab,
he leaves.
523
00:30:52,233 --> 00:30:54,166
ROBERT: The next morning,
drove that sample out
524
00:30:54,200 --> 00:30:56,066
to the State Police Crime Lab,
525
00:30:56,100 --> 00:30:57,633
and I told the director,
I'm like,
526
00:30:57,667 --> 00:31:01,400
"Look, can you compare this
to the evidence we recovered?"
527
00:31:03,500 --> 00:31:07,533
NICHOLAS: When Detective Barrere
first processed Lindsay's car,
528
00:31:07,567 --> 00:31:10,066
one of the really key pieces
of evidence
529
00:31:10,100 --> 00:31:11,633
was a distinctive pair
of red shorts
530
00:31:11,667 --> 00:31:13,433
with some bloodstain.
531
00:31:16,467 --> 00:31:18,567
So, Detective Barrere thought
that it might be
532
00:31:18,600 --> 00:31:20,400
really important to start trying
to connect Thayon
533
00:31:20,433 --> 00:31:22,300
to this pair of red shorts.
534
00:31:24,567 --> 00:31:26,166
NARRATOR:
While investigators await
535
00:31:26,200 --> 00:31:28,066
the results of the DNA test,
536
00:31:28,100 --> 00:31:30,633
they circled back
to Lindsay's friends,
537
00:31:30,667 --> 00:31:33,200
looking for anything
that could tie Thayon
538
00:31:33,233 --> 00:31:34,667
to the murder.
539
00:31:34,700 --> 00:31:37,266
So I'm like,
"Hey, this Thayon guy,
540
00:31:37,300 --> 00:31:39,266
do you have any pictures of him
on Instagram
541
00:31:39,300 --> 00:31:41,166
or anything where he's wearing
like maybe some red shorts
542
00:31:41,200 --> 00:31:42,600
or something?"
"Oh, let me go check."
543
00:31:42,633 --> 00:31:44,533
I get a, a picture
544
00:31:44,567 --> 00:31:46,500
from like a week or so prior
to the homicide
545
00:31:46,533 --> 00:31:48,533
of Thayon wearing
the exact outfit
546
00:31:48,567 --> 00:31:50,166
we found in the car,
547
00:31:50,200 --> 00:31:53,133
a white wife beater,
548
00:31:53,166 --> 00:31:55,500
the red gym shorts
549
00:31:55,533 --> 00:31:59,433
and a pair of, like,
gym socks.
550
00:31:59,467 --> 00:32:03,166
I mean, it matches to a tee.
551
00:32:03,200 --> 00:32:06,700
I'm like, "Okay.
This could be our guy."
552
00:32:06,734 --> 00:32:10,100
NARRATOR:
Detective Barrere has a hunch.
553
00:32:10,133 --> 00:32:13,700
But will the DNA prove
it's true?
554
00:32:13,734 --> 00:32:18,233
ROBERT: I got a call and
we had Thayon Samson's profile
555
00:32:18,266 --> 00:32:20,633
in the red gym shorts
obtained from the car
556
00:32:20,667 --> 00:32:22,467
in the inner waistband
557
00:32:22,500 --> 00:32:23,667
with blood on it.
558
00:32:28,633 --> 00:32:30,567
And that blood...
559
00:32:30,600 --> 00:32:32,667
was Lindsay Nichols' blood.
560
00:32:35,400 --> 00:32:37,633
At that point,
with all these things we knew,
561
00:32:37,667 --> 00:32:40,367
we got an arrest warrant
for Thayon Samson for murder.
562
00:32:44,700 --> 00:32:46,567
NICHOLAS: After getting
that arrest warrant,
563
00:32:46,600 --> 00:32:48,600
Detective Barrere started
to research places
564
00:32:48,633 --> 00:32:50,200
that Thayon hung out at
565
00:32:50,233 --> 00:32:53,400
and realized that there was one
particular tattoo shop
566
00:32:53,433 --> 00:32:56,266
that he liked to hang out at.
567
00:32:56,300 --> 00:32:58,533
So we ran over to the ink shop.
568
00:32:58,567 --> 00:32:59,633
Detective Barrere saw Thayon
569
00:32:59,667 --> 00:33:03,400
standing outside
of the tattoo shop
570
00:33:03,433 --> 00:33:04,633
and they arrested him
for the murder
571
00:33:04,667 --> 00:33:06,300
of Lindsay Nichols.
