Major Crimes (2012–2018): Season 2, Episode 7 - Rules of Engagement - full transcript
A shooting at a gas station appears to be gang related but further investigation reveals a much more complicated murder plot. Sharon offers Jack a job as a court-appointed attorney on the case and the two clash quickly over what is most important in solving a crime.
Hey, dad. When I finish over here,
Do you want me to do your windows, too?
Sure. Just hurry up. I'm halfway full already.
Take advantage of that attitude while he's young.
We are, believe me.
Stefan, get in the car, buddy.
Stefan.
Don't look at those guys, okay?
Aa
Dad?
dad?
Dad?
Stefan!
are you okay?
All right, I need you to pick up my phone, okay?
Call 911.
Just like we showed you, okay?
When the operator answers,
Tell her we're at the gas mart on Eastlake and Broadway, okay?
Eastlake and Broadway.
My dad's been shot.
We're at the gas mart on Eastlake and Broadway.
You -- you
have to help us.
I'm in the car, and he's on the ground outside.
Hold on. Dad, can you hear me?
Dad!
Dad!
Dad, can you hear me?!
He can't hear me. You have to help us.
All right, one of the outside cameras
Must have gotten the plate on the shooter's vehicle.
See those two guys
Who jumped out of the Cadillac and ran away?
Get me their faces, Buzz. One second.
Checked with the hospital. Father's gonna be okay.
Sent the kid home to his mother.
Little guy didn't see anything, anyway.
Other witnesses?
Several people clocked the S.U.V.,
But nobody saw who was inside it.
I'm currently canvassing.
Uh, four dead.
Lady in the Honda, the cashier,
And two of the gangsters in the Cadillac,
Both of whom show up in the gang database.
Juan Carlos Reyes, A.K.A. "Little Joe,"
And the other guy also named Juan Carlos,
Last name Diaz, A.K.A. "Chopper."
Looking
gang-on-gang.
If we work this crime scene all night,
We'll hear retaliation where we're standing.
I know. Undelay, undelay.
what a life.
On the way home from work, stop to get some gas,
End up as collateral damage in a gang hit.
Where's the sense in that?
Lieutenant Provenza.
Yeah?
I've got the Tahoe's license.
I think we should release this video
Of the shooter's car
And his license plate to the press.
Not yet.
Lieutenant Tao, if you will.
Our Tahoe was reported stolen yesterday
By Browning Security Company.
Thieves unhooked the security system
And disabled the lojack before anyone on the street noticed.
So the vehicle was stolen specifically for this shooting.
All the more reason to release the video.
Putting out the license plate now
Would give rival gangs an exact target.
Ugh. Rival gangs?
How come we haven't gone out
And already rounded up some of these gangsters?
Have any of you even identified
The two guys who escaped from the Cadillac yet?
Guy on camera left is still a blur, Lieutenant.
Mm.
Yeah. We're never gonna be able to identify him.
But the other Third Streeter who got away is Javier Reyes,
A.K.A. "Speedy", brother of the dead driver.
Bad guy, lots of arrests,
Including weapons charges and a D.U.I.
He just finished a four-year stint in prison
For nearly beating a local to death with the butt of his gun.
He's out on parole, sir.
Damn. I thought it had been quiet
Between the Third Streeters and the Locos lately.
Somebody getting out of prison could stir things up.
Parole officer says Speedy found Jesus in jail.
Maybe he and his brother were gassing up on the way to mass.
Yeah. Having his brother shot dead is gonna test
Just how well Speedy here can turn the other cheek.
If he's on parole, the no-association rule
Forbids fraternizing with known gangsters.
Yeah.
Whatever else he's done,
Speedy is our only identified witness.
We need to find him now.
Seriously, Julio, I want your honest opinion.
Doesn't the benefit of releasing this video
Of the
shooter's vehicle --
Okay, don't bother. That was gang intel.
They found the Tahoe parked
On the 3200 block of Orchard Street,
Just three doors down from the Locos' reputed shot caller.
I want an eight-block radius
Of undercover vehicles surrounding the target.
Now, Lieutenant Provenza,
If you could ask for a high-altitude air ship
To keep an eye on the Tahoe in case it moves.
Detective Sanchez,
How much time do you need to get in position?
30 minutes.
In half an hour,
You can release the video of the Tahoe
Fleeing the crime scene.
Why? We've already found it.
We are still looking for Speedy.
He is the key.
Releasing the video in a timely manner could help us find him.
Julio, what's the matter?
Why would you kill four people
And then park the getaway vehicle
In the middle of your own neighborhood
With the passenger window down?
Maybe the Locos are trying to send a message.
If there was a message,
It was sent last night at the service station.
It's not even 7:00 A.M.
Isn't it a little early for these kids to be headed to school?
They're not going to class. They're going for breakfast.
School is where half the kids in this neighborhood eat.
Gang 25, be advised we have a blue Toyota Corolla.
It's a slow mover, windows down.
Three male latinos looking for trouble.
Heading east on Orchard Street.
King 62, roger that. Headed East.
Affirmative.
Then they're coming our way.
Julio, what you want to bet
We're about to meet our missing witness?
We get out of the van now, we blow the operation.
Whoever stole
the Tahoe --
The shooter's not coming back for it.
But somebody else is.
King 62, we're taking down the Corolla.
Move in.
Watch out for crossfire.
There are children in the neighborhood.
Take extra care.
Hey, Speedy. What brings you to this part of town?
Looking for doughnuts.
A bad day to be so stupid.
All right, don't touch those guns!
Get the hell out of the car really slowly
Or I'll blow your head off. Understood?
I want a lawyer, man. I bet you do.
Did you tell the public defender's office
That what we mainly want is Speedy's testimony?
And what'd they say?
Uh, Sharon.
I may not feel like going to school today.
No, I-I don't think it's
-- I don't think it's a fever.
I think
it's --
What's the matter?
It's just my
stomach is --
Did you stress that this is a public-safety issue here?
If you want to get out of going to school,
You're gonna have to try harder than that.
Okay.
Um...What if I, like, said that when I stood up,
I felt like I was gonna faint?
Well, she could just take you right to the hospital.
What's the big deal?
Is it a test you're trying to miss? No.
I'm supposed to go over to Kris' house
For dinner tonight to meet her parents.
Did you ask to do that?
Well, yeah, because I didn't think that Sharon would let me.
And then she said yes right in front of Kris.
It's such a bad idea.
Her -- her
parents are rich.
Her dad's, like, an attorney.
I'm an attorney.
No, but, like, a really successful attorney.
They're gonna hate me.
I don't even know how this happened.
All I ever wanted was just to be friends.
That's it.
I see.
Well, maybe I'll think of some way to help you out.
All right, Lieutenant.
Let me go at this from a different angle.
Thank you.
So, what's wrong?
Are you trying to get out of dinner
With Kris' family tonight? No!
No, why would you even say something like that?
Of course I want to go.
I just -- I I have
this stomach thing.
Like when -- like
when you eat something --
We all ate the same thing for dinner. You're fine.
Get your stuff. I don't want to be late. Go, go.
Jack.
Hmm?
