1 00:00:15,548 --> 00:00:17,584 >>> I'M LESTER HOLT. 2 00:00:17,584 --> 00:00:20,453 TONIGHT ON "DATELINE" -- A DARK HOUSE ON A QUIET NIGHT. 3 00:00:20,453 --> 00:00:24,124 AND A DOCTOR WHO WOULD BE DEAD BEFORE DAWN. 4 00:00:24,124 --> 00:00:25,792 >> SHERIFF'S 911 >> MY HUSBAND'S BEEN SHOT. 5 00:00:25,792 --> 00:00:28,728 >> OKAY, WHO SHOT HIM? >> I DON'T KNOW. 6 00:00:28,728 --> 00:00:31,431 >> Reporter: DID IT JUMP OUT AT YOU AS ANYTHING IN PARTICULAR? 7 00:00:31,431 --> 00:00:36,002 >> HE'S NOT YOUR AVERAGE VICTIM. >> I IMMEDIATELY HAD A MENTAL 8 00:00:36,002 --> 00:00:38,371 PICTURE OF GUYS WITH GUNS BREAK DOWN THE FRONT DOOR. 9 00:00:38,371 --> 00:00:41,074 >> I CAN'T IMAGINE WHO WOULD HAVE EVER BEEN MAD AT BUDDY 10 00:00:41,074 --> 00:00:46,146 ENOUGH TO DO THAT. >> COULD THIS BE A SUICIDE 11 00:00:46,146 --> 00:00:49,716 >> HE'S BEEN EVERYTHING TO ME. WE WERE GONNA GROW OLD TOGETHER. 12 00:00:49,716 --> 00:00:59,592 >> Reporter: HOME INVASION -- THEY'RE NOT LIKELY TO SHOOT YOU 13 00:00:59,592 --> 00:01:01,127 WHEN YOU'RE SLEEPING >> SOMETHING WASN'T -- NOT QUITE 14 00:01:01,127 --> 00:01:02,829 RIGHT. >> AGENTS HAD COME AND SERVED A 15 00:01:02,829 --> 00:01:04,064 SUMMONS ON THEM, REQUESTING TAX RECORDS. 16 00:01:04,064 --> 00:01:05,532 >> THE WALLS WERE CLOSING IN >> Reporter: FIRST MURDER TRIAL? 17 00:01:05,532 --> 00:01:11,338 >> YES, SIR. >> WE DIDN'T HAVE DNA. 18 00:01:11,338 --> 00:01:13,073 WE DIDN'T HAVE IT ON VIDEO >> A LOT OF PEOPLE DO BAD THINGS 19 00:01:13,073 --> 00:01:14,641 AND GET AWAY WITH IT >> AND THEN THEY READ THE 20 00:01:14,641 --> 00:01:26,119 VERDICT. SOMEBODY'S LIFE IS ABOUT TO 21 00:01:26,119 --> 00:01:34,327 CHANGE >> HERE'S KEITH MORRISON WITH 22 00:01:34,327 --> 00:01:37,530 "THE DAY THE MUSIC DIED. >> Reporter: OH, HOW HE LOVED IT 23 00:01:37,530 --> 00:01:43,103 HERE CHOSE IT, AFTER ALL. 24 00:01:43,103 --> 00:01:47,273 FEW PLACES LOVELIER. AND NONE WITH A PAST LIKE THE 25 00:01:47,273 --> 00:01:52,145 PAST THAT DELIGHTED HIM HERE THE HISTORY THAT STILL ECHOED IN 26 00:01:52,145 --> 00:01:56,483 THE GREEN HILLS ALL AROUND BUT MOST OF ALL, HE SIMPLY LOVED 27 00:01:56,483 --> 00:01:59,686 THE MUSIC. THE MUSIC ROOTED IN THESE BLUE 28 00:01:59,686 --> 00:02:02,589 RIDGE MOUNTAINS. THE MOUNTAINS THAT ROLL AND RISE 29 00:02:02,589 --> 00:02:06,593 AND DIP INTO ONE OF AMERICA'S LOVED LITTLE CITIES. 30 00:02:06,593 --> 00:02:10,563 ASHEVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA. THE ADOPTED HOME OF 31 00:02:10,563 --> 00:02:16,536 DR. FRANK McCUTCHEON, THE MAN EVERYBODY HERE KNEW AS SIMPLY 32 00:02:16,536 --> 00:02:19,339 "BUDDY." [ LAUGHTER ] 33 00:02:19,339 --> 00:02:23,076 THE DOCTOR PART WAS BUDDY'S DAY JOB. 34 00:02:23,076 --> 00:02:27,814 PLASTIC SURGERY HIS SPECIALTY. BUT IN HIS HEART HE WAS A TRUE 35 00:02:27,814 --> 00:02:33,086 MUSICIAN, PROMINENT AND POPULAR ENOUGH TO APPEAR ON LOCAL TV 36 00:02:33,086 --> 00:02:35,722 * IN A WAY, BUDDY WAS A 37 00:02:35,722 --> 00:02:39,693 PRESERVATIONIST OF THE MUSIC THAT MADE AMERICA. 38 00:02:39,693 --> 00:02:41,294 * BANJO, BAGPIPES, MORE COMMON 39 00:02:41,294 --> 00:02:46,499 INSTRUMENTS. HE KNEW THEM ALL 40 00:02:46,499 --> 00:02:53,673 AND HE KNEW ALL ABOUT THE PEOPLE BEHIND THAT FAMOUS LINE, "THE 41 00:02:53,673 --> 00:02:58,678 DAY THE MUSIC DIED." WHICH, IN BUDDY'S CASE, WAS A 42 00:02:58,678 --> 00:03:03,883 FRIDAY NIGHT IN JULY 2016. STICKY, HOT. 43 00:03:03,883 --> 00:03:09,055 TOURISTS, BROUGHT BY THE SUMMER AND THE TOWN FILLED THE MUSIC 44 00:03:09,055 --> 00:03:12,659 CLUBS, CROWDED INTO THE BREW PUBS 45 00:03:12,659 --> 00:03:16,463 WHILE A FEW MILES AWAY IN A FINE HOUSE ON AN UNCROWDED ROAD IN A 46 00:03:16,463 --> 00:03:20,700 SUBURB JUST OUTSIDE OF TOWN, BUDDY McCUTCHEON AND HIS WIFE, 47 00:03:20,700 --> 00:03:24,337 BRENDA, SETTLED DOWN IN THE AIR-CONDITIONED QUIET AND WENT 48 00:03:24,337 --> 00:03:27,874 TO BED WAS IT SEALED BY THEN, THE FATE 49 00:03:27,874 --> 00:03:31,344 THAT AWAITED THEM? SOMEONE WAITING OUT THERE IN THE 50 00:03:31,344 --> 00:03:33,780 DARK SILENCE REIGNED. 51 00:03:33,780 --> 00:03:37,283 1:00 A.M 2:00 A.M 52 00:03:37,283 --> 00:03:39,853 3:00 A.M AND THEN - 53 00:03:39,853 --> 00:03:41,621 >> SHERIFF'S 911 WHAT IS THE ADDRESS OF YOUR 54 00:03:41,621 --> 00:03:44,524 EMERGENCY? >> MY HUSBAND'S BEEN SHOT. 55 00:03:44,524 --> 00:03:50,196 >> OKAY, WHO SHOT HIM? >> I DON'T KNOW. 56 00:03:50,196 --> 00:03:56,569 >> WHAT IS YOUR HUSBAND'S NAME >> FRANK Mc -- FRANK McCUTCHEON. 57 00:03:56,569 --> 00:04:01,908 >> AND WHAT IS YOUR NAME >> BRENDA McCUTCHEON 58 00:04:01,908 --> 00:04:05,345 >> Reporter: BRENDA WAS A NURSE, BUDDY'S PARTNER IN LIFE AND 59 00:04:05,345 --> 00:04:10,350 WORK >> OKAY, WHERE WAS YOUR HUSBAND 60 00:04:10,350 --> 00:04:15,321 SHOT AT? >> UM, ON THE COUCH IN THE -- IN 61 00:04:15,321 --> 00:04:17,190 OUR TV ROOM. >> IS HE STILL ALIVE 62 00:04:17,190 --> 00:04:21,061 IS HE STILL BREATHING? >> NO. 63 00:04:21,061 --> 00:04:23,830 >> Reporter: BRENDA COULD BARELY TALK, BUT DID MANAGE TO GET OUT 64 00:04:23,830 --> 00:04:26,399 THAT SHE HAD GONE TO SLEEP UPSTAIRS WHILE BUDDY HAD DOZED 65 00:04:26,399 --> 00:04:30,437 OFF DOWNSTAIRS IN FRONT OF THE TV 66 00:04:30,437 --> 00:04:33,073 AND THEN SHE AWOKE TO A SOUND LIKE A SHARP THUNDERCLAP 67 00:04:33,073 --> 00:04:39,079 AND THE DOG BARKED, SO SHE RUSHED DOWNSTAIRS. 68 00:04:39,079 --> 00:04:45,118 AND THERE HE WAS >> DO YOU KNOW WHERE ON HIS BODY 69 00:04:45,118 --> 00:04:46,753 HE WAS HIT TAKE A DEEP BREATH 70 00:04:46,753 --> 00:04:50,123 TAKE A DEEP BREATH FOR ME. >> IN THE HEAD 71 00:04:50,123 --> 00:04:52,559 >> OKAY. >> THE HEAD. 72 00:04:52,559 --> 00:04:58,231 >> Reporter: DAWN WAS STILL HOURS AWAY WHEN SHERIFF'S 73 00:04:58,231 --> 00:05:01,034 DEPUTIES HEADED TO THE HOUSE THEIR BODY CAMS WERE ROLLING AS 74 00:05:01,034 --> 00:05:05,205 THEY ENCOUNTERED BRENDA IN THE PITCH BLACK DARKNESS 75 00:05:05,205 --> 00:05:07,140 >> WHAT'S GOING ON >> MY HUSBAND'S BEEN SHOT. 76 00:05:07,140 --> 00:05:09,809 >> WHERE'S HE AT >> HE'S IN THE HOUSE 77 00:05:09,809 --> 00:05:15,815 >> I'M GOING ON IN THE RESIDENCE. 78 00:05:15,815 --> 00:05:17,484 HE'S SUPPOSED TO BE IN HERE. UNKNOWN IF THERE'S ANYBODY ELSE 79 00:05:17,484 --> 00:05:19,052 IN THERE >> SHERIFF'S OFFICE! 80 00:05:19,052 --> 00:05:21,154 >> Reporter: INSIDE IT WAS DARK, EXCEPT FOR THE GLOW OF THE 81 00:05:21,154 --> 00:05:23,089 TV SCREEN. >> SHERIFF'S OFFICE. 82 00:05:23,089 --> 00:05:27,660 IF YOU'RE IN THE HOME, COME OUT WITH YOUR HANDS UP 83 00:05:27,660 --> 00:05:36,202 >> Reporter: BARELY VISIBLE, SPRAWLED ON THE COUCH, WAS THE 84 00:05:36,202 --> 00:05:37,537 BODY OF 64-YEAR-OLD BUDDY McCUTCHEON 85 00:05:37,537 --> 00:05:39,172 >> THERE'S A SHOTGUN HERE IN THE CORNER 86 00:05:39,172 --> 00:05:43,443 I'M GONNA GO CHECK THE BACKYARD. THIS DOOR WAS UNSECURED WHEN I 87 00:05:43,443 --> 00:05:46,680 CAME IN. >> Reporter: DETECTIVE 88 00:05:46,680 --> 00:05:50,083 JOHN LEDFORD, ROUSED FROM SLEEP, DROVE THROUGH THE EARLY MORNING 89 00:05:50,083 --> 00:05:53,653 LIGHT TO THE McCUTCHEON HOUSE AND TRIED TO PREPARE FOR 90 00:05:53,653 --> 00:05:56,322 WHATEVER HE MIGHT FIND >> YOU'RE NERVOUS. 91 00:05:56,322 --> 00:06:00,193 YOU'RE BRACING YOURSELF. WE KNEW THAT GOING INTO THIS, 92 00:06:00,193 --> 00:06:03,563 THIS WAS PROBABLY GOING TO BE VERY COMPLEX IN NATURE 93 00:06:03,563 --> 00:06:07,200 AND, UH, I DON'T THINK ANYTHING PREPARES FOR WHAT WE WOULD 94 00:06:07,200 --> 00:06:14,407 ENCOUNTER. >> Reporter: LEDFORD WENT 95 00:06:14,407 --> 00:06:16,276 INSIDE >> HE WAS LYING ON THE COUCH, 96 00:06:16,276 --> 00:06:17,444 UH, FACING THE REAR OF THE COUCH. 97 00:06:17,444 --> 00:06:20,113 >> Reporter: WAS IT OBVIOUS WHAT KIND OF INJURY HE'D RECEIVED 98 00:06:20,113 --> 00:06:22,549 >> IT WAS OBVIOUS THERE WAS A GUNSHOT WOUND. 99 00:06:22,549 --> 00:06:24,617 THERE WAS NO EXIT WOUND. BUT IT WAS FAIRLY APPARENT IT 100 00:06:24,617 --> 00:06:26,753 WAS AN ENTRY WOUND TO THE TOP OF THE HEAD 101 00:06:26,753 --> 00:06:30,223 >> Reporter: LEDFORD WASN'T SURE WHAT TO MAKE OF IT 102 00:06:30,223 --> 00:06:32,826 VIOLENT CRIME LIKE THIS WAS UNCOMMON IN ASHEVILLE AND RARELY 103 00:06:32,826 --> 00:06:42,535 INVOLVED A VICTIM LIKE DR. BUDDY McCUTCHEON 104 00:06:42,535 --> 00:06:44,070 >> YOU'VE GOT A DOCTOR, A PLASTIC SURGEON IN -- IN AN 105 00:06:44,070 --> 00:06:49,609 UPPER MIDDLE CLASS NEIGHBORHOOD, DECEASED IN HIS LIVING ROOM. 106 00:06:49,609 --> 00:06:51,311 THAT IN AND OF ITSELF IS SOMEWHAT UNUSUAL. 107 00:06:51,311 --> 00:06:52,879 >> Reporter: LEDFORD'S PARTNER, DETECTIVE WALT THROWER, ARRIVED 108 00:06:52,879 --> 00:06:55,315 NEXT, ARMED WITH A WARRANT TO SEARCH THE HOUSE 109 00:06:55,315 --> 00:07:02,555 >> THERE WAS SOME EARLY SPECULATION. 110 00:07:02,555 --> 00:07:07,827 COULD THIS BE A SUICIDE? >> Reporter: OR SOMETHING MORE 111 00:07:07,827 --> 00:07:09,696 SINISTER SOON THE HORRIBLE NEWS TRAVELED 112 00:07:09,696 --> 00:07:11,765 AT THE SPEED OF PHONE CALLS, MILES WEST TO BUDDY'S HOMETOWN, 113 00:07:11,765 --> 00:07:18,071 FAYETTEVILLE, ARKANSAS, WHERE BRENDA REACHED BUDDY'S BROTHER, 114 00:07:18,071 --> 00:07:22,142 CLUTCH, AND HIS FIANCEE, BEKAH >> SHE JUST HAD STATED THAT 115 00:07:22,142 --> 00:07:26,613 THERE HAD BEEN A HOME INVASION AND SOME KIND OF STRUGGLE AND 116 00:07:26,613 --> 00:07:28,948 BUDDY HAD BEEN SHOT AND KILLED >> Reporter: WHAT WAS IT LIKE TO 117 00:07:28,948 --> 00:07:32,952 HEAR THAT? >> WELL, IT WAS HORRIBLE 118 00:07:32,952 --> 00:07:37,924 TERRIBLE >> Reporter: ALMOST 119 00:07:37,924 --> 00:07:39,325 PHYSIOLOGICALLY THAT MUST DO SOMETHING TO YOU 120 00:07:39,325 --> 00:07:40,760 RIGHT? >> OH, I DID 121 00:07:40,760 --> 00:07:44,497 I JUST -- I DROPPED DOWN ON THE FLOOR. 122 00:07:44,497 --> 00:07:45,832 I DROPPED THE PHONE AND I TOLD BEKAH. 123 00:07:45,832 --> 00:07:49,736 I SAID, "COME GET THE PHONE," AND I JUST DROPPED DOWN. 124 00:07:49,736 --> 00:07:52,605 I MEAN, I WAS JUST SAYING, "NO, NO, NO." 125 00:07:52,605 --> 00:07:54,574 >> Reporter: CLUTCH WAS ONCE A MARINE FIGHTER PILOT AND TOUGH 126 00:07:54,574 --> 00:07:58,078 BUT THIS NOW HE HAD THE GRIM TASK OF 127 00:07:58,078 --> 00:08:02,349 CALLING HIS TWO OTHER BROTHERS FIRST JOHN, FOLLOWED BY MARC 128 00:08:02,349 --> 00:08:06,653 THEN JOHN CALLED MELISSA, THE YOUNGEST MEMBER OF THE FAMILY. 129 00:08:06,653 --> 00:08:10,457 >> WHAT HE SAID TO ME WAS SOME HOME INVADERS BROKE INTO BUDDY'S 130 00:08:10,457 --> 00:08:12,092 HOUSE, AND HE'S DEAD >> Reporter: DO YOU REMEMBER 131 00:08:12,092 --> 00:08:15,428 WHAT IT WAS LIKE TO HEAR ABOUT YOUR BROTHER'S DEATH 132 00:08:15,428 --> 00:08:19,032 >> IT DIDN'T MAKE SENSE. I COULDN'T HAVE BEEN MORE 133 00:08:19,032 --> 00:08:22,502 CONFUSED IF I'D GOTTEN A PHONE CALL SAYING BUDDY GOT ATTACKED 134 00:08:22,502 --> 00:08:27,607 BY A SHARK IN HIS LIVING ROOM AND HE'S DEAD. 135 00:08:27,607 --> 00:08:31,211 AND SO I SAID, "WHAT HAPPENED? AND HE WAS CRYING, "I DON'T 136 00:08:31,211 --> 00:08:33,046 KNOW." AND THEN I STARTED CRYING. 137 00:08:33,046 --> 00:08:35,548 AND THEN THAT WAS THE END OF INQUIRING AT THAT MOMENT 138 00:08:35,548 --> 00:08:38,618 >> Reporter: FOR THE DETECTIVES, OF COURSE, THE INQUIRY WAS JUST 139 00:08:38,618 --> 00:08:41,421 BEGINNING. THE AUTOPSY SHOULD TELL THEM 140 00:08:41,421 --> 00:08:44,591 SOMETHING. DID BUDDY McCUTCHEON TAKE HIS 141 00:08:44,591 --> 00:08:49,129 OWN LIFE DID HOME INVADERS SHOOT HIM 142 00:08:49,129 --> 00:08:53,066 DEAD, OR WAS IT SOMETHING ELSE ALTOGETHER 143 00:08:53,066 --> 00:08:59,272 THE FIRST QUESTION WOULD BE EASY 144 00:08:59,272 --> 00:09:06,079 THE SECOND TWO, NOT EASY AT ALL. >>> THE MYSTERIOUS DEATH OF A 145 00:09:06,079 --> 00:09:07,380 MAN WHO LOVED LIFE WHEN WE COME BACK. 146 00:09:07,380 --> 00:09:12,218 >> BUDDY GOT THEM INVOLVED IN DIFFERENT SOCIAL GROUPS. 147 00:09:12,218 --> 00:09:14,087 HE GOT THEM INVOLVED IN THE CIVIL WAR REENACTMENTS 148 00:09:14,087 --> 00:09:15,422 HE DECIDED TO TAKE UP SAILING. DECIDED TO LEARN TO FLY A PLANE. 149 00:09:15,422 --> 00:09:19,125 >> SO WHAT HAD HAPPENED IN THAT HOUSE? 150 00:09:19,125 --> 00:09:21,261 >> I IMMEDIATELY HAD A MENTAL PICTURE OF GUYS WITH GUNS BREAK 151 00:09:21,261 --> 00:09:40,280 DOWN THE FRONT DOOR, COME IN, BE * 152 00:09:40,280 --> 00:09:42,048 >> Reporter: BUDDY McCUTCHEON'S WHOLE FAMILY WAS IN A STATE OF 153 00:09:42,048 --> 00:09:44,584 SHOCK. BUDDY HAD BEEN SOMETHING OF A 154 00:09:44,584 --> 00:09:47,253 PATRIARCH AMONG THE SIBLINGS AND THIS 155 00:09:47,253 --> 00:09:51,224 IT WAS ALMOST TOO MUCH TO TAKE IN 156 00:09:51,224 --> 00:09:53,093 >> I IMMEDIATELY HAD A MENTAL PICTURE OF GUYS WITH GUNS BREAK 157 00:09:53,093 --> 00:09:56,363 DOWN THE FRONT DOOR, COME IN, BE VIOLENT. 158 00:09:56,363 --> 00:09:59,733 SO MY NEXT QUESTION WAS, "IS BRENDA OKAY? 159 00:09:59,733 --> 00:10:03,069 >> Reporter: BRENDA WAS PHYSICALLY OKAY. 160 00:10:03,069 --> 00:10:06,473 BUT IN ONE AWFUL SECOND, HER HUSBAND OF OVER 30 YEARS WAS 161 00:10:06,473 --> 00:10:16,516 TAKEN AND LIFE AS SHE HAD KNOWN IT WAS OVER. 162 00:10:16,516 --> 00:10:19,185 WHEN SHE MET HIM HE WAS, TO SAY THE LEAST, AN ELIGIBLE YOUNG 163 00:10:19,185 --> 00:10:23,490 MAN. >> THEY WERE BOTH WORKING AT THE 164 00:10:23,490 --> 00:10:27,894 SAME HOSPITAL. SHE WAS A NURSE AND HE WAS A 165 00:10:27,894 --> 00:10:31,264 YOUNG DOCTOR, SINGLE, GOOD LOOKING WITH THOSE DIMPLES HE 166 00:10:31,264 --> 00:10:34,034 HAD, THAT JET BLACK HAIR BEFORE TOO LONG, THEY WERE 167 00:10:34,034 --> 00:10:37,404 LIVING TOGETHER. AND AFTER A FEW YEARS, THEY WERE 168 00:10:37,404 --> 00:10:40,206 MARRIED. >> Reporter: A TRADITIONAL 169 00:10:40,206 --> 00:10:46,780 SCOTTISH WEDDING, IN FACT. KILTS AND BAGPIPES 170 00:10:46,780 --> 00:10:48,848 BUDDY'S IDEA, NATURALLY. DID IT SEEM FROM THE BEGINNING 171 00:10:48,848 --> 00:10:52,919 LIKE, OKAY, THIS IS A MATCH MADE IN HEAVEN? 172 00:10:52,919 --> 00:10:55,221 >> I THOUGHT IT WAS MORE LIKE A CASE OF OPPOSITES THAT MUST'VE 173 00:10:55,221 --> 00:11:00,827 ATTRACTED. BUDDY WAS MORE OF A RESERVED 174 00:11:00,827 --> 00:11:04,064 PERSON HE WOULDN'T USE A LOT OF WORDS 175 00:11:04,064 --> 00:11:09,803 WHEN A FEW WORDS WOULD DO. >> Reporter: I'LL BE 176 00:11:09,803 --> 00:11:13,640 >> BUT BRENDA WAS VERY CHATTY AND SOLICITOUS AND, "WHAT CAN I 177 00:11:13,640 --> 00:11:15,575 DO FOR YOU?" BUT THEY SEEM TO COMPLIMENT EACH 178 00:11:15,575 --> 00:11:17,577 OTHER AND SEEM TO GET ALONG GREAT. 179 00:11:17,577 --> 00:11:20,880 THEY LOVE EACH OTHER THEY'RE HAPPY TOGETHER 180 00:11:20,880 --> 00:11:23,450 >> Reporter: BRENDA WAS A TRUE SOUTHERN BELLE 181 00:11:23,450 --> 00:11:27,887 BORN IN MEMPHIS AND GREW UP IN TENNESSEE. 