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[dramatic music]
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- Jan as a mother
was incredibly devoted
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and absolutely doted
on her son.
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- Janet Overton
was a public figure.
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You are gonna have people that
are for you and against you.
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I would call them enemies.
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- She was fatigued and sick
all the time.
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Doctors did not know why.
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- She collapsed suddenly
in her driveway.
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- The investigators begin
to look at it a lot closer
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to see if there's outside
influence in her death.
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- What surprised me about this
case was the method of murder,
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something you don't
normally see.
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- He was a classic villain.
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He always thought he was
smarter than everybody else.
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- To watch someone suffer
over time is just unthinkable.
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- My heart bled for Eric.
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- You're gonna get the once
in a lifetime experience
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to see inside the mind
of a murderer.
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* *
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- Orange County
is the personification
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of Southern California,
weather and the water.
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- Dana Point,
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of all the communities
in Orange County,
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is really this little
hidden gem in Orange County.
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- We have beaches,
we have mountains,
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we have desert,
we have it all.
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It's an affluent community,
more conservative
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than the other communities
in California.
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- Most people that live
in Dana Point feel safe.
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[tense music]
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In reality, crime happens
anywhere and everywhere.
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* *
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narrator:
With its sweeping ocean views
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and picture-perfect harbor,
Dana Point is the embodiment
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of the Southern
California dream.
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And doting mom Janet Overton
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has planned
a picture-perfect day
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of whale watching
for her family.
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- My name is Linda Kroner,
and I went to work
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for the Capistrano Unified
School District in 1981.
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Jan was a school board member,
and we became friends.
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Jan as a mother
was incredibly devoted
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and absolutely doted
on her son Eric.
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She would be chatting about
him and touting any success
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that he had,
particularly in school.
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- Good morning, everyone.
I'm Tricia Takasugi.
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Thanks for tuning in.
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My name is Tricia Takasugi,
and in 1991,
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I was a television
reporter at OCN.
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On January 24th, 1988,
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Janet Overton was
leaving her home with her son
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on her way to go out on a boat
to watch the whales.
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* *
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Collapsed suddenly
in her driveway.
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* *
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- My name is Debra Jackson.
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I worked for the Orange County
District Attorney's office
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in 1991.
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Janet Overton
suddenly collapses.
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Her son, Eric,
runs into the house
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to notify his father
that his mother has collapsed.
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And they bring her
into the house,
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they lay her on the foyer,
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and then they move her
into the bathroom.
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And then they called 911
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for the emergency
medical services to come out.
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narrator:
Concerned and confused,
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Richard Overton and his son
Eric follow the ambulance
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as it races Janet
to the hospital.
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- Her pupils were dilated
mid-position.
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* *
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Her respiratory was
having a problem.
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* *
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She was in full arrest.
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* *
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That's where they
pronounced her deceased.
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* *
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Eric Overton, her son,
when he got the news
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at the hospital
that his mother had died,
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he just collapsed.
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He was distraught.
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That was his lifeline.
He loved his mother.
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- When the coroner's office
conducted the autopsy
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on Janet Overton,
the result was inconclusive.
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They did not have
a cause of death.
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narrator: Janet's untimely
passing is a tragic stain
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on the otherwise
idyllic portrait
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of this close-knit
Oceanside community.
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How could a seemingly
healthy wife
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and mother die
so unexpectedly?
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- My name is Gene Endsley,
and I worked
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with the Orange County
Sheriff's Department
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for 27 years, hiring on
in '68 and retiring in '95.
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Janet Overton's death
was questionable.
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Without some known,
definable cause of death,
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a case cannot be closed.
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The investigators who took the
initial report of her death
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begin to look at it
a lot closer
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to see if there's outside
influence in her death,
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and they do it through talking
to her friends and family,
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looking into her
medical records
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to see what the cause
of death was.
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* *
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narrator: Janet's family,
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particularly
her husband Richard,
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are struggling with her
sudden and tragic passing.
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With no apparent
cause of death,
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Richard is desperate
for answers.
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- Richard Overton,
professed his deep love
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for Janet Overton.
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He wanted to get closure.
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And he had pushed very hard
for the Sheriff's Department
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to complete the autopsy.
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Families want to get closure.
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- My name is Frank McAdams,
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co-author ofFinal Affair.
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Richard Overton was daily
calling the coroner's office
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to get any kind of updates
on the lab tests.
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They would just look
at the clock
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and know that Richard Overton
was gonna be calling.
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* *
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narrator:
Janet's sudden collapse
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piques detectives' curiosity.
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So they turn to her family
and friends
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to see if there were
any underlying health issues
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that could have caused
her tragic passing.
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- My friendship with Jan,
it really took off
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when I was actually home ill,
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and she called me
to see how I was.
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And as part
of the conversation, I said,
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"Well, you know,
I feel pretty crummy.
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How are you?"
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And she said,
"You know, Linda,
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I have these funny sores, and
I don't know what they are."
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narrator:
Investigators question
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whether a seemingly innocuous
conversation between friends
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could hold the key
to a dark history
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of unexplained illness.
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- Janet Overton,
she had a history
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of long hospital stays.
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She had blemishes on her feet
and on her hands.
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Nobody could understand
what was causing all of this.
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- These sores had popped out
on her.
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And she had no idea
what they were.
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The doctors couldn't
figure it out.
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Over the next year or so,
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they would pop out here,
there, and everywhere.
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They were very, very painful.
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She was incredibly miserable
and in pain.
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It was so hard to watch.
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- She could not
pinpoint the cause
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of those various aches,
and pains, and skin rashes.
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She had gone to her doctor.
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No one could determine
what was causing these things,
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so it was a bit of a mystery.
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narrator:
Janet's harried health history
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just adds to the mystery
surrounding her death.
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But when detectives learned
that she was a well-known
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and controversial school
board figure in Dana Point,
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it raises new questions
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about whether someone might've
had it out for her.
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- Janet Overton was
a public figure.
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You are gonna have people
that are for you
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and against you.
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I would call them enemies.
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* *
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There was a community group
that did not agree with her
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and where she was taking things
on the school board.
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- The story broke
in the newspaper
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that she was having an affair
with a school official.
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- Janet had her secrets
as well.
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[dramatic music]
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* *
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narrator:
Investigators looking
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into the mysterious death
of Janet Overton
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have recently learned that as
a public figure in Dana Point,
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Janet had managed
to make some waves
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with her progressive ideas.
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[tense music]
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- She was very outgoing
in a lot of respects.
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One would think that
being a politician
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and getting on
the school board,
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you'd have to be outgoing
and love people.
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* *
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- Obviously during
any election process,
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you are gonna have people that
are for you and against you.
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She was somewhat controversial
in the community
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because she wanted to
promote things in the school
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that this very
conservative community
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maybe wasn't
quite on board with.
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At the time in Orange County,
it is a very conservative,
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heavily Republican area.
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So when these proposals
that Janet Overton presented
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regarding teaching sex
education in the classroom,
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same-sex type of things.
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There was a lot of pushback
from the community.
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* *
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- People came and said,
"You shouldn't be doing it."
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And the board stood up to it,
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and the board went along
with the changes.
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Some parents were
so vehemently opposed
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and said that they were wrong,
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and they shouldn't
have done it.
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- There was apparently
a community group,
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very conservatively based group
that did not agree
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with Janet Overton's actions.
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They just didn't agree
with her
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and where she was taking
things on the school board.
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And at some point,
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they mounted a bit of
a smear campaign against her.
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- Investigators learned
that Richard Overton said
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he didn't have any knowledge
that this was taking place.
