The Killer Beside Me (2018–…): Season 1, Episode 1 - Target on Her Back - full transcript
24-year-old grocery store worker, Caroline Nosal befriends her introvert colleague Christopher O'Kroley. Chris is eager to make friends with Caroline possibly to eager. Caroline complains ...
Officer ♪1:
RIGHT NOW HE IS BEHIND COLE
BY THE LOADING DOCK.
♪♪
Brooks: I WAS GROWING WORRIED
THAT SOMETHING
WAS GOING TO GO VERY WRONG.
♪♪
Officer ♪2: FLANK 11, I GOT HIM.
- I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW...
- FLANK 11 MADE CONTACT.
Brooks:
...WHO MY FRIEND WAS ANYMORE.
Officer ♪2: ONE AT GUNPOINT.
♪♪
HE WAS DANGEROUS.
THERE WAS NO QUESTION.
Officer ♪2: HANDS IN THE AIR!
PUT YOUR --
[ GUNSHOTS ]
SHOTS FIRED!
♪♪
♪♪
Jane:
EVERYTHING JUST CRUMBLED...
♪♪
...AND EVERYTHING WAS JUST GONE.
YOU DON'T EXPECT
TO LOSE YOUR CHILD.
♪♪
♪♪
♪♪
MORNING.
♪♪
Jim: IN THE SUMMER OF 2015,
CAROLINE WAS 24 YEARS OLD.
SHE FOUND AN OPPORTUNITY TO WORK
FOR A LOCAL GROCERY-STORE CHAIN.
- HI.
- HI.
SHE WORKED IN
THE PRODUCE SECTION.
SHE WAS
THE ASSISTANT PRODUCE MANAGER.
SHE WAS VERY GOOD AT HER JOB.
YOU'RE WELCOME.
HAVE A NICE DAY.
CAROLINE REALLY LIKED
THE CAMARADERIE
OF PEOPLE SHE WORKED WITH,
AND SHE MADE NEW FRIENDS.
HEY.
IN THE BEGINNING
OF SEPTEMBER OF 2015,
I STARTED AT THE GROCERY STORE,
AND THAT'S WHERE I MET CAROLINE.
OH! I FINALLY STARTED
THAT BOOK YOU LENT ME.
AH! AND?
CAROLINE WAS JUST -- [CHUCKLES]
SHE WAS REALLY BUBBLY
AND REALLY FRIENDLY,
JUST SOMEBODY THAT I INSTANTLY
WANTED TO GET TO KNOW MORE.
♪♪
SHE WAS VERY WELCOMING.
AS PEOPLE WOULD ENTER THE STORE
AS EMPLOYEES, NEW HIRES,
SHE WOULD MAKE THEM FEEL
AS THOUGH
THEY BELONGED
A PART OF THE GROUP,
WHICH IS WHAT SHE DID WITH ME.
SHE CARED FOR EVERYBODY
REGARDLESS OF WHO YOU WERE.
ANYWAY,
I'LL SEE YOU OUT THERE.
OKAY.
OH! NEW GUY.
♪♪
Jim: NOT LONG AFTER STARTING
AT THE GROCERY STORE,
CAROLINE MET A YOUNG MAN
BY THE NAME
OF CHRISTOPHER O'KROLEY.
♪♪
I'M CAROLINE.
HI. UM, CHRIS.
♪♪
Brooks:
CHRIS GAVE OFF A SORT OF VIBE
THAT TOLD ME
THAT HE DIDN'T WANT PEOPLE
TO REALLY SEE
INSIDE OF HIS HEAD.
HE WAS VERY QUIET, SOMEWHAT
SECLUDED, FRIENDLY ENOUGH,
BUT REALLY JUST TO HIMSELF
MOST OF THE TIME.
UH, I'LL SEE YOU
OUT THERE?
RIGHT.
♪♪
THE STORE WAS
A REALLY VERY SOCIAL PLACE.
I WORKED IN THE SMOOTHIE BAR,
WHICH WAS PART
OF THE PRODUCE DEPARTMENT
WHERE CAROLINE WORKED,
AND THEN CHRIS WORKED
IN THE MEAT DEPARTMENT.
YEAH, IF YOU GO OUT
THERE AND TURN RIGHT,
IT'S OUT THE DOOR
ON YOUR LEFT.
EVERYBODY REALLY GOT ALONG
AND BEFORE TOO LONG,
WE STARTED GETTING TOGETHER
OUTSIDE OF WORK FOR DRINKS,
AND WE CALLED THEM
OUR FUN NIGHTS.
...LIKE IT.
IT WAS SO RIDICULOUS.
IT WAS INSANE.
CAROLINE WAS CERTAINLY
THE TYPE OF PERSON WHO,
IN AN OUTING, IF SOMEBODY
DID SEEM TO FEEL LEFT OUT,
SHE WOULD TALK TO THEM.
HEY, CHRIS.
LOOK,
COME AND SIT HERE.
IT WAS REALLY JUST HER NATURE
TO REACH IN AND TRY TO PULL
SOMEBODY OUT OF THEIR SHELL,
AND CHRIS WAS SOMEBODY WHO
WAS VERY QUIET AND TO HIMSELF.
TO CHRIS.All: TO CHRIS.
CHRIS, CAROLINE, AND I
BECAME CLOSE PRETTY QUICKLY.
♪♪
Jane:
THIS IS A PICTURE OF CAROLINE
ON HER 21st BIRTHDAY.
CAROLINE WAS BORN ON MY 33rd
BIRTHDAY, SO WE SHARED MAY 1st.
BEST PRESENT I EVER GOT.
♪♪
CAROLINE KNEW A LOT
OF DIFFERENT PEOPLE,
BUT SHE WOULD NOT CHANGE HERSELF
TO BECOME PART OF THE CROWD.
SHE WAS ALWAYS AN INDIVIDUAL,
AND SHE WAS ASSERTIVE.
AND SHE WAS VERY TENDER-HEARTED
AT THE SAME TIME.
SHE HAD GRADUATED HIGH SCHOOL
AND WENT TO A COMMUNITY COLLEGE
FOR A YEAR OR TWO,
AND SHE DIDN'T
REALLY CARE FOR IT,
AND SHE SAYS, "I WANT
TO START OUT ON MY OWN.
I WANT TO GET A JOB."
♪♪
I WASN'T WORRIED THAT CAROLINE
WASN'T FULFILLING HER POTENTIAL
BY WORKING AT THE GROCERY STORE.
I WANTED HER TO HAVE DIFFERENT
EXPERIENCES IN HER LIFE
AND WORKING FOR A LIVING
WHEN YOU'RE YOUNG
IS A GOOD EXPERIENCE.
WELL, CAROLINE, SHE CAME HOME
ONE TIME AND SHE SAID,
"DAD, I THINK THEY'RE TRYING
TO THINK ABOUT
MOVING ME UP
WITHIN THE ORGANIZATION.
I DON'T WANT TO DO THIS
THE REST OF MY LIFE."
EVENTUALLY, I FOUND OUT
SHE HAD BEEN ACCEPTED
TO THE UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN
AND WOULD HOPEFULLY BE STARTING
CLASSES THE FALL OF 2016,
BUT SHE DIDN'T WANT TO TELL ME.
SHE HAD TOLD MY WIFE
AND HAD TOLD HER OLDER SISTER.
THEY WANTED TO KEEP THAT
AS A SURPRISE FOR ME.
♪♪
♪♪
THIS IS YOU?
UGH, I LOOK GROSS.
NO, IT'S COOL.
WHATEVER.
[ DOOR OPENS ]OH, MY MOM.
I'D LOVED IT WHEN CAROLINE
WOULD JUST POP IN AS A SURPRISE,
AND SHE WOULD HAVE A DAY OFF
DURING THE WEEK SOMETIMES.
SHE ALWAYS HAD
WORKED EVERY WEEKEND.
SO SHE WOULD NEVER CALL FIRST.
SHE'D JUST --
SURPRISE AND SHE WAS THERE.
- HEY!
- HEY!
WHEN I FIRST MET CHRIS...
...SHE INTRODUCED US.
I SHOOK HIS HAND HELLO.
♪♪
HE WAS ALWAYS LOOKING AT HER,
NOT ME.
♪♪
AND THEY STAYED
JUST A FEW MINUTES
AND THEN WERE ON THEIR WAY.
ALL DONE.
PERHAPS HE WAS A BIT SHY.
YOU DON'T KNOW UNTIL
YOU GET TO KNOW SOMEONE BETTER.
HE DIDN'T ENGAGE WITH ME AT ALL.
I DON'T EVEN THINK
HE LOOKED ME IN THE EYE.
HE DIDN'T SAY MUCH
OTHER THAN HELLO.
THAT WAS ABOUT IT.
♪♪
Richard: CAROLINE WAS
ONE OF MY BEST FRIENDS.
I MET HER AROUND 2013,
AND WE USED TO WORK TOGETHER,
AND WE JUST CLICKED RIGHT AWAY.
AND EVEN AFTER
WE STOPPED WORKING TOGETHER,
CAROLINE AND I
WOULD MEET FOR COFFEE.
SO, YOU
HAVE TO MEET CHRIS...
THE FIRST TIME CAROLINE
MENTIONED CHRIS,
SHE SAID THAT HE WAS PART
OF HER NEW WORK CREW,
AND SHE WAS REALLY DRAWN TO HIM
BECAUSE HE HAD SOME, LIKE,
TRAGIC BACKSTORY
I WAS LEAD TO BELIEVE.
♪♪
HEY, YOU WANT TO COME PLAY
VIDEO GAMES SOME TIME?
UH, SURE.
THAT SOUNDS FUN.
HOW ABOUT TOMORROW?
I CAN'T TOMORROW.
MY SISTER'S IN TOWN.
MOM'S GOT ME
DOWN TO COOK.
SHE'S NICE, YOUR MOM.
MY LIFE'S A MESS.
[ CHUCKLES ]
♪♪
CAROLINE WAS REALLY CONCERNED
THAT HE DIDN'T SEEM TO HAVE
A SUPPORT NETWORK.
HE HAD RECENTLY BEEN HOMELESS
FOR A TIME SHE HAD MENTIONED.
HE HAD RECENTLY GONE THROUGH
A BREAKUP
AND HAD A SMALL CHILD AT HOME
THAT HE DIDN'T SEE.
WOW, UH,
THAT SOUNDS INTENSE.
♪♪
IF YOU EVER WANT TO TALK ABOUT
IT, YOU KNOW I'M HERE FOR YOU.
♪♪
I BELIEVE CAROLINE THOUGHT
HE NEEDED A FRIEND.
