Transcripts For MSNBC Dateline 20241007 : vimarsana.com

Barri bumgarner we had several suspects. John short i just thought his behavior reeked of guilt. An innocent man doesnt act like that. Keith morrison he lied, lied and lied and lied. About sex, sex, and sex. Libby sullivan there are a lot of people that cheat. It doesnt make them a murderer. Morley swingle all of a sudden, this puzzle all came together. Patrick rogers at The End of the day, No One Else had a motive. Libby sullivan steves on the phone, and hes got a gun. He was crying. I said, fight this. This is crazy. Keith Morrison Voiceover a College Student is murdered. And detectives discover a Trail Leading uncomfortably close to home. John short oh, my god. Its going to look bad. Keith Morrison Voiceover he could have been sunbathing here in the grass. Naked, but for a pair of blue shorts. His face turned up toward the june sky. Was beautiful. It was afternoon by the time someone noticed him, though hed been lying here still, silent since before daylight. Here, among the old rooming houses in columbia, where University Of Missouri students were winding down their school year. It was june 5, 2004. John short back then, we were on pagers. Keith morrison sure. Of course, i knew my bosss phone number. And it had a 911 behind it. And i was ordered to come to help investigate. Keith Morrison Voiceover by the time the news got to Detective John short, Uniformed Cops had strung up their yellow tape, were taking their pictures. Keith morrison what did they see . It was obvious to them at that point that this was a homicide. Keith Morrison Voiceover the Medical Examiner arrived. Thats her there, sitting on the left. Dr. Valerie rao waiting for her turn. When i got to the scene, there were a lot of people watching what was going on. Keith Morrison Voiceover even then, as she took it all in the crowd, the yellow tape, the young male body lying there on the grass it was quite obvious to dr. Rao, this was a deliberate, determined killing. He had a gaping wound on his neck. And the blood was oozing out from there onto his neck. Keith Morrison Voiceover she looked closer. The cut across his throat was deep and not quite smooth, as if it had been made perhaps, by a serrated knife. Valerie rao when we turned the body, i could see that the grass adjacent where he lay was blood soaked. Keith Morrison Voiceover so much blood, but not exactly where the Medical Examiner expected it to be. There was no blood on the front of his body at all. Keith Morrison Voiceover meaning, what . Had to be a reason. Shed work on that. But who was he . No id at all. Just this slender, young man with unseeing eyes. There wasnt a lot known at all. We just know that we had a deceased individual. We were trying to garner information. Keith Morrison Voiceover they sent officers around the neighborhood with a picture of the body. Did anyone know who he was . As a shocked afternoon deepened into evening, someone did know exactly who he was. The whole time, all day long, i kept having a funny feeling. Keith Morrison Voiceover far away in kentucky, over the rural hills and down Country Roads was a mother named Linda Valencia. She was eating dinner with her sister and fretting about her son, jesse. Linda valencia i told my sister i said, its so weird that hes not calling me. And she said, well, hes probably ok. She just said, you know jesse. Keith Morrison Voiceover after dinner, Lindas Sister dropped her off at her house. And then, it seemed, just a few minutes later. Linda valencia i saw her headlights coming back up The Hill to my house. So i went to the door and opened it. And i remember laughing. And i asked i ask her if she had missed me so much, that she had to come back . Keith Morrison Voiceover but her Sister Wasnt smiling. I said, is it jesse . And she just she never answered me. And i remember just backing away, and i just wanted to run. Keith Morrison Voiceover but of course, there was no running. Not from this. The police wanted to talk to her. They said that they were sorry to inform me that my son had been killed. And i basically called him a liar, and i said its not true. Keith Morrison Voiceover whats a person to say . To do . Deny. Deny. Her world collapsing around her, Jesses Mother fainted. In colombia that june night, Crime Scene Techs busied themselves behind the yellow tape, while more cops scoured the neighborhood. They noticed a nearby Apartment Door propped open. And so they walked through it, into a mystery that would turn their world upside down. Coming up from the time jesse was six or seven years old, he told me mom, im not going to live to be very old. Did he tell you where that thought came from . He never did. Keith Morrison Voiceover and later, a surprising friendship that would shock a city. Did it lead to murder . He said, mom, Guess Who showed up on my doorstep. Stay ahead of your childs moderatetosevere eczema. And they can show off clearer skin and less itch with dupixent, the 1 prescribed biologic by dermatologists and allergists, that helps heal your Childs Skin from within. Serious allergic reactions can occur that can be severe. Tell your doctor about new or worsening Eye Problems such as Eye Pain or vision changes including blurred vision, Joint Aches and pain, or a parasitic infection. Dont change or stop asthma medicines without talking to your doctor. Ask your Childs Eczema Specialist about dupixent. Billy one second, grandma. This guy is going to buy my car. Okay . Ask your Childs Eczema Grandma you need carvana. Entering plate number. Grandma no accidents, right . Billy no. Grandma generating offer. Carvana can pick it up tomorrow billy thats an amazing offer. Announcer sell your car the easy way with carvana. Subject 1 whos coming in the driveway . Subject 2 Dad Dad dad, we missed you daddy, hi subject 3 goodness my daughter is being treated for leukemia. I hope that she lives a long, great, happy life and that she will never forget how Mom And Daddy love her. St. Jude, i mean, this is whats keeping my Baby Girl alive. Announcer you can join the battle to save lives by supporting st. Jude childrens research hospital. For just 19 a month, Youll Help us continue the lifesaving Research And Treatment these kids need now and in the future. Subject 4 cancer makes me feel angry. Not in the feel on the outside, just the inside im angry at it. Subject 5 when your kid is hurting and theres nothing you can do about it, thats the worst feeling in the world. Announcer 1 in 5 children diagnosed with cancer in the us will not survive. Subject 6 those that donate to st. Jude, i hope that you will continue to give. They have done so much for me and my family. Announcer join with your Debit Or Credit card now, and well send you this st. Jude tshirt that you can proudly wear. [speaking spanish] subject 7 are you ready to go have some fun . Subject 8 yeah subject 7 Yay Subject 9 when we came here, we didnt know what tomorrow would hold. St. Jude showed us that tomorrow theres hope for our Little Girl to survive. Announcer lets Cure Childhood Cancer together. Please donate now. Feeling ughh from a backed up gut . Ughh. Miralax works naturally with the water in your body to help you go. Free your gut and your mood will follow. For 8 grams of fiber, try mirafiber gummies. For 8 grams of fiber, Keith Morrison voiceover when he was about seven years old, Jesse Valencia asked his mom to sit down. Linda valencia and he told me, im not going to i dont want you to get upset, and dont cry. Dont get emotional. And this as a little kid now, talking. And he said mom, im not going to live to be very old. He said, im going to die at a very young age. Why would he say that . Its just so strange. Linda valencia its like he knew. And he told me that for years. And i mean, he was constantly telling me that. Because he said he was trying to prepare me for his death. Did he tell you where that thought came from, or why he thought that . He never did. He just said he knew that he was going to die young. Keith Morrison Voiceover and now at the age of 23, jesses awful prediction had come true. His halfnaked body found lying in a lonely patch of grass so far from home. Linda valencia i never dreamed that he was going to die that way. Keith Morrison Voiceover whatever happened to him, the investigators figured, must have started here behind this Open Door down the block from the crime scene. It was the door to Jesses Apartment. Looked like jesse may have flung it open, fleeing his killer. With Jesses Body being found away from his home, the bottom of his feet were dirty, he was obviously moving. He was running. Running or walking away. We believe, he was headed to a Friends House to get help. Because there was a friend of his that lived in that Path Line from his house to the Friends House. And his assailant chased him. Caught up to him. Yeah. Attacked him. Yes. Keith Morrison Voiceover and showed no mercy. Details linda could not bear thinking about. She was just 21 when she had jesse. Keith morrison the two of you kind of grew up together, right . Linda valencia yeah, pretty much. From the time he was born, i took him everywhere with me. I wouldnt even go out on dates, unless i took him with me. And everybody accepted it. I cant remember a time that he wasnt with me. Keith Morrison Voiceover just the two of them, and then a stepdad and two sisters, and a Family Farm in perryville, kentucky. A one stoplight town. Linda valencia every store we went into, everybody knew him. Everybody was hollering hey, jesse, how are you . Even three and four years old, he would just talk your head off about everything. Keith Morrison Voiceover read about everything. Knew about everything. Lindas nickname for jesse was college prep. Kristin arevalo met jesse on the School Bus in High School. Kristin arevalo i think bright is a really great word to describe jesse because of his intellectual brilliance, but also, he just was a real bright light. Keith Morrison Voiceover irrepressible. Sort of kid who if it was raining would dance in it, or, with kristin, Scrawl Graffiti under the town bridge. Kristin Arevalo Jesse just had this real and pure love of life. Erin bailey i can just remember thinking like, this guy is going to do something big. Like, hes going to do big things. Keith Morrison Voiceover Erin Bailey met jesse at a school dance. They talked about movies and music. Jesse told her he wanted to get out of perryville one day. He tried modeling after High School. Proud he could do that. But, said erin, he was always down to earth. Always attentive. Hed get me to sing for him. Ave maria was his favorite. And how would he do that . There were times he would call me like at night in the middle of the night and be like, will you sing to me . And im like, [clears throat] its 1 30 in the morning. Keith Morrison Voiceover but she didnt mind. Not really. Back then, she was a little bit in love with jesse, even though she knew, she wasnt his type. Jesse was gay and proud of it. Erin bailey he loved who he wanted to love, and thats a brave way to be in life. He was really outgoing and outspoken. He was the type of boy that would tell you exactly what he thought. And if you didnt like Hearing It, he would try to sugarcoat it a little bit for you. But he would always tell you exactly how he felt about something. Didnt hold back. Linda valencia no, he didnt. And he might have got that from me, but he was always excited about everything. And life, in general, to him was just amazing. He just loved life. Keith Morrison Voiceover and linda certainly thought he was brave when jesse packed up the modeling and decided to go to college. First in his family to go. He ended up at the University Of Missouri, which seemed as far away from perryville as could be. Linda valencia i was happy and excited that he wanted to do that, but i did not want him to go out of state. And i just kept emphasizing to him that it was not going to be a good thing for us to be so far apart. Keith Morrison Voiceover no. And now, the worst of her premonitions had come true. That lovely son of hers, that promise horribly snuffed out. I mean, he was my whole life. And i just couldnt believe that he was gone. Keith morrison can you remember what what was it like for you . It was just dread. Like, i just wanted whoever did this, i wanted, like, them to immediately be apprehended. Like, it just was like this feeling of urgency. Yeah, urgency of panic. Keith Morrison Voiceover but this one wasnt going to be quick or easy. Although, cause of death was perfectly obvious, said the Medical Examiner. The gaping Knife Wound in his neck. But other things were harder to explain. Valerie rao usually