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  • yesterday
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00:00This picture here is of, uh, Lauren and Wes Schermantyne.
00:12Um, I very much hate this picture.
00:18These two guys here, they thought that they were never going to be caught for things that they did.
00:24They thought they were tough guys and badasses, and they didn't have a care in the world.
00:29It's hard for me to look at it. I don't like this picture.
00:37It makes me think of all the horrible things that they did to people.
00:42It's been 20-plus years since Lauren was arrested and convicted, and I've never spoken to any media or any, you know, programs or TV shows all of these years because, quite frankly, I wasn't ready to do so.
01:10Thinking back to when I felt good about this person, there's almost a guilt.
01:20So it's very hard, and sometimes it just takes a minute to remind yourself that it's okay that you loved him for who you thought he was.
01:34I'm not gonna take a minute to learn to look at it.
01:36I'm sorry, sir.
01:37And then I did get the best.
01:38I didn't always want to take care of it.
01:39Well, I think it's very serious.
01:42We have to wait for others.
01:43I have to wait for someone.
01:44I've got to wait for everyone.
01:45I am sorry for your guards, but I am not going for you.
01:49It's very quiet.
01:50You know what I was looking for.
01:52I'm sorry for your guards.
01:53You know what?
01:54And that's like a phaltrax ?
01:55This is when we first met
02:24and when we started first dating.
02:27And this is the motorcycle
02:29that Lauren gave me a ride on.
02:32One of the first motorcycle rides
02:33that I had ever had.
02:36And it was a very exciting,
02:38fun thing to do.
02:41He was funny.
02:42He had a good sense of humor.
02:44You know, he was very attractive.
02:47Quite a bit older than me.
02:50And, you know,
02:51he kind of swept me off my feet
02:52in a lot of ways.
02:54But when you start
02:57going back and thinking
03:00about that time frame
03:01and, you know,
03:04maybe sharing these pictures
03:06with people,
03:07it triggers a lot of emotions.
03:13It's very hard
03:14for me
03:16to enjoy a good memory
03:19now looking back
03:21through all of the pain
03:22that I went through
03:23with Lauren.
03:25It still makes me very sad
03:27that he was such a bad person
03:28because
03:29he was such a good person
03:32when I met him at first.
03:33It was roughly
03:56just under a year
03:57when Lauren
03:58asked me to marry him.
04:00I was very young
04:03and naive
04:05and I was rebellious,
04:09I guess you could say.
04:11I was going to do
04:12what I wanted to do
04:13and I did.
04:15And I regret it now.
04:16we were married
04:21April 16th, 1988.
04:24Little did I know
04:25at the time,
04:27Lauren was drinking
04:28a lot of whiskey,
04:29getting ready
04:30for the wedding.
04:33And Lauren
04:34wound up
04:34passing out.
04:37And I remember
04:38being pissed right away.
04:40And I looked over
04:40and Lauren
04:41was throwing up.
04:41family members
04:44had to run over
04:45and turn Lauren over
04:46so he wouldn't
04:47choke to death.
04:49And so that was
04:50a huge red flag.
04:52But I knew
04:53that I only wanted
04:54to get married once.
04:57And I took it
04:58very seriously.
05:01And I
05:02tried my hardest
05:04for a very long time.
05:06But sometimes
05:11things don't work out
05:12the way you
05:13hope they do.
05:31It wasn't very,
05:33very long after
05:33we were actually
05:34married that
05:35I remember
05:36one specific time
05:38we were living
05:39in the apartment
05:40in Stockton.
05:42And I think
05:44it was like
05:44midnight,
05:451 a.m.
05:47I remember
05:48being on the bed
05:49laying down
05:50and Lauren
05:51wanted to have sex.
05:55And I remember
05:56telling him,
05:57no, I don't
05:58want to.
05:59And he got
06:00very angry
06:01very fast.
06:02as soon as
06:04I told him
06:05no,
06:05he grabbed me
06:06by the throat.
06:09And he
06:10looked at me
06:12and he said,
06:13don't ever
06:14tell me no.
06:18It very much
06:20surprised me.
06:23You know,
06:24because you
06:24tell somebody
06:25no,
06:27and their
06:28instant reaction
06:29is, oh no,
06:30you're going to
06:30do what I want.
06:31You're
06:31blindsided.
06:33You didn't see
06:34that coming
06:35and it scares you.
06:39I remember
06:40I was scared
06:41enough that
06:41I said to him,
06:43I was just
06:43playing.
06:44I kind of
06:45talked my way
06:46out of,
06:46you know,
06:48um,
06:50pissing him
06:51off anymore.
06:52So, yeah,
06:53I mean,
06:53he forced me
06:54to have
06:54to have
06:54sacks.
07:06That was
07:07one of the
07:07very first
07:07times that
07:08Lauren was
07:09ever angry
07:10like that
07:11with me.
07:12And then
07:12from there
07:13on,
07:14it started
07:15to be more
07:16often and
07:17more frequent.
07:18Yeah,
07:21it did
07:21change
07:21how I
07:21interacted
07:22with him.
07:23I was
07:23always very
07:24careful to
07:24hopefully not
07:26piss him off.
