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Nancy Grace

Murders Rock Dallas Suburb

Aired March 03, 2008 - 20:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


NANCY GRACE, CNN ANCHOR: Tonight, imagine you`re asleep, 4:00 a.m., your children away tucked in bed when you look up to see an intruder, with a gun. Well, that`s just what happened in a Dallas suburb. But when mom and dad wake up to a gun, they recognize the shooter as the boyfriend of their 16-year-old daughter. That`s right. Police claim she planned the murders of both parents and her two little brothers after being told to break up with a 19-year-old boyfriend and having her cell phone taken away. Three in one family left dead in their beds. And tonight, the story begins to unravel.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Texas police say there`s a disturbing motive for the mother and her two sons. The woman`s 16-year-old daughter is charged with killing them and trying to kill her father because they demanded she break up with her boyfriend. That boyfriend`s also charged in the killing spree along with two others. The dad managed to survive several gun shots and stabbings by dragging his bloody body through dense woods to find help. Investigators say the four suspects torched the house in a rural wooded area of eastern Texas. The girl was arraigned yesterday on capital murder charges. Her boyfriend, 19-year-old Charlie James Wilkinson and two others were arraigned on the same charges.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The victims had been shot and stabbed. The mother and the 13-year-old both had sustained gun shot wounds and knife-type wounds.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GRACE: And tonight, an army couple found dead in their home with a 7- month-old baby gone. Police want answers. Is it a love triangle turn deadly?

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: In Tacoma, Washington, police made a grizzly discovery today finding the body of two soldiers, a man and a woman, who were believed to been married. What makes it even more disturbing, the couple`s 7-month-old baby girl was missing from the home and later found unharmed with another female soldier. That soldier is now under arrest e killings and the baby`s abduction. Investigators are trying to piece together the female soldier`s relationship to the couple and her latest moves. The baby`s in the care of child protective services in Tacoma.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GRACE: Also tonight, a 3-year-old toddler girl raced to children`s hospital with multiple injuries. Only then do hospital docs learn the baby is drunk, nearly two times the legal limit. Who would physically abuse a baby and then force feed her alcohol? Tonight four suspects point the finger at each other, including mommy.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: A horrific case of child abuse on the border of northern Kentucky in Cincinnati. A 3-year-old girl admitted to children`s hospital drunk with numerous injuries all over her body. Bleeding on the brain, fractures to the arm, bruising around her neck and abrasions on her lip. Those cuts, apparently, the result of the toddler being forced to drink alcohol. So much alcohol, the baby had twice the legal limit for adults and on the verge of alcohol poisoning. And what`s even more outrageous tonight, investigators believe the baby girl`s 4-year-old sister may have witnessed the abuse.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GRACE: Good evening, I`m Nancy Grace. I want to thank you for being with us. Tonight, a family wiped out, destroyed over what? The forced breakup of a teen love triangle and a cell phone taken away from a 16-year- old daughter turns mastermind of murder.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: A rural Texas town is in shock regarding a grizzly attack on a family and a teenage girl is accused of helping kill her mother and two young brothers at her home. Authorities say the 16- year-old was angry because her parents wanted her to break up with her boyfriend.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: She helped set up an ambush in the middle of the night to kill her mom and her two younger brothers. They were only eight and 13. And her dad was shot five times, twice in the back. Then he drags himself 300 yards, that`s the size of three football fields, through the woods, to finally get some help.

DISPATCHER: 911, what`s your emergency?

CALLER: This is Tommy Gaston. I`ve got a man that`s been shot. Out here at my house.

DISPATCHER: OK. Someone`s been shot?

CALLER: Yes.

DISPATCHER: Is he conscious?

CALLER: Yes.

DISPATCHER: And is he breathing?

CALLER: Yes.

DISPATCHER: Where is he bleeding?

CALLER: He`s he`s bloody all over.

DISPATCHER: He`s bloody all over?

CALLER: Yes.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: When it was all said and done, cops say the 16- year-old girl and three others, one of them her boyfriend, burned down the house.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Four subjects have been taken into custody at this time. Two males, two females, and each faces three counts of capital murder. They are identified as Charlie James Wilkinson, Charles Allen Waid and Bobbie Gale Johnson and a 16-year-old white female, juvenile family member of the deceased.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

GRACE: An incredible story, a family wiped out over what? A teenage breakup and a confiscated cell phone? Incredible. Out to Terese Arena, news director at KLIF Radio. What happened?

TERESE ARENA, NEWS DIRECTOR, KLIF RADIO: It`s a terrible story, Nancy. The young girl was angry with her parents for forcing them to break up with her boyfriend, Charlie Wilkinson. They sat down with friends and they cooked up this plan and then last weekend they executed it.

