1 00:00:11,000 --> 00:00:15,166 It was her dream to be a mom. That's all she wanted in life. 2 00:00:15,266 --> 00:00:18,066 SCOTT: We were a close family all together. 3 00:00:18,066 --> 00:00:20,166 Tammy was looking to provide everything 4 00:00:20,166 --> 00:00:21,367 she didn't have. 5 00:00:24,000 --> 00:00:28,367 The furthest thing from your mind is how bad life can go. 6 00:00:30,400 --> 00:00:31,367 [Meredith speaking] 7 00:00:34,667 --> 00:00:37,266 I just called her over and over again, 8 00:00:37,266 --> 00:00:40,266 and I kept saying Dad, something is wrong. 9 00:00:40,367 --> 00:00:43,567 [Tammy speaking] 10 00:00:47,467 --> 00:00:48,600 MEREDITH: I can't help but think that 11 00:00:48,667 --> 00:00:51,667 she's recording, like, where she's gonna die. 12 00:00:51,667 --> 00:00:54,367 Like, she's gonna die in that house. 13 00:00:54,367 --> 00:00:57,600 [suspenseful music playing] 14 00:01:12,200 --> 00:01:17,600 [automated message] 15 00:01:17,667 --> 00:01:21,000 [Cliff speaking] 16 00:01:22,667 --> 00:01:26,000 [detective speaking] 17 00:01:27,667 --> 00:01:28,800 [detective speaking] 18 00:01:28,867 --> 00:01:31,600 [Cliff speaking] 19 00:01:31,667 --> 00:01:35,667 MEREDITH: My mom was with Gabe at the Good Shot bar that night. 20 00:01:35,767 --> 00:01:38,467 Cliff was absolutely irate 21 00:01:38,567 --> 00:01:42,200 when he saw my mom with Gabe. 22 00:01:48,467 --> 00:01:51,867 Cliff was relentlessly calling my mom. 23 00:01:51,967 --> 00:01:56,767 [Cliff speaking] 24 00:01:56,767 --> 00:01:59,166 MEREDITH: 43 times within an hour. 25 00:01:59,266 --> 00:02:01,800 He was very determined. 26 00:02:06,166 --> 00:02:08,800 -[detective speaking] -No, but I'm... 27 00:02:08,867 --> 00:02:12,367 She was moving on from him. She no longer needed him. 28 00:02:12,367 --> 00:02:14,500 [Cliff speaking] 29 00:02:22,467 --> 00:02:25,166 [Cliff speaking] 30 00:02:37,667 --> 00:02:40,200 NARRATOR: It's Christmas Day, 1995, 31 00:02:40,266 --> 00:02:41,767 in Hockessin, Delaware. 32 00:02:42,900 --> 00:02:45,100 [Scott speaking] 33 00:02:47,266 --> 00:02:49,900 NARRATOR: 33-year-old Scott Gardner videotapes 34 00:02:50,000 --> 00:02:53,467 his 30-year-old wife Tammy, and 18-month-old daughter, 35 00:02:53,467 --> 00:02:55,867 Meredith, as they unwrap their presents. 36 00:02:55,867 --> 00:02:57,767 [Scott speaking] 37 00:03:00,367 --> 00:03:01,767 She was all about Meredith. 38 00:03:05,166 --> 00:03:07,667 Tammy was just as happy as could be to be 39 00:03:07,667 --> 00:03:10,000 a mother, and especially for a little daughter, to have 40 00:03:10,066 --> 00:03:13,000 a daughter -- I think that made it really special. 41 00:03:13,100 --> 00:03:14,700 They had a strong bond. 42 00:03:18,200 --> 00:03:19,166 Come on. 43 00:03:19,166 --> 00:03:22,266 I remember my house around Christmastime 44 00:03:22,266 --> 00:03:25,767 being just almost like a wonderland. 45 00:03:25,867 --> 00:03:28,600 [drum beat playing] 46 00:03:28,667 --> 00:03:29,900 My mom loved Christmas. 47 00:03:30,000 --> 00:03:34,066 She was just like Santa Claus, putting everything together, 48 00:03:34,066 --> 00:03:39,467 so excited -- it looks like a dream come true, 49 00:03:39,567 --> 00:03:42,967 like, countless presents. 50 00:03:42,967 --> 00:03:45,867 It was magical. 51 00:03:45,867 --> 00:03:49,000 [Scott speaking] 52 00:03:50,166 --> 00:03:52,900 She just looks such a ham and so happy. 53 00:03:53,000 --> 00:03:55,166 She doesn't know what to do. 54 00:03:56,867 --> 00:03:58,066 [Tammy speaking] 55 00:03:58,066 --> 00:04:02,166 SCOTT: That's my mother, and sitting in the chair just 56 00:04:02,266 --> 00:04:06,000 to the right will be my dad -- for all holidays, 57 00:04:06,066 --> 00:04:08,300 we always went over to my parents' house. 58 00:04:13,166 --> 00:04:16,567 NARRATOR: Meredith's traditional family setup is very different 59 00:04:16,667 --> 00:04:18,567 to the one that her mom grew up in. 60 00:04:18,667 --> 00:04:24,266 My mom's family was quite large and complicated. 61 00:04:26,300 --> 00:04:29,900 NARRATOR: Tammy has four half siblings and two stepsisters 62 00:04:30,000 --> 00:04:31,000 from her dad's side 63 00:04:32,867 --> 00:04:35,467 and a younger brother Patrick, known as PJ. 64 00:04:36,567 --> 00:04:39,800 But even though they were all half siblings 65 00:04:39,867 --> 00:04:42,166 and step siblings, 66 00:04:42,166 --> 00:04:43,967 everybody was just one big family 67 00:04:43,967 --> 00:04:46,600 regardless of how they got there. 68 00:04:46,667 --> 00:04:48,867 She had a very simple childhood. 69 00:04:48,967 --> 00:04:50,867 They didn't have a lot of money. 70 00:04:52,667 --> 00:04:56,600 When Tammy was 12, her mother passed away from liver 71 00:04:56,667 --> 00:05:00,900 disease, and at that point, her father was also ill. 72 00:05:01,000 --> 00:05:04,700 So Tammy dropped out of school to care for her father, 73 00:05:04,767 --> 00:05:07,967 who then passed away when she was 18. 74 00:05:09,266 --> 00:05:12,967 NARRATOR: Tammy becomes guardian to her 14-year-old brother, PJ. 75 00:05:14,100 --> 00:05:18,100 My mom, when she spoke about her childhood, 76 00:05:18,166 --> 00:05:20,166 it was just very brief. 77 00:05:20,166 --> 00:05:24,000 She had to work to make money to buy 78 00:05:24,100 --> 00:05:27,000 food and such and take care of herself and PJ. 79 00:05:27,100 --> 00:05:31,000 [Tammy speaking] 80 00:05:31,100 --> 00:05:32,467 She worked a lot. 81 00:05:32,467 --> 00:05:36,166 She did not finish high school. 82 00:05:36,166 --> 00:05:40,700 She grew up before she wanted to, just because she had to. 83 00:05:42,767 --> 00:05:47,200 SCOTT: Tammy and I met on my birthday in 1986. 84 00:05:48,467 --> 00:05:50,967 I would have been 24, 85 00:05:50,967 --> 00:05:54,500 and Tammy would have been just under 21. 86 00:05:54,567 --> 00:05:58,567 I just knew she was the one -- I even went into work 87 00:05:58,667 --> 00:05:59,867 the next day, and I said, 88 00:05:59,967 --> 00:06:01,667 "I met the woman that I'm gonna be with for 89 00:06:01,767 --> 00:06:03,200 a long time." 90 00:06:03,266 --> 00:06:05,100 She was the love of my life. 91 00:06:06,467 --> 00:06:07,867 Tammy and I got married, 92 00:06:07,967 --> 00:06:12,266 um, October 7th, 1989. 93 00:06:12,367 --> 00:06:14,100 It was a beautiful wedding. 94 00:06:15,166 --> 00:06:16,266 She was stunning. 