Transcripts For MSNBCW Dateline 20200328 : vimarsana.com

Book this affair became a game. A wife and her lover spying on her husband and his lover. He would just say, well, what else have they done. And then this spy game turned deadly. One of the four lovers was gunned down. This obviously was something that was not random. Waiting at the scene, a man with a strange story and waiting for detectives, a strange video. How creepy was that video. Very creepy. An affair to remember. He was the one. An affair to forget. I shouldnt have done it. And one more secret still to be revealed. She said, i need you to sit down, i have something to tell you. The hairs on the back of my neck stood up. Hello and welcome to dateline. By all appearances sam and danielle had a storybook marriage. Then one saturday afternoon their world came crashing down, destroyed by a series of bullets and a senseless killing. As investigators began to dig they realized not all was as it seemed. They had entered a thorny maze of marital betrayal. Here is Andrea Canning with tangled web. Sarasota, florida, the perfect backdrop for romance. Beautiful beaches for long walks, gorgeous sunsets. And a slow rhythm of a gentle gulf tide. Stories of love abound in this city by the sea, but not all have ended in happily ever after, like the one that unfolded here in the summer of 2012 when secrets, lies and infidelity led to murder. 911, whats the location of your murder. A mans been shot. Its really a twisted love story. Its so twisted. Its tangled. Its a knot. Im not sure that it will ever come undone, but i do know that there is more to the story than has been told. It all began back in 199 when a 26yearold local firefighter by the name of sam dreher met the love of his life danielle laborvo. They were the ideal young couple, they held hands, looked at each other dreamily over dinner. He seemed crazy about her. Sams older sister cindy lutz was thrilled when she found out sam had a serious new girlfriend. What was your First Impression . She was really sweet. She seemed crazy about him. She liked the outdoors and liked to travel. They had a lot in common. So it came as no surprise when sam announced he was ready to pop the question. As for how he proposed, the firefighter didnt disappoint. He had hired a sand sculptor to build a rather large sand sculpture of a Treasure Chest and then he it placed the Engagement Ring in the box. So there was some real pirate booty in there . Right. He pulled the ring out, got down on one knee and proposed to her. Sam is a romantic. Isnt he. The newlyweds would become equally successful at work. Sam rose to the rank of lieutenant at the young age of 33. He loved the fire services. Absolutely loved it. Loved being a paramedic. Danielle was just as ambitious, finding her stride in the Administrative Office of a local office. She became the Regional Marketing director for the whole hospital corporation. Sam and danielle didnt have children but they had the next best thing, sams great niece aubrey cake. Youre like the daughter we never had. They always told me that. Aubrey who attended college nearby often spent weekends with the drehers. Sam was the deft ever. He really took me in as family right away. He was just like a regular dad. He really just cared. Focus on school, dont let those boys ruin your life. Theyre no good. Dont let those boys get around you. Hes like and youre never allowed to date a fireman. Whats wrong with firemen . He just worked with them and knew how they were. So did danielle also take you in like you were one of her own . Yes, she was as welcoming as he was. Aubrey listened to their tales romantic trips to exotic lands. They traveled the world together. They had so many good times and so many great experiences. I would imagine they were almost like role models to you. Yeah, they were, they were. The perfect life, perfect wife. Everything just seemed great, you know, for both of them. But all that changed in august of 2012. It was a hot saturday afternoon in sarasota when registered nurse trish murphy heard a disturbance coming from the stairwell just outside her apartment. It sounded like somebody was being chased and then i heard somebody yell, oh, god, no. The unmistakable sound of gunshots followed. Four of them in quick succession. Trish immediately called 911. 911, whats the location of your emergency . I just heard gunshots and somebody screaming outside and somebody running outside. I think my heart was probably going a gazillion miles a minute. Trish slowly peered out of her apartment door and saw a man lying in the stair well bleeding. She knew he wasnt a resident of the apartment complex. I had no idea who he was. My concern was to get him over on his side because he was face down in a really big pool of blood. Trish wasnt the only one at the scene. Her upstairs neighbor, Dianne Mcknight also tried to aid the victim. There was just blood everywhere. And i didnt i just didnt know what to do. I ran back into my apartment and got towels. As the minutes ticked by, trish began to worry the shooter might still be in the area. Then all of a sudden, you start to think, wow, i wonder where the person is that did this and for all i knew, the person upstairs shot him. But those questions would have to wait. Soon paramedics arrived on the scene. They learned the victim was one of their own. It was firefighter sam dreer. The paramedics immediately airlifted him to the nearest Trauma Center as word of the shooting spread. And its danielle, and shes screaming in the phone, you have to come, hes been shot, hes been shot. And i said, whos been shot . And she screams out, sam. Cindy jumped in her car to be at her brothers side. A thousand questions swirled through her mind. Why sam . Who shot him . And why was he at that apartment complex . A firefighter gunned down. But this seemed like more than just a random shooting. Coming up theres some infidelity going on and theres a reason, a cause for concern. When dateline continues. Then break it. Every emergenc gives you a potent blend of nutrients so you can emerge your best, with emergenc. Tv sports announcer yeah, thats my man there. Tv sports announcer time out. Lets go to a commercial. Nooooooo not another commercial when you bundle your home, auto and Life Insurance with allstate you could save 25 . In fact, the more you bundle the more you can save. Put the other game on if its important to you allstate can protect it. Home auto and Life Insurance you could save 25 . If its important to you allstate can protect it. What . Bundle and save with allstate. Click or call for a quote today. As cindy lutz raced to the hospital, all she knew was that her brother sam had been shot. It was a nightmare. It seemed like we were traveling a thousand miles. We just we just could not get there fast enough. When cindy finally made it to the icu, sams wife danielle was already there waiting in the hallway. She started crying. And i said is he alive . Just tell me hes alive. She said hes alive. But the prognosis wasnt