Speaker 1: I've heard a lot of different theories about my biological father.
Speaker 1: I have heard that he was a reporter. I heard
Speaker 1: that he was somebody that worked with her at the
Speaker 1: post office. I heard that it was another inmate's husband.
Speaker 1: I've heard that it was just some guy off the street.
Speaker 1: She knew she was going to get pregnant, and she
Speaker 1: wanted to get pregnant, and just picked up the first
Speaker 1: guy she saw, So you know, I don't know.
Speaker 2: In nineteen eighty three, Diane Downs shot her three children,
Speaker 2: killing her daughter Cheryl and forever altering the lives of
Speaker 2: not only her two surviving children, but the other people
Speaker 2: in her life. Before her imprisonment, she purposely set out
Speaker 2: to give birth to another child, who would incidentally become
Speaker 2: another life permanently changed by Diane's actions. There's a tired
Speaker 2: old idiom that people often use when confronting the things
Speaker 2: they've buried and hidden. The truth will set you free.
Speaker 2: The fact is, sometimes the truth is its own prison,
Speaker 2: like when the truth of who your father is becomes
Speaker 2: a dark shadow that follows you and suffocates you until
Speaker 2: you finally are forced to confront it. When eleven year
Speaker 2: old Becky found out her biological mother was Diane Downs.
Speaker 2: It disrupted her identity and changed the course of her
Speaker 2: behavior and her life. Now she's seeking the other half
Speaker 2: of that puzzle, the identity of her biological father, someone
Speaker 2: who may or may not even know she exists. Will
Speaker 2: that truth help bring balance to the way of her
Speaker 2: own truth or will it only further add to the
Speaker 2: chaos of her self image. Without knowing for sure the
Speaker 2: identity of Becky's father, one has to wonder if he
Speaker 2: himself is even aware that Becky is his.
Speaker 3: It crosses in my mind sometimes.
Speaker 1: I mean, maybe he just doesn't want to believe that
Speaker 1: I could be that child, or that he could be
Speaker 1: that father, because I've been public now for ten years
Speaker 1: with my story, and if my biological father wanted to
Speaker 1: find me, he would have the only things I can
Speaker 1: come up with. Or he doesn't know he's my biological father,
Speaker 1: he doesn't want to be my biological father, or is deceased.
Speaker 1: I mean, if you are intimate with somebody in nine
Speaker 1: months later there's a baby, I would question that.
Speaker 2: There was very little physical description of the father given,
Speaker 2: and what's there didn't help narrow down the possibilities.
Speaker 1: My adopted mom, she told me that on my adoption
Speaker 1: paperwork that he was listed as being like six', two blonde,
Speaker 1: hair blue. Eyes that's ALL i. KNOW i think that
Speaker 1: He's german Or, danish and that's. IT i don't know anything.
Speaker 2: Else there's a certain piece To becky's current. Situation she's
Speaker 2: lived her entire life up to this point not knowing
Speaker 2: the identity of her biological, father and as far as she,
Speaker 2: knows he could be, anyone someone, good someone, interesting someone,
Speaker 2: loving someone ready to embrace his long lost daughter with open.
Speaker 2: Arms he could fit any Temple becky wants or needs him.
Speaker 1: TO i can decide who he, is AND i, can you,
Speaker 1: know think that he's an amazing. Person and even if he's,
Speaker 1: not as long as he's a decent human, Being i'd be.
Speaker 1: Happy But i'm scared to go on this journey because
Speaker 1: what if he is, Deceased what if he doesn't want
Speaker 1: me in his. Life it's, very very scary to open this.
Speaker 1: Door BUT i am very lucky to have the parents
Speaker 1: THAT i do.
Speaker 2: Have it's not Just becky's biological, father who isn't a
Speaker 2: part of her, life but her two half, Siblings christy And,
Speaker 2: danny survivors Of diane's attack also live their own private
Speaker 2: lives independent of any real relationship With.
Speaker 1: BECKY i did reach out to them back in two
Speaker 1: thousand and. SIX i Found christy. Online we had a
Speaker 1: little bit of a conversation. Going we spoke every couple of.
Speaker 1: Days she told me a little bit about. HERSELF i
Speaker 1: told her about, myself and one DAY i got a
Speaker 1: message that or And danny don't want anything to do with,
Speaker 1: me that so much time would, pass they don't want
Speaker 1: to get to know me more.
