48 Hours - A Love Affair Turned Deadly

Episode Date: January 1, 2025

On January 5, 2003, Stephanie Pepper seemed to disappear without a trace. She was estranged from her husband but he was ruled out as a suspect. Investigators learned about her love affair with Wayne Guidry Jr., which had begun just five weeks earlier. With the help of Erik Dufrene, a childhood friend of Wayne Guidry and Guidry’s father, Stephanie’s body was found in a densely-wooded preserve. “48 Hours" correspondent Peter Van Sant reports. This classic "48 Hours" episode last aired on 12/2/2006. Watch all-new episodes of “48 Hours” on Saturdays, and stream on demand on Paramount+.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Wondery plus subscribers can listen to this podcast ad free right now join Wondery plus in the Wondery app today Investigators had a really good idea Somewhere in the woods out there We were gonna find the body The Jackson being for wildlife area where we are now, it's tens of thousands of acres. This is worse than looking for a needle in a haystack. This is like looking for a needle in a whole field full of haystacks. What we have here is a woman who was reported missing six weeks ago.

Nobody had seen her. It's like she just disappeared off the face of the earth. Stephanie was a professor at Louisiana Tech, well respected in the community, has lots of friends. Stephanie was a beautiful person. She was so bubbly and just seemed so happy all the time. This case is extremely personal to me, so bubbly and just seemed so happy all the time. This case is extremely personal to me, just like any case where I have a completely innocent victim. My name is Hugo Holland. I'm an assistant district attorney in the state of Louisiana. But once a week I get in a black uniform with a badge and a gun belt. Get in a black and white car with lights on top and serve the people of

Mosier City, Louisiana as a reserve police officer. You're looking awfully mad and stuff. I mean, you mad at somebody right now? I love law enforcement. It's a way for me to give back to my community. I asked you if you had any weapons or drugs in your truck. Most murder cases, they don't involve completely innocent victims. And Stephanie's one of those rare, innocent victims who didn't put herself in a position.

To have something like this happen to her, it was just thrust on her. When she was reported missing, Stephanie spent the morning with her husband, David Sims. She spent the remainder of that afternoon and all evening with Wayne Gidry. Wayne Gidry came up and sat down and introduced himself. She seemed to feel like they connected. It's easy to be attracted to her, you know? and introduced himself. She seemed to feel like they connected.

It's easy to be attracted to her, you know? I don't think I was the only one there attracted to her. Her marriage wasn't going very well. I could have been a lot better husband. We had drifted apart romantically. I think she was vulnerable to something that seemed exciting. Because of the fact that Stephanie still lived at home with David, when Wayne and Stephanie wanted to be together, when they wanted to be intimate, they would come here

on this dirt road in the middle of no place in the Jackson, Bienville, wildlife area. It was passionate. Certainly, if David knew in the Jackson, Bienville, wildlife area. It was passionate. Certainly, if David knew about the affair, one could ascribe the motive to him to kill her. I can only guess as to what happened here, but I think there was definitely some kind of confrontation. Stephanie saw our killer and knew it was coming.

There's no doubt that she was drugged by her feet, on her back. She lived for two to three minutes before she finally quit breathing. She knew she was going to die and she knew who did it. I didn't kill Stephanie. The majority of the time it's the husband that kills the wife. But I know I didn't do it. The statute of limitations for homicide in the state of Louisiana is, well, we don't have one. It's forever. And if that's as long as it takes to figure out who did this and make sure they go to prison,

well then that's just long as it takes to figure out who did this and make sure they go to prison, well then, that's just how long it takes. Deadly Proposal. And now we present Miss Stephanie Pepper, a student at Hodge Elementary, in the Broadway musical, Ain't Misbehaving. I'm gonna sit right down and like myself a little. She was usually always smiling. I just thought this was a child from heaven. Howard and Barbara Pepper have always believed their only child Stephanie was living proof

that miracles do happen. We were married for 10 years, and I didn't think we would be able to have any children. And then I got pregnant with Stephanie. Stephanie grew up in tiny Jonesboro, Louisiana. Her parents were both teachers. This is her kindergarten graduation picture. And Stephanie was at the head of the class.

