1 00:00:00,391 --> 00:00:02,132 - Female narrator: In 2004, 2 00:00:02,176 --> 00:00:04,134 the very first episode of "snapped" 3 00:00:04,178 --> 00:00:06,832 featured the story of Celeste beard, 4 00:00:06,876 --> 00:00:09,009 a beautiful cocktail waitress 5 00:00:09,052 --> 00:00:12,055 who won the heart of a Texas millionaire. 6 00:00:12,099 --> 00:00:13,535 - He was a lonely man, 7 00:00:13,578 --> 00:00:16,146 and he wanted a companion to travel with. 8 00:00:16,190 --> 00:00:19,715 - They went on cruises, they went to Europe. 9 00:00:19,758 --> 00:00:22,500 He replaced all of her clothes. 10 00:00:22,544 --> 00:00:26,287 Celeste had everything she wanted. 11 00:00:27,288 --> 00:00:29,986 - Narrator: Until a mysterious late-night injury 12 00:00:30,030 --> 00:00:33,120 put her mogul husband's life on the line. 13 00:00:33,163 --> 00:00:36,166 - She's screaming, telling them to please save his life. 14 00:00:36,210 --> 00:00:40,649 - I felt just uncertainty, you know? Was he gonna make it? 15 00:00:40,692 --> 00:00:43,086 - Narrator: When that apparent medical emergency 16 00:00:43,130 --> 00:00:46,046 turned out to be attempted murder, 17 00:00:46,089 --> 00:00:48,874 the dark side of this may-December romance 18 00:00:48,918 --> 00:00:51,094 was revealed. 19 00:00:51,138 --> 00:00:54,141 - It had love triangle, it had money, it had sex, 20 00:00:54,184 --> 00:00:55,881 and it had murder. 21 00:00:55,925 --> 00:00:57,187 - It became very apparent 22 00:00:57,231 --> 00:01:00,234 there were two sides of this woman. 23 00:01:00,277 --> 00:01:03,063 - It makes sick to my stomach and sad 24 00:01:03,106 --> 00:01:06,327 for the pain and suffering that he went through. 25 00:01:06,370 --> 00:01:10,592 It's pretty obvious that Celeste is evil. 26 00:01:11,071 --> 00:01:12,768 - Narrator: Back in 2004, 27 00:01:12,811 --> 00:01:14,944 Celeste sat down with our cameras 28 00:01:14,987 --> 00:01:17,512 to proclaim her innocence. 29 00:01:17,555 --> 00:01:21,124 - I'm not guilty, but they're gonna read it as guilty. 30 00:01:21,168 --> 00:01:23,431 I will never apologize for Steven's murder 31 00:01:23,474 --> 00:01:26,303 when I had nothing to do with it. 32 00:01:26,347 --> 00:01:30,133 - Narrator: Now, she's back to plead her case once more 33 00:01:30,177 --> 00:01:34,224 and reveal shocking new details of her past. 34 00:01:34,268 --> 00:01:37,227 - Our house was a complete war zone. 35 00:01:37,271 --> 00:01:40,100 I told Steven that I had, had an affair. 36 00:01:40,143 --> 00:01:42,102 All the lies started coming out 37 00:01:42,145 --> 00:01:44,713 about everything that I had been doing 38 00:01:44,756 --> 00:01:48,238 - when she realized that she could not just 39 00:01:48,282 --> 00:01:51,154 completely manipulate this man, 40 00:01:51,198 --> 00:01:53,765 she set on a different path and that was, 41 00:01:53,809 --> 00:01:55,637 how do I get rid of him. 42 00:01:55,680 --> 00:01:58,205 - I still to this day don't understand 43 00:01:58,248 --> 00:02:01,382 how they can continue with the lies. 44 00:02:01,425 --> 00:02:03,471 There isn't a night that I don't ask god 45 00:02:03,514 --> 00:02:05,951 not to wake me up in the morning 46 00:02:05,995 --> 00:02:09,564 because I've been here 19 years. 47 00:02:12,349 --> 00:02:17,441 - ♪ 48 00:02:29,192 --> 00:02:31,281 - I'm Celeste beard Johnson. 49 00:02:31,325 --> 00:02:33,936 Anytime I'm offered an opportunity 50 00:02:33,979 --> 00:02:36,895 to proclaim my innocence, I take it, 51 00:02:36,939 --> 00:02:40,247 to hopefully get the public to turn their mind, 52 00:02:40,290 --> 00:02:44,816 not against me, but maybe for my cause of my innocence. 53 00:02:44,860 --> 00:02:49,343 I've been rotting in here for something that I didn't do. 54 00:02:49,386 --> 00:02:52,172 - I would expect nothing less than for her 55 00:02:52,215 --> 00:02:56,611 to continue to claim that she was somehow framed. 56 00:02:57,133 --> 00:02:59,179 But, you know, she's the puppeteer 57 00:02:59,222 --> 00:03:01,311 behind the puppet show. 58 00:03:01,355 --> 00:03:03,270 You know, if you don't believe she's a liar 59 00:03:03,313 --> 00:03:06,664 then believe she's delusional. 60 00:03:08,013 --> 00:03:13,236 - This crime happened in a high, upscale neighborhood in Austin, 61 00:03:13,280 --> 00:03:17,719 inside a beautiful, huge mansion. 62 00:03:18,285 --> 00:03:22,332 - Narrator: Around 3:00 am on October 2, 1999, 63 00:03:22,376 --> 00:03:26,815 a 911 call came in from 74-year-old, Steven beard. 64 00:03:35,693 --> 00:03:38,261 - He'd been asleep and he wakes up 65 00:03:38,305 --> 00:03:42,483 and there is literally a hole in his stomach. 66 00:03:42,526 --> 00:03:44,963 He had recently had some medical procedures, 67 00:03:45,007 --> 00:03:48,619 so he thought something had gone wrong medically with him. 68 00:03:48,663 --> 00:03:51,666 - Narrator: Emergency responders raced to the beard mansion 69 00:03:51,709 --> 00:03:54,712 and found Steven alone in his bedroom. 70 00:03:54,756 --> 00:03:57,062 - Mr. Beard was holding his hand over, 71 00:03:57,106 --> 00:03:58,847 over his stomach and you could see 72 00:03:58,890 --> 00:04:02,067 intestines protruding up between his fingers. 73 00:04:02,111 --> 00:04:04,983 - Narrator: Before cops could figure out what had happened, 74 00:04:05,027 --> 00:04:06,942 Steven's wife, Celeste beard 75 00:04:06,985 --> 00:04:11,294 suddenly burst into the bedroom, awakened by the commotion. 76 00:04:11,338 --> 00:04:13,905 - I was crying. I was, I-I just kept saying, 77 00:04:13,949 --> 00:04:17,735 please don't let him die, that's all I could think about. 78 00:04:17,779 --> 00:04:22,566 I never slept in the room. His cpap machine was loud, 79 00:04:22,610 --> 00:04:25,308 and I could not sleep in there. 80 00:04:25,352 --> 00:04:27,745 - Narrator: Paramedics strapped Steven into a gurney 81 00:04:27,789 --> 00:04:30,574 and wheeled him out to an awaiting ambulance. 82 00:04:30,618 --> 00:04:34,099 His sobbing wife following close behind. 83 00:04:34,143 --> 00:04:36,319 - Celeste is screaming. 84 00:04:36,363 --> 00:04:38,016 Telling them to please save his life, 85 00:04:38,060 --> 00:04:39,801 she doesn't want him to die. 86 00:04:39,844 --> 00:04:41,933 - I didn't know anything that was going on. 87 00:04:41,977 --> 00:04:44,414 And I just lost it. 88 00:04:44,458 --> 00:04:47,330 - She was very emotionally upset. 89 00:04:47,374 --> 00:04:51,421 But she's always been a caring um, kind of a person. 90 00:04:55,338 --> 00:04:59,342 - Narrator: Born in 1963 in camarillo, California, 91 00:04:59,386 --> 00:05:03,390 Celeste beard's childhood was hardly ideal. 92 00:05:03,433 --> 00:05:05,522 Abused by a male relative, 93 00:05:05,566 --> 00:05:09,744 Celeste was eager to run away as soon as she could. 94 00:05:09,787 --> 00:05:12,181 - My home life was very dysfunctional. 95 00:05:12,224 --> 00:05:14,618 I wanted to get out of the house so bad. 96 00:05:14,662 --> 00:05:16,751 - As a teenager she was unhappy 97 00:05:16,794 --> 00:05:19,362 and I didn't know the reason why. 98 00:05:19,406 --> 00:05:24,280 She was getting to be more independent and feisty. 99 00:05:24,324 --> 00:05:26,761 She was troubled at that time. 100 00:05:26,804 --> 00:05:28,893 - Narrator: Before she graduated high school, 101 00:05:28,937 --> 00:05:31,722 Celeste moved in with her teenage boyfriend, 102 00:05:31,766 --> 00:05:35,639 Craig Bratcher, and became pregnant with twins. 