SHE THOUGHT THAT, "WELL, IF I
CAN BRING SOME FRIENDSHIP TO HIM
OR I CAN GIVE HIM AN EAR TO,
YOU KNOW, VENT TO,
THEN THAT COULD HELP,"
AND I DIDN'T AGREE WITH HER
100% ON THAT.
LOOK, I'VE GOT TO GO, BUT WE'LL
DO SOMETHING THIS WEEKEND.
COOL.
OKAY, UH, SEE YOU.
♪♪
Brooks: CAROLINE AND CHRIS,
THEY STARTED HANGING OUT
MORE OFTEN OUTSIDE OF WORK.
THEY WERE VERY COMFORTABLE
WITH EACH OTHER,
AND THEY WERE ABLE
TO TALK FREELY.
I BELIEVE THAT CHRIS
GOT ALONG WITH CAROLINE
AS WELL AS HE DID BECAUSE
CAROLINE WAS AN ADMIRABLE WOMAN
WHO WAS VERY CARING, SWEET,
AND JUST GENUINELY WANTED
WHAT WAS ACTUALLY BEST
FOR THE PEOPLE IN HER LIFE.
IT HAD NEVER OCCURRED TO ME
THAT MAYBE THERE WAS ANYTHING
MORE TO IT THAN THAT.
♪♪
BUT A FEW WEEKS
AFTER I STARTED AT THE STORE,
WE HAD STARTED
TO NOTICE SOMETHING
MAYBE A LITTLE OFF ABOUT CHRIS.
♪♪
- HEY, HAVE YOU HEARD?
- WHAT?
ABOUT CHRIS.
ABOUT WHAT HE DID.
NO?
THAT WAS THE POINT
WHEN I HAD REALIZED
THAT THINGS WERE NOT QUITE
AS THEY SEEMED.
♪♪
♪♪
I WAS GONNA STOP BY THE MALL
TOMORROW AFTER SHIFT.
WANT TO COME?
♪♪
TO THE MALL?
WITH YOU?
♪♪
WHAT I HAD COME TO FIND OUT
WAS THAT CHRIS
HAD BEEN HITTING ON
MY FRIEND'S LITTLE SISTER,
AND SHE WAS ONLY 16.
HONESTLY, I DIDN'T KNOW
WHETHER TO BELIEVE
WHETHER OR NOT IT WAS TRUE.
THAT'S SO WEIRD.
I CAN'T IMAGINE HIM DOING THAT.
ARE YOU SURE?
THE STORE WAS ALMOST
SORT OF LIKE A HIGH SCHOOL
IN REGARDS TO DRAMA AND GOSSIP.
THERE WAS REALLY NO STOPPING IT.
IT WAS EVERYWHERE,
WHETHER IT BE GOOD OR BAD.
SEE YOU LATER.
WE CERTAINLY GAVE HIM
THE BENEFIT OF THE DOUBT
AND ASSUMED THAT HE WAS JUST
A VERY QUIET PERSON
AND MAYBE HIS SOCIAL SKILLS
WEREN'T UP TO SNUFF.
♪♪
Richard:
CAROLINE HAD GONE OUT TO THE BAR
WITH HER BIG GROUP OF FRIENDS.
[ LAUGHS ]
CHEERS!
LATER THAT NIGHT, SHE FELT
LIKE SHE HAD HAD TOO MUCH DRINK
AND SO SHE ASKED
TO BE TAKEN HOME.
♪♪
INSTEAD, SINCE CHRISTOPHER
WASN'T SURE WHERE SHE LIVED,
HE TOOK HER TO HIS PLACE.
♪♪
♪♪
♪♪
SHE WOKE UP THE NEXT DAY
NOT FEELING RIGHT,
NOT FEELING COMFORTABLE
AND THINKING THAT MAYBE
THAT HE GOTTEN
A LITTLE TOO FRIENDLY WITH HER
WHILE SHE WAS
NOT IN THE RIGHT STATE.
♪♪
BREAKFAST.
♪♪
CAROLINE NEVER HAD ROMANTIC
INTEREST IN CHRISTOPHER...
♪♪
...BUT SHE'D MENTIONED THAT
HE MIGHT HAVE BEEN DRINKING,
AS WELL,
AND HE WAS STARTING
TO MAKE HER UNCOMFORTABLE.
YOU WERE SO DRUNK.
Caroline: YEAH.
BEING ONE HER CLOSER FRIENDS,
I KNEW THAT HE WASN'T HER TYPE.
IT WAS JUST
I DON'T THINK HE WAS USED TO
PEOPLE TREATING HIM
WITH KINDNESS,
AND SO I FEEL LIKE
HE MISCONSTRUED HER COMPASSION
AND HER INTENTION FOR
SOMETHING THAT WASN'T THERE.
EAT UP.
UM...
I'M NOT HUNGRY.
THANKS.
♪♪
♪♪
AND AT THE POINT
SHE KIND OF REALIZED
THAT THIS WAS NOT THE FRIENDSHIP
THAT SHE THOUGHT SHE HAD.
♪♪
♪♪
Brooks: AROUND THIS TIME, CHRIS
STARTED TO RANDOMLY TEXT HER,
ASK HER WHAT WAS UP,
ASK HER IF SHE WANTED
TO PLAY A COMPUTER GAME,
OR ASK HER TO HANG OUT.
[ CELLPHONE CHIMES ]
CAROLINE STARTED
TO GET A LITTLE STRESSED OUT
WITH THE CONSTANT TEXTING
AND MESSAGING,
AND IT WAS STARTING
TO MAKE HER UNCOMFORTABLE.
HE WOULD CONSTANTLY
FOLLOW HER AROUND HER WORK,
CONTINUE TO TRY TO SIT WITH HER
AT LUNCH AND ON BREAKS,
CONTINUE TO TRY TO TALK TO HER,
AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
HE JUST BECAME OBSESSIVE.
HONESTLY, I FELT BADLY FOR HIM,
BUT ON THE OTHER HAND,
I WAS GETTING NERVOUS AROUND
HIM, AND I WAS STARTING TO DOUBT
WHETHER I KNEW HIM
OR NOT AT ALL.
♪♪
♪♪
HEY.
YOU WANT TO COME PLAY
VIDEO GAMES TONIGHT?
♪♪
I- I CAN'T.
I HAVE STUFF TO DO.
♪♪
I HAVE A LIFE.
♪♪
CAROLINE ACTUALLY BEGAN
TO AVOID HIM MORE AT WORK.
SHE WOULD DODGE PAST
HIS DEPARTMENT,
SORT OF GO TO THE BACK ROOM
A DIFFERENT ROUTE.
WALK OVER MAYBE TOWARDS ME
IN THE SMOOTHIE BAR
OR WALK SOMEWHERE ELSE
WHEN HE WOULD COME
INTO THE PRODUCE DEPARTMENT
TO GET THINGS
FOR THE MEAT DEPARTMENT,
AND HE REALLY
DID NOT LIKE THAT AT ALL.
♪♪
♪♪
[ CELLPHONE RINGING ]
♪♪
Caroline's voice:
HEY, THIS IS CAROLINE.
LEAVE A MESSAGE.
CAROLINE STOPPED RESPONDING
TO TEXT MESSAGES.
SHE STOPPED INVITING HIM
TO HAVE LUNCH.
SHE STOPPED BEING FRIENDLY
WHICH WAS HARD FOR HER
BECAUSE SHE WAS A NATURALLY
GIVING AND FRIENDLY PERSON.
SHE PRETTY MUCH
STOPPED RESPONDING
TO ANY OF HIS, YOU KNOW,
ADVANCEMENTS OR CONVERSATION.
[ CELLPHONE RINGING ]
HEY, THIS IS CAROLINE.
LEAVE A MESSAGE.
CHRISTOPHER DIDN'T ACCEPT THAT.
HE CONTINUED
TO TEXT AND TALK...
HEY, THIS IS CAROLINE.
LEAVE A MESSAGE.
...AND SHE WAS KIND OF OVER IT
AT THAT POINT.
♪♪
CAROLINE STARTED
TO GET INCREASINGLY IRRITATED
WITH NOT BEING ABLE
TO HAVE THE SPACE,
AND SHE STARTED
TO GET MORE VOCAL
ABOUT NOT WANTING TO, YOU KNOW,
HAVE CLOSE CONTACT
WITH CHRISTOPHER.
♪♪
WHY ARE YOU
IGNORING ME?
PLEASE,
YOU HAVE TO STOP THIS.
I WAS REALLY WORRIED
ABOUT CAROLINE,
AND I WAS, QUITE FRANKLY,
ANXIOUS ABOUT CHRIS,
THAT HE WAS BECOMING
THREATENING.
♪♪
I JUST HAD A BAD FEELING.
♪♪
♪♪
I HAVE A LIFE.
♪♪
CHRIS HAD BECOME, OVER
THESE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS,
INCREASINGLY MORE AGGRESSIVE.
WHY ARE YOU
IGNORING ME?
♪♪
LEAVE ME ALONE.
♪♪
I THINK CAROLINE
WAS SCARED OF HIM, YEAH.
♪♪
♪♪
DURING THIS TIME, CAROLINE
DID SEEM TO BE MORE DISTANT.
TO ME, IT SEEMED LIKE
SHE WAS WRESTLING WITH AN ISSUE.
YEAH, I COULD SENSE
THAT SOMETHING WAS GOING ON.
♪♪
I TOTALLY AGREED
WITH CAROLINE'S DECISION
NOT TO BE A FRIEND
OF CHRIS'S ANYMORE,
AND I TOLD HER
THAT SHE NEEDED TO BE POLITE
WHEN THEY WERE AT WORK,
BUT NOT TO GET INVOLVED
AND KEEP HER DISTANCE.
♪♪
I WAS ALWAYS WARY OF A MAN
HURTING ONE OF MY GIRLS.
♪♪
I JUST WANTED CAROLINE
TO BE SAFE.
♪♪
Brooks: AROUND THIS TIME,
CHRIS STARTED HARASSING
OTHER MEMBERS OF THE STAFF...
♪♪
...FROM FLIRTING WITH SOMEBODY
AND TELLING THEM
THAT THEY WERE ATTRACTIVE
TO REQUESTING...
EXPLICIT FAVORS.
PERSONALLY FOR CAROLINE AND I
AND OUR EXPERIENCE WITH HIM,
THIS WAS A NEW LOW.
♪♪
O'Kroley: HAVE FUN.
WE WERE UNCOVERING A DARKER,
STARTLING SIDE OF HIM
THAT WE DIDN'T EVEN KNOW
EXISTED.
I MEAN, I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW
WHO MY FRIEND WAS ANYMORE.
