Page 7 - Lars Itzo News Today

>> in those hours afterwards, what was he talking about? >> he really wasnt talking. >> he was just in shock. if he opened his mouth, he broke down. >> reporter: across town debbies tennis friends were out on the court, waiting for her to start that early morning match. >> reporter: one of their husbands came out to tell them about debbie. >> he called me over and said that lars had shot her. >> what are you thinking when you hear that? >> out of the box for you. >> it was very surreal. i couldn...

Guest of debbie and larss testified she could easily see at night in their home. >> there was enough light coming through the big windows that i could find my way. >> reporter: and remember, debbie was only about three feet away when lars shot her. prosecutor karl alexander wanted to show the jury just how close that is. >> reporter: what was the experience? >> terrifying. >> reporter: why? >> im a gun owner.

>> he volunteered to go do it. hes like, ill take a polygraph. >> cause he said he didnt do anything wrong. >> yeah. >> reporter: but the polygraph indicated lars was deceptive in some of his answers. his brother and sister said it was perfectly understandable. >> well, hes nervous. hes in shock, you know? >> he couldnt even get his name right, his birth date, where he was born. >> reporter: maybe so but his performance on the polygraph was enough for detectives to grill him relentlessly. >> how...

>> reporter: in his interview down at the statement, lars revised his story again. thats when he said he woke to the front door squeaking, and offered, for the first time, this description of how he realized hed shot debbie. >> i heard this groaning and i knew it was my wife. >> reporter: during those interviews, lars appeared heartbroken, at times falling apart. >> he was described as pacing in the blanket. he was mumbling, he was moaning. >> at various times, yes. >> is that not what a husband...

Awakened by a noise, and your dogs growling. >> reporter: ken wanted us to experience it with the lights off. >> lets do it. >> so lets shut the light off. okay. >> reporter: at first it was pitch black, but as my eyes adjusted, i could make out something. >> i can see a little bit of a silhouette but i cannot see your face. you wanna turn the light back on? >> i believe i was standing about where lars was standing. you were standing about where debbie was standing. >> i will say, he would be ab...

Welcome back to "dateline." on trial for the murder of his wife, lars itzo was about to take the witness stand. what could he say to make jurors believe he simply didnt know that threatening shadow was debbie? heres the conclusion of "the silhouette." >> i heard a moaning. and at that time i knew it was my wife. >> reporter: lars itzo, up on the stand in his own murder trial. to tell the story of what he described as the perfect relationship. >> it was bliss. uh, the best thing that ever happene...

>> reporter: nevertheless -- >> any kind of infidelities going on between you or with her anything like that? >> no sir. i trust her completely. completely. >> reporter: lars answered each of the investigators questions. >> reporter: in return, he just wanted to know one thing -- >> nobody has told me anything about if shes alright. >> reporter: so after two hours of talking, they broke the news -- >> i dont know how to tell you this, but your wife didnt make it. okay? she is deceased. >> dammit...

Name. >> she was a professional woman and she was very driven. and i think thats part of why she didnt take his name. she kept everything separate. >> reporter: including her bank accounts. she never put larss name on them. >> reporter: this was not about money. >> no, it -- it -- it wasnt. it really has to do with he loved her more than she loved him. >> reporter: when its turn came, the defense said of course lars loved debbie, which is exactly why he did not murder her. lars itzo accidentally...

>> ever see a tear? >> no. >> reporter: they played that video of lars at the police station to show how he seemed to keep adding details to his story of the shooting. >> i dont know if i felt her or not, i just reached out and -- >> reporter: and how in the midst of tragedy lars still had the presence of mind to ask for his favorite beverage. >> here you go, mr. itzo. >> 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. he...

Your wife. i dont care if its pitch dark. no room is completely dark. theres ambient light from every room. it may not be much but its enough to tell the shape otherwise, you wouldnt have fired. you obviously saw something cause you fired the gun. >> i said i seen a shape. >> reporter: lars insisted he thought there were intruders in the house and he and debbie were in danger. >> i thought there was somebody else in the house going down the hallway the other direction. i thought there was one co...