1 00:00:05,920 --> 00:00:10,080 Speaker 1: The disappearance of a beautiful young mom of twins, Melissa 2 00:00:10,320 --> 00:00:15,680 Speaker 1: Susa remains a mystery, but then her body found in 3 00:00:15,800 --> 00:00:21,360 Speaker 1: a Waterville home, her body wrapped in a tart hidden 4 00:00:21,560 --> 00:00:26,720 Speaker 1: in a basement. I'm Nancy Grace. This is Crime Stories. 5 00:00:27,360 --> 00:00:33,080 Speaker 1: We want justice. What happened to this mom? Melissa Susa 6 00:00:33,400 --> 00:00:43,720 Speaker 1: at the prime of her life? Crime Stories with Nancy Grace. 7 00:00:49,520 --> 00:00:53,000 Speaker 1: Twenty nine year old Melissa Susa of Waterville is missing. 8 00:00:53,320 --> 00:00:55,840 Speaker 1: Melissa's Twitter has two twins on a school bus in 9 00:00:55,840 --> 00:00:57,400 Speaker 1: front of her home, and that's the last time she 10 00:00:57,480 --> 00:01:01,800 Speaker 1: was seen publicly. That was Tuesday morning. Around midnight. Waterville 11 00:01:01,840 --> 00:01:05,760 Speaker 1: police arrested her boyfriend, Nicholas Lovejoy and charged him with 12 00:01:05,920 --> 00:01:08,840 Speaker 1: having a loaded rifle in his car and endangering the 13 00:01:08,880 --> 00:01:11,840 Speaker 1: welfare of a child. Police say he left his and 14 00:01:11,959 --> 00:01:16,040 Speaker 1: Seusa's twin eight year old girls home alone. That home 15 00:01:16,200 --> 00:01:19,880 Speaker 1: is where mainstay police evidence technicians have been searching. Is 16 00:01:19,959 --> 00:01:23,240 Speaker 1: not like her to disappear and this is completely out 17 00:01:23,280 --> 00:01:27,039 Speaker 1: of the ordinary. Wednesday afternoon, police searched this property on 18 00:01:27,160 --> 00:01:31,160 Speaker 1: Taylor Road in nearby Winslow, where neighbors say Lovejoy kept 19 00:01:31,160 --> 00:01:35,480 Speaker 1: a trailer. Police left a short time later. Megan Legacy 20 00:01:35,640 --> 00:01:38,520 Speaker 1: is SUS's friend and co worker. She's a good person, 21 00:01:38,600 --> 00:01:41,240 Speaker 1: she cares about her kids. She just wants to be happy, 22 00:01:42,760 --> 00:01:44,480 Speaker 1: and I don't think she got the chance to do that. 23 00:01:44,880 --> 00:01:48,880 Speaker 1: Legacy says Susa was frightened of love joy just a 24 00:01:48,920 --> 00:01:50,360 Speaker 1: lot of guns. I mean he has a lot of 25 00:01:50,360 --> 00:01:53,680 Speaker 1: guns he has There's a lot of easy way to 26 00:01:53,720 --> 00:01:57,920 Speaker 1: do it. I mean he could easily do it and 27 00:01:58,000 --> 00:02:02,000 Speaker 1: not think twice. Leaving to see fearing the worst has 28 00:02:02,040 --> 00:02:04,640 Speaker 1: happened to her friend. I feel like she would have 29 00:02:04,680 --> 00:02:09,000 Speaker 1: gontacted someone. What happened to Melissa Suza a young mother 30 00:02:09,080 --> 00:02:12,160 Speaker 1: just twenty nine years old, the mother of eight year 31 00:02:12,240 --> 00:02:17,000 Speaker 1: old little girl twins. I Nancy Grace, this is Crime Stories, 32 00:02:17,040 --> 00:02:19,320 Speaker 1: Thank you for being with us. With me an all 33 00:02:19,320 --> 00:02:24,200 Speaker 1: star panel. Ashley Wilcot judge, trial lawyer anchor at Court TV. 34 00:02:24,400 --> 00:02:28,560 Speaker 1: You can find her at Ashley Wilcot dot com. Stephen Lampley, detective, 35 00:02:28,720 --> 00:02:34,000 Speaker 1: author of Outside Your Door on Amazon, renowned psychoanalyst out 36 00:02:34,000 --> 00:02:39,079 Speaker 1: of Beverly Hills, doctor Bethany Marshall, South Carolina medical examiner, 37 00:02:39,120 --> 00:02:44,080 Speaker 1: author of Homicide Investigation Field Guide, doctor Michelle Dupree and 38 00:02:44,240 --> 00:02:49,000 Speaker 1: joining Me right Now investigative reporter with Radar Online dot Com. 39 00:02:49,040 --> 00:02:53,200 Speaker 1: Alexis Terres Chuck. Alexis, first, thank you for being with us. 40 00:02:53,480 --> 00:02:56,120 Speaker 1: What can you tell me about how it was first 41 00:02:56,240 --> 00:02:58,840 Speaker 1: noted that this twenty nine year old mother of two 42 00:02:59,160 --> 00:03:02,919 Speaker 1: was missing. Her friend made a welfare check. She called 43 00:03:02,960 --> 00:03:04,799 Speaker 1: the police and said, we have not heard from her 44 00:03:04,919 --> 00:03:08,919 Speaker 1: all day long. She has not been on Facebook, and 45 00:03:08,960 --> 00:03:13,320 Speaker 1: we are very, very worried about her. And it's terrifying 46 00:03:13,320 --> 00:03:15,480 Speaker 1: to think that a mother puts her two children on 47 00:03:15,520 --> 00:03:17,639 Speaker 1: the school bus eight o'clock in the morning. The girls 48 00:03:17,720 --> 00:03:19,600 Speaker 1: leave the house, they go ride in the bus, they 49 00:03:19,600 --> 00:03:22,480 Speaker 1: come home nothing, no mommy, and the friend is the 50 00:03:22,480 --> 00:03:24,520 Speaker 1: one that has to sound the alert. Well, here's the thing. 51 00:03:24,680 --> 00:03:28,680 Speaker 1: Doesn't she work at Duncan Donuts with her friend. They 52 00:03:28,680 --> 00:03:31,760 Speaker 1: have to get up really early hours and work really 53 00:03:31,840 --> 00:03:34,240 Speaker 1: late hours. So you know, if you don't show up 54 00:03:34,280 --> 00:03:38,360 Speaker 1: at six o'clock in the morning, seven o'clock, eight o'clock, 55 00:03:38,920 --> 00:03:43,360 Speaker 1: people may chalk it off to oh, they overslept. So 56 00:03:43,400 --> 00:03:46,200 Speaker 1: what tipped her off, Alexis that something was wrong. Well, 57 00:03:46,240 --> 00:03:49,160 Speaker 1: she knows this woman, she knows her, She knows Melissa, 58 00:03:49,240 --> 00:03:52,240 Speaker 1: she knows how unhappy she has been in her relationship 59 00:03:52,240 --> 00:03:56,160 Speaker 1: and she knows personally that she has been threatened by 60 00:03:56,520 --> 00:03:59,280 Speaker 1: her boyfriend. By him, she is afraid for her life. 61 00:03:59,280 --> 00:04:02,200 Speaker 1: She has said heatedly, he has so many guns. I'm 62 00:04:02,240 --> 00:04:04,200 Speaker 1: so afraid what he's going to do to me. So 63 00:04:04,240 --> 00:04:08,720 Speaker 1: she knew the family history. Here we know to Ashley Wilcott, 64 00:04:09,000 --> 00:04:15,480 Speaker 1: the boyfriend Nicholas Lovejoy was arrested on a guns charge. 65 00:04:15,560 --> 00:04:21,080 Speaker 1: How often do you see the target of the bigger investigation, 66 00:04:21,320 --> 00:04:25,039 Speaker 1: such as kidnapping, aggravated assault, or murder, you see the 67 00:04:25,160 --> 00:04:30,320 Speaker 1: target or the person of interest arrested on minor charges. 68 00:04:30,640 --> 00:04:33,560 Speaker 1: I mean, I always think about Timothy McVeigh. Remember they 69 00:04:34,040 --> 00:04:38,159 Speaker 1: who bombed the Oklahoma City Building, the Federal building, the 70 00:04:38,360 --> 00:04:43,320 Speaker 1: Murra Building, and killed so many Americans, including children. They 71 00:04:43,360 --> 00:04:46,839 Speaker 1: pulled him over for a tail light infraction. No idea 72 00:04:47,200 --> 00:04:49,840 Speaker 1: that this is the Okay City bomber, right, Nancy. So 73 00:04:50,080 --> 00:04:53,840 Speaker 1: statistically it's true, often these types of person of interest 74 00:04:53,880 --> 00:04:56,800 Speaker 1: do have some type of criminal history, even if it's minor. 75 00:04:57,120 --> 00:04:59,640 Speaker 1: Every once in a while we'll see someone who commits 76 00:04:59,680 --> 00:05:02,800 Speaker 1: a MA your horrible crime who has no history. But 77 00:05:03,040 --> 00:05:07,520 Speaker 1: generally they've got something, They've been stopped for something. It's 78 00:05:07,640 --> 00:05:11,520 Speaker 1: interesting to Stephen Lampley, former detect given author of Outside 79 00:05:11,680 --> 00:05:17,839 Speaker 1: Your Door on Amazon. How the boyfriend is arrested on 80 00:05:18,000 --> 00:05:23,279 Speaker 1: a weapons charge. And I'm all about, you know, the 81 00:05:23,600 --> 00:05:27,800 Speaker 1: Bill of Rights and all your personal freedoms, but it 82 00:05:27,800 --> 00:05:32,039 Speaker 1: always creeps me out when someone has a treasure trove 83 00:05:32,320 --> 00:05:36,159 Speaker 1: an arsenal of weapons. That just freaks me out. And 84 00:05:36,400 --> 00:05:41,320 Speaker 1: also he was arrested on a gun charge. I mean, 85 00:05:41,800 --> 00:05:46,640 Speaker 1: you've got Melissa Susa missing, She's never left her children before, 86 00:05:46,720 --> 00:05:48,919 Speaker 1: and they get him on a gun charge. Is that 87 00:05:49,000 --> 00:05:52,800 Speaker 1: a pretext? Well, it's my understanding of what I know 88 00:05:52,839 --> 00:05:56,640 Speaker 1: of this case that they went to his house, he 89 00:05:56,680 --> 00:05:59,400 Speaker 1: would not let them in, and so they backed out 90 00:05:59,480 --> 00:06:01,599 Speaker 1: and then deserved him for a period of time and 91 00:06:01,680 --> 00:06:04,920 Speaker 1: waiting for him to leave, and then initiated the traffic stuff. 