Would you like to inspect the original subtitles? These are the user uploaded subtitles that are being translated:
1
00:00:06,007 --> 00:00:09,641
This is the story
of a woman named April...
2
00:00:09,643 --> 00:00:12,111
It's Hayden.
...And a man named Michael...
3
00:00:12,113 --> 00:00:13,145
Hayden?
4
00:00:13,147 --> 00:00:15,814
Yeah, that's your little brother.
5
00:00:15,816 --> 00:00:20,085
...a couple with three children...
6
00:00:22,289 --> 00:00:23,355
Cheers.
7
00:00:23,357 --> 00:00:25,024
...with good friends...
8
00:00:25,026 --> 00:00:27,826
Everyone knew the Holtons.
9
00:00:27,828 --> 00:00:31,196
...and a common enemy,
10
00:00:31,198 --> 00:00:37,603
an enemy that would tear this
perfect southern family apart.
11
00:00:37,605 --> 00:00:42,941
Heartbroken, shattered, and crushed.
12
00:00:42,943 --> 00:00:45,744
This murder's all but ended a family.
13
00:00:45,746 --> 00:00:49,314
In a special 2-hour "American monster,"
14
00:00:49,316 --> 00:00:53,419
the story of husband against wife...
15
00:00:53,421 --> 00:00:56,355
It's not my fault we lost the house.
16
00:00:56,357 --> 00:00:59,425
She needed to make sure that her
children were gonna be safe.
17
00:00:59,427 --> 00:01:02,127
...and father against son...
18
00:01:07,001 --> 00:01:12,638
...a story that spirals
into chaos, violence...
19
00:01:12,640 --> 00:01:14,506
Help!
20
00:01:14,508 --> 00:01:16,141
...and death.
21
00:01:18,679 --> 00:01:21,313
I can't begin to imagine
what goes through their minds --
22
00:01:21,315 --> 00:01:23,882
something that violent.
23
00:01:23,884 --> 00:01:27,586
Just one question remains --
24
00:01:27,588 --> 00:01:31,757
guilty or not guilty?
25
00:01:31,759 --> 00:01:35,527
Sometimes, it just hurts
to think how it all ended
26
00:01:35,529 --> 00:01:37,896
cause it had a good beginning.
27
00:01:37,898 --> 00:01:55,047
It all starts happily
28
00:01:55,049 --> 00:01:58,784
with an 11-year-old girl
named April Evans.
29
00:02:00,688 --> 00:02:04,123
Ready, set, go.
30
00:02:04,125 --> 00:02:09,962
It's July 13, 1989,
in Panama City, Florida.
31
00:02:09,964 --> 00:02:12,364
Okay.
32
00:02:12,366 --> 00:02:16,401
April is having a whale
of a time on a summer vacation.
33
00:02:21,809 --> 00:02:24,710
She's keeping an eye on her
younger twin brothers,
34
00:02:24,712 --> 00:02:27,212
Chris and Michael,
35
00:02:27,214 --> 00:02:30,782
as they splash around the pool
with their cousins.
36
00:02:40,427 --> 00:02:42,327
It's Michael.
It's all of them.
37
00:02:46,600 --> 00:02:48,767
Yeah, it looks like she's
bossing all of US around,
38
00:02:48,769 --> 00:02:50,836
but, you know, April was
the leader of the pack,
39
00:02:50,838 --> 00:02:54,406
I guess you'd say,
40
00:02:54,408 --> 00:02:56,441
and she just loved doing stuff together.
41
00:02:56,443 --> 00:02:58,177
Hello.
42
00:02:58,179 --> 00:03:01,413
Watching from the sidelines
is April's grandmother,
43
00:03:01,415 --> 00:03:03,215
Mary Bess Evans.
44
00:03:08,522 --> 00:03:13,091
And that's April's 75-year-old
grandfather, inos Evans,
45
00:03:13,093 --> 00:03:16,128
heading out to the store
to pick up supplies for lunch.
46
00:03:21,268 --> 00:03:22,701
Going to see my grandparents
47
00:03:22,703 --> 00:03:25,537
are probably some of the best
memories I have as a child.
48
00:03:25,539 --> 00:03:29,107
It would be just a joyous
occasion seeing them.
49
00:03:33,080 --> 00:03:35,314
Hurry up!
-Operating the camera
50
00:03:35,316 --> 00:03:38,283
is April's aunt, Martha brown.
51
00:03:38,285 --> 00:03:41,486
This was our vacation
down at Panama City beach.
52
00:03:41,488 --> 00:03:44,556
My mother had the children for a week,
53
00:03:44,558 --> 00:03:46,124
and we all came down to the beach.
54
00:03:46,126 --> 00:03:49,194
That's my daughter,
Jennifer, with the hose,
55
00:03:49,196 --> 00:03:51,630
little miss always-wanting-attention.
56
00:03:51,632 --> 00:03:55,334
She and April together,
they were hilarious.
57
00:03:55,336 --> 00:03:58,503
The two of them, they would
keep you in stitches,
58
00:03:58,505 --> 00:04:01,373
and, of course, there are the boys.
59
00:04:04,945 --> 00:04:08,080
Yesterday was Martha's 35th birthday.
60
00:04:08,082 --> 00:04:10,983
April and her posse are eager
to help her celebrate.
61
00:04:10,985 --> 00:04:13,719
Hello.
62
00:04:13,721 --> 00:04:16,822
Happy birthday to you
63
00:04:16,824 --> 00:04:19,725
happy birthday to you
64
00:04:19,727 --> 00:04:23,295
happy birthday, dear Martha
65
00:04:23,297 --> 00:04:28,233
happy birthday to you and many more.
66
00:04:28,235 --> 00:04:32,471
I guess the thing that stands
out the most to me with April
67
00:04:32,473 --> 00:04:34,006
as a little girl was the fact
68
00:04:34,008 --> 00:04:36,708
that she was such a mother
69
00:04:36,710 --> 00:04:37,909
to her two brothers.
70
00:04:39,380 --> 00:04:41,947
When you're a mother, no matter
what your children are doing
71
00:04:41,949 --> 00:04:44,016
and even if you're talking
to somebody else,
72
00:04:44,018 --> 00:04:45,617
you've got that little radar.
73
00:04:45,619 --> 00:04:47,953
You're always aware of what
your children are doing,
74
00:04:47,955 --> 00:04:49,421
and April had that.
75
00:04:49,423 --> 00:04:51,023
What are they called?
76
00:04:51,025 --> 00:04:54,459
April has strong parental instincts,
77
00:04:54,461 --> 00:04:56,328
which she learned the hard way.
78
00:04:58,432 --> 00:05:02,501
April's parents, Susan Evans
and David groger,
79
00:05:02,503 --> 00:05:05,404
were frequent drug and alcohol abusers,
80
00:05:05,406 --> 00:05:07,406
and David had run-ins with the law.
81
00:05:09,443 --> 00:05:14,079
One time in particular that
I went up to see sue and Dave,
82
00:05:14,081 --> 00:05:17,316
they were living in a trailer park.
83
00:05:17,318 --> 00:05:21,286
I don't think either of them had jobs.
84
00:05:21,288 --> 00:05:25,057
I went over there to see them,
and sue wasn't there.
85
00:05:25,059 --> 00:05:26,591
Dave didn't know where she was.
86
00:05:26,593 --> 00:05:29,661
In fact, she hadn't been home
for two days,
87
00:05:29,663 --> 00:05:31,830
but according to him,
that wasn't uncommon,
88
00:05:31,832 --> 00:05:36,001
for sue to just take off.
89
00:05:36,003 --> 00:05:38,837
April stepped in as
a sort of parent role.
90
00:05:38,839 --> 00:05:42,207
I think April had put, like,
dish towels on US as diapers,
91
00:05:42,209 --> 00:05:46,311
and in fact somebody said she
was even feeding US like a bird,
92
00:05:46,313 --> 00:05:48,046
making food soft
and putting it in our mouths,
93
00:05:48,048 --> 00:05:50,549
so we could eat.
94
00:05:50,551 --> 00:05:52,951
I was angry that sue
would just take off,
95
00:05:52,953 --> 00:05:55,821
not even worry about her children.
96
00:05:55,823 --> 00:05:59,791
My parents did not
raise US that way.
97
00:05:59,793 --> 00:06:03,195
Mary Bess and inos
Evans took Susan to court
98
00:06:03,197 --> 00:06:04,863
and were granted custody.
99
00:06:07,468 --> 00:06:09,835
April was 3 years old,
100
00:06:09,837 --> 00:06:13,238
twins Chris and Michael just 18 months.
101
00:06:13,240 --> 00:06:16,841
And oddly, sue didn't
fight her over it.
102
00:06:16,843 --> 00:06:19,378
Lord knows what would've
ended up happening to them
103
00:06:19,380 --> 00:06:20,946
if they'd stayed with sue.
104
00:06:23,117 --> 00:06:25,951
Mary Bess and inos try their hardest
105
00:06:25,953 --> 00:06:29,254
to provide the children with stability,
106
00:06:29,256 --> 00:06:32,824
but it's a lot for the retired
couple to take on.
107
00:06:32,826 --> 00:06:34,726
My brother and I,
from stories I've been told,
108
00:06:34,728 --> 00:06:37,629
really were doing whatever
we wanted whenever we wanted,
109
00:06:37,631 --> 00:06:39,765
so we had no schedule, which
meant no schedule for them --
110
00:06:39,767 --> 00:06:41,633
sleep whenever, eat whenever.
111
00:06:44,738 --> 00:06:45,971
It wasn't working out.
112
00:06:45,973 --> 00:06:48,306
My parents were just too exhausted
113
00:06:48,308 --> 00:06:52,277
from everything that they
had been through with sue,
114
00:06:52,279 --> 00:06:54,980
and they were told about
the Alabama baptist
115
00:06:54,982 --> 00:06:56,982
children's home association,
116
00:06:56,984 --> 00:07:02,220
which they vet families
through the baptist church,
117
00:07:02,222 --> 00:07:05,690
and it's sort of like
a foster situation,
118
00:07:05,692 --> 00:07:08,827
but the children could stay
in a family environment,
119
00:07:08,829 --> 00:07:11,663
stay close to my parents.
120
00:07:11,665 --> 00:07:15,967
April stays with her grandparents
121
00:07:15,969 --> 00:07:20,772
while the twin boys are given
a home with the owenby family.
122
00:07:20,774 --> 00:07:22,974
I thought they were very nice people.
123
00:07:22,976 --> 00:07:26,211
They raised them in a very moral home.
124
00:07:26,213 --> 00:07:27,512
They were in church.
125
00:07:27,514 --> 00:07:30,015
They were raised right from wrong.
126
00:07:30,017 --> 00:07:33,051
They would not have gotten that
if they had stayed with sue.
127
00:07:36,123 --> 00:07:39,891
The owenbys live in the
small town of eclectic, Alabama,
128
00:07:39,893 --> 00:07:42,494
a two-hour drive
from Mary Bess and inos.
129
00:07:45,833 --> 00:07:47,599
Eclectic was real small --
130
00:07:47,601 --> 00:07:49,401
was a real small community.
131
00:07:49,403 --> 00:07:53,038
Everybody probably knew everybody.
132
00:07:53,040 --> 00:07:56,141
The owenbys went to the baptist
church in eclectic,
133
00:07:56,143 --> 00:07:58,310
and it was a fairly large church.
134
00:08:00,481 --> 00:08:03,682
When she turns 9 April
joins her brothers
135
00:08:03,684 --> 00:08:06,618
at the owenby home in eclectic.
136
00:08:06,620 --> 00:08:08,753
My grandparents felt like
137
00:08:08,755 --> 00:08:10,789
if April continued to live with them
138
00:08:10,791 --> 00:08:12,624
or with any other family member,
for that matter,
139
00:08:12,626 --> 00:08:15,160
that we would grow up and have
no relationship with her.
140
00:08:15,162 --> 00:08:27,272
April thrives
141
00:08:27,274 --> 00:08:30,408
and grows into a confident young woman.
142
00:08:32,746 --> 00:08:35,480
I remember her just being
a run-of-the-mill teenager,
143
00:08:35,482 --> 00:08:37,782
just wanting to live life
and enjoy it and have fun
144
00:08:37,784 --> 00:08:41,686
and, you know,
sing along to the radio
145
00:08:41,688 --> 00:08:43,755
and wear cute clothes
and have makeup on
146
00:08:43,757 --> 00:08:46,958
and do the things that
most teenagers want to do.
147
00:08:46,960 --> 00:08:49,594
But I also --
I recall her being, in a way,
148
00:08:49,596 --> 00:08:53,465
somewhat sort of quiet
and reserved at times,
149
00:08:53,467 --> 00:08:57,335
studying and making sure
she had good grades in school.
150
00:08:57,337 --> 00:09:01,473
At 17, April meets
the love of her life,
151
00:09:01,475 --> 00:09:02,941
Michael holton.
152
00:09:02,943 --> 00:09:04,743
April and Michael met in high school
153
00:09:04,745 --> 00:09:06,778
and were high school sweethearts.
154
00:09:06,780 --> 00:09:10,115
They seemed very happy together.
155
00:09:12,185 --> 00:09:14,185
Cute as a button --
they really were.
156
00:09:14,187 --> 00:09:17,923
They were both attractive
people, tall and slim,
157
00:09:17,925 --> 00:09:20,992
and Mike was a musician.
158
00:09:20,994 --> 00:09:22,861
Mike was in the band in high school,
159
00:09:22,863 --> 00:09:25,330
playing guitar and singing.
160
00:09:25,332 --> 00:09:28,833
Meeting April made Michael grow up.
161
00:09:28,835 --> 00:09:31,069
He was a lot quieter than April.
162
00:09:31,071 --> 00:09:33,705
She was always the life of the party,
163
00:09:33,707 --> 00:09:35,574
but I think he liked that.
164
00:09:35,576 --> 00:09:39,177
I think, you know -- he enjoyed
watching her have fun,
165
00:09:39,179 --> 00:09:40,679
and they loved each other.
166
00:09:42,649 --> 00:09:45,450
The young couple
are soon inseparable.
167
00:09:45,452 --> 00:09:48,920
No one is surprised when at just 19,
168
00:09:48,922 --> 00:09:52,290
April becomes Mrs. Michael holton.