good. And the doctor said he was shot four times and im thinking wrong place, wrong time. I didnt know what happened. The responsibility of finding out what happened fell to detectives chad mcdonald and jarek szalbirak who began gathering pieces of the puzzle as soon as they arrived on scene. This case was personal to you. In our area, Law Enforcement and firefighters are very close, in this case, it wasnt just another victim. This victim was part of this larger brotherhood and it kind of hit home. First, they interviewed the two neighbors who found sam lying in the stairwell. Whenever we work a crime thats usually where youre going to start with is your 11 caller. Trish murphy told the detectives this normally quiet up Scale Community had never experienced anything like this before. It was a nice quiet place to be. But she did remember seeing something that troubled her one evening just a month before the shooting. A man standing in the woods across the lake staring at the building. I thought to myself that that was an odd thing. Who would just be standing there. Detectives then turned to trishs traumatized neighbor Dianne Mcknight and they learned dianne was holding on to a secret. It turns out that the witness, Dianne Mcknight was a lot more than just a witness. She was very important to this case. Yes, she was. Dianne revealed that she knew sam intimately. She admitted that they were boyfriend and girlfriend. She had stated that they had had only been dating for a few months, and stated that they were in love. So sam was having an affair. Yes. Which is why sam was at the apartment complex that day. Theres some infidelity going on and theres a reason, a cause for concern. Did you ever think that youd be the kind of person to have an affair . No. Dianne told the detectives her affair with sam started as fairs so often do, with an innocent encounter at a bar. He asked me, you know, like if i was married and had kids, and i told him that i was and that no kids. Im like, what about you . He said, yes, married. In fact, sam had been married for 13 years, but according to diane it took just a month for sam to fall in love with her and, she said, the feelings were mutual. What was it about him that made you fall so hard . He was just the most thoughtful person. He was just comforting, and i just couldnt wait to always just be around him. Did you still feel a little guilty . Oh, yes. But dianne said there were already issues in her marriage. I just thought, if im doing this my marriage is definitely already over. A few months after the affair began, she decided it was time to tell her husband she wanted a divorce. I remember just saying, we need to talk. Never ever wants to hear that. And he looked at me, he said, are you having an affair . Wow. And i said no. Why didnt you just be honest at that point . I didnt want to hurt him. What came next . We both got very emotional and he agreed to it. Then came the shooting. Dianne tried to think of anyone who could have been responsible. Thats when she remembered a strange visit a month before the shooting from a man claiming to be a plumber. He said he was looking for a water leak in the building. He needed to check her pipes or something along that line. I said, okay, thinking, what am i doing letting this strange person in my home. I just had this feeling of this just isnt right. Five minutes later the plumber was done and on his way. Did you ever check with your super . Yes, i called the office and told them the incident, and they said, there should not have been anybody at my door. Oh, that must have been just a weird feeling. It was very unnerving. The following day, the same man appeared again right below her apartment balcony. He was standing down there on the ground by a tree and looking directly up right at me. Thats creepy. Yes. Now are you thinking, im being stalked . Yeah. Dianne then saw him a third time, this time immediately after sam had been shot. That same man. That just gave me chills. Came running up the stairs towards me. I just looked at him and i said, what are you doing here . She recognized him and you can hear her on the 911 call. I didnt see hoe i dont know. What are you doing here. I remember him making this motion like, whoa, and then he ran off. Did you start to think in those split seconds that this mystery man was really after sam . Yeah, i mean it was definitely a suspicion. It must have been yes. Such a puzzle. Yes. Puzzling too for detectives. We needed to know what this connection was. Coming up, more secrets waiting to be revealed. She said, i need you to sit down, i have something to tell you, and the hairs on the back of my neck stood up. When dateline continues. You make everything. Groovy. Done yet . Yeah, yeah, sorry, sorry. You sure . Hmm. Mmm. Come on, come on, wild thing. If you ride, you get it. Geico motorcycle. Fifteen minutes could save you fifteen percent or more. past them because she didnt sknow they were talking to her. G and she would just walk right deborah i just could not hear. I was hesitant to get the hearing aids because of my short hair, but nobody even sees them. avo our nearly invisible hearing aids are just one reason weve been the brand leader for over 70 years. deborah when i finally could hear for the first time, i started crying. I could hear everything. avo call 1800miracle to start your 30 day riskfree trial and schedule your free hearing evaluation today. While sam dreher clung to life in the icu, Dianne Mcknight remained at the crime scene, wondering who could have been responsible for his shooting. How scared are you, knowing that there was a shooter on the loose . I was terrified. Dianne told detectives about the strange man she had seen multiple times around her apartment complex, the same man who appeared moments after sam was shot. They said, could you describe him. I described him. Little did dianne know a man fitting that very same description had just been arrested. He had approached sheriffs deputies moments after they arrived on scene and confessed to the shooting. The deputy that had him in the back of the patrol car already told us that he made statements that he was the shooter. Did you feel like this could be an easy one, case closed, or did you think theres got to be more to this story . Theres never an easy one. Theres always more to the story. The man identified himself as Michael Minor. The detectives immediately brought him down to the Sheriffs Office for questioning. Hes very distraught but hes willing to talk to us, and we were very much ready to listen to him. Michael outlined for detectives the details of the shooting. He started by insisting it was all an accident. I never intended to pull that trigger. But detectives werent so sure. After all, michael shot sam not once but four times. One of the shots was to the back of sams head. So sam is laying here and michael is right on top of him, basically giving him the final shot . He would have had to have been, thats what the evidence indicated. One shot might have been an accident, not