92 00:06:05,200 --> 00:06:07,000 Speaker 1: We used to do this all the time. We would 93 00:06:07,040 --> 00:06:09,000 Speaker 1: sit back and wait, and we would we would find 94 00:06:09,240 --> 00:06:13,520 Speaker 1: probable cause to stop the vehicle. And it's you can 95 00:06:13,600 --> 00:06:17,600 Speaker 1: usually find probable cause because somebody is going to do something, 96 00:06:18,839 --> 00:06:22,200 Speaker 1: and in this case, they apparently had probable cause, stopped him, 97 00:06:22,600 --> 00:06:26,320 Speaker 1: found the founded loaded rifle, and then discover that he 98 00:06:26,360 --> 00:06:28,520 Speaker 1: had left the two eight year old children at home, 99 00:06:28,760 --> 00:06:31,480 Speaker 1: and then proceeded to get to get the search warrant 100 00:06:31,560 --> 00:06:34,400 Speaker 1: and bam. It's just that easy. And when you say 101 00:06:34,680 --> 00:06:38,640 Speaker 1: we find probable cause, you know a defensive tree would 102 00:06:38,640 --> 00:06:41,760 Speaker 1: have a field day with that. The reality is, hey, 103 00:06:42,520 --> 00:06:45,320 Speaker 1: you don't have to fabricate it. They give you probable 104 00:06:45,360 --> 00:06:48,120 Speaker 1: cause to arrest. I mean, I've got a PC right now. 105 00:06:48,240 --> 00:06:52,960 Speaker 1: I've had three mothers, three mothers pull me over in 106 00:06:53,120 --> 00:06:56,800 Speaker 1: traffic and the pick up a job offline to tell 107 00:06:56,839 --> 00:06:59,640 Speaker 1: me my tail lights out on one whole side. I 108 00:06:59,760 --> 00:07:02,920 Speaker 1: know this. I've been riding around in that busted mitivan 109 00:07:03,320 --> 00:07:05,120 Speaker 1: and I know it, and I haven't had time to 110 00:07:05,160 --> 00:07:07,600 Speaker 1: go get it fixed. That's PC right there. If Anycott 111 00:07:07,720 --> 00:07:10,800 Speaker 1: wanted to pull me over, well there's PC for it 112 00:07:11,000 --> 00:07:14,560 Speaker 1: right there. So what I'm saying, as she Wilcott judge 113 00:07:14,560 --> 00:07:17,960 Speaker 1: and trial lawyer, is that it's not like the cops 114 00:07:18,000 --> 00:07:20,320 Speaker 1: have to fabricate something. All they have to do is 115 00:07:20,400 --> 00:07:22,440 Speaker 1: watch you for about an hour. They'll catch you doing 116 00:07:22,480 --> 00:07:25,840 Speaker 1: something wrong. You will definitely not stop it and stop sign, 117 00:07:26,080 --> 00:07:28,520 Speaker 1: not put on your blink or have a busted tail light. 118 00:07:28,600 --> 00:07:30,400 Speaker 1: I mean, it's just a matter of time. It's just 119 00:07:30,440 --> 00:07:32,920 Speaker 1: whether they want you or not. Well, that's true, Nancy, 120 00:07:33,000 --> 00:07:35,040 Speaker 1: but it's also what the law provides for. So people 121 00:07:35,040 --> 00:07:38,080 Speaker 1: get frustrated by that, right, like defense attorneys do say, oh, 122 00:07:38,080 --> 00:07:41,440 Speaker 1: there was no reason to stop. Guess what. I'm not frustrated. 123 00:07:41,640 --> 00:07:44,120 Speaker 1: I don't have a problem with it. I don't either, 124 00:07:44,160 --> 00:07:46,800 Speaker 1: but some defense attorneys absolutely do. But the fact of 125 00:07:46,800 --> 00:07:50,200 Speaker 1: the matter is that's what the law provides for probable cause, 126 00:07:50,360 --> 00:07:54,280 Speaker 1: any reason at all, any violation anything they see, that's 127 00:07:54,320 --> 00:07:57,200 Speaker 1: any violation of any traffic law, of any other type 128 00:07:57,200 --> 00:08:00,920 Speaker 1: of crime. Yeah, they have the authority too. I will 129 00:08:01,200 --> 00:08:05,400 Speaker 1: never forget to doctor Bethany Marshall joining me psychoanalyst out 130 00:08:05,440 --> 00:08:08,520 Speaker 1: of la I had been. I was working a murder 131 00:08:08,520 --> 00:08:12,840 Speaker 1: case and the best friend of the murdered victim, her 132 00:08:12,920 --> 00:08:14,680 Speaker 1: husband did it. By the way, he was a millionaire, 133 00:08:14,960 --> 00:08:16,480 Speaker 1: and he set it up to make it look like 134 00:08:16,480 --> 00:08:20,280 Speaker 1: a house fire. Then why was she covered in bruises? Wow? 135 00:08:20,840 --> 00:08:23,920 Speaker 1: You know how did that happen? Anyway? I was out 136 00:08:24,120 --> 00:08:27,080 Speaker 1: trying to find her best friend, much as in this case. 137 00:08:27,200 --> 00:08:30,480 Speaker 1: Her best friend in the case that I was prosecuting 138 00:08:30,800 --> 00:08:35,880 Speaker 1: was a fellow piano teacher, and that piano teacher got 139 00:08:35,880 --> 00:08:38,440 Speaker 1: into drinking wine and playing the piano. We had a 140 00:08:38,480 --> 00:08:40,760 Speaker 1: good time. I stayed at that lady's house till midnight. 141 00:08:41,600 --> 00:08:45,240 Speaker 1: I did not drink, of course, as she taught to 142 00:08:45,280 --> 00:08:49,439 Speaker 1: me about the victim, Patricia, and about how long they 143 00:08:49,440 --> 00:08:54,120 Speaker 1: had known each other, and about her abusive marriage. A 144 00:08:54,160 --> 00:08:58,680 Speaker 1: ton of information. Okay, So I was driving back it 145 00:08:58,720 --> 00:09:01,600 Speaker 1: was now like twelve fifteen. I get pulled over. I 146 00:09:01,760 --> 00:09:06,199 Speaker 1: get pulled over. As I roll the winden, I said, 147 00:09:06,200 --> 00:09:08,920 Speaker 1: why are you pulling me over? And he said, you 148 00:09:09,000 --> 00:09:12,000 Speaker 1: cross the yellow line. I'm like, Noah, didn't. But fine, 149 00:09:12,080 --> 00:09:14,000 Speaker 1: you guys, I guess I got to give you a breathalyzer. 150 00:09:14,679 --> 00:09:17,320 Speaker 1: So are you kidding me? He said, I can't treat 151 00:09:17,360 --> 00:09:19,640 Speaker 1: you any differently than anybody else. I'm like, fine, do 152 00:09:19,720 --> 00:09:22,280 Speaker 1: a breathalyzer. So I did it, and within about five 153 00:09:22,280 --> 00:09:25,360 Speaker 1: minutes I was on my way home. What I'm saying 154 00:09:25,520 --> 00:09:28,600 Speaker 1: is it can be crossing the yellow line, it can 155 00:09:28,679 --> 00:09:33,000 Speaker 1: be anything. Why does that make people so angry? I mean, 156 00:09:33,200 --> 00:09:35,840 Speaker 1: we walk hops out there to protect us, but then 157 00:09:35,840 --> 00:09:38,640 Speaker 1: when they pull us over, people don't like it so much. Well, 158 00:09:38,679 --> 00:09:41,480 Speaker 1: hopefully it's a part of our discussion on this radio show. 159 00:09:41,559 --> 00:09:46,400 Speaker 1: The listeners can learn that when police pull people over, 160 00:09:46,559 --> 00:09:51,200 Speaker 1: for seemingly minor infractions. Often there's a whole world of 161 00:09:51,280 --> 00:09:55,480 Speaker 1: misery underneath. It's sometimes that's the canary in the coal mine, 162 00:09:55,600 --> 00:09:59,600 Speaker 1: the very small tell I'll tell you what's underneath this, Nancy. 163 00:09:59,679 --> 00:10:03,320 Speaker 1: Then I he was pulled over. There are two twin 164 00:10:04,000 --> 00:10:07,640 Speaker 1: eight year olds at home without their mother and father. 