Law&Crime Sidebar - Top 5 Most Chilling Interrogation Confessions

Episode Date: January 2, 2024

When a person of interest is suspected of committing a crime, they are often asked to sit down with investigators and give their side of the story. Skilled interrogators have used their expert questioning techniques to walk suspects into admissions or cause them to slip up, leading to revelations of disturbing details. Law&Crime’s Jesse Weber breaks down the top five most chilling interrogation room confessions.HOST:Jesse Weber: https://twitter.com/jessecordweberLAW&CRIME SIDEBAR PRODUCTION:YouTube Management - Bobby SzokePodcasting - Sam GoldbergVideo Editing - Michael DeiningerScript Writing & Producing - Savannah WilliamsonGuest Booking - Alyssa Fisher & Diane KayeSocial Media Management - Vanessa BeinSTAY UP-TO-DATE WITH THE LAW&CRIME NETWORK:Watch Law&Crime Network on YouTubeTV: https://bit.ly/3td2e3yWhere To Watch Law&Crime Network: https://bit.ly/3akxLK5Sign Up For Law&Crime's Daily Newsletter: https://bit.ly/LawandCrimeNewsletterRead Fascinating Articles From Law&Crime Network: https://bit.ly/3td2IqoLAW&CRIME NETWORK SOCIAL MEDIA:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lawandcrime/Twitter: https://twitter.com/LawCrimeNetworkFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/lawandcrimeTwitch: https://www.twitch.tv/lawandcrimenetworkTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lawandcrimeSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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will keep you on the edge of your seat. Don't let your fears take hold of you as you dive into this addictive series. Love thrillers with a paranormal twist? The entire Oracle trilogy is available on Audible. Listen now on Audible. And what I think should happen to something like this to somebody else? I don't know. They obviously could have heard in time. I don't know. I have not touched him. How would you get those in? both now. I'm hoping that she's still alive. And that's really, I really do. I'm holding out for that. And if she's not alive, then I think she and her family are due that knowledge. I think that's,

I think they need some closure. We have, we've, we've, we've got what me, my talk to need. Whether it's a suspect's reaction to a new piece of information or a full-blown confession, what happens in an interrogation room can make or break the case. Some of those admissions are pretty eerie. Welcome to Sidebar. Presented by Law and Crime. I'm Jesse Weber. So we've talked body cams, we've talked 911 phone calls, we've talked defendants on the stand. Now let's do something a little bit different. Let's focus on one of the most crucial pieces of evidence in any case, interrogations. Because if you think about it, cameras are rolling right now in interrogation rooms across the country, capturing everything said and done while a suspect is inside.

So we've gathered some of the most chilling interrogation moments from recent cases. So we start off with one of the most bizarre cases that we've ever covered, Wisconsin v. Taylor Shibisnes. The 25-year-old was convicted of killing her lover while the two had sex after she claimed she did meth. Apparently in her drug-fueled stupor, Shibisness not only strangled 24-year-old Shad Therion with a metal chain, but sexually abused his death. dead body and then chopped him up into pieces. His mother came home to find her own son's bloody head in a bucket in the family's basement.

Truly, truly horrific. It doesn't get worse than that. Shibis was arrested on February 23rd, 2022, and police put her in a yellow jumpsuit in an interrogation room. And then they started asking her questions to get to the bottom of just what happened to Shad. And Shibisness gave one shocking answer after another. Take a listen.

or what the chain around you? Does the chain to grow around your neck? Do you have any marks or anything? Do you get the chance of screaming leave? Can I just eat? You get a chance of this very leave? Was that he was fine too, though? What was that part of the?

I thought that was the thing and then like, I don't know, I just went a little crazy. Just went a little crazy? Take note of that, we're going to get back to that. So she said how she and Shad engaged in kinky sex, but here she says she basically went maybe a little too far, but seemed to recognize that. What you're hearing is effectively an admission.

Your business described what happened in between her apparent blackouts from the meth. I'm just like, shit. I think I went a little too far. It was like, like, I was blacking out while I was doing it, right? And then I look at him, I'm like, he's already purple, and I'm like, I don't know if he's good, is he good, but then, like, when I woke up, like, you know, I was during the black I'm like, like, he was coughing up blood, I'm like, I don't know, I just kept him going.

