No Love Left | 48 Hours Full Episodes | Forensic Files

[music] What's address the emergency? >> Hello, my name is Harold Hwood. I'm in the Rocky Mountain National Park.
>> My wife has fallen from a rock on the north summit of Deer Mountain. And I have a series of texts from my
brother-in-law Harold Henthornne regarding my sister Tony Henthornne. This says Barry urgent [music]
Tony is injured fall from rock. She has been in a critical accident [music] falls off of a ledge
140 [music] ft and she does die there on the mountain that night. being the big brother and supposed to
take care of your sister, you can't do it. It's a bad feeling. >> I need to be there for my sister
and I couldn't. >> Tony Hanthorne died in Rocky Mountain National Park in 2012 in a fall.
It's not that unusual at all that people die in falls in the Rocky Mountains. I'm
now at 9,354T and counting. Take a look at this. Talk about rugged terrain. This is [music] crazy.
>> Since we first brought you this story, new evidence, some right here on the mountain. [music] And that's just the
beginning. >> What's unusual is that in this case, it happened with a guy whose first wife
died in such a freak accident 17 years earlier. >> Her name is Lynn Hanthorne. >> A closeup. I thought Harold was a great
guy, very charming. I thought, [music] "This is good. My sister needs a good man like this."
Lynn and Harold, they had been on a drive late at night. They [music] had stopped to fix a soft tire, not even a
flat tire. >> And what were you told? How had [music] your sister died? >> That she'd been crushed under a car
changing a tire. We all were shocked at the bizarness, but the police ruled it an accident.
>> There are so many similarities in these two deaths. Both occurred in very remote locations
in Colorado. In both cases, Harold Henthornne is the only witness. [music] This is either the unluckiest guy in the
world whose two wives have died under freakish unusual circumstances or it could be murder.
[music] [music] Rocky Mountain [music] National Park is a place known for its soaring beauty,
majestic wildlife, and inspiring serenity. But in September of 2012, it was a sight
of heartbreak. We've hiked up to the 10,000 ft level in the Rocky Mountain National Park to a
place where either a tragic accident occurred or did Harold Henthorne [music] push his wife to her death.
The story of how love might have [music] gone murderously wrong begins with a joyful time.
>> I was extraordinarily happy for my sister. It appeared that she found her true love. And if she was happy, I was
happy. >> Tony, a sophisticated southern bell, met Harold in 1999. Tony's brother Barry was
pleased his 37year-old sister [laughter] had found the kind of man she was looking for.
>> She experimented with Christian matchmakers and she met this guy named Harold Henthornne. Her comments were
that he was very kind. He was very romantic. He was very smart. >> Both had lost their first spouse under
dramatically different circumstances. Tony's marriage had ended in divorce while Harold's first [music] wife died
in a tragic incident. >> What did you know about Harold's first wife, Lynn? >> When we had asked Harold about that, the
only response that we had was that she died in a car accident. >> Barry's wife, Paula, not wanting to
upset Harold, didn't want to pry. >> I thought it was just a bad car wreck and she died. Well, so we, you know,
didn't want to ask him to elaborate. We just took it for face value. >> He seemed like a good match for Tony.
>> Tony's parents, Bob and Ivonne, had a good feeling when they first met Harold.
>> He said, "I was just smitten by Tony." >> It was easy to be taken with Tony. She
was attractive [music] and successful. A prominent eye doctor and surgeon in Jackson, Mississippi.
>> That looks very pretty on you. Nice job. >> Oh, thank you. >> Mostly though, Tony was known for her
caring nature. >> She loved people and if she could make somebody feel better, she would. And
this started early in her life. >> The middle child with two brothers, [music] Tony was a standout in school.
>> Did you compete academically? >> Oh, yeah. And she smoked me. [laughter] >> She did.
>> She's probably the smartest lady I've ever met. No small praise coming from Barry
himself a prominent cardiologist and Harold seemed accomplished as well. >> Really nice
>> describing himself as a fundraising consultant with his own company. >> I work with nonprofits that be churches,
schools or hospitals. >> I thought that was a interesting but an odd business in at that time too.
>> A year after meeting the couple got married in Mississippi. [music] They soon moved to the Denver, Colorado
area where Harold previously lived and said he had business contacts. Tony joined a local opthalmology practice.
But Tony's strong family ties. >> There's Tony and Harold >> would often bring the loving couple.
>> It's always good to come back home. >> Back to Mississippi for holidays. >> It's an exciting year. We love you all
and want you to come out and visit us in Denver. One thing was missing from their life, a
child. And in 2005, Tony and Harold celebrated the birth of their daughter, Haley.
>> I have daddy and mommy trained very well. He had his daughter. He had his wife. He had his nice life. Daniel
Jarvis was a longtime family friend of Heralds. >> He seemed like good husband. It seemed
like he provided. He's a very good father. When Daniel decided to move to Colorado, Harold and Tony let him stay
with them for several months. And what was it like inside the Henthornne household?
>> Tony went to work in the, you know, most mornings. Harold, he worked down in his
basement. He would say that he was meeting with a client going to lunch or he was traveling.
Christmas newsletters painted a picture of a happy family with successful careers for both Tony and [music]
Harold. But in 2006, their lives took a terrifying turn. While Barry was demonstrating his new CAT scan machine,
he discovered that Harold's arteries were dangerously clogged. >> Harold was in the throws of the
beginnings of a heart attack. >> Harold was rushed into surgery. >> Do you believe that you saved Harold's
life? >> I know that I did, and Harold would confirm that. >> Tony had her own brush with death in
2011. She was injured in an unusual accident at their [music] mountain cabin when a heavy wooden beam fell on her.
>> She said, "I saw something on the floor and if I had not picked it up, it would
have killed me instantly, but it hit the back of my neck and fractured a vertea."
>> And with that, she did lose some sensation in her hands. When I would call Harold, it was like, "Oh, it's no
big deal." I didn't learn about this until much later. And I said, "Why didn't somebody call me?" And she said,
"Harold didn't call you." And I said, "No." >> By this time, Tony's family says Harold
[music] had become a demanding and controlling husband. Even talking with Tony on the phone seemed impossible.
>> Harold would always answer. See, he had the house phone hooked to his cell phone. The only one-on-one conversation
I ever had was with Harold. If I tried to talk to Tony or a Haley, it was always on speaker phone. Why do you
think he did this? >> I think that he likes to control everything. >> That was also the impression of workers
in Tony's eye practice. Christy Drews noticed Harold wanted to be involved in everything.
>> When our doctors would have meetings, [music] Harold had to be part of it. He
had to know everything she was doing. >> While the staff adored Tony, office manager Tammy Abuscato says their
feelings for Harold were quite different. >> He made us uncomfortable. He was kind of
um kind of there was something creepy about him. She was not able to schedule anything outside of her normal schedule
without first consulting with Harold. So, it was a pleasant surprise when in September of 2012, Harold asked Tammy to
help plan a 12th wedding anniversary surprise trip [music] to Rocky Mountain National Park. She gladly obliged,
secretly clearing Tony's schedule so she could leave early. >> The guy was creepy to me, but she was
married to him and if he was going to do something nice was kind of exciting. You
know, maybe for just a moment I thought, "Huh, that's kind of cool. Maybe he's not so bad."
>> The entire office got involved. Christy took out her cell phone to record the
surprise. >> Hi. >> It's the last image. It's the last time anybody who was close to her saw her
alive. On September 29th, 2012, on a beautiful day like this, Harold and Tony set out
on this trail in the Rocky Mountain National Park on their anniversary hike. About 2 miles up, Harold led them off
trail into rough terrain. She had bad [music] knees, so she was not a well person to go hiking,
particularly in a rugged terrain. These photos were taken on that anniversary hike. A hike that went
terribly wrong, as Barry learned through those text messages from Harold. >> It says Barry, urgent. Tony is injured.
critical requested flight for life and then he texts me back saying that she's gone.
>> Tony had fallen nearly 140 ft to her death. Barry had to break the news to his parents that his 50year-old sister
had [music] died. >> And Barry said, "She's gone. It's the worst two words I've ever heard in my life."
It was like, "No, this didn't happen." >> And for Tony's [music] family, what happened here wasn't adding
up. From Tony with her bad knees taking a strenuous hike to Harold texting Barry
during the accident to the multiple explanations Harold gave about how Tony died.
The story is is that he notices that she was lagging behind and he can't find her. So he starts looking over edges and
and then he sees that she's down at the bottom. >> Then says Barry, that story quickly
changed. >> And he tells me then that he got a text message. And so he has his head down
looking at that phone text and he sees there's like a little flash and then Tony's not there. And does that
story change? >> That story changes by the next day. Tony now is taking a picture of Harold and
Tony has presumably while setting up a shot of him fallen backwards off of a cliff. And so here are three
stories in basically less than 48 hours. >> And what are you thinking? >> Warning buzzers are gone off.
What about the notion that maybe he was suffering post-traumatic stress and those crazy versions of stories was all
a result of shock? >> I think that you got to take all of that in context. If he does have this
irrational emotional behavior, how does he have it together so well to plan her funeral? [music]
Not even 48 hours after his wife has died, he's got a video made. He's got the songs picked out. [music] He's
already contacted the people that are going to sing the songs. It's too well planned.
>> 5 days after Tony's death, hundreds gathered at a memorial service. >> Our purpose today is to honor and to
remember Tony Henthornne. By then, Harold had already cremated Tony, a decision which added to the list of red
flags for the Bertolays. >> We did not want Tony cremated and um Harold insisted. We wanted to
bring her home in burial. >> I think he was trying to hide evidence. I think that Harold Henthornne pushed my
sister off the mountain. Here you are grieving her death, which you now believe may have been a murder. And
if that's the case, the murderer is sitting right next to you, right? >> Yes. Correct.
>> Law enforcement, as it does with all deadly falls, was immediately investigating and discovered something
that raised suspicions. They found this map inside Harold's Jeep with a handdrawn X on the spot where Tony fell.
>> After the service, he came up to me and his first thing was, "They found a map.
They found a map." >> He didn't come up and give you a hug and say, "What a tragedy. I'm so glad you're
here." The first words out of his mouth is, "They found a map." >> Yeah. >> Did you have any idea what he was
talking about? >> No clue. No idea. But a few weeks later, Harold brought it up again, explaining
to Daniel the map was meant for him to highlight a nice trail. Harold also told Daniel he could never hurt Tony.
>> He's saying, "You lived with us. You know that there was nothing wrong in our
marriage. You know that I could never do this." >> And what did you say? >> I said, "Yes, I agree. I don't believe
you could ever do this." The Harold that you knew, was he capable of murder? >> Not the Harold I knew.
>> I knew he did it. >> Co-workers and close friends kind of privately were talking and saying, you
know, I I really feel bad to say this, but I think that Harold did this. [music]
>> In fact, many tips were coming into law enforcement. 16 calls and letters, all
requesting Tony's death be further investigated, with fingers pointing at Harold.
And then there was a tip received by Brian Moss, Denver's CBS4 investigative reporter and 48 Hours consultant. It
changed everything. >> And it just said his first wife died in a freak accident as well.
>> So it was right up about up here. Brian began investigating both deaths and was
shocked by what he found. >> In both cases, the accidents are freakish or bizarre, extremely unusual.
He tells lots of different stories. Both wives had a lot of insurance money on them. He was the one who was going to
benefit from that. >> [music] >> Tony, you say something? >> Tony Hanthorne had a lot of friends. She
had a lot of people who loved her and [music] right from the start wanted to see
