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[Female Narrator] She was
a widowed teacher
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getting a second chance at love.
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[David] She was ready to move on
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from a very painful part
of her life.
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[Winnie] They were
so good together.
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I just thought that they had
the world by the tail.
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[Narrator] But their
storybook romance
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would come crashing down,
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when a family vacation
turns deadly.
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[Bill] It started out as just a
normal good Christmas.
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It ended up turning into one
of the worst ones imaginable.
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She appeared to be shot
with a high-powered rifle.
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He said, "It's got to be
a hunter's stray bullet."
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[Narrator] As investigators
piece together the case,
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bizarre rumors will emerge.
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He passed him off
as his illegitimate son.
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He was way too close
to this guy.
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[Narrator] Exposing
a passionate affair
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and a betrayal born of greed.
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There was an insatiable need
for money.
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He made sure he looked
like the innocent party.
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But you know what?
He's just a liar.
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He played upon her vulnerability
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and was there
to drain every penny she had.
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If he's in love with somebody,
he'll do anything
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that they want him to do.
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[theme music]
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[Narrator] Situated halfway
between the bustling cities
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of St. Louis, Missouri
and Nashville, Tennessee
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lies the quiet river town
of Paducah, Kentucky.
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[Michael] It's a
close-knit community.
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Everybody waves at everybody.
Everybody speaks to everybody.
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[Spissinger] There's a lot
of wildlife.
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There's a lot of outdoors.
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You're in the general area
of duck hunting, fishing,
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and deer hunting.
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[Narrator] On the afternoon
of December 27, 1990,
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Bill Mathis is at home,
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enjoying the holiday season
with his family.
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[Bill] My father-in-law,
Charles Chumbler,
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and his wife Nelda Chumbler,
came in for Christmas that year
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and had spent the night there
at our house.
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Charles and Nelda were
going to drive down
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to his mother's house
to see them.
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He was gonna take my son Shane
with him too,
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and they were going to stop
and feed the horses.
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Shortly after the phone rang,
and Charles's mother said,
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"Bill, get down here,
someone shot Nelda."
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She was pretty hysterical.
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Soon as I hang up from her,
I call 911,
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and then I jumped in my truck.
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I was a firefighter and EMT.
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I wanted to get down there
in anyway possible
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to try to treat her.
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It was a really
cold, gray, bitter day,
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quite a bit of snow
on the ground.
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I was going as fast as I could
in a four-wheel drive truck
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without braking.
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The roads were really slick,
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it took a little bit
to get down there.
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Of course, a thousand things
were going through my mind.
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[Narrator] As night falls,
Bill Mathis arrives at
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the horse pasture on the farm
owned by Charles's family.
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[Bill] A rescue truck,
he got there just ahead of me.
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Nelda was laying on her back.
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I could tell,
looking at her jacket
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that she had on,
it looked like she had been hit
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right up under the collarbone.
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She didn't have a pulse.
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She was already as cold,
as cold as it was that day.
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Charles was crying,
and he looked pretty shaken,
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and I asked him,
"Where's Shane?"
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'Cause I didn't see him,
and he said,
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"He's down at my mom's."
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[Narrator] Officers from state
and local agencies
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quickly converge on the scene.
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When I got out there,
I found Charles Chumbler.
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I asked him what he seen
because everyone's a suspect.
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"What'd you see?
What'd you hear?"
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was there anybody else around?
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He said, "Well,
we were feeding the horses,"
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he said, "I heard a shot."
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He dives on the ground
to protect his grandson.
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And he looked over,
and Nelda wasn't moving.
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[Narrator] Charles carried his
grandson, Shane, back to the car
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and drove straight
to his mother's home nearby
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to get help for his wife.
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Charles said, "There's been
a terrible accident."
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"Somebody shot Nelda."
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He told somebody
to call an ambulance
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and left the grandson there
and then went back.
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I wasn't really sure what
to think about at the time
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I was in shock still.
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But somewhere
in the back of my mind,
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I knew this isn't right,
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nobody would've
just shot her down.
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[Narrator] Tampa-area high
school science teacher,
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Nelda Mason,
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had loved and lost
for much of her adult life.
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[Winnie] She lost her husband
of many, many years to cancer,
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and she went through an
extended period of medical care
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and support for him,
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and it was grueling
and expensive
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and time consuming.
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[Bill] Nelda had a rough time
in the past, you know,
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due to her husband
and mother dying.
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Nelda had two kids.
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She was just, you know,
really good as a schoolteacher
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and loved her job and spent
a lot of time at school.
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[Winnie] People
at her school loved her.
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The staff loved her,
the kids loved her.
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Everybody loved her.
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[Bill] Nelda was
a really good person.
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She was soft-spoken,
just really sweet.
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[Narrator] Nearly a decade
after her husband's death,
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Nelda's life
would change forever
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when Charles Chumbler
swept into town.
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[Winnie] He had been a pastor,
a minister,
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at one time in Paducah.
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When I met Charles,
he started being the minister
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at the church
where I played the piano.
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Everybody loved him,
and they trusted him.
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They looked up to him.
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We had two kids.
And he did love his children.
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But after
I separated from Charles,
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he wanted to go to Florida.
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[Donald] Nelda met Charles
in the school system,
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and he was an English teacher.
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He could charm your socks off.
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He would bring in baked goods
from home and pass it around.
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He put you at ease
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and made you feel really good
about yourself.
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He totally was genuine.
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[Narrator] Charles
may have had many admirers,
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but he only had eyes
for the sweet widow
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with the heart of gold.
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Nelda was ready to move on
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from a very painful part
of her life,
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and Charles seemed to present
that opportunity.
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[Winnie] She told me
how happy she was
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because Charles
swept her off her feet.
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They were married
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and living together
in her house,
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and they were so good together.
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I was kind of jealous.
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I just thought that
they had the world by the tail.
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[Narrator] After three years
of marriage,
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Charles and Nelda made plans
to spend Christmas
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at his daughter's house
in Paducah.
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[David] Charles thought that
Nelda would enjoy getting away
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for a little while,
and so he suggested
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that they could go up
to the Chumbler farm
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in Paducah, Kentucky,
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and have a
nice Christmas vacation.
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[Bill] It started out as just
a normal good Christmas,
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ended up turning into one
of the worst ones imaginable.
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[Narrator] As investigators
speak to a devastated Charles,
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he claims
the bullet that struck his wife
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appeared out of nowhere.
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I asked him,
"Did you see anybody there?
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"Was there anybody else around?"
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He kept saying,
"I heard a shot way off,
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"and it's got to be
a hunter's stray bullet."
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Hunting season was in,
duck season was in,
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bird, quail season,
rabbit season.
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There was a lot
of hunting goes on in that area.
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He said, "That's all
I can really tell you."
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[Narrator] After taking
Charles's statement,
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investigators
and the McCracken County Coroner
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take a closer look at the victim
and search for evidence
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to confirm the theory
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that Nelda
was shot accidentally.
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[Jerry] The body was face up.
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There was a gunshot wound
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that appeared to be
to the left upper chest,
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and it seemed to exit
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in the right midline
of her back.
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I noticed there was
a wooden split-rail fence post
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very near the body,
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and it appeared
to have a defect to it.
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My first assumption was
that that projectile
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went through her remains
and then into that fence post.
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[Michael] We tried to fence off
the area
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after they had secured
the victim.
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It was dark,
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and we was out there
with flashlights trying
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to see what we could see.