♪♪
ESSENTIALLY, I JUST
WANTED EVERYTHING TO STOP.
I WANTED MY FRIENDS BACK.
I WANTED EVERYTHING
TO BE NORMAL.
♪♪
♪♪
THAT YEAR FOR THE CHRISTMAS
PARTY, WE WENT TO THE PUB
THAT WE USUALLY WENT TO
FOR OUR FUN NIGHTS.
OKAY, EVERYONE, EVERYONE!
GET TOGETHER, OKAY, GUYS?
THIS IS A PHOTO FROM
THE UGLY SWEATER CHRISTMAS PARTY
IN 2015.
HERE WE HAVE CAROLINE,
SMILING AS USUAL,
AND HERE WE'VE GOT CHRIS.
♪♪
I WAS A LITTLE SURPRISED
HE HAD COME AT ALL, REALLY.
♪♪
HEY.
I GOT YOU A BEER.
UH, NO THANKS.
♪♪
[ CHUCKLES ]
TAKE A LOOK AT THIS.
CHRIS HAD STARTED SHOWING
EXPLICIT PHOTOS
OF THIS GIRL TO CAROLINE.
WHAT IS YOUR PROBLEM?
ARE YOU JEALOUS?
WHAT IS
THE MATTER WITH YOU?
YOU KNOW WHAT, CHRIS?
I'M SO SICK OF THIS.
SHE WAS A YOUNG GIRL WHO
WORKED IN THE BAKERY DEPARTMENT
PART-TIME IN HIGH SCHOOL.
I THINK SHE WAS 16.
CAROLINE'S REACTION
WAS QUITE OBVIOUSLY DISGUSTED,
AND WHEN SHE HAD TOLD ME,
I WAS MORTIFIED MYSELF.
I WAS THE ONLY PERSON
WHO WAS NICE TO YOU, OKAY?
I TRY AND GIVE YOU ADVICE,
I TRY AND HELP YOU OUT,
AND THIS IS
HOW YOU TREAT ME?
Richard:
CAROLINE HAD OFFICIALLY LOST
HER PATIENCE WITH CHRISTOPHER,
AND SHE KIND OF
PUT IT ALL ON THE LINE
AND SHE CALLED HIM A DISGRACE.
THIS HAS GOT TO STOP!
YOU'RE DISTURBED, CHRIS.
YOU NEED HELP.
AND SHE GOT VERY BLUNT
AND VERY AGGRESSIVE
AND UP-FRONT WITH HIM.
I WAS VERY PROUD OF HER
AT THAT POINT
FOR PUTTING HER FOOT DOWN
AND STANDING HER GROUND.
SO STAY AWAY FROM ME.
♪♪
THAT CHRISTMAS PARTY
WAS THE VERY LAST TIME
THAT THE THREE OF US
WERE TOGETHER OUTSIDE OF WORK.
♪♪
Jane: CAROLINE WAS VERY
CONCERNED ABOUT THIS YOUNG GIRL.
SO, SHE SAID TO ME,
"I NEED TO DO
SOMETHING ABOUT THIS."
WHEN SHE SAID THAT TO ME,
I FELT LIKE SOMEBODY PUT...
...AN ICICLE, A LARGE ICICLE,
LIKE RIGHT THROUGH MY CHEST
AND I SAID, "STAY OUT OF IT!"
AND SHE LOOKED AT ME,
SHE SMILED, AND SHE SAID,
"YOU KNOW THAT'S NOT
HOW WE ROLL.
NOW, WHAT ARE WE GONNA DO?"
♪♪
CAROLINE AND I WOULD TALK
AND MESSAGE EACH OTHER
QUITE OFTEN ABOUT WHAT TO DO
ABOUT THIS WHOLE SITUATION.
♪♪
SHE SAID, "I THINK I'M JUST
GOING TO TALK TO MANAGEMENT
WHEN THEY WORK NEXT."
I SAID, "I VOTE COPS.
NO POINT I GOING TO MANAGEMENT."
I ASKED HER IF SHE WOULD BE
WILLING TO GO TO THE POLICE
AT THAT POINT IN TIME,
AND SHE DIDN'T WANT TO GO
TO THE POLICE AT THAT MOMENT
BECAUSE SHE DID NOT FEEL
IN DANGER.
SHE THOUGHT SHE COULD HANDLE IT.
SHE ALWAYS THOUGHT
SHE COULD HANDLE IT.
♪♪
BY THE TIME
THE HOLIDAYS WERE OVER,
CHRIS WAS ACTING
REALLY VERY STRANGELY.
HE WAS AN ENTIRELY
DIFFERENT PERSON
THAN THE PERSON I HAD
MET WHEN HE HAD STARTED.
♪♪
WE DIDN'T REALLY FEEL
COMFORTABLE AROUND HIM ANYMORE.
♪♪
ONE DAY IN EARLY JANUARY,
I WAS WORKING AN OPENING SHIFT
AT THE STORE.
THINGS WERE TYPICALLY QUIET
THAT TIME OF DAY.
♪♪
OFTEN TIMES, POLICE
AND FIREFIGHTERS WOULD COME IN
TO BUY FOOD FOR THE DAYS COMING,
BUT THIS TIME
WHEN THE POLICE CAME IN,
THEY WEREN'T THERE FOR FOOD.
THEY HAD GONE
TO THE MEAT DEPARTMENT DIRECTLY.
♪♪
♪♪
♪♪
THEN, I SAW THE TWO
POLICE OFFICERS COMING BACK OUT
WITH CHRIS IN HANDCUFFS.
♪♪
♪♪
DID YOU HEAR
WHAT THEY SAID?
♪♪
CHRIS AND THIS GIRL HAD GONE
BACK TO HIS PLACE ON CHRISTMAS
AND HAD SMOKED AND HAD DRANK.
♪♪
THE GIRL HAD
HAD ONE SIP OF A MIXED DRINK,
LOST CONSCIOUSNESS, AND WOKE UP
WITH HER CLOTHES REMOVED.
WE HAD THOUGHT THAT HE
WOULD EITHER BE GOING TO JAIL
OR HE WOULD BE FIRED
AT THAT POINT.
I THOUGHT HE WAS GONE FOR GOOD,
AND I FELT SAFER.
♪♪
Richard: CAROLINE SEEMED
MORE LIKE HER OLD SELF
ONCE CHRISTOPHER
WAS OUT OF THE STORE.
SHE FELT SAFER. SHE FELT BETTER.
SHE HAD MORE ENERGY.
WE WERE MAKING PLANS AGAIN,
AND SHE DIDN'T SEEM
AS WEIGHED DOWN
LIKE SHE HAD BEEN
IN THE PREVIOUS MONTHS.
♪♪
Brooks: WITH CHRIS GONE,
WE WERE KIND OF ABLE TO JUST
LET GO AGAIN
AND FOCUS ON OUR JOBS.
♪♪
EVERYONE ELSE IN THE STORE,
EVERYTHING ELSE,
JUST GET BACK TO NORMAL LIFE.
♪♪
♪♪
♪♪
♪♪
♪♪
WE HAD THOUGHT THAT HE
WOULD EITHER BE GOING TO JAIL
OR HE WOULD BE FIRED
AT THAT POINT.
♪♪
♪♪
YOU'RE BACK.
I THINK CAROLINE'S EXACT WORDS
WERE THAT
MANAGEMENT WAS NOT GONNA
DO ANYTHING
UNTIL THE POLICE CONCLUDED
THEIR INVESTIGATION,
AND SO THEY HAD NO REAL REASON
TO LET HIM GO.
SHE'S A LIAR.
SHE JUST
WANTED SOME ATTENTION.
I COULDN'T UNDERSTAND HOW THEY
COULD JUST LET HIM COME BACK
AND WORK IN
THE SAME DEPARTMENTS,
ON THE SAME SCHEDULE,
ON THE SAME SHIFTS.
PUT HIM ON OVERNIGHT,
PUT HIM ON WEEKENDS,
BUT DON'T PUT HIM BACK
IN THE SAME ENVIRONMENT
AND THINK IT'S
ALL GONNA BE FINE.
♪♪
I'LL SEE YOU
OUT THERE.
♪♪
Brooks: THE NERVES
JUST STARTED CREEPING BACK UP.
♪♪
CAROLINE MUST HAVE BEEN
ABSOLUTELY TERRIFIED.
♪♪
CAROLINE AND I
ESTABLISHED A BUDDY SYSTEM.
♪♪
I WOULD WALK HER TO HER CAR
AND THEN SHE
WOULD DRIVE ME HOME.
♪♪
AT THAT POINT,
SO MANY THINGS HAD HAPPENED.
♪♪
I WAS VERY CONCERNED.
♪♪
I HAD NO IDEA
WHO CHRIS HAD HIS EYES ON.
♪♪
[ ENGINE STARTS ]
I TRIED TO...
PUT ON A BRAVE FACE
FOR CAROLINE,
WHO WAS PUTTING ON
A BRAVE FACE FOR ME.
♪♪
[ TELEVISION PLAYS
INDISTINCTLY IN BACKGROUND ]
Jim: IT'S VERY HARD WHEN
YOU SEE ONE OF YOUR CHILDREN
AND THEY'RE
GOING THROUGH SOMETHING.
♪♪
AND, YOU KNOW,
WE WOULD -- WITH CAROLINE,
WE WOULD OFTEN ASK
AND SHE'D SAY, "WELL, IT'S OKAY.
YOU KNOW, I'VE GOT IT UNDER
CONTROL. I'M DEALING WITH IT."
[ CELLPHONE CHIMES ]
CHRISTOPHER O'KROLEY
BECAME MORE AND MORE DISTURBING.
♪♪
♪♪
I HAVE THE TEXTS
THAT CAROLINE WAS SENT
BY CHRISTOPHER O'KROLEY,
AS WELL AS HER RESPONSES.
[ CELLPHONE CHIMES ]
AT 10:19,
SHE RECEIVED A TEXT SAYING,
"I WONDER WHAT TIME
YOU WORK TOMORROW?"
♪♪
[ CELLPHONE BEEPS ]
♪♪
[ CELLPHONE CHIMES ]
LATER, CAROLINE
RECEIVED A TEXT STATING,
"WHY ARE YOU SUCH
A HORRIBLE HUMAN BEING?"
[ CELLPHONE BEEPS ]
♪♪
CAROLINE'S RESPONSE
WAS A TEXT SAYING,
"CHRIS, ARE YOU DRUNK?
WHY THE HELL
ARE YOU TEXTING ME?"
♪♪
RIGHT AFTER THAT...