182 00:11:27,887 --> 00:11:29,656 >> MY BROTHERS LOVED HER I DON'T THINK IT'S -- IT'S AN 183 00:11:29,656 --> 00:11:34,160 EXAGGERATION TO SAY THEY LOVED HER. 184 00:11:34,160 --> 00:11:37,230 THEY EVEN ADORED HER >> SHE WAS VERY CARING AND A 185 00:11:37,230 --> 00:11:43,370 VERY -- SO SWEET SHE WAS A WONDERFUL WIFE 186 00:11:43,370 --> 00:11:48,675 >> Reporter: AND LOYAL WHEN BUDDY WANTED TO MOVE OR TRY 187 00:11:48,675 --> 00:11:52,112 SOMETHING NEW, SHE WAS GAME. >> BUDDY GOT THEM INVOLVED IN 188 00:11:52,112 --> 00:11:59,552 DIFFERENT SOCIAL GROUPS. HE GOT THEM INVOLVED IN THE 189 00:11:59,552 --> 00:12:01,121 CIVIL WAR REENACTMENTS AND SHE KIND OF TAGGED ALONG WITH THAT 190 00:12:01,121 --> 00:12:02,822 HE DECIDED TO TAKE UP SAILING. AND HE WAS THE ONE THAT DECIDED 191 00:12:02,822 --> 00:12:05,091 TO LEARN TO FLY A PLANE. AND SO BRENDA WENT ALONG WITH 192 00:12:05,091 --> 00:12:08,828 HIM WHILE HE FLEW A PLANE. >> Reporter: BRENDA WENT ALONG, 193 00:12:08,828 --> 00:12:12,899 TOO, WHEN BUDDY LATER OPENED HIS OWN MEDICAL PRACTICE CALLED 194 00:12:12,899 --> 00:12:15,835 COSMETIC SURGERY OF ASHEVILLE. INSTEAD OF CONTINUING HER 195 00:12:15,835 --> 00:12:20,073 NURSING CAREER FULL TIME, BRENDA EVENTUALLY BECAME THE OFFICE 196 00:12:20,073 --> 00:12:24,611 MANAGER, FREEING BUDDY UP TO FOCUS ON DOING THE SURGERIES 197 00:12:24,611 --> 00:12:27,313 >> BUDDY WAS METICULOUS. AND I GUESS YOU NEED THAT IN A 198 00:12:27,313 --> 00:12:30,083 PLASTIC SURGEON. >> Reporter: DID HE LIVE WELL? 199 00:12:30,083 --> 00:12:32,719 DID HE LIVE AN EXPENSIVE LIFESTYLE? 200 00:12:32,719 --> 00:12:36,790 >> YOU KNOW, APPEARANCES WERE IMPORTANT TO BUDDY 201 00:12:36,790 --> 00:12:39,092 BUT HE WOULD BE MORE LIKELY TO PULL UP IN HIS TOYOTA AND GET 202 00:12:39,092 --> 00:12:43,763 OUT OF THE TOYOTA WEARING BLUE JEANS. 203 00:12:43,763 --> 00:12:45,131 >> Reporter: THEY NEVER HAD KIDS 204 00:12:45,131 --> 00:12:47,334 BUT THEY HAD EACH OTHER. AND THEIR DOG. 205 00:12:47,334 --> 00:12:50,136 AND A FINE HOUSE CLOSE ENOUGH TO NATURE THAT 206 00:12:50,136 --> 00:12:56,876 BEARS SOMETIMES WANDERED INTO THEIR YARD 207 00:12:56,876 --> 00:13:00,447 >> TEAR THAT BIRD FEEDER UP. >> THAT'S WHAT IT'S FOR. 208 00:13:00,447 --> 00:13:02,749 >> Reporter: SO LIFE IN ASHEVILLE WAS GOOD 209 00:13:02,749 --> 00:13:05,285 >> WE MUST HAVE BEEN DOING SOMETHING RIGHT. 210 00:13:05,285 --> 00:13:08,221 >> HE WAS EXCELLENT. HE WAS A GREAT DOCTOR. 211 00:13:08,221 --> 00:13:14,060 >> Reporter: SCOTT LUNSFORD WAS BUDDY'S BEST FRIEND GROWING UP 212 00:13:14,060 --> 00:13:19,065 >> HE HAD A GREAT MIND, REALLY SHARP, REALLY QUICK. 213 00:13:19,065 --> 00:13:25,071 I HEARD HIS BROTHER SAY HE MADE STRAIGHT "A's" ALL THE TIME. 214 00:13:25,071 --> 00:13:27,974 >> Reporter: DID HE TALK ABOUT WHY HE WANTED TO BE A PLASTIC 215 00:13:27,974 --> 00:13:29,376 SURGEON? >> I KNOW THAT HE WORKED ON 216 00:13:29,376 --> 00:13:33,079 PEOPLE THAT HAD BECOME DISFIGURED BY CRASHES. 217 00:13:33,079 --> 00:13:35,682 AND SO I THINK THAT TUGGED AT HIS EMPATHY GENE 218 00:13:35,682 --> 00:13:41,721 AND I THINK HE LIKED MAKING THINGS BEAUTIFUL 219 00:13:41,721 --> 00:13:48,495 >> Reporter: BUDDY ALSO LIKED -- LOVED -- MAKING MUSIC. 220 00:13:48,495 --> 00:13:50,163 THAT WAS HIS TRUE PASSION. >> HE STARTED PLAYING GUITAR 221 00:13:50,163 --> 00:13:53,667 WHEN HE WAS PROBABLY 7 OR 8, AND HE TAUGHT HIMSELF. 222 00:13:53,667 --> 00:13:58,938 BY THE TIME IN HIGH SCHOOL, HE'D BEEN IN A BAND 223 00:13:58,938 --> 00:14:01,474 >> Reporter: WITH SCOTT LUNSFORD 224 00:14:01,474 --> 00:14:03,043 BEGINNING WITH A VERY SUCCESSFUL LOCAL ARKANSAS BASED BAND CALLED 225 00:14:03,043 --> 00:14:07,681 THE VISCOUNTS. >> WE DID ALL THE LOCAL GIGS, 226 00:14:07,681 --> 00:14:10,717 THE DEDICATION OF THE OPENING OF MONTGOMERY WARD OR SPAGHETTI 227 00:14:10,717 --> 00:14:13,153 DINNER DANCES, EVEN IN THE BASEMENT OF CHURCHES 228 00:14:13,153 --> 00:14:15,055 WE LOVED PLAYING >> Reporter: REALLY MADE YOU THE 229 00:14:15,055 --> 00:14:16,856 COOLEST GUYS IN THE ROOM RIGHT? 230 00:14:16,856 --> 00:14:20,827 [ LAUGHTER ] WE WERE POPULAR. 231 00:14:20,827 --> 00:14:25,832 I CAN SAY THAT, YEAH >> Reporter: BUDDY, WITH HIS 232 00:14:25,832 --> 00:14:28,335 LONG ROCK STAR HAIR AND '60s THREADS, PLAYED THE GUITAR 233 00:14:28,335 --> 00:14:32,072 AND WAS THE UNQUESTIONED LEADER OF THE GROUP. 234 00:14:32,072 --> 00:14:35,408 >> BUDDY HAD AN EAR. HE COULD PICK OUT ANY MELODY, 235 00:14:35,408 --> 00:14:38,111 ANY CHORD. HE COULD SCORE THE CHORD CHANGES 236 00:14:38,111 --> 00:14:39,979 FOR US ALL >> Reporter: COULD HE HAVE BEEN 237 00:14:39,979 --> 00:14:41,181 A PROFESSIONAL MUSICIAN IF HE WANTED TO? 238 00:14:41,181 --> 00:14:46,486 >> OH, YEAH. THERE'S NO QUESTION. 239 00:14:46,486 --> 00:14:51,891 AND HE HAS SAID THAT HE WAS USING HIS MEDICAL CAREER TO PAY 240 00:14:51,891 --> 00:14:56,930 FOR HIS MUSIC CAREER AND EVENTUALLY HAD SET UP A STUDIO 241 00:14:56,930 --> 00:15:01,534 >> Reporter: BUT NOW BUDDY'S STUDIO WAS SILENT. 242 00:15:01,534 --> 00:15:06,172 HE'D MAKE MUSIC NO MORE. >> YOU CAN'T REALLY GRASP THAT 243 00:15:06,172 --> 00:15:10,944 HE'S GONE. IT'S A GREAT LOSS. 244 00:15:10,944 --> 00:15:13,747 IT WAS A GREAT LOSS. >> Reporter: AS THE AFTERNOON 245 00:15:13,747 --> 00:15:17,050 HEAT BEGAN TO SET IN, INVESTIGATORS COMPLETED THEIR 246 00:15:17,050 --> 00:15:23,923 INITIAL SEARCH OF BUDDY AND BRENDA'S PLACE 247 00:15:23,923 --> 00:15:26,459 BUT THE CLUES THAT MIGHT TELL THEM WHAT HAPPENED REMAINED 248 00:15:26,459 --> 00:15:32,065 HIDDEN IN PLAIN SIGHT. >>> COMING UP -- 249 00:15:32,065 --> 00:15:33,566 >> HE'S BEEN EVERYTHING TO ME. WE WERE GOING TO GROW OLD 250 00:15:33,566 --> 00:15:35,201 TOGETHER >> BRENDA HAS A THEORY ABOUT 251 00:15:35,201 --> 00:15:39,105 WHAT HAPPENED AND WHO MIGHT HAVE KILLED BUDDY 252 00:15:39,105 --> 00:15:41,241 >> NOBODY THAT HAS EVER COME INTO OUR HOUSE WOULD WANT TO 253 00:15:41,241 --> 00:16:08,401 KILL MY HUSBAND. I MEAN, YOU KNOW, MAYBE IT WAS, 254 00:16:08,401 --> 00:16:10,670 >>> I DON'T SEE ANYTHING BEHIND YOU. 255 00:16:10,670 --> 00:16:15,775 SEE NOTHING IN THE CARPET. >> Reporter: IN THE DIM LIGHT 256 00:16:15,775 --> 00:16:18,144 CAST BY BUDDY McCUTCHEON'S TV, NOTHING WAS OBVIOUS NOT RIGHT 257 00:16:18,144 --> 00:16:20,814 AWAY FIRST RESPONDERS SIMPLY SAW A 258 00:16:20,814 --> 00:16:24,050 MAN LYING ON HIS SIDE FACING THE BACK OF HIS LIVING ROOM COUCH. 259 00:16:24,050 --> 00:16:27,787 THERE WAS A SINGLE GUNSHOT WOUND TO HIS HEAD, AND AROUND HIM, 260 00:16:27,787 --> 00:16:32,125 NOTHING SEEMED DISTURBED SO SUICIDE 261 00:16:32,125 --> 00:16:36,129 SADLY, IT HAPPENS, EVEN AMONG THE OUTWARDLY SUCCESSFUL 262 00:16:36,129 --> 00:16:39,065 AND THEN A CLOSER LOOK AND LISTEN TO WHAT THEY'RE 263 00:16:39,065 --> 00:16:41,067 SAYING, PICKED UP BY THEIR BODYCAMS 264 00:16:41,067 --> 00:16:44,971 >> THE PROJECTILES HAD TO GO SOMEWHERE. 265 00:16:44,971 --> 00:16:47,607 >> THE GUN HAD TO GO SOMEWHERE >> Reporter: "THE GUN HAD TO GO 266 00:16:47,607 --> 00:16:55,582 SOMEWHERE. IF BUDDY HAD SHOT HIMSELF, 267 00:16:55,582 --> 00:16:57,584 WOULDN'T THE GUN STILL BE IN OR CLOSE TO HIS HAND? 268 00:16:57,584 --> 00:17:02,155 IT HAD TO BE SOMEWHERE IT JUST WASN'T HERE. 269 00:17:02,155 --> 00:17:06,292 BESIDES, THE ENTRY WOUND WAS IN THE TOP REAR OF BUDDY'S SKULL. 270 00:17:06,292 --> 00:17:17,904 HARD FOR A MAN TO REACH WHILE LYING ON THE COUCH 271 00:17:17,904 --> 00:17:19,339 SO OPTION NUMBER TWO, HOMICIDE WHICH IS WHAT BRENDA McCUTCHEON 272 00:17:19,339 --> 00:17:20,573 THOUGHT IT MUST BE AN INTRUDER MUST HAVE SHOT 273 00:17:20,573 --> 00:17:24,577 BUDDY. >> SHE SAID THAT SOMEBODY HAD 274 00:17:24,577 --> 00:17:27,180 CAME IN IS WHAT SHE TOLD ME. >> SHE WAS A LITTLE BIT FRANTIC 275 00:17:27,180 --> 00:17:30,083 ORIGINALLY WASN'T SURE IF THERE WAS 276 00:17:30,083 --> 00:17:33,053 SOMEBODY INSIDE THE RESIDENCE. THE DEPUTY WENT INSIDE AND BEGAN 277 00:17:33,053 --> 00:17:36,790 CLEARING THE RESIDENCE TO ENSURE THAT NOBODY ELSE WAS INSIDE 278 00:17:36,790 --> 00:17:38,925 THERE. >> Reporter: BRENDA, MEANWHILE, 279 00:17:38,925 --> 00:17:44,597 STAYED OUTSIDE, WAITING TO TALK TO DETECTIVES. 280 00:17:44,597 --> 00:17:45,865 >> THE THING I DISTINCTIVELY REMEMBER ABOUT HER, SHE WAS 281 00:17:45,865 --> 00:17:47,233 BAREFOOT SHE HAD LEFT THE RESIDENCE 282 00:17:47,233 --> 00:17:49,069 BAREFOOTED >> Reporter: WAS STILL WEARING 283 00:17:49,069 --> 00:17:54,140 HER NIGHT CLOTHES. >> I THINK WE OUGHT TO DO A GSR 284 00:17:54,140 --> 00:17:59,312 ON HER IF SHE -- IF SHE'S WILLING TO DO ONE. 285 00:17:59,312 --> 00:18:00,680 >> Reporter: GSR, GUNSHOT RESIDUE, SOMETHING THAT CAN BE 286 00:18:00,680 --> 00:18:07,253 DETECTED SO BRENDA WILLINGLY COOPERATED 287 00:18:07,253 --> 00:18:08,355 AS THEY SWABBED HER HANDS. THAT'S JUST A NORMAL ROUTINE 288 00:18:08,355 --> 00:18:12,525 THING TO DO, RIGHT >> YES 289 00:18:12,525 --> 00:18:14,027 THEN IT'S PACKAGED UP. AND THAT WILL GO TO THE CRIME 290 00:18:14,027 --> 00:18:15,862 LAB TO BE ANALYZED >> Reporter: MEANWHILE, THE 291 00:18:15,862 --> 00:18:20,200 DETECTIVES HAD TO KNOW WHAT, IF ANYTHING, BRENDA KNEW ABOUT WHAT 292 00:18:20,200 --> 00:18:22,936 HAPPENED SHE WAS CLEARLY UPSET, BUT 293 00:18:22,936 --> 00:18:24,571 READILY AGREED TO GO TO THE SHERRIFF'S DEPARTMENT TO ANSWER 294 00:18:24,571 --> 00:18:27,474 QUESTIONS, WHATEVER QUESTIONS SHE COULD. 295 00:18:27,474 --> 00:18:34,714 >> I APPRECIATE YOU AGREEING TO COME DOWN HERE WITH US AND TALK 296 00:18:34,714 --> 00:18:37,350 WITH US AND SEE IF WE CAN KIND OF BRING SOME RESOLUTION 297 00:18:37,350 --> 00:18:41,588 WHAT'S YOUR FULL NAME? >> BRENDA KAY, K-A-Y 298 00:18:41,588 --> 00:18:43,289 >> BRENDA KAY? >> McCUTCHEON, M-C - 299 00:18:43,289 --> 00:18:45,625 >> Reporter: BRENDA RECOUNTED WHAT HAPPENED IN THE FINAL HOURS 300 00:18:45,625 --> 00:18:48,228 OF BUDDY'S LIFE. >> I GUESS ABOUT 7:30, I WENT TO 301 00:18:48,228 --> 00:18:50,597 SUBWAY SANDWICH AND GOT US A SUB SANDWICH 302 00:18:50,597 --> 00:18:54,200 >> CAME BACK HOME? >> CAME BACK HOME. 303 00:18:54,200 --> 00:18:56,503 ATE, WATCHED A LITTLE TV BUDDY GOT ON THE COMPUTER FOR A 304 00:18:56,503 --> 00:18:59,839 LITTLE WHILE I DON'T KNOW WHAT HE WAS DOING, 305 00:18:59,839 --> 00:19:01,808 FACEBOOK OR SOMETHING. HE'S BEEN POSTING -- WE HAD A 306 00:19:01,808 --> 00:19:06,646 BEAR IN OUR BACKYARD A COUPLE OF NIGHTS AGO 307 00:19:06,646 --> 00:19:10,050 >> Reporter: THEN A LITTLE AFTER 9:00 P.M., SAID BRENDA, SHE WENT 308 00:19:10,050 --> 00:19:13,386 UPSTAIRS TO BED, WHILE BUDDY LAY DOWN ON THE COUCH. 309 00:19:13,386 --> 00:19:17,357 >> YOU NORMALLY THINK OF A HUSBAND AND WIFE SLEEPING 310 00:19:17,357 --> 00:19:19,325 TOGETHER IN THE SAME ROO OR PERHAPS, YOU KNOW, THEY HAD 311 00:19:19,325 --> 00:19:22,028 DIFFICULTY SLEEPING TOGETHER >> Reporter: WHICH WAS CERTAINLY 312 00:19:22,028 --> 00:19:25,565 TRUE OF BUDDY AND BRENDA HE'D TAKEN TO SLEEPING ON THE 313 00:19:25,565 --> 00:19:28,735 COUCH DURING HIS DAYS AS AN ON-CALL MEDICAL RESIDENT 314 00:19:28,735 --> 00:19:31,938 THEY JUST GOT USED TO IT >> I KNOW THAT SOUNDS REALLY 315 00:19:31,938 --> 00:19:34,641 WEIRD. BUT THE REASON FOR IT IS, HE 316 00:19:34,641 --> 00:19:37,677 CAN'T SLEEP WITHOUT A TV AND I CAN'T SLEEP WITH THE TV. 317 00:19:37,677 --> 00:19:41,147 >> Reporter: ANYWAY, THEY TUCKED INTO THEIR RESPECTIVE PLACES 318 00:19:41,147 --> 00:19:47,554 BRENDA, UPSTAIRS IN THE BEDROOM, FELL ASLEEP. 319 00:19:47,554 --> 00:19:51,124 AND THEN SUDDENLY A FEW HOURS BEFORE DAWN -- 320 00:19:51,124 --> 00:19:56,096 >> SOMETHING WOKE ME UP -- REALLY LOUD. 321 00:19:56,096 --> 00:19:57,597 >> YOU STAYED ASLEEP AND YOU WERE AWAKENED BY A LOUD NOISE? 322 00:19:57,597 --> 00:20:00,400 >> YEAH. AND I THOUGHT -- I TRULY THOUGHT 323 00:20:00,400 --> 00:20:02,769 IT WAS THUNDER THAT -- WE'VE BEEN HAVING SOME 324 00:20:02,769 --> 00:20:08,842 REALLY BAD THUNDERSTORMS >> Reporter: BUT IT WASN'T 325 00:20:08,842 --> 00:20:10,844 RAINING. SO BRENDA SAID SHE WENT 326 00:20:10,844 --> 00:20:14,547 DOWNSTAIRS TO SEE WHAT HAPPENED. MAYBE A PICTURE FELL OFF THE 327 00:20:14,547 --> 00:20:17,350 WALL OR SOMETHING? BUT THAT WASN'T IT 328 00:20:17,350 --> 00:20:23,189 IT WAS HER NOSE THAT TOLD HER FIRST. 329 00:20:23,189 --> 00:20:26,026 >> I COULD SMELL THAT SMELL -- THAT I KNOW WHAT GUNPOWDER 330 00:20:26,026 --> 00:20:30,830 SMELLS LIKE FROM CIVIL WAR REENACTING 331 00:20:30,830 --> 00:20:35,001 SO I WENT OVER TO HIM AND SAID HIS NAME 332 00:20:35,001 --> 00:20:39,539 I DIDN'T TOUCH HIM, THOUGH AND I LOOKED AT HIM, AND HE 333 00:20:39,539 --> 00:20:42,142 WASN'T BREATHING >> Reporter: BUT BRENDA KNEW 334 00:20:42,142 --> 00:20:44,277 THERE WAS NO POINT IN TRYING TO REVIVE HIM 335 00:20:44,277 --> 00:20:49,449 SHE KNEW VERY WELL WHAT DEATH LOOKED LIKE. 336 00:20:49,449 --> 00:20:59,325 >> I'VE BEEN A NURSE FOR -- SINCE 1975, AND I LOST IT. 337 00:20:59,325 --> 00:21:01,194 I -- I -- I FLEW OUT THE FRONT DOOR, WHICH WAS LOCKED 338 00:21:01,194 --> 00:21:03,463 IT WAS LOCKED. AND WENT TO MY NEIGHBOR. 339 00:21:03,463 --> 00:21:06,433 >> Reporter: NEIGHBOR DIDN'T ANSWER 340 00:21:06,433 --> 00:21:09,502 SO BRENDA RAN BACK INTO THE HOUSE AND GRABBED THE PHONE AND 341 00:21:09,502 --> 00:21:12,539 RUSHED OUT AND CALLED 911 FROM THE STREET 342 00:21:12,539 --> 00:21:13,907 >> MY HUSBAND'S BEEN SHOT. >> OKAY. 343 00:21:13,907 --> 00:21:17,477 WHO SHOT HIM >> I DON'T KNOW. 344 00:21:17,477 --> 00:21:21,247 >> Reporter: NOW, A FEW HOURS LATER, SITTING IN THAT POLICE 345 00:21:21,247 --> 00:21:24,984 INTERVIEW ROOM, BRENDA FINALLY HAD A CHANCE TO REFLECT ON WHAT 346 00:21:24,984 --> 00:21:27,887 HAPPENED AND WHO COULD HAVE KILLED BUDDY 347 00:21:27,887 --> 00:21:29,823 >> WHY WOULD ANYBODY -- NOBODY THAT HAS EVER COME INTO OUR 348 00:21:29,823 --> 00:21:35,095 HOUSE WOULD WANT TO KILL MY HUSBAND. 349 00:21:35,095 --> 00:21:36,763 I MEAN, YOU KNOW, THE -- MAYBE IT WAS -- I DON'T KNOW, A JUNKIE 350 00:21:36,763 --> 00:21:39,566 WANTING SOMETHING. I DON'T KNOW 351 00:21:39,566 --> 00:21:43,169 >> Reporter: A JUNKIE? AN INTRUDER? 352 00:21:43,169 --> 00:21:53,480 PERHAPS SOMEONE WHO ACTUALLY KNEW THE McCUTCHEONS 353 00:21:53,480 --> 00:21:56,616 BUT BUDDY HAD NO KNOWN ENEMIES HE WAS ADMIRED 354 00:21:56,616 --> 00:22:00,186 PEOPLE LIKED HIM LOVED HIM. 355 00:22:00,186 --> 00:22:03,590 MOST ESPECIALLY BRENDA >> HE'S BEEN EVERYTHING TO ME. 356 00:22:03,590 --> 00:22:09,062 WE WERE GOING TO GROW OLD TOGETHER 357 00:22:09,062 --> 00:22:13,867 WE WERE GONNA RETIRE WE WERE GONNA SIT ON THE FRONT 358 00:22:13,867 --> 00:22:19,339 PORCH IN THE ROCKING CHAIR >> Reporter: BUT THAT WOULD 359 00:22:19,339 --> 00:22:21,608 NEVER HAPPEN NOW IN ONE SPLIT SECOND, THAT LIFE 360 00:22:21,608 --> 00:22:24,844 WAS YANKED AWAY. AS BRENDA AND THE DETECTIVES 361 00:22:24,844 --> 00:22:27,380 STRUGGLED TO UNDERSTAND, A MESSAGE CAME IN FROM THE 362 00:22:27,380 --> 00:22:29,849 McCUTCHEON HOUSE A CLUE HAD TURNED UP 363 00:22:29,849 --> 00:22:36,823 WEIRD. AMBIGUOUS. 