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narrator: Janet's husband,
Richard Overton,
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00:11:08,752 --> 00:11:10,045
doesn't seem to have a clue
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who might've had it out
for his wife,
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but investigators
soon discover
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that Janet's
progressive policies
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had ruffled some feathers
in the school district.
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- One day, there was a note put
on all of the cars
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in the parking lot
at the district office
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saying that Jan Overton
was having an affair,
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and isn't that terrible,
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and she shouldn't
be a board member,
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and we were all
very taken aback.
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When the flyer came out,
I think Jan was upset.
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She was appalled.
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But she was embarrassed
because her relationship
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with Richard was
so important to her.
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She was just really hurt
and embarrassed.
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narrator: Turns out,
the smear campaign took a toll
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on Janet emotionally
and physically.
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- There was this one incident
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when the meeting
had barely started,
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when she stood up,
grabbed her purse,
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and headed out the door,
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and said,
"You have to take me home."
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And I said, "Okay."
I drove her home.
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And it turned out that night,
she ended up in the ER
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because those terrible sores
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that she was getting
had gone internal.
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She was just
extremely ill from it.
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* *
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narrator: Investigators
discover that Janet's
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00:12:30,500 --> 00:12:33,086
deteriorating reputation
in the community
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00:12:33,128 --> 00:12:35,255
paralleled her
developing illness.
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Their next step, determine
if the rumors are true.
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- You must remember, looking at
Janet Overton from the outside,
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you would never suspect
any of those things.
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But Janet had her secrets
as well.
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narrator: As detectives
untangle fact from fiction,
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a story from before
Janet's death surfaces,
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changing the course
of the investigation.
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00:13:00,530 --> 00:13:03,908
- After the flyer, the story
broke in the newspaper
255
00:13:03,950 --> 00:13:07,871
that she was having an affair
with a school official.
256
00:13:07,912 --> 00:13:10,165
It didn't name the person.
257
00:13:10,206 --> 00:13:13,209
But something clicked
in my head.
258
00:13:13,251 --> 00:13:16,212
Bill Dawson was
an assistant superintendent.
259
00:13:16,254 --> 00:13:18,673
Jan would have known
Bill Dawson as she knew
260
00:13:18,715 --> 00:13:21,718
all of us
who were department heads.
261
00:13:21,760 --> 00:13:27,599
Bill Dawson was a tall,
very big-built guy.
262
00:13:27,640 --> 00:13:30,143
Bill was outgoing, friendly.
263
00:13:30,185 --> 00:13:34,356
He handled all of the
non-academic operations,
264
00:13:34,397 --> 00:13:36,691
maintenance, and construction,
265
00:13:36,733 --> 00:13:39,069
that end of the world
for the district.
266
00:13:39,110 --> 00:13:44,699
And he was knowledgeable
and very practical-minded,
267
00:13:44,741 --> 00:13:46,993
knew how to get things done.
268
00:13:47,035 --> 00:13:50,205
Jan would have responded
to anyone
269
00:13:50,246 --> 00:13:51,831
who showed her some attention
270
00:13:51,873 --> 00:13:55,377
because that was apparently
not happening at home.
271
00:13:55,418 --> 00:13:58,713
I happened to know about
Jan going out on his boat
272
00:13:58,755 --> 00:14:00,215
'cause she would mention it
273
00:14:00,256 --> 00:14:03,218
'cause she and Eric
would go out on the boat.
274
00:14:03,259 --> 00:14:05,679
And I went into Bill's office,
and I said,
275
00:14:05,720 --> 00:14:10,058
"It's you, isn't it?"
And he said, "Yes, it is."
276
00:14:10,100 --> 00:14:11,851
- Investigators learned
277
00:14:11,893 --> 00:14:14,729
Bill Dawson and Janet Overton
were involved
278
00:14:14,771 --> 00:14:16,731
in a relationship
279
00:14:16,773 --> 00:14:20,443
that apparently Richard Overton
had become aware of.
280
00:14:20,485 --> 00:14:23,697
Bill Dawson apparently
was some years younger,
281
00:14:23,738 --> 00:14:26,908
and there was
some jealousy there.
282
00:14:26,950 --> 00:14:33,748
* *
283
00:14:33,790 --> 00:14:38,253
- Bill Dawson was a colleague
of Janet Overton's.
284
00:14:38,294 --> 00:14:41,172
He was also her lover.
285
00:14:41,214 --> 00:14:43,550
On the day that she died,
286
00:14:43,591 --> 00:14:46,511
investigators found
that Janet Overton
287
00:14:46,553 --> 00:14:50,765
was gonna go out with her son
on Bill Dawson's boat.
288
00:15:02,235 --> 00:15:02,694
[dramatic music]
289
00:15:04,988 --> 00:15:08,825
* *
290
00:15:08,867 --> 00:15:10,869
narrator: News that
Janet Overton was involved
291
00:15:10,910 --> 00:15:13,371
in a love triangle
forces detectives
292
00:15:13,413 --> 00:15:15,915
to look at her case
in a whole new light.
293
00:15:15,957 --> 00:15:18,418
They take a deep dive
into her relationship
294
00:15:18,460 --> 00:15:22,088
with OC education colleague
Bill Dawson.
295
00:15:22,130 --> 00:15:24,591
- Janet was having an affair
296
00:15:24,632 --> 00:15:29,804
with a younger man on his boat
down in the harbor.
297
00:15:29,846 --> 00:15:33,099
You know, that boat was rocking
more than it should have.
298
00:15:33,141 --> 00:15:34,934
* *
299
00:15:34,976 --> 00:15:38,521
- Bill Dawson did speak
with investigators.
300
00:15:38,563 --> 00:15:41,358
And he did reveal
to investigators
301
00:15:41,399 --> 00:15:43,985
that Richard Overton
was very jealous.
302
00:15:44,027 --> 00:15:46,196
* *
303
00:15:46,237 --> 00:15:48,406
- But according
to Richard Overton,
304
00:15:48,448 --> 00:15:50,784
their marriage was
a very good marriage.
305
00:15:50,825 --> 00:15:55,538
He loved his wife dearly,
and there was no problems.
306
00:15:55,580 --> 00:15:57,832
- Richard Overton
was very intelligent.
307
00:15:57,874 --> 00:16:00,168
I believe he qualified
for Mensa.
308
00:16:00,210 --> 00:16:02,379
Richard Overton was
a professor,
309
00:16:02,420 --> 00:16:06,091
and I believe he worked at UCI
at one time.
310
00:16:06,132 --> 00:16:09,761
- Richard felt that he was
the brains of the family,
311
00:16:09,803 --> 00:16:13,682
but when Janet not only got
on the school board
312
00:16:13,723 --> 00:16:16,559
but became elected president
of the school board,
313
00:16:16,601 --> 00:16:19,979
that really stuck in his craw.
314
00:16:20,021 --> 00:16:23,441
narrator: Jealous or not,
no husband would want his wife
315
00:16:23,483 --> 00:16:25,985
to grapple
with the very public attempts
316
00:16:26,027 --> 00:16:28,988
someone was making
to humiliate Janet.
317
00:16:29,030 --> 00:16:32,575
- There was a flyer
that was put on all these cars
318
00:16:32,617 --> 00:16:35,203
at a school board meeting
319
00:16:35,245 --> 00:16:37,956
saying Janet was
having an affair,
320
00:16:37,997 --> 00:16:42,711
and she was bad
for the children,
321
00:16:42,752 --> 00:16:46,756
and everything to try
to get her not elected.
322
00:16:46,798 --> 00:16:49,926
- We just assumed it was
somebody trying to smear her
323
00:16:49,968 --> 00:16:51,386
for some reason.
