1
00:00:12,643 --> 00:00:16,083
[man] I never really looked up
the definition of the word "stalking"…
2
00:00:18,283 --> 00:00:24,323
but the law clearly states
it's two or more unwanted contacts.
3
00:00:26,243 --> 00:00:29,723
And I guess that's what I was doing.
Unwanted contact.
4
00:00:29,803 --> 00:00:31,163
They didn't want me around,
5
00:00:31,243 --> 00:00:33,723
but I didn't wanna listen,
so I'm gonna be around.
6
00:00:47,763 --> 00:00:51,763
[woman] He should have been stopped.
He could have been stopped and wasn't.
7
00:00:51,843 --> 00:00:57,043
It's the same pattern that he had
over and over and over.
8
00:00:57,123 --> 00:01:00,203
There are so many times
that he could have killed me.
9
00:01:03,323 --> 00:01:06,723
[Thompson] I've been charged
with 13 felonies in my life
10
00:01:06,803 --> 00:01:08,723
and only been convicted of five.
11
00:01:10,403 --> 00:01:12,003
I'm always able to get out of it.
12
00:01:12,083 --> 00:01:16,163
I had it in my mind,
and I actually convinced myself,
13
00:01:16,243 --> 00:01:18,643
I could do whatever I want
and get away with it.
14
00:01:27,323 --> 00:01:29,923
[man 1] I'd rather be considered
a murderer than a stalker,
15
00:01:30,003 --> 00:01:31,123
you know what I mean?
16
00:01:35,123 --> 00:01:40,523
[woman] I wanted the intensity
of, like, of her feeling watched.
17
00:01:42,003 --> 00:01:43,923
[man 2] Anybody can be a stalker.
18
00:01:45,283 --> 00:01:47,323
[man 3] It's all boogeyman talk.
19
00:01:48,803 --> 00:01:50,803
[man 4] I'm still that crazy. [chuckles]
20
00:02:16,163 --> 00:02:19,203
[Thompson] I had no right
to, uh… do what I did.
21
00:02:21,683 --> 00:02:25,163
There was a lot of things I could have
done differently, and I didn't.
22
00:02:26,243 --> 00:02:29,003
Ultimately, it comes down to my choices.
23
00:02:29,523 --> 00:02:33,043
I choose to respond the way I responded.
24
00:02:35,243 --> 00:02:39,043
I may not understood it then,
but I do understand it now.
25
00:02:43,643 --> 00:02:49,923
My name is Daniel Thompson. I was charged
for aggravated stalking back in 2008.
26
00:02:53,243 --> 00:02:56,923
I wish I can go back and listen
to the people that told,
27
00:02:57,003 --> 00:02:59,523
"Hey! Forget about her. Let's go!"
28
00:03:00,763 --> 00:03:02,283
I wish I would have listened.
29
00:03:03,203 --> 00:03:05,243
[pensive guitar music playing]
30
00:03:17,723 --> 00:03:21,043
I grew up in northeast Kansas,
out in the country.
31
00:03:23,163 --> 00:03:25,803
Everybody knew each other,
everybody knew each other's kids.
32
00:03:27,443 --> 00:03:31,083
It was a kind of lifestyle
that nobody locked their doors
33
00:03:31,163 --> 00:03:33,443
and didn't have to worry about anything.
34
00:03:33,523 --> 00:03:35,163
[birdsong]
35
00:03:37,843 --> 00:03:40,043
I didn't have a lot of friends growin' up.
36
00:03:40,923 --> 00:03:43,483
I had a hard time socializing with people,
37
00:03:43,563 --> 00:03:45,603
'cause I didn't trust people.
38
00:03:48,323 --> 00:03:52,963
I think I was 12 or 13
when I was finally diagnosed with PDD,
39
00:03:53,043 --> 00:03:55,363
Pervasive Development Disorder,
40
00:03:56,403 --> 00:03:58,203
part of the autistic scale.
41
00:03:59,283 --> 00:04:01,803
But other than that,
I-- I lived in a good home.
42
00:04:21,483 --> 00:04:26,243
[Thompson] Angie was vibrant.
She was happy. She was outgoing.
43
00:04:27,803 --> 00:04:30,363
Every time I always saw her,
she was always smilin'.
44
00:04:31,763 --> 00:04:33,363
Plus, she had, um…
45
00:04:33,443 --> 00:04:34,963
she had, uh, green eyes,
46
00:04:35,523 --> 00:04:37,123
and I like green eyes. [laughs]
47
00:04:37,803 --> 00:04:42,083
But her stepdad found out how old I was.
48
00:04:42,163 --> 00:04:44,363
And again, she was 15 and I was 17.
49
00:04:44,443 --> 00:04:47,363
And he says, "There's too much
of an age gap. Come back a year."
50
00:04:47,443 --> 00:04:50,403
And I actually called her a year later.
51
00:04:51,123 --> 00:04:53,763
And she couldn't believe it
that it was like a year later,
52
00:04:53,843 --> 00:04:57,003
'cause when she got my phone call,
she was all excited.
53
00:05:04,563 --> 00:05:09,043
[woman] I first met Daniel
in my freshman year of high school.
54
00:05:10,723 --> 00:05:12,883
He was my first real boyfriend.
55
00:05:14,563 --> 00:05:17,843
My name is Angelyn,
and I am a stalking survivor.
56
00:05:22,083 --> 00:05:27,443
I had spoke to Daniel on the telephone
and had kind of told him where I lived.
57
00:05:27,523 --> 00:05:32,203
And next thing I know, here comes this
truck down the road, and it was him.
58
00:05:35,003 --> 00:05:37,563
I never had experienced someone
59
00:05:37,643 --> 00:05:40,483
where you just kind of talked to them,
60
00:05:40,563 --> 00:05:42,603
and all of a sudden, they just show up.
