Original subtitles

THIS IS THE TRUE STORY

OF A TYPICAL SOUTHERN FAMILY...

THEY WERE JUST ORDINARY PEOPLE WITH ORDINARY LIVES.

...THAT WOULD BECOME INFAMOUS.

THE BIGGEST THREAT WAS LIVING RIGHT THERE IN THE MIDDLE OF US.

NOW, THIS AMERICAN MURDER MYSTERY IS

BROUGHT BACK TO LIFE

BY NEWLY DISCOVERED HOME MOVIE FOOTAGE,

FOOTAGE THAT SHEDS A NEW LIGHT...

DANGEROUS. A MASTER OF DECEIT.

...ON WHAT IT'S LIKE TO LIVE

WITH AN AMERICAN MONSTER.

Captions by VITAC-- www.vitac.com

CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS

THE YEAR IS 1962.

JOHN F. KENNEDY IS PRESIDENT.

GAS IS 28 CENTS A GALLON, AND IT'S A GREAT DAY

FOR A SUMMER BARBECUE IN ANNISTON, ALABAMA.

ONE OF THE MANY FAMILIES ENJOYING THE SUMMER DAYS

ARE THE HILLEYS,

THE VERY PICTURE OF 1960s AMERICAN VALUES.

A RECENT DISCOVERY OF THIS TREASURE TROVE OF HOME MOVIES

BRING THE HILLEYS' STRANGE STORY BACK INTO FOCUS.

THERE WAS A YEARLY FAMILY REUNION THAT WE ATTENDED.

WHEN WE WOULD GO, I REMEMBER HAVING TO CARRY

THE DISHES THAT MY MOTHER WOULD PREPARE.

MIKE'S MOTHER IS MARIE HILLEY.

SHE'S 29 IN THIS FILM,

THE MODEL OF A PERFECTLY PUT TOGETHER WIFE AND MOM.

HER HUSBAND IS 33-YEAR-OLD FACTORY MANAGER FRANK.

FRANK AND MARIE HAVE BEEN MARRIED FOR 11 YEARS.

THIS NEWLY DISCOVERED FOOTAGE CAPTURES THEM

CATCHING UP WITH THE EXTENDED HILLEY CLAN

BEFORE THEY BECOME FAMOUS FOR ALL THE WRONG REASONS.

THEY WERE YOUNG LOVES.

IT JUST SEEMS LIKE THEY HAD EVERYTHING GOING FOR THEM

AND THAT THEY WERE A VERY HAPPY COUPLE.

FRANK IS A FAMILY MAN AND WELL-LIKED IN TOWN.

MY DAD ALWAYS WANTED TO HAVE A TOUGH PERSONA,

AND YET HE HAD THE GENTLEST HEART

OF ANYBODY THAT I CAN REMEMBER.

BUT MARIE IS THE REAL SOCIALITE IN THE FAMILY.

SHE WAS A HOUSEWIFE, BUT SHE WOULD DRESS IMMACULATELY.

THEY WERE QUITE WELL-KNOWN IN THE AREA

AND HIGHLY RESPECTED.

AND MARIE ALWAYS MADE SURE OF THAT.

ONE YEAR BEFORE THIS FOOTAGE WAS SHOT,

THEY HILLEYS HAD MOVED FROM A RENTED TWO-BED

INTO A BIGGER OWNED HOME

IN ONE OF THE NICEST PARTS OF ANNISTON.

MY DAD BOUGHT A HOUSE ON McCLELLAN BOULEVARD.

MY MOTHER, I'M SURE, WAS BEHIND THE IMPETUS TO MOVE,

AND MOVING ACROSS THAT HIGHWAY ELEVATED THEIR STATUS.

OKAY. COME ON.

THE QUIET, WELL-GROOMED SUBURB

IS JUST THE KIND OF PLACE MARIE ALWAYS ASPIRED TO,

LIVING AMONG THE HAVES AND THE HAVE-MORES.

HONEY, THAT CAN JUST GO IN THE SPARE ROOM.

- IN THE SPARE ROOM? - YEAH.

OKAY.

IT WAS $13,000 FOR THE HOUSE.

THE PAYMENT, I REMEMBER, WAS $81 A MONTH.

MY DAD WOULD SIT AT THE KITCHEN TABLE

WORRYING ABOUT HOW HE WAS GOING TO MAKE THAT MORTGAGE PAYMENT.

MARIE IS LESS WORRIED ABOUT THE MONEY

AND MORE CONCERNED WITH THE FAMILY'S IMAGE.

MARIE DID WANT TO IMPRESS THE NEIGHBORS.

SHE STARTED WANTING MORE AND MORE AND MORE.

MARIE INSISTS THEY HAVE ALL THE LATEST LUXURIES,

REGARDLESS OF THE COST.

THE TIMES I REMEMBER US SPENDING TOGETHER

WOULD BE ON A TYPICAL SUNDAY EVENING.

MY DAD WOULD BRING IN DOUGHNUTS.

AND THAT'S WHAT WE WOULD HAVE FOR DINNER ON SUNDAY NIGHTS.

I ALWAYS LOVED IT.

THE GEMINI, WHICH WAS DEVELOPED HERE...

BUT THEIR BRAND-NEW TV SET EATS UP

ABOUT TWO MONTHS OF FRANK'S SALARY.

THE HILLEYS ARE STARTING TO LIVE BEYOND THEIR MEANS.

MARIE WANTED TO BE A MORE OUTSTANDING FAMILY

THAN WHAT THEY WERE.

THEY WERE JUST ORDINARY PEOPLE WITH ORDINARY LIVES,

AND IF THEY HAD MADE THE BEST OF ALL THAT,

THEY ALL WOULD PROBABLY STILL BE VERY HAPPY.

THIS NEVER-BEFORE-SHARED FOOTAGE

SHOWS MARIE HILLEY IN A RED COAT

WITH HER FRIENDS BEATRICE AND TONY.