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We walked all the way around
in the general direction
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that the bullet
would had to have come from,
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and we did not find anything.
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[Narrator] Investigators put a
hold
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on their
crime-scene investigation
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and turn to the
only other witness,
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Charles and Nelda's grandson,
four-year-old Shane Mathis.
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[Bill] That afternoon, they took
my son, Shane Mathis, with the.
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He always wanted
to spend a lot of time
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with his Papaw.
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[gunshot]
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[Narrator] Shane's account
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mirrors his
grandfather's account,
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except for one detail,
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[David] Charles insisted
there had been only one shot,
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whereas his
four-year-old grandson
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remembered hearing two shots.
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[gunshots]
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Now, if there's two shots,
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that lessens the possibility
of an accident.
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[Narrator] Coming up,
A witness account
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further suggests Nelda's death
was intentional.
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He said, "There's something
strange about this guy."
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They kept trying to drive away
as the rescue vehicles
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and the cops were coming.
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[Narrator] And a possible motive
begins to form.
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They'd already just
about broke Nelda financially.
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[music]
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[Narrator] In Paducah, Kentucky,
authorities are investigating
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the death
of 52-year-old Nelda Chumbler
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after her husband Charles
and grandson Shane
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witnessed the shooting in
a field near their family's hoe
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[gunshot]
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The following day,
Nelda's autopsy gets underway.
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[Jerry] We're able to see
exactly where that wound is.
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It went through the apex
of the top of the left lung.
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It fractured a rib on the front
and severed the spine.
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So, one of the things
we know after autopsy
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is that Miss Chumbler
would have been dead
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at the moment of impact.
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She appeared to be shot
with a high-powered rifle.
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[Jerry] That type
of hunting ammunition,
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it tends to fragment.
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Which forensically
we call that a lead snowstorm.
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If you look at it on X-Ray,
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it looks like
these tiny little chips of lea.
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Now, when you realize that,
that bullet has fragmented,
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that sort of rules out
the possibility
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of that projectile
or bullet going through
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her remains, and then
into that fence post.
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So that, that to me made me feel
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that there were two shots fired
as opposed to one.
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[gunshot]
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One striking the post
and one striking Nelda Chumbler.
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[gunshot]
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It would be difficult
for me to believe
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that there were
two stray bullets
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that were fired
within seconds of each other.
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So, once we establish
that two-shot theory,
247
00:13:10,523 --> 00:13:13,093
then I,
I think we certainly realize
248
00:13:13,126 --> 00:13:14,627
we had a homicide versus
249
00:13:14,661 --> 00:13:18,665
an accidental stray bullet
striking her.
250
00:13:19,766 --> 00:13:21,568
[Narrator] Now,
the question remains,
251
00:13:21,601 --> 00:13:24,704
who would want
to kill Nelda Chumbler?
252
00:13:26,139 --> 00:13:28,508
Investigators return
to the crime scene
253
00:13:28,541 --> 00:13:31,544
and canvas the area
for eyewitnesses.
254
00:13:31,578 --> 00:13:34,314
[Michael] We have to go research
everything that's said.
255
00:13:34,347 --> 00:13:36,249
We actually did
a perimeter search
256
00:13:36,750 --> 00:13:39,486
completely around,
about a half mile around,
257
00:13:39,519 --> 00:13:43,690
just to discredit the idea that,
258
00:13:44,591 --> 00:13:46,593
there was somebody
out here shooting,
259
00:13:46,626 --> 00:13:49,362
and a stray bullet hit Nelda.
260
00:13:50,296 --> 00:13:51,865
[Donald] We now
run into a neighbor.
261
00:13:51,898 --> 00:13:53,166
He didn't hear the shot,
262
00:13:53,600 --> 00:13:55,702
but he did see a vehicle.
263
00:13:56,970 --> 00:13:59,773
He said two people kept getting
their little car
264
00:13:59,806 --> 00:14:01,041
stuck in the snow,
265
00:14:01,074 --> 00:14:03,043
and he was jumping out
of the car
266
00:14:03,043 --> 00:14:06,446
and pushing it a few feet
and then jumping back in the car
267
00:14:06,479 --> 00:14:08,114
trying to get out of there.
268
00:14:08,415 --> 00:14:10,950
He described the guy pushing
269
00:14:11,051 --> 00:14:13,820
was a tall, slender,
dark-headed guy.
270
00:14:13,853 --> 00:14:15,288
He had a moustache.
271
00:14:16,523 --> 00:14:18,658
He couldn't see inside the car
'cause it appeared the car
272
00:14:18,692 --> 00:14:21,828
was all fogged up or stuff
was stacked up in the car
273
00:14:22,195 --> 00:14:24,397
like they were moving
or going someplace.
274
00:14:25,265 --> 00:14:28,968
They drive away
as the rescue vehicles
275
00:14:29,069 --> 00:14:30,437
and the cops were coming.
276
00:14:31,271 --> 00:14:33,106
[Narrator] The neighbor
identifies the vehicle
277
00:14:33,139 --> 00:14:35,275
as a silver Nissan Sedan.
278
00:14:35,842 --> 00:14:39,779
Unfortunately, he was unable to
catch the license plate.
279
00:14:42,082 --> 00:14:46,519
Investigators continue searching
the Chumbler property for clue.
280
00:14:46,553 --> 00:14:48,088
[Michael] We was trying to
figure out
281
00:14:48,121 --> 00:14:49,589
the trajectory of the bullet.
282
00:14:49,622 --> 00:14:51,891
So, you actually went backwards.
283
00:14:51,925 --> 00:14:55,295
You come from where,
approximately where the bullet
284
00:14:55,328 --> 00:14:56,663
may have went into the ground
285
00:14:56,696 --> 00:14:59,099
after it passed
through Mrs. Chumbler,
286
00:14:59,332 --> 00:15:00,767
and we was able to
287
00:15:01,501 --> 00:15:03,403
find where
it went through a tree,
288
00:15:03,436 --> 00:15:06,773
where it went
through a part of the corral
289
00:15:06,806 --> 00:15:09,676
and actually was able to trace,
with a string,
290
00:15:09,709 --> 00:15:12,779
all the way back to the shed
that was off to the right.
291
00:15:13,346 --> 00:15:16,249
[Narrator] The shed sits
on the Chumbler family farm,
292
00:15:16,282 --> 00:15:18,451
nearly 25 yards away
293
00:15:18,485 --> 00:15:21,454
from the horse pasture
where Nelda died.
294
00:15:22,455 --> 00:15:24,324
[Donald] So,
I look inside the shed,
295
00:15:24,357 --> 00:15:26,793
we find several cigarette butts
are in there.
296
00:15:27,827 --> 00:15:31,798
Newport was the type
of butt inside the shed.
297
00:15:32,732 --> 00:15:34,434
People don't really smoke them
a whole lot,
298
00:15:34,467 --> 00:15:36,636
not down
in this neck of woods anyway.
299
00:15:37,470 --> 00:15:39,439
I collect
what few cigarette butts
300
00:15:39,472 --> 00:15:40,940
I could collect in there.
301
00:15:42,809 --> 00:15:45,912
[Narrator] As investigators
continue searching the shed,
302
00:15:46,413 --> 00:15:48,915
a crack in the wall
stands out to them.
303
00:15:50,250 --> 00:15:53,987
And it looks like, to us,
that someone was standing
304
00:15:54,087 --> 00:15:55,488
inside that building
305
00:15:55,522 --> 00:15:57,624
and shot
through one of the cracks.