95 00:06:17,667 --> 00:06:19,867 NARRATOR: Scott works locally as a technician 96 00:06:19,867 --> 00:06:22,000 at his brother's home security company. 97 00:06:24,467 --> 00:06:25,800 For the next five years, 98 00:06:25,867 --> 00:06:28,000 he and Tammy enjoy a comfortable middle 99 00:06:28,100 --> 00:06:30,467 class lifestyle in their townhouse in 100 00:06:30,567 --> 00:06:31,767 Mendenhall Village. 101 00:06:31,867 --> 00:06:34,500 [Tammy speaking] 102 00:06:43,000 --> 00:06:45,000 She was excited to be a mother 103 00:06:45,066 --> 00:06:48,000 and to show off that massive belly. 104 00:06:48,100 --> 00:06:50,867 -[Scott speaking] -[Tammy laughing] 105 00:06:50,967 --> 00:06:53,600 Oh, my gosh. I was nervous. 106 00:06:56,166 --> 00:07:00,467 NARRATOR: Daughter, Meredith, arrives on June 22nd, 1994. 107 00:07:00,567 --> 00:07:03,467 [Tammy speaking] 108 00:07:04,900 --> 00:07:06,066 NARRATOR: Two months later, 109 00:07:06,066 --> 00:07:09,367 it's time for Tammy to return to her job. 110 00:07:09,467 --> 00:07:11,166 We knew that Tammy was going to have to 111 00:07:11,166 --> 00:07:14,100 go back to work, because we were a dual income family. 112 00:07:16,667 --> 00:07:19,367 SCOTT: I remember the first morning that Tammy was 113 00:07:19,467 --> 00:07:20,500 getting up, getting dressed, 114 00:07:20,500 --> 00:07:23,200 trying to get Meredith together and take her to 115 00:07:23,266 --> 00:07:24,900 a daycare. 116 00:07:25,000 --> 00:07:28,867 I could tell from that moment it wasn't ever gonna work. 117 00:07:28,867 --> 00:07:31,166 Tammy didn't want it to work. 118 00:07:31,266 --> 00:07:34,467 [Tammy speaking] 119 00:07:36,100 --> 00:07:37,867 NARRATOR: To stay close to Meredith, Tammy 120 00:07:37,967 --> 00:07:41,767 quits her job and starts a daycare business at home. 121 00:07:41,867 --> 00:07:43,367 SCOTT: She started watching children in 122 00:07:43,467 --> 00:07:46,967 our townhouse, and that just exploded. 123 00:07:46,967 --> 00:07:49,300 She was really organized. 124 00:07:49,367 --> 00:07:51,600 She had all her paperwork in line. 125 00:07:51,667 --> 00:07:54,667 She had schedules, she had everything. 126 00:07:54,767 --> 00:07:57,467 The daycare and taking care of children 127 00:07:57,467 --> 00:07:59,400 was really Tammy's knack. 128 00:08:06,800 --> 00:08:09,000 She was meant to be a mother, she really was. 129 00:08:12,400 --> 00:08:14,367 NARRATOR: Fast forward to 2000. 130 00:08:16,567 --> 00:08:18,266 The Gardner family moves into 131 00:08:18,367 --> 00:08:21,500 a spacious new home in nearby Wood Creek. 132 00:08:22,467 --> 00:08:23,867 The property is large enough 133 00:08:23,867 --> 00:08:27,100 to accommodate Tammy's growing daycare. 134 00:08:27,166 --> 00:08:30,166 SCOTT: It was in a family-oriented neighborhood. 135 00:08:30,266 --> 00:08:31,600 The house was plenty big. 136 00:08:31,667 --> 00:08:34,700 [Tammy speaking] 137 00:08:35,867 --> 00:08:38,000 [Tammy speaking] 138 00:08:38,066 --> 00:08:39,300 [Meredith giggles] 139 00:08:39,367 --> 00:08:41,467 MEREDITH: The house in Wood Creek was my mom's dream home. 140 00:08:42,767 --> 00:08:46,100 SCOTT: It was perfect. We saw it as a forever home. 141 00:08:47,100 --> 00:08:50,567 It was a good happy family at that time. 142 00:08:50,567 --> 00:08:53,100 [Tammy speaking] 143 00:08:53,166 --> 00:08:56,400 SCOTT: But I would say that other factors 144 00:08:56,467 --> 00:08:58,667 come into a marriage that cause problems, 145 00:09:00,467 --> 00:09:03,300 and I wasn't aware of that. 146 00:09:03,367 --> 00:09:04,467 I didn't see it comin'. 147 00:09:13,500 --> 00:09:17,166 [Tammy speaking] 148 00:09:17,166 --> 00:09:20,467 SCOTT: Once my parents retired, they built a place down 149 00:09:20,467 --> 00:09:23,166 in Florida. It was on the Gulf Coast. 150 00:09:23,166 --> 00:09:27,667 A beautiful, big condo with two pools and golf courses 151 00:09:27,767 --> 00:09:30,100 and walking trails and biking trails, 152 00:09:30,166 --> 00:09:31,767 and restaurants, and we'd go down 153 00:09:31,867 --> 00:09:33,800 every year without question. 154 00:09:33,867 --> 00:09:35,900 [Tammy speaking] 155 00:09:40,467 --> 00:09:43,867 MEREDITH: It's me with my floaties on my pool noodle. 156 00:09:43,967 --> 00:09:46,500 [Tammy speaking] 157 00:09:46,567 --> 00:09:48,567 My favorite thing in the entire world, 158 00:09:48,567 --> 00:09:50,266 swimming in that pool. 159 00:09:50,266 --> 00:09:52,200 [Tammy speaking] 160 00:09:53,467 --> 00:09:55,600 I used to love sitting there and just, you know, 161 00:09:55,667 --> 00:09:57,567 watching them, making sure they were good. 162 00:09:57,667 --> 00:09:59,266 [Tammy speaking] 163 00:09:59,367 --> 00:10:04,367 At that point, our family was very happy. 164 00:10:04,467 --> 00:10:05,600 SCOTT: At the moment right there, 165 00:10:05,667 --> 00:10:09,767 it's just all about enjoying the pool and the water. 166 00:10:09,767 --> 00:10:12,467 You'd never guess what was in store in life. 167 00:10:12,467 --> 00:10:14,467 [Tammy speaking] 168 00:10:14,567 --> 00:10:19,100 The furthest thing from your mind is how bad life can go. 169 00:10:23,166 --> 00:10:26,600 In 2001, Tammy and I were still doing real well. 170 00:10:26,667 --> 00:10:29,000 Her daycare was flourishing. 171 00:10:29,066 --> 00:10:30,667 It's obviously challenging, 172 00:10:30,667 --> 00:10:32,567 when you work at home. 173 00:10:32,567 --> 00:10:34,467 I worked a lot of hours, you know, 174 00:10:34,467 --> 00:10:38,600 I'm gone usually 10 or 11 hours a day. 175 00:10:38,667 --> 00:10:43,767 It was easy on me, because she was home with Meredith. 176 00:10:43,767 --> 00:10:47,667 Maybe things got too routine. 177 00:10:47,667 --> 00:10:51,266 MEREDITH: After 2001, my mom's sisters decided 178 00:10:51,367 --> 00:10:52,767 they wanted to see each other more. 179 00:10:52,867 --> 00:10:56,800 So that's when my mom and the sisters decided 180 00:10:56,867 --> 00:10:58,200 they wanted to start going out 181 00:10:58,266 --> 00:11:01,867 to dance at bars, and -- because they loved karaoke, 182 00:11:01,867 --> 00:11:04,500 and they love singing and dancing. 183 00:11:04,567 --> 00:11:06,867 SCOTT: She didn't have the social life 184 00:11:06,867 --> 00:11:09,467 that a lot of young women had. 185 00:11:09,567 --> 00:11:13,000 We started dating, and she was 20, and it was Tammy and I, 186 00:11:13,066 --> 00:11:14,667 and then we got a house, and we got kids, 187 00:11:14,767 --> 00:11:16,100 and so she never lived that. 188 00:11:17,667 --> 00:11:20,200 Everybody knew that she was gonna go crazy 189 00:11:20,266 --> 00:11:21,567 if she didn't get out of the house. 