1 00:00:02,680 --> 00:00:05,640 Speaker 1: Originals. This is an iHeart original. 2 00:00:08,000 --> 00:00:11,200 Speaker 2: This story can be hard to hear. There's detailed talk 3 00:00:11,240 --> 00:00:14,920 Speaker 2: of suicide and violence, but we think it's important not 4 00:00:15,000 --> 00:00:18,079 Speaker 2: to gloss over the reality of what happened to Libby Caswell. 5 00:00:18,680 --> 00:00:34,480 Speaker 2: Please take care while listening. So what age was Libby 6 00:00:34,520 --> 00:00:35,720 Speaker 2: when you moved into this though? 7 00:00:36,159 --> 00:00:39,920 Speaker 3: She was in fourth grade and her and Natalie just 8 00:00:40,040 --> 00:00:43,159 Speaker 3: had chicken pox together when we moved here. Libby had 9 00:00:43,159 --> 00:00:45,440 Speaker 3: it worse than Natalie. It was in her ears and 10 00:00:45,479 --> 00:00:49,519 Speaker 3: in her mouth and on her eyelids. I mean this everywhere. 11 00:00:51,320 --> 00:00:54,120 Speaker 4: So small story, and I guess fair. 12 00:00:56,120 --> 00:00:59,520 Speaker 2: I'm here in Independence, Missouri, standing in the living room 13 00:00:59,600 --> 00:01:02,000 Speaker 2: of the small tidy house that Libby grew up in. 14 00:01:03,040 --> 00:01:07,039 Speaker 2: I came here to immerse myself in Libby's physical world, 15 00:01:07,080 --> 00:01:09,559 Speaker 2: to meet the people who loved her, and to see 16 00:01:09,560 --> 00:01:14,240 Speaker 2: for myself the places she lived, because often those physical 17 00:01:14,280 --> 00:01:16,920 Speaker 2: spaces tell stories that people. 18 00:01:16,640 --> 00:01:18,080 Speaker 1: Can't or won't. 19 00:01:19,200 --> 00:01:23,120 Speaker 2: Libby's mom, Cindy, and sister Natalie are showing me around 20 00:01:23,240 --> 00:01:27,040 Speaker 2: and sharing stories about the family through the years. There 21 00:01:27,040 --> 00:01:31,600 Speaker 2: are photos of Libby everywhere, faded childhood prints, pictures of 22 00:01:31,640 --> 00:01:34,679 Speaker 2: her and her son, and blown up portraits from a 23 00:01:34,720 --> 00:01:38,440 Speaker 2: modeling shoot she did in her teens. Her family told 24 00:01:38,520 --> 00:01:40,120 Speaker 2: me Libby loved the camera. 25 00:01:40,440 --> 00:01:42,840 Speaker 3: She just posed and wanted to be in pictures all 26 00:01:42,880 --> 00:01:43,880 Speaker 3: her life. In her son. 27 00:01:43,760 --> 00:01:47,560 Speaker 2: Blind, they take me into the kitchen, where the family 28 00:01:47,560 --> 00:01:49,080 Speaker 2: would often spend time together. 29 00:01:49,480 --> 00:01:52,480 Speaker 3: She was a pretty good cook. She really taught me 30 00:01:52,560 --> 00:01:55,720 Speaker 3: on fried chicken. She could really cook some fried chicken. 31 00:01:56,000 --> 00:01:58,280 Speaker 3: I was like, wow, you've outdone mom. 32 00:01:58,320 --> 00:02:02,320 Speaker 2: But mostly we stand outside Libby's old bedroom and talk. 33 00:02:02,800 --> 00:02:06,440 Speaker 5: She always painted it some really weird colors. When we 34 00:02:06,480 --> 00:02:09,280 Speaker 5: first moved in, I painted my room pink, and she 35 00:02:09,360 --> 00:02:13,760 Speaker 5: painted hers like really bright lime green with a really 36 00:02:13,880 --> 00:02:16,960 Speaker 5: dark green trim, and it was horrible. And then she 37 00:02:17,000 --> 00:02:19,880 Speaker 5: had these big like flower stamps all over it. And 38 00:02:19,919 --> 00:02:23,000 Speaker 5: then she'd change into like red and THENTO gold and 39 00:02:23,360 --> 00:02:26,480 Speaker 5: it was like her little space. And she wouldn't let 40 00:02:26,520 --> 00:02:28,520 Speaker 5: me in most of the time i'd have she'd make 41 00:02:28,560 --> 00:02:31,119 Speaker 5: me knock, and then even then a lot of times 42 00:02:31,160 --> 00:02:32,040 Speaker 5: she told me to go away. 43 00:02:33,760 --> 00:02:38,040 Speaker 2: Sometimes, though Libby relented and let Natalie in. The sisters 44 00:02:38,040 --> 00:02:41,520 Speaker 2: would watch scary movies in bed, dance around to music. 45 00:02:42,440 --> 00:02:44,720 Speaker 5: She would sit in front of her mirror and watch 46 00:02:44,720 --> 00:02:48,200 Speaker 5: herself sing, and I always would tease her and stuff 47 00:02:48,320 --> 00:02:52,079 Speaker 5: for being attitude or whatever, and she would didn't care. 48 00:02:52,200 --> 00:02:54,280 Speaker 5: She would just stare at herself in the mirror and 49 00:02:54,400 --> 00:02:56,760 Speaker 5: have like a big brush in her hand or something, 50 00:02:56,840 --> 00:03:00,200 Speaker 5: pretending to sing really loud. She was so funny. 51 00:03:01,600 --> 00:03:05,280 Speaker 2: As a child, Libby's room was her own private sanctuary, 52 00:03:05,800 --> 00:03:08,520 Speaker 2: but as a teenager, it became a place where she 53 00:03:08,800 --> 00:03:11,680 Speaker 2: and her boyfriend Devin retreated to together. 54 00:03:12,240 --> 00:03:14,360 Speaker 5: I never really knew what was going on because they 55 00:03:14,639 --> 00:03:16,240 Speaker 5: just kind of locked themselves. 56 00:03:15,760 --> 00:03:21,520 Speaker 2: In there, whether they were sequestered in her bedroom or 57 00:03:21,639 --> 00:03:24,680 Speaker 2: just home alone. No one saw what Libby and Devon 58 00:03:24,720 --> 00:03:28,160 Speaker 2: were up to. But her family did start to notice 59 00:03:28,240 --> 00:03:31,480 Speaker 2: that little things were different around the house, and not 60 00:03:31,680 --> 00:03:32,400 Speaker 2: in a good way. 61 00:03:33,160 --> 00:03:35,760 Speaker 5: We'd come home sometimes when they air bolts here and 62 00:03:36,560 --> 00:03:39,680 Speaker 5: things would be broken. One time we came home and 63 00:03:39,720 --> 00:03:43,720 Speaker 5: we had the picture of Jesus Stanning on the wall 64 00:03:43,800 --> 00:03:45,240 Speaker 5: and it was completely shattered. 65 00:03:46,320 --> 00:03:49,880 Speaker 2: There was damage that often went unexplained, like a dent 66 00:03:50,000 --> 00:03:51,240 Speaker 2: in Libby's bedroom wall. 67 00:03:51,600 --> 00:03:53,920 Speaker 3: We were like, who put this hole here? 68 00:03:54,000 --> 00:03:54,720 Speaker 1: Who did this? 69 00:03:54,840 --> 00:03:56,440 Speaker 3: And everyone was like, we don't know. 70 00:03:57,840 --> 00:04:00,920 Speaker 2: I should be clear about my reporting history here. I'm 71 00:04:00,920 --> 00:04:03,960 Speaker 2: a journalist who covers violence against women, and I tend 72 00:04:04,040 --> 00:04:07,840 Speaker 2: to focus on a specific kind of violence, domestic violence, 73 00:04:08,240 --> 00:04:12,680 Speaker 2: which occurs between people in intimate relationships. Through my decade 74 00:04:12,720 --> 00:04:15,560 Speaker 2: of reporting, I've developed a keen eye and ear for 75 00:04:15,640 --> 00:04:18,400 Speaker 2: picking it up. But I can tell you that domestic 76 00:04:18,440 --> 00:04:23,200 Speaker 2: violence is by design difficult to see from the outside. 77 00:04:23,440 --> 00:04:26,920 Speaker 2: Both the abuser and the person being abused have compelling 78 00:04:27,040 --> 00:04:30,799 Speaker 2: reasons to hide what's going on. But hiding a secret 79 00:04:30,800 --> 00:04:35,039 Speaker 2: of this magnitude it's a lot of work, and as 80 00:04:35,200 --> 00:04:38,320 Speaker 2: is often the case with secrets, it tends to find 81 00:04:38,320 --> 00:04:41,680 Speaker 2: a way of making itself known in a bruise, peeking 82 00:04:41,680 --> 00:04:45,080 Speaker 2: out from a sleeve, a whispered admission to a friend, 83 00:04:46,000 --> 00:04:50,559 Speaker 2: an argument behind not so closed doors. Take that hole 84 00:04:50,560 --> 00:04:53,640 Speaker 2: that Cindy mentioned earlier. One day she comes home from 85 00:04:53,720 --> 00:04:56,520 Speaker 2: work and finds a hole in the wall of Libby's bedroom. 