1 00:00:10,567 --> 00:00:12,533 CUSHING: No identification, no phone. 2 00:00:13,500 --> 00:00:16,000 This is gonna be a hard case to solve. 3 00:00:16,000 --> 00:00:18,367 BELTON: I kept asking, how did she die? 4 00:00:19,300 --> 00:00:21,467 And they didn't want to tell me. 5 00:00:21,467 --> 00:00:24,100 ZYGAJ: Nothing like that has ever happened in my career. 6 00:00:24,100 --> 00:00:25,967 I was stunned. 7 00:00:25,967 --> 00:00:29,767 CUSHING: He betrayed his badge. He betrayed his oath. 8 00:00:29,767 --> 00:00:33,066 If an officer is committing a crime, all gloves are off. 9 00:00:34,767 --> 00:00:36,333 I'm Sheriff Garry McFadden. 10 00:00:37,667 --> 00:00:40,367 I was a homicide detective for 20 years. 11 00:00:40,433 --> 00:00:44,000 I've worked more than 800 homicides in my career. 12 00:00:44,000 --> 00:00:46,467 But even for the most dedicated detective, 13 00:00:46,467 --> 00:00:49,967 there's no one harder to stop than a killer with a badge. 14 00:00:58,100 --> 00:00:59,667 [phone ringing] 15 00:00:59,667 --> 00:01:01,100 [operator speaking] 16 00:01:01,100 --> 00:01:05,367 [man speaking] 17 00:01:05,433 --> 00:01:06,767 [operator speaking] 18 00:01:06,767 --> 00:01:10,433 [man speaking] 19 00:01:11,166 --> 00:01:13,367 [operator speaking] 20 00:01:13,367 --> 00:01:15,867 [man speaking] 21 00:01:18,467 --> 00:01:20,634 [operator speaking] 22 00:01:24,367 --> 00:01:25,667 NARRATOR: The call is coming from 23 00:01:25,667 --> 00:01:28,266 a desolate area at the edge of Hapeville, 24 00:01:28,266 --> 00:01:29,834 a suburb of Atlanta. 25 00:01:31,667 --> 00:01:33,066 Police race to the scene. 26 00:01:37,166 --> 00:01:39,867 Normal citizens that live in the city don't even know where 27 00:01:39,867 --> 00:01:43,667 this street is, because it's such an unusual wooded lot, 28 00:01:43,667 --> 00:01:46,133 dead end street that no one would drive to. 29 00:01:47,600 --> 00:01:51,000 CARROLL: The scene was not pretty at all. 30 00:01:51,000 --> 00:01:54,166 There was a body there that was burned up. 31 00:01:54,233 --> 00:01:55,467 It was a female, 32 00:01:56,800 --> 00:02:00,433 and I could still see, like, a small flame on her fingertip. 33 00:02:01,400 --> 00:02:03,467 The person had been brutally killed. 34 00:02:05,667 --> 00:02:07,166 CUSHING: She's been shot in the head. 35 00:02:07,166 --> 00:02:09,567 She's been burned with gasoline 36 00:02:09,567 --> 00:02:13,433 and just dumped out here with yard trash. 37 00:02:14,667 --> 00:02:17,367 NARRATOR: Investigators process the scene, but 38 00:02:17,367 --> 00:02:19,166 there's not much left to find. 39 00:02:20,467 --> 00:02:23,467 McFADDEN: Having a body set on fire prevents detectives from 40 00:02:23,533 --> 00:02:27,166 finding much evidence that could be traced on the scene. 41 00:02:28,100 --> 00:02:30,367 All of your evidence is up in smoke. 42 00:02:30,433 --> 00:02:32,734 You're starting now from ground zero. 43 00:02:33,700 --> 00:02:35,367 NARRATOR: Detectives estimate the woman has 44 00:02:35,433 --> 00:02:37,767 been dead for approximately two hours. 45 00:02:39,867 --> 00:02:42,000 A preliminary examination of the body 46 00:02:42,000 --> 00:02:44,567 reveals no signs of sexual assault. 47 00:02:46,066 --> 00:02:50,000 CUSHING: The coroner found four gunshot wounds to the victim, 48 00:02:50,000 --> 00:02:51,567 two in the head, 49 00:02:51,567 --> 00:02:54,667 one in the ear, and then one defensive injury 50 00:02:54,667 --> 00:02:55,867 to her forearm. 51 00:02:55,867 --> 00:02:58,266 So what it looked like, she was holding her arm up like, 52 00:02:58,266 --> 00:03:00,233 please don't shoot me, please don't shoot me. 53 00:03:02,300 --> 00:03:04,166 CARROLL: I had quite a few years on my belt. 54 00:03:04,233 --> 00:03:06,467 So, uh, homicides are not new to me, 55 00:03:06,467 --> 00:03:08,166 but I seen the body laying there. 56 00:03:08,166 --> 00:03:09,333 It was charred up. 57 00:03:10,867 --> 00:03:12,166 You know, it's somewhat surreal. 58 00:03:12,166 --> 00:03:14,533 You're like, I can't believe this person just did this. 59 00:03:16,066 --> 00:03:18,567 CUSHING: Here's this poor woman, just dumped out here 60 00:03:18,634 --> 00:03:20,667 with yard trash. 61 00:03:22,000 --> 00:03:24,266 McFADDEN: So at this point, you need to think like 62 00:03:24,333 --> 00:03:26,867 the suspect and ask yourself this, 63 00:03:26,934 --> 00:03:29,667 why choose this site to dump the body? 64 00:03:29,734 --> 00:03:32,667 Why set the body on fire? 65 00:03:32,734 --> 00:03:35,567 The suspect wanted to destroy any evidence that he may 66 00:03:35,634 --> 00:03:39,967 have left behind or destroy any of his or her DNA. 67 00:03:41,266 --> 00:03:44,467 NARRATOR: Investigators find a single 40-caliber Winchester 68 00:03:44,467 --> 00:03:46,166 shell casing, 69 00:03:46,166 --> 00:03:49,567 but they're unable to identify the victim. 70 00:03:49,567 --> 00:03:51,667 CUSHING: Whoever did this crime took the cell phone, 71 00:03:51,667 --> 00:03:54,333 took her ID, and ignited the body. 72 00:03:55,367 --> 00:03:56,667 The only thing we had was 73 00:03:56,667 --> 00:03:58,934 a small heart-shaped tattoo on the victim. 74 00:04:00,567 --> 00:04:02,767 And we found a locket that appeared 75 00:04:02,767 --> 00:04:06,433 to have a picture of the victim's child. 76 00:04:07,867 --> 00:04:11,166 And you know that this child's waiting at home 77 00:04:11,166 --> 00:04:14,867 for mommy to come home, and mommy's never coming. 78 00:04:14,934 --> 00:04:16,433 That's a sad thing to see. 79 00:04:17,367 --> 00:04:19,333 This is gonna be a hard case to solve. 80 00:04:21,400 --> 00:04:24,367 I became a police officer in 1999, 81 00:04:24,367 --> 00:04:28,533 and I was promoted to detective in 2010. 82 00:04:29,700 --> 00:04:32,467 Your victim is somebody that really needs help 83 00:04:32,467 --> 00:04:35,767 to catch whoever did this crime to them. 84 00:04:35,767 --> 00:04:39,166 And chasing down that bad guy was what 85 00:04:39,233 --> 00:04:42,667 piqued my interest and my partner's interest a lot. 86 00:04:42,667 --> 00:04:44,634 We, uh, we were a very good team. 87 00:04:46,767 --> 00:04:48,467 NARRATOR: Two days after the murder, 88 00:04:48,467 --> 00:04:50,634 the team gets a lead. 89 00:04:51,767 --> 00:04:54,266 CUSHING: We spoke with a woman who made a police report 90 00:04:54,333 --> 00:04:57,734 because she hadn't heard from her daughter since Friday. 