1 00:00:01,167 --> 00:00:03,235 - Female narrator: When a fun-loving country girl 2 00:00:03,237 --> 00:00:08,107 falls for a real-life louisiana cowboy, sparks fly. 3 00:00:08,109 --> 00:00:10,309 - He was one of the toughest, most rugged cowboys 4 00:00:10,311 --> 00:00:12,011 that there ever was. 5 00:00:12,013 --> 00:00:14,747 - He wore spurs on his boots. 6 00:00:14,749 --> 00:00:18,751 She, on the other hand, was always dressed to a t. 7 00:00:18,753 --> 00:00:22,654 - She had him totally captivated. 8 00:00:22,656 --> 00:00:24,156 - Narrator: But one March evening, 9 00:00:24,158 --> 00:00:28,260 their picturesque life comes to a sudden end. 10 00:00:28,262 --> 00:00:31,363 - Victor: He was lying on his back, face up 11 00:00:31,365 --> 00:00:34,266 with his hands extended over his head. 12 00:00:34,268 --> 00:00:35,801 Quite a bit of blood. 13 00:00:35,803 --> 00:00:37,536 - It appeared as if the perpetrator 14 00:00:37,538 --> 00:00:39,538 was searching for something. 15 00:00:39,540 --> 00:00:40,973 - [siren wails] 16 00:00:40,975 --> 00:00:43,442 - narrator: As investigators hunt for answers, they uncover 17 00:00:43,444 --> 00:00:47,713 a plot far more devious than they could imagine. 18 00:00:47,715 --> 00:00:51,850 - People had seen them together, and you know how it is. 19 00:00:51,852 --> 00:00:54,153 Little towns, they start talking. 20 00:00:54,155 --> 00:00:56,388 - She was all he thought about. 21 00:00:56,390 --> 00:00:58,223 He was in love with her. 22 00:00:58,225 --> 00:00:59,992 - William: There was a bunch of bickering back and forth 23 00:00:59,994 --> 00:01:01,393 between the families. 24 00:01:01,395 --> 00:01:03,695 - Van: The noose was tightening, so to speak. 25 00:01:03,697 --> 00:01:05,898 The wagons were circling. 26 00:01:05,900 --> 00:01:09,535 - It became a cold and calculated murder. 27 00:01:09,537 --> 00:01:11,537 - William: She twisted his mind. 28 00:01:11,539 --> 00:01:13,172 And that's the truth about it. 29 00:01:13,174 --> 00:01:14,306 - ♪ 30 00:01:14,308 --> 00:01:15,507 - [gunshot blasts] 31 00:01:16,477 --> 00:01:20,746 - ♪ 32 00:01:22,149 --> 00:01:25,784 ♪♪ 33 00:01:27,588 --> 00:01:29,822 - narrator: March 1st, 1997. 34 00:01:29,824 --> 00:01:32,157 Natchitoches, louisiana. 35 00:01:32,159 --> 00:01:35,494 Though it's been over 60 years since john wayne filmed 36 00:01:35,496 --> 00:01:38,330 his westerns in this small southern city, 37 00:01:38,332 --> 00:01:43,836 the town still plays host to genuine american cowboys. 38 00:01:43,838 --> 00:01:46,338 - It's more than just the cowboy hat 39 00:01:46,340 --> 00:01:49,108 and wrangler jeans and cowboy boots. 40 00:01:49,110 --> 00:01:51,877 They're the people who go out first thing in the morning 41 00:01:51,879 --> 00:01:55,714 at daylight and work the fences and haul the cattle, 42 00:01:55,716 --> 00:01:57,416 come in at night exhausted, 43 00:01:57,418 --> 00:02:00,085 but feeling that they did a good hard day's work. 44 00:02:00,087 --> 00:02:04,790 - ♪ 45 00:02:04,792 --> 00:02:07,526 - narrator: It's just after 7:00pm when a call comes 46 00:02:07,528 --> 00:02:09,761 into the natchitoches sheriff's office. 47 00:02:11,599 --> 00:02:16,201 The caller is 36-year-old princess lacaze. 48 00:02:16,203 --> 00:02:19,371 - She had come home and found her husband lying 49 00:02:19,373 --> 00:02:20,973 on the kitchen floor. 50 00:02:20,975 --> 00:02:23,742 She called out to him, and he didn't answer. 51 00:02:23,744 --> 00:02:27,746 She saw him only from the door, saw him lying on the floor, 52 00:02:27,748 --> 00:02:31,717 a lot of blood around, so she didn't know if he was dead 53 00:02:31,719 --> 00:02:32,718 or what happened. 54 00:02:32,720 --> 00:02:34,753 She was very emotional. 55 00:02:34,755 --> 00:02:35,954 - [siren wails] 56 00:02:35,956 --> 00:02:37,623 - narrator: Natchitoches sheriff's deputies rush 57 00:02:37,625 --> 00:02:40,392 to the home where princess lives with her husband, 58 00:02:40,394 --> 00:02:44,062 41-year-old mike lacaze. 59 00:02:44,064 --> 00:02:46,899 Responding officers request that she stay put 60 00:02:46,901 --> 00:02:49,168 as they enter the home. 61 00:02:49,170 --> 00:02:51,970 - Mike was found, uh, on the floor 62 00:02:51,972 --> 00:02:54,106 by the bar in the kitchen. 63 00:02:54,108 --> 00:02:58,110 - ♪ 64 00:02:58,112 --> 00:03:02,114 - victor: He was on his back face up with his hands 65 00:03:02,116 --> 00:03:05,851 extended over his head and had no shirt on 66 00:03:05,853 --> 00:03:07,452 and some blue jeans. 67 00:03:07,454 --> 00:03:10,355 Quite a bit of blood in the area where mike was lying. 68 00:03:10,357 --> 00:03:12,824 - It appeared that he had the single gunshot wound 69 00:03:12,826 --> 00:03:15,694 in the shoulder area left side. 70 00:03:15,696 --> 00:03:19,431 - Narrator: Officers are unable to find a pulse. 71 00:03:19,433 --> 00:03:20,699 - Victor: I was surprised. 72 00:03:20,701 --> 00:03:22,601 I knew mike probably right out of high school. 73 00:03:22,603 --> 00:03:24,203 I knew the whole family. 74 00:03:24,205 --> 00:03:27,839 I started thinking about: Who would want to kill mike lacaze? 75 00:03:27,841 --> 00:03:30,342 Because even though he was so rough and tough, 76 00:03:30,344 --> 00:03:33,812 I never knew of mike having a real enemy, 77 00:03:33,814 --> 00:03:36,014 somebody who would want to hurt him. 78 00:03:36,016 --> 00:03:37,549 I didn't know of anyone. 79 00:03:39,720 --> 00:03:41,453 - ♪ 80 00:03:41,455 --> 00:03:45,190 - narrator: Born in 1955, mike lacaze grew up 81 00:03:45,192 --> 00:03:49,328 with his three siblings just south of natchitoches. 82 00:03:49,330 --> 00:03:53,031 By high school, mike could just as easily rope a calf 83 00:03:53,033 --> 00:03:55,534 as saddle a horse. 84 00:03:55,536 --> 00:03:58,704 - Joe: He always was out with the rest of them cowboys. 85 00:03:58,706 --> 00:04:02,140 He went and rode bulls for a while 86 00:04:02,142 --> 00:04:05,143 just to show people that he could do it. 87 00:04:05,145 --> 00:04:07,412 - Narrator: Though mike attracted plenty of attention 88 00:04:07,414 --> 00:04:10,682 from the opposite sex, one young woman knew 89 00:04:10,684 --> 00:04:14,419 her feelings for mike were more than a crush. 90 00:04:14,421 --> 00:04:17,856 - Rhonda: When I met mike, he was getting off a school bus, 91 00:04:17,858 --> 00:04:21,393 and I looked at my girlfriend next to me and I said, 92 00:04:21,395 --> 00:04:24,029 "I'm gonna marry that man one day." 93 00:04:24,031 --> 00:04:27,366 and I did a couple of years later. 94 00:04:27,368 --> 00:04:31,436 - Narrator: In June of 1974, just after mike's graduation 95 00:04:31,438 --> 00:04:35,907 and with rhonda still in school, the young couple married. 96 00:04:35,909 --> 00:04:37,175 - Rhonda: I was in love. 97 00:04:37,177 --> 00:04:42,180 Mike could be very funny, playful, joking. 98 00:04:42,182 --> 00:04:45,350 We got married when I was 14. 99 00:04:45,352 --> 00:04:47,719 Me and mike had two children together. 100 00:04:47,721 --> 00:04:52,691 Our first one was michael junior in 1978. 101 00:04:52,693 --> 00:04:56,295 And then william lane was born in 1981. 102 00:04:58,732 --> 00:05:01,233 - Narrator: Eager to provide for his family, mike turned 103 00:05:01,235 --> 00:05:05,237 his natural skills with livestock into a living. 