1 00:00:07,440 --> 00:00:09,876 [dramatic music] 2 00:00:10,143 --> 00:00:12,379 * * 3 00:00:12,412 --> 00:00:15,115 - Cyprus is in Orange County, 4 00:00:15,148 --> 00:00:18,318 located on the LA County border. 5 00:00:18,351 --> 00:00:21,588 - It's best described as kind of like a Mayberry. 6 00:00:21,621 --> 00:00:24,924 There's not much in the way of crime happening. 7 00:00:24,958 --> 00:00:26,860 - It's a very affluent place. 8 00:00:26,893 --> 00:00:28,495 It's very diverse. 9 00:00:28,528 --> 00:00:31,898 And it's a place that you can reinvent yourself 10 00:00:31,931 --> 00:00:35,268 and be a completely new person. 11 00:00:35,301 --> 00:00:38,872 - My mother and Marvin moved to Cyprus in 1995. 12 00:00:38,905 --> 00:00:41,207 It was a pricey neighborhood. 13 00:00:41,241 --> 00:00:44,444 The home is 4,800 square feet, five bedrooms, 14 00:00:44,477 --> 00:00:49,115 and it was the largest of eight homes in the cul-de-sac. 15 00:00:49,149 --> 00:00:51,151 - In fact, you'd probably move there 16 00:00:51,184 --> 00:00:53,453 because you'd think this is a safe little cul-de-sac 17 00:00:53,486 --> 00:00:56,022 where nothing bad's gonna ever happen. 18 00:00:56,056 --> 00:00:58,658 [sirens wailing] 19 00:00:58,692 --> 00:01:01,161 - Patrol officers discovered her brutally beaten to death. 20 00:01:01,194 --> 00:01:04,097 Her left toes had been set on fire. 21 00:01:04,130 --> 00:01:06,766 - In the peaceful enclave of Cyprus, 22 00:01:06,800 --> 00:01:09,936 a churchgoing businesswoman is savagely murdered 23 00:01:09,969 --> 00:01:12,706 during the most wonderful time of the year. 24 00:01:12,739 --> 00:01:16,943 - Her hands are tied behind her back with a coat hanger. 25 00:01:16,976 --> 00:01:20,513 - The violence is kind of telling you something. 26 00:01:20,547 --> 00:01:24,150 There's some rage going on here. 27 00:01:24,184 --> 00:01:25,952 - I just thought, "This poor woman." 28 00:01:25,985 --> 00:01:28,188 Christmastime, you know? 29 00:01:28,221 --> 00:01:30,690 - The mystery: why would anyone want 30 00:01:30,724 --> 00:01:33,960 this well-loved millionairess dead? 31 00:01:33,993 --> 00:01:35,729 - Minnie and Marvin were sitting 32 00:01:35,762 --> 00:01:38,865 on quite a big nest egg of about $5 million. 33 00:01:38,898 --> 00:01:41,634 - In the trunk, they find the stolen jewelry, 34 00:01:41,668 --> 00:01:44,637 including pieces with a Cadillac emblem 35 00:01:44,671 --> 00:01:46,306 and a big gold M. 36 00:01:46,339 --> 00:01:47,807 [camera shutter clicking] 37 00:01:47,841 --> 00:01:49,876 - There's people out there that are going to want 38 00:01:49,909 --> 00:01:51,177 what they don't have, 39 00:01:51,211 --> 00:01:52,979 and they will take it from them. 40 00:01:53,013 --> 00:02:00,086 * * 41 00:02:00,754 --> 00:02:03,723 [intense music] 42 00:02:03,757 --> 00:02:10,730 * * 43 00:02:14,901 --> 00:02:17,871 [tense music] 44 00:02:17,904 --> 00:02:22,809 * * 45 00:02:22,842 --> 00:02:24,077 - My name is Jeff Swift. 46 00:02:24,077 --> 00:02:26,146 In 2005, I was a detective 47 00:02:26,179 --> 00:02:27,881 with the Cypress Police Department, 48 00:02:27,914 --> 00:02:30,083 Orange County, California. 49 00:02:30,083 --> 00:02:32,719 December 15, 2005, happened to be the day 50 00:02:32,752 --> 00:02:35,355 of the Cyprus Police Department Christmas party. 51 00:02:35,388 --> 00:02:36,790 About 6:30 at night... 52 00:02:36,823 --> 00:02:38,224 [phone ringing] 53 00:02:38,258 --> 00:02:40,860 We got a call of a possible burglary. 54 00:02:40,894 --> 00:02:42,696 [sirens wailing] 55 00:02:42,729 --> 00:02:44,931 When patrol responded to the scene, 56 00:02:44,964 --> 00:02:47,901 Marvin Smith, the reporting party, was out front. 57 00:02:47,934 --> 00:02:50,103 He was shaken. 58 00:02:50,103 --> 00:02:52,706 He was under the impression that Minnie Smith, his wife, 59 00:02:52,739 --> 00:02:56,576 was not home, and that there were intruders in his home. 60 00:02:56,609 --> 00:02:57,844 - My name is John Schaefer. 61 00:02:57,877 --> 00:02:59,412 I'm a 24-year veteran 62 00:02:59,446 --> 00:03:02,615 of the Cypress Police Department. 63 00:03:02,649 --> 00:03:05,585 Marvin tells the officers, "I got home at 6:30, 64 00:03:05,618 --> 00:03:08,388 "parked at the curb, walked up to the door, 65 00:03:08,421 --> 00:03:10,757 saw the shade down." 66 00:03:10,790 --> 00:03:13,360 Mr. Smith tells officers that on this home, 67 00:03:13,393 --> 00:03:16,062 there's an automatic shade retractor 68 00:03:16,096 --> 00:03:18,064 that makes the shade go up and down. 69 00:03:18,064 --> 00:03:20,300 And the fact that it is down 70 00:03:20,333 --> 00:03:22,936 usually means his wife's not home. 71 00:03:22,969 --> 00:03:25,605 So he went in. 72 00:03:25,638 --> 00:03:27,874 - At that point, he heard voices upstairs, 73 00:03:27,907 --> 00:03:29,609 and thinking that there were intruders in the home, 74 00:03:29,642 --> 00:03:31,811 he exited the home and called the police. 75 00:03:35,815 --> 00:03:38,852 - As the sense of fear shatters the quiet calm 76 00:03:38,885 --> 00:03:40,954 of this peaceful December evening, 77 00:03:40,987 --> 00:03:44,290 police draw their guns, ready to face 78 00:03:44,324 --> 00:03:47,093 any danger lurking inside. 79 00:03:47,127 --> 00:03:50,096 - When they enter the home, there's a Christmas tree, 80 00:03:50,130 --> 00:03:53,600 garland up, decorations. 81 00:03:53,633 --> 00:03:55,635 Nothing looked out of place. 82 00:03:55,669 --> 00:04:01,174 And then they went upstairs, into the master bedroom. 83 00:04:02,676 --> 00:04:03,910 And hearing voices, they thought 84 00:04:03,943 --> 00:04:05,712 maybe there were intruders in the home. 85 00:04:07,947 --> 00:04:09,649 But the sound of the voices that Marvin heard, 86 00:04:09,683 --> 00:04:11,584 it was a television that was on. 87 00:04:13,820 --> 00:04:15,855 - My name is Heather Brown, and I was 88 00:04:15,889 --> 00:04:20,694 a deputy district attorney in Orange County for 24 years. 89 00:04:20,727 --> 00:04:23,129 Detectives noted that some of the dresser drawers 90 00:04:23,163 --> 00:04:25,765 had been rummaged through as if someone was in a hurry. 91 00:04:27,300 --> 00:04:28,668 - The carpet's been pulled back, 92 00:04:28,702 --> 00:04:32,138 and they can see that the floor safe is empty. 93 00:04:32,172 --> 00:04:36,676 - What the officers see next shocks them to the core. 94 00:04:36,710 --> 00:04:38,278 - They discovered a woman deceased 95 00:04:38,311 --> 00:04:41,514 between the master bed and the window. 96 00:04:41,548 --> 00:04:43,883 There was blood spatter present. 97 00:04:45,752 --> 00:04:48,221 It appeared to be Marvin's wife, Minnie Smith. 98 00:04:51,458 --> 00:04:52,826 - My name is Susan Kang. 99 00:04:52,859 --> 00:04:55,628 And in 2005, I was at the Orange County 100 00:04:55,662 --> 00:04:57,564 District Attorney's Office. 101 00:04:57,597 --> 00:05:00,667 It was horrible the way that she died. 102 00:05:00,700 --> 00:05:03,536 She had suffered some blunt trauma to her head. 103 00:05:03,570 --> 00:05:06,873 - She'd been clearly brutally beaten to death. 104 00:05:06,906 --> 00:05:09,709 Her nightgown had been pulled up around her waist. 105 00:05:09,743 --> 00:05:12,479 - The fact that she was naked from the waist down 106 00:05:12,512 --> 00:05:15,181 would seem like perhaps the motive of the intruder 107 00:05:15,215 --> 00:05:17,183 was some type of sexual assault. 108 00:05:17,217 --> 00:05:21,755 - There are some other kind of unusual things in this scene. 109 00:05:21,788 --> 00:05:24,557 - Her hands are bound behind her 110 00:05:24,591 --> 00:05:27,427 using coat wire hanger. 