1 00:00:02,210 --> 00:00:03,169 - NARRATOR: She was a single mother 2 00:00:04,421 --> 00:00:06,798 building a better life for her and her daughter. 3 00:00:06,840 --> 00:00:11,803 - My mom definitely looked at Princeton as a fresh start. 4 00:00:11,845 --> 00:00:13,847 - Life got easier for her. 5 00:00:13,888 --> 00:00:16,016 She was happy. 6 00:00:16,057 --> 00:00:17,475 - NARRATOR: But a vicious attack 7 00:00:17,517 --> 00:00:21,813 would tear her family apart forever. 8 00:00:21,855 --> 00:00:24,357 - There were five gunshot wounds. 9 00:00:24,399 --> 00:00:28,528 The stab wounds were primarily focused on her head. 10 00:00:28,570 --> 00:00:31,364 We could tell from that crime scene 11 00:00:31,406 --> 00:00:33,950 that she fought to the very end. 12 00:00:33,992 --> 00:00:37,996 - Due to the nature of the victim's injuries, 13 00:00:38,038 --> 00:00:39,748 everything was on the table. 14 00:00:39,789 --> 00:00:44,294 Could this be something that was done, just for financial gain? 15 00:00:44,336 --> 00:00:46,963 Could this be a jilted lover? 16 00:00:47,005 --> 00:00:49,090 - NARRATOR: The revelation of a secret affair 17 00:00:49,132 --> 00:00:52,719 will uproot one relationship... 18 00:00:52,761 --> 00:00:56,890 And plant a deadly seed of jealousy in another. 19 00:00:56,931 --> 00:00:58,725 - They wanted her out of the way. 20 00:00:58,767 --> 00:01:00,101 She gave him an ultimatum, 21 00:01:00,143 --> 00:01:03,271 you've got a month to get rid of her. 22 00:01:03,313 --> 00:01:05,565 - He couldn't pick, ya know, either or, 23 00:01:05,607 --> 00:01:06,608 he wanted to have both. 24 00:01:06,649 --> 00:01:08,443 And that's, that's not how it works. 25 00:01:08,485 --> 00:01:11,071 - You had two individuals who, while professing their love 26 00:01:11,112 --> 00:01:13,156 for each other, let that so-called "love" 27 00:01:13,198 --> 00:01:15,241 drive them to the point that they were willing 28 00:01:15,283 --> 00:01:17,744 to take the life of another human being 29 00:01:17,786 --> 00:01:19,746 to keep it going. 30 00:01:19,788 --> 00:01:22,916 - It's hard to comprehend how one human being 31 00:01:22,957 --> 00:01:24,918 can be so cruel to another. 32 00:01:24,959 --> 00:01:26,586 It was the ultimate betrayal. 33 00:01:28,421 --> 00:01:33,760 - * 34 00:01:33,802 --> 00:01:36,429 - [muffled scream] [gasp] 35 00:01:36,471 --> 00:01:38,139 - * 36 00:01:42,018 --> 00:01:44,312 - NARRATOR: 25 miles outside of Dallas - 37 00:01:44,354 --> 00:01:48,566 Princeton, Texas is a rural town, with suburban appeal. 38 00:01:48,608 --> 00:01:51,319 - It's close enough to Dallas that some folks can live there 39 00:01:51,361 --> 00:01:52,404 and commute to Dallas, 40 00:01:52,445 --> 00:01:55,407 but it has a small-town feel. 41 00:01:58,576 --> 00:02:03,790 - NARRATOR: But just after 6pm on September 20th, 2017 - 42 00:02:03,832 --> 00:02:05,542 the Collin County Sheriff's office 43 00:02:05,583 --> 00:02:10,422 receives a disturbing call about one of the town's residents. 44 00:02:11,464 --> 00:02:15,051 - Kayden Graham hadn't heard from her mom, Kelli Underwood, 45 00:02:15,093 --> 00:02:17,053 in a few days and, uh, got a little worried, 46 00:02:17,095 --> 00:02:20,807 so drove over to her place in Princeton to see what was up. 47 00:02:20,849 --> 00:02:23,059 - So, I did reach out to her a couple of times, 48 00:02:23,101 --> 00:02:24,227 and I didn't hear back from her. 49 00:02:24,269 --> 00:02:26,688 So, that kind of, you know, raised 50 00:02:26,730 --> 00:02:28,064 a little suspicion for me. 51 00:02:28,106 --> 00:02:31,234 Just because we hadn't had an argument, 52 00:02:31,276 --> 00:02:33,528 there wasn't a reason for her to be ignoring me 53 00:02:33,570 --> 00:02:35,321 or not answering my text messages 54 00:02:35,363 --> 00:02:38,408 or my calls or anything like that. 55 00:02:38,450 --> 00:02:41,911 So, that, I did go over there and as soon as I pulled up 56 00:02:41,953 --> 00:02:47,334 it was kind of, like, I got just bad vibes completely. 57 00:02:49,336 --> 00:02:51,796 I went up the sidewalk and then I walked up, 58 00:02:51,838 --> 00:02:54,466 I knocked on the door for probably, like, fifteen seconds. 59 00:02:54,507 --> 00:02:55,759 No answer. 60 00:02:55,800 --> 00:02:59,846 But then that last knock, like the door opened. 61 00:02:59,888 --> 00:03:02,682 As soon as I walked inside, I called out to her. 62 00:03:02,724 --> 00:03:05,435 I was, like, "Mom, where are you at?" 63 00:03:05,477 --> 00:03:10,482 I walked upstairs, you know, I, again, I called out to her. 64 00:03:11,566 --> 00:03:14,569 Her craft room door was open 65 00:03:15,403 --> 00:03:19,366 and I saw her, her feet. 66 00:03:20,492 --> 00:03:24,454 I remember walking around her, her little craft table. 67 00:03:24,496 --> 00:03:27,957 And she was just, she was just laying there. 68 00:03:27,999 --> 00:03:31,378 That's when I noticed, you know, the blood on her head. 69 00:03:34,255 --> 00:03:38,510 I remember kneeling down and as soon as I, like, 70 00:03:38,551 --> 00:03:41,471 grazed my hand, like, to move it to go check her pulse, 71 00:03:41,513 --> 00:03:45,266 I actually touched her leg, and she was just ice. 72 00:03:47,686 --> 00:03:53,274 And that's when I went into, like, major freak-out mode. 73 00:03:54,734 --> 00:03:58,071 - She was so scared that she didn't want to touch anything 74 00:03:58,113 --> 00:03:59,698 or mess anything up. 75 00:03:59,739 --> 00:04:03,785 So, she had called 911 from back outside the front of the house. 76 00:04:07,664 --> 00:04:10,250 - NARRATOR: First responders quickly arrive on scene 77 00:04:10,291 --> 00:04:13,253 and find a distraught Kayden. 78 00:04:14,004 --> 00:04:17,924 - Kayden had described where her mother's body was found 79 00:04:17,966 --> 00:04:20,927 and so they went upstairs to that room specifically. 80 00:04:20,969 --> 00:04:25,223 A craft room across from the master bedroom. 81 00:04:25,265 --> 00:04:26,391 - When they got there, 82 00:04:26,433 --> 00:04:29,144 they noticed with this horrific scene, 83 00:04:29,185 --> 00:04:34,315 blood around the room, things knocked over. 84 00:04:35,150 --> 00:04:36,484 The body had been there for a while, 85 00:04:36,526 --> 00:04:38,945 so there was no need to try to resuscitate 86 00:04:38,987 --> 00:04:42,449 because obviously Kelli Underwood had passed away. 87 00:04:43,825 --> 00:04:46,161 - The way that she was laying, they could tell, 88 00:04:46,202 --> 00:04:47,579 without even moving her initially, 89 00:04:47,620 --> 00:04:50,081 that she had possibly suffered stab wounds 90 00:04:50,123 --> 00:04:52,667 and gunshot wounds. 91 00:04:54,252 --> 00:04:56,629 - NARRATOR: Detectives wonder, who had done this 92 00:04:56,671 --> 00:05:00,508 to Kelli Underwood and why? 93 00:05:01,468 --> 00:05:03,386 - One of the difficulties in any murder investigation 94 00:05:03,428 --> 00:05:06,139 is going back and trying to piece together 95 00:05:06,181 --> 00:05:08,600 exactly how it occurred. 96 00:05:15,023 --> 00:05:17,275 - NARRATOR: Born and raised in Mesquite, Texas, 97 00:05:17,317 --> 00:05:20,320 Kelli Underwood had always been a shining light 98 00:05:20,362 --> 00:05:23,490 in her small Texas community. 99 00:05:23,531 --> 00:05:25,283 - AMBER: Kelli had a bubbly personality. 100 00:05:25,325 --> 00:05:29,204 She loved to joke around, and she was just always, 101 00:05:29,245 --> 00:05:33,166 you know, the, the fun person in the room. 102 00:05:33,208 --> 00:05:34,376 - NARRATOR: From an early age, 103 00:05:34,417 --> 00:05:37,462 Kelli had big plans for her future. 104 00:05:37,504 --> 00:05:39,964 - She would talk about, you know, wanting to get married 105 00:05:40,006 --> 00:05:44,010 and have children and have a career, be successful. 