104 00:05:05,239 --> 00:05:09,641 - Mike started working for rayburn smith in the 70s. 105 00:05:09,643 --> 00:05:13,912 They sold cattle, sheep, horses, 106 00:05:13,914 --> 00:05:16,815 any kind of animals pretty much. 107 00:05:16,817 --> 00:05:20,052 - Mike was one of the toughest, most rugged cowboys that 108 00:05:20,054 --> 00:05:22,554 there ever was in this country, anyway. 109 00:05:22,556 --> 00:05:24,990 He worked for me for 20-plus years off and on. 110 00:05:24,992 --> 00:05:28,126 I got to be really good friends with mike. 111 00:05:28,128 --> 00:05:30,595 - Narrator: In addition to the bruises and broken bones 112 00:05:30,597 --> 00:05:34,299 that came along with being a cowboy, 19-year-old mike 113 00:05:34,301 --> 00:05:37,836 started experiencing symptoms that couldn't be explained 114 00:05:37,838 --> 00:05:39,671 by his job. 115 00:05:39,673 --> 00:05:42,808 - Mike was diagnosed with polycystic kidney disease 116 00:05:42,810 --> 00:05:44,776 at 19. 117 00:05:44,778 --> 00:05:48,246 - Narrator: Mike didn't let the diagnosis slow him down. 118 00:05:48,248 --> 00:05:50,782 He continued to put in long days at work 119 00:05:50,784 --> 00:05:54,820 and came home every night to wrangle his two sons. 120 00:05:54,822 --> 00:05:56,755 - William: My brother's three years older than I am, 121 00:05:56,757 --> 00:05:58,623 and we was raised up on a farm. 122 00:05:58,625 --> 00:06:02,294 We rode horses, worked cows, had chickens, dogs. 123 00:06:02,296 --> 00:06:05,097 - ♪ 124 00:06:05,099 --> 00:06:07,699 - narrator: Mike lived and breathed his job, 125 00:06:07,701 --> 00:06:11,436 and his best friend often worked alongside him. 126 00:06:11,438 --> 00:06:13,438 - William: That was daddy's hobby, he worked. 127 00:06:13,440 --> 00:06:17,676 And merilyn robinson was my daddy's lifelong friend. 128 00:06:17,678 --> 00:06:20,812 They was probably friends for 20 years or better. 129 00:06:20,814 --> 00:06:24,516 - Rhonda: Him and merilyn grew up like brothers. 130 00:06:24,518 --> 00:06:28,120 Where you seen one, you seen the other. 131 00:06:28,122 --> 00:06:31,623 Merilyn probably knew him better than I did. 132 00:06:34,962 --> 00:06:38,730 - Narrator: Though they'd built a family together, by 1990, 133 00:06:38,732 --> 00:06:43,301 mike's 16-year marriage to rhonda was falling apart. 134 00:06:43,303 --> 00:06:47,406 - Thought I was in love, and I didn't know what love was. 135 00:06:47,408 --> 00:06:49,708 So... 136 00:06:49,710 --> 00:06:52,544 We just went our separate ways. 137 00:06:52,546 --> 00:06:55,981 - Narrator: Following the split, mike focused on his work, 138 00:06:55,983 --> 00:07:00,685 until a 30-year-old local woman named princess potmesil 139 00:07:00,687 --> 00:07:02,687 came into his world. 140 00:07:02,689 --> 00:07:07,426 - Victor: Princess was a very nice-looking young white female. 141 00:07:07,428 --> 00:07:09,161 Being raised up out in the country, 142 00:07:09,163 --> 00:07:12,364 I would see her, she'd be out there working with her dad. 143 00:07:12,366 --> 00:07:16,101 - Mike and princess got together in 1992 whenever mike 144 00:07:16,103 --> 00:07:19,704 went back there and was working cows for joe potmesil. 145 00:07:19,706 --> 00:07:22,107 - Narrator: Princess's father, joe, was well-known 146 00:07:22,109 --> 00:07:26,545 in natchitoches both as a farmer and a hothead. 147 00:07:26,547 --> 00:07:28,213 - You would have to know her father, 148 00:07:28,215 --> 00:07:30,615 he pretty dominant in that family. 149 00:07:30,617 --> 00:07:32,751 Uh, he kind of ran the roost. 150 00:07:35,022 --> 00:07:37,289 - Narrator: By the time princess was 30, she was 151 00:07:37,291 --> 00:07:42,027 a divorced, single mom looking for a happily ever after. 152 00:07:42,029 --> 00:07:45,363 And to her surprise, she found her prince charming 153 00:07:45,365 --> 00:07:48,266 in the arms of mike lacaze. 154 00:07:48,268 --> 00:07:49,301 - William: Princess had three kids 155 00:07:49,303 --> 00:07:50,936 from a previous marriage. 156 00:07:50,938 --> 00:07:53,572 They were close to my daddy, and they did a lot. 157 00:07:53,574 --> 00:07:55,540 They did a lot together. 158 00:07:55,542 --> 00:08:00,479 - Princess and mike, to me, was totally opposite. 159 00:08:00,481 --> 00:08:03,281 Mike was a cowboy, wore blue jeans, 160 00:08:03,283 --> 00:08:06,384 uh, he wore spurs on his boots. 161 00:08:06,386 --> 00:08:09,754 Princess, on the other hand, was always dressed to a t. 162 00:08:13,460 --> 00:08:15,427 - Narrator: Despite the talk around town, 163 00:08:15,429 --> 00:08:19,564 it seemed their differences brought them closer together. 164 00:08:19,566 --> 00:08:24,436 On July 3rd, 1993, princess and mike married. 165 00:08:24,438 --> 00:08:26,671 They settled into mike's modest home 166 00:08:26,673 --> 00:08:30,342 tucked away in the country just outside of town. 167 00:08:30,344 --> 00:08:31,776 - Victor: Not a very big house, 168 00:08:31,778 --> 00:08:36,915 uh, just a country--country home, uh, wood-frame house. 169 00:08:36,917 --> 00:08:38,817 They appeared to be real close. 170 00:08:40,187 --> 00:08:43,622 - Narrator: In 1997, after four years of marriage, 171 00:08:43,624 --> 00:08:46,825 the couple was dealt some frightening news. 172 00:08:46,827 --> 00:08:50,862 Mike's kidney disease and years of grueling physical labor 173 00:08:50,864 --> 00:08:52,697 had caught up with him. 174 00:08:52,699 --> 00:08:55,667 - Van: Mike had been experiencing kidney failure, 175 00:08:55,669 --> 00:08:59,170 and he was scheduled to have a shunt put in 176 00:08:59,172 --> 00:09:02,474 to begin kidney dialysis. 177 00:09:02,476 --> 00:09:05,176 - Narrator: Princess vowed to be by his side, 178 00:09:05,178 --> 00:09:09,281 and mike took the news like a true cowboy. 179 00:09:09,283 --> 00:09:13,752 - They had told him that he could live five or more years. 180 00:09:13,754 --> 00:09:15,887 - Michael: I'm sure he worried about health issues, 181 00:09:15,889 --> 00:09:18,623 like anybody would, but my dad was a fighter. 182 00:09:18,625 --> 00:09:22,894 - ♪ 183 00:09:22,896 --> 00:09:25,130 - narrator: But all hope the new treatment promised 184 00:09:25,132 --> 00:09:27,065 was soon dashed. 185 00:09:27,067 --> 00:09:29,534 Just two days before his appointment, 186 00:09:29,536 --> 00:09:33,171 princess calls 911 to report that mike is lying 187 00:09:33,173 --> 00:09:36,241 in a pool of blood inside their home. 188 00:09:36,243 --> 00:09:37,609 - He was shot one time. 189 00:09:37,611 --> 00:09:43,348 The cause of death was, uh, the single gunshot wound. 190 00:09:43,350 --> 00:09:46,484 - Victor: The body had not been there a long period of time. 191 00:09:46,486 --> 00:09:48,386 We knew we were looking at something that had happened 192 00:09:48,388 --> 00:09:51,523 within--within the last three, four, five hours. 193 00:09:52,859 --> 00:09:56,828 We found at the doorway coming into the kitchen 194 00:09:56,830 --> 00:10:00,665 a shell casing, a .30 caliber shell casing, 195 00:10:00,667 --> 00:10:05,003 which gave us, uh, indication of what type of weapon was used. 196 00:10:05,005 --> 00:10:08,540 He was shot through the left shoulder area 197 00:10:08,542 --> 00:10:12,377 on his left side, which would be pretty much impossible 198 00:10:12,379 --> 00:10:17,882 for someone to shoot himself, and there was no weapon. 