Evil Talks: Chilling Confessions (2018–…): Season 1, Episode 4 - The Bodies in the Ashes - full transcript

ASHLEY, LOOK AT ME.

AWW, YOU'RE SO PRETTY.

WHEN A DAUGHTER
TRAGICALLY TAKES HER OWN LIFE...

I REMEMBER SAYING,

"MY GOD,
MY BABY IS DEAD."

IN THE INITIAL STAGE,

THERE'S NOTHING YOU CAN DO
TO HELP.

THERE'S NO MAGIC WORDS
YOU CAN TELL THEM

THAT'S GOING TO MAKE
THEM FEEL BETTER.

A MOTHER IS DETERMINED
TO UNCOVER THE TRUTH.

I HOUNDED THAT DETECTIVE.



HE JUST SAID, "IT'S A SUICIDE.
THE CASE IS CLOSED."

IS IT AN OPEN-AND-SHUT CASE,

OR WILL A SHOCKING CONFESSION
REVEAL SOMETHING MORE SINISTER?

HE HAS NO REMORSE, NO REGRET.

HE IS JUST THE DEVIL.

HE IS THE SCARIEST PERSON
I'VE SAT ACROSS FROM.

IN THE INTERROGATION ROOM,

POLICE MUST CONFRONT EVIL.

WHEN DID YOU DECIDE THAT

YOU WERE GOING TO KILL
THIS PERSON?

WHY DID YOU CHOOSE MURDER?

DO YOU THINK OF YOURSELF
AS A SERIAL KILLER?

SIFTING THROUGH
UNSPEAKABLE CRIMES

AND THE DARK SECRETS...



I HAD A KNIFE
AND WENT DOWN.

I AM A KILLER.

I'VE KILLED THREE OTHER PEOPLE.

...THE TRUTH CAN ONLY BE
REVEALED WHEN EVIL TALKS.

MONDAY, JANUARY 19, 2004--

RENEE COULTER IS TRYING
TO REACH HER DAUGHTER

ASHLEY WILSON,
BUT ASHLEY ISN'T PICKING UP.

WE TALKED EVERY DAY.

SHE WOULD CALL ME.
I'D CALL HER.

WE WERE ALWAYS IN TOUCH
WITH EACH OTHER.

I CALLED HER ALL DAY ON MONDAY,
AND SHE NEVER ANSWERED.

RENEE BELIEVES ASHLEY
IS UPSET WITH HER

AFTER A CONVERSATION
THEY HAD FOUR DAYS AGO.

MOM, I HAVE TO
TELL YOU SOMETHING,

BUT I DON'T KNOW
HOW TO START.

WHAT IS IT, HONEY?

MY LAST CONVERSATION
WITH HER...

YOU CAN TELL ME
ANYTHING, SWEETHEART.

I SAID, "JUST TELL ME, HON,"

AND THEN SHE TOLD ME
SHE WAS PREGNANT.

SO I WENT BY HER HOUSE
AFTER WORK,

AND SHE SHOWED ME
THE ULTRASOUND,

AND I WAS LIKE,
"YOU KNOW, HONEY,

YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE
TO MOVE BACK HOME.

YOU'RE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE
TO DO THIS ON YOUR OWN."

WE'LL JUST HAVE TO
FIGURE IT OUT.

WON'T WE?

ASHLEY ONLY RECENTLY
MOVED OUT TO LIVE ALONE

AFTER RECOVERING FROM
A DEVASTATING CAR ACCIDENT.

WITH NO JOB AND NO PLANS
FOR THE FUTURE,

RENEE FEARS HER
19-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER

ISN'T UP TO THE CHALLENGE.

SHE SAID SHE UNDERSTOOD,
BUT I DON'T THINK SHE DID.

SHE WAS JUST HAPPY THAT
SHE WAS GOING TO HAVE A BABY.

SHE KNEW I WAS NOT REAL HAPPY
ABOUT IT, THOUGH, AND I WASN'T.

DAYS LATER, RENEE IS
GROWING CONCERNED

THAT SHE CAN'T GET IN TOUCH
WITH HER DAUGHTER.

SO I DECIDED I WAS GOING TO GO
BY HER PLACE AFTER WORK.

I WAS KNOCKING ON THE DOOR
AND CALLING HER NAME,

BUT SHE COULD SLEEP LIKE A ROCK
AND WOULD NOT WAKE UP,

BUT I'M THINKING,
"THIS REALLY IS NOT GOOD."

WHEN WAS THE LAST
TIME YOU SAW HER?

FIVE DAYS AGO.