103 00:05:35,683 --> 00:05:37,162 - I think I was about 15 years old 104 00:05:37,206 --> 00:05:39,164 when I started dating him. 105 00:05:39,208 --> 00:05:42,385 I was pregnant when I turned 17. 106 00:05:42,429 --> 00:05:44,822 - Narrator: In 1980, the young couple married, 107 00:05:44,866 --> 00:05:47,303 and soon after, Celeste gave birth 108 00:05:47,347 --> 00:05:50,915 to twin daughters, Jennifer and Kristina. 109 00:05:50,959 --> 00:05:53,657 But it wasn't long before Celeste found out 110 00:05:53,701 --> 00:05:58,401 that she hadn't run all that far from her abusive past. 111 00:05:58,445 --> 00:06:02,187 - Her husband was into drugs and, and drinking 112 00:06:02,231 --> 00:06:04,929 and became abusive. 113 00:06:06,366 --> 00:06:09,020 - Narrator: In 1983, Celeste grabbed her girls 114 00:06:09,064 --> 00:06:11,414 and ran away again. 115 00:06:11,458 --> 00:06:14,461 Over the next several years, she would head east, 116 00:06:14,504 --> 00:06:18,508 leaving a trail of broken marriages in her wake. 117 00:06:18,552 --> 00:06:22,512 - She put her stuff in a u-haul and drove with the twins. 118 00:06:22,556 --> 00:06:25,994 She was away in Washington for several years 119 00:06:26,037 --> 00:06:30,041 and I guess they lived in Arizona sometimes also. 120 00:06:30,738 --> 00:06:33,697 - Narrator: By the end of her third marriage in 1993, 121 00:06:33,741 --> 00:06:36,918 Celeste found herself starting over again, 122 00:06:36,961 --> 00:06:39,311 this time in Texas. 123 00:06:39,355 --> 00:06:42,532 - Celeste started waitressing at the Austin country club. 124 00:06:43,751 --> 00:06:46,841 - Austin country club is the oldest country club in Texas; 125 00:06:46,884 --> 00:06:50,018 just affluent people were members. 126 00:06:50,061 --> 00:06:52,281 - Narrator: It was there 30-year-old Celeste 127 00:06:52,324 --> 00:06:55,589 caught the eye of a handsome older man, 128 00:06:55,632 --> 00:06:58,766 68-year-old millionaire media tycoon, 129 00:06:58,809 --> 00:07:00,855 Steven beard. 130 00:07:00,898 --> 00:07:04,554 - Steven beard was a self-made financial wizard. 131 00:07:04,598 --> 00:07:07,557 He founded a television station. 132 00:07:07,601 --> 00:07:10,430 When he sold kbvo the rumor around 133 00:07:10,473 --> 00:07:13,607 was that he got $15 million for it. 134 00:07:13,650 --> 00:07:17,001 - Narrator: Steven had recently lost his wife of 42 years 135 00:07:17,045 --> 00:07:20,091 to terminal brain cancer. 136 00:07:20,135 --> 00:07:22,354 - He was a lonely man, 137 00:07:22,398 --> 00:07:25,009 and he wanted a companion to travel with. 138 00:07:25,053 --> 00:07:26,794 - Less than two weeks after she died, 139 00:07:26,837 --> 00:07:30,537 Steven had asked me to go out with him and I did. 140 00:07:30,580 --> 00:07:32,800 We dated probably for about a month 141 00:07:32,843 --> 00:07:34,454 before he wanted me and the girls 142 00:07:34,497 --> 00:07:36,325 to move in with him. 143 00:07:36,368 --> 00:07:39,067 - I liked him. He was a very strong person 144 00:07:39,110 --> 00:07:43,027 and so the age didn't bother me in the least. 145 00:07:43,071 --> 00:07:45,508 It seemed very appropriate. 146 00:07:45,552 --> 00:07:48,468 It seemed to be very good for Celeste. 147 00:07:48,511 --> 00:07:50,470 - Narrator: Celeste was swept off her feet 148 00:07:50,513 --> 00:07:52,776 by the millionaire widower. 149 00:07:52,820 --> 00:07:56,998 - He always, always lavished me with gifts. 150 00:07:58,216 --> 00:08:00,784 - He had a gorgeous mansion. 151 00:08:00,828 --> 00:08:04,832 And every kind of conveniences that could convey. 152 00:08:04,875 --> 00:08:07,443 And when they traveled, they always went 153 00:08:07,487 --> 00:08:09,619 first class in everything. 154 00:08:09,663 --> 00:08:13,144 - They went on cruises, they went to Europe. 155 00:08:13,188 --> 00:08:16,060 He replaced all of her clothes. 156 00:08:16,104 --> 00:08:21,283 Celeste had everything she wanted in life from Steve. 157 00:08:22,676 --> 00:08:25,635 - Narrator on February 18, 1995, 158 00:08:25,679 --> 00:08:28,116 Celeste and Steven married. 159 00:08:28,159 --> 00:08:31,380 At Celeste's prodding, Steven also adopted 160 00:08:31,423 --> 00:08:34,775 her now teenaged twin daughters. 161 00:08:34,818 --> 00:08:37,560 - I forced him to adopt them a month-and-a-half 162 00:08:37,604 --> 00:08:39,562 before they turned eighteen. 163 00:08:39,606 --> 00:08:41,912 He was very loving and giving towards them 164 00:08:41,956 --> 00:08:43,523 in the beginning. 165 00:08:43,566 --> 00:08:46,656 - Steve coming into the picture was appreciated, you know, 166 00:08:46,700 --> 00:08:48,789 to have a father figure. 167 00:08:48,832 --> 00:08:53,228 And I thought of it as my life can be normal. 168 00:08:56,274 --> 00:08:58,799 - Narrator: Not long after the fairy-tale wedding, 169 00:08:58,842 --> 00:09:02,759 Celeste set to work spending Steven's money. 170 00:09:02,803 --> 00:09:04,718 - She went on a spending spree, 171 00:09:04,761 --> 00:09:08,765 nothing to go out and spend 15, $30,000 a day. 172 00:09:08,809 --> 00:09:10,593 - Celeste would buy a new Cadillac 173 00:09:10,637 --> 00:09:12,310 the way I would buy a Reese's peanut butter cup 174 00:09:12,334 --> 00:09:15,467 on the way out of the supermarket. 175 00:09:15,511 --> 00:09:17,600 - He could have stopped my spending. 176 00:09:17,644 --> 00:09:21,952 He could have taken away my credit cards, but he didn't. 177 00:09:21,996 --> 00:09:24,868 I think the biggest purchase I spent in a month 178 00:09:24,912 --> 00:09:30,047 was maybe a 125,000. But most of the stuff I bought 179 00:09:30,091 --> 00:09:35,052 was for the homes and for my daughters. 180 00:09:36,750 --> 00:09:38,621 - Narrator only four years later, 181 00:09:38,665 --> 00:09:40,884 the dream life that Celeste and Steven 182 00:09:40,928 --> 00:09:44,801 had been building together stood on the edge of disaster. 183 00:09:45,672 --> 00:09:48,283 Following his dramatic 911 call, 184 00:09:48,326 --> 00:09:50,894 Steven was being rushed to the emergency room 185 00:09:50,938 --> 00:09:53,723 with a mysterious injury to his stomach, 186 00:09:53,767 --> 00:09:55,464 which he assumed was a complication 187 00:09:55,507 --> 00:09:57,945 from a recent surgery. 188 00:09:57,988 --> 00:10:00,730 - The fact that he was able to make that phone call is amazing 189 00:10:00,774 --> 00:10:02,079 because the way he describes 190 00:10:02,123 --> 00:10:04,778 what was happening to him he was dying. 191 00:10:06,214 --> 00:10:07,650 - Narrator: Coming up. 192 00:10:07,694 --> 00:10:10,435 As doctor's race to save the millionaire's life, 193 00:10:10,479 --> 00:10:13,743 sheriff's deputies will discover they're dealing with more 194 00:10:13,787 --> 00:10:17,225 than just a medical procedure gone wrong. 195 00:10:17,268 --> 00:10:20,968 - They have a shotgun shell casing on the floor. 196 00:10:21,011 --> 00:10:24,754 - That's when the investigation, I mean, changed 180 degrees. 197 00:10:24,798 --> 00:10:27,931 - I just remember feeling really sick. 198 00:10:27,975 --> 00:10:30,673 It was pretty much living your worst nightmare. 