What are you doing today?
I'm looking for apartments online.
Why?
I have this...
Gang member named Speedy...
Who got shot at.
And I need him to tell us what he saw,
But he invoked.
Witnesses don't have the constitutional right
To a lawyer. Right.
But before I can ask him questions,
I need to deal with all the parole violations
That he's just racked up,
And both public defender offices
Are conflicted out.
So, what you're telling me
Is he needs a court-appointed attorney.
Yes.
And the earliest I can get one is tomorrow
Unless I take...You
By a judge... This morning.
I'm in! I'm in!
You don't even know the details yet.
Yeah, but from the sounds of things, you don't, either.
I can get all the essential information from my client.
I need to change now.
I got to select a tie.
I got to go.
Oh, and I need to grab my suit
That's hanging up in Rusty's closet.
And thanks, Sharon. I appreciate it.
I really do.
Mm, normally I'd throw him back in prison,
But old Speedy may have seen something useful last night.
Oh, my god. Don't you just love gang cases?
Mm.
I don't think this is gangs. Why?
The vehicle was found in gang territory
With a gang weapon in the back seat.
Nobody would have left the car on the street like that.
Speedy and his Third Streeters
-- I'm not finished!
Speedy and his Third Streeters, they think it was gangs.
It was a
drive-by, plus --
Plus you need to watch your mouth.
Excuse me?
Did you grow up sleeping on the floor every night
So you wouldn't get hit by gunfire?
Anyone in your family shot dead on the street?
You spend 15 years of your career hunting these guys?!
It's not gangs!
And you stop talking to me like I'm your waiter.
Wow.
Does he always get that -- that
-- that -- that hostile?
Mm-hmm.
Actually, Emma,
I think what he was trying to say,
In his own way, was...
Don't be so damn rude.
Excuse me.
I wasn't
rude. I was --
Obnoxious? Dismissive?
So...
What's your theory of the crime?
If the Cadillac had been pulled over
For a routine traffic violation
While Speedy was in it with his gangster friends,
We would have sent him back to prison already.
I get it. Need details, right?
Here's a list of the questions Speedy needs to answer,
And if he's helpful, we may be able to let him go.
Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa.
He just got out of prison last week.
He may not even know who his brother's friends were.
There were four people murdered last night.
That's a tragedy I'm being paid not to care about.
Now, let me talk to my client, and I'll get right back to you.
Captain!
The KG-99 we found in the Tahoe
Was the same one used to shoot our victims.
Has a 30-round clip, someone filed down the pin,
Added a new trigger group,
And messed with the receiver to make it fully automatic.
Registered to a former Marine, corporal Peter B. Jones,
Living in Morro Bay.
He reported the weapon stolen last month.
Morro Bay.
A little fishing village above Santa Barbara.
Popular weekend destination
For gang members and their families.
And the reason the Tahoe's front passenger-side window
Was rolled down -- it was
shot through with bullets.
Which means the driver fired the murder weapon,
And there was no one in the front seat with him.
Come on. Julio's right.
This is sounding less and less like gangs.
So, Speedy got out of prison last week
And then happened to be at a service station
During a drive-by.
I don't believe it. Okay.
Let's take a look at this Marine corporal
With the stolen KG-99
And make certain he's not part of this case.
Sharon? We're ready.
And you -- knock it
off. You understand?
We won't be able to explain everything,
But we'll tell you what we know,
Under the provision that you do not use my client's presence
In either the Cadillac where he was with his brother
Or the Corolla this morning as a violation of his parole.
If he starts saying, "I don't remember" or "I'm not sure,"
He's off to jail. Amen.
I will answer every one of your questions honestly,
And I'm sorry for any trouble that I've caused,
But please understand
That everything that's happening here
Is not a part of Jesus' plan for my life.
How much of this bullshit are we gonna have to listen to?
I'm glad you're saying that, Speedy,
And I hope you use your faith in christ to tell us the truth.
My name's not Speedy anymore.
It's Javier.
Of course. Javier. Let's begin, okay?
First question.
Do you know who shot at you?
No.
Did you see the driver of the vehicle?
Yes. But he was wearing a black mask.
Who was the other man in the Cadillac with you who got away?
Pedro Flores.
He was with me in the Corolla this morning.
You have him under arrest,
But he didn't see anything, either.
I'll look into that.
Javier, tell me.
Did you make any enemies while in prison?
Did you receive any threats?
No.
I made amends, and I received forgiveness.
Why were you in Loco territory this morning
Looking for the Tahoe?
I saw the car and plate on the news,
And I went with my friends
Because I was worried that if they found the car,
There would be more killing,
And killing people is a mortal sin.
We certainly treat it like that.
If you're so much closer in your walk with god,
Why did you tell the detectives who arrested you this morning
That you were on Orchard Street looking for doughnuts?
Uh, uh -- don't
answer that question.
That question is not on the list you gave me.
You're telling us
That we can't ask a question about doughnuts?
Yes, I'm telling you that.
Oh, all right, Jack.
But Javier can't use his faith
To avoid answering our questions.
Unh-unh-unh.
There are no questions about faith
On the list you gave me.
Let's, um, try to keep it professional here, okay?
Clears throat ]
Where was I?
Oh, good lord. Now he's praying again!
Looks like he feels guilty about something.
I told you when we were finishing breakfast
I would get trelevant information,
Which is what I've done.
Um, where was I?
What about the, um, registered owner
Of the vehicle in the attack?
The Tahoe was reported stolen by Browning Security company,
And we have no idea who took it,
Though I've checked.
And -- what?
Emma. Hold on.
Does the name Browning Security mean something to you, Javier?
All right, all right. Sorry. That's it for now.
We have a deal.
Which does not include questions
About Browning Security.
One of the questions on this list is,
"do you know if someone has a reason to kill you?"
And at the mention of
Browning Security, your client --
And if that has anything to do with your case,
I will let you know. If
it has anything to --
That's right. If it does, I will let you know.
In the meantime,
I would like a private conference with my client.
So, if you'll excuse us...
Browning Security.
You know, mike, that sounds like the place to follow up.
Mm.
Sorry about that, Javier.
These things happen.
Javier's attorney says
He was having breakfast with you this morning
And to keep things professional.
I hate to ask this,
But are you sleeping with this man?
Of course not.
He's my husband.
I mean, uh, well, he's not living with me right now.
Well, he's staying with me on the couch
Till he finds a place to live.
Why?!
The defendant's lawyer is your husband.
The material witness in another murder
Is your so-called son.
Is the judge gonna be your brother?
Let me go interview this Pedro person,
Make sure he didn't see anything.
Unless, of course, he's your gardener.
Excuse me.
Hey.
Um...
If I ask you guys to do something for me,
Could you promise not to tell anyone about it?
Well, it depends.
Buzz!
We make promises like that all the time.
Of course we can promise not to tell anybody.
What do you want?
Well, I was wondering
If one of you could call over to Kris' house
And say that I can't make it over for dinner tonight
Because, like, my threat level or something is too high.
Didn't you see Kris at school today?
Doesn't matter.
We're not calling her.
Okay. Um...
