The Killer Beside Me (2018–…): Season 1, Episode 2 - Unfriendly Community - full transcript

♪♪

Mike: I NEVER DREAMED
THAT ANYTHING LIKE THIS

WOULD HAPPEN
TO OUR FAMILY.

Richardson: I DON'T KNOW
THAT SHE REALLY KNEW

THE DANGER
THAT SHE WAS IN.

♪♪

Schaefer:
THERE'S NO MURDER WEAPON.

THERE'S NO VIDEOTAPE
OF THE CRIME.

IT WAS A LOT OF
CIRCUMSTANTIAL EVIDENCE.

Richardson:
IT DEFINITELY LOOKED LIKE

SOMEONE WOULD BE
GETTING AWAY WITH MURDER.



♪♪

♪♪

[ SERENE MUSIC PLAYS ]

[ DOOR CLOSING ]

[ SERENE MUSIC CONTINUES ]

[ SERENE MUSIC CONTINUES ]

YOU NEVER COOK.

WHO ARE YOU, AND WHAT HAVE
YOU DONE WITH MY HUSBAND?

MELINDA AND MYSELF
GOT ENGAGED ABOUT A YEAR,

TO THE DAY, OF MEETING.

WE PURCHASED A HOME.

IN 2012,
WE DECIDED TO GET MARRIED

AT THE COURTHOUSE
IN TOWSON

SURROUNDED BY OUR
FAMILY AND FRIENDS.



SHE WAS ECSTATIC.

MELINDA WAS REALLY HAPPY.

SO, HOW WAS YOUR DAY?

IT JUST DOESN'T GET
ANY EASIER.

STEPHANIE DIDN'T DO
ONE SINGLE THING

THAT NEEDED TO BE DONE.

YOU JUST CAN'T BELIEVE
HOW FRUSTRATING THIS ALL IS.

WHEN I FIRST MET MELINDA,

SHE WAS ASSISTANT TO
A PROPERTY MANAGER.

SHE WAS REALLY GOOD
AT HER JOB,

SO THEY PROMOTED HER
TO THE MANAGER.

THEY GAVE MELINDA
THIS POSITION

IN HOPES OF TURNING
THIS COMMUNITY AROUND,

OR STABILIZING IT.

I WASN'T SURPRISED
WHEN MELINDA GOT PROMOTED.

I KNEW SHE WOULD,
'CAUSE MELINDA WAS

THAT KIND OF GIRL.
SHE LIKED TO TALK TO PEOPLE,

AND SHE MADE THE PEOPLE
FEEL SPECIAL.

[ CELLPHONE RINGING ]

HEY, DAD.

WE WERE ALWAYS IN CONTACT.

WE WERE STILL CLOSE-KNIT,

EVEN THOUGH WE WERE
3,000 MILES AWAY.

THERE WAS A COUPLE TIMES
MELINDA TOLD ME STRAIGHT UP,

SHE SAID
"DAD, I WANT TO QUIT."

BUT I TOLD HER "LOOK, MELINDA,
YOU DON'T EVER LET NOBODY --

YOU KNOW, YOU DON'T EVER
RUN AWAY FROM SOMETHING.
YOU FIX IT."

AND I WAS TELLING HER
TO DOCUMENT EVERYTHING.

PUSH --
ALL THOSE PROBLEMS --

DOCUMENT THEM
AND PUSH THEM UPSTAIRS.

MELINDA HAD TO TAKE
FULL RESPONSIBILITY

OF EVERY FACET
OF THAT WHOLE PROPERTY --

MARKETING, KEEPING TRACK
OF THE MAINTENANCE GUY OR GUYS,

DEALING WITH EVERYBODY'S --

I MEAN,
WITH A PROPERTY THAT SIZE,

EVERYBODY'S PROBLEMS
AND CONCERNS.

SHE HAD A LOT
ON HER PLATE.

OKAY, MS. LOWREY,
YOUR A/C SHOULD BE WORKING NOW.

JUST REMEMBER, THE RED LINE
IS THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE.

SHE WENT OUT OF HER WAY
TO MAKE SURE THAT

THE PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY
WERE TAKEN CARE OF.

IF THEY HAD ISSUES,
THEY WERE ADDRESSED

AS QUICK AS POSSIBLE.

IF THERE WAS ANY
SAFETY CONCERNS,

THEY WERE TAKEN CARE OF
AND ADDRESSED.

RASHAAN WILL STOP BY LATER
TO INSTALL THE HAND RAIL

ON YOUR SHOWER.

THERE WASN'T
TOO MANY PEOPLE

THAT HAD ANYTHING BAD
TO SAY ABOUT MELINDA.

PRETTY MUCH EVERYBODY
LIKED OR LOVED HER.

♪♪

♪♪

♪♪

♪♪

[ DOOR OPENS ]

WHERE WERE YOU?

I'VE BEEN CALLING YOU
ALL MORNING.

YEAH, YEAH.
SORRY ABOUT THAT.

SO, WHAT'S TO
DEAL WITH TODAY?

Mike: RASHAAN WAS THE
MAINTENANCE MAN THAT SHE HAD.

ANYTHING THAT NEEDED TO
BE DONE WITH THE COMPLEX,

HE WOULD GO DO.

THERE'S A NEW MOVE-IN --
UNIT 28.

I NEED YOU TO SET UP
A HAND RAIL FOR MS LOWREY.

AND THEN, WHEN YOU'RE
DONE WITH THAT,

I NEED YOU TO
HAND OUT THESE FLIERS.

Schaefer:
RASHAAN LIVED IN THE COMMUNITY
WITH HIS WIFE AND TWO CHILDREN,

WITH A EXTREMELY
DISCOUNTED RENTAL RATE.

