1 00:00:00,834 --> 00:00:03,168 - Female narrator: She was the queen of the texarkana 2 00:00:03,170 --> 00:00:04,470 dance circuit. 3 00:00:04,472 --> 00:00:06,071 - Kindra: Her husband, he was the caller. 4 00:00:06,073 --> 00:00:08,841 She was like the belle of the ball. 5 00:00:08,843 --> 00:00:12,711 - All of the men just were head over heels in love with her. 6 00:00:12,713 --> 00:00:15,914 I loved her to death. She was fun to--to be around. 7 00:00:19,453 --> 00:00:21,687 - Narrator: But was someone in texarkana looking 8 00:00:21,689 --> 00:00:23,522 for a new partner? 9 00:00:23,524 --> 00:00:24,823 - Stephanie: We're in the bible belt. 10 00:00:24,825 --> 00:00:27,459 It's not looked kindly upon-- 11 00:00:27,461 --> 00:00:30,362 people having extramarital affairs. 12 00:00:30,364 --> 00:00:32,164 - We see that he's getting divorce papers. 13 00:00:32,166 --> 00:00:34,633 He's getting them served to his wife. 14 00:00:34,635 --> 00:00:37,369 - Narrator: When her body is discovered in a pool of blood, 15 00:00:37,371 --> 00:00:40,873 rumors spread through this tight-knit community. 16 00:00:40,875 --> 00:00:43,976 - This person wanted her dead and they wanted her dead bad. 17 00:00:43,978 --> 00:00:47,046 - It was a terrible thing, you know, who would do this? 18 00:00:47,048 --> 00:00:49,982 - She wanted to leave $10,000 to each of them. 19 00:00:49,984 --> 00:00:53,252 It was pretty suspicious circumstances. 20 00:00:53,254 --> 00:00:56,388 - Something had gone terribly, terribly wrong. 21 00:00:58,793 --> 00:01:03,796 - ♪ 22 00:01:05,099 --> 00:01:08,400 ♪ 23 00:01:11,338 --> 00:01:16,341 - narrator: December 3, 2013, 5:30 p.M. 24 00:01:16,343 --> 00:01:20,145 The sun has already set in texarkana, arkansas, 25 00:01:20,147 --> 00:01:22,548 when barbara ricketts and phyllis nabors 26 00:01:22,550 --> 00:01:24,817 arrive at the home of their friend, 27 00:01:24,819 --> 00:01:28,587 59-year-old widow patti wheelington. 28 00:01:28,589 --> 00:01:31,423 - At 3 o'clock, she was supposed to be taking her friend 29 00:01:31,425 --> 00:01:34,760 to the doctor, and she did not show up. 30 00:01:34,762 --> 00:01:36,862 Nobody could find patti. 31 00:01:36,864 --> 00:01:39,498 We kept calling, leaving messages. 32 00:01:39,500 --> 00:01:43,435 She never returned anybody's call, so around 5 o'clock, 33 00:01:43,437 --> 00:01:46,271 we get concerned about her 34 00:01:46,273 --> 00:01:48,941 and we're gonna get to the bottom of it. 35 00:01:48,943 --> 00:01:51,043 I told barbara to come and get me, 36 00:01:51,045 --> 00:01:54,279 I thought it would be better if we go out there together, 37 00:01:54,281 --> 00:01:56,281 so she came and picked me up. 38 00:01:58,652 --> 00:02:02,221 So, we went out to the house. All the lights were on. 39 00:02:03,224 --> 00:02:05,457 Eventually we got out of the car 40 00:02:05,459 --> 00:02:07,226 and went up to the porch. 41 00:02:08,329 --> 00:02:11,063 It just looked like a rug at the front door. 42 00:02:11,065 --> 00:02:14,366 It was kind of dark 'til we really realized 43 00:02:14,368 --> 00:02:18,170 that that was her. Patti was dead. 44 00:02:20,875 --> 00:02:22,941 She was laying right at the front door. 45 00:02:22,943 --> 00:02:25,444 She was so cold and swollen. 46 00:02:25,446 --> 00:02:28,580 I knew she had been there for a while, 47 00:02:28,582 --> 00:02:31,283 and there was not gonna be any reviving her. 48 00:02:31,285 --> 00:02:34,219 The only thing I knew to do was call 911. 49 00:02:34,221 --> 00:02:36,155 I was in a state of shock. 50 00:02:36,157 --> 00:02:38,357 There's nothing we can do for her. 51 00:02:38,359 --> 00:02:39,691 She's passed away. 52 00:02:43,898 --> 00:02:45,264 - Narrator: Patti ann phillips 53 00:02:45,266 --> 00:02:47,933 was born in philadelphia, pennsylvania, 54 00:02:47,935 --> 00:02:51,737 on November 2, 1954. 55 00:02:51,739 --> 00:02:53,672 Beautiful and charismatic, 56 00:02:53,674 --> 00:02:57,075 patti always had a way with people. 57 00:02:57,077 --> 00:03:01,346 - Oh, she was fabulous. She had, uh, shorter hair. 58 00:03:01,348 --> 00:03:03,682 And it was silky. It was shiny. 59 00:03:03,684 --> 00:03:07,519 And she had these happy eyes and always smiling. 60 00:03:08,489 --> 00:03:12,524 - Patti was just a beautiful, giving person 61 00:03:12,526 --> 00:03:16,428 with a personality-- she could do anything. 62 00:03:16,430 --> 00:03:18,230 She never met a stranger. 63 00:03:21,535 --> 00:03:24,169 - Narrator: After studying at the university of delaware, 64 00:03:24,171 --> 00:03:26,672 and then texas a&m university, 65 00:03:26,674 --> 00:03:29,641 patti took a job at the department of human services 66 00:03:29,643 --> 00:03:33,045 in the city of texarkana, arkansas. 67 00:03:33,047 --> 00:03:35,214 - It does have a small town feel, and you pretty much-- 68 00:03:35,216 --> 00:03:37,349 you don't know everybody, but you know somebody 69 00:03:37,351 --> 00:03:39,885 who knows somebody and--and you know each other that way. 70 00:03:39,887 --> 00:03:41,753 - Narrator: Patti worked with senior citizens 71 00:03:41,755 --> 00:03:45,657 in the community, where the vivacious 35-year-old woman 72 00:03:45,659 --> 00:03:49,494 caught the eye of 59-year-old korean war veteran 73 00:03:49,496 --> 00:03:53,432 and successful sales manager, ray wheelington. 74 00:03:53,434 --> 00:03:57,536 - I think that ray did very well for himself in business. 75 00:03:57,538 --> 00:03:59,471 He had a very nice house. 76 00:03:59,473 --> 00:04:00,939 - John: Patti was attractive. 77 00:04:00,941 --> 00:04:04,509 And a lot of times, as men grow older, 78 00:04:04,511 --> 00:04:09,381 they kind of like the attention of younger women. 79 00:04:09,383 --> 00:04:14,286 And patti, she was really sweet. She was extremely flirty. 80 00:04:17,491 --> 00:04:19,057 - Narrator: After a brief courtship, 81 00:04:19,059 --> 00:04:23,595 the couple married on December 29, 1989. 82 00:04:23,597 --> 00:04:25,597 Although a northener by birth, 83 00:04:25,599 --> 00:04:28,900 patti embraced life as a southern lady, 84 00:04:28,902 --> 00:04:32,738 even taking on one of ray's more unusual hobbies: 85 00:04:32,740 --> 00:04:34,539 Square dancing. 86 00:04:34,541 --> 00:04:36,708 - Phyllis: Everybody's like a family. 87 00:04:36,710 --> 00:04:40,612 Doesn't cost much, and you get a free meal. 88 00:04:40,614 --> 00:04:41,947 And I just loved it. 89 00:04:41,949 --> 00:04:43,615 Once--if you love it, you love it, 90 00:04:43,617 --> 00:04:46,318 and you will be there every week. 91 00:04:46,320 --> 00:04:48,720 - Kindra: It's what they identify with as a-- 92 00:04:48,722 --> 00:04:51,590 they are square dancers. That's what they do. 93 00:04:51,592 --> 00:04:52,891 That's what they are. 94 00:04:52,893 --> 00:04:57,095 I just remember that it was a lifestyle. 95 00:04:57,097 --> 00:04:59,598 - Narrator: Patti and ray joined a 100-person strong 96 00:04:59,600 --> 00:05:03,168 square dancing club known as the guys 'n dolls, 97 00:05:03,170 --> 00:05:06,538 and the weekly dance quickly became the very center 98 00:05:06,540 --> 00:05:09,274 of the couple's social calendar. 99 00:05:09,276 --> 00:05:10,676 - Ray, he was the caller. 100 00:05:10,678 --> 00:05:13,912 He got up there, so she was... Like the belle of the ball. 101 00:05:13,914 --> 00:05:16,448 She would walk around and visit and talk and made sure 102 00:05:16,450 --> 00:05:18,350 everyone was comfortable. 103 00:05:18,352 --> 00:05:20,218 - Phyllis: Ray and patti was so friendly, 104 00:05:20,220 --> 00:05:24,189 and their house was, like, open to just...Everybody. 105 00:05:24,191 --> 00:05:27,326 We would have big cookouts at their house. 106 00:05:30,264 --> 00:05:32,297 - Narrator: Ray and patti's house was the club's 107 00:05:32,299 --> 00:05:37,903 de-facto headquarters until tragedy struck in 2009. 