61
00:05:45,483 --> 00:05:47,243
I really liked him.
62
00:05:47,323 --> 00:05:52,003
When we first met,
it wasn't, at that time, anything unusual.
63
00:05:52,083 --> 00:05:54,883
It was just a normal relationship
at the beginning.
64
00:05:54,963 --> 00:05:59,883
And then, as time went on,
he became more possessive.
65
00:06:02,803 --> 00:06:05,003
He would call all hours of the night.
66
00:06:06,403 --> 00:06:10,363
If he couldn't reach me by phone
or have a friend get a hold of me,
67
00:06:10,443 --> 00:06:12,043
he would turn up wherever I was.
68
00:06:13,123 --> 00:06:17,003
And it got to the point
that he was constantly there.
69
00:06:17,083 --> 00:06:21,323
That, um, my parents started putting,
like, rules on the amount of time
70
00:06:21,403 --> 00:06:22,443
he could be there.
71
00:06:25,843 --> 00:06:30,243
He would sneak in through the doggy door
at my mom and dad's house.
72
00:06:30,323 --> 00:06:33,643
And I would wake up
with him, um, standing over me,
73
00:06:33,723 --> 00:06:36,963
like, waving a dollar bill to wake me up.
74
00:06:38,483 --> 00:06:41,763
But I felt at the time that that was love.
75
00:06:41,843 --> 00:06:43,963
I mean, I know now that's not.
76
00:06:44,043 --> 00:06:48,363
But at the time, when you're getting
that type of attention and, you know,
77
00:06:48,443 --> 00:06:52,163
he wants to spend time with you
and take care of you and all of that…
78
00:06:53,003 --> 00:06:56,523
I didn't think it was anything weird
at the time.
79
00:07:12,443 --> 00:07:15,043
[Thompson] Angie and I had
three boys together.
80
00:07:16,843 --> 00:07:20,683
And we moved to St. Joe, Missouri,
where it's close to her family.
81
00:07:22,683 --> 00:07:24,483
Yeah, we were really, really happy.
82
00:07:26,603 --> 00:07:29,323
But then I'll do dumb stuff,
she'll do dumb stuff.
83
00:07:29,403 --> 00:07:32,683
'Cause we're young and I like
that freedom to go out runnin' around.
84
00:07:32,763 --> 00:07:36,163
And-- and that's what I did.
I'll stay out all hours of the night.
85
00:07:36,843 --> 00:07:39,843
And it just caused aggravation, arguments,
86
00:07:40,363 --> 00:07:42,803
to the point where…
87
00:07:43,483 --> 00:07:44,883
I literally snapped.
88
00:07:52,203 --> 00:07:55,403
[Angie] The violence started
with little things.
89
00:07:57,483 --> 00:08:00,563
Like, I wasn't allowed to sleep in the bed
when he was mad.
90
00:08:00,643 --> 00:08:03,363
So he would kick me off the bed
and onto the floor.
91
00:08:03,443 --> 00:08:07,363
Or he would get angry and throw things.
92
00:08:07,443 --> 00:08:11,163
And just kind of pushing and shoving,
that kind of thing.
93
00:08:11,243 --> 00:08:15,163
But as time progressed, it got worse.
94
00:08:16,883 --> 00:08:22,443
He would beat me in my head, like,
my hair, to where you can't see bruises,
95
00:08:23,163 --> 00:08:26,083
or suffocate me with pillows.
96
00:08:28,963 --> 00:08:35,003
It got to the point that I would open
the curtains on, like, the living room,
97
00:08:35,803 --> 00:08:38,323
and I would write on the window, "Help,"
98
00:08:38,403 --> 00:08:41,883
in hopes that, you know, someone…
someone would notice and call.
99
00:08:45,243 --> 00:08:46,363
No one ever did.
100
00:08:57,243 --> 00:09:02,123
This is just a picture
of how little they were at the time.
101
00:09:02,203 --> 00:09:06,123
This is our-- This is my oldest,
and then this is Dan and I,
102
00:09:06,643 --> 00:09:08,163
our first baby together.
103
00:09:08,243 --> 00:09:10,723
As I went through looking for photos,
104
00:09:11,643 --> 00:09:14,163
every photo that I found had…
105
00:09:15,123 --> 00:09:16,523
almost a negative--
106
00:09:17,403 --> 00:09:19,683
a negative memory with it.
107
00:09:22,163 --> 00:09:25,923
This photo is the apartment.
108
00:09:26,003 --> 00:09:28,483
Um… it has my little boy in it,
109
00:09:29,083 --> 00:09:32,003
and I was pregnant
during that time period.
110
00:09:34,523 --> 00:09:39,323
There was one time I thought I had heard
a noise in the back of the apartment.
111
00:09:41,963 --> 00:09:45,283
And I get to the end of the hallway,
and he's there.
112
00:09:47,323 --> 00:09:49,203
He came in through this door,
113
00:09:49,883 --> 00:09:52,603
and my son was in this bedroom
in his crib,
114
00:09:52,683 --> 00:09:55,243
and I remember running from the bedroom.
115
00:09:55,323 --> 00:09:58,643
I was able to get in here
and get to the crib and pick him up.
116
00:09:59,243 --> 00:10:02,243
And by the time I got back
to this doorway, he had a hold of me.
117
00:10:05,563 --> 00:10:06,763
He strangled me.
118
00:10:07,283 --> 00:10:10,803
And he strangled me to the point, um…
119
00:10:12,083 --> 00:10:15,523
I remember my son's feet
hitting the ground,
120
00:10:16,163 --> 00:10:19,403
and I remember going to my knees,
and it was all black.
121
00:10:20,483 --> 00:10:24,763
And when I finally came to,
he was pulling my hair
122
00:10:24,843 --> 00:10:26,963
and dragging me into the kitchen,
123
00:10:27,043 --> 00:10:29,763
where he sat with a butcher knife
to my throat.