MAYBE YOU SHOULD
BRING YOUR KIDS.

SOMEONE MIGHT BE SELLING
A TOY THEY LIKE.

YEAH, MAYBE.

Mike: MELINDA WANTED,
FIRST, TO CREATE

MORE OF A SENSE
OF COMMUNITY THERE.

INSTEAD OF HAVING SO MANY HOUSES
ALL SEPARATE,

BUILD A SENSE OF COMMUNITY
BY HAVING HER OWN WEBSITE

FOR THE COMMUNITY THERE,

AND THEN, HAVING THINGS LIKE
GARAGE SALES FOR THE COMMUNITY.

SHE WAS SLOWLY
TURNING IT AROUND

TO A COMMUNITY,
FRIENDLY PLACE.

THERE'S A LOT TO DO TODAY.

ALL RIGHT.
I'LL BE BACK LATER.

Schaefer: WHEN SHE TOOK A JOB,
SHE KIND OF DEEMED IT

AS, LIKE, I GUESS YOU
WOULD CALL IT HER "BABY."

SO, SHE WANTED TO DO A GOOD JOB
AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.

SO, ANYTHING
THAT OCCURRED THERE,

IT WAS LIKE HER HOME.

♪♪

SHE WANTED TO DO GOOD
IN HER JOB,

BUT SHE DIDN'T HAVE
THE TOOLS TO DO IT

AND SHE DIDN'T HAVE THE
PEOPLE TO HELP HER DO IT,

AND SHE FELT LIKE
SHE WAS, BASICALLY,

DOING EVERYTHING
ON HER OWN.

WHAT'S THIS?

WELL, I MEAN, YOU KNEW
YOU OWED THIS, RIGHT?

Mike: ONE TIME MELINDA SAID THAT
A BIG GUY CAME IN

AND LEANED ON HER DESK
AND SAID SOMETHING ABOUT

HE WAS LATE WITH THE RENT
AND STUFF LIKE THAT.

$800?

Schaefer: SHE SAID
SHE FELT INTIMIDATED

JUST BECAUSE THE PEOPLE
THAT LIVED THERE,

THEY, JUST,
WERE EITHER BIGGER MEN,

OR JUST, ANYBODY
COULD BE INTIMIDATED

BY HAVING TO
EVICT SOMEBODY.

♪♪

♪♪

MORNING, MYRA.

MYRA IS THE CLEANING LADY
FROM THE PROPERTIES.

WHENEVER THERE WOULD BE
A VACANT, OR A MOVE OUT,

OR AN EVICTION,
MYRA TYPICALLY WAS THE LADY

THAT WOULD COME IN
AND WOULD CLEAN THE RESIDENCE

FOR THE FLIP
OR THE TURN.

MYRA, DID YOU SEE
STEPHANIE THIS WEEKEND?

OKAY.

THANKS.

STEPHANIE WAS HIRED
BECAUSE SOMEBODY CANNOT WORK

SEVEN DAYS A WEEK.

SO, SHE WOULD
FILL IN FOR MELINDA

ON THE WEEKENDS, IF THEY
WANTED TO KEEP THE OFFICE OPEN

TO BRING IN TRAFFIC.
OR IF MELINDA HAD TO TAKE OFF

FOR A CERTAIN DAY,
SHE WOULD FILL IN FOR HER.

[ PHONE BEEPS ]

Cathy:
HEY, IT'S CATHY.

I'VE CALLED FIVE TIMES,
AND CAN'T GET THROUGH.

MY TOILET
IS STILL BROKEN.

I NEED SOMEONE TO CALL
ME BACK RIGHT AWAY.

Schaefer:
WHEN STEPHANIE WAS WORKING,

THERE SEEMED TO
ALWAYS BE COMPLAINTS.

THE OFFICE NOT BEING OPEN
NORMAL WORKING HOURS

OR PHONES NOT BEING ANSWERED
AS THEY SHOULD HAVE BEEN.

[ PHONE BEEPS ]

Matt: HEY, THIS IS MATT
IN UNIT 11.

I'M CALLING BECAUSE
MY GARAGE DOOR IS STILL BROKEN.

I WAITED ALL WEEKEND
FOR IT TO BE FIXED.

I CAN'T GET IN, I CAN'T
GET OUT, AND I CAN'T PARK.

SO, WHEN STEPHANIE
WAS FILLING IN FOR MELINDA,

IT SEEMED AS THOUGH
NOTHING WAS ACCOMPLISHED.

[ CELLPHONE RINGING ]

[ CELLPHONE BEEPS ]

HEY, DAVID.

DAVID WAS MELINDA'S
DISTRICT MANAGER.

SO, THAT WAS
HER DIRECT REPORT.

DAVID WAS THE KIND OF BOSS
THAT WOULD BE LOOKING FOR FAULTS

INSTEAD OF TRYING TO HELP.

I'M SORRY.
I JUST RAN TO MY CAR.

I KNOW.
IT'S BEEN CRAZY.

I'M SORRY.
STEPHANIE DIDN'T...

WHEN MELINDA WOULD VOICE
HER PROBLEMS WITH STEPHANIE,

IT KIND OF WAS PUT
TO THE BACK BURNER.

GOT IT.

SORRY, DAVID.

IT WON'T HAPPEN AGAIN.

OKAY.

[ MELINDA DIALING ]

HI, DAD.

STEPHANIE'S GONE.

Mike:
STEPHANIE HAD BEEN LET GO

BECAUSE OF ALL
THE ABSENTEEISM OR TARDINESS

AND JUST NOT FOCUSING
ON HER JOB

BY BEING SOMEWHERE ELSE

WHEN SHE SHOULD BE
IN THEIR OFFICE, THERE.

