1 00:00:07,607 --> 00:00:08,740 - I'm Craig Melvin, 2 00:00:08,975 --> 00:00:12,746 and this is 3 00:00:08,975 --> 00:00:12,746 "Dateline: Secrets Uncovered." 4 00:00:12,779 --> 00:00:15,480 - It almost made me sick. 5 00:00:15,810 --> 00:00:17,117 I was on the floor, 6 00:00:17,150 --> 00:00:19,285 and then I kinda 7 00:00:17,150 --> 00:00:19,285 got myself together. 8 00:00:19,319 --> 00:00:21,540 I said, "We have 9 00:00:19,319 --> 00:00:21,540 to go over there. 10 00:00:21,870 --> 00:00:22,455 "I have to 11 00:00:21,870 --> 00:00:22,455 go over there." 12 00:00:22,489 --> 00:00:24,457 - In the muscular 13 00:00:22,489 --> 00:00:24,457 military world, 14 00:00:24,491 --> 00:00:26,960 she was a commander 15 00:00:24,491 --> 00:00:26,960 who cared. 16 00:00:26,993 --> 00:00:28,294 - I was like, 17 00:00:26,993 --> 00:00:28,294 "What are you doing?" 18 00:00:28,328 --> 00:00:30,230 And she says, "I'm writing 19 00:00:28,328 --> 00:00:30,230 birthday cards 20 00:00:30,263 --> 00:00:31,564 "to all my soldiers." 21 00:00:31,598 --> 00:00:33,500 - Her husband was 22 00:00:31,598 --> 00:00:33,500 a charming sergeant 23 00:00:33,533 --> 00:00:35,301 and devoted dad. 24 00:00:35,335 --> 00:00:38,738 - He was just as loving 25 00:00:35,335 --> 00:00:38,738 and doting as Lynn was. 26 00:00:38,772 --> 00:00:40,740 - No one could 27 00:00:38,772 --> 00:00:40,740 believe it 28 00:00:40,774 --> 00:00:42,575 when this 29 00:00:40,774 --> 00:00:42,575 decorated officer 30 00:00:42,609 --> 00:00:44,944 was found dead 31 00:00:42,609 --> 00:00:44,944 in her own home. 32 00:00:44,978 --> 00:00:46,346 - An army commander 33 00:00:44,978 --> 00:00:46,346 being murdered 34 00:00:46,379 --> 00:00:48,448 was unheard of. 35 00:00:48,481 --> 00:00:52,180 - The first suspect, 36 00:00:48,481 --> 00:00:52,180 as usual-- the husband. 37 00:00:52,520 --> 00:00:55,188 But this one had 38 00:00:52,520 --> 00:00:55,188 a rock-solid alibi 39 00:00:55,221 --> 00:00:56,690 - I would have been 40 00:00:55,221 --> 00:00:56,690 very difficult 41 00:00:56,723 --> 00:00:59,759 for him to have 42 00:00:56,723 --> 00:00:59,759 committed this murder. 43 00:00:59,793 --> 00:01:03,563 - Did this soldier have enemies 44 00:00:59,793 --> 00:01:03,563 off the battlefield? 45 00:01:03,596 --> 00:01:05,865 Her brother-in-law 46 00:01:03,596 --> 00:01:05,865 had a grudge. 47 00:01:05,899 --> 00:01:08,635 - Rodney was going around 48 00:01:05,899 --> 00:01:08,635 calling her names, 49 00:01:08,668 --> 00:01:09,803 vulgar names. 50 00:01:09,836 --> 00:01:12,439 - Her husband 51 00:01:09,836 --> 00:01:12,439 had a girlfriend. 52 00:01:12,472 --> 00:01:14,374 - Roger was seen 53 00:01:12,472 --> 00:01:14,374 with a young lady, 54 00:01:14,407 --> 00:01:17,143 and they were 55 00:01:14,407 --> 00:01:17,143 cuddled up. 56 00:01:17,176 --> 00:01:19,179 - We found out that 57 00:01:17,176 --> 00:01:19,179 she was pregnant. 58 00:01:19,212 --> 00:01:21,748 - Who killed the commander? 59 00:01:21,781 --> 00:01:24,951 In a place where loyalty 60 00:01:21,781 --> 00:01:24,951 is prized above all else, 61 00:01:24,984 --> 00:01:27,870 one clue... 62 00:01:24,984 --> 00:01:27,870 - That palm print 63 00:01:27,870 --> 00:01:28,688 was a key part 64 00:01:27,870 --> 00:01:28,688 of the case. 65 00:01:28,722 --> 00:01:31,725 - ...would reveal 66 00:01:28,722 --> 00:01:31,725 a breathtaking betrayal. 67 00:01:31,758 --> 00:01:33,759 - [sighs] I don't 68 00:01:31,758 --> 00:01:33,759 even have words. 69 00:01:33,793 --> 00:01:34,828 What a monster. 70 00:01:34,860 --> 00:01:42,836 ** 71 00:01:42,869 --> 00:01:46,840 - Hello, and welcome to 72 00:01:42,869 --> 00:01:46,840 "Dateline: Secrets Uncovered." 73 00:01:46,872 --> 00:01:50,310 Lynn Reister was 74 00:01:46,872 --> 00:01:50,310 a dedicated army officer 75 00:01:50,343 --> 00:01:52,245 with a growing family. 76 00:01:52,277 --> 00:01:53,513 After years of deployments, 77 00:01:53,545 --> 00:01:56,216 she was shifting to 78 00:01:53,545 --> 00:01:56,216 a less demanding role 79 00:01:56,249 --> 00:01:57,584 in the military. 80 00:01:57,616 --> 00:02:00,860 Then she was murdered. 81 00:02:00,120 --> 00:02:05,580 Investigators discovered that 82 00:02:00,120 --> 00:02:05,580 Lynn had enemies close to home, 83 00:02:05,910 --> 00:02:07,227 and to solve 84 00:02:05,910 --> 00:02:07,227 this mystery, 85 00:02:07,260 --> 00:02:11,331 they would need to untangle 86 00:02:07,260 --> 00:02:11,331 some twisted family secrets. 87 00:02:11,364 --> 00:02:14,634 Here's Andrea Canning 88 00:02:11,364 --> 00:02:14,634 with "Deadly Devotion." 89 00:02:18,405 --> 00:02:20,807 - In the hot and dangerous 90 00:02:18,405 --> 00:02:20,807 Middle East, 91 00:02:20,840 --> 00:02:23,209 she held her own 92 00:02:20,840 --> 00:02:23,209 in the company of men, 93 00:02:23,243 --> 00:02:25,780 a captain 94 00:02:23,243 --> 00:02:25,780 and a commander 95 00:02:25,111 --> 00:02:27,781 whose devotion 96 00:02:25,111 --> 00:02:27,781 never wavered. 97 00:02:27,814 --> 00:02:29,315 - She inspired people, 98 00:02:29,349 --> 00:02:31,518 and that's maybe why she made 99 00:02:29,349 --> 00:02:31,518 such a great commander. 100 00:02:31,551 --> 00:02:33,860 She inspired her troops. 101 00:02:33,119 --> 00:02:34,888 She inspired those that- 102 00:02:34,921 --> 00:02:37,190 that worked for her 103 00:02:34,921 --> 00:02:37,190 to want to do well. 104 00:02:37,223 --> 00:02:40,460 - She was Captain 105 00:02:37,223 --> 00:02:40,460 Lynn Armstrong Reister. 106 00:02:40,493 --> 00:02:43,763 Army veteran Debbie Moore 107 00:02:40,493 --> 00:02:43,763 was one of her best friends. 108 00:02:43,797 --> 00:02:45,665 - Lynn was 109 00:02:43,797 --> 00:02:45,665 very intelligent. 110 00:02:45,699 --> 00:02:48,468 She knew how to bring out 111 00:02:45,699 --> 00:02:48,468 the best in people. 112 00:02:48,501 --> 00:02:50,203 - She had a big role 113 00:02:48,501 --> 00:02:50,203 in the military. 114 00:02:50,236 --> 00:02:52,204 - Very big role, yeah. 115 00:02:52,238 --> 00:02:54,708 - She was in charge of 116 00:02:52,238 --> 00:02:54,708 the Air Defense Artillery 117 00:02:54,741 --> 00:02:56,442 in Saudi Arabia. 118 00:02:56,476 --> 00:02:58,945 - When they were in Saudi, 119 00:02:56,476 --> 00:02:58,945 and we had the Patriot Missiles, 120 00:02:58,978 --> 00:03:01,681 she would be the one that 121 00:02:58,978 --> 00:03:01,681 would make that decision 122 00:03:01,715 --> 00:03:02,849 on what was coming in, 123 00:03:02,882 --> 00:03:04,951 if it needed to be taken 124 00:03:02,882 --> 00:03:04,951 out of the sky. 125 00:03:05,510 --> 00:03:07,687 - Captain Reister earned 126 00:03:05,510 --> 00:03:07,687 medals and promotions 127 00:03:07,721 --> 00:03:11,570 and the loyalty of the men 128 00:03:07,721 --> 00:03:11,570 and women under her command. 129 00:03:11,570 --> 00:03:13,293 That loyalty 130 00:03:11,570 --> 00:03:13,293 cut both ways, 131 00:03:13,326 --> 00:03:16,162 according to her assistant 132 00:03:13,326 --> 00:03:16,162 Megan Ayers. 133 00:03:16,196 --> 00:03:17,664 - Did she take good care 134 00:03:16,196 --> 00:03:17,664 of her soldiers? 135 00:03:17,697 --> 00:03:21,901 - Absolutely. She, uh, 136 00:03:17,697 --> 00:03:21,901 did welfare checks 137 00:03:21,935 --> 00:03:24,237 where you would, you know, 138 00:03:21,935 --> 00:03:24,237 she would visit with families. 139 00:03:24,270 --> 00:03:26,139 She would meet with 140 00:03:24,270 --> 00:03:26,139 the different wives 141 00:03:26,172 --> 00:03:28,740 and things like that. 142 00:03:28,740 --> 00:03:30,210 - Was she the perfect 143 00:03:28,740 --> 00:03:30,210 candidate of the army? 144 00:03:30,243 --> 00:03:31,311 - She was, 145 00:03:30,243 --> 00:03:31,311 in my opinion. 146 00:03:31,344 --> 00:03:33,947 She didn't let stress 147 00:03:31,344 --> 00:03:33,947 get to her too much. 148 00:03:33,980 --> 00:03:36,583 I think that she was probably 149 00:03:33,980 --> 00:03:36,583 one of the best commanders 150 00:03:36,616 --> 00:03:38,651 I've ever worked under. 151 00:03:38,685 --> 00:03:41,388 - Lynn grew up with a brother 152 00:03:38,685 --> 00:03:41,388 and two younger sisters 153 00:03:41,421 --> 00:03:44,524 in the military town 154 00:03:41,421 --> 00:03:44,524 of Pensacola, Florida. 155 00:03:44,557 --> 00:03:45,825 While she was 156 00:03:44,557 --> 00:03:45,825 away at school, 157 00:03:45,859 --> 00:03:48,528 she sent her sister 158 00:03:45,859 --> 00:03:48,528 some advice on tape 159 00:03:48,561 --> 00:03:50,363 for her 16th birthday. 160 00:04:01,374 --> 00:04:03,410 She graduated with 161 00:04:01,374 --> 00:04:03,410 an officer's commission 162 00:04:03,443 --> 00:04:05,445 from Norwich University 163 00:04:03,443 --> 00:04:05,445 in Vermont, 164 00:04:05,478 --> 00:04:08,682 one of the oldest military 165 00:04:05,478 --> 00:04:08,682 colleges in the country, 166 00:04:08,715 --> 00:04:12,485 and then began the globetrotting 167 00:04:08,715 --> 00:04:12,485 life of a soldier. 168 00:04:12,519 --> 00:04:15,155 - I met Lynn 169 00:04:12,519 --> 00:04:15,155 over in Germany. 170 00:04:15,188 --> 00:04:17,524 - Debbie and Lynn were both 171 00:04:15,188 --> 00:04:17,524 stationed over there. 172 00:04:17,557 --> 00:04:20,760 They met at a birthday party 173 00:04:17,557 --> 00:04:20,760 thorough mutual friends. 174 00:04:20,793 --> 00:04:22,295 - I snapped a picture 175 00:04:20,793 --> 00:04:22,295 of the four of them 176 00:04:22,328 --> 00:04:24,640 sitting there 177 00:04:22,328 --> 00:04:24,640 at the table. 178 00:04:24,640 --> 00:04:25,932 - Young woman 179 00:04:24,640 --> 00:04:25,932 serving their country, 180 00:04:25,965 --> 00:04:28,201 savoring life overseas, 181 00:04:28,234 --> 00:04:30,503 and being surrounded 182 00:04:28,234 --> 00:04:30,503 by guys in uniform, 183 00:04:30,537 --> 00:04:33,273 sometimes love 184 00:04:30,537 --> 00:04:33,273 entered the picture, 185 00:04:33,306 --> 00:04:35,275 and it certainly 186 00:04:33,306 --> 00:04:35,275 did for Lynn. 187 00:04:35,308 --> 00:04:36,676 - How did Lynn 188 00:04:35,308 --> 00:04:36,676 and Roger meet? 189 00:04:36,710 --> 00:04:39,279 - They met over in Germany 190 00:04:36,710 --> 00:04:39,279 at the K-Club. 191 00:04:39,312 --> 00:04:41,114 - Is that an army club, or-- 192 00:04:39,312 --> 00:04:41,114 - That is an army club. 193 00:04:41,147 --> 00:04:42,515 It's in Ansbach, 194 00:04:42,549 --> 00:04:44,451 and we would go there 195 00:04:42,549 --> 00:04:44,451 on Saturday nights, 196 00:04:44,484 --> 00:04:47,870 because on Saturday nights, 197 00:04:44,484 --> 00:04:47,870 they had country music. 198 00:04:47,870 --> 00:04:50,156 - Sergeant Roger Reister 199 00:04:47,870 --> 00:04:50,156 and Lynn hit it off at once, 200 00:04:50,190 --> 00:04:52,325 and the romance blossomed. 201 00:04:52,359 --> 00:04:53,893 - Lynn was 202 00:04:52,359 --> 00:04:53,893 a wonderful person. 203 00:04:53,927 --> 00:04:57,130 She had a smile, uh, that just, 204 00:04:53,927 --> 00:04:57,130 you know, lit up the room. 205 00:04:57,163 --> 00:04:58,980 - As a military wife, 206 00:04:58,980 --> 00:05:01,340 when I heard that 207 00:04:58,980 --> 00:05:01,340 Roger was enlisted 208 00:05:01,340 --> 00:05:04,738 and Lynn was an officer, 209 00:05:01,340 --> 00:05:04,738 that's a no-no in the military. 210 00:05:04,771 --> 00:05:07,730 - Yeah, back then, 211 00:05:04,771 --> 00:05:07,730 it wasn't as critical 212 00:05:07,107 --> 00:05:09,142 as it became 213 00:05:07,107 --> 00:05:09,142 a couple years later. 214 00:05:09,175 --> 00:05:11,745 He was a charmer, 215 00:05:09,175 --> 00:05:11,745 and she, uh, 216 00:05:11,778 --> 00:05:13,546 she fell in love. 217 00:05:13,580 --> 00:05:15,582 - And they got married. 218 00:05:15,615 --> 00:05:18,852 Debbie liked the fact 219 00:05:15,615 --> 00:05:18,852 that he was an Elvis fan. 220 00:05:18,885 --> 00:05:20,530 - And I was, like, amazed. 