111 00:05:27,460 --> 00:05:29,062 - And there was some matches 112 00:05:29,062 --> 00:05:31,197 that were found next to her body also, 113 00:05:31,231 --> 00:05:35,368 in addition to her legs being bound with duct tape. 114 00:05:35,402 --> 00:05:37,637 - It appeared that whoever had done this 115 00:05:37,671 --> 00:05:39,372 put some kind of material between her toes 116 00:05:39,406 --> 00:05:41,274 and set them on fire. 117 00:05:43,810 --> 00:05:47,747 Our first thoughts are, was she tortured to find out 118 00:05:47,781 --> 00:05:49,449 where the safe in the house was, 119 00:05:49,482 --> 00:05:51,584 where the money in the house was? 120 00:05:51,618 --> 00:05:54,788 I've been a part of a lot of brutal crime scenes, 121 00:05:54,821 --> 00:05:58,758 but when I saw Minnie next to the bed was sadness. 122 00:05:58,792 --> 00:06:00,894 I just thought, "This poor woman." 123 00:06:00,927 --> 00:06:02,662 Christmastime, you know? 124 00:06:08,068 --> 00:06:11,438 - As detectives carefully survey the room, 125 00:06:11,471 --> 00:06:13,773 the murder weapon is nowhere in sight. 126 00:06:13,807 --> 00:06:15,742 - Your first thought when you see an injury like that is, 127 00:06:15,775 --> 00:06:18,945 this is obviously probably a heavy object. 128 00:06:19,045 --> 00:06:20,380 - But there's not a baseball bat 129 00:06:20,413 --> 00:06:21,648 lying next to her 130 00:06:21,681 --> 00:06:25,251 or a beer bottle or something like that. 131 00:06:25,285 --> 00:06:28,621 - Before the CSI team begins to gather evidence, 132 00:06:28,655 --> 00:06:32,058 investigators head outside with the somber task 133 00:06:32,058 --> 00:06:36,062 of giving Marvin Smith the gut-wrenching news. 134 00:06:36,062 --> 00:06:38,665 - They have to tell her husband, Mr. Smith, 135 00:06:38,698 --> 00:06:40,867 "Your wife is dead." 136 00:06:40,900 --> 00:06:43,870 You don't really know his role in this thing. 137 00:06:43,903 --> 00:06:46,139 Any cop worth his salt is thinking 138 00:06:46,172 --> 00:06:47,741 he could be the suspect. 139 00:06:47,774 --> 00:06:50,176 - But Marvin appeared to be very distraught, 140 00:06:50,210 --> 00:06:53,079 shocked as to why this had occurred. 141 00:06:53,079 --> 00:06:55,148 He was wondering, "Who could have done this? 142 00:06:55,181 --> 00:06:57,117 Why my wife? Why me?" 143 00:06:57,150 --> 00:06:59,085 - Investigators learn that Marvin is 144 00:06:59,085 --> 00:07:00,720 Minnie's second husband, 145 00:07:00,754 --> 00:07:04,290 and the two had been married for 28 years. 146 00:07:04,324 --> 00:07:06,259 - So we asked, "Is there anybody 147 00:07:06,292 --> 00:07:10,597 that doesn't like your wife or has a beef with your wife?" 148 00:07:10,630 --> 00:07:12,599 - Marvin told us that she was very kindhearted, 149 00:07:12,632 --> 00:07:14,801 and she had no enemies. 150 00:07:14,834 --> 00:07:17,604 - Detectives tell Marvin that the safe in his bedroom 151 00:07:17,637 --> 00:07:20,573 is empty and ask him what it had inside. 152 00:07:20,607 --> 00:07:23,309 - Marvin had stated that the empty safe had 153 00:07:23,343 --> 00:07:27,047 over $30,000 in cash and about $200,000 in jewelry, 154 00:07:27,080 --> 00:07:30,684 specifically a very large, flashy, diamond-encrusted 155 00:07:30,717 --> 00:07:34,187 Cadillac medallion and an M medallion. 156 00:07:34,220 --> 00:07:37,190 - Crime scene investigators descend on the house, 157 00:07:37,223 --> 00:07:40,326 looking for evidence as to who could have committed 158 00:07:40,360 --> 00:07:42,595 such a violent crime. 159 00:07:42,629 --> 00:07:45,065 - Near the fireplace is a heavy metal log roller 160 00:07:45,065 --> 00:07:46,900 that is out of place. 161 00:07:46,933 --> 00:07:49,469 - The forensics team found blood residue 162 00:07:49,502 --> 00:07:51,871 on the log roller. 163 00:07:51,905 --> 00:07:54,174 It could have been the murder weapon. 164 00:07:54,207 --> 00:07:55,875 - The other thing that was quite odd is that 165 00:07:55,909 --> 00:07:59,713 on the bar was a cup with an alcoholic beverage inside. 166 00:07:59,746 --> 00:08:03,016 And next to it was an open bottle of cognac. 167 00:08:03,049 --> 00:08:05,719 You wonder, did the killer take a belt of that 168 00:08:05,752 --> 00:08:08,755 to calm his nerves before the homicide? 169 00:08:08,788 --> 00:08:11,091 In my experience, it would not be unusual 170 00:08:11,124 --> 00:08:12,759 for somebody to do that. 171 00:08:15,228 --> 00:08:17,831 - Outside the house, Cyprus investigators 172 00:08:17,864 --> 00:08:20,033 discover signs of entry. 173 00:08:20,066 --> 00:08:21,368 - There was a screen that had been removed 174 00:08:21,401 --> 00:08:23,169 from a kitchen window 175 00:08:23,203 --> 00:08:24,904 and a toolbox left outside 176 00:08:24,938 --> 00:08:26,706 that was a potential entry point 177 00:08:26,740 --> 00:08:29,109 as if maybe the suspect had used it as a stool. 178 00:08:31,244 --> 00:08:34,080 - As investigators continue combing the crime scene, 179 00:08:34,114 --> 00:08:38,218 Marvin breaks the horrific news to the family. 180 00:08:38,251 --> 00:08:39,919 - My name is Bennie Thomas, 181 00:08:39,953 --> 00:08:42,922 and Minnie Smith was my mother. 182 00:08:42,956 --> 00:08:46,526 December 15th, Thursday, I received a phone call 183 00:08:46,559 --> 00:08:49,062 from my stepfather, Marvin. 184 00:08:49,062 --> 00:08:52,165 And he told me, "There's been an accident." 185 00:08:52,198 --> 00:08:55,735 So I just jumped in my truck and drove out there. 186 00:08:55,769 --> 00:08:57,671 [somber music] 187 00:08:57,704 --> 00:09:00,540 Marvin was outside of the house. 188 00:09:00,573 --> 00:09:03,610 He told me my mother had been murdered, 189 00:09:03,643 --> 00:09:08,748 and I just broke down on my knees and cried. 190 00:09:08,782 --> 00:09:14,220 Just from that time, it was just disbelief. 191 00:09:15,455 --> 00:09:17,424 What was going through my head was not, 192 00:09:17,457 --> 00:09:19,793 "Who could have done this?" 193 00:09:19,826 --> 00:09:22,195 "How could someone have done this?" 194 00:09:22,228 --> 00:09:25,598 My mother was a good woman. 195 00:09:28,668 --> 00:09:30,870 - My name is Mildred Patterson, 196 00:09:30,904 --> 00:09:34,741 and I have known Minnie for about 45 years. 197 00:09:34,774 --> 00:09:38,144 When I first met her, she was working as a waitress. 198 00:09:38,178 --> 00:09:42,916 Minnie Smith was what I call a classy young girl. 199 00:09:42,949 --> 00:09:45,452 Minnie was always independent. 200 00:09:45,485 --> 00:09:48,455 She always worked. 201 00:09:48,488 --> 00:09:50,056 - Minnie married at a young age 202 00:09:50,056 --> 00:09:52,125 to her first husband, Bennie. 203 00:09:52,158 --> 00:09:56,463 And in 1966, they had a son, Bennie Jr. 204 00:09:56,496 --> 00:09:58,431 - My mama, she was devoted. 205 00:09:58,465 --> 00:10:00,367 She was thoughtful. 206 00:10:00,400 --> 00:10:03,236 A lot of people looked up to her within the family. 207 00:10:03,269 --> 00:10:04,471 She was a Christian. 208 00:10:04,504 --> 00:10:07,607 She attended church constantly. 209 00:10:07,640 --> 00:10:09,175 She was definitely a role model. 210 00:10:09,209 --> 00:10:11,478 She worked in the aerospace industry. 211 00:10:11,511 --> 00:10:16,049 She started with Rockwell and then Hughes Aircraft. 212 00:10:16,082 --> 00:10:21,855 My mom and my father got divorced in 1968, 213 00:10:21,888 --> 00:10:23,923 when I was really young. 214 00:10:23,957 --> 00:10:28,094 - After she divorced, she didn't date for a while. 215 00:10:28,128 --> 00:10:30,430 And one day, Minnie saw Marvin, 216 00:10:30,463 --> 00:10:32,999 and that was love at first sight. 217 00:10:33,033 --> 00:10:37,504 Marvin was good-looking, well-spoken, real friendly, 218 00:10:37,537 --> 00:10:41,374 and he seemed to be taken with Minnie. 219 00:10:41,408 --> 00:10:44,911 - Minnie and Marvin were married in 1976 220 00:10:44,944 --> 00:10:48,515 and eventually moved to Northwest Orange County. 221 00:10:48,548 --> 00:10:50,083 - They did well for themselves. 222 00:10:50,116 --> 00:10:53,520 Marvin and my mother owned a liquor store 223 00:10:53,553 --> 00:10:56,222 and six different rental properties. 