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[narrator] Single mom
Wilda Gadd
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has always put family first.
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It was a perfect country
life with all your family
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right there around you.
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[narrator] So when she finally
meets a man
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who shares her values,
she's sure he's the one.
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Being the way
he was with my kids,
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our whole relationship
just kind of blossomed.
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[narrator] But their marriage
will be haunted
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by the mystery surrounding
his family.
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There was a lot of rumors.
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There's no way
she would have walked off
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There's no way
she would have walked off
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and left that child.
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Sam never showed up.
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Never heard from him.
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[Regina] Sam ain't never take
no vacations.
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Sam Thomas was really missing.
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We've got a problem.
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Both of them were murdered.
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His body was found without
his head.
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Now they are also realizing
that the kids are missing.
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And it made me sick
to my stomach.
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[narrator] To stop a killing
streak,
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Wilda has to put her own life
at risk.
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My mom is the only living
witness.
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If he found out
that she turned on him,
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If he found out
that she turned on him,
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she'd have been as dead
as the rest of 'em.
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I grew up out in the country,
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{\an8}Chickamauga, Georgia,
is about 10 miles outside
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of Chattanooga, Tennessee.
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It's a little small country
town.
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It's a little small country
town.
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[narrator] From the youngest
age,
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family is everything
to Wilda Gadd.
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My grandfather owns several
acres, so we grew up
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with more family for neighbors
than anything else.
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And we were able to run
the streets and woods
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and fields without any harm
to come to us.
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Wilda is my sister.
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{\an8}We had a pretty much
normal childhood
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{\an8}as far as getting out, playing
and grandparents
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down the street.
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down the street.
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Wilda was very smart.
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She still is.
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Book smart.
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Common sense smart.
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Her whole dream in life
was to be a doctor.
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Shortly after I finished
high school,
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I actually went to college.
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I was a pre-med major.
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I let a high school sweetheart
get in my way.
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So I did drop out of college
for a while, and I did join
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the United States Air Force
in '83.
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Due to a heart condition
I was shortly
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Due to a heart condition
I was shortly
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discharged on medical.
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I then married my first
husband
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on New Year's Day in '84.
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Her whole life she wanted
children.
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They had a little boy,
which was Bradley,
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and they had a daughter.
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I was actually born
in Okinawa, Japan,
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{\an8}on Kadena Air Base.
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{\an8}And my dad was an MP
with the Air Force.
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Closer to the end
of our stay there
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my husband's
mentality changed.
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Our marriage ended in '88.
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And around that time
me and my kids
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returned to Chickamauga.
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returned to Chickamauga.
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When we did get back
to Georgia,
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we were all kind of hanging
out at my grandparents house
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and Sam was there.
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Sam was mom's brother.
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He's probably our favorite
uncle.
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[chuckles]
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We always stood outside,
peeking out to see
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when Sam was like coming,
you know, up the drive.
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It was like Santa Claus
coming.
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[narrator] Sam Thomas
had been at all the family
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dinners with his wife,
Betty, and stepson, Howard,
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when Wilda
and Regina were growing up.
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when Wilda
and Regina were growing up.
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About the time
I was in middle school,
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I learned that Sam
and Betty had split up.
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To me as a kid
it was shocking to find out
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that her and Howard
were no longer
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gonna be part of our family.
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[narrator] And now
it's like old times
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when Howard returns
to visit as an adult.
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{\an8}Wilda, she thought
he was charming.
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{\an8}She... she thought
he was handsome.
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He seemed to be
a fun-loving guy.
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He was always laughing
and cutting up.
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[narrator] Like Wilda,
Howard is navigating
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the new challenges
of being a single parent.
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the new challenges
of being a single parent.
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Howard had a child
that he was taking care
of by himself, Kelli.
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She was four
or five-years-old.
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She was Howard's daughter
by his first wife,
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Debbie Winegar.
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This is just what I know
of the story.
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Debbie ran off and left
and abandoned the child.
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You know, it was just
a heartbreaking situation.
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The love of his life just
walked off and left him
for no reason.
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Don't know whether
she's dead or alive.
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Don't know whether
she's dead or alive.
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And now he's got a child
that he doesn't know
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how to explain what's happened
to her mom.
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One of the things that really
attracted me to Howard
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was the fact he wanted
to be a family man.
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Howard was such a loving,
kind, gentle person
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and knowing that Sam
helped raise him,
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I think she felt safe.
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[narrator] Wilda and her kids
are about to head off
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on a Disneyland vacation.
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on a Disneyland vacation.
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The timing couldn't be better.
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Kelli was having such a good
time with my kids
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that I was approached
by Howard and Sam
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about maybe her going
with me to Disney.
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We took her with us.
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Watching Kelli interact
with my kids,
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you wouldn't have known
that they were not true
brother and sister.
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Once our visit was over
at Disney, Howard's intentions
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originally was to come out
there and he was gonna take
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Kelli back to Chattanooga
with him.
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Kelli back to Chattanooga
with him.
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But she kind of clung to me
and got attached to me.
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I wanted to take
her and, you know,
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kind of be that step-in
for her as long as I could.
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[narrator] The next step
seems only logical
to Howard and Wilda.
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Join forces
as two single parents
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raising their children
together.
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All of us, Howard, Kelli,
my kids,
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we all moved in together.
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And so me and Howard,
you know,
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we started more as friends.
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we started more as friends.
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I don't exactly remember
the moment it became romantic.
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We just kind of gravitated
towards each other.
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I knew
with my uncle's, you know,
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him helping upbringing
that he was a decent guy,
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it just kind of blossomed.
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It was what I wanted.
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They just seemed to bond
real quickly.
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It seemed to go real fast.
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He was very cuddly,
no matter where you were at.
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You know, he made you feel
loved and wanted.
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You know, he made you feel
loved and wanted.
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It seemed
like he was the perfect person
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to fit in with the family,
and wanted
to be with that family.
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[narrator] But there are those
who would break
this happy family up,
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and they've got lawyers.
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I was beginning to learn
more about Howard's custody
battle at the time.
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The court battle started
after Debbie disappeared.
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Her sister and her mother
filed for custody of Kelli.
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Howard got Debbie pregnant
when she was married
to someone else.
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Howard got Debbie pregnant
when she was married
to someone else.
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So with Howard not having
his name on Kelli's
birth certificate,
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he was not considered
her legitimate father.
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Their view was Howard
was the bad guy.
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Howard broke up the marriage.
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The judge pretty much made
the decision to remove Kelli
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from Howard's custody
without ever hearing
Howard's side of the story.
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Our whole family, you know,
felt for Howard and felt
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that he was being done wrong
by the justice system
in Bradley County.
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[narrator] Wilda
doesn't have the knowledge
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or training to take on a court
battle, at least not yet.
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or training to take on a court
battle, at least not yet.
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The law always interested me,
so I returned
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to junior college to study
paralegal.
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She was always smiling
and happy and going along.
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But there was a lot of rumors.
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I had heard rumors that Howard
had killed Debbie Winegar
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and buried
her in the basement.
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And then I had heard other
rumors that he had killed her
and hauled her off,
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because supposedly
there's no way
she would have walked off
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because supposedly
there's no way
she would have walked off
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and left that child.
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So I don't know.
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[narrator]
The rumors had started
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when Debbie Winegar went
missing in the fall of '87,
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just a few months before Wilda
and Howard remet.
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Debbie's family reported
her missing all in 1987.
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When they tried to talk
with her
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she was never available
to talk.
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You haven't talked
to your sister in over a month
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because she's been sick
or headache
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or couldn't come to the phone.
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or couldn't come to the phone.
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They got highly suspicious
and that's when Howard
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told them that she had left.
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And so Debbie's family
felt like he had done
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something with her.
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[Erica] He had filed to get
divorced from Debbie,
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and it was stayed
hung up in court
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because she was still
considered a missing person
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and he was listed
as a person of interest.
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I felt really bad for Howard
because from the side
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that I was hearing,
he was totally in the right.
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[narrator] After months
of researching legal options,
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Wilda and Howard
are able to put the malicious
rumors to rest
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Wilda and Howard
are able to put the malicious
rumors to rest
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when Debbie supposedly
shows up at Howard's
lawyer's office.
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His receptionist said the girl
looked like Debbie,
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brought the papers
in here and says,
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"Here, I've signed 'em.
I want a divorce."
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And there was also
a document signed giving
Howard custody of Kelli.
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[narrator] It's hard
to imagine a happier ending
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to all Wilda's worries.
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That sounded great to me.
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Debbie's back, his supposedly
dead ex-wife.
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Here she is. She showed up.
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She's alive. She's not dead.
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She's alive. She's not dead.
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[narrator] The fact is,
it's only the beginning
of Wilda's nightmare.
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The worst is yet to come.