199 00:10:32,109 --> 00:10:34,808 - ♪ 200 00:10:43,468 --> 00:10:46,036 - Narrator: On October 2, 1999, 201 00:10:46,080 --> 00:10:48,952 74-year-old millionaire Steven beard 202 00:10:48,996 --> 00:10:53,174 was fighting for his life in an Austin, tx emergency room. 203 00:10:53,217 --> 00:10:55,306 After waking up in the middle of the night 204 00:10:55,350 --> 00:10:58,701 with a gruesome wound in his abdomen. 205 00:10:58,745 --> 00:11:01,225 - He had, had a recent surgical procedure, 206 00:11:01,269 --> 00:11:03,097 and he thought it was a result of that. 207 00:11:03,140 --> 00:11:06,883 So it really came in as a medical call. 208 00:11:06,927 --> 00:11:08,711 - Narrator: As the doctors' worked, 209 00:11:08,755 --> 00:11:10,234 Steven's frantic wife, 210 00:11:10,278 --> 00:11:14,021 36-year-old Celeste beard, stayed nearby. 211 00:11:15,109 --> 00:11:18,895 - She goes to the hospital with him and is by his side. 212 00:11:18,939 --> 00:11:22,507 And this has got to be a very scary moment for her. 213 00:11:22,551 --> 00:11:25,728 - My only concern was that they keep Steven from dying. 214 00:11:25,772 --> 00:11:28,905 I mean, that's all I cared about. 215 00:11:31,778 --> 00:11:33,257 - Narrator: Meanwhile, 216 00:11:33,301 --> 00:11:35,738 investigators inside the beard home 217 00:11:35,782 --> 00:11:38,698 were making a key discovery. 218 00:11:39,481 --> 00:11:42,266 - After Mr. Beard had been evacuated from the home, 219 00:11:42,310 --> 00:11:44,094 the bedding was moved, and we found 220 00:11:44,138 --> 00:11:46,270 that twenty-Gauge shotgun shell. 221 00:11:46,314 --> 00:11:49,447 - When a deputy came out from the room and informed me 222 00:11:49,491 --> 00:11:52,233 that a shotgun shell had been located in the bedroom, 223 00:11:52,276 --> 00:11:55,758 the investigation changed 180 degrees. 224 00:11:55,802 --> 00:11:57,760 - Narrator: The shell casing wasn't the only 225 00:11:57,804 --> 00:12:01,590 troubling discovery investigators made. 226 00:12:01,633 --> 00:12:03,287 - The sliding glass door 227 00:12:03,331 --> 00:12:07,727 that led to Steven's bedroom was unlocked. 228 00:12:07,770 --> 00:12:10,773 And the alarm system which you could set 229 00:12:10,817 --> 00:12:14,037 by zones of the house was not on. 230 00:12:14,081 --> 00:12:17,780 - This was a very safe, a very prestigious neighborhood 231 00:12:17,824 --> 00:12:20,261 where you kind of can leave your doors open. 232 00:12:20,304 --> 00:12:23,133 But at the same time inside this mansion, 233 00:12:23,177 --> 00:12:25,309 there's a lot of stuff that people would like 234 00:12:25,353 --> 00:12:26,963 to get their hands on. 235 00:12:27,007 --> 00:12:29,009 - Narrator: Investigators wondered if someone 236 00:12:29,052 --> 00:12:32,055 had broken into the home in search of valuables 237 00:12:32,099 --> 00:12:34,928 and shot Steven beard in the process, 238 00:12:34,971 --> 00:12:38,801 but they soon realized that theory was unlikely. 239 00:12:38,845 --> 00:12:40,890 - Celeste had tons of jewelry 240 00:12:40,934 --> 00:12:45,112 and she had beautiful, expensive, rare paintings. 241 00:12:45,155 --> 00:12:47,375 And none of that was touched. 242 00:12:47,418 --> 00:12:51,074 - It appears that Steven beard is the target. 243 00:12:51,118 --> 00:12:54,295 So, then the question you immediately wonder is 244 00:12:54,338 --> 00:12:58,081 who would have a reason to do this? 245 00:12:58,125 --> 00:12:59,779 - Narrator: As investigators continued 246 00:12:59,822 --> 00:13:01,519 to ponder that question, 247 00:13:01,563 --> 00:13:04,305 Steven successfully made it through surgery. 248 00:13:05,654 --> 00:13:07,134 It was a positive step, 249 00:13:07,177 --> 00:13:10,485 but he wasn't out of danger just yet. 250 00:13:10,528 --> 00:13:13,880 - Steven had only a slim chance of, you know, 251 00:13:13,923 --> 00:13:17,144 he was like a 10% chance of surviving. 252 00:13:18,754 --> 00:13:21,844 - I just remember feeling really sick. 253 00:13:21,888 --> 00:13:26,544 All these emotions, you know, just the uncertainty, you know? 254 00:13:26,588 --> 00:13:28,372 Was he gonna make it? 255 00:13:28,416 --> 00:13:32,246 It was pretty much living your worst nightmare. 256 00:13:33,377 --> 00:13:35,292 - Narrator: With the family still reeling, 257 00:13:35,336 --> 00:13:37,860 detectives arrived at the hospital, 258 00:13:37,904 --> 00:13:39,993 hoping Celeste could help them figure out 259 00:13:40,036 --> 00:13:41,603 what happened that night. 260 00:13:42,517 --> 00:13:44,867 But they were out of luck. 261 00:13:44,911 --> 00:13:46,826 Celeste said that because she was sleeping 262 00:13:46,869 --> 00:13:48,697 in another wing of the mansion, 263 00:13:48,740 --> 00:13:52,309 she didn't see or hear the assailant. 264 00:13:52,353 --> 00:13:54,703 - The only time I slept in the master bedroom 265 00:13:54,746 --> 00:13:57,575 was to take a nap during the day. 266 00:13:57,619 --> 00:14:00,100 - It didn't seem extremely odd that she wasn't 267 00:14:00,143 --> 00:14:02,929 sleeping in the same bed with him because of medical issues. 268 00:14:03,538 --> 00:14:04,931 What did seem odd 269 00:14:04,974 --> 00:14:09,718 was not to have heard the shotgun go off. 270 00:14:09,761 --> 00:14:11,938 That seemed strange. 271 00:14:11,981 --> 00:14:13,722 - To her it was very much a surprise. 272 00:14:13,765 --> 00:14:15,205 Why would anybody want to hurt Steve, 273 00:14:15,245 --> 00:14:18,422 he's, you know, he's such a wonderful person. 274 00:14:18,466 --> 00:14:22,122 - Narrator: Detectives wanted to speak to Steven beard himself. 275 00:14:22,165 --> 00:14:23,775 But it was soon clear 276 00:14:23,819 --> 00:14:27,388 that would be easier said than done. 277 00:14:27,431 --> 00:14:29,651 - Celeste refused to allow the police 278 00:14:29,694 --> 00:14:31,131 to talk to her husband. 279 00:14:31,174 --> 00:14:34,090 She went and hired a criminal defense attorney, 280 00:14:34,134 --> 00:14:36,136 uh, the same day that the police 281 00:14:36,179 --> 00:14:37,920 were beginning their investigation. 282 00:14:37,964 --> 00:14:39,966 - The whole thing was kind of suspicious. 283 00:14:40,009 --> 00:14:41,271 - Narrator: To this day, 284 00:14:41,315 --> 00:14:44,666 Celeste denies this account of what happened. 285 00:14:44,709 --> 00:14:46,450 - That wasn't my decision. 286 00:14:46,494 --> 00:14:48,888 They've been blaming it on me ever since 287 00:14:48,931 --> 00:14:52,282 but Steven was not in a position to talk. 288 00:14:52,326 --> 00:14:56,721 The notice on the door was to go through the attorney. 289 00:14:56,765 --> 00:14:59,333 He didn't wanna talk to them. 290 00:14:59,376 --> 00:15:01,335 - Narrator: With Steven off limits, 291 00:15:01,378 --> 00:15:04,860 investigators turned to Celeste's twin daughters 292 00:15:04,904 --> 00:15:08,124 and what they said was eye-opening. 293 00:15:08,168 --> 00:15:10,953 - Celeste's daughter had a suggestion about 294 00:15:10,997 --> 00:15:14,174 I think maybe you should look into this person. 295 00:15:14,217 --> 00:15:17,133 Her name is Tracey tarlton and I think she may have 296 00:15:17,177 --> 00:15:20,354 something to do with my father's shooting. 297 00:15:21,268 --> 00:15:23,661 - She was Celeste's friend. 298 00:15:23,705 --> 00:15:26,012 And they hung out quite a bit. 299 00:15:26,055 --> 00:15:29,624 They met at a mental hospital. 