106 00:05:44,052 --> 00:05:48,014 - Kelli married, uh, very soon after high school, 107 00:05:48,056 --> 00:05:50,433 and she had her first child. 108 00:05:50,475 --> 00:05:52,727 - Unfortunately, that marriage didn't work out. 109 00:05:52,769 --> 00:05:58,608 And, um, she remarried another man, Kayden's father. 110 00:06:00,902 --> 00:06:02,529 They were married a few years, and then, 111 00:06:02,570 --> 00:06:05,699 unfortunately, that didn't work out. 112 00:06:05,740 --> 00:06:11,079 She stayed in the Mesquite area and continued working and, um, 113 00:06:11,121 --> 00:06:14,541 you know, it's a balance. It's a struggle for any single mom. 114 00:06:16,001 --> 00:06:17,043 - When it came down to it, 115 00:06:17,085 --> 00:06:19,212 she was always a very positive person. 116 00:06:19,254 --> 00:06:21,381 Um, anybody that met her would say that, 117 00:06:21,423 --> 00:06:23,633 you know, her smile would light up a room. 118 00:06:23,675 --> 00:06:26,553 That's just the type of person that she was. 119 00:06:29,889 --> 00:06:33,393 - NARRATOR: But in May 2001, Kelli was diagnosed 120 00:06:33,435 --> 00:06:37,397 with a life-threatening illness. 121 00:06:37,439 --> 00:06:40,066 - She, uh, had to have surgery for a brain tumor 122 00:06:40,108 --> 00:06:42,819 that had been developing fo quite some time. 123 00:06:44,279 --> 00:06:47,073 - They removed her tumor on her brain stem, 124 00:06:47,115 --> 00:06:51,828 and it left a portion of her face, um, a little paralyzed. 125 00:06:53,830 --> 00:06:57,792 - There would be days that, you know, I would walk downstairs, 126 00:06:57,834 --> 00:07:00,587 and she would be like in the bathroom, 127 00:07:00,628 --> 00:07:02,672 couldn't feel the left side of her body. 128 00:07:02,714 --> 00:07:06,426 And, and as a teenager, 129 00:07:06,468 --> 00:07:10,638 that's really hard to see, you know. 130 00:07:10,680 --> 00:07:14,392 - Our whole family supported her and, you know, 131 00:07:14,434 --> 00:07:16,019 tried to tell her it didn't matter. 132 00:07:16,061 --> 00:07:18,396 But everybody has their own way of dealing with, 133 00:07:18,438 --> 00:07:21,358 with things, and she internalized a lot. 134 00:07:21,399 --> 00:07:23,651 She was very depressed. 135 00:07:26,446 --> 00:07:27,822 - NARRATOR: That's when Kelli decided 136 00:07:27,864 --> 00:07:30,950 it was time to make a change. 137 00:07:30,992 --> 00:07:32,577 - One of her friends from high school, Tiffany, 138 00:07:32,619 --> 00:07:34,454 said, "Come to Princeton, you can live with us 139 00:07:34,496 --> 00:07:35,663 "for a while, while you get settled. 140 00:07:35,705 --> 00:07:37,582 We'll see about helping you get a job." 141 00:07:37,624 --> 00:07:41,252 Tiffany's husband, Ronnie, had a metal fabrication shop. 142 00:07:41,294 --> 00:07:44,923 - Ronnie, his family lived there for, for decades. 143 00:07:44,964 --> 00:07:46,883 Ronnie hung around with, yo know, a lot of people 144 00:07:46,925 --> 00:07:48,802 that were in the racing circle there 145 00:07:48,843 --> 00:07:50,720 in the small town in Princeton. 146 00:07:50,762 --> 00:07:53,098 - Ronnie offered employment an a place to stay. 147 00:07:53,139 --> 00:07:55,975 You know, "If you want to come work here, we can, 148 00:07:56,017 --> 00:07:57,477 "you know, let you stay here with us 149 00:07:57,519 --> 00:07:59,145 until you find a place of your own," 150 00:07:59,187 --> 00:08:01,731 and, um, that's what she did. 151 00:08:01,773 --> 00:08:05,068 - She started working for, you know, Ronnie Welborn 152 00:08:05,110 --> 00:08:06,611 at Express Fabrications. 153 00:08:06,653 --> 00:08:09,656 Um, she started out being a welder, 154 00:08:09,698 --> 00:08:12,659 and I'm pretty sure after about a year and a half 155 00:08:12,701 --> 00:08:14,494 that's when she moved into the office 156 00:08:14,536 --> 00:08:16,871 and started handling the, you know, the accounting, 157 00:08:16,913 --> 00:08:19,332 the books, um, and stuff like that. 158 00:08:19,374 --> 00:08:20,709 She really handled everything. 159 00:08:20,750 --> 00:08:22,877 I mean, she was the face of the company. 160 00:08:22,919 --> 00:08:25,213 She was very good at her job. 161 00:08:27,674 --> 00:08:29,634 - NARRATOR: Kelli also offered her boss Ronnie 162 00:08:29,676 --> 00:08:32,178 emotional support, when his wife 163 00:08:32,220 --> 00:08:35,849 filed for divorce in May 2014. 164 00:08:36,808 --> 00:08:39,561 - When he and Tiffany were going through the divorce, 165 00:08:39,602 --> 00:08:42,605 he would confide in Kelli, and she was there for him. 166 00:08:42,647 --> 00:08:44,399 He was there for her when she was going through 167 00:08:44,441 --> 00:08:46,359 a hard time and, and she reciprocated. 168 00:08:46,401 --> 00:08:48,737 They became really good friends. 169 00:08:48,778 --> 00:08:52,198 - Obviously, he was her boss, but he was also a friend. 170 00:08:52,240 --> 00:08:53,867 He was a supporter. 171 00:08:53,908 --> 00:08:56,703 I mean, he was always one of her biggest fans 172 00:08:56,745 --> 00:08:58,830 when it came down to it. 173 00:09:01,833 --> 00:09:04,461 - NARRATOR: As Ronnie adjusted to his new life, 174 00:09:04,502 --> 00:09:07,756 Kelli also became more independent. 175 00:09:08,381 --> 00:09:14,012 In the spring of 2017, she moved into a new house in Princeton. 176 00:09:14,054 --> 00:09:15,430 - Kayden graduated. 177 00:09:15,472 --> 00:09:17,724 She moved in with friends and Kelli was living alone. 178 00:09:17,766 --> 00:09:19,559 - She enjoyed spending time in her backyard, 179 00:09:19,601 --> 00:09:21,561 so she wanted to put a pool in the backyard 180 00:09:21,603 --> 00:09:24,773 and, uh, enjoy and relax when she got home. 181 00:09:24,814 --> 00:09:29,027 - My mom definitely looked at Princeton as a fresh start. 182 00:09:29,069 --> 00:09:30,820 She was very happy. 183 00:09:34,574 --> 00:09:37,744 - NARRATOR: But on September 20th, 2017, 184 00:09:37,786 --> 00:09:41,873 Princeton police have been called to Kelli's home, 185 00:09:42,999 --> 00:09:47,879 where the 46-year-old has been found brutally murdered. 186 00:09:47,921 --> 00:09:49,089 - Princeton was a small town. 187 00:09:49,130 --> 00:09:51,216 It had crime but it had not had a murder 188 00:09:51,257 --> 00:09:53,426 for twenty or twenty-five years. 189 00:09:53,468 --> 00:09:56,680 - None of their detectives had ever investigated a homicide. 190 00:09:56,721 --> 00:10:00,517 And so they had the foresight to call the Texas Rangers 191 00:10:00,558 --> 00:10:02,769 to help them with that investigation. 192 00:10:03,937 --> 00:10:06,815 - It was apparent from the moment our investigators 193 00:10:06,856 --> 00:10:09,109 walked into the room that she had lost her life 194 00:10:09,150 --> 00:10:11,903 in a violent way and in a struggle. 195 00:10:11,945 --> 00:10:15,615 Our investigators looked at it, uh, through the lens 196 00:10:15,657 --> 00:10:18,743 of could this be a jilted lover? 197 00:10:18,785 --> 00:10:21,746 Could this be something tha was done, um, 198 00:10:21,788 --> 00:10:25,000 just for financial gain? Everything was on the table. 199 00:10:28,253 --> 00:10:29,587 - NARRATOR: Coming up... 200 00:10:29,629 --> 00:10:32,257 Homicide investigators find evidence that suggests 201 00:10:32,298 --> 00:10:35,301 possible persons of interest. 202 00:10:35,343 --> 00:10:37,429 - It looked like people had been hanging out 203 00:10:37,470 --> 00:10:39,639 after they've murdered her. 204 00:10:39,681 --> 00:10:41,891 It's absolutely disgusting. 205 00:10:41,933 --> 00:10:44,811 - It led us to believe that we had two perpetrators 206 00:10:44,853 --> 00:10:47,814 instead of just one person doing the crime. 