GRACE: Well, you say cooked up a plan, Terese. I call it premeditation, plotting and planning. Give me more of the details.

ARENA: They have been talking about this for a month and figuring out ways how they were going to kill the family and when they were going to do it. And they picked them up. She told the two men where to find -- you know where to find the family, where to get money and jewelry after the murders had happened. And then, they set fire to the bedding and the laundry and burned the house to the ground.

GRACE: Take a listen to this. It`s an excerpt from the 911 call.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DISPATCHER: 911, what`s your emergency?

CALLER: This is Tommy Gaston. I`ve got a man that`s been shot. Out here at my house.

DISPATCHER: OK. Someone`s been shot?

CALLER: Yes.

DISPATCHER: Sir, I have a few questions tat I need to ask you, OK? We`re going to get you an ambulance. I`m going to need you to stay on the line with me. Are you with the patient now?

CALLER: Yes.

DISPATCHER: How old is he?

CALLER: He`s 41.

DISPATCHER: Is he conscious?

CALLER: Yes.

DISPATCHER: And is he breathing?

CALLER: Yes.

DISPATCHER: When did this happen?

CALLER: I don`t know. Just a little bit ago and we`ve also got a house on fire out here.

DIPATCHER: And the house is on fire? Is the assailant still nearby? Is the person who shot him still nearby, sir?

CALLER: Yes, he`s right here at me.

DISPATCHER: You shot him?

CALLER: No, I didn`t. I don`t know anymore details. I got to hang up and help him.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GRACE: But there was no helping for three of the family members. A family wiped out over a teenage breakup and the parents taking away the 16- year-old girl`s cell phone. Did she actually sit in the car and wait for her boyfriend, her 19-year-old lover to do the murder? Then take off with him?

Out to Daniel Walker, editor with the "Herald Banner," joining us from Greenville, Texas. Daniel, what else can you tell us?

DANIEL WALKER, EDITOR, HERALD BANNER: Well, according to the interviews that they did -- the police did today -- the girl actually held the dog while the boys went in and killed the parent and her brothers.

GRACE: So she held the dog, Daniel Walker, while her 13 and 8-year- old brothers were murdered?

WALKER: Yes, it`s -- it`s a gruesome crime. And I know it has really shook the town of Emory, it`s just a small town. Everybody knows everybody.

GRACE: Incredible. Incredible. Tell me about the area. Was this a rural area, Daniel?

WALKER: Yes. Emory is a town of about 1,500 people. And this family lived about three miles from town on a dirt road on a ranch, wooded, secluded, I think there was only three houses even on that road.

GRACE: Back out to Teresa Arena with KLIF also joining us along with Daniel Walker. Why did the parents have the girl -- the 16-year-old daughter break up with the 19-year-old?

ARENA: They just didn`t like Charlie Wilkinson. They thought he was bad news and they said you need to break this up and that`s how this got started.

GRACE: Number one, why is he 19 and still in high school?

ARENA: Well, there`s several rules in Texas, who knows. He may have failed a grade. We just aren`t exactly sure.

GRACE: Daniel Walker, what more do we know about why the parents forced the breakup? How did she meet him anyway? Wasn`t she home schooled?

WALKER: She was home schooled up until this past year and then she started in the consolidated high school.

GRACE: Incredible. Incredible. Out to the lines. Joseph in North Carolina. Hi, Joseph.

CALLER: Hi, how are you doing?

GRACE: I`m good, dear. What`s your question?

CALLER: OK. It sounds to me like these people need the death penalty. Is there any indication they`re going to go for it, for the daughter too?

GRACE: Let`s find out. I can tell you right now Joseph in North Carolina, the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that 16 and under is too young to face the death penalty, even face it. Let`s say they would get it. They can`t even be tried for the death penalty. But 19 is a different matter. Joining us Susan Moss, the New York jurisdiction along with Alex Sanchez and Jeff Brown out of Tampa, Florida. Susan Moss, what do you think?

SUSAN MOSS, ATTORNEY: Breaking up is hard to do, especially when you have loose a screw. This 16-year-old is going to suffer. She`s going to be convicted and ironic that she absolutely is going to have to absolutely break up with this boyfriend because she`s going to be in jail for a long, long time.

GRACE: And now to Alex Sanchez and Jeff Brown. Alex, the reality is while the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that 16 and under too young for the death penalty, she can and I predict will be tried as an adult. Explain.

ALEX SANCHEZ, DEFENSE ATTORNEY: Well, she`ll be tried as an adult and she`ll face a maximum of life imprisonment. But I think we need to look at the case against her a little bit more carefully.

GRACE: Oh, really. Why?

SANCHEZ: All of the evidence against her so far comes from the statements of the co-defendants. I`m not aware that she herself made any statements implicating herself.