108 00:05:39,406 --> 00:05:42,841 - There was a fire, and that fire, you know, 109 00:05:42,843 --> 00:05:44,209 ravaged that home. 110 00:05:46,880 --> 00:05:49,448 - Narrator: When ray and patti decided to rebuild, 111 00:05:49,450 --> 00:05:52,351 they turned to one of their closest square dancing friends 112 00:05:52,353 --> 00:05:56,488 to oversee the project: James hyatt. 113 00:05:56,490 --> 00:05:59,958 - Ray and patti knew james from the guys 'n dolls club 114 00:05:59,960 --> 00:06:03,161 and they hired him to rebuild their house. 115 00:06:03,163 --> 00:06:05,130 - They rebuilt the home, it was nice. 116 00:06:05,132 --> 00:06:07,165 A pretty extravagant home. 117 00:06:07,167 --> 00:06:09,167 - James's friendship with the wheelingtons 118 00:06:09,169 --> 00:06:10,902 just really blossomed. 119 00:06:10,904 --> 00:06:12,471 - Narrator: Even after james finished 120 00:06:12,473 --> 00:06:15,741 the last coat of paint, the wheelingtons stayed close 121 00:06:15,743 --> 00:06:18,577 with james and his wife, virginia. 122 00:06:18,579 --> 00:06:20,011 - They were fairly tight-knit. 123 00:06:20,013 --> 00:06:23,181 They went out to dinner together, they went to movies, 124 00:06:23,183 --> 00:06:26,385 you know, little couple dates and stuff like that. 125 00:06:26,387 --> 00:06:28,987 - We played cards two or three times a week. 126 00:06:28,989 --> 00:06:32,991 Virginia was a very good card partner. Fun to be around. 127 00:06:32,993 --> 00:06:35,427 They were all just together all the time. 128 00:06:38,198 --> 00:06:41,066 - Narrator: In 2010, the wheelingtons' marriage 129 00:06:41,068 --> 00:06:43,301 was thriving in their new home, 130 00:06:43,303 --> 00:06:47,172 until ray's health suddenly began to deteriorate, 131 00:06:47,174 --> 00:06:51,176 and in 2011, he was diagnosed with dementia 132 00:06:51,178 --> 00:06:53,278 at 81 years old. 133 00:06:53,280 --> 00:06:54,913 - Kindra: His health was declining. 134 00:06:54,915 --> 00:06:57,282 He could no longer be at the club, 135 00:06:57,284 --> 00:07:00,152 and he could no longer do the calls at the club. 136 00:07:00,154 --> 00:07:03,221 - Patti had been working with the--with senior citizens 137 00:07:03,223 --> 00:07:05,824 with the, uh, department of human services, 138 00:07:05,826 --> 00:07:09,027 but ray got so bad at home, that she worried so much 139 00:07:09,029 --> 00:07:14,232 about ray that she gave that job up to stay home with him. 140 00:07:14,234 --> 00:07:18,637 And he did not last very long after she quit her job. 141 00:07:20,240 --> 00:07:22,841 - Narrator: On November 10, 2012, 142 00:07:22,843 --> 00:07:24,276 ray passed away, 143 00:07:24,278 --> 00:07:28,113 leaving patti a widow at only 58. 144 00:07:28,115 --> 00:07:31,183 With her husband of 22 years gone, 145 00:07:31,185 --> 00:07:33,885 patti filled her days with square dancing 146 00:07:33,887 --> 00:07:35,520 and volunteer work. 147 00:07:35,522 --> 00:07:38,256 - They had no kids, uh, you know it was-- 148 00:07:38,258 --> 00:07:40,325 he was her world. 149 00:07:40,327 --> 00:07:42,093 - Phyllis: When ray passed away, 150 00:07:42,095 --> 00:07:45,730 patti got really close to the rest of us dancers, 151 00:07:45,732 --> 00:07:48,667 because patti didn't have anyone. 152 00:07:48,669 --> 00:07:50,469 - Stephanie: She, you know, took people to their 153 00:07:50,471 --> 00:07:52,504 doctor's appointments, and, um, 154 00:07:52,506 --> 00:07:54,973 she helped people with their medication and helped them 155 00:07:54,975 --> 00:07:57,075 get the groceries they needed. 156 00:07:57,077 --> 00:07:59,311 - Narrator: After nearly a year of mourning, 157 00:07:59,313 --> 00:08:03,648 patti was ready to start the next chapter of her life. 158 00:08:03,650 --> 00:08:05,650 - She was vivacious and bubbly, 159 00:08:05,652 --> 00:08:07,519 and--and maybe a few years younger than some 160 00:08:07,521 --> 00:08:09,120 of the other dancers. 161 00:08:09,122 --> 00:08:12,991 - All of the men just were head over heels in love with her. 162 00:08:12,993 --> 00:08:15,527 - Narrator: Sadly, patti would never get the chance 163 00:08:15,529 --> 00:08:18,463 to find her late-in-life love. 164 00:08:20,767 --> 00:08:23,502 On December 3, 2013, 165 00:08:23,504 --> 00:08:26,771 patti's friends barbara ricketts and phyllis nabors 166 00:08:26,773 --> 00:08:30,976 are beside themselves when they discover her lifeless body. 167 00:08:32,579 --> 00:08:35,614 - They discovered patti on the front porch. 168 00:08:35,616 --> 00:08:37,816 So then, they called us. 169 00:08:37,818 --> 00:08:39,951 - Narrator: When officers arrive on the scene, 170 00:08:39,953 --> 00:08:42,554 they are met by patti's shaken friends, 171 00:08:42,556 --> 00:08:47,125 who gesture towards the gruesome scene on her porch. 172 00:08:47,127 --> 00:08:50,362 As officers approach, their flashlights illuminate 173 00:08:50,364 --> 00:08:53,298 patti wheelington's cause of death. 174 00:08:53,300 --> 00:08:56,968 - Stephanie: They went and checked on the body. 175 00:08:56,970 --> 00:08:59,538 Patti wheelington was shot five times. 176 00:08:59,540 --> 00:09:01,339 She was clearly deceased. 177 00:09:03,110 --> 00:09:05,844 - Narrator: Coming up, investigators piece together 178 00:09:05,846 --> 00:09:08,647 a surprising list of suspects. 179 00:09:08,649 --> 00:09:10,649 - She knew this person... Definitely. 180 00:09:10,651 --> 00:09:12,984 Without a doubt, she knew the person. 181 00:09:12,986 --> 00:09:15,787 - Narrator: And a shocking discovery suggests patti 182 00:09:15,789 --> 00:09:20,659 wasn't the only thing this calculated killer was after. 183 00:09:20,661 --> 00:09:23,995 - Patti had a lot of money and no heirs. 184 00:09:23,997 --> 00:09:25,263 - John: When you start looking, 185 00:09:25,265 --> 00:09:28,833 there are some huge red flags with several people. 186 00:09:30,871 --> 00:09:33,905 - ♪ 187 00:09:41,381 --> 00:09:44,282 - narrator: For 59-year-old widow patti wheelington, 188 00:09:44,284 --> 00:09:49,454 December 2013 was the time for her second act. 189 00:09:49,456 --> 00:09:51,790 - She relied heavily on her friends, 190 00:09:51,792 --> 00:09:53,458 her close group of friends. 191 00:09:53,460 --> 00:09:56,161 And eventually, started getting out again. 192 00:09:56,163 --> 00:09:58,797 She was ready to make a change. 193 00:10:02,436 --> 00:10:05,337 - Narrator: But on December 3, 2013, 194 00:10:05,339 --> 00:10:08,473 investigators are standing on patti's front porch, 195 00:10:08,475 --> 00:10:12,043 wondering who shot her five times. 196 00:10:13,680 --> 00:10:17,515 - I think we were surprised, um, when we started looking 197 00:10:17,517 --> 00:10:22,787 into this case and we started seeing the age of the victim. 198 00:10:22,789 --> 00:10:24,689 - Jason: It was really kind of eerie, 'cause you don't know 199 00:10:24,691 --> 00:10:26,491 why this is happening out there. 200 00:10:26,493 --> 00:10:29,160 It's not our typical homicide. 201 00:10:29,162 --> 00:10:31,730 - Later in life you don't-- around here--we don't really 202 00:10:31,732 --> 00:10:35,233 have those types of crimes or murders. 203 00:10:35,235 --> 00:10:39,904 You know, ours are usually, unfortunately, younger people. 204 00:10:39,906 --> 00:10:44,709 - This was an affluent person in a nice neighborhood 205 00:10:44,711 --> 00:10:47,245 and that kind of sent a message out to the community 206 00:10:47,247 --> 00:10:49,280 that this could happen to anybody. 207 00:10:50,550 --> 00:10:53,184 - Narrator: As detectives begin their investigation, 208 00:10:53,186 --> 00:10:55,920 it's clear the two women who found patti 209 00:10:55,922 --> 00:10:59,524 are in no condition to interview. 