124
00:10:35,163 --> 00:10:37,843
There was so many instances like that.
125
00:10:39,163 --> 00:10:42,723
He comes in,
beats the crap out of me, and leaves.
126
00:10:42,803 --> 00:10:45,923
And, again, you know,
you call the cops, but he's already gone.
127
00:11:08,323 --> 00:11:10,323
[birdsong]
128
00:11:14,483 --> 00:11:17,203
[Angie] There's no protection
with a restraining order.
129
00:11:17,283 --> 00:11:18,883
It's just a piece of paper.
130
00:11:19,563 --> 00:11:20,923
He would always come back.
131
00:11:21,883 --> 00:11:24,763
He always found me. It didn't matter.
He always found me.
132
00:11:28,043 --> 00:11:29,563
He might be under a car.
133
00:11:30,963 --> 00:11:33,883
Or in your back seat,
or under a desk at work one time.
134
00:11:36,403 --> 00:11:37,763
He always knew where I was.
135
00:11:39,083 --> 00:11:42,723
If he didn't know where I was,
he was able to find out where I was.
136
00:11:45,083 --> 00:11:49,483
I think he was stalking me
because he saw me as a possession.
137
00:11:49,563 --> 00:11:53,283
I was his. He had total control over me.
138
00:12:15,563 --> 00:12:17,003
[Angie] I met Brandon,
139
00:12:18,323 --> 00:12:22,083
and ended up moving into this house,
and I had the kids.
140
00:12:24,683 --> 00:12:27,323
But I knew that it's not over.
141
00:12:31,643 --> 00:12:35,003
[Thompson] I was trying everything I could
to salvage the marriage.
142
00:12:37,083 --> 00:12:39,843
And then I found out
she was with another guy,
143
00:12:39,923 --> 00:12:42,083
and it did not settle with me at all.
144
00:12:45,443 --> 00:12:46,803
How could she do that?
145
00:12:47,563 --> 00:12:49,363
We have children together.
146
00:12:49,443 --> 00:12:52,003
In-- in my mind, I was always thinkin',
147
00:12:53,603 --> 00:12:55,163
"I'm gonna end up killing her."
148
00:12:56,803 --> 00:12:59,403
"I'm-- I'm seriously
gonna end up killing her."
149
00:13:02,483 --> 00:13:03,483
[crickets chirping]
150
00:13:03,563 --> 00:13:04,723
[dog barks]
151
00:13:18,443 --> 00:13:20,563
[Angie] One night, we were at the house,
152
00:13:20,643 --> 00:13:25,603
and we heard someone
walking on linoleum in the kitchen.
153
00:13:29,843 --> 00:13:32,883
And, uh… there was a really long hallway,
154
00:13:32,963 --> 00:13:36,003
and Brandon saw Dan's shoulder.
155
00:13:39,243 --> 00:13:40,923
So we knew Dan was in the house.
156
00:13:42,123 --> 00:13:46,883
And I had clicked on the cellphone,
and he heard it come on.
157
00:13:47,723 --> 00:13:51,763
And it took him a minute, but he ended up,
like, going out the front door.
158
00:13:55,403 --> 00:13:56,683
The cops responded.
159
00:13:58,243 --> 00:13:59,643
But they couldn't find him.
160
00:14:08,083 --> 00:14:10,163
When the police
went through the basement,
161
00:14:10,243 --> 00:14:12,843
they found a bag and gloves.
162
00:14:16,323 --> 00:14:21,283
I had had a butcher block knife set
on the counter,
163
00:14:22,403 --> 00:14:25,283
and there's a huge butcher knife missing.
164
00:14:27,723 --> 00:14:30,683
It kind of makes me feel like he was…
165
00:14:31,843 --> 00:14:33,563
there that night for a purpose.
166
00:14:57,323 --> 00:14:59,523
I remember being very angry…
167
00:15:02,403 --> 00:15:06,403
because when he broke into the house,
they find gloves, a bag,
168
00:15:06,483 --> 00:15:09,683
and he gets charged with burglary
because he took a knife.
169
00:15:10,643 --> 00:15:12,483
I mean, that's more than burglary.
170
00:15:15,203 --> 00:15:16,563
He could have killed me.
171
00:15:16,643 --> 00:15:18,683
I mean, he was on that line,
172
00:15:19,283 --> 00:15:22,323
and if he had just gone a little further,
I wouldn't be here.
173
00:15:22,843 --> 00:15:24,403
More should have been done.
174
00:15:41,283 --> 00:15:43,843
[unsettling music playing]
175
00:15:45,163 --> 00:15:46,723
[Thompson] I was angry at her.
176
00:15:48,123 --> 00:15:50,563
It burned a hole through me
like battery acid.
177
00:15:52,163 --> 00:15:56,123
And I don't handle emotions very well
because of my PDD.
178
00:15:56,203 --> 00:15:58,323
Even though I knew it was wrong,
179
00:15:59,003 --> 00:16:03,363
I didn't care,
because I didn't like the way I felt,
180
00:16:03,443 --> 00:16:07,323
and I was gonna use my actions
to alleviate that pain.
181
00:16:07,883 --> 00:16:11,803
That's when I broke in the house,
and that's when I got the knife.
182
00:16:12,403 --> 00:16:14,123
I was really gonna do some harm.
183
00:16:15,963 --> 00:16:20,523
And I think that if it went any further,
I would have crossed that line.
184
00:16:21,763 --> 00:16:24,843
And when I only got eight years
out of it, I was like, "Pfft!"
185
00:16:25,963 --> 00:16:26,883
"That's nothing."