GRACE: Oh, really? Well don`t you think the fact, Alex Sanchez, that she waited outside in the car holding the dog and then took off and spent the night and had sex with her 19-year-old boyfriend -- did he have blood on his hands during the sex, Alex? That`s one question I would like to ask in a cross-examination.

SANCHEZ: That`s important -- however --

GRACE: Important? You say it`s just important.

SANCHEZ: No, I think more facts need to be developed to determine whether or not she knew in advance what was going on, Nancy.

GRACE: Don`t you think, Jeff Brown, that the fact that she willingly goes with the 19-year-old boyfriend that night, spends the night with him, has sex with him, does that suggest to you that she knew and was part of the murder plot?

JEFF BROWN, ATTORNEY: Yeah, I don`t think the prosecution`s going to have any problem proving through the facts that she`s dating this boy, she`s been told not to date this boy, she`s thinking - probably they can place her easily at the scene holding the dog.

This case is going to be fought over whether or not the death penalty should be applied. I don`t think there`s going to be any problem proving the underlying guilt of this. The question is going to be though, who are they going to start flipping? Do they need at some point to flip one of the co-defendants against the others. I hope not. But as you know, that sometimes happens.

GRACE: Jeff, that`s exactly what I was just thinking and I was going to go back to Alex Sanchez.

Alex, you mentioned that all they have are the co-defendants` statements, which means to me they`ve all already started yammering. Why should the state cut a deal now? If they`ve already given statements confessing or implicating the other, then why do you have to cut a deal and seek anything?

SANCHEZ: Because those statements may not be able to be used against her at trial because --

GRACE: Why? Oh, because -- what if they`re tried separately?

SANCHEZ: Well, you know, something, they may need to cut a deal with the defendants to possibly have them testify against her.

GRACE: Hold on. Wait a minute. If they`re tried separately, then you have no interlocking statements --

SANCHEZ: I disagree with that, Nancy. If they`re tried separately, you can`t take the statement from one defendant and simply introduce that in trial against the other defendant. Because that means the defendant at trial does not have the opportunity of cross-examination. So I think you`re wrong about that.

GRACE: Well, why don`t you bring the co-defendant in a trial, Alex Sanchez, and give him the opportunity for cross examination?

SANCHEZ: Right, but they will have to.

GRACE: . There are at least 25 exceptions to the hearsay rule.

SANCHEZA: But they will have to cut a deal with that co-defendant. And that deal will probably be no death penalty.

GRACE: Let`s go back to Teresa Arena with KILF Radio. Do we know so far which of the young co-defendants have given statements?

ARENA: I believe that they have all given statements at some point after the incident happened last weekend.

GRACE: Ore they blaming each other or do they take blame themselves?

ARENA: Some of them are taking blame. They have all admitted a certain role in all of it.

GRACE: Out to the lines. Laura in Massachusetts, hi, Laura.

CALLER: Hi, Nancy, how are you?

GRACE: I`m fine and thank you for asking. What`s your question, dear?

CALLER: Well my question is, the boyfriend, does he have a violent past? Do the parents know that he was violent? What kind of a record does he have? Because a murder like this isn`t random, you wouldn`t think.

GRACE: Well, we know it`s not random because we know he targeted the girlfriend`s parents. I know what you mean -- you mean you don`t suddenly commit a murder without graduating. Certainly there`s a shoplifting or a car theft somewhere in the background I think is the question. Daniel Walker with the "Herald Banner," what do we know about this 19-year-old?

WALKER: We know that he was actually considered a good student at the high school. One of the senior classmates with him said that he was a good kid, but he had a habit of wearing his cowboy at -- being a little rebellious in class.

GRACE: The last I looked, there`s nothing wrong with a cowboy at or cowboy boots, but I certainly hope not or I`ll be convicted. But it`s my understanding from what classmates and others said was that he was a troublemaker and basically, and I`m quoting a smart aleck. Do you know about that?

WALKER: I haven`t heard that.

CALLER: Teresa, have you heard, does this guy have a background?

ARENA: I`ve never heard about any of his background, but I have heard that he was very argumentative. He mentioned the cowboy hat incident. And one of the classmates said that would be enough to get him into an argument over to whether or not he should take it off.

GRACE: Quick trigger. Lillian Glass, psychologist and author of "I Know What You`re Thinking". Dr. Glass, I`ve got a problem. I had left a sign on my door earlier today that says the twins are asleep. When I started reading about this case, I realized just how dangerous the world can be. And I immediately called home and reminded them to take the sign off the door because -- your own -- in this case your own daughter, but these other three teens just tromp into the home.

DR. LILLIAN GLASS, PSYCHOLOGIST: It is so frightening. It`s bone- chilling when you really digest what happened and when you look at this boy who is belligerent and who does have this trigger temper.