169
00:09:52,292 --> 00:09:58,496
170
00:09:58,498 --> 00:10:02,100
When I saw April walking down
the aisle, I was bawling.
171
00:10:04,838 --> 00:10:08,340
I really just felt like her life
was just starting,
172
00:10:08,342 --> 00:10:11,876
and everything was gonna
work out and be awesome.
173
00:10:14,548 --> 00:10:17,983
Just sometimes it just
hurts to think how it all ended
174
00:10:17,985 --> 00:10:20,185
cause it had a good beginning.
175
00:10:36,837 --> 00:10:40,505
Her parents' addictions
ruined April's childhood,
176
00:10:40,507 --> 00:10:43,775
and she's always dreamed
of a stable family life.
177
00:10:46,113 --> 00:10:48,580
She's found that in her
high school sweetheart,
178
00:10:48,582 --> 00:10:50,081
Michael holton.
179
00:10:50,083 --> 00:10:52,851
He shares April's values
and her dream
180
00:10:52,853 --> 00:10:57,188
of making a big, happy family.
181
00:10:57,190 --> 00:10:58,657
A year after marrying,
182
00:10:58,659 --> 00:11:02,827
the newlyweds welcome
their first baby boy...
183
00:11:02,829 --> 00:11:03,895
Okay?
-Okay.
184
00:11:03,897 --> 00:11:07,465
...Jesse Madison holton.
185
00:11:07,467 --> 00:11:10,135
When April had her first child,
186
00:11:10,137 --> 00:11:12,737
he was probably maybe 18 months old
187
00:11:12,739 --> 00:11:15,573
when she became pregnant
with her second child.
188
00:11:17,544 --> 00:11:19,010
She was ecstatic over it.
189
00:11:19,012 --> 00:11:20,311
She and Michael both were.
190
00:11:20,313 --> 00:11:21,613
Hayden?
-Yeah.
191
00:11:37,064 --> 00:11:38,930
Michael was excited
about being a father.
192
00:11:38,932 --> 00:11:42,567
He was looking forward
to having a family.
193
00:11:42,569 --> 00:11:44,436
What do you think?
194
00:11:44,438 --> 00:11:46,671
April took to motherhood
like duck to water.
195
00:11:46,673 --> 00:11:49,841
She was able to be something
196
00:11:49,843 --> 00:11:52,143
that her mother never was for her.
197
00:11:55,115 --> 00:11:56,347
It was almost like,
198
00:11:56,349 --> 00:12:02,220
"I've seen the worst
in a family dynamics,
199
00:12:02,222 --> 00:12:04,956
and I've seen good in family dynamics.
200
00:12:04,958 --> 00:12:09,027
Now, I want the opportunity
to have a family,
201
00:12:09,029 --> 00:12:11,963
so I can make everything right.
202
00:12:11,965 --> 00:12:13,465
I'm not like my mother."
203
00:12:15,902 --> 00:12:25,710
A third son arrives two years later,
204
00:12:25,712 --> 00:12:29,481
and the holton family
are living a perfect life.
205
00:12:32,119 --> 00:12:34,285
Michael has a career he loves
206
00:12:34,287 --> 00:12:36,821
saving lives with the
local fire department.
207
00:12:38,925 --> 00:12:40,558
When I first met Mike,
208
00:12:40,560 --> 00:12:42,293
he had just become
a full-time firefighter,
209
00:12:42,295 --> 00:12:45,363
having just gotten old enough.
210
00:12:45,365 --> 00:12:47,432
He and several other juniors at the time,
211
00:12:47,434 --> 00:12:48,633
they were go-getters.
212
00:12:48,635 --> 00:12:52,036
They were ready to get out
and do the job.
213
00:12:52,038 --> 00:12:53,772
While working as a firefighter,
214
00:12:53,774 --> 00:12:56,708
Michael trains to become a paramedic.
215
00:12:56,710 --> 00:12:59,677
Michael was probably
the best paramedic around,
216
00:12:59,679 --> 00:13:01,646
and it was always neat to watch him
217
00:13:01,648 --> 00:13:04,716
just interact with the
individual and assure them that,
218
00:13:04,718 --> 00:13:05,984
"we're gonna get you through it
219
00:13:05,986 --> 00:13:09,020
and get you the help that you need."
220
00:13:09,022 --> 00:13:13,124
Was difficult for Michael
to balance career and fatherhood
221
00:13:13,126 --> 00:13:15,693
with three boys.
222
00:13:15,695 --> 00:13:17,495
Despite working herself,
223
00:13:17,497 --> 00:13:20,398
April carries the lion's
share of the parenting.
224
00:13:23,103 --> 00:13:24,769
Whoo!
225
00:13:24,771 --> 00:13:29,507
Here, she's behind the camera
at a basketball game in 2003,
226
00:13:29,509 --> 00:13:34,412
eagerly capturing her son's
grand entrance on tape.
227
00:13:34,414 --> 00:13:36,314
Didn't care how crazy
she sounded screaming
228
00:13:36,316 --> 00:13:37,916
at her kids' games.
229
00:13:37,918 --> 00:13:40,351
Those were her kids, and she
would embarrass herself and them
230
00:13:40,353 --> 00:13:41,820
if she thought
it'd make them do any better.
231
00:13:41,822 --> 00:13:43,721
That's just the kind
of person she was.
232
00:13:43,723 --> 00:13:46,457
Shoot!
233
00:13:46,459 --> 00:13:49,994
Jesse Madison,
now known simply as Madison,
234
00:13:49,996 --> 00:13:52,297
remembers those innocent times.
235
00:13:52,299 --> 00:13:56,201
Any sport that we played,
we were, like, glorified.
236
00:13:56,203 --> 00:13:59,270
Our mom made US feel like we
were the best players out there.
237
00:13:59,272 --> 00:14:08,980
In 2003, at just 25,
238
00:14:08,982 --> 00:14:12,584
Michael holton receives
the honor of a lifetime.
239
00:14:12,586 --> 00:14:15,687
He is named eclectic's fire chief --
240
00:14:15,689 --> 00:14:18,089
the youngest in the town's history.
241
00:14:21,361 --> 00:14:23,461
This video taken in his first year
242
00:14:23,463 --> 00:14:25,530
shows Michael running a competition
243
00:14:25,532 --> 00:14:28,633
to find eclectic's fastest firefighter.
244
00:14:28,635 --> 00:14:30,869
He's in jeans there walking
around doing the scoring.
245
00:14:30,871 --> 00:14:32,837
He got the stopwatch in his hand.
246
00:14:36,009 --> 00:14:38,076
Michael probably spent
a third of his time
247
00:14:38,078 --> 00:14:41,279
giving to a community that he loved,
248
00:14:41,281 --> 00:14:42,814
the place that he grew up at,
249
00:14:42,816 --> 00:14:48,052
the place that his wife
called home most of her life,
250
00:14:48,054 --> 00:14:49,854
just to make it a better place.
251
00:14:49,856 --> 00:15:00,431
The boys enjoy a carefree childhood,
252
00:15:00,433 --> 00:15:03,534
which Madison remembers fondly.
253
00:15:03,536 --> 00:15:05,436
This is me on a go-kart.
254
00:15:05,438 --> 00:15:07,205
We used to have to take turns
riding these things,
255
00:15:07,207 --> 00:15:09,307
and I hated that.
256
00:15:09,309 --> 00:15:12,143
I wanted to be the driver at all times.
257
00:15:12,145 --> 00:15:15,179
As a child,
Madison idolized his father.
258
00:15:15,181 --> 00:15:17,815
When I was growing up,
I wanted to be just like my dad
259
00:15:17,817 --> 00:15:19,717
and be a firefighter.
260
00:15:19,719 --> 00:15:21,286
You know, we always bragged
to our friends like,
261
00:15:21,288 --> 00:15:23,621
"hey, our dad's
the fire chief," you know?
262
00:15:23,623 --> 00:15:25,890
Life is good for Michael holton
263
00:15:25,892 --> 00:15:28,126
with his loving wife, April,
264
00:15:28,128 --> 00:15:30,795
and a tight band of three sons,
265
00:15:33,266 --> 00:15:36,067
but one night in 2004,
266
00:15:36,069 --> 00:15:41,139
something seemingly
small changes all that.
267
00:15:41,141 --> 00:15:46,177
Michael's team with emts
are called to an emergency...
268
00:15:46,179 --> 00:15:49,647
Where Michael injures his back badly.
269
00:15:53,086 --> 00:15:56,654
Over the following weeks,
Michael's condition worsens.
270
00:16:00,460 --> 00:16:04,329
The doctor tells him
there's no immediate cure,
271
00:16:04,331 --> 00:16:09,100
and all he can do is manage
the pain and rest up.
272
00:16:09,102 --> 00:16:12,103
He had to take something
where he could still maintain
273
00:16:12,105 --> 00:16:15,440
his level of care for the patients,
274
00:16:15,442 --> 00:16:19,544
and they told him,
"well, tramadol, or Ultram,
275
00:16:19,546 --> 00:16:22,714
it's not a narcotic.
It's like a synthetic drug.
276
00:16:22,716 --> 00:16:25,450
It's not supposed
to make you drowsy
277
00:16:25,452 --> 00:16:28,252
or take away your ability to work."
278
00:16:30,724 --> 00:16:33,458
But it's powerfully addictive,
279
00:16:33,460 --> 00:16:36,561
and Michael's impulse to
continue working
280
00:16:36,563 --> 00:16:39,797
results in his
using the drug as a crutch
281
00:16:39,799 --> 00:16:41,899
to keep his family humming.
282
00:16:41,901 --> 00:16:47,305
283
00:16:47,307 --> 00:16:52,377
2006 is the worst possible time
to discover new problems,
284
00:16:52,379 --> 00:16:57,248
this time, with their eldest
son, Jesse Madison, now 7.
285
00:16:57,250 --> 00:17:00,284
He's having difficulty
concentrating at school.
286
00:17:00,286 --> 00:17:03,955
He's more concerned with YouTube
profile than his grades.
287
00:17:12,799 --> 00:17:17,835
288
00:17:17,837 --> 00:17:22,006
You almost had a 360.
-Madison was a hardheaded child.
289
00:17:22,008 --> 00:17:26,310
He didn't listen well,
didn't pay attention.
290
00:17:26,312 --> 00:17:29,514
I don't think Madison was
an easy child to raise.
291
00:17:32,352 --> 00:17:34,585
Wait. Wait, wait.
Go.
292
00:17:36,556 --> 00:17:37,722
I didn't really want to listen.
293
00:17:37,724 --> 00:17:39,690
Like, I might have got
a spanking or whatever
294
00:17:39,692 --> 00:17:41,793
the day before for something,
295
00:17:41,795 --> 00:17:43,728
but I kept on doing it,
296
00:17:43,730 --> 00:17:46,731
you know, just 'cause.
297
00:17:46,733 --> 00:17:49,300
Whoo!
298
00:17:49,302 --> 00:17:52,303
April told me at one point
Madison was add or adhd,
299
00:17:52,305 --> 00:17:57,675
and so he needed some help
focusing on his schoolwork,
300
00:17:57,677 --> 00:18:00,111
and I think April took Madison
to the doctor
301
00:18:00,113 --> 00:18:02,680
and was able to get him medication,
302
00:18:02,682 --> 00:18:05,683
which helped him
get his schoolwork done.
303
00:18:07,320 --> 00:18:10,755
But Madison doesn't like
taking the medication.
304
00:18:10,757 --> 00:18:12,223
My parents made me take it.
305
00:18:12,225 --> 00:18:13,324
Yeah, I focused a little bit more,
306
00:18:13,326 --> 00:18:14,492
but the medicine really affected me
307
00:18:14,494 --> 00:18:16,060
because it would mess up my stomach
308
00:18:16,062 --> 00:18:18,029
or I'd have a migraine.
309
00:18:18,031 --> 00:18:21,599
No way!
310
00:18:21,601 --> 00:18:24,735
Madison's father is also struggling
311
00:18:24,737 --> 00:18:27,138
with his own medication.
312
00:18:27,140 --> 00:18:31,309
By 2009, Michael needs more
and more tramadol
313
00:18:31,311 --> 00:18:32,877
to get pain relief.
314
00:18:32,879 --> 00:18:36,714
When Michael had been
taking it for a while,
315
00:18:36,716 --> 00:18:38,850
April voiced her concerns
316
00:18:38,852 --> 00:18:42,353
that she felt like he was
becoming too dependent on it...
317
00:18:44,457 --> 00:18:50,294
...that he told her that his job
required a lot of physicality.
318
00:18:50,296 --> 00:18:54,599
As he got older, this type
of work just made him hurt
319
00:18:54,601 --> 00:18:59,237
and that the tramadol
helped with that.
320
00:18:59,239 --> 00:19:03,141
The family are concerned
it's affecting Michael's mood.
321
00:19:03,143 --> 00:19:04,876
I knew that there was an issue
there just based
322
00:19:04,878 --> 00:19:07,745
on conversations
that I had with April.
323
00:19:09,782 --> 00:19:12,450
Michael's mood swings increase
324
00:19:12,452 --> 00:19:14,752
and so do April's concerns.
325
00:19:14,754 --> 00:19:17,722
She knows all too well
the role drugs played
326
00:19:17,724 --> 00:19:19,857
in her chaotic upbringing.
327
00:19:19,859 --> 00:19:21,292
She didn't want that in her house.
328
00:19:21,294 --> 00:19:24,495
She didn't want her kids
exposed to it.
329
00:19:24,497 --> 00:19:26,230
April hated drugs.
330
00:19:26,232 --> 00:19:28,866
Whether it be prescriptions
written by a doctor
331
00:19:28,868 --> 00:19:30,735
or whether it be drugs
you find on the streets,
332
00:19:30,737 --> 00:19:34,071
April absolutely detested drugs.
333
00:19:34,073 --> 00:19:37,742
The life she and Michael
have worked so hard to build
334
00:19:37,744 --> 00:19:40,411
is beginning to crack.
335
00:19:40,413 --> 00:19:42,346
She didn't want to lose her family,
336
00:19:42,348 --> 00:19:45,149
but she didn't know
how to fix the problem.
337
00:19:58,164 --> 00:20:01,465
In 1999, April and Michael holton
338
00:20:01,467 --> 00:20:04,368
had everything to look forward to --
339
00:20:04,370 --> 00:20:08,606
a new family
and plenty of opportunity...