Highest academic achievement. She was academic excellence scholar in her undergraduate. She was a talented writer. That's the English Honor Society. And then there was that sweet singing voice. When she came into the room, it was like somebody turned on the light. It's tough to talk about her, isn't it? She would tell me, mama, you're my best friend.

She never failed calling every day. Stephanie was at the heart of her parents' lives, and they'll admit they spoiled her a bit. But all that love paid off. Stephanie was graduated with honors from college, and following in her parents' footsteps, became an English instructor at Louisiana Tech University. She had everything, except a serious relationship in her life. But at age 25, that was about to change.

I had a little pet name for her, called her life. But at age 25, that was about to change. I had a little pet name for her. I called her Boo Boo. And it's kind of corny. Stephanie caught the eye of a local accountant, David Sims. Ten years older than she was, David was a former student of her father's. She was attractive, talented, intelligent. She just had everything. And on February 27, 1999, after just six months of dating, David and Stephanie became husband I now present to you, Mr. and Mrs. Davis-Sandles. David and Stephanie became husband and wife,

but the honeymoon didn't last. Barbara, how long after David and Stephanie were married did she tell you that there were problems? Not very long. David insisted on separate bank accounts. David, look this way. Great. He set up the bank accounts, and she had to keep all of our receipts.

I went over receipts and, you know... Just major items or little items as well? Uh, well, for everything. Did David put her on an allowance? Mm-hmm. She didn't like that. Do you think you're kind of a rigid personality? Yes. Controlling?

Controlling would, I think, yes. Would that not drive her a little nuts? It very, yeah, it could. About two years into the marriage, David says they stopped communicating. Are you upset with me? Huh? Pretty soon, it wasn't just the checking accounts they were keeping separate.

Is it true the two of you slept in separate beds? Yes, yes. I remember one time she said something about being lonely. And I said, well, boo, I'm right here. And she said, David, we can be in the same room together, and I can still be lonely. It was now November 2002. Stephanie confided in her good friend Ginger Stewart that she was unhappy.

I think she had always done everything by the rules, exactly the way that she was supposed to do it, that everyone would have expected her to do it. And I think that she did want something exciting. One night after finals week at Louisiana Tech, Stephanie joined Ginger at a local bar, Stowe's, even though she didn't drink. Stowe's, even though she didn't drink. This is Stowe's Bar in Ruston.

Stephanie was sitting here, and I sit here. So you're sitting there chit-chatting. What happens? Wayne, Guidry, came up and sat down and introduced himself. He said he was a professional golfer, and he was on his off season from that so he was hunting. I thought that he was sort of a smooth talking guy. I didn't like that. But Ginger says Stephanie seemed fascinated with Guidry. She seemed to really just like him and he seemed to really like her.

Ginger says Wayne Gidrey swept Stephanie off her feet. She told me that they had spent pretty much the whole weekend together. Were you sensing that your good friend was in love? It was strange to me after just a few days, but that was sort of the feeling I was getting. Less than a week after meeting this handsome golfer, Stephanie told her husband that she wanted to separate. She said, David, I lived with mom and dad. Then I met you and I moved in with you.

She said, I've never learned how to stand on my own two feet. And when she said that, I got it. By giving Stephanie some space, David hoped he could save their marriage. Honestly, did you think the marriage was over at that point? Oh no, no, absolutely not. He even helped Stephanie move into her own apartment. This is the woman you love, right? Right. This is the woman you love, right? Right.

This had to hurt. No, not really. But Stephanie failed to tell her husband what the real reason was for separating, Wayne Gidrey. I think it was Wayne's idea. I think he definitely pushed her to do that. She wouldn't have done it so quickly on her own. Stephanie remained in occasional contact with David.

But she was having trouble keeping her affair private. She got a call on her cell phone. And I asked her who it was. And she said it was Ginger. She didn't know I could hear. I didn't say anything about it but it was clear to me it was a male voice. A male voice on the phone and another man's hat in the trunk of Stephanie's car. It was a golf hat and I asked, well, whose is that? And she said, I asked daddy's. I

knew it wasn't her dad's, but I didn't question it. For five weeks, Stephanie lived a double life. A secret lover in a shared apartment, a husband left alone to worry about what was really going on. Then, on January 5, 2003, Stephanie's mom got a terrible feeling. Her daily telephone calls from Stephanie had abruptly stopped. I said, Howard, something's wrong. Stephanie hasn't called. Barbara's premonition was right. Stephanie had vanished. Monroe Police Department. The missing person case was assigned to lead detective Jeff Terrell.