Well, what if I said that, like,
The patrol car that was supposed to drop me off
Got called away on, like, a high-speed chase
And then I can just phone Kris later
And explain to her why I couldn't be there?
Just tell me, Rusty.
You ever have anyone in your life
That you really cared about just not show up?
And leave you hanging?
It's not like that.
Oh, but it is.
It's exactly like that.
We found some problems at Browning Security.
Turns out there was a missing girlfriend in the mix.
Whose girlfriend?
Hold on a second.
We're playing a game called "how stupid do you think I am?"
Oh, I love this game. Go, go, go, go, go.
But you have to keep track of coincidences.
I'll do that.
Okay.
Here's Ron Browning,
The man whose name Speedy recognized
And the owner of... Young man.
Browning Security
-- the same company
That reported a Tahoe stolen before the shooting.
That's a...Coincidence.
We're at one.
Four years ago,
Mr. Browning was supervising independent security contractors
At our embassy in Afghanistan
When his fiancée disappeared.
And that would be Melissa Orr, 26.
Now, according to missing persons,
Mr. Browning gave Melissa an engagement ring worth $65,000,
Which Browning wanted back
After Melissa called off the wedding.
She called off the wedding? While Browning was overseas?
Just before he left.
He tried to work it out from Kabul,
But then Melissa went missing and now is presumed dead.
So Browning's name pops up next to another murder.
What a...Coincidence.
That's two.
Okay, so, guess who Javier Reyes,
A.K.A. Speedy, used to work for?
A shot in the dark
-- Browning Security.
That's coincidence number three.
Browning employs lots of former Third Streeters
On his local security teams, but no Locos.
Means he knows how gangs in that neighborhood work.
that's four.
Here's a fifth.
Almost a month before Speedy got out of prison,
Browning left town
And went to a friend's house living in...Morro Bay.
Could Browning's friend
Be our Marine with the missing KG-99?
The same.
Coincidence number six.
What do you think, Captain? Is Browning our guy?
Was he trying to kill Speedy,
Or have we merely been documenting the role of chance
In the universe?
Before we go down that road,
I've got to figure out a way
To get Mr. Browning in here to speak to us.
Mr. Browning? Lieutenant Flynn.
Detective Sykes, bureau of stolen property.
Thank you so much for helping us.
Finding your Tahoe is gonna turn out to be a lot easier
Than getting it back to you.
That's understandable, considering.
Could you step into our visitors' conference center
For a moment?
We have a lot of paperwork waiting.
Hey.
I know it looks like a lot, but we'll help you with it.
Have a seat.
First, even though you're the victim,
This is a criminal matter
Since the car was used in several homicides.
So you have to initial the Miranda warning,
And then below that there's a statement
Certifying you're the primary owner.
Is all this really necessary?
Believe it or not,
Most of that pile is required by the insurance companies.
Remember, until we can prove otherwise,
Even when it's not gangs, it's gangs.
Am I the driver of the vehicle? Uh...
Well, when was the last time you were in that car?
I don't know. We have 16 black Tahoes.
No problem. We'll get elimination prints
From you to cancel you out.
Oh.
We already have your prints on file
In connection to an open missing persons case.
That'd be Melissa.
Melissa Orr. Right.
Here's the reference number.
It says Melissa was your fiancée?
Yeah.
Till she broke up with me right before I went
To defend the United States embassy in Afghanistan.
Oh. I was in Afghanistan, too.
Man.
Lots of guys going through crap like that in Kabul.
Hard to watch.
Explains why Melissa's parents
Filled out the report instead of Ron here.
Yeah. Maybe her mom and dad
Were just trying to protect their daughter.
Mm.
Protect her from what?
Well, according to the missing-persons report,
You threatened Melissa repeatedly,
Demanding your engagement ring back.
Wow. Here's a description of it.
"Worth $65,000, covered in diamonds."
No wonder Melissa wanted to keep it.
As a matter of fact,
Melissa mailed the ring back to me
While I was in Afghanistan, with an apology,
And that was after her parents reported her missing.
You know, every time you guys fail, I get the blame.
You can't find Melissa? That's my fault.
One of my cars gets stolen and used in a crime spree?
That's my fault, too, I guess.
But at some point, the LAPD
Is gonna have to take responsibility
For its own incompetence.
Excuse me.
You say Melissa mailed the ring back to you.
That's not in our report.
Of course it's not in your report,
Because that would mean I had nothing to do
With her going missing,
And you people would actually have to start looking for her!
Since it's clear we're not gonna be friends,
Let's be frank.
If your ex-girlfriend is still alive,
Which I doubt,
And she sent that ring to you after she went missing,
Where is it?
where it belongs.
On the hand of my new fiancée.
Listen to me.
You make yourself comfortable,
'cause you're not going anywhere until we meet her.
What's her name?
You want to call your fiancée now
Or after you're arraigned for the murder
Of the last woman you asked to marry you?
Just for argument's sake,
Let's examine this theory of yours.
Let's say Browning paid my client
To off his fiancée four years ago,
But then Javier gets out of prison,
And Browning gets worried,
So he tries to kill my client
To prevent him from cooperating with the LAPD.
Why shoot up a gas station and all those other people?!
To disguise his intention.
Make the attack on Speedy look like gangs!
Okay.
Hypothetically, let's say you're right about all this.
What would be the offer to my client?
If he confirms Browning paid him to kill his fiancée,
Speedy would get second-degree murder,
17 to life.
Well, you know, that's a little steep
Considering you're shy
Of some pretty important evidence here.
You don't even have this missing girl's body yet!
What?
How do you know we don't have her body yet?
Did Javier tell you that, Jack?
I know it because you haven't arrested Javier for murder,
And that would be pretty hard to do,
Seeing as how you would have to provide the victim's body
And the cause of death.
Mm.
And this missing
girl -- Melissa? Yeah.
Without Javier, how do we know she didn't fall off a cliff?
Jump off a boat?
Run off to Thailand?
Sir, Speedy had a D.U.I.
And a suspended license at the time of the murder,
So he didn't want to drive around
With a dead body in his trunk!
Melissa is buried in his neighborhood somewhere.
Once we find the body,
We won't need your client anymorore.
Oh, you'll need Javier's help no matter what.
He's your witness.
He's your motive in the shooting at the gas station.
And this smells like a manslaughter plea.
Where you going, Sharon?
Why is everyone leaving?
Hey! Hey!
Sharon! Where are you going?
You cannot question my client without my permission.
If you think I'm gonna let you run roughshod over the law
Because of our relationship, you're in for a big surprise.
You are the one who takes this relationship for granted, Jack,
As you're about to see!
Excuse me, Javier, sorry to keep you waiting.
Javier, don't answer her questions!
You cannot interrogate my client
Without violating his Miranda rights!
Detective, if Jack interrupts me again,
Would you please have him removed?
What?!
Javier, you cannot say anything,
Because the charges against you have changed.
We're no longer holding you for parole violations.
We're arresting you as a suspect
In the murder of Melissa Orr.
To avoid ethical conflicts,
You need to know that I am the officer
In charge of this investigation
And your attorney is my husband,
And I would think very seriously
About having an attorney who's
related by marriage --
What? Sharon!
