The 1980s: The Deadliest Decade (2016–2017): Season 2, Episode 2 - The Libertyville Horror - full transcript

POLICE ARE GOING OVER
THE 7 ACRES OF PROPERTY

HERE WITH A FINE-TOOTH COMB,

HOPING TO FIND THE WEAPONS
USED IN THE MURDERS.

Kurt: IT'S THE KIND OF THING,
YOU KNOW,

YOU NEVER THINK
COULD HAPPEN TO ANYBODY.

WE WERE BOTH JUST IN SUCH SHOCK.

THE THING THAT REALLY STICKS OUT
IN MY MIND WAS HOW MUCH ANGER

AND HOW MUCH PASSION WAS
REALLY INVOLVED IN THIS KILLING.

Man 2: THIS FAMILY IS LIVING OUT
THE DREAM.

WHEN THE DOORS ARE CLOSED,
WE DO GET ANOTHER PICTURE.

THERE WAS VIOLENCE
IN THAT HOUSE.



[ LIGHTNING CRACKS ]

A GRUESOME OCCURRENCE
HAD TAKEN PLACE.

EVERYBODY, YOU KNOW,
WANTED TO BLAME, POINT FINGERS.

WHO DID IT, AND WHAT HAPPENED?

PEOPLE ARE AFRAID.

♪♪♪♪

♪♪ '80s ♪♪

♪♪ OH, I'M LIVING IN THE '80s ♪♪

♪♪♪♪

♪♪ '80s ♪♪

JUST SAY NO.

♪♪ WHERE I HAVE TOO MUCH ♪♪

♪♪ I HAVE TO STRUGGLE ♪♪

♪♪ OH, '80s ♪♪



Narrator: IT'S THE BEGINNING
OF A NEW DECADE.

TIMES SQUARE REVELERS SAY
GOODBYE TO THE TURBULENT '70s

WITH A ROWDY WELCOME TO 1980.

THE BIRTH OF A NEW DECADE
COMES WITH PROMISES OF HOPE.

TOGETHER, LET US MAKE
THIS A NEW BEGINNING,

A GREAT NATIONAL CRUSADE
TO MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN.

[ CHEERING ]

Carlozo: WHEN RONALD REAGAN
EMERGES ONTO THE SCENE,

THERE IS THIS PROMISE
OF REDEFINING

THE AMERICAN DREAM.

Narrator: THE FACE OF THAT DREAM

IS THE AFFLUENT CHICAGO SUBURB
OF LIBERTYVILLE, ILLINOIS,

WITH ITS STATELY HOMES,

PRIVATE SCHOOLS,

AND THE TRADITIONAL
NUCLEAR FAMILY,

DAD COMMUTING TO WORK,
MOM STAYING HOME WITH THE KIDS.

IN LIBERTYVILLE AT THAT TIME,

THERE WERE MANY
MIDDLE-TO-UPPER-CLASS FAMILIES.

I MOVED TO LIBERTYVILLE IN 1976

WHEN I WAS GOING TO BE
IN EIGHTH GRADE.

MY DAD HEARD IT HAD
A REALLY NICE SCHOOL SYSTEM,

AND IT WAS CLOSE
TO THE COMMUTER LINE.

YOU KNOW, THERE WERE A LOT
OF PROFESSIONALS THERE.

Carlozo:
LIBERTYVILLE, AT THE TIME,
IS REALLY AN IT COMMUNITY,

A PLACE WHERE
ANYBODY FROM CHICAGO

WHO WAS MAKING IT BIG WOULD
GLADLY MOVE THEIR FAMILY TO.

Narrator:
CHICAGO'S NORTH SHORE IS
SUCH A SYMBOL OF AFFLUENCE.

IT'S THE GO-TO SETTING FOR
THE TEEN FILMS THAT WOULD GO ON

TO DEFINE THE DECADE

LIKE "RISKY BUSINESS"...

DON'T REMEMBER GIVING
PERMISSION FOR A PARTY, JOE.

A PARTY?

...AND "THE BREAKFAST CLUB."

I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU CAN'T
GET ME OUT OF THIS.

Carlozo:
JOHN HUGHES IS MAKING FILMS

THAT DEPICT
THE NORTH SHORE OF CHICAGO

AS THE PLACE TO BE.

Narrator:
THESE ARE FILMS ABOUT KIDS
BURDENED WITH PARENTS

WHO GIVE AND EXPECT THE BEST,

♪♪♪♪

THE KIND OF LIFE
ROBIN ROUSE IS LIVING.

PRETTY AND POPULAR, DASHING
ABOUT TOWN IN HER SPORTS CAR,

ROBIN IS THE ENVY
OF LIBERTYVILLE.

Ostertag:
ROBIN WAS THE ALL-AMERICAN GIRL,

THE GIRL OF THE RICH FAMILY
IN TOWN.

ROBIN GOT EVERYTHING SHE WANTED,

NICE SPORTS CAR, LAKE FOREST
ACADEMY TO GO TO HIGH SCHOOL.

I GREW UP IN LIBERTYVILLE.

ROBIN WAS A FEW YEARS
OLDER THAN ME.

SHE WAS VERY SWEET, VERY LOVING,

AND ALL OF THE LITTLE KIDS
LOOKED UP TO HER.

♪♪♪♪

Narrator:
ROBIN AND HER BROTHERS,
BILLY AND KURT,

LIVE IN THE BIGGEST HOUSE
IN LIBERTYVILLE.

Graham: IT WAS A BIG PROPERTY,

AND IT WAS A NICE BIG WHITE
HOUSE WITH A THREE-CAR GARAGE.

THE MULTIMILLION-DOLLAR
13-ROOM ESTATE

ALSO HAS A POOL
AND SERVANTS' QUARTERS.

IT'S A DREAM MANSION
THAT REALLY PEOPLE

ARE VERY MUCH ENAMORED OF IN
THIS PARTICULAR TIME AND PLACE

BECAUSE IT'S THE SUBURBAN DREAM,
THE AMERICAN DREAM, RIGHT?

♪♪♪♪

Narrator:
THE ROUSE KIDS HAVE EVERY
ADVANTAGE HANDED TO THEM,

BUT THEIR PARENTS CAME FROM
MUCH MORE HUMBLE BEGINNINGS.

I WOULDN'T SAY THAT THE ROUSES
WERE PRIVILEGED.

MR. AND MRS. ROUSE
WORKED VERY HARD.

BRUCE AND DARLENE WERE
HIGH-SCHOOL SWEETHEARTS.

Laney: SHE MARRIED HIM RIGHT
OUT OF HIGH SCHOOL,

AND HE STARTED BY WORKING
IN A FILLING STATION.

Carlozo: AT AGE 21, HE OWNS
HIS FIRST GAS STATION,

AND THAT IS JUST A SIGN
OF THINGS TO COME.

Laney: AND THEN THEY BOUGHT
ANOTHER ONE AND ANOTHER ONE.

SHE WORKED RIGHT SIDE BY SIDE
WITH HIM

UNTIL THEY HAD THE THREE KIDS.

♪♪♪♪

Ostertag: BRUCE GOT UP EARLY,
WENT TO WORK EARLY,

AND BRUCE WORKED TILL LATE.

