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[Narrator] A loving father
is gunned down
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just steps from
his daughter's bedroom...
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An individual walked
in the room,
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pulled a handgun out,
and shot him.
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His girlfriend was in bed
with him at the time.
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[Christine] It was just
unbelievable.
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And in such
a ferocious way, too.
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It was horrific.
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[Narrator] Investigators search
for a killer,
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and uncover a deceitful past
filled with possible suspects.
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They lived a lavish lifestyle.
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They always had a boat,
nice cars, nice houses.
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She believed that it was
a Puerto Rican hit squad
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that came up to kill him.
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[Narrator] Or was
the real danger
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much closer to home?
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His daughter said she had been
a witness to a fight
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that her father and a neighbor
had earlier in the day.
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He said to me,
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And I was like, "Why would you
ever say that?"
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He had asked her,
"What's gonna happen?"
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And she said,
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"You're better off
if you don't know."
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[James] All she could see
was a figure,
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and she heard a click.
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And the shooter said,
"This is your lucky day."
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[music]
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[Narrator] May 12th, 1997.
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It's a quiet night in
Middleburgh, New York,
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a small rural town
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nestled roughly 45 miles west
of Albany.
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At 11:50 PM, the peace is
shattered when 911 operators
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receive a shocking call.
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A 911 call was made
stating that...
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subject had been shot.
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[Narrator] The call came from
a neighbor
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of 31-year-old Nicole Braun.
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Nicole Braun said she had just
witnessed the murder
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of her boyfriend, Frank Arroyo.
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She wasn't alone with Frank
that night.
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She had Frank's
13-year-old daughter.
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His girlfriend, who was in
bed with him at the time,
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had left the house
in her nightgown.
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Nicole ran out of the house and
down the street.
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She ran to some
neighbors' houses,
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and 911 was called.
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[Jack] She said someone walked
in the room,
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pulled a handgun out
and shot Frank,
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turned around, and walked out.
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[music]
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[Narrator] With no time to lose,
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New York state troopers
race to the scene.
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Upon arrival, they are met by
Frank's 13-year-old daughter
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and his 31-year-old girlfriend,
Nikki.
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His girlfriend, Nikki,
was a bit hysterical.
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[Jack] First responders,
when they get there,
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they have to clear the house,
make sure that this person left.
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They had to be sure that the,
the house was clear and safe.
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[James] The door was unlocked,
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we didn't find any
evidence of forced entry.
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[music]
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[Narrator] Troopers enter
the home,
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checking each room before
finding Frank.
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There was a victim shot
multiple times.
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There was no pulse,
no breathing, no heartbeat...
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Anything to indicate that he
was alive at that point.
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The police found some casings,
some bullet casings,
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but other than the body and
blood splatter,
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there was no evidence
of a struggle.
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There was no evidence of
a robbery or burglary.
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This was a straight-out shooting
and that was it.
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In a homicide like this,
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the background of the,
of the victim becomes important.
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Who had a motive to hurt him?
Who had a motive to kill him?
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[music]
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[Narrator] To his family,
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Frank Arroyo always seemed
larger than life.
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[Amy] He was just awesome.
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He was just always
making you laugh,
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always cracking a joke.
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[Narrator] Born in Puerto Rico
in 1948,
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at age three, Frank moved
to Queens with his parents
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and three sisters.
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[Christine] My aunt got
really sick.
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There was a really
good doctor in New York.
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So, they sold their chickens
and their cows,
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and they all moved to New York.
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And they struggled a little bit.
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You know, they weren't wealthy,
but they were very loving.
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Then when he graduated
high school,
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he went to the Army.
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[Paul] He was cool.
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He was a great guy,
he loved life.
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Very skilled, talented.
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[Narrator] Family was everything
to Frank,
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and he couldn't wait to start
one of his own.
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And in 1971, at the age of 23,
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he fell in love and married
fellow Puerto Rican
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Gladys Rentas.
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[Christine] My mom came from
Puerto Rico also,
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when she was three years old.
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Both of them ended up in Queens,
in the same building.
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My mom was a sweetheart,
she was a doll.
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And my dad was funny,
he was a prankster.
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I guess they were a little
opposite of each other.
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[Narrator] Though Gladys
had a six-month-old son
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from a previous marriage,
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Frank welcomed her child
with open arms.
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And by 1977, they had grown
to a family of five.
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I was born in '74.
And then Amy came along in '77.
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[Narrator] Frank embraced
fatherhood,
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and loved taking
family adventures.
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My dad loved going camping,
hiking, going to the beach.
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He always loved playing
his music.
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He was always with his guitar
and playing his songs.
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Family man.
His kids, his daugh...
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He was raising his kids,
take care of the family.
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That was his life.
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[Narrator] Frank worked as
a handyman to make ends meet,
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and eventually landed a job
as a building superintendent.
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[Paul He taught me how to put up
ceiling fans,
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installing air conditioners,
buffing the floors.
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[Narrator] Frank and Gladys
seemed to have
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the picture-perfect life
together.
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But all that changed when Frank
met Donna Solerno,
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a spirited New Yorker
11 years his junior.
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My dad was a superintendent of
a building,
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and she worked for
the management company
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that was in charge of
the superintendents.
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There was
a lot of flirting going on.
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[Paul] Donna came into
the picture.
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When I first met her I told him,
I said, "She's wild, bro."
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Like, she did what she want,
didn't care.
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If she wanted to have fun,
she's gonna have fun.
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He was unfortunately so
madly in love with Donna,
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and taken by her
for some reason.
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She tore our family apart.
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[Narrator] By 1982,
Frank had divorced Gladys
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and married Donna.
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My mother was very resilient.
It was hard for her.
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But she, she bounced back and
she raised three kids.
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She did what she had to do.
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And she did, did it on her own.
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My mom and dad were fighting for
custody of us.
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I wanted to go home
to my mom, I was a little girl.
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[music]
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[Narrator] Frank and Donna
relocated to Florida,
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where they started
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a successful real estate
venture.
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[Amy] They were, like,
selling properties.
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They were basically flipping,
flipping properties.
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They lived a lavish lifestyle.
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They always had a boat,
nice cars, nice houses.
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[Narrator] Frank and Donna
eventually had a daughter
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and son of their own.
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And Frank loved getting
all his children together.
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We just visited them.
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We didngt live
the everyday life with them.
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It was mostly fun whenever
we got to see him.
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We didn't really see him much.
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Not as much as I would have
liked to.
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[Narrator] When the couple
traveled to Puerto Rico
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for real estate ventures,
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they would bring
the children along.
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We went to Puerto Rico with him
a few times.
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I remember he taught me how to
do the merengue dance.
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[music]
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[Narrator] In 1996,
Frank and Donna's lavish life
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went up in smoke,
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when they found themselves
in legal hot water.
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Frank and his wife, Donna,
had been involved in
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some sort of scam
in Puerto Rico,
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in regards to
some phony mortgages.
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[Narrator] Donna and Frank were
extradited from
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Sarasota, Florida,
back to Puerto Rico,
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and placed under arrest.
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[James] Frank was in jail for
a short period of time.
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That's when the marriage
really went south,
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when he got out of prison.
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[Narrator] Frank was released
after seven months in prison,
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and shortly thereafter,
he and Donna separated.
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He moved back to New York
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with the couple's
12-year-old daughter,
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while Donna and the couple's
4-year-old son
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stayed in Florida.
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My dad ended up back Upstate
New York, in Middleburgh.
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He was coming around to
our house lot in Staten Island.
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Thinking about moving there.
So, we were excited.
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I was just so happy that
he was around again.
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[Narrator] By 1996, Frank and
Donna's divorce was pending,
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and both seemed to be moving on
with their lives...
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Donna was living on
a 40-foot yacht in Florida
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with her boyfriend, Cary,
and her five-year-old boy.
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My dad finally moved on.
He finally met someone.
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He found a pretty girl that
he was happy with.
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He would go to her house
and play his guitar,
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and he was happy as could be.
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[music]
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[Narrator] But Frank's third act
is snuffed out in an instant
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when he is gunned down
on May 12th, 1997.
