Forensic Files (1996–…): Season 8, Episode 20 - All the World's a Stage - full transcript

Woman: Do you have
an emergency?

MacArthur: I need rescue.
2145 Northeast 124th Street.

Narrator:
WHEN INVESTIGATORS ARRIVED
AT THE SCENE OF A SHOOTING,

THEY FOUND
A MOST KNOWLEDGEABLE WITNESS.

THE VICTIM'S HUSBAND
IS A HOMICIDE DETECTIVE,

AND HE SAID
THE SHOOTING WAS AN ACCIDENT.

[ GUNSHOT ]

IT TOOK A PHOTOGRAPH,

A FORENSIC SCIENTIST'S
OWN BLOOD,

AND THE FLEXIBILITY OF A TENDON
TO SOLVE THE MYSTERY.

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PILAR SAÑEZ NICOLAU ENJOYED
AN INTERNATIONAL UPBRINGING.

SHE WAS BORN IN VALENCIA, SPAIN,
EDUCATED IN PARIS,

THEN MOVED TO THE UNITED STATES,

WHERE SHE TOOK A JOB
AS A NANNY IN BOSTON.

Barraford: SHE WAS VERY
CULTURALLY KNOWLEDGEABLE.

SHE COULD SPEAK
THREE LANGUAGES --

OUR NATIVE LANGUAGE
OF VALENCIA,

SPANISH, AND FRENCH FLUENTLY,

AND SHE LOVED EVERYTHING

THAT INVOLVED THE SPANISH
OR THE FRENCH CULTURE.

SHE REALLY DID.

BUT THEN SHE ADOPTED
THE AMERICAN WAY VERY WELL.

Narrator: NOT LONG AFTER
MOVING TO THE UNITED STATES,

SHE MET TED MACARTHUR,
A BOSTON AREA POLICEMAN.



Alvarez:
HE WAS GOOD TO HER.

SHE FELL IN LOVE WITH HIM.

WHY DO YOU LOVE SOMEBODY?

THEY WERE VERY ATTRACTIVE.

Narrator: THE COUPLE MARRIED,

HAD TWO CHILDREN,
THEN MOVED TO MIAMI

WHERE TED GOT A JOB
WITH THE LOCAL POLICE

AND QUICKLY ROSE
THROUGH THE RANKS TO BECOME

A HOMICIDE INVESTIGATOR.

MY SISTER WOULD TELL ME

HE WAS VERY SUCCESSFUL
IN HIS DETECTIVE JOB.

HE RESOLVED THE BIG CASES
HERE AND THERE,

AND THAT EVERYTHING
WAS GOING FINE,

AND HE MADE A PLACE FOR HIMSELF
IN THE MIAMI DEPARTMENT.

Narrator: PILAR GOT A JOB IN THE
COUNTY'S CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM

AS A CORRECTIONS OFFICER.

YOU KNOW, INMATES CAN BE VERY
VULGAR -- VERY, VERY ROUGH.

SHE WAS JUST SO SWEET

THAT EVEN THE INMATES
COULDN'T CUSS HER OUT.

Narrator: ON AUGUST 1, 1989,

THE MACARTHUR'S TWO CHILDREN

WERE IN BOSTON
VISITING TED'S FAMILY.

AT 8:33 A.M.,
TED FRANTICALLY CALLED POLICE.

Woman: County police and fire.
Do you have an emergency?

MacArthur: I NEED RESCUE.
2145 NORTHEAST 124th STREET.

MY WIFE WAS [BLEEP] AROUND WITH
A GUN, AND SHE SHOT HERSELF.

Is this a house
or apartment?

THIS IS SERGEANT MACARTHUR
FROM HOMICIDE.

Where is she shot?

IN THE HEAD!
PLEASE HURRY!

They're on their way.

Narrator: AN AMBULANCE ARRIVED
A FEW MINUTES LATER.

TED WAS PERFORMING CPR ON PILAR,
BUT IT WAS NO USE.

