Who the (Bleep) Did I Marry (2010–…): Season 2, Episode 12 - An Excercise in Murder - full transcript

FOR PAUL RIEDEL
AND HIS WIFE, LEE ANN,

BEING NEW PARENTS
WAS THE ULTIMATE RUSH.

MY GREATEST MEMORY IN LIFE
IS WHEN MY SON WAS BORN.

THAT WAS A TREMENDOUSLY JOYFUL
OCCASION FOR BOTH OF THEM.

BUT LEE ANN HAD PLANS OF HER OWN

FOR THE THE MARRIAGE.

HIS WIFE FLED WITH THE BABY.

AND WHEN HER DECEPTION
TURNED DEADLY...

THE WRONG MAN WAS KILLED.

...PAUL FOUND HIMSELF
CAUGHT IN THE CROSS HAIRS

OF A SINISTER PLOT.



IT WAS SUCH A SENSATIONAL CASE.

IT WAS LIKE, "MY GOD.

COULD SHE REALLY BE
THIS DEVIOUS?"

WHEN IT COMES TO LOVE
AND MARRIAGE,

THINGS AREN'T ALWAYS
AS THEY SEEM.

PAUL RIEDEL'S FIRST LOVE
WAS PURELY PHYSICAL.

FOOTBALL WAS MY FIRST PASSION.

I THINK I WAS ALWAYS
BLESSED ATHLETICALLY.

I PUT SO MUCH INTO IT

BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE I GOT
TO BRING MY FEELINGS OUT.

BUT PAUL'S BRAWNY EXTERIOR

WAS HIDING AN UNHAPPY PAST.

I NEVER KNEW MY DAD.

MY DAD LEFT WHEN I WAS YOUNG,
AND MY MOTHER,



I FELT LIKE SHE RESENTED ME
OR DIDN'T LIKE ME.

IT DEFINED ME IN A SENSE.

I WAS CONSTANTLY LOOKING FOR
APPROVAL FROM HER.

IN THE FALL OF 1998,

PAUL WAS 29 YEARS OLD

AND LIVING ALONE
IN AMITYVILLE, NEW YORK.

HE WAS DETERMINED
TO PUT HIS TROUBLES BEHIND HIM

WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM HIS
BEST FRIEND AND WORKOUT PARTNER,

ALEX ALGERI.

HE WAS KIND OF
THE OPPOSITE OF ME.

HE WAS VERY MELLOW,
VERY LAID BACK,

AND WE JUST REALLY BLENDED
WELL TOGETHER.

ALEX AND PAUL WERE
NOT ONLY THE CLOSEST OF FRIENDS,

BUT THEY ACTUALLY HAD
A SIMILAR PHYSICAL APPEARANCE.

THEY BOTH HAD DARK HAIR.

THEY BOTH DROVE THE SAME CAR.

WE WERE WITH EACH OTHER

EVERY MINUTE OF EVERY DAY
FOR YEARS.

THE TWO FRIENDS WERE
ALSO SUCCESSFUL ENTREPRENEURS,

HAVING JUST OPENED

ONE OF THE COUNTRY'S FIRST
24-HOUR FITNESS CENTERS.

AT THAT TIME,
THE CONCEPT WASN'T REALLY THERE.

SO WE WERE VERY SUCCESSFUL,

AND THAT'S WHEN
THE FITNESS CRAZE

WAS REALLY STARTING TO TAKE OFF.

THAT WINTER,

PAUL WAS RIDING HIGH
ON HIS SUCCESS.

AND WHILE
HE WASN'T LOOKING FOR LOVE,

HE CERTAINLY HAD HIS FAIR SHARE
OF ADMIRERS.

ONE IN PARTICULAR WAS
26-YEAR-OLD LEE ANN ARMANINI,

A SINGLE MOTHER
WHO WORKED AT A LOCAL BAR.

SHE HAD A SON
MAYBE ABOUT 11, 12.

AND I THINK
THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS

THAT KIND OF GRAVITATED ME
TOWARDS HER...

THE NURTURING PART.

AFTER A FEW CAUSAL DINNERS,

PAUL AND LEE ANN BEGAN TO DATE.

A YEAR LATER, WHEN LEE ANN
REALIZED SHE WAS PREGNANT,

PAUL DECIDED IT WAS A GOOD TIME

TO TAKE THE RELATIONSHIP
TO THE NEXT LEVEL.