AND THERE'S FRANK IN HIS SUNDAY BEST.

THEY'RE SETTING OFF FOR THEIR WEEKLY TRIP TO CHURCH.

THEY CERTAINLY GIVE THE IMPRESSION

THAT NOTHING AT ALL IS OUT OF PLACE.

BUT BEHIND CLOSED DOORS,

SEVEN YEARS AFTER MOVING INTO THEIR NEW HOME,

THE PRESSURE OF PAYING FOR THE PERFECT LIFE

IS TAKING ITS TOLL.

16-YEAR-OLD MIKE IS FEELING TENSION.

FEET OFF THE TABLE, MICHAEL.

I COULD TELL THERE WAS A FINANCIAL STRAIN

THAT WAS STARTING TO WEAR ON MY DAD.

A LOT OF IT WAS THE HOUSE WE WERE IN.

OF COURSE, IT COST MORE THAN WHAT HE HAD BEEN PAYING BEFORE.

WHERE ARE YOU GOING, MOM?

WE ARE GOING TO GO LOOK FOR YOUR FATHER.

COME ON.

SO WHERE'S DAD?

THE ELKS CLUB AS USUAL.

WHEN MY DAD INITIALLY STARTED GOING TO THE ELKS CLUB,

HE WOULD SPEND MAYBE A COUPLE HOURS

AND MAYBE JUST A COUPLE OF NIGHTS A WEEK.

THEN I NOTICED HE WOULD BE GONE LONGER.

NO, NO.

FRANK HAS BECOME A REGULAR AT THE POKER NIGHT.

I BEGAN TO SENSE A STRAIN IN THEIR RELATIONSHIP.

HE MAYBE STARTED FEELING LIKE HE WASN'T PROVIDING

FOR EVERYTHING THAT SHE WANTED.

FRANK NEEDS MORE MONEY,

AND HE THINKS THIS IS THE BEST WAY TO RAISE IT.

MARIE DOESN'T QUITE AGREE.

I'D HAVE TO SIT IN THE CAR WHILE SHE WENT IN.

AND SHE'D HAVE TO KNOCK ON THE FRONT DOOR

BECAUSE THEY WOULDN'T LET HER IN.

- FRANK. - OH, GOD.

MARIE, I'M SORRY.

I THOUGHT I ASKED YOU NOT TO COME HERE.

THIS IS THE MEN'S CLUB.

FRANK, I THINK YOU NEED TO COME HOME NOW.

AND I'M NEVER SURE WHAT HAPPENED WHEN THAT DOOR CLOSED,

BUT IT WOULDN'T BE TOO LONG THAT DAD WOULD BE COMING HOME.

SO IT WAS CREATING A LOT MORE FRICTION BETWEEN THEM.

WHY DO YOU THINK I GO EVERY SECOND NIGHT TO PLAY POKER?

I DON'T KNOW, TO PLAY WITH YOUR BUDDIES.

I GO THERE TO MAKE MONEY FOR YOU.

- MONEY FOR ME? - YES. YES, MARIE.

- THE ONLY-- - TO MAKE MONEY FOR YOU.

THE ONLY PEOPLE GETTING THAT MONEY ARE YOUR POKER FRIENDS.

I WAS LAYING IN BED ONE NIGHT, AND A POT OR A PAN HIT THE WALL

AND THAT'S WHAT WOKE ME UP,

AND I HEARD THEM YELLING AT EACH OTHER.

HIS YOUNGER SISTER, CAROL, IS ALSO WORRIED.

MIKE, ARE YOU AWAKE?

YEAH, COME IN.

YOU THINK I'M JUST PLAYING POKER,

HANGING OUT WITH THE GUYS AND PLAYING POKER.

YEAH, THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT YOU'RE DOING.

MY DAD HAD A TEMPER.

SOMETIMES, IT DIDN'T TAKE A LOT TO SET HIM OFF.

DAMN IT, HOW MUCH MONEY HAVE YOU SPENT THIS LAST MONTH?

IN PRIVATE, THERE ARE SERIOUS CRACKS

IN THE HILLEY MARRIAGE.

BUT TO THE OUTSIDE WORLD,

MARIE MAINTAINS THE PICTURE OF PERFECTION.

I DON'T KNOW THAT SHE WASN'T HAPPY,

BUT I KNOW SHE WAS NEVER CONTENT.

THERE WAS ALWAYS ONE MORE ITEM TO BUY,

ONE MORE STATUS TO CLIMB.

IN 1972, 20-YEAR-OLD MIKE

LEAVES HIS FAMILY'S TENSION-FILLED HOUSE IN ALABAMA

AND MOVES TO ATLANTA TO STUDY TO BE A PASTOR.

BUT HIS PARENTS ARE NEVER FAR FROM HIS MIND.

WHEN YOU MOVE AWAY FROM HOME FOR THE FIRST TIME,

I KNOW THE PARENTS WORRY ABOUT THE CHILD,

BUT SOMETIMES THE CHILD WORRIES ABOUT THE PARENTS AS WELL.

AND EVERY NOW AND THEN, I WOULD HEAR STORIES OF THINGS

THAT WERE GOING ON BACK HOME.

AND ONE STORY MIKE HEARS ABOUT IS QUITE TROUBLING.

MY DAD WAS AT THE ELKS CLUB PLAYING IN ONE

OF THE SMALL-STAKES POKER GAMES.

OH!

WITHOUT WARNING, AN INDIVIDUAL CAME BURSTING

THROUGH THE DOOR WITH A HANDGUN, ROBBED THE POKER GAME.

APPARENTLY, FRANK RECOGNIZED THE MAN'S TATTOO.

HE KNEW IT WAS JIM, A REGULAR AT THE ELKS CLUB,

AND FRANK AND HIS BUDDIES

DECIDED NOT TO LET HIM GET AWAY WITH IT.

