The Interrogator (2019–…): Season 1, Episode 5 - The Murders at Immaculate Auto Sales - full transcript

It was palpable
when I walked in.

You can feel evil
emanating from the scene.

In less than three seconds,
three people are shot.

Most homicides occur
because one of three reasons --

Sex, drugs, or money.

I've known hundreds of
detectives and police officers.

I've never met one like him.

If the eyes are
the windows to the soul,

I'm looking into
the pit of darkness.

Houston, texas --
america's fourth largest city.

I served as a homicide detective



With houston's finest
for over 23 years.

I've investigated
over 400 murders

And solved 90%
with a confession.

Once I have a suspect
in the room,

I don't quit until I get justice
for the victims.

I am homicide detective
fil waters.

I've talked to suspects
who did an evil thing.

But this was one
that was gonna be in my mind

For the rest of my career
and the rest of my life.

The scene was at
immaculate auto sales.

That day, flaco had
been working in the shop.

He had to leave for a short time
to go pick up a part.

Then he comes back
to deliver a receipt.

Flaco ran into this man
in the street



And he locked eyes with him.

He said it was a face
that he would never forget.

On January 8, 2015,
my partner brian harris

And I received a call
of a triple shooting

In north houston
at immaculate auto sales.

In the distance, we can see

All the red and blue lights
of the patrol cars.

Dozens and dozens of patrol cars
blocking the main roadway.

And this is
a brutal murder scene in midday.

There was such a palpable...

Atmosphere of evil

The minute we walked
into the room.

In the far corner is one body,

Tony contreras.

In the center of the room
is the second body,

Jesse contreras, tony's brother.

And then there's a third desk
that's empty.

Casey contreras

Was sitting at the desk
that was unoccupied.

I found out that he had been
transported to the hospital

By ambulance.

Casey is tony's son.

We've got two generations here
of family members.

There's that thick,
coagulated blood.

And any time you see
pools of it,

It's not a good sign.

Scenes talk to me.

This person was on a mission.

They were moving and shooting.

Moving and shooting.

Fired six shots.

My belief was that this happened
in less than two seconds.

But if there's one thing
that stood out

When you walk into that room,

It's a distinct smell
of gasoline.

I see puddles
of the gasoline.

Maybe someone was gonna
burn the place down.

Jesse and tony
don't have any wallets.

But the strange thing
is that they have cash.

There's cash in their pockets.

Now, this starts wheels
not just turning but spinning.

It has the appearance,

To use the vernacular, of a hit.

Where the wallet's missing
because

The person who committed this

Needed to take
some means of identification

Back to whoever it was
that began this "hit."

As we look around,

We notice that
there are cameras.

No matter where you go,
there are cameras.

And I'm thinking, "here we go.

We're going to
see what happened."

Unfortunately, when I try to
do a playback with the dvr,

It doesn't work.

So we've turned them over
to our forensic video people.

In the meantime, the decision
is made at that point

To send flaco
down to our sketch artist

And see if he can put together
a face of this evildoer.

And so we put out
that description

To the patrol officers
in the area.

Brian is talking
to the family members.

We're starting to get
some background on our victims.

I'm ruby cabell.

I'm one of the youngest
of nine children.

Tony and jesse were my brothers.

I got a phone call that the boys
had been shot

And that casey
was at the hospital.

Brian, tony's oldest son,
came over and picked me up.

He says, "ruby,
you do know that

This could be really bad."

We're approaching the car lot,

And we got real quiet.

You could see all the media,

The lights,
and the flashing lights.

Heartbreak and tears
for family members

Who gathered
outside a used car dealership

After three of their loved ones
were shot.

As we drove closer, I saw --

I saw the crime scene --
the yellow tape.

And I just ran out,

Jumped out of the car.

It was moving.

And I ran. I just wanted
to see my brothers.

And I was running to
the car lot,

And they -- you know,
the family stopped me.

They said, "ruby,
it's a crime scene.

You can't go."

I just wanted to see my --

I said, "I want to see them."

My sons! No! My god!

Family members were
overwhelmed with sadness

As they watched while officers
canvassed the scene.

We're just at
the beginning stages

Of looking at the lives
of our victims.

We'll look at their history,
their past,

And dissect who they are.

We grew up in
a two-bedroom small house.

We were born
at one-year intervals.

So I'm the youngest,
and my oldest brother

Is nine years older than me.

When tony walked in the room,
everyone knew it, you know?

Because he was going to walk in

And everyone was going
to be laughing real soon

Because he was just that way.

