1 00:00:02,577 --> 00:00:04,652 - FEMALE NARRATOR: For one kind and loving man, 2 00:00:04,730 --> 00:00:07,956 becoming a father was a dream come true. 3 00:00:08,033 --> 00:00:14,013 - He just longed at that point to have a child. 4 00:00:14,089 --> 00:00:16,131 - He finally felt like for the first time he was 5 00:00:16,208 --> 00:00:19,134 gonna be able to have that family he had always wanted. 6 00:00:19,211 --> 00:00:21,803 - ♪ 7 00:00:21,880 --> 00:00:25,190 - NARRATOR: But his bright future goes dark in an instant, 8 00:00:25,267 --> 00:00:28,527 when he falls victim to a vicious attack. 9 00:00:28,604 --> 00:00:31,739 - His hands was tied behind his back. 10 00:00:33,391 --> 00:00:37,527 I called out to him, and he didn't respond. 11 00:00:37,538 --> 00:00:38,779 - BILL: His face looked like 12 00:00:38,855 --> 00:00:40,581 he'd gotten in a fight with Mike Tyson. 13 00:00:41,709 --> 00:00:44,543 It was one of the most savage beatings that I've ever seen. 14 00:00:44,620 --> 00:00:47,829 - This was a brutal attack that lasted several minutes. 15 00:00:47,906 --> 00:00:50,340 - He died a violent death. There's no doubt about it. 16 00:00:51,743 --> 00:00:54,044 - NARRATOR: As investigators grapple for answers, 17 00:00:54,055 --> 00:00:58,632 a story of greed and betrayal begins to unfold. 18 00:00:58,708 --> 00:01:00,342 - BILL: It looked like he was 19 00:01:00,418 --> 00:01:03,178 kind of juggling two women at once. 20 00:01:03,255 --> 00:01:05,647 - She had mastered manipulation. 21 00:01:06,716 --> 00:01:08,650 - I think he was still under her spell. 22 00:01:15,076 --> 00:01:19,194 - ANDREA: There is no other reason for her to do this 23 00:01:19,271 --> 00:01:21,622 besides she's evil. 24 00:01:24,109 --> 00:01:30,047 - ♪ 25 00:01:32,409 --> 00:01:33,675 ♪♪ 26 00:01:34,762 --> 00:01:36,711 - ♪ 27 00:01:36,788 --> 00:01:39,932 - NARRATOR: September 7, 2013. 28 00:01:40,008 --> 00:01:43,602 It's just after 3 p.m. in Fort Worth, Texas, 29 00:01:43,679 --> 00:01:47,013 as Andrea Brown rushes to the home of her brother, 30 00:01:47,090 --> 00:01:50,058 51-year-old Tommy Brown. 31 00:01:50,135 --> 00:01:54,896 - My aunt called me that Saturday around 8:45 32 00:01:54,973 --> 00:01:56,022 in the morning. 33 00:01:56,099 --> 00:01:58,617 She asked me had I talked to my brother, 34 00:01:58,694 --> 00:02:00,944 and I told her, "No." 35 00:02:00,955 --> 00:02:03,288 I tried to call him. 36 00:02:03,365 --> 00:02:06,792 No answer, which was unusual. 37 00:02:07,870 --> 00:02:09,786 - She was concerned, um, you know, 38 00:02:09,797 --> 00:02:12,247 they remained in contact a lot. 39 00:02:12,324 --> 00:02:15,584 - ♪ 40 00:02:15,660 --> 00:02:17,970 - ANDREA: I went to the house. 41 00:02:18,046 --> 00:02:20,797 I walked around to the back of the house, 42 00:02:20,808 --> 00:02:24,259 'cause he used to leave the side door unlocked, 43 00:02:24,336 --> 00:02:27,596 and that door was locked. 44 00:02:27,672 --> 00:02:29,598 - NARRATOR: As her concern grows, 45 00:02:29,674 --> 00:02:33,602 Andrea works against the clock to find a way in. 46 00:02:33,678 --> 00:02:37,656 - I decide to stick my hand in the mailbox, 47 00:02:37,733 --> 00:02:41,484 and there was a cigarette box with a key inside. 48 00:02:41,495 --> 00:02:45,664 That key happened to be a key to the front door. 49 00:02:45,741 --> 00:02:48,116 I opened the door. I walked in. 50 00:02:48,193 --> 00:02:50,952 - ♪ 51 00:02:51,029 --> 00:02:53,163 - NARRATOR: Andrea sees no sign of her brother, 52 00:02:53,174 --> 00:02:56,633 until she turns to head towards the bedrooms. 53 00:02:58,036 --> 00:03:00,795 - ANDREA: I just happened to look at the bathroom, 54 00:03:00,872 --> 00:03:04,007 which would have been to my right, 55 00:03:04,018 --> 00:03:06,894 and I looked down and he was laying on the floor. 56 00:03:08,263 --> 00:03:11,473 - She discovers Tommy lying halfway in the bathroom, 57 00:03:11,549 --> 00:03:13,692 halfway in the hallway. 58 00:03:13,769 --> 00:03:18,530 - I called out to him, and he didn't respond. 59 00:03:18,607 --> 00:03:22,025 - Tommy's bound, and he's got bags over his head. 60 00:03:22,036 --> 00:03:26,154 - ♪ 61 00:03:26,231 --> 00:03:28,782 - ANDREA: So at that point, I knew I needed to leave 62 00:03:28,858 --> 00:03:33,662 out the house, because I realize it's a crime scene. 63 00:03:33,738 --> 00:03:38,041 I went to my aunt's house who originally called me 64 00:03:38,052 --> 00:03:42,512 and she asked was my brother there, and I said, "He's dead." 65 00:03:43,724 --> 00:03:48,343 I said, "Hand me the phone," so I could call 911. 66 00:03:48,420 --> 00:03:50,062 - THOMAS: The question is-- well, how did this happen? 67 00:03:50,138 --> 00:03:52,639 Somebody needs to be held responsible for 68 00:03:52,716 --> 00:03:54,233 killing this individual. 69 00:03:54,309 --> 00:03:58,570 - ANDREA: My brother was a very giving person. 70 00:03:58,647 --> 00:04:00,155 I still don't believe it. 71 00:04:04,269 --> 00:04:05,860 - ♪ 72 00:04:05,937 --> 00:04:09,698 - NARRATOR: Born in 1961, Tommy Brown 73 00:04:09,774 --> 00:04:13,535 and his sister Andrea grew up in Fort Worth. 74 00:04:13,611 --> 00:04:16,246 - We was a very close-knit family. 75 00:04:16,257 --> 00:04:18,373 It was a family of four: 76 00:04:18,450 --> 00:04:21,751 my mother, father, my brother and I. 77 00:04:21,762 --> 00:04:24,421 I always wanted to be with my brother, 78 00:04:24,431 --> 00:04:29,601 whether I was scared or just wanted to hang out with him. 79 00:04:29,678 --> 00:04:32,145 So, I was always with him. 80 00:04:34,850 --> 00:04:35,923 - NARRATOR: As a young man, 81 00:04:36,001 --> 00:04:39,269 Tommy kept his social circle small... 82 00:04:39,280 --> 00:04:41,396 just like his stature. 83 00:04:41,473 --> 00:04:46,526 - He was small, but very strong. 84 00:04:46,603 --> 00:04:49,571 He used to like to go crawfishing 85 00:04:49,647 --> 00:04:51,915 and fishing in general. 86 00:04:53,151 --> 00:04:55,627 - NARRATOR: By the time Tommy graduated high school, 87 00:04:55,704 --> 00:04:59,039 he had already established a career. 88 00:04:59,115 --> 00:05:01,082 - ANDREA: He didn't go to college. 89 00:05:01,159 --> 00:05:06,138 He just stayed home after graduating and, uh, 90 00:05:06,214 --> 00:05:09,382 helped in my father's, uh, side business, 91 00:05:09,459 --> 00:05:12,927 which was a janitorial service. 92 00:05:13,004 --> 00:05:15,096 - DEBORAH: The first time I met Tommy, 93 00:05:15,173 --> 00:05:19,934 I interviewed him to come as a contractor with the, um, 94 00:05:20,011 --> 00:05:23,980 janitorial company I was, uh, working for at the time. 95 00:05:23,991 --> 00:05:27,150 I just thought he was a good all-round person. 96 00:05:27,161 --> 00:05:29,110 So, we hired him. 97 00:05:29,187 --> 00:05:32,072 Tommy was just kind of who you would want to have 98 00:05:32,148 --> 00:05:34,374 as a big brother or best friend. 99 00:05:35,693 --> 00:05:37,452 - ♪ 100 00:05:37,529 --> 00:05:40,663 - NARRATOR: In 1999, when Andrea's and Tommy's father 101 00:05:40,674 --> 00:05:42,674 passed away, Tommy took over 102 00:05:42,751 --> 00:05:46,178 the family's contract cleaning business. 103 00:05:46,254 --> 00:05:47,679 - ELIZABETH: Tommy was very passionate. 104 00:05:47,756 --> 00:05:49,798 His work meant a lot to him. 105 00:05:49,874 --> 00:05:51,800 Tommy was the kind of person 106 00:05:51,876 --> 00:05:56,179 that made friends wherever he went, very friendly. 