EIGHT MINUTES
AFTER THEY ARRIVED,

MEDICAL PERSONNEL
PRONOUNCED PILAR DEAD

FROM A SINGLE GUNSHOT WOUND
TO HER HEAD.

DON SLOVONIC
HEADED THE INVESTIGATION.

HE RECOGNIZED TED MACARTHUR

AS A FELLOW
HOMICIDE INVESTIGATOR.

I DIDN'T SPECIFICALLY
KNOW THE MAN.

I KNEW THE NAME.

I HAD SEEN HIM AT A HOMICIDE
SCHOOL MAYBE A YEAR BEFORE.

HIS REPUTATION WAS THAT
HE WAS A GOOD INVESTIGATOR.

Narrator: TED TOLD HIS
COLLEAGUES THAT HIS WIFE

JOKINGLY PUT THE GUN TO HER HEAD
AND PULLED THE TRIGGER,

NOT REALIZING
THE GUN WAS LOADED.

[ GUNSHOT ]

PILAR WAS TRAINED
IN THE USE OF FIREARMS,

AND HER FAMILY
WAS IMMEDIATELY SUSPICIOUS.

I DON'T BELIEVE SHE WAS GOING
TO DO SOMETHING THAT STUPID.

SHE HAD MORE COMMON SENSE.

SHE WAS MORE INTELLIGENT
THAN THAT.

NO WAY, JOSE.

YOU DON'T PLAY WITH GUNS.

AND THAT'S THE BOTTOM LINE.

ESPECIALLY...ESPECIALLY...

IF YOU'RE ANY TYPE OF
LAW-ENFORCEMENT PERSON.

Narrator: BUT COULD
FORENSIC SCIENCE RECONSTRUCT

WHAT REALLY HAPPENED?

Narrator:
35-YEAR-OLD CORRECTIONS OFFICER
PILAR MACARTHUR

WAS DEAD FROM
A SINGLE GUNSHOT TO HER HEAD.

HER HUSBAND, HOMICIDE
INVESTIGATOR TED MACARTHUR,

WAS BROUGHT IN FOR QUESTIONING.

Man: DO YOU SWEAR THAT THE
STATEMENT YOU'RE ABOUT TO GIVE

WILL BE THE WHOLE TRUTH
AND NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH?

MacArthur: I DO.

Narrator:
TED SAID PILAR WAS ASLEEP,

AND HE PLAYFULLY USED A TOY
WATER PISTOL TO WAKE HER UP.

I'M UP ALREADY.

HE SAID
HE WENT INTO THE BATHROOM

TO REFILL THE WATER PISTOL,
AND WHEN HE RETURNED,

HE SAW PILAR JOKINGLY HOLDING
HIS POLICE REVOLVER TO HER HEAD.

MacArthur: AND SHE SAID,
"DON'T WORRY. IT'S NOT LOADED"

AND THEN IT WENT OFF.

[ GUNSHOT ]

Narrator: TED SAID
HE IMMEDIATELY CALLED 9-1-1,

THEN PUT PILAR ON THE FLOOR
AND BEGAN CPR.

AT THE SCENE, POLICE FOUND THE
WATER PISTOL TED REFERRED TO.

THE BULLET WOUND WAS ON
THE LEFT SIDE OF PILAR'S HEAD,

SUPPORTING TED'S ACCOUNT
OF WHAT HAD HAPPENED.

THERE WAS ONLY ONE EMPTY
CARTRIDGE IN THE GUN'S CHAMBER.

FIVE UNSPENT SHELLS
WERE ON THE NIGHTSTAND,

MEANING IT WAS POSSIBLE PILAR
THOUGHT SHE HAD EMPTIED THE GUN

AND DIDN'T REALIZE
IT WAS STILL LOADED.

AND INVESTIGATORS TESTED TED'S
HANDS FOR GUNPOWDER RESIDUE,

WHICH WOULD HAVE BEEN PRESENT
HAD HE FIRED THE GUN.

THOSE TESTS WERE NEGATIVE.

BUT SLOVONIC WAS TOO EXPERIENCED

TO MERELY ACCEPT
THE WORD OF A FELLOW OFFICER.