And in fact, one of the fellow students reported that he had gotten upset because his -- the father of this girl had done something with his MySpace page. He had tampered with the MySpace page. So he had a personal vendetta against the father, evidently.

And when you look at what has happened, it`s just -- it`s just unbelievable. What`s going to happen with this little girl when she finally gets the reality of what happened, that her father severely injured, that her mother is no longer alive that her two brothers are no longer alive, it`s just going to be just unbelievably devastating.

GRACE: Out to the lines. Amanda in Oregon. Hi, Amanda.

CALLER: Hi, Nancy, thank you for taking my call.

GRACE: Yes, ma`am.

CALLER: I want to know if any of the three teens charged had previous records of incidents where they had a record of some kind?

GRACE: As of right now, we don`t know of a record and if there had been one on a 16-year-old, we wouldn`t know about it. Juvenile records are kept secret. We`ll be right back. We`re taking your calls live.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Three individuals are now in custody and one juvenile is being held at the Hunt County Juvenile Facility. And all are charged with three counts of capital murder. They are identified as Charlie James Wilkinson, Charles Allen Waid and Bobbie Gale Johnson, a 16- year-old white female juvenile family member of the deceased.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DISPATCHER: Sir, I have to ask you these questions. OK, they`re in route. Is there any serious bleeding?

CALLER: Yes, he`s bleeding.

DISPATCHER: OK. Is he completely awake?

CALLER: Yes, he`s awake.

DISPATCHER: What part of the body was he injured?

CALLER: I don`t know. I don`t know, but I`ve got to go.

DISPATCHER: Sir, I need to know where he was shot.

CALLER: What?

DISPATCHER: I need to know where he was shot at.

CALLER: I don`t know.

DISPATCHER: He`s right there. And you don`t know where he was shot?

CALLER: Yes.

DISPATCHER: Where is he bleeding?

CALLER: He`s bloody all over.

DISPATCHER: He`s bloody all over?

CALLER: Yes.

DISPATCHER: OK. Dou know what he was shot with?

CALLER: No.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GRACE: What is with these 911 operators? The man is lying there dying. I`m going to go back to Daniel Walker with the "Herald Banner," the editor there in Greenville, Texas.

Daniel, was this the neighbor? I know the dad crawled after sustaining gun shot wounds, one to the head -- crawled the length of three football fields to get help. Did he think his 16-year-old daughter was still in the home?

WALKER: I`m not sure that he was aware that it was his daughter that did it. From what we understand, he`s the one that recognized the shooter and turned him in and that`s what led to the arrest of the other three individuals.

GRACE: Daniel, we are looking at the remains of the home, I presume. Was the home -- it is. The home was then burned down?

WALKER: It was totally burned down, yes.

GRACE: Holy moly, what about the bodies of the three victims?

WALKER: From what the autopsy report that we have is, one of the boys, the 8-year-old actually died from smoke inhalation.

GRACE: So that boy suffered and died of smoke inhalation after being attacked?

WALKER: Yes.

GRACE: OK. I know there are a lot of anti-death penalty proponents out there, but if this is not a death penalty case, then I don`t know what would be. Daniel Walker, has it already gone to the prosecutors` office?

WALKER: All of the cases went before judges today. The three adults were remaining in custody on $500,000 bond each. For the girl, the 16- year-old girl, she appeared before a justice of the peace today.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

GRACE: We have breaking news just in. Six people, we are told, have been killed, three of those children -- in a shooting just minutes ago in the Memphis, Tennessee area, the Binghamton neighborhood. Police say they initially responded to a suspicious call at the location of the shooting. Someone called police there, six dead, others injured, three of the victims are children. We`ll keep you updated as we get information in. The Binghamton neighborhood of Memphis, Tennessee.

Out to the lines on the other story. Rachel in Pennsylvania. Hi, Rachel.

CALLER: Hi, Nancy. I love your show, I think you`re amazing.

GRACE: Thank you, what`s your question, dear?

CALLER: My question is, if the dad survives and remembers, will he be set to testify against his own daughter?

GRACE: I would say likely, yes. What about it, Alex? Alex Sanchez, I think you`re with me.

SANCHEZ: He can, definitely, come before a court and if he has the ability to remember, he can go to court and he can testify. It would be very unfortunate for him to testify against his own daughter, but he can testify.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED 911 DISPATCHER: Sir, I have to ask you these questions. Is there any serious bleeding?

UNIDENTIFIED CALLER: Yes, he`s bleeding.

UNIDENTIFIED 911 DISPATCHER: OK. Is he completely awake?

UNIDENTIFIED CALLER: Yes, he`s awake.

UNIDENTIFIED 911 DISPATCHER: OK. What part of the body was injured?