WHEN THE COUPLE TIED THE KNOT
THAT JULY,

IT WAS A TRUE SHOTGUN WEDDING.

IT WAS A REALLY NICE WEDDING.

I HAD TWO BEST MEN,
AND ALEX WAS ONE OF THEM.

7 MONTHS LATER,

THE COUPLE'S SON, NICHOLAS,
WAS BORN.

NICHOLAS' BIRTH CHANGED
PAUL'S ENTIRE VIEW OF LIFE.

FOR THE FIRST TIME, I THINK,

PAUL TRULY EXPERIENCED
WHAT REAL LOVE IS LIKE.

I STARTED LEARNING
HOW GREAT IT FEELS

TO GIVE MORE THAN IT IS TO GET.

HE'S JUST
THE MOST AMAZING HUMAN BEING.

BUT BEFORE NICHOLAS
TURNED 1 YEAR OLD,

TRAGEDY STRUCK

AND PAUL'S ENTIRE LIFE
CHANGED FOREVER.

IT ALL STARTED
THE EVENING OF JANUARY 17, 2001,

WHILE PAUL WAS TAKING
A FEW HARD-EARNED HOURS AWAY

FROM THE GYM.

A FRIEND OF MINE
WANTED TO GO OUT TO DINNER,

SO I ASKED AL TO COVER FOR ME.

WE STARTED HAVING DRINKS,
HAVING VINO...

I NEVER ENDED UP
GOING BACK TO WORK.

AT ABOUT 10:00 THAT EVENING,

PAUL'S CELLPHONE BEGAN TO RING.

SO I PICKED IT UP.

IT WAS LEE ANN, FRANTIC,
TELLING ME ABOUT ALEX...

THAT ALEX GOT SHOT.

THE NEWS HIT
LIKE A TON OF BRICKS.

ALEX ALGERI, PAUL'S FRIEND
AND BUSINESS PARTNER,

HAD BEEN GUNNED DOWN
IN THE PARKING LOT OF THEIR GYM.

I COULDN'T BELIEVE IT.

AND AL DIDN'T ARGUE
OR FIGHT WITH ANYBODY.

YOU KNOW, HE WAS
A VERY EASYGOING GUY.

IT DIDN'T MAKE NO SENSE
IT WOULD BE AL.

PAUL WAS DEVASTATED
AND CONFUSED,

BUT HIS WIFE, LEE ANN,
WAS TERRIFIED.

THIS EXECUTION-STYLE MURDER

HAS ALL THE MARKINGS
OF A MAFIA HIT...

A SMALL-CALIBER WEAPON,
AT NIGHT, SHOTS TO THE HEAD.

WHILE ALEX HAD
NO ENEMIES TO SPEAK OF,

PAUL'S REPUTATION AS A TOUGH GUY
WAS WELL-KNOWN.

LEE ANN WAS CERTAIN THE BULLETS
WERE NOT MEANT FOR ALEX,

BUT FOR HER HUSBAND.

LEE ANN COMES TO PAUL AND SAYS,

"NOT ONLY ARE YOU IN DANGER,
BUT I'M IN DANGER AS YOUR WIFE.

AND MORE IMPORTANTLY,
THE BABY'S IN DANGER."

WAS THIS TRAGEDY
A CASE OF MISTAKEN IDENTITY?

THE VERY FIRST
THING THAT PAUL DID

WAS COME HERE
AND HAVE ME DRAFT A WILL,

LEAVING EVERYTHING THAT HE OWNED
TO LEE ANN.

IN THE SPRING OF 2000,

9 MONTHS BEFORE HIS BEST FRIEND
AND BUSINESS PARTNER

WAS MURDERED,

PAUL RIEDEL
WAS STRUGGLING TO ADJUST

TO HIS YOUNG MARRIAGE
WITH LEE ANN.

FIRST COUPLE OF MONTHS,
THEY WERE OKAY.

I MEAN, BUT I STARTED GOING BACK
OUT WITH MY FRIENDS.

I PARTIED WITH MY FRIENDS,
COMING HOME REAL LATE.

I WAS STILL VERY YOUNG.

ON THE OUTSIDE,
PAUL HAD MUCH TO CELEBRATE.

HIS 24-HOUR GYM WAS BOOMING,

AND HE AND HIS PARTNER,
ALEX ALGERI,

HAD ACHIEVED ENORMOUS SUCCESS.