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While a forensic team
searches for clues inside,
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00:10:17,534 --> 00:10:21,079
New York State investigators
speak with Frank's girlfriend,
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Nikki Braun.
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She just witnessed her boyfriend
murdered right before her eyes.
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She was extremely upset.
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[James] Nikki said she was
in bed with Frank,
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00:10:35,093 --> 00:10:36,928
and Frank was on the phone with
his mother
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at the foot of the bed,
sitting up.
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And she noticed someone come in
through the bedroom door,
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which was backlit, so all she
could see was a figure.
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And she heard a click,
and the shooter said,
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"This is your lucky day."
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At that point, she thought
this was a joke,
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00:10:52,444 --> 00:10:53,903
and I guess Frank did, as well.
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00:10:54,696 --> 00:10:56,406
And then she heard metal,
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which was the shooter pulling
back the slide
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00:11:00,201 --> 00:11:03,204
on the automatic and
chambering the round.
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00:11:03,621 --> 00:11:06,958
And fired off four shots,
which all of 'em hit Frank.
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[Jack] Frank's daughter did hear
the gunshots
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and came out of the bedroom to
see what that was.
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An individual unknown to them
shot Frank four times--
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three times in the chest
and one time in the head--
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turned around and walked out.
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[music]
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[Narrator] It's
a haunting story,
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but investigators can't take it
as gospel just yet.
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When you have a,
a murder like this,
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pretty much
everybody's a suspect.
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[Narrator] Coming up...
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Investigators look into
Frank's new girl...
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She just witnessed a homicide.
Could she have set this up?
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00:11:56,758 --> 00:12:00,512
[Narrator] And they uncover
a number of dangerous enemies.
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He said he had gotten into
a fight that day about money.
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[Narrator] May 13th, 1997.
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00:12:26,413 --> 00:12:30,291
Puerto Rican native Frank Arroyo
has just been gunned down
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in his girlfriend's home
by an unknown assailant.
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New York State investigators
study the crime scene.
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He was shot multiple times,
so there was a lot of blood.
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He was found lying on his back,
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like he had been sitting on
the end of the bed,
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talking on the phone.
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[Narrator] Amidst
the grisly scene,
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investigators are also able
to locate four shell casings.
244
00:13:01,322 --> 00:13:03,742
The forensic team let us know
what we were looking for,
245
00:13:03,783 --> 00:13:07,495
and in this particular case,
it was a .40-caliber weapon.
246
00:13:08,288 --> 00:13:11,458
[Narrator] The casings are
bagged and sent for processing.
247
00:13:11,499 --> 00:13:16,838
[music]
248
00:13:16,880 --> 00:13:19,674
There was nothing to suggest
that this was a,
249
00:13:19,716 --> 00:13:21,426
a robbery or burglary,
250
00:13:21,468 --> 00:13:24,054
and we didn't find any
evidence of forced entry.
251
00:13:24,095 --> 00:13:27,265
The house was not broken into,
door was unlocked.
252
00:13:27,307 --> 00:13:30,101
[Jack] It seemed to be just a,
a cold-blooded murder,
253
00:13:30,143 --> 00:13:33,146
and the obvious question is
254
00:13:33,188 --> 00:13:35,357
why someone would
wanna murder him.
255
00:13:35,398 --> 00:13:37,901
And on to the next question,
of course, is, who?
256
00:13:40,445 --> 00:13:43,448
[Narrator] Investigators circle
back to Frank's girlfriend,
257
00:13:43,490 --> 00:13:44,908
Nikki Braun,
258
00:13:44,949 --> 00:13:47,452
the only eyewitness
to the shooting.
259
00:13:48,078 --> 00:13:51,247
You gotta handle her with
kid gloves, so to speak.
260
00:13:51,289 --> 00:13:54,709
She just witnessed a homicide,
but she's also a suspect.
261
00:13:54,751 --> 00:13:56,586
You know, could she have
set this up?
262
00:13:57,420 --> 00:13:59,547
She said she saw
the outline of a person,
263
00:13:59,589 --> 00:14:02,342
so she couldn't really see the,
the shooter's face.
264
00:14:02,384 --> 00:14:05,136
He was on the shorter side,
you know,
265
00:14:05,178 --> 00:14:07,097
between five and six feet tall.
266
00:14:07,138 --> 00:14:09,599
Slender, but she couldn't tell
colors in terms of
267
00:14:09,641 --> 00:14:11,393
hair color or dress.
268
00:14:11,434 --> 00:14:14,396
She was the only one in the room
besides the shooter and Frank,
269
00:14:14,437 --> 00:14:16,981
so you have to look at
her pretty closely.
270
00:14:17,732 --> 00:14:20,944
One way to do that was with a,
with a GSR test.
271
00:14:21,611 --> 00:14:23,947
[James] The shooter's gonna have
residue on his or her hand.
272
00:14:24,280 --> 00:14:29,244
We did do a residue test
on her hands and clothing,
273
00:14:29,285 --> 00:14:32,080
and actually found
no residue on her hands
274
00:14:32,122 --> 00:14:33,873
and nothing on
her clothing, either.
275
00:14:33,915 --> 00:14:36,584
[Diane] Because of her immediate
cooperation with the police,
276
00:14:36,626 --> 00:14:40,296
Nicole was dismissed quickly
as a, as a possible suspect.
277
00:14:43,800 --> 00:14:47,637
[Narrator] Next, investigators
turn to Frank's daughter.
278
00:14:48,513 --> 00:14:51,558
[James] Frank had custody of
the 13-year-old unofficially.
279
00:14:51,599 --> 00:14:54,019
She was in the house
at the time of the shooting,
280
00:14:54,060 --> 00:14:56,187
and she was asleep in
another bedroom.
281
00:14:56,229 --> 00:14:59,441
Nikki and the daughter
corroborated each other.
282
00:14:59,482 --> 00:15:01,693
[Narrator] She tells police
that her mother,
283
00:15:01,735 --> 00:15:05,321
37-year-old Donna Arroyo,
lives in Florida,
284
00:15:05,363 --> 00:15:07,615
but is currently visiting
her grandmother
285
00:15:07,657 --> 00:15:09,659
in Yonkers, New York.
286
00:15:09,993 --> 00:15:11,411
[James] During the daughter's
interview,
287
00:15:11,453 --> 00:15:13,288
she said that her mom came up
from Florida
288
00:15:13,329 --> 00:15:15,498
to try to visit or
see her daughter,
289
00:15:15,540 --> 00:15:18,418
and tried to ask her daughter to
come to Florida with her.
290
00:15:18,460 --> 00:15:21,379
But she wanted to stay in
Upstate New York.
291
00:15:21,421 --> 00:15:23,673
She had a very good relationship
with her father, Frank,
292
00:15:23,715 --> 00:15:27,385
and had friends in Middleburgh,
and relatives,
293
00:15:27,427 --> 00:15:30,513
and just did not want to
go to Florida.
294
00:15:34,100 --> 00:15:36,102
[Narrator] Police take down
Donna's phone number
295
00:15:36,144 --> 00:15:37,645
from the teenager,
296
00:15:37,687 --> 00:15:40,023
and they ask if she knows
of anyone that would want
297
00:15:40,065 --> 00:15:41,524
to hurt her dad.
298
00:15:42,567 --> 00:15:46,196
She points to a neighbor,
John Giakoumakis,
299
00:15:46,237 --> 00:15:49,240
a family friend to both
Frank and Donna.
300
00:15:50,533 --> 00:15:55,038
John Giakoumakis, a friend of
Donna's, and also knew Frank.
301
00:15:55,872 --> 00:15:59,125
Frank's daughter said she had
been a witness to a fight
302
00:15:59,167 --> 00:16:02,420
that her father and John
had earlier in the day.
303
00:16:05,090 --> 00:16:06,549
[Narrator] Detectives
immediately head
304
00:16:06,591 --> 00:16:09,761
across the street to try
and question John.
305
00:16:11,054 --> 00:16:12,931
[Diane] The police went and
spoke with John,
306
00:16:12,972 --> 00:16:14,891
and he gave
a statement to the police.
