1 00:00:00,600 --> 00:00:01,900 - ♪ 2 00:00:01,902 --> 00:00:04,169 - female narrator: After six years of marriage, 3 00:00:04,171 --> 00:00:07,272 they had the picture-perfect family. 4 00:00:07,274 --> 00:00:10,709 - They were settling into this sort of respectable life. 5 00:00:10,711 --> 00:00:14,847 Uh, they had two children, they owned a nice house. 6 00:00:14,849 --> 00:00:17,182 - They were living the american dream. 7 00:00:17,184 --> 00:00:18,617 - ♪ 8 00:00:18,619 --> 00:00:21,620 - narrator: But one fateful February night, that dream 9 00:00:21,622 --> 00:00:26,558 comes to a screeching halt on a florida roadside. 10 00:00:26,560 --> 00:00:30,963 - The vehicle was still in the ditch with the lights on. 11 00:00:30,965 --> 00:00:33,232 You could see what appeared to be a man, 12 00:00:33,234 --> 00:00:35,634 slumped over the steering wheel. 13 00:00:35,636 --> 00:00:38,270 - Narrator: As investigators look into the accident, 14 00:00:38,272 --> 00:00:42,307 suspicions begin to rise. 15 00:00:42,309 --> 00:00:44,476 - David: I got a call from the medical examiner's office. 16 00:00:44,478 --> 00:00:47,112 This person did not have a car wreck. 17 00:00:47,114 --> 00:00:50,716 - That was the first time I had delivered a death message 18 00:00:50,718 --> 00:00:55,421 and the victim's relative was upset about an autopsy. 19 00:00:55,423 --> 00:00:57,389 - Narrator: When detectives peel back the layers 20 00:00:57,391 --> 00:00:59,591 of this mysterious death, 21 00:00:59,593 --> 00:01:03,562 they uncover a string of cold-blooded crimes... 22 00:01:03,564 --> 00:01:06,665 With a scandalous connection. 23 00:01:06,667 --> 00:01:09,334 - He was shot while he was lying on the sofa 24 00:01:09,336 --> 00:01:11,470 by a high-caliber shotgun. 25 00:01:11,472 --> 00:01:15,174 - He stepped out once and shot her between the eyes. 26 00:01:15,176 --> 00:01:18,677 - He was the only common denominator in three homicides. 27 00:01:18,679 --> 00:01:21,080 - Winston: A man that's in love with an evil woman 28 00:01:21,082 --> 00:01:28,187 can be led down paths he wouldn't normally go. 29 00:01:28,189 --> 00:01:33,425 - Ben: It was just pure, unadulterated sexual power. 30 00:01:33,427 --> 00:01:35,427 You could not make this stuff up. 31 00:01:35,429 --> 00:01:39,164 - ♪ 32 00:01:39,166 --> 00:01:44,470 - ♪ 33 00:01:44,472 --> 00:01:48,006 ♪♪ 34 00:01:50,611 --> 00:01:53,345 - narrator: February 2nd, 1985, 35 00:01:53,347 --> 00:01:55,714 bradford county, florida. 36 00:01:55,716 --> 00:02:00,018 It's just after 11:45pm when a 911 call 37 00:02:00,020 --> 00:02:02,621 comes into the sheriff's office. 38 00:02:02,623 --> 00:02:06,391 The caller reports that she's just spotted a worrisome scene 39 00:02:06,393 --> 00:02:09,895 on the side of a remote highway. 40 00:02:09,897 --> 00:02:15,400 - Ben: She came up on a car straddling a drainage ditch. 41 00:02:15,402 --> 00:02:19,204 The lights were on, the motor was running, 42 00:02:19,206 --> 00:02:22,174 but the car looked like it had run off the road. 43 00:02:22,176 --> 00:02:23,742 - [siren wails] 44 00:02:23,744 --> 00:02:25,377 - narrator: Within minutes of the call, 45 00:02:25,379 --> 00:02:29,414 first responders arrive on the scene. 46 00:02:29,416 --> 00:02:32,985 - We approached the car to try to determine: 47 00:02:32,987 --> 00:02:34,987 Was there anything that we needed to do as far as 48 00:02:34,989 --> 00:02:37,689 trying to assist anyone? 49 00:02:37,691 --> 00:02:41,093 I looked in the vehicle, and indeed, you could see 50 00:02:41,095 --> 00:02:45,764 what appeared to be a man slumped over the steering wheel. 51 00:02:45,766 --> 00:02:49,001 - He was sitting behind the wheel, his head 52 00:02:49,003 --> 00:02:52,037 leaning over toward the steering wheel 53 00:02:52,039 --> 00:02:53,772 and blood matted in his hair 54 00:02:53,774 --> 00:02:58,210 on the left side of his head. 55 00:02:58,212 --> 00:03:00,679 - David: We were able to open up the passenger's side door, 56 00:03:00,681 --> 00:03:03,081 and I checked for a pulse. 57 00:03:03,083 --> 00:03:04,716 - Ben: They find no pulse. 58 00:03:04,718 --> 00:03:08,353 So the two officers pull him out, 59 00:03:08,355 --> 00:03:10,689 lay him down on the side of the road. 60 00:03:10,691 --> 00:03:15,861 They attempt cpr, there's no, uh, response. 61 00:03:15,863 --> 00:03:18,297 - ♪ 62 00:03:18,299 --> 00:03:20,532 - ben: They pull out his driver's license, 63 00:03:20,534 --> 00:03:28,373 and they identify that this is joe banister. 64 00:03:28,375 --> 00:03:30,375 - ♪ 65 00:03:30,377 --> 00:03:33,245 - ken: Joe banister was born in may of 1943. 66 00:03:33,247 --> 00:03:36,114 He grew up in the 40s and the 50s 67 00:03:36,116 --> 00:03:38,150 in gainesville, florida. 68 00:03:38,152 --> 00:03:39,885 - Narrator: After graduating high school, 69 00:03:39,887 --> 00:03:43,255 joe attended the university of florida. 70 00:03:43,257 --> 00:03:47,659 But he quickly realized that college wasn't for him. 71 00:03:47,661 --> 00:03:51,230 - I think his dad maybe wanted for joe to go 72 00:03:51,232 --> 00:03:54,766 to the university of florida and get, you know, a degree, 73 00:03:54,768 --> 00:03:57,903 and that wasn't what he wanted. 74 00:03:57,905 --> 00:04:00,806 - Joe attended the university of florida for two years. 75 00:04:00,808 --> 00:04:05,577 And he left the university and joined the air force. 76 00:04:05,579 --> 00:04:08,180 - Narrator: After nearly five years in the service, 77 00:04:08,182 --> 00:04:11,516 25-year-old joe returned to northern florida 78 00:04:11,518 --> 00:04:15,687 in search of someone to spend the rest of his life with. 79 00:04:15,689 --> 00:04:18,156 - Linda: I was 20, 80 00:04:18,158 --> 00:04:21,126 and I met him through my brother. 81 00:04:21,128 --> 00:04:23,795 They worked for western electric. 82 00:04:23,797 --> 00:04:26,465 Joe and I both had a lot going for us. 83 00:04:26,467 --> 00:04:29,001 He was happy with his job. 84 00:04:29,003 --> 00:04:34,206 They were doing installation of equipment for at&t. 85 00:04:34,208 --> 00:04:38,777 Joe was attractive in a rough, manly type of way. 86 00:04:38,779 --> 00:04:41,046 Dark haired, dark eyed. 87 00:04:41,048 --> 00:04:44,883 - Narrator: Joe and linda fell head over heels for each other. 88 00:04:44,885 --> 00:04:47,653 - When we were dating, joe would bring flowers 89 00:04:47,655 --> 00:04:51,990 and a few presents and an engagement ring, 90 00:04:51,992 --> 00:04:54,793 and then a wedding ring to go with it. 91 00:04:54,795 --> 00:04:59,631 We had a big family wedding. 92 00:04:59,633 --> 00:05:03,702 - Narrator: But their marital bliss didn't last long. 93 00:05:03,704 --> 00:05:07,172 - Joe and I thought we were in love, you know, that it would be 94 00:05:07,174 --> 00:05:08,740 a forever thing. 95 00:05:08,742 --> 00:05:13,078 But it just wasn't the marriage I expected. 96 00:05:13,080 --> 00:05:14,846 It was kind of gradual. 97 00:05:14,848 --> 00:05:18,016 You know, joe's anger started surfacing. 98 00:05:18,018 --> 00:05:21,720 When I tried to talk to him, he just, you know, would 99 00:05:21,722 --> 00:05:25,157 shut down, would not really talk to me about the things 100 00:05:25,159 --> 00:05:26,758 that were bothering him. 101 00:05:26,760 --> 00:05:29,428 And by our second anniversary, 102 00:05:29,430 --> 00:05:32,864 I really did not see that we were going to have a third, 103 00:05:32,866 --> 00:05:37,102 so we filed for a divorce and got it. 104 00:05:37,104 --> 00:05:39,938 - Narrator: Unfortunately, joe's struggles with love 105 00:05:39,940 --> 00:05:42,341 didn't end there. 