justice. They didn't feel good about what happened. With questions being raised about how
Tony Hanthorne fell to her death in Rocky Mountain National Park, investigators seen here were retracing
her last steps. Now focusing on the only witness, her husband, Harold. Remember,
his first wife, Lynn, had also died in unusual circumstances in 1995, crushed under their jeep.
>> She was a great woman. She was awesome in heart and soul. You >> decided while we have a chance.
>> It's so hard to convey the beauty of anyone's spirit, but Lynn was >> truly >> she was the real thing.
>> Lynn's siblings, Kevin, Lisson, and Eric were delighted when their loving sister,
a social worker, found Harold to share her life with. >> He was charming. He was a a fun guy to
be around. She adored him. >> Grace Relle, Lynn's sister-in-law, remembers how happy Lynn seemed during
her 12-year marriage to Harold. >> She looked at him with very loving, adoring eyes.
>> It was a feeling Grace could understand. >> He began to be like this wonderful big
brother to me. >> Would you say a loving personality? >> Oh, incredibly. There were a lot of
times as my family began to grow of watching Harold relate to my girls and how engaging he was with them. He and
Lynn never forgot a birthday Christmas. You just you couldn't ask for, you know,
more loving family. >> But on May 6th, 1995, tragedy struck. >> We got a call from a paramedic
letting us know that there had been an accident. and and she was gone and it just it was
horrible pain. It was horrible. We all came as quick as we could to be there and to comfort Harold.
>> And what did you know about the circumstances of Lynn's death? What were you told?
It was just a freak accident. >> Harold told law enforcement he and Lynn had gone out for dinner and a drive in
this remote area called Sadelia. While driving, Harold thought he was getting a flat tire.
He pulled off the highway here onto the shoulder you see right behind me in the dark to change the tire. Linny said was
helping out holding the tires lug nuts as he removed them. Harold says she dropped one and it went under the
vehicle. And at the same time that Lynn went under to retrieve it, Harold says he threw the flat tire in the back,
knocking the jeep off of its jack and onto Lynn. The Lynn that you knew so well, was she the kind of woman who
would crawl under a car? Was that her nature? >> No. No, it wasn't at all. That's why it
it did seem odd. >> Lynn's siblings also thought the accident bizarre, but they too couldn't
imagine Harold was involved. >> This was a man that we vacationed with and spent hundreds of hours with and um
we just didn't allow ourselves to go there. There she is. >> The Douglas County Sheriff's Department
responded to the accident and started investigating. And just like in Tony Hanthorne's case
17 years later, Harold told a number of conflicting stories. Reports say Harold told one deputy they were driving back
from dinner, told another they were going to dinner. According to one report, Harold said Lynn called out his
name after the Jeep fell on her. But he told another investigator that Lynn said, "I think something's on me."
Harold told one deputy he pulled Lynn out from underneath that Jeep. He later said that people who stopped to help
pulled her out. The sheriff's office investigated Lynn's death for 6 days, then closed the case,
calling it an accident, as did the coroner at the time. In the following years, investigators say Harold
continued telling various versions of what happened the day Lynn died. One bewildering contradiction
after another. the CPR people or the people do, the EMTs didn't know what they were doing and they actually
crushed her. That um she was killed in an automobile accident. A head >> a head-on automobile accident.
>> Not under the car. >> No. >> No. >> There were lots of conflicts. >> Laura Thomas became the Douglas County
Coroner in 2011, 16 years after Lynn's death. A Colorado state trooper for decades,
she hadn't known about Lynn's accident until she heard about Tony's tragic fall and learned both women had been married
to the same man. And you hear this story. What are you thinking? >> Well, I'm thinking that I need to go
into investigator mode. There were lots of things in this story that don't make any sense to me at all. If Lynn
Henthornne's accident had been properly investigated, could Tony Henthornne be alive today?
>> You know, Peter, you ask a question that I have asked myself for over two years.
[screaming] So, if I let the air out. What really happened in 1995, the night [music] Lynn Henthornne, Harold's first
wife, was crushed under their jeep. We asked Arnold Wheat, a nationally recognized [music] accident
reconstruction specialist, to review Lynn's case. >> That's right. Uh 15 to 16 pounds right
there. [music] >> Using a similar make and model as the Henthornne's Jeep Cherokee, wheat, a 48
hours consultant, deflated the tire to the pressure that Harold claimed forced him to pull over on that remote,
darkened highway. >> This doesn't look flat. >> No. Is this undrivable in your opinion?
>> No. In most people's mind, a flat tire is flat with the rim on the ground. >> I've driven on a rim. This isn't
anywhere close to being on the rim. >> No, it's not. >> Then there's an unusual kind of jack
that Weep thinks was similar to this that Harold in one report told investigators he used to change the
tire. Is this a bit precarious to be putting up a 4,000lb Jeep Cherokee? >> Absolutely.
>> Harold told investigators he had to use an unconventional jack because the one
that came with the Jeep didn't work. A claim wheat finds suspicious. How often have you heard a jack like this failing?
Never. Never. Never. What's worse, says coroner Laura Thomas, is it seems investigators just took
Harold's word that the jack was defective. >> There's no indication that the sheriff's
department tested that jack. >> They never tested it. >> Not in the information that I've read.
[music] >> Another issue, one of the tires lug nuts. >> This is a lug nut. It has flat surfaces.
Harold says Lynn dropped a lug nut that somehow rolled all the way under the Jeep, causing Lynn to go retrieve it.
>> They're on a gravel surface. Lug nuts don't move very far when you drop them on a gravel surface. How that lug nut
got underneath there just doesn't make sense. >> That certainly is suspicious to me. Do
you believe as you sit across from me right now that Harold Hanthorne has gotten away with murder in Lynn's case?
>> I think there is a very good chance that he has. >> In December 2014, shortly before her
term as coroner ended, Laura's suspicions led her to make a dramatic decision. >> I don't believe that Lynn Hanthorne got
justice. She changed the manner of death in Lynn Hanthorne's case from accident to undetermined.
The Douglas County Sheriff's Department also reopened Lynn's case, but has not charged Harold Heenthorne with any
crime. >> You say something into the camera. Um, he goes. [laughter] >> Meanwhile, federal investigators looking
into the 2012 fatal fall of Harold's second wife, Tony, were zeroing in on him. They interviewed Daniel Jarvis, the
friend who briefly lived in the Henthornne house. >> She asked me what Harold had told me
about his job, and I gave her the details of he said he was a fundraising consultant for nonprofits. The
investigator listened to Daniel's story and then presented some jaw-dropping news.
>> She said, "Let me go ahead and tell you something. Harold has not worked in 20
years." And it's kind of like a bomb exploded. [music] Federal investigators have come out and
proven he had no income at all. That he wasn't raising any money, but he was telling everybody that he was this
incredibly successful entrepreneur and businessman who was raising all this money for various organizations.
>> Harold reportedly told others that Tony knew he wasn't working. A claim Tony's
family says is untrue, as Harold controlled the finances. >> [bell] >> Law enforcement also thinks the time
when Tony was accidentally struck in the head at the family's cabin may have actually been the first time Harold
tried to kill her. Everyone wanted answers from Harold. >> Is Mr. Henthornne here? Is he here?
>> And he wasn't talking. >> Is there a time when we could get together with you? I want to give you
another opportunity to explain what's going on. I just want to give you a chance to
>> my attorney. I really don't appreciate being my property like this. >> Federal authorities do not believe that
Harold Henthornne is any kind of a hard luck husband who's just the victim of circumstance. They think he is a killer.
[music] A killer they believe with a motive and a bizarre business model collecting life
insurance proceeds worth millions. Nearly $645,000 on Lynn and potentially millions on
Tony. Do authorities believe that Harold had basically started up a cottage industry here, marry someone, get life
insurance, and off the wife? They've connected the dots that way. And Grace Relle, Harold's
exister-in-law, thinks she could have been part of that industry. something she learned when the FBI told her about
a secret $400,000 life insurance policy Harold had taken out on her. Grace says Harold forged her
signature, making himself the sole beneficiary. >> That was his doing. I did not authorize
that policy. >> You die, he profits. >> He profits. >> What do you think he was up to?
I think it's logical to conclude that he was planning on taking my life at some point.
>> You potentially were going to be victim number three. >> He's a dangerous man. He needs to be
behind bars. >> Did you kill both of your wives? >> Finally, in November of 2014,
>> how did Tony die? Harold Hanthorne was arrested and charged by federal authorities with the firstdegree murder
of Tony. And justice for Tony could bring justice for Lynn Henthornne. >> She didn't deserve to be crushed under a
jeep out here. >> As a judge ruled, the circumstances surrounding Lynn's death can be
presented at his trial for Tony's murder. It will strengthen the case enormously for Tony to have Lynn's case
added in. >> And in September 2015, 3 years after Tony's death, Harold Henthornne's trial
for her murder began. >> Going into this trial, I'm really thinking this is a tossup. You have no
eyewitnesses. There's no confession. So, you're wondering if there's one hold out
juror, if one person doesn't buy circumstantial evidence, can the government really sell this case?
[music] I'm going to step off here, show you the scene in front of the federal courthouse
right now. national and local media gathering. They are waiting for the families. There's a lot of interest in
Denver and frankly around the world in this trial. They're interested in justice because the circumstances are so
unusual. A husband whose two wives die in these freak accidents. >> The federal judge in the case told
prospective jurors this trial quote will be a doozy. >> Did you kill both of your wives? The
murder trial of Harold Heenthorne, where cameras were not allowed, begins with the prosecution laying out its
circumstantial case. They portray Harold Heenthorne as an abject liar who's lied about everything in his life.
They say that he stood to make about $4.7 million in life insurance if Tony Henthorne died. So, your mom's doing
okay, >> precious Molly. [laughter] Henthornne's defense attorney stands up and says, "My client's a very unusual,
quirky guy, and he has lied, but that doesn't necessarily make him a killer." >> I just remember the defense attorney
saying, "I don't have to prove anything." >> Juror Don Roberts. >> This is up to them to prove. The
prosecution set out to do just that using drone footage. Video and photographs documenting the couple's
ascent along the mountain trail they believe became a murder scene. >> And they were able to establish a
pattern of him visiting that same area because his phone when he would text or call was hitting the same exact [music]
tower. Juror Marcy Miller Zan says the FBI presented evidence using Henthornne's cell phone records to show
he made repeated scouting trips. And how many times did he visit that area? >> Nine times.
>> And what does that tell you? >> It tells me he's planning. >> Also compelling to jurors was that 911
call. Give two more regular breaths and then pump 30 more times. >> That's exactly what I'll be doing.
>> And how evidence didn't seem to support the efforts Harold claims he made after
climbing down the mountain [music] to revive Tony, including mouthto-mouth resuscitation.
>> And her lipstick was still on, so you'd know that would be impossible. And there was the testimony of Barry
Bertolay, Tony's brother, who is a doctor, about the texts he received from Harold.
>> At one point she's slow heart rate, at another point she's fast heart rate. Well, which is it?
>> There was also this powerful piece of evidence, that map taken from Harold's Jeep, where he had drawn an X at the
very spot where Tony had fallen to her death. Longtime friend Daniel Jarvis testified
how Harold told him at Tony's funeral that the map had been made for him. >> It wasn't made for me. I believe it was
made for that time. >> And he put an X on there. So >> So what do you think this all adds up
to? I think he planned to go out there and have nobody around >> and do what? >> And push Tony off a cliff.
>> It was like, okay, um, he's trying to hide something. >> Juror Jerry Tabota >> and trying to get Mr. Jarvis to be on
