1 00:00:08,130 --> 00:00:10,070 JAN: It looked like the perfect family. 2 00:00:11,030 --> 00:00:13,630 They've got a beautiful house, and life's good. 3 00:00:18,470 --> 00:00:20,300 My mother cared about other people. 4 00:00:20,330 --> 00:00:22,570 She always tried to do things for other people. 5 00:00:23,570 --> 00:00:27,170 Time and time again, she was manipulated. 6 00:00:27,200 --> 00:00:28,430 She was bullied. 7 00:00:30,830 --> 00:00:33,930 My brother, Richard, he was a master manipulator. 8 00:00:33,970 --> 00:00:37,230 Everything in his life was falling apart. 9 00:00:40,270 --> 00:00:42,300 My brother was on the run. 10 00:00:42,330 --> 00:00:44,100 People were nervous. 11 00:00:44,130 --> 00:00:47,070 I never could have dreamed what was gonna come. 12 00:00:47,100 --> 00:00:50,430 It's shocking beyond description. 13 00:00:50,470 --> 00:00:53,500 DALE: It was one of the most brutal murders I've ever covered. 14 00:00:56,930 --> 00:00:58,930 It was ghastly. 15 00:01:00,330 --> 00:01:04,830 [theme music playing] 16 00:01:15,070 --> 00:01:18,830 NARRATOR: It's June 1987 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, 17 00:01:20,670 --> 00:01:22,500 and 13-year-old Richard Merritt 18 00:01:22,530 --> 00:01:25,070 is center stage in his own home movie. 19 00:01:39,070 --> 00:01:41,970 This is my brother, Richard, 20 00:01:42,000 --> 00:01:46,100 doing a tour of the villa 21 00:01:46,130 --> 00:01:48,500 that my parents and he lived in 22 00:01:48,530 --> 00:01:51,670 when they lived in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. 23 00:02:10,300 --> 00:02:14,130 He was known for looking at himself in the mirror, 24 00:02:14,170 --> 00:02:18,100 making sure that he looked good and handsome, and, um, 25 00:02:18,130 --> 00:02:21,300 looks very comfortable in front of the camera, 26 00:02:21,329 --> 00:02:22,670 very confident, 27 00:02:23,800 --> 00:02:27,000 and he looks pretty excited about showing the -- 28 00:02:27,030 --> 00:02:28,670 the big villa that they lived in. 29 00:02:30,200 --> 00:02:33,570 [Richard speaking] 30 00:02:53,970 --> 00:02:56,870 NARRATOR: Mom, Shirley, and dad, Robert Sr., met 31 00:02:56,900 --> 00:02:59,900 in 1955 at high school in Mississippi. 32 00:03:02,470 --> 00:03:05,170 In 1965, they welcomed their first son, 33 00:03:05,200 --> 00:03:07,100 named Robert after his dad. 34 00:03:08,570 --> 00:03:12,930 ROBERT: Keeping in mind that my parents were in the military, 35 00:03:12,970 --> 00:03:15,130 it was expensive to live where they were living, 36 00:03:15,170 --> 00:03:17,170 and they were very frugal. 37 00:03:17,200 --> 00:03:19,400 He worked, she would make the dinner, 38 00:03:19,430 --> 00:03:20,630 he would mow the lawn. 39 00:03:20,670 --> 00:03:21,730 You know, they were good at, you know, 40 00:03:21,770 --> 00:03:25,400 dividing the work and working together as a team. 41 00:03:26,570 --> 00:03:30,329 NARRATOR: In 1974, Shirley and Robert complete their family 42 00:03:30,370 --> 00:03:33,030 with the arrival of their youngest son, Richard. 43 00:03:33,070 --> 00:03:35,630 Nine-year-old Robert now has a brother. 44 00:03:37,630 --> 00:03:40,170 I thought he was entertaining. I mean, I liked him okay. 45 00:03:40,200 --> 00:03:42,370 I wouldn't say we're terribly close, 46 00:03:42,400 --> 00:03:44,370 but we're nine years different. 47 00:03:44,400 --> 00:03:46,770 So, I mean, nine years is a long time. 48 00:03:46,800 --> 00:03:51,200 [indistinct overlapping conversations] 49 00:03:51,230 --> 00:03:54,770 NARRATOR: In 1987, after 24 years of service, dad, 50 00:03:54,800 --> 00:03:57,900 Robert Merritt, retired from the Air Force and now has a new 51 00:03:57,930 --> 00:04:02,130 job working for a U.S. defense contractor in Saudi Arabia. 52 00:04:06,870 --> 00:04:09,270 ROBERT: My dad had been in the military for so many years. 53 00:04:09,300 --> 00:04:11,630 My mom worked very hard to support my dad. 54 00:04:11,670 --> 00:04:14,500 My mother was a real estate agent, worked hard to -- 55 00:04:14,530 --> 00:04:18,970 to put me through college, and I think they felt they deserved 56 00:04:19,000 --> 00:04:21,300 a time to have fun and to do 57 00:04:21,329 --> 00:04:23,530 something new and different and to travel. 58 00:04:24,570 --> 00:04:25,930 JAN: She was proud of her family, 59 00:04:25,970 --> 00:04:28,370 every one of them -- she told me about her life 60 00:04:28,400 --> 00:04:32,300 in Saudi Arabia, and it was sweet to hear. 61 00:04:32,330 --> 00:04:33,730 She was a wonderful baker. 62 00:04:33,770 --> 00:04:36,930 She loved to bake, and she always brought 63 00:04:36,970 --> 00:04:39,130 the best cakes and cookies in the world. 64 00:04:39,170 --> 00:04:41,530 I mean, you would just not even care about the calories, 65 00:04:41,570 --> 00:04:42,600 they were so good. 66 00:04:42,630 --> 00:04:45,070 You just ate it and paid the consequences later. 67 00:04:46,770 --> 00:04:49,500 ROBERT: My mom got to do a lot more entertaining, which she loved. 68 00:04:49,530 --> 00:04:50,700 She loved throwing parties. 69 00:04:50,730 --> 00:04:53,830 So it was like turbocharged entertainment. 70 00:04:55,070 --> 00:04:56,330 She liked doing things with 71 00:04:56,370 --> 00:04:59,470 the other wives and to support the families. 72 00:04:59,500 --> 00:05:01,870 NARRATOR: The move is a huge step up 73 00:05:01,900 --> 00:05:04,430 for the family financially. 74 00:05:04,470 --> 00:05:06,070 I'm sure they felt they deserved 75 00:05:06,100 --> 00:05:09,070 the income, because they'd worked so hard. 76 00:05:09,100 --> 00:05:11,530 You have to understand that, when you look at 77 00:05:11,570 --> 00:05:15,830 the Merritt family, it was two different families. 78 00:05:15,870 --> 00:05:20,930 There's the early military family before he was born. 79 00:05:20,970 --> 00:05:23,570 And then for a period of time, after he was born, 80 00:05:23,600 --> 00:05:27,930 and then there's the retirement Merritt family, 81 00:05:27,970 --> 00:05:29,600 when mom and dad and Richard moved to 82 00:05:29,630 --> 00:05:32,530 Saudi Arabia, and their income doubled or tripled. 