106 00:05:42,343 --> 00:05:45,043 - Ken: Joe then had a quick rebound marriage that ended 107 00:05:45,045 --> 00:05:48,680 with his wife leaving him and moving to las vegas. 108 00:05:48,682 --> 00:05:50,615 You can easily say that joe was looking for love, 109 00:05:50,617 --> 00:05:52,284 but he just hadn't found it yet. 110 00:05:54,421 --> 00:05:56,288 Joe then meets a 19-year-old 111 00:05:56,290 --> 00:05:58,223 named debbie thigpen. 112 00:05:58,225 --> 00:06:01,059 Joe was actually many years older than debbie. 113 00:06:01,061 --> 00:06:04,930 And despite the age difference, they quickly connected. 114 00:06:04,932 --> 00:06:08,633 - She had a good job, and she was an attractive woman. 115 00:06:08,635 --> 00:06:10,235 And they dated. 116 00:06:10,237 --> 00:06:12,270 - ♪ 117 00:06:12,272 --> 00:06:14,773 - narrator: Growing up, debbie had a special bond 118 00:06:14,775 --> 00:06:17,242 with her sister, marlene. 119 00:06:17,244 --> 00:06:20,078 The sisters seemed to do everything together, 120 00:06:20,080 --> 00:06:22,814 even in their pursuit of love. 121 00:06:22,816 --> 00:06:24,483 - Debbie and marlene was very close. 122 00:06:24,485 --> 00:06:28,754 They both dropped out of high school and got married. 123 00:06:28,756 --> 00:06:31,089 - Narrator: But only a year into her marriage, 124 00:06:31,091 --> 00:06:33,959 19-year-old debbie had grown restless 125 00:06:33,961 --> 00:06:37,462 and ventured outside of the relationship. 126 00:06:37,464 --> 00:06:39,998 - Ben: She was looking for some more excitement. 127 00:06:40,000 --> 00:06:42,434 Debbie started running around with joe banister, 128 00:06:42,436 --> 00:06:46,405 so that was exciting and thrilling and scandalous. 129 00:06:46,407 --> 00:06:49,007 - Joe was older, he could provide for her. 130 00:06:49,009 --> 00:06:51,510 He was a man of substance. 131 00:06:51,512 --> 00:06:55,080 - At one point, her husband found this stack of letters 132 00:06:55,082 --> 00:06:58,817 from joe banister, so he confronted debbie, 133 00:06:58,819 --> 00:07:01,987 and debbie just moved out on him. 134 00:07:01,989 --> 00:07:04,656 She and joe started living together, 135 00:07:04,658 --> 00:07:08,927 and her divorce was finalized early in 1978. 136 00:07:08,929 --> 00:07:10,295 And just a couple months later, 137 00:07:10,297 --> 00:07:15,133 she and joe banister got married. 138 00:07:15,135 --> 00:07:17,002 - Narrator: Within a couple of years, 139 00:07:17,004 --> 00:07:21,807 debbie transformed from wild child to working mother. 140 00:07:21,809 --> 00:07:25,010 - Even though their marriage sort of started out kind of 141 00:07:25,012 --> 00:07:28,180 in a scandal, it seemed like they were settling into 142 00:07:28,182 --> 00:07:30,449 this sort of respectable life. 143 00:07:30,451 --> 00:07:33,852 Uh, they had two children in the first three years. 144 00:07:33,854 --> 00:07:37,656 Joe banister continued to work for western electric. 145 00:07:37,658 --> 00:07:40,225 They owned a nice house. 146 00:07:40,227 --> 00:07:43,829 - Debbie had a--a really good position at sun bank, 147 00:07:43,831 --> 00:07:45,897 at the time, in gainesville. 148 00:07:45,899 --> 00:07:51,570 Um, as she was a loan officer. 149 00:07:51,572 --> 00:07:55,140 - Narrator: By the beginning of 1985, this florida couple 150 00:07:55,142 --> 00:07:58,810 had built a life to be proud of. 151 00:07:58,812 --> 00:08:00,345 - Pamela: They looked good together. 152 00:08:00,347 --> 00:08:04,049 And they were always very nice and cheerful. 153 00:08:04,051 --> 00:08:05,717 - Ken: Joe and debbie seemed to be very happy. 154 00:08:05,719 --> 00:08:06,751 They were raising their children. 155 00:08:06,753 --> 00:08:08,987 They were living the american dream. 156 00:08:08,989 --> 00:08:11,990 - ♪ 157 00:08:11,992 --> 00:08:14,993 - narrator: But after 6 years of blissful marriage, 158 00:08:14,995 --> 00:08:20,265 their world is upended on the night of February 2, 1985, 159 00:08:20,267 --> 00:08:24,169 when 41-year-old joe banister is found dead 160 00:08:24,171 --> 00:08:26,104 on the side of the road. 161 00:08:26,106 --> 00:08:28,807 - We're responding there that night, ah, thinking 162 00:08:28,809 --> 00:08:31,409 that we're responding to a car accident. 163 00:08:31,411 --> 00:08:33,678 - Winston: There was minimal damage to the front of 164 00:08:33,680 --> 00:08:37,115 the truck, which indicated it didn't hit that ditch and break 165 00:08:37,117 --> 00:08:39,384 doing a great amount of speed. 166 00:08:39,386 --> 00:08:43,288 - After seeing this, we know we have a traffic crash, 167 00:08:43,290 --> 00:08:46,124 but it certainly looks suspicious. 168 00:08:46,126 --> 00:08:49,094 - It didn't seem like running into this drainage ditch 169 00:08:49,096 --> 00:08:55,300 would've been a hard enough blow to kill him. 170 00:08:55,302 --> 00:08:58,570 - The first thing we observed 171 00:08:58,572 --> 00:09:02,741 is a shattered window 172 00:09:02,743 --> 00:09:05,410 that was on the driver's side of that vehicle. 173 00:09:05,412 --> 00:09:08,213 So, this caused us to wonder: 174 00:09:08,215 --> 00:09:13,552 Why would the window break when there's been no collision? 175 00:09:13,554 --> 00:09:15,987 - Narrator: Investigators take their flashlights back up 176 00:09:15,989 --> 00:09:19,925 to the road in search of additional clues. 177 00:09:19,927 --> 00:09:23,929 - As we got up the road, we looked for evidence of any kind 178 00:09:23,931 --> 00:09:28,099 of collision prior to this vehicle being in the ditch. 179 00:09:28,101 --> 00:09:30,135 There was no car parts. 180 00:09:30,137 --> 00:09:32,170 No broken headlights. 181 00:09:32,172 --> 00:09:36,608 So, we didn't have any reason to believe that any impact 182 00:09:36,610 --> 00:09:41,479 occurred prior to this vehicle running in the ditch. 183 00:09:41,481 --> 00:09:47,218 No collision occurred, and here's a shattered window. 184 00:09:47,220 --> 00:09:49,521 That's kind of a quandary. 185 00:09:49,523 --> 00:09:55,327 - ♪ 186 00:09:55,329 --> 00:09:58,096 - narrator: With nothing left to uncover at the scene, 187 00:09:58,098 --> 00:10:02,000 joe's body is sent to the morgue for an autopsy. 188 00:10:02,002 --> 00:10:06,471 But that doesn't mean the night is over for investigators. 189 00:10:06,473 --> 00:10:09,975 - That night, the one thing they knew they had to do 190 00:10:09,977 --> 00:10:13,712 was notify his family. 191 00:10:13,714 --> 00:10:15,647 - Winston: I arrived at the banister home 192 00:10:15,649 --> 00:10:18,817 at around 1:20am 193 00:10:18,819 --> 00:10:24,289 to deliver a death message to the victim's wife. 194 00:10:24,291 --> 00:10:29,661 I knocked on the door, and mrs. Banister come to the door. 195 00:10:29,663 --> 00:10:32,998 I told her that, uh, her husband was dead and had been involved 196 00:10:33,000 --> 00:10:35,533 in an--in an accident. 197 00:10:35,535 --> 00:10:39,237 Debra appeared, uh, somewhat shocked 198 00:10:39,239 --> 00:10:43,308 and somewhat...Uh, emotional. 