1
00:00:08,108 --> 00:00:09,042
[Narrator] In a small
Mississippi town,
2
00:00:10,043 --> 00:00:14,214
these two women were everything
to each other.
3
00:00:14,247 --> 00:00:16,082
They drawed a close friendship.
4
00:00:16,116 --> 00:00:18,518
If you seen one of 'em,
you seen both of 'em.
5
00:00:19,452 --> 00:00:22,255
[Narrator] In the early hours of
one winter morning,
6
00:00:22,288 --> 00:00:25,091
their friendship goes up in
smoke.
7
00:00:25,658 --> 00:00:28,194
We put a firefighter through
the window.
8
00:00:28,228 --> 00:00:31,664
He found her between the foot o
the bed and the wall.
9
00:00:32,832 --> 00:00:36,036
[Narrator] Investigators uncover
a deadly betrayal
10
00:00:36,069 --> 00:00:39,139
that has been smoldering
for years.
11
00:00:40,140 --> 00:00:41,941
This woman was supposed to be
her best friend.
12
00:00:42,676 --> 00:00:45,278
[William] She seemed to be
looking after her.
13
00:00:45,311 --> 00:00:47,814
I don't really think she was
doin' anything other than
14
00:00:47,847 --> 00:00:49,649
watchin' out for her investment
15
00:00:50,316 --> 00:00:53,119
[Narrator] And as
a sinister plan is revealed,
16
00:00:53,153 --> 00:00:57,457
a sighting from beyond the grav
cements suspicions.
17
00:00:57,490 --> 00:01:00,560
She had seen on the news where
she had died,
18
00:01:00,593 --> 00:01:03,897
then she was in Walmart shoppin
and saw her.
19
00:01:03,930 --> 00:01:06,232
[Narrator] As the truth unfolds,
20
00:01:06,266 --> 00:01:10,236
this small town may never be
the same.
21
00:01:10,270 --> 00:01:12,505
Your past doesn't escape you.
22
00:01:12,972 --> 00:01:13,807
She didn't know it was comin',
23
00:01:13,840 --> 00:01:16,509
and when it did come,
she was shocked.
24
00:01:19,612 --> 00:01:28,321
[theme music]
25
00:01:31,157 --> 00:01:33,360
[Narrator] 20 minutes south
of Memphis,
26
00:01:33,393 --> 00:01:35,729
the town of Horn Lake,
Mississippi
27
00:01:35,762 --> 00:01:38,264
is generally a quiet place.
28
00:01:39,399 --> 00:01:41,968
But on Northwood Cove in
the early morning hours
29
00:01:42,002 --> 00:01:44,938
of December 19th, 1994,
30
00:01:45,205 --> 00:01:48,174
the calm is suddenly broken.
31
00:01:50,010 --> 00:01:51,511
In the early morning hours,
32
00:01:51,544 --> 00:01:54,114
one of the neighbors
said they heard an explosion
33
00:01:54,381 --> 00:01:57,217
and they reported to the police
34
00:02:03,590 --> 00:02:06,059
[Narrator] Neighbors are
gathered outside the home
35
00:02:06,059 --> 00:02:09,262
that is now engulfed in flames.
36
00:02:10,430 --> 00:02:12,632
When we found out that
the occupant of the house was
37
00:02:12,665 --> 00:02:14,200
Miss Lula Young,
38
00:02:14,234 --> 00:02:18,071
they all had said that Miss Lula
was at home at the time,
39
00:02:18,071 --> 00:02:20,440
and they had not
seen her come out.
40
00:02:20,473 --> 00:02:24,544
[music]
41
00:02:24,577 --> 00:02:27,080
[Narrator] The members of
the small town fire department
42
00:02:27,080 --> 00:02:30,083
know exactly who Miss Lula is.
43
00:02:31,418 --> 00:02:32,752
Lula Young, she was an EMT.
44
00:02:32,786 --> 00:02:35,955
She was known by
a lotta people in Horn Lake.
45
00:02:35,989 --> 00:02:39,092
The emergency services people
were real familiar with her
46
00:02:39,092 --> 00:02:41,361
because she rode the ambulance.
47
00:02:41,394 --> 00:02:45,098
A lot of the people that were
there and, and tryin' to get
48
00:02:45,098 --> 00:02:47,267
the fire out
knew her personally.
49
00:02:47,300 --> 00:02:49,369
It was a bad situation.
50
00:02:51,604 --> 00:02:53,406
[Narrator] The firefighters
mobilize,
51
00:02:53,440 --> 00:02:55,742
with one team fighting the blaz
52
00:02:55,775 --> 00:03:00,113
and the other trying to locate
47-year-old Lula Young.
53
00:03:00,780 --> 00:03:03,049
[Leroy] The fire was still goin'
pretty good.
54
00:03:03,083 --> 00:03:04,951
We knew we was gonna need
a hose line
55
00:03:05,051 --> 00:03:06,619
and go through a bedroom window
56
00:03:06,653 --> 00:03:09,789
in order to try to get
Miss Lula out.
57
00:03:10,490 --> 00:03:12,959
We put a firefighter through
the window
58
00:03:13,059 --> 00:03:14,527
with the hose line.
59
00:03:15,495 --> 00:03:18,732
He found her between the foot of
the bed and the wall.
60
00:03:19,766 --> 00:03:20,934
She was unconscious.
61
00:03:20,967 --> 00:03:22,535
It appeared that
she had gotten up,
62
00:03:22,569 --> 00:03:25,405
and tried to get out,
and collapsed.
63
00:03:26,406 --> 00:03:29,075
Lula suffered first and
second-degree burns
64
00:03:29,109 --> 00:03:30,777
on her torso.
65
00:03:31,344 --> 00:03:33,480
[Leroy] It didn't appear that
she was breathing.
66
00:03:33,513 --> 00:03:36,449
And our biggest concern was
get her away from the structure.
67
00:03:40,120 --> 00:03:41,955
When Lula was pulled from
the fire,
68
00:03:41,988 --> 00:03:43,923
she never regained
consciousness,
69
00:03:43,957 --> 00:03:46,893
and she basically
died of smoke inhalation.
70
00:03:47,961 --> 00:03:50,864
They pronounced her dead at that
point on the scene.
71
00:03:52,098 --> 00:03:55,802
[Narrator] Lula's friends and
family are devastated.
72
00:03:57,303 --> 00:03:58,905
[William] Everybody that knew
Miss Young
73
00:03:58,938 --> 00:04:00,774
thought she was a good person.
74
00:04:00,807 --> 00:04:02,308
People were really sad...
75
00:04:03,043 --> 00:04:04,678
...that she had died.
76
00:04:08,715 --> 00:04:11,484
"It hurt" is the biggest thing
you can always say of
77
00:04:11,518 --> 00:04:13,086
the loss of a loved one in
your life.
78
00:04:13,520 --> 00:04:15,321
With Lula, it was a,
a thing that's hard
79
00:04:15,355 --> 00:04:17,891
to really process in your mind.
80
00:04:19,192 --> 00:04:21,094
[Mike] Mike Milton and me
that morning,
81
00:04:21,127 --> 00:04:22,729
we got up to go deer hunting,
82
00:04:22,762 --> 00:04:25,799
and Mike Milton's wife called,
and he said, "Hey, Bubba."
83
00:04:25,832 --> 00:04:30,203
He said, "There had been a fire
at your mom's house."
84
00:04:30,670 --> 00:04:32,505
And I said,
"Is everything okay?"
85
00:04:32,539 --> 00:04:34,841
He looked at me
and he shook his head no.
86
00:04:35,375 --> 00:04:37,077
That was not what
I was anticipatin'.
87
00:04:37,077 --> 00:04:40,080
"So, you're sayin' Mom's gone?"
88
00:04:40,080 --> 00:04:41,848
"Yeah, she's gone."
89
00:04:41,881 --> 00:04:46,086
[music]
90
00:04:46,086 --> 00:04:50,857
[Narrator] Lula Welch grew up in
a large, close-knit family
91
00:04:50,890 --> 00:04:52,959
in Tunica, Mississippi.
92
00:04:52,992 --> 00:04:57,097
[Mike] My mom was born down in
Central Mississippi.
93
00:04:57,364 --> 00:04:59,766
My grandfather was a farmer.
94
00:05:00,200 --> 00:05:02,736
My grandmother
was a stay-at-home mom.
95
00:05:03,903 --> 00:05:07,574
[Randy] Lula was born on
October the 15th of 1947.
96
00:05:08,074 --> 00:05:11,244
She was the second child of wha
eventually become seven.
97
00:05:11,778 --> 00:05:15,882
Lula had a heart just
big as a wheel, you know?
98
00:05:15,915 --> 00:05:18,752
Her biggest hobby was makin'
other folks happy.
99
00:05:20,120 --> 00:05:23,957
[Narrator] After becoming one of
the first in her family
100
00:05:24,057 --> 00:05:25,458
to graduate high school,
101
00:05:25,492 --> 00:05:28,094
Lula married
her childhood sweetheart,
102
00:05:28,128 --> 00:05:29,662
John Young.