207 00:10:47,856 --> 00:10:50,108 - NARRATOR: And the search fo clues will lead police 208 00:10:50,150 --> 00:10:53,945 to uncover an unexpected relationship. 209 00:10:53,987 --> 00:10:55,613 - There would be text messages 210 00:10:55,655 --> 00:10:57,073 where they were telling each other 211 00:10:57,115 --> 00:11:00,702 they loved each other, and then a couple of days later, 212 00:11:00,744 --> 00:11:02,871 they were in a heated argument. 213 00:11:04,873 --> 00:11:06,374 - * 214 00:11:15,467 --> 00:11:18,678 - NARRATOR: In Princeton, Texas, 46-year-old single mother 215 00:11:18,720 --> 00:11:23,975 Kelli Underwood has been found brutally murdered in her home. 216 00:11:24,017 --> 00:11:27,103 Detectives are meticulously processing the crime scene 217 00:11:27,145 --> 00:11:31,816 in order to help piece together what happened. 218 00:11:32,817 --> 00:11:37,072 - We collected 5 .22 spent cartridge cases 219 00:11:37,113 --> 00:11:40,200 in the, uh, craft room. 220 00:11:40,241 --> 00:11:43,912 - Kelli had a gunshot wound to her ankle. 221 00:11:43,953 --> 00:11:49,584 She had a couple gunshot wounds to her left upper arm, 222 00:11:49,626 --> 00:11:51,628 but she also had two gunshot wounds 223 00:11:51,670 --> 00:11:54,422 that had pierced her chest. 224 00:11:54,464 --> 00:11:57,634 The stab wounds were primarily focused on her head. 225 00:11:57,676 --> 00:12:00,637 So, she had one through her right temple, 226 00:12:00,679 --> 00:12:03,181 she had one that entered her skull, 227 00:12:03,223 --> 00:12:05,809 and she had a couple in her neck. 228 00:12:05,850 --> 00:12:08,228 She also had some other, what they call superficial 229 00:12:08,269 --> 00:12:11,981 or incise wounds, that really didn't penetrate deeply, 230 00:12:12,023 --> 00:12:17,028 but were clearly from the same sharp object. 231 00:12:17,070 --> 00:12:19,948 - It's not very common for someone to use 232 00:12:19,989 --> 00:12:22,992 two different weapons, um, on a, on a victim. 233 00:12:23,034 --> 00:12:25,120 And therefore, in this case, it, it, at least, 234 00:12:25,161 --> 00:12:27,956 led us to believe that we had two perpetrators 235 00:12:27,997 --> 00:12:30,333 instead of just one person doing the crime. 236 00:12:35,213 --> 00:12:38,216 - NARRATOR: As Kelli's body is removed for autopsy, 237 00:12:38,258 --> 00:12:41,678 investigators continue to process the rest of the home 238 00:12:41,720 --> 00:12:44,723 for clues. 239 00:12:44,764 --> 00:12:49,227 - In her bedroom, we found her cell phone. 240 00:12:49,269 --> 00:12:52,689 - In modern-day investigations, cell phones are invaluable. 241 00:12:52,731 --> 00:12:54,441 We all live with our cell phones. 242 00:12:54,482 --> 00:12:55,692 We all use our cell phones. 243 00:12:55,734 --> 00:12:57,152 If you wanna know anything about someone, 244 00:12:57,193 --> 00:13:01,031 you can pretty much figure it out with a cell phone. 245 00:13:02,615 --> 00:13:06,036 - NARRATOR: Next, investigators make their way downstairs, 246 00:13:06,077 --> 00:13:09,330 where Kelli's 19-year-old daughter Kayden Graham 247 00:13:09,372 --> 00:13:13,501 helps them to identify additional clues. 248 00:13:13,543 --> 00:13:14,878 - You go into the living room, 249 00:13:14,919 --> 00:13:17,005 which the front door opens up into, 250 00:13:17,047 --> 00:13:21,259 and there's areas that looks a bit chaotic. 251 00:13:21,301 --> 00:13:24,179 Over in the corner, there was an obvious disturbance 252 00:13:24,220 --> 00:13:27,057 where surveillance equipment was pulled out, 253 00:13:27,098 --> 00:13:28,892 and it just looked like it ha been yanked out 254 00:13:28,933 --> 00:13:32,103 and just thrown on the floor. 255 00:13:32,145 --> 00:13:34,522 - NARRATOR: Nothing else appears to have been stolen, 256 00:13:34,564 --> 00:13:39,569 so investigators dismiss robbery as a likely motive. 257 00:13:39,611 --> 00:13:41,654 - What was interesting about this crime scene 258 00:13:41,696 --> 00:13:44,741 was we didn't see entry being made 259 00:13:44,783 --> 00:13:47,619 through a broken door, a broken window. 260 00:13:47,660 --> 00:13:52,582 It looked like it was someone who had been invited in. 261 00:13:52,624 --> 00:13:57,587 - There were used plates and utensils on the counter. 262 00:13:57,629 --> 00:14:01,091 - That was unusual to Kayden and stood out. 263 00:14:01,132 --> 00:14:02,884 - My mom was very OCD. 264 00:14:02,926 --> 00:14:04,594 Everything, when it came down to her 265 00:14:04,636 --> 00:14:06,096 it was clean, clean, clean. 266 00:14:06,137 --> 00:14:09,766 She didn't like anything being dirty. 267 00:14:09,808 --> 00:14:11,518 - NARRATOR: Kayden quickly points out 268 00:14:11,559 --> 00:14:14,229 another inconsistency. 269 00:14:15,939 --> 00:14:17,482 - We went out into the backyard, 270 00:14:17,524 --> 00:14:19,192 photographed it, looked like, you know, 271 00:14:19,234 --> 00:14:22,278 people had been hanging out back there as well. 272 00:14:22,320 --> 00:14:25,156 We collected some cigarette butts. 273 00:14:25,198 --> 00:14:27,117 - My mom didn't smoke cigarettes either, 274 00:14:27,158 --> 00:14:28,660 so that was another thing that I was, like, 275 00:14:28,702 --> 00:14:30,954 she would not be okay with cigarette butts being, 276 00:14:30,995 --> 00:14:34,207 you know, sprawled out all throughout her backyard. 277 00:14:34,249 --> 00:14:37,377 - It looked like, you know, people had hung out, 278 00:14:37,419 --> 00:14:40,046 out there after they've murdered her. 279 00:14:40,088 --> 00:14:42,424 That tells you the lack of conscience they have, 280 00:14:42,465 --> 00:14:46,344 the lack of respect for life, as a whole that they have, 281 00:14:46,386 --> 00:14:49,305 and it's absolutely disgusting. 282 00:14:49,347 --> 00:14:51,975 - Those were obviously important pieces of evidence 283 00:14:52,017 --> 00:14:54,936 for us to try to collect an also get tested 284 00:14:54,978 --> 00:14:57,731 for possible DNA evidence. 285 00:15:01,151 --> 00:15:03,111 - NARRATOR: The following day, the Collin County 286 00:15:03,153 --> 00:15:05,655 medical examiner performs an autopsy 287 00:15:05,697 --> 00:15:08,283 to recover more evidence. 288 00:15:10,243 --> 00:15:13,705 - Scrapings were taken from underneath Kelli's fingernails, 289 00:15:13,747 --> 00:15:19,169 and that was preserved and passed forward for, uh, DNA. 290 00:15:19,210 --> 00:15:22,130 - Based on the rigor mortis the window of death 291 00:15:22,172 --> 00:15:25,967 was somewhere in the late evening of September 16th 292 00:15:26,009 --> 00:15:31,181 to the very early morning hours of September 17th. 293 00:15:31,222 --> 00:15:34,017 - NARRATOR: After the autopsy, investigators conduct 294 00:15:34,059 --> 00:15:37,854 an extended interview with Kayden Graham. 295 00:15:37,896 --> 00:15:40,023 - Any good murder investigation 296 00:15:40,065 --> 00:15:42,108 is going to leave no stone unturned, 297 00:15:42,150 --> 00:15:44,277 and if you start off without looking at everyone 298 00:15:44,319 --> 00:15:48,114 as a suspect, then you do a disservice to the case. 299 00:15:48,156 --> 00:15:51,034 - They sat Kayden down, questioned her, 300 00:15:51,076 --> 00:15:54,079 checking for an alibi for her. 301 00:15:54,120 --> 00:15:55,830 - Kayden told them, "We may have our fights, 302 00:15:55,872 --> 00:15:59,334 "but I talk to her often and we were in a good place. 