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It's just sometimes just
the gut feeling
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you get about a person's
sometimes not right.
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It had become a mission
in my mind to solve this case,
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and I wish that I could have,
because three people
would still be alive today.
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[narrator] Wilda Gadd
and Howard Hawk Willis
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are thrilled to learn
that Howard's wife
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has reappeared
at Howard's lawyer's office
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just long enough to serve
divorce papers.
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Debbie looks to be
alive and well
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despite all of her family's
unproven accusations.
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{\an8}It was a relief.
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{\an8}Legal battles would be over.
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[narrator] But Howard's lawyer
is not so certain.
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The lawyer asked
about it because the signature
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The lawyer asked
about it because the signature
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didn't match who
they had on file.
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The lawyer questioned it
being true,
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he made the comment that maybe
someone had come in there
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portraying to be Debbie.
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He wasn't going to put
a document that he was sure
was falsified in court.
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Of course, Howard denied
knowing anything
about it to the lawyer.
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I asked Howard what he knew.
244
00:10:45,066 --> 00:10:48,166
Finally, Howard admitted
he had someone dress up
245
00:10:48,166 --> 00:10:50,400
like Debbie and take
the divorce papers
246
00:10:50,467 --> 00:10:52,166
to Willis Jackson's office.
247
00:10:53,667 --> 00:10:54,844
Someone he knew in Oklahoma
who matched
248
00:10:54,844 --> 00:10:55,000
Someone he knew in Oklahoma
who matched
249
00:10:55,767 --> 00:10:57,567
her description,
who was willing to go
250
00:10:57,567 --> 00:10:58,867
in there and portray
to be Debbie
251
00:10:58,867 --> 00:11:01,567
so he could get his divorce
without any more issues.
252
00:11:11,266 --> 00:11:13,367
Knowing that he was willing
to have someone
253
00:11:13,367 --> 00:11:16,266
impersonate his ex-wife
kind of was off-nerving.
254
00:11:16,266 --> 00:11:17,800
It kind of throws up
red flags.
255
00:11:17,867 --> 00:11:19,567
But, you know,
he smooths it out.
256
00:11:19,567 --> 00:11:21,700
He was so charming
and smooth-talking.
257
00:11:21,767 --> 00:11:23,200
You didn't wanna think
he was wrong.
258
00:11:24,867 --> 00:11:25,000
I really wanted to believe
that Howard was
a 100 percent truthful.
259
00:11:29,400 --> 00:11:31,800
[narrator] Once Howard
is caught in one lie,
260
00:11:31,867 --> 00:11:34,367
everything starts unraveling.
261
00:11:34,367 --> 00:11:37,066
After Debbie went missing
two years earlier,
262
00:11:37,066 --> 00:11:39,667
custody of her and Howard's
daughter had been granted
263
00:11:39,667 --> 00:11:42,100
to Debbie's family,
not to Howard.
264
00:11:44,767 --> 00:11:46,867
I honestly didn't know
that Howard had lost custody,
265
00:11:46,867 --> 00:11:48,867
but apparently
he didn't have custody
266
00:11:50,266 --> 00:11:51,767
and he was wanted
for kidnapping.
267
00:11:54,100 --> 00:11:54,844
I learned Howard was arrested
for federal kidnapping,
268
00:11:54,844 --> 00:11:55,000
I learned Howard was arrested
for federal kidnapping,
269
00:11:56,266 --> 00:11:57,500
actually on the news.
270
00:11:58,667 --> 00:12:01,266
[narrator] Wilda and Sam
come to Howard's rescue.
271
00:12:03,100 --> 00:12:04,867
He walked in courtroom.
272
00:12:04,867 --> 00:12:06,700
We signed bond papers
and walked back out.
273
00:12:09,467 --> 00:12:13,467
But in the meantime, Kelli
was placed in the custody
of her aunt, Gertrude Clark.
274
00:12:14,967 --> 00:12:17,266
At the time I didn't realize
a grandmother and an aunt
275
00:12:17,266 --> 00:12:20,800
would wanna take
the child away from her only
parent that she knew.
276
00:12:20,867 --> 00:12:22,867
It was horrifying.
277
00:12:22,867 --> 00:12:24,844
Kelli is in Virginia,
away from the one person
278
00:12:24,844 --> 00:12:25,000
Kelli is in Virginia,
away from the one person
279
00:12:25,266 --> 00:12:27,900
that was her solid support
for all the years.
280
00:12:36,467 --> 00:12:39,266
[narrator] It's the beginning
of a long, dark chapter
281
00:12:39,266 --> 00:12:41,000
for Howard and Wilda.
282
00:12:41,000 --> 00:12:45,667
But during that time, they do
get a little good news.
283
00:12:45,667 --> 00:12:48,300
[Wilda] Finally, Howard
was granted a divorce
from Debbie
284
00:12:48,367 --> 00:12:52,066
on unreconciled
differences and abandonment.
285
00:12:52,066 --> 00:12:54,844
[narrator] Howard is once
again an eligible bachelor.
286
00:12:54,844 --> 00:12:55,000
[narrator] Howard is once
again an eligible bachelor.
287
00:12:56,800 --> 00:12:58,700
[Wilda] We just, on the spur
of the moment,
288
00:12:58,767 --> 00:13:00,867
walked into a judge's chamber
and got married.
289
00:13:04,166 --> 00:13:06,367
{\an8}You can really see what Wilda
saw in him.
290
00:13:06,367 --> 00:13:09,467
{\an8}A charming, handsome man
who loves children.
291
00:13:09,467 --> 00:13:11,300
He loved her.
He was good to her.
292
00:13:13,000 --> 00:13:15,500
We went out
and had a nice dinner.
293
00:13:15,567 --> 00:13:18,200
We spent one night away
and then we returned home.
294
00:13:20,300 --> 00:13:22,800
Being husband and wife,
it kind of gave me some relief
295
00:13:22,867 --> 00:13:24,844
knowing that, you know,
we still had had
our relationship
296
00:13:24,844 --> 00:13:25,000
knowing that, you know,
we still had had
our relationship
297
00:13:26,066 --> 00:13:27,567
no matter what happened.
298
00:13:31,100 --> 00:13:34,166
[narrator]
There is still one downside
to Wilda's married life,
299
00:13:34,166 --> 00:13:38,200
and that's Howard's mother,
Betty, who takes
a strong dislike
300
00:13:38,266 --> 00:13:42,867
to her new daughter-in-law
because she is the niece
of her ex-husband, Sam.
301
00:13:42,867 --> 00:13:45,567
Betty, his mother,
always hated me.
302
00:13:45,567 --> 00:13:46,667
She didn't want me around.
303
00:13:46,667 --> 00:13:49,000
So there was always a conflict
of struggle there.
304
00:13:49,000 --> 00:13:53,800
Betty Willis did threaten
her daughter-in-law, Wilda,
several times.
305
00:13:53,867 --> 00:13:54,844
She threatened to shoot her
with a long gun at some point.
306
00:13:54,844 --> 00:13:55,000
She threatened to shoot her
with a long gun at some point.
307
00:13:57,467 --> 00:13:59,800
She definitely threatened
to cut her up into pieces.
308
00:14:01,100 --> 00:14:03,667
We like to call her crazy,
but she was evil.
309
00:14:03,667 --> 00:14:05,367
It's not just me.
310
00:14:05,367 --> 00:14:07,567
She was against Howard
being involved with anybody
311
00:14:07,567 --> 00:14:09,100
other than doing
what she wanted
312
00:14:09,100 --> 00:14:10,800
when she wanted to.
313
00:14:15,300 --> 00:14:19,467
[narrator] Wilda and Howard
never stopped their fight
to win Kelli back.
314
00:14:19,467 --> 00:14:22,867
And finally, Wilda's ongoing
law studies pay off,
315
00:14:22,867 --> 00:14:24,844
when she files charges
against the judge
in Howard's custody case.
316
00:14:24,844 --> 00:14:25,000
when she files charges
against the judge
in Howard's custody case.
317
00:14:27,967 --> 00:14:32,100
The judge admitted
to having ex parte hearings,
318
00:14:32,100 --> 00:14:33,700
which means
he was meeting one on one
319
00:14:33,700 --> 00:14:37,100
with a lawyer, not with
the whole group of lawyers,
and making decisions.
320
00:14:37,166 --> 00:14:40,600
And they forced him to refuse
himself from Howard's case.
321
00:14:42,867 --> 00:14:45,367
[narrator] And after two long
years of legal battles,
322
00:14:45,367 --> 00:14:47,700
a DNA test yields
a breakthrough.
323
00:14:49,800 --> 00:14:52,467
It proves
with 99 percent certainty
324
00:14:52,467 --> 00:14:54,844
Howard is Kelli's
natural father.
