Your Worst Nightmare (2014–…): Season 1, Episode 6 - The Killer Beside Me - full transcript

COMING THROUGH!

OUT OF THE WAY, PLEASE!

CLEAR THE HALLWAY!

HOW LONG HAS SHE
BEEN LIKE THIS?

FOUND HER UNCONSCIOUS
OUTSIDE HER RESIDENCE.

SHE'S NOT BREATHING.
BAG HER.

ONE. TWO. THREE.

ONE. TWO. THREE.

WE'RE LOSING HER.
PADDLES.

CLEAR!

STAY WITH ME.



CLEAR!

COME ON.

CLEAR!

CLEAR!

HEY, KIDDO.

YOU WANT A CUP OF COFFEE?

NAH, I'M OKAY.

LET ME JUST FINISH THIS,
AND I'LL GRAB SOME WATER.

OKAY.

JANET WAS JUST
REALLY A FRIENDLY, WARM PERSON.

I CAN'T THINK OF ANYONE
WHO DIDN'T LIKE HER.

IF YOU KNEW HER WELL,
ABSOLUTELY, YOU RESPECTED HER.

ERIC WAS HER ONLY SON,
AND SHE ABSOLUTELY ADORED HIM.

WITH COLLEGE
ONLY A YEAR AWAY FOR ERIC,



JANET SOAKS UP
AS MUCH TIME AS SHE CAN

WITH HER 16-YEAR-OLD SON.

SHE DIDN'T HAVE
A COLLEGE DEGREE,

JUST A HIGH-SCHOOL EDUCATION,

YET SHE WAS ELECTED
TO THE SCHOOL BOARD

OF THE CAPISTRANO
UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT

IN SOUTHERN ORANGE COUNTY.

IT'S A JOB
JANET TAKES VERY SERIOUSLY

AND HAS EXCELLED AT
FOR THE LAST 11 YEARS.

SHE WAS VERY OUTGOING
AND GREGARIOUS.

SHE'D GO TO PARTIES.

SHE'D BE THE CENTER OF ATTENTION
WHILE HER HUSBAND, RICHARD,

WAS SORT OF QUIET
AND TO THE SIDE.

JAN AND RICHARD
WERE MARRIED 19 YEARS,

AND HE WAS JUST KIND OF
IN A DIFFERENT PATH.

SOMEBODY YOU WOULD THINK,
"GOSH. WHAT AN ODD FELLOW."

HEY.

OKAY, I'M OFF.

MEL'S WAITING FOR ME.

YOU'RE GOING
ALL THE WAY OUT TO MEL'S?

YEAH, I TOLD HIM
I WOULD HELP CLEAN UP

HIS NEW SULFITE ORDERS,
THE ONES HE JUST GOT IN UTAH.

YOU GUYS
AND YOUR ROCKS.

RICHARD ALWAYS FELT THAT
HE WAS ABOVE JANET, INTELLECTUALLY,

BECAUSE SHE WAS JUST
A HIGH-SCHOOL GRADUATE,

AND HE HAD A PhD IN PSYCHOLOGY.

SEE YOU LATER, KIDDO.

I MIGHT NOT BE HERE
WHEN YOU GET BACK.

I'M MEETING ANNIE
FOR A MOVIE LATER.

RICHARD OVERTON WASN'T CLOSE TO
HIS WIFE'S FRIENDS,

MOST OF WHICH WERE AFFILIATED
WITH THE SCHOOL.

THEY WERE LIVING
A SEPARATE LIFE,

YET SHARING THE SAME ROOF.

BUT, UNDER A DIFFERENT ROOF,

JANET'S BEEN KEEPING A SECRET
FROM RICHARD

FOR NEARLY SEVEN YEARS.

NO.

NO, NO, NO.

DON'T GET UP YET.

JUST A LITTLE LONGER.

I CAN'T.
I HAVE TO GET HOME.

ERIC'S PROBABLY STARTING
TO WONDER ABOUT DINNER.

FIVE MINUTES?

HE'S NOT GONNA DIE
OF STARVATION

IN JUST
THE NEXT FIVE MINUTES.

JANET'S LOVER WAS
ONE OF THE STAFF MEMBERS

AT THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.

THEY WORKED CLOSE TOGETHER.

THEY HAD A MUTUAL RESPECT
AND A LIKING FOR EACH OTHER,

AND THAT'S WHERE
THE ATTRACTION STARTED.

AS TWO PUBLIC OFFICIALS,

JANET OVERTON AND EDWARD BURKE
HAVE GONE TO GREAT LENGTHS

TO KEEP THEIR RELATIONSHIP
UNDER WRAPS ALL THESE YEARS.

BUT IT HASN'T BEEN EASY.

YOU KNOW, WE DON'T
HAVE TO LIVE LIKE THIS.

I DON'T WANT
TO LIVE LIKE THIS.

WE HAVE TO TELL THEM.

EDWARD,
IT'S NOT THAT SIMPLE.

YOU DON'T HAVE KIDS.

ERIC ONLY HAS
ONE MORE YEAR AT HOME.