his side of the story. Another point of drama came when the [music] prosecution presented evidence
that Harold may have stolen a precious item from his dead wife's body. >> After Tony Henthornne's fall, they find
her wedding ring on her finger. Her hand not severely damaged, but the diamond is
missing from the wedding ring. And it's worth about $30,000 according to Harold.
>> And that area was scoured, right? >> Scoured. Investigators combed through that area. And so it was a real mystery.
Where did the diamond go? >> But 8 months later, an investigator returning to the scene, suddenly found
the diamond suspiciously sitting on the ground in plain sight. During the investigation, Harold Henthornne got a
lot of pressure from the FBI about that diamond and it got to him. The prosecution believes Harold Henthornne
put the diamond back. And there was that information allowed about the unusual way Harold's first wife, Lynn, died,
crushed under that jeep. Once we learned more about Lynn's death and the circumstances of her death, then it
started coming together for me that there were very many similarities in the two cases.
>> Pattern of behavior. >> Pattern of behavior. >> There was only one person these jurors
now wanted to hear from, someone they felt had some explaining to do. >> I wanted to hear from Harold. I would
have loved to see him get on the stand and give another account to the jury of what happened that night.
>> Yeah. and it didn't happen. >> In fact, Harold's defense attorney rested his case without calling a single
witness, confident jurors would see Tony's death as an accident. Tony's brother, Barry, looked over at Harold.
>> Yes. >> What did you see on his face? >> It was a defiant look and it was like,
you know, one of these come and get me and I hope we did. The jury began its deliberation.
>> We're all somewhat anxious and waiting the decision if there's a hung jury. >> Gathered together for the wait is not
just Tony's family, but Lynn's as well. >> We hope to be able to have a celebratory
dinner tonight together. So, we're just praying that the jury will come back and
uh get a quick verdict. After 10 hours of deliberation, the jury took a vote. >> Our four person said, "Who's for
guilty?" And every hand in the room went up. >> Every hand. >> Every hand quickly.
>> Harold Hanthorne was convicted of firstdegree murder. >> After the trial officially ended, you
know, all the years I've been doing this, I've never seen that before. What happens? I went and hugged Ivonne,
>> the mother of Tony, and just whispered in ear, "No mom should ever go through
what you've gone through." She just said, "As one mom to another, I feel your pain."
>> While the verdict means justice for the Burlays, Barry's mind still wanders back
to that time he saved Harold from a certain heart attack. The man he now knows went on to kill his sister.
[music] >> You know, I think as a physician, you know, you have this oath and this
obligation to do that, but I'd like to have my sister back. Barry is not alone in regrets. [music]
Lynn's family has its own. >> We grieve for the burlades. >> Because had we come forward at that time with
with more suspicions, [music] then maybe Tony would be alive today. >> One tragic [music] connection they share
is the fact that Harold spread Tony and Lynn's ashes 17 years apart at the same spot.
And I'm glad that we're here with you, little girl. I >> know. >> Now, young Haley Henthornne is the focus
of attention. [music] She is slowly learning details about her mother's death. >> Your mama was about my height, wasn't
she? >> Yeah, she was about 5'4. People in Mississippi don't get to see mountains
that much. >> Barry and Paula worked [music] through the courts to bring Haley as their ward
to Mississippi, the place her mother considered home. Where might she end up? >> Hopefully right there.
[snorts] >> Hopefully right there. >> You'd like to adopt her? >> Absolutely. >> We're excited about you coming. There's
actually >> in that [music] she can be in a place where she's loved by family and grow up
in an environment where everybody knew her mom as intelligent, smart, [music] as a hero. I want her to know who her
mom really was. >> Wow, that's awesome. Good job. >> [music] [music] [music] [music]
[music] >> Stephanie and I did a dance together [music] and it was a dance about love and loss
and it was an empty chair on the stage. [music] The empty chair symbolizes the loss of a loved one.
I thought, how ironic is this that we [music] do this dance and now Stephanie is the one that's in my empty
chair. [music] My name is Jennifer Vauakis and Stephanie is my best friend. I think about Stephanie every day. Every
time I dance, she's with me. It was the Monday before Thanksgiving in Silverthorn, very [music] small town,
Colorado. It was dark night. It was a blizzard that night and very cold. Temperature
was 1° with wind chill of -20 or lower. Stephanie Roller Bruner, mother of three.
While her young children are asleep, she supposedly goes out for a walk on this cold, snowy, blizzard night,
and she disappears into thin air. >> My job was to find Stephanie, and if I couldn't find Stephanie, I felt like I
would fail. >> My name is Teresa Berger. I'm a detective for the Silverthorn Police
Department. I was hoping for the best, but I was thinking of the worst. Summit County, Colorado. It can get very
cold and it can be very dangerous. First 24 hours is the most imperative when finding a missing person.
I didn't find her. >> The scenario that you hope happens is that Stephanie would be found safe and
unheard somewhere. I'm Mark Robert and I'm the district attorney up here in Summit County and we
were called in early on in the case because up here every missing person we look at is possibly a homicide.
>> Each day that we looked into Stephanie's life, we learned many things. We learned
that Stephanie had secrets. >> She was very scared. She was scared for her life.
>> I don't know what it is about beautiful, kind women who [music] fall into these
kind of traps. That's the biggest question now is why [music] >> [music] >> This is a story of a mother of three,
[music] a lovely person who loved to dance, who disappeared in a blizzard in the
cold. No leads, no shoe print in the snow. And it's a puzzle. Where is she? When Stephanie Roller went missing in
November of 2010, Teresa Barger was still a uniformed police officer. But before it was over, her determination to
find out what happened to Stephanie would earn her the title detective. I take most of my cases personally, but
because she was alone and we couldn't find her, that became my project. That became a passion to find her.
Officer Barger helped launch a massive search and rescue effort to find the missing mother of three. Stephanie's
husband, Dale Bruner, said he last saw his wife around 10:30 [music] p.m. on Monday night. 24 hours later, there was
still no sign of her. >> [music] >> We've called everybody that we can call that we know of. I've got the kids at
the house at this point. Mommy didn't come home and I don't know what to tell the kids. You can't tell them anything.
You don't know anything yet. I'm scared. >> The thought of losing Stephanie was too
much to take in, says Dale. He'd been in love with her from the moment he set eyes on her at a ski resort in Oregon.
>> She was wearing sunglasses, and I didn't know what she really looked like at all
until she took her sunglasses off. And I was just stunned. And I was like, "Wow,
this she's beautiful." >> They moved together to Silverthornne, Colorado, a town near the popular ski
resort of Breenidge. Athletic and adventurous, Stephanie fit right in, says friend Jennifer Vakus.
>> When Stephanie [music] moved to the county, the first thing she wanted to do was dance. And so I was the lucky
recipient of that call because I owned a dance studio. We were friends from the very start. From the first word, I knew
that she was something very special. >> Stephanie went to work for the county reviewing home building plans and Dale
built a business as a photographer. They eventually married in Fiji and had three children, a girl,
a boy, and a second little girl. >> She really wanted children, and she was very happy.
>> We weren't rich, but we did. We were doing okay. We were able to take the vacations to Mexico and Disney World,
you know, every year and Hawaii, you know, three or four times in the last few years.
>> It sounds like an idyllic life. >> Yeah. >> But a few months before she disappeared,
Dale's best friend, Brad Olivanti, says he watched that idyllic life morph into something unrecognizable.
>> I called it the perfect storm. It just seemed like things started going on a different direction quickly.
>> Stephanie was laid off and Dale's photography business dried up in the tight economy. But that wasn't the worst
of it. >> What state was your marriage in? A >> juggling act. >> In what sense? >> Well, Stephanie wanted out. She said,
"I've fallen out of love with you. I've met someone else. I want to move on." That someone else was a physical
therapist named Ron Hold House. They met when Stephanie was teaching him to dance
for a local benefit. Dancing with the mountain stars. >> Hey Mark, how are you? >> Good. How are you doing?
>> District Attorney Mark Hurlbert. >> Even though there did not appear to be anything physical, emotionally they
appeared to be very connected with each other. Their secret blog called Souls Seeking tells the story of two lovers
longing but unable because of circumstance [music] to be together. >> It was definitely a love affair. It was
a affair of the heart. >> About 6 months after meeting Ron, Stephanie asked Dale for a divorce.
>> Were you willing to get divorced? >> Yes, absolutely. I wanted Stephanie to always be happy,
>> even if it was with someone else. >> That's not my choice. I mean, that's her. If if that's what makes her happy,
then, you know, [music] if being with me wasn't going to be make her happy, then
that's not why would I want that. >> But to the police, the combination of jilted husband and missing wife raised a
red flag. >> I heard the door and there was two police officers. One of them flat out
was yelling at me. He said, "Did you kill your wife?" And I was just stunned. I'm like, "What are you talking about?"
>> But Dale wasn't the only one on their radar. Turns out Mr. Holt House had a Mrs. Holt House. And despite what he
said in those romantic love letters, Ron had no intention of leaving his wife. He
broke it to Stephanie the day before she disappeared. >> He was trying to break it off with
Stephanie. >> Yes. He said that he would he needed to step back and work on his relationship
with his wife. But Stephanie was so upset, Ron told officer Barger that he agreed to meet her in the parking lot
where they often came to talk. >> Stephanie and Ron met here about 5 hours before Stephanie went missing.
>> They parted, but later that night, Officer Barger says Stephanie was still fixated on getting Ron back. She wrote
him an emotional email detailing her love for him. >> And at that point, the trail went cold.
[music] Dale told officer Barger that around 10:30, Stephanie told him she needed to
clear her head. He heard the door shut and then she walked off into that dark, snowy night.
It's hard to admit [music] that the worst could happen to you. You don't think it's going to ever
happen to you. From the minute Stephanie Roller disappeared, Jennifer Vakus and her
husband Mike scoured the county looking for their missing friend. >> I searched in the river. I searched
under bridges, covered outlets, even dumpsters and that sort of thing. >> We had to look for her. Who knows where
she was. It was better than not doing anything at all. >> They went from hotel to hotel.
>> We took every lead that we could and we explored it. >> They called Stephanie's cell phone
countless times hoping she would answer. She never did. >> I was in shock. According to Dale,
Stephanie had left that night in a lightweight jacket. She had no purse, no money, no car keys, only a phone she
wasn't answering and a computer she wasn't using. >> What? She took her computer, but she
didn't take her purse for a walk in freezing temperatures. That wasn't adding up.
Though technically still a missing person's case, the Silverthorn PD started treating it as a murder
investigation right there. >> And this was one of the people officers wanted to talk to, Ron Holt House, the
boyfriend. >> I just want to ask straight up again, not you. Do you know where Stephanie is
right now? I absolutely >> He was nervous, but he was very forthcoming on the information that we
had asked. And I was actually trying to tell her that it was over. And then she said asked me again one more time like,
"But we can make it work." I said, "No, we cannot make this work." He appeared to me genuine at that point. But we
didn't give up because you never know. He could be a really good liar. Oh, yeah. He could have been.
The search for Stephanie slowed down on Thanksgiving Day, but not for Officer Barger. She kept grinding away.
>> There was nothing leading me to her, and that's not normal. Usually, there is a
trace somewhere. >> By that evening, she was at her wit's end. >> It became a horrible evening. All I kept
thinking is, we need a locator. The next day, Friday, >> I want you to stay in the same tracks