324
00:16:51,428 --> 00:16:53,388
We didn't know
who had planted the flyers.
325
00:16:53,430 --> 00:16:55,765
And we couldn't imagine
somebody doing something
326
00:16:55,807 --> 00:17:00,812
so personally degrading
to a person.
327
00:17:00,854 --> 00:17:02,647
narrator:
While Janet's colleagues
328
00:17:02,689 --> 00:17:05,275
didn't know who was
behind the dirty deed,
329
00:17:05,316 --> 00:17:07,736
Janet apparently had
her suspicions.
330
00:17:07,777 --> 00:17:13,783
- Janet Overton got someone to
open up Richard's locked files
331
00:17:13,825 --> 00:17:17,996
and found the original flyer
in there.
332
00:17:18,038 --> 00:17:21,291
- And it came out that Richard
had planted those flyers.
333
00:17:21,332 --> 00:17:24,252
* *
334
00:17:24,294 --> 00:17:25,795
narrator:
When police hear this,
335
00:17:25,837 --> 00:17:28,715
it confirms their suspicions
that Richard knew all
336
00:17:28,757 --> 00:17:32,135
about Janet's fling with
her school district colleague.
337
00:17:32,177 --> 00:17:33,803
Now they must figure out
338
00:17:33,845 --> 00:17:36,139
if Richard's jealousy
over the affair
339
00:17:36,181 --> 00:17:40,226
pushed him to do something
downright sinister.
340
00:17:40,268 --> 00:17:42,479
Six months
after Janet's death,
341
00:17:42,520 --> 00:17:44,731
an unexpected call
helps shed light
342
00:17:44,773 --> 00:17:46,900
on Richard's marital mindset.
343
00:17:46,941 --> 00:17:51,571
- Investigators received a call
from Dorothy Boyer.
344
00:17:51,613 --> 00:17:54,991
- Dorothy Boyer was Richard
Overton's first wife with whom
345
00:17:55,033 --> 00:18:00,497
he had a family some 15 years
prior to him marrying Janet.
346
00:18:00,538 --> 00:18:03,541
- Dorothy Boyer said
she could not understand
347
00:18:03,583 --> 00:18:07,170
why it had taken so long
for a death certificate
348
00:18:07,212 --> 00:18:10,715
for Janet Overton
not to come out.
349
00:18:10,757 --> 00:18:14,260
narrator: Dorothy tells
police that back in 1969,
350
00:18:14,302 --> 00:18:16,346
she divorced Richard Overton.
351
00:18:16,388 --> 00:18:20,725
And strange things
started occurring.
352
00:18:20,767 --> 00:18:24,312
- Dorothy Boyer decided she
was ready to file for divorce.
353
00:18:24,354 --> 00:18:26,439
She did not want to be part
of this marriage.
354
00:18:26,481 --> 00:18:28,692
The other things
that came forward were the fact
355
00:18:28,733 --> 00:18:33,363
that she also was suffering
similar symptoms
356
00:18:33,405 --> 00:18:35,407
to what Janet Overton
was suffering.
357
00:18:35,448 --> 00:18:37,075
* *
358
00:18:37,117 --> 00:18:41,371
- After the divorce,
Dorothy had developed blisters,
359
00:18:41,413 --> 00:18:43,665
red blisters on her feet,
360
00:18:43,707 --> 00:18:48,712
and she had these violent
vomiting spells,
361
00:18:48,753 --> 00:18:51,881
and she was just fatigued
all the time.
362
00:18:51,923 --> 00:18:55,593
And she went to doctors,
who did not know why.
363
00:18:55,635 --> 00:18:59,055
She thought every time
she would drink wine,
364
00:18:59,097 --> 00:19:02,726
coffee, tea, things
her children didn't drink,
365
00:19:02,767 --> 00:19:06,813
she would start vomiting
and become deathly ill.
366
00:19:06,855 --> 00:19:09,774
- She called the Orange
County Sheriff's Department,
367
00:19:09,816 --> 00:19:14,029
and what they had her do was
to get a coffee can
368
00:19:14,070 --> 00:19:17,073
and then wipe it clean
with the denatured alcohol,
369
00:19:17,115 --> 00:19:21,244
and then she was to draw
a line from the plastic lid
370
00:19:21,286 --> 00:19:23,246
down to the seam of the can,
371
00:19:23,288 --> 00:19:26,583
and make sure it was
completely a straight line
372
00:19:26,624 --> 00:19:28,710
and put it on the counter.
373
00:19:28,752 --> 00:19:31,296
- Move the cap exactly
to a direction
374
00:19:31,338 --> 00:19:36,176
where she could know if
that cap had been moved around.
375
00:19:36,217 --> 00:19:41,598
She let Richard Overton know
that she was gonna be gone,
376
00:19:41,639 --> 00:19:44,601
and she sprung this trap.
377
00:19:44,642 --> 00:19:48,980
- And then when Richard called
to set up his visitation,
378
00:19:49,022 --> 00:19:51,983
Dorothy made sure that
she was out of the house.
379
00:19:52,025 --> 00:19:55,570
When the visitation ended and
Dorothy returned to the house,
380
00:19:55,612 --> 00:19:58,239
she went right
to the coffee can,
381
00:19:58,281 --> 00:20:00,367
and the felt tip line
was broken,
382
00:20:00,408 --> 00:20:03,870
which meant that Richard was
in the house at the time
383
00:20:03,912 --> 00:20:08,249
and he put some materials
into the coffee grounds.
384
00:20:08,291 --> 00:20:10,752
* *
385
00:20:10,794 --> 00:20:12,879
- Dorothy had investigators
come out
386
00:20:12,921 --> 00:20:17,133
and take the coffee cans
to have them analyzed.
387
00:20:17,175 --> 00:20:20,095
They found selenium.
388
00:20:20,136 --> 00:20:22,681
We all have selenium
in our vitamins.
389
00:20:22,722 --> 00:20:26,851
But too much selenium is toxic.
390
00:20:26,893 --> 00:20:28,978
* *
391
00:20:29,020 --> 00:20:32,899
narrator: In 1969,
forensic testing took time,
392
00:20:32,941 --> 00:20:35,568
but the results
were worth the wait.
393
00:20:35,610 --> 00:20:37,862
Dorothy's suspicions
were confirmed.
394
00:20:37,904 --> 00:20:41,950
And the unsettling truth about
her illness was revealed.
395
00:20:41,991 --> 00:20:44,244
- Dorothy then realized,
oh, my God,
396
00:20:44,285 --> 00:20:45,954
Richard was putting selenium
397
00:20:45,995 --> 00:20:50,375
and several other substances
into the coffee grounds.
398
00:20:50,417 --> 00:20:54,421
Dorothy met Richard and said,
"You do this again,
399
00:20:54,462 --> 00:20:58,008
"and you're going to be taken
out of the house in handcuffs.
400
00:20:58,049 --> 00:20:59,509
You stop this right now."
401
00:20:59,551 --> 00:21:01,261
- Dorothy Boyer just wanted
402
00:21:01,302 --> 00:21:02,887
to maintain peace
in the family,
403
00:21:02,929 --> 00:21:05,098
and for the sake
of her own family,
404
00:21:05,140 --> 00:21:07,976
she didn't really want
to see him in jail.
405
00:21:08,018 --> 00:21:10,437
She just wanted
this to stop.
406
00:21:10,478 --> 00:21:12,480
And so when
she confronted him,
407
00:21:12,522 --> 00:21:14,858
he agreed he would stop.