with knife injuries, one tends to get Defense Wounds on the hands so youd Get Knife injuries on the hands. Keith Morrison Voiceover but jesses hands were unmarked, which made the me wonder, maybe jesse hadnt been conscious when his throat was cut . They found him flat on his back. If he was that way when the killer cut him, it would explain the lack of blood on his body. If he was standing, then the blood would run down the front of him or the back of him. And if he walked walked after he sustained the injury, then there would be blood on the bottom of his feet. There was none of this. Keith Morrison Voiceover there was still one puzzling thing, a pattern of angry bruises across Jesses Chest and back and under his jaw. We had to think of all the possibilities of how this came about. Keith Morrison Voiceover so she sent his fingernail clippings and blue shorts off to the lab for testing. And waited. And the detectives . Jesse was was kind of a free spirit from what i understand. Keith Morrison Voiceover know your victim, investigators like to say. So they started digging, especially into Jesses Life in colombia. And what they discovered was not so much a long list of enemies, but rather, a long list of lovers. Coming up some guy called in and said this kid was crying inconsolably. Keith Morrison Voiceover tears in the night and persons of interest in the light of day John Short ed readily admitted that him and jesse had, had sex on the day before the body was found. Eric said something to the effect of, i wouldnt care if he was dead. Keith Morrison Voiceover when dateline continues. Sounds like you need to vaporize that cold. Dayquil vapocool . Its Dayquil Plus A rush of vicks vapors. Vapocooooool woah. Dayquil vapocool. The vaporizing daytime, coughing, aching, stuffy head, power through your day, medicine. Why choose a mobile Network Power through your day, built for places youll probably never be. Instead of for where you are most of the time . Xfinity mobile was designed for where you need it most. Xfinity internet customers, ask how to get a free 5g Phone and a second unlimited line free for a year. Lets say youre deep in a show or a game or the game. On a train, at home, at work. Okay, maybe not at work. Point is at xfinity. Were constantly engineering new ways to get the entertainment you love to you faster and easier than ever. Thats what i do. Is that Love Island . Keith Morrison Voiceover the murder of Jesse Valencia sent a nasty jolt of anxiety around columbia, missouri. Everyone was just so shaken. Keith Morrison Voiceover Barri Bumgarner, a local College Professor and Crime Novelist, was like a lot of people here, full of questions. There were several articles about, did this happen in broad daylight . Why didnt anyone see anything . And people wanted answers. Keith Morrison Voiceover so the Columbia Police Department worked with all deliberate speed on the few leads they could find. According to Jesses Phone records, the Last Call hed made was around 3 15 in the morning. His neighbor seen here on nbc affiliate Kom News said not long after that, he heard arguing coming from Jesses Apartment. Man just bumping. Just like Somebody Stumbling and kind of bumping into the wall. Like, uh, uh, Stop It, you know. Keith Morrison Voiceover police found another witness who told them hed seen something odd during the night. A young man walking barefoot near the crime scene. Was he the killer they were looking for . It was about a block or so away, maybe two, from the victims house. Some guy called in and said this kid was crying inconsolably. Keith Morrison Voiceover but who was he . Wasnt a lot to go on. So investigators started tracking down Jesses Friends trying to piece together a portrait of his life in colombia. He was a junior at mizzou. Books on history piled up around his apartment. He had a lot of friends. You talked to a lot of them . Talked to a lot of them. You know, hr liked to party, like almost every other College Student. Keith Morrison Voiceover jesse loved to dance. And one of his favorite places was a local nightclub, where just a few days before he died, he met someone new on the dance floor. An aspiring chef John short <\/a>i just thought his behavior reeked of guilt. An innocent man doesnt act like that. Keith morrison he lied, lied and lied and lied. About sex, sex, and sex. Libby sullivan <\/a>there are a lot of people that cheat. It doesnt make them a murderer. Morley swingle all of a sudden,<\/a> this puzzle all came together. Patrick rogers <\/a>at The End of the day, No One Else had a motive. Libby sullivan <\/a>steves on the phone, and hes got a gun. He was crying. I said, fight this. This is crazy. Keith Morrison Voiceover a College Student is murdered. And detectives discover a Trail Leading uncomfortably close to home.<\/a> John short <\/a>oh, my god. Its going to look bad. Keith Morrison Voiceover he could have been sunbathing here in the grass. Naked, but for a pair of blue shorts. His face turned up toward the june sky.<\/a> Was beautiful. It was afternoon by the time someone noticed him, though hed been lying here still, silent since before daylight. Here, among the old rooming houses in columbia, where University Of Missouri students were winding down their school year. It was june 5, 2004. John short <\/a>back then, we were on pagers. Keith morrison sure. Of course, i knew my bosss phone number.<\/a> And it had a 911 behind it. And i was ordered to come to help investigate. Keith Morrison Voiceover by the time the news got to Detective John short, Uniformed Cops had strung up their yellow tape, were taking their pictures. Keith morrison what did they see . It was obvious to them at that point that this was a homicide. Keith Morrison Voiceover the Medical Examiner arrived. Thats her there, sitting on the left. Dr. Valerie rao waiting for her turn. When i got to the scene, there were a lot of people watching what was going on. Keith Morrison Voiceover even then, as she took it all in the crowd, the yellow tape, the young male body lying there on the grass it was quite obvious to dr. Rao, this was a deliberate, determined killing. He had a gaping wound on his neck. And the blood was oozing out from there onto his neck. Keith Morrison Voiceover she looked closer. The cut across his throat was deep and not quite smooth, as if it had been made perhaps, by a serrated knife.<\/a> Valerie rao when we turned the body, i could see that the grass adjacent where he lay was blood soaked. Keith Morrison Voiceover so much blood, but not exactly where the Medical Examiner expected it to be. There was no blood on the front of his body at all. Keith Morrison Voiceover meaning,<\/a> what . Had to be a reason. Shed work on that. But who was he . No id <\/a>at all. Just this slender, young man with unseeing eyes. There wasnt a lot known at all. We just know that we had a deceased individual. We were trying to garner information. Keith Morrison Voiceover they sent officers around the neighborhood with a picture of the body. Did anyone know who he was . As a shocked afternoon deepened into evening, someone did know exactly who he was. The whole time, all day long, i kept having a funny feeling. Keith Morrison Voiceover far away in kentucky, over the rural hills and down Country Roads was a mother named Linda Valencia. She was eating dinner with her sister and fretting about her son, jesse. Linda valencia i told my sister i said, its so weird that hes not calling me. And she said, well, hes probably ok. She just said, you know jesse. Keith Morrison Voiceover after dinner, Lindas Sister dropped her off at her house. And then, it seemed, just a few minutes later. Linda valencia i saw her headlights coming back up The Hill to my house. So i went to the door and opened it. And i remember laughing. And i asked i ask her if she had missed me so much, that she had to come back . Keith Morrison Voiceover but her Sister Wasnt smiling. I said, is it jesse . And she just she never answered me. And i remember just backing away, and i just wanted to run. Keith Morrison Voiceover but of course, there was no running. Not from this. The police wanted to talk to her. They said that they were sorry to inform me that my son had been killed. And i basically called him a liar, and i said its not true. Keith Morrison Voiceover whats a person to say . To do . Deny. Deny. Her world collapsing around her, Jesses Mother fainted. In colombia that june night,<\/a> Crime Scene Techs busied themselves behind the yellow tape, while more cops scoured the neighborhood. They noticed a nearby Apartment Door propped open. And so they walked through it, into a mystery that would turn their world upside down.<\/a> Coming up <\/a>from the time jesse was six or seven years old, he told me mom, im not going to live to be very old. Did he tell you where that thought came from . He never did. Keith Morrison Voiceover and later, a surprising friendship that would shock a city. Did it lead to murder . He said, mom, Guess Who showed up on my doorstep. Stay ahead of your childs moderatetosevere eczema. And they can show off clearer skin and less itch with dupixent, the 1 prescribed biologic by dermatologists and allergists, that helps heal your Childs Skin from within. Serious allergic reactions can occur that can be severe. Tell your doctor about new or worsening Eye Problems such as Eye Pain or vision <\/a>changes including blurred vision, Joint Aches and pain, or a parasitic infection. Dont change or stop asthma medicines without talking to your doctor. Ask your Childs Eczema Specialist about dupixent.<\/a> Billy one second,<\/a> grandma. This guy is going to buy my car. Okay . Ask your Childs Eczema Grandma you need carvana. Entering plate number.<\/a> Grandma no accidents, right . Billy no. Grandma generating offer.<\/a> Carvana can pick it up tomorrow billy thats an amazing offer. Announcer sell your car the easy way with carvana. Subject 1 <\/a>whos coming in the driveway . Subject 2 Dad Dad dad, we missed you daddy, hi subject 3 goodness my daughter is being treated for leukemia. I hope that she lives a long, great, happy life and that she will never forget how Mom And Daddy love her. St. Jude, i mean, this is whats keeping my Baby Girl alive. Announcer you can join the battle to save lives by supporting st.<\/a> Jude childrens research hospital.<\/a> For just 19 a month, Youll Help us continue the lifesaving Research And Treatment these kids need now and in the future. Subject 4 cancer makes me feel angry. Not in the feel on the outside, just the inside im angry at it. Subject 5 when your kid is hurting and theres nothing you can do about it, thats the worst feeling in the world. Announcer 1 in 5 children diagnosed with cancer in the us will not survive. Subject 6 those that donate to st. Jude, i hope that you will continue to give. They have done so much for me and my family. Announcer join with your Debit Or Credit card <\/a>now, and well send you this st. Jude tshirt <\/a>that you can proudly wear. [speaking spanish] subject 7 are you ready to go have some fun . Subject 8 yeah subject 7 Yay Subject 9 when we came here, we didnt know what tomorrow would hold. St. Jude showed us that tomorrow theres hope for our Little Girl to survive. Announcer lets Cure Childhood Cancer together. Please donate now. Feeling ughh <\/a>from a backed up gut . Ughh. Miralax works naturally with the water in your body to help you go. Free your gut and your mood will follow. For 8 grams of fiber, try mirafiber gummies.<\/a> For 8 grams of fiber, Keith Morrison voiceover <\/a>when he was about seven years old, Jesse Valencia asked his mom to sit down. Linda valencia and he told me, im not going to i dont want you to get upset, and dont cry. Dont get emotional. And this as a little kid now, talking. And he said mom, im not going to live to be very old. He said, im going to die at a very young age. Why would he say that . Its just so strange. Linda valencia its like he knew. And he told me that for years. And i mean, he was constantly telling me that. Because he said he was trying to prepare me for his death. Did he tell you where that thought came from, or why he thought that . He never did. He just said he knew that he was going to die young. Keith Morrison Voiceover and now at the age of 23, jesses awful prediction had come true. His halfnaked body found lying in a lonely patch of grass so far from home. Linda valencia i never dreamed that he was going to die that way. Keith Morrison Voiceover whatever happened to him, the investigators figured, must have started here behind this Open Door down the block from the crime scene. It was the door to Jesses Apartment. Looked like jesse may have flung it open,<\/a> fleeing his killer. With Jesses Body being <\/a>found away from his home, the bottom of his feet were dirty, he was obviously moving. He was running. Running or walking away. We believe, he was headed to a Friends House to get help. Because there was a friend of his that lived in that Path Line from his house to the Friends House. And his assailant chased him. Caught up to him. Yeah. Attacked him. Yes. Keith Morrison Voiceover and showed no mercy.