you came in on. >> Barger sadly got her wish. >> Around noon, the frozen body of a woman
was found just a few minutes walk from Stephanie Roller's home under melting snow in the Blue River.
>> The majority of her body was was submerged. >> Agent Greg Sedar with the Colorado
Bureau of Investigation was called in to assist the local police. She was lying face up in the water and she was naked
with the exception of a long sleeve teal t-shirt was still attached to her right
arm. >> That was it. >> Yes, ma'am. >> There was no sign of sexual assault, but the clothes she was reportedly wearing
were never found. It was very hard to look at her cuz I could tell [music] from the pictures it
was her. It was the same person that I've been looking for and it was very hard.
It's unescribable. I just was so shocked. I couldn't react. I couldn't react. My first thought was, what happened to
her? And my second was my kids. Like, oh my god, my kids have lost their mom. This was a very brutal, brutal murder.
She was hit over the head, which caused her skull to break. She was strangled so
hard that a bone in her neck broke. while still alive, thrown into the Blue River and left to drown and die of
hypothermia. >> How horrible that it had to be for her to be in that that river and to sit
there and not be able to do anything. She suffered. I had to focus now and bring that person
to justice because she needed that. And her children, her children needed that. Tonight is about celebration to take
away memories of Stephanie Roller Bruner. >> One week after Stephanie Roller's battered body was pulled from the icy
waters of the Blue River, >> when I met Stephanie, I just knew I had to be her friend.
>> Friends, >> my heart is with you. >> Family and people who had never even met
her gathered in the theater where she once danced to celebrate her life. Stephanie, thank you for teaching us
strength and courage. >> It was very important [music] that we called it a celebration because that's
who Stephanie was. She always wanted her life to be happy. >> It was a beautiful service.
>> People are just griefstricken. >> But Agent Sedar wasn't just there to pay his respects. He was there to work. And
that meant keeping a close eye on another of his suspects, Dale Bruner. As I watched Dale, he would look around the
room comfortable and calm. Then when somebody would walk up to him, he would break down crying, no tears,
and then when that person filed away, he'd snap back into just a normal demeanor again. It was one of the oddest
behaviors I've ever seen. >> But Dale's best friend, Brad, a longtime funeral director, says there's no
accounting for behavior in times of grief. Nevertheless, he suggested it might be time for Dale to lawyer up.
>> I kind of had a little chat with him. I said, "Pal, um, I don't know if you watch TV," and he does, "But do you know
that, you know, the husband usually is the person that they're going to come after in a situation like this when a
wife goes missing and is now deceased." Investigators were definitely eyeing Dale, but he wasn't the only one. There
were still two others high on their list. >> One was Ron Hold House and the other was
Cynthia Holt House. >> Cynthia Hold House. >> Hi, Cynthia. Hello. >> The boyfriend's wife.
>> How are you? >> She at one point had said that she wished that Stephanie was dead. And she
said this, "Well, Stephanie was missing." Have >> you ever taken a photograph exam before?
No. >> Ron Hold House and his wife Cynthia both took lie detector tests. How'd they do?
>> They both failed. >> They failed. What did that tell you? >> We needed to do digging.
So, this is a bridge where Stephanie used to like to walk. >> That's what Dale told us that this was
one of her favorite places. >> Sadly, it now overlooks the stretch of river where Stephanie Roller's body was
found. A cruel irony that made Agent Sedar all the more determined to find her killer. Mario.
>> Yeah. >> What's your strategy to solve this case? >> Narrow down who would have motive,
opportunity, and ability to kill Miss Bruner. >> In his mind, that came down to three
people. The jilted husband, the married boyfriend, and the boyfriend's jealous wife.
>> The jealous wife. I'm the jealous wife. >> At this point, I think everybody's a
suspect. Investigators believed each one had the motive and the ability to kill Stephanie. They just had to figure out
which one had the opportunity. Starting with Ron Hold House. >> Did Ron have an alibi?
>> Yes. His wife. >> So Ron's alibi was Cynthia and Cynthia's alibi was >> Ron. Yes. Husband and wife said they were
home together all night. And in interview after interview, their stories matched. Something that made Agent Sedar
believe them. >> It's almost impossible to lie consistently, not only about yourself,
but about someone else and have those lies continue to sink up. >> You don't think they could have been
covering for each other. >> I found that at that time to be highly unlikely. >> Cynthia didn't even learn about the
affair until after Stephanie went missing, says Sedar. He believes she was too angry to lie for her husband.
>> You didn't know you love him as much as you do. I didn't tell you love a lot.
>> Yeah, I love him. But no, I wouldn't love him. >> No, because >> you know he was still going to go to
prison if he did. >> You know what? If he made his bed, I'd go away. >> But what about those lie detector tests?
The ones they both failed. Agent Sedar thinks Cynthia's distressed emotional state caused her to fail. As for Ron,
this person. >> I think he was telling us the truth. I think that deep down inside I think he
really felt like he was on some level responsible for her disappearance. >> He had that guilt that
>> absolutely. >> So ultimately you focused on another suspect. Who was that? Dale Bruner.
>> From day one Dale's behavior didn't add up, says Barger. >> He was casual. He was calm about things.
He did not seem like a person who was looking for his wife. [music] Jennifer was just as perplexed by Dale's
demeanor. She got to the house about 6 hours after Stephanie was reported missing.
>> First thing he did was set me down at the kitchen table and start complaining
about Stephanie, how she didn't keep the house and how he did everything for her.
And in my mind, I'm thinking Stephanie's missing. What are we talking about here? And I
asked him, "What have you done so far?" He had done nothing to help find her. Well, okay. Who have you called? Nobody.
Nobody. He called nobody. What would you do if your spouse went missing? Would you sit there and call
nobody? >> What's more, he never even left the house to search for her. >> It's human instinct. If you love
someone, you go search for them. >> But where? Just go out and start walking. Yeah, canvasing.
>> But I was told I was told the police will do that. >> It must have taken a remarkable amount
of self-control as a husband who loves his wife, if she's missing, to stay home and not search for her.
>> Where am I going to look? >> The next day, officer Barger called Dale into the station for questioning. At
this point, his wife had been missing almost 2 days. Yet, he still seemed unconcerned.
>> I walked in, there he was, asleep. Dale was asleep in the chair. I was speechless. I really didn't know what
else to think. I mean, he was sleeping right there, sleeping in the chair, and we're still looking for her.
>> During most of the interview, Barger says he was eerily calm and relaxed. >> And I'm like, what if she just comes
home? I don't want to worry her parents. What if this is just silly, >> right? And I only give her parents a
heart attack just by, you know, some stupid information. Officer Barger says she will never forget the look in those
eyes. >> You know how you can tell somebody isn't genuine? Their eyes, they look
different. You know, there looks like there's nothing behind them. There's no care, there's no love, there's nothing
behind them. >> Dale says he keeps his emotions in check for a reason. >> I know. I could just fall on the floor
and just start crying. I mean, and then I don't know if I'll be able to get up. So instead,
>> instead I do this and I hold on. And so that's that's counted as insincere cuz I don't know if I'll stop
>> stop crying. >> Yeah. >> Investigators might have been able to overlook some of Dale Bruner's weird
behavior, but they couldn't overlook his timeline. Dale told the police that Stephanie left for her walk on that
bitterly cold night between 10 and 10:30. He didn't report her missing until 8:45 the next morning. He said to
give her space. >> I didn't know where she went. I half worried, half is she with the
boyfriend? Is she not? If she needs her space, whatever she's doing, I don't know. And the last thing I wanted to do
was badger her. When did you start to worry? >> The morning. I mean, I worried that
night late, but I'm like, you know, she she's a big girl. >> Why do you think he waited 11 hours to
call police? >> Waited 11 hours because he was he was getting rid of evidence. >> When you realized that Dale Bruner was
your prime suspect, were you concerned for the kids? >> Absolutely. Without her there to protect
him, we were very worried about the kids. The day after their mother's memorial, children's services swept in
and removed the children from their home. They were sent to live with Stephanie's family. At this point, Brad
confronted his friend. >> I asked my best friend and looked at him in the eye and said, "Did you have
anything to do with this?" And he looked me straight in the eye and said, "No." But authorities were learning that Dale
was a master at hiding the truth. They began to uncover deep secrets in Dale Bruner's past, which gave them enough
ammunition to arrest him. 8 months after Stephanie Roller's [music] death, Dale Bruner was indicted for the murder of
his wife. >> We got him. We are going to get justice for [music] Stephanie. >> [music]
>> District Attorney Mark Hurlbert was sure he had the right guy, but he knew [music] he had his work cut
out for him. >> Biggest challenge is that we have no direct evidence. I mean, this was a
circumstantial evidence case. >> Dale, released on bond, remained adamant that he was innocent. So adamant, he
rejected a deal of 24 years in exchange for a guilty plea. >> I'm going, "Dude, you might want to
think about that." And he was adamant. He goes, "I am not going to admit to a crime that I did not do."
[music] Instead, he chose to take his chances in court. In July of 2012, a year and eight
months after the slaying of Stephanie Roller, Dale Bruner went on trial for her murder.
>> Here is our victim right in the center of the river. We are hoping to prove that Dale Bruner,
>> the white material you're seeing right here is snow. >> Hit Stephanie over the head with some
blunt forced object, strangled her, carried her body in the snow to the Blue River, and threw her body in the river.
>> There is not a shred of evidence to directly link my client to these crimes. Dale's defense attorney, Rob
Burnernhard, zeros in on the lack of direct evidence, hoping to show reasonable doubt.
>> What we know is that they didn't find anything. Nothing, not one footprint, not one track,
not one fingerprint. I've never seen him do a violent thing in my life. This guy is just a mellow,
grounded, nice, good guy. He's a good guy. Everyone that knows him loves him. >> Dale had us all pretty well fooled. You
know, he was very kind and nice and, you know, almost too nice. So, I would say beware of that too nice.
Jennifer says it wasn't until the last month of her life that Stephanie finally opened up about
the other side of Dale Bruner, the dark side. >> She finally got the courage to tell me
what was going on in her life. >> Stephanie told her Dale had been violent with her in the past. Even during her
first pregnancy, [music] >> he had gotten angry somehow and threw her on their bed and put his knee on her
stomach on her belly and um threatened her. >> Dale promised he would get help and she
decided to stay, but she never forgot. >> She warned me that if she were to get hurt, he did it.
Turns out Stephanie wasn't the only woman to have experienced Dale Bruner's fury. Terresa Barger got a call on the
tip line from an old girlfriend of Dales. >> What was the specific thing that she
said that you went, "Uh-oh." >> He killed Stephanie. He had to have killed Stephanie because
this is what he did to me. Jodie Eberhart was in her 20s and living with Dale Bruner in the early 90s when
she says the mask came off. He'd come home late and she accused him of being out with another girl.
>> He pushed me down onto the carpet and put his hands around my neck and said, "Um, if you ever say or do that again,
I'll kill you." He was actually physically holding me down on on the floor >> with his hand around your neck.
>> With both hands around my neck. Yeah, it it all happened so fast. I never saw
it coming. >> In a huge win for the prosecution, the judge allowed Jodie Eberhart and another
woman with a similar story to testify at trial. >> Do you think it could have been you in
that river? Had I stayed with him, it could have been. Mhm. >> This one's to Ellie for me, but you have
to wait. >> Wait. For Stephanie, with three little kids, leaving was a daunting prospect.
>> But six weeks before she was killed, Stephanie came home to find Dale angrily
striking their [music] son for refusing to listen. That was it. >> She said, quote unquote, "He can do
