Page 6 - Lars Itzo News Today

>> he just kept sayin he wanted debbie back, if he could get her back. it was an accident. he was sorry. >> reporter: investigators, as they worked through the case, looked into the couples finances. debbies assets totaled more than a million dollars when she died. her dad was named as the beneficiary on most of her investment accounts. so lars, it seemed, had little to gain by killing her. still, the whispers continued among debbies friends. who told investigators there was another side to the ...

2016, lars itzo was re-arrested. the charge this time, murder. >> coming up -- a very thirsty suspect. >> i enjoy a dr. pepper every now and again. but i dont wanna drink a dr. pepper when my hands are covered in my wifes blood. >> but does that make lars a murderer? when "dateline" continues. nexium 24hr is the number one choice of doctors and pharmacists for their own frequent heartburn. and all day all night protection. when it comes to frequent heartburn, trust nexium 24hr. when youre raisin...

A loving husband who made a deadly mistake? or a killer trying to cover his tracks? that was the central question as the people vs. lars itzo began in december 2016. the stakes were high. if lars was convicted of murder he could face up to 99 years in prison. if he was convicted of manslaughter, as few as two. >> we never for a second believed that he didnt know who that was standing in front of him. >> reporter: but the prosecutors knew proving intentional murder wouldnt be easy. >> reporter: e...

Opposed to an oh my god moment, "i just shot my wife." >> reporter: but within moments, lars became frantic. >> oh! baby! >> reporter: hyperventilating, moaning. >> oh, my love. >> reporter: the question, was it for real? >> the way he switched up emotions from when he starts doing cpr, it sounded a lot like mouth breathing. >> to me, it sounded like overacting. >> reporter: and investigators also noticed how larss story evolved over just a few hours, on the 911 call he set the scene this way. >...

Warrant criminal charges. and, sure enough 11 days after lars fatally shot debbie, he was charged with manslaughter. >> anything you want to say? >> reporter: prosecutors karl alexander and leo gonzalez caught the case. >> why did manslaughter fit? >> manslaughter is defined in the texas penal code as causing the death recklessly of an individual. >> essentially, thats what it boils down to. it was somehow somewhat of an accident. >> reporter: lars was released on bail. debbies parents continued...

He said he was awakened around 4:00 a.m. by strange noises in the house. >> i hear the front door or the door squeaking, and i hear the grumbling, and i hear the dog growling. >> reporter: he said hed never heard cody growl before, so he was instantly on alert. >> did you think they were male voices or female voices or -- >> i believe they were male. >> lars says he moved towards the sound that he heard, with his shotgun in hand. he reached this tiny hallway where he says he saw a silhouette sta...

So investigators decided to take an even closer look at the husband who pulled the trigger. >> coming up, lars seemed upset. was he? >> these bits of emotion are only done in front of the detective. theyre not done when hes alone. when "dateline" continues. coin slot! no? uhhh... 10 seconds. a stick! a walking stick! eiffel tower, mount kilimanjaro! (ding) time! sorry, its a tandem bicycle. what? what?! as long as sloths are slow, you can count on geico saving folks money. fifteen minutes coul...

>> she was getting very frustrated and shes just like, "i wish this person would finish." >> hed stay late and work, and theyd talk. >> reporter: but lars siblings ken and kristi, said he wasnt dragging things out for the money, he had an ulterior motive. >> he goes, yeah, she keeps flirting and talking and were laughing and having a good time. >> reporter: lars liked debbie, and he thought it was mutual. >> and he goes, "can i ask her out?" and i went, yeah, why cant you. >> reporter: so began ...

Stand. larss attorney showed her a check she once wrote to debbie. >> who is the check made out to? >> debbie itzo. >> reporter: debbie itzo. proof, the defense argued, that independent debbie sometimes went by her married name. they called larss friends to say the couples marriage was solid. >> how would you describe his relationship with debbie? >> perfect. >> it was very good. >> did you ever notice any, sense any marital conflict? >> no. >> reporter: kristi itzo explained how her normally st...

>> reporter: after laying out how lars killed debbie, the prosecution thought the jury would want to know why. what was the motive? the couple, they said, had hit a breaking point. liz sevilla testified that her hard charging, multi-tasking friend debbie found lars a little too laid back. >> there was always a project. and it was taking a long time. >> and who was doing this construction? >> lars. >> so are you trying to say she was frustrated with lars? >> yes, sir. >> reporter: the prosecutors...