364 00:22:36,823 --> 00:22:39,559 MAYBE IMPORTANT. >>> COMING UP -- 365 00:22:39,559 --> 00:22:41,227 >> DIDN'T TOUCH A GUN, DIDN'T FIRE A GUN 366 00:22:41,227 --> 00:22:43,563 >> DIDN'T FIRE A GUN >> DIDN'T SHOOT YOUR HUSBAND 367 00:22:43,563 --> 00:22:47,267 >> NO! >> QUESTIONS THAT HAVE TO BE 368 00:22:47,267 --> 00:22:51,104 ASKED, LEAVING BRENDA DEMANDING ANSWERS. 369 00:22:51,104 --> 00:22:54,107 >> I'M TELLING YOU THE TRUTH THAT HAPPENED TO ME. 370 00:22:54,107 --> 00:22:58,778 I'M HOPING YOU CAN FIND THE TRUTH THAT HAPPENED TO HIM AND 371 00:22:58,778 --> 00:23:20,066 GET ME SOME CLOSURE BECAUSE I'M >> Reporter: AS THE HOURS PASSED 372 00:23:20,066 --> 00:23:24,170 ON THAT FIRST TERRIBLE DAY, BRENDA McCUTCHEON WORKED WITH 373 00:23:24,170 --> 00:23:28,942 DETECTIVES DOWNTOWN AND TRIED TO PROCESS SUDDEN WIDOWHOOD 374 00:23:28,942 --> 00:23:34,314 AND SHE REFLECTED ON THOSE FIRST MOMENTS AFTER DISCOVERING BUDDY 375 00:23:34,314 --> 00:23:37,484 WAS DEAD >> AT THAT POINT, ALSO SCARED. 376 00:23:37,484 --> 00:23:39,753 >> MM-HMM. >> I DIDN'T KNOW IF SOMEBODY WAS 377 00:23:39,753 --> 00:23:42,922 IN THE HOUSE >> Reporter: INVESTIGATORS 378 00:23:42,922 --> 00:23:46,559 SEARCHED INSIDE AND OUTSIDE THE McCUTCHEON HOUSE AND FOUND NO 379 00:23:46,559 --> 00:23:50,330 ONE. BUT THEY DID UNCOVER A FEW 380 00:23:50,330 --> 00:23:54,601 POSSIBLE CLUES A BACK GATE WAS OPEN 381 00:23:54,601 --> 00:23:58,371 AN EXTERIOR DOOR NEAR BUDDY'S COUCH WAS AJAR 382 00:23:58,371 --> 00:24:01,441 SO INTRUDER? NO 383 00:24:01,441 --> 00:24:05,278 THERE WAS NO SIGN OF A ROBBERY THAT POINT THEY CHECKED WITH 384 00:24:05,278 --> 00:24:10,283 BRENDA >> DID YOU SEE THAT -- AS IF 385 00:24:10,283 --> 00:24:17,624 SOMETHING HAD BEEN TAKEN LIKE, UM -- SOMETHING LIKE, YOU 386 00:24:17,624 --> 00:24:19,059 KNOW, THEY HAD RUMMAGED THROUGH ANYTHING, THAT THEY MIGHT HAVE 387 00:24:19,059 --> 00:24:20,393 BROKE IN >> I DID NOT NOTICE. 388 00:24:20,393 --> 00:24:21,795 I TRULY DIDN'T NOTICE ANYTHING >> Reporter: BRENDA DID SAY 389 00:24:21,795 --> 00:24:23,329 BUDDY KEPT GUNS, SOME LOADED, AROUND THE HOUSE 390 00:24:23,329 --> 00:24:26,266 ONE OF THEM A SILVER-COLORED .38-CALIBER PISTOL 391 00:24:26,266 --> 00:24:28,768 OFFICERS FOUND THE GUNS. PLENTY OF AMMO, TOO. 392 00:24:28,768 --> 00:24:32,472 FOUND THEM ALL EXCEPT THE PISTOL 393 00:24:32,472 --> 00:24:37,644 >> ONE OF THE LAST TIMES SHE HAD SEEN THE FIREARM, SHE THOUGHT IT 394 00:24:37,644 --> 00:24:40,080 WAS IN A KITCHEN DRAWER. AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WAS 395 00:24:40,080 --> 00:24:43,650 KIND OF ODD ABOUT IT WAS THE DRAWER WAS SO FULL OF HOUSEHOLD 396 00:24:43,650 --> 00:24:49,589 ITEMS, IT DIDN'T APPEAR LIKE THE GUN WOULD FIT IN THERE 397 00:24:49,589 --> 00:24:51,591 >> Reporter: ANYWAY, IT WAS MISSING, OR MAYBE BUDDY HAD 398 00:24:51,591 --> 00:24:53,593 MOVED IT THE INTERVIEW STRETCHED WELL 399 00:24:53,593 --> 00:24:58,331 INTO THE MORNING QUESTION AFTER QUESTION. 400 00:24:58,331 --> 00:24:59,899 >> I DO NOT TRULY BELIEVE ANYONE WOULD WANT TO HURT HIM. 401 00:24:59,899 --> 00:25:03,803 HE WAS FACING THE BACK OF THE COUCH. 402 00:25:03,803 --> 00:25:07,807 I'M TRYING TO THINK IF -- IF I SAW ANYTHING 403 00:25:07,807 --> 00:25:11,311 HE WAS SHOT RIGHT HERE. >> Reporter: AS BRENDA KEPT 404 00:25:11,311 --> 00:25:16,850 TALKING, NEWS CAME FROM AN INVESTIGATOR AT THE HOUSE. 405 00:25:16,850 --> 00:25:22,622 THEY FOUND THE GUN AND WHERE THEY FOUND IT WAS -- 406 00:25:22,622 --> 00:25:25,325 WELL, IT WAS CURIOUS >> IT WAS FOUND ALONG, LIKE, A 407 00:25:25,325 --> 00:25:34,167 LITTLE, SMALL PATH A BREAK IN SOME IVY THAT WENT IN 408 00:25:34,167 --> 00:25:36,136 BETWEEN HER RESIDENCE AND HER NEIGHBOR'S RESIDENCE WHERE SHE 409 00:25:36,136 --> 00:25:37,203 RAN. >> Reporter: AND SOON AFTER, 410 00:25:37,203 --> 00:25:39,272 COPS AT THE HOUSE FOUND A RECEIPT THAT MATCHED THE GUN, 411 00:25:39,272 --> 00:25:46,279 CONFIRMING IT BELONGED TO BUDDY. DETECTIVES COULDN'T WAIT TO TELL 412 00:25:46,279 --> 00:25:47,480 BRENDA THE NEWS. >> WHAT WE'VE LOCATED IS ONE OF 413 00:25:47,480 --> 00:25:48,682 THE GUNS THAT YOU'VE DESCRIBED >> OKAY. 414 00:25:48,682 --> 00:25:50,250 GOOD WHO HAD IT 415 00:25:50,250 --> 00:25:52,952 >> NOT WITH ANYBODY. IT WAS FOUND OUTSIDE THE 416 00:25:52,952 --> 00:25:54,854 RESIDENCE. >> IT'S FOUND ON THE CURTILAGE 417 00:25:54,854 --> 00:25:56,356 OF THE RESIDENCE, BUT NOT IN THE HOUSE. 418 00:25:56,356 --> 00:25:58,091 >> OKAY. >> AND THAT'S WHAT I'M ASKING 419 00:25:58,091 --> 00:26:00,393 YOU. I'M -- I WANT YOU TO WALK ME 420 00:26:00,393 --> 00:26:02,829 THROUGH IN YOUR MIND HOW THAT MIGHT HAVE GOTTEN THERE. 421 00:26:02,829 --> 00:26:08,234 >> YOU'RE THE DETECTIVE. >> I AM. 422 00:26:08,234 --> 00:26:09,803 >> YOU KNOW, IF SOMEBODY SHOT HIM AND RAN OUT OF THE HOUSE AND 423 00:26:09,803 --> 00:26:16,242 THREW IT AWAY? I DON'T KNOW 424 00:26:16,242 --> 00:26:20,146 >> Reporter: THING WAS, THE DETECTIVES WERE AWARE OF CASES 425 00:26:20,146 --> 00:26:23,450 WHERE A FAMILY MEMBER, TRYING TO PROTECT REPUTATIONS, HIDES THE 426 00:26:23,450 --> 00:26:25,919 SUICIDE GUN. >> WE ASKED MISS McCUTCHEON IF 427 00:26:25,919 --> 00:26:27,887 THERE WAS ANY POSSIBILITY DR. McCUTCHEON MIGHT'VE 428 00:26:27,887 --> 00:26:30,056 COMMITTED SUICIDE AND SHE MOVED THE WEAPON 429 00:26:30,056 --> 00:26:32,058 >> Reporter: BUT SHE WAS ADAMANT? 430 00:26:32,058 --> 00:26:33,526 >> SHE WAS ADAMANT SHE DID NOT MOVE THE WEAPON. 431 00:26:33,526 --> 00:26:36,062 >> HE NEVER WOULD'VE KILLED HIMSELF. 432 00:26:36,062 --> 00:26:38,598 >> I DIDN'T MOVE A WEAPON. I DIDN'T MOVE A GUN. 433 00:26:38,598 --> 00:26:40,066 I DIDN'T PICK ANY -- >> DIDN'T TOUCH A GUN? 434 00:26:40,066 --> 00:26:41,401 DIDN'T FIRE A GUN? >> DIDN'T FIRE A GUN 435 00:26:41,401 --> 00:26:42,869 DIDN'T - >> DIDN'T SHOOT YOUR HUSBAND 436 00:26:42,869 --> 00:26:50,143 >> NO! NO 437 00:26:50,143 --> 00:26:52,412 NO HE WAS EVERYTHING TO ME. 438 00:26:52,412 --> 00:26:55,482 >> YEAH. >> AND HAS BEEN FOR ALMOST ALL 439 00:26:55,482 --> 00:27:01,721 MY ADULT LIFE. >> Reporter: IT WAS A STANDARD 440 00:27:01,721 --> 00:27:03,423 QUESTION, THOUGH IT ALWAYS SOUNDS LIKE AN ACCUSATION, AND 441 00:27:03,423 --> 00:27:06,493 LOVED ONES SOMETIMES DON'T TAKE IT SO WELL 442 00:27:06,493 --> 00:27:09,095 >> I'M TELLING YOU THE TRUTH THAT HAPPENED TO ME. 443 00:27:09,095 --> 00:27:11,364 >> OKAY. >> I DO NOT KNOW THE TRUTH THAT 444 00:27:11,364 --> 00:27:13,033 HAPPENED TO HIM. >> I UNDERSTAND. 445 00:27:13,033 --> 00:27:18,038 >> I'M HOPING YOU CAN FIND THE TRUTH THAT HAPPENED TO HIM 446 00:27:18,038 --> 00:27:19,873 >> OKAY. >> AND GET ME SOME CLOSURE 447 00:27:19,873 --> 00:27:20,840 BECAUSE I'M STARTING TO GET REALLY MAD 448 00:27:20,840 --> 00:27:22,308 >> DON'T -- DON'T GET UPSET, BRENDA 449 00:27:22,308 --> 00:27:24,110 LET ME ASK YOU THIS. >> I CAN'T HELP IT 450 00:27:24,110 --> 00:27:27,647 >> Reporter: THEY TOOK A BREAK AND AFTER -- 451 00:27:27,647 --> 00:27:28,648 >> HEY, BRENDA >> HOW ARE YOU 452 00:27:28,648 --> 00:27:31,618 >> I'M GOOD. >> Reporter: ANOTHER COP 453 00:27:31,618 --> 00:27:36,723 CONTINUED THE INTERVIEW. >> SO YOU AND BUDDY'S 454 00:27:36,723 --> 00:27:38,525 RELATIONSHIP IS GOOD UH, IF ANYBODY SAID OTHERWISE, 455 00:27:38,525 --> 00:27:41,094 THEY'D BE LYING? >> YES, THEY WOULD BE. 456 00:27:41,094 --> 00:27:43,229 >> NOBODY'S EVER SEEN YOU FUSS, ARGUE, OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT 457 00:27:43,229 --> 00:27:48,068 >> NO. WE HAVE OUR DISAGREEMENTS, BUT 458 00:27:48,068 --> 00:27:49,469 WE TALK ABOUT IT WE DON'T SPIT -- SPAT AT EACH 459 00:27:49,469 --> 00:27:52,672 OTHER, YOU KNOW. WE'RE -- WE'VE BEEN TOGETHER 460 00:27:52,672 --> 00:27:54,641 35 YEARS, SO OF COURSE WE'RE GONNA HAVE SOME DISAGREEMENTS 461 00:27:54,641 --> 00:27:58,945 ONCE IN A WHILE. BUT IT'S A GOOD RELATIONSHIP 462 00:27:58,945 --> 00:28:01,014 >> Reporter: APPARENTLY DEVOTED TO EACH OTHER. 463 00:28:01,014 --> 00:28:08,021 >> EVERYTHING WAS FINE BETWEEN THE TWO. 464 00:28:08,021 --> 00:28:09,255 YOU KNOW, THEY WERE STILL INTIMATE WITH ONE ANOTHER. 465 00:28:09,255 --> 00:28:11,691 >> Reporter: AND TOGETHER 24/7 THEY WORKED TOGETHER EVERY DAY 466 00:28:11,691 --> 00:28:15,128 AT THE CLINIC. SO MAYBE SHE KNEW ABOUT THIS 467 00:28:15,128 --> 00:28:17,664 >> WHILE WE WERE THERE AT YOUR HOUSE, I THINK THERE WERE SOME 468 00:28:17,664 --> 00:28:24,104 DOCUMENTS THERE AND SOME INFORMATION THAT HAD COME TO 469 00:28:24,104 --> 00:28:24,938 LIGHT THAT THERE -- IS IT THE IRS? 470 00:28:24,938 --> 00:28:26,206 >> UH, NO. THE STATE -- 471 00:28:26,206 --> 00:28:29,042 >> THE STATE >> -- DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE. 472 00:28:29,042 --> 00:28:32,045 >> Reporter: THE NORTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE WAS 473 00:28:32,045 --> 00:28:34,280 SEEKING FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FROM BUDDY AND BRENDA'S MEDICAL 474 00:28:34,280 --> 00:28:38,418 PRACTICE "OH, YES," SHE SAID. 475 00:28:38,418 --> 00:28:43,223 SHE KNEW ABOUT THAT. >> THEY SAID, "YOU NEED TO GET 476 00:28:43,223 --> 00:28:45,225 DOCUMENTS. HERE'S THE DATE THEY NEED TO BE 477 00:28:45,225 --> 00:28:49,462 THERE. IT WAS W-2s, 1099s, CHECK STUBS, 478 00:28:49,462 --> 00:28:53,066 WITHHOLDING, FILINGS >> Reporter: WASN'T A BIG DEAL 479 00:28:53,066 --> 00:28:58,071 THEY WERE SORTING IT OUT SO AFTER THAT LONG, GRUELING 480 00:28:58,071 --> 00:29:02,242 INTERVIEW, DETECTIVES WERE DON EXCEPT FOR A FEW ROUTINE 481 00:29:02,242 --> 00:29:04,544 PROCEDURES >> THERE WERE PHOTOGRAPHS TAKEN 482 00:29:04,544 --> 00:29:07,280 OF HER BODY TO MAKE SURE THERE'S NO INJURIES OR ANYTHING THAT'S 483 00:29:07,280 --> 00:29:10,383 VISIBLE. DNA SWABS TAKEN. 484 00:29:10,383 --> 00:29:15,021 AND THE CLOTHES WERE ACTUALLY SUBMITTED TO THE CRIME LAB AND 485 00:29:15,021 --> 00:29:18,658 TESTED FOR GUNSHOT RESIDUE >> Reporter: BRENDA WAS TAKEN 486 00:29:18,658 --> 00:29:22,762 HOME AND DECIDED TO STAY AT THE NEIGHBOR'S FOR THE NIGHT, AFRAID 487 00:29:22,762 --> 00:29:25,498 OF THAT BIG EMPTY HOUSE. IT HAD BEEN A WHIRLWIND 15 HOURS 488 00:29:25,498 --> 00:29:28,802 FOR BOTH BRENDA AND THE DETECTIVES 489 00:29:28,802 --> 00:29:34,541 AND THEY WERE JUST GETTING STARTED. 490 00:29:34,541 --> 00:29:37,210 >>> COMING UP -- IS BRENDA IN THE CLEAR 491 00:29:37,210 --> 00:29:40,714 >> SHE DIDN'T HAVE GUNSHOT RESIDUE ON HER HANDS 492 00:29:40,714 --> 00:29:42,849 >> WE ARRANGED TO POLYGRAPH HER ON THE QUESTION OF WHETHER SHE 493 00:29:42,849 --> 00:30:01,801 HAD SHOT HER >>> WE DECIDED -- I GUESS HE 494 00:30:01,801 --> 00:30:05,705 JUST DECIDED WE WERE GONNA DO SOMETHING FOR FUN. 495 00:30:05,705 --> 00:30:09,609 >> Reporter: BUDDY McCUTCHEON NEVER LIKED BEING THE CENTER OF 496 00:30:09,609 --> 00:30:12,846 ATTENTION. QUIET, HUMBLE, UNDERSTATED 497 00:30:12,846 --> 00:30:20,153 BUT NOW, IN DEATH, HE WAS SUDDENLY BIG NEWS ALL OVER TOWN. 498 00:30:20,153 --> 00:30:24,791 >> DR. BUDDY McCUTCHEON -- >> -- WAS FOUND GUNNED DOWN. 499 00:30:24,791 --> 00:30:27,227 >> BUDDY McCUTCHEON'S DEATH REMAINS A MYSTERY. 500 00:30:27,227 --> 00:30:33,266 >> FROM THE BEGINNING, DETECTIVES HAD TO CONSIDER ALL 501 00:30:33,266 --> 00:30:34,834 THE POSSIBILITIES, ACCIDENT, SUICIDE, OR MURDER 502 00:30:34,834 --> 00:30:36,469 WHEN THE AUTOPSY WAS COMPLETE, THERE COULD NO LONGER BE ANY 503 00:30:36,469 --> 00:30:40,874 DOUBT. BUDDY DID NOT TAKE HIS OWN LIFE. 504 00:30:40,874 --> 00:30:42,175 >> THERE WAS NO WAY THIS WAS AN ACCIDENTAL 505 00:30:42,175 --> 00:30:48,815 AND ACCORDING TO THE AUTOPSY, IT COULD NOT HAVE BEEN 506 00:30:48,815 --> 00:30:50,650 SELF-INFLICTED >> Reporter: MURDERED IN HIS OWN 507 00:30:50,650 --> 00:30:54,754 HOME WITH HIS VERY OWN GUN AND MORE THAN THAT, WHOEVER 508 00:30:54,754 --> 00:30:56,956 KILLED HIM MADE ABSOLUTELY SURE OF IT. 509 00:30:56,956 --> 00:31:03,329 THE DOCTOR WAS SHOT IN THE TOP OF HIS HEAD. 510 00:31:03,329 --> 00:31:07,067 SOMEBODY WANTED BUDDY McCUTCHEON DEAD IN THE WORST POSSIBLE WAY 511 00:31:07,067 --> 00:31:13,873 THERE WAS NO AMBIGUITY ABOUT IT. >> IT WAS A HOMICIDE AND RULED A 512 00:31:13,873 --> 00:31:18,845 HOMICIDE >> Reporter: WORD THAT BUDDY HAD 513 00:31:18,845 --> 00:31:20,580 ACTUALLY BEEN EXECUTED TRAVELED FAST TO FAYETTEVILLE, WHERE 514 00:31:20,580 --> 00:31:22,849 BUDDY'S FAMILY AND FRIENDS, ALREADY REELING, NOW HAD TO 515 00:31:22,849 --> 00:31:28,688 ABSORB THIS. >> IT WAS BRUTAL 516 00:31:28,688 --> 00:31:30,790 >> COLD-BLOODED. >> I CAN'T IMAGINE WHO WOULD 517 00:31:30,790 --> 00:31:34,894 HAVE EVER BEEN MAD AT BUDDY ENOUGH TO DO THAT. 518 00:31:34,894 --> 00:31:42,669 I COULDN'T IMAGINE WHAT HE COULD HAVE DONE THAT WOULD HAVE 519 00:31:42,669 --> 00:31:46,673 THREATENED SOMEONE TO THAT LEVEL THAT THEY FELT LIKE THEY NEEDED 520 00:31:46,673 --> 00:31:48,108 TO GET RID OF BUDDY TO BE SAFE THAT -- IT JUST DIDN'T EQUATE TO 521 00:31:48,108 --> 00:31:49,509 ME >> Reporter: AND BAD ENOUGH HE'S 522 00:31:49,509 --> 00:31:52,112 DEAD BUT TO HEAR THAT HE WAS 523 00:31:52,112 --> 00:31:53,913 MURDERED VIOLENTLY >> YEAH, I KNEW THAT IT WAS A 524 00:31:53,913 --> 00:31:58,918 GUNSHOT TO THE HEAD. WHAT A WASTE 525 00:31:58,918 --> 00:32:01,588 WHAT A HORRIBLE LOSS >> Reporter: SO NOW A KILLER 526 00:32:01,588 --> 00:32:04,924 REALLY WAS ON THE LOOSE IN ASHEVILLE. 527 00:32:04,924 --> 00:32:09,262 AND BUDDY'S FAMILY DIDN'T THINK BRENDA SHOULD BE LIVING IN THAT 528 00:32:09,262 --> 00:32:12,465 BIG EMPTY HOUSE ALL BY HERSELF WERE YOU WORRIED ABOUT HER, TOO? 529 00:32:12,465 --> 00:32:14,067 UH, LIKE, IF THIS WAS A HOME INVASION - 530 00:32:14,067 --> 00:32:16,569 >> I WAS I TOLD HER SHE SHOULD COME HERE. 531 00:32:16,569 --> 00:32:22,909 AND SHE SAID, "NO, I'M GONNA STAY." 532 00:32:22,909 --> 00:32:28,081 >> Reporter: SO AFTER THAT LONG NIGHT WHEN HER HUSBAND WAS 533 00:32:28,081 --> 00:32:29,449 KILLED AND THE EXHAUSTING ROUND OF INTERVIEWS THAT FOLLOWED, 534 00:32:29,449 --> 00:32:33,853 BRENDA GOT WHAT REST SHE COULD AND THEN, WELL, THERE WERE 535 00:32:33,853 --> 00:32:37,123 ISSUES TO DEAL WITH AT WORK. A STAFF TO INFORM, AN OFFICE TO 536 00:32:37,123 --> 00:32:40,326 CLOSE, A PLASTIC SURGERY BUSINESS TO SHUT DOWN. 537 00:32:40,326 --> 00:32:45,899 SHE RETURNED TO WORK HAD TO 538 00:32:45,899 --> 00:32:48,335 AND KNOWING THERE'D BE MORE QUESTIONS ABOUT BUDDY'S DEATH, 539 00:32:48,335 --> 00:32:51,938 SHE HAD ASKED HIS AND HER ATTORNEY, SEAN DEVEREUX, TO 540 00:32:51,938 --> 00:32:56,109 REPRESENT HER. BECAUSE ISN'T THE SPOUSE ALWAYS 541 00:32:56,109 --> 00:32:58,144 A PERSON OF INTEREST ATTORNEY DEVEREUX, TO QUICKLY 542 00:32:58,144 --> 00:33:04,884 DISPEL ANY DOUBT ABOUT HER INNOCENCE, HAD AN IDEA 543 00:33:04,884 --> 00:33:06,553 >> WE ARRANGED FOR A RETIRED FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION 544 00:33:06,553 --> 00:33:08,722 POLYGRAPH EXAMINER TO POLYGRAPH HER ON THE QUESTION OF WHETHER 545 00:33:08,722 --> 00:33:12,892 SHE HAD SHOT HER HUSBAND SHE PASSED 546 00:33:12,892 --> 00:33:17,330 THE NEEDLE NEVER FLICKERED ON THE -- ON THE MACHINE. 