Page 11 - Christopher Sutton News Today : Breaking News, Live Updates & Top Stories | Vimarsana

Prosecutor karen keagan told the jury a horror story. the state's version of what happened. >> the man for whom the gunman had signed on to commit a double-murder. a man who was intimately familiar with john and susan sutton. that man -- their son. christopher sutton. >> reporter: then graphic evidence. a crime scene soaked in blood and littered with bullet casings. the medical examiner placed knitting needles in a mannequin to show where susan was shot six times. her son took a deep breath, recoiled, dreadful. but, how would the state prove

That christopher was behind it all. >> raise your right hand. she will administer the oath. >> reporter: for starters, this man once worked with christopher, was an occasional pot customer too, but was shocked he said when christopher asked him a certain question. >> what did the defendant ask you? >> he asked me if i knew of any hit men that would kill his parents. >> what reason or explanation did he give you? >> he said his parents were -- worth about $500,000 to $1 million. >> reporter: a lot more, actually, house, insurance, law practice, christopher stood to inherit millions. so, was mon...

>> he was banking on getting out when he turned 18. but we also learned that john sutton, being a lawyer, had an order signed by a judge that said when you turn 18, if you haven't completed the course you are going to stay. which infuriated christopher sutton. >> reporter: why did you decide to keep him there when he turned 18? >> we had concerns he wasn't ready to return. he had not "graduated the program." >> reporter: how did he feel about that? >> he was quite upset. >> reporter: he wanted to come home. >> he wanted things his way. he always wanted things his way. >> reporter: this time, f...

And john sutton got busy. he had a mission, two, in fact. one to seek justice no matter what that might mean for his son. and the other, perhaps even more impossible, to simply see again. coming up -- garrett kopp avenue confession should be enough to put him behind bars. but did prosecutors have enough to convict christopher sutton? >> this was a circumstantial case, extremely circumstantial. >> reporter: when "dateline" continues. really based on motive. keith morrison: when dateline continues. [dramatic music]

>> christopher made comments that his parents are going to pay for sending him, taking years out of his life. >> reporter: when they took a closer look at christopher's more recent history. they could easily see his improved behavior wasn't exactly lasting. even girlfriend juliette's influence couldn't keep christopher from slipping up. yes he went back to college after he returned from samoa, but soon dropped out. he did form a company. but the company folded. >> he didn't seem to be motivated. >> reporter: yeah. >> we fried to get him to stay in jobs. nothing seemed to be working. >> reporte...