103
00:05:31,064 --> 00:05:33,767
[Mike] When Mom was a kid,
her and my dad grew up together
104
00:05:33,800 --> 00:05:36,069
They knew each other from back
when they were,
105
00:05:36,102 --> 00:05:37,904
well, I'd say, 10 years old.
106
00:05:38,438 --> 00:05:40,840
My dad worked construction,
so, you know,
107
00:05:40,874 --> 00:05:43,209
Daddy was, you know,
in this town today
108
00:05:43,243 --> 00:05:44,778
and that town tomorrow.
109
00:05:45,779 --> 00:05:49,115
[Narrator] In 1970, Lula learned
she was pregnant.
110
00:05:49,949 --> 00:05:52,819
The birth of their son was
followed a few years later
111
00:05:52,852 --> 00:05:53,953
by a daughter.
112
00:05:55,121 --> 00:05:56,790
Now a family of four,
113
00:05:56,823 --> 00:05:59,626
Lula and John settled in
the small town
114
00:05:59,659 --> 00:06:02,028
of Horn Lake, Mississippi.
115
00:06:02,829 --> 00:06:05,832
My mom and dad were the Ozzie
and Harriet of the south.
116
00:06:05,865 --> 00:06:08,168
I mean, Mom stayed at home and
took care of the house,
117
00:06:08,201 --> 00:06:09,369
and Dad went off to work.
118
00:06:09,402 --> 00:06:12,305
When Dad got home,
dinner was on the table.
119
00:06:14,708 --> 00:06:17,410
[Narrator] While John worked
hard doing construction
120
00:06:17,444 --> 00:06:19,112
to support the family,
121
00:06:19,145 --> 00:06:23,283
Lula quickly endeared herself t
the small Southern community.
122
00:06:23,950 --> 00:06:26,052
Lula was a person who never met
a stranger.
123
00:06:26,820 --> 00:06:28,588
[Narrator] Lula became
especially close
124
00:06:28,621 --> 00:06:31,458
with her neighbor, Linda Leedom
125
00:06:32,592 --> 00:06:37,864
Linda moved next door in 1978.
126
00:06:38,965 --> 00:06:42,736
She had two kids also that was
roughly about the same age
127
00:06:42,769 --> 00:06:45,472
as Lula's kids when they moved
there.
128
00:06:45,505 --> 00:06:48,575
So, they drawed
a close friendship.
129
00:06:50,210 --> 00:06:53,613
[Narrator] Linda grew up just
a few hours from Horn Lake,
130
00:06:53,646 --> 00:06:56,649
in the small town of Selmer,
Tennessee,
131
00:06:56,683 --> 00:06:59,352
and eventually moved to Memphis
during her high school years.
132
00:07:00,653 --> 00:07:02,288
They had a lot of property money
at that way,
133
00:07:02,322 --> 00:07:04,791
and Linda got to doin' taxes.
134
00:07:04,824 --> 00:07:06,893
She did everybody's taxes,
you know.
135
00:07:06,926 --> 00:07:08,194
[Narrator] Linda worked
from home
136
00:07:08,228 --> 00:07:10,296
and cared for her children,
137
00:07:10,330 --> 00:07:11,765
Melanie and Jennifer,
138
00:07:11,798 --> 00:07:15,268
while her husband, Gary,
worked as a truck driver.
139
00:07:15,301 --> 00:07:18,104
Linda was somebody that Mom
confided in.
140
00:07:18,538 --> 00:07:19,839
Linda and Lula was two people,
141
00:07:19,873 --> 00:07:22,509
if you seen one of 'em,
you seen both of 'em.
142
00:07:25,045 --> 00:07:27,480
[Narrator] When Lula's
15-year marriage to John
143
00:07:27,514 --> 00:07:28,815
came to an end,
144
00:07:28,848 --> 00:07:32,052
the two friends became
even closer.
145
00:07:32,285 --> 00:07:36,923
Mom came down and she just...
146
00:07:36,956 --> 00:07:37,957
broke the news.
147
00:07:39,259 --> 00:07:43,163
You know, Dad was home one day,
and he was gone the next.
148
00:07:43,496 --> 00:07:45,632
Her and my dad divorced.
That was it.
149
00:07:47,067 --> 00:07:49,803
[Narrator] As Lula settled into
her new life as a single mom,
150
00:07:49,836 --> 00:07:52,839
Linda stuck by
her friend's side.
151
00:07:53,373 --> 00:07:55,809
It was a wakeup call, you know.
152
00:07:55,842 --> 00:07:59,079
I mean, with Mom having to put
money back to pay the light bill
153
00:07:59,079 --> 00:08:00,580
at the end of the month.
154
00:08:04,551 --> 00:08:05,885
[Narrator] With Linda's support,
155
00:08:05,919 --> 00:08:10,023
Lula came up with a plan
to get back on her feet.
156
00:08:10,757 --> 00:08:14,594
Linda had been takin' courses
to become a nurse.
157
00:08:15,195 --> 00:08:18,365
But she told Mom that she could
make good money bein' a nurse.
158
00:08:18,398 --> 00:08:22,902
And so Mom was workin' as a LPN
159
00:08:23,336 --> 00:08:28,375
and she got a raise to go work
as a medical transcriber,
160
00:08:28,408 --> 00:08:30,076
and she was happy with that.
161
00:08:30,110 --> 00:08:32,245
[music]
162
00:08:32,278 --> 00:08:36,850
[Narrator] In 1988, Lula also
began volunteering
163
00:08:36,883 --> 00:08:39,619
with the Horn Lake
Fire Department.
164
00:08:40,820 --> 00:08:44,391
When I turned 18, I was able to
join the fire department.
165
00:08:44,424 --> 00:08:47,627
We needed somebody to do
the bookwork,
166
00:08:47,660 --> 00:08:49,629
and she joined
the fire department
167
00:08:49,662 --> 00:08:52,632
to be the bookkeeper and
accounting firm
168
00:08:52,665 --> 00:08:53,700
for the fire department.
169
00:08:53,733 --> 00:08:57,971
And later, my mom went and
she got her EMT license.
170
00:09:02,409 --> 00:09:04,611
[Narrator] But in the late
1980s,
171
00:09:04,644 --> 00:09:08,314
40-year-old Lula was dealt
a major setback.
172
00:09:09,115 --> 00:09:13,486
Mom was diagnosed with cancer in
either '87 or '88.
173
00:09:13,820 --> 00:09:15,855
She had developed breast cancer
174
00:09:15,889 --> 00:09:18,425
And then she had to take
a series of chemo
175
00:09:18,458 --> 00:09:20,026
and radiation treatments.
176
00:09:21,027 --> 00:09:23,029
[Randy] When Lula did find out
she had the cancer,
177
00:09:23,063 --> 00:09:25,565
it really got her down mentally
for a while.
178
00:09:26,132 --> 00:09:29,736
But then again, she had the idea
of, "I could beat this."
179
00:09:29,769 --> 00:09:31,438
[Mike] I was devastated because
of the fact that
180
00:09:31,471 --> 00:09:34,140
my mom was everything to me.
181
00:09:34,174 --> 00:09:37,644
Now, she's havin' to put her
life in other people's hands.
182
00:09:37,677 --> 00:09:39,446
She would just, you know,
be sick.
183
00:09:39,479 --> 00:09:40,847
It was just terrible.
184
00:09:40,880 --> 00:09:43,683
I couldn't fathom havin' to go
through that.
185
00:09:44,884 --> 00:09:47,821
[Narrator] Linda immediately
stepped in to help.
186
00:09:48,688 --> 00:09:52,425
Nobody had looked after her
the way her friend,
187
00:09:52,459 --> 00:09:54,160
Linda Leedom, had looked
after her.
188
00:09:54,728 --> 00:09:56,463
Linda would go buy groceries
for her,
189
00:09:56,496 --> 00:09:57,931
bring 'em to the house to her.
190
00:09:57,964 --> 00:10:00,567
Linda was a super friend to her
191
00:10:01,701 --> 00:10:04,804
[Narrator] Lula endured
grueling treatment.
192
00:10:05,338 --> 00:10:07,073
But after six years,
193
00:10:07,107 --> 00:10:10,343
she came out the other side
cancer free.
194
00:10:10,377 --> 00:10:15,782
[music]
195
00:10:15,815 --> 00:10:17,684
[Randy] She found out she was in
remission.
196
00:10:17,717 --> 00:10:20,487
It was a real uplift
to her because
197
00:10:20,520 --> 00:10:22,822
she felt like she had beat it.
198
00:10:22,856 --> 00:10:25,725
She, she said all the time,
"I can beat it,"
199
00:10:25,759 --> 00:10:27,193
and she felt like she had.