107 00:05:56,190 --> 00:05:58,807 - NARRATOR: In 2004, after years of living 108 00:05:58,883 --> 00:06:00,850 a bachelor's lifestyle, 109 00:06:00,861 --> 00:06:03,978 43-year-old Tommy began a serious relationship 110 00:06:04,055 --> 00:06:07,440 with one of his coworkers, Connie Moreno. 111 00:06:07,517 --> 00:06:10,819 - Tommy and Connie were together when I met them. 112 00:06:10,895 --> 00:06:16,208 And she came along as his helper in the business. 113 00:06:16,284 --> 00:06:19,211 - ANDREA: Connie was kind of quiet and shy. 114 00:06:19,287 --> 00:06:23,882 She didn't do, uh, a lot of talking. 115 00:06:23,959 --> 00:06:25,884 They had their highs and lows. 116 00:06:25,961 --> 00:06:31,631 It would be real good for a while, and then, 117 00:06:31,708 --> 00:06:35,802 it would just go sour. 118 00:06:35,879 --> 00:06:37,896 - ELIZABETH: They were kind of on again, off again. 119 00:06:37,973 --> 00:06:40,348 It was kind of one of those kinds of relationships. 120 00:06:40,425 --> 00:06:43,402 - ♪ 121 00:06:43,478 --> 00:06:45,979 - NARRATOR: Through it all, Tommy never had any doubt 122 00:06:46,055 --> 00:06:48,064 about his future with Connie. 123 00:06:48,075 --> 00:06:51,993 And in 2005, he asked her to move in with him. 124 00:06:53,155 --> 00:06:58,241 - He was really in love with Connie, 125 00:06:58,252 --> 00:07:03,255 and he really wanted a life with Connie. 126 00:07:03,331 --> 00:07:07,834 And Tommy was someone who really wanted 127 00:07:07,911 --> 00:07:09,752 a child of his own, 128 00:07:09,763 --> 00:07:12,222 who loved kids. 129 00:07:13,434 --> 00:07:17,552 - I do know that it was very important to him, um, 130 00:07:17,629 --> 00:07:18,812 to have a family. 131 00:07:20,298 --> 00:07:21,422 - ♪ 132 00:07:21,500 --> 00:07:23,266 - NARRATOR: After nearly a decade together, 133 00:07:23,277 --> 00:07:27,946 in the spring of 2013, Tommy and Connie finally agreed 134 00:07:28,023 --> 00:07:32,284 that surrogacy was their best option for starting a family. 135 00:07:32,360 --> 00:07:34,619 - ELIZABETH: Tommy was over the moon. 136 00:07:34,696 --> 00:07:37,405 He could not have been more happy. 137 00:07:37,482 --> 00:07:40,241 He finally felt like for the first time he was gonna be able 138 00:07:40,318 --> 00:07:43,286 to have that family he had always wanted. 139 00:07:43,297 --> 00:07:46,122 - ♪ 140 00:07:46,133 --> 00:07:47,790 - NARRATOR: But 6 months later, 141 00:07:47,801 --> 00:07:50,960 plans for their family are suddenly destroyed, 142 00:07:50,971 --> 00:07:54,389 when police are called to Tommy's home on September 7. 143 00:07:56,334 --> 00:07:57,884 - MATTHEW: We go in, and we do our walk-through 144 00:07:57,961 --> 00:07:59,219 of the residence. 145 00:07:59,295 --> 00:08:01,095 And what we see, 146 00:08:01,172 --> 00:08:04,474 there's obvious blood throughout the house. 147 00:08:04,485 --> 00:08:06,976 The concentrated areas of blood were, of course, 148 00:08:06,987 --> 00:08:10,271 around the victim, Tommy Lee Brown. 149 00:08:10,348 --> 00:08:13,107 - There was a significant amount of blood in the bathroom. 150 00:08:13,184 --> 00:08:16,444 He had a bag that was not only taped over his neck, 151 00:08:16,521 --> 00:08:20,323 but there were also shoelaces tied around his neck. 152 00:08:20,334 --> 00:08:21,908 - THOMAS: His hands were tied behind his back. 153 00:08:21,985 --> 00:08:24,002 I mean these are--these are things that are clearly 154 00:08:24,079 --> 00:08:26,412 consistent with murder. 155 00:08:26,489 --> 00:08:28,957 - He had a lot of what I would call defensive wounds 156 00:08:29,033 --> 00:08:31,501 on his body, where he had been beaten, 157 00:08:31,512 --> 00:08:33,962 in addition to strangulation. 158 00:08:34,038 --> 00:08:35,922 - Unfortunately, Tommy died a violent death. 159 00:08:35,999 --> 00:08:37,340 There's no doubt about it. 160 00:08:37,351 --> 00:08:41,344 - ♪ 161 00:08:41,355 --> 00:08:42,762 - NARRATOR: Coming up: 162 00:08:42,839 --> 00:08:47,025 Detectives begin to piece together this vicious crime. 163 00:08:47,102 --> 00:08:50,103 - He had bruises and contusions all over his body. 164 00:08:50,179 --> 00:08:52,689 Part of his head was split open. 165 00:08:52,699 --> 00:08:56,109 - MATTHEW: There were shards of porcelain there in the hallway 166 00:08:56,185 --> 00:08:58,194 and around the body. 167 00:08:58,205 --> 00:09:02,115 - NARRATOR: And detectives see signs of a potential motive. 168 00:09:02,191 --> 00:09:05,118 - His wallet, debit cards, and car keys were missing, 169 00:09:05,194 --> 00:09:07,712 and there was actually dust on the stand 170 00:09:07,789 --> 00:09:10,090 in an outline of where a TV would be. 171 00:09:12,243 --> 00:09:15,887 - ♪ 172 00:09:23,805 --> 00:09:25,397 - ♪ 173 00:09:25,473 --> 00:09:28,558 - NARRATOR: Detectives standing over the body of 51-year-old 174 00:09:28,569 --> 00:09:33,446 Tommy Brown are struck by the sheer brutality of his attack. 175 00:09:34,557 --> 00:09:36,733 - BILL: He was black and blue, alright? 176 00:09:36,743 --> 00:09:40,579 I mean, he had bruises and contusions all over his body. 177 00:09:40,655 --> 00:09:42,822 Part of his head was split open. 178 00:09:42,899 --> 00:09:45,867 I mean, his--his face looked like he'd gotten in a fight 179 00:09:45,943 --> 00:09:47,419 with Mike Tyson. 180 00:09:47,495 --> 00:09:49,588 It was one of the most savage beatings that I've ever seen. 181 00:09:51,074 --> 00:09:53,041 - THOMAS: This wasn't a quick way to die. 182 00:09:53,117 --> 00:09:55,168 This wasn't a gunshot to the head. 183 00:09:55,244 --> 00:09:58,763 Um, this was a brutal attack that lasted several minutes. 184 00:09:58,840 --> 00:10:02,100 - BILL: Tommy had been dead for a little bit of time. 185 00:10:02,177 --> 00:10:05,770 Uh, because his body had started to decompose. 186 00:10:05,847 --> 00:10:08,389 Um, he had some changes to the skin, uh, 187 00:10:08,466 --> 00:10:11,225 that don't happen immediately after death. 188 00:10:11,302 --> 00:10:13,603 - ♪ 189 00:10:13,614 --> 00:10:16,105 - NARRATOR: To detectives, it isn't immediately clear 190 00:10:16,116 --> 00:10:19,275 what the murder weapon could have been. 191 00:10:19,286 --> 00:10:21,110 - BILL: It could be an object, it could be fists, 192 00:10:21,121 --> 00:10:23,529 it could be having his head slammed against the wall 193 00:10:23,606 --> 00:10:25,415 or the ground, we just don't know. 194 00:10:26,275 --> 00:10:27,292 - MATTHEW: We were focused 195 00:10:27,369 --> 00:10:29,294 at that point on blunt force objects, 196 00:10:29,371 --> 00:10:32,288 which would be anything that could cause a heavy impact, 197 00:10:32,299 --> 00:10:33,956 ah, that would include baseball bats 198 00:10:33,967 --> 00:10:35,792 or anything like that. 199 00:10:35,802 --> 00:10:39,420 Um, anything with, with a lot of weight and--and-- 200 00:10:39,497 --> 00:10:43,716 and mass in general, that would be used to beat him. 201 00:10:43,793 --> 00:10:47,762 - NARRATOR: Investigators find one potential clue. 202 00:10:47,839 --> 00:10:52,100 - There were shards of porcelain there in the hallway 203 00:10:52,176 --> 00:10:54,227 and around the body. 204 00:10:54,303 --> 00:10:56,270 - These small shards clearly could've been something 205 00:10:56,347 --> 00:10:59,482 that was used as a weapon in this murder. 206 00:10:59,493 --> 00:11:01,484 - ♪ 207 00:11:01,495 --> 00:11:04,737 - NARRATOR: Detectives widen their search of the home. 208 00:11:04,814 --> 00:11:07,499 - MATTHEW: There were two distinctly different foot track 209 00:11:07,575 --> 00:11:10,284 patterns through some of that blood. 