HE WAS A HARDWORKING MAN,

AND THAT'S HOW HE
BUILT HIS BUSINESS.

Narrator: BY 1980, 44-YEAR-OLD

BRUCE HAS TURNED HIS GAS-STATION
JOB INTO AN EMPIRE

AND IS A SELF-MADE MILLIONAIRE.

THE ROUSES HAD GAS STATIONS
AND SERVICE STATIONS

NOT ONLY IN LIBERTYVILLE BUT IN
SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES AS WELL.

BUT ALONG WITH THAT, CABLE
TV HOLDINGS AND LAND HOLDINGS.

Narrator:
THE ROUSES WANT THEIR CHILDREN
TO TAKE THE OPPORTUNITIES

THEY WORKED SO HARD
TO GIVE THEM,

TO FOLLOW IN BRUCE'S FOOTSTEPS

AND THEN LEAP BEYOND.

Carlozo:
HE'S ABLE TO GIVE HIS KIDS
THE THINGS HE DIDN'T HAVE.

THE ROUSE FAMILY
IS LIVING OUT THE DREAM

IN THEIR LARGER COMMUNITY.

AND YET WHEN THE DOORS
ARE CLOSED,

WE DO GET ANOTHER PICTURE.

Narrator:
THE FAMILY'S FINANCIAL SUCCESS
HAS COME WITH A HIGH PRICE.

BRUCE WAS NEVER AROUND.

BRUCE WAS A VERY HARD WORKER.

THE ONLY TIME I REALLY SAW HIM
WAS IF WE WENT UP

AND VISITED HIM AT THE STATION.

HE'S BUILDING A BUSINESS, AND
TODAY, WE'D CALL IT WORKAHOLISM.

I THINK, BACK THEN,
WE WOULD CALL IT

THE RUGGED INDIVIDUALISM
OF THE REAGAN ERA.

♪♪♪♪

38-YEAR-OLD DARLENE
IS TOO BUSY WITH CHARITY WORK

AND SEVERAL BOARDS TO NOTICE
THAT BRUCE IS NEVER AROUND.

OFTEN, NEITHER OF THEM GETS HOME
TO HAVE DINNER WITH THE KIDS.

Ostertag: BRUCE AND DARLENE
HAD THIS VISION

AND WANTED TO PUT FORTH
THIS REPUTATION

OR THIS IMAGE OF,

YOU KNOW, BEING THE LEADERS
OF THE COMMUNITY.

Narrator:
WHEN DARLENE IS AROUND,

SHE'S STRUGGLING
TO CONTROL THREE CHILDREN

WHO HAVE EVERYTHING,
BUT LACK RESPONSIBILITY.

IT'S THE ULTIMATE
GENERATION GAP.

Ostertag:
WHILE ROBIN WAS THE DAUGHTER
THAT DID ALL THE RIGHT THINGS...

♪♪♪♪

...KURT AND BILLY DIDN'T GO
WITH THE PROGRAM.

♪♪♪♪

DARLENE WOULD TALK TO HER
FRIENDS ABOUT THE DIFFICULTIES

THEY WERE HAVING
WITHIN THE FAMILY.

Narrator: 15-YEAR-OLD SON BILLY
MAKES MATTERS WORSE

WHEN HE GETS
SUSPENDED FROM SCHOOL.

BILLY HAD SOME TROUBLE
GOING ON AT THAT POINT,

HAD BROKEN INTO THE SCHOOL
AND VANDALIZED THE LIBRARY

AND HAD TAKEN ALL THE CARDS
OUT OF THE CARD CATALOGS,

HAD KNOCKED ALL THE BOOKS
OFF OF EVERY SHELF.

♪♪♪♪

Narrator: LIKE THE KIDS IN
JOHN HUGHES' FILMS...

AND THE BIZARRE THING IS,
IS THAT I DID IT FOR MY OLD MAN.

...BILLY IS ACTING OUT, TRYING
TO GET HIS PARENTS' ATTENTION,

BECAUSE THE REAL OBJECT
OF THE FAMILY'S CONCERN

IS OLDER BROTHER KURT.

KURT HAD BEEN A HIGH-SCHOOL
FOOTBALL PLAYER

AND A RUNNER-UP
STATE CHAMPION WRESTLER,

BUT NOW THE 21-YEAR-OLD
SEEMS AIMLESS AND TROUBLED.

Carlozo: KURT EVOLVES FROM
BEING A GOLDEN BOY,

A RECOGNIZED ATHLETE,
TO BEING A WILD CHILD,

AND THIS CREATES TENSION.

Narrator:
LATCHKEY KIDS AROUND AMERICA,
JUST LIKE KURT,

WERE PUSHING BACK AGAINST
THEIR SUCCESS-OBSESSED PARENTS.

KURT'S MAIN GOAL IN LIFE

SEEMED TO BE GETTING BACK
AT BRUCE AND DARLENE.

Graham: HE HAD THE LONG HAIR.
HE HAD THE BEARD.

HE WAS UNEMPLOYED.

KURT WAS A REBEL.

YOU KNOW, KURT LOOKED
LIKE WOLFMAN.

AND I LIKED HIM
BECAUSE HE WAS DIFFERENT.

HE WASN'T LIKE A JOCK
IN HIGH SCHOOL.

Narrator:
KURT MOVES INTO A SHACK
ON THE ROUSE ESTATE

AFTER HIS PARENTS ASK HIM
TO LEAVE THE MAIN HOUSE.

Graham: KURT LIVED IN
THE SERVANTS' QUARTERS

DOWN THE HILL,
IN THE BACK.

HE DIDN'T HANG AROUND
WITH HIS FAMILY MUCH.

♪♪♪♪

Narrator:
KURT IS AIMLESS AND UNMOTIVATED,
ABUSING DRUGS AND ALCOHOL.

HE WASN'T DOING ANYTHING.

I THINK THAT'S SOME
OF THE REASON

HIS PARENTS WEREN'T REAL HAPPY

BECAUSE HE'D GONE TO
A REALLY GOOD SCHOOL.

HE HAD POTENTIAL, BUT I DON'T
KNOW IF HE HAD AMBITION.

Narrator: BRUCE AND DARLENE ARE
AT THE END OF THEIR ROPE,

BUT LIKE MANY DYSFUNCTIONAL
FAMILIES IN 1980s AMERICA,

THEY DO THEIR BEST TO HIDE
THEIR TROUBLES AT HOME.

♪♪♪♪

[ THUNDER RUMBLES ]

THE NIGHT OF THURSDAY, JUNE 5th,
IS MARKED BY VIOLENT RAINSTORMS.

THERE WAS A HORRIBLE
THUNDERSTORM THAT NIGHT,

[ LIGHTNING CRACKS ]

A LOT OF LIGHTNING,
A LOT OF HEAVY RAIN.

PROBABLY ONE OF THE TOP
FIVE NIGHTS IN MY LIFE

OF THUNDERSTORMS, YOU KNOW, ONE
OF THOSE NIGHTS YOU REMEMBER.

[ LIGHTNING CRACKS,
THUNDER RUMBLES ]

Narrator: DESPITE THE
DARK WEATHER BREWING,

16-YEAR-OLD ROBIN ROUSE
VENTURES OUT.