I FEEL BAD ABOUT IT.

I USED TO TELL HER, "HEY, LOOK,
THE PEOPLE THAT GET TERMINATED

HAVE TO LOOK IN
THE MIRROR THEMSELVES

AND SEE WHAT THEY WERE
DOING THAT CAUSED THEM

TO LOSE THEIR JOB."

ANYWAY, I'VE GO TO GO.

I'VE GOT TO CALL MIKE AND TELL
HIM THAT I'M GONNA BE LATE.

OKAY.
I LOVE YOU.

BYE.

THAT MORNING I WOKE HER UP,
TOLD HER I LOVED HER,

AND KISSED HER GOODBYE,
AND WENT TO WORK.

IT WAS NOTHING
OUT OF THE NORMAL.

AND WE WERE PLANNING ON
GOING ON A VACATION,

I GUESS TO CELEBRATE,
AS OUR HONEYMOON.

BUT WE NEVER GOT
THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO THAT.

[ PHONE RINGING ]

[ PHONE DIALING ]

[ PHONE RINGING ]

POLICE SAY A CUSTODIAN
FOUND THE WOMAN'S BODY

THIS MORNING
IN THE LEASING OFFICE

AND CALLED 911.

WHILE DETECTIVES HAVE YET
TO RELEASE HER NAME,

MANY WHO LIVE THERE
KNEW HER FACE.

A FRIEND CALLED ME AT WORK

AND SHE SAID THAT
THE CLEANING LADY CALLED HER

AND SAID THAT
SHE FOUND MELINDA,

AND SHE WAS
COVERED IN BLOOD.

I WAS IN SHOCK,
AND I STARTED CALLING MELINDA

OVER AND OVER AND OVER.

[ PHONE RINGING ]

MY MAIN GOAL
WAS TO GET OFF THE PHONE,

GET IN MY CAR, AND GET TO HER
AS QUICK AS POSSIBLE.

THAT WAS IT.

[ SIRENS WAILING]

Reporter: YELLOW TAPE
CRISS-CROSSES THROUGH THE TREES

SURROUNDING
THE LEASING OFFICE.

DETECTIVES
IN PROTECTIVE BOOTIES

WALK IN AND OUT
OF THE OFFICE

PROCESSING A CRIME
SCENE WHERE THEY SAY

A WOMAN WAS MURDERED.
HOW, THEY WON'T SAY.

BY WHOM STILL REMAINS
A QUESTION TOO.

[ SIRENS WAILING ]

[ POLICE RADIO CHATTER ]

AFTER THE 911 CALL
WAS PLACED,

THERE WAS A HEAVY POLICE
PRESENCE AT THE PROPERTY.

WITHIN MINUTES,
YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT

IT GOING FROM FIRST RESPONDERS
BEING ON SCENE

TO THERE BEING
A TEAM OF DETECTIVES.

TOM, TAKE A LOOK AROUND.

MELINDA SCHAEFER, 29,

EMPLOYED AS THE COMPLEX
PROPERTY MANAGER.

THE OFFICERS DESCRIBED THE SCENE
AS PRETTY GORY.

THERE WAS BLOOD EVERYWHERE
IN THE RENTAL OFFICE.

I'M LOOKING AT ONE OF
THE CRIME SCENE PHOTOS.

THE PHOTOGRAPH SHOWS BLOOD
ON THE BLINDS,

ON THE WINDOW SILL.

I SEE THE TRASH CAN
KNOCKED OVER.

I SEE THE OFFICE CHAIR THAT
WOULD HAVE BELONGED TO MELINDA

ON THE FLOOR
ON IT'S SIDE.

IT JUST MAKES ME
THINK OF WHAT

MELINDA'S LAST MOMENTS
WERE LIKE --

HER FIGHTING
TO THE DEATH.

I JUST,
I CANNOT IMAGINE

WHAT IT WAS LIKE FOR HER
THAT MORNING.

I CANNOT IMAGINE.

ONE THING THAT WAS NOTICEABLE
ABOUT THE CRIME SCENE

WAS THAT THERE WAS
EVIDENCE OF CLEAN-UP --

AND BY CLEAN-UP I MEAN,
THERE WERE NOTICEABLE

WIPE MARKS ON THE FLOOR.

WE TRIED TO GET DNA FROM
DIFFERENT ITEMS IN THE OFFICE,

BUT UNFORTUNATELY,
THE DNA WAS REALLY INCONCLUSIVE

FOR US IN THIS CASE.

WHERE YOU DON'T HAVE
DIRECT EVIDENCE IN THE DNA

OR OTHER FORENSIC EVIDENCE,
YOU HAVE TO START LOOKING

INTO OTHER THINGS --

MOTIVE AND OTHER CIRCUMSTANCES
SURROUNDING THE MURDER.

♪♪

♪♪

I PULLED UP
TO THE COMMUNITY...

MELINDA!

...AND THE WHOLE CORNER
WHERE MELINDA'S ENTRANCE

TO HER OFFICE WAS,
WAS YELLOW TAPED.

THERE WAS A BUNCH OF PEOPLE
STANDING AROUND,

THERE WAS --
NEWS PEOPLE WERE THERE ALREADY.

AND YOU KNOW, I WANTED TO
RUN IN THE BUILDING,

BUT I KNOW
THAT I COULDN'T.

♪♪

SO, THEN,
THEY CAME BACK OUT AND TOLD ME

THAT SHE HAD PASSED AWAY.

I GUESS I WAS IN
A HUGE STATE OF SHOCK...

...KIND OF LIKE
A NUMB SHOCK.