MY LIFE, I MEAN, AS FAR AS
I WAS CONCERNED, WAS GREAT.

I WAS GOING OUT WITH MY FRIENDS,
BUSINESS WAS GOOD, HAD MONEY.

BUT BEHIND CLOSED DOORS,

LIFE WITH LEE ANN
HAD BECOME SOMEWHAT ROCKY.

IT GOT TO THE POINT
WHERE SHE WAS REALLY TIRED

OF ME GOING OUT
AND NOT COMING HOME

AND DOING THE THINGS
I NEEDED TO DO.

SO ONE DAY THAT JUNE,
WHILE PAUL WAS AWAY FROM HOME,

LEE ANN TOOK MATTERS
INTO HER OWN HANDS.

A FRIEND OF MINE GOES
TO MY HOUSE TO VISIT ME,

AND HE CALLS ME UP, HE GOES,

"PAUL, THERE'S TWO MOVING TRUCKS
AT YOUR HOUSE.

THEY'RE EMPTYING OUT
AND MOVING OUT YOUR HOUSE."

STUNNED,
PAUL IMMEDIATELY RACED HOME,

BUT IT WAS TOO LATE.

LEE ANN HAD MADE UP HER MIND
TO MOVE TO FLORIDA

AND START A NEW LIFE
WITH HER MOTHER.

NOTHING PAUL SAID
WOULD STOP HER.

I THINK SHE PROBABLY GOT
FED UP AND SAID, "I'M LEAVING.

I'M GOING TO FLORIDA."

AT THAT POINT, I WAS OKAY
WITH US NOT BEING MARRIED

OR GETTING A DIVORCE.

BUT THE GAME CHANGER FOR PAUL

WAS LEE ANN'S DETERMINATION

TO TAKE THEIR INFANT SON,
NICHOLAS, WITH HER.

AT THAT VERY MOMENT,

LIFE CHANGED FOR ME.

I REALIZED, LIKE, "WOW.
THIS IS, LIKE... THIS IS REAL.

LIKE, I'M GONNA LOSE MY SON."

I WENT TO SEE A LAWYER.
I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT ELSE TO DO.

PAUL'S CASE ULTIMATELY
FOUND ITS WAY TO MY DESK,

AND DURING MY INITIAL MEETING
WITH HIM,

HE WAS OVERWROUGHT WITH FEAR...

NOT ABOUT THE FACT
THAT HIS WIFE HAD LEFT HIM,

BUT ABOUT THE FACT
THAT THE BABY WAS GONE.

STEVE IMMEDIATELY GOT TO WORK,

AND IT WASN'T LONG

BEFORE HE REALIZED
LEE ANN WAS BREAKING THE LAW.

THE GENERAL RULE IS

THAT ONE SPOUSE
WHO HAS CUSTODY OF A CHILD

CAN SIMPLY NOT
UNILATERALLY PACK UP

AND MOVE TO A DISTANT DOMICILE

WITHOUT EITHER THE PERMISSION
OF THE OTHER SPOUSE

OR LEAVE OF COURT.

THE COURT DIRECTED HER TO RETURN
WITH THE CHILD WITHIN 20 DAYS

OR FACE THE LOSS OF CUSTODY.

IT WAS A QUICK VICTORY FOR PAUL.

THAT JULY,
LEE ANN HEADED BACK TO NEW YORK,

NICHOLAS IN TOW.

I JUST WANTED TO HAVE
A RELATIONSHIP WITH MY SON,

AND YOU CAN'T HAVE
A RELATIONSHIP

WHEN YOUR CHILD IS
2,000 MILES AWAY.

A DIVORCE PROCEEDING
HAD BEEN SCHEDULED

FOR NOVEMBER 21st.

BUT ON THAT DAY,
THINGS TOOK A SURPRISING TURN.

I ARRIVED IN COURT
A LITTLE BIT EARLY.

I WAS SETTING UP AT THE TABLE.

AND I HEARD THE DOOR OPEN UP,
AND I TURNED AROUND,

AND I SAW PAUL COME WALKING IN,
HOLDING THE BABY,

AND LEE ANN BEHIND HIM,
PUSHING A STROLLER.

STEVE WAS STUNNED.

I LOOKED AT PAUL AND HE SAID,

"LISTEN, I WANT YOU
TO WITHDRAW THIS.

WE WORKED THINGS OUT."

AND I SAID TO HIM,
"WAIT A MINUTE.

