Transcripts For MSNBCW Dateline 20190317

Always overnight pads have up to a 2x larger back for up to 10 hours of protection. It catches leaks, so you can catch zzzzs. Because my morning starts before morning starts. Always one plus one equals too little too late a sockabamboom whos in the room . Love is dangerous but driving safe means you pay less switch and save yes, maam excuse me, miss. Does this heart belong to you . Would you like it anyway . [ scatting ] id seen falls. It did not look like a fall. Prosecutors have charged kathleens husband michael with murder, telling the jury about his connection to another suspicious stairway death 20 years earlier in germany. Do you really believe that lightning strikes twice in the same place . Do you . Now, Michael Peterson sits down with us to refute the prosecutions case. Including that other supposedly damn death. They said, my god, there was blood everywhere. Well, no. The German Police didnt see any blood. The American Military didnt see any blood. And then a clash outside the courtroom. Pleading guilty actually, were not youre pleading guilty. Here again, dennis murphy. But, if kathleen was bludgeoned to death as prosecutors thought, problem. Investigators hadnt found the murder weapon. Prosecutors believed it was a hollow fireplace tool called a blow poke, seen here in family photographs. It had been given to kathleen by her sister, candace, as a gift. Id given it to her about ten years prior. Thats for sure. And that thanksgiving when i was at her house, the i definitely saw it by the fireplace. Reporter prosecutors thought peterson had ferreted the blow poke out of the house that night after the attack. If he had, that could explain those blood drops on the walkway. Blood dropping from the murder weapon, as it was potentially disposed of somewhere outside the dwelling. Reporter but the state thought some of its most powerful evidence was what the medical examiner found on the top of kathleens head, seven tears to the scalp. Do you recall any case where someone died falling down steps and there were multiple lacerations . No. Were you able to determine in your opinion what the manner of her death was . The manner of death in this case is homicide. Reporter injuries that were eerily similar to those suffered by the Peterson Family friend from germany all those years before, Elizabeth Ratliff. And the jury, almost in a trial within a trial, heard that story. The longago friends from germany testifying to their suspicions about Michael Petersons involvement in another stairway death, another one with so much blood. The blood was up so high, that i couldnt figure out how did the blood got up there. Reporter Michael Peterson was the last person known to have see his friend, elizabeth, alive, just like his wife, kathleen. It was the bow that wrapped up the states case. Do you really believe that lightning strikes twice in the same place . Do you . Reporter so there was the prosecutions case for conviction, blood evidence, a staged scene, and the trigger, the violent confrontation between husband and wife that resulted when a secret appetite for men was exposed. Reporter the states case lasted more than two months. And each day, Michael Petersons girls, margaret and martha, sat in court, suffering as prosecutors labeled their dad a killer. They would accuse my father of double murders, or the wife murder, or the staircase murders . And we couldnt stand up and say, wait a second. This isnt true. Reporter Michael Peterson did not testify at his trial but he did sit down with us recently to answer questions about all the evidence against him, nothing was off limits. I know i did not kill kathleen. So at a certain point, you think, well, this is just crazy. Reporter to understand the case, he says, you have to go back to the very beginning, to the Moment Police arrived at the is scene and recognized him as the same Michael Peterson who liked to publicly criticize them in the local paper. You think the cops had it in for you, thats what set this in the motion . Oh absolutely, no question about that. That framed the narrative. They were delighted that something really bad had happened and wouldve been even more delighted if i had anything to do with it. Reporter michael says the prosecution theory of what happened that night is total fiction. Starting with the trigger, that explosive fight he and kathleen supposedly had after she saw those emails in his home office. So the prosecution version of this evening you were described as that she goes to your office, logs in. And then lo and behold, theres the traffic from brad, the escort. Thats it exactly. Oh, i dont hes not only cheating on me. Hes cheating on me with a guy. Right. That was one of their theories. Reporter but just a theory. Michael points out that the prosecution never offered proof that kathleen saw anything compromising that night. So this whole story about she stumbled on this information. Oh yeah. No. Absolutely not. Of course not. Reporter michael insists the supposed fight never happened, though he doesnt deny he did try to set up that sexual encounter. In fact, he readily admits a sexual interest in both women and men. So you are bisexual . Yeah. I first knew this when i was maybe 11. I was madly in love with this girl, oh melanie grant. And it was during some masturbatory fantasy that certainly there was melanie. But then there was this the shortstop on my ball team. And its like, whoa, wait a minute. How did how did he get a part in this fantasy, huh . Where did this one come from . Id never had a male manonman, male thought in my life. Reporter throughout his marriage to kathleen, michael admits he did seek male companionship from time ttime. But says it by no means affected his feelings for his wife. Did i want a boyfriend . No. Um did i want to spend the night with one . Did i wanna cuddle . Did i wanna have a candlelit diner . No. Never. Never. Never. For me, it was strictly sex. Had nothing to do with love or a relationship. Reporter moreover, michael says his interest in men wasnt exactly hushhush in the family. Perhaps kathleen had a hunch. This is not a family secret . No. No. My sons no. Its not. Its not. Was it known to kathleen, michael . I think it was one of these things that was not discussed but known. It was dont ask, dont tell . Yeah. Exactly. And of course, when i was growing up, there wasnt any dont ask, dont tell. It was dont, period. Had she known that there were assignations, that there were hookups, what did how do you think she wouldve taken it . I wish i had told her. I mean, thats one my regrets regrets. I wish i we had discussed it. We didnt. I was afraid not that she would leave me, she wouldnt that she just wasnt she was the most openminded, liberal, intelligent woman. Reporter as for the other piece of the prosecutions motive, that the petersons were on the edge of financial ruin oh, that was bull. A lot of money out on cards. Total expensive schools that were bleeding them. The wonderful house was something of a money pit. Whats your reaction to all of that stuff . Well, my reaction is exactly what the prosecution proved. Reporter in court, the financial expert who testified about their debts also noted that in the end the petersons were still worth 1. 5 million dollars. I had money. And its not a matter it was not a financial problem. Reporter but what about that dramatic trialwithinatrial the jury had seen . Michael, implicated in not one murder, but two that friend, Elizabeth Ratliffs, death long ago in germany. So there you are in the court of Public Opinion this guy with two important women in your life and theyre both dead in a heap at the bottom of the stairs. Exactly. Absolutely. Has to be guilty. Youre a writer of fiction. Your editor would probably take that kind of coincidence out of the book. Well, he would say, well, you know, come up with another one. She died in the bathtub or something. But no. But youre not immune to the irony of this, huh . No. Of course not. But at the time because in in the course of this investigation didnt even occur to me. Honest to god, it never even occurred to me. Did you kill her . Liz . No. Of course not. Reporter and those witnesses who said Elizabeth Ratliffs blood was all over the staircase walls, michael insists their memories are wrong. They said, my god, there was blood everywhere. And, well, no. There wasnt. The German Police didnt see any blood. The german doctor didnt see any blood. The American Military didnt see any blood. Why didnt they see any blood . And if you saw all this blood, why didnt you Say Something at the time to someone . Reporter he is certain Elizabeth Ratliff died of a stroke. As for how his wife, kathleen, died years later, michael cant say for sure. But he thinks his first instinct was the right one. I guess maybe im the last person to believe it. I think she fell down the stairs. I dont know. Reporter michael believes alcohol must have played a role in her fall, and even though her blood alcohol levels werent off the charts, he says, there may have been another contributing factor. A few months before her death, shed suffered an injury diving into their swimming pool. And her doctor put her on several prescription meds. Do you remember her being wobbly in the weeks that followed . Oh, my god, yeah. She had to wear a neck brace. She they put her on percocet to begin with. Then they brought valium. She was on flexeril which is, apparently, a muscle relaxant oh yeah. She was in a great deal of pain all the time. Reporter for Michael Peterson, the trial was hard enough to bear, but the family spilt made it even worse. There was kathleens daughter, caitlin, across the room in the prosecutions camp. And behind him the whole time, his girls, margaret and martha. They were sisters. They loved one another. They helped one another. And thats been the biggest, to me, the sadness that everything that kathleen wanted to make happen and did happen as far as the family was torn asunder. Reporter michaels story is one he says those closest to him have known for years. That information reporter a story his lawyers were about to present to the jury. And they had an ace up their sleeve, a moment straight out of perry mason. One that would leave mouths agape in the courtroom. Thats a blow poke isnt it . Coming up, the alleged coming up, the alleged murder weapon found. What will it reveal . And then they said we have a verdict, your heart stops. 