83 00:05:32,570 --> 00:05:34,900 [singing indistinctly] 84 00:05:34,930 --> 00:05:36,430 ROBERT: They had a cook. 85 00:05:36,470 --> 00:05:41,570 They had a driver, they had a person to clean the home, 86 00:05:41,600 --> 00:05:45,200 they had extra money to do things. 87 00:05:45,230 --> 00:05:47,830 They lived in a mansion basically over there. 88 00:05:47,870 --> 00:05:49,230 So, I think, you know, 89 00:05:49,270 --> 00:05:52,000 that was a very impressionable time for him. 90 00:05:54,130 --> 00:05:58,470 He got it in his head that he liked that lifestyle. 91 00:05:59,870 --> 00:06:02,830 [Richard speaking] 92 00:06:08,770 --> 00:06:12,800 I didn't go, because I had graduated from college, 93 00:06:12,830 --> 00:06:14,330 and I was going to graduate school. 94 00:06:14,370 --> 00:06:16,670 So there was no point in me going. 95 00:06:24,900 --> 00:06:26,830 NARRATOR: The Merritts have returned stateside 96 00:06:26,870 --> 00:06:29,400 to attend their elder son Robert's graduation 97 00:06:29,430 --> 00:06:31,330 from Washington and Lee University 98 00:06:31,370 --> 00:06:33,230 in Lexington, Virginia. 99 00:06:37,530 --> 00:06:39,430 Oh, wow. Look at that. 100 00:06:42,570 --> 00:06:47,500 We are at my graduation from college at Washington and Lee. 101 00:06:48,870 --> 00:06:51,600 There's, uh, Richard hamming it up again 102 00:06:51,630 --> 00:06:52,830 in front of the camera. 103 00:07:04,100 --> 00:07:06,800 Looks like I'm reading him the riot act about his behavior. 104 00:07:19,300 --> 00:07:21,870 Yeah, that's a typical interaction between my brother 105 00:07:21,900 --> 00:07:24,070 and I -- he's usually acting out, 106 00:07:24,100 --> 00:07:26,430 acting up, trying to get a rise out of me, and usually, 107 00:07:26,470 --> 00:07:28,700 he succeeded, as you could see in that video. 108 00:07:34,270 --> 00:07:36,870 From that point forward, I had a lot more issues 109 00:07:36,900 --> 00:07:40,700 with his behavior and a lot more issues with him personally, 110 00:07:40,730 --> 00:07:44,230 manipulating the situation to his benefit. 111 00:07:45,770 --> 00:07:48,000 That behavior started quite early. 112 00:08:07,000 --> 00:08:11,070 NARRATOR: It's Christmas 1987, and Robert Jr. has flown out 113 00:08:11,100 --> 00:08:13,730 to Saudi Arabia to spend time with the family. 114 00:08:24,300 --> 00:08:26,270 ROBERT: This is the only visit I made 115 00:08:26,300 --> 00:08:29,130 to Saudi Arabia while my parents lived there. 116 00:08:29,170 --> 00:08:31,170 This is Christmas in Saudi Arabia. 117 00:08:41,770 --> 00:08:44,530 ROBERT: This is the first Christmas after 118 00:08:44,570 --> 00:08:47,700 my father retired from the military. 119 00:08:47,730 --> 00:08:51,200 My mom and dad always overdid Christmas anyway, 120 00:08:51,230 --> 00:08:53,230 even when we didn't have the money. 121 00:08:53,270 --> 00:08:55,330 When they came into money, 122 00:08:56,430 --> 00:09:00,230 the presents not only became more bountiful and plentiful, 123 00:09:00,270 --> 00:09:03,000 the value of the presents went up considerably. 124 00:09:13,730 --> 00:09:16,370 This is a leather jacket that I wanted 125 00:09:16,400 --> 00:09:18,330 that was very popular at the time. 126 00:09:19,300 --> 00:09:22,870 So I'm interested in my clothing. 127 00:09:24,970 --> 00:09:27,030 Richard is sitting on the floor. 128 00:09:27,070 --> 00:09:29,370 He's clearly disinterested in what I'm doing 129 00:09:29,400 --> 00:09:31,100 and very interested in what he's doing. 130 00:09:31,130 --> 00:09:34,370 [on TV] And free to roam these grounds unescorted. 131 00:09:34,400 --> 00:09:36,830 The lawyer who prosecuted [indistinct] says he was 132 00:09:36,870 --> 00:09:38,530 surprised she was not under tighter... 133 00:09:38,570 --> 00:09:41,170 I can't say that I ever felt 134 00:09:41,200 --> 00:09:43,930 any overabundance of affection from him. 135 00:09:45,900 --> 00:09:48,770 If annoying me and poking me and trying 136 00:09:48,800 --> 00:09:50,430 to get me in trouble is affection then 137 00:09:50,470 --> 00:09:52,830 yeah, he loved me, for sure. 138 00:10:04,870 --> 00:10:07,840 NARRATOR: Throughout 1987, the Merritt family 139 00:10:07,870 --> 00:10:09,530 are an international act. 140 00:10:09,570 --> 00:10:11,800 Eldest son, Robert, lives in Atlanta, 141 00:10:11,840 --> 00:10:12,870 while his younger brother, 142 00:10:12,900 --> 00:10:15,970 Richard, and his parents live in Saudi Arabia. 143 00:10:17,570 --> 00:10:20,670 ROBERT: Richard got all the toys that he wanted 144 00:10:20,700 --> 00:10:22,470 and was obviously playing with 145 00:10:22,500 --> 00:10:26,170 his radio-controlled boat in the swimming pool. 146 00:10:27,330 --> 00:10:31,600 He always got what he wanted to keep himself occupied. 147 00:10:32,630 --> 00:10:36,530 Notice he had not one but two radio-controlled vehicles at 148 00:10:36,570 --> 00:10:37,970 his disposal. 149 00:10:38,000 --> 00:10:40,530 NARRATOR: But things are set to change. 150 00:10:40,570 --> 00:10:43,330 [toy vehicle whirring] 151 00:10:43,370 --> 00:10:46,530 ROBERT: The American school in Saudi Arabia 152 00:10:46,570 --> 00:10:49,430 can accommodate kids through the ninth grade. 153 00:10:49,470 --> 00:10:53,430 So it was decided that my brother was gonna come 154 00:10:53,470 --> 00:10:57,840 live with me and go to a private school in Atlanta. 155 00:10:57,870 --> 00:11:01,330 I was not happy about it at all, because I was 156 00:11:01,370 --> 00:11:04,900 working full-time, and I also was going to graduate school. 157 00:11:04,930 --> 00:11:09,500 So I had a lot going on, and the fact that I had to now 158 00:11:09,530 --> 00:11:14,070 be responsible for a minor child was an added stress in 159 00:11:14,100 --> 00:11:16,300 an already stressful life. 160 00:11:17,470 --> 00:11:19,470 NARRATOR: Despite the brotherly tensions, 161 00:11:19,500 --> 00:11:21,100 there are lighter moments. 162 00:11:22,430 --> 00:11:23,970 ROBERT: I mean, we did have some laughs. 