408
00:21:14,899 --> 00:21:19,487
- So they did make some sort
of an agreement.
409
00:21:19,529 --> 00:21:23,241
He did go for counseling.
410
00:21:23,283 --> 00:21:26,327
But yeah, in hindsight,
411
00:21:26,369 --> 00:21:30,123
probably charges
should've been filed.
412
00:21:30,165 --> 00:21:32,667
narrator: Could Dorothy's
decision not to press charges
413
00:21:32,709 --> 00:21:35,503
against Richard Overton
in 1969
414
00:21:35,545 --> 00:21:38,715
have given him a chance
to cut short another marriage
415
00:21:38,757 --> 00:21:41,676
almost 20 years later?
416
00:21:41,718 --> 00:21:43,720
- Orange County Sheriff's
Department,
417
00:21:43,762 --> 00:21:48,933
knowing that Richard has
the knowledge of how to poison,
418
00:21:48,975 --> 00:21:53,104
said, "Maybe we need to look
at this even closer."
419
00:21:53,146 --> 00:21:58,360
We're looking for motive,
method, opportunity.
420
00:21:58,401 --> 00:22:02,072
- There was cyanide
in her body that did not come
421
00:22:02,113 --> 00:22:04,824
from anything
that she had around her.
422
00:22:04,866 --> 00:22:07,285
- How the poison was delivered
to the victim
423
00:22:07,327 --> 00:22:10,246
was very shocking.
424
00:22:10,288 --> 00:22:13,083
[dramatic music]
425
00:22:21,132 --> 00:22:21,591
[dramatic music]
426
00:22:24,094 --> 00:22:27,097
* *
427
00:22:27,138 --> 00:22:29,766
narrator: In July of 1988,
thanks to a tip
428
00:22:29,808 --> 00:22:32,769
from Richard Overton's
ex-wife, Dorothy Boyer,
429
00:22:32,811 --> 00:22:35,063
Orange County
investigators now know
430
00:22:35,105 --> 00:22:37,649
that he has a pension
for poison.
431
00:22:37,691 --> 00:22:39,109
But just because
Richard may have tried
432
00:22:39,150 --> 00:22:41,945
to harm his first wife
back in the '60s
433
00:22:41,986 --> 00:22:43,988
doesn't necessarily mean
he just tried
434
00:22:44,030 --> 00:22:46,991
to murder
his second wife, Janet.
435
00:22:47,033 --> 00:22:50,662
- When Dorothy Boyer heard
about Janet Overton's death,
436
00:22:50,704 --> 00:22:53,248
she called the department
and said,
437
00:22:53,289 --> 00:22:56,418
"This is what happened
to me with Richard Overton.
438
00:22:56,459 --> 00:22:59,170
"You really ought
to take a closer look
439
00:22:59,212 --> 00:23:00,922
at the cause of death."
440
00:23:00,964 --> 00:23:05,301
And that's when investigators
asked the crime lab
441
00:23:05,343 --> 00:23:07,554
to take a look and check it.
442
00:23:07,595 --> 00:23:11,349
- There are three categories
of homicide cases:
443
00:23:11,391 --> 00:23:14,019
Primary, secondary, and open.
444
00:23:14,060 --> 00:23:17,814
Open usually had
mitigating circumstances.
445
00:23:17,856 --> 00:23:20,859
There were other cases
that were much more important.
446
00:23:20,900 --> 00:23:24,362
Approximately a year
and a half went by.
447
00:23:24,404 --> 00:23:26,364
- My name is Paul Sedgwick.
448
00:23:26,406 --> 00:23:28,491
I was a forensic toxicologist
449
00:23:28,533 --> 00:23:31,327
with the Orange County
Sheriff Coroner's Office.
450
00:23:31,369 --> 00:23:36,374
Once Janet Overton died,
she became a coroner's case.
451
00:23:36,416 --> 00:23:39,627
The scientific procedure
for testing for poisons
452
00:23:39,669 --> 00:23:43,256
at the time was
to take a blood sample
453
00:23:43,298 --> 00:23:47,677
and look for volatile
compounds, primarily alcohol,
454
00:23:47,719 --> 00:23:51,097
and then to take
stomach contents.
455
00:23:51,139 --> 00:23:54,434
What I did
in the Janet Overton case
456
00:23:54,476 --> 00:23:56,895
was opened the stomach sample,
457
00:23:56,936 --> 00:23:58,688
and I smelled cyanide
instantly.
458
00:23:58,730 --> 00:24:00,982
* *
459
00:24:01,024 --> 00:24:04,069
Cyanide simply should not be
in a person's body
460
00:24:04,110 --> 00:24:09,574
in concentrations strong enough
to detect by odor.
461
00:24:09,616 --> 00:24:11,076
- And when the news came out
462
00:24:11,117 --> 00:24:13,912
that she had gotten
some cyanide,
463
00:24:13,953 --> 00:24:16,498
we were shocked and appalled.
464
00:24:16,539 --> 00:24:19,876
We were trying to figure out
how she ingested it
465
00:24:19,918 --> 00:24:22,921
because Jan was careful,
466
00:24:22,962 --> 00:24:25,256
and so we couldn't imagine
how she got it.
467
00:24:25,298 --> 00:24:28,093
- Some of the other items that
I tested from Janet Overton
468
00:24:28,134 --> 00:24:31,346
included the medications
and herbal supplements
469
00:24:31,388 --> 00:24:33,640
that I was told
she had access to.
470
00:24:33,682 --> 00:24:35,975
I found no cyanide.
471
00:24:36,017 --> 00:24:40,814
Since there was no cyanide
in any of the medications
472
00:24:40,855 --> 00:24:43,316
or supplements
that she was ingesting,
473
00:24:43,358 --> 00:24:45,068
it strongly suggests
474
00:24:45,110 --> 00:24:47,570
that the cyanide
came from somewhere else.
475
00:24:47,612 --> 00:24:49,948
* *
476
00:24:49,989 --> 00:24:52,033
- I don't know a lot
about cyanide,
477
00:24:52,075 --> 00:24:54,828
other than it's deadly.
478
00:24:54,869 --> 00:24:58,456
I also don't know
how you get your hands on it.
479
00:24:58,498 --> 00:25:00,959
It's not something you buy
at the local drugstore.
480
00:25:01,001 --> 00:25:02,711
narrator: If Richard was
481
00:25:02,752 --> 00:25:04,838
behind Janet's
cyanide overdose,
482
00:25:04,879 --> 00:25:06,548
how would he have
gotten his hands
483
00:25:06,589 --> 00:25:08,425
on the poisonous substance?
484
00:25:08,466 --> 00:25:11,511
To find out, detectives look
back at Richard's days
485
00:25:11,553 --> 00:25:15,473
as a university professor with
an interesting side business.
486
00:25:15,515 --> 00:25:18,601
- Investigators had heard
that Richard Overton
487
00:25:18,643 --> 00:25:21,563
had a partner that was
involved in gold mining,
488
00:25:21,604 --> 00:25:25,358
and he had access
to the cyanide
489
00:25:25,400 --> 00:25:29,612
and other metallurgic
type material.
490
00:25:29,654 --> 00:25:31,322
- Mel Hubbard,
491
00:25:31,364 --> 00:25:33,908
he did a lot of lab work out
of his house in his garage.
492
00:25:33,950 --> 00:25:36,327
His garage was converted
into a home office.
493
00:25:36,369 --> 00:25:40,749
He separated a lot of the ore
from the precious metal,
494
00:25:40,790 --> 00:25:43,335
and to do that,
you needed sodium cyanide.