UNIDENTIFIED CALLER: I don`t know, I don`t know, but I`ve got to go.

UNIDENTIFIED 911 DISPATCHER: Sir, I need to know where he was shot.

UNIDENTIFIED CALLER: What?

UNIDENTIFIED 911 DISPATCHER: I need to know where he was shot at.

UNIDENTIFIED CALLER: I don`t know.

UNIDENTIFIED 911 DISPATCHER: He`s right there, and you don`t know where he was shot?

UNIDENTIFIED CALLER: Yes.

UNIDENTIFIED 911 DISPATCHER: Where is he bleeding?

UNIDENTIFIED CALLER: He`s bloody all over.

UNIDENTIFIED 911 DISPATCHER: He`s bloody all over?

UNIDENTIFIED CALLER: Yes.

UNIDENTIFIED 911 DISPATCHER: OK. Do you know what he was shot with?

UNIDENTIFIED CALLER: No.

UNIDENTIFIED 911 DISPATCHER: Is there more than one wound?

UNIDENTIFIED CALLER: I don`t know.

UNIDENTIFIED 911 DISPATCHER: All right, sir.

UNIDENTIFIED CALLER: Jesus, this is hell, you know.

UNIDENTIFIED 911 DISPATCHER: I need you to look and check so we can help him, OK?

UNIDENTIFIED CALLER: Helen, get him a towel.

UNIDENTIFIED 911 DISPATCHER: Hello? Hello?

UNIDENTIFIED 911 DISPATCHER: This is county.

UNIDENTIFIED 911 DISPATCHER: Did they hang up?

UNIDENTIFIED 911 DISPATCHER: Yes, ma`am.

UNIDENTIFIED 911 DISPATCHER: You got officer in route?

UNIDENTIFIED 911 DISPATCHER: Yes, ma`am.

UNIDENTIFIED 911 DISPATCHER: Did you get anymore information out of him than that?

UNIDENTIFIED 911 DISPATCHER: No, I just connected him right over as soon as he said there was a gun shot.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GRACE: How many times does she have to ask him how many wounds? Where was he shot?

Out to Donald Schweitzer, former detective in Santa Ana. Why all of these (INAUDIBLE) questions by the 911 operator? The man is lying in the floor dying. Don`t you think the caller would like to render aid?

DONALD SCHWEITZER, FMR. DETECTIVE SANTA ANA P.D.: Nancy, unfortunately, because of the change in law, dispatchers are trained to try to gather more and more evidence because those 911 tapes are more and more important in court. I agree with you, though, that she should have been concerned about that guy`s recovery or safety and should have been trying to help him -- help the victim.

GRACE: And an attitude, an attitude to boot.

SCHWEITZER: Yes.

GRACE: You mean he`s right there and you can`t tell where he was shot? I would have definitely have hung up on her.

Out to the lines, Brandy in Texas. Hi, Brandy.

BRANDY, FROM TEXAS: Hi, Nancy, how are you?

GRACE: I`m good, dear. What`s your question?

BRANDY: Well, it`s more of a concern than it is a question.

GRACE: OK.

BRANDY: When this father gets out of the hospital, what`s going to happen to him?

GRACE: Well, he won`t have a home, he won`t have a family.

To Terese Arena with KLIF Radio, does the father even know yet that his 16-year-old daughter allegedly master minded the murder of the whole family?

TERESE ARENA, NEWS DIRECTOR, KLIF RADIO: I don`t know if he knows or not, but he did identify the boyfriend standing in the bedroom that night.

GRACE: And do we know if they have family or relatives in the area? I mean his whole home has been burned down.

ARENA: Don`t know. I know that they had just moved to that community a couple of years ago. So I don`t know if they had any close family nearby or not.

GRACE: Horrible. Horrible.

Now to Dr. Michael Bell, Palm chief -- Palm Beach County chief medical examiner, Dr. Bell, thank you for being with us.

Dr. Bell, have you studied the death of the two little boys? You know one died of smoke inhalation. They were stabbed to death.

DR. MICHAEL BELL, M.D., PALM BEACH CO. CHIEF MEDICAL EXAMINER: Yes, one of the children was stabbed and also sucked in soot or smoke and died from that, as well.

GRACE: That would have been an extremely painful death. Tell me, doctor, how long would it take someone to die of smoke inhalation death.

BELL: Actually, it wouldn`t take very long because smoke is mostly carbon monoxide. And that.

GRACE: So how long?

BELL: When -- in high concentration is extremely lethal.

GRACE: So how long?

BELL: A few minutes, probably less.

GRACE: OK, a few minutes two or a few minutes 15? How many minutes are you talking about?

BELL: More like two.

GRACE: So after this kid gets stabbed, he lays there and suffers for two minutes breathing in smoke as his home burns around him, an 8-year-old and a 13-year-old.