221 00:05:20,860 --> 00:05:21,888 I was like, "Really? You're 222 00:05:20,860 --> 00:05:21,888 into Elvis Presley, too?" 223 00:05:21,921 --> 00:05:24,424 [laughs] I was kind of 224 00:05:21,921 --> 00:05:24,424 surprised by that, yeah. 225 00:05:24,457 --> 00:05:27,930 So, yeah, he was 226 00:05:24,457 --> 00:05:27,930 a lot of fun. 227 00:05:27,127 --> 00:05:28,495 It was-- yeah. 228 00:05:28,528 --> 00:05:31,698 - Roger admired Lynn's 229 00:05:28,528 --> 00:05:31,698 devotion to her country 230 00:05:31,731 --> 00:05:33,700 and her strength. 231 00:05:33,733 --> 00:05:34,901 - You have to be 232 00:05:33,733 --> 00:05:34,901 mentally strong. 233 00:05:34,933 --> 00:05:36,670 With the military, 234 00:05:34,933 --> 00:05:36,670 especially with the- 235 00:05:36,703 --> 00:05:37,671 the women in the military, 236 00:05:37,704 --> 00:05:39,539 you have to be, 237 00:05:37,704 --> 00:05:39,539 you know, mentally strong 238 00:05:39,572 --> 00:05:42,742 to be able to, uh, go toe-to-toe 239 00:05:39,572 --> 00:05:42,742 with some of the men. 240 00:05:42,776 --> 00:05:45,378 - Lynn and Roger had chosen 241 00:05:42,776 --> 00:05:45,378 a soldier's life, 242 00:05:45,412 --> 00:05:48,314 and that meant a marriage 243 00:05:45,412 --> 00:05:48,314 full of separations. 244 00:05:48,348 --> 00:05:51,251 Roger even missed the birth 245 00:05:48,348 --> 00:05:51,251 of his son Triston. 246 00:05:51,284 --> 00:05:52,284 - It was unbelievable. 247 00:05:52,318 --> 00:05:54,587 As soon as I came back, 248 00:05:52,318 --> 00:05:54,587 I stepped off the bus, 249 00:05:54,621 --> 00:05:56,890 and, uh, and she held him, 250 00:05:56,890 --> 00:05:57,957 and she said, 251 00:05:56,890 --> 00:05:57,957 "This is your son," 252 00:05:57,991 --> 00:06:00,593 and, uh, that was a-- 253 00:05:57,991 --> 00:06:00,593 It was a really-- 254 00:06:00,627 --> 00:06:02,495 It was really a great moment. 255 00:06:00,627 --> 00:06:02,495 It really was. 256 00:06:02,529 --> 00:06:04,764 And I just held her 257 00:06:02,529 --> 00:06:04,764 and held him at the same time. 258 00:06:04,798 --> 00:06:06,833 - Was he a good dad? 259 00:06:04,798 --> 00:06:06,833 - He was. 260 00:06:06,866 --> 00:06:10,403 You know, he would 261 00:06:06,866 --> 00:06:10,403 bring him up to visit, 262 00:06:10,437 --> 00:06:12,238 and, you know, 263 00:06:10,437 --> 00:06:12,238 they would play, 264 00:06:12,272 --> 00:06:15,675 and he seemed very happy 265 00:06:12,272 --> 00:06:15,675 being a dad. 266 00:06:15,709 --> 00:06:16,876 - When Triston was 4, 267 00:06:16,910 --> 00:06:20,547 the family was stationed 268 00:06:16,910 --> 00:06:20,547 at Fort Bliss in El Paso, Texas, 269 00:06:20,580 --> 00:06:23,490 and it was Lynn 270 00:06:20,580 --> 00:06:23,490 who got called away. 271 00:06:23,830 --> 00:06:25,251 - Lynn found out she had 272 00:06:23,830 --> 00:06:25,251 to deploy to Saudi Arabia. 273 00:06:25,285 --> 00:06:27,120 - Mm-hmm. 274 00:06:25,285 --> 00:06:27,120 - You were going with her? 275 00:06:27,153 --> 00:06:29,456 - Yes, ma'am. 276 00:06:27,153 --> 00:06:29,456 - Was she okay with that? 277 00:06:29,489 --> 00:06:31,957 I mean, she had to leave 278 00:06:29,489 --> 00:06:31,957 Triston behind. 279 00:06:32,580 --> 00:06:34,828 This is the-- This is her first 280 00:06:32,580 --> 00:06:34,828 deployment without him, correct? 281 00:06:34,861 --> 00:06:36,529 - Uh, to the best of 282 00:06:34,861 --> 00:06:36,529 my knowledge, yes. 283 00:06:36,563 --> 00:06:40,667 I remember her telling us 284 00:06:36,563 --> 00:06:40,667 that it was hard, 285 00:06:40,700 --> 00:06:42,402 that she was having 286 00:06:40,700 --> 00:06:42,402 a hard time with it. 287 00:06:42,435 --> 00:06:44,471 Uh, she was sad, 288 00:06:44,504 --> 00:06:48,541 and that she just kept telling 289 00:06:44,504 --> 00:06:48,541 him that she would come home. 290 00:06:48,575 --> 00:06:49,943 It won't be that long? 291 00:06:48,575 --> 00:06:49,943 - And it was-- 292 00:06:49,976 --> 00:06:52,445 How long was the deployment? 293 00:06:49,976 --> 00:06:52,445 - Uh, it was about six months. 294 00:06:52,479 --> 00:06:55,281 - And then she did 295 00:06:52,479 --> 00:06:55,281 get home, 296 00:06:55,315 --> 00:06:57,951 but her old life 297 00:06:55,315 --> 00:06:57,951 was about to change. 298 00:06:57,984 --> 00:07:00,860 About four months 299 00:06:57,984 --> 00:07:00,860 after she got back, 300 00:07:00,120 --> 00:07:01,388 Roger convinced Lynn 301 00:07:01,421 --> 00:07:04,691 to let his 24-year-old brother 302 00:07:01,421 --> 00:07:04,691 Rodney come live with them. 303 00:07:04,724 --> 00:07:06,659 Rodney had gotten 304 00:07:04,724 --> 00:07:06,659 into some trouble 305 00:07:06,693 --> 00:07:09,295 while his brother 306 00:07:06,693 --> 00:07:09,295 was serving his country. 307 00:07:09,329 --> 00:07:12,332 Maybe Roger and Lynn 308 00:07:09,329 --> 00:07:12,332 could set him straight. 309 00:07:12,365 --> 00:07:14,100 - He was on probation 310 00:07:12,365 --> 00:07:14,100 in Florida, 311 00:07:14,134 --> 00:07:16,336 and for him to be able 312 00:07:14,134 --> 00:07:16,336 to leave the state, 313 00:07:16,369 --> 00:07:19,439 she had to write 314 00:07:16,369 --> 00:07:19,439 this letter, you know, 315 00:07:19,472 --> 00:07:22,308 saying how she would 316 00:07:22,342 --> 00:07:23,910 take on that 317 00:07:22,342 --> 00:07:23,910 responsibility. 318 00:07:23,943 --> 00:07:26,780 Roger asked her to do that, 319 00:07:23,943 --> 00:07:26,780 and so she did. 320 00:07:26,813 --> 00:07:28,348 - Right about 321 00:07:26,813 --> 00:07:28,348 the same time, 322 00:07:28,381 --> 00:07:30,850 Lynn found out 323 00:07:28,381 --> 00:07:30,850 she was pregnant again. 324 00:07:30,884 --> 00:07:33,653 The tug of motherhood 325 00:07:30,884 --> 00:07:33,653 was getting stronger, 326 00:07:33,687 --> 00:07:36,956 so this globetrotting army 327 00:07:33,687 --> 00:07:36,956 captain made a decision. 328 00:07:37,570 --> 00:07:40,860 She put in for a transfer 329 00:07:37,570 --> 00:07:40,860 to teach ROTC in Minnesota. 330 00:07:40,894 --> 00:07:43,530 Good for her career, 331 00:07:40,894 --> 00:07:43,530 good for her family, 332 00:07:43,563 --> 00:07:45,165 and no travel. 333 00:07:45,198 --> 00:07:47,467 Was she doing it at all 334 00:07:45,198 --> 00:07:47,467 to be with Triston more? 335 00:07:47,500 --> 00:07:48,868 Was that part of it? 336 00:07:48,902 --> 00:07:50,370 - Yeah, that would 337 00:07:48,902 --> 00:07:50,370 be part of it, yes. 338 00:07:50,403 --> 00:07:53,273 She wanted to, um-- 339 00:07:50,403 --> 00:07:53,273 It's more relaxing. 340 00:07:53,306 --> 00:07:54,774 - She was gonna 341 00:07:53,306 --> 00:07:54,774 be a teacher. 342 00:07:54,808 --> 00:07:57,977 It was something that she was 343 00:07:54,808 --> 00:07:57,977 really looking forward to. 344 00:07:58,780 --> 00:07:59,913 - Just days before 345 00:07:58,780 --> 00:07:59,913 moving time, 346 00:08:00,130 --> 00:08:02,782 Lynn was saying goodbye 347 00:08:00,130 --> 00:08:02,782 to Fort Bliss. 348 00:08:02,816 --> 00:08:04,484 Lynn was having 349 00:08:02,816 --> 00:08:04,484 a going away party? 350 00:08:04,517 --> 00:08:07,454 - Any time a commander 351 00:08:04,517 --> 00:08:07,454 resigns a command, 352 00:08:07,487 --> 00:08:10,857 the unit'll put together 353 00:08:07,487 --> 00:08:10,857 and buy her a going away gift. 354 00:08:10,890 --> 00:08:12,325 It's usually a plaque 355 00:08:12,359 --> 00:08:16,796 or something to commemorate the 356 00:08:12,359 --> 00:08:16,796 accomplishments of the unit. 357 00:08:16,830 --> 00:08:19,699 - Megan didn't go, 358 00:08:16,830 --> 00:08:19,699 but her husband did. 359 00:08:19,733 --> 00:08:22,335 - My husband came home, 360 00:08:19,733 --> 00:08:22,335 and I asked how-- 361 00:08:22,369 --> 00:08:23,236 how it went, you know? 362 00:08:23,269 --> 00:08:24,471 Did she like the gift? 363 00:08:24,504 --> 00:08:27,207 And he said, you know, 364 00:08:24,504 --> 00:08:27,207 she never showed. 365 00:08:27,240 --> 00:08:30,243 And that was very odd. 366 00:08:30,276 --> 00:08:32,450 - Something else was odd. 367 00:08:32,780 --> 00:08:35,148 Roger had been calling Lynn 368 00:08:32,780 --> 00:08:35,148 at home throughout the day. 369 00:08:35,181 --> 00:08:37,683 No answer. 370 00:08:35,181 --> 00:08:37,683 Late that afternoon, 371 00:08:37,717 --> 00:08:40,253 he came home from work 372 00:08:37,717 --> 00:08:40,253 with Triston, 373 00:08:40,286 --> 00:08:41,921 and it was all too clear 374 00:08:41,955 --> 00:08:44,491 why Lynn hadn't 375 00:08:41,955 --> 00:08:44,491 answered the phone. 376 00:08:52,599 --> 00:08:54,367 - Lynn Armstrong Reister, 377 00:08:54,401 --> 00:08:57,337 mother, soldier, 378 00:08:54,401 --> 00:08:57,337 beloved commander, 379 00:08:57,370 --> 00:09:01,141 was in her bedroom lying dead 380 00:08:57,370 --> 00:09:01,141 in a pool of blood. 381 00:09:04,577 --> 00:09:07,347 - Where will 382 00:09:04,577 --> 00:09:07,347 investigators start? 383 00:09:07,380 --> 00:09:09,315 - You had a killer on the loose. 384 00:09:07,380 --> 00:09:09,315 - Yes. 385 00:09:09,349 --> 00:09:11,217 Who's out there? 386 00:09:09,349 --> 00:09:11,217 Who did this? 387 00:09:18,224 --> 00:09:23,263 ** 388 00:09:24,164 --> 00:09:26,599 - Roger Reister 389 00:09:24,164 --> 00:09:26,599 and his little boy Triston 390 00:09:26,633 --> 00:09:28,301 had just come home 391 00:09:26,633 --> 00:09:28,301 at dinnertime 392 00:09:28,335 --> 00:09:32,205 to something no child 393 00:09:28,335 --> 00:09:32,205 should ever have to see. 394 00:09:32,238 --> 00:09:34,607 - I'm the one 395 00:09:32,238 --> 00:09:34,607 that found her. 396 00:09:34,641 --> 00:09:38,378 Whenever I walked into the-- 397 00:09:34,641 --> 00:09:38,378 I had Triston with me, 398 00:09:38,411 --> 00:09:41,147 And, uh, when we-- 399 00:09:38,411 --> 00:09:41,147 we walked in, it was-- 400 00:09:41,181 --> 00:09:44,184 It was tough. 401 00:09:41,181 --> 00:09:44,184 It was tough seein' that. 402 00:09:44,217 --> 00:09:47,821 - Lynn, six months pregnant, 403 00:09:44,217 --> 00:09:47,821 had been stabbed to death, 404 00:09:47,854 --> 00:09:49,556 her throat slashed. 405 00:09:49,589 --> 00:09:51,424 - My first instinct 406 00:09:49,589 --> 00:09:51,424 was to grab Triston 407 00:09:51,458 --> 00:09:52,625 and run out of the house, 408 00:09:52,659 --> 00:09:54,961 and then I know 409 00:09:52,659 --> 00:09:54,961 I was screamin' and yellin'. 410 00:09:55,610 --> 00:09:56,596 I probably looked like 411 00:09:55,610 --> 00:09:56,596 a madman out there, 412 00:09:56,629 --> 00:09:58,865 but it was- 413 00:09:56,629 --> 00:09:58,865 it was-- 414 00:09:58,898 --> 00:10:00,660 I didn't know 415 00:09:58,898 --> 00:10:00,660 what to think. 416 00:10:04,971 --> 00:10:06,506 - He immediately 417 00:10:04,971 --> 00:10:06,506 called 9-1-1, 418 00:10:06,539 --> 00:10:08,975 and, uh, and brought 419 00:10:06,539 --> 00:10:08,975 Triston out. 420 00:10:09,900 --> 00:10:12,812 Triston in his statement says, 421 00:10:09,900 --> 00:10:12,812 "My daddy took me out fast," 422 00:10:12,846 --> 00:10:14,381 and, you know, 423 00:10:12,846 --> 00:10:14,381 those kind of things. 424 00:10:14,414 --> 00:10:17,283 - Gonzalo Chavarria 425 00:10:14,414 --> 00:10:17,283 was the lead detective. 426 00:10:17,317 --> 00:10:20,520 Did you think about this-this 427 00:10:17,317 --> 00:10:20,520 poor, poor woman's last moments 428 00:10:20,553 --> 00:10:23,230 in this house? 429 00:10:20,553 --> 00:10:23,230 - I did. 430 00:10:23,560 --> 00:10:25,892 I-I-- Looking 431 00:10:23,560 --> 00:10:25,892 at the scene 432 00:10:25,925 --> 00:10:28,795 and-and-and trying 433 00:10:25,925 --> 00:10:28,795 to imagine her 434 00:10:28,828 --> 00:10:30,830 maybe fighting 435 00:10:28,828 --> 00:10:30,830 for her life, 436 00:10:30,864 --> 00:10:32,866 or pleading 437 00:10:30,864 --> 00:10:32,866 for her life, 438 00:10:32,899 --> 00:10:35,502 or-or how scared 439 00:10:32,899 --> 00:10:35,502 she might have been-- 440 00:10:35,535 --> 00:10:38,380 - Any signs of robbery 441 00:10:35,535 --> 00:10:38,380 or things taken? 