165 00:10:07,800 --> 00:10:11,440 Speaker 1: And you know, in the legal system, children infants are 166 00:10:11,720 --> 00:10:16,280 Speaker 1: vastly underrepresented because they cannot speak for themselves. And in 167 00:10:16,280 --> 00:10:18,880 Speaker 1: this case, we're talking about him getting pulled over on 168 00:10:18,920 --> 00:10:22,200 Speaker 1: a gun violation. We're talking about the mom missing. Let's 169 00:10:22,240 --> 00:10:24,000 Speaker 1: make a part of our story that there are two 170 00:10:24,040 --> 00:10:26,840 Speaker 1: little girls at home. I mean you you have twins. 171 00:10:27,040 --> 00:10:30,400 Speaker 1: How old are they now? Twelve? Thirteen? Can you imagine 172 00:10:30,960 --> 00:10:35,760 Speaker 1: them being at home? White white, white white by Bethany? 173 00:10:36,040 --> 00:10:39,079 Speaker 1: Did you just say fourteen? No, twelve or thirteen? How 174 00:10:39,080 --> 00:10:42,440 Speaker 1: old are they now? Bethany? You know what I'm putting 175 00:10:42,440 --> 00:10:44,200 Speaker 1: you on, provice and go to the corner for not 176 00:10:44,280 --> 00:10:48,679 Speaker 1: knowing that twins have just turned twelve years old. Shame, shame, 177 00:10:48,880 --> 00:11:11,240 Speaker 1: shames crime stories with Nancy Grace. This is the house 178 00:11:11,240 --> 00:11:13,760 Speaker 1: where that body was found and where twenty nine year 179 00:11:13,760 --> 00:11:16,880 Speaker 1: old Melissa Susa was lasting. Putting her two eight year 180 00:11:16,880 --> 00:11:19,760 Speaker 1: old twins on the school bus Tuesday morning. Now, forty 181 00:11:19,760 --> 00:11:22,559 Speaker 1: eight hours later, police are still on sen and friends 182 00:11:22,800 --> 00:11:27,440 Speaker 1: are fearing the worst. This morning, a mom missing. I 183 00:11:27,520 --> 00:11:30,800 Speaker 1: feel like she would have contacted someone. Friends of Melissa 184 00:11:30,880 --> 00:11:34,280 Speaker 1: Susa terrified. If she knew all of this was going on, 185 00:11:34,440 --> 00:11:37,400 Speaker 1: she would have said something. As police combed through her 186 00:11:37,400 --> 00:11:41,040 Speaker 1: Waterville home throughout the night looking for clues, a body 187 00:11:41,400 --> 00:11:44,559 Speaker 1: was discovered in the basement. This is not like her 188 00:11:44,600 --> 00:11:47,240 Speaker 1: to disappear, and this is completely out of the ordinary. 189 00:11:47,440 --> 00:11:51,160 Speaker 1: Seus's boyfriend, Nicholas Lovejoy has been arrested, police saying they 190 00:11:51,200 --> 00:11:55,000 Speaker 1: stopped him around midnight Tuesday. Right now, they've charged him 191 00:11:55,040 --> 00:11:57,719 Speaker 1: for having a loaded gun in the car and endangering 192 00:11:57,760 --> 00:12:00,480 Speaker 1: his children leaving them home alone. He has a lot 193 00:12:00,559 --> 00:12:02,559 Speaker 1: of there's a lot of easy way to do it. 194 00:12:02,880 --> 00:12:07,760 Speaker 1: I mean, he could easily do it and not think twice. 195 00:12:08,000 --> 00:12:11,200 Speaker 1: Friends say they were scared of Lovejoy. They were scared 196 00:12:11,240 --> 00:12:14,559 Speaker 1: their worst nightmare might come true. She's a good person, 197 00:12:14,640 --> 00:12:17,280 Speaker 1: she cares about her kids. She just wants to be happy, 198 00:12:18,760 --> 00:12:20,320 Speaker 1: and I don't think she got the chance to do 199 00:12:20,360 --> 00:12:24,000 Speaker 1: that again. No one has been charged. Investigators are expecting 200 00:12:24,080 --> 00:12:26,479 Speaker 1: to be back on seeing this morning in an autopsy 201 00:12:26,760 --> 00:12:29,400 Speaker 1: is likely to be conducted later today. That from our 202 00:12:29,400 --> 00:12:33,199 Speaker 1: friends at New Center, Maine. That was Zach Blanchard speaking, 203 00:12:33,600 --> 00:12:36,199 Speaker 1: what is he doing out riding around with a car 204 00:12:36,240 --> 00:12:39,439 Speaker 1: full of guns at midnight and his two eight year 205 00:12:39,480 --> 00:12:43,440 Speaker 1: old children, two little girls home alone? You don't write 206 00:12:43,480 --> 00:12:46,240 Speaker 1: he should be pulled over, Alexis terres Chuck joining me. 207 00:12:46,280 --> 00:12:51,960 Speaker 1: Alexis Terreschuk, investigative reporter with Radar Online dot Com. Alexis. 208 00:12:52,000 --> 00:12:54,800 Speaker 1: So they pull him over, but now a body has 209 00:12:54,800 --> 00:12:57,240 Speaker 1: been found in the basement. To pick it up where 210 00:12:57,240 --> 00:13:00,800 Speaker 1: you left off. So the police had been observing him 211 00:13:00,800 --> 00:13:03,160 Speaker 1: in the house. They had noticed him going They were 212 00:13:03,200 --> 00:13:04,760 Speaker 1: looking through the windows. They were just out on the 213 00:13:04,800 --> 00:13:06,800 Speaker 1: street on a public street and not doing anything wrong, 214 00:13:07,160 --> 00:13:08,920 Speaker 1: and they were watching him go in and out of 215 00:13:08,960 --> 00:13:11,120 Speaker 1: the kitchen different places. So they see him get in 216 00:13:11,120 --> 00:13:13,960 Speaker 1: the car and they pull him over. There's a rifle. 217 00:13:14,320 --> 00:13:16,200 Speaker 1: They say to him, you know what is going on? 218 00:13:16,440 --> 00:13:20,560 Speaker 1: He says nothing at all. They then end up talking 219 00:13:20,640 --> 00:13:24,720 Speaker 1: with the little children, the little twin daughters, and they 220 00:13:24,760 --> 00:13:27,559 Speaker 1: say that there had been a fight between mommy and daddy. 221 00:13:28,240 --> 00:13:32,680 Speaker 1: They say that she had confessed that she had loved 222 00:13:32,760 --> 00:13:37,199 Speaker 1: someone else, so police now are suspicious that he killed 223 00:13:37,200 --> 00:13:40,319 Speaker 1: her in a rage of a fit of jealousy, and 224 00:13:40,360 --> 00:13:42,920 Speaker 1: they go in the home, they dig around. The thing 225 00:13:42,960 --> 00:13:45,199 Speaker 1: that's very interesting to me is they don't find her 226 00:13:45,280 --> 00:13:48,880 Speaker 1: right away. They don't search in the basement of the 227 00:13:49,400 --> 00:13:53,440 Speaker 1: Wait wait, wait, wait, wait wait. You know, Alexis strez Chuck. 228 00:13:53,559 --> 00:13:57,680 Speaker 1: You and I've covered a lot of stories together, and 229 00:13:58,000 --> 00:14:01,199 Speaker 1: I'm almost always on the side of the police. They're 230 00:14:01,200 --> 00:14:03,960 Speaker 1: just humans trying to do a good job. And most 231 00:14:04,040 --> 00:14:06,360 Speaker 1: often they do do a good job, a great job, 232 00:14:06,360 --> 00:14:09,920 Speaker 1: as a matter of fact. But come on, not looking 233 00:14:10,360 --> 00:14:15,520 Speaker 1: in the basement. Hello, That's what I thought too. It 234 00:14:15,520 --> 00:14:18,040 Speaker 1: seemed a little strange. I don't think that maybe it's 235 00:14:18,240 --> 00:14:20,480 Speaker 1: a hidden basement. That's the only thing that I can think, 236 00:14:20,520 --> 00:14:22,480 Speaker 1: because I agree with you. Usually the police are very through. 237 00:14:22,560 --> 00:14:25,360 Speaker 1: They check everything something you wouldn't even think of though. 238 00:14:25,400 --> 00:14:28,120 Speaker 1: Even the way they enter a room during an investigation, 239 00:14:28,440 --> 00:14:30,440 Speaker 1: they would have a couple people with them, they would 240 00:14:30,440 --> 00:14:32,760 Speaker 1: cover the door, they would make sure that there was 241 00:14:32,800 --> 00:14:35,320 Speaker 1: nobody in there to hurt them. So this was very strange. 242 00:14:35,320 --> 00:14:37,720 Speaker 1: It took quite a few hours for them to locate, 243 00:14:37,800 --> 00:14:40,640 Speaker 1: but almost an entire day in fact, to locate her 244 00:14:40,680 --> 00:14:43,320 Speaker 1: body in the basement. Okay, I don't understand that. Where 245 00:14:43,440 --> 00:14:45,560 Speaker 1: was it in the basement? How is it that hard 246 00:14:45,560 --> 00:14:47,680 Speaker 1: to find? Well, she was wrapped up in a tarp 247 00:14:48,360 --> 00:14:50,960 Speaker 1: in a rug actually, and hidden in the base. Wait 248 00:14:50,960 --> 00:14:52,600 Speaker 1: a minute, that's the first thing I would look at. 249 00:14:52,600 --> 00:14:54,880 Speaker 1: Stephen Lampley. You see a rug rolled up? Of course 250 00:14:54,880 --> 00:14:57,680 Speaker 1: you're going to look in there. Yes, that's you. Again, 251 00:14:57,760 --> 00:14:59,440 Speaker 1: I wasn't there, and I don't want to try to 252 00:14:59,440 --> 00:15:02,760 Speaker 1: second get but based on this ill you know, yeah, 253 00:15:02,760 --> 00:15:04,960 Speaker 1: I wonder why why did they not look in that rug? 254 00:15:05,880 --> 00:15:08,320 Speaker 1: It's like it's like a movie on television. Why would 255 00:15:08,320 --> 00:15:10,480 Speaker 1: you not look at a world up rug in a basement? 