340
00:20:10,977 --> 00:20:12,777
...but Michael's accident at work
341
00:20:12,779 --> 00:20:15,246
is making his job difficult,
342
00:20:15,248 --> 00:20:16,781
and he's looking for a way out.
343
00:20:16,783 --> 00:20:21,719
344
00:20:21,721 --> 00:20:25,423
In 2010, fire chief holton
attends a town meeting.
345
00:20:31,130 --> 00:20:33,831
Passions are running high
about a local issue.
346
00:20:35,501 --> 00:20:39,837
The meeting ends with the
resignation of eclectic's mayor,
347
00:20:42,075 --> 00:20:44,775
and Michael holton has an idea.
348
00:20:44,777 --> 00:20:52,083
Michael thinks he'll be better able
349
00:20:52,085 --> 00:20:55,052
to serve his town from behind a desk.
350
00:20:55,054 --> 00:20:57,788
A government job offers stability
351
00:20:57,790 --> 00:21:00,791
and a less physically-punishing routine.
352
00:21:00,793 --> 00:21:02,426
He got on the city council,
353
00:21:02,428 --> 00:21:04,662
and then when a mayoral election
came around,
354
00:21:04,664 --> 00:21:07,231
Mike ran for mayor.
355
00:21:09,335 --> 00:21:15,439
In 2012, a 33-year-old
Michael wins by a landslide.
356
00:21:15,441 --> 00:21:17,308
I was proud that he won,
357
00:21:17,310 --> 00:21:19,944
and I was confident he would
bring the same energy
358
00:21:19,946 --> 00:21:23,047
to that job as he brought
to the fire service.
359
00:21:23,049 --> 00:21:25,916
The young mayor
is a popular figure in the town.
360
00:21:25,918 --> 00:21:31,589
361
00:21:31,591 --> 00:21:37,962
In 2013, Michael is hit
by a mysterious illness.
362
00:21:37,964 --> 00:21:40,831
April called me one
evening panic-struck.
363
00:21:40,833 --> 00:21:43,200
He had had a seizure
in the mayor's office.
364
00:21:44,937 --> 00:21:46,737
They took him immediately
to the hospital
365
00:21:46,739 --> 00:21:48,472
cause nobody knew
what was going on,
366
00:21:48,474 --> 00:21:52,576
and she wanted to know
what could cause a undiagnosed,
367
00:21:52,578 --> 00:21:54,378
just out-of-the-blue seizure.
368
00:21:56,349 --> 00:21:58,849
But Michael doesn't let it hold him back
369
00:21:58,851 --> 00:22:01,085
and returns to work immediately.
370
00:22:03,323 --> 00:22:06,657
A few weeks later, Michael is struck again.
371
00:22:06,659 --> 00:22:17,001
Thanks, dad.
372
00:22:17,003 --> 00:22:18,502
I'm heading out to the office.
373
00:22:18,504 --> 00:22:19,837
Be good for your mom.
374
00:22:19,839 --> 00:22:23,441
He was leaving to go
to the mayor's office,
375
00:22:23,443 --> 00:22:26,277
and while he was backing up,
he had a seizure,
376
00:22:26,279 --> 00:22:28,179
and so he went through
the neighbor's shed
377
00:22:28,181 --> 00:22:31,148
that was next door, back around
and hit our house.
378
00:22:33,419 --> 00:22:35,686
I'm like, "what in the heck
is going on?"
379
00:22:38,424 --> 00:22:41,759
And so I walk around,
and I see my dad's truck...
380
00:22:41,761 --> 00:22:45,730
Dad?
...Up against the house.
381
00:22:45,732 --> 00:22:48,065
Dad!
382
00:22:48,067 --> 00:22:49,567
And I start freaking out then.
383
00:22:49,569 --> 00:22:52,436
So, I go and I open the door,
384
00:22:52,438 --> 00:22:54,672
and my dad was still, like,
in a seizure-like state.
385
00:22:54,674 --> 00:22:57,441
What do I do, dad?
Mom!
386
00:22:57,443 --> 00:23:01,178
I honestly thought he just had,
like, some type of disease
387
00:23:13,259 --> 00:23:16,861
Because he was taking much more
than the average dose
388
00:23:16,863 --> 00:23:18,596
that you're prescribed,
389
00:23:18,598 --> 00:23:22,066
and when you overdo it,
it can cause seizures.
390
00:23:24,470 --> 00:23:27,605
April knows that
Michael's back has healed,
391
00:23:27,607 --> 00:23:31,442
and his doctor has stopped
his tramadol prescriptions.
392
00:23:31,444 --> 00:23:33,444
I'd gone over to their house,
393
00:23:33,446 --> 00:23:35,212
and she was cleaning up,
394
00:23:35,214 --> 00:23:37,248
but I could tell she was cleaning,
395
00:23:37,250 --> 00:23:38,716
like, feverishly,
396
00:23:38,718 --> 00:23:41,185
like, as if
she was looking for something.
397
00:23:41,187 --> 00:23:43,554
Are you okay?
398
00:23:43,556 --> 00:23:46,257
She was like, "the doc said
that Michael should not take
399
00:23:46,259 --> 00:23:48,392
any tramadol whatsoever,
400
00:23:48,394 --> 00:23:50,561
and I know he is."
401
00:23:50,563 --> 00:23:53,063
I know it's here.
402
00:23:53,065 --> 00:23:54,165
Okay.
403
00:23:54,167 --> 00:23:55,466
Let me help you.
404
00:23:55,468 --> 00:24:04,675
405
00:24:04,677 --> 00:24:10,181
I just reached back behind
a dresser leg and found them.
406
00:24:10,183 --> 00:24:11,615
It wasn't prescribed to him
407
00:24:11,617 --> 00:24:13,818
because they'll have your name
and your date of birth
408
00:24:13,820 --> 00:24:17,087
and where your pharmacy is.
409
00:24:17,089 --> 00:24:18,122
This was empty.
410
00:24:18,124 --> 00:24:20,024
Someone had taken off that part,
411
00:24:20,026 --> 00:24:22,159
so it was not a prescribed medication.
412
00:24:22,161 --> 00:24:23,594
I knew it.
413
00:24:26,699 --> 00:24:30,201
April decides it's time
to confront her husband.
414
00:24:33,873 --> 00:24:37,508
Michael finally breaks down
and admits the truth.
415
00:24:37,510 --> 00:24:40,211
I was desperate.
416
00:24:40,213 --> 00:24:41,912
Doctor wouldn't help me.
417
00:24:41,914 --> 00:24:45,149
Michael has been buying
tramadol on the black market.
418
00:24:45,151 --> 00:24:47,852
You know how I feel
about drugs, Michael.
419
00:24:50,823 --> 00:24:54,391
It's a sore subject
considering April's own parents
420
00:24:54,393 --> 00:24:57,428
were drug addicts
who couldn't raise her.
421
00:25:01,367 --> 00:25:04,468
And the impact is more
than physical and emotional.
422
00:25:04,470 --> 00:25:08,739
The holtons' finances are also
hit by Michael's addiction.
423
00:25:08,741 --> 00:25:12,743
Money is draining from
the family bank account.
424
00:25:12,745 --> 00:25:16,213
The mortgage hadn't
been paid, if I had to guess,
425
00:25:16,215 --> 00:25:20,384
because money was being spent
on narcotics.
426
00:25:20,386 --> 00:25:22,686
And once you get behind, it's just...
427
00:25:22,688 --> 00:25:23,954
It's hard to catch up.
428
00:25:23,956 --> 00:25:25,523
April is forced to turn to her aunt
429
00:25:25,525 --> 00:25:27,791
for financial help.
430
00:25:27,793 --> 00:25:30,327
She said, "I'm so sorry, aunt Martha.
431
00:25:30,329 --> 00:25:33,631
I didn't know that we were this
far behind on our payments
432
00:25:33,633 --> 00:25:36,467
because Michael hadn't told me,
433
00:25:36,469 --> 00:25:39,002
but they're fixing
to take our house."
434
00:25:39,004 --> 00:25:41,405
I just didn't know
what to do.
435
00:25:41,407 --> 00:25:48,045
Okay.
436
00:25:51,083 --> 00:25:53,450
The boys are picking up
on growing tension
437
00:25:53,452 --> 00:25:55,553
between April and Michael.
438
00:25:55,555 --> 00:25:57,454
I remember my parents,
like, getting in fights,
439
00:25:57,456 --> 00:26:00,891
like, them arguing all the time,
440
00:26:00,893 --> 00:26:02,793
just him being
verbally abusive to her,
441
00:26:02,795 --> 00:26:05,563
treating her like garbage.
442
00:26:05,565 --> 00:26:07,698
And the entire family is suffering
443
00:26:07,700 --> 00:26:10,734
from Michael's mood swings.
444
00:26:10,736 --> 00:26:13,704
My sister and I, we went to
go have happy-hour margaritas
445
00:26:13,706 --> 00:26:17,007
at the place in a little bar
in downtown eclectic,
446
00:26:17,009 --> 00:26:19,243
and he called her and said
447
00:26:19,245 --> 00:26:21,312
some very unsavory words
448
00:26:21,314 --> 00:26:22,780
and threatened to knock her out
449
00:26:22,782 --> 00:26:25,316
if she didn't get home immediately.
450
00:26:25,318 --> 00:26:26,917
And I remember seeing her just start
451
00:26:26,919 --> 00:26:28,385
packing all of her stuff up,
and I said,
452
00:26:28,387 --> 00:26:29,753
"we're not getting
up and going anywhere.
453
00:26:29,755 --> 00:26:30,854
We're gonna finish the margaritas,
454
00:26:30,856 --> 00:26:32,723
and when we're done, we'll go home."
455
00:26:35,294 --> 00:26:37,094
It was at that point
that I began to realize
456
00:26:37,096 --> 00:26:39,763
that things weren't going
as well as April
457
00:26:39,765 --> 00:26:41,699
had led US on to believe.
458
00:26:45,137 --> 00:26:48,238
Michael became very irate
when we got to the house.
459
00:26:48,240 --> 00:26:50,140
He started screaming, making threats.
460
00:26:52,044 --> 00:26:53,811
He was a different person.
461
00:26:53,813 --> 00:26:56,146
You know, the person I remember
was not someone who got angry
462
00:26:56,148 --> 00:26:59,483
and was quick to violence.
463
00:26:59,485 --> 00:27:01,352
I just had never seen that before.
464
00:27:15,868 --> 00:27:19,136
When April and Michael
started their family,
465
00:27:19,138 --> 00:27:21,872
their love was unstoppable.
466
00:27:26,178 --> 00:27:27,811
15 years later,
467
00:27:27,813 --> 00:27:30,447
their world is falling apart.
468
00:27:33,419 --> 00:27:35,586
In the fall of 2014,
469
00:27:35,588 --> 00:27:39,056
they receive some earth-shattering news.
470
00:27:41,127 --> 00:27:43,227
They lost their house in eclectic
471
00:27:43,229 --> 00:27:46,630
because the mortgage wasn't being paid.
472
00:27:46,632 --> 00:27:48,932
April was devastated.
473
00:27:48,934 --> 00:27:50,934
She loved that little house.
474
00:27:50,936 --> 00:27:53,570
She didn't want to leave there.
475
00:27:53,572 --> 00:27:56,640
The family are forced
to move to a trailer.
476
00:27:59,345 --> 00:28:01,378
She called me and said
she wanted to give me
477
00:28:01,380 --> 00:28:03,180
her new address,
478
00:28:03,182 --> 00:28:05,616
and she said, "we found a place.
479
00:28:05,618 --> 00:28:07,718
I know it's a trailer,
but it's a double-wide,
480
00:28:07,720 --> 00:28:11,789
and it's actually got more
square footage than our house."
481
00:28:11,791 --> 00:28:13,557
We'll talk soon.
482
00:28:13,559 --> 00:28:15,926
She's trying to make it sound upbeat,
483
00:28:15,928 --> 00:28:18,128
but I think she was really ashamed
484
00:28:18,130 --> 00:28:20,998
that they lost the house.
485
00:28:21,000 --> 00:28:23,167
I think this is the last one.
486
00:28:23,169 --> 00:28:25,636
I don't know why I'm the one
making calls.
487
00:28:25,638 --> 00:28:28,172
It's not my fault we lost the house.
488
00:28:28,174 --> 00:28:29,540
In their new home,
489
00:28:29,542 --> 00:28:33,477
April and Michael
are arguing more and more.
490
00:28:33,479 --> 00:28:35,412
It's not a black-and-white situation.
491
00:28:35,414 --> 00:28:38,282
It's a, "I love this man.
492
00:28:38,284 --> 00:28:39,883
He has a problem,
493
00:28:39,885 --> 00:28:42,586
but I want to help him
in any way I possibly can
494
00:28:42,588 --> 00:28:46,390
to get him through this problem."
495
00:28:46,392 --> 00:28:50,094
I think she realized that she
was at a crossroad
496
00:28:50,096 --> 00:28:52,029
and that eventually she was
gonna reach a point
497
00:28:52,031 --> 00:28:56,066
where she was gonna
have to make a decision.
498
00:28:56,068 --> 00:29:00,003
She said, "I love Michael.
I just want my husband back."
499
00:29:02,174 --> 00:29:04,942
April is also concerned
that Michael's addiction
500
00:29:04,944 --> 00:29:08,245
is gonna jeopardize his
standing in the community.
501
00:29:08,247 --> 00:29:10,247
She knew that the issue
was out of control,
502
00:29:10,249 --> 00:29:11,782
and she knew that
it wasn't right for him
503
00:29:11,784 --> 00:29:13,183
to be in a position of leadership
504
00:29:13,185 --> 00:29:16,053
while also living this other life.
505
00:29:16,055 --> 00:29:19,156
She insists that
Michael step down as mayor,
506
00:29:19,158 --> 00:29:21,258
but Michael isn't convinced.
507
00:29:21,260 --> 00:29:23,961
The city had put him up
on such a pedestal.
508
00:29:23,963 --> 00:29:27,364
He was all these things
to all these people.
509
00:29:29,602 --> 00:29:33,237
It's kind of tough to say,
"not only am I a mayor,
510
00:29:33,239 --> 00:29:35,973
but I also have a drug problem,
and I need some help."
511
00:29:39,078 --> 00:29:41,145
April told him that if he
didn't resign
512
00:29:41,147 --> 00:29:45,048
that she was gonna go public
with his drug issues.