I JUST WANT TO SPARE HIM
THE WHOLE... BROKEN HOME BIT.

YOU REALLY THINK HE'S
ANY BETTER OFF IN THAT HOUSE

WITH YOU AND RICHARD?

YOU GUYS BARELY SPEAK
AT THIS POINT.

NOT NOW, OKAY? PLEASE DON'T.
I JUST...

LET ME
GET YOU SOME WATER.

THANKS.

SHE WAS TAKING --
I BELIEVE IT WAS ZANTAC,

WHICH IS AN ULCER MEDICATION.

EDWARD,
WHAT'S TAKING SO LONG?

NOTHING.
BE RIGHT THERE.

JUST A MINUTE.

THANKS.

YOU'RE A LIFESAVER.

WELL, THAT'S FUNNY.

YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES I THINK
IT'S US THAT'S MAKING YOU SICK.

IT'S KILLING YOU.

SHE BEGAN GETTING
SERIOUSLY SICK, VIOLENTLY SICK.

THIS WAS A PERSON WHO
WAS GENERALLY PRETTY HEALTHY,

HAD A LOT OF ENERGY,
DID A LOT OF THINGS.

AND NOW, ALL OF A SUDDEN,

EVERYTHING'S KIND OF BEING
TAKEN AWAY FROM HER,

AND SHE CAN'T EXPLAIN WHY.

JAN, YOU OKAY?

I'M FINE.

YOU'RE SICK?
YEAH.

AGAIN?
IT'S BAD.

IT CAME ON
OUT OF NOWHERE... AGAIN.

WHAT DID THE DOCTOR SAY
THIS TIME?

SAME THING
HE SAID LAST TIME.

ALL THE TESTS ARE NEGATIVE.

JUST PROBABLY SOME BUG.
GOT TO GET SOME REST.

LISTEN TO WHAT
THE DOCTOR SAID, OKAY?

COME TO BED.
GET SOME REST.

OKAY.

YOU'LL FEEL MUCH BETTER
IN THE MORNING.

I JUST KNOW IT.

THERE WAS A LOT GOING ON
WITH THE SCHOOL BOARD AT THE TIME,

AND THE SEX-EDUCATION CURRICULUM
WAS BEING REVIEWED,

AND SHE WAS STILL
NOT FEELING ALL THAT WELL.

AND THIS IS TWO-PLUS WEEKS,
MAYBE MORE, INTO HER ILLNESS,

AND SHE IS STILL IN PAIN
AND STILL AT HOME.

ANY BETTER THIS MORNING?

I'D HAVE TO DIE TO FEEL
WORSE THAN I DID LAST NIGHT.

WELL,
THIS SHOULD DO THE TRICK.

JUST MADE IT FRESH.

OKAY. I'M OFF.

SHE'S SITTING THERE,
OBVIOUSLY IN PAIN.

SHE CAN'T GET UP.

WAS SHE PERSONALLY DEPRESSED?
PROBABLY.

BUT THAT WASN'T WHO SHE WAS,

AND SHE DIDN'T RELATE
TO PEOPLE THAT WAY.

HEY, JAN.

HEY, VICKY.

YOU PLAYING HOOKY AGAIN?

I KNOW IT LOOKS THAT WAY,

BUT THIS STOMACH BUG
JUST KEEPS BITING.

I JUST CAN'T SEEM
TO SHAKE IT.

YOU'RE NOT PREGNANT,
ARE YOU?

NO.

ARE THOSE THE FILES?

YES. CONTRACTS,
ELECTION POLL RESULTS --

YOU'RE STILL HEAVILY FAVORED --
AND TALKING POINTS

FOR THE "SEX ED
IN THE CLASSROOM" ISSUE.

THE OPPOSITION IS VOCAL
AND NOT ABOVE DIRTY TRICKS,

SO EXPECT TO SEE THEM
AT THE TOWN MEETING.

THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT I NEED.

THANK YOU SO MUCH
FOR BRINGING THEM BY.

HOPE IT WASN'T
TOO MUCH TROUBLE.

NO PROBLEM.

ANYTHING TO GET OUT
OF THE OFFICE.

I DIDN'T KNOW A SCHOOL-BOARD
ELECTION COULD BE SO TENSE.

NEVER A DULL MOMENT,

WELL, I'LL DIG IN
AND WORK ON THIS FROM HOME,

AND I'LL PROBABLY BE BACK ON
MY FEET IN A DAY OR TWO, OKAY?

I HOPE YOU ARE.
I REALLY DO.

I HATE SEEING YOU
WHEN YOU'RE NOT FEELING WELL,

AND IT'S NO FUN
AT THE OFFICE WITHOUT YOU.

I'LL GET BETTER, VICKY.
I ALWAYS DO.

DO YOU WANT
A CUP OF COFFEE TO GO?

RICHARD MADE A FRESH POT.

NO, I'VE ALREADY HAD TWO.

SEE YOU.

THANKS AGAIN.

JANET'S SYMPTOMS AND
ILLNESSES DID AFFECT HER PHYSICALLY,

BUT ONE THING IT DID NOT AFFECT
WAS HER THOUGHT PROCESS.