Jeff, how you doing? Alright. Who focused his attention on David Sims. Are you thinking there could be a jealous husband situation here as a potential motive? Of course, yeah. Aren't you the one with the motive to kill her? There could be a jealous husband situation here as a potential motive. Yeah. Aren't you the one with the motive to kill her? Well...

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linger in the darkness, and inside some of the most haunted houses, hospitals, prisons, and more. Join me every week on my podcast, Haunted Canada, as we journey through terrifying and bone-chilling stories of the unexplained. Search for Haunted Canada on Apple Podcast, Spotify, Amazon Music, or wherever you find your favorite podcasts. Music Ginger, Stephanie, hi, hi, I miss you, I love you. Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, talk to you later, bye. While Stephanie Pepper-Sims sounded like she was looking

forward to the new year, her best friend Ginger Stewart says, inside, she was struggling with her secret life. Was Stephanie troubled by this affair she was having on a moral basis? She was. She was. How many people knew about the affair between Wayne Guidry and Stephanie?

Not a lot of people. Stephanie's mother Barbara knew only that her daughter had a new friend. Did any of your radar go off as a mom when she said, my friend? It just seemed like they were just friends. Then, on the morning Stephanie failed to show up at Louisiana Tech to teach her class, the Peppers went to their daughter at Louisiana Tech to teach her class, the Peppers went to their daughter's new apartment looking for her. Minutes later, the phone rang.

It was Wayne. He said, this is Wayne. Where's Stephanie? And I said, well, we're here looking for her. That's what we'd like to know. Have you seen her? And he said, yes, I saw her last night. What was the tone of his voice?

He seemed like he was concerned. As the days went by with no sign of Stephanie, her parents became desperate. What am I going to do without Stephanie? I just can't, I just can't keep going. Stephanie Pepper-Sims was last seen more than a month ago. Hundreds of people were now searching for the 29-year-old college professor. Yeah, that'd be fine.

Detective Jeff Terrell first questioned Stephanie's husband, David. Did you interview David Sims yourself? Yeah, sure did. He was obviously really concerned about Stephanie. He didn't know where she could be. Did you believe him? Yeah, I did. David was given a polygraph test.

He passed. Oh, yeah, I'm gonna need this. Terrell then conducted a series of interviews with the last person to see Stephanie alive, Wayne Guidry. Maybe, maybe, you know, I dropped her off earlier, but I know I didn't. But I mean, maybe I left her. Terrell says Guidry's rambling answers raised red flags. See, we know that that's not true. We knew that something had happened.

You see what I'm saying? Every time we talk to you, it's a different story. He was changing his story. Something happened in that drive y'all had. There were a lot of inconsistencies. You know what happened, so you need to tell us what happened. And something else troubled Terrell. Unusual purchases on Stephanie's credit card.

The weekend she disappeared. Nearly $5,000 worth of golf clothing and equipment. All for delivery to Wayne Gidrey. And on the very day Stephanie's parents reported her missing, Wayne Gidrey, seen here in bank surveillance photos, cashed a $3,000 check Stephanie had made out to him. $3,000, that's a large amount of money, especially what's for her.

I mean, she doesn't spend money like that, and it just didn't make sense. Then, Wayne left town, heading home to Luling, just outside New Orleans. He went straight to see his lifelong friend, Eric Dufresne. I've been knowing Wayne since I was around four or five years old. Eric and Wayne grew up playing little league together. As adults, they became hunting and golfing buddies.

He was a nice guy, very competitive, just like me. He was very much into golf. He wanted it to be his livelihood. When did you first learn that Stephanie was missing? He came knocking on the door and he told me that she was missing and I asked him if he had any idea where she might be. He mentioned maybe somewhere with some friends in Tennessee or that she needed a break. Was Wayne worried about Stephanie?