513
00:29:45,050 --> 00:29:48,485
That month, Michael resigns as mayor.
514
00:29:48,487 --> 00:29:53,991
515
00:29:53,993 --> 00:29:56,160
Six months later,
the holtons pull together
516
00:29:56,162 --> 00:29:59,630
to celebrate the 15th birthday
of their eldest son,
517
00:29:59,632 --> 00:30:03,033
Jesse Madison.
518
00:30:03,035 --> 00:30:05,569
They embarrassed me
like most parents do
519
00:30:05,571 --> 00:30:07,938
by going to a Mexican restaurant
520
00:30:07,940 --> 00:30:10,007
and telling them
it's your birthday,
521
00:30:10,009 --> 00:30:12,943
and they will put a sombrero
on your head
522
00:30:12,945 --> 00:30:14,645
and sing you "happy birthday."
523
00:30:14,647 --> 00:30:17,147
Happy birthday to you
524
00:30:17,149 --> 00:30:20,417
yes, happy birthday to you
525
00:30:22,421 --> 00:30:26,990
it seems to the world as if
the family are turning a corner,
526
00:30:26,992 --> 00:30:31,929
but behind the jokes,
Madison has a problem.
527
00:30:31,931 --> 00:30:33,931
My junior year rolled around.
528
00:30:33,933 --> 00:30:36,600
I started hanging around
with a different group of people
529
00:30:36,602 --> 00:30:38,135
who smoked pot regularly,
530
00:30:38,137 --> 00:30:40,671
and I started hanging out
with them more.
531
00:30:40,673 --> 00:30:43,841
I found somebody to buy it from,
so that's where, basically,
532
00:30:43,843 --> 00:30:45,943
I'd spend all my money.
533
00:30:45,945 --> 00:30:49,880
For April, the situation
has reached a crisis point,
534
00:30:49,882 --> 00:30:53,150
so she calls on her
police officer brother, Chris.
535
00:30:53,152 --> 00:30:56,053
April called me
one night, and she said,
536
00:30:56,055 --> 00:30:57,721
"I found Madison
smoking marijuana.
537
00:30:57,723 --> 00:30:59,489
Can you come to the house?"
538
00:30:59,491 --> 00:31:01,425
So I drove over there.
539
00:31:01,427 --> 00:31:04,928
I'm sorry for calling.
I didn't know what else to do.
540
00:31:04,930 --> 00:31:08,232
Madison was just hanging out.
541
00:31:08,234 --> 00:31:10,934
I found this in his bag.
542
00:31:10,936 --> 00:31:13,437
And Michael was just
kind of nonchalant about it.
543
00:31:13,439 --> 00:31:15,072
I'll leave you guys to it.
544
00:31:17,142 --> 00:31:19,543
Why, he just told Madison,
"it's okay.
545
00:31:19,545 --> 00:31:21,578
It's not that big of a deal
if you just smoke weed."
546
00:31:23,716 --> 00:31:25,048
And for April, it was a big deal.
547
00:31:25,050 --> 00:31:27,150
She had a mother that was a drug addict,
548
00:31:27,152 --> 00:31:29,820
she had a father that was
a drug-and-alcohol addict,
549
00:31:29,822 --> 00:31:32,723
and she was not okay
with Madison smoking marijuana.
550
00:31:35,261 --> 00:31:38,362
It absolutely terrified her.
551
00:31:38,364 --> 00:31:40,564
She thought it was sue all over again.
552
00:31:42,968 --> 00:31:45,769
When Michael said,
"it's just pot," she said,
553
00:31:45,771 --> 00:31:50,641
"it was like something flipped...
554
00:31:50,643 --> 00:31:54,645
And I realized
I can't help him anymore,
555
00:31:54,647 --> 00:31:56,713
but I can help my children,
556
00:31:56,715 --> 00:31:58,315
and that's what I've got to do."
557
00:32:05,424 --> 00:32:08,959
But April doesn't know
the full extent of the problem.
558
00:32:11,430 --> 00:32:13,263
Shortly afterwards,
559
00:32:13,265 --> 00:32:17,501
Michael's black-market supply dries up,
560
00:32:17,503 --> 00:32:21,571
and so he makes a desperate decision.
561
00:32:23,575 --> 00:32:25,409
And he was like,
"hey, son, do you know anybody
562
00:32:25,411 --> 00:32:28,078
where I could get some pills from?"
563
00:32:28,080 --> 00:32:32,249
And I was like,
"what do you need pills for?"
564
00:32:32,251 --> 00:32:34,818
And he said something
about like, "my back hurts,"
565
00:32:34,820 --> 00:32:37,854
or whatever, and then he told me
what kind of pills he wanted,
566
00:32:37,856 --> 00:32:42,492
and I was like, "those are,
like, class-a painkillers."
567
00:32:44,263 --> 00:32:48,231
Madison knows a classmate
who can get him the drugs,
568
00:32:48,233 --> 00:32:52,736
and Madison becomes
his father's drug mule.
569
00:32:52,738 --> 00:32:56,406
Father and son are locked
in a secret pact
570
00:32:56,408 --> 00:32:59,643
never to breathe a word to April.
571
00:32:59,645 --> 00:33:03,914
It's a secret that will
rip the family apart.
572
00:33:19,398 --> 00:33:22,399
When Michael holton
began taking painkillers
573
00:33:22,401 --> 00:33:24,434
after an accident at work,
574
00:33:24,436 --> 00:33:27,971
he had no idea
how it would impact his life.
575
00:33:27,973 --> 00:33:33,143
576
00:33:33,145 --> 00:33:38,015
In may 2016, April reaches
the end of the line
577
00:33:50,095 --> 00:33:52,662
You've broken me.
578
00:33:52,664 --> 00:33:56,233
She didn't see him
ever conquering this.
579
00:33:56,235 --> 00:34:00,771
She really didn't -- any more
than her mother could have.
580
00:34:00,773 --> 00:34:02,406
What are you saying?
581
00:34:04,510 --> 00:34:07,177
I want a divorce.
582
00:34:07,179 --> 00:34:09,212
April did not make the decision
583
00:34:09,214 --> 00:34:12,049
to leave Michael flippantly.
584
00:34:12,051 --> 00:34:15,419
It was something that she thought
585
00:34:15,421 --> 00:34:18,155
very long and very hard over.
586
00:34:18,157 --> 00:34:20,657
The money, the pills.
587
00:34:20,659 --> 00:34:22,559
Finally, I think it was the --
588
00:34:22,561 --> 00:34:25,295
she needed to make sure that her
children were gonna be safe.
589
00:34:27,199 --> 00:34:29,766
For Michael, it's a devastating blow.
590
00:34:31,870 --> 00:34:34,371
I think Michael felt like he'd
lost everything at that point.
591
00:34:34,373 --> 00:34:36,039
There's nothing else to live for.
592
00:34:38,343 --> 00:34:40,377
And I think he probably
had a battle going on
593
00:34:40,379 --> 00:34:41,812
in his own mind and his heart
594
00:34:41,814 --> 00:34:44,147
between drug use and his family,
595
00:34:44,149 --> 00:34:45,916
and it just --
the drugs were winning.
596
00:34:49,021 --> 00:34:51,455
April was probably
the only thing keeping Michael
597
00:34:51,457 --> 00:34:53,356
from just falling off the deep end.
598
00:34:53,358 --> 00:34:55,625
When she leaves, there's
really no rules at home.
599
00:34:55,627 --> 00:34:56,760
You can do whatever you want to,
600
00:34:56,762 --> 00:34:59,029
and there's no one there to stop you.
601
00:34:59,031 --> 00:35:09,539
602
00:35:14,646 --> 00:35:17,013
April gets a place down in tallassee,
603
00:35:17,015 --> 00:35:19,349
a 20-minute drive from eclectic.
604
00:35:19,351 --> 00:35:22,719
The boys divide their time
between their parents' homes.
605
00:35:24,756 --> 00:35:27,257
The days that my dad was at work,
606
00:35:27,259 --> 00:35:28,692
we would go to my mom's,
607
00:35:28,694 --> 00:35:30,894
and the days he was at home,
we would go with him,
608
00:35:30,896 --> 00:35:33,697
and then they'd split
the weekends up.
609
00:35:33,699 --> 00:35:37,367
Friend Tonya has been there
every step of the way for April,
610
00:35:37,369 --> 00:35:39,436
including her move to a new house.
611
00:35:41,773 --> 00:35:43,573
Thank you for helping me unpack.
612
00:35:43,575 --> 00:35:45,008
Not a problem.
613
00:35:45,010 --> 00:35:46,610
I have something for US.
614
00:35:46,612 --> 00:35:54,084
I think we deserve this.
615
00:35:54,086 --> 00:35:55,485
You deserve this.
616
00:35:55,487 --> 00:35:58,889
She was so incredibly proud
at that moment,
617
00:35:58,891 --> 00:36:00,991
that she had made this decision,
618
00:36:00,993 --> 00:36:06,630
and she was doing something
very positive for the boys.
619
00:36:06,632 --> 00:36:09,132
Happy birthday, dear --
620
00:36:09,134 --> 00:36:12,736
today, it's Tonya's
daughter's birthday.
621
00:36:12,738 --> 00:36:16,706
Happy birthday to you
622
00:36:16,708 --> 00:36:18,708
April's captured briefly on camera
623
00:36:18,710 --> 00:36:20,610
looking relaxed and happy
624
00:36:20,612 --> 00:36:22,779
just days after leaving Michael...
625
00:36:25,951 --> 00:36:28,218
...but Michael's not doing so well.
626
00:36:28,220 --> 00:36:33,190
A few weeks after the split,
he calls Tonya and asks to talk.
627
00:36:33,192 --> 00:36:34,457
Hey.
628
00:36:34,459 --> 00:36:35,992
Thanks for meeting me.
629
00:36:35,994 --> 00:36:42,032
He was very adamant that
if April dated another guy
630
00:36:42,034 --> 00:36:43,867
or slept with another guy,
631
00:36:43,869 --> 00:36:45,669
he was very adamant
that he did not know
632
00:36:45,671 --> 00:36:47,370
how he was gonna handle that.
633
00:36:47,372 --> 00:36:50,740
I just keep getting all of these
thoughts in my head
634
00:36:50,742 --> 00:36:54,010
about other guys and April.
635
00:36:54,012 --> 00:36:57,948
April being probably
his first and only love,
636
00:36:57,950 --> 00:37:00,650
the thought of sharing her
with someone else...
637
00:37:02,821 --> 00:37:04,554
...that was not an option for him.
638
00:37:07,492 --> 00:37:11,127
But April has a more
pressing concern than dating.
639
00:37:11,129 --> 00:37:13,496
Madison's behavior seemed to get
640
00:37:13,498 --> 00:37:15,365
somewhat progressively worse.
641
00:37:18,470 --> 00:37:21,304
I got caught high
one time at her house,
642
00:37:21,306 --> 00:37:23,440
and she said, "if I ever catch
you high or with marijuana
643
00:37:23,442 --> 00:37:25,108
at my house again,
644
00:37:25,110 --> 00:37:27,143
you are not gonna
stay here anymore,"
645
00:37:27,145 --> 00:37:29,946
and I was like, "okay."
Then like a week later,
646
00:37:29,948 --> 00:37:33,350
she caught me with marijuana
at her house.
647
00:37:33,352 --> 00:37:35,151
Madison!
648
00:37:35,153 --> 00:37:37,120
April finally said,
"he can't stay in my house.
649
00:37:37,122 --> 00:37:38,888
I have two other kids to think about.
650
00:37:38,890 --> 00:37:41,291
I don't want him adversely
affecting them,"
651
00:37:41,293 --> 00:37:42,592
so she basically said to Michael,
652
00:37:42,594 --> 00:37:45,462
"he can live with you,
and you can deal with this."
653
00:37:48,100 --> 00:37:50,467
It's a recipe for disaster.
654
00:37:50,469 --> 00:37:53,570
Michael is barely able
to look after himself,
655
00:37:53,572 --> 00:37:56,239
let alone an unruly teenage son.
656
00:37:59,111 --> 00:38:02,312
At that point, it's,
you know, "mom's not here.
657
00:38:02,314 --> 00:38:04,547
If I want to smoke weed,
I can do it,
658
00:38:04,549 --> 00:38:07,083
and dad's got me going
and picking up stuff for him,
659
00:38:07,085 --> 00:38:09,552
so he don't really care."
660
00:38:09,554 --> 00:38:13,590
Madison's behavior continues
to spiral out of control.
661
00:38:13,592 --> 00:38:15,225
How was school?
662
00:38:15,227 --> 00:38:16,426
I didn't go.
663
00:38:16,428 --> 00:38:20,730
I partied hard, smoking, drinking.
664
00:38:20,732 --> 00:38:23,099
I was still stoned every day.
665
00:38:23,101 --> 00:38:24,367
What?
666
00:38:24,369 --> 00:38:26,469
Michael is desperate
to prove to April
667
00:38:26,471 --> 00:38:28,805
that he's taking her
concern seriously.
668
00:38:28,807 --> 00:38:32,075
Look, I'm not a kid anymore, alright?
669
00:38:32,077 --> 00:38:34,277
Michael was at his wit's end.
670
00:38:34,279 --> 00:38:37,080
I believe Michael and April
both were with the drugs.
671
00:38:38,750 --> 00:38:42,052
But Michael
is still depending on his son
672
00:38:42,054 --> 00:38:44,187
to get tramadol for him.
673
00:38:44,189 --> 00:38:46,823
I'll get US some takeout.
674
00:38:46,825 --> 00:38:54,431
As bad as it is for Michael,
675
00:38:54,433 --> 00:38:57,400
things are looking better
over in tallassee.
676
00:38:57,402 --> 00:39:00,070
April is moving on.
677
00:39:00,072 --> 00:39:02,572
She's met somebody new.
678
00:39:04,943 --> 00:39:07,043
Geez.
679
00:39:07,045 --> 00:39:09,479
She was getting treated
like a queen.
680
00:39:09,481 --> 00:39:11,848
She was being told
how beautiful she was.
681
00:39:11,850 --> 00:39:17,721
She was in a place that she
hadn't been in a very long time.
682
00:39:17,723 --> 00:39:19,255
She was so happy.