<\/a> Details linda <\/a>could not bear thinking about. She was just 21 when she had jesse. Keith morrison the two of you kind of grew up together, right . Linda valencia yeah, pretty much. From the time he was born, i took him everywhere with me. I wouldnt even go out on dates, unless i took him with me. And everybody accepted it. I cant remember a time that he wasnt with me. Keith Morrison Voiceover just the two of them, and then a stepdad and two sisters, and a Family Farm in perryville, kentucky. A one stoplight town.<\/a> Linda valencia every store we went into, everybody knew him. Everybody was hollering hey, jesse, how are you . Even three and four years old, he would just talk your head off about everything. Keith Morrison Voiceover read about everything. Knew about everything. Lindas nickname <\/a>for jesse was college prep.<\/a> Kristin arevalo met jesse on the School Bus in High School. Kristin arevalo i think bright is a really great word to describe jesse because of his intellectual brilliance, but also, he just was a real bright light. Keith Morrison Voiceover irrepressible. Sort of kid who if it was raining would dance in it, or, with kristin, Scrawl Graffiti under the town bridge.<\/a> Kristin Arevalo Jesse just had this real and pure love of life.<\/a> Erin bailey i can just remember thinking like, this guy is going to do something big. Like, hes going to do big things. Keith Morrison Voiceover Erin Bailey met jesse at a school dance.<\/a> They talked about movies and music. Jesse told her he wanted to get out of perryville one day. He tried modeling after High School. Proud he could do that. But, said erin, he was always down to earth.<\/a> Always attentive. Hed get me to sing for him. Ave maria <\/a>was his favorite. And how would he do that . There were times he would call me like at night in the middle of the night and be like, will you sing to me . And im like, [clears throat] its 1 30 in the morning. Keith Morrison Voiceover but she didnt mind. Not really. Back then, she was a little bit in love with jesse, even though she knew, she wasnt his type. Jesse was gay and proud of it. Erin bailey he loved who he wanted to love, and thats a brave way to be in life. He was really outgoing and outspoken. He was the type of boy that would tell you exactly what he thought. And if you didnt like Hearing It, he would try to sugarcoat it a little bit for you. But he would always tell you exactly how he felt about something. Didnt hold back. Linda valencia no, he didnt. And he might have got that from me, but he was always excited about everything. And life, in general, to him was just amazing. He just loved life. Keith Morrison Voiceover and linda <\/a>certainly thought he was brave when jesse packed up the modeling and decided to go to college. First in his family to go. He ended up at the University Of Missouri, which seemed as far away from perryville as could be. Linda valencia i was happy and excited that he wanted to do that, but i did not want him to go out of state. And i just kept emphasizing to him that it was not going to be a good thing for us to be so far apart. Keith Morrison Voiceover no. And now, the worst of her premonitions had come true. That lovely son of hers, that promise horribly snuffed out. I mean, he was my whole life. And i just couldnt believe that he was gone. Keith morrison can you remember what what was it like for you . It was just dread. Like, i just wanted whoever did this, i wanted, like, them to immediately be apprehended. Like, it just was like this feeling of urgency. Yeah, urgency of panic. Keith Morrison Voiceover but this one wasnt going to be quick or easy. Although, cause of death was perfectly obvious, said the Medical Examiner. The gaping Knife Wound in his neck. But other things were harder to explain. Valerie rao usually with knife injuries, one tends to get Defense Wounds on the hands so youd Get Knife injuries <\/a>on the hands. Keith Morrison Voiceover but jesses hands were unmarked, which made the me wonder, maybe jesse hadnt been conscious when his throat was cut . They found him flat on his back. If he was that way when the killer cut him, it would explain the lack of blood on his body. If he was standing, then the blood would run down the front of him or the back of him. And if he walked walked after he sustained the injury, then there would be blood on the bottom of his feet. There was none of this. Keith Morrison Voiceover there was still one puzzling thing, a pattern of angry bruises across Jesses Chest and back and under his jaw. We had to think of all the possibilities of how this came about. Keith Morrison Voiceover so she sent his fingernail clippings and blue shorts off to the lab for testing. And waited. And the detectives . Jesse was was kind of a free spirit from what i understand. Keith Morrison Voiceover know your victim, investigators like to say. So they started digging, especially into Jesses Life in colombia. And what they discovered was not so much a long list of enemies, but rather, a long list of lovers. Coming up <\/a>some guy called in and said this kid was crying inconsolably. Keith Morrison Voiceover tears in the night and persons of interest in the light of day John Short ed readily admitted that him and jesse had, had sex on the day before the body was found. Eric said something to the effect of, i wouldnt care if he was dead. Keith Morrison Voiceover when dateline continues. Sounds like you need to vaporize that cold. Dayquil vapocool <\/a>. Its Dayquil Plus A rush of vicks vapors.<\/a> Vapocooooool woah.<\/a> Dayquil vapocool. The vaporizing daytime,<\/a> coughing, aching, stuffy head, power through your day, medicine. Why choose a mobile Network Power through your day, built for places youll probably never be. Instead of for where you are most of the time . Xfinity mobile <\/a>was designed for where you need it most. Xfinity internet customers,<\/a> ask how to get a free 5g Phone and a second unlimited line free for a year. Lets say youre deep in a show or a game or the game. On a train, at home, at work. Okay, maybe not at work. Point is at xfinity. Were constantly engineering new ways to get the entertainment you love to you faster and easier than ever. Thats what i do. Is that Love Island . Keith Morrison Voiceover the murder of Jesse Valencia sent a nasty jolt of anxiety around columbia, missouri. Everyone was just so shaken. Keith Morrison Voiceover Barri Bumgarner, a local College Professor and Crime Novelist, was like a lot of people here, full of questions. There were several articles about, did this happen in broad daylight . Why didnt anyone see anything . And people wanted answers. Keith Morrison Voiceover so the Columbia Police Department worked with all deliberate speed on the few leads they could find. According to Jesses Phone records,<\/a> the Last Call hed made was around 3 15 in the morning. His neighbor seen here on nbc affiliate Kom News said not long after that, he heard arguing coming from Jesses Apartment. Man just bumping. Just like Somebody Stumbling and kind <\/a>of bumping into the wall. Like, uh, uh, Stop It, you know. Keith Morrison Voiceover police <\/a>found another witness who told them hed seen something odd during the night. A young man walking barefoot near the crime scene. Was he the killer they were looking for . It was about a block or so away, maybe two, from the victims house. Some guy called in and said this kid was crying inconsolably. Keith Morrison Voiceover but who was he . Wasnt a lot to go on. So investigators started tracking down Jesses Friends trying to piece together a portrait of his life in colombia. He was a junior at mizzou. Books on history piled up around his apartment. He had a lot of friends. You talked to a lot of them . Talked to a lot of them. You know, hr liked to party, like almost every other College Student. Keith Morrison Voiceover jesse <\/a>loved to dance. And one of his favorite places was a local nightclub, where just a few days before he died, he met someone new on the dance floor.<\/a> An aspiring chef named ed.<\/a> Police asked ed to come down to the station. He readily admitted that him and jesse had, had sex the day before the body was found. Keith Morrison Voiceover and Jesses Friends said they saw Jesse And Ed leave a party <\/a>together just a few hours before jesse was killed. So Detective Short watched ed very closely in the Police Interrogation Room when he swore hed left jesse alive and well on The Street outside the party before heading on home. Ed said his roommate had seen him coming in. What did you think about him . He was an emotional mess, is how i would describe him. Constantly crying. Very upset. Very scared. The fear of, why am i here . Keith Morrison Voiceover did he have something to hide . It was a knife that killed jesse. Ed was a chef. He owned a whole bag of very sharp knives. But it was eds roommate, a man called eric thurston, who really got investigators attention.<\/a> Eric had his own shady past. A Rap Sheet for Drug Possession and stealing and fighting words about the murder. Eric thurston <\/a>and his interview actually said at one point, i could kill somebody, but i have too much faith in humanity, or something to that effect. Keith Morrison Voiceover when he talked to police, eric didnt even try to hide his dislike for jesse. He said something to the effect of, i wouldnt care if he was dead, or i dont care if hes dead. Talking about jesse. Keith Morrison Voiceover why would he say that to the police . Even more suspicious, eric told them hed Left Ed at home that night to go out on a date. That would have been around the time jesse was killed. So investigators searched the mens home, took dna samples,<\/a> and waited. There was this other kid named zev, i think. Zev feintuch.<\/a> Keith Morrison Voiceover another lead, zev. A rabbis son.<\/a> Just 19. Jesses friend said he called zev his boy toy.<\/a> Police asked him to come down to the station. Zev was very quiet, very low key. And he did not appear to be a violent person at all. Keith morrison uhhuh.<\/a> You know, not that, that cant be hid. Keith Morrison Voiceover zev <\/a>told them he wasnt even gay. He and jesse were just friends, not lovers or anything. So he had no reason to be jealous or angry. And anyway, said zev, he was at home all night. John short <\/a>he said that he got up the next morning and had breakfast with his parents. He lived in his parents house.<\/a> He lived in his parents house, yeah. The only one of the questions posed to him was, well, can you get out of the house without your parents seeing you . And he said, yeah, i can. Keith Morrison Voiceover Phone Records showed that zev had tried to call jesse several times that night. And zev failed a Voice Stress Test, indicating he might be lying about something. Not admissible in court, mind you, but certainly curious. At this point, just a few days into the investigation, detectives had three persons of interest, but it didnt feel like they were any closer to solving the murder. John short <\/a>so every day, we would have whats called our we nicknamed it the round table. All the detectives would sit down and discuss the leads they had followed the day before, where were going, what we need to do. Sometimes those Round Tables get a little heated. When you end up working 20 hours a day and taking three hour naps four days in a row, people get a little edgy. Keith Morrison Voiceover but A Hundred miles away from the hurly burly of the Police Investigation Way off in st.<\/a> Louis, it suddenly dawned on a friend of jesses, he had a clue for the police. Something that might actually help crack the case. Jesse and i chatted two or three times a week at least. Keith Morrison Voiceover Patrick Rogers had met jesse before he went to college. Theyd bonded over indie bands and politics, but mostly chatted online. Which allowed you to keep a record of these chats, right . Patrick rogers <\/a>yes. I realized that i have these Chat Logs. And that the Chat Logs say everything. Its timestamped. I knew it was all right there. Keith Morrison Voiceover what was all right there . Well, jesse had revealed a secret, a secret lover. He had not revealed a name, but this was something bigger than a name. How would the Columbia Police Department react once they heard that jesses secret lover was one of their own . Coming up, jesses late Night Visitor he was excited about it. Excited . I mean, the guy was coming by on duty.