1 00:00:02,160 --> 00:00:05,720 Speaker 1: Two brothers are blaming one another for the murder of 2 00:00:05,760 --> 00:00:06,720 Speaker 1: a college student. 3 00:00:07,040 --> 00:00:09,520 Speaker 2: I can't imagine what an agonizing decision that would be 4 00:00:09,920 --> 00:00:12,280 Speaker 2: to have to squill on your brother like that. But 5 00:00:12,360 --> 00:00:16,079 Speaker 2: your brother's done a terrible thing. Your brother's done a horrible. 6 00:00:15,680 --> 00:00:19,520 Speaker 1: Thing, Anchorage. Please have to figure out which brother was 7 00:00:19,600 --> 00:00:20,639 Speaker 1: telling the truth. 8 00:00:20,880 --> 00:00:24,439 Speaker 3: Someday, when I'm eulogized, all I wanted somebody to say 9 00:00:24,520 --> 00:00:25,280 Speaker 3: is I stood up. 10 00:00:25,239 --> 00:00:26,200 Speaker 2: And did the right case. 11 00:00:26,280 --> 00:00:27,720 Speaker 4: I always strayed to do the right. 12 00:00:28,440 --> 00:00:31,920 Speaker 1: And in the end, one brother would do the unthinkable. 13 00:00:32,080 --> 00:00:34,159 Speaker 2: It's a hard decision, but I think it was the 14 00:00:34,240 --> 00:00:37,480 Speaker 2: right decision to make, and it resulted in this tragedy. 15 00:00:38,640 --> 00:00:41,960 Speaker 1: Today we're an Anchorage, Alaska for the conclusion of the 16 00:00:42,000 --> 00:00:46,080 Speaker 1: search for Bethany Carrera. I'm Sloan Glass and this is 17 00:00:46,120 --> 00:00:49,839 Speaker 1: American Homicide. Just to note that this episode contained some 18 00:00:49,960 --> 00:00:53,000 Speaker 1: graphic content. Please take care while listening. 19 00:00:57,640 --> 00:01:01,280 Speaker 5: Alaska is a place where people disappear and where people 20 00:01:01,360 --> 00:01:04,560 Speaker 5: find bodies in the springtime. We have really high rates 21 00:01:04,560 --> 00:01:08,039 Speaker 5: of violence against women, and women become victims of violent 22 00:01:08,080 --> 00:01:09,600 Speaker 5: crime a lot. 23 00:01:09,920 --> 00:01:13,120 Speaker 1: Journalist Julia O'Malley covered the case of twenty one year 24 00:01:13,160 --> 00:01:14,200 Speaker 1: old Bethany Carrera. 25 00:01:14,920 --> 00:01:18,880 Speaker 5: Bethany was a college student coming to Anchorage looking for 26 00:01:18,920 --> 00:01:22,520 Speaker 5: a place to stay, but it must have felt pretty 27 00:01:22,560 --> 00:01:26,679 Speaker 5: exciting snagging a job, getting furniture, setting. 28 00:01:26,440 --> 00:01:31,040 Speaker 1: Up Bethany's moved to Anchorage was supposed to be exciting, 29 00:01:31,600 --> 00:01:34,200 Speaker 1: but instead she disappeared. 30 00:01:34,920 --> 00:01:37,880 Speaker 5: So it wasn't somebody who had like lost touch with 31 00:01:37,920 --> 00:01:42,240 Speaker 5: their family and gone up to Alaska and just kind 32 00:01:42,280 --> 00:01:44,840 Speaker 5: of quit talking to anybody. It was somebody who like 33 00:01:44,959 --> 00:01:47,440 Speaker 5: needed to pick her brother up from the airport, and 34 00:01:47,920 --> 00:01:50,040 Speaker 5: who had a plan with her mom the next morning 35 00:01:50,080 --> 00:01:51,680 Speaker 5: and was supposed to call her boyfriend. 36 00:01:52,040 --> 00:01:52,240 Speaker 4: You know. 37 00:01:52,320 --> 00:01:55,440 Speaker 5: She was somebody who was watched after and very connected 38 00:01:55,440 --> 00:01:58,840 Speaker 5: to other people. So when she just dropped out of 39 00:01:58,880 --> 00:02:03,360 Speaker 5: her life, it seemed very apparent that something had happened 40 00:02:03,360 --> 00:02:03,760 Speaker 5: to her. 41 00:02:04,480 --> 00:02:08,840 Speaker 1: Inside Bethany's apartment were her keys, cell phone, and purse. 42 00:02:09,639 --> 00:02:11,320 Speaker 5: It was as if she had gone out to take 43 00:02:11,320 --> 00:02:13,880 Speaker 5: out the trash and just not ever come back. 44 00:02:14,440 --> 00:02:18,600 Speaker 1: Detectives were looking at Bethany's property manager, Mike Lawson and 45 00:02:18,680 --> 00:02:20,639 Speaker 1: his brother Bob as suspects. 46 00:02:21,400 --> 00:02:24,880 Speaker 5: The Lawsons are just these really shady characters. 47 00:02:25,360 --> 00:02:28,680 Speaker 1: If you remember from the last episode, Mike Lawson served 48 00:02:28,720 --> 00:02:32,680 Speaker 1: time in prison for sexually assaulting his girlfriend back in 49 00:02:32,720 --> 00:02:37,200 Speaker 1: the nineteen eighties. After his release, Mike moved to Alaska 50 00:02:37,280 --> 00:02:40,239 Speaker 1: and started a roofing business with his brother Bob. 51 00:02:40,280 --> 00:02:42,120 Speaker 5: And the cops were looking for something to bring them 52 00:02:42,120 --> 00:02:44,480 Speaker 5: in on so that they could have some leverage to 53 00:02:44,520 --> 00:02:46,040 Speaker 5: see if they could get one of them to talk. 54 00:02:47,520 --> 00:02:50,840 Speaker 1: Mike slipped up on a lone application for his business. 55 00:02:51,520 --> 00:02:54,720 Speaker 1: Mike Lawson failed to disclose that he was a convicted felon, 56 00:02:55,160 --> 00:02:58,160 Speaker 1: which gave the police a warrant to arrest both Lawson 57 00:02:58,240 --> 00:03:02,799 Speaker 1: brothers for fraud. Once in custody, detectives hope that one 58 00:03:02,840 --> 00:03:06,480 Speaker 1: brother would flip on the other, but no one expected 59 00:03:06,520 --> 00:03:11,520 Speaker 1: both brothers to flip on each other. First, it was 60 00:03:11,560 --> 00:03:14,960 Speaker 1: Bob who flipped on Mike. Bob told detectives that on 61 00:03:15,000 --> 00:03:18,560 Speaker 1: the Saturday morning Bethany went missing, Mike phoned him in 62 00:03:18,639 --> 00:03:22,080 Speaker 1: a panic. Here's what he told investigators. 63 00:03:22,440 --> 00:03:24,440 Speaker 4: He said, I'm on the trouble. I need you to 64 00:03:24,480 --> 00:03:24,799 Speaker 4: help me. 65 00:03:26,200 --> 00:03:28,960 Speaker 1: Mike Lawson was in the apartment next door to Bethany's 66 00:03:29,440 --> 00:03:31,640 Speaker 1: and told his brother Bob to bring him some heavy 67 00:03:31,680 --> 00:03:36,600 Speaker 1: duty garbage bags and duct tape. Bob said he was reluctant, 68 00:03:36,760 --> 00:03:40,320 Speaker 1: but did what my guest, and when he arrived, he 69 00:03:40,400 --> 00:03:43,000 Speaker 1: said he saw Bethany's naked body on the floor. 