BY THE TIME HE GOT HOME WITH THE BAG OF MONEY THAT HE HAD,

MY DAD AND THE OTHER INDIVIDUALS

WERE WAITING ON THE FRONT PORCH FOR HIM.

HELLO, JIM.

AND I UNDERSTAND THAT THEY TAUGHT HIM A LESSON IN HUMILITY,

SO TO SPEAK.

THEY GOT THEIR MONEY BACK.

DON'T YOU EVER TAKE MY MONEY AGAIN!

TO MIKE, OVER IN ATLANTA,

THIS SINISTER SIDE TO HIS FATHER'S LIFE

COMES AS A SHOCK.

BUT NOW, LOOKING BACK AT THIS NEWLY DISCOVERED FOOTAGE

OF HIS FAMILY IN THEIR SUNDAY BEST,

HE WONDERS HOW HE MISSED THE SIGNS

OF THE DEADLY CHAIN OF EVENTS ABOUT TO UNFOLD.

WHEN YOU'RE ON THE INSIDE, LOOKING AT THE INSIDE

AND DEALING WITH THE INSIDE,

IT WASN'T SO IDEAL.

IN THE LEAFY SUBURBS OF ANNISTON, ALABAMA,

SEEN HERE IN THESE FAMILY HOME MOVIES,

FRANK AND MARIE HILLEY

SEEM TO BE LIVING THE AMERICAN DREAM,

THOUGH THEIR MOUNTING DEBTS

ARE CAUSING PROBLEMS IN THEIR MARRIAGE.

FOR THEIR SON, MIKE, NOW AWAY FROM HOME AND STUDYING

TO BE A PASTOR, LIFE COULDN'T BE BETTER.

AFTER BEING IN ATLANTA AT THE COLLEGE FOR ABOUT A YEAR,

I MET A YOUNG GIRL THERE.

HER NAME WAS TERI, AND WE STARTED DATING, ENDED UP,

ABOUT A YEAR LATER, GETTING MARRIED.

THEIR WEDDING DAY IN 1974

WAS FILMED BY TERI'S FATHER ON A SUPER 8 CAMERA,

AND THE FILM HAS NEVER BEEN SHOWN ON TV BEFORE.

FOR MIKE, THE FILM BRINGS BACK MEMORIES

OF ALL THE PLANNING INVOLVED FOR THE BIG DAY.

I THOUGHT LONG AND HARD ABOUT WHO I WANTED TO BE MY BEST MAN,

AND THE PERSON I KEPT COMING BACK TO WAS MY DAD.

FRANK IS THE ONE IN THE FASHIONABLE POWDER BLUE TUX.

MARIE IS ON THE RIGHT WEARING A CREAM DRESS.

HE PROBABLY HAD MORE POSITIVE INFLUENCE ON ME

THAN ANY OTHER PERSON EVER HAD,

AND I JUST FELT LIKE THAT WAS APPROPRIATE

THAT HE BE THE BEST MAN.

BUT ALL THROUGHOUT THIS DAY,

FRANK IS KEEPING A SECRET.

HE NEARLY HAD TO SKIP THE WEDDING ALL TOGETHER

BECAUSE OF A SERIOUS AND MYSTERIOUS HEALTH PROBLEM.

HE COULDN'T KEEP ANYTHING ON HIS STOMACH.

HE WAS LOSING WEIGHT.

BUT HE COULDN'T FIGURE OUT WHAT WAS WRONG.

WHEN FRANK STARTED GETTING ILL, HE TRIED TAKING ALKA-SELTZERS.

HE LIVED OFF OF THEM.

HE TRIED EVERYTHING TO SETTLE HIS STOMACH, WHICH IT WOULD NOT.

NEWLYWEDS MIKE AND TERI COULDN'T BE HAPPIER,

AND DESPITE FRANK'S ILLNESS,

THE DAY IS A HUGE SUCCESS.

EVERYBODY WAS TOGETHER.

EVERYBODY WAS HAVING A GREAT TIME.

THOSE WERE HAPPIER TIMES, THOUGH,

BECAUSE IN 10 MONTHS, THINGS WOULD CHANGE FOREVER.

THAT FALL,

FRANK'S STRANGE ILLNESS GROWS WORSE.

FRANK WAS NOT GETTING ANY BETTER,

AND THEY HAD A FAMILY DOCTOR.

HE COULDN'T FIGURE OUT WHAT WAS TAKING PLACE.

ONE SUNDAY WHEN HE WAS GETTING WORSE,

ME AND MY MOTHER WENT UP TO THEIR HOUSE,

AND I WALKED INTO THE ROOM WHERE FRANK WAS IN BED,

AND HE WAS RUBBING HIS ARM.

HOW ARE YOU?

OH, WELL, THEY'RE PUTTING ALL SORTS OF THINGS INTO ME.

HE TOLD ME THAT MARIE HAD TALKED WITH THE DOCTOR

AND WAS GOING TO HAVE TO LEARN TO GIVE HIM SHOTS AT HOME.

MY MOTHER TOOK ON THE PERSONA THAT SHE HAD ALL THROUGH

OUR GROWING UP YEARS--

DAD'S SICK.

I'VE GOT TO TO DO EVERYTHING IN THE WORLD

THAT I CAN TO MAKE HIM BETTER,

TAKE HIM TO THE DOCTOR, MAKE SURE HE'S OKAY.

IT WOULD APPEAR THAT SHE'S DOING EVERYTHING

THAT SHE CAN TO TAKE CARE OF HIM.

SO FROM THE OUTSIDE LOOKING IN,

SHE LOOKS LIKE THE IDEAL WIFE TAKING CARE OF HER HUSBAND,

WHO'S GETTING IN WORSE HEALTH BY THE DAY.

JUST ONE YEAR BEFORE,

FRANK STOOD BY MIKE'S SIDE AT HIS WEDDING.

THIS ONCE-STRONG HEAD OF THE FAMILY

IS WASTING AWAY,

AND DOCTORS HAVE NO CLUE WHY.