190 00:11:21,667 --> 00:11:25,467 So I was all for that, no problem. 191 00:11:27,100 --> 00:11:32,100 MEREDITH: It started off as one weeknight a month, 192 00:11:32,166 --> 00:11:36,767 they would go out on Thursdays to a bar. 193 00:11:40,000 --> 00:11:42,367 SCOTT: Their going out ramped up. 194 00:11:42,367 --> 00:11:44,367 it went from just Thursdays to 195 00:11:44,467 --> 00:11:46,600 Thursdays and Saturdays. 196 00:11:46,667 --> 00:11:51,800 Tammy actually really started to change at that point. 197 00:11:51,867 --> 00:11:54,000 You could see it in her demeanor. 198 00:11:54,100 --> 00:11:56,266 You can see it in how she dressed. 199 00:11:57,867 --> 00:12:01,867 MEREDITH: My dad started to feel a little frustrated with it. 200 00:12:01,867 --> 00:12:04,867 It seemed like my mom was coming home at, like, 2 AM, 201 00:12:04,867 --> 00:12:06,166 and my dad was mad, 202 00:12:06,266 --> 00:12:09,300 and things were definitely strained at that point. 203 00:12:10,767 --> 00:12:12,500 And then 204 00:12:12,567 --> 00:12:14,700 my mom met Cliff. 205 00:12:19,266 --> 00:12:23,000 NARRATOR: In Fall 2003, Tammy meets 33-year-old 206 00:12:23,100 --> 00:12:25,300 Clifford Wright at the Tailgates Bar in 207 00:12:25,367 --> 00:12:26,500 Newark, Delaware. 208 00:12:28,900 --> 00:12:31,800 They share a connection and strike up a friendship. 209 00:12:31,867 --> 00:12:33,066 Within weeks, 210 00:12:33,066 --> 00:12:36,367 Cliff is tagging along with Tammy on her nights out. 211 00:12:37,500 --> 00:12:42,100 My mom invited Cliff over. 212 00:12:44,266 --> 00:12:46,767 I'll never forget, I saw him walk up 213 00:12:46,767 --> 00:12:49,066 to the front door, and he had this long leather 214 00:12:49,066 --> 00:12:54,467 trench coat on and cowboy boots, and it was kind of scary. 215 00:12:55,700 --> 00:12:58,300 She thought he was a pretty good guy. 216 00:13:00,367 --> 00:13:04,700 He loved motorcycles, and he was kind of rough 217 00:13:04,767 --> 00:13:08,600 around the edges and totally different from my dad. 218 00:13:09,700 --> 00:13:13,400 The bad boy persona just drew her right in. 219 00:13:17,867 --> 00:13:19,500 SCOTT: I didn't see Cliff very often. 220 00:13:20,467 --> 00:13:23,400 Christmas in '03, 221 00:13:23,467 --> 00:13:24,600 Tammy had planned to have 222 00:13:24,667 --> 00:13:28,000 a Christmas get-together at our house, 223 00:13:28,066 --> 00:13:29,500 and Cliff came to that. 224 00:13:30,567 --> 00:13:33,500 MEREDITH: I remember thinking it was a pretty weird situation. 225 00:13:33,567 --> 00:13:34,967 Who was this man that was 226 00:13:34,967 --> 00:13:38,166 Sitting at our dinner table with my dad? 227 00:13:39,467 --> 00:13:42,967 I actually, at the time, thought it was great that there was 228 00:13:42,967 --> 00:13:47,000 a male amongst all these women, and that's what he told me, 229 00:13:47,100 --> 00:13:48,767 he said, "Don't worry about Tammy." 230 00:13:49,767 --> 00:13:51,166 He says, "I'll take care of her." 231 00:13:52,400 --> 00:13:54,700 I can remember sitting and him looking at me 232 00:13:54,767 --> 00:13:55,900 and telling me that. 233 00:13:57,567 --> 00:14:00,967 I never thought that Tammy was with Cliff in 234 00:14:00,967 --> 00:14:03,800 any way other than just chumming around with him. 235 00:14:05,000 --> 00:14:08,200 But it didn't take real long before it got out of control. 236 00:14:10,500 --> 00:14:12,400 MEREDITH: That's definitely when I started 237 00:14:12,467 --> 00:14:15,900 to see my parents' marriage struggle. 238 00:14:18,567 --> 00:14:22,000 In 2004, there was, like, a month 239 00:14:22,066 --> 00:14:25,100 of my parents just fighting more and more. 240 00:14:26,300 --> 00:14:29,000 And it almost seemed like the second we walked in 241 00:14:29,066 --> 00:14:30,100 the door, 242 00:14:30,100 --> 00:14:32,266 my mom and dad were just yelling at each other. 243 00:14:33,300 --> 00:14:36,667 It was a Saturday -- Tammy had been out all day 244 00:14:36,667 --> 00:14:40,567 with Meredith, and then she had the opportunity 245 00:14:40,567 --> 00:14:43,200 to meet up with Cliff later on, 246 00:14:43,266 --> 00:14:47,500 so she came home with Meredith, and her intention 247 00:14:47,567 --> 00:14:51,400 was to leave Meredith with me and go back out. 248 00:14:52,400 --> 00:14:56,166 Well, obviously I got to a breaking point, 249 00:14:56,166 --> 00:14:57,767 and I got upset. 250 00:14:57,767 --> 00:15:00,567 Never got physical, but we got mad, 251 00:15:00,667 --> 00:15:02,567 and we had a fight. 252 00:15:02,667 --> 00:15:04,600 She called 911, 253 00:15:05,800 --> 00:15:08,200 and the police came, and everything had calmed down, 254 00:15:08,266 --> 00:15:12,166 and the police were like, "It was just a domestic fight." 255 00:15:12,166 --> 00:15:14,166 She said, "You're gonna leave him here?" 256 00:15:15,300 --> 00:15:16,367 And they said, "Well, yeah, 257 00:15:16,467 --> 00:15:19,166 unless you feel threatened." "I feel threatened." 258 00:15:19,266 --> 00:15:20,800 And that's exactly what she said. 259 00:15:20,867 --> 00:15:22,066 And they took me in. 260 00:15:23,166 --> 00:15:26,000 MEREDITH: I just remember sitting on the stairs, crying, 261 00:15:26,100 --> 00:15:29,000 because my dad was being escorted out of the house, 262 00:15:29,066 --> 00:15:31,467 and I didn't understand why. 263 00:15:31,467 --> 00:15:34,500 SCOTT: Because she said she felt threatened, 264 00:15:34,567 --> 00:15:37,300 they're obligated to remove me from the house. 265 00:15:38,567 --> 00:15:41,000 I never laid a hand on her. I never touched her. 266 00:15:42,100 --> 00:15:44,567 But once I was out that door, that was it. 267 00:15:48,600 --> 00:15:50,600 NARRATOR: Scott moves in with his parents, 268 00:15:50,667 --> 00:15:53,367 who live a few miles away in Greenville, Delaware. 269 00:15:55,066 --> 00:15:57,400 I could have zero contact with her. 270 00:15:57,467 --> 00:16:01,467 No phone conversations, no calls, no emails. 271 00:16:01,467 --> 00:16:04,266 I was not even allowed to see Meredith 272 00:16:04,367 --> 00:16:07,100 until the court got things straightened out. 273 00:16:08,367 --> 00:16:13,400 Never, until January 31st of 2004, 274 00:16:13,467 --> 00:16:15,867 did I ever think we would be a broken family. 