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Internet that puts you in charge. That protects whats important. It handles everything, and reaches everywhere. This is beyond wifi, this is xfi. Simple. Easy. Awesome. Xfinity, the future of awesome. Reporter what had happened on that back staircase . From almost the moment he was retained, defense attorney david rudolf thought Michael Peterson was innocent. No one thought michael couldve ever harmed kathleen. And indeed, there was never a shred of evidence that they had ever had so much as a loud argument. Reporter in court, he laid out a straightforward scenario for the jury. The truth is that Kathleen Peterson, after drinking some wine and some champagne and taking some valium tried to walk up a narrow, poorly lit stairway in flipflops and she fell and she bled to death. Reporter just as the prosecution had, the defense put the couples marriage front and center. Telling the jury it was more or less perfect. Everywhere they went, people noticed. Michael looking at kathleen with the kind of pride that you just dont fake. Reporter under crossexamination, even brad the escort said peterson had told him how much he loved his wife. In his emails unlike most of my clients he indicated that he had a great relationship. Most clients dont want to say anything about the relationship. He indicated he had a warm relationship with his wife and nothing would ever destroy that. Reporter michael hadnt killed kathleen, the defense argued, and he certainly didnt kill family friend, Elizabeth Ratliff. They called their own medical expert who reviewed her autopsy reports and said it wasnt a murder. Is blood in all of the ventricles of the brain consistent with a stroke from Natural Causes . Expert it is consistent. Reporter then, there was the Mount Everest of the case the forensics, explaining to the jury all that blood in the peterson stairwell. The defense would call dr. Henry lee to the stand. Reporter the defense called celebrity forensic expert dr. Henry lee, of o. J. Case fame, to show the jury in theatrical fashion just how kathleen, falling, then staggering about, coughing up blood, could have accounted for the spray. An injured person can walking, can move, can shake their head. Obviously, the blood all around was due to her being alive and moving around for some period of time. It didnt have to do with what inflicted the wounds. Reporter the blood on his shorts, that could have happened, the defense said, while Michael Peterson was cradling his wife. The fact that some of the blood was dry when First Responders arrived, well, michael never said he knew what time kathleen fell. And as for those drops of blood in the house and on the walkway outside suggesting he staged the scene, the defense said none of that could be trusted. The blood in that area had been completely altered. The scene at the house had been completely contaminated. Reporter but what about those ghastly lacerations on kathleens head which the states medical examiner attributed to a beating . Defense attorney rudolf notes what he didnt find though the cuts were deep, there were no skull or bone fractures. There was absolutely no fractures anywhere. No fractures to her fingers, to her arms to her skull. And there was absolutely no injury to the brain. And thats just almost an impossibility if what youre doing is beating somebody with a metal object. Reporter and for a final exclamation point, the defense had a perry mason moment up its sleeve. The prosecution had insisted throughout the murder weapon used to bludgeon Kathleen Peterson was the fireplace blowpoke, only police never found it. Almost three months into the trial, one of michaels sons made a stunning discovery in the petersons basement. He immediately runs up to margaret who was at the house and said, margaret, i think i i i think i found the blowpoke. Reporter the film crew reporter getting the lead detective to agree that there was no evidence at all that the petersons blowpoke was used to commit a savage crime. See any dents in there . Even like a tiny little indentation . It doesnt appear to have any dents in it. That was the blowpoke. Well, if it is, then what was the murder weapon . Reporter lawyer david rudolf thought hed peppered reasonable doubt all the way through the states circumstantial case. The peterson camp was confident. We were so positive that he was going to get off. Because in our minds, it was the clearest thing in the world. Reporter but after sitting through the trial, kathleens sister candace thought that the brotherinlaw she once admired was both a killer and a liar. Did i ever think he was capable of murdering my sister . No. Did i know hed already found another woman dead at the bottom of a staircase . No. Did i know he lied about his military awards . No. Hes a writer of fiction, and thats what i found. He makes things up as he goes to suit the situation. Reporter when the case went to the jury, three days passed without a verdict. Finally on day four they came out and one of them said, you know, we have a verdict. Your heart stops. Reporter a hush, then, the clerk began to read we the twelve members of the jury, unanimously find the defendant to be guilty of firstdegree murder. Its guilty. And i just as soon as we heard the first juror say, guilty i was just was weeping, like i was like being taken over by grief and shock. Is there anything you would like to say before the Court Imposes judgment. Id like to say reporter Michael Peterson turned to his kids he said, its okay. Its okay. I think on his part he was just trying to calm himself down but also i think he felt like his role was to protect us. I was the only continuity in their life. And just to see them and i thought, hey, its you know, its its okay. And i could. And i could do it. Reporter Michael Peterson turned back to face the judge for the reading of the sentence. The defendant is imprisoned in the North Carolina department of corrections for the remainder of his natural life without the benefit of parole. I believed that michael was innocent. I continue to believe michael is innocent. Uh, and i thought we won that trial. So when that guilty verdict came out i was pretty devastated. Reporter for kathleens sister, candace, the verdict was nothing to celebrate. It makes me cry. Cried when i heard it. I mean, i was happy we were getting justice. But theres no joy in this. Theres theres just great sadness. Reporter the peterson children resigned themselves to the harsh reality that prison was now their fathers home. They sold the dream house on cedar street, and tried to get on with their lives. They visited their dad whenever they could. I would just sob every time i left. You hold it together for dad because why would you cry in front of dad . Thats not gonna help him. But then, when you leave, you know, youre sobbing in your car. Reporter they watched his lawyer file a series of failed appeals. We would have hope for every single appeal. And every single time, it would get beaten down. Reporter his case went all the way up to the North Carolina supreme court, and was rejected. But michael says he never lost hope. I told everybody. I am not going to die in prison. Reporter the odds were certainly stacked against him. But then, life can take some very strange twists and turns. Coming up, a wild, new theory about what happened to kathleen. The owl flew down and landed on kathleens head. And the fresh evidence backing it up. You have to magnify them 400 times just to see them. Protect your pet with the 1 name in flea and tick protection. Frontline plus. Trusted by vets for nearly 20 years. Rudy got older and suddenly stopped eating. T, then we found freshpet. Now rudys 13, and going on 3. Of nondrowsy claritin. And relief from symptoms caused by over. 200 outdoor and indoor allergens. Like those from pollen, pets and dust. Because new memories start with dusting off old ones. Feel the clarity and live claritin clear. When you have nausea, heartburn, indigestion, upset stomach, diarrhea. Girl, pepto ultra coating will treat your stomach right. Nausea, heartburn, indigestion, upset stomach, diarrhea. Try pepto with ultra coating. Reporter there are pleasant places to idle away your golden years, but North Carolinas Nash Correctional Institution isnt one of them. But thats where Michael Peterson, father, novelist and wifekiller, according to a jury of his peers, was incarcerated. Just another number in a cell block with other felons. No parole, life without parole. And they meant it, too. They did. And they did everything they could to make that happen. Reporter after hed exhausted his appeals, it looked as though prison was where he would stay. But out in nevada, michael has a lookalike younger brother, Bill Peterson, whos