Sneak peek: Death on the Hudson | Forensic Files

[Music] The Hudson River Valley is uh just outside of New York City. It's a beautiful
place. There's all sorts of activities to enjoy on the Hudson. It's a great place to
kayak, but the Hudson River needs to be respected. There's a number of very strong currents in the Hudson. The
Hudson can be dangerous. On April 19th, late in the afternoon, Angelica and Vince go kayaking on the
Hudson River. They were kayakers. They enjoyed the outdoors. They were outdoors enthusiasts.
You could tell that they were in love. You saw the glisten in their eyes. He couldn't keep his hands off of
her. He just loved her. [Music] April 19th was one of the first nice days. Milky skies, but otherwise nice. This
afternoon, I 66. So, they set out for what people call Banaman's Island. There's a castle on it that was
modeled after the castles in Scotland. Shortly after 700 p.m. When they went to return home, things
changed. Clouds will thicken tonight, though, and it's going to get windy later on.
It was rough. We know that the waves are 3 to 5 ft. Well, how high are you above the
water right now? Uh, maybe 4 in. So, if a twoft wave is coming across here, what's happening? The wave is going to
come and just come right into my lap and then over you'll go. Midway through their paddle back to
shore, Vince ran into trouble. His kayak capsized. He went into the water. He wasn't wearing a life vest. It was
cold. It was 46 degrees. It was windy. It was getting dark. It was dangerous place to be.
Shortly after going into the water, he instructed Angelica to call 911. Hi, I'm I'm in the Hudson River. My
fiance in the water. Can you please call anybody? I can't get to him. It's very windy and the waves are coming in and I
can't I can't paddle to him. He's getting further and further away from me. I I He's going to drown.
The body of Vincent V4 is yet to be located. The search for him remains ongoing.
On April 29th, the New York State Police, they interrogated her for over 11 hours.
Okay. You're lying to me and you're lying to yourself. And then they arrested her for the crime of murder in
the second degree. You killed Vinnie when you you took that plug out to kill him. The alleged motive
for the crime, two life insurance policies totaling a4 million and a souring relationship. The police theory
of this case is really outrageous. My name is Michael Archer. I'm a forensic scientist. I was retained to assist in
Angelica's defense. They say that she pulled a plug, a drain plug from the kayak and that caused the kayak to sink.
I took it out before. Yes. A long time ago because you wanted him to die. Yes. Do you believe that Angelica Grasswald
may have given a false confession? Yes. In that she admitted to a crime that was
probably nothing but an accident. I want to believe she didn't do it, but then again, the police know something that I
don't know. I wanted him dead and now he's gone. [Music]

A stunning twist in the case against a woman charged with killing her fiancé during a kayaking trip -- was it an accident or murder? "48 Hours" correspondent Peter Van Sant has the latest in the case Saturday, Aug. 18 at 9 p.m. ET/PT on CBS.

Brief Summary

Angelica faces murder charges after Vince drowns during a kayaking accident on the Hudson River, raising questions about the evidence against her.

Key points

A Kayaking Adventure Turns Tragic. Angelica and Vince's kayaking trip ends in disaster when Vince capsizes and goes missing.
Murder Charges Arise. Angelica is interrogated for hours and arrested for Vince's murder, sparking controversy.

Episode highlights

Episode quotes

The Hudson can be dangerous.

Describing the risks of kayaking in the Hudson River.

0:19WatchSep 11, 2015

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