He hated to see people
who were not happy.

Jesse was my twin brother,
so was my best friend.

And it's very hard for me
to talk about jesse.

I turned to jesse for advice
way more than he turned to me

Because he just understood
how the world worked,

Even though he never
graduated from high school.

There was a large segment
of the neighborhood

We grew up in that
was underserved by car salesmen

Because they didn't have credit.

My brothers jesse and tony

Took people
that no one else would cater to,

And they sold them cars
and gave them a second chance

Or maybe a third chance.

Casey is tony's son.
Jesse had baby twins.

He had this young,
innocent demeanor

And this smile
that would light up a room.

We knew that casey had
been transported by ambulance

To ben taub, which is the major
trauma center in houston, texas.

We were hopeful
that we were gonna be able

To talk to him
at some point in time.

Casey could provide
all the answers.

But we're concerned.
Will casey be able to talk?

So we really focus with flaco

On the description
of this black male

As having a baseball hat on
and work-type jacket.

And they're literally
searching for this person.

And lo and behold,

They bring somebody back.

He's wearing a ball cap,
got a jacket on.

My gut was telling me
he's the guy.

In the work-type jacket,
dark skin, ball cap --

It's got to be him.

A methodical attack
is how officers

Describe this triple shooting
that took place

Inside a family-owned
used-car dealership.

The unthinkable
happened on January 8th.

My two brothers were murdered
and casey was shot.

While tony and jesse contreras

Are pronounced dead
at the scene,

We have casey contreras
at the hospital

Fighting for his life.

Casey could be the key.

But when will we be able
to speak to casey?

We're still
at the crime scene.

We have a possible
potential suspect.

Wanted flaco to look at him.

We were hoping the witness
can identify that person

And say "yes, that's the man."

That told me
he would be positive

When he actually saw
the real killer.

We're trying to get a feel
for what has happened,

What happened
to the contreras family.

Now casey was able
to respond to touch.

He wasn't able to talk
because he was intubated.

The security is
very, very tight.

He's registered
under a fake name.

They won't let anybody
in there

Because they don't know
who's done this.

This looks like a planned
execution for unknown reasons.

Casey's clearly going
to be a key witness.

We were hopeful that
his survivability would allow us

To be able to talk to him.

We get the call that casey --

His condition
has turned for the worse.

Casey never
regained consciousness.

We thought he would,
but he never did.

He was just an innocent
young person who was going to --

Who was just beginning his life.

Casey had let
the family know,

"anything happens to me,"
he said, "donate my organs."

Casey gave a piece
of himself to others

So that they could live.

Now we've got a triple homicide.

We had received information
from the family

That tony and jesse

Had been involved in the federal
criminal justice system

Based on some involvement

That they had in
marijuana transportation.

My brothers had naively agreed
to let someone use

One of their warehouses
they owned.

They readily admitted
their guilt

And accepted their punishment.

Were the brothers
being targeted

Because of their past
criminal activity?

We're peeling the onion on our
three victims.

I mean, man, it is looking like
we are on the right path.

This was a targeted hit.

Narcotics division
volunteers to send their dog.

They're going through
all the cars.

They're going through
the office.

At this point,
pick your federal acronym --

Hidta in d.E.A., fbi.

We've got them all in here.

And the long and short of it is

We find nothing

Connecting them to any kind
of narcotic drug activity.

Nothing, zero, zip, nada.

My cellphone is ringing.

It's an fbi agent that I know.

The d.O.J. Was concerned
that perhaps

That this was a revenge-type
killing, sending a message

To joey contreras

That all of his family members
would be targeted.

I was a federal prosecutor.

I had a protective detail
live at my house

And drive me everywhere
because of threats.

The last major prosecution
I did was a huge one.

It was a racketeering case that
targeted the texas mexican mafia

In which they were charged with
two dozen murders, racketeering,

And drug trafficking.

Does it have anything to
do with joey and what he does

As an assistant u.S. Attorney?

There's a possibility that
joey's life may be in danger.

We're concerned.

So it is most important
that we meet directly with him

To give him what we have
at this point.

I dreaded going
to the dealership.

I remember putting my hand out
to shake fil's hand,

And him kind of
pushing past my hand

And put it his arms around me
and embracing me.

I don't know if he could sense
the brokenness in me.

But I remember the sincerity,

And I'll never forget
that moment

For as long as I live.

In regards to joey contreras,
was this payback?

We didn't know.

The only thing we have
is this video that doesn't work.

48 hours later,

Our forensic video people
have done their job.

Finally we get to see the video.

