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Narrator: It was supposed
to be an exciting day
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for two brothers.
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But one of them never shows up.
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First day of deer season,
he'd never miss it.
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Not one time.
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Narrator: A police search leads
to a disturbing discovery.
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Pete: Police could see one
appeared to be a shallow grave.
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And we thought we knew
who it was.
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It turns out, we had no idea.
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Keith: Everybody we talked to
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didn't actually know
where he was.
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They didn't know anything
about any body being found
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in the backyard.
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Narrator: To find the truth,
investigators must unravel
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a puzzle entangle
of family relationships.
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Pete: We have no clue
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as to what is exactly their
relationship to each other was.
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Keith: We thought we needed
to look for the weakest link.
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Narrator: Until they unearth
a shocking connection
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more twisted
than they could imagine.
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Ronda: When love is involved,
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that is a very
powerful motivator.
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[***]
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[***]
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Pete: Bridgeville is located
on the western side
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of, uh, Sussex County
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that's got two red lights.
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That's about it.
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The biggest thing
around Bridgeville
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are the apple orchards.
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Narrator: Surrounded by miles
of farm land,
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the houses in Bridgeville,
Delaware have big front porches
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and even bigger backyards.
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Bridgeville is a place
where you always feel welcome
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and people can still feel,
like, family
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even if you don't
know them personally.
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And it's a very
close-knit community.
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[***]
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Narrator: On a chilly day
in late November 2001,
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Delaware State Police received
a call from worried relatives
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of 61-year-old John Charbonneau
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who lives by himself
in Bridgeville.
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Keith:
The family lived in Vermont.
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They had not been able
to get in touch with John
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for some time.
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They were very concerned
about him
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because John Charbonneau
had a heart condition.
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Pete: Troopers went out
to do a welfare check.
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[***]
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Keith:
Upon arrival of the troopers,
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um, they go up to the house,
uh, knocked on the doors.
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There's no answer.
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There's no vehicles
in the drive.
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They can see by looking
in the windows
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that the house looks empty.
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The troopers, uh, go further,
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take a walk
behind the residence.
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Narrator: And as they survey
the landscape,
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the troopers noticed
something peculiar
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stowed in a secluded corner
of the yard.
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[***]
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Keith: There were tires
in the backyard.
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There was a shovel
in one of the tires.
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They thought it looked strange
because it was a grassy field
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and in this area
dirt was present, no grass.
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So, it stood out.
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This area was freshly dug.
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This appeared
to be a grave site.
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[***]
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Pete: Investigators
from the state police
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and the medical examiners
were called to the scene.
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They start going to digging,
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the sifting of things
of that nature.
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They have to be very delicate.
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They don't wanna disturb
any evidence.
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Keith: The first thing
that, uh, investigators
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that are exhuming
the site find are linens
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with what appeared to be
blood soaking through them.
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And once investigators
started digging down
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probably within a foot
was what turned out to be...
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the remains of a human body.
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[***]
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Keith:
And it was fairly decomposed.
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So, a lot couldn't be told.
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But it was obvious
that this was a White male.
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His legs were bent
at the knees.
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He was laying on the side,
wrapped in bed linens.
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Narrator: Despite
the advanced decomposition,
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police think they know
whose body they have unearthed.
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Pete: The guess was
that the body in the back
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could possibly be that
of the owner of the residence,
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John Charbonneau.
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Narrator: But as the forensic
excavation continues,
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they make an unexpected
discovery.
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During in this process,
a wallet was recovered.
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Pete: Inside there was a, uh,
driver's license
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with the name
of Billy Sproates.
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[***]
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Pete:
This was totally shocking.
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Keith: This may be
Billy Sproates.
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We still don't know.
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Pete: Because even though
we thought we knew who it was,
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you still have to have
a positive ID.
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The autopsy would give us
that answer.
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The biggest questions
investigators had were,
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where is John?
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Who is Billy Sproates?
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And why was he buried
in a shallow grave
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in John Charbonneau's backyard?
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[***]
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[***]
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Ronda: Magnolia really is one
of these types of towns where
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you go for a long time
without seeing another house.
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You don't have
the street lights.
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You only have fields that
stretch on for miles and miles.
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Narrator: Magnolia, Delaware's
rolling farm land
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offers lots of places
for families to explore.
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It's the perfect place
to grow up
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for the active siblings
of the Sproates Family.
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There was five children
in our family.
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Uh, Billy being the oldest.
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We were always
in the fields working.
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We would work before breakfast,
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have breakfast, and then back
to the fields again.
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Narrator: The same dedication
to work Billy displayed
as a kid
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carries over into adulthood.
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David: My brother worked
at a sawmill in Millington.
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He would go there at 6:00,
7:00 in the morning.
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Work until dark sometimes.
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Janet: He didn't date a lot.
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He was very shy, very quiet.
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He wasn't really outgoing.
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He was not pushy
with people or anything.
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Narrator: But everything
changes for Billy in 1997.
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David: When Linda Lou
come along and started
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batting eyes at him,
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he, sort of,
took ahold of that.
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Next thing I know,
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my brother married her.
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That was the first girlfriend
he's ever had in his life.
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And he was stuck like glue.
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Janet:
She paid attention to him,
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she tried to make him
feel special.
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And not a lot of people did
because he was so quiet.
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He seemed content.
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Narrator:
On a crisp fall morning,
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Billy's brother David
drives out to the woods
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for a hunting trip
the two had planned together.
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David: I got out my vehicle
and noticed that
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his vehicle was not there.
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So, I was, kind of,
concerned because
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Billy wouldn't miss this
for nothing.
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First day of deer season,
he'd never miss it.
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Not one time.
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Narrator: David waits
for his brother a while longer
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then heads back home to check
in with Billy's wife, Linda.
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David: I called her up.
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I says, "Where is Billy?
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He was supposed to show up
to go hunting."
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And she said,
"Oh, me and Billy had a fight.
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I hadn't seen him in weeks."
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Narrator: Linda tells him,
she fears Billy is involved
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with another woman.
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David: I was worried.
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So, I called the State Police
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and told them that, um,
my brother is missing.
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They told me to wait
at least a week
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because he could've took
off anywhere.
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You never know.
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So, we waited a week
and Billy didn't show up.
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So, I called them back
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and asked them to file
a missings persons.
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Narrator:
Investigators' first step
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is to interview Billy's wife,
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Linda.
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Ronda: When the troopers
did speak with Linda,
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she did say that
she had actually been living
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with her ex-husband at the time
while she and Billy
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were having some problems.
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Keith: But she had decided
and talked to Billy
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about moving back in
with him.
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He was excited
for that to happen
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and Linda had started
the process
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of moving, uh,
some of her stuff
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to Billy's residence.
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Narrator: But Linda tells
police that when she returned
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to Billy's house in Magnolia,
he was gone.
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Pete: Linda said that
Billy Sproates had basically
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run off with a younger woman
and had left a note.
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And she hadn't heard
from him since.
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Pete: At that point,
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there was nothing to indicate
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where Billy was
or anything like that.
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Didn't make any sense.
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And speaking to, uh,
Billy Sproates' family,
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there was a suspicion
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00:10:07,023 --> 00:10:09,818
that something
was really wrong.
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00:10:09,859 --> 00:10:12,278
We had to find out
who this woman was.
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[***]
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David: There's nothing wrong
with it, I guess.
201
00:10:21,329 --> 00:10:24,916
But I was pretty upset over it.