300 00:15:29,667 --> 00:15:32,757 - Celeste was going through some severe depression at the time 301 00:15:32,801 --> 00:15:36,674 so, her family admitted her into that mental hospital. 302 00:15:37,458 --> 00:15:39,155 - Narrator: Celeste's daughters explained 303 00:15:39,199 --> 00:15:40,635 that their mother's relationship 304 00:15:40,678 --> 00:15:44,291 with Steven had become rocky in recent months. 305 00:15:44,334 --> 00:15:48,948 So rocky, that Celeste had threatened suicide. 306 00:15:48,991 --> 00:15:51,820 - Our house was a complete war zone. 307 00:15:51,863 --> 00:15:54,344 Steven wanted me to have nothing more 308 00:15:54,388 --> 00:15:57,565 to do with the twins as far as disciplining them. 309 00:15:57,608 --> 00:16:00,350 I was feeling like I was gonna be totally alone 310 00:16:00,394 --> 00:16:04,137 in this big house because he passed out every night. 311 00:16:04,180 --> 00:16:05,834 It was just too much 312 00:16:05,877 --> 00:16:08,532 and I was so upset about everything. 313 00:16:08,576 --> 00:16:09,969 I was so depressed. 314 00:16:10,012 --> 00:16:13,320 I just wanted to kill myself at that point. 315 00:16:13,363 --> 00:16:17,150 - She is so distraught that in front of one of her daughters, 316 00:16:17,193 --> 00:16:20,240 she picks up a firearm, holds it against her head 317 00:16:20,283 --> 00:16:23,547 and threatens suicide. The police are called 318 00:16:23,591 --> 00:16:27,377 and thankfully the situation was resolved safely. 319 00:16:27,421 --> 00:16:31,033 But she is hospitalized at a psychiatric facility 320 00:16:31,077 --> 00:16:33,383 for her own safety. 321 00:16:33,427 --> 00:16:34,863 - Narrator: It was at that facility 322 00:16:34,906 --> 00:16:38,214 where Celeste met Tracey tarlton. 323 00:16:38,258 --> 00:16:41,391 - Tracey tarlton at the time she met Celeste beard 324 00:16:41,435 --> 00:16:43,219 was having some mental issues. 325 00:16:43,263 --> 00:16:46,701 She was suicidal and she had an alcohol problem. 326 00:16:46,744 --> 00:16:51,401 - Narrator: The two women shared an immediate and intense bond. 327 00:16:51,445 --> 00:16:53,360 - I felt a kinship with her. 328 00:16:53,403 --> 00:16:56,058 I could talk to her and not feel bad 329 00:16:56,102 --> 00:16:58,365 or feel like somebody wouldn't understand 330 00:16:58,408 --> 00:17:00,280 what I was talking about. 331 00:17:00,323 --> 00:17:03,587 We bonded over similar childhood traumas 332 00:17:03,631 --> 00:17:07,026 and that's how Tracey and I became friends. 333 00:17:07,069 --> 00:17:10,377 She needed a friend, and I needed a friend. 334 00:17:13,423 --> 00:17:15,469 - Narrator: By June of 1999, 335 00:17:15,512 --> 00:17:19,821 both women were discharged from the psychiatric hospital. 336 00:17:19,864 --> 00:17:23,259 Celeste fled back into the waiting arms of her family. 337 00:17:23,303 --> 00:17:25,261 But she stayed in close touch 338 00:17:25,305 --> 00:17:27,655 with her new best friend, Tracey. 339 00:17:28,830 --> 00:17:30,092 - They were still very close. 340 00:17:30,136 --> 00:17:31,789 They talked very often on the phone. 341 00:17:31,833 --> 00:17:35,097 Tracey spent quite a bit of time at the beard home. 342 00:17:35,141 --> 00:17:38,318 - I actually gave a party for her at my lake house. 343 00:17:38,361 --> 00:17:40,624 I think I only spent a few thousand dollars, 344 00:17:40,668 --> 00:17:42,298 and you know, I know a lot of people think 345 00:17:42,322 --> 00:17:44,324 that's a lot of money to spend on a friend, 346 00:17:44,367 --> 00:17:46,674 but it really wasn't if you took it in context 347 00:17:46,717 --> 00:17:49,633 with what I spent on my other friends. 348 00:17:49,677 --> 00:17:52,245 - Narrator: But according to Celeste's daughters, 349 00:17:52,288 --> 00:17:55,117 it soon became evident that Tracey and their mother 350 00:17:55,161 --> 00:17:57,946 were more than just friends. 351 00:17:57,989 --> 00:17:59,513 - I mean, it was pretty obvious 352 00:17:59,556 --> 00:18:01,950 that she had feelings for Celeste. 353 00:18:04,909 --> 00:18:06,172 - Narrator: Coming up. 354 00:18:06,215 --> 00:18:09,131 Investigators uncover a passionate affair 355 00:18:09,175 --> 00:18:12,178 and a chilling plot. 356 00:18:12,221 --> 00:18:14,136 - One of the daughters said she saw 357 00:18:14,180 --> 00:18:17,008 Celeste and Tracey kissing 358 00:18:17,052 --> 00:18:19,098 and that's when she knew something was up. 359 00:18:19,141 --> 00:18:21,317 - Celeste had convinced Tracey 360 00:18:21,361 --> 00:18:24,146 that if Celeste remained with Steven beard, 361 00:18:24,190 --> 00:18:26,279 Celeste would kill herself. 362 00:18:26,931 --> 00:18:30,413 - ♪ 363 00:18:37,812 --> 00:18:40,119 - Narrator: In October of 1999, 364 00:18:40,162 --> 00:18:43,470 Texas investigators were hunting for whomever shot 365 00:18:43,513 --> 00:18:48,214 media mogul millionaire Steven beard in his own home. 366 00:18:48,257 --> 00:18:51,391 Access to the victim had been cut off by his wife, 367 00:18:51,434 --> 00:18:53,871 Celeste beard. So detectives were turning 368 00:18:53,915 --> 00:18:58,093 to her eighteen-year-old twin daughters for information. 369 00:18:58,137 --> 00:19:00,791 - The first introduction of Tracey tarlton 370 00:19:00,835 --> 00:19:03,054 was actually through one of the girls, you know, 371 00:19:03,098 --> 00:19:05,448 that my mother has this friend 372 00:19:05,492 --> 00:19:09,148 who seems to be over the top about her. 373 00:19:09,191 --> 00:19:12,281 - Celeste would be sitting on top of Tracey's lap 374 00:19:12,325 --> 00:19:14,457 and, you know, snuggling her ear. 375 00:19:14,501 --> 00:19:18,069 Things that you don't normally see two friends doing. 376 00:19:18,113 --> 00:19:19,308 - Narrator: But that's not all 377 00:19:19,332 --> 00:19:22,509 Celeste's daughter, Kristina, witnessed. 378 00:19:22,552 --> 00:19:26,121 - Kristina had told me that she walked in on them in bed. 379 00:19:26,165 --> 00:19:28,602 And Tracey was kissing on her. 380 00:19:28,645 --> 00:19:33,128 And Celeste's interaction with Tracey was basically like, 381 00:19:33,172 --> 00:19:35,478 we're lovers, you know? 382 00:19:35,522 --> 00:19:38,351 - At that point, their reaction is 383 00:19:38,394 --> 00:19:40,266 to go tell Steve because they feel like 384 00:19:40,309 --> 00:19:43,486 it's a betrayal of him 385 00:19:43,530 --> 00:19:47,360 - Steven was outraged. And he, from that point on, 386 00:19:47,403 --> 00:19:51,015 didn't want Tracey anywhere around his family. 387 00:19:51,059 --> 00:19:52,582 - Narrator: Celeste, however, 388 00:19:52,626 --> 00:19:56,325 claims her daughters were lying about the whole ordeal. 389 00:19:56,369 --> 00:20:00,373 - They nev-never saw that. And I never kissed her. 390 00:20:02,026 --> 00:20:05,204 There was no kissing or anything. 391 00:20:05,247 --> 00:20:07,467 I just wouldn't have done that. 392 00:20:07,510 --> 00:20:08,946 - Narrator: The twins were adamant 393 00:20:08,990 --> 00:20:11,558 about their suspicion of Tracey. 394 00:20:11,601 --> 00:20:13,821 - I thought Tracey could be involved 395 00:20:13,864 --> 00:20:16,780 so, I had to say something. 396 00:20:16,824 --> 00:20:20,958 I just remember being very young and scared 397 00:20:21,002 --> 00:20:25,963 and really focusing on, you know, justice for Steven. 398 00:20:28,096 --> 00:20:30,620 - Narrator: On October 2, 1999, 399 00:20:30,664 --> 00:20:33,841 detectives paid a visit to Tracy tarlton's house 400 00:20:33,884 --> 00:20:37,453 to ask her about her relationship with Celeste. 