07:28Definitely
07:28didn't want
07:29to tell him
07:29no,
07:30um,
07:30about
07:31anything.
07:34Lauren was
07:34going to do
07:35what he wanted
07:36no matter
07:36what I said.
07:37when I was
07:49pregnant,
07:50Lauren continued
07:51to stay
07:52out,
07:53lay,
07:53go,
07:54whatever the
07:54hell it was
07:55he wanted
07:55to do.
07:56And I
07:57realized very
07:58early on
07:59in my
07:59pregnancy
07:59that I
08:00would be
08:01solely
08:01responsible
08:02for taking
08:03care of
08:03the baby
08:03by myself.
08:07one time
08:09Lauren and
08:10a friend
08:10of his,
08:11Wes,
08:11were going
08:12camping,
08:12hunting to
08:13the hills
08:14for the
08:14weekend.
08:17Later
08:17that day,
08:19Wes's wife
08:20called me.
08:22Hello?
08:24And said,
08:24hey,
08:24come over.
08:25So I said,
08:26yeah,
08:26sure,
08:26I'll come
08:27over and
08:27hang out
08:27with you.
08:29So I
08:29went over
08:30and I
08:30wound up
08:31staying
08:31the night
08:31there.
08:37Going
08:37home
08:37in the
08:37morning,
08:38the
08:38truck
08:38was
08:38there
08:39and
08:39I
08:40didn't
08:40think
08:41anything
08:41of it
08:41other than,
08:42oh,
08:42he's
08:42home,
08:43I'll
08:43go home,
08:43I'm
08:43home now.
08:45And I
08:46remember when I
08:46walked in and I
08:47walked up,
08:49it was dark
08:52in the house.
08:55The door that I
08:56walked into,
08:57you walk in and
08:59then you would
09:00turn and go up
09:00a couple steps
09:01and there would
09:01be the kitchen.
09:02And as soon
09:08as I stepped
09:08into the
09:09kitchen,
09:13Lauren turned
09:16on the overhead
09:16light and I
09:19looked over and
09:20he was sitting
09:21there with the
09:21gun on his
09:23lap and just
09:25really pissed
09:26off look on
09:27his face and
09:27it shocked
09:28me.
09:31And I
09:32remember
09:32stepping back
09:33and he
09:35asked me,
09:36where were
09:37you?
09:38You said you
09:38weren't going
09:39anywhere.
09:40And I said,
09:41I was over at
09:42her house because
09:43you guys were up
09:44in the hills.
09:45And he was
09:46just so pissed
09:48that I wasn't
09:50home.
09:59That was one
10:00of the first
10:01really scary
10:03incidences.
10:05After we
10:06had the
10:06argument,
10:07he left
10:08the house.
10:09But he
10:10very much
10:10wanted to
10:11scare me.
10:12He made
10:12it very
10:13known that
10:14he was
10:14pissed off.
10:16And I
10:16think the
10:17gun on
10:17his lap,
10:19he was
10:19telling me
10:20that he
10:21would not
10:21hesitate to
10:22shoot me
10:22if he
10:22wanted to.
10:24Every time
10:25there was an
10:26incident like
10:26that I
10:27got more
10:28and more
10:28fearful of
10:29him and
10:29afraid and
10:30let him
10:31control my
10:32life more
10:32out of
10:34fear.
10:34So this
10:50picture here
10:50was Lauren
10:51on another
10:52motorcycle that
10:53he had and
10:54I want to
10:55say it was
10:551990.
10:57The first
10:58time Lauren
10:58really beat
10:59me up.
11:00It was
11:03late and I
11:04was asleep
11:05and Lauren
11:05called home
11:06and his
11:08motorcycle had
11:09broken down
11:10and he
11:11needed me to
11:11bring him
11:11some tools
11:12so he
11:13could,
11:13you know,
11:14try to get
11:14it started.
11:15I had
11:16gotten dressed
11:16and got my
11:17purse and
11:17gotten the
11:18tools and
11:18everything and
11:19I sat down
11:21on the couch
11:21and I
11:22wound up
11:23falling back
11:23asleep.
11:27Later that
11:28night I
11:29was woken
11:30up by
11:30Lauren.
11:32He was
11:32yelling and
11:33screaming at
11:33me how
11:34I was
11:35a bitch.
11:37What's
11:37happening
11:37when you
11:38were doing
11:38that to me?
11:39And he's
11:39hitting me and
11:40smacking me and
11:41you know,
11:42pulling me around
11:43by my hair.
11:44Do you know
11:45how long I was
11:46waiting for you?
11:47Get out!
11:48Get out!
11:54But he was
11:55holding our
11:57child while
11:58doing that.
11:59who in the
12:00hell holds
12:01their child
12:01while beating
12:02on someone?
12:06But when
12:07he was done
12:07beating me
12:08up,
12:09he went
12:09right to
12:10bed.
12:10I remember
12:15back then
12:16feeling very
12:17alone and
12:19very scared
12:19and very
12:22heartbroken.
12:24Just praying
12:26that it
12:28was over
12:30and he
12:30wasn't going
12:31to be abusive
12:32anymore at
12:33that time.
12:34this photo
12:47here, I want
12:48to say this
12:49was about
12:511991.