199 00:10:17,884 --> 00:10:20,285 So, we pretty much knew when we saw the body 200 00:10:20,287 --> 00:10:22,387 that we were looking at a homicide. 201 00:10:22,389 --> 00:10:25,423 - ♪ 202 00:10:25,425 --> 00:10:26,758 - narrator: Coming up: 203 00:10:26,760 --> 00:10:30,428 Detectives sit down with their first suspect. 204 00:10:30,430 --> 00:10:32,430 - Victor: Everybody's a suspect at that point. 205 00:10:32,432 --> 00:10:34,099 We were trying to get her whereabouts 206 00:10:34,101 --> 00:10:36,301 to make sure she wasn't involved. 207 00:10:36,303 --> 00:10:38,470 - Narrator: And a chance sighting has detectives 208 00:10:38,472 --> 00:10:41,106 suspecting foul play. 209 00:10:41,108 --> 00:10:45,243 - A citizen had seen a black, suburban suv 210 00:10:45,245 --> 00:10:47,012 driving down the road. 211 00:10:47,014 --> 00:10:50,181 - We've had some break-ins and burglaries out in that area. 212 00:10:51,318 --> 00:10:54,419 - ♪ 213 00:10:56,188 --> 00:10:59,257 - ♪ 214 00:11:01,628 --> 00:11:04,029 - narrator: On March 1, 1997, 215 00:11:04,031 --> 00:11:07,198 natchitoches county sheriff victor jones stands over 216 00:11:07,200 --> 00:11:11,536 the body of mike lacaze, theorizing how someone took 217 00:11:11,538 --> 00:11:15,206 this rough and tumble cowboy's life. 218 00:11:15,208 --> 00:11:19,511 - You could see mike lying on the floor 219 00:11:19,513 --> 00:11:22,347 face up... 220 00:11:22,349 --> 00:11:26,184 With hands extended behind his head. 221 00:11:26,186 --> 00:11:28,186 Television was on. 222 00:11:28,188 --> 00:11:30,321 Looked like somebody walked in 223 00:11:30,323 --> 00:11:34,659 and took his life whether he actually saw it coming or not, 224 00:11:34,661 --> 00:11:37,228 you know, we don't know that. 225 00:11:37,230 --> 00:11:40,031 - Narrator: After immediately ruling out suicide, 226 00:11:40,033 --> 00:11:42,067 investigators search the home 227 00:11:42,069 --> 00:11:46,137 and begin to consider the possibility of a robbery. 228 00:11:46,139 --> 00:11:48,673 - Victor: A lot of papers thrown around in disarray. 229 00:11:48,675 --> 00:11:52,177 Some drawers pulled out and emptied on the floor. 230 00:11:52,179 --> 00:11:56,014 We've had some break-ins and burglaries out in that area. 231 00:11:56,016 --> 00:11:59,250 - Narrator: Aside from the ransacking and mike's body, 232 00:11:59,252 --> 00:12:03,221 the killer didn't leave much evidence behind. 233 00:12:03,223 --> 00:12:04,823 - You're looking at the crime scene, 234 00:12:04,825 --> 00:12:06,891 seeing if it will tell you 235 00:12:06,893 --> 00:12:10,195 or give you some idea of what may have happened, 236 00:12:10,197 --> 00:12:12,230 that's the first thing you're looking at, 237 00:12:12,232 --> 00:12:15,600 and I always referred to it, sometime crime scenes 238 00:12:15,602 --> 00:12:17,802 have a way of talking to ya. 239 00:12:17,804 --> 00:12:21,239 And this particular crime scene didn't give us a whole lot. 240 00:12:21,241 --> 00:12:24,442 - ♪ 241 00:12:24,444 --> 00:12:26,544 - narrator: Investigators complete their initial 242 00:12:26,546 --> 00:12:29,981 examination of the crime scene and escort mike's wife, 243 00:12:29,983 --> 00:12:32,450 princess, back to the station, 244 00:12:32,452 --> 00:12:36,221 hoping she will be able to give them more information. 245 00:12:36,223 --> 00:12:38,456 - Victor: Everybody's a suspect at that point. 246 00:12:38,458 --> 00:12:40,558 And of course, at that time, we were trying to get 247 00:12:40,560 --> 00:12:43,027 some timeframes and her whereabouts 248 00:12:43,029 --> 00:12:45,363 to try to make sure that she wasn't involved. 249 00:12:45,365 --> 00:12:46,998 - ♪ 250 00:12:47,000 --> 00:12:49,534 - narrator: Princess tells detectives she'd spent the day 251 00:12:49,536 --> 00:12:51,703 working and running errands. 252 00:13:21,601 --> 00:13:23,001 - Van: She provided those receipts 253 00:13:23,003 --> 00:13:24,769 to the sheriff's office as well. 254 00:13:26,973 --> 00:13:31,476 Those receipts were timed around 6:30 at night 255 00:13:31,478 --> 00:13:33,444 before she went to the house 256 00:13:33,446 --> 00:13:37,582 and discovered mike's body and made the 911 call. 257 00:13:37,584 --> 00:13:38,950 - Narrator: According to princess, 258 00:13:38,952 --> 00:13:42,620 when she saw mike sprawled on the floor in a pool of blood, 259 00:13:42,622 --> 00:13:45,190 she panicked and ran back outside. 260 00:14:06,680 --> 00:14:09,848 - Van: Interestingly, in her statement, she stated 261 00:14:09,850 --> 00:14:13,718 that she did not go to check the body, 262 00:14:13,720 --> 00:14:16,955 she saw him from across the room and immediately left 263 00:14:16,957 --> 00:14:20,058 and made the 911 call. 264 00:14:20,060 --> 00:14:23,194 - Narrator: Princess insists mike's upcoming dialysis 265 00:14:23,196 --> 00:14:26,998 had given them newfound hope about their future together. 266 00:14:35,709 --> 00:14:38,910 - Van: Princess at that point stated that mike was willing 267 00:14:38,912 --> 00:14:40,678 to undergo the treatment, 268 00:14:40,680 --> 00:14:44,082 that he knew what was happening and that he was happy to have 269 00:14:44,084 --> 00:14:47,418 something done to--to improve his--his life quality 270 00:14:47,420 --> 00:14:48,853 at the time. 271 00:14:48,855 --> 00:14:51,122 - Narrator: Princess tells detectives that after parting 272 00:14:51,124 --> 00:14:55,593 ways with mike that morning, she hadn't spoken to him again. 273 00:14:55,595 --> 00:14:58,062 - They said their goodbyes and, according to her in this 274 00:14:58,064 --> 00:15:00,732 statement, that was the last time she saw him alive. 275 00:15:00,734 --> 00:15:04,736 She did not talk to him, uh, for the rest of the day. 276 00:15:04,738 --> 00:15:07,372 She did not indicate any knowledge 277 00:15:07,374 --> 00:15:12,110 of how this murder could have happened, who may have done it. 278 00:15:12,112 --> 00:15:14,245 - Victor: Mike was just a hardworking guy, 279 00:15:14,247 --> 00:15:17,448 and we didn't find anyone that had any grudges, 280 00:15:17,450 --> 00:15:22,887 or he owed anyone a bunch a money or nothing like that. 281 00:15:22,889 --> 00:15:27,125 - There was no red flags that went up before he was murdered. 282 00:15:27,127 --> 00:15:28,760 They were living their lives normal. 283 00:15:28,762 --> 00:15:32,430 Mike was dealing with his health issues and trying to work. 284 00:15:32,432 --> 00:15:33,765 There were no suspects, 285 00:15:33,767 --> 00:15:36,367 and it was just a great mystery at the time. 286 00:15:36,369 --> 00:15:38,603 - Narrator: With no leads emerging from the interview 287 00:15:38,605 --> 00:15:41,439 with princess, detectives let her go. 288 00:15:45,745 --> 00:15:47,712 As they plot their next move, 289 00:15:47,714 --> 00:15:51,916 word of mike's death reaches his family. 290 00:15:51,918 --> 00:15:55,219 - We was down south, in south louisiana, 291 00:15:55,221 --> 00:15:57,422 on our way back from a trip, 292 00:15:57,424 --> 00:16:02,427 and my mother wouldn't tell us nothing about it. 293 00:16:02,429 --> 00:16:05,964 Then when we got back home, she--she told us what happened. 