306
00:15:59,292 --> 00:16:01,361
[Donald] That told me
that somebody in that shed
307
00:16:01,695 --> 00:16:03,663
is the one that shot the rifle.
308
00:16:05,031 --> 00:16:09,469
I really thought, in my mind,
that this was premeditated.
309
00:16:10,236 --> 00:16:12,038
Something like this
just don't happen
310
00:16:12,072 --> 00:16:13,707
unless it's been thought out.
311
00:16:14,107 --> 00:16:16,309
This was a planned ordeal.
312
00:16:19,212 --> 00:16:21,314
[Narrator] Detectives
send the cigarette butts
313
00:16:21,348 --> 00:16:23,616
from the shed
for forensic analysis.
314
00:16:24,084 --> 00:16:26,286
[Donald] Back then,
Kentucky didn't have the money
315
00:16:26,319 --> 00:16:28,188
or the means to do the DNA,
316
00:16:28,221 --> 00:16:30,957
but they can do the blood typing
with your saliva.
317
00:16:31,057 --> 00:16:34,194
We got trace evidence,
and we was able to track it
318
00:16:34,227 --> 00:16:35,929
and type the blood
that the person had
319
00:16:35,962 --> 00:16:37,330
that was smoking the cigarette.
320
00:16:37,364 --> 00:16:39,065
This told us
we was looking for somebody
321
00:16:39,065 --> 00:16:40,467
with A positive blood.
322
00:16:41,434 --> 00:16:43,703
[Narrator] Since investigators
believe Nelda's murder
323
00:16:43,737 --> 00:16:46,539
was premeditated,
they turn to those
324
00:16:46,573 --> 00:16:50,477
who knew her best,
in her hometown of Tampa.
325
00:16:51,311 --> 00:16:52,879
I said,
"Y'all got your bags packed?
326
00:16:52,912 --> 00:16:54,347
"We're going to Florida."
327
00:16:56,149 --> 00:16:58,585
[music]
328
00:17:01,087 --> 00:17:03,757
[music]
329
00:17:05,625 --> 00:17:07,293
[Narrator] Less than 48 hours
330
00:17:07,327 --> 00:17:10,096
into Nelda Chumbler's
death investigation,
331
00:17:10,130 --> 00:17:12,665
Kentucky authorities
have designated the case
332
00:17:12,699 --> 00:17:16,169
a premeditated homicide
and are searching for leads
333
00:17:16,202 --> 00:17:19,172
in Nelda's hometown
of Tampa, Florida.
334
00:17:21,241 --> 00:17:25,045
[Donald] When we get to Florida,
I go around, and it's my job,
335
00:17:25,045 --> 00:17:29,182
to interview Nelda's friends
and co-workers.
336
00:17:31,685 --> 00:17:33,253
[Winnie] I received a call
337
00:17:33,620 --> 00:17:35,789
during my Christmas break,
from Charles.
338
00:17:35,822 --> 00:17:39,225
He was crying on the phone,
and he said that his wife,
339
00:17:39,259 --> 00:17:41,928
his beautiful wife,
had been shot and killed.
340
00:17:42,762 --> 00:17:46,066
I couldn't believe it,
I was stunned. I was stunned.
341
00:17:46,266 --> 00:17:47,701
How could that happen?
342
00:17:48,835 --> 00:17:50,070
I couldn't find anybody
343
00:17:50,070 --> 00:17:52,172
that said anything negative
about Nelda.
344
00:17:52,806 --> 00:17:55,275
[Winnie] She was
just real and honest.
345
00:17:55,608 --> 00:17:59,512
And she had had the success
and joy of being
346
00:17:59,546 --> 00:18:02,716
a well-respected teacher
in that school.
347
00:18:03,917 --> 00:18:06,753
[Narrator] Despite Nelda's
seemingly perfect life,
348
00:18:07,153 --> 00:18:09,589
investigators learn
that she was experiencing
349
00:18:09,622 --> 00:18:11,658
major financial issues.
350
00:18:12,692 --> 00:18:14,060
[Winnie] Nelda had received
351
00:18:14,094 --> 00:18:16,429
quite a large
insurance settlement
352
00:18:16,896 --> 00:18:20,800
when her husband had passed away
in the early '80s.
353
00:18:21,334 --> 00:18:22,435
[Donald] It was a lot of money.
354
00:18:22,469 --> 00:18:25,572
I'd say probably
close to $300,000 now.
355
00:18:26,506 --> 00:18:30,076
[Narrator] According to friends,
her financial situation changed
356
00:18:30,110 --> 00:18:33,747
when Nelda and Charles
received some unexpected news
357
00:18:33,780 --> 00:18:36,216
nearly a year
into their marriage.
358
00:18:36,783 --> 00:18:38,551
[Michael] One day,
there was a knock at the door
359
00:18:38,585 --> 00:18:41,321
and Nelda and Charles
went to the door,
360
00:18:41,354 --> 00:18:43,656
and it was Michael Kariakis.
361
00:18:44,924 --> 00:18:48,828
Charles was saying that Michael
was his illegitimate son.
362
00:18:49,396 --> 00:18:53,266
He said this was from
a previous affair years ago.
363
00:18:54,167 --> 00:18:58,338
Nelda had no idea
who Michael Kariakis was.
364
00:18:59,439 --> 00:19:02,075
[Narrator] The 24-year-old told
Nelda and Charles
365
00:19:02,108 --> 00:19:03,109
that he was sick
366
00:19:03,143 --> 00:19:05,578
and had no other family
to turn to.
367
00:19:06,346 --> 00:19:09,783
Michael, supposedly,
was suffering from cancer.
368
00:19:11,084 --> 00:19:12,719
[Winnie] He didn't have
any health insurance,
369
00:19:12,752 --> 00:19:14,187
and he needed money.
370
00:19:14,554 --> 00:19:16,589
Here's her husband's
illegitimate son,
371
00:19:16,623 --> 00:19:18,091
and now he was suffering.
372
00:19:19,092 --> 00:19:21,828
It probably dredged up
all the old memories
373
00:19:21,861 --> 00:19:24,264
of what she went through
with her previous husband.
374
00:19:24,297 --> 00:19:26,299
And so, she wanted to help out.
375
00:19:27,267 --> 00:19:29,402
[Michael] Nelda just brought him
right on in.
376
00:19:30,103 --> 00:19:32,305
She welcomed him in
with open arms.
377
00:19:32,839 --> 00:19:34,741
[Donald] Nelda paid for
his apartment,
378
00:19:34,774 --> 00:19:37,777
She paid for his treatment
and paid for his food,
379
00:19:37,811 --> 00:19:39,846
and his vehicle, and his fuel.
380
00:19:40,313 --> 00:19:44,351
Nelda spent oodles and gobs
of money on Michael.
381
00:19:45,318 --> 00:19:48,455
Money was going out faster
than it was coming in.
382
00:19:49,089 --> 00:19:51,391
[Michael] We interviewed
so many people,
383
00:19:51,925 --> 00:19:53,827
a lot of her co-workers.
384
00:19:53,860 --> 00:19:55,628
There was lots of information,
385
00:19:55,662 --> 00:19:57,564
and they all felt
like the same thing.
386
00:19:57,597 --> 00:20:02,369
They all knew Michael Kariakis
'cause she had talked about him.
387
00:20:02,902 --> 00:20:07,874
They all had warned Nelda that
he was taking advantage of her.