SHE STILL WENT ON WITH HER JOB
AS A SCHOOL-DISTRICT TRUSTEE.

JANET WAS UP FOR RE-ELECTION.

AT THIS POINT,
THEY WERE HAVING MORE HEARINGS

ON THE SEX-EDUCATION CHAPTER,

AND IT WAS A MEETING
OF THE SCHOOL-DISTRICT TRUSTEES.

JANET IS READY TO FACE
THE SEX EDUCATION ISSUE HEAD ON,

BUT WHEN SHE GETS TO SCHOOL,

SHE'S FACED WITH A WHOLE NEW
CONTROVERSY SHE NEVER EXPECTED.

I'M NOT LATE, AM I?

WHAT'S THE MATTER
WITH EVERYONE?

VICKY?

WHAT'S GOING ON?

UM, WELL, JANET... WE WERE HOPING
YOU COULD EXPLAIN THIS.

My God. No.

AFTER CARRYING ON
FOR NEARLY SEVEN YEARS

WITH A SECRET AFFAIR,

MARRIED SCHOOL-BOARD TRUSTEE
JANET OVERTON

COMES DOWN WITH
A MYSTERIOUS ILLNESS

IN THE SUMMER OF 1987.

NOW WITH SCHOOL BACK IN SESSION,

IT'S TAKEN ALL THE ENERGY
SHE CAN MUSTER

TO GET TO
THE DISTRICT-WIDE BOARD MEETING.

BUT SHE'S BEGINNING TO WONDER

IF SHE SHOULD HAVE
EVER COME AT ALL.

My God. No.

THESE FLIERS WERE PLACED
ON THE WINDSHIELD OF THE VEHICLES

THAT WERE PARKED THERE, OF THE
PEOPLE ATTENDING THIS EVENT.

JANET THOUGHT THAT THIS POSSIBLY
COULD BE POLITICAL OPPONENTS...

...OR MAYBE IT WAS AN OUTRAGE
BY SOME OF THE COMMUNITY

ABOUT HOW THEY'RE GOING TO
EDUCATE CHILDREN IN THE SCHOOLS

ON SEX EDUCATION.

SHE REALLY DIDN'T KNOW
WHO IT WAS.

I, UM...
I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO SAY.

IF YOU'LL JUST EXCUSE ME.

BY THE TIME JANET GETS HOME,

THE FLIER HAS ALREADY MADE
ITS WAY TO HER HUSBAND, RICHARD.

HOW COULD YOU
DO THIS TO ME, JAN?!

HOW COULD YOU?!

SORRY, RICHARD.

I JUST --
I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO SAY.

DID YOU GIVE ANY THOUGHT AT ALL
HOW THIS MIGHT AFFECT ME,

AFFECT MY REPUTATION?

I'M SO SORRY.

I'M SO SORRY.

I -- I DIDN'T KNOW
HOW TO TELL YOU.

YOU SURE AS HELL FOUND A WAY,
DIDN'T YOU?

DIDN'T YOU?

I DON'T KNOW WHO DID THIS.

I DON'T --
I DON'T KNOW WHY.

I'M COMPLETELY MORTIFIED.

YOU'RE MORTIFIED?!

YOU ARE?!

I DON'T KNOW HOW I'M
EVER SUPPOSED TO SHOW MY FACE

IN THIS TOWN AGAIN!

YOU SHOULD BE ASHAMED
OF YOURSELF.

RICHARD.

PLEASE, I --

I'M NOT FEELING VERY WELL
ALL OF A SUDDEN.

CAN WE JUST PLEASE
JUST GIVE THIS A REST FOR NOW?

IT'S -- IT'S JUST BEEN
A LONG DAY.

SURE.

TAKE ALL THE TIME YOU NEED, JAN.

WOULDN'T WANT THIS
TO BE HARD ON YOU.

GOD FORBID.

HOW COULD THIS HAPPEN, EDWARD,
AFTER ALL OF THESE YEARS?

I DON'T KNOW, JAN.
I'M AS SURPRISED BY IT AS YOU.

THE ELECTION COMMITTEE
SAID THEY CHECKED INTO IT.

OPPOSITION SWEARS
IT WASN'T THEM.

DO YOU THINK
IT WAS YOUR WIFE?

NO. NO!

I DON'T EVEN THINK
SHE KNOWS ABOUT THE FLIER.

BESIDES, SHE'D NEVER
WANT TO BRING ATTENTION

TO OUR PERSONAL PROBLEMS
LIKE THAT.

WHAT ABOUT RICHARD?

NO.

HE WAS FURIOUS
WHEN HE FOUND OUT.

SAID I'VE RUINED
HIS REPUTATION.

I JUST DON'T...

DID YOU DO THIS, EDWARD?

IS THIS BECAUSE
I WOULDN'T LEAVE RICHARD? IS IT?

WHAT?!

YOU WANTED ME TO TELL RICHARD,
AND YOU KNOW WHAT NOW?

HE KNOWS, ALL RIGHT.

JAN, THAT IS CRAZY.