also an attorney. Did the lawyer in you say, thats it. My no. Brothers done . Thats when the really hard work started. We were out of money, out of lawyers. And, so, thats when the burden fell on me and whoever would help me. Reporter Bill Peterson spent hours in the Durham County courthouse combing though the District Attorneys piled high boxes of evidence. Was there something that had been overlooked . And he wasnt the only supporter nursing alternate theories of Kathleen Petersons death. There is a neighbor on cedar street, an attorney, who had an intriguing idea for what he believes happened that night. His scenario of an accidental death has come to be known as the owl theory. Hes seen owls in the area. He thought that this was very plausible. He put together this whole theory himself. Reporter so heres how the neighbors theory goes, according to brother bill. Kathleen, who has spent the day putting up christmas decorations, goes out front that night while michael is back by the pool. Shes checking on her lawn display beneath the trees. The owl flew down and landed on kathleens head and then tore her scalp in a manner that would be consistent with the lacerations that were found on her scalp. Reporter bleeding, kathleen leaves drops on the walk and a smear on the door as she struggles into the house, getting only as far as the staircase where she joins the defenses depiction of falling, passing out, coming to, and rising again only to fall for the final time. The owl theory was not completely new. It had been floated years earlier. The cops were making a big joke out of this. They put a picture of the owl on their on their most wanted list. Reporter and back then without any forensic owl evidence, the defense didnt want to confuse the jurors. So the peterson jury never did hear about an owl theory. But five years into petersons sentence, the neighbor who was advocating for it was still looking for something to back it up, and sure enough, there it was in the original case notes file. A mention of a feather you have to magnify them 400 times just to see them. Reporter tim thompson, owner of associated microscopes , was asked by the neighbor to examine a slide of that feather. They grow under the claws of an owl. When they attack something, they leave behind these small particle feathers. Reporter thompson peered through his microscope, studying bloody strands of hair found clutched in Kathleen Petersons hand. Tangled in the hair were not one but two minute bird feathers. A surprise he says to the detectives and an assistant da watching in the room. I think they were surprised because of the lab had not found the second feather. Bill peterson was interested in the results, too. A review of the slides showed what . Traces of bird feather . Yes. Yes. Exactly right. In her hair. Another very, very compelling fact. Reporter what was most compelling about the idea that an owl attacked kathleen, the supporters thought, was how it accounted for the distinctive lacerations on her scalp. Had the three main talons of an owl, like these, caused this bleeding head wound when it swooped down . Symmetrical tears. We had an ornithologist who said thyself said these tears are consistent with an owl claw. You think of the characteristic trident like talon claws . Yes, and as we all know scalp wounds cause plenty of bleeding. That she panicked. Obviously, youd run in the house to get away from the owl. That she did and ran down the stairwell. Reporter and if an owl attacking humans sounds like so much urban legend, dont tell that to byron unger. He owned a company about 20 miles away from the peterson home. He was leaving work with his manager one night when an owl swooped down from the trees and swiped his colleague on the head. This surveillance camera caught the entire freakish event. And if that werent strange enough, it happened to byron himself just two weeks later. Ive never been hit so hard by something it felt like a baseball bat knocked me probably five feet to the ground. Knocked you. On the ground, scattered me on the ground. I was bleeding so bad i thought i lost my eye. Reporter his wife, waiting for him in the car, dialed 911. They didnt believe my wife. They thought we were crazy when they said, my husbands been attacked by a bird or an owl. Show me where on your head you think it got you. The talons got me right here into my eye a little bit, and all the way up in my hair really bad. All this was black and blue. My whole side of my face and all up in here was hit by talons. Reporter is that what happened to Kathleen Peterson . But critics see problems with the idea that an owl attacked kathleen. Problems like, why isnt there more of a trail of blood from the front door to the staircase . And wouldnt michael have heard kathleen being attacked . Kathleens sister candace doesnt believe it for an instant. Im supposed to believe an owl ripped her apart . There is no ripping on her arms of an owls talons. The thing is so ludicrous. Reporter and even Michael Peterson understands the skepticism. Whooo done it, huh . Oh, its just awful. Reporter but he says the evidence is worth considering. There are feathers. And where were they, in kathleens hand, so with strands of her hair. With strands of her hair. Does that mean an owl did it . I dont know. What do you think . Well, its a much greater possibility ripe im surprised to hear that i did it reporter im surprised to hear you saying its not as ludicrous as everybody made it. No, no, no. I because i ive seen the photographs. So, is it possible . Well, certainly its possible. I dont know. Did an owl do it . I cant tell you that. Reporter in the summer of 2009, petersons attorney neighbor helped him file a motion requesting a new trial based on the owl theory. But the trial judge dismissed it. The owl theory was dead in court but lives on still in the court of Public Opinion. There were people a lot smarter than me who absolutely convinced that this is what happened. Reporter so with the motion denied, with the owl hooted out of court, it really did seem finally to be the last chapter for the novelist. But a development was in store that would call the heart of the case into question, and no one, not even Michael Peterson, could have seen it coming. Coming up, dramatic revelations about the Scientific Evidence against peterson. Did the blood expert manipulate one of his experiments . His assistant does little jig. Reporter a happy end zone dance . Exactly. What patients dont realize is what they eat and drink is likely acidic and then whats happening is the weakening of enamel. 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If you are taking asthma medicines, do not change or stop your asthma medicine without talking to your doctor. Help heal your skin from within. Ask your eczema specialist about dupixent. Reporter by 2010, seven years after Michael Petersons conviction, his daughter martha had given up hope that her father would ever be released from Nash Correctional Institution. Dad was probably going to be in prison until he died. This was a reality that was never gonna to change. Reporter but in michaels cell block, an interesting story was circulating. A series of articles had been published in raleighs the News Observer alleging misconduct at the state bureau of investigations crime lab, the sbi. In prison, you dont really care much about International Affairs or political, they dont have any effect. That the sbi who who were behind many guys being in there. Oh, theyre under investigation. Oh, we cared about that. Reporter it turns out one of the experts at the center of the storm is a name youve heard before, special agent duane deaver. Remember him . My opinion is that this is scene of a beating. Reporter he was a star witness for the prosecution in the peterson trial, the blood pattern expert who put Michael Peterson in the staircase bludgeoning his wife, reporter julia sims. You talked to the jurors here in this case, julia. How important was the blood expert, deavers testimony . That blood evidence was critical. Heres a guy who has boon been doing this for years for the state. Look at what his experiment showed. Its got to be the truth. Reporter hed been key in other cases, too. The newspaper recounted the story of a man who was sent to prison for murder after deavers lab report suggested a stain on the mans car was the victims blood. And it turned out not to be blood. Wasnt blood at all. Huhuh, no. And deaver knew, and didnt disclose it . Deaver knew that that was not blood and didnt disclose it. Reporter that mans conviction was overturned. Gregory f. Taylor is innocent of the charge of firstdegree murder. Reporter and there was more evidence of questionable conduct linked to deaver. The newspaper investigation suggested that the methodology behind some of the blood pattern experiments he was involved in was flawed, designed to produce proprosecution results. Like this test conducted for a 2009 murder case. Deaver, videotaping the experiment, was attempting to match a blood stain on the shirt of the accused. Oh, even better. Holy cow. That was a good one. Thats a wrap baby. Thats a wrap . Thats a wrap. Just like the movies. Right. Reporter petersons attorney, dave rudolf, says it does not look to him like objective science. They come to the belief that someone is guilty. They dont have the the evidence that they think they need to convict the person, and so they make it up. Reporter rudolf signed back on to michaels case, this time without pay, and began to dig. He discovered that at the peterson trial, duane deaver had not been truthful about