<\/a> Keith Morrison Voiceover when dateline continues. When you have moderate to severe eczema, its okay to show off. With dupixent, show off your clearer skin and less itch. Because you have plenty of reasons to show off your skin. With dupixent, the 1 prescribed biologic by dermatologists and allergists, you can stay ahead of your eczema. It helps block a key source of inflammation inside the body that can cause eczema to help heal your skin from within. Many adults saw 90 clearer skin, some even achieved longlasting clearer Skin Relief after first dose. Serious allergic reactions can occur that can be severe. Tell your doctor about new or worsening Eye Problems such as Eye Pain or vision <\/a>changes including blurred vision, Joint Aches and pain, or a parasitic infection. Dont change or stop asthma medicines without talking to your doctor. Show off to the world. 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Keith Morrison Voiceover Linda Valencia was quite familiar with all of her son jesses relationships. She was rare among mothers. She knew things, intimate things, that mothers dont often get to hear. Jesse told her everything. Linda valencia we talked about anything and everything.<\/a> Jesse sometimes, jesse would talk to me about things i didnt want to talk about. He had no filter on his mouth when he was talking to me and about his life, his love life.<\/a> His love life.<\/a> His sex life.<\/a> Anything. I mean, he i guess, he felt comfortable because i never once, told him that i wasnt ok with his life and the way that he was. And your ears felt a little uncomfortable Hearing It sometimes. Linda valencia yeah, i was a little uncomfortable sometime. But i mean, i loved it that he was telling me everything.<\/a> Keith Morrison Voiceover so linda had her own ideas about who police should be talking to. And it wasnt the aspiring chef, or his roommate, or the rabbis son.<\/a> The detective called me on the phone. She was asking me if i knew of anybody that had anything against jesse. And i told her yes, i do. And i said, hes a cop. Keith Morrison Voiceover Linda Said she didnt know the officers name.<\/a> But she told the detective that two months before the murder, she got a call at 2 00 in the morning. Jesse was on the other end, excited. He said, mom, ive been arrested. And i said, oh, my god. And he said, well, i was at a party, and it got too noisy and the cops came. Keith Morrison Voiceover jesse, outspoken as always, protested. Didnt go over well. Linda valencia and he told me if i opened my mouth again, he was going to arrest me. And i said, do what you got to do, and he arrested me. Keith Morrison Voiceover at the Police Station, said jesse, the officer wrote him a ticket, told him hed have to appear in court later, and then released him. All of which would have made for a memorable story. But then, a few hours later, jesse called linda again. Linda valencia and he said mom, Guess Who showed up on my doorstep. And i just said who . And he said that cop that arrested me last night. And i said, so whats going on . Keith Morrison Voiceover it was the beginning of jesse didnt know what exactly. It was personal, intimate, and secret. The sort of relationship you instant message one of your best friends about. Patrick rogers <\/a>in all of the time he spoke with me, he wouldnt say his name. He only referred to him as colombias finest. He was excited about it. Excited . Patrick rogers <\/a>he was. I mean, the guy was coming by on duty.<\/a> He would stop off, they would have sex, and then hed go back to work. Patrick rogers <\/a>yeah. And jesse found all that exciting, and im seeing this as a bunch of red flags. Keith Morrison Voiceover oh, yes. Linda said <\/a>she saw those, too. Linda Valencia Jesse kept talking about how, when i asked him where he lives, he kind of dances around it. Or if i ask him anything about family or anything,<\/a> he said hes constantly wants to talk about my personal life, but he never wants to talk about his. Keith Morrison Voiceover and then, Linda Said, jesse discovered why. Why his secret Policeman Lover Wouldnt reveal anything about his own life. He was married. He said hes married, he has a child, and its wrong. And he said, im not going to im not going to see him anymore. I just want him to stay away. So he tried to cut it off. Yeah, he tried to cut it off then. He wouldnt be party to someone cheating.<\/a> And i remember his exact words to me were, im not going to be someones other woman. And he was mad. And he had every right to be mad. Keith Morrison Voiceover and patrick <\/a>had proof jesse felt that way. It was all there in their online chats. Patrick printed them out. Brought them to the columbia Police Headquarters. Keith morrison what was their first reaction when you said i think this is a cop . They didnt seem surprised. It i would have expected a bigger reaction. Keith Morrison Voiceover thats because just a couple of hours after they identified Jesses Body, before they talked to patrick or linda,<\/a> police had gotten an anonymous tip about the affair. Keith morrison had you ever investigated a fellow cop before . Not for homicide, no. Keith morrison no. Do you remember the first thought that came into your head when you realized, im going to have to do that . I think my first thought was, we need to get this right. Thats the second thought. The first thought. Just, oh, my god. Its going to look bad. Keith Morrison Voiceover Coming Up, a witness searching photos for persons of interest has an unexpected close encounter he goes, i dont need to look at those pictures. I passed him in the hallway when you walked me over here. Keith Morrison Voiceover when dateline continues. 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Ask your Childs Eczema Specialist about dupixent.<\/a> Ask your Childs Eczema Keith Morrison voiceover <\/a>on the brow of a hill on the Family Farm, Linda Valencia visits her son. Visits the memory still so very raw of the bright spark he was in her life. Of the day they told her he was dead. Of the day of his funeral. The day they put him in the ground here. Linda valencia i just sat there and just held on to the casket handle,<\/a> and i wouldnt turn it loose. And there were so many people that came. I mean, look how many people loved jesse. And i had a letter that i wrote him with a picture. And i asked linda if i could just put that in the ground with him, and she said of course. And so my heels were sinking into the mud, and i couldnt stand up. And i was watching one of the most important people In My Life be covered up with dirt. Keith Morrison Voiceover and she sang his favorite song for him singing ave maria.<\/a> Keith Morrison Voiceover one last time. And how do you measure a loss like this . The gap it tears in the lives of people and in the history of things that might have been had he been around. In columbia, missouri, Detective Short was measuring not lost, but an explosive new lead. A phantom cop.<\/a> Who was he . And then he got word that one of Jesses College lovers,<\/a> a guy named andy,<\/a> had seen jesse with the Mystery Cop up close. John short <\/a>they were at Jesses Apartment. He says theyre in bed together, and he hears a knock at the door. A guy walks in,<\/a> puts a flashlight on him. He said when he saw the flashlight come on, he could see that it was a Police Officer. And then he attempted to join to have sex with participate. Participate with andy. And andy was like, no, i dont want no part of this. Keith Morrison Voiceover according to andy, jesse and the officer had sex anyway. And when it was over, the cop had a warning. John short <\/a>he looked at both of them and says, you dont talk about this. Dont tell anyone. And he left. Keith Morrison Voiceover surely, Detective Short figured this andy would be able to identify the officer. So the detective and his partner brought andy into the precinct and showed him a book of photos, the entire Columbia Police Department. But this was weird. John short <\/a>pretty obvious, hes not really looking at the pictures. Hes just kind of thumbing through them. And its pretty apparent to me that he was nervous about me being in the interview room.<\/a> So i just got up and walked out. Keith Morrison Voiceover leaving andy alone with the detectives female partner. John short <\/a>he kind of looks through the pictures again. She says, youre really not looking at them. He goes, i dont need to look at those pictures. I passed him in the hallway when you walked me over here. Keith morrison when she came out of that room, what did she say . She looked at me and she goes, youre not going to believe this. Its steve rios.<\/a> Keith Morrison Voiceover Steven Rios, a Police Officer. Two and a half years on the force. An up and comer.<\/a> Active in several police charities with, what looked like, an exemplary record. And of course, rios was married. His wife had given birth to a Baby Boy just four months before. Detective short <\/a>checked jesses arrest record. And yes, it was Steven Rios who took him in and issued the ticket. That wasnt all. Steven helped guard jesses murder scene.<\/a><\/a> When he got to the Police Department the afternoon when the body had been found, he saw one of the sergeants writing Jesses Name down, and he says, hey, i know that guy. I arrested him about a month or so ago. Well, this sergeant told him to go down there and identify the body. So after identifying the body, he actually volunteered, according to the supervisor, to guard the crime scene. And he would have known, he shouldnt be there. Oh, sure. Just having the relationship alone with him, he should have never been involved in the case. So he went and guarded the crime scene. Yes. How long was he there . Pretty much, most of the evening. Didnt mean to kill them. Thats correct. Keith Morrison Voiceover so Steven Rios joined the list of people police wanted to take a hard look at. Nobody was ruled out. And you were preparing the background before you actually brought him in. Oh, sure. Tried to get as much information as we can to confront him with what we knew. Keith Morrison Voiceover Detective Short figured hed get a couple of days to gather information before rios got wind he was a Person Of Interest in a murder investigation.<\/a> But for the first of many times, things didnt quite work out as expected. Coming up <\/a>John Short he just shows up. Says, i need to talk to you guys. Keith Morrison Voiceover rios denies an affair John Short when i confronted him that there was a relationship, he said, what, sex . You already knew that was a lie. Yes, i did. Keith Morrison Voiceover and his wife has a visitor. Keith morrison an officer of the law is having his house searched by other officers of the law. Libby sullivan <\/a>it was alarming, for sure. Keith morrison when dateline continues. Feeling ughh <\/a>from a backed up gut . Ughh. Miralax works naturally with the water in your body to help you go. Free your gut and your mood will follow. For 8 grams of fiber, try mirafiber gummies.<\/a> Air wick. Every year millions of noses are ghosted by their plugins. New Air Wick advanced. Our groundbreaking plugin that Pulses Scent for staying power, up to 60 days. Plus a fragrance boost button.