307
00:16:15,809 --> 00:16:19,145
He said he had gotten into
a fight that day about money
308
00:16:19,187 --> 00:16:21,523
that Frank had lent to John,
309
00:16:22,190 --> 00:16:24,484
and John basically had told
Frank that day
310
00:16:24,526 --> 00:16:26,319
that he didn't intend
to repay him,
311
00:16:26,361 --> 00:16:28,446
and it was worth
about five thousand dollars.
312
00:16:28,488 --> 00:16:31,282
So, they, they got into it,
and there was a bit of a tussle.
313
00:16:33,702 --> 00:16:36,037
[Narrator] When they ask John
for his whereabouts
314
00:16:36,079 --> 00:16:37,789
at the time of Frank's murder,
315
00:16:37,831 --> 00:16:40,250
he tells them that he was
at home all night
316
00:16:40,291 --> 00:16:41,793
with his girlfriend.
317
00:16:42,585 --> 00:16:44,838
[Diane] John Giakoumakis had
a girlfriend named Tiffany.
318
00:16:44,879 --> 00:16:49,050
Tiffany gave John an alibi,
and she said he was with her.
319
00:16:49,092 --> 00:16:50,927
But in any
criminal investigation,
320
00:16:50,969 --> 00:16:54,264
the police are going to take
everything sort of with
321
00:16:54,305 --> 00:16:57,350
a grain of salt until they get
the full facts.
322
00:16:58,018 --> 00:17:00,395
[Narrator] Detectives make
a note to come back to John
323
00:17:00,437 --> 00:17:02,856
once they have more information.
324
00:17:02,897 --> 00:17:06,609
[music]
325
00:17:06,651 --> 00:17:08,695
[Narrator] Officers escort
Nikki Braun
326
00:17:08,737 --> 00:17:11,489
and Frank's young daughter
to the police station,
327
00:17:11,531 --> 00:17:13,867
while investigators
break the news
328
00:17:13,908 --> 00:17:16,286
to the rest of Frank's family.
329
00:17:18,455 --> 00:17:20,623
[Christine] I remember being
asleep and my phone rang.
330
00:17:20,665 --> 00:17:23,626
And I remember just jumping out
of bed and right away,
331
00:17:23,668 --> 00:17:25,045
we were in shock.
332
00:17:25,086 --> 00:17:26,296
It was just unbelievable.
333
00:17:26,338 --> 00:17:27,922
And in such
a ferocious way, too.
334
00:17:27,964 --> 00:17:29,090
He was murdered, like...
335
00:17:29,132 --> 00:17:30,342
Y'know, they didn't shoot
him once.
336
00:17:30,383 --> 00:17:32,635
They shot him multiple times.
It was horrific.
337
00:17:33,636 --> 00:17:37,098
My mom and my older brother
told me the news.
338
00:17:37,140 --> 00:17:38,516
They were like,
"It's your dad."
339
00:17:38,558 --> 00:17:41,436
I just, obviously I was,
you know, upset.
340
00:17:41,478 --> 00:17:43,897
My little sister was in
the house when it happened.
341
00:17:43,938 --> 00:17:45,774
She was only 13 at the time.
342
00:17:46,024 --> 00:17:47,609
So, we went and got her.
343
00:17:47,650 --> 00:17:50,612
It was just heart wrenching,
devastating.
344
00:17:50,653 --> 00:17:54,616
[music]
345
00:17:54,657 --> 00:17:58,411
[Narrator] Next, investigators
call Frank's estranged wife,
346
00:17:58,453 --> 00:18:00,914
37-year-old Donna Arroyo,
347
00:18:01,331 --> 00:18:03,667
who had been visiting
her mother in Yonkers,
348
00:18:03,708 --> 00:18:05,001
three hours away.
349
00:18:05,460 --> 00:18:07,921
She is shocked to learn
of the shooting.
350
00:18:08,755 --> 00:18:10,048
When we interviewed her,
351
00:18:10,090 --> 00:18:12,425
she said
that her relationship with Frank
352
00:18:12,467 --> 00:18:14,386
was pretty good,
they just grew apart.
353
00:18:14,427 --> 00:18:16,846
She immediately denied any
involvement in this.
354
00:18:16,888 --> 00:18:19,140
She had just said she came up to
visit her daughter,
355
00:18:19,182 --> 00:18:20,725
and drove to Middleburgh.
356
00:18:20,767 --> 00:18:23,228
Tried to ask her daughter to
come to Florida with her.
357
00:18:23,269 --> 00:18:25,563
She said her daughter,
by choice,
358
00:18:26,022 --> 00:18:28,566
did not wanna go to Florida,
did not wanna leave with her,
359
00:18:28,608 --> 00:18:30,485
and wanted to live with
her father, Frank.
360
00:18:31,027 --> 00:18:33,154
[Narrator] Donna's statement
supports what her daughter
361
00:18:33,196 --> 00:18:34,781
told police earlier,
362
00:18:34,823 --> 00:18:38,284
and she's able to provide
an alibi for the shooting.
363
00:18:38,326 --> 00:18:41,371
Donna was pretty adamant that
she's at her mom's
364
00:18:41,413 --> 00:18:42,664
during the homicide,
365
00:18:42,706 --> 00:18:44,708
and her mother
did corroborate that.
366
00:18:46,292 --> 00:18:47,961
[Diane] One of the key pieces
of information
367
00:18:48,003 --> 00:18:51,506
was that the shooter was a male.
368
00:18:51,548 --> 00:18:54,592
We know this because Nikki
heard him say,
369
00:18:56,302 --> 00:18:58,221
and it was clearly
a man's voice.
370
00:18:59,514 --> 00:19:01,182
[Narrator] When asked
about John,
371
00:19:01,224 --> 00:19:03,560
Donna doesn't hold back.
372
00:19:04,436 --> 00:19:06,938
She was saying that John and
Frank did not get along,
373
00:19:06,980 --> 00:19:10,734
and she thought that John could
possibly have been
374
00:19:10,775 --> 00:19:12,235
the one who did it.
375
00:19:16,197 --> 00:19:19,576
[Narrator] When asked who else
might want Frank dead,
376
00:19:19,617 --> 00:19:24,080
Donna says the list of Frank's
enemies is quite long.
377
00:19:25,248 --> 00:19:28,543
[Jack] Frank had got involved in
this land scheme in Puerto Rico,
378
00:19:28,585 --> 00:19:29,878
for which he did get arrested.
379
00:19:29,919 --> 00:19:31,171
But during that,
380
00:19:31,212 --> 00:19:33,089
he had made off with some
significant money,
381
00:19:33,131 --> 00:19:38,094
and that she believed that it
was a Puerto Rican hit squad
382
00:19:38,136 --> 00:19:42,349
that came up to kill Frank over
the money that he owed them.
383
00:19:43,266 --> 00:19:44,809
[Narrator] Not only that,
384
00:19:44,851 --> 00:19:48,146
Donna claims that Frank recently
became involved with
385
00:19:48,188 --> 00:19:50,190
the Puerto Rican drug trade.
386
00:19:50,899 --> 00:19:53,735
[Diane] Because the shooting
occurred
387
00:19:54,152 --> 00:19:57,322
without another assault
involved,
388
00:19:57,364 --> 00:19:58,907
without a burglary,
389
00:19:58,948 --> 00:20:02,744
police looked at the possibility
that this could be a drug hit.
390
00:20:02,786 --> 00:20:06,289
Some other type of retaliation
for some other activity
391
00:20:06,331 --> 00:20:08,291
that Frank may have been
involved in.
392
00:20:10,126 --> 00:20:11,753
[Narrator] Coming up...
393
00:20:11,795 --> 00:20:15,757
Did Frank's criminal past
make him a target for murder?
394
00:20:15,799 --> 00:20:17,926
[James] I don't wanna disparage
the dead,
395
00:20:17,967 --> 00:20:19,719
but Frank wasn't an angel.
396
00:20:20,095 --> 00:20:21,304
[Narrator] And later...