anything he wants to me, but when he starts hurting my kids, that's where I draw a line in the sand."
>> [music] >> Stephanie immediately filed a restraining order forbidding Dale to
come near her or the children. A recording of the hearing was played in court. [gasps]
>> So, I'm here asking for help. >> The room fell silent as Stephanie spoke from the grave about Dale's history of
abuse. >> I can't go back to him. He has threatened my life years ago, but you know, with a hand on my throat, didn't
squeeze it, screaming in my face, I will kill you if you leave. >> It was incredibly powerful to hear that
cuz you don't hear that in murder cases. >> As soon as he finds out from social services that I've entered the system,
I'm going to run with my kids. I mean, I don't know what he's going to do. >> You were painted as a violent husband.
Are you violent? Absolutely not. >> Did you ever threaten Stephanie? >> Never. Ever.
>> She testified at the restraining order hearing. You threatened to kill her. >> I can only I can only think that was
about custody of the children. That's a guess. >> But they're all lies. >> Absolutely.
>> Here's the thing. I guess it might be more believable to think that Stephanie
was lying if she didn't end up dead. But you hear all of these stories about how
she says you threatened to kill her, that you were a violent man, and then she ends up dead.
>> It's horrible, isn't it? >> In the weeks leading up to her death, Stephanie's behavior became more
erratic. First, for reasons only Stephanie knows, she rescended the restraining order.
>> I think she rescended the restraining order because she was afraid of him. Afraid what he could do to her.
>> So, she let him come home. Then two days before she was killed, >> she actually moved out to the right side
of this duplex right here, right there, >> she packed up the kids and tried to get
away again. But within hours, Stephanie and the kids were back home with Dale. It seems to me that in her most
desperate hour when she realized she couldn't afford what she was trying to do, it must have been so hard for her to
actually go back. >> Why Stephanie didn't knock on her door instead of going back to Dale is a
question that haunts Jennifer to this day. >> You would not believe the guilt, the
remorse, whatifs all the time. What if? And I understand it's not my fault. It's
a situation where she was a victim and victims don't always see clearly or think clearly.
The day after moving home, Stephanie made a decision that may have cost her her life. Remember that email she was
writing to her boyfriend Ron the night she disappeared? Well, that email became the smoking gun of the prosecution's
case. This last email that Stephanie wrote is very frank with Ron. I love you so much. You're the love of my life.
But then there's no closing. >> Yes. >> What happened? >> It was never sent. Even though we were
never able to find her computer, we were able to go to the internet company and find out that this email was never sent.
Herbert thinks Dale saw that email, flew into a rage, hit her over the head, possibly with the computer they never
found, and then strangled her. >> Did you see the email she was writing that night and then strike her?
>> Absolutely not. >> Did you strangle her? >> Absolutely not. >> Did you kill Stephanie Dale?
>> Absolutely not. Beyond a shadow of a doubt, I absolutely had nothing to do with her death.
>> You're 100% sure that it was Dale? >> Yeah. >> No doubts? >> No. >> No doubts.
>> After a two week trial, both sides rest. It is now up to a jury to decide who to
believe. Stephanie Roller, >> I will kill you if you leave. >> Or Dale Bruner. Did you love your wife?
>> Yes, abs. I still love my wife. Jennifer Vakus had walked the entire journey alongside her dearest friend,
Stephanie Roller. She danced with her. She searched for her. >> Hello, Miss Bosakis. Would you stop
there and raise your right hand, please? Do you >> She confronted Dale Bruner in court for
her. There I was, as close as you and I are to Dale, telling people that he murdered his wife.
knowing full well that this could ruin him. She said that if anything happens to me, he did it. And I had no problem
saying that cuz it's the truth. But waiting in that courthouse for the jury to come back was something she
couldn't do. >> That was the worst time. That was so awful. I was crawling out of my skin.
>> So, she got in her car and drove, stopping by the side of the road next to an osprey [music] nest
and waited. >> Ladies and gentlemen, the court has been informed that the jury has in fact
reached its verdicts. >> It didn't take long. In just under 4 hours of deliberation,
>> the verdict was in. We the jury find the defendant Dale Bruner guilty of murder
in the second degree. >> Guilty on all six counts. >> You may take him into custody.
>> From murder to assault to tampering with evidence. >> I remand you to the custody of the
Summit County Jail immediately. >> Jennifer got the news on her cell phone. >> And I'm watching these birds thinking,
how appropriate is this? because Stephanie was such a nature lover that I'm in this beautiful place
watching these osprey getting the call that yes, the jury found Dale guilty of all counts.
You'd think I would have been ecstatic and super happy, but it was probably one of the worst moments just to know that
Stephanie's gone and that yes, Dale's guilty and that's great, but that doesn't bring Stephanie back.
For Teresa Barger, it was a bittersweet victory for a woman she never knew, but whose voice she vowed would not be
silenced. All I could think of is I hope that we have justice for you and that she can rest in peace.
>> Two months later, Stephanie's family and friends gathered in this courtroom for
the last time for the sentencing. quarters back on the record in people of the state of Colorado versus Dale
Bruner. >> One by one, they stood before Judge Thompson and before Dale Bruner in his
prison stripes. >> I'm not going to cry. >> To describe the impact of Stephanie's
murder on their lives >> because I get to do that every night when I'm lying in bed feeling guilty
about what I did or didn't do to help Stephanie. Even the man who'd stood by Dale Bruner
through it all was beginning to question his friend's claim of innocence. >> The bottom line is
someone did this to her. I hope it's not him. If it is, I would like to know the truth.
Was this a horrible accident where you guys got into a fight and you didn't mean to kill her, Dale, but you hurt
her? >> No. You can ask it a thousand ways and it's the the same answer. >> Someday he may face that question again.
>> There we go. Hi. Yeah. >> From three other victims in this story. [laughter] his children.
>> There we are. >> If at some point they come to you and say, "Dad, what happened? Did you kill our mom?"
>> Well, I'll tell them the truth. I've never lied to my kids. >> And you can look in your children's
eyes. >> Absolutely. >> I've never hurt your mom, >> Mr. Bruner. Clearly, Judge Thompson
believed otherwise. >> You took Miss Roller's life. You took your children's mother. And you did it
without remorse and in a brutal fashion. >> The judge sentenced Dale Bruner to 112
years in prison. >> And Mr. Bruner, I can only hope that you will come to realize the magnitude of your actions.
Courts attorney. >> Thank you, honor. Last [music] fall, a room in a local safe house was dedicated to Stephanie
Roller. A reminder of the beautiful woman they lost, but also of all the women still to
be saved. These bad things can't be kept in the dark closet anymore. This happens. And
you know what? It happens in your neighborhood. It could be your neighbor and you don't even know it. It was my
best friend and I didn't even know it. Right under my nose. She was murdered. So if you're a woman and you have these
worst fears, man, run fast and stay gone. >> [music] [music] >> Heat. Heat. [music]
>> [music] >> What was lost when Alyssa was taken? What was lost with her murder? my
daughter, Willow's mother, everything. >> How do you keep Alyssa alive for her daughter, Willow?
>> Show her pictures. This is your mom. This is your mom. Every Mother's Day, we visit the grave.
We take flowers. We take cards. You know, we talk about her all the time. >> What does this say?
Mother of Willow An. >> I hope that when she learns what happened, she doesn't let it tear her
apart. >> October [music] 2nd, 2020. >> Any crime scene is going to be inside that tape.
>> It's inside that tape. >> All right. I remember my phone was continuously [music] ringing ringing
and I finally answer it cuz it's [music] my supervisor and she's frantic and she's telling me you've got to get to
Green Tree Apartments. >> And I heard that pop. I turn around. I knew it was a gunshot.
>> And she says something [music] has happened to Alyssa. What What happened to her?
>> We're going to start having family members show up here. >> I pull up. police, fire trucks,
ambulance, everywhere. >> She got shot in the car. >> Okay. She can see her handprints.
>> Who are you? >> I'm Detective Harding. >> I remember asking that officer. I said,
"She didn't make it, did she?" And he said, "No, she didn't." And I just lost it at that point.
[laughter] >> When you learned that your sister was dead, did you have a suspect in mind? I
knew immediately it was Andrew Beard. I knew that the only person I could think that would want her dead was
Andrew Beard. >> She even said, "I think he's the kind of person that's going to try to kill me."
And he did. And he did. Oh my god. [laughter] >> It was one of the most brutal scenes
that I've been to in 32 years law enforcement. You could see the rage. >> Don't touch anything. Okay.
>> What does it tell you when it's this vicious about the killer? >> It's personal.
>> She apparently has had a history with baby daddy. >> Within an hour of getting to the crime
scene, we knew that we needed to look for Andrew Beard. >> Andrew Beard is the suspect.
>> Yes. >> He cannot get away WITH THIS. HE CANNOT GET AWAY with this. >> At first, this seemed like an openand
shut case. But as it turned out, Andrew Beard was only half the story. In the months after Alyssa Berquette was
murdered, she appeared to her mother, Teresa [music] Collard, in a dream. >> I see her across the room. And in my
dream, I knew she was gone. But I was hysterically happy that I was seeing her and I was thinking, "You're
back." She came to me and said, "No, I'm not back and I don't want to come back and I
never want to be [music] there again." I was [music] puzzled. why don't you want to come back? And she said, because
I was always afraid there. >> Although 24year-old Alyssa Berquette had been afraid for months, the attack at
this apartment complex where she worked in Carolton, Texas, north of Dallas, came as a surprise.
>> So, when you arrive here, what do you see? According to one of the lead detectives, Michael Harding, Alyssa
pulled into her usual parking space at around 9:00 a.m. >> Alyssa's car was actually parked right
here where this green van is right here. And the asalent's vehicle had parked right next to her in this spot.
>> Were you here when everything happened? >> Yes, I was sitting at my desk. >> Witnesses say the asalent exited his
vehicle, a black Ford Expedition SUV, with a gun in his hand. She had the window up and he shot right through the
win. Right through the window. >> Maintenance supervisor Darren Ikler about 15 ft away.
>> It's horrible. I mean >> heard the gun blast and turned around. >> What do you see?
>> Uh I see a a black SUV starting to back out of the parking spot. >> Investigators believe the shooter
thought Alyssa was dead. The blast had destroyed her left eye and part of her face, but Alyssa Berquette was still
alive. >> She gets out of her car and she walks up to this landing to try to get help cuz
she knows her her co-workers are here. >> The shooter, described by some as a black man.
>> Why would I say a black baby? >> Got out of the vehicle and began sprinting toward Alyssa. this time with
a new weapon in his hand. Something more personal. A large hunting knife. >> Did you see him holding the knife?
>> Uh, yeah. In the hand. >> After he starts to to stab her, she's still fighting. On this window right
here, there was a blood handprint smear where Alyssa was trying to get anyone to
come out and help her. But fearing it was an active shooter situation, they stayed inside.
>> We're just getting our day started. >> And the attacker launched into a rabid
killing frenzy, plunging his knife into flesh and bone again and again. Incredibly, Alyssa was still breathing
when her asalent fled. >> Once the suspect left, her co-workers came out to try to render aid.
>> One of her colleagues made this call to 911. >> 911. What is the address of the
emergency? >> Someone came up and just shot my my assistant manager. >> Where is the shooter?
>> I don't have enough information. I need He's gone. He left in his car. He literally left a second ago.
>> Fire department pulled up first. They come up. I get out of the way and let them do their thing. And
>> they start working on her right here. >> You know where she was headed? >> Immediately. Yeah. And it was too late.
She was gone. Alyssa had been stabbed and slashed a total of 44 times. Alyssa's mother, Teresa, immediately
gave the police a name, and it wasn't a black man. It was Andrew Beard. >> I know he did this. He's an evil person.