"WE CAN ADJOURN THIS,
WE CAN POSTPONE THIS,

BUT WITHDRAWING THIS
IS A SIGNIFICANT THING."

BUT PAUL STOOD FIRM.

HE AND LEE ANN WANTED
THE DIVORCE WITHDRAWN.

I KNEW THAT I COULD DO BETTER,

AND I WAS, YOU KNOW,
SEEING WHAT I LOST.

I WAS READY TO TRY AND DO THAT.

ABSOLUTELY, I WAS READY
TO REALLY TRY AND DO THAT.

DESPITE HIS MISGIVINGS,

STEVE WITHDREW THE PROCEEDING,

WHILE PAUL AND LEE ANN
SET ABOUT MAKING AMENDS.

AT THAT POINT,
I JUST WANTED TO BE WITH MY SON.

MEANWHILE, BACK AT THE OFFICE,

STEVE COULDN'T SHAKE THE FEELING

THAT SOMETHING
WASN'T QUITE RIGHT.

IN PARTICULAR, HE WAS BOTHERED

BY AN AFFIDAVIT
LEE ANN HAD FILED

UPON HER RETURN TO NEW YORK.

BEFORE WE CONDUCTED THE HEARING,

LEE ANN FILED OPPOSITION PAPERS,

DESIGNED TO CONVINCE THE JUDGE

THAT SHE SHOULD NOT BE FORCED
TO COME BACK TO NEW YORK.

ONE OF THE REASONS
THAT SHE DETAILED FOR LEAVING

WAS HER CONTENTION
THAT SHE WAS ADVISED

THAT THERE WAS A MAFIA CONTRACT
OUT ON PAUL'S LIFE.

NOW, PAUL WAS NOT,
AND HE HAS NEVER BEEN,

INVOLVED WITH
ANY ORGANIZED CRIME FACTION.

WHILE LEE ANN'S
SUSPICIONS SEEMED QUESTIONABLE,

STEVE WOULD SOON LEARN
SHE WAS ONTO SOMETHING.

THE FIRST THING
THAT I THOUGHT WAS,

"MY GOD.
SHE'S RIGHT."

BUT HE COULD NEVER HAVE GUESSED

HOW IT WOULD ALL PLAY OUT.

DISASTER WAS
JUST ON THE HORIZON.

EVERYTHING HAPPENED SO FAST
AND THE WRONG MAN WAS KILLED.

IN JANUARY 2001,

PAUL RIEDEL WAS DOING HIS BEST
TO BE A GOOD HUSBAND TO LEE ANN.

I WAS PUTTING MORE OF AN EFFORT
INTO MAKING THINGS BETTER.

I WAS JUST TRYING TO BE A BETTER
HUSBAND, AND I FELT LIKE

IT WAS WORKING AND WE WERE
GETTING ALONG BETTER.

BUT LEE ANN DIDN'T
SEEM ENTIRELY COMFORTABLE.

THERE WOULD BE TIMES
WHEN LEE ANN WOULD SAY,

"PAUL, I'M GONNA RUN
TO THE STORE.

JUST KEEP AN EYE ON THE BABY."

AND ONE OF PAUL'S FRIENDS
WOULD DROP BY AND SAY,

"LISTEN, YOUR WIFE IS UP
ON THE PAY PHONE AT THE CORNER.

WHAT'S GOING ON?"

I CONFRONTED HER ABOUT IT.

SHE SAYS,
"YOU KNOW, IT'S MY MOTHER.

"I REALLY GOT TO EASE INTO
THIS ALL WITH MY MOTHER.

SHE'S GIVING ME A HARD TIME."

THE EXPLANATION MADE SENSE.

PAUL KNEW LEE ANN'S MOTHER
WASN'T VERY FOND OF HIM,

BUT HE HAD VERY LITTLE TIME
TO DWELL ON THAT PROBLEM.

JUST TWO WEEKS LATER,
HE WAS BLINDSIDED

BY ONE OF THE WORST TRAGEDIES
OF HIS LIFE.

THE EVENING OF JANUARY 17, 2001,

PAUL WAS AT DINNER WITH A FRIEND

WHEN LEE ANN CALLED HIM
WITH TERRIBLE NEWS.

ALEX ALGERI
HAD BEEN SHOT EXECUTION-STYLE

IN THE PARKING LOT OF THEIR GYM.