You're fired!
I mean it! You're fired!
Get out!
Javier, you are making a big mistake.
I trusted you!
I -- you can
trust me!
I have your best interests at heart!
Just leave! Get out, man! You're fired!
Leave! Leave me alone! Please!
Get out!
Please!
Now he has no attorney at all. How do we talk to him?
Give us a moment.
There's a ritual involved with suspects like this,
And we need to follow it.
Ah. Come.
Rusty, go to the break room.
oh, Jack.
Uh, any ideas for me?
Not now!
Later.
Okay.
I want to see that video of Javier's interrogation
Before I leave here.
I will not let you trample that man's civil rights
In order for you to get what you need.
Sit. Wait.
We'll get back to you after we'burned the constitution.
Like you really care.
No questions.
Right.
Javier, we're not allowed to interview you,
But there's two things you should know.
First, we're about to search your neighborhood
For all the places that you could have buried Melissa Orr,
Paying special attention to your former addresses
And homes of family members.
And, secondly, whatever your relationship
With Browning used to be, he doesn't like you anymore.
It's gonna take days for the courts
To find someone to defend you
Since this is a death-penalty case.
Death?
Well, c-can't you help me?
Not if you invoke your rights.
What if -- what if
I gave up my rights?
Well, if you cooperate now,
The d.A. Has already agreed
To give you a deal for second-degree murder,
17 to life.
So you have a parole date.
Of course, if you didn't kill Melissa,
Then you're okay.
Maybe you don't care about doing what's right,
But maybe your relationship with christ
Was like a joke that you played to get out of prison!
It's not a joke!
Christ is the only thing that matters in my life!
The bible says it. Look it up.
Even if Speedy admits to murder for hire,
He'll still have to prove Browning paid him.
Or the gas station case all falls apart.
What about the weapon we found
That belonged to Browning's friend in Morro Bay?
Two years from now? The jury will lothat.
No. We need to settle this today,
Before the sun goes down and the gangs start shooting.
He forgives me.
Jesus forgives me because I put him first in everything.
So, why...
...Why did god kill my little brother
When I was the one who did wrong?
Why did god do that?
No.
Javier...
God didn't kill your brother.
Ron Browning did that.
Maybe your brother died
Because you didn't do what you know christ wants you to do.
And other people could die now, too.
Your old Third Streeters, Locos,
Maybe even innocent kids just walking to school!
Wait, wait.
Mnh-mnh.
Christ forgives us, Javier, not judges and lawyers.
You really want me to get you an attorney,
Or do you want to get right with god?
'cause sometimes it is not possible to do both.
Think about it.
I-I mean really think about it,
'cause I promise you right now Browning is thinking about you.
Lawyers never did anything for me.
I don't want a lawyer.
I want to do what you said.
I want to do right.
Let's get the worst part of this out of the way right now.
Did you hurt Melissa before killing her?
Did you knock her around?
No, no, no.
Did you rape her? No!
I'm not like that! I was never like that!
That's -- don't
make me like that.
Javier, look at me.
Don't think about the person that you used to be.
Think about the person that you are now.
And start by telling us where Melissa is
So we can get her back home to her family.
She's underneath the flower bed in my grandmother's backyard.
s
With every word that you speak...
Well, I'm leaving this revival.
Go get a warrant
And a crew with shovels over to granny's house.
Tell us how you killed Melissa.
I...
I s-- I
strangled her.
I strangled her with the necklace
That she was wearing.
Cut off the finger with the ring on it.
Crying ] then I buried her.
s
I was different then.
I'm sorry.
I'm sorry that I did that.
At this stage,
I won't be able to get a time of death on Melissa.
She could have sent the ring back to Browning
Before she was killed.
Without absolute proof,
It's Javier's word against Browning's.
What arrangement did Mr. Browning make with you?
Did he pay you to kill Melissa?
Is that it?
He had to fire me because I got arrested.
D.U.I.
But he said that he'd pay me $10,000...
...If I got rid of his girlfriend.
And that he wanted me to mail her ring back to him.
Overseas or something.
Is there anything else we should know?
You have to tell us everything.
I stole from Browning.
I stole from him.
What'd you steal?
Come in.
Kathy Thompson,
Assistant chief of police Russell Taylor,
Captain Sharon Raydor, Lieutenant Michael Tao,
And Detective Amy Sykes.
And you know your fiancée, Ron.
Ron, what is going on?
Don't stress out. This will be over in a minute.
I apologize for the crowd, Miss Thompson,
And our hurry,
But we're trying to avoid a gang war.
And the sooner we can take a look at your engagement ring,
The faster all this can be done.
My ring?
Ron, why do they need to see my ring?
Because the LAPD just dug up the last woman
Who was wearing it from underneath a row of hollyhocks.
Melissa's dead? Yes.
And the man who killed her
Claims that your fiancé paid him to do it.
In fact, if we can verify the ring you're wearing
Is the same one Ron gave Melissa, the two of you can go.
Javier, A.K.A. Speedy, tells us
That he was supposed to mail
This extremely pricey ring back to you.
Which technically he failed to do.
Sorry, Kathy, but maybe this is for the best.
Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa! What the hell are you doing?
You can't keep my ring!
You're trying to rob me!
We're too late for that, sir.
After Speedy killed Melissa
And before he sent you back this ring,
He and a friend took it to a jeweler downtown
And replaced all the diamonds with cubic zirconium.
That's what all these little sparkly stones
In the setting are made of.
And that means that we can corroborate
Javier's confession of murder for hire.
And your motive for killing four innocent people yesterday,
Because you're a depraved animal.
Ron Browning, you're under arrest
For five counts of murder in the first degree
With special circumstances.
You have the right to remain silent.
Anything you say can
And will be used against you in a court of law. I did not do this.
Ron! You have the right to an attorney.
You can remain silent, too, sweetie.
Let's inform the media
And our Third
Streeters, and Locos, too --
We have our killer under arrest.
Let's go.
Wait a second. I did not do this.
You hear me?
You're gonna regret this!
Lawyers never did anything for me.
I don't -- I don't
want a lawyer.
I want to do what you said.
I want to do right.
You don't want to see the rest?
to what end? Sharon won.
Where is she,
anyway -- Sharon?
Chief Taylor's office.
Would you like me to give her a message?
No. Thanks. I'll just leave her a note.
Very nice.
Have fun.
Are you all right?
I'm fine.
I was just
thinking how --
How in life we sometimes believe we're looking at something
And then later it turns out to be something different.
Like these murders.
Looked like gangs
-- they weren't.
My client was a witness, turned out to be a murderer.
Diamonds turn out to be rocks.
Funny how...
Who we really are...
Always shows up in the end.
You know...
This might be your out with Kris.
Her parents think you're her boyfriend?
Well, we both know who you really are.
W-who I really am?
What's that supposed to mean?
Just that...
Just that you're a material witness
In a trial against a serial killer,
Living under police protection.
You play that up big with Kris' parents,
And they'll end the relationship for you.
Yeah.
Moms and dads are like that, you know.