210 00:11:10,361 --> 00:11:12,837 What that would lead us to believe is that here we have 211 00:11:12,914 --> 00:11:15,173 potentially two suspects involved. 212 00:11:16,534 --> 00:11:18,835 - NARRATOR: It seems one of the suspects might have suffered 213 00:11:18,845 --> 00:11:21,754 an injury during the attack. 214 00:11:21,831 --> 00:11:25,633 - There was a perfect quarter-size blood drop 215 00:11:25,710 --> 00:11:28,803 that was to the right of the little mat at the sink. 216 00:11:28,880 --> 00:11:32,357 That was probably where the suspect had washed their hands 217 00:11:32,434 --> 00:11:36,018 or tried to clean up, and the way that that blood drop was, 218 00:11:36,029 --> 00:11:37,437 it was a perfect circle, 219 00:11:37,513 --> 00:11:39,939 so that means it came just straight down. 220 00:11:40,016 --> 00:11:42,367 The perpetrator probably cut their hand, 221 00:11:42,444 --> 00:11:43,868 and that was the suspect's blood. 222 00:11:43,945 --> 00:11:46,195 - ♪ 223 00:11:46,206 --> 00:11:47,864 - NARRATOR: A sample of the blood is collected 224 00:11:47,874 --> 00:11:49,541 for DNA evidence. 225 00:11:52,069 --> 00:11:53,545 With no signs of a break in 226 00:11:53,621 --> 00:11:57,382 and since Andrea used a key to enter her brother's home, 227 00:11:57,459 --> 00:12:02,220 investigators begin to draw a likely conclusion. 228 00:12:02,297 --> 00:12:04,046 - The main initial feeling was this is somebody 229 00:12:04,057 --> 00:12:05,673 he allowed in his home. 230 00:12:05,750 --> 00:12:10,887 So, we felt like most likely our suspect, or suspects, 231 00:12:10,897 --> 00:12:13,973 were going to be someone he knew 232 00:12:14,050 --> 00:12:17,810 and someone that's fairly close to him. 233 00:12:17,887 --> 00:12:19,404 - BILL: This was a personal crime. 234 00:12:19,481 --> 00:12:21,406 Somebody wanted Tommy Brown dead. 235 00:12:22,767 --> 00:12:25,735 - NARRATOR: Though a break in is unlikely to detectives, 236 00:12:25,746 --> 00:12:31,073 it seems Tommy's attackers might have taken more than his life: 237 00:12:31,084 --> 00:12:32,408 - BILL: When you walk into the front door 238 00:12:32,419 --> 00:12:34,753 to your left is gonna be a couch, 239 00:12:34,829 --> 00:12:37,756 and to your right is a TV stand. 240 00:12:37,832 --> 00:12:40,249 One of the first things that Detective O'Brian noticed 241 00:12:40,260 --> 00:12:43,711 was that, um, there was no TV on the TV stand, 242 00:12:43,788 --> 00:12:46,431 and there was actually dust on the stand 243 00:12:46,508 --> 00:12:48,767 in an outline of where a TV would be. 244 00:12:50,103 --> 00:12:51,928 - NARRATOR: Investigators look for other items 245 00:12:51,938 --> 00:12:54,514 the killers might have seized. 246 00:12:54,590 --> 00:12:56,098 - We're looking for Tommy's cell phone; 247 00:12:56,109 --> 00:12:57,108 we're looking for Tommy's wallet; 248 00:12:57,185 --> 00:12:58,434 we're looking for Tommy's ID card; 249 00:12:58,445 --> 00:13:00,853 we're looking for his debit card. 250 00:13:00,930 --> 00:13:03,606 - BILL: The police learn pretty quickly that his wallet, 251 00:13:03,617 --> 00:13:06,108 debit cards, and car keys were missing as well. 252 00:13:06,119 --> 00:13:09,779 - ♪ 253 00:13:09,790 --> 00:13:12,949 - NARRATOR: Outside, officers speak to Tommy's sister, 254 00:13:12,959 --> 00:13:14,959 Andrea Brown. 255 00:13:15,036 --> 00:13:20,706 - I started talking to another police officer about his truck, 256 00:13:20,783 --> 00:13:24,302 uh, being missing and described the truck. 257 00:13:25,547 --> 00:13:28,089 - NARRATOR: As the officer takes Andrea's statement, 258 00:13:28,165 --> 00:13:30,383 he has a sudden revelation. 259 00:13:30,459 --> 00:13:32,051 - THOMAS: One of the officers had brought to my attention 260 00:13:32,128 --> 00:13:33,386 saying, "Hey, a couple of days ago 261 00:13:33,462 --> 00:13:35,805 "I had a call over to a convenience store, 262 00:13:35,816 --> 00:13:38,724 where there's a truck and the keys were left in the truck." 263 00:13:38,801 --> 00:13:41,319 And I just went back on, on his computer, and he said, 264 00:13:41,396 --> 00:13:43,363 "This is the same address that came back to." 265 00:13:45,158 --> 00:13:46,640 - NARRATOR: According to the officer, 266 00:13:46,718 --> 00:13:49,986 Tommy's truck is currently sitting in an impound lot at 267 00:13:49,996 --> 00:13:52,455 the Fort Worth Police Department. 268 00:13:53,649 --> 00:13:56,835 - In a stroke of luck, Tommy's truck was recovered. 269 00:13:57,912 --> 00:13:59,495 - MATTHEW: It had been left with keys running, 270 00:13:59,506 --> 00:14:02,790 just roughly a mile away. 271 00:14:02,867 --> 00:14:05,084 And the owner of the store thought that was unusual 272 00:14:05,161 --> 00:14:06,335 that the keys were left in it. 273 00:14:06,346 --> 00:14:08,555 So, he called, and it was impounded. 274 00:14:09,832 --> 00:14:11,424 - NARRATOR: The details of the discovery 275 00:14:11,500 --> 00:14:15,094 seem anything but coincidental. 276 00:14:15,171 --> 00:14:18,690 - MATTHEW: The way it was found with the keys in the ignition. 277 00:14:18,766 --> 00:14:20,683 I know, automatically, Tom and I were both kind of thinking, 278 00:14:20,694 --> 00:14:22,602 "Okay, that's a little too convenient. 279 00:14:22,678 --> 00:14:25,938 That's almost like somebody take this truck." 280 00:14:26,015 --> 00:14:30,151 - You can kind of see where that idea came from. 281 00:14:30,227 --> 00:14:32,528 And it appeared that this was going to be 282 00:14:32,539 --> 00:14:34,530 a nice little curveball, we can give police. 283 00:14:34,541 --> 00:14:39,210 So, whatever person takes the bait on this vehicle, 284 00:14:39,287 --> 00:14:41,037 they're going to have a lot of explaining to do. 285 00:14:41,047 --> 00:14:44,540 - ♪ 286 00:14:44,551 --> 00:14:46,834 - NARRATOR: As Andrea is transported to the station 287 00:14:46,911 --> 00:14:48,711 for her formal statement, 288 00:14:48,722 --> 00:14:53,215 detectives stop by the impound lot to inspect Tommy's truck. 289 00:14:53,226 --> 00:14:54,225 - THOMAS: There was, appeared to be 290 00:14:54,302 --> 00:14:56,177 a lot in the bed of the truck. 291 00:14:56,253 --> 00:14:58,888 There was a trashcan. It had a trash bag 292 00:14:58,899 --> 00:15:01,774 and appeared to have some bloody items inside there. 293 00:15:03,069 --> 00:15:07,063 - NARRATOR: Among the debris are large pieces of porcelain. 294 00:15:07,073 --> 00:15:09,732 - It was immediately evident, okay, 295 00:15:09,743 --> 00:15:12,652 that's going to be consistent with those small shards of what 296 00:15:12,728 --> 00:15:14,996 looked like ceramic that were on the floor near Tommy's body. 297 00:15:16,157 --> 00:15:18,574 - At that point, they realized 298 00:15:18,585 --> 00:15:21,744 that those ceramic pieces were a toilet tank lid. 299 00:15:21,755 --> 00:15:23,746 - I actually had to go back to make sure there wasn't 300 00:15:23,757 --> 00:15:25,873 a toilet lid on that particular toilet. 301 00:15:25,950 --> 00:15:29,502 - ♪ 302 00:15:29,578 --> 00:15:32,505 - NARRATOR: As Detective O'Brien returns to the crime scene, 303 00:15:32,581 --> 00:15:36,100 other investigators scour the cab of the truck. 304 00:15:36,177 --> 00:15:39,595 There, they find something unusual. 305 00:15:39,606 --> 00:15:41,847 - STEPHEN: There were a few items that were found. 