But when did you start, you know, cutting up his body? Wow, I'm like, almost right away out, I was sucking and cutting in the same time. But what about the rest of his body parts? Does that take all day? Did you? I was getting pissed off of the dismemberment process, actually. Did you take a lot?

You took a lot? Yeah, it was like I was nodding out. I was nodding out. So you're kind of, you're kind of nodding in and out. Have you taken any other drugs? I should have. I should have took drugs.

I probably would have helped, but I didn't. So you dismembered the body too? Yeah. Well, what do you do with the body parts? Oh, there. somewhere they're like um yeah basement upstairs absolutely in the basement i was around and then um i know i forgot the head i wanted to head did you bring anything living yeah it's in the band what it's um what is it um what is it

a foot maybe the what i think it's a foot a lake maybe um i don't want that i think it's a foot a lake maybe um I just, I'm gonna bring it all of them. And then I'm like, man, this is messy, so then I just left it. I got lazy. Okay. I got lazy and that's what I get. So I'm like, okay. So there's gonna be,

it'd be a foot or leg in the van. And then, um, what did you do with the head? I forgot that that was in the van. So, uh, yeah. Would you do what they had it? The head, I put it in that bucket, that black bucket. Black pocket.

with a blank laptop. Okay. I should have. And then we're just where you leave it. Leave that. That's still in the bucket. It's right by the stairs. That's stairs.

Again, just admitted to killing him, abusing his dead body, and dismembering him. Something else. I don't think I've ever heard anything like this. Now, the interview, which lasted hours, continues on with Shibisnes, then in a different jumpsuit. And what do you think? Should happen with somebody, does something like this to somebody else. Obviously, get prison time. Your business even goes as far as asking if the police have found all of Shad's body parts.

Do you guys find all the parts here? So, yeah, going through the process of looking. Did you remove any other, you need to have the heart and not litter up with the lungs? Do you remove all that from the chest cavity? Are you leaving them in there? It could be in there again. Do you remember? They're all in plastic bags.

Separ bags or one big bag? They're all in separate bags and Walmart bags? Oh. It's fine. It's fine. Long should be a little. First of all, my opinion, hats off to the investigators here.

Remaining so calm, cool, collected as they try to get all of this information out of Shibisness and listen to what they're hearing, which is important because given these admissions, what could possibly be the defense? Well, remember I said that crazy comment? So Shibisnes pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity. Under Wisconsin law, insanity means that you are not legally responsible if due to a mental condition, you couldn't appreciate the wrongfulness of what you did or conform your behavior to the law. Now, despite how seemingly crazy this crime was, a Wisconsin jury didn't buy it. It only took about an hour for them to find her guilty of intentional homicide,

abuse of a corpse, and third-degree sexual assault. They also determined that she was not insane when she committed the crime. In September, a judge sentenced to business to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Okay, moving on to another high-profile case, this one out of Miami, Florida. It concerns 26-year-old only fans model Courtney Clennie, also known as Courtney Taylor.

She had more than 2 million followers on the site. So she was questioned by police after suspected of stabbing her 27-year-old boyfriend Christian Obamselly during a domestic dispute in their apartment. The incident happened back in April of 2022. Clenney called 911 to report that Obam Selly was bleeding from a knife wound, and sadly he would end up dying from his injuries. So police take her to the station for questioning. They leave her by herself in an interview room. And as she sobs, Clennie talks to herself, apparently unaware that Obam Selly is already dead. Please, we have, we have God, this is what I mean, my dogs, please.

God, Christian, he's okay. I don't care what you're doing this one. Now, she would be charged with his murder just a few months later, but how do we get to that point? Well, Clennie and Obam Selly had both dealt with the police before because of domestic disputes that included screaming matches and physical altercations. The two had recently moved into a new Miami condo, but there were already so many problems with the couple that an eviction process was underway. And according to Clennie, she and Obamselly had gotten into an argument inside the condo that escalated. Clinton said that she threw a knife at Obam Selly, which hit him. First responders found Clenny holding Obam Sully's body as he bled out. When Clenny first spoke with officers in the

interrogation room, she's not immediately told that her boyfriend is dead. Instead, officers say that he's being evaluated at the hospital. What is the day of her? 14-196. Thomas your birthday? If men, really, when is your birthday? They're 13. My boyfriend is the 12th.