442 00:10:38,710 --> 00:10:40,140 - No, we-we actually 443 00:10:38,710 --> 00:10:40,140 did a scan, 444 00:10:40,173 --> 00:10:41,608 and we could see 445 00:10:40,173 --> 00:10:41,608 valuables. 446 00:10:41,641 --> 00:10:43,410 There was- 447 00:10:41,641 --> 00:10:43,410 There was no signs 448 00:10:43,443 --> 00:10:46,579 that this was a burglary 449 00:10:43,443 --> 00:10:46,579 or a robbery. 450 00:10:46,613 --> 00:10:49,182 - With police and neighbors 451 00:10:46,613 --> 00:10:49,182 converging on the scene, 452 00:10:49,215 --> 00:10:51,217 the news got out quickly. 453 00:10:51,251 --> 00:10:53,853 Lynn's friend Debbie Moore 454 00:10:51,251 --> 00:10:53,853 couldn't believe it. 455 00:10:53,887 --> 00:10:55,188 - My husband and I 456 00:10:53,887 --> 00:10:55,188 were watching TV, 457 00:10:55,221 --> 00:10:57,190 and he was flippin' 458 00:10:55,221 --> 00:10:57,190 through the channels, 459 00:10:57,223 --> 00:10:59,292 uh, with the 460 00:10:57,223 --> 00:10:59,292 remote control, 461 00:10:59,325 --> 00:11:02,962 and, um, the channel 462 00:10:59,325 --> 00:11:02,962 flipped by, 463 00:11:03,630 --> 00:11:05,298 and it was her house, 464 00:11:03,630 --> 00:11:05,298 and I yelled, and I said, 465 00:11:05,331 --> 00:11:06,833 you know, "Wait! Wait! Wait! 466 00:11:05,331 --> 00:11:06,833 What is that? 467 00:11:06,866 --> 00:11:08,201 "Isn't that Lynn's house?" 468 00:11:08,234 --> 00:11:10,403 And so he flipped it back, 469 00:11:08,234 --> 00:11:10,403 and 'bout that time, 470 00:11:10,437 --> 00:11:13,773 uh, it came up 471 00:11:10,437 --> 00:11:13,773 that, um, a woman, 472 00:11:13,807 --> 00:11:16,710 um, had been found 473 00:11:13,807 --> 00:11:16,710 murdered in her home. 474 00:11:16,743 --> 00:11:20,113 - Did you know right away? 475 00:11:16,743 --> 00:11:20,113 - I knew it was Lynn. 476 00:11:20,146 --> 00:11:22,115 Yeah, 'cause I knew 477 00:11:20,146 --> 00:11:22,115 the house, 478 00:11:22,148 --> 00:11:25,352 and-and then they said 479 00:11:22,148 --> 00:11:25,352 it was, uh, military... 480 00:11:30,190 --> 00:11:34,761 and I remember I-- 481 00:11:30,190 --> 00:11:34,761 it almost made me sick. 482 00:11:34,794 --> 00:11:39,632 Um, I was on the floor, 483 00:11:39,665 --> 00:11:41,801 and then I kinda 484 00:11:39,665 --> 00:11:41,801 got myself together. 485 00:11:41,835 --> 00:11:43,470 I said, 486 00:11:41,835 --> 00:11:43,470 "We have to go over there. 487 00:11:43,503 --> 00:11:46,573 "I have to go over there." 488 00:11:43,503 --> 00:11:46,573 - Roger was already talking 489 00:11:46,606 --> 00:11:49,476 to detectives 490 00:11:46,606 --> 00:11:49,476 and clearly shaken. 491 00:11:49,509 --> 00:11:51,344 Police were sympathetic, 492 00:11:49,509 --> 00:11:51,344 but they knew 493 00:11:51,378 --> 00:11:53,747 he had to be 494 00:11:51,378 --> 00:11:53,747 carefully scrutinized. 495 00:11:53,780 --> 00:11:56,383 - What's your first 496 00:11:53,780 --> 00:11:56,383 impression of Roger Reister? 497 00:11:56,415 --> 00:11:59,419 - He was grasping his son. 498 00:11:56,415 --> 00:11:59,419 Wouldn't let go of him, 499 00:11:59,452 --> 00:12:04,357 and-and I thought that maybe, 500 00:11:59,452 --> 00:12:04,357 um, I saw some, uh, fear. 501 00:12:04,391 --> 00:12:06,326 He was scared 502 00:12:04,391 --> 00:12:06,326 about what had occurred-- 503 00:12:06,359 --> 00:12:07,727 it seemed to me 504 00:12:06,359 --> 00:12:07,727 at the time. 505 00:12:07,761 --> 00:12:11,640 - Are you looking for anything 506 00:12:07,761 --> 00:12:11,640 in Roger Reister's eyes, 507 00:12:11,640 --> 00:12:13,466 or his mannerisms, 508 00:12:11,640 --> 00:12:13,466 or what he's saying? 509 00:12:13,500 --> 00:12:15,902 Are you immediately 510 00:12:13,500 --> 00:12:15,902 sizing him up? 511 00:12:15,935 --> 00:12:17,270 - Absolutely. 512 00:12:15,935 --> 00:12:17,270 - Just to see 513 00:12:17,303 --> 00:12:19,506 if maybe he did this. 514 00:12:17,303 --> 00:12:19,506 - Absolutely. 515 00:12:19,539 --> 00:12:21,341 - It actually took a while 516 00:12:19,539 --> 00:12:21,341 for me to calm down 517 00:12:21,374 --> 00:12:24,770 at the very beginning 'cause 518 00:12:21,374 --> 00:12:24,770 my mind's all over the place, 519 00:12:24,110 --> 00:12:25,945 and then once I wrapped 520 00:12:24,110 --> 00:12:25,945 my mind around-- 521 00:12:25,979 --> 00:12:27,847 "Okay, lemme just go ahead 522 00:12:25,979 --> 00:12:27,847 and give them this 523 00:12:27,881 --> 00:12:29,716 "and get this knocked 524 00:12:27,881 --> 00:12:29,716 out of the way. 525 00:12:29,749 --> 00:12:32,385 "Then they can actually get 526 00:12:29,749 --> 00:12:32,385 on with the investigation." 527 00:12:32,419 --> 00:12:35,188 - Detectives wanted to know 528 00:12:32,419 --> 00:12:35,188 where he was all day. 529 00:12:35,221 --> 00:12:38,892 - Roger had a good alibi. 530 00:12:35,221 --> 00:12:38,892 - He had a solid alibi, yes. 531 00:12:38,925 --> 00:12:40,760 He-- His son was with him 532 00:12:38,925 --> 00:12:40,760 all the time. 533 00:12:40,794 --> 00:12:43,830 He had left his house 534 00:12:40,794 --> 00:12:43,830 very early and stopped 535 00:12:43,863 --> 00:12:46,266 at a convenience store 536 00:12:43,863 --> 00:12:46,266 where he saw friends 537 00:12:46,299 --> 00:12:49,803 and talked to them, and then 538 00:12:46,299 --> 00:12:49,803 when he went-- he got to work, 539 00:12:49,836 --> 00:12:53,340 uh, obviously, his coworkers, 540 00:12:49,836 --> 00:12:53,340 his supervisors saw him. 541 00:12:53,373 --> 00:12:57,143 Also backing up Roger's alibi 542 00:12:53,373 --> 00:12:57,143 was his brother Rodney. 543 00:12:57,177 --> 00:13:00,460 He told detectives he helped 544 00:12:57,177 --> 00:13:00,460 Roger jumpstart his truck 545 00:13:00,460 --> 00:13:03,950 early that morning, and watched 546 00:13:00,460 --> 00:13:03,950 him and Triston leave. 547 00:13:04,500 --> 00:13:06,686 Detective Steve Munos. 548 00:13:04,500 --> 00:13:06,686 - He said that they were able 549 00:13:06,720 --> 00:13:10,423 to crank up the truck, get it 550 00:13:06,720 --> 00:13:10,423 going, and as he pulled away, 551 00:13:10,457 --> 00:13:14,527 he-he says that he did see Roger 552 00:13:10,457 --> 00:13:14,527 also pull out from the driveway. 553 00:13:14,561 --> 00:13:17,364 - Later, Rodney visited 554 00:13:14,561 --> 00:13:17,364 Roger at the base. 555 00:13:17,397 --> 00:13:19,733 He told police his older 556 00:13:17,397 --> 00:13:19,733 brother looked worried 557 00:13:19,766 --> 00:13:22,680 when he called Lynn 558 00:13:19,766 --> 00:13:22,680 and got no answer. 559 00:13:22,102 --> 00:13:25,438 - Thursday, 9:58 am. 560 00:13:29,142 --> 00:13:31,845 - 10:25 am. 561 00:13:36,883 --> 00:13:38,618 - And then he leaves 562 00:13:36,883 --> 00:13:38,618 work and so, we knew 563 00:13:38,651 --> 00:13:41,121 that it would have been 564 00:13:38,651 --> 00:13:41,121 very difficult, 565 00:13:41,154 --> 00:13:46,760 um, for-for him to have 566 00:13:41,154 --> 00:13:46,760 committed this murder. 567 00:13:46,793 --> 00:13:48,528 - So, who did it? 568 00:13:48,561 --> 00:13:51,564 As the investigation got 569 00:13:48,561 --> 00:13:51,564 underway, Detective Chavarria 570 00:13:51,598 --> 00:13:54,000 thought the possibilities 571 00:13:51,598 --> 00:13:54,000 were endless. 572 00:13:54,100 --> 00:13:57,504 - It could be anybody. 573 00:13:54,100 --> 00:13:57,504 It could be a neighbor. 574 00:13:57,537 --> 00:14:00,373 Uh, it could be a-a lover. 575 00:13:57,537 --> 00:14:00,373 She was a captain. 576 00:14:00,407 --> 00:14:04,144 She was a supervisor, 577 00:14:00,407 --> 00:14:04,144 and we thought about her troops, 578 00:14:04,177 --> 00:14:07,781 and her subordinates, and maybe 579 00:14:04,177 --> 00:14:07,781 somebody that she might have 580 00:14:07,814 --> 00:14:12,619 disciplined, or-or-or sex 581 00:14:07,814 --> 00:14:12,619 offenders in the area. 582 00:14:12,652 --> 00:14:15,455 - You had a wide net 583 00:14:12,652 --> 00:14:15,455 you needed to throw out. 584 00:14:15,488 --> 00:14:18,725 - It was a wide investigation 585 00:14:15,488 --> 00:14:18,725 at the time, yes. 586 00:14:18,758 --> 00:14:19,859 - You had a killer 587 00:14:18,758 --> 00:14:19,859 on the loose. 588 00:14:19,893 --> 00:14:23,129 - Yes, and the neighbors 589 00:14:19,893 --> 00:14:23,129 were very scared, and-- 590 00:14:23,163 --> 00:14:24,964 who's out there. 591 00:14:23,163 --> 00:14:24,964 Who did this? 592 00:14:25,650 --> 00:14:28,168 - In those first few hours, 593 00:14:25,650 --> 00:14:28,168 the leads would pour in, 594 00:14:28,201 --> 00:14:30,737 and police had 595 00:14:28,201 --> 00:14:30,737 to move fast. 596 00:14:30,770 --> 00:14:33,773 Lynn Reister had inspired 597 00:14:30,770 --> 00:14:33,773 loyalty in her life. 598 00:14:33,807 --> 00:14:38,111 Now in death, the detectives 599 00:14:33,807 --> 00:14:38,111 could not let her down. 600 00:14:39,846 --> 00:14:42,849 On base, 601 00:14:39,846 --> 00:14:42,849 a giant military family 602 00:14:42,882 --> 00:14:46,853 is hit hard by murder, 603 00:14:42,882 --> 00:14:46,853 but in Lynn's own family, 604 00:14:46,886 --> 00:14:50,457 had there been signs of trouble? 605 00:14:46,886 --> 00:14:50,457 - Rodney was going around, 606 00:14:50,490 --> 00:14:52,959 calling her names, 607 00:14:50,490 --> 00:14:52,959 vulgar names. 608 00:14:52,992 --> 00:14:55,328 - He had a little bit 609 00:14:52,992 --> 00:14:55,328 of animosity towards Lynn. 610 00:15:02,302 --> 00:15:08,408 ** 611 00:15:09,576 --> 00:15:12,846 - The news of Lynn Reister's 612 00:15:09,576 --> 00:15:12,846 murder spread through El Paso, 613 00:15:12,879 --> 00:15:14,514 and it was devastating 614 00:15:12,879 --> 00:15:14,514 to those 615 00:15:14,547 --> 00:15:17,117 who served with her 616 00:15:14,547 --> 00:15:17,117 at the army base. 617 00:15:17,150 --> 00:15:20,787 - Did this crime send shockwaves 618 00:15:17,150 --> 00:15:20,787 through Fort Bliss? 619 00:15:20,820 --> 00:15:24,290 - It certainly did. 620 00:15:20,820 --> 00:15:24,290 It was heart-breaking. 621 00:15:24,324 --> 00:15:27,260 It was harrowing. 622 00:15:24,324 --> 00:15:27,260 When it first happened, 623 00:15:27,293 --> 00:15:30,930 we had no idea, 624 00:15:27,293 --> 00:15:30,930 and it was scary. 625 00:15:30,964 --> 00:15:34,670 - The Fort Bliss community 626 00:15:30,964 --> 00:15:34,670 packed the memorial service 627 00:15:34,670 --> 00:15:36,269 to say goodbye to the 628 00:15:34,670 --> 00:15:36,269 captain and the baby 629 00:15:36,302 --> 00:15:39,773 she was carrying, 630 00:15:36,302 --> 00:15:39,773 who never got a chance. 631 00:15:39,806 --> 00:15:41,975 - Tell us 632 00:15:39,806 --> 00:15:41,975 about the funeral. 633 00:15:42,750 --> 00:15:44,477 - The wake 634 00:15:42,750 --> 00:15:44,477 was extremely difficult. 635 00:15:44,511 --> 00:15:48,481 She was buried in her-her 636 00:15:44,511 --> 00:15:48,481 army dress uniform, 637 00:15:48,515 --> 00:15:52,652 and, um, they, uh-- 638 00:15:52,686 --> 00:15:55,288 in order to do 639 00:15:52,686 --> 00:15:55,288 the open casket, 640 00:15:55,321 --> 00:15:58,825 um, they had to cover 641 00:15:55,321 --> 00:15:58,825 the throat, uh, so they used 642 00:15:58,858 --> 00:16:03,163 her air defense artillery 643 00:15:58,858 --> 00:16:03,163 ascot to, you know-- 644 00:16:03,196 --> 00:16:05,565 it connects 645 00:16:03,196 --> 00:16:05,565 on the back and-- 646 00:16:05,598 --> 00:16:08,335 so that they would be able 647 00:16:05,598 --> 00:16:08,335 to do the open casket. 648 00:16:08,368 --> 00:16:13,873 ["Taps" plays] 649 00:16:13,907 --> 00:16:16,943 - Lynn's mother asked me 650 00:16:13,907 --> 00:16:16,943 to go and buy a baby blanket. 