275 00:16:17,166 --> 00:16:20,367 Within six months, we were divorced. 276 00:16:22,400 --> 00:16:26,767 Tammy's mind just clicked, and she wanted something different. 277 00:16:26,867 --> 00:16:30,667 She wanted me out and Cliff in, just like that. 278 00:16:31,867 --> 00:16:35,300 I did not see it going down the road that it did. 279 00:16:36,567 --> 00:16:38,166 I don't think Tammy did. 280 00:16:45,100 --> 00:16:47,867 NARRATOR: Within a few months of Scott and Tammy's separation, 281 00:16:47,867 --> 00:16:51,900 Cliff moves into the Gardner family home in Wood Creek. 282 00:16:53,600 --> 00:16:57,000 MEREDITH: It was pretty early on after my parents separated 283 00:16:57,066 --> 00:17:01,000 that we realized Cliff and my mom were together. 284 00:17:01,100 --> 00:17:04,400 Cliff kind of just settled right into our family. 285 00:17:04,467 --> 00:17:08,400 He just took the role of being the man of the house. 286 00:17:11,667 --> 00:17:13,667 NARRATOR: Tammy's newfound happiness with Cliff 287 00:17:13,767 --> 00:17:16,467 is cut short in August 2004. 288 00:17:18,166 --> 00:17:21,667 I remember my mom being absolutely distraught, 289 00:17:21,767 --> 00:17:26,000 because Cliff was arrested in 2004. 290 00:17:26,100 --> 00:17:28,900 She said he was gonna be away for a little while. 291 00:17:31,000 --> 00:17:33,266 NARRATOR: Cliff spends 12 months in prison for 292 00:17:33,266 --> 00:17:36,667 stealing jewelry from his sister-in-law. 293 00:17:36,667 --> 00:17:40,066 He had to do a year down in Georgetown. 294 00:17:41,467 --> 00:17:44,000 And in that year, Tammy and I were very good. 295 00:17:44,100 --> 00:17:46,000 We had a good relationship, we could have 296 00:17:46,066 --> 00:17:48,000 good conversations, 297 00:17:48,100 --> 00:17:50,667 but as soon as Cliff was back in the picture, 298 00:17:50,667 --> 00:17:52,166 she was a different person. 299 00:17:53,567 --> 00:17:55,667 He told her, in so many words, 300 00:17:55,667 --> 00:17:57,900 she could not have a relationship with me. 301 00:17:59,967 --> 00:18:02,767 MEREDITH: When Cliff was released in 2005, 302 00:18:02,767 --> 00:18:05,467 he did come right to our house, 303 00:18:05,567 --> 00:18:08,266 and we were so excited that he was home. 304 00:18:08,367 --> 00:18:10,367 MEREDITH: Cliff's criminal record leaves 305 00:18:10,367 --> 00:18:12,767 Tammy with a difficult choice. 306 00:18:12,767 --> 00:18:16,100 MEREDITH: Word did get out that we had a criminal 307 00:18:16,166 --> 00:18:17,467 living in our house, 308 00:18:17,567 --> 00:18:19,400 and that's not allowed in the state of Delaware 309 00:18:19,467 --> 00:18:20,867 for a home daycare. 310 00:18:20,867 --> 00:18:26,500 So she was told to kick him out or close the daycare. 311 00:18:27,867 --> 00:18:30,467 My mom decided to close the daycare. 312 00:18:30,567 --> 00:18:31,967 She wouldn't kick him out. 313 00:18:34,867 --> 00:18:38,467 Their relationship started to get abusive 314 00:18:38,467 --> 00:18:41,867 and toxic pretty quickly after that. 315 00:18:42,900 --> 00:18:45,266 They were always fighting. 316 00:18:45,266 --> 00:18:47,867 A lot of it had to do with money. 317 00:18:47,967 --> 00:18:49,667 He couldn't hold a job. 318 00:18:51,300 --> 00:18:53,200 SCOTT: People say you don't know what goes on behind 319 00:18:53,266 --> 00:18:56,100 closed doors -- you really don't. 320 00:18:56,166 --> 00:19:01,567 She would be seen in a grocery store with bruises on her. 321 00:19:01,667 --> 00:19:03,967 Nine out of 10 times, when someone says 322 00:19:03,967 --> 00:19:05,400 that they got a black eye 323 00:19:05,467 --> 00:19:07,767 from opening a cabinet or hurt their neck 324 00:19:07,867 --> 00:19:09,600 from falling down the stairs, 325 00:19:09,667 --> 00:19:12,000 they're probably covering something up. 326 00:19:14,700 --> 00:19:17,100 In between 2005 and 2006, 327 00:19:17,166 --> 00:19:20,266 they were on and off countless times. 328 00:19:20,266 --> 00:19:21,667 It was like a cycle. 329 00:19:21,767 --> 00:19:23,367 He would blow up. 330 00:19:23,467 --> 00:19:25,767 Things would be really bad, 331 00:19:25,867 --> 00:19:27,367 and she would kick him out. 332 00:19:27,467 --> 00:19:28,700 He would be gone for a little bit, 333 00:19:28,767 --> 00:19:32,166 and then he'd be right back in our house every time. 334 00:19:33,767 --> 00:19:38,767 One day, Cliff actually called me from my mom's phone 335 00:19:38,767 --> 00:19:41,000 and said that there had been an accident, 336 00:19:41,100 --> 00:19:42,867 but your mother's okay. 337 00:19:42,967 --> 00:19:44,767 She's in the hospital. 338 00:19:46,100 --> 00:19:51,900 It turns out that he beat her so bad in the car that 339 00:19:52,000 --> 00:19:55,567 she apparently jumped out of the moving van 340 00:19:55,567 --> 00:19:58,567 to get away from him. 341 00:20:00,266 --> 00:20:02,200 SCOTT: It was spiraling out of control. 342 00:20:03,667 --> 00:20:04,767 It was a time bomb. 343 00:20:07,100 --> 00:20:10,000 MEREDITH: July 1st of 2006, 344 00:20:10,066 --> 00:20:12,266 I don't know what the fight was about. 345 00:20:13,600 --> 00:20:15,667 My mom kicked him out again 346 00:20:15,667 --> 00:20:19,266 and said, "You're not welcome in this house anymore." 347 00:20:19,266 --> 00:20:22,800 This time, her demeanor was much different. 348 00:20:25,066 --> 00:20:27,567 It seemed like she was always looking over her shoulder. 349 00:20:30,567 --> 00:20:31,900 NARRATOR: Tammy and Meredith attend 350 00:20:32,000 --> 00:20:34,567 a friend's barbecue for Independence Day, 351 00:20:36,266 --> 00:20:39,000 and someone new enters Tammy's life. 352 00:20:41,100 --> 00:20:45,500 One of the guests is 42-year-old Gabriel Gabrielli, 353 00:20:45,567 --> 00:20:48,800 a father of five who was separated from his wife. 354 00:20:49,867 --> 00:20:52,300 DIANE: Gabe was my husband. 355 00:20:52,367 --> 00:20:54,367 He was a musician. 356 00:20:54,467 --> 00:20:57,367 He spoke English and Spanish, and it was just so wonderful. 357 00:20:57,367 --> 00:20:59,166 I loved it so much. 358 00:20:59,166 --> 00:21:01,600 Gabe was a really fun dad, 359 00:21:01,667 --> 00:21:03,567 because he was kind of a big kid himself. 360 00:21:03,667 --> 00:21:05,367 He really loved his kids. 361 00:21:07,367 --> 00:21:09,100 DIANE: And they loved it when he would sing to them. 362 00:21:10,166 --> 00:21:12,266 NARRATOR: But despite being a devoted dad, 363 00:21:12,266 --> 00:21:14,900 Gabe struggles with his personal demons. 