294 00:16:06,967 --> 00:16:09,233 - William: I was 16 years old. 295 00:16:09,235 --> 00:16:11,069 It was pretty rough to get that, like I say, 296 00:16:11,071 --> 00:16:12,270 just find out of the blue. 297 00:16:12,272 --> 00:16:13,838 One day he's here, and the next day he's gone. 298 00:16:13,840 --> 00:16:15,239 It's that simple. 299 00:16:15,241 --> 00:16:18,676 It's something that you can never get ready for. 300 00:16:18,678 --> 00:16:22,747 - ♪ 301 00:16:22,749 --> 00:16:25,183 - narrator: Back at the station, detectives continue 302 00:16:25,185 --> 00:16:28,820 working their theory that this hardworking father of two 303 00:16:28,822 --> 00:16:32,256 had been a victim of a robbery gone wrong. 304 00:16:32,258 --> 00:16:35,960 - Van: Robbery was the first, obvious potential motive 305 00:16:35,962 --> 00:16:39,130 given the crime scene, given the disheveled, uh, 306 00:16:39,132 --> 00:16:41,833 nature of the house. 307 00:16:41,835 --> 00:16:45,203 The fact that it appeared to be rummaged through as if, uh, 308 00:16:45,205 --> 00:16:47,805 the perpetrator was searching for something, 309 00:16:47,807 --> 00:16:49,874 or searching for money. 310 00:16:49,876 --> 00:16:53,144 There could have been a transient person that was from 311 00:16:53,146 --> 00:16:58,483 out of the area that just randomly selected the house. 312 00:16:58,485 --> 00:17:01,052 - Victor: We contacted the crime lab to get them 313 00:17:01,054 --> 00:17:05,556 to come down to help us process this crime scene, 314 00:17:05,558 --> 00:17:07,025 check for fingerprints, 315 00:17:07,027 --> 00:17:11,229 and see if there was anything that we may not have been seen. 316 00:17:11,231 --> 00:17:14,866 - ♪ 317 00:17:14,868 --> 00:17:18,136 - narrator: While crime scene techs revisit the lacaze home, 318 00:17:18,138 --> 00:17:22,907 officers reach out to mike's neighbors for new leads. 319 00:17:22,909 --> 00:17:28,312 - A citizen had seen a black, uh, suburban suv 320 00:17:28,314 --> 00:17:31,582 driving down the road suspiciously in the area 321 00:17:31,584 --> 00:17:34,318 in the weeks surrounding the murder. 322 00:17:34,320 --> 00:17:36,554 - Narrator: In fact, the neighbor says she saw 323 00:17:36,556 --> 00:17:40,925 the suv on the day of mike's murder. 324 00:17:40,927 --> 00:17:44,595 - One of the neighbors said that the day of the murder, 325 00:17:44,597 --> 00:17:48,699 March 1, there was a black suburban 326 00:17:48,701 --> 00:17:54,439 coming out of the driveway, turning onto posey road. 327 00:17:54,441 --> 00:17:56,841 She did not get the license plate. 328 00:17:56,843 --> 00:17:59,310 She got a good look at the driver. 329 00:17:59,312 --> 00:18:03,714 A white male, light complected, dark hair. 330 00:18:03,716 --> 00:18:06,584 - And she reported that to the investigators, 331 00:18:06,586 --> 00:18:10,354 who were trying to track down the possible suspect. 332 00:18:10,356 --> 00:18:13,191 - This case kind of took priority over a lot of the cases 333 00:18:13,193 --> 00:18:14,525 that we were working, 334 00:18:14,527 --> 00:18:18,696 so we immediately start trying to get this suburban. 335 00:18:21,935 --> 00:18:23,367 - Narrator: Coming up: 336 00:18:23,369 --> 00:18:26,771 Detectives run down their first lead. 337 00:18:26,773 --> 00:18:29,407 - We put out bolos, uh, for this suburban 338 00:18:29,409 --> 00:18:31,476 and the composite drawing. 339 00:18:31,478 --> 00:18:35,480 - Narrator: And rumors throw the investigation for a loop. 340 00:18:35,482 --> 00:18:39,317 - People had seen them together and...You know how it is. 341 00:18:39,319 --> 00:18:41,652 Little towns, they start talking. 342 00:18:41,654 --> 00:18:45,556 - To me, her daddy was the most likely suspect early on, 343 00:18:45,558 --> 00:18:47,425 more than anyone else. 344 00:18:49,762 --> 00:18:53,097 - ♪ 345 00:18:55,400 --> 00:18:58,002 - ♪ 346 00:19:00,306 --> 00:19:03,608 - narrator: In March of 1997, the natchitoches parish 347 00:19:03,610 --> 00:19:06,911 sheriff's department is tracking down their first lead 348 00:19:06,913 --> 00:19:11,983 in the shooting death of beloved local cowboy, mike lacaze. 349 00:19:11,985 --> 00:19:14,652 - Victor: One of the neighbors indicated that, March 1st, 350 00:19:14,654 --> 00:19:18,322 there was a black suburban in the area driving slow, 351 00:19:18,324 --> 00:19:22,827 looking somewhat-- she described as--suspicious. 352 00:19:22,829 --> 00:19:25,897 - The person who observed the truck actually gave 353 00:19:25,899 --> 00:19:29,433 the sheriff's office, ah, a description of the individual 354 00:19:29,435 --> 00:19:34,672 driving the vehicle, which was white male with dark hair. 355 00:19:34,674 --> 00:19:38,943 - We later got her to come in and do a composite drawing 356 00:19:38,945 --> 00:19:42,446 of the driver. 357 00:19:42,448 --> 00:19:44,949 We put out bolos, uh, for this suburban 358 00:19:44,951 --> 00:19:46,484 and the composite drawing. 359 00:19:46,486 --> 00:19:48,653 We put it out to law enforcement 360 00:19:48,655 --> 00:19:51,789 to see if we could identify this person. 361 00:19:51,791 --> 00:19:54,492 - ♪ 362 00:19:54,494 --> 00:19:56,827 - narrator: While officers search for the driver, 363 00:19:56,829 --> 00:20:00,298 investigators ask mike's wife, princess, to accompany them 364 00:20:00,300 --> 00:20:03,167 back to the crime scene. 365 00:20:03,169 --> 00:20:06,270 - Victor: Before we released the crime scene back to the family, 366 00:20:06,272 --> 00:20:10,007 after the crime lab finished up that Monday evening, 367 00:20:10,009 --> 00:20:13,044 we did another walkthrough with princess to see 368 00:20:13,046 --> 00:20:16,781 if she could determine if anything was missing. 369 00:20:16,783 --> 00:20:19,650 And the only thing that I can recall her determined 370 00:20:19,652 --> 00:20:23,054 that was missing was some photographs. 371 00:20:23,056 --> 00:20:26,490 Normally, on burglaries people go in and steal like 372 00:20:26,492 --> 00:20:31,162 the televisions, stereos, maybe some tools. 373 00:20:31,164 --> 00:20:34,398 But there was nothing at this crime scene, 374 00:20:34,400 --> 00:20:37,235 nothing to that nature was taken. 375 00:20:37,237 --> 00:20:38,536 - ♪ 376 00:20:38,538 --> 00:20:40,538 - narrator: Doubting mike was the casualty 377 00:20:40,540 --> 00:20:43,407 of a random robbery, two days later, 378 00:20:43,409 --> 00:20:46,711 investigators question mike's friends and family 379 00:20:46,713 --> 00:20:50,581 to see if there is anyone who may have wanted to harm him. 380 00:20:50,583 --> 00:20:52,316 One name comes up: 381 00:20:52,318 --> 00:20:55,319 Mike's father-in-law, joe potmesil. 382 00:20:55,321 --> 00:20:57,521 - William: There was a bunch of bickering back and forth 383 00:20:57,523 --> 00:21:00,258 between the families. 384 00:21:00,260 --> 00:21:02,526 - Victor: They thought that joe, if not himself, 385 00:21:02,528 --> 00:21:06,063 would have gotten someone to kill mike. 386 00:21:06,065 --> 00:21:08,933 As far as I was concerned at that time, joe was a suspect. 387 00:21:08,935 --> 00:21:10,167 Princess's daddy. 388 00:21:10,169 --> 00:21:14,071 To me, he was the most likely suspect early on, 389 00:21:14,073 --> 00:21:15,940 more than anyone else 390 00:21:15,942 --> 00:21:18,876 to get princess clear of that relationship. 