Original subtitles

THIS IS THE STORY

OF AN ORDINARY BLUE-COLLAR FAMILY...

IT WAS A VERY HAPPY TIME IN OUR LIFE.

WE WERE JUST STARTING OUT TOGETHER AS A FAMILY OF FIVE.

...LIVING THE ALL-AMERICAN DREAM...

THE ONLY THING THAT WAS MISSING WAS THE WHITE PICKET FENCE.

...WHEN THEIR WORLD IS DESTROYED

BY COLD-BLOODED MURDER.

THE ONLY INTEREST WAS TO KILL.

THIS HUMAN BEING'S LIFE WAS QUITE LITERALLY IN MY HANDS.

THE POLICE HAD THE WRONG MAN.

IT WAS A MISTAKE, A COMPLETE MISTAKE.

THEIR HOME MOVIES COULD BE THE DIFFERENCE

BETWEEN LIFE AND DEATH.

MY ATTITUDE WAS, "HA-HA-HA, SCREW YOU.

HERE. HERE'S YOUR EVIDENCE."

WHAT ARE YOU ALL LOOKING AT? GET OFF MY LAWN! GET OFF!

LITTLE DO THEY KNOW

THAT SOMEWHERE IN THE SHADOWS HIDES A MONSTER.

DEEP WITHIN THIS INDIVIDUAL IS A HEART OF DARKNESS.

Captions by VITAC-- www.vitac.com

CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS

IT'S AUGUST 1993,

AND THE DOWLING FAMILY ARE ON THE TRIP OF A LIFETIME.

THAT VOICE BEHIND THE CAMERA IS 35-YEAR-OLD KEVIN DOWLING.

WITH HIM ARE HIS DAUGHTERS AMANDA AND KATHLEEN.

I'M GOING TO ZOOM IN ON HER.

HERE'S MOMMY EATING AMANDA'S HOT DOG.

THIS IS HIS WIFE, STAY-AT-HOME MOM, JOANNE.

JOANNE AND KEVIN HAVE BEEN TOGETHER FOR NINE YEARS NOW.

KEVIN AND I FIRST MET IN 1984.

OUR RELATIONSHIP WAS A WHIRLWIND RELATIONSHIP.

KEVIN SWEPT ME OFF MY FEET.

HE REALLY MADE ME FEEL WANTED AND CARED FOR.

KEVIN IS A KEEN VIDEOGRAPHER.

AT JOANNE'S REQUEST, WE BLURRED THE FACES OF HER CHILDREN.

KEVIN REALLY ENJOYED VIDEOTAPING

SPECIAL EVENTS AND FAMILY EVENTS...

...JUST VIDEOTAPING LIFE AS IT WENT BY IN HIS HOME

WITH HIS CHILDREN AND HIS WIFE, JUST DAILY ACTIVITIES.

IT'S TAKEN KEVIN AND JOANNE MONTHS

TO SAVE UP FOR THIS TRIP.

KEVIN, IN PARTICULAR, WANTS TO MAKE SURE IT'S ONE THE KIDS

ARE NEVER GOING TO FORGET.

HE WAS A GOOD FATHER.

HE MADE SURE THAT THE KIDS WANTED FOR NOTHING.

WHEN HE SPENT TIME WITH HIS CHILDREN,

IT WAS A GREAT DAY FOR THE KIDS.

IT'S NOW JANUARY 15, 1994,

AND IT'S AMANDA'S 8th BIRTHDAY PARTY.

AS ALWAYS, KEVIN AND JOANNE ARE FRONT AND CENTER

MAKING SURE THEIR DAUGHTERS

AND THE NEIGHBORHOOD KIDS ARE HAVING THE TIME OF THEIR LIVES.

IT WAS A VERY HAPPY TIME FOR ALL OF US.

KEVIN WAS A VERY GOOD PROVIDER.

HE WORKED VERY HARD TO MAKE SURE THAT MYSELF AND OUR CHILDREN

HAD WHAT WE NEEDED AND WANTED IN LIFE.

WE NEVER HAD TO DO WITHOUT, EVER.

AS HAPPY AS THEY ARE,

THERE'S ONE THING MISSING FROM THEIR FAMILY.

WE HAD TWO BEAUTIFUL DAUGHTERS, BUT HE REALLY WANTED A SON.

THAT'S REALLY WHAT MADE HIM FEEL COMPLETE AS A MAN,

WAS HAVING HIS SON, SOMEONE TO CARRY ON HIS NAME.

KEVIN DOESN'T HAVE TO WAIT LONG

FOR HIS DREAM TO COME TRUE.

BY NOVEMBER 1995, JOANNE IS HEAVILY PREGNANT.

DO YOU WANT... SHOULD WE PUT HOT CHOCOLATE?

NAH.

WITH JOANNE DUE TO GIVE BIRTH ANY DAY NOW,

IT'S UP TO KEVIN TO ENTERTAIN THE KIDS.

GET OUT OF THERE! HEY!

GET OUT OF THERE!

HOLD ON. HOLD ON.

OH.

JUST TWO DAYS AFTER THIS FOOTAGE WAS TAKEN,

BABY SEAN ARRIVES.

AS ALWAYS, KEVIN WANTS TO RECORD EVERY MAGICAL MOMENT.