THE MAINTENANCE GUY LET
ME INTO HER APARTMENT.

ASHLEY?

I REMEMBER WALKING IN,
LOOKING TO THE RIGHT

BECAUSE THAT'S
WHERE HER BED WAS,

AND SAYING, "MY GOD,
MY BABY IS DEAD."

AND I RAN OUT.

I COULDN'T THINK OF THE ADDRESS.

I COULDN'T THINK OF ANYTHING,

SO THIS GENTLEMAN
WAS WALKING BY,

AND I ASKED HIM TO PLEASE
CALL 911 FOR ME,

AND I SAT DOWN ON THE STEPS

AND...

WAS JUST IN DISBELIEF.

IT WAS JUST HORRIFYING...

TO KNOW
AND TO SEE MY OWN CHILD --

IT WAS DEVASTATING
BEYOND BELIEF.

POLICE CALLED TO
THE SCENE KNOW ONLY THAT

A YOUNG WOMAN IS DEAD.

EVERY DEATH IS TREATED
AS A HOMICIDE

UNTIL IT'S PROVEN
TO BE OTHERWISE.

WHEN I ENTERED THE APARTMENT,

THE SMELL OF DECOMPOSITION
WAS VERY STRONG,

AND I NOTICED,
IMMEDIATELY TO MY RIGHT,

THERE WAS A BODY ON A BED
WITH A PILLOWCASE

OVER WHAT APPEARED
TO BE HER HEAD.

WE FOUND THAT HER NECK
WAS ATTACHED TO A GREEN CORD

WHICH WAS TIED TO
THE HEADBOARD OF A BED

WHICH APPEARED TO BE
A SELF-HANGING.

THERE WAS A NOTE NEXT TO THE BED
IN ASHLEY'S HANDWRITING.

"I DON'T WANT TO BRING
OUR CHILD UP

WITHOUT THE PARENTS
BEING TOGETHER.

I HATE THAT WITH A BIG PASSION.

I DOUBT I CAN
HANDLE THIS ON MY OWN.

I WISH THAT ALL THE THINGS
WOULD JUST GO AWAY,

AND I CAN BE HAPPY AGAIN.

ASHLEY."

HE CAME DOWNSTAIRS,
AND HE SAID...

MISS COULTER..."WE FOUND A HANDWRITTEN NOTE

FROM YOUR DAUGHTER

WHICH MAKES IT LOOK
LIKE THIS IS A SUICIDE,"

AND I SAID, "NO. I DON'T CARE
WHAT THAT NOTE SAID.

SHE DID NOT KILL HERSELF."

SHE WAS VERY UPSET.

OF COURSE, ANY PARENT WOULD BE

IF THEY STEPPED
INTO AN APARTMENT

AND NOT ONLY SAW
THEIR CHILD DECEASED,

BUT TO BE IN THAT CONDITION HAD
TO BE VERY TRAUMATIC FOR HER.

IN THE BACK OF MY MIND,

I THOUGHT MAYBE
RENEE WAS IN DENIAL.

WHILE THE MEDICAL EXAMINER
CONDUCTS AN AUTOPSY,

DETECTIVE KUBRICHT CONTINUES
TO WORK THE CASE.

HE TRACKS DOWN
ASHLEY'S BOYFRIEND.

HE WAS REPORTED BY RENEE
TO BE THE FATHER OF THE CHILD,

SO NATURALLY,

PART OF MY INVESTIGATION
IS GOING TO BE FIND HIM,

MAKE CONTACT WITH HIM
AND SEE WHAT HE HAS TO SAY.

HELLO?

THIS IS DETECTIVE
MICHAEL KUBRICHT,

FORT BEND SHERIFF'S OFFICE.

WHAT HAPPENED?

THE BOYFRIEND KNEW
ABOUT ASHLEY'S PREGNANCY,

BUT HE IS SHOCKED BY HER DEATH
AND HAS A TIME-STAMPED ALIBI.

MY GOD.
THAT'S HORRIBLE.

HE WAS WORKING IN
ANOTHER STATE AT THE TIME.

HE WAS VERY DISTRAUGHT, VERY
SAD, AND HE WAS DEEPLY HURT.

AT THAT POINT, I FELT SAFE
IN CONCLUDING

THAT HE WAS NOT A PERSON
OF INTEREST IN THIS CASE.

FOR DETECTIVE KUBRICHT,

THE EVIDENCE IS BEGINNING TO
ADD UP.

THERE WAS NO OTHER INFORMATION
THAT LED US TO BELIEVE

IT WAS ANYTHING
OTHER THAN SUICIDE.