325
00:14:54,844 --> 00:14:55,000
Howard is Kelli's
natural father.
326
00:14:56,467 --> 00:14:58,867
[Wilda] So Howard was able
to regain custody of Kelli
327
00:14:58,867 --> 00:15:01,300
because we were able to get
him recognized as her father.
328
00:15:05,000 --> 00:15:08,000
That was one of the best
victories we honestly had
against Bradley County Courts.
329
00:15:09,166 --> 00:15:11,867
By then the kids
were almost middle school.
330
00:15:11,867 --> 00:15:15,500
We were given custody of Kelli
the first part of December,
331
00:15:15,567 --> 00:15:17,767
and we drove to Virginia
to pick her up
332
00:15:17,767 --> 00:15:19,467
on Christmas Eve
and bring her home.
333
00:15:20,800 --> 00:15:22,567
Sam was with us.
334
00:15:22,567 --> 00:15:24,000
It made for a great Christmas.
335
00:15:25,066 --> 00:15:26,166
That was like a dream
come true.
336
00:15:26,166 --> 00:15:28,033
I finally had
my happy ever after.
337
00:15:33,800 --> 00:15:39,000
After we got custody of Kelli,
we decided that we wanted
to build our own house.
338
00:15:39,066 --> 00:15:43,100
We didn't pick a plan out
of a book and hand it to
a contractor and say, "do it".
339
00:15:43,166 --> 00:15:45,700
The house we built
was 100 percent
built out of love.
340
00:15:51,967 --> 00:15:54,300
[narrator] But now
they have to pay
for the mortgage.
341
00:15:55,400 --> 00:15:57,367
Howard had been a long haul
truck driver
342
00:15:57,367 --> 00:15:59,400
prior to us getting together
years back,
343
00:16:00,266 --> 00:16:02,100
so he decided the best way,
344
00:16:02,100 --> 00:16:05,667
you know, to make money,
he was wanting to drive
an 18 wheeler.
345
00:16:05,667 --> 00:16:08,867
So Sam and me went in halves
and bought an 18 wheeler.
346
00:16:08,867 --> 00:16:12,166
We titled it SH&W Trucking,
Sam, Howard and Wilda.
347
00:16:13,400 --> 00:16:15,000
We had an operating authority,
348
00:16:15,066 --> 00:16:16,400
which meant I could book
our loads.
349
00:16:16,467 --> 00:16:18,667
I would reach out to different
companies to see
350
00:16:18,667 --> 00:16:20,000
if they had loads in our area.
351
00:16:21,166 --> 00:16:24,567
I did that for several years
and then Howard come across
352
00:16:24,567 --> 00:16:24,844
a guy in Brownsville, Texas.
353
00:16:24,844 --> 00:16:25,000
a guy in Brownsville, Texas.
354
00:16:28,066 --> 00:16:30,667
Howard started letting
this guy book his loads
355
00:16:30,667 --> 00:16:33,100
to and from wherever
he chose to go.
356
00:16:37,867 --> 00:16:40,700
He was making regular trips
from Mexico to New York,
357
00:16:40,767 --> 00:16:42,066
hauling citrus.
358
00:16:43,367 --> 00:16:45,567
When Howard started doing
long hauls all the time,
359
00:16:45,567 --> 00:16:48,867
wanting to be gone more than
he was home, things changed.
360
00:16:50,100 --> 00:16:52,467
Family wasn't as important
to him as him going
361
00:16:52,467 --> 00:16:54,844
and making money or doing
whatever he was doing.
362
00:16:54,844 --> 00:16:55,000
and making money or doing
whatever he was doing.
363
00:16:56,667 --> 00:16:59,467
[narrator] In fact,
Howard's plans for a nest egg
364
00:16:59,467 --> 00:17:03,767
are about to explode
spectacularly.
365
00:17:03,767 --> 00:17:05,367
When the police first
called me and told me
366
00:17:05,367 --> 00:17:07,700
that they had found our truck,
it has been abandoned
367
00:17:07,767 --> 00:17:10,700
on a side road,
it's been here overnight.
368
00:17:10,767 --> 00:17:11,934
And they said,
"Who was driving?"
369
00:17:11,967 --> 00:17:14,900
I said, "Howard Willis.
He's my husband. Where is he?"
370
00:17:14,967 --> 00:17:16,567
And they said, "The truck's
been sitting here.
371
00:17:16,567 --> 00:17:18,066
We've not seen anybody."
372
00:17:18,066 --> 00:17:20,467
And they wanted to know
if I knew where he was.
373
00:17:21,467 --> 00:17:23,266
So I'm in shock not knowing
what's going on.
374
00:17:23,266 --> 00:17:24,767
I have no way
of calling Howard,
375
00:17:24,767 --> 00:17:24,844
because cell phones
then were limited
376
00:17:24,844 --> 00:17:25,000
because cell phones
then were limited
377
00:17:26,967 --> 00:17:28,667
and they questioned me.
378
00:17:28,667 --> 00:17:31,400
I really feel they were trying
to see if I knew
what was in the truck.
379
00:17:31,467 --> 00:17:33,266
My first thing is,
is what happened
to my husband?
380
00:17:34,166 --> 00:17:35,800
"Where's my truck?
381
00:17:35,867 --> 00:17:38,000
And where is Howard?"
382
00:17:41,767 --> 00:17:43,100
[narrator] Police
in New York State
383
00:17:43,100 --> 00:17:48,667
have found SH&W's 18 wheeler
apparently abandoned
384
00:17:48,667 --> 00:17:50,800
with Howard's whereabouts
unknown.
385
00:17:52,467 --> 00:17:55,900
{\an8}Howard calls me and he tells
me he's at a motel
386
00:17:55,967 --> 00:17:57,800
and I ask him
where the truck is.
387
00:17:57,867 --> 00:17:59,100
"They took it to unload it.
388
00:17:59,100 --> 00:18:00,667
I'm waiting on him to bring
it back."
389
00:18:00,667 --> 00:18:01,867
I called him out and I said,
390
00:18:01,867 --> 00:18:03,400
"No, the police
have your truck."
391
00:18:03,467 --> 00:18:05,200
And so he starts
kind of backpedaling
392
00:18:05,266 --> 00:18:06,900
like, "the guy picked
the truck up,
393
00:18:06,967 --> 00:18:08,367
he was supposed
to be bringing it back.
394
00:18:08,367 --> 00:18:09,467
It should be here any minute.
395
00:18:09,467 --> 00:18:10,601
There's no way."
396
00:18:10,601 --> 00:18:10,900
There's no way."
397
00:18:10,967 --> 00:18:11,000
So between the police calling
and Howard calling,
398
00:18:14,100 --> 00:18:16,667
I'm kind of in limbo
of who am I believing.
399
00:18:16,667 --> 00:18:19,567
Finally, the police asked me
if they could search my truck.
400
00:18:19,567 --> 00:18:21,567
"Of course you can search
my truck."
401
00:18:21,567 --> 00:18:24,700
[narrator] All Wilda thinks
they'll find is citrus fruits,
402
00:18:24,767 --> 00:18:27,300
but that's not the case.
403
00:18:27,367 --> 00:18:30,567
Howard hauled approximately
700 kilos of cocaine
404
00:18:30,567 --> 00:18:32,000
into the state of New York.
405
00:18:33,667 --> 00:18:36,700
That really blew my mind.
406
00:18:36,767 --> 00:18:38,600
I was shocked
because that's not something
407
00:18:38,667 --> 00:18:40,100
I would have ever thought
he would have done.
408
00:18:40,166 --> 00:18:40,601
Why on earth would you put
everything we had at risk
409
00:18:40,601 --> 00:18:41,000
Why on earth would you put
everything we had at risk
410
00:18:42,467 --> 00:18:44,567
for a drug charge?
411
00:18:44,567 --> 00:18:46,567
[narrator] Knowing
he has no option,
412
00:18:46,567 --> 00:18:48,567
Howard turns himself in.
413
00:18:49,567 --> 00:18:51,867
And he's charged
with one of the largest
414
00:18:51,867 --> 00:18:54,800
pure cocaine hauls
into the United States.
415
00:18:57,100 --> 00:18:59,000
Once we found out there
were drugs on the truck,
416
00:18:59,000 --> 00:19:01,700
Sam had a hard time believing
that Howard didn't know it.
417
00:19:01,767 --> 00:19:03,166
"What do you doing
hauling drugs.
418
00:19:03,166 --> 00:19:04,567
What did you get involved in?
419
00:19:05,367 --> 00:19:06,967
You're totally against drugs,
420
00:19:06,967 --> 00:19:10,467
but yet you're gonna
haul cocaine in
to the United States
421
00:19:10,467 --> 00:19:10,601
that even your own kids
could get a hold of."