86 00:04:57,200 --> 00:04:59,920 Speaker 2: Whatever hit it dented the dry wall and splintered the 87 00:05:00,080 --> 00:05:03,279 Speaker 2: paint around it. I can tell you from my experience 88 00:05:03,800 --> 00:05:08,000 Speaker 2: in some homes, holes and walls are not innocent. They're 89 00:05:08,040 --> 00:05:12,159 Speaker 2: not mistakes or accidents. But Libby wouldn't tell her family 90 00:05:12,160 --> 00:05:14,359 Speaker 2: what had happened, and no one else had been in 91 00:05:14,400 --> 00:05:17,960 Speaker 2: the room, and so for a while, that's where Cindy's 92 00:05:17,960 --> 00:05:22,400 Speaker 2: story of the whole ended until I started interviewing Libby's 93 00:05:22,400 --> 00:05:26,760 Speaker 2: friends and the full picture began to emerge. 94 00:05:27,120 --> 00:05:29,599 Speaker 6: I remember it like it was yesterday. So her first 95 00:05:29,600 --> 00:05:32,560 Speaker 6: Mother's Day, she called me. I ended up shown up 96 00:05:32,560 --> 00:05:34,400 Speaker 6: over at her house and she used this in heres. 97 00:05:35,080 --> 00:05:39,000 Speaker 2: This is Holly, one of Libby's best friends. Libby may 98 00:05:39,000 --> 00:05:41,559 Speaker 2: not have confided in her mom or her sister about 99 00:05:41,560 --> 00:05:44,240 Speaker 2: what happened that day, but she did tell Holly. 100 00:05:44,520 --> 00:05:47,000 Speaker 6: She said that Devin had slammed her head up against 101 00:05:47,000 --> 00:05:49,520 Speaker 6: the wall and knocked her out and just left her 102 00:05:49,520 --> 00:05:50,560 Speaker 6: there unconscious. 103 00:05:50,839 --> 00:05:54,000 Speaker 3: She didn't never tell me of the extent of all 104 00:05:54,000 --> 00:05:56,240 Speaker 3: the things that happened. You know, I had to find 105 00:05:56,240 --> 00:05:57,440 Speaker 3: out after her death. 106 00:06:14,240 --> 00:06:15,760 Speaker 1: From iHeart Podcasts. 107 00:06:15,880 --> 00:06:19,760 Speaker 2: I'm Melissa Jelson, and this is what happened to Libby Caswell. 108 00:06:21,360 --> 00:06:24,400 Speaker 1: There's a fun through youin. 109 00:06:29,120 --> 00:06:36,200 Speaker 7: So what I actually probably the fact that I've never 110 00:06:36,200 --> 00:06:37,600 Speaker 7: put my name in his heart to the moment, and 111 00:06:37,760 --> 00:06:40,920 Speaker 7: I to stop her from hurting me. She's just been 112 00:06:41,160 --> 00:06:47,320 Speaker 7: happy with her. The medical examiner ruled Libby's death undetermined. 113 00:06:47,920 --> 00:06:49,920 Speaker 4: They go, what do you mean they undetermined? 114 00:06:50,440 --> 00:06:53,720 Speaker 5: It was just like he destroyed that safe space for 115 00:06:53,839 --> 00:06:54,520 Speaker 5: her in her room. 116 00:06:54,760 --> 00:06:57,000 Speaker 3: He rammed her head into the walls, hard enough to 117 00:06:57,000 --> 00:06:59,159 Speaker 3: put a dent in the wall the size of a 118 00:06:59,200 --> 00:07:02,440 Speaker 3: bowling ball, you know, And we never knew the explanation 119 00:07:02,560 --> 00:07:15,840 Speaker 3: because no one was home and no one knew. 120 00:07:20,680 --> 00:07:30,280 Speaker 2: Chapter three, Domestic Disturbance. Abusive relationships don't start with a 121 00:07:30,360 --> 00:07:34,400 Speaker 2: head slammed into a wall. They start, like most relationships do, 122 00:07:35,240 --> 00:07:38,960 Speaker 2: with flirtation and connection and excitement about what's to come. 123 00:07:40,000 --> 00:07:43,119 Speaker 2: Which is why I'm going to rewind six years before 124 00:07:43,160 --> 00:07:46,600 Speaker 2: Libby's body was found in a motel bathroom, six years 125 00:07:46,640 --> 00:07:49,960 Speaker 2: before her boyfriend became a suspect in her death, because 126 00:07:50,000 --> 00:07:52,920 Speaker 2: to get the full picture of Libby and Devon's relationship, 127 00:07:53,240 --> 00:07:56,520 Speaker 2: we have to start at the beginning. And at the beginning, 128 00:07:57,160 --> 00:07:59,200 Speaker 2: it was sweet. 129 00:08:00,680 --> 00:08:01,720 Speaker 4: Oh they were in love. 130 00:08:01,880 --> 00:08:05,360 Speaker 6: They were you know, young puppy love. It was always, oh, babe, 131 00:08:05,400 --> 00:08:08,560 Speaker 6: this babe bat Man had stupid nicknames that. 132 00:08:08,560 --> 00:08:09,040 Speaker 8: They'd call it. 133 00:08:09,160 --> 00:08:13,600 Speaker 2: The Libby's friend Holly introduced them freshman year. 134 00:08:14,080 --> 00:08:17,160 Speaker 6: Devin was in my math class. Liddy had said that 135 00:08:17,200 --> 00:08:19,480 Speaker 6: he was really cute before I knew that she was 136 00:08:19,520 --> 00:08:21,960 Speaker 6: interested in him. I was standing in the hallway with 137 00:08:22,280 --> 00:08:25,760 Speaker 6: Liddy one day and Devin walks past and I was like, oh, hey, Devin. 138 00:08:25,800 --> 00:08:28,440 Speaker 6: I was like, yeah, this is liddy, and then they 139 00:08:28,560 --> 00:08:31,640 Speaker 6: started dating. I want to say, maybe three weeks after that. 140 00:08:32,440 --> 00:08:35,719 Speaker 2: Libby's mom, Cindy, remembers meeting Devon in the beginning of 141 00:08:35,760 --> 00:08:39,160 Speaker 2: their courtship. Her first impression was that he was a 142 00:08:39,240 --> 00:08:42,960 Speaker 2: charismatic kid who attracted a lot of attention from the girls. 143 00:08:43,240 --> 00:08:45,760 Speaker 3: He reminded me of Justin Bieber. He had the long 144 00:08:45,880 --> 00:08:49,000 Speaker 3: bang and he was always like, you know, tossing his 145 00:08:49,000 --> 00:08:52,840 Speaker 3: head doing his bangs, and I thought, wow, he's really cute. 146 00:08:53,559 --> 00:08:57,240 Speaker 2: Natalie, Libby's little sister, would sometimes tag along with the 147 00:08:57,240 --> 00:08:58,480 Speaker 2: couple while they hung out. 148 00:08:58,800 --> 00:09:02,600 Speaker 5: They were just kind of like the perfect high school couple, 149 00:09:02,800 --> 00:09:05,959 Speaker 5: you know, the varsity cheerleader and the football player, and 150 00:09:06,000 --> 00:09:09,880 Speaker 5: they seemed to really be into each other. And he'd 151 00:09:09,920 --> 00:09:13,080 Speaker 5: come over and he was always really respectful at first, 152 00:09:13,760 --> 00:09:18,480 Speaker 5: and just seemed like he was kind of the perfect 153 00:09:19,080 --> 00:09:22,839 Speaker 5: boyfriend at the time for her. 154 00:09:27,320 --> 00:09:30,720 Speaker 2: But when Libby became pregnant at age sixteen, about a 155 00:09:30,800 --> 00:09:34,520 Speaker 2: year into their relationship, Natalie noticed a shift in how 156 00:09:34,559 --> 00:09:35,480 Speaker 2: Devin treated her. 157 00:09:35,920 --> 00:09:39,680 Speaker 5: He would playfully do something or accidentally do something to 158 00:09:39,720 --> 00:09:42,680 Speaker 5: make her really upset, and she would get upset, and 159 00:09:42,679 --> 00:09:45,000 Speaker 5: he would kind of just be like, why are you overreacting. 160 00:09:45,640 --> 00:09:48,880 Speaker 2: One of Natalie's most vivid memories is what she refers 161 00:09:48,920 --> 00:09:50,600 Speaker 2: to as the lighter incident. 