ALEX ALGERI WENT
OUTSIDE TO HIS SUV TO GET SOME CDs.

UNBEKNOWNST TO HIM, THERE WERE
TWO MEN WAITING IN A CAR.

SHOTS RANG OUT
IN VERY QUICK SUCCESSION,

AND ALEX STUMBLED
BACK INTO THE GYM,

MUTTERED, "I'VE BEEN SHOT,"
TO A WITNESS,

AND DIED A FEW MINUTES LATER.

THE KILLERS FLED THE SCENE,

LEAVING NO EVIDENCE BEHIND.

PAUL WAS DEVASTATED.

IT DIDN'T MAKE NO SENSE.

WHAT TYPE OF MAN SNEAKS BEHIND
SOMEBODY LIKE THAT WITH A GUN?

THE FOLLOWING DAYS WERE TOUGH,

BUT THERE WAS ONE PERSON
WHO STOOD BY PAUL'S SIDE...

HIS WIFE, LEE ANN.

SHE WAS THE ONE PERSON

THAT I FELT
THAT I COULD TALK TO,

AND SHE WAS THE PERSON
I WAS LEANING ON.

SHE WENT TO THE FUNERAL WITH ME.
SHE NEVER CRIED.

I ALWAYS WONDERED
WHY SHE DIDN'T CRY.

MEANWHILE,

AS THE INVESTIGATION INTO
ALEX'S MURDER PICKED UP STEAM,

A FRIGHTENING THEORY
BEGAN TO TAKE SHAPE.

PAUL CAME TO THE CONCLUSION,

AS DID I AND
AS DID THE POLICE THEMSELVES,

THAT THIS HOMICIDE
WAS A MISTAKE,

THAT THE INTENDED VICTIM
WAS CLEARLY PAUL.

FOR LEE ANN,
THE THOUGHT WAS TERRIFYING.

LEE ANN
COMES BACK TO PAUL AND SAYS,

"THERE REALLY WAS
A MAFIA CONTRACT ON YOUR LIFE,

AND IT'S STILL OUT THERE."

SHE BEGGED PAUL
TO LET HER GO BACK TO FLORIDA

AND TAKE NICHOLAS WITH HER.

SO I TOLD HER,
"LISTEN, LET'S FIGURE THIS OUT.

"GET YOUR STUFF TOGETHER.
GO TO FLORIDA.

TAKE THE BABY.
GO TO FLORIDA."

MEANWHILE, PAUL STAYED BEHIND

AND BEGAN TO PREPARE
FOR THE WORST.

I WENT INTO STEVE'S OFFICE
AND I MADE A WILL,

LEAVING EVERYTHING TO LEE ANN,

THINKING
THAT SHE WOULD MAKE SURE

THAT THAT MONEY WAS THERE
FOR NICHOLAS WHEN HE GOT OLDER.

OVER THE NEXT TWO MONTHS,

PAUL SHUTTLED BACK AND FORTH
BETWEEN NEW YORK AND FLORIDA,

JUGGLING FAMILY AND BUSINESS.

BEFORE LONG, LEE ANN TOLD PAUL
SHE WAS PREGNANT AGAIN.

HE WAS OVERJOYED.

THE CONCEPT OF BEING
THE FATHER THAT HE NEVER HAD

IS WHAT DOMINATED
HIS ENTIRE BEING.

BUT PAUL'S HAPPINESS
WOULD SOON FADE.

SEVERAL WEEKS LATER, DURING
ONE OF HIS TRIPS TO FLORIDA,

A FAMILY FRIEND GAVE PAUL
SOME UNSETTLING NEWS.

HE GOES, "I GOT TO TALK TO YOU."

AND HE GOES, "YOU KNOW,
EVERY TIME YOU LEAVE,

SHE GOES OUT
WITH THIS GUY ROCCO."

SO I WENT HOME
AND I CONFRONTED HER.

I'M LIKE,
"WHO'S THIS GUY ROCCO?"

SHE LITERALLY DROPPED.

LEE ANN CLAIMED
ROCCO WAS JUST A FRIEND,

BUT PAUL WASN'T BUYING IT.

I SAID, "YOU KNOW WHAT?"
I SAID, "I'M LEAVING."

I LEFT. WENT HOME.

SHORTLY AFTER
PAUL RETURNED TO NEW YORK,

LEE ANN MADE AN UNEXPECTED MOVE.