<\/a> Our noses wont be ignored again. Why choose a mobile Network Plu built for places youllon. Probably never be. Instead of for where you are most of the time . Xfinity mobile <\/a>was designed for where you need it most. Xfinity internet customers,<\/a> ask how to get a free 5g Phone and a second unlimited line free for a year. Keith Morrison Voiceover it was three days after the murder of Jesse Valencia. Detective John Short had just found out that the murdered mans secret lover was an ambitious, married, up and coming cop named Steven Rios. So next thought . The hope that this was just an affair. That the cop was not the killer. John short <\/a>i mean, i wasnt personal friends with him. I was a coworker. Knew who he was. Nobody wants a bad cop. Nobody wants a bad cop. Thats a perfect statement. Keith Morrison Voiceover but just as Detective Short was trying to figure that out, who walked in the door . Steven rios himself. John short <\/a>he just shows up. Says, i need to talk to you guys. Keith Morrison Voiceover steven <\/a>said hed heard rumors a Police Officer was involved, so hed come to clear things up. Said hed once arrested jesse, but thats all there was to it. John short <\/a>when i confronted him that there was a relationship, he said, what, sex . And i said, yeah. And he denied it. You already knew that was a lie. John short <\/a>yes, i did. I confronted him with that lie. He breaks down and kind of cries. Says, yeah, but only once. And you knew that was a lie. And the problems that i was having at that point, personally, was ok, is he upset and crying because weve just outed him as having a homosexual relationship and hes married and got a child . Or is he lying because he did this . Keith Morrison Voiceover steven <\/a>told the detective he had plenty of witnesses who could prove he wasnt anywhere near jesse the night he was murdered. Where was he . He clocked in at 6 00 pm that evening. It was a busy shift. He made a Traffic Stop. Thats him on the Dash Cam Video. Then helped out on a Shooting Investigation across town. Said he finished a little after 3 00 am and joined some other officers for a Beer Up On The Roof of the station. Then went back inside to go to the bathroom. His entry into the building prior to his departure was at 4 37 am, so thats the only thing we can confirm without a doubt. Thats solid evidence, obviously. Keith Morrison Voiceover but steven <\/a>told Detective Short, he didnt leave just then, but instead, went back up to the roof for a few minutes. And drove out finally around 5 00 am and then went straight home. Talk to my wife, libby, he said. So they did. They dont announce these things, of course. They just knock on the door. And there was libby. Surprised . Imagine. Libby sullivan <\/a>most people, an officer shows up at your house, youre immediately on pretty high alert as Keith Morrison sure. As one would be. Keith Morrison Voiceover steven <\/a>had already told Libby Someone hed arrested had been murdered. But as for the rest of it the affair, the fact he was being questioned as a Person Of Interest in a murder she didnt know a thing. And the cop at the door said nothing about any of that. Instead. Libby sullivan <\/a>she reassured and said anyone that had contact with the victim, were talking to all of their spouses. No big deal. What sort of questions did she ask . I think she just asked what time steve got home on saturday morning.<\/a> Right. Mmhmm. Yeah. Keith Morrison Voiceover so libby thought for a minute, then told the officer that grayson her fourmonthold baby started crying early that morning. Woke her up. Libby sullivan <\/a>i remember 5 15. I remember i remember looking at the clock. I remember 5 15 in my head. Keith Morrison Voiceover libby <\/a>didnt know, of course had no idea how her groggy memory would be poked and prodded and parsed. How crucially important those precise minutes would turn out to be. No, she just told the officer that anywhere between five and 10 minutes after waking up, she was in the kitchen warming up a bottle for the baby when her husband walked in. Libby sullivan <\/a>we made eye contact.<\/a> I think i said something like, long night . And he said yeah. And he immediately walked to Graysons Room and picked him up. And he handed off grayson,<\/a> and i started feeding him. Keith Morrison Voiceover so she told the story, and the cop left.<\/a> She expected steven would come home then, but he didnt. Instead, more cops showed up to search the house. Keith morrison an officer of the law is having his house searched by other officers of the law. Libby sullivan <\/a>it was alarming, for sure. Keith Morrison Voiceover she wondered, was her husband a Murder Suspect . They certainly searched the house as if he was. They even examined the Shower Drain looking for what . Blood . Other evidence of murder . Keith morrison but the drain didnt come up with anything no, it didnt. Keith morrison from a crime scene. No. No blood. No no no nothing. Keith Morrison Voiceover no blood in his car. No evidence on his clothes. Nothing. Keith morrison no sign of a struggle on rioss body, because you looked at him, right . Yeah. Yeah, they took pictures of him and everything. There was no injuries. Keith Morrison Voiceover nor could they find any possible Murder Weapon in his possession or in his house. The administered a Voice Stress Test same one theyd given the rabbis son.<\/a> Steven passed. Libby sullivan <\/a>and he said they looked at everything. Theyve cleared me as a suspect. Im good. So i think even though i was alarmed, i thought, gosh, this was a bad day. But its but its done. Its over. Yeah. I mean, i had idea what was coming. Keith Morrison Voiceover no, she did not. She had no idea how quickly stevens scandalous affair would hit the headlines. There it was in the Morning Newspaper the day after he told his wife libby hed been cleared as a Murder Suspect. His own Police Chief telling reporters about his personal relationship with victim Jesse Valencia. Back home with libby, steven finally came clean. Libby sullivan <\/a>i think his exact words were something like, what was in the paper, he said, its true. Do you remember what you said in reaction to it . I dont think i said much. I think i was just, pretty quiet and in shock about it. Keith Morrison Voiceover she was just 21 years old. She just had their baby. And then, in an instant, it dawned on her. Everybody knows. We didnt get to handle that the way a normal married couple would get to handle infidelity. Keith Morrison Voiceover steven <\/a>took a temporary leave of absence. Four days after the murder, he told police he was going to visit his father in virginia. They gave him permission to go, but to his surprise, made it clear he wasnt out of the woods, yet. Libby sullivan <\/a>he was certainly a little agitated. And i think, it was then that he really knew they were still looking at him. Something was still going on. So he left. And i went to the grocery store.<\/a> And when i came home, my sisterinlaw Ran Out of the house. And she said steves on the phone, and hes got a gun. Keith Morrison Voiceover he didnt go to virginia. He went to a walmart near the airport in kansas city.<\/a> Bought himself a shotgun. He was threatening to kill himself. And i just ran In The House and grabbed the phone. And said, fight this. This is your son needs you. Fight this. This is crazy. You thought hed do it. Mmhmm. What comes with that . Panic . I dont know if panics the right word. Just, i dont know. Sadness . Keith Morrison Voiceover libby felt helpless.<\/a> Less than 24 hours earlier, her life was full of promise. And now, was it just gone . She drops to the floor, which ive never seen any of my children do. And shes hysterical. Keith Morrison Voiceover Libbys Parents suzanne and john were there when steven called. Suzanne sullivan <\/a>and we had called the Police Department on the other line. And so they knew what was going on. So then they arrived, and they took over talking to him. Keith Morrison Voiceover police <\/a>managed to talk some sense into steven. Persuaded him to drive back to suzanne and johns house.<\/a> Though, he still had that gun, which is why, as cops waited in the driveway, they were armed and ready, just in case. Suzanne sullivan <\/a>to have Police Officers in your Front Yard with guns drawn is not any part of our life. So it was all pretty traumatic and pretty John Sullivan overwhelming for us. Suzanne sullivan <\/a>yeah. Yeah. Were in the back of the house waiting to hear gunfire. Keith Morrison Voiceover waiting and bracing for stevens next move. Coming up, police learned of a possible motive for jesses murder Patrick Rogers he said, distinctly, im going to out him to the Police Chief. Keith Morrison Voiceover and later, libby offers a new detail. Keith morrison did you feel like you were being called a liar when you were on the stand . Oh, i certainly think i was. Keith Morrison Voiceover when dateline continues. luke homesdotcom is a new, elevated homeshopping experience.<\/a> Beautiful design, tremendously rich content, and, my favorite touch, its the only site that always connects you to the listing agent.<\/a> Feels like a Work Of Art marci lovely. What about the app . Luke Uhoh look what i did. Its ringing. Hello . Hello . marci they cant hear you. luke hello . marci because you glued a frame over the microphone. luke i think ive glued the frame over the microphone. Vo Ding dong homesdotcom.<\/a><\/a> Weve done your home work.<\/a> Keith morrison Steven Rios must have felt like the walls were closing in on him. Armed and threatening to kill himself, the distraught officer was headed to his Inlaws House where police were waiting. Inlaws john <\/a>and suzanne prepared for the worst. But instead, authorities led steven into their Living Room unharmed. Suzanne sullivan <\/a>we gave him a hug. Hes part <\/a>of our family. And thats until that changes, thats what you do. Keith morrison the respite was short lived. Investigators had talked to the cops steven had joined for a beer on the Roof Night of the murder. And they said steven left the building earlier than the 5 00 am time he claimed. Police hauled him back to the station. Minutes mattered a lot. Now as far as what time he got home, initially he said he got home around 5 20, 5 30. Keith morrison thats what libby had told the police, too. So detectives wondered, did steven have time to stop off at Jesses Apartment before he got home . We wondered that same thing. Here we go. All right, so were leaving the Police Station. Keith morrison first, we drove from Police Headquarters to Jesses House. All right, its Coming Up here on the left. Now, this trip from the Police Station with some traffic, mind you, has taken us just over four minutes. Woman your destination is on the left. Keith morrison then from Jesses House to steven <\/a>and libbys home. We kept it under the speed limit.<\/a> Stopped at some lights along the way, too. There is the rios house.<\/a> Our total drive time just under 15 minutes, which leaves 20, 25 minutes for whatever may or may not have happened. 20, 25 five minutes for steven to confront jesse, then chase him maybe as far as 200 yards, choke and subdue him, cut his throat, rush back to his car, and drive home. You are content that he had enough time to go and commit this offense. If he got home at 5 30 . Yeah, i do. 5 25 . Sure. 5 20 . Tighter the time gets, the harder it would be to pull it off. Thats for sure. I dont deny that. Keith morrison but even if he could do it, why would he do it . Well, maybe the answer was in those online messages between jesse and Patrick Rogers. Patrick rogers <\/a>he said, distinctly, im going to out him to the Police Chief. Keith morrison and if steven knew that, what would he do to Stop It . Given his suicide threat,<\/a> he was taken to a mental Health Center for observation. But when doctors went to check on him, he was gone. A quick manhunt, and there he was at the top of a nearby Parking Garage. As they closed in, Steven Rios moved to the ledge. And as Television Cameras were trained on him, a Police Negotiator talked him down. John short <\/a>i just thought his behavior just reeked of guilt, to be honest with you. And it was just, an innocent man doesnt act like that. Not in my opinion. One of the common allegations people will throw at at Homicide Detectives is that they got Tunnel Vision as soon as that man got up on that roof and threatened to kill himself. After that, they just didnt think about any other possibility. It was done. John short <\/a>thats not true. We could have ignored the rest of the leads from there on out and said, no, we got our guy. But you didnt. No. Never. Keith morrison in fact, Detective Short said his boss made sure to remind the investigative team that steven was just one suspect among many. He used to tell us every day, dont put on your blinders. Even if this guy looks like this is the person, we got to still clear everybody else or not. Keith morrison like ed, the aspiring chef. Police interrogated him several times. Found no motive. And besides i kind of felt for the guy, to be honest with you, a little bit because he just wasnt an emotionally strong person at all. Keith morrison was that enough to clear ed . What about his alibi . His tough guy roommate,<\/a> eric . Hed gone out that night, remember . Around the time of the murder. So we found the individuals that he had gone to. And they confirmed that during that entire time frame, we could account for his whereabouts. Keith morrison what about zev, the son of columbias highly respected rabbi . Zev who denied he was jesses lover,<\/a> but failed the Voice Stress Test. Police wondered, was he the person the eyewitness had seen crying near Jesses House . So you took this kids picture out and showed it to the apparent eyewitness, though. Mmhmm. What did that person say . I think he said that he wasnt sure. Was there a chance it was zev . John short <\/a>i find it hard to believe. To me, it came down to motive, that i didnt i couldnt see where there would be motive on his behalf to do anything. Keith morrison a full week into the investigation, police did not have enough evidence to arrest anyone for the murder of Jesse Valencia. But that changed when Detective Short got the Dna Results from Jesses Body. Coming up. Libby sullivan <\/a>i packed up his things. Sold our house. Did all the things that you would do if somebody dies. If somebody dies. Keith morrison a wife moves on, still convinced of her Husbands Innocence he wasnt covered in blood. There wasnt anything in our house. There wasnt anything in his vehicle. It does not make sense to me. Keith morrison when dateline continues. Stay ahead of your childs moderatetosevere eczema. And they can show off clearer skin and less itch with dupixent, the 1 prescribed biologic by dermatologists and allergists, that helps heal your Childs Skin from within. Serious allergic reactions can occur that can be severe. Tell your doctor about new or worsening Eye Problems such as Eye Pain or vision <\/a>changes including blurred vision, Joint Aches and pain, or a parasitic infection. Dont change or stop asthma medicines without talking to your doctor. Ask your Childs Eczema Specialist about dupixent.