162 00:09:52,360 --> 00:09:55,360 Speaker 5: They were downstairs in the basement and he had the 163 00:09:55,480 --> 00:09:58,400 Speaker 5: lighter and he was playing with the lighter and touching 164 00:09:58,440 --> 00:10:00,280 Speaker 5: it to her because the end of it was hot, 165 00:10:00,840 --> 00:10:03,560 Speaker 5: and thought it was funny and was laughing, and she 166 00:10:03,640 --> 00:10:05,240 Speaker 5: kept telling him to quit, and then he lit it 167 00:10:05,280 --> 00:10:07,640 Speaker 5: and touched it to her leg and whatever she was 168 00:10:07,640 --> 00:10:12,040 Speaker 5: wearing caught on fire. So she came upstairs just bawling, 169 00:10:13,080 --> 00:10:15,360 Speaker 5: and he was just like, I don't know, why are 170 00:10:15,400 --> 00:10:19,960 Speaker 5: you acting like that? She was clearly extremely upset, and 171 00:10:20,000 --> 00:10:23,560 Speaker 5: he had burned her clothes on her leg, and he 172 00:10:23,640 --> 00:10:27,880 Speaker 5: was just like thought it was funny and was trying 173 00:10:27,880 --> 00:10:29,280 Speaker 5: to just play it off like it. 174 00:10:29,360 --> 00:10:29,840 Speaker 8: Was a joke. 175 00:10:31,840 --> 00:10:36,000 Speaker 2: From Natalie's perspective, Devin was always pushing the limits with libby, 176 00:10:36,559 --> 00:10:38,960 Speaker 2: seeing what he could get away with before she'd get 177 00:10:39,000 --> 00:10:42,560 Speaker 2: angry or burst into tears, and the limits he pushed 178 00:10:42,600 --> 00:10:46,120 Speaker 2: could sometimes involve her physical body what she would and 179 00:10:46,160 --> 00:10:47,199 Speaker 2: would not tolerate. 180 00:10:47,720 --> 00:10:50,079 Speaker 5: It was just like little things like he would come 181 00:10:50,120 --> 00:10:52,439 Speaker 5: into her and bump her real hard or elbow her, 182 00:10:52,480 --> 00:10:54,520 Speaker 5: and then she'd get upset and he'd be like, oh, 183 00:10:54,600 --> 00:10:57,920 Speaker 5: I didn't mean to or I was just messing with 184 00:10:58,000 --> 00:11:03,480 Speaker 5: you kind of thing, and it just kind of escalated that, 185 00:11:04,120 --> 00:11:06,640 Speaker 5: like well, he would just do things all the time 186 00:11:06,760 --> 00:11:07,080 Speaker 5: like that. 187 00:11:08,320 --> 00:11:11,240 Speaker 2: Just a kid herself, Natalie wasn't sure what to make 188 00:11:11,280 --> 00:11:14,880 Speaker 2: of Devn's behavior. Maybe that's just how boys acted when 189 00:11:14,880 --> 00:11:15,800 Speaker 2: they really liked you. 190 00:11:16,480 --> 00:11:19,319 Speaker 5: They were really young, you know. I was really young too, 191 00:11:19,360 --> 00:11:22,360 Speaker 5: so I was just like, eh, they'll figure it out. 192 00:11:22,480 --> 00:11:25,240 Speaker 2: She wasn't the only one who noticed how Devin started 193 00:11:25,240 --> 00:11:27,720 Speaker 2: to treat Libby differently once she got pregnant. 194 00:11:28,520 --> 00:11:29,520 Speaker 1: Here's Holly again. 195 00:11:29,960 --> 00:11:32,840 Speaker 6: He just started acting real weird. It was like it 196 00:11:32,880 --> 00:11:35,840 Speaker 6: wasn't like Libby, like him and Libby were a couple anymore. 197 00:11:35,880 --> 00:11:38,560 Speaker 6: It was just like Livy was his What do you 198 00:11:38,640 --> 00:11:42,480 Speaker 6: mean that that? Like it was like an obsession kind 199 00:11:42,520 --> 00:11:43,920 Speaker 6: of thing, and you know, he could go out and 200 00:11:43,920 --> 00:11:47,120 Speaker 6: do whatever he wants, but she couldn't even come over 201 00:11:47,160 --> 00:11:49,880 Speaker 6: and hang out with me for you know, a couple 202 00:11:49,960 --> 00:11:53,440 Speaker 6: hours after she got done at school or on a weekend. 203 00:11:53,800 --> 00:11:56,319 Speaker 6: She wasn't allowed to do anything. At that point, he 204 00:11:56,400 --> 00:11:58,320 Speaker 6: and her were actually hanging out one night, and he 205 00:11:58,400 --> 00:12:02,199 Speaker 6: started like sending her threatening text and stuff. It wasn't 206 00:12:02,200 --> 00:12:04,600 Speaker 6: like outright like oh, hey, I'm going to be your ass. 207 00:12:04,640 --> 00:12:07,000 Speaker 6: It was like, oh, you'll see what happens. You'll see 208 00:12:07,000 --> 00:12:10,319 Speaker 6: what happens whenever I see you again, and stuff like that. 209 00:12:14,280 --> 00:12:17,960 Speaker 2: Over the course of Libby's pregnancy, the couple broke up repeatedly, 210 00:12:18,559 --> 00:12:22,000 Speaker 2: but each time they got back together Natalie again. 211 00:12:22,400 --> 00:12:25,400 Speaker 5: She would leave him for a little while, but she 212 00:12:25,559 --> 00:12:28,080 Speaker 5: was pregnant, so like things would come up where he'd 213 00:12:28,080 --> 00:12:30,680 Speaker 5: have to come or she'd want him to come to 214 00:12:30,800 --> 00:12:33,040 Speaker 5: like an appointment. I always told her, you need to 215 00:12:33,080 --> 00:12:37,160 Speaker 5: just like find someone else and move on, and he 216 00:12:37,240 --> 00:12:40,120 Speaker 5: can pay child sport or come visit him or something, 217 00:12:40,160 --> 00:12:42,240 Speaker 5: but you need to find someone else to treat you better. 218 00:12:43,640 --> 00:12:45,719 Speaker 5: But she wanted her family to be together, so she 219 00:12:46,000 --> 00:12:48,559 Speaker 5: always tried really hard for that to happen. 220 00:12:49,200 --> 00:12:52,160 Speaker 2: And Devin swore he wanted that too. I have a 221 00:12:52,200 --> 00:12:55,800 Speaker 2: handwritten letter, he wrote to Libby while she was pregnant, quote, 222 00:12:56,240 --> 00:12:58,920 Speaker 2: you and this baby are the two biggest blessings I've 223 00:12:58,920 --> 00:13:02,080 Speaker 2: had in my life. Ever, I am more than happy. 224 00:13:02,360 --> 00:13:05,120 Speaker 2: I'm honored to be your man and father of our child. 225 00:13:06,040 --> 00:13:09,440 Speaker 2: Regardless of the hardships and challenges we've been through, it 226 00:13:09,520 --> 00:13:13,600 Speaker 2: was most definitely worth it. Things will get better even 227 00:13:13,640 --> 00:13:18,880 Speaker 2: further down the road. Remember this, you and me are 228 00:13:18,880 --> 00:13:23,319 Speaker 2: in it until the end. But after Xavier is born 229 00:13:23,559 --> 00:13:26,720 Speaker 2: in the spring of twenty thirteen, things don't get better. 230 00:13:27,640 --> 00:13:29,200 Speaker 2: In fact, they get worse. 231 00:13:30,600 --> 00:13:32,319 Speaker 5: My mom and dad were at work. I don't even 232 00:13:32,360 --> 00:13:34,200 Speaker 5: know what I was doing, probably going to the kitchen, 233 00:13:34,720 --> 00:13:37,320 Speaker 5: and when I passed by the bedroom that they were in, 234 00:13:37,360 --> 00:13:40,200 Speaker 5: their door was open. I had heard them arguing, like 235 00:13:40,240 --> 00:13:43,720 Speaker 5: they were kind of just like quietly talking back and forth, 236 00:13:43,760 --> 00:13:46,800 Speaker 5: but you could tell it was an argument. When I 237 00:13:46,880 --> 00:13:49,920 Speaker 5: walked past, I saw him roll her to the side 238 00:13:50,000 --> 00:13:52,199 Speaker 5: and just punch her really hard in the thigh, and 239 00:13:52,320 --> 00:13:55,679 Speaker 5: she cried out and started crying and was upset. 240 00:13:56,120 --> 00:13:58,880 Speaker 1: I was like, kind of like, what did did he 241 00:13:59,040 --> 00:13:59,520 Speaker 1: just hit her? 242 00:14:00,200 --> 00:14:03,160 Speaker 2: This was the first time she'd actually seen Devin punch 243 00:14:03,200 --> 00:14:07,320 Speaker 2: her sister. She couldn't believe her eyes. Natalie felt she 244 00:14:07,400 --> 00:14:09,319 Speaker 2: needed to tell her mom right away. 245 00:14:09,480 --> 00:14:11,600 Speaker 5: And so when she got home and kind of like 246 00:14:11,679 --> 00:14:15,400 Speaker 5: confronted them about it, Libby was just like, no, you 247 00:14:15,480 --> 00:14:18,400 Speaker 5: took it wrong. You didn't see that, kind of like 248 00:14:18,440 --> 00:14:21,720 Speaker 5: she was defending him, and I was like, well, I 249 00:14:21,760 --> 00:14:23,640 Speaker 5: know what I saw and I heard it like I 250 00:14:23,680 --> 00:14:26,080 Speaker 5: could hear it. He hit you really hard, And She's 251 00:14:26,200 --> 00:14:30,560 Speaker 5: kind of just like, no, he was just playing and 252 00:14:31,120 --> 00:14:33,440 Speaker 5: she just defended him. And I don't know why. 253 00:14:34,480 --> 00:14:38,480 Speaker 2: Libby adamantly denied that Devin hit her, not that time, 254 00:14:39,200 --> 00:14:44,800 Speaker 2: not Ever, whatever Natalie had seen had been misinterpreted. Cindy, 255 00:14:44,920 --> 00:14:48,320 Speaker 2: for her part, wasn't sure what was true, but she 256 00:14:48,520 --> 00:14:49,840 Speaker 2: wanted to believe Libby. 