the three or four shots that he actually fired. That was no accident at all. But detectives wanted to know, if this wasnt an accident why then did michael shoot sam . Weve got all of these pieces to the puzzle and you try to fit them all together. Thats when mike will israeled something that would turn the case on its head. He told detectives about an affair, but it wasnt the affair between sam and dianne. It was an affair that he was having with the victims wife, Danielle Dreher. They had been having an affair for four years. It was a mindspinning moment. Detectives had just discovered the victim, sam, had been cheating on his wife, danielle. Now they were learning danielle had also been cheating on sam. Everybody here was involved with somebody else. It was interesting to say the least. And challenging for detectives who now had to contend with a second affair. Michael minor, the plumber, 13 years younger than danielle, told them the two had met on Ashley Madison, a website for husbands and wives looking to cheat. The websites slogan . Life is short, have an affair. This was someone looking to have an affair. They both were. Yeah. But michael insisted this was no casual fling. After all, the affair had lasted four years. Whats more, he told detectives he had fallen in love with danielle. It was like i really found my soulmate, man. It was so wonderful. I really had every intention of marrying this girl. He was smitten. I mean he was totally obsessed with her and in love with her. He went on to say that on the day of the shooting he decided it was finally time to talk to sam, mantoman. He wanted to come clean about his love for danielle. He wants to confront sam, basically tell him that hes the other man. I concocted this scheme to go up there and tell him, you know, yeah, im seeing im seeing your wife. That day michael said he tracked sam down and found him in the parking lot of diannes apartment complex. He also said he brought a gun because he had no idea how sam would react. Hes bigger than me, so i just, you know, i brought my firearm, you know. I intended to just go up there and just scare him. But according to michael, his manoamano with sam didnt go as plan when sam saw michael was armed, he fled. Dont run, you know . Im trying to, like, freaking force him to talk to me. Michael ran after sam up these stairs. He said at some point while the two were in the stairwell, sam turned. Michael claims that he was in fear and closed his eyes and just fired his gun. Then he, you know, comes toward me and i just you know, i just i closed my eyes and i just pulled the freaking trigger and im so sorry. With all the things hes telling you hes in a relationship with danielle, do you start to think we need to talk to Danielle Dreher. Yes. So the next step was lets find out, lets hear danielles story. So detective szalbirak left michael and headed to the hospital where danielle had been waiting for updates on sams condition. All she had been told was that sam had been shot. No one told her by whom. When i got over there, she was crying. She was very upset. Detectives recorded the interview. Were trying to piece what all happened. Okay, let me get calm here. At first detective szalbirak didnt reveal he knew about danielles lover michael mitt or that it was michael who shot sam. Instead he started by asking danielle about her marriage to sam. Danielle candidly described it as troubled. We had been not getting along for many months. Danielle also explained that she knew sam was having an affair despite sams best efforts to conceal it. Did you know where he went today . Today . Im sure he went to his girlfriends, yeah. But he always goes to her house. Im not surprised by that. Danielle then admitted she too was unfaithful. She was pretty straightforward, told me about the affair. It was wrong. I shouldnt have done it. Nobody should cheat. Little by little, the detectives led danielle to believe they were focusing their investigation on her lover michael. So it would kind of shock you if michael went and confronted him . Yeah. Thats what happened. Really . And we have michael. Do you . It wasnt the reaction the detective was expecting. He found her tone to be strangely flat and unemotional. That was troubling to me. That was disturbing to me. I cannot believe he did this. Danielle went on to say she had no idea michael planned to talk to sam that day. So michael never said anything about going over there . No, he didnt. But detectives were skeptical. They wondered if danielle knew more about michaels intentions than she was letting on. At this point, i dont know whether to believe her or not. Youre not done with Andrea Canning<\/a> with tangled web. Sarasota, florida, the perfect backdrop for romance. Beautiful beaches for long walks, gorgeous sunsets. And a slow rhythm of a gentle gulf tide. Stories of love abound in this city by the sea, but not all have ended in happily ever after, like the one that unfolded here in the summer of 2012 when secrets, lies and infidelity led to murder. 911, whats the location of your murder. A mans been shot. Its really a twisted love story. Its so twisted. Its tangled. Its a knot. Im not sure that it will ever come undone, but i do know that there is more to the story than has been told. It all began back in 199 when a 26yearold local firefighter by the name of sam dreher met the love of his life danielle laborvo. They were the ideal young couple, they held hands, looked at each other dreamily over dinner. He seemed crazy about her. Sams older sister cindy lutz was thrilled when she found out sam had a serious new girlfriend. What was your First Impression<\/a> . She was really sweet. She seemed crazy about him. She liked the outdoors and liked to travel. They had a lot in common. So it came as no surprise when sam announced he was ready to pop the question. As for how he proposed, the firefighter didnt disappoint. He had hired a sand sculptor to build a rather large sand sculpture of a Treasure Chest<\/a> and then he it placed the Engagement Ring<\/a> in the box. So there was some real pirate booty in there . Right. He pulled the ring out, got down on one knee and proposed to her. Sam is a romantic. Isnt he. The newlyweds would become equally successful at work. Sam rose to the rank of lieutenant at the young age of 33. He loved the fire services. Absolutely loved it. Loved being a paramedic. Danielle was just as ambitious, finding her stride in the Administrative Office<\/a> of a local office. She became the Regional Marketing<\/a> director for the whole hospital corporation. Sam and danielle didnt have children but they had the next best thing, sams great niece aubrey cake. Youre like the daughter we never had. They always told me that. Aubrey who attended college nearby often spent weekends with the drehers. Sam was the deft ever. He really took me in as family right away. He was just like a regular dad. He really just cared. Focus on school, dont let those boys ruin your life. Theyre no good. Dont let those boys get around you. Hes like and youre never allowed to date a fireman. Whats wrong with firemen . He just worked with them and knew how they were. So did danielle also take you in like you were one of her own . Yes, she was as welcoming as he was. Aubrey listened to their tales romantic trips to exotic lands. They traveled the world together. They had so many good times and so many great experiences. I would imagine they were almost like role models to you. Yeah, they were, they were. The perfect life, perfect wife. Everything just seemed great, you know, for both of them. But all that changed in august of 2012. It was a hot saturday afternoon in sarasota when registered nurse trish murphy heard a disturbance coming from the stairwell just outside her apartment. It sounded like somebody was being chased and then i heard somebody yell, oh, god, no. The unmistakable sound of gunshots followed. Four of them in quick succession. Trish immediately called 911. 