547 00:33:17,330 --> 00:33:21,835 >> Reporter: IF THAT WASN'T ENOUGH, THOSE GUNSHOT RESIDUE 548 00:33:21,835 --> 00:33:25,105 TESTS ALSO HAD A LOT TO SAY. REMEMBER, BRENDA'S HANDS WERE 549 00:33:25,105 --> 00:33:27,440 SWABBED RIGHT AFTER BUDDY DIED AND -- 550 00:33:27,440 --> 00:33:31,244 >> SHE DIDN'T HAVE GUNSHOT RESIDUE ON HER HANDS 551 00:33:31,244 --> 00:33:35,348 >> Reporter: MEANING NO EVIDENCE SHE FIRED A GUN. 552 00:33:35,348 --> 00:33:39,486 AT LEAST NO EVIDENCE ON HER HANDS. 553 00:33:39,486 --> 00:33:42,088 AS FOR HER CLOTHES - >> THERE WAS A TRACE AMOUNT OF 554 00:33:42,088 --> 00:33:46,126 GUNSHOT RESIDUE ON THE CLOTHING, WHICH REALLY DIDN'T MEAN MUCH. 555 00:33:46,126 --> 00:33:48,228 LOTS OF WAYS THAT LITTLE BIT COULD GET ON THE CLOTHES OF A 556 00:33:48,228 --> 00:33:50,864 WOMAN BENDING OVER A HUSBAND WHO'D JUST BEEN SHOT TO DEATH. 557 00:33:50,864 --> 00:33:53,233 >> THERE COULD BE SECONDARY TRANSFERS. 558 00:33:53,233 --> 00:33:58,304 SHE COULD'VE TOUCHED SOMETHING, OR PARTICLES IN THE AIR, WHEN 559 00:33:58,304 --> 00:34:05,245 SHE ENTERED THE ROOM SO THERE ARE A LOT OF DIFFEREN 560 00:34:05,245 --> 00:34:06,579 EXPLANATIONS ON HOW THE GUNSHOT RESIDUE MIGHT'VE ARRIVED ON HER 561 00:34:06,579 --> 00:34:08,481 CLOTHING >> Reporter: SO WITH NO REAL 562 00:34:08,481 --> 00:34:11,351 EVIDENCE CONNECTING BRENDA TO THE CRIME, DETECTIVES MOVED ON, 563 00:34:11,351 --> 00:34:15,055 KEPT DIGGING, CHECKING EVERY LEAD WHILE LOOKING FOR A PATTERN 564 00:34:15,055 --> 00:34:18,158 OR PROFILE OF THAT POSSIBLE INTRUDER WHO MAY HAVE MURDERED 565 00:34:18,158 --> 00:34:21,127 BUDDY. >> WE FOLLOWED UP WITH THE 566 00:34:21,127 --> 00:34:23,930 REPORTED CRIMES WITHIN THE COMMUNITY IN THE AREA. 567 00:34:23,930 --> 00:34:25,932 BREAKING AND ENTERINGS OR ANY OTHER TYPE CRIME IN CLOSE 568 00:34:25,932 --> 00:34:27,534 VICINITY TO THE RESIDENCE. THOSE PEOPLE WERE SOUGHT OUT AND 569 00:34:27,534 --> 00:34:29,469 INTERVIEWED. >> Reporter: YEAH. 570 00:34:29,469 --> 00:34:31,237 >> IT'S A PROCESS OF ELIMINATION. 571 00:34:31,237 --> 00:34:33,273 >> Reporter: YOU CHECKED, I'M SURE, TO SEE IF HE HAD ANY OTHER 572 00:34:33,273 --> 00:34:34,708 ENEMIES. ANYBODY? 573 00:34:34,708 --> 00:34:38,411 >> NO, SIR >> NO. 574 00:34:38,411 --> 00:34:42,916 >> Reporter: MURDER MAKES A TERRIBLE WOUND IN A FAMILY 575 00:34:42,916 --> 00:34:45,885 AND IN BUDDY'S FAMILY, ALONG WITH THE PAIN, A GREAT YAWNING 576 00:34:45,885 --> 00:34:48,822 ABSENCE OF ANY INFORMATION AT ALL. 577 00:34:48,822 --> 00:34:52,525 >> WE'VE ALL BEEN LEFT BEWILDERED AND TRYING TO MAKE 578 00:34:52,525 --> 00:34:54,761 SENSE OF SOMETHING THAT YOU CAN'T MAKE SENSE OUT OF. 579 00:34:54,761 --> 00:34:58,565 IT'S LIKE A BAD KAFKA SHORT STORY. 580 00:34:58,565 --> 00:35:01,034 I BEGAN TO FEEL DISMAYED I BEGAN TO THINK THIS WAS GONNA 581 00:35:01,034 --> 00:35:04,838 BE ONE OF THOSE CASES THAT THEY NEVER GET AN ANSWER FOR. 582 00:35:04,838 --> 00:35:07,741 >> Reporter: MIND YOU, THINGS WERE HAPPENING 583 00:35:07,741 --> 00:35:14,414 WHETHER THEY MADE SENSE OR NOT WAS ANOTHER QUESTION 584 00:35:14,414 --> 00:35:19,052 >>> COMING UP -- A SUDDEN SALE AT THE DOCTOR'S 585 00:35:19,052 --> 00:35:21,154 OFFICE >> THEY WERE SELLING EVERYTHING 586 00:35:21,154 --> 00:35:23,623 DOWN TO, LIKE, GAUZE BANDAGES. ALL THE EQUIPMENT WAS ALL BEING 587 00:35:23,623 --> 00:35:45,345 >> Reporter: A FEW DAYS AFTER BUDDY McCUTCHEON WAS MURDERED, 588 00:35:45,345 --> 00:35:48,314 THE INVESTIGATION SHIFTED FROM HIS HOUSE TO HIS OFFICE AS 589 00:35:48,314 --> 00:35:51,151 DETECTIVES WALT THROWER AND JOHN LEDFORD SHOWED UP TO TALK 590 00:35:51,151 --> 00:35:54,254 TO THE STAFF SEE IF THEY KNEW ANYTHING OR 591 00:35:54,254 --> 00:35:59,793 ANYONE WHO COULD HAVE KILLED THEIR BOSS 592 00:35:59,793 --> 00:36:01,695 PERHAPS A DISGRUNTLED PATIENT? THEY WANTED TO LOOK AT THE 593 00:36:01,695 --> 00:36:04,564 PAPERWORK, TOO, FOR ANY POSSIBLE CLUES. 594 00:36:04,564 --> 00:36:10,737 ALL NORMAL PARTS OF A HOMICIDE INVESTIGATION. 595 00:36:10,737 --> 00:36:13,707 BRENDA HAD STEPPED OUT BUT SOON ARRIVED TO FINISH SOMETHING SHE 596 00:36:13,707 --> 00:36:18,478 HAD STARTED. SOMETHING THAT, TO DETECTIVES, 597 00:36:18,478 --> 00:36:22,382 AT LEAST, DID NOT SEEM NORMAL. >> SHE WAS ACTUALLY DISPOSING OF 598 00:36:22,382 --> 00:36:26,052 RECORDS. SOME WERE BEING THROWN IN A 599 00:36:26,052 --> 00:36:27,520 DUMPSTER THERE IN THE PARKING LOT OF THE COMPLEX 600 00:36:27,520 --> 00:36:31,424 >> Reporter: JUST A COUPLE OF DAYS AFTER HIS DEATH 601 00:36:31,424 --> 00:36:33,793 >> YEAH, THEY WERE SELLING BANDAGES 602 00:36:33,793 --> 00:36:35,895 ALL THE EQUIPMENT WAS ALL BEING LIQUIDATED 603 00:36:35,895 --> 00:36:38,798 >> Reporter: BRENDA WAS POLITE TO THE COPS AS SHE FACILITATED 604 00:36:38,798 --> 00:36:41,501 THE LIQUIDATION SALE AND DISPOSED OF PATIENT RECORDS. 605 00:36:41,501 --> 00:36:44,337 >> Reporter: DID YOU ASK HER ABOUT THESE THINGS 606 00:36:44,337 --> 00:36:47,374 >> WE WERE THERE TO SEARCH THE, UH, BUSINESS 607 00:36:47,374 --> 00:36:50,744 WE INQUIRED ABOUT SPEAKING WITH HER FURTHER. 608 00:36:50,744 --> 00:36:54,381 SHE CONSULTED AN ATTORNEY. SHE WANTED THE ATTORNEY PRESENT. 609 00:36:54,381 --> 00:36:58,118 AND THE ATTORNEY ASKED US TO DELAY OUR INTERVIEW WITH HER 610 00:36:58,118 --> 00:37:01,087 >> Reporter: THAT, YOU'LL RECALL, WAS ATTORNEY 611 00:37:01,087 --> 00:37:03,923 SEAN DEVEREUX. >> SHE CALLED ME BECAUSE THEY 612 00:37:03,923 --> 00:37:05,859 WANTED SOME DOCUMENTS OR, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER IT WAS. 613 00:37:05,859 --> 00:37:10,730 AND SHE WAS PERFECTLY HAPPY TO COOPERATE WITH 'EM 614 00:37:10,730 --> 00:37:14,501 BUT SHE WASN'T CLEAR EXACTLY WHY THEY WERE ASKING THE QUESTIONS 615 00:37:14,501 --> 00:37:16,269 THEY WERE ASKING >> Reporter: THEY SEEMED TO BE 616 00:37:16,269 --> 00:37:20,140 SUSPICIOUS, SAID ATTORNEY DEVEREUX, ABOUT THE ABRUPT 617 00:37:20,140 --> 00:37:23,376 OFFICE SALE AND THE DISPOSAL OF RECORDS AND CLOSING UP SHOP SO 618 00:37:23,376 --> 00:37:25,311 QUICKLY AFTER THE MURDER BUT DEVEREUX POINTED OUT THAT 619 00:37:25,311 --> 00:37:31,217 BRENDA HAD VERY GOOD REASONS FOR ALL THAT 620 00:37:31,217 --> 00:37:32,919 >> SHE HAD A $13,000 A MONTH NUT BETWEEN HIS MEDICAL PRACTICE 621 00:37:32,919 --> 00:37:35,088 THAT WAS SHUT DOWN AND THEIR MORTGAGE AND BILLS THAT THEY HAD 622 00:37:35,088 --> 00:37:38,958 TO PAY SHE HAD TO DEAL WITH ALL THAT. 623 00:37:38,958 --> 00:37:42,829 >> Reporter: THING WAS, BUDDY AND BRENDA'S BUSINESS WAS NOT 624 00:37:42,829 --> 00:37:46,700 EXACTLY ROBUST >> HE SHARED WITH ME THAT, SINCE 625 00:37:46,700 --> 00:37:52,739 THE RECESSION THAT HIT IN 2008, 2009, 2010, HALF OF HIS 626 00:37:52,739 --> 00:37:55,675 BUSINESS, THE PURELY COSMETIC SIDE THAT PEOPLE PAY CASH FOR, 627 00:37:55,675 --> 00:37:59,713 'CAUSE INSURANCE WON'T COVER, HAD DRIED UP BECAUSE OF THE 628 00:37:59,713 --> 00:38:03,016 RECESSION. >> Reporter: EVEN IN 2016, THE 629 00:38:03,016 --> 00:38:09,422 YEAR BUDDY WAS KILLED, FINANCES WERE TENUOUS 630 00:38:09,422 --> 00:38:11,791 THERE WERE DEBTS WERE THE McCUTCHEONS' MONEY 631 00:38:11,791 --> 00:38:17,864 PROBLEMS SOMEHOW RELATED TO HIS MURDER 632 00:38:17,864 --> 00:38:19,599 THE MAN WAS NOT FLUSH. >> HE WASN'T BRINGING IN A LOT 633 00:38:19,599 --> 00:38:21,434 OF INCOME. IT WAS VERY, VERY MODEST FOR A 634 00:38:21,434 --> 00:38:24,571 PLASTIC SURGEON. SO I THINK HIS PASSION WAS BEING 635 00:38:24,571 --> 00:38:29,309 A MUSICIAN AND THAT HE DID THE OTHER JUST TO PAY THE BILLS. 636 00:38:29,309 --> 00:38:33,046 >> Reporter: AND REMEMBER, BRENDA'S SPECIALTY WAS NURSING, 637 00:38:33,046 --> 00:38:35,915 NOT BEING A BUSINESS MANAGER BUT IT DID SEEM A LITTLE STRANGE 638 00:38:35,915 --> 00:38:40,053 TO DETECTIVES THAT BRENDA WAS ALSO TOSSING OUT WHAT APPEARED 639 00:38:40,053 --> 00:38:45,525 TO BE BUDDY'S PERSONAL STUFF >> HIS MEDICAL CERTIFICATES FROM 640 00:38:45,525 --> 00:38:47,093 HIS GRADUATION FROM MEDICAL SCHOOL AND DIFFERENT THINGS LIKE 641 00:38:47,093 --> 00:38:48,695 THAT THAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN ON THE WALL OF HIS OFFICE 642 00:38:48,695 --> 00:38:56,503 ALL THAT WAS DISPOSED OF SO WE WERE ACTUALLY RETRIEVING 643 00:38:56,503 --> 00:38:57,937 FILES OUT OF THE DUMPSTER AND, UH, SEIZED COMPUTERS 644 00:38:57,937 --> 00:38:59,305 >> Reporter: SHE'D ALREADY THROWN AWAY? 645 00:38:59,305 --> 00:39:01,007 >> THAT SHE'D ALREADY THROWN AWAY 646 00:39:01,007 --> 00:39:02,575 >> Reporter: BUT THAT WASN'T ALL. 647 00:39:02,575 --> 00:39:04,577 THERE WERE FILES IN AN OFF-SITE STORAGE UNIT, TOO. 648 00:39:04,577 --> 00:39:07,747 >> WORK RECORDS, PATIENTS' FILES, LOT OF DIFFERENT 649 00:39:07,747 --> 00:39:13,386 INFORMATION. >> YES, THIS IS BRENDA 650 00:39:13,386 --> 00:39:14,888 McCUTCHEON, AND YOU GUYS ARE SCHEDULED, UH, TO DO SOME 651 00:39:14,888 --> 00:39:16,556 SHREDDING FOR ME THIS COMING WEDNESDAY. 652 00:39:16,556 --> 00:39:19,159 >> Reporter: IN FACT, BRENDA HAD BEEN CALLING AROUND TO HIRE A 653 00:39:19,159 --> 00:39:21,461 SHREDDING COMPANY. >> SHE WAS VERY DETERMINED TO 654 00:39:21,461 --> 00:39:24,864 LIQUIDATE HERSELF OF ANYTHING SURROUNDING THE BUSINESS OR 655 00:39:24,864 --> 00:39:29,803 MR. McCUTCHEON IT'S JUST UNUSUAL BEHAVIOR 656 00:39:29,803 --> 00:39:34,441 >> I WAS GONNA SEE IF I CAN ADD A SECOND FACILITY, UM, ONTO THAT 657 00:39:34,441 --> 00:39:35,875 SHREDDING AS WELL IF YOU COULD GIVE ME A CALL BACK. 658 00:39:35,875 --> 00:39:44,050 >> WE PREPARED A SEARCH WARRANT TO RECOVER ALL THOSE FILES 659 00:39:44,050 --> 00:39:45,285 AND TAKE THEM IN AS EVIDENCE >> Reporter: AGAIN, SAID 660 00:39:45,285 --> 00:39:46,753 ATTORNEY DEVEREUX, THERE WERE GOOD REASONS FOR BRENDA PULLING 661 00:39:46,753 --> 00:39:48,188 ALL THOSE FILES OUT OF THE OFFICE 662 00:39:48,188 --> 00:39:51,291 >> SHE WAS BESIEGED AT THAT MOMENT 663 00:39:51,291 --> 00:39:55,695 HE WAS A SOLO PRACTITIONER AND SHE WAS THE DE FACTO OFFICE 664 00:39:55,695 --> 00:40:02,802 MANAGER IN ADDITION TO BEING A PRACTICING NURSE HERSELF 665 00:40:02,802 --> 00:40:06,272 SO WHAT SHE NEEDED TO DO WAS TO GET PATIENT CHARTS TO OTHER 666 00:40:06,272 --> 00:40:10,710 DOCTORS OR TO PATIENTS >> Reporter: THE DETECTIVES SHUT 667 00:40:10,710 --> 00:40:12,412 DOWN THE SALE, AND THEN THEY SPOKE TO BRENDA AND BUDDY'S 668 00:40:12,412 --> 00:40:16,149 OFFICE STAFF WHO WERE THERE WATCHING IT ALL. 669 00:40:16,149 --> 00:40:20,887 THE MURDER HAD HIT THEM HARD, AND SEEING WHAT BRENDA WAS GOING 670 00:40:20,887 --> 00:40:26,059 THROUGH, THEY FELT FOR HER >> THE OFFICE WORKERS WERE 671 00:40:26,059 --> 00:40:27,694 COOPERATIVE WITH US, PASSED INFORMATION TO THE 672 00:40:27,694 --> 00:40:30,030 INVESTIGATION. >> Reporter: INFORMATION ABOUT 673 00:40:30,030 --> 00:40:34,167 BUDDY AND BRENDA AND HOW THEY RAN THEIR BUSINESS 674 00:40:34,167 --> 00:40:38,171 >> THEY DESCRIBE MISS McCUTCHEON AS ALMOST OBSESSIVE ABOUT ANYONE 675 00:40:38,171 --> 00:40:41,574 COMING INTO THE OFFICE WITH ANY TYPE OF FINANCIAL RECORD 676 00:40:41,574 --> 00:40:44,611 THEY COULD ONLY SPEAK WITH HER THEN YOU START TO TALK TO THE 677 00:40:44,611 --> 00:40:48,682 ACCOUNTANT, AND YOU FIND OUT THAT ALL THE INTERACTIONS AS FAR 678 00:40:48,682 --> 00:40:50,784 AS THE PREPARATION OF TAX INFORMATION, HE DEALT WITH 679 00:40:50,784 --> 00:40:56,256 MISS McCUTCHEON. AND YOU START TO SEE A PATTERN 680 00:40:56,256 --> 00:40:57,657 EVOLVE THAT, IN FACT, SHE TOOK CARE OF ALL THE FINANCES 681 00:40:57,657 --> 00:40:59,192 >> Reporter: DID BUDDY HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH IT 682 00:40:59,192 --> 00:41:00,760 DID HE EVEN KNOW ABOUT WHAT WAS GOING ON 683 00:41:00,760 --> 00:41:02,896 >> THERE WAS NO INDICATION THAT DR. McCUTCHEON WAS INVOLVED IN 684 00:41:02,896 --> 00:41:05,265 THE FINANCIAL BUSINESS OF THE OFFICE 685 00:41:05,265 --> 00:41:09,936 HE DID THE SURGERIES, AND SHE WAS THE OFFICE MANAGER 686 00:41:09,936 --> 00:41:13,673 >> Reporter: BUT THAT WASN'T THE ONLY STORY ABOUT MONEY 687 00:41:13,673 --> 00:41:21,948 THERE WAS ANOTHER ONE, TOO RATHER MORE SERIOUS. 688 00:41:21,948 --> 00:41:25,785 IN FACT, IT WAS CRIMINAL >>> COMING UP -- A VISIT FROM 689 00:41:25,785 --> 00:41:29,089 THE TAX COLLECTOR IS NEVER GOOD. THIS WAS WORSE 690 00:41:29,089 --> 00:41:31,825 >> IT HAD TO BE FAIRLY SIGNIFICANT TO GET THE CRIMINAL 691 00:41:31,825 --> 00:41:35,228 DIVISION DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE >> DID THE VISIT HAVE ANY 692 00:41:35,228 --> 00:41:36,796 CONNECTION TO BUDDY'S MURDER >> Reporter: THIS WOULD HAVE 693 00:41:36,796 --> 00:41:38,298 COME AS A BIG SURPRISE TO HIM, AS A SHOCK 694 00:41:38,298 --> 00:41:57,984 >> IT SEEMED TO BE >> MAYBE NOT SO MUCH TO 695 00:41:57,984 --> 00:42:01,221 >> Reporter: THERE'S NOTHING FLASHY OR GLAMOROUS ABOUT THE 696 00:42:01,221 --> 00:42:04,624 NORTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE OFFICE IN ASHEVILLE, 697 00:42:04,624 --> 00:42:10,430 JUST A NONDESCRIPT RED BRICK BUILDING 698 00:42:10,430 --> 00:42:14,467 AND THEIR MISSION STATEMENT, WHICH READS IN PART, "COLLECT 699 00:42:14,467 --> 00:42:17,404 THE TAXES DUE," IS EVEN MORE MUNDANE. 700 00:42:17,404 --> 00:42:20,573 BUT A FEW DAYS AFTER THE MURDER, DETECTIVES THROWER AND LEDFORD 701 00:42:20,573 --> 00:42:22,709 DISCOVERED THE D.O.R. HAD BEEN HAVING A LITTLE PROBLEM 702 00:42:22,709 --> 00:42:26,079 COLLECTING TAXES DUE FROM BUDDY McCUTCHEON'S MEDICAL 703 00:42:26,079 --> 00:42:32,452 PRACTICE >> AGENTS HAD COME AND VISITED 704 00:42:32,452 --> 00:42:34,754 DR. McCUTCHEON AND MIS McCUTCHEON AT THEIR PLACE OF 705 00:42:34,754 --> 00:42:36,790 BUSINESS AND SERVED A SUMMONS ON THEM REQUESTING SOME TAX RECORDS 706 00:42:36,790 --> 00:42:38,692 RELATED TO THE BUSINESS. >> Reporter: WHAT DID YOU THINK 707 00:42:38,692 --> 00:42:41,094 ABOUT THAT WHEN YOU SAW THAT MATERIAL 708 00:42:41,094 --> 00:42:43,163 >> THAT WAS CONCERNING >> Reporter: THE MORE THE 709 00:42:43,163 --> 00:42:50,136 DETECTIVES LEARNED ABOUT THE MEETING BETWEEN THE THE 710 00:42:50,136 --> 00:42:51,838 McCUTCHEONS AND THE DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE, THE MORE CONCERNED 711 00:42:51,838 --> 00:42:56,276 THEY BECAME. >> WE WERE ABLE TO SPEAK WITH 712 00:42:56,276 --> 00:43:00,180 ONE OF THEIR AGENTS. AND THAT'S WHEN THEY KIND OF 713 00:43:00,180 --> 00:43:01,781 LAID THE FOUNDATION THAT THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT JUST CAME UP. 714 00:43:01,781 --> 00:43:03,783 WE'VE BEEN INVOLVED WITH MISS McCUTCHEON ALMOST SINCE THE 715 00:43:03,783 --> 00:43:05,051 BUSINESS HAS BEEN OPEN >> Reporter: IT TURNED OUT 716 00:43:05,051 --> 00:43:07,721 COSMETIC SURGERY OF ASHEVILLE WAS A FEW YEARS BEHIND IN FILING 717 00:43:07,721 --> 00:43:10,557 CORPORATE TAX RETURNS. BUT ACCORDING TO THE DEPARTMENT 718 00:43:10,557 --> 00:43:15,128 OF REVENUE, THERE WAS EVIDENCE OF SOMETHING EVEN WORSE. 