Speaker 2: Rejection christy And danny knew About, becky that they were,
Speaker 2: related that they shared the similar, link and still wanted
Speaker 2: nothing to do with.
Speaker 1: Her and it's understandable what they went. THROUGH i could
Speaker 1: never even, imagine and maybe being in my life or
Speaker 1: meeting me would bring up some of that for.
Speaker 4: Them i'm not.
Speaker 3: Sure becky also reached out To diane's.
Speaker 1: Father i've spoken with Diane downs's, Father.
Speaker 4: Wes he was a sweet.
Speaker 1: Man he wanted to tell me a lot of the family,
Speaker 1: history but he also wanted to tell me About diane
Speaker 1: and about her case and how she's.
Speaker 2: Innocent becky didn't set out with the intention of speaking
Speaker 2: To diane's father about the, crime but to some extent
Speaker 2: it was.
Speaker 1: UNAVOIDABLE i asked Both diane and her father when we
Speaker 1: first spoke all those years, ago THAT i didn't want
Speaker 1: to hear about her guilt or her. INNOCENCE i just
Speaker 1: want to hear about. HER i just want to know
Speaker 1: about the. FAMILY i just want to know about my biological.
Speaker 1: FATHER i wanted to leave the case out of it
Speaker 1: BECAUSE i knew all they were going to do is
Speaker 1: try and convince me that she's. INNOCENT i just wanted
Speaker 1: to know them that side of my.
Speaker 3: Family is there a part of you that questions whether she's?
Speaker 1: Innocent diane's innocence has been a question for a lot
Speaker 1: of people for a long. TIME i don't believe she's, innocent,
Speaker 1: no BUT i know that people.
Speaker 2: Do there are some, people Like diane, herself who champion
Speaker 2: her innocence to this. Day her, Brother James, frederickson.
Speaker 3: Is one of.
Speaker 2: Them james was one of the only family members willing
Speaker 2: to talk To becky and me About diane and their family.
Speaker 2: History he believes that part of understanding Who diane was
Speaker 2: is understanding her relationship with her ex, Husband, steve who
Speaker 2: she blames for much of what she. Became she Sent
Speaker 2: james a letter detailing her marriage and relationships leading up
Speaker 2: to the, shooting which is oddly written mostly in third.
Speaker 2: Person james shares a bit of that.
Speaker 5: Here Bass steve came into our lives in nineteen seventy.
Speaker 5: One we'd Moved chandler to a farm And steve was
Speaker 5: a farm hand for the. Neighbors my mom and dad
Speaker 5: wanted my sister to date other, boys but you, know
Speaker 5: she was head over heels For, steve and Obviously steve
Speaker 5: was head over heels for. Her judge married them On november,
Speaker 5: thirteenth nineteen seventy, three with Only Greg roach and the
Speaker 5: judge's secretary as, witnesses Because diane had no friends of
Speaker 5: her own at that. Time she said that she got
Speaker 5: married and whatever the date was. Right but the reality
Speaker 5: is that you know she got married because my dad
Speaker 5: went over to their house where they were out of the,
Speaker 5: apartment and, said you will marry my. Daughter we were
Speaker 5: At baptist's, house you know WHAT i. Mean it's like
Speaker 5: you didn't want things to be bad or look, bad
Speaker 5: and so you know you will marry my. Daughter well
Speaker 5: it happened fast because my dad was, there you, know
Speaker 5: And it's Like i'm going to use the term it
Speaker 5: was a shotgun, wedding you know WHAT i. Mean steve
Speaker 5: didn't want problems with my. Dad my dad was really
Speaker 5: he didn't physically Scarre steve that he intimidated.
Speaker 2: Him there is a theory in domestic violence cases known
Speaker 2: as a cycle of, abuse which often begins with rising
Speaker 2: tension and the need to placate the. Abuser according To,
Speaker 2: Diane steve began this cycle early into his And diane's.
Speaker 5: Relationship steve controlled everyone she talked, to and he didn't
Speaker 5: let her talk to anyone she was. Working then when they,
Speaker 5: married she was talking to other guys at, lunchtime and
Speaker 5: so he made her. Quit he didn't permit a phone
Speaker 5: in her. Apartment the grocery store was a three minute
Speaker 5: walk from where they lived at one Hundred West Ray,
Speaker 5: road but she wasn't even permitted to go shopping without.
Speaker 5: Him my sister was barely eighteen and in her own
Speaker 5: mind going on, twelve and had never given her new.