651 00:16:17,430 --> 00:16:19,112 It was a little boy, 652 00:16:17,430 --> 00:16:19,112 and so I went and bought 653 00:16:19,145 --> 00:16:22,480 a little baby blanket, 654 00:16:19,145 --> 00:16:22,480 and so, for the memorial, 655 00:16:22,480 --> 00:16:24,884 when they laid 656 00:16:22,480 --> 00:16:24,884 Lynn out in her uniform, 657 00:16:24,918 --> 00:16:27,754 the point was there 658 00:16:24,918 --> 00:16:27,754 that not just one person 659 00:16:27,787 --> 00:16:31,124 had died in this attack, 660 00:16:27,787 --> 00:16:31,124 but two had died. 661 00:16:31,157 --> 00:16:33,560 - Four year old Triston 662 00:16:31,157 --> 00:16:33,560 was there with his family 663 00:16:33,593 --> 00:16:36,329 and his mother's friends, 664 00:16:33,593 --> 00:16:36,329 barely comprehending 665 00:16:36,363 --> 00:16:38,898 the tragic rupture 666 00:16:36,363 --> 00:16:38,898 in his life. 667 00:16:38,932 --> 00:16:40,800 - Do you remember 668 00:16:38,932 --> 00:16:40,800 how you felt towards him? 669 00:16:40,834 --> 00:16:43,536 - I do. 670 00:16:40,834 --> 00:16:43,536 I just--I felt sorrow. 671 00:16:43,570 --> 00:16:49,476 I-I wanted so bad to fix it 672 00:16:43,570 --> 00:16:49,476 for him, and I understood 673 00:16:49,509 --> 00:16:54,781 that this little, 4 and 1/2 674 00:16:49,509 --> 00:16:54,781 year old boy will never know 675 00:16:54,814 --> 00:16:58,418 how great his mom was. 676 00:16:54,814 --> 00:16:58,418 How much she loved him. 677 00:16:58,451 --> 00:17:01,210 - Does your heart just go 678 00:16:58,451 --> 00:17:01,210 out to this little boy? 679 00:17:01,210 --> 00:17:02,922 - Yes, absolutely, 680 00:17:01,210 --> 00:17:02,922 and it still does. 681 00:17:03,230 --> 00:17:05,425 - But the detectives had to 682 00:17:03,230 --> 00:17:05,425 put emotion aside 683 00:17:05,458 --> 00:17:07,193 and drill down 684 00:17:05,458 --> 00:17:07,193 to the facts. 685 00:17:07,227 --> 00:17:09,896 Roger wasn't home 686 00:17:07,227 --> 00:17:09,896 at the time of the murder, 687 00:17:09,929 --> 00:17:13,767 and neighbors weren't reporting 688 00:17:09,929 --> 00:17:13,767 any suspicious activity, 689 00:17:13,800 --> 00:17:15,335 so detectives 690 00:17:13,800 --> 00:17:15,335 wanted to know 691 00:17:15,367 --> 00:17:18,238 if anyone held 692 00:17:15,367 --> 00:17:18,238 a grudge against Lynn. 693 00:17:18,271 --> 00:17:21,107 They quickly learned that 694 00:17:18,271 --> 00:17:21,107 at least one person may have-- 695 00:17:21,141 --> 00:17:23,943 Roger's brother, Rodney. 696 00:17:24,440 --> 00:17:26,112 - Things started 697 00:17:24,440 --> 00:17:26,112 to go south with Rodney 698 00:17:26,146 --> 00:17:27,814 pretty quickly 699 00:17:26,146 --> 00:17:27,814 after he moved in. 700 00:17:27,847 --> 00:17:30,450 - Yes, there was, 701 00:17:27,847 --> 00:17:30,450 um, times where he 702 00:17:30,483 --> 00:17:32,419 would just lay 703 00:17:30,483 --> 00:17:32,419 around all day long. 704 00:17:32,452 --> 00:17:35,221 - Rodney idolized his big 705 00:17:32,452 --> 00:17:35,221 brother, but he was something 706 00:17:35,255 --> 00:17:38,224 of a disappointment 707 00:17:35,255 --> 00:17:38,224 to Roger and Lynn. 708 00:17:38,258 --> 00:17:40,460 - Well, he just-- 709 00:17:38,258 --> 00:17:40,460 he wasn't working. 710 00:17:40,493 --> 00:17:41,327 He was basically, 711 00:17:40,493 --> 00:17:41,327 you know, 712 00:17:41,361 --> 00:17:44,164 just living off of us, 713 00:17:41,361 --> 00:17:44,164 stuff like that. 714 00:17:44,197 --> 00:17:46,766 - She would go to get milk 715 00:17:44,197 --> 00:17:46,766 out of the refrigerator 716 00:17:46,800 --> 00:17:49,302 for Triston and the milk would 717 00:17:46,800 --> 00:17:49,302 be gone because Rodney 718 00:17:49,336 --> 00:17:52,605 had drank it all and didn't 719 00:17:49,336 --> 00:17:52,605 bother to replace it, and, yeah. 720 00:17:52,639 --> 00:17:58,278 It was becoming, um, 721 00:17:52,639 --> 00:17:58,278 not a very good relationship. 722 00:17:58,311 --> 00:17:59,846 - Lynn didn't 723 00:17:58,311 --> 00:17:59,846 want him to stay? 724 00:17:59,879 --> 00:18:01,614 - I think Lynn was ready 725 00:17:59,879 --> 00:18:01,614 to have her house back. 726 00:18:01,648 --> 00:18:02,682 You know, it's very difficult 727 00:18:01,648 --> 00:18:02,682 when you have 728 00:18:02,716 --> 00:18:04,684 another adult living 729 00:18:02,716 --> 00:18:04,684 in the home. 730 00:18:04,718 --> 00:18:06,186 I think they talked, 731 00:18:04,718 --> 00:18:06,186 and they ended up-- 732 00:18:06,219 --> 00:18:10,523 Roger ended up telling, uh, 733 00:18:06,219 --> 00:18:10,523 Rodney that it was time to go-- 734 00:18:10,557 --> 00:18:12,525 that, "You needed to leave. 735 00:18:10,557 --> 00:18:12,525 You've been here long enough. 736 00:18:12,559 --> 00:18:14,194 "We've tried to help you. 737 00:18:12,559 --> 00:18:14,194 You know, you're not really 738 00:18:14,227 --> 00:18:16,863 "helping yourself, 739 00:18:14,227 --> 00:18:16,863 so you need to go." 740 00:18:16,896 --> 00:18:19,399 - Lynn and I came 741 00:18:16,896 --> 00:18:19,399 to that decision together, 742 00:18:19,432 --> 00:18:20,533 but it was just one 743 00:18:19,432 --> 00:18:20,533 of those things 744 00:18:20,567 --> 00:18:24,504 that just had to be done. 745 00:18:20,567 --> 00:18:24,504 He held that against her. 746 00:18:24,537 --> 00:18:27,841 Mom and his relationship 747 00:18:24,537 --> 00:18:27,841 continued on, but I could tell 748 00:18:27,874 --> 00:18:29,843 he had a little bit 749 00:18:27,874 --> 00:18:29,843 of animosity, you know, 750 00:18:29,876 --> 00:18:31,778 towards Lynn 751 00:18:29,876 --> 00:18:31,778 even after that. 752 00:18:31,811 --> 00:18:36,490 - A closer look at Rodney showed 753 00:18:31,811 --> 00:18:36,490 a young man with a dodgy past. 754 00:18:36,490 --> 00:18:39,520 He'd done time in Florida 755 00:18:36,490 --> 00:18:39,520 for crimes like petty theft, 756 00:18:39,520 --> 00:18:42,322 forgery, grand theft auto. 757 00:18:39,520 --> 00:18:42,322 Nothing violent, 758 00:18:42,355 --> 00:18:45,525 but still, he was 759 00:18:42,355 --> 00:18:45,525 no fan of Lynn's. 760 00:18:45,558 --> 00:18:51,664 - And then I remember 761 00:18:45,558 --> 00:18:51,664 Lynn telling me that Roger 762 00:18:51,698 --> 00:18:57,504 had told her that Rodney was 763 00:18:51,698 --> 00:18:57,504 going around calling her names. 764 00:18:57,537 --> 00:19:00,140 You know, calling her vulgar 765 00:18:57,537 --> 00:19:00,140 names that he had-- 766 00:19:00,173 --> 00:19:01,841 she's the reason that he got 767 00:19:00,173 --> 00:19:01,841 kicked out, 768 00:19:01,875 --> 00:19:05,110 that she's the reason that all 769 00:19:01,875 --> 00:19:05,110 these things happened and stuff. 770 00:19:05,450 --> 00:19:06,346 - Did you see 771 00:19:05,450 --> 00:19:06,346 that as a motive? 772 00:19:06,379 --> 00:19:08,748 - I never thought that that 773 00:19:06,379 --> 00:19:08,748 in of itself would have been 774 00:19:08,782 --> 00:19:11,484 a motive to kill her or that 775 00:19:08,782 --> 00:19:11,484 he would have been that angry 776 00:19:11,518 --> 00:19:13,887 just because of that-- 777 00:19:11,518 --> 00:19:13,887 to-to kill her. 778 00:19:13,920 --> 00:19:18,358 - So, why in the world 779 00:19:13,920 --> 00:19:18,358 would Rodney want Lynn dead? 780 00:19:18,391 --> 00:19:20,760 - I don't think Rodney 781 00:19:18,391 --> 00:19:20,760 wanted Lynn dead. 782 00:19:20,794 --> 00:19:24,300 - Here was a person that, 783 00:19:20,794 --> 00:19:24,300 um, that was willing to help us 784 00:19:24,300 --> 00:19:27,834 in the investigation, 785 00:19:24,300 --> 00:19:27,834 and he was very cooperative 786 00:19:27,867 --> 00:19:29,502 initially and throughout. 787 00:19:29,536 --> 00:19:31,738 - The search 788 00:19:29,536 --> 00:19:31,738 for suspects continued. 789 00:19:31,771 --> 00:19:33,807 Lynn's neighborhood 790 00:19:31,771 --> 00:19:33,807 turned up nothing. 791 00:19:33,840 --> 00:19:37,544 Same with Fort Bliss. 792 00:19:33,840 --> 00:19:37,544 Lynn had no enemies there. 793 00:19:37,577 --> 00:19:40,714 - You couldn't imagine 794 00:19:37,577 --> 00:19:40,714 that it could have happened. 795 00:19:40,747 --> 00:19:42,749 It seemed unreal. 796 00:19:42,782 --> 00:19:47,554 An army commander 797 00:19:42,782 --> 00:19:47,554 being murdered was unheard of. 798 00:19:47,587 --> 00:19:52,580 - But then, one name cropped up. 799 00:19:47,587 --> 00:19:52,580 Rodney mentioned it to police. 800 00:19:52,920 --> 00:19:55,729 - We asked him who else would 801 00:19:52,920 --> 00:19:55,729 have wanted to do this to Lynn? 802 00:19:55,762 --> 00:19:58,640 Um, did she have 803 00:19:55,762 --> 00:19:58,640 any enemies? 804 00:19:58,640 --> 00:20:00,533 And Rodney tells us 805 00:19:58,640 --> 00:20:00,533 that there's this one girl. 806 00:20:00,567 --> 00:20:03,636 Uh, her name is April, and this 807 00:20:00,567 --> 00:20:03,636 girl has a crush on my brother, 808 00:20:03,670 --> 00:20:08,740 and-and so he mentions her, 809 00:20:03,670 --> 00:20:08,740 and that's important. 810 00:20:08,108 --> 00:20:11,711 - Turns out, this was 811 00:20:08,108 --> 00:20:11,711 way more than a crush. 812 00:20:11,745 --> 00:20:15,382 Lynn's best friend uncovers 813 00:20:11,745 --> 00:20:15,382 a stunning secret. 814 00:20:17,650 --> 00:20:21,540 A bold confrontation 815 00:20:17,650 --> 00:20:21,540 with the other woman. 816 00:20:21,870 --> 00:20:22,956 - We knock on the door. 817 00:20:21,870 --> 00:20:22,956 She opens it, and I said, 818 00:20:22,989 --> 00:20:24,758 "My understanding 819 00:20:22,989 --> 00:20:24,758 is that you're pregnant." 820 00:20:31,331 --> 00:20:34,901 ** 821 00:20:35,902 --> 00:20:38,672 - Welcome back to "Dateline: 822 00:20:35,902 --> 00:20:38,672 Secrets Uncovered". 823 00:20:38,705 --> 00:20:40,407 I'm Craig Melvin. 824 00:20:40,440 --> 00:20:42,876 Pregnant army officer 825 00:20:40,440 --> 00:20:42,876 Lynn Reister 826 00:20:42,909 --> 00:20:45,545 was stabbed to death 827 00:20:42,909 --> 00:20:45,545 in the home she shared 828 00:20:45,578 --> 00:20:48,915 with her husband Roger 829 00:20:45,578 --> 00:20:48,915 and their young son. 830 00:20:48,948 --> 00:20:53,687 Roger had an airtight alibi, 831 00:20:48,948 --> 00:20:53,687 but under police questioning, 832 00:20:53,720 --> 00:20:57,691 Lynn's brother-in-law, Rodney, 833 00:20:53,720 --> 00:20:57,691 shared a detail that would 834 00:20:57,724 --> 00:21:02,162 give them a view inside 835 00:20:57,724 --> 00:21:02,162 a marriage riddled with lies. 836 00:21:02,195 --> 00:21:08,680 Back to Andrea Canning 837 00:21:02,195 --> 00:21:08,680 with "Deadly Devotion". 838 00:21:08,101 --> 00:21:10,370 - It was a lead that would 839 00:21:08,101 --> 00:21:10,370 take the Lynn Reister 840 00:21:10,403 --> 00:21:13,807 murder invesitigation 841 00:21:10,403 --> 00:21:13,807 in a new direction. 842 00:21:13,840 --> 00:21:15,608 Roger Reister's brother 843 00:21:13,840 --> 00:21:15,608 had mentioned 844 00:21:15,642 --> 00:21:18,778 a young woman 845 00:21:15,642 --> 00:21:18,778 who had a crush on Roger. 846 00:21:18,812 --> 00:21:21,281 Detectives quickly learned 847 00:21:18,812 --> 00:21:21,281 this crush 848 00:21:21,314 --> 00:21:23,983 was an open secret 849 00:21:21,314 --> 00:21:23,983 around town. 850 00:21:24,840 --> 00:21:25,185 - We went 851 00:21:24,840 --> 00:21:25,185 to the Village Inn 852 00:21:25,218 --> 00:21:29,489 and I walked in the door, 853 00:21:25,218 --> 00:21:29,489 and there was Roger. 854 00:21:29,522 --> 00:21:31,991 - It was about nine 855 00:21:29,522 --> 00:21:31,991 months before the murder. 856 00:21:32,920 --> 00:21:33,930 Lynn's assistant, 857 00:21:32,920 --> 00:21:33,930 Megan, 858 00:21:33,930 --> 00:21:35,428 had just gotten back 859 00:21:33,930 --> 00:21:35,428 from Saudi Arabia. 860 00:21:35,462 --> 00:21:38,365 Lynn was still there 861 00:21:35,462 --> 00:21:38,365 with a week and a half to go. 862 00:21:38,398 --> 00:21:40,000 - Roger was sitting 863 00:21:38,398 --> 00:21:40,000 in a booth 864 00:21:40,100 --> 00:21:43,300 with several other-other 865 00:21:40,100 --> 00:21:43,300 people-- I didn't know 866 00:21:43,103 --> 00:21:47,140 any of them-- 867 00:21:43,103 --> 00:21:47,140 uh, as well as a-a young lady, 868 00:21:47,173 --> 00:21:53,346 and they were cuddled up, 869 00:21:47,173 --> 00:21:53,346 and Roger had a look 870 00:21:53,380 --> 00:21:56,716 of sheer terror on his face 871 00:21:53,380 --> 00:21:56,716 when he saw me walk in, 872 00:21:56,750 --> 00:22:00,520 and realized who I was, 'cause, 873 00:21:56,750 --> 00:22:00,520 you know, we knew each other. 