ROBIN WENT OUT TO A DANCE.

SHE WENT OUT WITH FRIENDS.

♪♪♪♪

[ THUNDER RUMBLES ]

Narrator:
SHORTLY BEFORE MIDNIGHT, ROBIN
RETURNS HOME AND GOES TO BED.

♪♪♪♪

[ LIGHTNING CRACKS ]

THE CRACKLING SOUNDS OF THUNDER
AND LIGHTNING

BRIEFLY JOLT HER AWAKE...

[ THUNDER RUMBLES ]

AND THEN THE LAST SOUND SLEEP
ROBIN WILL EVER HAVE.

[ PHONE RINGING ]

ROBIN WAKES UP TO A PHONE CALL.

Carlozo: 8:30 A. M.,
THE PHONE RINGS,

AND IT'S ONE OF THE EMPLOYEES
FROM ROUSE AUTOMOTIVE.

THEY WERE WONDERING
WHERE BRUCE IS.

Narrator: BRUCE IS A DISCIPLINED
EARLY RISER

WHO ALWAYS LEAVES FOR WORK
AT 6:00 A. M.

IMMEDIATELY, A RED FLAG GOES UP.

THIS IS NOT THE WAY DAD BEHAVES.

♪♪♪♪

ROBIN NERVOUSLY PUTS DOWN
THE PHONE

AND HEADS
TO HER PARENTS' ROOM.

Ostertag:
THE HOUSE IS COMPLETELY QUIET.

WHEN SHE OPENS THE DOOR
TO HER PARENTS' BEDROOM...

WHAT SHE SEES IS A HORROR...

...THAT NO CHILD

SHOULD EVER HAVE
TO LIVE THROUGH.

♪♪♪♪

♪♪♪♪

Narrator: THE UPSCALE ENCLAVE
OF LIBERTYVILLE, ILLINOIS,

IS THE LAST PLACE
ANYONE WOULD EXPECT

TO FIND A GRISLY MURDER SCENE,

BUT THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT
16-YEAR-OLD ROBIN ROUSE

ENCOUNTERS WHEN SHE OPENS THE
DOOR TO HER PARENTS' BEDROOM.

IT WAS QUICKLY OBVIOUS

THAT A GRUESOME OCCURRENCE
HAD TAKEN PLACE.

Ostertag: AS WORSE OF A SCENE
AS I HAVE EVER SEEN.

YOU'RE SEEING SOMETHING
THAT NO ONE SHOULD SEE

AND PARTICULARLY
WHEN IT'S YOUR PARENTS.

Narrator:
IN A STATE OF HYSTERIA,

ROBIN RUNS TO WAKE UP
YOUNGER BROTHER BILLY.

ROBIN TELLS HIM TO CALL 911.

Narrator: WITH THE TRAUMATIC
SCENE BEFORE HIM,

BILLY COVERS THE GORY REMAINS
OF HIS PARENTS' BODIES

WITH A SHEET.

♪♪♪♪

HE THEN RUNS TO OLDER BROTHER
KURT'S COTTAGE BEHIND THEIR HOME

TO TELL HIM ABOUT THEIR
PARENTS' HORRIFYING MURDER.

♪♪♪♪

POLICE ARRIVE QUICKLY,
AND THEY'RE NOT ALONE.

Carlozo:
NEIGHBORS ARE GATHERING.

TELEVISION CREWS ARE THERE.

MEDIA PEOPLE ARE THERE.

Narrator:
LOCAL CBS REPORTER MARY LANEY

QUICKLY JOINS
THE GROWING NUMBER OF PEOPLE

AT THE ROUSE RESIDENCE,

ANXIOUS TO FIND OUT
WHAT WAS GOING ON.

WE HADN'T BEEN GIVEN
A LOT OF DETAILS

EXCEPT THAT THERE WAS A MAN
AND WOMAN FOUND SHOT TO DEATH.

THE BODIES WERE FOUND
AT 8:30 THIS MORNING

BY THE COUPLE'S DAUGHTER,
16-YEAR-OLD ROBIN.

HER 15-YEAR-OLD BROTHER,
BILLY, CALLED POLICE.

BOTH HAD BEEN IN THE HOUSE
AT THE TIME OF THE MURDERS.

THEIR 20-YEAR-OLD BROTHER, KURT,

LIVES IN A CABIN
100 YARDS BEHIND THE HOUSE.

HE, TOO, WAS IN LAST NIGHT.

THE KIDS,
THEY JUST SEEMED SHOCKED.

THEY WEREN'T TALKING TO ANYBODY.

I REMEMBER THINKING HOW SAD
ALL THREE OF THEM LOOKED

AND HOW AWFUL
THAT WHOLE THING WAS.

Laney:
THIS MORNING, FRIENDS AND FAMILY
CAME TO CONSOLE THE THREE.

EACH EXPRESSED DISBELIEF.

THE ROUSES WERE WELL-KNOWN
AND WELL-LIKED HERE.

THE HUSBAND AND WIFE, LEADING
MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY,

MURDERED IN
AN INCREDIBLY BRUTAL MANNER.

♪♪♪♪

Narrator:
KURT'S GIRLFRIEND, TRACI GRAHAM,

HEARS ABOUT THE MURDERS
FROM A FRIEND.

AND MY GIRLFRIEND KELLY
CALLED ME.

SHE AND HER BOYFRIEND, RICHARD,
THEY SAW ALL THESE COPS THERE.

Narrator:
WHEN TRACI ARRIVES, SHE FINDS
THE WELL-MANICURED ROUSE LAWN

OVERRUN BY SWARMS OF PEOPLE.

Graham: AND I FOUND KURT,
AND HE HUGGED ME.

HE JUST WANTED TO GET AWAY
FROM ALL THE BUZZ.

WE WERE BOTH JUST IN SUCH SHOCK.

Narrator:
OVERWHELMED, KURT AGREES
TO SPEAK BRIEFLY WITH THE PRESS.

ALL I KNOW IS THAT BOTH
MY PARENTS ARE DEAD.

IT'S THE KIND OF --

IT'S THE KIND OF THING,
YOU KNOW,

YOU NEVER THINK
COULD HAPPEN TO ANYBODY.

Narrator:
WHILE KURT AND HIS SIBLINGS
STAY OUTSIDE,

A FORENSICS TEAM
ENTERS THE SPRAWLING HOME

TO TAKE A CLOSER LOOK
AT THE CARNAGE.

♪♪♪♪

THE ROOM HAD BEEN RANSACKED.

DRAWERS HAD BEEN PULLED OUT,
STUFF SCATTERED AROUND THE ROOM,

VERY MUCH IN DISORDER,
A LOT OF BLOOD.

THE WALL BEHIND THE BED
WAS SPLATTERED WITH BLOOD.

DARLENE'S HEAD BASICALLY
HAD BEEN BLOWN OFF.

Keller: SHE HAD AN IMPRINT OF
THE BARREL OF THE GUN

JUST ABOVE HER RIGHT EYE.

OBVIOUSLY,
IT HAD BEEN COMPRESSED

OR PRESSED AGAINST HER HEAD.

Narrator: IT'S LIKELY DARLENE
DIED INSTANTLY.

BUT BRUCE SUFFERS
A FAR MORE BRUTAL DEATH.