422
00:19:10,601 --> 00:19:11,000
that even your own kids
could get a hold of."
423
00:19:13,000 --> 00:19:16,100
But Howard's able
to convince everybody
424
00:19:16,166 --> 00:19:20,100
that he wasn't really
a part of it and he don't know
what happened.
425
00:19:20,166 --> 00:19:24,667
And in all honesty, to think
back, he never gave us
a satisfactory answer.
426
00:19:24,667 --> 00:19:27,567
[narrator] Wilda is livid
about Howard's situation,
427
00:19:27,567 --> 00:19:29,900
but her mother-in-law
is even angrier,
428
00:19:31,567 --> 00:19:34,100
and she blames Wilda
for Howard's arrest.
429
00:19:35,767 --> 00:19:38,367
Betty starts sending death
threats to us, start talking
430
00:19:38,367 --> 00:19:40,300
about how I'd be shot long
range
431
00:19:40,367 --> 00:19:40,601
and I'd be chopped
up in little pieces the way
you couldn't identify me.
432
00:19:40,601 --> 00:19:41,000
and I'd be chopped
up in little pieces the way
you couldn't identify me.
433
00:19:44,066 --> 00:19:47,567
So between the drug charges
and Betty threatening us,
434
00:19:47,567 --> 00:19:50,000
you know, it's a lot.
435
00:19:51,166 --> 00:19:55,200
New York DEA offered
a closed deal if he testified
436
00:19:55,266 --> 00:19:58,266
and gave names of where
the cocaine came from,
437
00:19:58,266 --> 00:20:01,000
that he would just
receive parole.
438
00:20:01,000 --> 00:20:04,600
"You give us the information,
you get 20 years
probation and walk."
439
00:20:04,667 --> 00:20:08,100
Howard turned on a gentleman
named Kenneth Adams.
440
00:20:08,166 --> 00:20:10,601
Supposedly, he's the one
that actually arranged
441
00:20:10,601 --> 00:20:10,667
Supposedly, he's the one
that actually arranged
442
00:20:10,667 --> 00:20:11,000
the deal with Howard to haul
the drugs.
443
00:20:13,467 --> 00:20:15,567
I believe Sam had the bond
posted for him.
444
00:20:16,467 --> 00:20:18,867
I think the bond was 200,000.
445
00:20:19,900 --> 00:20:22,367
Sam believed in Howard.
446
00:20:22,367 --> 00:20:23,800
No matter what Howard
did wrong,
447
00:20:23,867 --> 00:20:26,367
Sam always looked
for the best in Howard.
448
00:20:26,367 --> 00:20:29,867
Sam thought Howard
was a good son, but he wasn't.
449
00:20:31,166 --> 00:20:32,900
{\an8}He may have been a good son
to his mother.
450
00:20:34,266 --> 00:20:35,367
{\an8}That's another story.
451
00:20:41,266 --> 00:20:43,800
After Howard posts bail
and comes home,
452
00:20:45,000 --> 00:20:48,667
{\an8}he realizes his world
is kind of closing in on him.
453
00:20:52,467 --> 00:20:54,200
So now the truck is gone.
454
00:20:54,266 --> 00:20:56,600
Howard's home at the time.
455
00:20:56,667 --> 00:20:58,567
I'm the only one working.
456
00:20:58,567 --> 00:21:01,100
It's wearing on me because
I'm doing it all.
457
00:21:01,166 --> 00:21:04,767
We're still acting husband
and wife to an extent,
458
00:21:04,767 --> 00:21:06,567
but there's a great distance
between us.
459
00:21:09,567 --> 00:21:10,601
Things really went sour
between my mom and Howard
460
00:21:10,601 --> 00:21:11,000
Things really went sour
between my mom and Howard
461
00:21:13,066 --> 00:21:17,000
{\an8}when Kelli started going
a little teenage crazy.
462
00:21:18,266 --> 00:21:21,500
{\an8}I know that Wilda had a lot
of struggles with her,
463
00:21:21,567 --> 00:21:24,100
{\an8}and I don't think
Howard backed Wilda.
464
00:21:24,100 --> 00:21:27,867
[narrator] In fact, Howard
is openly defiant of Wilda
465
00:21:27,867 --> 00:21:30,867
and starts acting
like a teenager himself.
466
00:21:30,867 --> 00:21:34,667
Wilda arrives home from work
to discove a surprising scene.
467
00:21:35,767 --> 00:21:39,000
I start coming home
with kids in my family room
468
00:21:39,066 --> 00:21:40,266
and in my dining room.
469
00:21:41,767 --> 00:21:44,700
Boys and girls, sleeping bags,
blankets, beds,
470
00:21:44,767 --> 00:21:47,767
whatever, you know,
just wall to wall with kids.
471
00:21:47,767 --> 00:21:50,266
Howard's story
was, "I'm trying to get along
with Kelli.
472
00:21:50,266 --> 00:21:52,367
She's a teenager
and I'm trying to let her
473
00:21:52,367 --> 00:21:55,166
have some space
and have her friends over."
474
00:21:55,166 --> 00:21:57,667
I questioned him about
it and Howard admitted
475
00:21:57,667 --> 00:21:59,367
the kids were drinking.
476
00:21:59,367 --> 00:22:02,667
It was very hurtful
because that was against
everything we believed.
477
00:22:02,667 --> 00:22:04,100
I said,
"That's not appropriate.
478
00:22:04,166 --> 00:22:05,367
This doesn't happen again."
479
00:22:15,266 --> 00:22:17,200
New Year's Eve,
I got off at midnight.
480
00:22:18,967 --> 00:22:20,667
My two children, they told
me Howard and Kelli
481
00:22:20,667 --> 00:22:22,567
went out with some
of Kelli's friends.
482
00:22:23,800 --> 00:22:25,467
So Howard tells
me that him and the kids
483
00:22:25,467 --> 00:22:29,467
were out later than they meant
to, and they had got a room.
484
00:22:29,467 --> 00:22:32,100
And so he decided to stay
in the motel with, I think
485
00:22:32,100 --> 00:22:34,467
there was eight teenagers
at least.
486
00:22:34,467 --> 00:22:37,166
I wondered if there was more
of a sexual relationship
487
00:22:37,166 --> 00:22:39,000
with some
of the teenage girls.
488
00:22:39,000 --> 00:22:40,601
It's not normal.
489
00:22:40,601 --> 00:22:40,667
It's not normal.
490
00:22:40,667 --> 00:22:41,000
And it really...
And that's what broke...
that's what broke my marriage.
491
00:22:53,467 --> 00:22:55,767
The only choice I can make
was for me and Howard
492
00:22:55,767 --> 00:22:59,367
to split up, and me to protect
what I had the most, my kids.
493
00:22:59,367 --> 00:23:02,867
Wilda gets an apartment
and she works
494
00:23:02,867 --> 00:23:05,266
and takes care of her kids.
495
00:23:05,266 --> 00:23:07,100
[Wilda] I walked away
from the house 'cause I knew
496
00:23:07,100 --> 00:23:09,266
I couldn't afford the mortgage
by myself at that point.
497
00:23:10,100 --> 00:23:10,601
And I do know that she cried
a lot.
498
00:23:10,601 --> 00:23:11,000
And I do know that she cried
a lot.
499
00:23:12,166 --> 00:23:13,467
It really broke her heart.
500
00:23:17,700 --> 00:23:19,467
[Wilda] Once I moved
out of the house,
501
00:23:19,467 --> 00:23:21,800
most of his group moved
into the house
502
00:23:21,867 --> 00:23:24,367
and was staying there.
503
00:23:24,367 --> 00:23:28,467
[narrator] But Howard is not
working and can't make
the mortgage payments.
504
00:23:28,467 --> 00:23:32,767
He and the teens
are essentially squatters
intent on partying.
505
00:23:32,767 --> 00:23:35,367
It's like he had to be
a 16-year-old himself
506
00:23:35,367 --> 00:23:38,100
and fit with the 16-year-olds.
507
00:23:38,100 --> 00:23:40,601
Kelli had mentioned
that her daddy was the one
buying the beer.
508
00:23:40,601 --> 00:23:40,867
Kelli had mentioned
that her daddy was the one
buying the beer.
509
00:23:40,867 --> 00:23:41,000
He was the one buying
the drugs,
510
00:23:42,767 --> 00:23:43,867
and he was letting 'em use it.
511
00:23:43,867 --> 00:23:45,367
He said he would rather
then use it at home
512
00:23:45,367 --> 00:23:47,300
than be on the streets.
513
00:23:47,367 --> 00:23:49,200
Eventually, the bank
had foreclosed on the house,
514
00:23:49,266 --> 00:23:51,567
so he was forced to move
out of the house we had built.