>> Teresa told detectives that Andrew Beard and Alyssa were in the throws of an ugly
custody battle over their one-year-old daughter, Willowanne. A battle that began when Alyssa was still pregnant,
says her friend Brandy Reagan. >> He initiated by asking her if he could have full custody of the baby after the
baby was born. >> And what did Alyssa have to say to his idea of him getting full custody?
>> You better be effing kidding me. >> Alyssa and Andrew were worlds apart from the beginning. He was almost 9 years
older, established with a good job at a tool company, [music] a nice house, even
had a plane. She was 22, loved eating turkey legs at state fairs, and was still figuring life out. After meeting
on a dating app, they had a fling. Nothing serious. But then she found out she was pregnant. Says her friend and
roommate, Shelby Wright. >> I'll never forget. She's just standing there hysterically crying.
um and upset. She couldn't even speak and she hands me a pregnancy test that said positive
and I honestly had no words for her. >> But as the pregnancy progressed, Alyssa's fears turned [music] to
excitement, says Shelby. Especially when she learned it was a girl. On July 23rd,
2019, Alyssa gave birth to a baby girl she named Willow. And when you saw them together,
>> Alyssa and Willow, what was that experience like? >> Amazing. Motherhood looked great on her.
It did. >> Yes. >> Just looking at the two of them, [music] you could tell that their relationship
was I mean, everything. >> I always love how she's looking at her in this picture.
>> Madison Grimes is Alyssa's younger sister. Willow clung to her [music] every second of every day. And I think
that tells you a lot about the mother Alyssa was. >> Alyssa went back to college and got a
good job as an assistant property manager. >> I think everything [music] she did at
that point in her life was for Willow. She wanted to be successful for Willow. She didn't want Willow to grow up and
struggle. She just wanted Willow to have an easy life. Andrew, who had joint custody, had
Willow a few days every week, but he kept pushing for primary custody. Dragging Alyssa in and out of court
hearings, emptying her bank account. >> She was terrified. Um, Willow at [music] this point was the
most important thing in her life. And when she, you know, looked at the bigger picture, Andrew, he made more money than
her. You know, he had a house. He had all of the nice things that she didn't have. So, she was afraid that, you know,
he wanted Willow and he was going to get her. >> Andrew's mother, Lette Bowers, says her
son was acting out of love, not malice. >> My son, Andrew Beard, is a loving, warm
individual who always operated from his heart, from his core center. When he had
Willow, she was constantly strapped to the front of him. He was reading to her. He wanted her to see the whole world
every day. He just felt that he could provide her more stability. >> In March 2020, when Willow was 8 months
old, things seemed to change for the better. The feuding parents found common ground, finally reaching an agreement on
visitation and child support. >> And so things seem to calm down. >> Things calm down. Yeah.
But a gathering storm was about to come barreling in. >> POLICE WARN. IF YOU'RE IN THERE, COME
OUT YOUR hands up. In the spring of 2020, it looked like the bitter custody battle between Alyssa
and Andrew had finally come to an end. Alyssa had a new guy named Ben. And Andrew [music] fell hard for a woman
named Holly Elkins, someone his mom, Lette, was thrilled about. Ador from Minute One. She just has this charm and
energy. I warmed to her very quickly. Alyssa was happy that he started dating [music] someone else.
>> I guess hopeful that Holly would help this situation, that Holly would be supportive [music]
of the mother that's involved. >> Holly sent this text to Alyssa. Look forward to having a super healthy
relationship with you and Ben. Alyssa responded, "I hope your influence helps because I'd love nothing more for us all
to have a healthy relationship." Despite Holly's message, Andrew suddenly became hostile with Alyssa. He was once
again demanding primary custody of Willow, dragging Alyssa back into court. >> He was always very short, very rude,
very hateful. It just totally changed the way that they communicated together. >> Alyssa couldn't shake this uneasy
feeling that she was being watched and began telling family and friends that Andrew always seemed to know what she
was doing. >> He knew where she was. He knew where Willow was. He knew just other places
that she had been. I remember one night she was out with one of her friends and they were at a bar in downtown Dallas
and she's like, "Text me, oh my gosh, Andrew is here." And in my mind, I'm like, "The odds of that happening are
slim to none." You know, she didn't know how he was tracking her. She just knew that she was being tracked.
>> How would you describe what she went through? >> Hell. I mean, every day you feel like
you're having to watch over your shoulder. That's how I felt she lived. Hi everyone. Um, my name's Alyssa.
>> Madison found this video after Alyssa's death. It was never posted. >> Past year, I have been going through a
custody battle, a very ugly one. I have a one-year-old child. Um, it's taken a toll on my mental and physical health.
With that being said, I've become a lot stronger in the process. And I guess just my
message is um no matter what you're going through, stick it out. You can do it and stay strong.
>> But she would continue to be tested. In September 2020, one month before her murder, it reached a whole new level. A
man who said his name was Frank Marorrow called 911 and reported that Alyssa was
selling drugs out of the trunk of her car at work. I saw what I thought looked like someone just selling some drugs out
of their truck and I could smell it and I could see it and >> Okay. What kind of vehicle is it?
>> It's a little Toyota Corolla. I have a license plate at that. >> Okay, great. What was your last name?
>> Maro. >> Acting on this tip, Carolton police officers descended on the Green Tree
Apartments leasing office and confronted Alyssa. She gave them the keys to her car and they opened the trunk.
Inside they discovered drugs, a pistol, and some cash, exactly where the caller said they would be.
So, your daughter suddenly now looks like a drug dealer and a dangerous one as well. She's armed.
>> Yes. >> I mean, is Alyssa worried that she's going to get arrested, lose her job?
>> Yes. All of the above. She's worried about her job. She thinks, "Yeah, she's going to be arrested now. He's going to
use this in court. So, she's for sure going to lose Willow." >> After questioning Alyssa, it was clear
to police that she knew nothing about the drugs and pistol in the trunk of her car. They concluded those items had been
planted. The caller had tried to frame her. Alyssa knew in her gut that caller was Andrew Beard. Later that day, she
texted her roommate, Shelby. Alyssa messaged me and said he is going to try to get someone to kill me next.
>> And when you read those words, >> my heart dropped. >> That wasn't who she was. She wasn't a
fearful person. Showing and asking for help shows me that she was genuinely scared.
>> She knew that, you know, whatever was coming next was going to be serious. The once fearless
young woman had become scared for her life. These are some of the texts she sent to her sister Madison.
Come over while I walk inside. Lock the door behind you. Do you see anyone around you?
And Alyssa wasn't the only one who was terrified. >> It kept progressing. Each thing that he
would do just kept getting worse. And after this point framing her and she didn't get arrested, I thought, well,
what else is there to do besides kill her? >> One month after the drugs and gun were
planted in Alyssa Briquette's car, she was dead. >> I knew that it was him when when the
drugs didn't work in the car. for him to get the baby. >> Once we talked to Alyssa's mom, we had
an idea who we were looking for. >> And who [music] was that person? >> That person was Andrew Beard.
>> Oh my god. >> And to Teresa's horror, he had visitation with Willow that day. The
baby was with him. >> Yes. I want my grand baby away from him. >> My first thoughts were if he's going to
kill Willow. Within hours of the murder, the police pulled over Andrew Beard's F-150 [music]
pickup truck for an alleged traffic violation. Andrew and his fianceé, Holly Elkins, were asked to get out of the
vehicle. >> The daughters in a car seat in the back seat. >> Much of the body cam footage in this
program has been resized so you can see it better. >> They've been pretty cooperative.
Andrew seemed unfazed by the whole thing, says Detective Harding. >> He was very calm. He wasn't amped up. He
He didn't seem nervous. >> My part was to just find you. That's all they asked me to do.
>> Ultimately, Andrew and Holly were allowed to go. And because he had courtmandated visitation rights, take
Willow with them. But the police seized his F-150 pickup and instructed him not to return home.
Andrew, Holly, and Willow went to a hotel. >> And that night, a search of Andrew's
house turned up critical evidence. >> This was found inside a living room in one of Andrew Beard's backpacks,
>> such as this envelope scribbled with incriminating notes. >> Upon reading the notes, we realized
those were tied to the Frank Marorrow 911 call. Frank Marorrow, the caller who had reported Alyssa was selling drugs
out of her car. >> Alyssa's [music] license plate number, the color and model of the vehicle.
Frank Marorrow, everything that he needed to make that 911 call was on this back of this.
>> Looks like you discovered the screenplay to this FOD call to 911. >> I was kind of shocked. I was like, did
he he kept this? So, we found this GPS tracker box. >> Also in plain view, says another lead
detective, Jeremy [music] Shioalier, charging stations and batteries that match the tracking device
detectives discovered on Alyssa's car after the murder. >> So, this is the device that was put on
her car. That was all part of his plan to to catch her doing something that he believed that she shouldn't be doing
to gain an advantage in that child custody dispute. A search of that Ford F-150 seized at
the traffic stop turned up more jaw-dropping evidence. >> So, this is one of the makeup vials that
were recovered from inside one of the bags in the F-150. >> It was a foundation called Java.
>> It's really dark. >> Very dark. And the purpose of that was what do you believe?
>> Was to disguise Andrew Beard's face to make him look like an African-American.
The police found the knife sheath at the scene, but never found the knife or the
gun. But the day after the homicide, they found something just as important, that black SUV. They learned Andrew had
bought it specifically to commit the murder. And there it was, abandoned less than a mile from Andrew's house.
>> He drove it to that location and he fled back to his house the morning of the
murder. That's Andrew Beard captured on a home security camera fleeing through the neighborhood.
>> He is doing the Bigfoot run from this vehicle. >> What' you find [music] when you guys
process the inside of this vehicle? >> We were able to recover multiple spots where blood was recovered. That was
later tested to be Alyssa's blood. >> They also found another part of his disguise, a fake beard.
>> That looks like a Halloween kind of beard. Exactly. Yes. He purchased a Halloween
costume. >> So that's what led us to get the arrest warrant for Andrew Beard. >> Andrew Beard, who still had Willow, had
been staying in an Airbnb with his fiance, Holly Elkins, and mother, Lette. >> When we were at the Airbnb, he got a
call. He was going to be arrested. Just 3 days after Alyssa was killed, Willow was sent back to Teresa and Andrew Beard
[music] turned himself into the police. >> He was charged with murder. >> I was confident they had the wrong man.
>> So was Holly Elkins. She volunteered to speak to the police. >> I want to help. I really do, but I don't
have any answers. >> Incredulous that the man she planned to marry was capable of murder. So, I just
told all my friends and family that I'm engaged to the most wonderful man on the
planet. And now people want me to believe that he's not that. >> And there are so many emotional
roadblocks for you to try to believe that. I get that. >> I can't believe that my fiance would do
something like that to a woman or to anybody but a woman. Detective Shiovalier on the right and
Detective Harding on the left interviewed Holly for about an hour, hoping to turn her into a witness for
the prosecution. >> I'm telling you, there's a side of him that you do not know.
>> But she stood by Andrew, insisting that he had an alibi. He was home with her
when the murder took place. >> There are a few hours that, you know, he was not in that house. You cannot tell
me that I feel that way, sir. >> I can tell you that because I know that for a fact that he was out of the house.
Holly, >> I don't know that for a fact. That's what my problem is. >> Holly remained adamant that she would
have known if he had left. >> I am a total stage five clinger girlfriend. I'm always up his ass. I
find it hard to believe. >> The interview ended with Holly standing by her man. She and Andrew's mom, Lette,