495
00:25:43,376 --> 00:25:45,003
* *
496
00:25:45,045 --> 00:25:48,548
- Richard Overton had the keys
to the office
497
00:25:48,590 --> 00:25:52,469
and to the area where
the cyanide was being kept.
498
00:25:52,510 --> 00:25:55,638
So that led investigators
to determine
499
00:25:55,680 --> 00:25:59,517
that Richard Overton had access
to the cyanide.
500
00:25:59,559 --> 00:26:01,061
* *
501
00:26:01,102 --> 00:26:03,855
narrator: Confirming
Richard Overton's past actions
502
00:26:03,897 --> 00:26:06,149
and present access to cyanide,
503
00:26:06,191 --> 00:26:09,569
OC sheriff's investigators
now have a reason to suspect
504
00:26:09,611 --> 00:26:10,945
he may have played a role
505
00:26:10,987 --> 00:26:13,907
in his wife Janet's
puzzling death.
506
00:26:13,948 --> 00:26:16,034
- The lead investigator said,
507
00:26:16,076 --> 00:26:18,828
"We need to speak
with Richard Overton."
508
00:26:18,870 --> 00:26:22,332
Richard Overton said,
when he got there,
509
00:26:22,374 --> 00:26:27,003
he had a loving marriage,
things were just hunky-dory.
510
00:26:27,045 --> 00:26:29,881
Richard said he had
no access to cyanide,
511
00:26:29,923 --> 00:26:31,841
never did, never has.
512
00:26:31,883 --> 00:26:34,219
When investigators
confront him
513
00:26:34,260 --> 00:26:36,262
and challenges him on that,
514
00:26:36,304 --> 00:26:40,058
as far as Jan having an affair
and the fact
515
00:26:40,100 --> 00:26:44,646
that "You poisoned
your first wife."
516
00:26:44,688 --> 00:26:47,899
And he said,
"Oh, I'm done here."
517
00:26:47,941 --> 00:26:51,695
And abruptly
stops the interview.
518
00:26:51,736 --> 00:26:54,114
* *
519
00:26:54,155 --> 00:26:55,990
narrator:
While Richard Overton refuses
520
00:26:56,032 --> 00:26:58,159
to play
into investigator's hands,
521
00:26:58,201 --> 00:27:00,286
Janet and Richard's only son,
522
00:27:00,328 --> 00:27:05,208
16-year-old Eric, provides
some valuable insight.
523
00:27:05,250 --> 00:27:07,919
- Jan didn't talk about Eric
524
00:27:07,961 --> 00:27:10,755
and Richard's relationship
to me.
525
00:27:10,797 --> 00:27:12,424
There was never a story of Eric
526
00:27:12,465 --> 00:27:15,218
doing some activity
with his father,
527
00:27:15,260 --> 00:27:17,262
which seemed odd
'cause in a family,
528
00:27:17,303 --> 00:27:20,390
normally activities
would be done together.
529
00:27:20,432 --> 00:27:23,810
- Eric Overton was
approximately 16
530
00:27:23,852 --> 00:27:24,936
when this occurred.
531
00:27:24,978 --> 00:27:27,188
He was a high school student.
532
00:27:27,230 --> 00:27:30,608
I know Jan was looking forward
to watching him graduate
533
00:27:30,650 --> 00:27:32,444
and handing him his diploma.
534
00:27:32,485 --> 00:27:36,948
He was just a young man
waiting for his future.
535
00:27:36,990 --> 00:27:41,703
And his mom was
just always there
536
00:27:41,745 --> 00:27:44,539
by his side.
537
00:27:44,581 --> 00:27:47,334
- Eric Overton
told investigators
538
00:27:47,375 --> 00:27:51,796
that he was concerned
that his parents' marriage was
539
00:27:51,838 --> 00:27:55,216
about to break up, that they
were on the verge of divorce.
540
00:27:55,258 --> 00:27:57,927
So when investigators asked
whether it was
541
00:27:57,969 --> 00:28:00,096
in the realm of possibility
542
00:28:00,138 --> 00:28:04,309
that his father
could have killed his mother,
543
00:28:04,351 --> 00:28:06,561
he was honest,
and he says,
544
00:28:06,603 --> 00:28:10,023
"Yes, it is possible that
my father killed my mother."
545
00:28:10,065 --> 00:28:14,069
* *
546
00:28:14,110 --> 00:28:17,530
- I remember at the funeral
547
00:28:17,572 --> 00:28:19,491
seeing Richard sitting
with Eric.
548
00:28:19,532 --> 00:28:21,993
They're both
kind of stony-faced,
549
00:28:22,035 --> 00:28:23,703
but it didn't strike me as odd
550
00:28:23,745 --> 00:28:26,039
'cause sometimes
that's the way people react
551
00:28:26,081 --> 00:28:28,041
to sad events.
552
00:28:28,083 --> 00:28:29,709
People grieve
in different ways.
553
00:28:29,751 --> 00:28:33,046
narrator: As Eric Overton
mourns the loss of his mother,
554
00:28:33,088 --> 00:28:37,759
the investigation into who may
have killed her is telling.
555
00:28:37,801 --> 00:28:40,679
- The details of this case
when it was revealed,
556
00:28:40,720 --> 00:28:43,682
how the poison was delivered
to the victim,
557
00:28:43,723 --> 00:28:46,685
was very shocking.
558
00:28:46,726 --> 00:28:50,230
This was something very subtle,
559
00:28:50,271 --> 00:28:54,484
so it showed just
how devious he was.
560
00:29:03,243 --> 00:29:03,702
[dramatic music]
561
00:29:06,037 --> 00:29:10,625
* *
562
00:29:10,667 --> 00:29:12,877
narrator: Detectives suspect
now more than ever
563
00:29:12,919 --> 00:29:15,964
that Janet Overton's
jilted husband Richard
564
00:29:16,006 --> 00:29:19,634
may be to blame for her recent
and sudden death.
565
00:29:19,676 --> 00:29:22,429
And the fact that he may have
tried to poison his first wife
566
00:29:22,470 --> 00:29:24,556
Dorothy Boyer
two decades earlier
567
00:29:24,597 --> 00:29:26,349
gives them the ammunition
they need
568
00:29:26,391 --> 00:29:29,269
for a search warrant.
569
00:29:29,310 --> 00:29:31,479
- In order to do
a search warrant,
570
00:29:31,521 --> 00:29:33,898
one has to have probable cause.
571
00:29:33,940 --> 00:29:35,692
You've got to show the reasons
572
00:29:35,734 --> 00:29:38,278
why you want to go
into that house.
573
00:29:38,319 --> 00:29:40,030
Was there cyanide there?
574
00:29:40,071 --> 00:29:42,240
They were looking
for cyanide in the house.
575
00:29:42,282 --> 00:29:45,869
They were looking for any kind
of selenium in the house.
576
00:29:45,910 --> 00:29:50,123
They went to Richard Overton's
house and collected items.
577
00:29:50,165 --> 00:29:52,375
Two newspaper articles
on selenium
578
00:29:52,417 --> 00:29:54,627
collected from
the living room.
579
00:29:54,669 --> 00:29:57,881
Four bottles of prescription
medicine for Jan.
580
00:29:57,922 --> 00:29:59,341
Packages of vitamins,
581
00:29:59,382 --> 00:30:02,635
supplements
containing selenium.
582
00:30:02,677 --> 00:30:05,263
Opened coffee containers
collected from the kitchen.
583
00:30:05,305 --> 00:30:07,015
Syringe with needle.
584
00:30:07,057 --> 00:30:08,850
Two chemistry books collected
585
00:30:08,892 --> 00:30:11,978
from bookshelf
in downstairs office.