Speaker 5: Husband caused suspector of, infidelity but he was just sick
Speaker 5: with suspicion and.
Speaker 2: Jealousy soon after they, Married steve was openly unfaithful To.
Speaker 5: Diane two weeks after their, Marriage steve came home from
Speaker 5: work at the Entire company where he worked In mesa
Speaker 5: and announced he was going out With janet the. Receptionists
Speaker 5: diane was a bit confused by that they were married after.
Speaker 5: All steve blew up and he, said, HEY i Promised
Speaker 5: janet they'd go. Out the marriage vows came so quickly
Speaker 5: he forgot to call off their. Date he Said diane
Speaker 5: just needed to iron his shirt and not make things
Speaker 5: harder for. Him one month, Later steve went out with
Speaker 5: his buddies For New. Year diane was told to wait
Speaker 5: at home until eleven forty. Five she, said got tired
Speaker 5: of waiting and she walked to his friend's. House she
Speaker 5: did what she was, told But steve wasn't. There then
Speaker 5: they Told diane she'd have to wait in the line Behind.
Speaker 5: Debbie So steve was at the party with other.
Speaker 2: Women diane was pregnant With, christy her oldest, daughter and
Speaker 2: Allegedly steve saw this as an inconvenience and didn't want
Speaker 2: to deal with.
Speaker 5: Her two months, Later diane got. Pregnant she had morning
Speaker 5: sickness like most women, do but instead Of steve's hanging
Speaker 5: around and supporting. Her steve took her to his parents'
Speaker 5: home In gilbert because he wasn't ready to live with
Speaker 5: the sick. Wife While diane was at his parents', House
Speaker 5: steve moved in With. Jackie When jackie's, Husband dale returned From,
Speaker 5: California steve Drew dale from. Exile these are just the
Speaker 5: little parts about the, Infidelity so then we start talking
Speaker 5: about the abuse.
Speaker 2: Man according To, Diane steve wasn't only controlling and, unfaithful
Speaker 2: but his abuse crossed the threshold into. Physical in the,
Speaker 2: Meantime diane had a second, Child, danny and another, Daughter.
Speaker 5: Cheryl in nineteen eighty, Two diane was talking on the.
Speaker 5: Phone steve came. HOME i heard talking on the. Phone
Speaker 5: he thought she was talking to a man on the,
Speaker 5: phone so he picked up the phone and slammed it.
Speaker 5: Down they argued and he slapped and punched, her and
Speaker 5: the phone rang And diane obviously answered, it and it
Speaker 5: was Actually holly on the phone saying That karen was
Speaker 5: Afraid steve was hitting. Her diane looked At steve and
Speaker 5: said To, holly yes he. Is he's still. Here so
Speaker 5: he grabbed the phone and he Hit diane with. It
Speaker 5: she rested the phone From, hungue hung it up and engaged.
Speaker 2: Him diane And steve were divorced at this, point but
Speaker 2: he still lived with her and the. Kids, eventually the
Speaker 2: abuse reached a breaking point and she started to fight.
Speaker 2: BACK a judge issued a restraining, order But steve didn't stay.
Speaker 2: Away in the, Meantime diane had bought a gun in
Speaker 2: an effort to protect, herself and then one Day steve
Speaker 2: had her cornered in a bathroom.
Speaker 5: When he was kicking the door. Open she fired a
Speaker 5: warning shot into the. Floor the next, week he moved
Speaker 5: his furniture out of her home as a stealthy as
Speaker 5: he moved. In that Was september, fourteenth nineteen eighty.
Speaker 2: Two In october of that, Year diane's four month old
Speaker 2: mobile home burned, down and she sent her kids to
Speaker 2: live With steve so they wouldn't be. Homeless she eventually
Speaker 2: found another place to, live But steve wouldn't allow her.
Speaker 3: To have the children.
Speaker 2: Back during this, Time diane saw affection from other.
Speaker 5: Men yeah she was Seeing nick that.
Speaker 2: Time nick Is Robert, knickerbacker a married man who supposedly
Speaker 2: didn't like. Children the fact that some believe may have
Speaker 2: later played Into diane's motivation for the.
Speaker 5: Shooting married men showed her the most affection because married
Speaker 5: men were safe to, her because married men didn't want
Speaker 5: to leave their. Wives they just wanted some. Affection and
Speaker 5: really that's All diane ever really. Wanted she was still
Speaker 5: that twelve year old little girl striving for that, affection
Speaker 5: and she went out and she got that affection from married.