OK. Out to Harry in New York. Hi, Harry.

HARRY, FROM NEW YORK: Hi, Nancy.

GRACE: Hi, dear. What`s your question?

HARRY: I first have to say I love you to death.

GRACE: Harry, thank you. You need to tell that to the defense bar. I don`t think they agree with you. But what`s your question, dear?

HARRY: OK, my question is: can they make a case even if the father says he just can`t handle it and he can`t testify? Will they still be able to like prosecute and convict these kids?

GRACE: OK. Let`s unleash the lawyers, Susan Moss, Jeff Brown, Alex Sanchez.

Clearly, Jeff Brown, the statements can show course of conduct, which is an exception to the hearsay rule. There are many others.

JEFF BROWN, DEFENSE ATTORNEY: Yes, co-conspirator.

GRACE: Also the defendants have given statements in their own trials will likely come in. So we don`t necessarily need the father`s testimony.

J. BROWN: No, you`re not going to need the father`s testimony. And we do have co-conspirator statements. So any of these statements that are made while they`re planning it -- and they use to execute the murder, one defendant can testify about all of those and the other statements said the other co-defendant made. So I think they`re going to have enough evidence.

Again the question is going to be: is this a death case? Certainly looks that way now.

GRACE: Well, with three dead bodies and one attempted murder and maiming, I think you`re absolutely right.

J. BROWN: Sure.

GRACE: We`ll be back with the lawyers and taking your calls.

But let`s switch to a different story. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: News now, the two soldiers have been killed, a third arrested for murdering them and kidnapping their baby.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The couple was found shot to death in their home. This was Sunday night. When police got to the house, the couple`s 7-month-old girl was missing. The baby was eventually found not hurt -- with the suspect is where she was found. The suspect is a 22-year-old woman who`s now charged with kidnapping and murder.

The couple were both army medics and in early to mid 20s. The cops don`t know how the woman accused of killing them actually knew them.

The baby is now on protective custody.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GRACE: The only good news in this story is the 7-month-old baby girl is alive.

Out to Eben Brown, reporter with Metro Networks, joining us in Tampa.

Eben, how does this fit into a deadly love triangle? Explain to me the possible motive.

EBEN BROWN, REPORTER, METRO NETWORKS: Well, that`s just -- that`s just it, investigators are looking into some sort of connection that the mother and wife that was killed, Randy Miller, may have been involved with the accused, or should I say, the suspect`s ex-boyfriend? The suspect`s name is Ivette -- or Davila, and they`re not quite sure what that connection is, but there may have been some sort of connection that brought these three people together and eventually ended in the killing of this man and wife.

GRACE: And the little girl being taken from the home, the 7-month-old baby girl.

To Detective Ed Troyer, with the Pierce County Sheriff`s Department.

Detective, what did you find when your people went to the scene?

DETECTIVE ED TROYER, PIERCE CO. SHERIFF`S DEPT.: When we got there, we discovered that we had both the victims had been shot multiple times and it was obviously a crime scene where there wasn`t a struggle. They`re both basically executed. Came in there, probably weren`t expecting it. So we knew right away it was probably someone they trusted, which is starting to match up with everything else we`ve learned.

GRACE: Detective Ed Troyer with us along with Eben Brown.

Detective, it`s incredible to me that this woman, the suspect in the case, Ivette Gonzales Davila, age 22, an army active duty soldier, allegedly confessed to another soldier and then went to Home Depot to buy acid. I mean Home Depot is covered in surveillance cameras.

TROYER: Yes, we do have that video. And we are definitely aware that she went and did that and got some acid, came back and poured it on them in the bathtub. I think.

GRACE: Why?

TROYER: Well, we`re thinking.

GRACE: Why pour acid on dead bodies?

TROYER: Well, probably from watching too many movies thinking that they`re going to be dissolved and washed down the drain. It was an attempt to cover-up the crime scene and she dumped some previous cleaning and changing of the scene to cover her tracks.

GRACE: Did she -- Detective, did she go to the Home Depot to buy acid with the 7-month-old baby girl?

TROYER: We don`t know that. That`s still being looked at. But we do know that she did take the 7-month-old baby and took the baby on post. And luckily we have another soldier that`s not tied in with these people in anyway, is totally a third party, independent person, that was able to supply information which led to getting her into custody and the discovery of the bodies.

GRACE: Detective, what do you know about possible motive?

TROYER: Well, at this point, like your reporter said, the only thing we have going is that the two females were acquaintances. And we have some information that our victim may have been a one-time boyfriend of her current boyfriend. And we don`t know what led up to that or whether there`s an argument or some sort of a dislike came recently to each other because we don`t -- she`s not talking and we`re currently looking at that angle as well as others.

GRACE: Is she in custody?