200
00:10:27,527 --> 00:10:29,729
[Mike] I asked her one time,
201
00:10:29,763 --> 00:10:32,232
just, "Do you regret anything?"
She said, "Nothin'."
202
00:10:32,265 --> 00:10:34,934
I mean, she lived every day like
it was the last one she had.
203
00:10:37,737 --> 00:10:39,039
[Narrator] Tragically,
204
00:10:39,072 --> 00:10:42,342
Lula's second chance didn't
last long.
205
00:10:42,542 --> 00:10:45,512
On December 19th, 1994,
206
00:10:45,545 --> 00:10:48,581
her hopes and dreams go up
in smoke.
207
00:10:49,115 --> 00:10:52,352
We worked on the fire probably
a good 25 to 30 minutes before
208
00:10:52,385 --> 00:10:57,090
we were able to bring it under
control and knock it down.
209
00:11:00,894 --> 00:11:02,529
[Narrator] As fire investigators
210
00:11:02,562 --> 00:11:04,464
inspect the remains
of the house,
211
00:11:04,864 --> 00:11:08,101
questions begin to arise.
212
00:11:08,134 --> 00:11:10,537
[Chris] When firefighters
entered the home
213
00:11:10,570 --> 00:11:12,072
on December the 19th,
214
00:11:12,072 --> 00:11:15,108
they observed a heater
close to the front door.
215
00:11:15,575 --> 00:11:17,243
[Narrator] Near the heater,
216
00:11:17,277 --> 00:11:21,548
investigators find another
unusual object among the ashes.
217
00:11:21,581 --> 00:11:23,683
[Chris] There was
a propane bottle
218
00:11:23,717 --> 00:11:25,318
inside the home.
219
00:11:25,852 --> 00:11:28,221
Not many people store
propane bottles
220
00:11:28,254 --> 00:11:29,723
inside their home.
221
00:11:29,756 --> 00:11:31,558
[Narrator] When investigators
take a closer look
222
00:11:31,591 --> 00:11:33,360
at the propane tank,
223
00:11:33,393 --> 00:11:35,395
their suspicions grow.
224
00:11:35,862 --> 00:11:38,732
The valve had been turned and
left cracked.
225
00:11:39,733 --> 00:11:41,768
That means your gas is
comin' out.
226
00:11:41,801 --> 00:11:44,237
So that put a key
indicator right there,
227
00:11:44,270 --> 00:11:46,606
there is somethin' strange
goin' on.
228
00:11:47,140 --> 00:11:49,109
They thought it might be set
intentionally,
229
00:11:49,109 --> 00:11:51,444
but there was only one person in
the home,
230
00:11:51,478 --> 00:11:52,812
that was Lula Young.
231
00:11:53,613 --> 00:11:56,916
In my opinion, it wasn't
just an accidental fire.
232
00:11:58,518 --> 00:12:00,120
[Narrator] Coming up.
233
00:12:00,153 --> 00:12:03,456
A witness claims to have seen
a ghost...
234
00:12:03,823 --> 00:12:06,793
She said the person that
she knew as Ms. Lula Young
235
00:12:06,826 --> 00:12:08,595
was walkin' in the store.
236
00:12:08,628 --> 00:12:10,830
[Narrator] And points
the investigation
237
00:12:10,864 --> 00:12:12,565
in a new direction.
238
00:12:12,599 --> 00:12:15,835
She said Lula had asked her to
do this.
239
00:12:29,082 --> 00:12:31,685
[music]
240
00:12:31,718 --> 00:12:34,587
[Narrator] December 19th, 1994.
241
00:12:35,155 --> 00:12:39,159
A house fire in Horn Lake,
Mississippi has taken the life
242
00:12:39,192 --> 00:12:42,696
of cancer survivor and
beloved community member,
243
00:12:42,729 --> 00:12:46,166
47-year-old Lula Young.
244
00:12:46,199 --> 00:12:49,002
Now, investigators with
the fire department
245
00:12:49,102 --> 00:12:53,540
have reason to believe
the blaze was no accident.
246
00:12:54,107 --> 00:12:57,110
Propane bottles, like you use
for your gas grill,
247
00:12:57,143 --> 00:12:59,646
are not normally kept inside the
home.
248
00:12:59,679 --> 00:13:02,048
There was also a,
a electric heater
249
00:13:02,082 --> 00:13:04,551
that was in close proximity to
that tank.
250
00:13:04,584 --> 00:13:08,054
There was just several things
that didn't add up.
251
00:13:08,455 --> 00:13:12,826
All of this in my mind at that
point in time pointed to
252
00:13:12,859 --> 00:13:15,228
it wasn't just
an accidental fire.
253
00:13:18,698 --> 00:13:21,234
[Narrator] For the time being,
254
00:13:21,267 --> 00:13:25,605
investigators decide to keep
their suspicions to themselves.
255
00:13:26,740 --> 00:13:30,643
[Leroy] I like to keep a lot of
this hidden from the public
256
00:13:30,677 --> 00:13:32,278
in the very beginning of it
257
00:13:32,312 --> 00:13:35,148
because you never know
who's listening.
258
00:13:35,815 --> 00:13:38,852
[Narrator] There is one thing
they can't keep under wraps:
259
00:13:38,885 --> 00:13:41,421
the news of Lula's death.
260
00:13:42,489 --> 00:13:46,359
One of the persons that had come
up on the scene
261
00:13:46,393 --> 00:13:48,461
was Ms. Linda Leedom.
262
00:13:48,495 --> 00:13:53,199
She openly said that she was
the best friend of Ms. Young,
263
00:13:53,233 --> 00:13:55,635
and how devastating this was.
264
00:13:56,169 --> 00:13:57,671
[Narrator] Linda tells
investigators
265
00:13:57,704 --> 00:13:59,673
that she was home
with her family
266
00:13:59,706 --> 00:14:02,042
when she heard about the fire.
267
00:14:08,248 --> 00:14:10,483
...because she was her
best friend.
268
00:14:13,119 --> 00:14:15,088
[music]
269
00:14:15,121 --> 00:14:19,092
[Narrator] Lula's family
struggles to accept the news.
270
00:14:19,125 --> 00:14:20,960
We got the phone call that
morning at breakfast
271
00:14:21,061 --> 00:14:23,296
that Lula had passed away.
272
00:14:28,668 --> 00:14:31,137
The term that we got was that
273
00:14:31,171 --> 00:14:33,173
the house had
literally exploded.
274
00:14:33,206 --> 00:14:37,077
So, I was tryin' to figure out
how the house could blow up.
275
00:14:37,811 --> 00:14:41,348
Nothin' in the house was gas,
so how could the house explode?
276
00:14:45,418 --> 00:14:47,787
[Narrator] Investigators have
yet to reveal
277
00:14:47,821 --> 00:14:51,091
they found a propane tank
in Lula's house.
278
00:14:51,991 --> 00:14:53,760
Investigators are usually pretty
close to the chest
279
00:14:53,793 --> 00:14:55,829
on information they share,
so when they do get a suspect,
280
00:14:55,862 --> 00:14:58,965
they can evaluate the evidence
281
00:14:58,998 --> 00:15:02,335
or the statement
based on what's being said.
282
00:15:02,369 --> 00:15:05,071
[Narrator] Those who knew Lula
are shocked that
283
00:15:05,105 --> 00:15:06,406
the trained first responder
284
00:15:06,439 --> 00:15:09,843
would have any fire hazards
inside her home.
285
00:15:10,577 --> 00:15:13,880
She was scared of fire.
That was her biggest fear.
286
00:15:14,414 --> 00:15:16,750
Everybody said,
"Well, she was pretty careful."
287
00:15:16,783 --> 00:15:21,054
She wouldn't do somethin' dumb,
that wasn't Ms. Young.
288
00:15:24,758 --> 00:15:27,293
[Narrator] Later that same day,
289
00:15:27,327 --> 00:15:31,398
investigators get the results
of Lula's autopsy report.
290
00:15:32,766 --> 00:15:36,436
[Chris] Lula's cause of death
was carbon monoxide poisoning.
291
00:15:36,469 --> 00:15:38,938
Basically, she died of
smoke inhalation.
292
00:15:39,305 --> 00:15:41,374
[William] I knew the coroner
very well.
293
00:15:41,408 --> 00:15:45,078
And he had ruled this as,
as an accidental death.
294
00:15:48,448 --> 00:15:52,152
[Narrator] However, there is
one detail from the autopsy
295
00:15:52,185 --> 00:15:55,455
that gives investigators pause.
296
00:15:55,488 --> 00:15:58,892
They found some sleepin' pills
in her blood.
297
00:16:00,393 --> 00:16:04,064
Based on the pills
found in the autopsy,
298
00:16:04,097 --> 00:16:07,767
one has to wonder,
did Lula take these herself,
299
00:16:07,801 --> 00:16:10,136
and actually set the fire
herself?
300
00:16:10,170 --> 00:16:11,805
Or did someone give them to her?