12:52If I remember
12:54correctly, I was
12:55actually a couple
12:55months pregnant
12:56with our
12:57second child.
12:58but this picture
12:59here is
13:00of Lauren
13:02and then a
13:03cousin of
13:03Lauren's
13:04and they
13:05have their
13:06compound bows.
13:10He had a couple
13:11of friends that
13:12he spent a lot
13:13of time with
13:14together,
13:15especially
13:15West Germantime.
13:18So Lauren
13:18and Wes
13:19were best
13:19friends growing
13:20up and
13:21they did a lot
13:21of activities
13:22together,
13:23you know,
13:23whether it was
13:24riding bikes
13:24or going
13:25honey,
13:26when there
13:26were times
13:27that Lauren
13:27was out
13:28with Wes
13:29sometimes
13:29for days
13:30on end.
13:32For me,
13:33it makes me
13:33wonder all
13:35those times
13:35there's a good
13:36chance that
13:37he was out
13:38there doing
13:39very bad
13:39things.
13:48I came home
13:49from work
13:50one day.
13:50It was on
13:50a Saturday
13:51and I was
13:52tired.
13:52and I
13:54went outside
13:55to sit
13:55out on
13:56the back
13:56patio.
13:59All of a
13:59sudden,
14:00to the side
14:01of me,
14:01maybe about
14:01a foot
14:02or so
14:02from me,
14:03an arrow
14:04stuck into
14:04the ground.
14:08The tip
14:09on the
14:09arrows used
14:10for these
14:10bows are
14:12called
14:12broadheads
14:13and those
14:13are basically
14:14razor blades,
14:15very sharp.
14:17And of course
14:18it scared me,
14:19it startled me.
14:22And when I
14:24looked up,
14:25Lauren was
14:25up in the
14:25tree and
14:26he had
14:27his bow
14:27in his
14:28hand.
14:30And when
14:31I looked
14:32at him
14:33and looked
14:34him in the
14:34eye,
14:35he actually
14:35started to
14:36giggle
14:36and laugh.
14:42He enjoyed
14:43that he
14:44scared me.
14:45It was
14:45very intentional.
14:46I think
14:48it was
14:48a reminder
14:48that he's
14:49in control
14:50and I
14:51can do
14:51whatever I
14:52want when
14:53I want
14:53to you.
14:56How
14:57disgusting
14:58and horrible.
15:00He could
15:01have very
15:01well damn
15:01missed.
15:02It could
15:02have went
15:02right through
15:03me.
15:07You're
15:08a damn
15:08monster to
15:09do that
15:09to somebody.
15:11I would
15:12never do
15:12that to
15:12anybody.
15:14There were
15:14many,
15:15many times
15:16that I
15:16was just
15:17a moment
15:18or a
15:18second away
15:19from Lauren
15:19taking my
15:20life.
15:21I'm very,
15:22very lucky
15:23that I am
15:23still alive
15:24today,
15:24that I
15:25lived through
15:26and survived
15:26through a lot
15:27of those
15:27things that
15:28Lauren did
15:28to me.
15:46one time
15:48during one
15:49of the
15:49abusive
15:50incidences,
15:51he was
15:53abusing
15:54me,
15:54beating
15:54me up
15:55and he
15:56was throwing
15:56me all
15:57over.
15:57I had
15:58me by the
15:58hair and
15:58dragging me
15:59around and
16:00choking me
16:01and he
16:02hit on me
16:03so much
16:03that I
16:04lost
16:04consciousness.
16:05and I
16:11remember
16:11standing up
16:12and I
16:12was very
16:12dizzy and
16:13like just
16:14kind of
16:14out of
16:15it.
16:21And I
16:21remember
16:22getting in
16:22bed and I
16:23thought,
16:24well,
16:25if I don't
16:26wake up in
16:26the morning,
16:27I don't
16:27wake up.
16:27and I
16:32woke up
16:33the next
16:33morning and
16:34I got
16:34into the
16:35shower and
16:35I was
16:35washing my
16:36hair and
16:36stuff and
16:36I literally
16:37counted every
16:38knot on my
16:39head and
16:39I had 15
16:39knots on
16:40my head.
16:45That was
16:45one of the
16:46worst times.
16:50There's a
16:50lot of
16:51things that
16:51I have a
16:51really hard
16:52time
16:52remembering
16:53and then
16:54there's
16:54times that
16:55things,
16:56you know,
16:56little stories
16:57or memories
16:58just come
17:00to me that
17:00I haven't
17:01thought about
17:01in a very,
17:02very long
17:02time.
17:07He was
17:08just angry
17:09all the
17:10time.
17:14I don't
17:15know why,
17:16but he
17:16was just
17:16mad.
17:24I think
17:25that for
17:26for a very,
17:27very long
17:27time I
17:28there was
17:30still hope
17:30that there
17:31was some
17:32little hope
17:33in me that
17:34he was
17:34going to do
17:35the right
17:35thing and
17:36be the
17:36right person
17:37and the
17:37right husband
17:37and he
17:41wasn't.
17:42He wasn't.