391 00:21:18,878 --> 00:21:20,544 - ♪ 392 00:21:20,546 --> 00:21:22,880 - narrator: On March 3rd, 1997, 393 00:21:22,882 --> 00:21:26,651 investigators pay a visit to joe. 394 00:21:26,653 --> 00:21:29,954 - Victor: We had gone down to visit with joe potmesil 395 00:21:29,956 --> 00:21:33,524 just to see if he had any ideas, 396 00:21:33,526 --> 00:21:36,861 or if he could point us in a direction. 397 00:21:36,863 --> 00:21:39,597 - Narrator: Joe is adamant that he had nothing to do 398 00:21:39,599 --> 00:21:42,600 with his son-in-law's death. 399 00:21:42,602 --> 00:21:45,136 - Victor: He also came up wanting to know, 400 00:21:45,138 --> 00:21:50,474 through that conversation, what type of weapon was used. 401 00:21:50,476 --> 00:21:53,444 I just told him a high-power rifle. 402 00:21:53,446 --> 00:21:55,413 - Narrator: Eager to prove his innocence, 403 00:21:55,415 --> 00:21:59,150 joe shows investigators his gun collection. 404 00:21:59,152 --> 00:22:01,719 - Victor: In his cabinet, he had a 30/30 caliber rifle, 405 00:22:01,721 --> 00:22:04,121 but all his guns was, uh, 406 00:22:04,123 --> 00:22:07,058 was in place, nothing was missing. 407 00:22:07,060 --> 00:22:08,626 - Narrator: Following the interview, 408 00:22:08,628 --> 00:22:14,065 investigators find no way to connect joe to the murder. 409 00:22:14,067 --> 00:22:16,100 - Victor: We had several conversations during the time 410 00:22:16,102 --> 00:22:17,802 when we were investigating the homicide. 411 00:22:17,804 --> 00:22:22,006 He had no access in the murder, and we knew that joe potmesil 412 00:22:22,008 --> 00:22:24,408 had no involvement in the killing of mike lacaze. 413 00:22:28,281 --> 00:22:31,248 - Narrator: As the weeks pass, leads dwindle, 414 00:22:31,250 --> 00:22:33,284 including the most promising tip 415 00:22:33,286 --> 00:22:37,288 about the suspicious suv and its driver. 416 00:22:37,290 --> 00:22:39,757 - It went on several months, and I don't think 417 00:22:39,759 --> 00:22:43,361 we ever stopped looking for that black suv. 418 00:22:43,363 --> 00:22:45,796 We was hoping that it would show up somewhere. 419 00:22:45,798 --> 00:22:48,299 But everything led to a dead end. 420 00:22:48,301 --> 00:22:51,802 We never got any--anything going on it. 421 00:22:52,939 --> 00:22:55,673 - Narrator: Five months pass, and it looks as if 422 00:22:55,675 --> 00:23:00,444 mike's killer may have gotten away with murder. 423 00:23:00,446 --> 00:23:02,480 - Michael: It all could have been a little bit quicker, 424 00:23:02,482 --> 00:23:05,683 you know, just from being the son, 425 00:23:05,685 --> 00:23:07,818 it--you know, it wasn't fast enough. 426 00:23:07,820 --> 00:23:10,688 - Narrator: Until detectives get a surprise visit 427 00:23:10,690 --> 00:23:15,292 from someone who claims to have new information about the case: 428 00:23:15,294 --> 00:23:17,495 Princess lacaze. 429 00:23:17,497 --> 00:23:18,829 - Victor: On September 12th, she brought in 430 00:23:18,831 --> 00:23:22,566 a handwritten statement she made indicating that 431 00:23:22,568 --> 00:23:27,671 maybe mike had hired someone to assist him in a suicide. 432 00:23:28,875 --> 00:23:33,344 She started telling us that mike was wanting to die. 433 00:23:33,346 --> 00:23:36,714 - Van: She said mike lacaze, her husband, 434 00:23:36,716 --> 00:23:39,316 refused to go on dialysis, 435 00:23:39,318 --> 00:23:41,685 did not wanna be hooked up to a machine, 436 00:23:41,687 --> 00:23:45,022 did not wanna undergo a kidney transplant, 437 00:23:45,024 --> 00:23:49,493 and essentially had talked about ending his own life. 438 00:23:49,495 --> 00:23:51,729 - Narrator: Investigators find princess's sudden 439 00:23:51,731 --> 00:23:55,332 shift in demeanor suspicious. 440 00:23:55,334 --> 00:23:58,235 - Victor: Early on, uh, in the investigation, March 1, 441 00:23:58,237 --> 00:24:01,672 she was adamant that he was looking forward to getting 442 00:24:01,674 --> 00:24:05,509 dialysis and getting help, and there was no mention 443 00:24:05,511 --> 00:24:09,613 at that time about him wanting to die in that interview. 444 00:24:09,615 --> 00:24:12,850 Her story had changed, just trying to throw us off 445 00:24:12,852 --> 00:24:14,718 and throw us in a different direction. 446 00:24:14,720 --> 00:24:18,456 That's what we looked at it as a distraction, 447 00:24:18,458 --> 00:24:19,924 just to throw us off. 448 00:24:22,295 --> 00:24:25,296 - Narrator: When investigators sit down with mike's family, 449 00:24:25,298 --> 00:24:29,967 they insist that there is no way mike was suicidal. 450 00:24:29,969 --> 00:24:33,137 - Mike never said that he wanted to commit suicide, 451 00:24:33,139 --> 00:24:36,307 or he wanted to die or anything. 452 00:24:36,309 --> 00:24:40,878 - He never, ever said he wanted to commit suicide. 453 00:24:40,880 --> 00:24:43,280 He was all for getting the stent put in 454 00:24:43,282 --> 00:24:46,250 and trying to get better. 455 00:24:46,252 --> 00:24:48,752 - Narrator: Detectives ask mike's family if they know 456 00:24:48,754 --> 00:24:52,122 of anyone else that might want to hurt him. 457 00:24:52,124 --> 00:24:54,758 That's when they bring up some unsettling rumors 458 00:24:54,760 --> 00:24:57,161 concerning mike's wife, princess, 459 00:24:57,163 --> 00:25:01,499 and his best friend, merilyn robinson. 460 00:25:01,501 --> 00:25:03,634 - Rhonda: People had seen them together, 461 00:25:03,636 --> 00:25:05,636 and you know how it is. 462 00:25:05,638 --> 00:25:08,405 Little towns, they start talking. 463 00:25:08,407 --> 00:25:11,141 - Van: They think that she had been having an affair with 464 00:25:11,143 --> 00:25:14,745 merilyn robinson, who was known to be a good friend of mike's 465 00:25:14,747 --> 00:25:17,248 for about a year and a half to two years 466 00:25:17,250 --> 00:25:18,983 prior to mike's death. 467 00:25:18,985 --> 00:25:21,952 - Narrator: Detectives must now determine whether the rumors 468 00:25:21,954 --> 00:25:24,455 are true, and if they have anything 469 00:25:24,457 --> 00:25:26,991 to do with mike's death. 470 00:25:26,993 --> 00:25:30,261 - We started looking closely to see if princess could have 471 00:25:30,263 --> 00:25:31,629 been involved in this, 472 00:25:31,631 --> 00:25:34,031 and who possibly she could have gotten to do it. 473 00:25:34,033 --> 00:25:37,167 - ♪ 474 00:25:37,169 --> 00:25:39,503 - narrator: Detectives decide to pull both merilyn 475 00:25:39,505 --> 00:25:42,540 and princess' phone records. 476 00:25:42,542 --> 00:25:46,043 Scouring the files, they notice something unusual 477 00:25:46,045 --> 00:25:48,879 from the day of the murder. 478 00:25:48,881 --> 00:25:52,616 - The sheriff's office discovered that a call was made 479 00:25:52,618 --> 00:25:55,886 from a convenience store, which would have been on 480 00:25:55,888 --> 00:25:59,790 the route from the lacaze home to the walmart in winfield, 481 00:25:59,792 --> 00:26:02,026 where princess lacaze was working. 482 00:26:02,028 --> 00:26:05,529 The call was made to merilyn 483 00:26:05,531 --> 00:26:09,867 at about 8:30 the morning of the murder. 484 00:26:09,869 --> 00:26:11,168 - Narrator: Detectives wonder, 485 00:26:11,170 --> 00:26:13,671 could princess have made the call? 486 00:26:13,673 --> 00:26:16,840 And if so, what was she hiding? 