WHAT DO YOU THINK I...

YOU THINK
THAT I WOULD DO SOMETHING

TO HUMILIATE
THE BOTH OF US?

I DON'T KNOW
WHAT TO THINK ANYMORE.

LOOK AT YOU, JAN.
YOU LOOK TERRIBLE.

YOU'RE SICK
ALL THE TIME.

MAYBE WE SHOULD
THINK ABOUT S--

BREAKING UP?

IS THAT
WHAT YOU'RE DOING?

YOU'RE BREAKING UP
WITH ME?

THE STRESS OF ALL THIS
IS OBVIOUSLY TAKING A TOLL.

AND NOW OUR REPUTATIONS
ARE AT STAKE.

WE HAVE BOTH WORKED TOO HARD TO
LOSE EVERYTHING OVER THIS.

DON'T TOUCH ME.

DON'T TOUCH ME!

JUST LEAVE, PLEASE.

YOU KNOW THAT
I'LL ALWAYS LOVE YOU.

LEAVE.

HER REPUTATION IS IN TATTERS,

HER LOVE AFFAIR IS OVER,

AND, WORST OF ALL, JANET OVERTON
SEEMS TO BE GETTING SICKER.

THIS CERTAINLY WAS
A NIGHTMARE FOR JANET.

YOU KNOW, HER HEALTH IS GOING --
SERIOUSLY GOING.

SHE WAS UNAWARE
OF WHAT WAS GOING ON.

IT WAS LIKE A LITTLE TORTURE.

"WHAT'S CAUSING THIS?

HOW COME I'M THE ONLY ONE
GETTING SICK?"

DESPITE HER DEBILITATING PAIN,

JANET'S SHEER DETERMINATION
KEEPS HER GOING,

BUT SHE HAS NO IDEA
WHAT SHE'S REALLY UP AGAINST.

PULL YOURSELF TOGETHER.

WHAT?

WHAT?

AAH!

AAH!

NO!

WHAT IS HAPPENING TO ME?

AAH!!

46-YEAR-OLD
JANET OVERTON HAS BEEN SUFFERING

FROM A MYSTERIOUS ILLNESS
FOR MONTHS,

BUT INSTEAD OF GETTING BETTER,

SHE'S ACTUALLY GETTING WORSE.

AAH!!

SHE WOULD HAVE SORES
THAT WOULD POP OUT

IN DIFFERENT PARTS OF HER BODY

AND BE INCREDIBLY LONG-LASTING
AND VERY PAINFUL.

AT ONE POINT,
THEY WENT INTERNALLY,

AND SHE ENDED UP IN THE HOSPITAL

BECAUSE SHE COULDN'T EAT
OR DRINK ANYTHING,

AND IT WAS SO DEVASTATING

BECAUSE THEY HAD NO IDEA
WHAT WAS WRONG.

HEY, MOM.

HEY, KIDDO.

YOU OKAY?

I WISH I COULD SAY
THAT I WAS.

JANET'S FRIENDS AND FAMILY

CAN'T STAND TO SEE HER
IN SO MUCH PAIN,

AND FOR HER 16-YEAR-OLD SON,
ERIC, IT'S ESPECIALLY HARD.

SHE SAW HER DOCTOR,
SHE HAD COMPLETE WORKUPS.

SHE DID WHAT SHE COULD,
BUT NOTHING CAME UP.

YOU KNOW, YOU CAN EVEN HANDLE
BAD NEWS OF A DIAGNOSIS

IF YOU KNOW,
"THIS IS WHAT IT IS,

AND THIS IS
WHAT YOU CAN DO ABOUT IT."

BUT HAVING AN ILLNESS SO
DEVASTATING AND SO DEBILITATING

AND NOBODY
HAS ANY IDEA WHAT'S WRONG,

AND ALL THEY CAN DO

IS TRY TO TREAT,
IN EFFECT, THE SYMPTOMS

AND WAIT FOR THE NEXT EVENT.

IT WAS DIFFICULT, ACTUALLY,
ON ALL OF US.

HOW ARE YOU FEELING,
MRS. OVERTON?

ABOUT THE SAME.

DID THE TEST TELL YOU
ANYTHING?

BLOOD WORK
CAME BACK NEGATIVE.

NOTHING OUT OF THE ORDINARY
THAT WE CAN FIND.

BUT WE WILL RUN MORE TESTS,
DO MORE RESEARCH.

IT MAY TAKE A FEW WEEKS,
BUT EVENTUALLY,

WE'LL GET TO
THE BOTTOM OF THIS.

OKAY. THANK YOU.

SHE SPENT SEVERAL DAYS
IN THE HOSPITAL,

AND WHEN SHE WAS IN THE HOSPITAL
WITH MEDICATIONS,

THOSE SYMPTOMS STOPPED,
AND THE LESIONS CLEARED UP.

THEN, SHE WOULD GO BACK HOME,

AND WITHIN THREE OR FOUR DAYS,
IT WOULD START ALL OVER AGAIN.

AND, DESPITE JANET'S
STRAINED RELATIONSHIP WITH HER HUSBAND,

HE RALLIES AROUND HER.

