Transcripts For MSNBCW Dateline 20200309 : vimarsana.com

They will not take this case to trial. This case did not have a lot. Everything just kinda, like, went cold case. Reporter blow off the dust. Fan the ashes. And even an icecold case can heat up again. When i read the file, my response was, oh, my gosh. Hows this guy walkin around . How is he not in custody . Reporter some worried answering that question could cost this d. A. His life. They tell me that he is making plans to murder you and your family. This is a guy who is on a mission. Reporter he killed once. Would he kill again . When will he stop being dangerous to you . When hes dead. Hello and welcome to dateline. Joan lockwood was an outgoing divorced multiple four four excited about her next chapter in life. She was packing her bags and moving to a new home when five gun debt shots cruelly ended her plans. For police proving who killed joan was an ominous task. A killer was out there lurking and leaving joans Family Living in near, but they werent the only ones whose lives might be in danger. Heres Keith Morrison with the threat. Reporter on the Southern Bank of the columbia river, tucked away in a corner of this Little Cemetery is the final resting place of a woman called joan. Barbara Joan Lockwood. She wasnt a famous woman, joan, wasnt rich or celebrated. She lived a quiet life in a quiet place and was buried here more than three decades ago, but if ghosts could rise from their graves, if joan could speak to us now, what questions could she answer, what advice for this man, this tough, aggressive prosecutor who now fears for his life . This man is a threat to me. Hes a threat, more importantly, to my family. Reporter in the anils sometimes they refuse to die. Sometimes they lay and fester. It begins with joan. She lived when she lived 1,000 miles south of that Little Cemetery, a few miles from the beach in l. A. In a suburb called torrance. On a quiet street named sharon lane. There was joan, her husband Bill Bradford and their four children. This is joans only daughter, shawn. People would describe her as the most caring, sweetest person they ever met. Reporter there were three boys, brett, the eldest. My mom loved her kids, we were first and foremost of what was important to her. Reporter the whole neighborhood knew that. Neighbors loved my mom and would flatout say, we didnt even know your dad. Maybe that was in part because of Bill Bradfords job. Bill worked as an aerospace engineer, very high security, top secret clearance at a Company Called trw. Trw back in the 80s was an aero defense firm. Top of the top. Top of the top. So his reputation as work, did you know much about that . I knew he was good at what he did, but he was also very secretive about it. You just dont talk about it. Yeah, you dont want talk about it. Reporter in fact, Bill Bradford didnt talk much about anything to anybody. Even his own family. He was just very much, you know, heres my role. I work, i come home, i eat dinner, and then he went to his bedroom. Just to be alone or what. To work on his stamp collection. Reporter exacting, organized, introvert. Joans particular opposite. And eventually that disconnect took its toll. Bill moved out. Joan moved on, filed for divorce. The kids grew up and moved away. And in the fall of 1988, joan sole the house on sharon lane. My mom was trying to finish up the sale and the move from torrance to start her life over again. Reporter it was a friday evening. Joan was packing, getting ready. Shawn and a younger brother called her on the phone, told her, were coming over. It was just getting dark when they arrived. So we opened up the door, went in, calling for her. Nothing. As i went through the front living room, i caught something out of the corner of my eye. It was my mom. And she was laying on the ground. And i could see blood everywhere. Reporter in a panic, shawn called 911 and then called her brother brett. She says, moms been hurt. Shes got a hole in her neck. She was frantic. Reporter then the police and paramedics arrived and cordoned off the place where she lay. I could see numerous bullet holes in the back of her neck. Reporter keith mason was a detective, torrance pd. In all my years ive seen people shot. Mmhmm. In homicides, but never this many times. Never. Five times. This is really an execution. Definitely. Reporter what shawn had seen, her mother on the floor, had been so confusing. But now she saw nothing because they kept her away. One of the paramedics met me, and i looked at him and said, will she be okay . Thinking that she was still alive . Yeah. I wasnt processing. But he finally just looked at me and just shook his head no. And thats when i realized that she was dead. Reporter had she seen what was coming . Did she know her life was over . They had taken the body out. Someone had taken a carpet cleaner to clean up the blood, and basically my last memory is a Carpet Cleaning of my moms blood. Which she didnt deserve to die that way. Reporter sweet, kindharted Joan Bradford was 52. Who did it . Why . Next to her body was a clue. I saw a bullet lying on the floor by her foot from a. 38 caliber or a. 357 caliber handgun