586
00:30:12,020 --> 00:30:14,189
* *
587
00:30:14,230 --> 00:30:16,691
They found Jan's makeup
in the drawer.
588
00:30:16,733 --> 00:30:19,944
And so they took a couple
of swabs of that.
589
00:30:19,986 --> 00:30:22,989
narrator: While potential
evidence is sent for analysis,
590
00:30:23,031 --> 00:30:24,366
something else in the house
591
00:30:24,407 --> 00:30:27,202
captures
detectives' attention.
592
00:30:27,243 --> 00:30:29,329
- A computer,
two drives collected
593
00:30:29,371 --> 00:30:31,498
from downstairs office.
594
00:30:31,539 --> 00:30:34,959
Two diaries collected
from master bedroom attic.
595
00:30:35,001 --> 00:30:38,755
The computers we went
to--in fact,
596
00:30:38,797 --> 00:30:41,132
I flew to San Francisco,
597
00:30:41,174 --> 00:30:44,386
and we had an expert
undelete anything
598
00:30:44,427 --> 00:30:47,180
that was deleted
on the computer.
599
00:30:47,222 --> 00:30:50,183
- This all was technical
top-level police work
600
00:30:50,225 --> 00:30:52,560
because the floppy disc,
601
00:30:52,602 --> 00:30:56,523
that was the beginning
of the digital age.
602
00:30:56,564 --> 00:30:58,900
- They were able to go
into his computer,
603
00:30:58,942 --> 00:31:00,652
and the average person thought
604
00:31:00,694 --> 00:31:02,612
once they hit
the delete button,
605
00:31:02,654 --> 00:31:04,114
it was gone.
606
00:31:04,155 --> 00:31:06,449
But in truth,
nothing is ever gone.
607
00:31:06,491 --> 00:31:08,868
It can be found
on your computer,
608
00:31:08,910 --> 00:31:11,663
and these detectives found it.
609
00:31:11,705 --> 00:31:13,415
narrator:
Investigators know the key
610
00:31:13,456 --> 00:31:15,291
to arresting
their prime suspect
611
00:31:15,333 --> 00:31:16,793
is likely locked
612
00:31:16,835 --> 00:31:19,295
within the deleted
computer files and journals.
613
00:31:19,337 --> 00:31:21,715
And after two long years,
614
00:31:21,756 --> 00:31:24,050
investigators finally
get a firsthand look
615
00:31:24,092 --> 00:31:28,471
at Richard Overton's
twisted innermost thoughts.
616
00:31:28,513 --> 00:31:33,476
- Richard Overton started
keeping journals back in 1952.
617
00:31:33,518 --> 00:31:36,438
By the time the search warrants
were put into effect,
618
00:31:36,479 --> 00:31:39,899
they confiscated
about 40 bound journals
619
00:31:39,941 --> 00:31:43,987
in Richard's very,
very miniscule handwriting.
620
00:31:44,029 --> 00:31:47,782
And he started
to white out various sections
621
00:31:47,824 --> 00:31:49,409
of those journals.
622
00:31:49,451 --> 00:31:53,830
And in some cases, he put two
and three levels of whiteout
623
00:31:53,872 --> 00:31:56,332
on various paragraphs.
624
00:31:56,374 --> 00:32:00,920
- They seemed to be
in very specific places,
625
00:32:00,962 --> 00:32:06,092
where the whiteout
or the cut marks were done.
626
00:32:06,134 --> 00:32:08,928
So it looked as though
627
00:32:08,970 --> 00:32:13,266
there were some things
trying to be hidden.
628
00:32:13,308 --> 00:32:14,893
- They used the latest,
629
00:32:14,934 --> 00:32:17,771
most high-tech tools
available to them.
630
00:32:17,812 --> 00:32:21,775
They were able to use a laser
in order to detect the writing
631
00:32:21,816 --> 00:32:25,612
that was underneath
these layers of whiteout.
632
00:32:25,653 --> 00:32:29,616
You were literally getting
an insight into his thoughts.
633
00:32:29,657 --> 00:32:32,786
He was laying them all out
in this diary.
634
00:32:32,827 --> 00:32:36,623
So it was almost chilling
because you could feel
635
00:32:36,664 --> 00:32:39,292
and hear what
his thoughts were
636
00:32:39,334 --> 00:32:41,294
and what his intentions were.
637
00:32:41,336 --> 00:32:42,754
- In that computer hard drive,
638
00:32:42,796 --> 00:32:46,007
they found these diaries
that he had left,
639
00:32:46,049 --> 00:32:49,719
and it was his feelings
toward not only Janet,
640
00:32:49,761 --> 00:32:52,972
but his first wife,
Mrs. Boyer.
641
00:32:53,014 --> 00:32:56,935
- He would also do
computer journals.
642
00:32:56,976 --> 00:33:02,190
He was documenting everything
down to his bowel movements.
643
00:33:02,232 --> 00:33:03,942
The diaries were filled
with it.
644
00:33:03,983 --> 00:33:07,237
Indications that
he was watching Jan
645
00:33:07,278 --> 00:33:09,781
to see what Jan was doing,
646
00:33:09,823 --> 00:33:14,411
making sure she was going
where she was supposed to go.
647
00:33:14,452 --> 00:33:17,038
One of the phrases
that I recall,
648
00:33:17,080 --> 00:33:21,001
"If things don't change soon,
our marriage,
649
00:33:21,042 --> 00:33:24,587
or our relationship,
is headed for the rocks."
650
00:33:24,629 --> 00:33:28,508
So it showed that
they were having problems.
651
00:33:28,550 --> 00:33:32,345
- He had his hatred
and wanting to get even was
652
00:33:32,387 --> 00:33:36,683
because he suspected
her of having this affair
653
00:33:36,725 --> 00:33:41,229
with a younger man
down in the harbor.
654
00:33:41,271 --> 00:33:44,065
narrator: The diary passages
directly contradict
655
00:33:44,107 --> 00:33:46,693
Richard Overton's
earlier statements to police
656
00:33:46,735 --> 00:33:50,363
about his supposedly
blissful union to Janet.
657
00:33:50,405 --> 00:33:52,032
* *
658
00:33:52,073 --> 00:33:54,617
- If you don't like your wife,
you could tell them,
659
00:33:54,659 --> 00:33:57,037
"We don't have the best
of a relationship."
660
00:33:57,078 --> 00:34:00,457
If you dislike your wife, and
you're telling investigators,
661
00:34:00,498 --> 00:34:02,917
"Oh, everything's
just hunky-dory,"
662
00:34:02,959 --> 00:34:04,627
you're lying.
663
00:34:04,669 --> 00:34:08,506
He was lying to the officers.
That shows a motive.
664
00:34:08,548 --> 00:34:11,885
* *
665
00:34:11,926 --> 00:34:15,388
- He wrote a lot
about his jealousy.
666
00:34:15,430 --> 00:34:18,558
He felt like
he was being disrespected.
667
00:34:18,600 --> 00:34:21,311
So he was angry.
He was outraged.
668
00:34:21,353 --> 00:34:22,812
He was jealous.
669
00:34:22,854 --> 00:34:26,066
And then he decided he was
gonna do something about it,
670
00:34:26,107 --> 00:34:29,861
and he wrote about how
their love/hate relationship
671
00:34:29,903 --> 00:34:34,032
had turned into a relationship
of just hate.
672
00:34:34,074 --> 00:34:36,993
narrator: Investigators now
had chilling insight
673
00:34:37,035 --> 00:34:39,371
into Richard Overton's
true feelings
674
00:34:39,412 --> 00:34:41,581
about his marriage
to Janet.