70 00:03:44,280 --> 00:03:47,920 Speaker 4: Did I just remember taking peces? And I said something like, 71 00:03:47,960 --> 00:03:50,320 Speaker 4: what have you gotten me into? I said, if I 72 00:03:50,440 --> 00:03:53,720 Speaker 4: was smart, i'd walk right now, and I didn't. 73 00:03:53,960 --> 00:03:55,440 Speaker 2: What did your brother say to that? 74 00:03:55,920 --> 00:03:56,800 Speaker 6: I didn't say anything. 75 00:03:57,920 --> 00:04:00,800 Speaker 4: He said, well, at some point during this thing, he said, 76 00:04:00,800 --> 00:04:04,520 Speaker 4: it's not your falt. He said, I did it, and 77 00:04:04,560 --> 00:04:06,360 Speaker 4: he said, I'm sorry I got you into this. 78 00:04:07,000 --> 00:04:10,240 Speaker 1: Bob saw bowling ball sized hole in the wall from 79 00:04:10,280 --> 00:04:15,040 Speaker 1: Mike's struggle with Bethany. If you'll remember, that's where the 80 00:04:15,080 --> 00:04:19,479 Speaker 1: police found human hair, and Lant has confirmed it belonged 81 00:04:19,480 --> 00:04:24,200 Speaker 1: to Bethany. Bob said he patched the drywall, helped Mike 82 00:04:24,320 --> 00:04:28,040 Speaker 1: roll Bethany's body in plastic garbage bags, and put her 83 00:04:28,080 --> 00:04:29,360 Speaker 1: in the back of Mike's suv. 84 00:04:30,480 --> 00:04:35,080 Speaker 5: Then that he and his brother took her north to 85 00:04:36,200 --> 00:04:40,000 Speaker 5: you know, a gravel pit along the highway and left 86 00:04:40,000 --> 00:04:40,480 Speaker 5: your body. 87 00:04:41,400 --> 00:04:44,240 Speaker 1: Later that night, Bob said he and Mike returned to 88 00:04:44,240 --> 00:04:48,359 Speaker 1: the empty apartment and set it on fire. Then the 89 00:04:48,400 --> 00:04:51,480 Speaker 1: two went out to the bars that evening to establish 90 00:04:51,520 --> 00:04:57,240 Speaker 1: an alibi. And that brings us to Mike Mike was 91 00:04:57,279 --> 00:05:01,120 Speaker 1: Bethany's landlord, who for months denied having anything to do 92 00:05:01,160 --> 00:05:05,760 Speaker 1: with Bethany's disappearance. But then Mike said his brother Bob 93 00:05:06,320 --> 00:05:10,080 Speaker 1: killed Bethany. He even offered to wear a wire to 94 00:05:10,200 --> 00:05:14,160 Speaker 1: prove it. So now you have two brothers blaming one another. 95 00:05:14,880 --> 00:05:18,400 Speaker 1: Detectives didn't know who or what to believe, so they 96 00:05:18,440 --> 00:05:21,560 Speaker 1: came up with a plan. In April two thousand and four, 97 00:05:22,160 --> 00:05:26,440 Speaker 1: nearly a year after Bethany's disappearance, the police bugged a 98 00:05:26,520 --> 00:05:29,720 Speaker 1: jail phone line so they could hear the two brothers conversation. 99 00:05:30,920 --> 00:05:32,200 Speaker 1: Here's some of what they heard. 100 00:05:35,120 --> 00:05:36,760 Speaker 2: This whole thing ain't going away, Mike. 101 00:05:37,279 --> 00:05:40,839 Speaker 1: That's Bob telling Mike how this whole thing was eating 102 00:05:40,920 --> 00:05:41,280 Speaker 1: him up. 103 00:05:41,760 --> 00:05:43,120 Speaker 2: You know, I've been drinking every night. 104 00:05:43,160 --> 00:05:45,520 Speaker 3: I go to the bar at two shots, a crowned 105 00:05:45,600 --> 00:05:46,240 Speaker 3: every mirror. 106 00:05:46,600 --> 00:05:48,000 Speaker 2: I just need to talk to you. I don't know 107 00:05:48,040 --> 00:05:50,000 Speaker 2: how we can talk about this, but I. 108 00:05:49,960 --> 00:05:50,680 Speaker 1: Don't want to talk. 109 00:05:51,160 --> 00:05:53,320 Speaker 4: I could talk to stark ass naked. 110 00:05:53,160 --> 00:05:55,240 Speaker 2: In a moon where I know you're not wearing a 111 00:05:55,279 --> 00:05:56,520 Speaker 2: wire and nothing's bogged. 112 00:05:57,360 --> 00:05:59,479 Speaker 1: I know it's hard to hear, but Mike told his 113 00:05:59,520 --> 00:06:03,440 Speaker 1: brother Bob he's not talking unless he was sure Bob 114 00:06:03,560 --> 00:06:04,640 Speaker 1: wasn't wearing a wire. 115 00:06:04,880 --> 00:06:06,960 Speaker 2: Well, I don't know how the hell that would ever happen. 116 00:06:07,720 --> 00:06:08,799 Speaker 1: Here's more from Bob. 117 00:06:09,880 --> 00:06:12,360 Speaker 3: I'm just trying to understand. 118 00:06:12,440 --> 00:06:13,800 Speaker 2: I haven't been able to talk to you. 119 00:06:13,920 --> 00:06:19,200 Speaker 3: We never talked about it. 120 00:06:20,560 --> 00:06:23,440 Speaker 1: Mike told Bob that they did talk about what happened, 121 00:06:23,680 --> 00:06:27,520 Speaker 1: and that mum was the word. And then Mike went off. 122 00:06:28,120 --> 00:06:28,200 Speaker 3: You. 123 00:06:35,960 --> 00:06:40,880 Speaker 2: Don't you the cat buried the kitty litter, and your 124 00:06:40,880 --> 00:06:41,960 Speaker 2: showed everything. 125 00:06:43,040 --> 00:06:46,000 Speaker 1: You may have missed it. But Mike yelled at Bob 126 00:06:46,080 --> 00:06:49,120 Speaker 1: for telling the cops what the cat buried in the 127 00:06:49,200 --> 00:06:53,440 Speaker 1: kitty litter. Well, that's not a direct confession. It's the 128 00:06:53,520 --> 00:06:56,400 Speaker 1: closest thing to Mike saying they threw Bethany's body in 129 00:06:56,440 --> 00:07:00,599 Speaker 1: the gravel pit. And then Mike revealed something that would 130 00:07:00,600 --> 00:07:04,360 Speaker 1: completely change the way investigators pursued the case. 131 00:07:04,960 --> 00:07:07,920 Speaker 2: Something that you don't know about that. 132 00:07:07,880 --> 00:07:08,800 Speaker 7: I'm not thanking. 