Georgia police officer calls his boss and says his wife shot herself | Forensic Files

[Music] foreign [Music] it's February 3rd 2020 set the scene for me what happened I'm sitting at my desk
at my office that was it and the phone rings and it's the police chief at least I got Seth Perrault on the phone he's
told me his wife had killed herself Seth Perrault and his wife Amanda lived in this house in Eatonton Georgia
Seth a police officer with the Eatonton Police Department told the county sheriff Howard sales that Amanda had
shot herself in the head what did he say happened he said that they weren't bad and they were arguing
and then all of a sudden she just produced the gun out of thin air and executed herself so I just sat there and
watched my wife execute herself in all my years of questioning anybody for suicide I have never heard anybody use
the term executed from the very beginning Amanda's sisters Angie and Alicia Johnson say they had questions
about what happened we knew better we knew our sister I made a love life she wouldn't put us
through this we know our sister didn't do this we know she didn't take her own life that
he had something to do with this sheriff sells says that as soon as he began investigating Amanda's death he became
suspicious of Seth and what he had said happened at their home while looking at your faces as a law
enforcement officer I did not do any I had nothing to do with it I knew something around the day I walked
in the house for starters the position of Amanda's body depicted in this 48 Hours animation based on crime scene
photos left Sills certain that Amanda could not have shot herself had you ever seen a suicide that looked
like I didn't say anything like that her body is flat on the back her legs are almost together and her arms are
tucked against her side with her hands cut this wasn't right just two days after Amanda's death former Eatonton
police officer Seth Perrault was taken into custody Sheriff Sills called me and let me know
that they were going to arrest him for her murder and I my whole family just was so
relieved and and happy that she was getting Justice yes before a grand jury could hear the
evidence and decide if there was enough to go to trial kovid shut down the courts peralt sat in jail for nearly
nine months until the medical examiner issued her report on the cause of death months later
the medical examiner's report comes out and what does it say suicide well I was astounded I'm Justin Kinney
an attorney for Seth Perrault Dr darison is a renowned medical examiner so her certification of suicide we thought was
basically open shot you have to remember she works for the state Dr darison's decision was based primarily on the lack
of gunpowder around the wood which meant that the gun had to have been right up against Amanda's head when it went off
and there were no signs of a struggle nobody is just going to allow somebody to put a gun to their head and pull the
trigger without putting up some sort of fight when covid restrictions finally eased a grand jury had to decide whether
there was enough evidence against him to go to trial and you know the first thing I put up
for that grand jury to see the crime scene pictures no ma'am the autopsy report that said suicide
ladies and gentlemen the State Crime Lab medical examiner says this was a suicide
now I'm going to show you the evidence I found the grand jury quickly came to a conclusion peralt should go to trial
what were the charges Mouse murder felony murder and aggravated assault peralt pled not guilty to all charges at
his trial in February 2022 he decided not to testify leaving defense attorney Justin Kenny to tell his story Kenny
says the hardest thing for the defense to explain was the way Amanda's body was found we knew that it was going to be a
problem the body had to be moved in some way had to be touched in some way but Kenny provided an explanation something
peralt said in his interview with Sheriff Sills I probably did touch her I was probably
hugging you out of her and that would potentially account for her arms being by her sides as the trial concluded
district attorney Barksdale hoped Alicia and Angie Johnson were going to be able
to get Justice for their sister were you worried at all about the verdict when I
try to remind myself it is my job to pursue Justice and to present a case for the jury to consider and if they were to
walk him out the door I would be able to look to Amanda Perot's family and say we did everything we could

Seth Perrault, an officer with the Eatonton, Georgia, Police Department called his boss and told him that his wife shot herself. Two days later, he was arrested for her murder. What happened?

Crime. Social justice. Impact. "48 Hours" investigates the most intriguing crime and justice cases that touch on all areas of the human experience including greed and passion. "48 Hours," which premiered in 1988, has developed a rich history of original reporting and impact journalism that has helped exonerate wrongly convicted people, caused cold cases to be reopened and solved, and along the way changed lives.

For video licensing inquiries, contact: licensing@veritone.com

Brief Summary

The episode details Amanda Perrault's suspicious death and her husband Seth's trial for murder after initial suicide claims.

Key points

Tragic Call from the Police Chief. Seth Perrault receives a shocking call about his wife's death.
Suspicion Arises. Sheriff Sills becomes suspicious of Seth's account of Amanda's death.
Medical Examiner's Report. The report declares Amanda's death a suicide, shocking many involved.
Trial Begins. Seth Perrault faces charges of murder and aggravated assault in court.
Pursuit of Justice. The district attorney reflects on the efforts to seek justice for Amanda.

Episode highlights

Episode quotes

I just sat there and watched my wife execute herself.

Seth Perrault recounts the tragic moment.

0:44WatchJan 31, 2023

Tension

75/ 100High tension

More from 48 Hours

Solve the Crime

Read a real case one clue at a time, then see how your call held up against the investigators.