306 00:15:41,924 --> 00:15:44,266 One being a bus ticket. 307 00:15:44,277 --> 00:15:46,110 The bus ticket was in the name of, 308 00:15:46,187 --> 00:15:49,522 uh, a Eunice Rodriguez. 309 00:15:49,598 --> 00:15:54,953 At this point, no one was able to figure out who Eunice was. 310 00:15:56,105 --> 00:15:58,790 - NARRATOR: While investigators ponder this new lead, 311 00:15:58,866 --> 00:16:02,460 Detective O'Brien reports his findings. 312 00:16:02,537 --> 00:16:06,038 - He took a picture of the toilet, and there was no lid. 313 00:16:06,115 --> 00:16:09,792 - STEPHEN: The heavy ceramic portion that you would lift up 314 00:16:09,803 --> 00:16:13,754 to fix the toilet if you had to, that, they believed, 315 00:16:13,831 --> 00:16:16,590 could've been used as a murder weapon. 316 00:16:16,667 --> 00:16:19,885 - ♪ 317 00:16:19,962 --> 00:16:23,314 - NARRATOR: Coming up: Surprising details emerge 318 00:16:23,391 --> 00:16:25,933 about Tommy Brown's love life. 319 00:16:26,010 --> 00:16:28,227 - BILL: Basically, it looked like Tommy was kind of 320 00:16:28,304 --> 00:16:30,813 juggling two women at once. 321 00:16:30,824 --> 00:16:34,826 - She told Tommy that she was pregnant with his child. 322 00:16:34,902 --> 00:16:39,405 - NARRATOR: And investigators track down Eunice Rodriguez. 323 00:16:39,482 --> 00:16:41,499 - She had served ten years for robbery. 324 00:16:43,360 --> 00:16:47,005 - ♪ 325 00:16:50,658 --> 00:16:53,970 - ♪ 326 00:16:54,997 --> 00:16:56,572 - ♪ 327 00:16:56,574 --> 00:16:59,508 - NARRATOR: Within hours of finding 51-year-old Tommy Brown 328 00:16:59,519 --> 00:17:03,187 brutally murdered inside his Fort Worth, Texas, home, 329 00:17:03,264 --> 00:17:07,191 detectives sit down with the woman who found his body-- 330 00:17:07,268 --> 00:17:09,852 Tommy's sister, Andrea. 331 00:17:09,863 --> 00:17:12,521 - Considering Andrea had come forward to us 332 00:17:12,532 --> 00:17:14,699 with all of this information, 333 00:17:14,776 --> 00:17:17,493 it would be unlikely that she would be a suspect. 334 00:17:20,114 --> 00:17:23,824 - NARRATOR: According to Andrea, Tommy had a longtime girlfriend, 335 00:17:23,901 --> 00:17:29,714 Connie Moreno, but she wasn't the only woman in Tommy's life. 336 00:17:29,791 --> 00:17:34,627 - ANDREA: He met someone through a friend of his. 337 00:17:34,703 --> 00:17:38,631 Tommy referred to her as his girlfriend. 338 00:17:38,707 --> 00:17:40,558 - DEBORAH: He just said he had a new girl in his life 339 00:17:40,635 --> 00:17:41,893 and that's what he called her. 340 00:17:41,969 --> 00:17:46,472 "I-I have a new girl, and her name is Cristina." 341 00:17:46,549 --> 00:17:50,735 - Connie and Tommy were on-again and off-again, 342 00:17:50,812 --> 00:17:54,739 and very often when Connie and Tommy were off, 343 00:17:54,816 --> 00:17:57,200 Cristina and Tommy were on, and vice versa. 344 00:17:58,727 --> 00:18:01,487 - Basically, it looked like Tommy was kind of juggling 345 00:18:01,564 --> 00:18:02,988 two women at once. 346 00:18:03,065 --> 00:18:05,416 - ♪ 347 00:18:05,493 --> 00:18:08,327 - NARRATOR: Then, Andrea drops a bombshell: 348 00:18:08,404 --> 00:18:11,580 37-year-old Cristina's full name is 349 00:18:11,591 --> 00:18:14,801 Eunice Cristina Rodriguez. 350 00:18:16,003 --> 00:18:18,921 - They were able to discover that Eunice goes by 351 00:18:18,932 --> 00:18:22,424 Cristina most often, and they were able to make 352 00:18:22,435 --> 00:18:25,770 that connection that it was Cristina 353 00:18:25,847 --> 00:18:29,098 that the bus ticket was purchased for. 354 00:18:29,109 --> 00:18:31,776 - MATTHEW: That becomes important at that point. 355 00:18:31,853 --> 00:18:34,562 Maybe Cristina might have some knowledge 356 00:18:34,638 --> 00:18:36,105 or involvement in this. 357 00:18:36,116 --> 00:18:37,898 And the more we learned about Cristina, 358 00:18:37,975 --> 00:18:41,035 the more we felt like there's-- there's some red flags here. 359 00:18:44,290 --> 00:18:46,866 - ♪ 360 00:18:46,942 --> 00:18:50,244 - NARRATOR: Born in El Paso in 1976, 361 00:18:50,321 --> 00:18:52,121 Eunice "Cristina" Rodriguez 362 00:18:52,132 --> 00:18:56,083 was the second eldest of five children. 363 00:18:56,160 --> 00:18:58,961 - ANGELICA: It's five of us. I'm the youngest. 364 00:18:58,972 --> 00:19:01,922 My oldest sister, Gracie and Cristina, 365 00:19:01,999 --> 00:19:04,133 that's from my dad's first relationship. 366 00:19:04,144 --> 00:19:09,763 Cristina is, oh my gosh, she's a goofball, like she is so funny. 367 00:19:09,840 --> 00:19:12,984 She was always laughing. 368 00:19:13,060 --> 00:19:15,728 - NARRATOR: Over the years, Cristina worked several jobs 369 00:19:15,804 --> 00:19:18,731 to make ends meet. 370 00:19:18,807 --> 00:19:21,483 - She was somebody that really tried to live life. 371 00:19:21,494 --> 00:19:25,329 Um, certainly she made some mistakes. 372 00:19:25,406 --> 00:19:29,167 But, uh, at her core, I think, she was a pretty good person. 373 00:19:31,913 --> 00:19:33,838 - NARRATOR: According to Andrea Brown, 374 00:19:33,915 --> 00:19:36,248 Tommy met Cristina while she was serving 375 00:19:36,325 --> 00:19:39,677 a ten-year stint in prison. 376 00:19:39,754 --> 00:19:44,340 - He never said why she was in jail. 377 00:19:44,350 --> 00:19:49,187 The only thing that we knew is that she was from El Paso. 378 00:19:50,339 --> 00:19:52,690 - NARRATOR: Andrea says the pen-pal relationship began 379 00:19:52,767 --> 00:19:56,027 in 2003, after a mutual friend 380 00:19:56,103 --> 00:20:00,189 introduced Tommy and Cristina to one another. 381 00:20:00,200 --> 00:20:03,275 - She would write, and she would call, 382 00:20:03,352 --> 00:20:04,869 and I read some of the letters 383 00:20:04,946 --> 00:20:09,323 and she came across as a real caring person. 384 00:20:09,400 --> 00:20:11,659 - NARRATOR: When Tommy started dating Connie, 385 00:20:11,735 --> 00:20:14,879 he confided in Cristina about their ups and downs, 386 00:20:14,956 --> 00:20:18,883 and about his continued desire to start a family. 387 00:20:18,960 --> 00:20:24,129 - ANDREA: He just longed at that point to have a child. 388 00:20:24,206 --> 00:20:27,841 My brother talked to her about that. 389 00:20:27,918 --> 00:20:32,772 And Cristina also talked to Connie and wrote Connie letters. 390 00:20:35,309 --> 00:20:39,728 - NARRATOR: In 2011, the Texas prison system granted Cristina 391 00:20:39,739 --> 00:20:43,574 an early release, and she visited Tommy in Fort Worth 392 00:20:43,651 --> 00:20:45,693 whenever she could-- 393 00:20:45,769 --> 00:20:50,081 especially when he and Connie were on the outs. 394 00:20:50,157 --> 00:20:53,158 - Cristina had filled that slot. 395 00:20:53,235 --> 00:20:55,753 She kind of filled that void for him. 396 00:20:57,590 --> 00:20:59,257 - NARRATOR: But Andrea tells detectives 397 00:20:59,333 --> 00:21:01,875 that by the spring of 2013, 398 00:21:01,952 --> 00:21:06,672 Tommy and Connie had committed to making things work. 399 00:21:06,749 --> 00:21:09,216 In an effort to repay Tommy for his support 400 00:21:09,293 --> 00:21:10,884 while she was in prison, 401 00:21:10,961 --> 00:21:14,680 Cristina offered to help the couple start a family. 402 00:21:14,757 --> 00:21:18,517 - She agreed that she would have a baby 403 00:21:18,594 --> 00:21:21,270 for Tommy and Connie. 