303 00:15:59,376 --> 00:16:02,045 "I had just called her the Friday before to tell her 304 00:16:02,087 --> 00:16:04,547 "that I was gonna be looking for a new job 305 00:16:04,589 --> 00:16:08,718 "and she was talking me through it and, and supporting me, 306 00:16:08,760 --> 00:16:11,680 "and so, when I didn't hear from her for a couple days, 307 00:16:11,721 --> 00:16:15,725 I just finally went over there to check on her." 308 00:16:15,767 --> 00:16:18,895 - They asked to, uh, look at her cell phone, 309 00:16:18,937 --> 00:16:20,522 any communications with our victim, 310 00:16:20,563 --> 00:16:23,566 and, and she willingly complied. 311 00:16:23,608 --> 00:16:25,860 - They immediately started looking in her phone 312 00:16:25,902 --> 00:16:28,738 and saw that Kayden had tried to get in touch with her mom 313 00:16:28,780 --> 00:16:31,533 more than once in the days of September 15th 314 00:16:31,574 --> 00:16:33,535 and September 16th, which was the Friday 315 00:16:33,576 --> 00:16:36,746 and Saturday before she was deceased. 316 00:16:36,788 --> 00:16:39,290 - NARRATOR: Police ask Kayden for a detailed account 317 00:16:39,332 --> 00:16:43,628 of her whereabouts over the past few days. 318 00:16:43,670 --> 00:16:45,922 - Kayden had been living with a family close by. 319 00:16:45,964 --> 00:16:47,298 A friend and her parents. 320 00:16:47,340 --> 00:16:48,925 Kayden also had a boyfriend at the time, 321 00:16:48,967 --> 00:16:54,097 and so, the Rangers did every follow-up that they needed to. 322 00:16:54,931 --> 00:16:58,309 The Rangers asked consent of that family to search the home, 323 00:16:58,351 --> 00:17:01,271 to see if they could find a matching murder weapon. 324 00:17:02,897 --> 00:17:04,941 They did not find any murder weapon 325 00:17:04,983 --> 00:17:06,443 that would have matched the one 326 00:17:06,484 --> 00:17:10,447 that killed Kelli, which was specifically a .22-caliber. 327 00:17:10,488 --> 00:17:15,035 - Based on the victim's daughter's cell phone records, 328 00:17:15,076 --> 00:17:17,954 based on other witnesses, 329 00:17:17,996 --> 00:17:20,665 um, and based on the time of the offense, 330 00:17:20,707 --> 00:17:22,167 it became very clear that, 331 00:17:22,208 --> 00:17:25,670 that she was not involved in this offense. 332 00:17:25,712 --> 00:17:28,089 - At the beginning I did feel like they were 333 00:17:28,131 --> 00:17:30,133 a little too focused on me 334 00:17:30,175 --> 00:17:32,218 and asking me too many questions. 335 00:17:32,260 --> 00:17:34,721 And it did raise a little bit of worry. 336 00:17:34,763 --> 00:17:36,723 I would never do this. 337 00:17:36,765 --> 00:17:39,434 I would never hurt her. 338 00:17:39,476 --> 00:17:41,811 Over a certain period of time they were like ok, 339 00:17:41,853 --> 00:17:43,605 we know, we know you had nothing to do with it 340 00:17:43,646 --> 00:17:46,024 and we thank you for you know, working with us 341 00:17:46,066 --> 00:17:48,068 and being understanding. 342 00:17:48,109 --> 00:17:49,736 That was, was my main thing. 343 00:17:49,778 --> 00:17:52,364 Making sure I did everything that they asked. 344 00:17:52,405 --> 00:17:54,824 Just to make sure that they, they found the right people. 345 00:17:54,866 --> 00:17:58,203 That they weren't focused on the wrong people. 346 00:18:01,998 --> 00:18:03,958 - NARRATOR: Investigators begin canvassing 347 00:18:04,000 --> 00:18:05,543 Kelli Underwood's neighborhood, 348 00:18:05,585 --> 00:18:09,964 searching for anyone who can speak to her final days. 349 00:18:10,006 --> 00:18:12,342 - Investigators with the Princeton Police Department 350 00:18:12,384 --> 00:18:15,261 and the Texas Rangers asked neighbors if they had seen 351 00:18:15,303 --> 00:18:18,431 any individuals out of the ordinary over at the house. 352 00:18:18,473 --> 00:18:21,726 There was a neighbor that reported last seeing 353 00:18:21,768 --> 00:18:25,188 Kelli with a white male, who drove a truck 354 00:18:25,230 --> 00:18:28,733 with Illinois license plates. 355 00:18:28,775 --> 00:18:31,653 The neighbors had also described a Black male, 356 00:18:31,695 --> 00:18:33,613 who had been over there, in the garage, 357 00:18:33,655 --> 00:18:36,324 helping with work on September 16th, 358 00:18:36,366 --> 00:18:40,245 the dates that we believe that our murder happened. 359 00:18:40,286 --> 00:18:42,914 - NARRATOR: But who were these two men? 360 00:18:42,956 --> 00:18:46,042 And what connection-- if any-- could they possibly have 361 00:18:46,084 --> 00:18:48,044 to Kelli's murder? 362 00:18:48,086 --> 00:18:51,881 In order to find out, police know they have to find both men 363 00:18:51,923 --> 00:18:53,550 and fast. 364 00:18:53,591 --> 00:18:55,802 - They obviously wanted to speak with them. What had happened? 365 00:18:55,844 --> 00:18:57,345 What did they know? 366 00:19:09,649 --> 00:19:12,736 - NARRATOR: In the days after 46-year-old Kelli Underwood 367 00:19:12,777 --> 00:19:16,448 was found murdered in he Princeton, Texas home, 368 00:19:16,489 --> 00:19:19,200 investigators have learned about two men 369 00:19:19,242 --> 00:19:21,661 seen at Kelli's home in the timeframe 370 00:19:21,703 --> 00:19:24,581 they believe she was killed. 371 00:19:24,622 --> 00:19:27,959 Unfortunately, none of the neighbors are able to identify 372 00:19:28,001 --> 00:19:29,627 the men by name. 373 00:19:29,669 --> 00:19:34,799 But they believe the men were there to work on Kelli's house. 374 00:19:34,841 --> 00:19:37,052 - Kelli had some things, you know, 375 00:19:37,093 --> 00:19:38,678 she wanted done around the house. 376 00:19:38,720 --> 00:19:42,432 She needed her pool put in, and she was having problems 377 00:19:42,474 --> 00:19:47,062 with her cameras at home and wanted them replaced. 378 00:19:48,063 --> 00:19:50,899 - NARRATOR: Hoping to identify the two workers, 379 00:19:50,940 --> 00:19:55,028 Investigators reach out to Kelli's associates. 380 00:19:55,070 --> 00:19:58,573 They start with her boss and close friend Ronnie Welborn, 381 00:19:58,615 --> 00:20:02,869 who appears devastated by the news of her murder. 382 00:20:02,911 --> 00:20:05,246 - It absolutely was a shock to Ronnie. 383 00:20:05,288 --> 00:20:07,499 They were very close. 384 00:20:08,875 --> 00:20:13,630 - Ronnie was like mental support throughout the whole situation. 385 00:20:13,672 --> 00:20:17,050 I mean, from when I found her up until the funeral. 386 00:20:17,092 --> 00:20:19,886 When I went up to the funeral home to, you know, 387 00:20:19,928 --> 00:20:21,888 make arrangements and everything, 388 00:20:21,930 --> 00:20:25,475 he was very adamant about being a part of it. 389 00:20:25,517 --> 00:20:27,352 He wanted to make sure that I had support 390 00:20:27,394 --> 00:20:30,313 and that I didn't feel alone. 391 00:20:30,939 --> 00:20:33,191 - NARRATOR: When investigators meet with Ronnie, 392 00:20:33,233 --> 00:20:36,820 he quickly offers them a crucial lead. 393 00:20:37,946 --> 00:20:41,032 - He did know that she was getting some work done 394 00:20:41,074 --> 00:20:43,993 in her backyard, and he provided the name 395 00:20:44,035 --> 00:20:47,372 of Robert Veal as the person who was helping her 396 00:20:47,414 --> 00:20:50,083 do that work in her backyard. 397 00:20:50,125 --> 00:20:53,086 - Robert Veal was an old friend of Ronnie's, 398 00:20:53,128 --> 00:20:54,295 a racing buddy. 399 00:20:54,337 --> 00:20:56,339 Had worked for Ronnie for a while, 400 00:20:56,381 --> 00:20:59,801 and Kelli was well aware of him also. 401 00:21:01,052 --> 00:21:03,888 - NARRATOR: Unfortunately, Ronnie says he doesn't know 402 00:21:03,930 --> 00:21:05,765 who the second man that neighbors 403 00:21:05,807 --> 00:21:09,060 had reported seeing at the home could be. 404 00:21:09,102 --> 00:21:11,771 When their calls to Robert Veal go unanswered, 405 00:21:11,813 --> 00:21:15,567 investigators examine Kelli Underwood's phone records, 406 00:21:15,608 --> 00:21:18,862 searching for information that will help to identify 407 00:21:18,903 --> 00:21:20,530 the second worker. 