210 00:10:59,526 --> 00:11:02,394 - Paul: Both of them appeared to me to be shocked. 211 00:11:02,396 --> 00:11:05,363 It's like they couldn't believe what had taken place. 212 00:11:05,365 --> 00:11:07,599 - Narrator: While patti's friends collect themselves 213 00:11:07,601 --> 00:11:09,401 before further questioning, 214 00:11:09,403 --> 00:11:12,170 a team of investigators turns its attention 215 00:11:12,172 --> 00:11:14,005 to the crime scene. 216 00:11:14,007 --> 00:11:16,174 - Paul: Ms. Wheelington is laying right there 217 00:11:16,176 --> 00:11:18,209 at the entrance to the doorway. 218 00:11:18,211 --> 00:11:21,046 She was in a position where she was clutching her chest 219 00:11:21,048 --> 00:11:24,716 with one hand and then her right hand was laid out 220 00:11:24,718 --> 00:11:27,485 with a cigarette still in her fingers. 221 00:11:29,456 --> 00:11:31,423 - Marc: She had a bullet wound 222 00:11:31,425 --> 00:11:34,192 kind of right of the--uh, the spleen. 223 00:11:34,194 --> 00:11:37,595 She had one in the top of her right breast. 224 00:11:37,597 --> 00:11:40,732 She had, uh, another one towards the bottom 225 00:11:40,734 --> 00:11:42,600 of her right breast. 226 00:11:42,602 --> 00:11:46,738 She had a through and through on the right forearm, 227 00:11:46,740 --> 00:11:49,474 and then she had one in the back, 228 00:11:49,476 --> 00:11:51,076 that come through the back and through the-- 229 00:11:51,078 --> 00:11:54,145 through the side. So, she was hit five times. 230 00:11:54,147 --> 00:11:56,581 I know that it was relatively close range, because our victim 231 00:11:56,583 --> 00:11:59,384 had, uh, stifling on her-- on her face. 232 00:11:59,386 --> 00:12:01,252 - You're usually not shot that many times. 233 00:12:01,254 --> 00:12:02,787 Seemed like it was at close range. 234 00:12:02,789 --> 00:12:05,623 It was very determined, there was anger in it. 235 00:12:05,625 --> 00:12:07,592 This person that wanted-- wanted her dead, 236 00:12:07,594 --> 00:12:09,327 wanted her dead bad. 237 00:12:09,329 --> 00:12:11,996 - Marc: Rigor mortis had set in, and you could tell that 238 00:12:11,998 --> 00:12:14,966 she had been there pretty much all day long. 239 00:12:14,968 --> 00:12:18,169 - Stephanie: This is not someone who was involved in dangerous, 240 00:12:18,171 --> 00:12:20,238 illegal activity, this is someone who is sitting 241 00:12:20,240 --> 00:12:23,608 on their front porch drinking coffee and smoking a cigarette, 242 00:12:23,610 --> 00:12:25,543 like she did often. 243 00:12:29,583 --> 00:12:32,617 - From the table, you can see a blood trail. 244 00:12:32,619 --> 00:12:37,155 Along with the blood trail, we found bullet strikes. 245 00:12:37,157 --> 00:12:41,559 - I had a bullet hole that was in the back of the chair, 246 00:12:41,561 --> 00:12:45,163 and I traced that bullet hole through the back of the chair 247 00:12:45,165 --> 00:12:47,732 and into the bedroom window. 248 00:12:47,734 --> 00:12:49,467 I believe it was a--a .38. 249 00:12:50,837 --> 00:12:53,371 - It's clear she was trying to get away 250 00:12:53,373 --> 00:12:57,375 and was continuously hit with bullets from every direction. 251 00:13:01,348 --> 00:13:04,282 - And I could tell that there were six shots fired-- 252 00:13:04,284 --> 00:13:06,217 a minimum of six shots fired, 253 00:13:06,219 --> 00:13:08,520 which is kind of consistent with a revolver-- 254 00:13:08,522 --> 00:13:10,889 a six-shot revolver-- and we had no casings, 255 00:13:10,891 --> 00:13:15,393 that's a pretty good indication that it's a revolver. 256 00:13:15,395 --> 00:13:20,198 - Narrator: To detectives, this crime seems personal. 257 00:13:20,200 --> 00:13:23,067 - If it was a stranger coming up your driveway, 258 00:13:23,069 --> 00:13:25,670 and you were sitting on your porch in your bathrobe, 259 00:13:25,672 --> 00:13:28,006 you'd probably get up really quickly and run inside 260 00:13:28,008 --> 00:13:31,242 and put on something a little more appropriate. 261 00:13:31,244 --> 00:13:33,478 - It was not the type thing where it was 262 00:13:33,480 --> 00:13:34,746 a spur-of-the-moment thing 263 00:13:34,748 --> 00:13:37,382 and someone's emotion just got out of hand. 264 00:13:37,384 --> 00:13:39,851 Somebody went there with the intention to kill her. 265 00:13:41,288 --> 00:13:44,923 - Narrator: As csi work to comb patti's home for clues, 266 00:13:44,925 --> 00:13:47,625 detectives canvass the neighborhood. 267 00:13:47,627 --> 00:13:51,162 - Patti wheelington lived in a somewhat remote area. 268 00:13:51,164 --> 00:13:53,765 It was still in town, but it was, um, 269 00:13:53,767 --> 00:13:56,134 in a neighborhood where the houses sit on large, 270 00:13:56,136 --> 00:13:57,969 multi-acre lots. 271 00:13:57,971 --> 00:13:59,370 - You're thinking, there's not gonna be anybody 272 00:13:59,372 --> 00:14:01,339 that witnessed this, more than likely. 273 00:14:01,341 --> 00:14:02,740 So, you're trying to run through your mind, 274 00:14:02,742 --> 00:14:05,143 "I hope we can find somebody, some way to solve this one." 275 00:14:06,479 --> 00:14:08,546 - narrator: Luckily, a few neighbors claim 276 00:14:08,548 --> 00:14:11,616 to have heard a commotion that morning. 277 00:14:11,618 --> 00:14:15,787 - We had numerous individuals around the home 278 00:14:15,789 --> 00:14:19,524 who heard gunshots around 8 o'clock that morning, 279 00:14:19,526 --> 00:14:22,961 and they all describe pretty much the same thing: 280 00:14:22,963 --> 00:14:25,263 Four or five gunshots. 281 00:14:25,265 --> 00:14:26,798 - I believe they were, like, almost one second apart. 282 00:14:26,800 --> 00:14:28,933 Just, "bam, bam, bam." 283 00:14:28,935 --> 00:14:31,269 - they thought nothing of it because it wasn't unusual 284 00:14:31,271 --> 00:14:34,739 for folks around there to-- to fire a couple of rounds 285 00:14:34,741 --> 00:14:37,809 into the air to--to get the geese out of their garden 286 00:14:37,811 --> 00:14:40,311 or the deer off their lawn. 287 00:14:42,082 --> 00:14:45,250 - Narrator: Meanwhile, csi has begun processing 288 00:14:45,252 --> 00:14:49,587 the inside of patti wheelington's home for evidence. 289 00:14:49,589 --> 00:14:51,723 - Marc: The one thing I remember about the house is, 290 00:14:51,725 --> 00:14:53,424 everything was in place. 291 00:14:53,426 --> 00:14:58,630 It was very clean, it was, uh, nothing was ransacked, uh, 292 00:14:58,632 --> 00:15:02,567 I am totally confident that once the victim was killed, 293 00:15:02,569 --> 00:15:04,636 nobody entered that house. 294 00:15:04,638 --> 00:15:06,371 - Jason: We couldn't see that anything had been taken. 295 00:15:06,373 --> 00:15:08,973 We were able to, uh, rule out a robbery very shortly. 296 00:15:11,144 --> 00:15:13,912 - Narrator: The only thing that catches detectives' attention 297 00:15:13,914 --> 00:15:16,681 inside the home is a pile of papers 298 00:15:16,683 --> 00:15:18,783 on the kitchen counter. 299 00:15:18,785 --> 00:15:22,120 - There was a receipt that was laying on the countertop. 300 00:15:22,122 --> 00:15:27,125 And this receipt was from a locksmith company 301 00:15:27,127 --> 00:15:31,462 who had just changed her locks the day before. 302 00:15:31,464 --> 00:15:35,433 That's something that, of course, drew our attention, 303 00:15:35,435 --> 00:15:38,703 because most people don't just randomly change 304 00:15:38,705 --> 00:15:40,471 their door locks. 305 00:15:40,473 --> 00:15:42,507 - You're kinda thinking, "why's all of a sudden 306 00:15:42,509 --> 00:15:45,543 she getting her--her locks changed on the house?" 307 00:15:45,545 --> 00:15:48,646 - john: She could be saying, "there's someone I'm afraid of." 308 00:15:48,648 --> 00:15:50,515 she was definitely saying, 309 00:15:50,517 --> 00:15:54,786 "there's somebody I don't want in my house." 