199 00:10:43,310 --> 00:10:47,245 And she asked me, "where was the body?" 200 00:10:47,247 --> 00:10:50,982 - one of the things that was so weird is when he told her 201 00:10:50,984 --> 00:10:54,919 that they were gonna do an autopsy, she started screaming, 202 00:10:54,921 --> 00:10:57,856 "oh, no! He'll be cut up! He'll be cut up!" 203 00:10:57,858 --> 00:11:00,358 - ♪ 204 00:11:00,360 --> 00:11:01,760 - narrator: Coming up: 205 00:11:01,762 --> 00:11:06,064 Investigators find their suspicions confirmed. 206 00:11:06,066 --> 00:11:08,900 - We were told this person did not have a car wreck. 207 00:11:08,902 --> 00:11:11,236 And that's when it certainly became 208 00:11:11,238 --> 00:11:13,505 a completely different situation. 209 00:11:13,507 --> 00:11:16,574 - Narrator: And a bizarre connection to another crime 210 00:11:16,576 --> 00:11:18,076 is uncovered. 211 00:11:18,078 --> 00:11:19,544 - Ben: This cannot be coincidental. 212 00:11:19,546 --> 00:11:22,013 You cannot have two dead husbands 213 00:11:22,015 --> 00:11:23,415 three weeks apart. 214 00:11:25,318 --> 00:11:30,455 - ♪ 215 00:11:30,589 --> 00:11:33,491 - ♪ 216 00:11:36,363 --> 00:11:39,731 - narrator: After finding 41-year-old joe banister dead 217 00:11:39,733 --> 00:11:42,067 on the side of a remote highway, 218 00:11:42,069 --> 00:11:44,769 investigators in bradford county, florida, 219 00:11:44,771 --> 00:11:49,574 have just delivered the tragic news to his wife, debbie. 220 00:11:49,576 --> 00:11:52,477 - Winston: She said, "well, I'm not gonna agree to an autopsy." 221 00:11:52,479 --> 00:11:57,048 and I informed her that was not a decision that she could make, 222 00:11:57,050 --> 00:12:00,051 that it was a matter of procedure. 223 00:12:00,053 --> 00:12:02,721 So that ended that conversation. 224 00:12:02,723 --> 00:12:05,890 - ♪ 225 00:12:05,892 --> 00:12:10,929 - that was the first time I had delivered a death message 226 00:12:10,931 --> 00:12:13,832 and the victim's relative 227 00:12:13,834 --> 00:12:17,335 was upset about an autopsy. 228 00:12:17,337 --> 00:12:21,306 - David: It did kind of bother me, uh, and concern me. 229 00:12:21,308 --> 00:12:25,276 I was, uh, eagerly waiting the call from the medical examiner, 230 00:12:25,278 --> 00:12:32,984 uh, knowing that that would answer some questions for us. 231 00:12:32,986 --> 00:12:35,854 - Narrator: On Monday morning, just 36 hours after 232 00:12:35,856 --> 00:12:39,524 the mysterious crash, investigator aderholt gets 233 00:12:39,526 --> 00:12:42,894 the call he has been waiting for. 234 00:12:42,896 --> 00:12:45,363 - David: I got a call from the medical examiner's office, 235 00:12:45,365 --> 00:12:49,200 and we were told joe banister did not have a car wreck, 236 00:12:49,202 --> 00:12:52,437 that was not the result this person has, uh-- 237 00:12:52,439 --> 00:12:55,974 had two gunshot wounds. 238 00:12:55,976 --> 00:12:59,878 One of them was a grazing type wound to the back of the head. 239 00:12:59,880 --> 00:13:04,783 The second shot was a shot through the brain that-- 240 00:13:04,785 --> 00:13:08,953 uh, that caused his immediate death. 241 00:13:08,955 --> 00:13:14,125 - There's a 22-caliber bullet in joe banister's skull. 242 00:13:14,127 --> 00:13:16,060 - It explained some things, 243 00:13:16,062 --> 00:13:19,798 but, uh, you would have thought we could have seen more 244 00:13:19,800 --> 00:13:22,801 at the scene, it was a shock to me. 245 00:13:22,803 --> 00:13:24,803 And that's when it certainly 246 00:13:24,805 --> 00:13:27,539 became a--a completely different situation. 247 00:13:29,776 --> 00:13:32,977 - At that point, the entire case had exploded, 248 00:13:32,979 --> 00:13:37,015 'cause now he realized he has a homicide on his hands. 249 00:13:37,017 --> 00:13:38,917 - David: There was a sense of urgency to get it done 250 00:13:38,919 --> 00:13:40,685 as quickly as we could so we could 251 00:13:40,687 --> 00:13:43,988 relieve the fears of the community. 252 00:13:43,990 --> 00:13:46,524 - Narrator: With joe's death being reclassified 253 00:13:46,526 --> 00:13:52,030 as a homicide, investigators immediately spring into action. 254 00:13:52,032 --> 00:13:54,365 They track down joe's wife, debbie, 255 00:13:54,367 --> 00:13:57,836 to speak with her again and deliver the news. 256 00:13:57,838 --> 00:13:59,304 - Pamela: It was a shock. 257 00:13:59,306 --> 00:14:04,209 The thought of that someone would have shot joe was just... 258 00:14:04,211 --> 00:14:07,545 Unreal, 'cause he was such a nice person. 259 00:14:07,547 --> 00:14:11,349 It was just an unbelievable time 260 00:14:11,351 --> 00:14:17,188 of not understanding how this could have happened. 261 00:14:17,190 --> 00:14:18,823 - Narrator: Detectives turn to debbie 262 00:14:18,825 --> 00:14:22,393 to help retrace joe's final hours. 263 00:14:22,395 --> 00:14:24,729 Debbie says that on the night of the murder, 264 00:14:24,731 --> 00:14:27,699 she met joe for dinner with friends. 265 00:14:27,701 --> 00:14:30,168 - Ben: She was gonna drop the kids off with her sister, 266 00:14:30,170 --> 00:14:35,173 marlene, so it'd just be the two of them with this other couple. 267 00:14:35,175 --> 00:14:36,407 - Ken: Debbie tells investigators 268 00:14:36,409 --> 00:14:38,877 that her and joe left the restaurant after dinner 269 00:14:38,879 --> 00:14:41,813 at about 10:30pm in separate cars. 270 00:14:41,815 --> 00:14:45,183 - Narrator: But joe never returned home. 271 00:14:45,185 --> 00:14:46,751 - Debbie says that she called the police 272 00:14:46,753 --> 00:14:48,887 to report joe missing. 273 00:14:48,889 --> 00:14:51,556 - Narrator: Debbie is unable to offer any clues 274 00:14:51,558 --> 00:14:54,626 as to who might have gunned joe down, 275 00:14:54,628 --> 00:14:58,429 and investigators can't cross her off the suspect list 276 00:14:58,431 --> 00:15:00,031 just yet. 277 00:15:00,033 --> 00:15:04,135 - Ben: Investigators have no idea what could've explained 278 00:15:04,137 --> 00:15:05,570 this guy getting shot. 279 00:15:05,572 --> 00:15:09,240 And I think the most important next step was 280 00:15:09,242 --> 00:15:10,608 they got a phone call 281 00:15:10,610 --> 00:15:14,178 from the alachua county sheriff's office in gainesville. 282 00:15:14,180 --> 00:15:15,880 - [phone rings] 283 00:15:15,882 --> 00:15:18,049 - narrator: On February 5th, the call comes 284 00:15:18,051 --> 00:15:20,418 into the bradford county sheriff's office from 285 00:15:20,420 --> 00:15:24,322 investigators charlie sanders and farnell cole, who are 286 00:15:24,324 --> 00:15:28,960 working a murder case of their own in the neighboring county. 287 00:15:28,962 --> 00:15:31,029 - Farnell: We had been working this case since the first week 288 00:15:31,031 --> 00:15:32,196 of January. 289 00:15:32,198 --> 00:15:34,365 It was this guy named cecil batie was murdered 290 00:15:34,367 --> 00:15:39,070 in the early morning hours of January 6th. 291 00:15:39,072 --> 00:15:42,040 - Ken: Cecil was shot while he was lying on the sofa 292 00:15:42,042 --> 00:15:45,643 through a picture window by a high-caliber shotgun. 293 00:15:45,645 --> 00:15:49,614 - Pamela: Cecil's murder was all over the news. 294 00:15:49,616 --> 00:15:54,752 And so it was a shock to, I think, the community, 295 00:15:54,754 --> 00:15:58,056 because you would not see this normally in gainesville. 296 00:15:58,058 --> 00:16:01,826 - ♪ 297 00:16:01,828 --> 00:16:04,629 - narrator: The detectives tell bradford county investigators 298 00:16:04,631 --> 00:16:07,598 that they're calling because they've found an eerie 299 00:16:07,600 --> 00:16:13,071 connection between the murders of cecil batie and joe banister. 