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[Female narrator]
For this long-married couple,
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their life together was nothing
short of a dream come true.
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00:00:15,382 --> 00:00:17,751
The typical American
neighborhood
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00:00:17,784 --> 00:00:19,619
likeAndy Griffith.
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00:00:19,652 --> 00:00:21,821
[Leslie] The neighbors
all knew each other.
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I played with
the neighbor's kids.
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00:00:23,623 --> 00:00:27,694
Every day, we'd go
play in the streets.
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[Narrator] But this picture
of perfection is shattered
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by a gruesome midday discovery.
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We got hit with this mess.
I mean, it was a warzone.
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The ring finger
had been cut off,
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and the wedding band
was missing.
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[Narrator] To find out who
executed this brutal crime,
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investigators must first sift
through gossip and lies.
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Neighbors had observed some
rough-looking people
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coming and going all hours
of the night.
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[Narrator] In the end, they
uncover a cold-blooded plot
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built on lies and
motivated by greed.
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He says that he had
met her some weeks earlier
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at a rehabilitation facility.
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[Susan]
She tells him this tale of woe.
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And these two guys
killed her husband,
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and she had nothing
to do with it.
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[TJ] What seemed to be
randomness,
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now seems to be
more planned out.
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There was
an actual conspiracy here.
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[music]
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[Narrator] On the outskirts
of Houston, League City, Texas,
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offers residents a sanctuary
from the hustle and bustle
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of big city life.
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[Mike] Kind of a suburban
community with a lot of people
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residing there that worked
at NASA, or in Houston,
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or in Galveston.
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[Narrator] With its swimming
pool, tennis courts
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and children playing
in the streets,
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the sprawling South Shore
subdivision is nearly flawless.
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It's a typical American
neighborhood
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likeAndy Griffith.
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[Narrator] But just before
7:00 PM on May 30, 1997,
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a call comes into 911
from a South Shore resident,
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a call that quickly breaks
the humdrum of suburban life.
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[Narrator] A panicked
38-year-old Barbara Holder
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gets on the line.
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[Susan] She thought it might be
her husband, Curtis Holder,
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but the man had a bag
over the top of his body,
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so she wasn't completely
identifying him.
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[Narrator] Within minutes,
League City police officers
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arrive at Barbara's home
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and see several neighbors
trying to comfort her.
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[William] She was crying,
very emotional.
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She had tears coming
down her face.
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[Narrator]
The responding officers
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cautiously enter
the Holder residence.
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We got hit with this mess.
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I mean, it was
a warzone in there.
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The body was laying
down on the floor.
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And he had a blue plastic bag
over his head,
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and part of his chest,
and over his waist.
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[Mike] He was stripped
from the waist down,
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including his underwear.
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The body contained
multiple knife wounds.
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There were a number of shoe
impressions on the floor,
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in the blood.
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[Narrator]
The entire scene is shocking,
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but there is
one act of brutality
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that's unlike anything
they have seen before.
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I reached down,
checked his pulse,
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and I didn't find a pulse.
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And that's when we
called for backup.
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His ring finger
had been cut off
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and was laying
over in the corner.
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[Narrator] Detectives arrive
at the scene to find Barbara
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desperate for answers.
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She kept saying over and
over again, is that Curtis?
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I know it's Curtis.
Is that Curtis?
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[TJ] They knew Curtis
lived there.
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What they're looking for is some
form of identification,
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and they couldn't find that.
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So they sent
identification officers
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to the scene to assist.
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It took a good hour before they
actually got the information
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that the victim
was Curtis Holder.
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[Narrator] Curtis Holder
was born in 1949
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to Henry and Anna Holder
in Houston, Texas.
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Growing up,
Curtis was one of five siblings
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And from a young age,
he always stood out
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as one of the good guys.
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Curtis is the type of person
that, if you're a mother,
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you would be proud
to call him your son.
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[Narrator] Curtis had clear
ambitions in life.
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He wanted a good job,
and he wanted a family.
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At 22 years old, in 1972,
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he secured a job
at the Xerox Corporation.
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He worked on a copier
that was actually on NASA.
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It was, like, this
million-dollar copy machine
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that nobody else could
work on but him.
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[Narrator] In 1978,
29-year-old Curtis
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met a fun-loving
19-year-old, Barbara Shaw.
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It was a mutual friend
that introduced the two of them.
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They seemed to
hit it off right away.
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[Narrator]
Despite their age difference,
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Barbara's upbringing forced her
to grow up fast,
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and she felt ready to settle
down when she met Curtis.
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Her mom was battling alcoholism,
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and there as not a lot of
stability within that.
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[Phyllis] The only thing that
I ever heard about Barbara was
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her mother said that they were
raised in house to house.
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And she never really
had a permanent home.
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[Dr. Sahni] So at the age of 19,
she meets this older man,
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29-year-old Curtis Holder.
He's got a good job, he's a man
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who's going to give her that
sort of all-American dream life
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[Narrator] In June 1980,
Curtis and Barbara tied the kno
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in a simple courthouse ceremony
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In the years that followed,
Barbara gave birth
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to two children,
Christopher and Leslie.
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[Leslie] My mother did not work.
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So my mom wasn't
the disciplinary.
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She would, more, say, you know,
whenever your dad gets home,
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this is when we'll deal with it
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So he worked and took care
of me and my brother, Chris.
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I was definitely a daddy's girl
My dad was definitely loving,
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and, uh, he loved me,
he loved Chris.
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[Narrator] Curtis continued
to advance in his career,
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bringing in a paycheck that
allowed the couple to purchase
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a beautiful home in the
League City neighborhood
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of South Shore.
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[Leslie] The neighbors
all knew each other.
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I played with
the neighbor's kids.
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Chris had his friends.
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After school, every day,
we'd go play in the streets.
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[Phyllis] Barbara was a fanatic
when it came to that house.
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That was her house.
And that was her pride and joy.
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[Narrator] But on May 30, 1997,
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this portrait of suburban
success is destroyed
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when homicide detectives
discover a horrific scene
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at the Holder home.
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The scenario is that
Barbara Holder entered her home
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and found Curtis laying in her
kitchen with some blue bags
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over him, and there was an
amputation of the left finger.
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It was a very bloody area
around the kitchen.
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His throat was cut.
He had multiple stab wounds
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to his entire body,
blunt trauma to the head.