133 00:07:11,360 --> 00:07:14,000 Speaker 1: Again, And I know it's tough to hear this audio, 134 00:07:14,080 --> 00:07:19,559 Speaker 1: but Mike said something happened before she, meaning Bethany ever 135 00:07:19,680 --> 00:07:20,400 Speaker 1: showed up. 136 00:07:21,120 --> 00:07:24,000 Speaker 3: Just give me a name, Mike, who was there and 137 00:07:24,160 --> 00:07:24,640 Speaker 3: who else? 138 00:07:26,200 --> 00:07:26,680 Speaker 7: Cola? 139 00:07:27,480 --> 00:07:31,760 Speaker 1: Mike was there with Coca Cola. Well, the cops translated 140 00:07:31,800 --> 00:07:36,080 Speaker 1: that to cocaine. And that's important because that morning, Bethany 141 00:07:36,160 --> 00:07:38,680 Speaker 1: was supposed to meet Mike at a vacant apartment in 142 00:07:38,720 --> 00:07:42,280 Speaker 1: her building, and she may have unknowingly walked into a 143 00:07:42,360 --> 00:07:42,920 Speaker 1: drug deal. 144 00:07:43,800 --> 00:07:46,840 Speaker 3: Can I asked you one more question? Mar was already 145 00:07:46,880 --> 00:07:50,240 Speaker 3: section round and I'm just trying to figure out why 146 00:07:50,320 --> 00:07:54,680 Speaker 3: they're no clothes, no running, no what? 147 00:07:55,040 --> 00:07:58,240 Speaker 2: No running? No running? Get away? 148 00:07:58,560 --> 00:08:04,000 Speaker 1: Oh, Mike claimed Bethany wasn't wearing clothes so she wouldn't 149 00:08:04,040 --> 00:08:08,320 Speaker 1: run away, And before their call ended, Mike wanted to 150 00:08:08,320 --> 00:08:11,240 Speaker 1: make sure Bob wasn't cooperating with the cops. 151 00:08:11,640 --> 00:08:12,120 Speaker 7: No, I'm not. 152 00:08:13,440 --> 00:08:15,320 Speaker 2: I swear my mom's grave. 153 00:08:15,560 --> 00:08:18,360 Speaker 1: And then Bob had one final thing to say to his. 154 00:08:18,280 --> 00:08:20,520 Speaker 2: Brother, I want to be able to tell you I 155 00:08:20,560 --> 00:08:21,160 Speaker 2: love you Bike. 156 00:08:23,320 --> 00:08:27,080 Speaker 1: The secret recording confirmed everything the police had suspected about 157 00:08:27,120 --> 00:08:31,640 Speaker 1: Mike Lawson, that he was responsible for killing Bethany Carrera, 158 00:08:32,280 --> 00:08:33,480 Speaker 1: not his brother Bob. 159 00:08:34,320 --> 00:08:36,920 Speaker 2: They allowed us to wire them and they were very 160 00:08:36,920 --> 00:08:41,240 Speaker 2: incriminating conversations, so that is essentially what still the case. 161 00:08:42,320 --> 00:08:45,840 Speaker 1: Ron McGee worked for the Anchorage PD. They were still 162 00:08:45,880 --> 00:08:49,720 Speaker 1: searching for Bethany's body in early two thousand and four. 163 00:08:50,360 --> 00:08:53,160 Speaker 1: Bob led investigators to a gravel pit where he and 164 00:08:53,200 --> 00:08:56,280 Speaker 1: his brother Mike buried Bethany months earlier. 165 00:08:57,040 --> 00:08:59,520 Speaker 2: And this is Alaska, and there was three feet of 166 00:08:59,520 --> 00:09:01,920 Speaker 2: snow on and we couldn't recover the body until some 167 00:09:01,960 --> 00:09:03,559 Speaker 2: of the snow melted, so we had to wait for 168 00:09:03,640 --> 00:09:04,400 Speaker 2: the snow to melt. 169 00:09:05,559 --> 00:09:08,440 Speaker 1: Mother Nature delivered a warm spring in two thousand and 170 00:09:08,440 --> 00:09:12,200 Speaker 1: four that meant an early thaw, which allowed the Anchorage 171 00:09:12,240 --> 00:09:16,920 Speaker 1: police to resume their search for Bethany's body. On May third, 172 00:09:17,000 --> 00:09:20,080 Speaker 1: two thousand and four, exactly one year to the day 173 00:09:20,160 --> 00:09:24,120 Speaker 1: she disappeared, a search crew returned to the same gravel pit. 174 00:09:25,800 --> 00:09:29,360 Speaker 1: Officers very quickly found a blue and black fleece jacket. 175 00:09:30,040 --> 00:09:33,320 Speaker 1: It was a woman's size small. Then they found a 176 00:09:33,360 --> 00:09:36,000 Speaker 1: brawl that looked like it had been pierced by a bullet. 177 00:09:37,280 --> 00:09:41,439 Speaker 1: It was near a pukashell necklace, the same necklace Bethany's 178 00:09:41,440 --> 00:09:45,840 Speaker 1: boyfriend gave her just before she went missing. And then 179 00:09:46,120 --> 00:09:47,760 Speaker 1: they found what was left of Bethany. 180 00:09:48,880 --> 00:09:51,600 Speaker 2: When we found a body, the body was partially clad. 181 00:09:51,880 --> 00:09:55,760 Speaker 2: She was naked from the waist down, so immediately we 182 00:09:55,800 --> 00:09:58,280 Speaker 2: suspected that there was some sexual aspect to the crime. 183 00:09:58,480 --> 00:10:01,320 Speaker 2: We had always suspected that, but this just confirmed in 184 00:10:01,320 --> 00:10:03,400 Speaker 2: our mind that there was some sexual aspect of the crime. 185 00:10:03,920 --> 00:10:10,240 Speaker 1: Finding Bethany's badly decomposed body was a bittersweet moment for investigators. 186 00:10:11,520 --> 00:10:13,920 Speaker 2: I think everybody had sort of got to know her 187 00:10:14,000 --> 00:10:16,200 Speaker 2: a little bit and fall in love with her. She's 188 00:10:16,240 --> 00:10:19,200 Speaker 2: such a wonderful young lady, and I think that the 189 00:10:19,320 --> 00:10:23,760 Speaker 2: sense was of relief that we can bring this beautiful 190 00:10:23,800 --> 00:10:27,960 Speaker 2: young lady home to her parents. I was heartbreaking, is 191 00:10:27,960 --> 00:10:32,719 Speaker 2: a very heartbreaking thing, and I pray. I don't know them, 192 00:10:32,720 --> 00:10:35,000 Speaker 2: but I pray that they find some peace with this. 193 00:10:36,480 --> 00:10:39,880 Speaker 1: The Anchorage police charged Mike Lawson with first and second 194 00:10:39,960 --> 00:10:45,920 Speaker 1: degree murder, sexual assault, arson, kidnapping, and tampering with evidence. 195 00:10:46,600 --> 00:10:48,520 Speaker 2: And of course, the brother's profession was a big part 196 00:10:48,559 --> 00:10:48,720 Speaker 2: of this. 197 00:10:49,440 --> 00:10:51,480 Speaker 1: It was Bob who would be a key witness in 198 00:10:51,520 --> 00:10:55,880 Speaker 1: the trial against his brother Mike, but a tragedy would 199 00:10:56,000 --> 00:11:09,880 Speaker 1: change everything. The search for Bethany Correra ended exactly one 200 00:11:10,080 --> 00:11:13,600 Speaker 1: year after she went missing. Her body was found in 201 00:11:13,600 --> 00:11:17,959 Speaker 1: a gravel pit just outside of her hometown of Tlkita, Alaska, 202 00:11:18,760 --> 00:11:22,040 Speaker 1: and nearly two hours from her apartment in Anchorage. 