404 00:21:21,281 --> 00:21:24,615 Because she really appreciated everything 405 00:21:24,692 --> 00:21:28,527 that my brother had did for her. 406 00:21:28,604 --> 00:21:31,572 He said that they were intimate once 407 00:21:31,648 --> 00:21:36,869 for the sole purpose of having child. 408 00:21:36,945 --> 00:21:41,632 - She told Tommy that she was pregnant with his child. 409 00:21:41,709 --> 00:21:45,461 - ANDREA: He told me it was around 410 00:21:45,471 --> 00:21:50,808 April of 2013 411 00:21:50,885 --> 00:21:53,719 that she was expecting. 412 00:21:53,796 --> 00:21:58,098 He was excited that he was going to be a dad. 413 00:21:58,175 --> 00:22:03,062 - ♪ 414 00:22:03,138 --> 00:22:06,065 - NARRATOR: But Andrea says, Tommy's relationship with Connie 415 00:22:06,141 --> 00:22:09,493 was crumbling, and she moved out of their home, 416 00:22:09,570 --> 00:22:12,204 leading Andrea to assume one thing-- 417 00:22:13,816 --> 00:22:17,001 - The relationship was toxic. 418 00:22:17,078 --> 00:22:20,245 I told them that I felt like it was Connie, 419 00:22:20,322 --> 00:22:23,174 'cause he didn't have any enemies. 420 00:22:23,250 --> 00:22:26,919 - ♪ 421 00:22:26,995 --> 00:22:28,846 - NARRATOR: Just as the interview is wrapping up, 422 00:22:28,923 --> 00:22:33,300 Andrea receives a bizarre text message. 423 00:22:33,377 --> 00:22:35,135 - THOMAS: She said, "Hey, I just want to let you know 424 00:22:35,212 --> 00:22:37,188 I just got a text message from Tommy." 425 00:22:37,264 --> 00:22:39,357 - ♪ 426 00:22:39,433 --> 00:22:41,141 - It was a response to one of her previous 427 00:22:41,218 --> 00:22:42,768 text messages asking where Tommy was. 428 00:22:42,845 --> 00:22:46,480 He said, "Hey I'm going to El Paso, my girlfriend's pregnant, 429 00:22:46,557 --> 00:22:48,273 what do you want?" 430 00:22:48,350 --> 00:22:50,868 - ANDREA: I was shocked, because at that point, 431 00:22:50,945 --> 00:22:55,247 I already know that he's been murdered. 432 00:22:56,358 --> 00:22:59,493 - NARRATOR: Investigators seize the opportunity. 433 00:22:59,570 --> 00:23:01,545 - THOMAS: I had Andrea go ahead and text his phone and say, 434 00:23:01,622 --> 00:23:02,938 "Hey, it's no problem. 435 00:23:02,940 --> 00:23:04,757 Just call me when you get back from El Paso." 436 00:23:06,076 --> 00:23:08,386 - MATTHEW: We wanted to keep whoever had sent this message 437 00:23:08,462 --> 00:23:12,390 in the dark, uh, about us discovering the crime scene. 438 00:23:12,466 --> 00:23:15,676 - ♪ 439 00:23:15,752 --> 00:23:18,137 - NARRATOR: While Andrea is cleared to go home and wait for 440 00:23:18,213 --> 00:23:22,066 a response, investigators get to work trying to track down 441 00:23:22,143 --> 00:23:27,187 the two women in Tommy's life, starting with Connie. 442 00:23:27,264 --> 00:23:29,148 - MATTHEW: We know that they're currently estranged. 443 00:23:29,224 --> 00:23:33,986 We know that she potentially had a key to access his home, 444 00:23:34,062 --> 00:23:37,790 or he would potentially allow her in. 445 00:23:39,160 --> 00:23:42,461 - NARRATOR: Investigators try contacting Connie, to no avail. 446 00:23:43,739 --> 00:23:46,090 - STEPHEN: If this was someone you called your boyfriend, 447 00:23:46,167 --> 00:23:50,210 and he ends up being murdered horrifically, uh, 448 00:23:50,287 --> 00:23:54,047 and you're not making yourself readily available to the police, 449 00:23:54,124 --> 00:23:56,016 that was very interesting. 450 00:23:57,344 --> 00:23:59,770 - NARRATOR: Efforts to locate Cristina also 451 00:23:59,847 --> 00:24:01,763 come up empty-handed. 452 00:24:01,774 --> 00:24:04,275 - I was trying to be as diligent as I could to at least talk to 453 00:24:04,351 --> 00:24:07,060 Cristina and find out what she heard, what she knew. 454 00:24:07,137 --> 00:24:09,447 It just pr-proved to be a difficult task to locate her. 455 00:24:09,523 --> 00:24:13,284 - ♪ 456 00:24:13,360 --> 00:24:14,776 - NARRATOR: While officers fan out 457 00:24:14,787 --> 00:24:17,112 in search of Connie and Cristina, 458 00:24:17,123 --> 00:24:20,032 detectives speak with one of Tommy's neighbors, 459 00:24:20,108 --> 00:24:23,035 who had reported seeing something suspicious at Tommy's 460 00:24:23,111 --> 00:24:27,873 house around 11 p.m. on the night of September 5. 461 00:24:27,950 --> 00:24:31,376 - Tommy had been seen last on the 5th, 462 00:24:31,453 --> 00:24:34,513 which was two prior to Tommy's body being discovered. 463 00:24:35,716 --> 00:24:41,595 - The neighbor related that he saw a female and a male, 464 00:24:41,672 --> 00:24:43,898 uh, go into Tommy's home. 465 00:24:50,564 --> 00:24:53,157 - MATTHEW: The man had been described as a black male. 466 00:24:53,234 --> 00:24:56,777 He had longer hair, and that just--just possibly, 467 00:24:56,853 --> 00:24:58,904 they could have been braids. 468 00:24:58,981 --> 00:25:00,331 - NARRATOR: While the neighbor didn't recognize 469 00:25:00,407 --> 00:25:04,293 the man or the woman, he is certain of one thing. 470 00:25:11,344 --> 00:25:14,345 - The neighbors were very emphatic that this was not 471 00:25:14,421 --> 00:25:17,681 Connie, because Connie was a short Hispanic female, 472 00:25:17,758 --> 00:25:19,391 and this lady was much taller. 473 00:25:21,712 --> 00:25:24,137 - NARRATOR: If the woman seen going into Tommy's house 474 00:25:24,214 --> 00:25:28,850 wasn't Connie, investigators consider the next option: 475 00:25:28,861 --> 00:25:30,528 Cristina Rodriguez. 476 00:25:32,365 --> 00:25:34,532 - MATTHEW: The description was very, very similar. 477 00:25:34,608 --> 00:25:39,912 That's giving us a pretty good definitive point to a suspect. 478 00:25:41,040 --> 00:25:43,115 - NARRATOR: Detectives also take a closer look 479 00:25:43,191 --> 00:25:45,867 at Cristina's past. 480 00:25:45,878 --> 00:25:47,953 - I did a national criminal history on her, 481 00:25:48,030 --> 00:25:50,038 and at that point, had seen that she had, uh, 482 00:25:50,049 --> 00:25:51,590 served ten years for robbery. 483 00:25:52,909 --> 00:25:55,043 - ♪ 484 00:25:55,054 --> 00:25:56,703 - NARRATOR: Investigators contact 485 00:25:56,781 --> 00:26:00,224 the El Paso Police Department to learn more about the arrest. 486 00:26:01,418 --> 00:26:05,304 - In 2002, when she was living in El Paso, 487 00:26:05,380 --> 00:26:08,399 the family of an 82-year-old gentleman had put an ad 488 00:26:08,475 --> 00:26:11,143 in the El Paso newspaper for a nurse. 489 00:26:11,219 --> 00:26:13,186 And she answered it, right? 490 00:26:13,263 --> 00:26:16,732 This 82-year-old gentleman was almost legally blind. 491 00:26:16,742 --> 00:26:20,619 Um, he was almost deaf, and he really needed some help. 492 00:26:21,989 --> 00:26:25,157 - NARRATOR: After just a few hours with Cristina on the job, 493 00:26:25,233 --> 00:26:29,369 the elderly gentleman summoned his daughters in a panic. 494 00:26:29,446 --> 00:26:32,423 - BILL: When the two daughters get there, ah, 495 00:26:32,499 --> 00:26:36,418 he is tied up with a phone cord, he's been assaulted, 496 00:26:36,429 --> 00:26:38,596 and the house has been ransacked. 497 00:26:38,672 --> 00:26:40,505 That was what Cristina did. 498 00:26:40,582 --> 00:26:44,051 - ♪ 499 00:26:44,127 --> 00:26:45,936 - NARRATOR: Since her release from prison, 500 00:26:46,013 --> 00:26:50,015 Cristina had landed herself in trouble again. 501 00:26:50,092 --> 00:26:52,601 - THOMAS: There were two separate reports in 2013. 502 00:26:52,612 --> 00:26:54,853 There was one in July, and there's one in August. 