874 00:22:00,553 --> 00:22:02,756 He stopped and he gave me a hug, 875 00:22:00,553 --> 00:22:02,756 and, "I didn't know 876 00:22:02,789 --> 00:22:06,259 "you were back." 877 00:22:02,789 --> 00:22:06,259 Uh, well I am. 878 00:22:06,292 --> 00:22:08,661 - The young woman's 879 00:22:06,292 --> 00:22:08,661 name was April. 880 00:22:08,695 --> 00:22:10,263 She was 19 years old. 881 00:22:10,296 --> 00:22:11,831 What exactly was 882 00:22:10,296 --> 00:22:11,831 going on between 883 00:22:11,865 --> 00:22:13,933 Roger and 884 00:22:11,865 --> 00:22:13,933 this young lady? 885 00:22:13,967 --> 00:22:16,102 They looked like a couple? 886 00:22:13,967 --> 00:22:16,102 - They did. 887 00:22:16,136 --> 00:22:19,339 - Megan decided it wasn't 888 00:22:16,136 --> 00:22:19,339 her place to tell Lynn. 889 00:22:19,372 --> 00:22:20,840 But over in 890 00:22:19,372 --> 00:22:20,840 Saudi Arabia, 891 00:22:20,874 --> 00:22:23,343 Lynn knew 892 00:22:20,874 --> 00:22:23,343 something was up. 893 00:22:23,376 --> 00:22:25,578 Roger never seemed 894 00:22:23,376 --> 00:22:25,578 to answer the phone. 895 00:22:34,220 --> 00:22:36,623 And word had traveled 896 00:22:34,220 --> 00:22:36,623 halfway around the world 897 00:22:36,656 --> 00:22:39,693 that Roger had been having 898 00:22:36,656 --> 00:22:39,693 parties at their home, 899 00:22:39,726 --> 00:22:41,995 drinking with people 900 00:22:39,726 --> 00:22:41,995 as young as eighteen, 901 00:22:42,950 --> 00:22:44,831 acting like a 902 00:22:42,950 --> 00:22:44,831 teenager himself. 903 00:22:44,864 --> 00:22:46,666 Lynn left him 904 00:22:44,864 --> 00:22:46,666 this voicemail 905 00:22:46,700 --> 00:22:49,102 before she got 906 00:22:46,700 --> 00:22:49,102 her flight home to Texas: 907 00:23:06,886 --> 00:23:09,789 - Lynn rarely gave up 908 00:23:06,886 --> 00:23:09,789 on people she loved. 909 00:23:09,823 --> 00:23:11,658 When she got home 910 00:23:09,823 --> 00:23:11,658 from Saudi Arabia, 911 00:23:11,691 --> 00:23:14,940 she wanted to patch things up 912 00:23:11,691 --> 00:23:14,940 with Roger. 913 00:23:14,127 --> 00:23:15,795 - You're talking about 914 00:23:14,127 --> 00:23:15,795 somebody who was in a marriage 915 00:23:15,829 --> 00:23:19,199 that she wanted 916 00:23:15,829 --> 00:23:19,199 to keep together. 917 00:23:19,232 --> 00:23:22,635 And she fought 918 00:23:22,669 --> 00:23:25,372 hard to-to 919 00:23:22,669 --> 00:23:25,372 keep it together. 920 00:23:25,405 --> 00:23:26,639 - One night, 921 00:23:26,673 --> 00:23:29,576 Lynn decided to surprise him 922 00:23:26,673 --> 00:23:29,576 at his favorite country bar. 923 00:23:29,609 --> 00:23:32,145 But the surprise 924 00:23:29,609 --> 00:23:32,145 was on her. 925 00:23:32,178 --> 00:23:36,616 Roger was there, surrounded by 926 00:23:32,178 --> 00:23:36,616 his new gang of young friends. 927 00:23:36,649 --> 00:23:38,284 - She came over to me 928 00:23:36,649 --> 00:23:38,284 and started talking to me 929 00:23:38,318 --> 00:23:40,153 and asking me questions 930 00:23:38,318 --> 00:23:40,153 about Roger, 931 00:23:40,186 --> 00:23:42,288 if I saw him over there, 932 00:23:40,186 --> 00:23:42,288 and if I'd seen him before, 933 00:23:42,322 --> 00:23:43,823 and-and I told her 934 00:23:42,322 --> 00:23:43,823 that, yeah, I'd saw-- 935 00:23:43,857 --> 00:23:45,492 I'd seen him there 936 00:23:43,857 --> 00:23:45,492 one other time. 937 00:23:45,525 --> 00:23:46,526 She goes, [gasps] 938 00:23:45,525 --> 00:23:46,526 "Well do you know 939 00:23:46,559 --> 00:23:48,940 "who these people are?" 940 00:23:46,559 --> 00:23:48,940 - And April was in 941 00:23:48,940 --> 00:23:49,596 the bar that night? 942 00:23:48,940 --> 00:23:49,596 - Yes. 943 00:23:49,629 --> 00:23:51,197 - And how was 944 00:23:49,629 --> 00:23:51,197 he acting around April? 945 00:23:51,231 --> 00:23:52,632 They were out 946 00:23:51,231 --> 00:23:52,632 dancing on the floor, 947 00:23:52,665 --> 00:23:55,969 doing flips and-and 948 00:23:52,665 --> 00:23:55,969 turns and yeah, 949 00:23:56,200 --> 00:23:58,705 things that he never danced 950 00:23:56,200 --> 00:23:58,705 with-with Lynn. 951 00:23:58,738 --> 00:24:00,730 - But he's doing this 952 00:23:58,738 --> 00:24:00,730 in front of Lynn? 953 00:24:00,106 --> 00:24:02,342 - Oh, yes. 954 00:24:00,106 --> 00:24:02,342 Oh, yes. 955 00:24:02,375 --> 00:24:04,477 She was so angry. 956 00:24:04,511 --> 00:24:07,747 And what made it worse 957 00:24:04,511 --> 00:24:07,747 is he was so disrespectful. 958 00:24:07,781 --> 00:24:09,182 I mean, she was 959 00:24:07,781 --> 00:24:09,182 trying to talk to him 960 00:24:09,215 --> 00:24:10,650 and he just-- 961 00:24:09,215 --> 00:24:10,650 every time she'd s- 962 00:24:10,684 --> 00:24:12,485 she'd start walking 963 00:24:10,684 --> 00:24:12,485 towards him, 964 00:24:12,519 --> 00:24:14,621 he'd walk away. 965 00:24:12,519 --> 00:24:14,621 - Sounds like Lynn was 966 00:24:14,654 --> 00:24:16,322 trying to be the grownup. 967 00:24:14,654 --> 00:24:16,322 - Yes. 968 00:24:16,356 --> 00:24:17,724 - And Roger had reverted 969 00:24:16,356 --> 00:24:17,724 a little bit. 970 00:24:17,757 --> 00:24:18,858 - Oh, yeah. 971 00:24:17,757 --> 00:24:18,858 - Back to sort of 972 00:24:18,892 --> 00:24:21,127 the good old days? 973 00:24:18,892 --> 00:24:21,127 - Oh yeah, yeah. 974 00:24:21,161 --> 00:24:23,229 - Detectives learned 975 00:24:21,161 --> 00:24:23,229 that night at the country bar 976 00:24:23,263 --> 00:24:24,698 ended badly. 977 00:24:24,731 --> 00:24:26,833 A messy, drunken 978 00:24:24,731 --> 00:24:26,833 argument broke out 979 00:24:26,866 --> 00:24:28,702 between Roger and Lynn, 980 00:24:28,735 --> 00:24:30,837 and Roger moved 981 00:24:28,735 --> 00:24:30,837 into the barracks. 982 00:24:30,870 --> 00:24:33,573 After that, Lynn asked Debbie 983 00:24:30,870 --> 00:24:33,573 for some help. 984 00:24:33,606 --> 00:24:35,975 - I was kind of playing 985 00:24:33,606 --> 00:24:35,975 detective for her. 986 00:24:36,760 --> 00:24:37,310 And so I went up there, 987 00:24:36,760 --> 00:24:37,310 I remember sitting 988 00:24:37,344 --> 00:24:39,145 and watching 989 00:24:37,344 --> 00:24:39,145 outside the barracks, 990 00:24:39,179 --> 00:24:41,448 and, um, April ended up 991 00:24:39,179 --> 00:24:41,448 coming up there, 992 00:24:41,481 --> 00:24:43,550 and-and hanging out 993 00:24:41,481 --> 00:24:43,550 at the barracks. 994 00:24:43,583 --> 00:24:48,321 - This wasn't just a crush, 995 00:24:43,583 --> 00:24:48,321 this was a full-on affair. 996 00:24:48,355 --> 00:24:49,856 And then it got worse. 997 00:24:49,889 --> 00:24:52,392 Lynn heard a rumor 998 00:24:49,889 --> 00:24:52,392 that April was pregnant 999 00:24:52,425 --> 00:24:55,295 with Roger's baby. 1000 00:24:52,425 --> 00:24:55,295 - And so, I told her, 1001 00:24:55,328 --> 00:24:58,198 I said, "You know, I know 1002 00:24:55,328 --> 00:24:58,198 where April lives." 1003 00:24:58,231 --> 00:25:00,233 I said, "Lynn, why don't 1004 00:24:58,231 --> 00:25:00,233 we go over there? 1005 00:25:00,266 --> 00:25:02,769 "So why we-Why we just 1006 00:25:00,266 --> 00:25:02,769 go talk with April?" 1007 00:25:02,802 --> 00:25:05,380 - That's gutsy. 1008 00:25:02,802 --> 00:25:05,380 - Yeah, well, 1009 00:25:05,380 --> 00:25:06,940 we were older. 1010 00:25:07,400 --> 00:25:11,678 We were-- And she, you know, 1011 00:25:07,400 --> 00:25:11,678 w-- I knew Lynn would be-- 1012 00:25:11,711 --> 00:25:13,580 Lynn wasn't gonna lose it. 1013 00:25:11,711 --> 00:25:13,580 I mean, Lynn, 1014 00:25:13,613 --> 00:25:15,248 she was a command-- 1015 00:25:13,613 --> 00:25:15,248 - So what's it like 1016 00:25:15,281 --> 00:25:16,683 when you knock 1017 00:25:15,281 --> 00:25:16,683 on the door, and-- 1018 00:25:16,716 --> 00:25:18,385 - Well, we knock on the door, 1019 00:25:16,716 --> 00:25:18,385 she opens it, 1020 00:25:18,418 --> 00:25:20,320 she's a little bit 1021 00:25:18,418 --> 00:25:20,320 surprised, and Lynn-- 1022 00:25:20,353 --> 00:25:22,789 like I said, 1023 00:25:20,353 --> 00:25:22,789 Lynn was very nice. 1024 00:25:22,822 --> 00:25:25,158 We sat down, and we started 1025 00:25:22,822 --> 00:25:25,158 talking to her, um, 1026 00:25:25,191 --> 00:25:27,600 about her relationship, 1027 00:25:25,191 --> 00:25:27,600 and she tried to say that, 1028 00:25:27,930 --> 00:25:29,429 you know, yes, that she had, 1029 00:25:27,930 --> 00:25:29,429 but it was over now, 1030 00:25:29,462 --> 00:25:33,133 that, you know, Lynn was back, 1031 00:25:29,462 --> 00:25:33,133 and-and I finally said, 1032 00:25:33,166 --> 00:25:34,768 I said, "Well-- but 1033 00:25:33,166 --> 00:25:34,768 my understand is 1034 00:25:34,801 --> 00:25:35,969 "you're pregnant." 1035 00:25:36,690 --> 00:25:37,771 - April denied 1036 00:25:36,690 --> 00:25:37,771 she was pregnant, 1037 00:25:37,804 --> 00:25:39,873 insisting the affair 1038 00:25:37,804 --> 00:25:39,873 was over. 1039 00:25:39,906 --> 00:25:42,375 - So you both left April's, 1040 00:25:39,906 --> 00:25:42,375 not really 1041 00:25:42,409 --> 00:25:45,645 knowing for sure if she was 1042 00:25:42,409 --> 00:25:45,645 or wasn't pregnant? 1043 00:25:45,679 --> 00:25:47,947 - If it-- yeah-- 1044 00:25:45,679 --> 00:25:47,947 th-then, of course, 1045 00:25:47,981 --> 00:25:50,850 later we found out that 1046 00:25:47,981 --> 00:25:50,850 she was actually pregnant. 1047 00:25:50,884 --> 00:25:53,987 - And telling people 1048 00:25:50,884 --> 00:25:53,987 the father was Roger. 1049 00:25:54,870 --> 00:25:57,123 A lot of women would've cashed 1050 00:25:54,870 --> 00:25:57,123 in the marriage at this point. 1051 00:25:57,157 --> 00:26:00,927 But not Lynn. 1052 00:25:57,157 --> 00:26:00,927 She let Roger come home. 1053 00:26:01,270 --> 00:26:03,630 Does Lynn still wanna make 1054 00:26:01,270 --> 00:26:03,630 things work with Roger, 1055 00:26:03,663 --> 00:26:05,310 despite-- 1056 00:26:03,663 --> 00:26:05,310 - She does. 1057 00:26:05,650 --> 00:26:06,533 - --this bombshell? 1058 00:26:05,650 --> 00:26:06,533 - She does. 1059 00:26:06,566 --> 00:26:08,368 - Why? 1060 00:26:08,401 --> 00:26:10,637 - I think probably 1061 00:26:08,401 --> 00:26:10,637 because of Triston. 1062 00:26:10,670 --> 00:26:14,441 I think that it was 1063 00:26:10,670 --> 00:26:14,441 important to Lynn that 1064 00:26:14,474 --> 00:26:15,642 her family stayed together, 1065 00:26:15,675 --> 00:26:18,244 and that Triston 1066 00:26:15,675 --> 00:26:18,244 be raised with, 1067 00:26:18,278 --> 00:26:19,279 you know, 1068 00:26:18,278 --> 00:26:19,279 mother and father, 1069 00:26:19,312 --> 00:26:20,714 and that she would 1070 00:26:19,312 --> 00:26:20,714 work it out. 1071 00:26:20,747 --> 00:26:22,282 - And they were 1072 00:26:20,747 --> 00:26:22,282 working on things. 1073 00:26:22,315 --> 00:26:24,951 - She was, yes. 1074 00:26:22,315 --> 00:26:24,951 - Marriage counseling? 1075 00:26:25,510 --> 00:26:27,354 - They did try 1076 00:26:25,510 --> 00:26:27,354 marriage counseling, yes. 1077 00:26:27,387 --> 00:26:28,855 - They had moved 1078 00:26:27,387 --> 00:26:28,855 back in together. 1079 00:26:28,888 --> 00:26:30,900 - Yes. 1080 00:26:30,123 --> 00:26:32,659 - Police heard that after Roger 1081 00:26:30,123 --> 00:26:32,659 reconciled with Lynn, 1082 00:26:32,692 --> 00:26:35,895 her car was vandalized. 1083 00:26:32,692 --> 00:26:35,895 April was never charged, 1084 00:26:35,929 --> 00:26:38,531 but at the time, 1085 00:26:35,929 --> 00:26:38,531 Lynn and Roger told police 1086 00:26:38,565 --> 00:26:41,534 they thought she did it. 1087 00:26:38,565 --> 00:26:41,534 So this is very complex. 1088 00:26:41,568 --> 00:26:43,970 - Very. 1089 00:26:41,568 --> 00:26:43,970 - This April situation. 