719 00:43:15,128 --> 00:43:22,369 IT SEEMED THE BUSINESS HAD DEDUCTED PAYROLL TAXES FROM ITS 720 00:43:22,369 --> 00:43:25,271 EMPLOYEES' PAYCHECKS BUT DID NOT SEND THAT MONEY ON TO THE STATE. 721 00:43:25,271 --> 00:43:29,876 >> THEY HAD ACCOUNTANTS WHO WERE PREPARING TAX INFORMATION TO BE 722 00:43:29,876 --> 00:43:31,578 TURNED IN TO THE DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE, BUT THERE WAS NO 723 00:43:31,578 --> 00:43:33,079 INDICATION ANY PAYMENTS WERE EVER BEING MADE. 724 00:43:33,079 --> 00:43:36,616 >> Reporter: THAT'S WHY THE D.O.R. ISSUED THIS SUMMONS 725 00:43:36,616 --> 00:43:40,120 ORDERING BUDDY TO EXPLAIN WHY HIS PRACTICE DIDN'T PAY THE 726 00:43:40,120 --> 00:43:44,157 STATE EMPLOYEE WITHHOLDING TAX TOTALED ABOUT $39,000. 727 00:43:44,157 --> 00:43:48,361 NOT A HUGE SUM BUT IF TRUE, A SERIOUS CRIME 728 00:43:48,361 --> 00:43:51,197 SO THIS WAS FRAUD ON A FAIRLY SIGNIFICANT SCALE? 729 00:43:51,197 --> 00:43:54,501 >> IT HAD TO BE FAIRLY SIGNIFICANT TO GET THE CRIMINAL 730 00:43:54,501 --> 00:43:57,937 DIVISION DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE >> THEY WERE ACTUALLY, UH, 731 00:43:57,937 --> 00:44:00,140 CRIMINAL INVESTIGATORS >> Reporter: CRIMINAL 732 00:44:00,140 --> 00:44:03,510 INVESTIGATORS FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE. 733 00:44:03,510 --> 00:44:07,414 THAT'S WHO SHOWED UP UNANNOUNCED AT THE MEDICAL OFFICE. 734 00:44:07,414 --> 00:44:11,718 STAFF MEMBERS TOLD THE DETECTIVES THE VISIT SEEMED TO 735 00:44:11,718 --> 00:44:13,720 CATCH BUDDY OFF GUARD. THIS WOULD'VE COME AS A BIG 736 00:44:13,720 --> 00:44:16,056 SURPRISE TO HIM, AS A SHOCK? >> IT SEEMED TO BE 737 00:44:16,056 --> 00:44:21,795 >> MAYBE NOT SO MUCH TO MISS McCUTCHEON. 738 00:44:21,795 --> 00:44:23,830 >> Reporter: NOT SO MUCH TO BRENDA MAYBE BECAUSE, AS 739 00:44:23,830 --> 00:44:27,133 DETECTIVES LEARNED, SHE DID ALL THE BOOKKEEPING, OFTEN BY HAND, 740 00:44:27,133 --> 00:44:30,103 AND PROVIDED ALL THE FINANCIALS TO THE ACCOUNTANT FOR FILING 741 00:44:30,103 --> 00:44:34,441 THEIR TAXES. >> MISS McCUTCHEON HAD BEEN 742 00:44:34,441 --> 00:44:40,580 DELINQUENT IN PAYING STATE WITHHOLDINGS ON EMPLOYEES' TAXES 743 00:44:40,580 --> 00:44:46,619 FOR MANY YEARS >> THIS WAS AN ONGOING PROBLEM 744 00:44:46,619 --> 00:44:48,855 AND ALL OF A SUDDEN DR. McCUTCHEON BECOMES AWARE OF IT 745 00:44:48,855 --> 00:44:50,623 >> Reporter: AND SOON AFTER, BUDDY PUT THE BRAKES ON THAT 746 00:44:50,623 --> 00:44:51,891 MEETING. >> AND HE'S COMPLETELY 747 00:44:51,891 --> 00:44:53,493 SURPRISED. STOPS THE INTERVIEW AND REQUESTS 748 00:44:53,493 --> 00:44:56,763 TO BE ABLE TO CONSULT AN ATTORNEY 749 00:44:56,763 --> 00:44:59,165 >> Reporter: THAT'S HOW ATTORNEY SEAN DEVEREUX GOT INVOLVED 750 00:44:59,165 --> 00:45:03,169 BUDDY AND BRENDA KNEW HIM SOCIALLY 751 00:45:03,169 --> 00:45:06,072 SO BUDDY CALLED HIM RIGHT AFTER HE MET WITH THOSE AGENTS FROM 752 00:45:06,072 --> 00:45:08,074 THE REVENUE DEPARTMENT SO HE'S WORRIED ABOUT IT 753 00:45:08,074 --> 00:45:11,511 HE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO DO. >> YOU GET A SUBPOENA FROM THE 754 00:45:11,511 --> 00:45:14,681 DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE IN A TAX INVESTIGATION, MOST PEOPLE ARE 755 00:45:14,681 --> 00:45:20,353 PROBABLY GONNA TALK TO A PROFESSIONAL 756 00:45:20,353 --> 00:45:22,255 >> Reporter: BUT ATTORNE DEVEREUX TOLD US, CONTRARY TO 757 00:45:22,255 --> 00:45:26,893 WHAT THE POLICE HEARD, BUDDY WAS NOT SURPRISED BY THE TAX ISSUES. 758 00:45:26,893 --> 00:45:28,461 >> FOR YEARS AND YEARS, THERE HAD BEEN PROBLEMS WITH -- WITH 759 00:45:28,461 --> 00:45:33,333 TAXES. I MEAN, BUDDY CLEARLY KNEW WHAT 760 00:45:33,333 --> 00:45:34,467 WAS GOING ON WITH THE TAXES. THERE WERE LOTS OF CONFIRMED 761 00:45:34,467 --> 00:45:40,206 COMMUNICATIONS TO DR. McCUTCHEON ABOUT THE PROBLEM. 762 00:45:40,206 --> 00:45:44,377 >> Reporter: IN FACT, THE VERY SAME DAY AFTER THE D.O.R. VISIT, 763 00:45:44,377 --> 00:45:47,080 BUDDY SENT ATTORNEY DEVEREUX AN EMAIL SAYING THEY WERE DEALING 764 00:45:47,080 --> 00:45:49,215 WITH IT. "BRENDA HAS GOTTEN THE DOCUMENTS 765 00:45:49,215 --> 00:45:52,552 FROM OUR TAX GUY AND HAS MADE COPIES 766 00:45:52,552 --> 00:45:56,556 SHE AND I WILL GO THROUGH THEM THIS WEEKEND AND MAKE SURE 767 00:45:56,556 --> 00:46:00,060 THINGS ARE IN ORDER. THAT DISTINCTION, WHETHER BUDDY 768 00:46:00,060 --> 00:46:05,231 KNEW OR DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT THE TAX ISSUES, TURNED OUT TO BE A 769 00:46:05,231 --> 00:46:08,168 VERY BIG DEAL, BECAUSE WHAT REALLY CAUGHT DETECTIVES' 770 00:46:08,168 --> 00:46:12,572 ATTENTION WASN'T JUST THE TAXES. IT WAS THE TIMING OF THE 771 00:46:12,572 --> 00:46:14,507 DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE'S VISIT. WAS IT YOUR ASSUMPTION THAT THIS 772 00:46:14,507 --> 00:46:18,478 MIGHT'VE HAD SOMETHING TO DO WITH WHAT OCCURRED 773 00:46:18,478 --> 00:46:22,849 >> IT DID, BECAUSE THE DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE AGENTS 774 00:46:22,849 --> 00:46:24,250 CAME AND VISITED THEM ON THE 11th 775 00:46:24,250 --> 00:46:27,253 >> IT WAS A MONDAY >> IT WAS A MONDAY 776 00:46:27,253 --> 00:46:28,822 AND THEN HE WAS KILLED ON A SATURDAY MORNING 777 00:46:28,822 --> 00:46:31,758 >> Reporter: THE VERY SAME WEEKEND BUDDY SAID THEY'D BE 778 00:46:31,758 --> 00:46:36,730 GOING THROUGH THE TAX RECORDS. COINCIDENCE? 779 00:46:36,730 --> 00:46:40,567 QUITE POSSIBLY OR POSSIBLY NOT NO WAY TO PROVE IT EITHER WAY. 780 00:46:40,567 --> 00:46:47,507 AND BRENDA SHE WAS LEAVING ASHEVILLE IN HER 781 00:46:47,507 --> 00:46:54,414 REARVIEW MIRROR. >>> COMING UP -- AN UNEXPECTED 782 00:46:54,414 --> 00:46:59,119 VISIT MAY HOLD A CLUE. >> WHEN I HEARD HER SAY, "WE 783 00:46:59,119 --> 00:47:00,353 ALWAYS LEAVE THE BACK DOOR OPEN AND UNLOCKED," I'M GOING, "OH, 784 00:47:00,353 --> 00:47:24,678 WOW. >> Reporter: AUTUMN, 2016. 785 00:47:24,678 --> 00:47:26,680 THE LOVELIEST TIME OF THE YEAR IN ASHEVILLE 786 00:47:26,680 --> 00:47:31,418 BUT 800 MILES AWAY IN ARKANSAS, BUDDY McCUTCHEON'S BROTHER 787 00:47:31,418 --> 00:47:33,319 CLUTCH WAS IN A DEEP DEPRESSION. WHAT DID BUDDY'S DEATH DO TO 788 00:47:33,319 --> 00:47:36,222 YOU? HOW DEVASTATING WAS IT 789 00:47:36,222 --> 00:47:40,326 HOW DID YOU HANDLE THE GRIEF >> YOU WAKE UP, AND THE FIRST 790 00:47:40,326 --> 00:47:42,262 THING YOU DO IS THINK ABOUT THAT LOSS 791 00:47:42,262 --> 00:47:47,801 >> I THINK IT WAS, LIKE, ALMOST SIX WEEKS. 792 00:47:47,801 --> 00:47:49,836 IT WAS JUST HOME IN -- IN YOUR ROOM AND YOU DIDN'T REALLY COME 793 00:47:49,836 --> 00:47:54,541 OUT OF IT. >> YEAH, YEAH, YEAH. 794 00:47:54,541 --> 00:47:59,145 AND IT WAS THE WAY THAT HE LEFT THIS EARTH 795 00:47:59,145 --> 00:48:01,314 WASN'T HIS TIME. >> Reporter: WHILE CLUTCH WAS 796 00:48:01,314 --> 00:48:05,785 GRIEVING, HE WAS ALSO THINKING ABOUT BRENDA 797 00:48:05,785 --> 00:48:09,656 CLUTCH ADORED BRENDA THEY'D BEEN CLOSE FOR YEARS. 798 00:48:09,656 --> 00:48:12,258 BUT SOMETHING ONE OF THE INVESTIGATORS SAID ABOUT BUDDY'S 799 00:48:12,258 --> 00:48:15,228 MURDER KEPT FLOATING AROUND IN HIS TORTURED MIND. 800 00:48:15,228 --> 00:48:21,334 AND IT SEEMED TO CONFLICT WITH BRENDA'S ACCOUNT 801 00:48:21,334 --> 00:48:26,439 >> I WAS UNDER THE IMPRESSION FROM HER DESCRIPTION THAT 802 00:48:26,439 --> 00:48:27,774 THERE'D BEEN A HOME INVASION AND I REMEMBER ASKING THE 803 00:48:27,774 --> 00:48:29,209 DEPUTY, "WAS THERE ONE GUY TWO? 804 00:48:29,209 --> 00:48:32,379 THREE? I MEAN, HOW -- HOW BAD WAS IT? 805 00:48:32,379 --> 00:48:34,080 AND THAT'S WHEN HE SAID, WELL, UH, "YOUR BROTHER WAS ASLEEP." 806 00:48:34,080 --> 00:48:37,851 >> Reporter: HOME INVASION THEY'RE NOT LIKELY TO SHOOT YOU 807 00:48:37,851 --> 00:48:43,423 WHEN YOU'RE SLEEPING >> NO. 808 00:48:43,423 --> 00:48:45,225 THAT GOT ME THINKING THA SOMETHING WASN'T -- NOT QUITE 809 00:48:45,225 --> 00:48:46,059 RIGHT. >> I DIDN'T LOOK AT THE FRONT 810 00:48:46,059 --> 00:48:49,062 DOOR >> Reporter: IF THE MURDER 811 00:48:49,062 --> 00:48:52,532 WASN'T PART OF A HOME INVASION, WHY WOULD BRENDA SAY IT WAS? 812 00:48:52,532 --> 00:48:56,102 THAT'S WHEN HIS GRIEVING MIND BEGAN TO GO TO AN EVEN DARKER 813 00:48:56,102 --> 00:48:58,405 PLACE. AND BEFORE LONG, HE WAS MAKING 814 00:48:58,405 --> 00:49:02,008 HIS VIEWS KNOWN AROUND THE FAMILY 815 00:49:02,008 --> 00:49:04,678 >> CLUTCH WAS DEFINITELY THE FIRST ONE TO SUSPECT HER 816 00:49:04,678 --> 00:49:06,680 >> Reporter: WHAT'D YOU THINK WHEN YOU HEARD ABOUT THAT? 817 00:49:06,680 --> 00:49:10,216 >> I DIDN'T KNOW IF BRENDA DID IT OR DIDN'T DO IT 818 00:49:10,216 --> 00:49:12,585 I JUST FELT WE NEEDED FACTS IN FRONT OF US BEFORE WE JUST 819 00:49:12,585 --> 00:49:15,922 ACCUSED HER. >> OKAY, WHERE WAS YOUR HUSBAND 820 00:49:15,922 --> 00:49:18,792 SHOT AT? >> UM, ON THE COUCH, IN THE -- 821 00:49:18,792 --> 00:49:21,628 IN OUR TV ROOM >> IS HE STILL ALIVE 822 00:49:21,628 --> 00:49:26,132 IS HE STILL BREATHING? >> NO. 823 00:49:26,132 --> 00:49:29,035 >> Reporter: BUT THEN ONE OF CLUTCH'S DAUGHTERS DISCOVERED 824 00:49:29,035 --> 00:49:32,872 ONLINE THE RECORDING OF BRENDA'S 911 CALL 825 00:49:32,872 --> 00:49:36,843 SHE LISTENED AND THEN URGED HIM TO DO THE SAME 826 00:49:36,843 --> 00:49:40,113 IT TOOK A FEW DAYS OF CONVINCING, BUT THEN CLUTCH 827 00:49:40,113 --> 00:49:42,582 FINALLY HIT THE PLAY BUTTON. >> OKAY, WHAT IS YOUR HUSBAND'S 828 00:49:42,582 --> 00:49:47,053 NAME >> FRANK Mc -- FRANK McCUTCHEON. 829 00:49:47,053 --> 00:49:51,458 >> AND WHAT IS YOUR NAME >> BRENDA McCUTCHEON 830 00:49:51,458 --> 00:49:54,794 >> Reporter: CLUTCH LISTENED CLOSELY AND THEN HEARD BRENDA 831 00:49:54,794 --> 00:49:59,766 SAY SOMETHING THAT MADE HIS HEAD SNAP 832 00:49:59,766 --> 00:50:08,808 >> HE NEVER LOCKS THE BACK DOOR, AND THE BACK DOOR WAS OPEN 833 00:50:08,808 --> 00:50:10,377 >> Reporter: FIVE LITTLE WORDS, "THE BACK DOOR WAS OPEN." 834 00:50:10,377 --> 00:50:12,712 AND WITH THAT, CLUTCH FLASHED BACK TO A TRIP HE AND BEKAH HAD 835 00:50:12,712 --> 00:50:15,682 TAKEN TO ASHEVILLE, VISITING BUDDY AND BRENDA AT THEIR HOME 836 00:50:15,682 --> 00:50:19,119 JUST A FEW DAYS BEFORE THE MURDER 837 00:50:19,119 --> 00:50:21,955 >> IT WAS JUST PROVIDENCE THAT WE WERE THERE THAT WEEKEND 838 00:50:21,955 --> 00:50:26,092 BUDDY LIVED IN A NICE NEIGHBORHOOD 839 00:50:26,092 --> 00:50:28,528 EVERYBODY HAD AN ACRE OR TWO OF LAND, YOU KNOW 840 00:50:28,528 --> 00:50:33,099 BUT THERE WERE A LOT OF BEARS. AND HE, UH, MADE A POINT IN THE 841 00:50:33,099 --> 00:50:36,436 EVENINGS, WHENEVER I'D GO OUT BACK, AND HE'D SAY, "YOU LOCK 842 00:50:36,436 --> 00:50:38,505 THE DOOR BECAUSE WE HAVE BEARS THAT COME UP HERE. 843 00:50:38,505 --> 00:50:41,541 WE ALWAYS KEEP IT LOCKED." AND HE WAS THAT WAY EVERY NIGHT. 844 00:50:41,541 --> 00:50:43,443 >> SUN BEARS >> SUN BEARS, THAT'S WHAT HE 845 00:50:43,443 --> 00:50:45,645 LOOKED LIKE. >> Reporter: BUDDY EVEN SHOWED 846 00:50:45,645 --> 00:50:47,881 THEM THAT HOME VIDEO OF THE BEARS IN THE BACKYARD. 847 00:50:47,881 --> 00:50:51,918 THE BEARS. THE BACK DOOR. 848 00:50:51,918 --> 00:50:56,222 BRENDA'S 911 CALL. FOR CLUTCH, SUDDENLY IT ALL 849 00:50:56,222 --> 00:51:03,063 CLICKED. >> WHEN I HEARD HER SAY, "WE 850 00:51:03,063 --> 00:51:04,664 ALWAYS LEAVE THE BACK DOOR OPEN AND UNLOCKED," I'M GOING, "OH, 851 00:51:04,664 --> 00:51:06,066 WOW. >> Reporter: THAT'S NOT TRUE 852 00:51:06,066 --> 00:51:08,802 >> NO. >> HUH-UH. 853 00:51:08,802 --> 00:51:11,071 >> THAT WASN'T TRUE. >> Reporter: MELISSA LISTENED, 854 00:51:11,071 --> 00:51:13,340 TOO. SHE HADN'T BEEN SURE QUITE WHAT 855 00:51:13,340 --> 00:51:16,209 TO THINK ABOUT BRENDA'S POSSIBLE ROLE IN BUDDY'S KILLING. 856 00:51:16,209 --> 00:51:20,980 BUT WHEN SHE HEARD THAT 911 CALL 857 00:51:20,980 --> 00:51:23,350 >> AT THAT POINT, I BELIEVED SHE DID IT 858 00:51:23,350 --> 00:51:25,852 >> Reporter: WHAT WAS IT ABOUT THE 911 CALL THAT MADE YOU THINK 859 00:51:25,852 --> 00:51:29,522 THAT >> IT SOUNDED LIKE SHE WAS A 860 00:51:29,522 --> 00:51:33,526 JUNIOR HIGH GIRL READING A SCRIPT FROM THE PLAY THAT SHE 861 00:51:33,526 --> 00:51:37,497 TRIED TO MEMORIZE THE LINES FOR. PUTTING THAT ASIDE, IF I FOUND 862 00:51:37,497 --> 00:51:44,104 MY HUSBAND, GOD FORBID, MURDERED IN OUR HOME IN THE MIDDLE OF THE 863 00:51:44,104 --> 00:51:47,107 NIGHT AND I CALLED 911, I WOULD BE A BLITHERING IDIOT. 864 00:51:47,107 --> 00:51:50,377 I WOULD BE FREAKING OUT. OH, MY GOD 865 00:51:50,377 --> 00:51:55,582 WHEREAS SHE WAS EXPOUNDING UPON THE THEORY OF HOW THE INTRUDER 866 00:51:55,582 --> 00:51:59,452 MUST HAVE GOTTEN IN. AND WHEN I HEARD THIS, MY 867 00:51:59,452 --> 00:52:02,055 THOUGHT WAS, "SHE'S MAKING HER ALIBI. 868 00:52:02,055 --> 00:52:08,061 SHE'S USING THE 911 CALL TO MAKE HER ALIBI. 869 00:52:08,061 --> 00:52:11,731 >> Reporter: EXCEPT DETECTIVES THROWER AND LEDFORD COULD FIND 870 00:52:11,731 --> 00:52:16,369 NO PHYSICAL EVIDENCE THAT BRENDA KILLED BUDDY 871 00:52:16,369 --> 00:52:20,106 THEIR CASE WAS STUCK ALL THEY REALLY HAD WAS THIS - 872 00:52:20,106 --> 00:52:27,914 >> THIS WAS A CASE OF, IF NOT MISS McCUTCHEON, THEN WHO WOULD 873 00:52:27,914 --> 00:52:34,421 IT HAVE BEEN >> Reporter: BY NOW BRENDA WAS 874 00:52:34,421 --> 00:52:36,322 LONG GONE FROM ASHEVILLE GONE BACK TO TENNESSEE WHERE SHE 875 00:52:36,322 --> 00:52:38,258 HAD GROWN UP, STILL HAD FAMILY AND BECAUSE OF BUDDY'S SUDDEN 876 00:52:38,258 --> 00:52:40,860 DEATH, THE TAX INVESTIGATION HAD STALLED. 877 00:52:40,860 --> 00:52:43,997 ONE LESS THING FOR BRENDA TO WORRY ABOUT. 878 00:52:43,997 --> 00:52:46,966 BUT BUDDY'S SIBLINGS WERE ALL ON THE SAME PAGE NOW. 879 00:52:46,966 --> 00:52:49,202 THEY BELIEVED BRENDA KILLED THEIR BROTHER. 880 00:52:49,202 --> 00:52:53,807 TO THEM, HER EVERY MOVE SEEMED SUSPICIOUS 881 00:52:53,807 --> 00:52:55,975 >> SHE SOLD THE HOME HE LIVED IN, WENT HOME TO EVERY DAY 882 00:52:55,975 --> 00:52:58,812 SHE SOLD THE BUSINESS HE DROVE TO EVERY DAY 883 00:52:58,812 --> 00:53:02,749 SHE SOLD ANYTHING OF VALUE HE HAD. 884 00:53:02,749 --> 00:53:08,288 >> Reporter: SO MAYBE IT WAS NO SURPRISE THE McCUTCHEONS RARELY 885 00:53:08,288 --> 00:53:12,058 HEARD FROM BRENDA ANYMORE. MEANWHILE, THE DETECTIVES 886 00:53:12,058 --> 00:53:15,895 REMAINED RELENTLESS, SEARCHED FOR ANYTHING THAT MIGHT 887 00:53:15,895 --> 00:53:23,370 DEFINITIVELY CONNECT BRENDA OR SOMEONE ELSE TO THE MURDER 888 00:53:23,370 --> 00:53:27,407 THEN, AS HALLOWEEN APPROACHED, THEY FOUND SOMETHING, BURIED IN 889 00:53:27,407 --> 00:53:35,081 DEEP IN A COMPUTER A LONG HELD SECRET 890 00:53:35,081 --> 00:53:38,718 AND A POSSIBLE NEW SUSPECT >>> COMING UP -- 891 00:53:38,718 --> 00:53:44,090 A CLOSER LOOK AT BUDDY'S PAST LEADS DETECTIVES TO SOMEONE NEW. 892 00:53:44,090 --> 00:54:02,175 >> WE INTERVIEWED HER, AND THEN WE WERE GONNA ALSO HAVE TO 893 00:54:02,175 --> 00:54:05,178 >> Reporter: BUDDY McCUTCHEON HAD BEEN DEAD FOR ALMOST THREE 894 00:54:05,178 --> 00:54:10,517 MONTHS WHEN THEY FOUND IT, THANKS TO THIS SEARCH WARRANT. 