401 00:20:37,497 --> 00:20:39,629 She swore they were just friends, 402 00:20:39,673 --> 00:20:43,503 but her home decor suggested otherwise... 403 00:20:43,546 --> 00:20:44,895 - They were able to observe, 404 00:20:44,939 --> 00:20:48,377 quite frankly, almost a shrine, uh, to Celeste. 405 00:20:48,421 --> 00:20:51,380 - They saw a lot of pictures of Celeste 406 00:20:51,424 --> 00:20:56,124 and candles lit next to these pictures 407 00:20:56,167 --> 00:21:00,389 - incredibly unusual, especially for just a simple friendship. 408 00:21:00,433 --> 00:21:02,739 Tracey having a shrine to Celeste, 409 00:21:02,783 --> 00:21:07,831 to me, really indicates a fixation with Celeste. 410 00:21:07,875 --> 00:21:11,095 - Narrator: The detectives got right to the matter at hand. 411 00:21:11,139 --> 00:21:12,662 - They straight out ask her, 412 00:21:12,706 --> 00:21:15,970 did you have anything to do with the assault on Steven? 413 00:21:16,013 --> 00:21:18,277 And she says no. 414 00:21:18,320 --> 00:21:19,843 - They asked her do you own a shotgun? 415 00:21:19,887 --> 00:21:21,280 And Tracey said yes, I do. 416 00:21:21,323 --> 00:21:23,760 And, Tracey willingly handed it over. 417 00:21:23,804 --> 00:21:26,110 - Narrator: It was a 20-Gauge shotgun. 418 00:21:26,154 --> 00:21:29,505 Just like the one used to shoot Steven. 419 00:21:30,767 --> 00:21:32,508 - At that point they felt like they had 420 00:21:32,552 --> 00:21:35,685 a pretty strong suspect in the case. 421 00:21:35,729 --> 00:21:37,339 - Narrator: When detectives left, 422 00:21:37,383 --> 00:21:41,517 they took Tracey's shotgun with them for ballistics testing. 423 00:21:41,561 --> 00:21:45,826 And when the results came back, it was just as they suspected. 424 00:21:45,869 --> 00:21:47,567 - Once they did the ballistics test 425 00:21:47,610 --> 00:21:49,699 it was clear that Tracey's shotgun 426 00:21:49,743 --> 00:21:52,572 was the one that had fired the shell. 427 00:21:54,138 --> 00:21:55,357 - Narrator: The next morning, 428 00:21:55,401 --> 00:21:57,272 police brought Tracey down to the station 429 00:21:57,316 --> 00:22:00,754 for an official interrogation. 430 00:22:00,797 --> 00:22:02,799 Faced with the ballistics evidence, 431 00:22:02,843 --> 00:22:06,586 Tracey finally admitted she had shot Steven beard. 432 00:22:06,629 --> 00:22:08,979 But when detectives asked her why, 433 00:22:09,023 --> 00:22:11,634 she refused to answer. 434 00:22:11,678 --> 00:22:13,984 - You knew that there was more to what she was saying 435 00:22:14,028 --> 00:22:15,377 than what she was saying. 436 00:22:15,421 --> 00:22:18,162 Something is eating at her and it's not allowing her 437 00:22:18,206 --> 00:22:19,860 to tell us what we need to know. 438 00:22:21,427 --> 00:22:24,473 - Narrator: Police charged Tracey with felony injury 439 00:22:24,517 --> 00:22:27,084 while they continued investigating the case, 440 00:22:27,128 --> 00:22:29,522 and Celeste. 441 00:22:30,697 --> 00:22:34,440 - Celeste, although she wanted to very much appear as this, 442 00:22:34,483 --> 00:22:36,833 you know, this poor, distraught woman, 443 00:22:36,877 --> 00:22:40,881 she didn't seem to have much of an interest in, uh, 444 00:22:40,924 --> 00:22:46,060 solving, uh, the crime, which seemed very odd. 445 00:22:47,191 --> 00:22:51,108 - Narrator: Four months later, on January 18, 2000, 446 00:22:51,152 --> 00:22:54,677 Steven beard was released from brackenridge hospital 447 00:22:54,721 --> 00:22:58,551 and placed in the custody of his wife. 448 00:22:59,856 --> 00:23:01,858 - I mean it was a miracle, right? 449 00:23:01,902 --> 00:23:05,688 You would think that he was not gonna survive that gunshot, 450 00:23:05,732 --> 00:23:07,516 but he did. 451 00:23:07,560 --> 00:23:09,605 - He wanted me to take over his care. 452 00:23:09,649 --> 00:23:11,302 And I was willing to do that. 453 00:23:11,346 --> 00:23:13,653 I wanted to do whatever he wanted me to do 454 00:23:13,696 --> 00:23:18,266 because I felt so guilty for bringing Tracey into our lives. 455 00:23:19,093 --> 00:23:21,704 - Narrator: As police were continuing to investigate her 456 00:23:21,748 --> 00:23:24,359 behind the scenes, Celeste was given 457 00:23:24,403 --> 00:23:26,666 explicit instructions by the hospital 458 00:23:26,709 --> 00:23:29,233 to routinely clean Steven's wound 459 00:23:29,277 --> 00:23:31,322 to stave off infection. 460 00:23:31,366 --> 00:23:33,847 But just one day after returning home, 461 00:23:33,890 --> 00:23:37,720 his condition took a drastic turn. 462 00:23:37,764 --> 00:23:40,070 - Shortly after he's released to Celeste 463 00:23:40,114 --> 00:23:42,769 and she's able to take him home and to care for him, 464 00:23:42,812 --> 00:23:45,206 he's right back at the hospital 465 00:23:45,249 --> 00:23:47,861 and this time he has an infection. 466 00:23:47,904 --> 00:23:51,299 - Narrator: And things only got worse from there... 467 00:23:51,342 --> 00:23:54,433 - Within three days, he has developed 468 00:23:54,476 --> 00:23:57,523 such a severe infection that it's killed him. 469 00:23:59,220 --> 00:24:02,223 - I was really upset. 470 00:24:02,266 --> 00:24:04,617 It was shocking 471 00:24:04,660 --> 00:24:06,793 that he didn't make it. 472 00:24:09,186 --> 00:24:13,234 - When Steven died, I was so overwhelmed with grief. 473 00:24:14,757 --> 00:24:17,281 It was horrible, I mean, I just went crazy. 474 00:24:17,325 --> 00:24:20,023 I literally went crazy. 475 00:24:21,590 --> 00:24:23,505 - Narrator: Following Steven's death, 476 00:24:23,549 --> 00:24:25,551 the charges against Tracey tarlton 477 00:24:25,594 --> 00:24:28,162 were upgraded to murder. 478 00:24:28,205 --> 00:24:30,469 Still, she refused to tell police 479 00:24:30,512 --> 00:24:32,514 why she shot Steven, 480 00:24:32,558 --> 00:24:35,865 or if Celeste had anything to do with it. 481 00:24:35,909 --> 00:24:37,693 But when investigators heard about 482 00:24:37,737 --> 00:24:42,959 the new widow's recent behavior, it raised more eyebrows... 483 00:24:43,003 --> 00:24:47,137 - Shortly after Stevens death, Celeste calls Steven's banker 484 00:24:47,181 --> 00:24:51,794 to immediately arrange for what her allowance is going to be, 485 00:24:51,838 --> 00:24:54,928 now that Steve passed. It's very difficult 486 00:24:54,971 --> 00:24:57,974 to say how somebody would react in a time of trauma 487 00:24:58,018 --> 00:25:00,934 or in a time of grief, but I think it's really telling 488 00:25:00,977 --> 00:25:03,763 that we see a lack of compassion. 489 00:25:03,806 --> 00:25:07,984 - Also, what didn't make sense was that Celeste, 490 00:25:08,028 --> 00:25:11,422 now that her husband was dead was, you know, 491 00:25:11,466 --> 00:25:14,600 kind of back to her, uh, high spending ways, 492 00:25:14,643 --> 00:25:18,125 you know, partying, spending money, 493 00:25:18,168 --> 00:25:20,649 running around different places. 494 00:25:20,693 --> 00:25:22,956 - The way she acted wouldn't be a way 495 00:25:22,999 --> 00:25:27,177 a widow would act that loved their spouse. 496 00:25:28,004 --> 00:25:30,659 I just remember her laughing a lot, 497 00:25:30,703 --> 00:25:33,227 kind of in a way that she was relieved 498 00:25:33,270 --> 00:25:35,403 that he wasn't around anymore. 