683
00:39:19,257 --> 00:39:24,427
684
00:39:24,429 --> 00:39:29,766
It isn't long until Michael
finds out what's going on.
685
00:39:29,768 --> 00:39:33,203
She's met someone,
a-a guy who...
686
00:39:33,205 --> 00:39:34,537
And my dad freaked out about it.
687
00:39:34,539 --> 00:39:36,306
No.
-And I had never
688
00:39:36,308 --> 00:39:38,274
seen my dad cry before,
but whenever we got home,
689
00:39:38,276 --> 00:39:40,143
he was, like, laying in the bed,
690
00:39:40,145 --> 00:39:42,278
and he had, like,
691
00:39:42,280 --> 00:39:45,115
a washcloth over his face, like, crying.
692
00:39:48,253 --> 00:39:51,020
September 11, 2016,
693
00:39:51,022 --> 00:39:54,224
begins like any other sunday
694
00:39:54,226 --> 00:39:59,362
until April gets a call
from a friend in eclectic.
695
00:39:59,364 --> 00:40:01,564
Madison had a party last night,
696
00:40:01,566 --> 00:40:05,034
and a mom called because her son's been,
697
00:40:05,036 --> 00:40:07,170
you know, hanging over
the toilet all night long,
698
00:40:07,172 --> 00:40:10,540
and she's pretty mad.
699
00:40:10,542 --> 00:40:12,609
As April drives to eclectic,
700
00:40:12,611 --> 00:40:15,845
Michael also gets a phone call
from the same mother.
701
00:40:18,283 --> 00:40:20,016
When he arrives back home,
702
00:40:20,018 --> 00:40:23,420
he finds a mess of roaches, bongs,
703
00:40:23,422 --> 00:40:26,289
and marijuana.
704
00:40:26,291 --> 00:40:28,558
I had thrown a party the night before.
705
00:40:28,560 --> 00:40:31,528
The day after,
I was at my friend's house,
706
00:40:31,530 --> 00:40:34,564
and I get a text
from my dad that says,
707
00:40:34,566 --> 00:40:37,167
"get home now," and so I do.
708
00:40:39,104 --> 00:40:42,539
April finds Madison
on the sofa, handcuffed.
709
00:40:44,009 --> 00:40:46,810
As soon as I got there,
my dad had put me in handcuffs.
710
00:40:46,812 --> 00:40:48,545
I had never seen him
this kind of angry before.
711
00:40:48,547 --> 00:40:51,714
It was this weird look in his eyes.
712
00:40:51,716 --> 00:40:54,150
Michael is already calling 911
713
00:40:54,152 --> 00:40:56,753
to have his son
arrested on drug charges.
714
00:40:56,755 --> 00:40:59,088
Madison had been given
his last chance,
715
00:40:59,090 --> 00:41:01,591
and he blew it.
716
00:41:01,593 --> 00:41:05,028
A sheriff's deputy arrives
on the scene soon after.
717
00:41:05,030 --> 00:41:06,496
Thanks for your time, deputy.
718
00:41:06,498 --> 00:41:09,132
It's clear Michael is trying
to scare his son straight.
719
00:41:09,134 --> 00:41:10,366
Take care.
720
00:41:10,368 --> 00:41:14,904
But the officer advises
everyone to cool off.
721
00:41:14,906 --> 00:41:16,506
It would be better to take Madison
722
00:41:16,508 --> 00:41:20,610
to the station on Monday morning.
723
00:41:20,612 --> 00:41:24,280
The deputy leaves the holtons to it.
724
00:41:24,282 --> 00:41:27,817
One of them will not survive
725
00:41:27,819 --> 00:41:30,353
the next few minutes.
726
00:41:30,355 --> 00:41:53,543
Help!
727
00:41:53,545 --> 00:41:55,879
Help!
728
00:41:55,881 --> 00:41:57,780
Help, somebody!
729
00:42:02,654 --> 00:42:05,522
We received a call within 12 minutes.
730
00:42:05,524 --> 00:42:08,558
A neighbor had called in this call.
731
00:42:08,560 --> 00:42:10,894
Madison had gone to
the neighbor's residence,
732
00:42:10,896 --> 00:42:13,129
beat on the door, and asked for help.
733
00:42:16,735 --> 00:42:20,136
Madison and the
neighbor return to the house.
734
00:42:20,138 --> 00:42:23,106
The neighbor hears a cry
and goes inside,
735
00:42:23,108 --> 00:42:27,810
leaving Madison out front,
still handcuffed.
736
00:42:27,812 --> 00:42:30,547
He said he heard April make a noise,
737
00:42:30,549 --> 00:42:32,815
so that's why
he entered the residence.
738
00:42:32,817 --> 00:42:33,950
He went in the bedroom,
739
00:42:52,737 --> 00:42:57,407
The neighbor tells them
to look in the bedroom.
740
00:42:57,409 --> 00:42:59,976
Officers struggle
to remove Madison's handcuffs
741
00:42:59,978 --> 00:43:02,645
with their own keys.
742
00:43:02,647 --> 00:43:05,415
Madison tells them
that the handcuff key
743
00:43:05,417 --> 00:43:07,417
is on the living room table.
744
00:43:11,356 --> 00:43:12,822
Inside the house,
745
00:43:12,824 --> 00:43:16,526
there's ample evidence
of Madison's party last night...
746
00:43:18,730 --> 00:43:22,799
...and the handcuff key
is right where Madison says.
747
00:43:26,438 --> 00:43:28,671
Police move to the bedroom.
748
00:43:32,744 --> 00:43:36,846
On the floor
is a .380 caliber pistol.
749
00:43:36,848 --> 00:43:50,627
Next to it are Michael and April.
750
00:43:52,964 --> 00:43:56,566
They've both been shot.
751
00:43:56,568 --> 00:43:58,935
Michael isn't breathing.
752
00:43:58,937 --> 00:44:02,271
It's clear he's beyond help.
753
00:44:02,273 --> 00:44:07,043
But April is still breathing.
754
00:44:07,045 --> 00:44:11,481
Mom. Mom! Mom!
755
00:44:11,483 --> 00:44:14,317
Let go. Get off me.
Get off. Mom.
756
00:44:17,589 --> 00:44:20,089
I don't even think
there's a word to explain.
757
00:44:20,091 --> 00:44:22,959
I can't explain the feeling.
It was terrible.
758
00:44:24,729 --> 00:44:30,166
April is rushed to the hospital,
fighting for her life.
759
00:44:30,168 --> 00:44:31,701
I received a call
from a deputy
760
00:44:31,703 --> 00:44:34,270
at the elmore county sheriff's office.
761
00:44:34,272 --> 00:44:35,605
Nobody was telling me
a whole lot.
762
00:44:35,607 --> 00:44:37,674
I didn't know
the extent of her injuries...
763
00:44:40,078 --> 00:44:42,378
...but I knew --
like, in my heart of hearts,
764
00:44:42,380 --> 00:44:44,814
I knew it wasn't going to be good.
765
00:44:44,816 --> 00:44:48,284
She'd been shot in the hand
and she'd been shot in the head.
766
00:44:48,286 --> 00:44:56,759
767
00:44:56,761 --> 00:44:58,428
I ended up staying
at the hospital all night.
768
00:44:58,430 --> 00:45:01,464
I called my brother Michael.
769
00:45:01,466 --> 00:45:05,535
He drove from Texas
all night to get here.
770
00:45:05,537 --> 00:45:07,637
Walk in the room,
and you see her
771
00:45:07,639 --> 00:45:10,740
laying there with the machine
breathing for her.
772
00:45:10,742 --> 00:45:11,941
I think it was
at that point I realized
773
00:45:11,943 --> 00:45:14,210
that there's no coming back from this.
774
00:45:14,212 --> 00:45:21,250
My older brother called me
775
00:45:21,252 --> 00:45:23,753
and said that I needed
to get to mom's house,
776
00:45:23,755 --> 00:45:25,354
that Michael was gone.
777
00:45:25,356 --> 00:45:26,622
Someone had come to the house
778
00:45:26,624 --> 00:45:31,661
and said that Michael had
shot April and shot himself,
779
00:45:31,663 --> 00:45:33,563
and that Michael was dead.
780
00:45:36,601 --> 00:45:38,968
Just couldn't believe it.
781
00:45:41,573 --> 00:45:46,042
At that time, Madison was being
taken to the police station,
782
00:45:46,044 --> 00:45:47,910
being detained for questioning.
783
00:45:50,882 --> 00:45:53,649
And they put me
in the interrogating room,
784
00:45:53,651 --> 00:45:56,786
and I was in there for,
I don't know how long it was.
785
00:45:56,788 --> 00:45:59,655
It felt to me like a day
that I was in there,
786
00:45:59,657 --> 00:46:02,525
cause it was freezing cold,
I was soaking wet.
787
00:46:02,527 --> 00:46:04,694
They hadn't brought me
any extra clothes or anything.
788
00:46:04,696 --> 00:46:06,362
Didn't give me
any type of explanation
789
00:46:06,364 --> 00:46:07,997
as to why I'm in there.
790
00:46:35,560 --> 00:46:38,928
Madison fills the police in
on his side of the story.
791
00:47:13,965 --> 00:47:15,531
Get off of me.
Get off!
792
00:47:15,533 --> 00:47:17,667
No.
-Help me!
793
00:47:40,091 --> 00:47:42,091
They asked me, like,
a couple different times.
794
00:47:42,093 --> 00:47:44,427
Like, in different ways,
they asked me what happened.
795
00:47:44,429 --> 00:47:45,862
And so I explained to them.
796
00:47:45,864 --> 00:47:47,163
I don't remember which one.
797
00:47:47,165 --> 00:47:48,798
But something about the statement
798
00:47:48,800 --> 00:47:51,901
is puzzling investigators.
799
00:47:51,903 --> 00:47:55,104
Madison has told them
that both his parents were alive
800
00:47:55,106 --> 00:47:59,375
when he left the house,
and he never heard the gunshots.
801
00:47:59,377 --> 00:48:02,678
The boy's statement was he left,
802
00:48:02,680 --> 00:48:05,214
got on the road,
which the road is probably,
803
00:48:05,216 --> 00:48:07,683
I would say about 30
or 40 yards away
804
00:48:07,685 --> 00:48:09,518
from where the front door is.
805
00:48:09,520 --> 00:48:12,054
And right across the street
is where this gentleman lived
806
00:48:12,056 --> 00:48:14,090
that he went to their house.
807
00:48:14,092 --> 00:48:15,858
Well, he was very, very in fact
808
00:48:15,860 --> 00:48:18,427
about he never heard any rounds go off.
809
00:48:18,429 --> 00:48:19,762
I really don't.
810
00:48:47,558 --> 00:48:49,959
The primary
investigator had some issues
811
00:48:49,961 --> 00:48:52,361
with what was going on.
812
00:48:52,363 --> 00:48:54,063
We obviously don't want
to let somebody go
813
00:48:54,065 --> 00:48:55,731
if they have probable cause,
814
00:48:55,733 --> 00:48:57,500
reasonable cause, to believe that,
815
00:48:57,502 --> 00:49:03,606
hey, this person possibly can be
responsible for what's going on.
816
00:49:03,608 --> 00:49:06,876
Officers need more
time to question Madison,
817
00:49:06,878 --> 00:49:10,880
so he is placed under arrest
for possession of marijuana.
818
00:49:10,882 --> 00:49:12,548
The sheriff called me
819
00:49:12,550 --> 00:49:15,351
and told me that
they were going to keep Madison,
820
00:49:15,353 --> 00:49:17,019
and that there were some things
that didn't line up.
821
00:49:26,898 --> 00:49:30,700
Police are awaiting the result
of Michael holton's autopsy
822
00:49:30,702 --> 00:49:34,103
to see if the bullet entered
his head from the front,
823
00:49:34,105 --> 00:49:40,109
suggesting suicide,
or the rear, suggesting murder.
824
00:50:13,244 --> 00:50:14,677
Wo one day after the deadly shooting,
825
00:50:14,679 --> 00:50:17,213
crime-scene tape is still
blocking the holton's home
826
00:50:17,215 --> 00:50:19,348
on Lindsey road in elmore county.
827
00:50:19,350 --> 00:50:21,484
Mike holton was pronounced dead
on the scene,
828
00:50:21,486 --> 00:50:24,754
his wife rushed to the hospital.
829
00:50:24,756 --> 00:50:27,123
The shooting of April
and Michael holton
830
00:50:27,125 --> 00:50:30,393
has all the hallmarks
of a murder-suicide.
831
00:50:34,632 --> 00:50:37,199
The morning after
Madison's interview,
832
00:50:37,201 --> 00:50:41,170
Michael's autopsy report arrives
at the sheriff's office.
833
00:50:41,172 --> 00:50:46,008
We got the autopsy back from the
department of forensic science
834
00:50:46,010 --> 00:50:49,979
and the pathologist had ruled
that this is a homicide,
835
00:50:49,981 --> 00:50:52,014
that this man was killed.
836
00:50:55,319 --> 00:50:57,219
The pathologist's recommendation
837
00:50:57,221 --> 00:51:00,456
is based on the trajectory
of the bullet wound
838
00:51:00,458 --> 00:51:01,791
in Michael's head.
839
00:51:01,793 --> 00:51:04,360
The autopsy indicated
that he was shot
840
00:51:04,362 --> 00:51:07,830
very near the lower center
back of the head.
841
00:51:10,168 --> 00:51:13,302
Just the physics of it,
to manipulate the weapon
842
00:51:13,304 --> 00:51:18,307
would be very difficult
for someone to shoot themself.
843
00:51:18,309 --> 00:51:19,542
The doctor sure didn't think
844
00:51:19,544 --> 00:51:21,744
it was a self-inflicted wound
at all.
845
00:51:25,550 --> 00:51:27,716
Sheriff Franklin knows that Madison
846
00:51:27,718 --> 00:51:32,555
is the only person he can talk
to who might have an answer.
847
00:51:32,557 --> 00:51:35,091
Hey, bud.
848
00:51:35,093 --> 00:51:37,426
He enlists Madison's uncle Chris,
849
00:51:37,428 --> 00:51:40,996
to sit in on the interview.
850
00:51:40,998 --> 00:51:43,499
I did the interview with Madison.
851
00:51:43,501 --> 00:51:45,801
I don't know the kid.
I don't know him.
852
00:51:45,803 --> 00:51:47,303
All I know is this is what we've got.