515
00:23:51,567 --> 00:23:55,700
Him and the kids all moved
to a house in Roseville
516
00:23:55,767 --> 00:23:57,800
late July, 1st of August.
517
00:23:57,867 --> 00:23:59,500
So he's living up
there with them.
518
00:24:01,166 --> 00:24:03,767
He was getting money somehow
to pay for their place.
519
00:24:04,967 --> 00:24:06,767
I'm assuming Betty was paying
for it.
520
00:24:17,300 --> 00:24:21,266
In August of 2002,
Howard called me.
521
00:24:22,266 --> 00:24:24,567
He's... "I'm just leaving
the wedding chapel.
522
00:24:24,567 --> 00:24:27,000
Kelli got married, and Adam
and Samantha got married."
523
00:24:28,000 --> 00:24:30,467
And I'm like, "uh..."
524
00:24:30,467 --> 00:24:33,467
[narrator] Adam Chrismer
and Samantha Leming Chrismer
525
00:24:33,467 --> 00:24:35,467
and Kelli's new husband,
Brandon,
526
00:24:35,467 --> 00:24:38,100
are all 16 and 17-year-olds.
527
00:24:39,867 --> 00:24:40,601
A grown man taking two
teenaged couples
to get married.
528
00:24:40,601 --> 00:24:41,000
A grown man taking two
teenaged couples
to get married.
529
00:24:44,266 --> 00:24:47,000
Why? Why would he do that?
530
00:24:47,000 --> 00:24:50,400
I don't know
whether he was trying to keep
'em under his thumb.
531
00:24:52,567 --> 00:24:53,800
That's the only thing
I can think of.
532
00:24:53,867 --> 00:24:55,467
It was a way to keep
'em close.
533
00:24:55,467 --> 00:24:57,567
It did appear that Howard
controlled these kids.
534
00:25:02,100 --> 00:25:03,767
When Howard and me first
split up,
535
00:25:03,767 --> 00:25:06,367
Sam kind of faded a little
bit out of our life
536
00:25:06,367 --> 00:25:08,800
because he thought
it was all me.
537
00:25:08,867 --> 00:25:10,601
But Sam didn't realize
that it was actually Howard
538
00:25:10,601 --> 00:25:11,000
But Sam didn't realize
that it was actually Howard
539
00:25:11,266 --> 00:25:14,066
encouraging this
and it was going on.
540
00:25:14,066 --> 00:25:17,166
But Sam himself actually went
to the house one day and saw
541
00:25:17,166 --> 00:25:18,700
for himself the house
was piled up
542
00:25:18,767 --> 00:25:20,600
with a bunch of teenagers
and Howard.
543
00:25:20,667 --> 00:25:23,967
Sam very much voiced
his opinion to Howard
544
00:25:23,967 --> 00:25:26,000
that he did not approve of it.
545
00:25:26,066 --> 00:25:29,000
[narrator] This is when Sam
finally washes his hands
546
00:25:29,000 --> 00:25:31,166
of the stepson he had once
doted on.
547
00:25:32,567 --> 00:25:36,500
Sam started coming back around
and he had pretty much washed
548
00:25:36,567 --> 00:25:37,667
his hands of Howard.
549
00:25:38,667 --> 00:25:39,967
Sam was hurt.
550
00:25:39,967 --> 00:25:40,601
Kelli was Sam's really
first grandchild.
551
00:25:40,601 --> 00:25:41,000
Kelli was Sam's really
first grandchild.
552
00:25:42,467 --> 00:25:44,567
Kelli meant everything
to him, and he, you know,
553
00:25:44,567 --> 00:25:46,200
always felt Howard
would do right.
554
00:25:48,467 --> 00:25:52,266
Howard and me divorced
July of 2002.
555
00:25:58,000 --> 00:26:00,200
It's about me and my kids now.
556
00:26:00,266 --> 00:26:02,367
And them having
the relationship with Sam
557
00:26:02,367 --> 00:26:05,066
that they still deserve,
'cause that is
their grandfather.
558
00:26:05,967 --> 00:26:07,634
Sam was very important.
559
00:26:09,066 --> 00:26:10,601
I mean, he was there through
a lot of things that went on
with my grandparents.
560
00:26:10,601 --> 00:26:11,000
I mean, he was there through
a lot of things that went on
with my grandparents.
561
00:26:12,867 --> 00:26:14,667
And then when Howard
started having issues,
562
00:26:14,667 --> 00:26:16,066
he was there for Howard.
563
00:26:16,066 --> 00:26:17,467
And then when Howard
and me split up,
564
00:26:17,467 --> 00:26:21,467
he was still there for me
and my kids until one day
he wasn't.
565
00:26:26,767 --> 00:26:29,900
In September, my mom
was having to have surgery.
566
00:26:29,967 --> 00:26:33,100
So Sam was gonna come down
and help take care
of the cattle.
567
00:26:33,100 --> 00:26:34,367
He never showed up.
568
00:26:34,367 --> 00:26:35,767
Never heard from him.
569
00:26:35,767 --> 00:26:37,266
And that's not Sam.
570
00:26:37,266 --> 00:26:38,900
He was always very prompt.
571
00:26:38,967 --> 00:26:40,601
If he called and said,
"I'm gonna be there at 9:00,"
572
00:26:40,601 --> 00:26:40,867
If he called and said,
"I'm gonna be there at 9:00,"
573
00:26:40,867 --> 00:26:41,000
he's gonna be there at 9:00.
574
00:26:42,266 --> 00:26:43,400
Big red flag.
575
00:26:43,467 --> 00:26:45,500
Yeah, big red flag.
Something wasn't right.
576
00:26:45,567 --> 00:26:47,467
We called periodically
on that day
577
00:26:47,467 --> 00:26:48,567
trying to reach him.
578
00:26:48,567 --> 00:26:50,100
"Hey, give me a call back."
579
00:26:50,100 --> 00:26:52,000
So by Monday,
after not hearing
580
00:26:52,000 --> 00:26:55,166
from him for several days,
I decided to drive up there.
581
00:26:55,166 --> 00:26:56,667
Howard said he would go
with me.
582
00:26:57,667 --> 00:26:58,867
It scared me.
583
00:26:58,867 --> 00:27:00,967
That was the first time
I had honestly been
584
00:27:00,967 --> 00:27:03,166
scared to death of what else
I was gonna learn.
585
00:27:03,166 --> 00:27:05,567
[narrator] And what Wilda
is about to learn
586
00:27:05,567 --> 00:27:07,767
will change her life forever.
587
00:27:09,767 --> 00:27:10,601
Something happened
in that house.
588
00:27:10,601 --> 00:27:11,000
Something happened
in that house.
589
00:27:11,667 --> 00:27:14,166
She was crying,
just hysterical crying.
590
00:27:15,266 --> 00:27:17,700
And we were like,
"Why would he do that?"
591
00:27:18,667 --> 00:27:20,667
He's not capable
of doing that.
592
00:27:20,667 --> 00:27:21,634
There's no way.
593
00:27:24,967 --> 00:27:26,600
[narrator] Wilda Gadd
is concerned
594
00:27:26,667 --> 00:27:29,800
when her Uncle Sam Thomas
stops answering his phone.
595
00:27:31,266 --> 00:27:33,867
Although Wilda and Howard
are still estranged,
596
00:27:33,867 --> 00:27:36,567
she asks him to come
with her to check on Sam.
597
00:27:40,467 --> 00:27:42,367
[Wilda] We walk around
the outside of the house.
598
00:27:45,000 --> 00:27:46,266
The house is locked.
599
00:27:46,266 --> 00:27:47,767
You know, tried to look
in the windows.
600
00:27:48,967 --> 00:27:50,767
{\an8}My mom and my uncle,
we had all talked
601
00:27:50,767 --> 00:27:53,391
{\an8}and they said, "Whatever
you have to do,
enter the house."
602
00:27:53,391 --> 00:27:53,467
{\an8}and they said, "Whatever
you have to do,
enter the house."
603
00:27:53,467 --> 00:27:54,000
So I use a credit card
and enter the house.
604
00:27:58,300 --> 00:28:00,400
{\an8}They found some pamphlets
where he had been looking
605
00:28:00,467 --> 00:28:02,667
{\an8}about taking a trip,
it looked like.
606
00:28:02,667 --> 00:28:05,767
And then Howard says,
"Oh, I forgot to tell you.
607
00:28:05,767 --> 00:28:07,600
Sam told me a... you know,
608
00:28:07,667 --> 00:28:09,100
the first of the month
he was gonna buy
609
00:28:09,166 --> 00:28:11,266
a camper and he was gonna be
out of town a while."
610
00:28:11,266 --> 00:28:13,667
Well, Sam ain't never take
no trips.
611
00:28:13,667 --> 00:28:15,166
The only thing
he did was drive a truck.