WHEN HE SPOKE TO
THE COUPLE'S FRIENDS, RELATIVES,

AND CO-WORKERS,

SLOVONIC LEARNED THERE WERE
PROBLEMS IN THEIR MARRIAGE.

THERE WAS A FEW PEOPLE THAT HAD
GOOD THINGS TO SAY ABOUT HIM,

BUT MOST OF THE PEOPLE
THAT I SPOKE WITH

DIDN'T SHARE
A VERY GOOD OPINION ABOUT HIM.

HE WASN'T
AN OVERLY PERSONABLE MAN.

Narrator: AND PILAR TOLD FRIENDS

THAT HER HUSBAND
WAS SPENDING MONEY

FASTER THAN THEY COULD MAKE IT.

Alvarez:
SHE WAS TELLING ME,

"HE'S WITHDRAWING
$200, $300 AT A TIME,

AND I DON'T KNOW WHERE
THIS MONEY'S GOING."

THERE WERE TIMES,
SEVERAL MONTHS BEFORE HER DEATH,

SHE WOULD GO
AND WRITE A CHECK FOR GROCERIES,

NOT REALIZING THAT
HE HAD TAKEN ALL THE MONEY OUT,

AND THE CHECK BOUNCED.

Narrator: AND WHEN PILAR
LOOKED IN HER HUSBAND'S WALLET,

SHE SAW THE REASON
FOR HIS EXTRAVAGANCE.

Alvarez: IT WAS A PICTURE
OF A WOMAN SITTING ON A BED

WITH A LITTLE NIGHTIE ON,

AND I SAID, "SO, WHAT HAPPENED?"

AND SHE SAYS, "I ASKED HIM,
AND HE SAID IT WAS JUST A CASE."

Narrator: BUT PILAR
WORKED IN LAW ENFORCEMENT

AND KNEW THE NUMBERS WRITTEN
ON THE BACK OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

WERE NOT CASE NUMBERS.

Barraford:
SO THAT'S WHEN SHE DECIDED

SHE WAS GOING
TO INVESTIGATE HERSELF.

INSTEAD OF HIRING SOMEBODY,
SHE DECIDED TO DO IT HERSELF.

AND SHE STARTED TO GO PLACES
AND ASK PEOPLE.

THEN ONE DAY, SHE'S IN A BAR,

AND SHE SAW HIM
WITH THE LADY IN THE PICTURE.

Slovonic:
I ASK HIM IN THE INTERVIEW

IF HE WAS DATING ANYONE.

HE INITIALLY DENIED IT,

AND THEN HE SAID,
YES, HE WAS DATING A LADY,

AND HE DIDN'T WANT
TO GIVE HER NAME UP.

AND I GO, "YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND.

"THIS ISN'T OPEN FOR DEBATE.

WHO IS THE LADY,
AND I WANT HER NAME RIGHT NOW."

Narrator:
TED IDENTIFIED HIS GIRLFRIEND

AS THE CRIME REPORTER FROM
THE MIAMI HERALD NEWSPAPER.

TO SAVE THEIR MARRIAGE,
TED PROMISED TO END THE AFFAIR.

FOR HER PART,

PILAR DID EVERYTHING SHE COULD
TO MAKE HER MARRIAGE WORK.

Alvarez:
SHE WAS MAKING AN EFFORT

ON HER PART
TO REALLY WIN HER HUSBAND BACK

AND REALLY REKINDLE
THE RELATIONSHIP,

AND PART OF THAT WAS, OF COURSE,
AS WITH ANY RELATIONSHIP,

MAKING YOURSELF LOOK GOOD,
LOSING THE WEIGHT,

GETTING A MAKEOVER,

CHANGING YOUR STYLE OF CLOTHING
TO INCLUDE THE NAUGHTY LINGERIE

AND STUFF LIKE THAT.

Narrator: TED PROMISED PILAR

HE WOULD BUY HER
A $30,000 LUXURY CAR

AND MADE A DEPOSIT
ON A NEW HOME.

A FEW DAYS BEFORE PILAR'S DEATH,

TED ARRANGED A ROMANTIC EVENING
FOR HIS WIFE.