Speaker 2: Men diane's attention from other men is what led to
Speaker 2: her earlier divorce From. Steve despite his own, unfaithfulness he
Speaker 2: believed she'd actually become.
Speaker 3: Pregnant With danny due to an.
Speaker 2: Affair he ended their marriage believing the pregnancy shouldn't have
Speaker 2: been possible due to. Vasectomy, diane it, seemed enjoyed being.
Speaker 2: Pregnant she had a fourth child Before, becky but this
Speaker 2: time as a.
Speaker 5: Surrogate so, yeah it was just basically she went through
Speaker 5: the surrogacy, program delivered a, baby gave it to a.
Speaker 5: Family she got ten thousand dollars for, that and that
Speaker 5: helped her in her. Life.
Speaker 2: Right When diane became pregnant With, Becky james dismissed it
Speaker 2: as if it were almost like another surrogacy AND i.
Speaker 5: Wasn't going to have another niece and. NEPHEW i was
Speaker 5: basically having another surrogate. CHILD i wasn't attached to. IT
Speaker 5: i wasn't bonded with. IT i wasn't any of.
Speaker 2: That After diane's trial And becky's, Birth james didn't give
Speaker 2: the baby much.
Speaker 5: Thought, yeah they took her away AND i knew that she,
Speaker 5: existed BUT i didn't know anything about.
Speaker 2: Her and that was that out of, sight out of.
Speaker 2: Mind and then one Day becky appeared on twenty. Twenty
Speaker 2: james first impression was not a great.
Speaker 6: One what did you think when you first saw her
Speaker 6: on a news?
Speaker 5: Program honesty's. SURE i didn't understand why she was making
Speaker 5: a fuss out of something if she had two perfectly,
Speaker 5: wonderful loving. PARENTS i don't remember what exactly she. Said
Speaker 5: she basically said that she's going to make sure That
Speaker 5: diane doesn't gain. PAROLE i didn't like her at.
Speaker 2: All james had made an earlier attempt to Contact becky
Speaker 2: and tried to convert her to his version of the.
Speaker 5: TRUTH i reached out to her on social media and we,
Speaker 5: talked AND i tried talking to her about WHAT i
Speaker 5: know is truth and the story that she knows is
Speaker 5: the public, story The Anne rules. Story she really wasn't
Speaker 5: willing to. Listen did that frustrate? You it's always, Frustrating,
Speaker 5: yeah every single.
Speaker 2: Time watching twenty, Twenty james grew increasingly frustrated With Anne,
Speaker 2: ruhle author of the Book becky first discovered in the
Speaker 2: bookstore as.
Speaker 3: An eleven year. Old he believed that she had.
Speaker 2: Many things About diane's story and the crime, wrong and
Speaker 2: That becky's view of her biological mother's guilt had been
Speaker 2: colored by that. Book he also doesn't believe That anne
Speaker 2: knew the identity Of becky's, father despite her.
Speaker 5: Claims so people that are, adopted some of them have
Speaker 5: a desire to find out who they come, from whether
Speaker 5: it's Be diane the murderer Or diane the. Victim she
Speaker 5: still knows that she comes From, diane and she doesn't
Speaker 5: know who her father, is and unfortunately there's only two
Speaker 5: people that. Do the author didn't know who the father
Speaker 5: was because she wasn't there during conception and has never
Speaker 5: been told by my sister who the person. Is the
Speaker 5: only people that know are the mother and the father Of.
Speaker 5: Becky it was some guy in her, rout you know
Speaker 5: WHAT i? Mean it wasn't even a Cowork it was
Speaker 5: just some guy on her, route you. KNOW i, MEAN
Speaker 5: i DON'T i don't have any idea who it.
Speaker 3: Is he, knows or maybe he, DOESN'T.
Speaker 5: I would, Imagine SO i don't. Know, Yeah diane's never told,
Speaker 5: him so maybe he, doesn't you, know BECAUSE i mean it's,
Speaker 5: like you, know she got a reputation of sleeping around
Speaker 5: you know WHAT i, mean she, didn't but that was her.
Speaker 5: Reputation SO i, mean as a, guy if you are
Speaker 5: just you, know sleeping with somebody just once or, twice
Speaker 5: then you, know it's like you're not really concerned whether
Speaker 5: that person gets pregnant or not until they come knock
Speaker 5: on your. Door and, so, no he may not. Know
Speaker 5: he may not.