TROYER: Yes, she`s in custody. She`s in court today. She`ll be making arraignment appearance on Wednesday. And we`re working with the military to determine who`s going to handle this case, whether it`s going to be done in state court or in a military court.

GRACE: When we come back, a 3-year-old toddler girl raced to children`s hospital with multiple injuries and drunk. Nearly two times the legal limit. Who would physically abuse the baby and then force feed the toddler alcohol?

Tonight APB on a special moms and dads. If you know one who`s an inspiration, get your camcorder, go to CNN.com/Nancygrace, click on i- Report and enter that parent in the "Extraordinary Parent Contest."

And tonight, the twins and I want to thank you again for your prayers and well wishes. These are new photos of Lucy and John David. Major development, Lucy actually fixed her gaze and reached out to grab a toy shooting star. A milestone in baby development.

On the eve of their fourth month birthday, John David now insists on being walked around, sitting upright in my arms in order to take his bottle. We call it touring the city and going out on the town. We look out the windows and he hits town.

I`m going to post these tonight on the Web site. I hope you like them.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It`s kind of scary thinking that, you know, somebody came over and killed two people, you know? Right across the street. It`s definitely in your own backyard. And it scares the thunder out of me.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(NEWSBREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Police in Covington and Elsmere are trying to determine exactly where the girl was force-fed alcohol, so much of it she registered a .15 blood alcohol level, twice the legal limit, and many injuries to her small frame.

An emergency protective order is in effect, the girl and her 4-year- old sister are in the supervised care of other relatives. Investigators believe the older girl may have witnessed some or all of the abuse.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GRACE: Who would physically abuse a little toddler girl and force- feed her to drink alcohol?

Out to Jim Hannah with the "Cincinnati Enquirer," what happened?

JIM HANNAH, REPORTER, CINCINNATI ENQUIRER: Well, apparently, Nancy, the 3-year-old was rushed to the hospital on February 22nd with a broken left arm, two fractures, bleeding on the brain, and bruises all over her body. As they were treating her, they discovered that her blood alcohol level was .15, nearly twice the legal limit for someone to drive in Kentucky and Ohio.

GRACE: Who is behind bars tonight? Jim?

HANNAH: No one.

GRACE: No one?

HANNAH: No one`s behind bars.

GRACE: Why?

HANNAH: They`ve removed.

GRACE: Jim, do they think the little girl took herself to the liquor store and got drunk?

HANNAH: No, they say that she was probably -- it appears that she was force-fed the alcohol because there was bruising around her neck and her lips were cut. They`ve removed custody -- the mother`s lost custody of the 3-year-old and she had a sibling that was 4. They`ve taken both of those children away. So I think police right now just trying to get eyes dotted and the teeth crossed before the children are not in an immediate danger, you know before they bring the charges.

GRACE: Joining us also tonight, Ken Easterling, a special guest. He`s with the Kenton County district attorney`s office. He is the chief prosecutor there.

Mr. Easterling, thank you for being with us. I know that no one has been officially charged. What charges are being considered?

KEN EASTERLING, KENTON CO. CHIEF PROSECUTOR: Well, Nancy, there are a whole host of charges. As Jim had indicated, we have two cases going on. One is a child protection case where we have removed the child and make sure that that child is in protective custody.

The second one, obviously, as we have several things that we`re looking at, certainly felony assaults, child endangerment and some assaultive behavior. We`re still putting together the pieces of what specifically happened to this child. We have removed this child`s sibling. And we`ve removed children from another house that the child was in just a few hours before she was admitted to our local hospital.

GRACE: Is the eye damage to the child, the 3-year-old, from shaken baby syndrome?

EASTERLING: Well, I`m not so sure -- the pediatricians aren`t calling it shaken baby syndrome yet. We do have some bleeding on the brain, which traditionally comes with shaking. What sticks out to me is we have bruising around the neck, scratching on both sides of the neck, bruising on the shoulders, and then significant cuts to both lips. As Jim indicated, it looks like this child certainly was force-fed alcohol.

GRACE: We`re going to show you what we mean by shaken baby syndrome.

Clark, use the baby.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So what happens is it`s crying. It doesn`t take much force.

GRACE: And when the light turns on -- this is the baby used for educational purposes. When the light turns on, you have achieved brain damage, shaken baby syndrome.

And to Dr. Michael Bell, explain what that is briefly.

BELL: Shaken baby syndrome usually involves infants, children under one year of age, in which they are forcibly shake -- shaken until they bleed within their brain and also bleed within their eyes.

GRACE: Doctor, would the bleeding to the brain be absorbed by the body? Can the baby overcome that?

BELL: Yes.