Always protecting their children.
Anyway, best you can, enjoy your dinner.
I'll see you later.
Uh...
T-thanks.
Yeah.
Um...
I'll see you later.
Yeah.
Do you want me to do your windows, too?
Sure. Just hurry up. I'm halfway full already.
Take advantage of that attitude while he's young.
We are, believe me.
Stefan, get in the car, buddy.
Stefan.
Don't look at those guys, okay?
Aa
Dad?
dad?
Dad?
Stefan!
are you okay?
All right, I need you to pick up my phone, okay?
Call 911.
Just like we showed you, okay?
When the operator answers,
Tell her we're at the gas mart on Eastlake and Broadway, okay?
Eastlake and Broadway.
My dad's been shot.
We're at the gas mart on Eastlake and Broadway.
You -- you
have to help us.
I'm in the car, and he's on the ground outside.
Hold on. Dad, can you hear me?
Dad!
Dad!
Dad, can you hear me?!
He can't hear me. You have to help us.
All right, one of the outside cameras
Must have gotten the plate on the shooter's vehicle.
See those two guys
Who jumped out of the Cadillac and ran away?
Get me their faces, Buzz. One second.
Checked with the hospital. Father's gonna be okay.
Sent the kid home to his mother.
Little guy didn't see anything, anyway.
Other witnesses?
Several people clocked the S.U.V.,
But nobody saw who was inside it.
I'm currently canvassing.
Uh, four dead.
Lady in the Honda, the cashier,
And two of the gangsters in the Cadillac,
Both of whom show up in the gang database.
Juan Carlos Reyes, A.K.A. "Little Joe,"
And the other guy also named Juan Carlos,
Last name Diaz, A.K.A. "Chopper."
Looking
gang-on-gang.
If we work this crime scene all night,
We'll hear retaliation where we're standing.
I know. Undelay, undelay.
what a life.
On the way home from work, stop to get some gas,
End up as collateral damage in a gang hit.
Where's the sense in that?
Lieutenant Provenza.
Yeah?
I've got the Tahoe's license.
I think we should release this video
Of the shooter's car
And his license plate to the press.
Not yet.
Lieutenant Tao, if you will.
Our Tahoe was reported stolen yesterday
By Browning Security Company.
Thieves unhooked the security system
And disabled the lojack before anyone on the street noticed.
So the vehicle was stolen specifically for this shooting.
All the more reason to release the video.
Putting out the license plate now
Would give rival gangs an exact target.
Ugh. Rival gangs?
How come we haven't gone out
And already rounded up some of these gangsters?
Have any of you even identified
The two guys who escaped from the Cadillac yet?
Guy on camera left is still a blur, Lieutenant.
Mm.
Yeah. We're never gonna be able to identify him.
But the other Third Streeter who got away is Javier Reyes,
A.K.A. "Speedy", brother of the dead driver.
Bad guy, lots of arrests,
Including weapons charges and a D.U.I.
He just finished a four-year stint in prison
For nearly beating a local to death with the butt of his gun.
He's out on parole, sir.
Damn. I thought it had been quiet
Between the Third Streeters and the Locos lately.
Somebody getting out of prison could stir things up.
Parole officer says Speedy found Jesus in jail.
Maybe he and his brother were gassing up on the way to mass.
Yeah. Having his brother shot dead is gonna test
Just how well Speedy here can turn the other cheek.
If he's on parole, the no-association rule
Forbids fraternizing with known gangsters.
Yeah.
Whatever else he's done,
Speedy is our only identified witness.
We need to find him now.
Seriously, Julio, I want your honest opinion.
Doesn't the benefit of releasing this video
Of the
shooter's vehicle --
Okay, don't bother. That was gang intel.
They found the Tahoe parked
On the 3200 block of Orchard Street,
Just three doors down from the Locos' reputed shot caller.
I want an eight-block radius
Of undercover vehicles surrounding the target.
Now, Lieutenant Provenza,
If you could ask for a high-altitude air ship
To keep an eye on the Tahoe in case it moves.
Detective Sanchez,
How much time do you need to get in position?
30 minutes.
In half an hour,
You can release the video of the Tahoe
Fleeing the crime scene.
Why? We've already found it.
We are still looking for Speedy.
He is the key.
Releasing the video in a timely manner could help us find him.
Julio, what's the matter?
Why would you kill four people
And then park the getaway vehicle
In the middle of your own neighborhood
With the passenger window down?
Maybe the Locos are trying to send a message.
If there was a message,
It was sent last night at the service station.
It's not even 7:00 A.M.
Isn't it a little early for these kids to be headed to school?
They're not going to class. They're going for breakfast.
School is where half the kids in this neighborhood eat.
Gang 25, be advised we have a blue Toyota Corolla.
It's a slow mover, windows down.
Three male latinos looking for trouble.
Heading east on Orchard Street.
King 62, roger that. Headed East.
Affirmative.
Then they're coming our way.
Julio, what you want to bet
We're about to meet our missing witness?
We get out of the van now, we blow the operation.
Whoever stole
the Tahoe --
The shooter's not coming back for it.
But somebody else is.
King 62, we're taking down the Corolla.
Move in.
Watch out for crossfire.
There are children in the neighborhood.
Take extra care.
Hey, Speedy. What brings you to this part of town?
Looking for doughnuts.
A bad day to be so stupid.
All right, don't touch those guns!
Get the hell out of the car really slowly
Or I'll blow your head off. Understood?
I want a lawyer, man. I bet you do.
Did you tell the public defender's office
That what we mainly want is Speedy's testimony?
And what'd they say?
Uh, Sharon.
I may not feel like going to school today.
No, I-I don't think it's
-- I don't think it's a fever.
I think
it's --
What's the matter?
It's just my
stomach is --
Did you stress that this is a public-safety issue here?
If you want to get out of going to school,
You're gonna have to try harder than that.
Okay.
Um...What if I, like, said that when I stood up,
I felt like I was gonna faint?
Well, she could just take you right to the hospital.
What's the big deal?
Is it a test you're trying to miss? No.
I'm supposed to go over to Kris' house
For dinner tonight to meet her parents.
Did you ask to do that?
Well, yeah, because I didn't think that Sharon would let me.
And then she said yes right in front of Kris.
It's such a bad idea.
Her -- her
parents are rich.
Her dad's, like, an attorney.
I'm an attorney.
No, but, like, a really successful attorney.
They're gonna hate me.
I don't even know how this happened.
All I ever wanted was just to be friends.
That's it.
I see.
Well, maybe I'll think of some way to help you out.
All right, Lieutenant.
Let me go at this from a different angle.
Thank you.
So, what's wrong?
Are you trying to get out of dinner
With Kris' family tonight? No!
No, why would you even say something like that?
Of course I want to go.
I just -- I I have
this stomach thing.
Like when -- like
when you eat something --
We all ate the same thing for dinner. You're fine.
Get your stuff. I don't want to be late. Go, go.
Jack.
Hmm?
What are you doing today?
I'm looking for apartments online.
Why?
I have this...
Gang member named Speedy...
Who got shot at.
And I need him to tell us what he saw,
But he invoked.