853
00:51:47,305 --> 00:51:49,905
I got a piece of paper
that says that's a homicide.
854
00:52:13,764 --> 00:52:15,431
How close were you...
855
00:52:15,433 --> 00:52:18,067
Madison's story stays consistent.
856
00:52:18,069 --> 00:52:20,569
He maintains he was across the street
857
00:52:20,571 --> 00:52:22,271
getting help from the neighbor
858
00:52:22,273 --> 00:52:25,608
and in handcuffs when the
shooting must have happened...
859
00:52:25,610 --> 00:52:26,942
Why were you standing outside?
860
00:52:26,944 --> 00:52:28,711
I walked around to the shop.
861
00:52:28,713 --> 00:52:31,814
But he never heard shots fired.
862
00:52:31,816 --> 00:52:33,716
How could that be?
863
00:52:35,820 --> 00:52:38,521
There's only one way
to find out,
864
00:52:38,523 --> 00:52:42,958
police head back
to the crime scene to do a test.
865
00:52:42,960 --> 00:52:44,760
We went out there
and did a ballistics test
866
00:52:44,762 --> 00:52:49,565
with the same style weapon,
the same style ammo.
867
00:52:49,567 --> 00:52:55,171
Not a longer barrel.
Same type everything.
868
00:52:55,173 --> 00:52:58,374
We fired a round off
in the master bedroom.
869
00:53:03,981 --> 00:53:06,081
Walked onto the porch.
870
00:53:10,054 --> 00:53:12,521
Walked in the yard.
871
00:53:17,628 --> 00:53:19,395
Got in the road.
872
00:53:23,901 --> 00:53:26,101
Walked onto to the neighbor's porch.
873
00:53:29,640 --> 00:53:31,307
You can hear every one of them.
874
00:53:31,309 --> 00:53:34,143
And it's not like, "all right,
everybody be quiet now.
875
00:53:34,145 --> 00:53:35,778
Let's see if we can hear this round."
876
00:53:35,780 --> 00:53:37,846
It was nothing like that.
877
00:53:37,848 --> 00:53:40,749
If you're walking down the road
and you've heard that round,
878
00:53:40,751 --> 00:53:42,585
you'd stop and say,
"hey, where'd that come from?"
879
00:54:07,511 --> 00:54:11,180
In the interview room,
I didn't know what to think.
880
00:54:11,182 --> 00:54:12,481
And at that point,
I think you could say
881
00:54:12,483 --> 00:54:15,317
I was trying to figure
it out on my own,
882
00:54:15,319 --> 00:54:19,054
trying to fathom
883
00:54:19,056 --> 00:54:21,523
how a kid could kill his dad,
884
00:54:21,525 --> 00:54:23,158
if that's what happened.
885
00:54:25,162 --> 00:54:29,298
The other police tests
are inconclusive.
886
00:54:29,300 --> 00:54:32,034
They did do a
gunshot-residue test on Madison,
887
00:54:32,036 --> 00:54:34,236
which he had no gunshot residue on him.
888
00:54:36,507 --> 00:54:38,207
However, the residue from the gun
889
00:54:38,209 --> 00:54:39,908
used to shoot April and Michael
890
00:54:39,910 --> 00:54:42,511
has particles
which are extremely difficult
891
00:54:42,513 --> 00:54:45,080
for examiners to detect in a test.
892
00:54:45,082 --> 00:54:52,421
893
00:54:52,423 --> 00:54:56,091
The sheriff still thinks Madison
carried out the shooting,
894
00:54:56,093 --> 00:54:58,861
but he has to work out how.
895
00:55:05,469 --> 00:55:07,102
Now, he had made a comment
896
00:55:07,104 --> 00:55:11,206
that he had the handcuffs
behind his back.
897
00:55:11,208 --> 00:55:14,977
There was also evidence to show
that -- and he admitted to this,
898
00:55:14,979 --> 00:55:18,147
that the handcuff key
is right there in front of him.
899
00:55:47,411 --> 00:55:52,581
900
00:55:52,583 --> 00:55:56,085
Investigators now start
to develop a theory.
901
00:55:58,289 --> 00:56:01,623
They believe that after
seeing off the sheriff's deputy,
902
00:56:01,625 --> 00:56:04,026
Michael and April
go into the bedroom
903
00:56:04,028 --> 00:56:07,062
to discuss how to proceed with Madison.
904
00:56:07,064 --> 00:56:14,670
905
00:56:14,672 --> 00:56:20,209
Then, they think, Madison
retrieves the handcuff keys...
906
00:56:20,211 --> 00:56:25,681
907
00:56:27,818 --> 00:56:30,152
...frees himself,
908
00:56:30,154 --> 00:56:34,790
collects his father's
.380 pistol,
909
00:56:34,792 --> 00:56:39,361
opens the bedroom door,
910
00:56:39,363 --> 00:56:43,432
and guns down Michael from behind.
911
00:56:45,469 --> 00:56:50,172
Then he turns the weapon on his mother.
912
00:56:52,543 --> 00:56:56,845
Afterwards, they think
he wipes his prints
913
00:56:56,847 --> 00:57:00,749
and drops the .380 pistol
by his father's feet.
914
00:57:10,995 --> 00:57:14,296
The whole time
that I've talked to him.
915
00:57:14,298 --> 00:57:17,399
Most people, if you had
just lost a parent,
916
00:57:17,401 --> 00:57:21,036
"my god, daddy's gone,"
or "my god, mama's gone,"
917
00:57:21,038 --> 00:57:22,871
or, "what in the world happened?"
918
00:57:22,873 --> 00:57:25,207
You've got a world of emotion.
919
00:57:25,209 --> 00:57:28,544
Just a wave of emotion.
920
00:57:28,546 --> 00:57:31,413
Just -- just didn't have that.
921
00:57:31,415 --> 00:57:34,383
That was something else that I
just didn't quite understand.
922
00:57:34,385 --> 00:57:35,984
Like --
923
00:57:42,159 --> 00:57:45,327
The only other person
who can tell police
924
00:57:45,329 --> 00:57:49,665
what really happened that day is April,
925
00:57:49,667 --> 00:57:52,234
and she's in critical condition.
926
00:57:52,236 --> 00:57:56,672
I remember hearing that morning
that one of her family members
927
00:57:56,674 --> 00:58:01,543
was like, "you know, it's really
weird Madison's not here."
928
00:58:01,545 --> 00:58:04,813
And I'm like, "yeah,"
and you're wondering.
929
00:58:04,815 --> 00:58:06,648
I'm like, "why --
why is Madison not here?"
930
00:58:06,650 --> 00:58:08,283
And she said,
"I think they're trying to say
931
00:58:08,285 --> 00:58:09,852
that Madison did it."
932
00:58:25,569 --> 00:58:26,935
Look at me.
933
00:58:46,323 --> 00:58:47,656
I did ask Madison.
934
00:58:47,658 --> 00:58:50,726
I said, "look, if your dad
did something to your mom
935
00:58:50,728 --> 00:58:53,762
and you killed him, own it."
936
00:59:01,438 --> 00:59:04,039
But Madison was adamant.
937
00:59:04,041 --> 00:59:06,275
"I didn't kill anybody that day."
938
00:59:06,277 --> 00:59:07,309
And I didn't know what to think.
939
00:59:07,311 --> 00:59:09,244
I-I just --
940
00:59:09,246 --> 00:59:11,747
I kind of left there more
confused than when I got there.
941
00:59:11,749 --> 00:59:13,382
Love you.
942
00:59:13,384 --> 00:59:17,019
Investigators believe
the theory is solid
943
00:59:17,021 --> 00:59:20,422
and are convinced
that they can prove it in court.
944
00:59:20,424 --> 00:59:23,492
Just minutes after this interview,
945
00:59:23,494 --> 00:59:28,130
Jesse Madison holton
is formally charged
946
00:59:28,132 --> 00:59:30,599
with one count of murder.
947
00:59:30,601 --> 00:59:33,235
I didn't know what to think.
948
00:59:33,237 --> 00:59:36,138
Like, I felt like
I was losing my mind.
949
00:59:36,140 --> 00:59:40,075
I received a phone call
from the investigator
950
00:59:40,077 --> 00:59:44,913
that said they were charging
Madison with Michael's murder.
951
00:59:44,915 --> 00:59:52,521
It was a shock to hear
that Madison had done it.
952
00:59:52,523 --> 00:59:55,524
It's hard to believe a son
could kill their parents.
953
00:59:57,661 --> 00:59:59,394
The same night Madison is charged
954
00:59:59,396 --> 01:00:01,964
with the murder of his father,
955
01:00:01,966 --> 01:00:06,335
his mother succumbs to her injuries.
956
01:00:06,337 --> 01:00:07,636
I went in there,
and I held her hand.
957
01:00:07,638 --> 01:00:10,305
And I...
958
01:00:10,307 --> 01:00:14,776
I told her I loved her
and...I don't know,
959
01:00:14,778 --> 01:00:19,047
I just apologized to her
for the way her life ended.
960
01:00:23,320 --> 01:00:25,220
She deserved a lot better than that.
961
01:00:27,825 --> 01:00:30,592
She just looked like she was asleep.
962
01:00:30,594 --> 01:00:33,495
She was just laying there
quiet and peaceful...
963
01:00:35,566 --> 01:00:37,199
...and it broke my heart.
964
01:00:39,269 --> 01:00:43,171
April takes the truth
of what happened with her.
965
01:00:46,710 --> 01:00:48,510
They called me out
of the holding cell
966
01:00:48,512 --> 01:00:54,516
and they --
they told me my mom died.
967
01:00:54,518 --> 01:00:57,052
And so they --
then the warden told me
968
01:00:57,054 --> 01:01:00,155
that I was probably going to be
charged with her murder, too.
969
01:01:03,093 --> 01:01:09,498
It went from murder-suicide
to double homicide
970
01:01:09,500 --> 01:01:13,435
all in 24 hours or less.
971
01:01:29,753 --> 01:01:32,220
Just hours after his mother's death,
972
01:01:32,222 --> 01:01:36,425
17-year-old Madison holton is
charged with the murder
973
01:01:36,427 --> 01:01:38,393
of both his parents.
974
01:01:45,969 --> 01:01:50,172
The town of eclectic
is shaken by the news.
975
01:01:50,174 --> 01:01:53,442
Nobody's ever seen a crime
of this magnitude, right?
976
01:01:53,444 --> 01:01:55,877
It's a small community
and most people think
977
01:01:55,879 --> 01:01:58,046
that nothing of this magnitude
978
01:01:58,048 --> 01:02:01,450
can happen in a community this small.
979
01:02:01,452 --> 01:02:04,519
April's side of the family
and Michael's side of the family
980
01:02:04,521 --> 01:02:08,590
are divided in their opinion
of who is responsible.
981
01:02:08,592 --> 01:02:10,392
We were still in shock,
982
01:02:10,394 --> 01:02:13,962
and the police officers had said
Madison did it.
983
01:02:13,964 --> 01:02:20,602
So as much as I didn't believe
it, I was accepting that.
984
01:02:20,604 --> 01:02:21,837
If they have enough evidence
985
01:02:21,839 --> 01:02:23,939
that quick to charge someone in a murder,
986
01:02:23,941 --> 01:02:28,043
I just had to lean toward
they know what they're doing,
987
01:02:28,045 --> 01:02:31,313
and I believed he did it.
988
01:02:35,185 --> 01:02:39,654
On Friday, September 16th,
five days after the murder,
989
01:02:39,656 --> 01:02:42,124
Madison has his bail hearing.
990
01:02:42,126 --> 01:02:44,526
His defense attorney
tells the judge
991
01:02:44,528 --> 01:02:47,295
that Madison is not a flight risk.
992
01:02:49,633 --> 01:02:52,801
But this is a double homicide.
993
01:02:52,803 --> 01:02:54,803
If Madison were 18,
994
01:02:54,805 --> 01:02:58,140
he'd be looking
at capital-murder charges.
995
01:03:01,578 --> 01:03:04,913
The judge sets bail at $1 million,
996
01:03:04,915 --> 01:03:08,884
it's a sum the family
can't afford to pay.
997
01:03:08,886 --> 01:03:12,788
Madison's attorney
couldn't believe it.
998
01:03:12,790 --> 01:03:15,724
He's like, "your honor..."
999
01:03:15,726 --> 01:03:18,760
But it was.
It was $1 million.
1000
01:03:18,762 --> 01:03:21,296
It means that while he awaits trial,
1001
01:03:21,298 --> 01:03:26,234
Madison will remain behind bars.
1002
01:03:26,236 --> 01:03:30,906
It makes me feel sick to know
that my sister's gone
1003
01:03:30,908 --> 01:03:32,607
and there's a possibility
1004
01:03:32,609 --> 01:03:36,111
that he's going to go
to prison for it,
1005
01:03:36,113 --> 01:03:37,779
for the rest of his life.
1006
01:03:41,952 --> 01:03:44,085
I mean, it scares me to death.
1007
01:03:44,087 --> 01:03:48,023
Prisons in Alabama
are not a good place to be,
1008
01:03:48,025 --> 01:03:50,358
and you definitely
don't want a child in there.
1009
01:03:50,360 --> 01:04:03,972
It's September 17th,
1010
01:04:03,974 --> 01:04:07,008
the day of Michael and
April holton's joint funeral.
1011
01:04:09,446 --> 01:04:12,514
Almost the whole town attends.
1012
01:04:12,516 --> 01:04:14,616
The funeral was full of people
1013
01:04:14,618 --> 01:04:17,485
that loved and respected
Michael and April.
1014
01:04:17,487 --> 01:04:20,121
It was great to see
the fire departments,
1015
01:04:20,123 --> 01:04:23,658
that Michael worked at, show up.
1016
01:04:23,660 --> 01:04:25,560
Michael's casket was
put on a fire truck
1017
01:04:25,562 --> 01:04:27,429
and carried to the graveyard.
1018
01:04:31,768 --> 01:04:33,602
There were hundreds of people there.
1019
01:04:35,772 --> 01:04:37,239
I think the number of people
at the funeral
1020
01:04:37,241 --> 01:04:39,641
were a testimony
to Mike and April
1021
01:04:39,643 --> 01:04:41,009
and what they meant
to the community.
1022
01:04:52,656 --> 01:04:56,358
A multitude of tributes
are offered by the community.