499 00:25:35,446 --> 00:25:38,667 - Friends had said that Celeste told them 500 00:25:38,711 --> 00:25:42,584 that Steven just didn't satisfy her sexually 501 00:25:42,628 --> 00:25:46,936 and she was having an affair with her ex-husband. 502 00:25:46,980 --> 00:25:49,460 She called him BMW and she told her friends 503 00:25:49,504 --> 00:25:52,681 that standed for "big Mexican wiener." 504 00:25:52,725 --> 00:25:54,553 - Narrator: However, Celeste claims 505 00:25:54,596 --> 00:25:56,424 the affair was short lived, 506 00:25:56,467 --> 00:25:59,732 and that Steven knew about her infidelity. 507 00:25:59,775 --> 00:26:02,822 - All the lies and everything started coming out 508 00:26:02,865 --> 00:26:05,868 about everything that I had been doing. 509 00:26:05,912 --> 00:26:08,697 So, I told him in September. I told him, 510 00:26:08,741 --> 00:26:12,919 I was deeply regretful and would he forgive me 511 00:26:12,962 --> 00:26:14,921 and he said yes. 512 00:26:14,964 --> 00:26:18,925 He planned us to start our life over. 513 00:26:18,968 --> 00:26:22,276 Steven planned a $60,000 limo ride 514 00:26:22,319 --> 00:26:25,584 from Frankfurt, Germany all the way to London. 515 00:26:25,627 --> 00:26:29,065 We were going to reaffirm our marriage vows. 516 00:26:29,109 --> 00:26:32,460 - Narrator: As scandalous as her recent behavior appeared, 517 00:26:32,503 --> 00:26:35,028 police didn't have any concrete evidence 518 00:26:35,071 --> 00:26:38,727 showing Celeste had a hand in her husband's murder. 519 00:26:38,771 --> 00:26:43,079 Until a shocking call came in six months later. 520 00:26:43,123 --> 00:26:46,126 - Tracey calls up the detective and tells them, 521 00:26:46,169 --> 00:26:50,783 I'm gonna tell you why I shot Steven beard. 522 00:26:52,654 --> 00:26:53,916 - Narrator: Coming up. 523 00:26:53,960 --> 00:26:57,485 Celeste's alleged lover holds nothing back. 524 00:26:57,528 --> 00:26:59,705 - Celeste moving on with her life 525 00:26:59,748 --> 00:27:02,055 was just the final straw for her. 526 00:27:02,098 --> 00:27:05,885 - Narrator: And what she says will blow the case wide open... 527 00:27:05,928 --> 00:27:09,149 - In Celeste's mind, she was definitely going to 528 00:27:09,192 --> 00:27:12,979 benefit more by his death than by a divorce. 529 00:27:14,241 --> 00:27:17,984 - ♪ 530 00:27:25,644 --> 00:27:29,038 - Narrator: Six months after 75-year-old Steven beard died 531 00:27:29,082 --> 00:27:31,998 from an infected gunshot wound, 532 00:27:32,041 --> 00:27:35,044 his widow's alleged lover, Tracey tarlton, 533 00:27:35,088 --> 00:27:38,091 made a surprising call to Texas investigators 534 00:27:38,134 --> 00:27:40,093 from behind bars. 535 00:27:40,136 --> 00:27:43,009 - Tracey calls up the detective and tells them, 536 00:27:43,052 --> 00:27:47,448 I'm gonna tell you why I shot Steven beard. 537 00:27:48,841 --> 00:27:51,104 - Tracey saw an article in the newspaper 538 00:27:51,147 --> 00:27:52,714 that Celeste had gotten married 539 00:27:52,758 --> 00:27:55,804 and gone on a honeymoon with her fifth husband. 540 00:27:55,848 --> 00:27:59,112 - Tracey tarlton all of the sudden realizes, 541 00:27:59,155 --> 00:28:02,637 I have been so duped and that's when she decided, 542 00:28:02,681 --> 00:28:04,857 not only to clear her own name, 543 00:28:04,900 --> 00:28:07,816 but she suddenly starts to identify with Steven beard, 544 00:28:07,860 --> 00:28:11,167 feeling like he wasn't the only victim here. 545 00:28:11,646 --> 00:28:13,735 - Narrator: When detectives sat down with Tracey, 546 00:28:13,779 --> 00:28:15,650 she admitted that she and Celeste 547 00:28:15,694 --> 00:28:18,653 were more than just friends. 548 00:28:18,697 --> 00:28:21,917 - Tracey was very adamant that they did have a relationship. 549 00:28:21,961 --> 00:28:23,745 - Tracey believed that Celeste 550 00:28:23,789 --> 00:28:28,750 was someone who had a lesbian love for Tracey. 551 00:28:28,794 --> 00:28:30,772 - Narrator: Tracey claimed that a few months before 552 00:28:30,796 --> 00:28:32,667 she had shot Steven beard, 553 00:28:32,711 --> 00:28:36,671 Celeste had come to her begging for help. 554 00:28:36,715 --> 00:28:38,673 - Celeste had convinced Tracey 555 00:28:38,717 --> 00:28:41,937 that if Celeste remained with Steven beard, 556 00:28:41,981 --> 00:28:43,765 Celeste would kill herself. 557 00:28:43,809 --> 00:28:45,767 That if she tried to leave Steven beard 558 00:28:45,811 --> 00:28:48,378 then Steven beard would harm Celeste. 559 00:28:49,466 --> 00:28:50,903 - Narrator: According to Tracey, 560 00:28:50,946 --> 00:28:55,821 Celeste told her that Steven was an abusive monster. 561 00:28:55,864 --> 00:29:00,129 - Celeste tried to paint Steven beard as being 562 00:29:00,173 --> 00:29:06,092 cruel to her, that he demanded, you know, sexual favors. 563 00:29:06,135 --> 00:29:10,792 - He was very emotionally and verbally abusive to all of us. 564 00:29:10,836 --> 00:29:13,926 I just overlooked it because 565 00:29:13,969 --> 00:29:16,798 I felt like I deserved it. 566 00:29:16,842 --> 00:29:18,974 I tried to keep the kids away from it, 567 00:29:19,018 --> 00:29:22,282 but it was difficult. 568 00:29:23,326 --> 00:29:26,982 - We spoke with a lot of people who knew them 569 00:29:27,026 --> 00:29:30,072 and there was no indication that Steven beard was ever 570 00:29:30,116 --> 00:29:32,466 physically or mentally abusive 571 00:29:32,509 --> 00:29:36,165 towards Celeste or the twins. 572 00:29:36,209 --> 00:29:40,822 - Celeste was saying that he was mean and just not a nice person, 573 00:29:40,866 --> 00:29:43,869 which wasn't the truth, you know? 574 00:29:43,912 --> 00:29:48,264 Steve was someone that I looked up to and... 575 00:29:48,308 --> 00:29:50,397 I loved him. 576 00:29:51,137 --> 00:29:54,096 - Narrator: Tracey, with her own history of childhood abuse, 577 00:29:54,140 --> 00:29:58,840 said she bought the story hook, line, and sinker. 578 00:29:58,884 --> 00:30:02,278 - Tracy really came to see him as a monster, 579 00:30:02,322 --> 00:30:05,325 because Celeste had painted him this way. 580 00:30:05,368 --> 00:30:07,718 - Narrator: Tracey said the two of them began scheming 581 00:30:07,762 --> 00:30:10,330 for ways to spend more time together, 582 00:30:10,373 --> 00:30:13,899 without Steven getting in the way. 583 00:30:14,334 --> 00:30:16,858 - Steven liked to have a cocktail in the evening 584 00:30:16,902 --> 00:30:19,469 and Celeste would substitute everclear, 585 00:30:19,513 --> 00:30:22,603 which is obviously a much higher proof alcohol, 586 00:30:22,646 --> 00:30:25,040 so that he would pass out. 587 00:30:25,780 --> 00:30:29,044 - The everclear would put him to bed around 10:00. 588 00:30:29,088 --> 00:30:31,220 And then she could go out with Tracey 589 00:30:31,264 --> 00:30:34,615 until 2:00, 3:00 in the morning. 590 00:30:35,398 --> 00:30:37,836 - Narrator: Tracey admitted that over time, 591 00:30:37,879 --> 00:30:41,187 their scheming became more sinister. 592 00:30:41,230 --> 00:30:44,451 - Celeste asks Tracey to purchase ecstasy pills 593 00:30:44,494 --> 00:30:47,106 that she then crushes up and puts in his drink, 594 00:30:47,149 --> 00:30:50,065 with the hopes that he will overdose. 