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00:10:24,958 --> 00:10:27,794
Keith: Several stains
from the ceiling area.
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00:10:27,836 --> 00:10:31,798
Pete: Blood was found
in the, uh, residence.
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Keith: There was a thought
that John Charbonneau
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00:10:34,300 --> 00:10:36,177
may have been involved.
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00:10:36,219 --> 00:10:38,972
But we just don't know
where he could be.
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00:10:51,234 --> 00:10:52,694
Narrator: After Billy Sproates
disappears in Delaware,
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00:10:54,487 --> 00:10:57,741
his wife Linda tells police she
thought they were patching up
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00:11:01,786 --> 00:11:02,203
[***]
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00:11:04,164 --> 00:11:06,332
David: Billy loved Linda.
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00:11:06,374 --> 00:11:09,002
They would fight, argue,
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00:11:09,044 --> 00:11:13,757
but he wanted
to make his marriage work.
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00:11:13,798 --> 00:11:17,010
When Linda Lou moved back
to Billy's residence,
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00:11:17,052 --> 00:11:19,763
Billy Sproates wasn't there.
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00:11:19,804 --> 00:11:23,224
Keith: Linda told his brother
David that he had left a note
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00:11:23,266 --> 00:11:26,311
saying that he was going off
with a younger woman.
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00:11:26,353 --> 00:11:28,563
Not naming the woman.
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00:11:28,605 --> 00:11:32,942
Linda was extremely upset
and did not save the note.
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00:11:35,445 --> 00:11:38,490
Narrator: Investigators checked
with Billy's family and friends
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00:11:38,531 --> 00:11:42,118
but no one has any idea
of who this woman might be.
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00:11:42,160 --> 00:11:46,081
And there's little to no
information to locate her.
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00:11:46,122 --> 00:11:48,875
Hoping to get a lead
on Billy's movements,
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00:11:48,917 --> 00:11:52,337
detectives attempt to obtain
his bank and phone records.
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00:11:54,964 --> 00:11:56,424
Pete: Unfortunately,
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00:11:56,466 --> 00:11:58,968
Billy Sproates
did not have a cell phone
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00:11:59,010 --> 00:12:00,512
and did not have
a bank account.
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00:12:00,553 --> 00:12:02,138
He got paid in cash.
228
00:12:03,431 --> 00:12:05,600
So, there was no bank records,
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00:12:05,642 --> 00:12:09,979
um, no ATM card to find.
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00:12:10,021 --> 00:12:11,940
Keith: There's really
no evidence
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00:12:11,981 --> 00:12:14,234
to suggest where Billy is.
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00:12:18,196 --> 00:12:18,613
[***]
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00:12:21,074 --> 00:12:22,325
Pete: It was very frustrating
234
00:12:22,367 --> 00:12:25,120
because we wanted answers.
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00:12:25,161 --> 00:12:26,871
His family said it was
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00:12:26,913 --> 00:12:28,164
very unusual for him
to do this.
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Janet: He wouldn't have
ran away
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00:12:30,959 --> 00:12:33,545
without saying something
where he was going.
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00:12:33,586 --> 00:12:35,171
You always knew
where he was going
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00:12:35,213 --> 00:12:37,507
or what he was doing.
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00:12:37,549 --> 00:12:40,010
David: That didn't make sense
to me.
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I wanted to know
where he was at.
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00:12:43,346 --> 00:12:45,557
I thought he was trying
his damndest
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00:12:45,598 --> 00:12:48,226
to make everything work
with Linda.
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00:12:48,268 --> 00:12:50,562
[***]
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00:12:50,603 --> 00:12:52,147
Narrator: With leads dwindling,
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00:12:52,188 --> 00:12:55,608
the search
for Billy Sproates stalls,
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00:12:55,650 --> 00:12:58,194
until Delaware State Police
are asked to check
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00:12:58,236 --> 00:13:01,906
on the well-being of another
man in a nearby town.
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00:13:01,948 --> 00:13:03,324
Keith: About three weeks
251
00:13:03,366 --> 00:13:05,577
after the missing person's
investigation
252
00:13:05,618 --> 00:13:08,038
began for Billy Sproates,
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00:13:08,079 --> 00:13:11,332
the Delaware State Police
were contacted
254
00:13:11,374 --> 00:13:15,003
by family members
of John Charbonneau
255
00:13:15,045 --> 00:13:17,881
because they had not been able
to make contact with him.
256
00:13:19,174 --> 00:13:22,218
[***]
257
00:13:24,387 --> 00:13:26,639
Narrator: Officers
head to the Charbonneau home
258
00:13:26,681 --> 00:13:29,100
to conduct a welfare check.
259
00:13:29,142 --> 00:13:31,436
Keith: When officers go
out there,
260
00:13:31,478 --> 00:13:32,896
they could see, like,
261
00:13:32,937 --> 00:13:34,898
all the curtains were gone
from the windows.
262
00:13:34,939 --> 00:13:37,400
They thought it looked strange.
263
00:13:39,486 --> 00:13:42,530
Pete: Police decided
to go in the backyard
264
00:13:42,572 --> 00:13:45,116
to try to see
if there's any evidence there.
265
00:13:45,158 --> 00:13:47,660
Explaining what happened
to John.
266
00:13:49,079 --> 00:13:50,372
The police could see
267
00:13:50,413 --> 00:13:52,332
what appeared to be
a shallow grave.
268
00:13:52,374 --> 00:13:55,960
[***]
269
00:13:56,002 --> 00:13:58,046
Narrator: Investigators
begin digging
270
00:13:58,088 --> 00:14:01,049
and quickly discover
a man's body.
271
00:14:03,259 --> 00:14:06,054
Pete: The body was lying
face down
272
00:14:06,096 --> 00:14:08,098
and was a bloody mess.
273
00:14:09,599 --> 00:14:11,101
Keith: We could see that
274
00:14:11,142 --> 00:14:13,436
the hands were bound
behind the back.
275
00:14:16,272 --> 00:14:18,400
Pete: The body was thought
to believe
276
00:14:18,441 --> 00:14:21,403
to be that of the missing man,
277
00:14:21,444 --> 00:14:24,322
John Charbonneau.
278
00:14:24,364 --> 00:14:26,282
Narrator: But the wallet found
with the body
279
00:14:26,324 --> 00:14:27,992
tells them otherwise.
280
00:14:28,034 --> 00:14:31,454
It contains the driver's
license of Billy Sproates.
281
00:14:31,496 --> 00:14:34,582
[***]
282
00:14:34,624 --> 00:14:37,585
Pete: That really
was unsettling.
283
00:14:37,627 --> 00:14:39,421
We thought we knew who it was.
284
00:14:39,462 --> 00:14:41,756
It turns out, we had no idea.
285
00:14:41,798 --> 00:14:45,969
And we have no clue
as to what exactly
286
00:14:46,011 --> 00:14:49,973
their relationship
to each other was.
287
00:14:50,015 --> 00:14:51,558
Narrator:
After searching the home,
288
00:14:51,599 --> 00:14:53,435
detectives are
even more puzzled
289
00:14:53,476 --> 00:14:55,478
about exactly
what they're facing.
290
00:14:55,520 --> 00:14:58,356
[***]
291
00:14:58,398 --> 00:15:01,151
Pete: The place was abandoned.
292
00:15:02,569 --> 00:15:04,112
Basically,
cabinets off the wall,
293
00:15:04,154 --> 00:15:05,488
the interior look like
it had been stripped.