911, whats the location of your emergency . I just heard gunshots and somebody screaming outside and somebody running outside. I think my heart was probably going a gazillion miles a minute. Trish slowly peered out of her apartment door and saw a man lying in the stair well bleeding. She knew he wasnt a resident of the apartment complex. I had no idea who he was. My concern was to get him over on his side because he was face down in a really big pool of blood. Trish wasnt the only one at the scene. Her upstairs neighbor, Dianne Mcknight<\/a> also tried to aid the victim. There was just blood everywhere. And i didnt i just didnt know what to do. I ran back into my apartment and got towels. As the minutes ticked by, trish began to worry the shooter might still be in the area. Then all of a sudden, you start to think, wow, i wonder where the person is that did this and for all i knew, the person upstairs shot him. But those questions would have to wait. Soon paramedics arrived on the scene. They learned the victim was one of their own. It was firefighter sam dreer. The paramedics immediately airlifted him to the nearest Trauma Center<\/a> as word of the shooting spread. And its danielle, and shes screaming in the phone, you have to come, hes been shot, hes been shot. And i said, whos been shot . And she screams out, sam. Cindy jumped in her car to be at her brothers side. A thousand questions swirled through her mind. Why sam . Who shot him . And why was he at that apartment complex . A firefighter gunned down. But this seemed like more than just a random shooting. Coming up theres some infidelity going on and theres a reason, a cause for concern. When dateline continues. Then break it. Every emergenc gives you a potent blend of nutrients so you can emerge your best, with emergenc. Tv sports announcer yeah, thats my man there. Tv sports announcer time out. Lets go to a commercial. Nooooooo not another commercial when you bundle your home, auto and Life Insurance<\/a> with allstate you could save 25 . In fact, the more you bundle the more you can save. Put the other game on if its important to you allstate can protect it. Home auto and Life Insurance<\/a> you could save 25 . If its important to you allstate can protect it. What . Bundle and save with allstate. Click or call for a quote today. As cindy lutz raced to the hospital, all she knew was that her brother sam had been shot. It was a nightmare. It seemed like we were traveling a thousand miles. We just we just could not get there fast enough. When cindy finally made it to the icu, sams wife danielle was already there waiting in the hallway. She started crying. And i said is he alive . Just tell me hes alive. She said hes alive. But the prognosis wasnt good. And the doctor said he was shot four times and im thinking wrong place, wrong time. I didnt know what happened. The responsibility of finding out what happened fell to detectives chad mcdonald and jarek szalbirak who began gathering pieces of the puzzle as soon as they arrived on scene. This case was personal to you. In our area, Law Enforcement<\/a> and firefighters are very close, in this case, it wasnt just another victim. This victim was part of this larger brotherhood and it kind of hit home. First, they interviewed the two neighbors who found sam lying in the stairwell. Whenever we work a crime thats usually where youre going to start with is your 11 caller. Trish murphy told the detectives this normally quiet up Scale Community<\/a> had never experienced anything like this before. It was a nice quiet place to be. But she did remember seeing something that troubled her one evening just a month before the shooting. A man standing in the woods across the lake staring at the building. I thought to myself that that was an odd thing. Who would just be standing there. Detectives then turned to trishs traumatized neighbor Dianne Mcknight<\/a> and they learned dianne was holding on to a secret. It turns out that the witness, Dianne Mcknight<\/a> was a lot more than just a witness. She was very important to this case. Yes, she was. Dianne revealed that she knew sam intimately. She admitted that they were boyfriend and girlfriend. She had stated that they had had only been dating for a few months, and stated that they were in love. So sam was having an affair. Yes. Which is why sam was at the apartment complex that day. Theres some infidelity going on and theres a reason, a cause for concern. Did you ever think that youd be the kind of person to have an affair . No. Dianne told the detectives her affair with sam started as fairs so often do, with an innocent encounter at a bar. He asked me, you know, like if i was married and had kids, and i told him that i was and that no kids. Im like, what about you . He said, yes, married. In fact, sam had been married for 13 years, but according to diane it took just a month for sam to fall in love with her and, she said, the feelings were mutual. What was it about him that made you fall so hard . He was just the most thoughtful person. He was just comforting, and i just couldnt wait to always just be around him. Did you still feel a little guilty . Oh, yes. But dianne said there were already issues in her marriage. I just thought, if im doing this my marriage is definitely already over. A few months after the affair began, she decided it was time to tell her husband she wanted a divorce. I remember just saying, we need to talk. Never ever wants to hear that. And he looked at me, he said, are you having an affair . Wow. And i said no. Why didnt you just be honest at that point . I didnt want to hurt him. What came next . We both got very emotional and he agreed to it. Then came the shooting. Dianne tried to think of anyone who could have been responsible. Thats when she remembered a strange visit a month before the shooting from a man claiming to be a plumber. He said he was looking for a water leak in the building. He needed to check her pipes or something along that line. I said, okay, thinking, what am i doing letting this strange person in my home. I just had this feeling of this