his professional experience on the stand. He said he had been involved in 500 cases, involving blood spatter. Reporter was that true . No. In fact, he had been involved in 54 cases. He said he had written 200 reports involving blood spatter analysis. Not true. He said that he had been to the scenes of falls 15 times. In fact, he had never been to a scene of a fall. Reporter whats more remember deavers conclusion at the trial that the blood stain on petersons shorts proved he had been standing over his wife beating her. The individual wearing these pants at the time of that impact was in close proximity to source of blood when it was impacted. Reporter turns out hed conducted an experiment pretrial, and it was videotaped, too. Watch. On the second attempt, peterson says it looks as though deaver and another agent got the results they wanted. His assistant does a little jig. Oh. A little happy end zone dance . Yeah. Exactly. Exactly. We got him. Got you gotcha moment. Reporter when petersons brother bill saw the experiment videos, he couldnt believe it. Its all reverseengineered stuff. Its all designed to get a result. To me, its not scientific at all. Reporter for michaels defense, the implication was clear. The jury had been duped. After all, in its closing argument, the state had even played on deavers credibility to try to secure a conviction. Then youre just going to have to believe that duane deaver is just a liar. And he has no reason in the world to come up here and lie to you. Who are you gonna trust . Duane deaver . Of course, he would never lie. Well, it turns he had he did lie. Reporter defense attorney rudolf filed a motion asking for a new trial. And the judge, this time, was ready to listen. 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Reporter a decade after he was arrested for killing his wife, kathleen, an olderlooking Michael Peterson was back in a North Carolina courtroom arguing for a retrial on the grounds that the states crucial blood pattern expert had given false testimony against him. But as far as kathleens sister, candace, was concerned, prison was where peterson deserved to rot. My sisters dead for eternity. Oh, no, no, no. He murdered my sister. He took the prime of her. He needs to be held accountable for what he did. Reporter at the hearing, the did duane deaver misrepresent himself to the jury . Yes. Did Duane Deavers testimony make a difference in this case . Yes. Reporter and there it was. Michael petersons conviction was tossed out. His family was overwhelmed. I was weeping with joy and shock and could not believe that there was hope. I was like, my dads getting out. Were gonna have our dad back. Reporter for the peterson children, now there was only joy. Lots of hugs. Lots of happy, happy photographs. So were all, like, jumping up into the air in a silly picture of just so so happy. Reporter twentyfour hours after the judge issued his decision sharply criticizing the blood pattern experts work on the case, 68yearold Michael Peterson was released on a 300,000 bond. I imagine you remember the day, hour and date. I do. December the 15th. Oh, my kids are there. Oh my god. My grandson had been born, a sweet little baby. And, you know, i go out and i hold, crying of course. Yeah. It was wonderful. Reporter you were meant to die in prison. You were going to be fitted for that was the plan, absolutely. Reporter and now, youre outside. And now, im out. I have wait over eight years. 2,988 days, as a matter of fact and i counted for the opportunity to have a retrial. I want to thank judge hudson for giving me that opportunity so that i can vindicate myself and prove my innocence in a fair trial this time. Reporter so Michael Peterson was out of prison, but not exactly free. The state had promised to try him for murder again and he was placed under house arrest. His every move monitored by an electronic ankle bracelet. But that hardly mattered to his girls, margaret and martha. For them, the dark cloud that lay over the family name for nearly a decade had lifted. Were part of the Peterson Family. And we are not afraid to say it. We so were stigmatized before, you know, and, like, hiding it. Reporter still, the second trial loomed. But working in michaels favor was the fact that the prosecutor would have to try a very different much weaker case. Duane deaver had been fired from his job and some of the states critical blood evidence would be inadmissible. I think their case is very, very badly compromised because of deaver. He was all over the crime scene. Reporter and there was another important victory for petersons side. What types of services did you perform . Oh wow, thats thats pretty broad. Reporter brad, the male escort, a sensational centerpiece of the prosecutions case, wouldnt be part of a second trial either, a judge said. The escort had been revealed in a search that was deemed illegal. The search warrant that resulted in the seizure of the computer was found to be invalid. Reporter furthermore, that dramatic trial within a trial about michaels longdead friend in germany . Well, a change in North Carolina state law regarding the admissibility of evidence meant a second jury might not hear that story either. The male escort is gone, the death in germany is gone, the expert blood testimony is gone. Youre left with the autopsy pictures. Reporter yeah . The medical examiners testimony. And maybe the prosecutions theory for motive. Is that enough . Reporter the stars seemed to be aligning for Michael Peterson. Perhaps vindication was at hand. But one final twist was on the way. I said, well, thats just not going to happen. I would go back to prison before that happens. I wont do it. Coming up, michael makes a choice that rocks everyone in the case. That was, wow. Including michael himself. That was the most difficult decision i ever made in my life. Reporter Michael Petersons days in the mansion on cedar street were long gone. As he awaited trial number two, he passed his days in a durham condo writing about his experiences in prison. Meanwhile the prosecution was forging ahead, a new trial was scheduled for this spring. As it got closer, the reality hit daughters martha and margaret hard. And that was actually devastating for me, it was pretty much a nightmare to live the first trial, and to have to go through that a second time would be even worse of a nightmare. I cant go through that again. I cant go through another guilty verdict. Reporter kathleens sister, candace, knew a second murder trial would dredge up all the pain again. But there was no way that she was backing down. I have to relive how my sister died. She died one of the worst, worst ways. She was beaten and she knew the person who she loved was beating her. There is no way im not going to get justice for her. Reporter but there was one other option that could avoid a trial something that had been floated a few years earlier. The d. A. And the defense could hammer out a plea deal whereby peterson could walk away with time served. But the negotiations went nowhere. And candace, no. Under no circumstances. He must stand up and say, hes guilty. And i said, well, thats just not gonna happen. That will never happen ever ever, i would go back to prison before that happens. Reporter so it seemed the hopelessly divided families were destined to face off again on opposite sides of a North Carolina courtroom all these years later. The District Attorney was one hundred percent willing to go to trial, they felt they had a strong case. Reporter but as the trial approached, michael found himself rethinking a possible plea deal and how it would affect his family. And im all the time thinking, you got some responsibility. I got two grandsons now, four and six. Do i wanna drag this out for a couple more years . No. So you didnt you didnt wanna spin that wheel again, huh . Exactly. My son claytons the one who said it perfectly. He said, dad, youre playing a game at a crooked table. Youre never going to win. The odds are against you. Pick up your chips, and go home. Reporter and so thats what Michael Peterson agreed to do. I was a little surprised we were preparing to go to trial again then the District Attorney said he had heard from Michael Petersons attorney and they wanted to make a plea. And that was wow, hes going to say the word guilty . Ok. Well take the plea. Reporter well, it was a little complicated. Peterson was going to take whats referred to as an alford plea. An alford plea is when you dont admit guilt, but you acknowledge there is enough evidence there that a jury could convict you. In the books, it goes down as a guilty plea. Reporter this past february, 73yearold Michael Peterson arrived at the Durham County courthouse for what would be the final chapter of this saga. He was there to take an alford plea pleading guilty to voluntary manslaughter. Kathleens daughter caitlin came to durham to see it happen. Reporter and of course kathleens sister candace was there. She ran into michaels chief defender outside the courthouse. Oh david, good to see you today. Pleading guilty. Pleading guilty. Thank you thats what ive always wanted. Actually were not pleading guilty. Youre pleading guilty. Alford schmalford. Guilt. Michael peterson, hed like to walk around and proclaim his innocence, but he cant. He can play with words but he cant play with the facts. Reporter the courtroom was eerily reminiscent of the 2003 trial, packed with tv cameras. Everybodys a little bit older, but theres so much thats the same. The emotion, the tension, the anger, all of it was still there. How does mr. Peterson plead to charge of voluntary