203 00:11:22,720 --> 00:11:25,280 Speaker 6: Not only did they find the actual bullet that she 204 00:11:25,400 --> 00:11:30,280 Speaker 6: was shot with the round, but they found her necklace 205 00:11:30,600 --> 00:11:32,040 Speaker 6: as well as her remains. 206 00:11:32,520 --> 00:11:34,960 Speaker 1: Walt Monaghan was the Anchorage Chief of police. 207 00:11:35,880 --> 00:11:40,800 Speaker 6: Such a beautiful young lady was victimized as she was well, 208 00:11:40,880 --> 00:11:44,360 Speaker 6: she didn't deserve it, you know, losing a child and 209 00:11:44,520 --> 00:11:49,319 Speaker 6: actually I lost one. It's a wound that will never heal. 210 00:11:50,040 --> 00:11:54,080 Speaker 1: Mike Lawson, Bethany's building manager, was charged with her murder. 211 00:11:54,400 --> 00:11:56,560 Speaker 6: She said that she had to go meet the manager 212 00:11:56,600 --> 00:12:01,000 Speaker 6: and that was the last anybody heard of her. He 213 00:12:01,040 --> 00:12:04,160 Speaker 6: was a convicted sex offender, which kind of doubled down 214 00:12:04,240 --> 00:12:07,079 Speaker 6: on why he should be a suspect. So it was 215 00:12:07,160 --> 00:12:10,520 Speaker 6: just a matter of doing due diligence and eventually make 216 00:12:10,559 --> 00:12:11,680 Speaker 6: a case against him. 217 00:12:11,840 --> 00:12:15,199 Speaker 1: Prosecutors had a star witness in the case against Mike Lawson, 218 00:12:15,800 --> 00:12:20,840 Speaker 1: his brother Bob Lawson, who led investigators to Bethany's body. 219 00:12:20,720 --> 00:12:26,480 Speaker 6: And the suspect's brother eventually kind of broke down and 220 00:12:26,559 --> 00:12:30,360 Speaker 6: revealed what he had done to help his brother dispose 221 00:12:30,400 --> 00:12:30,920 Speaker 6: of the body. 222 00:12:31,400 --> 00:12:35,760 Speaker 1: The prosecution moved quickly with this. They wired Bob, recorded 223 00:12:35,760 --> 00:12:39,760 Speaker 1: incriminating conversations and had what they needed to convict Mike 224 00:12:39,840 --> 00:12:43,760 Speaker 1: Lawson of Bethany Carrera's murder. It all weighed heavily on Bob. 225 00:12:44,120 --> 00:12:47,400 Speaker 1: He saw Bethany's dead body and knew what the future 226 00:12:47,480 --> 00:12:48,720 Speaker 1: looked like for his brother. 227 00:12:50,440 --> 00:12:54,480 Speaker 6: He committed suicide and that kind of took him out 228 00:12:54,480 --> 00:12:56,080 Speaker 6: of the picture literally. 229 00:12:57,200 --> 00:13:00,480 Speaker 1: In March of two thousand and six, Bob Lawson's roommate 230 00:13:00,640 --> 00:13:03,600 Speaker 1: found Bob dead in the garage of the house they shared. 231 00:13:04,040 --> 00:13:06,520 Speaker 6: Basically, it boiled down to he was feeling guilty. He 232 00:13:06,600 --> 00:13:11,560 Speaker 6: was feeling torn between doing what was right and loyalty 233 00:13:11,600 --> 00:13:12,920 Speaker 6: to his family. 234 00:13:13,320 --> 00:13:16,880 Speaker 1: Sitting among a collection of beer and liquor bottles was 235 00:13:16,920 --> 00:13:19,120 Speaker 1: a note Bob left behind. 236 00:13:19,440 --> 00:13:22,120 Speaker 8: To my family. I'm so sorry. I missed my brother 237 00:13:22,280 --> 00:13:25,920 Speaker 8: so much. Life has become unbearable. I can't endure the 238 00:13:25,960 --> 00:13:28,480 Speaker 8: pain any longer. I helped do one of the most 239 00:13:28,559 --> 00:13:32,079 Speaker 8: terrible things imaginable, and I can't live with that. Please 240 00:13:32,120 --> 00:13:34,360 Speaker 8: take the money in my wallet and my final wages 241 00:13:34,520 --> 00:13:35,480 Speaker 8: and give it to Mike. 242 00:13:37,640 --> 00:13:41,559 Speaker 1: So what was that terrible thing Bob did. Was it 243 00:13:41,679 --> 00:13:45,320 Speaker 1: helping to move Bethanie's body or turning on his brother. 244 00:13:45,920 --> 00:13:48,600 Speaker 6: I don't know. I think that he knew what had 245 00:13:48,640 --> 00:13:51,959 Speaker 6: happened was wrong, and I think that was weighing heavy 246 00:13:52,000 --> 00:13:56,280 Speaker 6: on him. But again it's hard to judge family. 247 00:13:56,960 --> 00:14:00,400 Speaker 1: Bob's lawyer told reporters that Bob struggled with doing what 248 00:14:00,520 --> 00:14:03,360 Speaker 1: was right versus his loyalty to his brother. 249 00:14:04,040 --> 00:14:08,000 Speaker 6: I think that his personal guilt of what he was 250 00:14:08,000 --> 00:14:12,360 Speaker 6: feeling and what he had done, was his choice to 251 00:14:12,440 --> 00:14:17,679 Speaker 6: avoid being disloyal and possibly going to jail himself. 252 00:14:18,840 --> 00:14:21,360 Speaker 1: Not only was this sad news for Bob's friends and 253 00:14:21,400 --> 00:14:24,600 Speaker 1: loved ones, but of course it was also damaging to 254 00:14:24,680 --> 00:14:26,600 Speaker 1: the state's case against Mike Lawson. 255 00:14:27,000 --> 00:14:28,560 Speaker 6: It would have been better if the brother had not 256 00:14:28,560 --> 00:14:29,520 Speaker 6: committed suicide. 257 00:14:30,200 --> 00:14:30,480 Speaker 7: I think. 258 00:14:30,480 --> 00:14:33,560 Speaker 6: At the press conference I mentioned that this case will 259 00:14:33,600 --> 00:14:35,960 Speaker 6: haunt me for a while. Still does. 260 00:14:37,080 --> 00:14:40,520 Speaker 1: All eyes were on the courtroom as Mike Lawson's trial began. 261 00:14:41,040 --> 00:14:45,200 Speaker 5: People were worried because Bob Lassen had killed himself. They 262 00:14:45,240 --> 00:14:50,160 Speaker 5: were worried that the prosecutor like would have enough to 263 00:14:50,320 --> 00:14:50,720 Speaker 5: go on. 264 00:14:51,520 --> 00:14:53,960 Speaker 1: Journalist Julia O'Malley covered the trial. 265 00:14:54,600 --> 00:14:58,880 Speaker 5: This case really high profile. The public's paying a lot 266 00:14:58,920 --> 00:15:00,960 Speaker 5: has been paying a lot of at time attention to it. 267 00:15:01,560 --> 00:15:03,440 Speaker 5: You know, there is a way in which the whole 268 00:15:03,480 --> 00:15:06,440 Speaker 5: state is a small town in which one person's child 269 00:15:06,480 --> 00:15:08,840 Speaker 5: is everybody's child. That might have been one of the 270 00:15:08,880 --> 00:15:12,480 Speaker 5: reasons why the public followed that case so closely. 