HE LIT CANDLES, DREW A BATH,

AND BROUGHT A TELEVISION
INTO THE BATHROOM

SO PILAR COULD WATCH
HER FAVORITE PROGRAMS

WHILE RELAXING IN THE TUB.

Alvarez: AND HE PUT THE TV UP,
AND HE HOOKED IT UP.

AND THEN HE SAID,
"OH, I FORGOT SOMETHING."

Narrator: AND ON HIS WAY
OUT OF THE BATHROOM,

HE ACCIDENTALLY
BRUSHED AGAINST THE TELEVISION

AND IT FELL INTO THE WATER.

FEARING SHE WOULD BE
ELECTROCUTED,

PILAR FRANTICALLY KICKED
THE TV OUT OF THE WATER.

Alvarez:
HE EXPLAINED IT AS AN ACCIDENT

AND, YOU KNOW,
SAID HE WAS SORRY,

AND IT WAS NOTHING
BUT AN ACCIDENT.

AND I SAID,
"DO YOU BELIEVE HIM?"

AND SHE SAID, "YEAH."
I SAID, "OKAY."

Narrator: THIS ALLEGED ACCIDENT

JUST FIVE DAYS BEFORE
PILAR'S SUSPICIOUS DEATH

WAS QUITE A COINCIDENCE.

WHEN FORENSIC SCIENTISTS LOOKED
INTO PILAR'S SHOOTING,

THEY FOUND EVEN MORE SURPRISES.

Narrator: INVESTIGATORS ASKED
FORENSIC SCIENTIST DR. HENRY LEE

TO EXAMINE
PILAR MACARTHUR'S BEDROOM

IN AN EFFORT TO DETERMINE...

WHAT REALLY HAPPENED
ON THE DAY OF HER DEATH.

THE FIRST THING HE NOTICED

WAS THAT PILAR'S HANDS
WERE COMPLETELY CLEAN.

Dr. Lee:
HER HAND SHOULD HAVE SOME
HIGH-VELOCITY IMPACT SPATTER,

BECAUSE WHEN YOU PULL A TRIGGER,

WHEN FIRING PIN HIT THE PRIMER

AND RAPID OXIDATION
CREATE A LOT OF FORCE.

THAT FORCE PUSHED THE BULLET
FORWARD, IMPACT THE SIDE,

AND BLOOD SPATTER
WILL PROJECT FORWARD,

ALSO BACKWARDS.

Narrator:
AND TED TOLD INVESTIGATORS

THAT HE MOVED PILAR'S BODY
TO THE FLOOR IMMEDIATELY

TO PERFORM CPR
AFTER THE SHOOTING.

BUT DR. LEE
SAW SOMETHING SUSPICIOUS.

THERE APPEARED TO BE
TOO MUCH BLOOD ON THE PILLOW.

Dr. Lee: WE WEIGHED
ALL THE BLOOD CRUST.

THEN TIMES THE FACTOR
WE'D DEVELOP THE FORMULA,

ESTIMATE HOW MUCH BLOOD
ORIGINAL HAS.

AND IF SOMEBODY
LOST THAT MUCH BLOOD,

IT TAKES A WHILE --
NOT GOING TO BE A FEW SECONDS.

Narrator:
BY WEIGHING THE DRIED BLOOD,

DR. LEE DETERMINED THAT PILAR
LOST 1/3 OF HER BLOOD VOLUME,

FROM 1,000 TO 2,000 cc,

WHILE HER HEAD
WAS ON THE PILLOW.

1,000 TO 2,000 cc OF BLOOD --

THAT'S QUITE A BIT OF BLOOD
SINCE ONLY ONE GUNSHOT WOUND.

IT'S NOT LIKE A WATER FAUCET.

YOU OPEN UP,
ALL THE VOLUME COMING DOWN.

AT THE INITIAL INJURY,
THE BLOOD GOING TO GUSHING OUT,

BECAUSE THAT TIME,
THE BODY SYSTEM --

THE HEART'S STILL PUMPING
WITH THIS PRESSURE

COMING OUT MUCH FASTER.