310 00:15:54,788 --> 00:15:57,322 - narrator: The other papers on the counter are documents 311 00:15:57,324 --> 00:16:00,391 concerning patti's life insurance policy, 312 00:16:00,393 --> 00:16:04,195 which lists a number of beneficiaries. 313 00:16:04,197 --> 00:16:06,331 - When ray wheelington passed away, 314 00:16:06,333 --> 00:16:10,134 he left patti a lot of money and no heirs, 315 00:16:10,136 --> 00:16:15,373 so patti left money in her will to help local organizations. 316 00:16:15,375 --> 00:16:19,377 She also left money in her will to these members 317 00:16:19,379 --> 00:16:21,512 of the guys 'n dolls club. 318 00:16:21,514 --> 00:16:23,348 - Narrator: Two familiar friends appear 319 00:16:23,350 --> 00:16:25,850 in the life insurance policy: 320 00:16:25,852 --> 00:16:28,753 Barbara ricketts and phyllis nabors. 321 00:16:28,755 --> 00:16:31,589 The women who found patti's body. 322 00:16:32,592 --> 00:16:36,361 The revelation forces police to consider the possibility 323 00:16:36,363 --> 00:16:39,063 that patti's seemingly concerned friends 324 00:16:39,065 --> 00:16:42,066 are actually her killers. 325 00:16:42,068 --> 00:16:43,768 - Phyllis: They had to, you know, check us all out 326 00:16:43,770 --> 00:16:46,337 and make sure we--we weren't the ones that killed patti. 327 00:16:48,041 --> 00:16:50,942 - Narrator: Coming up, had money driven a wedge 328 00:16:50,944 --> 00:16:53,077 between old friends? 329 00:16:53,079 --> 00:16:55,913 - They all got a substantial amount of money after her death. 330 00:16:55,915 --> 00:16:59,684 - Narrator: Or is there a darker motive at play? 331 00:16:59,686 --> 00:17:03,121 - They believe that there was an affair going on. 332 00:17:03,123 --> 00:17:07,191 - Paul: If someone is reluctant to sit down for an interview, 333 00:17:07,193 --> 00:17:08,993 it does raise suspicion. 334 00:17:11,431 --> 00:17:14,465 - ♪ 335 00:17:16,802 --> 00:17:19,737 - ♪ 336 00:17:22,108 --> 00:17:24,909 - narrator: Detectives in texarkana, arkansas, 337 00:17:24,911 --> 00:17:27,712 have just discovered the life insurance policy 338 00:17:27,714 --> 00:17:31,082 of patti wheelington listed two beneficiaries 339 00:17:31,084 --> 00:17:33,518 very close to the case: 340 00:17:33,520 --> 00:17:36,287 Barbara ricketts and phyllis nabors, 341 00:17:36,289 --> 00:17:39,524 the women who claim to have discovered patti's body 342 00:17:39,526 --> 00:17:41,192 hours earlier. 343 00:17:41,194 --> 00:17:43,294 - They all got a substantial amount of money 344 00:17:43,296 --> 00:17:44,962 from her--after her death. 345 00:17:44,964 --> 00:17:48,299 - She was a wealthy person and the members 346 00:17:48,301 --> 00:17:51,469 of the dance community were in her will. 347 00:17:51,471 --> 00:17:54,572 She wanted to leave $10,000 to each of them. 348 00:17:54,574 --> 00:17:57,675 It was pretty suspicious circumstances. 349 00:18:00,914 --> 00:18:03,214 - Narrator: That evening, detectives separately 350 00:18:03,216 --> 00:18:05,716 interview both women. 351 00:18:05,718 --> 00:18:08,586 Barbara and phyllis say they were contacted earlier 352 00:18:08,588 --> 00:18:12,490 that day by a mutual friend and fellow square dancer, 353 00:18:12,492 --> 00:18:15,226 80-year-old ken caldwell. 354 00:18:15,228 --> 00:18:19,130 - Ken caldwell called us that-- told us that he, uh, 355 00:18:19,132 --> 00:18:22,600 was not getting picked up by patti to take him to the doctor. 356 00:18:22,602 --> 00:18:25,169 And he got worried, and that's how we got out 357 00:18:25,171 --> 00:18:29,173 to see about her around 5 o'clock that afternoon. 358 00:18:29,175 --> 00:18:31,876 - Narrator: Detectives ask the two women if they knew 359 00:18:31,878 --> 00:18:35,046 that patti had left them money in her will. 360 00:18:35,048 --> 00:18:40,118 - After ray had passed away, she had a $100,000 policy, 361 00:18:40,120 --> 00:18:42,520 and she said, "y'all are the only family I have, 362 00:18:42,522 --> 00:18:44,255 and I'm gonna split this up." 363 00:18:44,257 --> 00:18:46,691 and I said, "oh, yeah, that's really cool, patti, 364 00:18:46,693 --> 00:18:48,092 "you're younger than all of us. 365 00:18:48,094 --> 00:18:49,894 "we're gonna be dead so, you know, 366 00:18:49,896 --> 00:18:51,829 we're not gonna ever see this money." 367 00:18:51,831 --> 00:18:53,598 but she insisted. 368 00:18:54,801 --> 00:18:58,202 - Narrator: Investigators grill both women to find out 369 00:18:58,204 --> 00:19:01,339 how far they would go to receive their cuts 370 00:19:01,341 --> 00:19:03,875 of patti's life insurance payout. 371 00:19:03,877 --> 00:19:06,511 - They had to interrogate us like we could have murdered her 372 00:19:06,513 --> 00:19:10,381 to get our $20,000 well, that was a joke. 373 00:19:10,383 --> 00:19:12,283 - Narrator: Barbara says she was with family 374 00:19:12,285 --> 00:19:14,619 all afternoon, and phyllis claims 375 00:19:14,621 --> 00:19:17,955 that she and her friend had spent the day together. 376 00:19:17,957 --> 00:19:22,360 - There was no one in this world that would ever hurt patti. 377 00:19:22,362 --> 00:19:25,863 There's no one in this world that was angry enough 378 00:19:25,865 --> 00:19:28,866 to kill patti--no one. 379 00:19:28,868 --> 00:19:34,539 - Her friends would tell us everyone that knew patti... 380 00:19:34,541 --> 00:19:36,040 Loved patti. 381 00:19:36,042 --> 00:19:39,577 She just warmed up to anybody, she talked to anybody, 382 00:19:39,579 --> 00:19:42,146 and she usually made good friends. 383 00:19:44,350 --> 00:19:46,918 - Narrator: Phyllis and barbara tell police that patti 384 00:19:46,920 --> 00:19:49,587 hadn't settled on a new beau yet, 385 00:19:49,589 --> 00:19:52,023 but there were ugly rumors circulating 386 00:19:52,025 --> 00:19:54,358 around the square dancing club. 387 00:19:54,360 --> 00:19:59,230 - There was rumors even before ray died, 388 00:19:59,232 --> 00:20:01,599 that patti was seeing someone. 389 00:20:02,502 --> 00:20:04,735 - Narrator: Phyllis says that james hyatt, 390 00:20:04,737 --> 00:20:07,805 a contractor who was married to another square dancer, 391 00:20:07,807 --> 00:20:10,675 virginia hyatt, had been close to patti 392 00:20:10,677 --> 00:20:12,743 and her late husband, ray. 393 00:20:12,745 --> 00:20:15,880 - This life insurance policy had james and virginia 394 00:20:15,882 --> 00:20:18,883 and me and harvey and barbara. 395 00:20:18,885 --> 00:20:20,718 - There was a lot of trust there, obviously, 396 00:20:20,720 --> 00:20:24,388 because both ray and patti named james 397 00:20:24,390 --> 00:20:26,624 as executor of their wills. 398 00:20:29,262 --> 00:20:32,363 - After ray passed away, james was there to help patti 399 00:20:32,365 --> 00:20:35,733 around the house, fix things that needed to be fixed. 400 00:20:35,735 --> 00:20:39,070 - Even if patti wasn't there, he had a key, he could go in, 401 00:20:39,072 --> 00:20:41,572 he could fix things. 402 00:20:41,574 --> 00:20:43,474 - Phyllis: There's a lot of the women that were jealous, 403 00:20:43,476 --> 00:20:47,578 'cause patti was flirty, and of course they believe that 404 00:20:47,580 --> 00:20:49,947 there was an affair going on. 405 00:20:49,949 --> 00:20:52,216 The ones that were closest to patti is the ones 406 00:20:52,218 --> 00:20:54,252 that did not believe it. 407 00:20:54,254 --> 00:20:56,554 - Narrator: Although they dismissed the gossip, 408 00:20:56,556 --> 00:21:00,224 phyllis and barbara admit that patti and james's behavior 409 00:21:00,226 --> 00:21:03,928 had recently added fuel to the rumor mill. 410 00:21:03,930 --> 00:21:06,397 - John: There was a time right before patti was murdered 411 00:21:06,399 --> 00:21:10,201 that her and james went out of town at the same time. 412 00:21:11,771 --> 00:21:14,939 - All of a sudden, james goes out of town, 413 00:21:14,941 --> 00:21:16,173 patti's out of town, 414 00:21:16,175 --> 00:21:20,611 and then james sends divorce papers to virginia. 