just isnt right. Five minutes later the plumber was done and on his way. Did you ever check with your super . Yes, i called the office and told them the incident, and they said, there should not have been anybody at my door. Oh, that must have been just a weird feeling. It was very unnerving. The following day, the same man appeared again right below her apartment balcony. He was standing down there on the ground by a tree and looking directly up right at me. Thats creepy. Yes. Now are you thinking, im being stalked . Yeah. Dianne then saw him a third time, this time immediately after sam had been shot. That same man. That just gave me chills. Came running up the stairs towards me. I just looked at him and i said, what are you doing here . She recognized him and you can hear her on the 911 call. I didnt see hoe i dont know. What are you doing here. I remember him making this motion like, whoa, and then he ran off. Did you start to think in those split seconds that this mystery man was really after sam . Yeah, i mean it was definitely a suspicion. It must have been yes. Such a puzzle. Yes. Puzzling too for detectives. We needed to know what this connection was. Coming up, more secrets waiting to be revealed. She said, i need you to sit down, i have something to tell you, and the hairs on the back of my neck stood up. When dateline continues. You make everything. Groovy. Done yet . Yeah, yeah, sorry, sorry. You sure . Hmm. Mmm. Come on, come on, wild thing. If you ride, you get it. Geico motorcycle. Fifteen minutes could save you fifteen percent or more. past them because she didnt sknow they were talking to her. G and she would just walk right deborah i just could not hear. I was hesitant to get the hearing aids because of my short hair, but nobody even sees them. avo our nearly invisible hearing aids are just one reason weve been the brand leader for over 70 years. deborah when i finally could hear for the first time, i started crying. I could hear everything. avo call 1800miracle to start your 30 day riskfree trial and schedule your free hearing evaluation today. While sam dreher clung to life in the icu, Dianne Mcknight<\/a> remained at the crime scene, wondering who could have been responsible for his shooting. How scared are you, knowing that there was a shooter on the loose . I was terrified. Dianne told detectives about the strange man she had seen multiple times around her apartment complex, the same man who appeared moments after sam was shot. They said, could you describe him. I described him. Little did dianne know a man fitting that very same description had just been arrested. He had approached sheriffs deputies moments after they arrived on scene and confessed to the shooting. The deputy that had him in the back of the patrol car already told us that he made statements that he was the shooter. Did you feel like this could be an easy one, case closed, or did you think theres got to be more to this story . Theres never an easy one. Theres always more to the story. The man identified himself as Michael Minor<\/a>. The detectives immediately brought him down to the Sheriffs Office<\/a> for questioning. Hes very distraught but hes willing to talk to us, and we were very much ready to listen to him. Michael outlined for detectives the details of the shooting. He started by insisting it was all an accident. I never intended to pull that trigger. But detectives werent so sure. After all, michael shot sam not once but four times. One of the shots was to the back of sams head. So sam is laying here and michael is right on top of him, basically giving him the final shot . He would have had to have been, thats what the evidence indicated. One shot might have been an accident, not the three or four shots that he actually fired. That was no accident at all. But detectives wanted to know, if this wasnt an accident why then did michael shoot sam . Weve got all of these pieces to the puzzle and you try to fit them all together. Thats when mike will israeled something that would turn the case on its head. He told detectives about an affair, but it wasnt the affair between sam and dianne. It was an affair that he was having with the victims wife, Danielle Dreher<\/a>. They had been having an affair for four years. It was a mindspinning moment. Detectives had just discovered the victim, sam, had been cheating on his wife, danielle. Now they were learning danielle had also been cheating on sam. Everybody here was involved with somebody else. It was interesting to say the least. And challenging for detectives who now had to contend with a second affair. Michael minor, the plumber, 13 years younger than danielle, told them the two had met on Ashley Madison<\/a>, a website for husbands and wives looking to cheat. The websites slogan . Life is short, have an affair. This was someone looking to have an affair. They both were. Yeah. But michael insisted this was no casual fling. After all, the affair had lasted four years. Whats more, he told detectives he had fallen in love with danielle. It was like i really found my soulmate, man. It was so wonderful. I really had every intention of marrying this girl. He was smitten. I mean he was totally obsessed with her and in love with her. He went on to say that on the day of the shooting he decided it was finally time to talk to sam, mantoman. He wanted to come clean about his love for danielle. He wants to confront sam, basically tell him that hes the other man. I concocted this scheme to go up there and tell him, you know, yeah, im seeing im seeing your wife. That day michael said he tracked sam down and found him in the parking lot of diannes apartment complex. He also said he brought a gun because he had no idea how sam would react. Hes bigger than me, so i just, you know, i brought my firearm, you know. I intended to just go up there and just scare him. But according to michael, his manoamano with sam didnt go as plan when sam saw michael was armed, he fled. Dont run, you know . Im trying to, like, freaking force him to talk to me. Michael ran after sam up these stairs. He said at some point while the two were in the stairwell, sam turned. Michael claims that he was in fear and closed his eyes and just fired his gun. Then he, you know, comes toward me and i just you know, i just i closed my eyes and i just pulled the freaking trigger and im so sorry. With all the things hes telling you hes in a relationship with danielle, do you start to think we need to talk to Danielle Dreher<\/a>. Yes. So the next step was lets find out, lets hear danielles story. So detective szalbirak left michael and headed to the hospital where danielle had been waiting for updates on sams condition. All she had been told was that sam had been shot. No one told her by whom. When i got over there, she was crying. She was very upset. Detectives recorded the interview. Were trying to piece what all happened. Okay, let me get calm here. At first detective szalbirak didnt reveal he knew about danielles lover michael mitt or that it was michael who shot