408 00:21:20,572 --> 00:21:23,324 But what they discover points the case 409 00:21:23,366 --> 00:21:25,744 in a whole new direction. 410 00:21:26,828 --> 00:21:32,208 - So, at that time, the Rangers had reviewed Kelli's phone, 411 00:21:32,250 --> 00:21:36,421 and saw that there was some sort of romantic relationship, 412 00:21:36,463 --> 00:21:38,715 not just a business relationship, 413 00:21:38,757 --> 00:21:41,426 between Kelli and Ronnie. 414 00:21:41,468 --> 00:21:43,219 There would be text messages 415 00:21:43,261 --> 00:21:44,637 where they were telling each other 416 00:21:44,679 --> 00:21:46,973 they loved each other, and Ronnie couldn't wait 417 00:21:47,015 --> 00:21:49,768 to make her Mrs. Welborn. 418 00:21:50,852 --> 00:21:54,105 - NARRATOR: But texts reveal that Kelli and Ronnie's romance 419 00:21:54,147 --> 00:21:57,317 had also been quite volatile. 420 00:21:57,359 --> 00:22:01,613 - A couple days later, they were in a heated argument. 421 00:22:01,654 --> 00:22:04,699 You know, Kelli never wanted to see him again. 422 00:22:06,868 --> 00:22:09,662 - NARRATOR: Investigators ask Kelli's daughter, Kayden, 423 00:22:09,704 --> 00:22:11,706 about the relationship. 424 00:22:11,748 --> 00:22:13,833 She confirms her mother and Ronnie 425 00:22:13,875 --> 00:22:16,503 had had an on-again, off-again romance 426 00:22:16,544 --> 00:22:19,172 going back to when Ronnie and his wife 427 00:22:19,214 --> 00:22:22,634 had split three years earlier. 428 00:22:22,676 --> 00:22:24,844 - He was showing up to the house a lot more. 429 00:22:24,886 --> 00:22:26,513 We were going to do stuff with him 430 00:22:26,554 --> 00:22:28,682 and going to dinners and shopping, 431 00:22:28,723 --> 00:22:31,059 and that's when I kind of picked up on this 432 00:22:31,101 --> 00:22:34,062 is kind of becoming more than a friendship. 433 00:22:34,104 --> 00:22:37,649 - Kelli hid the relationship that she had with Ronnie 434 00:22:37,691 --> 00:22:40,026 from the family. 435 00:22:40,068 --> 00:22:43,822 Kelli worked for Ronnie and she knew that, you know, 436 00:22:43,863 --> 00:22:46,658 it's probably not the right thing to do, dating your boss. 437 00:22:46,700 --> 00:22:49,536 So, no one really knew about it except for Kayden, 438 00:22:49,577 --> 00:22:53,039 and Kayden kept it a secret as well. 439 00:22:53,081 --> 00:22:54,874 - NARRATOR: Kayden also claims to know why 440 00:22:54,916 --> 00:22:59,713 her mother's relationship with Ronnie was so tumultuous. 441 00:22:59,754 --> 00:23:01,923 - I told him Kadie Robinson. 442 00:23:03,383 --> 00:23:07,929 Like, that's, that's the main person that came to my head. 443 00:23:10,098 --> 00:23:11,683 - Kayden says one weekend at the races, 444 00:23:11,725 --> 00:23:14,644 Ronnie met this young woman named Kadie. 445 00:23:14,686 --> 00:23:18,023 A sweet Texas girl from, uh, Pilot Point, Texas. 446 00:23:18,064 --> 00:23:19,566 She was 20 years younger than him, 447 00:23:19,607 --> 00:23:21,693 but apparently, they hit it off. 448 00:23:21,735 --> 00:23:25,196 - They developed a relationship and Kadie became pregnant 449 00:23:25,238 --> 00:23:28,408 and Kadie ended up moving in with Ronnie. 450 00:23:28,450 --> 00:23:29,993 This all was happening simultaneously 451 00:23:30,035 --> 00:23:31,453 with the relationship with Kelli, 452 00:23:31,494 --> 00:23:34,581 and then Kelli found out about it. 453 00:23:34,622 --> 00:23:37,542 - She actually wanted to leave the company. 454 00:23:37,584 --> 00:23:39,127 She didn't want to work for Ronnie any longer, 455 00:23:39,169 --> 00:23:41,713 but Ronnie didn't really want to lose her, 456 00:23:41,755 --> 00:23:44,507 because she was good at what she did. 457 00:23:44,549 --> 00:23:46,468 - NARRATOR: Kayden tells police that her mother 458 00:23:46,509 --> 00:23:50,096 eventually came to terms with the situation. 459 00:23:50,138 --> 00:23:54,601 She even tried to befriend Ronnie's new girlfriend. 460 00:23:54,642 --> 00:23:57,729 - We actually bought her gifts, um, for her baby 461 00:23:57,771 --> 00:23:59,898 and my mom went to go drop it off to her. 462 00:23:59,939 --> 00:24:04,778 At that time, my mom did end the relationship with Ronnie, 463 00:24:04,819 --> 00:24:08,531 and she did apologize and you know, for you know, 464 00:24:08,573 --> 00:24:10,325 kind of, like any overstepping that happened, 465 00:24:10,367 --> 00:24:13,620 because Kadie was pregnant. 466 00:24:13,661 --> 00:24:15,955 - NARRATOR: Despite Kelli's attempt to make peace, 467 00:24:15,997 --> 00:24:20,126 Kadie never took kindly to Ronnie's ongoing relationship 468 00:24:20,168 --> 00:24:22,962 with a former lover. 469 00:24:23,004 --> 00:24:24,923 - He couldn't pick, you know, either or, 470 00:24:24,964 --> 00:24:27,926 he wanted to have both, and that's, that's not how it works. 471 00:24:27,967 --> 00:24:31,513 - NARRATOR: According to Kayden, the situation came to a head 472 00:24:31,554 --> 00:24:35,809 one week before her mother's murder. 473 00:24:38,144 --> 00:24:40,146 - When Ronnie was at work every day at the shop, 474 00:24:40,188 --> 00:24:42,982 Kadie would take his oldest daughter to school, 475 00:24:43,024 --> 00:24:46,486 and she could see Kelli's front door, 476 00:24:46,528 --> 00:24:51,991 her sidewalk and her street from the parent drop-off loop. 477 00:24:52,033 --> 00:24:53,827 About a week before Kelli's death, 478 00:24:53,868 --> 00:24:58,164 she sees Ronnie's truck at Kelli's house, 479 00:24:58,206 --> 00:24:59,958 and she becomes furious. 480 00:25:02,627 --> 00:25:04,838 - Kadie came over to Kelli's house. 481 00:25:04,879 --> 00:25:09,843 In the front yard, there was a very loud, verbal altercation. 482 00:25:10,844 --> 00:25:14,389 Two Texas women butting heads hard. 483 00:25:14,431 --> 00:25:16,433 - My mom did come outside and tell her, ya know, 484 00:25:16,474 --> 00:25:17,851 to get off her property. 485 00:25:17,892 --> 00:25:20,562 Kadie did cuss at her and stuff like that 486 00:25:20,603 --> 00:25:22,230 more so try to instigate something 487 00:25:22,272 --> 00:25:24,190 to where my mom would do something. 488 00:25:24,232 --> 00:25:26,026 But my mom didn't do anything physical, 489 00:25:26,067 --> 00:25:27,736 she just, ya know, got loud with her 490 00:25:27,777 --> 00:25:29,821 and was like I don't show up to your house like this, 491 00:25:29,863 --> 00:25:31,281 it's very disrespectful. 492 00:25:31,322 --> 00:25:34,409 And then Kadie did get in her vehicle and leave. 493 00:25:36,578 --> 00:25:38,705 - NARRATOR: Police can't help but wonder: 494 00:25:38,747 --> 00:25:41,416 could the heated love triangle have resulted 495 00:25:41,458 --> 00:25:44,294 in Kelli Underwood's murder? 496 00:25:44,336 --> 00:25:46,755 - Because of the nature of the crime itself, 497 00:25:46,796 --> 00:25:49,549 we, we had a crime that was a violent killing 498 00:25:49,591 --> 00:25:53,845 and to find out that the boss was having a relationship 499 00:25:53,887 --> 00:25:55,472 with our victim, um, 500 00:25:55,513 --> 00:25:58,767 changed the dynamic and the way we looked at him. 501 00:26:03,271 --> 00:26:04,522 - NARRATOR: Coming up... 502 00:26:04,564 --> 00:26:08,234 As investigators unravel a tense romantic rivalry, 503 00:26:08,276 --> 00:26:11,404 Kelli's daughter chases a potential lead, 504 00:26:11,446 --> 00:26:14,616 and catches a major break. 505 00:26:14,657 --> 00:26:16,701 - There are some individuals who prefer 506 00:26:16,743 --> 00:26:18,411 not to speak to law enforcement, 507 00:26:18,453 --> 00:26:22,499 so Kayden took it upon herself, to go out. 508 00:26:22,540 --> 00:26:26,586 - I felt that I needed answers, and I just needed to know, 509 00:26:26,628 --> 00:26:28,546 like, what happened. 