RICHARD AND JAN'S
MARRIAGE WASN'T A CLOSE ONE,

BUT WHEN SHE GOT SICK,
IT ALMOST SURPRISED ME

THAT HE WAS BUSY
TAKING CARE OF HER.

JAN, DEAR,
YOU NEED TO EAT SOMETHING.

YOU NEED YOUR ENERGY
NOW MORE THAN EVER.

MOM, YOU OKAY?

PLEASE EAT SOMETHING.

I'M SORRY. I JUST...

I DON'T HAVE MUCH
OF AN APPETITE TONIGHT.

I THINK I'M GONNA EXCUSE MYSELF,
IF THAT'S OKAY.

GONNA CATCH UP
ON A LITTLE BIT OF WORK.

SURE, DEAR.

WHATEVER YOU NEED.

LEAVE YOUR PLATE.
I'LL CLEAN UP.

HI, VICKY, IT'S JANET.
I'M SORRY TO CALL SO LATE.

I'M FINALLY WORKING ON
THE BUDGET FOR NEXT YEAR,

AND I WANTED TO KNOW
YOUR THOUGHTS

ON HOW MUCH WE SHOULD SET ASIDE
FOR NEW-TEACHER TRAINING.

LAST YEAR'S BUDGET?
YEAH.

I SHOULD HAVE A COPY
AROUND HERE SOMEWHERE.

OKAY.
THANK YOU SO MUCH.

ALL RIGHT, YOU, TOO.
HAVE A GOOD NIGHT.

BUT, INSTEAD OF
FINDING LAST YEAR'S BUDGET,

JANET UNCOVERS
SOMETHING STARTLING.

THE FLIER WITH THE PHOTO
OF JANET AND HER LOVER

THAT WAS DISTRIBUTED AT THE
SCHOOL BOARD MEETING MONTHS AGO,

AND IT'S NOT A COPY,
IT'S THE ORIGINAL.

THE PERSON RESPONSIBLE
FOR THE HATE FLIER

WAS JUST ONE PERSON -- RICHARD
OVERTON, JANET'S HUSBAND.

THERE'S NO WAY FOR
JANET TO FORGET WHAT SHE'S SEEN.

BUT SHE DOES EVERYTHING SHE CAN
TO AVOID HER HUSBAND.

ON JANUARY 24th OF 1988,

JAN AND HER SON, ERIC,

WERE INVITED TO GO ON
A WHALE WATCHING CRUISE

OUT OF DANA POINT HARBOR.

ONE OF THE THINGS
JAN AND ERIC LIKED TO DO

WAS GO OUT ON THE WATER,

AND OF COURSE,
THEY KNEW PEOPLE WITH BOATS

'CAUSE, YOU KNOW, LOTS OF PEOPLE
IN DANA POINT HAD BOATS.

ERIC, HURRY UP
AND GET DRESSED.

WE HAVE TO GET GOING SOON.

RICHARD,
YOU SCARED THE LIFE OUT OF ME.

I DIDN'T SEE YOU
STANDING THERE.

ALL PACKED UP?

UM, ALL PACKED UP.

OKAY, THEN, WELL...

UM... WE'RE OFF.

ERIC!

COME ON.
IT'S TIME TO GO.

ERIC,
WE'RE GONNA BE LATE.

OKAY. OKAY.

I'M HERE ALREADY.
LET'S GO.

GOT THE KEYS?

MOM, YOU OKAY?

MOM!

IN JANUARY OF 1988,

JANET OVERTON IS SUPPOSED TO BE
ON HER WAY TO A BOAT TRIP

WITH HER SON, ERIC.

INSTEAD, SHE'S STRICKEN
WITH NAUSEA AND VERTIGO.

IT'S THE WORST ATTACK
SHE'S HAD YET.

THEY WALKED OUT OF THE HOUSE,

AND SHE COLLAPSED
ON THE DRIVEWAY.

MOM!

DAD! COME QUICK!

WHAT IS IT?

WHAT HAPPENED?

CALL 911!

DAD! NOW!

THE PARAMEDICS CAME.

RICHARD AND ERIC FOLLOWED
THE PARAMEDIC AMBULANCE

TO SAN CLEMENTE HOSPITAL.

HOW IS SHE?

RICHARD, ERIC...

THERE'S NO EASY WAY
FOR ME TO SAY THIS.

WE WEREN'T ABLE TO GET
A RESPONSE FROM HER.

I'M SORRY, BUT...

JANET DIDN'T MAKE IT.

NO.

JAN SO MUCH WANTED TO
HAND ERIC HIS HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA,

AND REGARDLESS OF HER HEALTH,

IF SHE HAD TO HAD TO CRAWL,
SHE WAS GOING TO DO THAT.

UNFORTUNATELY,
SHE DID NOT LIVE LONG ENOUGH.

SHE DIED JUST A FEW MONTHS
BEFORE HIS GRADUATION.