BLUNT TRAUMA EVIDENCE
ON HIS HEAD.

HE'S BEEN NOT ONLY SHOT,
BUT BEATEN.

♪♪♪♪

THERE WERE SIX STAB WOUNDS
IN HIS LEFT CHEST.

THERE WAS BLOOD
ABOUT THOSE STAB WOUNDS,

SO OBVIOUSLY, HIS HEART
WAS STILL BEATING.

HIS CIRCULATION
WAS STILL OCCURRING.

HE WAS STILL ALIVE
WHEN THOSE OCCURRED.

Carlozo:
WHOEVER PERPETRATED THIS CRIME

WANTED TO MAKE ABSOLUTELY
100 PERCENT SURE

BEYOND ANY DOUBT

THAT BRUCE AND DARLENE ROUSE
WOULD NOT SURVIVE.

Narrator:
INVESTIGATORS QUICKLY IDENTIFY
THE LIKELY MURDER WEAPON.

THIS WAS A SHOTGUN BLAST
BECAUSE OF THE PELLETS

THAT WERE VISIBLE
IN THE FURNITURE,

THE PELLETS THAT WERE VISIBLE
PARTICULARLY IN DARLENE'S FACE.

INITIAL DETERMINATION WAS THAT A
16 OR 12-GAUGE SHOTGUN WAS USED.

[ GUNSHOT ]

Narrator:
BILLY TELLS POLICE THAT
BRUCE OWNED SEVERAL GUNS,

BUT NONE ARE FOUND DURING
A SEARCH OF THE HOME.

DARLENE'S JEWELRY
IS ALSO MISSING.

THERE'S A LOT OF QUESTIONS.
IS THIS A ROBBERY OR NOT?

Narrator:
POLICE COMB THE HOUSE FOR CLUES

THAT COULD LEAD THEM
TO THE KILLER.

TYPICALLY, EVIDENCE THAT
YOU'RE LOOKING FOR

IS FROM TRANSFERENCE.

SOMETHING FROM THEM IS
TRANSFERRED FROM THEM

ONTO THE SCENE.

THAT COULD BE FINGERPRINTS,
THAT COULD BE HAIR,

THAT COULD BE FIBER OFF OF
THE CLOTHES THAT THEY WEAR.

SO, IN A MURDER SCENE LIKE
THIS, EVERYTHING IS COLLECTED.

♪♪♪♪

Narrator:
WHILE INVESTIGATORS WORK INSIDE,
ROBIN, BILLY, AND KURT

WITNESS THE GRUESOME SPECTACLE
OF THEIR PARENTS' BODIES

LEAVING THEIR HOME
FOR THE LAST TIME ON STRETCHERS.

Ostertag:
PEOPLE ARE AFRAID AT THIS TIME.

EVERYBODY WAS WONDERING
WHO DID IT AND WHAT HAPPENED.

Narrator:
NOW POLICE NEED TO SPEAK
WITH THE KIDS.

KURT TELLS THEM HE SPENT THE
EVENING WITH HIS GIRLFRIEND.

WE WENT OUT TO THE BLUFFS, AND
THEN WE WENT BACK TO HIS PLACE.

[ LIGHTNING CRACKS,
THUNDER RUMBLES ]

AND IT WAS ABOUT 11:30,
AND I SAID, "I HAVE TO GO."

BILLY ROUSE TOLD POLICE
HE SPENT SOME TIME WITH FRIENDS

AND WAS OUT UNTIL
ABOUT 11:00 O'CLOCK.

Narrator:
BILLY ADDS THAT HE HAD A BRIEF
CONVERSATION WITH HIS MOTHER.

SHE ASKED HIM IF EVERYTHING
WAS OKAY WITH HIM.

Ostertag:
THEN DARLENE WENT TO BED.

BILLY WENT UP
TO WATCH TELEVISION.

Narrator:
HE FALLS ASLEEP WATCHING RERUNS

OF THE DETECTIVE SHOW "BARETTA."

[ "BARETTA" THEME PLAYS ]

BILLY RECOUNTS HIS EVENING
WITH A NUMB DETACHMENT,

BUT HIS SISTER, ROBIN,
IS OVERCOME BY GRIEF.

Carlozo:
SO DISTRAUGHT THAT POLICE
ARE ENCOURAGING HER

TO GO TO THE HOSPITAL TO GET
SOME IMMEDIATE ATTENTION,

IMMEDIATE HELP.

Narrator: ROBIN REFUSES TO GO
TO A HOSPITAL.

INSTEAD, THE ROUSE CHILDREN
LEAVE THEIR FAMILY HOME.

THE ROUSE CHILDREN ARE
STAYING WITH RELATIVES,

AND LAKE COUNTY SHERIFF'S POLICE

ARE GOING OVER THE 7 ACRES
OF PROPERTY HERE

WITH A FINE-TOOTH COMB,

HOPING TO FIND THE WEAPONS
USED IN THE MURDERS

AND PERHAPS THE PERSON
RESPONSIBLE FOR THEM.

MARY LANEY, CHANNEL 2 NEWS,
IN UNINCORPORATED LIBERTYVILLE.

Narrator: THE DAY AFTER
THEIR PARENTS ARE MURDERED,

THE ROUSE KIDS WAKE UP

TO A NEW HORROR.

SOMEONE TOOK A PHOTOGRAPH,
AND IT WAS IN THE NEXT-DAY

CHICAGO TRIBUNE,

"HATE KILLINGS."

Narrator: THE ARTICLE QUOTES
AN INVESTIGATOR,

WHO CONCLUDES
THE ROUSES WERE KILLED

BY SOMEONE WITH A LOT OF HATE.

THE REPORTER DOESN'T ACCUSE
THE ROUSE CHILDREN

OF KILLING THEIR PARENTS,

BUT THEIR PHOTOS
ABOVE THE HEADLINE

IMPLY GUILT BY ASSOCIATION.

♪♪♪♪

Carlozo:
PEOPLE IN LIBERTYVILLE START
TO WHISPER AMONGST THEMSELVES

ABOUT THE FAMILY,

AND WHAT THEY SAW AS THIS
PICTURE-PERFECT EXISTENCE

MAY BE A FACADE.

Graham: EVERYBODY, YOU KNOW,
WANTED TO BLAME, POINT FINGERS,

AND, YOU KNOW,
THE COURT OF PUBLIC OPINION

CAN GET TOGETHER PRETTY FAST.

THE PEOPLE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD
THOUGHT ALL THREE TOOK PART

IN THE KILLING OF THE PARENTS.

IS THIS THE AMERICAN DREAM,
OR IS THIS, YOU KNOW,

SOMETHING ELSE?

IS THERE SOMETHING MORE SINISTER
THAT HAPPENED

INSIDE THIS HOUSEHOLD?

[ LIGHTNING CRACKS,
THUNDER RUMBLES ]

[ THUNDER RUMBLES ]

Narrator:
POLICE ARE INVESTIGATING
THE BRUTAL MURDERS

OF BRUCE AND DARLENE ROUSE,

FOUND SHOT TO DEATH
IN THEIR OWN BED.