257 00:14:50,200 --> 00:14:53,880 Speaker 3: I kind of felt something like I would feel someone right, 258 00:14:54,080 --> 00:14:57,480 Speaker 3: or Natalie would say, Mom, they were in the bedroom 259 00:14:57,520 --> 00:15:01,640 Speaker 3: and we heard this loud slap and she cried, and 260 00:15:01,640 --> 00:15:04,240 Speaker 3: I would say, Libby, did he hit you today? No? 261 00:15:04,360 --> 00:15:07,080 Speaker 3: Who told you that we were just playing around or 262 00:15:07,120 --> 00:15:09,480 Speaker 3: you know, something like that. But then we've seen the 263 00:15:09,480 --> 00:15:10,920 Speaker 3: bruise on your leg. 264 00:15:12,080 --> 00:15:14,920 Speaker 2: Why would Libby try to hide the abuse from her family. 265 00:15:15,680 --> 00:15:18,360 Speaker 2: There's no way for me to truly know, but I 266 00:15:18,400 --> 00:15:21,000 Speaker 2: do have some ideas based on what I've learned from 267 00:15:21,000 --> 00:15:25,440 Speaker 2: talking to other women in similar situations. Maybe Libby felt 268 00:15:25,520 --> 00:15:29,320 Speaker 2: ashamed that her boyfriend would treat her so roughly, and 269 00:15:29,440 --> 00:15:33,360 Speaker 2: ashamed that she tolerated his behavior. Maybe she didn't want 270 00:15:33,400 --> 00:15:35,960 Speaker 2: to give her mom another reason not to like Devin, 271 00:15:36,560 --> 00:15:39,920 Speaker 2: still holding out hope they could become a happy, young family, 272 00:15:40,880 --> 00:15:44,680 Speaker 2: or maybe she truly believed that each time was an accident, 273 00:15:45,200 --> 00:15:51,720 Speaker 2: each time an anomaly, each time was the last. From 274 00:15:51,760 --> 00:15:56,040 Speaker 2: Cindy's recollection, this time period, the first few months after 275 00:15:56,200 --> 00:16:02,040 Speaker 2: Xavier is born, is incredibly chaotic and tense. Libby, at seventeen, 276 00:16:02,440 --> 00:16:04,880 Speaker 2: is trying to learn how to care for her newborn. 277 00:16:05,400 --> 00:16:08,720 Speaker 2: Libby and Devon are fighting constantly, and they break up 278 00:16:08,760 --> 00:16:12,680 Speaker 2: once again. This time Cindy bans Devon from the house, 279 00:16:13,480 --> 00:16:14,800 Speaker 2: but Devin doesn't listen. 280 00:16:15,520 --> 00:16:17,120 Speaker 1: Instead, he shows the. 281 00:16:17,080 --> 00:16:20,360 Speaker 2: Caswell family just how much of a problem he could be. 282 00:16:20,960 --> 00:16:23,920 Speaker 3: He would either throw eggs at the house, sit late 283 00:16:23,960 --> 00:16:27,320 Speaker 3: at night, speed up and down the street. He would 284 00:16:27,320 --> 00:16:30,800 Speaker 3: come and stand in the street and yew. He'd say, 285 00:16:31,160 --> 00:16:32,560 Speaker 3: you better let me see my son. 286 00:16:33,040 --> 00:16:37,440 Speaker 2: Cindy felt the threats were escalating, and so finally she 287 00:16:37,560 --> 00:16:38,800 Speaker 2: decides to take action. 288 00:16:39,560 --> 00:16:40,840 Speaker 1: She does something that. 289 00:16:40,760 --> 00:16:44,040 Speaker 2: Would strain her relationship with her daughter and change the 290 00:16:44,120 --> 00:16:47,960 Speaker 2: trajectory of Libby's story, something a lot of people do 291 00:16:48,080 --> 00:16:51,680 Speaker 2: when face with a potentially dangerous situation they can't handle alone. 292 00:16:52,480 --> 00:16:54,400 Speaker 1: She calls the police. 293 00:16:54,560 --> 00:17:00,240 Speaker 3: I was hoping that the police would come immediately and 294 00:17:00,360 --> 00:17:03,520 Speaker 3: catching here. That was pretty naive. 295 00:17:18,720 --> 00:17:22,280 Speaker 2: Everything falls apart. In the summer of twenty thirteen, a 296 00:17:22,320 --> 00:17:26,679 Speaker 2: few months after Xavier's birth, the very first time Cindy 297 00:17:26,720 --> 00:17:30,800 Speaker 2: calls the police to report Devon. It's August second, around. 298 00:17:30,600 --> 00:17:33,240 Speaker 1: Eight at night. The police notes are. 299 00:17:33,160 --> 00:17:38,320 Speaker 2: Simple, white female and white male arguing in street. Caller 300 00:17:38,520 --> 00:17:43,520 Speaker 2: is mother of female and that's basically it. The call 301 00:17:43,680 --> 00:17:47,240 Speaker 2: is flagged as a domestic disturbance. I can't tell from 302 00:17:47,280 --> 00:17:49,879 Speaker 2: the police report if anyone talked to Libya or Devon 303 00:17:50,000 --> 00:17:53,040 Speaker 2: about what was going on, but the visit doesn't seem 304 00:17:53,080 --> 00:17:56,640 Speaker 2: to do much to abate the problem, because seven hours later, 305 00:17:57,000 --> 00:18:02,000 Speaker 2: Cindy calls again at three am to report that someone Devin, 306 00:18:02,040 --> 00:18:05,719 Speaker 2: she suspected, was driving up and down her sleepy street, 307 00:18:05,880 --> 00:18:12,359 Speaker 2: blasting loud music to harass them. Again, the police come, 308 00:18:12,680 --> 00:18:17,080 Speaker 2: but there's nothing to see. The car is long gone. 309 00:18:17,200 --> 00:18:19,919 Speaker 2: Over the next week, every time Devin shows up at 310 00:18:19,920 --> 00:18:22,560 Speaker 2: the house Cindy calls, it. 311 00:18:22,560 --> 00:18:25,439 Speaker 3: Would take him an hour, hour and a half sometimes 312 00:18:25,560 --> 00:18:28,200 Speaker 3: after a while to come and he would be long gone. 313 00:18:28,520 --> 00:18:30,879 Speaker 3: He would laugh and say, they ain't never gonna catch me. 314 00:18:31,119 --> 00:18:36,560 Speaker 3: I'm too smart for them, and yeah, he'd just run off. 315 00:18:37,440 --> 00:18:39,879 Speaker 2: And then there's the day that Devin stands across the 316 00:18:39,920 --> 00:18:46,320 Speaker 2: street from her house, shirtless, swinging a hammer. It's a 317 00:18:46,320 --> 00:18:49,440 Speaker 2: blazingly hot Monday in August, and Cindy has the day 318 00:18:49,480 --> 00:18:52,480 Speaker 2: off of work. She and Libby are inside the house 319 00:18:52,760 --> 00:18:56,080 Speaker 2: trying to keep the baby cool, and Devin's standing outside 320 00:18:56,080 --> 00:18:59,200 Speaker 2: with the hammer, yelling you better let me see my son. 321 00:19:00,040 --> 00:19:04,160 Speaker 2: Cindy calls IPD again once more. By the time they arrive, 322 00:19:04,400 --> 00:19:08,880 Speaker 2: Devon's gone, but the police are not particularly concerned by 323 00:19:08,880 --> 00:19:13,439 Speaker 2: whatever happened with the hammer. Instead, they're annoyed by the 324 00:19:13,480 --> 00:19:16,640 Speaker 2: frequency with which Cindy is calling nine one one and 325 00:19:16,720 --> 00:19:20,879 Speaker 2: frustrated by their encounters with Libby. The officers write in 326 00:19:20,920 --> 00:19:26,160 Speaker 2: their report quote IPD had responded to the address five 327 00:19:26,280 --> 00:19:30,720 Speaker 2: times in August twenty thirteen for disturbances and building checks, 328 00:19:30,760 --> 00:19:36,280 Speaker 2: all pertaining to Devon. Each time IPD has responded, Elizabeth 329 00:19:36,280 --> 00:19:41,679 Speaker 2: has been very uncooperative. I've seen this word uncooperative a 330 00:19:41,720 --> 00:19:45,280 Speaker 2: lot in my career, especially used to describe victims of 331 00:19:45,320 --> 00:19:46,280 Speaker 2: domestic violence. 