OVER THE NEXT TWO TO THREE WEEKS,

I GOT A PHONE CALL DAILY, TELLING ME,

"YOUR DAD'S NOT RESPONDING TO MUCH OF ANYTHING."

MY MOTHER SAID SOMETHING THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN

THE BIGGEST WARNING FLAG

THAT ANYBODY'S EVER PUT UP.

SHE SAID, "IF THEY DON'T DO SOMETHING FOR HIM,

HE'S GOING TO DIE."

AT THE TIME, MIKE HAS NO IDEA

OF THE TRUTH BEHIND MARIE'S WORDS.

MAY 25, 1975,

UH, IS RIGHT THERE AT THE TOP OF THE WORST DAYS OF MY LIFE.

I GOT A PHONE CALL,

PROBABLY THE SEVENTH OR EIGHTH PHONE CALL I'D GOT THAT WEEK,

AND SAID, "YOUR DAD'S IN THE HOSPITAL."

I IMMEDIATELY THREW EVERYTHING I COULD IN A BAG

AND MADE THE TWO-HOUR DRIVE TO ANNISTON

IN ABOUT AN HOUR AND A HALF.

IT WAS ALMOST LIKE YOU'RE RUNNING IN QUICKSAND.

YOU'VE GOT TO GET THERE QUICK, BUT YOU CAN'T DO IT.

WHEN I WALKED OVER TO MY MOTHER, IMMEDIATELY LOOKS UP AND SAYS,

"WHAT'S WRONG?"

DAD IS NOT BREATHING. DAD IS NOT BREATHING.

- FRANK? - DAD?

FRANK? GET THE DOCTOR.

WHEN THOSE DOCTORS AND NURSES WERE WALKING OUT OF THE ROOM

ONE AT A TIME,

I CAN LOOK AT THEIR FACE AND TELL,

YOU KNOW, HE'S DEAD.

THE DOCTORS HAVE NO IDEA

WHAT CAUSED FRANK'S DEATH.

I'M NEVER GOING TO SPEAK TO HIM AGAIN,

OR HE'S NEVER GOING TO SPEAK TO ME.

WHEN I WENT OVER TO TELL CAROL,

THE REALIZATION OF IT HIT ME

BECAUSE THE HOUSE SEEMED SO EMPTY.

HE'S NOT COMING HOME.

YOU KNOW, HE'LL NEVER WALK THROUGH THE DOORS

OF THIS HOUSE AGAIN.

FRANK'S AUTOPSY REVEALS THAT HE DIED

FROM HEPATITIS AND KIDNEY FAILURE.

THE FOLLOWING WEEK, HUNDREDS TURN OUT FOR HIS FUNERAL.

WE GOT TO THE CEMETERY.

THERE WAS A LINE PROBABLY FIVE, SIX MILES LONG.

I REMEMBER THINKING, IN SPITE OF THE HURT,

IN SPITE OF THE GRIEF AND THE PAIN,

THAT I WAS PROUD TO BE HIS SON.

WITH HIS FATHER GONE,

MIKE DECIDES TO MOVE BACK IN WITH HIS MOTHER AND SISTER.

BUT BEFORE LONG, STRANGE THINGS START HAPPENING.

ONE NIGHT, I WAS LAYING IN BED.

I HEARD A NOISE OUTSIDE.

SO I GOT UP AND WENT DOWN THE HALL

AND ACTUALLY WALKED OUT THE BACK DOOR

AND INTO THE BACKYARD.

WHO'S OUT THERE?

WHO'S THERE?

WHOEVER MADE THE NOISE IS LONG GONE,

BUT SOMETHING CATCHES MIKE'S EYE.

AND I LOOK AND THERE'S A NOTE ON THE BACK DOOR.

AND I'M THINKING, "OKAY. WHERE DID THAT COME FROM?

WHY DIDN'T I SEE THAT?"

IT SAYS,

"IF YOU DON'T LEAVE, WE'LL BURN YOU OUT."

MIKE'S LIFE AT THE HILLEY HOME

IS ABOUT TO TAKE A TERRIFYING TURN.

HIS FATHER FRANK'S TROUBLES WILL STRETCH BACK

TO HAUNT THE HILLEYS FROM BEYOND THE GRAVE.

ANNISTON, ALABAMA, 1976.

IT'S THE KIND OF UPSCALE COMMUNITY

THAT WORKING FAMILIES LIKE THE HILLEYS MOVE TO,

TO FEEL A LITTLE SAFER.

BUT AFTER FRANK IS STRUCK DOWN BY A FATAL ILLNESS,

HIS WIDOW, MARIE, FINDS HERSELF THE TARGET OF THREATENING NOTES.

I'M LOOKING AT MY MOTHER, THIS HELPLESS WIDOW.

I'M NOT SURE SHE CAN TAKE CARE OF HERSELF,

AND I WANT TO FIND OUT

IF THERE'S ANY DANGER SHE MIGHT BE IN

OR WHETHER IT'S JUST SOMEBODY PLAYING JOKES

OR YOU KNOW, WHATEVER IT MIGHT BE.

AND THEN MARIE STARTS TO

RECEIVE MYSTERIOUS PHONE CALLS.

HELLO?

HELLO? WHO IS THIS?

I'M GOING TO CALL THE COPS.

MOM, WHAT'S WRONG?

IT'S THOSE MEN AGAIN.

SHE WOULD LET ME KNOW THAT SOMEBODY CALLED AND THREATENED

TO KILL HER AND CAROL AND SO FORTH.

AND I KEPT PRESSING HER.

I SAID, "WHY WOULD SOMEBODY BE DOING THIS?"

OVER THE NEXT THREE MONTHS,

THE NOTES AND DEATH THREATS INCREASE.

SOMEONE CLOSE TO THE HILLEYS APPEARS TO WANT THEM DEAD

WITH NO OBVIOUS MOTIVE.