and they both fire the same bullet. When the detective asked me if i knew anybody who owned a gun, my initial response was no. My brother turned around and nodded, and he looked at me and said, dad has one. And i stopped and went, youre right. But where was Bill Bradford and his gun . Coming up he did, in fact, own a model 66 smith wesson handgun. We did find a box in his bedroom that was supposed to contain a smith wesson but it was empty. And a peek inside that failed marriage. He pushed her down. Her head hit a rocking chair and shattered it. At one point when i was 16, my father actually looked me in the eye and said, lifes a bitch and then you marry one. When dateline continues. Its the 1 vet recommended protection. And its safe for puppies. Nexgard. What one little chew can do. This is charlie not coughing because he took delsym 12hour. And this is charlie still not coughing while trying his hardest not to wake zeus. Delsym 12hour. Nothing lasts longer for powerful cough relief. It looked like a mob hit. Whoever murdered Joan Bradford clearly wanted to be absolutely sure. It was brutal. It was close up. It was very revengeful type of shooting. There was no sign of a breakin. Her purse was untouched and no one in the neighborhood saw anything. So detectives turned their investigation to joans inner circle. They asked her children about their mother, their father, and the marriage. Shawn didnt hold back. It wasnt a good marriage. How long had you known that . It was obvious when i was a teenager. They never hugged. They never kissed. They rarely spoke. Reporter and when they did speak, bill was controlling, condescending. At one point when i was 16, my father actually looked me in the eye and said, lifes a bitch and then you marry one. My parents got in a fight and then he pushed her down. Her head hit a rocking chair and shattered it. I mean, thats what i grew up in. Reporter when they finally separated, the divorce was nasty. My father refused to pay child support. He refused to pay spousal support. Everything he did was to extend the divorce. Reporter it took over five years for joan to get divorced. As part of the settlement, bill was ordered to pay alimony and child support. He didnt make the payments so joan and her attorney were able to garnish that from the house sale proceeds. The total amount garnished was 40,000. Not that bad. So it really wasnt that much. But it bothered him . It bothered him because she won. To lose 40,000 . Yeah. He lost control. My father does not like losing control of anything. Reporter bill never saw it coming. Suddenly he was almost 40,000 poorer. And the day after bradford had all that money garnished, his exwife was dead. So, the cops went looking for bradford. Trouble was he seemed to have disappeared, didnt pick up his phone, didnt answer the door at his apartment. Detective mason went back to headquarters, inserted the name Bill Bradford into his database and he did, in fact, own a model 66 smith wesson handgun. 357 magnum. Reporter which just happened to fire the same kinds of bullets found at the crime scene. So detective mason got a warrant to search bradfords apartment. There was no sign of him or the gun, but we did find a box in his bedroom that was supposed to contain a smith wesson, but it was empty. Reporter saturday passed. Still no sign of Bill Bradford. Police even put up posters hoping for leads. And then on sunday, two days after the murder, he came into the police department. Well, well, well. Myself and another detective asked him if he was aware of the fact his exwife was dead. Im sorry to see her dead, but we never had a very good relationship. This guy just sat there and looked at me like im looking at you. I thought, boy, you are a cold, calculating guy. Very nonchalantly, coldly, like who cares. Reporter bradford confirmed what his children said. He was very upset about all that money from his share of the house sale that was suddenly sent to joan. So upset he left his apartment for almost two whole days. I went to redondo pier. Spent the night at the pier . I spent all the time at the pier from then until this morning at 6 00. What the hell was he doing in the pier at his car . He didnt feel good. He wanted to be alone and think. I said, you live alone. He said, well, i didnt want to talk to people, i didnt want to talk on the phone, i just wanted to be alone. Reporter but alone at the Redondo Beach pier for nearly two days. Police asked him about his. 357 magnum. Bradford admitted he once bought ammo like that. But as for the gun itself. I put my stuff in storage and ive been unable to locate it. Where do you think you left it . I havent the slightest idea where i left it. Did it strike you this fellow so wellorganized would misplace a gun . Yes, struck me odd. I knew right away he didnt misplace it. No doubt in my mind because of the type of fellow he was. Reporter bud bradford did have an alibi, a parking stub. Sure enough, he entered the pier parking lot friday of the murder, 7 29 p. M. , so he said he could not have killed joan. Unless the detectives put together a timeline. Joan answered a phone call at 7 00 p. M. But by 7 15, when shaun arrived, she