301
00:16:12,439 --> 00:16:15,575
[Narrator] The amount of
medication was not fatal,
302
00:16:15,608 --> 00:16:19,312
but investigators must consider
if the pills were meant
303
00:16:19,346 --> 00:16:23,950
to keep Lula asleep and unable
to escape the raging fire.
304
00:16:24,551 --> 00:16:27,454
[William] Lula Young had been in
Horn Lake for a while.
305
00:16:27,487 --> 00:16:30,757
It's a fairly
close-knit community.
306
00:16:31,424 --> 00:16:35,762
Talking with her neighbors and
people that, that knew her,
307
00:16:35,795 --> 00:16:37,597
that she's now in remission.
308
00:16:37,630 --> 00:16:42,135
Absolutely no way that suicide
would've ever been a factor.
309
00:16:43,069 --> 00:16:44,771
[Mike] She wasn't depressed
at all.
310
00:16:44,804 --> 00:16:48,308
Here was a lady that was lookin'
forward to life the next day.
311
00:16:49,642 --> 00:16:51,277
At this point, investigators
aren't sure about
312
00:16:51,311 --> 00:16:54,314
the sleeping pills
or even if this is arson,
313
00:16:54,347 --> 00:16:58,718
but there are enough red flags
to keep the investigation open.
314
00:17:03,590 --> 00:17:06,893
[Narrator] Investigators
continue speaking to neighbors,
315
00:17:06,926 --> 00:17:08,895
but make little headway...
316
00:17:08,928 --> 00:17:11,431
Until just a few days later,
317
00:17:11,464 --> 00:17:14,567
when they receive a call from
an insurance agent,
318
00:17:14,601 --> 00:17:15,835
Brenda Driver.
319
00:17:17,037 --> 00:17:19,839
The agent explains that she'd
sold Lula a policy
320
00:17:19,873 --> 00:17:22,375
just four months earlier.
321
00:17:23,543 --> 00:17:27,580
She had seen on the news where
Lula had died in the fire.
322
00:17:28,348 --> 00:17:31,051
[Narrator] But that's not why
Brenda's calling.
323
00:17:31,084 --> 00:17:33,586
She says that not long
after the fire,
324
00:17:33,620 --> 00:17:37,490
she had the shock of a lifetime
while grocery shopping.
325
00:17:39,092 --> 00:17:41,261
[Chris] Within two weeks after
the fire,
326
00:17:42,062 --> 00:17:44,631
Brenda Driver was
in Walmart, shopping,
327
00:17:44,664 --> 00:17:48,168
and saw who she thought to
be Lula Young,
328
00:17:48,201 --> 00:17:50,704
the person she
sold the policy to.
329
00:17:54,607 --> 00:17:56,376
[Randy] She said she went home
and told her husband
330
00:17:56,409 --> 00:17:57,510
she'd seen a dead woman walkin',
331
00:17:57,544 --> 00:18:00,380
because she had these papers
sayin', "This lady's dead
332
00:18:00,413 --> 00:18:02,315
and I'm lookin' at her
in the face," you know?
333
00:18:02,882 --> 00:18:05,018
[Chris] Brenda Driver attempts
to contact Lula Young
334
00:18:05,051 --> 00:18:07,821
at the number she has for
Lula Young.
335
00:18:07,854 --> 00:18:09,656
Linda Leedom answers the phone,
336
00:18:09,689 --> 00:18:13,760
identifies herself as
Linda Leedom and Lula's sister.
337
00:18:13,793 --> 00:18:15,395
And confirms she's dead.
338
00:18:17,163 --> 00:18:19,032
[Narrator] Investigators
immediately bring
339
00:18:19,065 --> 00:18:21,735
Brenda in for an interview.
340
00:18:22,035 --> 00:18:24,070
[Leroy] Ms. Driver reported
the fact
341
00:18:24,104 --> 00:18:26,740
that she had been to
Ms. Lula's house
342
00:18:26,773 --> 00:18:31,911
and sold a policy to Ms. Lula
for insurance.
343
00:18:31,945 --> 00:18:35,482
And it had also named
Ms. Linda Leedom
344
00:18:35,515 --> 00:18:38,251
as the beneficiary to that
claim.
345
00:18:38,785 --> 00:18:42,355
Ms. Lula Young had told
Brenda Driver that
346
00:18:42,389 --> 00:18:44,858
they basically were sisters.
347
00:18:45,291 --> 00:18:48,561
And that's the reason that
Linda Leedom was
348
00:18:48,595 --> 00:18:51,297
given the beneficiary part
of it.
349
00:18:52,265 --> 00:18:54,934
The total amount of polices were
approximately
350
00:18:54,968 --> 00:18:56,736
700 thousand dollars.
351
00:18:56,770 --> 00:18:59,839
The policies were so big,
that they required a physical.
352
00:19:00,640 --> 00:19:01,908
[Narrator] With their suspicions
raised,
353
00:19:02,008 --> 00:19:04,477
investigators wonder:
354
00:19:04,511 --> 00:19:09,616
Is it possible that Linda Leedo
could have posed as Lula?
355
00:19:09,649 --> 00:19:12,385
They showed her a picture of
Linda Leedom.
356
00:19:13,420 --> 00:19:16,222
And Brenda Driver said,
"Yes, that is the lady."
357
00:19:16,556 --> 00:19:20,160
Law enforcement also found
the nurse
358
00:19:20,193 --> 00:19:22,796
that actually performed
the physical.
359
00:19:23,730 --> 00:19:26,132
[Chris] Showing photographs of
Linda Leedom
360
00:19:26,166 --> 00:19:28,134
to the nurse who conducted
the exam,
361
00:19:29,235 --> 00:19:32,772
investigators were able to
determine that
362
00:19:32,806 --> 00:19:38,111
Linda Leedom was the one that
actually posed as Lula Young
363
00:19:38,144 --> 00:19:40,547
and took the medical exams.
364
00:19:44,651 --> 00:19:46,820
[Narrator] Instead of pulling
Linda in for an interview,
365
00:19:46,853 --> 00:19:51,725
investigators opt to build ther
case by talking to those
366
00:19:51,758 --> 00:19:53,793
who know her best.
367
00:19:53,827 --> 00:19:56,830
[Leroy] We were building up with
the case that we had.
368
00:19:56,863 --> 00:20:00,066
You talk to friends,
you talk to family members.
369
00:20:00,100 --> 00:20:04,337
That's the easiest way to find
out information on somebody.
370
00:20:07,707 --> 00:20:10,477
[Narrator] Investigators quickly
learn that
371
00:20:10,510 --> 00:20:14,080
Linda's insurance scam wasn't
exactly a secret.
372
00:20:14,514 --> 00:20:18,718
However, Linda claimed
that Lula was in on it.
373
00:20:19,686 --> 00:20:22,555
Linda says to people Lula had
asked her to do this,
374
00:20:22,589 --> 00:20:24,124
and asked her to take
the medical exams,
375
00:20:24,157 --> 00:20:26,393
because she had cancer,
376
00:20:26,426 --> 00:20:28,495
and she knew she could not
complete those exams and,
377
00:20:28,528 --> 00:20:31,264
and obtain those policies for
that value.
378
00:20:31,297 --> 00:20:34,334
Linda was supposed to be
taking care of the kids.
379
00:20:34,367 --> 00:20:36,202
That was Lula's wishes.
380
00:20:37,904 --> 00:20:42,008
[Narrator] But Lula's family
isn't buying it.
381
00:20:42,842 --> 00:20:45,345
Lula never said anything about
an insurance policy
382
00:20:45,378 --> 00:20:47,747
that she had
taken out for anybody.
383
00:20:49,382 --> 00:20:51,618
[Chris] The DA sent it
to the feds
384
00:20:51,651 --> 00:20:53,653
to let them handle
the insurance fraud,
385
00:20:53,687 --> 00:20:57,457
the mail fraud, so that there
would be no chance
386
00:20:57,490 --> 00:20:59,292
of double jeopardy in
state court
387
00:20:59,325 --> 00:21:03,496
if he was ever able to prove
that Linda was involved.
388
00:21:07,334 --> 00:21:09,302
[Narrator] While federal
authorities take over
389
00:21:09,336 --> 00:21:10,837
the fraud case,
390
00:21:10,870 --> 00:21:14,074
investigators refocus
their attention on Lula's death
391
00:21:14,074 --> 00:21:16,543
[Leroy] At this point in time,
392
00:21:16,576 --> 00:21:18,945
I do believe Linda Leedom
was involved.
393
00:21:20,113 --> 00:21:23,883
We found that Ms. Leedom had
a alibi.
394
00:21:23,917 --> 00:21:27,320
In fact, she was at the home
at the time of the fire.
395
00:21:28,955 --> 00:21:30,757
We knew it was arson.
396
00:21:30,790 --> 00:21:34,094
But trying to prove arson in
a lot of times is hard to do
397
00:21:34,094 --> 00:21:35,829
because it's hard to get to
398
00:21:35,862 --> 00:21:38,431
the person that actually
set the fire.