THAT WAS THE ONE THING KEVIN WANTED THE MOST, WAS A SON.

EVEN THOUGH HE LOVED HIS DAUGHTERS,

HE REALLY WANTED A SON.

IT WAS A BEAUTIFUL DAY BRINGING OUR SON INTO THE WORLD.

WE WANT TO SEE HIM.

LOOK AT YOUR SISTERS.

YOU GUYS DON'T WANT TO HOLD YOUR BROTHER?

- I'M SCARED. - I'LL BREAK HIM.

NOW, AS A FAMILY OF FIVE,

IT'S TIME FOR THE DOWLINGS TO MOVE ON

TO THE NEXT STAGE OF THEIR LIVES.

IN 1995, WE MOVED TO EAST PETERSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

THAT'S WHERE WE PURCHASED OUR FIRST HOME.

IT WAS VERY EXCITING BECAUSE WE GOT TO PICK OUR CARPET

AND LINOLEUM AND COUNTERTOPS

AND ALL OUR APPLIANCES.

SO WE LITERALLY GOT TO WATCH OUR FUTURE BEING BUILT BEFORE US.

THE ONLY THING THAT WAS MISSING WAS THE WHITE PICKET FENCE.

- AAH! - YEAH!

THIS IS THE FIRST TIME

THESE VIDEOS HAVE BEEN SEEN OUTSIDE THE FAMILY,

AND IT'S CLEAR THAT LIFE

FOR THE DOWLINGS COULDN'T BE HAPPIER.

WAH!

WE FELT THAT WE HAD EVERYTHING TOGETHER AS A FAMILY.

WE WERE REALLY COMING TOGETHER.

OUR LIFE WAS TURNING AROUND, AND WE WERE FINALLY

GETTING WHAT WE WANTED OUT OF LIFE.

GIRLS, WAIT. NO.

CHRISTMAS MORNING, 1995.

ALL RIGHT.

LIKE MILLIONS OF OTHER HOMES ACROSS THE COUNTRY,

THE DOWLING HOUSEHOLD IS A HOTBED OF EXCITEMENT.

WHOO!

CHRISTMAS MORNING.

AT CHRISTMASTIME, IT WOULD BE WONDERFUL.

WE'D GET UP WITH THE KIDS.

THEY WERE ALL EXCITED TO GO OPEN THEIR PRESENTS.

THANK YOU.

OKAY. THAT'S ALL.

THANKS. I GOT THIS, TOO.

OH, CHRISTMAS CARDS. THEY'RE SO FUN.

AMANDA.

AS THE NEW YEAR BEGINS,

JOANNE CAN'T WAIT TO SEE WHAT'S IN STORE

FOR HER AND HER FAMILY.

IT WAS A TIME THAT WE WERE LOOKING FORWARD TO

AS A FAMILY OF FIVE.

BUT WHAT JOANNE DOESN'T REALIZE IS THAT

IN LESS THAN A YEAR'S TIME,

EVERYTHING IS GOING TO CHANGE.

I LITERALLY DID NOT KNOW

WHAT WAS COMING TO TEAR OUR FAMILY APART.

IT'S THE SUMMER OF 1996.

CALM DOWN.

HELLO.

AT THE SAME TIME THAT JOANNE DOWLING

AND HER YOUNG CHILDREN ARE SHOOTING THIS VIDEO...

...43-YEAR-OLD JENNIFER MYERS

IS HAVING A QUIET DAY AT THE TAIL FEATHERS

ART GALLERY 30 MILES AWAY IN WEST MANCHESTER.

JENNIFER MYERS WAS ALONE IN HER GALLERY.

AN INDIVIDUAL CAME IN.

HE PROCEEDED TO PULL OUT A GUN AND HOLD HER AT GUNPOINT...

WHAT DO YOU WANT? WHAT DO YOU WANT?

I'VE GOT MONEY.

I'VE GOT MONEY. I'VE GOT MONEY.

PLEASE DON'T.

AAH!

...AND WAS ATTEMPTING TO SEXUALLY ASSAULT HER.

PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE.

PLEASE.

LUCKILY FOR JENNIFER,

AN EVERYDAY DELIVERY PROVES A LIFESAVER.

THE DELIVERY MAN CAME IN, AND THE ASSAILANT LEFT.

CLEARLY, THIS WAS SOMETHING THAT HAD BEEN PLANNED OUT.

THIS WAS AN INDIVIDUAL WHO KNEW THAT SHE WORKED ALONE,

WHO KNEW HER WORK HOURS,

KNEW WHERE TO PARK FOR A QUICK GETAWAY.

SOMEONE THOUGHT THIS OUT, PLANNED IT OUT

AND PROBABLY HAD

IDENTIFIED HER VERY SPECIFICALLY

AS AN INDIVIDUAL THAT HE WANTED TO RAPE.

A MAN LIKE THAT LOOSE ON THE STREETS IS A THREAT

TO THE WHOLE COMMUNITY.

THE POLICE NEED TO TRACK HIM DOWN AND QUICKLY.

OH, GOOD BOY, SETTLE DOWN.

MEANWHILE, 30 MILES AWAY IN EAST PETERSBURG,

THE DOWLINGS ARE BLISSFULLY UNAWARE

THAT THERE'S AN ATTACKER ON THE LOOSE.

WHOA, WHOA.