163 00:11:30,970 --> 00:11:32,970 So this is me and my wife, Rachel. 164 00:11:33,000 --> 00:11:34,600 We're up in St. Louis. 165 00:11:37,000 --> 00:11:40,470 And we're goading Richard into coming sledding with us. 166 00:11:40,500 --> 00:11:42,400 [indistinct exclamation] 167 00:11:42,430 --> 00:11:43,770 [laughs] 168 00:11:46,300 --> 00:11:48,770 NARRATOR: But Richard's taste for material pleasures 169 00:11:48,800 --> 00:11:52,600 and being pandered to is never far away. 170 00:11:52,630 --> 00:11:53,840 He was a pain. 171 00:11:55,840 --> 00:11:57,630 I walked into his room, and all of 172 00:11:57,670 --> 00:11:59,630 his clothes were stacked up on the floor. 173 00:12:00,630 --> 00:12:02,930 And I'm like, well, what are you doing? 174 00:12:04,500 --> 00:12:06,570 He laughed. He goes, "Oh, I forgot. 175 00:12:06,600 --> 00:12:08,630 You're not my house boy." 176 00:12:08,670 --> 00:12:11,900 Couldn't make his own food, couldn't do his own laundry, 177 00:12:11,930 --> 00:12:13,870 couldn't do this, couldn't do that. 178 00:12:13,900 --> 00:12:15,870 So I was stuck. 179 00:12:15,900 --> 00:12:18,930 I was his cook, driver, and house boy, 180 00:12:20,230 --> 00:12:21,800 while I was doing all these other things. 181 00:12:21,840 --> 00:12:24,230 Trying to get him to lift a finger to do anything was 182 00:12:24,270 --> 00:12:25,530 virtually impossible. 183 00:12:28,970 --> 00:12:33,100 NARRATOR: By 1993, Richard is enrolled at university. 184 00:12:33,130 --> 00:12:34,870 My parents paid for his education 185 00:12:34,900 --> 00:12:36,270 at the University of Georgia. 186 00:12:39,370 --> 00:12:41,430 NARRATOR: But Richard and the Merritt family 187 00:12:41,470 --> 00:12:43,500 are in for a huge shock. 188 00:12:49,230 --> 00:12:54,170 We received a call from the company physician 189 00:12:54,200 --> 00:12:57,270 that my father was in heart failure 190 00:12:59,070 --> 00:13:01,070 and was gravely ill. 191 00:13:02,170 --> 00:13:03,800 Has to come back from Saudi Arabia 192 00:13:03,840 --> 00:13:06,870 and then retires from the company completely. 193 00:13:12,630 --> 00:13:16,170 NARRATOR: In May 1994, Robert's now wife, Rachel, 194 00:13:16,200 --> 00:13:18,840 gives birth to their first son, William. 195 00:13:25,130 --> 00:13:27,200 NARRATOR: Proud grandparents, Robert and Shirley, 196 00:13:27,230 --> 00:13:30,370 have now relocated from Saudi Arabia to Stone Mountain, 197 00:13:30,400 --> 00:13:33,230 Georgia, and dote on their first grandchild. 198 00:13:36,400 --> 00:13:39,840 There's my mom holding my oldest son, 199 00:13:39,870 --> 00:13:43,800 William, who was born in May. 200 00:13:43,840 --> 00:13:45,600 We're making homemade ice cream. 201 00:13:51,070 --> 00:13:52,700 You can see in my mother's face how 202 00:13:52,740 --> 00:13:55,300 happy she is to be holding a grandchild. 203 00:13:58,370 --> 00:14:01,170 She was the epitome of a -- of a good grandmother. 204 00:14:01,200 --> 00:14:03,670 She would do anything under the sun for them. 205 00:14:03,700 --> 00:14:06,840 I mean, if they needed a babysitter, she was there. 206 00:14:06,870 --> 00:14:09,170 If somebody was doing something special, 207 00:14:09,200 --> 00:14:12,400 she was there, and she would always pull out a picture 208 00:14:12,430 --> 00:14:16,530 or her phone and show us the latest. 209 00:14:16,570 --> 00:14:17,800 It was sweet to see. 210 00:14:22,770 --> 00:14:25,070 Unfortunately, now this house has 211 00:14:25,100 --> 00:14:27,000 a really negative connotation to it. 212 00:14:31,300 --> 00:14:34,670 [group singing] Happy birthday to you... 213 00:14:34,700 --> 00:14:37,870 NARRATOR: By 1995, baby William is one, 214 00:14:37,900 --> 00:14:41,700 and Shirley and Robert Sr. are in their element. 215 00:14:41,740 --> 00:14:45,930 [singing] ...dear William, happy birthday to you. 216 00:14:45,970 --> 00:14:47,370 It's my son's first birthday. 217 00:14:48,630 --> 00:14:50,840 Lots of balloons, lots of decorations, 218 00:14:50,870 --> 00:14:52,840 lots of family members and friends. 219 00:14:53,770 --> 00:14:55,800 So see, there's a cake. My mother made that cake. 220 00:14:57,270 --> 00:14:58,400 A homemade cake. 221 00:14:58,430 --> 00:15:00,900 There was no way that my mother was gonna allow us -- 222 00:15:00,930 --> 00:15:02,630 we even said, "Well, we'll just buy a cake." 223 00:15:02,670 --> 00:15:03,930 Dude! 224 00:15:03,970 --> 00:15:06,130 "No, no, no, I'm gonna make the cake. 225 00:15:06,170 --> 00:15:09,070 I'm gonna make him an Elmo cake," because he liked Elmo. 226 00:15:10,770 --> 00:15:13,230 NARRATOR: Later that afternoon, Richard finally gets 227 00:15:13,270 --> 00:15:14,600 his brother's attention 228 00:15:14,630 --> 00:15:17,230 by arguing with him about a camera tape. 229 00:15:17,270 --> 00:15:19,100 [Robert speaking] 230 00:15:19,130 --> 00:15:20,230 [Richard speaking] 231 00:15:36,030 --> 00:15:39,400 Richard enjoyed getting a rise out of somebody, 232 00:15:39,430 --> 00:15:42,270 whether it was a laugh or a comment. 233 00:15:42,300 --> 00:15:44,630 That was always an objective of his. 234 00:15:47,070 --> 00:15:50,100 NARRATOR: Finally, it's Richard's turn to settle down. 235 00:15:51,030 --> 00:15:54,130 Richard met Janine at college, at the university. 236 00:15:54,170 --> 00:15:59,230 And, uh, I believe she was a year or so younger than him. 237 00:16:00,270 --> 00:16:05,370 She appeared to be very bubbly, friendly individual. 238 00:16:09,600 --> 00:16:13,270 NARRATOR: After graduating college, Richard and Janine marry. 239 00:16:14,370 --> 00:16:17,630 They were both on track to become professionals, 240 00:16:17,670 --> 00:16:20,630 he a lawyer, her a veterinarian, 241 00:16:20,670 --> 00:16:23,230 and they were very focused on that goal. 242 00:16:24,800 --> 00:16:26,670 They seemed to get along well. 243 00:16:26,700 --> 00:16:29,840 They liked to have fun. Everything seemed great. 244 00:16:31,000 --> 00:16:32,130 They were a good match. 