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So tremendous trauma
to his body.
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[Narrator] Detectives check in
with Barbara,
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who has taken refuge inside a
neighbor's home.
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They break the news to Barbara
that the body is in fact
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her husband, Curtis Holder.
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[William] Barbara Jean
was very upset.
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She started crying and says, oh
thank God, thank God,
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thank God my daughter
didn't go in with me.
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If she'd have seen her daddy on
the floor dead like that...
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[Mike] Barbara said that she saw
Curtis off to work that morning
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And that then she continued
throughout the day to
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run a lot of errands.
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While she was out
running her errands,
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her husband calls her up
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and tells her to go pick up
her daughter from daycare,
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who was five years old
at the time.
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[Narrator]
Barbara did as Curtis requested
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[TJ] So Barbara has her daughter
with her, but she said her son,
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Chris, her eldest, is off
on a camping trip at the time.
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[William] She comes home,
the daughter goes over
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to the neighbor's house
instead of going in with her.
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She walks in,
sees a dead body on the floor.
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[Narrator] Detectives give
Barbara some time
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to process the tragic news.
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They turn to Sylvia Yeats,
a neighbor who tells them
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that she saw Curtis come home
that day around 4:00 PM.
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[Sylvia] I was coming home
from school,
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and I stopped at my mailbox.
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I looked up the street,
and I saw Curtis.
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She saw him enter at about 4:10,
and the call for us
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was approximately
two and a half hours later.
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[Narrator] Sylvia has another
bit of information to offer.
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[Mike] Two days before,
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Sylvia Yeats had
been burglarized.
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[Sylvia] Wednesday, when I come
home, and I see the light on
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in the master bedroom, so I
walked further into the room and
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saw the closet door was open.
And there was clothes strewn
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about the floor,
and all my jewelry was gone.
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If you have burglaries
in the neighborhood,
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it leads you to believe that
maybe this was a burglary.
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And for detectives,
that's also a clue.
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They have to determine if it wa
a burglar who'd been surprised,
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or a home invasion,
or that type of case.
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[Narrator] Coming up,
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a new clue takes
the investigation
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in a surprising direction.
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Now they were going down
that path thinking, maybe
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the person was
his spurned lover.
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[Narrator] And detectives start
to sort fact from fiction.
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[Narrator] May 30, 1997.
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Authorities in League City,
Texas have positively identifie
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the body found inside a quaint
suburban home
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as 47-year-old Curtis Holder.
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[Susan] I've been doing this
30-plus years,
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and I've never seen a case
where they both
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covered the face and exposed
the bottom half of the body.
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Which is also kind of odd.
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Now, sometimes when a person
is killed by a loved one,
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that person covers up
the face or head to make it
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seem more dignified, but
this was the opposite of that.
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[Narrator] After hearing
from the Holders' neighbor,
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Sylvia Yeats, about her
recent home burglary,
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investigators wonder,
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did Curtis interrupt
a robbery in progress?
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[Mike] Most of the rooms in the
Holder home were ransacked.
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But there were no broken windows
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or anything else that showed
forced entry into the home.
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[Narrator] But amid the mess,
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detectives make note
of an odd pattern.
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[Mike] Not all of the drawers
were pulled out in some
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of the rooms. Drawers seemed
to have been undisturbed,
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00:14:17,090 --> 00:14:19,125
which was unusual.
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[Susan] There were a lot of
valuables that were left.
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The officers experienced in
working burglaries told them
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that's not how burglars work.
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That indicates that
someone is working
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to mislead their investigation.
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[Narrator] Investigators take
their attention to the kitchen,
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where the murder took place.
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[Mike] The general crime scene
in the kitchen painted
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a tremendous struggle
that took place.
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There were things knocked over
in the kitchen.
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There were dents in some
of the appliances.
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[Narrator] Detectives don't spot
a murder weapon,
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but they do find a clue as to
where it might have come from.
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[Susan] They did find a block
where the family kitchen
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00:15:07,207 --> 00:15:12,946
knives were, and the biggest
knife in that block was missing.
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[Narrator]
Curtis's body reflects
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the brutality of the scene.
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Curtis had contusions
around his head
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where he was hit with
something like a wrench.
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He was stabbed 93 times
in the face and chest.
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[Mike] His left ring finger
had been amputated
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00:15:30,230 --> 00:15:33,967
and thrown across the room.
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[Narrator] The medical examiner
notes that after the murder,
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00:15:40,440 --> 00:15:45,278
the killer continued the assaul
on Curtis's body.
239
00:15:45,311 --> 00:15:48,181
They had taken
his clothes off.
240
00:15:48,214 --> 00:15:51,751
They took his pants off,
and his underwear.
241
00:15:51,785 --> 00:15:53,653
And they took a blue bag,
242
00:15:53,687 --> 00:15:56,189
and they put it over the top
part of his head,
243
00:15:56,222 --> 00:16:00,026
covering his head,
which is also kind of odd.
244
00:16:04,097 --> 00:16:06,199
[Narrator] Investigators
have a strong hunch
245
00:16:06,232 --> 00:16:10,170
that this killing was personal.
246
00:16:10,203 --> 00:16:14,641
It's unusual to find that level
of injury and that much trauma
247
00:16:14,674 --> 00:16:17,744
to a face and neck exclusively.
248
00:16:17,777 --> 00:16:21,047
The fact that the ring finger
is missing, and he was stabbed
249
00:16:21,047 --> 00:16:23,950
to the point where he was
almost decapitated really
250
00:16:24,050 --> 00:16:26,820
starts to speak to that there
was some intimate relationship,
251
00:16:26,853 --> 00:16:29,756
and maybe even a
romantic relationship.
252
00:16:29,789 --> 00:16:32,192
[Narrator] Detectives and crime
scene technicians
253
00:16:32,225 --> 00:16:36,796
find something in the master
bedroom that sticks out.
254
00:16:36,830 --> 00:16:38,832
[William] It was a greetings
card sitting on top of
255
00:16:38,865 --> 00:16:40,967
Curtis Holder's dresser.
256
00:16:41,067 --> 00:16:45,638
And it said, "Have a nice life.
Love, Brett."
257
00:16:47,574 --> 00:16:51,344
[Dr. Sahni] The card reads
in a manner and tone
258
00:16:51,378 --> 00:16:53,580
that might suggest it's a final
goodbye from someone who was
259
00:16:53,613 --> 00:16:57,550
romantically involved or
sexually involved with Curtis.