510 00:26:30,048 --> 00:26:31,800 - * 511 00:26:40,016 --> 00:26:42,018 - NARRATOR: Eight days after Kelli Underwood 512 00:26:42,060 --> 00:26:45,689 was found dead in her Princeton, Texas home, 513 00:26:45,730 --> 00:26:49,109 investigators have discovered that Kelli was having an affair 514 00:26:49,150 --> 00:26:53,655 with her close friend and boss Ronnie Welborn. 515 00:26:53,697 --> 00:26:57,826 They immediately bring him in for another round of questioning 516 00:26:57,867 --> 00:27:01,621 and confront him with the new information. 517 00:27:01,663 --> 00:27:04,040 - Ronnie, uh, comes clean. 518 00:27:04,082 --> 00:27:06,960 He says that after his breakup with his wife Tiffany, 519 00:27:07,002 --> 00:27:08,795 and the divorce, he was single and lonely, 520 00:27:08,837 --> 00:27:12,090 Kelli was single and lonely. 521 00:27:12,132 --> 00:27:16,469 They got together and they have been seeing each other 522 00:27:16,511 --> 00:27:19,139 for a few years. 523 00:27:19,180 --> 00:27:23,893 Ronnie says that he loves Kelli, that he sees her regularly, 524 00:27:23,935 --> 00:27:27,814 even though he has Kadie living with him. 525 00:27:27,856 --> 00:27:30,400 - He told investigators that he had actually been over there 526 00:27:30,442 --> 00:27:32,902 about mid-day Friday, September 15th, 527 00:27:32,944 --> 00:27:34,988 the day before Kelli's murder. 528 00:27:35,030 --> 00:27:38,033 Seen her alive. Actually helped her move 529 00:27:38,074 --> 00:27:41,036 some sort of storage chest in her garage 530 00:27:41,077 --> 00:27:45,040 and that was the last time that he saw her. 531 00:27:45,081 --> 00:27:47,751 - NARRATOR: Ronnie provides investigators with an alibi, 532 00:27:47,792 --> 00:27:50,211 which they quickly verify. 533 00:27:52,714 --> 00:27:56,468 - Investigators then, of course, uh, wanted to interview Kadie. 534 00:27:56,509 --> 00:27:59,429 She was forthcoming that she did not like Kelli, 535 00:27:59,471 --> 00:28:02,265 that she knew of this secret relationship. 536 00:28:03,141 --> 00:28:05,643 - Kadie was asked about the confrontation. 537 00:28:05,685 --> 00:28:08,938 She described it as, you know, more traumatic for her, 538 00:28:08,980 --> 00:28:11,066 right, that she's just trying to figure out 539 00:28:11,107 --> 00:28:13,193 what the father of her child is doing 540 00:28:13,234 --> 00:28:15,779 at this other woman's house, and she gets confronted 541 00:28:15,820 --> 00:28:19,074 and yelled at and pretty scared. 542 00:28:19,115 --> 00:28:21,326 - NARRATOR: Like Ronnie, Kadie also insists 543 00:28:21,368 --> 00:28:25,288 that she has no idea what happened to Kelli Underwood, 544 00:28:25,330 --> 00:28:26,748 or why. 545 00:28:26,790 --> 00:28:29,459 - While they admitted the fact that the relationship 546 00:28:29,501 --> 00:28:32,545 between Kelli and Ronnie was a friction point 547 00:28:32,587 --> 00:28:33,963 for their relationship, 548 00:28:34,005 --> 00:28:36,758 they quickly told investigators 549 00:28:36,800 --> 00:28:41,137 that that was no reason why anyone should lose their life. 550 00:28:41,179 --> 00:28:43,640 In a million years, they wouldn't have wanted 551 00:28:43,682 --> 00:28:46,059 that to happen to someone. 552 00:28:47,310 --> 00:28:49,562 - NARRATOR: Kadie also provides investigators 553 00:28:49,604 --> 00:28:53,316 with a verifiable alibi. 554 00:28:53,358 --> 00:28:55,819 With no reason to hold the couple, 555 00:28:55,860 --> 00:28:58,071 investigators next focus their efforts 556 00:28:58,113 --> 00:29:03,034 on tracking down Ronnie's former employee, Robert Veal. 557 00:29:03,076 --> 00:29:05,328 - We actually had trouble finding Robert Veal. 558 00:29:05,370 --> 00:29:09,165 Uh, we believe he was trying to run from the police. 559 00:29:10,250 --> 00:29:13,128 - NARRATOR: At the same time, Kelli's daughter, Kayden Graham 560 00:29:13,169 --> 00:29:16,297 does some investigating of her own. 561 00:29:17,799 --> 00:29:19,676 - I felt that I needed answers, 562 00:29:19,718 --> 00:29:23,388 and I just needed to know, like, what happened. 563 00:29:23,430 --> 00:29:26,725 So, I went to, you know, neighbors' houses. 564 00:29:26,766 --> 00:29:29,352 - There are some individuals who prefer not to speak 565 00:29:29,394 --> 00:29:33,231 to law enforcement, um, may have their own rough past 566 00:29:33,273 --> 00:29:36,192 with law enforcement and they weren't getting 567 00:29:36,234 --> 00:29:39,988 any concrete information from some of those neighbors. 568 00:29:40,030 --> 00:29:42,657 So, Kayden took it upon herself, 569 00:29:42,699 --> 00:29:45,285 um, to go out and talk to one of the neighbors 570 00:29:45,326 --> 00:29:47,203 who had described a black male 571 00:29:47,245 --> 00:29:50,582 being across the street at Kelli's house. 572 00:29:50,623 --> 00:29:53,251 The neighbor actually knew the black male 573 00:29:53,293 --> 00:29:56,796 because they had spent some time together in county jail. 574 00:29:56,838 --> 00:29:59,841 - He only knew the nickname that he went by, um, 575 00:29:59,883 --> 00:30:02,135 and he told me that he went by Dee. 576 00:30:04,095 --> 00:30:06,681 - Kayden was able to pull up a Facebook photo, 577 00:30:06,723 --> 00:30:12,270 to identify who Dee was as Delvin Powell, 578 00:30:12,312 --> 00:30:14,731 and then she passed that information along 579 00:30:14,773 --> 00:30:17,192 back to the Texas Rangers. 580 00:30:17,233 --> 00:30:20,195 When they ran the information for Delvin Powell, 581 00:30:20,236 --> 00:30:23,406 they found that Delvin had an outstanding warrant 582 00:30:23,448 --> 00:30:26,868 for an unrelated domestic violence charge. 583 00:30:27,786 --> 00:30:31,748 They found him through his girlfriend at the time. 584 00:30:31,790 --> 00:30:35,085 She had been reached out to and contacted, 585 00:30:35,126 --> 00:30:40,340 and ultimately, they were tracked back to a motel 586 00:30:40,382 --> 00:30:42,384 in the Princeton area. 587 00:30:44,803 --> 00:30:47,430 - NARRATOR: Police take Delvin Powell into custody 588 00:30:47,472 --> 00:30:51,226 on the outstanding warrant for assault. 589 00:30:51,267 --> 00:30:54,354 They also search his hotel room for any evidence 590 00:30:54,396 --> 00:30:59,109 that might connect him to Kelli Underwood's brutal murder. 591 00:30:59,150 --> 00:31:01,486 - When investigators searched the hotel room, 592 00:31:01,528 --> 00:31:03,363 they found a bag and in that bag, 593 00:31:03,405 --> 00:31:06,658 there were knives and there was also a container 594 00:31:06,700 --> 00:31:10,620 of .22-caliber ammunition. 595 00:31:10,662 --> 00:31:13,707 - The exact same caliber that was used 596 00:31:13,748 --> 00:31:15,291 to kill Kelli Underwood. 597 00:31:16,334 --> 00:31:19,170 Same brand. Same caliber. 598 00:31:20,505 --> 00:31:23,633 - NARRATOR: Back at the station, police press Delvin Powell 599 00:31:23,675 --> 00:31:25,927 about the murder of Kelli Underwood, 600 00:31:25,969 --> 00:31:28,680 hoping to get a confession. 601 00:31:28,722 --> 00:31:31,141 - They confronted Delvin with the fact 602 00:31:31,182 --> 00:31:33,393 that he had been at the house, 603 00:31:33,435 --> 00:31:36,646 and he admitted to as much. 604 00:31:36,688 --> 00:31:39,691 He said that he was there helping Robert 605 00:31:39,733 --> 00:31:43,153 with the work on Kelli's house, but he didn't really know Kelli. 606 00:31:43,194 --> 00:31:46,281 Didn't really interact with her directly. 607 00:31:46,322 --> 00:31:49,993 His story was the last time I saw her on September 16th, 608 00:31:50,035 --> 00:31:51,703 she was alive. 