1090 00:26:44,700 --> 00:26:46,473 Police had to put 1091 00:26:44,700 --> 00:26:46,473 this woman scorn 1092 00:26:46,506 --> 00:26:48,842 on the list of 1093 00:26:46,506 --> 00:26:48,842 possible suspects. 1094 00:26:48,875 --> 00:26:53,790 - Roger had pushed April aside 1095 00:26:48,875 --> 00:26:53,790 to a point where sh-- 1096 00:26:53,790 --> 00:26:55,582 where he was telling everybody, 1097 00:26:53,790 --> 00:26:55,582 "Oh, that's not--" 1098 00:26:55,615 --> 00:26:57,817 Do-- You know, denying 1099 00:26:55,615 --> 00:26:57,817 that was his baby 1100 00:26:57,851 --> 00:27:02,220 that April was carrying. 1101 00:26:57,851 --> 00:27:02,220 - You wanna get a woman angry. 1102 00:27:02,220 --> 00:27:02,856 - Yes. 1103 00:27:02,220 --> 00:27:02,856 - That's a pretty good way 1104 00:27:02,889 --> 00:27:05,125 to do it. 1105 00:27:02,889 --> 00:27:05,125 - Absolutely. 1106 00:27:05,158 --> 00:27:06,760 - But as detectives 1107 00:27:05,158 --> 00:27:06,760 were sorting through 1108 00:27:06,793 --> 00:27:09,796 this tangled love triangle, 1109 00:27:06,793 --> 00:27:09,796 they got news of a break 1110 00:27:09,829 --> 00:27:11,364 in the case. 1111 00:27:11,398 --> 00:27:14,670 The forensic lab 1112 00:27:11,398 --> 00:27:14,670 came back with something: 1113 00:27:14,100 --> 00:27:18,380 a trace of the killer 1114 00:27:14,100 --> 00:27:18,380 on Lynn Reister's arm. 1115 00:27:20,540 --> 00:27:24,611 A telltale palm print. 1116 00:27:20,540 --> 00:27:24,611 Whose could it be? 1117 00:27:24,644 --> 00:27:26,746 - Does everyone's jaws drop? 1118 00:27:24,644 --> 00:27:26,746 - Yes. 1119 00:27:33,186 --> 00:27:38,580 ** 1120 00:27:38,858 --> 00:27:41,828 - A troubled marriage. 1121 00:27:38,858 --> 00:27:41,828 A doomed affair. 1122 00:27:41,861 --> 00:27:45,398 A pregnant mistress. 1123 00:27:41,861 --> 00:27:45,398 Detectives did the math, 1124 00:27:45,432 --> 00:27:47,334 and suddenly, 1125 00:27:45,432 --> 00:27:47,334 April and Roger 1126 00:27:47,367 --> 00:27:50,370 were each looking like 1127 00:27:47,367 --> 00:27:50,370 possible suspects. 1128 00:27:50,403 --> 00:27:53,473 But then, results came in 1129 00:27:50,403 --> 00:27:53,473 on a clue found 1130 00:27:53,506 --> 00:27:55,750 at the crime scene: 1131 00:27:55,750 --> 00:27:58,845 a bloodied palm print 1132 00:27:55,750 --> 00:27:58,845 on Lynn Reister's arm. 1133 00:27:58,878 --> 00:28:00,814 Did Roger give his palm print? 1134 00:27:58,878 --> 00:28:00,814 - Roger gave his palm print. 1135 00:28:00,847 --> 00:28:02,382 - Was he a match? 1136 00:28:00,847 --> 00:28:02,382 - He was not a match. 1137 00:28:02,415 --> 00:28:04,150 - Did April give her palm print? 1138 00:28:02,415 --> 00:28:04,150 - Yes. 1139 00:28:04,184 --> 00:28:06,853 - Was she a match? 1140 00:28:04,184 --> 00:28:06,853 - She was not a match. 1141 00:28:06,886 --> 00:28:10,357 - At that, they checked 1142 00:28:06,886 --> 00:28:10,357 the prints of someone else, 1143 00:28:10,390 --> 00:28:12,926 someone Lynn Reister 1144 00:28:10,390 --> 00:28:12,926 had once tried to help: 1145 00:28:13,260 --> 00:28:15,562 her brother-in-law, 1146 00:28:13,260 --> 00:28:15,562 Rodney. 1147 00:28:15,595 --> 00:28:17,297 - He's a match. 1148 00:28:17,330 --> 00:28:20,330 Those prints belong to him, 1149 00:28:17,330 --> 00:28:20,330 and they're in blood, 1150 00:28:20,330 --> 00:28:21,901 on Lynn's arm. 1151 00:28:21,935 --> 00:28:24,137 - This is the smoking gun. 1152 00:28:21,935 --> 00:28:24,137 - It is. 1153 00:28:24,170 --> 00:28:26,206 - Rodney was brought back 1154 00:28:24,170 --> 00:28:26,206 to police headquarters 1155 00:28:26,239 --> 00:28:29,709 by detective Steve Munos. 1156 00:28:26,239 --> 00:28:29,709 - He was still a person, 1157 00:28:29,743 --> 00:28:32,645 like, nothing phased him 1158 00:28:29,743 --> 00:28:32,645 out here. Here I am. 1159 00:28:32,679 --> 00:28:35,482 I-- whatever you want from me, 1160 00:28:32,679 --> 00:28:35,482 I-- you wanna talk to me? 1161 00:28:35,515 --> 00:28:37,250 I'll give you 1162 00:28:35,515 --> 00:28:37,250 whatever you need. 1163 00:28:37,283 --> 00:28:40,186 - When Rodney sat down 1164 00:28:37,283 --> 00:28:40,186 with Detective Shavaria, 1165 00:28:40,220 --> 00:28:42,522 he was confronted 1166 00:28:40,220 --> 00:28:42,522 with the print evidence, 1167 00:28:42,555 --> 00:28:45,825 and he denied everything. 1168 00:28:42,555 --> 00:28:45,825 - As we talked to him 1169 00:28:45,859 --> 00:28:49,396 and broke down 1170 00:28:45,859 --> 00:28:49,396 those denials, he, uh, 1171 00:28:49,429 --> 00:28:52,365 he became very emotional. 1172 00:28:49,429 --> 00:28:52,365 Rodney cried 1173 00:28:52,399 --> 00:28:54,701 a bunch of times 1174 00:28:52,399 --> 00:28:54,701 during the interview, 1175 00:28:54,734 --> 00:28:57,904 and he revealed that, 1176 00:28:54,734 --> 00:28:57,904 uh, that he had, in fact, 1177 00:28:57,937 --> 00:29:00,540 killed Lynn. 1178 00:28:57,937 --> 00:29:00,540 - Case closed? 1179 00:29:00,573 --> 00:29:02,208 - Not even close. 1180 00:29:02,242 --> 00:29:05,645 We had to answer the question of 1181 00:29:02,242 --> 00:29:05,645 why did Rodney kill her? 1182 00:29:05,679 --> 00:29:09,482 Why did Rodney 1183 00:29:05,679 --> 00:29:09,482 get involved 1184 00:29:09,516 --> 00:29:11,785 in something 1185 00:29:09,516 --> 00:29:11,785 so heinous and s- 1186 00:29:11,818 --> 00:29:14,487 so horrible, 1187 00:29:11,818 --> 00:29:14,487 so violent. 1188 00:29:14,521 --> 00:29:16,790 - Detectives continued 1189 00:29:14,521 --> 00:29:16,790 to press. 1190 00:29:16,823 --> 00:29:19,590 They never thought the spat 1191 00:29:16,823 --> 00:29:19,590 between Rodney and Lynn 1192 00:29:19,920 --> 00:29:21,270 was a good motive 1193 00:29:19,920 --> 00:29:21,270 for murder. 1194 00:29:21,270 --> 00:29:23,229 There had to be 1195 00:29:21,270 --> 00:29:23,229 something else. 1196 00:29:23,263 --> 00:29:28,268 Rodney finally broke down. 1197 00:29:23,263 --> 00:29:28,268 He admitted there was. 1198 00:29:28,301 --> 00:29:31,104 - He did it because 1199 00:29:28,301 --> 00:29:31,104 Roger asked him to do it. 1200 00:29:31,137 --> 00:29:34,541 - He said big brother Roger 1201 00:29:31,137 --> 00:29:34,541 was behind it all. 1202 00:29:34,574 --> 00:29:37,177 - What-- Does everyone's 1203 00:29:34,574 --> 00:29:37,177 jaws drop? 1204 00:29:37,210 --> 00:29:38,845 - Yes. 1205 00:29:37,210 --> 00:29:38,845 - At this statement? 1206 00:29:38,878 --> 00:29:41,470 - Absolutely. 1207 00:29:38,878 --> 00:29:41,470 - Roger was arrested 1208 00:29:41,470 --> 00:29:43,717 and charged with murder. 1209 00:29:43,750 --> 00:29:45,385 - There was such-- 1210 00:29:43,750 --> 00:29:45,385 this big shock 1211 00:29:45,418 --> 00:29:47,530 with his friends, 1212 00:29:45,418 --> 00:29:47,530 and their mutual friends, 1213 00:29:47,530 --> 00:29:50,560 'cause they-they thought 1214 00:29:47,530 --> 00:29:50,560 "No, no." 1215 00:29:50,560 --> 00:29:52,892 Because he looked like 1216 00:29:50,560 --> 00:29:52,892 this perfect husband, 1217 00:29:52,926 --> 00:29:55,829 perfect father. 1218 00:29:52,926 --> 00:29:55,829 - According to Rodney, 1219 00:29:55,862 --> 00:29:58,198 Roger suggested, 1220 00:29:55,862 --> 00:29:58,198 then begged, 1221 00:29:58,231 --> 00:30:01,340 then bullied him 1222 00:29:58,231 --> 00:30:01,340 into killing Lynn. 1223 00:30:01,670 --> 00:30:02,168 He offered money. 1224 00:30:02,202 --> 00:30:05,710 He'd pay off Rodney's bills, 1225 00:30:02,202 --> 00:30:05,710 and then some. 1226 00:30:05,105 --> 00:30:08,740 But mostly, 1227 00:30:05,105 --> 00:30:08,740 he offered love. 1228 00:30:08,108 --> 00:30:10,410 - Then Roger's feeding all 1229 00:30:08,108 --> 00:30:10,410 these things into his head 1230 00:30:10,443 --> 00:30:13,980 about she wants 1231 00:30:10,443 --> 00:30:13,980 to move, 1232 00:30:14,140 --> 00:30:17,550 she wants to take me away 1233 00:30:14,140 --> 00:30:17,550 from my friends, you're you. 1234 00:30:17,584 --> 00:30:20,186 I love you, 1235 00:30:17,584 --> 00:30:20,186 she wants to separate us. 1236 00:30:20,220 --> 00:30:23,490 Rodney told police his brother 1237 00:30:20,220 --> 00:30:23,490 had no shortage of reasons 1238 00:30:23,523 --> 00:30:27,560 for wanting Lynn dead. 1239 00:30:23,523 --> 00:30:27,560 Prosecutor John Gibson. 1240 00:30:27,594 --> 00:30:29,529 - Roger wanted the life 1241 00:30:27,594 --> 00:30:29,529 insurance policy, 1242 00:30:29,562 --> 00:30:32,980 he wanted custody 1243 00:30:29,562 --> 00:30:32,980 of his young son, 1244 00:30:32,132 --> 00:30:34,734 he knew that if his, 1245 00:30:32,132 --> 00:30:34,734 uh, affair with April, 1246 00:30:34,768 --> 00:30:38,104 uh, became apparent that he face 1247 00:30:34,768 --> 00:30:38,104 consequences in the military 1248 00:30:38,138 --> 00:30:41,410 to include prosecution 1249 00:30:38,138 --> 00:30:41,410 in military, uh, jail, 1250 00:30:41,740 --> 00:30:43,309 uh, he wa-- he didn't 1251 00:30:41,740 --> 00:30:43,309 wanna move, uh, 1252 00:30:43,343 --> 00:30:45,645 and to follow Lynn in 1253 00:30:43,343 --> 00:30:45,645 her career to Minnesota. 1254 00:30:45,679 --> 00:30:47,313 He wanted to stay, 1255 00:30:45,679 --> 00:30:47,313 and he wanted to party, 1256 00:30:47,347 --> 00:30:50,116 uh, back here 1257 00:30:47,347 --> 00:30:50,116 in El Paso. 1258 00:30:50,150 --> 00:30:52,419 - And Rodney said Roger 1259 00:30:50,150 --> 00:30:52,419 didn't just talk about 1260 00:30:52,452 --> 00:30:54,888 why he wanted 1261 00:30:52,452 --> 00:30:54,888 his wife killed. 1262 00:30:54,921 --> 00:30:58,758 He says Roger talked 1263 00:30:54,921 --> 00:30:58,758 about how and when. 1264 00:30:58,792 --> 00:31:02,595 - He describes 1265 00:30:58,792 --> 00:31:02,595 Roger preparing 1266 00:31:02,629 --> 00:31:05,265 the weapon, 1267 00:31:02,629 --> 00:31:05,265 preparing extra clothes 1268 00:31:05,298 --> 00:31:06,633 for Rodney 1269 00:31:06,666 --> 00:31:08,835 to change. 1270 00:31:06,666 --> 00:31:08,835 - Rodney said the plan 1271 00:31:08,868 --> 00:31:11,710 was for Roger to 1272 00:31:08,868 --> 00:31:11,710 call him that morning 1273 00:31:11,710 --> 00:31:14,374 to say his battery was dead. 1274 00:31:11,710 --> 00:31:14,374 Was that the signal? 1275 00:31:14,407 --> 00:31:15,675 - That was the signal. 1276 00:31:15,709 --> 00:31:17,644 And-And that's 1277 00:31:15,709 --> 00:31:17,644 where Rodney tells us 1278 00:31:17,677 --> 00:31:19,245 "When we-- When I 1279 00:31:17,677 --> 00:31:19,245 went to the house, 1280 00:31:19,279 --> 00:31:22,215 "I knew that was the day 1281 00:31:19,279 --> 00:31:22,215 I was gonna have to kill Lynn." 1282 00:31:22,248 --> 00:31:25,952 - The prosecutor threw the book 1283 00:31:22,248 --> 00:31:25,952 at both brothers. 1284 00:31:25,985 --> 00:31:29,255 - Uh, so, decision was made, 1285 00:31:25,985 --> 00:31:29,255 uh, to go ahead and pursue 1286 00:31:29,289 --> 00:31:31,324 capital murder charges 1287 00:31:29,289 --> 00:31:31,324 against both Roger 1288 00:31:31,358 --> 00:31:33,930 and Rodney Reister. 1289 00:31:31,358 --> 00:31:33,930 - And that could mean 1290 00:31:33,126 --> 00:31:34,461 the death penalty? 1291 00:31:33,126 --> 00:31:34,461 - It could mean 1292 00:31:34,494 --> 00:31:36,229 the death penalty. 1293 00:31:36,262 --> 00:31:38,665 - But as the day of 1294 00:31:36,262 --> 00:31:38,665 Roger's trial got closer, 1295 00:31:38,698 --> 00:31:41,901 Rodney's misguided loyalty 1296 00:31:38,698 --> 00:31:41,901 got the better of him. 1297 00:31:41,935 --> 00:31:45,772 He refused to testify 1298 00:31:41,935 --> 00:31:45,772 against his older brother. 1299 00:31:45,805 --> 00:31:47,807 - You know, I think Rodney 1300 00:31:45,805 --> 00:31:47,807 had a degree of lol-- loyalty 1301 00:31:47,841 --> 00:31:51,378 and love for his brother, 1302 00:31:47,841 --> 00:31:51,378 uh, such that, um, you know, 1303 00:31:51,411 --> 00:31:53,947 he couldn't get up on the stand 1304 00:31:51,411 --> 00:31:53,947 and testify against him. 1305 00:31:53,980 --> 00:31:56,816 - So a jury would not hear 1306 00:31:53,980 --> 00:31:56,816 from the younger brother 1307 00:31:56,850 --> 00:31:59,152 or see his confession. 