572
00:33:09,300 --> 00:33:10,600
NARRATOR: Thayon lawyers up
573
00:33:10,633 --> 00:33:13,333
and refuses to speak
to investigators.
574
00:33:13,367 --> 00:33:15,667
Nonetheless, detectives
don't wait to share the arrest
575
00:33:15,700 --> 00:33:17,600
with Lindsay's family.
576
00:33:19,667 --> 00:33:24,367
JOLENE: It was a relief that
they had arrested the guy.
577
00:33:24,400 --> 00:33:27,166
I just wanted to see him
578
00:33:27,200 --> 00:33:28,633
rot in prison.
579
00:33:28,667 --> 00:33:31,333
That was my first thought.
580
00:33:31,367 --> 00:33:34,734
But we still didn't know
why this happened.
581
00:33:36,600 --> 00:33:39,266
[♪♪♪]
582
00:33:41,266 --> 00:33:42,633
ROBERT: We built a really,
really solid case
583
00:33:42,667 --> 00:33:44,333
against Thayon.
584
00:33:44,367 --> 00:33:47,433
But if you listen
to the 911 call Lindsay makes...
585
00:33:50,633 --> 00:33:52,533
There's two men.
586
00:33:52,567 --> 00:33:54,734
We knew there was someone else
involved
587
00:33:54,767 --> 00:33:58,767
that actually helped him
commit his crime.
588
00:33:59,000 --> 00:34:00,533
When we arrested Thayon Samson,
589
00:34:00,567 --> 00:34:03,667
we got a search warrant
for the actual phone.
590
00:34:03,700 --> 00:34:05,266
You can actually see
text records
591
00:34:05,300 --> 00:34:06,767
and everything else
in the phone
592
00:34:07,000 --> 00:34:10,400
where he's communicating
with a second suspect,
593
00:34:10,433 --> 00:34:12,767
a guy named Troy Varnado.
594
00:34:13,000 --> 00:34:17,667
NARRATOR: Could Troy be
Thayon's partner in crime?
595
00:34:17,700 --> 00:34:20,667
As investigators try to dig up
more on Troy,
596
00:34:20,700 --> 00:34:24,000
they get an anonymous tip.
597
00:34:24,033 --> 00:34:26,734
ROBERT:
The morning Lindsay was killed,
598
00:34:26,767 --> 00:34:28,667
a witness actually drove by
599
00:34:28,700 --> 00:34:32,400
a black vehicle on fire.
600
00:34:32,433 --> 00:34:35,433
The witness gives a great
description on Thayon.
601
00:34:35,467 --> 00:34:37,767
They were like, "You know,
I saw the guy lit the trunk,
602
00:34:38,000 --> 00:34:40,734
black male
with a mohawk haircut
603
00:34:40,767 --> 00:34:42,533
and a nose ring."
604
00:34:44,266 --> 00:34:48,000
And then he watched Thayon
get into a Jaguar.
605
00:34:48,033 --> 00:34:51,300
We found out that Troy
has a light-colored Jaguar.
606
00:34:51,333 --> 00:34:55,033
That tip really helped us
with really tying Troy Varnado
607
00:34:55,066 --> 00:34:55,767
back to the scene.
608
00:34:56,000 --> 00:34:58,300
[♪♪♪]
609
00:35:00,000 --> 00:35:02,700
NARRATOR: Faced with a mounting
pile of evidence against him,
610
00:35:02,734 --> 00:35:06,000
it seems Thayon
is now ready to talk.
611
00:35:06,033 --> 00:35:09,200
And what he says could change
the course of the case.
612
00:35:10,700 --> 00:35:12,734
ROBERT:
Thayon met with attorneys,
613
00:35:14,266 --> 00:35:17,667
and put the whole thing on Troy.
614
00:35:17,700 --> 00:35:20,734
He gave a full statement
about everything that happened,
615
00:35:20,767 --> 00:35:23,066
minimizing his role in it.
616
00:35:23,100 --> 00:35:24,767
I tried to reach out to Troy,
617
00:35:25,000 --> 00:35:26,533
he wouldn't speak to me.
618
00:35:26,567 --> 00:35:29,066
His attorney called and said,
"Troy has nothing to say.