NEIGHBORS, WHOSE SUSPICIONS
ARE FUELED

BY THE MEDIA COVERAGE
OF THE MURDERS,

FIND IT HARD TO BELIEVE
THAT NONE OF THE ROUSE KIDS,

ALL HOME AT THE TIME,
HEARD THE FATAL SHOTS.

[ GUNSHOT ]

THERE WAS A VERY LOUD,
BANGING THUNDERSTORM THAT NIGHT,

WHICH IS WHY THE POLICE SAY,

"WELL, MAYBE THEY
COULDN'T HEAR IT."

Narrator: BUT THE NEIGHBORHOOD
RUMOR MILL IS ON OVERDRIVE.

THERE WAS JUST THIS BIG
SPECTACLE OF EVERYBODY GAWKING.

EVERYBODY, YOU KNOW,
WANTED TO BLAME, POINT FINGERS.

THERE WERE DRUGS AND ALCOHOL
AND PROBLEMS WITH THEM

THAT THE NEIGHBORS
SEEMED TO BE AWARE OF.

♪♪♪♪

Narrator: AMONG WEALTHY FAMILIES
IN '80s SUBURBIA,

THE ROUSES' ADOLESCENT
STRUGGLES ARE HARDLY UNIQUE,

BUT THE LURID COVERAGE
TURNS PUBLIC OPINION

AGAINST THE ROUSE KIDS.

Carlozo: LOOK AT ALL THE MONEY
THOSE KIDS STAND TO INHERIT.

ARE THEY REALLY THAT INNOCENT?

Narrator: AWARE OF THE NEGATIVE
STORIES CIRCULATING,

THEIR CONCERNED AUNT ADVISES
THEM TO LAWYER UP AND SHUT DOWN.

A SCHEDULED MEETING BETWEEN
THE ROUSE KIDS AND POLICE

IS CANCELED.

THERE'S LAWYERS
THAT ARE SAYING,

"YOU'RE NOT GOING TO
TALK TO THE CHILDREN."

Narrator:
WITH THE KIDS IN LOCK-DOWN,
POLICE ARE ON THEIR OWN.

♪♪♪♪

Carlozo:
ONE IMPORTANT TRAIL THAT POLICE
WANT TO DOUBLE BACK OVER

IS THE BUSINESS SUCCESS
OF BRUCE ROUSE.

Narrator: THE FATHER OF THREE
WAS A WEALTHY OWNER

OF SEVERAL GAS STATIONS
AND REAL-ESTATE HOLDINGS

IN THE CHICAGO AREA.

[ PHONE RINGING ]

A LOT OF ANONYMOUS TIPS

AND A LOT OF PEOPLE COMING UP
WITH POTENTIAL GRUDGES

BETWEEN BRUCE AND PEOPLE
RELATED TO HIS BUSINESS.

Narrator:
ONE IN PARTICULAR STANDS OUT.

THE WOMAN THAT CALLS INTO POLICE
IS SO FRIGHTENED

THAT SHE RELATES
VERY LIMITED DETAILS.

THIS ANONYMOUS TIP
FROM THE WOMAN

TALKED ABOUT SHADY
BUSINESS DEALINGS

BETWEEN BRUCE AND DARLENE
AND THE MAFIA.

♪♪♪♪

Narrator:
POLICE PRESS FOR MORE DETAILS
ABOUT THE POSSIBLE CONNECTION

BETWEEN THE MAFIA
AND THE MURDERS.

BUT THE WOMAN RETURNS
TO THE SAME FRIGHTENED STATE

THAT MARKED THE BEGINNING OF
HER COMMUNICATION WITH POLICE.

Narrator: SHE HANGS UP.

Ostertag:
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE 1980s.

THERE'S NO CALLER ID.

[ PHONE RINGING ]

Narrator:
AS POLICE DO WHAT THEY CAN TO
FOLLOW UP ON THE INTRIGUING TIP,

ANOTHER CALL COMES IN.

IT'S KURT
WITH AN UNUSUAL REQUEST.

HE ASKED THEM IF THE IMPOUNDED
1973 CADILLAC

THAT BELONGED TO HIS MOTHER
COULD BE RELEASED.

HE NEEDED A CAR TO GET OUT
TO CALIFORNIA.

HE WANTS TO GET AWAY
FROM LAKE COUNTY.

HE WANTS TO GET AWAY
FROM THE MURDER.

REQUESTS LIKE THESE BEGIN
TO CAST A SHADOW OVER KURT ROUSE

AND WHAT HIS CONNECTION MIGHT BE
TO THE MURDER OF HIS PARENTS.

♪♪♪♪

Narrator: POLICE SOON FIND OUT
OUT MORE ABOUT

KURT'S TROUBLED RELATIONSHIP
WITH HIS PARENTS

FROM AN UNEXPECTED SOURCE.

MARY LANEY, CHANNEL 2 NEWS,
IN UNINCORPORATED LIBERTYVILLE.

I THINK IT WAS BECAUSE
I WAS ON THE AIR

THAT PEOPLE KNEW WHO I WAS,

SO THEY FELT SAFE
IN TALKING TO ME.

Narrator:
MARY LANEY TELLS POLICE
ABOUT A MEETING

SHE HAD WITH A ROUSE
FAMILY FRIEND

WITH A DISTURBING STORY TO TELL.

MARY REPORTED TO THE POLICE
THAT THE MAN STARTED CRYING

WHEN HE STARTED TALKING.

HE HAS INFORMATION
HE WANTS TO RELAY TO HER

ABOUT A CONVERSATION
HE HAD WITH DARLENE ROUSE

JUST BEFORE
THE MURDERS OCCURRED.

♪♪♪♪

Narrator: MARY AGREES TO MEET
WITH HIM IN PRIVATE.

HE WAS VERY DESPONDENT.

♪♪♪♪

Ostertag: HE HAD BEEN TOLD
BY DARLENE ROUSE

THAT SHE HAD BEEN HAVING
EXTREME DIFFICULTIES WITH KURT,

THAT SHE AND BRUCE WERE HAVING
CONSTANT DISPUTES WITH HIM.

KURT WAS OUT OF CONTROL.

THEY WOULDN'T EVEN GIVE KURT
THE KEY TO GET IN THE HOUSE.

♪♪♪♪

Narrator: MARY'S SOURCE GOES ON
TO EXPLAIN

THAT KURT WAS HAVING
MONEY PROBLEMS.

Ostertag:
KURT DEMANDED $10,000 FROM THEM,

AND IF THEY WERE
TO GIVE HIM $10,000,

HE WOULD LEAVE.

Carlozo: DARLENE ROUSE REFUSED.

KURT'S RESPONSE
TO HIS MOTHER WAS,

"YOU'LL BE PUNISHED
FOR THIS BY THE LORD."

♪♪♪♪

A PICTURE EMERGED THAT THERE
WAS VIOLENCE IN THAT HOUSE.

Ostertag: THIS MAN FELT VERY
STRONGLY TO THE POINT

WHERE HE WAS CRYING
THAT KURT ROUSE MAY BE INVOLVED

IN THE MURDERS
OF BRUCE AND DARLENE.

Narrator:
AND HE'S NOT THE ONLY PERSON
WITH TROUBLING STORIES TO SHARE.

THOUGH THERE ARE MULTIPLE
LEADS COMING IN WITH PEOPLE

TALKING ABOUT KURT.