1023
01:04:56,360 --> 01:04:59,327
Yeah, it was a very emotional day,
1024
01:04:59,329 --> 01:05:01,630
the event, the people involved,
we cared about.
1025
01:05:13,744 --> 01:05:17,112
It was such a moving ceremony.
1026
01:05:28,625 --> 01:05:36,731
Eclectic unites in its grief,
1027
01:05:36,733 --> 01:05:39,334
but people are divided
in their opinions
1028
01:05:39,336 --> 01:05:42,137
of what really happened.
1029
01:05:42,139 --> 01:05:44,172
People don't know what to think.
1030
01:05:44,174 --> 01:05:48,043
You know, do -- do I believe
that the kid did it,
1031
01:05:48,045 --> 01:05:49,177
or do I believe that the guy,
1032
01:05:49,179 --> 01:05:53,448
who we thought was
a squared-away guy,
1033
01:05:53,450 --> 01:05:54,983
killed his wife
and killed himself?
1034
01:05:54,985 --> 01:05:56,618
Which way do I go?
1035
01:05:58,722 --> 01:06:02,157
You had the faction of people
that knew Mike holton,
1036
01:06:02,159 --> 01:06:03,825
and were really close to his family,
1037
01:06:03,827 --> 01:06:05,493
and would never admit to the fact
1038
01:06:05,495 --> 01:06:08,296
that this is the person
Michael holton had become.
1039
01:06:08,298 --> 01:06:10,498
And then you had those that
just said, "Madison's a monster
1040
01:06:10,500 --> 01:06:13,535
and he killed these people
and he should just rot in jail."
1041
01:06:15,639 --> 01:06:19,341
There is one notable absence
on the day of the funeral.
1042
01:06:19,343 --> 01:06:21,676
I asked that Madison
not be allowed at the funerals.
1043
01:06:21,678 --> 01:06:23,812
He had been charged
with murdering my brother
1044
01:06:23,814 --> 01:06:27,649
and my sister in-law
and I did not want him there.
1045
01:06:27,651 --> 01:06:29,084
That's the time for US to mourn
1046
01:06:29,086 --> 01:06:33,521
and don't want the person
accused of murdering them there.
1047
01:06:36,293 --> 01:06:41,329
Madison is allowed a brief
visitation before the ceremony.
1048
01:06:41,331 --> 01:06:44,499
The sheriff took me to the visitation.
1049
01:06:44,501 --> 01:06:48,136
I was handcuffed,
and I was in an orange jumpsuit,
1050
01:06:48,138 --> 01:06:50,705
you know,
with all these people around.
1051
01:06:50,707 --> 01:06:52,007
I didn't get to have time by myself.
1052
01:06:52,009 --> 01:06:53,908
I was being monitored
the whole time.
1053
01:06:56,079 --> 01:07:01,816
I walked into the funeral home,
and I saw my mom in her coffin.
1054
01:07:01,818 --> 01:07:04,285
Told my mom I loved her
and that I'm sorry
1055
01:07:04,287 --> 01:07:07,389
for all the stupid
things I did as a kid.
1056
01:07:11,528 --> 01:07:15,930
The next room,
my dad's casket was in there.
1057
01:07:15,932 --> 01:07:18,166
I looked around and I was like,
"no. No, no, no, no, no."
1058
01:07:18,168 --> 01:07:19,868
I was like, "shut that door.
Get him out of here."
1059
01:07:19,870 --> 01:07:21,736
Like, "he doesn't need to be here."
1060
01:07:25,876 --> 01:07:30,011
Madison is supported by
April's side of the family.
1061
01:07:30,013 --> 01:07:31,780
There was no accusations.
1062
01:07:31,782 --> 01:07:35,116
We were talking about how we
needed to rally behind Madison
1063
01:07:35,118 --> 01:07:37,318
because, had he done
something like that,
1064
01:07:37,320 --> 01:07:40,121
there must have been a reason.
1065
01:07:40,123 --> 01:07:43,091
April's family's perception
of what happened
1066
01:07:43,093 --> 01:07:45,493
is starting to turn.
1067
01:07:45,495 --> 01:07:46,828
You start hearing about the evidence,
1068
01:07:46,830 --> 01:07:48,897
you start having conversations
about what they found,
1069
01:07:48,899 --> 01:07:53,368
what they didn't find,
and none of it makes sense.
1070
01:07:53,370 --> 01:07:57,806
They are beginning to doubt the
sheriff's case against Madison.
1071
01:07:57,808 --> 01:07:59,874
No evidence whatsoever.
1072
01:07:59,876 --> 01:08:03,678
No DNA, nothing.
No fingerprints on the gun,
1073
01:08:03,680 --> 01:08:06,848
no blood on my clothes.
I was handcuffed behind my back.
1074
01:08:08,919 --> 01:08:13,021
They can find traces of blood,
so had he washed himself off,
1075
01:08:13,023 --> 01:08:15,557
there still would've been traces.
1076
01:08:15,559 --> 01:08:17,025
And if he had blood on his hands,
1077
01:08:17,027 --> 01:08:19,260
he probably would've had some
on his clothes,
1078
01:08:19,262 --> 01:08:22,397
and they took his clothes.
1079
01:08:22,399 --> 01:08:24,899
I tried everything I could
to prove my innocence,
1080
01:08:24,901 --> 01:08:29,304
and they refused
every single last bit of it.
1081
01:08:29,306 --> 01:08:33,108
And then at the preliminary
hearing, investigators say,
1082
01:08:33,110 --> 01:08:34,843
when he was asked
by the defense attorney
1083
01:08:34,845 --> 01:08:37,312
why they arrested Madison,
and his response was,
1084
01:08:37,314 --> 01:08:40,415
"because he's alive."
1085
01:08:40,417 --> 01:08:43,251
We have three people
in a house and two are dead.
1086
01:08:43,253 --> 01:08:46,454
And neither one of them, that we
can tell, killed themselves.
1087
01:08:48,892 --> 01:08:51,659
Police are convinced it's a homicide,
1088
01:08:51,661 --> 01:08:55,630
and Madison is their only suspect.
1089
01:09:04,875 --> 01:09:11,513
It's 2016.
1090
01:09:11,515 --> 01:09:15,350
17-year-old Madison holton
is in jail,
1091
01:09:15,352 --> 01:09:17,585
awaiting trial for the murder
1092
01:09:17,587 --> 01:09:20,321
of his parents, April and Michael.
1093
01:09:20,323 --> 01:09:25,426
1094
01:09:25,428 --> 01:09:28,997
Madison's case has put
eclectic, Alabama, on the map.
1095
01:09:31,368 --> 01:09:33,935
That's the number-one story.
1096
01:09:33,937 --> 01:09:37,539
It's number one on news feeds,
on social media.
1097
01:09:37,541 --> 01:09:38,673
It's everywhere.
1098
01:09:38,675 --> 01:09:40,575
Everywhere you turn,
every radio station,
1099
01:09:40,577 --> 01:09:43,545
every TV's talking about it.
1100
01:09:43,547 --> 01:09:46,948
His friends keep Madison
up to date via video call.
1101
01:10:37,934 --> 01:10:40,168
Michael holton's mother
is the only person
1102
01:10:40,170 --> 01:10:45,340
from Michael's side of
the family who visits Madison.
1103
01:10:45,342 --> 01:10:47,275
Mom, I don't think,
was trying to help him
1104
01:10:47,277 --> 01:10:49,611
as far as prove
his innocent or guilt,
1105
01:10:49,613 --> 01:10:52,981
but just make sure he had some
money to get things he needed
1106
01:10:52,983 --> 01:10:54,983
and just talk to him.
1107
01:11:00,890 --> 01:11:04,726
She has reservations
about Madison's other callers.
1108
01:11:52,208 --> 01:11:53,641
Michael's brother, Chad,
1109
01:11:53,643 --> 01:11:56,911
doesn't agree with his mother
visiting Madison.
1110
01:11:56,913 --> 01:12:00,281
No one else in the family that
I know of supported Madison.
1111
01:12:00,283 --> 01:12:03,584
We all pretty much told mom
we believe he did it.
1112
01:12:03,586 --> 01:12:04,919
We just wanted to make sure
1113
01:12:04,921 --> 01:12:10,692
she did not get hurt
any more through this.
1114
01:12:14,230 --> 01:12:17,699
Madison remains in jail for a year.
1115
01:12:17,701 --> 01:12:20,501
Jail made me feel like
a caged animal.
1116
01:12:20,503 --> 01:12:24,605
You know, like, there was
nothing I could do in there
1117
01:12:24,607 --> 01:12:29,177
except for read the Bible,
work out, drink coffee.
1118
01:12:29,179 --> 01:12:30,778
I'd wake up and I'd be like
all right,
1119
01:12:30,780 --> 01:12:32,447
I'm just going to
wake up in my bed at home.
1120
01:12:32,449 --> 01:12:34,082
Like, "this was all a dream."
1121
01:12:36,186 --> 01:12:37,085
He called.
1122
01:12:37,087 --> 01:12:40,988
He asked how everybody's doing,
1123
01:12:40,990 --> 01:12:43,891
and he wanted to tell me
how hard it was in there.
1124
01:12:43,893 --> 01:12:46,861
I didn't want to hear it.
Didn't care.
1125
01:12:46,863 --> 01:12:51,999
That's the only time I've spoken
to him since that day.
1126
01:12:52,001 --> 01:12:55,370
But April's family
never give up on Madison.
1127
01:12:55,372 --> 01:12:57,405
What kept me going was
my family on the outside,
1128
01:12:57,407 --> 01:13:00,308
you know, encouraging me,
telling me to keep my head up.
1129
01:13:02,846 --> 01:13:06,681
In late 2017,
April's family and Madison
1130
01:13:06,683 --> 01:13:09,784
receive a glimmer of good news.
1131
01:13:09,786 --> 01:13:12,754
His attorney filed some motions,
got his bond reduced,
1132
01:13:12,756 --> 01:13:14,622
which made it to where
my wife and I
1133
01:13:14,624 --> 01:13:16,491
were able to bond him out of jail.
1134
01:13:18,628 --> 01:13:25,066
We were able to bail Madison out
in December of 2017.
1135
01:13:25,068 --> 01:13:26,467
We got him out
right before Christmas,
1136
01:13:26,469 --> 01:13:29,637
which made for a great
Christmas present for everybody.
1137
01:13:29,639 --> 01:13:32,707
That is, almost everybody.
1138
01:13:32,709 --> 01:13:36,644
This turn of events magnifies
the split in the family.
1139
01:13:36,646 --> 01:13:39,614
My family and I didn't like the
fact that he was out on bail.
1140
01:13:39,616 --> 01:13:44,819
We believe that the evidence was
there that showed he was guilty
1141
01:13:44,821 --> 01:13:47,622
and didn't feel like
he should be out.
1142
01:13:47,624 --> 01:13:49,424
Someone that's capable
of killing their parents,
1143
01:13:49,426 --> 01:13:54,295
what could they be capable
of doing?
1144
01:13:54,297 --> 01:13:58,199
But then the defense
team get hold of evidence
1145
01:13:58,201 --> 01:14:02,336
that could blow the case wide open.
1146
01:14:02,338 --> 01:14:04,205
Sheriff Franklin
sent one of his investigators
1147
01:14:04,207 --> 01:14:08,276
over to the courthouse
to get with US to say,
1148
01:14:08,278 --> 01:14:10,411
look, here's the letters.
1149
01:14:10,413 --> 01:14:13,581
We want you guys to be aware
of them before we go to court.
1150
01:14:13,583 --> 01:14:16,517
We don't want you to find out
about it in open court.
1151
01:14:16,519 --> 01:14:17,952
And he allowed US to read them.
1152
01:14:17,954 --> 01:14:20,655
So I read them
to the entire family.
1153
01:14:20,657 --> 01:14:25,026
Michael holton's journal was
found at the scene of the crime.
1154
01:14:27,964 --> 01:14:30,731
Wrote a section
basically first to his mom.
1155
01:14:30,733 --> 01:14:41,843
He talked about each individual child
1156
01:14:41,845 --> 01:14:43,945
and, you know, how much they
need to respect their mom,
1157
01:14:43,947 --> 01:14:46,647
and he was sorry for all
the things he'd done to her.
1158
01:14:49,819 --> 01:14:51,385
And then, to everybody else, he put
1159
01:14:51,387 --> 01:14:52,987
well, it was a fun ride
while it lasted
1160
01:14:52,989 --> 01:14:54,288
so it was obvious
the letter was written
1161
01:14:54,290 --> 01:14:57,525
by someone who had had
serious thoughts of suicide.
1162
01:15:00,296 --> 01:15:01,762
Once I read those letters
I was like,
1163
01:15:01,764 --> 01:15:06,934
there's no way Michael didn't do this.
1164
01:15:06,936 --> 01:15:08,736
You know, when people put
their thoughts on paper,
1165
01:15:08,738 --> 01:15:12,473
you kind of get an idea
of where they are.
1166
01:15:12,475 --> 01:15:15,209
You could tell Michael was hurting,
1167
01:15:15,211 --> 01:15:16,677
and I don't mean
like a physical pain.
1168
01:15:16,679 --> 01:15:19,947
I mean like hurting in here
or hurting up here.
1169
01:15:22,218 --> 01:15:26,053
Madison's family thinks
this should change everything,
1170
01:15:26,055 --> 01:15:28,789
but the sheriff's department
have no doubt
1171
01:15:28,791 --> 01:15:32,894
that Michael and April were murdered.
1172
01:15:32,896 --> 01:15:35,162
I've heard a lot of theories.
1173
01:15:35,164 --> 01:15:39,800
Michael was hell-bent
on committing suicide.
1174
01:15:39,802 --> 01:15:42,803
But there's nothing
in that journal
1175
01:15:42,805 --> 01:15:47,508
that would make any sane man
or woman that read that say,
1176
01:15:47,510 --> 01:15:50,278
aha, he's fixing to go out here
in the next five minutes.
1177
01:15:50,280 --> 01:15:51,412
He's fixing to kill himself.
1178
01:15:51,414 --> 01:15:53,347
The prosecution's key evidence
1179
01:15:53,349 --> 01:15:58,853
remains the autopsy that states
that this was a homicide,
1180
01:15:58,855 --> 01:16:04,892
that Michael was shot from
behind in the back of the head.