300 00:16:13,073 --> 00:16:16,941 - Ben: Cecil batie was marlene's ex-husband. 301 00:16:16,943 --> 00:16:20,178 The link connecting the two was the two sisters-- 302 00:16:20,180 --> 00:16:21,546 debbie and marlene. 303 00:16:21,548 --> 00:16:26,617 - ♪ 304 00:16:26,619 --> 00:16:29,120 - narrator: Investigators from both murder cases 305 00:16:29,122 --> 00:16:32,457 meet in order to compare notes. 306 00:16:32,459 --> 00:16:34,692 - Everything that we obtained on our case we shared 307 00:16:34,694 --> 00:16:35,860 immediately with them. 308 00:16:35,862 --> 00:16:38,496 Unfortunately, we had no eyewitnesses. 309 00:16:38,498 --> 00:16:42,133 We did not have anyone to place a vehicle or a person 310 00:16:42,135 --> 00:16:47,772 in the yard at the time of cecil's shooting. 311 00:16:47,774 --> 00:16:50,975 - Narrator: What investigators learn is that marlene and cecil 312 00:16:50,977 --> 00:16:54,579 had divorced, and it was not without its battles. 313 00:16:55,482 --> 00:16:57,682 - Cecil and marlene were going through a custody battle, 314 00:16:57,684 --> 00:16:59,717 and I can see it was stressful on him. 315 00:16:59,719 --> 00:17:03,421 He told us he was not gonna let her have those kids. 316 00:17:03,423 --> 00:17:06,691 - Narrator: Cecil was marlene's high school sweetheart. 317 00:17:06,693 --> 00:17:10,361 They were married for five years and had two kids together. 318 00:17:12,132 --> 00:17:15,466 - People who lived over in the area where cecil and marlene 319 00:17:15,468 --> 00:17:20,705 lived did think that it had to do with the custody hearing. 320 00:17:20,707 --> 00:17:26,411 Speculation was that marlene had something to do with it. 321 00:17:26,413 --> 00:17:29,047 - Narrator: But with no evidence pointing toward the shooter, 322 00:17:29,049 --> 00:17:31,816 and marlene having a solid alibi, 323 00:17:31,818 --> 00:17:35,920 the investigation had reached a standstill. 324 00:17:35,922 --> 00:17:40,091 That is, until the murder of joe banister. 325 00:17:40,093 --> 00:17:43,661 - That was such a red flag when marlene's husband 326 00:17:43,663 --> 00:17:47,365 was killed in January, and her sister's husband, joe, 327 00:17:47,367 --> 00:17:49,233 was killed. 328 00:17:49,235 --> 00:17:54,439 That's just not a coincidence. 329 00:17:54,441 --> 00:17:58,009 - Narrator: Investigators now zero in on debbie and marlene 330 00:17:58,011 --> 00:18:00,545 as their main suspects. 331 00:18:00,547 --> 00:18:03,381 - Farnell: We had two sisters who, within a period of weeks, 332 00:18:03,383 --> 00:18:05,950 had their husbands murdered. 333 00:18:05,952 --> 00:18:08,352 And that's enough of a--a coincidence that we 334 00:18:08,354 --> 00:18:12,423 immediately started to look at it as a single 335 00:18:12,425 --> 00:18:15,359 person being involved. 336 00:18:15,361 --> 00:18:19,197 - Ben: The same day that these cops are meeting together, 337 00:18:19,199 --> 00:18:22,934 they subpoenaed marlene to come in for an interview 338 00:18:22,936 --> 00:18:24,936 on February 8. 339 00:18:24,938 --> 00:18:27,271 - Narrator: But the day before their scheduled meeting 340 00:18:27,273 --> 00:18:31,542 with marlene, investigators catch a break. 341 00:18:31,544 --> 00:18:36,380 - The plot thickens on February 7th 342 00:18:36,382 --> 00:18:41,719 when ralph smith, who was marlene's live-in boyfriend, 343 00:18:41,721 --> 00:18:47,091 voluntarily comes to the cops and tells them he's afraid 344 00:18:47,093 --> 00:18:51,929 for his own life because we've got joe banister dead, 345 00:18:51,931 --> 00:18:53,831 we got cecil batie dead. 346 00:18:53,833 --> 00:18:59,971 Ralph smith figured, "I'm the next one on the list." 347 00:18:59,973 --> 00:19:02,006 - narrator: Ralph explains the connection between 348 00:19:02,008 --> 00:19:06,611 joe and cecil's deaths is not lost on him. 349 00:19:06,613 --> 00:19:08,312 - Ralph smith. He had convinced himself 350 00:19:08,314 --> 00:19:10,348 he was going to be killed too. 351 00:19:10,350 --> 00:19:12,950 - Narrator: And ralph doesn't think marlene and debbie 352 00:19:12,952 --> 00:19:15,186 are plotting alone. 353 00:19:15,188 --> 00:19:19,857 - So he comes in and tells the cops that there's this 354 00:19:19,859 --> 00:19:23,928 suspicious guy who's been hanging out with debbie. 355 00:19:23,930 --> 00:19:25,830 - Narrator: Ralph says that a man by the name of 356 00:19:25,832 --> 00:19:30,801 john wayne hearn first showed up just days earlier. 357 00:19:30,803 --> 00:19:34,372 - Debbie introduces him as her long-lost cousin 358 00:19:34,374 --> 00:19:38,943 from south carolina who she hasn't seen in five years. 359 00:19:38,945 --> 00:19:42,013 But they're not acting like cousins, 360 00:19:42,015 --> 00:19:43,781 they're all over each other. 361 00:19:43,783 --> 00:19:47,852 People were thinking, "something is wrong here." 362 00:19:47,854 --> 00:19:51,322 - ♪ 363 00:19:51,324 --> 00:19:53,157 - narrator: Coming up: 364 00:19:53,159 --> 00:19:58,829 Investigators question marlene and debbie about their alibis. 365 00:19:58,831 --> 00:20:02,400 - This actually would put her somewhere else 366 00:20:02,402 --> 00:20:04,368 during the time of the incident. 367 00:20:04,370 --> 00:20:05,736 - Narrator: And a possible suspect 368 00:20:05,738 --> 00:20:09,674 is found to be hiding in plain sight. 369 00:20:09,676 --> 00:20:13,511 - He was actively advertising for work in the back 370 00:20:13,513 --> 00:20:16,013 of the "soldier of fortune" magazine. 371 00:20:16,015 --> 00:20:21,052 It said he would do dirty deeds. 372 00:20:21,054 --> 00:20:25,990 - ♪ 373 00:20:26,124 --> 00:20:31,862 - ♪ 374 00:20:31,864 --> 00:20:34,732 - narrator: On February 7th, 1985, 375 00:20:34,734 --> 00:20:38,402 five days after the homicide of joe banister, 376 00:20:38,404 --> 00:20:41,906 investigators receive a tip from ralph smith, 377 00:20:41,908 --> 00:20:47,979 the estranged boyfriend of joe's sister-in-law, marlene. 378 00:20:47,981 --> 00:20:49,814 - Ralph smith. 379 00:20:49,816 --> 00:20:52,250 He was actively trying to get information. 380 00:20:52,252 --> 00:20:55,720 And he talked about this strange guy, this guy 381 00:20:55,722 --> 00:20:58,623 that's always with marlene's sister, debbie banister. 382 00:21:00,660 --> 00:21:03,227 - Narrator: After learning about this mysterious man 383 00:21:03,229 --> 00:21:07,431 in debbie's life, detectives wonder if joe banister's death 384 00:21:07,433 --> 00:21:10,401 could be tied to some sort of affair, 385 00:21:10,403 --> 00:21:13,337 and they hope debbie's sister, marlene, might be able 386 00:21:13,339 --> 00:21:16,040 to shed some light on the matter. 387 00:21:16,042 --> 00:21:17,875 - Ben: So on February 8th, 388 00:21:17,877 --> 00:21:20,278 marlene comes in for her interview 389 00:21:20,280 --> 00:21:22,680 to the alachua county sheriff's office. 390 00:21:22,682 --> 00:21:26,350 Unexpectedly, debbie banister shows up with her. 391 00:21:26,352 --> 00:21:28,886 - ♪ 392 00:21:28,888 --> 00:21:30,454 - narrator: Investigators question both 393 00:21:30,456 --> 00:21:33,691 marlene and debbie separately. 394 00:21:33,693 --> 00:21:35,693 They start by asking marlene 395 00:21:35,695 --> 00:21:39,730 about the night of debbie's husband's murder. 396 00:21:39,732 --> 00:21:43,267 - Farnell: One of the things in question was a timeline 397 00:21:43,269 --> 00:21:46,637 of which debbie had left her children the night 398 00:21:46,639 --> 00:21:50,541 of the banister homicide with her sister. 