397
00:20:21,346 --> 00:20:23,848
Bizarre details emerge about
398
00:20:23,890 --> 00:20:27,352
Frank and Donna's
tumultuous relationship.
399
00:20:27,394 --> 00:20:30,438
Donna made her relationship
with Frank
400
00:20:30,480 --> 00:20:32,482
look a lot rosier than
it really was.
401
00:20:32,816 --> 00:20:34,651
They were fighting over
the daughter.
402
00:20:34,693 --> 00:20:36,361
Something
had to be done with him.
403
00:20:50,125 --> 00:20:54,504
[Narrator] It's been 24 hours
since 48-year-old Frank Arroyo
404
00:20:54,546 --> 00:20:57,048
was murdered in
his Middleburgh home.
405
00:20:58,049 --> 00:21:01,177
While awaiting forensic and
autopsy results,
406
00:21:01,720 --> 00:21:04,681
investigators dig deeper
into Donna's allegations
407
00:21:04,723 --> 00:21:07,350
about Frank's criminal past.
408
00:21:07,809 --> 00:21:09,519
[James] I don't wanna disparage
the dead,
409
00:21:09,561 --> 00:21:11,688
but Frank wasn't an angel.
410
00:21:11,730 --> 00:21:14,357
I would describe Frank as
a small-time drug dealer,
411
00:21:14,733 --> 00:21:16,693
drugs being marijuana.
412
00:21:16,735 --> 00:21:19,070
But nothing that would rise to
the level of
413
00:21:19,112 --> 00:21:20,530
a drug deal gone bad,
414
00:21:20,572 --> 00:21:23,033
or murder someone over
a couple ounces of marijuana.
415
00:21:24,075 --> 00:21:27,078
We also learned early on that
Frank and Donna
416
00:21:27,120 --> 00:21:30,165
had been involved in some sort
of scam in Puerto Rico,
417
00:21:30,206 --> 00:21:32,042
regards to some phony mortgages.
418
00:21:33,668 --> 00:21:35,253
[Narrator] However,
419
00:21:35,295 --> 00:21:38,381
investigators find nothing
to connect Frank's murder
420
00:21:38,423 --> 00:21:40,675
to his time in Puerto Rico.
421
00:21:41,259 --> 00:21:43,887
[James] We did look into
the land scam in Puerto Rico,
422
00:21:43,928 --> 00:21:47,015
and they all came up dead ends
pretty quickly.
423
00:21:50,602 --> 00:21:52,729
[Narrator] On the evening
of May 13th,
424
00:21:52,771 --> 00:21:55,940
detectives circle back to
John Giakoumakis,
425
00:21:56,441 --> 00:21:59,986
the neighbor that Frank argued
with on the day of his death.
426
00:22:01,112 --> 00:22:03,239
[Diane] John apparently didn't
give a full statement
427
00:22:03,281 --> 00:22:04,657
the first time.
428
00:22:04,699 --> 00:22:06,993
That's not unusual in
a criminal investigation,
429
00:22:07,035 --> 00:22:09,371
especially one where there's
a killer
430
00:22:09,412 --> 00:22:11,164
still out in
the public somewhere.
431
00:22:12,123 --> 00:22:14,668
[Narrator] John confirms that
he argued with Frank
432
00:22:14,709 --> 00:22:16,378
on the day of his murder,
433
00:22:16,419 --> 00:22:19,714
but reveals he wasn't
the only one.
434
00:22:20,882 --> 00:22:24,135
John gave the police information
about a fight with Donna
435
00:22:24,177 --> 00:22:26,888
that Frank had as well
that day on the street.
436
00:22:28,306 --> 00:22:32,394
He says she clearly knew that
Frank had a new relationship,
437
00:22:32,435 --> 00:22:36,815
and he was intending to move
to Long Island
438
00:22:36,856 --> 00:22:38,733
with their 13-year-old daughter.
439
00:22:38,775 --> 00:22:42,404
And it became evident
quite early on
440
00:22:42,445 --> 00:22:44,989
that Donna was
very unhappy about that.
441
00:22:45,657 --> 00:22:47,617
Donna feared that Frank was
442
00:22:47,659 --> 00:22:49,869
so-called abducting
their daughter,
443
00:22:49,911 --> 00:22:52,580
and she did not
want that to happen.
444
00:22:53,456 --> 00:22:55,834
John said Donna was just
beside herself.
445
00:22:55,875 --> 00:22:59,587
I mean, swearing, and yelling,
and expletives, and...
446
00:22:59,629 --> 00:23:02,173
And threatening Frank's life.
447
00:23:02,799 --> 00:23:04,759
She was very, very angry at him.
448
00:23:04,801 --> 00:23:06,511
Donna kept repeating that
449
00:23:06,553 --> 00:23:09,014
she was gonna have
her husband, Frank, killed.
450
00:23:13,309 --> 00:23:16,521
[Narrator] John says that Donna
eventually left.
451
00:23:16,563 --> 00:23:18,565
Unable to shake the incident,
452
00:23:18,606 --> 00:23:21,735
he called Donna later
to check on her.
453
00:23:21,776 --> 00:23:23,653
[Diane] He had asked her,
"What's gonna happen?"
454
00:23:23,695 --> 00:23:25,530
And she said,
455
00:23:25,572 --> 00:23:27,365
you're better off if
you don't know."
456
00:23:28,074 --> 00:23:30,827
He heard in the background
a male voice saying,
457
00:23:31,703 --> 00:23:35,290
"Frank's going to get
his effing brains blown out."
458
00:23:38,418 --> 00:23:40,253
[Narrator] The call ended.
459
00:23:40,712 --> 00:23:42,922
He didn't hear from Donna again.
460
00:23:44,090 --> 00:23:46,051
[Diane] When the police get
information
461
00:23:46,092 --> 00:23:48,553
like what Giakoumakis
gave to them,
462
00:23:48,595 --> 00:23:50,889
they have to make
the assessment whether
463
00:23:50,930 --> 00:23:54,142
was it just that he was being...
464
00:23:54,184 --> 00:23:57,437
maybe afraid to come forward
with everything out at once?
465
00:23:57,479 --> 00:24:00,774
Or was he trying to get
the spotlight
466
00:24:00,815 --> 00:24:03,026
taken away from him and put on
somebody else?
467
00:24:06,905 --> 00:24:09,074
[Narrator] Investigators
turn to Frank's family
468
00:24:09,115 --> 00:24:10,617
for more insight.
469
00:24:10,658 --> 00:24:13,870
And they don't hold back
when it comes to Donna.
470
00:24:16,289 --> 00:24:17,582
[Amy] She wasn't a good person.
471
00:24:17,624 --> 00:24:20,251
She was cheating on
him for forever.
472
00:24:20,293 --> 00:24:21,711
For the longest time.
473
00:24:21,753 --> 00:24:23,338
She was bringing guys around
in front of his face.
474
00:24:23,380 --> 00:24:25,090
She had him, like,
under her spell.
475
00:24:25,131 --> 00:24:26,007
It was crazy.
476
00:24:29,052 --> 00:24:31,054
[Narrator] Frank's family
says when they heard
477
00:24:31,096 --> 00:24:35,350
that Frank and Donna separated,
it didn't come as a surprise.
478
00:24:35,975 --> 00:24:38,561
[Amy] I stayed with him when he
finally moved away from Florida,
479
00:24:38,603 --> 00:24:41,564
and he was upset, very upset
and said to me,
480
00:24:41,606 --> 00:24:43,024
"I don't wanna die."
481
00:24:43,066 --> 00:24:44,984
And I was like,
"Why would you ever say that?"
482
00:24:45,026 --> 00:24:46,778
He said, "Well,
I don't trust her.
483
00:24:46,820 --> 00:24:49,614
She's very manipulative
and calculating."
484
00:24:49,656 --> 00:24:52,117
He told me he thought
Donna was gonna kill him.
485
00:24:52,909 --> 00:24:54,619
He told me outright, like,
486
00:24:54,661 --> 00:24:56,287
"I think she's gonna try
to kill me."
487
00:24:58,665 --> 00:25:00,583
[Narrator] It's clear to
investigators
488
00:25:00,625 --> 00:25:03,628
that it's time to pay
Donna a visit.