256 00:15:10,520 --> 00:15:13,760 Speaker 1: But the reality is they did find her wrapped in 257 00:15:13,800 --> 00:15:16,760 Speaker 1: a rug. And and remember, isn't it true as she 258 00:15:16,840 --> 00:15:20,360 Speaker 1: will caught Judge and trial lawyer, a jury can look 259 00:15:20,440 --> 00:15:25,760 Speaker 1: at a defendant behavior before, during, and after the event 260 00:15:26,040 --> 00:15:30,320 Speaker 1: the incident, including if you shot someone in self defense 261 00:15:30,480 --> 00:15:32,720 Speaker 1: or does she say you claimed somebody died of a 262 00:15:32,800 --> 00:15:37,040 Speaker 1: natural cause like in Toddmom Casey Anthony who claimed her 263 00:15:37,160 --> 00:15:40,200 Speaker 1: two year old Kelly drowned in the pool and then 264 00:15:40,960 --> 00:15:45,640 Speaker 1: her body was quote hidden. If this was an accident 265 00:15:45,840 --> 00:15:48,080 Speaker 1: or it was self defense, Why not call police? Why 266 00:15:48,120 --> 00:15:50,840 Speaker 1: wrap her up in a carpet and stasher in the basement. Exactly. 267 00:15:50,960 --> 00:15:53,520 Speaker 1: You are allowed to present that evidence to the jury 268 00:15:53,560 --> 00:15:55,440 Speaker 1: for the jury to make a determination, and the other 269 00:15:55,520 --> 00:15:58,280 Speaker 1: piece that it goes to. Although as you well know, 270 00:15:58,440 --> 00:16:02,560 Speaker 1: prosecutors don't have to prove motive, it makes a significant 271 00:16:02,600 --> 00:16:05,560 Speaker 1: difference to have motive, and so those pieces can also 272 00:16:05,680 --> 00:16:09,080 Speaker 1: be introduced to a jury for motive as well as 273 00:16:09,280 --> 00:16:11,760 Speaker 1: date of mark. Take a listen to our friend Jackie 274 00:16:12,080 --> 00:16:15,160 Speaker 1: Mundree at News Center Main in the news tonight. We 275 00:16:15,200 --> 00:16:18,360 Speaker 1: expect to hear within this half hour if the body 276 00:16:18,360 --> 00:16:21,520 Speaker 1: found yesterday in Waterville is Melissa Susa. She's the young 277 00:16:21,600 --> 00:16:23,720 Speaker 1: mom who was last seen putting her twin girls on 278 00:16:23,760 --> 00:16:27,000 Speaker 1: the school bus Tuesday morning. The body was found in 279 00:16:27,160 --> 00:16:29,960 Speaker 1: her home. The body has been at the Medical Examiner's 280 00:16:30,000 --> 00:16:33,680 Speaker 1: office in Augusta all day today. They're confirming the identity 281 00:16:33,920 --> 00:16:36,480 Speaker 1: and they're looking for a cause of death. He said hermaans. 282 00:16:36,560 --> 00:16:38,960 Speaker 1: Jackie Mundury has been following this story and she joins 283 00:16:39,040 --> 00:16:42,400 Speaker 1: US Now Live from Waterville with an update. Hijackie, Good evening, 284 00:16:42,440 --> 00:16:44,680 Speaker 1: Sam and Lee. That body, as you said, has not 285 00:16:44,760 --> 00:16:46,920 Speaker 1: yet been identified, but it was found at the home 286 00:16:46,960 --> 00:16:49,800 Speaker 1: behind me, just behind the main State police truck here 287 00:16:49,800 --> 00:16:53,280 Speaker 1: in Waterville. Friends and family fear that the body found 288 00:16:53,320 --> 00:16:56,160 Speaker 1: in Melissa Susa's home is in fact her as since, 289 00:16:56,680 --> 00:17:00,240 Speaker 1: as you said, she hasn't been seen Tuesday morning, friends 290 00:17:00,240 --> 00:17:03,280 Speaker 1: are posting photos and sharing memories on social media and 291 00:17:03,400 --> 00:17:06,919 Speaker 1: telling me that she is pure, gentle and sweet. Friends 292 00:17:06,920 --> 00:17:10,080 Speaker 1: of Susa also say that her relationship with Nicholas Lovejoy 293 00:17:10,240 --> 00:17:12,880 Speaker 1: is not healthy. They say he often shows up at 294 00:17:12,880 --> 00:17:15,760 Speaker 1: her work at Duncan Donuts to make sure she's actually 295 00:17:15,800 --> 00:17:18,280 Speaker 1: there when she tells him she says she is. They 296 00:17:18,320 --> 00:17:20,879 Speaker 1: also say Susa has been trying to leave him, but 297 00:17:21,000 --> 00:17:23,400 Speaker 1: all of that aside, they want to just tell everyone 298 00:17:23,480 --> 00:17:28,600 Speaker 1: how wonderful Susa is. We love Melissa, We love her 299 00:17:28,720 --> 00:17:32,199 Speaker 1: so much, And even if she was standing here with me, 300 00:17:32,280 --> 00:17:35,359 Speaker 1: I would always say that she was, like I said, trustworthy, 301 00:17:35,400 --> 00:17:38,160 Speaker 1: honest and pure. And I would say that like I said, 302 00:17:38,160 --> 00:17:39,600 Speaker 1: if she was standing in front of me, And I'll 303 00:17:39,600 --> 00:17:41,160 Speaker 1: say it now and I'll say it years from now, 304 00:17:41,359 --> 00:17:45,240 Speaker 1: jointing me right now. Doctor Michelle Dupre, South Carolina medical Examiner, 305 00:17:45,359 --> 00:17:51,440 Speaker 1: author of Homicide Investigation Field Guide, Doctor dupree. We are 306 00:17:52,160 --> 00:17:56,000 Speaker 1: learning that she was shot twice in the stumma. How 307 00:17:56,040 --> 00:17:58,760 Speaker 1: hard is it to figure that out in autopsy? What 308 00:17:58,840 --> 00:18:01,760 Speaker 1: are what were they waiting on Nancy? They probably weren't 309 00:18:01,760 --> 00:18:04,159 Speaker 1: waiting on determining that she was shot, but they're probably 310 00:18:04,160 --> 00:18:08,439 Speaker 1: waiting on other things. Bullets are going to destroy a 311 00:18:08,440 --> 00:18:11,280 Speaker 1: lot of the internal organs, so they're gonna want to 312 00:18:11,280 --> 00:18:13,480 Speaker 1: make sure that they can trace the pathways of each 313 00:18:13,480 --> 00:18:16,800 Speaker 1: of those bullets. They're gonna want to describe those injuries 314 00:18:16,800 --> 00:18:19,400 Speaker 1: and the wounds. They're also going to be looking at toxicology, 315 00:18:19,400 --> 00:18:21,080 Speaker 1: and they're going to be looking at other tests that 316 00:18:21,080 --> 00:18:23,719 Speaker 1: they may need to run for the autopxy before they 317 00:18:23,760 --> 00:18:27,120 Speaker 1: give results. Explain that, dodgor Gupree. All of us in 318 00:18:27,280 --> 00:18:30,400 Speaker 1: the criminal law world know what you mean, or most 319 00:18:30,440 --> 00:18:33,160 Speaker 1: of us do, But explain when you say they've got 320 00:18:33,160 --> 00:18:35,800 Speaker 1: to run toxicology, who's they and what do you mean 321 00:18:35,880 --> 00:18:39,879 Speaker 1: run toxicology? Well, the medical examiner would take samples of 322 00:18:40,960 --> 00:18:44,600 Speaker 1: blood and bodily fluids to run toxicology tests, which are 323 00:18:44,640 --> 00:18:47,600 Speaker 1: substances that may be in the body, such as drugs, 324 00:18:47,600 --> 00:18:51,680 Speaker 1: whether they're street drugs or prescription drugs, to determine if 325 00:18:51,920 --> 00:18:55,080 Speaker 1: there were drugs in the body. There may be other 326 00:18:55,119 --> 00:18:58,640 Speaker 1: tests that they may run. They may run gunshot residue 327 00:18:58,640 --> 00:19:00,880 Speaker 1: tests to see if the fire of the bullets were 328 00:19:00,960 --> 00:19:24,199 Speaker 1: close range or not. Crime Stories with Nancy Grace. The 329 00:19:24,280 --> 00:19:27,560 Speaker 1: body found inside this home in Waterville has been identified 330 00:19:27,720 --> 00:19:30,720 Speaker 1: as twenty nine year old Melissa Susa. Susa was last 331 00:19:30,760 --> 00:19:33,240 Speaker 1: seen on Tuesday morning, when she was putting her twenty 332 00:19:33,280 --> 00:19:36,280 Speaker 1: eight year old daughters on the bus. Her longtime boyfriend, 333 00:19:36,359 --> 00:19:40,520 Speaker 1: Nicholas Lovejoy, has been charged with her murder. Susa's friends 334 00:19:40,560 --> 00:19:44,119 Speaker 1: feared this all along, saying that Lovejoy was controlling and 335 00:19:44,240 --> 00:19:47,040 Speaker 1: she wanted to leave him but couldn't because of their daughters. 