Witnesses don't have the constitutional right
To a lawyer. Right.
But before I can ask him questions,
I need to deal with all the parole violations
That he's just racked up,
And both public defender offices
Are conflicted out.
So, what you're telling me
Is he needs a court-appointed attorney.
Yes.
And the earliest I can get one is tomorrow
Unless I take...You
By a judge... This morning.
I'm in! I'm in!
You don't even know the details yet.
Yeah, but from the sounds of things, you don't, either.
I can get all the essential information from my client.
I need to change now.
I got to select a tie.
I got to go.
Oh, and I need to grab my suit
That's hanging up in Rusty's closet.
And thanks, Sharon. I appreciate it.
I really do.
Mm, normally I'd throw him back in prison,
But old Speedy may have seen something useful last night.
Oh, my god. Don't you just love gang cases?
Mm.
I don't think this is gangs. Why?
The vehicle was found in gang territory
With a gang weapon in the back seat.
Nobody would have left the car on the street like that.
Speedy and his Third Streeters
-- I'm not finished!
Speedy and his Third Streeters, they think it was gangs.
It was a
drive-by, plus --
Plus you need to watch your mouth.
Excuse me?
Did you grow up sleeping on the floor every night
So you wouldn't get hit by gunfire?
Anyone in your family shot dead on the street?
You spend 15 years of your career hunting these guys?!
It's not gangs!
And you stop talking to me like I'm your waiter.
Wow.
Does he always get that -- that
-- that -- that hostile?
Mm-hmm.
Actually, Emma,
I think what he was trying to say,
In his own way, was...
Don't be so damn rude.
Excuse me.
I wasn't
rude. I was --
Obnoxious? Dismissive?
So...
What's your theory of the crime?
If the Cadillac had been pulled over
For a routine traffic violation
While Speedy was in it with his gangster friends,
We would have sent him back to prison already.
I get it. Need details, right?
Here's a list of the questions Speedy needs to answer,
And if he's helpful, we may be able to let him go.
Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa.
He just got out of prison last week.
He may not even know who his brother's friends were.
There were four people murdered last night.
That's a tragedy I'm being paid not to care about.
Now, let me talk to my client, and I'll get right back to you.
Captain!
The KG-99 we found in the Tahoe
Was the same one used to shoot our victims.
Has a 30-round clip, someone filed down the pin,
Added a new trigger group,
And messed with the receiver to make it fully automatic.
Registered to a former Marine, corporal Peter B. Jones,
Living in Morro Bay.
He reported the weapon stolen last month.
Morro Bay.
A little fishing village above Santa Barbara.
Popular weekend destination
For gang members and their families.
And the reason the Tahoe's front passenger-side window
Was rolled down -- it was
shot through with bullets.
Which means the driver fired the murder weapon,
And there was no one in the front seat with him.
Come on. Julio's right.
This is sounding less and less like gangs.
So, Speedy got out of prison last week
And then happened to be at a service station
During a drive-by.
I don't believe it. Okay.
Let's take a look at this Marine corporal
With the stolen KG-99
And make certain he's not part of this case.
Sharon? We're ready.
And you -- knock it
off. You understand?
We won't be able to explain everything,
But we'll tell you what we know,
Under the provision that you do not use my client's presence
In either the Cadillac where he was with his brother
Or the Corolla this morning as a violation of his parole.
If he starts saying, "I don't remember" or "I'm not sure,"
He's off to jail. Amen.
I will answer every one of your questions honestly,
And I'm sorry for any trouble that I've caused,
But please understand
That everything that's happening here
Is not a part of Jesus' plan for my life.
How much of this bullshit are we gonna have to listen to?
I'm glad you're saying that, Speedy,
And I hope you use your faith in christ to tell us the truth.
My name's not Speedy anymore.
It's Javier.
Of course. Javier. Let's begin, okay?
First question.
Do you know who shot at you?
No.
Did you see the driver of the vehicle?
Yes. But he was wearing a black mask.
Who was the other man in the Cadillac with you who got away?
Pedro Flores.
He was with me in the Corolla this morning.
You have him under arrest,
But he didn't see anything, either.
I'll look into that.
Javier, tell me.
Did you make any enemies while in prison?
Did you receive any threats?
No.
I made amends, and I received forgiveness.
Why were you in Loco territory this morning
Looking for the Tahoe?
I saw the car and plate on the news,
And I went with my friends
Because I was worried that if they found the car,
There would be more killing,
And killing people is a mortal sin.
We certainly treat it like that.
If you're so much closer in your walk with god,
Why did you tell the detectives who arrested you this morning
That you were on Orchard Street looking for doughnuts?
Uh, uh -- don't
answer that question.
That question is not on the list you gave me.
You're telling us
That we can't ask a question about doughnuts?
Yes, I'm telling you that.
Oh, all right, Jack.
But Javier can't use his faith
To avoid answering our questions.
Unh-unh-unh.
There are no questions about faith
On the list you gave me.
Let's, um, try to keep it professional here, okay?
Clears throat ]
Where was I?
Oh, good lord. Now he's praying again!
Looks like he feels guilty about something.
I told you when we were finishing breakfast
I would get trelevant information,
Which is what I've done.
Um, where was I?
What about the, um, registered owner
Of the vehicle in the attack?
The Tahoe was reported stolen by Browning Security company,
And we have no idea who took it,
Though I've checked.
And -- what?
Emma. Hold on.
Does the name Browning Security mean something to you, Javier?
All right, all right. Sorry. That's it for now.
We have a deal.
Which does not include questions
About Browning Security.
One of the questions on this list is,
"do you know if someone has a reason to kill you?"
And at the mention of
Browning Security, your client --
And if that has anything to do with your case,
I will let you know. If
it has anything to --
That's right. If it does, I will let you know.
In the meantime,
I would like a private conference with my client.
So, if you'll excuse us...
Browning Security.
You know, mike, that sounds like the place to follow up.
Mm.
Sorry about that, Javier.
These things happen.
Javier's attorney says
He was having breakfast with you this morning
And to keep things professional.
I hate to ask this,
But are you sleeping with this man?
Of course not.
He's my husband.
I mean, uh, well, he's not living with me right now.
Well, he's staying with me on the couch
Till he finds a place to live.
Why?!
The defendant's lawyer is your husband.
The material witness in another murder
Is your so-called son.
Is the judge gonna be your brother?
Let me go interview this Pedro person,
Make sure he didn't see anything.
Unless, of course, he's your gardener.
Excuse me.
Hey.
Um...
If I ask you guys to do something for me,
Could you promise not to tell anyone about it?
Well, it depends.
Buzz!
We make promises like that all the time.
Of course we can promise not to tell anybody.
What do you want?
Well, I was wondering
If one of you could call over to Kris' house
And say that I can't make it over for dinner tonight
Because, like, my threat level or something is too high.
Didn't you see Kris at school today?
Doesn't matter.
We're not calling her.
Okay. Um...
Well, what if I said that, like,
The patrol car that was supposed to drop me off
Got called away on, like, a high-speed chase
And then I can just phone Kris later
And explain to her why I couldn't be there?