224 00:10:56,256 --> 00:11:00,060 And they were able to build their fortune. 225 00:11:00,093 --> 00:11:03,663 - Marvin and Minnie had four luxury cars. 226 00:11:03,697 --> 00:11:07,100 - They had a beautiful six-bedroom home 227 00:11:07,133 --> 00:11:09,803 in an upscale community in Cypress, 228 00:11:09,836 --> 00:11:12,172 and they were sitting on quite a big nest egg 229 00:11:12,205 --> 00:11:14,474 of about $5 million. 230 00:11:14,507 --> 00:11:16,076 - Investigators wonder 231 00:11:16,109 --> 00:11:17,777 if someone could have murdered Minnie 232 00:11:17,811 --> 00:11:19,946 because they were after her money. 233 00:11:19,979 --> 00:11:22,549 - But how would someone know that they had 234 00:11:22,582 --> 00:11:24,884 a safe in the floorboard of their home 235 00:11:24,918 --> 00:11:28,388 that had $30,000 and some very expensive jewelry? 236 00:11:28,421 --> 00:11:32,392 Greed is definitely a motive to kill her. 237 00:11:32,425 --> 00:11:35,395 It was definitely possible that it could be someone 238 00:11:35,428 --> 00:11:39,366 within Minnie's inner circle that cared more about money 239 00:11:39,399 --> 00:11:40,734 than they did about Minnie. 240 00:11:44,104 --> 00:11:45,872 - What we found in the apartment complex 241 00:11:45,905 --> 00:11:49,109 was trash cans full of receipts, love notes. 242 00:11:49,109 --> 00:11:52,445 - Also, if you are going to get revenge, 243 00:11:52,479 --> 00:11:53,713 you might steal from him. 244 00:11:53,747 --> 00:11:56,583 You might rob. You might murder. 245 00:11:56,616 --> 00:11:58,752 - Could this be the kind of person 246 00:12:09,396 --> 00:12:12,065 [dramatic music] 247 00:12:12,298 --> 00:12:17,937 * * 248 00:12:17,971 --> 00:12:21,141 - Minnie Smith was a self-made millionairess 249 00:12:21,174 --> 00:12:24,911 living a well-earned life of luxury in Orange County 250 00:12:24,944 --> 00:12:27,080 until someone cut it short. 251 00:12:27,080 --> 00:12:30,717 Now investigators think they might have a motive. 252 00:12:30,750 --> 00:12:32,085 - Any time you have someone 253 00:12:32,085 --> 00:12:34,220 who comes from humble beginnings 254 00:12:34,254 --> 00:12:36,890 and can bring themselves up by the bootstraps 255 00:12:36,923 --> 00:12:39,292 and become successful, there's people out there 256 00:12:39,325 --> 00:12:43,163 that are going to be jealous and want what they don't have. 257 00:12:43,196 --> 00:12:45,131 And they will take it from you. 258 00:12:47,334 --> 00:12:49,703 What detectives were desperate to figure out 259 00:12:49,736 --> 00:12:52,005 was who outside of the inner circle 260 00:12:52,105 --> 00:12:55,742 would know about the safe and be so coldhearted 261 00:12:55,775 --> 00:12:57,944 as to torture and murder a woman 262 00:12:57,977 --> 00:13:01,548 that everyone loved so dearly. 263 00:13:01,581 --> 00:13:04,451 - But as investigators continue to search the house 264 00:13:04,484 --> 00:13:05,919 the day after the murder, 265 00:13:05,952 --> 00:13:08,488 they notice big-ticket items in the garage 266 00:13:08,521 --> 00:13:11,257 that throw the robbery theory into question. 267 00:13:11,291 --> 00:13:13,727 - One of the things they come across in the garage 268 00:13:13,760 --> 00:13:15,528 is Mrs. Smith's car, 269 00:13:15,562 --> 00:13:17,964 and next to it are some firearms. 270 00:13:19,599 --> 00:13:24,070 - Firearms are very, very valuable on the black market, 271 00:13:24,070 --> 00:13:26,339 and most thieves will go for those items first, 272 00:13:26,373 --> 00:13:30,243 not only to arm themselves but to sell them on the street. 273 00:13:30,276 --> 00:13:33,813 - Was it possible this wasn't a robbery after all? 274 00:13:34,981 --> 00:13:36,583 Investigators consider this 275 00:13:36,616 --> 00:13:39,419 as Minnie's body is taken to the morgue. 276 00:13:41,087 --> 00:13:44,491 - They didn't remove her body until the next morning. 277 00:13:44,524 --> 00:13:48,094 When I saw her in that bag, it was a trying time for me. 278 00:13:48,094 --> 00:13:51,531 It was a very trying time for me. 279 00:13:51,564 --> 00:13:53,366 And I have to give-- 280 00:13:53,400 --> 00:13:58,204 not have to, but I will give God all the credit 281 00:13:58,238 --> 00:14:01,307 for even getting me to this point 282 00:14:01,341 --> 00:14:04,110 by placing good people around me. 283 00:14:09,616 --> 00:14:12,919 - At the morgue, the coroner inspects Minnie's wounds 284 00:14:12,952 --> 00:14:15,522 but is unable to establish a tight timeline 285 00:14:15,555 --> 00:14:18,058 for her time of death. 286 00:14:18,091 --> 00:14:20,193 - He said she could have died any time between 287 00:14:20,226 --> 00:14:22,395 5:30 in the morning and 5:30 at night. 288 00:14:22,429 --> 00:14:24,130 That's a 12-hour window. 289 00:14:24,164 --> 00:14:26,066 - The coroner would determine that she suffered 290 00:14:26,099 --> 00:14:29,402 multiple blunt force injuries. 291 00:14:29,436 --> 00:14:32,405 One of those was above her left eye, 292 00:14:32,439 --> 00:14:36,409 and the last one was to the back of the skull. 293 00:14:36,443 --> 00:14:39,145 - Minnie was also found with a defensive wound 294 00:14:39,179 --> 00:14:41,314 on the back of her arm, which would indicate 295 00:14:41,348 --> 00:14:43,316 she was attempting to block a blow. 296 00:14:43,350 --> 00:14:46,653 So perhaps she was awakened by the first blow 297 00:14:46,686 --> 00:14:51,658 and then tried to prevent being struck again. 298 00:14:51,691 --> 00:14:55,395 - The coroner said by the way the wound is inflicted, 299 00:14:55,428 --> 00:14:57,897 that it was inflicted by somebody who was right-handed, 300 00:14:57,931 --> 00:15:00,033 and so swinging an object with their right hand. 301 00:15:02,035 --> 00:15:04,304 - The cause of death was not very surprising, 302 00:15:04,337 --> 00:15:07,107 but the autopsy did turn up some other things 303 00:15:07,140 --> 00:15:09,209 that caught the detectives off guard. 304 00:15:10,710 --> 00:15:14,347 There was no evidence of any sexual assault. 305 00:15:14,381 --> 00:15:17,384 And there was actually no DNA whatsoever 306 00:15:17,417 --> 00:15:20,520 that was recovered from her body. 307 00:15:20,553 --> 00:15:22,088 This was surprising because of the way 308 00:15:22,122 --> 00:15:23,390 her nightgown was pulled up 309 00:15:23,423 --> 00:15:26,693 and that she was naked from the waist down. 310 00:15:26,726 --> 00:15:29,062 - Another odd thing is, Minnie's hands were bound 311 00:15:29,095 --> 00:15:31,297 behind her back, and it appeared 312 00:15:31,331 --> 00:15:34,100 that that occurred postmortem. 313 00:15:34,134 --> 00:15:36,503 - That would, to me, be kind of a red flag 314 00:15:36,536 --> 00:15:38,471 because I would think, "Okay, this is weird. 315 00:15:38,505 --> 00:15:41,641 Why would you tie this woman up after she was dead?" 316 00:15:41,675 --> 00:15:46,579 * * 317 00:15:46,613 --> 00:15:48,915 - Tying Minnie's hands after killing her 318 00:15:48,948 --> 00:15:50,884 is not the only sign of the killer's 319 00:15:50,917 --> 00:15:54,287 extremely deliberate actions. 320 00:15:54,320 --> 00:15:57,090 - There's no prints or DNA either on the screen 321 00:15:57,090 --> 00:15:59,159 that was removed or the wire hanger 322 00:15:59,192 --> 00:16:02,128 that was used to tie Minnie's hands behind her back. 323 00:16:02,162 --> 00:16:04,030 But what really stood out the most 324 00:16:04,030 --> 00:16:05,732 were the results from the testing 325 00:16:05,765 --> 00:16:09,035 on the cup and the cognac. 326 00:16:09,035 --> 00:16:10,236 - It was determined by the crime lab 327 00:16:10,270 --> 00:16:13,206 that the cognac bottle and the cup 328 00:16:13,239 --> 00:16:18,044 that were present on the bar did not contain any DNA. 329 00:16:18,044 --> 00:16:21,748 - Whoever's put it there has cleaned it, sanitized it, 330 00:16:21,781 --> 00:16:24,751 but is intending to try to mislead us 331 00:16:24,784 --> 00:16:27,053 as to what happened there. 