186
00:16:38,443 --> 00:16:40,043
[birdsong]
187
00:16:41,643 --> 00:16:44,563
[Thompson] After I got out of prison,
I moved on.
188
00:16:46,283 --> 00:16:48,963
I completely erased Angie
out of my memory.
189
00:17:07,923 --> 00:17:11,763
[Thompson] Jennifer…
When I first met her, I met her online.
190
00:17:12,843 --> 00:17:15,283
And we kind of hit it off really good,
I mean, um…
191
00:17:15,363 --> 00:17:19,683
she came out of a real abusive,
bad relation--
192
00:17:19,763 --> 00:17:21,483
I mean, a nightmare.
193
00:17:21,563 --> 00:17:26,283
So we had that understanding of
where we're from, and we bonded very well.
194
00:17:28,203 --> 00:17:30,723
She was smart. She was a single parent.
195
00:17:30,803 --> 00:17:33,883
And when you see that somebody
has that kind of responsibility
196
00:17:33,963 --> 00:17:37,403
and knows what their priorities are,
that's what attracted me to her.
197
00:17:40,243 --> 00:17:42,203
We didn't move in right away.
198
00:17:42,283 --> 00:17:45,323
We kind of… You know,
I did things for her kids,
199
00:17:45,403 --> 00:17:47,683
and, you know, just stuff,
playing that role.
200
00:17:47,763 --> 00:17:50,763
And, uh… and then later on,
I finally moved in.
201
00:17:55,243 --> 00:17:56,523
But then it got to the point
202
00:17:56,603 --> 00:17:59,483
where she started getting controlling
in the relationship.
203
00:18:00,923 --> 00:18:04,523
And I don't function very well
when people controlling me.
204
00:18:04,603 --> 00:18:07,323
I don't like to be told what to do.
205
00:18:08,723 --> 00:18:09,883
And, um…
206
00:18:11,043 --> 00:18:12,043
Uh…
207
00:18:12,123 --> 00:18:16,283
We got into an argument,
and then, basically, I moved out.
208
00:18:23,283 --> 00:18:24,923
And I let my anger…
209
00:18:26,523 --> 00:18:29,883
trusting issues,
all that stuff, play a role.
210
00:18:31,323 --> 00:18:32,283
[chime]
211
00:18:32,363 --> 00:18:36,763
Hey, Jennifer, I wanted to call you to say
I'm sorry for what happened last night.
212
00:18:37,403 --> 00:18:38,763
I don't hate you.
213
00:18:38,843 --> 00:18:39,963
Okay?
214
00:18:40,643 --> 00:18:42,083
I love you, bye.
215
00:18:44,363 --> 00:18:46,003
I think what it is, is that…
216
00:18:47,763 --> 00:18:50,963
I have a hard time detaching myself
217
00:18:51,043 --> 00:18:53,483
from that person
that I have emotional ties with.
218
00:18:54,083 --> 00:18:57,243
-[chime]
-Jennifer, please talk to me, okay?
219
00:18:57,323 --> 00:18:59,403
There's no harm in talking to me.
220
00:18:59,483 --> 00:19:00,683
Just, please.
221
00:19:00,763 --> 00:19:04,043
And I don't handle that too well.
222
00:19:04,123 --> 00:19:05,643
You need to pick up the phone.
223
00:19:05,723 --> 00:19:08,803
Quit this bullshit
and quit being a bitch all the time.
224
00:19:10,923 --> 00:19:15,563
And if I can end a relationship
in some way of violence,
225
00:19:15,643 --> 00:19:19,603
then maybe I can be able to detach myself
from the emotional ties.
226
00:19:21,443 --> 00:19:24,643
I'm coming down right now,
and I'm gonna sit there at the house.
227
00:19:40,443 --> 00:19:43,843
[suspenseful music playing]
228
00:19:46,123 --> 00:19:48,363
[man] At 1:30 in the morning,
February 25th,
229
00:19:48,443 --> 00:19:51,523
we got a call for a burglary in progress.
230
00:19:53,363 --> 00:19:57,283
The call was not the first time
we had responded to this residence.
231
00:20:01,963 --> 00:20:03,323
My name is Scott Hendrickson.
232
00:20:04,763 --> 00:20:08,403
In 2008, I was a patrol officer
with the city of Bolivar, Missouri.
233
00:20:12,203 --> 00:20:16,763
The victim informed us that the suspect
that had broken into her house,
234
00:20:17,363 --> 00:20:19,883
was her ex-romantic partner.
235
00:20:20,683 --> 00:20:22,803
She identified him as Daniel Thompson.
236
00:20:25,083 --> 00:20:27,683
What was worrying me
with the pattern emerging
237
00:20:27,763 --> 00:20:30,483
was the fact that he kept on coming back
238
00:20:31,243 --> 00:20:35,443
on multiple times in the same day,
multiple days.
239
00:20:36,963 --> 00:20:39,723
I had never seen
that level of persistence.
240
00:20:49,323 --> 00:20:53,963
Up ahead on my right, this is the house
that Daniel Thompson broke into.
241
00:21:13,963 --> 00:21:17,443
When we arrived on scene,
she was in a state of trauma.
242
00:21:18,283 --> 00:21:19,723
She could barely speak.
243
00:21:23,243 --> 00:21:27,123
He was on top of her, uh,
when he woke her from her sleep.
244
00:21:27,203 --> 00:21:31,043
He had a knife at her throat, and, uh,
he covered her mouth with his hand.
245
00:21:31,923 --> 00:21:34,123
A struggle ensued almost immediately.
246
00:21:35,963 --> 00:21:39,523
During this struggle, uh…
the suspect dropped the knife
247
00:21:39,603 --> 00:21:42,443
and, uh, was choking her with both hands.
248
00:21:44,763 --> 00:21:48,563
She found the knife that he had dropped,
and, uh… stabbed him.