388
00:20:09,042 --> 00:20:11,144
[Narrator] Nelda's co-workers
tell investigators
389
00:20:11,177 --> 00:20:12,779
that in the months
that followed,
390
00:20:12,812 --> 00:20:16,416
Michael's behavior
grew increasingly bizarre.
391
00:20:17,017 --> 00:20:19,152
[David] Michael
was a strange character.
392
00:20:20,020 --> 00:20:22,922
He had a fascination
with violence.
393
00:20:23,423 --> 00:20:25,792
Nelda said he told tall tales.
394
00:20:26,126 --> 00:20:28,828
At one point,
he was a manufacturer
395
00:20:28,862 --> 00:20:30,463
of psychedelic drugs.
396
00:20:30,830 --> 00:20:32,732
He was an ex-Army captain
397
00:20:32,766 --> 00:20:35,268
who had
gone through special training.
398
00:20:35,301 --> 00:20:37,303
He was a Greek hitman.
399
00:20:38,004 --> 00:20:41,207
He told all these tales
to give people
400
00:20:41,241 --> 00:20:46,780
an-an-an aggrandized view
of, of who this guy was.
401
00:20:47,547 --> 00:20:51,451
He was always acting like he was
gonna do something to somebody
402
00:20:51,484 --> 00:20:53,319
or hurt somebody or whatever.
403
00:20:55,488 --> 00:20:59,459
[Michael] After a while,
Nelda became very suspicious
404
00:20:59,492 --> 00:21:01,127
of Michael Kariakis.
405
00:21:02,162 --> 00:21:05,432
For someone that had cancer,
he was in very good shape.
406
00:21:06,199 --> 00:21:07,934
[Donald] Michael did have
expensive taste.
407
00:21:07,967 --> 00:21:11,671
He liked guns.
He liked dressing well.
408
00:21:12,939 --> 00:21:15,275
[David] Nelda began to realize
this young guy
409
00:21:15,308 --> 00:21:16,743
is driving me broke,
410
00:21:17,277 --> 00:21:19,779
and she began
to complain to Charles.
411
00:21:20,347 --> 00:21:22,816
Eventually telling him,
"I don't want Michael Kariakis
412
00:21:22,849 --> 00:21:24,351
"around this house anymore."
413
00:21:25,819 --> 00:21:28,555
[Narrator] But friends claim
Charles wasn't willing
414
00:21:28,588 --> 00:21:30,623
to turn his back on his son.
415
00:21:31,224 --> 00:21:34,160
When Nelda stopped
paying for Michael's apartment,
416
00:21:34,194 --> 00:21:36,363
Charles became irate.
417
00:21:36,763 --> 00:21:40,100
So, her and Charles had a major,
major fuss,
418
00:21:40,967 --> 00:21:45,205
and Charles actually left
and went away for a while.
419
00:21:46,106 --> 00:21:48,475
[Winnie] It was really impacting
the relationship
420
00:21:48,508 --> 00:21:52,312
between Nelda and Charles,
and the next time I saw Nelda,
421
00:21:52,345 --> 00:21:55,181
she was not
the happy person she had been.
422
00:21:56,282 --> 00:21:58,785
[Michael] Well, Charles
comes back sometime later
423
00:21:58,818 --> 00:22:01,755
and was trying to make amends
to Nelda.
424
00:22:01,788 --> 00:22:04,057
Seemed like things
were going very well,
425
00:22:04,090 --> 00:22:07,427
and Charles decided,
"Let's go to Paducah
426
00:22:08,128 --> 00:22:11,631
"for Christmas. Let's go up
there and see all my family."
427
00:22:13,133 --> 00:22:15,468
[Winnie] She was very excited
to go,
428
00:22:15,502 --> 00:22:17,537
and I think that she hoped
429
00:22:17,570 --> 00:22:20,106
that they would leave
this problem behind
430
00:22:20,140 --> 00:22:22,142
and just enjoy themselves
for a while
431
00:22:22,175 --> 00:22:25,679
and recommit to each other
and the marriage.
432
00:22:28,682 --> 00:22:30,450
[Narrator] In light
of these revelations,
433
00:22:30,483 --> 00:22:35,088
Michael Kariakis is now
investigators' primary suspect.
434
00:22:35,989 --> 00:22:37,791
When they run
a background check,
435
00:22:37,824 --> 00:22:41,928
they discover that Michael
is no stranger to the law.
436
00:22:43,129 --> 00:22:47,100
[Michael] We actually was able
to run Michael Kariakis' name
437
00:22:47,100 --> 00:22:49,936
through NCIC, and lo and behold,
there was a warrant
438
00:22:49,969 --> 00:22:52,672
for his arrest,
that he was involved in
439
00:22:52,706 --> 00:22:57,877
the burglary theft
of his mother's residence.
440
00:22:59,245 --> 00:23:01,214
[Narrator] Investigators
also discover
441
00:23:01,247 --> 00:23:05,285
that Michael Kariakis
drives a silver Nissan sedan,
442
00:23:07,053 --> 00:23:11,291
the same vehicle seen fleeing
the area of Nelda's murder.
443
00:23:12,292 --> 00:23:15,061
The person in the car
was a tall, slender,
444
00:23:15,061 --> 00:23:21,067
dark-headed young man,
and Michael was tall, about 6'1,
445
00:23:21,301 --> 00:23:23,069
dark-headed and thin.
446
00:23:24,471 --> 00:23:26,773
So, we had a warrant
for his arrest.
447
00:23:26,806 --> 00:23:29,409
Immediately,
we started searching for him.
448
00:23:30,076 --> 00:23:32,112
From our information,
he'd been staying down
449
00:23:32,145 --> 00:23:34,981
in Tampa area, and come
to find out in the meantime,
450
00:23:35,081 --> 00:23:38,118
they had arrested him,
on our warrants,
451
00:23:38,151 --> 00:23:39,519
in Tampa, Florida,
452
00:23:39,886 --> 00:23:41,988
and they were holding him
down there.
453
00:23:43,089 --> 00:23:44,991
[Narrator] Investigators secure
a warrant
454
00:23:45,091 --> 00:23:46,726
to search Michael's residence.
455
00:23:47,093 --> 00:23:48,828
When they arrive
at his apartment,
456
00:23:48,862 --> 00:23:51,998
they are surprised
to find a woman living there.
457
00:23:53,099 --> 00:23:56,703
[Donald] In his apartment,
there's a girl named Holly.
458
00:23:56,736 --> 00:23:58,538
She's tall, and she's thin,
459
00:23:58,972 --> 00:24:01,341
and she's not really pleased
that we're there.
460
00:24:02,308 --> 00:24:04,210
She told us Michael
was her husband.
461
00:24:04,244 --> 00:24:06,279
I said, "That's interesting.
I didn't know
462
00:24:06,312 --> 00:24:07,514
Michael was married."
463
00:24:08,915 --> 00:24:11,084
[Narrator] When investigators
ask Holly for her whereabouts
464
00:24:11,117 --> 00:24:13,820
on December 27th,
she claims that she
465
00:24:13,853 --> 00:24:15,855
and her husband
were visiting family
466
00:24:15,889 --> 00:24:18,525
in Clarksville, Tennessee,
for the holidays.
467
00:24:19,192 --> 00:24:21,394
They had receipts
where they had been
468
00:24:21,428 --> 00:24:23,697
with Michael Kariakis' name
on it.