SHE TOOK SIX DIFFERENT
PSYCH MEDICATIONS.

SOME OF THOSE MEDICATIONS,
SHE HAD STOPPED TAKING

DUE TO THE PREGNANCY.

THOSE MEDICATIONS
HAVE A SUICIDE WARNING.

WE HAD THE NOTE.

THE HANDWRITING WAS CONFIRMED
TO BE ASHLEY'S.

IT DID NOT ACTUALLY SAY THAT
SHE WAS GOING TO KILL HERSELF,

BUT IT DID GIVE US AN IDEA
OF THE DEEP STATE OF DEPRESSION

THAT SHE WAS IN.

THE MEDICAL EXAMINER
DELIVERS THE RESULT OF

THE AUTOPSY --
AND A VERDICT.

ASHLEY DIED BY
ASPHYXIATION DUE TO HANGING.

THE CAUSE OF DEATH
WAS RULED SUICIDE.

RENEE SIMPLY CANNOT
ACCEPT THAT HER DAUGHTER

TOOK HER OWN LIFE.

NOTHING THAT SHE DID
EVER INDICATED TO ME

THAT SHE WAS THAT UNHAPPY THAT
SHE WOULD TRY TO HARM HERSELF.

SHE WAS SO HAPPY
SHE WAS PREGNANT,

SOMETHING THAT SHE COULD
LOVE AND HANG ONTO.

TO RENEE, THE EVIDENCE
DOESN'T ADD UP.

NONE OF IT MADE SENSE.

HER KEY WAS MISSING
FROM THE KEY CHAIN.

THE CEILING FAN WAS NOT ON.

THE TV WAS NOT ON.

SHE ALWAYS HAD BOTH
OF THOSE GOING.

RENEE IS HAUNTED BY

QUESTIONS ABOUT
HER DAUGHTER'S DEATH,

BUT DETECTIVES INSIST THERE
IS NOTHING MORE TO INVESTIGATE.

I HOUNDED THAT DETECTIVE.

HE JUST SAID, "IT'S A SUICIDE.
THE CASE IS CLOSED."

SO RENEE DECIDES TO
GET ANSWERS HER OWN WAY.

I HAD ASHLEY'S PHONE
FORWARDED TO MINE

SO THAT I COULD TALK TO WHOEVER
CALLED TO TRY TO FIND OUT

IF THEY KNEW ANYTHING.

WHEN'S THE LAST TIME
THEY HEARD FROM HER?

SEVERAL WEEKS AFTER
ASHLEY'S DEATH,

SOMEONE CALLS HER PHONE.

HELLO?

THE CALL WILL ALTER
THE COURSE OF THE INVESTIGATION.

POLICE IN RICHMOND, TEXAS,

ARE CONVINCED THAT 19-YEAR-OLD
ASHLEY WILSON COMMITTED SUICIDE.

ALL THEY SAID WAS, "THE NOTE,"

AND, "SHE HUNG HERSELF,"

AND I DISAGREED WITH THEM.

I KNEW, IN MY HEART,
SHE DIDN'T DO IT.

I HAD ASHLEY'S PHONE
TRANSFERRED TO MINE,

AND I GOT A CALL.

HELLO?

HE SAID, "HEY.
THIS IS DAN LEACH,"

AND HE'S LIKE,
"I WAS TRYING TO REACH ASHLEY."

DANIEL.

AND I HAD PREVIOUSLY
MET DAN LEACH

WHEN HE AND ASHLEY WERE FRIENDS,

AND I SAID, "WELL, ASHLEY DIED,"

AND HE SAID, "WOW.
I'M SORRY TO HEAR THAT."

AND I SAID, "THEY'RE SAYING IT'S
A SUICIDE, BUT I KNOW BETTER."

ASHLEY AND DAN HAD
KNOWN EACH OTHER

SINCE HIGH SCHOOL.

DAN LEACH DID SEEM LIKE
A VERY NICE YOUNG MAN.

HE AND HIS FAMILY WENT TO CHURCH
THREE TIMES A WEEK.

HE WAS, "YES, MA'AM.
NO, MA'AM," VERY POLITE.

ASHLEY AND DAN HAD BEEN DATING

UNTIL ASHLEY WAS IN
A HORRIFIC CAR ACCIDENT.

SHE FRACTURED HER SKULL.

SHE WAS IN A COMA FOR,
I THINK, A SOLID WEEK.

SHE HAD TO LEARN OVER
HOW TO WALK AND TO TALK,

AND IT TOOK QUITE
A WHILE FOR HER

TO BE ABLE TO
REGAIN ALL OF THAT.