249
00:21:50,123 --> 00:21:52,843
After being stabbed,
he fled the area on foot.
250
00:21:55,443 --> 00:21:58,123
I did locate him a short time later
251
00:21:58,203 --> 00:22:02,243
kind of, uh, curled up
and laying down on the pavement
252
00:22:02,323 --> 00:22:03,923
behind a large propane tank.
253
00:22:04,003 --> 00:22:05,883
And we called for an ambulance,
254
00:22:06,403 --> 00:22:10,963
and, uh, he was loaded up in the ambulance
and taken to our local hospital.
255
00:22:34,123 --> 00:22:36,163
[Hendrickson] He only got caught
when he got stabbed.
256
00:22:37,203 --> 00:22:39,763
I believe that's the only reason
he didn't kill her.
257
00:22:42,163 --> 00:22:44,323
When a person shows this level
of persistence,
258
00:22:45,123 --> 00:22:48,843
he's communicating clearly
that he will stop at nothing.
259
00:23:12,363 --> 00:23:16,243
[man] I don't think that probation
is appropriate for this.
260
00:23:18,963 --> 00:23:22,083
Thompson entered Jennifer's house
261
00:23:22,163 --> 00:23:24,843
and strangled
and held a knife to her throat.
262
00:23:27,083 --> 00:23:33,323
That deserves far more punishment
and accountability than zero jail time.
263
00:23:38,523 --> 00:23:40,003
My name is Matthew Huffman.
264
00:23:41,443 --> 00:23:43,963
I am the chief public affairs officer
265
00:23:44,043 --> 00:23:47,843
at the Missouri Coalition
Against Domestic and Sexual Violence.
266
00:24:01,923 --> 00:24:03,243
[typing]
267
00:24:08,243 --> 00:24:13,323
[Huffman] In looking over Thompson's
history of abusive and stalking behavior
268
00:24:13,403 --> 00:24:14,963
with Jennifer and Angie,
269
00:24:16,563 --> 00:24:20,603
the thing that stood out for me
is the same sort of behavior
270
00:24:20,683 --> 00:24:24,923
pops up with each of these individuals,
showing a pattern.
271
00:24:26,283 --> 00:24:29,043
It's starting with harassing phone calls,
272
00:24:29,123 --> 00:24:33,283
keeping tabs of where the women
he was in a relationship are,
273
00:24:33,363 --> 00:24:36,043
showing up at their house
constantly unannounced.
274
00:24:36,923 --> 00:24:39,363
It involves strangulation of some sort.
275
00:24:40,443 --> 00:24:42,563
It involves a knife to the throat.
276
00:24:43,923 --> 00:24:50,283
That knife is something that comes up
repeatedly in his abusive behavior,
277
00:24:50,363 --> 00:24:53,763
and oftentimes,
these abusive behavior patterns,
278
00:24:53,843 --> 00:24:55,483
they will continue to escalate.
279
00:24:55,563 --> 00:24:58,883
And that's why I don't think
that probationary measures
280
00:24:58,963 --> 00:25:01,523
can really be considered
the end-all-be-all.
281
00:25:02,123 --> 00:25:05,123
Probation, unless it is very strict,
282
00:25:05,203 --> 00:25:08,603
constantly having check-ins
with that individual,
283
00:25:08,683 --> 00:25:13,003
constantly working with them
to identify and correct
284
00:25:13,083 --> 00:25:15,963
those abusive behavior patterns
that they have,
285
00:25:16,723 --> 00:25:20,483
it's not exactly
going to solve or fix the issue.
286
00:25:26,483 --> 00:25:30,843
Thompson has mental health issues
that absolutely need to be addressed.
287
00:25:30,923 --> 00:25:32,723
People deserve help with that,
288
00:25:33,403 --> 00:25:39,843
but mental illness is in no way an excuse
for violent and abusive behavior.
289
00:25:45,283 --> 00:25:48,523
Oftentimes we talk about reform
and rehabilitation.
290
00:25:49,883 --> 00:25:53,923
I don't want to say that those never work,
but in order for them to work,
291
00:25:54,003 --> 00:25:57,283
that abusive individual has to want it to.
292
00:25:57,363 --> 00:26:01,163
They have to recognize what they did,
and they have to want it to work for them.
293
00:26:02,403 --> 00:26:06,483
In no way has he shown that
he understands what he has done is abuse.
294
00:26:10,723 --> 00:26:13,603
So with Thompson out on probation,
295
00:26:13,683 --> 00:26:17,323
I would be very concerned
for his previous victims.
296
00:26:19,003 --> 00:26:23,483
But more than that, I'd also be worried
for any other potential person
297
00:26:23,563 --> 00:26:25,803
he might be
in an intimate relationship with.
298
00:26:26,363 --> 00:26:29,123
Given the opportunity,
I think that he would re-offend
299
00:26:29,203 --> 00:26:31,163
and he would escalate in that violence.
300
00:26:44,163 --> 00:26:45,883
[man] Give me your first name.
301
00:26:45,963 --> 00:26:46,923
[bleep]
302
00:26:47,843 --> 00:26:49,283
How long have you known Daniel?
303
00:26:49,363 --> 00:26:51,243
[woman laughs] Aah…
304
00:26:51,843 --> 00:26:53,643
[sobbing] Three months, maybe.
305
00:26:55,123 --> 00:26:56,203
[man] How'd you meet him?
306
00:26:56,283 --> 00:26:57,883
[woman laughs]
307
00:26:57,963 --> 00:26:59,683
Um… [gasps]
308
00:26:59,763 --> 00:27:00,803
The Internet.
309
00:27:22,883 --> 00:27:24,443
My name is Mike Crocker.
310
00:27:27,803 --> 00:27:33,043
In 2010, I was a detective
with St. Clair County Sheriff's Office.