continued living together in an Airbnb. They became [music] extremely close and bonded over their
shared belief that Andrew was innocent, says Lette. >> We stayed so close, we were just
connected at the hip and made agreements to never go anywhere without one another.
>> Finally, after two weeks behind bars, Andrew was released on bond. Lette was overjoyed. Holly, as Lette would soon
discover, not so much. >> They've told us he's coming home tomorrow. And Holly says, "I'm going."
She holds it's holding her suitcase and she goes, "I'm going. I'm leaving. I'm going home." But the day before Anne
gets home, what? Why are you choosing now? during this scary scary time for his in
his life. She'd already ordered her her Uber and never came back. Detective Shiovalier says he was so
worried about Willow's safety, he reached out to the federal government to take the case under federal firearm
laws. Because an unregistered silencer was found in Andrew's home, the feds agreed. Andrew Beard was rearrested
eight days after he bonded out. >> Ultimately, at that point, our goal was to get him back into custody.
>> Andrew was [music] ultimately charged with cyberstalking using a dangerous weapon resulting in death.
One year and 8 months after Alyssa's murder, Andrew called his mother with unimaginable news.
>> He said, "You know, Mom, I'm I'm going to plead guilty." So, I immediately said, "Well, Andrew,
you're not going to you're not going to plead guilty to anything you didn't do because clearly he didn't murder her in
my mind because that's out of character and not who he is and it was stupidly done and he's not stupid. So, it never
was him." >> But she would learn it was him. He admitted he did it. He killed the mother
of his child. >> I have physically dropped to my knees sometimes. feeling like I've gotten punched in the stomach.
And I have to tell myself, I have to tell myself that that was [snorts] a a moment, a heinous,
awful, out of character, broken moment. >> Andrew Beard pleaded guilty, but the investigation wasn't over.
Andrew Beard was talking and he had a lot to say. >> How come you waited so long to talk
about what like what Holly did? Holly Elkins left Texas and returned to her home state of Michigan 2 and a half
weeks after the murder of Alyssa Berquette. She gave no hint of what she'd left behind says her best friend
from childhood, Stephanie Goddard. >> Did she ever mention the name Alyssa Berquette to you? Never.
>> Never. >> Never. Never. >> Not once. >> She didn't talk about Andrew Beard either.
>> Not even once. Nope. >> Stephanie, who met up with Holly about 7 months after she returned to Michigan,
says her old friend appeared to be starting life a new a new condo, a new Lexus, a new man.
>> She had this boyfriend with her, so everything just seemed really normal. Stephanie says from the time she was a
teenager, Polly always had a guy and she knew how to wrap them around her little
finger. >> It was like a cat and mouse thing. >> When you say cat and mouse, she was the
cat. >> Oh, absolutely. Yes, she was the cat. >> She controlled the relationship.
>> Absolutely. She was the one in the driver's seat. Back in Texas, investigators were just
beginning to learn more about the fiance who had skipped town after the murder. One year and 9 months after Alyssa was
killed, Andrew Beard spoke to the FBI as part of a plea deal, which >> I'm assuming absolutely does look
planned out cuz it was the process was planned out. >> It quickly became clear to investigators
that this Holly Elkins >> I'm trying to help and no one's helping me. The Holly Elkins seemingly torn
apart by Alyssa's death. I >> just feel bad to not I just feel bad to not help something that I think is very
sad that happened >> was giving [music] the performance of her life. >> I've literally cried myself to nauseium
every single night over this. >> What did you learn about her true feelings about Alyssa?
>> She hated Alyssa >> with a with a burning passion. Investigators dug back into Andrew and
Holly's text messages, many of which Alyssa's family also saw. >> Both of you learn that Holly had um some
derogatory words about Alyssa. What did she call her? >> Ugly, fat, a bad mom. all things that she wasn't.
And baby mama is was [music] my sister's contact name in Holly's phone. >> See, baby mama, derogatory word that any
woman [music] finds despicable. What the heck's all that? >> Jealousy. >> Holly wanted something Alyssa had and
she didn't, [music] says Madison. >> She wanted Willow. >> Why was she so obsessed with Willow?
That was her life. She wanted a a perfect family and that was her way of getting it. Alyssa was going to stand in
her way of doing that. >> If it was Friday, >> the more Andrew talked, the clearer
Holly's role became, says Detective Shiovalier. >> What portrait did he paint of Holly
Elkins? >> That she was the one running the show. uh that she was telling him what he was
going to do, when he was going to do it, how he was going to do it. >> Remember that drug plant?
>> If you were to ask me whose idea was what, drugs and and the planting of drugs was was was Elkins.
>> Holly Elkins even tried to get Alyssa's mom, Teresa, arrested. The incident started when Teresa and Alyssa drove by
Holly and Andrew's home. Teresa says Holly and Andrew had failed to return Willow at the appointed time.
>> We see Holly on the golf cart with Willow in her lap coming towards the end of their driveway. And I got out of the
car and I grabbed Willow, went and got back in the car, handed Willow to Alyssa and sped off.
>> Holly immediately called the police who arrived with body cams rolling. and the
grandmother. >> Holly told them Teresa assaulted her when she grabbed Willow from her lap.
>> She literally attacked me from behind or from behind side. I was facing the lake.
>> Teresa says she never touched Holly, but Holly pulled up her shirt to show cops
scratches she claimed Teresa had inflicted. >> I have no Oh, you have some in your on
your stomach. >> What did you think of those pictures? >> That they were ridiculous. that it was
so apparent that she had done that to herself. >> How would they even think someone else
did that to her? Because they're going downwards like your own hand did it. >> The police agreed, concluding the
injuries looked like they were self-inflicted. But it only made things more dangerous
for Alyssa, says Detective Shiovalier. >> The things that they were doing to try
to get custody of Willow wasn't working at that point. And I think [music] that they decided we we got to up the game.
And uh upping the game meant getting rid of of Alyssa. >> Holly began playing her game of cat and
mouse. >> It was made very clear to me that your previous methods aren't working. This is
what you're going to do now in order to prove that um >> that that that you're basically you're
worthy >> worthy of being a man who deserved her love. Holly Elkins writes to Andrew, "I
don't want anyone who is a to some low life or a pushover. I want a man who protects his women and child before
[music] anyone and doesn't give two Fs otherwise." >> Your comment, >> just straightforward manipulation. She
was going to make him do what she felt needed to be done no matter what. >> And Andrew told investigators it worked.
like I was emotionally drained and at that point I just basically said okay and became submissive to whatever she
wanted me to do. That's the task I did. >> A week and a half before the murder, Holly left for Mexico, but didn't let up
on Andrew. Here's a text. This is one week before the murders. This is September 25th, 2020. Holly Elkins
writes, "I hope you handle it. I'm not coming home to BS. Andrew Beard says that's my goal.
>> To that Paulie texted back, >> well, it will be a whole different conversation if I feel like you are ride
or die. If not, then I don't know. What is she saying to him? >> To me, it means that you're either with
me or you're not with me. Uh you're either going to ride with me and die with me or you're not going to be with
me at all. After he killed Alyssa, Andrew told investigators Holly begged for details about the crime.
>> Her request was that he described uh the murder to her while they were in bed
together. >> It's one of the most degrading things I've ever heard. >> In May of 2023, Andrew Beard was
sentenced to 43 years in federal prison. Investigators believe Holly Elkins thought the case was over. I think she
believed that the further she got away from this, the less involved she was going to be, but it didn't work out for
her. >> These are the photos of the grave. We always decorated for every holiday.
>> In July of 2023, >> Valentine's Day and then Christmas, >> almost three years after Alyssa's death,
>> happy Mother's Day, >> Paulie Elkins was arrested by federal agents at the Miami airport as she was
returning from a trip to the Dominican Republic. >> Lantern. That was, I think, one of my
favorite things that we did. An arrest a long time coming for Alyssa's family. >> What is that balloon?
>> I thought we were never going to see that happen. I felt relief. >> Holly, who pleaded not guilty, was
charged with conspiracy to stalk and stalking using a dangerous weapon resulting in death. The FBI had built a
compelling case against her, says Detective Shioalier. Holly's phone really had a lot of stuff on it.
Searching for tracking devices. There were indications that they were together whenever the ammunition and the knife
were purchased. >> And they also tied Holly to the makeup Andrew used to disguise himself as a
black man. >> It was um you're going to dress dress up as a as a different person. Essentially,
you're going to wear this dark makeup. That was her plan. That was how it's going to be done.
While Andrew seems harmless in this video, never forget that he was the one who chased Alyssa down like a hunter
tracking a wounded animal. He furiously stabbed [music] her with a brutality these detectives had never seen. Andrew
ends up saying about why he came back to finish her. What did he say? His statement to us during the interview
with Agent Hansen was that he did it out of mercy, that he knew that she was still alive and he was somehow doing her
a favor by by killing her. >> Andrew may have committed the murder alone, but according to the US
Attorney's Office, he didn't plan it alone. In April 2024, Paulie Elkins went on trial as a co-conspirator.
In the courtroom, where no cameras were permitted, one of the prosecutors put it
like this, says Detective Harding. >> Andrew Beard is a monster, but he was Holly Elkins's monster.
>> I don't want or need a lawyer because I don't have anything to hide. >> US attorneys painted a picture of a
woman who would stop at nothing to get what she wanted. Well, I feel like the dumbest, most manipulated woman on the
entire planet, if this is true. >> Yes. >> And what she wanted was a little girl
named Willow. And do you believe Holly Elkins was a puppet master in all of this?
>> 100% I do. She orchestrated this whole thing. >> I think Holly is wicked. I think she's wicked to the core that
she would ever want this to happen to another woman, to a mother, to a mother of the child that she had come to love.
>> What if these two had never come together, Holly and Andrew? Would Andrew have committed this murder?
>> I I don't think they would have. I [music] 100% believe that if Holly and Andrew had never met that Alyssa
Briquette would be alive today. >> After a oneweek trial, the case went to the jury.
>> The jury takes just 90 minutes to deliberate. When they come back to that courtroom, what is the verdict?
>> Guilty. Holly was found guilty and sentenced to two life terms, much longer than Andrew.
For Alyssa's family, the verdict was a bittersweet victory. >> I was thrilled but heartbroken at the
same time. I'm so happy that Alyssa is getting the justice she deserved, but at that point,
it's over. Our fight is over. Two families are left to grapple with the wreckage Holly Elkins and Andrew
Beard left behind. Lette Bowers will forever be known as the mother of a murderer.
>> He killed someone and that is beyond awful. It's the worst thing anyone can do. But that's not who
I love. and Teresa and Madison must try to make sense of a world without Alyssa in it.
>> We don't get to live the normal life anymore. It was always me and her, my best friend. Like, that was my person.
And only getting to be with her for 20 years, that's not just not fair. >> After the trial, Teresa was allowed to
take Alyssa's things out of her car. It was pretty emotional for all of us actually. This was the mirror that she
used so she could see Willow from the driver's seat. >> You know, just knowing that was the last
place she was sitting when it happened. >> I want mama. >> Willow, who was with Teresa, had never
cried over her mother until that day. She was crying, asking me if I could please bring her mom back just so she
could see her one more time. And I tried to explain to her that she's in heaven.
And then she asked me if she had a phone number in heaven. >> One day, Willow will learn the whole
story of what happened to her mother. >> Do you know what this is? >> Willow tree.
>> Yep. And when [music] that time comes, her family hopes Willow will see the beauty
in Alyssa's life, not the tragedy of her death. >> I hope that one day she grows up and she
[music] feels the love that her mom sincerely had for her. 48 hours. Don't miss an episode.
>> [music]