399 00:21:50,543 --> 00:21:52,743 When the two of them were independently interviewed, 400 00:21:52,745 --> 00:21:55,746 there was basically an hour difference in the time allegedly 401 00:21:55,748 --> 00:21:58,916 that the children were picked up by debbie. 402 00:21:58,918 --> 00:22:02,019 It was definitely a problem with the two of them 403 00:22:02,021 --> 00:22:03,821 not telling the same story. 404 00:22:03,823 --> 00:22:06,324 - ♪ 405 00:22:06,326 --> 00:22:08,826 - narrator: As detectives press debbie in the other 406 00:22:08,828 --> 00:22:13,264 interrogation room, she finally admits that john wayne hearn 407 00:22:13,266 --> 00:22:15,966 isn't actually her cousin. 408 00:22:15,968 --> 00:22:18,336 - Ben: Debbie said, "it's platonic. 409 00:22:18,338 --> 00:22:22,173 We met several years ago," when she was living in alabama, 410 00:22:22,175 --> 00:22:25,776 and john wayne hearn was driving a truck in alabama. 411 00:22:25,778 --> 00:22:27,645 So they just, early on, 412 00:22:27,647 --> 00:22:31,115 insisted that the whole thing was platonic. 413 00:22:31,117 --> 00:22:33,417 At a certain point, debbie pretty much refused 414 00:22:33,419 --> 00:22:39,023 to answer any more questions. 415 00:22:39,025 --> 00:22:41,292 - Narrator: After getting stonewalled by debbie and 416 00:22:41,294 --> 00:22:45,262 marlene, detectives are certain the sisters know more 417 00:22:45,264 --> 00:22:47,064 than they are letting on. 418 00:22:47,066 --> 00:22:50,801 But with no evidence directly tying them to the murder, 419 00:22:50,803 --> 00:22:55,539 detectives follow up on their only other potential lead. 420 00:22:55,541 --> 00:22:58,676 - They wanted to find out any information that they could 421 00:22:58,678 --> 00:23:00,444 about john wayne hearn. 422 00:23:00,446 --> 00:23:02,947 - Farnell: We had several different people come forward 423 00:23:02,949 --> 00:23:05,316 and say they don't know who he is or what he is, 424 00:23:05,318 --> 00:23:09,787 but he sure is a lot of places nowadays and, a lot of times, 425 00:23:09,789 --> 00:23:13,391 in the company of debbie banister. 426 00:23:13,393 --> 00:23:15,025 - Narrator: Investigators discover 427 00:23:15,027 --> 00:23:17,528 that 39-year-old john wayne hearn 428 00:23:17,530 --> 00:23:22,299 is a war vet with a home address in atlanta, georgia. 429 00:23:22,301 --> 00:23:25,503 - John wayne hearn did three tours of duty in vietnam. 430 00:23:25,505 --> 00:23:28,839 He was a weapons specialist. 431 00:23:28,841 --> 00:23:31,075 - During the war, he received a purple heart, 432 00:23:31,077 --> 00:23:32,977 which is very remarkable. 433 00:23:32,979 --> 00:23:35,746 - Narrator: But investigators are surprised to learn that 434 00:23:35,748 --> 00:23:39,884 mr. Hearn's military experience has him in hot water 435 00:23:39,886 --> 00:23:42,052 with another agency. 436 00:23:42,054 --> 00:23:43,421 - Ben: The cops got in touch 437 00:23:43,423 --> 00:23:45,723 with the georgia bureau of investigation. 438 00:23:45,725 --> 00:23:48,759 And they were aware that john wayne hearn was running 439 00:23:48,761 --> 00:23:52,930 an ad in "soldier of fortune" magazine offering to do 440 00:23:52,932 --> 00:23:56,467 high-risk assignments, like bodyguard work. 441 00:23:58,638 --> 00:24:02,072 - Farnell: "soldier of fortune" magazine was mainly, uh, 442 00:24:02,074 --> 00:24:07,244 geared toward people who were ex-military veterans 443 00:24:07,246 --> 00:24:09,780 and thrill seekers. 444 00:24:09,782 --> 00:24:12,183 - Ben: They sold anything in the world 445 00:24:12,185 --> 00:24:13,617 that you could imagine. 446 00:24:13,619 --> 00:24:17,855 They started running classified service ads. 447 00:24:17,857 --> 00:24:21,058 - Farnell: One such ad was one that john wayne hearn had, 448 00:24:21,060 --> 00:24:23,961 saying he would do things for money 449 00:24:23,963 --> 00:24:27,565 and gave a list of his military experience, said, 450 00:24:27,567 --> 00:24:30,267 uh, he would do dirty deeds. 451 00:24:30,269 --> 00:24:34,805 He became a large target at that point of our investigation. 452 00:24:34,807 --> 00:24:38,309 - ♪ 453 00:24:38,311 --> 00:24:41,545 - narrator: On February 13th, investigators contact 454 00:24:41,547 --> 00:24:46,116 john wayne hearn, and he agrees to an interview. 455 00:24:46,118 --> 00:24:48,886 They start off by asking him about his ad 456 00:24:48,888 --> 00:24:51,422 in "soldier of fortune." 457 00:24:51,424 --> 00:24:54,725 - ben: A buddy of his told him that you can get paid 458 00:24:54,727 --> 00:24:59,263 $200, 300 a day as a bodyguard to protect celebrities, 459 00:24:59,265 --> 00:25:02,633 oil executives, rock stars, you name it. 460 00:25:02,635 --> 00:25:05,402 So, they decided to run a classified ad 461 00:25:05,404 --> 00:25:07,638 in "soldier of fortune" magazine. 462 00:25:07,640 --> 00:25:10,174 - Narrator: When the conversation shifts to debbie, 463 00:25:10,176 --> 00:25:14,111 john denies any romance with the young widow. 464 00:25:14,113 --> 00:25:16,146 - Ken: John wayne hearn tells investigators that 465 00:25:16,148 --> 00:25:19,750 his relationship with debbie is strictly platonic. 466 00:25:19,752 --> 00:25:22,686 - Narrator: John claims he was with his mother and young son 467 00:25:22,688 --> 00:25:26,524 in south carolina when joe banister was killed. 468 00:25:28,327 --> 00:25:29,693 After the interview, 469 00:25:29,695 --> 00:25:33,864 investigators follow up on john's alibi. 470 00:25:33,866 --> 00:25:36,600 - We went to south carolina to interview mary watson, 471 00:25:36,602 --> 00:25:39,169 who was john wayne hearn's mother. 472 00:25:39,171 --> 00:25:42,339 And at that point in time, she was adamant that john 473 00:25:42,341 --> 00:25:45,976 and his child were with her, and there was no way 474 00:25:45,978 --> 00:25:50,648 he could have been involved with anything nefarious. 475 00:25:50,650 --> 00:25:53,050 - Narrator: But investigators sense that mary 476 00:25:53,052 --> 00:25:55,719 is holding something back. 477 00:25:55,721 --> 00:25:59,690 - She was stonewalling that she didn't know debbie banister. 478 00:25:59,692 --> 00:26:02,226 - Narrator: Growing more frustrated by the minute, 479 00:26:02,228 --> 00:26:06,530 detective cole steps out of the interrogation room. 480 00:26:06,532 --> 00:26:09,900 - I walked down the hall, and john's son was sitting there 481 00:26:09,902 --> 00:26:12,403 coloring at a table. 482 00:26:12,405 --> 00:26:13,671 And I walked by him and said, "hey, 483 00:26:13,673 --> 00:26:14,939 you live in south carolina, don't you?" 484 00:26:14,941 --> 00:26:16,373 and he said, "yeah." 485 00:26:16,375 --> 00:26:20,511 I said, "I live in florida down by mickey mouse." 486 00:26:20,513 --> 00:26:23,047 he says, "I just saw mickey mouse." 487 00:26:23,049 --> 00:26:24,014 I said, "yeah, when?" 488 00:26:24,016 --> 00:26:25,215 he said, "last weekend. 489 00:26:25,217 --> 00:26:27,685 "me and my new sisters and my new momma 490 00:26:27,687 --> 00:26:31,655 and my daddy went to see disneyland." 491 00:26:31,657 --> 00:26:34,358 - ben: He pulled out a photograph of debbie banister 492 00:26:34,360 --> 00:26:36,327 and said, "do you know her?" 493 00:26:36,329 --> 00:26:39,063 and the boy said, "yeah, that's my new momma." 