311
00:27:50,963 --> 00:27:52,323
[birdsong]
312
00:27:57,603 --> 00:27:59,163
First time I've been back here,
313
00:28:00,083 --> 00:28:02,243
and it definitely brings up some memories.
314
00:28:08,763 --> 00:28:13,123
When I arrived on the scene,
the female that was there was hysterical,
315
00:28:13,203 --> 00:28:15,523
screaming, basically uncontrollable.
316
00:28:18,523 --> 00:28:20,203
There was blood all over the place.
317
00:28:25,683 --> 00:28:29,603
There was a male laying on the bed
with a stab wound to the chest.
318
00:28:33,323 --> 00:28:35,723
The female told us that somebody came in
319
00:28:35,803 --> 00:28:39,683
and killed the person
that she was in bed with that night.
320
00:29:03,403 --> 00:29:05,083
[Crocker] That was your boyfriend?
321
00:29:05,163 --> 00:29:07,523
[woman] The one
that was layin' dead next to me?
322
00:29:07,603 --> 00:29:09,763
[sobs] I just met him.
323
00:29:09,843 --> 00:29:12,123
[Crocker] Okay. What was his first name?
324
00:29:12,683 --> 00:29:13,723
[woman] James.
325
00:29:15,603 --> 00:29:17,803
-[sobs]
-[Crocker] You know his last name?
326
00:29:17,883 --> 00:29:19,403
-[woman] Vail. V--
-[Crocker] Vail?
327
00:29:19,483 --> 00:29:21,243
[woman] V-A-I-L.
328
00:29:21,323 --> 00:29:22,603
[sniffles]
329
00:29:24,803 --> 00:29:26,923
[Crocker] During the interview,
she explained to us
330
00:29:27,003 --> 00:29:29,283
that it was her ex-boyfriend,
Daniel Thompson,
331
00:29:29,363 --> 00:29:32,283
that had broken into the house
and killed James Vail.
332
00:29:35,243 --> 00:29:37,163
-[Crocker] When you went to bed…
-[woman] Mm-hm?
333
00:29:37,243 --> 00:29:39,443
[Crocker] …was the door
to that house locked?
334
00:29:39,523 --> 00:29:41,523
[woman] Yes. I locked the door.
335
00:29:42,043 --> 00:29:43,883
James even double-checked it.
336
00:29:45,323 --> 00:29:47,683
[Crocker] About how long
after you went to bed
337
00:29:48,923 --> 00:29:50,083
did this happen?
338
00:29:50,683 --> 00:29:52,643
[woman] It didn't seem like very long.
339
00:29:52,723 --> 00:29:54,803
[gasping] I'm not sure.
340
00:29:54,883 --> 00:29:57,043
[Crocker] Did you-- did you hear anything?
341
00:29:57,123 --> 00:30:00,403
[woman] I didn't hear anything.
I didn't hear anything.
342
00:30:00,483 --> 00:30:01,563
[Crocker] Okay.
343
00:30:01,643 --> 00:30:03,883
[woman] He had to have been out there.
344
00:30:03,963 --> 00:30:05,763
He had to have been watching us.
345
00:30:05,843 --> 00:30:06,843
[sobs]
346
00:30:09,003 --> 00:30:11,803
He probably stabbed him
with my frickin' knife.
347
00:30:13,163 --> 00:30:14,443
[whispers] He's psycho.
348
00:30:23,763 --> 00:30:27,243
[Crocker] She told me that she had been
in a relationship with Daniel Thompson,
349
00:30:27,323 --> 00:30:29,163
but it went downhill rather quickly.
350
00:30:30,163 --> 00:30:31,843
He had a bad temper,
351
00:30:31,923 --> 00:30:34,403
and he was very upset
when she broke up with him.
352
00:30:39,043 --> 00:30:42,883
He'd been stalking her and threatening her
since they had broken up.
353
00:30:44,643 --> 00:30:48,363
He was constantly trying to find out
where she was at, who she was with.
354
00:30:49,163 --> 00:30:50,403
She was scared of him.
355
00:30:52,603 --> 00:30:56,643
Local police had been called down
to her house on two or three occasions.
356
00:30:56,723 --> 00:31:00,963
We had a discussion with him about
carrying a knife down to [bleep] house
357
00:31:01,043 --> 00:31:03,203
during the day prior to this murder.
358
00:31:04,363 --> 00:31:08,123
[Crocker] When he was down at the house,
did he say anything to James then?
359
00:31:08,643 --> 00:31:12,563
Like, "I'll get you, I'll cut you, you
son of a bitch, you mess with my woman"?
360
00:31:13,283 --> 00:31:16,003
[woman] Nah. No. He just looked at him,
361
00:31:16,083 --> 00:31:19,563
and you couldn't see
any color in Dan's eyes.
362
00:31:19,643 --> 00:31:25,123
I don't know if it was 'cause he was mad
or what, but, oh my God.
363
00:31:26,323 --> 00:31:27,843
He was furious.
364
00:31:28,843 --> 00:31:30,563
I thought, "He's out to kill."
365
00:31:52,243 --> 00:31:54,723
[Thompson] I was in a relationship
with her,
366
00:31:55,643 --> 00:31:57,723
and she lied to me.
367
00:31:59,643 --> 00:32:02,643
And I don't like to be lied to.
368
00:32:05,803 --> 00:32:07,363
She was the target.
369
00:32:08,443 --> 00:32:11,483
I didn't even know
this guy was even going to be there.
370
00:32:11,563 --> 00:32:13,963
I didn't even know who he was.
371
00:32:14,043 --> 00:32:16,083
I didn't know they were seeing each other.
372
00:32:16,163 --> 00:32:17,963
I didn't even know his name.
373
00:32:24,483 --> 00:32:27,323
But when I got in there,
he was just there.