48 Hours investigates cases involving couples and broken relationships. Watch the YouTube mini-marathon, which includes "The Accidental Husband," "The Blue River Murder" and "The Plot to Eliminate Alyssa Burkett."

00:00 The Accidental Husband 42:41 The Blue River Murder 1:23:37 The Plot to Eliminate Alyssa Burkett.

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.

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Brief Summary

Tony Henthornne and Alyssa Berquette's tragic stories reveal domestic violence and murder, highlighting failures in the justice system and family impacts.

Key points

Unusual Circumstances. Both of Harold's wives died under strange circumstances, raising suspicions of foul play.
A Family's Doubts. Tony's family grows suspicious of Harold's explanations following her death.
Harold's Suspicious Jack. Investigators question the unconventional jack Harold used to change a tire, raising suspicions.
Jury Deliberation. After 10 hours of deliberation, the jury reaches a unanimous verdict against Harold.
The Disappearance of Stephanie Roller. Stephanie Roller goes missing after a troubling meeting with her boyfriend Ron.
The Discovery of a Body. A frozen body is found in the Blue River, confirming fears about Stephanie's fate.

Episode highlights

Episode quotes

It's the worst two words I've ever heard in my life.

Barry reacts to the news of his sister's death.

12:30WatchJan 10, 2026

Tension

85/ 100High tension

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