was dead. We figured thats the timeline, 7 7 15, right in that timeline. Pretty narrow window. Reporter could bill have shot joan and arrive at 7 29 at the pier . They made the drive themselves. It took just seven to eight minutes. It all fit. When the detective said, your father is a prime suspect, its the only thing that made sense. There was no one who could hate my mom so much to want her dead except my father. Reporter so, just days after interviewing Bill Bradford, the detectives made their move. I arrested him. There was no way in the world im going to let this guy go. You have to be a dope not to think he did it, right . There was a ton of circumstantial evidence. Yeah. All leading to him. Murder solved. Case closed, right . Oh, no. It was just getting started. Coming up i spent a number of months looking over my shoulder, wondering who was following me. I can remember cars following me at various times. A Family Living in fear with good reason. I was afraid that someone was after me. Someone . My father. My father murdered my mother and i dont know why he did it. Would he murder me . When dateline continues. Hi. Uh, can you tell me how to get to i70, please . Ookay, are you ah, yes. Thank you. Switch to progressive and you can save hundreds. You know, like the sign says. Switch to progressive and you can save hundreds. Saturpain happens. Aleve it. Aleve is proven stronger and longer on pain than tylenol. When pain happens, aleve it. All day strong. September 1988, hot and hazy in l. A. Beach weather. But Bill Bradford wasnt at the beach anymore. No view from a jail cell. And while he waited in custody, detective keith mason went over to see the d. A. Where he described his case and waited for the goahead to charge bradford with murder for killing his exwife. Didnt quite work out that way. The head d. A. Right away said, do you have the gun . I said, no, we dont have the gun. He said, do you have anybody who could put him at the house at the time of the homicide . I said, no. He says, i dont think were going to do anything with this case. Uhoh. I was mad. I was upset. I knew i just let a murderer out the door. So Bill Bradford went home, went back to work at trw. But his children werent celebrating. In fact, they feared their father. And worried they just might be his next victims. I spent a number of months looking over my shoulder wondering who was following me. I can remember cars following me at various times. And just kind of randomly driving places, trying to figure out what was going on to lose who was tailing me. Reporter brett said he too was followed, so he installed a Home Security system, started sleeping with the lights on. I was jumpy. I would walk into my apartment and i would actually search it. Underneath the kitchen sink, all my closets, i would look under my bed. Why . Because i was afraid. That someone was after me. Someone . My father. My father murdered my mother and i dont know why he did it. So the next question is, would he murder me . Reporter the late 80s was a busy time for l. A. Homicide detectives. Murder rates were headed for their alltime peak around then. So, detective mason, no choice, really, moved on. A year passed then two. The bradford case got buried. I would sit around and wonder, oh, you know, im going to grab that bradford case out and im going to read that again. Maybe there is something i missed. Maybe there is something i didnt do. Maybe there is something i could do. Reporter but all thosing ises. Reporter but all those somethings led to a bunch of nothing. Not one new lead. Mason stayed in close contact with shaun, who by this time was engaged to be married. Her father wasnt on the guest list but shaun was worried hed show up at her wedding. We actually had plain clothes cops that were armed at our wedding. You were that nervous . Yes. He killed once. My belief was, my father killed my mom. Hes not welcome. I believe he did this. This isnt safe. Reporter and she felt nothing but relief when her father missed the wedding. His only daughters wedding. But he was around. Bold as brass. I would go out to a big plate, there hed be. Hed be Walking Around. Wow. I would think right away, wow, youre free, but i hope not for long, i hope not for long. Reporter but it was long. Very long. The John Bradford case was icecold. The 80s turned to the 90s. And then the millennium. Bill bradford remained free, sell betrayali celebrating the new year of the new millennium like everyone else. And then a few months later. I finally retired and there was no new evidence. Everything just kind of, like, went cold case. So i left and went on to greener fields. Reporter by then, Bill Bradford retired, too. Eventually moved to the desert, and by the look of it had plenty of money. And one day together his children faced the facts. Brett and i were sitting down, and he looked at me and said, so, its real. Our fathers getting away with mu murder. At that point there was nothing we could do. You know, what do you do in that situation . They didnt know, of course, how could they . What was going on in here. In secret. Didnt know who else was thinking about their estranged father and what he may