364 00:21:16,266 --> 00:21:19,567 By 2005, his substance and alcohol abuse 365 00:21:19,567 --> 00:21:21,467 was so incredibly bad 366 00:21:21,567 --> 00:21:24,266 that I had to have him removed 367 00:21:24,266 --> 00:21:27,400 from the house in August of 2005. 368 00:21:27,467 --> 00:21:30,467 It took a hold of him, and he tried to get out of it, 369 00:21:30,567 --> 00:21:33,700 but he couldn't, so me and the kids had to. 370 00:21:37,667 --> 00:21:40,266 NARRATOR: Tammy is unaware of Gabe's past struggles when 371 00:21:40,266 --> 00:21:42,767 she meets him at the July Fourth barbecue. 372 00:21:44,500 --> 00:21:46,467 His charm rubs off on her, 373 00:21:47,667 --> 00:21:50,700 and they agreed to go out to a local bar the next evening. 374 00:21:51,867 --> 00:21:55,800 My mom was with Gabe at the Good Shot bar that night. 375 00:21:55,867 --> 00:21:58,467 She was moving on from Cliff. 376 00:21:58,567 --> 00:21:59,967 She no longer needed him, 377 00:21:59,967 --> 00:22:02,867 and that infuriated Cliff. 378 00:22:05,500 --> 00:22:07,266 -NARRATOR: While out with Gabe, -[phone ringing] 379 00:22:07,367 --> 00:22:09,166 Tammy receives a call from Cliff. 380 00:22:09,266 --> 00:22:11,166 [phone ringing] 381 00:22:11,266 --> 00:22:13,000 She lets it go to voicemail. 382 00:22:14,100 --> 00:22:17,100 [Cliff speaking] 383 00:22:20,166 --> 00:22:23,266 Cliff was relentlessly calling my mom... 384 00:22:23,266 --> 00:22:24,667 [phone ringing] 385 00:22:24,667 --> 00:22:27,100 ...43 times within an hour. 386 00:22:27,166 --> 00:22:28,767 [phone ringing] 387 00:22:28,867 --> 00:22:32,300 [Cliff speaking] 388 00:22:42,767 --> 00:22:45,467 He was certainly trying to scare her. 389 00:22:45,467 --> 00:22:47,100 [Cliff speaking] 390 00:22:47,166 --> 00:22:48,567 And then he would follow up, 391 00:22:48,567 --> 00:22:51,500 "I'm just kidding. You know, I'm sorry." 392 00:22:51,567 --> 00:22:53,467 [Cliff speaking] 393 00:22:53,467 --> 00:22:56,000 It was up and down, up and down. 394 00:22:56,066 --> 00:22:57,400 SCOTT: Tammy called me that night. 395 00:22:57,467 --> 00:22:59,900 It must have been one or two o'clock in the morning. 396 00:23:00,066 --> 00:23:01,467 Meredith was with me. 397 00:23:01,567 --> 00:23:03,266 So I said, "Well, the only thing you can do 398 00:23:03,266 --> 00:23:05,300 at this point is call the police." 399 00:23:05,367 --> 00:23:06,767 [911 operator speaking] 400 00:23:06,867 --> 00:23:10,266 [Tammy speaking] 401 00:23:13,800 --> 00:23:15,867 [911 operator speaking] 402 00:23:15,967 --> 00:23:19,667 [Tammy speaking] 403 00:23:22,500 --> 00:23:24,266 [911 operator speaking] 404 00:23:24,367 --> 00:23:25,533 [Tammy speaking] 405 00:23:28,000 --> 00:23:31,867 NARRATOR: Officers from Delaware State Police arrest Cliff. 406 00:23:34,867 --> 00:23:37,767 At 3:46 a.m. on July 6th, 407 00:23:37,767 --> 00:23:40,266 they charge him with aggravated harassment. 408 00:23:42,000 --> 00:23:44,166 The offense is a misdemeanor in Delaware, 409 00:23:45,367 --> 00:23:47,266 and Cliff walks out of the station 410 00:23:47,367 --> 00:23:49,100 just over two hours later. 411 00:23:53,300 --> 00:23:56,700 MEREDITH: Dad was dropping me back off at my mom's house 412 00:23:56,767 --> 00:23:59,400 the next morning, probably around seven o'clock, 413 00:24:00,900 --> 00:24:05,100 and Cliff was waiting in the neighborhood, 414 00:24:05,166 --> 00:24:07,200 trying to wave down my dad. 415 00:24:09,300 --> 00:24:11,967 SCOTT: He gets out of the van, and he starts to come 416 00:24:11,967 --> 00:24:15,266 walking to me, and he's just slandering Tammy, 417 00:24:15,367 --> 00:24:17,800 telling me that she's a drug addict and she's doing 418 00:24:17,867 --> 00:24:20,667 this and all this kind of stuff. 419 00:24:20,767 --> 00:24:23,400 As soon as Cliff and I parted ways, 420 00:24:23,467 --> 00:24:27,266 I called Tammy, and I said, "Cliff's in the neighborhood." 421 00:24:28,467 --> 00:24:31,767 And my mom brought us inside and locked the door, 422 00:24:31,867 --> 00:24:35,200 and she had the house phone in her hand. 423 00:24:35,266 --> 00:24:37,867 She looked scared. She felt scared. 424 00:24:38,967 --> 00:24:40,567 She did feel helpless. 425 00:24:42,400 --> 00:24:45,900 She seemed like she was in fear for her life. 426 00:24:56,600 --> 00:24:58,667 [automated message] 427 00:25:00,667 --> 00:25:02,567 MEREDITH: When I was at my dad's house, 428 00:25:02,567 --> 00:25:07,867 I always started my day by calling my mom in the morning. 429 00:25:07,967 --> 00:25:11,100 I called her when I woke up that day, and she didn't answer. 430 00:25:12,467 --> 00:25:16,967 I decided to call her again, probably two hours or so later. 431 00:25:23,467 --> 00:25:25,066 She didn't answer. 432 00:25:25,066 --> 00:25:29,000 That's when I started to panic. 433 00:25:38,467 --> 00:25:42,166 I called Cliff and asked him if he knew where my mom was, 434 00:25:42,166 --> 00:25:43,567 because she wasn't answering the phone, 435 00:25:43,567 --> 00:25:46,100 and he said, "No, sweet pea. 436 00:25:46,166 --> 00:25:48,567 I haven't talked to your mom all day," 437 00:25:48,667 --> 00:25:51,266 and I told my dad, and I was like, "Dad, something's wrong." 438 00:25:52,900 --> 00:25:55,066 NARRATOR: Scott drives over to Tammy's house 439 00:25:55,066 --> 00:25:56,700 to check for anything unusual. 440 00:25:58,266 --> 00:26:02,266 He notices that one of the downstairs windows is open. 441 00:26:02,266 --> 00:26:04,266 He calls Tammy's friend Rose, 442 00:26:04,266 --> 00:26:07,667 the owner of Good Shots Bar, to ask for help. 443 00:26:07,667 --> 00:26:09,367 I said, "Look, I didn't go in 444 00:26:09,467 --> 00:26:11,266 the house, because I'm the ex-husband." 445 00:26:11,266 --> 00:26:13,967 I said, "Can you take a ride over there and see if you 446 00:26:13,967 --> 00:26:15,800 "can go in through this front window 447 00:26:15,867 --> 00:26:18,600 and see what might be going on in the house?" 448 00:26:18,667 --> 00:26:21,400 And Rose called me from in the house and said 449 00:26:21,467 --> 00:26:22,767 Tammy's purse was there. 450 00:26:22,867 --> 00:26:25,266 Her cellphone was there, 451 00:26:25,266 --> 00:26:27,667 but the van was gone and Tammy's gone. 452 00:26:29,100 --> 00:26:31,166 That's when I called the police, 453 00:26:31,266 --> 00:26:33,667 and I said, "I think there's a missing person." 