[ CELLPHONE CHIMES ]
...IT WAS A TEXT MESSAGE
FROM CHRIS SAYING,
"WELL, MAYBE YOU
SHOULD GET MORE ****
SHOVED DOWN YOUR THROAT."
♪♪
CAROLINE'S FINAL RESPONSE
TO CHRIS WAS,
"CHRIS, PLEASE
JUST LEAVE ME ALONE."
♪♪
WE TOLD HER THAT WE FELT
THE BEST COURSE OF ACTION
WAS TO GO
TO THE STORE MANAGEMENT.
SHE AGREED WITH US,
AND AS FAR AS I KNOW,
THE NEXT DAY, WENT TO STORE
MANAGEMENT WITH THIS EVIDENCE.
I WANTED THE SITUATION
TO BE DONE.
I WANTED IT TO BE
HANDLED AND BE DONE.
AND HE WOULD NOT
BE NEAR HER ANYMORE.
♪♪
♪♪
Brooks: THE NEXT DAY,
SHE HAD LET ME KNOW
THAT SHE WAS GONNA GO SIT
IN A MEETING WITH THE MANAGERS.
♪♪
Jim: SINCE CAROLINE
HAD SAVED THE TEXT MESSAGES
THAT THEY COULD NOT IN ANY WAY
DENY WHAT WAS HAPPENING,
IT FORCED THEM TO HAVE TO MAKE
SOME TYPE OF DECISION.
♪♪
THEY INVESTIGATED FURTHER
AND SUSPENDED CHRIS
DURING THE INVESTIGATION.
♪♪
Jane: CAROLINE THOUGHT
SHE WAS IN CONTROL
AND COULD HANDLE IT.
SHE THOUGHT SHE WAS SAFE.
♪♪
Caroline: HEY.
WHAT?
THEY FIRED HIM.
WHAT?
[ SIGHS ]
THEY JUST TOLD ME.
THEY FIRED HIM.
REALLY?
♪♪
SHE SEEMED VERY CONFIDENT
AND VERY ACCOMPLISHED,
AND SHE TOLD ME, WITH ALMOST
A JOYOUS RINGING IN HER VOICE,
THAT HE WASN'T COMING BACK
TO THE STORE.
♪♪
DOES HE KNOW
YOU COMPLAINED?
I DON'T KNOW.
DOES IT MATTER?
THINK ABOUT IT.
♪♪
WE BOTH KNEW THAT CHRIS WOULD
BE BLAMING CAROLINE FOR THIS,
AND QUITE HONESTLY,
I WAS TERRIFIED.
♪♪
♪♪
♪♪
♪♪
♪♪
♪♪
Brooks: CAROLINE WORKED THE NOON
TO 8:00 SHIFT THAT DAY.
SHE SEEMED, QUITE DISTRACTED
AND PREOCCUPIED.
♪♪
I WAS CERTAINLY WORRIED
ABOUT CAROLINE
BECAUSE I WANTED HER TO BE OKAY.
I WAS ONLY SCHEDULED
UNTIL 2:00 P.M. THAT DAY,
AND SO WHEN MY SHIFT WAS OVER,
I LEFT WITHOUT BEING ABLE
TO STAY UNTIL CLOSE
AND WALK HER OUT, AS WELL.
WE HAD PLANS TO MEET UP
LATER THAT EVENING.
♪♪
I DIDN'T STILL FULLY REALIZE,
WHAT DANGER CHRIS
WAS CAPABLE OF,
BUT I KNEW THAT SOMETHING
COULD POTENTIALLY GO WRONG.
♪♪
CHRIS!
[ GASPS ]
♪♪
♪♪
[ TELEVISION PLAYS
INDISTINCTLY IN BACKGROUND ]
Jim: JANE AND I WERE WATCHING TV
WHEN THE NEWS AT 9:00 CAME ON.
Newscaster:
IF YOU ARE JUST JOINING US NOW,
THERE IS DEVELOPING NEWS
FROM THE EAST SIDE OF MADISON
OF A POSSIBLE SHOOTING.
POLICE BELIEVE
THE SHOOTING WAS TARGETED...
AND THEY STATED THAT
THERE HAD BEEN A SHOOTING
AT THE STORE
WHERE MY DAUGHTER WORKED.
...OF THE INCIDENT IS ASKED
TO CALL MADISON POLICE.
AND WE JUST LOOKED
AT EACH OTHER.
♪♪
AND WE GRABBED OUR PHONES
AND WE TRIED
TO GET THROUGH TO HER.
[ CELLPHONE RINGING ]
NO ANSWER.
I CALLED THE STORE,
AND I THINK THE LAST PERSON
I SPOKE WITH WAS A POLICEMAN,
AND I SAID,
"WHERE'S MY CAROLINE?"
AND HE SAID,
"ONE PERSON IS DEAD,
AND CAROLINE
IS AT THE HOSPITAL."
BEING A TRAUMA NURSE,
I KNEW WHAT HE WAS SAYING.
CAROLINE WAS AT THE HOSPITAL AND
SHE WAS DEAD AT THE HOSPITAL.
♪♪
Jim: CLOSE TO MIDNIGHT OR SO,
A COUPLE OF POLICE OFFICERS
CAME INTO OUR HOUSE,
AND I DON'T REMEMBER WHO,
BUT FINALLY SOMEONE SAID
WHAT WE KNEW,
THAT CAROLINE WAS DEAD.
AS A PHYSICIAN,
I'VE BEEN WITH FAMILIES
WHEN THEY'VE LOST CHILD,
THE MOTHERS LET OUT THIS...
JUST VISCERAL SCREAM.
♪♪
AND MY WIFE DID IT AT THAT TIME,
AND IN THAT INSTANT,
OUR LIVES CHANGED FOREVER.
♪♪
I FELT SUCH A PRESSURE,
LIKE I WAS BEING SEPARATED
FROM THIS DIMENSION.
♪♪
AT THE TIME THAT IT HAPPENED,
I JUST THOUGHT, YOU KNOW,
"MY CAROLINE IS GONE?"
♪♪
♪♪
Man: WE WERE IN THE MIDST OF
A FAIRLY SIGNIFICANT SEARCH
FOR THE SUSPECT.
Newscaster: 26-YEAR-OLD
CHRISTOPHER O'KROLEY LED...
Richard: THE NEWS
SAYS THEY HAVE A SUSPECT
THAT THEY'RE LOOKING FOR
[Voice breaking]
AND THEY SAID
THE SUSPECT'S NAME
IS CHRISTOPHER O'KROLEY.
I SAT ON MY COUCH [SNIFFLES]
FOR HOURS AND JUST CRIED.
THERE WAS NOTHING I COULD DO.
♪♪
Officer ♪1: COPY THAT.
Officer ♪2: FRANK 11,
I'LL BE PULLING UP.
[ OFFICER SPEAKING INDISTINCTLY
OVER RADIO ]
Jim: CHRISTOPHER O'KROLEY
WAS STILL ON THE LOOSE.
AGAIN THE CONCERN WAS,
FOR THE POLICE, WAS THAT,
OBVIOUSLY HE WAS ARMED
AND DANGEROUS.
UNBEKNOWNST TO JANE AND I, THERE
WERE A NUMBER OF OTHER WOMEN
WHO MIGHT ALSO
HAVE BEEN IN DANGER,
AND THE POLICE
WERE CONCERNED FOR THEM.
♪♪
Officer ♪2: FRANK 11, I GOT HIM.
Officer ♪1:
FRANK 11, MADE CONTACT.
♪♪
Officer ♪2: NOT TAKING HANDS OUT
OF HIS POCKETS.
Officer ♪1:
SUSPECT IS NOT TAKING
HIS HANDS OUT OF HIS POCKETS.
Officer ♪2:
PUT YOUR HANDS IN THE AIR.
HANDS IN THE AIR!
PUT YOUR --
[ GUNSHOTS ]
SHOTS FIRED!
Jim: THE POLICE OFFICER
RETURNED FIRE, AND HE RAN AWAY.
♪♪
[ OFFICER SPEAKING INDISTINCTLY
OVER RADIO ]
THE PATROL OFFICERS
WENT BEHIND THE BUILDING,
AND AT THAT POINT,
CHRISTOPHER O'KROLEY
DROPPED HIS HANDGUN, AND
HE WAS ARRESTED AT THAT TIME.
♪♪
♪♪
WHEN THE DECISION TO TERMINATE
CHRISTOPHER O'KROLEY'S
EMPLOYMENT WAS CARRIED OUT,
ACCORDING TO THE RECORDS,
THIS IS WHAT WAS READ
TO CHRISTOPHER O'KROLEY
OVER THE PHONE.
"CHRIS, AN INVESTIGATION
WAS CONDUCTED,
AND IT HAS BEEN CONFIRMED
THAT YOU VIOLATED
THE COMPANY HARASSMENT POLICY.
AND ENGAGED IN MISCONDUCT
ON JANUARY 22nd OF 2016.
YOU SENT HARASSING TEXT MESSAGES
TO A COWORKER STATING,
QUOTE, 'MAYBE YOU
SHOULD GET MORE ****
SHOVED DOWN YOUR THROAT'
UNQUOTE."
♪♪
I WAS UPSET...
AND TREMENDOUSLY DISAPPOINTED
IN THE STORE.
WHEN I READ THIS MESSAGE,
WHAT IT SAYS
IS THAT THE REASON
CHRISTOPHER O'KROLEY WAS FIRED
WAS SOLELY THE RESPONSIBILITY
OF MY DAUGHTER.
MANAGEMENT BASICALLY
PUT A TARGET ON HER BACK.
♪♪
LOSING CAROLINE
WAS LIKE LOSING A BIG SISTER.
♪♪
FOR A COUPLE OF WEEKS
AFTER HER PASSING,
THERE WAS THIS LARGE POSTER
WITH HER FACE ON IT
PLASTERED RIGHT IN FRONT
OF MY SMOOTHIE BAR.
CUSTOMERS ASKING ME,
"DID YOU KNOW
THAT GIRL THAT GOT MURDERED?"
DIDN'T MAKE ME FEEL
ANY LESS EMPTY.
IF ANYTHING, IT MADE ME MAD.
♪♪
Jane:
WE DECIDED TO HAVE HER CREMATED,
AND MY DAUGHTER AMY,
MY HUSBAND, JIM, AND I,
PUSHED ALL THE BUTTONS.
SO, WE SENT HER INTO THE LIGHT.
♪♪
I HAVE HER HAIR
AS A VERY SPECIAL MEMENTO.
♪♪
MY WORLD,
SINCE FEBRUARY 2nd OF 2016
IS A DIFFERENT WORLD.
YOU KNOW, THERE WILL BE A WORLD
BEFORE CAROLINE WAS MURDERED.