494 00:26:39,065 --> 00:26:42,199 - ♪ 495 00:26:42,201 --> 00:26:43,601 - narrator: Detective cole returns 496 00:26:43,603 --> 00:26:45,035 to the interrogation room 497 00:26:45,037 --> 00:26:48,405 and confronts john hearn's mother. 498 00:26:48,407 --> 00:26:50,174 - I walked back in and cussed her again, 499 00:26:50,176 --> 00:26:52,009 throwed the picture down. 500 00:26:52,011 --> 00:26:54,345 I said, "well, you might be telling me the truth, 501 00:26:54,347 --> 00:26:56,413 "but your grandson's lying, 'cause he said he was 502 00:26:56,415 --> 00:26:59,683 in disneyland with this woman last week." 503 00:26:59,685 --> 00:27:00,951 and that's when she broke down, 504 00:27:00,953 --> 00:27:05,356 and she told us she had lied about his alibi. 505 00:27:05,358 --> 00:27:07,725 - Narrator: But revealing that john wasn't with her 506 00:27:07,727 --> 00:27:12,696 on the night of joe's murder isn't all mary has to offer. 507 00:27:12,698 --> 00:27:16,200 - John wayne hearn's mother realized that her son had been 508 00:27:16,202 --> 00:27:18,869 caught and realized that the best thing she could do 509 00:27:18,871 --> 00:27:24,141 for him to lessen what he had to face, 510 00:27:24,143 --> 00:27:25,876 she needed to cooperate with us. 511 00:27:25,878 --> 00:27:28,812 She had evidence that we desperately needed 512 00:27:28,814 --> 00:27:31,715 and had no idea even existed. 513 00:27:31,717 --> 00:27:34,418 - Narrator: Mary explains that she installed a recorder 514 00:27:34,420 --> 00:27:38,555 on her phone years ago, and realized recently that it had 515 00:27:38,557 --> 00:27:43,827 recorded conversations between debbie and john wayne hearn. 516 00:27:43,829 --> 00:27:46,063 - Mary had actually set up an answering machine, 517 00:27:46,065 --> 00:27:49,433 and she recorded every call she got on cassettes. 518 00:27:49,435 --> 00:27:51,301 She had boxes of cassettes. 519 00:27:51,303 --> 00:27:53,837 At that point, she turned over cassette tapes, 520 00:27:53,839 --> 00:27:56,573 wherein there were phone conversations between 521 00:27:56,575 --> 00:28:06,650 debbie banister and john wayne hearn. 522 00:28:06,652 --> 00:28:11,822 Debbie banister and john wayne hearn. 523 00:28:11,824 --> 00:28:13,991 - Farnell: A majority of the tapes were about 524 00:28:13,993 --> 00:28:16,994 their budding love life. 525 00:28:16,996 --> 00:28:21,098 At the same time, there was discussion about her husband 526 00:28:21,100 --> 00:28:31,175 and things that were to come. 527 00:28:31,177 --> 00:28:46,557 And things that were to come. 528 00:28:46,559 --> 00:28:50,527 - Ben: That was the single most important piece of evidence 529 00:28:50,529 --> 00:28:54,331 that the cops had in florida about joe banister's murder. 530 00:28:54,333 --> 00:28:57,234 - ♪ 531 00:28:57,236 --> 00:29:00,137 - narrator: Coming up: A stunning confession 532 00:29:00,139 --> 00:29:04,208 uncovers a treasure trove of new evidence. 533 00:29:04,210 --> 00:29:05,876 - Farnell: There was a thousand-dollar check. 534 00:29:05,878 --> 00:29:07,478 He had it mailed to his mother. 535 00:29:07,480 --> 00:29:12,816 So she was nosy enough that she checked it out and copied it. 536 00:29:12,818 --> 00:29:16,420 - Narrator: And the body count continues to rise. 537 00:29:16,422 --> 00:29:20,057 - The cop says his wife was just shot and killed 538 00:29:20,059 --> 00:29:24,528 two weeks earlier. 539 00:29:24,530 --> 00:29:29,767 - ♪ 540 00:29:29,901 --> 00:29:34,772 - ♪ 541 00:29:34,774 --> 00:29:37,875 - narrator: After being stonewalled at every angle, 542 00:29:37,877 --> 00:29:40,644 investigators have finally hit a breakthrough 543 00:29:40,646 --> 00:29:43,547 in the murder case of joe banister 544 00:29:43,549 --> 00:29:47,050 from the most shocking source. 545 00:29:47,052 --> 00:29:50,654 - Farnell: John wayne hearn's mother gave us phone recordings 546 00:29:50,656 --> 00:29:54,124 between debbie banister and john wayne hearn concerning 547 00:29:54,126 --> 00:29:58,829 everything from love talk to, uh, 548 00:29:58,831 --> 00:30:03,433 actually planning out the murder. 549 00:30:03,435 --> 00:30:06,603 - Narrator: But mary isn't quite finished yet. 550 00:30:06,605 --> 00:30:09,773 She then hands over a mysterious photocopy 551 00:30:09,775 --> 00:30:15,479 of a cashier's check made out to john for $1,000. 552 00:30:15,481 --> 00:30:16,914 - Farnell: He had it mailed to his mother 553 00:30:16,916 --> 00:30:18,282 while he was out on the road. 554 00:30:18,284 --> 00:30:21,952 So she was nosy enough that she checked it out 555 00:30:21,954 --> 00:30:23,420 and copied it. 556 00:30:23,422 --> 00:30:26,456 - The return address on that envelope was to a man 557 00:30:26,458 --> 00:30:31,662 named "bob black" in texas. 558 00:30:31,664 --> 00:30:34,331 - Narrator: Investigators are now tasked with answering 559 00:30:34,333 --> 00:30:35,799 the questions: 560 00:30:35,801 --> 00:30:40,504 Who is this bob black, and what is he paying for? 561 00:30:40,506 --> 00:30:43,473 - Ben: They started going through john wayne hearn's 562 00:30:43,475 --> 00:30:47,544 long-distance phone bills, and they find a number 563 00:30:47,546 --> 00:30:49,446 from bryan, texas. 564 00:30:49,448 --> 00:30:53,450 And a local cop in gainesville calls the sheriff's office 565 00:30:53,452 --> 00:30:58,288 in bryan, texas, and says, "I'm working on a murder case 566 00:30:58,290 --> 00:31:03,727 in florida, can you tell me whose phone number this is?" 567 00:31:03,729 --> 00:31:06,897 and they say, "yeah, it's a guy named bob black. 568 00:31:06,899 --> 00:31:11,835 His wife was just shot and killed two weeks earlier." 569 00:31:11,837 --> 00:31:14,838 - narrator: 36-year-old sandra black was gunned down 570 00:31:14,840 --> 00:31:18,976 in her own home on February 21st. 571 00:31:18,978 --> 00:31:22,646 Local police suspect her husband, bob, to be involved, 572 00:31:22,648 --> 00:31:25,582 but the case has been at a standstill. 573 00:31:25,584 --> 00:31:28,051 The news solidifies investigators' 574 00:31:28,053 --> 00:31:30,554 disturbing theory. 575 00:31:30,556 --> 00:31:34,324 - John wayne hearn was acting the character 576 00:31:34,326 --> 00:31:35,926 of a hired hit man. 577 00:31:35,928 --> 00:31:40,697 - ♪ 578 00:31:40,699 --> 00:31:44,635 - he was the only common denominator in three homicides. 579 00:31:44,637 --> 00:31:46,670 - Narrator: Investigators immediately obtain 580 00:31:46,672 --> 00:31:49,606 an arrest warrant for john wayne hearn, 581 00:31:49,608 --> 00:31:52,542 only to find he has disappeared. 582 00:31:52,544 --> 00:31:54,912 - ♪ 583 00:31:54,914 --> 00:31:57,180 - farnell: I actually sent word through his mother, mary, 584 00:31:57,182 --> 00:31:59,783 that the sisters might wanna kill him too and told him, 585 00:31:59,785 --> 00:32:02,452 "you needed to turn yourself in for safety." 586 00:32:02,454 --> 00:32:05,188 that's what changed his mind. 587 00:32:05,190 --> 00:32:08,625 - Narrator: On March 15th, john wayne hearn turns himself 588 00:32:08,627 --> 00:32:11,895 in to police in brazos county, texas, 589 00:32:11,897 --> 00:32:17,134 and detectives immediately press him for answers. 590 00:32:17,136 --> 00:32:19,703 - Each time we would corner him up with a question that he 591 00:32:19,705 --> 00:32:22,572 really didn't wanna answer, he often would break down 592 00:32:22,574 --> 00:32:25,242 and--and cry outright. 593 00:32:25,244 --> 00:32:29,680 Mid-part of the next day, as I recall, he actually broke down, 594 00:32:29,682 --> 00:32:32,549 went through one of his long crying spells and came out 595 00:32:32,551 --> 00:32:35,886 and started telling the truth. 