91 00:04:58,867 --> 00:05:00,567 They came out 92 00:05:00,567 --> 00:05:02,867 that afternoon, 93 00:05:02,867 --> 00:05:05,367 and I had to... 94 00:05:05,433 --> 00:05:09,667 keep my granddaughter occupied in another room. 95 00:05:09,734 --> 00:05:13,266 She knew that her daughter was going to the bank to make 96 00:05:13,266 --> 00:05:17,467 a deposit into an account to give her $20 97 00:05:17,467 --> 00:05:19,033 that she desperately needed. 98 00:05:21,066 --> 00:05:22,967 BELTON: I kept calling her and calling her, 99 00:05:23,033 --> 00:05:25,066 and it kept going straight to voicemail, 100 00:05:26,166 --> 00:05:28,567 and I knew then that something was wrong. 101 00:05:28,567 --> 00:05:30,066 But when the police came in, 102 00:05:30,133 --> 00:05:33,533 I -- all I could ask them is please, just tell me she's okay. 103 00:05:35,166 --> 00:05:37,867 CUSHING: We showed the mother that photograph of the tattoo 104 00:05:37,867 --> 00:05:42,767 that was on the deceased, and she positively identified her 105 00:05:42,767 --> 00:05:44,433 as Miss Vernecia Woodard. 106 00:05:46,967 --> 00:05:49,266 BELTON: When they told me that she was gone, 107 00:05:49,266 --> 00:05:51,834 I kept asking them, how did she die? 108 00:05:52,767 --> 00:05:54,233 They didn't want to tell me. 109 00:05:55,567 --> 00:05:58,033 And then finally, they told me she was shot. 110 00:05:59,567 --> 00:06:00,967 It was very hard. 111 00:06:04,400 --> 00:06:05,967 It was very hard. 112 00:06:09,467 --> 00:06:12,066 She loved to cook. 113 00:06:12,066 --> 00:06:14,734 She loved to sing. 114 00:06:15,567 --> 00:06:17,667 She was a loving mother, 115 00:06:17,734 --> 00:06:19,567 most definitely. 116 00:06:19,634 --> 00:06:22,967 Her daughter was top priority in her life, 117 00:06:22,967 --> 00:06:26,166 and whatever she had to do to make sure her daughter had, 118 00:06:26,166 --> 00:06:27,667 she was gonna do it. 119 00:06:30,367 --> 00:06:32,867 I didn't know how to tell my granddaughter. 120 00:06:34,000 --> 00:06:36,667 So I talked to my oldest daughter, 121 00:06:36,667 --> 00:06:40,233 and she agreed that she would tell her when she came in town. 122 00:06:42,867 --> 00:06:45,066 GILYARD: I took her outside, and we sat on the curb, 123 00:06:45,133 --> 00:06:47,166 and... 124 00:06:48,200 --> 00:06:51,533 I did the best I can to express to her that 125 00:06:53,100 --> 00:06:54,333 her mom 126 00:06:55,667 --> 00:06:57,533 was no longer with us. 127 00:06:59,200 --> 00:07:01,467 That was a very hard conversation 128 00:07:01,467 --> 00:07:04,166 to have with a seven-year-old. 129 00:07:04,166 --> 00:07:06,467 It's like, although I didn't commit the act, 130 00:07:06,467 --> 00:07:08,834 I feel like I took part in having to break her heart. 131 00:07:17,400 --> 00:07:19,734 NARRATOR: Vernecia was 26 when she died. 132 00:07:21,400 --> 00:07:26,066 Now, detectives need to find the brutal killer on the loose. 133 00:07:26,066 --> 00:07:29,967 We requested a search warrant for T-Mobile to provide 134 00:07:29,967 --> 00:07:33,567 the data from the telephone that would have belonged to 135 00:07:33,634 --> 00:07:35,266 Miss Woodard. 136 00:07:35,333 --> 00:07:39,567 They're looking for location, last calls, and cell tower. 137 00:07:39,567 --> 00:07:41,266 That may take some time, 138 00:07:41,333 --> 00:07:44,266 but that is critical in any investigation, 139 00:07:44,266 --> 00:07:47,867 and they will probably talk to family members and friends. 140 00:07:47,934 --> 00:07:51,767 And that will also create a timeline for the detectives. 141 00:07:53,300 --> 00:07:54,767 CUSHING: We got her last known address as 142 00:07:54,767 --> 00:07:57,834 the Motel 6, 25 miles away in DeKalb County. 143 00:08:00,266 --> 00:08:04,000 It's approximately 30 minutes from Hapeville to DeKalb County. 144 00:08:04,000 --> 00:08:06,867 So now we needed to find out how 145 00:08:06,934 --> 00:08:09,266 did this woman come to the city of Hapeville, 146 00:08:09,266 --> 00:08:12,166 and who brought her over to the dump site? 147 00:08:12,233 --> 00:08:14,867 NARRATOR: Detectives retrieve motel security footage from 148 00:08:14,934 --> 00:08:17,634 the morning of the murder and catch a break. 149 00:08:18,800 --> 00:08:20,467 They can see Vernecia exit 150 00:08:20,467 --> 00:08:23,533 the motel and head toward a white car. 151 00:08:24,900 --> 00:08:26,967 CUSHING: A moment later, you could see 152 00:08:26,967 --> 00:08:29,066 the car leaving the hotel. 153 00:08:31,767 --> 00:08:34,266 The surveillance video showed the same shoes, 154 00:08:34,333 --> 00:08:38,467 pants, and shirt as when her body was later discovered. 155 00:08:38,467 --> 00:08:42,567 And that suspect vehicle was shown arriving at 11:42 at 156 00:08:42,567 --> 00:08:45,867 the Motel 6, and at 11:48, 157 00:08:45,867 --> 00:08:48,533 the victim's walking towards the car, 158 00:08:49,667 --> 00:08:53,000 and at 11:50, the vehicle's leaving the scene. 159 00:08:53,000 --> 00:08:56,634 NARRATOR: Vernecia's body was discovered four hours later. 160 00:08:57,667 --> 00:08:59,867 So you're like, okay, that's what we're looking for. 161 00:08:59,867 --> 00:09:01,934 We can confirm this is the car. 162 00:09:02,767 --> 00:09:04,467 It's just kinda like slowly putting 163 00:09:04,467 --> 00:09:07,100 the pieces together in a jigsaw puzzle. 164 00:09:07,100 --> 00:09:09,867 Unfortunately, we weren't able to get the tag number of 165 00:09:09,867 --> 00:09:11,567 the car from the security camera footage, 166 00:09:11,567 --> 00:09:15,100 and the make and model of the car was a little unclear. 167 00:09:15,100 --> 00:09:17,467 Make and model may not be determined, 168 00:09:17,533 --> 00:09:21,867 but they do have a color, size, and shape of the car, and that 169 00:09:21,867 --> 00:09:24,100 is a key piece of information. 170 00:09:24,100 --> 00:09:27,533 So saddle up, it's time to go looking for that missing car. 171 00:09:30,900 --> 00:09:33,166 BELTON: Vernecia and I talked a lot about 172 00:09:33,166 --> 00:09:36,166 her trying to pursue a career in singing. 173 00:09:37,166 --> 00:09:38,567 We actually tried to get her 174 00:09:38,634 --> 00:09:41,867 to go and audition for "American Idol." 175 00:09:41,867 --> 00:09:43,967 She refused, because she didn't want to stand in line. 176 00:09:43,967 --> 00:09:46,266 She hated lines, but 177 00:09:46,333 --> 00:09:49,066 I couldn't tell her what to do, because she was grown. 178 00:09:54,000 --> 00:09:56,533 GILYARD: I had went down to Georgia, regular visit, 179 00:09:57,300 --> 00:10:00,166 and Neci was talking about a song that she 180 00:10:00,233 --> 00:10:01,967 had written for the day that she gets married. 