454 00:26:35,266 --> 00:26:37,500 [distant sirens wailing and radio chatter] 455 00:26:40,467 --> 00:26:43,800 STEVE: When the first police officer arrived on scene 456 00:26:43,867 --> 00:26:48,166 and went upstairs into the master bedroom, 457 00:26:48,166 --> 00:26:50,700 he immediately noticed that there 458 00:26:50,767 --> 00:26:54,367 was a significant quantity of blood 459 00:26:54,367 --> 00:26:55,767 in various places. 460 00:26:56,900 --> 00:26:59,467 It seemed likely that a violent crime, 461 00:26:59,467 --> 00:27:02,066 maybe even a homicide, had been committed. 462 00:27:03,300 --> 00:27:05,100 TOM: The officers could smell the odor 463 00:27:05,166 --> 00:27:07,467 of some type of cleaning agent. 464 00:27:07,567 --> 00:27:10,900 There was fresh vacuum markings on the rugs. 465 00:27:11,000 --> 00:27:13,166 It was obvious that somebody was trying to clean 466 00:27:13,166 --> 00:27:14,667 something up. 467 00:27:14,667 --> 00:27:17,266 The fact that Tamela Gardner wasn't present, 468 00:27:17,367 --> 00:27:20,667 we were obviously concerned about her welfare. 469 00:27:20,667 --> 00:27:24,000 It was basically all hands on deck to try to locate her. 470 00:27:26,667 --> 00:27:28,367 NARRATOR: Investigators retrace 471 00:27:28,367 --> 00:27:30,567 Tammy's movements before she disappeared. 472 00:27:32,100 --> 00:27:35,867 Her friend Rose reports that Tammy was at Good Shots Bar on 473 00:27:35,867 --> 00:27:39,967 Saturday, July 8th, with Gabe Gabrielli 474 00:27:39,967 --> 00:27:41,667 and a friend named Kelly. 475 00:27:42,800 --> 00:27:45,467 TOM: Kelly told us that they left the Good Shot Bar 476 00:27:45,467 --> 00:27:48,367 at approximately 1:30 and ended up back at 477 00:27:48,367 --> 00:27:50,667 Tamela's residence. 478 00:27:50,667 --> 00:27:51,767 When she left, 479 00:27:51,867 --> 00:27:55,300 she promised Tammy that she would call Tammy 480 00:27:55,367 --> 00:27:56,900 when she got home. 481 00:27:57,000 --> 00:28:00,800 That call happened around 1:45 a.m. 482 00:28:00,867 --> 00:28:02,667 Sunday morning. 483 00:28:02,767 --> 00:28:05,500 And that was the last that -- that she saw 484 00:28:05,567 --> 00:28:09,166 or heard from either Tamela Gardner or Gabe Gabrielli. 485 00:28:11,367 --> 00:28:14,367 STEVE: Tammy was missing, and so was Gabe. 486 00:28:15,900 --> 00:28:18,066 He was new to her life. 487 00:28:18,066 --> 00:28:20,066 Not very much was known about him. 488 00:28:21,266 --> 00:28:24,500 Detectives reach out to Gabe's estranged wife, Diane, 489 00:28:24,567 --> 00:28:27,567 25 miles away in Philadelphia. 490 00:28:28,667 --> 00:28:30,500 DIANE: When they said he was missing, 491 00:28:30,567 --> 00:28:33,166 he'd been missing for months from me. 492 00:28:33,166 --> 00:28:35,200 So that didn't mean anything. 493 00:28:35,266 --> 00:28:36,567 So I feared they were just out 494 00:28:36,567 --> 00:28:38,367 partying somewhere where nobody could find them. 495 00:28:41,100 --> 00:28:44,000 STEVE: So, early in the investigation, rather 496 00:28:44,100 --> 00:28:47,100 than limiting the number of potential suspects, 497 00:28:47,166 --> 00:28:48,667 it was actually growing. 498 00:28:50,066 --> 00:28:54,266 From the morning of July 10th, Gabe Gabrielli was a suspect. 499 00:28:57,467 --> 00:28:59,700 Scott Gardner also was a suspect. 500 00:29:01,767 --> 00:29:04,967 The marriage had exploded because 501 00:29:04,967 --> 00:29:07,300 of Tammy's affair with Clifford Wright. 502 00:29:08,767 --> 00:29:11,367 SCOTT: When I was questioned by Detective Abram, 503 00:29:11,367 --> 00:29:13,767 he asked me if I had an alibi for the evening 504 00:29:13,867 --> 00:29:16,500 that Tammy disappeared, and I said that I was 505 00:29:16,567 --> 00:29:20,767 asleep in bed, and I said I was alone. 506 00:29:20,767 --> 00:29:22,400 So Scott didn't have an alibi, 507 00:29:23,567 --> 00:29:25,467 and that was -- that was problematic. 508 00:29:26,800 --> 00:29:29,266 And then there was Clifford Wright. 509 00:29:32,767 --> 00:29:35,600 NARRATOR: Detective Tom Abram interviews Clifford Wright at 510 00:29:35,667 --> 00:29:37,767 the New Castle County police station 511 00:29:37,867 --> 00:29:40,667 26 hours after Tammy went missing. 512 00:29:41,700 --> 00:29:43,867 TOM: When I was interviewing Clifford, 513 00:29:43,867 --> 00:29:46,900 he appeared to be cooperating with the investigation. 514 00:29:47,000 --> 00:29:47,934 For the police to show up there... 515 00:29:48,000 --> 00:29:50,266 NARRATOR: Cliff describes Tammy's behavior 516 00:29:50,266 --> 00:29:51,867 and state of mind in the weeks 517 00:29:51,967 --> 00:29:54,100 leading up to her disappearance. 518 00:30:04,000 --> 00:30:05,367 [clears throat] 519 00:30:13,066 --> 00:30:14,400 STEVE: The picture of Tammy 520 00:30:14,467 --> 00:30:18,900 that Wright was trying to portray was that of a troubled 521 00:30:19,000 --> 00:30:23,600 woman who was depressed, who was unstable, 522 00:30:23,667 --> 00:30:26,767 who was, at times, irrational. 523 00:30:35,000 --> 00:30:38,667 And he tried to portray himself as the loving, 524 00:30:38,767 --> 00:30:40,867 concerned partner. 525 00:30:40,867 --> 00:30:43,166 TOM: Appeared to me during the interview that, you know, 526 00:30:43,166 --> 00:30:45,567 if you had a chance to say something negative about her, 527 00:30:45,667 --> 00:30:48,166 he was more than willing to do that. 528 00:30:49,166 --> 00:30:51,467 NARRATOR: Detective Abram questions Cliff 529 00:30:51,567 --> 00:30:53,500 on his whereabouts on Saturday evening 530 00:30:53,567 --> 00:30:56,266 and early Sunday morning, the night that Tammy 531 00:30:56,367 --> 00:30:57,567 went missing. 532 00:30:57,667 --> 00:30:59,500 [Tom speaking] 533 00:31:05,867 --> 00:31:08,967 When he left the bar, he says he went to spend 534 00:31:08,967 --> 00:31:10,867 the night with a friend 535 00:31:10,967 --> 00:31:12,667 named Raheem Cannon. 536 00:31:16,266 --> 00:31:18,100 And he said that once he got home, 537 00:31:18,166 --> 00:31:20,867 he was there until the next morning. 538 00:31:20,867 --> 00:31:22,700 [Tom speaking] 539 00:31:30,300 --> 00:31:32,700 NARRATOR: The police issue a Be On The Lookout 540 00:31:32,767 --> 00:31:34,266 for Tammy's red minivan. 