332 00:19:47,320 --> 00:19:51,640 Speaker 4: We have very strong stereotypes about the ways that victims 333 00:19:51,680 --> 00:19:53,680 Speaker 4: of domestic violence are supposed to act. 334 00:19:54,119 --> 00:19:57,640 Speaker 2: Lee Goodmark is the director of the Gender Violence Clinic 335 00:19:57,880 --> 00:20:00,960 Speaker 2: at the University of Maryland's care School of Law. 336 00:20:01,160 --> 00:20:03,480 Speaker 4: So a victim of domestic violence is supposed to be 337 00:20:03,600 --> 00:20:08,240 Speaker 4: meek and weak and passive and grateful for the intervention 338 00:20:08,280 --> 00:20:12,520 Speaker 4: of police. When people don't act in conformity with this 339 00:20:12,680 --> 00:20:15,600 Speaker 4: stereotype that says a victim will do anything that they 340 00:20:15,640 --> 00:20:20,160 Speaker 4: can do to help with prosecution, then they are labeled uncooperative. 341 00:20:20,760 --> 00:20:23,760 Speaker 2: There are many reasons why Libby might not have wanted 342 00:20:23,760 --> 00:20:27,679 Speaker 2: to quote cooperate with the police. To start, it was 343 00:20:27,720 --> 00:20:31,280 Speaker 2: her mom calling the authorities, not her. She may have 344 00:20:31,400 --> 00:20:34,399 Speaker 2: been afraid of how Devin would react, or maybe she 345 00:20:34,440 --> 00:20:36,879 Speaker 2: didn't want to see the father of her son in jail. 346 00:20:37,520 --> 00:20:40,600 Speaker 2: And as far as Cindy recalls, IPD never spoke with 347 00:20:40,680 --> 00:20:44,719 Speaker 2: Libby privately to gain more insight into her behavior and 348 00:20:44,800 --> 00:20:47,679 Speaker 2: never asked questions about her safety. 349 00:20:47,720 --> 00:20:51,080 Speaker 4: Even though police have been trained for the last forty 350 00:20:51,200 --> 00:20:54,760 Speaker 4: years around these issues, around these ideas about why people 351 00:20:54,800 --> 00:20:56,879 Speaker 4: might not want to go forward with cases, why they 352 00:20:56,920 --> 00:20:59,760 Speaker 4: might be afraid to talk to police, you still see 353 00:21:00,160 --> 00:21:04,160 Speaker 4: least labeling victims uncooperative, and once a victim has that label, 354 00:21:04,560 --> 00:21:06,360 Speaker 4: they are deemed less credible. 355 00:21:06,240 --> 00:21:10,359 Speaker 2: Which is exactly what happened in this case, because instead 356 00:21:10,359 --> 00:21:13,439 Speaker 2: of offering Liby and Cindy support, IPD tells them to 357 00:21:13,440 --> 00:21:14,840 Speaker 2: stop calling altogether. 358 00:21:15,520 --> 00:21:17,680 Speaker 3: They were like, you can't just keep calling nine one one. 359 00:21:17,720 --> 00:21:21,000 Speaker 3: You're gonna have to kick out your daughter and rectify 360 00:21:21,080 --> 00:21:23,920 Speaker 3: this situation. You can't just keep calling nine one one, 361 00:21:24,640 --> 00:21:28,440 Speaker 3: And we were like, she has a new baby. We're 362 00:21:28,520 --> 00:21:31,360 Speaker 3: not gonna throw her out in the street. She doesn't 363 00:21:31,359 --> 00:21:32,040 Speaker 3: want him here. 364 00:21:32,880 --> 00:21:36,800 Speaker 2: IPD decides to use the law against them, invoking a 365 00:21:36,840 --> 00:21:40,920 Speaker 2: little known city ordinance that prohibits maintaining a nuisance property. 366 00:21:41,520 --> 00:21:44,880 Speaker 2: A property might be considered a nuisance if the residents 367 00:21:44,880 --> 00:21:48,080 Speaker 2: are selling drugs out of it, or accumulating dangerous junk 368 00:21:48,119 --> 00:21:50,960 Speaker 2: in the yard, or really doing anything that their neighbors 369 00:21:51,000 --> 00:21:54,439 Speaker 2: don't like. Ordinances like these are fairly common across the 370 00:21:54,560 --> 00:21:57,840 Speaker 2: US and often pretty vague. Much is left to the 371 00:21:57,880 --> 00:22:01,879 Speaker 2: discretion of the officers, and in some cases, a person 372 00:22:01,960 --> 00:22:04,960 Speaker 2: might be cited not for being a nuisance to their neighbors, 373 00:22:05,359 --> 00:22:09,320 Speaker 2: but to the police for calling too many times, even 374 00:22:09,320 --> 00:22:11,800 Speaker 2: if they're calling to report a crime that is being 375 00:22:11,840 --> 00:22:15,960 Speaker 2: committed against them. Hours after the police respond to the 376 00:22:15,960 --> 00:22:20,119 Speaker 2: hammer incident, they sent another officer to serve Cindy and 377 00:22:20,160 --> 00:22:24,080 Speaker 2: her husband Robert, with papers officially designating their house a 378 00:22:24,200 --> 00:22:28,119 Speaker 2: quote nuisance property. They're warned not to call the police 379 00:22:28,119 --> 00:22:32,080 Speaker 2: again or risk a fine. Cindy, Robert, and Libby all 380 00:22:32,119 --> 00:22:33,600 Speaker 2: sign a copy, and. 381 00:22:33,680 --> 00:22:36,320 Speaker 3: So they were like, well, we have a certain number 382 00:22:36,320 --> 00:22:38,760 Speaker 3: of times that you can call, and then we're going 383 00:22:38,840 --> 00:22:42,120 Speaker 3: to press charges on you, guys. I had never heard 384 00:22:42,160 --> 00:22:44,080 Speaker 3: of that. I had never heard a nuisance to the 385 00:22:44,160 --> 00:22:49,920 Speaker 3: law in any way, and so it was just ridiculous 386 00:22:49,960 --> 00:22:53,639 Speaker 3: to me. I didn't know. Though I was naive, I 387 00:22:53,680 --> 00:22:56,160 Speaker 3: still trusted the police, even though I thought they could 388 00:22:56,160 --> 00:22:57,920 Speaker 3: come a little quicker when I didn't call. 389 00:22:58,640 --> 00:22:59,959 Speaker 1: Lee good Mark again. 390 00:23:00,320 --> 00:23:03,160 Speaker 4: The irony is that we tell people to call nine 391 00:23:03,200 --> 00:23:06,119 Speaker 4: one one if they're experiencing danger. We tell people that 392 00:23:06,160 --> 00:23:08,120 Speaker 4: police are the ones who are supposed to protect them. 393 00:23:08,119 --> 00:23:09,960 Speaker 4: We tell them that the criminal system is supposed to 394 00:23:10,000 --> 00:23:12,639 Speaker 4: intervene in these cases, and then when they try to 395 00:23:12,800 --> 00:23:15,959 Speaker 4: use that tool to do all of the things that 396 00:23:15,960 --> 00:23:18,960 Speaker 4: they're told it's going to do, they're prosecuted. 397 00:23:21,040 --> 00:23:24,679 Speaker 2: After the Caswell's house is flagged as a nuisance, Cindy 398 00:23:24,720 --> 00:23:30,040 Speaker 2: stops calling the police. Months go by, some days are peaceful, 399 00:23:30,480 --> 00:23:34,280 Speaker 2: others not so much. And without the option of calling 400 00:23:34,320 --> 00:23:37,800 Speaker 2: the cops, Cindy takes matters into her own hands. 401 00:23:38,240 --> 00:23:40,840 Speaker 3: One time, him and his friend showed up outside, and 402 00:23:40,880 --> 00:23:42,560 Speaker 3: they got out of their car and was standing in 403 00:23:42,600 --> 00:23:45,560 Speaker 3: my yard and taunting and saying, what are you going 404 00:23:45,600 --> 00:23:48,000 Speaker 3: to do about it? You came, you know, what are 405 00:23:48,040 --> 00:23:50,000 Speaker 3: you going to do? And I went and got Robert's 406 00:23:50,320 --> 00:23:52,280 Speaker 3: samurai's sword and went outside. 407 00:23:53,240 --> 00:23:55,720 Speaker 2: When Cindy told me this, I was kind of dumb 408 00:23:55,800 --> 00:23:58,040 Speaker 2: struck because I've spent a lot of time with her 409 00:23:58,480 --> 00:24:01,680 Speaker 2: and I cannot imagine her will a weapon against anyone. 410 00:24:02,280 --> 00:24:04,639 Speaker 2: She's one of the most gentle and mild mannered people 411 00:24:04,680 --> 00:24:05,320 Speaker 2: I've ever met. 412 00:24:05,840 --> 00:24:08,320 Speaker 3: And the guy he was with yelled, dude, she has 413 00:24:08,359 --> 00:24:10,920 Speaker 3: a sword, and they joked in the car and took off. 414 00:24:12,320 --> 00:24:17,080 Speaker 2: Then one cold January morning, Cindy hears Devon and Libby fighting. 