469
00:24:24,330 --> 00:24:26,733
[Narrator] Investigators serve
Holly with their warrant
470
00:24:26,766 --> 00:24:28,401
and begin to search the home.
471
00:24:29,069 --> 00:24:30,770
In the living room, they make
472
00:24:30,804 --> 00:24:33,973
an intriguing discovery
on the coffee table
473
00:24:35,075 --> 00:24:37,744
[Donald] Lo and behold,
I saw the cigarettes,
474
00:24:38,745 --> 00:24:41,648
the same type of cigarettes,
brand name cigarettes,
475
00:24:41,681 --> 00:24:44,217
that matched the cigarette buts
at the scene.
476
00:24:45,752 --> 00:24:47,787
The cigarettes have a stamp
on 'em,
477
00:24:47,821 --> 00:24:50,156
indicates what state
they're sold in,
478
00:24:50,190 --> 00:24:52,826
and these cigarettes
were sold in Kentucky.
479
00:24:53,860 --> 00:24:57,097
That enhanced my suspicions
really well.
480
00:24:58,098 --> 00:25:01,267
That in itself
is not prima facieevidence,
481
00:25:01,301 --> 00:25:02,936
but it is circumstantial.
482
00:25:04,037 --> 00:25:06,806
[Narrator] Investigators decide
to bring Holly Kariakis
483
00:25:06,840 --> 00:25:08,475
in for questioning.
484
00:25:08,508 --> 00:25:11,044
I was thinking,
"This is incredible.
485
00:25:11,044 --> 00:25:12,746
"The puzzle is coming together."
486
00:25:16,149 --> 00:25:17,083
[Narrator] Coming up.
487
00:25:17,117 --> 00:25:18,418
The true nature
488
00:25:18,451 --> 00:25:21,321
of Michael Kariakis's
relationship to the Chumblers
489
00:25:21,354 --> 00:25:25,258
will completely alter the course
of the investigation.
490
00:25:30,697 --> 00:25:32,699
He was basically obsessed
with him.
491
00:25:32,732 --> 00:25:34,801
It just kept getting weirder
and weirder.
492
00:25:36,069 --> 00:25:38,238
[music]
493
00:25:45,111 --> 00:25:48,148
[Narrator] Less than a week
after the fatal shooting
494
00:25:48,181 --> 00:25:49,349
of Nelda Chumbler,
495
00:25:50,183 --> 00:25:53,186
the primary suspects
are Michael Kariakis,
496
00:25:53,219 --> 00:25:56,489
the long-lost son
of Nelda's husband, Charles,
497
00:25:56,523 --> 00:25:58,692
and Michael's wife, Holly.
498
00:26:00,860 --> 00:26:04,230
Kentucky authorities
are investigating Holly's claims
499
00:26:04,264 --> 00:26:06,132
that the couple
was two hours away
500
00:26:06,166 --> 00:26:09,569
in Clarksville, Tennessee,
on the night of the murder.
501
00:26:10,036 --> 00:26:12,238
[Donald] So, we called
the Clarksville Motel,
502
00:26:12,939 --> 00:26:14,674
and the clerk said,
"That's weird.
503
00:26:14,708 --> 00:26:18,044
"The guy paid for the room
and left, didn't stay."
504
00:26:19,079 --> 00:26:22,549
Well, at that time,
it was a bombshell in my mind.
505
00:26:23,083 --> 00:26:26,519
We got to be able to put them
in this area, some way.
506
00:26:26,553 --> 00:26:28,321
Because we didn't have
any evidence
507
00:26:28,355 --> 00:26:30,457
that they were there
at this time.
508
00:26:31,091 --> 00:26:35,061
So, we had our deputies
go around to different hotels
509
00:26:35,095 --> 00:26:37,931
trying to figure out
if they'd stayed there.
510
00:26:37,964 --> 00:26:42,135
And sure enough,
we was able to find one hotel,
511
00:26:42,168 --> 00:26:43,536
The Thrifty Inn.
512
00:26:44,070 --> 00:26:46,606
The Thrifty Inn
is not very far from the scene.
513
00:26:47,073 --> 00:26:50,610
The girl at the motel said she
remembered a guy
514
00:26:50,643 --> 00:26:52,312
fitting that description
coming in.
515
00:26:53,079 --> 00:26:56,182
She said he was tall,
about six-foot, dark hair,
516
00:26:56,683 --> 00:26:58,084
and he had a moustache.
517
00:26:58,818 --> 00:27:00,820
I asked her, "Was there anybody
with Michael?"
518
00:27:00,854 --> 00:27:02,489
And she said,
"Yeah, there was a lady,
519
00:27:03,390 --> 00:27:05,525
"and she looked
to be in her early 20's,
520
00:27:05,558 --> 00:27:07,594
"and she was tall and skinny."
521
00:27:08,495 --> 00:27:12,499
So, that put Holly,
in the car, with Michael.
522
00:27:15,168 --> 00:27:17,671
[Narrator] Investigators decide
it's finally time
523
00:27:17,704 --> 00:27:21,041
to confront Michael,
but he's less than cooperative
524
00:27:21,041 --> 00:27:24,477
and denies any involvement
in Nelda's murder.
525
00:27:25,578 --> 00:27:28,415
When investigators process
Michael's belongings,
526
00:27:28,448 --> 00:27:29,849
they catch a break.
527
00:27:30,583 --> 00:27:33,853
They've arrested him, and we
asked to look at his property,
528
00:27:34,387 --> 00:27:36,623
and I was looking through
his billfold,
529
00:27:36,656 --> 00:27:40,360
and lo and behold,
I pulled out a business card
530
00:27:40,393 --> 00:27:44,464
from a local gun shop
there in Tampa,
531
00:27:44,497 --> 00:27:47,400
and I said,
"Surely, he's not this stupid
532
00:27:47,434 --> 00:27:49,069
"to have this on him."
533
00:27:49,836 --> 00:27:53,206
We made a phone call
to the owner,
534
00:27:53,239 --> 00:27:56,643
and sure enough, he remembered
him right off the bat.
535
00:27:57,711 --> 00:28:02,015
He confirmed that he had sold
a custom-made rifle
536
00:28:02,382 --> 00:28:04,551
to Mr. Kariakis.
537
00:28:06,419 --> 00:28:09,756
It was
a one-of-a-kind-built rifle.
538
00:28:09,789 --> 00:28:11,825
Michael gave him seven hundred
for it.
539
00:28:12,659 --> 00:28:14,427
[Narrator] A ccording to the gun
shop owner,
540
00:28:14,461 --> 00:28:17,464
Michael had a specific use
in mind for the weapon.
541
00:28:18,164 --> 00:28:21,401
He said he was going to
go deer hunting in Kentucky.
542
00:28:22,635 --> 00:28:25,438
[Michael] We know
that Michael bought a firearm,
543
00:28:25,472 --> 00:28:27,807
we know he was going
to Kentucky,
544
00:28:28,208 --> 00:28:30,143
and he was
going to kill him a deer.
545
00:28:30,710 --> 00:28:32,445
Was that a two-legged deer?
546
00:28:35,648 --> 00:28:37,650
[Narrator] Investigators decide
to follow up
547
00:28:37,684 --> 00:28:39,152
with Charles's family
548
00:28:39,185 --> 00:28:41,921
to ask if they have ever met
Michael Kariakis.
549
00:28:42,622 --> 00:28:45,692
that's when they drop
an unexpected bombshell
550
00:28:45,725 --> 00:28:48,762
about Charles's relationship
with Michael.