595 00:30:50,109 --> 00:30:53,068 She also asks Tracey to order a book 596 00:30:53,112 --> 00:30:56,985 for a recipe to poison him with a meal. 597 00:30:57,029 --> 00:31:00,859 - The way Tracey told it was that they got this book, 598 00:31:00,902 --> 00:31:03,296 they cooked up some kind of recipe, 599 00:31:03,339 --> 00:31:07,604 put it into a chili dog and served it to Steven 600 00:31:07,648 --> 00:31:09,955 but nothing happened as far as 601 00:31:09,998 --> 00:31:13,741 he survived whatever concoction they made. 602 00:31:15,482 --> 00:31:18,224 - Narrator: According to Tracey, that's when Celeste decided 603 00:31:18,267 --> 00:31:21,401 they needed to get more hands on. 604 00:31:21,444 --> 00:31:25,361 - Celeste has put sleeping pills into his food, 605 00:31:25,405 --> 00:31:28,712 and he is knocked out cold one evening. 606 00:31:32,194 --> 00:31:35,545 Together they each take turns putting a plastic bag 607 00:31:35,589 --> 00:31:37,199 over poor Steven's head 608 00:31:37,243 --> 00:31:40,246 to try to asphyxiate him to death. 609 00:31:41,203 --> 00:31:45,077 But Tracey says that she can't continue doing it 610 00:31:45,120 --> 00:31:47,296 because of her conscience. 611 00:31:48,863 --> 00:31:50,430 - Narrator: Just three months later, 612 00:31:50,473 --> 00:31:54,260 Tracey agreed to an even more disturbing plan. 613 00:31:56,479 --> 00:31:59,482 - Celeste knew that Tracey had a shotgun 614 00:31:59,526 --> 00:32:03,834 and she told Tracey to get Steven out of the picture. 615 00:32:03,878 --> 00:32:07,142 It's either Celeste or it's Steven 616 00:32:07,186 --> 00:32:09,753 and Tracey needed to do something. 617 00:32:12,408 --> 00:32:16,325 - Narrator: Tracey said on the night of October 1, 1999, 618 00:32:16,369 --> 00:32:18,632 Celeste turned off the burglar alarm 619 00:32:18,675 --> 00:32:23,028 and unlocked the sliding glass door in Steven's bedroom. 620 00:32:24,203 --> 00:32:27,728 - Tracey gets there, she's able to access the bedroom, 621 00:32:29,164 --> 00:32:30,818 he's sleeping, 622 00:32:33,560 --> 00:32:35,431 and she shoots. 623 00:32:36,476 --> 00:32:40,567 Once she shot, he was startled, she was startled. 624 00:32:40,610 --> 00:32:44,223 And all she could think about was getting out of there. 625 00:32:48,357 --> 00:32:52,013 - Narrator: That's when Tracey told police a real shocker. 626 00:32:52,057 --> 00:32:55,147 She claimed that she may have shot Steven beard, 627 00:32:55,190 --> 00:32:58,846 but she didn't kill him, Celeste did. 628 00:32:59,934 --> 00:33:02,241 - Tracy tarlton said that Celeste, 629 00:33:02,284 --> 00:33:03,764 when she would change the wounds, 630 00:33:03,807 --> 00:33:07,246 was putting everything she could to infect the wound 631 00:33:07,289 --> 00:33:11,032 and he got an infection and that's what killed him. 632 00:33:11,076 --> 00:33:12,599 - Narrator: But Celeste is insistent 633 00:33:12,642 --> 00:33:17,125 that Steven's fatal infection didn't come from her care. 634 00:33:17,169 --> 00:33:19,214 - That's just another one of their lies. 635 00:33:19,258 --> 00:33:20,737 He wasn't home long enough. 636 00:33:22,174 --> 00:33:26,047 - It wasn't something we were able to, to prove. 637 00:33:26,091 --> 00:33:28,049 But certainly it was like, 638 00:33:28,093 --> 00:33:31,052 that's just too much of a coincidence. 639 00:33:31,096 --> 00:33:33,663 It does not take much to introduce 640 00:33:33,707 --> 00:33:37,232 a pretty strong infection into open wounds. 641 00:33:39,495 --> 00:33:42,063 - Narrator: For investigators, there was still the question 642 00:33:42,107 --> 00:33:45,023 of why Celeste would want to kill her husband 643 00:33:45,066 --> 00:33:48,287 rather than simply divorcing him. 644 00:33:48,330 --> 00:33:51,116 - There was a prenuptial agreement. 645 00:33:51,159 --> 00:33:54,771 A lot of Steven's wealth had been incurred 646 00:33:54,815 --> 00:33:58,253 before the marriage, so, her entitlement to that 647 00:33:58,297 --> 00:34:01,430 was gonna be very limited. In her mind, 648 00:34:01,474 --> 00:34:05,913 she was definitely going to benefit more by his death 649 00:34:05,956 --> 00:34:08,307 than by a divorce. 650 00:34:09,351 --> 00:34:11,353 - Narrator: Based on Tracey's confession, 651 00:34:11,397 --> 00:34:14,922 authorities obtained an arrest warrant for Celeste, 652 00:34:14,965 --> 00:34:17,490 now known as Celeste beard Johnson, 653 00:34:17,533 --> 00:34:20,580 on charges of capital murder. 654 00:34:20,623 --> 00:34:23,626 At the time, she was preparing for a big holiday 655 00:34:23,670 --> 00:34:26,151 with her new husband. 656 00:34:26,194 --> 00:34:29,632 - We were getting ready for the easter weekend. 657 00:34:29,676 --> 00:34:32,331 I got a call that the groomers were ready for us 658 00:34:32,374 --> 00:34:35,160 to pick up the babies, they were getting their hair done. 659 00:34:35,203 --> 00:34:38,772 And when I went to pick them up, I was arrested. 660 00:34:42,515 --> 00:34:45,996 I never even thought in a million years 661 00:34:46,040 --> 00:34:50,697 that I was going to be charged with Steven's shooting, never. 662 00:34:55,658 --> 00:34:58,966 - Narrator: As preparations for Celeste's trial began 663 00:34:59,009 --> 00:35:02,622 prosecutors knew they'd need compelling witnesses to back 664 00:35:02,665 --> 00:35:07,714 Tracey tarlton's story and soon, they'd find two. 665 00:35:08,758 --> 00:35:10,151 - It makes me sick, 666 00:35:10,195 --> 00:35:12,153 you always hear blood is thicker than water, 667 00:35:12,197 --> 00:35:14,547 not in my case. 668 00:35:15,374 --> 00:35:16,766 - Narrator: Coming up. 669 00:35:16,810 --> 00:35:20,683 Celeste's own daughters turn against their mother. 670 00:35:20,727 --> 00:35:25,340 - At the time, it felt like testifying was the only option 671 00:35:25,384 --> 00:35:28,213 to get any justice for Steve, 672 00:35:28,256 --> 00:35:32,826 to actually have Celeste pay for what she has done. 673 00:35:35,568 --> 00:35:38,397 - My kids sold me to the state of Texas. 674 00:35:39,093 --> 00:35:42,314 - ♪ 675 00:35:50,452 --> 00:35:53,238 - Narrator: On February 3, 2003, 676 00:35:53,281 --> 00:35:56,154 three years after her husband Steven had died 677 00:35:56,197 --> 00:35:58,678 from an infected gunshot wound, 678 00:35:58,721 --> 00:36:00,984 Celeste beard Johnson walked into 679 00:36:01,028 --> 00:36:05,641 the Travis county courthouse to stand trial for capital murder. 680 00:36:05,685 --> 00:36:08,775 - I was devastated. When they arrested me, 681 00:36:08,818 --> 00:36:13,910 I had no idea about anything in the criminal justice system. 682 00:36:13,954 --> 00:36:17,000 - The penalty for capital murder in Texas is life in prison. 683 00:36:17,044 --> 00:36:19,481 - Narrator: The newly remarried mother of two, 684 00:36:19,525 --> 00:36:22,484 steadfastly denied the accusations, 685 00:36:22,528 --> 00:36:25,748 entering a plea of not guilty. 686 00:36:25,792 --> 00:36:27,141 - I'm not guilty. 687 00:36:27,185 --> 00:36:30,623 I will never admit to anything that I didn't do. 688 00:36:32,799 --> 00:36:34,801 - Narrator: Prosecutors opened the trial 689 00:36:34,844 --> 00:36:38,413 by painting Celeste as a manipulative gold-digger 690 00:36:38,457 --> 00:36:41,111 who had married Steven beard for one reason 691 00:36:41,155 --> 00:36:44,854 and one reason only. Money. 692 00:36:44,898 --> 00:36:47,683 - It was pure greed and selfishness. 