♪♪♪♪

Carlozo: VERY CLOSE FRIEND OF
DARLENE ROUSE TOLD AUTHORITIES

THAT THE ROUSES
WERE MOVING IN A DIRECTION

THAT WOULD KEEP KURT
OFF OF THE FAMILY PROPERTY

AND WITH A COURT
ORDER TO SEAL IT.

♪♪♪♪

Narrator:
POLICE NOW HAVE A CLEAR MOTIVE.

KURT WAS ANGRY AT HIS PARENTS
FOR REFUSING TO GIVE HIM MONEY

AND POSSIBLY CUTTING HIM
OUT OF THEIR WILL.

EACH OF THE CHILDREN WAS GOING
TO INHERIT ABOUT $1.3 MILLION.

DEFINITELY PEOPLE HAVE BEEN
MURDERED FOR MUCH LESS.

♪♪♪♪

Narrator:
AND IT WILL SOON BE REVEALED
THAT ROBIN MAY KNOW MORE ABOUT

KURT'S CONNECTION TO
THE KILLINGS THAN SHE'S LET ON.

TWO MONTHS AFTER THE MURDERS,

A DEPUTY'S GRAND JURY TESTIMONY
DIVULGES A STUNNING REVELATION.

THE DAY AFTER THE KILLINGS,
ROBIN ROUSE TOLD HIM

SHE SUSPECTED HER
BROTHER KURT WAS INVOLVED.

♪♪♪♪

♪♪♪♪

Narrator:
TWO MONTHS AFTER DARLENE
AND BRUCE ROUSE

ARE MURDERED IN THEIR HOME,

A SHERIFF DEPUTY'S
STARTLING ADMISSION.

ON THE DAY THE MURDER
WAS DISCOVERED,

THEIR DAUGHTER, ROBIN,
TOLD HIM HER BROTHER, KURT,

MIGHT BE CONNECTED
TO THE KILLINGS.

BEFORE ROBIN SAID ANYTHING MORE,

HER AUNT ABRUPTLY
ENDED THE QUESTIONING.

THE ROUSE KIDS CONTINUE
TO BE IN LOCK-DOWN MODE.

NORMALLY, PEOPLE WANT
TO COOPERATE,

BUT IN SITUATIONS LIKE THIS,
THIS EMOTIONAL,

THERE'S NO SCRIPT.

IT'S VERY FRUSTRATING.

♪♪♪♪

Narrator: IT'S BEEN 4 MONTHS
SINCE THE MURDERS.

POLICE HAVE BEEN FOLLOWING UP
ON LEADS THAT GO NOWHERE.

THE ROUSE CHILDREN,
ESPECIALLY ROBIN,

WHO'S LIVING WITH
HER AUNT, SEEM ADRIFT.

Fleming: SHE WITHDREW A LOT.

SHE DIDN'T WANT TO GO OUT
WITH HER FRIENDS.

SHE WAS SO DISTRAUGHT
AND SO UPSET.

THE WHOLE THING WAS SO VERY SAD.

♪♪♪♪

Narrator: THEN, SUDDENLY,
ON A COLD OCTOBER MORNING,

AN UNEXPECTED DISCOVERY
BRINGS RENEWED HOPE

TO THE STALLED INVESTIGATION.

Keller:
A SURVEYOR WAS WALKED ALONG
THE DES PLAINES RIVER,

WHICH IS CLOSE BY TO WHERE
THIS HOMICIDE TOOK PLACE,

AND HE STUMBLES ACROSS
WHAT HE AT FIRST THOUGHT

WAS A POLE STICKING
OUT OF THE WATER,

WHICH SUBSEQUENTLY
TURNED OUT TO BE A SHOTGUN.

♪♪♪♪

Carlozo: HE CALLS POLICE.

POLICE SEND IN A DIVE TEAM.

Reporter: POLICE AND FIRE
DEPARTMENT DIVERS

SEARCH THE DES PLAINES RIVER
FOR FURTHER KEY EVIDENCE

IN THE VIOLENT GUNSHOT
AND STABBING MURDERS

OF BRUCE AND DARLENE ROUSE.

Narrator:
THE TEAM SPENDS HOURS SEARCHING
THE BOTTOM OF THE MURKY RIVER,

RECOVERING ITEM AFTER ITEM.

WE FOUND DARLENE ROUSE'S PURSE,
HER DRIVER'S LICENSE,

HER SOCIAL SECURITY CARD,

FIRED 16-GAUGE SHOTGUN SHELLS
AND ALL OF THE GUNS

THAT WERE MISSING
FROM THE ROUSE RESIDENCE.

IT WAS OBVIOUS THAT
WHAT WAS FOUND

WERE THE ITEMS TAKEN
FROM THE ROUSE HOUSE

ON THE NIGHT OF JUNE 5th, 1980.

Narrator:
PERHAPS FINGERPRINTS ON
THE RECOVERED POSSESSIONS

WILL POINT IN THE DIRECTION
OF THE KILLERS.

WELL, I DEFINITELY THINK
IT'S THE CENTER OF THE PUZZLE,

FOR SURE.

IT WILL BE
VERY BENEFICIAL TO US.

POLICE BELIEVE, WITH
THE RECOVERY OF THE GUNS,

THE CLOTHING, AND THE JEWELRY,

THEY ARE CLOSE TO RESOLVING
WHAT HAPPENED IN THIS HOUSE

THE NIGHT OF JUNE 6th.

Keller: FIREARMS THAT WERE FOUND
IN THE DES PLAINES RIVER

WERE LOOKED AT BY
NORTHERN ILLINOIS CRIME LAB.

BUT THERE WAS NOT
A FINGERPRINT ON IT --

ON THE BAG, ON THE JEWELRY,
ON ANYTHING.

SO THAT JUST MADE
THE MYSTERY BIGGER.

♪♪♪♪

Narrator: POLICE ARE DISCOURAGED
BY YET ANOTHER DEAD END,

BUT THEY ARE ABLE TO
VERIFY ONE IMPORTANT FACT.

EXAMINATION AT
THE NORTHERN ILLINOIS CRIME LAB

OF THE WEAPONS FOUND THAT THEY
DID BELONG TO BRUCE ROUSE.

Narrator:
AND THAT, ON TOP OF CLUES THAT
THIS WAS A RAGE-FUELED MURDER,

SUPPORTS THEIR BELIEF
THAT THIS WAS AN INSIDE JOB.

THIS WAS TRULY A MURDER THAT WAS
COVERED UP BY A STAGED BURGLARY.

THE THING THAT REALLY STICKS OUT
IN MY MIND WAS HOW MUCH ANGER

AND HOW MUCH PASSION WAS
REALLY INVOLVED IN THIS KILLING.

♪♪♪♪

Narrator: WITHIN A YEAR, ALL THE
ROUSE KIDS MOVE OUT OF STATE.

THEY LEAVE BEHIND
TERRIBLE MEMORIES,

POSSIBLE SECRETS,
AND A STALLED INVESTIGATION.

AS A COLD-CASE INVESTIGATOR,
I LOOK FOR THAT PERSON,

THAT LEAD THAT COMES UP THAT
DIDN'T GET FOLLOWED UP ON.