17:43I think
17:54very much
17:54that once
17:56Lauren felt
17:57that I
18:00wasn't
18:00going anywhere
18:02that Lauren
18:03can start
18:04behaving the
18:05way he
18:05wanted to
18:06and being
18:07the person
18:08he wanted
18:09to be
18:09or the
18:10person that
18:10he really
18:11was.
18:11Lauren
18:13actually
18:14always
18:14suspected
18:15me of
18:15cheating
18:16or lying
18:17and hiding
18:18things from
18:19him.
18:21There was
18:22one time
18:23the kids
18:23were with
18:24a family
18:25member and
18:26Lauren got
18:27on one of
18:28his rampages.
18:29I know
18:30there's something
18:30going on
18:31between you
18:31two.
18:31You're
18:32paranoid.
18:32and I
18:33remember
18:34this one
18:34time I
18:35said to
18:36him,
18:37what do
18:38I have
18:38to do?
18:39Cut off
18:40one of my
18:40fingers to
18:41prove it
18:41to you.
18:41And as
18:42soon as
18:42the words
18:42left my
18:43mouth,
18:44I realized
18:44that he
18:45was going
18:45to say
18:45yeah.
18:49And he
18:49said,
18:50yeah,
18:51you do.
18:51And I
18:59remember he
19:00even handed
19:01me a
19:02knife.
19:05And I
19:06remember I
19:06put my
19:07hand out
19:07like this
19:08and I
19:08was holding
19:08the knife
19:09and I
19:09was terrified.
19:14Do it!
19:16Because he
19:17expected me
19:18to do it.
19:18He was
19:19going to
19:19make me
19:19do it.
19:20But I
19:20was so
19:20stupid.
19:21Why
19:21would I
19:21say that
19:22to him?
19:23Knowing the
19:24violence that
19:25he was capable
19:26of towards
19:27me.
19:27And I
19:27remember I
19:28was just
19:28kind of
19:29like I
19:29was just
19:30there.
19:30Like I
19:31was just
19:32trying to
19:33make it
19:33through those
19:34moments,
19:35hoping that
19:36I wouldn't
19:38have to
19:38cut my
19:38finger off.
19:50I'm very
19:50lucky that
19:51I have
19:51all of
19:51my fingers.
19:53I really
19:54don't know
19:55how I
19:56managed to
19:57get out
19:57of there
19:57with all
20:00of my
20:01fingers.
20:03I've said
20:03before I
20:04kind of
20:04feel like
20:05the silent
20:05abuse victim
20:06because if
20:08I just
20:08stayed quiet
20:08that I
20:09couldn't
20:09give him
20:10anything else
20:11to get
20:11angry about.
20:13You know?
20:13So I was
20:16just quiet.
20:16one of
20:26the things
20:26that me
20:27and Lauren
20:27used to
20:28do either
20:28by ourselves
20:29or with
20:30friends is
20:32we would
20:32go up to
20:32the mountains
20:33and go
20:34camping.
20:36One
20:36specific time
20:37it was
20:39me,
20:40Lauren,
20:40Wes,
20:41Wes's
20:41girlfriend.
20:43Lauren and
20:44Wes wound
20:45up going
20:46off by
20:47themselves
20:48in a
20:50vehicle.
20:52And when
20:52they came
20:53back to
20:53camp,
20:54I remember
20:55them being
20:56both a little
20:58heated and
20:59aggravated and
21:00well just
21:00irritated in
21:01general I
21:02guess.
21:03I really
21:04didn't think
21:04anything about
21:06it.
21:06I just
21:07thought it
21:07was, you
21:08know,
21:08something that
21:09happened.
21:09and probably
21:14within an
21:15hour or
21:16so the
21:17police
21:17showed
21:17up.
21:22When we
21:23saw the
21:24police pulling
21:25up to the
21:26campsite,
21:27Lauren had
21:28a stainless
21:30steel 357
21:32revolver.
21:33and I
21:36remember him
21:36hiding it
21:37under a
21:38big boulder.
21:41So when
21:42the police
21:42came into
21:43our campsite,
21:45they proceeded
21:46to question
21:46us all.
21:47Where were
21:47you?
21:48Did you go
21:48for a
21:49drive,
21:49a hike
21:50a couple
21:50hours ago?
21:51Did you
21:51have an
21:52altercation?
21:54Two gentlemen
21:55said that
21:56someone fired
21:57shots at
21:57them.
21:57Did any
21:59of you
22:00leave your
22:00campsite
22:01today?
22:03They
22:03heard
22:04firearms
22:05and
22:05ricocheting
22:06bullets.
22:07You
22:07didn't
22:08get into
22:08a fight
22:08with
22:09someone
22:09today?
22:12Lauren
22:12and Wes
22:13denied it.
22:17So when
22:18the police
22:19left,
22:19I do
22:20remember
22:21Lauren
22:22and Wes.
22:23There's
22:23kind of
22:23that sigh
22:25of relief,
22:25that energy
22:26of like
22:27okay,
22:28well,
22:28it's done.
22:29We don't
22:29have to
22:29worry
22:29about
22:29it
22:30anymore.
22:32That
22:33was
22:33something
22:35that
22:35should
22:35have
22:35been
22:36a
22:36huge
22:36red
22:37flag
22:37to
22:37me
22:37back
22:37then.