895 00:54:10,517 --> 00:54:15,922 IT HAD BEEN HIDDEN ALL ALONG INSIDE ONE OF BUDDY'S COMPUTERS. 896 00:54:15,922 --> 00:54:18,792 >> WE WERE ABLE TO FIND EMAILS GOING BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN 897 00:54:18,792 --> 00:54:22,328 DR. McCUTCHEON AND THIS PARTICULAR STAFF MEMBER. 898 00:54:22,328 --> 00:54:24,097 >> Reporter: DID IT SEEM TO RISE TO THE LEVEL OF SOMETHING THAT 899 00:54:24,097 --> 00:54:27,100 NEEDED TO BE INCLUDED IN THE INVESTIGATION? 900 00:54:27,100 --> 00:54:30,236 >> DEFINITELY. >> Reporter: THE EMAILS TOLD A 901 00:54:30,236 --> 00:54:34,441 STORY WHICH STRETCHED OVER A FEW YEARS. 902 00:54:34,441 --> 00:54:40,347 AN OFFICE ROMANCE. BUDDY HAD AN AFFAIR WITH A 903 00:54:40,347 --> 00:54:43,483 MEMBER OF HIS STAFF, A MARRIED WOMAN. 904 00:54:43,483 --> 00:54:44,718 >> THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT WE NEEDED TO NAIL DOWN. 905 00:54:44,718 --> 00:54:46,186 WHEN DID THE AFFAIR TAKE PLACE HOW LONG AGO 906 00:54:46,186 --> 00:54:49,622 COULD THE HUSBAND HAVE FOUND OUT ABOUT THAT 907 00:54:49,622 --> 00:54:51,091 AND POTENTIALLY HE HAD SOMETHING TO DO WITH THAT? 908 00:54:51,091 --> 00:54:53,660 >> Reporter: QUESTION BEING, DID AN ANGRY HUSBAND HAVE A MOTIVE 909 00:54:53,660 --> 00:54:57,597 FOR MURDER >> Reporter: SO WHAT'D YOU DO 910 00:54:57,597 --> 00:54:58,898 ABOUT A THING LIKE THAT? >> WE INTERVIEWED HER. 911 00:54:58,898 --> 00:55:00,600 AND THEN WE WERE GONNA ALSO HAVE TO INTERVIEW HER HUSBAND 912 00:55:00,600 --> 00:55:01,868 >> Reporter: DID HE KNOW ABOUT THIS 913 00:55:01,868 --> 00:55:05,205 >> NO, HE DIDN'T WE HAD HOPED THAT SHE WAS GOING 914 00:55:05,205 --> 00:55:09,609 TO SHARE THAT WITH HIM SO THAT WE WOULD NOT HAVE TO BE THE 915 00:55:09,609 --> 00:55:12,278 INDIVIDUALS TO TELL HIM WHAT HAD TAKEN PLACE BETWEEN, UH, HIS 916 00:55:12,278 --> 00:55:14,047 WIFE AND DR. McCUTCHEON. >> Reporter: BUT YOU WERE? 917 00:55:14,047 --> 00:55:15,615 >> WE WERE THAT'S CORRECT 918 00:55:15,615 --> 00:55:21,054 >> Reporter: WHAT WAS THAT LIKE? >> UNCOMFORTABLE 919 00:55:21,054 --> 00:55:24,057 >> Reporter: STILL, BOTH THE OFFICE WORKER AND HER HUSBAND 920 00:55:24,057 --> 00:55:27,660 INSISTED THEY HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH BUDDY'S MURDER. 921 00:55:27,660 --> 00:55:31,564 >> WE WERE ABLE THEN TO GO THROUGH PHONE RECORDS. 922 00:55:31,564 --> 00:55:34,334 WE COULD PRETTY WELL TELL AT THE TIME OF DR. McCUTCHEON'S DEATH 923 00:55:34,334 --> 00:55:38,138 HE WAS NOT INVOLVED. >> BOTH HE AND HIS WIFE WERE AT 924 00:55:38,138 --> 00:55:44,110 HOME WHEN THIS TOOK PLACE. >> Reporter: AND ONE MORE THING 925 00:55:44,110 --> 00:55:45,445 ABOUT THE AFFAIR, IT WAS OVER LONG AGO 926 00:55:45,445 --> 00:55:46,946 >> IT HAD HAPPENED SEVERAL YEARS AGO. 927 00:55:46,946 --> 00:55:51,251 AND NOBODY SEEMED TO KNOW THAT IT HAD TAKEN PLACE 928 00:55:51,251 --> 00:55:56,189 >> Reporter: SO NOW DETECTIVES REFOCUSED ON THE ONLY PERSON OF 929 00:55:56,189 --> 00:55:59,359 INTEREST THEY STILL COULDN'T ELIMINATE, BRENDA McCUTCHEON 930 00:55:59,359 --> 00:56:02,929 THERE WAS STILL ONE TEST PENDING THAT MIGHT PROVIDE SOME ANSWERS. 931 00:56:02,929 --> 00:56:09,836 REMEMBER THE MURDER WEAPON FOUND IN THE IVY NEAR THE HOUSE? 932 00:56:09,836 --> 00:56:14,708 IT HAD BEEN SWABBED FOR DNA. NOW, MONTHS AFTER THE MURDER, 933 00:56:14,708 --> 00:56:19,546 THE RESULTS WERE FINALLY IN, WHICH INDICATED THREE 934 00:56:19,546 --> 00:56:21,348 CONTRIBUTORS, ONE OF WHOM WAS BUDDY. 935 00:56:21,348 --> 00:56:23,450 THE SECOND ONE DID NOT MATCH BRENDA 936 00:56:23,450 --> 00:56:27,821 AND THE THIRD SAMPLE WAS INCONCLUSIVE 937 00:56:27,821 --> 00:56:32,359 >> I DON'T THINK THERE WAS SUFFICIENT ENOUGH INFORMATION TO 938 00:56:32,359 --> 00:56:38,164 BUILD, UH, A FULL PROFILE. SO WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE WHO 939 00:56:38,164 --> 00:56:40,900 THAT COULD'VE BELONGED TO. >> Reporter: REMEMBER, THERE WAS 940 00:56:40,900 --> 00:56:44,204 NO GUNSHOT RESIDUE ON BRENDA'S HANDS. 941 00:56:44,204 --> 00:56:47,907 ONLY A SPECK ON HER CLOTHES. COULD HAVE GOT THERE FROM JUST 942 00:56:47,907 --> 00:56:51,945 BEING IN THE HOUSE THAT NIGHT. AND NOW NO DNA CONNECTION TO THE 943 00:56:51,945 --> 00:57:01,187 GUN THAT KILLED HER HUSBAND. THE INVESTIGATION COOLED 944 00:57:01,187 --> 00:57:06,726 AS THE FIRST ANNIVERSARY OF BUDDY'S DEATH APPROACHED, THE 945 00:57:06,726 --> 00:57:09,029 McCUTCHEON FAMILY BEGAN TO LOSE HOPE THAT BUDDY'S MURDER WOULD 946 00:57:09,029 --> 00:57:12,332 EVER BE SOLVED >> WE JUST PRETTY MUCH GAVE UP 947 00:57:12,332 --> 00:57:16,269 THERE CAME A POINT, AFTER A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF TIME, YOU HAD 948 00:57:16,269 --> 00:57:18,271 TO MOVE ON I FELT LIKE SHE WAS NEVER GONNA 949 00:57:18,271 --> 00:57:20,306 BE CHARGED WITH ANYTHING >> Reporter: GOT AWAY WITH IT? 950 00:57:20,306 --> 00:57:25,545 >> AND I THOUGHT SHE WAS GONNA GET AWAY WITH IT, YEAH 951 00:57:25,545 --> 00:57:28,281 >> Reporter: BUT DETECTIVES WEREN'T ABOUT TO LET THE CASE 952 00:57:28,281 --> 00:57:30,283 GO >> I THINK YOU JUST TRY TO 953 00:57:30,283 --> 00:57:33,053 FOLLOW THE EVIDENCE WHERE IT LEADS. 954 00:57:33,053 --> 00:57:35,555 EACH TIME WE RECEIVED INFORMATION THAT COULD'VE TAKEN 955 00:57:35,555 --> 00:57:38,224 THE INVESTIGATION ANY NUMBER OF DIRECTIONS, WE TRIED TO FOLLOW 956 00:57:38,224 --> 00:57:40,393 THOSE LEADS. AND EVERYTHING ALWAYS CAME BACK 957 00:57:40,393 --> 00:57:46,066 TO BRENDA. >> Reporter: DURING THEIR 958 00:57:46,066 --> 00:57:48,234 INVESTIGATION, DETECTIVES HAD PRESENTED THE CASE TO THE D.A., 959 00:57:48,234 --> 00:57:52,972 TODD WILLIAMS. HE'D BEEN FOLLOWING IT 960 00:57:52,972 --> 00:57:54,374 HE WAS EAGER TO GET JUSTICE FOR THE McCUTCHEON FAMILY. 961 00:57:54,374 --> 00:57:58,244 BUT WILLIAMS NEEDED SOMETHING MORE 962 00:57:58,244 --> 00:58:01,614 SOMETHING TO PERSUADE A JURY IT ACTUALLY WAS BRENDA WHO KILLED 963 00:58:01,614 --> 00:58:05,085 BUDDY. >> THIS WAS A CASE CHARACTERIZED 964 00:58:05,085 --> 00:58:09,556 BY AN ABUNDANCE OF CAUTION WE DIDN'T HAVE THE DNA 965 00:58:09,556 --> 00:58:11,591 WE DIDN'T HAVE IT ON -- ON VIDEO. 966 00:58:11,591 --> 00:58:13,293 WE DIDN'T HAVE THOSE THINGS THAT, YOU KNOW, JURIES ARE -- 967 00:58:13,293 --> 00:58:14,861 ARE EXPECTING. >> Reporter: THEY WANT THAT 968 00:58:14,861 --> 00:58:19,799 STUFF. >> IRONCLAD EVIDENCE, RIGHT? 969 00:58:19,799 --> 00:58:23,370 IRONCLAD EVIDENCE. >> Reporter: DIDN'T SEEM 970 00:58:23,370 --> 00:58:27,374 IRONCLAD OR JURY PROOF TO THE D.A. 971 00:58:27,374 --> 00:58:30,443 SO DETECTIVE THROWER COMPILED AN EXHAUSTIVE POWERPOINT 972 00:58:30,443 --> 00:58:34,948 PRESENTATION LAYING OUT THE ENTIRE CASE, CLUE BY CLUE. 973 00:58:34,948 --> 00:58:36,483 >> Reporter: WHAT WERE THE KEY POINTS OF THE CIRCUMSTANTIAL 974 00:58:36,483 --> 00:58:38,718 CASE AGAINST HER >> WHERE THE GUN WAS FOUND, WHO 975 00:58:38,718 --> 00:58:43,957 THE GUN BELONGED TO. THE GUN HAPPENED TO BE IN THE 976 00:58:43,957 --> 00:58:46,559 SAME PROXIMITY IN WHICH SHE SUPPOSEDLY RAN TO TO KNOCK ON 977 00:58:46,559 --> 00:58:51,531 HER NEIGHBOR'S DOOR. >> Reporter: AND THERE WAS 978 00:58:51,531 --> 00:58:53,733 SOMETHING ELSE ABOUT THAT GUN. >> MISS McCUTCHEON STATED THAT 979 00:58:53,733 --> 00:58:56,069 ONE OF THE LAST TIMES SHE HAD SEEN THE FIREARM, SHE THOUGHT IT 980 00:58:56,069 --> 00:58:59,439 WAS IN A KITCHEN DRAWER. >> Reporter: SOMEBODY WOULD HAVE 981 00:58:59,439 --> 00:59:00,874 HAD TO KNOW WHERE THAT HANDGUN WAS? 982 00:59:00,874 --> 00:59:02,609 >> YEP IT'S NOT A NORMAL PLACE YOU 983 00:59:02,609 --> 00:59:06,513 WOULD KEEP A FIREARM >> Reporter: WHAT'S MORE, 984 00:59:06,513 --> 00:59:09,783 BRENDA'S STORY THAT BUDDY LEFT THE BACK DOOR OPEN DIDN'T ADD UP 985 00:59:09,783 --> 00:59:14,254 BECAUSE OF THOSE BEARS IN HIS BACKYARD 986 00:59:14,254 --> 00:59:15,722 >> SUN BEARS. >> SUN BEARS, YEAH 987 00:59:15,722 --> 00:59:18,158 >> Reporter: AND SHE WAS A NURSE. 988 00:59:18,158 --> 00:59:23,029 SHOULDN'T SHE HAVE TRIED TO HELP HIM BEFORE CALLING 911 989 00:59:23,029 --> 00:59:26,833 AND FINALLY -- >> THE BEHAVIOR OF HER IN DAYS 990 00:59:26,833 --> 00:59:30,937 FOLLOWS DESPERATE TO -- TO GET THE BUSINESS CLOSED, TO GET IT 991 00:59:30,937 --> 00:59:33,206 LIQUIDATED, TO GET THE HOUSE SOLD SO SHE CAN MOVE AWAY. 992 00:59:33,206 --> 00:59:36,209 >> Reporter: THE D.A. TOOK A LONG, HARD LOOK AT DETECTIVE 993 00:59:36,209 --> 00:59:40,280 THROWER'S POWERPOINT >> HE DID A REALLY GOOD JOB OF 994 00:59:40,280 --> 00:59:45,051 PUTTING ALL THE PIECES TOGETHER THAT BASICALLY SAID IF THIS WERE 995 00:59:45,051 --> 00:59:46,152 A WHODUNIT, THERE'S ONLY ONE PERSON WHO COULD HAVE DONE IT. 996 00:59:46,152 --> 00:59:47,587 >> Reporter: BROUGHT IT INTO FOCUS FOR YOU? 997 00:59:47,587 --> 00:59:50,457 >> HE BROUGHT IT INTO VERY CLEAR FOCUS. 998 00:59:50,457 --> 00:59:58,765 THIS IS A CASE WITH NO OTHER SUSPECT THAN BRENDA McCUTCHEON 999 00:59:58,765 --> 01:00:00,500 >> Reporter: BUT WILLIAMS WANTED TO BE SURE AND HE CALLED A 1000 01:00:00,500 --> 01:00:03,970 MEETING OF HIS ASSISTANT D.A.s TO GET THEIR OPINIONS. 1001 01:00:03,970 --> 01:00:08,274 ONE OF THEM WAS MEGHAN LOCK. >> TO ME, IT WAS OBVIOUS FROM 1002 01:00:08,274 --> 01:00:11,344 THE BEGINNING THAT IT WAS GONNA BE A DIFFICULT CASE. 1003 01:00:11,344 --> 01:00:13,513 >> Reporter: DO YOU RECALL WHAT YOU FELT LIKE AS YOU READ 1004 01:00:13,513 --> 01:00:15,882 THROUGH THAT MATERIAL? DID YOU HAVE AN OPINION ABOUT IT 1005 01:00:15,882 --> 01:00:19,586 YOURSELF >> THERE WAS NO DOUBT IN MY MIND 1006 01:00:19,586 --> 01:00:23,556 THAT BRENDA WAS THE ONE WHO HAD MURDERED BUDDY 1007 01:00:23,556 --> 01:00:26,760 >> Reporter: CANVASSING YOUR OFFICE STAFF IS ONE THING. 1008 01:00:26,760 --> 01:00:31,531 GOING TO TRIAL WITH 12 UNKNOWN JURORS, THAT'S QUITE ANOTHER 1009 01:00:31,531 --> 01:00:34,701 SO NOW D.A. TODD WILLIAMS HAD TO MAKE A BIG DECISION ABOUT 1010 01:00:34,701 --> 01:00:41,574 WHETHER TO TAKE THIS HIGHLY CIRCUMSTANTIAL CASE TO TRIAL 1011 01:00:41,574 --> 01:00:42,442 >> WE DO TAKE RISKS IN THE D.A.'S OFFICE. 1012 01:00:42,442 --> 01:00:44,077 WE DON'T JUST TRY THE SLAM DUNKS. 1013 01:00:44,077 --> 01:00:45,278 THERE'S A LOT OF COMPLEXITY TO THIS CASE, BUT THE CASE NEEDED 1014 01:00:45,278 --> 01:00:47,313 TO BE TRIED. IT NEEDED TO BE PRESENTED TO A 1015 01:00:47,313 --> 01:00:50,283 JURY >>> COMING UP -- 1016 01:00:50,283 --> 01:00:52,519 THE ARREST >> SHE KNEW IT WAS COMING. 1017 01:00:52,519 --> 01:00:55,955 >> THE PROSECUTOR. >> Reporter: FIRST MURDER TRIAL? 1018 01:00:55,955 --> 01:01:00,493 >> YES, SIR. >> AND A FURIOUS FAMILY. 1019 01:01:00,493 --> 01:01:04,230 >> SHE DOESN'T GET TO KILL MY BROTHER AND THEN USE THE MONEY 1020 01:01:04,230 --> 01:01:06,166 SHE INHERITS FROM KILLING HIM TO GET HERSELF OUT OF JAIL FOR 1021 01:01:06,166 --> 01:01:23,683 KILLING HIM. HELL, NO 1022 01:01:23,683 --> 01:01:25,618 >> Reporter: IT DIDN'T TAKE LONG 1023 01:01:25,618 --> 01:01:29,289 AFTER REVIEWING ALL THAT CIRCUMSTANTIAL EVIDENCE, 1024 01:01:29,289 --> 01:01:31,858 D.A. TODD WILLIAMS REFERRED THE BUDDY McCUTHEON CASE TO GRAND 1025 01:01:31,858 --> 01:01:39,165 JURY, SEEKING TO INDICT BRENDA FOR MURDER 1026 01:01:39,165 --> 01:01:40,967 AND IN LESS THAN A DAY - >> THE GRAND JURY FOUND A TRUE 1027 01:01:40,967 --> 01:01:44,637 BILL >> Reporter: WHICH MEANT 1028 01:01:44,637 --> 01:01:47,607 BRENDA McCUTCHEON WOULD BE CHARGED WITH FIRST-DEGREE MURDER 1029 01:01:47,607 --> 01:01:51,144 AND COULD FACE LIFE IN PRISON. >> IT'S A MURDER THAT ROCKED A 1030 01:01:51,144 --> 01:01:54,347 NORTH CAROLINA TOWN. NOW INVESTIGATORS WANT TO ARREST 1031 01:01:54,347 --> 01:01:57,617 THE WIFE OF A PLASTIC SURGEON. >> Reporter: BRENDA HAD BEEN 1032 01:01:57,617 --> 01:02:00,253 LIVING QUIETLY OUTSIDE OF MEMPHIS. 1033 01:02:00,253 --> 01:02:03,256 >> SHE WAS IN TENNESSEE BECAUSE BOTH OF THE SISTERS LIVED FAIRLY 1034 01:02:03,256 --> 01:02:09,763 CLOSE BY SHE SPENT A LOT OF TIME WITH HER 1035 01:02:09,763 --> 01:02:11,297 NIECES AND HER SISTERS >> Reporter: BUT NOW, ALMOST A 1036 01:02:11,297 --> 01:02:18,838 YEAR AND A HALF AFTER BUDDY'S MURDER, SHE WAS OFFICIALLY 1037 01:02:18,838 --> 01:02:21,975 ACCUSED OF KILLING HER HUSBAND >> THE ARREST WARRANT FOR 1038 01:02:21,975 --> 01:02:24,310 FIRST-DEGREE MURDER FROM NORTH CAROLINA LISTS THIS 1039 01:02:24,310 --> 01:02:27,080 ADDRESS FOR BRENDA McCUTCHEON, WANTED FOR THE DEATH OF HER 1040 01:02:27,080 --> 01:02:28,915 PLASTIC SURGEON HUSBAND. >> I DON'T THINK SHE SAW THE 1041 01:02:28,915 --> 01:02:32,085 INDICTMENT AS INEVITABLE OR SHE WAS SURPRISED BY IT. 1042 01:02:32,085 --> 01:02:34,354 BUT IT WAS, LIKE, JUST ONE MORE BAD HAND THAT SHE'D BEEN DEALT 1043 01:02:34,354 --> 01:02:37,090 THAT SHE WAS GONNA DEAL WITH AND SHE DID. 1044 01:02:37,090 --> 01:02:38,692 SHE GOT IN HER LITTLE HONDA, AND SHE DROVE ALL THE WAY ACROSS 1045 01:02:38,692 --> 01:02:42,529 TENNESSEE TO WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA AND TURNED 1046 01:02:42,529 --> 01:02:44,431 HERSELF IN >> Reporter: TO THE BUNCOMBE 1047 01:02:44,431 --> 01:02:48,735 COUNTY JAIL, WHERE SHE WAS GREETED BY DETECTIVE 1048 01:02:48,735 --> 01:02:51,471 WALT THROWER >> IT WAS A MATTER OF PUTTING A 1049 01:02:51,471 --> 01:02:53,106 SET OF HANDCUFFS ON HER AND SHE'D BE PROCESSED 1050 01:02:53,106 --> 01:02:54,974 >> Reporter: HOW WOULD SHE HOLD UP 1051 01:02:54,974 --> 01:02:56,543 >> SHE WAS FINE. >> Reporter: COOL? 1052 01:02:56,543 --> 01:02:57,844 DIDN'T SEEM TERRIBLY UPSET, IN OTHER WORDS? 1053 01:02:57,844 --> 01:03:00,246 >> IT WAS KINDA LIKE VANILLA THE WHOLE TIME 1054 01:03:00,246 --> 01:03:06,286 DIDN'T APPEAR TO BE UPSET. SHE KNEW IT WAS COMING 1055 01:03:06,286 --> 01:03:07,887 >> Reporter: BUT BUDDY'S FAMILY DIDN'T SEE IT COMING, ESPECIALLY 1056 01:03:07,887 --> 01:03:11,658 AFTER WAITING SO LONG FOR AN ARREST 1057 01:03:11,658 --> 01:03:15,462 >> I FELT GOOD THE PROSECUTORS MUST THINK THEY 1058 01:03:15,462 --> 01:03:18,932 HAVE A CASE OR AN ARREST WOULDN'T BE HAPPENING. 