Speaker 2: Know despite the fact That james And becky didn't see
Speaker 2: eye to eye in his earlier attempts to contact, her
Speaker 2: he wants another chance to, explain which may be his
Speaker 2: primary reason for his willingness to meet with her.
Speaker 5: Again ten years ago on the social media and then via.
Speaker 5: Phone and then she didn't really want anything to do
Speaker 5: with the, truth as we've stayed. Earlier you, know it's
Speaker 5: like talking about some of the letters That diane wrote
Speaker 5: her after being in. Solitary you need to believe that she's.
Speaker 5: Psychotic you need to believe that she's a deviant sociopath
Speaker 5: or whatever those words are that they're throwing out. There
Speaker 5: but she wasn't willing to. Listen as my whole, POINT
Speaker 5: i talked to, her then she did not, listen And
Speaker 5: i'm hoping today she. Listens And i'm always willing to
Speaker 5: talk to anybody who's willing to, listen because the truth
Speaker 5: needs to be out. There.
Speaker 2: WELL i spoke To. James becky was waiting in the
Speaker 2: studio to speak with him before bringing her. IN i
Speaker 2: spoke to her alone for a few minutes to gauge
Speaker 2: her feelings on the situation and brief her on what to.
Speaker 6: Expect i've been talking To james, here asking him about
Speaker 6: his feelings today about meeting, you finding out his. Intentions
Speaker 6: when we first got in the, studio he was quite
Speaker 6: overwhelmed because there's so much he wanted to. Share and
Speaker 6: then WHAT i found, interesting, though is that he really
Speaker 6: really cared about today and wanted to come today with
Speaker 6: something sort of as an offer of information that he could.
Speaker 6: Provide first of, all he has a letter From diane
Speaker 6: and it's written To amy to, you and it's going
Speaker 6: to talk about her time being pregnant with.
Speaker 4: You. Yeah one thing THAT i.
Speaker 1: Am concerned about Is diane still denies That i'm her biological,
Speaker 1: daughter and so this letter is written To, amy who
Speaker 1: WILL i GUESS i don't identify with because she doesn't
Speaker 1: claim to be my biological. Mother so there's been like
Speaker 1: a disconnect. There i'm not sure how to respond When
Speaker 1: james reads that, letter because my initial knee jerk reaction
Speaker 1: would be uncomfortable and.
Speaker 6: Upset the truth is is, that regardless of the Name
Speaker 6: amy Or, rebecca you were that.
Speaker 1: Baby it doesn't feel like, that you, know it feels
Speaker 1: like almost a separate person, completely especially because she doesn't
Speaker 1: believe that it's.
Speaker 7: Me she may not believe it's, you but your physical
Speaker 7: being had that experience as a, newborn as a, child
Speaker 7: as a baby girl coming into this, world and regardless of,
Speaker 7: name it was your.
Speaker 1: EXPERIENCE i wrote her back in two thousand and six
Speaker 1: WHEN i put my son up for, adoption wanting to
Speaker 1: connect with. Her it feels like this letter that you
Speaker 1: guys have been talking about is almost going to be
Speaker 1: that connection THAT i needed back then and after we
Speaker 1: had such a meltdown with her in the last letter
Speaker 1: where she was very. CRUEL i don't want that connection with,
Speaker 1: Her So i'm nervous about hearing this, letter and i
Speaker 1: don't know How i'll. Feel If i'm being completely transparent and,
Speaker 1: Honest i'm almost scared THAT i want to have that
Speaker 1: connection Like diyre's that conflict of being the adopted child
Speaker 1: that you want that connection with your biological. Parents but
Speaker 1: it's it's a battle in my, heart in my head
Speaker 1: BECAUSE i don't want to be connected to.
Speaker 4: Her mm, hmmm all, Right so how are we going
Speaker 4: to do? This because he's gonna want to say? Hi
Speaker 4: then we let he walks through the. Door it's fine
Speaker 4: where she's bringing it right now? Recording oh, Yeah i'm,
Speaker 4: ready all, Right, james this Is. Becky, hi good to see. You,
Speaker 4: yeah where's your?
Speaker 5: Chip that's? Good? Yeah how are you?
Speaker 4: Nervous getting through?
Speaker 8: It it's a little, different like we were, mentioning is the
Speaker 8: first Time i've actually met anybody from the bi, family
Speaker 8: so it's it's.
Speaker 5: Different so this is all different.
Speaker 2: Too after some setup and light chit, chat they get
Speaker 2: right into. It james immediately begins to read the letter
Speaker 2: he received From.