336 00:19:47,640 --> 00:19:50,480 Speaker 1: One friend saw Lovejoy with their daughters at a birthday 337 00:19:50,520 --> 00:19:54,080 Speaker 1: party on Tuesday evening. Between the time Susa went missing 338 00:19:54,359 --> 00:19:56,879 Speaker 1: and the time he was arrested for a year old's 339 00:19:56,920 --> 00:20:00,360 Speaker 1: home alone. He didn't make eye contact. Like I said, 340 00:20:00,400 --> 00:20:02,600 Speaker 1: I've handled conversations and before, and it was just different. 341 00:20:02,600 --> 00:20:04,840 Speaker 1: It was just unsettling, and like I said, at the time, 342 00:20:04,840 --> 00:20:07,520 Speaker 1: I didn't think anything of it. But as time went on, 343 00:20:07,960 --> 00:20:10,080 Speaker 1: now I replayed the conversation and it just gets weirder 344 00:20:10,080 --> 00:20:11,879 Speaker 1: and weirder to me every time I think about it, 345 00:20:12,480 --> 00:20:14,840 Speaker 1: love Joys being held at the County Back County Jail. 346 00:20:15,160 --> 00:20:19,280 Speaker 1: You're hearing the victim, twenty nine year old Melissa Susa, 347 00:20:19,400 --> 00:20:22,400 Speaker 1: the mother of two eight year old twin girls, her 348 00:20:22,440 --> 00:20:26,240 Speaker 1: friend Jordan Tywer, speaking to Jackie Moundree at News Center Maine. 349 00:20:27,359 --> 00:20:30,080 Speaker 1: Over and over we hear it to doctor Bethany Marshall, 350 00:20:30,080 --> 00:20:35,439 Speaker 1: psycho Alice joining me out of la Doctor Bethany. The 351 00:20:35,600 --> 00:20:40,359 Speaker 1: friends describing his behavior toward her. Another friend said, quote, 352 00:20:40,400 --> 00:20:43,800 Speaker 1: she told us his big thing as quote tick tak, 353 00:20:43,920 --> 00:20:47,560 Speaker 1: your time's coming. I have got two choices. It's kill 354 00:20:47,640 --> 00:20:51,200 Speaker 1: you or kill you, and that that was his way 355 00:20:51,320 --> 00:20:57,600 Speaker 1: of controlling her. Now her Melissa Susa's boss and friend, 356 00:20:58,600 --> 00:21:04,800 Speaker 1: says that love Joy the boyfriend threatened her daily, that 357 00:21:04,880 --> 00:21:07,760 Speaker 1: he had held guns to her head, sent threatening text 358 00:21:08,119 --> 00:21:10,679 Speaker 1: to her. Now this is the mother. These are his 359 00:21:10,840 --> 00:21:14,200 Speaker 1: two little girls. And he's convinced she's got a boyfriend. 360 00:21:14,200 --> 00:21:16,720 Speaker 1: But he drives by and see she's there at work 361 00:21:17,040 --> 00:21:19,679 Speaker 1: every single day where she says she's going to be well. 362 00:21:19,760 --> 00:21:24,120 Speaker 1: Nancy's threats and intimidation are a part of every domestic 363 00:21:24,200 --> 00:21:29,679 Speaker 1: violent situation. Financial abuse, often withholding money preventing a partner 364 00:21:29,720 --> 00:21:34,160 Speaker 1: from going to work, jealousy towards pets, you know, animals, friends, 365 00:21:35,480 --> 00:21:39,520 Speaker 1: threatening to hit you, or punching the wall, making you 366 00:21:39,560 --> 00:21:42,919 Speaker 1: feel guilty for wanting time. Apart the fact that he 367 00:21:43,119 --> 00:21:45,480 Speaker 1: kept showing up at work, I cannot tell you how 368 00:21:45,520 --> 00:21:48,199 Speaker 1: often I hear this in my practice from women who 369 00:21:48,280 --> 00:21:52,119 Speaker 1: are in disturbed or abusive relationships. The man always shows 370 00:21:52,160 --> 00:21:54,480 Speaker 1: up at work, and he's always convinced that he's going 371 00:21:54,560 --> 00:21:57,000 Speaker 1: to find her with another man. This woman worked at 372 00:21:57,080 --> 00:22:00,240 Speaker 1: dunkin Donuts. She's not hanging out with another man there. 373 00:22:00,359 --> 00:22:04,360 Speaker 1: I also want to say three point three million children 374 00:22:04,640 --> 00:22:09,000 Speaker 1: every year witness the abuse of either their mother or 375 00:22:09,040 --> 00:22:13,399 Speaker 1: a female caretaker at the hands of their father. So 376 00:22:13,520 --> 00:22:16,040 Speaker 1: if these little girls were saying, you know something like 377 00:22:16,320 --> 00:22:18,679 Speaker 1: you know, mommy told daddy she was in love with 378 00:22:18,720 --> 00:22:21,800 Speaker 1: somebody else, or mommy wanted to go to work, and 379 00:22:21,840 --> 00:22:25,600 Speaker 1: then I wouldn't be surprised if they witnessed him abusing her. 380 00:22:25,720 --> 00:22:28,480 Speaker 1: So she was not the only victim. These two little 381 00:22:28,480 --> 00:22:30,960 Speaker 1: girls were victims too. Guys, I want you to take 382 00:22:31,000 --> 00:22:35,399 Speaker 1: a listen to one of the most bizarre things about 383 00:22:35,520 --> 00:22:38,480 Speaker 1: this case. Now, first of all, the body is in 384 00:22:38,520 --> 00:22:41,240 Speaker 1: the basement, but they don't, the police don't see it 385 00:22:41,280 --> 00:22:43,720 Speaker 1: at first. It takes a couple of days to figure 386 00:22:43,720 --> 00:22:47,000 Speaker 1: out the bodies in the basement. Number one co workers 387 00:22:47,000 --> 00:22:49,920 Speaker 1: have to call and report her missing. Then we learn 388 00:22:50,280 --> 00:22:54,879 Speaker 1: of threat after threat after threat. How many times do 389 00:22:55,000 --> 00:22:58,920 Speaker 1: you know of a woman murdered in divesting violence scenarios? 390 00:23:00,119 --> 00:23:03,440 Speaker 1: When there were there was one red flag after the next, 391 00:23:03,440 --> 00:23:06,360 Speaker 1: after the next, after the next. I want to give 392 00:23:06,440 --> 00:23:12,520 Speaker 1: you a toll free domestic abuse hotline eight seven seven 393 00:23:12,720 --> 00:23:17,840 Speaker 1: eight nine zero seven seven eight eight eight seven seven 394 00:23:18,000 --> 00:23:23,120 Speaker 1: eight nine zero seven seven eight eight. Now, just when 395 00:23:23,160 --> 00:23:26,240 Speaker 1: you think you've heard it all, surprise, take a listen. 396 00:23:26,320 --> 00:23:28,480 Speaker 1: A lot of new information coming out of that police 397 00:23:28,520 --> 00:23:32,000 Speaker 1: aff of David this afternoon, mainly a confession and then 398 00:23:32,160 --> 00:23:35,080 Speaker 1: a claim of self defense. Twenty eight year old Nicholas 399 00:23:35,160 --> 00:23:38,440 Speaker 1: Lovejoy telling police that he shot Melissa Susa last Tuesday 400 00:23:38,800 --> 00:23:41,560 Speaker 1: after their twin eight year old daughters went off to school. 401 00:23:41,920 --> 00:23:44,800 Speaker 1: Lovejoy saying the two got into a fight. Susa pushed 402 00:23:44,840 --> 00:23:47,399 Speaker 1: him down a flight of stairs. She tried to shoot him, 403 00:23:47,440 --> 00:23:49,919 Speaker 1: but the gun didn't go off. He told police that 404 00:23:49,960 --> 00:23:52,399 Speaker 1: he grabbed a handgun of his own and shot Susa 405 00:23:52,440 --> 00:23:54,760 Speaker 1: twice in the stomach. He rolled her body up in 406 00:23:54,800 --> 00:23:57,480 Speaker 1: a tarp and dragged to the basement. Family and friends 407 00:23:57,480 --> 00:23:59,840 Speaker 1: of the victim said today that Susa was planning to 408 00:24:00,080 --> 00:24:02,640 Speaker 1: leave love Joy and take the twin girls with her. 409 00:24:03,119 --> 00:24:06,199 Speaker 1: This after repeated death threats. Now the girls are in 410 00:24:06,200 --> 00:24:09,840 Speaker 1: the custody of the DHS. Susa's mother wants custody of 411 00:24:09,880 --> 00:24:17,280 Speaker 1: her granddaughters. The family is obviously devastated, upset, confused. It's 412 00:24:17,400 --> 00:24:21,000 Speaker 1: very difficult on them. DHHS has to look into the 413 00:24:21,040 --> 00:24:23,520 Speaker 1: best place, the most suitable placement for the children, and 414 00:24:23,560 --> 00:24:25,440 Speaker 1: that's what's going on at the moment, So ask for 415 00:24:25,560 --> 00:24:27,639 Speaker 1: love Joy. He's being held here at the Kennebec County 416 00:24:27,720 --> 00:24:30,800 Speaker 1: Jail in Augusta without bail. By the way, a grand 417 00:24:30,880 --> 00:24:33,720 Speaker 1: jury will likely indict him over the next thirty days 418 00:24:33,720 --> 00:24:36,360 Speaker 1: and he'll be back in this same courtroom to face 419 00:24:36,400 --> 00:24:41,080 Speaker 1: a Raymond. Then we were hearing our friends at WMTWABC. 