541 00:31:36,100 --> 00:31:38,300 Four days after her disappearance, 542 00:31:38,367 --> 00:31:40,400 they receive a report of a sighting. 543 00:31:43,400 --> 00:31:45,500 STEVE: The morning of July 13th, 544 00:31:45,567 --> 00:31:49,066 the New Castle County Police received a 911 call from 545 00:31:49,066 --> 00:31:53,367 a construction worker in a park in Hockessin, Delaware, 546 00:31:53,467 --> 00:31:57,100 which was only a few miles from the Wood Creek home. 547 00:31:58,767 --> 00:32:03,100 He saw a minivan that had been there for 548 00:32:03,166 --> 00:32:06,667 a couple of days, and he thought it was suspicious. 549 00:32:07,867 --> 00:32:11,667 Within minutes, the police were at the scene, 550 00:32:13,600 --> 00:32:15,667 inspected the minivan from the outside, 551 00:32:17,200 --> 00:32:20,266 and by its license plate, 552 00:32:20,367 --> 00:32:22,667 knew that it was Tammy Gardner's minivan. 553 00:32:25,367 --> 00:32:27,700 TOM: First thing I noticed when I'm walking towards the van, 554 00:32:27,767 --> 00:32:32,567 you can see birds over top of the van just circling the van. 555 00:32:32,667 --> 00:32:34,500 A million things are going through your head. 556 00:32:35,600 --> 00:32:37,567 What were we gonna find inside this vehicle? 557 00:32:46,467 --> 00:32:49,100 NARRATOR: July 13th, 2006. 558 00:32:51,467 --> 00:32:53,667 The New Castle County Crime Unit 559 00:32:53,734 --> 00:32:55,834 examines Tammy Gardner's minivan. 560 00:32:58,100 --> 00:33:01,200 Upon opening the rear hatch of the van, 561 00:33:02,266 --> 00:33:05,166 the odor of decomposition was very strong, 562 00:33:07,266 --> 00:33:09,667 and you could see that there was two bodies in 563 00:33:09,767 --> 00:33:11,967 the rear of the van with a bunch of bedding. 564 00:33:14,834 --> 00:33:18,667 The perpetrator had tried to light a fire in the van, 565 00:33:18,734 --> 00:33:20,300 obviously to destroy evidence, 566 00:33:20,367 --> 00:33:24,000 but he had closed all of the windows in the van, and so 567 00:33:24,066 --> 00:33:27,033 the fire burned itself out almost immediately. 568 00:33:29,567 --> 00:33:31,133 When the bodies were taken to 569 00:33:31,133 --> 00:33:34,166 the medical examiner's office in Wilmington, 570 00:33:34,266 --> 00:33:37,166 they were identified as the bodies of Tammy Gardner 571 00:33:38,867 --> 00:33:40,000 and Gabe Gabrielli. 572 00:33:43,667 --> 00:33:47,867 MEREDITH: That day, my dad came down from the kitchen. 573 00:33:47,967 --> 00:33:49,600 He said, "Let's go upstairs." 574 00:33:51,367 --> 00:33:54,467 And he sat me on the end of his bed 575 00:33:54,567 --> 00:33:57,967 and said, "Mommy's not coming home. 576 00:33:59,667 --> 00:34:01,867 "Somebody hurt her really bad, 577 00:34:03,600 --> 00:34:05,300 and she's in heaven now." 578 00:34:07,667 --> 00:34:10,834 SCOTT: We had a conversation, just the two of us. 579 00:34:12,567 --> 00:34:14,767 That would be a conversation I'll never forget. 580 00:34:14,834 --> 00:34:18,266 And we stayed in my bedroom for a long time. 581 00:34:22,066 --> 00:34:24,867 NARRATOR: Their autopsies revealed that Tammy and Gabe 582 00:34:24,934 --> 00:34:27,667 died from multiple blows to the head. 583 00:34:27,734 --> 00:34:30,867 The medical examiner thought that the murder 584 00:34:30,934 --> 00:34:33,166 weapon could have been a hammer. 585 00:34:34,767 --> 00:34:38,567 There were no injuries to their hands, to their arms, 586 00:34:38,667 --> 00:34:41,500 which would suggest that there was any kind of a fight. 587 00:34:43,000 --> 00:34:45,300 It quickly became apparent they were murdered 588 00:34:45,367 --> 00:34:47,667 as they slept together in that bed. 589 00:34:50,867 --> 00:34:54,567 NARRATOR: Gabe Gabrielli is no longer a suspect in this case. 590 00:34:54,567 --> 00:34:55,700 He is a victim. 591 00:34:57,734 --> 00:35:00,867 Investigators are now looking for a double murderer. 592 00:35:02,400 --> 00:35:04,467 STEVE: We knew from talking to Scott 593 00:35:04,467 --> 00:35:07,367 that Tammy was the love of his life, 594 00:35:07,367 --> 00:35:09,500 and until the day she died, 595 00:35:09,567 --> 00:35:11,967 Scott was hoping they would get back together and live 596 00:35:12,033 --> 00:35:15,100 together as -- as a family again. 597 00:35:15,166 --> 00:35:18,100 So he was eliminated as a suspect. 598 00:35:19,567 --> 00:35:21,400 The investigation against Clifford Wright 599 00:35:21,467 --> 00:35:24,200 really ramped up at that point. 600 00:35:24,266 --> 00:35:27,367 NARRATOR: Detective Tom Abram interviews Cliff 601 00:35:27,467 --> 00:35:28,867 for a second time. 602 00:35:40,367 --> 00:35:43,266 TOM: Something just didn't seem right with him at that time. 603 00:35:43,266 --> 00:35:47,100 He didn't seem overly concerned about her death. 604 00:35:47,166 --> 00:35:49,100 He just seemed more angry. 605 00:35:54,734 --> 00:35:55,667 No... 606 00:35:55,734 --> 00:35:58,467 But I'm asking you... Well... 607 00:35:59,600 --> 00:36:01,166 TOM: When he makes that statement, 608 00:36:01,166 --> 00:36:02,934 that it's not a jealous thing, 609 00:36:03,000 --> 00:36:05,000 I'm thinking in the back of my mind, 610 00:36:05,066 --> 00:36:08,166 everything that he's doing is obviously showing that he is 611 00:36:08,266 --> 00:36:10,467 jealous of her new relationship. 612 00:36:11,767 --> 00:36:14,734 NARRATOR: Abram presses Cliff for details about the time 613 00:36:14,734 --> 00:36:16,467 he spent with Raheem Cannon 614 00:36:16,567 --> 00:36:19,033 on the night that Tammy and Gabe were murdered. 615 00:36:19,100 --> 00:36:23,467 Raheem Cannon was a friend of Clifford's, a friend 616 00:36:23,467 --> 00:36:27,867 of Tammy's, and at the time, a drug dealer. 617 00:36:27,934 --> 00:36:29,467 [Tom speaking] 618 00:36:30,834 --> 00:36:32,834 [Cliff speaking] 619 00:36:40,967 --> 00:36:43,734 NARRATOR: Clifford lets it slip that he received payment 620 00:36:43,734 --> 00:36:48,567 from Raheem to deliver cocaine to buyers inside Tailgates Bar. 621 00:36:48,667 --> 00:36:50,200 [Tom speaking] 622 00:36:52,266 --> 00:36:53,033 [Tom speaking] 623 00:36:53,100 --> 00:36:54,233 And did you... 624 00:36:54,266 --> 00:36:56,767 NARRATOR: Cliff says that he returned to Raheem's house 625 00:36:56,867 --> 00:36:59,867 around 2 a.m., where he stayed until the next morning. 