22:38Knowing
22:38now
22:39how
22:40absolute
22:42crazy
22:42Wes
22:43and
22:43Lauren
22:43were,
22:44he hid
22:44that
22:44pistol
22:45for a
22:45reason.
22:57Lauren
23:00woke
23:00me up
23:01one
23:01morning.
23:03He
23:03already
23:04had
23:05made
23:05plans
23:06prior
23:06to go,
23:08I believe
23:08it was
23:08either
23:08pheasant
23:09or dove
23:09hunting
23:10with a
23:11buddy
23:11of his.
23:13And I
23:13remember
23:14saying,
23:14why'd you
23:14wake me
23:15up?
23:16And he
23:16said,
23:16oh,
23:17because I'm
23:17getting ready
23:17to leave
23:18soon to
23:19go hunting.
23:19I'll
23:22make
23:22some
23:23coffee.
23:25And I
23:26remember
23:26thinking,
23:27that was
23:28not a
23:29regular,
23:30normal thing
23:31for Lauren
23:31to do.
23:32If Lauren
23:32had plans
23:33to go
23:34to work,
23:34to go
23:36forewilling,
23:36to go
23:36hunting,
23:37et cetera,
23:38he would
23:40never wake
23:40me up in
23:40the morning
23:41and say,
23:41hey,
23:41I'm
23:41leaving.
23:47So I
23:47got up
23:48out of
23:48bed,
23:49went into
23:49the kitchen,
23:49to start
23:50coffee,
23:51and Wes
23:54was there.
23:57He was
23:58sitting in
23:58the chair
23:59in the
23:59kitchen,
24:00and I
24:02noticed he
24:02was biting
24:03on his
24:03nails.
24:07He was
24:08nervous,
24:09fidgety,
24:10anxious.
24:11I could
24:11tell that
24:12he had
24:12been up
24:12all night
24:13and hadn't
24:13slept.
24:14You ready?
24:16Yeah.
24:18I mean,
24:18at the
24:19time,
24:19those two
24:19things
24:20seemed
24:20weird to
24:21me,
24:22you know,
24:22but not
24:23weird enough
24:24to where
24:24it was
24:24like,
24:24okay,
24:25what the
24:25heck is
24:26going on?
24:28That's
24:29something that
24:29I later
24:30on put
24:33together as
24:34him making
24:34sure that I
24:35could vouch
24:36for him being
24:37home that
24:37morning.
24:38But I
24:39never had
24:39any reason
24:40to believe
24:41or seen
24:43anything
24:44specific
24:44that would
24:45have
24:45alerted me
24:46to them
24:47doing the
24:48horrific
24:48things that
24:48they did
24:49together.
24:51Looking back
24:51now,
24:54Lauren was
24:54full of
24:54crap,
24:55and Lauren
24:56was a bad
24:56person,
24:57and Lauren
24:57had done
24:58some very
24:59bad
24:59things.
25:12So,
25:13this is a
25:14picture of
25:15Cindy van der
25:17Heiden.
25:18I met her
25:19just a couple
25:20of times briefly,
25:21and from what I
25:22understand,
25:23Cindy actually
25:24really liked
25:24Lauren as a
25:25friend.
25:27I'm glad
25:27that it's a
25:28picture of
25:28Cindy smiling.
25:30I'm glad
25:31that...
25:39From this
25:40picture,
25:41you know,
25:41I think that
25:42Cindy was a
25:43happy person,
25:44and that she
25:44enjoyed life.
25:47I wish that
25:48she was
25:51still here,
25:52and that
25:53she never
25:54had to go
25:54through that
25:55horrible
25:55thing that
25:58she had
25:59to go
25:59through,
25:59and I
26:01wish that
26:01she had
26:01never lost
26:02her life.
26:14Lauren and
26:14his buddy
26:15had left
26:15to go
26:16bird hunting
26:17that morning,
26:18and I'm at
26:19home with
26:19the kids,
26:20and, you know,
26:20just another
26:21typical weekend
26:22morning,
26:23and I was
26:24sitting outside
26:25on the back
26:25patio,
26:26and Cindy
26:27Vanderheiden's
26:28dad stopped
26:29by our house
26:30and asked if
26:30Lauren was
26:31home.
26:33And, of
26:34course, I
26:34said, no,
26:34he's out with
26:35so-and-so,
26:37he'll be back
26:38later, and
26:39Cindy's dad
26:39said, okay,
26:40can you, I
26:40think he said,
26:41can you ask him
26:42to give me a
26:43call?
26:44I just wanted
26:45to ask Lauren
26:46if he heard
26:47anything or
26:48seen her.
26:50They haven't
26:51been able to get
26:51a hold of
26:52her, so I
26:53think he was
26:54probably just
26:55out looking,
26:56trying to cover
26:56all of his
26:57bases.
26:58Thanks.
27:03Later on
27:04that day when
27:04Lauren and his
27:05buddy got back
27:06from bird hunting,
27:08I told Lauren
27:09that her dad
27:10had stopped
27:10by and asked
27:11if Lauren
27:12could please
27:12give him a
27:13call.
27:13They're looking
27:13for Cindy.