271 00:15:13,080 --> 00:15:16,200 Speaker 1: The case got even more challenging for prosecutors when the 272 00:15:16,320 --> 00:15:21,600 Speaker 1: judge ruled to exclude testimony about Mike Lawston's sexual assault 273 00:15:21,640 --> 00:15:23,440 Speaker 1: conviction from the nineteen eighties. 274 00:15:23,840 --> 00:15:26,400 Speaker 5: The jury is just there to look at what the 275 00:15:26,680 --> 00:15:29,520 Speaker 5: prosecution can tell them and what the defense can tell 276 00:15:29,520 --> 00:15:32,560 Speaker 5: them about the facts of the particular case and how 277 00:15:32,600 --> 00:15:36,480 Speaker 5: that applies to the charges, and then consider the evidence 278 00:15:36,520 --> 00:15:39,720 Speaker 5: and whether it fits. So they're not trying to convict 279 00:15:39,760 --> 00:15:40,840 Speaker 5: him on a previous crime. 280 00:15:41,360 --> 00:15:46,480 Speaker 1: Mike Lawston faced eight felony charges, including first and second 281 00:15:46,480 --> 00:15:51,000 Speaker 1: degree murder. During opening statements, Mike's defense attorney gave a 282 00:15:51,000 --> 00:15:52,240 Speaker 1: surprising admission. 283 00:15:54,000 --> 00:15:58,720 Speaker 5: The defense admitted that he had killed her. They said 284 00:15:58,800 --> 00:15:59,960 Speaker 5: it was an accident. 285 00:16:01,440 --> 00:16:04,240 Speaker 1: Mike laws It, who repeatedly told the police he had 286 00:16:04,320 --> 00:16:07,680 Speaker 1: nothing to do with killing Bethany, now said he did 287 00:16:07,720 --> 00:16:10,040 Speaker 1: do it, but he was an accident. 288 00:16:10,640 --> 00:16:13,320 Speaker 5: They were going for a lesser charge than murder. 289 00:16:13,800 --> 00:16:17,400 Speaker 1: Mike's lawyer confidently told the jury that it was manslaughter, 290 00:16:17,880 --> 00:16:21,600 Speaker 1: which carries a lighter sentence, but the prosecutor wasn't having 291 00:16:21,600 --> 00:16:22,080 Speaker 1: any of it. 292 00:16:22,480 --> 00:16:22,600 Speaker 3: Well. 293 00:16:22,640 --> 00:16:28,560 Speaker 5: The prosecution story was that she had entered the apartment 294 00:16:29,520 --> 00:16:33,720 Speaker 5: and she may or may not have witnessed some illicit 295 00:16:33,800 --> 00:16:37,200 Speaker 5: activity because there was some evidence that he was involved 296 00:16:37,240 --> 00:16:39,080 Speaker 5: in sort of cocaine trade. 297 00:16:39,640 --> 00:16:42,360 Speaker 1: That's where the taped phone call between the two brothers 298 00:16:42,440 --> 00:16:43,200 Speaker 1: came into play. 299 00:16:43,600 --> 00:16:47,400 Speaker 5: Bob Lawson's in jail. He's calling his brother and he's 300 00:16:47,440 --> 00:16:49,640 Speaker 5: trying to get him to say, if there's anybody with 301 00:16:49,720 --> 00:16:50,600 Speaker 5: him at the time of the. 302 00:16:50,640 --> 00:16:53,320 Speaker 2: Killing, just give me a name, Mike, who was there 303 00:16:54,680 --> 00:16:55,360 Speaker 2: and who else. 304 00:16:58,080 --> 00:17:01,400 Speaker 5: Michael is like all cagy and he just says, you know, 305 00:17:01,480 --> 00:17:05,800 Speaker 5: it was me and coca cola. So the prosecution took 306 00:17:05,800 --> 00:17:08,919 Speaker 5: that to me and that he had been cutting cocaine 307 00:17:09,040 --> 00:17:13,199 Speaker 5: at the time. They never found evidence of drugs in 308 00:17:13,400 --> 00:17:16,320 Speaker 5: the apartment, but it was like a theory that was 309 00:17:16,320 --> 00:17:17,720 Speaker 5: put forward by the prosecution. 310 00:17:19,240 --> 00:17:22,240 Speaker 1: Since Bob Lawson took his own life before the trial, 311 00:17:23,000 --> 00:17:27,280 Speaker 1: that recorded phone call was key for the prosecution. It 312 00:17:27,320 --> 00:17:31,360 Speaker 1: also meant that Mike's colleague, Franco bez Nice would now 313 00:17:31,440 --> 00:17:34,240 Speaker 1: be the prosecution star witness for me. 314 00:17:35,880 --> 00:17:38,560 Speaker 7: I was ready. I was willing to do whatever it took, 315 00:17:38,880 --> 00:17:43,199 Speaker 7: and when I was testifying, Mike was so frustrated with 316 00:17:43,240 --> 00:17:47,280 Speaker 7: everything I was answering and I could see the frustrations 317 00:17:47,280 --> 00:17:49,560 Speaker 7: in his eyes and the way he was. He couldn't 318 00:17:49,600 --> 00:17:51,720 Speaker 7: stand me. He hid me so much that he didn't 319 00:17:51,720 --> 00:17:52,919 Speaker 7: want to even see my face. 320 00:17:53,800 --> 00:17:57,280 Speaker 1: Franco told the jury about Mike's white suv, how it 321 00:17:57,400 --> 00:18:01,359 Speaker 1: was always filthy, and how Mike's suspicion had it detailed 322 00:18:01,600 --> 00:18:06,080 Speaker 1: right after his first visit by detectives, and how a 323 00:18:06,200 --> 00:18:11,280 Speaker 1: week before Bethany's murder, Mike's fourth wife left him. That night, 324 00:18:11,440 --> 00:18:13,919 Speaker 1: Franco remembered Mike being livid. 325 00:18:14,359 --> 00:18:16,800 Speaker 7: He told me that he went out to some bar 326 00:18:17,359 --> 00:18:20,800 Speaker 7: and had met some woman, and he was basically telling 327 00:18:20,800 --> 00:18:23,080 Speaker 7: me that when he was with this gal that he 328 00:18:23,280 --> 00:18:27,080 Speaker 7: just met, that he was beating her. Why he was 329 00:18:27,080 --> 00:18:31,159 Speaker 7: having sex with her. To me, that's right. So you 330 00:18:31,200 --> 00:18:33,560 Speaker 7: don't meet somebody for the first time and do that 331 00:18:34,119 --> 00:18:37,080 Speaker 7: and call it sex. That's not what it is. A 332 00:18:37,119 --> 00:18:41,360 Speaker 7: week later, Bethany Krere comes up missing. That drew attention 333 00:18:41,520 --> 00:18:44,359 Speaker 7: to me to really think that he has something to 334 00:18:44,400 --> 00:18:45,560 Speaker 7: do with her disappearance. 335 00:18:46,440 --> 00:18:49,720 Speaker 1: Franco remembers being at Mike's house right around the time 336 00:18:49,760 --> 00:18:51,880 Speaker 1: Bethany was first reported missing. 