sam. Instead he started by asking danielle about her marriage to sam. Danielle candidly described it as troubled. We had been not getting along for many months. Danielle also explained that she knew sam was having an affair despite sams best efforts to conceal it. Did you know where he went today . Today . Im sure he went to his girlfriends, yeah. But he always goes to her house. Im not surprised by that. Danielle then admitted she too was unfaithful. She was pretty straightforward, told me about the affair. It was wrong. I shouldnt have done it. Nobody should cheat. Little by little, the detectives led danielle to believe they were focusing their investigation on her lover michael. So it would kind of shock you if michael went and confronted him . Yeah. Thats what happened. Really . And we have michael. Do you . It wasnt the reaction the detective was expecting. He found her tone to be strangely flat and unemotional. That was troubling to me. That was disturbing to me. I cannot believe he did this. Danielle went on to say she had no idea michael planned to talk to sam that day. So michael never said anything about going over there . No, he didnt. But detectives were skeptical. They wondered if danielle knew more about michaels intentions than she was letting on. At this point, i dont know whether to believe her or not. Youre not done with Danielle Dreher<\/a> . Oh, no, were not done with her. For the moment, szalbirak left her at the hospital to be with sams family. It was up to danielle to reveal the identity of the shooter and explain the sordid details of how she was connected to him. She said, i need you to sit down, i have something to tell you, and the hairs on the back of my neck stood up. First, cindy learned sam and danielle were getting a divorce. Then that both danielle and sam were having affairs. Most shocking of all . It was danielles lover who shot sam. Did i just hear what i just heard . Four adults ensnared by lies and deceit, one clinging to life, but this sang wills story was about to get a whole lot more twisted. Coming up danielle was just fully obsessed with what sam was doing, which went beyond anything that ive seen before in investigations. When dateline continues. 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Here is what is happening. Lawmakers in washington passed a 2. 2 trillion aid package to help workers weather the economic downturn from the coronavirus. The aid package was largest in u. S. History that follows a Record Number<\/a> of jobless claims. A new survey of nearly 200 mayors across the country found severe shortages of masks, ventilators and emergency equipment. This as the Surgeon General<\/a> warns the virus is spreading in chicago, detroit and new orleans. Now back to date. 24 hours after sam dreher had been shot, his condition began to deteriorate rapidly. Sams sister, cindy, was there when the family decided to take him off life support. Oh, i hated it. I thought of him like he was one of my children, i loved him that much. Were you able to be with sam . Were you able to hold his hand and say goodbye . I did. What did you say to him . I made him a promise that the people responsible for his murder would pay for it. The news of sams passing hit Dianne Mcknight<\/a> hard. In my mind im still thinking maybe theres still some hope that he can survive this, but when i heard that, i knew that i was never going to see him again. Reporter sams greatniece, aubrey cake, didnt make to it the hospital in time, but she made sure to be at sams funeral. The bagpipes, i still remember to this day. Reporter did it make you really proud in that moment . Yeah. Im still proud of him. Reporter full Fire Department<\/a> honors were bestowed upon the admired young lieutenant. It was like the whole Community Came<\/a> out to pay their respects. It was very humbling, very, very humbling. But along with the tears there was tension. By now sams family and friends had learned danielles lover had shot sam. No one could believe it, that she even had a boyfriend or that it was her boyfriend that killed him. People didnt even want her at the funeral. But the drama didnt end there. Sitting not far from danielle was the other woman. Was that awkward with danielle being at the funeral, the wife and the mistress . Yes, it was. But i felt it was more important for me to be there than worry about how awkward i felt. To her surprise, sams family embraced dianne. They all received me well. In fact, they invited me to come up and sit with them. Shes truly a lovely person, and i think she made him happy and he deserved to be happy. Youve come down pretty hard on danielle for her affair. Sam was also having an affair. Yes. Do you condemn him for that behavior as well . No, i dont think he intended to meet someone. I dont think he intended to have an affair. He met dianne. He had known her three months. Thats a far cry, you know, a world apart from danielle seeking a man on Ashley Madison<\/a> and having a longterm affair with him for four years. In the weeks following the funeral, detectives mcdonald and szalbirak continued their investigation. They had their shooter, but they also had lingering questions about whether danielle may have somehow been involved. Obviously, one of the first things that comes to mind, the wife has a hand in this, shes linked. Shes got to have something to do with it. And as mcdonald and szalbirak sifted through the he haevidenc they became more confident they were on the right track. What they discovered stunned even these two seasoned investigators. For over a month danielle had been spying on both sam and dianne. Danielle was just totally obsessed with what sam was doing, which went beyond anything that ive seen before in investigations. Whats more, it appeared to them that danielle had persuaded michael to help her. They had basically stalked them. They actually put a tracker on their vehicles. This is spy equipment . Correct. Sheriffs deputies discovered it in the wheel well of sams pickup. Police also found evidence that both danielle and michael were taking surveillance photos of sam and dianne. This is a photo taken of them on sams boat. In this one theyre on diannes balcony. Michael would have been somewhere across the lake there, and thats where he would have been hiding in the bushes. It seems like a perfect spot actually if you wanted to spy on someone. Absolutely. But detectives said the couple only got bolder from there. They discovered evidence michael had brazenly broken into diannes apartment and videotaped the inside. Inside the belly of the beast. Hes narrating. I believe his first words were, im in the belly of the beast. And the first thing when he pans over was of the alarm pad where it wasnt armed. That could have been bad, huh . As michael documented every aspect of diannes personal life, poking around her drawers, her refrigerator, even inside her bathroom, police say danielle played the lookout. In this text message to michael, danielle wrote, get out of there if you arent already, getting bad feeling. And