♪♪♪♪

VERY STANDARD ON MURDER CASES
THAT ARE UNSOLVED

THAT YOU REAPPROACH
THE CASES FROM TIME TO TIME.

YOU LOOK AT WHO'S MOST LIKELY
GOING TO BE THE PERSON

TO GIVE YOU INFORMATION,
TO CHANGE THEIR STORY,

AND THAT'S WHAT DETECTIVES
DID WITH ROBIN.

A LOT OF PEOPLE POINTED
THE FINGER AT KURT.

♪♪♪♪

Narrator:
POLICE HOPE ROBIN MAY FINALLY
BE READY TO TELL THEM

WHAT SHE KNOWS ABOUT
WHAT HAPPENED TO HER PARENTS.

ROBIN ROUSE, OF ALL PEOPLE
SURROUNDING THE CRIME,

MAY BE THE MOST
WILLING TO TALK,

THE ONE CHILD THAT HAD
THE CLOSEST RELATIONSHIP

WITH HER PARENTS,

THE ONE WHO DISCOVERED
THE BODIES.

♪♪♪♪

Narrator:
BUT BEFORE POLICE HAVE A CHANCE
TO MAKE THEIR PLAY,

TRAGEDY STRIKES THE ROUSE FAMILY
FOR A SECOND TIME.

[ HORN HONKING ]

[ TIRES SCREECHING ]

[ CRASHING ]

[ HORN HONKING ]

♪♪♪♪

Narrator: IT'S BEEN 3 YEARS
SINCE 19-YEAR-OLD ROBIN ROUSE

OPENED THE DOOR TO
A CHILD'S WORST NIGHTMARE.

♪♪♪♪

THIS STRAWBERRY BLONDE,
SWEET, VERY CARING,

NURTURING TYPE OF GIRL,

AND THE TRAGEDIES
THAT SHE WENT THROUGH

WITH HER PARENTS BEING KILLED.

♪♪♪♪

Narrator:
ROBIN HAS FINISHED HIGH SCHOOL,
HOLDS A STEADY JOB,

AND IS ABOUT TO BEGIN COLLEGE.

SHE'S MOVED FROM THE UPSCALE
CHICAGO SUBURB

WHERE THE MURDERS TOOK PLACE

TO START A NEW LIFE
IN RACINE, WISCONSIN.

AFTER ALL THESE YEARS,

POLICE BELIEVE ROBIN
MAY BE THEIR BEST BET

AMONG THE ROUSE KIDS

TO HELP THEM SOLVE
THE MYSTERIOUS KILLINGS.

♪♪♪♪

Fleming: THERE WAS A LOT OF
RUMORS GOING AROUND

THAT ROBIN KNEW WHO DID IT.

Ostertag: THAT ROBIN WAS GOING
TO COME FORWARD

AND WAS GOING TO TALK
ABOUT ONE OF HER BROTHERS

COMMITTING THE MURDER
OF THEIR PARENTS.

THE DETECTIVES APPROACH
ROBIN TO SEE

IF SHE HAD ANY INFORMATION
ABOUT THE MURDERS.

♪♪♪♪

Narrator:
BUT ANOTHER STORMY EVENING
DESTROYS THEIR CHANCES

TO MEET WITH HER -- FOREVER.

Ostertag: ROBIN WAS DRIVING
ON A RAINY NIGHT

AND THEN LOSES CONTROL OF HER
CAR AND SLAMS INTO A TREE.

[ HORN HONKING,
TIRES SCREECHING ]

[ CRASHING ]

[ HORN HONKING, SIRENS BLARING ]

♪♪♪♪

I REMEMBER MY MOM SAYING,
"OH, MY GOSH.

ROBIN WAS KILLED
IN A CAR ACCIDENT,"

AND IT JUST BROKE MY HEART.

♪♪♪♪

Narrator: WHATEVER ROBIN KNEW
ABOUT THE BRUTAL MURDER

OF HER PARENTS DIED WITH HER
ON THAT RAINY NIGHT.

Ostertag: IT REALLY DEALT A BLOW
TO THE INVESTIGATION.

YOU KNOW, ROBIN TRULY WAS
ONE OF THE FINAL LEADS

THE INVESTIGATORS HAD
OF SOLVING THIS CASE.

WITH ROBIN DYING, THAT WAS GONE.

♪♪♪♪

Narrator:
IT'S BEEN 15 YEARS SINCE
BRUCE AND DARLENE ROUSE

WERE VICIOUSLY MURDERED
IN THEIR BEDROOM.

OVER TIME, THE CASE WENT COLD.

Narrator:
KURT IS LIVING IN CALIFORNIA,
FAR AWAY FROM SUSPICIONS

THAT HE MAY HAVE
GOTTEN AWAY WITH MURDER.

HE PURCHASED SOME LAND
IN CALIFORNIA,

TURNS HIS LIFE AROUND,

GETS MARRIED,
AND STARTS A FAMILY.

WHATEVER GOOD KURT ROUSE
MADE OF HIS INHERITANCE,

BILLY MADE NOTHING BUT BAD.

♪♪♪♪

BILLY WINDS UP
LIVING IN KEY WEST

WHERE HE HOSTS FELLOW
DRUG ADDICTS AND INDIGENTS,

LIVING AN EXISTENCE THAT,
BY ALL ACCOUNTS, IS SQUALID.

SQUANDERED HIS MONEY,

DIDN'T HAVE A REAL GOOD
RELATIONSHIP WITH THE LAW,

JUST NEVER REALLY
GOT IT TOGETHER.

Narrator:
ON SEPTEMBER 15, 1995,

ILLINOIS INVESTIGATORS
GET A CALL ABOUT BILLY

THAT MIGHT FINALLY BREAK
THE ROUSE MURDER CASE WIDE OPEN.

Ostertag: WE WERE NOTIFIED BY
LIBERTYVILLE POLICE DEPARTMENT

THAT THEY HAD BEEN CONTACTED
BY POLICE IN KEY WEST, FLORIDA,

ADVISING THEM THAT BILLY ROUSE

HAD BEEN ARRESTED
ON TWO BANK ROBBERIES.

Narrator:
SERGEANT DAVE OSTERTAG AND
HIS PARTNERS HAD TO KEY WEST.

THEY HOPE BILLY,
FEELING VULNERABLE BEHIND BARS,

WILL BE MORE LIKELY
TO TELL THE TRUTH

ABOUT THAT FATEFUL NIGHT
IN 1980.

Ostertag: BILLY IS IN CUSTODY.
THIS IS OUR OPPORTUNITY.

THIS IS THE CHANCE THAT
WE'VE BEEN LOOKING FOR

FOR 15 YEARS TO
POTENTIALLY SOLVE THIS CASE.

♪♪♪♪

WE APPROACHED BILLY TO SEE
IF HE WOULD TALK TO US,

AND BILLY WAS WILLING
TO TALK TO US.

Carlozo: THEY SENSE EMOTION
WELLING UP INSIDE OF HIM

AND SOMETHING EVEN MORE DARK
ABOUT TO SURFACE.

Ostertag: IT LOOKED LIKE HE WAS
GOING TO THROW UP.

HE WAS VERY, VERY,
VERY UPSET

TO THE POINT WHERE I ASKED BILLY
IF HE WAS OKAY.