Speaker 5: Diane he, SAYS i was four and a half months
Speaker 5: pregnant WHEN i was. Arrested amy AND i were locked
Speaker 5: in a jail cell alone for nearly four months before
Speaker 5: she was. Born she gave me the strength to keep
Speaker 5: calm during the. Trial every Day i'd tell her that
Speaker 5: she was going to be. Okay i'd pat her bottom
Speaker 5: and rubb her back and. CAMBER i didn't let myself
Speaker 5: get consumed with worry for her. Sake, then when we
Speaker 5: returned to our jail cell after my first day on
Speaker 5: the witness, stand there was a court order waiting in
Speaker 5: our concrete slab. Bed the state had seems custody Of
Speaker 5: amy even before she was. Born the trial wasn't even over,
Speaker 5: yet and the state was taking. HER i was physically,
Speaker 5: ill but couldn't dwell on it BECAUSE i didn't Want
Speaker 5: amy to feel my. Pain it was a difference. Story
Speaker 5: after she was, GONE i cried and cried and felt
Speaker 5: Like i'd lost a friend as much as a. Child
Speaker 5: that's a loss from Which i'll never. Recover that's what
Speaker 5: my sister said about. You, Wow SO.
Speaker 4: I didn't realized that she felt that.
Speaker 5: Way there's been pictures painted of my, sisters being a callous,
Speaker 5: person not a good. Mother that's the way she felt
Speaker 5: about all of her. Kids that's not the way she
Speaker 5: felt about the surrogate. Child you're not a surrogate.
Speaker 1: CHILD i struggle with her connection with me because of
Speaker 1: the fact that she got pregnant with me on, purpose
Speaker 1: because she knew she could and she wanted to Replace,
Speaker 1: cheryl and she knew that she would get sympathy from the.
Speaker 5: Courts and those Are rules, words those are writer's. Words
Speaker 5: those aren't, True.
Speaker 1: Okay isn't. IT i saw something about. It i've never
Speaker 1: read An rule's. Book there was one of her recordings
Speaker 1: or something THAT i. THOUGHT i don't know, ANYWAYS i
Speaker 1: never knew she felt that.
Speaker 2: Way james shifts almost immediately into defensive mode with regards To.
Speaker 2: Diane there's a bit of tension Between james And, becky
Speaker 2: And james is eager to push through his agenda for.
Speaker 4: Meeting so when did she write?
Speaker 5: That about two weeks? Ago? WOW i asked her to
Speaker 5: share something with me because she doesn't. WANT i, said
Speaker 5: the world needs to understand what she felt like when
Speaker 5: you were having the baby teeth a, way she says
Speaker 5: she can't really talk about when the baby was taken,
Speaker 5: away because it's just. Crying you, know she cried and.
Speaker 5: Cried what else is there to? Say she was, Induced
Speaker 5: she didn't have it. Natural they told the court before
Speaker 5: she was convicted that they're going to take the baby.
Speaker 5: Away they told the jerors that already finding her guilty
Speaker 5: before The jersey was started.
Speaker 6: Deliberating it is really, interesting it's very, interesting and she.
Speaker 5: DID i don't think the word replace it's a good
Speaker 5: word to, say because you can never replace, you right
Speaker 5: with another. Baby she can't Replace cheryl with another. Baby
Speaker 5: she can't Replace christie with another. Baby you're her, daughter
Speaker 5: and you were very much. Loved the state did not
Speaker 5: want you to be raised by her or see the,
Speaker 5: family so you were given to another. Family SO i.
Speaker 4: Feel a sort of a. DISCONNECT i reached out To.
Speaker 1: DIANE i think it was in two thousand and, six
Speaker 1: and her first couple letters, were you, know oh my,
Speaker 1: Gosh i've always known where you, were and you'd write me.
Speaker 4: Someday they were excited and.
Speaker 1: Happy but now to this, day you, know she denies
Speaker 1: That i'm her biological.
Speaker 5: Child there in between two, right, yeah crazy, letters we might, say.
Speaker 4: Right they're pretty.
Speaker 1: Intense, yeah and, threatening and you, know saying that there's
Speaker 1: been somebody watching me my whole life and trying to kill,
Speaker 1: me and and scary stuff she did.