503 00:26:54,930 --> 00:26:58,065 And it had to do with Tommy calling saying Cristina had 504 00:26:58,141 --> 00:27:01,285 taken his wallet, had taken his TV. 505 00:27:01,362 --> 00:27:04,071 I felt pretty confident that I at least need to look into 506 00:27:04,147 --> 00:27:06,114 the wallet and any credit cards Tommy had. 507 00:27:06,125 --> 00:27:07,532 So, I had returned to the house 508 00:27:07,609 --> 00:27:09,293 and had started going through any paperwork to suggest 509 00:27:09,370 --> 00:27:11,620 what kind of credit card or bank account he had. 510 00:27:11,631 --> 00:27:14,289 And it was at that time, I was able to see that, uh, he had 511 00:27:14,300 --> 00:27:17,635 uh, a debit card from the First National Bank. 512 00:27:17,711 --> 00:27:20,212 - NARRATOR: Detectives secure a search warrant for Tommy's 513 00:27:20,288 --> 00:27:22,881 financial records. 514 00:27:22,958 --> 00:27:26,093 - Basically, what we know, Tommy's alive Thursday night 515 00:27:26,169 --> 00:27:30,222 at 11:00 p.m., and then at 1:47 a.m. 516 00:27:30,298 --> 00:27:33,767 on Friday morning, that debit card gets used 517 00:27:33,844 --> 00:27:36,654 at a 7-Eleven in Ft. Worth. 518 00:27:36,730 --> 00:27:39,439 - MATTHEW: Our goal was to try to find video with the time 519 00:27:39,516 --> 00:27:42,159 the card is being utilized at that store, 520 00:27:42,236 --> 00:27:43,944 and that was gonna give us our first picture. 521 00:27:44,020 --> 00:27:47,614 - ♪ 522 00:27:47,691 --> 00:27:48,949 - NARRATOR: Coming up: 523 00:27:49,025 --> 00:27:52,002 Investigators track a killer... 524 00:27:52,079 --> 00:27:53,729 - BILL: They run him and figure out, 525 00:27:53,731 --> 00:27:58,291 "This is probably our suspect in all these surveillance videos." 526 00:27:58,368 --> 00:28:01,261 - NARRATOR: And a twisted love triangle is exposed. 527 00:28:06,668 --> 00:28:09,812 - ♪ 528 00:28:18,013 --> 00:28:19,196 - ♪ 529 00:28:19,273 --> 00:28:20,981 - NARRATOR: Detectives in Fort Worth, Texas 530 00:28:21,057 --> 00:28:24,484 have reason to believe whoever murdered Tommy Brown, 531 00:28:24,561 --> 00:28:28,447 is still using his debit card. 532 00:28:28,523 --> 00:28:33,118 - STEPHEN: One of Tommy's debit cards was used at a 7-Eleven, 533 00:28:33,195 --> 00:28:35,662 uh, subsequent to his death. 534 00:28:35,739 --> 00:28:39,124 - MATTHEW: We have a potential suspect of Cristina Rodriguez. 535 00:28:39,201 --> 00:28:40,609 We have already got this report 536 00:28:40,611 --> 00:28:42,502 that she had had stolen his bank cards in the past, 537 00:28:42,579 --> 00:28:45,139 so could this be happening again? 538 00:28:46,559 --> 00:28:49,384 - NARRATOR: Detectives waste no time obtaining footage from 539 00:28:49,395 --> 00:28:53,731 the convenience store where Tommy's card was last used. 540 00:28:53,807 --> 00:28:57,234 - MATTHEW: We see a tall black male, uh, 541 00:28:57,311 --> 00:28:59,478 coming in to the store, and 542 00:28:59,554 --> 00:29:01,405 he had a bandage wrapped around his hand. 543 00:29:02,908 --> 00:29:04,816 That was consistent with our crime scene, too, 544 00:29:04,893 --> 00:29:07,360 and the belief that somebody had injured themselves 545 00:29:07,437 --> 00:29:08,820 in the crime scene. 546 00:29:08,897 --> 00:29:11,490 - ♪ 547 00:29:11,566 --> 00:29:14,251 - NARRATOR: While the man's face is clear in the video, 548 00:29:14,328 --> 00:29:17,913 detectives can't get a good look at his companion. 549 00:29:17,923 --> 00:29:20,081 - MATTHEW: They were initially parked at the gas pumps 550 00:29:20,092 --> 00:29:22,334 in a dark-colored vehicle. 551 00:29:22,410 --> 00:29:23,502 I think you could see that 552 00:29:23,578 --> 00:29:26,430 there was another passenger in the vehicle. 553 00:29:26,507 --> 00:29:29,090 - NARRATOR: Investigators move on to the Dollar General where 554 00:29:29,101 --> 00:29:31,602 the next charges appear on Tommy's card, 555 00:29:31,678 --> 00:29:34,772 and their suspicions are confirmed. 556 00:29:34,848 --> 00:29:36,440 - THOMAS: We had pulled up the video surveillance. 557 00:29:36,517 --> 00:29:39,768 We were seeing this individual with a big old bandage around 558 00:29:39,779 --> 00:29:42,780 his hands, and we were seeing Cristina. 559 00:29:44,975 --> 00:29:47,025 You could make out clear as day that it was her. 560 00:29:47,102 --> 00:29:51,622 - ♪ 561 00:29:51,698 --> 00:29:54,958 - NARRATOR: Just as detectives make a positive ID on Cristina, 562 00:29:55,035 --> 00:29:58,703 they finally track down the other woman in Tommy's life, 563 00:29:58,780 --> 00:30:00,705 Connie Moreno. 564 00:30:00,782 --> 00:30:02,633 - I was finally able to contact, uh, 565 00:30:02,709 --> 00:30:04,885 Connie and I was able to interview her. 566 00:30:17,299 --> 00:30:18,631 - STEPHEN: She was at a relative's 567 00:30:18,709 --> 00:30:23,395 or something like that, uh, during the time period 568 00:30:23,471 --> 00:30:26,106 where they believed Tommy was murdered. 569 00:30:26,182 --> 00:30:27,491 They were able to eliminate her. 570 00:30:27,568 --> 00:30:30,068 - ♪ 571 00:30:30,145 --> 00:30:32,737 - NARRATOR: Investigators now focus all of their efforts on 572 00:30:32,814 --> 00:30:36,283 finding Cristina and her associate. 573 00:30:36,359 --> 00:30:39,327 Two days after the discovery of Tommy's body, 574 00:30:39,338 --> 00:30:43,582 detectives receive a tip from Tommy's employers. 575 00:30:43,658 --> 00:30:46,251 - BILL: Deborah Grimes, got a text message from Tommy's phone 576 00:30:46,328 --> 00:30:48,295 on September 9. 577 00:30:48,371 --> 00:30:51,631 And the actual text message said, "Deborah, 578 00:30:51,708 --> 00:30:54,092 "I won't be back no time soon. 579 00:30:54,169 --> 00:30:55,427 "I don't know if you remember, 580 00:30:55,503 --> 00:30:57,855 "I told you I was gonna be a father. 581 00:30:57,931 --> 00:31:02,309 Well, my girl is in the hospital, and I'm low in cash." 582 00:31:02,385 --> 00:31:07,105 - He texted, "I need you to do me a favor, 583 00:31:07,182 --> 00:31:13,111 "I need you to get my pay and send it to me Western Union. 584 00:31:13,188 --> 00:31:14,487 I need some money." 585 00:31:14,564 --> 00:31:16,707 And then, I get a text that says, 586 00:31:16,783 --> 00:31:18,950 "Don't send the money in my name, 587 00:31:19,027 --> 00:31:21,712 because I don't have my ID." 588 00:31:21,788 --> 00:31:24,289 - He said, "If you can send the money to my cousin, 589 00:31:24,366 --> 00:31:25,966 his name is Braylon Ellis." 590 00:31:28,295 --> 00:31:33,798 This is the first time that we hear the name, Braylon Ellis. 591 00:31:33,875 --> 00:31:36,301 They run him, and they look at his drivers' license 592 00:31:36,378 --> 00:31:37,561 and figure out, 593 00:31:37,638 --> 00:31:41,014 "This is probably our suspect in all of these 594 00:31:41,091 --> 00:31:42,357 surveillance videos." 595 00:31:43,426 --> 00:31:44,976 - NARRATOR: Investigators immediately issue 596 00:31:45,053 --> 00:31:48,813 arrest warrants for both Braylon and Cristina. 597 00:31:48,890 --> 00:31:52,242 But first, they have to find them. 598 00:31:52,319 --> 00:31:55,695 - The US Marshalls have an ability to ping a cell phone, 599 00:31:55,772 --> 00:31:59,249 and they were able to tell that the cell phone was pinging 600 00:31:59,326 --> 00:32:01,826 at a location in Snellville, Georgia, 601 00:32:01,903 --> 00:32:05,923 which is just a little northeast of Atlanta. 602 00:32:05,999 --> 00:32:09,334 - NARRATOR: The home belongs to Braylon's mother. 