294
00:15:07,657 --> 00:15:11,036
Keith: Could've been a burglary
but certainly strange
295
00:15:11,077 --> 00:15:12,746
that the individual
that was missing,
296
00:15:12,787 --> 00:15:15,790
um, nothing was there of his.
297
00:15:15,832 --> 00:15:18,418
Narrator: But there's one thing
investigators do know.
298
00:15:18,460 --> 00:15:22,005
The victim's death
was cruel and painful.
299
00:15:23,340 --> 00:15:26,301
This was a very brutal crime.
300
00:15:26,343 --> 00:15:27,635
Keith: There were stab wounds
301
00:15:27,677 --> 00:15:29,596
that were observed
in the torso
302
00:15:30,680 --> 00:15:32,223
and as well as the head.
303
00:15:34,184 --> 00:15:36,227
And there was also
blunt force trauma
304
00:15:38,188 --> 00:15:41,191
that was very prevalent
in the head area.
305
00:15:43,109 --> 00:15:45,028
Narrator: Using DNA analysis,
306
00:15:45,070 --> 00:15:48,114
the medical examiner is able
to provide one answer.
307
00:15:48,156 --> 00:15:51,242
The body is in fact
Billy Sproates'.
308
00:15:52,327 --> 00:15:53,661
And the autopsy reveals
309
00:15:53,703 --> 00:15:56,081
Billy's death
was even more horrific
310
00:15:56,122 --> 00:15:58,583
than police initially thought.
311
00:15:58,625 --> 00:16:00,502
The ultimate cause of death
312
00:16:00,543 --> 00:16:02,045
was asphyxia.
313
00:16:03,880 --> 00:16:05,674
The autopsy showed
314
00:16:05,715 --> 00:16:08,718
that he literally had dirt
in his lungs.
315
00:16:10,261 --> 00:16:11,846
He was actually buried alive.
316
00:16:11,888 --> 00:16:15,100
[***]
317
00:16:18,478 --> 00:16:21,189
Keith: The questions
that we are asking ourselves
318
00:16:21,231 --> 00:16:23,400
is who could be responsible
319
00:16:23,441 --> 00:16:27,278
for a violent crime
such as this?
320
00:16:27,320 --> 00:16:29,739
Narrator: Investigators know
the answer could lie
321
00:16:29,781 --> 00:16:31,866
with the missing home owner.
322
00:16:31,908 --> 00:16:35,328
Keith: It was thought that
John Charbonneau may have been
323
00:16:35,370 --> 00:16:39,124
involved in the death
of Billy Sproates.
324
00:16:39,165 --> 00:16:42,377
Especially where Billy Sproates'
body was found behind his home.
325
00:16:56,391 --> 00:16:57,225
Narrator: An autopsy reveals
326
00:16:58,643 --> 00:17:00,228
that Billy Sproates
was buried alive
327
00:17:00,270 --> 00:17:02,814
in the backyard of
a Bridgeville, Delaware home.
328
00:17:02,856 --> 00:17:05,567
And police can find
no sign of the home owner,
329
00:17:05,608 --> 00:17:06,901
John Charbonneau.
330
00:17:06,943 --> 00:17:11,322
[***]
331
00:17:11,364 --> 00:17:13,825
Narrator: Investigators
delivered the devastating news
332
00:17:13,867 --> 00:17:17,620
to Billy's family
in nearby, Magnolia.
333
00:17:17,662 --> 00:17:19,372
It was very, very upsetting.
334
00:17:19,414 --> 00:17:21,541
Very upsetting
to the whole family.
335
00:17:23,501 --> 00:17:25,503
He was alive
when they buried him.
336
00:17:26,504 --> 00:17:28,298
He didn't deserve this.
337
00:17:28,340 --> 00:17:30,842
He did not deserve
any bit of this.
338
00:17:33,345 --> 00:17:35,638
Keith: Linda was
extremely upset.
339
00:17:37,557 --> 00:17:39,184
She wanted us to find out
340
00:17:39,225 --> 00:17:41,311
who was responsible
341
00:17:41,353 --> 00:17:44,397
for what happened to Billy.
342
00:17:44,439 --> 00:17:46,358
Narrator: When
the investigators tell Linda
343
00:17:46,399 --> 00:17:47,901
where Billy's body was buried,
344
00:17:47,942 --> 00:17:51,780
she stuns them
with an unexpected revelation.
345
00:17:51,821 --> 00:17:54,199
Turns out that Billy Sproates
346
00:17:54,240 --> 00:17:56,701
was John Charbonneau's,
uh, nephew.
347
00:17:59,412 --> 00:18:01,414
Narrator: But the connection
between the two men
348
00:18:01,456 --> 00:18:04,584
goes even deeper.
349
00:18:04,626 --> 00:18:10,757
Not only are John Charbonneau
and Billy Sproates related,
350
00:18:10,799 --> 00:18:13,927
they had both been married
to the same woman,
351
00:18:13,968 --> 00:18:15,220
Linda.
352
00:18:16,388 --> 00:18:19,516
Billy Sproates is the current
353
00:18:19,557 --> 00:18:22,936
husband to Linda.
354
00:18:22,977 --> 00:18:27,649
And John Charbonneau was
previously married to Linda.
355
00:18:27,691 --> 00:18:30,735
[***]
356
00:18:34,614 --> 00:18:37,909
Pete: We wanted to make contact
with John Charbonneau's family.
357
00:18:37,951 --> 00:18:42,288
To, uh, find out what exactly
that relationship was like.
358
00:18:42,330 --> 00:18:44,708
We are thinking at that point
359
00:18:44,749 --> 00:18:47,293
was there any,
kind of, uh, animosity
360
00:18:47,335 --> 00:18:50,338
between John or his nephew,
uh, Billy Sproates
361
00:18:50,380 --> 00:18:54,467
because they both
had been married to Linda.
362
00:18:54,509 --> 00:18:58,430
[***]
363
00:18:58,471 --> 00:19:00,390
Keith: We soon learned
that John was
364
00:19:00,432 --> 00:19:02,892
a member of a very large family
from Vermont.
365
00:19:04,310 --> 00:19:06,980
He moved to
the Bridgeville area
366
00:19:07,022 --> 00:19:10,817
and was married
to Linda Charbonneau.
367
00:19:12,402 --> 00:19:13,945
Melissa Rucinski
was the stepdaughter
368
00:19:13,987 --> 00:19:15,739
of John Charbonneau.
369
00:19:15,780 --> 00:19:18,908
She looked to him
as a father figure.
370
00:19:18,950 --> 00:19:21,911
And he absolutely
adored Melissa,
371
00:19:21,953 --> 00:19:24,622
you know,
he really took care of her.
372
00:19:24,664 --> 00:19:28,626
And he was a very caring
stepfather and husband.
373
00:19:28,668 --> 00:19:34,007
He did whatever he could
to make Melissa and Linda happy.
374
00:19:34,049 --> 00:19:37,594
Narrator: John and Linda stayed
together for close to 20 years.
375
00:19:37,635 --> 00:19:41,806
But as he got older,
John's health began to fail.
376
00:19:44,434 --> 00:19:46,686
He was collecting disability.
377
00:19:46,728 --> 00:19:50,774
He had several heart attacks,
was on heart medication.
378
00:19:50,815 --> 00:19:53,360
Ronda: John just started
to isolate himself.
379
00:19:54,861 --> 00:19:58,031
Eventually, it did lead
to John and Linda divorcing.