415 00:21:25,184 --> 00:21:27,118 - Narrator: Phyllis says when virginia hyatt 416 00:21:27,120 --> 00:21:30,788 received those papers just days before the murder, 417 00:21:30,790 --> 00:21:32,823 she immediately called her. 418 00:21:34,460 --> 00:21:37,628 - Virginia hyatt called me on Friday just in tears 419 00:21:37,630 --> 00:21:40,531 and crying and said james had left her. 420 00:21:40,533 --> 00:21:42,867 She was just distraught. 421 00:21:42,869 --> 00:21:46,170 - He leaves virginia and left her high and dry-- 422 00:21:46,172 --> 00:21:49,140 41 or 42 years, I think, they were married. 423 00:21:49,142 --> 00:21:51,976 No children, no family, nothing. 424 00:21:51,978 --> 00:21:54,278 - Narrator: The women say the square dancing club 425 00:21:54,280 --> 00:21:56,714 buzzed with the news that james and patti 426 00:21:56,716 --> 00:21:59,183 had run off together, but even though james 427 00:21:59,185 --> 00:22:00,951 hadn't come back to town, 428 00:22:00,953 --> 00:22:04,822 patti had returned alone on December 2. 429 00:22:04,824 --> 00:22:08,826 - She had been out of town, uh, she had gone to louisiana. 430 00:22:08,828 --> 00:22:12,196 But it just so happened that this was at the same time. 431 00:22:12,198 --> 00:22:15,733 - From the outside looking in, 432 00:22:15,735 --> 00:22:17,868 that looked extremely suspicious. 433 00:22:21,140 --> 00:22:24,241 - Narrator: When she checked in on virginia on December 3rd, 434 00:22:24,243 --> 00:22:29,313 phyllis says that her friend had made peace with her divorce. 435 00:22:29,315 --> 00:22:33,384 - She went from desperate and angry to calm and relaxed, 436 00:22:33,386 --> 00:22:37,054 and...You know, happy outlook on life, 437 00:22:37,056 --> 00:22:39,757 "everything is gonna be good from here on out." 438 00:22:39,759 --> 00:22:43,194 - and I thought, "alright, we're on our way to recovery." 439 00:22:43,196 --> 00:22:45,429 - narrator: Still, james's whereabouts 440 00:22:45,431 --> 00:22:47,732 remain a mystery. 441 00:22:47,734 --> 00:22:50,868 - James was gone, and this is highly suspicious. 442 00:22:54,273 --> 00:22:56,374 - Narrator: After striking phyllis and barbara 443 00:22:56,376 --> 00:22:59,844 from the suspect list, investigators are able to reach 444 00:22:59,846 --> 00:23:02,546 james hyatt on his cell phone. 445 00:23:02,548 --> 00:23:05,783 He tells police that friends have already informed him 446 00:23:05,785 --> 00:23:08,786 about patti's tragic death. 447 00:23:08,788 --> 00:23:11,922 - John: I believe it was phyllis nabors who called 448 00:23:11,924 --> 00:23:14,859 and told him patti had been murdered, 449 00:23:14,861 --> 00:23:16,827 he needed to get back there. 450 00:23:16,829 --> 00:23:21,031 - James had gone to florida where his sister lived, 451 00:23:21,033 --> 00:23:23,434 and was spending time there. 452 00:23:23,436 --> 00:23:25,136 - Narrator: Detectives question james 453 00:23:25,138 --> 00:23:27,805 about his relationship with patti. 454 00:23:27,807 --> 00:23:30,408 - They spent time together, they were close. 455 00:23:30,410 --> 00:23:32,777 They talked to each other every day. 456 00:23:32,779 --> 00:23:34,779 James did admit that. 457 00:23:34,781 --> 00:23:38,916 - James basically denied all things 458 00:23:38,918 --> 00:23:42,453 about a sexual relationship with patti. 459 00:23:42,455 --> 00:23:44,388 - Jason: He wasn't very cooperative, really. 460 00:23:44,390 --> 00:23:46,657 He didn't want to talk to us, he wanted to talk to a sergeant. 461 00:23:46,659 --> 00:23:48,559 He didn't care to talk to a lowly detective, 462 00:23:48,561 --> 00:23:50,494 he wanted to talk to somebody of rank. 463 00:23:50,496 --> 00:23:53,798 - I don't recall him really offering a whole lot of anything 464 00:23:53,800 --> 00:23:57,568 that was other than what we specifically asked. 465 00:23:57,570 --> 00:24:00,504 - Narrator: James agrees to come in for a formal interview 466 00:24:00,506 --> 00:24:02,840 when he returns to texarkana. 467 00:24:06,412 --> 00:24:08,813 While detectives wait for his return, 468 00:24:08,815 --> 00:24:11,849 they ping james's cell phone. 469 00:24:11,851 --> 00:24:13,551 - Paul: We can see where he traveled, 470 00:24:13,553 --> 00:24:16,454 the route he took and what time he was traveling. 471 00:24:16,456 --> 00:24:20,357 So, we knew he was well away from the area 472 00:24:20,359 --> 00:24:22,326 when patti was killed. 473 00:24:22,328 --> 00:24:24,361 - We thought maybe james was involved in this, 474 00:24:24,363 --> 00:24:25,996 and then we find out james was in florida, 475 00:24:25,998 --> 00:24:29,500 and james had left on Friday, right after thanksgiving. 476 00:24:29,502 --> 00:24:31,635 And so, he couldn't be involved in it. 477 00:24:31,637 --> 00:24:34,205 - Narrator: And yet, james's earlier demeanor 478 00:24:34,207 --> 00:24:39,310 on the phone doesn't exactly dispel detectives' concerns. 479 00:24:39,312 --> 00:24:41,712 - Paul: If you're a friend of someone and your friend 480 00:24:41,714 --> 00:24:45,483 has been killed, you should be willing to jump through hoops 481 00:24:45,485 --> 00:24:50,187 or whatever we ask you to do if it helps us get to the person 482 00:24:50,189 --> 00:24:51,856 who killed your friend. 483 00:24:51,858 --> 00:24:54,325 One of the things that we dealt with 484 00:24:54,327 --> 00:24:57,194 was trying to establish a motive that he would have 485 00:24:57,196 --> 00:24:59,563 to try to cause harm to patti. 486 00:24:59,565 --> 00:25:03,868 He was in her will as the executor of her estate. 487 00:25:03,870 --> 00:25:05,002 We learn that, you know, 488 00:25:05,004 --> 00:25:07,505 he was mentioned in her life insurance policy. 489 00:25:09,375 --> 00:25:11,976 - She has a substantial estate, substantial money gonna be 490 00:25:11,978 --> 00:25:14,645 coming to him when she passes. 491 00:25:14,647 --> 00:25:16,113 We don't believe in coincidence. 492 00:25:16,115 --> 00:25:17,381 You know, things happen for a reason, 493 00:25:17,383 --> 00:25:19,183 and we see that he's getting divorce papers. 494 00:25:19,185 --> 00:25:21,085 He's getting them served to his wife the same day 495 00:25:21,087 --> 00:25:22,786 that patti had the locks changed. 496 00:25:26,058 --> 00:25:27,525 - Narrator: With james out of town, 497 00:25:27,527 --> 00:25:30,394 investigators shift their focus and decide 498 00:25:30,396 --> 00:25:33,764 to sit down with 80-year-old ken caldwell, 499 00:25:33,766 --> 00:25:36,000 the man who first raised the alarm 500 00:25:36,002 --> 00:25:38,369 about patti's disappearance. 501 00:25:38,371 --> 00:25:41,438 - Stephanie: Ken caldwell definitely was sweet on patti. 502 00:25:41,440 --> 00:25:44,208 He relied on patti to get him to his doctor's appointments 503 00:25:44,210 --> 00:25:46,944 and help him with his-- getting his medication 504 00:25:46,946 --> 00:25:49,747 and groceries and things of that nature. 505 00:25:49,749 --> 00:25:51,415 - Jason: They had a special relationship. 506 00:25:51,417 --> 00:25:52,850 He liked her, enjoyed talking to her, 507 00:25:52,852 --> 00:25:54,318 talked to her every morning. 508 00:25:54,320 --> 00:25:56,954 - Narrator: Ken tells police that on December 3, 509 00:25:56,956 --> 00:26:00,024 he and patti were chatting on the phone around 8 a.M., 510 00:26:00,026 --> 00:26:02,259 just like they always did. 511 00:26:02,261 --> 00:26:07,031 But ken says that morning, their call was interrupted. 