1059 01:03:18,932 --> 01:03:23,269 AND THAT GAVE ME HOPE THAT SHE WASN'T GONNA GET AWAY WITH IT. 1060 01:03:23,269 --> 01:03:27,974 >> Reporter: 67-YEAR-OLD BRENDA SAT IN JAIL, UNABLE TO MAKE BAIL 1061 01:03:27,974 --> 01:03:32,879 SET AT $750,000. SHE WANTED TO ACCESS MONEY FROM 1062 01:03:32,879 --> 01:03:36,182 BUDDY'S I.R.A., WHICH HAD ENOUGH CASH TO COVER THE BAIL BOND FEE. 1063 01:03:36,182 --> 01:03:39,953 BUT BECAUSE OF THE PENDING MURDER CHARGES, BRENDA WAS NOT 1064 01:03:39,953 --> 01:03:44,691 ALLOWED TO ACCESS THE ACCOUNT. >> AFTER SHE'D BEEN IN JAIL 1065 01:03:44,691 --> 01:03:48,728 ABOUT A YEAR AWAITING TRIAL, BRENDA'S ATTORNEY HAD REQUESTED 1066 01:03:48,728 --> 01:03:53,333 A HEARING AND WAS GONNA ASK THE JUDGE IF BRENDA COULD TAP INTO 1067 01:03:53,333 --> 01:03:58,571 THOSE FROZEN ASSETS TO MAKE BAIL AND GET OUT. 1068 01:03:58,571 --> 01:04:00,240 >> Reporter: THAT'S KIND OF CONUNDRUM, DOESN'T IT? 1069 01:04:00,240 --> 01:04:04,244 >> THE JUDGE WANTED TO KNOW BUDDY'S SIBLINGS' OPINIONS 1070 01:04:04,244 --> 01:04:09,082 MY OPINION WAS HELL, NO. SHE DOESN'T GET TO KILL MY 1071 01:04:09,082 --> 01:04:12,052 BROTHER AND THEN USE THE MONEY SHE INHERITS FROM KILLING HIM TO 1072 01:04:12,052 --> 01:04:16,256 GET HERSELF OUT OF JAIL FOR KILLING HIM. 1073 01:04:16,256 --> 01:04:19,359 HELL, NO >> Reporter: SO NO BAIL, AT 1074 01:04:19,359 --> 01:04:27,467 LEAST FROM BUDDY'S ESTATE. ANOTHER YEAR PASSED. 1075 01:04:27,467 --> 01:04:28,768 BUT THROUGH HER ATTORNEY, BRENDA GOT A SURETY COMPANY TO HELP 1076 01:04:28,768 --> 01:04:30,170 COVER THE BAIL AND THEN SHE RETURNED TO 1077 01:04:30,170 --> 01:04:33,940 TENNESSEE TO AWAIT HER DAY IN COURT. 1078 01:04:33,940 --> 01:04:39,713 >> WE WERE ABLE TO GET HER ON A KIND OF A HOME DETENTION 1079 01:04:39,713 --> 01:04:43,416 SHE HAD TO CALL IN I THINK SHE WORE A GPS TRACKING 1080 01:04:43,416 --> 01:04:46,086 MONITOR FOR A LITTLE WHILE >> Reporter: MEANWHILE, BACK IN 1081 01:04:46,086 --> 01:04:51,257 ASHEVILLE, D.A. TODD WILLIAMS HAD ANOTHER DECISION TO MAKE 1082 01:04:51,257 --> 01:04:53,560 PICKING HIS PROSECUTORS. ONE OF WHOM WAS IN THAT MEETING 1083 01:04:53,560 --> 01:04:57,197 WHEN HE FIRST EVALUATED THE CASE 1084 01:04:57,197 --> 01:05:01,601 MEGHAN LOCK. >> MR. WILLIAMS CAME TO ME ONE 1085 01:05:01,601 --> 01:05:04,137 DAY AND JUST SAID, YOU KNOW, WOULD I LIKE TO BE A PART OF 1086 01:05:04,137 --> 01:05:06,039 THAT CASE AND HELP PROSECUTE IT. AND I SAID, "ABSOLUTELY, I WOULD 1087 01:05:06,039 --> 01:05:09,075 LOVE TO. >> Reporter: FIRST MURDER TRIAL? 1088 01:05:09,075 --> 01:05:12,112 >> YES, SIR. >> Reporter: AND WHAT DOES IT DO 1089 01:05:12,112 --> 01:05:14,347 THE PIT OF YOUR STOMACH? DOES IT GIVE YOU KIND OF, "HOLY 1090 01:05:14,347 --> 01:05:18,118 COW, THIS IS IT" >> IT WAS NERVE-RACKING. 1091 01:05:18,118 --> 01:05:21,621 THERE WAS CERTAINLY A LOT OF INTERNAL PRESSURE. 1092 01:05:21,621 --> 01:05:25,325 I MEAN, YOU HAVE THE PRESSURE OF WANTING TO BE SUCCESSFUL FOR THE 1093 01:05:25,325 --> 01:05:30,296 FAMILY AND TO GET JUSTICE FOR THE VICTIM 1094 01:05:30,296 --> 01:05:33,667 SO TAKING A DIFFICULT CASE AS THE FIRST ONE, THAT WAS -- THAT 1095 01:05:33,667 --> 01:05:36,736 WAS HARD >> Reporter: HARD ALSO BECAUSE 1096 01:05:36,736 --> 01:05:40,573 LOCK WOULD BE SQUARING OFF AGAINST TWO SAVVY, EXPERIENCED 1097 01:05:40,573 --> 01:05:43,076 DEFENSE ATTORNEYS, STEVE CASH AND SEAN DEVEREUX, WHO WERE 1098 01:05:43,076 --> 01:05:46,846 EMPHATIC THERE WAS NO CASE AGAINST BRENDA 1099 01:05:46,846 --> 01:05:49,082 >> THERE WAS JUST ABSOLUTELY NO EVIDENCE, REGARDLESS OF MOTIVE, 1100 01:05:49,082 --> 01:05:51,518 THAT SHE HAD PULLED THE TRIGGER THAT KILLED HER HUSBAND. 1101 01:05:51,518 --> 01:05:55,155 IN FACT, THERE WAS EVIDENCE THAT ABSOLUTELY CONTRADICTED THAT 1102 01:05:55,155 --> 01:05:57,957 >> Reporter: ALL OF THIS WOULD BE HASHED OUT AT TRIAL 1103 01:05:57,957 --> 01:06:01,695 AND WHILE THE ATTORNEYS ON EACH SIDE WERE PREPARING, THE 1104 01:06:01,695 --> 01:06:05,665 McCUTCHEON FAMILY KEPT ASKING BRENDA TO GIVE THEM BUDDY'S 1105 01:06:05,665 --> 01:06:08,735 PERSONAL ITEMS, WHICH THEY HAD BEEN SEEKING EVER SINCE HIS 1106 01:06:08,735 --> 01:06:12,038 MURDER >> AT THIS POINT, IT'S BEEN 1107 01:06:12,038 --> 01:06:16,609 3 1/2 YEARS SINCE HE WAS MURDERED 1108 01:06:16,609 --> 01:06:22,615 MY BROTHERS HAD BEEN BEGGING BRENDA, COULD THEY PLEASE HAVE 1109 01:06:22,615 --> 01:06:28,521 SOME OF BUDDY'S MEMENTOS >> Reporter: BUT BRENDA KEPT 1110 01:06:28,521 --> 01:06:32,859 THEM AND RARELY TALKED TO BUDDY'S FAMILY UNTIL ONE DAY 1111 01:06:32,859 --> 01:06:36,696 WHEN BRENDA WAS OUT ON BAIL. >> BRENDA PHONES MY BROTHER JOHN 1112 01:06:36,696 --> 01:06:39,432 AND SAYS, "YES, IT'S ALL IN A STORAGE UNIT 1113 01:06:39,432 --> 01:06:41,901 AND I'VE MADE ARRANGEMENTS YOU CAN SHOW UP AND GET WHATEVER 1114 01:06:41,901 --> 01:06:44,904 YOU WANT OUT OF THAT STORAGE UNIT." 1115 01:06:44,904 --> 01:06:52,645 >> Reporter: BUT WHEN BUDDY'S BROTHER JOHN GOT THERE - 1116 01:06:52,645 --> 01:06:59,419 >> HE CALLS ME CRYING BECAUSE, NOT ONLY DID HE FIND BUDDY'S 1117 01:06:59,419 --> 01:07:02,589 CHERISHED, PRIZED POSSESSIONS RUINED BY VERMIN, RODENTS HAD 1118 01:07:02,589 --> 01:07:05,291 PEED AND POOPED AND CHEWED UP THE THINGS THAT MEANT THE MOST 1119 01:07:05,291 --> 01:07:09,596 TO BUDDY BUT BRENDA HAD TOSSED BUDDY'S 1120 01:07:09,596 --> 01:07:12,032 REMAINS IN THAT STORAGE ROOM >> Reporter: BUDDY'S ASHES FROM 1121 01:07:12,032 --> 01:07:15,435 HIS CREMATION THREE YEARS EARLIER, IN A BOX LIKE THIS ONE, 1122 01:07:15,435 --> 01:07:18,405 HAD NEVER BEEN INTERRED. JUST LEFT IT THERE 1123 01:07:18,405 --> 01:07:23,410 >> YEAH, 3 1/2 YEARS AFTER HE'S GONE 1124 01:07:23,410 --> 01:07:26,680 WHO PUTS THEIR SPOUSE'S REMAINS IN A RENTED STORAGE UNIT 1125 01:07:26,680 --> 01:07:28,748 IT WAS HORRIBLE. AND CAN YOU IMAGINE WHAT IT WAS 1126 01:07:28,748 --> 01:07:33,920 LIKE FOR HIM I'M SORRY. 1127 01:07:33,920 --> 01:07:36,256 I'M JUST -- MY BROTHER JOHN, DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY AT 1128 01:07:36,256 --> 01:07:45,498 NIGHT WITH HIS MURDERED BROTHER'S REMAINS IN A SEAT 1129 01:07:45,498 --> 01:07:51,071 BESIDE HIM, CRYING >> Reporter: WE ASKED BRENDA'S 1130 01:07:51,071 --> 01:07:52,672 ATTORNEYS ABOUT THIS SHE HAD THE ASHES IN HER 1131 01:07:52,672 --> 01:07:54,341 APARTMENT -- >> SHE HAD KEPT THE ASHES. 1132 01:07:54,341 --> 01:07:57,477 AND BECAUSE OF THE FALLOUT BETWEEN HER AND THE McCUTCHEON 1133 01:07:57,477 --> 01:07:59,879 FAMILY, SHE WENT AND LEFT THOSE ASHES IN THE STORAGE UNIT FOR 1134 01:07:59,879 --> 01:08:02,182 THEM TO PICK UP. AND IT WAS ONLY IN THERE A VERY 1135 01:08:02,182 --> 01:08:05,352 BRIEF PERIOD OF TIME I MEAN, HOURS. 1136 01:08:05,352 --> 01:08:09,823 >> Reporter: BUT WHEN PROSECUTOR MEGHAN LOCK HEARD ABOUT ALL 1137 01:08:09,823 --> 01:08:11,491 THIS, WELL - - >> I DON'T REALLY KNOW HOW YOU 1138 01:08:11,491 --> 01:08:16,062 RESPECTFULLY PUT YOUR DEAD HUSBAND IN A STORAGE UNIT FOR 1139 01:08:16,062 --> 01:08:22,836 ANY PERIOD OF TIME >> Reporter: THE ASHES INCIDENT 1140 01:08:22,836 --> 01:08:24,504 SET THE STAGE. THE TRIAL WOULD BE CONTENTIOUS 1141 01:08:24,504 --> 01:08:31,578 AND ONE OF THE KEY WITNESSES WOULD BE BRENDA McCUTCHEON 1142 01:08:31,578 --> 01:08:33,179 >>> COMING UP -- >> SHE WOULD TELL US THAT, "I 1143 01:08:33,179 --> 01:08:35,749 WANNA HAVE A MOMENT WHEN I CAN STAND UP IN PUBLIC AND TELL 1144 01:08:35,749 --> 01:08:38,718 PEOPLE WHAT REALLY HAPPENED. >> BRENDA TELLS HER STORY TO THE 1145 01:08:38,718 --> 01:08:45,458 JURY WILL THEY BUY IT 1146 01:08:45,458 --> 01:09:04,010 >> WHO BREAKS INTO A HOUSE AND DECIDES TO JUST SHOOT 1147 01:09:04,010 --> 01:09:07,113 >> Reporter: THE ASHEVILLE COURTHOUSE IS A STATELY OLD 1148 01:09:07,113 --> 01:09:10,650 PLACE, BUILT NEARLY A CENTURY AGO. 1149 01:09:10,650 --> 01:09:15,388 HERE, IN JANUARY 2020, BRENDA McCUTCHEON WENT ON TRIAL. 1150 01:09:15,388 --> 01:09:18,391 SHE WAS ALMOST 70. DID SHE LOOK LIKE A DIFFERENT 1151 01:09:18,391 --> 01:09:20,326 PERSON TO YOU? >> WELL, I'LL BE HONEST WITH 1152 01:09:20,326 --> 01:09:22,295 YOU. I DIDN'T PAY MUCH ATTENTION TO 1153 01:09:22,295 --> 01:09:25,165 HER. I COULDN'T 1154 01:09:25,165 --> 01:09:27,033 I JUST DIDN'T. >> Reporter: DIDN'T OR COULDN'T? 1155 01:09:27,033 --> 01:09:27,901 >> I COULDN'T. I DIDN'T 1156 01:09:27,901 --> 01:09:30,337 BOTH I JUST DIDN'T. 1157 01:09:30,337 --> 01:09:32,439 I CHOSE NOT TO >> Reporter: SO, EMOTIONALLY, 1158 01:09:32,439 --> 01:09:36,776 WHAT WAS IT LIKE TO BE IN THERE? >> IT WAS NOT GOOD 1159 01:09:36,776 --> 01:09:40,046 >> Reporter: CAMERAS WERE NOT ALLOWED. 1160 01:09:40,046 --> 01:09:43,817 AND THE PROSECUTORS BEGAN PRESENTING THEIR CASE, WHICH 1161 01:09:43,817 --> 01:09:47,287 FEATURED ALL THAT CIRCUMSTANTIAL EVIDENCE THEY SAID POINTED ONLY 1162 01:09:47,287 --> 01:09:53,126 TO BRENDA. >> SHE WAS GIVEN EVERY BENEFIT 1163 01:09:53,126 --> 01:09:55,462 OF THE DOUBT AT EVERY TURN OF THE CORNER, UNTIL THERE WAS 1164 01:09:55,462 --> 01:09:59,466 NOWHERE LEFT TO TURN >> OKAY, WHAT'S GOING ON 1165 01:09:59,466 --> 01:10:02,669 >> MY HUSBAND'S BEEN SHOT. >> Reporter: THEY PLAYED 1166 01:10:02,669 --> 01:10:06,773 BRENDA'S 911 CALL, INSISTING IT WASN'T TRUE. 1167 01:10:06,773 --> 01:10:10,310 >> HE NEVER LOCKS THE BACK DOOR. AND THE BACK DOOR WAS OPEN 1168 01:10:10,310 --> 01:10:14,114 >> Reporter: BRENDA'S ENTIRE POLICE INTERVIEW WAS ALSO SHOWN. 1169 01:10:14,114 --> 01:10:15,982 >> WHY WOULD ANYBODY -- NOBODY THAT HAS EVER COME INTO OUR 1170 01:10:15,982 --> 01:10:19,586 HOUSE WOULD WANT TO KILL MY HUSBAND. 1171 01:10:19,586 --> 01:10:23,156 >> Reporter: WHERE SHE CLAIMED AN INTRUDER ENTERED THE HOUSE 1172 01:10:23,156 --> 01:10:25,258 AND KILLED BUDDY >> A PRETTY UNBELIEVABLE 1173 01:10:25,258 --> 01:10:27,660 POSSIBILITY. >> WHY DO YOU SAY IT'S 1174 01:10:27,660 --> 01:10:32,065 UNBELIEVABLE >> WHO BREAKS INTO A HOUSE TO 1175 01:10:32,065 --> 01:10:35,168 ROB SOMEBODY, DIGS AROUND, FINDS A GUN, DECIDES TO JUST SHOOT 1176 01:10:35,168 --> 01:10:38,838 SOMEBODY WHILE THEY'RE SLEEPING, AND THEN THAT ENTIRE PROCESS, 1177 01:10:38,838 --> 01:10:42,175 DOESN'T TAKE ANYTHING? >> Reporter: THEN MEGHAN LOCK 1178 01:10:42,175 --> 01:10:46,112 DETAILED WHAT THE PROSECUTION BELIEVED WAS BRENDA'S MOTIVE FOR 1179 01:10:46,112 --> 01:10:48,381 MURDER, CONTENDING IT UNFOLDED AFTER SHE AND BUDDY LEARNED THEY 1180 01:10:48,381 --> 01:10:52,052 WERE UNDER INVESTIGATION BY THE DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE. 1181 01:10:52,052 --> 01:10:54,654 >> IT WAS A CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION. 1182 01:10:54,654 --> 01:10:58,024 THERE WERE REAL CONSEQUENCES AT PLAY AT THIS POINT IN TIME 1183 01:10:58,024 --> 01:11:02,562 >> Reporter: SERIOUS CONSEQUENCES 1184 01:11:02,562 --> 01:11:06,199 POSSIBLE PRISON TIME THE TAX AGENT TESTIFIED BUDDY 1185 01:11:06,199 --> 01:11:08,368 WAS SURPRISED AND HAD NO CLUE ABOUT THE WITHHOLDING TAX 1186 01:11:08,368 --> 01:11:12,505 ISSUES IT WAS ALL BRENDA'S DOING. 1187 01:11:12,505 --> 01:11:14,941 >> SHE WAS CONCERNED SHE WOULD NOT ONLY BE IN TROUBLE, BUT SHE 1188 01:11:14,941 --> 01:11:17,210 WOULD BE THE ONLY ONE IN TROUBLE. 1189 01:11:17,210 --> 01:11:19,512 >> Reporter: SO WHY WOULD SHE KILL HIM THEN? 1190 01:11:19,512 --> 01:11:22,582 >> BECAUSE SHE WAS ABLE TO PIN IT ALL ON HIM. 1191 01:11:22,582 --> 01:11:24,317 SHE WAS ABLE TO -- IT FIXED ALL HER PROBLEMS 1192 01:11:24,317 --> 01:11:25,752 >> Reporter: IF SHE KILLED HIM -- 1193 01:11:25,752 --> 01:11:27,687 >> SHE DIDN'T HAVE TO STAY IN ASHEVILLE. 1194 01:11:27,687 --> 01:11:31,958 SHE DIDN'T HAVE TO KEEP COSMETIC SURGERY AFLOAT 1195 01:11:31,958 --> 01:11:34,694 SHE DIDN'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT ANYTHING TO DO WITH THE 1196 01:11:34,694 --> 01:11:36,296 DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE. ONCE HE WAS DEAD, IT COULD BE 1197 01:11:36,296 --> 01:11:38,098 BUDDY THAT DID IT. >> Reporter: ISN'T THAT REALLY 1198 01:11:38,098 --> 01:11:42,302 JUST SPECULATION >> THE EVIDENCE IN THE 1199 01:11:42,302 --> 01:11:43,903 DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE FILE WAS GOING TO POINT TO 1200 01:11:43,903 --> 01:11:47,640 BRENDA McCUTCHEON AS BEING THE ONE THAT EMBEZZLED 1201 01:11:47,640 --> 01:11:53,413 THAT'S A MOTIVE. >> Reporter: BUT WHEN THE 1202 01:11:53,413 --> 01:11:54,614 DEFENSE'S TURN CAME, IT ARGUED THAT THE SO-CALLED MOTIVE WAS 1203 01:11:54,614 --> 01:12:04,457 BOGUS. NO SUBSTANCE AT ALL. 1204 01:12:04,457 --> 01:12:05,925 >> THE STATE WAS FISHING FOR A THEORY AND ULTIMATELY, 1205 01:12:05,925 --> 01:12:07,560 EVERYTHING THAT WAS BROUGHT IN BY THIS HUGE NET THAT THE STATE 1206 01:12:07,560 --> 01:12:09,262 TRIED TO EMPLOY FELL OUT OF THE NET. 1207 01:12:09,262 --> 01:12:12,599 >> Reporter: FELL OUT FOR ONE SIMPLE REASON, SAID THE DEFENSE. 1208 01:12:12,599 --> 01:12:15,368 AN UTTER LACK OF PHYSICAL EVIDENCE TYING BRENDA TO THE 1209 01:12:15,368 --> 01:12:17,604 MURDER >> THEY DIDN'T COME IN AND SAY, 1210 01:12:17,604 --> 01:12:23,510 "A-HA, BRENDA, YOUR DNA IS ON THIS WEAPON. 1211 01:12:23,510 --> 01:12:27,781 THEY DIDN'T SAY, "A-HA, BRENDA, YOUR FINGERPRINT IS ON THIS 1212 01:12:27,781 --> 01:12:29,082 GUN. THEY DIDN'T SAY, "A-HA, BRENDA, 1213 01:12:29,082 --> 01:12:33,653 YOU HAVE BLOOD SPLATTER ALL OVER YOUR BLOUSE. 1214 01:12:33,653 --> 01:12:34,821 THEY DIDN'T SAY, "A-HA, BRENDA, YOU'RE COVERED IN GUNSHOT 1215 01:12:34,821 --> 01:12:38,625 RESIDUE. NONE OF THAT WAS -- WAS REALITY. 1216 01:12:38,625 --> 01:12:41,795 >> WHAT WE SUGGESTED TO THE JURY IS THE POLICE, THE D.A.'S 1217 01:12:41,795 --> 01:12:43,196 OFFICE, DETECTIVES, DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE, THEY HAVEN'T BROUGHT 1218 01:12:43,196 --> 01:12:47,701 YOU ENOUGH EVIDENCE HERE TO PROVE BEYOND A REASONABLE DOUBT 1219 01:12:47,701 --> 01:12:48,902 THAT SHE DID THAT. >> Reporter: BACK IN ARKANSAS, 1220 01:12:48,902 --> 01:12:50,870 BUDDY'S SISTER MELISSA WAS GETTING DAILY UPDATES ON THE 1221 01:12:50,870 --> 01:12:56,509 TRIAL. A LAWYER HERSELF, SHE KNEW 1222 01:12:56,509 --> 01:13:01,047 JURIES WERE UNPREDICTABLE. SO, TO EASE HER ANXIETY DURING 1223 01:13:01,047 --> 01:13:03,516 THE TRIAL, SHE PAINTED. >> ART IS MY THERAPY 1224 01:13:03,516 --> 01:13:07,354 >> Reporter: SHE PAINTED PICTURES OF HER FEELINGS, 1225 01:13:07,354 --> 01:13:12,292 INCLUDING THIS ONE DONE DURING THE TRIAL. 1226 01:13:12,292 --> 01:13:16,062 >> IT'S CALLED "WAITING. AND IT'S A PERSON WAITING. 1227 01:13:16,062 --> 01:13:18,665 >> Reporter: WHAT DOES THAT FEEL LIKE TO BE THAT PERSON WAITING 1228 01:13:18,665 --> 01:13:21,368 YOU PAINTED IT, BUT CAN YOU DESCRIBE IT WITH WORDS 1229 01:13:21,368 --> 01:13:23,670 >> I REALLY COULDN'T DESCRIBE IT WITH WORDS 1230 01:13:23,670 --> 01:13:28,308 THE PAINTING IS MY BEST EXPRESSION OF WHAT IT FELT LIKE, 1231 01:13:28,308 --> 01:13:30,810 TO BE HONEST >> Reporter: EVERYONE IN THE 1232 01:13:30,810 --> 01:13:34,314 COURTROOM ALSO WAITED AND WONDERED - 1233 01:13:34,314 --> 01:13:36,116 WOULD SHE TESTIFY? WOULD BRENDA McCUTCHEON TAKE THE 1234 01:13:36,116 --> 01:13:40,120 STAND AND TELL THE JURY HER STORY? 