245 00:16:34,670 --> 00:16:37,400 NARRATOR: Richard is eager to enter the legal profession, 246 00:16:37,430 --> 00:16:40,570 but passing his exams is proving difficult. 247 00:16:41,700 --> 00:16:45,230 His first opportunity to take the exam would 248 00:16:45,270 --> 00:16:48,700 have been the July following his graduation in May. 249 00:16:48,740 --> 00:16:51,370 He took that exam and did not pass. 250 00:16:51,400 --> 00:16:56,230 He then sat for the exam again in the following February. 251 00:16:56,270 --> 00:16:58,900 He did not pass that second time. 252 00:17:00,000 --> 00:17:03,630 I honestly was concerned about whether or not he had 253 00:17:03,670 --> 00:17:08,770 the aptitude to be an attorney with having that many failures. 254 00:17:08,800 --> 00:17:10,500 He was lazy. 255 00:17:12,099 --> 00:17:16,329 NARRATOR: The repeat exam failures come at a great cost to retake. 256 00:17:16,369 --> 00:17:18,500 But Richard is still financially able 257 00:17:18,530 --> 00:17:20,970 to keep studying for the bar. 258 00:17:21,000 --> 00:17:22,700 I suspected that he was getting 259 00:17:22,740 --> 00:17:25,300 some assistance from somebody from family. 260 00:17:25,329 --> 00:17:27,630 I kind of put it out of my mind initially. 261 00:17:28,630 --> 00:17:30,700 It was only in the third attempt, 262 00:17:30,740 --> 00:17:33,970 one year from the first time he took the exam, 263 00:17:34,000 --> 00:17:35,230 that he passed. 264 00:17:36,840 --> 00:17:41,070 His goal upon graduation from law school was to be 265 00:17:41,100 --> 00:17:42,970 filthy rich -- he made that quote. 266 00:17:44,270 --> 00:17:46,330 He was gonna be a jet setter. 267 00:17:46,370 --> 00:17:48,000 And basically the message was, 268 00:17:48,030 --> 00:17:49,900 "I'm gonna leave you in the dust." 269 00:18:00,800 --> 00:18:02,340 NARRATOR: In November 2000, 270 00:18:02,370 --> 00:18:05,440 the Merritt family gets some devastating news. 271 00:18:06,340 --> 00:18:09,000 ROBERT: My father died suddenly when they were 272 00:18:09,040 --> 00:18:12,140 on a trip to celebrate their anniversary. 273 00:18:13,400 --> 00:18:16,000 My dad was my mother's everything. 274 00:18:17,770 --> 00:18:19,000 JAN: He was her rock. 275 00:18:19,970 --> 00:18:22,040 That was the impression that I got, 276 00:18:22,070 --> 00:18:25,200 because she was so lost without him. 277 00:18:27,240 --> 00:18:29,300 It devastated my mother. 278 00:18:29,340 --> 00:18:31,370 She was heartbroken. 279 00:18:35,400 --> 00:18:38,640 NARRATOR: Six months after her husband's passing, 280 00:18:38,670 --> 00:18:41,440 Shirley hosts a family gathering 281 00:18:41,470 --> 00:18:44,340 and plays with her newest grandchild, Molly. 282 00:18:44,370 --> 00:18:46,640 MOLLY: Mom, say cheese. 283 00:18:46,670 --> 00:18:48,270 [Shirley speaking] 284 00:18:48,300 --> 00:18:49,800 MOLLY: Mom, say cheese! 285 00:18:49,840 --> 00:18:51,400 [Shirley speaking] 286 00:18:51,440 --> 00:18:52,940 CHILD: I bent mine stiff right now. 287 00:18:52,970 --> 00:18:54,140 [Shirley speaking] 288 00:18:54,170 --> 00:18:56,070 ROBERT: She ended up spending a lot of time with 289 00:18:56,100 --> 00:19:00,040 my family, because I had children at the time. 290 00:19:00,070 --> 00:19:02,970 So the grandkids were a great comfort to her. 291 00:19:06,070 --> 00:19:07,400 NARRATOR: Shirley's youngest son, 292 00:19:07,440 --> 00:19:09,470 Richard, sits on the couch with his wife, 293 00:19:09,500 --> 00:19:13,000 Janine, holding Robert's second son, Andrew. 294 00:19:17,400 --> 00:19:19,370 That little fellow right there, 295 00:19:19,400 --> 00:19:21,870 He had no idea what he was -- 296 00:19:21,900 --> 00:19:23,600 what was in store for him later. 297 00:19:25,300 --> 00:19:27,670 It's hard to watch everybody so close, and then... 298 00:19:29,440 --> 00:19:31,870 later, what a turn it would make. 299 00:19:39,100 --> 00:19:41,170 NARRATOR: With help from her family and friends, 300 00:19:41,200 --> 00:19:44,640 Shirley begins to slowly rebuild her life 301 00:19:44,670 --> 00:19:47,170 and gets a job at the local children's hospital. 302 00:19:48,570 --> 00:19:51,570 It hadn't been too long since she had lost her husband, 303 00:19:51,600 --> 00:19:53,540 and I suggested to her that maybe she would like 304 00:19:53,570 --> 00:19:56,300 to come to work as a PRN, 305 00:19:56,340 --> 00:19:58,200 which would be just to work whenever somebody 306 00:19:58,240 --> 00:20:00,940 was sick or needed to go on vacation. 307 00:20:00,970 --> 00:20:02,400 And she thought she liked 308 00:20:02,440 --> 00:20:04,500 the idea, she applied, and she got it. 309 00:20:06,800 --> 00:20:08,800 NARRATOR: Shirley also takes pleasure in seeing 310 00:20:08,840 --> 00:20:11,570 Richard's legal career finally take off. 311 00:20:13,400 --> 00:20:15,370 She was very proud he was a lawyer. 312 00:20:15,400 --> 00:20:19,100 I mean, that was just the epitome for her that she -- 313 00:20:19,140 --> 00:20:21,140 her son had become an attorney. 314 00:20:22,740 --> 00:20:25,070 He ended up at the Attorney General's office 315 00:20:25,100 --> 00:20:27,470 for the State of Georgia. 316 00:20:27,500 --> 00:20:31,470 Then he moved more regularly into private practice, 317 00:20:31,500 --> 00:20:33,570 and he worked for several firms, 318 00:20:33,600 --> 00:20:36,100 one after the other after that time. 319 00:20:39,740 --> 00:20:42,140 NARRATOR: Richard rubbed shoulders with Atlanta's elite, 320 00:20:43,240 --> 00:20:45,370 indulging in their lifestyle. 321 00:20:47,900 --> 00:20:51,600 They wanted to travel and have fun and live the good life, 322 00:20:51,640 --> 00:20:56,500 nice clothes, nice cars, nice experiences -- 323 00:20:56,540 --> 00:20:58,840 success and all the trappings. 324 00:21:00,270 --> 00:21:03,870 NARRATOR: In 2003, Richard buys a home in the town of Smyrna, 325 00:21:03,900 --> 00:21:06,840 just outside Atlanta, because they're gonna need 326 00:21:06,870 --> 00:21:08,070 the extra space. 327 00:21:15,500 --> 00:21:18,070 Jack was born in 2004. 