619
00:35:29,100 --> 00:35:33,700
He knows what happened
but he wasn't involved."
620
00:35:33,734 --> 00:35:35,367
I've been in Homicide
for seven years,
621
00:35:35,400 --> 00:35:37,066
and it's our role
and responsibility
622
00:35:37,100 --> 00:35:40,000
to find out the truth.
623
00:35:40,033 --> 00:35:42,066
Whoever did this,
624
00:35:42,100 --> 00:35:44,066
I want this person
off the streets
625
00:35:44,100 --> 00:35:45,567
and I want him gone.
626
00:35:52,567 --> 00:35:56,500
[♪♪♪]
627
00:35:56,533 --> 00:35:58,033
ROBERT: I never had the chance
to speak to Troy
628
00:35:58,066 --> 00:36:00,000
about the case.
I wanted to.
629
00:36:00,033 --> 00:36:01,500
He wouldn't speak to me.
630
00:36:01,533 --> 00:36:03,400
And then Thayon,
when he gave a statement
631
00:36:03,433 --> 00:36:04,633
to the prosecution team,
632
00:36:04,667 --> 00:36:06,367
"You know,
I was there and all.
633
00:36:06,400 --> 00:36:07,500
I had to do some things.
634
00:36:07,533 --> 00:36:09,433
I didn't kill her.
Troy did."
635
00:36:12,700 --> 00:36:14,467
Of course, he's gonna say that.
636
00:36:14,500 --> 00:36:16,400
So, both of them
are just pointing the finger
637
00:36:16,433 --> 00:36:18,333
when they're both equally
responsible for her death.
638
00:36:18,367 --> 00:36:20,400
[SIRENS WAILING]
639
00:36:21,767 --> 00:36:23,734
ROBERT: In the background
of the 911 call,
640
00:36:23,767 --> 00:36:25,633
you can hear two male voices.
641
00:36:25,667 --> 00:36:28,700
[INDISTINCT CHATTER]
642
00:36:35,066 --> 00:36:37,066
I mean, all the evidence points
to both of them.
643
00:36:37,100 --> 00:36:39,667
The calls back and forth,
the text records,
644
00:36:39,700 --> 00:36:41,567
the fact that
Troy picked up Thayon
645
00:36:41,600 --> 00:36:44,133
from the east in his Jaguar,
he's seen by someone doing it.
646
00:36:44,166 --> 00:36:46,333
I mean, these guys
are equally culpable for this--
647
00:36:46,367 --> 00:36:49,367
this horrible murder.
648
00:36:49,400 --> 00:36:52,433
[SIRENS WAILING]
649
00:36:54,567 --> 00:36:59,133
ROBERT: So, we got an indictment
for Troy Varnado
650
00:36:59,166 --> 00:37:02,367
for murder and obstruction
of justice as well.
651
00:37:02,400 --> 00:37:04,100
And he was arrested.
652
00:37:04,133 --> 00:37:06,633
NARRATOR:
With Lindsay's own 911 call,
653
00:37:06,667 --> 00:37:09,433
witness accounts,
and other evidence,
654
00:37:09,467 --> 00:37:13,400
investigators piece together
the night of Lindsay's murder.
655
00:37:23,000 --> 00:37:24,500
NICHOLAS: They're out 4:00 AM.
656
00:37:24,533 --> 00:37:25,767
She leaves the club
with her friend Bam
657
00:37:26,000 --> 00:37:29,133
to drop him off at his truck.
658
00:37:29,166 --> 00:37:32,066
[PHONE RINGING]
659
00:37:32,100 --> 00:37:33,500
NICHOLAS: At 4:18,
she gets a call
660
00:37:33,533 --> 00:37:35,066
from Thayon Samson
661
00:37:35,100 --> 00:37:38,133
and they must have agreed
to meet up at his place
662
00:37:38,166 --> 00:37:41,467
because she then drives herself
to his apartment complex
663
00:37:41,500 --> 00:37:42,767
at Chef and Downman.
664
00:37:45,567 --> 00:37:47,633
About 4:30, she got there
665
00:37:47,667 --> 00:37:51,200
and she was led into
the apartment.