399
00:21:40,367 --> 00:21:41,801
[Narrator] Coming up.
400
00:21:42,268 --> 00:21:45,005
The investigation falls
into peril.
401
00:21:45,739 --> 00:21:48,108
[Leroy] We had a leak of
information being given to
402
00:21:48,141 --> 00:21:49,809
a particular person.
403
00:21:49,843 --> 00:21:52,412
They were feedin'
information to her.
404
00:21:52,445 --> 00:21:54,848
[Narrator] Investigators make
a bold move
405
00:21:54,881 --> 00:21:56,850
to uncover the truth.
406
00:21:57,984 --> 00:22:00,520
Their state investigator's
sitting in another room
407
00:22:00,553 --> 00:22:02,756
listenin' on a body wire.
408
00:22:18,605 --> 00:22:20,874
[Narrator] Mississippi
authorities investigating
409
00:22:20,907 --> 00:22:25,445
the fire that took the life of
47-year-old Lula Young
410
00:22:25,478 --> 00:22:28,648
have found that her best friend
Linda Leedom,
411
00:22:28,682 --> 00:22:32,085
stood to gain over
700 thousand dollars
412
00:22:32,118 --> 00:22:34,287
in insurance payouts.
413
00:22:35,288 --> 00:22:37,590
[Chris] Linda was
her best friend,
414
00:22:37,624 --> 00:22:41,561
and she said Lula Young wanted
Linda to take care of her kids.
415
00:22:41,594 --> 00:22:43,763
The intention was to defraud
416
00:22:43,797 --> 00:22:46,599
the insurance company about
the cancer,
417
00:22:46,966 --> 00:22:50,804
and for Linda to take care of
her kids with that money.
418
00:22:51,805 --> 00:22:54,240
[Narrator] While federal
authorities dig into
419
00:22:54,274 --> 00:22:55,742
the insurance fraud,
420
00:22:55,775 --> 00:22:58,445
local investigators continue
looking for proof
421
00:22:58,478 --> 00:23:01,848
that Linda is
behind Lula's murder.
422
00:23:02,148 --> 00:23:03,683
We knew it was arson,
423
00:23:03,717 --> 00:23:05,785
we just didn't know who
had set the fire.
424
00:23:09,055 --> 00:23:12,959
[Narrator] Months pass with
no new leads.
425
00:23:13,059 --> 00:23:17,297
However, they do learn that
Linda Leedom has been keeping
426
00:23:17,330 --> 00:23:20,333
close tabs on the investigation
427
00:23:21,668 --> 00:23:25,505
Ms. Leedom had two people that
was good friends of hers also,
428
00:23:25,538 --> 00:23:28,341
and one happened to be
a dispatcher.
429
00:23:28,375 --> 00:23:31,111
And they were feedin'
information to her.
430
00:23:32,078 --> 00:23:33,346
Ms. Leedom was gettin'
information
431
00:23:33,380 --> 00:23:35,081
about as fast as we were.
432
00:23:37,350 --> 00:23:38,718
[Narrator] To stop the leak,
433
00:23:38,752 --> 00:23:42,122
investigators take
an unusual step.
434
00:23:42,722 --> 00:23:44,758
[Chris] They released
false information to the public
435
00:23:44,791 --> 00:23:47,560
about an extension cord
bein' the cause of the fire
436
00:23:47,594 --> 00:23:51,231
to try to get the person who di
set the fire to relax
437
00:23:51,264 --> 00:23:54,467
and not be worried about it.
438
00:23:55,201 --> 00:23:59,839
I wanted her to feel like,
"Hey, everything's cool.
439
00:23:59,873 --> 00:24:01,808
I ain't got nothin'
to worry about."
440
00:24:04,210 --> 00:24:07,681
[Narrator] Although no arson or
murder charges have been filed,
441
00:24:07,714 --> 00:24:10,383
Linda remains under
investigation
442
00:24:10,417 --> 00:24:12,052
for insurance fraud.
443
00:24:12,052 --> 00:24:15,188
[Chris] Early on,
investigators had contacted
444
00:24:15,221 --> 00:24:16,856
the insurance companies
445
00:24:16,890 --> 00:24:21,194
and advised them not to pay on
the policies.
446
00:24:21,227 --> 00:24:26,666
One of the policies still paid
275 thousand dollars
447
00:24:26,700 --> 00:24:31,438
before the investigation stoppe
payment of the rest of it.
448
00:24:31,471 --> 00:24:33,073
[Mike] I never saw any of
that money.
449
00:24:33,073 --> 00:24:36,509
I didn't know anything about
the payouts or the money
450
00:24:36,543 --> 00:24:39,846
or the reasonings behind
all of this.
451
00:24:39,879 --> 00:24:41,548
[Chris] When it was all
said and done,
452
00:24:41,581 --> 00:24:45,085
Linda used the money to purchase
numerous rental houses.
453
00:24:46,319 --> 00:24:48,955
[Narrator] While Linda appears
to have no intention of
454
00:24:48,988 --> 00:24:52,926
making good on her promise
to care for Lula's kids,
455
00:24:52,959 --> 00:24:55,628
that doesn't prove
she is a killer.
456
00:24:59,532 --> 00:25:01,468
For the next two years,
457
00:25:01,501 --> 00:25:03,570
investigators continue to
question
458
00:25:03,603 --> 00:25:06,373
anyone familiar with Lula
and Linda...
459
00:25:06,940 --> 00:25:10,744
Until 1997, when they finally
get the break
460
00:25:10,777 --> 00:25:12,545
they've been waiting for.
461
00:25:13,446 --> 00:25:16,082
[Chris] A confidential informant
had approached an officer
462
00:25:16,116 --> 00:25:19,586
that, that he had a trusting,
real good relationship with
463
00:25:19,619 --> 00:25:21,488
and confided in him.
464
00:25:22,122 --> 00:25:27,460
He started talkin' about
Ms. Leedom and her involvement.
465
00:25:30,430 --> 00:25:33,600
[Narrator] On January 16th,
1997,
466
00:25:33,633 --> 00:25:37,470
investigators sit down with
the informant, Robby.
467
00:25:38,138 --> 00:25:40,807
[Chris] He was friends with Lula
and Linda.
468
00:25:40,840 --> 00:25:44,778
He confided that Linda had
actually approached him
469
00:25:44,811 --> 00:25:47,313
on two different occasions,
asking him to basically
470
00:25:47,347 --> 00:25:50,350
kill Lula as a mercy killing.
471
00:25:50,383 --> 00:25:52,085
She had cancer, she was dying.
472
00:25:53,153 --> 00:25:56,923
[Narrator] When Robby declined,
Linda asked him for advice.
473
00:25:57,757 --> 00:26:01,027
[Chris] He was friends with
several police officers.
474
00:26:01,061 --> 00:26:05,732
So, she asked him about how to
burn a house down
475
00:26:05,765 --> 00:26:08,034
without gettin' caught.
476
00:26:09,169 --> 00:26:12,138
He didn't go to the authorities
at that time,
477
00:26:12,172 --> 00:26:15,909
because he didn't think she was
gonna really go through with it.
478
00:26:15,942 --> 00:26:17,577
I don't think he thought Linda
479
00:26:17,610 --> 00:26:20,046
was capable of actually
doin' it.
480
00:26:21,047 --> 00:26:23,783
[Narrator] Robby's statement
comes close to confirming
481
00:26:23,817 --> 00:26:26,486
investigators' suspicions
about Linda,
482
00:26:26,519 --> 00:26:28,588
but they will need more.
483
00:26:32,859 --> 00:26:34,894
Robby is willing to help.
484
00:26:34,928 --> 00:26:38,865
He agrees to wear a wire and
meet up with Linda.
485
00:26:40,066 --> 00:26:43,937
They began tryin' to use him to
go in and speak to Linda
486
00:26:43,970 --> 00:26:45,705
and try to get her to confess.
487
00:26:47,207 --> 00:26:50,176
I don't know how many times the
sent Robby in to talk to Linda,
488
00:26:50,210 --> 00:26:55,515
you know, tryin' to get her to
say on tape that
489
00:26:55,548 --> 00:26:58,351
she had been the one to do it.
490
00:26:58,385 --> 00:27:00,020
She didn't confess.
491
00:27:00,020 --> 00:27:02,555
They just never got what
they wanted.
492
00:27:05,225 --> 00:27:09,562
[Narrator] Investigators fear
the case is once again
493
00:27:09,596 --> 00:27:11,865
in danger of stalling out,
494
00:27:11,898 --> 00:27:15,335
until a second informant,
named David Vincent,
495
00:27:15,368 --> 00:27:19,239
comes forward two weeks
after the first tip from Robby.
496
00:27:20,540 --> 00:27:24,044
[Chris] David Vincent was tryin'
to get a lighter sentence.