have done. Coming up theres one person who would want her dead. Closing in. You got to have some evidence. All that stuff hiding in plain sight. Trying to read between line. I always think of it as death by 1,000 paper cuts. And authorities wondered whether others had been at risk. You really think he was going to go and kill a lawyer . No question. Youre speculating . We dont leave our common sense at the door. In this situation, wed have to leave our common sense in another zip code. When dateline continues. Cks chuck wood . Hey you dang woodchucks, quit chucking my wood geico. Fifteen minutes could save you fifteen percent or more on car insurance. Your colds gonna make you a zombie tomorrow. Wrong. Im taking a powerful nighttime cold medicine, so i can sleep great and wake up human. Dont eat me i taste terrible mucinex nightshift cold and flu. 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The cruise ship stranded off the coast of california with the coronavirus outbreak is expected to dock today. 21 people on board tested positive, each passenger will begin a mandatory 14day quarantine. And women marched in cities across the world on sunday to protest gender violence and inequality on International Womens day. Most protests were peaceful, but in some places like mexico city, things turned violent. Now back to dateline. Welcome back to dateline. Im natalie morales. Back in 1988, Joan Lockwood has been murdered and detectives believed all signs pointed to her exhusband Bill Bradford as the killer. But the d. A. Did not think they had enough proof to make a case, so the file went on a shelf. It had been more than a decade and joans family held fast to their belief that the evidence was out there. They just needed someone willing to look for it. Once again, heres Keith Morrison with the threat. Reporter Bill Bradfords children were convinced their father had gotten away with murdering their mother joan, shot her in cold blood and walked away a free man. Knowing that, all the evidence points to, unfortunately, your father, and knowing that hes going to get away with it, it didnt sit right. Reporter but something was being done. In 2000, about 12 years after joans murder, an ambitious prosecutor named john lewan was poking through the unsolved files at the torrance pd. When i read the file my response was, oh, my gosh, how is this guy Walking Around . How is he not in custody . It seemed so obvious. It seemed so obvious. Reporter but so difficult to prove, especially without any new solid evidence. So lewan called in cold case detective jim wallace, who seemed to have a knack for making sense of complicated cases. This case did not have a lot. We didnt have anything new. You got to have some evidence, so what do you do . You are looking for things hiding in plain sight, trying to read between lines. Sometimes when we do cold cases like this, i think of it as death by 1,000 paper cuts where we are assembling big cumulative cases from a lot of little pieces that dont seem like much. When you put it all together, this is the best inference of evidence. Wallace and lewan took a deep dive into all that original evidence, a file of mostly interviewed. With a theme. The First Response always if its from kids or friends or neighbors is william bradford. So theres one person who would want her dead. It still doesnt mean hes the killer, but it does mean of all the reasonable options he is the most reasonable option. Reporter they learned all about the bradfords troubled marriage, about bills apparent need to be in control, about the contentious divorce, the money he was forced to pay joan. There was some court orders to pay about 40,000 to my wifes attorney, and i was very depressed from that point on. Reporter they microanalyzed bradfords police interview, dissected every word. I dont really talk about it that much. Reporter im looking at word choices in all interviews. Im looking for deception indicators. Do you remember anything particularly about that process in that interview . Yeah, the investigators asked him how he felt when he first learned his wife was murdered. Im sorry to see her dead, but we never had a very good relationship. Thats a very unusual way to answer that, right . About your wife. Yeah, you dont want to see her dead. That is in some ways a tassett admission. You are the last person you could actually say you saw her dead. Reporter then there was bradfords strange story about spending two nights at the pier in his car. Even had a parking stub to prove it. When you talk to his family and you brought up, hey, is your dad, is he that kind of, you know, beach meditation put on my sandals and relate to the ocean kind of guy . Um, no. Except he was very upset. Maybe you doubt him, but its a reasonable thing for a person to say. To sleep in their car for two days . Reporter they were both convinced there was another reason bradford stayed at the pier. It just happened to be where joans attorney had an office. The very same attorney who helped her garnish that 40,000 from her exhusband. By his own statement, he was pacing, walking up and down the pier right in front of the Lawyers Office. Now, the lawyer, had