609 00:31:53,580 --> 00:31:55,540 - NARRATOR: Investigators obtain a warrant 610 00:31:55,582 --> 00:31:59,169 to take DNA samples from Delvin. 611 00:31:59,210 --> 00:32:01,546 They keep him in custody while they continue 612 00:32:01,588 --> 00:32:04,549 their search for Robert Veal. 613 00:32:08,553 --> 00:32:12,307 Then on September 28th, authorities catch a break 614 00:32:12,349 --> 00:32:15,310 when an informant notifies them that Robert's truck 615 00:32:15,352 --> 00:32:19,314 has been spotted outside his house. 616 00:32:19,356 --> 00:32:21,566 - Texas Rangers and investigators 617 00:32:21,608 --> 00:32:23,693 went to the home of Robert Veal 618 00:32:23,735 --> 00:32:27,322 to talk to him about what he knew. 619 00:32:27,364 --> 00:32:29,407 - NARRATOR: Authorities immediately take Robert 620 00:32:29,449 --> 00:32:33,870 into custody and transport him to headquarters. 621 00:32:33,912 --> 00:32:37,707 In an interrogation room, investigators press Robert 622 00:32:37,749 --> 00:32:40,794 about his truck being spotted at Kelli's house 623 00:32:40,835 --> 00:32:43,505 the day she was murdered. 624 00:32:43,546 --> 00:32:46,383 - Robert Veal admitted, "I was doing work for her. 625 00:32:46,424 --> 00:32:49,719 "Yes, I knew her. I was in her house. 626 00:32:49,761 --> 00:32:52,263 "The last time I saw her was September 16th 627 00:32:52,305 --> 00:32:54,057 "and, in fact, I've tried to call her 628 00:32:54,099 --> 00:32:57,644 and get in touch with her since, cause she wasn't answering me." 629 00:32:59,312 --> 00:33:02,732 He didn't really have a good explanation for, 630 00:33:02,774 --> 00:33:05,610 "Okay, if you'd been over at her house every day, 631 00:33:05,652 --> 00:33:07,612 "sometimes for multiple hours a day, 632 00:33:07,654 --> 00:33:09,948 "sometimes all day doing this work, 633 00:33:09,989 --> 00:33:14,327 "why didn't you ever call police when she never responded to you? 634 00:33:14,369 --> 00:33:17,163 Why didn't you try to figure out what happened to her?" 635 00:33:17,205 --> 00:33:19,958 He didn't have a good answer for that. 636 00:33:21,126 --> 00:33:22,752 - NARRATOR: As the interview continues, 637 00:33:22,794 --> 00:33:27,465 Veal's behavior becomes increasingly suspicious. 638 00:33:27,507 --> 00:33:30,510 - They notice him start to manipulate his phone 639 00:33:30,552 --> 00:33:32,637 underneath his chair. 640 00:33:33,680 --> 00:33:36,558 They're worried that he is trying to destroy evidence 641 00:33:36,599 --> 00:33:38,768 right in front of them. 642 00:33:38,810 --> 00:33:41,396 - The Rangers immediately grabbed him 643 00:33:41,438 --> 00:33:44,107 and seized that cell phone as he attempted 644 00:33:44,149 --> 00:33:47,360 to erase information from it. 645 00:33:47,402 --> 00:33:50,071 - NARRATOR: Investigators examine the remaining contents 646 00:33:50,113 --> 00:33:53,450 in Robert Veal's cell phone and are surprised to find 647 00:33:53,491 --> 00:33:57,078 a series of incoming text messages 648 00:33:57,120 --> 00:34:01,541 from Ronnie Welborn's girlfriend, Kadie Robinson. 649 00:34:02,917 --> 00:34:05,879 - Kadie is demanding Robert to call her, 650 00:34:05,920 --> 00:34:07,756 asking what is going on. 651 00:34:07,797 --> 00:34:10,550 Robert and Kadie didn't have any kind of prior relationship 652 00:34:10,592 --> 00:34:13,678 that they should be communicating at all. 653 00:34:13,720 --> 00:34:15,472 - NARRATOR: Despite their suspicions, 654 00:34:15,513 --> 00:34:18,224 the text messages alone aren't enough evidence 655 00:34:18,266 --> 00:34:21,394 to keep Robert Veal in custody. 656 00:34:21,436 --> 00:34:25,148 Before releasing him, they take DNA samples from Robert 657 00:34:25,190 --> 00:34:30,362 and continue building their case against the four suspects. 658 00:34:32,113 --> 00:34:35,367 Then, while they wait for results from the crime lab, 659 00:34:35,408 --> 00:34:38,495 investigators receive an unexpected call 660 00:34:38,536 --> 00:34:41,748 about Kadie Robinson. 661 00:34:43,583 --> 00:34:46,336 - Texas Rangers received a tip from a woman 662 00:34:46,378 --> 00:34:48,004 who used to work with Kadie. 663 00:34:48,046 --> 00:34:50,507 Said that she had recently had lunch with her, 664 00:34:50,548 --> 00:34:53,510 and Kadie just said something kind of odd to her. 665 00:34:53,551 --> 00:34:57,055 Kadie had essentially said that she was glad 666 00:34:57,097 --> 00:34:59,140 that Kelli was gone. 667 00:35:03,186 --> 00:35:06,189 - NARRATOR: On November 15th, investigators arrange 668 00:35:06,231 --> 00:35:10,193 another interview with Kadie Robinson. 669 00:35:10,235 --> 00:35:13,488 - At this point, they let her know, 670 00:35:13,530 --> 00:35:16,241 "We know more than, than you think we do. 671 00:35:16,282 --> 00:35:19,077 It's time to come clean." 672 00:35:19,119 --> 00:35:22,622 And she ultimately gave information 673 00:35:22,664 --> 00:35:26,251 that only somebody who was involved with this crime, 674 00:35:26,292 --> 00:35:28,503 and planning this crime, would know. 675 00:35:41,349 --> 00:35:44,728 - NARRATOR: Two months after the murder of Kelli Underwood, 676 00:35:44,769 --> 00:35:48,732 Kadie Robinson has agreed to cooperate with investigators, 677 00:35:48,773 --> 00:35:52,986 and immediately implicates her boyfriend, Ronnie Welborn, 678 00:35:53,028 --> 00:35:56,740 as the man responsible for Kelli's death. 679 00:35:56,781 --> 00:36:00,243 Kadie claims that Ronnie had hired 34-year-old 680 00:36:00,285 --> 00:36:03,538 Robert Veal to commit the crime. 681 00:36:03,580 --> 00:36:05,832 But she swears she had nothing to do 682 00:36:05,874 --> 00:36:09,586 with the conspiracy herself. 683 00:36:09,627 --> 00:36:12,589 - Kadie admitted that there was a plan, 684 00:36:12,630 --> 00:36:15,091 but Kadie's take at this time was, 685 00:36:15,133 --> 00:36:17,844 "I wasn't involved." 686 00:36:17,886 --> 00:36:21,222 She painted the picture that these other three people 687 00:36:21,264 --> 00:36:24,476 had gotten rid of Kelli. 688 00:36:24,517 --> 00:36:27,354 - Texas Rangers of course brought Ronnie Welborn 689 00:36:27,395 --> 00:36:30,398 right back in to discuss the latest take 690 00:36:30,440 --> 00:36:32,192 on what was happening. 691 00:36:32,233 --> 00:36:34,903 - It wasn't an aggressive interview by the Texas Rangers. 692 00:36:34,944 --> 00:36:38,490 It was just, "We know now, we know exactly what happened, 693 00:36:38,531 --> 00:36:42,911 we know more, and this is now your opportunity to come clean." 694 00:36:42,952 --> 00:36:45,205 And he did. 695 00:36:45,246 --> 00:36:46,915 What Ronnie tells investigators 696 00:36:46,956 --> 00:36:49,376 is that he had offered Robert Veal 697 00:36:49,417 --> 00:36:51,628 eight thousand dollars. 698 00:36:51,670 --> 00:36:55,840 He provided Robert Veal a .22-caliber firearm 699 00:36:55,882 --> 00:36:59,594 the morning of Kelli's murder. 700 00:37:01,721 --> 00:37:03,932 - Robert Veal was the kinda person who, 701 00:37:03,973 --> 00:37:07,060 while he was more than willing to commit a murder, 702 00:37:07,102 --> 00:37:08,895 didn't wanna do it alone, 703 00:37:08,937 --> 00:37:10,730 and he brought his friend, 704 00:37:10,772 --> 00:37:13,858 Delvin Powell, in to, to commit the murder with him. 705 00:37:15,276 --> 00:37:16,778 - NARRATOR: Based on the evidence, 706 00:37:16,820 --> 00:37:20,699 detectives theorize that on the morning of September 16th, 707 00:37:20,740 --> 00:37:23,785 Robert and Delvin arrived at Kelli's house, 708 00:37:23,827 --> 00:37:28,581 under the guise that they were there to build her pool. 709 00:37:28,623 --> 00:37:30,667 She had been upstairs in the craft room, 710 00:37:30,709 --> 00:37:34,796 when they decided to come upstairs and attack her, 711 00:37:34,838 --> 00:37:38,299 'cause she had no way out. 712 00:37:38,341 --> 00:37:42,012 She tried to fight them off, and they shot her 713 00:37:44,848 --> 00:37:46,391 and they stabbed her. 714 00:37:49,436 --> 00:37:52,439 She begged for them to stop, and they looked her in the eye 715 00:37:52,480 --> 00:37:54,816 as they took her life. 716 00:37:54,858 --> 00:37:57,527 And then the perpetrators went downstairs. 