THEN GRADUALLY SLOW DOWN --
THE BLOOD OOZE OUT.

FINALLY, CEASE THE FUNCTION --
THE BLOOD JUST LEAK OUT.

Narrator: FROM THAT VOLUME,

DR. LEE ESTIMATED PILAR HAD BEEN
ON THE BED FOR ABOUT 15 MINUTES

BEFORE TED MOVED HER
TO THE FLOOR.

THIS CONTRADICTED TED'S STORY

THAT HE MOVED PILAR TO THE FLOOR
IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE GUNSHOT.

SO MANY OR FEW SECOND
YOU MOVE THE BODY,

ALREADY HOW THAT MUCH --

1,000 TO 2,000 cc BLOOD --
GOT ON THE...BEDSHEET?

DOESN'T MAKE SENSE.

[ SIREN WAILING ]

Narrator: DR. LEE THEN READ
THE STATEMENT OF THE POLICEMEN

WHO ARRIVED AT THE SHOOTING
SCENE WITHIN A MINUTE

OF THE 9-1-1 CALL.

HE SAID THAT THE BLOOD ON
THE BED HAD ALREADY COAGULATED.

WHEN BLOOD COAGULATES,
THE SERUM, WHICH IS CLEAR,

SEPARATES FROM THE CELLS
AND PLATELETS, WHICH ARE RED.

THE BLOOD SMEAR ON THE BED,

CREATED WHEN TED
MOVED HIS WIFE TO THE FLOOR,

SHOWED CLEARLY THAT THE SERUM
HAD SEPARATED FROM THE CELLS.

THIS MEANT THAT PILAR'S BODY

HAD BEEN MOVED
AFTER THE BLOOD COAGULATED.

TO FIND OUT HOW LONG IT TAKES
HUMAN BLOOD TO COAGULATE,

DR. LEE DREW 500 cc OF HIS OWN
BLOOD FOR AN EXPERIMENT.

YOU CANNOT USE RED CROSS BLOOD.

THOSE ARE -- BLOOD HAVE
PRESERVATIVES...

E.D.T.A.

SO FRESH BLOOD HAS TO COME
FROM A HUMAN SOURCE.

Narrator: AT ROOM TEMPERATURE,
IT TOOK 15 TO 20 MINUTES

FOR DR. LEE'S BLOOD
TO COAGULATE,

OR SEPARATE,
INTO ITS COMPONENTS,

PROVING THAT PILAR HAD BEEN DEAD
15 TO 20 MINUTES

BEFORE THE PARAMEDICS ARRIVED.

IF THE BODY
WAS MOVED RIGHT AWAY,

WE SHOULD SEE A PURE BLOOD SMEAR
INSTEAD OF JUST A SERUM SMEAR.

THAT INDICATIVE -- HAS TO WAIT
AND STAGE THE SCENE.

NOW THE SCENE
COULD BE A STAGED SCENE.

Narrator: BUT IT DIDN'T PROVE
THAT PILAR WAS MURDERED.

THAT INFORMATION WOULD COME FROM
BALLISTICS EXPERT

DR. VINCENT DiMAIO,

CHIEF MEDICAL EXAMINER
IN BEXAR COUNTY, TEXAS.

THE FIRST THING HE SAW

WAS THAT THE WOUND WAS ON
THE LEFT SIDE OF PILAR'S HEAD,

YET PILAR WAS RIGHT-HANDED.

Dr. DiMaio: YOU CAN'T SAY JUST
BASED ON THAT THAT HE WAS LYING,

BUT THAT SHE USED HER LEFT HAND
IS KIND OF A FLAG

THAT MAKES YOU THINK MAYBE
YOU SHOULD LOOK A LITTLE HARDER

ON THIS CASE
THAN YOU WOULD NORMALLY.

Narrator: DR. DiMAIO KNEW
THE EXACT POSITION OF THE GUN,

BECAUSE HE COULD SEE THE OUTLINE
OF THE GUN'S SIGHT

ON PILAR'S SKIN.