27:15Whatever.
27:16his response,
27:18he just kind
27:18of, in a
27:20sense, like
27:21shrugged it
27:21off.
27:23It never
27:24crossed my
27:24mind that
27:25Lauren could
27:26be a part
27:27of or
27:28responsible for
27:29Cindy's
27:29disappearance.
27:31I really
27:32never thought
27:33that he
27:33would do
27:34anything like
27:35that or be
27:35capable of
27:36something like
27:36that, especially
27:37him and
27:37Cindy being
27:38friends.
27:39He would
27:41have no
27:42reason to
27:42harm her.
27:46When the
27:59detectives
28:00knocked on
28:00the door,
28:01I was
28:01surprised to
28:02see detectives
28:03there.
28:04You know,
28:04it's not
28:05something that
28:05happens every
28:06day.
28:07Whatever they
28:08ask, I need
28:09you to cover
28:10for me,
28:10okay?
28:12Lauren said
28:13to me,
28:13you need to
28:14vouch for me.
28:15I think I
28:15was a little
28:15dumbfounded.
28:17I just
28:17remember
28:17thinking,
28:18why in the
28:19hell would
28:19I need to
28:19vouch for
28:20you?
28:20Hi, ma'am.
28:21Is Lauren
28:22home?
28:22They asked
28:22for Lauren
28:22and I
28:23said, yeah,
28:23he's here.
28:24And Lauren
28:25went out
28:25with them
28:26and they
28:26were out
28:26there for
28:27a little
28:27while and
28:28they were
28:28questioning
28:29Lauren
28:29and whatnot.
28:33At one
28:33point, the
28:34detectives
28:34talked to
28:35me briefly
28:35for a
28:36couple of
28:36minutes.
28:39They asked
28:39me if I
28:40knew Cindy,
28:40if I had
28:41heard anything,
28:42if I knew
28:43where she
28:43was.
28:44When was
28:44the last
28:44time you've
28:45seen me?
28:46But they
28:47also asked,
28:47was Lauren
28:48home last
28:48night?
28:49Do you know
28:50what time he
28:50got home last
28:51night?
28:52Those types of
28:53questions.
28:55And I lied
28:57to the cops.
28:58I fell asleep
28:59early.
28:59I told them
29:00I had fallen
29:02asleep on the
29:03couch, which
29:04was true.
29:05I told the
29:07cops that I
29:07had woken
29:07up roughly
29:08about anywhere
29:10between like
29:1012, 1230
29:12or so.
29:12And I told
29:13them that I
29:13had went to
29:14the back
29:15door and
29:15looked out
29:16and seen
29:17the light
29:18on underneath
29:19the barn
29:20door, which
29:22was not
29:22true.
29:22so I
29:30vouched
29:30for
29:30Lauren.
29:32I very
29:33much
29:33believed that
29:34Lauren was
29:34not guilty.
29:35He didn't
29:35have anything
29:35to do with
29:36Cindy's
29:36disappearance.
29:37Why in the
29:38hell would
29:38he?
29:39But I was
29:40afraid of him
29:41that he would
29:41know that I
29:42didn't vouch
29:43for him,
29:45that he would
29:45probably kill
29:46me.
29:53As time
29:54goes by,
29:55it went
29:56into a
29:56couple days
29:57and then a
29:57week and
29:57then a
29:57couple weeks
29:58and she's
29:58still missing.
30:00Well, at
30:00this point,
30:01I remember
30:01thinking,
30:02well, she's
30:03still missing.
30:03Something bad
30:04happened.
30:05And it's
30:05in the
30:06newspaper and
30:07it's on
30:07the TV.
30:09It gets
30:10very, very
30:11overwhelming
30:12and very
30:14scary because
30:15you just
30:16don't know
30:16what the
30:16hell's
30:16going on
30:17or what's
30:17going to
30:17happen.
30:19For me,
30:20there was
30:20maybe little
30:21moments of
30:24thinking,
30:25you know,
30:25well, God,
30:26did Lauren
30:27have something
30:27to do with
30:28this?
30:29Is Lauren
30:29responsible?
30:30Does he
30:30know where
30:31Cindy is?
30:35I think
30:36it must have
30:37sink in that
30:37it was a
30:38serious situation
30:39and this
30:39girl is still
30:40missing and
30:41these people
30:42don't need
30:42anyone telling
30:43a white lie
30:44about their
30:45daughter or
30:46a person
30:46that the
30:47detectives
30:47are looking
30:48for.
30:57I want
30:57to say
30:58that it
30:58was within
30:59a couple
31:00of weeks,
31:01maybe a
31:02month or
31:02so.
31:04I went
31:05down to
31:06the police
31:06station and
31:08I said,
31:08look,
31:09I said,
31:10I lied.
31:12I did not
31:13see the
31:13barn light
31:13on.
31:14Lauren
31:15was not
31:15home.
31:16I went
31:16to bed
31:17and Lauren
31:18woke me up
31:19the next
31:19morning to
31:20tell me
31:20he was
31:20leaving to
31:21go hunting.
31:23I decided
31:25to be honest
31:26with the
31:26detectives and
31:27tell them the
31:27truth because
31:28that was the
31:29right thing to
31:30do.