693 00:36:47,727 --> 00:36:51,426 She's somebody who married him because she loved money. 694 00:36:51,470 --> 00:36:54,124 - Narrator: But when her extravagant spending habits 695 00:36:54,168 --> 00:36:57,693 threatened her marriage, prosecutors say Celeste began 696 00:36:57,737 --> 00:37:01,349 a steamy lesbian affair with Tracey tarlton 697 00:37:01,393 --> 00:37:03,438 and convinced her that the only way 698 00:37:03,482 --> 00:37:08,182 they could be together was to murder Celeste's husband. 699 00:37:16,756 --> 00:37:18,975 - Narrator: Celeste's attorney didn't dispute the fact 700 00:37:19,019 --> 00:37:22,370 that greed was at the root of this case. 701 00:37:22,414 --> 00:37:25,591 But, he claimed, it wasn't Celeste's greed, 702 00:37:25,634 --> 00:37:28,246 it was Tracey tarlton's. 703 00:37:28,289 --> 00:37:32,293 - She fell in love with Celeste and she was obsessed with her. 704 00:37:32,337 --> 00:37:35,949 She saw Steve as the one impediment 705 00:37:35,992 --> 00:37:40,127 to Tracey tarlton's happiness forever, 706 00:37:40,170 --> 00:37:41,737 so she wanted to get rid of Steve. 707 00:37:51,530 --> 00:37:53,358 - Narrator: But when Tracey took the stand, 708 00:37:53,401 --> 00:37:58,145 she claimed she never wanted to shoot Steven. 709 00:37:58,188 --> 00:38:00,452 - Celeste manipulated Tracey. 710 00:38:00,495 --> 00:38:02,715 And the whole general, kind of theme 711 00:38:02,758 --> 00:38:06,588 of the manipulation was, it's him or me, 712 00:38:06,632 --> 00:38:08,634 in other words, Steven or Celeste. 713 00:38:23,518 --> 00:38:27,000 - She's crazy. I mean she truly believed 714 00:38:27,043 --> 00:38:30,786 that we would have a life together. 715 00:38:30,830 --> 00:38:33,485 She had this delusion that we were gonna 716 00:38:33,528 --> 00:38:36,749 live happily ever after at my lake house. 717 00:38:36,792 --> 00:38:39,447 - Narrator: Tracey's testimony was effective. 718 00:38:39,491 --> 00:38:42,102 But the state wasn't done yet. 719 00:38:42,145 --> 00:38:46,454 Prosecutors called two more witnesses to the stand. 720 00:38:46,498 --> 00:38:49,718 Celeste's own daughters. 721 00:38:49,762 --> 00:38:51,981 - It makes me sick. You always hear 722 00:38:52,025 --> 00:38:54,680 blood is thicker than water, not in my case. 723 00:38:54,723 --> 00:38:57,813 I want to call them the menendez sisters. 724 00:38:57,857 --> 00:38:59,989 - Narrator: The girls corroborated Tracey's story 725 00:39:00,033 --> 00:39:03,776 of a lesbian affair and their mother's secret hatred 726 00:39:03,819 --> 00:39:06,692 for the man they considered their father. 727 00:39:24,144 --> 00:39:26,929 - It felt like testifying was the only option 728 00:39:26,973 --> 00:39:30,280 to get any sort of freedom in our life, 729 00:39:30,324 --> 00:39:33,458 to get any justice for Steve, 730 00:39:33,501 --> 00:39:37,287 to have Celeste pay for what she has done. 731 00:39:39,899 --> 00:39:42,554 - Narrator: However, Celeste's defense said the twins 732 00:39:42,597 --> 00:39:44,382 were just trying to get their hands 733 00:39:44,425 --> 00:39:46,949 on Celeste's inheritance. 734 00:39:46,993 --> 00:39:49,474 - When they found out that they weren't going to get any money 735 00:39:49,517 --> 00:39:52,477 until I died or went to prison 736 00:39:52,520 --> 00:39:55,393 that's when they turned against me. 737 00:39:55,436 --> 00:39:58,744 My kids sold me to the state of Texas. 738 00:39:58,787 --> 00:40:01,529 - I try not to think about her thinking that we're all 739 00:40:01,573 --> 00:40:03,879 full of lies, now at this point. 740 00:40:03,923 --> 00:40:06,534 We told the truth on the stand. 741 00:40:06,578 --> 00:40:10,233 And, um, I'm glad it's over. 742 00:40:11,887 --> 00:40:13,889 That was the last time, that I can remember, 743 00:40:13,933 --> 00:40:19,242 even seeing Celeste. It's been over twenty years. 744 00:40:21,462 --> 00:40:22,613 - Narrator: When the jury retired 745 00:40:22,637 --> 00:40:24,117 to consider the verdict, 746 00:40:24,160 --> 00:40:27,207 it took them three days to reach a decision. 747 00:40:39,611 --> 00:40:41,613 - They said, guilty of capital murder. 748 00:40:42,918 --> 00:40:46,356 And I did not have any expression on my face. 749 00:40:46,400 --> 00:40:49,577 I just stood there and took it, 750 00:40:49,621 --> 00:40:51,840 and I wasn't gonna let that judge or anybody else 751 00:40:51,884 --> 00:40:54,756 see how bad they had hurt me. 752 00:40:54,800 --> 00:40:57,977 - Narrator: Celeste was sentenced to life in prison. 753 00:40:59,544 --> 00:41:03,373 - I was devastated. It's not right 754 00:41:03,417 --> 00:41:06,159 that I'm spending the rest of my life in prison 755 00:41:06,202 --> 00:41:10,119 and there is no evidence against me. 756 00:41:10,163 --> 00:41:14,820 I just wish somebody would come forward and help me. 757 00:41:18,171 --> 00:41:20,608 - Narrator: Tracey tarlton received a 20-year sentence 758 00:41:20,652 --> 00:41:23,481 in exchange for her testimony. 759 00:41:23,524 --> 00:41:26,962 She was paroled in 2011. 760 00:41:27,006 --> 00:41:30,096 - It's hard to believe that she's already out. 761 00:41:30,139 --> 00:41:34,796 I have absolutely no contact with Tracey. 762 00:41:34,840 --> 00:41:38,191 I wanna live my life in peace 763 00:41:38,234 --> 00:41:40,672 and try and move forward. 764 00:41:42,064 --> 00:41:44,632 - Narrator: Celeste has attempted to appeal her case 765 00:41:44,676 --> 00:41:47,113 to no avail. 766 00:41:47,156 --> 00:41:49,071 - There isn't a night that I don't ask god 767 00:41:49,115 --> 00:41:52,684 not to wake me up in the morning because... 768 00:41:55,991 --> 00:41:59,560 Even, I mean, I've been here nineteen years. 769 00:42:00,430 --> 00:42:05,261 - Why should she have to stay any longer than the shooter? 770 00:42:05,305 --> 00:42:08,569 She did not shoot Steven. 771 00:42:08,613 --> 00:42:11,137 Tracey tarlton did it. 772 00:42:13,226 --> 00:42:15,620 - Narrator: Celeste still has no relationship 773 00:42:15,663 --> 00:42:17,578 with her two daughters. 774 00:42:17,622 --> 00:42:22,409 - I have not spoken with either one of them since this happened. 775 00:42:22,452 --> 00:42:25,891 I wish that my kids would just give me a chance. 776 00:42:25,934 --> 00:42:30,896 I am not the same person I was twenty years ago, I'm not. 777 00:42:31,897 --> 00:42:35,553 - It's pretty obvious that Celeste is evil. 778 00:42:35,596 --> 00:42:38,730 It makes sick to my stomach and sad 779 00:42:38,773 --> 00:42:42,690 for the pain and suffering that he went through. 780 00:42:42,734 --> 00:42:47,434 So, I will never forgive her. 781 00:42:47,477 --> 00:42:50,132 I never wanna see her. 782 00:42:50,176 --> 00:42:54,093 I don't ever wanna talk to her again. 783 00:42:54,136 --> 00:42:57,836 - I'm not a threat to anybody. I'm not a threat. 784 00:42:57,879 --> 00:43:01,753 And I would've rather been given the death sentence 785 00:43:01,796 --> 00:43:06,801 and given a lethal injection than to be in this prison 786 00:43:06,845 --> 00:43:09,630 for as long as I've been in, rotting in here 787 00:43:09,674 --> 00:43:11,284 for something that I didn't do. 788 00:43:11,327 --> 00:43:14,679 Because this is the other death penalty. 789 00:43:14,722 --> 00:43:18,291 This life sentence is a death penalty 790 00:43:18,334 --> 00:43:20,467 and it's just wrong. 791 00:43:22,730 --> 00:43:26,386 - ♪