AT THAT POINT,
THE CAUSE OF DEATH WAS LISTED

AS "UNDETERMINED CAUSES" BECAUSE
JANET HAD A HISTORY OF ILLNESSES

AND LONG HOSPITAL STAYS,

AND SHE HAD A MEDICAL FILE
THAT WAS REALLY QUITE THICK.

SO, A CASE COULD BE MADE

THAT IT WASN'T TOO SURPRISING
WHEN SHE ACTUALLY DID DIE.

THE NEWS OF JANET'S DEATH

DEVASTATES HER FRIENDS
AND FAMILY.

THEN, MONTHS LATER,
A MYSTERIOUS WOMAN DROPS IN

TO MEET WITH
A NEW HOMICIDE DETECTIVE.

I SPENT MANY YEARS IN
UNDERCOVER CAPACITY IN NARCOTICS.

IT WAS TIME FOR ME TO MOVE ON,
SO I ASKED FOR A TRANSFER,

AND I MOVED INTO
THE HOMICIDE SEAT.

THE WOMAN'S NAME
IS DOROTHY BOYER,

AND SHE HAS
QUITE A STORY TO TELL.

THANKS FOR SEEING ME.
YOU BET.

WHAT SEEMS TO BE
THE TROUBLE?

WELL, YOU SEE, IT ALL STARTED
AROUND 15 YEARS AGO.

15 YEARS.

YES. WELL, AT THE TIME, I
WAS HAVING AN ISSUE WITH MY EX.

I CAME UP HERE
TO THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE AND --

THIS IS GONNA SOUND
A LITTLE NUTS.

TRUST ME.
I'VE HEARD NUTS.

I THOUGHT HE MIGHT HAVE BEEN
POISONING ME.

POISONING YOU?

DOROTHY BOYER
DIDN'T WANT TO COME OFF

LOOKING LIKE A WOMAN SCORNED.

WHAT SHE WANTED TO COME OFF
WAS THAT HER EX-HUSBAND

WAS PHYSICALLY DOING
SOMETHING WRONG.

WE'D HAD A HORRIBLE DIVORCE --
HORRIBLE.

AND HE REALLY HELD
A GRUDGE.

AND THEN
I STARTED GETTING SICK --

SORES, DEHYDRATION,
WEAKNESS.

I EVENTUALLY STARTED TO PUT
TWO AND TWO TOGETHER,

AND IT SEEMED
THAT EVERY TIME HE'D BEEN

IN THE HOUSE
VISITING THE KIDS,

I'D BE VIOLENTLY ILL
THE NEXT DAY.

WHAT MADE YOU THINK
IT WAS POISON?

IT WAS THE MILK
THAT TIPPED ME OFF,

THEN THE COFFEE.

THE MILK AND COFFEE?

I THOUGHT I WAS GOING CRAZY.
REALLY, I DID.

BUT THIS HAPPENED MORE THAN
ONCE, AND I COULDN'T IGNORE IT.

WHAT'D YOU DO?

SOME OFFICERS BELIEVED ME

AND TOLD ME
HOW TO COLLECT THE EVIDENCE.

I TOOK THE MILK, COFFEE
AND HANDED IT OVER TO THEM.

SURE ENOUGH,
THEY FOUND SELENIUM.

HE'D BEEN PUTTING SELENIUM
IN MY MILK AND COFFEE.

YOU MEAN,
LIKE, THE MINERAL.

JUST TRACE AMOUNTS.

BUT, IN LARGE QUANTITIES,
IT CAN KILL YOU, YOU KNOW?

HE ALSO POISONED MY MAKEUP
AND PUT DRANO IN MY SHAMPOO.

AND WHAT HAPPENED TO HIM?

I CONFRONTED HIM ABOUT IT,
AND HE ADMITTED TO EVERYTHING.

BUT I DON'T KNOW WHY,

I COULDN'T BRING MYSELF
TO PRESS CHARGES.

WHY NOT?

THE DIVORCE
WAS HARD AS IT WAS.

SO. HE AGREED
TO GET SOME COUNSELING,

AND AT THE TIME,
I THOUGHT THAT WAS ENOUGH.

SO, WHAT? NOW, YOU THINK MAYBE
THAT WASN'T ENOUGH?

WELL, YES.

SEE, THERE'S A WOMAN
WHO DIED RECENTLY.

HER NAME
WAS JANET OVERTON.

SCHOOL-BOARD TRUSTEE,
DIED A FEW MONTHS BACK.

RIGHT. YES.

SHE HAD A LOT OF
THE SAME SYMPTOMS I HAD.

AND?

WELL...

'CAUSE SHE ALSO HAD
THE SAME HUSBAND THAT I HAD.

SEE,
MY EX IS RICHARD OVERTON.

IT WAS JUST AMAZING.

EVERYTHING SHE'S TELLING ME
IS TRUTHFUL AND ACCURATE.

WHEN YOU EXAMINED THE RECORDS
OF BOTH THE GIRLS TOGETHER.

IT'S THE SAME SYMPTOMOLOGY.

IT'S VOMITING, DIZZINESS,
SICKNESS TO THE STOMACH,

LESIONS, HAIR FALLING OUT,
PRESSURE SORES ON THE BODY.