And what we see on that video
is incredible.

Suddenly, this investigation

Has been brought
a new breath of life.

Three members of the
contreras family are executed

At immaculate auto sales.

Now we see the video.

Incredible what it reveals.

And I'm like, "holy crap."

It shows
a young black male

Wearing a jacket and a ball cap,

Dark glasses,
carrying a duffel-type bag,

Calmly walking into
the brothers' store,

Speaking on a cellphone.

The brothers don't even
pay any attention to him.

Casey is sitting at his desk
conducting business,

And then we see jesse,
who actually walks up

To the bulletin board,

Posting something,
and then he sits down.

And he's waiting
for the right time to strike.

The suspect puts
the phone in the backpack.

He draws a weapon.

Shoots casey first one time

And then starts to peel
through the office area

Consistently moving
and shooting.

In less than three seconds,

Three people are shot.

And just like that,
two brothers deceased,

Casey shot in the head.

He puts the gun in the backpack

And draws a gasoline can.

He starts to dump gasoline
all over casey.

Casey is moving in the chair
back and forth

While this animal
tries to ignite a fire.

He's gonna light it,
going to light it,

Going to light it
knowing casey is still alive.

As a prosecutor, you're thinking

It's really great evidence
for your case,

But it's also horrific to watch
three people be executed.

As the killer runs out
the front of the store,

Flaco is now coming in
the rear of the business.

Flaco is stunned.

"I can't believe
what I'm seeing here."

The minute he steps
out the door,

We now see our suspect,

Who is walking back
to the business.

The only reason
he would be returning

Would be to burn
that business down

To destroy any evidence.

Flaco spoils that plan.

But flaco locked eyes
with him.

30 seconds sooner,
flaco would be dead too.

There is no doubt now
what we're seeing here,

That the video is going to be
the key to solving this case.

The problem is that the video
can't name that person for us.

Could this really be a hit?

Well, we still couldn't
rule it out.

Was it somebody in a cartel
or a gang that hires out

One local gang member
to carry this out?

Who is this person
that we're dealing with?

We're checking out
every avenue that we can find.

And right now, we're coming up
with goose eggs.

And fil's the one that
has to make those phone calls

To joey and the other
family members

To tell them "we don't have
any news for you."

He said, "joey, I'm going
to catch this man.

And when I put handcuffs on him,

You'll be the first person
I call."

I believed in my heart of hearts

We were going to solve it.

I get a phone call
from a female caller.

She wanted to talk to me about,
in her words,

What happened at
immaculate auto sales.

You could have knocked me
out of my chair with a feather.

Most homicides occur
because one of three reasons --

Sex, drugs, or money.

There's nothing better
than a woman scorned.

Four months after the murders,

I get a phone call
from arion stewart.

She wanted to talk to me about,
in her words,

What happened at
immaculate auto sales.

I called arion immediately.

What I did not want happening
here is her changing her mind.

Arion tells me about
her ex-boyfriend.

His name is james tinsley.

James called her around
February, March --

A month, month and a half
after the murders.

James tinsley tells arion to
look up immaculate on her phone,

And she immediately asked him,
"did you do this?"

To which he responds, "yes."

In 2013, james and arion
had purchased

A 2003 model mitsubishi galant,
silver in color.

Seven months later,
james and arion split up.

And james quits
making car payments.

The car had broken down

And went to joe's garage
for repairs.

Well, when joe's garage
had fixed the vehicle,

They told arion
and james tinsley

That it was $200 in repairs
to get the car back,

And they didn't have the money.

When immaculate found out,
they paid the $200.

He just had to make good
on his payments,

And he'd get his car back.

James didn't do that.

At some point,
james tinsley drove by

And saw that his car
was for sale on the lot.

And he got very mad.

It was trash.

Hamburger wrappers, you know,

Hats, clothes, shoes,
stuff like that.

But nothing that's really,
really important.

Why he thought they
would keep his personal items

In the car for several months,
I don't know,

But I think that's
what ticked him off

More than
having the car repossessed.

And his anger only increased

When he was forced
to ride the bus.

I remember casey
saying, "hey, man," he goes,

"I've got a real bad feeling
about this guy that came in."

"you know, the way
he was talking to dad

And talking to everybody."

And I was like, "casey,
you know how people are.

Man, you got to ignore him."

But he didn't give me a name.

James says he went in,
shot them in the head,

And all he got out of it
was 100 bucks.

I said, "fil, why on earth --

Why isn't she
coming forward sooner?"

He said, "look, man,
she's scared.