337 00:18:52,600 --> 00:18:55,920 Speaker 7: So I've been there numerous times and I've always had 338 00:18:55,920 --> 00:18:58,240 Speaker 7: free rein just to walk around do whatever I wanted 339 00:18:58,280 --> 00:19:01,199 Speaker 7: to do, and never had any problem about where I 340 00:19:01,280 --> 00:19:05,439 Speaker 7: can go and can't go. For some reason, we wouldn't 341 00:19:05,520 --> 00:19:09,919 Speaker 7: let anybody, including me, go upstairs. Nobody was allowed to 342 00:19:09,920 --> 00:19:13,239 Speaker 7: go upstairs. So I thought that was odd, and that 343 00:19:13,440 --> 00:19:15,399 Speaker 7: was always why I thought he had something to do 344 00:19:15,440 --> 00:19:16,359 Speaker 7: with in the first place. 345 00:19:17,240 --> 00:19:20,320 Speaker 1: Franco said. He eventually relayed his fears about Mike to 346 00:19:20,359 --> 00:19:24,080 Speaker 1: the police, and that's soon afterwards the police had him 347 00:19:24,119 --> 00:19:28,639 Speaker 1: wired up. So throughout their investigation into Mike, the police 348 00:19:28,720 --> 00:19:30,080 Speaker 1: were always listening. 349 00:19:30,720 --> 00:19:34,400 Speaker 7: Literally every encounter that I had with Mike was. 350 00:19:34,359 --> 00:19:39,280 Speaker 1: Recorded for nearly six months. Franco's toolbox and tool belt 351 00:19:39,359 --> 00:19:44,680 Speaker 1: contained recording devices, and at some point he thinks, Mike 352 00:19:44,760 --> 00:19:45,200 Speaker 1: caught on. 353 00:19:45,920 --> 00:19:48,640 Speaker 7: This is you know, two thousand and three, and they 354 00:19:48,680 --> 00:19:52,840 Speaker 7: handed me this like basically like a walkman little cassette 355 00:19:52,920 --> 00:19:56,480 Speaker 7: recorder and at the end of the cassette it makes 356 00:19:56,560 --> 00:19:58,800 Speaker 7: us loud beat and it was so loud it was 357 00:19:59,240 --> 00:20:02,439 Speaker 7: bet and I'm sitting there, I turn out the radio, 358 00:20:02,560 --> 00:20:04,800 Speaker 7: I roll down the window, and I'm hitting my chest. 359 00:20:05,560 --> 00:20:08,080 Speaker 7: He heard it, but he didn't know what it was. 360 00:20:08,359 --> 00:20:10,680 Speaker 1: And that's when Mike turned on him. 361 00:20:11,080 --> 00:20:14,440 Speaker 7: So my boss calls me and said, hey, Mike says, 362 00:20:14,119 --> 00:20:17,480 Speaker 7: you're stealing money from the company. He goes, I got 363 00:20:17,600 --> 00:20:20,320 Speaker 7: to let you go. So I got fired. And I 364 00:20:20,359 --> 00:20:22,960 Speaker 7: looked at my boss and said, you're making a huge mistake. 365 00:20:23,040 --> 00:20:25,480 Speaker 7: I can't tell you anything about what's going on. Maybe 366 00:20:25,480 --> 00:20:29,639 Speaker 7: someday I will. My own boss turned against me, So 367 00:20:29,720 --> 00:20:33,199 Speaker 7: Mike had a way to manipulate people into believing that 368 00:20:33,280 --> 00:20:35,160 Speaker 7: he was in a sand or whatever was going on. 369 00:20:48,080 --> 00:20:51,640 Speaker 1: Imagine that you're Bethany Carrera's parents who had to wait 370 00:20:51,760 --> 00:20:55,560 Speaker 1: a year to lay their daughter to rest. Their family 371 00:20:55,600 --> 00:20:59,480 Speaker 1: would forever be broken, but their fight for justice had 372 00:20:59,560 --> 00:21:03,520 Speaker 1: just begun. Bethany's parents sat in court every day. 373 00:21:04,200 --> 00:21:08,280 Speaker 5: They're paying close attention. They're just really witnessing it and 374 00:21:08,320 --> 00:21:09,399 Speaker 5: it's super hard. 375 00:21:10,280 --> 00:21:13,000 Speaker 1: Journalist Julia O'Malley was also in the courtroom. 376 00:21:13,440 --> 00:21:15,920 Speaker 5: You gotta imagine losing someone like that and then having 377 00:21:15,960 --> 00:21:20,200 Speaker 5: to go through the trial and having to hear all 378 00:21:20,280 --> 00:21:24,360 Speaker 5: the things that happened, Like, no one needs to go 379 00:21:24,400 --> 00:21:24,800 Speaker 5: through that. 380 00:21:26,040 --> 00:21:30,200 Speaker 1: Throughout the trial, there was something else present in the courtroom. 381 00:21:30,680 --> 00:21:34,239 Speaker 5: There's this backpack sitting with her dad, and in it 382 00:21:34,280 --> 00:21:35,200 Speaker 5: were her ashes. 383 00:21:36,400 --> 00:21:39,720 Speaker 1: Bethany's favorite backpack the Great North Face was sewn on 384 00:21:39,800 --> 00:21:43,720 Speaker 1: patches from New Zealand, Nepal and Australia. Was perched on 385 00:21:43,760 --> 00:21:47,240 Speaker 1: a chair next to Bethany's dad. Her dad said he 386 00:21:47,320 --> 00:21:50,480 Speaker 1: thought it was appropriate for Bethany to have a present 387 00:21:50,800 --> 00:21:52,080 Speaker 1: in the courtroom. 388 00:21:52,640 --> 00:21:55,280 Speaker 5: I think it was important for them, though, to have 389 00:21:55,480 --> 00:21:56,960 Speaker 5: closure in a certain way. 390 00:21:57,800 --> 00:22:02,120 Speaker 1: For two long weeks the career, our family heard graphic testimony, 391 00:22:02,840 --> 00:22:06,680 Speaker 1: learning in real time what happened to their daughter. At 392 00:22:06,720 --> 00:22:09,920 Speaker 1: times it was just too much for Bethany's mother, who 393 00:22:09,960 --> 00:22:13,840 Speaker 1: would exit the courtroom in tears, plus her parents. 394 00:22:14,000 --> 00:22:16,680 Speaker 5: I can't, I really can't even process what that must 395 00:22:16,680 --> 00:22:18,120 Speaker 5: have been like for them. 396 00:22:18,240 --> 00:22:21,120 Speaker 1: It was a tent setting as prosecutors struggled to make 397 00:22:21,160 --> 00:22:25,560 Speaker 1: their case without their key witness, Bob Lawson. Their one 398 00:22:25,760 --> 00:22:28,760 Speaker 1: saving grace was that they could play the thirty two 399 00:22:28,800 --> 00:22:42,560 Speaker 1: minute taped phone call between Bob and mikel. 400 00:22:38,880 --> 00:22:39,639 Speaker 2: You was me. 401 00:22:43,119 --> 00:22:44,920 Speaker 8: The cat litter. 402 00:22:45,080 --> 00:22:49,760 Speaker 1: You showed everything, You showed them what the cat buried 403 00:22:49,760 --> 00:22:50,640 Speaker 1: in the kitty litter. 