Yeah, he looked worried. But the worried look quickly wore off, Eric says. It kind of got to me that he would go play golf every day and if this is the person that I loved, how would I be acting? I would be a little more concerned and want to be a little more involved. In fact, Eric was about to become involved. Investigators approached him hoping he might provide clues to prove their developing theory

that Wayne had killed Stephanie. What was your reaction when you heard that? I was shocked. I didn't want to believe it. Investigators knew Wayne liked the outdoors and sometimes took Stephanie into the woods to make love. So they asked me certain areas, if I knew of any areas where he might have dumped the body. So I just showed him the areas on the map where we hunted.

And where was that? Jackson Bienville, the management area. The Jackson Bienville Management Preserve is 30,000 acres of dense woods. To find a body in such a massive area, police needed Eric to help them narrow the search. You'd have to be right up on it to really see it. Eric had a vague memory of a place in the woods that fascinated Wayne. He found it to be kind of neat. I just thought it was a hole in the ground. A hole in the ground, somewhere in the preserve.

somewhere in the preserve. I don't know my way around that area too good, so I couldn't really tell you how to get there. So Detective Terrell turned to another man, who had often hunted with Wayne, his own father, Wayne Gidrey Sr. Mr. Gidrey was concerned about Stephanie being missing. Whenever we put forth the question, if Wayne Junior did something to her

in the wildlife management area, what would he have done with her? There was a pause and he said, you know, Wayne did mention this hole that he found out in the middle of the woods. He told us what road it was off of, a little logging road. Wayne Gidrey Sr. then drew this map with an X marking the spot. It was like, you know, this may be it.

Investigators had long suspected that Stephanie was somewhere in this vast wildlife preserve. Now, with that hand-drawn map from Guidry's father, authorities could finally focus their search. About 150 people walked side by side through these woods until right here, they discovered the hole, the one that had so fascinated Wayne Guidry, Jr. And at the bottom of this hole, hidden by some brush, was the decaying body of Stephanie Pepper Sims. It's just like the awful ache, a hurting, and it won't stop.

And then it's worse than any kind of physical ache. and it's worse than any kind of physical bank. A warrant was issued immediately for Wayne Gidrey, and within hours he was arrested... 300 miles away on a New Orleans golf course. I love Stephanie and her family, and, I didn't I didn't kill Stephanie. Wayne Gidrey swears he's innocent. So you tell me it's just a coincidence that her body ends up in the hole that you had pointed out to your good friend the hole that your own father knew about? I don't know if that's the same hole.

I don't know. It is the same hole. Well, based on your word, then I would say it's a coincidence. Is there an arrogance with Wayne, in your opinion? Oh, yeah, but I'm going to take that out of it. I want you to list for me all of the forensic evidence that links Wayne Guidry to the murder of Stephanie.

None. Zip. Nothing. Why were you so attracted to Stephanie? I definitely needed a friend at that time. Somebody who loved me. Wayne Gidrey says his affair with Stephanie Sims was overwhelming right from the start. Why did you get emotional when you were thinking about this? It changed my life. It just wasn't a need for sex. It was a need for a relationship that was romantic and passionate.

Guidry also had other needs. And at the time you met Stephanie, what were you doing for a living? I was just at a break. I was not working or doing anything. So financially, what was Wayne contributing to this relationship? Nothing. Absolutely nothing. Not a dollar? Not a dollar. Nothing.

Guidry was happy to be a kept man. While Stephanie went to work, he stayed in her apartment, spending hours on her computer. And you're looking at pornography and golf sites. Well, I was addicted to pornography and golf. That's the honest answer I can give you. Did Stephanie know you were doing this? Yeah, yeah.

I mean, some of it she didn't and some of it she did. Guidry says Stephanie was ready to divorce her husband, David Sims. She kept saying, well, I'm going to get a divorce. This is going to take time. I mean, I was very satisfied with the relationship that I was in with Stephanie. Guidry was satisfied.

But was Stephanie? She would come into school and be tired. And she would tell me that she was up fighting with Wayne. It sounded like the fights were very just nasty. Grace, how sweet the sound. On the last day Stephanie Sims was seen alive, Wayne Gidrey says they spent a typical Sunday afternoon together. We had sex that day. Then we left, decided we were just going to go for a drive. About 10 miles up the road on 167 is a little town called Quitman with the little store that we went to.