Oh, really? In terms of 28, the 12th. Oh, really? It's just in a row. Okay. Well, he's still in the hospital right now, so, okay? Mm-hmm. Just take a breather.

How long have you been together? Um, about two years. About two years. About two years. Yeah. Okay. Is he okay? He's still at the hospital.

They're still, you know, I'm monitoring him and talking to him. So we're waiting. Oh my God. So he didn't even have to have surgery? Well, I don't know. They're still doing x-rays and stuff like that. So I don't know yet.

I'm waiting to hear a response. That's all I have to know. Thank God. So we'll get to that in a little bit. Okay. And once we're done, I'll go talk to them again and see what's the update, okay? I've just gone back together. I had broken up with him.

broken up with him, and then he came back the last, like, two nights, and everything was perfect. And then started, like, to an argument, and I ended up getting scared, and I think that I overreacted, or not overreacted necessarily, but I reacted, and I just didn't know what might happen. Several hours into the interview, Clennie is back in a new set of clothes, and officers finally break the news. We have to inform me that Christian did not make it. Unfortunately, the doctors did what they could.

Christian is dead. Oh, my God. This is not real right. Kristen died? Can I please have a hug? Am I allowed to do that in here? Sure. Okay. Relax.

You're fine. No, no, no. Come down. Come down. Come down. Okay. Take your breath. Just take your breath.

You're going to be okay? I need to hug my mom. I'll talk to your parents. I cannot be left alone in like a room by myself. You won't. After this. I was like, no, I thought. No, that's not true.

That's not, that's not real, right? It is real. Christian didn't get. Yes, they're not going to lie. I know, I just can't believe that. I'll talk to your parents. I'll get them, I'll get your parents your age. We, uh, we spoke to your parents and they're trying to do everything possible to get you as soon as possible as well.

No. No. It's going to be okay. It's going to be fine. You're back. No. No. No.

No. No. Come. Cornie's going to do it. No, it's not. Oh, my God. Oh, I wanted to be at the hospital. I, if anything happened, I just wanted to be at the hospital.

I begged, can I please go to the hospital? I mean, obviously, if I mean, obviously, if I come to my house, but like, I begs, can I please? for the hospital, oh my gosh, friends, our friends, oh my god. We're home. I'm gonna wake up tomorrow. I'm gonna wake up tomorrow and it's gonna be the same thing.

Okay, that's the last time I ever talked to him. The last time anybody ever talks to ever. Okay, we can't undo what's already happened, so just... Okay. Just, um... This is gonna be a process. What are I saying to that out of the room? I said, God forbid, God forbid when, like, from far away,

what if I, what if I had actually a little bit lower and he died? That's what I said. These moments from the police interview not only give investigators information about Clennie's relationship with Obam Selly, but they also give kind of her state of mind and demeanor before and after finding out he was dead. Well, it turns out by looking at the crime scene, the timeline, the weapon, autopsy, something was off. While she claimed she threw the knife at him from 10 feet away

after Obam Selly grabbed her and shoved her, the evidence suggested that maybe wasn't true. In fact, Obam Sully's wound was consistent with a downward strike to the chest rather than a throwing event. Also, video footage surfaced of Clenny and Obam Selly in the building's elevator two months before his death that appeared to show her shoving and hitting him while he doesn't really fight back. In fact, she had previously been charged with domestic battery against Obam Selle. back in 2021. So when all this came out, in August of 2022, Clennie was charged with second-degree murder.

The defense team argued for bond, but the judge determined the money that Clennie made from OnlyFans could make for a flight risk so she's been locked up ever since. The case is expected to go to trial sometime in 2024. Another woman in trouble for allegedly

killing her lover tried to explain away why his body was found stuffed inside of a suitcase. So Sarah Boone is accused of zipping her boyfriend George Torres Jr. into the that suitcase and leaving him to die. She's facing a charge of second-degree murder and has pleaded not guilty. In February of 2020, Boone called 911 to report Torres was dead inside of their apartment in Winter Park, Florida.