380
00:20:01,993 --> 00:20:03,787
Narrator:
As they search for John,
381
00:20:03,828 --> 00:20:06,498
police continue interviewing
family members
382
00:20:06,539 --> 00:20:08,875
including his stepdaughter,
Melissa Rucinski
383
00:20:08,917 --> 00:20:12,796
and her boyfriend Tony Brown
who lived nearby.
384
00:20:12,837 --> 00:20:17,842
Melissa and Tony said
that he was on jury duty,
385
00:20:17,884 --> 00:20:22,931
that was checked into
and that was confirmed.
386
00:20:22,972 --> 00:20:25,934
But after that,
everybody that we talked to
387
00:20:25,975 --> 00:20:27,769
didn't actually know
where he was.
388
00:20:29,562 --> 00:20:30,980
And they didn't know anything
389
00:20:31,022 --> 00:20:34,401
about any body being found
in the backyard.
390
00:20:37,654 --> 00:20:41,533
Ronda:
Melissa was really concerned.
391
00:20:41,574 --> 00:20:44,119
She said he was
a very caring father
392
00:20:44,160 --> 00:20:46,996
and not knowing
where her loved one is.
393
00:20:47,038 --> 00:20:50,542
It was really torture
for Melissa.
394
00:20:55,130 --> 00:20:56,673
Narrator: As they learned more
395
00:20:56,715 --> 00:20:58,008
about the family
from their interviews,
396
00:20:58,049 --> 00:20:59,884
instead of answers,
397
00:20:59,926 --> 00:21:02,971
investigators find themselves
facing more questions
398
00:21:03,013 --> 00:21:05,974
and growing concerns.
399
00:21:06,016 --> 00:21:08,768
David: Uncle Johnny
was married to Linda
400
00:21:08,810 --> 00:21:10,186
and when they divorced,
401
00:21:10,228 --> 00:21:12,856
she started to coming
around Billy.
402
00:21:12,897 --> 00:21:14,482
And teasing him,
403
00:21:14,524 --> 00:21:16,609
and talking to him,
404
00:21:16,651 --> 00:21:20,155
and Billy started dating her.
405
00:21:20,196 --> 00:21:23,783
Next thing I know,
my brother married her.
406
00:21:26,870 --> 00:21:30,874
Which, yes. There's no blood.
407
00:21:30,915 --> 00:21:33,043
There's nothing wrong with it,
I guess.
408
00:21:33,084 --> 00:21:35,128
But I was pretty upset over it.
409
00:21:36,212 --> 00:21:38,590
But they were happy.
410
00:21:38,631 --> 00:21:41,009
Narrator: Police learned
David wasn't the only one
411
00:21:41,051 --> 00:21:43,053
upset about the marriage.
412
00:21:43,094 --> 00:21:45,221
David:
Uncle Johnny wasn't happy
413
00:21:45,263 --> 00:21:48,683
with Billy doing what he did
414
00:21:48,725 --> 00:21:50,435
but you couldn't talk him
out of it.
415
00:21:52,729 --> 00:21:55,940
Narrator: Now, Billy is dead
and John is missing.
416
00:21:55,982 --> 00:21:59,069
And police wonder if his anger
over his nephew's marriage
417
00:21:59,110 --> 00:22:02,739
to his ex-wife could've boiled
over into murder.
418
00:22:04,699 --> 00:22:06,201
When love is involved,
419
00:22:06,242 --> 00:22:09,996
that is a very
powerful motivator.
420
00:22:10,038 --> 00:22:13,917
Given the length of time that
John and Linda were together
421
00:22:13,958 --> 00:22:17,128
to have her leave
and go back to Billy
422
00:22:17,170 --> 00:22:19,589
that could've really
just torn that bond
423
00:22:19,631 --> 00:22:22,967
between uncle and nephew apart.
424
00:22:23,009 --> 00:22:25,553
John may have felt
that the only way
425
00:22:25,595 --> 00:22:27,681
that he could get Linda back
426
00:22:27,722 --> 00:22:29,808
was to make sure that Billy
was out of the picture.
427
00:22:34,270 --> 00:22:37,565
Keith: Within the kitchen area
of the home,
428
00:22:37,607 --> 00:22:42,529
several areas of what appeared
to be blood were found.
429
00:22:44,906 --> 00:22:48,785
They found blood evidence
on some boxes.
430
00:22:48,827 --> 00:22:51,121
Pete: Once you stood back,
you could see
431
00:22:51,162 --> 00:22:52,872
that it appeared
to be a skull.
432
00:23:04,759 --> 00:23:06,011
Narrator: Sixty-one-year-old
John Charbonneau
433
00:23:07,053 --> 00:23:08,680
is missing in Delaware.
434
00:23:08,722 --> 00:23:10,098
And investigators
are working to make sense
435
00:23:10,140 --> 00:23:12,726
of his role
in an apparent love triangle
436
00:23:12,767 --> 00:23:14,853
that's left
his 45-year-old nephew
437
00:23:14,894 --> 00:23:16,771
Billy Sproates dead.
438
00:23:16,813 --> 00:23:20,567
[***]
439
00:23:20,608 --> 00:23:22,694
Pete:
Linda Lou Charbonneau told us
440
00:23:22,736 --> 00:23:25,030
she was living
at John's residence
441
00:23:25,071 --> 00:23:27,282
because her and Billy
were always arguing.
442
00:23:29,034 --> 00:23:30,827
But they had made up.
443
00:23:30,869 --> 00:23:34,080
So, she had notified John
that she was going to be moving
444
00:23:34,122 --> 00:23:36,583
to Billy's residence
445
00:23:36,624 --> 00:23:40,086
to be living
with Billy Sproates again.
446
00:23:40,128 --> 00:23:42,839
But when Linda Lou moved back,
447
00:23:42,881 --> 00:23:45,258
she said Billy Sproates
wasn't there.
448
00:23:49,054 --> 00:23:52,015
Keith: She said that
John Charbonneau was upset
449
00:23:52,057 --> 00:23:55,810
about her moving back in
with Billy Sproates.
450
00:23:55,852 --> 00:23:59,731
And that he may be responsible
for what happened to Billy.
451
00:24:03,443 --> 00:24:05,070
Narrator: When investigators
452
00:24:05,111 --> 00:24:07,030
pulled John Charbonneau's
bank records,
453
00:24:07,072 --> 00:24:11,242
what they discover
only adds to the mystery.
454
00:24:11,284 --> 00:24:13,328
We were able
to obtain ATM records
455
00:24:13,370 --> 00:24:18,917
and we were able to get video
of the person using the ATM.
456
00:24:18,958 --> 00:24:21,878
And we saw
several transactions.
457
00:24:21,920 --> 00:24:25,215
Keith: And Melissa was actually
captured on the video
458
00:24:25,256 --> 00:24:27,050
making a withdrawal.
459
00:24:29,094 --> 00:24:31,221
So, that seemed odd.
460
00:24:34,182 --> 00:24:36,017
Narrator: The withdrawals
by John's stepdaughter
461
00:24:36,059 --> 00:24:39,062
were made after John
was reported missing.
462
00:24:39,104 --> 00:24:41,940
But when confronted with this,
she explains
463
00:24:41,981 --> 00:24:45,068
things are not as sinister
as they may appear.
464
00:24:45,110 --> 00:24:47,237
Keith: She said that
he left his bank card
465
00:24:47,278 --> 00:24:48,363
at their residence.