[ Voice breaking ]
SHE'LL ALWAYS BE 24 YEARS OLD.
♪♪
♪♪
♪♪
RIGHT NOW HE IS BEHIND COLE
BY THE LOADING DOCK.
♪♪
Brooks: I WAS GROWING WORRIED
THAT SOMETHING
WAS GOING TO GO VERY WRONG.
♪♪
Officer ♪2: FLANK 11, I GOT HIM.
- I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW...
- FLANK 11 MADE CONTACT.
Brooks:
...WHO MY FRIEND WAS ANYMORE.
Officer ♪2: ONE AT GUNPOINT.
♪♪
HE WAS DANGEROUS.
THERE WAS NO QUESTION.
Officer ♪2: HANDS IN THE AIR!
PUT YOUR --
[ GUNSHOTS ]
SHOTS FIRED!
♪♪
♪♪
Jane:
EVERYTHING JUST CRUMBLED...
♪♪
...AND EVERYTHING WAS JUST GONE.
YOU DON'T EXPECT
TO LOSE YOUR CHILD.
♪♪
♪♪
♪♪
MORNING.
♪♪
Jim: IN THE SUMMER OF 2015,
CAROLINE WAS 24 YEARS OLD.
SHE FOUND AN OPPORTUNITY TO WORK
FOR A LOCAL GROCERY-STORE CHAIN.
- HI.
- HI.
SHE WORKED IN
THE PRODUCE SECTION.
SHE WAS
THE ASSISTANT PRODUCE MANAGER.
SHE WAS VERY GOOD AT HER JOB.
YOU'RE WELCOME.
HAVE A NICE DAY.
CAROLINE REALLY LIKED
THE CAMARADERIE
OF PEOPLE SHE WORKED WITH,
AND SHE MADE NEW FRIENDS.
HEY.
IN THE BEGINNING
OF SEPTEMBER OF 2015,
I STARTED AT THE GROCERY STORE,
AND THAT'S WHERE I MET CAROLINE.
OH! I FINALLY STARTED
THAT BOOK YOU LENT ME.
AH! AND?
CAROLINE WAS JUST -- [CHUCKLES]
SHE WAS REALLY BUBBLY
AND REALLY FRIENDLY,
JUST SOMEBODY THAT I INSTANTLY
WANTED TO GET TO KNOW MORE.
♪♪
SHE WAS VERY WELCOMING.
AS PEOPLE WOULD ENTER THE STORE
AS EMPLOYEES, NEW HIRES,
SHE WOULD MAKE THEM FEEL
AS THOUGH
THEY BELONGED
A PART OF THE GROUP,
WHICH IS WHAT SHE DID WITH ME.
SHE CARED FOR EVERYBODY
REGARDLESS OF WHO YOU WERE.
ANYWAY,
I'LL SEE YOU OUT THERE.
OKAY.
OH! NEW GUY.
♪♪
Jim: NOT LONG AFTER STARTING
AT THE GROCERY STORE,
CAROLINE MET A YOUNG MAN
BY THE NAME
OF CHRISTOPHER O'KROLEY.
♪♪
I'M CAROLINE.
HI. UM, CHRIS.
♪♪
Brooks:
CHRIS GAVE OFF A SORT OF VIBE
THAT TOLD ME
THAT HE DIDN'T WANT PEOPLE
TO REALLY SEE
INSIDE OF HIS HEAD.
HE WAS VERY QUIET, SOMEWHAT
SECLUDED, FRIENDLY ENOUGH,
BUT REALLY JUST TO HIMSELF
MOST OF THE TIME.
UH, I'LL SEE YOU
OUT THERE?
RIGHT.
♪♪
THE STORE WAS
A REALLY VERY SOCIAL PLACE.
I WORKED IN THE SMOOTHIE BAR,
WHICH WAS PART
OF THE PRODUCE DEPARTMENT
WHERE CAROLINE WORKED,
AND THEN CHRIS WORKED
IN THE MEAT DEPARTMENT.
YEAH, IF YOU GO OUT
THERE AND TURN RIGHT,
IT'S OUT THE DOOR
ON YOUR LEFT.
EVERYBODY REALLY GOT ALONG
AND BEFORE TOO LONG,
WE STARTED GETTING TOGETHER
OUTSIDE OF WORK FOR DRINKS,
AND WE CALLED THEM
OUR FUN NIGHTS.
...LIKE IT.
IT WAS SO RIDICULOUS.
IT WAS INSANE.
CAROLINE WAS CERTAINLY
THE TYPE OF PERSON WHO,
IN AN OUTING, IF SOMEBODY
DID SEEM TO FEEL LEFT OUT,
SHE WOULD TALK TO THEM.
HEY, CHRIS.
LOOK,
COME AND SIT HERE.
IT WAS REALLY JUST HER NATURE
TO REACH IN AND TRY TO PULL
SOMEBODY OUT OF THEIR SHELL,
AND CHRIS WAS SOMEBODY WHO
WAS VERY QUIET AND TO HIMSELF.
TO CHRIS.All: TO CHRIS.
CHRIS, CAROLINE, AND I
BECAME CLOSE PRETTY QUICKLY.
♪♪
Jane:
THIS IS A PICTURE OF CAROLINE
ON HER 21st BIRTHDAY.
CAROLINE WAS BORN ON MY 33rd
BIRTHDAY, SO WE SHARED MAY 1st.
BEST PRESENT I EVER GOT.
♪♪
CAROLINE KNEW A LOT
OF DIFFERENT PEOPLE,
BUT SHE WOULD NOT CHANGE HERSELF
TO BECOME PART OF THE CROWD.
SHE WAS ALWAYS AN INDIVIDUAL,
AND SHE WAS ASSERTIVE.
AND SHE WAS VERY TENDER-HEARTED
AT THE SAME TIME.
SHE HAD GRADUATED HIGH SCHOOL
AND WENT TO A COMMUNITY COLLEGE
FOR A YEAR OR TWO,
AND SHE DIDN'T
REALLY CARE FOR IT,
AND SHE SAYS, "I WANT
TO START OUT ON MY OWN.
I WANT TO GET A JOB."
♪♪
I WASN'T WORRIED THAT CAROLINE
WASN'T FULFILLING HER POTENTIAL
BY WORKING AT THE GROCERY STORE.
I WANTED HER TO HAVE DIFFERENT
EXPERIENCES IN HER LIFE
AND WORKING FOR A LIVING
WHEN YOU'RE YOUNG
IS A GOOD EXPERIENCE.
WELL, CAROLINE, SHE CAME HOME
ONE TIME AND SHE SAID,
"DAD, I THINK THEY'RE TRYING
TO THINK ABOUT
MOVING ME UP
WITHIN THE ORGANIZATION.
I DON'T WANT TO DO THIS
THE REST OF MY LIFE."
EVENTUALLY, I FOUND OUT
SHE HAD BEEN ACCEPTED
TO THE UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN
AND WOULD HOPEFULLY BE STARTING
CLASSES THE FALL OF 2016,
BUT SHE DIDN'T WANT TO TELL ME.
SHE HAD TOLD MY WIFE
AND HAD TOLD HER OLDER SISTER.
THEY WANTED TO KEEP THAT
AS A SURPRISE FOR ME.
♪♪
♪♪
THIS IS YOU?
UGH, I LOOK GROSS.
NO, IT'S COOL.
WHATEVER.
[ DOOR OPENS ]OH, MY MOM.
I'D LOVED IT WHEN CAROLINE
WOULD JUST POP IN AS A SURPRISE,
AND SHE WOULD HAVE A DAY OFF
DURING THE WEEK SOMETIMES.
SHE ALWAYS HAD
WORKED EVERY WEEKEND.
SO SHE WOULD NEVER CALL FIRST.
SHE'D JUST --
SURPRISE AND SHE WAS THERE.
- HEY!
- HEY!
WHEN I FIRST MET CHRIS...
...SHE INTRODUCED US.
I SHOOK HIS HAND HELLO.
♪♪
HE WAS ALWAYS LOOKING AT HER,
NOT ME.
♪♪
AND THEY STAYED
JUST A FEW MINUTES
AND THEN WERE ON THEIR WAY.
ALL DONE.
PERHAPS HE WAS A BIT SHY.
YOU DON'T KNOW UNTIL
YOU GET TO KNOW SOMEONE BETTER.
HE DIDN'T ENGAGE WITH ME AT ALL.
I DON'T EVEN THINK
HE LOOKED ME IN THE EYE.
HE DIDN'T SAY MUCH
OTHER THAN HELLO.
THAT WAS ABOUT IT.
♪♪
Richard: CAROLINE WAS
ONE OF MY BEST FRIENDS.
I MET HER AROUND 2013,
AND WE USED TO WORK TOGETHER,
AND WE JUST CLICKED RIGHT AWAY.
AND EVEN AFTER
WE STOPPED WORKING TOGETHER,
CAROLINE AND I
WOULD MEET FOR COFFEE.
SO, YOU
HAVE TO MEET CHRIS...
THE FIRST TIME CAROLINE
MENTIONED CHRIS,
SHE SAID THAT HE WAS PART
OF HER NEW WORK CREW,
AND SHE WAS REALLY DRAWN TO HIM
BECAUSE HE HAD SOME, LIKE,
TRAGIC BACKSTORY
I WAS LEAD TO BELIEVE.
♪♪
HEY, YOU WANT TO COME PLAY
VIDEO GAMES SOME TIME?
UH, SURE.
THAT SOUNDS FUN.
HOW ABOUT TOMORROW?
I CAN'T TOMORROW.
MY SISTER'S IN TOWN.
MOM'S GOT ME
DOWN TO COOK.
SHE'S NICE, YOUR MOM.
MY LIFE'S A MESS.
[ CHUCKLES ]
♪♪
CAROLINE WAS REALLY CONCERNED
THAT HE DIDN'T SEEM TO HAVE
A SUPPORT NETWORK.
HE HAD RECENTLY BEEN HOMELESS
FOR A TIME SHE HAD MENTIONED.
HE HAD RECENTLY GONE THROUGH
A BREAKUP
AND HAD A SMALL CHILD AT HOME
THAT HE DIDN'T SEE.
WOW, UH,
THAT SOUNDS INTENSE.
♪♪
IF YOU EVER WANT TO TALK ABOUT
IT, YOU KNOW I'M HERE FOR YOU.
♪♪
I BELIEVE CAROLINE THOUGHT
HE NEEDED A FRIEND.
SHE THOUGHT THAT, "WELL, IF I
CAN BRING SOME FRIENDSHIP TO HIM
OR I CAN GIVE HIM AN EAR TO,
YOU KNOW, VENT TO,
THEN THAT COULD HELP,"
AND I DIDN'T AGREE WITH HER
100% ON THAT.