She was afraid of him."

He had punched her.
He had choked her

He had threatened her life
with a knife.

He even threatened her
when she was pregnant.

And five days after that,

James contacted arion again.

Wanted to apologize
for the threats

And wanted to show
his good intentions

By bringing some diapers
for their 1-year-old daughter.

It was clear that the offer
of diapers was the lure.

And he grabs their child
and takes off with the baby.

It was the last straw.

The point of no return
for arion,

Where she knew that she needed
to go to the police.

Arion reports this kidnapping.

She's told unfortunately
after she makes the report that

Because james is
the father of this child,

There's not a whole lot
the police can do.

Second phone call she makes
is to me.

Is it enough to get a warrant
for james tinsley?

We call our go-to d.A.

It's not enough.

"you got to give us more
than scorned women."

So we take the photo array
to flaco,

And he's looking at it.

His hands are shaking.

And I can see
where his eyes are going.

And who does he pick?
James tinsley.

I obtain a warrant for james
on the harassment on arion.

We've located him now
at intercontinental airport

Working at a restaurant.

Child is nowhere to be found.

Now he's in the fishbowl,
and he's sitting in there

Just exactly
as I want him to be.

But will he talk to me?

Four months after three
members of the contreras family

Are executed,
I have my suspect.

James tinsley knows we're here
to talk about arion,

About this harassment report
that she's made,

And he's confident enough
in himself

That he's going to be able
to explain all of that away.

I want to establish a really
good relationship here

With james.

So want to lower his anxiety.

We begin with talking about
his relationship with arion.

Then fil starts asking
about the car.

You get a lie.

Watching what he's saying,

We have inappropriate emoting
in an amusing way.

And when we get
to the car dealership,

It is almost constant.

That was casey contreras,

The first person that he shot.

If the eyes
are the windows to the soul,

I'm looking into
the pit of darkness.

I'm starting to know the changes
in the smiles and the laughter.

I know that I'm now starting
to push the buttons that I want.

James is now becoming
a little suspicious of fil.

You see a shift in his seat,
a deep gasp,

Especially when fil
totally confronts him.

I looked him dead in the eye
and I said, "correct."

Now I can tell you what,

That one word
turned up the heat.

What does tinsley do?
He's mad at this point.

And he says, I thought we were
here talking about arion.

Not -- are you crazy?
You think I'm a murderer?"

Not denying the murder at that
particular point in time.

He's mad because
he thinks he's been had.

"you're not looking at him."

He's talking
in the third person, right?

I am pushing, pushing, pushing,

And I'm starting
to see his body respond

To his denials.

You would think
that if it wasn't him,

"let me see the video."

He didn't ask that.

James looks like a caged animal.

He is wanting to leave,

And he finally says
"I'm out of here."

He has lost everything
we talked about

For probably 30 minutes

About the whole reason
we're sitting in this room.

No matter what he said,
we had him.

We had him.

And there is more evidence tying
him to the capital murders.

The bus records show
that james tinsley boards a bus

Within minutes of the murder
at the murder location.

And the defendant's
cellphone records

Put him in the area
within minutes after the murder.

The sister answers the door.

Lo and behold, there's james'
and arion's daughter.

She seems to be in great health,
in good shape.

In the end, we're able
to call arion

And give her her daughter.

So they were reunited together.

I was at home.

The phone rang.

"do you remember
the promise I made to you?"

I knew I'd hear
what he was going to say.

You can clearly hear
over the phone...

Were sobs.

But they weren't
sobs of sadness.

They were sobs of relief.

He said,
"I have arrested the man

Who killed your brothers
and nephew."

James tinsley was
in court Wednesday morning

Facing capital murder charges.

The verdict was guilty,

Guilty of capital murder.

Automatic life without parole.

I was just shaking.

The greatest feeling was to see
him March out of that courtroom

Dressed in his little
nice clothes

And turn back around
in an orange jump suit.

That's the first time
that you let

Your guard down as a person

And you can actually feel it
along with them.

And so you feel
the relief that they feel,

And you feel good
that they're gonna get justice.

And you're just so thankful
at that point

That they at least have that,
that they have closure.

I think about my brothers
and casey every single day.

There's not ever been a day
that I don't think about them.

This was a book
that was given to us,

To the family
at the funeral home

With pictures of jesse
and tony and casey.

Just celebrating their life.

We have a lifetime
of memories.

"from darkness, light.
From light, truth.

From truth, justice.

With deep gratitude,
from the contreras family."

And as a result of
this horrible act,

The contreras family
welcomed me.