466
00:24:48,405 --> 00:24:50,782
And, uh, sometimes,
she would go
467
00:24:50,824 --> 00:24:52,242
cash a check for him
or something
468
00:24:52,283 --> 00:24:54,786
at the, uh, grocery store.
469
00:24:54,828 --> 00:24:57,330
So, that's why
she had it in her possession.
470
00:24:59,499 --> 00:25:02,669
Narrator: But detectives
remain skeptical.
471
00:25:02,711 --> 00:25:05,046
They secure a search warrant
for Billy's Sproates' home
472
00:25:05,088 --> 00:25:07,716
in Magnolia
where Melissa and her boyfriend
473
00:25:07,757 --> 00:25:10,176
have moved in with her mother.
474
00:25:10,218 --> 00:25:13,847
What they find only adds
to their suspicion.
475
00:25:17,183 --> 00:25:20,437
Keith: Within the kitchen area
of the home,
476
00:25:20,478 --> 00:25:24,357
several areas
of what appeared to be blood,
477
00:25:24,399 --> 00:25:26,317
uh, were found.
478
00:25:26,359 --> 00:25:29,404
Several stains along
the paneling
479
00:25:29,446 --> 00:25:31,322
including the ceiling,
480
00:25:31,364 --> 00:25:35,160
several stains
on the ceiling area.
481
00:25:35,201 --> 00:25:36,953
A window,
482
00:25:36,995 --> 00:25:41,291
small stains
on the interior side.
483
00:25:41,332 --> 00:25:43,918
Window curtains.
484
00:25:43,960 --> 00:25:47,839
And a lot of the molding
around the floor area.
485
00:25:47,881 --> 00:25:49,716
Stain on the molding.
486
00:25:51,551 --> 00:25:54,137
Narrator: Investigators
noticed something suspicious
487
00:25:54,179 --> 00:25:55,930
outside the home, too.
488
00:25:58,350 --> 00:26:01,186
Keith: During the search
of Linda's van,
489
00:26:01,227 --> 00:26:04,314
areas of what appeared
to be spattered blood
490
00:26:04,356 --> 00:26:07,359
was found on the skirting
of the captain's chairs
491
00:26:07,400 --> 00:26:10,320
and the rear of the van.
492
00:26:10,362 --> 00:26:12,197
Narrator: The family tells
detectives they don't know
493
00:26:12,238 --> 00:26:15,825
what the stains are
or where they came from.
494
00:26:15,867 --> 00:26:18,036
Keith: All that evidence
was collected
495
00:26:18,078 --> 00:26:21,456
and transported to the lab
for analysis.
496
00:26:21,498 --> 00:26:23,917
Pete:
These analyses take weeks.
497
00:26:23,958 --> 00:26:27,337
You can't rush it.
It has to go step by step.
498
00:26:32,092 --> 00:26:33,426
Narrator:
But the lab is backlogged
499
00:26:33,468 --> 00:26:34,803
and police will have to wait
500
00:26:34,844 --> 00:26:37,472
even longer for results.
501
00:26:37,514 --> 00:26:41,017
All they know is that some,
kind of, violent altercation
502
00:26:41,059 --> 00:26:43,436
took place inside Billy's home.
503
00:26:44,896 --> 00:26:46,523
David: Billy was dead.
504
00:26:46,564 --> 00:26:51,069
But where was Uncle Johnny?
505
00:26:51,111 --> 00:26:53,905
Ronda: John Charbonneau
was still missing.
506
00:26:53,947 --> 00:26:56,408
Is John on the run?
507
00:26:58,868 --> 00:27:00,954
Narrator: Months passed
with no answers.
508
00:27:00,995 --> 00:27:04,332
And detectives
grow discouraged.
509
00:27:04,374 --> 00:27:07,127
But then, they received
a startling phone call
510
00:27:07,168 --> 00:27:11,923
from inside a Delaware Prison.
511
00:27:11,965 --> 00:27:16,052
Pete: Melissa's ex-husband
John Rucinski was a burglar
512
00:27:16,094 --> 00:27:18,847
and he was an inmate
513
00:27:18,888 --> 00:27:21,850
at the Sussex County
Correctional Institute.
514
00:27:21,891 --> 00:27:24,310
He had access to TV,
had heard on the news
515
00:27:24,352 --> 00:27:27,814
about the body of Billy Sproates
being located.
516
00:27:29,149 --> 00:27:32,902
He said that Melissa
and Linda Lou
517
00:27:32,944 --> 00:27:35,113
had actually propositioned him
518
00:27:35,155 --> 00:27:37,323
about killing
John Charbonneau.
519
00:27:40,910 --> 00:27:43,830
One of their plans was
to do something to scare him
520
00:27:43,872 --> 00:27:46,207
into having a heart attack
521
00:27:46,249 --> 00:27:48,376
and hitting him in the head
522
00:27:48,418 --> 00:27:51,129
and burying him
in the backyard.
523
00:27:54,632 --> 00:27:57,260
Narrator: Melissa's ex says
Linda planned to continue
524
00:27:57,302 --> 00:28:00,597
collecting John's disability
pay after he was dead
525
00:28:00,638 --> 00:28:03,099
but he refused to help
with the plot.
526
00:28:03,141 --> 00:28:06,519
And he and Melissa divorced
shortly afterwards.
527
00:28:06,561 --> 00:28:10,023
He believes Linda might be
behind Billy's murder.
528
00:28:11,941 --> 00:28:15,528
Pete: Because Rucinski
had been married to Melissa,
529
00:28:15,570 --> 00:28:17,364
he knew Linda Lou.
530
00:28:17,405 --> 00:28:19,282
He witnessed Linda Lou would--
531
00:28:19,324 --> 00:28:22,994
had actually assaulted
Billy Sproates
532
00:28:23,036 --> 00:28:26,164
and because Billy
was just so dedicated to her,
533
00:28:26,206 --> 00:28:27,415
he didn't even put up a fight.
534
00:28:27,457 --> 00:28:29,250
He just stood there
and took it.
535
00:28:35,548 --> 00:28:38,968
Rucinski implicated
Melissa and Linda Lou.
536
00:28:39,010 --> 00:28:42,013
He had his own criminal past
537
00:28:42,055 --> 00:28:43,473
but there was some things
538
00:28:43,515 --> 00:28:47,102
that were obviously
red flags to us.
539
00:28:47,143 --> 00:28:49,062
Keith: Investigators
are now thinking that
540
00:28:49,104 --> 00:28:51,231
maybe John Charbonneau
541
00:28:51,272 --> 00:28:53,358
was not involved
in Billy's death,
542
00:29:06,454 --> 00:29:07,706
Narrator: Police hone in
on Linda Charbonneau
543
00:29:09,499 --> 00:29:11,167
as their main suspect
after hearing allegations
544
00:29:11,209 --> 00:29:14,004
she plotted to kill
her former husband John
545
00:29:14,045 --> 00:29:15,714
who is still missing.
546
00:29:15,755 --> 00:29:18,383
Pete: We had the body
of Billy Sproates,
547
00:29:18,425 --> 00:29:20,593
we knew John Charbonneau
was missing
548
00:29:20,635 --> 00:29:23,304
but we just didn't know
what happened to him.
549
00:29:25,765 --> 00:29:28,101
Narrator: Then in April 2002,
550
00:29:28,143 --> 00:29:31,271
the crime lab finally delivers
the results of the test
551
00:29:31,312 --> 00:29:35,275
on the stains found
in Linda's home and van.