420 00:24:41,359 --> 00:24:46,800 Speaker 1: That was Jim Keithley. Now a defense emerges. Love Joy says, yes, 421 00:24:47,040 --> 00:24:49,479 Speaker 1: I shot her twice in the stomach, rolled her up 422 00:24:49,480 --> 00:24:50,920 Speaker 1: in the carpet and put her body in the base 423 00:24:50,960 --> 00:24:56,200 Speaker 1: of it. But it was all in self defense, Okay. 424 00:24:56,560 --> 00:25:01,760 Speaker 1: He says that this tiny little woman Melissa Sousa, shoved 425 00:25:01,920 --> 00:25:04,000 Speaker 1: him down the stairs, tried to shoot him, but the 426 00:25:04,080 --> 00:25:08,679 Speaker 1: gun failed, Love Joy. Then it shot Susie twice in 427 00:25:08,760 --> 00:25:13,600 Speaker 1: the stomach. All right, that scenario doesn't even make sense. 428 00:25:13,640 --> 00:25:16,560 Speaker 1: To Stephen Lampley, detective and author of Outside Your Door, 429 00:25:17,040 --> 00:25:19,800 Speaker 1: that scenario doesn't make sense unless they were both holding 430 00:25:19,840 --> 00:25:22,000 Speaker 1: a gun at the same time, like a shootout and 431 00:25:22,080 --> 00:25:25,640 Speaker 1: the wild Wild West in their apartment on the stairs 432 00:25:25,960 --> 00:25:28,560 Speaker 1: leading down to the basement with the twin girls at home. 433 00:25:28,920 --> 00:25:31,639 Speaker 1: Doesn't add up to me. You're right, man, See it 434 00:25:31,680 --> 00:25:34,560 Speaker 1: doesn't to me either. One of the big questions I 435 00:25:34,680 --> 00:25:38,000 Speaker 1: have is if this is how it transpired. She took 436 00:25:38,040 --> 00:25:41,280 Speaker 1: the rifle, attempted to shoot him, it didn't fire. Then 437 00:25:41,359 --> 00:25:45,200 Speaker 1: he according to what I read, he went and retrieved 438 00:25:45,200 --> 00:25:47,800 Speaker 1: the gun and then came back. Why didn't he leave. 439 00:25:48,480 --> 00:25:51,000 Speaker 1: I don't buy the story that he was self he 440 00:25:51,160 --> 00:25:54,680 Speaker 1: was in a self defense mode. I don't buy that 441 00:25:55,000 --> 00:25:57,160 Speaker 1: if he was in if he was truly in self 442 00:25:57,200 --> 00:26:00,119 Speaker 1: defense mode, why did he hide the box too? She 443 00:26:00,160 --> 00:26:03,119 Speaker 1: will caught judge and trial lawyer. If you have time 444 00:26:03,160 --> 00:26:06,399 Speaker 1: to leave and go get a gun and turn around 445 00:26:06,680 --> 00:26:11,080 Speaker 1: and come back and fire, it's no longer self defense, 446 00:26:11,200 --> 00:26:14,320 Speaker 1: explain exactly what I was gonna say. So that's the 447 00:26:14,359 --> 00:26:17,840 Speaker 1: problem with his story that he's come up with. Self 448 00:26:17,880 --> 00:26:20,560 Speaker 1: defense means at the time, you are in fear of 449 00:26:20,560 --> 00:26:23,679 Speaker 1: your life and you respond with force to react to 450 00:26:23,680 --> 00:26:27,159 Speaker 1: that to protect yourself. He could, obviously in that amount 451 00:26:27,200 --> 00:26:28,960 Speaker 1: of time, he could have left the home, he could 452 00:26:29,000 --> 00:26:31,239 Speaker 1: have run away, he could have gone and called ninety one. 453 00:26:31,720 --> 00:26:35,960 Speaker 1: All of those things mean it wasn't self defense. Another issue, 454 00:26:37,040 --> 00:26:41,040 Speaker 1: I'm curious was there any indication to Alexis tereshot writer 455 00:26:41,160 --> 00:26:45,600 Speaker 1: online dot com that he was acting in self defense? 456 00:26:45,760 --> 00:26:49,680 Speaker 1: Was another weapon found? Did she have any gunshot residue 457 00:26:49,680 --> 00:26:52,280 Speaker 1: on her hands? What do we know about his claim 458 00:26:52,320 --> 00:26:56,320 Speaker 1: of self defense? His story is that the gun did 459 00:26:56,359 --> 00:26:58,719 Speaker 1: not go off right, I think it wasn't loaded, so 460 00:26:58,800 --> 00:27:02,240 Speaker 1: she would not have gunpowder residue on her hands. But 461 00:27:02,600 --> 00:27:07,240 Speaker 1: there has He had multiple weapons in the house, so 462 00:27:07,480 --> 00:27:10,160 Speaker 1: he is saying that he just grabbed another one, which 463 00:27:10,200 --> 00:27:12,160 Speaker 1: seems a little strange that she would have grabbed out 464 00:27:12,160 --> 00:27:14,639 Speaker 1: of all the weapons in the house, the one weapon 465 00:27:14,640 --> 00:27:16,639 Speaker 1: that doesn't go off or that doesn't have bullets in it. 466 00:27:16,720 --> 00:27:19,280 Speaker 1: So tell me about his client a self defense, What 467 00:27:19,359 --> 00:27:21,160 Speaker 1: do you make of it, Alexis, I find it hard 468 00:27:21,200 --> 00:27:22,760 Speaker 1: to believe. I think it's very hard to believe. And 469 00:27:22,800 --> 00:27:25,919 Speaker 1: I think that he came up with this after he 470 00:27:26,040 --> 00:27:27,760 Speaker 1: killed her. They've gotten a big fight and he killed 471 00:27:27,760 --> 00:27:30,879 Speaker 1: her because then I believe he told the girls that 472 00:27:30,960 --> 00:27:32,960 Speaker 1: mommy said she had a new boyfriend and she was leaving, 473 00:27:32,960 --> 00:27:35,679 Speaker 1: probably to tell them why mommy wasn't home, and that 474 00:27:35,760 --> 00:27:38,040 Speaker 1: just plants the seeds in their minds so that when 475 00:27:38,080 --> 00:27:40,080 Speaker 1: they talked to the police because their mom is missing, 476 00:27:40,080 --> 00:27:41,760 Speaker 1: they're gonna say, oh, no, Mommy's not here. She went 477 00:27:41,760 --> 00:27:44,040 Speaker 1: off with her new boyfriend. So he definitely had a 478 00:27:44,080 --> 00:27:46,560 Speaker 1: plan to get rid of her, and this was part 479 00:27:46,560 --> 00:27:49,320 Speaker 1: of it. And so with by hiding her body and 480 00:27:49,359 --> 00:27:52,159 Speaker 1: then driving away with the rifle, it's all part of 481 00:27:52,200 --> 00:27:54,160 Speaker 1: his plan to get rid of her. I don't think 482 00:27:54,200 --> 00:27:58,199 Speaker 1: that this was self defense to you, doctor Bethany Marshall. 483 00:27:58,200 --> 00:28:00,440 Speaker 1: It's like, oh, Alice joining me out of la Why 484 00:28:00,520 --> 00:28:04,080 Speaker 1: do you believe this is not self defense? Well, as 485 00:28:04,119 --> 00:28:07,560 Speaker 1: the whole panel is saying, if he really felt his 486 00:28:07,640 --> 00:28:10,919 Speaker 1: life was at risk and he had the time to 487 00:28:10,960 --> 00:28:13,679 Speaker 1: go get a gun and load it and come back, 488 00:28:14,119 --> 00:28:16,960 Speaker 1: then obviously he wanted to kill her. You know, Nancy, 489 00:28:17,000 --> 00:28:19,560 Speaker 1: you know what this reminds me of Jodi Arius. Do 490 00:28:19,560 --> 00:28:22,919 Speaker 1: you remember during the trial she kept saying that she 491 00:28:23,040 --> 00:28:26,120 Speaker 1: was in the closet and that he lunched at her, 492 00:28:26,160 --> 00:28:29,280 Speaker 1: and then she went to get a gun to save herself. Well, 493 00:28:29,359 --> 00:28:32,920 Speaker 1: then she follows him into the shower, severs his neck, 494 00:28:34,000 --> 00:28:37,040 Speaker 1: plunges a knife into him, tries to clean it up 495 00:28:37,080 --> 00:28:40,600 Speaker 1: by throwclothing in the washing machine, and then she claims 496 00:28:40,640 --> 00:28:43,560 Speaker 1: at self defense. I think we just hear this over 497 00:28:43,720 --> 00:28:47,520 Speaker 1: and over again. Compounded with the fact that criminals are 498 00:28:47,600 --> 00:28:51,240 Speaker 1: so stupid, they are so stupid they actually believe their 499 00:28:51,240 --> 00:28:53,720 Speaker 1: own lies. The fact that he thought this was credible 500 00:28:54,240 --> 00:28:56,560 Speaker 1: is just remarkable to me. And have you seen pictures 501 00:28:56,600 --> 00:28:59,200 Speaker 1: of him? Do you know what he looks like. It's 502 00:28:59,240 --> 00:29:04,160 Speaker 1: like he's