FINALLY, I GOT EXASPERATED ENOUGH WITH HER AND FEELING

LIKE THAT SHE WAS NOT TELLING ME THE ENTIRE STORY,

THAT IF SHE COULD NOT GIVE ME A GOOD REASON

WHY THIS WAS HAPPENING,

NOT TO BOTHER ME WITH IT AGAIN.

WHY ARE WE BEING THREATENED?

I DIDN'T WANT TO TELL YOU THIS.

YOUR FATHER,

HE LEFT SOME GAMBLING DEBTS.

PEOPLE WANT MONEY FOR THOSE DEBTS.

WHAT?

SHE MIGHT AS WELL HAVE TOLD ME THAT DAD WAS IN THE MAFIA,

BUT IT WAS ALL I COULD TAKE AT FACE VALUE AT THE TIME.

THE REVELATION ALSO SPARKS A NEW THOUGHT.

WHAT IF FRANK'S STRANGE AND FATAL ILLNESS

WASN'T JUST INFECTIOUS HEPATITIS?

WHAT IF SOMEONE WANTED HIM DEAD?

BUT THEN, JUST AS MYSTERIOUSLY AS THEY BEGAN,

THE ODD THREATS STOP.

HOPING FOR THE BEST, MIKE AND TERI MOVE DOWN TO FLORIDA.

IN ANNISTON, MARIE ENCOURAGES CAROL

TO FORGET ABOUT THE THREATS AND RETURN TO NORMAL,

AND THINGS DO GET BETTER...

FOR A WHILE.

THREE YEARS LATER, IN 1979,

IT'S THE MORNING AFTER CAROL'S HIGH-SCHOOL PROM.

CAROL?

CAROL?

CAROL, COME ON.

CAROL IS RUSHED TO THE HOSPITAL.

MY MOTHER CALLED ME AND SAID THAT,

"I JUST WANT TO LET YOU KNOW

THAT CAROL WENT TO THE PROM LAST NIGHT."

I SUPPOSE SHE WAS OUT DRINKING AND SMOKING POT

WITH HER FRIENDS.

THAT'S WHY SHE'S SO SICK.

I'M THINKING, "WAIT A MINUTE. I KNOW CAROL WELL ENOUGH TO KNOW

I DON'T THINK SHE'S DOING DRUGS."

IT JUST DIDN'T SEEM TO FIT.

THREE DAYS LATER, CAROL IS STILL IN THE HOSPITAL.

SHE WAS IN SO MUCH PAIN,

SHE WOULD'VE WANTED ANY KIND OF MEDICINE,

ANYTHING THAT WOULD RELIEVE HER OF THAT PAIN.

DOCTORS CAN FIND NOTHING WRONG WITH CAROL.

AFTER THE DOCTORS HAD TRIED EVERYTHING

THAT THEY COULD TO FIND FROM A PHYSICAL ASPECT

WHAT WAS WRONG WITH HER AND BEING UNABLE TO,

THEN TURNED TO TRYING TO FIGURE OUT

IF IT WAS POSSIBLY A MENTAL OR PSYCHOLOGICAL PROBLEM.

TO MIKE, CAROL'S SUDDEN ILLNESS

SOUNDS ALL TOO FAMILIAR.

CAROL GETTING SICK FOR NO APPARENT REASON

AND UNABLE TO GET BETTER.

IT WAS LIKE WHAT HAPPENED WITH MY DAD.

WHAT'S WORSE, MIKE KNOWS THAT

HIS MOM IS IN NO POSITION FINANCIALLY

TO COPE WITH THIS LATEST EMERGENCY.

DURING THE TIME THAT CAROL WAS IN THE HOSPITAL,

I WAS WORRIED ABOUT HOW SHE WAS GOING TO PAY FOR ALL THIS.

MIKE MAKES THE EIGHT-HOUR DRIVE

BACK TO ANNISTON FROM FLORIDA

TO HELP HIS MOM TAKE CARE

OF THE HOSPITAL BILLS AND HER FINANCES.

WHEN SHE WAS AT THE HOSPITAL WITH CAROL,

I STARTED GOING THROUGH SOME PAPERS.

THERE WERE LITERALLY HUNDREDS OF BILLS

THAT SHE OWED TO DIFFERENT PEOPLE,

SO I KNEW SHE WAS IN EXTREME FINANCIAL DIFFICULTY.

SHE HAD BEEN TALKING ABOUT MY DAD HAVING STOCK

IN THE COMPANY HE WORKED FOR.

MIKE IS HOPING THEY CAN CASH IN

SOME OF THESE INVESTMENTS TO HELP PAY OFF HIS MOM'S DEBTS.

I'VE TRIED SPEAKING WITH THE BANK, MIKE.

THEY WON'T LET ME SEE ANY OF IT.

I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY.

I FELT LIKE THIS WAS IMPORTANT ENOUGH TO PUSH THE ISSUE,

AND SO I TOLD MY MOTHER.

I SAID, "LOOK, WE'RE GOING DOWN TO THE BANK TOMORROW.

WE'RE GOING TO GET THIS STRAIGHTENED OUT."

I'M JUST SO EMBARRASSED.

WHAT WOULD I DO WITHOUT YOU, HUH?

SO THE NEXT MORNING, I GOT UP, ATE BREAKFAST,

AND BEFORE I KNEW WHAT WAS HAPPENING,

I WAS AS SICK AS I'VE EVER BEEN.

WE WENT TO THE SAME DOCTOR THAT SHE HAD BEEN USING FOR CAROL.

HE GAVE ME AN INJECTION OF SOMETHING

THAT'S SUPPOSED TO TAKE CARE OF NAUSEA,

AND AS A RESULT, I WAS OUT ALL DAY,

UNABLE TO GO TO THE BANK.

MARIE'S FINANCIAL ISSUES WILL

HAVE TO BE SETTLED ANOTHER TIME.