<\/a> Billy one second,<\/a> grandma. This guy is going to buy my car. Okay . Ask your Childs Eczema Grandma you need carvana. Entering plate number.<\/a> Grandma no accidents, right . Billy no. Grandma generating offer.<\/a> Carvana can pick it up tomorrow billy thats an amazing offer. Announcer sell your car the easy way with carvana. Subject 1 <\/a>whos coming in the driveway . 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Announcer join with your Debit Or Credit card <\/a>now, and well send you this st. Jude tshirt <\/a>that you can proudly wear. [speaking spanish] subject 7 are you ready to go have some fun . Subject 8 yeah subject 7 Yay Subject 9 when we came here, we didnt know what tomorrow would hold. St. Jude showed us that tomorrow theres hope for our Little Girl to survive. Announcer lets Cure Childhood Cancer together. Please donate now. Feeling ughh <\/a>from a backed up gut . Ughh. Miralax works naturally with the water in your body to help you go. Free your gut and your mood will follow. For 8 grams of fiber, try mirafiber gummies.<\/a> For 8 grams of fiber, one month after Jesse Valencias murder,<\/a> Steven Rios was again being held at a secure mental health facility.<\/a> Libby went to see him now and again, but it was over for them. And she knew it. Libby sullivan <\/a>i packed up his things. Sold our house. Sold his vehicle. Did all the things that you would do if somebody dies. Libby sullivan <\/a>if somebody dies. Because it was as if as if i mean, that person that i knew was gone. Keith morrison and then Detective Short got the Dna Results. Remember, the Medical Examiner sent Jesses Fingernail clippings to the lab. And under one of them, there it was. Just a minuscule speck of it, but unmistakable, Stevens Dna. Problem was, it wasnt the only dna the lab found. Eds dna <\/a>was under that same fingernail, too. We were not surprised to find Ed Mcdevitts dna.<\/a> Ed readily admitted that there was sexual contact between him and jesse. Steve said he had not had any contact nor had he seen this individual since like, the 28th or the 29th of the prior month. So were talking a full week. At least, yeah. Keith morrison for police, the Dna Results settled it. They charged Steven Rios with the Firstdegree Murder of Jesse Valencia. And 10 months later, he stood in a Columbia Courtroom not in uniform, but in handcuffs. The Trial Lawyers should read the classics dostoevsky,<\/a> tolstoy, dickens. Because a good Trial Lawyer is a master storyteller.<\/a> Keith morrison so it didnt hurt that the prosecutor brought in from a Neighboring County to avoid any whiff of partiality just happened to be a novelist on the side. His name . Morley swingle. You need to make sure that every one of those jurors is confident in their soul that this guy is proven guilty Beyond A Reasonable Doubt. Keith morrison of course, swingle told the jury about that dot of dna under Jesses Fingernail. But there was more. Several of stevens hairs were found on Jesses Chest. Morley swingle the expert said that every hair on Jesses Chest that had a root, they had tested. They all came back to being Steven Rios dna.<\/a> Keith morrison yes. And the kind of hair it was wasnt the sort that tends to just fall out. They were Limb Hairs limb. Hairs from your arm. Keith morrison and here, the prosecutor went out on a limb.<\/a> He argued, steven must have rubbed off those hairs when he used a common Police Chokehold called the unilateral neck restraint.<\/a> That is how steven rendered jesse unconscious,<\/a> said Morley Swingle, before killing him. Ive been a police defensive Tactics Instructor for about 30 years. And i was the Academy Instructor that Steven Rios went through. Im going to move in and get underneath his armpit. Keith morrison this is todd burke. The prosecutor called him to the stand to demonstrate the chokehold to the jury. We asked him and Detective Short to do the same for us. Ok, so im underneath his arm on this side. Ive got him locked up on this side. And then im going to push my head into the back of his head and basically, shut down most of the Blood Supply in and out of his head. Keith morrison and remember the bruises the Medical Examiner found on Jesses Chest and back . If this was not done properly or he didnt get a Grip Or Jesse was able to fight his way out of it, the first thing that people do is try to shove the person back into the hold, or even striking this way. And thats where the bruising was. So then he goes down on his back. Yes. Throats cut at that point. That is the theory, yes. Keith morrison but cut his throat with what . A knife just like this, said the prosecutor. A Clipon Knife with a partly serrated edge,<\/a> which just happened to be quite popular with cops. The prosecutor said steven lied when he claimed he never owned one. Multiple officers had seen him with a clip knife.<\/a> And i put several of them on the stand. Keith morrison why use such a knife on his young lover . The prosecution called to the stand one of jesses close friends. And she told the same story jesses online buddy Patrick Rogers did. I believe that this Police Officer ive been having an affair with must be a married man. And the next time he comes over, im going to confront him about it. Keith morrison and the friend testified, out him to the Police Chief. There it was, said Prosecutor Swingle. A motive to kill. Morley Swingle Jesse had confronted him. And rios chased him and caught him. Choked him until he lost consciousness and cut his throat. And then hurried home and got rid of the knife somewhere along the way. Keith morrison but Prosecutor Swingle did not persuade libby. Because she said she saw steven with her own eyes when he came home. Walked calmly through their front door. And so when she was asked to take the stand in stevens defense,<\/a> she did. Ive seen him upset before, where he was clearly anxious or agitated. He was none of those things. He wasnt covered in blood. I know that there wasnt anything in our house. There wasnt anything in his vehicle. And i just do not understand how somebody could in that time frame not only commit the crime, but clean up after themselves. Not leave a trace behind. Come home to their wife like everything was normal. It does not make sense to me. Keith morrison after libby testified, steven did, too. He was emotional, impassioned. Swore he didnt own the kind of knife that killed jesse. Never choked anyone. And time discrepancy or not, he simply drove straight home that night. Jesses mother <\/a>linda didnt buy it. Linda valencia hes staring at the prosecutor and trying to look him in the eye and answer his questions, but then he averts his eyes. And my daddy always told me that if Somebody Cant look you in the eye and tell you something, then theyre lying to you. Keith morrison it was up to the jury now. Who would they believe . Coming up, a verdict there was never a doubt in my mind. There are a lot of people that cheat. It doesnt make them a murderer. Keith morrison when dateline continues. man these men of means with their silver spoons.<\/a> What will become of them when they discover robinhood gold allows others to earn their very liberal rates on idle cash. They would descend into chaos. Craig here pays too much for verizon wireless.<\/a> So he sublet half his real Estate Office to a pet shop.<\/a> Theres a smarter way to save. Comcast business mobile.<\/a> You could save up to an incredible 70 on your wireless bill.<\/a> So you dont have to compromise. Powering smarter savings.<\/a> Powering possibilities. Switch to comcast Busines Internet and mobie <\/a>and find out how to get te latest 5g Phone on s with a qualifying tradei.<\/a> Dont wait call, click or visit an xfinity store today.<\/a> On the third floor of the boone county courthouse,<\/a> jurors were holed up deliberating the fate of Disgraced Cop Steven Rios. Hours passed. Linda and libby waited on opposite sides of the courtroom. There are a lot of people that cheat every day, unfortunately, but it doesnt make them a murderer. I knew he was the one that killed him. And there was never a doubt in my mind. Keith morrison and nine hours later, the jury agreed with linda. Steven was convicted of Firstdegree Murder and sentenced to life without parole.<\/a> Libby was devastated. The jury came back and said guilty. What was that like for you . I mean, i dont know if theres another word for it, but shock. Keith morrison and that was when local Crime Novelist Barri Bumgarner got a call from a friend on the police force.<\/a> She kept saying you really ought to look into this. Says you cant make this stuff up. You just cant make this up. Keith morrison so more on a whim than anything, Barri Whod read about the trial in the local paper. Decided to send Steven Rios a <\/a>letter, see if hed give her an interview. And he said yes. So i was having these visions of i want justice for jesse, im going to interview rios,<\/a> and get rios to confess to me. Keith morrison but he didnt. Anything but. In fact, what steven said persuaded barri to start all over, to investigate the facts of the case herself. So what what is all of this here . What have we got here . This is a binder of interviews, which i also have on recorders. Police reports.<\/a> Police reports.<\/a> Police reports.<\/a> Police reports.<\/a> Keith Morrison Something like, 400 interviews. A wealth of information about jesse and about steven that the jury mostly never got to see. And somewhere in all that, said barri, she saw a pattern in the lovers liaisons. She said steven would usually show up at jesses during his shift sometime after midnight. Never as late as the time prosecutors said he did on the night of the murder. Why would he go up on the Parking Garage and have a couple of beers and wait until 4 45 am when he had never gone over there, and he didnt know jesse was asleep, and his wifes at home waiting for him . Keith morrison and remember how jesse talked about confronting steven . Said hed expose him . Some of Jesses Friends told barri, he enjoyed shocking people a bit. And those stories he told them about confronting steven, about outing him to the Police Chief could have been just that, stories. Whats more, said barri, despite what jesse had told his friends, she could find nothing no voicemail, no text, no Phone Call, even to prove the men talked that week at all. So it wasnt like there was a Phone Call that said, hey you better get over here and make right with this, or im going to out you. There wasnt any of that. So for me, the motive and opportunity,<\/a> its just its just missing. Keith morrison and when she talked to the jurors, it did not reassure her about their verdict. Barri bumgarner <\/a>several of the jurors five different jurors said, well, i just couldnt wrap my head around if not rios,<\/a> then who . Werent the police right, though, when they said nobody else had a motive . I would venture to say the young man with a Rabbi Father who didnt know his son was gay, i think you maybe had a similar motive for him. Keith Morrison Zev, the rabbis son, had always denied being gay, let alone sleeping with jesse. But barri said Jesses Friends told her hed joked about Outing Zev to his dad. So was that just a joke . Barri wondered if zev might have been that unidentified young man spotted crying in the Street Middle of the night. The eyewitness was shown a photograph of zev and said, no, i dont think thats the guy. He is shown a High School yearbook picture,<\/a> is what they showed him. He did not look like the same young man. I saw his picture from when he was 19 from when he was in High School and he looked nothing like that picture. Keith morrison i asked her, how many times has she interviewed steven . More than 100 she said. Is it possible that youve spoken to him too much . That you see the world through his eyes maybe more than is comfortable . I dont think so. Do you think hes innocent . I dont think he should have been convicted. You wont go to innocence. I dont think he did it. I dont. I dont think he had time. Keith morrison but that was just her opinion, after all. And then an amazing thing happened. Two years after stevens conviction,<\/a> an Appellate Court ruled that the jury should not have been allowed to hear testimony from Jesses Friend about what he had told her. The business about outing steven.