603 00:32:09,411 --> 00:32:12,087 - BILL: The local police go in. 604 00:32:12,097 --> 00:32:13,597 They take them into custody. 605 00:32:13,674 --> 00:32:17,100 - ♪ 606 00:32:17,177 --> 00:32:20,103 - BILL: They completely lock down and freeze Braylon's 607 00:32:20,180 --> 00:32:22,856 mother's house, so nobody can tamper with any evidence. 608 00:32:24,443 --> 00:32:25,850 - THOMAS: When I got the information that they were 609 00:32:25,927 --> 00:32:28,353 arrested, I was on a plane probably two hours later. 610 00:32:28,430 --> 00:32:29,595 I had made contact with 611 00:32:29,673 --> 00:32:30,839 the Gwinnett County Sheriff's Department, 612 00:32:30,841 --> 00:32:33,116 and they were able to assist me in obtaining 613 00:32:33,193 --> 00:32:34,859 a search warrant. 614 00:32:34,936 --> 00:32:37,287 - BILL: Detective O'Brien, when he goes into Braylon 615 00:32:37,364 --> 00:32:39,072 and Cristina's room, right? 616 00:32:39,149 --> 00:32:42,367 He searches the room, uh, and what does he do? 617 00:32:42,444 --> 00:32:46,913 Detective O'Brien takes out his cell phone, calls Tommy's phone. 618 00:32:46,990 --> 00:32:49,249 - THOMAS: I figured the phone was probably on, and so 619 00:32:49,325 --> 00:32:51,376 I just called it. - [phone ringing] 620 00:32:51,453 --> 00:32:52,636 - THOMAS: And then, I heard it ringing 621 00:32:52,713 --> 00:32:54,012 basically in the back of the dresser. 622 00:32:55,790 --> 00:32:57,966 - BILL: It was like the air went out of the room. 623 00:32:57,977 --> 00:32:59,801 It was like, "Oh, my God. 624 00:32:59,812 --> 00:33:03,805 This dead man's cell phone rings." 625 00:33:03,816 --> 00:33:05,724 I mean, that is a damning piece of evidence 626 00:33:05,800 --> 00:33:07,934 against Braylon and Cristina. 627 00:33:08,011 --> 00:33:11,563 - NARRATOR: Tommy's phone isn't all they find. 628 00:33:11,639 --> 00:33:14,899 - In the car that Braylon and Cristina were driving 629 00:33:14,976 --> 00:33:18,820 was Tommy's wallet, his ID, his debit card. 630 00:33:18,831 --> 00:33:22,323 - ♪ 631 00:33:22,334 --> 00:33:23,783 - NARRATOR: At the local police station, 632 00:33:23,860 --> 00:33:27,004 Detective O'Brien attempts to interview Cristina. 633 00:33:43,338 --> 00:33:44,596 - Cristina pretty much right away 634 00:33:44,672 --> 00:33:46,523 invoked her right to have an attorney present, 635 00:33:46,600 --> 00:33:48,850 and so, uh, I didn't have a conversation with her. 636 00:33:48,861 --> 00:33:51,603 - ♪ 637 00:33:51,679 --> 00:33:54,272 - NARRATOR: In another room, Braylon agrees to talk, 638 00:33:54,349 --> 00:33:56,742 but he is anything but forthright. 639 00:34:05,568 --> 00:34:06,868 - BILL: He just plays dumb. 640 00:34:06,879 --> 00:34:08,453 And, by the way, he's sitting there 641 00:34:08,530 --> 00:34:10,455 in front of two homicide detectives, 642 00:34:10,532 --> 00:34:13,633 and he has stitches in his hand. 643 00:34:24,420 --> 00:34:27,639 - NARRATOR: Investigators try a different route and begin asking 644 00:34:27,715 --> 00:34:30,776 Braylon about his relationship with Cristina. 645 00:34:31,928 --> 00:34:34,062 - Cristina and Braylon, uh, 646 00:34:34,073 --> 00:34:36,648 had met a few months before the murder. 647 00:34:36,724 --> 00:34:40,151 Uh, Braylon was actually taking a bus from Dallas 648 00:34:40,228 --> 00:34:41,578 out to California. 649 00:34:41,655 --> 00:34:43,747 He meets Cristina on the bus. 650 00:34:43,824 --> 00:34:46,324 They chat, they exchange numbers, 651 00:34:46,401 --> 00:34:48,993 and he goes on to California. 652 00:34:49,070 --> 00:34:52,664 At some point, he comes back to Dallas and calls Cristina. 653 00:34:52,740 --> 00:34:55,834 They do a long distance dating relationship. 654 00:34:55,910 --> 00:35:00,213 He goes out to El Paso, and then he and Cristina 655 00:35:00,290 --> 00:35:02,099 basically are living together. 656 00:35:09,924 --> 00:35:12,818 - NARRATOR: Investigators continue to press Braylon. 657 00:35:30,370 --> 00:35:33,255 - NARRATOR: Under pressure, Braylon begins to backtrack. 658 00:35:39,662 --> 00:35:42,714 - NARRATOR: Braylon admits to knowing that Tommy and Cristina 659 00:35:42,790 --> 00:35:47,102 once had a relationship, but claims Tommy was abusive. 660 00:35:51,966 --> 00:35:55,143 - You know, he didn't confess, but it was definitely damning 661 00:35:55,154 --> 00:35:59,147 that he starts to change his story during his interview. 662 00:35:59,158 --> 00:36:01,825 - I think he was still all in for Cristina, 663 00:36:01,902 --> 00:36:04,494 I think he was still under her spell. 664 00:36:04,571 --> 00:36:07,572 - ♪ 665 00:36:07,649 --> 00:36:08,740 - NARRATOR: Coming up: 666 00:36:08,816 --> 00:36:12,744 A master manipulator is exposed... 667 00:36:12,820 --> 00:36:14,329 - THOMAS: She was telling Braylon that it was his baby, 668 00:36:14,339 --> 00:36:16,256 she was telling Tommy that it was his baby. 669 00:36:17,367 --> 00:36:19,759 Turns out that that was just some big con. 670 00:36:22,497 --> 00:36:25,891 - ♪ 671 00:36:33,716 --> 00:36:36,026 - ♪ 672 00:36:36,102 --> 00:36:39,020 - NARRATOR: On September 10, 2013, 673 00:36:39,031 --> 00:36:43,775 police in Fort Worth charge 37-year-old Cristina Rodriguez 674 00:36:43,851 --> 00:36:47,370 and her boyfriend, 27-year-old Braylon Ellis, 675 00:36:47,447 --> 00:36:50,874 with the murder of Tommy Brown. 676 00:36:50,951 --> 00:36:52,992 - This is one of those rare investigations 677 00:36:53,069 --> 00:36:56,537 where the evidence just keeps on giving. 678 00:36:56,548 --> 00:36:58,706 There was always something popping up. 679 00:36:58,717 --> 00:37:00,884 That's really why the investigation didn't stop. 680 00:37:00,961 --> 00:37:04,837 - ♪ 681 00:37:04,914 --> 00:37:08,007 - NARRATOR: Finally, in March of 2016, 682 00:37:08,084 --> 00:37:10,051 investigators believe they have enough 683 00:37:10,062 --> 00:37:12,896 to take Braylon Ellis to trial-- 684 00:37:12,973 --> 00:37:16,274 including one damning new piece of evidence. 685 00:37:17,927 --> 00:37:20,186 - It takes months for DNA to get run. 686 00:37:20,263 --> 00:37:22,480 It's--it's not like what you see on TV. 687 00:37:22,557 --> 00:37:24,407 Now, we had the results of that. 688 00:37:25,601 --> 00:37:26,985 We've got ceramic pieces 689 00:37:27,061 --> 00:37:29,996 with Tommy Brown and Braylon Ellis' DNA on it. 690 00:37:31,274 --> 00:37:33,700 - NARRATOR: It's enough for a Texas jury to quickly find 691 00:37:33,776 --> 00:37:36,086 Braylon guilty of murder. 692 00:37:38,406 --> 00:37:41,466 - He got a life sentence with the possibility of parole. 693 00:37:43,453 --> 00:37:45,929 The judge, he told my son, he said, "You're going to get out, 694 00:37:46,006 --> 00:37:48,265 but you're going to do some time." 695 00:37:48,341 --> 00:37:51,268 I didn't like it. I was upset about it, 696 00:37:51,344 --> 00:37:55,054 but one wrong decision can change your life forever. 697 00:37:55,131 --> 00:37:59,058 - ♪ 698 00:37:59,135 --> 00:38:02,895 - NARRATOR: Ten months later, in January of 2017, 699 00:38:02,972 --> 00:38:05,156 Cristina's trial begins. 700 00:38:06,642 --> 00:38:07,951 To help walk jurors through 701 00:38:08,028 --> 00:38:12,122 what really happened on September 5, 2013, 702 00:38:12,198 --> 00:38:15,533 prosecutors call a surprise witness: 703 00:38:15,610 --> 00:38:16,960 Braylon Ellis. 