552
00:29:35,316 --> 00:29:39,612
Pete: The blood that we found
in Billy's residence came back
553
00:29:39,654 --> 00:29:41,489
to being that
of, uh, Billy Sproates.
554
00:29:44,242 --> 00:29:47,245
Keith: And blood evidence
that was located and collected
555
00:29:47,287 --> 00:29:49,080
from Linda's van
556
00:29:50,457 --> 00:29:54,377
came back to John Charbonneau.
557
00:29:58,423 --> 00:30:00,216
We were very concerned
558
00:30:00,258 --> 00:30:02,635
that John Charbonneau
could've been killed
559
00:30:02,677 --> 00:30:08,058
in the same way
that Billy Sproates was killed.
560
00:30:08,099 --> 00:30:10,060
Narrator: But police
have no proof of that,
561
00:30:10,101 --> 00:30:13,646
nor enough evidence
to make any arrests.
562
00:30:13,688 --> 00:30:16,608
Linda Charbonneau,
her daughter Melissa Rucinski,
563
00:30:16,649 --> 00:30:18,818
and Melissa's boyfriend
Tony Brown
564
00:30:18,860 --> 00:30:22,489
all had access to both
the house and to the van,
565
00:30:22,530 --> 00:30:25,367
and none of them
have solid alibis.
566
00:30:27,535 --> 00:30:29,746
Pete: We've done everything
that we can.
567
00:30:29,788 --> 00:30:33,500
These are our suspects
but we need a confession.
568
00:30:33,541 --> 00:30:37,379
We thought we needed to look
for the weakest link.
569
00:30:37,420 --> 00:30:40,048
We know it's not gonna be
Linda Charbonneau,
570
00:30:40,090 --> 00:30:43,385
but we think Melissa
could very possibly be
571
00:30:43,426 --> 00:30:44,636
the one that's gonna talk.
572
00:30:44,678 --> 00:30:48,223
[***]
573
00:30:48,264 --> 00:30:51,101
Pete: We brought Melissa in
to the interview room,
574
00:30:51,142 --> 00:30:54,562
we spoke on and off
for eight hours that day.
575
00:30:56,231 --> 00:30:58,358
And Melissa finally confesses
576
00:30:58,400 --> 00:31:01,277
and tells us
what had happened that night
577
00:31:01,319 --> 00:31:02,779
that John Charbonneau
was murdered.
578
00:31:05,323 --> 00:31:07,617
Narrator: Melissa tells police
the crime occurred
579
00:31:07,659 --> 00:31:11,413
on the evening
of September 23rd, 2001.
580
00:31:11,454 --> 00:31:13,748
Keith: Linda wanted
the disability check
581
00:31:13,790 --> 00:31:17,168
that John Charbonneau
was receiving monthly.
582
00:31:17,210 --> 00:31:20,338
Melissa had received
a call from her mom
583
00:31:20,380 --> 00:31:21,715
that tonight's the night
584
00:31:21,756 --> 00:31:24,884
that we have to do something
with John.
585
00:31:24,926 --> 00:31:27,470
This is a plan
that her mom had come up with.
586
00:31:30,265 --> 00:31:32,684
Pete:
The plan was for Linda Lou
587
00:31:32,726 --> 00:31:36,187
to leave a side door unlocked
588
00:31:37,272 --> 00:31:39,733
and that way Tony Brown
589
00:31:39,774 --> 00:31:41,526
would be able
to get inside the house.
590
00:31:41,568 --> 00:31:44,404
[***]
591
00:31:44,446 --> 00:31:46,906
Keith: And Linda was gonna say
592
00:31:46,948 --> 00:31:48,575
that someone
was trying to break in
593
00:31:48,616 --> 00:31:50,452
and get John to go investigate.
594
00:31:52,829 --> 00:31:55,915
Pete: Melissa said
she saw Tony Brown
595
00:31:55,957 --> 00:31:57,625
over John hitting him.
596
00:32:00,628 --> 00:32:03,757
Linda Lou,
according to Melissa
597
00:32:03,798 --> 00:32:05,342
was just standing there
watching.
598
00:32:06,968 --> 00:32:09,262
She heard John say, "Linda,
599
00:32:09,304 --> 00:32:10,764
are you gonna let him
do this to me?"
600
00:32:10,805 --> 00:32:13,683
[***]
601
00:32:15,727 --> 00:32:17,645
Ronda: That was heartbreaking
to know that
602
00:32:17,687 --> 00:32:21,775
his last moments in life
were like that.
603
00:32:21,816 --> 00:32:24,944
And finding out Melissa
was involved just took it
604
00:32:24,986 --> 00:32:27,822
to another level because John
did love her so much.
605
00:32:30,367 --> 00:32:33,453
Keith: Linda directs,
uh, Melissa and Tony
606
00:32:33,495 --> 00:32:35,580
to get rid of John Charbonneau.
607
00:32:35,622 --> 00:32:38,291
Pete: So they loaded
John Charbonneau's body
608
00:32:38,333 --> 00:32:39,834
into the back of the van.
609
00:32:41,836 --> 00:32:44,339
Melissa said she drove
610
00:32:44,381 --> 00:32:46,174
but that she didn't know
where she was going.
611
00:32:46,216 --> 00:32:50,387
Tony Brown kept telling her
which turns to take.
612
00:32:50,428 --> 00:32:52,222
Narrator:
Once they're deep in the woods
613
00:32:52,263 --> 00:32:55,392
Tony tells Melissa
to stop the van.
614
00:32:55,433 --> 00:32:58,645
Tony took the body
into the woods...
615
00:33:01,356 --> 00:33:02,732
and buried him.
616
00:33:04,401 --> 00:33:06,653
Then stripped his house
from the inside,
617
00:33:08,238 --> 00:33:11,491
took it up to
Billy's residence.
618
00:33:11,533 --> 00:33:13,993
Keith: Melissa
indicates that the reason
619
00:33:14,035 --> 00:33:16,538
that Billy was killed
620
00:33:16,579 --> 00:33:19,332
is that because he found
what he believed
621
00:33:19,374 --> 00:33:22,210
to be blood evidence
on some boxes
622
00:33:22,252 --> 00:33:24,212
that were being moved
into his home.
623
00:33:24,254 --> 00:33:26,297
He started asking questions
624
00:33:26,339 --> 00:33:28,508
about what happened
to his Uncle John.
625
00:33:30,385 --> 00:33:32,887
Pete:
And Linda Lou said, "Well,
626
00:33:32,929 --> 00:33:34,639
Billy's got to go."
627
00:33:34,681 --> 00:33:36,683
[***]
628
00:33:36,725 --> 00:33:38,852
Ronda: Linda contacted Billy
629
00:33:38,893 --> 00:33:42,480
and asked him to come home
and she wanted to talk.
630
00:33:42,522 --> 00:33:46,026
Once there Billy was met
with not only Linda
631
00:33:46,067 --> 00:33:47,736
but Tony and Melissa.
632
00:33:50,864 --> 00:33:52,824
There he was stabbed.
633
00:33:55,869 --> 00:33:57,746
He was put
in the back of the family van
634
00:33:57,787 --> 00:34:00,331
and driven
to John Charbonneau's house
635
00:34:00,373 --> 00:34:03,460
not wanting to bury him
at their own home.