manslaughter . He enters a plea of guilty pursuant to alford. Mr. Peterson youre pleading guilty to voluntary manslaughter. Thats a class d felony. Do you understand, sir . Yes, sir. And do you now personally plead guilty pursuant to the alford case . Yes, sir. Thats was the most difficult decision i ever made in my life was to take the alford plea. And thats gonna give kathleens family an opportunity for what they call the victim impact statement right. Michael peterson you are pleading guilty to voluntary manslaughter. You will be treated as guilty for murdering my sister kathleen. And you will be a convicted felon forever. It was very cathartic to say, ahh, this is what i fought for. We werent quitting until we heard the word guilty. We thought we were going to hear it from another 12 jurors but we got to hear michael say guilty. Michael peterson, not only can you wear the Scarlet Letter a for adultery but also the black letter g for guilty. Not perfect justice but justice. Reporter Michael Peterson was sentenced to time served. His daughters say that at long last they can properly grieve kathleens death together. I think a big piece thats importance to our family is to be able to say goodbye to mom. And to be able to honor her memory and let her go in peace. Reporter and they have accepted that their father is once again a convicted felon, but a free man who still maintains his innocence. So your plea allows you to take the position youve taken all these years, michael. Exactly. And yet, on the ledgers of the criminal justice system, youre guilty of manslaughter. Reporter its an ending that neither side had hoped for, a family saga with so much love and so much loss. An imperfect conclusion. Im craig melvin. And im natalie moralis. And this is dateline. I just cant imagine, to be held in captivity. Dad, just send the money. Thats all they want. They have an american kid. A 14yearold kid in the middle of the jungle. Theyre thinking they hit the jackpot. They were vacationers turned prisoners. A mother and son kidnapped by terrorists. We need a million u. S. Dollars for your wife and son. 10 million from me. Are you losing your mind . A harrowing drama. This is not just rag tag. Anything can happen. There are no guarantees. Can a father turned negotiator help bring them home. We prepared. Im getting worried. Im getting so worried. A lot of people were praying for them. A lot of people were. Im lester holt, and this is dateline. Heres Keith Morrison with heart of darkness. Reporter they lay in wait, unseen under a thick green canopy, armed to the teeth. Immersed in their defiant extremist belief, hunting, stalking, deadly, in this particular heart of darkness. It was the summer of 2011, a jungleclad island in the southern tip of the philippines where they prepared the place. And the news of the terrible deed committed here flashed halfway around the world and came crashing down, out of nowhere, on a modest workingclass family in lynchburg, virginia. I got a phone call from my mother. The first thing she said was gerfa and kevin were kidnapped in the philippines. Reporter kidnapped . Sherry hutter tried to wrap her head around the inconceivable. Gerfa was her aunt. Kevin, gerfas 14yearold son. They were due home from a philippine vacation. Instead, they were in the clutches of something horrific. I felt like i was in a dream like it wasnt real. And i just was thinking, what . Reporter gerfas husband, Heiko Lunsmann, had stayed behind in lynchburg and was at work when he heard. You must have been terrified. Yes. It was impossible to think about it. But pictures dont lie. Reporter they didnt. There they were, on philippine television. Incomprehensible images, gerfas and kevins passports, their halfpacked suitcases. The stricken relatives theyd been visiting on tictabon, a small island at the tip of the southern philippines. Gerfa, kevin and one of gerfas young cousins, said the news reports, kidnapped by boat in the dead of night. I was thinking, no, that doesnt happen to us well, nobody thinks its going to happen to us, right . Yeah. But my wifes heart is in the philippines. Thats her family. Reporter gerfa was born in the philippines, had always felt safe there. Her older sister married a u. S. Navy sailor and moved to america in 1985. Brought then 16yearold gerfa with her, hoping to give her a chance at a better life. She was so excited about the opportunity. I remember she worked at Little Caesars pizza and that was the greatest thing, to get a job. Reporter she had a son, josh, went back to Community College to improve herself. And there she met a german immigrant named heiko. And from then on that was it. They were a family. She become a lab technician, heiko a maintenance man. They bought a house in a leafy neighborhood of lynchburg, virginia and had kevin. And the immigrants son became an allamerican kid. He was 14 that summer of 2011. Smart, studious, and looking forward to the start of high school in the fall. Hes this normal american kid who likes pizza and hot dogs and burgers, hang out with his friends, play video games, ride on his skateboard. Reporter they lived frugally, saved their money. Which is how eventually heiko could afford his used mercedes sports car and gerfa and kevin that vacation trip to the philippines. Life was good. But now it was very bad indeed. When i first heard they were kidnapped, the first thing that came to my mind was oh, my gosh, its abu sayyaf. Reporter abu sayyaf, a small but extremely violent militant group. Over the years it claimed affiliation first with al qaeda, then isis, as it fought to establish an independent Islamic State in the southern philippines. Its bread and butter in its fight against the government . Kidnap for ransom. Abu sayyaf had taken american hostages before. Some were released eventually. But some were beheaded. Heiko was frantic, had no idea what to do, where to turn. And then, that very day, the cavalry came riding in. My boss from work called. Come on over to work. The fbi is here for you. What was it like to know the fbi is paying attention to this . Its really real now. This is the real thing. We never know how families are going to react, obviously. But almost in every case theyre in a state of crisis. Reporter mark thundercloud was the leader of a special fbi hostage negotiating unit, formed precisely for an emergency like this. More than a dozen agents descended on the lunsmann house, covered the windows, set up a Surveillance System in heikos kitchen, and got ready for what they knew was coming, a demand for ransom. Hes negotiating really with someone whos selling his family. The fbi told me that my wife and son are merchandise for them. Thats kind of hard to hear. Yes. We try to be very transparent with the families in these cases. We try to prepare them as best as we can. Did you prepare heiko for the possibility they would be executed . Yeah, we prepared him for the worst. Reporter now there was nothing else to do, except wait. And then [ phone ringing ] the phone rang. Hello. Hello. Yes . This is Long Distance from philippines. Is this mr. Heiko lunsmann . A terrorist on the line. When we come back, the lifeanddeath negotiations begin. We need 10 million u. S. Dollars for the release of your family. 10 million, from me . Are you losing your mind . Dad, we need you to send the money. Im getting worried. Im getting so worried. Nexgard chew comes the confidence youre doing whats right to protect your dog from fleas and ticks for a full month. Its the 1 vet recommended protection. And its safe for puppies. Nexgard. What one little chew can do. 3 days is really fast. Sensitivity, nexgard. The dentist is going to be able to provide that to their patients. Sensodyne rapid relief in my opinion is a game changer. Its going to let the dentist offer their patient sensitivity relief in 3 days. It has a formulation that lays down a barrier of protection against sensitivity. Within 3 days, say over the course of a weekend youre going to start feeling significant results. To say that it works in 3 days really is a big deal. Starting a business means i have to be well rested, every night of the month. Always overnight pads have up to a 2x larger back for up to 10 hours of protection. It catches leaks, so you can catch zzzzs. Because my morning starts before morning starts. Always one plus one equals too little too late a sockabamboom whos in the room . Love is dangerous but driving safe means you pay less switch and save yes, maam excuse me, miss. Does this heart belong to you . Would you like it anyway . [ scatting ] is this mr. Heiko lunsmann . Yes, thats me. Oh, okay. We would like to inform you that your family here with us in our custody. Reporter two days after his wife and child were kidnapped by abu sayyaf in the philippines, Heiko Lunsmann got his first ransom call. On the phone, a man who called himself mr. So. He called me mr. Lunsmann. I wanted to know what i can call you. I dont want to call you kidnapper, terrorist. Just give me a name. Reporter mr. So was calm, businesslike, like hed done it 100 times before. In fact, he was the voice for a violent separatist group known for executing prisoners, beheadings usually. We would like to tell you that we need 10 million u. S. Dollars for the release of your family. Can you hear me . And i just was thinking, are you losing your mind . Who do you think youve got . Just couldnt believe it. 10 million. From me. Reporter why would they think heiko had 10 million . Perhaps theyd watched the internet. In lynchburg the kidnapping was big news. Tv crews set up shop across the street and captured