675
00:34:41,623 --> 00:34:43,124
And when the lab
results come in,
676
00:34:43,166 --> 00:34:45,418
they're convinced
he lashed out at her
677
00:34:45,460 --> 00:34:48,838
in the most unthinkable way.
678
00:34:48,880 --> 00:34:53,259
- They found in her mascara
that there was selenium in it.
679
00:34:53,301 --> 00:34:58,765
Well, it was a Revlon mascara,
and so they contacted Revlon.
680
00:34:58,807 --> 00:35:04,145
Revlon said, "No, we have
no selenium in our mascara."
681
00:35:04,187 --> 00:35:05,772
* *
682
00:35:05,814 --> 00:35:08,817
- Your skin is your
largest organ on your body,
683
00:35:08,858 --> 00:35:12,612
so by her simply applying
that eye makeup,
684
00:35:12,654 --> 00:35:14,614
it is being absorbed
through the skin
685
00:35:14,656 --> 00:35:19,577
in a small enough dose
not to be detected right away,
686
00:35:19,619 --> 00:35:23,081
but that could accumulate
in her body over time.
687
00:35:23,123 --> 00:35:27,127
- I mean, that's a slow death
in some regard,
688
00:35:27,168 --> 00:35:29,254
although the cyanide was fast.
689
00:35:29,295 --> 00:35:33,633
She was being poisoned
chronically with selenium,
690
00:35:33,675 --> 00:35:36,970
but acutely with cyanide.
691
00:35:37,012 --> 00:35:40,265
- A laboratory technician
came back with the results
692
00:35:40,306 --> 00:35:44,561
of the stomach contents were
what he called "free cyanide."
693
00:35:44,602 --> 00:35:46,980
She took some sort
of a cocktail
694
00:35:47,022 --> 00:35:49,274
the morning
of the whale watching.
695
00:35:49,315 --> 00:35:53,069
That was the final dose
that eventually killed her.
696
00:35:53,111 --> 00:35:56,823
* *
697
00:35:56,865 --> 00:36:01,870
- Richard Overton had means,
698
00:36:01,911 --> 00:36:04,581
had motive,
699
00:36:04,622 --> 00:36:06,583
and he had the intellect
700
00:36:06,624 --> 00:36:09,544
to carry out
this sort of poisoning.
701
00:36:29,147 --> 00:36:29,606
[dramatic music]
702
00:36:34,069 --> 00:36:36,905
narrator:
On October 1st, 1991,
703
00:36:36,946 --> 00:36:39,407
Dana Point resident
Richard Overton
704
00:36:39,449 --> 00:36:42,911
is arrested for the murder
of his second wife, Janet.
705
00:36:42,952 --> 00:36:45,663
Eight months later,
Orange County residents
706
00:36:45,705 --> 00:36:48,375
are glued to their TVs
as the local news
707
00:36:48,416 --> 00:36:51,878
chronicles the trial's twists
and turns.
708
00:36:51,920 --> 00:36:57,092
- This is OCN, the
Orange County News Channel.
709
00:36:57,133 --> 00:36:59,177
- Good morning, everyone.
I'm Tricia Takasugi.
710
00:36:59,219 --> 00:37:01,763
Thanks for joining us here
for OCN's live coverage
711
00:37:01,805 --> 00:37:04,015
of the Richard Overton
murder trial.
712
00:37:04,057 --> 00:37:06,267
The Richard Overton trial
happened early
713
00:37:06,309 --> 00:37:08,019
in my reporting career,
714
00:37:08,061 --> 00:37:10,271
but it definitely
had an impact.
715
00:37:10,313 --> 00:37:13,358
It was memorable
for a number of reasons,
716
00:37:13,400 --> 00:37:15,777
and was very bizarre.
717
00:37:15,819 --> 00:37:19,114
He was actually on trial twice.
718
00:37:19,155 --> 00:37:21,199
In his first trial,
719
00:37:21,241 --> 00:37:25,078
people believe he faked
a medical ailment.
720
00:37:25,120 --> 00:37:27,330
- It appears that the trial
is gonna go to recess.
721
00:37:27,372 --> 00:37:30,583
- Richard Overton allegedly
had a heart attack.
722
00:37:30,625 --> 00:37:32,585
- And he had to be taken out
723
00:37:32,627 --> 00:37:34,254
and to the hospital
to be examined.
724
00:37:34,295 --> 00:37:36,131
- I thought
he should've had an Oscar.
725
00:37:36,172 --> 00:37:39,509
They didn't find any evidence
of any damage to his heart.
726
00:37:39,551 --> 00:37:42,971
- But a judge cannot keep
that jury indefinitely.
727
00:37:43,013 --> 00:37:46,725
So at some point,
the judge had no other option
728
00:37:46,766 --> 00:37:48,977
than to declare a mistrial.
729
00:37:49,019 --> 00:37:52,105
- After a period of time,
the trial resumed.
730
00:37:52,147 --> 00:37:54,315
- Council if you'd like to make
your opening statement, please.
731
00:37:54,357 --> 00:37:56,985
- Thank you, Your Honor.
732
00:37:57,027 --> 00:37:59,029
- My name is Arthur Shappy.
733
00:37:59,070 --> 00:38:01,906
Back in 1991,
in the Richard Overton case,
734
00:38:01,948 --> 00:38:04,117
the trial I was on,
which was the second trial,
735
00:38:04,159 --> 00:38:05,368
I was a juror.
736
00:38:05,410 --> 00:38:07,746
I was told we were gonna
find out all the facts
737
00:38:07,787 --> 00:38:11,374
around Janet Overton's death
and why this took place.
738
00:38:11,416 --> 00:38:12,751
I wanted to do a good job
at this.
739
00:38:12,792 --> 00:38:14,419
We have a man's life
involved here.
740
00:38:14,461 --> 00:38:18,006
- You're gonna get the unique
once in a lifetime experience
741
00:38:18,048 --> 00:38:20,592
to see inside the mind
of a murderer.
742
00:38:20,633 --> 00:38:24,095
- Richard Overton, for anybody
saw him in the courtroom,
743
00:38:24,137 --> 00:38:28,183
came across
as very meek, quiet.
744
00:38:28,224 --> 00:38:32,937
You would never suspect this
man of committing the crime
745
00:38:32,979 --> 00:38:34,439
that he was being accused of.
746
00:38:34,481 --> 00:38:39,194
- You will see inside the mind
of Richard Kenneth Overton
747
00:38:39,235 --> 00:38:41,696
when he killed his wife Janet
with poison
748
00:38:41,738 --> 00:38:44,574
on January 24th, 1988.
749
00:38:44,616 --> 00:38:47,869
- In the opening statements,
the District Attorney painted
750
00:38:47,911 --> 00:38:51,956
a picture of a jealous husband
751
00:38:51,998 --> 00:38:55,335
who was too meek
to confront his wife,
752
00:38:55,377 --> 00:38:58,963
but he was gonna go around her
and get back at her
753
00:38:59,005 --> 00:39:00,298
for everything that he thought
754
00:39:00,340 --> 00:39:02,384
she had done
to ruin their marriage.
755
00:39:02,425 --> 00:39:03,677
- Evidence will show
756
00:39:03,718 --> 00:39:07,347
that he writes
everything down constantly.
757
00:39:07,389 --> 00:39:12,018
The littlest detail of the day
gets written down.
758
00:39:12,060 --> 00:39:14,229
- I believe in his diaries
he talked about
759
00:39:14,270 --> 00:39:16,022
how bad the marriage was.