1181
01:16:04,894 --> 01:16:07,929
Was Michael depressed?
Possibly. Probably so.
1182
01:16:07,931 --> 01:16:11,999
I don't dispute that one bit,
but we're not concerned about
1183
01:16:12,001 --> 01:16:16,237
what he was the day before
or what his problems were.
1184
01:16:16,239 --> 01:16:18,806
We're concerned about
what happened at that moment.
1185
01:16:21,044 --> 01:16:27,148
Months fly by, and on October 22, 2018,
1186
01:16:27,150 --> 01:16:30,451
the day of jury selection arrives.
1187
01:16:30,453 --> 01:16:32,286
I was nervous, you know,
'cause you don't know
1188
01:16:32,288 --> 01:16:35,456
what the outcome is going to be.
1189
01:16:35,458 --> 01:16:39,427
I kind of started to worry, like
maybe I could lose, you know?
1190
01:16:41,130 --> 01:16:43,331
Just bringing back
a lot of the thoughts
1191
01:16:43,333 --> 01:16:47,902
about that night
that the murders took place.
1192
01:16:50,173 --> 01:16:58,412
The hurt, the pain, wanting to
get it over with, get closure.
1193
01:17:00,149 --> 01:17:04,685
Nobody is expecting the
bombshell that is about to drop.
1194
01:17:13,930 --> 01:17:21,402
It's October 22, 2018,
1195
01:17:21,404 --> 01:17:25,139
over two years since April
and Michael holton were shot.
1196
01:17:27,944 --> 01:17:32,947
Today is the jury selection
for their son's trial.
1197
01:17:32,949 --> 01:17:36,117
I remember waking up
the day of the trial
1198
01:17:36,119 --> 01:17:37,652
and just preparing myself
for the worst
1199
01:17:37,654 --> 01:17:38,819
and hoping for the best,
1200
01:17:38,821 --> 01:17:41,522
you know, just, like,
prepping my family,
1201
01:17:41,524 --> 01:17:43,824
prepping myself more than anything.
1202
01:17:43,826 --> 01:17:48,029
If I do lose, like, I'm going to
prison for the rest of my life.
1203
01:17:48,031 --> 01:17:50,164
The police are confident,
1204
01:17:50,166 --> 01:17:54,535
but moments before the trial
starts, they get a shock.
1205
01:17:56,239 --> 01:17:58,939
15 minutes before
we go to trial over there,
1206
01:17:58,941 --> 01:18:01,475
the district attorney's office
called and said,
1207
01:18:01,477 --> 01:18:03,177
hey, I've looked at this.
1208
01:18:03,179 --> 01:18:05,379
You know, we're right here.
Crunch time.
1209
01:18:05,381 --> 01:18:08,783
And he had a problem
that the pathologist
1210
01:18:08,785 --> 01:18:12,153
couldn't say with 100 degree
of certainty, you know,
1211
01:18:12,155 --> 01:18:15,089
that it could not have
possibly been a suicide.
1212
01:18:15,091 --> 01:18:18,559
The pathologist's
report points to homicide,
1213
01:18:18,561 --> 01:18:22,029
but because he can't
rule out suicide,
1214
01:18:22,031 --> 01:18:23,898
the d.A. Has doubts
1215
01:18:23,900 --> 01:18:26,934
about successfully
prosecuting Madison.
1216
01:18:26,936 --> 01:18:27,902
Bye.
1217
01:18:27,904 --> 01:18:30,171
The district attorney decided
1218
01:18:30,173 --> 01:18:33,441
that they were not going to take
the case to trial.
1219
01:18:33,443 --> 01:18:36,844
Our job as prosecutors is to
find the truth and do justice,
1220
01:18:36,846 --> 01:18:40,381
and it's difficult to do justice
when we can't find the truth.
1221
01:18:40,383 --> 01:18:42,149
And what happened here is
1222
01:18:42,151 --> 01:18:44,652
this case has been open
to interpretation
1223
01:18:44,654 --> 01:18:46,887
as to what happened
from the very beginning.
1224
01:18:46,889 --> 01:18:48,656
We have three good theories.
1225
01:18:48,658 --> 01:18:52,259
One theory is that Jesse holton
killed his parents.
1226
01:18:52,261 --> 01:18:56,664
The other theory is that Jesse's
father killed his mother
1227
01:18:56,666 --> 01:18:58,399
and then Jesse killed his father.
1228
01:19:03,406 --> 01:19:04,638
And then the third theory
1229
01:19:04,640 --> 01:19:06,841
is that Jesse's father
killed his mother
1230
01:19:06,843 --> 01:19:08,109
and then committed suicide.
1231
01:19:12,548 --> 01:19:16,183
Without conclusive testimony
from the pathologist,
1232
01:19:16,185 --> 01:19:18,486
none of the theories can be proven
1233
01:19:18,488 --> 01:19:20,321
beyond a reasonable doubt.
1234
01:19:20,323 --> 01:19:23,023
Because we cannot prove
that he either did it
1235
01:19:23,025 --> 01:19:26,227
or he didn't do it
beyond a reasonable doubt,
1236
01:19:26,229 --> 01:19:28,195
we are ethically obligated
at this point
1237
01:19:28,197 --> 01:19:31,699
to dismiss those charges,
and we have done that today.
1238
01:19:31,701 --> 01:19:34,735
The case will not go to trial.
1239
01:19:34,737 --> 01:19:38,305
Madison holton is a free man.
1240
01:19:38,307 --> 01:19:39,840
I'm, like, ecstatic.
1241
01:19:39,842 --> 01:19:43,744
I'm like, "go get the paperwork
before they change their mind,"
1242
01:19:43,746 --> 01:19:46,313
you know?
1243
01:19:46,315 --> 01:19:48,783
I walk out the courthouse
a free man,
1244
01:19:48,785 --> 01:19:55,156
no murder charges against me,
and a whole new look on life.
1245
01:19:55,158 --> 01:19:58,692
But the sheriff's
department is dismayed.
1246
01:19:58,694 --> 01:20:01,128
They believe that even though
the pathologist
1247
01:20:01,130 --> 01:20:03,397
could not absolutely
exclude suicide,
1248
01:20:03,399 --> 01:20:05,599
the findings
of the pathology report
1249
01:20:05,601 --> 01:20:08,836
still support a murder charge.
1250
01:20:08,838 --> 01:20:10,704
I can tell you
what the evidence shows.
1251
01:20:10,706 --> 01:20:12,473
I can tell you
what the pathologist shows.
1252
01:20:12,475 --> 01:20:14,241
I can tell you
that the pathologist has ruled
1253
01:20:14,243 --> 01:20:16,610
that this is a homicide.
1254
01:20:16,612 --> 01:20:18,612
I can understand why
the district attorney's office
1255
01:20:18,614 --> 01:20:20,714
is doing what he's doing,
1256
01:20:20,716 --> 01:20:24,685
but we still have
this ruled as a homicide.
1257
01:20:24,687 --> 01:20:26,554
Nothing has changed.
1258
01:20:26,556 --> 01:20:29,790
Michael's side of
the family, like the sheriff,
1259
01:20:29,792 --> 01:20:32,693
believe that Madison is guilty.
1260
01:20:32,695 --> 01:20:34,895
I was very angry about that.
1261
01:20:34,897 --> 01:20:36,197
For two-and-a-half years,
1262
01:20:36,199 --> 01:20:39,266
we were told they believe
that Madison had done this.
1263
01:20:39,268 --> 01:20:41,268
They believe they had
the evidence to prove
1264
01:20:41,270 --> 01:20:44,605
that Madison had done this,
and then the morning of trial
1265
01:20:44,607 --> 01:20:47,208
you tell me
you're dropping the charges.
1266
01:20:50,279 --> 01:20:53,881
I guess we never will
know the complete truth.
1267
01:20:53,883 --> 01:20:56,984
In a way, that as much
as I didn't want Madison
1268
01:20:56,986 --> 01:20:59,053
to have to go through a trial,
1269
01:20:59,055 --> 01:21:03,457
I had hoped the truth,
the real truth, would come out.
1270
01:21:03,459 --> 01:21:05,893
Come here, buddy.
Simply watching Madison holton,
1271
01:21:05,895 --> 01:21:09,563
it's easy to forget he's not
a typical 19-year-old.
1272
01:21:09,565 --> 01:21:12,900
He suffered unthinkable loss
and spent his senior year
1273
01:21:12,902 --> 01:21:15,803
in jail on a $1-million dollar bond.
1274
01:21:15,805 --> 01:21:17,838
The year and three months
that Madison spent in jail,
1275
01:21:17,840 --> 01:21:20,107
he missed his senior year
in high school,
1276
01:21:20,109 --> 01:21:23,577
he missed graduation, his senior prom.
1277
01:21:23,579 --> 01:21:25,679
I mean, you go to school
all these years
1278
01:21:25,681 --> 01:21:28,549
to graduate your senior year,
and he missed all of it.
1279
01:21:30,553 --> 01:21:37,658
1280
01:21:37,660 --> 01:21:42,129
In December 2018, Madison
finally completes high school.
1281
01:21:42,131 --> 01:21:46,333
With his family's support,
he graduates with flying colors.
1282
01:21:49,839 --> 01:21:52,706
I learned in jail
the way I was living was wrong,
1283
01:21:52,708 --> 01:21:55,409
and I realized that
whenever I got out
1284
01:21:55,411 --> 01:21:57,177
would be my second chance.
1285
01:21:57,179 --> 01:22:02,249
1286
01:22:02,251 --> 01:22:05,753
After I get my bachelor's,
I plan on going to law school,
1287
01:22:05,755 --> 01:22:09,356
and I plan on becoming
a defense attorney
1288
01:22:09,358 --> 01:22:13,027
to defend those who need it the most.
1289
01:22:13,029 --> 01:22:14,728
But the police don't believe
1290
01:22:14,730 --> 01:22:16,897
that this is the end of the road.
1291
01:22:16,899 --> 01:22:18,766
The charges have not been dismissed.
1292
01:22:18,768 --> 01:22:21,235
As long as he hasn't been
in front of a jury,
1293
01:22:21,237 --> 01:22:24,772
there's no jeopardy attached,
so the d.A. Tomorrow could say,
1294
01:22:24,774 --> 01:22:27,107
you know what?
We're going to go to trial.
1295
01:22:27,109 --> 01:22:30,377
We could go back and charge him again.
1296
01:22:30,379 --> 01:22:33,914
To this day,
Madison maintains his innocence,
1297
01:22:33,916 --> 01:22:39,486
but his dad's side of the family
think he's guilty.
1298
01:22:39,488 --> 01:22:42,856
I still believe Madison did it.
1299
01:22:42,858 --> 01:22:47,428
I still feel the same as when
they told me they charged him.
1300
01:22:49,966 --> 01:22:51,565
I don't know why Michael's family
1301
01:22:51,567 --> 01:22:54,301
doesn't want to believe it.
1302
01:22:54,303 --> 01:22:57,237
Nobody wants to believe that their kid
1303
01:22:57,239 --> 01:23:01,308
is capable of doing
something that violent.
1304
01:23:04,914 --> 01:23:09,950
This is pre-- before
he was, like, on painkillers.
1305
01:23:09,952 --> 01:23:11,418
You know, this was, like --
1306
01:23:11,420 --> 01:23:13,787
this was, like,
when my dad was my dad.
1307
01:23:13,789 --> 01:23:17,925
You know, this was, like,
before he even,
1308
01:23:17,927 --> 01:23:20,227
like, took the turn downhill.
1309
01:23:20,229 --> 01:23:25,332
1310
01:23:25,334 --> 01:23:30,337
Feels good seeing my dad
like that, you know?
1311
01:23:30,339 --> 01:23:33,107
You know, seeing US
as a happy family, you know?
1312
01:23:33,109 --> 01:23:40,247
It cuts deep.
1313
01:23:40,249 --> 01:23:58,632
1314
01:23:58,634 --> 01:24:01,835
I don't want him to ever think
less of his father than he does.
1315
01:24:01,837 --> 01:24:05,839
If he wants to blame something,
blame the drugs.
1316
01:24:05,841 --> 01:24:07,808
That's what it was.
1317
01:24:07,810 --> 01:24:12,012
Eclectic remains divided,
and the debate carries on,
1318
01:24:12,014 --> 01:24:15,649
but April's family insists
that one of the victims
1319
01:24:15,651 --> 01:24:20,120
of this terrible crime
has been forgotten.
1320
01:24:20,122 --> 01:24:21,822
People stopped talking about April,
1321
01:24:21,824 --> 01:24:24,291
and, in reality, she was the hero.
1322
01:24:24,293 --> 01:24:25,826
She was the one
trying to make sure her kids
1323
01:24:25,828 --> 01:24:29,296
had some normal life
and showed up at every event
1324
01:24:29,298 --> 01:24:31,565
and was struggling
to pay all the bills
1325
01:24:31,567 --> 01:24:33,067
and doing whatever she could
to make sure
1326
01:24:33,069 --> 01:24:35,803
that there was enough money
in the house to feed them.
1327
01:24:38,974 --> 01:24:41,909
To lose April at such a young
age, such a beautiful person,
1328
01:24:41,911 --> 01:24:45,145
it just really takes
a piece out of you,
1329
01:24:45,147 --> 01:24:46,480
a piece of your heart.
1330
01:24:49,118 --> 01:24:52,252
The way she loved people,
you know, it's --
1331
01:24:52,254 --> 01:24:55,823
she deserved a lot better than
what she got in the end, though.
1332
01:24:55,825 --> 01:24:58,058
I always tell people drugs
chased her into the world
1333
01:24:58,060 --> 01:24:59,693
and then chased her out of it.
1334
01:25:02,565 --> 01:25:05,899
April had so much love
that she wanted to give...
1335
01:25:08,704 --> 01:25:09,536
...and you can tell.
1336
01:25:09,538 --> 01:25:10,971
I mean, look at Madison.
1337
01:25:10,973 --> 01:25:15,776
A child can't give love if
they don't know what love is...
1338
01:25:18,147 --> 01:25:19,847
...and he was loved.
1339
01:25:22,718 --> 01:25:24,585
She loved her children.
1340
01:25:24,587 --> 01:25:32,059
She had a heart of gold, no doubt.
104783
Can't find what you're looking for?
Get subtitles in any language from opensubtitles.com, and translate them here.