612
00:28:15,166 --> 00:28:17,667
He wasn't taking
no trip vacations.
613
00:28:17,667 --> 00:28:20,266
So I believe those were posed.
614
00:28:20,266 --> 00:28:22,767
The overnight bag he always
carried, we didn't see it.
615
00:28:22,767 --> 00:28:23,391
It was gone.
616
00:28:23,391 --> 00:28:23,967
It was gone.
617
00:28:23,967 --> 00:28:24,000
We saw his medicine
in the cabinet.
618
00:28:25,867 --> 00:28:27,266
He had some high blood
pressure
619
00:28:27,266 --> 00:28:29,800
and his carotid arteries
were partially blocked.
620
00:28:29,867 --> 00:28:34,100
So that didn't make sense
because Sam
took care of himself.
621
00:28:34,100 --> 00:28:36,166
So even though the truck's
gone, we're still concerned.
622
00:28:36,166 --> 00:28:37,800
You know,
maybe something's happened.
623
00:28:43,667 --> 00:28:46,367
My mom and my uncle drove
to Bradley County
624
00:28:46,367 --> 00:28:47,900
and filed a missing person.
625
00:28:50,100 --> 00:28:53,066
And Bradley County told
'em he was 73-year-old.
626
00:28:53,066 --> 00:28:53,391
He could go and come
as he pleases.
627
00:28:53,391 --> 00:28:54,000
He could go and come
as he pleases.
628
00:28:55,567 --> 00:28:57,500
Bradley County didn't take
us seriously.
629
00:28:59,066 --> 00:29:01,667
We were going on a second week
and no contact.
630
00:29:01,667 --> 00:29:04,667
And that's definitely not Sam.
631
00:29:04,667 --> 00:29:08,367
[narrator] Now, with more
family and Sam's friends
from church,
632
00:29:08,367 --> 00:29:10,700
Wilda mounts
an intensive search.
633
00:29:14,767 --> 00:29:17,066
We walked my uncle's farmland.
634
00:29:17,066 --> 00:29:19,367
We weren't even five feet
apart, we walked it.
635
00:29:19,367 --> 00:29:21,166
We searched
the chicken houses.
636
00:29:21,166 --> 00:29:23,367
There were some small
like grain silos.
637
00:29:23,367 --> 00:29:23,391
I mean, if we could move it,
we moved it
638
00:29:23,391 --> 00:29:24,000
I mean, if we could move it,
we moved it
639
00:29:25,066 --> 00:29:26,667
and turned it upside down.
640
00:29:26,667 --> 00:29:28,166
We searched the house again.
641
00:29:28,166 --> 00:29:32,100
Where then we found
his overnight bag
had been stuffed under stuff.
642
00:29:32,100 --> 00:29:34,900
So what he normally carried
that we thought
was gone is there.
643
00:29:36,500 --> 00:29:38,066
One of his church members says
644
00:29:38,066 --> 00:29:39,800
"Hey, that's the wrong chair.
645
00:29:39,867 --> 00:29:42,000
That chair belongs there.
There's a chair missing."
646
00:29:42,000 --> 00:29:43,800
The chair
that was in the house,
647
00:29:43,867 --> 00:29:46,867
Sam's had it sitting
in a certain spot,
648
00:29:46,867 --> 00:29:50,367
and you could see the marks
on the carpet, you know,
where he had it at.
649
00:29:50,367 --> 00:29:53,391
And when we moved it back
there was a stain
on the floor,
650
00:29:53,391 --> 00:29:54,000
And when we moved it back
there was a stain
on the floor,
651
00:29:54,567 --> 00:29:56,500
like, a big stain.
652
00:29:56,567 --> 00:29:57,700
Like a blood stain.
653
00:30:06,600 --> 00:30:08,166
[Wilda] We found a really
good picture of Sam
654
00:30:08,166 --> 00:30:11,000
and I had fliers made
up to put on cars
655
00:30:11,000 --> 00:30:13,100
or in buildings to look
for Sam ourselves.
656
00:30:14,100 --> 00:30:16,100
{\an8}We have hundreds
of fliers made.
657
00:30:17,567 --> 00:30:19,767
{\an8}Going to restaurants,
going to stores.
658
00:30:19,767 --> 00:30:21,567
We're just basically
hoping each day
659
00:30:21,567 --> 00:30:22,867
that we'd hear something.
660
00:30:22,867 --> 00:30:23,391
Wilda decides she's gonna call
a psychic in.
661
00:30:23,391 --> 00:30:24,000
Wilda decides she's gonna call
a psychic in.
662
00:30:25,166 --> 00:30:27,266
Well, I don't believe
in psychics. Never have.
663
00:30:27,266 --> 00:30:28,500
[chuckles]
664
00:30:28,567 --> 00:30:30,400
But he comes in and he tells
her that,
665
00:30:30,467 --> 00:30:32,367
"Sam is hunting for his arms."
666
00:30:33,500 --> 00:30:35,000
He says he can't find
his arms.
667
00:30:38,000 --> 00:30:39,200
Sam's truck's missing.
668
00:30:39,266 --> 00:30:42,367
I have a cousin that starts
getting on the phone, too.
669
00:30:42,367 --> 00:30:45,467
She locates Sam's truck
at Chattanooga airport.
670
00:30:46,767 --> 00:30:48,767
[narrator]
But none of the airlines
have any record
671
00:30:48,767 --> 00:30:51,467
of a Sam Thomas
flying anywhere.
672
00:30:53,266 --> 00:30:53,391
So the brochures
were in the house
673
00:30:53,391 --> 00:30:54,000
So the brochures
were in the house
674
00:30:55,867 --> 00:30:58,100
and the truck was left
at the Chattanooga airport.
675
00:30:58,166 --> 00:31:00,300
We figured
that was like a decoy.
676
00:31:00,367 --> 00:31:01,967
One of the family members
talked
677
00:31:01,967 --> 00:31:04,400
to the parking lot guard
and he said,
678
00:31:04,467 --> 00:31:06,767
"Yeah, I remember
when that truck come in."
679
00:31:06,767 --> 00:31:09,200
He said, "A gentleman drove
the truck in and he got
680
00:31:09,266 --> 00:31:11,967
in a blue Jeep with two kids
and they drove back out."
681
00:31:15,600 --> 00:31:17,367
[narrator]
More worried than ever,
682
00:31:17,367 --> 00:31:19,967
Sam's brother decides
to follow the money.
683
00:31:21,567 --> 00:31:23,391
My uncle managed to get a hold
of credit card statements
684
00:31:23,391 --> 00:31:24,000
My uncle managed to get a hold
of credit card statements
685
00:31:24,166 --> 00:31:28,467
which showed his credit card
being used at midnight
on the fifth.
686
00:31:28,467 --> 00:31:32,066
My uncle contacted the local
Walmart and somehow
687
00:31:32,066 --> 00:31:34,367
my uncle managed to review
the tapes.
688
00:31:34,367 --> 00:31:36,800
[narrator] And what they find
is devastating
689
00:31:36,867 --> 00:31:38,266
in its implications.
690
00:31:39,867 --> 00:31:42,367
They showed Howard
and Adam Chrismer
691
00:31:42,367 --> 00:31:43,767
using my uncle's credit cards.
692
00:31:44,900 --> 00:31:47,266
[narrator] 17-year-old
Adam Chrismer,
693
00:31:47,266 --> 00:31:50,500
one of Howard's entourage,
the one who recently married
694
00:31:50,567 --> 00:31:52,900
his 16-year-old girlfriend,
Samantha.
695
00:31:54,667 --> 00:31:57,166
Finally, the police were in it
enough between the tapes
696
00:31:57,166 --> 00:32:00,066
and the truck
that they were ready
to talk to Howard.
697
00:32:02,567 --> 00:32:07,066
{\an8}The Bradley County sheriff
called him in for an interview
on October 4th.
698
00:32:07,066 --> 00:32:09,367
[narrator] Howard promises
to come in and meet.
699
00:32:10,300 --> 00:32:13,166
He did not show
up on October 4th.
700
00:32:13,166 --> 00:32:15,567
At the last minute,
he called and asked
701
00:32:15,567 --> 00:32:19,200
for the interview to be moved
to October 8th.
702
00:32:19,266 --> 00:32:21,767
And in between October
4th and October 8th,
703
00:32:21,767 --> 00:32:23,367
a lot of terrible things
happened.
704
00:32:26,000 --> 00:32:28,700
A few days later, I get
a letter in the mail saying
705
00:32:28,767 --> 00:32:30,867
that, "Adam..."
I can't remember,
706
00:32:30,867 --> 00:32:32,500
there were several names
in the letter.
707
00:32:32,567 --> 00:32:34,066
"We're setting Howard
up for murder."