332 00:16:28,788 --> 00:16:31,758 - With the firearms and Minnie's car untouched, 333 00:16:31,791 --> 00:16:34,194 the autopsy revealing that Minnie wasn't 334 00:16:34,227 --> 00:16:37,063 sexually assaulted, and the lack of DNA 335 00:16:37,063 --> 00:16:39,366 on the body or the cup, 336 00:16:39,399 --> 00:16:42,902 investigators begin to hone in on a new theory. 337 00:16:42,936 --> 00:16:46,272 - Detectives have to wonder if Minnie's murder was 338 00:16:46,306 --> 00:16:49,075 staged to look like a home invasion robbery 339 00:16:49,075 --> 00:16:51,311 by someone who wanted Minnie dead. 340 00:16:51,344 --> 00:16:53,980 - Burglars are people who are here for property. 341 00:16:54,080 --> 00:16:55,281 They want their money. 342 00:16:55,315 --> 00:16:56,983 They're not into going to prison 343 00:16:57,083 --> 00:17:00,320 for abusing or murdering somebody. 344 00:17:03,056 --> 00:17:05,792 That's a rarity. That's rare. 345 00:17:05,825 --> 00:17:09,496 The violence of it, too, is kind of telling you something. 346 00:17:09,529 --> 00:17:13,566 There's some rage going on here. 347 00:17:13,600 --> 00:17:15,635 - While detectives find more meaning 348 00:17:15,669 --> 00:17:18,271 in what the forensics report doesn't contain, 349 00:17:18,304 --> 00:17:22,776 it does confirm one devastating detail. 350 00:17:22,809 --> 00:17:25,378 - My name is Tricia Takasugi. 351 00:17:25,412 --> 00:17:27,681 I'm a former TV reporter who covered 352 00:17:27,714 --> 00:17:30,517 Orange County crime in the late 1990s 353 00:17:30,550 --> 00:17:32,152 and early 2000s. 354 00:17:32,185 --> 00:17:35,555 The forensic report reveals that the blood residue 355 00:17:35,588 --> 00:17:39,826 that was on that log roller is a match for Minnie's blood. 356 00:17:39,859 --> 00:17:43,329 And it was most likely the weapon used to kill Minnie. 357 00:17:44,798 --> 00:17:46,833 - But there's another DNA profile 358 00:17:46,866 --> 00:17:49,102 on the log roller too. 359 00:17:49,135 --> 00:17:52,639 - They also find DNA from Marvin Smith. 360 00:17:54,474 --> 00:17:56,109 - Handling his own fireplace tool 361 00:17:56,142 --> 00:17:59,512 doesn't mean Marvin's guilty, but with all the evidence 362 00:17:59,546 --> 00:18:01,715 pointing towards this being staged, 363 00:18:01,748 --> 00:18:06,252 detectives now turn their attention to Marvin Smith. 364 00:18:06,286 --> 00:18:08,121 - Typically, people who are murdered 365 00:18:08,154 --> 00:18:10,023 are murdered by somebody who knows them 366 00:18:10,023 --> 00:18:11,191 or is close to them. 367 00:18:11,224 --> 00:18:13,226 So we ask, what's the relationship 368 00:18:13,259 --> 00:18:15,028 of the husband with his wife? 369 00:18:15,061 --> 00:18:18,365 Is that a relationship such that he might have a motive 370 00:18:18,398 --> 00:18:20,033 to commit a murder like this? 371 00:18:33,445 --> 00:18:35,848 [dramatic music] 372 00:18:36,115 --> 00:18:39,685 * * 373 00:18:39,718 --> 00:18:43,822 - One day after the murder of 66-year-old Minnie Smith, 374 00:18:43,856 --> 00:18:46,458 investigators in Orange County, California, 375 00:18:46,492 --> 00:18:49,061 have just found some unexpected DNA 376 00:18:49,061 --> 00:18:51,063 on the likely murder weapon-- 377 00:18:51,063 --> 00:18:53,365 her husband, Marvin's. 378 00:18:53,399 --> 00:18:55,367 - So at this point in the investigation, 379 00:18:55,401 --> 00:18:58,203 we have nothing that would make us think 380 00:18:58,237 --> 00:19:01,040 that Marvin was capable of this kind of a crime. 381 00:19:01,073 --> 00:19:03,709 So you try to build a profile 382 00:19:03,742 --> 00:19:05,611 of what this person is capable of, 383 00:19:05,644 --> 00:19:08,213 and you want to talk to other family. 384 00:19:08,247 --> 00:19:11,316 - When detectives track down those closest to the couple 385 00:19:11,350 --> 00:19:13,485 and pump them for information, 386 00:19:13,519 --> 00:19:18,257 a surprising detail about Marvin's history emerges. 387 00:19:18,290 --> 00:19:21,026 - And a couple of stories come up about, you know, 388 00:19:21,060 --> 00:19:24,530 Marvin getting in an argument with somebody over rent 389 00:19:24,563 --> 00:19:27,733 and situations where his anger explodes 390 00:19:27,766 --> 00:19:30,903 and he does some violent things. 391 00:19:30,936 --> 00:19:34,440 - In 1992, he was involved in an altercation 392 00:19:34,473 --> 00:19:37,209 out of one of his liquor stores where he was reportedly 393 00:19:37,242 --> 00:19:39,278 pistol-whipping another person. 394 00:19:41,380 --> 00:19:43,682 And then in 2003, it was reported 395 00:19:43,716 --> 00:19:47,086 that Marvin had struck one of his tenants 396 00:19:47,119 --> 00:19:48,554 at one of his rentals. 397 00:19:48,587 --> 00:19:51,323 - With Marvin, if you did anything 398 00:19:51,357 --> 00:19:53,659 that he didn't appreciate, 399 00:19:53,692 --> 00:19:55,394 he was gonna let you know about it, 400 00:19:55,427 --> 00:19:58,597 and it wouldn't always be pleasant. 401 00:20:00,065 --> 00:20:01,400 - When you hear something like that, 402 00:20:01,433 --> 00:20:03,602 it doesn't establish guilt or murder. 403 00:20:03,635 --> 00:20:05,137 But it raises an eyebrow. 404 00:20:05,170 --> 00:20:06,605 - Because now you're seeing, 405 00:20:06,638 --> 00:20:08,474 if you will, a pattern of violence. 406 00:20:08,507 --> 00:20:10,976 You want to take a close look at Marvin. 407 00:20:11,810 --> 00:20:14,213 - Having established Marvin's potential capacity 408 00:20:14,246 --> 00:20:15,647 for violence, 409 00:20:15,681 --> 00:20:18,717 detectives now need to look at his alibi. 410 00:20:18,751 --> 00:20:21,153 - At this point, investigators know 411 00:20:21,186 --> 00:20:23,422 it's vitally important to track down 412 00:20:23,455 --> 00:20:26,225 Marvin's whereabouts on the day of Minnie's murder 413 00:20:26,258 --> 00:20:28,427 and pinpoint exactly where he was 414 00:20:28,460 --> 00:20:32,798 between 5:30 in the morning and 5:30 at night. 415 00:20:32,831 --> 00:20:35,634 - Detectives ask Marvin to come down to the station, 416 00:20:35,668 --> 00:20:38,137 where they quiz him on his whereabouts 417 00:20:38,170 --> 00:20:39,972 the day that Minnie was killed. 418 00:20:40,005 --> 00:20:42,007 - And we say, "Hey, what was your day like?" 419 00:20:42,041 --> 00:20:43,709 And it seems like he's got 420 00:20:43,742 --> 00:20:45,544 a pretty tight alibi for his day. 421 00:20:48,013 --> 00:20:49,248 - Marvin told police 422 00:20:49,281 --> 00:20:51,517 he went to a gas station in the morning. 423 00:20:51,550 --> 00:20:55,954 He then reports to work at the job site. 424 00:20:55,988 --> 00:20:57,423 In the middle of the day, 425 00:20:57,456 --> 00:20:59,925 he goes to a physical therapist's appointment 426 00:20:59,958 --> 00:21:02,194 because he had a shoulder injury 427 00:21:02,227 --> 00:21:04,329 that occurred six weeks before. 428 00:21:06,065 --> 00:21:09,068 - After physical therapy, Marvin went back to work 429 00:21:09,068 --> 00:21:12,171 and then arrived home about 6:30 when he heard voices 430 00:21:12,204 --> 00:21:14,340 inside his home that were not supposed to be there 431 00:21:14,373 --> 00:21:16,842 and called the police. 432 00:21:16,875 --> 00:21:18,544 - And the detectives began to track 433 00:21:18,577 --> 00:21:20,612 each part of his alibi. 434 00:21:20,646 --> 00:21:24,083 There was a receipt from a gas station 435 00:21:24,083 --> 00:21:27,353 where it appeared as though Marvin had gotten gas 436 00:21:27,386 --> 00:21:30,456 at 7:18 in the morning. 437 00:21:30,489 --> 00:21:32,257 - Investigators' next step 438 00:21:32,291 --> 00:21:35,761 is to visit the construction site that Marvin was running. 