She was in here that day. Store Clerk Sarah Fitzpatrick remembers Stephanie coming in that Sunday and that everything seemed fine she came in and she said hey and we said hey how you doing and that was it we checked her out and she left that night Guidry claims that he and Stephanie had an argument And that Stephanie threw him out of the apartment. He says he drove around in her white Taurus all night long. Until morning. I brought it back at about 7.15, which is usually the time she leaves to go to work.

But there was nobody at the apartment. It's a lie. Prosecutor Hugo Holland. I'm going to maintain that Stephanie's dead at the bottom of the hole long before this argument takes place. Holland's theory of the crime is that right after the stop at the convenience store, Gidrey took Stephanie into the woods and shot her. The bottom line is he was

looking at her and she was looking at him when she was shot. He dumps her in the hole in the woods and then he drives back to the apartment. But how can Holland convince a jury? That computer is what will allow me to prove that Wayne Guidry is a liar, bald-faced liar.

A forensic examination of the hard drive in Stephanie's computer revealed that during the exact time period Wayne Guidry says he was driving around after Stephanie kicked him out of the apartment, someone was in the apartment, surfing the web for 11 hours. The person that was on the Internet was ordering golf supplies,

looking at golf supplies, and looking at pornography. ordering golf supplies, looking at golf supplies, and looking at pornography. Yeah, what Stephanie. As for the $3,000 check Stephanie gave Guidry the day before she disappeared. Why'd she do that? Helped me pay for a vehicle I had in repair. Was it like her to do something like that? Not at all, no.

I think she was trying to get rid of them at that time. That's the first time I heard of that. No, that's not what it was. I've never heard that theory. Wayne did hear criticism after he cashed Stephanie's check and left town. You know that sounds terrible. It does. And it looks terrible.

You've got $3,000 cash in your pocket. Okay. You know that Stephanie is missing and you continue on your trip to southern Louisiana. Yeah. And I'm not trying to water this down like I was, like I did anything that was acceptable because it probably, it definitely wasn't. I once was lost, but now I'm down. Gidrey, playing a guitar he fashioned himself in jail from cardboard and dental floss, now admits

he may be guilty of bad manners, but not of murder. Do you have anything to do with her disappearance, with her murder? No. If you didn't kill Stephanie, who did? I don't know. I can't tell you that. Don't have an answer. It could have been almost anyone says Guidry, including David Sims, Stephanie's husband. He didn't know my name and he didn't know who I was but I believe he

knew she was having a relationship with somebody. Did you know that Wayne Gidrey Jr. was seeing Stephanie? No, not until January the 6th of 2003. No, until after she disappeared? That's exactly right, yes. David, did you have anything to do with the disappearance of your wife Stephanie? No, absolutely not. Did you shoot your wife? No. Is David Sims a suspect in this case? He was. He's not anymore. And why, Guidry asks, would he kill the one woman who really loved him? That's where the biggest need in my life was met with a person who didn't care about my past

or what I mistakenly did. one woman who really loved him. That's where the biggest need in my life was met with a person who didn't care about my past or what mistakes I made or whether I was smart enough or good looking enough, you know. She was interested in the man inside of me and not just what people see, you know. What the investigators saw was the face of a stone cold killer. And prosecutor Hugo Holland says he's got an eyewitness, not to the crime, but to a confession.

Do you believe Wayne Guidry Jr. is a murderer? Yes. I don't believe it. I know it. Did you know that Mr. Henry Gidry Jr. is a murderer? Yes. I don't believe it. I know it. MUSIC MUSIC MUSIC They say Hollywood is where dreams are made.

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From Wondery comes a new season of the hit show Hollywood and Crime, The Cotton Club Murder. Follow Hollywood and Crime, the Cotton Club murder on the wonder. He out or wherever you get your podcast you can binge all episodes of the Cotton Club murder early and ad free right now by joining wonder E plus. He was hip-hop's biggest mogul the man who redefined fame fortune and the music industry.