708
00:32:35,867 --> 00:32:37,767
And the letter
was from Samantha Chrismer.
709
00:32:44,166 --> 00:32:46,900
[narrator] Wilda turns
the letter over to the police.
710
00:32:46,967 --> 00:32:51,266
And now they take
an active interest
in Sam's disappearance.
711
00:32:51,266 --> 00:32:53,391
And they wanted to talk
to Adam and Samantha both,
712
00:32:53,391 --> 00:32:54,000
And they wanted to talk
to Adam and Samantha both,
713
00:32:54,367 --> 00:32:57,500
because it was enough
then to know
something was wrong.
714
00:32:57,567 --> 00:33:00,767
[narrator] They can't find
Samantha or Adam,
715
00:33:00,767 --> 00:33:03,967
but they do find Howard.
716
00:33:03,967 --> 00:33:06,967
He does eventually come
in to the sheriff's office
717
00:33:06,967 --> 00:33:10,266
for the October 8th interview,
and he's held.
718
00:33:10,266 --> 00:33:12,567
Howard was being arraigned
on federal charges
719
00:33:12,567 --> 00:33:14,967
'cause they was caught using
Sam's credit cards.
720
00:33:14,967 --> 00:33:16,767
So that was a violation
of his parole.
721
00:33:16,767 --> 00:33:20,700
Now he is stuck in jail
and about to make
a bunch of mistakes.
722
00:33:22,667 --> 00:33:23,391
[narrator] Howard is allowed
phone calls,
723
00:33:23,391 --> 00:33:24,000
[narrator] Howard is allowed
phone calls,
724
00:33:24,367 --> 00:33:26,600
which the authorities monitor.
725
00:33:26,667 --> 00:33:28,900
One of the calls
is to his mother, Betty.
726
00:33:30,867 --> 00:33:33,166
Betty Willis is talking
to him and they're trying
727
00:33:33,166 --> 00:33:35,367
to use code words
and he's saying, you know,
728
00:33:35,367 --> 00:33:37,100
you need to move
that furniture.
729
00:33:37,100 --> 00:33:39,100
She mentions a storage unit.
730
00:33:39,100 --> 00:33:41,767
She can't even fully get
the sentence out.
731
00:33:41,767 --> 00:33:44,767
And he was like, "Shut up."
But she said just enough
732
00:33:44,767 --> 00:33:46,166
that the police caught it.
733
00:33:46,166 --> 00:33:47,734
And they were like, "Oh."
734
00:33:47,734 --> 00:33:49,967
So the police
started calling around
different storage units,
735
00:33:49,967 --> 00:33:52,867
and they found
that Betty Willis had rented
736
00:33:52,867 --> 00:33:53,391
a unit in Johnson City,
Tennessee.
737
00:33:53,391 --> 00:33:54,000
a unit in Johnson City,
Tennessee.
738
00:33:57,967 --> 00:34:00,900
Basically, they could tell
from the outside
of the storage unit
739
00:34:00,967 --> 00:34:02,467
that it was really bad.
740
00:34:04,867 --> 00:34:06,467
There is the smell of death.
741
00:34:11,166 --> 00:34:13,567
[narrator] The Johnson City
Sheriff's Office have found
742
00:34:13,567 --> 00:34:17,100
human remains
in Betty Willis's
storage locker
743
00:34:17,100 --> 00:34:20,300
but news of their discovery
has been kept from the media.
744
00:34:21,567 --> 00:34:24,266
Betty doesn't know.
Howard doesn't know.
745
00:34:24,266 --> 00:34:26,567
And Wilda doesn't know
a thing.
746
00:34:29,100 --> 00:34:31,367
The Johnson City Police
Department pretty much
747
00:34:31,367 --> 00:34:34,166
told me I had to come up
there and talk to them
748
00:34:34,166 --> 00:34:37,400
{\an8}if I wanted not
to be associated or involved
749
00:34:37,467 --> 00:34:39,100
{\an8}in what was going on.
750
00:34:39,100 --> 00:34:39,672
[narrator] The detectives
are undecided
751
00:34:39,672 --> 00:34:40,000
[narrator] The detectives
are undecided
752
00:34:40,967 --> 00:34:43,867
as to whether Wilda
is a possible witness
753
00:34:43,867 --> 00:34:47,667
or a suspect, so they tell
her as little as possible.
754
00:34:48,667 --> 00:34:50,300
They said, "We need
you to do us a favor."
755
00:34:50,367 --> 00:34:53,667
They fixed it where I can go
in the jail to see Howard.
756
00:34:53,667 --> 00:34:57,767
{\an8}Wilda agreed to wear a wire,
to go visit Howard in jail.
757
00:34:57,767 --> 00:35:00,266
[narrator] When Wilda tells
Howard she's coming,
758
00:35:00,266 --> 00:35:03,266
he has a surprising request.
759
00:35:03,266 --> 00:35:05,266
He said, "I need you to bring
a tape recorder,
760
00:35:05,266 --> 00:35:07,100
a notepad and a pencil."
761
00:35:07,166 --> 00:35:09,672
He actually requested himself
being taped.
762
00:35:09,672 --> 00:35:09,767
He actually requested himself
being taped.
763
00:35:09,767 --> 00:35:10,000
I think he figured
he could tell me he needed
certain things done
764
00:35:13,266 --> 00:35:15,000
and I would have
a tape recording of it,
765
00:35:15,066 --> 00:35:17,100
and that way
I could follow exactly
what he wanted done
766
00:35:17,100 --> 00:35:19,300
without missing a step.
767
00:35:19,367 --> 00:35:23,066
[narrator] Howard is unaware
that Wilda is cooperating
with the police.
768
00:35:25,100 --> 00:35:27,000
So they wired me up.
769
00:35:27,800 --> 00:35:29,000
We go over to the jail.
770
00:35:30,000 --> 00:35:31,767
I have the wire on.
771
00:35:31,767 --> 00:35:34,467
The tape recorder that Howard
asked me to bring
was turned on.
772
00:35:36,700 --> 00:35:39,400
They brought Howard in,
and as soon
as he hits the door,
773
00:35:39,467 --> 00:35:39,672
he says, "You're too late."
774
00:35:39,672 --> 00:35:40,000
he says, "You're too late."
775
00:35:40,567 --> 00:35:42,066
He said,
"I blew their brains out."
776
00:35:42,967 --> 00:35:44,700
And I said,
"What do you mean?"
777
00:35:44,767 --> 00:35:46,200
He said,
"I blew their brains out."
778
00:35:47,066 --> 00:35:48,767
And it's not making sense.
779
00:35:53,066 --> 00:35:56,567
[narrator] The detectives
know exactly who
Howard is talking about
780
00:35:56,567 --> 00:36:00,266
because of what
they discovered inside
Betty's storage locker.
781
00:36:04,567 --> 00:36:07,867
{\an8}[man speaking]
782
00:36:13,367 --> 00:36:17,700
{\an8}They found 250 gallon
storage containers inside
783
00:36:17,767 --> 00:36:19,867
{\an8}where the bodies of Adam
and Samantha Chrismer.
784
00:36:20,667 --> 00:36:22,867
{\an8}[woman speaking]
785
00:36:29,700 --> 00:36:31,100
Adam had been dismembered.
786
00:36:31,567 --> 00:36:33,367
{\an8}[woman speaking]
787
00:36:34,867 --> 00:36:37,500
His head was missing.
His hands were missing.
788
00:36:37,567 --> 00:36:39,672
[Wilda] He proceeds to tell
me that he shot the kids.
789
00:36:39,672 --> 00:36:40,000
[Wilda] He proceeds to tell
me that he shot the kids.
790
00:36:42,100 --> 00:36:45,700
{\an8}-[officer speaking]
-[Howard speaking]
791
00:36:45,767 --> 00:36:48,667
{\an8}And that he dismembered Adam,
because that's
what Adam did to Sam.
792
00:36:48,667 --> 00:36:49,867
{\an8}[officer speaking]
793
00:36:49,867 --> 00:36:51,000
{\an8}[Howard speaking]
794
00:36:51,000 --> 00:36:52,200
{\an8}[officer speaking]
795
00:36:52,266 --> 00:36:54,000
{\an8}[Howard speaking]
796
00:36:54,000 --> 00:36:57,800
He said, "I know the family
would want me to do
the same thing to them
797
00:36:57,867 --> 00:36:59,166
as they did to Sam."
798
00:37:02,266 --> 00:37:04,867
[narrator] Detectives know
about Adam and Samantha.
799
00:37:04,867 --> 00:37:07,900
They've not seen any proof
Uncle Sam is dead.
800
00:37:07,967 --> 00:37:09,672
Wilda wants to believe
he is still alive,
801
00:37:09,672 --> 00:37:09,967
Wilda wants to believe
he is still alive,
802
00:37:09,967 --> 00:37:10,000
but has a sick feeling
that he's not.