DAN VISITED ASHLEY
WHILE SHE WAS HOSPITALIZED.

WHEN SHE SAW DAN,
SHE STARTED CRYING, AND I SAID,

"IT'S OKAY, AND SHE'S
REALLY HAPPY TO SEE YOU."

I THOUGHT HE WAS
REALLY A NICE KID.

ASHLEY PUSHES THROUGH
REHAB TO REJOIN HIGH SCHOOL

AND GRADUATE WITH HER CLASS.

THIS IS ASHLEY'S
GRADUATION PICTURE,

JUNE 2, 2002.

SHE WAS SO HAPPY AND EXCITED,

AND YOU CAN JUST
TELL BY HER FACE.

SHE JUST WAS THRILLED.

"THE PERSON I ADMIRE
THE MOST...

IS MY MOM...

FOR PUTTING UP WITH ALL
THE HELL THAT I GAVE HER."

I NEVER READ THAT.

AFTER GRADUATION,
ASHLEY MOVED OUT

TO LIVE BY HERSELF,

BUT RENEE WORRIED
BECAUSE THE BRAIN INJURY

HAD CHANGED HER DAUGHTER.

SHE PROBABLY WAS ON, LIKE,
FIVE DIFFERENT MEDS

FOR THE BRAIN INJURY
AND DEPRESSION.

SHE WAS TRUSTING AND FRIENDLY,
BUT, AFTER THE ACCIDENT,

IT WAS LIKE

SHE BELIEVED EVERYTHING
EVERYBODY TOLD HER,

AND, YOU KNOW, NO MATTER
HOW MANY TIMES I TOLD HER

TO BE CAREFUL,

IT JUST REALLY NEVER SUNK IN.

DESPITE
HER DAUGHTER'S STRUGGLES,

RENEE REMAINS CONVINCED HER
DAUGHTER DID NOT COMMIT SUICIDE.

AND, SEVEN WEEKS AFTER
ASHLEY'S DEATH,

AN UNEXPECTED VISIT
CAUSES POLICE

TO TAKE ANOTHER
LOOK AT THE CASE.

I WAS THE ON-CALL DETECTIVE FOR
THE ROBBERY AND HOMICIDE UNIT.

FONTENOT.

WHAT?

I RECEIVED A CALL STATING
THAT THERE WAS AN INDIVIDUAL

IN THE LOBBY

THAT WANTED TO GIVE
INFORMATION PERTAINING

TO THE ASHLEY WILSON
SUICIDE CASE.

YOU'VE GOT INFORMATION
ABOUT ASHLEY WILSON'S DEATH?

HE HAD INFORMATION THAT
ASHLEY WILSON'S DEATH

WAS NOT A SUICIDE
BUT A HOMICIDE.

HE KEPT SAYING
THAT HE HAD INFORMATION.

I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT THAT
INFORMATION WAS OR

IF IT WAS ENOUGH INFORMATION
TO OPEN UP THE CASE.

HE NEVER SAYS THAT HE DID IT.

THE MAN ONLY STAYS
A FEW MOMENTS

AND DOES NOT GIVE HIS NAME.

HE CAME OF HIS OWN FREE WILL,

AND WHEN HE WAS THROUGH
TALKING TO ME,

HE LEFT AT HIS OWN FREE WILL.

BUT NOW DETECTIVES WONDER,

WAS ASHLEY'S DEATH
ACTUALLY A HOMICIDE?

WHO WAS THIS MAN?

HE PIQUED MY INTEREST.

I WANTED TO KNOW
WHAT INFORMATION THAT HE HAD.

IS THE EVIDENCE
IN THE ASHLEY WILSON CASE

REALLY WHAT IT SEEMS?

TWO DAYS LATER, THE MAN
RETURNS TO THE STATION.

THIS TIME HE BRINGS HIS FAMILY
AND HIS PASTOR.

HIS NAME IS DAN LEACH,

ASHLEY'S HIGH SCHOOL BOYFRIEND.

AT THAT POINT, I HAVE
TO BE REALLY HONEST.

I DID NOT EXPECT TO RECEIVE

ANY CONFESSION FROM HIM
AT ALL.

DAN LEACH WAIVES
HIS RIGHT TO COUNSEL,

SITS DOWN WITH DETECTIVES,

AND DROPS A BOMBSHELL.