415 00:24:17,760 --> 00:24:20,840 Speaker 2: It scares Cindy enough that she does something she hadn't 416 00:24:20,880 --> 00:24:23,800 Speaker 2: wanted to do since her house had been labeled a nuisance. 417 00:24:24,760 --> 00:24:28,560 Speaker 2: She calls nine one one. When the police arrived, they 418 00:24:28,640 --> 00:24:32,159 Speaker 2: handcuffed Devin, but not because of his behavior towards Libby, 419 00:24:32,680 --> 00:24:35,679 Speaker 2: because he had an outstanding warrant for an unpaid fine. 420 00:24:36,320 --> 00:24:39,000 Speaker 2: He's led to a patrol car, and, according to the 421 00:24:39,000 --> 00:24:42,360 Speaker 2: police report, Libby panics and tries to run after him. 422 00:24:42,760 --> 00:24:45,840 Speaker 2: The officer gives Libby a lecture, he writes in his 423 00:24:45,920 --> 00:24:50,639 Speaker 2: report quote, after a stern warning and conversation, I elected 424 00:24:50,760 --> 00:24:53,520 Speaker 2: not to arrest Libby Caswell. 425 00:24:53,720 --> 00:24:55,160 Speaker 1: The officer's note. 426 00:24:54,920 --> 00:24:58,760 Speaker 2: Reminds me of what Lee Goodmark said about the stereotypes 427 00:24:58,800 --> 00:25:02,800 Speaker 2: of domestic violence victim. In this moment, Libby isn't acting 428 00:25:03,000 --> 00:25:07,440 Speaker 2: meek or passive or grateful for police intervention. She's not 429 00:25:07,520 --> 00:25:10,840 Speaker 2: acting like a victim, so she's not, in my opinion, 430 00:25:11,320 --> 00:25:15,520 Speaker 2: being treated like one. A couple months go by without 431 00:25:15,560 --> 00:25:18,240 Speaker 2: any more nine to one one calls, but then one 432 00:25:18,320 --> 00:25:21,399 Speaker 2: day Cindy walks into the living room and sees Devin 433 00:25:21,480 --> 00:25:24,760 Speaker 2: tackle Libby on the couch, smothering her with his body. 434 00:25:25,200 --> 00:25:27,639 Speaker 3: That time he laid on her and she couldn't breathe. 435 00:25:27,680 --> 00:25:29,640 Speaker 3: I called nine one one. I took a ball bat 436 00:25:29,680 --> 00:25:31,879 Speaker 3: after him and told him to get out of my house. 437 00:25:32,320 --> 00:25:36,119 Speaker 2: IPD shows up, but Devn's gone. They come back a 438 00:25:36,119 --> 00:25:42,000 Speaker 2: few days later, this time looking for Cindy. 439 00:25:42,520 --> 00:25:45,159 Speaker 3: Three guys in a suit came with some officers and 440 00:25:45,200 --> 00:25:49,280 Speaker 3: they were like, here's your citation. Now you have a 441 00:25:49,320 --> 00:25:49,880 Speaker 3: court date. 442 00:25:50,880 --> 00:25:54,679 Speaker 2: She and her husband Robert appear in court officially charged 443 00:25:54,720 --> 00:26:01,080 Speaker 2: with maintaining a nuisance property. They plead guilty. That was humiliating, 444 00:26:01,600 --> 00:26:04,280 Speaker 2: you know, they each have to pay a fine of 445 00:26:04,320 --> 00:26:05,880 Speaker 2: one hundred and fifty five dollars. 446 00:26:06,280 --> 00:26:07,600 Speaker 3: We didn't break the law. 447 00:26:07,920 --> 00:26:08,919 Speaker 1: We didn't. 448 00:26:09,680 --> 00:26:14,760 Speaker 3: We respected the law. You know, we did everything we 449 00:26:14,760 --> 00:26:18,000 Speaker 3: were supposed to. We licensed our vehicles and had this 450 00:26:18,119 --> 00:26:22,000 Speaker 3: amount of animals and got their raby shots and you know, 451 00:26:22,800 --> 00:26:25,159 Speaker 3: we like just lived life like normal people. 452 00:26:25,840 --> 00:26:29,359 Speaker 2: Cindy's experience with the police, the things they did and 453 00:26:29,400 --> 00:26:34,320 Speaker 2: didn't do, it really burned her. And despite how unfair 454 00:26:34,440 --> 00:26:39,199 Speaker 2: and unjust the citation seemed, Cindy took it seriously. She 455 00:26:39,320 --> 00:26:43,360 Speaker 2: stopped calling IPD. She had lost faith in the police 456 00:26:43,440 --> 00:26:48,000 Speaker 2: ever helping them, and so she told me had Libby. 457 00:26:48,160 --> 00:26:51,160 Speaker 3: It was kind of like it victimized her the way 458 00:26:51,200 --> 00:26:55,600 Speaker 3: they did us and didn't do anything to him. 459 00:26:55,960 --> 00:26:59,000 Speaker 2: After all this goes down, Libby ends up moving out 460 00:26:59,000 --> 00:27:01,959 Speaker 2: of her childhood home and for the next few years 461 00:27:02,359 --> 00:27:06,600 Speaker 2: hops from apartment to apartment around town. She sometimes lives 462 00:27:06,640 --> 00:27:10,119 Speaker 2: alone or with a friend, but whenever she's with Devon. 463 00:27:10,560 --> 00:27:14,120 Speaker 2: There are more nine one one calls, this time coming 464 00:27:14,680 --> 00:27:22,840 Speaker 2: not from Cindy but from neighbors, friends, landlords. I have 465 00:27:22,920 --> 00:27:29,000 Speaker 2: some of the reports here. Incident type domestic disturbance. Male 466 00:27:29,080 --> 00:27:33,640 Speaker 2: and female going in and out of duplex fighting. Incident 467 00:27:33,680 --> 00:27:39,760 Speaker 2: type disturbance. Two subjects screaming and fighting. Heard something hit 468 00:27:39,840 --> 00:27:46,480 Speaker 2: the wall. Incident type domestic disturbance. Couple fighting in intersection. 469 00:27:47,320 --> 00:27:51,120 Speaker 2: Can hear screaming and slamming door. Has been going on 470 00:27:51,280 --> 00:27:58,360 Speaker 2: all day. Incident type domestic disturbance. Landlord called to report 471 00:27:58,440 --> 00:28:02,639 Speaker 2: that Devon Martin came to home, destroyed property and is 472 00:28:02,720 --> 00:28:08,360 Speaker 2: trying to start fight with Libby. Incident type domestic disturbance. 473 00:28:09,160 --> 00:28:13,040 Speaker 2: Since six a m. Caller had received texts from Libby Caswell, 474 00:28:13,520 --> 00:28:17,880 Speaker 2: female in abusive relationship, her son's father has been there 475 00:28:18,040 --> 00:28:21,640 Speaker 2: on and off all day. Caller said Libby was afraid 476 00:28:21,680 --> 00:28:27,080 Speaker 2: to call the police despite all of Cindy's calls and 477 00:28:27,119 --> 00:28:30,960 Speaker 2: the calls of neighbors and friends. Devon was never arrested 478 00:28:31,080 --> 00:28:34,920 Speaker 2: or charged with domestic violence. Would it have been different 479 00:28:35,080 --> 00:28:39,440 Speaker 2: if Libby was quote cooperative or was there simply no 480 00:28:39,520 --> 00:28:41,960 Speaker 2: way for the police to know what happened when the 481 00:28:42,000 --> 00:28:46,000 Speaker 2: two of them were alone. I've tried repeatedly to contact 482 00:28:46,080 --> 00:28:48,760 Speaker 2: Devon and get his side of the story, but he's 483 00:28:48,800 --> 00:28:54,120 Speaker 2: never responded. Nonetheless, in the wake of Libby's death, these 484 00:28:54,200 --> 00:28:57,959 Speaker 2: nine to one one calls, these reports of domestic disturbances 485 00:28:58,120 --> 00:29:02,640 Speaker 2: spanning from twenty thirteen to twenty seventeen, are what IPD 486 00:29:02,840 --> 00:29:06,680 Speaker 2: had as context. There was even a protective order that 487 00:29:06,720 --> 00:29:09,680 Speaker 2: Cindy obtained at one point to keep Devon away from 488 00:29:09,680 --> 00:29:16,000 Speaker 2: the house. This history of alleged domestic violence, it seems 489 00:29:16,360 --> 00:29:21,360 Speaker 2: highly relevant to Libby's death investigation, as by Devon's own account, 490 00:29:21,760 --> 00:29:25,120 Speaker 2: she died in a room alone with him, which is 491 00:29:25,160 --> 00:29:28,960 Speaker 2: why it's so confounding that IPD didn't ask Devin about 492 00:29:29,000 --> 00:29:31,960 Speaker 2: any of this. As far as we can tell, their 493 00:29:32,040 --> 00:29:35,920 Speaker 2: long history of domestic disputes is not noted anywhere in 494 00:29:36,000 --> 00:29:40,440 Speaker 2: her death investigation. In ipd's interview with Devon, he's not 495 00:29:40,600 --> 00:29:44,320 Speaker 2: asked about any of these specific incidents, and when he 496 00:29:44,400 --> 00:29:47,000 Speaker 2: offers up the claim that he had never heard Libby 497 00:29:47,080 --> 00:29:51,160 Speaker 2: in the past, I would not ever do anything the 498 00:29:51,200 --> 00:29:55,560 Speaker 2: hard physically, IPD just moves on to another topic. They 499 00:29:55,600 --> 00:29:58,760 Speaker 2: really only push him about his possible involvement in her 500 00:29:58,800 --> 00:30:02,640 Speaker 2: death once and honestly not very hard. 501 00:30:03,080 --> 00:30:04,680 Speaker 6: To put this the rest a little bit. 502 00:30:04,600 --> 00:30:10,160 Speaker 8: It's something bad happened, but things got out of controls. 