A FEW MONTHS LATER, MIKE IS FEELING FINE

AND BACK IN FLORIDA.

BUT HIS SISTER CAROL'S CONDITION IS NOW CRITICAL,

AND DOCTORS ARE STUMPED

BY THE PERVASIVE ILLNESS HAUNTING THE HILLEYS.

SHE'S HAD A LOT OF WEIGHT LOSS.

HER LEGS ARE SOMEWHAT PARALYZED.

SHE'S JUST LAYING IN A HOSPITAL BED,

CONTINUOUSLY GOING THROUGH TESTS.

DEVOTED MOM MARIE NEVER LEAVES CAROL'S SIDE...

...UNTIL THEY RECEIVE

AN UNEXPECTED VISIT AT THE HOSPITAL.

THE ONCE PICTURE-PERFECT HILLEY FAMILY IS ABOUT TO DISCOVER

THAT A MONSTER HAS BEEN STALKING THEM FOR YEARS.

THESE NEWLY DISCOVERED HOME MOVIES SHOW

HOW NORMAL THE HILLEY FAMILY ONCE WAS

OUTSIDE THEIR COMFORTABLE SUBURBAN HOME

IN ANNISTON, ALABAMA.

BUT IN 1979, THIS ILLUSION OF THE HAPPY FAMILY

WILL BE FOREVER SHATTERED.

IT'S SEPTEMBER,

AND MARIE HILLEY'S HUSBAND FRANK HAS DIED,

AND SHE IS NOW AT THE HOSPITAL LOOKING AFTER

HER CRITICALLY ILL DAUGHTER...

MRS. HILLEY, WILL YOU COME WITH ME, PLEASE?

...WHEN LOCAL POLICE SHOW UP.

WHAT SEEMS TO BE THE PROBLEM?

MA'AM, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO ESCORT YOU DOWNTOWN.

NO, THERE'S GOT TO BE SOME KIND OF MISTAKE.

TO HER UTTER SURPRISE,

MARIE IS ARRESTED FOR WRITING BAD CHECKS

AND ESCORTED TO THE ANNISTON CITY JAIL.

WELL, THAT GOT EVERYBODY'S ATTENTION.

ACCORDING TO HER, IT WAS JUST A MIX-UP.

YOU KNOW, THE BANK MESSED UP.

BUT IT'S NO MISTAKE.

MARIE HAS BEEN PASSING BAD CHECKS TO PAY HER DEBTS.

STILL IN FLORIDA, MIKE IS STUNNED BY THE NEWS

OF HIS MOTHER'S ARREST,

BUT THEN HE GETS ANOTHER PHONE CALL

THAT FORCES HIM TO RETHINK EVERYTHING.

AUNT FREEDA.

ONE OF CAROL'S FRIENDS CALLED ME AND SAID

THAT SHE HAD SEEN MARIE GIVING CAROL SHOTS.

FREEDA CLAIMS THAT MARIE

WAS GIVING CAROL INJECTIONS,

SOME KIND OF SPECIAL MEDICINE TO HELP HER WALK AGAIN.

I COULDN'T FIGURE OUT WHAT WAS GOING ON HERE,

WHAT WAS GOING ON THERE, WHAT WAS CAUSING THIS,

WHO WAS TELLING ME THE TRUTH AND WHO WASN'T.

IT WAS EXTREMELY FRUSTRATING.

WHAT RINGS ALARM BELLS FOR MIKE

IS THAT HE REMEMBERS

THAT HIS MOM ALSO GAVE HIS DAD, FRANK,

INJECTIONS WHEN HE WAS SICK.

IT WAS LIKE AN IMPLODING PUZZLE THAT CAME TOGETHER.

ALL THE PIECES JUST STARTED TO FIT.

I CALLED CAROL.

I SAID, "CAROL, LET ME ASK YOU A QUESTION."

HAS MOM BEEN GIVING YOU INJECTIONS?

NO, OF COURSE NOT.

AND I COULD TELL THAT SHE WAS LYING TO ME.

SHE WAS SCARED, AND SHE THOUGHT THAT SHE WAS GOING

TO GET HER MOTHER IN TROUBLE

FOR GIVING HER THE INJECTIONS.

SO SHE SAID NO.

YOU'VE GOT TO BE HONEST WITH ME, OKAY?

I'M YOUR BROTHER. HAS MOM BEEN INJECTING YOU?

YEAH.

YEAH, MOM HAS BEEN GIVING ME INJECTIONS.

MIKE FEELS HELPLESS DOWN IN FLORIDA.

ALL HE CAN DO IS CALL CAROL'S DOCTOR

TO TELL HIM WHAT HE SUSPECTS.

DR. THOMPSON,

I THINK CAROL IS BEING POISONED.

THEY SAW THE WHITE LINES IN HER FINGERNAILS

AND DETERMINED THAT WAS A SIGN OF ARSENIC POISONING.

I KNOW THAT SHE DID THIS TO CAROL NOW,

BUT I'M SURE HOPING

THAT SHE DIDN'T DO THIS TO MY DAD.

THE FIRST THING I DID WAS CALL THE COUNTY CORONER IN ANNISTON

AND ASK HIM IF THEY COULD EXHUME

MY DAD'S BODY TO DO ANOTHER AUTOPSY ON HIM.

NEWS OF A POTENTIAL SPOUSAL

HOMICIDE DOESN'T STAY QUIET

IN A SMALL TOWN LIKE ANNISTON.

THE BODY OF FRANK HILLEY, MARIE'S HUSBAND,

IS EXHUMED BY THE POLICE.

HE DIED IN 1975, SUPPOSEDLY OF HEPATITIS.

WHEN WE FOUND OUT THEY WERE GOING TO EXHUME FRANK HILLEY,

A LOT OF US WENT OUT TO THE CEMETERY.

ONCE THE STORY RAN,

IT'S ALL ANYBODY IN ANNISTON TALKED ABOUT.