She said that they were playing a game of hide-and-seek and thought it would be funny for George to get into the suitcase. She claims the two had been drinking wine and she went upstairs and fell asleep with Torres still inside the suitcase. But police found video on Boone's cell phone, where Torres can be heard saying he can't breathe and asking for her to let him out. I warn you, this is very, very tough to watch. For everything you've done to me.

For everything you've done to me. Salah. Fuck you. Tallow. Thank you. Tallow. Stupid. Sarah.

That's my name. Don't wear it up. Sarah? I can't believe me. Seriously. Yeah, that's when you do when you choke me. Sarah. Sarah.

Sarah. Sarah. Sarah, I can't breathe, babe. That's on you. Tara, I can breathe. It's on you. Tara. Riggle around some.

I want to get video. I'm gonna get video for it extra. Because I got this. Sarah. Riggle around. Sarah. I can't breathe, please. Oh.

That's what I felt like when he chingo me. Sarah. Please, Sarah. Yeah. You probably shut the fuck up. During an interrogation, Boone said that George often was violent with her, but swears that she didn't do anything to hurt it. We had a good time sitting on the back porch, having wine, and smoking a couple of cigarettes, and then decided to go inside and literally paint, do puzzles, and play, and listen to music.

That's why nobody got out of sorts. This is what's mind-blowing to me. Like, I don't, I have no clue. Nobody laid a hand on anybody. He also had, like on the left side of his forehead, he had basically bruising and, like, his head and his skull. I have no idea. As if something hit him.

I consider not touched him. I have not touched him. I have not touched him. How would you get those injuries? Tell me and we'll both know. I have not touched him. Yesterday, when we took photographs of your overall body and they did the bugle swabs, did they go under your fingernails? No. Okay. Are you willing to let us?

Absolutely. Slav underneath your fingernails. Go for it. Okay. I have no idea, and I don't want to seem out of sorts, but sorts, but I have no idea. We had a good day. It was a good day. We've had good days lately, even considering everything that's going on with our jobs and life in general and ex-wives and everything. It's been good. Like, I don't even know where this is coming from. Have you guys

ever played the, you said you played hide-in seats like probably three times in your relationship when you have played. Have you ever zipped him up in a suitcase prior? No. Okay. So it was just kind of like that crop was there, and it was there, and it was in play, because... Why do you say it like that, though? I would never do that. You had a look on your face when she asked you if you've ever done that before. You look kind of shocked, and... No.

Okay. Why did you say it like that? I don't think you all understand who I am. Okay. Well, tell me. I mean, I've always been a straight-A student. I am an outstanding mother to my son. I excel at everything

I I would not do that you wouldn't lock somebody in a suitcase well I didn't like completely lock it I mean I opened it with one finger I left enough in there for him to get out Boone goes back and forth with the investigators first claiming she doesn't remember recording George

in the suitcase then changing it up and saying he was fine in there and that she didn't think anything was wrong My intention was not to leave him in there. Please understand that. My intention was not to leave him in there. But you went upstairs thinking that he could get himself out, but the video shows at the point when I see his fingers. He'll be up there any minute.

And then 30 minutes later, he didn't show. And I can't wait up. Do you think he's joking? You told me he was laughing. We were before. There's no laughing. We first got in there? Both of us were.

So how long was he in there for? Like this video is at 1112 when it starts, so was he in there for like a long time prior to you recording this? No. No. So it goes from funny to no longer funny, because you're the only one laughing. But I didn't think that he was like panicky. Like I didn't, I... So pushing up on a suitcase saying Sarah, Sarah, Sarah, Sarah.

Sarah? I can't breathe. George has done that in the past before, too, where it's just, like, he thinks that he's, woe is me kind of thing, where it's like, I don't think. Well, he's never been locked in a suitcase, that's before he couldn't get out, so.