328 00:21:18,100 --> 00:21:20,540 He was ecstatic that he had a son. 329 00:21:23,940 --> 00:21:25,540 ROBERT: He had grand plans -- gonna fish, 330 00:21:25,570 --> 00:21:27,070 he's gonna play golf. 331 00:21:27,100 --> 00:21:29,170 His son would be a chip off the old block. 332 00:21:30,700 --> 00:21:34,640 NARRATOR: It's Christmas 2005, and Richard is loving being 333 00:21:34,670 --> 00:21:37,700 able to spoil his new son with special gifts. 334 00:21:49,300 --> 00:21:51,440 NARRATOR: Two years later, Richard and Janine 335 00:21:51,470 --> 00:21:54,770 welcome the daughter, Mia, into the family fold. 336 00:21:54,800 --> 00:21:56,940 Mia arrived in 2006. 337 00:21:58,270 --> 00:22:00,440 He had the boy, now he had a daughter. 338 00:22:00,470 --> 00:22:02,370 I think he was excited by that. 339 00:22:03,800 --> 00:22:04,770 My name is Rich Merritt. 340 00:22:04,800 --> 00:22:06,400 I'm the managing partner of the law office 341 00:22:06,440 --> 00:22:07,600 of Richard V. Merritt. 342 00:22:07,640 --> 00:22:10,370 Since I'm the only lawyer here in little downtown Smyrna, 343 00:22:10,400 --> 00:22:13,640 obviously, my practice is very grassroots and community based. 344 00:22:15,540 --> 00:22:19,100 In 2010, Richard opened his own law firm. 345 00:22:20,370 --> 00:22:22,100 JIM: He was impressive. 346 00:22:23,040 --> 00:22:25,540 Rich had his own firm. 347 00:22:25,570 --> 00:22:30,140 He drove a Porsche, he had success in the courtroom. 348 00:22:31,340 --> 00:22:33,300 He's got a beautiful wife, 349 00:22:33,340 --> 00:22:37,040 beautiful children, and the respect of his peers. 350 00:22:38,900 --> 00:22:42,070 I would expect that Richard probably would have been making 351 00:22:42,100 --> 00:22:44,040 somewhere in the ballpark of $150,000 352 00:22:44,070 --> 00:22:46,970 to $250,000 at that time. 353 00:22:48,940 --> 00:22:51,070 It looked like the perfect family. 354 00:22:51,100 --> 00:22:52,600 They're going on these wonderful trips. 355 00:22:52,640 --> 00:22:55,570 They've got a beautiful house, and life's good. 356 00:22:56,840 --> 00:22:58,340 They had a plan, and they were 357 00:22:58,370 --> 00:23:00,240 going to achieve it, absolutely. 358 00:23:02,440 --> 00:23:05,400 NARRATOR: But in May 2017, Richard returns 359 00:23:05,440 --> 00:23:07,840 from a vacation to a court summons. 360 00:23:09,140 --> 00:23:12,040 The original allegation was from the Hanson sisters, 361 00:23:12,070 --> 00:23:13,170 Clare and Ingrid. 362 00:23:13,200 --> 00:23:16,000 Richard Merritt was their attorney, 363 00:23:16,040 --> 00:23:18,500 and it had to do with settling a lawsuit. 364 00:23:19,540 --> 00:23:22,870 What Merritt did in their case is he took 365 00:23:22,900 --> 00:23:25,200 the settlement check without them knowing it. 366 00:23:26,400 --> 00:23:29,600 NARRATOR: Richard had settled the case for $70,000 367 00:23:30,600 --> 00:23:32,840 and pocketed the money. 368 00:23:32,870 --> 00:23:35,000 They never knew the case was settled. 369 00:23:35,040 --> 00:23:37,500 But what they learned was, 370 00:23:37,540 --> 00:23:39,940 he just stole the money, never told them. 371 00:23:41,270 --> 00:23:44,600 They went to court and took out a citizen's warrant. 372 00:23:46,040 --> 00:23:49,570 Richard Merritt was arrested, and at the point of his arrest, 373 00:23:49,600 --> 00:23:51,500 he surrendered his law license. 374 00:23:51,540 --> 00:23:52,670 He didn't even fight it. 375 00:23:52,700 --> 00:23:55,300 He said, "I give up, you can have it." 376 00:23:56,840 --> 00:23:58,600 ROBERT: I was disappointed. 377 00:23:58,640 --> 00:24:02,370 I was embarrassed, and I just didn't understand. 378 00:24:03,300 --> 00:24:06,700 I just couldn't fathom how one would get to that 379 00:24:06,740 --> 00:24:08,600 place, honestly. 380 00:24:09,700 --> 00:24:12,040 NARRATOR: Mom, Shirley, who paid for her son's law 381 00:24:12,070 --> 00:24:15,870 qualifications, supports her son by turning up in court. 382 00:24:17,140 --> 00:24:19,600 She couldn't talk about it. She was embarrassed. 383 00:24:19,640 --> 00:24:21,100 She didn't want to admit that this 384 00:24:21,140 --> 00:24:23,070 was going on with her perfect family. 385 00:24:24,070 --> 00:24:25,140 They're not perfect, 386 00:24:25,170 --> 00:24:27,970 and this is what my perfect son has done. 387 00:24:31,540 --> 00:24:33,900 NARRATOR: Police undergo an investigation into Richard's 388 00:24:33,940 --> 00:24:36,370 fraud charges and find out there could 389 00:24:36,400 --> 00:24:40,440 be up to 17 victims in total who Richard had stolen over 390 00:24:40,470 --> 00:24:42,700 $450,000 from. 391 00:24:45,200 --> 00:24:48,740 While he was in jail still, in Cobb County jail, 392 00:24:48,770 --> 00:24:51,000 Janine served divorce papers on Richard. 393 00:24:52,140 --> 00:24:54,870 They were divorced relatively quickly, 394 00:24:54,900 --> 00:24:57,540 and he was out of their lives. 395 00:24:59,340 --> 00:25:01,000 DALE: When he loses his wife, 396 00:25:01,040 --> 00:25:04,270 he's lost his kids, because she has custody of them. 397 00:25:04,300 --> 00:25:08,000 Everything that Richard Merritt appeared to cherish, 398 00:25:08,040 --> 00:25:10,840 that meant the world to him, is gone. 399 00:25:14,770 --> 00:25:18,270 NARRATOR: Richard is sent to await trial at the Cobb County jail. 400 00:25:18,300 --> 00:25:21,070 Only a substantial bond can bail him out. 401 00:25:21,100 --> 00:25:23,270 Mom, Shirley, comes to his rescue 402 00:25:23,300 --> 00:25:25,440 and prepares to pay his legal fees. 403 00:25:27,470 --> 00:25:30,240 JAN: She put her house up for his bail. 404 00:25:30,270 --> 00:25:33,240 It was, I think, $400,000. 405 00:25:33,270 --> 00:25:37,340 And I guess that's why she began to work so many hours. 406 00:25:37,370 --> 00:25:39,240 She became, I don't wanna say feeble, 407 00:25:39,270 --> 00:25:40,670 because she could still do things. 408 00:25:40,700 --> 00:25:43,570 But to look at her, she would be walking up the hall to come 409 00:25:43,600 --> 00:25:46,740 to work, and she was stooped over, and just her whole 410 00:25:46,770 --> 00:25:48,870 demeanor had changed. 