I GUESS THAT'S THE BEST WAY
TO DESCRIBE IT.

LIKE THE BIGGEST,
STRONGEST PERSON YOU KNOW

PUNCHING YOU
IN THE STOMACH.

WHEN DID YOU LAST
SEE YOUR WIFE?

THIS MORNING.

I GUESS,
MORE OFTEN THAN NOT,

IN A LOT OF CASES,
THAT'S --

THE HUSBAND IS THE FIRST SUSPECT
THAT THEY LOOK INTO.

THEY WANTED TO KNOW WHO
WOULD HAVE BEEN IN THE OFFICE,

WHAT TIME
I HAD CONTACT WITH HER.

I SHOWED THEM
THE TEXT MESSAGES.

WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME
I SPOKE WITH HER.

AROUND 9:15, 9:20,
SHE SENT ME A TEXT MESSAGE

BECAUSE I WAS GRUMPY
THE NIGHT BEFORE,

AND JUST KIND OF PLAYING
BACK AND FORTH WITH THAT.

MELINDA TEXTED ME
"HOPE YOU HAVE A GOOD DAY."

AND I SAID "YOU, TOO."

SHE SENT BACK AND EMOJI
WITH HER TONGUE STICKING OUT.

AND THAT WAS THE LAST MESSAGE
THAT I RECEIVED FROM HER.

OKAY. HANG IN THERE.

TOM.

♪♪

WHEN DAVID ARRIVED TO
THE PROPERTY FOR HIS MEETING,

HE STUMBLED UPON
THE VERY HEAVY POLICE PRESENCE.

I CERTAINLY THINK
THAT THERE WAS

A BIT OF SHOCK OR DISBELIEF
ON DAVID'S PART,

AND ARRIVING AND JUST
TRYING TO UNDERSTAND

WHAT'S GOING ON.

WE NEED TO ACCESS YOURS
AND MELINDA'S FILES.

ALSO, WE NEED
MELINDA'S WORK PHONE.

YOU THINK YOU CAN
DO THAT FOR ME?

A LOT OF WHAT DAVID DID THAT
ASSISTED WITH THE INVESTIGATION

WAS CONDUCTING AN AUDIT
OF THE LEASING OFFICE.

THAT BECAME IMPORTANT
FOR THE INVESTIGATION.

♪♪

EARLY ON, THERE WERE
NO SUSPECTS IN THIS CASE.

AND SO, POLICE ESSENTIALLY
LOOKED AT EVERYONE.

THE OFFICERS
WHO ARE ON SCENE

CONDUCT WHAT WE CALL A
"NEIGHBORHOOD CANVAS,"

SO, ESSENTIALLY,
KNOCKING ON RESIDENTS' DOORS

TO INQUIRE IF ANYONE
HEARD ANYTHING

OR SAW ANYTHING
THAT MORNING.

AS POLICE ARE INTERVIEWING
DIFFERENT WITNESSES,

PEOPLE MAY HAVE A DIFFERENT
ACCOUNTING OF THINGS,

AND THIS IS WHY IT BECOMES
IMPORTANT FOR THE POLICE

TO TRY TO CONFIRM
THE ACCOUNTS THAT ARE GIVEN.

BUT NOTHING CAME OF
THE NEIGHBORHOOD CANVAS.

♪♪

POLICE WANTED TO TALK TO
EMPLOYEES THAT WORK WITH HER

IN THAT OFFICE.

MYRA AND RASHAAN WERE NOT
SUSPECTS TO THE CASE,

THEY WERE JUST
IMPORTANT PEOPLE

THAT THE DETECTIVES
WANTED TO SPEAK TO

BECAUSE THEY HAD LAST
HAD CONTACT WITH MELINDA.

YOU LIVE ON THE PROPERTY?

YEAH, IN A UNIT OVER THERE,
WITH MY WIFE AND KIDS.

AND YOU BOTH SAW
MELINDA THIS MORNING?

COME THIS WAY, PLEASE.

ON A CASE LIKE THIS,
IT BECOMES IMPORTANT

TO ESTABLISH
A TIMELINE OF EVENTS.

MYRA SAID SHE WENT
TO HAVE COFFEE THAT MORNING.

POLICE WENT TO THE COFFEE STORE,
PULLED UP VIDEO SURVEILLANCE,

AND WERE ABLE TO VERIFY
THAT SHE WAS THERE

AND MADE A PURCHASE.

Detective:
DID YOU HAVE ANY INTERACTION
WITH MELINDA THAT MORNING?

YEAH,
I CHECKED IN WITH HER.

THEN, SHE SAID SHE
NEEDED SOME BATTERIES

SO I WENT TO THE CONVENIENCE
STORE AND CAME BACK.

OKAY.
AROUND WHAT TIME WAS THAT?

AROUND 9:20.9:20

IN RASHAAN'S INTERVIEW,
THERE WAS NOTHING

IN PARTICULAR
THAT JUMPED OUT TO ME

ABOUT HIS DEMEANOR.

AND DID YOU STICK AROUND?

Rashaan: NO. NO.
WE NEEDED SOME SUPPLIES

SO I LEFT FOR
THE HARDWARE STORE,

I THINK IT WAS
AROUND 9:30.

9:30

HE CAME ACROSS AS VERY CALM,
COOL, COLLECTED.

SO, IN THAT SENSE,
HIS DEMEANOR ITSELF

WAS NOT SOMETHING THAT RAISED
ANY LEVEL OF SUSPICION FOR ME.

IS THERE ANY REASON
WHY ANYONE AT WORK,

OR ON THE COMPLEX WOULD
WANT TO HURT MELINDA?