260
00:16:57,584 --> 00:17:01,121
So detectives first have to
determine who is this person.
261
00:17:05,592 --> 00:17:08,628
[Narrator] Hoping to learn more
about Curtis's personal life,
262
00:17:08,661 --> 00:17:11,431
investigators ask Barbara
to come to the station
263
00:17:11,464 --> 00:17:15,035
for a formal statement
just after 10:00 PM.
264
00:17:16,236 --> 00:17:19,239
They want to try to get anything
else that is pertinent
265
00:17:19,272 --> 00:17:22,242
to their relationship
and to any relationships
266
00:17:22,275 --> 00:17:25,245
that Curtis may have had.
267
00:17:25,278 --> 00:17:27,881
[Narrator] Barbara tells
detectives that while her
268
00:17:27,914 --> 00:17:30,583
husband was a well-liked guy,
269
00:17:30,617 --> 00:17:33,053
they faced their share
of obstacles
270
00:17:33,053 --> 00:17:37,090
in their nearly
17 years together.
271
00:17:37,123 --> 00:17:39,259
[Mike] The picture that
was painted was that it
272
00:17:39,292 --> 00:17:41,494
was very dysfunctional.
273
00:17:41,528 --> 00:17:45,498
They had financial problems
that Curtis blamed on Barbara.
274
00:17:45,532 --> 00:17:49,669
He had actually moved away
from the house a year before
275
00:17:49,703 --> 00:17:53,673
and separated from her.
276
00:17:53,707 --> 00:17:57,777
My dad moving out
was explained to me, basically,
277
00:17:57,811 --> 00:18:01,147
that they just needed a break.
278
00:18:04,351 --> 00:18:09,856
[Narrator] However, after nearly
a year, Curtis returned home.
279
00:18:09,889 --> 00:18:13,293
[Mike] He came back about
five months before his murder
280
00:18:13,326 --> 00:18:14,828
back into the home.
281
00:18:14,861 --> 00:18:17,430
And most of the neighbors
and friends attributed that
282
00:18:17,464 --> 00:18:19,599
to his love of his children,
283
00:18:19,632 --> 00:18:23,737
not his love
or relationship with Barbara.
284
00:18:23,770 --> 00:18:27,107
Barbara talks about
the relationship she had
285
00:18:27,140 --> 00:18:28,775
with Curtis.
286
00:18:28,808 --> 00:18:31,378
And she begins
to paint for police a very
287
00:18:31,411 --> 00:18:35,949
different human being.
A husband who's controlling.
288
00:18:36,049 --> 00:18:38,518
It put her into
a very deep depression.
289
00:18:38,551 --> 00:18:43,056
She described to the police that
she was depressed and suicidal.
290
00:18:46,393 --> 00:18:49,763
[Narrator] In fact, Barbara
tells them that the stress
291
00:18:49,796 --> 00:18:51,898
from it all lingered.
292
00:18:51,931 --> 00:18:53,566
And 15 days ago,
293
00:18:53,600 --> 00:18:58,571
she sought help
at a local mental hospital.
294
00:18:58,605 --> 00:19:01,307
Well, she was in the hospital
for, as she had put it,
295
00:19:01,341 --> 00:19:03,510
her mental breakdown.
296
00:19:03,543 --> 00:19:06,146
[Narrator] Barbara says that
much of her stress was rooted
297
00:19:06,179 --> 00:19:10,717
in a suspicion that
Curtis was unfaithful.
298
00:19:10,750 --> 00:19:13,019
When Barbara is interviewed,
one of the things
299
00:19:13,019 --> 00:19:17,123
that she draws attention to
is this belief that Curtis was
300
00:19:17,157 --> 00:19:19,592
actually gay and not straight,
301
00:19:19,626 --> 00:19:23,763
and was closeted about
his sexual interests.
302
00:19:23,797 --> 00:19:26,566
[Narrator] Barbara doesn't know
who he had an affair with, but
303
00:19:26,599 --> 00:19:32,439
she gives detectives two names,
Brett Wilson and Jerome Rapp.
304
00:19:32,472 --> 00:19:35,342
Detectives immediately recogniz
one of the names
305
00:19:35,375 --> 00:19:38,712
from the card
found at the Holder home.
306
00:19:38,745 --> 00:19:41,247
Now they were going down that
path, thinking maybe
307
00:19:41,281 --> 00:19:44,617
the person was a spurned lover.
308
00:19:47,587 --> 00:19:50,824
[Narrator] Investigators dive
into this theory.
309
00:19:50,857 --> 00:19:55,161
And less than 12 hours after
Curtis's body was found,
310
00:19:55,195 --> 00:19:58,531
they find
42-year-old Brett Wilson
311
00:19:58,565 --> 00:20:01,668
and bring him into the station
for an interview.
312
00:20:27,694 --> 00:20:29,462
[Narrator] The mention
of Barbara's name
313
00:20:29,496 --> 00:20:31,698
seems to clarify things
for Brett.
314
00:20:36,870 --> 00:20:39,072
[Dr. Sahni] It was actually
Barbara he was friends with,
315
00:20:39,105 --> 00:20:43,209
and that he met Curtis
through Barbara.
316
00:20:59,893 --> 00:21:01,695
[Narrator] But Brett
continues to insist
317
00:21:01,728 --> 00:21:04,597
that he never
sent Curtis a card.
318
00:21:23,717 --> 00:21:26,853
[Narrator] Brett is cooperative
with investigators.
319
00:21:26,886 --> 00:21:32,559
And before they wrap up his
interview, he provides an alibi
320
00:21:32,592 --> 00:21:34,861
You have a home
that looks, on first glance,
321
00:21:34,894 --> 00:21:38,098
like it's been burglarized,
and yet things about how
322
00:21:38,131 --> 00:21:40,900
the home's been ransacked
suggest it's been staged.
323
00:21:40,934 --> 00:21:43,770
You have a birthday card that
now potentially is a forgery,
324
00:21:43,803 --> 00:21:46,506
which means it may also
have been staged.
325
00:21:46,539 --> 00:21:48,842
They've now walked away from
their interview with Brett
326
00:21:48,875 --> 00:21:50,777
with more questions.