hes doing it at the request basically of danielle. But what detectives found most alarming with the Text Messages<\/a> michael and danielle sent each other. Michael minor writes, i want to blow his head off and then put too on her just for good measure. He goes on to say, bang, bang, done. I wont though because its wrong. Daniel later responded, you would not and could not because that would be illegal. That was definitely disturbing. In another text danielle referred to her handgun, which she called daisy. She wrote, i am so close to introducing them both to daisy. Michael respond, ha, ha, we can do it together, as a date, smiley face. In yet another she wrote, i hate them with every inch of me, revenge will be mine, and it will be very, very sweet. It was very obvious that danielle had some kind of hatred towards sam, that there was that she wanted to hurt him. And based on those Text Messages<\/a>, it seemed clear to detectives that she had persuaded michael to feel the same way. I absolutely think she poisoned michaels mind as far as what sam was. Everything he knew about sam was that he was a violent person. He was described to him as a drunk, as a cheater, as a liar. That knowledge came from one person and one person alone. It was danielle. Did you have any evidence as you kept investigating that sam was abusive or violent toward danielle . There was no evidence of that whatsoever. Danielle definitely had control over Michael Minor<\/a>. She did manipulate him. Did she manipulate him to the point of killing sam . I dont know. Detectives mcdonald and szalbirak realize it they needed to pay Danielle Dreher<\/a> another visit. Were going back to find out, what is your intent, what is your involvement in this . Coming up, did someone have a million reasons to commit murder . There was a substantial amount of money that she was going to gain if sam turned up dead. When dateline continues. Me, youre doing whats right, to protect your dog from fleas and ticks for a full month. And its the only chew, fda approved to prevent infections that cause lyme disease. Nexgard. What one little chew can do. And i like to question your im yoevery move. N law. Like this left turn. Its the next one. You always drive this slow . How did you make someone i love . That must be why youre always so late. I do not speed. And thats saving me cash with drivewise. My son, he did say that you were the safe option. And thats the nicest thing you ever said to me. So get allstate. Stop bossing. Where good drivers save 40 for avoiding mayhem, like me. This is my sons favorite color, you should try it. [mayhem] you always drive like an old lady . [tina] youre an old lady. You couldnt write this as a movie. You couldnt write this as a book. It wouldnt be believable. Who does this . Tracking devices, surveillance photos, sneaking into an apartment. Sounded more like a couple of private eyes than a plumber and a marketing director. Dianne recalled a time she and sam were eating at this restaurant when out of nowhere danielle appeared. All of a sudden this woman comes up from behind sam and she said, im danielle, the soon to be ex, you must be the soontobe next. Whoa, awkward. Yeah. I just wanted to get out of there. Danielle then left them without incident. Did you think you were being followed . No, i just thought it was a big coincidence, like out of all of the places. Like, now i know why she was there. Reporter this is like marital espionage. Exactly. Its exactly like that. They were playing spy games. Reporter now it was up to mcdonald and szalbirak to find out if all those spy games somehow developed into a conspiracy to commit murder. I became very suspicious that she had a part in this homicide. Detectives sat down with danielle and recorded interviews with her on three separate occasions. From the very first interview danielle willingly acknowledged that she and michael had been tracking sam and dianne. Where did you put the tracking device on the vehicle . I put it up under the drivers side rear wheel. Okay. And ive been tracking him for about a month and a half. Danielle also admitted to helping michael take those surveillance photos. Who took the pictures . Michael did. Okay. Whose camera . Mine. But danielle denied that all of this elaborate spying escalated into a murder plot. Instead, she said, it was simply preparation for her impending divorce. And i told the attorney about it, and the attorney said, m whoa, youre good, because he said thats good evidence. She wanted to be able to just have leverage and be able to embarrass him. Danielle told detectives another reason was plain old curiosity. I had to see for myself that it was a girl. It broke my heart. How did you i dont know why because i was cheating on my husband. And thats the big question, right . You were doing it for four years, and why why did it break your heart if i think i still loved my husband, i still had feeling for him. Whats more, danielle said she and michael had stopped their spying weeks before the shooting. Detectives also asked about those Text Messages<\/a> which they found so troubling. Danielle said they were all in fun. They first questioned danielle about the texts michael sent her. I want to blow his head off and then put two in her just for good measure. Do you remember him saying that . I dont, but he said it before. He would say things like, ill kill the [ bleep ]. Did you ever think he was serious . No. They then asked danielle about the messages she sent back to him. Im so close to introducing them both to daisy. I remember saying that. I didnt have daisy with me though. Okay. At the time. What nor would i do anything with a gun. I mean i think i was trying to impress michael in a weird way. Do you think that theyre joking with each other or do you think its real . I asked danielle that very question. Why . Why are you saying this . And she just said, oh, we just you know, im just trying to sound tough. So she denied this to be for real. But thats not the way sams sister saw it. When detectives showed those texts to cindy, she was dumbstruck. I could not believe what i was reading. This is someone whos been in my family for almost 13 years. Even talking about it with you now i have chills. Those texts, she said, proved just how much danielle hated sam and wanted him out of the way, and shes convinced danielle manipulated michael to feel the same way. Do you think that danielle had anything to do with your brothers death . Was she somehow directly associated . I think she is. I hold Danielle Dreher<\/a> as much, if not more, responsible than the man that actually shot him. Cindy told detectives she believed hatred wasnt danielles only motive, that she was also driven by that ageold incentive. I believe it was the money. To divorce him and split half of it is one thing, but to get all of it . I think it was money. I think it was always money. Just over a million dollars, in fact. There was a substantial amount of money that she was going to gain if sam turned up dead, and thats exactly