Just tell me, Rusty.
You ever have anyone in your life
That you really cared about just not show up?
And leave you hanging?
It's not like that.
Oh, but it is.
It's exactly like that.
We found some problems at Browning Security.
Turns out there was a missing girlfriend in the mix.
Whose girlfriend?
Hold on a second.
We're playing a game called "how stupid do you think I am?"
Oh, I love this game. Go, go, go, go, go.
But you have to keep track of coincidences.
I'll do that.
Okay.
Here's Ron Browning,
The man whose name Speedy recognized
And the owner of... Young man.
Browning Security
-- the same company
That reported a Tahoe stolen before the shooting.
That's a...Coincidence.
We're at one.
Four years ago,
Mr. Browning was supervising independent security contractors
At our embassy in Afghanistan
When his fiancée disappeared.
And that would be Melissa Orr, 26.
Now, according to missing persons,
Mr. Browning gave Melissa an engagement ring worth $65,000,
Which Browning wanted back
After Melissa called off the wedding.
She called off the wedding? While Browning was overseas?
Just before he left.
He tried to work it out from Kabul,
But then Melissa went missing and now is presumed dead.
So Browning's name pops up next to another murder.
What a...Coincidence.
That's two.
Okay, so, guess who Javier Reyes,
A.K.A. Speedy, used to work for?
A shot in the dark
-- Browning Security.
That's coincidence number three.
Browning employs lots of former Third Streeters
On his local security teams, but no Locos.
Means he knows how gangs in that neighborhood work.
that's four.
Here's a fifth.
Almost a month before Speedy got out of prison,
Browning left town
And went to a friend's house living in...Morro Bay.
Could Browning's friend
Be our Marine with the missing KG-99?
The same.
Coincidence number six.
What do you think, Captain? Is Browning our guy?
Was he trying to kill Speedy,
Or have we merely been documenting the role of chance
In the universe?
Before we go down that road,
I've got to figure out a way
To get Mr. Browning in here to speak to us.
Mr. Browning? Lieutenant Flynn.
Detective Sykes, bureau of stolen property.
Thank you so much for helping us.
Finding your Tahoe is gonna turn out to be a lot easier
Than getting it back to you.
That's understandable, considering.
Could you step into our visitors' conference center
For a moment?
We have a lot of paperwork waiting.
Hey.
I know it looks like a lot, but we'll help you with it.
Have a seat.
First, even though you're the victim,
This is a criminal matter
Since the car was used in several homicides.
So you have to initial the Miranda warning,
And then below that there's a statement
Certifying you're the primary owner.
Is all this really necessary?
Believe it or not,
Most of that pile is required by the insurance companies.
Remember, until we can prove otherwise,
Even when it's not gangs, it's gangs.
Am I the driver of the vehicle? Uh...
Well, when was the last time you were in that car?
I don't know. We have 16 black Tahoes.
No problem. We'll get elimination prints
From you to cancel you out.
Oh.
We already have your prints on file
In connection to an open missing persons case.
That'd be Melissa.
Melissa Orr. Right.
Here's the reference number.
It says Melissa was your fiancée?
Yeah.
Till she broke up with me right before I went
To defend the United States embassy in Afghanistan.
Oh. I was in Afghanistan, too.
Man.
Lots of guys going through crap like that in Kabul.
Hard to watch.
Explains why Melissa's parents
Filled out the report instead of Ron here.
Yeah. Maybe her mom and dad
Were just trying to protect their daughter.
Mm.
Protect her from what?
Well, according to the missing-persons report,
You threatened Melissa repeatedly,
Demanding your engagement ring back.
Wow. Here's a description of it.
"Worth $65,000, covered in diamonds."
No wonder Melissa wanted to keep it.
As a matter of fact,
Melissa mailed the ring back to me
While I was in Afghanistan, with an apology,
And that was after her parents reported her missing.
You know, every time you guys fail, I get the blame.
You can't find Melissa? That's my fault.
One of my cars gets stolen and used in a crime spree?
That's my fault, too, I guess.
But at some point, the LAPD
Is gonna have to take responsibility
For its own incompetence.
Excuse me.
You say Melissa mailed the ring back to you.
That's not in our report.
Of course it's not in your report,
Because that would mean I had nothing to do
With her going missing,
And you people would actually have to start looking for her!
Since it's clear we're not gonna be friends,
Let's be frank.
If your ex-girlfriend is still alive,
Which I doubt,
And she sent that ring to you after she went missing,
Where is it?
where it belongs.
On the hand of my new fiancée.
Listen to me.
You make yourself comfortable,
'cause you're not going anywhere until we meet her.
What's her name?
You want to call your fiancée now
Or after you're arraigned for the murder
Of the last woman you asked to marry you?
Just for argument's sake,
Let's examine this theory of yours.
Let's say Browning paid my client
To off his fiancée four years ago,
But then Javier gets out of prison,
And Browning gets worried,
So he tries to kill my client
To prevent him from cooperating with the LAPD.
Why shoot up a gas station and all those other people?!
To disguise his intention.
Make the attack on Speedy look like gangs!
Okay.
Hypothetically, let's say you're right about all this.
What would be the offer to my client?
If he confirms Browning paid him to kill his fiancée,
Speedy would get second-degree murder,
17 to life.
Well, you know, that's a little steep
Considering you're shy
Of some pretty important evidence here.
You don't even have this missing girl's body yet!
What?
How do you know we don't have her body yet?
Did Javier tell you that, Jack?
I know it because you haven't arrested Javier for murder,
And that would be pretty hard to do,
Seeing as how you would have to provide the victim's body
And the cause of death.
Mm.
And this missing
girl -- Melissa? Yeah.
Without Javier, how do we know she didn't fall off a cliff?
Jump off a boat?
Run off to Thailand?
Sir, Speedy had a D.U.I.
And a suspended license at the time of the murder,
So he didn't want to drive around
With a dead body in his trunk!
Melissa is buried in his neighborhood somewhere.
Once we find the body,
We won't need your client anymorore.
Oh, you'll need Javier's help no matter what.
He's your witness.
He's your motive in the shooting at the gas station.
And this smells like a manslaughter plea.
Where you going, Sharon?
Why is everyone leaving?
Hey! Hey!
Sharon! Where are you going?
You cannot question my client without my permission.
If you think I'm gonna let you run roughshod over the law
Because of our relationship, you're in for a big surprise.
You are the one who takes this relationship for granted, Jack,
As you're about to see!
Excuse me, Javier, sorry to keep you waiting.
Javier, don't answer her questions!
You cannot interrogate my client
Without violating his Miranda rights!
Detective, if Jack interrupts me again,
Would you please have him removed?
What?!
Javier, you cannot say anything,
Because the charges against you have changed.
We're no longer holding you for parole violations.
We're arresting you as a suspect
In the murder of Melissa Orr.
To avoid ethical conflicts,
You need to know that I am the officer
In charge of this investigation
And your attorney is my husband,
And I would think very seriously
About having an attorney who's
related by marriage --
What? Sharon!
You're fired!
I mean it! You're fired!
Get out!
Javier, you are making a big mistake.