LOOK, I'VE GOT TO GO, BUT WE'LL
DO SOMETHING THIS WEEKEND.
COOL.
OKAY, UH, SEE YOU.
♪♪
Brooks: CAROLINE AND CHRIS,
THEY STARTED HANGING OUT
MORE OFTEN OUTSIDE OF WORK.
THEY WERE VERY COMFORTABLE
WITH EACH OTHER,
AND THEY WERE ABLE
TO TALK FREELY.
I BELIEVE THAT CHRIS
GOT ALONG WITH CAROLINE
AS WELL AS HE DID BECAUSE
CAROLINE WAS AN ADMIRABLE WOMAN
WHO WAS VERY CARING, SWEET,
AND JUST GENUINELY WANTED
WHAT WAS ACTUALLY BEST
FOR THE PEOPLE IN HER LIFE.
IT HAD NEVER OCCURRED TO ME
THAT MAYBE THERE WAS ANYTHING
MORE TO IT THAN THAT.
♪♪
BUT A FEW WEEKS
AFTER I STARTED AT THE STORE,
WE HAD STARTED
TO NOTICE SOMETHING
MAYBE A LITTLE OFF ABOUT CHRIS.
♪♪
- HEY, HAVE YOU HEARD?
- WHAT?
ABOUT CHRIS.
ABOUT WHAT HE DID.
NO?
THAT WAS THE POINT
WHEN I HAD REALIZED
THAT THINGS WERE NOT QUITE
AS THEY SEEMED.
♪♪
♪♪
I WAS GONNA STOP BY THE MALL
TOMORROW AFTER SHIFT.
WANT TO COME?
♪♪
TO THE MALL?
WITH YOU?
♪♪
WHAT I HAD COME TO FIND OUT
WAS THAT CHRIS
HAD BEEN HITTING ON
MY FRIEND'S LITTLE SISTER,
AND SHE WAS ONLY 16.
HONESTLY, I DIDN'T KNOW
WHETHER TO BELIEVE
WHETHER OR NOT IT WAS TRUE.
THAT'S SO WEIRD.
I CAN'T IMAGINE HIM DOING THAT.
ARE YOU SURE?
THE STORE WAS ALMOST
SORT OF LIKE A HIGH SCHOOL
IN REGARDS TO DRAMA AND GOSSIP.
THERE WAS REALLY NO STOPPING IT.
IT WAS EVERYWHERE,
WHETHER IT BE GOOD OR BAD.
SEE YOU LATER.
WE CERTAINLY GAVE HIM
THE BENEFIT OF THE DOUBT
AND ASSUMED THAT HE WAS JUST
A VERY QUIET PERSON
AND MAYBE HIS SOCIAL SKILLS
WEREN'T UP TO SNUFF.
♪♪
Richard:
CAROLINE HAD GONE OUT TO THE BAR
WITH HER BIG GROUP OF FRIENDS.
[ LAUGHS ]
CHEERS!
LATER THAT NIGHT, SHE FELT
LIKE SHE HAD HAD TOO MUCH DRINK
AND SO SHE ASKED
TO BE TAKEN HOME.
♪♪
INSTEAD, SINCE CHRISTOPHER
WASN'T SURE WHERE SHE LIVED,
HE TOOK HER TO HIS PLACE.
♪♪
♪♪
♪♪
SHE WOKE UP THE NEXT DAY
NOT FEELING RIGHT,
NOT FEELING COMFORTABLE
AND THINKING THAT MAYBE
THAT HE GOTTEN
A LITTLE TOO FRIENDLY WITH HER
WHILE SHE WAS
NOT IN THE RIGHT STATE.
♪♪
BREAKFAST.
♪♪
CAROLINE NEVER HAD ROMANTIC
INTEREST IN CHRISTOPHER...
♪♪
...BUT SHE'D MENTIONED THAT
HE MIGHT HAVE BEEN DRINKING,
AS WELL,
AND HE WAS STARTING
TO MAKE HER UNCOMFORTABLE.
YOU WERE SO DRUNK.
Caroline: YEAH.
BEING ONE HER CLOSER FRIENDS,
I KNEW THAT HE WASN'T HER TYPE.
IT WAS JUST
I DON'T THINK HE WAS USED TO
PEOPLE TREATING HIM
WITH KINDNESS,
AND SO I FEEL LIKE
HE MISCONSTRUED HER COMPASSION
AND HER INTENTION FOR
SOMETHING THAT WASN'T THERE.
EAT UP.
UM...
I'M NOT HUNGRY.
THANKS.
♪♪
♪♪
AND AT THE POINT
SHE KIND OF REALIZED
THAT THIS WAS NOT THE FRIENDSHIP
THAT SHE THOUGHT SHE HAD.
♪♪
♪♪
Brooks: AROUND THIS TIME, CHRIS
STARTED TO RANDOMLY TEXT HER,
ASK HER WHAT WAS UP,
ASK HER IF SHE WANTED
TO PLAY A COMPUTER GAME,
OR ASK HER TO HANG OUT.
[ CELLPHONE CHIMES ]
CAROLINE STARTED
TO GET A LITTLE STRESSED OUT
WITH THE CONSTANT TEXTING
AND MESSAGING,
AND IT WAS STARTING
TO MAKE HER UNCOMFORTABLE.
HE WOULD CONSTANTLY
FOLLOW HER AROUND HER WORK,
CONTINUE TO TRY TO SIT WITH HER
AT LUNCH AND ON BREAKS,
CONTINUE TO TRY TO TALK TO HER,
AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
HE JUST BECAME OBSESSIVE.
HONESTLY, I FELT BADLY FOR HIM,
BUT ON THE OTHER HAND,
I WAS GETTING NERVOUS AROUND
HIM, AND I WAS STARTING TO DOUBT
WHETHER I KNEW HIM
OR NOT AT ALL.
♪♪
♪♪
HEY.
YOU WANT TO COME PLAY
VIDEO GAMES TONIGHT?
♪♪
I- I CAN'T.
I HAVE STUFF TO DO.
♪♪
I HAVE A LIFE.
♪♪
CAROLINE ACTUALLY BEGAN
TO AVOID HIM MORE AT WORK.
SHE WOULD DODGE PAST
HIS DEPARTMENT,
SORT OF GO TO THE BACK ROOM
A DIFFERENT ROUTE.
WALK OVER MAYBE TOWARDS ME
IN THE SMOOTHIE BAR
OR WALK SOMEWHERE ELSE
WHEN HE WOULD COME
INTO THE PRODUCE DEPARTMENT
TO GET THINGS
FOR THE MEAT DEPARTMENT,
AND HE REALLY
DID NOT LIKE THAT AT ALL.
♪♪
♪♪
[ CELLPHONE RINGING ]
♪♪
Caroline's voice:
HEY, THIS IS CAROLINE.
LEAVE A MESSAGE.
CAROLINE STOPPED RESPONDING
TO TEXT MESSAGES.
SHE STOPPED INVITING HIM
TO HAVE LUNCH.
SHE STOPPED BEING FRIENDLY
WHICH WAS HARD FOR HER
BECAUSE SHE WAS A NATURALLY
GIVING AND FRIENDLY PERSON.
SHE PRETTY MUCH
STOPPED RESPONDING
TO ANY OF HIS, YOU KNOW,
ADVANCEMENTS OR CONVERSATION.
[ CELLPHONE RINGING ]
HEY, THIS IS CAROLINE.
LEAVE A MESSAGE.
CHRISTOPHER DIDN'T ACCEPT THAT.
HE CONTINUED
TO TEXT AND TALK...
HEY, THIS IS CAROLINE.
LEAVE A MESSAGE.
...AND SHE WAS KIND OF OVER IT
AT THAT POINT.
♪♪
CAROLINE STARTED
TO GET INCREASINGLY IRRITATED
WITH NOT BEING ABLE
TO HAVE THE SPACE,
AND SHE STARTED
TO GET MORE VOCAL
ABOUT NOT WANTING TO, YOU KNOW,
HAVE CLOSE CONTACT
WITH CHRISTOPHER.
♪♪
WHY ARE YOU
IGNORING ME?
PLEASE,
YOU HAVE TO STOP THIS.
I WAS REALLY WORRIED
ABOUT CAROLINE,
AND I WAS, QUITE FRANKLY,
ANXIOUS ABOUT CHRIS,
THAT HE WAS BECOMING
THREATENING.
♪♪
I JUST HAD A BAD FEELING.
♪♪
♪♪
I HAVE A LIFE.
♪♪
CHRIS HAD BECOME, OVER
THESE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS,
INCREASINGLY MORE AGGRESSIVE.
WHY ARE YOU
IGNORING ME?
♪♪
LEAVE ME ALONE.
♪♪
I THINK CAROLINE
WAS SCARED OF HIM, YEAH.
♪♪
♪♪
DURING THIS TIME, CAROLINE
DID SEEM TO BE MORE DISTANT.
TO ME, IT SEEMED LIKE
SHE WAS WRESTLING WITH AN ISSUE.
YEAH, I COULD SENSE
THAT SOMETHING WAS GOING ON.
♪♪
I TOTALLY AGREED
WITH CAROLINE'S DECISION
NOT TO BE A FRIEND
OF CHRIS'S ANYMORE,
AND I TOLD HER
THAT SHE NEEDED TO BE POLITE
WHEN THEY WERE AT WORK,
BUT NOT TO GET INVOLVED
AND KEEP HER DISTANCE.
♪♪
I WAS ALWAYS WARY OF A MAN
HURTING ONE OF MY GIRLS.
♪♪
I JUST WANTED CAROLINE
TO BE SAFE.
♪♪
Brooks: AROUND THIS TIME,
CHRIS STARTED HARASSING
OTHER MEMBERS OF THE STAFF...
♪♪
...FROM FLIRTING WITH SOMEBODY
AND TELLING THEM
THAT THEY WERE ATTRACTIVE
TO REQUESTING...
EXPLICIT FAVORS.
PERSONALLY FOR CAROLINE AND I
AND OUR EXPERIENCE WITH HIM,
THIS WAS A NEW LOW.
♪♪
O'Kroley: HAVE FUN.
WE WERE UNCOVERING A DARKER,
STARTLING SIDE OF HIM
THAT WE DIDN'T EVEN KNOW
EXISTED.
I MEAN, I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW
WHO MY FRIEND WAS ANYMORE.
♪♪
ESSENTIALLY, I JUST
WANTED EVERYTHING TO STOP.
I WANTED MY FRIENDS BACK.