439 00:21:35,794 --> 00:21:37,996 - Because of eyewitnesses, we know that he went to work 440 00:21:38,097 --> 00:21:40,099 and later visited a job site. 441 00:21:40,099 --> 00:21:42,334 - And of course, police talked to neighbors 442 00:21:42,368 --> 00:21:44,703 in the cul-de-sac, and no one reports 443 00:21:44,737 --> 00:21:49,375 seeing Marvin coming back during the day. 444 00:21:49,408 --> 00:21:51,677 And then the physical therapist office confirmed 445 00:21:51,710 --> 00:21:54,580 that not only had Marvin been at physical therapy 446 00:21:54,613 --> 00:21:57,249 the afternoon of the 15th, 447 00:21:57,282 --> 00:21:59,818 but as a result of his surgery, 448 00:21:59,852 --> 00:22:03,422 he was told he could not push or pull anything 449 00:22:03,455 --> 00:22:08,093 or lift his arms above his shoulder height. 450 00:22:08,127 --> 00:22:10,496 - What they learn from the physical therapist 451 00:22:10,529 --> 00:22:13,065 seems to cast doubt on Marvin's ability 452 00:22:13,065 --> 00:22:14,767 to even commit this crime. 453 00:22:16,602 --> 00:22:17,936 - The autopsy results stated 454 00:22:17,970 --> 00:22:21,073 that the perpetrator was right-handed, 455 00:22:21,073 --> 00:22:23,776 and the surgery and the physical therapy 456 00:22:23,809 --> 00:22:26,812 that Marvin was undergoing was on his right shoulder, 457 00:22:26,845 --> 00:22:30,516 making it very unlikely that he could hold a heavy object 458 00:22:30,549 --> 00:22:32,951 with that torn shoulder. 459 00:22:32,985 --> 00:22:34,987 - Marvin's alibi is starting to look 460 00:22:35,087 --> 00:22:38,090 pretty solid, except for one detail 461 00:22:38,090 --> 00:22:41,560 that nags at investigators. 462 00:22:41,593 --> 00:22:44,096 - There was a window of time between the hours 463 00:22:44,129 --> 00:22:47,933 of 5:30 in the morning and 7:18 in the morning 464 00:22:47,966 --> 00:22:51,337 in which Marvin could have committed this murder. 465 00:22:54,173 --> 00:22:55,841 - Given this gap of time, 466 00:22:55,874 --> 00:22:58,310 detectives keep Marvin on their radar. 467 00:22:58,344 --> 00:23:01,113 At the same time, they appeal to the news media, 468 00:23:01,146 --> 00:23:04,149 hoping someone will come forward with information 469 00:23:04,183 --> 00:23:06,552 about Minnie's murder. 470 00:23:06,585 --> 00:23:09,154 - As soon as I learned about this case, 471 00:23:09,188 --> 00:23:11,924 I felt this connection with Minnie Smith, 472 00:23:11,957 --> 00:23:15,361 and I couldn't get out of my mind how she died. 473 00:23:15,394 --> 00:23:17,629 And that's the reason why I made sure 474 00:23:17,663 --> 00:23:20,833 her story was brought to the media. 475 00:23:20,866 --> 00:23:23,502 - So this story got quite a bit of media coverage 476 00:23:23,535 --> 00:23:26,071 because a lovely woman has been murdered 477 00:23:26,071 --> 00:23:30,476 in an upscale area in this beautiful cul-de-sac. 478 00:23:32,544 --> 00:23:34,847 - Investigators are flooded with tips, 479 00:23:34,880 --> 00:23:37,816 and one in particular catches their attention. 480 00:23:37,850 --> 00:23:40,819 - There was a man who was delivering packages 481 00:23:40,853 --> 00:23:43,789 on the day of the murder, and he reported that he had, 482 00:23:43,822 --> 00:23:47,626 in fact, seen Minnie driving her Lexus 483 00:23:47,659 --> 00:23:50,596 into the driveway around 1:30 on the day of the murder. 484 00:23:52,197 --> 00:23:53,966 - If she was seen going into the house, 485 00:23:53,999 --> 00:23:56,502 she was in the home up until, obviously, 486 00:23:56,535 --> 00:23:58,637 the time of the murder. 487 00:23:58,671 --> 00:24:01,206 - And to me, that's very strong evidence 488 00:24:01,240 --> 00:24:05,044 that closes off the possibility of Marvin killing her 489 00:24:05,044 --> 00:24:07,646 before he left for work in the morning that day. 490 00:24:11,583 --> 00:24:14,119 - Three days after this vicious murder, 491 00:24:14,153 --> 00:24:16,755 investigators are running out of leads. 492 00:24:16,789 --> 00:24:18,223 - It's like a puzzle. 493 00:24:18,257 --> 00:24:20,659 I have the pieces, but I don't know 494 00:24:20,693 --> 00:24:22,127 what the real picture is that they make, 495 00:24:22,161 --> 00:24:25,130 and I don't know how all the pieces fit together. 496 00:24:25,164 --> 00:24:27,466 - If Marvin didn't do this, then we need to start 497 00:24:27,499 --> 00:24:28,500 exploring other avenues. 498 00:24:28,534 --> 00:24:30,202 Who did, and why? 499 00:24:42,315 --> 00:24:44,984 [dramatic music] 500 00:24:45,251 --> 00:24:50,990 * * 501 00:24:51,091 --> 00:24:54,227 - Three days after the murder of Orange County businesswoman 502 00:24:54,260 --> 00:24:57,597 Minnie Smith, clearing her husband, Marvin, 503 00:24:57,630 --> 00:25:00,800 puts investigators back at square one. 504 00:25:00,834 --> 00:25:04,804 - Marvin had a solid alibi for the day of the murder. 505 00:25:04,838 --> 00:25:06,873 - So where else do I look? 506 00:25:06,906 --> 00:25:08,908 What are other options to look to? 507 00:25:08,942 --> 00:25:10,744 - We were looking for all the jewelry 508 00:25:10,777 --> 00:25:12,512 that Marvin had reported missing 509 00:25:12,545 --> 00:25:14,080 from the scene of the homicide. 510 00:25:14,114 --> 00:25:15,548 - Because, obviously, that's gonna be 511 00:25:15,582 --> 00:25:16,883 a critical component 512 00:25:16,916 --> 00:25:19,819 to tying our suspect to the crime. 513 00:25:19,853 --> 00:25:21,755 - But the search for the stolen jewelry 514 00:25:21,788 --> 00:25:23,857 doesn't yield any results, 515 00:25:23,890 --> 00:25:25,792 and investigators remain desperate 516 00:25:25,825 --> 00:25:28,795 to find Minnie's killer. 517 00:25:28,828 --> 00:25:31,898 Meanwhile, her family and friends can't see 518 00:25:31,931 --> 00:25:34,801 beyond their enormous grief. 519 00:25:34,834 --> 00:25:38,772 - Minnie and I, we didn't have a lot of friends. 520 00:25:38,805 --> 00:25:40,774 But we had each other. 521 00:25:40,807 --> 00:25:44,110 Even though Minnie and I didn't visit a lot, 522 00:25:44,144 --> 00:25:47,547 but we talked to each other at least five times a week 523 00:25:47,580 --> 00:25:50,083 for 30 minutes at a time. 524 00:25:50,083 --> 00:25:53,086 I was shocked when somebody killed her. 525 00:25:53,086 --> 00:25:55,522 I didn't sleep much. 526 00:25:55,555 --> 00:25:58,625 - To be honest with you, I wasn't in the frame of mind 527 00:25:58,658 --> 00:26:00,126 to try to figure out 528 00:26:00,160 --> 00:26:02,162 who did this or who could have done this. 529 00:26:02,195 --> 00:26:04,698 I was in the frame of mind, I wanted to see my mother. 530 00:26:04,731 --> 00:26:07,867 I wanted to see her. 531 00:26:07,901 --> 00:26:11,304 So that's the only thing I really cared about. 532 00:26:11,338 --> 00:26:14,040 It was tough. 533 00:26:14,040 --> 00:26:17,077 My mother was looking forward to Christmas. 534 00:26:17,110 --> 00:26:19,145 She already had decorated the home, 535 00:26:19,179 --> 00:26:23,049 and she had already started buying Christmas gifts 536 00:26:23,083 --> 00:26:25,785 for her grandkids. 537 00:26:25,819 --> 00:26:27,887 My oldest son, Trevor, was ten years old 538 00:26:27,921 --> 00:26:29,689 when this happened. 539 00:26:29,723 --> 00:26:32,325 My youngest son, Tristan, was five. 540 00:26:32,359 --> 00:26:34,160 [somber music] 541 00:26:34,194 --> 00:26:38,298 My neighbor across the street, he told me, 542 00:26:38,331 --> 00:26:41,434 "Your kids gonna look at you, how you handle this." 543 00:26:41,468 --> 00:26:43,069 [crying] 544 00:26:43,103 --> 00:26:46,539 He said, "They're gonna look at you, how you handle this." 545 00:26:46,573 --> 00:26:49,075 So I had to handle it. 546 00:26:49,075 --> 00:26:55,515 * * 547 00:26:55,548 --> 00:26:58,985 - As Minnie's family navigates a holiday without her, 548 00:26:59,085 --> 00:27:02,722 investigators grapple with a stalled investigation. 