Called Geraldine News Today

Veterinarian bryan reins family went into a tailspin at the news of his death. and when they heard that somebody murdered him? you kind of fell apart after that, huh? >> yes. it was difficult to figure out where to go, what to do. >> reporter: bryans mom was practically paralyzed in her grief. and so, much of the dreadful work that demands to be done after such a death fell on teresa. >> i can remember sitting through the funeral and sitting there thinking to myself, i am so tired. i just want t...

>> reporter: but ann was done. she moved back to the family farm outside geraldine. and tom begged her to come back. promised to do better. >> he told me that bryan would, you know, when he got tired of me, hed dump me. an then id see. >> reporter: and then the phone calls started. over and over again. >> i asked him to leave me alone. i said i needed time, i needed space. >> reporter: and he wasnt giving you any? >> no. >> reporter: one day ann agreed to go for a ride in toms new pickup truck s...

Outside tiny geraldine, montana, local sheriffs deputies used towels to mop up the blood around what they took to be a suicide. the towns veterinarian, dr. bryan rein, age 31, was dead. his own .357 magnum lay near his left hand. and the emissaries of sudden death delivered their message to dr. reins sister, teresa, back in kansas. >> i remember saying, mom, i need to talk to you. >> reporter: i cant imagine what it would be like to tell your mother that her firstborn son is dead. >> yeah. it wa...

It was dusk that monday in montana after the weekend murder of dr. bryan rein when investigators drove out to a farm 11 miles east of geraldine. here agent ken thompson and the local undersheriff intended to confront 23-year-old tom jaraczeski, the young man whod lost in love and didnt take it well. when you arrived, what was his demeanor? >> oh, i think his demeanor was to be helpful. he was welcoming, very polite. >> when my mom told me about bryan, one of the first things i thought of, oh, ev...

>> i was almost annoyed she even came. and she was standing in our home and i really thought, why are you here? i was pretty irritated. >> reporter: and those feelings were not lost on that young lady in the middle of her own grief and confusion. >> i just felt out of place. because i felt like, you know, they didnt know who i was. >> reporter: her name is ann. she was 21 then. she had known dr. rein just two months. met him at rustys bar in geraldine. >> i thought he was handsome. i was like, w...

>> three gunshots that launched a long-running mystery. who killed the veterinarian? >> i think the perpetrator stood there and watched him die. >> there were so many different leads and rumors. >> i felt like if it wasnt for me, it never would have happened. >> jealousy? rage? revenge? >> it was your classic whodunit. >> could anyone solve it? >> you look at what its done to our family. >> it was hard. >> i wanted justice for my brother. >> reporter: there was a broad swath of prairie where the...

Really, which absolutely suited bryan rein. he took full advantage of what montana had to offer. and often. and so in 1995, a year before the events in our story, dr. rein set up shop in a speck on the map called geraldine, population 300. >> its always a struggle starting a new business. and starting a vet clinic is very expensive, but it was doing very well. >> reporter: young dr. rein hired marlene to help him run the office and moved into the unused bunkhouse marlene and her husband owned on...

Me, it never would have happened. >> reporter: because, of course, she broke up with him. >> its just unbelievable. >> reporter: and here he is, tom jaraczeski. anns ex. otherwise known as the prime suspect. >> it seems like a bad dream that i couldnt wake up from. >> reporter: how did you find out that he was killed? >> from my mom. she just said that shed gotten a phone call that the veterinarian in geraldine had been killed. >> reporter: and of course, tom knew perfectly well who his mother w...

Family went into a tailspin at the news of his death. and when they heard that somebody murdered him? you kind of fell apart after that, huh? >> yes. it was difficult to figure out where to go, what to do. >> bryans mom was practically paralyzed in her grief. and so, much of the dreadful work that demands to be done after such a death fell on teresa. >> i can remember sitting through the funeral and sitting there thinking to myself, i am so tired. i just want to go to bed. >> and maybe that play...

He couldnt believe i was doing this and how i was throwing away everything. >> but ann was done. she moved back to the family farm outside geraldine. and tom begged her to come back. promised to do better. >> he told me that bryan would, you know, when he got tired of me hed dump me, and then id see. >> and then the phone calls started. over and over again. >> i asked him to leave me alone. i said i needed time, i needed space. >> and he wasnt giving you any? >> no. >> one day ann agreed to go f...