596 00:32:35,888 --> 00:32:38,889 - Narrator: John finally admits that everything started 597 00:32:38,891 --> 00:32:42,893 with the ad he placed in "soldier of fortune" magazine. 598 00:32:42,895 --> 00:32:45,562 - Ben: The day the ad came out, 599 00:32:45,564 --> 00:32:48,432 his phone started ringing off the hook. 600 00:32:48,434 --> 00:32:51,268 Nobody was asking for bodyguard work, 601 00:32:51,270 --> 00:32:55,739 mostly it was kill people. 602 00:32:55,741 --> 00:32:58,976 - Narrator: John says he ignored most of the messages 603 00:32:58,978 --> 00:33:04,514 until debbie banister called in October of 1984. 604 00:33:04,516 --> 00:33:08,585 - Ben: He thought maybe she's young, she sounds sexy. 605 00:33:08,587 --> 00:33:11,755 And so he suggested a romantic rendezvous 606 00:33:11,757 --> 00:33:17,361 at shoney's big boy restaurant on interstate 75. 607 00:33:17,363 --> 00:33:19,930 - Narrator: At the meeting, debbie told john she needed 608 00:33:19,932 --> 00:33:24,301 help intimidating her brother-in-law, cecil batie. 609 00:33:24,303 --> 00:33:26,970 - That was solely over a custody battle that was coming 610 00:33:26,972 --> 00:33:32,175 to a head within a--a week or two after that. 611 00:33:32,177 --> 00:33:35,278 - Narrator: John agreed to help, giving little thought 612 00:33:35,280 --> 00:33:40,017 to the work and more thought to getting debbie into bed. 613 00:33:40,019 --> 00:33:42,619 - At the very end of the day, they're back at shoney's. 614 00:33:42,621 --> 00:33:45,222 She leaned across the table and kissed him 615 00:33:45,224 --> 00:33:47,157 on the end of the nose. 616 00:33:47,159 --> 00:33:48,392 And at that point 617 00:33:48,394 --> 00:33:53,964 it was just pure, unadulterated sexual power. 618 00:33:53,966 --> 00:33:56,633 You could not make this stuff up. 619 00:33:56,635 --> 00:34:01,638 This momma's boy with no criminal record was a goner. 620 00:34:01,640 --> 00:34:06,743 Um, he, the week after that, came to gainesville, 621 00:34:06,745 --> 00:34:11,581 uh, got a motel room, they started this torrid love affair. 622 00:34:11,583 --> 00:34:15,685 And fairly early on... 623 00:34:15,687 --> 00:34:18,588 She upped the ante on him. 624 00:34:18,590 --> 00:34:20,724 Debbie went from talking about, 625 00:34:20,726 --> 00:34:24,528 "you need to get the kids back from cecil batie," 626 00:34:24,530 --> 00:34:28,231 to, "you need to get cecil out of our life. 627 00:34:28,233 --> 00:34:31,435 How much would you charge to kill him?" 628 00:34:31,437 --> 00:34:34,671 - ♪ 629 00:34:34,673 --> 00:34:36,740 - ben: He said $30,000. 630 00:34:36,742 --> 00:34:38,875 She started working the price down. 631 00:34:38,877 --> 00:34:41,778 And then finally she got him down to $10,000. 632 00:34:41,780 --> 00:34:44,081 And he said, "okay, I'll do it for $10,000." 633 00:34:44,083 --> 00:34:47,184 - ♪ 634 00:34:47,186 --> 00:34:49,419 - narrator: But on the night of cecil's murder, 635 00:34:49,421 --> 00:34:51,922 john was having second thoughts. 636 00:34:52,858 --> 00:34:54,891 - He actually went to the scene, 637 00:34:54,893 --> 00:34:57,861 and talked his self out of it, drove back. 638 00:34:57,863 --> 00:35:00,297 He did that a couple of times. 639 00:35:00,299 --> 00:35:02,933 But he talked his self into it a third time and, this time, 640 00:35:02,935 --> 00:35:05,735 he deliberately pulled in, got out, 641 00:35:05,737 --> 00:35:09,439 walked straight up to the window and shot down 642 00:35:09,441 --> 00:35:14,377 through the window and killed cecil batie. 643 00:35:14,379 --> 00:35:17,647 So john wayne hearn confessed to killing cecil. 644 00:35:17,649 --> 00:35:18,849 - ♪ 645 00:35:18,851 --> 00:35:21,718 - narrator: But john says the murder didn't satisfy 646 00:35:21,720 --> 00:35:25,922 his lover, it only whetted her appetite. 647 00:35:25,924 --> 00:35:28,125 - Farnell: Debbie decided this was easy. 648 00:35:28,127 --> 00:35:30,427 Why not have her husband killed? 649 00:35:30,429 --> 00:35:32,762 - Ben: Debbie knew that she was the beneficiary 650 00:35:32,764 --> 00:35:34,197 of joe banister's insurance, 651 00:35:34,199 --> 00:35:35,765 and they were gonna use that money-- 652 00:35:35,767 --> 00:35:38,635 she and john wayne hearn-- to build their dream home. 653 00:35:38,637 --> 00:35:41,104 - He said he was always having second thoughts about it, 654 00:35:41,106 --> 00:35:43,073 up until the time he actually killed him. 655 00:35:43,075 --> 00:35:45,242 John wayne hearn did this as much for love 656 00:35:45,244 --> 00:35:48,078 as he did for money. 657 00:35:48,080 --> 00:35:50,180 - Narrator: According to john, he and debbie 658 00:35:50,182 --> 00:35:52,682 were together on February 2nd, 659 00:35:52,684 --> 00:35:56,786 just hours before her dinner plans with joe. 660 00:35:56,788 --> 00:36:00,123 - Ben: Debbie and hearn spent the whole afternoon making love 661 00:36:00,125 --> 00:36:01,591 in a motel, 662 00:36:01,593 --> 00:36:04,094 and they kind of talked everything through. 663 00:36:04,096 --> 00:36:08,165 Debbie was gonna arrange for joe to go out to dinner. 664 00:36:08,167 --> 00:36:11,801 And then the plan was, they would be in separate cars, 665 00:36:11,803 --> 00:36:14,204 and on the way home, john wayne hearn was gonna 666 00:36:14,206 --> 00:36:16,506 run him off the road and shoot him. 667 00:36:16,508 --> 00:36:19,543 - ♪ 668 00:36:19,545 --> 00:36:22,112 - narrator: That evening, debbie left john to meet 669 00:36:22,114 --> 00:36:24,881 joe and another couple for dinner. 670 00:36:24,883 --> 00:36:28,485 After their dinner, joe was driving home alone 671 00:36:28,487 --> 00:36:33,323 when john wayne hearn drove up beside him. 672 00:36:33,325 --> 00:36:37,394 - John wayne hearn rolls down the passenger window 673 00:36:37,396 --> 00:36:43,233 of his own truck, lays the rifle in the crook of the window, 674 00:36:43,235 --> 00:36:46,303 and shoots him twice in the head. 675 00:36:46,305 --> 00:36:47,337 - [gunshot] 676 00:36:49,208 --> 00:36:50,974 [gunshot] 677 00:36:50,976 --> 00:36:53,643 - ♪ 678 00:36:53,645 --> 00:36:55,745 - narrator: After the murders of her husband 679 00:36:55,747 --> 00:36:57,547 and brother-in-law, 680 00:36:57,549 --> 00:36:59,916 debbie wasn't ready to call it quits 681 00:36:59,918 --> 00:37:02,819 with john's "soldier of fortune" ad. 682 00:37:02,821 --> 00:37:08,558 However, john soon expressed his desire to end the business. 683 00:37:08,560 --> 00:37:10,827 - Debbie said to him, "what's wrong with you? 684 00:37:10,829 --> 00:37:12,495 "you've already killed two people. 685 00:37:12,497 --> 00:37:14,064 You shouldn't have a conscience." 686 00:37:14,066 --> 00:37:16,066 - ♪ 687 00:37:16,068 --> 00:37:20,237 - narrator: Coming up: More bloodshed comes to light. 688 00:37:20,239 --> 00:37:23,573 - Debbie tells him to go in and don't have a conscience. 689 00:37:23,575 --> 00:37:24,908 - Ben: He went up and shot her. 690 00:37:24,910 --> 00:37:27,577 The kill shot right between the eyes. 691 00:37:27,579 --> 00:37:30,213 - Narrator: But will the triggerman point to debbie 692 00:37:30,215 --> 00:37:33,583 as the brains behind the crimes? 693 00:37:33,585 --> 00:37:35,452 - Winston: At the end of his testimony, 694 00:37:35,454 --> 00:37:37,587 state attorney said, "well, what are your feelings 695 00:37:37,589 --> 00:37:39,589 about debra banister now?" 696 00:37:39,591 --> 00:37:43,526 he said, "I love her with all my heart." 