411 00:25:48,900 --> 00:25:50,540 I really thought she was sick. 412 00:25:51,970 --> 00:25:55,370 ROBERT: My mother begged for them to let him stay with her. 413 00:25:55,400 --> 00:25:58,200 She was going to protect him and help him. 414 00:25:58,240 --> 00:26:00,340 I think that was a huge mistake. 415 00:26:12,440 --> 00:26:16,040 NARRATOR: In January of 2019, Richard is brought before 416 00:26:16,070 --> 00:26:19,400 the court to face sentencing for his fraud. 417 00:26:19,440 --> 00:26:23,100 The person I saw on the video at the sentencing looked 418 00:26:23,140 --> 00:26:26,400 ice cold, looked frightening, 419 00:26:26,440 --> 00:26:30,070 looked menacing, looked scary. 420 00:26:30,100 --> 00:26:31,840 I didn't even recognize him. 421 00:26:32,800 --> 00:26:36,900 He looked like he was completely disconnected from reality. 422 00:26:38,270 --> 00:26:40,700 NARRATOR: Richard has no choice but to plead guilty 423 00:26:40,740 --> 00:26:41,770 to all charges. 424 00:26:43,040 --> 00:26:46,470 He's sentenced to 15 years in prison and ordered 425 00:26:46,500 --> 00:26:48,240 to compensate the victims 426 00:26:48,270 --> 00:26:51,170 with a total of close to half a million dollars. 427 00:26:52,470 --> 00:26:53,900 For mom, Shirley, 428 00:26:53,940 --> 00:26:55,740 it's almost too much to take. 429 00:26:56,770 --> 00:27:01,040 She looked so alone, and she was, you know, 430 00:27:01,070 --> 00:27:03,170 Robert wasn't there. 431 00:27:03,200 --> 00:27:05,000 Nobody was there. 432 00:27:05,040 --> 00:27:06,240 Breaks your heart. 433 00:27:08,440 --> 00:27:10,700 NARRATOR: The judge gives Richard two weeks to get 434 00:27:10,740 --> 00:27:13,100 his affairs in order before surrendering himself 435 00:27:13,140 --> 00:27:15,100 to prison to serve his sentence. 436 00:27:16,770 --> 00:27:18,770 He must wear an ankle bracelet. 437 00:27:20,400 --> 00:27:23,570 ROBERT: Mike Jeffcoate is one of my cousins, and he 438 00:27:23,600 --> 00:27:29,140 had offered to drive my brother to turn himself in. 439 00:27:31,370 --> 00:27:33,340 NARRATOR: But as the jail day arrives, 440 00:27:33,370 --> 00:27:36,040 Mike Jeffcoate receives a text from Shirley. 441 00:27:37,770 --> 00:27:39,370 There's been a change of heart. 442 00:27:41,140 --> 00:27:43,600 Mike Jeffcoate received a text 443 00:27:45,840 --> 00:27:48,500 stating that he did not need to come, 444 00:27:48,540 --> 00:27:51,970 that my mom and my brother had some things they needed 445 00:27:52,000 --> 00:27:54,600 to talk about and work out and that she would take him. 446 00:27:57,500 --> 00:28:01,000 I guess it was about 5:30 or maybe a little bit later, 447 00:28:01,040 --> 00:28:04,970 I received a phone call from Cobb County informing me that 448 00:28:05,000 --> 00:28:08,300 Richard did not show, that he had not turned himself in, 449 00:28:08,340 --> 00:28:11,770 and they were going to go look for him. 450 00:28:13,500 --> 00:28:18,870 My comment back to them was, "Has anyone spoken to my mother? 451 00:28:18,900 --> 00:28:20,770 "I'm concerned about her wellbeing. 452 00:28:20,800 --> 00:28:23,500 "Could somebody go to her home 453 00:28:23,540 --> 00:28:25,670 and make sure everything is okay?" 454 00:28:28,140 --> 00:28:29,870 NARRATOR: Officers respond to the home of 455 00:28:29,900 --> 00:28:32,470 his mom to conduct a welfare check. 456 00:28:34,670 --> 00:28:36,200 ROBERT: Nothing looked strange. 457 00:28:36,240 --> 00:28:40,070 No broken windows, no doors ajar, no nothing. 458 00:28:42,000 --> 00:28:44,340 My brother's car was in 459 00:28:44,370 --> 00:28:46,400 the driveway, but my mother's car was gone. 460 00:28:49,070 --> 00:28:51,040 NARRATOR: With no sign of forced entry, 461 00:28:51,070 --> 00:28:54,700 the officers aren't able to enter the house, so they leave. 462 00:29:02,600 --> 00:29:04,770 Police turn their attention to tracking down 463 00:29:04,800 --> 00:29:05,840 Richard Merritt. 464 00:29:07,640 --> 00:29:10,470 They analyze the data from his ankle bracelet. 465 00:29:12,000 --> 00:29:14,700 DALE: Police have a really good idea of what happened. 466 00:29:14,740 --> 00:29:16,040 They were able to follow. 467 00:29:17,070 --> 00:29:19,240 They think he got into Shirley's car, 468 00:29:19,270 --> 00:29:23,740 his mother's car, and he takes off, and he starts driving out 469 00:29:23,770 --> 00:29:27,970 of the city and heads toward northwest of the city. 470 00:29:29,540 --> 00:29:32,540 NARRATOR: Data analysis shows that at 4:14, 471 00:29:32,570 --> 00:29:34,700 the anklet lost signal... 472 00:29:36,400 --> 00:29:38,240 near Cartersville. 473 00:29:38,270 --> 00:29:41,770 [siren wailing] 474 00:29:41,800 --> 00:29:44,570 Police respond to its last known location. 475 00:29:45,640 --> 00:29:48,640 They know exactly where his ankle bracelet is. 476 00:29:50,440 --> 00:29:52,440 They were able to drive right to it. 477 00:29:57,170 --> 00:29:58,240 They found it. 478 00:30:01,040 --> 00:30:03,900 It was in a trash can behind the gas station, 479 00:30:08,170 --> 00:30:09,240 and that was when they first 480 00:30:09,270 --> 00:30:11,800 realized Richard Merritt is on the run. 481 00:30:24,440 --> 00:30:25,700 NARRATOR: Early next morning, 482 00:30:25,740 --> 00:30:29,270 a worried Mike Jeffcoate gets a spare key to Shirley's house 483 00:30:29,300 --> 00:30:32,600 and pays her a visit to find out what's going on. 484 00:30:35,300 --> 00:30:37,040 He gets into the house. 485 00:30:38,900 --> 00:30:41,770 He was obviously very concerned about what has 486 00:30:41,800 --> 00:30:45,300 happened and is everything okay and is Shirley okay, 487 00:30:45,340 --> 00:30:47,500 and while moving about the house, 488 00:30:50,170 --> 00:30:55,200 he sees her dead body at the bottom of the stairwell. 489 00:31:01,540 --> 00:31:02,840 And... 490 00:31:02,870 --> 00:31:07,200 immediately alerts the police that she's been killed. 491 00:31:16,270 --> 00:31:18,240 NARRATOR: Police arrive on the scene. 492 00:31:20,070 --> 00:31:23,570 It was shocking beyond description. 