SHE SERVED PAUL
WITH DIVORCE PAPERS.

TO COMMENCE
A DIVORCE ACTION IN FLORIDA,

ALL YOU HAVE TO SHOW

IS THAT YOU'VE LIVED IN FLORIDA
FOR SIX CONSECUTIVE MONTHS.

WELL, TWO WEEKS AFTER SHE MET

THIS SIX-MONTH RESIDENCY
REQUIREMENT,

LEE ANN FILED AN ACTION FOR
DIVORCE AGAINST PAUL IN FLORIDA.

AND NOW
NICHOLAS HAS LIVED IN FLORIDA

FOR SIX MONTHS WITH OUR CONSENT,
AND NOW WE CAN'T GET HIM BACK.

ON DECEMBER 24, 2001,

WHEN LEE ANN GAVE BIRTH
TO ANOTHER BABY BOY,

SHE REFUSED TO LET PAUL SEE HIM.

I WAS CALLING AROUND HOSPITALS

AND TRYING TO FIND OUT
WHERE THE BABY WAS.

AND NOBODY
WOULD TELL ME ANYTHING.

IT SEEMED PAUL WAS ON THE VERGE

OF LOSING EVERYTHING ONCE AGAIN.

TO MAKE MATTERS WORSE,
ALEX'S MURDER REMAINED UNSOLVED.

I WAS EMOTIONALLY SPENT.

I WENT INTO
KIND OF A DEPRESSION.

AND THAT WAS BAD.
THAT WAS REALLY BAD.

BUT THINGS WERE
ABOUT TO TAKE A SURPRISING TURN.

I GET A CALL FROM PAUL,
WHO'S ABSOLUTELY FRANTIC.

AND HE SAYS, "I CAUGHT
THE MURDERER. SHE'S INVOLVED."

AND WHEN THE WHOLE
TWISTED STORY CAME OUT,

IT SHOCKED EVERYONE.

I'M LIKE, "HOW DID I NOT
PUT THIS TOGETHER?"

IT WAS LIKE BEING HIT IN THE
FACE WITH A 100-POUND DUMBBELL.

BY SPRING 2002,

PAUL RIEDEL KNEW HIS MARRIAGE
TO LEE ANN WAS OVER.

BUT HIS SON, NICHOLAS,
WEIGHED HEAVILY ON HIS MIND.

I WASN'T UPSET ABOUT ME AND HER.

BY THIS TIME,
I WAS JUST UPSET ABOUT NICHOLAS.

I DIDN'T KNOW
HOW I WAS GONNA SEE NICHOLAS.

IN ADDITION,

THE MURDER OF PAUL'S
BEST FRIEND, ALEX ALGERI,

WAS NO CLOSER TO BEING SOLVED.

I THINK
THE MOST OVERCOMING EMOTION

HAS ALWAYS BEEN
DEALING WITH THAT ALEX DIED.

BUT EVERYTHING
WAS ABOUT TO CHANGE.

IN NOVEMBER 2001, MORE THAN
A YEAR AFTER ALEX WAS SHOT,

POLICE GOT A SURPRISING
AND UNEXPECTED BREAK

WHEN THEY ARRESTED A SUSPECT
FOR GRAND LARCENY.

PART OF THE NYPD's
NORMAL REGIMEN WITH EVERY ARREST

IS THEY DEBRIEF THE SUSPECT

AS TO THEIR KNOWLEDGE
OF OTHER CRIMES.

THE SUSPECT CLAIMED TO
HAVE KNOWLEDGE OF ALEX'S MURDER.

THE INFORMATION
HE GAVE DETECTIVES

LED THEM TO A FLORIDA BODY
BUILDER NAMED RALPH SALIERNO,

ALSO KNOWN AS "ROCCO."

IT WAS THE VERY SAME ROCCO

LEE ANN HAD CLAIMED
WAS JUST A FRIEND.

POLICE IMMEDIATELY
TOOK ROCCO IN FOR QUESTIONING,

AND IT WASN'T LONG BEFORE HE
SPILLED THE WHOLE TWISTED TRUTH.

SALIERNO MADE
A VERY INCRIMINATING STATEMENT

TO THE POLICE.

HE BASICALLY MADE A STATEMENT
WHERE HE CONFESSED TO THE CRIME

AND IMPLICATED LEE ANN
IN THE CONSPIRACY

AND DESCRIBED DRIVING
FROM FLORIDA TO NEW YORK

WITH AN ACCOMPLICE

WITH THE SOLE PURPOSE OF
SHOOTING PAUL RIEDEL TO DEATH.