704 00:38:18,321 --> 00:38:21,539 - He came back without a deal for any reduction 705 00:38:21,616 --> 00:38:25,468 in his sentence, uh, just to testify against Cristina, 706 00:38:25,545 --> 00:38:27,429 because he thought it was the right thing to do. 707 00:38:28,715 --> 00:38:29,964 - NARRATOR: Braylon explains to the jury 708 00:38:29,975 --> 00:38:33,259 that he was deeply in love with Cristina 709 00:38:33,336 --> 00:38:35,428 and was overjoyed when she shared 710 00:38:35,505 --> 00:38:38,222 some exciting news with him. 711 00:38:38,299 --> 00:38:40,433 - She told him that she was carrying his child. 712 00:38:40,510 --> 00:38:42,477 - ♪ 713 00:38:42,487 --> 00:38:43,895 - THOMAS: Clearly, she was telling Braylon 714 00:38:43,971 --> 00:38:45,155 that it was his baby, 715 00:38:45,231 --> 00:38:47,157 she was telling Tommy, uh, that it was his baby. 716 00:38:47,233 --> 00:38:49,609 - ♪ 717 00:38:49,685 --> 00:38:50,994 - NARRATOR: According to Braylon, 718 00:38:51,071 --> 00:38:54,489 fatherhood wasn't all Cristina dangled over his head 719 00:38:54,499 --> 00:38:57,116 just before the murder. 720 00:38:57,193 --> 00:39:00,003 - Cristina made the allegation that, uh, Tommy had-- 721 00:39:00,080 --> 00:39:01,880 had hit on her and beat on her. 722 00:39:03,032 --> 00:39:04,791 - BILL: This upsets Braylon because, you know, 723 00:39:04,867 --> 00:39:06,834 one, he's in love with her. 724 00:39:06,845 --> 00:39:09,337 Two, he thinks that she is carrying his child. 725 00:39:09,348 --> 00:39:13,007 Three, now he's upset that his lady's been roughed up. 726 00:39:13,018 --> 00:39:16,177 So, he was gonna go over there and beat Tommy up. 727 00:39:16,188 --> 00:39:20,098 And so that was their original plan, and then head to Georgia. 728 00:39:20,174 --> 00:39:23,142 - ♪ 729 00:39:23,219 --> 00:39:25,686 - NARRATOR: Braylon claims while Tommy was out running an errand 730 00:39:25,697 --> 00:39:30,108 on the night of September 5, Cristina used the spare key 731 00:39:30,184 --> 00:39:34,695 from Tommy's mailbox to sneak him into Tommy's house. 732 00:39:34,706 --> 00:39:38,825 - BILL: He hides in the bathroom, and Tommy comes home. 733 00:39:38,901 --> 00:39:40,502 He hears Tommy coming down the hall. 734 00:39:41,904 --> 00:39:42,995 What Braylon testifies to 735 00:39:43,072 --> 00:39:45,331 is he is just panicking in the bathroom, 736 00:39:45,408 --> 00:39:47,542 because he's supposed to rough this guy up. 737 00:39:47,552 --> 00:39:51,212 He's looking around like, "Well, what can I use?" 738 00:39:51,223 --> 00:39:53,381 He says he grabs the toilet tank lid, 739 00:39:53,392 --> 00:39:56,884 and he times it perfectly that when Tommy gets to the bathroom, 740 00:39:56,895 --> 00:39:59,187 he comes out, hits him over the head with it. 741 00:40:01,090 --> 00:40:03,683 Braylon then testifies that he beats him 742 00:40:03,759 --> 00:40:06,736 probably 10 to 13 times. 743 00:40:06,813 --> 00:40:09,397 Tommy's on the ground; he's gasping. 744 00:40:09,408 --> 00:40:13,526 Cristina comes in, hands him a pot from the kitchen and goes, 745 00:40:13,603 --> 00:40:15,153 "Here, use this." 746 00:40:15,229 --> 00:40:19,031 And so, he hits him on the head two or three times with the pot. 747 00:40:19,108 --> 00:40:21,534 Then, he put the bag over Tommy's head. 748 00:40:21,611 --> 00:40:26,089 - ♪ 749 00:40:26,166 --> 00:40:27,498 - NARRATOR: Following the attack, 750 00:40:27,575 --> 00:40:30,209 Cristina ordered Braylon to load Tommy's TV 751 00:40:30,286 --> 00:40:32,044 into the back of his truck, 752 00:40:32,121 --> 00:40:35,765 while she went back inside for Tommy's wallet. 753 00:40:35,842 --> 00:40:38,384 - She's gonna steal what she can from him and she's gonna head 754 00:40:38,461 --> 00:40:41,262 to Georgia with her new little boyfriend. 755 00:40:41,273 --> 00:40:44,774 - ♪ 756 00:40:44,851 --> 00:40:46,392 - TWYLA: He was in love with her. 757 00:40:46,469 --> 00:40:49,103 She had manipulated him to a high level. 758 00:40:49,114 --> 00:40:53,191 And she had mastered manipulation. 759 00:40:53,267 --> 00:40:55,902 - FREDERICK: Come to find out the girl was lying to my son. 760 00:40:55,978 --> 00:40:57,620 She wasn't pregnant by my son, 761 00:40:57,697 --> 00:41:00,031 and she wasn't pregnant with Mr. Brown's son. 762 00:41:00,107 --> 00:41:02,116 She was telling both of them that. 763 00:41:02,127 --> 00:41:04,535 I'm like, "Oh my God." 764 00:41:04,612 --> 00:41:06,913 - THOMAS: It turns out that that was just some big con. 765 00:41:06,989 --> 00:41:08,706 That she was never pregnant. 766 00:41:08,783 --> 00:41:11,593 And it's like she was using that to be a victim. 767 00:41:12,995 --> 00:41:16,464 - BILL: She went so far as to get on the internet and pull off 768 00:41:16,475 --> 00:41:20,477 a photograph of an ultrasound to show Tommy. 769 00:41:22,222 --> 00:41:24,096 - Her action just so sadistic, 770 00:41:24,173 --> 00:41:26,599 even though the whole situation was sadistic. 771 00:41:26,676 --> 00:41:30,403 Whatever story she fed him, he was in protection mode. 772 00:41:32,306 --> 00:41:33,564 - ♪ 773 00:41:33,641 --> 00:41:35,942 - NARRATOR: After Braylon's chilling testimony, 774 00:41:36,018 --> 00:41:40,279 prosecutors have one more card to play. 775 00:41:40,356 --> 00:41:43,833 - STEPHEN: There was a witness who turned out to be a fellow 776 00:41:43,910 --> 00:41:49,005 cellmate of Cristina in the county jail, 777 00:41:49,082 --> 00:41:51,716 uh, pending her trial. 778 00:41:53,178 --> 00:41:54,585 - NARRATOR: According to the cellmate, 779 00:41:54,662 --> 00:41:57,680 Cristina had revealed one additional detail 780 00:41:57,757 --> 00:42:00,141 about her role in the crime. 781 00:42:01,669 --> 00:42:04,136 - BILL: She said Tommy was still alive. 782 00:42:04,213 --> 00:42:07,807 And she's just disgusted that Braylon, hasn't, you know, 783 00:42:07,883 --> 00:42:09,809 finished Tommy off. 784 00:42:09,885 --> 00:42:13,854 - STEPHEN: She said when Braylon couldn't finish the job, 785 00:42:13,865 --> 00:42:15,490 she finished Tommy off. 786 00:42:18,019 --> 00:42:20,370 And obviously, that's pretty devastating. 787 00:42:22,541 --> 00:42:24,040 - ♪ 788 00:42:24,117 --> 00:42:25,866 - NARRATOR: The jury agrees. 789 00:42:25,877 --> 00:42:29,161 On January 31, 2017, 790 00:42:29,238 --> 00:42:32,540 they find Cristina Rodriguez guilty, 791 00:42:32,551 --> 00:42:35,301 handing her the same sentence as Braylon. 792 00:42:36,579 --> 00:42:38,629 - They both received a life sentence. 793 00:42:38,706 --> 00:42:42,517 They will be eligible for parole around 2043. 794 00:42:44,378 --> 00:42:46,012 - ♪ 795 00:42:46,088 --> 00:42:49,566 - NARRATOR: The decision leaves the lives of several families 796 00:42:49,642 --> 00:42:51,901 forever changed. 797 00:42:51,978 --> 00:42:54,979 - ANDREA: I feel she should have life 798 00:42:55,056 --> 00:42:59,317 without the possibility of parole. 799 00:42:59,393 --> 00:43:03,988 There is no other reason for her to do this 800 00:43:04,065 --> 00:43:06,291 besides she's evil. 801 00:43:08,587 --> 00:43:09,752 - ANGELICA: She's not a bad person 802 00:43:09,829 --> 00:43:12,246 like a lot of people see her as. 803 00:43:12,257 --> 00:43:14,424 She is remorseful. 804 00:43:14,500 --> 00:43:17,760 She feels bad what happened to him. 805 00:43:17,837 --> 00:43:21,213 - BILL: There was no evidence that Tommy was abusing her. 806 00:43:21,290 --> 00:43:23,766 I think she's just a cold lady and just wanted him gone. 807 00:43:23,843 --> 00:43:27,562 - ♪ 808 00:43:28,798 --> 00:43:38,323 - ♪