181 00:10:02,033 --> 00:10:05,967 Her intentions were to come down the aisle singing the song. 182 00:10:07,567 --> 00:10:12,166 It was a reminder that she was no longer my baby sister, like, 183 00:10:12,166 --> 00:10:14,734 she was my baby sister, but she was no longer a baby. 184 00:10:16,700 --> 00:10:20,066 BELTON: Vernecia used to always want to go in the kitchen. 185 00:10:20,066 --> 00:10:21,533 She wanted to cook. 186 00:10:22,767 --> 00:10:26,100 Cheesecake was her specialty -- cheesecake and meatloaf. 187 00:10:26,100 --> 00:10:28,533 She loved to cook. 188 00:10:29,867 --> 00:10:33,967 One day, she had found a job, and she called me, and she was 189 00:10:34,033 --> 00:10:36,533 like, "Mommy, I'm going to New York." 190 00:10:38,800 --> 00:10:40,467 GILYARD: She landed a job that she was 191 00:10:40,467 --> 00:10:42,834 supposed to be starting the following week. 192 00:10:43,900 --> 00:10:47,066 The plan was to get a place situated for her and my niece, 193 00:10:47,066 --> 00:10:48,266 her daughter. 194 00:10:48,266 --> 00:10:51,166 BELTON: She was due to start that Monday, 195 00:10:51,166 --> 00:10:54,867 but that never happened, because she was murdered. 196 00:10:57,400 --> 00:10:59,333 NARRATOR: Who killed this young mother? 197 00:11:00,500 --> 00:11:03,000 Police reach out to Vernecia's roommate 198 00:11:03,000 --> 00:11:05,567 to see if she has any ideas. 199 00:11:05,634 --> 00:11:08,467 She was able to give us some good information. 200 00:11:08,467 --> 00:11:10,967 She told us that Miss Woodard had a boyfriend. 201 00:11:11,033 --> 00:11:12,166 His name is Scarface, 202 00:11:12,166 --> 00:11:13,934 and that was the only name that they had. 203 00:11:16,367 --> 00:11:19,066 BELTON: Scarface -- I knew him to be her boyfriend, 204 00:11:19,133 --> 00:11:21,634 and I met him once. 205 00:11:22,900 --> 00:11:26,533 When I say met him, he was introduced, and they left. 206 00:11:28,400 --> 00:11:31,967 I heard talk of him for a long time. 207 00:11:32,033 --> 00:11:34,367 As far as I know, he just was cheating on her, 208 00:11:34,433 --> 00:11:36,367 taking advantage of her, 209 00:11:36,433 --> 00:11:39,867 and he was reaping the benefits of it. 210 00:11:39,867 --> 00:11:41,767 Vernecia and I got into an argument 211 00:11:41,767 --> 00:11:45,567 about it once, because I voiced my opinion, 212 00:11:45,634 --> 00:11:48,333 and she felt like I wasn't helping her enough. 213 00:11:50,567 --> 00:11:54,467 This boyfriend was somebody that did odd jobs, 214 00:11:54,533 --> 00:11:55,667 including landscaping 215 00:11:55,667 --> 00:11:58,233 kind of work and was from the DeKalb County area. 216 00:12:00,200 --> 00:12:02,367 The body was dumped in an area where 217 00:12:02,433 --> 00:12:04,066 a lot of people will take grass clippings 218 00:12:04,133 --> 00:12:05,767 and yard debris. 219 00:12:05,767 --> 00:12:10,367 And if he's doing odd jobs, he might know about this area. 220 00:12:10,433 --> 00:12:13,166 McFADDEN: Scarface is just a nickname, but for every detective, 221 00:12:13,233 --> 00:12:16,066 a nickname is a valuable piece of evidence. 222 00:12:16,133 --> 00:12:19,467 You're going to have to track down every Scarface or anybody 223 00:12:19,533 --> 00:12:21,367 who calls himself Scarface. 224 00:12:21,367 --> 00:12:22,467 So, what is that called? 225 00:12:22,467 --> 00:12:24,066 That's called boots on the ground. 226 00:12:26,166 --> 00:12:28,166 NARRATOR: At the same time, the team digs 227 00:12:28,166 --> 00:12:31,166 into Vernecia's past for other possible suspects, 228 00:12:31,233 --> 00:12:34,433 and they make a shocking discovery. 229 00:12:36,667 --> 00:12:39,166 CUSHING: We find out she was arrested for prostitution. 230 00:12:40,667 --> 00:12:44,767 That opened up this case to a whole new set of difficulties. 231 00:12:45,867 --> 00:12:47,367 It leaves a lot of suspects, 232 00:12:47,367 --> 00:12:49,000 a lot of doors open. 233 00:12:49,000 --> 00:12:52,667 It makes it more difficult, but you must understand this. 234 00:12:52,667 --> 00:12:54,567 You still have to bring the family 235 00:12:54,634 --> 00:12:57,467 answers and still seek justice for the victim. 236 00:12:57,533 --> 00:13:01,634 So it doesn't matter what she did, it's just know who did it. 237 00:13:04,066 --> 00:13:07,667 GILYARD: I found out that she was engaging 238 00:13:07,734 --> 00:13:09,767 in that type of activity 239 00:13:09,767 --> 00:13:11,667 not long before it happened. 240 00:13:11,734 --> 00:13:14,634 And the way I found out is because she had got arrested. 241 00:13:16,000 --> 00:13:18,667 She needed money for her daughter, 242 00:13:18,667 --> 00:13:21,066 and whatever she had to do, she did, 243 00:13:21,066 --> 00:13:23,834 to make sure that Naya was good. 244 00:13:25,300 --> 00:13:28,734 BELTON: She had to do what she had to do to make ends meet, 245 00:13:29,767 --> 00:13:32,533 to keep a roof over her and her daughter's head. 246 00:13:34,166 --> 00:13:37,467 None of us, none of my mother's children, 247 00:13:37,467 --> 00:13:40,867 we're not people who reach out when we need help. 248 00:13:40,867 --> 00:13:42,467 We're always trying to take care of it, 249 00:13:42,467 --> 00:13:43,734 figure it out ourselves. 250 00:13:46,166 --> 00:13:49,467 I think what disturbed me the most was that, at the time, 251 00:13:49,533 --> 00:13:51,367 there was a trend that 252 00:13:51,367 --> 00:13:55,867 prostitutes were getting killed in different counties. 253 00:13:55,867 --> 00:13:58,834 CUSHING: Some of them were prostitutes that were dumped somewhere. 254 00:13:59,900 --> 00:14:01,367 McFADDEN: You need to find out if there are 255 00:14:01,367 --> 00:14:05,367 similar cases in the area or similar occurrences. 256 00:14:05,367 --> 00:14:08,367 You wanna find out if they are connected or if they're not 257 00:14:08,433 --> 00:14:10,967 connected, because if it's a serial killer, 258 00:14:11,033 --> 00:14:12,667 then we're in a whole 'nother ballpark 259 00:14:12,667 --> 00:14:14,266 at a whole 'nother league. 260 00:14:16,500 --> 00:14:19,367 NARRATOR: Investigators reach out for information from other 261 00:14:19,367 --> 00:14:22,467 jurisdictions to compare those cases to their own. 262 00:14:23,767 --> 00:14:26,467 CUSHING: We were not able to find any link 263 00:14:26,467 --> 00:14:30,066 between this homicide and any other unsolved homicide. 