327
00:21:54,481 --> 00:21:58,551
[Narrator] Coming up,
the rumor mill churns.
328
00:21:58,585 --> 00:22:04,057
She was spending money on drugs,
booze, and boyfriends.
329
00:22:05,625 --> 00:22:08,061
[Narrator] And a call comes
in to a neighbor
330
00:22:08,061 --> 00:22:10,764
that raises a red flag.
331
00:22:10,797 --> 00:22:13,066
The neighbor noticed that
the call was not coming
332
00:22:13,099 --> 00:22:14,334
from the police department.
333
00:22:14,367 --> 00:22:16,670
The call was coming from a
motel.
334
00:22:31,851 --> 00:22:34,754
[Narrator] Detectives
investigating the brutal murder
335
00:22:34,788 --> 00:22:39,492
of Curtis Holder have just
interviewed Brett Wilson,
336
00:22:39,526 --> 00:22:43,096
one of the men Barbara Holder
named as a potential
337
00:22:43,129 --> 00:22:47,434
love interest of Curtis.
338
00:22:47,467 --> 00:22:49,536
[Susan]
The police explored that,
339
00:22:49,569 --> 00:22:52,138
and the police were not able to
find anything that indicated
340
00:22:52,172 --> 00:22:54,140
there was a
homosexual relationship
341
00:22:54,174 --> 00:22:56,976
between Curtis
and his friend.
342
00:23:00,480 --> 00:23:03,116
[Narrator] After detectives
confirm Brett's alibi
343
00:23:03,149 --> 00:23:08,154
checks out, they move on.
And just a few hours later,
344
00:23:08,188 --> 00:23:13,526
they locate the other man
Barbara mentioned, Jerome Rapp.
345
00:23:13,560 --> 00:23:16,963
He agrees to come in
for an interview.
346
00:23:17,831 --> 00:23:21,768
When Jerome is interviewed,
what's clear to the detectives
347
00:23:21,801 --> 00:23:23,803
is their stories are consistent
348
00:23:23,837 --> 00:23:25,805
Neither of them
really knew Curtis.
349
00:23:25,839 --> 00:23:28,308
They knew of him, and they knew
of him through Barbara.
350
00:23:28,341 --> 00:23:30,143
They partied with her.
351
00:23:30,176 --> 00:23:33,313
[Narrator] He tells police
that he spent the previous day
352
00:23:33,346 --> 00:23:35,081
in Galveston with a friend.
353
00:23:40,086 --> 00:23:42,956
[Narrator] Jerome says Barbara
often confided in him about
354
00:23:42,989 --> 00:23:46,659
her marriage, claiming more
than once that her seemingly
355
00:23:46,693 --> 00:23:49,629
mild-mannered husband
had a dark side.
356
00:23:58,872 --> 00:24:02,042
[Narrator] Sometimes, Barbara
claimed, Curtis's dark side
357
00:24:02,042 --> 00:24:03,910
was outright abusive.
358
00:24:15,722 --> 00:24:18,658
[Narrator] Detectives find
no evidence that either
359
00:24:18,692 --> 00:24:24,197
Brett or Jerome had a romantic
relationship with Curtis.
360
00:24:24,731 --> 00:24:26,800
[William] They were
completely eliminated.
361
00:24:26,833 --> 00:24:29,402
They had absolutely
nothing to do with it.
362
00:24:32,272 --> 00:24:33,606
[Narrator]
Investigators head back
363
00:24:33,640 --> 00:24:36,776
to the South Shore subdivision.
364
00:24:36,810 --> 00:24:39,245
This was the kind of place where
neighbors did know each other,
365
00:24:39,279 --> 00:24:41,247
and know what was going on.
366
00:24:41,281 --> 00:24:44,250
[Narrator] Neighbors shed more
light on the couple's separatio
367
00:24:44,284 --> 00:24:47,253
that took place
less than a year ago.
368
00:24:47,287 --> 00:24:48,888
[Sylvia] Oh, it was.
369
00:24:48,922 --> 00:24:51,891
Yeah, that was the talk
of the neighborhood.
370
00:24:51,925 --> 00:24:54,094
[Narrator] Neighbors say the
reason for the split
371
00:24:54,094 --> 00:24:57,897
wasn't that Curtis
was having an affair.
372
00:24:57,931 --> 00:25:03,169
With Curtis and Barbara,
finances were always a struggle.
373
00:25:03,203 --> 00:25:06,639
[Phyllis] She came to my house
one day and said that she had
374
00:25:06,673 --> 00:25:09,576
just picked up Curtis's
paycheck, and had all that cash
375
00:25:09,609 --> 00:25:13,947
in her purse, she pulled
in her driveway, got out,
376
00:25:14,047 --> 00:25:17,183
ran in the house, and she was
only in there a minute,
377
00:25:17,217 --> 00:25:21,454
and she said, so somebody had
stole all of Curtis's paycheck.
378
00:25:23,356 --> 00:25:26,793
Now, I didn't believe that.
379
00:25:31,331 --> 00:25:35,702
I think she was spending money
on entertainment, on drugs,
380
00:25:35,735 --> 00:25:40,073
booze, and boyfriends.
381
00:25:41,174 --> 00:25:44,144
I can remember, you know,
my mom just was spending
382
00:25:44,177 --> 00:25:46,613
it on the wrong things.
383
00:25:46,646 --> 00:25:49,949
[Mike] Neighbors also had
observed some rough-looking
384
00:25:49,983 --> 00:25:53,453
people coming and going
from the house at, you know,
385
00:25:53,486 --> 00:25:55,455
all hours of the night.
386
00:25:57,090 --> 00:25:59,259
[Narrator] Neighbors say that
Curtis was outraged
387
00:25:59,292 --> 00:26:02,796
when he got word of his
estranged wife's behavior.
388
00:26:02,829 --> 00:26:07,167
He felt he had no choice
but to return home.
389
00:26:07,200 --> 00:26:10,804
From what we understand,
we heard through the rumor mill,
390
00:26:10,837 --> 00:26:15,041
was that his attorney
told him to go back.
391
00:26:15,041 --> 00:26:17,043
[Phyllis] Barbara said they
weren't getting divorced,
392
00:26:17,077 --> 00:26:20,880
but Curtis was definitely
divorcing her.
393
00:26:23,583 --> 00:26:25,318
[Narrator] While Barbara's
behavior garnered
394
00:26:25,352 --> 00:26:30,824
plenty of attention, Curtis
never raised any eyebrows.