<\/a> That, said the appeals court,<\/a> was hearsay. Didnt count. Steven rios would get a Brand New trial. Did you think they were just going to release him, let them go . Linda valencia i didnt know what they were going to do. I had so many people tell me that, oh, hell get out of it because hes a cop. Hes going to get out of it. And i said, not as long as i live, he will not. Keith morrison Coming Up Keith Morrison was Steven Rios on trial <\/a>for Murder Or Morality . The prosecution in this case was based around several things, and one of them was the fact that rios lied, lied and lied and lied. About sex, sex, and sex. Keith morrison when dateline continues. When you have moderate to severe eczema, its okay to show off. With dupixent, show off your clearer skin and less itch. Because you have plenty of reasons to show off your skin. With dupixent, the 1 prescribed biologic by dermatologists and allergists, you can stay ahead of your eczema. It helps block a key source of inflammation inside the body that can cause eczema to help heal your skin from within. Many adults saw 90 clearer skin, some even achieved longlasting clearer skin and fast Itch Relief after first dose. Serious allergic reactions can occur that can be severe. Tell your doctor about new or worsening Eye Problems such as Eye Pain or vision <\/a>changes including blurred vision, Joint Aches and pain, or a parasitic infection. Dont change or stop asthma medicines without talking to your doctor. Show off to the world. Ask your Eczema Specialist about dupixent.<\/a> Strike forecasters predicting another hurricane to hit florida as residence there struggled to recover from helene. Tropical Storm Milton is on its way to becoming a major hurricane in several days, Floridas Governor preparing a State Of Emergency for 35 counties in the third Possibles Case of Bird Flu has been identified in central valley,<\/a> california. No one has been hospitalized in the ritz and the risk for now to the public remains low. Back to dateline. Remains low. Back to dateline. Of some sacred thing unspoken the day we climbed up from the hollow to jesses hill, the place where he is buried on the Family Farm. What did this area mean to jesse . This hill, this spot . This was the he would walk out the path from our house and come out here and climb over the fence, and then go over to my mom and dads. Which was over that way. Yeah, over that way. Keith morrison it was the Place Linda came to find her courage for the second trial of Steven Rios. She was going to need it. Keith morrison Steven Rios had a Brand New Defense Attorney. A man not interested in winning any prizes for sensitivity. His name, Gillis Leonard. Gillis leonard i like to think im sort of like Jimmy Stewart in anatomy of a murder.<\/a> Just a good old, down Home Lawyer that just likes to drink now and then, and just likes to do well by people. Keith morrison the Defense Attorney faced no big surprises. The Prosecutors Case was mostly a replay of the trial three years before. Ambitious cop desperate to keep his secret kills gay lover. Keith morrison science,<\/a> the prosecutor promised the jury, would prove it. Who else,<\/a> but the murderer would leave dna under Jesses Fingernail, or hairs on Jesses Chest . And the Crime Lab had unmasked who that murderer was. The profiles from the three hairs are consistent with each other,<\/a> as well as with the profile from Steven Rios. Keith morrison but this time around, the Prosecutors Case was hobbled by that Appellate Court ruling.<\/a> This time, the jury would not get to hear what jesse told his friends about his plans to expose steven. Morley swingle and that was the motive, i believe, and so the jury didnt get to hear that the second time around. Keith morrison still, the prosecutor drove home the essentials. A timeline that fit the murder and the behavior of a guilty man. That threat of suicide and all those lies. The prosecution in this case was based around several things, and one of them was the fact that rios lied, lied and lied and lied. About sex, sex, and sex. Keith morrison instead of hiding from the lies Keith Morrison leonard said, so what . Gillis leonard he was a married man with a small baby at home having an illicit affair with a young boy well, a young man. And so yes, your first inclination is to lie. That doesnt make you a murderer. It makes you a liar. One of the investigating officers said when he got up on that rooftop, he was going to kill himself. Yes. Keith morrison i knew then, for sure, he was the killer. Gillis leonard so apparently, god, the holy ghost,<\/a> or Jesus Christ was in a Police Uniform and was able to look into Stevens Heart and know that thats why he was Jumping Off. Keith morrison the Defense Attorney hoped that if the jury could look past stevens lies and adultery, theyd begin to see holes in the prosecutions evidence.<\/a> Like the Timeline Police worked out, sheer fantasy said the defense. Look at all that he would have had to accomplish. He would have had to chase this boy down. I dont know whether youve been out to the scene yet i have. Gillis leonard but its not a short little across The Street. You got to go up and over. He had to, quote, subdue him with what i used to refer to as the secret ninja chokehold.<\/a> Execute him. Get rid of the clothes. Clean up. Keith morrison what the defense asked the jury to do was think of the prosecutions theories as something like a work of speculative fiction.<\/a> Consider the neighbor, said leonard.<\/a> And kind of bumping into the wall. Keith morrison the neighbor who said he heard a commotion in Jesses Apartment. Man do you recall telling Police Officers that you believe that it was any time between 3 30 and 4 30 . I gave them a guesstimate, and that was that was what i had told them at the time. Keith morrison between 3 30 and 4 30 am, the defense pointed out, at least four people saw steven Drinking Beer on the Police Station roof. A gathering that broke up around dawn, according to this detective. I remember making a comment about day breaking.<\/a> In the far, i guess, northeast sky,<\/a> i believe, the sky started to lighten up. Keith morrison but hang on a moment. When the defense got to question the Medical Examiner, she told him the crime happened before daybreak. Man you believe now that the sun had not come up when mr. Valencia had met his end. It was dark, thats correct. Keith morrison if that was true and steven was on the roof until dawn, would that mean he didnt Kill Jesse . Just as fantastical, said leonard, was the Prosecutions Theory of how steven would have killed jesse. He showed the jury that Dash Cam Video from the Traffic Stop steven made the night of the murder. Might be hard to see, but the Defense Attorney said it showed there was no knife on stevens belt.<\/a> In fact, steven said he never owned a serrated clip knife.<\/a> As for what he called the secret ninja chokehold.<\/a> In about three to seven seconds. At The End, underneath his arm. Keith Morrison Todd Burke had demonstrated the chokehold for the jury in the courtroom on the prosecutor. Why use yourself . Morley swingle well, what could be more dramatic than the prosecutors choked into Unconsciousness Right in front of the jury . Keith morrison but Defense Attorney leonard had his own dramatic demonstration. Ok. Alan, take your left Arm And Grab mr. <\/a>Burkes elbow and his arm. Keith morrison he wanted the jury to see jesse would have been able to fight back, to scratch whoever was attacking him. Gillis leonard how do you do that and not leave a scratch . Not leave some more skin under the fingernails . Not leave some kind of mark . Again, there were no marks on steven. Keith morrison and of course, thered be a bit of Stevens Dna under Jesses Fingernails, argued leonard. Theyd had sex. A week earlier, sure, but maybe dna was left over from that encounter. Sex could explain the hairs on Jesses Chest too, he said. The Crime Lab had found several hairs belonging to steven on jesses comforter.<\/a> Gillis leonard his Bed Linens were days old, so he could have easily gotten those hairs rolling around in the bed that him and steven had rolled around in a few days before. Keith morrison and there was one final piece of scientific evidence the defense wanted the jury to consider. Remember, steven was not the only person whose dna was under Jesses Fingernails. That aspiring chef Ed Mcdevitt, one of the last people who had seen jesse alive, his dna was there, too. And here was a central theme of the defense. Police may have gotten the wrong man. Coming up. Libby sullivan <\/a>it was important to set that record straight. Because you believe it to be true. I 100 believe it to be true. Keith Morrison Libby takes the stand and adds an intriguing twist to her testimony Libby Sullivan i know that, that clock was set fast. I know that. Keith morrison when dateline continues. 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Go to carvana and track your Cars Value today.<\/a> When your child has moderatetosevere eczema, its okay to for them to show off. Show off their clearer skin and noticeably less itch with dupixent. Because children 6 months and older with eczema have plenty of reasons to show off their skin. With dupixent, the 1 prescribed biologic by dermatologists and allergists, they can stay ahead of their eczema. It helps block a key source of inflammation inside the body that can cause eczema to help heal your Childs Skin from within. Serious allergic reactions can occur that can be severe. Tell your doctor about new or worsening Eye Problems such as Eye Pain or vision <\/a>changes including blurred vision, Joint Aches and pain, or a parasitic infection. Dont change or stop asthma medicines without talking to your doctor. Show off to the world. Ask your Childs Eczema Specialist about dupixent.<\/a> Ask your Childs Eczema it had been harder than linda expected to sit through another trial. She hated listening to the lawyers score points over her sons most intimate secrets, his lovers, even his bed sheets. Linda Valencia Id laugh <\/a>at some of it, and then i would get mad because i did feel like jesse was on trial. You cant say anything about it. Linda valencia and you cant do anything. Cant say anything. If there ever was a Keith Morrison Defense Attorney Gillis Leonard aggressively poked holes in the prosecutions case.<\/a> He argued steven was the victim of a witch hunt.<\/a> Gillis leonard i firmly believe that the Columbia Police Department, once they focused on steven, they didnt even bother to go anywhere else. Keith morrison of course, the detectives took issue with that. Remember their vow to guard against Tunnel Vision . Well, that was just spin, said leonard.<\/a> It was obvious from the way investigators had handled their search of Ed Mcdevitts apartment,<\/a> jesses new lover, the wannabe chef. Man did you find a bag of knives in that apartment . No sir. Man did you secure any so you didnt find a bag of knives in the apartment . I didnt. Keith morrison and yet, ed himself said he kept the knives in his bedroom in plain sight. Leonard called that halfhearted, sloppy detective work.