264 00:14:31,900 --> 00:14:34,867 NARRATOR: As police track down leads, Vernecia's family 265 00:14:34,867 --> 00:14:37,367 fears her killer may never be caught. 266 00:14:38,567 --> 00:14:42,467 BELTON: Nobody knew exactly who it was that killed her. 267 00:14:42,533 --> 00:14:44,734 So I did my own investigation. 268 00:14:45,667 --> 00:14:47,967 CUSHING: The mom told us there was a group of girls 269 00:14:48,033 --> 00:14:49,166 who were out to get her, 270 00:14:49,166 --> 00:14:52,367 and that they could be armed, and she felt like they were 271 00:14:52,367 --> 00:14:54,467 a danger to her. 272 00:14:54,533 --> 00:14:57,467 BELTON: She was in a fight with some girls, 273 00:14:57,467 --> 00:15:02,266 and one of the girls was supposedly ex-military. 274 00:15:02,266 --> 00:15:06,266 A friend of hers got beat up -- when it's the underdog, 275 00:15:06,333 --> 00:15:07,467 she has an issue with that. 276 00:15:07,467 --> 00:15:10,066 So she went to protect them. 277 00:15:10,066 --> 00:15:13,567 She fought, she won, 278 00:15:13,567 --> 00:15:15,667 and they came back with guns. 279 00:15:17,467 --> 00:15:20,667 BELTON: Vernecia had told me that the girl pulled 280 00:15:20,667 --> 00:15:23,433 a gun on her and tried to shoot her. 281 00:15:24,467 --> 00:15:26,066 And she jumped in some bushes. 282 00:15:26,133 --> 00:15:28,934 She rolled down in some bushes and got all scratched up. 283 00:15:30,867 --> 00:15:32,266 McFADDEN: This is a great lead. 284 00:15:32,266 --> 00:15:33,467 She has a grudge. 285 00:15:33,533 --> 00:15:34,767 She has a gun. 286 00:15:34,767 --> 00:15:36,667 Could she be the person who dumped 287 00:15:36,734 --> 00:15:39,867 the victim at the site and set her on fire? 288 00:15:39,867 --> 00:15:42,533 Is she the key to this whole puzzle? 289 00:15:46,800 --> 00:15:48,667 NARRATOR: Hapeville detectives are working 290 00:15:48,667 --> 00:15:51,133 Vernecia's murder from multiple angles, 291 00:15:51,900 --> 00:15:54,333 but they have failed to land on a suspect. 292 00:15:56,667 --> 00:15:59,066 CUSHING: The victim's mother said that there was a group 293 00:15:59,133 --> 00:16:01,066 of girls that was out to get her daughter. 294 00:16:02,600 --> 00:16:06,367 So we went back to the hotel in DeKalb County where 295 00:16:06,433 --> 00:16:09,266 her real residence was in an attempt to find out 296 00:16:09,333 --> 00:16:10,634 who these girls were. 297 00:16:11,967 --> 00:16:14,767 NARRATOR: Detectives speak with Vernecia's roommate again, 298 00:16:14,834 --> 00:16:17,567 but she's unable to identify anyone who may have been 299 00:16:17,567 --> 00:16:18,934 targeting Vernecia. 300 00:16:20,100 --> 00:16:21,567 CUSHING: You had nothing to go with. 301 00:16:21,634 --> 00:16:22,667 You don't have any way to show 302 00:16:22,667 --> 00:16:24,834 that these girls were out to get her. 303 00:16:25,967 --> 00:16:28,467 NARRATOR: At the same time, the team continues their hunt for 304 00:16:28,467 --> 00:16:32,367 Vernecia's boyfriend, known only as Scarface, 305 00:16:32,433 --> 00:16:34,233 but they hit another dead end. 306 00:16:35,266 --> 00:16:38,467 CUSHING: After looking through several different people, 307 00:16:38,533 --> 00:16:40,367 we were able to find the identity of 308 00:16:40,433 --> 00:16:42,166 the victim's boyfriend. 309 00:16:42,166 --> 00:16:46,166 He provided an alibi for the date of the murder. 310 00:16:46,233 --> 00:16:49,667 He was out of the area doing work in another location, 311 00:16:49,667 --> 00:16:52,467 and we were able to verify that information, 312 00:16:52,467 --> 00:16:55,634 and we were able to rule him out as a suspect in this case. 313 00:16:56,567 --> 00:16:58,266 So detectives are doing their work. 314 00:16:58,266 --> 00:17:00,066 Any time they open a door, 315 00:17:00,066 --> 00:17:02,467 they get to close it -- person with a grudge? 316 00:17:02,467 --> 00:17:04,166 Door's closed. 317 00:17:04,166 --> 00:17:06,467 Scarface? Door's closed. 318 00:17:06,533 --> 00:17:09,166 But now they have no open doors. 319 00:17:12,667 --> 00:17:14,066 NARRATOR: Back at square one, 320 00:17:14,066 --> 00:17:16,934 detectives look again at the scene of the crime. 321 00:17:19,166 --> 00:17:21,667 Could the location itself be a clue to solving 322 00:17:21,734 --> 00:17:22,767 Vernecia's murder? 323 00:17:24,367 --> 00:17:26,266 If she was from DeKalb County, 324 00:17:26,266 --> 00:17:29,233 why did her body turn up all the way in Hapeville? 325 00:17:32,467 --> 00:17:34,767 Here we are at the end of Elm Street. 326 00:17:34,767 --> 00:17:38,967 This is a dump for the city to put lawn refuge, 327 00:17:38,967 --> 00:17:41,166 leaves, and tree limbs, 328 00:17:41,233 --> 00:17:42,433 and we found a body. 329 00:17:44,066 --> 00:17:45,333 This is no way to die. 330 00:17:47,100 --> 00:17:49,967 When you run out of all of your first set of leads, 331 00:17:50,033 --> 00:17:50,967 what do you do? 332 00:17:51,066 --> 00:17:53,066 You go back to the beginning where you created 333 00:17:53,133 --> 00:17:55,567 your first leads, and that is to the crime scene. 334 00:17:55,567 --> 00:17:58,467 Why would the suspect use this dump site? 335 00:17:58,467 --> 00:18:00,767 The incident happened in an area 336 00:18:00,834 --> 00:18:03,033 where no one would hear a gunshot. 337 00:18:04,100 --> 00:18:07,667 It was approximately 5 to 10 minutes from the airport. 338 00:18:07,667 --> 00:18:10,166 If a plane is going over, and the gun is fired, 339 00:18:10,233 --> 00:18:11,834 it's gonna blend in with the noise. 340 00:18:15,900 --> 00:18:18,734 CUSHING: Normal citizens wouldn't be going to that area. 341 00:18:20,100 --> 00:18:23,567 I realized that this killer knows right where Elm Street is, 342 00:18:23,567 --> 00:18:26,066 that he knows where that dump site is. 343 00:18:26,967 --> 00:18:28,433 He's right here in Hapeville. 344 00:18:31,667 --> 00:18:33,767 NARRATOR: Could the killer have been here before? 345 00:18:35,066 --> 00:18:36,867 Investigators look to see what other 346 00:18:36,934 --> 00:18:38,934 crimes have been reported in the area. 347 00:18:40,367 --> 00:18:42,967 CUSHING: We find out about this incident that occurred 348 00:18:43,033 --> 00:18:45,000 the year before the homicide 349 00:18:45,000 --> 00:18:47,166 involving a firearm being discharged at 350 00:18:47,233 --> 00:18:49,066 the end of Elm Street. 351 00:18:49,066 --> 00:18:50,367 An officer was driving down 352 00:18:50,433 --> 00:18:52,233 the road, and he heard some shots fired. 