395
00:26:30,857 --> 00:26:33,960
There's nobody ever gonna be
able to convince me
396
00:26:34,060 --> 00:26:37,530
that he abused her
in any shape, fashion or form.
397
00:26:37,564 --> 00:26:40,834
And he never abused those kids.
398
00:26:40,867 --> 00:26:44,371
I thought Curtis was
an excellent person.
399
00:26:44,404 --> 00:26:47,707
But his wife was a
different subject.
400
00:26:50,076 --> 00:26:51,911
[Narrator]
Two days after the murder,
401
00:26:51,945 --> 00:26:56,082
investigators get a call from
neighbor Cindy Kleehan.
402
00:26:56,116 --> 00:27:00,387
Cindy says she has just gotten
off the phone with Barbara.
403
00:27:00,420 --> 00:27:03,189
Barbara had called her and
asked her to take care of Leslie
404
00:27:03,223 --> 00:27:05,091
because the police
were calling her to go
405
00:27:05,125 --> 00:27:07,427
back and interview.
406
00:27:07,460 --> 00:27:10,196
[Narrator] Cindy says that
Barbara called her twice more
407
00:27:10,230 --> 00:27:11,865
to keep her updated,
408
00:27:11,898 --> 00:27:16,202
all the while claiming she
was still at the police station
409
00:27:16,236 --> 00:27:18,371
But the neighbor noticed that
the call was not
410
00:27:18,405 --> 00:27:20,540
coming from the
police department.
411
00:27:20,573 --> 00:27:25,745
The caller ID indicated that the
call was coming from a motel.
412
00:27:27,814 --> 00:27:30,884
[Narrator] Detectives work
quickly to locate the hotel
413
00:27:30,917 --> 00:27:34,654
in which Barbara
has taken refuge.
414
00:27:34,688 --> 00:27:37,323
Barbara told one of the
detectives that she had
415
00:27:37,357 --> 00:27:43,363
very recently checked out
of a mental hospital.
416
00:27:43,396 --> 00:27:48,234
So their primary concern at
the beginning, was, you know,
417
00:27:48,268 --> 00:27:50,270
is she gonna hurt herself?
418
00:27:50,870 --> 00:27:53,373
[Narrator] Around 1:00 AM
on June 2nd,
419
00:27:53,406 --> 00:27:57,077
authorities gather in the
parking lot of the hotel.
420
00:27:57,110 --> 00:28:00,447
They saw her van outside,
and they recognized it,
421
00:28:00,480 --> 00:28:04,017
but there was no record of
a Barbara Holder checking in.
422
00:28:04,050 --> 00:28:07,020
So they decided to
canvass the hotel.
423
00:28:07,821 --> 00:28:10,890
[Narrator]
Investigators go room to room.
424
00:28:10,924 --> 00:28:13,360
At one door, a male voice
responds,
425
00:28:13,393 --> 00:28:15,128
but refuses to open up.
426
00:28:17,063 --> 00:28:21,301
Authorities draw their weapons
and demand entry.
427
00:28:22,302 --> 00:28:26,106
There was a pause
for an extended period,
428
00:28:26,139 --> 00:28:30,043
but after that pause,
Barbara Holder came to the door.
429
00:28:32,779 --> 00:28:34,948
They could see in the backgroun
that there was a--
430
00:28:35,048 --> 00:28:39,085
looked like a male subject
also in the room.
431
00:28:39,519 --> 00:28:41,354
[Narrator]
Investigators ask Barbara
432
00:28:41,388 --> 00:28:45,925
and the unrecognizable male
subject to step outside.
433
00:28:48,061 --> 00:28:52,832
He identifies himself
as 33-year-old Mark Dixon.
434
00:28:54,067 --> 00:28:58,672
Barbara is quick to
offer up an explanation.
435
00:28:58,938 --> 00:29:00,206
[Susan]
When they first asked her,
436
00:29:00,240 --> 00:29:02,776
who is this guy
and how do you even know him?
437
00:29:02,809 --> 00:29:06,012
She indicated that she
had just met him at a bar
438
00:29:06,046 --> 00:29:09,516
a few hours earlier, which is
pretty weird in and of itself
439
00:29:09,549 --> 00:29:12,185
for someone whose husband
was just killed.
440
00:29:16,022 --> 00:29:17,424
[Narrator] Barbara and Mark
are transported to the
441
00:29:17,457 --> 00:29:21,027
League City Police Department
for questioning,
442
00:29:21,027 --> 00:29:24,497
while detectives
search the hotel room.
443
00:29:24,531 --> 00:29:27,300
They were able to find property
that was reportedly
444
00:29:27,334 --> 00:29:31,371
stolen in the burglary
of the Holder home earlier.
445
00:29:33,273 --> 00:29:36,176
[Narrator]
That's not all they find.
446
00:29:36,209 --> 00:29:40,513
They also locate items stolen
from the Holders' neighbors.
447
00:29:41,114 --> 00:29:43,550
They were also able to locate,
I believe,
448
00:29:43,583 --> 00:29:46,119
a ring that was in
a pill bottle.
449
00:29:46,152 --> 00:29:49,189
It was the class ring
of Sylvia Yeats.
450
00:29:50,490 --> 00:29:55,061
[Narrator] Then they locate a
final damning piece of evidence
451
00:29:55,061 --> 00:29:57,964
They see that
there are some knives.
452
00:29:58,064 --> 00:30:00,567
And the knives seems similar
to the type of knives
453
00:30:00,600 --> 00:30:03,570
they saw at the Holder house.
454
00:30:03,603 --> 00:30:05,572
They realize several
of those knives
455
00:30:05,605 --> 00:30:07,273
could have been
the murder weapon.
456
00:30:10,410 --> 00:30:14,447
[Narrator] Coming up,
detectives confront Barbara.
457
00:30:14,481 --> 00:30:16,449
[William] She did a really
good job of playing
458
00:30:16,483 --> 00:30:17,751
the damsel in distress.
459
00:30:25,925 --> 00:30:28,762
[Narrator]
And a new suspect emerges.
460
00:30:30,330 --> 00:30:33,600
He began to tell the detectives
that he had solicited
461
00:30:33,633 --> 00:30:36,603
a 16-year-old juvenile
to participate
462
00:30:36,636 --> 00:30:39,139
and help kill Curtis Holder.