489
00:25:04,337 --> 00:25:09,259
[music]
490
00:25:09,300 --> 00:25:12,929
[Narrator] On May 14th, two days
after Frank's murder,
491
00:25:12,971 --> 00:25:17,183
investigators track her down at
her mother's house in Yonkers.
492
00:25:18,143 --> 00:25:20,103
[James] We sent state
police investigators
493
00:25:20,145 --> 00:25:22,981
there to the mother's home to
interview Donna.
494
00:25:23,648 --> 00:25:25,483
[Narrator] Investigators
confront Donna
495
00:25:25,525 --> 00:25:27,110
with their suspicions,
496
00:25:27,152 --> 00:25:29,779
and she shares some
alarming new information
497
00:25:29,821 --> 00:25:32,157
about her estranged husband.
498
00:25:32,991 --> 00:25:35,577
Donna says she heard that Frank
499
00:25:35,618 --> 00:25:38,288
was jealous because
she had a boyfriend.
500
00:25:38,329 --> 00:25:42,292
Donna believed Frank was putting
a hit out on Cary.
501
00:25:42,834 --> 00:25:46,212
She said Frank was connected to
different things,
502
00:25:46,254 --> 00:25:49,174
and he had the connections to
have somebody kill him.
503
00:25:49,716 --> 00:25:51,134
[Narrator] According to Donna,
504
00:25:51,176 --> 00:25:54,429
in a desperate move to
save her boyfriend's life,
505
00:25:54,471 --> 00:25:58,350
she hired two men to
teach Frank a lesson.
506
00:25:59,017 --> 00:26:01,144
She said, "I didn't tell him
to shoot him.
507
00:26:01,186 --> 00:26:04,105
I told him to just come up and
beat him up a little bit."
508
00:26:07,692 --> 00:26:09,986
[Narrator] Despite Donna's
stated intent,
509
00:26:10,028 --> 00:26:12,947
someone did kill Frank
that night.
510
00:26:13,656 --> 00:26:18,244
However, Donna stops short
of naming her accomplices.
511
00:26:18,286 --> 00:26:21,456
She was arrested for criminal
facilitation based on
512
00:26:22,457 --> 00:26:24,125
what we knew at the time.
513
00:26:24,167 --> 00:26:27,420
She was subsequently transported
back up north
514
00:26:27,462 --> 00:26:29,005
to Middleburgh, New York,
515
00:26:29,047 --> 00:26:32,300
where she was remanded to
the Schoharie County Jail.
516
00:26:36,054 --> 00:26:38,765
[Narrator] Just as investigators
begin looking into
517
00:26:38,807 --> 00:26:40,934
Donna's past associates,
518
00:26:40,975 --> 00:26:45,230
a call comes in that blows
the case wide open.
519
00:26:45,605 --> 00:26:47,273
The command post received a call
520
00:26:47,315 --> 00:26:51,069
from an attorney out of
Orlando, Florida.
521
00:26:51,903 --> 00:26:54,864
[Jack] He said, "I have a client
here in my office
522
00:26:54,906 --> 00:26:58,118
"that was there.
He did not take part in it.
523
00:26:58,159 --> 00:27:00,412
"And he's looking for
immunity.
524
00:27:02,163 --> 00:27:05,333
But he can tell you who did it
and how it all happened."
525
00:27:05,375 --> 00:27:09,671
[music]
526
00:27:09,713 --> 00:27:10,922
[Narrator] Coming up...
527
00:27:11,548 --> 00:27:14,342
Who really killed Frank Arroyo?
528
00:27:15,260 --> 00:27:16,886
I think he was in love
with Donna,
529
00:27:16,928 --> 00:27:19,055
but realized he had been
manipulated.
530
00:27:19,848 --> 00:27:21,683
She convinced him that
the only way around it
531
00:27:21,725 --> 00:27:24,102
was that Frank had to die.
532
00:27:24,769 --> 00:27:26,229
[Narrator] And later...
533
00:27:26,271 --> 00:27:30,775
Shocking details emerge
about the master plan.
534
00:27:31,276 --> 00:27:33,445
[James] She said, "Now, remember
how I told you to do it.
535
00:27:33,486 --> 00:27:36,114
I want it to make it look like
a Puerto Rican hit."
536
00:27:52,088 --> 00:27:55,717
[Narrator] After Frank Arroyo's
estranged wife is arrested
537
00:27:55,759 --> 00:27:57,677
for facilitation of murder,
538
00:27:58,470 --> 00:28:01,723
New York State investigators
receive a tip about
539
00:28:01,765 --> 00:28:04,351
a potential informant
in Florida,
540
00:28:04,392 --> 00:28:06,061
Donna's home state.
541
00:28:07,354 --> 00:28:11,316
We enlisted the help of
the FBI and the FDLE,
542
00:28:11,816 --> 00:28:13,401
Florida Department of
Law Enforcement.
543
00:28:13,985 --> 00:28:15,653
[Narrator] Within 24 hours,
544
00:28:15,695 --> 00:28:18,990
New York State investigators
touch down in Florida...
545
00:28:20,700 --> 00:28:23,995
...and set up a meeting with
the attorney and his client,
546
00:28:24,037 --> 00:28:27,499
a frightened man named
Steve Hannum.
547
00:28:28,458 --> 00:28:31,544
[James] Steve was horrified in
what had happened, his words.
548
00:28:31,586 --> 00:28:32,921
He started to name names,
549
00:28:32,962 --> 00:28:35,298
in particular, Donna's
boyfriend, Cary McKinley,
550
00:28:35,799 --> 00:28:39,928
and Daniel Edwards as being
the participants in the murder.
551
00:28:41,721 --> 00:28:44,224
[Narrator] Steve says he and
Cary worked together
552
00:28:44,265 --> 00:28:46,476
at a refrigeration company.
553
00:28:47,352 --> 00:28:50,313
Steve knew a little bit about
Cary's relationship with Donna
554
00:28:50,355 --> 00:28:52,232
and knew that they
had gotten engaged.
555
00:28:53,400 --> 00:28:55,902
[Jack] Cary said he had to take
a few days off
556
00:28:55,944 --> 00:28:58,238
to go to New York,
to settle some affairs
557
00:28:58,279 --> 00:28:59,489
that he had going on up there
558
00:28:59,531 --> 00:29:02,242
with his,
involving his fiancée, Donna.
559
00:29:02,909 --> 00:29:05,412
Steve offered to drive him up
to New York.
560
00:29:05,453 --> 00:29:07,038
He said, "I've never been
to New York,
561
00:29:07,080 --> 00:29:08,289
I'd like to see it."
562
00:29:11,251 --> 00:29:16,089
[Narrator] On May 11th, 1997,
Steve arrived to pick Cary up.
563
00:29:17,215 --> 00:29:19,426
[James] On the way out of town,
Cary said,
564
00:29:19,467 --> 00:29:21,970
"Listen, my,
my half-brother Daniel,
565
00:29:22,012 --> 00:29:23,513
he's gonna come with us too,
is that all right?"
566
00:29:23,555 --> 00:29:26,599
And he goes, "Sure, he can
share the driving and etc."
567
00:29:27,350 --> 00:29:30,103
They picked up Cary McKinley's
half-brother, Daniel Edwards.
568
00:29:30,145 --> 00:29:32,564
And the three of them
drove non-stop
569
00:29:32,605 --> 00:29:34,315
from Florida to New York.
570
00:29:35,108 --> 00:29:38,737
Steve said that McKinley was
getting phone calls
571
00:29:38,778 --> 00:29:42,615
from Donna Arroyo stating that
things had gone sour.
572
00:29:42,657 --> 00:29:45,201
That she was fighting with
her ex-husband.
573
00:29:48,204 --> 00:29:50,206
[Narrator] Steve says they
arrived in New York
574
00:29:50,248 --> 00:29:52,584
on the evening of May 12th.
575
00:29:53,501 --> 00:29:55,003
The three of them got
a motel room
576
00:29:55,045 --> 00:29:56,671
about 40 minutes from
Middleburgh.