353 00:18:53,166 --> 00:18:57,467 He investigated it and found a subject named Tom English 354 00:18:57,467 --> 00:19:00,667 right in front of his residence on Elm Street. 355 00:19:02,300 --> 00:19:04,567 Mr. English advised that he was discharging 356 00:19:04,567 --> 00:19:07,834 this 40-caliber firearm in his backyard. 357 00:19:09,567 --> 00:19:12,433 NARRATOR: Detectives dig into Tom English's background. 358 00:19:13,367 --> 00:19:15,467 He doesn't have a criminal record, but they 359 00:19:15,467 --> 00:19:19,367 can't overlook his possible connection to Vernecia's murder. 360 00:19:19,433 --> 00:19:22,467 This is a great door that they have opened. 361 00:19:22,533 --> 00:19:25,066 They found a person who lives near the area, who 362 00:19:25,066 --> 00:19:27,834 fired the same caliber of gun used on the victim. 363 00:19:30,000 --> 00:19:33,367 So they need to walk into that room and find a pot of gold 364 00:19:33,367 --> 00:19:34,634 at the end of the rainbow. 365 00:19:36,500 --> 00:19:39,533 NARRATOR: Detectives bring English in for questioning. 366 00:20:09,700 --> 00:20:12,767 When you have a suspect that's not talking to you, 367 00:20:12,767 --> 00:20:16,066 you need to find out how to make them talk to you. 368 00:20:16,133 --> 00:20:17,967 Talk about anything, talk about sports, 369 00:20:17,967 --> 00:20:20,567 talk about your shirt, just get them to start talking, 370 00:20:20,634 --> 00:20:23,367 then ease into where you want them to go. 371 00:20:23,367 --> 00:20:25,166 You're gonna lead this horse to water, 372 00:20:25,166 --> 00:20:27,367 but now, it would be up to the detective 373 00:20:27,367 --> 00:20:30,233 to make that horse drink that water. 374 00:21:10,767 --> 00:21:12,667 CUSHING: Mr. English denied everything. 375 00:21:12,667 --> 00:21:15,166 So we pressed him a little bit and try to explain, 376 00:21:15,166 --> 00:21:16,467 you know, that we're investigating a murder, 377 00:21:16,467 --> 00:21:18,066 and we needed to solve it. 378 00:21:54,500 --> 00:21:57,767 Mr. English is saying, "Well, you know, if -- if this 379 00:21:57,834 --> 00:21:59,266 "person's a prostitute, well, 380 00:21:59,266 --> 00:22:01,266 "it's okay for her to die like this. 381 00:22:01,266 --> 00:22:02,867 You know, that's how prostitutes die." 382 00:22:02,867 --> 00:22:04,867 You know, we're sitting here thinking, wow, 383 00:22:04,867 --> 00:22:07,467 what is wrong with this person? 384 00:22:07,533 --> 00:22:09,767 McFADDEN: Looking at the video is very disturbing. 385 00:22:09,767 --> 00:22:12,767 A good detective, you don't stop there. 386 00:22:12,834 --> 00:22:16,667 You bring him back and humanize the victim for him. 387 00:22:16,667 --> 00:22:18,066 Talk about his family. 388 00:22:18,066 --> 00:22:21,166 If this was your sister, if this was your mother, 389 00:22:21,233 --> 00:22:24,867 wouldn't you want someone to still seek justice for her? 390 00:22:37,500 --> 00:22:39,333 [English laughs shortly] 391 00:22:46,467 --> 00:22:49,166 NARRATOR: Detectives press English about the 40-caliber gun 392 00:22:49,166 --> 00:22:52,266 used in the shooting incident at his house. 393 00:22:52,333 --> 00:22:55,333 He tells them the gun belonged to someone else. 394 00:22:57,000 --> 00:22:58,967 CUSHING: And Mr. English stated that he was in 395 00:22:58,967 --> 00:23:02,734 the backyard with another person named Tahreem Rana. 396 00:23:03,867 --> 00:23:05,467 He said that they grew up in Hapeville 397 00:23:05,467 --> 00:23:09,367 together, so they did know each other very well. 398 00:23:09,433 --> 00:23:10,967 NARRATOR: A new name. 399 00:23:10,967 --> 00:23:14,233 Detectives turn their attention to finding Tahreem Rana. 400 00:23:15,367 --> 00:23:17,667 CUSHING: Four days after the murder, 401 00:23:17,667 --> 00:23:19,667 as we're driving to the house, 402 00:23:19,667 --> 00:23:23,066 the garage door opens up, and a car starts backing out. 403 00:23:23,967 --> 00:23:28,367 It is a small white car, very similar to 404 00:23:28,433 --> 00:23:31,166 the car that we saw in the surveillance video at 405 00:23:31,166 --> 00:23:32,667 the hotel. 406 00:23:32,734 --> 00:23:34,567 Now we have the person connected to 407 00:23:34,567 --> 00:23:37,467 the white car and also connected to a gun. 408 00:23:37,533 --> 00:23:39,367 That is the big break that they needed. 409 00:23:39,433 --> 00:23:42,100 That is the double door that they need to walk through. 410 00:23:42,100 --> 00:23:44,667 When an investigator gets a break like this, 411 00:23:44,734 --> 00:23:46,567 it is more than an ah-ha moment. 412 00:23:46,567 --> 00:23:49,166 It is now dancing in the rain. 413 00:23:49,166 --> 00:23:52,166 CUSHING: So we're following this car, and it starts 414 00:23:52,166 --> 00:23:55,066 driving towards the crime scene, and we're like, wow, 415 00:23:55,066 --> 00:23:57,266 wouldn't this be crazy if he's going 416 00:23:57,266 --> 00:23:58,834 back to the scene of the crime? 417 00:24:00,266 --> 00:24:02,066 We're about two blocks away from 418 00:24:02,066 --> 00:24:05,166 the crime scene, and we do a traffic stop. 419 00:24:05,166 --> 00:24:06,166 In the traffic stop, 420 00:24:06,166 --> 00:24:09,000 the driver identifies himself as Tahreem Rana, 421 00:24:09,000 --> 00:24:11,767 and he hands us the one thing that we don't expect... 422 00:24:12,867 --> 00:24:15,266 Atlanta police identification card. 423 00:24:19,100 --> 00:24:21,266 McFADDEN: When the detectives find out that their key suspect 424 00:24:21,266 --> 00:24:23,567 is an Atlanta P.D. officer, 425 00:24:23,567 --> 00:24:25,567 they're no longer dancing in the rain. 426 00:24:25,634 --> 00:24:28,967 Now it's a thunderstorm with a whole bunch of lightning, 427 00:24:29,033 --> 00:24:31,367 because now they are investigating one of their own. 428 00:24:32,467 --> 00:24:33,567 CUSHING: Me and my partner were looking at 429 00:24:33,567 --> 00:24:36,133 each other like, what have we gotten into? 430 00:24:37,767 --> 00:24:40,166 CARROLL: They brought him back to the station. 431 00:24:40,233 --> 00:24:41,767 Once I seen who he was, 432 00:24:41,834 --> 00:24:44,266 I remembered that he was a young man who grew up here 433 00:24:44,266 --> 00:24:47,567 in Hapeville -- he was a high school football player. 434 00:24:47,567 --> 00:24:51,634 He was the ideal citizen, did everything straight. 435 00:24:52,500 --> 00:24:54,667 ZYGAJ: Rana worked for me. He was a young, young officer, 436 00:24:54,667 --> 00:24:56,767 just brand-new out of the academy. 