GRACE: Let me ask you about the eye damage. And I may be projecting, because we don`t know quite enough about the injuries. But when you shake the baby as you just saw Clark, I was unintentionally shaking, the head goes back and forth or backwards and forwards and the eyeballs go back and forth and you get hemorrhaged (INAUDIBLE) -- eye damage from shaken baby. Correct? Yes or no, Dr. Bell?

BELL: It`s a little bit more complex than that.

GRACE: Yes.

BELL: And again, you have to remember, this is a 3-year-old who is considerably larger than an infant. And also a 3-year-old`s neck muscle`s are going to be much more well developed.

GRACE: Yes.

BELL: And less likely the head will shake back and forth unsupported.

GRACE: Out to the lines, Kelly in Georgia. Hi, Kelly. I think I`ve got Kelly in Georgia. Hi, dear, what`s your question?

OK. OK. Tell me when you get Kelly back, Liz.

Let`s go to Sherryl in Canada. Hi, Cheryl.

SHERRYL, FROM CANADA: Hi, Nancy. First of all I`d like to say us Canadians we just love your show and I wish we had someone like you here.

GRACE: Thank you very much. I really appreciate that. What`s your question, dear?

SHERRYL: I`m a mother of four children and a grandmother of two, one of which is a 3-year-old, and I`d just like to know with what`s happened with the administering of alcohol to this child, what penalties do these people face?

GRACE: Well, we`ve got the expert with us in that jurisdiction, Ken Easterling, he is the chief prosecutor in Kenton County.

Mr. Easterling, for force feeding, and yes, I understand the presumption of innocence, but with bruising to the neck and around the mouth and cuts on the lips suggest to me the child was force-fed alcohol. What would be the sentence that goes with that?

EASTERLING: Well, sure, I mean, it`s certainly going to be an assault, probably assault in the second degree, up to 20 years in the state penitentiary. Assault in the first, one of the major assaults depending on what physical injury we actually do determine has happened to this particular child. And then certainly some of the lesser included felonies, which are one to five or five to ten years in the state penitentiary.

GRACE: Dr. Bell, we`ve just got a few seconds left before break. Can a child at this age have any type of an alcohol syndrome from this type of drinking?

BELL: No. The child should recover once she sobers up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Police in Covington and Elsmere are trying to determine exactly where the girl was force-fed alcohol, so much of it she registered a .15 blood alcohol level, twice the legal limit, and many injuries to her small frame. An emergency protective order is in effect. The girl and her 4-year-old sister are in the supervised care of other relatives. Investigators believe the older girl may have witnessed some or all of the abuse.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GRACE: Tonight, nobody behind bars yet.

Out to the lines, Sharell in Alabama. Hi, dear. What`s your question?

SHARELL, FROM ALABAMA: How are you doing? I love, I love your show. I watch you all the time.

GRACE: Thank you, dear.

SHARELL: And congratulations on your twins, also.

GRACE: It was a blessing.

SHARELL: OK, I have a 7-month-old child.

GRACE: OK.

SHARELL: And it breaks my heart to know that they are doing these things to these kids. And my question was: is there any sign that led up to this?

GRACE: Like previous to these?

Jim Hannah with the "Cincinnati Enquirer," were there any other calls to de fact before this?

HANNAH: The authorities said that they`re not willing to release yet if there are other.

GRACE: Oh that sounds like a big fat yes to me otherwise they`d just say no. So why do they have to think about their answer?

Let`s unleash the lawyers, Susan Moss, Jeff Brown, Alex Sanchez.

Susan Moss, everybody`s pointing the finger at each other. What`s going to happen?

SUSAN MOSS, CHILD ADVOCATE, FAMILY LAW ATTORNEY: Nobody should get custody of these kids. And I`ll you something about mom, she should lose custody of herself and go to jail.

GRACE: Very quickly, Alex Sanchez?

ALEX SANCHEZ, DEFENSE ATTORNEY: Well, this is one of the pitfalls that all prosecutors must face. When they have a case and they don`t have enough proper evidence, and all parties are pointing fingers at each other, they may end up not arresting everybody.

GRACE: Try them altogether, is that possible, Jeff Brown?

J. BROWN: Yes, you could try them all together just as long as you don`t use the statements of one against the other.

GRACE: Very quickly let`s stop and remember Army Private First Class Steve Lloyd, 26, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, killed, Iraq. Loved Green Bay Packers, movies, video games, dreamed of proposing to his girlfriend when he got home. Leaves behind parents Gary and Cynthia, four brothers including one who served in Iraq, and two sisters.

Keith Lloyd, American hero.

Thanks to our guests, but most of all to you for being with us.

And tonight a special goodbye and a wave home from friends of the show, from Atlanta, Linda and her son Reid, the student body president.

Everyone, I`ll see you tomorrow night 8:00 sharp Eastern, and until then, good night, friend.

END