SEVEN WEEKS AFTER
ASHLEY WILSON'S TRAGIC DEATH

WAS RULED A SUICIDE,
DAN LEACH WALKS INTO

THE FORT BEND, TEXAS,
SHERIFF'S OFFICE

AND CLAIMS IT WAS MURDER.

IT WAS A SHOCK.

IT WAS A SURPRISE.

SOMEONE JUST CAME IN

AND WANTED
TO CONFESS TO A HOMICIDE.

THAT WAS A FIRST FOR ME
AND A FIRST

FOR DETECTIVE KUBRICHT,
TO MY KNOWLEDGE.

DETECTIVES AREN'T EVEN SURE

WHERE TO BEGIN AND INTERROGATION

INTO A CRIME
THAT DOESN'T OFFICIALLY EXIST.

ASHLEY'S DEATH HAS BEEN
RULED A SUICIDE.

IN ORDER TO OPEN UP THE CASE,

WE WOULD HAVE HAD TO HAVE
DETAILED INFORMATION

THAT THE SUSPECT WAS THERE
AND HAD COMMITTED THAT HOMICIDE.

DETECTIVES FONTENOT
AND KUBRICHT

BEGIN BY ASKING LEACH TO CONFIRM
BASIC INFORMATION

ABOUT ASHLEY'S DEATH.

SOME PEOPLE DO,
FOR WHATEVER REASON,

TRY TO CONFESS TO CRIMES
THEY DIDN'T COMMIT.

IN ORDER TO PROTECT
A LOVED ONE, IT IS NOT UNUSUAL.

EVEN IF LEACH IS
TELLING THE TRUTH

ABOUT HIS INVOLVEMENT
IN ASHLEY'S DEATH,

A CONFESSION ALONE
MAY NOT BE ENOUGH.

I NEEDED TO ESTABLISH
HIS MENTAL COMPETENCY

TO MAKE SURE THAT HE KNEW
WHAT HE WAS SAYING.

I NEED TO BE ABSOLUTELY SURE
THAT HE'S ABLE TO DESCRIBE

CERTAIN THINGS
ABOUT THAT APARTMENT

AND THAT SCENE THAT NO OTHER
PERSON WOULD HAVE KNOWN

UNLESS THEY WERE IN THAT SCENE.

TO MAKE THEIR CASE,
DETECTIVES MUST OBTAIN

TANGIBLE EVIDENCE
FROM THIS INTERROGATION.

OTHERWISE, LEACH COULD RECANT
HIS CONFESSION AT ANY TIME

AND POSSIBLY GET AWAY
WITH MURDER.

A LOT IS AT STAKE
IN THAT INTERVIEW:

THE INFORMATION,
THE QUESTION I DON'T ASK,

THE INFORMATION I DON'T OBTAIN,
A MISTAKE ON MY PART

THAT MAKES HIM
COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN

AND NOT WANT TO
TALK TO ME ANYMORE.

YOU HAVE TO BE VERY CAREFUL
WHEN YOU DO THAT.

OUTSIDE THE INTERROGATION ROOM,

INVESTIGATORS DIG INTO
LEACH'S BACKGROUND.

HE SERVED IN THE AIR FORCE,
HAS NO CRIMINAL RECORD

AND HAS A HISTORY WITH ASHLEY.

DAN LEACH AND ASHLEY WILSON
WENT TO HIGH SCHOOL TOGETHER.

AS A MATTER OF FACT, THEY WERE
HIGH SCHOOL SWEETHEARTS

BEFORE ASHLEY WILSON
HAD HER ACCIDENT.

AFTER HE GRADUATED,
HE WENT INTO THE MILITARY.

WHEN HE CAME BACK,
ASHLEY WILSON FOUND OUT

THAT HE WAS BACK,
AND SHE REACHED OUT TO HIM.

SIX WEEKS LATER,
ASHLEY CALLED HIM WITH NEWS.

HE SAID HE WAS EMBARRASSED BY
ASHLEY BECAUSE OF THE ACCIDENT,

THAT ASHLEY WOULD NEVER
REACH A LEVEL OF MATURITY

THAT WAS UP TO HIS STANDARDS,

SO EVEN THOUGH HE SPENT
TIME WITH ASHLEY,

HE DIDN'T WANT ANY OTHER PEOPLE,

HIS PARENTS, HER PARENTS
OR ANYONE ELSE,

TO KNOW THAT HE WAS
SPENDING TIME WITH HER.

LEACH CLAIMS HIS SHAME
OVER ASHLEY'S PREGNANCY

DROVE HIM TO
A DESPERATE DECISION.

IF DAN LEACH REALLY
DID MURDER ASHLEY WILSON,

HOW DID HE MAKE HER DEATH
LOOK LIKE A SUICIDE?