551
00:28:49,462 --> 00:28:51,531
[Donald] I had
a telephone conversation
552
00:28:51,564 --> 00:28:53,333
with Bill Mathis,
553
00:28:53,366 --> 00:28:56,703
who was Charles' son-in-law,
and he told me
554
00:28:56,736 --> 00:28:59,072
that he thought they had
a romantic relationship.
555
00:29:01,408 --> 00:29:04,010
I was stunned. I said, "Really?"
556
00:29:04,577 --> 00:29:06,346
[Narrator] According
to Charles's family,
557
00:29:06,379 --> 00:29:09,783
Michael is not his son,
but his lover.
558
00:29:10,483 --> 00:29:12,686
I'd understood
that Charles met Michael
559
00:29:12,719 --> 00:29:14,387
when he was 16 years old.
560
00:29:14,921 --> 00:29:17,090
Michael worked
in tobacco farming
561
00:29:17,123 --> 00:29:18,725
at Charles's home.
562
00:29:19,626 --> 00:29:21,861
There's a big age difference
between the two of 'em.
563
00:29:23,430 --> 00:29:25,899
[Donna] I only met Michael
about three times.
564
00:29:26,666 --> 00:29:30,236
I knew, immediately,
when I took a look at Michael
565
00:29:30,270 --> 00:29:32,205
and the way he was acting
and everything,
566
00:29:32,238 --> 00:29:36,476
that it was probably a lover,
you know. It had to be.
567
00:29:37,644 --> 00:29:41,081
Both of them argued
that they were just friends.
568
00:29:41,614 --> 00:29:45,118
But I knew in my heart
it wasn't. It was different.
569
00:29:46,086 --> 00:29:48,355
Charles was basically obsessed
with Michael.
570
00:29:49,089 --> 00:29:53,526
[David] He's a young,
physically attractive man
571
00:29:53,560 --> 00:29:57,464
sucking up to an older man
who feels the need
572
00:29:57,497 --> 00:30:01,801
to care for him
and to pay for his whims.
573
00:30:03,370 --> 00:30:06,006
Michael hit Charles up
for money constantly,
574
00:30:06,039 --> 00:30:07,240
day and night.
575
00:30:08,541 --> 00:30:09,676
[Donna] Charles, I think
he would do anything Michael
576
00:30:09,709 --> 00:30:11,745
told him to do.
He was just that way.
577
00:30:11,778 --> 00:30:13,713
Michael had that control
over him.
578
00:30:14,781 --> 00:30:16,916
Charles only had a
few hundred dollars to his name
579
00:30:16,950 --> 00:30:18,985
when he moved to Florida.
He was broke.
580
00:30:20,153 --> 00:30:22,522
[Bill] He came back to Kentucky,
581
00:30:22,555 --> 00:30:25,258
and he said he was going
to declare bankruptcy,
582
00:30:25,859 --> 00:30:28,361
then marry Nelda.
Up until that time,
583
00:30:28,395 --> 00:30:29,763
I'd never really
even heard of Nelda.
584
00:30:29,796 --> 00:30:31,331
It was just, kind of,
out of the blue.
585
00:30:31,364 --> 00:30:32,799
I was like, "Wow."
586
00:30:33,667 --> 00:30:35,001
[Donna] I think the whole family
587
00:30:35,035 --> 00:30:37,904
thought he was turning over
a new leaf.
588
00:30:38,805 --> 00:30:42,642
Michael was out of the picture
as far as we knew.
589
00:30:42,676 --> 00:30:45,578
So, we thought
maybe he was changing
590
00:30:46,312 --> 00:30:50,583
and that he really wanted to,
you know, be married to Nelda.
591
00:30:53,987 --> 00:30:55,989
[Narrator] Investigators need
more evidence
592
00:30:56,022 --> 00:30:59,359
to prove the affair
and to determine if Michael
593
00:30:59,392 --> 00:31:02,562
acted on his own volition
or if Charles
594
00:31:02,595 --> 00:31:04,798
was involved in the plan.
595
00:31:05,799 --> 00:31:07,267
[Michael] I was given
some information
596
00:31:07,300 --> 00:31:11,071
that I needed to look out back
at Nelda and Charles's house
597
00:31:11,604 --> 00:31:16,776
and look in the backyard
for a very large dishpan.
598
00:31:16,810 --> 00:31:18,645
Didn't really know
what I was going to find.
599
00:31:18,678 --> 00:31:21,581
I thought, "Well heck,
you know, who knows?"
600
00:31:22,882 --> 00:31:25,485
[Donald] So, we had to do the
search warrant for the house
601
00:31:26,286 --> 00:31:27,654
and we go in the backyard.
602
00:31:28,188 --> 00:31:30,323
[Michael] So, I got back there,
and sure enough,
603
00:31:30,357 --> 00:31:32,659
I found this very large dishpan,
604
00:31:32,692 --> 00:31:35,161
and I said,
"Well, let's dig it up."
605
00:31:35,995 --> 00:31:37,964
[Donald] And I turned
the washtub over
606
00:31:37,997 --> 00:31:42,736
and underneath the washtub,
is freshly turned dirt.
607
00:31:43,536 --> 00:31:45,939
I said,
"That's unusual that you'd have
608
00:31:45,972 --> 00:31:48,908
"freshly turned dirt this time
of year, even in Florida"
609
00:31:48,942 --> 00:31:51,378
And I dig down
about a foot and a half
610
00:31:52,212 --> 00:31:53,646
and I find a box.
611
00:31:57,117 --> 00:32:01,421
In that box are photographs
of Michael and Charles.
612
00:32:02,856 --> 00:32:06,459
They are kissing
and in romantic positions
613
00:32:07,327 --> 00:32:08,762
and sex toys.
614
00:32:10,764 --> 00:32:12,799
[Michael] We felt like
this evidence kind of
615
00:32:12,832 --> 00:32:16,269
concurred with evidence
and the information
616
00:32:16,302 --> 00:32:17,570
that we already had
617
00:32:17,604 --> 00:32:20,373
about Michael
and Charles's relationships.
618
00:32:23,810 --> 00:32:25,979
The further we went,
the more we believed
619
00:32:26,079 --> 00:32:29,082
that they were in it together
to murder Nelda,
620
00:32:29,716 --> 00:32:31,785
and we had to have a motive
behind it.
621
00:32:32,419 --> 00:32:36,156
[Narrator] Investigators believe
that Nelda's assets hold the key
622
00:32:36,189 --> 00:32:37,390
to the motive.
623
00:32:38,091 --> 00:32:41,761
We found out
she had a life insurance policy
624
00:32:41,795 --> 00:32:45,198
that doubled as
an accidental policy.
625
00:32:46,199 --> 00:32:51,471
She took out, at his insistence,
a $35,000 life insurance policy
626
00:32:51,504 --> 00:32:54,107
that would pay $70,000
to Charles
627
00:32:54,140 --> 00:32:55,875
if she died accidentally.
628
00:32:57,410 --> 00:32:59,746
I thought,
"Wow. The motive's money."
629
00:33:01,381 --> 00:33:03,917
[music]
630
00:33:06,319 --> 00:33:09,089
[music]
631
00:33:11,391 --> 00:33:13,893
[Narrator] One month
into the murder investigation
632
00:33:13,927 --> 00:33:16,796
of Nelda Chumbler,
authorities have discovered
633
00:33:16,830 --> 00:33:19,699
an illicit affair
between her husband, Charles,
634
00:33:19,733 --> 00:33:22,702
and Michael Kariakis,
whom she believed
635
00:33:22,736 --> 00:33:24,204
to be her son-in-law.