a method right. He definitely looks like there's 503 00:29:04,640 --> 00:29:08,800 Speaker 1: something not quite right going on inside his head. Another 504 00:29:08,880 --> 00:29:11,520 Speaker 1: issue that indicates to me it was not self defense 505 00:29:11,960 --> 00:29:15,360 Speaker 1: is that he lied repeatedly. First, he told investigators he 506 00:29:15,360 --> 00:29:17,840 Speaker 1: had not seen Susu since Tuesday morning. When they came 507 00:29:17,880 --> 00:29:20,720 Speaker 1: to do a welfare check, he would not allow them in. 508 00:29:21,840 --> 00:29:25,240 Speaker 1: He is the one that claimed she had a boyfriend 509 00:29:25,240 --> 00:29:28,000 Speaker 1: as she was leaving and he was angry about it. 510 00:29:28,320 --> 00:29:31,920 Speaker 1: Then there's the behavior of hiding her body in a rug. 511 00:29:46,880 --> 00:29:53,600 Speaker 1: Crime Stories with Nancy Grace, there was a longtime girlfriend, 512 00:29:53,640 --> 00:29:57,280 Speaker 1: Melissa Suso, was first reported missing. She was last seen 513 00:29:57,600 --> 00:30:01,760 Speaker 1: dropping her twin daughters of at the bus stop. Now 514 00:30:01,800 --> 00:30:05,040 Speaker 1: there was a body taken out of the apartment building 515 00:30:05,040 --> 00:30:08,600 Speaker 1: where Susa and Nicholas Lovejoy lived in Waterville. Late yesterday, 516 00:30:08,640 --> 00:30:11,520 Speaker 1: Police confirmed that was her body and charged her longtime 517 00:30:11,560 --> 00:30:15,239 Speaker 1: boyfriend with murder. Lovejoy had since been in jail had 518 00:30:15,240 --> 00:30:17,880 Speaker 1: been in jailson's Tuesday night. Police arrested him then for 519 00:30:18,040 --> 00:30:20,560 Speaker 1: having a loaded gun and for leaving his daughters alone 520 00:30:20,560 --> 00:30:23,640 Speaker 1: at home. Friends told us love Joy and Susa's relationship 521 00:30:23,880 --> 00:30:26,760 Speaker 1: was not healthy, saying he was controlling and that she 522 00:30:26,880 --> 00:30:29,400 Speaker 1: wanted to leave him but couldn't because of their daughters. 523 00:30:29,720 --> 00:30:32,600 Speaker 1: One woman says she saw Lovejoy at a birthday party 524 00:30:32,640 --> 00:30:35,440 Speaker 1: with his daughters on Tuesday night. Between the times Suso 525 00:30:35,480 --> 00:30:38,320 Speaker 1: went missing and when he was arrested, he didn't make 526 00:30:38,360 --> 00:30:41,400 Speaker 1: eye contact. He like I said, I've handled conversations and 527 00:30:41,480 --> 00:30:43,600 Speaker 1: before and it was just different. It was just unsettling, 528 00:30:43,720 --> 00:30:45,280 Speaker 1: and like I said at the time, I didn't think 529 00:30:45,280 --> 00:30:48,160 Speaker 1: anything of it, but as time went on. Now I 530 00:30:48,240 --> 00:30:50,440 Speaker 1: replayed the conversation and it just gets weirder and weirder 531 00:30:50,440 --> 00:30:52,280 Speaker 1: to me every time I think about it. We're hearing 532 00:30:52,280 --> 00:30:57,760 Speaker 1: our friends Sean Stackhouse at News Center Maine reporting when 533 00:30:57,960 --> 00:31:01,640 Speaker 1: coworkers call police to do welfare check, they find nothing. 534 00:31:02,080 --> 00:31:05,200 Speaker 1: Days later they find her body rolled up in a 535 00:31:05,280 --> 00:31:08,880 Speaker 1: rug in the basement. Now, the father of her children, 536 00:31:09,160 --> 00:31:13,760 Speaker 1: her boyfriend, her live in claiming he killed her, and 537 00:31:13,880 --> 00:31:18,200 Speaker 1: self defense straight out to doctor Michelle du Pre, South 538 00:31:18,200 --> 00:31:22,240 Speaker 1: Carolina medical examiner and author of Homicide Investigation Field Guide, 539 00:31:22,720 --> 00:31:25,600 Speaker 1: Doctor du Pre, the state has charged him with murder. 540 00:31:25,920 --> 00:31:29,200 Speaker 1: Why is it that you believe they're not buying the 541 00:31:29,200 --> 00:31:33,200 Speaker 1: theory of self defense? Well, Nancy, Again, as everybody else 542 00:31:33,200 --> 00:31:36,600 Speaker 1: has stated, self defense is a moment in time. It's 543 00:31:36,680 --> 00:31:39,320 Speaker 1: immediately taking action when you are in fear of your 544 00:31:39,360 --> 00:31:42,800 Speaker 1: life or someone else's, And the evidences doesn't show that. 545 00:31:42,880 --> 00:31:46,040 Speaker 1: When we look at the totality of circumstances and look 546 00:31:46,040 --> 00:31:49,040 Speaker 1: at the actions that were taken, it does not equate 547 00:31:49,080 --> 00:31:51,600 Speaker 1: to self defense. What can you tell from the actual 548 00:31:51,680 --> 00:31:54,280 Speaker 1: bullet wounds. From the actual bullet wounds, we can tell 549 00:31:54,360 --> 00:31:58,240 Speaker 1: the trajectory. We can also tell approximately how close or 550 00:31:58,280 --> 00:32:02,440 Speaker 1: how far that person was when they were shot. And 551 00:32:02,640 --> 00:32:06,600 Speaker 1: given that, if the person has enough time and enough 552 00:32:06,640 --> 00:32:09,600 Speaker 1: distance that they can back up or leave, then they 553 00:32:09,640 --> 00:32:12,440 Speaker 1: can do that. Alox's terrestre writer online dot com tell 554 00:32:12,440 --> 00:32:14,640 Speaker 1: me about the threats he made against her leading up 555 00:32:14,640 --> 00:32:16,960 Speaker 1: to the murder. Their relationship has been so terrible. But 556 00:32:17,000 --> 00:32:19,040 Speaker 1: this is what is so scary about this. This woman 557 00:32:19,080 --> 00:32:22,160 Speaker 1: has told everybody, her family, her friends, her co workers, 558 00:32:22,520 --> 00:32:24,600 Speaker 1: how afraid she was for him, how many guns he had, 559 00:32:24,600 --> 00:32:27,680 Speaker 1: and she had no way to get out. She worked 560 00:32:28,000 --> 00:32:29,880 Speaker 1: at Duncan done as probably did not make a lot 561 00:32:29,880 --> 00:32:32,720 Speaker 1: of money, made an honest living, working, you know, in 562 00:32:32,880 --> 00:32:34,959 Speaker 1: a great job that she tried to support her too 563 00:32:34,960 --> 00:32:39,080 Speaker 1: little girls, but had no way, no recourse. Nothing that 564 00:32:39,120 --> 00:32:43,000 Speaker 1: she did could save her life. She was afraid, she 565 00:32:43,120 --> 00:32:45,440 Speaker 1: knew that he had all these guns and what the 566 00:32:45,560 --> 00:32:48,520 Speaker 1: medical example. The woman was just saying, we don't even 567 00:32:48,760 --> 00:32:50,280 Speaker 1: know if he's telling the truth. He shot her in 568 00:32:50,320 --> 00:32:51,760 Speaker 1: the stomach. He could have shot her in the back 569 00:32:51,760 --> 00:32:54,200 Speaker 1: as she was running away from him. This is that's 570 00:32:54,280 --> 00:32:57,040 Speaker 1: probably another reason why they're charging him with murder. Was 571 00:32:57,120 --> 00:32:59,239 Speaker 1: this wasn't just her coming down the stairs at him 572 00:32:59,240 --> 00:33:01,880 Speaker 1: and he shot him. This is probably he's a liar, 573 00:33:01,920 --> 00:33:03,720 Speaker 1: and this is probably not even the truth where she 574 00:33:03,760 --> 00:33:06,760 Speaker 1: was even shot, telling her family, friends and coworkers that 575 00:33:06,880 --> 00:33:11,680 Speaker 1: she was afraid, holding a gun to her head, according 576 00:33:11,720 --> 00:33:16,120 Speaker 1: to her, threatening to kill her talk talk, your time 577 00:33:16,240 --> 00:33:19,400 Speaker 1: is up. I've got two choices, to kill you or 578 00:33:19,440 --> 00:33:23,239 Speaker 1: to kill you. That is what she told friends. He 579 00:33:23,480 --> 00:33:28,560 Speaker 1: said to her, the threats unrelenting. To doctor Bethany Marshall, 580 00:33:28,600 --> 00:33:33,360 Speaker 1: how often is unfounded jealousy a part of domestic violence? 