CALM DOWN. CALM DOWN.

THREE MONTHS AFTER THIS FOOTAGE IS TAKEN,

THE DOWLING FAMILY CATCH ANOTHER BREAK.

KEVIN WAS OFFERED A POSITION AT A CONVENIENCE STORE,

SHEETZ, AS A MANAGER.

HE WAS VERY EXCITED ABOUT HIS NEW JOB.

THIS WAS HIS DREAM JOB.

- BYE, GIRLS! - SEE YOU LATER.

BYE.

THIS WAS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR KEVIN

AS HE WOULD HAVE HAD BETTER WAGES

AND BETTER HOURS, WHICH MEANT THAT KEVIN

WOULD HAVE BEEN HOME WITH HIS FAMILY IN THE EVENING.

AS THIS HOME MOVIE CLEARLY SHOWS,

FAMILY MEANS EVERYTHING TO KEVIN.

30 MILES AWAY, LIFE FOR JENNIFER MYERS

COULDN'T BE MORE DIFFERENT.

SORRY, HONEY. YOU OKAY?

YEAH.

IT'S NOW NOVEMBER 1996,

AND THE POLICE ARE NO CLOSER TO CATCHING THE PERPETRATOR.

JENNIFER MYERS WALKED INTO A CONVENIENCE STORE.

SHE WALKED UP TO THE CASH REGISTER,

AND THE PERSON WHO TOOK HER MONEY

FROM HER TURNED TO HER.

WITH THAT BE ALL, MA'AM?

I'M SORRY. WHAT DID YOU SAY?

I SAID, "WILL THAT BE ALL, MA'AM?"

IT WAS HIS VOICE MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE SHE IDENTIFIED.

JENNIFER BELIEVES

THAT THE MAN BEHIND THE CASH REGISTER

IS THE SAME MAN THAT ATTACKED HER.

OUT IN EAST PETERSBURG, JOANNE DOWLING IS AT HOME.

HELLO?

IT WAS JUST A TYPICAL, NORMAL DAY,

AND I WAS PREPARING DINNER.

AND THE PHONE RANG AND I PICKED IT UP, AND IT WAS KEVIN.

AND HE SAID, "JOANNE, WE HAVE A PROBLEM."

OH, YEAH?

WHAT KIND OF PROBLEM DO WE HAVE?

MY FIRST THOUGHT WAS THAT SOMETHING HAD HAPPENED TO HIM.

THERE WAS A CAR ACCIDENT OR SOMETHING

AT THE STORE HE WAS WORKING AT.

I've been arrested.

ARRESTED?

WHAT FOR?

THE MAN BEHIND THE COUNTER IS KEVIN DOWLING.

I WAS SHELL-SHOCKED AND THOUGHT, "THERE IS NO WAY.

THIS HAD TO HAVE BEEN MISTAKEN IDENTITY."

CAN SOMEONE PLEASE TELL ME WHAT'S GOING ON?

THIS WAS A COMPLETELY RANDOM WOMAN.

IT WAS NOT A WOMAN IN OUR TOWN, EVEN LOCALLY.

IT WAS A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT COUNTY.

I REALLY DID NOT BELIEVE THAT KEVIN COULD HAVE COMMITTED THIS.

KEVIN IS A SWEET GOOFBALL OF A HUSBAND

WHO PLAYS GAMES WITH THE KIDS

AND VOLUNTEERS TO HOST TEA PARTIES FOR HIS DAUGHTERS.

THEY WERE WRONG, AND I WAS CONVINCED THEY WERE WRONG,

AND MY HUSBAND WAS INNOCENT.

KEVIN IS BAILED,

AND THE TRIAL DATE IS SET FOR OCTOBER 1997.

THE TRIAL WAS GOING TO INVOLVE JENNIFER

GETTING ON THE WITNESS STAND, LOOKING AT KEVIN DOWLING,

LOOKING AT THAT FACE AND SAYING,

"THAT IS THE MAN WHO ATTEMPTED TO RAPE ME."

THE THOUGHT OF MY HUSBAND BEING IN PRISON FOR A CRIME

HE DID NOT COMMIT WAS JUST SICKENING TO ME.

IT JUST INFURIATED ME.

I WANTED TO JUST SCREAM,

JUST TO SCREAM AT THE POLICE,

"GO OUT AND FIND THE REAL PERSON.

LEAVE US ALONE. HE DID NOT DO THIS."

AFTER HIS ARREST,

KEVIN IS FIRED FROM HIS POSITION AT SHEETZ,

AND IT FALLS ON JOANNE TO SUPPORT THE FAMILY.

SHE GETS A JOB AT A LOCAL CONVENIENCE STORE

WORKING AS AN INVENTORY MANAGER.

KEVIN IS NO LONGER THE CAREFREE AND FUN-LOVING MAN HE WAS

JUST A FEW YEARS PREVIOUSLY.

KEVIN WITHDREW INTO HIMSELF.

HE DID NOT WANT TO GO OUT IN THE YARD

AND PLAY OR GO TO THE PARK OR GO TO THE BEACH.

HE DID NOT WANT TO DO ANYTHING LIKE THAT ANYMORE

WITH THE CHILDREN.

THE THREAT OF A LOOMING TRIAL

MAKES IT HARD FOR KEVIN TO EVEN GET OUT OF BED.