636
00:33:24,971 --> 00:33:27,207
The discovery
of a life insurance policy
637
00:33:27,240 --> 00:33:30,510
has shaped the theory
that Charles's marriage to Nelda
638
00:33:30,543 --> 00:33:34,647
was simply a long con
to profit from her death.
639
00:33:36,082 --> 00:33:39,519
[Michael] They'd already just
about broke Nelda financially.
640
00:33:39,919 --> 00:33:44,090
We believed that they were
in it together, to murder Nelda.
641
00:33:47,127 --> 00:33:49,095
[Narrator] Based on
family statements,
642
00:33:49,095 --> 00:33:51,765
investigators believe
Michael's wife, Holly,
643
00:33:51,798 --> 00:33:54,901
was a pawn
in Michael and Charles's plot.
644
00:33:55,735 --> 00:33:57,003
[Donna] Holly was a front.
645
00:33:57,103 --> 00:33:59,105
Michael was always good
at having a front.
646
00:34:01,041 --> 00:34:03,877
I wonder if Holly knew
what she was getting into.
647
00:34:04,511 --> 00:34:05,945
I've always wondered that.
648
00:34:06,746 --> 00:34:09,049
Holly was just along
for the ride,
649
00:34:09,816 --> 00:34:12,052
and she was doing
what her husband told her.
650
00:34:12,052 --> 00:34:16,056
But investigators believe
she was the getaway driver.
651
00:34:17,190 --> 00:34:19,292
[Donald] Now, at this point,
in my mind,
652
00:34:19,325 --> 00:34:23,296
I've got enough evidence to tie
Michael and Charles and Holly
653
00:34:23,329 --> 00:34:27,200
all in this
homicide conspiracy together.
654
00:34:27,767 --> 00:34:30,804
We go to the Grand Jury,
we get the indictments.
655
00:34:31,705 --> 00:34:34,874
We had to extradite them
back to Paducah.
656
00:34:36,276 --> 00:34:39,079
[Man] Michael Kariakis
is charged with murder.
657
00:34:39,079 --> 00:34:41,514
The state says
he hid in this shed
658
00:34:41,548 --> 00:34:43,216
and fired
a high-powered rifle shot
659
00:34:43,249 --> 00:34:44,851
through the Florida
school teacher
660
00:34:44,884 --> 00:34:46,619
as she stood by this fence.
661
00:34:46,953 --> 00:34:48,655
Charles Chumbler, her husband,
662
00:34:48,688 --> 00:34:50,657
is charged with complicity
to murder.
663
00:34:50,690 --> 00:34:52,992
The prosecution says
Chumbler led his wife
664
00:34:53,093 --> 00:34:54,761
into Kariakis's gun sights.
665
00:34:54,794 --> 00:34:56,696
Holly Kariakis, Michael's wife,
666
00:34:56,730 --> 00:34:58,765
is charged with
complicity to murder.
667
00:34:58,798 --> 00:35:01,234
The state will try to prove
that she came to Paducah
668
00:35:01,267 --> 00:35:04,070
with her husband
when Nelda Chumbler was killed.
669
00:35:04,104 --> 00:35:09,709
What started out as a reported
accidental shooting,
670
00:35:11,177 --> 00:35:13,646
turned out to be this onion
that you keep peeling
671
00:35:13,680 --> 00:35:15,715
layers back
and peeling layers back.
672
00:35:16,049 --> 00:35:17,584
Supposedly they were lovers,
673
00:35:17,617 --> 00:35:20,553
and it's just getting crazier
and crazier.
674
00:35:21,454 --> 00:35:24,424
The planning of it
and just the backstory of it
675
00:35:24,457 --> 00:35:28,128
was just unbelievable.
It's what movies are made of.
676
00:35:29,829 --> 00:35:31,564
[Winnie] I couldn't believe it.
I was stunned.
677
00:35:32,165 --> 00:35:35,669
All the things I thought I knew
about Charles disappeared.
678
00:35:36,503 --> 00:35:39,372
He became
a narcissistic psychopath
679
00:35:40,106 --> 00:35:43,143
who would stop at nothing
to get what he wanted.
680
00:35:45,311 --> 00:35:48,548
[Narrator] Less than a year
after Nelda Chumbler's death,
681
00:35:48,581 --> 00:35:50,784
on October 8th, 1991,
682
00:35:51,117 --> 00:35:54,087
the defendants' joint trial
gets underway.
683
00:35:54,788 --> 00:35:57,223
Prosecutors say the plot
to murder Nelda
684
00:35:57,257 --> 00:36:01,928
was driven by Michael's greed
coupled with Charles's lust.
685
00:36:03,063 --> 00:36:06,399
There was an insatiable need
for money for Michael,
686
00:36:07,033 --> 00:36:08,335
for whatever Michael needed.
687
00:36:08,368 --> 00:36:11,771
The car, the place to live,
the lifestyle,
688
00:36:11,805 --> 00:36:16,042
whatever it was,
Michael was given it by Charles,
689
00:36:16,076 --> 00:36:18,712
and no matter
how he had to get it.
690
00:36:19,813 --> 00:36:21,648
[Donna] I know Charles
well enough to know
691
00:36:21,681 --> 00:36:22,916
that if he's in love
with somebody,
692
00:36:22,949 --> 00:36:25,452
he'll do anything
that they want him to do.
693
00:36:26,353 --> 00:36:28,621
[Narrator] Prosecutors assert
that after Charles
694
00:36:28,655 --> 00:36:31,157
charmed Nelda,
Michael entered their lives
695
00:36:31,191 --> 00:36:33,660
under the guise of being
Charles's long-lost,
696
00:36:33,693 --> 00:36:35,295
cancer-stricken son.
697
00:36:36,563 --> 00:36:40,567
Nelda dug deep
in her own financial worth
698
00:36:40,600 --> 00:36:43,636
to provide for
Michael's cancer treatments.
699
00:36:44,270 --> 00:36:47,841
To use somebody like that,
based on a lie,
700
00:36:47,874 --> 00:36:51,244
is unconscionable.
701
00:36:52,312 --> 00:36:54,180
[Michael] He played
upon her vulnerability,
702
00:36:54,214 --> 00:36:57,484
and Michael was there
to drain Nelda
703
00:36:57,517 --> 00:36:58,952
with every penny she had.
704
00:36:59,919 --> 00:37:02,455
But when the money run out,
they got desperate.
705
00:37:03,289 --> 00:37:07,327
And I think
that started the spiral
706
00:37:08,294 --> 00:37:09,896
of their plan,
707
00:37:10,563 --> 00:37:12,298
to get Nelda's life insurance.
708
00:37:14,300 --> 00:37:15,435
[Narrator] Under the pretense
709
00:37:15,468 --> 00:37:17,404
of a family vacation
to Kentucky,
710
00:37:17,437 --> 00:37:21,875
prosecutors say Charles
lured Nelda into an ambush.
711
00:37:22,609 --> 00:37:25,045
Michael Kariakis
bought this gun,
712
00:37:25,745 --> 00:37:28,748
took his wife, Holly,
on an overnight drive
713
00:37:28,782 --> 00:37:32,052
from Tampa to the Chumbler farm,
714
00:37:33,353 --> 00:37:38,058
and he hid in a shed
not far from the main house.