512 00:26:07,033 --> 00:26:08,532 - She just said, "virginia's here again, 513 00:26:08,534 --> 00:26:11,468 I'll call you back." uh, and hung up immediately. 514 00:26:11,470 --> 00:26:14,838 - That was the last anybody ever talked to patti. 515 00:26:17,577 --> 00:26:20,578 - Narrator: Coming up, a killer's true colors 516 00:26:20,580 --> 00:26:22,379 are exposed. 517 00:26:22,381 --> 00:26:27,151 - She was presented as this crazy person who was jealous. 518 00:26:27,153 --> 00:26:30,554 - She is literally just, you know, weeping, wailing, 519 00:26:30,556 --> 00:26:31,622 gnashing teeth. 520 00:26:36,462 --> 00:26:41,165 - It's hard for me to imagine a grown man 521 00:26:41,167 --> 00:26:43,467 being that scared of his wife. 522 00:26:45,571 --> 00:26:49,306 - ♪ 523 00:26:55,281 --> 00:26:58,148 - narrator: After dissecting the rumors swirling around 524 00:26:58,150 --> 00:27:00,684 the texarkana square dance circuit, 525 00:27:00,686 --> 00:27:04,355 investigators have reason to believe there was bad blood 526 00:27:04,357 --> 00:27:06,757 between their victim, patti wheelington, 527 00:27:06,759 --> 00:27:09,526 and her friend, virginia hyatt. 528 00:27:09,528 --> 00:27:12,262 - Virginia had assumed, and perhaps correctly, 529 00:27:12,264 --> 00:27:16,433 that james was leaving her for patti wheelington, 530 00:27:16,435 --> 00:27:20,004 and had discovered that her husband was filing for divorce. 531 00:27:24,243 --> 00:27:27,111 - Narrator: According to patti's friend, ken caldwell, 532 00:27:27,113 --> 00:27:30,614 virginia knew about the rumors surrounding her husband 533 00:27:30,616 --> 00:27:33,450 and patti's relationship, and when she learned 534 00:27:33,452 --> 00:27:35,886 of her husband's intent to divorce her, 535 00:27:35,888 --> 00:27:41,158 just days before patti's murder, she did not take it well. 536 00:27:41,160 --> 00:27:43,560 - Phyllis: The last time that we were at patti's, 537 00:27:43,562 --> 00:27:45,496 virginia was mad and upset with her. 538 00:27:45,498 --> 00:27:48,532 She was just rude and ugly. 539 00:27:48,534 --> 00:27:53,504 - Stephanie: She made some disparaging comments about patti 540 00:27:53,506 --> 00:27:57,241 and saying that patti was...Flirtatious. 541 00:27:57,243 --> 00:28:00,511 She was always flirting with all of the men. 542 00:28:00,513 --> 00:28:03,013 I think everyone was kind of dismissive of it 543 00:28:03,015 --> 00:28:07,051 and rolling their eyes and, you know, kind of, you know, 544 00:28:07,053 --> 00:28:08,619 "isn't virginia crazy?" 545 00:28:11,857 --> 00:28:14,258 - narrator: So when patti said on their phone call that morning 546 00:28:14,260 --> 00:28:16,994 that virginia had pulled up to visit, 547 00:28:16,996 --> 00:28:20,731 ken tells police he was immediately wary. 548 00:28:20,733 --> 00:28:22,766 - Jason: She'd been talking to ken caldwell and, uh, 549 00:28:22,768 --> 00:28:24,435 as he was talking to her that morning, 550 00:28:24,437 --> 00:28:26,437 virginia hyatt came to the house, and she told ken, 551 00:28:26,439 --> 00:28:29,206 "I'll call you back later, virginia's at my house again." 552 00:28:29,208 --> 00:28:31,275 uh, and so, she hung up with him. 553 00:28:31,277 --> 00:28:33,744 - Stephanie: Mr. Caldwell, uh, was concerned the minute 554 00:28:33,746 --> 00:28:36,780 he got off the phone with her because he was already concerned 555 00:28:36,782 --> 00:28:39,717 about virginia hyatt's behavior. 556 00:28:39,719 --> 00:28:43,220 - It just further fueled his anxiousness and worry that-- 557 00:28:43,222 --> 00:28:46,690 that something had gone terribly, terribly wrong. 558 00:28:46,692 --> 00:28:48,058 - Jason: It was right around 8 o'clock-- 559 00:28:48,060 --> 00:28:50,094 8 o'clock in the morning, uh, which is the time that 560 00:28:50,096 --> 00:28:52,096 we were able to get from the neighbors 561 00:28:52,098 --> 00:28:53,797 that the shots were fired. 562 00:28:53,799 --> 00:28:57,534 - So, that really led the detectives to suspect 563 00:28:57,536 --> 00:29:01,572 that they had a pretty clear, identifiable suspect 564 00:29:01,574 --> 00:29:03,140 in virginia hyatt. 565 00:29:04,810 --> 00:29:07,311 - We secured a warrant for her arrest. 566 00:29:07,313 --> 00:29:09,813 - Narrator: At 2 a.M. On December 4, 567 00:29:09,815 --> 00:29:13,884 nearly 24 hours after patti wheelington was murdered, 568 00:29:13,886 --> 00:29:18,388 officers arrive at virginia's modest texarkana home. 569 00:29:18,390 --> 00:29:20,090 - We take her into custody. 570 00:29:20,092 --> 00:29:22,659 Put her in handcuffs, put her in a patrol car. 571 00:29:22,661 --> 00:29:24,828 - Jason: You feel sorry for her. Uh, and you're like, 572 00:29:24,830 --> 00:29:26,163 "I don't know." 573 00:29:26,165 --> 00:29:27,631 you start, maybe guessing yourself going, 574 00:29:27,633 --> 00:29:30,300 "could she really be the one to do this?" 575 00:29:35,074 --> 00:29:37,741 - narrator: At the station, detectives ask virginia 576 00:29:37,743 --> 00:29:40,744 about her relationship with patti wheelington, 577 00:29:40,746 --> 00:29:43,947 her husband's alleged mistress. 578 00:29:43,949 --> 00:29:46,483 - Paul: Virginia knew about the affair. 579 00:29:46,485 --> 00:29:49,319 She described patti as friends, 580 00:29:49,321 --> 00:29:51,321 though I believe she tried to conceal it, 581 00:29:51,323 --> 00:29:54,191 she held resentment for patti. 582 00:29:54,193 --> 00:29:56,026 - Jason: She was upset because james left her 583 00:29:56,028 --> 00:29:57,461 and she couldn't believe that he would do that 584 00:29:57,463 --> 00:29:58,929 after all those years. 585 00:29:58,931 --> 00:30:01,498 - Narrator: But virginia says that she's made peace 586 00:30:01,500 --> 00:30:03,834 with the end of her marriage. 587 00:30:03,836 --> 00:30:08,906 - Virginia gave the appearance that she had accepted things 588 00:30:08,908 --> 00:30:12,843 as far as james filing for divorce. 589 00:30:12,845 --> 00:30:14,978 She never gave us the appearance 590 00:30:14,980 --> 00:30:18,282 that she was the distraught person 591 00:30:18,284 --> 00:30:21,618 that we believed that she was. 592 00:30:21,620 --> 00:30:23,687 - And she's telling us that she would never, 593 00:30:23,689 --> 00:30:25,189 never do anything to patti. 594 00:30:27,226 --> 00:30:30,227 - Narrator: Virginia says that 80-year-old ken caldwell 595 00:30:30,229 --> 00:30:32,563 must have made a mistake when he said 596 00:30:32,565 --> 00:30:35,098 she was at patti's home that morning. 597 00:30:56,155 --> 00:31:00,390 - She told us that she had gotten up, uh, 598 00:31:00,392 --> 00:31:04,361 and about 8 o'clock, and she went to...Mcdonald's, 599 00:31:04,363 --> 00:31:06,964 then she went to the nursing home and visited her mother. 600 00:31:18,777 --> 00:31:20,177 - Jason: Eight o'clock in the morning 601 00:31:20,179 --> 00:31:22,112 she had been at mcdonald's getting food for her mother, 602 00:31:22,114 --> 00:31:24,915 and spending time with her at the nursing home. 603 00:31:24,917 --> 00:31:26,884 If she's there at 8 o'clock, it's gonna be impossible for her 604 00:31:26,886 --> 00:31:29,686 to kill patti at 8 o'clock. 605 00:31:29,688 --> 00:31:31,255 - Paul: We ended our interview with her, 606 00:31:31,257 --> 00:31:35,392 she was taken up to the jail, where she was booked in, 607 00:31:35,394 --> 00:31:38,629 and we go about 608 00:31:38,631 --> 00:31:41,965 starting to try to investigate her story. 609 00:31:45,738 --> 00:31:48,839 - Narrator: Detectives start by subpoenaing patti, virginia, 610 00:31:48,841 --> 00:31:51,608 and james's phone records. 611 00:31:51,610 --> 00:31:56,513 - As we had patti's phone... Analyzed, uh, 612 00:31:56,515 --> 00:32:00,918 we were able to discover that there were some voicemails 613 00:32:00,920 --> 00:32:04,988 that were left from virginia to patti. 