I WANTED EVERYTHING
TO BE NORMAL.
♪♪
♪♪
THAT YEAR FOR THE CHRISTMAS
PARTY, WE WENT TO THE PUB
THAT WE USUALLY WENT TO
FOR OUR FUN NIGHTS.
OKAY, EVERYONE, EVERYONE!
GET TOGETHER, OKAY, GUYS?
THIS IS A PHOTO FROM
THE UGLY SWEATER CHRISTMAS PARTY
IN 2015.
HERE WE HAVE CAROLINE,
SMILING AS USUAL,
AND HERE WE'VE GOT CHRIS.
♪♪
I WAS A LITTLE SURPRISED
HE HAD COME AT ALL, REALLY.
♪♪
HEY.
I GOT YOU A BEER.
UH, NO THANKS.
♪♪
[ CHUCKLES ]
TAKE A LOOK AT THIS.
CHRIS HAD STARTED SHOWING
EXPLICIT PHOTOS
OF THIS GIRL TO CAROLINE.
WHAT IS YOUR PROBLEM?
ARE YOU JEALOUS?
WHAT IS
THE MATTER WITH YOU?
YOU KNOW WHAT, CHRIS?
I'M SO SICK OF THIS.
SHE WAS A YOUNG GIRL WHO
WORKED IN THE BAKERY DEPARTMENT
PART-TIME IN HIGH SCHOOL.
I THINK SHE WAS 16.
CAROLINE'S REACTION
WAS QUITE OBVIOUSLY DISGUSTED,
AND WHEN SHE HAD TOLD ME,
I WAS MORTIFIED MYSELF.
I WAS THE ONLY PERSON
WHO WAS NICE TO YOU, OKAY?
I TRY AND GIVE YOU ADVICE,
I TRY AND HELP YOU OUT,
AND THIS IS
HOW YOU TREAT ME?
Richard:
CAROLINE HAD OFFICIALLY LOST
HER PATIENCE WITH CHRISTOPHER,
AND SHE KIND OF
PUT IT ALL ON THE LINE
AND SHE CALLED HIM A DISGRACE.
THIS HAS GOT TO STOP!
YOU'RE DISTURBED, CHRIS.
YOU NEED HELP.
AND SHE GOT VERY BLUNT
AND VERY AGGRESSIVE
AND UP-FRONT WITH HIM.
I WAS VERY PROUD OF HER
AT THAT POINT
FOR PUTTING HER FOOT DOWN
AND STANDING HER GROUND.
SO STAY AWAY FROM ME.
♪♪
THAT CHRISTMAS PARTY
WAS THE VERY LAST TIME
THAT THE THREE OF US
WERE TOGETHER OUTSIDE OF WORK.
♪♪
Jane: CAROLINE WAS VERY
CONCERNED ABOUT THIS YOUNG GIRL.
SO, SHE SAID TO ME,
"I NEED TO DO
SOMETHING ABOUT THIS."
WHEN SHE SAID THAT TO ME,
I FELT LIKE SOMEBODY PUT...
...AN ICICLE, A LARGE ICICLE,
LIKE RIGHT THROUGH MY CHEST
AND I SAID, "STAY OUT OF IT!"
AND SHE LOOKED AT ME,
SHE SMILED, AND SHE SAID,
"YOU KNOW THAT'S NOT
HOW WE ROLL.
NOW, WHAT ARE WE GONNA DO?"
♪♪
CAROLINE AND I WOULD TALK
AND MESSAGE EACH OTHER
QUITE OFTEN ABOUT WHAT TO DO
ABOUT THIS WHOLE SITUATION.
♪♪
SHE SAID, "I THINK I'M JUST
GOING TO TALK TO MANAGEMENT
WHEN THEY WORK NEXT."
I SAID, "I VOTE COPS.
NO POINT I GOING TO MANAGEMENT."
I ASKED HER IF SHE WOULD BE
WILLING TO GO TO THE POLICE
AT THAT POINT IN TIME,
AND SHE DIDN'T WANT TO GO
TO THE POLICE AT THAT MOMENT
BECAUSE SHE DID NOT FEEL
IN DANGER.
SHE THOUGHT SHE COULD HANDLE IT.
SHE ALWAYS THOUGHT
SHE COULD HANDLE IT.
♪♪
BY THE TIME
THE HOLIDAYS WERE OVER,
CHRIS WAS ACTING
REALLY VERY STRANGELY.
HE WAS AN ENTIRELY
DIFFERENT PERSON
THAN THE PERSON I HAD
MET WHEN HE HAD STARTED.
♪♪
WE DIDN'T REALLY FEEL
COMFORTABLE AROUND HIM ANYMORE.
♪♪
ONE DAY IN EARLY JANUARY,
I WAS WORKING AN OPENING SHIFT
AT THE STORE.
THINGS WERE TYPICALLY QUIET
THAT TIME OF DAY.
♪♪
OFTEN TIMES, POLICE
AND FIREFIGHTERS WOULD COME IN
TO BUY FOOD FOR THE DAYS COMING,
BUT THIS TIME
WHEN THE POLICE CAME IN,
THEY WEREN'T THERE FOR FOOD.
THEY HAD GONE
TO THE MEAT DEPARTMENT DIRECTLY.
♪♪
♪♪
♪♪
THEN, I SAW THE TWO
POLICE OFFICERS COMING BACK OUT
WITH CHRIS IN HANDCUFFS.
♪♪
♪♪
DID YOU HEAR
WHAT THEY SAID?
♪♪
CHRIS AND THIS GIRL HAD GONE
BACK TO HIS PLACE ON CHRISTMAS
AND HAD SMOKED AND HAD DRANK.
♪♪
THE GIRL HAD
HAD ONE SIP OF A MIXED DRINK,
LOST CONSCIOUSNESS, AND WOKE UP
WITH HER CLOTHES REMOVED.
WE HAD THOUGHT THAT HE
WOULD EITHER BE GOING TO JAIL
OR HE WOULD BE FIRED
AT THAT POINT.
I THOUGHT HE WAS GONE FOR GOOD,
AND I FELT SAFER.
♪♪
Richard: CAROLINE SEEMED
MORE LIKE HER OLD SELF
ONCE CHRISTOPHER
WAS OUT OF THE STORE.
SHE FELT SAFER. SHE FELT BETTER.
SHE HAD MORE ENERGY.
WE WERE MAKING PLANS AGAIN,
AND SHE DIDN'T SEEM
AS WEIGHED DOWN
LIKE SHE HAD BEEN
IN THE PREVIOUS MONTHS.
♪♪
Brooks: WITH CHRIS GONE,
WE WERE KIND OF ABLE TO JUST
LET GO AGAIN
AND FOCUS ON OUR JOBS.
♪♪
EVERYONE ELSE IN THE STORE,
EVERYTHING ELSE,
JUST GET BACK TO NORMAL LIFE.
♪♪
♪♪
♪♪
♪♪
♪♪
WE HAD THOUGHT THAT HE
WOULD EITHER BE GOING TO JAIL
OR HE WOULD BE FIRED
AT THAT POINT.
♪♪
♪♪
YOU'RE BACK.
I THINK CAROLINE'S EXACT WORDS
WERE THAT
MANAGEMENT WAS NOT GONNA
DO ANYTHING
UNTIL THE POLICE CONCLUDED
THEIR INVESTIGATION,
AND SO THEY HAD NO REAL REASON
TO LET HIM GO.
SHE'S A LIAR.
SHE JUST
WANTED SOME ATTENTION.
I COULDN'T UNDERSTAND HOW THEY
COULD JUST LET HIM COME BACK
AND WORK IN
THE SAME DEPARTMENTS,
ON THE SAME SCHEDULE,
ON THE SAME SHIFTS.
PUT HIM ON OVERNIGHT,
PUT HIM ON WEEKENDS,
BUT DON'T PUT HIM BACK
IN THE SAME ENVIRONMENT
AND THINK IT'S
ALL GONNA BE FINE.
♪♪
I'LL SEE YOU
OUT THERE.
♪♪
Brooks: THE NERVES
JUST STARTED CREEPING BACK UP.
♪♪
CAROLINE MUST HAVE BEEN
ABSOLUTELY TERRIFIED.
♪♪
CAROLINE AND I
ESTABLISHED A BUDDY SYSTEM.
♪♪
I WOULD WALK HER TO HER CAR
AND THEN SHE
WOULD DRIVE ME HOME.
♪♪
AT THAT POINT,
SO MANY THINGS HAD HAPPENED.
♪♪
I WAS VERY CONCERNED.
♪♪
I HAD NO IDEA
WHO CHRIS HAD HIS EYES ON.
♪♪
[ ENGINE STARTS ]
I TRIED TO...
PUT ON A BRAVE FACE
FOR CAROLINE,
WHO WAS PUTTING ON
A BRAVE FACE FOR ME.
♪♪
[ TELEVISION PLAYS
INDISTINCTLY IN BACKGROUND ]
Jim: IT'S VERY HARD WHEN
YOU SEE ONE OF YOUR CHILDREN
AND THEY'RE
GOING THROUGH SOMETHING.
♪♪
AND, YOU KNOW,
WE WOULD -- WITH CAROLINE,
WE WOULD OFTEN ASK
AND SHE'D SAY, "WELL, IT'S OKAY.
YOU KNOW, I'VE GOT IT UNDER
CONTROL. I'M DEALING WITH IT."
[ CELLPHONE CHIMES ]
CHRISTOPHER O'KROLEY
BECAME MORE AND MORE DISTURBING.
♪♪
♪♪
I HAVE THE TEXTS
THAT CAROLINE WAS SENT
BY CHRISTOPHER O'KROLEY,
AS WELL AS HER RESPONSES.
[ CELLPHONE CHIMES ]
AT 10:19,
SHE RECEIVED A TEXT SAYING,
"I WONDER WHAT TIME
YOU WORK TOMORROW?"
♪♪
[ CELLPHONE BEEPS ]
♪♪
[ CELLPHONE CHIMES ]
LATER, CAROLINE
RECEIVED A TEXT STATING,
"WHY ARE YOU SUCH
A HORRIBLE HUMAN BEING?"
[ CELLPHONE BEEPS ]
♪♪
CAROLINE'S RESPONSE
WAS A TEXT SAYING,
"CHRIS, ARE YOU DRUNK?
WHY THE HELL
ARE YOU TEXTING ME?"
♪♪
RIGHT AFTER THAT...
[ CELLPHONE CHIMES ]
...IT WAS A TEXT MESSAGE
FROM CHRIS SAYING,
"WELL, MAYBE YOU
SHOULD GET MORE ****
SHOVED DOWN YOUR THROAT."