he been there and bradford waited for him for two days, i have no doubt in my mind this would have been a double murder suicide. You really think he was going to go and kill a lawyer . No question. Youre speculating. You say no question, but, really, you have no idea. Things are logical and reasonable. Hes just murdered his wife. Right after he murders her, he drives to a place hes never known to go and sleeps in his car for two days and just so happens the Lawyers Office is right there. We dont leave our common sense at the door. In this situation, you know, wed have to leave our common sense in another zip code. Bradford had been beaten. This attorney made that happen. He had to die, too. Reporter and, wallace thought, he must have intended to use the very same gun with which he killed joan, the. 357 magnum bradford said he lost. I havent the slightest idea where it went. Reporter reporter wallace did a Little Research on the hollow tipped bullets bradford once had. Remember, those were the same kind of bullets that killed joan. Wallace discovered that particular type of hollow point is rare, less than 1 of all the ammo sold. Wow, what are the odds . Hes either the unlockiest person in the world that happen to align perfectly to make this perfectly innocent person look really guilty or hes really guilty. So, what you were wondering where it was. Reporter so with all those circumstantial clues and a clear motive and means, lewan and wallace drove out to the desert and arrested Bill Bradford. It was may, 2001, 13 years after joan was murdered. He had just popped open a beer. I dont think that bill realizes that you will never see this ever again. This is a guy were just going to vacuum suck out of his life who has no idea. Reporter bradford was charged with firstdegree murder. And one of the detectives phoned shaun. My first reaction was, do you know what day today is. No. Its mothers day. And he stopped, and he said, oh, my gosh, im sorry. I said, no, thats fitting for the mother that he took away 13 years ago. Reporter bradford quickly lawyered up while his family braced themselves for a trial. Would their father walk free or be locked up for life . I want to use the word apprehensive. After years, can a case be won . Coming up we felt this burden. Well never get another case like this ever filed again if we lose this one. A trial getting a little nervous at this point . Well, i was because i didnt know how this would all fit together. I really worried. And a threat. His cell mate has come forward and he has said that bradfords very angry at you and he is making plans to murder you and your family. When dateline continues. Can my side be firm . And mine super soft . With the sleep number 360 smart bed, you can both adjust your comfort with your sleep number setting. But can it help keep me asleep . Absolutely, it intelligently senses your movements and automatically adjusts to keep you both effortlessly comfortable. And snoring . No problem. And done. So, ill wake up ready for anything . Oh, weve got your back. So, you can really promise better sleep . Not promise. Prove. And now, save up to 600 on select sleep number 360 smart beds. Plus, free premium delivery setup when you add a base. Ends march 15th Bill Bradford, former aerospace engineer, was coming back to torrance to be tried for murdering his exwife joan. It was 2002, and though 14 years after the murder, d. A. Lewan had a pile of the same old circumstantial evidence, he charged ahead. Were you confident going into this trial . Very confident. I thought that circumstancetial it was an absolutely overwhelming case. Reporter really . The original d. A. Rejected it. Weak, he called it. No smoking gun, no dna, no eyewitnesss. We felt this burden. Getting a little nervous . I was. I didnt know how this would all fit together not having done a circumstantialal ca circumstantial case like this before, i really worried. Reporter nevertheless, in the winter of 2002, lewan and wallace took their first cold circumstantial case to court. The way we presented the case was this was a man who was an in an abusive relationship. He would not accept that hi wife wanted her fair share, and when he lost, to him it was the losing. He couldnt take losing. Reporter and so in a violent rage, said lewan, bradford executed his exwife. Bradfords children testified for the prosecution. That was probably almost as hard as finding my mom murdered. I didnt know until the trial that she had been shot execution style. Reporter her fathers defense mostly centered on bradfords sterling reputation as a highsecurity aerospace engineer, loving father and family man, and pointed out the lack of physical evidence connecting him to the crime. And the jury kept suspense alive, was out for two days. And then on a cool april morning came the verdict guilty. Finally justice for Joan Bradford. I went from suspecting that my father murdered my mom to having it confirmed. Because theres always that little point that still wanted to be daddys little girl and wanted to believe that this was something else. Reporter it was shauns birthday a few weeks later when her father was sentenced to 26 years to life. Hed