KEVIN.

KEVIN. LOOK AT ME.

SAY, "GOOD MORNING."

MONTHS GO BY BEFORE KEVIN CAN EVEN FIND

A PART-TIME JOB TO HELP SUPPORT HIS FAMILY.

IT MADE ME EXTREMELY ANGRY

TO WATCH MY HUSBAND DETERIORATE INTO A PERSON

THAT JUST IT WASN'T KEVIN ANYMORE,

AND I BLAMED THE POLICE DEPARTMENT

FOR DOING THIS TO OUR FAMILY.

JOANNE DOESN'T KNOW IT YET,

BUT LIFE FOR HER AND HER FAMILY IS ABOUT TO GET EVEN WORSE.

THE DOWLINGS ARE A CLOSE-KNIT FAMILY

IN EAST PETERSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

BUT TWO YEARS AFTER THIS TOUCHING VIDEO IS TAKEN,

DAD, KEVIN, IS ABOUT TO STAND TRIAL

FOR ATTEMPTED RAPE OF A COMPLETE STRANGER.

WE'D JUST STARTED OUR LIFE AS A FAMILY.

THIS WAS NOT THE MAN THAT COULD COMMIT SUCH A HORRIBLE THING.

IN THE FALL OF 1997,

JUST ONE DAY BEFORE THE TRIAL IS DUE TO BEGIN,

KEVIN DECIDES TO TAKE A TRIP TO NEARBY MUDDY RUN LAKE.

IT WAS JUST A NORMAL, TYPICAL OCTOBER MORNING.

KEVIN HAD HIS FISHING GEAR, AND HE PLANNED ON

SPENDING THE DAY OUT ON THE LAKE FISHING.

BUT THIS FISHING TRIP

IS GOING TO BE A LITTLE DIFFERENT.

SO HERE WE ARE IN MUDDY RUN.

WHY DON'T WE GO FISHING?

KEVIN WANTS TO MAKE A VIDEO DIARY

FOR HIS CHILDREN.

LET'S MOVE THE BOAT HERE IN A SECOND,

KEEP DRIFTING TO THE SHORE.

KEVIN TOLD ME HE PLANNED ON MAKING A VIDEOTAPE

OF THE FISHING TRIP FOR THE KIDS,

FOR THEM TO BE ABLE TO WATCH IT AND, SORT OF A GIFT.

I THOUGHT THAT WAS

A VERY SWEET GESTURE ON KEVIN'S PART,

MAKING THIS VIDEOTAPE

SO THE CHILDREN WOULD KEEP HIM IN THEIR LIVES,

SO DADDY WASN'T GOING TO BE A STRANGER

WHEN HE WALKED THROUGH THE DOOR.

THAT SAME AFTERNOON, 40 MILES AWAY,

SEXUAL-ASSAULT VICTIM JENNIFER MYERS

IS ALSO DREADING THE UPCOMING TRIAL.

OUT ON MUDDY RUN LAKE,

KEVIN IS STILL FILMING HIS VIDEO DIARY.

THE FISH AREN'T BITING MUCH TODAY,

BUT HE DOESN'T SEEM TO MIND.

JEN, IT'S ME.

TWO HOURS LATER, JENNIFER MYERS' HUSBAND, STEVEN,

STOPS BY TO CHECK UP ON HER.

JEN!

- JENNIFER MYERS... - JENNIFER!

...HAS BEEN BRUTALLY MURDERED.

BABY! OH, MY GOD!

JEN!

HE'S THE ONE THAT CALLED 911.

AT THE SAME TIME

STEVEN IS ON THE PHONE WITH POLICE,

KEVIN WRAPS THINGS UP ON THE LAKE.

40 MILES AWAY,

THE GALLERY IS A HIVE OF ACTIVITY.

IT'S OBVIOUS TO DETECTIVES THAT THIS IS NO ROBBERY.

THIS IS AN EXECUTION.

IT WAS CLEAR THAT AN INDIVIDUAL HAD THE SPECIFIC INTENT

TO GO IN THERE AND KILL JENNIFER MYERS.

THERE'S NO SIGN OF THE MURDER WEAPON AT THE SCENE,

BUT THE CRIME UNIT DOES FIND SOME USEFUL CLUES.

THEY RECOVERED SHELL CASINGS,

AND THEY ALSO HAD BULLET FRAGMENTS

FROM JENNIFER MYERS.

THE MURDER WEAPON SEEMS TO BE

A .38 OR .357-CALIBER HANDGUN.

YES, SIR. CAN I HELP YOU?

DESPITE THE LACK OF EVIDENCE,

THE POLICE DO HAVE ONE OBVIOUS SUSPECT.

THERE IS ONE PERSON WHO HAS AN INCREDIBLE NEED

TO MAKE SURE

THAT JENNIFER MYERS NO LONGER LIVES,

SOMEONE WHO'S LOOKING AT SUBSTANTIAL STATE TIME,

SOMEONE WHOSE LIFE IS GOING TO CHANGE IRREVOCABLY.

THAT INDIVIDUAL IS KEVIN DOWLING.

HELLO?

I WAS IN BED, AND I ANSWERED THE PHONE,

AND THE GENTLEMAN ON THE OTHER END SAID HE WAS A DETECTIVE,

AND HE'D LIKE TO SPEAK TO ME

BECAUSE JENNIFER MYERS WAS FOUND MURDERED.