666
00:37:51,233 --> 00:37:54,033
ROBERT:
Shortly after her arrival,
667
00:37:54,066 --> 00:37:56,767
Thayon is messaging Troy
668
00:37:57,000 --> 00:37:59,033
saying that she's there.
669
00:37:59,066 --> 00:38:02,166
Varnado was downstairs waiting
outside of Thayon's apartment.
670
00:38:02,200 --> 00:38:05,633
He's like,
"Come up. It's unlocked."
671
00:38:05,667 --> 00:38:09,066
Thayon's trying to arrange
some kind of like threesome
672
00:38:09,100 --> 00:38:11,200
or some kind of sex act.
673
00:38:15,100 --> 00:38:17,166
NICHOLAS: At 4:40 AM,
674
00:38:17,200 --> 00:38:19,700
Thayon's friend Troy came over.
675
00:38:19,734 --> 00:38:22,600
I think the moment they went
from everything is cool
676
00:38:22,633 --> 00:38:26,166
to just completely not okay
677
00:38:26,200 --> 00:38:28,600
is when she realized
there was someone there
678
00:38:28,633 --> 00:38:30,533
whom she'd never met before.
679
00:38:33,700 --> 00:38:36,600
JOLENE:
They wanted her to do something
680
00:38:36,633 --> 00:38:38,500
she wasn't willing to do.
681
00:38:42,133 --> 00:38:44,667
ROBERT: And that's when
she runs out the apartment
682
00:38:44,700 --> 00:38:46,100
half-dressed to her car
683
00:38:46,133 --> 00:38:49,100
followed by Thayon Samson
and Troy Varnado.
684
00:38:53,000 --> 00:38:55,233
We don't understand
how he got her keys.
685
00:38:55,266 --> 00:38:57,133
You know, I don't know
if she dropped them
686
00:38:57,166 --> 00:39:00,133
when she was running,
687
00:39:00,166 --> 00:39:03,166
things like that, you know,
there'll never be answers to.
688
00:39:06,700 --> 00:39:10,200
NICHOLAS: At 4:45,
we got a 911 call.
689
00:39:10,233 --> 00:39:12,467
-911 OPERATOR: Can I help you?
-LINDSAY: Anyone help me,
please!
690
00:39:22,033 --> 00:39:23,700
ROBERT:
She's trapped in this car
691
00:39:23,734 --> 00:39:25,600
with no way to defend herself,
692
00:39:25,633 --> 00:39:28,166
and two men trying to get in.
693
00:39:31,600 --> 00:39:33,133
And she tells
the dispatcher
694
00:39:33,166 --> 00:39:35,066
that "They have my keys.
They have my keys."
695
00:39:35,100 --> 00:39:36,533
-911 OPERATOR: We have--
-LINDSAY: Please.
696
00:39:36,567 --> 00:39:37,767
911 OPERATOR:
Ma'am, listen to me,
697
00:39:38,000 --> 00:39:39,066
we have someone who
[ INDISTINCT ]
698
00:39:39,100 --> 00:39:40,066
LINDSAY: [ INDISTINCT ]
699
00:39:40,100 --> 00:39:42,166
[PHONE LINE STATIC]
700
00:39:50,700 --> 00:39:52,200
LAUREN:
They got in the car.
701
00:39:52,233 --> 00:39:54,533
Um, she couldn't hold the door
shut anymore.
702
00:39:54,567 --> 00:39:58,266
[INDISTINCT CHATTER]
703
00:39:58,300 --> 00:40:00,133
ROBERT: And eventually,
they beat on her
704
00:40:00,166 --> 00:40:01,600
and she's like moaning
in the background.
705
00:40:01,633 --> 00:40:03,066
They're cursing her out.
706
00:40:03,100 --> 00:40:05,233
And they're saying like
horrific things to her.
707
00:40:05,266 --> 00:40:08,467
[INDISTINCT CHATTER]
708
00:40:10,500 --> 00:40:13,166
[DIAL TONE]
709
00:40:13,200 --> 00:40:16,333
ROBERT:
After Lindsay was beaten,
710
00:40:16,367 --> 00:40:18,033
she was manually strangled
711
00:40:18,066 --> 00:40:20,233
and they put her body
in the trunk.
712
00:40:24,567 --> 00:40:26,600
Thayon drove her car
713
00:40:26,633 --> 00:40:28,667
followed by Troy Varnado.