503 00:30:12,760 --> 00:30:16,000 Speaker 2: It's positive that prone trying to help. 504 00:30:16,040 --> 00:30:17,959 Speaker 3: Put it help put my hand on a viblely now 505 00:30:18,600 --> 00:30:21,320 Speaker 3: put it on everything I love, on my huldre or 506 00:30:21,400 --> 00:30:21,920 Speaker 3: my son's like. 507 00:30:22,000 --> 00:30:25,360 Speaker 7: Them, and not everything that's in my pay never. 508 00:30:27,120 --> 00:30:30,520 Speaker 2: Never, when I heard it like that, It's possible that 509 00:30:30,600 --> 00:30:33,880 Speaker 2: IPD did review all these files and decided that they 510 00:30:33,920 --> 00:30:38,160 Speaker 2: weren't relevant. To be clear, within the neatly typed reports 511 00:30:38,280 --> 00:30:41,640 Speaker 2: about the conflict between the couple, there's no mention of 512 00:30:41,680 --> 00:30:45,400 Speaker 2: an explicit act of physical violence, no black eyes or 513 00:30:45,440 --> 00:30:50,360 Speaker 2: broken limbs. It's all a little murky, a little messy. 514 00:30:51,400 --> 00:30:55,160 Speaker 2: And so if that was the extent of information IPD had, 515 00:30:55,800 --> 00:30:58,560 Speaker 2: maybe it would be understandable why they didn't dig into 516 00:30:58,560 --> 00:31:02,040 Speaker 2: the possibility of Devin's and involvement in Libby's death any deeper, 517 00:31:02,680 --> 00:31:05,080 Speaker 2: just accepted his version of events. 518 00:31:06,560 --> 00:31:08,480 Speaker 1: But this was not all they had. 519 00:31:10,760 --> 00:31:14,200 Speaker 2: The very next day, after Devin tells police that he'd 520 00:31:14,280 --> 00:31:17,280 Speaker 2: never laid a hand on Libby, someone comes down to 521 00:31:17,320 --> 00:31:20,880 Speaker 2: the police station to report something they had witnessed exactly 522 00:31:21,040 --> 00:31:24,800 Speaker 2: one week earlier, something they thought might be connected to 523 00:31:24,840 --> 00:31:29,480 Speaker 2: Libby's death, something that, if true, would mean Devin lied 524 00:31:29,520 --> 00:31:30,120 Speaker 2: to police. 525 00:31:30,880 --> 00:31:33,920 Speaker 8: Yeah, I mean, you know, I don't honestly know what happened, 526 00:31:33,920 --> 00:31:36,480 Speaker 8: but if there was something that was wrong and it 527 00:31:36,960 --> 00:31:38,800 Speaker 8: needs to be, you know, brought. 528 00:31:38,560 --> 00:31:49,560 Speaker 7: Out Hello, Hello, Hey, is that Gary? 529 00:31:50,280 --> 00:31:51,000 Speaker 8: Yes, it is. 530 00:31:51,960 --> 00:31:55,920 Speaker 2: This is Gary Stevens. He used to live with Devin's mother, Mindy, 531 00:31:56,240 --> 00:32:00,560 Speaker 2: and they have a child together. Devin's half brother kind of. 532 00:32:00,520 --> 00:32:02,800 Speaker 8: Looked up to me as a as a father figure. 533 00:32:02,960 --> 00:32:05,560 Speaker 8: Kind Him and his father didn't get along very well, 534 00:32:06,400 --> 00:32:12,160 Speaker 8: and he kind of looked up to me, So, I mean, 535 00:32:12,200 --> 00:32:13,920 Speaker 8: that's what makes this so hard. 536 00:32:16,040 --> 00:32:19,480 Speaker 2: In the fall of twenty seventeen, Devin asked Gary if 537 00:32:19,520 --> 00:32:21,720 Speaker 2: he and Libby could live at Gary's house for a 538 00:32:21,720 --> 00:32:24,240 Speaker 2: bit while they saved money for a new apartment. 539 00:32:24,640 --> 00:32:26,880 Speaker 8: He was working at Sonic, and I said, yeah, I'll 540 00:32:26,920 --> 00:32:28,400 Speaker 8: come on, you know, it's fine. 541 00:32:28,800 --> 00:32:32,440 Speaker 2: A month passed with no problems. Libby and Devin went 542 00:32:32,480 --> 00:32:37,920 Speaker 2: to work. Gary saw them in passing, but then one day, 543 00:32:38,040 --> 00:32:41,000 Speaker 2: while Gary was at home, he heard sounds like they 544 00:32:41,000 --> 00:32:44,440 Speaker 2: were fighting, and these sounds were disturbing enough that he 545 00:32:44,520 --> 00:32:46,160 Speaker 2: decided he had to intervene. 546 00:32:46,480 --> 00:32:49,520 Speaker 8: I heard things and knocked all of the you know 547 00:32:49,600 --> 00:32:53,120 Speaker 8: on the floor. Normally I wouldn't open up door. I knocked, 548 00:32:53,120 --> 00:32:56,280 Speaker 8: say hey, you know, but I felt something wasn't right. 549 00:32:56,480 --> 00:32:59,560 Speaker 8: So when I opened up the door, I seen Devin 550 00:32:59,680 --> 00:33:01,160 Speaker 8: was on olive and he. 551 00:33:01,280 --> 00:33:02,600 Speaker 6: Was choking her. 552 00:33:04,920 --> 00:33:07,760 Speaker 8: She was angled caddy corner on the bed and he 553 00:33:07,880 --> 00:33:10,320 Speaker 8: was sitting on top of her. And I mean it 554 00:33:10,520 --> 00:33:12,760 Speaker 8: surprised him when I opened up the door, you know, 555 00:33:12,840 --> 00:33:15,920 Speaker 8: he kind of let it and turned around. She raised up, 556 00:33:16,760 --> 00:33:18,960 Speaker 8: and that's I kind of lost it. I said, look, 557 00:33:19,000 --> 00:33:20,840 Speaker 8: you guys, ain't I'm disrespect near my house. 558 00:33:20,880 --> 00:33:21,920 Speaker 7: You're not going to do this here. 559 00:33:22,200 --> 00:33:24,040 Speaker 8: You're not going to tear up my house. You got 560 00:33:24,040 --> 00:33:27,840 Speaker 8: to go. And I'm feel bad because maybe I shouldn't have. 561 00:33:27,880 --> 00:33:30,320 Speaker 8: Maybe maybe I shouldn't have made him leave. I don't, 562 00:33:30,480 --> 00:33:32,840 Speaker 8: you know, I could There could be a thousand maybe 563 00:33:32,880 --> 00:33:35,400 Speaker 8: I shouldn't, But that didn't what happened. 564 00:33:42,920 --> 00:33:45,600 Speaker 2: This might seem like another in the long list of 565 00:33:45,680 --> 00:33:51,080 Speaker 2: troubling allegations against Devin, but strangling or choking, as Gary 566 00:33:51,160 --> 00:33:54,400 Speaker 2: called it, is a very bad sign in the history 567 00:33:54,440 --> 00:33:59,160 Speaker 2: of an abusive relationship. For context, it's estimated that each 568 00:33:59,240 --> 00:34:02,720 Speaker 2: year you, US women suffer at least five million acts 569 00:34:02,800 --> 00:34:06,840 Speaker 2: of domestic violence. That's almost fourteen thousand every single day. 570 00:34:07,640 --> 00:34:11,520 Speaker 2: The vast majority of these incidents are not lethal, but 571 00:34:11,640 --> 00:34:14,680 Speaker 2: each day around three of these women will die at 572 00:34:14,680 --> 00:34:18,160 Speaker 2: the hands of their partners. So figuring out which victims 573 00:34:18,160 --> 00:34:21,160 Speaker 2: are at the highest risk of homicide is a priority 574 00:34:21,200 --> 00:34:24,120 Speaker 2: for anyone trying to stop this from happening, because if 575 00:34:24,160 --> 00:34:26,279 Speaker 2: you can predict which women are most likely to be 576 00:34:26,360 --> 00:34:29,520 Speaker 2: killed by their partners, you can intervene before it's too late, 577 00:34:30,000 --> 00:34:33,360 Speaker 2: or that's the hope. And what researchers have found is 578 00:34:33,400 --> 00:34:37,320 Speaker 2: that strangulation is a powerful predictor for future deadly violence. 