463
00:30:55,455 --> 00:30:57,490
[Narrator] Detectives
investigating the murder
464
00:30:57,524 --> 00:31:01,127
of Curtis Holder have just
found damning evidence
465
00:31:01,161 --> 00:31:05,398
at the hotel room of
Barbara Holder and Mark Dixon.
466
00:31:05,432 --> 00:31:07,834
[Susan] They do the protective
sweep just to make sure,
467
00:31:07,867 --> 00:31:11,738
and see that there're some
knives on the floor,
468
00:31:11,771 --> 00:31:14,441
that could've been
used to stab him.
469
00:31:14,474 --> 00:31:19,279
[Narrator] Investigators seize
the hotel room evidence.
470
00:31:20,914 --> 00:31:24,951
Meanwhile, back at the station,
Barbara denies any knowledge of
471
00:31:24,984 --> 00:31:28,088
the stolen items or the knife.
472
00:31:39,666 --> 00:31:42,235
[Narrator] It's clear to
investigators that Barbara
473
00:31:42,268 --> 00:31:45,905
isn't ready to be honest.
474
00:31:45,939 --> 00:31:49,109
So they turn their
attention to Mark.
475
00:31:49,843 --> 00:31:51,478
[TJ] Barbara's telling
detectives,
476
00:31:51,511 --> 00:31:53,146
I just met this guy today.
477
00:31:53,179 --> 00:31:55,648
Obviously detectives pretty
quickly determined
478
00:31:55,682 --> 00:31:57,283
that's not true,
479
00:31:57,317 --> 00:32:01,187
because Barbara's name
is tattooed on his arm.
480
00:32:01,688 --> 00:32:05,458
[Mike] Mark says that he had
met her some weeks earlier
481
00:32:05,492 --> 00:32:09,929
at a rehabilitation facility
at Mainland Center Hospital,
482
00:32:09,963 --> 00:32:13,166
and that they were
patients there together.
483
00:32:13,199 --> 00:32:15,101
She had been in there
for depression and
484
00:32:15,135 --> 00:32:18,071
suicidal ideation.
485
00:32:18,071 --> 00:32:22,075
They meet in the hospital,
and they have a romance.
486
00:32:23,076 --> 00:32:24,511
[Narrator] Mark says
that during their time
487
00:32:24,544 --> 00:32:29,082
in the hospital together,
Barbara confided in him.
488
00:32:29,082 --> 00:32:31,851
Barbara tells him this
tale of woe about her husband
489
00:32:31,885 --> 00:32:34,354
had been abusive to her.
490
00:32:34,387 --> 00:32:36,122
She did a really good job
of playing
491
00:32:36,156 --> 00:32:38,224
the damsel in distress.
492
00:32:38,258 --> 00:32:40,460
[Mike] He learned more about
the horrible relationship
493
00:32:40,493 --> 00:32:45,198
she had with Curtis, and, uh,
that she wanted him dead.
494
00:32:47,167 --> 00:32:50,103
[Narrator] To convince Mark
to help her kill Curtis,
495
00:32:50,136 --> 00:32:54,174
Barbara dangled promises
of marriage and money.
496
00:32:54,207 --> 00:32:57,110
Barbara also talked to him about
the fact that there was a lot
497
00:32:57,110 --> 00:33:00,880
of insurance money on Curtis.
Around $600,000.
498
00:33:01,581 --> 00:33:04,351
Barbara Jean offered
to pay him $50,000
499
00:33:04,384 --> 00:33:07,420
for helping
murdering her husband.
500
00:33:08,955 --> 00:33:12,058
[Narrator]
But Mark had reservations.
501
00:33:12,058 --> 00:33:14,361
He just isn't the kinda guy
that does that.
502
00:33:14,394 --> 00:33:17,297
So she asked him
if he knew anybody who did.
503
00:33:17,330 --> 00:33:19,566
Well, he did know somebody.
504
00:33:19,599 --> 00:33:23,403
Mark Dixon began to tell the
detectives that, uh,
505
00:33:23,436 --> 00:33:27,507
he had solicited a 16-year-old
juvenile named Johnny Lopez,
506
00:33:27,540 --> 00:33:29,342
who lived in the
very same neighborhood,
507
00:33:29,376 --> 00:33:32,278
to help kill Curtis Holder.
508
00:33:35,115 --> 00:33:37,317
[Narrator] Mark tells detectives
that he and Johnny
509
00:33:37,350 --> 00:33:40,653
formed a friendship when
the burgeoning tattoo artist
510
00:33:40,687 --> 00:33:43,757
inked "Barbara" on Mark's arm.
511
00:33:43,790 --> 00:33:49,562
Johnny was promised $50,000
to participate in the murder.
512
00:33:50,096 --> 00:33:52,365
[Susan] Mark did talk about
doing the burglary next door at
513
00:33:52,399 --> 00:33:56,102
the Yeats' house to set this up.
But he indicated that Barbara
514
00:33:56,136 --> 00:33:59,439
was going to be luring Curtis
there with a phone call,
515
00:33:59,472 --> 00:34:03,610
and that Johnny was going
to do all the killing.
516
00:34:04,611 --> 00:34:06,413
[Narrator]
After speaking with Mark,
517
00:34:06,446 --> 00:34:11,451
authorities officially
place him under arrest.
518
00:34:12,686 --> 00:34:16,623
And take one last run
at Barbara for a confession.
519
00:34:35,608 --> 00:34:37,610
[Narrator]
With Barbara lawyered up,
520
00:34:37,644 --> 00:34:41,614
investigators place her under
arrest and set their sights
521
00:34:41,648 --> 00:34:46,353
on tracking down
16-year-old Johnny Lopez.
522
00:34:47,887 --> 00:34:52,625
They locate him the next day
and place him under arrest.
523
00:34:53,893 --> 00:34:57,097
[Mike] They were able to locate
him with a girlfriend.
524
00:34:57,130 --> 00:35:01,735
Johnny was a juvenile.
And he was magistrated in a
525
00:35:01,768 --> 00:35:04,838
very cautious and careful manner
that is required
526
00:35:04,871 --> 00:35:07,240
when we're dealing
with juveniles.