715
00:37:39,292 --> 00:37:42,095
[Donald] Charles has his
four-year-old grandson with him.
716
00:37:42,862 --> 00:37:45,065
Tells his parents
that we're gonna stop,
717
00:37:45,065 --> 00:37:47,867
and I'm gonna show the horses
to Nelda.
718
00:37:49,135 --> 00:37:51,071
They drive down the road
just a little piece
719
00:37:51,071 --> 00:37:54,240
to where the barn is
and where the horses are at.
720
00:37:56,076 --> 00:37:59,713
[David] Charles told Nelda
to stay where she was,
721
00:37:59,746 --> 00:38:01,881
that he and his grandson
were gonna go ahead
722
00:38:01,915 --> 00:38:04,184
and feed the horses themselves.
723
00:38:04,751 --> 00:38:08,455
Michael fired two shots
from the shed.
724
00:38:09,022 --> 00:38:10,890
The first one missed.
725
00:38:12,125 --> 00:38:15,762
And then Michael Kariakis shot
and killed Nelda Chumbler.
726
00:38:21,701 --> 00:38:24,571
Holly was in the car
with Michael, trying to escape
727
00:38:24,938 --> 00:38:28,274
as rescue squads
were descending upon
728
00:38:28,308 --> 00:38:32,312
Nelda in the snow.
So, she was obviously on scene.
729
00:38:35,115 --> 00:38:38,418
I'm certain from the word go
they thought they were going to
730
00:38:38,451 --> 00:38:39,886
get away with it.
731
00:38:43,556 --> 00:38:45,291
[Donald] The gun
was never recovered,
732
00:38:46,092 --> 00:38:48,828
and I suspect
that Michael probably threw it
733
00:38:48,862 --> 00:38:51,064
in a river or the lake.
734
00:38:51,965 --> 00:38:53,900
Lots of water
between here and Florida.
735
00:38:55,068 --> 00:38:59,172
[David] They were also able
to take cigarette butts
736
00:38:59,205 --> 00:39:00,907
left in the shed,
737
00:39:01,541 --> 00:39:03,276
send them off to the FBI,
738
00:39:03,309 --> 00:39:07,714
and confirm the identity
of Michael Kariakis.
739
00:39:10,417 --> 00:39:12,719
[Narrator] Taking the stand
on his own behalf,
740
00:39:12,752 --> 00:39:16,022
Charles denies being in a
sexual relationship
741
00:39:16,056 --> 00:39:17,290
with Michael.
742
00:39:23,129 --> 00:39:25,699
Charles maintains
that Nelda was killed
743
00:39:25,732 --> 00:39:27,867
in a tragic hunting accident.
744
00:39:38,311 --> 00:39:41,614
Charles made sure he looked
like the innocent party.
745
00:39:42,482 --> 00:39:44,918
[Narrator] When the prosecution
calls two of Charles's
746
00:39:44,951 --> 00:39:48,655
former students to testify,
they provide information
747
00:39:48,688 --> 00:39:51,725
that contradicts his deep love
for his wife.
748
00:39:52,325 --> 00:39:54,894
Charles goes to a couple
of his students one day
749
00:39:54,928 --> 00:39:56,796
and said, "I hate her.
I wish she was dead.
750
00:39:57,063 --> 00:39:58,665
"Could you kill her for me?"
751
00:40:00,033 --> 00:40:01,835
And he said,
"I'll give you ten percent
752
00:40:01,868 --> 00:40:03,737
of her life insurance policy."
753
00:40:19,753 --> 00:40:22,088
I really thought,
"You've got to be kidding me."
754
00:40:22,789 --> 00:40:24,324
[Donald] They thought
he was pulling their leg,
755
00:40:24,357 --> 00:40:26,760
and they didn't say anything
to anybody about it.
756
00:40:26,793 --> 00:40:28,428
They said they wished
they had've now,
757
00:40:28,461 --> 00:40:30,296
knowing that Nelda is gone.
758
00:40:31,331 --> 00:40:33,900
[Narrator] Like Charles, Michael
and Holly Kariakis
759
00:40:33,933 --> 00:40:36,269
also take the stand
in their defense.
760
00:41:09,402 --> 00:41:11,938
[Jerry] All of the evidence
points to
761
00:41:11,971 --> 00:41:14,107
you having a high-powered rifle,
762
00:41:14,140 --> 00:41:16,876
you bringing your spouse
to Kentucky,
763
00:41:17,544 --> 00:41:22,082
taking her to this area
and setting up that homicide.
764
00:41:22,916 --> 00:41:26,419
And so, I think the jury
from McCracken County
765
00:41:26,453 --> 00:41:27,754
saw through that.
766
00:41:29,122 --> 00:41:34,327
[Narrator] On October 29, 1991,
the jury returns their verdict.
767
00:41:56,383 --> 00:41:59,953
[David] Michael Kariakis
and Charles Chumbler
768
00:42:00,787 --> 00:42:06,259
were both sentenced
to 25 years to life
769
00:42:06,292 --> 00:42:07,727
with no chance at parole.
770
00:42:08,361 --> 00:42:11,898
Holly, I believe,
got a slightly lesser sentence.
771
00:42:15,268 --> 00:42:18,838
[Narrator] In 1995,
the Kentucky Supreme Court
772
00:42:18,872 --> 00:42:20,607
overturns the convictions
773
00:42:21,107 --> 00:42:23,843
finding the prosecution's
portrayal of Michael
774
00:42:23,877 --> 00:42:28,081
and Charles's alleged sexual
history overly prejudicial.
775
00:42:28,948 --> 00:42:31,785
Rather than try
all three defendants again,
776
00:42:32,152 --> 00:42:34,721
prosecutors agree
to an Alford plea deal
777
00:42:34,754 --> 00:42:36,289
for reduced sentences
778
00:42:36,856 --> 00:42:39,192
[Bill] Charles ended up serving
maybe twelve years
779
00:42:39,225 --> 00:42:41,227
and Holly
about eight or ten years.
780
00:42:41,261 --> 00:42:45,098
And Michael,
I think, sixteen years.
781
00:42:45,999 --> 00:42:50,637
Charles and Michael and Holly
do not deserve
782
00:42:51,104 --> 00:42:54,140
to breathe the same air
that you and I breathe.
783
00:42:55,308 --> 00:42:59,346
My wife, she says,
"Why are you doing this?"
784
00:43:00,146 --> 00:43:03,049
Because I don't want people
to forget Nelda.
785
00:43:03,416 --> 00:43:04,918
'Cause she's the victim here.
786
00:43:06,119 --> 00:43:07,887
[Bill] I thought
it was a bunch of crap.
787
00:43:07,921 --> 00:43:09,055
When you can kill somebody
788
00:43:09,055 --> 00:43:11,925
and not serve no more time
than that
789
00:43:11,958 --> 00:43:13,426
then justice wasn't done.
790
00:43:14,461 --> 00:43:16,896
Nelda didn't get
a reduced sentence.
791
00:43:18,164 --> 00:43:19,866
[Winnie] She wanted
to be happy again,
792
00:43:19,899 --> 00:43:21,701
and she deserved
to be happy again.
793
00:43:21,735 --> 00:43:23,336
But that's not what happened.
794
00:43:24,504 --> 00:43:27,874
She was denied her happiness
for the rest of her life.
795
00:43:32,145 --> 00:43:38,084
[music]