heiko driving his used mercedes coupe. There you were in your fancy car. Yes. You must be worth millions. That was a wrong, wrong impression. Im not a rich person, but i will give whatever i can get together. Okay . We need 10 million u. S. Dollars for the release of your family. Okay . Reporter heiko was lucky in this. When mr. So made his demands, some of the most experienced fbi hostage negotiators in the country were right there, listening in. Ready to point out the right way for heiko to respond. Literally. These are for general visual prompts that we want heiko to think about. We have all the questions related to kevin and gerfa that we think are important for heiko to consider. And while were doing them were going to write notes down and pass them to heiko. He would read it and hopefully introduce it to the conversation. Wheres my wife . Can i talk to her . If shes okay . Wheres my son . Yeah, no, uh, your son is she with you . Can i talk to them . I want to know if theyre okay. Reporter mr. So didnt say. Meanwhile, fbi agents in the philippines were working sources on the ground. Word was that gerfa and kevin had been taken to one of abu sayyafs strongholds basilan, a large island about four hours by boat from where theyd been kidnapped. To a base camp deep in what was nearly impenetrable jungle. We travelled to basilan to talk with the politicians there, who may have had some influence over this group. Reporter heiko had the fbi to help. But government money . No. They dont pay ransom. The government doesnt pay ransoms. Right. Any decisions that are made regarding ransoms are really made by the family. But it was actually to me no choice. I know i want to pay something. Just to make sure theyre safe. Reporter the week after the kidnapping heiko wired a ransom payment, close to 5,000, to a bank account in the philippines. I was thinking, pay them money and its over. But they started wanting more and more and more. Reporter more weeks went by. Mr. So reduced his demands from 10 million to 2 million. Then 1 million. Still impossible, of course. So the kidnappers turned up the heat. They put kevin on the line. Dad yeah. How are you doing over there . Are you there . We need you to send the money. I know that, and im ready, but all i have over here i will send, and they know it. Dad dad, just send the money. Thats all they want. Reporter heiko maxed out his credit cards, borrowed money from whomever he could. But it never seemed to be enough. As the incident grows from weeks into months, we end up with so many boards that we have to work our way down this hallway. Reporter Daniel Girsch was one of the hostage negotiators assigned to guide heiko. And it gets to the point where we dont think that were making progress. Heiko feels like were not making progress. I just think you just hope. Thats all what you have, hope. Reporter but hope was hard to hang on to. The kidnappers kept threatening beheadings. Even worse, they put gerfa on the phone and beat her while she talked to heiko. Sweetheart, what are you doing over there . I know, honey. Im just so just tell them i dont have a million. Please do that. I want this to stop. I know, i told them that you dont have anything but they just like asking. How are you doing, gerfa . Stop that [ crying ] i am getting worried, im getting so worried. [ crying ] reporter a few seconds later the line went dead. Oh my god [ bleep ], im smoking, i got have a [ bleep ] cigarette, or im gonna [ bleep ] heiko, heiko you need to be ready. Your frustration must be pretty frustration was immense. If hes not calm, then our hostage takers arent going to be calm. So oftentimes i would have to tell heiko to, you know, be quiet, let the hostage taker speak and then we would have a chance to respond. Reporter and then what . How long before they tired of the game and killed the two great loves of his life . Ive worked these cases that will last years instead of months. And i was thinking, no, im not making it for years. I mean, there is no way. Reporter heiko didnt have to wait that long. Three months after gerfa and kevin were taken, there was a very different phone call. And for heiko it was terrifying. Coming up she called me really, really sad and crying. I felt her dark place, being a mother myself. And it was awful. When dateline continues. The latest innovation from xfinity isnt just a store. Its a save more with a new kind of Wireless Network store. Its a look what your wifi can do now store. A get your questions answered by awesome experts store. Its a now theres one store that connects your life like never before store. The xfinity store is here. And its simple, easy, awesome. Reporter it had been three months since an islamic Paramilitary Group had kidnapped Heiko Lunsmanns wife and son. Hed already sent the kidnappers more than 20,000. A fortune for him. And then the phone rang again. And it wasnt mr. So. Instead well. Even veteran fbi agent dan girsch was astonished. We received the tremendous news that gerfa was released. Obviously, heikos very excited. I could see and hear just joy. Joy. Reporter heiko could scarcely believe it. As the news flashed across the philippines and to lynchburg, virginia. His wife, gerfa, was alive. And free. And safe. So, inexpressible joy. And then gerfa called him. And heiko realized the nightmare was just beginning. She called me really, really sad and crying. So my first question to her was wheres kevin . Reporter he could hear the terror in her voice. Abu sayyaf still had kevin and her cousin. They could kill them at any time they wanted. And i felt her dark place, just being a mother myself. And it was awful. Reporter and before long her terror deepened. When she learned her cousin got out, too. Which meant that there in that awful place her 14yearold son, no one left to protect him, was all alone. I remember seeing that picture of her that was in the news. And she just looked so sad. Like she just looked so sad and helpless. Reporter this is gerfa. And here, even five years later, the memory is brutal. We brought her back here to the philippines and asked her to tell us her story. The story that began at 2 00 oclock in the morning, at the end of a happy family reunion, on a beach just about like this one. It does take you back. You know, you can hear the water, the waves. You can feel the wind. You see the evening sky. The stars. It was a beautiful thing. It was a beautiful morning. Yeah. Suddenly i saw from the left side two men running really fast, like, on the sand with some kind of rifle. My first impression, it was some kind of robbery. I screamed for help. I was terrified. I never screamed that loud in my life. Reporter gerfa rushed back to her hut and grabbed kevin. Together they ran toward the beach. But they didnt get far. In an instant they were surrounded by several armed men in military fatigues. Kevin was looking at me. He was in front of me. And when suddenly someone kick him from behind. That violence right there they were rough right away. Its like, why did they why did they kick my son . Reporter a motor boat suddenly appeared. The men pushed kevin and gerfa into it. Shocked and frightened, gerfa looked up to see her cousin, not quite 22 years old and the father of a newborn, holding on to the boat, trying to prevent it from leaving. He didnt care about his safety. He didnt care about his life. And he was begging him to let him in. He said, this is my family, i want to be with them. My fate will be the same. Reporter so they took her cousin too. Gerfa watched the shore disappear into the darkness. In a matter of a moment you went from a feeling of incredible peace to the Worst Nightmare you could ever imagine. Chaos. Complete chaos. And you try to control yourself, trying to stay calm. And how do you do that . Reporter it was early morning, right after sunrise, when they arrived at an island. They were made to sit hidden in the mangroves. Take me, gerfa pleaded with the kidnappers, let the boys go. But in response, one of the men raised his machete. He looked at me and he said, did you want me to cut your sons your infidel sons head . Behead him. Behead him. I knew right then it was religious. Yeah, these guys are fanatics i knew it was more serious. This is more hostile. You could see the hatred in their eyes . Ive never seen so much hate. Reporter gerfa had heard about abu sayyaf and their kidnappings. But she never thought for a moment that she could be a target. We sat there just shaking. And i couldnt stop it. The fear of death is so strong. We were surrounded by these armed men. There was no rescue, there was no sign of rescue. We were on our own. Reporter night came. They were prodded at gunpoint to their feet and into the jungle. And its own particular darkness. I constantly followed kevin. The minute hes like three feet away from me hes gone. Its like hes gone in the dark. Reporter and then a light, just a flash really, a car in the distance. The kidnappers seemed terrified by it and gerfa was gripped by a fear more terrible than any in her life. Immediately someone stood really close to kevin. And i saw that silver rifle, the tip of it just went close to his forehead. And at that point i just realized, i was like, oh my gosh, i might lose my son that night. 