It's kind of, I thought it was a boy crying wolf kind of thing. Okay. And again, my plan. But nowhere in there is he laughing, if he joking, he is begging, and you're the only one laughing. Okay. And you're the only one saying,

derogatory comments like you're mad no please don't I don't mean to sound negative and I don't know if I can't say this but like it's like you guys are kind of trying to like feed me like no I'm just trying to show you a video that you no longer want to watch because you probably don't want to know the outcome of how and what you said well I know what you know what's on that video no you remember making that video oh why don't you remember making the video probably because we have been drinking But you weren't drug.

Some tough questions for her to answer. Hard to explain that video way. And investigators call Boone out or her conflicting statements. So you all think that it's like, oh, good. I got him in there. Now I'm going to go to sleep. Is that what you guys are trying to assume? Or trying to like, we're just, the video is very portraying of the opposite of what you told us.

It is not, it is not leading up. It is not matching what statement you gave us in the car. And that's why we want to know. And I don't remember doing this. The injuries are not consistent with what you told us. So we have a lot of inconsistencies, and this video explained itself. It really truly does. I promise you on my son's life, it was not intentional.

I promise you on Lucas's life it was not intentional I don't know you I can't say I know anything about you I don't know what is what would be a true statement but not I mean that you're promising on your son's life

that's fine that's how much it means that's how much it means that's how much it means I hope you take that to heart In September, Boone's public defender withdrew from the case after Boone apparently wrote multiple letters to the judge insulting the attorney, calling him a dud and a buffoon. Boone now has a new attorney, a fourth one, in fact, and will appear for a pretrial hearing in January

2024, where we may get an official trial date. As we continue on with some of the most chilling interrogation room moments from recent cases for this next interrogation, we're going to go back in time to a case that many of you might remember. In August of 2018, brutal murders took place in Frederick Colorado of a pregnant mother named Shanan Watts and her two daughters, four-year-old Bella and three-year-old Celeste. Police end up sitting down with the husband, father, Chris Watts. Shann had just returned from business trip late that night, and her friend got worried when Shinnan didn't respond to any messages or phone calls. Now, Chris said that he had seen his wife at the house around five in the

morning, but had been at work at an oil company all day. And he was adamant that he didn't know where his wife or children were, even spoke with local news stations begging for them to come home. I hope that she's somewhere safe right now and with the kids. But, I mean, could she have been because she just taken off? I don't know. But if somebody has her and they're not safe, like, I want them back now. But just two days later, police arrested Chris Watts after he failed a polygraph test. It was completely clear that you were not honest during the testing, and I think you already know that. You did not pass the polygraph test.

Okay. Okay. So now we need to talk about what actually happened. I feel like you're probably ready to do that. I didn't lie to you on that polygraph, I promise. Chris, I'm not... I'm not... It's time.

I just stop for a minute. Take a deep breath. I want you to take a deep breath. breath right now. There's a reason you feel sick to your stomach. And when people hold stuff inside, it makes you physically ill. And I can just tell on your face, I can tell you tell from the second you walked in that you were wanting to just come clean and just be done with this.

And I appreciate that because you knew sitting down in that chair that you weren't going to pass today and you knew I was going to find out. because I told you that, and then you continued to stay, knowing that you could, at the end, say, you know what, I just need to get this off my chest. Like, I just need to tell you what happened. We're not, we're not here to play games. We're not here to do any of that with you. We just want to know what happened.

Watts continued to deny that he was deceptive, but the investigators kept pushing. This is where the rubber meets the road, Chris. Like, don't let this continue any longer, please. And after more prodding, Watts asked to speak with his father and confesses. Now, according to Watts's first version, he had been having an affair. He talked with Shanan about a possible separation and says that she became enraged. He told his father that he went downstairs. And when he came back up, Shanan had suffocated two little girls.

Watts says that he then strangled Shanan and then took all three bodies to a remote oil storage site being used by his employer. Shanan was buried in a shallow grave. Bella and Celeste's bodies were found in crude oil tanks nearby. The audio of Watts's confession to his father, I warn you, is really hard to hear because Watts seems to be whispering and trailing off at times. The one? The one? Just the other? Mark's open.

No one. I didn't hear anything. When I was down there, they came back up, and they were gone. I don't know, like me tell you. I don't know, like, moved out top 10, talking to her about that. Talking about separation and everything about, I mentioned all of it.