760
00:39:16,064 --> 00:39:17,899
- We are in the second week
of the trial.
761
00:39:17,941 --> 00:39:19,776
Dorothy Boyer,
Richard Overton's first wife,
762
00:39:19,818 --> 00:39:21,194
took the stand this morning.
763
00:39:21,236 --> 00:39:22,570
- It's possible
that Richard knew
764
00:39:22,612 --> 00:39:23,988
I was allergic to sulfide.
765
00:39:24,030 --> 00:39:26,241
He was putting medication--he
admitted to putting
766
00:39:26,282 --> 00:39:29,411
medications--medicine
in some of my foods.
767
00:39:29,452 --> 00:39:31,913
- One of the early revelations
and one of the things
768
00:39:31,955 --> 00:39:34,833
that really kicked
the investigation off
769
00:39:34,874 --> 00:39:38,378
was Richard's former wife
Dorothy Boyer
770
00:39:38,420 --> 00:39:40,255
reaching out
to the Sheriff's Department
771
00:39:40,296 --> 00:39:41,840
saying you really ought
to look
772
00:39:41,881 --> 00:39:45,343
at whether or not
Richard poisoned Jan
773
00:39:45,385 --> 00:39:47,804
because he tried to poison me.
774
00:39:47,846 --> 00:39:50,306
- You had believed
775
00:39:50,348 --> 00:39:54,144
that Mr. Overton had been
poisoning you?
776
00:39:54,185 --> 00:39:55,562
- I believe so.
777
00:39:55,603 --> 00:39:59,149
- Dorothy Boyer's testimonies,
that meant a lot
778
00:39:59,190 --> 00:40:02,777
about painting a picture
of what kind of guy this was.
779
00:40:02,819 --> 00:40:06,531
On July 22nd, 1988,
Richard Overton did say
780
00:40:06,573 --> 00:40:11,953
that he did spike
his ex-wife's coffee I believe,
781
00:40:11,995 --> 00:40:14,330
and--though it was
just a prank.
782
00:40:14,372 --> 00:40:16,958
I could not believe
he said that.
783
00:40:17,000 --> 00:40:19,085
When he said it was a prank,
784
00:40:19,127 --> 00:40:21,338
I started leaning
towards guilty.
785
00:40:21,379 --> 00:40:24,799
- It is just one more way
that a classic sociopath
786
00:40:24,841 --> 00:40:26,634
would rationalize something.
787
00:40:26,676 --> 00:40:28,136
He tried to turn it around
788
00:40:28,178 --> 00:40:31,222
and make it a little bit
of a humorous thing.
789
00:40:31,264 --> 00:40:33,391
He really saw nothing wrong
with that.
790
00:40:33,433 --> 00:40:35,852
* *
791
00:40:35,894 --> 00:40:37,312
- The atmosphere
in the courtroom
792
00:40:37,354 --> 00:40:41,024
when Eric took the stand was,
"this poor kid."
793
00:40:41,066 --> 00:40:43,735
I think we all feel very sorry
for Eric that day,
794
00:40:43,777 --> 00:40:45,153
looking at his father
over there
795
00:40:45,195 --> 00:40:47,697
who was being accused
of killing his mother.
796
00:40:47,739 --> 00:40:51,201
- I can't even imagine what was
going through his head,
797
00:40:51,242 --> 00:40:54,329
how dreadful, much less
he had lost his mother,
798
00:40:54,371 --> 00:40:55,622
then they were so close,
799
00:40:55,663 --> 00:40:57,832
then to find out
your father murdered her?
800
00:40:57,874 --> 00:40:59,834
I just--I can't even imagine
801
00:40:59,876 --> 00:41:03,797
what that poor young man
was going through.
802
00:41:03,838 --> 00:41:06,257
- When the Overton verdict
was read,
803
00:41:06,299 --> 00:41:09,511
you could hear a pin drop
in that courtroom.
804
00:41:09,552 --> 00:41:11,513
- Court is satisfied
that the defendant in fact
805
00:41:11,554 --> 00:41:13,515
murdered his wife by poisoning.
806
00:41:13,556 --> 00:41:15,183
I have no doubt at all.
807
00:41:15,225 --> 00:41:17,644
- Richard Overton was
convicted
808
00:41:17,686 --> 00:41:20,021
of murder in the first degree.
809
00:41:20,063 --> 00:41:23,358
He was also sentenced
to life in prison.
810
00:41:23,400 --> 00:41:24,943
* *
811
00:41:24,984 --> 00:41:27,737
- I found Richard Overton
guilty because of his diaries,
812
00:41:27,779 --> 00:41:32,534
what he did to those diaries,
and Dorothy Boyer's comments,
813
00:41:32,575 --> 00:41:34,577
and the way
he poisoned her also,
814
00:41:34,619 --> 00:41:38,039
by slowly poisoning her
and having her do it herself.
815
00:41:38,081 --> 00:41:42,043
That just blows me away
how cruel this guy was
816
00:41:42,085 --> 00:41:44,421
and what kind of
a monster he was.
817
00:41:44,462 --> 00:41:46,881
* *
818
00:41:46,923 --> 00:41:51,136
- People using poison
to torture people,
819
00:41:51,177 --> 00:41:53,555
I mean, that's a slow death.
820
00:41:53,596 --> 00:41:55,807
* *
821
00:41:55,849 --> 00:41:58,685
- If Jan was
still alive today,
822
00:41:58,727 --> 00:42:01,479
she would be involved
in any way she could
823
00:42:01,521 --> 00:42:03,732
in education in California
824
00:42:03,773 --> 00:42:07,318
'cause that was something that
was important and her passion.
825
00:42:07,360 --> 00:42:09,571
- I think
with any human being,
826
00:42:09,612 --> 00:42:11,406
a loss of life is great.
827
00:42:11,448 --> 00:42:16,077
Janet Overton was a dedicated
and loving mother,
828
00:42:16,119 --> 00:42:17,954
as well as public servant,
829
00:42:17,996 --> 00:42:21,166
and for that,
she will be missed.
830
00:42:21,207 --> 00:42:26,087
- Jan had so much wanted
to hand Eric his diploma,
831
00:42:26,129 --> 00:42:27,714
and of course,
that all happened
832
00:42:27,756 --> 00:42:29,299
after she passed away.
833
00:42:29,341 --> 00:42:32,177
I remember the board meeting
when they were talking
834
00:42:32,218 --> 00:42:36,598
about which board member
would go to which high school.
835
00:42:36,639 --> 00:42:39,142
And I remember
the board member saying,
836
00:42:39,184 --> 00:42:41,436
I would like to go
to Dana Hills
837
00:42:41,478 --> 00:42:43,980
and hand Eric his diploma
for Jan.
838
00:42:44,022 --> 00:42:48,151
And there wasn't a dry eye
in the house.
839
00:42:48,193 --> 00:42:51,613
- As a mother
and a grandmother,
840
00:42:51,654 --> 00:42:53,907
my heart bled for Eric.
841
00:42:53,948 --> 00:42:56,493
[soft music]
842
00:42:56,534 --> 00:42:58,870
He loved his mother.
843
00:42:58,912 --> 00:43:05,460
* *
844
00:43:05,502 --> 00:43:07,796
Sorry.
845
00:43:07,837 --> 00:43:14,386
Her life,
so in pain every day...
846
00:43:14,427 --> 00:43:17,389
but yet,
she still tried to thrive.
847
00:43:17,430 --> 00:43:19,766
* *
848
00:43:19,808 --> 00:43:21,685
It's very sad.
849
00:43:21,726 --> 00:43:28,858
* *