1308 00:31:59,185 --> 00:32:02,550 The prosecution was forced 1309 00:31:59,185 --> 00:32:02,550 to drop the murder charge 1310 00:32:02,880 --> 00:32:03,490 against Roger. 1311 00:32:03,523 --> 00:32:06,359 But that was not 1312 00:32:03,523 --> 00:32:06,359 the end of the case. 1313 00:32:06,393 --> 00:32:07,727 Remember that pack 1314 00:32:06,393 --> 00:32:07,727 of young people 1315 00:32:07,761 --> 00:32:09,662 Roger was running with? 1316 00:32:09,696 --> 00:32:11,531 - Many of them were 1317 00:32:09,696 --> 00:32:11,531 high school kids, uh, 1318 00:32:11,564 --> 00:32:13,333 in that area, 1319 00:32:11,564 --> 00:32:13,333 and many of the people 1320 00:32:13,366 --> 00:32:15,735 were junior, uh, in rank, 1321 00:32:13,366 --> 00:32:15,735 other soldiers 1322 00:32:15,769 --> 00:32:19,720 at the-at the base. 1323 00:32:15,769 --> 00:32:19,720 So, uh, Roger surrounded himself 1324 00:32:19,105 --> 00:32:22,108 with people he knew 1325 00:32:19,105 --> 00:32:22,108 would look up to him. 1326 00:32:22,142 --> 00:32:24,978 - But they turned on him 1327 00:32:22,142 --> 00:32:24,978 after Lynn was killed. 1328 00:32:25,780 --> 00:32:26,790 One by one, 1329 00:32:26,112 --> 00:32:29,820 six members of Roger's circle 1330 00:32:26,112 --> 00:32:29,820 told police 1331 00:32:29,115 --> 00:32:31,518 they knew Roger 1332 00:32:29,115 --> 00:32:31,518 wanted his wife dead 1333 00:32:31,551 --> 00:32:33,586 because he had talked 1334 00:32:31,551 --> 00:32:33,586 to them about it. 1335 00:32:33,620 --> 00:32:35,221 Two of them 1336 00:32:33,620 --> 00:32:35,221 even told police 1337 00:32:35,255 --> 00:32:38,358 Roger had tried to 1338 00:32:35,255 --> 00:32:38,358 hire them for the murder. 1339 00:32:38,391 --> 00:32:40,994 - You know, Roger Reister 1340 00:32:38,391 --> 00:32:40,994 basically told anybody 1341 00:32:41,940 --> 00:32:43,630 who would listen that 1342 00:32:41,940 --> 00:32:43,630 he wanted his wife dead. 1343 00:32:43,663 --> 00:32:45,532 - So the prosecutor 1344 00:32:43,663 --> 00:32:45,532 charged Roger 1345 00:32:45,565 --> 00:32:49,636 with solicitation for murder 1346 00:32:45,565 --> 00:32:49,636 and put him on trial for that. 1347 00:32:49,669 --> 00:32:51,671 One of Roger's minions, 1348 00:32:49,669 --> 00:32:51,671 a young soldier 1349 00:32:51,705 --> 00:32:54,941 named Patrick Muller 1350 00:32:51,705 --> 00:32:54,941 was a key witness. 1351 00:32:54,974 --> 00:32:57,177 - He was granted immunity 1352 00:32:54,974 --> 00:32:57,177 and gave a statement 1353 00:32:57,210 --> 00:32:59,846 explaining that he had too 1354 00:32:57,210 --> 00:32:59,846 had in fact been, uh, 1355 00:32:59,879 --> 00:33:02,549 solicited by, uh, Roger 1356 00:32:59,879 --> 00:33:02,549 to kill Lynn Reister. 1357 00:33:16,730 --> 00:33:19,650 - Muller said he went 1358 00:33:16,730 --> 00:33:19,650 to the house one night 1359 00:33:19,650 --> 00:33:21,534 but chickened out when 1360 00:33:19,650 --> 00:33:21,534 he spotted a neighbor. 1361 00:33:21,568 --> 00:33:25,638 Another young man testified 1362 00:33:21,568 --> 00:33:25,638 how Roger had tried to hire him. 1363 00:33:36,816 --> 00:33:39,152 - Roger's former mistress 1364 00:33:36,816 --> 00:33:39,152 April, now cleared 1365 00:33:39,185 --> 00:33:42,622 of any suspicion, testified 1366 00:33:39,185 --> 00:33:42,622 that Roger talked to her 1367 00:33:42,655 --> 00:33:45,910 about tampering with 1368 00:33:42,655 --> 00:33:45,910 Lynn's brakes. 1369 00:33:45,910 --> 00:33:48,628 Lynn's friend Debbie doesn't 1370 00:33:45,910 --> 00:33:48,628 understand why one of these 1371 00:33:48,661 --> 00:33:50,530 young people didn't 1372 00:33:48,661 --> 00:33:50,530 blow the whistle 1373 00:33:50,563 --> 00:33:52,799 before Lynn was killed. 1374 00:33:52,832 --> 00:33:55,502 - I was so angry because 1375 00:33:52,832 --> 00:33:55,502 I thought why didn't 1376 00:33:55,535 --> 00:33:57,300 one of them mention 1377 00:33:55,535 --> 00:33:57,300 that to me? 1378 00:33:57,103 --> 00:34:00,240 Why wouldn't that comment 1379 00:34:00,273 --> 00:34:02,509 not be told to me? 1380 00:34:02,542 --> 00:34:05,145 'Cause I think if one of them 1381 00:34:02,542 --> 00:34:05,145 had told me that 1382 00:34:05,178 --> 00:34:07,414 and I would have went back 1383 00:34:05,178 --> 00:34:07,414 to Lynn with that right away. 1384 00:34:07,447 --> 00:34:10,382 - With all those witnesses, 1385 00:34:07,447 --> 00:34:10,382 the prosecution thought 1386 00:34:10,417 --> 00:34:13,920 they had a strong case, 1387 00:34:10,417 --> 00:34:13,920 but Roger Reister had plenty 1388 00:34:13,953 --> 00:34:18,591 to say about those witnesses 1389 00:34:13,953 --> 00:34:18,591 and about his brother Rodney. 1390 00:34:18,625 --> 00:34:23,663 - Did you ask your brother 1391 00:34:18,625 --> 00:34:23,663 Rodney to kill Lynn? 1392 00:34:26,989 --> 00:34:27,132 - I love my wife. 1393 00:34:27,167 --> 00:34:29,502 We were trying to do-- 1394 00:34:27,167 --> 00:34:29,502 build a future together. 1395 00:34:29,536 --> 00:34:33,340 - Roger tells his story. 1396 00:34:29,536 --> 00:34:33,340 Will the jury believe him? 1397 00:34:33,373 --> 00:34:37,110 When "Dateline: Secrets 1398 00:34:33,373 --> 00:34:37,110 Uncovered" continues. 1399 00:34:44,451 --> 00:34:46,518 - To take your wi-- your wi-- 1400 00:34:44,451 --> 00:34:46,518 your wife, 1401 00:34:46,553 --> 00:34:48,987 the mother of your child, 1402 00:34:46,553 --> 00:34:48,987 and the fact that she was 1403 00:34:49,889 --> 00:34:53,393 carrying his unborn child-- 1404 00:34:49,889 --> 00:34:53,393 I don't even have the words 1405 00:34:53,426 --> 00:34:55,762 of-of how sick-- 1406 00:34:53,426 --> 00:34:55,762 what a monster. 1407 00:34:55,795 --> 00:34:58,665 - Roger Resiter didn't look 1408 00:34:55,795 --> 00:34:58,665 like a monster 1409 00:34:58,698 --> 00:35:01,334 when he went on trial 1410 00:34:58,698 --> 00:35:01,334 for criminal solicitation, 1411 00:35:01,368 --> 00:35:04,571 but lots of witnesses said 1412 00:35:01,368 --> 00:35:04,571 he talked about killing his wife 1413 00:35:04,604 --> 00:35:07,173 to anyone 1414 00:35:04,604 --> 00:35:07,173 who would listen. 1415 00:35:07,207 --> 00:35:11,945 Well now, 12 jurors were 1416 00:35:07,207 --> 00:35:11,945 listening, and it took them 1417 00:35:12,450 --> 00:35:15,348 all of three hours 1418 00:35:12,450 --> 00:35:15,348 to find him guilty. 1419 00:35:15,382 --> 00:35:16,716 When you hear guilty. 1420 00:35:16,750 --> 00:35:18,451 - My legs went out from 1421 00:35:16,750 --> 00:35:18,451 underneath me. 1422 00:35:18,485 --> 00:35:20,120 My lawyers actually 1423 00:35:18,485 --> 00:35:20,120 had my arms. 1424 00:35:20,153 --> 00:35:23,560 - Roger was sentenced 1425 00:35:20,153 --> 00:35:23,560 to life in prison. 1426 00:35:23,560 --> 00:35:26,659 He spoke to us from behind 1427 00:35:23,560 --> 00:35:26,659 glass at a Texas state prison. 1428 00:35:26,693 --> 00:35:29,929 The prosecutor said in 1429 00:35:26,693 --> 00:35:29,929 his closing statements, 1430 00:35:29,963 --> 00:35:31,564 "Who is he 1431 00:35:29,963 --> 00:35:31,564 crying for?" 1432 00:35:31,598 --> 00:35:35,502 Referring to you, he said, 1433 00:35:31,598 --> 00:35:35,502 "He's crying for himself." 1434 00:35:35,535 --> 00:35:39,439 - No, I was cry-crying for 1435 00:35:35,535 --> 00:35:39,439 my wife, my unborn child 1436 00:35:39,472 --> 00:35:41,241 is what I was 1437 00:35:39,472 --> 00:35:41,241 crying for. 1438 00:35:41,274 --> 00:35:43,176 It-it had nothing 1439 00:35:41,274 --> 00:35:43,176 to do with me. 1440 00:35:43,209 --> 00:35:44,377 - Why should 1441 00:35:43,209 --> 00:35:44,377 we believe you? 1442 00:35:44,411 --> 00:35:47,247 - 'Cause I didn't do it. 1443 00:35:44,411 --> 00:35:47,247 'Cause I love my wife. 1444 00:35:47,280 --> 00:35:50,830 - He told us he may have been 1445 00:35:47,280 --> 00:35:50,830 a terrible husband, 1446 00:35:50,830 --> 00:35:52,519 but he never wanted 1447 00:35:50,830 --> 00:35:52,519 Lynn dead. 1448 00:35:52,552 --> 00:35:54,721 - Was life easier without her 1449 00:35:52,552 --> 00:35:54,721 in that picture? 1450 00:35:54,754 --> 00:35:55,889 - No, absolutely not. 1451 00:35:55,922 --> 00:35:57,457 That's why we actually 1452 00:35:55,922 --> 00:35:57,457 got back together. 1453 00:35:57,490 --> 00:36:00,360 We separated and-and, you know, 1454 00:35:57,490 --> 00:36:00,360 I was like, okay well, 1455 00:36:00,393 --> 00:36:02,495 I'll move back in the barracks, 1456 00:36:00,393 --> 00:36:02,495 but that's why we got back 1457 00:36:02,529 --> 00:36:05,865 together because, uh, life 1458 00:36:02,529 --> 00:36:05,865 wasn't easier without her. 1459 00:36:05,899 --> 00:36:07,801 Life was better 1460 00:36:05,899 --> 00:36:07,801 with her. 1461 00:36:07,834 --> 00:36:09,536 Always has. 1462 00:36:09,569 --> 00:36:13,730 - But remember, the prosecution 1463 00:36:09,569 --> 00:36:13,730 said there was a long list 1464 00:36:13,106 --> 00:36:14,174 of motives. 1465 00:36:14,207 --> 00:36:17,110 All right, let's run through 1466 00:36:14,207 --> 00:36:17,110 the motives of why 1467 00:36:17,143 --> 00:36:20,280 the prosecution said you wanted 1468 00:36:17,143 --> 00:36:20,280 your wife dead. 1469 00:36:20,313 --> 00:36:23,316 First was that you wanted 1470 00:36:20,313 --> 00:36:23,316 the $250,000 life insurance 1471 00:36:23,350 --> 00:36:24,351 policy. 1472 00:36:24,384 --> 00:36:25,885 - Oh no, that-- it doesn't 1473 00:36:24,384 --> 00:36:25,885 make much sense 1474 00:36:25,919 --> 00:36:29,550 because, uh, Lynn was making 1475 00:36:25,919 --> 00:36:29,550 more money than, uh, I was. 1476 00:36:29,550 --> 00:36:32,459 So, you know, $250,000-- 1477 00:36:29,550 --> 00:36:32,459 all soldiers have 1478 00:36:32,492 --> 00:36:34,940 that same amount 1479 00:36:32,492 --> 00:36:34,940 on them, so. 1480 00:36:34,127 --> 00:36:36,363 - You wanted sole custody 1481 00:36:34,127 --> 00:36:36,363 of Triston. 1482 00:36:36,396 --> 00:36:38,565 - No, Lynn and I would 1483 00:36:36,396 --> 00:36:38,565 all been-- it would have 1484 00:36:38,598 --> 00:36:39,966 definitely been joint custody. 1485 00:36:40,660 --> 00:36:42,302 It's something that, uh, 1486 00:36:40,660 --> 00:36:42,302 we talked about whenever 1487 00:36:42,335 --> 00:36:43,670 we briefly separated. 1488 00:36:43,703 --> 00:36:46,106 - You didn't want to go 1489 00:36:43,703 --> 00:36:46,106 to a military prison 1490 00:36:46,139 --> 00:36:48,740 for committing adultery. 1491 00:36:48,740 --> 00:36:50,577 - No, that-- it's been 1492 00:36:48,740 --> 00:36:50,577 a very long time 1493 00:36:50,610 --> 00:36:53,546 since anybody was, 1494 00:36:50,610 --> 00:36:53,546 uh, convicted of a felony 1495 00:36:53,580 --> 00:36:58,840 for, uh, adultery 1496 00:36:53,580 --> 00:36:58,840 in the military. 1497 00:36:58,840 --> 00:37:00,220 - He says he still doesn't 1498 00:36:58,840 --> 00:37:00,220 understand why all his 1499 00:37:00,253 --> 00:37:03,890 old friends turned on him, 1500 00:37:00,253 --> 00:37:03,890 but he doesn't have 1501 00:37:03,123 --> 00:37:06,359 a good explanation for why 1502 00:37:03,123 --> 00:37:06,359 they all would have lied. 1503 00:37:06,393 --> 00:37:10,497 You had a lot of people 1504 00:37:06,393 --> 00:37:10,497 saying that you wanted 1505 00:37:10,530 --> 00:37:11,898 to have your wife 1506 00:37:10,530 --> 00:37:11,898 killed. 1507 00:37:11,931 --> 00:37:13,733 - And you'd think I'd come 1508 00:37:11,931 --> 00:37:13,733 up with a really good reason 1509 00:37:13,767 --> 00:37:16,870 for it for all those people 1510 00:37:13,767 --> 00:37:16,870 and, uh, I haven't. 1511 00:37:16,903 --> 00:37:18,471 Obviously, you know, 1512 00:37:16,903 --> 00:37:18,471 maybe some of them 1513 00:37:18,505 --> 00:37:20,400 had their 1514 00:37:18,505 --> 00:37:20,400 individual motives. 1515 00:37:20,730 --> 00:37:23,760 - But six-six people. 