I don't know, like, what else to say? Like, I freaked out. I had it. I was in my kids. I heard a little commotion upstairs, but I didn't think anything of it. Mm-hmm. And then you went back up the stairs and she was? Never.

I didn't see it. She was my dog. Do you see me? I'm choking her? Did she kill her? Never. They were blue. Club button?

Yeah. She choked both of her from the day. I freaked out in the same hand. Watts was charged with three counts of first-degree murder, a lawful termination of a pregnancy, and three counts of tampering with a deceased body. Watts ended up pleading guilty to nine charges and was sentenced to five life sentences without the possibility of parole

in exchange for the death penalty being taken off the table. But the confessions don't end there because after he was sent to prison, Watts finally revealed to authorities what really happened that night, or at least this could be the real story. He says after the argument about divorce, he ended up strangling Shanan to death. When four-year-old Bella walked into the room, he told her,

Mommy don't feel good, and wrapped Shanan's body in a sheet. He put the body in his truck and drove it and the two girls to the oil site where he smothered the children and hid the bodies. Those are my kids. It was my baby.

I have to talk to them every night. I don't see how it's going to happen. I think it's going to happen. Every time I see pictures, I don't know how this could happen. I'm being a dad with the best part of my life, it's true. I took it all the way. I think that's the hardest part for us, Chris, is we see those videos. We see that love.

that love that you had for your girls like it's obvious to us and even to us we it's hard for us to understand how a dad who's given piggyback rides and you know making snacks and watching princess movies and those kinds of things um how you get to that point you know like i said it was like something else was controlling that day i didn't know control over what i was like to fight back yeah Watts was moved for security reasons from Colorado to a maximum security prison in Wisconsin where he will spend the rest of his life behind bars. All right, let's end the conversation of interrogations in Jacksonville, Florida,

where investigators were able to use an interrogation to get to the bottom of a murder of a young woman in 2017. Now, in August of that year, Savannah Gold was reported missing. The 21-year-old worked as a server at a restaurant called Bonefish Grill, and she was dating her manager, a man named Lee Rodarty Jr. Savannah's family says that they received a message from her that she was running away with a great guy and then never was heard from again. Turns out that that wasn't Savannah, but Rodarty. Her car was still in the parking lot with her purse inside,

which made this all so weird. And Jacksonville Sheriff's deputies brought Rodarty in for questioning, letting him sit by himself for some time, and then the questioning began. When was the last time you saw, her this is what I was a bit I didn't tell you the truth when we talked up on fish okay last time I saw her was Wednesday afternoon okay I heard that she has been basically telling a lot of people at work that we hooked up a bunch like a couple days before that and that she was going to like tell

about the whole situation, you know, try to get me fired. Why would that get you fired? Well, I'm a manager and she's an employee. Okay, so you guys aren't supposed to frighten eyes here. Okay, I got you. And she just told people, I guess, that she was out with that work at the restaurant that we were having sex and, you know, hooking up and stuff like that, and that I was her boyfriend and this and that.

So I was a little upset. Obviously, you know, I care about my job. Sure. How long have you been there now? It'll be five years in the summer. Okay, yeah, right. So I was a little upset. So I met her in the parking lot at Bonefish.

Wednesday afternoon. Okay. Well, you know what time or about? It was about 5.30. Okay. When you say you met her, did she, was she meeting you too, or? I didn't, I didn't call her. I just drove up there to see if.

maybe she was working. I was going to, you know, talk to her. And, um, did you know she was working that night? Um, I did. You did not? I did. Oh, you did? Okay. Yeah. Okay. You knew she was working that night. Yeah. Okay. So I drove up there and I was hoping to get a chance to talk to her. Okay. Um, I pulled in the parking lot. She pulled in, um, a little bit after me. I parked. Uh, and I said, hey, uh, can I talk to you for a second? Um, and she said, yeah, what's up? And I was like, I heard you've been saying some things about me and you continuing to hang out and you know that were boyfriend and girlfriend. And she asked me, she said, can I come sit in the car because I just did some heroin and I'm a little paranoid. Okay.