be 85 by the time he was eligible for parole. I remember telling him daughter that this mans not going to last five years in prison. So i thought it would be a life sentence. I was a lot more relaxed. People kept saying, oh, hell be dead in five years, so, you know, im safe. Hes never getting out. Reporter safe . Maybe not everybody. Months later d. A. Lewan got a call from the prison. About Bill Bradford. They tell me that his cellmate has come forward and he has said that bradfords very angry at you and he is talking about making plans to murder you and your family. Reporter of course in lieuens line of work, idle threats from resentful jailbirds were not exactly new, but this Bill Bradford guy caught his attention. He seemed as coldblooded as they come. So lewan went to talk to the informant. Normally if somebody comes to you with a story like that, they want time off their sentence or something. They want something. Absolutely. Not this guy . Nothing. One of the first things i asked him is, why are you coming forward . And he said, i hate the guy. I couldnt believe how he would talk about his wife and how he killed her. Now he said hes talking about, you know, killing someone elses family and i just couldnt stay quiet. Reporter lewan polygraphed the informant. He passed. And then added a warning. That bradford had said that he thought he was going to get out very quickly on appeal. On appeal . When he got out either himself or somebody else, he was going to blow my familys heads off in front of me so that i could suffer and then he was going to kill me. So i immediately took it seriously that it was a credible threat. Reporter but then bradford lost all his appeals and gradually lewan stopped looking over his shoulder. He went on to successfully prosecute many more cold circumstantial cases, including several with jim wallace. The bradford case faded away until 15 years later, the fall of 2017. I come home from work and my husband says you have a letter from department of corrections and i went, okay, its one of two things. He died. Or paroled. I opened it up, and hes still alive. So, option number two. His parole hearing at the prison was coming up, which meant that Bill Bradford, a convicted killer who once allegedly threatened to murder the d. A. And his family, could soon be back on the street. Coming up i made a promise to myself that i would speak for my mom. I went to the parole. A decision i was stunned. But is it final . This is a very bright man. He has resources. He has motivation. When will he stop being dangerous to you . When hes dead. When dateline continues. Protect your pet with the 1 name in flea and tick protection. Frontline plus. Trusted by vets for nearly 20 years. Home fragrances with exotic pairings. Frontline plus. Warm vanilla and himalayan magnolia tropical pineapple and tunisian rosemary and its responsibly sourced. New botanica by air wick. Now at target. You have power over pain, so the whole world looks different. The unbeatable strength of advil. What pain . Hes been around the world, hes seen it all, its always what you think of, [crowd] surprise right there, all the time, with over 40 fully integrated applications, you wont be able to contain your excitement either. From just a dollar a day per employee, run your entire business with zoho one. The operating system for business. Welcome back. Prosecutor john lewan had every reason to take Bill Bradford seriously. The fellow inmate volunteered that bill was boasting about plans to kill the lawyer and his family in he got out of prison. The Bradford Children also felt threatened by their father. With the parole hearing around the corner, could there nightmare become a reality . Heres Keith Morrison with the conclusion of the threat. Reporter the California Health care facility, but dont be fooled by the name, this is, indeed, a prison. And home to Bill Bradford, who by 2018 had been in prison 16 years. Was meant he was up for parole. That january, two of Bradford Children traveled to the prison for his hearing. I made a promise to myself that i would speak for my mom. I went to the parole. What was it like to see him there . I saw a man who has not aged well in the last 15 years. Reporter deputy d. A. John lewan went to the hearing, too, memories of Death Threats all too fresh in his mind. I understand the laws and law, and they have to look at parole for him. This man is a threat to me, hes a threat, more importantly, to my family. This is not personal in terms of any vendetta or about being right, this is about Public Safety and protecting those of us who sacrifice a lot to do the jobs we do, whether youre a Police Officers or prosecutors or judges. Reporter cameras werent allowed inside the hearing, as the commissioners began asking bradford about the brutal murder he committed. For the first time in 30 years, i heard my father admit to killing my mom. However, theres a reason for doing such a thing, which is that he has a chance to get paroled. Yes, he did. However, the way he went about admitting it was very unique. The commissioner was asking about, where is joan, your exwife, now . He stops and goes, wait, is that the woman i