IT WAS A CONTACT WOUND,

AND IMPRINTED ON THE SKIN

WAS THE IMPRINT
OF THE MUZZLE OF THE GUN,

SO THAT I KNEW HOW
THE MUZZLE OF THE GUN

WAS ORIENTED.

Narrator: WHEN HE PLACED THE GUN
IN THE SAME POSITION

WITH THE CORRECT ANGLE OF THE
BULLET'S DOWNWARD TRAJECTORY,

HE DISCOVERED SOMETHING
INTERESTING.

LET ME DEMONSTRATE.

IF WE SWEEP UP THIS WAY AND THEN
WE'D HAVE TO TURN IT THIS WAY,

THE PROBLEM IS
IS THE WAY YOUR HAND IS TWISTED,

THE TENDONS ARE PULLED,
AND YOU CANNOT PULL THE TRIGGER

NO MATTER HOW HARD YOU TRY,

BECAUSE THE TENDONS
ARE STRETCHED.

IN THIS POSITION,
OF COURSE, YOU CAN.

[ GUN CLICKS ]

THIS POSITION, YOU CAN'T.

Narrator: THAT RULED OUT
AN ACCIDENT OR SUICIDE

AND PROVED THAT SOMEONE ELSE
MUST HAVE FIRED THE GUN.

THE ONLY OTHER PERSON
IN THE BEDROOM THAT MORNING

WAS TED MACARTHUR.

IN FACT, THE GUN WAS HELD
AGAINST HER HEAD

IN THIS POSITION.

AND SO, REALLY,

THE PERSON WHO SOLVED THIS CASE
AND PROVED IT WAS A HOMICIDE...

IS THE HUSBAND.

BASED ON HIS ACCOUNT AND BASED
ON THE FINDINGS AT AUTOPSY,

IT WAS OBVIOUS HE WAS LYING.

Narrator: TED MACARTHUR
WENT BEFORE THE PUBLIC

TO PROCLAIM HIS INNOCENCE.

MacArthur: I FACE
THE DEATH PENALTY IN THIS CASE.

I WAS OFFERED A PLEA
EARLY ON IN THIS CASE.

I WOULDN'T PLEAD
TO MAKING AN ILLEGAL LEFT TURN

IN CONNECTION WITH THIS CASE.

I DID ABSOLUTELY NOTHING WRONG.

Narrator: SOON, IT WOULD BE
UP TO A JURY TO DECIDE.

Narrator: TED MACARTHUR CLAIMED

THAT HIS WIFE
PUT A GUN TO HER HEAD AS A JOKE

AND THAT IT ACCIDENTALLY
WENT OFF AND KILLED HER.

THERE ARE ENOUGH
REAL HOMICIDES IN DADE COUNTY

THAT OCCUR ON A REGULAR BASIS

THAN TO TRY TO TAKE
AN ACCIDENTAL DEATH,

FOR WHATEVER THE REASONS ARE,

AND TO TURN IT AROUND
AND TO DO THIS.

Narrator: PROSECUTORS BELIEVE
IT WAS COLD-BLOODED MURDER

AND THAT TED'S MOTIVE WAS MONEY.

THE COUPLE'S BANK RECORDS
REVEALED

TED WAS SPENDING LAVISHLY
ON HIS MISTRESS.

HE COULDN'T AFFORD
THE NEW HOUSE AND CAR.

HE NEVER WAS GONNA BUY THE HOUSE
'CAUSE HE COULDN'T AFFORD IT.

HE WASN'T GONNA BUY THE CAR
BECAUSE HE COULDN'T AFFORD IT.

ALL THESE OTHER ISSUES
WERE SIMPLY A SHOW

TO MAKE HIS WIFE THINK

THAT HE WAS TRYING
TO SAVE THEIR MARRIAGE.

Narrator: AND TED TOOK OUT
A $250,000 LIFE-INSURANCE POLICY

ON PILAR...

FIVE WEEKS
BEFORE SHE WAS MURDERED.

THAT IS SUSPICIOUS.