NAH. NAH. SHE WAS
A PEACEFUL LADY.

YEAH, PEACEFUL LADY.

POLICE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY
TO REVIEW

THE SURVEILLANCE VIDEO
FROM THE FIRST STORE

THAT RASHAAN FREQUENTED
ON THE MORNING OF THE MURDER

TO PURCHASE BATTERIES.

AFTER REVIEWING THAT VIDEO,
IT DID CORROBORATE

RASHAAN'S STORY
THAT HE DID, IN FACT,

MAKE THE TRIP TO THE STORE
THAT MORNING.

♪♪

♪♪

♪♪

THE DETECTIVES
CAST A WIDE NET,

AND THEY LOOKED AT
A VARIETY OF PEOPLE.

AND FROM THERE, TRY TO
GATHER AS MUCH INFORMATION

AS POSSIBLE ABOUT MELINDA
TO TRY TO DETERMINE

WHO WOULD WANT TO
DO THIS TO HER.

THANKS.

♪♪

♪♪

THE AUTOPSY
FOR MELINDA REVEALED

THAT SHE SUFFERED
FROM 69 STAB WOUNDS.

WHAT KIND OF ANIMAL
DID THIS?

Richardson: CERTAINLY,
WITH 69 STAB WOUNDS,

IT DEFINITELY LOOKED LIKE
THIS WAS SOMETHING

THAT WAS PERSONAL.

Mike: WHEN I CAME TO
BALTIMORE THAT NIGHT,

THE DETECTIVES
CAME TO THE HOUSE

AND ASKED US IF WE KNEW
ANYBODY THAT WOULD WANT

TO HURT MELINDA
AND I SAID I DIDN'T KNOW.

I REALLY COULDN'T
THINK OF ANYONE

THAT WOULD WANT TO
HURT MELINDA.

THEY BROUGHT HER PURSE.
IN HER PURSE,

THERE WAS A CHECK
THAT WAS SIGNED BY HER

THAT WASN'T TAKEN.

AFTER THAT,
AND A FEW DAYS LATER,

THEY RULED OUT THAT THERE WAS
ANY SUSPICION OF ROBBERY,

'CAUSE THERE WAS
NOTHING TAKEN AT ALL

OF ANY VALUE
FROM THE OFFICE

OR FROM HER
PERSONAL SELF.

EVERYTHING WAS STILL THERE --
ALL THE JEWELRY,

ALL THE MONEY,
THE CHECK, EVERYTHING.

THE POLICE ASKED
FOR HER COMPUTER.

THEY COULD COME AND TAKE
ANYTHING THEY WANTED

OUT OF THE HOUSE.
WHATEVER THEY NEEDED

TO FIND OUT WHO DID IT,
THEY COULD TAKE.

ONLY THING
ON ANYONE'S MIND WAS,

YOU KNOW, I'LL ANSWER
WHATEVER QUESTIONS YOU HAVE

BECAUSE I HOPE YOU FIND HIM
BEFORE I FIND HIM.

SO...

...SCHAEFER GETS A TEXT
FROM HIS WIFE AT 9:24 A.M.

THERE'S A MISSED CALL
TO MELINDA'S OFFICE AT 9:51 A.M.

THAT'S A HALF-HOUR WINDOW
IN WHICH THE MURDER

COULD HAVE TAKEN PLACE.

AND A RESIDENT CALLS 911
AT 11:00 A.M.

WHAT ELSE WE MISSING?

WE HAVEN'T LOOKED
AT STEPHANIE.

Mike: STEPHANIE WAS
THE WEEKEND HELP

THAT WOULD COME
ON SATURDAY AND SUNDAYS

TO DO THE WORK
THAT MELINDA WAS DOING

DURING THE WEEKDAYS.

CERTAINLY, WHEN YOU
TALK ABOUT SOMEONE

BEING TERMINATED
TWO DAYS BEFORE,

IT DOES BRING
TO MIND QUESTIONS

OF WHETHER OR NOT THIS IS
A DISGRUNTLED EMPLOYEE

THAT WE'RE DEALING WITH,
AND COULD SHE HAVE BEEN

RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS?

STEPHANIE WAS AWARE
THAT MELINDA HAD BEEN MURDERED.

SHE EXPLAINED TO POLICE
THAT SHE HAD ACTUALLY

SAW IT ON THE NEWS.

SHE ADVISED THAT SHE WAS NOT
IN BALTIMORE COUNTY AT THE TIME.

POLICE, OBVIOUSLY,
JUST LOOKED

AND MADE SURE THAT
SHE DIDN'T HAVE

ANY INJURIES ABOUT HER
THAT THEY DIDN'T SEE.

AND THEY WERE ABLE TO PULL
STEPHANIE'S PHONE RECORDS,

WHICH CONFIRMED THAT SHE
WAS IN ANOTHER COUNTY

AT THE TIME
OF THE MURDER.

AND AT THAT POINT,
STEPHANIE WAS RULED OUT

AS A SUSPECT.

Schaefer: MELINDA EXPRESSED,
ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS,

THAT SHE FELT UNSAFE
IN HER OFFICE.

MELINDA WAS IN A CORNER ROOM
WITH NO SECURITY.

THERE WAS NO PANIC BUTTON.
THERE WAS NO ALARM TO PULL.

SHE WAS PRETTY MUCH
IN THAT OFFICE BY HERSELF.

HI, DAD.

SHE ASKED ME,
"DAD, CAN YOU COME OUT HERE

AND PUT SURVEILLANCE CAMERAS
IN MY OFFICE?"

AND I THOUGHT TO MYSELF,
"WHY?"

IT DIDN'T DAWN ON ME.
I SAID, "WHY?"