614 00:32:31,183 --> 00:32:35,485 - Lynn: She is literally just, you know, weeping, wailing. 615 00:32:35,487 --> 00:32:38,121 She's just trying to talk and sob at the same time 616 00:32:38,123 --> 00:32:40,123 and it's just unintelligible. 617 00:32:40,125 --> 00:32:44,928 - It definitely supported the motive that we knew 618 00:32:44,930 --> 00:32:47,798 was there for virginia to have killed patti. 619 00:32:50,703 --> 00:32:53,337 - Narrator: Virginia's voicemails aren't the only 620 00:32:53,339 --> 00:32:56,940 big break that come from the cell phone sweep. 621 00:32:56,942 --> 00:33:01,111 - They found out that james had two cell phones. 622 00:33:01,113 --> 00:33:02,679 - Jason: He's too old to be a drug dealer, 623 00:33:02,681 --> 00:33:04,181 and he shouldn't have two phones. 624 00:33:04,183 --> 00:33:07,651 I was like, "okay, this is highly suspicious." 625 00:33:07,653 --> 00:33:09,686 uh, I was very bothered by it. 626 00:33:09,688 --> 00:33:11,621 - Narrator: When detectives retrieve the calls 627 00:33:11,623 --> 00:33:13,490 and messages from the phone, 628 00:33:13,492 --> 00:33:18,395 it turns out james had used it to contact just one person: 629 00:33:18,397 --> 00:33:20,697 Patti wheelington. 630 00:33:20,699 --> 00:33:25,035 - He didn't want virginia to be aware that he was, uh, 631 00:33:25,037 --> 00:33:27,637 making phone calls to and from. 632 00:33:27,639 --> 00:33:30,907 It was obvious by the information in the phone 633 00:33:30,909 --> 00:33:33,710 that they were more than just friends. 634 00:33:33,712 --> 00:33:37,047 - Virginia was presented by all the members 635 00:33:37,049 --> 00:33:40,550 of the guys 'n dolls club as this crazy person 636 00:33:40,552 --> 00:33:43,153 who was jealous for no reason, but it turns out, 637 00:33:43,155 --> 00:33:45,489 she was jealous for good reason. 638 00:33:49,161 --> 00:33:51,028 - Narrator: After detectives finish combing 639 00:33:51,030 --> 00:33:52,763 through cell phone records, 640 00:33:52,765 --> 00:33:56,867 james arrives at the station for his scheduled interview. 641 00:33:56,869 --> 00:33:59,169 - We sat him down and we said, "look here's-- 642 00:33:59,171 --> 00:34:01,271 "here's what we have, you need to be honest, 643 00:34:01,273 --> 00:34:03,206 it's very important for you to be honest." 644 00:34:03,208 --> 00:34:07,277 and so, he admitted that, yes, they did have an affair. 645 00:34:07,279 --> 00:34:10,213 - He wanted to protect patti's reputation. 646 00:34:10,215 --> 00:34:12,249 - Stephanie: In texarkana, this is a small town. 647 00:34:12,251 --> 00:34:13,784 We're in the bible belt. 648 00:34:13,786 --> 00:34:16,486 It's not looked kindly upon; 649 00:34:16,488 --> 00:34:18,955 people having extramarital affairs. 650 00:34:22,694 --> 00:34:27,064 - Narrator: According to james, the affair began in 2009, 651 00:34:27,066 --> 00:34:29,266 shortly after he finished rebuilding 652 00:34:29,268 --> 00:34:31,101 the wheelingtons' home. 653 00:34:31,103 --> 00:34:34,438 - She and james struck up a romantic relationship 654 00:34:34,440 --> 00:34:37,908 before ray's death, but during a period of time 655 00:34:37,910 --> 00:34:42,546 when ray didn't really know who people were. 656 00:34:42,548 --> 00:34:46,183 It's not surprising that she would have sought solace 657 00:34:46,185 --> 00:34:49,486 in--in, you know, somebody really close to her. 658 00:34:49,488 --> 00:34:52,823 - I felt dumb that I didn't know, you know, 659 00:34:52,825 --> 00:34:55,492 it's right in front of your face and you can't see it. 660 00:34:55,494 --> 00:34:58,728 - Narrator: According to james, his relationship with virginia 661 00:34:58,730 --> 00:35:01,598 had been on the rocks for years. 662 00:35:01,600 --> 00:35:04,768 - He said they had separate bedrooms for the past ten years, 663 00:35:04,770 --> 00:35:06,169 they were not close. 664 00:35:07,072 --> 00:35:09,639 - After I thought about it, I don't think him and virginia 665 00:35:09,641 --> 00:35:13,777 had any kind of a relationship outside of dance partner. 666 00:35:13,779 --> 00:35:16,680 - Jason: She's not as attractive as patti. 667 00:35:16,682 --> 00:35:18,348 Her and james don't have any children, 668 00:35:18,350 --> 00:35:20,884 they don't have anything really holding them together anymore. 669 00:35:25,124 --> 00:35:27,691 - Narrator: James says the situation worsened 670 00:35:27,693 --> 00:35:30,627 when virginia learned of the affair. 671 00:35:30,629 --> 00:35:33,597 - The older she got, the more possessive she got. 672 00:35:33,599 --> 00:35:36,166 The more jealous she got. 673 00:35:36,168 --> 00:35:38,268 - James even said he locked his door at night 674 00:35:38,270 --> 00:35:41,171 for fear of virginia. 675 00:35:41,173 --> 00:35:44,774 It's hard for me to imagine... 676 00:35:44,776 --> 00:35:49,646 A grown man being that scared of his wife, 677 00:35:49,648 --> 00:35:52,182 that he would lock the door. 678 00:35:52,184 --> 00:35:55,118 - There was obviously something in virginia's character 679 00:35:55,120 --> 00:35:58,488 that caused the people who knew her best 680 00:35:58,490 --> 00:36:01,992 to--to think she was capable of anything. 681 00:36:01,994 --> 00:36:05,662 - Narrator: James says his fears were confirmed at thanksgiving, 682 00:36:05,664 --> 00:36:08,798 when virginia pulled james's sisters aside 683 00:36:08,800 --> 00:36:11,268 for a private chat. 684 00:36:11,270 --> 00:36:15,639 - Virginia told james hyatt's sisters, around thanksgiving, 685 00:36:15,641 --> 00:36:19,376 that she felt like james was going to kill his self. 686 00:36:19,378 --> 00:36:21,845 So, they got concerned. 687 00:36:21,847 --> 00:36:23,880 - Lynn: The sisters came to james and they said, 688 00:36:23,882 --> 00:36:26,216 "you know, virginia's coming to us and she's saying 689 00:36:26,218 --> 00:36:28,785 she's concerned that you're gonna kill yourself." 690 00:36:28,787 --> 00:36:32,255 they all theorized that, "virginia's gonna kill you 691 00:36:32,257 --> 00:36:34,991 "and try to make it look like you did it yourself, 692 00:36:34,993 --> 00:36:36,960 you need to get the hell out of dodge." 693 00:36:39,064 --> 00:36:41,531 - narrator: James says he took his sisters' advice 694 00:36:41,533 --> 00:36:43,266 and went to florida. 695 00:36:43,268 --> 00:36:48,371 - He begged patti to go with him to florida and be out of town 696 00:36:48,373 --> 00:36:51,007 because he was afraid of what virginia would do 697 00:36:51,009 --> 00:36:54,277 when she received the divorce papers. 698 00:36:54,279 --> 00:36:57,681 - Paul: Patti said, "I'm not running. 699 00:36:57,683 --> 00:37:01,952 I'm not running from her. I'm"-- 700 00:37:01,954 --> 00:37:04,821 basically, she felt like that whatever came up, 701 00:37:04,823 --> 00:37:07,390 she could talk to virginia. 702 00:37:07,392 --> 00:37:09,226 - Patti did have her locks changed, 703 00:37:09,228 --> 00:37:11,294 but refused to leave her home. 704 00:37:11,296 --> 00:37:13,129 - Narrator: When detectives ask if virginia 705 00:37:13,131 --> 00:37:14,965 had access to a weapon, 706 00:37:14,967 --> 00:37:20,637 james says virginia did have one gun: A .38 revolver. 707 00:37:20,639 --> 00:37:24,407 - She had a gun just like the one used in this murder. 708 00:37:27,112 --> 00:37:30,714 - Narrator: Coming up, can prosecutors convince a jury 709 00:37:30,716 --> 00:37:35,619 that this 67-year-old woman is a cold-blooded killer? 710 00:37:35,621 --> 00:37:38,388 - Virginia she just looked... Kind of pitiful. 711 00:37:38,390 --> 00:37:41,424 - There's no way that this decrepit old lady 712 00:37:41,426 --> 00:37:44,961 climbed those steps and fired five shots. 