404 00:22:50,960 --> 00:22:54,159 Speaker 5: It was pretty damning, just that recording, which they were 405 00:22:54,160 --> 00:22:54,920 Speaker 5: able to play. 406 00:22:55,440 --> 00:23:00,600 Speaker 1: Mike Lawson's defense was that he accidentally shot Bethany. That's 407 00:23:00,640 --> 00:23:03,679 Speaker 1: where the prosecutor honed in. She said that there was 408 00:23:03,800 --> 00:23:07,000 Speaker 1: one thing in that conversation that Mike Loston told his brother. 409 00:23:07,640 --> 00:23:12,200 Speaker 1: That one thing weakened Mike's defense that he accidentally shot Bethany. 410 00:23:13,480 --> 00:23:17,520 Speaker 3: I'm just trying to figure out where. No clothes, no running, 411 00:23:18,920 --> 00:23:22,040 Speaker 3: no what, no running, no running, get away. 412 00:23:23,080 --> 00:23:28,320 Speaker 1: Oh, Mike said, he accidentally shot Bethany, but he removed 413 00:23:28,320 --> 00:23:32,000 Speaker 1: her clothes so that she wouldn't run away. In her 414 00:23:32,000 --> 00:23:35,600 Speaker 1: closing arguments, it was something the prosecutor wanted the jury 415 00:23:35,680 --> 00:23:37,840 Speaker 1: to think about. So all this. 416 00:23:38,000 --> 00:23:41,320 Speaker 4: Time you have her sitting there without her clothes on, alive, 417 00:23:41,400 --> 00:23:43,000 Speaker 4: with the bullet interest. 418 00:23:44,000 --> 00:23:48,000 Speaker 1: The prosecutor argued that this was no accident and it 419 00:23:48,119 --> 00:23:52,480 Speaker 1: definitely wasn't manslaughter. And here's where Alaska stay law comes 420 00:23:52,480 --> 00:23:55,960 Speaker 1: into play. If Mike was involved in some sort of 421 00:23:56,040 --> 00:23:59,720 Speaker 1: drug activity, that meant a felony was happening when Bethany 422 00:23:59,760 --> 00:24:03,960 Speaker 1: was killed. When a death occurs during another felony, Alaska 423 00:24:04,000 --> 00:24:08,040 Speaker 1: loss says, it cannot be called an accident. It's automatically 424 00:24:08,200 --> 00:24:12,520 Speaker 1: second degree murder. On May third of two thousand and three, 425 00:24:13,400 --> 00:24:18,240 Speaker 1: Michael Lawson, the manager of those apartments, murdered Deaphany's career 426 00:24:19,560 --> 00:24:22,320 Speaker 1: Mike Lawson never took the stand in his own defense, 427 00:24:22,680 --> 00:24:26,960 Speaker 1: and his lawyer did not call any witnesses. Instead, Mike's 428 00:24:27,000 --> 00:24:29,639 Speaker 1: lawyer told the jury that Mike might have been getting 429 00:24:29,720 --> 00:24:33,280 Speaker 1: high at the time Bethany unexpectedly walked in and that 430 00:24:33,359 --> 00:24:37,840 Speaker 1: she startled him and that's why he shot her. And 431 00:24:37,880 --> 00:24:40,560 Speaker 1: the reason Bob walked in and found Bethany with her 432 00:24:40,560 --> 00:24:44,760 Speaker 1: clothes off, well, his lawyer said, Mike wanted to check 433 00:24:44,760 --> 00:24:45,440 Speaker 1: her injuries. 434 00:24:45,920 --> 00:24:48,159 Speaker 5: I mean, it was clear that he killed her, and 435 00:24:48,200 --> 00:24:50,800 Speaker 5: he admitted it early in the trial. But why, like 436 00:24:51,119 --> 00:24:54,439 Speaker 5: what caused it? That never got totally answered for me. 437 00:24:55,640 --> 00:24:58,119 Speaker 1: Chances are if a journalist sitting in the courtroom is 438 00:24:58,160 --> 00:25:02,439 Speaker 1: thinking that SO two is one of the jurors. And 439 00:25:02,520 --> 00:25:05,480 Speaker 1: when the case went to the jury, deliberations dragged on 440 00:25:05,600 --> 00:25:10,960 Speaker 1: for days, four days to be exact, and then the 441 00:25:11,080 --> 00:25:15,400 Speaker 1: judge announced the jury had reached a verdict. Bethany's parents 442 00:25:15,520 --> 00:25:19,040 Speaker 1: nervously sat next to their daughter's backpack, the one that 443 00:25:19,080 --> 00:25:23,159 Speaker 1: contained Bethany's ashes. Whether Mike Lawson knew it or not, 444 00:25:24,040 --> 00:25:28,880 Speaker 1: he had to face Bethany one more time on the 445 00:25:28,920 --> 00:25:32,960 Speaker 1: most serious charge of first degree murder. The jury found 446 00:25:33,040 --> 00:25:40,000 Speaker 1: Mike Lawson not guilty on the arson charge. The jury 447 00:25:40,040 --> 00:25:45,760 Speaker 1: found Mike Lawson not guilty on the kidnapping and sexual 448 00:25:45,760 --> 00:25:52,439 Speaker 1: assault charges. The jury found Mike Lawson not guilty. With 449 00:25:52,520 --> 00:25:57,200 Speaker 1: Bethany's family clutching that backpack even tighter, they listened as 450 00:25:57,200 --> 00:26:00,639 Speaker 1: the jury announced their verdict of the final charge. 451 00:26:01,359 --> 00:26:01,439 Speaker 2: WI. 452 00:26:01,640 --> 00:26:05,679 Speaker 4: The jury find the dependent Michael Lawson, guilty of murder 453 00:26:05,680 --> 00:26:06,639 Speaker 4: in the second degree. 454 00:26:09,600 --> 00:26:12,959 Speaker 1: The jury didn't buy Mike Lawson's claim that Bethany's murder 455 00:26:13,000 --> 00:26:16,600 Speaker 1: was an accident and convicted him of second degree murder 456 00:26:16,920 --> 00:26:19,120 Speaker 1: as well as tampering with evidence. 457 00:26:19,359 --> 00:26:21,199 Speaker 5: Because that would have meant the difference between like a 458 00:26:21,240 --> 00:26:24,840 Speaker 5: twenty year sentence for manslaughter or like ninety nine years. 459 00:26:25,080 --> 00:26:29,399 Speaker 6: Mister Lawson, I sentenced you to ninety nine years. 460 00:26:29,920 --> 00:26:32,359 Speaker 5: The judge was really forceful in the sentencing, and it 461 00:26:32,480 --> 00:26:37,840 Speaker 5: was his opinion that Michael Lawson was a predator, a 462 00:26:37,880 --> 00:26:41,080 Speaker 5: ticking time bomb like that he was just waiting to 463 00:26:41,359 --> 00:26:42,240 Speaker 5: harm somebody else. 464 00:26:42,960 --> 00:26:47,160 Speaker 1: Coincidentally, Mike's ninety nine year sentence was the same sentence 465 00:26:47,200 --> 00:26:50,000 Speaker 1: he would have received if the jury found him guilty 466 00:26:50,000 --> 00:26:51,159 Speaker 1: of first degree murder. 