487 00:26:16,842 --> 00:26:19,543 - Van: Princess had a cellphone, and her cellphone could have 488 00:26:19,545 --> 00:26:22,813 easily been tracked to her, whereas a payphone, 489 00:26:22,815 --> 00:26:25,883 obviously, could have been anyone making the call. 490 00:26:25,885 --> 00:26:27,985 - Narrator: It's clear to detectives that if princess 491 00:26:27,987 --> 00:26:32,489 did make the call, she didn't want anyone to know about it. 492 00:26:32,491 --> 00:26:35,426 - So that further made us suspicious of, 493 00:26:35,428 --> 00:26:37,061 "what are you trying to hide here? 494 00:26:37,063 --> 00:26:39,163 What--what are you hiding?" 495 00:26:39,165 --> 00:26:41,665 - narrator: Detectives dig deeper into the life princess 496 00:26:41,667 --> 00:26:45,302 has been leading in the months since mike's death. 497 00:26:45,304 --> 00:26:49,740 It seems this widow has been living up to her name. 498 00:26:49,742 --> 00:26:52,743 - Not only did she go to the bahamas or the caribbean, 499 00:26:52,745 --> 00:26:55,879 uh, she also went to hawaii. 500 00:26:55,881 --> 00:26:58,048 So, she was at least making 501 00:26:58,050 --> 00:27:00,851 some lavish trips after mike died. 502 00:27:00,853 --> 00:27:03,320 - Narrator: It seems princess paid for those trips 503 00:27:03,322 --> 00:27:06,724 by cashing in on mike's death. 504 00:27:06,726 --> 00:27:09,226 - It came out that there were four insurance policies 505 00:27:09,228 --> 00:27:11,729 for $25,000 each. 506 00:27:11,731 --> 00:27:15,132 - Van: Then she sold the house and the property on posey road 507 00:27:15,134 --> 00:27:20,704 for some $110,000, something-- uh, something to that effect. 508 00:27:20,706 --> 00:27:23,474 - Narrator: The big payoff only heightens investigators' 509 00:27:23,476 --> 00:27:26,543 suspicions around princess. 510 00:27:26,545 --> 00:27:29,380 - Van: By that point, I was convinced that she had 511 00:27:29,382 --> 00:27:33,317 participated in the murder, and from my perspective, 512 00:27:33,319 --> 00:27:36,820 the noose was tightening, so to speak, 513 00:27:36,822 --> 00:27:40,424 the wagons were circling ever so close to her. 514 00:27:40,426 --> 00:27:43,627 - ♪ 515 00:27:43,629 --> 00:27:44,828 - narrator: Coming up: 516 00:27:44,830 --> 00:27:49,266 A new lover emerges with a shocking confession. 517 00:27:49,268 --> 00:27:53,137 - She made statement about, "the gun is in the river." 518 00:27:53,139 --> 00:27:57,141 - narrator: And princess has yet another tale to tell. 519 00:27:57,143 --> 00:28:00,744 - Van: She stated that he told her that he would take care 520 00:28:00,746 --> 00:28:03,681 of mike's wishes to die that day. 521 00:28:05,651 --> 00:28:08,752 - ♪ 522 00:28:13,559 --> 00:28:15,693 - ♪ 523 00:28:15,695 --> 00:28:18,195 - narrator: By December of 1997, 524 00:28:18,197 --> 00:28:20,397 detectives in natchitoches, louisiana, 525 00:28:20,399 --> 00:28:23,233 are homing in on princess lacaze 526 00:28:23,235 --> 00:28:26,704 as the primary suspect in the murder of her husband, 527 00:28:26,706 --> 00:28:28,605 mike lacaze. 528 00:28:28,607 --> 00:28:30,107 In addition to cashing in on 529 00:28:30,109 --> 00:28:32,476 multiple life insurance policies, 530 00:28:32,478 --> 00:28:36,213 it's rumored around town that princess was once involved 531 00:28:36,215 --> 00:28:40,150 with mike's best friend, merilyn robinson. 532 00:28:40,152 --> 00:28:44,121 - Merilyn and princess had taken trips to houston 533 00:28:44,123 --> 00:28:46,590 and new orleans after mike died. 534 00:28:46,592 --> 00:28:49,026 - Victor: We knew there was something between them, 535 00:28:49,028 --> 00:28:54,231 and of course, we had already heard from people on the street 536 00:28:54,233 --> 00:28:57,434 and everything that there was a relationship. 537 00:28:57,436 --> 00:29:01,438 - Van: Not long after mike's death, 538 00:29:01,440 --> 00:29:06,410 she picks up, uh, in another relationship, uh, while she's 539 00:29:06,412 --> 00:29:09,847 trying to exit the relationship with merilyn robinson. 540 00:29:09,849 --> 00:29:13,484 Princess starts up another relationship with simon sarpy. 541 00:29:13,486 --> 00:29:18,122 - ♪ 542 00:29:18,124 --> 00:29:20,958 - narrator: Nine months since the murder of his friend, 543 00:29:20,960 --> 00:29:24,795 mike lacaze, investigators bring in simon sarpy, 544 00:29:24,797 --> 00:29:27,164 who sheds a new light on the relationship 545 00:29:27,166 --> 00:29:29,466 between princess and merilyn. 546 00:29:46,118 --> 00:29:48,552 - Narrator: Simon tells detectives that while princess 547 00:29:48,554 --> 00:29:51,455 didn't admit to being involved in the murder, 548 00:29:51,457 --> 00:29:54,024 she did make a bizarre statement. 549 00:30:25,524 --> 00:30:27,758 - At that point, he indicated he didn't know 550 00:30:27,760 --> 00:30:29,993 what she was talking about. 551 00:30:29,995 --> 00:30:32,563 - He did not know the location of the river, 552 00:30:32,565 --> 00:30:34,898 the body of water. 553 00:30:34,900 --> 00:30:38,335 - Narrator: Simon's interview gives investigators one more 554 00:30:38,337 --> 00:30:42,739 reason to believe that princess played a role in mike's death. 555 00:30:44,844 --> 00:30:48,779 Armed with information from her former lover, simon sarpy, 556 00:30:48,781 --> 00:30:51,582 police bring princess in for questioning, 557 00:30:51,584 --> 00:30:54,585 and once again, she changes her story. 558 00:31:06,432 --> 00:31:11,735 - She said mike had asked her to, uh, end his life. 559 00:31:11,737 --> 00:31:14,238 She could not do it. 560 00:31:14,240 --> 00:31:17,040 - Narrator: When she declined, princess claims mike turned 561 00:31:17,042 --> 00:31:20,544 to his best friend, who, unbeknownst to mike, 562 00:31:20,546 --> 00:31:23,780 was also princess's lover. 563 00:31:23,782 --> 00:31:26,650 - Victor: She knew that merilyn and mike had talked. 564 00:31:26,652 --> 00:31:28,919 She was putting the whole plot 565 00:31:28,921 --> 00:31:32,956 of the killing of mike lacaze on merilyn. 566 00:31:32,958 --> 00:31:35,926 She was working that angle. 567 00:31:35,928 --> 00:31:38,328 She said, on March 1st, early morning, 568 00:31:38,330 --> 00:31:42,165 sometimes between 8:30, nine o'clock that morning, 569 00:31:42,167 --> 00:31:44,001 princess calls merilyn, 570 00:31:44,003 --> 00:31:46,603 let him know that she would be out of town. 571 00:31:46,605 --> 00:31:51,074 And he assured her that it would be taken care that day, 572 00:31:51,076 --> 00:31:55,812 meaning that--that mike would be taken care of. 573 00:32:29,281 --> 00:32:31,348 - Narrator: Investigators believe that princess's 574 00:32:31,350 --> 00:32:35,352 latest story is still missing important details-- 575 00:32:35,354 --> 00:32:39,289 details that likely center around her involvement. 576 00:32:46,532 --> 00:32:49,499 - Van: She continued to try to manipulate her story 577 00:32:49,501 --> 00:32:53,337 and manipulate the investigation to deflect from her, uh, 578 00:32:53,339 --> 00:32:57,040 and of course at that point, she was placing, uh, 579 00:32:57,042 --> 00:33:00,243 the entire blame on merilyn robinson, 580 00:33:00,245 --> 00:33:04,881 who had been her lover for the last year and a half or so. 581 00:33:04,883 --> 00:33:08,018 - Narrator: While it's unclear if princess is being entirely 582 00:33:08,020 --> 00:33:11,688 truthful, her statement, along with simon sarpy's, 583 00:33:11,690 --> 00:33:15,192 are enough for investigators. 