493 00:31:27,570 --> 00:31:31,040 She had been stabbed repeatedly. 494 00:31:32,570 --> 00:31:36,140 The knife blade had been left in her face, 495 00:31:36,170 --> 00:31:39,100 and the knife handle had broken off, 496 00:31:41,400 --> 00:31:44,670 and then she had been beaten in the face. 497 00:31:46,570 --> 00:31:51,470 A barbell was left near her body with blood on it. 498 00:31:52,700 --> 00:31:55,900 DALE: She was bludgeoned with a dumbbell, 499 00:31:55,940 --> 00:31:58,900 a heavy weight, her head smashed in, 500 00:32:00,170 --> 00:32:02,570 stabbed multiple times, stabbed in the head, 501 00:32:02,600 --> 00:32:04,070 bludgeoned in the head. 502 00:32:05,470 --> 00:32:08,570 It was one of the most brutal murders I've ever covered. 503 00:32:08,600 --> 00:32:10,500 It was ghastly. 504 00:32:12,200 --> 00:32:13,940 It was so brutal. 505 00:32:17,200 --> 00:32:19,700 NARRATOR: With no signs of forced entry 506 00:32:19,740 --> 00:32:22,800 and Shirley's wallet still on the kitchen table, 507 00:32:22,840 --> 00:32:25,900 there is only one possible suspect. 508 00:32:25,940 --> 00:32:27,500 ROBERT: I had no doubt that Richard 509 00:32:27,540 --> 00:32:29,870 was the likely suspect in the murder. 510 00:32:32,070 --> 00:32:34,670 NARRATOR: While police release a BOLO for Richard 511 00:32:34,700 --> 00:32:36,040 and his mom's Lexus, 512 00:32:36,070 --> 00:32:38,200 detectives visit the gas station near 513 00:32:38,240 --> 00:32:40,370 to where his ankle bracelet was found. 514 00:32:41,900 --> 00:32:45,570 Surveillance video catches his every move. 515 00:32:45,600 --> 00:32:49,300 Pretty soon after he cut that bracelet off, 516 00:32:49,340 --> 00:32:53,000 they have video of him inside the gas station. 517 00:33:02,140 --> 00:33:04,340 So they know exactly what he looks like. 518 00:33:07,000 --> 00:33:08,770 They know exactly what he's wearing. 519 00:33:12,040 --> 00:33:13,970 He walks out of the gas station 520 00:33:15,870 --> 00:33:17,870 with a bag of food 521 00:33:19,940 --> 00:33:21,770 and gets in the car. 522 00:33:28,000 --> 00:33:29,940 They know exactly what car he's in. 523 00:33:31,800 --> 00:33:33,500 They have an idea where he's going, 524 00:33:33,540 --> 00:33:36,370 but he could turn around and go a different direction, 525 00:33:37,370 --> 00:33:39,770 because he knows the law, and he knows 526 00:33:39,800 --> 00:33:41,900 they can trace the ankle bracelet. 527 00:33:41,940 --> 00:33:44,570 He probably knew they had video of him. 528 00:33:46,670 --> 00:33:49,670 This is a murder suspect on the run. 529 00:33:49,700 --> 00:33:54,000 They now believe he's killed his mother, and he's missing, 530 00:33:55,700 --> 00:33:57,270 and they don't know where he is. 531 00:34:09,440 --> 00:34:12,100 NARRATOR: On February 12th, 2019, 532 00:34:12,139 --> 00:34:14,900 the Merritt family gathers for Shirley's funeral. 533 00:34:18,670 --> 00:34:22,199 ROBERT: The atmosphere was very sad, very somber. 534 00:34:22,239 --> 00:34:24,770 I mean, people really just didn't know what to say. 535 00:34:24,800 --> 00:34:26,270 A lot of shaking their head. 536 00:34:26,300 --> 00:34:28,199 A lot of concern about finding 537 00:34:28,239 --> 00:34:30,699 Richard and understanding why this happened. 538 00:34:33,840 --> 00:34:35,770 JAN: There was lots of police around, 539 00:34:35,800 --> 00:34:38,040 because it had been mentioned that, 540 00:34:38,070 --> 00:34:42,770 you know, sometimes criminals come back to a funeral, 541 00:34:42,800 --> 00:34:45,300 and, you know, that just shook us all up. 542 00:34:48,800 --> 00:34:50,340 NARRATOR: But he doesn't turn up. 543 00:34:52,739 --> 00:34:57,000 And for eight months, Richard remains a ghost. 544 00:34:57,040 --> 00:34:59,470 DALE: It felt like he was on the run forever. 545 00:35:03,170 --> 00:35:07,140 NARRATOR: Until September 2019, when there's finally a break in 546 00:35:07,170 --> 00:35:08,640 the case, 547 00:35:08,670 --> 00:35:12,240 268 miles away in Nashville, Tennessee. 548 00:35:14,500 --> 00:35:16,770 DALE: Somebody tried to break into his car, 549 00:35:16,800 --> 00:35:20,500 and the police are called to the scene, and they're checking 550 00:35:20,540 --> 00:35:25,300 the car out, and they get the license and run the tag, 551 00:35:25,340 --> 00:35:27,670 and it's not adding up to the car that 552 00:35:27,700 --> 00:35:29,200 that tag is sitting on. 553 00:35:29,240 --> 00:35:32,840 They get the serial number, and bingo -- 554 00:35:32,870 --> 00:35:34,240 Shirley Merritt's car. 555 00:35:37,400 --> 00:35:39,900 NARRATOR: The U.S. Marshals canvass the area for any 556 00:35:39,940 --> 00:35:41,470 possible sightings 557 00:35:41,500 --> 00:35:43,840 after finding receipts from local establishments 558 00:35:43,870 --> 00:35:45,240 in his car. 559 00:35:49,000 --> 00:35:51,640 DALE: He was sort of hiding in plain sight. 560 00:35:51,670 --> 00:35:53,670 He's driving around Nashville. 561 00:35:53,700 --> 00:35:56,500 He's got a girlfriend. He's got a job. 562 00:35:56,540 --> 00:35:59,000 He's got a new name, Mick Malveaux. 563 00:36:00,800 --> 00:36:02,970 He was living the life many people live, 564 00:36:03,000 --> 00:36:06,600 just working, going to the bar, hanging out, 565 00:36:06,640 --> 00:36:08,940 just happened to be an alleged killer. 566 00:36:11,240 --> 00:36:13,870 NARRATOR: With information about his daily routine, 567 00:36:13,900 --> 00:36:17,300 the Marshals stake out the hot spots. 568 00:36:17,340 --> 00:36:19,300 Yeah, we were there, 569 00:36:19,340 --> 00:36:22,340 and here comes this scroungy-looking guy down 570 00:36:22,370 --> 00:36:26,500 the road with a bad beard and tussled hair. 571 00:36:26,540 --> 00:36:30,300 and they watch him, and he goes into a thrift store, 572 00:36:31,340 --> 00:36:32,940 and they come in after him 573 00:36:34,740 --> 00:36:35,800 and arrest him. 574 00:36:37,070 --> 00:36:38,070 He puts up no fight. 575 00:36:38,100 --> 00:36:41,500 He puts up no fuss, and that's it. 576 00:36:43,600 --> 00:36:44,940 NARRATOR: Back in Georgia, 577 00:36:44,970 --> 00:36:47,400 Richard is charged with murder. 