THE AUDREY MARIE HILLEY STORY

IS ONE OF INTRIGUE AND ALLEGED FAMILY MURDERS.

IT APPEARS TO BE STRAIGHT OUT OF A SOAP OPERA.

MARIE IS STILL IN JAIL FOR PASSING THOSE BAD CHECKS

WHEN MIKE DECIDES TO PAY HER A VISIT.

I DIDN'T WANT IT TO BE TRUE.

EVEN THOUGH I'D BEEN TRYING TO LOOK FOR WAYS TO FIND OUT

EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED WHEN I FOUND IT OUT,

THEN I WAS LOOKING FOR WAYS FOR IT NOT TO BE TRUE, YOU KNOW,

AND THAT KIND OF THINKING WILL DRIVE YOU CRAZY.

HONEY, I'M SO GLAD YOU CAME.

YOUR OWN DAUGHTER, MOM.

MICHAEL, THAT'S RIDICULOUS.

YOU CAN'T BELIEVE THAT I DID THIS.

YOU POISONED YOUR OWN DAUGHTER.

BUT MARIE IS DEFIANT TO THE LAST.

MICHAEL, I HAVE BEEN SET UP. OKAY?

SHE HOPED THAT I DIDN'T BELIEVE THAT SHE WAS GUILTY OF THIS,

AND INSIDE, I'M SAYING, "I DON'T THINK YOU ARE.

I KNOW YOU ARE."

MICHAEL, LISTEN TO ME. THIS IS WHAT WE'VE GOT TO DO.

OKAY? WE'VE GOT TO...

HONESTLY, BY THAT TIME, I WAS SICK OF HEARING IT.

YOU KNOW, I'VE DONE EVERYTHING I CAN DO.

STILL, WITHOUT ANY PHYSICAL EVIDENCE

LINKING MARIE TO CAROL'S ARSENIC POISONING,

POLICE CAN'T CHARGE HER.

IT'S AUNT FREEDA WHO FINDS THE PROOF

WHEN SHE'S CLEANING OUT MARIE'S HOUSE.

THERE WAS A FEW ITEMS ON THAT SHELF,

BUT THEN I NOTICED THERE WAS A GREEN BOTTLE THERE.

IT WAS LIQUID AND LIKE WATER,

AND AT THAT POINT,

I STARTED TO PUT IT BACK, BUT I DIDN'T,

AND I THOUGHT ABOUT POURING IT DOWN THE SINK,

AND I DIDN'T, AND I PUT IT IN MY HANDBAG.

AND THE NEXT MORNING, I TOOK IT TO THE POLICE STATION.

THE LAB CONFIRMS IT'S ARSENIC.

MARIE IS CHARGED WITH CAROL'S ATTEMPTED MURDER,

BUT HER LAWYER GETS HER RELEASED ON BAIL.

THREE MONTHS LATER, THE AUTOPSY RESULTS

ON FRANK'S EXHUMED BODY COME BACK.

HE'S LACED WITH ARSENIC.

THERE WAS THAT FEELING OF BETRAYAL,

HURT, ANGER.

ALL OF THE EMOTIONS TIED UP INTO ONE.

FRANK'S MYSTERY ILLNESS,

CAROL'S UNEXPLAINED POST-PROM SICKNESS,

MIKE'S BOUT OF NAUSEA

ON THE EVE OF VISITING THE BANKERS,

ALL OF IT WAS ARSENIC POISONING,

AND ALL OF IT WAS MARIE'S DOING.

MARIE IS CALLED BACK TO THE POLICE STATION,

BUT SHE DOESN'T SHOW.

SHE IS NO LONGER AT THE MOTEL SHE MOVED IN

WHEN SHE POSTED BAIL.

MARIE HILLEY HAS VANISHED.

SHE HAD BEEN MISSING FOR 24 HOURS.

I DIDN'T KNOW WHERE SHE WAS,

SO I DIDN'T KNOW IF SHE WAS ALIVE,

IF SHE WAS DEAD.

THE MANHUNT WILL BE THE WORK

OF FBI AGENT WAYNE MANIS.

PEOPLE BEGAN TO SHOW A GREAT DEAL OF HATRED

AND ANIMOSITY TOWARDS HER.

THEY WANTED HER CAUGHT AND OFF THE STREET.

THEY DIDN'T LIKE THE IDEA OF GOING TO BED AT NIGHT

AND NOT KNOWING WHERE SHE WAS.

THERE WAS A TIME THAT I THOUGHT

I SAW HER RIGHT OUTSIDE MY HOUSE.

I DON'T KNOW IF IT WAS OR WASN'T,

BUT IT WAS SURE CLOSE ENOUGH FOR ME

TO KEEP A CLOSE EYE OUT.

IT BECAME LOCAL LEGEND. IT BECAME A LOCAL MYTH.

WHERE IS MARIE? WHAT'S HAPPENING TO HER?

SHE'S WANTED, BOTH FOR MURDER AND ATTEMPTED MURDER,

FOR OVER THREE YEARS, A FUGITIVE FROM THE LAW,

BUT MARIE'S TRAIL OF DECEIT AND DEATH

WILL HAVE ONE MORE SHOCKING TWIST.

AFTER THE MURDER OF HER HUSBAND, FRANK,

AND THE ATTEMPTED POISONING OF HER DAUGHTER, CAROL,

MARIE HILLEY IS A FUGITIVE.

ONCE THE ENVY OF HER NEIGHBORS FOR HER IDEAL HOME AND FAMILY,

SHE'S NOW PERFECTED A NEW ROLE

AS A KILLER ON THE RUN.

MARIE DID EVERYTHING RIGHT

IN TERMS OF BEING A FUGITIVE

AND PREVENTING YOURSELF FROM BEING CAUGHT.

SHE NEVER CONTACTED A SINGLE PERSON

THAT SHE'D EVER KNOWN BEFORE IN HER LIFE, NOT ONE.