THERE WAS A NOTE NEXT
TO THE BED

IN ASHLEY'S HANDWRITING

THAT WENT INTO DETAIL
ABOUT HER DEPRESSION

AND WHAT WAS GOING
ON IN HER LIFE.

"THE NUMBER-ONE THING
I'M SCARED OF

IS THE FACT THAT YOU
AND ME AREN'T TOGETHER,

AND I DON'T WANT
TO BRING OUR CHILD UP

WITHOUT THE PARENTS
BEING TOGETHER."

DID DAN LEACH DRIVE
A TRUSTING AND VULNERABLE

YOUNG WOMAN
TO TAKE HER OWN LIFE,

OR ARE DETECTIVES SITTING ACROSS
FROM A DIABOLICAL KILLER?

THERE HE'S JUST ACKNOWLEDGED

TO ONE OF THE ELEMENTS
OF THE OFFENSE.

HE HAD THE INTENT TO GO THERE
IN ORDER TO MURDER HER.

LEACH SAYS HE ARRIVED
AT ASHLEY'S APARTMENT

AROUND 11 P.M. ON JANUARY 15...

HEY.HEY.

...AND SPENT HOURS TALKING
TO HER ABOUT HER PREGNANCY

AND HER DEEPEST FEARS.

LEACH SAYS HE WANTED ASHLEY
TO FEEL ANXIOUS.

DAN LEACH'S
STARTLING CLAIM

THAT ASHLEY DIDN'T
COMMIT SUICIDE

IS WHAT HER MOTHER
HAS BELIEVED ALL ALONG.

DETECTIVE KUBRICHT CALLED.

MRS. COULTER.

HE SAID, "DO YOU KNOW
A GUY NAMED DAN LEACH?"

AND I SAID, "YES. WHY?"

AND HE SAID,
"WELL, HE CONFESSED."

CONFESSED TO WHAT?

AND HE SAID,
"HE MURDERED ASHLEY,"

AND IT WAS JUST
A WHOLE FLOOD OF EMOTIONS.

I THOUGHT I WAS
GOING TO PASS OUT.

RENEE HEADS TO
THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE

TO CONFRONT DETECTIVE
KUBRICHT DIRECTLY.

WELL, I LOOKED AT HIM,
AND I SAID...

MAKE SURE YOU GET THIS RIGHT.

"I TOLD YOU SHE
DIDN'T KILL HERSELF.

YOU MAKE SURE YOU DO THIS RIGHT,

OR I'M GOING
TO **** KILL YOU,

AND I'M GOING TO
**** KILL LEACH."

DAN LEACH IS CLAIMING
HE KILLED ASHLEY WILSON

DESPITE THE TEXTBOOK
SUICIDE SCENE

FOUND IN ASHLEY'S APARTMENT,

BUT, AS LEACH DESCRIBES
THE EVENTS

THAT LED TO ASHLEY'S DEATH,

THE DETAILS SUGGEST HE'S
TELLING THE HORRIBLE TRUTH.

LEACH TELLS POLICE HE ASKED
ASHLEY TO TRY A TRUST EXERCISE.

THANKS AGAIN FOR COMING BY.

I'M REALLY HAPPY YOU'RE
TAKING THIS SO WELL.

YEAH.

HE PERSUADES HER TO
PUT HER FEARS DOWN ON PAPER

BY TELLING HER
IT WILL BE THERAPEUTIC.

SO WHY DON'T YOU WRITE DOWN
THINGS THAT YOU'RE AFRAID OF,

THINGS YOU'VE NEVER
TOLD ANYONE BEFORE?

AND I'LL DO THE SAME.

WHY?

SO WE CAN START TO TRUST
EACH OTHER MORE.

HE WAS MATTER-OF-FACT.

HE WAS COLD,
DEFINITELY CALCULATED,

AND UNFEELING.

I DON'T KNOW IF HE
WOULD HAVE BEEN ABLE

TO ACCOMPLISH THAT
WITH ANOTHER PERSON,

BUT ASHLEY WAS VERY NAIVE,

VERY VULNERABLE,

AND I BELIEVE
SHE TRUSTED DAN.

THAT'S EXACTLY WHERE
THE NOTE WAS FOUND.

THEN LEACH MOVED ON
TO THE NEXT PHASE OF HIS PLAN.

NOW BREATHE DEEPLY.

WHAT ARE YOU DOING?

IT WAS A GAME
THAT HE PLAYED WITH HER,

AND I DON'T REMEMBER,
AT THIS TIME, FEELING ANYTHING.