Speaker 5: That did you feel like you were watching a movie
Speaker 5: and that she was threatening you from in the jail
Speaker 5: or did you feel like that she was being Sincere
Speaker 5: she was truly worried for, you because, again she didn't
Speaker 5: commit this, crime. Right whoever did this to her is
Speaker 5: still out there and if you are her, child in her,
Speaker 5: opinion then you're in.
Speaker 3: Danger things With james start to grow a bit.
Speaker 5: Tense there's not a single person THAT i know that
Speaker 5: is backing me and doing this because the media has
Speaker 5: been very, violent very, vile and the media is one
Speaker 5: of the reasons WHY i don't want to use the
Speaker 5: word fearful to meet, you BUT i wasn't looking forward to.
Speaker 2: Meeting they go back and forth about the details Surrounding
Speaker 2: diane's public behavior at the time of the shooting and
Speaker 2: her seeming lack of emotion when re enacting the. Scene
Speaker 2: becky pokestoles in james argument For diane's, innocence which he repeatedly.
Speaker 5: DEFENDS i can tell tell you that for many Years
Speaker 5: i've been very angry at, you mainly because WHEN i
Speaker 5: tried to talk to, you didn't want to talk to.
Speaker 5: Me one of the things that you said was the
Speaker 5: purpose of doing what you're doing is so you can
Speaker 5: be sure That diane does not get. Parole right. NOW
Speaker 5: i don't want to be a part of. THAT i
Speaker 5: don't want to be a part of somebody that's trying
Speaker 5: to keep my sister in, prison because how she acts
Speaker 5: is Just i've never been, Shot i've never had my
Speaker 5: child killed in front of, me you know WHAT i,
Speaker 5: Mean AND i just it's, just how are you supposed to? Act,
Speaker 5: well you're wrong because you don't know, right you know
Speaker 5: WHAT i.
Speaker 3: Mean at this, point the tension is, palpable.
Speaker 5: Straight out In english. LANGUAGE i could, not in any,
Speaker 5: way shape or, form be a part of somebody's life
Speaker 5: that thought my sister was.
Speaker 4: GUILTY i understand.
Speaker 5: That and really my life is now consumed with my,
Speaker 5: sister which is Why i'm sitting, here and WHAT i.
Speaker 5: Want WHAT i believe is that if you looked at
Speaker 5: not actions and, evidence that there would be no doubt
Speaker 5: that she would believe that she's.
Speaker 1: INNOCENT i understand that you came here solely to speak
Speaker 1: of her innocence and not to meet. ME i wanted
Speaker 1: to reach out to, you to give you your voice
Speaker 1: and to get to know. You so dad just really.
Speaker 1: HURTS i talked to your dad for. YEARS i don't
Speaker 1: want to be just some, person AND i understand that you're.
Speaker 1: ANGRY i would need, Too but why are you.
Speaker 5: Here my sister's in. Person she doesn't belong, there AND
Speaker 5: i want you to be her. MOUTHPIECE i want you
Speaker 5: to go out there and tell the world as she
Speaker 5: didn't do.
Speaker 2: This it becomes clear That james Believes diane when she
Speaker 2: says that whoever she claims is the actual shooter is
Speaker 2: still out, there a theory he has also.
Speaker 1: Adopted you want me to be an advocate for, her that's,
Speaker 1: right but that would require me to believe she's.
Speaker 4: Innocent that's.
Speaker 5: Right and why DO i? Why? Why? Why? Why why
Speaker 5: WOULD i even say that to? You IF i didn't believe,
Speaker 5: that if you stopped and you looked at what happened,
Speaker 5: here and if you looked at everything That i've gotten
Speaker 5: to show, you if you really had an open, mind
Speaker 5: you weren't thinking about how crazy she. Was there is
Speaker 5: no doubt in my mind that you would be and
Speaker 5: then you could use your voice to help get her.
Speaker 5: Out is she your, Mother she's my biological. Mother you.
Speaker 1: GO i don't constantly say mean things about. HER i
Speaker 1: defend her even when people you, know say horrible. THINGS i,
Speaker 1: say she was in solitary for so long even a
Speaker 1: sane person would go.
Speaker 4: Crazy you. Know it's those letters that she.
Speaker 5: WROTE i she also believed she was protecting you those.
Speaker 5: Letters when she was saying to keep, quiet quit, talking
Speaker 5: as he's still out, there she was protecting. It that's
Speaker 5: part of her theory about what happened to. Her, okay
Speaker 5: and she believes that she's being, watched so she believes
Speaker 5: that we're all still in.