what mapped. We asked Danielle Dreher<\/a> to sit down with us for an interview. Both she and her attorney declined, but during danielles interview with the detectives she emphatically denied having anything to do with sams murder. I would never kill my husband. I would never kill another human being. And the man who pulled the trigger supported danielles claim of innocence in no uncertain terms. Ive acted on my own. I did. I did this all on my own. You know, i just so youre indicating then that danielles only involvement was in order to help you basically get dirt on her husband to help with the divorce . Nothing to do with harming him . Right. But michaels response didnt sway cindy lutz. I didnt believe him. I think he was protecting her. I think he would have done anything for her. Cindy believed that included lying about danielle being involved in sams murder, and cindy wasnt alone. Do i believe that she was part of the murder scheme . Yes. Sarasota county lead homicide prosecutor, Karen Fraivillig<\/a>, believed danielle manipulated michael to kill sam. Person, and she was able to manipulate Michael Minor<\/a>, and theres a dead man because of that. Reporter the question now before the prosecutor, could she prove it in court . Coming up will one lover betray another . We were hoping that he would contact us and said, hey, i want to tell you the truth. And the lover left behind ponders what might have been. Was he the one . He was the one without au doubt. He still is the one. Just like your fingertips, your lips have a unique print and unique needs your lips are like no others, and need a lip routine thats just right for you chapstick has you covered chapstick. Put your lips first. Of all the homicides Karen Fraivillig<\/a> has prosecuted, she found the case of sam drehers murder especially frustrating. Its hard to remain unemotional in a murder. In the murder of an innocent person who did nothing except fall in love with another woman. Reporter Michael Minor<\/a> may have shot sam, but prosecutor fraivillig believed danielle manipulated him to do it, and that her motive was more than just money. I think there was a financial motive, certainly. Probably, the most overarching motive was just jealousy. Despite the fact that she was conducting an affair of her own, i think that she was just completely enraged that sam started stepping out on her as well. Reporter but in order to prove that in court, fraivillig felt she would need something she didnt yet have a statement from michael saying danielle acted as his accomplice. So she waited, thinking time would compel him to come forward and admit danielle was involved. He never did. Michael maintained danielle played no role in sams murder. Was this possibly a twisted act of chivalry . I think that certainly one of his motivations, if not his sole motivation, was trying to protect the woman that he loved. Reporter did you say to him, why are you protecting her . Yes. And he said, im not. He said, im not protecting her. We were hoping he would contact us through his lawyers and said, hey, i want to tell you the truth. I want to tell you what part she had in it. That never happened. Reporter 2 1 2 years after shooting sam, Michael Minor<\/a> agreed to plead guilty to Second Degree<\/a> murder. And it will live with me forever, and it will haunt me forever. Reporter in exchange for his plea, michael received a sentence of 30 years. I would not give him anything less than that. I mean, he pulled the trigger. And he didnt pull it once. He pulled it four times. I was glad that he was going to jail. Michael minor didnt just kill our brother. He has mortally wounded our entire family. Reporter Michael Minor<\/a> never wavered in his statement that he acted alone. In the end, prosecutor fraivillig felt she didnt have enough evidence to charge danielle as michaels accomplice. I cannot just charge someone based upon my speculations, the familys beliefs and even the ugliness of these Text Messages<\/a> is not enough unless i can show that there was a conspiracy. Michael minor never gave me that information. Reporter what is your gut telling you, that danielle was indirectly involved, directly involved or she wasnt involved. Reporter had no part in this whatsoever . She wasnt involved in that homicide. Reporter news of the decision not to prosecute danielle for sams murder made sams sister, cindy, furious. Do i think its a tough case . Yes, absolutely. But you know what . Their job is not to prosecute cases that are easy. Their job is to prosecute criminals. Reporter but just when everyone thought danielle was free and clear, prosecutor fraivillig said not so fast. Remember Michael Minor<\/a>s videotaped breakin of Dianne Mcknight<\/a>s apartment . The prosecutor believed danielle not only helped plan the breakin, but she also instructed michael to steal some of diannes possessions. Danielle was charged with burglary and theft. At trial, the defense argued danielle never asked michael to steal anything. The jury didnt agree. She was found guilty as charged and sentenced to four years in prison. This was a very satisfying verdict, to see the woman be punished for her actions. Reporter is the murder of sam dreher an open case or a closed case . No. Its a closed case. Reporter but not for cindy, who continues to mourn the loss of her brother. She keeps his uniform close by for comfort and, with it, a lifetime of memories. He was loving. He was caring. He was the peacemaker. He was always doing for others. He was just sweet. Reporter cindy once felt the same way about her sisterinlaw danielle. Now theres bad blood between the two. Cindy fought danielle in court over benefits from sams Life Insurance<\/a>. They ultimately reached a confidential settlement. Cindy also keeps a watchful eye on danielle. According to cindy, danielle was dating another man before she went to prison. She was living with a firefighter, as a matter of fact. One of my brothers supposed fire brothers. Reporter whats your advice to this guy, this firefighter . Watch your back, you know. The last two guys involved with danielle, ones dead, ones in prison. Reporter as for dianne, shes now left to reflect on a life with sam that could have been. Did you two talk about marriage . Yes. Reporter and was that in the cards . Oh, absolutely. Reporter did you ever feel like im being punished for having this affair . Oh, yes. Is i might have said those exact words myself. Reporter it all started in a club with an innocent conversation. Mmhmm. Reporter was it all worth it . Falling in love with sam . I would never change having met sam. Reporter was he the one . He was the one. Without a doubt. He still is the one. Thats all for now. Im natalie moralis. Thanks for watching. First up on msnbc, across america, the Coronavirus Spread<\/a> from new york to l. A. , the new numbers. What do they tell us about whether theres hope for containing the disease . Its like a kwar zone. Were in a war with very limited resources. 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