578 00:36:51,270 --> 00:36:54,240 Robert discovers his brother had been taking 579 00:36:54,270 --> 00:36:56,370 advantage of his mother for years. 580 00:36:57,970 --> 00:37:01,570 One of the first things I did when I gained 581 00:37:01,600 --> 00:37:05,140 entry to the home was to try to find these documents. 582 00:37:05,170 --> 00:37:08,070 It was far more sinister than I had ever imagined. 583 00:37:09,640 --> 00:37:11,100 I learned 584 00:37:11,140 --> 00:37:16,040 that my mother had loaned my brother large sums of money, 585 00:37:16,070 --> 00:37:18,640 gifted him large sums of money. 586 00:37:18,670 --> 00:37:22,440 He had taken some money, he had forged some checks. 587 00:37:22,470 --> 00:37:25,240 He had pawned some of her belongings. 588 00:37:26,940 --> 00:37:28,500 NARRATOR: By the time of her murder, 589 00:37:28,540 --> 00:37:30,300 Richard Merritt owed his mother 590 00:37:30,340 --> 00:37:32,600 over half a million dollars. 591 00:37:35,000 --> 00:37:37,700 ROBERT: I feel that she was manipulated. 592 00:37:37,740 --> 00:37:39,700 I feel that she was bullied. 593 00:37:39,740 --> 00:37:43,500 I feel that she was taken advantage of. 594 00:37:43,540 --> 00:37:45,540 He did to my mother 595 00:37:45,570 --> 00:37:47,970 exactly what he had done to his clients. 596 00:37:51,440 --> 00:37:54,640 NARRATOR: On May 18th, 2023, Richard Merritt 597 00:37:54,670 --> 00:37:57,370 pleads not guilty and goes on trial. 598 00:37:58,700 --> 00:38:01,440 The case was laid out pretty much as we all 599 00:38:01,470 --> 00:38:02,600 knew it at the time, 600 00:38:04,040 --> 00:38:06,300 that the mother had been violently murdered, 601 00:38:06,340 --> 00:38:08,000 that he'd got in the car, that he'd run. 602 00:38:09,600 --> 00:38:12,300 My best guess is, 603 00:38:12,340 --> 00:38:15,240 he had told her, "I'm not going to prison." 604 00:38:15,270 --> 00:38:19,500 And Shirley said, "If you run, I'm calling the police." 605 00:38:23,770 --> 00:38:26,240 I feel that, at that moment, 606 00:38:26,270 --> 00:38:29,340 Richard Merritt decided, I'm gonna kill my mother. 607 00:38:33,940 --> 00:38:35,740 He had been able to control her 608 00:38:35,770 --> 00:38:38,200 and manipulate her his whole life, 609 00:38:38,240 --> 00:38:41,040 and this time, it wasn't working. 610 00:38:42,440 --> 00:38:47,000 And he can't just get into her car and drive off 611 00:38:47,040 --> 00:38:48,640 and leave her there at the house 612 00:38:48,670 --> 00:38:51,440 where she can pick up the phone. 613 00:38:51,470 --> 00:38:54,400 He knew at that moment, he couldn't run. 614 00:38:55,700 --> 00:38:58,270 He wasn't gonna have time to take his ankle bracelet off. 615 00:39:02,740 --> 00:39:03,800 He was gonna get caught, 616 00:39:03,840 --> 00:39:05,440 and he was gonna get caught quickly. 617 00:39:10,870 --> 00:39:14,270 Richard Merritt had to kill his mother to run. 618 00:39:22,940 --> 00:39:26,100 The norm is the jury takes a long time. 619 00:39:26,140 --> 00:39:29,270 In this case, a murder case, 620 00:39:29,300 --> 00:39:31,970 the jury took an hour and a half. 621 00:39:32,000 --> 00:39:33,870 The fact that it was only an hour and a half 622 00:39:33,900 --> 00:39:35,400 told me so much. 623 00:39:36,770 --> 00:39:40,240 Richard Merritt was sentenced to life without parole. 624 00:39:40,270 --> 00:39:43,840 The one place that he was terrified of going to, 625 00:39:43,870 --> 00:39:47,640 so terrified that he killed his mother 626 00:39:47,670 --> 00:39:50,740 and ran is where he's gonna spend the rest 627 00:39:50,770 --> 00:39:51,940 of his life. 628 00:39:51,970 --> 00:39:53,800 I have absolutely no pity for him. 629 00:39:53,840 --> 00:39:56,600 I think he deserves to be where he is. 630 00:39:56,640 --> 00:39:58,000 I think he can sit there and think 631 00:39:58,040 --> 00:39:59,700 about this for the rest of his life. 632 00:40:00,940 --> 00:40:02,970 The absolute 633 00:40:03,000 --> 00:40:07,000 lack of respect and the clear disdain 634 00:40:07,040 --> 00:40:10,600 that he has showed for his family, 635 00:40:10,640 --> 00:40:13,040 his mother, his father's memory, 636 00:40:13,070 --> 00:40:15,640 is unforgivable. 637 00:40:15,670 --> 00:40:17,940 You're sitting where you need to be. 638 00:40:17,970 --> 00:40:19,900 So that's -- I'm fine with it. 639 00:40:19,940 --> 00:40:21,300 I'm -- I'm at peace. 640 00:40:24,240 --> 00:40:26,600 JAN: Shirley was a good person. 641 00:40:26,640 --> 00:40:30,140 She, you know, was a kind woman at heart. 642 00:40:30,170 --> 00:40:32,900 She had a big heart, and she loved those kids at 643 00:40:32,940 --> 00:40:34,300 the hospital. 644 00:40:34,340 --> 00:40:36,440 She loved the families, 645 00:40:36,470 --> 00:40:39,340 and everybody was hurt when we lost her. 646 00:40:41,570 --> 00:40:44,500 ROBERT: I wouldn't wish this experience on anyone. 647 00:40:44,540 --> 00:40:47,370 Not even my worst enemy would I want this to happen to. 648 00:40:49,240 --> 00:40:52,240 I want her to be remembered for being dedicated to her family. 649 00:40:52,270 --> 00:40:55,840 I want her to be remembered for being dedicated to her work. 650 00:40:55,870 --> 00:40:57,300 She cared about other people. 651 00:40:57,340 --> 00:40:59,470 She always tried to do things for other people. 652 00:41:00,500 --> 00:41:03,070 I'm eternally grateful for all the things 653 00:41:03,100 --> 00:41:05,140 that she did for me and my family. 654 00:41:06,340 --> 00:41:07,600 It's just sad. 655 00:41:18,170 --> 00:41:19,940 Narrator: Next time on American Monster... 656 00:41:19,970 --> 00:41:22,440 Everything on the outside looking in looked perfect. 657 00:41:23,400 --> 00:41:26,270 Aldo was not the same when they were alone. 658 00:41:28,740 --> 00:41:30,770 He was consumed by rage. 659 00:41:31,870 --> 00:41:33,000 We were very afraid. 660 00:41:33,870 --> 00:41:35,270 American Monster all new 661 00:41:35,300 --> 00:41:37,270 next Sunday at 9 on ID.