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Unstopables inwash scent booster downy unstopables reporter in the dark of a philippine jungle, surrounded by men with hate in their eyes, Gerfa Lunsmann looked, terrified, at her 14yearold son. An approaching car had put the kidnappers on alert. And now one of them held an automatic rifle to kevins head. I just said, dont move, son while my entire body was frozen. Reporter and then the car passed. And they kept walking. And several hours later they arrived at abu sayyafs base camp. And this is where they were brought to a cage in the jungle. Not this cage, we actually built this one, but to the exact specifications given to us by gerfa. Five feet by five feet, some old broken boards for a floor, jungle sticks lashed together with bark. No roof, no protection from the elements. But a cage as secure as any cage in any prison. There were guard tents on either side of the cage. A sniper on a hill above, watching them. And right beside the cage, a seemingly bottomless cliff, planted with land mines, said their captors. I know you had been walking for, like, 36 hours or something. How did you feel . Well, exhausted. Physically, spiritually, mentally and then they present you with this. Exhausted. And you see this piece of crap. And this guy told us, get in. And you want to resist. You want to fight it. Because you know youre not an animal. Reporter this is gerfas cousin. The young man who forced the kidnappers to take him so he could protect her and kevin. He takes the shorter place here. I would sleep here, and kevin will take the longest area of the cage because hes taller. We cannot move. We take one spot, and thats it. Reporter they sat in silence, forbidden to speak. They were, bit by bit, starved. Fed a little rice and dried fish a single plate per day to share. Then one night, about a week after theyd been taken hostage, the groups leader told gerfa about the price abu sayyaf had put on her head. That 10 million they demanded from heiko. I felt my whole body just collapsed. I knew if i cannot convince him that i dont have that money, i will never see my family again. So i looked up toward heaven. And there was this one star just blinking. I pointed at the star, this one star up in the sky. And i told them to if they can get that star, my husband can give them 10 million. Reporter gerfa knew heiko would have sent all the money they had, even as the kidnappers squeezed him by putting his terrified son on the phone. Dad just send the money. Thats all they want. Reporter heiko didnt realize that the kidnappers were beating kevin as he spoke. Gerfa was forced to watch. Helpless, full of rage. He get hurt from head to toes. Even though he fell on the ground, they continued to they kept kicking him. Abuse him. But all he was doing was just listening to his dad. Because that was the safety zone. Reporter gerfas cousin threw himself on kevin, tried to shield him. [ speaking Foreign Language ]. What i want is to hug kevin, protect him, and i want to take the beating. But they tried to keep me away from kevin. I cannot fight back. Reporter when it was over, kevin and gerfa were forced back into the cage, battered and horrified. And there was her cousin, lying in the corner, crying. So we were just, like, rubbing his back, trying to console him. Because it was just the three of us. No one care about our feelings. How hurt we are. The world was not there for us. No one was there. Reporter and if no one was coming to rescue them, well, then they had no choice. They had to try to escape, come what may, down that cliff. And then, two months into their captivity, the moment came. Gunfire pierced the silence. The kidnappers grabbed their weapons and ran toward the front of the camp. And the captives, impulse in unison, squeezed through the cage and slid off the edge of the cliff. There was no time to think what happened, no, we got to go now. Down a slope like that. Yeah. Were trying to get head first. Yes. Head first, holding onto the roots and the bushes. Reporter but then they heard a shout. One of their kidnappers had seen them. He was screaming, theyre escaping. Theyre escaping. Theyre getting away. By the time i look again they all line up. Its like really i cannot believe they caught us. We march back into that cage. That tiny little cage. Which must have felt like a tomb to you. We know were going to die in that cage. Reporter but their captors were on edge. For a reason. This is nbc news footage of military exercises on the coast of basilan that september of 2011, about two months into gerfas ordeal. The philippine military, supported by american advisers, was launching an offensive against abu sayyaf. Which, in turn, became so nervous they decided to move kevin, gerfa and her cousin out of that cage and into a windowless room in a farm house about a days hike away. And then, one of them pulled gerfa from their cell. They were taking her away. And at that point i was like, oh my god, theyre going to separate me from my son. Reporter they told her she would be back the next day. But she was convinced her time was up. That she was about to be executed. Were you ready to die . I was ready. I said, lord, thank you for the beautiful family you gave me. And i said, if you want me to come home, im ready. But i want you to let these two boys guide them out of that jungle. Its in your hand now. Reporter they put gerfa on a boat. Put a bag over her body. But to her complete surprise, they didnt kill her. Instead they dropped her off on a footbridge near a village and told her theyd be in touch soon. They started to disappear in the dark ocean. And i knew right then that my connection to kevin is gone. It was worse than being in prison. There was no freedom for me. Reporter she got in touch with the philippine military, was evacuated to manila, the philippines capital. Back in lynchburg, lead fbi negotiator mark thundercloud thought he knew why the kidnappers released gerfa. Their intent was to let her go to help raise more money. Now shes out. And now shes got to talk to these people. Right. Someone needs to be there with her. Reporter heiko decided he should stay in lynchburg, try to find the money, and mark thundercloud moved his operations from the familys kitchen to a hotel room in manila. And there, as one month passed, then another, they tried to help gerfa deal with mr. So. December 6th was the last day that we talked with mr. So. Basically, he was saying, look, what youre offering is not enough. This might be the last communication that we ever have. We still expected calls. But on the 7th, nothing. On the 8th, nothing. On the 9th, nothing. Reporter oh, they would hear what happened to kevin. Soon enough. A shock in waiting. Now is the perfect time for like the new pronamel repair. This toothpaste takes it to the next level. It takes minerals and it drives it deep into the tooth surface so that we can actively help repair weakened enamel. I do think dentists are going to want to recommend the new pronamel repair toothpaste. Its such an easy answer and it will do exactly what their patients need. Turn up your swagger game with one a day gummies. One serving. Once a day. With nutrients that support 6 vital functions. And one healthy you. Thats the power of one a day. Walgreens. Battle beautifully walgreens. Looking to simplify your skin care routine without sacrificing results . Try olay total effects for a 7in1 solution. Its unique formula is packed with vitamin b3, e, and c to naturally renew skin cells for a visibly healthy glow. 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Tell your doctor if you have new or worsening eye problems, including eye pain or changes in vision. If you are taking asthma medicines, do not change or stop your asthma medicine without talking to your doctor. Help heal your skin from within. Ask your eczema specialist about dupixent. Coming up when i opened the door, everybody was looking at me so quiet. I was like, oh, something happened. Something happened to kevin. When dateline continues. Reporter on the 9th of december 2011 Heiko Lunsmann sat in his barren kitchen in a sinkhole of despair. His fbi friends with their notes and equipment were long gone. In a manila hotel room now, with his wife who had no news about kevin at all. Its just a terrible feeling. Youre feeling helpless, totally helpless, useless. Im just sitting here and hope the best. Reporter that very day, halfway around the world, gerfa got word that the fbi wanted to see her immediately. She rushed to the hotel room. When i opened the door, everybody was looking at me so quiet. Just stare at me. I was like, oh, something happened. Something happened to kevin. Reporter an fbi agent was holding a phone. On the line, the mayor of a small town on basilan island. Its for you, the agent told gerfa. The mayor said, mrs. Lunsmann . I was like, yeah . Kevin is out. I said, what . What . It was just like chaos after that. And then when i talked to him i was like, kevin. Hi, mom, this is kevin. You know, he just sound so good. It was just beautiful. It sounds like my son. Thats my son. Reporter kevin was free. But how . Its the craziest turn of my life probably. I didnt think it was ever going to happen. Reporter here he is, Kevin Lunsmann. Now 20years old. And this is his amazing story. Which began a moment before the kidnappers took his mom away, when she leaned forward and whispered in his ear. I remember her words exactly. She said, you have to get home to your father. You have to go back home. And that made me realize that she might be thinking that she may not make it tonight. That she might be taken away to be killed . Yes. I just wanted to cry. And i didnt i didnt want to lose her. Reporter soon after that they took his cousin away too. After he left i was alone. There was nothing more. It was just me. Reporter 14 years old. All alone. In that dark room in the jungle. When he finally slept, he had a dream. Were in a