Return to Transcripts main page
Nancy Grace
Psychologist Murdered by Former Patient/Khloe Kardashian Sued; Teen Vanishes Driving to Church; Police Shots Family Pet Dog; Drunk Teen Kills Four, Walks Free. Aired 8-9p ET
Aired October 22, 2015 - 20:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
NANCY GRACE, HLN HOST: Breaking news now. Live to Hockessin, a gorgeous young psychologist stabbed dead 4:00 AM in her own home. Bombshell right
now. Police follow the trail of Christopher Frick, a man Dr. Caroline Ekong allegedly commits to a mental institution three years ago. Well,
needless to say, he is out walking free when she is stabbed dead.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: A beautiful psychiatrist, found dead in her home by her daughter, apparently suffered a violent death, the victim of multiple stab
wounds. Police begin to focus on a young man she allegedly had committed to a psychiatric facility.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GRACE: And live. As reality star of E`s "Keeping up With the Kardashians," Khloe Kardashian, withdraws divorce papers to (INAUDIBLE)
husband Lamar Odom to (INAUDIBLE) after he`s found frothing at the mouth in a coma, lying prone in a brothel, now Kardashian slapped with accusations
she throws a million-dollar party with massive (ph) fireworks (INAUDIBLE) that wreaks emotional havoc on neighbors and their dog?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Khloe Kardashian is now the target of a small claims lawsuit from California residents upset over a midnight fireworks display,
all this as Kardashian and her estranged husband, Lamar Odom, put a halt to their divorce following his life-threatening collapse in a Nevada brothel.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I`m really on high alert for Lamar because, I mean, anything, I think, will set him to spiral.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GRACE: That`s E`s "Keeping up With the Kardashians" and Twitter, Go Bruins 27 (ph).
And live, Dallas, teen girl Zoe (ph) vanishes en route to church, broad daylight. But then Zoe is found murdered inside her family`s white
minivan. As we go to air, a stunning new development. Did she give a ride to a mystery man?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Dallas police revealed today that a witness saw the teenager exchanging words with a man during a trip to this Red Box before
he got into the driver`s seat of her white minivan.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I hope they find out who did this.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GRACE: Live, Florida City (ph), the horrifying moment a Florida cop shoots a beloved family pet, Duchess (ph) the dog, in front of her owner on a,
quote, "routine house check." Was the cop in fear for his life? You decide. We have the video.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The Florida City officer approaches the front door and knocks. When it is opened slightly, 2-year-old Duchess runs out, and the
officer opens fire three times.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I could feel the blood rushing through my fingers.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GRACE: And live, Texas suburbs. A rich kid gets drunk and high on weed and Xanax at Mommy and Daddy`s second home, then mows down four people dead
in his pricey red truck, leaving two more paralyzed forever.
After getting straight probation for killing four people, disturbing twist. We obtain stunning videos revealing details of the killer crash, how the
mom never once disciplined him or jerked that silver spoon straight out of his mouth. And we learn that while the families still mourn the fiery
deaths of their children, we uncover the perp`s new life, how he walks free from rehab.
Good evening. I`m Nancy Grace. I want to thank you for being with us.
Bombshell tonight. Live, a gorgeous young psychologist stabbed dead, 4:00 AM in her own home. Police follow the trail of Christopher Frick, a man
Dr. Caroline Ekong allegedly commits to a mental institution three years ago. Well, needless to say, he is out walking free when she is stabbed
dead.
Now, let`s talk about her treating him, allegedly, three years ago. We have obtained what we believe is a letter this guy writes to the editor of
"The News Journal." Let`s you put up those tears, Liz, of the letter he writes to "The News Journal."
