Page 34 - Michael Beard News Today : Breaking News, Live Updates & Top Stories | Vimarsana

Witness. >> reporter: tom and his lawyer pounced on that, telling reporters that beard acted on his own. >> this is purely mr. beard's doing, what we do know is that mr. clayton had nothing to do with the death of his wife. >> reporter: and tom's lawyer didn't stop at michael beard. he went after the investigators. he said they had tunnel vision when it came to his client. >> he said, "you'll hear it. you'll hear it from the body cam video." >> she's beat the [ bleep ] she's beat up. >> you got a suspect? >> the husband. >> the husband? reporter: the lawyer believed everything that followed in...

Kidding around with family members. his lawyer, though, was on the attack. he told the jury how investigators had immediately labeled tom a killer on the night of the murder. >> i think he attacked her. >> reporter: and the defense said investigators refused to change their minds even after it was clear michael beard was the one who beat kelley to death. >> the defense had basically alluded to the fact that there was a psychosis in michael beard. and that he out of just hate and revenge against thomas and his other bosses went to the house that night with the intent of stealing and taking mone...

>> reporter: are you getting any bad feeling from him? are you suspicious of him? >> not at all. >> reporter: so you're thinking this is going to be something that we're going to cross off the list? >> yes. i didn't expect to see him again. >> reporter: to the investigator and those close to kelley, michael beard didn't seem like a good suspect after all. >> reporter: did you think it was -- it was possible that he's a disgruntled employee? he was, you know, taking revenge? >> i didn't. because if you're disgruntled, why wouldn't you kill the person that you're disgruntled against? i mean, "i'...

>> that was the -- that was the win. >> reporter: michael beard was arrested for murder. and tom, already in custody, was now accused of orchestrating the crime. but tom's newly-hired defense attorney wasn't having it. >> he wants to be reunited with his children. he frankly is grieving the loss of his wife. >> reporter: investigators had quickly arrested tom based largely on a child's description, which turned out to be wrong. now his attorney said they seized on a confession that was anything but true. who would be believed? >> this is every innocent person's nightmare. coming up, a secret...

>> reporter: as the millers struggled to make sense of that, they called the other men who'd been to their house that night. the poker players recalled the same detail. tom's phone was always with him. >> he had his phone at the poker table? >> that's what poker players are saying. yes. it was -- it was there. yes. yes. >> so he has his phone at the poker table, but he's telling you he's left his phone in the car? >> uh-huh. that's what he told me. >> reporter: more than a little suspicious, the millers kept digging. they went online to check linda's phone records. and there it was, the number...