626 00:37:01,300 --> 00:37:03,166 STEVE: But Raheem Cannon and his girlfriend 627 00:37:03,266 --> 00:37:05,033 were always adamant that Wright 628 00:37:05,100 --> 00:37:10,367 never came home Sunday, July 9th, until about 7:10 AM. 629 00:37:11,667 --> 00:37:13,767 NARRATOR: Investigators check Cliff's story 630 00:37:13,834 --> 00:37:16,867 against his cellphone location records. 631 00:37:16,934 --> 00:37:19,266 TOM: He says that he was at Tailgates, and he didn't leave 632 00:37:19,367 --> 00:37:23,500 Tailgates till about 1:40, 1:45, and then 633 00:37:23,567 --> 00:37:27,667 he arrives home at two o'clock in the morning, and then he went 634 00:37:27,734 --> 00:37:29,767 to bed soon after that. 635 00:37:29,834 --> 00:37:33,667 But the records showed at 1:30, he was heading towards 636 00:37:33,767 --> 00:37:35,033 the Pike Creek area, 637 00:37:35,100 --> 00:37:38,166 which is Tamela Gardner's residence. 638 00:37:38,266 --> 00:37:40,033 At about 6:50 in the morning, 639 00:37:40,100 --> 00:37:41,734 the cellphone shows him in the area 640 00:37:41,734 --> 00:37:46,066 of Tweed's Park, where the minivan was located. 641 00:37:47,367 --> 00:37:49,367 So it was obvious that Clifford Wright 642 00:37:49,467 --> 00:37:52,100 was lying about his location. 643 00:37:59,867 --> 00:38:00,767 [Cliff speaking] 644 00:38:05,133 --> 00:38:06,867 [speaking indistinctly] Okay. 645 00:38:08,867 --> 00:38:09,800 [Tom speaking] 646 00:38:11,166 --> 00:38:13,967 It was at that point where Wright invoked 647 00:38:14,033 --> 00:38:15,467 his constitutional right to silence 648 00:38:15,467 --> 00:38:16,767 and ended the interview. 649 00:38:18,200 --> 00:38:20,767 TOM: I was pretty confident after the review of 650 00:38:20,834 --> 00:38:24,367 the cellphone records and all the other information that 651 00:38:24,367 --> 00:38:28,266 we have obtained through the interviews that Clifford was 652 00:38:28,367 --> 00:38:32,934 the person responsible for killing, uh, Tamela and Gabe. 653 00:38:34,100 --> 00:38:36,300 But we needed additional evidence 654 00:38:36,367 --> 00:38:39,600 and information before we charged him with murder. 655 00:38:41,266 --> 00:38:43,467 NARRATOR: Following the interview, detectives 656 00:38:43,567 --> 00:38:44,834 charge Clifford Wright 657 00:38:44,834 --> 00:38:46,767 with two counts of delivery of cocaine. 658 00:38:49,266 --> 00:38:51,834 He has quickly tried and sentenced to 18 months 659 00:38:51,834 --> 00:38:53,467 in prison. 660 00:38:53,567 --> 00:38:55,000 TOM: We knew that he would be in 661 00:38:55,066 --> 00:38:58,166 prison while we're still working on the case 662 00:38:58,266 --> 00:39:00,600 and gave us additional time to 663 00:39:00,667 --> 00:39:02,467 start doing additional interviews, 664 00:39:02,567 --> 00:39:05,367 have evidence examined. 665 00:39:05,367 --> 00:39:08,033 NARRATOR: In prison, Wright shares details about 666 00:39:08,100 --> 00:39:10,667 the murders to his cellmate, Robert Mahan. 667 00:39:11,667 --> 00:39:14,400 TOM: Clifford Wright was probably his own worst enemy, 668 00:39:14,467 --> 00:39:16,667 because he just couldn't keep his mouth shut. 669 00:39:17,667 --> 00:39:20,300 STEVE: In a series of conversations, Wright 670 00:39:20,367 --> 00:39:23,500 confessed to the murders to Robert Mahan. 671 00:39:25,500 --> 00:39:28,300 Wright told Mahan how he got into the home, 672 00:39:28,367 --> 00:39:29,467 through the basement. 673 00:39:29,467 --> 00:39:33,667 He said there was a window that he had left open. 674 00:39:35,567 --> 00:39:39,166 Wright said to Mahan, "They think the murder weapon 675 00:39:39,166 --> 00:39:42,567 was a hammer, but it was really a baseball bat," 676 00:39:42,667 --> 00:39:45,133 and it's true that we thought the murder 677 00:39:45,133 --> 00:39:47,834 weapon was a hammer, and Wright knew that. 678 00:39:49,033 --> 00:39:50,967 He told Mahan that he killed them both 679 00:39:51,033 --> 00:39:52,166 while they were sleeping, 680 00:39:52,166 --> 00:39:54,266 which is what we believe to be true. 681 00:39:56,100 --> 00:39:57,767 The case got so much stronger. 682 00:39:59,834 --> 00:40:03,834 NARRATOR: On January 22nd, 2008, investigators 683 00:40:03,834 --> 00:40:05,667 charge Clifford Wright with the murders 684 00:40:05,767 --> 00:40:07,266 of Tammy and Gabe. 685 00:40:10,000 --> 00:40:13,367 The trial begins on October 5th, 2009. 686 00:40:14,667 --> 00:40:16,834 Clifford Wright pleads not guilty. 687 00:40:18,367 --> 00:40:21,567 Clifford Wright was controlling, 688 00:40:21,567 --> 00:40:24,767 manipulative, violent. 689 00:40:24,834 --> 00:40:27,834 He was a predator in every sense of the word. 690 00:40:29,066 --> 00:40:30,934 Robert Mahan testified at trial 691 00:40:31,000 --> 00:40:34,300 and was a very powerful and convincing witness. 692 00:40:35,467 --> 00:40:37,367 NARRATOR: The jury finds Wright guilty. 693 00:40:38,967 --> 00:40:41,934 The judge sentences him to four life sentences 694 00:40:42,000 --> 00:40:45,734 and an additional 147 years in prison 695 00:40:45,734 --> 00:40:48,166 for the brutality of the double murder. 696 00:40:52,133 --> 00:40:55,033 DIANE: Gabe was a kind person. He was a good person. 697 00:40:56,133 --> 00:40:58,300 My heart was broken, because I always did love him. 698 00:40:58,367 --> 00:40:59,767 I never not loved him. 699 00:41:00,867 --> 00:41:03,867 Clifford was a monster, 700 00:41:03,967 --> 00:41:06,500 to take two parents from two families. 701 00:41:08,600 --> 00:41:09,467 SCOTT: We love Tammy. 702 00:41:12,066 --> 00:41:14,033 We'll never stop loving her, 703 00:41:14,100 --> 00:41:17,033 and it was too short a time we had together, 704 00:41:17,100 --> 00:41:20,367 for sure, and she'd be very proud of Meredith. 705 00:41:25,834 --> 00:41:30,367 Meredith is taking something horrendous 706 00:41:30,367 --> 00:41:32,300 and trying to do good with it. 707 00:41:32,367 --> 00:41:34,000 She's an amazing person. 708 00:41:37,967 --> 00:41:40,567 MEREDITH: For years, I spoke in prisons, 709 00:41:40,567 --> 00:41:43,867 and I've spoke at schools on domestic violence. 710 00:41:43,934 --> 00:41:48,600 -Hi. -This is Meredith's pink room. 711 00:41:48,667 --> 00:41:51,166 MEREDITH: I would like my mom to be remembered. 712 00:41:52,667 --> 00:41:53,834 She was a fighter, 713 00:41:54,867 --> 00:41:56,600 and... 714 00:41:56,667 --> 00:41:59,200 she would have kept fighting if she could. 715 00:42:01,667 --> 00:42:03,934 And 716 00:42:04,000 --> 00:42:07,033 I never want her story to die.