527
00:35:07,273 --> 00:35:09,476
[Susan] Well, initially
Johnny tells the detectives
528
00:35:09,509 --> 00:35:11,444
a few different versions,
but in the end,
529
00:35:11,478 --> 00:35:16,282
Johnny has both him and Mark
attacking Curtis.
530
00:35:17,450 --> 00:35:20,420
He did indicate that
he helped undress the body,
531
00:35:20,453 --> 00:35:23,590
and that Barbara
asked him to do that.
532
00:35:23,623 --> 00:35:27,193
And he believed that was
to humiliate the deceased.
533
00:35:30,597 --> 00:35:33,266
[Narrator] One thing is clear
to detectives--
534
00:35:33,299 --> 00:35:37,437
Barbara is the mastermind
behind the murder.
535
00:35:37,470 --> 00:35:40,874
[Mike] Th ere's no question that
Barbara Holder was the person
536
00:35:40,907 --> 00:35:45,645
who was coordinating the events.
She wanted, according to Dixon,
537
00:35:45,679 --> 00:35:48,381
Curtis killed.
She helped orchestrate
538
00:35:48,415 --> 00:35:51,351
her children being
away from the home.
539
00:35:51,384 --> 00:35:54,421
She helped orchestrate the other
burglaries in the area.
540
00:35:55,655 --> 00:35:58,091
[Narrator] After comparing
Johnny and Mark's stories,
541
00:35:58,091 --> 00:36:00,927
authorities piece together
what they believe happened on
542
00:36:01,027 --> 00:36:05,131
May 30th inside the Holder home
543
00:36:09,169 --> 00:36:10,403
[Susan] She goes and she gets
Mark Dixon,
544
00:36:10,437 --> 00:36:12,339
and she gets Johnny Lopez.
545
00:36:12,372 --> 00:36:15,408
And she brings them
to the house.
546
00:36:15,442 --> 00:36:17,410
They spend some time in the
house making it look like
547
00:36:17,444 --> 00:36:19,779
it would've been ransacked.
548
00:36:19,813 --> 00:36:23,249
She was able to lure Curtis back
into the house at
549
00:36:23,283 --> 00:36:27,754
that very time by making
that page or call to him.
550
00:36:28,955 --> 00:36:31,658
[Narrator] When Curtis arrived,
Barbara was waiting for him
551
00:36:31,691 --> 00:36:36,730
in the kitchen while Mark and
Johnny hid just out of sight.
552
00:36:36,763 --> 00:36:41,167
And as Barbara would lure Curtis
Holder into the room,
553
00:36:41,201 --> 00:36:43,470
they simultaneously
attacked him.
554
00:36:43,937 --> 00:36:47,941
Mark initiated the blows
to the head with the wrench,
555
00:36:47,974 --> 00:36:49,809
but lost the wrench.
556
00:36:49,843 --> 00:36:53,146
And Barbara Holder picked it up
and started slugging.
557
00:36:53,179 --> 00:36:56,282
And then shortly after that,
Johnny jumped up
558
00:36:56,316 --> 00:37:01,321
and began to stab him
with both knives repeatedly.
559
00:37:01,354 --> 00:37:03,790
In the process of trying to
take Curtis's wedding band
560
00:37:03,823 --> 00:37:07,360
off his hand, it got stuck, and
they weren't able to remove it,
561
00:37:07,394 --> 00:37:09,696
and so Johnny simply
cut off his finger.
562
00:37:13,166 --> 00:37:16,202
[Narrator] After the attack,
the trio then stripped Curtis
563
00:37:16,236 --> 00:37:17,737
and covered him with bags
564
00:37:17,771 --> 00:37:21,608
in an effort to
throw police off course.
565
00:37:21,641 --> 00:37:24,344
[Susan] Mark indicated
that Johnny stabbed him.
566
00:37:24,377 --> 00:37:27,614
Johnny tells a similar story
to Mark, except that he's got
567
00:37:27,647 --> 00:37:32,152
Mark as being the person
attacking Curtis.
568
00:37:32,185 --> 00:37:34,688
Barbara, of course, promotes
these new theories where these
569
00:37:34,721 --> 00:37:37,157
two guys killed her husband and
she had nothing to do with it.
570
00:37:37,190 --> 00:37:38,625
And she was just
an innocent victim,
571
00:37:38,658 --> 00:37:41,528
and she had no culpability
whatsoever.
572
00:37:41,561 --> 00:37:43,530
[Narrator] Investigators are
concerned that having
573
00:37:43,563 --> 00:37:46,966
three co-conspirators with
conflicting accounts
574
00:37:47,067 --> 00:37:49,636
won't sit well with a jury.
575
00:37:49,669 --> 00:37:51,738
All three were trying
to put some of the blame off
576
00:37:51,771 --> 00:37:53,873
on somebody else.
577
00:37:55,475 --> 00:37:56,810
[Narrator] Coming up,
578
00:37:56,843 --> 00:38:00,513
more chilling information
comes to light.
579
00:38:00,547 --> 00:38:02,182
[Phyllis] He told her he was
divorcing her.
580
00:38:02,215 --> 00:38:04,818
She was not gonna
lose that house.
581
00:38:04,851 --> 00:38:07,053
She was the primary
or sole beneficiary
582
00:38:07,087 --> 00:38:08,722
on all of those things.
583
00:38:08,755 --> 00:38:12,559
[Narrator] And a star witness
comes under scrutiny.
584
00:38:12,592 --> 00:38:14,728
They're saying,
you can't trust that.
585
00:38:14,761 --> 00:38:16,763
You can't trust
the word of a killer.
586
00:38:30,577 --> 00:38:33,213
[Narrator] Texas authorities
have Barbara Holder,
587
00:38:33,246 --> 00:38:34,881
her lover, Mark Dixon,
588
00:38:34,914 --> 00:38:38,151
and 16-year-old Johnny Lopez
in custody
589
00:38:38,184 --> 00:38:42,856
for the murder of Barbara's
husband, Curtis Holder.
590
00:38:42,889 --> 00:38:46,426
[TJ] Now what seems
to be randomness
591
00:38:46,459 --> 00:38:48,061
now seems to be
more planned out.
592
00:38:48,094 --> 00:38:50,463
There was an actual
conspiracy here
593
00:38:50,497 --> 00:38:55,635
that involved Barbara and Mark,
and now Johnny.