549 00:27:02,756 --> 00:27:05,859 [tense music] 550 00:27:05,892 --> 00:27:07,861 - We were thinking, we need to come up with something. 551 00:27:07,894 --> 00:27:09,662 Something's got to present itself. 552 00:27:12,499 --> 00:27:14,167 - Four days after the murder, 553 00:27:14,200 --> 00:27:17,837 detectives get a call from Samuel Matthews. 554 00:27:17,871 --> 00:27:21,207 He is a former employee of Minnie and Marvin's. 555 00:27:21,241 --> 00:27:23,176 He used to work at the liquor store, 556 00:27:23,209 --> 00:27:25,679 and he knows a lot about the Smiths. 557 00:27:27,180 --> 00:27:30,717 - Samuel Matthews contacted the police on his own 558 00:27:30,750 --> 00:27:33,720 because he felt compelled because he thought 559 00:27:33,753 --> 00:27:35,288 Minnie Smith was a good woman, 560 00:27:35,321 --> 00:27:38,958 and she did not deserve to die that way. 561 00:27:39,059 --> 00:27:40,293 - Sam Matthews tells us 562 00:27:40,326 --> 00:27:42,562 that Marvin has significant anger issues 563 00:27:42,595 --> 00:27:46,066 and overheard him saying, "I want out of this marriage." 564 00:27:47,701 --> 00:27:50,804 - Samuel Matthews says, "Hey, when I worked with Marvin, 565 00:27:50,837 --> 00:27:54,074 "he would talk about how he didn't like 566 00:27:54,074 --> 00:27:55,842 this relationship he had with Minnie." 567 00:27:55,875 --> 00:27:58,778 * * 568 00:27:58,812 --> 00:28:02,582 But it was gonna cost him if he was gonna get a divorce. 569 00:28:02,615 --> 00:28:05,418 Marvin would say, you know, "I didn't work for all this 570 00:28:05,452 --> 00:28:08,421 "for the sake of having Minnie remarry somebody else 571 00:28:08,455 --> 00:28:10,256 "who was gonna get half of everything 572 00:28:10,290 --> 00:28:13,093 we've accumulated." 573 00:28:13,126 --> 00:28:14,594 The only way he said you can get 574 00:28:14,627 --> 00:28:18,698 out of a relationship like that is when someone dies. 575 00:28:21,368 --> 00:28:22,869 The other thing that Sam Matthews 576 00:28:22,902 --> 00:28:24,270 lets the detectives know 577 00:28:24,304 --> 00:28:26,740 is that Marvin is quite the ladies' man 578 00:28:26,773 --> 00:28:28,641 and has a number of relationships 579 00:28:28,675 --> 00:28:31,044 going on with other women. 580 00:28:31,044 --> 00:28:33,947 That is hugely significant because now it brings 581 00:28:34,047 --> 00:28:36,916 all kinds of other possibilities. 582 00:28:36,950 --> 00:28:38,418 Could it be some other woman? 583 00:28:38,451 --> 00:28:40,453 Could it be that Marvin wants out of the relationship? 584 00:28:40,487 --> 00:28:42,922 Could it be some other woman that he's involved with 585 00:28:42,956 --> 00:28:44,557 would kill Minnie? 586 00:28:44,591 --> 00:28:48,795 * * 587 00:28:48,828 --> 00:28:52,232 - But detectives can't just take Matthews' word for it. 588 00:28:52,265 --> 00:28:55,235 They need proof to back up what he's telling them. 589 00:28:55,268 --> 00:28:57,103 - In a case like this, you sort of have 590 00:28:57,137 --> 00:28:59,372 to tread lightly with the information 591 00:28:59,406 --> 00:29:01,174 because we don't know if this guy is just 592 00:29:01,207 --> 00:29:02,676 out to get Marvin for some reason 593 00:29:02,709 --> 00:29:04,344 and giving us bad info. 594 00:29:06,680 --> 00:29:10,483 - Investigators confront Marvin with Sam's accusations, 595 00:29:10,517 --> 00:29:14,487 but Marvin counters with an equally damning claim. 596 00:29:14,521 --> 00:29:17,223 - Samuel has some things in his background 597 00:29:17,257 --> 00:29:20,326 that could make him a less reliable witness. 598 00:29:20,360 --> 00:29:25,031 He claims that he quit working at the liquor store. 599 00:29:25,031 --> 00:29:27,600 But Marvin claims that he was fired 600 00:29:27,634 --> 00:29:29,069 because he had been stealing 601 00:29:29,102 --> 00:29:31,905 thousands of dollars from the business. 602 00:29:36,042 --> 00:29:37,877 - Detectives don't know who to believe, 603 00:29:37,911 --> 00:29:40,180 Marvin or Sam. 604 00:29:40,213 --> 00:29:42,816 But with no other leads, they circle back 605 00:29:42,849 --> 00:29:44,351 to the robbery theory. 606 00:29:44,384 --> 00:29:47,387 If Sam allegedly stole from Marvin once, 607 00:29:47,420 --> 00:29:50,523 he might have decided to do it again. 608 00:29:50,557 --> 00:29:53,259 - Hearing that Marvin fired Sam and that he was allegedly 609 00:29:53,293 --> 00:29:55,528 a thief also raises concern about Sam. 610 00:29:55,562 --> 00:29:57,530 Did he take the jewelry and the money? 611 00:29:57,564 --> 00:30:01,101 Did he perpetrate this crime? 612 00:30:01,134 --> 00:30:04,371 So he becomes a person of interest immediately. 613 00:30:04,404 --> 00:30:07,807 - Investigators focus their attention on Matthews. 614 00:30:07,841 --> 00:30:11,177 What they learn makes him even more suspicious. 615 00:30:11,211 --> 00:30:14,547 - Police discover that Samuel was the only employee 616 00:30:14,581 --> 00:30:16,549 who knew where the Smiths lived. 617 00:30:16,583 --> 00:30:18,184 - As a former employee 618 00:30:18,218 --> 00:30:20,220 and a friend of Marvin at one point, 619 00:30:20,253 --> 00:30:21,888 he would know how to get into the house, 620 00:30:21,921 --> 00:30:24,958 maybe where the safe is. 621 00:30:24,991 --> 00:30:26,926 - Could this be the kind of person 622 00:30:26,960 --> 00:30:29,996 that was seeking retaliation from the Smiths 623 00:30:30,030 --> 00:30:32,132 after being fired? 624 00:30:32,165 --> 00:30:36,269 Could he even have staged this murder to frame Marvin? 625 00:30:46,446 --> 00:30:49,082 [dramatic music] 626 00:30:49,349 --> 00:30:50,784 * * 627 00:30:53,586 --> 00:30:56,389 - Orange County detectives investigating the murder 628 00:30:56,423 --> 00:31:00,126 of 66-year-old Minnie Smith are closing in 629 00:31:00,160 --> 00:31:04,130 on a new suspect, Sam Matthews. 630 00:31:04,164 --> 00:31:06,533 - Samuel Matthews was a disgruntled employee, 631 00:31:06,566 --> 00:31:10,437 that he had an axe to grind with Marvin for firing him. 632 00:31:10,470 --> 00:31:12,505 Matthews knew where Marvin lived. 633 00:31:12,539 --> 00:31:15,241 He knew that he had a lot of money. 634 00:31:15,275 --> 00:31:17,344 - Any time you get a piece of information that raises 635 00:31:17,377 --> 00:31:19,279 an eyebrow toward somebody, you start to wonder 636 00:31:19,312 --> 00:31:20,947 if they're your suspect, so of course he was 637 00:31:20,980 --> 00:31:22,849 a person of interest. 638 00:31:22,882 --> 00:31:24,951 - Detectives quickly locate Matthews 639 00:31:24,984 --> 00:31:26,586 to nail down his story. 640 00:31:26,619 --> 00:31:29,289 * * 641 00:31:29,322 --> 00:31:31,324 - Just like we did for Marvin, we'll go back and say, 642 00:31:31,358 --> 00:31:34,461 "Hey, well, what's your alibi for the day?" 643 00:31:34,494 --> 00:31:36,596 - But ultimately, Samuel Matthews had 644 00:31:36,629 --> 00:31:39,199 an airtight alibi. 645 00:31:39,232 --> 00:31:40,700 - Sam Matthews is working in the yard, 646 00:31:40,734 --> 00:31:44,304 and he had neighbors who could substantiate that. 647 00:31:44,337 --> 00:31:47,574 - Also, if you are going to get revenge, 648 00:31:47,607 --> 00:31:50,410 you might steal from Marvin, you might rob him, 649 00:31:50,443 --> 00:31:54,114 you might murder him to get his money that's on his person, 650 00:31:54,147 --> 00:31:57,484 but I don't think murdering someone's wife is the way 651 00:31:57,517 --> 00:32:00,086 that they're gonna do it. 652 00:32:00,120 --> 00:32:01,821 - So in the long run, Sam was eliminated 653 00:32:01,855 --> 00:32:04,624 as a person of interest. 654 00:32:04,657 --> 00:32:08,128 - With Sam out of the picture, investigators turn back 655 00:32:08,161 --> 00:32:10,630 to something he told them about Marvin. 656 00:32:10,663 --> 00:32:13,900 - Sam Matthews told us that Marvin had several affairs 657 00:32:13,933 --> 00:32:16,603 with other women. 