KEVIN IS STILL OUT WORKING

THE NIGHT SHIFT WHEN THE COPS ARRIVE.

NO, I WAS SO UPSET.

THEY TOLD ME THAT KEVIN WAS THE PRIME SUSPECT IN THE MURDER.

NO. YOU DON'T THINK THAT KEVIN

HAS ANYTHING TO DO WITH THIS?

THE POLICE NEED THE CLOTHES

KEVIN WAS WEARING THAT DAY TO TAKE FOR TESTING.

ABSOLUTELY.

I WAS WILLING TO DO ANYTHING TO SHOW THEM

THAT THEY WERE WRONG AND TO PROVE THAT MY HUSBAND

WAS NOT THE MAN THEY WERE PORTRAYING.

OH, I MEAN, KEVIN WAS OUT FISHING.

AND THAT'S NOT THE ONLY THING

JOANNE WANTS TO SHARE WITH THE POLICE.

HE MADE A TAPE.

WE HAD VIDEO OF HIM AT THAT TIME FISHING

IN THE MIDDLE OF THE LAKE,

SO IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE FOR IT TO BE HIM.

MY ATTITUDE WAS, "HA-HA-HA, SCREW YOU.

HERE. HERE'S YOUR EVIDENCE. HE'S INNOCENT!"

BABE, YOU'RE DOING IT.

FAMILY MAN AND HOME-MOVIE ENTHUSIAST

KEVIN DOWLING...

HI. MY NAME IS SEAN.

...HAS MADE A VIDEO THAT MIGHT JUST SAVE HIS LIFE.

HE WAS DUE TO STAND TRIAL

FOR THE SEXUAL ASSAULT OF JENNIFER MYERS,

BUT SHE HAS BEEN FOUND SHOT DEAD.

KEVIN IS THE NUMBER-ONE SUSPECT EXCEPT HE HAS THE PERFECT ALIBI.

KEVIN DOWLING WAS OUT FISHING

DURING, BEFORE AND AFTER THE RELEVANT PERIOD OF TIME

WHEN JENNIFER MYERS WAS KILLED.

I FELT HORRIBLE FOR JENNIFER MYERS,

BUT I KNEW IT WASN'T MY HUSBAND.

AND MY HEART WENT OUT TO HER AND HER FAMILY,

AND THEY NEEDED TO FIND THE PERSON

THAT ACTUALLY COMMITTED THIS CRIME.

KEVIN IS THE PERFECT SUSPECT AND, THEREFORE,

ALSO A PERFECT PATSY FOR ANYONE ELSE

WHO WANTS TO GET AWAY WITH MURDER.

THE SPOTLIGHT FALLS ON THE ONE PERSON

WHO POLICE FOUND AT THE SCENE,

JENNIFER'S HUSBAND, STEVEN.

NOW, MR. MYERS, WE JUST WANTED

TO ASK YOU A FEW QUESTIONS.

AND IN CASES SUCH AS THIS, PREDOMINANTLY,

IT'S GOING TO BE A LOVED ONE, FAMILY MEMBER,

ET CETERA, WHO'S FOUND TO HAVE BEEN INVOLVED.

SOMEONE HAS TO KNOW JENNIFER MYERS

TO WANT TO KILL JENNIFER MYERS.

WE'VE IDENTIFIED THE WEAPON

THAT WAS USED IN YOUR WIFE'S MURDER.

IT WAS EITHER A .38 OR A .357-CALIBER MAGNUM.

POOR JENNIFER.

SIR, DO YOU OWN A HANDGUN?

THEY ASKED JENNIFER'S HUSBAND, MR. MYERS,

WHETHER OR NOT HE OWNED A FIREARM.

YEAH, YEAH, .357.

IT JUST SO HAPPENED THAT THE FIREARM THAT HE OWNED

WAS THE CALIBER MATCH WITH THE SHELL CASINGS.

IT'S A STUNNING REVELATION.

IS IT POSSIBLE DETECTIVES HAVE BEEN CHASING THE WRONG MAN

THIS WHOLE TIME?

SIR, DID YOU AND YOUR WIFE HAVE ANY ARGUMENTS

BEFORE ANY OF THIS HAPPENED?

I HEARD RUMORS THAT THE POLICE

WERE INVESTIGATING JENNIFER MYERS' HUSBAND

AS ONE OF THE PRIME SUSPECTS IN HER MURDER.

THE DETECTIVES TAKE THE GUN FOR TESTING.

IF THE BARREL MARKS FROM THE BULLET FIRED FROM STEVEN'S GUN

MATCH THE BULLETS RECOVERED FROM THE CRIME SCENE,

THEN THE DETECTIVES COULD BE LOOKING AT THEIR KILLER.

BACK IN EAST PETERSBURG,

THE MURDER HAS MADE LIFE FOR THE DOWLINGS UNBEARABLE.

TO SEE MY HUSBAND'S PICTURE ON THE FRONT PAGE OF THE PAPER

BEING ACCUSED OF MURDER

IS LIKE A PUNCH IN THE STOMACH.

YOU ACTUALLY LOSE YOUR BREATH.

YOU CAN'T BREATHE FOR A MOMENT.