636
00:34:04,836 --> 00:34:06,921
They got him out
of the van
637
00:34:06,963 --> 00:34:09,883
to bury him
and the evidence does support
638
00:34:09,924 --> 00:34:12,677
that Billy was alive
when he was buried
639
00:34:12,719 --> 00:34:15,388
as there was dirt in his lungs.
640
00:34:21,019 --> 00:34:22,645
Narrator: At Melissa's request,
641
00:34:22,687 --> 00:34:24,773
Tony Brown
who is currently in jail
642
00:34:24,814 --> 00:34:26,483
on a parole violation
643
00:34:26,524 --> 00:34:28,735
corroborates
this horrifying story
644
00:34:28,777 --> 00:34:32,697
and offers to help police
tie up one major loose end.
645
00:34:32,739 --> 00:34:34,574
Keith: He agreed to take us
646
00:34:34,616 --> 00:34:37,452
to where John Charbonneau
was buried.
647
00:34:37,494 --> 00:34:40,455
[***]
648
00:34:45,627 --> 00:34:47,587
Narrator:
On a warm summer day
649
00:34:47,629 --> 00:34:49,673
investigators head
into the Delaware woods
650
00:34:49,714 --> 00:34:51,424
with Tony Brown.
651
00:34:51,466 --> 00:34:53,760
Keith:
The area is very secluded,
652
00:34:53,802 --> 00:34:55,011
very rural.
653
00:34:57,555 --> 00:34:59,349
Pete: Not 50 yards in,
654
00:34:59,391 --> 00:35:01,559
he points to the grave.
655
00:35:05,689 --> 00:35:08,441
Narrator:
Investigators carefully uncover
656
00:35:08,483 --> 00:35:10,610
what's been buried
in the woods.
657
00:35:10,652 --> 00:35:12,445
Pete: Once you stood back
658
00:35:12,487 --> 00:35:14,781
you could see that
it appeared to be a skull,
659
00:35:14,823 --> 00:35:17,742
and it was indeed a human body.
660
00:35:20,912 --> 00:35:22,831
It turned out
to be John Charbonneau.
661
00:35:25,458 --> 00:35:28,545
Keith: The autopsy report
on John Charbonneau
662
00:35:28,586 --> 00:35:31,715
indicated that the cause
of death was blunt force trauma
663
00:35:31,756 --> 00:35:33,675
and the manner of death
was homicide.
664
00:35:37,804 --> 00:35:40,640
David: When they finally
found Uncle Johnny,
665
00:35:40,682 --> 00:35:43,643
it was a good thing.
666
00:35:43,685 --> 00:35:45,353
It was a good thing
for the whole family
667
00:35:45,395 --> 00:35:47,063
to have some closure.
668
00:35:51,026 --> 00:35:52,902
Narrator:
Now authorities finally
669
00:35:52,944 --> 00:35:55,739
have enough evidence
to begin making arrests.
670
00:35:57,407 --> 00:36:00,118
Pete: When we arrested
Melissa and Tony
671
00:36:00,160 --> 00:36:02,829
they had both
pretty much confessed
672
00:36:02,871 --> 00:36:06,624
to one degree or another.
They knew it was coming.
673
00:36:06,666 --> 00:36:09,002
Keith: And on July 8th
arrest warrants
674
00:36:09,044 --> 00:36:12,505
were obtained
for Linda Charbonneau
675
00:36:12,547 --> 00:36:14,632
for the murder
of John Charbonneau
676
00:36:14,674 --> 00:36:16,634
and also, uh, Billy Sproates.
677
00:36:18,178 --> 00:36:20,096
[***]
678
00:36:20,138 --> 00:36:21,890
David: The day
that we found out
679
00:36:21,931 --> 00:36:24,059
that she was arrested
680
00:36:24,100 --> 00:36:26,770
that was one
of the biggest reliefs.
681
00:36:26,811 --> 00:36:28,813
We was all
high fiving each other.
682
00:36:30,231 --> 00:36:32,484
Keith: But once
you make the arrest
683
00:36:32,525 --> 00:36:34,694
the investigation
is certainly not over.
684
00:36:36,905 --> 00:36:38,782
Narrator:
And as they prepare for trial,
685
00:36:38,823 --> 00:36:40,742
prosecutors tell detectives
686
00:36:40,784 --> 00:36:42,786
that even with Melissa
and Tony's confessions,
687
00:36:42,827 --> 00:36:47,165
securing a conviction
for Linda may not be easy.
688
00:36:47,207 --> 00:36:49,501
We really didn't have
any physical evidence
689
00:36:49,542 --> 00:36:51,086
against Linda Charbonneau.
690
00:36:51,127 --> 00:36:53,463
Pete: She pretty much
blamed everything
691
00:36:53,505 --> 00:36:56,466
on Tony Brown
and her daughter Melissa.
692
00:36:56,508 --> 00:36:58,802
She was just a poor
innocent bystander.
693
00:36:58,843 --> 00:37:00,637
Narrator:
The prosecutors believe
694
00:37:00,679 --> 00:37:02,097
that to make the case stick
695
00:37:02,138 --> 00:37:04,099
they'll need someone to flip.
696
00:37:04,140 --> 00:37:07,185
Keith: We really needed
someone to testify
697
00:37:07,227 --> 00:37:09,604
and tell the story
about her knowledge
698
00:37:09,646 --> 00:37:12,440
of both murders in this trial.
699
00:37:12,482 --> 00:37:15,735
So it was decided
that a plea offer
700
00:37:15,777 --> 00:37:17,904
was gonna be made
to Tony Brown
701
00:37:17,946 --> 00:37:21,241
and if he did testify
the death penalty
702
00:37:21,282 --> 00:37:23,076
would be taken off the table.
703
00:37:23,118 --> 00:37:26,037
He agreed to that,
he plead guilty
704
00:37:26,079 --> 00:37:28,248
to two counts of murder first
705
00:37:28,289 --> 00:37:29,874
which is life in prison.
706
00:37:31,626 --> 00:37:33,503
Narrator:
But the prosecutors conclude
707
00:37:33,545 --> 00:37:36,089
that Tony will likely
not be a reliable witness
708
00:37:36,131 --> 00:37:38,842
and decide not
to put him on the stand.
709
00:37:38,883 --> 00:37:41,970
They only have
one other person to turn to.
710
00:37:43,221 --> 00:37:45,473
So it was decided then
711
00:37:45,515 --> 00:37:48,893
to approach the attorney
of Melissa Rucinski
712
00:37:48,935 --> 00:37:51,980
to see if she would be
willing to testify
713
00:37:52,022 --> 00:37:55,025
against her own mother
in her mother's trial.
714
00:37:56,818 --> 00:37:58,987
Ronda: There's no way
that they can actually
715
00:37:59,029 --> 00:38:01,990
make her testify so that--
716
00:38:15,211 --> 00:38:15,628
[***]
717
00:38:17,297 --> 00:38:19,174
Narrator: Prosecutors
in Delaware are convinced
718
00:38:19,215 --> 00:38:21,676
that Linda Charbonneau
masterminded the murders
719
00:38:21,718 --> 00:38:24,262
of John Charbonneau
and Billy Sproates
720
00:38:24,304 --> 00:38:27,223
but they fear their only chance
of convicting her
721
00:38:27,265 --> 00:38:29,225
is convincing
her daughter Melissa
722
00:38:29,267 --> 00:38:31,186
who is also charged with murder
723
00:38:31,227 --> 00:38:33,605
to testify against her mother.