I JUST...I'D FEEL
BETTER ABOUT IT.

AND I SAID,
"MELINDA I'M NOT GONNA FLY

3,000 MILES
TO COME OUT THERE

AND PUT CAMERAS UP
FOR YOU.

AND I SAID, "BETTER YET, TELL
DAVID TO DO IT. HE'S THE BOSS.

AND TELL HIM TO PUT
SOMETHING IN THERE FOR YOU."

[ UNEXPLAINED CLANGING ]

HOLD ON.

[ SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC PLAYS ]

[ SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC PLAYS ]

HI, DAD, SORRY.

I THOUGHT I HEARD SOMETHING.

ANYWAY, I'VE GOT TO GO.
I'VE GOT TO CALL MIKE

AND TELL HIM
I'M GONNA BE LATE.

OKAY. I LOVE YOU.

OKAY.

Richardson: ONE OF THE THINGS
THAT DETECTIVES REQUESTED

WAS ACCESS TO MELINDA'S
PERSONAL COMPUTER AT HOME.

THOSE ITEMS WERE SUBMITTED
FOR FORENSIC EXTRACTION,

AND WHAT IT
ULTIMATELY REVEALED

WAS THAT,
THE NIGHT BEFORE THE MURDER,

MELINDA ACCESSED
A NUMBER OF DOCUMENTS.

YOU'VE BEEN LATE
EVERY DAY THIS WEEK.

AND ONE OF THOSE DOCUMENTS,
IN PARTICULAR,

WAS A PERSONNEL
ACTION FORM.

SOMEONE ELSE AT THE OFFICE
WAS GETTING FIRED.

Detective: HEY, BOSS,
I'VE GOT SOMETHING.

♪♪

♪♪

RASHAAN WILLIAMS.

Richardson: DETECTIVES FOUND
A TEXT MESSAGE FROM RASHAAN,

WHO WAS THE MAINTENANCE MAN
FOR THE PROPERTY,

WHERE HE WAS ASKING MELINDA,
WAS HE GETTING FIRED.

IT HAD TO DO WITH HIM
NOT COMPLETING SOMETHING

ON THE PROPERTY
IN A TIMELY FASHION.

AND MELINDA WAS
EXPLAINING TO HIM

THAT THEY HAD
CALLED SOMEONE ELSE,

THAT THE SITUATION
WOULD BE RESOLVED.

AND RASHAAN'S COMMENT WAS,
"AM I GETTING FIRED OVER THIS?"

Mike: MELINDA WAS TELLING ME
THAT SHE WAS HAVING TROUBLE

WITH THE MAINTENANCE WORKER.

SHE WAS SAYING THAT THINGS
WEREN'T GETTING DONE,

THAT SOMETIMES
SHE COULDN'T FIND HIM.

YOU'VE BEEN LATE
EVERY DAY THIS WEEK.

AND I'M MISSING RECEIPTS
AND PETTY CASH.

HAVE YOU TOLD DAVID
ABOUT THIS?

RASHAAN WAS FORMALLY
PLACED ON PROBATION

ON APRIL 26, 2013.

HE WAS PLACED
ON PROBATION BY DAVID.

YEAH. I HAD TO.

♪♪

♪♪

HE WANTS YOU
TO SIGN THESE.

♪♪

♪♪

[ DOOR SLAMS ]

LOOK, I KNOW
I'M LATE, BUT...

IT WOULD HAVE BEEN
A BIG DEAL FOR RASHAAN

IF HE HAD
BEEN TERMINATED.

NOT ONLY DID RASHAAN
STAND TO LOSE HIS JOB,

HE ALSO STOOD
TO LOSE HIS HOME.

I GOT LIKE MORE OUTSIDE
THE JOB. I GOT 10 UNITS.

Schaefer: DAVID
HAD BASICALLY TOLD RASHAAN

THAT HE IS ON
HIS LAST STRIKE,

OR HIS LAST LEG
WITH THE COMPANY,

AND THAT
HE WILL BE LET GO

AT HIS NEXT INFRACTION
THAT OCCURS,

NO MATTER HOW
MINOR OR MAJOR.

♪♪

♪♪

♪♪

OKAY.
WHAT TIME WAS THAT?

AROUND 9:20.9:20?

RASHAAN EXPLAINED
THAT HE

MADE TWO DIFFERENT TRIPS
THAT MORNING.

HE WENT TO ONE STORE
TO PURCHASE BATTERIES

AND ANOTHER STORE TO PURCHASE
CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS.

RASHAAN INITIALLY ADVISED

THAT HE LEFT THE PROPERTY
ABOUT 9:30 OR SO

TO MAKE A TRIP
TO THE HARDWARE STORE.

BUT WHEN POLICE PULLED
THE SURVEILLANCE VIDEO,

IT ACTUALLY SHOWED
THAT RASHAAN

ARRIVED TO THE HARDWARE STORE
ABOUT 10:39 A.M.

SO, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT WELL
OVER AN HOUR OF MISSING TIME.

LOOK AT HIS TWO CLOTHES.

IN THE VIDEO SURVEILLANCE
FROM THE STORE

THAT RASHAAN VISITED
ON THE MORNING OF THE MURDER

TO PURCHASE BATTERIES,

HE WAS OBSERVED
WEARING A ZIP-UP JACKET,

AS WELL AS
KHAKI-COLORED CARGO PANTS.

IN THE SURVEILLANCE VIDEO
FROM THE HARDWARE STORE

THAT RASHAAN VISITED,

RASHAAN WAS NOTED TO WEAR
A SHORT SLEEVE POLO-STYLE SHIRT

AND STRAIGHT-LEG,
KHAKI PANTS.