IT FELT LIKE EVERYBODY KNEW AND EVERYBODY POINTED

AND EVERYBODY WHISPERED NO MATTER WHERE I WENT.

KEVIN WAS NOT THE MAN THAT COMMITTED THIS CRIME.

THEY ARE WRONG. THEY'VE GOT THE WRONG PERSON.

AND NOTHING THAT THEY WERE GOING TO SAY OR SHOW

WAS GOING TO PROVE ME TO CHANGE MY MIND.

I WAS STICKING BY HIM.

A FEW DAYS LATER,

THE TEST RESULTS ON STEVEN'S GUN ARE IN.

OKAY. THANKS FOR LETTING US KNOW.

THE GUN THAT WAS PROVIDED BY MR. MYERS,

IT WAS SPECIFICALLY EXCLUDED

AS A POSSIBLE FIREARM USED TO KILL JENNIFER MYERS.

STEVEN IS RULED OUT AS HIS WIFE'S KILLER.

DETECTIVES ARE FORCED TO GO BACK

AND RE-EXAMINE KEVIN'S FISHING VIDEO.

FIRST OF ALL, IT'S VERY SHORT.

I THINK IT'S, LIKE, 15 MINUTES LONG.

IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE SPANNING THE ENTIRE DAY.

IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE MEMORIALIZING

HIS LAST DAY OF FISHING, BUT IT'S REALLY ONLY 15 MINUTES.

IT'S NOT JUST THE TAPE'S DURATION

THAT IS PUZZLING POLICE.

IT'S ALSO KEVIN'S BEHAVIOR.

HIS BOAT DOESN'T MOVE VERY MUCH DURING THE COURSE

OF THESE VARIOUS ENTRIES.

HE IS INCESSANTLY CHECKING HIS WATCH,

WHICH IS SOMETHING THAT NO FISHERMAN WOULD EVER DO

BECAUSE THE WATCH WOULD HAVE BEEN TAKEN OFF.

"I'M FISHING." IT'S RELAXATION.

THERE ARE OTHER THINGS AS WELL.

YOU NEVER SEE ANY FISH.

THERE'S A LOT OF ODD THINGS IN THE TAPE

THAT JUST AREN'T CONSISTENT

WITH WHAT IT WAS PURPORTED TO BE.

BUT THE TIME STAMP

SHOWS THE EXACT SAME TIME THAT JENNIFER WAS KILLED.

THE POLICE KNOW THAT THERE'S A TIME CODE PUT INTO THE VIDEO.

IT'S A FEATURE THAT CAN BE SET

TO ANY TIME AND DATE BY THE USER.

HOW HARD IS IT TO FAKE THAT?

THE POLICE KNOW

THAT IT IS EASY TO CHANGE THE TIME STAMP

ON A TAPE, OKAY?

THE PROBLEM IS, IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO PROVE

THAT IT WAS, IN FACT, CHANGED.

THE POLICE NEED TO FIND A WAY

TO SHOW THE TIME OF DAY IS DIFFERENT

TO THE TIME SHOWING ON THE SCREEN.

I'M ONLY GOING TO SHUT THE CAMERA OFF FOR A SECOND, GUYS.

I'VE GOT TO MOVE THE BOAT.

AND THAT WILL NEED AN EXPERT

NOT NORMALLY FOUND AT THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT.

THOUGH I AM AN ASTRONOMER, I'M TRAINED TO DO SCIENCE.

I'M TRAINED TO ANALYZE THE ATMOSPHERES OF PLANETS.

THE POLICE CONTACT NASA CONSULTANT,

PROFESSOR ROBERT BOYLE.

I DON'T USUALLY GET CALLED IN ON A CRIMINAL CASE.

IT SHOULD BE POSSIBLE FOR PROFESSOR BOYLE

TO CALCULATE THE EXACT TIME OF DAY

FROM THE SHADOWS CAST BY KEVIN IN THE BOAT.

AND I WOULD BE USING ESSENTIALLY THE SAME PRINCIPLE

THAT WE USE FOR A SUNDIAL,

WHERE THE LENGTH OF THE SHADOW

AND THE DIRECTION OF THE SHADOW ON A SUNDIAL

COULD BE USED TO, IN FACT, TELL TIME.

IT SOUNDS SIMPLE ENOUGH,

BUT WHEN THE PROFESSOR WATCHES THE VIDEO,

HE REALIZES THERE'S A PROBLEM.

MY HEART SANK BECAUSE IT WAS CLEAR THAT

THIS WAS A MUCH MORE COMPLICATED PROBLEM.

MY SUNDIAL, AS IT WERE, WAS IN MOTION.

SOMETIMES HE WAS FACING TO THE PROW OF THE BOAT.

SOMETIMES HE WAS FACING TO THE LEFT,

SOMETIMES FACING TO THE RIGHT.

THE BOAT ITSELF WAS MOVING IN THE LAKE.

ITS ORIENTATION WAS CHANGING IN THE LAKE, AND FURTHERMORE,

WHERE IT WAS ON THE LAKE WAS CHANGING.

THE BOAT WAS TILTING, AT TIMES, FROM SIDE TO SIDE,

AND CONSEQUENTLY, THE LENGTHS

AND DIRECTIONS OF SHADOWS ON OBJECTS

ON THE BOAT WOULD CHANGE.