I JUST WANTED HIM TO DESCRIBE,
IN GREAT DETAIL, WHAT HE DID

AND HOW HE DID IT

JUST SO IT WOULD
STRENGTHEN OUR CASE.

HE WANTED TO BLIND HER
BECAUSE HE DID NOT WANT HER

TO SEE WHAT HE WAS DOING.

ONLY THE INVESTIGATORS
THAT WERE THERE

AND ASHLEY WILSON'S MOTHER,

WHO FOUND HER INITIALLY --
OTHER THAN THAT,

THAT INFORMATION,
TO MY KNOWLEDGE,

WAS NOT PUT OUT
TO THE LOCAL MEDIA.

DETECTIVES THOUGHT
LEACH MIGHT HAVE TALKED

ASHLEY INTO TAKING HER OWN LIFE,

BUT, INSTEAD, HE REVEALS
THAT HIS PLAN

WAS TO KILL
ASHLEY HIMSELF.

THAT'S WHEN HE CONVINCES
ASHLEY WILSON

TO PLACE HER HANDS
UNDERNEATH HIS LEGS

SO HE CAN RESTRAIN HER
AND KEEP HER FROM FIGHTING

AND NOT LEAVING
ANY MARKS ON HER.

WHEN HE DID THAT, I KNEW,
WITHOUT A DOUBT,

HE WAS THE ONE
THAT COMMITTED THE MURDER.

THE WAY HE DESCRIBED IT, NO
ONE ELSE WOULD HAVE KNOWN THAT.

NOW PUT YOUR ARMS
UNDER MY LEGS.

WE'VE GOT TO BE ABLE
TO TRUST EACH OTHER, ASHLEY.

SHE KNEW WHAT WAS GOING ON.

SHE WAS ABLE
TO INSTANTLY REALIZE,

"THERE'S SOMETHING
AROUND MY NECK.

I CAN'T BREATHE. I CAN'T MOVE."

I THINK THAT'S PARTICULARLY
VERY HORRIFYING.

HE DOESN'T TURN HIS EYES
AWAY FROM EITHER ONE OF US.

HE LOOKS DIRECTLY AT US.

EVEN WHEN HE GETS TO THAT POINT

WHERE HE EXPLAINS
HOW HE STRANGLES HER,

HE DOESN'T FLINCH.

EVEN THE SEASONED DETECTIVES

ARE TAKEN ABACK
BY LEACH'S STORY.

I BELIEVE THOSE ARE THE WORDS
OF A PSYCHOPATH.

IT'S SO HEART-WRENCHING TO THINK

THAT HERE IS
A 19-YEAR-OLD...

WHO PUTS HER TRUST IN SOMEONE,

THINKING NOTHING BAD
IS GOING TO HAPPEN...

AND THEN HE KILLS HER.

BUT TO POLICE,
LEACH'S CALL TO RENEE

BETRAYS SOMETHING ELSE.

THEY NOW BELIEVE
HIS CONFESSION IS TRUE,

BUT HIS MOTIVE IS SUSPECT.

I STARTED TO GET THIS FEELING

THAT MAYBE THIS ISN'T
THE FIRST TIME

DAN HAS DONE THIS.

THIS IS A PICTURE OF US WHEN
ASHLEY WAS BEING DISCHARGED,

ASHLEY AND MYSELF,
MY SISTER, ASHLEY'S DAD,

ASHLEY'S SIBLING,

AND THEN DAN LEACH

STANDING RIGHT THERE
HOLDING HANDS WITH HER...

LOOKING LIKE HE
WAS HAPPY FOR HER.

WELL, I THINK I ACCIDENTALLY
CAME UPON THIS PICTURE,

BUT I CERTAINLY SAVED IT,
SO I COULD SEND THIS PICTURE TO

LEACH IN PRISON,

WHICH I DID SEVERAL TIMES.

YEAH. "LOOK AT THAT GIRL
THAT YOU TOOK,

AND LOOK AT HER FAMILY.

WHY ARE YOU STILL ALIVE?"

DAN LEACH GOT AWAY
WITH MURDER.

WHAT DROVE HIM TO CONFESS?

IT'S CURIOUS TO KNOW WHY,
WHEN YOU GOT AWAY WITH IT,

WHY YOU WOULD COME IN.

LEACH SAYS IT WAS GOD'S WILL.

HE WAS VERY INVOLVED IN HIS
CHURCH FROM EARLY CHILDHOOD

AND CONTINUED HIS
INVOLVEMENT IN CHURCH,

EVEN THOUGH HE WENT
TO THE AIR FORCE, CAME BACK.