♪♪

HE CHANGED HIS CLOTHES.
LET'S GO GET HIM.

♪♪

THERE WAS DEFINITELY A RED FLAG
WHEN POLICE SAW THAT

THERE WAS THIS NOTICEABLE
CHANGE OF CLOTHING.

POLICE QUESTIONED RASHAAN
ABOUT THE CLOTHING,

AND IN PARTICULAR,
THEY WANTED TO KNOW IF HE HAD

IN HIS POSSESSION THE JACKET
THAT HE WAS SEEN WEARING

EARLIER THAT MORNING.

HE WAS UNABLE TO
PRODUCE THE JACKET,

AND IN FACT,
HE NEVER PRODUCED THE JACKET.

CAN YOU TURN OVER
YOUR WORK PHONE?

OH, UM...

I LOST IT.

AT THIS POINT,
THERE WERE SO MANY THINGS

THAT WERE LEADING YOU BACK
IN THE DIRECTION OF RASHAAN,

AND THINGS THAT JUST
COULD NOT BE EXPLAINED --

THE MISSING JACKET, AND NOW,
THIS MISSING CELL PHONE.

POLICE OBTAINED
CELLPHONE RECORDS

FOR THE MAINTENANCE
CELLPHONE

THAT WENT MISSING
ON THE MORNING OF THE MURDER.

RASHAAN SAYS HE LOST
HIS PHONE AROUND 9:20,

BUT LOOK AT THIS.

HIS PHONE WAS ACTIVE
OVER AN HOUR LATER,

CLOSE TO
THE HARDWARE STORE.

THERE WERE TWO
SIGNIFICANT EVENTS TO SEE

FROM THE CELLPHONE
RECORDS --

AT 10:28,
THERE WAS A MISSED CALL,

AND AT 10:31, THERE WAS SOME
SORT OF DATA COMMUNICATION,

MAYBE ALONG THE LINES OF
YOUR CELLPHONE UPDATING

OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

THAT MEANS HIS PHONE WAS STILL
IN HIS POSSESSION AT 10:40.

THOSE TWO EVENTS
KIND OF SHOW

THAT THE PHONE WAS
HOVERING IN THE AREA

OFF OF LIBERTY ROAD.

THIS AREA WHERE
THE PHONE WAS CLOSE TO,

THERE WERE A LOT OF
APARTMENT COMPLEXES.

AND SO, THE ACCESS TO
DUMPSTERS AND SO FORTH

CERTAINLY WOULD HAVE BEEN
AVAILABLE TO RASHAAN.

RASHAAN WILLAIMS.

[ SIGHS ]

HE HAD MOTIVE.

HE HAD OPPORTUNITY.

BUT CAN WE CONVICT?

THIS WAS NOT
A DIRECT-EVIDENCE CASE.

THERE WAS NOT
AN EYEWITNESS,

NO FORENSIC EVIDENCE TYING
RASHAAN TO THE CRIME SCENE.

RASHAAN MAY GET AWAY
WITH MURDER.

♪♪

Reporter:
POLICE NOW SAY THE LAST PERSON
TO SEE HER ALIVE WAS THIS MAN --

27-YEAR-OLD
RASHAAN WILLIAMS.

INVESTIGATORS TOOK HIM
INTO CUSTODY TUESDAY NIGHT.

I FELT HELPLESS.

I FELT LIKE,
"WHAT COULD I HAVE DONE?

WHAT COULD
HAVE BEEN DIFFERENT?"

IT WAS YOUR DAUGHTER, YOU KNOW,
WHAT COULD YOU HAVE DONE?

YOU'RE THE DAD. YOU'RE
SUPPOSED TO PROTECT YOUR KID.

Richardson:
IT WAS A FIVE-DAY TRIAL.

THE STATE CALLED
OVER 30 WITNESSES.

THE DEFENSE CALLED THREE
WITNESSES IN THEIR CASE.

AND I JUST THINK IT WAS
A TENSE COURTROOM.

IN PARTICULAR, I REMEMBER
JUDGE GIVING EVERYONE

THAT WAS SITTING IN THE GALLERY
AN INSTRUCTION

ABOUT NOT HAVING
ANY OUTBURSTS.

THAT'S HOW TENSE IT WAS.

I WAS AT EVERY SINGLE
ONE OF THEM.

EVERY SINGLE DAY.

WHEN THE TRIAL WAS HERE,
I WAS HERE.

IT WAS A LOT OF
CIRCUMSTANTIAL EVIDENCE.

THERE WAS NO
MURDER WEAPON.

THERE WAS NO VIDEOTAPE
OF HIM DOING THE CRIME.

SO, IF I HAD TO
TAKE A GUESS

AT WHAT TRANSPIRED THAT MORNING
BETWEEN RASHAAN AND MELINDA,

I DO THINK THERE WAS PROBABLY
SOME SORT OF EXCHANGE

BETWEEN THE TWO OF THEM.

MORNING.
IT SHOULD BE A BUSY DAY.

YOUR TICKET AND KEYS
ARE IN THE LOCK BOX.

♪♪

♪♪

WOULD YOU BE ABLE TO GO AND
BUY ME SOME BATTERIES FIRST?

Schaefer: I THINK SHE ALMOST
FELT THAT THERE WAS NO CHOICE.

SHE'D KIND OF GIVEN HIM CHANCE
AFTER CHANCE TO DO HIS JOB,

AND YOU KNOW,
HE DID HAVE TWO CHILDREN.

HE DID HAVE A WIFE.

SO, I THINK IT PROBABLY
WEIGHED ON HER.