31:30I should
31:35have never
31:35told them
31:36a lie in
31:37the first
31:37place.
31:38And I
31:39that's
31:41something that
31:42I did back
31:42then and I
31:43wish I could
31:44go back and
31:44change that.
31:45I would have
31:46never done
31:46that.
32:00After Lauren
32:01was arrested,
32:02the next
32:03time I
32:04seen Lauren
32:04was in
32:06court when
32:07he was
32:08officially
32:08charged.
32:12And I
32:13went into
32:14the courtroom
32:15expecting
32:15Lauren to
32:16be formally
32:17charged with
32:18one count
32:20of murder.
32:21And he
32:22was actually
32:22charged with
32:23five counts
32:24of murder.
32:27And the
32:28whole courtroom
32:29just kind
32:29of let
32:30out this
32:30gasp of
32:31you know
32:32like
32:32disbelief.
32:35How in
32:35the hell
32:35do you
32:35go from
32:36one count
32:37of murder
32:37to five
32:37counts
32:38of murder?
32:53They're
32:54dead
32:55as
32:55dated.
32:57They are
32:58inconsolable.
33:01They pretty
33:01much know
33:02that we're
33:02only going
33:03to find
33:03a body.
33:04They pretty
33:04much know
33:05that by
33:05now.
33:06We're
33:06not
33:06really
33:07going
33:07to
33:07sit
33:08here
33:08and
33:08think
33:08that
33:08way
33:09because
33:09you know
33:09it's
33:09sad.
33:10they're
33:19going
33:19to
33:20learn
33:31in this
33:32video
33:32you know
33:32still
33:33looking out
33:34for his
33:34own
33:34butt
33:35still
33:35trying to
33:36talk his
33:36way out
33:36of
33:36stuff
33:37no remorse
33:42you know
33:42no remorse
33:44whatsoever
33:44I would like
33:46to think
33:46that there
33:47was an ounce
33:47of good
33:47in Lauren
33:48but even
33:48if there
33:49was just
33:49an ounce
33:49of good
33:50in him
33:50it didn't
33:50make a
33:51damn
33:51difference
33:51because he
33:52still did
33:52very horrible
33:53things
33:53so
33:53it just
33:55disgusts
33:56me at
33:56this point
33:56to hear
33:56him say
33:57those
33:57things
33:57because
33:57he was
33:58full
33:58of crap
33:59Lauren
34:13told the
34:14detectives
34:14that
34:15Lauren
34:16and Wes
34:16met
34:17Cindy
34:18at
34:19the
34:19cemetery
34:20in
34:20Clements
34:20and
34:23they
34:23drove
34:23out
34:23to
34:24a
34:24secluded
34:25area
34:25in
34:26Linden
34:26and
34:28that
34:29Wes
34:29had
34:30raped
34:31and
34:31then
34:32murdered
34:32Cindy
34:33and
34:35he
34:35stood
34:35by
34:35and
34:36watched
34:36and
34:36he
34:37didn't
34:37do
34:37anything
34:37to
34:38stop
34:38it
34:38if
34:41what
34:41Lauren
34:41told
34:42is
34:42true
34:42about
34:43the
34:43night
34:43that
34:43Cindy
34:43was
34:44murdered
34:44and
34:45that
34:45he
34:45was
34:46just
34:46there
34:46he
34:47wasn't
34:47a
34:47participant
34:48he
34:49wasn't
34:49involved
34:50how
34:51do
34:51you
34:51stand
34:52there
34:52and
34:53let
34:54someone
34:54be
34:56hurt
34:56and
34:57assaulted
34:58and
34:58murdered
34:59and
35:00you
35:00just
35:01stand
35:01there
35:01and
35:01don't
35:02do
35:02anything
35:02about
35:02it
35:03so
35:04rather
35:04he
35:04actually
35:05did
35:06something
35:06to
35:06Cindy
35:07he
35:07stood
35:08by
35:08and
35:08he
35:08allowed
35:09it
35:09to
35:09happen
35:09so
35:09he's
35:09just
35:10as
35:10guilty
35:20during
35:25the
35:25trials
35:26and
35:26the
35:26media
35:26coverage
35:27I
35:28started
35:28to
35:28hear
35:29that
35:29Lauren
35:30and
35:30Wes
35:30could
35:31possibly
35:31be
35:32responsible
35:33for
35:34many
35:34many
35:35more
35:35murders
35:36it
35:37went
35:37from
35:38possibly
35:38a
35:39total
35:39of
35:3915
35:40to
35:4030
35:41and
35:41kept
35:42growing
35:42and
35:43growing
35:43and
35:44the
35:45last
35:45number
35:46that
35:48I
35:49heard
35:49that
35:49Lauren
35:50and
35:50Wes
35:51are
35:51suspected
35:52and
35:52could
35:52be
35:53responsible
35:53for
35:54is
35:54up
35:54to
35:5480
35:55murders
35:55and
35:58so
35:58those
35:58murders
35:58would
35:59have
35:59happened
35:59over
35:59say
36:00like
36:00a
36:0120
36:01year
36:02time
36:02period
36:02and
36:06it
36:06was
36:06just
36:06it
36:06was
36:07all
36:07very
36:07surreal
36:08I
36:10think
36:10at
36:10that
36:10point
36:10I