shot . And the commissioner stops and said, tell us, did you kill your exwife . Yes, i did. Why . I dont remember. He appears to have dementia of some sort . Yeah. Bradford attorney, maya emmig, told the commissioners that bradfords dementia and a basket of other Health Problems were getting worse and that john lewan has nothing to fear from a confused and frail old man. Nothing has happened in 16 years. Mr. Bradford isnt connected to the mob or the Mexican Mafia or any prison gang, right . And, quite frankly, he didnt even know who john lewan was. In the room that day, didnt recognize him . Didnt even know him. Didnt remember his name. How did you know that . It was just apparent. Hes not a threat at all the way that he is. The prisons own psychologist examined him and they came back with a rating theres low risk, moderate risk and high risk. He came back with a moderate risk. The issue that the commissioners are trying to focus on and wanted you to focus on, but you didnt want to, is hes not capable of harming you anymore. Keith beyond being dangerous. His mind is very clear. The man knew, was able to recite numerous different issue. Reporter lewan says what he thinks the defense attorney calls dementia is really a severe case of selective memory. He denied remembering what he had done, anything about me. He just had selective amnesia regarding this whole event, so the idea that hes helpful right. And doesnt have the capability to harm me or my family, its absurd. When will he stop being dangerous to you . When hes dead. Reporter bradfords children, shaun and brett, also spoke up at the hearing and urged the commissioners to keep their dad locked up. I had to go through and explain what i was concerned about for safety, not only to myself, but to the general population. For several hours the commissioners questioned bradford and listened to lewan and the family and tried to determine if the old man was a risk or releasable, and then they went to their chambers to make up their minds, and later that afternoon, bradfords attorney and lewan were called in and were told the question about whether or not mr. Bradford poses a current threat, the answer was no. Reporter threat meant yes to parole. Bill bradford would be released. I was furious, and i said, if something happens to my family, the blood is on your hands and you will own this. Reporter when bradfords children got the news, those old fears about their father suddenly returned. I was stunned. I couldnt believe they would tiss turn around and say hes not a risk. Would i be a fool to say we are perfectly safe . No. My father killed once. Reporter the commissioner timed bradfords release for february 2019. By then he would be in his mid80s. More than 30 years removed from when he pulled that trigger. Could he really do it again . This is a very bright man. He has resources. He has motivation. It takes very little to find out where my family is. All he needs is a gun and an uber. This is an 85yearold guy who is on a mission. If hes able to still command his wits, we have a problem still because he is able to command his wits when he made the first threat. And here we are now. We have not done something that has lessened his anger. There was one more step before his release. Californias then governor jerry brown would review the decision. And could reverse it. To keep him in prison. The l. A. County d. A. s office wrote a letter to the governor urging him to do just that. So did bradfords family. I had contacted the governors office. I wrote a letter. My brother wrote a letter. And i had two senators actually cosign a letter. Reporter lewan acted, too, through the media. Tried to persuade california governor jerry brown to keep bradford locked up. Hes looking to even up scores before he dies. Reporter then a week after memorial day 2018 came this letter from governor brown. The evidence shows that he, meaning bradford, currently poses an unreasonable danger to society if released from prison, therefore, i reverse the decision to parole mr. Bradford. When it came in, it was a lot of shock, but also a lot of relief. Reporter that relief would be temporary. In june 2019, Bill Bradford was again granted parole. And like last time, that decision needed approval. This time there was a new governor in office, gavin newsom. But it was the same result. Like his predecessor, he too reversed bills parole. So, Bill Bradford remains behind bars. And the mighty columbia rolls by a Little Cemetery where a woman who loved life and her children and put up with a difficult husband is at peace. Thats all for this edition of dateline. Im natalie morales. Thank you for watching. This sunday, growing coronavirus fears. The covid 19 threat is going across the united states. Across the country and around the world, northern italy now on lockdown. The death toll is rising. Fears are increasing. And doubts about u. S. Preparedness are growing. Im not happy about the lack of the appropriate number of test kits, thats for sure. This amid concerns that the Trump Administration is not being honest with the public. Anybody that needs a test gets a test. And the tests are all perfect. Like the letter is