717 00:37:57,569 --> 00:38:00,780 Evidence shows they had a meal. 718 00:38:00,822 --> 00:38:03,283 They smoked some cigarettes at some time, 719 00:38:03,324 --> 00:38:06,453 and sort of just chilled out with this person 720 00:38:06,494 --> 00:38:09,164 they have just murdered upstairs. 721 00:38:10,790 --> 00:38:13,293 - NARRATOR: Asked why he'd put a hit out on Kelli, 722 00:38:13,335 --> 00:38:16,588 Ronnie claims he was tired of the drama brewing 723 00:38:16,629 --> 00:38:20,008 between the two women in his life. 724 00:38:20,050 --> 00:38:23,720 He also insists that his girlfriend, Kadie Robinson, 725 00:38:23,762 --> 00:38:27,015 had nothing to do with the murder. 726 00:38:28,183 --> 00:38:32,896 - Ronnie took all of the responsibility. 727 00:38:32,937 --> 00:38:38,777 He tried to distance Kadie from, um, actually participating, 728 00:38:38,818 --> 00:38:40,737 even trying to claim that she really knew nothing 729 00:38:40,779 --> 00:38:43,907 about the murder, which ultimately, we didn't believe. 730 00:38:45,241 --> 00:38:46,910 - NARRATOR: Following his confession, 731 00:38:46,951 --> 00:38:50,497 investigators arrest Ronnie and continue building 732 00:38:50,538 --> 00:38:53,249 their case against Kadie Robinson. 733 00:38:53,958 --> 00:38:56,544 When they receive Kadie's cell phone records, 734 00:38:56,586 --> 00:38:59,839 their suspicions are confirmed. 735 00:39:01,841 --> 00:39:04,636 - Ronnie was physically and emotionally involved 736 00:39:04,678 --> 00:39:08,515 with two very headstrong Texas women. 737 00:39:08,556 --> 00:39:10,684 Kadie, uh, had a child with him, 738 00:39:10,725 --> 00:39:13,269 so about a month before the murder, 739 00:39:13,311 --> 00:39:16,356 Kadie gave him an ultimatum. 740 00:39:16,398 --> 00:39:20,944 - On August 18th, she tells him that he has one month, 741 00:39:20,985 --> 00:39:23,530 till September 18th, to figure out a way 742 00:39:23,571 --> 00:39:26,491 to get Kelli out of their lives. 743 00:39:28,868 --> 00:39:31,454 - Kadie was sending texts to uh, Ronnie Welborn, 744 00:39:31,496 --> 00:39:33,081 saying, "Your time's running out. 745 00:39:33,123 --> 00:39:35,792 I'm gonna take the kid and go." 746 00:39:37,919 --> 00:39:40,547 Ronnie thought that his only apparent way out 747 00:39:40,588 --> 00:39:43,091 was to kill Kelli. 748 00:39:44,300 --> 00:39:48,179 -NARRATOR: In November 2017, all four suspects 749 00:39:48,221 --> 00:39:51,516 are charged with capital murder. 750 00:39:51,558 --> 00:39:56,896 Kelli's friends and family are both relieved and stunned. 751 00:39:56,938 --> 00:39:58,940 - I was just kind of like, no there's no way like, 752 00:39:58,982 --> 00:40:01,109 you know, he was my mom's best friend. 753 00:40:01,151 --> 00:40:03,528 He would never do anything to hurt us. 754 00:40:03,570 --> 00:40:07,240 No person that has a heart would ever in a million years 755 00:40:07,282 --> 00:40:10,035 do that to somebody that they loved. 756 00:40:13,163 --> 00:40:15,874 - It was the ultimate betrayal. 757 00:40:15,915 --> 00:40:19,336 It's hard to comprehend how one human being 758 00:40:19,377 --> 00:40:21,129 can be so cruel to another. 759 00:40:24,883 --> 00:40:28,720 - NARRATOR: In late 2019 and early 2020, 760 00:40:28,762 --> 00:40:30,722 Delvin Powell and Robert Veal 761 00:40:30,764 --> 00:40:33,433 are separately tried and convicted 762 00:40:33,475 --> 00:40:36,311 for the murder of Kelli Underwood. 763 00:40:37,729 --> 00:40:40,899 Ultimately, the forensic DNA that we received back 764 00:40:40,940 --> 00:40:44,736 from our, um, Texas Department of Public Safety Crime Lab 765 00:40:44,778 --> 00:40:47,322 was that Robert Veal's DNA was confirmed 766 00:40:47,364 --> 00:40:51,618 on one of the utensils found in Kelli's kitchen 767 00:40:51,659 --> 00:40:54,371 and so was Delvin Powell's DNA confirmed 768 00:40:54,412 --> 00:40:55,914 on one of those utensils. 769 00:40:55,955 --> 00:40:59,918 Delvin Powell's DNA was also on one of the cigarette butts. 770 00:40:59,959 --> 00:41:03,254 Additionally, there was DNA found 771 00:41:03,296 --> 00:41:07,676 consistent with Delvin's male DNA profile 772 00:41:07,717 --> 00:41:10,220 underneath Kelli's fingernails. 773 00:41:14,015 --> 00:41:16,393 - NARRATOR: Robert and Delvin are both sentenced 774 00:41:16,434 --> 00:41:19,396 to life without parole. 775 00:41:19,437 --> 00:41:21,606 In October 2020, 776 00:41:21,648 --> 00:41:26,820 Ronnie Welborn pleads guilty to avoid his own trial. 777 00:41:26,861 --> 00:41:28,363 - We were informed by his attorneys 778 00:41:28,405 --> 00:41:30,532 that he was willing to do the right thing, 779 00:41:30,573 --> 00:41:32,200 accept responsibility, 780 00:41:32,242 --> 00:41:36,621 plead guilty, and accept a sentence of life in prison. 781 00:41:39,708 --> 00:41:41,042 - NARRATOR: A few months later, 782 00:41:41,084 --> 00:41:44,754 Kadie Robinson also takes a plea bargain. 783 00:41:44,796 --> 00:41:48,842 - Ultimately, we determined that the right result in her case 784 00:41:48,883 --> 00:41:52,220 was a plea of guilty to 30 years in prison. 785 00:41:57,726 --> 00:41:59,602 - That one didn't sit well with me at all. 786 00:41:59,644 --> 00:42:03,565 The driving force behind the, the murders was Kadie Robinson. 787 00:42:03,606 --> 00:42:05,108 100%. 788 00:42:05,150 --> 00:42:09,320 Without her constant connection with both Ronnie 789 00:42:09,362 --> 00:42:12,907 and Robert Veal, my sister would still be here today. 790 00:42:16,077 --> 00:42:19,539 - I do feel that, that Kadie was the mastermind, 791 00:42:19,581 --> 00:42:22,208 but also Ronnie had a role in that as well 792 00:42:22,250 --> 00:42:24,085 because he did provide the money 793 00:42:24,127 --> 00:42:26,963 and, and, you know, the weapon that was used, 794 00:42:27,005 --> 00:42:31,176 but none of it would have happened if it wasn't for Kadie. 795 00:42:32,427 --> 00:42:37,223 - One of the particularly scary issues with, with this case 796 00:42:37,265 --> 00:42:39,768 was the fact that you had two individuals who, 797 00:42:39,809 --> 00:42:42,145 while professing their love for each other, 798 00:42:42,187 --> 00:42:45,273 let that so-called "love" drive them to the point 799 00:42:45,315 --> 00:42:47,067 that they were willing to take the life 800 00:42:47,108 --> 00:42:49,110 of another human being to keep it going. 801 00:42:49,152 --> 00:42:52,197 It's scary that there's individuals out there like this. 802 00:42:57,077 --> 00:42:59,913 - It took me a lot of time to process Kelli's death. 803 00:42:59,954 --> 00:43:03,333 Even now, there are times when it doesn't seem real 804 00:43:03,375 --> 00:43:05,210 that she's gone. 805 00:43:07,212 --> 00:43:10,799 - I want her to be remembered by bein' that, you know, that lady 806 00:43:10,840 --> 00:43:12,634 that helped everybody when they needed it 807 00:43:12,676 --> 00:43:15,303 or she was always happy. 808 00:43:15,345 --> 00:43:17,931 She always had a smile on her face. 809 00:43:17,972 --> 00:43:20,934 - The laughter that, you know, she would create 810 00:43:20,975 --> 00:43:23,687 and, and the fun of being around her. 811 00:43:23,728 --> 00:43:25,355 She'll be missed forever. 812 00:43:30,402 --> 00:43:34,698 - *