THE FUTURE OF THE DOWLING FAMILY RESTS HEAVILY

ON THE SHOULDERS OF PROFESSOR BOYLE.

IT WAS JUST AS LIKELY THAT MY DATA

WOULD PROVE THIS MAN INNOCENT AS IT WOULD PROVE HIM GUILTY.

THIS HUMAN BEING'S LIFE WAS QUITE LITERALLY IN MY HANDS.

KEVIN DOWLING IS THE PRIME SUSPECT

IN A BRUTAL MURDER.

ARE YOU GOING TO GIVE ME A SMILE?

HUH?

WELL, HERE WE ARE AGAIN.

HIS ALIBI IS A FISHING VIDEO,

BUT POLICE ARE NOT CONVINCED.

IT'S PRETTY NICE OUT HERE.

THERE'S A STRONG POSSIBILITY THAT KEVIN DOWLING

HAD MANIPULATED THE TAPE AND THE TIME STAMPS.

THE POLICE HAVE DRAFTED AN ASTRONOMER,

PROFESSOR ROBERT BOYLE, TO HELP CRACK THE CASE.

ASTRONOMERS USUALLY DON'T HELP INVESTIGATE MURDERS.

WE TEND TO LEAD PRETTY STAID LIVES.

THE PROFESSOR NEEDS TO KNOW THE ORIENTATION OF THE BOAT

IN ORDER TO WORK OUT THE DIRECTION OF THE SUN.

WITHOUT THAT INFORMATION, I HAD NO HOPE OF CALCULATING,

FROM THE DIRECTION OF THE SHADOWS ON THE BOAT,

THE DIRECTION OF THE SUN IN THE SKY.

PROFESSOR BOYLE SELECTS EIGHT SPECIFIC FRAMES

OF THE VIDEO

IN WHICH HE THINKS THE BOAT'S POSITION

CAN BE ACCURATELY CONFIRMED.

I MADE PRINTOUTS OF THOSE CLIPS.

I GAVE THEM TO THE STATE POLICE.

I SAID, "GO TAKE THESE. GO OUT TO THE BOAT.

ORIENT THE BOAT AS BEST AS YOU CAN.

MATCH THESE CLIPS, AND THEN GIVE ME

THE COMPASS HEADING OF THE PROW OF THE BOAT."

WITH THE PRINTOUTS IN HAND,

THE INVESTIGATION TEAM TAKES TO THE WATER.

IT TAKES SEVERAL TRIPS FOR DETECTIVES TO LOCK DOWN

THE EXACT COMPASS HEADINGS IN EACH OF THE EIGHT STILLS.

NOW PROFESSOR BOYLE CAN GET TO WORK.

I ACTUALLY USED AN ARTIST'S FIGURINE,

AND I WOULD ORIENT THE FIGURINE

AS CLOSE AS POSSIBLE

TO THE BODY ORIENTATION OF THE MAN ON THE BOAT.

AND I WOULD THEN SHINE A LIGHT SOURCE

SO THAT THE SHADOWS ON THE FIGURINE

MATCHED THE SHADOWS ON THE VIDEO.

BY SHINING A LIGHT ON THIS FIGURINE,

I COULD TELL THE TIME BY THE ORIENTATION

OF THE SUN IN THE SKY.

AS THE PROFESSOR RUNS HIS CALCULATIONS,

ONE THING WEIGHS HEAVILY ON HIS MIND.

IT WAS QUITE CLEAR TO ME THAT THE POLICE WERE CONVINCED

THAT THEY HAD THE RIGHT MAN, BUT I WAS QUITE AWARE

THAT IT WAS CERTAINLY POSSIBLE THE TIME STAMPS

COULD COME OUT CONFIRMING THIS MAN'S ALIBI.

IT TAKES SIX WHOLE MONTHS,

BUT PROFESSOR BOYLE FINALLY COMPLETES HIS CALCULATIONS.

IT WAS BEFORE HALLOWEEN.

I HAD JUST GOTTEN HOME FROM WORK,

AND WE WERE IN THE KITCHEN AND COOKING DINNER TOGETHER.

THERE WAS A KNOCK AT THE DOOR.

AND KEVIN WALKED TO THE DOOR,

AND I HEARD, "COULD YOU STEP OUT HERE, PLEASE?"

AND I LOOKED OUTSIDE, AND OUR ENTIRE STREET

WAS JUST FULL OF POLICE CARS

AND DETECTIVES STANDING OUT ON OUR LAWNS.

I WAS FURIOUS WITH THE WHOLE SITUATION.

I WAS FURIOUS WITH THE POLICE

FOR NOT ONLY PUTTING KEVIN THROUGH THIS,

BUT THEN PUTTING EVERYBODY THROUGH THIS.

I AM HUMILIATED.

YOU HAVE HUMILIATED ME IN FRONT OF MY NEIGHBORS, MY HOME.

GET OFF, ALL OF YOU!

GET OFF, ALL OF YOU!

GET OFF MY LAWN!

MY LEVEL OF ANGER JUST WENT THROUGH THE ROOF.

WHAT ARE YOU ALL LOOKING AT? GET OFF MY LAWN!

GET OFF MY LAWN! GET OFF MY LAWN!

I LOST MY FAITH IN THE JUSTICE SYSTEM.