497
00:27:24,044 --> 00:27:26,746
He was in jail himself,
he wanted help on his charges.
498
00:27:27,580 --> 00:27:30,583
On February the 3rd, 1997,
499
00:27:30,617 --> 00:27:34,921
I went in to talk to
the informant in jail.
500
00:27:37,190 --> 00:27:39,559
[Narrator] David tells them that
he has information
501
00:27:39,592 --> 00:27:41,227
about Lula's death--
502
00:27:41,261 --> 00:27:44,531
information he got from
his former landscaper,
503
00:27:44,564 --> 00:27:46,800
Charles Wayne Dunn.
504
00:27:46,833 --> 00:27:48,401
[Chris] They'd been workin'
together.
505
00:27:48,435 --> 00:27:50,203
Dunn had confided in him one day
506
00:27:50,236 --> 00:27:53,073
that he had did somethin' that
he regretted.
507
00:27:54,074 --> 00:27:57,577
Charles Wayne Dunn told
David Vincent that
508
00:27:57,610 --> 00:28:00,080
he had killed Lula Young,
509
00:28:00,113 --> 00:28:03,083
and that Linda Leedom
had paid him to do it.
510
00:28:06,186 --> 00:28:09,155
[Narrator] At this point,
David reveals a detail
511
00:28:09,189 --> 00:28:11,825
investigators have long
suspected,
512
00:28:11,858 --> 00:28:14,260
but never made public.
513
00:28:14,294 --> 00:28:16,730
[Chris] Charles Wayne Dunn
told David Vincent that
514
00:28:16,763 --> 00:28:19,065
he had to make it look like
an accident,
515
00:28:19,099 --> 00:28:24,804
because if she died from cancer,
the policies may not pay.
516
00:28:25,505 --> 00:28:27,640
When he was tellin' the story,
517
00:28:27,674 --> 00:28:29,909
what was runnin' through my head
is, "We got her."
518
00:28:29,943 --> 00:28:31,478
I mean, this is the break we've
been looking for,
519
00:28:31,511 --> 00:28:34,047
if he's tellin' the truth.
520
00:28:35,515 --> 00:28:40,487
The next step for me is to try
to substantiate what
521
00:28:40,520 --> 00:28:42,122
David Vincent is tellin' us.
522
00:28:42,155 --> 00:28:45,492
And so, I did a little research
on Dunn and find out
523
00:28:45,525 --> 00:28:47,227
that he was on probation.
524
00:28:50,663 --> 00:28:53,066
[Narrator] In Charles Wayne
Dunn's file,
525
00:28:53,099 --> 00:28:57,270
investigators find information
connecting him to Linda.
526
00:28:58,171 --> 00:29:00,173
Linda Leedom was listed as
his employer
527
00:29:00,206 --> 00:29:04,010
and person to contact
in case of emergency.
528
00:29:07,347 --> 00:29:10,684
[Narrator] Confident that
they are on the right track,
529
00:29:10,717 --> 00:29:13,586
investigators set up a sting.
530
00:29:14,354 --> 00:29:17,490
I devised a plan with his
probation officer to have
531
00:29:17,524 --> 00:29:19,192
Dunn come into
the probation office
532
00:29:19,225 --> 00:29:20,694
for a meeting.
533
00:29:20,727 --> 00:29:24,497
Then they got David Vincent out
and wired him,
534
00:29:24,531 --> 00:29:28,134
and had him report like he woul
just been put on probation.
535
00:29:29,035 --> 00:29:32,038
And I had them sit in
the lobby together,
536
00:29:32,038 --> 00:29:35,108
like they're waiting to see
their probation officer.
537
00:29:35,141 --> 00:29:37,177
[Narrator] With the wire live,
538
00:29:37,210 --> 00:29:41,414
David acts surprised to see
his former co-worker and friend
539
00:29:41,881 --> 00:29:43,917
We had him ease into
the conversation, and then
540
00:29:43,950 --> 00:29:47,053
get into what Dunn had told him
in the past.
541
00:29:50,557 --> 00:29:52,859
David Vincent had said that
542
00:29:52,892 --> 00:29:54,894
he was thinkin' about
killing somebody,
543
00:29:54,928 --> 00:29:58,298
and that's the way he got
the conversation started.
544
00:29:58,732 --> 00:30:00,200
[Chris] Dunn's response when
545
00:30:00,233 --> 00:30:03,103
Vincent's asking him about
the situation was,
546
00:30:03,136 --> 00:30:05,372
"You should think about it,
your past doesn't escape you."
547
00:30:05,405 --> 00:30:09,342
The irony of that,
his past wasn't escaping him.
548
00:30:09,376 --> 00:30:11,745
There are state investigators
sitting in the other room,
549
00:30:11,778 --> 00:30:15,081
listenin' on a body wire,
and Vincent just said,
550
00:30:15,115 --> 00:30:18,218
"Hey, you remember the time you
told me you killed this woman?"
551
00:30:18,918 --> 00:30:21,554
While Dunn didn't come out and
say exactly what
552
00:30:21,588 --> 00:30:23,590
I hoped he would say,
553
00:30:23,623 --> 00:30:26,493
he didn't deny it at all.
554
00:30:26,526 --> 00:30:30,130
At this point, I felt like
that I was ready to
555
00:30:30,163 --> 00:30:32,899
actually talk to Dunn myself.
556
00:30:34,901 --> 00:30:35,769
[Narrator] Coming up.
557
00:30:36,736 --> 00:30:39,205
Face-to-face with
a suspected killer,
558
00:30:39,239 --> 00:30:42,776
investigators drill down
for the truth...
559
00:30:43,410 --> 00:30:45,578
Chris told him, "You know why
you're here, and so do we."
560
00:30:46,146 --> 00:30:48,415
[Narrator] And
a disturbing picture
561
00:30:48,448 --> 00:30:49,516
begins to take shape.
562
00:30:50,784 --> 00:30:52,285
This was not the only time
563
00:30:52,318 --> 00:30:55,155
he had set a fire
for Linda Leedom.
564
00:30:58,892 --> 00:31:03,129
[theme music]
565
00:31:11,438 --> 00:31:13,773
[Narrator] Two years after
Lula Young
566
00:31:13,807 --> 00:31:15,542
is killed in a house fire,
567
00:31:15,575 --> 00:31:18,778
Mississippi authorities are
eager to talk to
568
00:31:18,812 --> 00:31:19,946
Charles Wayne Dunn,
569
00:31:19,979 --> 00:31:21,915
following
incriminating statements
570
00:31:21,948 --> 00:31:24,451
made during a wiretap.
571
00:31:24,784 --> 00:31:28,188
[Randy] On February 20th of
1997,
572
00:31:28,221 --> 00:31:32,792
Chris Sheley and I
went to Wayne Dunn's residence.
573
00:31:32,826 --> 00:31:34,627
And when we got there,
Wayne goes,
574
00:31:34,661 --> 00:31:37,163
"I've been expecting y'all."
575
00:31:39,632 --> 00:31:42,635
[Narrator] Dunn accompanies them
back to the DA's office
576
00:31:42,669 --> 00:31:44,371
for an interview.
577
00:31:44,838 --> 00:31:46,439
I began interviewin' Dunn and,
578
00:31:46,473 --> 00:31:50,010
and was goin' through some
preliminary background stuff.
579
00:31:50,110 --> 00:31:54,014
He was nervous and uptight.
And kind of panicky.
580
00:31:54,514 --> 00:31:58,218
Chris told him, "You know why
you're here, and so do we."
581
00:31:58,251 --> 00:32:01,821
And finally, he started
his confession.
582
00:32:03,356 --> 00:32:07,227
[Narrator] Dunn explains that
he met Lula in 1993,
583
00:32:07,260 --> 00:32:09,763
when she hired him to do
some work around her house.
584
00:32:09,796 --> 00:32:12,399
[Randy] Dunn was a handyman,
585
00:32:12,432 --> 00:32:14,234
he went over and did stuff
for her.
586
00:32:14,267 --> 00:32:17,671
[Narrator] Charles Wayne Dunn
was also friends with Linda.
587
00:32:17,704 --> 00:32:20,240
And he says in 1994,
588
00:32:20,273 --> 00:32:23,777
Linda came to him with
a dangerous proposition.
589
00:32:24,277 --> 00:32:27,247
[Randy] He said Linda,
she confronted him that
590
00:32:27,280 --> 00:32:31,418
she would give him five thousand
dollars to kill Lula,
591
00:32:31,451 --> 00:32:34,421
because Lula was suffering
'cause she had cancer.
592
00:32:35,188 --> 00:32:38,191
She told Wayne Dunn that she was
gonna die anyway,
593
00:32:38,224 --> 00:32:39,926
so why not take advantage of it?
594
00:32:39,959 --> 00:32:44,297
Ultimately Dunn confessed that
he was the one that
595
00:32:44,330 --> 00:32:46,299
set the fire.