724
00:38:35,315 --> 00:38:37,108
Ronda: It would be
very difficult
725
00:38:37,150 --> 00:38:39,861
but the prosecution
really had a strong argument.
726
00:38:39,903 --> 00:38:42,822
Keith: We offered a plea deal
727
00:38:42,864 --> 00:38:44,240
to Melissa Rucinski
728
00:38:44,282 --> 00:38:46,910
for her to testify
against her mother.
729
00:38:46,951 --> 00:38:50,205
She has really
the most to lose.
730
00:38:50,246 --> 00:38:52,707
Ronda: She has children
that she loves
731
00:38:52,749 --> 00:38:55,710
and with as much evidence
as it seemed there was
732
00:38:55,752 --> 00:38:58,797
it really seemed inevitable
that she was going to be
733
00:38:58,838 --> 00:39:03,218
sentenced for life
or even the death penalty.
734
00:39:03,259 --> 00:39:06,054
Narrator:
Melissa accepts the deal
735
00:39:06,096 --> 00:39:10,725
which puts her in prison
for 25 years.
736
00:39:10,767 --> 00:39:14,813
Keith: Melissa Rucinski
plead guilty to murder two,
737
00:39:14,854 --> 00:39:17,899
she also plead guilty
to the conspiracy
738
00:39:17,941 --> 00:39:19,984
because she knew
about everything
739
00:39:20,026 --> 00:39:23,029
that was gonna be going on
with Billy Sproates.
740
00:39:26,908 --> 00:39:28,702
Narrator:
As Linda Charbonneau's
741
00:39:28,743 --> 00:39:29,911
murder trial begins,
742
00:39:29,953 --> 00:39:32,622
her daughter takes the stand.
743
00:39:32,664 --> 00:39:34,958
She paints a vivid picture
for the jury,
744
00:39:35,000 --> 00:39:37,085
explaining how Linda
manipulated her
745
00:39:37,127 --> 00:39:40,296
and her boyfriend Tony Brown
into murdering John Charbonneau
746
00:39:40,338 --> 00:39:44,134
so that they could continue
to cash his disability checks.
747
00:39:47,804 --> 00:39:50,890
Pete: And Billy Sproates
was killed because mainly
748
00:39:50,932 --> 00:39:54,352
he was asking questions
about his uncle
749
00:39:54,394 --> 00:39:56,771
who was already killed.
750
00:39:57,731 --> 00:40:00,108
[***]
751
00:40:00,150 --> 00:40:03,153
Pete: Then Linda
had told everyone
752
00:40:03,194 --> 00:40:06,031
that Billy had left a note
753
00:40:06,072 --> 00:40:09,784
and had run off
with a younger woman.
754
00:40:09,826 --> 00:40:11,411
Keith: Although,
Linda Charbonneau
755
00:40:11,453 --> 00:40:14,289
did not have hands on
in either murder
756
00:40:14,330 --> 00:40:18,793
she was the driving force
for both.
757
00:40:18,835 --> 00:40:25,008
She was the engineer
that was controlling everything.
758
00:40:25,050 --> 00:40:27,344
Narrator: Linda's lawyers
argue that she was the one
759
00:40:27,385 --> 00:40:31,222
being manipulated
by Melissa and Tony.
760
00:40:31,264 --> 00:40:35,852
After two days of deliberations
the jury has its say.
761
00:40:35,894 --> 00:40:38,980
Keith: The verdict
in the Linda Charbonneau trial
762
00:40:39,022 --> 00:40:43,109
was guilty of two counts
of murder in the first degree.
763
00:40:46,071 --> 00:40:48,406
Ronda:
Linda was sentenced to death
764
00:40:48,448 --> 00:40:50,200
which was actually
the first time
765
00:40:50,241 --> 00:40:52,035
in the state of Delaware
that a woman
766
00:40:52,077 --> 00:40:56,206
had been sentenced
to the death penalty since 1935.
767
00:40:58,500 --> 00:41:01,044
David: We were happy,
we were all celebrating,
768
00:41:02,087 --> 00:41:03,296
we finally got her.
769
00:41:07,884 --> 00:41:10,804
Narrator: But Linda's
conviction is overturned
770
00:41:10,845 --> 00:41:13,848
after her lawyers argued
that they were prevented
771
00:41:13,890 --> 00:41:16,142
from questioning Tony Brown
during the trial.
772
00:41:17,936 --> 00:41:20,522
Two years later
prosecutors are preparing
773
00:41:20,563 --> 00:41:22,190
for Linda's second trial
774
00:41:22,232 --> 00:41:24,776
but this time
there's a hitch.
775
00:41:26,069 --> 00:41:29,989
Melissa Rucinski
refuses to testify.
776
00:41:32,867 --> 00:41:35,537
Narrator: With their number one
witness now unavailable,
777
00:41:35,578 --> 00:41:39,207
prosecutors scramble
to salvage their case.
778
00:41:39,249 --> 00:41:42,210
Ronda: They ended up
presenting a plea
779
00:41:42,252 --> 00:41:46,172
where she would plead
to John's death
780
00:41:46,214 --> 00:41:47,799
but not Billy's
781
00:41:47,841 --> 00:41:49,968
and she was ultimately sentenced
782
00:41:50,010 --> 00:41:53,263
to 20 years which was
actually less time
783
00:41:53,304 --> 00:41:55,890
than her daughter
was sentenced to.
784
00:41:58,435 --> 00:42:01,146
David: We was upset about that,
785
00:42:01,187 --> 00:42:03,398
very, very upset.
786
00:42:03,440 --> 00:42:06,484
Janet: I was devastated
to say the least
787
00:42:06,526 --> 00:42:10,405
but it was over
and something was being done.
788
00:42:13,950 --> 00:42:16,327
Narrator: It's not the justice
they'd hope for
789
00:42:16,369 --> 00:42:18,455
but the family
is comforted that at least
790
00:42:18,496 --> 00:42:20,540
Linda Charbonneau
will pay some price
791
00:42:20,582 --> 00:42:22,917
for what she has stolen
from them.
792
00:42:22,959 --> 00:42:25,003
They take
what comfort they can
793
00:42:25,045 --> 00:42:28,089
from their memories
of John and Billy.
794
00:42:28,131 --> 00:42:30,342
David: Uncle John
he was a really,
795
00:42:30,383 --> 00:42:33,219
really intelligent man,
he was good with the pen,
796
00:42:33,261 --> 00:42:35,055
he was good with the pencil.
797
00:42:35,096 --> 00:42:38,058
He could draw anything
you ever wanted.
798
00:42:39,434 --> 00:42:41,061
He was a good person.
799
00:42:43,646 --> 00:42:47,108
And Billy was the kindest person
800
00:42:47,150 --> 00:42:49,027
that you ever want to be around.
801
00:42:49,069 --> 00:42:53,823
We argued, we laughed,
and we had good times together.
802
00:42:55,241 --> 00:42:57,327
I'm 66 years old,
803
00:42:58,328 --> 00:42:59,996
he would be 67,
804
00:43:00,038 --> 00:43:01,956
we would still be
hunting together.
805
00:43:01,998 --> 00:43:04,042
We would still be
fishing together.
806
00:43:04,084 --> 00:43:06,461
Doing things
that brothers supposed to do
807
00:43:06,503 --> 00:43:08,463
throughout their life.
808
00:43:08,505 --> 00:43:09,547
Yeah. I miss him.
809
00:43:12,217 --> 00:43:15,261
[***]