DAN SAID THAT, IN ORDER
FOR HIS REDEMPTION,

HE WOULD HAVE TO COME BEFORE
THE LAW

AND BE JUDGED BY THE LAW,

AND, BY DOING THAT,
HE WOULD GO TO HEAVEN.

STILL, DETECTIVES
DON'T BELIEVE

HE'S TELLING THE WHOLE TRUTH.

THERE WAS NO REMORSE SHOWN
FOR ASHLEY OR HER FAMILY.

EVERYTHING WAS CENTERED
AROUND HIS REDEMPTION,

HIS BEING ACCEPTED INTO HEAVEN,
ATTENTION ON HIM.

PEOPLE MURDER FOR
DIFFERENT REASONS.

DAN LEACH MURDERED FOR PLEASURE.

HE FOUND PLEASURE IN IT.

IN THEIR EYES, LEACH
SEEMS TO TAKE AN UNHOLY PRIDE

IN HAVING COMMITTED
THE PERFECT MURDER.

I DON'T BELIEVE DAN
LEACH WAS CONCERNED ABOUT

GETTING AWAY WITH MURDER.

HE WASN'T SATISFIED
THAT HE GOT AWAY WITH IT.

HE WANTED MORE.

"I BEAT THEM. I WON.
THEY DON'T KNOW I DID IT.

NOW I HAVE TO LET THEM
KNOW THAT I BEAT THEM."

TO INVESTIGATORS,
THAT'S THE ATTITUDE OF A MAN

WHO WOULD KILL AND KILL AGAIN.

BUT DETECTIVES BELIEVE
HE CAME CLOSE.

WHILE IN FLORIDA,

LEACH BECAME INVOLVED
WITH A WOMAN IN THE AIR FORCE.

SHE ENDED THAT RELATIONSHIP.

DAN TOOK IT
REALLY, REALLY HARD

AND STARTED TO DO
SOME CRAZY THINGS.

KUBRICHT CALLS LEACH'S
FORMER COMMANDING OFFICER

AND UNCOVERS A TERRIFYING STORY.

HE CLIMBED THROUGH HER WINDOW
IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT

IN HIS UNDERWEAR
AND APPEARED IN HER BEDROOM

AND WAS STANDING OVER HER
WHILE SHE WAS SLEEPING.

LEACH WAS COURT-MARTIALED

AND GIVEN
A DISHONORABLE DISCHARGE.

HEY.HI.

HE RETURNED HOME TO TEXAS
AND INTO ASHLEY'S ARMS.

IF IT WASN'T ASHLEY, IT WOULD
HAVE BEEN SOMEONE ELSE.

I BELIEVE THAT DAN LEACH WOULD
HAVE MURDERED AGAIN.

I BELIEVE THAT HE WOULD HAVE
BECAME A SERIAL KILLER.

IN AUGUST OF 2004,

DAN LEACH PLEADS GUILTY
TO MURDER.

HE RETURNS TO COURT
FOR HIS SENTENCING.

HIS PLAN WAS TO BE FORGIVEN,

SO HE CAN GET INTO HEAVEN

BECAUSE, YOU KNOW,
HE CONFESSED.

HE'S NOT GETTING THERE BECAUSE
I'M NOT GOING TO

FORGIVE HIM EVER.

HE'S ONE OF THE WORST
KIND OF EVILS

BECAUSE HE HAS NO REMORSE,
NO REGRET.

HE IS JUST THE DEVIL.

THE JURY GAVE LEACH 75 YEARS,

AND HE'S ELIGIBLE
FOR PAROLE AFTER 35,

SO, IF THERE'S
A BREATH IN ME,

I WILL BE AT
THAT PAROLE HEARING.

I LITERALLY CRIED EVERY DAY
FOR TWO YEARS.

I MISSED HER SO MUCH EVERY DAY.

SHE IS IN MY HEART
AND MY THOUGHTS.

I JUST WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW THAT,
WHO DIDN'T KNOW ASHLEY,

YOU KNOW,
SHE WAS A GREAT KID.

SHE WANTED EVERYBODY
TO BE HER FRIEND.

SHE JUST HAD A GREAT SMILE
AND A GREAT LAUGH,

AND, YOU KNOW,
SHE TRIED VERY HARD,

IN HER SHORT, BRIEF LITTLE LIFE,
TO BE HAPPY,

AND, YOU KNOW, LEACH TOOK THAT
ALL AWAY FROM ALL OF US.