594
00:38:55,669 --> 00:38:59,205
[Narrator] Investigators believe
Barbara was the mastermind,
595
00:38:59,239 --> 00:39:04,911
promising both money and love
to inspire her hitmen to act.
596
00:39:06,446 --> 00:39:09,416
There's no question Mark
was in love with Barbara
597
00:39:09,449 --> 00:39:11,751
and thought Barbara
was in love with him.
598
00:39:11,785 --> 00:39:14,387
I have a much bigger question
about whether Barbara
599
00:39:14,421 --> 00:39:18,792
was sincerely in love with him
or just using him.
600
00:39:22,328 --> 00:39:24,364
[Narrator] Investigators
believe that money
601
00:39:24,397 --> 00:39:27,367
was Barbara's main motive.
602
00:39:27,400 --> 00:39:29,235
[Phyllis] He told her
he was divorcing her.
603
00:39:29,269 --> 00:39:33,406
She killed Curtis because she
was not gonna lose that house.
604
00:39:33,440 --> 00:39:35,709
[Mike] Looking at his
retirement accounts
605
00:39:35,742 --> 00:39:37,610
and his life insurance policy,
606
00:39:37,644 --> 00:39:39,913
she was the primary
or sole beneficiary
607
00:39:39,946 --> 00:39:41,948
on all of those things.
608
00:39:42,048 --> 00:39:45,218
And that she stood a financial
windfall in the area
609
00:39:45,251 --> 00:39:50,857
of 500, $450,000,
to as much as $750,000.
610
00:39:53,860 --> 00:39:56,062
[Narrator] Despite the
evidence against her,
611
00:39:56,062 --> 00:39:59,666
Barbara continues
to claim innocence.
612
00:39:59,699 --> 00:40:01,334
[Susan]
Prosecutors are determined
613
00:40:01,368 --> 00:40:03,236
to hold her accountable.
614
00:40:03,269 --> 00:40:06,106
They strike a plea bargain deal
Instead of being charged
615
00:40:06,139 --> 00:40:09,242
with capital murder,
Johnny Lopez would be charged
616
00:40:09,275 --> 00:40:12,979
with first-degree murder.
But a condition of it would be
617
00:40:13,013 --> 00:40:17,117
that he had to testify
truthfully at both trials.
618
00:40:17,150 --> 00:40:22,555
We were able to get
his full and truthful testimony
619
00:40:22,589 --> 00:40:26,893
against both
Barbara Holder and Mark Dixon.
620
00:40:28,128 --> 00:40:32,165
[Narrator] In August 1998,
Johnny Lopez accepts the
621
00:40:32,198 --> 00:40:37,937
plea deal and agrees
to testify against Barbara.
622
00:40:37,971 --> 00:40:41,541
He claims that he threw
the wrench into a dumpster
623
00:40:41,574 --> 00:40:45,612
at the motel,
but it was never recovered.
624
00:40:50,750 --> 00:40:56,589
In March 1999, Barbara's day
in court finally arrives.
625
00:40:57,891 --> 00:41:02,395
The primary defensive strategy
was to minimize
626
00:41:02,429 --> 00:41:05,765
the testimony of Johnny Lopez.
627
00:41:05,799 --> 00:41:08,435
[TJ] And they're saying,
you can't trust that.
628
00:41:08,468 --> 00:41:09,736
You can't trust
the word of a killer.
629
00:41:09,769 --> 00:41:13,940
He's just doing this
to get lesser time.
630
00:41:13,973 --> 00:41:16,076
[Narrator] But prosecutors
argue that the mountain of
631
00:41:16,076 --> 00:41:20,513
evidence against Barbara
cannot be ignored.
632
00:41:20,547 --> 00:41:22,849
It was an extremely strong case.
633
00:41:22,882 --> 00:41:25,919
I mean, she was found
with the murder weapon.
634
00:41:25,952 --> 00:41:28,722
And she was found with the
stolen property
635
00:41:28,755 --> 00:41:30,757
out of the house.
636
00:41:30,790 --> 00:41:35,762
Her two compatriots both
confessed and implicated her.
637
00:41:35,795 --> 00:41:38,631
[Narrator] The jury agrees and
finds Barbara Holder
638
00:41:38,665 --> 00:41:42,635
guilty of capital murder.
639
00:41:42,669 --> 00:41:45,538
She is sentenced
to life in prison.
640
00:41:47,841 --> 00:41:50,910
[Mike] She was obviously
in the eyes of the jury,
641
00:41:50,944 --> 00:41:53,913
guilty of orchestrating,
organizing,
642
00:41:53,947 --> 00:41:57,117
and following through with
the murder of her husband.
643
00:42:01,421 --> 00:42:06,059
[Narrator] Later that summer,
Mark Dixon is also found guilty
644
00:42:07,894 --> 00:42:11,131
[Mike] A jury convicted
Mark Dixon of capital murder.
645
00:42:11,164 --> 00:42:13,633
Under Texas law,
646
00:42:13,667 --> 00:42:17,504
automatic life in prison
was assessed
647
00:42:17,537 --> 00:42:21,141
as the sentence
by the trial judge.
648
00:42:21,174 --> 00:42:23,943
[Narrator] In exchange for
his cooperation,
649
00:42:23,977 --> 00:42:28,214
Johnny Lopez is sentenced
to 40 years.
650
00:42:31,284 --> 00:42:32,786
[William]
She was a cold-hearted,
651
00:42:32,819 --> 00:42:35,822
manipulative woman.
She used men.
652
00:42:35,855 --> 00:42:40,126
She was very, very good
at knowing how to trip
653
00:42:40,160 --> 00:42:44,764
the triggers to get a man
to do what she wanted him to do.
654
00:42:46,099 --> 00:42:50,203
I could definitely forgive my
mother, but it would
655
00:42:50,236 --> 00:42:53,573
really just have to be her
coming clean to me about
656
00:42:53,606 --> 00:42:57,210
everything, and you know,
657
00:42:57,243 --> 00:42:59,145
just saying that she did it.
658
00:42:59,179 --> 00:43:05,151
I just can't forgive her
until she does that.
659
00:43:05,185 --> 00:43:10,190
What I would say to my father
is just that I love him,
660
00:43:10,223 --> 00:43:14,327
and I know he loved his kids,
and he did the best he could,
661
00:43:14,361 --> 00:43:17,964
and I miss him.
662
00:43:23,069 --> 00:43:28,975
[music]