658 00:32:16,636 --> 00:32:20,206 - Police learned that Marvin Smith had this love nest 659 00:32:20,240 --> 00:32:23,176 where he would take various lovers. 660 00:32:23,209 --> 00:32:25,612 - That was significant in that it gave us 661 00:32:25,645 --> 00:32:27,480 more people of interest in the case. 662 00:32:27,514 --> 00:32:29,382 Maybe it was one of the girlfriends. 663 00:32:31,551 --> 00:32:34,220 - Detectives reach out to Minnie's family to see 664 00:32:34,254 --> 00:32:35,822 if they've heard the rumor. 665 00:32:35,855 --> 00:32:38,091 Much to their surprise, it seems 666 00:32:38,091 --> 00:32:41,094 that Sam's claims were true. 667 00:32:41,094 --> 00:32:42,362 - In speaking with family 668 00:32:42,395 --> 00:32:44,230 and friends of the Smith family, 669 00:32:44,264 --> 00:32:47,567 it appeared that Minnie was aware of the girlfriends 670 00:32:47,600 --> 00:32:49,769 and the affairs. 671 00:32:49,803 --> 00:32:52,572 - My friend was not the jealous type. 672 00:32:52,605 --> 00:32:55,875 Even though she knew Marvin was doing little tricks, 673 00:32:55,909 --> 00:32:58,878 she didn't get upset and cry about it. 674 00:32:58,912 --> 00:33:02,349 Once she let him know that she knew what he had done, 675 00:33:02,382 --> 00:33:04,884 it was all right with her. 676 00:33:04,918 --> 00:33:06,586 - My mom, she didn't care. 677 00:33:06,619 --> 00:33:10,256 Only thing she cared about was her family and her grandkids. 678 00:33:10,290 --> 00:33:12,258 She was living in her dream home 679 00:33:12,292 --> 00:33:16,062 and living the life she wanted to live. 680 00:33:16,096 --> 00:33:17,364 - Minnie might not have cared 681 00:33:17,397 --> 00:33:19,699 about her husband's philandering, 682 00:33:19,733 --> 00:33:22,168 but detectives know that not all women 683 00:33:22,202 --> 00:33:24,170 are willing to share. 684 00:33:24,204 --> 00:33:26,706 - In my career, I've seen jealous, unstable girlfriends 685 00:33:26,740 --> 00:33:28,575 commit several crimes. 686 00:33:28,608 --> 00:33:30,076 So we just have to find out who they are 687 00:33:30,110 --> 00:33:31,945 and speak with them. 688 00:33:35,248 --> 00:33:38,284 On December 20, 2005, we got a search warrant 689 00:33:38,318 --> 00:33:41,721 for Marvin's phone and financial records. 690 00:33:41,755 --> 00:33:43,356 - So when we look at those phone records, 691 00:33:43,390 --> 00:33:45,325 we can see that over the past couple weeks, 692 00:33:45,358 --> 00:33:49,229 that Marvin's made maybe seven, ten calls to his wife, 693 00:33:49,262 --> 00:33:51,965 but over 100 calls to another woman. 694 00:33:53,633 --> 00:33:59,005 - The associated name on the phone records is Beverly. 695 00:33:59,105 --> 00:34:02,108 They call her number 696 00:34:02,142 --> 00:34:05,111 and ask, "Is this Beverly?" 697 00:34:05,145 --> 00:34:07,514 She says, "Yes." 698 00:34:07,547 --> 00:34:11,751 They ask, "Well, what is your relationship to Marvin?" 699 00:34:11,785 --> 00:34:14,954 And she says, "Well, Marvin is my brother," 700 00:34:15,055 --> 00:34:17,757 and then she hangs up the phone. 701 00:34:17,791 --> 00:34:19,159 - But we established 702 00:34:19,192 --> 00:34:22,629 there was no actual family ties between them. 703 00:34:22,662 --> 00:34:24,597 Then we talked to another one of Marvin's girlfriends 704 00:34:24,631 --> 00:34:27,067 who actually called Marvin "Big Daddy." 705 00:34:27,100 --> 00:34:28,968 And she claims that she, at one point, 706 00:34:29,069 --> 00:34:31,638 caught Beverly and Marvin together 707 00:34:31,671 --> 00:34:33,540 in one of his apartment buildings 708 00:34:33,573 --> 00:34:36,376 having relations. 709 00:34:36,409 --> 00:34:39,779 - So Beverly's credibility is highly suspect, 710 00:34:39,813 --> 00:34:43,350 and it's clear she's trying to conceal something. 711 00:34:45,085 --> 00:34:48,188 - And then in reviewing Marvin's financial statements, 712 00:34:48,221 --> 00:34:50,090 we discover he had a bank account in the amount 713 00:34:50,123 --> 00:34:53,193 of $230,000 with Beverly. 714 00:34:53,226 --> 00:34:54,994 - Obviously, this would get your attention. 715 00:34:55,095 --> 00:34:58,398 Why would you have $230,000 716 00:34:58,431 --> 00:35:01,668 in the account with this woman? 717 00:35:01,701 --> 00:35:04,404 - Knowing that Marvin uses his rental properties 718 00:35:04,437 --> 00:35:07,540 as a love nest, detectives come up with a plan 719 00:35:07,574 --> 00:35:10,643 to see if they can learn more about the couple. 720 00:35:10,677 --> 00:35:11,945 - At this point in the investigation, 721 00:35:12,045 --> 00:35:14,814 we determined that we needed to write some search warrants 722 00:35:14,848 --> 00:35:18,284 to check out his apartment complexes in Los Angeles. 723 00:35:18,318 --> 00:35:20,053 We were just trying to cover all our bases 724 00:35:20,086 --> 00:35:21,388 and search all his property, 725 00:35:21,421 --> 00:35:24,290 anything that might establish a suspect. 726 00:35:24,324 --> 00:35:27,160 - While investigators wait for the warrants to come through, 727 00:35:27,193 --> 00:35:28,661 they conduct follow-up interviews 728 00:35:28,695 --> 00:35:32,932 with various people connected to the case. 729 00:35:32,966 --> 00:35:36,703 That's when one witness makes a surprising about-face 730 00:35:36,736 --> 00:35:38,405 on his statement. 731 00:35:38,438 --> 00:35:41,074 - A delivery man that was working in the area 732 00:35:41,107 --> 00:35:42,542 of Beach Circle on the day of the murder 733 00:35:42,575 --> 00:35:44,544 who stated that he saw Minnie Smith's car 734 00:35:44,577 --> 00:35:47,080 go into her garage around 1:30 p.m. 735 00:35:47,080 --> 00:35:50,383 the day of the murder 736 00:35:50,417 --> 00:35:52,852 changed his story significantly. 737 00:35:52,886 --> 00:35:55,588 - He originally reported that he had seen Minnie 738 00:35:55,622 --> 00:35:59,392 actually driving the Lexus, but then he backtracked a bit. 739 00:35:59,426 --> 00:36:01,561 - He said, "Well, I never saw her directly." 740 00:36:01,594 --> 00:36:05,065 So it's unclear as to what he saw or didn't see. 741 00:36:05,098 --> 00:36:07,500 It could have been he remembered seeing Minnie 742 00:36:07,534 --> 00:36:11,404 on a different day driving into her house. 743 00:36:11,438 --> 00:36:13,673 - So it changes the whole timeline 744 00:36:13,707 --> 00:36:14,874 on when Minnie was home. 745 00:36:17,877 --> 00:36:19,579 - The uncertainty of the witness 746 00:36:19,612 --> 00:36:22,415 opens up the possibility that Minnie was, indeed, 747 00:36:22,449 --> 00:36:24,517 already dead when Marvin left the house 748 00:36:24,551 --> 00:36:27,721 on the morning of the murder. 749 00:36:27,754 --> 00:36:29,789 - So it would seem that Marvin's alibi 750 00:36:29,823 --> 00:36:31,891 could be unraveling. 751 00:36:31,925 --> 00:36:33,460 - A week after the murder, 752 00:36:33,493 --> 00:36:35,161 the search warrant comes through 753 00:36:35,195 --> 00:36:37,397 for one of Marvin's LA properties 754 00:36:37,430 --> 00:36:39,766 that police suspect might be the location 755 00:36:39,799 --> 00:36:42,836 for some of his extramarital activities. 756 00:36:44,371 --> 00:36:47,674 - On the 23rd of December, 757 00:36:47,707 --> 00:36:50,910 officers serve a search warrant. 758 00:36:50,944 --> 00:36:52,679 - What we found in the apartment complex 759 00:36:52,712 --> 00:36:55,882 was trash cans full of receipts, 760 00:36:55,915 --> 00:36:58,818 love notes to his girlfriends... 761 00:36:58,852 --> 00:37:00,920 - And here's the bombshell. 762 00:37:01,021 --> 00:37:03,923 In the trunk of Marvin's car, 763 00:37:04,024 --> 00:37:06,693 they find the stolen jewelry, 764 00:37:06,726 --> 00:37:10,296 including pieces with a Cadillac emblem 765 00:37:10,330 --> 00:37:12,832 and a big gold M. 766 00:37:12,866 --> 00:37:15,869 So this is a piece of evidence in his car 767 00:37:15,902 --> 00:37:18,338 miles away from the crime scene 768 00:37:18,371 --> 00:37:20,607 that says this guy is connected to this crime. 