803
00:37:14,166 --> 00:37:16,100
And so I ask him then to give
me details, you know,
804
00:37:16,166 --> 00:37:17,467
where I can find Sam's body.
805
00:37:19,600 --> 00:37:21,667
And he gives me
four or five locations.
806
00:37:22,567 --> 00:37:24,066
But, you know, Howard keeps
talking about,
807
00:37:24,066 --> 00:37:25,600
"Don't worry about Sam.
808
00:37:25,667 --> 00:37:27,000
Y'all gotta help me."
809
00:37:28,967 --> 00:37:30,967
They arrested him
just minutes later.
810
00:37:35,667 --> 00:37:39,672
The police department
asked me to make one more
phone call that night.
811
00:37:39,672 --> 00:37:39,800
The police department
asked me to make one more
phone call that night.
812
00:37:39,867 --> 00:37:40,000
We went to a payphone across
from the jail
813
00:37:42,066 --> 00:37:45,200
and we called Howard's aunt,
Marie Holmes and Betty.
814
00:37:45,266 --> 00:37:48,166
They said, you know...
you know, "Let them know
what happened."
815
00:37:48,166 --> 00:37:53,500
So I tell Marie and Betty
that Howard told me
that he killed the kids.
816
00:37:53,567 --> 00:37:56,667
And the first words out
of Marie and Betty
is "destroy the tape."
817
00:37:57,867 --> 00:37:59,867
Within minutes Betty
and Marie were arrested
818
00:37:59,867 --> 00:38:01,667
for asking me to tamper
with evidence.
819
00:38:03,567 --> 00:38:06,767
I continued to see Howard
many times
820
00:38:06,767 --> 00:38:09,672
because I wanted to know
where to find Sam.
821
00:38:09,672 --> 00:38:10,000
because I wanted to know
where to find Sam.
822
00:38:10,000 --> 00:38:12,000
Howard was still talking
to me, even though he knew
823
00:38:12,000 --> 00:38:14,000
that his confession
to me got him arrested.
824
00:38:15,667 --> 00:38:17,867
Finally he told me to go back
down the road
825
00:38:17,867 --> 00:38:19,967
from the fire department,
826
00:38:19,967 --> 00:38:21,600
that there would be
mobile homes sitting up
827
00:38:21,667 --> 00:38:23,400
way off the road
with a carport.
828
00:38:25,000 --> 00:38:27,800
Within less than 30 minutes,
they had found Sam's body.
829
00:38:35,767 --> 00:38:38,000
I called my family
so that we could all meet
830
00:38:38,066 --> 00:38:39,672
and I could tell
them that my uncle was gone...
831
00:38:39,672 --> 00:38:40,000
and I could tell
them that my uncle was gone...
832
00:38:42,367 --> 00:38:44,166
because we still hoped
he was alive.
833
00:38:46,100 --> 00:38:48,467
She told us all
that Howard had killed Sam.
834
00:38:50,000 --> 00:38:51,100
{\an8}We couldn't even shed a tear.
835
00:38:51,100 --> 00:38:53,000
{\an8}We would just...
You know, there's no way.
836
00:38:53,066 --> 00:38:54,400
{\an8}They've got this messed up.
837
00:38:54,400 --> 00:38:57,900
{\an8}There is no way we...
Howard was out there
searching with us.
838
00:38:58,800 --> 00:39:00,300
Why would he do that?
839
00:39:05,166 --> 00:39:07,367
[narrator] After almost
a decade of delays,
840
00:39:07,367 --> 00:39:09,672
Howard goes to trial
for the murders of Adam
and Samantha Chrismer,
841
00:39:09,672 --> 00:39:10,000
Howard goes to trial
for the murders of Adam
and Samantha Chrismer,
842
00:39:12,266 --> 00:39:14,567
the first of his victims
to be located.
843
00:39:16,266 --> 00:39:18,567
They played the tape recording
that I had made in the jail
844
00:39:18,567 --> 00:39:22,700
that night, and within less
than two days they came back
with a guilty verdict.
845
00:39:22,767 --> 00:39:26,967
[man] We, the jury,
find the defendant,
Howard Hawk Willis
846
00:39:27,600 --> 00:39:29,700
guilty of first degree murder.
847
00:39:29,767 --> 00:39:33,266
And he was given a death
sentence on both kids.
848
00:39:33,266 --> 00:39:36,367
[narrator]
Howard's death sentence
for killing Adam and Samantha
849
00:39:36,367 --> 00:39:39,567
means Sam's murder case
will probably never
go to trial.
850
00:39:40,567 --> 00:39:43,000
As for Howard's first wife,
Debbie,
851
00:39:43,066 --> 00:39:46,200
hers is still officially
a missing person's case.
852
00:39:48,400 --> 00:39:51,767
{\an8}I just couldn't help but think
that if we could have brought
853
00:39:51,767 --> 00:39:55,967
{\an8}him to justice earlier,
got the investigation
concluded on Debbie,
854
00:39:55,967 --> 00:39:57,767
three people
probably alive today,
855
00:39:58,600 --> 00:40:00,500
but it never got solved.
856
00:40:00,567 --> 00:40:02,500
And so these people
had to suffer, too.
857
00:40:05,000 --> 00:40:09,066
[Wilda] I think Betty should
have been convicted of murder
right alongside Howard.
858
00:40:09,066 --> 00:40:09,672
[narrator] Betty
and her sister Marie both die
859
00:40:09,672 --> 00:40:10,000
[narrator] Betty
and her sister Marie both die
860
00:40:11,266 --> 00:40:13,867
before they can be tried
for their involvement,
861
00:40:13,867 --> 00:40:16,367
that is, if Betty died.
862
00:40:17,467 --> 00:40:20,100
You know, there was rumors
Betty had passed away
863
00:40:20,100 --> 00:40:22,100
in a motel in Oklahoma.
864
00:40:22,100 --> 00:40:24,600
I honestly don't believe
that Betty died.
865
00:40:24,667 --> 00:40:26,500
She had a lot of police
friends
866
00:40:26,567 --> 00:40:29,166
and things like that
that would help her.
867
00:40:29,166 --> 00:40:31,166
Nobody seemed to see
her in a casket.
868
00:40:31,166 --> 00:40:32,567
Nobody's seen her dead.
869
00:40:33,467 --> 00:40:35,033
Nobody.
870
00:40:39,266 --> 00:40:39,672
It has been quite a journey
to a world I never dreamed
I'd be involved in.
871
00:40:39,672 --> 00:40:40,000
It has been quite a journey
to a world I never dreamed
I'd be involved in.
872
00:40:44,467 --> 00:40:47,166
I really shared my story
because there's gotta
be more people
873
00:40:47,166 --> 00:40:49,767
that probably are living
the same life I lived.
874
00:40:49,767 --> 00:40:52,166
That does not hide
all the signs they see,
875
00:40:52,166 --> 00:40:53,800
because you really
don't wanna think the person
876
00:40:53,867 --> 00:40:56,500
that you built a life with,
that's parent to your kids
877
00:40:57,467 --> 00:40:59,300
or that you're...
you're in love with,
878
00:40:59,367 --> 00:41:01,300
could ever do so much
behind your back.
879
00:41:03,266 --> 00:41:06,000
Because the bottom line is,
no matter how well
you know them,
880
00:41:06,867 --> 00:41:08,100
you don't know who they are.
881
00:41:17,367 --> 00:41:19,667
I couldn't let Howard destroy
my life totally,
882
00:41:22,066 --> 00:41:23,667
because, you know,
if I did, he won.
883
00:41:24,667 --> 00:41:27,100
Once Howard was convicted
and sentenced,
884
00:41:27,166 --> 00:41:29,667
then it kind of gave
me permission
to move on with my life.
885
00:41:32,767 --> 00:41:36,066
{\an8}I did marry again, and I love
my husband to death today.
886
00:41:37,800 --> 00:41:39,672
{\an8}Yeah, I still deal
with the aftereffects
887
00:41:39,672 --> 00:41:39,767
{\an8}Yeah, I still deal
with the aftereffects
888
00:41:39,767 --> 00:41:40,000
{\an8}of what Howard
did and the aftereffects
889
00:41:41,667 --> 00:41:43,900
{\an8}of still not knowing the truth
about Sam.
890
00:41:43,967 --> 00:41:45,867
{\an8}But I can't dwell on the past.
I've gotta move on.
891
00:41:45,867 --> 00:41:48,667
{\an8}I've got a family.
I've got grandkids.
892
00:41:48,667 --> 00:41:50,600
{\an8}So now we get to support
our grandkids together.
893
00:41:52,467 --> 00:41:53,967
{\an8}And that's what my life
is about now.