577
00:29:57,505 --> 00:30:00,925
And then Donna shows up about
a half hour after
578
00:30:00,967 --> 00:30:02,635
they're at this hotel.
579
00:30:03,470 --> 00:30:06,056
That's when Steve meets
Donna for the first time.
580
00:30:06,097 --> 00:30:09,434
And she's telling Cary
that Frank had been abusive,
581
00:30:09,726 --> 00:30:11,519
that they were
fighting over the daughter,
582
00:30:11,561 --> 00:30:13,229
something had to be
done with him.
583
00:30:13,646 --> 00:30:17,692
And she wanted Cary to go
head up to Middleburgh
584
00:30:17,734 --> 00:30:19,486
and to beat him up.
585
00:30:19,527 --> 00:30:20,737
According to him,
586
00:30:20,779 --> 00:30:22,989
he wasn't privy to
a lot of the conversations
587
00:30:23,031 --> 00:30:25,075
because they would go into
a different room.
588
00:30:27,160 --> 00:30:29,037
[James] As the night wore on,
589
00:30:29,079 --> 00:30:31,247
they said, "We're going back to
Frank's house."
590
00:30:31,289 --> 00:30:33,083
And since Steve had rented
the car,
591
00:30:33,124 --> 00:30:34,709
he said, "I'll drive."
592
00:30:35,293 --> 00:30:39,255
The idea when they got there was
for Cary to go in
593
00:30:39,673 --> 00:30:40,840
and confront Frank,
594
00:30:41,549 --> 00:30:43,635
and he was supposed to
intimidate him
595
00:30:43,677 --> 00:30:45,136
to leave Donna alone,
596
00:30:45,178 --> 00:30:47,764
to let her take the daughter,
Jamie, back to Florida.
597
00:30:48,682 --> 00:30:50,809
[Narrator] But Steve says on
the drive over,
598
00:30:51,267 --> 00:30:53,186
everything changed.
599
00:30:53,561 --> 00:30:55,480
[James] That's when the guns
came out.
600
00:30:55,522 --> 00:30:58,400
In particular, the .40-caliber
murder weapon.
601
00:30:58,441 --> 00:31:02,445
He said that Cary had handed it
to his half-brother, Daniel,
602
00:31:02,487 --> 00:31:03,571
and Donna said,
603
00:31:03,613 --> 00:31:05,156
"Now, remember how
I told you to do it.
604
00:31:05,198 --> 00:31:07,075
"Shoot him in the head,
I want it to make it look like
605
00:31:07,117 --> 00:31:08,326
a Puerto Rican hit."
606
00:31:09,911 --> 00:31:12,163
[Narrator] Steve tells
investigators when he realized
607
00:31:12,205 --> 00:31:15,250
what was going on, he felt sick.
608
00:31:16,126 --> 00:31:17,252
When he was driving,
609
00:31:17,293 --> 00:31:18,878
he got so upset
he couldn't drive,
610
00:31:18,920 --> 00:31:20,380
and Cary took over the wheel.
611
00:31:23,341 --> 00:31:25,051
[Narrator] According to Steve,
612
00:31:25,093 --> 00:31:27,262
once they arrived at
Frank's house,
613
00:31:27,303 --> 00:31:29,764
Daniel got out of the car
and went towards
614
00:31:29,806 --> 00:31:31,683
the house with the gun.
615
00:31:32,934 --> 00:31:35,228
The three of them went
and drove away,
616
00:31:35,270 --> 00:31:37,480
and drove around the block
once or twice.
617
00:31:37,522 --> 00:31:39,858
And eventually, once
they came around,
618
00:31:39,899 --> 00:31:41,860
Daniel was out front
by this time.
619
00:31:41,901 --> 00:31:43,278
And he got in the car,
620
00:31:43,319 --> 00:31:44,654
and they asked him what
happened.
621
00:31:44,696 --> 00:31:46,573
He said that, "It's all done.
I took care of it."
622
00:31:48,783 --> 00:31:50,869
[Narrator] Steve says
the four of them then
623
00:31:50,910 --> 00:31:52,662
went their separate ways.
624
00:31:53,288 --> 00:31:56,624
Cary McKinley and Donna Arroyo
went to Yonkers,
625
00:31:56,666 --> 00:32:00,086
and Steve and Daniel
drove back together
626
00:32:00,128 --> 00:32:02,088
in a rented car to Florida.
627
00:32:02,130 --> 00:32:04,090
[Narrator] Steve tells
investigators
628
00:32:04,132 --> 00:32:06,676
as he and Daniel crossed
the Hudson River,
629
00:32:06,718 --> 00:32:08,511
they made a pit stop.
630
00:32:09,012 --> 00:32:11,264
[James] Daniel said to Steve,
"Slow down, pull over.
631
00:32:11,306 --> 00:32:13,266
"I'm gonna throw the gun out,
the murder weapon,
632
00:32:13,308 --> 00:32:14,642
over the bridge."
633
00:32:14,684 --> 00:32:16,102
Which he did do.
634
00:32:16,603 --> 00:32:19,230
That location on the Hudson,
it's...
635
00:32:19,272 --> 00:32:21,358
few miles wide, big current.
636
00:32:21,399 --> 00:32:22,901
There's no way you're gonna
put divers
637
00:32:22,942 --> 00:32:24,611
into that kind of situation.
638
00:32:25,695 --> 00:32:29,240
Daniel was calm, cool,
collected, according to Steve.
639
00:32:29,282 --> 00:32:32,285
They drove back, straight back
down to Florida
640
00:32:32,327 --> 00:32:34,204
and just parted
ways immediately.
641
00:32:37,999 --> 00:32:41,252
[Narrator] Now investigators
need to determine if Steve
642
00:32:41,294 --> 00:32:44,297
really was
an unwitting witness...
643
00:32:44,339 --> 00:32:47,592
or is he just
trying to save himself?
644
00:32:48,343 --> 00:32:50,762
Within a week of the murder,
645
00:32:50,804 --> 00:32:55,058
they go down to Florida,
and they find Daniel Edwards.
646
00:32:55,642 --> 00:32:59,187
[James] Steve told us where we
might find Cary and Daniel.
647
00:32:59,229 --> 00:33:01,856
We actually went to
a work location that
648
00:33:01,898 --> 00:33:04,442
Daniel was doing
an HVAC install.
649
00:33:04,484 --> 00:33:06,319
When we arrived at
the convenience store
650
00:33:06,361 --> 00:33:09,280
to arrest Daniel,
he made a spontaneous statement,
651
00:33:09,823 --> 00:33:12,367
"I was expecting you
guys to show up."
652
00:33:14,327 --> 00:33:16,830
[Narrator] Authorities locate
Cary next.
653
00:33:17,163 --> 00:33:19,416
We arrested Cary at a,
in his motel room
654
00:33:19,457 --> 00:33:21,626
where he was residing in
Florida.
655
00:33:22,252 --> 00:33:24,838
[Narrator] Both men are arrested
and taken to
656
00:33:24,879 --> 00:33:26,464
a temporary field office,
657
00:33:26,506 --> 00:33:29,300
where they are separated
and interviewed.
658
00:33:31,678 --> 00:33:36,224
First, investigators speak with
29-year-old Cary McKinley.
659
00:33:37,183 --> 00:33:39,269
[James] He was very emotional,
he was...
660
00:33:39,310 --> 00:33:41,021
I think he was
in love with Donna,
661
00:33:41,062 --> 00:33:42,856
but realized
he had been manipulated.
662
00:33:43,815 --> 00:33:45,608
[Narrator] Cary tells
investigators
663
00:33:45,650 --> 00:33:49,362
he met with Donna in Florida
only six months earlier.
664
00:33:50,363 --> 00:33:52,991
She was there near a job site
that he was working at,
665
00:33:53,033 --> 00:33:54,367
and they became friends.
666
00:33:54,409 --> 00:33:56,369
And then next thing you know,
they became lovers.
667
00:33:56,411 --> 00:33:59,080
[Narrator] Cary says Donna
always told him
668
00:33:59,122 --> 00:34:01,374
that her ex was dangerous.