596
00:32:48,101 --> 00:32:50,437
[Randy] We got an arrest warrant
that night,
597
00:32:50,470 --> 00:32:52,706
and one of us
booked him into jail.
598
00:32:52,739 --> 00:32:56,109
[Chris] After Dunn confesses to
the things, we, of course,
599
00:32:56,109 --> 00:32:58,111
would like to try to
substantiate
600
00:32:58,111 --> 00:33:00,113
what he's tellin' us
as much as we can,
601
00:33:00,146 --> 00:33:04,050
by tryin' to get him to talk to
Linda wearing a body wire.
602
00:33:07,287 --> 00:33:08,855
[Narrator] The following day,
603
00:33:08,888 --> 00:33:10,857
investigators put their third
604
00:33:10,890 --> 00:33:14,561
and hopefully final sting
into action.
605
00:33:15,595 --> 00:33:19,466
[Chris] They wire him up and
send him in to talk to Linda
606
00:33:19,499 --> 00:33:22,802
under the pretense that he's
feelin' bad about it.
607
00:33:22,836 --> 00:33:25,538
Linda didn't say the things
608
00:33:25,572 --> 00:33:27,907
we would've liked for
her to have said,
609
00:33:27,941 --> 00:33:30,910
but she didn't say anything that
indicated that
610
00:33:30,944 --> 00:33:32,645
she was innocent either.
611
00:33:32,679 --> 00:33:33,646
And to the contrary,
612
00:33:33,680 --> 00:33:35,081
she wound up givin' him, like,
613
00:33:35,081 --> 00:33:36,716
two hundred dollars I think
to leave town.
614
00:33:36,750 --> 00:33:40,720
[Narrator] After failing to get
the confession they need
615
00:33:40,754 --> 00:33:41,955
to make an arrest,
616
00:33:41,988 --> 00:33:44,224
Dunn returns to investigators,
617
00:33:44,257 --> 00:33:47,360
who press him for more details
of the murder.
618
00:33:47,894 --> 00:33:50,530
In Dunn's original confession,
619
00:33:50,563 --> 00:33:55,335
he left out the, the part about
the propane tank and so forth.
620
00:33:56,403 --> 00:34:00,273
[Narrator] Dunn says on
December 18th, 1994,
621
00:34:00,306 --> 00:34:03,243
he went to Lula's house
for a visit.
622
00:34:04,844 --> 00:34:06,946
Dunn went over to just act like
623
00:34:07,047 --> 00:34:08,314
he was comin' by to
visit with her,
624
00:34:08,348 --> 00:34:09,849
'cause she was
familiar with him.
625
00:34:10,383 --> 00:34:12,485
[Narrator] Dunn brought
a propane tank
626
00:34:12,519 --> 00:34:15,522
Linda had asked Lula
to keep for her.
627
00:34:17,290 --> 00:34:19,759
[Chris] Dunn said he had given
her medicine
628
00:34:19,793 --> 00:34:22,062
to make her fall asleep,
629
00:34:22,696 --> 00:34:26,499
so that she wouldn't suffer
during the fire.
630
00:34:27,334 --> 00:34:31,237
He waited on her to go to sleep
before he set the fire.
631
00:34:32,739 --> 00:34:36,209
He talked about cracking
the valve on the propane,
632
00:34:36,242 --> 00:34:40,847
and he put newspaper down in
front of the propane heater.
633
00:34:41,848 --> 00:34:45,485
He turned the heater on and
walked out the door and left.
634
00:34:46,319 --> 00:34:48,688
Once the heater come on,
ignited the paper,
635
00:34:48,722 --> 00:34:52,492
the gas was already there for
the paper to ignite it,
636
00:34:52,525 --> 00:34:55,328
and that's when you get
the big explosion.
637
00:35:00,367 --> 00:35:02,035
[Chris] He was tellin' us
enough about it
638
00:35:02,068 --> 00:35:03,837
that wasn't public information.
639
00:35:03,870 --> 00:35:06,306
He told it in a way that...
640
00:35:06,339 --> 00:35:09,743
That you got the feeling that
he's telling you the truth,
641
00:35:09,776 --> 00:35:12,379
or he did it himself.
642
00:35:15,348 --> 00:35:17,417
[Narrator] Before
the interview ends,
643
00:35:17,450 --> 00:35:21,054
Charles Wayne Dunn drops one
more bombshell...
644
00:35:22,155 --> 00:35:26,526
One that investigators do not
see coming.
645
00:35:26,559 --> 00:35:29,462
[Chris] One of the things that
Dunn told us about
646
00:35:29,496 --> 00:35:31,865
when we were interviewing him
was that
647
00:35:31,898 --> 00:35:34,200
this was not the only time
648
00:35:34,234 --> 00:35:36,770
he had set a fire
for Linda Leedom.
649
00:35:36,803 --> 00:35:41,074
[Leroy] There happened to be
a fire that was set on a house
650
00:35:41,074 --> 00:35:42,942
that was in South Haven.
651
00:35:42,976 --> 00:35:47,247
And that house belonged to the,
Ms. Leedom's daughter.
652
00:35:47,280 --> 00:35:49,182
It was two years after
653
00:35:49,215 --> 00:35:51,584
the initial fire in
Ms. Lula's house.
654
00:35:51,618 --> 00:35:54,587
They just evidently decided
the best thing to do is
655
00:35:54,621 --> 00:35:58,425
set it on fire and then get that
insurance money also.
656
00:36:01,227 --> 00:36:02,762
[Narrator] Investigators
are stunned.
657
00:36:04,297 --> 00:36:06,399
[Chris] Linda Leedom
has gone from
658
00:36:06,433 --> 00:36:09,069
this person that everybody knew
and liked
659
00:36:09,102 --> 00:36:12,305
to this basically
criminal mastermind.
660
00:36:13,740 --> 00:36:16,076
We felt like we had enough
after talkin' with Dunn
661
00:36:16,109 --> 00:36:18,311
and doin' the body wire
with Dunn
662
00:36:18,345 --> 00:36:20,647
that we could go to a grand jury
663
00:36:20,680 --> 00:36:22,849
to try to move forward with
the case.
664
00:36:24,084 --> 00:36:27,053
[Narrator] On March 11th, 1997,
665
00:36:27,087 --> 00:36:29,289
three years after Lula's death,
666
00:36:29,322 --> 00:36:31,891
the grand jury indicts
Linda Leedom,
667
00:36:31,925 --> 00:36:36,129
and authorities move forward
with an arrest that same day.
668
00:36:36,563 --> 00:36:38,765
[Randy] The initial warrants for
Linda Leedom
669
00:36:38,798 --> 00:36:43,236
were capital murder, conspiracy
to commit capital murder,
670
00:36:43,269 --> 00:36:45,105
three counts of forgery,
671
00:36:45,138 --> 00:36:47,107
conspiracy to commit arson,
672
00:36:47,140 --> 00:36:49,809
arson,
and three counts of fraud.
673
00:36:51,144 --> 00:36:52,879
She acted like she was in shock
674
00:36:53,546 --> 00:36:56,249
If I remember correctly,
she goes, "What's this about?"
675
00:37:00,286 --> 00:37:01,721
[Narrator] Following her arrest,
676
00:37:01,755 --> 00:37:04,758
investigators execute
a search warrant
677
00:37:04,791 --> 00:37:06,292
at Linda's home.
678
00:37:06,793 --> 00:37:09,763
One of the things that we found
in the search warrant
679
00:37:09,796 --> 00:37:12,532
was several hundred thousand
dollars' worth of insurance
680
00:37:12,565 --> 00:37:14,801
on another individual.
681
00:37:18,238 --> 00:37:20,540
The gentleman's name was
Robert Stovall,
682
00:37:20,573 --> 00:37:23,677
and we found out that she was
tryin' to make arrangements to
683
00:37:23,710 --> 00:37:25,745
whereby they was gonna do
him in also,
684
00:37:25,779 --> 00:37:28,748
just like they did Ms. Young,
for insurance purposes.
685
00:37:29,582 --> 00:37:31,284
I found all these
insurance policies
686
00:37:31,317 --> 00:37:32,552
on Robert Stovall,
687
00:37:32,585 --> 00:37:35,955
with Linda Leedom
bein' the beneficiary.
688
00:37:36,056 --> 00:37:37,557
And we discovered Stovall
689
00:37:37,590 --> 00:37:41,728
was a individual that
Linda Leedom's mother
690
00:37:41,761 --> 00:37:44,698
oversaw his financial dealings
and so forth.
691
00:37:44,731 --> 00:37:47,067
This really brought a red flag
to me,
692
00:37:47,067 --> 00:37:50,070
because in my case against Dunn
693
00:37:50,070 --> 00:37:54,574
I had interviewed his friend wh
said he had actually been asked
694
00:37:54,607 --> 00:37:57,777
to help Dunn kill another
individual.
695
00:37:57,811 --> 00:38:00,914
And, and at the time,
I didn't give it much thought.