I said, why are you doing that? You know, you're doing really well. You shouldn't have been doing that. Okay. And so she came and sat in the car, and I explained to her the situation. I told her that servers at Bonefish were coming to me and telling me that you're telling people when you're out, that we're starting sex and my boyfriend and girlfriend. And I said, I would appreciate, you know, I need you to stop because, for one, this jeopardizing my job.

We agreed to, you know, split, stop talking mutually and just move on and, you know, be cordial or whatever. Now, Rodarty admitted he punctured Savannah's car tire with a small knife, putting a hole in it, and threatened that if she didn't stop talking about their previous relationship, he would break her car's windows. But he denies having any involvement in what happened to her and even claims that Savannah got into a green truck, but he didn't see the driver. Lee, why didn't you mention this before since we've been looking for this girl? I mean, don't you think that information is important? I mean, it definitely does. and I regret, obviously, not saying anything.

And I was like, I don't know what to do, you know. I'm scared. I don't want to get in trouble for, you know, anything or have anything, you know, be a suspect or anything like that, which, I mean, obviously wasn't the right decision to make. Yeah. Because now, obviously, it looks out. Yeah, we could have gotten three days ahead. So where is Savannah right now?

I don't know. Where would I find her? I don't know. That's my prime objective is to find her. Definitely. I think time's running out on her. And I think that... I mean, I should have said something to you guys when I talk.

Oh, yeah, yeah, you should. I should have said something Wednesday when it was brought in. So tell me how I go from, nice guy, never met you. You seem like a nice guy. I come up and talk to you again. Out of you, you know, you agreed that there was nothing threatening or anything about our conversation, just asking you for some basic simple things where we talked for just a few minutes. And you didn't tell me this story.

I'm not going to say the truth because I think there's holes in this story, too. Now, here's the thing. After going back and forth with Rodarty, detectives reveal some of the information they know, like how surveillance cameras in that parking lot showed a struggle between Rodarty and Savannah. She never got out of your backseat, Lee. She never got out of your back seat. Video cameras don't lie.

Lee. How do you know? How do you think I know this information, Lee? I wasn't there, but a video camera caught it. She never gets out of that car. And you drive off. She never gets out of that car. There is no green truck.

And that's not right to her We're fact finders Lee, I don't have anything personal against you No, no, not at all I mean, it's over We're just fact finders We're just doing our job And then finally

Rodarty starts to crack She was hitting me I just She wouldn't stop I'd squeeze back Okay And she was just Is she under your arm or something

She started hitting me, you know, after her, I, you know, slash her tire. Right. And it went back and forth, and I just squeezed my heart. You squeezed around her neck or around her neck? With your hands? She had. She had. She had?

her hands were at mine okay you had yours her as well we're just fighting back with each other okay now it's hard to hear there but rodarty seems to say i didn't let her go he admits he heard a hop as his hands were around her neck where is she now please tell us her The heart's part out. I understand that. And you got the heart's part. Okay. And that's...

All I want to do is that. I know. You're doing good, buddy. It's pond on my side. Club do clay. Yeah. And Longchamp. Yeah, yeah, yeah, okay.

Yeah, okay. If I got a map print out of that, you think you can just show me that? Okay. Rodarty admitted he tried to burn Savannah's body in a fire pit at his home the night that he killed her, but then decided to dig a hole and bury her. Eventually, he dug her up and put her in the trunk of his car, driving her out to a pond in a residential area where Rodarty says that he had fished in the past. It says he dumped her body in the water just a few hours later,

found himself in this interrogation room. Now, Rodarty's attorneys originally filed a stand-your-ground petition claiming that Rodarty acted in self-defense because Savannah was attacking him. The trial judge denied that petition, but the defense took that claim to an appeals court. And after the appeals court also denied the stand-your-ground defense, Lee Rodarty Jr. agreed to plead guilty to second-degree murder. Other charges of tampering with evidence and abuse of a dead body were dropped, and the judge sentenced Rodarty to 40 years in prison. That's all we have for you here on Sidebar, everybody. Thank you so much for joining us, as always. Please subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, wherever you get your podcasts.

I'm Jesse Weber. Speak to you next time. Bye.