374
00:32:29,083 --> 00:32:31,363
And you're thinking,
everything, your emotions,
375
00:32:31,443 --> 00:32:35,163
everything's racing a million miles
per second and all of a sudden, it just--
376
00:32:35,923 --> 00:32:39,723
Th-- It's that rush just starts coming,
and you feel it and it's just like,
377
00:32:40,723 --> 00:32:41,643
"To hell with it."
378
00:32:41,723 --> 00:32:43,043
And that's what happened.
379
00:32:45,643 --> 00:32:47,243
[crickets chirping]
380
00:32:49,083 --> 00:32:51,723
But it was--
Since it was so pitch-black in there,
381
00:32:51,803 --> 00:32:55,083
I misjudged my distance
382
00:32:55,723 --> 00:32:57,803
and I ended up getting him instead.
383
00:33:16,763 --> 00:33:18,363
[wind chimes tinkling]
384
00:33:18,443 --> 00:33:19,883
I brought you a butterfly.
385
00:33:23,243 --> 00:33:25,643
[woman] James' murder
could have been avoided.
386
00:33:28,563 --> 00:33:31,043
Thompson was let go many times
387
00:33:31,123 --> 00:33:35,203
throughout his years
of abuse and stalking of other women.
388
00:33:35,923 --> 00:33:41,843
And all the stalking that he's done
in the past all led up to this.
389
00:33:45,523 --> 00:33:49,923
My name is Bonnie Vail,
and I am the mother of James Raymond Vail.
390
00:33:50,003 --> 00:33:52,003
He was murdered by Daniel Thompson.
391
00:33:54,403 --> 00:33:55,563
I love you, son.
392
00:34:00,163 --> 00:34:03,003
James had an amazing personality.
393
00:34:03,723 --> 00:34:06,683
He was very bubbly, very enthusiastic.
394
00:34:10,443 --> 00:34:13,843
He called that day, and I asked him
how he was doing, and he said,
395
00:34:13,923 --> 00:34:15,403
"I'm having a really good time."
396
00:34:15,483 --> 00:34:18,723
Said, "I met some really nice people
and we're havin' fun."
397
00:34:18,803 --> 00:34:20,843
And he sounded really happy.
398
00:34:22,323 --> 00:34:24,603
And, uh, those were
the last words I heard.
399
00:34:37,843 --> 00:34:39,803
James' death made me so angry.
400
00:34:41,643 --> 00:34:44,083
I wanted to find out about this Thompson,
401
00:34:44,163 --> 00:34:48,603
because I wanted to see if he had
a history of abuse and stalking.
402
00:34:53,563 --> 00:34:57,083
I just started looking at the Internet,
403
00:34:57,163 --> 00:35:01,283
and public records,
and newspaper clippings.
404
00:35:01,843 --> 00:35:04,923
And I pulled up several cases on him.
405
00:35:05,883 --> 00:35:10,043
And every case was with a knife
and he had stalked or he broke in,
406
00:35:10,123 --> 00:35:13,003
and then I realized this is a pattern.
407
00:35:13,083 --> 00:35:16,603
He literally got slapped on the hand
many times,
408
00:35:16,683 --> 00:35:18,763
and they just didn't wanna deal with him.
409
00:35:20,763 --> 00:35:25,323
I wanted everybody to know
that this wasn't a one-time thing,
410
00:35:25,403 --> 00:35:28,643
and I wasn't gonna give up
until my voice was heard.
411
00:35:30,403 --> 00:35:34,763
I couldn't grieve
until after this man was put in prison.
412
00:35:36,723 --> 00:35:38,363
He needs to stay behind bars.
413
00:36:24,163 --> 00:36:29,083
[Angie] I remember seeing the case
and being very angry.
414
00:36:34,083 --> 00:36:35,843
It shouldn't have gotten to that point.
415
00:36:36,963 --> 00:36:40,083
The night that he broke into my house,
he had knives.
416
00:36:41,003 --> 00:36:44,323
And Brandon could have been James
that night.
417
00:36:46,243 --> 00:36:49,683
I think when someone
does something like this,
418
00:36:49,763 --> 00:36:51,963
their whole history should be reviewed,
419
00:36:52,043 --> 00:36:54,163
because it shows a pattern
420
00:36:54,883 --> 00:36:57,643
and I just knew that I needed to help.
421
00:36:59,003 --> 00:37:01,323
I remember getting a hold
of the prosecutor,
422
00:37:02,283 --> 00:37:07,323
and I told them who I was
and what I had been through.
423
00:37:08,123 --> 00:37:13,123
And she wanted us to come down
and talk at his sentencing hearing.
424
00:37:29,843 --> 00:37:33,203
[Angie] I remember walking up
to get onto the stand,
425
00:37:33,283 --> 00:37:36,883
and I remember his beady eyes
just glaring at me.
426
00:37:36,963 --> 00:37:39,683
Like, he was so angry, you know?
427
00:37:39,763 --> 00:37:41,283
But I didn't flinch.
428
00:37:41,883 --> 00:37:45,803
I knew at that time that if I spoke out,
he was going to prison.
429
00:38:18,563 --> 00:38:21,443
[Angie] I do not think
it's a fair sentence for what he did.
430
00:38:22,083 --> 00:38:28,723
I don't understand how you can
possibly commit a crime like that…
431
00:38:30,763 --> 00:38:33,563
get life, and then be eligible for parole.
432
00:38:35,963 --> 00:38:37,203
That's wrong.
433
00:38:37,283 --> 00:38:40,403
I understand it's "eligible."
He may not get out.
434
00:38:41,043 --> 00:38:43,803
But that also means he may get out.
435
00:38:44,883 --> 00:38:49,163
And I worry for the victims
that have spoken out,
436
00:38:49,243 --> 00:38:52,403
because if he gets out,
he's gonna be older.