36:11was
36:11already
36:11very
36:12much
36:12in
36:13kind
36:14of
36:14panic
36:14trauma
36:14mode
36:15disbelief
36:16it's
36:35upsetting
36:35to
36:35me
36:35because
36:36I
36:39married
36:40this
36:41person
36:41I
36:42loved
36:42this
36:42person
36:43had
36:45children
36:45with
36:46this
36:46person
36:46sometimes
36:50I
36:50wish
36:51I
36:51had
36:51taken
36:51a
36:51different
36:51path
36:52in
36:52life
36:52that
36:53you
36:54know
36:54that
36:54made
36:55me
36:55never
36:55I
36:55never
36:56met
36:56Lauren
36:56but
36:58if
36:58I
36:59had
36:59never
36:59met
36:59Lauren
37:00and
37:00married
37:00him
37:01I
37:02would
37:02have
37:02not
37:03had
37:03my
37:03three
37:04children
37:04and
37:05as
37:10hard
37:10as
37:11everything
37:11was
37:11I'm
37:12very
37:12grateful
37:12for
37:13my
37:13three
37:13kids
37:13they're
37:15very
37:15good
37:15people
37:16I
37:16love
37:16them
37:16very
37:17much
37:17so
37:20that's
37:22the part
37:23that I
37:23don't
37:23regret
37:24about
37:24my
37:24history
37:25with
37:25Lauren
37:25it's
37:53so
37:53very
37:53upsetting
37:53to
37:54me
37:54to
37:54this
37:54day
37:54because
37:55as
38:01someone
38:02that
38:02I
38:02loved
38:03so
38:03much
38:03at
38:04one
38:04point
38:04in
38:04my
38:04life
38:05this
38:09person
38:09was
38:10gone
38:10this
38:13person
38:13took
38:13their
38:14own
38:14life
38:14and
38:16my
38:19children's
38:19dad
38:20was
38:20gone
38:21and
38:23Lauren
38:23had
38:23left
38:24a note
38:24that
38:25just
38:25simply
38:25said
38:26tell
38:26my
38:26family
38:27I
38:27loved
38:27them
38:27and
38:29I
38:30remember
38:31that I
38:31got angry
38:32over that
38:33because
38:34I
38:38don't know
38:39I
38:42got very angry
38:43that he
38:44didn't say
38:44anything
38:45specifically
38:46to me
38:46that he
38:47loved me
38:48or that
38:48he was
38:49sorry
38:49and so I
38:52got really
38:53angry about
38:53that for a
38:54long time
38:54I never
38:56got an
38:57apology
38:57so this
39:14photograph
39:15here
39:15was taken
39:16in
39:172006
39:18and this
39:19was at
39:20one of the
39:21facilities
39:22Lauren was
39:23incarcerated
39:23at
39:24I
39:28continued to
39:29stay married
39:29to Lauren
39:30I never
39:30divorced
39:31him
39:31even when
39:33Lauren was
39:34incarcerated
39:35I was still
39:37very very
39:38scared of him
39:39and terrified
39:39of him
39:40of what
39:41could happen
39:42I was afraid
39:43he was capable
39:44of having
39:44me harmed
39:45by someone
39:46else or
39:47someone else
39:47killing me
39:48or I didn't
39:49know the extent
39:49of what he
39:50was capable
39:50of and
39:51that was
39:51very terrifying
39:52to me
39:53still
39:53I think
39:56Lauren's
39:56death in
39:57some ways
39:57was kind
39:58of freeing
39:59for me
40:00because
40:02there was
40:03a weight
40:03that was
40:03lifted
40:04in a sense
40:05that it
40:06was finally
40:07over
40:07I never
40:09told Lauren
40:11you just
40:12had no
40:13consideration
40:13you know
40:14for what
40:16you've done
40:16to other
40:16people's
40:17lives
40:17and quite
40:19frankly
40:19you're a
40:19piece of
40:19it took
40:30me a
40:30very very
40:31long time
40:32to come
40:33out of
40:34a trauma
40:35mode
40:36a survival
40:36mode
40:37you know
40:40somewhere
40:40along the
40:40line
40:41I realized
40:41that if
40:42I didn't
40:43take care
40:43of myself
40:43that I
40:44wasn't able
40:44to take
40:45care
40:45of my
40:45children
40:45and I
40:48try very
40:49hard to
40:49make the
40:50best out
40:50of life
40:50and not
40:51waste time
40:52there's a
40:55lot of
40:56time and
40:56moments
40:57that I
40:57wish I
40:58could take
40:59back
40:59use
40:59differently
41:00but
41:00you can't
41:01go back
41:02you can only
41:05move forward
41:06this is
41:14around the
41:15time he
41:15tried to
41:15kill me
41:16the fact
41:17that he
41:17could take
41:18a gun
41:19and point
41:20it at
41:20his child
41:21I really
41:22believe he
41:23tried to
41:23end my
41:24life that
41:24day
41:25there's
41:25no love
41:26there's
41:27just nothing
41:27there
41:28you

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