769 00:37:23,677 --> 00:37:25,111 - During the search of the vehicle, 770 00:37:25,145 --> 00:37:27,414 Marvin Smith drove up. 771 00:37:27,447 --> 00:37:29,582 - So then we asked, "Hey, you told me, 772 00:37:29,616 --> 00:37:33,653 "when we first talked to you, these things were stolen. 773 00:37:33,687 --> 00:37:35,855 "You told me that these items were stolen 774 00:37:35,889 --> 00:37:39,959 "from that floor safe. 775 00:37:40,060 --> 00:37:42,128 Why in the world are they in the trunk of your car?" 776 00:37:52,439 --> 00:37:54,941 [dramatic music] 777 00:37:55,208 --> 00:37:57,744 * * 778 00:37:57,777 --> 00:38:00,080 - Orange County detectives have just discovered 779 00:38:00,113 --> 00:38:03,583 missing items from the scene of Minnie Smith's murder 780 00:38:03,616 --> 00:38:06,753 in the trunk of her husband's car. 781 00:38:06,786 --> 00:38:08,922 - Marvin basically said, "Oh, yeah, I forgot 782 00:38:09,022 --> 00:38:11,324 "that I put those in there for safekeeping. 783 00:38:11,358 --> 00:38:13,426 That's kind of what I do sometimes." 784 00:38:13,460 --> 00:38:15,929 Detectives knew he was clearly lying. 785 00:38:16,029 --> 00:38:19,632 - Detectives take a closer look at Marvin's alibi 786 00:38:19,666 --> 00:38:22,902 and find more holes in his story. 787 00:38:22,936 --> 00:38:26,539 - Police dig a little further into Marvin's shoulder injury 788 00:38:26,573 --> 00:38:28,208 and the fact that his doctor said 789 00:38:28,241 --> 00:38:32,712 he could not lift his arms above his shoulder height. 790 00:38:32,746 --> 00:38:35,448 When police talked to Marvin's employees 791 00:38:35,482 --> 00:38:38,418 at the construction site, they tell police 792 00:38:38,451 --> 00:38:41,855 that on December 15th, the day of the murder, 793 00:38:41,888 --> 00:38:45,358 they actually saw Marvin pick up a sledgehammer 794 00:38:45,392 --> 00:38:47,560 and swing it a couple of times. 795 00:38:50,730 --> 00:38:53,466 - And there's DNA evidence on the tape 796 00:38:53,500 --> 00:38:55,869 that puts Marvin's DNA with that jewelry 797 00:38:55,902 --> 00:38:57,704 that he said was stolen. 798 00:38:57,737 --> 00:39:01,007 And I think this is that physical piece of evidence 799 00:39:01,007 --> 00:39:02,909 that ties Marvin to the crime. 800 00:39:07,280 --> 00:39:09,349 - So on December 23rd, 801 00:39:09,382 --> 00:39:10,750 detectives arrested Marvin Smith 802 00:39:10,784 --> 00:39:13,153 for the murder of Minnie Smith 803 00:39:13,186 --> 00:39:14,921 right in front of his love nest. 804 00:39:17,424 --> 00:39:19,559 [somber music] 805 00:39:19,592 --> 00:39:22,028 - Two days before Christmas, I learned 806 00:39:22,028 --> 00:39:23,830 that they arrested Marvin. 807 00:39:23,863 --> 00:39:27,233 And to be honest with you, I don't recall where I was, 808 00:39:27,267 --> 00:39:30,537 but I was furious. 809 00:39:30,570 --> 00:39:33,540 - When Bennie Jr. realized that Marvin was 810 00:39:33,573 --> 00:39:35,608 the person who killed his mother, 811 00:39:35,642 --> 00:39:38,945 he was so out of control. 812 00:39:39,045 --> 00:39:42,615 - I went straight over to the Cyprus Police Department, 813 00:39:42,649 --> 00:39:45,051 and I will never forget. 814 00:39:45,051 --> 00:39:47,587 Marvin was in the back of the police car, 815 00:39:47,620 --> 00:39:49,656 and the police walked right up to me 816 00:39:49,689 --> 00:39:53,593 right away, holding me back, and said, "Go home." 817 00:39:53,626 --> 00:39:57,464 But I wasn't in my right mind. 818 00:39:57,497 --> 00:40:00,066 I was furious. 819 00:40:02,202 --> 00:40:06,339 - In December 2007, Marvin Smith goes on trial 820 00:40:06,373 --> 00:40:08,675 for his wife, Minnie's, death. 821 00:40:08,708 --> 00:40:11,177 - I would always watch his expressions 822 00:40:11,211 --> 00:40:13,880 while the different people were testifying, 823 00:40:13,913 --> 00:40:17,884 but his facial expression never changed. 824 00:40:17,917 --> 00:40:19,586 You wouldn't think he was a murderer. 825 00:40:19,619 --> 00:40:21,488 He just sat there and listened. 826 00:40:25,992 --> 00:40:27,894 - The prosecutor paints a picture 827 00:40:27,927 --> 00:40:32,899 of a cold-blooded killer with a well thought-out plan. 828 00:40:32,932 --> 00:40:35,635 - Marvin Smith bludgeoned his wife to death 829 00:40:35,669 --> 00:40:37,303 with a log roller... 830 00:40:37,337 --> 00:40:40,273 [dramatic music] 831 00:40:40,306 --> 00:40:43,243 * * 832 00:40:43,276 --> 00:40:44,711 Bound her hands behind her back 833 00:40:44,744 --> 00:40:46,413 with a coat hanger 834 00:40:46,446 --> 00:40:49,082 and her legs with duct tape. 835 00:40:49,115 --> 00:40:53,086 He then lit her feet on fire 836 00:40:53,119 --> 00:40:56,823 in order to somehow make it look like possibly torture 837 00:40:56,856 --> 00:40:59,292 to locate the floor safe. 838 00:40:59,325 --> 00:41:01,428 And then he staged the house 839 00:41:01,461 --> 00:41:04,531 to make it look like a burglary. 840 00:41:04,564 --> 00:41:08,668 To murder her with such force and repeated strikes 841 00:41:08,702 --> 00:41:12,238 to her head and leave her in a pool of blood 842 00:41:12,272 --> 00:41:13,840 is particularly cruel. 843 00:41:13,873 --> 00:41:16,076 I mean, this is your wife of 28 years. 844 00:41:21,681 --> 00:41:24,250 - The DA pointed out that Marvin had been 845 00:41:24,284 --> 00:41:26,953 siphoning off money from the couple's accounts 846 00:41:26,986 --> 00:41:29,856 and putting it into this private, secret account 847 00:41:29,889 --> 00:41:34,728 that he shared with Beverly to the tune of $230,000. 848 00:41:37,097 --> 00:41:39,966 - Investigators are never able to connect Beverly 849 00:41:40,000 --> 00:41:44,104 to any criminal wrongdoing, but during court testimony, 850 00:41:44,104 --> 00:41:46,873 they get her to admit that, unbeknownst to his wife, 851 00:41:46,906 --> 00:41:49,109 Marvin set up their joint bank account 852 00:41:49,109 --> 00:41:52,412 and secretly deposited over $200,000 853 00:41:52,445 --> 00:41:54,447 into the account over time. 854 00:41:54,481 --> 00:41:55,849 According to prosecutors, 855 00:41:55,882 --> 00:41:59,786 Marvin's motive is all too clear. 856 00:41:59,819 --> 00:42:03,156 - At the core of this case is greed. 857 00:42:03,189 --> 00:42:07,327 Marvin Smith did not want to split his money 858 00:42:07,360 --> 00:42:11,364 with his wife in the event that they parted ways. 859 00:42:11,398 --> 00:42:13,500 - All the jurors, once they heard 860 00:42:13,533 --> 00:42:16,069 the type of person my mother was, 861 00:42:16,102 --> 00:42:17,303 they all were in tears. 862 00:42:17,337 --> 00:42:20,573 They couldn't believe that this could happen to my mother. 863 00:42:23,476 --> 00:42:25,712 - The evidence is powerful. 864 00:42:25,745 --> 00:42:28,548 The jury doesn't need to deliberate for long. 865 00:42:28,581 --> 00:42:31,317 - On December 17, 2007, 866 00:42:31,351 --> 00:42:34,688 Marvin V. Smith was convicted of first-degree murder 867 00:42:34,721 --> 00:42:37,824 for killing his wife, Minnie Smith. 868 00:42:37,857 --> 00:42:41,428 He receives a sentence of life in prison. 869 00:42:41,461 --> 00:42:45,598 [somber music] 870 00:42:45,632 --> 00:42:49,102 - I'm still furious about what he did to my mother. 871 00:42:51,504 --> 00:42:55,175 But I'm working on myself 872 00:42:55,208 --> 00:42:58,011 so I can see my mother again in heaven. 873 00:42:59,846 --> 00:43:03,049 I feel what's making my mother proud 874 00:43:03,049 --> 00:43:07,554 is family, my wife, my two boys, 875 00:43:07,587 --> 00:43:09,723 and now I have grandkids. 876 00:43:09,756 --> 00:43:13,226 So that's my celebration to my mother, 877 00:43:13,259 --> 00:43:18,765 is to keep my family together and keep her memory alive.