669
00:34:02,083 --> 00:34:05,712
Donna provided him with a lot of
information that concerned him,
670
00:34:05,754 --> 00:34:06,796
to say the least.
671
00:34:08,173 --> 00:34:09,883
That Frank was gonna abduct
the 13-year-old daughter
672
00:34:09,924 --> 00:34:11,259
and take her away.
673
00:34:11,301 --> 00:34:13,136
[Jack] She wanted Cary to come
to New York
674
00:34:13,178 --> 00:34:14,346
and intimidate Frank,
675
00:34:14,387 --> 00:34:17,515
and scare him and try to
force him into
676
00:34:17,557 --> 00:34:19,517
allowing the daughter
to go with her.
677
00:34:22,479 --> 00:34:25,357
[Narrator] Cary admits that
he asked his friend Steve
678
00:34:25,398 --> 00:34:28,068
and his half-brother
Daniel to come along.
679
00:34:28,610 --> 00:34:32,614
But when they got to New York,
things spiraled out of control.
680
00:34:34,199 --> 00:34:36,534
She told Cary that Frank had
ordered a hit.
681
00:34:36,576 --> 00:34:38,995
In other words,
a contract on Cary's life.
682
00:34:39,746 --> 00:34:42,457
[Jack] She was saying,
"The only way you can get out
683
00:34:42,499 --> 00:34:45,919
from underneath that contract is
that he has to be killed."
684
00:34:46,670 --> 00:34:48,171
[Narrator] Cary says
he had brought
685
00:34:48,213 --> 00:34:50,757
his .40-caliber handgun
for protection.
686
00:34:51,716 --> 00:34:53,760
[James] Cary did everything but
pull the trigger.
687
00:34:54,469 --> 00:34:57,555
He was up to his ears in this.
He just couldn't do it.
688
00:35:01,559 --> 00:35:02,894
[Narrator] Cary tells
investigators
689
00:35:02,936 --> 00:35:06,231
his friend Steve is
completely innocent.
690
00:35:06,940 --> 00:35:09,359
[Jack] Cary's interview was
substantiating
691
00:35:09,401 --> 00:35:10,735
what Steve had told us,
692
00:35:10,777 --> 00:35:13,488
that he had no part in
the planning
693
00:35:13,530 --> 00:35:14,906
of what they actually did.
694
00:35:18,535 --> 00:35:20,995
[Narrator] Next up,
investigators speak with
695
00:35:21,037 --> 00:35:25,542
Cary's half-brother,
26-year-old Daniel Edwards.
696
00:35:27,502 --> 00:35:29,504
He said he wanted to watch
his brother's back.
697
00:35:30,505 --> 00:35:33,967
And he was led to believe
there was an actual hit
698
00:35:34,009 --> 00:35:35,427
on his brother, Cary.
699
00:35:35,927 --> 00:35:38,430
Donna convinced him that
the only way around it
700
00:35:38,471 --> 00:35:40,265
was that he had to be killed.
701
00:35:41,057 --> 00:35:43,810
So, Cary couldn't do it or
wouldn't do it,
702
00:35:44,728 --> 00:35:46,438
but Daniel said,
703
00:35:46,479 --> 00:35:48,106
"I'll take care of it.
I'll do it."
704
00:35:48,148 --> 00:35:51,776
He was just there for the ride
and there to pull the trigger,
705
00:35:51,818 --> 00:35:54,696
and didn't get too emotional
about the whole thing.
706
00:35:54,738 --> 00:35:55,697
Pretty cold.
707
00:35:57,991 --> 00:36:02,495
[Narrator] According to Daniel,
on the night of May 12th, 1997,
708
00:36:03,079 --> 00:36:06,750
they drove to Frank's house
with one intention.
709
00:36:07,167 --> 00:36:09,419
After Daniel shot Frank,
Donna said,
710
00:36:09,461 --> 00:36:10,962
"Did you do it as I told you?"
711
00:36:11,004 --> 00:36:14,466
And he said, "Yes, I think
I shot him twice.
712
00:36:14,507 --> 00:36:16,051
I, I can't remember."
713
00:36:17,469 --> 00:36:20,597
Everybody in the car said Donna
was happy, relieved,
714
00:36:20,638 --> 00:36:22,599
like a weight off her shoulders.
715
00:36:25,143 --> 00:36:28,021
[Narrator] After Daniel
and Cary's interviews,
716
00:36:28,063 --> 00:36:31,733
Steve is officially cleared
of any wrongdoing.
717
00:36:32,192 --> 00:36:36,404
We felt that he was there solely
as an unwitting participant,
718
00:36:36,446 --> 00:36:39,282
and would be better served
as a witness.
719
00:36:39,991 --> 00:36:42,160
[Narrator] Cary McKinley
and Daniel Edwards
720
00:36:42,202 --> 00:36:43,912
are charged with murder
721
00:36:43,953 --> 00:36:46,456
and transported back
to New York.
722
00:36:47,207 --> 00:36:49,250
Donna's charge of facilitation
723
00:36:49,292 --> 00:36:53,463
is officially bumped up to
murder in the first degree.
724
00:36:57,092 --> 00:36:59,010
[James] Once you arrest someone
for murder,
725
00:36:59,052 --> 00:37:00,303
the work doesn't end there.
726
00:37:01,137 --> 00:37:03,181
In fact, you gotta put as much
effort into
727
00:37:03,223 --> 00:37:05,266
the prosecution in proving it,
728
00:37:05,308 --> 00:37:07,102
and beyond a reasonable doubt.
729
00:37:08,144 --> 00:37:09,396
[Narrator] As predicted,
730
00:37:09,437 --> 00:37:11,940
the murder weapon
is never found.
731
00:37:11,981 --> 00:37:16,528
However, investigators are able
to verify that Cary purchased
732
00:37:16,569 --> 00:37:20,907
a .40-caliber firearm
March 2nd, 1997,
733
00:37:20,949 --> 00:37:24,577
just two months before
Frank was killed.
734
00:37:24,619 --> 00:37:28,540
We did a search warrant on
his 40-foot Bayliner boat,
735
00:37:28,581 --> 00:37:30,417
which was essentially
his residence.
736
00:37:30,458 --> 00:37:33,044
And we found .40-caliber
ammunition.
737
00:37:33,086 --> 00:37:35,797
We didn't find anything of
relevance other than ammunition.
738
00:37:36,965 --> 00:37:39,300
[Narrator] Investigators find
no evidence
739
00:37:39,342 --> 00:37:41,636
that Frank was
abusive toward Donna,
740
00:37:41,678 --> 00:37:44,764
or that he had taken out
a hit on her new man.
741
00:37:46,182 --> 00:37:47,183
[Carol] That was a lie.
742
00:37:48,601 --> 00:37:51,062
I don't think there was
any thought in Frank's mind
743
00:37:51,104 --> 00:37:52,897
to kill anybody.
744
00:37:52,939 --> 00:37:58,111
And Cary believed it,
because he was in Donna's web.
745
00:38:01,614 --> 00:38:03,074
[Narrator] Coming up...
746
00:38:03,116 --> 00:38:07,287
More details emerge about
Donna's deadly scheme.
747
00:38:08,121 --> 00:38:10,290
Money had been mentioned,
that Donna would give them
748
00:38:10,331 --> 00:38:12,709
$100,000 each
from life insurance.
749
00:38:13,293 --> 00:38:16,963
[Narrator] And one of
the alleged killers walks free.
750
00:38:18,173 --> 00:38:20,008
I thought that was disgusting.
751
00:38:20,050 --> 00:38:22,135
I don't think any of
them should have gotten off.
752
00:38:35,690 --> 00:38:38,276
[Narrator] New York State
investigators have charged
753
00:38:38,318 --> 00:38:42,489
Donna Arroyo, Cary McKinley,
and Daniel Edwards
754
00:38:42,530 --> 00:38:47,243
for their roles in the murder of
48-year-old Frank Arroyo.
755
00:38:48,828 --> 00:38:50,955
With trials quickly approaching,
756
00:38:50,997 --> 00:38:53,917
Donna decides to take
a plea deal.