579 00:34:38,120 --> 00:34:41,240 Speaker 2: Women who are strangled by their partners are over seven 580 00:34:41,320 --> 00:34:44,319 Speaker 2: times more likely to later be killed by them. It's 581 00:34:44,360 --> 00:34:47,799 Speaker 2: such an important red flag in domestic violence cases that 582 00:34:47,920 --> 00:34:51,600 Speaker 2: in hundreds of jurisdictions across the US, police are trained 583 00:34:51,640 --> 00:34:54,840 Speaker 2: to ask domestic violence victims if they have ever been strangled, 584 00:34:54,960 --> 00:34:57,080 Speaker 2: so that they can identify those who are at the 585 00:34:57,120 --> 00:34:57,719 Speaker 2: most risk. 586 00:34:58,719 --> 00:35:00,680 Speaker 7: So was she on her back and he was like 587 00:35:00,760 --> 00:35:05,200 Speaker 7: straddling her, yes, okay? And he had his hands around 588 00:35:05,200 --> 00:35:09,880 Speaker 7: her throat? Yes, okay? Was she making any noise? Like? 589 00:35:10,440 --> 00:35:13,680 Speaker 7: Was he cutting off the circle the air to her down. 590 00:35:15,360 --> 00:35:18,440 Speaker 8: You know, I didn't hear any noises, but I'm sure 591 00:35:18,560 --> 00:35:20,760 Speaker 8: that you know, I'm sure that's what was happening. 592 00:35:22,320 --> 00:35:25,360 Speaker 2: Only a week later, Gary heard the news that Libby 593 00:35:25,440 --> 00:35:27,960 Speaker 2: died with a belt around her neck. 594 00:35:28,640 --> 00:35:32,840 Speaker 8: I seen on Facebook Libby had died. 595 00:35:33,400 --> 00:35:36,920 Speaker 7: What was your initial reaction. I was shocked. 596 00:35:38,120 --> 00:35:41,880 Speaker 8: I was very shocked. And then and then my first 597 00:35:41,920 --> 00:35:44,799 Speaker 8: thought was, well, you know what what I just witnessed. 598 00:35:45,200 --> 00:35:47,839 Speaker 2: Gary drove down to the station and asked to speak 599 00:35:47,880 --> 00:35:49,240 Speaker 2: to someone about Libby's case. 600 00:35:49,760 --> 00:35:52,400 Speaker 8: When I when I went in, there was a lady 601 00:35:52,440 --> 00:35:54,239 Speaker 8: that you know, you just talk through the glass at 602 00:35:54,239 --> 00:35:57,560 Speaker 8: it with a speaker, and she said just a moment, 603 00:35:57,719 --> 00:36:00,360 Speaker 8: and she told them that they had someone would maybe 604 00:36:00,440 --> 00:36:02,200 Speaker 8: information about what had happened. 605 00:36:03,000 --> 00:36:05,880 Speaker 2: Instead of bringing him into an interview room where statements 606 00:36:05,920 --> 00:36:09,360 Speaker 2: can be recorded, an officer took a statement in the lobby, 607 00:36:10,000 --> 00:36:12,799 Speaker 2: So we don't have an audio recording of it, just 608 00:36:12,920 --> 00:36:15,520 Speaker 2: notes from IPD in Gary's recollection. 609 00:36:16,280 --> 00:36:18,680 Speaker 8: And when a detective come out talk to me, I 610 00:36:18,800 --> 00:36:21,600 Speaker 8: just told him exactly, you know, like I explained to 611 00:36:21,640 --> 00:36:23,360 Speaker 8: you what I witnessed. 612 00:36:23,800 --> 00:36:26,839 Speaker 7: Did they seem interested in the information, Like, how did 613 00:36:26,840 --> 00:36:29,400 Speaker 7: they react, not really. 614 00:36:29,560 --> 00:36:33,080 Speaker 8: They didn't really seem to have too much, you know, 615 00:36:33,400 --> 00:36:36,279 Speaker 8: enthusiasm about it. They didn't say a lot, and I 616 00:36:36,280 --> 00:36:39,080 Speaker 8: think maybe it was still under investigation at that time, 617 00:36:39,239 --> 00:36:41,400 Speaker 8: so I don't know what they would have said. 618 00:36:41,960 --> 00:36:43,440 Speaker 7: Did you ever hear from them again? 619 00:36:44,239 --> 00:36:47,760 Speaker 8: No, I didn't. No follow up, no, no, nothing. 620 00:36:47,880 --> 00:36:53,080 Speaker 2: No. To this day, Gary is conflicted and confused about 621 00:36:53,120 --> 00:36:54,520 Speaker 2: the meaning of what he saw. 622 00:36:55,080 --> 00:37:00,480 Speaker 8: I honestly I would have a hard time believing that 623 00:37:00,600 --> 00:37:07,319 Speaker 8: he would do this, although what I witnessed was you know, 624 00:37:07,560 --> 00:37:10,959 Speaker 8: that's what when I think to myself, and I've thought 625 00:37:11,040 --> 00:37:14,560 Speaker 8: this over a thousand times, I think Devin did it. 626 00:37:15,400 --> 00:37:17,400 Speaker 8: In my heart and in my mind, I want to 627 00:37:17,400 --> 00:37:21,799 Speaker 8: say no, but it goes right back to what I see. 628 00:37:22,719 --> 00:37:28,880 Speaker 8: So I don't know. I honestly do not know. Everyone 629 00:37:28,960 --> 00:37:31,640 Speaker 8: deserves to know the truth, and if there was something 630 00:37:31,760 --> 00:37:35,520 Speaker 8: that was not right, then someone should be held accountable. 631 00:37:37,480 --> 00:37:39,839 Speaker 8: I mean, I like Devin, I love him as far 632 00:37:39,840 --> 00:37:42,600 Speaker 8: as a person. I don't want to see any harm 633 00:37:42,680 --> 00:37:45,319 Speaker 8: to him, but if he was capable of doing this, 634 00:37:45,400 --> 00:37:46,839 Speaker 8: he needs to be held responsible. 635 00:37:57,080 --> 00:38:00,239 Speaker 2: On the next episode of What Happened to Libby Caswell Well, 636 00:38:00,760 --> 00:38:04,080 Speaker 2: we learn about another secret Libby was keeping I mean. 637 00:38:03,920 --> 00:38:06,120 Speaker 6: I knew she was doing something, but she just wouldn't 638 00:38:06,200 --> 00:38:07,600 Speaker 6: admit it to me at. 639 00:38:07,440 --> 00:38:11,759 Speaker 2: First, A secret that intensified an already volatile relationship. 640 00:38:12,120 --> 00:38:13,680 Speaker 8: He was doing jokes and here's a lot those people 641 00:38:13,680 --> 00:38:15,799 Speaker 8: that stayed up for like a week, and when you 642 00:38:15,840 --> 00:38:17,560 Speaker 8: do that, you get crazy, you know. 643 00:38:26,480 --> 00:38:28,600 Speaker 7: I think it from. 644 00:38:28,880 --> 00:38:30,800 Speaker 8: Ry and Tim. 645 00:38:34,200 --> 00:38:39,120 Speaker 1: Grown don't make. 646 00:38:42,200 --> 00:38:45,880 Speaker 2: What Happened to Libby Caswell is written, reported, and hosted 647 00:38:45,920 --> 00:38:49,680 Speaker 2: by me Melissa Jelson, with writing and story editing by 648 00:38:49,719 --> 00:38:54,240 Speaker 2: Maurica Brown and Lauren Hanson. Episodes are edited by Jeremy 649 00:38:54,280 --> 00:38:58,840 Speaker 2: Thal and Carl Catle. Our executive producer is Ryan Murdoch. 650 00:38:59,480 --> 00:39:04,600 Speaker 2: For I Podcasts, executive producers are Jason English and Katrina Norvel, 651 00:39:04,960 --> 00:39:07,480 Speaker 2: with our supervising producer Carl Catele. 652 00:39:08,120 --> 00:39:10,000 Speaker 1: Fact checking by Maya Shukre. 653 00:39:10,640 --> 00:39:14,120 Speaker 2: Our theme song is written by Aaron Kaufman and performed 654 00:39:14,160 --> 00:39:18,479 Speaker 2: by Aaron Kaufman and Elizabeth Woolf. Original music by Aaron 655 00:39:18,560 --> 00:39:22,960 Speaker 2: Kaufman with additional music by Jeremy Thal. Our episodes are 656 00:39:23,000 --> 00:39:26,600 Speaker 2: mixed and mastered by Carl Catle. To find out more 657 00:39:26,600 --> 00:39:30,320 Speaker 2: about my investigation or to send a tip, please email 658 00:39:30,400 --> 00:39:34,360 Speaker 2: me at what happened to Libby at gmail dot com. 659 00:39:34,560 --> 00:39:35,800 Speaker 2: Thanks so much for listening. 660 00:39:47,239 --> 00:39:55,840 Speaker 1: What fine in peace? In peace, and. 661 00:39:57,600 --> 00:40:00,279 Speaker 7: So chano you. 662 00:40:02,080 --> 00:40:05,480 Speaker 1: Until until. 663 00:40:08,080 --> 00:40:10,799 Speaker 5: Are away a five minor so. 664 00:40:12,400 --> 00:40:13,200 Speaker 1: In pieces 665 00:40:15,040 --> 00:40:18,600 Speaker 8: In Pieces in the Dark