696
00:38:01,014 --> 00:38:02,582
It kind of felt like one of
those deals,
697
00:38:02,615 --> 00:38:05,752
"Well, he's just tryin' to be
important in the case,"
698
00:38:05,785 --> 00:38:07,320
and so forth.
699
00:38:07,354 --> 00:38:09,389
But then when I found these
insurance policies,
700
00:38:09,422 --> 00:38:11,024
a little bell went off in
my head and said,
701
00:38:11,057 --> 00:38:12,692
"This is who he's talking
about."
702
00:38:14,861 --> 00:38:18,331
She already had talked to
somebody to actually
703
00:38:18,898 --> 00:38:22,602
take care of Robert as far as
takin' him out.
704
00:38:25,105 --> 00:38:26,573
[Narrator] Fortunately,
705
00:38:26,606 --> 00:38:30,143
they find that Linda hasn't yet
had time to pull off
706
00:38:30,176 --> 00:38:31,611
her next plot.
707
00:38:31,644 --> 00:38:35,415
They find Robert Stovall
alive and well.
708
00:38:36,349 --> 00:38:37,817
[Chris] When Stovall was
interviewed,
709
00:38:37,851 --> 00:38:39,219
he didn't even
know who Linda Leedom was.
710
00:38:39,886 --> 00:38:43,123
Once she did it with Lula on
the insurance stuff,
711
00:38:43,156 --> 00:38:44,190
I think she saw that
opportunity with
712
00:38:44,224 --> 00:38:47,494
the Stovall situation, too.
713
00:38:49,062 --> 00:38:51,097
[Narrator] Coming up.
714
00:38:51,131 --> 00:38:56,269
Lula's loved ones worry that
her killer may escape justice.
715
00:38:56,903 --> 00:39:00,073
She was doing what Lula wanted
in obtaining
716
00:39:00,106 --> 00:39:01,641
those policies fraudulently.
717
00:39:01,675 --> 00:39:06,246
She's sittin' there listenin'
and totally unmoved by this.
718
00:39:06,279 --> 00:39:09,716
She probably felt like, "Money
will buy me out of this, also."
719
00:39:23,596 --> 00:39:26,399
[Narrator]
By the spring of 1997,
720
00:39:26,433 --> 00:39:29,069
Linda Leedom is in custody
awaiting trail,
721
00:39:29,102 --> 00:39:33,273
almost three years after
the murder of her best friend,
722
00:39:33,306 --> 00:39:34,874
Lula Young.
723
00:39:37,644 --> 00:39:40,046
While Lula was battling cancer,
724
00:39:40,046 --> 00:39:42,949
the woman she thought
was her best friend
725
00:39:43,049 --> 00:39:45,118
was plotting her death.
726
00:39:45,919 --> 00:39:48,555
Linda is plannin' on
killin' somebody
727
00:39:48,588 --> 00:39:50,890
is sick to begin with for money.
728
00:39:51,891 --> 00:39:54,627
She seemed to be looking after
Ms. Young.
729
00:39:55,161 --> 00:39:57,197
I don't really think she was
doin' anything other than
730
00:39:57,230 --> 00:40:00,500
watchin' out for her investment.
731
00:40:00,533 --> 00:40:04,537
It was extremely cold,
extremely cold.
732
00:40:08,942 --> 00:40:13,980
[Narrator] In August 1999,
Linda stands trial.
733
00:40:14,014 --> 00:40:17,884
Linda, of course, did not plead
guilty and went to trial,
734
00:40:17,917 --> 00:40:20,153
and we tried her for
capital murder.
735
00:40:20,987 --> 00:40:22,722
[Narrator] Prosecutors paint
Linda
736
00:40:22,756 --> 00:40:25,225
as a greedy woman who plotted
Lula's murder
737
00:40:25,258 --> 00:40:27,761
for financial gain.
738
00:40:28,528 --> 00:40:30,764
[Chris] The story that we were
tryin' to show
739
00:40:30,797 --> 00:40:34,734
was just how manipulative
and evil she was.
740
00:40:34,768 --> 00:40:37,871
I mean, this woman was
supposed to be her best friend.
741
00:40:39,706 --> 00:40:42,108
[Randy] To buy insurance,
wait 'em to go into effect,
742
00:40:42,142 --> 00:40:43,309
go take physicals to do it.
743
00:40:43,343 --> 00:40:46,279
I mean, this is not
somethin' I decide on Tuesday
744
00:40:46,312 --> 00:40:47,681
and I go do it on Wednesday
745
00:40:47,714 --> 00:40:49,182
and we take care of it on
Thursday.
746
00:40:49,215 --> 00:40:50,550
I mean, no.
747
00:40:50,583 --> 00:40:53,420
This is a months, months,
months-long process.
748
00:40:57,590 --> 00:41:00,126
[Narrator] The prosecution's
star witness
749
00:41:00,160 --> 00:41:02,195
bolsters their claims.
750
00:41:02,228 --> 00:41:04,964
[Chris] In Linda's murder trial,
751
00:41:05,065 --> 00:41:07,167
Charles Wayne Dunn
took the stand
752
00:41:07,200 --> 00:41:12,772
and told of his involvement in
the murder of Lula Young,
753
00:41:12,806 --> 00:41:16,076
and he also told of
Linda Leedom's involvement.
754
00:41:16,643 --> 00:41:21,214
Linda's defense was she was
doing what Lula wanted
755
00:41:21,247 --> 00:41:24,084
in obtaining those policies
fraudulently.
756
00:41:24,117 --> 00:41:27,787
The plan was for her to be
the recipient of the money,
757
00:41:27,821 --> 00:41:30,890
because the kids couldn't
supposedly handle the money.
758
00:41:33,827 --> 00:41:36,096
[Narrator] As the trial unfolds,
759
00:41:36,096 --> 00:41:40,266
Linda's lack of emotion
stuns the courtroom.
760
00:41:40,300 --> 00:41:41,935
She's sittin' there listenin'
761
00:41:41,968 --> 00:41:45,805
and, and watchin'
what's goin' down,
762
00:41:45,839 --> 00:41:49,309
but totally unmoved by this.
763
00:41:49,342 --> 00:41:53,113
In all of her life, if anything
ever had went wrong with her,
764
00:41:53,146 --> 00:41:54,581
money bought her out of it.
765
00:41:54,614 --> 00:41:57,484
And I think in her heart
she probably felt like,
766
00:41:57,517 --> 00:41:59,919
"Money will buy me out of this,
also."
767
00:42:02,389 --> 00:42:04,557
[Narrator] After a brief
deliberation,
768
00:42:04,591 --> 00:42:06,960
the jury returns a verdict.
769
00:42:08,962 --> 00:42:12,465
Linda was found guilty on all
accounts.
770
00:42:13,833 --> 00:42:15,068
[Randy] When Linda was found
guilty at the trial,
771
00:42:15,068 --> 00:42:19,839
the judge looked her in the face
and the words he told her,
772
00:42:19,873 --> 00:42:22,475
"You never deserve to walk the
streets of Mississippi again,
773
00:42:22,509 --> 00:42:24,978
and I'll see that you don't."
774
00:42:25,078 --> 00:42:29,082
He gave her life in prison with
no possibility of parole.
775
00:42:33,753 --> 00:42:36,656
[Narrator] Though Linda is
safely behind bars,
776
00:42:36,690 --> 00:42:39,292
the legacy of
her coldhearted plot
777
00:42:39,325 --> 00:42:41,761
lingers in Horn Lake.
778
00:42:42,595 --> 00:42:48,468
Linda Leedom was the greediest,
selfish, coldhearted-est person
779
00:42:48,501 --> 00:42:49,869
that I ever met.
780
00:42:49,903 --> 00:42:53,807
Linda Leedom is exactly where
she needs to be.
781
00:42:54,908 --> 00:42:57,844
[Leroy] She took of a lady was
already fightin' cancer.
782
00:42:58,878 --> 00:43:01,414
A lady that was well known in
the community,
783
00:43:01,448 --> 00:43:04,084
a volunteer that'd help anybody
784
00:43:04,117 --> 00:43:08,121
And to do her that way all for
the one thing...
785
00:43:08,154 --> 00:43:09,356
money...
786
00:43:09,389 --> 00:43:11,725
is so coldhearted.
787
00:43:11,758 --> 00:43:13,860
It's just hard to fathom.
788
00:43:14,694 --> 00:43:16,062
What I never understood,
though,
789
00:43:16,062 --> 00:43:19,065
is how you can go from
friendship to...
790
00:43:19,632 --> 00:43:21,735
To that, you know?
It just...
791
00:43:21,768 --> 00:43:23,703
That's the part I never
understood.
792
00:43:23,737 --> 00:43:27,207
My mom looked in the good of
everyone.
793
00:43:27,240 --> 00:43:31,978
My mom tried to help anyone tha
she can with whatever she could
794
00:43:34,247 --> 00:43:43,923
[music]