<\/a> Equally sloppy, according to the defense, was Investigators Failure to follow up on what eds roommate, eric thurston, had told them. Man did you tell Detective Short that when Ed Mcdevitt uses alcohol along with prescription pills, he does become out of control and very violent . Yes. Keith morrison remember, eric was the one whod given ed his alibi. Said hed seen him come home. Nonsense, said the Defense Attorney. How could he . Eric had been out on a date at the time. Man so the truth is, you werent home mr. Mcdevitt did not come home while you were home. Eric thurston <\/a>i dont know at this point. Im not sure at this point. Im not. Im not going to give you one way or the other. Im sorry. Keith morrison the jury got to hear from ed himself when the prosecutor called him to the stand. Morley swingle if i didnt put him on, then hed be the big phantom that the defense was trying to make sound so terrible. Keith morrison there is no video of eds testimony, but he told the jury he had never been violent toward Jesse Or Anyone else. So here comes this phantom, and this phantom turns out to be kind of a shy soft spoken. Very very, very clean cut, shy, young man who was devastated. Keith Morrison Ed did not agree to an oncamera interview.<\/a> But he told us he did not Kill Jesse, he had nothing to do with it, and he grieves for him to this day. But of course, there was some one else investigators had considered a Person Of Interest, wasnt there . Zev, the rabbis son.<\/a> Gillis leonard his vehicle may or may not have been seen in the area. Jesses friends <\/a>told me that he was breaking up with him. And this kids first gay love affair,<\/a> and he was deeply hurt. Keith morrison the Defense Attorney grilled zev about his relationship with jesse. Gillis leonard mr. <\/a>Feintuch, so isnt it true that jesse was your first alternative Lifestyle Experience . You mean, my first gay friend . Gillis leonard no, the first time that you had a gay relationship. No, thats not true. I never had a gay relationship. Keith Morrison Zev did not deny trying to call jesse the night of his death. Gillis leonard you called him at 12 01. Yes. Gillis leonard then you tried again at 1 07. Yes. Gillis leonard then its your testimony you went to bed. Yes. Gillis leonard didnt you really just drive over to Jesses Apartment about 3 00 am in the 1996 green buick . No. Gillis leonard did you not get out of the Drivers Side and walk around to his apartment . No, i didnt do that. Keith Morrison Zev denied it all. He lived at his parents basement.<\/a> And if he had taken that car out in the middle of the night, the Garage Door would have gone up, they would have heard it, and you know. How would we know if they heard it . I guess the what, the parents are going to come in and go, oh, hey, on the morning of the murder, our son, who was having an affair with him, we heard the Garage Door go up and the Car Leave . Keith morrison on the witness stand,<\/a> Zevs Mother was adamant, she swore zev never left the house at all that night. Gillis leonard did you see zev go to bed . Yes. Gillis leonard what time was it he went to bed . About 1 30. John short <\/a>theres always that mystery man defense.<\/a> Keith morrison Detective John short <\/a>listened to the Defense Attorney call his investigation sloppy, incompetent, blinkered. The real story, he said, was far from that. Im sure you beat the waterfront a lot to see whether Theres Anybody else who may have even a stranger walking by who picked a fight and killed him. John short <\/a>this Case File turned out to be almost 1,300 pages. We interviewed a lot of people. We got several tips of you might want to look at this person, you might want to talk to this person. We searched them all down. Every one every lead was followed up on and completed. Nothing and no Information Or Evidence led us to anybody else. Keith morrison but what would the jury believe . The Defense Attorney had one more ace up his sleeve, libby. By this time, libby was stevens exwife, she was in a new relationship, and she wasnt happy to be back in court. I was angry about it. I remember fighting with my parents about it. And just being i wanted to move on. Keith morrison she told her familiar story. Waking up at 5 15 am to baby graysons cry.<\/a> Seeing her husband walk through the door without a scratch 5 20 or so. Then she volunteered a detail she had told others for years, but did not bring up at the first trial. I know that, that clock was set fast. I know that. Keith Morrison Libby testified that steven must have arrived home even sooner than she first told police. So you set your own clock fast. Right. Keith morrison so you wouldnt be late for work. Mmhmm. Absolutely. How fast . It was i would say, it was probably seven minutes fast, usually. Keith morrison which, said the defense, meant steven got home even earlier than police thought and had even less time to commit the murder. He was last seen alive Keith Morrison prosecutor Morley Swingle was skeptical. Didnt exactly accuse libby of lying, but close. Morley swingle i just wanted to point out what her what her previous statement had been so the jury would see that well, shes tried to shorten that time frame a little bit. Keith morrison do you feel like you were being called a liar when you were on the stand . Oh, i certainly think i was. For me, it was important to set that record straight. Because you believe it to be true. I 100 believe it to be true. You dont think its your memory is adjusting no. Keith morrison and editing.<\/a> No. Keith Morrison Libbys revised timeline, attorney Leonards Attack on the police investigation, Linda Valencia, a grieving mother,<\/a> hated it. Steven rios, once convicted cop, saw possibilities. And the jury went out and closed the door. Coming up <\/a>there was enough reasonable doubt to drive a truck through. Keith morrison two families await the verdict. And Steven Rios talks.<\/a> Some people think im a killer. Some people think im not. Keith morrison what will the jury think . When dateline continues. Feeling ughh <\/a>from a backed up gut . Ughh. Miralax works naturally with the water in your body to help you go. Free your gut and your mood will follow. For 8 grams of fiber, try mirafiber gummies.<\/a> Air wick. Every year millions of noses are ghosted by their plugins. New Air Wick advanced. Our groundbreaking plugin that Pulses Scent for staying power, up to 60 days. Plus a fragrance boost button.<\/a> Our noses wont be ignored again. Plus athe jury will nowbutton. Retire to deliberate and reach their verdicts. Keith morrison Steven Rios watched the 12 strangers who would be deciding his Fate File out of the courtroom. Jurors who had not heard his story. Not from him, anyway. He had chosen not to testify. Some people think im a killer. Some people think i am not. You know, i know im not. Keith morrison he did speak to us by Video Link from prison. And he had a lot to say about libby, about grayson, about his once perfect life. What happened that made all this go south . What was the first thing . First mistake . Probably crossing paths with jesse. I mean, meeting him. Keith morrison the night he arrested jesse.<\/a> Steven rios with a lot of people in that circumstance, theyre not very friendly, but he was it was like 20 questions. And he didnt have a he didnt feel any ill will. But youre a cop. You arrest people before. Some of them are very nice. But you made a decision. You said, ok, im going to go back there. Something might happen. Something sexual might happen because im attracted and so, obviously, is he. Yeah. Well, i didnt set out kind of for that end result.<\/a> Keith morrison no. He said, he only wanted to make sure jesse was ok. The sex was a surprise, he said. It is widely understood that he was enjoying this relationship with you, maybe as much as you were with him, but he found out you were married and intended to confront you about that. So did that happen . No, that never Keith Morrison well, why would he tell his mother he was going to . Why would he tell his friends he was going to . Why would why would he say those things to people if they never happened . I i have no idea. He never me being married never never came up. Keith morrison the point was said steven, he didnt know that jesse might have been planning to expose him, so he simply had no motive to kill him. Though, he agreed it might be hard to just take his word for it given how he lied to libby, the police, to everybody. Had you come forward and said, look, i did have a personal relationship with this guy and laid it all your cards on the table, if youre innocent, why wouldnt you do that . Well, if well, having a Samesex Relationship when youre a married Police Officer well, you know, youre a human being, as well. They do that. Well, its its easy to say now, but it wasnt anything that i was proud of. It wasnt anything that i wanted to reveal to the guys that i worked with. Keith morrison so he said he did want to hide that from the investigators, but he didnt he swore he didnt want to hide anything else. Quite the opposite, he said. Hed done everything he could to help investigators. Steven rios if you want to search my car, search my car. If you want to search my house, search my house. If you want to clear your name, the way to do that is not Jumping Off a building. Its staying and telling the truth. Wouldnt you agree . So why why why threaten suicide . Steven Rios Everything was everything was crazy. I was pissed off. And i know people say stay and fight, but the life you had is over. Keith morrison now the question was, would he get it back . Libbys parents <\/a>thought he might. While the jury deliberated, they began making plans for steven for a life outside of prison. We all decided he couldnt stay in columbia. Where was he going to go . Didnt have a job. Keith morrison Crime Novelist Barri Bumgarner felt confident, too. She had shared some of her research with the defense. Was sure hed made his case. There was enough reasonable doubt to drive a truck through. Keith morrison she was across The Street having lunch when the word came, a verdict. Man we, the jury, having found the Defendant Steven Arthur Rios guilty of murder in the second degree. Barri bumgarner <\/a>there was a gasp in the courtroom. Jesses friends <\/a>cheered, but there was a gasp from a lot of people who were watching it. Keith morrison Steven Rios was found guilty of Seconddegree Murder this time. Hell be up for parole in 2049. Way too soon for linda. It still wasnt enough. I wanted the death penalty.<\/a> Keith morrison but the prosecutor sees some justice in it. 24 jurors with no dog in the fight came in and heard this evidence, and its 24 to zero that the prosecutor has proven Beyond A Reasonable Doubt that Steven Rios committed this murder. Keith Morrison Libby still had her doubts. In fact, told us, shell believe steven is innocent until she dies. Its why she talked to us all these years later. Its why she encouraged her sons trips hundreds of miles three times a year to visit his dad in prison. We went with him and libby on one of those long rides. Hes a young man, now. Its crazy. Youre so big. Keith morrison well, youve chosen a pretty interesting path. And i think its interesting that you say that ive chosen that path because i dont you dont see it that way . Libby sullivan <\/a>i dont feel like it was a choice. I think if it was a choice, i 100 , it would be easier for me if i could have believed that he was guilty sure and moved on with my life and not looked back. Keith morrison and linda has her grandchildren now, said little brayden is a spitting image of jesse. Well, they keep me busy. I got a full schedule. But most days, she climbs the steep little hill to the place her jesse will forever be, watched over by the statue of that very maria of the song. Here at the start of his favorite path, the one that goes over the fence and through the woods to the barn over there. After Jesses Death going through his things, linda found a poem hed written about this very place. Linda valencia i remember it, the summer heat,<\/a> and the long walk down the road, and its all too familiar as i stroll down the beaten gravel path.<\/a> And the indian winds blow through the high corn fields. Its youth, escaped from all harm of the unpleasant memories that touched me here. They certainly cant touch me now. Keith morrison the song of a young man trading his past for a better future. It has a different meaning now. I miss him, still. I mean, i think about him every day. Every day. Every heartbeat. Hello, im Craig Melvin, and this is dateline. Hello, im Craig Melvin, and this is dateline. Becc Craig Melvin voiceover a fire chief,<\/a> murdered","publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"archive.org","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","width":"800","height":"600","url":"\/\/ia800804.us.archive.org\/12\/items\/MSNBCW_20241006_050000_Dateline\/MSNBCW_20241006_050000_Dateline.thumbs\/MSNBCW_20241006_050000_Dateline_000001.jpg"}},"autauthor":{"@type":"Organization"},"author":{"sameAs":"archive.org","name":"archive.org"}}],"coverageEndTime":"20241007T12:35:10+00:00"}