713 00:37:44,963 --> 00:37:45,962 - [gunshot] 714 00:37:45,964 --> 00:37:48,999 - ♪ 715 00:37:56,308 --> 00:37:59,075 - narrator: Nearly 36 hours into the investigation 716 00:37:59,077 --> 00:38:03,179 of who killed patti wheelington, detectives now believe 717 00:38:03,181 --> 00:38:06,950 that on the morning of December 3, 2013, 718 00:38:06,952 --> 00:38:10,320 virginia hyatt killed her husband's mistress 719 00:38:10,322 --> 00:38:12,589 in a jealous rage. 720 00:38:12,591 --> 00:38:15,859 - Paul: I believe that she was lying about her alibi. 721 00:38:15,861 --> 00:38:18,662 Fortunately for us, uh, 722 00:38:18,664 --> 00:38:23,566 she gave us the part of her alibi that was true 723 00:38:23,568 --> 00:38:26,569 as far as her going to mcdonald's. 724 00:38:26,571 --> 00:38:29,673 - She said she was at mcdonald's at 8 o'clock 725 00:38:29,675 --> 00:38:31,541 going through the drive thru. 726 00:38:31,543 --> 00:38:33,977 He obtained those videos. 727 00:38:33,979 --> 00:38:37,514 So, after viewing the videos, he found that she did not 728 00:38:37,516 --> 00:38:40,317 go through at 8 o'clock, but she did go through at 9, 729 00:38:40,319 --> 00:38:42,552 adjusting her time by an hour. 730 00:38:42,554 --> 00:38:45,188 - She had plenty of time and opportunity 731 00:38:45,190 --> 00:38:48,625 to drive to patti's house to kill patti-- 732 00:38:48,627 --> 00:38:50,694 - [gunshots] 733 00:38:50,696 --> 00:38:53,396 - paul: --And then come back and carry out through her day 734 00:38:53,398 --> 00:38:55,799 like she had done nothing. 735 00:38:59,037 --> 00:39:01,938 - Narrator: Later that day, investigators go to virginia's 736 00:39:01,940 --> 00:39:04,307 home with a search warrant. 737 00:39:04,309 --> 00:39:07,544 Although they don't find the suspected murder weapon, 738 00:39:07,546 --> 00:39:10,647 they uncover something else. 739 00:39:10,649 --> 00:39:14,250 - Paul: We go to the video at mcdonald's and we're able 740 00:39:14,252 --> 00:39:16,086 to see what she's wearing. 741 00:39:16,088 --> 00:39:18,321 We know we need to locate her clothing that she was 742 00:39:18,323 --> 00:39:21,191 wearing that day in her home. 743 00:39:21,193 --> 00:39:25,061 - Stephanie: In her house, on her bed, were some clothes 744 00:39:25,063 --> 00:39:28,631 that she had obviously worn and tossed on the bed, 745 00:39:28,633 --> 00:39:31,568 and one of those items was a shirt that she was seen 746 00:39:31,570 --> 00:39:34,070 wearing in the mcdonald's video. 747 00:39:36,541 --> 00:39:38,641 - Narrator: Detectives send the shirt to the arkansas 748 00:39:38,643 --> 00:39:41,911 crime lab to test for gunpowder residue. 749 00:39:41,913 --> 00:39:45,882 A few days later, the results come back. 750 00:39:45,884 --> 00:39:47,784 - Lo and behold there's, uh, 751 00:39:47,786 --> 00:39:49,619 gunpowder residue on her clothing. 752 00:39:51,790 --> 00:39:53,857 - Narrator: Details of virginia's arrest 753 00:39:53,859 --> 00:39:59,295 and patti and james's affair quickly become front-page news. 754 00:39:59,297 --> 00:40:01,030 - Phyllis: I just had to sit down 'cause... 755 00:40:01,032 --> 00:40:04,634 I had defended it that they didn't have an affair 756 00:40:04,636 --> 00:40:08,304 for so long, it was just shocking. 757 00:40:08,306 --> 00:40:12,175 - Because patti wheelington was an...Very involved member 758 00:40:12,177 --> 00:40:16,146 in the community, people took note. 759 00:40:16,148 --> 00:40:19,349 I had several members of the community approach me 760 00:40:19,351 --> 00:40:22,085 to be sure that virginia was prosecuted 761 00:40:22,087 --> 00:40:23,720 to the fullest extent of the law. 762 00:40:26,458 --> 00:40:28,425 - Narrator: Virginia's trial gets underway 763 00:40:28,427 --> 00:40:31,694 on February 2, 2016. 764 00:40:31,696 --> 00:40:35,498 Prosecutors assert that after her husband of 40 years 765 00:40:35,500 --> 00:40:38,034 filed for divorce, virginia turned 766 00:40:38,036 --> 00:40:41,771 on her husband's mistress, patti wheelington. 767 00:40:41,773 --> 00:40:44,340 - Phyllis: She wasn't gonna get james back. 768 00:40:44,342 --> 00:40:47,777 Her life was over. But she could kill patti. 769 00:40:47,779 --> 00:40:51,214 And then everything would be okay. 770 00:40:51,216 --> 00:40:53,950 - Lynn: She got that .38-caliber pistol, 771 00:40:53,952 --> 00:40:56,319 she went over to patti's house on the morning 772 00:40:56,321 --> 00:40:58,988 of December the 3, she got out of her car 773 00:40:58,990 --> 00:41:00,790 and started to walk up. 774 00:41:00,792 --> 00:41:03,226 - Paul: Everyone who knew patti 775 00:41:03,228 --> 00:41:06,329 said that she always felt like she could talk to anyone. 776 00:41:06,331 --> 00:41:11,968 And...I--I believe that's probably the way she approached 777 00:41:11,970 --> 00:41:16,206 virginia coming up that morning, was that she could talk to her. 778 00:41:16,208 --> 00:41:18,541 - Lynn: Patti probably said, "hey, virginia, you know, 779 00:41:18,543 --> 00:41:20,043 james isn't here." 780 00:41:20,045 --> 00:41:23,146 and virginia just pulled that gun out and started shooting. 781 00:41:23,148 --> 00:41:24,714 - [muffled gunshot] - paul: Patti panics 782 00:41:24,716 --> 00:41:27,217 and tries to make it to the door of the house, 783 00:41:27,219 --> 00:41:30,353 but virginia tracks her across that porch 784 00:41:30,355 --> 00:41:33,089 and continues shooting her up until the point 785 00:41:33,091 --> 00:41:35,158 that patti fell dead. 786 00:41:39,598 --> 00:41:42,499 - Narrator: Virginia's attorneys argue that the woman sitting 787 00:41:42,501 --> 00:41:46,436 at the defendant's table isn't the cold, calculated killer 788 00:41:46,438 --> 00:41:49,205 that prosecutors describe. 789 00:41:49,207 --> 00:41:53,610 - Virginia, she just looked... Kind of...Pitiful. 790 00:41:53,612 --> 00:41:57,113 Just looked so much older 'cause she hadn't got 791 00:41:57,115 --> 00:41:59,115 her hair fixed. 792 00:41:59,117 --> 00:42:01,784 - She would limp into the courtroom, 793 00:42:01,786 --> 00:42:05,355 or at hearings they'd have her-- wheel her in in a wheelchair, 794 00:42:05,357 --> 00:42:08,057 and--and she really did her best, I think, 795 00:42:08,059 --> 00:42:10,927 to play this little old lady role. 796 00:42:10,929 --> 00:42:14,697 - It was a concern that the jury would look at her 797 00:42:14,699 --> 00:42:18,801 and say, "there's no way that this decrepit old lady climbed 798 00:42:18,803 --> 00:42:22,071 those steps and fired five shots." 799 00:42:24,743 --> 00:42:27,610 - narrator: On February 8, 2016, 800 00:42:27,612 --> 00:42:30,480 after only an hour of deliberations, 801 00:42:30,482 --> 00:42:33,783 the jury returns with a verdict. 802 00:42:33,785 --> 00:42:36,619 - They found her guilty of capital murder, 803 00:42:36,621 --> 00:42:38,354 it's an automatic life sentence. 804 00:42:40,792 --> 00:42:43,459 - I was so proud they found that virginia guilty 805 00:42:43,461 --> 00:42:46,429 and that she will never get out and hurt anyone else. 806 00:42:48,733 --> 00:42:51,000 - Narrator: For prosecutors, investigators, 807 00:42:51,002 --> 00:42:55,071 and the town of texarkana, it is a bittersweet end 808 00:42:55,073 --> 00:42:58,074 to this case of a woman scorned. 809 00:42:58,076 --> 00:42:59,642 - Phyllis: Patti was so generous. 810 00:42:59,644 --> 00:43:01,244 It's just unreal. 811 00:43:01,246 --> 00:43:04,280 What a personality that we have lost. 812 00:43:04,282 --> 00:43:06,683 - Stephanie: Patti should be remembered how she lived. 813 00:43:06,685 --> 00:43:09,786 She was happy. She was friendly. 814 00:43:09,788 --> 00:43:12,021 She was kind and she was giving, 815 00:43:12,023 --> 00:43:14,157 and that's how she should be remembered. 816 00:43:16,828 --> 00:43:25,401 - ♪