Narrator:
ADDED TO EXISTING POLICIES,

TED STOOD TO COLLECT $470,000

IF PILAR DIED ACCIDENTALLY.

TO SOLVE HIS MONEY PROBLEMS,
END HIS MARRIAGE,

AND START A NEW LIFE
WITH HIS MISTRESS,

PROSECUTORS BELIEVED
TED KILLED HIS WIFE

AND TRIED TO MAKE IT
LOOK LIKE AN ACCIDENT.

HE GETS MONEY.

HE'S A RECIPIENT OF SYMPATHY.

HE HAS A GLOWING REPUTATION.

NO ONE'S GONNA QUESTION HIM.

Narrator: ALMOST FOUR YEARS
AFTER PILAR'S DEATH,

TED MACARTHUR WAS CHARGED
WITH FIRST-DEGREE MURDER.

DURING THE TRIAL,

A RELAXED, CONFIDENT MACARTHUR
STUCK TO HIS STORY

THAT PILAR WAS JOKING AROUND

WHEN SHE ACCIDENTALLY
SHOT HERSELF.

I WAS SAYING -- SCREAMING TO HER
THE GUN WAS LOADED,

AND SHE WAS SMILING AT ME,
AND SHE SAID, "NO, IT'S NOT."

AND AT THAT POINT,

MY FEELINGS ARE THAT THE GUN
WAS COMING AWAY FROM HER HEAD,

AND IT DISCHARGED.

Narrator: BUT THE FORENSIC
EVIDENCE SHOWED OTHERWISE.

PROSECUTORS BELIEVED

THAT PILAR WAS PROBABLY
SLEEPING ON HER RIGHT SIDE

WHEN TED FIRED THE BULLET
INTO HER LEFT TEMPLE.

[ GUNSHOT ]

HE TOOK THE REMAINING BULLETS
OUT OF THE GUN

AND PUT THEM ON THE NIGHTSTAND,

WIPED THE GUN
TO REMOVE HIS PRINTS,

THEN WASHED HIS HANDS
TO REMOVE THE GUNPOWDER RESIDUE.

ALL OF THIS TOOK TIME --
ABOUT 15 MINUTES.

IN THIS DELAY,
PILAR'S BLOOD COAGULATED.

TED MACARTHUR MADE THE MISTAKE
OF SHOOTING PILAR

ON THE WRONG SIDE OF THE HEAD,
SINCE SHE WAS RIGHT-HANDED.

AND HE COULD OFFER
NO EXPLANATION

WHY PILAR'S HANDS WERE CLEAN

AND HER FINGERPRINTS
WERE MISSING FROM THE GUN --

ALL TELLTALE SIGNS
OF TED'S DECEPTION.

EVEN THOUGH HE WAS AN
EXPERIENCED HOMICIDE DETECTIVE,

MACARTHUR WAS UNABLE
TO STAGE THE PERFECT CRIME.

WHAT HAPPENED IS THEY GOT
A VERY DETAILED EXPLANATION

OF WHAT HAPPENED,
SO HE COULDN'T CHANGE HIS STORY,

AND THEY RECORDED IT.

HE, IN TURN, DIDN'T REALIZE
THE SIGNIFICANCE

OF THE STATEMENT HE WAS GIVING.

HE DIDN'T REALIZE THAT THERE WAS
GOING TO BE A MUZZLE IMPRINT.

Narrator:
A JURY FOUND TED MACARTHUR

GUILTY OF FIRST-DEGREE MURDER.

HE WAS SENTENCED
TO LIFE IN PRISON.

WITHOUT THE FORENSIC, THIS CASE
PROBABLY WOULD BE UNSOLVED.

BECAUSE THE FORENSIC EVIDENCE,

WE WAS ABLE TO IMPEACH
HIS ALIBI,

HIS STATEMENT.

Slovonic:
HE THOUGHT HE COULD GET AWAY

WITH MURDERING HIS WIFE.

HE THOUGHT
PEOPLE WOULD BELIEVE IT.

HE WAS WRONG.

HIS WIFE IS DEAD,
BUT HE'S PAYING THE PRICE.