MY HUSBAND, HE'S INNOCENT.

HE DID NOT COMMIT THIS CRIME. IT WAS CRAZY.

THIS IS WHERE MY CHILDREN SLEEP. GET OUT!

THIS IS WHERE MY CHILDREN PLAY.

DETECTIVES EXPLAIN TO JOANNE

EXACTLY WHAT THEY HAVE DISCOVERED.

THE DETECTIVES CAME IN AND SAT ME DOWN,

WAITED TILL I CALMED DOWN AND THEN SHOWED ME

THE EVIDENCE THEY HAD ON KEVIN.

MRS. DOWLING, I'M JUST GOING TO NEED YOU

TO PLEASE HAVE A LOOK AT THAT.

WHAT IS THIS?

IT WAS PRETTY MIND-BOGGLING

BECAUSE THEN I HAD TO FACE THE FACT

THAT IT WAS INDEED MY HUSBAND

WHO MURDERED JENNIFER MYERS.

I'M SORRY.

MY WORLD JUST LITERALLY CAME CRASHING DOWN.

I WAS A STAY-AT-HOME MOM FOR 13 YEARS.

I DIDN'T DRIVE. I DIDN'T WORK.

MY WHOLE LIFE SUPPORT WAS GONE.

I MEAN, IT FELT LIKE MY WHOLE LIFE WAS GONE.

THE MAN THAT I PUT MY LIFE INTO HIS HANDS

AND OUR CHILDREN'S LIFE IN OUR HAND HAD GONE,

AND I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO DO.

I WAS COMPLETELY LOST. I WAS DEVASTATED.

ON OCTOBER 29, 1997,

KEVIN DOWLING IS CHARGED

WITH THE MURDER OF JENNIFER MYERS.

DURING THE TRIAL, PROSECUTORS

USED PROFESSOR BOYLE'S CALCULATIONS

TO LAY OUT A TIMELINE

OF WHAT THEY THINK REALLY HAPPENED.

KEVIN WAS FISHING THAT MORNING UNTIL ABOUT 10:47 A.M.

FOR THE FIRST THREE CLIPS, THE TIME STAMPS

WERE PRETTY MUCH CLOSE TO THE TIMES

THAT I WOULD INFER BY LOOKING

AT THE EAST-WEST POSITION OF THE SUN.

WELL, I'M JUST NOT HITTING IN THIS SPOT,

SO WHY DON'T WE MOVE IT A LITTLE BIT?

I'M GOING TO PAUSE THE FILM RIGHT NOW.

BUT THEN KEVIN CUT THE VIDEO.

AND SO FAR, JUST A COUPLE OF NIBBLES, BUT NOTHING,

DIDN'T CATCH ANYTHING YET.

WHEN THE TAPE RESTARTS,

IT APPEARS TO BE 36 MINUTES LATER.

I WAS ABSOLUTELY CONVINCED, AS AN ASTRONOMER,

THAT THE TIME STAMPS ON THOSE CLIPS

WERE NOT CORRECT,

THAT, IN FACT, IN ALL LIKELIHOOD,

THOSE CLIPS WERE TAKEN MUCH LATER

THAN THE TIME STAMPS ON THE VIDEO.

DETECTIVES BELIEVE THAT AT THIS TIME,

KEVIN RETURNED TO SHORE,

HID HIS BOAT, DROVE INTO TOWN

AND MURDERED JENNIFER MYERS.

WE WERE ABLE TO SAY, "THIS TAPE

THAT IS YOUR ALIBI, KEVIN, IS A FORGERY.

AND NOT ONLY THAT, YOU'VE GOT ENTRIES

THAT ARE WRONG THAT ARE RIGHT IN THE TIME PERIOD

THAT JENNIFER MYERS WAS KILLED."

THEY CALCULATE THAT KEVIN GOT BACK TO THE LAKE

AT AROUND 2:00 P.M.

THIS IS THE MOMENT WHEN KEVIN RESETS THE CAMERA TIME STAMPS

TO 11:24 A.M. TO MAKE IT APPEAR

THAT HE WAS STILL FISHING ON THE LAKE THAT MORNING,

WHICH MEANS THIS SERENE MOMENT AND ALL THAT FOLLOW

ARE ACTUALLY JUST AFTER HE EXECUTED JENNIFER MYERS.

IT'S KIND OF A WINDY MORNING.

MOVE THE BOAT HERE IN A SECOND, KEEP DRIFTING TO THE SHORE.

LET'S MOVE OUT OF HERE.

KEVIN DOWLING WAS FOUND GUILTY

OF FIRST-DEGREE MURDER.

THE JURY DETERMINED THAT KEVIN DOWLING

SHOULD RECEIVE THE DEATH PENALTY.

SO UNTIL NEXT TIME, HOPEFULLY, WE'RE ALL TOGETHER AS A FAMILY,

AND HOPEFULLY, WE'LL BE ABLE TO GO FISHING.

I WILL NEVER, EVER, EVER FORGIVE

WHAT KEVIN HAS DONE TO SO MANY PEOPLE,

NOT JUST JENNIFER MYERS' FAMILY,

WHAT HE'S DONE TO OUR FAMILY AS WELL.

AND I WILL NEVER FORGIVE HIM FOR THAT.

SEE YOU THEN.