1235 01:13:40,120 --> 01:13:43,790 >> BRENDA INSISTED ON TESTIFYING FROM THE VERY BEGINNING. 1236 01:13:43,790 --> 01:13:46,893 SHE WOULD TELL US THAT, "I WANNA HAVE A MOMENT WHEN I CAN STAND 1237 01:13:46,893 --> 01:13:50,163 UP IN PUBLIC AND TELL PEOPLE WHAT REALLY HAPPENED." 1238 01:13:50,163 --> 01:13:53,133 >> Reporter: PUTTING ANY DEFENDANT ON THE STAND IS RISKY. 1239 01:13:53,133 --> 01:13:57,303 BUT BRENDA'S ATTORNEYS FIRST DID A LITTLE TEST RUN. 1240 01:13:57,303 --> 01:14:05,445 THEY HAD HER TAKE ANOTHER POLYGRAPH TEST BEFORE THE TRIAL. 1241 01:14:05,445 --> 01:14:06,913 AND ONCE AGAIN, SHE PASSED, SAID ATTORNEY DEVEREUX. 1242 01:14:06,913 --> 01:14:08,715 >> ABSOLUTE -- NO QUESTION AT ALL. 1243 01:14:08,715 --> 01:14:09,883 NOT EVEN -- THERE WASN'T A GRAY AREA 1244 01:14:09,883 --> 01:14:14,354 >> Reporter: POLYGRAPH EXAMS ARE NOT ADMISSIBLE AT TRIAL, BUT IT 1245 01:14:14,354 --> 01:14:17,757 WAS AN ASSURED BRENDA WHO TOOK THE STAND, RECITING MUCH THE 1246 01:14:17,757 --> 01:14:20,293 SAME STORY SHE TOLD DETECTIVES AFTER BUDDY WAS MURDERED 1247 01:14:20,293 --> 01:14:21,628 >> DIDN'T SHOOT YOUR HUSBAND >> NO. 1248 01:14:21,628 --> 01:14:34,708 NO NO 1249 01:14:34,708 --> 01:14:36,276 HE WAS EVERYTHING TO ME AND HAS BEEN FOR ALMOST ALL MY ADULT 1250 01:14:36,276 --> 01:14:38,078 LIFE >> WE ALWAYS THINK ABOUT WHETHER 1251 01:14:38,078 --> 01:14:39,579 OR NOT TO PUT ON A DEFENDANT TO TESTIFY. 1252 01:14:39,579 --> 01:14:41,781 BUT WE WERE CONFIDENT THAT SHE WAS GONNA SAY THE SAME THING SHE 1253 01:14:41,781 --> 01:14:44,284 ALWAYS DID, AND SHE DID. >> I THOUGHT SHE DID FINE. 1254 01:14:44,284 --> 01:14:48,888 AND I THINK SHE DID MAKE A GOOD WITNESS. 1255 01:14:48,888 --> 01:14:52,192 >> Reporter: BUT AS PROSECUTOR LOCK LISTENED TO BRENDA TELL HER 1256 01:14:52,192 --> 01:14:56,730 STORY OF HER LIFE WITH BUDDY, IT SUDDENLY CAME TO HER 1257 01:14:56,730 --> 01:14:59,099 MOTIVE MAYBE SHE'D ONLY GOT IT HALF 1258 01:14:59,099 --> 01:15:01,501 RIGHT. IT WASN'T THE JUST THE ALLEGED 1259 01:15:01,501 --> 01:15:05,605 TAX FRAUD. IT WENT DEEPER THAN THAT 1260 01:15:05,605 --> 01:15:11,044 MUCH DEEPER. MEGHAN LOCK FELT SURE OF IT. 1261 01:15:11,044 --> 01:15:21,488 >> IT WAS JUST VERY CLEAR THAT EVERYTHING SHE HAD EVER DONE WAS 1262 01:15:21,488 --> 01:15:23,056 FOR BUDDY, BUILT AROUND WHAT BUDDY WANTED, BUILT AROUND WHAT 1263 01:15:23,056 --> 01:15:24,391 BUDDY'S DREAMS WERE. AND SO HE STICKS HER IN THIS 1264 01:15:24,391 --> 01:15:28,762 OFFICE, HAVING TO DO THIS PAPERWORK, NOT EVEN UTILIZING 1265 01:15:28,762 --> 01:15:31,831 HER AS A NURSE IN THAT OFFICE, EVEN THOUGH THAT'S WHAT SHE 1266 01:15:31,831 --> 01:15:35,201 TRULY WAS. AND SHE VERY MUCH, I BELIEVE, 1267 01:15:35,201 --> 01:15:40,273 RESENTED HIM FOR THAT. >> Reporter: WHICH GAVE THE 1268 01:15:40,273 --> 01:15:43,343 PROSECUTORS AN IDEA THE NIGHT BEFORE THEY BEGAN THEIR 1269 01:15:43,343 --> 01:15:47,080 CROSS-EXAMINATION. >> WE DECIDED WE NEED TO MAKE 1270 01:15:47,080 --> 01:15:49,582 HER MAD. THEY NEED TO SEE THAT SHE IS 1271 01:15:49,582 --> 01:15:52,952 CAPABLE OF THIS, THAT NICE PEOPLE CAN DO BAD THINGS 1272 01:15:52,952 --> 01:15:54,654 >> Reporter: GETTING HER MAD WAS AN INTENTIONAL THING ON YOUR 1273 01:15:54,654 --> 01:15:59,292 PART >> YES 1274 01:15:59,292 --> 01:16:02,028 >> Reporter: PROSECUTOR LOCK THOUGHT SHE KNEW JUST HOW TO 1275 01:16:02,028 --> 01:16:06,466 PUSH BRENDA'S BUTTONS. >> I REFERRED TO HER AS A 1276 01:16:06,466 --> 01:16:08,668 SECRETARY, AND SHE GOT VERY UPSET ABOUT IT AND SNAPPED BACK, 1277 01:16:08,668 --> 01:16:14,741 "I'M NOT A SECRETARY." AND YOU COULD SEE IN HER 1278 01:16:14,741 --> 01:16:19,546 DEMEANOR AND HEAR IN HER TONE THIS RESENTMENT ABOUT LEAVING 1279 01:16:19,546 --> 01:16:21,614 HER CAREER >> Reporter: SO WHY WOULD THAT 1280 01:16:21,614 --> 01:16:23,516 TAX ISSUE HAVE LED TO THAT SHOOTING THAT NIGHT? 1281 01:16:23,516 --> 01:16:27,620 >> I THINK IT WAS THE STRAW THAT BROKE THE CAMEL'S BACK 1282 01:16:27,620 --> 01:16:32,959 SUDDENLY THIS BUSINESS THAT SHE NEVER WANTED, THAT SHE HAD PUT 1283 01:16:32,959 --> 01:16:35,929 HER WHOLE LIFE INTO, THAT SHE HAD BEEN MADE TO FIGURE OUT HOW 1284 01:16:35,929 --> 01:16:38,932 TO OPERATE, WAS IN TROUBLE AND SHE WAS ABOUT TO BE SOLELY 1285 01:16:38,932 --> 01:16:43,269 RESPONSIBLE FOR WHAT HAD HAPPENED 1286 01:16:43,269 --> 01:16:46,239 >> Reporter: FUELING EVEN MORE RESENTMENT, THE PROSECUTORS 1287 01:16:46,239 --> 01:16:48,908 ARGUED, ADDING TO WHAT HAD ALREADY BEEN BREWING FOR 1288 01:16:48,908 --> 01:16:53,613 DECADES. AND THAT LAST NIGHT -- 1289 01:16:53,613 --> 01:16:57,083 >> I THINK SHE LAID DOWN IN THAT BED THAT NIGHT AND THOUGHT ABOUT 1290 01:16:57,083 --> 01:17:01,454 EVERYTHING THAT HAD BEEN MAKING HER MAD. 1291 01:17:01,454 --> 01:17:05,592 AND I THINK THAT SHE SNAPPED, AND SHE WENT DOWNSTAIRS AND SHOT 1292 01:17:05,592 --> 01:17:09,829 HIM IN THE HEAD WHILE HE SLEPT >> Reporter: IT WAS ONLY A 1293 01:17:09,829 --> 01:17:13,199 THEORY, OF COURSE. THERE WAS NO PROOF 1294 01:17:13,199 --> 01:17:17,804 AND THEN THE CASE WENT TO THE JURY 1295 01:17:17,804 --> 01:17:22,575 A LARGELY FEMALE JURY. THEY WOULD DECIDE IF BRENDA WAS 1296 01:17:22,575 --> 01:17:32,052 GOING HOME OR TO PRISON. >>> COMING UP -- 1297 01:17:32,052 --> 01:17:33,787 >> SOMEBODY'S LIFE IS ABOUT TO CHANGE, THEN THEY READ THE 1298 01:17:33,787 --> 01:17:35,455 VERDICT. >> THE JURY SPEAKS 1299 01:17:35,455 --> 01:17:36,923 >> IT WAS A DIFFICULT PROCESS. >> I AM CERTAIN THAT WE GOT IT 1300 01:17:36,923 --> 01:17:38,625 RIGHT. NO REGRETS. 1301 01:17:38,625 --> 01:17:58,478 >> NO REGRETS. >> Reporter: 12 PEOPLE WERE 1302 01:17:58,478 --> 01:18:02,916 ABOUT TO DECIDE THE FATE OF BRENDA McCUTCHEON. 1303 01:18:02,916 --> 01:18:08,722 WHEN YOU SENT IT OFF TO THE JURY, HOW CONFIDENT WERE YOU 1304 01:18:08,722 --> 01:18:11,291 >> AS CONFIDENT AS I'VE EVER BEEN WITH A VERDICT. 1305 01:18:11,291 --> 01:18:12,759 >> SAME FOR ME I'VE NEVER BEEN AS CONFIDENT 1306 01:18:12,759 --> 01:18:14,260 SENDING A CASE BACK AS I WAS THAT DAY 1307 01:18:14,260 --> 01:18:16,062 >> Reporter: AND PROSECUTOR MEGHAN LOCK? 1308 01:18:16,062 --> 01:18:22,569 >> I WAS CAUTIOUSLY OPTIMISTIC AT THAT POINT. 1309 01:18:22,569 --> 01:18:24,304 >> Reporter: YES, BECAUSE WHEN IT COMES DOWN TO GIVING IT TO A 1310 01:18:24,304 --> 01:18:25,772 JURY, YOU JUST REALLY NEVER KNOW, RIGHT? 1311 01:18:25,772 --> 01:18:28,441 >> CANNOT PREDICT JURIES >> Reporter: SO WE TALKED TO A 1312 01:18:28,441 --> 01:18:33,880 FEW OF THE JURORS. >> WHEN YOU REALIZE YOUR 1313 01:18:33,880 --> 01:18:36,850 DECISION IS SENDING SOMEONE TO PRISON FOR LIFE OR LETTING 1314 01:18:36,850 --> 01:18:38,351 SOMEONE OFF, YOU HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT JUSTICE IS SERVED. 1315 01:18:38,351 --> 01:18:40,053 AND THAT IS A HUGE RESPONSIBILITY 1316 01:18:40,053 --> 01:18:44,724 >> IT WAS ONE OF THE MOST DIFFICULT THINGS I'VE DONE IN MY 1317 01:18:44,724 --> 01:18:49,796 LIFE >> AND I FOUND MYSELF WAKING UP 1318 01:18:49,796 --> 01:18:51,297 AT NIGHTS THINKING ABOUT THIS THING AND HAVING NIGHTMARES 1319 01:18:51,297 --> 01:18:52,866 ABOUT IT >> Reporter: WHEN THEY GOT TO 1320 01:18:52,866 --> 01:18:57,303 THE JURY ROOM, THEY TOOK A PRELIMINARY VOTE 1321 01:18:57,303 --> 01:19:02,475 >> IT WAS FOUR NOT GUILTY AND EIGHT GUILTY 1322 01:19:02,475 --> 01:19:12,452 >> Reporter: SO THEY KEPT TALKING ABOUT THE CIRCUMSTANTIAL 1323 01:19:12,452 --> 01:19:14,020 EVIDENCE, ABOUT THE POSSIBLE MOTIVE, ABOUT BRENDA'S STORY 1324 01:19:14,020 --> 01:19:17,323 THAT AN INTRUDER MUST HAVE KILLED BUDDY 1325 01:19:17,323 --> 01:19:18,525 >> IT WAS A DIFFICULT PROCESS. THERE WERE MANY MOVING PIECES. 1326 01:19:18,525 --> 01:19:20,560 THERE WAS A LOT OF WITNESSES AND THERE WAS A LOT OF EVIDENCE THAT 1327 01:19:20,560 --> 01:19:25,432 WAS BROUGHT OUT FOR US TO REVIEW 1328 01:19:25,432 --> 01:19:28,468 >> Reporter: THEY VOTED AGAIN AND STILL COULDN'T AGREE 1329 01:19:28,468 --> 01:19:32,605 >> WE STILL NEED TO TALK ABOUT THIS BECAUSE THIS WOMAN'S LIFE 1330 01:19:32,605 --> 01:19:34,741 IS ON THE LINE BUDDY DESERVES JUSTICE 1331 01:19:34,741 --> 01:19:42,449 >> AND THEN WE HAD TO DRAG IN MORE EVIDENCE. 1332 01:19:42,449 --> 01:19:44,050 >> Reporter: THEY KEPT REVIEWING IT, AND THEN BY DAY TWO, 1333 01:19:44,050 --> 01:19:49,055 VALENTINE'S DAY, THEY VOTED ONE MORE TIME. 1334 01:19:49,055 --> 01:19:52,492 >> THE MOMENT THEY WALKED BACK INTO THE ROOM, THE NERVES HIT. 1335 01:19:52,492 --> 01:19:55,428 I WAS VERY NERVOUS >> Reporter: YOUR HEART'S 1336 01:19:55,428 --> 01:19:57,397 POUNDING IN YOUR CHEST THAT'S ABOUT AS NERVE-RACKIN 1337 01:19:57,397 --> 01:19:59,499 AS IT GETS >> I REMEMBER LOOKING AT THE 1338 01:19:59,499 --> 01:20:05,705 FAMILY I REMEMBER LOOKING TO THE OTHER 1339 01:20:05,705 --> 01:20:10,310 SIDE OF THE COURTROOM AND SEEING MS. McCUTCHEON'S SISTERS THERE 1340 01:20:10,310 --> 01:20:12,379 AND THERE WAS A HEAVINESS IN THE AIR. 1341 01:20:12,379 --> 01:20:17,617 SOMEBODY'S LIFE IS ABOUT TO CHANGE 1342 01:20:17,617 --> 01:20:25,925 AND THEN THEY READ THE VERDICT >> AND BREAKING NEWS, THE JURY 1343 01:20:25,925 --> 01:20:27,360 IN THE BRENDA McCUTCHEON MURDER TRIAL FINDS HER GUILTY OF 1344 01:20:27,360 --> 01:20:29,095 KILLING HER HUSBAND. >> Reporter: FINALLY, JUSTICE 1345 01:20:29,095 --> 01:20:31,865 FOR THE McCUTCHEON FAMILY. BUT THERE WAS NO CELEBRATION 1346 01:20:31,865 --> 01:20:36,336 >> WE HAD LEFT THE DAY BEFORE THE VERDICT. 1347 01:20:36,336 --> 01:20:38,805 I DIDN'T WANNA BE THERE. HUH-UH 1348 01:20:38,805 --> 01:20:42,275 >> Reporter: WHY >> IT REALLY DIDN'T MATTER 1349 01:20:42,275 --> 01:20:47,647 I MEAN, IT MATTERED. BUT IN THE BIG SCHEME OF THINGS, 1350 01:20:47,647 --> 01:20:52,686 IT DIDN'T BRING BUDDY BACK >> I WASN'T GLEEFUL OR JOYOUS 1351 01:20:52,686 --> 01:20:55,622 THAT SHE GOT CONVICTED, BUT I WOULD'VE BEEN OUTRAGED HAD SHE 1352 01:20:55,622 --> 01:21:00,760 WALKED OFF SCOT-FREE AND GOTTEN AWAY WITH IT 1353 01:21:00,760 --> 01:21:05,532 >> Reporter: HER DEFENSE ATTORNEYS WATCHED, DEVASTATED. 1354 01:21:05,532 --> 01:21:10,236 >> IT WAS A GUT-WRENCHING MOMENT IN MY LIFE TO HEAR THEM SAY 1355 01:21:10,236 --> 01:21:13,840 "GUILTY. >> I BELIEVED ENTIRELY, AND 1356 01:21:13,840 --> 01:21:17,243 CONTINUE TO BELIEVE, IN THE INNOCENCE OF BRENDA McCUTCHEON 1357 01:21:17,243 --> 01:21:20,080 >> I WISH I COULD LOOK BACK AND THINK OF THE DECISION THAT WE 1358 01:21:20,080 --> 01:21:23,550 MADE THAT LOST THE CASE OR THE PIECE OF EVIDENCE THAT, YOU 1359 01:21:23,550 --> 01:21:28,154 KNOW, CONVINCED THE JURY THAT SHE WAS A MURDERER 1360 01:21:28,154 --> 01:21:30,824 >> Reporter: SO WE ASKED THE JURORS, WHO WERE VERY CLEAR 1361 01:21:30,824 --> 01:21:35,328 ABOUT HOW AND WHY THEY CONVICTED BRENDA 1362 01:21:35,328 --> 01:21:37,831 >> SHERIFF'S OFFICE. >> AN INTRUDER WOULDN'T COME 1363 01:21:37,831 --> 01:21:42,702 RUNNING IN THE HOUSE AND GO TO THAT DRAWER, GRAB THE GUN AND 1364 01:21:42,702 --> 01:21:46,973 SHOOT BUDDY, AND THEN RUN OUT AND THROW THE GUN IN THE YARD. 1365 01:21:46,973 --> 01:21:50,410 THERE'S NO ONE ELSE THAT COULD'VE COME IN AND SHOT BUDDY. 1366 01:21:50,410 --> 01:21:54,114 IT HAD TO BE BRENDA. >> THIS WOMAN DID NOT ACT NORMAL 1367 01:21:54,114 --> 01:21:58,284 TO ME. SHE SHOULD'VE BEEN AN EMOTIONAL 1368 01:21:58,284 --> 01:21:59,519 ROLLER COASTER WHEN THEY STARTED SHOWING ALL THIS EVIDENCE. 1369 01:21:59,519 --> 01:22:01,788 SHE DIDN'T SHOW NO EMOTION AT ALL. 1370 01:22:01,788 --> 01:22:03,723 >> I AM CERTAIN THAT WE GOT IT RIGHT. 1371 01:22:03,723 --> 01:22:05,892 >> NO REGRETS. >> NO REGRETS. 1372 01:22:05,892 --> 01:22:09,162 NO SECOND THOUGHTS >> WOULD YOU BET YOUR LIFE ON 1373 01:22:09,162 --> 01:22:10,930 IT AND I THOUGHT, "WELL, YES, I 1374 01:22:10,930 --> 01:22:13,967 REALLY WOULD." AND I AM BETTING HER -- BRENDA'S 1375 01:22:13,967 --> 01:22:19,873 LIFE ON IT I HAVE NO DOUBT IN MY MIND 1376 01:22:19,873 --> 01:22:24,444 >> Reporter: BRENDA WAS STOIC AS SHE WAS SENTENCED TO LIFE 1377 01:22:24,444 --> 01:22:29,215 WITHOUT PAROLE >> AS SHE WAS WALKING OUT, 1378 01:22:29,215 --> 01:22:31,217 BUDDY'S COUSIN AND HIS WIFE STEPPED OUT OF THE AUDIENCE -- 1379 01:22:31,217 --> 01:22:34,120 BUDDY'S COUSIN, AND HUGGED HER AND WHAT SHE SAID TO THEM WAS, 1380 01:22:34,120 --> 01:22:37,757 "I DIDN'T KILL BUDDY." THAT HAPPENED IN THE COURTROOM 1381 01:22:37,757 --> 01:22:40,493 AS SHE'S BEING LED AWAY TO -- TO THE LIFE IN PRISON WITH 1382 01:22:40,493 --> 01:22:44,330 HANDCUFFS ON >> Reporter: THE VERDICT WON'T 1383 01:22:44,330 --> 01:22:47,334 BRING BUDDY BACK, OF COURSE. AND AMONG HIS SIBLINGS, THE PAIN 1384 01:22:47,334 --> 01:22:50,136 LINGERS. >> IT'S TOUGH. 1385 01:22:50,136 --> 01:22:56,009 IT -- IT'LL ALWAYS BE HARD THE TEARS DRY UP A LITTLE BIT. 1386 01:22:56,009 --> 01:22:59,846 BUT IF YOU THINK ABOUT IT VERY OFTEN, UH, YOU KNOW, IT STILL 1387 01:22:59,846 --> 01:23:02,816 BREAKS YOUR HEART. >> Reporter: BUDDY'S SISTER 1388 01:23:02,816 --> 01:23:07,854 MELISSA COULDN'T QUITE FIND THE WORDS FOR WHAT SHE FEELS 1389 01:23:07,854 --> 01:23:13,927 SO SHE PAINTED IT. THIS ONE IS CALLED "ERASURE. 1390 01:23:13,927 --> 01:23:17,330 >> THERE'S A COLD, BLUE HAND HOLDING A GUN SHOOTING 1391 01:23:17,330 --> 01:23:21,568 AND THERE'S A FIGURE FALLING BACK 1392 01:23:21,568 --> 01:23:27,173 AND THEN THERE'S A GIANT PENCIL WITH AN ERASER ALREADY ERASING 1393 01:23:27,173 --> 01:23:35,849 PART OF THAT PERSON BECAUSE I FELT LIKE THAT'S WHAT SHE DID TO 1394 01:23:35,849 --> 01:23:39,119 BUDDY. * BRIGHT MORNING STARS ARE 1395 01:23:39,119 --> 01:23:43,556 RISING * * BRIGHT MORNING STARS ARE 1396 01:23:43,556 --> 01:23:46,493 RISING * >> Reporter: BUT THE McCUTCHEON 1397 01:23:46,493 --> 01:23:49,596 FAMILY DOES TAKE SOLACE IN FINALLY HAVING A PLACE TO HONOR 1398 01:23:49,596 --> 01:23:53,800 BUDDY. THEY BROUGHT HIS ASHES HERE TO 1399 01:23:53,800 --> 01:23:59,739 HIS HOMETOWN, FAYETTEVILLE, ARKANSAS 1400 01:23:59,739 --> 01:24:01,508 THE FINAL RESTING SPOT OF BUDDY McCUTCHEON, MEDICAL 1401 01:24:01,508 --> 01:24:08,181 DOCTOR, MUSICIAN, RENAISSANCE MAN. 1402 01:24:08,181 --> 01:24:15,455 NO ERASING HIM OR HIS VOICE, WHICH WILL LIVE ON 1403 01:24:15,455 --> 01:24:21,661 IN DIGITAL PERPETUITY FOREVER. * IN MY SOUL * 1404 01:24:21,661 --> 01:24:24,698 >>> THAT'S ALL FOR THIS EDITION OF "DATELINE." 1405 01:24:24,698 --> 01:24:28,702 WE'LL SEE YOU AGAIN NEXT FRIDAY AT 9:00, 8:00 CENTRAL. 1406 01:24:28,702 --> 01:24:30,704 AND, OF COURSE, I'LL SEE YOU EACH WEEKNIGHT FOR "NBC NIGHTLY 1407 01:24:30,704 --> 01:24:32,238 NEWS." I'M LESTER HOLT. 1408 01:24:32,238 --> 01:24:38,211 FOR ALL OF US AT NBC NEWS, GOOD .