HE SAYS, "YEAH, I'M OKAY,

I'M JUST HAVING A HARD TIME
DEALING WITH IT.

BUT I'D JUST LIKE A NIGHT
TO THINK ABOUT IT

BEFORE I TALK TO
YOU GUYS TOMORROW."

♪♪♪♪

Narrator: ON OCTOBER 13, 1995,

INVESTIGATORS BELIEVE BILLY MAY
FINALLY TELL THEM WHAT HAPPENED

ON THAT STORMY NIGHT
SO LONG AGO.

♪♪♪♪

BILLY HAD NOT TALKED
TO A SINGLE PERSON

IN THOSE 15 YEARS A WORD ABOUT
THE MURDERS OF HIS PARENTS.

Narrator: SHOCKINGLY,
AFTER 15 YEARS OF SUSPICIONS

THAT IT WAS OLDER BROTHER KURT
WHO KILLED THEIR PARENTS,

BILLY CONFESSES TO
THE MURDER HIMSELF.

HE GIVES A BLOW-BY-BLOW ACCOUNT

OF WHAT LED HIM
TO COMMIT THE UNTHINKABLE.

AND HE DESCRIBED
THIS RELATIONSHIP

BETWEEN DARLENE AND HIM,

THAT IT JUST DISINTEGRATED.

Narrator:
FOR THE FIRST TIME, BILLY TELLS
INVESTIGATORS THE REAL STORY

ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED
WHEN HE ARRIVED HOME

AFTER AN EVENING
OF DRINKING AND DRUGS

ON THE NIGHT OF JUNE 5th.

[ THUNDER RUMBLES ]

Narrator:
DARLENE GOES OFF TO BED,

BUT BILLY STAYS UP
AND STEWS IN HIS ANGER.

Ostertag:
HE GOT SOME OF BRUCE'S WHISKEY,

AND HE JUST KEPT FUMING
ABOUT HIS MOTHER.

Carlozo: HE'D ALSO BEEN
CONSUMING MUSHROOMS,

AND THE EFFECT BETWEEN
THE TWO OF THOSE SUBSTANCES

AND THE MORE BITTER
SUBSTANCE OF RAGE AND HATE...

[ LIGHTNING CRACKS ]

...THAT WAS ALL THE FUEL
HE NEEDED TO PICK UP A GUN

AND GET DOWN TO DIRTY WORK.

HE GOT OUT HIS FATHER'S
16-GAUGE SHOTGUN.

♪♪♪♪

Carlozo: WALKS TO THE KITCHEN,
PICKS UP A KNIFE.

♪♪♪♪

[ LIGHTNING CRACKS,
THUNDER RUMBLES ]

Narrator: BILLY CREPT INTO
THE MASTER BEDROOM,

SHIELDED BY DARKNESS
AND THE RAGING STORM.

[ THUNDER RUMBLES ]

AND THEN-15-YEAR-OLD BILLY
PLACED THE BARREL OF THE GUN

BETWEEN HIS MOTHER'S EYES
AND PULLED THE TRIGGER.

[ THUNDER RUMBLES, GUNSHOT ]

SHE DIED INSTANTLY.

IT WAS HIS MOTHER HE WANTED
TO KILL, NOT HIS FATHER,

BUT HIS FATHER WOKE UP.

[ GUNSHOT ]

[ LIGHTNING CRACKS ]

Carlozo: ON KILLING HIS PARENTS,

BILLY ROUSE HAS
THE PRESENCE OF MIND

TO THINK THIS HAS TO
LOOK LIKE A ROBBERY.

Ostertag:
HE RANSACKED THE BEDROOM.

HE TOOK THE JEWELRY BOX
AND HIS MOTHER'S PURSE.

♪♪♪♪

HE'D GONE UP AND GOTTEN THE
GUNS, AND HE LOADED ALL OF THEM.

♪♪♪♪

Carlozo:
PACKS THEM IN HIS FATHER'S CAR,

DRIVES OUT TO
THE DES PLAINES RIVER,

DUMPS EVERYTHING IN THE RIVER.

[ LIGHTNING CRACKS ]

♪♪♪♪

Narrator:
BILLY CONSIDERED FLEEING

BUT REALIZED
THAT WOULD MAKE HIM LOOK GUILTY.

♪♪♪♪

Narrator:
THE 37-MINUTE CONFESSION GIVES
POLICE ALL THE INFORMATION

THEY COULD HOPE FOR.

BILLY IS EXTRADITED
BACK TO LIBERTYVILLE.

I FOUND OUT THAT BILLY ROUSE
ADMITTED TO KILLING HIS PARENTS

WHEN THEY SERVED ME WITH
A SUBPOENA AT MY FRONT DOOR.

Reporter:
THE ASSISTANT STATE'S ATTORNEY,
WHO WILL NOW PROSECUTE THE CASE,

SAYS HE DOESN'T KNOW WHY
ROUSE WAITED 15 YEARS

TO ADMIT TO THE KILLING.

WHEN THE MEDIA CAME OUT
AND SAID THAT BILLY WAS ARRESTED

FOR THE MURDER,

AT FIRST, I DIDN'T BELIEVE IT.

Graham:
HE LET HIS BROTHER BE BLAMED
ALL THOSE YEARS,

AND THEN HOW TERRIBLE
IT HAD TO BE FOR KURT

TO FIND OUT THAT HIS BROTHER
REALLY, REALLY DID IT.

I JUST WANT TO SAY
I DIDN'T DO IT.

I DON'T KNOW WHO DID IT.

I DON'T KNOW IF MY BROTHER
IS GUILTY OR INNOCENT.

THAT'S ALL I WANT TO SAY.

Narrator: KURT'S ANGUISHED
COURT TESTIMONY,

ALONG WITH BILLY'S
DETAILED TAPED CONFESSION,

CONVINCES THE JURY OF HIS GUILT.

AFTER ONLY 8 HOURS
OF DELIBERATION,

BILLY IS CONVICTED ON
TWO COUNTS OF MURDER.

IN OCTOBER OF 1996,
16 YEARS AFTER THE MURDER,

BILLY ROUSE IS SENTENCED TO
A TOTAL OF 80 YEARS IN PRISON.

♪♪♪♪

Ostertag:
HE HAD NO REGRET WHATSOEVER
ABOUT KILLING HIS MOTHER,

BUT HE SAID HE WAS SORRY
FOR KILLING HIS DAD.

IN THE END, THE PERSON THAT
HE WAS SADDEST ABOUT HURTING

WAS HIS SISTER, ROBIN.

Narrator: IN LIBERTYVILLE,
THE INFAMOUS STORY OF A SON

WHO SO VIOLENTLY TURNED
AGAINST HIS WEALTHY,

OVERACHIEVING PARENTS
HAS NOT BEEN FORGOTTEN.

Fleming:
THERE'S STILL TALK OF IT TODAY,

WHICH MEANS THAT IT'S ON
A LOT OF PEOPLE'S MINDS

AS WELL AS MY OWN OF
WHAT HAPPENED BACK THEN.

Narrator: A TRAGIC TALE OF THE
PICTURE-PERFECT FAMILY

AND THEIR UGLY REALITY
LURKING IN THE SHADOWS.