The first male rapper to be honored on the Hollywood walk of. Did he built an empire and live the life most people only dream about everybody no no party like a did he party so yeah. But just as quickly as his empire rose it came crashing down. They're announcing the unsealing of a 3 count indictment charging Sean combs with racketeering conspiracy

sex trafficking interstate transportation for prostitution I was. I have rock bottom I made no excuses. It's just so sorry. Until you're wearing orange jumpsuit it's not real now it's real. From his meteoric rise to his shocking fall from grace from law and crime this is the rise and fall of getting listen to

the rise and fall of getting exclusively with one 3 plus. Barbara pepper will be haunted forever by her daughter Stephanie's last phone call. She had talked to Wayne and he told her he had a surprise for her and he wanted her to come back to West Monroe. So she said, I guess I'll go see but I'll call and let you know what it is. Stephanie never called back. On the day that Stephanie disappeared, she spoke with her mother, Barbara, on the telephone.

Quote, Wayne has a surprise for me. What was the surprise, Wayne? It was dinner. Lunch, yeah. Nachos, Venice deer meat. Your surprise is nachos? Yeah. I mean, it was his favorite lunch. I know Wayne Gidry from being locked up in jail with him in a small two-man cell, Jackson Parish jail.

Terry Coleman says Gidry was cooking up more than lunch that day, that the surprise was a plan to lure Stephanie out into the woods. And so he tells you he heads out to the woods. What does he do? They parked where they had met before. They get out of the car and go walking in the woods. Coleman says Guidry then made a deadly proposal.

Marriage or murder. He produces the gun, tells her she's either going to marry him or he's gonna kill her. Well, her answer obviously was no. Anyway, he shot her. When Guidry Jr. tells you that it was Stephanie's gun that he used. Yes. Yes.

And then what happened? He told me he picked her up and threw her into a hole. Did Stephanie have a gun? What kind of gun? She had a Larson.25 caliber semi-automatic handgun. Do you know where that gun is today? Because it's missing. No.

I bought her a.25 caliber pistol for target practice. Sometimes I feel like I'm partially responsible for death because of that. Do you believe that Stephanie was shot with the gun that you gave her? I'm almost positive it was, yes. What does Wayne Guidry Jr. do with the handgun? Threw it in a pond, went and got in the car, went back to Ruston. In an eight-page handwritten letter provided to investigators, Coleman detailed Wayne's alleged confession.

I've never had a case where the only direct evidence is from a crazy guy that's got murder charges pending against him. Hugo Holland admits that Coleman, who has been found to be both mentally competent and incompetent at various times, will be a tough sell to a jury. I have described him as crazy as an outhouse rat. He is. He's crazy. But Holland believes that in this case, Coleman, who has not offered a deal to come forward, is credible. As crazy as he is, and even though he's got first degree murder charges pending against

him, the fact is there are details in the letter that could only be obtained from the mouth of the killer. Terry, could it be you are as crazy as an outhouse rat? I suppose so. If I am, I don't know it. I really don't know it. If I'm insane, I don't know it. So what you're telling me is that you're an honest man, but you wouldn't necessarily believe what comes out of your own mouth. No, I wouldn't. If I was a juror, I wouldn't take a word. Are we supposed to believe you or not?

That's up to you. Wayne, did you take Stephanie's 25-caliber pistol and shoot her in the chest? No. No. Did you take her out into the woods, take her out to your favorite hole, dump her body in that hole?

No. Wayne did not kill Stephanie Simps. I don't believe Wayne Gidry had any reason at all to kill Stephanie. Joseph Clark, Wayne Gidry's court-appointed attorney, says relying on a jailhouse snitch shows that Holland doesn't have any solid proof against his client. There is no evidence hanging out there that says Wayne Gidrey or anyone else killed Stephanie Simpson. You think there's reasonable doubt? Yeah.

You could lose this case. Of course I could. And believe me, because of the way I feel about this case and about the Peppers, I don't want to disappoint them. presidential lies, environmental disasters, corporate fraud. In our latest series, NASA embarks on an ambitious program to reinvent space exploration with the launch of its first reusable vehicle, the Space Shuttle. And in 1985, they announce they're sending teacher Krista McAuliffe into space aboard the Space Shuttle Challenger, along with six other astronauts. But less than two minutes after liftoff, the Challenger explodes.