♪♪
CAROLINE'S FINAL RESPONSE
TO CHRIS WAS,
"CHRIS, PLEASE
JUST LEAVE ME ALONE."
♪♪
WE TOLD HER THAT WE FELT
THE BEST COURSE OF ACTION
WAS TO GO
TO THE STORE MANAGEMENT.
SHE AGREED WITH US,
AND AS FAR AS I KNOW,
THE NEXT DAY, WENT TO STORE
MANAGEMENT WITH THIS EVIDENCE.
I WANTED THE SITUATION
TO BE DONE.
I WANTED IT TO BE
HANDLED AND BE DONE.
AND HE WOULD NOT
BE NEAR HER ANYMORE.
♪♪
♪♪
Brooks: THE NEXT DAY,
SHE HAD LET ME KNOW
THAT SHE WAS GONNA GO SIT
IN A MEETING WITH THE MANAGERS.
♪♪
Jim: SINCE CAROLINE
HAD SAVED THE TEXT MESSAGES
THAT THEY COULD NOT IN ANY WAY
DENY WHAT WAS HAPPENING,
IT FORCED THEM TO HAVE TO MAKE
SOME TYPE OF DECISION.
♪♪
THEY INVESTIGATED FURTHER
AND SUSPENDED CHRIS
DURING THE INVESTIGATION.
♪♪
Jane: CAROLINE THOUGHT
SHE WAS IN CONTROL
AND COULD HANDLE IT.
SHE THOUGHT SHE WAS SAFE.
♪♪
Caroline: HEY.
WHAT?
THEY FIRED HIM.
WHAT?
[ SIGHS ]
THEY JUST TOLD ME.
THEY FIRED HIM.
REALLY?
♪♪
SHE SEEMED VERY CONFIDENT
AND VERY ACCOMPLISHED,
AND SHE TOLD ME, WITH ALMOST
A JOYOUS RINGING IN HER VOICE,
THAT HE WASN'T COMING BACK
TO THE STORE.
♪♪
DOES HE KNOW
YOU COMPLAINED?
I DON'T KNOW.
DOES IT MATTER?
THINK ABOUT IT.
♪♪
WE BOTH KNEW THAT CHRIS WOULD
BE BLAMING CAROLINE FOR THIS,
AND QUITE HONESTLY,
I WAS TERRIFIED.
♪♪
♪♪
♪♪
♪♪
♪♪
♪♪
Brooks: CAROLINE WORKED THE NOON
TO 8:00 SHIFT THAT DAY.
SHE SEEMED, QUITE DISTRACTED
AND PREOCCUPIED.
♪♪
I WAS CERTAINLY WORRIED
ABOUT CAROLINE
BECAUSE I WANTED HER TO BE OKAY.
I WAS ONLY SCHEDULED
UNTIL 2:00 P.M. THAT DAY,
AND SO WHEN MY SHIFT WAS OVER,
I LEFT WITHOUT BEING ABLE
TO STAY UNTIL CLOSE
AND WALK HER OUT, AS WELL.
WE HAD PLANS TO MEET UP
LATER THAT EVENING.
♪♪
I DIDN'T STILL FULLY REALIZE,
WHAT DANGER CHRIS
WAS CAPABLE OF,
BUT I KNEW THAT SOMETHING
COULD POTENTIALLY GO WRONG.
♪♪
CHRIS!
[ GASPS ]
♪♪
♪♪
[ TELEVISION PLAYS
INDISTINCTLY IN BACKGROUND ]
Jim: JANE AND I WERE WATCHING TV
WHEN THE NEWS AT 9:00 CAME ON.
Newscaster:
IF YOU ARE JUST JOINING US NOW,
THERE IS DEVELOPING NEWS
FROM THE EAST SIDE OF MADISON
OF A POSSIBLE SHOOTING.
POLICE BELIEVE
THE SHOOTING WAS TARGETED...
AND THEY STATED THAT
THERE HAD BEEN A SHOOTING
AT THE STORE
WHERE MY DAUGHTER WORKED.
...OF THE INCIDENT IS ASKED
TO CALL MADISON POLICE.
AND WE JUST LOOKED
AT EACH OTHER.
♪♪
AND WE GRABBED OUR PHONES
AND WE TRIED
TO GET THROUGH TO HER.
[ CELLPHONE RINGING ]
NO ANSWER.
I CALLED THE STORE,
AND I THINK THE LAST PERSON
I SPOKE WITH WAS A POLICEMAN,
AND I SAID,
"WHERE'S MY CAROLINE?"
AND HE SAID,
"ONE PERSON IS DEAD,
AND CAROLINE
IS AT THE HOSPITAL."
BEING A TRAUMA NURSE,
I KNEW WHAT HE WAS SAYING.
CAROLINE WAS AT THE HOSPITAL AND
SHE WAS DEAD AT THE HOSPITAL.
♪♪
Jim: CLOSE TO MIDNIGHT OR SO,
A COUPLE OF POLICE OFFICERS
CAME INTO OUR HOUSE,
AND I DON'T REMEMBER WHO,
BUT FINALLY SOMEONE SAID
WHAT WE KNEW,
THAT CAROLINE WAS DEAD.
AS A PHYSICIAN,
I'VE BEEN WITH FAMILIES
WHEN THEY'VE LOST CHILD,
THE MOTHERS LET OUT THIS...
JUST VISCERAL SCREAM.
♪♪
AND MY WIFE DID IT AT THAT TIME,
AND IN THAT INSTANT,
OUR LIVES CHANGED FOREVER.
♪♪
I FELT SUCH A PRESSURE,
LIKE I WAS BEING SEPARATED
FROM THIS DIMENSION.
♪♪
AT THE TIME THAT IT HAPPENED,
I JUST THOUGHT, YOU KNOW,
"MY CAROLINE IS GONE?"
♪♪
♪♪
Man: WE WERE IN THE MIDST OF
A FAIRLY SIGNIFICANT SEARCH
FOR THE SUSPECT.
Newscaster: 26-YEAR-OLD
CHRISTOPHER O'KROLEY LED...
Richard: THE NEWS
SAYS THEY HAVE A SUSPECT
THAT THEY'RE LOOKING FOR
[Voice breaking]
AND THEY SAID
THE SUSPECT'S NAME
IS CHRISTOPHER O'KROLEY.
I SAT ON MY COUCH [SNIFFLES]
FOR HOURS AND JUST CRIED.
THERE WAS NOTHING I COULD DO.
♪♪
Officer ♪1: COPY THAT.
Officer ♪2: FRANK 11,
I'LL BE PULLING UP.
[ OFFICER SPEAKING INDISTINCTLY
OVER RADIO ]
Jim: CHRISTOPHER O'KROLEY
WAS STILL ON THE LOOSE.
AGAIN THE CONCERN WAS,
FOR THE POLICE, WAS THAT,
OBVIOUSLY HE WAS ARMED
AND DANGEROUS.
UNBEKNOWNST TO JANE AND I, THERE
WERE A NUMBER OF OTHER WOMEN
WHO MIGHT ALSO
HAVE BEEN IN DANGER,
AND THE POLICE
WERE CONCERNED FOR THEM.
♪♪
Officer ♪2: FRANK 11, I GOT HIM.
Officer ♪1:
FRANK 11, MADE CONTACT.
♪♪
Officer ♪2: NOT TAKING HANDS OUT
OF HIS POCKETS.
Officer ♪1:
SUSPECT IS NOT TAKING
HIS HANDS OUT OF HIS POCKETS.
Officer ♪2:
PUT YOUR HANDS IN THE AIR.
HANDS IN THE AIR!
PUT YOUR --
[ GUNSHOTS ]
SHOTS FIRED!
Jim: THE POLICE OFFICER
RETURNED FIRE, AND HE RAN AWAY.
♪♪
[ OFFICER SPEAKING INDISTINCTLY
OVER RADIO ]
THE PATROL OFFICERS
WENT BEHIND THE BUILDING,
AND AT THAT POINT,
CHRISTOPHER O'KROLEY
DROPPED HIS HANDGUN, AND
HE WAS ARRESTED AT THAT TIME.
♪♪
♪♪
WHEN THE DECISION TO TERMINATE
CHRISTOPHER O'KROLEY'S
EMPLOYMENT WAS CARRIED OUT,
ACCORDING TO THE RECORDS,
THIS IS WHAT WAS READ
TO CHRISTOPHER O'KROLEY
OVER THE PHONE.
"CHRIS, AN INVESTIGATION
WAS CONDUCTED,
AND IT HAS BEEN CONFIRMED
THAT YOU VIOLATED
THE COMPANY HARASSMENT POLICY.
AND ENGAGED IN MISCONDUCT
ON JANUARY 22nd OF 2016.
YOU SENT HARASSING TEXT MESSAGES
TO A COWORKER STATING,
QUOTE, 'MAYBE YOU
SHOULD GET MORE ****
SHOVED DOWN YOUR THROAT'
UNQUOTE."
♪♪
I WAS UPSET...
AND TREMENDOUSLY DISAPPOINTED
IN THE STORE.
WHEN I READ THIS MESSAGE,
WHAT IT SAYS
IS THAT THE REASON
CHRISTOPHER O'KROLEY WAS FIRED
WAS SOLELY THE RESPONSIBILITY
OF MY DAUGHTER.
MANAGEMENT BASICALLY
PUT A TARGET ON HER BACK.
♪♪
LOSING CAROLINE
WAS LIKE LOSING A BIG SISTER.
♪♪
FOR A COUPLE OF WEEKS
AFTER HER PASSING,
THERE WAS THIS LARGE POSTER
WITH HER FACE ON IT
PLASTERED RIGHT IN FRONT
OF MY SMOOTHIE BAR.
CUSTOMERS ASKING ME,
"DID YOU KNOW
THAT GIRL THAT GOT MURDERED?"
DIDN'T MAKE ME FEEL
ANY LESS EMPTY.
IF ANYTHING, IT MADE ME MAD.
♪♪
Jane:
WE DECIDED TO HAVE HER CREMATED,
AND MY DAUGHTER AMY,
MY HUSBAND, JIM, AND I,
PUSHED ALL THE BUTTONS.
SO, WE SENT HER INTO THE LIGHT.
♪♪
I HAVE HER HAIR
AS A VERY SPECIAL MEMENTO.
♪♪
MY WORLD,
SINCE FEBRUARY 2nd OF 2016
IS A DIFFERENT WORLD.
YOU KNOW, THERE WILL BE A WORLD
BEFORE CAROLINE WAS MURDERED.
[ Voice breaking ]
SHE'LL ALWAYS BE 24 YEARS OLD.
♪♪
♪♪
♪♪