437 00:24:56,834 --> 00:24:58,066 He was a hard charger. 438 00:24:58,066 --> 00:25:00,567 Very, very intelligent, a very good cop. 439 00:25:00,567 --> 00:25:01,867 I mean, he was really taking charge. 440 00:25:01,867 --> 00:25:03,166 His career was really taking off. 441 00:25:03,166 --> 00:25:06,066 [distant indistinct conversations] 442 00:25:16,266 --> 00:25:18,867 CUSHING: We've explained everything that's going on, 443 00:25:18,934 --> 00:25:21,367 thinking there was going to be nothing there. 444 00:25:21,367 --> 00:25:22,567 This can't be right. 445 00:25:22,567 --> 00:25:24,567 You know, an Atlanta police officer wouldn't commit this 446 00:25:24,567 --> 00:25:27,066 kind of crime -- this is not gonna be our guy. 447 00:25:55,166 --> 00:25:58,367 I used an interview technique where you try and get 448 00:25:58,367 --> 00:26:02,867 the suspect to admit that he was at the scene. 449 00:26:02,934 --> 00:26:05,667 So I told him that we had a citation 450 00:26:05,667 --> 00:26:09,166 for him discharging his firearm at his home residence. 451 00:26:09,166 --> 00:26:12,266 So detectives set a great trap -- when they said, "Well, 452 00:26:12,266 --> 00:26:13,567 weren't you over here?" 453 00:26:13,567 --> 00:26:15,367 And he took the bait said, "No, no, no, 454 00:26:15,367 --> 00:26:17,667 I was over here," and that's what they needed. 455 00:26:17,734 --> 00:26:20,100 They needed to place him in this position 456 00:26:20,100 --> 00:26:21,467 so they can say that this is 457 00:26:21,467 --> 00:26:24,166 the same area of where the victim was found. 458 00:26:27,767 --> 00:26:29,634 Um... 459 00:27:02,767 --> 00:27:04,767 NARRATOR: The detectives know that Vernecia 460 00:27:04,767 --> 00:27:07,166 met clients through social media platforms 461 00:27:07,233 --> 00:27:08,433 like Craigslist. 462 00:27:26,000 --> 00:27:29,367 CUSHING: Officer Rana admitted to purchasing prostitutes 463 00:27:29,367 --> 00:27:30,967 on Craigslist. 464 00:27:30,967 --> 00:27:33,667 It just surprised my partner 465 00:27:33,667 --> 00:27:35,967 and I -- here you are a police officer. 466 00:27:35,967 --> 00:27:36,967 You're not above the law. 467 00:27:37,033 --> 00:27:40,000 You are responsible for upholding the law. 468 00:27:40,000 --> 00:27:42,266 He was so nonchalant. 469 00:27:42,333 --> 00:27:44,967 He was so surprised, like, we cared. 470 00:27:46,867 --> 00:27:49,867 CARROLL: I think what happens with a lot of officers, 471 00:27:49,934 --> 00:27:52,066 you get what's called a God complex. 472 00:27:52,133 --> 00:27:53,667 You feel like you're untouchable. 473 00:27:53,667 --> 00:27:56,100 You start doing things to violate policy, 474 00:27:56,100 --> 00:27:58,367 that violate the law. 475 00:27:58,433 --> 00:28:00,166 And I think he felt like because he was a cop, 476 00:28:00,166 --> 00:28:02,100 no big deal. 477 00:28:02,100 --> 00:28:04,266 McFADDEN: We have a officer who 478 00:28:04,266 --> 00:28:09,066 admits to having relationships with prostitutes. 479 00:28:09,066 --> 00:28:11,367 When you got them to admit to one crime, 480 00:28:11,367 --> 00:28:14,533 you have to ask yourself, how many more is it? 481 00:29:14,066 --> 00:29:16,166 NARRATOR: Although Officer Rana claims he doesn't 482 00:29:16,166 --> 00:29:18,467 recognize the woman in the photograph, 483 00:29:18,533 --> 00:29:21,000 investigators confront him with a key piece of 484 00:29:21,000 --> 00:29:22,467 new evidence. 485 00:29:22,467 --> 00:29:25,967 The telephone information that we requested 486 00:29:25,967 --> 00:29:28,367 from T-Mobile has come back, 487 00:29:28,367 --> 00:29:30,166 and we were able to get the last two 488 00:29:30,166 --> 00:29:33,166 phone numbers that were made from the victim's cell phone. 489 00:29:33,166 --> 00:29:36,667 The first one was to the victim's mother. 490 00:29:36,734 --> 00:29:39,066 And the second one was Tahreem Rana. 491 00:29:41,367 --> 00:29:43,266 NARRATOR: Presented with this information, 492 00:29:43,333 --> 00:29:47,266 Rana is forced to admit he and Vernecia were in contact on 493 00:29:47,333 --> 00:29:48,634 the day she was murdered. 494 00:30:07,166 --> 00:30:08,867 Mm-hmm. 495 00:30:42,100 --> 00:30:43,867 CUSHING: He felt like it was too far of 496 00:30:43,934 --> 00:30:47,066 a drive for him to go to DeKalb County. 497 00:30:47,066 --> 00:30:49,567 And it did seem a little strange, you know, 498 00:30:49,567 --> 00:30:51,567 most people deny things, 499 00:30:51,567 --> 00:30:54,467 but it's possible that he felt like because he was 500 00:30:54,533 --> 00:30:57,834 a police officer, that we're gonna cover for him. 501 00:30:59,567 --> 00:31:03,667 McFADDEN: There is a brotherhood in law enforcement that we all love. 502 00:31:03,667 --> 00:31:05,767 You come to your brother when you need help. 503 00:31:05,767 --> 00:31:08,867 I will be there for you in your toughest time. 504 00:31:08,934 --> 00:31:11,367 But when that toughest time is a homicide, 505 00:31:11,367 --> 00:31:12,967 you are on your own. 506 00:31:30,166 --> 00:31:32,667 McFADDEN: So you have to look at what the detectives have. 507 00:31:32,734 --> 00:31:35,166 He brings them to a point and then drops them. 508 00:31:35,233 --> 00:31:38,467 He talks to her, he knows her, he contacts them, 509 00:31:38,467 --> 00:31:41,467 but he will not put her into that car. 510 00:31:41,533 --> 00:31:44,634 They need to put the victim in that white car. 511 00:31:45,767 --> 00:31:48,667 CUSHING: So at that time, we needed to do a search warrant on the car. 512 00:31:48,667 --> 00:31:51,166 Mr. Rana's car was one of the cleanest 513 00:31:51,233 --> 00:31:54,367 used cars of -- anybody's ever seen in their life. 514 00:31:54,433 --> 00:31:56,233 It was cleaner than you get off a showroom. 515 00:31:57,900 --> 00:32:02,166 He used his skills as a police officer to cover up the crime, 516 00:32:02,233 --> 00:32:06,367 and we didn't find any kind of evidence in it whatsoever. 517 00:32:06,367 --> 00:32:09,834 So we couldn't definitely put Miss Woodard inside the car. 518 00:32:12,100 --> 00:32:15,367 We decided at that time that we needed to get 519 00:32:15,367 --> 00:32:17,066 the search warrant for Rana's house 520 00:32:17,066 --> 00:32:20,467 before he has any opportunity to get rid 521 00:32:20,467 --> 00:32:22,066 of any evidence. 