I trusted you!
I -- you can
trust me!
I have your best interests at heart!
Just leave! Get out, man! You're fired!
Leave! Leave me alone! Please!
Get out!
Please!
Now he has no attorney at all. How do we talk to him?
Give us a moment.
There's a ritual involved with suspects like this,
And we need to follow it.
Ah. Come.
Rusty, go to the break room.
oh, Jack.
Uh, any ideas for me?
Not now!
Later.
Okay.
I want to see that video of Javier's interrogation
Before I leave here.
I will not let you trample that man's civil rights
In order for you to get what you need.
Sit. Wait.
We'll get back to you after we'burned the constitution.
Like you really care.
No questions.
Right.
Javier, we're not allowed to interview you,
But there's two things you should know.
First, we're about to search your neighborhood
For all the places that you could have buried Melissa Orr,
Paying special attention to your former addresses
And homes of family members.
And, secondly, whatever your relationship
With Browning used to be, he doesn't like you anymore.
It's gonna take days for the courts
To find someone to defend you
Since this is a death-penalty case.
Death?
Well, c-can't you help me?
Not if you invoke your rights.
What if -- what if
I gave up my rights?
Well, if you cooperate now,
The d.A. Has already agreed
To give you a deal for second-degree murder,
17 to life.
So you have a parole date.
Of course, if you didn't kill Melissa,
Then you're okay.
Maybe you don't care about doing what's right,
But maybe your relationship with christ
Was like a joke that you played to get out of prison!
It's not a joke!
Christ is the only thing that matters in my life!
The bible says it. Look it up.
Even if Speedy admits to murder for hire,
He'll still have to prove Browning paid him.
Or the gas station case all falls apart.
What about the weapon we found
That belonged to Browning's friend in Morro Bay?
Two years from now? The jury will lothat.
No. We need to settle this today,
Before the sun goes down and the gangs start shooting.
He forgives me.
Jesus forgives me because I put him first in everything.
So, why...
...Why did god kill my little brother
When I was the one who did wrong?
Why did god do that?
No.
Javier...
God didn't kill your brother.
Ron Browning did that.
Maybe your brother died
Because you didn't do what you know christ wants you to do.
And other people could die now, too.
Your old Third Streeters, Locos,
Maybe even innocent kids just walking to school!
Wait, wait.
Mnh-mnh.
Christ forgives us, Javier, not judges and lawyers.
You really want me to get you an attorney,
Or do you want to get right with god?
'cause sometimes it is not possible to do both.
Think about it.
I-I mean really think about it,
'cause I promise you right now Browning is thinking about you.
Lawyers never did anything for me.
I don't want a lawyer.
I want to do what you said.
I want to do right.
Let's get the worst part of this out of the way right now.
Did you hurt Melissa before killing her?
Did you knock her around?
No, no, no.
Did you rape her? No!
I'm not like that! I was never like that!
That's -- don't
make me like that.
Javier, look at me.
Don't think about the person that you used to be.
Think about the person that you are now.
And start by telling us where Melissa is
So we can get her back home to her family.
She's underneath the flower bed in my grandmother's backyard.
s
With every word that you speak...
Well, I'm leaving this revival.
Go get a warrant
And a crew with shovels over to granny's house.
Tell us how you killed Melissa.
I...
I s-- I
strangled her.
I strangled her with the necklace
That she was wearing.
Cut off the finger with the ring on it.
Crying ] then I buried her.
s
I was different then.
I'm sorry.
I'm sorry that I did that.
At this stage,
I won't be able to get a time of death on Melissa.
She could have sent the ring back to Browning
Before she was killed.
Without absolute proof,
It's Javier's word against Browning's.
What arrangement did Mr. Browning make with you?
Did he pay you to kill Melissa?
Is that it?
He had to fire me because I got arrested.
D.U.I.
But he said that he'd pay me $10,000...
...If I got rid of his girlfriend.
And that he wanted me to mail her ring back to him.
Overseas or something.
Is there anything else we should know?
You have to tell us everything.
I stole from Browning.
I stole from him.
What'd you steal?
Come in.
Kathy Thompson,
Assistant chief of police Russell Taylor,
Captain Sharon Raydor, Lieutenant Michael Tao,
And Detective Amy Sykes.
And you know your fiancée, Ron.
Ron, what is going on?
Don't stress out. This will be over in a minute.
I apologize for the crowd, Miss Thompson,
And our hurry,
But we're trying to avoid a gang war.
And the sooner we can take a look at your engagement ring,
The faster all this can be done.
My ring?
Ron, why do they need to see my ring?
Because the LAPD just dug up the last woman
Who was wearing it from underneath a row of hollyhocks.
Melissa's dead? Yes.
And the man who killed her
Claims that your fiancé paid him to do it.
In fact, if we can verify the ring you're wearing
Is the same one Ron gave Melissa, the two of you can go.
Javier, A.K.A. Speedy, tells us
That he was supposed to mail
This extremely pricey ring back to you.
Which technically he failed to do.
Sorry, Kathy, but maybe this is for the best.
Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa! What the hell are you doing?
You can't keep my ring!
You're trying to rob me!
We're too late for that, sir.
After Speedy killed Melissa
And before he sent you back this ring,
He and a friend took it to a jeweler downtown
And replaced all the diamonds with cubic zirconium.
That's what all these little sparkly stones
In the setting are made of.
And that means that we can corroborate
Javier's confession of murder for hire.
And your motive for killing four innocent people yesterday,
Because you're a depraved animal.
Ron Browning, you're under arrest
For five counts of murder in the first degree
With special circumstances.
You have the right to remain silent.
Anything you say can
And will be used against you in a court of law. I did not do this.
Ron! You have the right to an attorney.
You can remain silent, too, sweetie.
Let's inform the media
And our Third
Streeters, and Locos, too --
We have our killer under arrest.
Let's go.
Wait a second. I did not do this.
You hear me?
You're gonna regret this!
Lawyers never did anything for me.
I don't -- I don't
want a lawyer.
I want to do what you said.
I want to do right.
You don't want to see the rest?
to what end? Sharon won.
Where is she,
anyway -- Sharon?
Chief Taylor's office.
Would you like me to give her a message?
No. Thanks. I'll just leave her a note.
Very nice.
Have fun.
Are you all right?
I'm fine.
I was just
thinking how --
How in life we sometimes believe we're looking at something
And then later it turns out to be something different.
Like these murders.
Looked like gangs
-- they weren't.
My client was a witness, turned out to be a murderer.
Diamonds turn out to be rocks.
Funny how...
Who we really are...
Always shows up in the end.
You know...
This might be your out with Kris.
Her parents think you're her boyfriend?
Well, we both know who you really are.
W-who I really am?
What's that supposed to mean?
Just that...
Just that you're a material witness
In a trial against a serial killer,
Living under police protection.
You play that up big with Kris' parents,
And they'll end the relationship for you.
Yeah.
Moms and dads are like that, you know.
Always protecting their children.
Anyway, best you can, enjoy your dinner.
I'll see you later.
Uh...
T-thanks.
Yeah.
Um...
I'll see you later.
Yeah.