581 00:33:34,040 --> 00:33:38,080 Speaker 1: I would say in every single case. I would say 582 00:33:38,120 --> 00:33:41,360 Speaker 1: there are a few symptoms that we see in every 583 00:33:41,400 --> 00:33:48,520 Speaker 1: domestic violence situation. Threats, threats through intimidation, threats through bullying, 584 00:33:48,680 --> 00:33:51,480 Speaker 1: threats through hitting. That is a major part of it. 585 00:33:52,120 --> 00:33:57,280 Speaker 1: Jealousy is so runs through every single domestic violence case 586 00:33:57,680 --> 00:34:03,120 Speaker 1: because what happens is that the user cannot distinguish between 587 00:34:03,280 --> 00:34:08,880 Speaker 1: separateness and autonomy and betrayal and cheating. It all becomes 588 00:34:09,040 --> 00:34:12,520 Speaker 1: one big swirl in the abuser's mind, so they cannot 589 00:34:12,560 --> 00:34:15,800 Speaker 1: You know, a part of every healthy relationship is spending 590 00:34:15,840 --> 00:34:18,640 Speaker 1: time apart as well as spending time together. It's a 591 00:34:18,760 --> 00:34:22,879 Speaker 1: very basic, basic principle coming together and going apart, That 592 00:34:23,360 --> 00:34:28,200 Speaker 1: very basic concept is not in an abuser's mind. So 593 00:34:28,280 --> 00:34:30,840 Speaker 1: for any of your listeners who are an abusive relationships, 594 00:34:31,120 --> 00:34:33,480 Speaker 1: they might want to think about if they are unable 595 00:34:33,520 --> 00:34:36,080 Speaker 1: to have separate friends, or to go to work without 596 00:34:36,120 --> 00:34:39,440 Speaker 1: their husband or partners stopping by, if they always have 597 00:34:39,520 --> 00:34:42,319 Speaker 1: to share the content of their phone conversations, if they're 598 00:34:42,360 --> 00:34:44,239 Speaker 1: never allowed to walk out of the room when they're 599 00:34:44,239 --> 00:34:47,319 Speaker 1: talking on the phone, when the guy goes through her 600 00:34:47,400 --> 00:34:50,440 Speaker 1: personal effects or personal belongings to make sure she's not 601 00:34:50,520 --> 00:34:54,240 Speaker 1: with somebody else, that these are really very strong possible 602 00:34:54,320 --> 00:34:57,839 Speaker 1: signs of domestic violence. To add insult to injury, take 603 00:34:57,880 --> 00:35:03,200 Speaker 1: a listen to our friend tailor carn WGMA thirteen. Melissa Susa, 604 00:35:03,280 --> 00:35:05,960 Speaker 1: a Waterville resident and mother of two, was found dead 605 00:35:06,000 --> 00:35:09,319 Speaker 1: in her home last week, and former co workers here 606 00:35:09,360 --> 00:35:11,759 Speaker 1: at the Duncan Donuts on College Avenue decided to help 607 00:35:11,760 --> 00:35:15,960 Speaker 1: out with those funeral costs by collecting donations. According to employees, 608 00:35:16,000 --> 00:35:18,920 Speaker 1: those donations were stolen, and this wasn't the only location 609 00:35:18,960 --> 00:35:21,799 Speaker 1: it happened at. Duncan Donut employees tell us that an 610 00:35:21,880 --> 00:35:25,040 Speaker 1: unknown amount of cash was stolen from donation buckets at 611 00:35:25,040 --> 00:35:28,760 Speaker 1: the stores on College Avenue, Main Street and inside Walmart. 612 00:35:29,080 --> 00:35:32,959 Speaker 1: Waterville police say it happened Sunday night. Susa's family says 613 00:35:32,960 --> 00:35:35,920 Speaker 1: the news was hard to hear. My sister wasn't tars. 614 00:35:36,719 --> 00:35:40,320 Speaker 1: She doesn't understand how anybody can do this. Waterville residents 615 00:35:40,320 --> 00:35:44,000 Speaker 1: are just as shocked. It's disgusting that something like people 616 00:35:44,000 --> 00:35:47,000 Speaker 1: would actually do that, and this lady just died his kids. 617 00:35:47,520 --> 00:35:50,319 Speaker 1: Family members of SUSA say the donations were being used 618 00:35:50,360 --> 00:35:52,680 Speaker 1: to pay for her funeral and to help out her 619 00:35:52,680 --> 00:35:55,480 Speaker 1: two girls who were now in the foster care system. 620 00:35:55,840 --> 00:35:58,480 Speaker 1: The funding was going to go everything that made from 621 00:35:58,520 --> 00:36:01,400 Speaker 1: now to their future. So whoever did this really our 622 00:36:01,440 --> 00:36:04,399 Speaker 1: family by taking from these kids? Don't can. Employees say 623 00:36:04,440 --> 00:36:07,040 Speaker 1: all soul and buckets have been replaced and they hope 624 00:36:07,040 --> 00:36:10,200 Speaker 1: people will continue to donate. Oh, it just breaks my heart, 625 00:36:10,440 --> 00:36:16,200 Speaker 1: breaks my heart. Family Violence Domestic Abuse Hotline eight seven 626 00:36:16,360 --> 00:36:20,399 Speaker 1: seven eight nine zero seven seven eight eight repeat eight 627 00:36:20,480 --> 00:36:25,360 Speaker 1: seven seven eight nine zero seven to seven eight eight 628 00:36:26,680 --> 00:36:31,960 Speaker 1: Bethany daughter, Bethany Marshall. How does domestic violence escalate to murder? 629 00:36:32,440 --> 00:36:37,200 Speaker 1: It escalates when the woman begins to assert herself And 630 00:36:37,320 --> 00:36:41,640 Speaker 1: that is the very sad fact in very mild cases, 631 00:36:42,000 --> 00:36:47,600 Speaker 1: like very mildly dysfunctional relationships, when a woman becomes more autonomous, 632 00:36:47,640 --> 00:36:50,600 Speaker 1: the man will simply lose interest in her. So that's 633 00:36:50,600 --> 00:36:54,480 Speaker 1: a low level of dysfunction. In a high level of dysfunction, 634 00:36:55,160 --> 00:36:59,600 Speaker 1: any act of independence is really what incites the man, 635 00:36:59,680 --> 00:37:01,640 Speaker 1: which which is why I thought it was so brilliant 636 00:37:01,680 --> 00:37:04,839 Speaker 1: that you asked about jealousy, because that really gets at 637 00:37:04,880 --> 00:37:06,480 Speaker 1: the core of it. You can look at all these 638 00:37:06,520 --> 00:37:11,440 Speaker 1: behaviors such as hitting, threatening, slapping, but what is underneath it? 639 00:37:11,719 --> 00:37:16,480 Speaker 1: We talk about power and control, but really what's more 640 00:37:16,600 --> 00:37:20,799 Speaker 1: profound is the inability to be separate from the love 641 00:37:20,800 --> 00:37:25,560 Speaker 1: object without feeling abandoned and betrayed. So, to answer your question, 642 00:37:26,080 --> 00:37:29,040 Speaker 1: that is when it escalates when the woman tries to leap, 643 00:37:29,320 --> 00:37:32,719 Speaker 1: when she develops friends, when she goes to work, when 644 00:37:32,800 --> 00:37:36,880 Speaker 1: she spends money independently, when she cuddles her children in 645 00:37:36,960 --> 00:37:39,520 Speaker 1: bed or puts them on her lap. These are the 646 00:37:39,600 --> 00:37:42,000 Speaker 1: times when it escalates. If she was just willing to 647 00:37:42,080 --> 00:37:44,000 Speaker 1: be by the man's side all day long and let 648 00:37:44,040 --> 00:37:46,640 Speaker 1: him do whatever he wanted to do, maybe she would 649 00:37:46,680 --> 00:37:49,760 Speaker 1: maintain her life. But that's no life either, is it true? 650 00:37:49,840 --> 00:37:54,000 Speaker 1: To like Strezhu that the twin girls to police, quote 651 00:37:54,239 --> 00:37:57,080 Speaker 1: dad was mad at mom because she had a new boyfriend. 652 00:37:57,480 --> 00:38:00,280 Speaker 1: That Daddy tugged them into bed Tuesday night and said, police, 653 00:38:00,280 --> 00:38:02,920 Speaker 1: we're coming to get him. Yes, that is what the 654 00:38:02,960 --> 00:38:05,400 Speaker 1: police have revealed. And this is so this is the 655 00:38:05,480 --> 00:38:07,960 Speaker 1: story that he has told the children. He's told them, 656 00:38:07,960 --> 00:38:09,839 Speaker 1: you know, mommy's laught. She has this new boyfriend really 657 00:38:09,880 --> 00:38:12,400 Speaker 1: to cover his tracks. And this is so scarring for 658 00:38:12,440 --> 00:38:15,000 Speaker 1: these little kids. And this is just another piece of 659 00:38:15,040 --> 00:38:18,480 Speaker 1: evidence that the prosecutors are going to use to show 660 00:38:18,520 --> 00:38:21,160 Speaker 1: that this was definitely not self defense. And now the 661 00:38:21,200 --> 00:38:26,360 Speaker 1: two little girls in a foster home friends say, quote, 662 00:38:26,480 --> 00:38:31,840 Speaker 1: he's a nightmare, He's a devil. She was afraid. She 663 00:38:32,000 --> 00:38:38,520 Speaker 1: was afraid, and that's why she stayed. Domestic Abuse Hotline 664 00:38:38,640 --> 00:38:42,560 Speaker 1: eight seven seven eight nine zero seven seven eight eight 665 00:38:43,239 --> 00:38:45,920 Speaker 1: Nancy Gray signing off Goodbye friend,