714
00:40:30,667 --> 00:40:33,200
We traced Thayon's
phone records
715
00:40:33,233 --> 00:40:36,133
and it goes to a series
of isolated spots,
716
00:40:36,166 --> 00:40:38,200
just like in the middle
of nowhere kind of.
717
00:40:38,233 --> 00:40:40,567
It's possible
he brought her there,
718
00:40:40,600 --> 00:40:42,333
killed her,
719
00:40:42,367 --> 00:40:46,233
and then drove way out
to where we located it,
720
00:40:47,700 --> 00:40:51,000
and then set it on fire
and then got a ride back.
721
00:40:51,033 --> 00:40:54,166
[♪♪♪]
722
00:40:58,633 --> 00:41:02,000
[♪♪♪]
723
00:41:08,266 --> 00:41:12,567
JOLENE: Thayon is charged
with kidnapping,
724
00:41:12,600 --> 00:41:14,767
obstruction of justice,
725
00:41:15,000 --> 00:41:16,767
second-degree murder.
726
00:41:20,266 --> 00:41:22,033
ROBERT: Thayon decided
to take a guilty plea.
727
00:41:22,066 --> 00:41:24,533
He pled to manslaughter
and got 40 years flat.
728
00:41:26,667 --> 00:41:29,633
So he'll be well into old age
729
00:41:29,667 --> 00:41:31,266
when he gets out of prison.
730
00:41:33,700 --> 00:41:37,233
We offered a plea arrangement
to, uh, Troy,
731
00:41:37,266 --> 00:41:38,734
and Troy said,
"I'm going to trial."
732
00:41:39,000 --> 00:41:41,233
So we eventually went to trial.
733
00:41:43,200 --> 00:41:45,667
Ultimately, you know,
jury deliberated,
734
00:41:45,700 --> 00:41:47,667
they found him guilty
of all charges,
735
00:41:47,700 --> 00:41:49,400
he got life in prison.
736
00:41:49,433 --> 00:41:51,400
So Thayon has 40 years
737
00:41:51,433 --> 00:41:53,300
and Varnado has life.
738
00:41:57,333 --> 00:41:58,734
JOLENE:
It doesn't bring her back
739
00:41:58,767 --> 00:42:02,100
and it doesn't make it
less horrific
740
00:42:02,133 --> 00:42:04,000
of how she died.
741
00:42:04,033 --> 00:42:07,100
But I'm glad both of them
are gone.
742
00:42:08,767 --> 00:42:12,300
[♪♪♪]
743
00:42:12,333 --> 00:42:14,600
JESSICA B:
Um, I've had dreams about her
744
00:42:14,633 --> 00:42:16,700
and she's always smiling.
745
00:42:16,734 --> 00:42:19,400
She doesn't ever talk to me
746
00:42:19,433 --> 00:42:21,166
but she's always smiling.
747
00:42:25,667 --> 00:42:27,433
I feel like she died
748
00:42:27,467 --> 00:42:30,433
without getting to have
all the things she wanted.
749
00:42:30,467 --> 00:42:33,200
She never got her happy ending
in life.
750
00:42:33,233 --> 00:42:36,700
She was just getting
to that place.
751
00:42:38,233 --> 00:42:40,300
And it was just taken away
so quickly.
752
00:42:40,333 --> 00:42:43,600
[♪♪♪]
753
00:42:51,367 --> 00:42:54,367
JOLENE: One of my last memories
was her coming home
754
00:42:54,400 --> 00:42:59,166
from being at work,
like, away,
755
00:42:59,200 --> 00:43:02,300
and I remember Peter just
grabbing her around her waist
756
00:43:02,333 --> 00:43:04,000
and just hugging her so tight
757
00:43:04,033 --> 00:43:06,734
and, uh, that's one
of my last memories.
758
00:43:08,433 --> 00:43:10,767
He likes to talk about things
like that,
759
00:43:11,000 --> 00:43:12,233
positive things.
760
00:43:15,767 --> 00:43:19,333
It'll never leave me
761
00:43:19,367 --> 00:43:22,333
but every day,
it gets easier.
762
00:43:30,700 --> 00:43:32,700
WOMAN: For more information
on Murdered By Morning,
763
00:43:32,734 --> 00:43:34,100
go to oxygen.com.
58028
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