♪♪

♪♪

♪♪

♪♪

♪♪

Richardson: THERE WAS
A LEDGER ON MELINDA'S DESK,

AND IN THAT LEDGER
WERE ALL OF THE E-MAILS

DOCUMENTING RASHAAN'S
POOR WORK PERFORMANCE.

ALL OF THOSE E-MAILS AND THINGS
WERE CONTAINED IN THAT LEDGER.

I CERTAINLY COULD SEE HOW,

IN THAT MOMENT RASHAAN,
COULD HAVE SNAPPED.

I DO THINK RASHAAN
WAS STEWING OVER THIS.

HE KNEW THAT HE WAS
IN HOT WATER AT WORK.

HE HAD JUST COMPLETED
A PROBATION FAIRLY RECENTLY.

AND IN ADDITION, WHEN STEPHANIE
WAS TERMINATED TWO DAYS BEFORE,

I THINK HE KNEW THE WRITING
WAS ON THE WALL FOR HIM.

♪♪

♪♪

♪♪

♪♪

♪♪

[ RASHAAN BREATHING HEAVILY ]

AFTER RASHAAN MURDERED MELINDA,
HE TOOK SOME TIME TO WIPE UP.

I ALSO WOULD IMAGINE THAT
HE REMOVED THE JACKET

THAT HE WAS WEARING.
IT WAS PROBABLY PRETTY BLOODY.

♪♪

♪♪

RASHAAN FELT THAT
THE COAST WAS CLEAR ENOUGH

FOR HIM TO MAKE HIS
EXIT, AND HE DID.

[ BELT BUCKLES CLICKING ]

[ CLOTHES RUSTLING ]

♪♪

♪♪

I REALLY BELIEVE
THAT RASHAAN ONLY CAME

TO THE HARDWARE STORE
IN AN ATTEMPT

TO HAVE AN ALIBI
IN THIS CASE.

I DON'T BELIEVE
HE WAS THERE

TO PURCHASE ANY TYPE OF
MATERIALS FOR THE PROPERTY.

[ POLICE RADIO CHATTER ]

RASHAAN CERTAINLY HAD MOTIVE
IN THIS CASE,

HE CERTAINLY WOULD HAVE HAD
AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO THIS,

AND IT BECAME VERY CLEAR

THAT RASHAAN WAS
THE ONLY PERSON WHO DID THIS.

♪♪

WHEN YOU GET WORD
THAT THERE'S A VERDICT,

I ALWAYS -- SOME GET
THAT SINKING FEELING.

SOMETIMES, YOU GET
BUTTERFLIES IN YOUR STOMACH.

AND JUST FOR A CASE LIKE THIS,
WHERE YOU KNEW RASHAAN DID IT,

YOU WANT TO BRING THIS
CONVICTION HOME FOR THIS FAMILY.

YOU WANT TO, HOPEFULLY,
BRING SOME SORT OF CLOSURE

TO THEM
FOR THIS HORRIFIC EVENT.

AND I FELT THE WEIGHT
OF THAT IN THAT MOMENT

THAT YOU'RE WAITING
TO FIND OUT WHAT'S THE VERDICT.

THEY ASKED THE JURY,

"ON THE VERDICT OF FIRST-DEGREE
MURDER, HOW DO YOU FIND?"

AND THEY SAID,
"NOT GUILTY."

♪♪

SO, I PUT MY HEAD DOWN.

AND THEN, THEY SAID,
"BUT ON THIS CHARGE

OF SECOND-DEGREE MURDER,
HOW DO YOU FIND?"

AND THEY SAID, "GUILTY."

MELINDA'S FATHER,
HE CAME AND HUGGED ME.

AND HE WAS JUST SOBBING,

AND I JUST WILL NEVER FORGET
HOW THAT FELT, YOU KNOW?

THAT WAS HIS WAY OF
SAYING "THANK YOU."

IT WAS SO MOVING,
AND SO TOUCHING.

I'VE JUST NEVER FORGOTTEN
HOW THAT FELT, THAT EMBRACE,

BECAUSE I CAN'T IMAGINE
WHAT THAT'S LIKE,

TO LOSE A LOVED ONE
UNDER THOSE CIRCUMSTANCES.

I CAN'T IMAGINE.
AND JUST, BY ALL ACCOUNTS,

MELINDA WAS SO SWEET,
AND SO HARD-WORKING,

JUST A GOOD FRIEND,
A GOOD WIFE, A GOOD DAUGHTER.

[ QUIET MUSIC PLAYS ]

MELINDA WAS 29 YEARS OLD,
DOING NOTHING BUT HER JOB.

Mike: NO. IT'S NOT
JUSTICE FOR MELINDA.

I HOPE YOU'RE PROUD OF US
AND WHAT WE DID,

AND I KNOW YOU'RE
REJOICING IN HEAVEN.

[ SOMBER MUSIC PLAYS ]

[ SOMBER MUSIC CONTINUES ]

Schaefer: I DON'T THINK
ANYBODY EVER ENVISIONS

SOMEBODY THAT THEY LOVE
BEING STABBED TO DEATH

60-SOME ODD TIMES
AT WORK ON A FRIDAY MORNING.

WHAT WOULD I SAY
TO MELINDA RIGHT NOW?

I'D TELL HER THAT
I LOVED HER,

AND THAT I WAS SORRY I WASN'T
THERE WHEN SHE PASSED AWAY...

...TO AT LEAST
HOLD HER HAND.

MELINDA LOVED LIFE,

AND I WOULD IMAGINE
THAT SHE WOULD WANT

OTHER PEOPLE
TO LEARN FROM THIS,

AND NOT BE PUT IN A SITUATION
WHERE THIS COULD HAPPEN.

[ SOMBER MUSIC CONTINUES ]