twostory house. And i turn to my side and my mothers there and my cousins there. And then all of a sudden a barrage of bullets goes through the walls. All these bullets are flying through, and yet were not getting hit. All of a sudden i turn around and mom my mothers gone and my cousins gone. And the barrage of bullets has stopped. Everything has ceased. I just realized, im alone again. Even in my dream i was alone. Reporter he woke up, remembered his mothers words, get home to your dad, and he made a choice. I was going to get home. One way or another. How the heck would you do that . I was still unclear of that myself. I just had to wait. Maybe maybe one day theyd get careless. Youd escape . Yes. Reporter bit by bit he prepared. Physically i tried to maintain. I tried to get as much as food as i could when theyd give it to me. Sometimes do situps, pushups because if i ever did have to run id have to be somewhat in shape. Reporter and then he had an idea. The kidnappers allowed him to wash his clothes and hang them to dry on a line outside the house. Maybe if they were distracted somehow he could make a run for it, get to the ocean, catch a boat to the mainland. Wishful thinking of course. He was guarded around the clock. But then one morning, almost six months after he was taken hostage i woke up in the morning and i could hear no sounds whatsoever. I looked at the trails and i couldnt see anyone walking around. And it was sort of like a lightbulb moment. This might be it. Reporter he washed his clothes. Hung them up. Eyes darting. Two little voices working in his mind. One that was saying you should run. Another one saying you should stay. One was terrified. The other one knew what was waiting for me out there was much better. My own freedom. I proceeded to walk to the edge of the house. And i looked at the creek and around the side, and i could see no one. Nothing. No movement. And after that i just bolted. Reporter kevin knew, as many 14yearolds do, that water obliterates footprints, might hide his route of escape. And so, with his heart pounding and his ears straining for the sounds of pursuers, he picked his way down the creek bed and into the jungle. And then he heard it. The bird call. It wasnt just a bird. This was more of like a an alert call that the terrorists used to communicate with another. So i knew that the signal had been put out that i had escaped. Whatd that do to you . As soon as i heard it, i knew i had to get out as fast as i could. I had to run. I guess its one of those moments in life where you either grow up and deal with it or you decide to give up and stay a little boy. Those were my two choices. Are you going to panic or are you going to are you going to man up and are you going to try and get out of here . And i chose option two. Reporter and so he ran all day and into the thick black of a jungle night. His feet raw, his clothes ripped by unseen hazards, bloodied now by a thousand thorns that tore into his flesh. It was marsh, brush, thick thorns. Anything. I would get through it. At any cost. Even if it cost me my life, at least i tried. Reporter toward morning, exhausted, he searched for a hiding place so inhospitable his pursuers wouldnt think to look there. And he fell asleep in a mosquitoinfested swamp. And when the sun rose and he opened his eyes i remember waking up and not smelling the aroma of the coffee that they had brewed or maybe the types of food, like fried rice. I didnt smell any of that. I smelled fresh air. I smelled i smelled freedom. Reporter at least for the moment. But where was he . At a point i couldnt keep going through brush because i didnt know my exact location. I had to keep walking, possibly get on a road. Maybe i can find a different way. But there was danger because people might see you out here. Yes. People might see me, yes. Well, on this island you dont know whos with them and whos not, right . Right. Reporter but it was a risk he had to take. And soon regretted. Walking down the road, he heard a voice behind him. A man was approaching. And he had a rifle. Coming up i had escaped and walked through all of that terrain. And it was for nothing. He could take you away. Take you back to those guys. I froze. And i just thought, this is it. Nexgard chew comes the confidence youre doing whats right to protect your dog from fleas and ticks for a full month. And its the only chew fda approved to prevent infections that cause lyme disease. Nexgard. 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Com tv and never go to the post office again reporter for two days and one long night, Kevin Lunsmann could practically feel his captors breath on his neck, their guns in his back, as he ran and somehow eluded them. All my clothes were almost covered in mud, black, blood. Everything. My hair was ruffled. I smelled terrible. I probably had over 100 or more lacerations on my body. Blood all over my arms as well. So i didnt look too good. Reporter and then he took that one necessary risk, emerged to a public road, and there it was, the end. Clearly a local, on this abu sayyafinfested island, and he had a very big gun. I thought that it was all over. I had escaped and walked through all of that terrain, and it was for nothing. They had found me, and they were going to bring me back. Reporter then the man spoke, and the words startled kevin. He was speaking english. And he was asking, do you need help . You know, were you kidnapped . And i froze at that question and i just thought, this is it. Should i just tell him . He could go either way still. He could take you away, take you back to those guys. Right. And i knew those risks. But at this point i felt like i was going to put my trust in him. So howd he react . He proceeded to say, im going to get you out of here. Im going to get you home. And my names kenny. Im here to help. My name is kenny . My names kenny, like kenny rogers. Thats exactly what he said. It gave me a laugh. It was actually one of the first laughs i had in a long time. Reporter kenny got in touch with the mayor of a nearby village. The mayor called the Philippine Army, and the army arrived in humvees. It seemed like hundreds of them. And i was just like, this is all for me. I just couldnt believe it. I realized im really going to see my family again. Im going to see my friends. Im going to have my life back. Reporter but would he have his mom . For months kevin had been grieving, afraid shed been executed by the militants. But then the mayor gave him the phone and kevin heard a familiar voice. Hey, mom. Is that really you . I had no clue for months what happened to you. Once i heard her voice, i knew that was her. And i think at that point i felt alive again. There was color in my life again. Reporter after that 14yearolds amazing escape, the u. S. Military put him on a plane to manila, where his mother was waiting on the tarmac. The door was too slow to open. I was ready to climb that plane and open the door. And he stood there on the plane, right there, looking around. I was like, im right here. You know, its like, im right here. But he just like looking. And i was like, you dont recognize me . Okay, it must be the youve got to stop crying, right . And i see this woman. And i could see tears. And as i got closer and closer, i realized i knew who that was. We just ran up to each other, and we just hugged each other. And it was just incredible. Reporter back in lynchburg kevins dad, heiko, was delivering christmas turkeys to a hospital when somebody found him and gave him the news. I was so happy. Your mind gets clear again. So you dont have to be worried. And i will have my family back. It just is a great feeling. Its a great feeling. Reporter on december 14th, 2011, six months after they were taken hostage, gerfa and kevin finally came home, returned to lynchburg to heiko and to gerfas niece, sherry. It was awesome. The first thing we did was put up christmas decorations. Christmas decorations. Kevin and gerfa were so happy. I didnt know what to expect because of what theyd been through. But they were just so grateful to be back with their family. Reporter in 2012 the Philippine Army caught three of gerfa and kevins kidnappers. Gerfa returned to the philippines to testify at their trial and help send her captors to prison. Kevin was honored for his bravery by the virginia General Assembly and met president obama. Hes in college now and thinking about joining the fbi. He was there, you know, as a boy. And now he came out as a man. The whole maturity is just unbelievable. You must be pretty proud of that boy. Very proud. Reporter the five years that separate their ordeal from this evening on the beach with us have erased not a moment of the memory, the terror they shared, the pain, depravation, sorrow, and finally, joy. But we look on and see a bond only they can fully understand. Did you ever think youd actually be in this situation where youve got your arm around your mother and the two of you are talking about this in the past tense with smiles on your faces . Never. Not at that point, no. We didnt think it was going to ever be possible. But here we are. And were very glad to see you safe. Thank you. Im glad were back. Wonderful, wonderful. Thats all for now. Im lester holt. Thanks for joining us. This is dateline. I cant imagine to be held in captivity. Dad, send the money. Thats all they want. They have an american kid. A 14yearold kid in the middle of the jungle. They think they hit the jackpot. They were vacationers turned prisoners. A mother and son, kidnapped by terrorists. We need 10 million u. S. Dollars for the release of your family