And in the tragedy's aftermath, investigators uncover a series of preventable failures by NASA and its contractors that led to the disaster. Follow American Scandal on the Wondery app or wherever you get your podcasts. Experience all episodes ad-free and be the first to binge the newest season only on Wondery Plus. You can join Wondery Plus in the Wondery app, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. Start your free trial today. At this historic courthouse in Homer, Louisiana, a jury hears the arguments over who's responsible

for the death of Stephanie Pepper Sims. Prosecutor Hugo Holland presents his key witnesses. Detective Jeff Terrell, Ginger Stewart, Eric Dufresne and Wayne Guidry, Sr. hoping to convince the jury that the only man with a motive for murder was Wayne Guidry Jr. You're a snitch. Right. A jailhouse snitch. Sure.

The worst kind of human being in a jail, correct? Right. That's what I'm going to be portrayed as. And Terry Coleman, Guidry's former cellmate, provides the jury with his unique perspective as the man Guidry supposedly confessed to. They had an argument. About? Wanting to break up.

Stephanie wanted to break up with Wayne. Did you confess to Terry Coleman? No. I mean, he's very strange character. He's very unique. Sounds like something he'd come up with. Defense attorney Joseph Clark tells the jury Coleman can't be trusted.

He also says police failed to properly investigate David Sims, the scorned husband. Their approach to David Sims was to find something that in their mind allowed them to exonerate him and move him out of the picture so that they could then focus purely on Wayne Gidrey. But the prosecution presents compelling evidence. Computer records show Gidrey was surfing the net the night he claimed Stephanie threw him out. Credit card purchases and cashing a $3,000 check from Stephanie after she went missing were also damaging. And most importantly, that hole in the woods, Wayne's Hole, where Stephanie's body was found. So, ultimately, as the jurors go to deliberate, it all comes down to that hole in the ground. Um, that may well be a very fair assessment of the case. Wayne Guidry was fascinated with that hole in the middle of the woods.

Eric DeFren knew about it, and more importantly, Wayne's daddy knew about that hole. What if Wayne Guidry Sr. had not drawn that map? Then you're not sitting here talking to me and we're not going to trial. The trial lasted for seven days. The jury came back in just two hours with their verdict. Guilty. Wayne, what is your reaction to the verdict? I accept it. I'll accept it.

Are you a guilty man? No. No. I can't let this destroy my life. I have a life to live and I can still be a success as a man, as a Christian man, still even if I'm in prison or for however long that may be. It will be a long time. 30-year-old Wayne Guidry is sentenced to life without the possibility of parole. The most important piece of evidence, the most important testimony, the most compelling thing in this whole case was Wayne Guidry Sr. But for the honesty and integrity of that man, we may never have found Stephanie's body. No doubt in your mind justice was served. I believe that with all my heart.

What do you miss most about Stephanie? Just having a pal. She was my best friend. She always came across sweet, bubbly. Those are the things that you remember. And you miss her a lot? I miss her a whole lot, yeah. But one question remains. Motive.

Holland says Wayne Guidry may have answered that early on. Wayne Guidry said in one of his statements to the police, I wanted to have what David had. Wayne Guidry coveted what David Sims had. He wanted David's money, he wanted David's wife. This is where it all began, in Stowe's Bar. If we hadn't come here, if all these different things had happened differently, she, you know, she would still be alive. I thought a lot about how it played out. I definitely did think about how she laid there

all that time, it's just, it's horrifying. ["The First Baptist Church in Jonesboro"] At the First Baptist Church in Jonesboro, a piano was dedicated in Stephanie's memory. I just miss her so much. Just seeing her and hearing her voice, if I could hear her voice. No parent that was ever supposed to bury a child. I'm really big in a retributive justice.

What would be fair is for the state of Louisiana to be able to take Wayne Gidry's life like he took Stephanie's The best I can hope for is that he has to think about what he's done every day for the rest of his life If you like this podcast you can listen ad- free right now by joining Wondery Plus and the Wondery app. Before you go, tell us about yourself by filling out a quick survey at Wondery.com slash survey.