522 00:32:22,133 --> 00:32:24,667 We told him we'd drop him off of his friend's house, and after 523 00:32:24,734 --> 00:32:26,934 the search warrant, we'd go pick him up and bring him home. 524 00:32:28,567 --> 00:32:34,166 We started by doing a full view recording of the entire 525 00:32:34,166 --> 00:32:36,867 residence, and I was thinking there was gonna be 526 00:32:36,867 --> 00:32:38,166 nothing there, 527 00:32:39,467 --> 00:32:42,834 but we found a huge amount of evidence against him. 528 00:32:45,467 --> 00:32:47,967 NARRATOR: Officers find two shell casings similar to 529 00:32:48,033 --> 00:32:49,834 the ones found at the crime scene... 530 00:32:53,767 --> 00:32:56,166 and two gas cans in the garage. 531 00:32:58,266 --> 00:33:00,867 Then look in this garbage can, and plain 532 00:33:00,934 --> 00:33:04,166 as day, a used condom stuck in the can. 533 00:33:06,000 --> 00:33:07,767 He didn't throw out that trash can that 534 00:33:07,767 --> 00:33:10,367 had the evidence inside it for some strange reason. 535 00:33:10,367 --> 00:33:11,533 I don't know. 536 00:33:12,567 --> 00:33:14,266 After we executed the search warrant, 537 00:33:14,266 --> 00:33:17,166 we went to pick up Rana at his friend's house, 538 00:33:17,233 --> 00:33:21,066 and the friend advises that Rana has left. 539 00:33:21,133 --> 00:33:23,667 We didn't know where he's going. 540 00:33:23,667 --> 00:33:26,266 Wouldn't you know it, the house is a pot of gold. 541 00:33:26,266 --> 00:33:27,767 We found all the evidence. 542 00:33:27,767 --> 00:33:29,567 If the detectives have any doubt, 543 00:33:29,567 --> 00:33:31,567 they should not have any doubt now. 544 00:33:31,634 --> 00:33:33,166 But the bird flew the coop. 545 00:33:33,166 --> 00:33:35,634 All we need to do now is find the bird. 546 00:33:38,767 --> 00:33:41,567 NARRATOR: All evidence points to Atlanta police officer 547 00:33:41,567 --> 00:33:44,767 Tahreem Rana as the killer of Vernecia Woodard. 548 00:33:44,767 --> 00:33:46,867 But while detectives were searching his house, 549 00:33:46,867 --> 00:33:48,333 he took off. 550 00:33:49,500 --> 00:33:51,467 CUSHING: We immediately contacted 551 00:33:51,467 --> 00:33:53,367 the City of Atlanta Police Department. 552 00:33:53,367 --> 00:33:56,667 They were very helpful, because just like us, it would be 553 00:33:56,734 --> 00:34:00,767 a black eye on our profession and the city of Atlanta if he 554 00:34:00,767 --> 00:34:03,467 actually was committing this crime. 555 00:34:03,467 --> 00:34:05,867 One of the worst calls you could ever receive from another 556 00:34:05,934 --> 00:34:08,266 law enforcement agency is that 557 00:34:08,266 --> 00:34:10,166 they are looking for one of your own. 558 00:34:10,166 --> 00:34:13,367 The most important issue here for both agencies 559 00:34:13,367 --> 00:34:15,767 at this moment is to get him into custody. 560 00:34:15,834 --> 00:34:17,867 ZYGAJ: I was trying to get a hold of him. 561 00:34:17,867 --> 00:34:19,100 He didn't answer the phone. 562 00:34:19,100 --> 00:34:22,166 Finally, he calls me about three o'clock, and he says, 563 00:34:22,166 --> 00:34:23,667 "You know, you've been really good to me. 564 00:34:23,667 --> 00:34:25,367 "You've been like a dad to me. 565 00:34:25,367 --> 00:34:27,667 "I'm not gonna lie to your face. 566 00:34:27,734 --> 00:34:29,166 "They got me for murder. 567 00:34:29,166 --> 00:34:31,266 I committed a murder," 568 00:34:31,333 --> 00:34:33,567 and I was stunned. 569 00:34:33,567 --> 00:34:34,867 So the next thing I said was, 570 00:34:34,867 --> 00:34:36,667 "Well, what are you trying to do now?" 571 00:34:36,667 --> 00:34:40,433 He goes, "Well, I'm gonna get on a flight to Cancun, Mexico." 572 00:34:40,500 --> 00:34:41,867 And I said, "We're coming for you, 573 00:34:41,934 --> 00:34:43,867 and you need to turn yourself in." 574 00:34:43,867 --> 00:34:47,166 He goes, "Man," he goes, "LT, was a pleasure working for you," 575 00:34:47,233 --> 00:34:49,967 but he goes, "I got to go," and he hung up. 576 00:34:52,667 --> 00:34:55,667 CUSHING: We had a contact at the airport. 577 00:34:55,667 --> 00:34:58,000 He set us up with a group, and they 578 00:34:58,000 --> 00:35:02,266 made a plan to apprehend Mr. Rana at the airport. 579 00:35:02,333 --> 00:35:06,433 We found him in the airport and took him into custody. 580 00:35:07,467 --> 00:35:10,467 Also, striking new developments in the case of an Atlanta 581 00:35:10,533 --> 00:35:12,367 police officer accused in the murder 582 00:35:12,433 --> 00:35:14,367 of a woman that he had just met online. 583 00:35:14,367 --> 00:35:16,266 My mom runs in the room -- 584 00:35:16,266 --> 00:35:18,867 "They found who killed your sister," 585 00:35:18,867 --> 00:35:21,934 and I just couldn't believe it was a freaking cop. 586 00:35:23,767 --> 00:35:26,667 CARROLL: It -- my heart dropped when it was confirmed 587 00:35:26,667 --> 00:35:27,967 that it was him. 588 00:35:28,033 --> 00:35:29,934 I knew him and his family personally. 589 00:35:31,166 --> 00:35:34,066 You see people on the news, and you don't know 590 00:35:34,133 --> 00:35:35,767 them really, it doesn't affect you. 591 00:35:35,767 --> 00:35:38,867 But when you've seen them on a regular basis, it was -- 592 00:35:38,867 --> 00:35:40,567 you know, it's somewhat surreal. 593 00:35:40,567 --> 00:35:41,567 You're like, what happened? 594 00:35:41,567 --> 00:35:43,066 Where -- where did he go wrong? 595 00:35:43,867 --> 00:35:45,367 ZYGAJ: Nothing ever stood out to me. 596 00:35:45,367 --> 00:35:46,567 Maybe he had -- with his friends 597 00:35:46,567 --> 00:35:48,467 or something had a different life. 598 00:35:48,533 --> 00:35:51,567 I think he was a sociopath. 599 00:35:51,634 --> 00:35:54,567 He just was able to hide it from everybody. 600 00:35:56,767 --> 00:35:59,567 NARRATOR: Investigators find proof that Rana lied 601 00:35:59,634 --> 00:36:00,867 during his interview, 602 00:36:00,867 --> 00:36:04,533 beginning with GPS data from his phone and Vernecia's. 603 00:36:06,200 --> 00:36:09,467 We're able to look at the GPS coordinates from 604 00:36:09,467 --> 00:36:15,367 Mr. Rana's phone -- at the exact same time that Rana was driving, 605 00:36:15,433 --> 00:36:17,467 Miss Woodard's cell phone was matching up 606 00:36:17,467 --> 00:36:19,967 to the exact same cell phone towers. 607 00:36:20,033 --> 00:36:23,567 So that would prove that Miss Woodard was in the car. 608 00:36:23,567 --> 00:36:25,867 McFADDEN: Technology is a beautiful thing. 