MY MOTHER WAS PLACED ON THE 10 MOST WANTED FUGITIVES

WANTED BY THE FBI.

IT'S A BAD FEELING EVERY TIME YOU WALK IN A POST OFFICE,

TO LOOK UP AND SEE IF HER PICTURE IS THERE.

MARIE HILLEY BECAME THE MOST SIGNIFICANT,

NOTORIOUS CRIMINAL IN THE STATE OF ALABAMA.

YOU KNOW, I PROBABLY HAD 1,000 FUGITIVE CASES IN MY CAREER,

AND I NEVER HAD ONE THAT WENT AS COLD AS THIS ONE.

HOW DOES THIS WOMAN THAT I THOUGHT,

AT ONE TIME, WAS HELPLESS,

HOW DOES SHE PULL THIS STUFF OFF, YOU KNOW?

I MEAN, HOW DOES SHE DO THAT?

WITH MARIE GONE, THE REST OF THE HILLEY CLAN

DO THEIR BEST TO GET BACK TO NORMAL.

THERE WILL BE FOUR MORE ANNUAL FAMILY BARBECUES

LIKE THIS ONE BEFORE MARIE SUDDENLY RESURFACES.

IT'S EVENING TIME.

I'M IN MY OFFICE IN ANNISTON, ALABAMA, AND THE PHONE RINGS.

AND I PICK IT UP, AND IT SAYS, "HEY, WAYNE.

"THIS IS DAVID STEEL OUT IN VERMONT.

WE THINK WE JUST CAUGHT MARIE HILLEY."

AND I SAID, "OH, MY GOSH."

SHE'S DYED HER HAIR BLONDE

AND HAS ADOPTED A WHOLE NEW IDENTITY,

BUT THERE'S NO DOUBT IT'S MARIE.

A WOMAN NAMED TERI MARTIN WAS ARRESTED BY THE FBI

IN BRATTLEBORO, VERMONT.

SHE STUNS POLICE BY CONFESSING TO BEING THE FUGITIVE

AUDREY MARIE HILLEY.

I DIDN'T RECOGNIZE HER.

SO SHE COULD'VE BEEN ANYBODY WALKING ON THE STREETS,

AND I PROBABLY WOULDN'T HAVE RECOGNIZED HER.

ON MAY 31, 1983, MARIE FINALLY STANDS TRIAL

FOR THE MURDER OF HER HUSBAND, FRANK,

AND ATTEMPTED MURDER OF HER DAUGHTER, CAROL.

I THINK WE ALL HAD OUR OWN MENTAL IMAGE OF A WOMAN

WHO COULD POISON HER DAUGHTER,

A WOMAN WHO COULD POISON HER HUSBAND.

WHAT SURPRISED ME THE MOST WAS HOW SMALL SHE WAS.

SHE WAS JUST A TINY, LITTLE WOMAN, NOTHING REMARKABLE.

I THINK THAT'S WHAT WAS REMARKABLE,

HER UNREMARKABLENESS.

DURING THE TRIAL, MIKE, HIS FAMILY

AND THE REST OF AMERICA

LEARNED THE TRUTH ABOUT MARIE HILLEY.

SHE HAD PROSPERED SOMEWHAT FROM FRANK'S DEATH

BECAUSE WHEN FRANK DIED,

HE HAD $30,000 IN INSURANCE.

HE HAD $50,000 IN A STOCK PLAN.

THE GAMBLING DEBTS THAT I WAS TOLD MY DAD HAD ACCRUED

OVER THE YEARS WERE NONEXISTENT.

HE LIVED OUT HIS LIFE EXACTLY THE WAY I THOUGHT HE WOULD HAVE.

THE MYSTERIOUS THREATS

AND PHONE CALLS AFTER FRANK'S DEATH,

THEY WERE ALL FAKE,

CREATED BY MARIE TO EXPLAIN

THE MISSING MONEY SHE'D ACTUALLY SPENT.

AS THE MONEY THAT SHE HAD GOTTEN FROM FRANK'S DEATH BEGAN

TO DISAPPEAR,

MARIE DECIDED TO TAKE OUT

AN INSURANCE POLICY ON HER DAUGHTER

IN THE AMOUNT OF $25,000

AND THEN KILL HER AS SHE DID HER HUSBAND.

FOR HER CRIMES, MARIE HILLEY

IS CONVICTED AND SENTENCED TO LIFE IN PRISON.

HOW FAR WOULD SHE HAVE GONE IF SHE HADN'T BEEN STOPPED?

IF CAROL HILLEY HAD DIED

AND THEY HAD NOT FOUND THE POISON,

HOW MANY MORE PEOPLE MIGHT SHE HAVE KILLED?

MARIE HERSELF DIES IN 1987

AND NOW SHARES A TOMBSTONE WITH HER HUSBAND,

THE MAN SHE MURDERED.

WE ALWAYS WERE POINTED TOWARD UNKNOWN PEOPLE

THAT WERE CONSIDERED TO BE A THREAT TO OUR FAMILY

WHEN, IN REALITY,

THE BIGGEST THREAT WAS LIVING RIGHT THERE IN THE MIDDLE OF US.

WHEN I FIRST SAW THOSE VIDEOS-- AND I'VE HAD THEM FOR YEARS.

I JUST NEVER REALIZED WHAT WAS ON THEM.

AND I SAW MY DAD WALK OUT

THE BACK DOOR OF THE HOUSE AND OUT BY THE CAR,

I JUST STOPPED BREATHING FOR A MINUTE.

AND I'M THINKING,

"HE LOOKS EXTREMELY HAPPY,

"AND IN 10 MONTHS,

"HE'S GOING TO BE DEAD.

"AND THE WOMAN THAT'S IN THIS VIDEO

"THAT LOOKS EXTREMELY INNOCENT,

THAT IS GOING TO BE THE ONE WHO MURDERED HIM."