Speaker 1: Danger do you believe that if she was released she
Speaker 1: could get help for her mental issues as?
Speaker 4: Is do you think she would be? SAFE i know
Speaker 4: she would be.
Speaker 5: Safe it's a really strange talking to her at, times
Speaker 5: because as incoherent about man watching and things like, that
Speaker 5: she is so incredibly coherent About if she doesn't talk about,
Speaker 5: that she's incredibly, coherent incredibly.
Speaker 2: Normal there was finally an, opening And becky decides to
Speaker 2: ask what she believes is the most important question she
Speaker 2: has For, James.
Speaker 4: Yeah do you know who my biological father?
Speaker 5: Is? SORRY i do know that he was guy on
Speaker 5: her impulsed rite is ALL i. Know there's only one
Speaker 5: person that knows we were talking. Earlier and it's like
Speaker 5: the father may not even know he's a.
Speaker 4: File and that's What i'm.
Speaker 1: Thinking it's either he's passed, away he doesn't, know or
Speaker 1: he doesn't want to.
Speaker 5: Know she didn't tell. Him she didn't tell him she was.
Speaker 2: Pregnant james And becky finally both have their respective agendas
Speaker 2: for the conversation out in the. Open For James diane's
Speaker 2: innocence and For becky her biological father's. Identity james agrees
Speaker 2: to take A dna test to help her in her.
Speaker 1: QUEST i, MEAN i think that would be. Wonderful it
Speaker 1: might Settle diane a little, bit to know for. Real
Speaker 1: it might help me find my biological. Father oh, NO
Speaker 1: i will let you know your.
Speaker 5: Heritage, yeah that's what they say From denmark about two
Speaker 5: or three years. Ago my dad probably told, you, Right, yeah,
Speaker 5: yeah From, Denmark Denmark. ROYALTY i don't feel. COMPLETE i
Speaker 5: don't feel complete talking to. YOU i want TO i
Speaker 5: feel like you've judged her because of how she yeahs
Speaker 5: believe that if you need to open you're looking for.
Speaker 5: Things And i'm not saying you're looking in the wrong,
Speaker 5: area because nowhere you look is. Wrong but maybe you
Speaker 5: need to look at what was done to, her what
Speaker 5: was done to her so you couldn't be with her
Speaker 5: even they stopped you from being with. Her she didn't stop,
Speaker 5: It they stopped.
Speaker 2: It james calms a bit and sort of seems to
Speaker 2: regret being so outwardly, aggressive but still can't help pushing his.
Speaker 5: AGENDA i, MEAN i understand that you have a lot of, emotion,
Speaker 5: right And i'm sorry IF i just your. EMOTION i
Speaker 5: just need you to really think about you didn't send
Speaker 5: it to me an? Email? Why this is WHY i
Speaker 5: Think diane did.
Speaker 6: This, okay, okay all, right thank you. GUYS i think
Speaker 6: that's a wrap for. Today that was a lot for
Speaker 6: both of.
Speaker 4: You no, Apologies, NO i really really do, care.
Speaker 5: RIGHT i don't want you to be. SAD i don't
Speaker 5: want anybody to be sad for any. Reason, yeah and
Speaker 5: believe me WHEN i said, THAT i mean that with
Speaker 5: my heart THAT i believe that you're going to beat her, voice.
Speaker 5: DON'T i didn't see it in, envision un or. Anything
Speaker 5: it's just my. Heart, yeah we can definitely talk.
Speaker 4: More we'll follow up on.
Speaker 2: This it's hard to say If becky got what she
Speaker 2: wanted from the interaction With. James it's the first member
Speaker 2: of The frederickson side of the family who's agreed to
Speaker 2: meet with her and have a real conversation About. Diane
Speaker 2: so in many, ways it's as close As becky has
Speaker 2: ever been to the maternal side of her family. Line
Speaker 2: despite the tension between, Them james agreed to Give becky
Speaker 2: a key piece of the puzzle to help confirm her
Speaker 2: genetic identity HIS. Dna with, This becky will hopefully finally
Speaker 2: be able to confirm what and for all that she's
Speaker 2: in fact the biological daughter Of Diane. Downes on the
Speaker 2: next episode Of Happy Face presents To, face we unpack
Speaker 2: the details of exactly what happened on that faithful night
Speaker 2: In may of nineteen eighty three When diane downs and
Speaker 2: her three children arrived at That, Springfield oregon, hospital all
Speaker 2: with gunshot.
Speaker 3: Wounds