609 00:36:25,867 --> 00:36:29,266 The detectives always wanted to put her into that car. 610 00:36:29,266 --> 00:36:31,667 They have both the phone and the car 611 00:36:31,667 --> 00:36:35,767 now in the same location -- that is the slam dunk. 612 00:36:35,834 --> 00:36:39,166 CARROLL: And then Rana's phone showed a video of Mr. Rana 613 00:36:39,166 --> 00:36:42,066 and the deceased having relations right there in 614 00:36:42,133 --> 00:36:43,300 his house. 615 00:36:43,300 --> 00:36:48,066 And DNA evidence on the condom came back to Mr. Tahreem Rana 616 00:36:48,066 --> 00:36:51,767 and the deceased Ms. Woodard -- the entire time 617 00:36:51,767 --> 00:36:54,467 he said that he never went to see her, 618 00:36:54,533 --> 00:36:57,333 the evidence said that he did. 619 00:36:58,166 --> 00:37:00,567 It appears that on Friday the 22nd, 620 00:37:00,567 --> 00:37:04,066 Mr. Rana picked up Miss Woodard from the Motel 6 in 621 00:37:04,133 --> 00:37:05,367 DeKalb County. 622 00:37:05,367 --> 00:37:07,767 He drove the victim to his house. 623 00:37:07,834 --> 00:37:09,467 Sexual acts occurred. 624 00:37:09,467 --> 00:37:12,166 And, at some point, there was some kind of argument that 625 00:37:12,233 --> 00:37:14,266 happened that made 626 00:37:14,266 --> 00:37:18,467 Mr. Rana enraged, and he shot and killed her 627 00:37:18,467 --> 00:37:20,000 right there in his house. 628 00:37:20,000 --> 00:37:21,367 [distant gunshot blasts] 629 00:37:21,367 --> 00:37:24,867 And he took that body and brought her over to the dump 630 00:37:24,867 --> 00:37:28,066 site and was just gonna throw her out with the trash. 631 00:37:28,800 --> 00:37:31,867 Then he's like, I gotta conceal this body. 632 00:37:33,200 --> 00:37:35,867 McFADDEN: Setting the body on fire, in his mind, would 633 00:37:35,867 --> 00:37:39,667 destroy any link that it may have to him. 634 00:37:39,667 --> 00:37:45,367 Fibers, body fluid, hairs -- anything that would link him, 635 00:37:45,433 --> 00:37:49,367 his car or his home would be destroyed by fire. 636 00:37:49,433 --> 00:37:50,900 That's cold-blooded. 637 00:37:54,667 --> 00:37:58,867 NARRATOR: Although Tahreem Rana never explains why he killed Vernecia, 638 00:37:58,934 --> 00:38:01,000 he's tried for murder and sentenced 639 00:38:01,000 --> 00:38:04,166 to life without parole plus 16 years. 640 00:38:10,567 --> 00:38:13,266 CARROLL: One day after it happened and I was patrolling, 641 00:38:13,266 --> 00:38:16,367 I just seen a couple of cars, they were lost, 642 00:38:16,367 --> 00:38:19,367 and, uh, they stopped me, and they -- 643 00:38:19,367 --> 00:38:21,567 they said, "We're the relatives of the person that, you know, 644 00:38:21,567 --> 00:38:24,266 "got killed, and we're trying to find 645 00:38:24,333 --> 00:38:26,100 the location of where she got killed at." 646 00:38:26,100 --> 00:38:27,967 And, um, I took them over there 647 00:38:28,033 --> 00:38:30,367 and kinda showed them where she was laying at. 648 00:38:31,266 --> 00:38:33,266 GILYARD: We all had her face on us. 649 00:38:33,333 --> 00:38:38,066 So we were all wearing her on our shirts, and he walked us 650 00:38:38,066 --> 00:38:40,000 through everything, and I thought 651 00:38:40,000 --> 00:38:43,100 that was -- I really appreciated that. 652 00:38:43,100 --> 00:38:46,367 They gathered around over there, and they prayed and, uh, 653 00:38:46,367 --> 00:38:49,266 it was -- it was a touching moment, you know, 654 00:38:49,333 --> 00:38:51,233 um, for me and for them. 655 00:38:52,700 --> 00:38:55,166 I requested to go see 656 00:38:55,166 --> 00:38:57,266 the gentleman that murdered my daughter, 657 00:38:59,967 --> 00:39:02,266 and he agreed to meet with me. 658 00:39:02,266 --> 00:39:04,433 But then his attorney told him not to. 659 00:39:06,667 --> 00:39:08,834 Why did you take my baby from me? 660 00:39:11,066 --> 00:39:12,233 I just miss her. 661 00:39:13,266 --> 00:39:15,433 Her singing and her cheesecake. 662 00:39:16,166 --> 00:39:19,000 [Vernecia singing] ♪ Oh no, no, no ♪ 663 00:39:19,000 --> 00:39:20,867 ♪ There is no doubt ♪ 664 00:39:20,934 --> 00:39:23,667 ♪ In my mind ♪ 665 00:39:23,667 --> 00:39:25,667 ♪ That you were made for me ♪ 666 00:39:25,667 --> 00:39:27,000 GILYARD: I miss her voice. 667 00:39:27,000 --> 00:39:28,967 [Vernecia singing] ♪ Right here and right now ♪ 668 00:39:28,967 --> 00:39:31,567 That's one of the first things you kind of forget. 669 00:39:32,467 --> 00:39:37,467 Like you -- you think you hear it, it kind of fades, like, 670 00:39:37,467 --> 00:39:39,367 I can think of things that she may say, 671 00:39:39,367 --> 00:39:41,467 but I can't hear it in her voice. 672 00:39:43,700 --> 00:39:47,066 BELTON: I just want it known that Vernecia 673 00:39:47,066 --> 00:39:51,967 was not defined by what she did as her occupation. 674 00:39:52,033 --> 00:39:54,333 She loved her daughter unconditionally, 675 00:39:56,667 --> 00:39:58,367 and she just... 676 00:39:58,433 --> 00:40:00,967 needs to be remembered as a loving sister, 677 00:40:00,967 --> 00:40:02,567 daughter, and mother. 678 00:40:09,467 --> 00:40:12,634 I know that she was loved by her whole family. 679 00:40:18,266 --> 00:40:20,266 CUSHING: When we concluded this case, 680 00:40:20,266 --> 00:40:24,567 it actually gave our department a feeling of pride. 681 00:40:24,567 --> 00:40:28,166 It's a special feeling, speaking to a deceased person's 682 00:40:28,233 --> 00:40:30,667 mother or -- or a child 683 00:40:30,667 --> 00:40:34,767 and letting them know that you have apprehend 684 00:40:34,767 --> 00:40:37,233 the person that committed this to their loved one. 685 00:40:38,266 --> 00:40:41,000 If an officer is committing a crime, really all gloves 686 00:40:41,000 --> 00:40:42,266 are off. 687 00:40:42,333 --> 00:40:46,166 You would never dream that someone that the public 688 00:40:46,166 --> 00:40:47,367 expect, uh, 689 00:40:47,367 --> 00:40:52,166 protection from to actually be the suspect of the crime. 690 00:40:53,066 --> 00:40:57,166 He betrayed his badge. He betrayed his oath. 691 00:40:57,233 --> 00:40:59,934 I just was surprised that he didn't understand that. 692 00:41:11,767 --> 00:41:13,066 This wasn't just trying to scare a guy 693 00:41:13,066 --> 00:41:15,367 this was trying to kill a guy. 694 00:41:15,433 --> 00:41:16,467 [gun shot] 695 00:41:16,467 --> 00:41:18,533 He was trained how to use a weapon and how to kill. 696 00:41:19,367 --> 00:41:20,567 The bullets were meant for her. 697 00:41:20,567 --> 00:41:23,967 He knew everything that the detective was going to do 698 00:41:23,967 --> 00:41:25,367 and how to do it. 699 00:41:25,367 --> 00:41:28,967 This killer knows a lot about law enforcement.