584 00:33:15,194 --> 00:33:18,929 - We secured warrants for merilyn and princess, 585 00:33:18,931 --> 00:33:21,932 placing both of them under arrest. 586 00:33:21,934 --> 00:33:25,736 - Narrator: Merilyn has little to say in his own defense. 587 00:33:25,738 --> 00:33:28,472 - When he was arrested, I still don't think he gave us 588 00:33:28,474 --> 00:33:30,540 a whole lot of information, if any. 589 00:33:30,542 --> 00:33:34,111 He didn't give us nothing at that time. 590 00:33:34,113 --> 00:33:36,346 - Narrator: The news that merilyn and princess have been 591 00:33:36,348 --> 00:33:39,449 arrested for mike's death is both a relief 592 00:33:39,451 --> 00:33:42,853 and a shock to his family. 593 00:33:42,855 --> 00:33:44,554 - William: There was no doubt in my mind that princess 594 00:33:44,556 --> 00:33:46,456 had something to do with it. 595 00:33:46,458 --> 00:33:48,625 I would've never thought merilyn. 596 00:33:48,627 --> 00:33:50,027 I would never thought 597 00:33:50,029 --> 00:33:52,562 that his best friend would do that to him. 598 00:33:52,564 --> 00:33:54,631 - Michael: I remember saying, "there ain't no way. 599 00:33:54,633 --> 00:33:56,733 Ain't no way merilyn done that." 600 00:33:56,735 --> 00:34:00,604 it was like, you know, "what in the world?" 601 00:34:00,606 --> 00:34:04,107 - rhonda: I was very shocked when all that came out. 602 00:34:04,109 --> 00:34:08,278 Merilyn and mike, you'd have to seen them together. 603 00:34:08,280 --> 00:34:11,148 They were...Just... 604 00:34:11,150 --> 00:34:14,451 Best friends, brothers. 605 00:34:16,455 --> 00:34:18,789 - William: She twisted his mind. 606 00:34:18,791 --> 00:34:20,490 And that's the truth about it. 607 00:34:21,794 --> 00:34:23,727 - Narrator: Shortly after their arrests, 608 00:34:23,729 --> 00:34:26,963 the former couple bonds out of jail. 609 00:34:26,965 --> 00:34:30,434 For investigators, the fact that merilyn and princess 610 00:34:30,436 --> 00:34:35,505 are temporarily free isn't necessarily bad news. 611 00:34:35,507 --> 00:34:39,142 - I can recall thinking to ourselves, "at some point, 612 00:34:39,144 --> 00:34:40,977 "there need to be some type of fallout 613 00:34:40,979 --> 00:34:44,181 "between princess and merilyn. 614 00:34:44,183 --> 00:34:47,284 "we need to monitor their actions 615 00:34:47,286 --> 00:34:50,821 "and wait for a fallout between the two of them 616 00:34:50,823 --> 00:34:54,424 before we find out the real truth." 617 00:34:54,426 --> 00:34:56,760 - narrator: On may 14th, 1998, 618 00:34:56,762 --> 00:35:01,298 their hunch pays off when princess calls 911. 619 00:35:01,300 --> 00:35:04,034 - Victor: Princess frantically called in and said that 620 00:35:04,036 --> 00:35:07,437 her daddy was holding someone at gunpoint, and she was afraid 621 00:35:07,439 --> 00:35:12,142 that he was gonna kill whoever he had out there. 622 00:35:12,144 --> 00:35:14,277 And when the officers arrive 623 00:35:14,279 --> 00:35:17,013 is when they found out it was merilyn robinson. 624 00:35:18,984 --> 00:35:20,717 - [siren wails] - narrator: Coming up: 625 00:35:20,719 --> 00:35:23,353 Merilyn has a change of heart. 626 00:35:23,355 --> 00:35:25,622 - Victor: He felt like his life was in danger. 627 00:35:25,624 --> 00:35:27,290 He needed to tell us what had happened. 628 00:35:27,292 --> 00:35:29,726 - Van: His testimony was just striking. 629 00:35:29,728 --> 00:35:31,695 It was probably the most powerful testimony 630 00:35:31,697 --> 00:35:33,630 I've heard in my career. 631 00:35:35,534 --> 00:35:38,034 - ♪ 632 00:35:45,811 --> 00:35:48,311 - narrator: On may 14th, 1998, 633 00:35:48,313 --> 00:35:50,413 police in natchitoches, louisiana 634 00:35:50,415 --> 00:35:56,086 receive a frantic 911 call from princess lacaze. 635 00:35:56,088 --> 00:35:58,555 - Victor: She indicated that someone was in the yard 636 00:35:58,557 --> 00:36:02,459 trespassing and her daddy was holding him at gunpoint. 637 00:36:02,461 --> 00:36:06,029 When the officers arrived is when they found out 638 00:36:06,031 --> 00:36:08,231 it was merilyn robinson. 639 00:36:08,233 --> 00:36:12,936 That's when I told them to arrest him and hold him 640 00:36:12,938 --> 00:36:14,771 until I could interview him. 641 00:36:16,441 --> 00:36:18,175 - Narrator: Once in police custody, 642 00:36:18,177 --> 00:36:21,344 merilyn explains that he wasn't breaking in, 643 00:36:21,346 --> 00:36:23,880 princess had invited him over. 644 00:36:23,882 --> 00:36:25,215 But when he showed up, 645 00:36:25,217 --> 00:36:29,452 he came face to face with joe potmesil's gun. 646 00:36:29,454 --> 00:36:33,590 - Merilyn robinson finally got it that princess lacaze 647 00:36:33,592 --> 00:36:36,526 wasn't his lover, wasn't his friend, 648 00:36:36,528 --> 00:36:38,628 had essentially tried to set him up. 649 00:36:38,630 --> 00:36:40,931 - Victor: He felt like his life was in danger. 650 00:36:40,933 --> 00:36:44,568 He really felt that he was lucky to be living at this point, 651 00:36:44,570 --> 00:36:47,270 and that he needed to tell us what had happened. 652 00:36:47,272 --> 00:36:50,440 - Van: He gave sheriff jones a statement that he actually 653 00:36:50,442 --> 00:36:53,977 perpetrated the murder, that he killed mike. 654 00:36:53,979 --> 00:36:56,780 - Narrator: But merilyn insists he didn't kill mike 655 00:36:56,782 --> 00:36:59,249 because mike asked him to. 656 00:36:59,251 --> 00:37:03,153 - Van: Merilyn robinson, in his statement indicated that 657 00:37:03,155 --> 00:37:05,889 princess lacaze planned the murder, 658 00:37:05,891 --> 00:37:09,893 that she actually asked him to kill mike. 659 00:37:09,895 --> 00:37:11,294 - Narrator: According to merilyn, 660 00:37:11,296 --> 00:37:16,466 princess wasn't happy about mike's upcoming dialysis. 661 00:37:16,468 --> 00:37:18,935 - The insurance money played a part. 662 00:37:18,937 --> 00:37:21,805 She knew that if he'd go on dialysis, that his health 663 00:37:21,807 --> 00:37:24,908 would start improving, and that means she would have 664 00:37:24,910 --> 00:37:29,579 to take care of him even longer, so she didn't wanna wait. 665 00:37:29,581 --> 00:37:31,414 - Van: He said they were married for several years, 666 00:37:31,416 --> 00:37:34,451 and princess was fed up with her marriage 667 00:37:34,453 --> 00:37:38,121 and simply fed up with mike and his medical condition, 668 00:37:38,123 --> 00:37:40,190 and she didn't wanna go through it. 669 00:37:40,192 --> 00:37:42,492 - Narrator: Merilyn claims that princess told him, 670 00:37:42,494 --> 00:37:46,696 if he agreed to kill mike, they would be together. 671 00:37:46,698 --> 00:37:49,366 - Van: Merilyn robinson was completely enamored 672 00:37:49,368 --> 00:37:54,504 with princess lacaze-- in love might be the right term. 673 00:37:54,506 --> 00:37:57,040 She had him totally captivated. 674 00:37:57,042 --> 00:38:00,176 - She began encouraging merilyn robinson 675 00:38:00,178 --> 00:38:01,945 to kill his best friend. 676 00:38:01,947 --> 00:38:07,684 And in my opinion, it became a cold and calculated murder. 