437
00:38:52,483 --> 00:38:56,483
No home, no job, no car, no life.
438
00:38:56,563 --> 00:38:58,083
That's gonna make him angry.
439
00:38:59,283 --> 00:39:02,963
And so I worry that if he were to get out,
it would be scary.
440
00:39:15,283 --> 00:39:16,883
[birdsong]
441
00:39:29,163 --> 00:39:31,203
[Bonnie] That was in 2010.
442
00:39:32,563 --> 00:39:37,403
Earlier in that year, there was a victim
in March that he had attacked.
443
00:39:38,003 --> 00:39:40,603
Because she said no,
he burned her apartment.
444
00:39:40,683 --> 00:39:41,563
Mm-hm.
445
00:39:42,323 --> 00:39:45,283
-Five…
-[Angie] Bonnie and I are very close.
446
00:39:46,083 --> 00:39:51,683
Tragedy brought us together, and I think
her story begins where my story ended.
447
00:39:52,963 --> 00:39:57,003
[Bonnie] I'm constantly looking
to find anything that I can use
448
00:39:57,083 --> 00:40:02,923
when the parole time comes
to show them that he's a danger to society
449
00:40:03,003 --> 00:40:04,883
and he doesn't need to be on the streets.
450
00:40:04,963 --> 00:40:07,723
He needs to stay in prison,
'cause he got life.
451
00:40:08,803 --> 00:40:13,003
But in the United States,
Missouri, it's not life.
452
00:40:13,083 --> 00:40:15,043
It's 25 years, maybe.
453
00:40:18,843 --> 00:40:21,563
For him to be released early
is just wrong.
454
00:40:23,083 --> 00:40:24,803
-There will be new victims.
-[Bonnie] Yeah.
455
00:40:24,883 --> 00:40:27,203
[Angie] There will be other people,
because he doesn't stop.
456
00:40:27,283 --> 00:40:29,323
-He hasn't been stopped.
-[Bonnie] Mm-hm.
457
00:40:42,123 --> 00:40:45,763
[Thompson] Angie, she is my nemesis
to the day I die.
458
00:40:48,323 --> 00:40:51,763
I thought I was over with her.
I really thought I was.
459
00:40:51,843 --> 00:40:53,843
And she reappeared.
460
00:40:54,763 --> 00:40:57,763
I don't believe
that she'll ever leave me alone.
461
00:40:57,843 --> 00:41:00,403
I think what it is, maybe she was scared.
462
00:41:01,083 --> 00:41:02,763
She'll never forget that night,
463
00:41:02,843 --> 00:41:05,443
and I-- I think
that she probably lived in fear.
464
00:41:10,363 --> 00:41:11,723
I don't hate her.
465
00:41:13,123 --> 00:41:14,283
I don't…
466
00:41:15,163 --> 00:41:19,483
I don't hold anything against her,
because she was the…
467
00:41:26,043 --> 00:41:27,483
She was the woman I loved.
468
00:41:33,163 --> 00:41:34,243
And I hurt her.
469
00:41:35,923 --> 00:41:39,763
And I still live with that to this day,
and I still think about her.
470
00:41:39,843 --> 00:41:40,683
I mean, uh…
471
00:41:41,643 --> 00:41:46,003
You know, they always say the first
marriage is the one you always want back.
472
00:41:47,483 --> 00:41:49,603
And I wish I had that back.
473
00:41:49,683 --> 00:41:52,363
And-- and I know I'll never get it back.
474
00:42:02,683 --> 00:42:05,203
You don't know
what it's like to take a human life.
475
00:42:06,483 --> 00:42:09,163
It's-- it's nothin' like they show on TV.
476
00:42:10,443 --> 00:42:13,683
It will haunt you. You'll never forget it.
477
00:42:15,683 --> 00:42:18,043
I'm not proud, what I did.
478
00:42:21,243 --> 00:42:22,723
I hate what I did.
479
00:42:23,403 --> 00:42:25,403
[geese calling]
480
00:42:30,763 --> 00:42:33,443
I take responsibility for my choices.
481
00:42:33,523 --> 00:42:37,243
I'll never blame somebody else
for my choices that I made.
482
00:42:38,643 --> 00:42:43,323
But I want people to believe
that people can change over time.
483
00:42:44,523 --> 00:42:46,763
I don't want people to hate me. I don't…
484
00:42:47,443 --> 00:42:49,083
Uh, I… You know, uh…
485
00:42:50,403 --> 00:42:52,763
I'm a human being. I'm not an animal.
486
00:43:01,683 --> 00:43:03,683
[birdsong]
487
00:43:11,083 --> 00:43:14,083
[Angie] If Dan were to say
that he was a changed person
488
00:43:14,163 --> 00:43:16,043
because he took some classes,
489
00:43:16,123 --> 00:43:20,003
or found religion,
or just changed on his own,
490
00:43:20,083 --> 00:43:22,203
there is no reason to believe that.
491
00:43:22,923 --> 00:43:27,963
If he were to change,
he would have done it a long time ago.
492
00:43:29,643 --> 00:43:33,923
I think he says what he says
to try to manipulate the system.
493
00:43:34,443 --> 00:43:39,523
I think he will reword and rework things
494
00:43:40,443 --> 00:43:46,323
in order to make the system
see him as he wants to be seen.
495
00:43:48,363 --> 00:43:50,243
But he's not a changed person.
496
00:43:52,603 --> 00:43:55,803
I absolutely think that if he was let out,
he would do it again.
497
00:43:55,883 --> 00:43:59,883
There's a pattern,
and that pattern hasn't been broken.
498
00:44:00,563 --> 00:44:03,203
And I think it's important
that everybody sees that.
499
00:44:05,843 --> 00:44:09,323
[emotional string music playing]