AND I JUST CAN'T HELP
BUT THINK

THAT IF I'D ONLY
PRESSED CHARGES AGAINST HIM,

THERE'S A CHANCE
JANET COULD STILL BE ALIVE.

THEN THERE WAS NO DOUBT ABOUT IT
IN MY MIND

WE NEEDED TO MOVE FORWARD.

THAT MAKES IT WORTHY
OF A DEATH INVESTIGATION

BY LAW ENFORCEMENT.

INVESTIGATORS INTERVIEWED

JANET'S FRIENDS, COWORKERS,
AND FAMILY MEMBERS.

THEY ALL PAINT RICHARD OVERTON
AS A JEALOUS, DETACHED,

AND POSSIBLY VENGEFUL HUSBAND.

ARMED WITH THIS BACKGROUND,
DETECTIVE CARNEY DECIDES

IT'S TIME
TO TALK TO RICHARD HIMSELF.

THANK YOU
FOR WAITING, DETECTIVE.

CAN I OFFER YOU
A CUP OF COFFEE?

NO, THANKS.

I INTERVIEWED
RICHARD OVERTON LAST.

I DID THIS UNANNOUNCED
WITHOUT AN APPOINTMENT WITH HIM,

AND I DID IT AT HIS RESIDENCE.

I TOLD HIM
HE WAS NOT UNDER ARREST

AND DIDN'T HAVE TO ADVISE HIM
OF HIS RIGHTS.

AND THEN HE DECIDED HE WOULD
GO AHEAD AND TALK TO ME.

WHERE WERE WE?

WELL, RICHARD, AS YOU KNOW,

WE'VE BEEN TRYING
TO GET TO THE BOTTOM

OF WHAT HAPPENED
TO YOUR WIFE, JANET.

YES.

SO STRANGE.

SHE WAS...
HEALTHY AS A HORSE.

SO ROBUST AND THEN...

YOU TWO WERE HAPPY?

HAPPY?

SHE WAS
THE LOVE OF MY LIFE.

IT'S THE HAPPIEST
I'VE EVER BEEN.

YES, WELL, WE'VE BEEN SPEAKING
WITH SEVERAL PEOPLE,

SOME WHO KNEW JANET RATHER WELL,
AND OTHERS...

I HAD AN INTERESTING
CONVERSATION

WITH A WOMAN
THE OTHER DAY --

I THINK YOU KNOW HER.
HER NAME'S DOROTHY.

DOROTHY?

YES, DOROTHY BOYER.

DOES THAT NAME
RING A BELL?

YOU COULD SAY THAT.

WELL, YOU SEE, RICHARD,

SHE HAD A FEW THINGS
TO SAY ABOUT YOU,

SOME OF WHICH
WE DIDN'T KNOW BEFORE.

THIS
SHOULD BE GOOD.

YOU SEE, SHE SAID SHE WENT
TO THE POLICE A FEW YEARS BACK.

SHE SAID
YOU WERE POISONING HER.

YOU EVER HEAR THAT SAYING,

"HELL HATH NO FURY
LIKE A WOMAN SCORNED"?

I UNDERSTAND THAT,
RICHARD.

BUT YOU SEE,
WE FOUND THIS REPORT.

THESE ARE THE TOX RESULTS.

NOW, TELL ME THIS --

IS THAT HOW
YOU GOT TO JANET, TOO?

GET OUT OF MY HOUSE.

IT SAYS IT WAS IN THE MILK.

IN THE COFFEE?

GET OUT OF MY HOUSE.

IN THE SHAMPOO, EVEN.

GET OUT OF MY HOUSE!!

SIX MONTHS AFTER
JANET OVERTON'S UNTIMELY DEATH,

DETECTIVE TIM CARNEY IS
STARTING TO SUSPECT FOUL PLAY,

ESPECIALLY AFTER LEARNING
THAT JANET'S HUSBAND, RICHARD,

WAS ONCE CAUGHT POISONING
HIS EX-WIFE, DOROTHY.

GET OUT OF MY HOUSE!!

DOESN'T PROVE ANYTHING!

BASED ON
THE INFORMATION I'D RECEIVED

FROM DOROTHY BOYER,
HIS EX-WIFE,

POLICE REPORTS
FROM THE PRIOR INVESTIGATION,

ALL THE OTHER WITNESSES
THAT WERE CONTACTED,

I BELIEVE I HAD PROBABLE CAUSE
AT THAT POINT IN TIME

TO MAKE AN APPLICATION
FOR A SEARCH WARRANT.

WHEN DETECTIVES REVIEW

THE EVIDENCE COLLECTED
FROM THE OVERTON HOME,

WHAT EMERGES IS
AN ALARMING PORTRAIT

OF JANET'S HUSBAND, RICHARD.

HE CHRONICLED
EVERY SECOND OF HIS DAY.

RICHARD HAD KEPT
BIOGRAPHICAL DIARIES,

HAND-WRITTEN AS WELL AS

COMPUTER-GENERATED DIARIES
ON FLOPPY DISKETTES,

FROM 1952 ALL THE WAY THROUGH
AND INCLUDING PARTS OF 1988.