INVESTIGATORS DISCOVER
THAT ROCCO AND LEE ANN

HAD BEEN HAVING AN AFFAIR
IN FLORIDA.

BUT THAT WAS JUST THE BEGINNING.

IT SEEMED LEE ANN
WANTED TO USE ROCCO

FOR MUCH MORE THAN JUST DATING.

I THINK VERY EARLY ON,

ONCE SHE WAS DIRECTED BY THE
JUDGE TO COME BACK TO NEW YORK

SO THAT PAUL COULD EXERCISE HIS
VISITATION RIGHTS WITH NICHOLAS,

SHE REALIZED, "THE ONLY WAY I'M
GONNA BE ABLE TO LEAVE NEW YORK

"IS EITHER WITH PAUL'S CONSENT,

"WHICH THERE'S NO WAY
HE'S GONNA GIVE TO ME,

OR IF PAUL IS KILLED."

AND WITH ROCCO'S HELP,

THAT'S ALLEGEDLY
WHAT LEE ANN SET OUT TO DO.

SHE GAVE ROCCO A PHOTO OF PAUL,
BUT THAT FATEFUL NIGHT,

ROCCO AND HIS CRONY MISTOOK ALEX
FOR PAUL AND SHOT HIM DEAD.

LEE ANN REPORTEDLY

CALLED SALIERNO
A "BLEEP" ing IDIOT

AND TOLD HIM
HE KILLED THE WRONG GUY.

TO TOP IT ALL OFF,
LEE ANN'S NEWBORN SON,

THE BABY PAUL THOUGHT WAS HIS,
WAS ACTUALLY ROCCO'S.

I FOUND OUT BY THE NEWS
BEING ON MY FRONT LAWN.

THEY WERE LIKE,
"WHAT DO YOU THINK

"ABOUT YOUR EX-WIFE
BEING PREGNANT

BY THE GUY WHO JUST GOT ARRESTED
FOR KILLING YOUR BEST FRIEND?"

I WAS LIKE, "WHAT?!"
THAT'S HOW I FOUND OUT.

I HAD NO IDEA.
LIKE, I THOUGHT IT WAS MY KID.

IT WAS LIKE BEING HIT IN THE
FACE WITH A 100-POUND DUMBBELL.

I MEAN, IT WAS LIKE,
"MY GOD.

COULD SHE REALLY
BE THIS DEVIOUS?"

IN MARCH 2003,

LEE ANN RIEDEL WAS ARRESTED
AT HER HOME IN FLORIDA.

IT WAS BITTERSWEET.

MY FIRST FEELING HAS ALWAYS BEEN

THE AFFECT THAT IT HAD
ON NICHOLAS.

ON APRIL 24, 2004,

LEE ANN WAS FOUND GUILTY
OF FIRST-DEGREE MURDER

FOR ORCHESTRATING THE KILLING.

SHE WAS SENTENCED
TO 25 YEARS TO LIFE.

TODAY, PAUL IS THE FATHER
HE ALWAYS SET OUT TO BE.

HE HAS FULL CUSTODY OF NICHOLAS.

HE ALSO HAS A NEW DAUGHTER
AND A WIFE HE LOVES.

HE TRIES NOT TO DWELL
ON THE PAST.

YOU CAN GO FORWARD,
OR YOU CAN GO BACKWARDS.

AND BACKWARDS
IS NOWHERE THAT I WANT TO BE.

BACKWARDS IS A DARK PLACE.

I WANT TO MOVE FORWARD.
I WANT TO MOVE FORWARD.

I WANT TO THINK ABOUT

ALL THE WONDERFUL THINGS
THAT I GOT WITH MY WIFE,

ALL THE WONDERFUL THINGS
THAT I GOT WITH MY CHILDREN.

I DON'T GO BACKWARDS.

BUT ONE PART OF PAUL'S
PAST HE'LL NEVER FORGET...

HIS BEST FRIEND, ALEX.

I MISS HIM DEARLY.

HE WILL ALWAYS BE
MY BEST FRIEND.

BUT, GOD, HOW OUR FRIENDSHIP
WOULD BE GREATER NOW,

BECAUSE I WOULD HAVE GAVE HIM
BACK AS MUCH AS HE GAVE ME.