697 00:37:43,528 --> 00:37:48,632 - ♪ 698 00:37:48,766 --> 00:37:53,770 - ♪ 699 00:37:53,772 --> 00:37:56,406 - narrator: On March 16th, 1985, 700 00:37:56,408 --> 00:38:00,610 john wayne hearn has confessed to two murders, 701 00:38:00,612 --> 00:38:03,113 but he doesn't stop there. 702 00:38:03,115 --> 00:38:05,815 John says that debbie wanted to continue 703 00:38:05,817 --> 00:38:08,952 the murder-for-hire business. 704 00:38:08,954 --> 00:38:11,655 - They immediately started running the--the switchboard, 705 00:38:11,657 --> 00:38:15,625 at that time, setting up new jobs. 706 00:38:15,627 --> 00:38:17,794 - Narrator: Debbie and john quickly zeroed in 707 00:38:17,796 --> 00:38:21,998 on their first client: Bob black. 708 00:38:22,000 --> 00:38:25,869 - Bob black hired john wayne hearn to kill 709 00:38:25,871 --> 00:38:30,974 his wife, sandra, because he was having a torrid love affair. 710 00:38:30,976 --> 00:38:36,346 He also convinced sandra to sign for and pay 711 00:38:36,348 --> 00:38:41,184 for a new $100,000 life insurance policy. 712 00:38:41,186 --> 00:38:43,420 - John wayne hearn tells investigators that he did not 713 00:38:43,422 --> 00:38:45,555 want to kill sandra black. 714 00:38:45,557 --> 00:38:48,358 Debbie tells him to go in and don't have a conscience. 715 00:38:48,360 --> 00:38:51,194 - ♪ 716 00:38:51,196 --> 00:38:54,631 - narrator: John gave in to his lover, and just two weeks 717 00:38:54,633 --> 00:38:57,233 after gunning down debbie's husband, 718 00:38:57,235 --> 00:39:00,370 he traveled to bryan, texas. 719 00:39:00,372 --> 00:39:04,341 While bob black established his alibi elsewhere, 720 00:39:04,343 --> 00:39:11,214 john hid in the house until sandra black returned home. 721 00:39:11,216 --> 00:39:14,551 - He stepped out once and shot her. 722 00:39:14,553 --> 00:39:17,887 The first shot didn't kill her, and so she was 723 00:39:17,889 --> 00:39:22,992 lying on the floor, gasping for breath. 724 00:39:22,994 --> 00:39:25,295 And he went up and shot her between the eyes. 725 00:39:25,297 --> 00:39:29,766 A kill shot right between the eyes. 726 00:39:29,768 --> 00:39:31,868 - Narrator: Debbie seemed pleased with john 727 00:39:31,870 --> 00:39:33,903 for following through. 728 00:39:33,905 --> 00:39:37,273 But things drastically changed when debbie heard that 729 00:39:37,275 --> 00:39:41,177 john's mother, mary watson, was interviewed. 730 00:39:41,179 --> 00:39:44,714 - At that point, debbie dropped john wayne hearn 731 00:39:44,716 --> 00:39:46,549 like a hot potato. 732 00:39:46,551 --> 00:39:49,119 She told him, "you gotta get out of here. 733 00:39:49,121 --> 00:39:51,955 You gotta get on the run." 734 00:39:51,957 --> 00:39:53,690 he had done all of this for love, 735 00:39:53,692 --> 00:39:56,793 and she cut him loose in a heartbeat. 736 00:39:56,795 --> 00:40:01,197 - ♪ 737 00:40:01,199 --> 00:40:03,066 - narrator: Based on john's statement, 738 00:40:03,068 --> 00:40:05,402 investigators are able to move forward 739 00:40:05,404 --> 00:40:08,805 with multiple arrest warrants. 740 00:40:08,807 --> 00:40:10,974 - We may not have been able to bring charges against 741 00:40:10,976 --> 00:40:14,611 because of lack of evidence, he gave us what we needed. 742 00:40:14,613 --> 00:40:21,584 That confession allowed us to add charges to the sisters. 743 00:40:21,586 --> 00:40:24,954 - Narrator: On April 15th, debbie banister is taken 744 00:40:24,956 --> 00:40:29,959 into custody along with her two alleged accomplices. 745 00:40:29,961 --> 00:40:32,729 - Farnell: Debbie's reaction was very combative. 746 00:40:32,731 --> 00:40:35,665 She showed out and said that she wasn't involved, 747 00:40:35,667 --> 00:40:37,734 and people were lying, and I was wrong, 748 00:40:37,736 --> 00:40:41,738 and a few names were called and, at that point in time, 749 00:40:41,740 --> 00:40:48,611 then she converted it into a tearful mother. 750 00:40:48,613 --> 00:40:51,281 - Narrator: In an effort to avoid the death penalty, 751 00:40:51,283 --> 00:40:55,652 john wayne hearn pleads guilty to all three murders 752 00:40:55,654 --> 00:41:00,523 and agrees to testify against debbie at her trial. 753 00:41:00,525 --> 00:41:04,828 In August 1985, john takes the stand. 754 00:41:06,131 --> 00:41:08,198 - Farnell: John wayne hearn said she convinced him, 755 00:41:08,200 --> 00:41:11,100 she was madly in love with him and needed to get her husband 756 00:41:11,102 --> 00:41:14,437 out of the way so they could be together happily ever after. 757 00:41:14,439 --> 00:41:17,373 - Winston: At the end of his testimony, state attorney said, 758 00:41:17,375 --> 00:41:21,611 "well, what are your feelings about debra banister now?" 759 00:41:21,613 --> 00:41:26,115 he said, "I love her with all my heart." 760 00:41:26,117 --> 00:41:30,386 - during the trial, the attorney for debbie banister 761 00:41:30,388 --> 00:41:34,624 brought up a theory that john, he did it because he was 762 00:41:34,626 --> 00:41:37,193 so upset that she would leave him. 763 00:41:37,195 --> 00:41:41,498 He had took it on his self to--to kill joe banister. 764 00:41:41,500 --> 00:41:44,868 We had numerous phone recordings that, uh, showed 765 00:41:44,870 --> 00:41:47,737 a much different attitude when the two were talking 766 00:41:47,739 --> 00:41:50,573 after joe banister's death. 767 00:41:50,575 --> 00:41:53,643 - Narrator: On August 23rd, 1985, 768 00:41:53,645 --> 00:41:57,981 the jury announces they have decided debbie's fate. 769 00:41:57,983 --> 00:42:01,251 - Debbie banister ultimately was found guilty of 770 00:42:01,253 --> 00:42:05,421 second-degree murder, and she was sentenced to 17 years 771 00:42:05,423 --> 00:42:07,590 in a state penitentiary. 772 00:42:07,592 --> 00:42:09,893 - ♪ 773 00:42:09,895 --> 00:42:12,095 - narrator: Debbie faces no charges in the death 774 00:42:12,097 --> 00:42:15,398 of sandra black, but when it comes to the murder 775 00:42:15,400 --> 00:42:17,534 of her former brother-in-law, 776 00:42:17,536 --> 00:42:20,737 she doesn't take her chances in court. 777 00:42:20,739 --> 00:42:23,506 - For cecil batie's murder, debbie pleads 778 00:42:23,508 --> 00:42:27,076 no contest to conspiracy to commit murder 779 00:42:27,078 --> 00:42:30,046 and receives a 30-year prison sentence. 780 00:42:30,048 --> 00:42:33,182 Marlene pleads no contest to conspiracy 781 00:42:33,184 --> 00:42:35,084 to commit first-degree murder, 782 00:42:35,086 --> 00:42:38,354 and she received a five-and-a-half-year sentence. 783 00:42:38,356 --> 00:42:41,925 - Narrator: John wayne hearn avoids the death penalty, 784 00:42:41,927 --> 00:42:45,295 but receives three life sentences, 785 00:42:45,297 --> 00:42:48,865 all in the name of love. 786 00:42:48,867 --> 00:42:52,635 - A man that's in love with an evil woman... 787 00:42:52,637 --> 00:42:58,708 Can be led down paths he wouldn't normally go. 788 00:42:58,710 --> 00:43:00,276 - Pamela: You have choices in life. 789 00:43:00,278 --> 00:43:02,378 We all have choices. 790 00:43:02,380 --> 00:43:06,916 And debbie decided to take lives, 791 00:43:06,918 --> 00:43:10,820 and not only ruin her life, 792 00:43:10,822 --> 00:43:13,289 but a lot of people's lives. 793 00:43:13,291 --> 00:43:17,226 She's just a selfish individual. 794 00:43:17,228 --> 00:43:29,138 - ♪