WE FOUND REALLY WEIRD ENTRIES.

HE WAS TAKING
HIS BODY TEMPERATURE,

HIS WEIGHT,
HIS BOWEL MOVEMENTS.

AND IT APPEARS HE WAS
MONITORING HIS WIFE, JANET,

JUST AS CLOSELY.

YOU SAW HIS OBSESSION WITH
TRACKING EVERY MOVE SHE MADE,

TRACKING HER AFFAIRS,
WHERE SHE WENT,

WHAT HOTEL SHE STAYED IN.

DETECTIVES STILL DON'T HAVE

THE HARD EVIDENCE THEY NEED
TO PUT THIS CASE TO BED --

THAT IS, UNTIL THE RESULTS
OF THE TOXICOLOGY TEST

CONDUCTED ON JANET'S ASHES
COME IN.

WHAT'D YOU FIND?

IT'S POISON, ALL RIGHT.

CYANIDE.

CYANIDE IS AN ACID SALT,

AND IT'S USED PRIMARILY
IN THE MINING BUSINESS

OF GOLD AND SILVER.

YOU'RE GOING
ALL THE WAY OUT TO MEL'S?

YEAH, I TOLD HIM
I WOULD HELP CLEAN UP

HIS NEW SULFITE ORDERS,
THE ONES HE JUST GOT IN UTAH.

YOU GUYS
AND YOUR ROCKS.

RICHARD WAS
IN A SILENT PARTNERSHIP

IN A MINING BUSINESS.

RICHARD'S BUSINESS PARTNER
HAD CYANIDE IN THE HOME OFFICE,

WHICH RICHARD HAD KEYS TO.

SO, ON ANY GIVEN DAY,

RICHARD COULD GO TO HIS
BUSINESS PARTNER'S HOME OFFICE,

GET INSIDE
AND GET INTO THE LOCKER

AND GET ACCESS
TO SODIUM CYANIDE.

WE GOT HIM.

LET'S GO.

ON OCTOBER 1st, 1991,
RICHARD OVERTON WAS ARRESTED

AND CHARGED
WITH FIRST-DEGREE MURDER.

OVERTON'S EFFORT
TO DESTROY HIS WIFE

OCCURRED OVER SEVERAL YEARS.

POISONING SOMETIMES HAS
BEEN CALLED THE COWARD'S WEAPON.

HE WOULD PUT THE SELENIUM
IN HER SHAMPOO,

AND HE EVEN PUT IT
IN HER EYELINER.

WHAT HE WAS REALLY DOING

WAS STACKING THE DECK
IN A TIME FRAME

WHERE JANET WOULD UNDERGO
ALL OF THESE ILLNESSES.

AND THEN,
ON THE COUP DE GRACE,

THE DAY HE ACTUALLY KILLED HER,
IT WAS WITH CYANIDE.

A LETHAL DOSE OF CYANIDE,
AND NO ONE WOULD'VE SUSPECTED.

BY THE TIME
THE CASE GOES TO TRIAL,

PROSECUTORS THINK
IT'S ALL TOO CLEAR

WHAT REALLY HAPPENED TO JANET.

THE PROSECUTION HAD
THE EVIDENCE OF THE CYANIDE.

THEY HAD ALL THE LOGS.

THEY HAD ALL THE COMPUTER
DISKS -- 130 COMPUTER DISKS --

WHERE HE'S KIND OF LAYING OUT
WHAT HE'S DOING.

SO, THE CASE
WAS ACTUALLY PRETTY SOLID.

ON SEPTEMBER 1st, 1995,

RICHARD OVERTON IS SENTENCED
TO LIFE IN PRISON

WITHOUT THE POSSIBILITY
OF PAROLE.

HE GOT ALMOST LESS
THAN HE DESERVED,

BUT AT LEAST HE GOT THE BEST
THAT THE SYSTEM COULD DOLE OUT.

RICHARD SAT
AND WATCHED HER SUFFER

FOR MONTH AFTER MONTH
AFTER MONTH,

FOR AT LEAST A YEAR, MAYBE MORE.

TO ME, IT'S JUST ASTOUNDING.

IT'S ONE THING TO KILL SOMEBODY,

BUT TO DO IT SLOWLY
AND TO LIVE WITH THEM

AND WATCH THEM SUFFER
AND SUFFER HORRIBLY

IS UNIMAGINABLE TO ME.

IT'S JUST MONSTROUS.

I THINK THE SCHOOL DISTRICT
LOST A DEVOTED PUBLIC OFFICIAL.

SHE REALLY CARED ABOUT
PUBLIC EDUCATION.

HER SON, YOU KNOW,
I THINK WITH ERIC,

THERE'S PROBABLY BEEN
A LONG-TIME EFFECT ON THIS.

YOU KNOW, THE REVELATION THAT
HIS FATHER KILLED HIS MOTHER,

PSYCHOLOGICALLY, THAT'S
GOT TO BE VERY DIFFICULT.

ERIC --
'CAUSE HIS LOST HIS BEST FRIEND.