467 00:26:52,000 --> 00:26:56,920 Speaker 7: So that verdict was announced and all along, I was 468 00:26:57,080 --> 00:27:00,520 Speaker 7: just smiling knowing that I helped put this man away, 469 00:27:00,800 --> 00:27:01,520 Speaker 7: and it mattered. 470 00:27:03,720 --> 00:27:07,120 Speaker 1: Franco Beeznis was Mike's former colleague. They used to play 471 00:27:07,240 --> 00:27:11,480 Speaker 1: chess together. After the verdict, Franco couldn't help but think 472 00:27:11,520 --> 00:27:12,960 Speaker 1: about one match with. 473 00:27:12,880 --> 00:27:16,119 Speaker 7: Mike early on. I remember in one of the games, 474 00:27:16,160 --> 00:27:18,560 Speaker 7: I actually lost my queen, which is for sure loss, 475 00:27:18,920 --> 00:27:21,359 Speaker 7: and they kept telling me, hey, we got you, we 476 00:27:21,440 --> 00:27:25,040 Speaker 7: got you. I said no, we're going to continue to play, 477 00:27:25,960 --> 00:27:29,240 Speaker 7: and I ended up winning that game, which even frustrated 478 00:27:29,280 --> 00:27:31,600 Speaker 7: me even more. The game of chest is like you 479 00:27:31,680 --> 00:27:34,160 Speaker 7: must know what the other opponent's doing as well as 480 00:27:34,200 --> 00:27:38,879 Speaker 7: has strategy or self. It actually played forward into the 481 00:27:38,920 --> 00:27:43,159 Speaker 7: courtroom at the end when they are giving him his sentencing. 482 00:27:44,080 --> 00:27:46,879 Speaker 7: I stood up in the courtroom as he was walking 483 00:27:47,000 --> 00:27:49,600 Speaker 7: right by in front of me. I said, check mate. Mike. 484 00:27:51,560 --> 00:27:54,320 Speaker 7: All along he didn't know what I was doing, he 485 00:27:54,400 --> 00:27:58,040 Speaker 7: didn't know my moves. So I thought to myself, what 486 00:27:58,160 --> 00:28:00,479 Speaker 7: a perfect time to be able to tell him check mate. 487 00:28:00,640 --> 00:28:02,840 Speaker 7: After he just received nine nine years. 488 00:28:04,240 --> 00:28:09,680 Speaker 1: Mike Lawson remains incarcerated at an Alaska state prison. He'll 489 00:28:09,760 --> 00:28:12,760 Speaker 1: be eligible for parole in twenty and seventy three. 490 00:28:17,080 --> 00:28:19,359 Speaker 7: For me, it felt so good to be able to 491 00:28:20,000 --> 00:28:23,639 Speaker 7: put this man away, and so there was peace for me, 492 00:28:24,760 --> 00:28:27,400 Speaker 7: unlike peace for the parents. And in there they lost 493 00:28:27,400 --> 00:28:30,439 Speaker 7: the child. There's really no peace to that. And I 494 00:28:30,480 --> 00:28:34,280 Speaker 7: met the father for the first time right outside the courtroom, 495 00:28:34,600 --> 00:28:38,479 Speaker 7: and he actually looked at me and we were talking, 496 00:28:38,600 --> 00:28:40,960 Speaker 7: and he said that he goes Franco. He said, I 497 00:28:41,000 --> 00:28:44,600 Speaker 7: can't keep going on. The pain that I'm feeling is 498 00:28:44,640 --> 00:28:49,760 Speaker 7: so bad because I have to forgive him. I said, 499 00:28:49,760 --> 00:28:54,640 Speaker 7: you're going to forgive Mike Lawson. He said, yeah, so's 500 00:28:55,080 --> 00:28:58,120 Speaker 7: that way. I'll have to live with this pain. And 501 00:28:58,240 --> 00:29:01,560 Speaker 7: that was the first time I witnessed a man actually 502 00:29:04,400 --> 00:29:11,400 Speaker 7: forgive somebody that took something from him. I can't even 503 00:29:11,440 --> 00:29:19,200 Speaker 7: imagine losing any of my children. They gave me a hope. 504 00:29:19,480 --> 00:29:23,080 Speaker 7: I'm so glad that I witnessed that because that helped 505 00:29:23,080 --> 00:29:27,240 Speaker 7: me in my life to move forward. And I hold 506 00:29:27,240 --> 00:29:30,600 Speaker 7: on to any regrets or anything things that I do. 507 00:29:30,680 --> 00:29:32,479 Speaker 7: I have to keep moving forward. The only way I 508 00:29:32,560 --> 00:29:35,600 Speaker 7: can is forgiveness, the way he showed me. 509 00:29:42,680 --> 00:29:46,160 Speaker 1: I'm slung glass. Thank you for listening to this season 510 00:29:46,400 --> 00:29:50,080 Speaker 1: of American Homicide. Make sure you're subscribed to our feet 511 00:29:50,200 --> 00:29:53,680 Speaker 1: to be notified of any updates on future, bonus episodes 512 00:29:54,040 --> 00:29:58,400 Speaker 1: and brand new content. If you enjoyed American Homicide, leave 513 00:29:58,440 --> 00:30:14,120 Speaker 1: a review. It helps others find the podcast. You can 514 00:30:14,160 --> 00:30:18,120 Speaker 1: contact the American Homicide team by emailing us at American 515 00:30:18,120 --> 00:30:22,920 Speaker 1: Homicide Pod at gmail dot com. That's American Homicide Pod 516 00:30:23,160 --> 00:30:27,120 Speaker 1: at gmail dot com. American Homicide is hosted and written 517 00:30:27,160 --> 00:30:31,440 Speaker 1: by me Sloane Glass and is a production of Glass Podcasts, 518 00:30:31,880 --> 00:30:36,360 Speaker 1: a division of Glass Entertainment Group, in partnership with iHeart Podcasts. 519 00:30:36,960 --> 00:30:40,680 Speaker 1: The show is executive produced by Nancy Glass and Todd Gantz. 520 00:30:41,160 --> 00:30:44,280 Speaker 1: The series is also written and produced by Todd Gans, 521 00:30:44,640 --> 00:30:48,360 Speaker 1: with additional writing by Ben Fetterman and Andrea Gunning. Our 522 00:30:48,400 --> 00:30:52,480 Speaker 1: associate producer is Kristin Melcurrie. Our iHeart team is Ali 523 00:30:52,560 --> 00:30:57,760 Speaker 1: Perry and Jessica Crimecheck. Audio editing, mixing and mastering by 524 00:30:57,840 --> 00:31:02,040 Speaker 1: Nico Auruka American. This Homicide's theme song was composed by 525 00:31:02,120 --> 00:31:06,520 Speaker 1: Oliver Bains of Neiser Music Library, provided by my Music. 526 00:31:06,960 --> 00:31:11,160 Speaker 1: Follow American Homicide on Apple Podcasts, and please rate and 527 00:31:11,240 --> 00:31:14,840 Speaker 1: review American Homicide. Your five star review goes a long 528 00:31:14,880 --> 00:31:18,400 Speaker 1: way towards helping others find this show. For more podcasts 529 00:31:18,400 --> 00:31:23,680 Speaker 1: from iHeart, visit the iHeartRadio, app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever 530 00:31:23,760 --> 00:31:25,040 Speaker 1: you get your podcasts.