757
00:38:54,834 --> 00:38:57,545
When she plead guilty to murder
in the second degree,
758
00:38:57,587 --> 00:39:00,965
that took off the table
of her going to trial
759
00:39:01,007 --> 00:39:04,094
and being convicted of murder in
the first degree.
760
00:39:04,928 --> 00:39:07,180
Custody can be and is
a motive,
761
00:39:07,222 --> 00:39:08,973
motivating factor to crime,
762
00:39:09,015 --> 00:39:11,393
and in this particular case,
I think it led Donna
763
00:39:11,434 --> 00:39:13,311
to have her husband killed.
764
00:39:14,312 --> 00:39:17,732
She knew what she was doing,
and she had a mission.
765
00:39:17,774 --> 00:39:19,984
And she was gonna see that
mission through.
766
00:39:20,026 --> 00:39:21,069
And she did.
767
00:39:23,363 --> 00:39:25,824
[Narrator] Donna concedes that
she had even offered
768
00:39:25,865 --> 00:39:27,367
the brothers a share of
769
00:39:27,409 --> 00:39:30,745
her husband's life insurance
policy as payment.
770
00:39:32,080 --> 00:39:33,373
[James] Money had been
mentioned,
771
00:39:33,415 --> 00:39:34,541
that Donna would give them
772
00:39:34,582 --> 00:39:36,835
$100,000 each
from life insurance.
773
00:39:36,876 --> 00:39:38,712
Which there was
no life insurance
774
00:39:38,753 --> 00:39:40,171
that we're aware of.
775
00:39:40,213 --> 00:39:43,174
Donna was giving them lies and
false information.
776
00:39:43,758 --> 00:39:47,220
[Narrator] Donna is sentenced
to 25 years to life.
777
00:39:47,262 --> 00:39:52,392
[music]
778
00:39:52,434 --> 00:39:54,019
25 years to life,
779
00:39:54,060 --> 00:39:57,313
which means after
serving your 25 years minimum,
780
00:39:57,355 --> 00:39:59,399
you'd be eligible for parole.
781
00:40:00,025 --> 00:40:02,652
[Amy] I don't feel like justice
was served, to be honest.
782
00:40:03,278 --> 00:40:07,490
Because she gets to come out
and enjoy her children.
783
00:40:08,199 --> 00:40:10,618
My dad didn't get to see
his children grow up.
784
00:40:15,165 --> 00:40:19,210
Daniel Edwards pled guilty to
murder in the second degree,
785
00:40:19,961 --> 00:40:22,756
for intentionally killing
Frank Arroyo.
786
00:40:23,673 --> 00:40:27,844
[Narrator] Daniel Edwards is
also sentenced to 25 to life.
787
00:40:28,887 --> 00:40:31,931
I think that he's a terrible,
horrible person,
788
00:40:31,973 --> 00:40:34,100
and I wish that he would've
gotten more time, also.
789
00:40:34,142 --> 00:40:39,773
[music]
790
00:40:39,814 --> 00:40:42,108
[Narrator] As for Donna's
boyfriend, Cary,
791
00:40:42,150 --> 00:40:46,613
in November of 1998,
he takes his chances at trial.
792
00:40:47,572 --> 00:40:50,367
[Diane] He was charged with
conspiracy in the second degree,
793
00:40:51,034 --> 00:40:53,078
criminal possession of a weapon
in the second degree,
794
00:40:53,119 --> 00:40:55,288
as a, as an aider and abettor.
795
00:40:55,580 --> 00:40:57,665
[Carol] His lawyer was crying.
796
00:40:58,166 --> 00:41:02,212
Saying his man, his guy,
his client was innocent.
797
00:41:02,253 --> 00:41:05,173
He didn't know what Donna was
going to do.
798
00:41:06,174 --> 00:41:08,802
[Narrator] Cary takes the stand
and renounces
799
00:41:08,843 --> 00:41:11,721
his earlier confession
with law enforcement.
800
00:41:12,263 --> 00:41:15,767
Not only that, but Cary denies
being in the car
801
00:41:15,809 --> 00:41:17,268
during the crime,
802
00:41:17,310 --> 00:41:20,772
and says that the murder weapon
wasn't even his.
803
00:41:22,023 --> 00:41:24,442
Since we don't have the gun,
we couldn't prove it either way.
804
00:41:24,776 --> 00:41:27,737
[Narrator] And on December 7th,
1998,
805
00:41:27,779 --> 00:41:31,032
the jury comes back with
a shocking verdict...
806
00:41:32,492 --> 00:41:34,035
Not guilty.
807
00:41:38,039 --> 00:41:39,916
[James] I was disappointed,
to say the least.
808
00:41:40,875 --> 00:41:42,711
I think one of
the contributing factors
809
00:41:42,752 --> 00:41:46,131
to Cary's acquittal was
the fact that the jury
810
00:41:46,172 --> 00:41:49,134
did not think much of
Donna's credibility,
811
00:41:49,175 --> 00:41:53,430
and they were placing most of
the blame on Donna.
812
00:41:53,888 --> 00:41:55,974
I thought that was disgusting.
813
00:41:56,016 --> 00:41:58,643
I thought that they should have
all been held accountable
814
00:41:58,685 --> 00:41:59,936
for what they did.
815
00:41:59,978 --> 00:42:01,563
I don't think any of them should
have gotten off.
816
00:42:02,272 --> 00:42:04,858
[Narrator] Donna and Frank's
two children are placed
817
00:42:04,899 --> 00:42:06,943
in the custody of
Donna's mother.
818
00:42:08,069 --> 00:42:09,738
[James] The sad thing
about this is
819
00:42:09,779 --> 00:42:11,990
the kids lost both the mother
and the father.
820
00:42:13,033 --> 00:42:15,410
One going to prison for
25 to life,
821
00:42:15,452 --> 00:42:16,411
and the other being dead.
822
00:42:20,331 --> 00:42:22,667
[Narrator] Roughly
25 years later,
823
00:42:22,709 --> 00:42:25,545
in the spring of 2022,
824
00:42:25,587 --> 00:42:27,881
Donna is released on parole,
825
00:42:27,922 --> 00:42:31,134
along with her co-conspirator,
Daniel.
826
00:42:31,676 --> 00:42:32,927
It's horrible.
827
00:42:33,762 --> 00:42:35,055
It's not fair, you know.
828
00:42:35,096 --> 00:42:38,058
He's, he's gone, and she gets to
walk around.
829
00:42:38,933 --> 00:42:41,186
[Amy] She gets to go,
come out now and,
830
00:42:41,227 --> 00:42:43,104
and stay with her daughter and
her son,
831
00:42:43,146 --> 00:42:45,190
and meet the grandkids, and...
832
00:42:45,231 --> 00:42:48,860
And live this happy life at only
60 something years old.
833
00:42:48,902 --> 00:42:52,155
And my dad never got that.
How was that justice?
834
00:42:53,114 --> 00:42:55,075
[Narrator] In spite of
everything,
835
00:42:55,116 --> 00:42:59,287
his daughters do their best to
keep their dad's memory alive.
836
00:43:00,580 --> 00:43:02,916
He's gonna be remembered by...
837
00:43:02,957 --> 00:43:04,918
that he was just so
happy-go-lucky.
838
00:43:05,210 --> 00:43:06,711
He was so fun to be around,
839
00:43:07,462 --> 00:43:09,923
was always singing with
his guitar,
840
00:43:09,964 --> 00:43:12,217
and just the life of the party.
841
00:43:12,258 --> 00:43:15,929
He was so kind, and he was just
a great guy,
842
00:43:15,970 --> 00:43:17,806
and he didn't deserve to go out
like that.
843
00:43:19,015 --> 00:43:20,141
[Christine] I think of him
often.
844
00:43:20,183 --> 00:43:21,351
We do get together every year
845
00:43:21,393 --> 00:43:23,937
for a family reunion in
his memory.
846
00:43:23,978 --> 00:43:25,397
To honor him.
847
00:43:28,316 --> 00:43:37,409
[music]