677 00:38:07,686 --> 00:38:09,486 - ♪ 678 00:38:09,488 --> 00:38:10,987 - narrator: Merilyn says that on the morning 679 00:38:10,989 --> 00:38:13,423 of March 1st, 1997, 680 00:38:13,425 --> 00:38:16,860 princess called to let him know she was out of the house 681 00:38:16,862 --> 00:38:19,829 and to confirm the plan. 682 00:38:19,831 --> 00:38:23,700 - She did not want to walk in the home until he was dead. 683 00:38:23,702 --> 00:38:26,403 And merilyn confirmed to her 684 00:38:26,405 --> 00:38:29,406 that mike would be taken care of that day. 685 00:38:31,343 --> 00:38:33,510 - Narrator: Later that afternoon, merilyn asked 686 00:38:33,512 --> 00:38:37,881 his teenage son to give him a ride to mike's house. 687 00:38:37,883 --> 00:38:40,417 - Jaunice: His son, rodney, did not know what was going on, 688 00:38:40,419 --> 00:38:43,653 because it was common for them to visit the lacaze residence. 689 00:38:45,390 --> 00:38:49,192 Merilyn walked in through the sliding glass doors of the home. 690 00:38:49,194 --> 00:38:51,795 Mike lacaze was sitting watching television. 691 00:38:53,231 --> 00:38:55,265 He aimed and shot him through the shoulder 692 00:38:55,267 --> 00:38:58,034 and through the chest. - [gunshot blasts] 693 00:38:58,036 --> 00:39:01,338 - ♪ 694 00:39:01,340 --> 00:39:02,672 - jaunice: He died on the spot. 695 00:39:05,677 --> 00:39:07,911 - Narrator: Following the confession, merilyn leads 696 00:39:07,913 --> 00:39:12,382 investigators to the place where he dumped the gun. 697 00:39:12,384 --> 00:39:15,352 - Victor: He brought us to old river down at cypress 698 00:39:15,354 --> 00:39:18,254 where the bridge was and showed us where he had thrown 699 00:39:18,256 --> 00:39:22,092 the weapon, and of course, we got divers, 700 00:39:22,094 --> 00:39:25,729 and we searched and found part of the gun. 701 00:39:28,233 --> 00:39:30,800 - Van: Merilyn robinson pled guilty prior to the trial 702 00:39:30,802 --> 00:39:32,702 to manslaughter. 703 00:39:32,704 --> 00:39:34,804 He was sentenced to the maximum imprisonment 704 00:39:34,806 --> 00:39:37,540 for manslaughter, which is 40 years. 705 00:39:37,542 --> 00:39:42,812 - He agreed to testify in princess's trial. 706 00:39:42,814 --> 00:39:47,283 - Narrator: In August 1998, princess's trial begins. 707 00:39:47,285 --> 00:39:51,454 Merilyn is the prosecution's star witness. 708 00:39:51,456 --> 00:39:55,458 - He admitted that he agreed to kill mike lacaze, 709 00:39:55,460 --> 00:39:59,963 because she asked him to do it and to do it for her 710 00:39:59,965 --> 00:40:02,799 so that the two of them could be together. 711 00:40:02,801 --> 00:40:07,170 - He said that she got him to kill his best friend. 712 00:40:07,172 --> 00:40:08,738 - Van: He was emotional. 713 00:40:08,740 --> 00:40:13,009 He cried, his testimony was--was just striking. 714 00:40:13,011 --> 00:40:15,578 It was probably the most powerful testimony I've heard 715 00:40:15,580 --> 00:40:17,814 in my career. 716 00:40:17,816 --> 00:40:19,816 - Narrator: When princess takes the stand, 717 00:40:19,818 --> 00:40:22,419 she sticks by her story. 718 00:40:22,421 --> 00:40:24,754 - Van: This notion of mike's desire 719 00:40:24,756 --> 00:40:29,426 to take his own life was injected into the case 720 00:40:29,428 --> 00:40:33,997 and kind of became the theme of princess lacaze's defense. 721 00:40:33,999 --> 00:40:36,833 - Narrator: The jury disagrees. 722 00:40:36,835 --> 00:40:39,002 - The day of the verdict, 723 00:40:39,004 --> 00:40:41,471 I remember that like it was yesterday. 724 00:40:41,473 --> 00:40:43,339 The jury come in the courtroom. 725 00:40:43,341 --> 00:40:45,775 It come back guilty, that's automatic... 726 00:40:45,777 --> 00:40:50,013 Natural life, second degree-- natural life imprisonment. 727 00:40:50,015 --> 00:40:52,115 - Narrator: But just when investigators and mike's 728 00:40:52,117 --> 00:40:56,953 loved ones believe that princess is behind bars for good, 729 00:40:56,955 --> 00:41:00,290 she gets a break no one sees coming. 730 00:41:00,292 --> 00:41:04,561 In September 2011, before a us court of appeals, 731 00:41:04,563 --> 00:41:07,964 princess' attorneys allege they weren't aware of a deal 732 00:41:07,966 --> 00:41:12,368 prosecutors made with merilyn prior to his guilty plea. 733 00:41:12,370 --> 00:41:15,805 - Jaunice: He had a deal that if he testified against 734 00:41:15,807 --> 00:41:18,875 princess lacaze in her trial, then his son, rodney, 735 00:41:18,877 --> 00:41:21,377 who actually drove him to the murder scene, 736 00:41:21,379 --> 00:41:23,480 he would not be brought up. 737 00:41:23,482 --> 00:41:27,150 He did not testify, and he was never charged. 738 00:41:27,152 --> 00:41:30,186 - They reversed the conviction, 739 00:41:30,188 --> 00:41:35,091 stating that the defense should've had that information. 740 00:41:35,093 --> 00:41:37,760 - Jaunice: Princess was in jail until 2011, 741 00:41:37,762 --> 00:41:41,764 when she was released, an appeal resulted in another trial. 742 00:41:41,766 --> 00:41:45,101 That trial did not happen until 2017, 743 00:41:45,103 --> 00:41:47,871 at which time they entered a plea. 744 00:41:47,873 --> 00:41:50,373 - Billy joe: The family wanted to have some closure 745 00:41:50,375 --> 00:41:53,676 and hear her say that she was responsible 746 00:41:53,678 --> 00:41:56,613 for the murder of their dad. 747 00:41:56,615 --> 00:41:58,348 - William: Part of the plea agreement was that princess 748 00:41:58,350 --> 00:42:01,851 was gonna have to stand up in front of everybody. 749 00:42:01,853 --> 00:42:04,087 And princess stood right there in front of the judge and us 750 00:42:04,089 --> 00:42:07,423 and everybody and said, "I did it, I'm guilty." 751 00:42:07,425 --> 00:42:10,593 that was the first time in all the years that all 752 00:42:10,595 --> 00:42:13,796 this's been going on that I ever heard her finally say, 753 00:42:13,798 --> 00:42:15,431 "I did it." 754 00:42:15,433 --> 00:42:17,767 that was a good part of the plea. 755 00:42:17,769 --> 00:42:20,470 One of the only few things that was a good part of the plea. 756 00:42:20,472 --> 00:42:23,373 - Jaunice: She received manslaughter and was given 757 00:42:23,375 --> 00:42:27,310 credit for 13-and-a-half years time served, plus time served 758 00:42:27,312 --> 00:42:29,579 in the parish jail. 759 00:42:29,581 --> 00:42:33,082 That only left approximately a year for her to serve. 760 00:42:33,084 --> 00:42:36,486 And since, she has gotten out. 761 00:42:36,488 --> 00:42:40,723 - Narrator: For mike's family, the news is devastating. 762 00:42:40,725 --> 00:42:45,228 - I mean, it was like getting hit with a hammer. 763 00:42:45,230 --> 00:42:47,797 - Rhonda: Princess should be in jail. 764 00:42:47,799 --> 00:42:52,502 If anybody should walk, it should be merilyn. 765 00:42:52,504 --> 00:42:58,341 Princess plotted this out to a t. 766 00:42:58,343 --> 00:43:00,743 - Rayburn: I miss everything about mike. 767 00:43:00,745 --> 00:43:04,180 Most of all, I miss-- I miss his friendship. 768 00:43:04,182 --> 00:43:05,782 - William: As far as his legacy, 769 00:43:05,784 --> 00:43:09,018 there's no one around here that's ever gonna forget. 770 00:43:09,020 --> 00:43:11,654 That was the last cowboy right there. 771 00:43:11,656 --> 00:43:13,189 It was mike lacaze. 772 00:43:13,191 --> 00:43:15,858 Everyone to this day still talks about him. 773 00:43:15,860 --> 00:43:18,661 And I'm proud of that. 774 00:43:18,663 --> 00:43:23,032 - ♪