1516 00:37:20,730 --> 00:37:23,760 - I-I know. 1517 00:37:23,109 --> 00:37:26,579 - That's a lot of people all 1518 00:37:23,109 --> 00:37:26,579 lying and ganging up on you. 1519 00:37:26,613 --> 00:37:28,480 - I-I don't know what 1520 00:37:26,613 --> 00:37:28,480 their reasons are, 1521 00:37:28,480 --> 00:37:30,817 but you'd be surprised 1522 00:37:28,480 --> 00:37:30,817 what people would say. 1523 00:37:30,850 --> 00:37:33,653 - The year after Roger's trial, 1524 00:37:30,850 --> 00:37:33,653 his brother Rodney was 1525 00:37:33,687 --> 00:37:36,423 convicted of murder 1526 00:37:33,687 --> 00:37:36,423 and sentenced to life. 1527 00:37:36,456 --> 00:37:40,930 Roger still says 1528 00:37:36,456 --> 00:37:40,930 Rodney acted alone. 1529 00:37:40,126 --> 00:37:42,328 - One of the things that's 1530 00:37:40,126 --> 00:37:42,328 hard to wrap your head around 1531 00:37:42,362 --> 00:37:45,598 is that Rodney had 1532 00:37:42,362 --> 00:37:45,598 this love for you. 1533 00:37:45,632 --> 00:37:51,338 He looked up to you, 1534 00:37:45,632 --> 00:37:51,338 and for Rodney to turn on you 1535 00:37:51,371 --> 00:37:55,475 and say that my brother asked me 1536 00:37:51,371 --> 00:37:55,475 to kill his wife 1537 00:37:55,508 --> 00:37:58,545 and I did it 1538 00:37:55,508 --> 00:37:58,545 out of love for him. 1539 00:37:58,578 --> 00:38:01,715 Why in the world 1540 00:37:58,578 --> 00:38:01,715 would he make that up? 1541 00:38:01,748 --> 00:38:03,216 - Maybe to save 1542 00:38:01,748 --> 00:38:03,216 his own life. 1543 00:38:03,249 --> 00:38:04,884 I heard that they were 1544 00:38:03,249 --> 00:38:04,884 trying to give him 1545 00:38:04,918 --> 00:38:06,686 the death penalty 1546 00:38:04,918 --> 00:38:06,686 and the only thing 1547 00:38:06,720 --> 00:38:09,220 that he could have done 1548 00:38:06,720 --> 00:38:09,220 to even save his own life 1549 00:38:09,550 --> 00:38:11,240 was to say something 1550 00:38:09,550 --> 00:38:11,240 like that. 1551 00:38:11,240 --> 00:38:13,590 Maybe get a little bit 1552 00:38:11,240 --> 00:38:13,590 of sympathy as for as why. 1553 00:38:13,930 --> 00:38:15,362 - But this is a man 1554 00:38:13,930 --> 00:38:15,362 who loved you. 1555 00:38:15,395 --> 00:38:18,431 - Well, if he loved me, 1556 00:38:15,395 --> 00:38:18,431 he wouldn't have killed my wife. 1557 00:38:20,330 --> 00:38:22,669 - You do seem though, like, 1558 00:38:20,330 --> 00:38:22,669 you're playing the part 1559 00:38:22,702 --> 00:38:25,105 of victim a little bit by 1560 00:38:22,702 --> 00:38:25,105 saying this person made this up. 1561 00:38:25,138 --> 00:38:26,639 This person made this up. 1562 00:38:25,138 --> 00:38:26,639 Poor me. 1563 00:38:26,673 --> 00:38:28,375 You know, I-- all these people 1564 00:38:26,673 --> 00:38:28,375 are lying. 1565 00:38:28,408 --> 00:38:32,450 - Well I'm-I'm an innocent man 1566 00:38:28,408 --> 00:38:32,450 sitting in jail, so yeah. 1567 00:38:32,450 --> 00:38:34,180 I-I do kind of feel 1568 00:38:32,450 --> 00:38:34,180 like a victim, yes. 1569 00:38:34,214 --> 00:38:37,817 - He says that he's the victim 1570 00:38:34,214 --> 00:38:37,817 in this, that all these people 1571 00:38:37,851 --> 00:38:41,388 lied and now he's behind 1572 00:38:37,851 --> 00:38:41,388 bars because of the lies. 1573 00:38:41,421 --> 00:38:43,757 - All these people lied? 1574 00:38:43,790 --> 00:38:46,192 Hm, I don't even know 1575 00:38:43,790 --> 00:38:46,192 what to say to that. 1576 00:38:46,226 --> 00:38:48,610 Um.. 1577 00:38:48,610 --> 00:38:51,197 - Debbie says Lynn's 1578 00:38:48,610 --> 00:38:51,197 profound loyalty may have been 1579 00:38:51,231 --> 00:38:54,434 her undoing and that Lynn 1580 00:38:51,231 --> 00:38:54,434 would want other people 1581 00:38:54,467 --> 00:38:56,690 to learn from that. 1582 00:38:56,102 --> 00:38:59,339 - Sometimes you don't 1583 00:38:56,102 --> 00:38:59,339 keep fighting to keep 1584 00:38:59,372 --> 00:39:04,377 that marriage together, 1585 00:38:59,372 --> 00:39:04,377 that maybe there is a time 1586 00:39:04,411 --> 00:39:07,414 that it's better just to say, 1587 00:39:04,411 --> 00:39:07,414 you know, it's over 1588 00:39:07,447 --> 00:39:10,830 and walk away. 1589 00:39:10,116 --> 00:39:15,210 - Even now, this case can bring 1590 00:39:10,116 --> 00:39:15,210 Detective Chavarria to tears. 1591 00:39:15,210 --> 00:39:18,858 Can you explain it-- 1592 00:39:15,210 --> 00:39:18,858 why you have this emotion? 1593 00:39:18,892 --> 00:39:20,593 Can you put it into words? 1594 00:39:20,627 --> 00:39:22,328 - It's hard. 1595 00:39:20,627 --> 00:39:22,328 It's hard. 1596 00:39:22,362 --> 00:39:26,299 Um, she was pregnant 1597 00:39:26,332 --> 00:39:28,868 and of course 1598 00:39:26,332 --> 00:39:28,868 you have Tristan, 1599 00:39:28,902 --> 00:39:31,137 and Tristan 1600 00:39:28,902 --> 00:39:31,137 lost everything. 1601 00:39:31,171 --> 00:39:33,239 - What hits you 1602 00:39:31,171 --> 00:39:33,239 the hardest? 1603 00:39:33,273 --> 00:39:35,408 - She was trying to keep 1604 00:39:33,273 --> 00:39:35,408 her family together. 1605 00:39:38,611 --> 00:39:40,460 And, um. 1606 00:39:41,848 --> 00:39:45,518 I don't think she knew what 1607 00:39:41,848 --> 00:39:45,518 kind of man she was married to. 1608 00:39:45,552 --> 00:39:47,754 - Do you think about 1609 00:39:45,552 --> 00:39:47,754 your wife's last moments 1610 00:39:47,787 --> 00:39:50,156 and your unborn child's 1611 00:39:47,787 --> 00:39:50,156 last moments? 1612 00:39:50,190 --> 00:39:51,858 - Oh, no. 1613 00:39:50,190 --> 00:39:51,858 - How horrific they were? 1614 00:39:51,891 --> 00:39:53,860 - Uh, no, I-I try not to think 1615 00:39:51,891 --> 00:39:53,860 about that at all. 1616 00:39:53,893 --> 00:39:57,163 It's not how you really want 1617 00:39:53,893 --> 00:39:57,163 to do your time in here. 1618 00:40:00,700 --> 00:40:03,570 - Lynn stated in her will 1619 00:40:00,700 --> 00:40:03,570 that Tristan should go 1620 00:40:03,603 --> 00:40:05,505 to her mother 1621 00:40:03,603 --> 00:40:05,505 if anything happened. 1622 00:40:05,538 --> 00:40:09,876 Roger agreed to send Tristan to 1623 00:40:05,538 --> 00:40:09,876 one of Lynn's sisters instead. 1624 00:40:09,909 --> 00:40:11,440 - I know he's 1625 00:40:09,909 --> 00:40:11,440 in a good home. 1626 00:40:11,770 --> 00:40:12,846 That's probably one 1627 00:40:11,770 --> 00:40:12,846 of the good things that, 1628 00:40:12,879 --> 00:40:16,349 uh, I did before I got locked up 1629 00:40:12,879 --> 00:40:16,349 was make sure that he went 1630 00:40:16,383 --> 00:40:18,318 to that family 1631 00:40:16,383 --> 00:40:18,318 in particular. 1632 00:40:18,351 --> 00:40:20,587 - He doesn't know anyone-- 1633 00:40:18,351 --> 00:40:20,587 anything about me. 1634 00:40:20,620 --> 00:40:25,125 - We spoke to Tristan 1635 00:40:20,620 --> 00:40:25,125 when he was 19 years old. 1636 00:40:25,158 --> 00:40:27,600 He said he had a good group 1637 00:40:25,158 --> 00:40:27,600 of friends, 1638 00:40:27,930 --> 00:40:30,830 but it had been 1639 00:40:27,930 --> 00:40:30,830 a difficult road. 1640 00:40:30,864 --> 00:40:33,833 - He very clearly doesn't know 1641 00:40:30,864 --> 00:40:33,833 anything I've gone through, 1642 00:40:33,867 --> 00:40:37,437 you know, and he obviously 1643 00:40:33,867 --> 00:40:37,437 doesn't understand 1644 00:40:37,470 --> 00:40:39,572 that most of what 1645 00:40:37,470 --> 00:40:39,572 I've gone through 1646 00:40:39,606 --> 00:40:41,841 is because 1647 00:40:39,606 --> 00:40:41,841 of his decision. 1648 00:40:41,875 --> 00:40:44,344 - Yeah, he keeps saying 1649 00:40:41,875 --> 00:40:44,344 that you had this great 1650 00:40:44,377 --> 00:40:47,800 upbringing and, you know, 1651 00:40:44,377 --> 00:40:47,800 that-that gives him peace 1652 00:40:47,113 --> 00:40:49,616 essentially, but your life 1653 00:40:47,113 --> 00:40:49,616 was not so easy. 1654 00:40:49,649 --> 00:40:51,170 - It wasn't. 1655 00:40:51,510 --> 00:40:55,555 It was a very difficult place 1656 00:40:51,510 --> 00:40:55,555 to grow up in. 1657 00:40:55,588 --> 00:40:58,558 Just in general, 1658 00:40:55,588 --> 00:40:58,558 the-the very fact that I lost 1659 00:40:58,591 --> 00:41:02,629 my parents is-is one thing 1660 00:40:58,591 --> 00:41:02,629 that's traumatizing, 1661 00:41:02,662 --> 00:41:07,167 but then to go live with my Aunt 1662 00:41:02,662 --> 00:41:07,167 was in fact a stranger to me 1663 00:41:07,200 --> 00:41:12,205 as a kid is-is just-- 1664 00:41:07,200 --> 00:41:12,205 it was a lot. 1665 00:41:12,238 --> 00:41:14,941 - Still, his difficult life 1666 00:41:12,238 --> 00:41:14,941 has pointed him 1667 00:41:14,974 --> 00:41:16,910 in an interesting 1668 00:41:14,974 --> 00:41:16,910 direction. 1669 00:41:16,943 --> 00:41:20,246 - You want to be a crime scene 1670 00:41:16,943 --> 00:41:20,246 investigator. 1671 00:41:20,280 --> 00:41:21,881 - Yes, I do. 1672 00:41:21,915 --> 00:41:25,285 - And is this 100% 1673 00:41:21,915 --> 00:41:25,285 from your own experience 1674 00:41:25,318 --> 00:41:26,986 or is there 1675 00:41:25,318 --> 00:41:26,986 something else? 1676 00:41:27,870 --> 00:41:28,822 - Uh, believe it or not, 1677 00:41:27,870 --> 00:41:28,822 I've-I've always been 1678 00:41:28,855 --> 00:41:33,159 really interested in-in like 1679 00:41:28,855 --> 00:41:33,159 anatomy and how things work, 1680 00:41:33,193 --> 00:41:36,162 but I've also wanted to have 1681 00:41:33,193 --> 00:41:36,162 a bunch of questions answered 1682 00:41:36,196 --> 00:41:38,631 about my on life 1683 00:41:36,196 --> 00:41:38,631 about, you know, 1684 00:41:38,665 --> 00:41:42,335 the situation with my parents 1685 00:41:38,665 --> 00:41:42,335 mainly, and that curiosity 1686 00:41:42,369 --> 00:41:45,105 kind of bled over 1687 00:41:42,369 --> 00:41:45,105 to other situations. 1688 00:41:45,105 --> 00:41:46,573 Me and my Mom. 1689 00:41:46,606 --> 00:41:48,842 - Tristan treasures 1690 00:41:46,606 --> 00:41:48,842 the baby book his Mother 1691 00:41:48,875 --> 00:41:50,110 made for him. 1692 00:41:50,110 --> 00:41:52,112 - I get bigger and better. 1693 00:41:50,110 --> 00:41:52,112 - Aw. 1694 00:41:52,112 --> 00:41:54,180 But he loves listening 1695 00:41:52,112 --> 00:41:54,180 to that audio tape she made 1696 00:41:54,214 --> 00:41:56,649 for her sister's 1697 00:41:54,214 --> 00:41:56,649 16th birthday. 1698 00:41:56,683 --> 00:41:58,485 - It's cool hearing her. 1699 00:42:08,862 --> 00:42:12,650 - I sometimes wonder 1700 00:42:08,862 --> 00:42:12,650 if she would be happy 1701 00:42:12,650 --> 00:42:14,300 with how my life is going 1702 00:42:12,650 --> 00:42:14,300 or my decisions, 1703 00:42:14,334 --> 00:42:17,203 or, um, if she'd be 1704 00:42:14,334 --> 00:42:17,203 proud of me or whatnot. 1705 00:42:17,237 --> 00:42:19,606 - You've overcome the odds. 1706 00:42:17,237 --> 00:42:19,606 You're in college. 1707 00:42:19,639 --> 00:42:21,741 You're making something 1708 00:42:19,639 --> 00:42:21,741 of your life. 1709 00:42:21,775 --> 00:42:23,476 - It's not over yet. 1710 00:42:21,775 --> 00:42:23,476 - How could-- 1711 00:42:23,510 --> 00:42:24,611 - I've got a long way 1712 00:42:23,510 --> 00:42:24,611 to go. 1713 00:42:24,644 --> 00:42:26,279 - How could she not 1714 00:42:24,644 --> 00:42:26,279 be proud of that? 1715 00:42:26,312 --> 00:42:29,315 - I'm sure she is. 1716 00:42:26,312 --> 00:42:29,315 I just. 1717 00:42:32,652 --> 00:42:34,421 I just wish I knew 1718 00:42:32,652 --> 00:42:34,421 for sure. 1719 00:42:34,454 --> 00:42:35,689 - I miss you so much. 1720 00:42:35,722 --> 00:42:37,991 I miss all of you, 1721 00:42:35,722 --> 00:42:37,991 and, uh, I hope you guys 1722 00:42:38,910 --> 00:42:40,930 miss me a little bit. 1723 00:42:40,126 --> 00:42:41,394 - And that's all 1724 00:42:40,126 --> 00:42:41,394 for this edition 1725 00:42:41,428 --> 00:42:44,970 of "Dateline: 1726 00:42:41,428 --> 00:42:44,970 Secrets Uncovered." 1727 00:42:44,130 --> 00:42:46,800 I'm Craig Melvin. 1728 00:42:44,130 --> 00:42:46,800 Thank you for watching.