This is her home, the scene of the stabbing. Now, let`s go slowly so we can read this. "Do not be fooled. This place" -- the psychiatric
institute -- "is simply a prison. The staff framed me as suicidal, as well as everyone else I saw the night I was, quote, `evaluated.` The
commonplace involuntary commitment at Rockford Center is prominent because it is owned for the for-profit company Universal Health Services. The
person who imprisoned me was Caroline Ekong, whose ego is so large, she would never be able to admit she was doing wrong."
[20:05:10]This is the lady psychologist. This is the woman we believe evaluated this guy, Christopher Frick, and had him committed to the
Rockford Institute. That was three years ago.
To Xerxes Wilson, reporter with "The News Journal." She is stabbed dead, 4:00 AM in the morning. Now, when I take a look at that house, that house
screams out, I`m expensive, and I have a home alarm system. We don`t have any evidence of forced entry. We don`t have any evidence of a sex assault
or of a theft.
So Xerxes Wilson, why was this guy out walking around, Christopher Frick, when she is stabbed? Why is he out?
XERXES WILSON, "NEWS JOURNAL" (via telephone): Well, it`s my understanding he`s not out. He was arrested, and the last we heard, that he -- he was...
GRACE: Well, hold on. Wait a minute. Let me clarify this. Stacey Newman, at the time Caroline Ekong was stabbed dead, Christopher Frick was,
in fact, no longer in confinement.
STACEY NEWMAN, NANCY GRACE PRODUCER: Yes, that`s right. He was completely out. And the last time he claims she evaluated him was at least two or
three years ago, and police say he was plotting this for a year.
GRACE: Oh, my stars! Back to Xerxes Wilson with "The News Journal." We were just reading excerpts of this letter we believe he sends to "The News
Journal." Of course, I wasn`t there at the time he wrote it, but it`s signed by him. It details his experience at the Rockford Institute, where
he basically said he was falsely imprisoned and that it`s all this shrink`s fault, this young woman. Now she`s stabbed dead?
When he wrote "The News Journal," Xerxes Wilson, what did he say?
WILSON: In that letter to -- basically, a letter to our editorial department, he kind of suggested there that he was involuntarily committed
to the Rockford Center, which is a local mental health institution, in- patient institution here in Delaware. And he derided, kind of, the practices that he perceived had him committed to the center, and basically
said that it was due to the center`s for-profit business model.
GRACE: With me from "The News Journal" is Xerxes Wilson. Also with me, special guest, Colonel E.M. Settings of the New Castle County police
department.
Colonel, thank you so much for with being us.
COL. E.M. SETTINGS, NEW CASTLE CO. POLICE DEPARTMENT (via telephone): My pleasure.
GRACE: This is -- yes, sir. This is a real blow to the community and to all professionals. I mean, what we have to do first is authenticate this
letter to "The News Journal." "Authenticate" means legitimize, show that it really was from him. That should be easy enough to do.
But from what you could tell, Colonel Settings, was there a forced entry? Was there a sex assault or a theft in that home?
SETTINGS: No, there was no evidence of a sex assault, or there was no evidence of any theft. It was -- he is in a -- in legal, you know, police
opinion, he was an emotionally disturbed person who was infatuated with his encounter with the doctor and could not and would not let it go.
GRACE: You know, that`s -- you know, Colonel Settings -- everybody, Colonel E.M. Settings is joining us today, and he can`t not comment fully.
We know he doesn`t want to jeopardize the investigation. But he is telling us what he can. He`s New Castle County Police Department colonel.
You know, what`s interesting, though, Stacey Newman, is that this happened three years ago. What can you tell me, Stacey, about a journal, not "The
News Journal," the newspaper that he wrote to, but his own notes, we believe his own notes that he posted some of it on line, we think?
NEWMAN: Well, on top of the things he posted on line, complaining about this -- what he called the prison, this psychiatric facility, police also
found evidence in the home, journals, letters, entries that they say link evidence to why he wanted to kill the shrink.
GRACE: In this, he says, "Roughly two years ago, my parents took me to Rockford Center for an evaluation. I had no idea the psychs would
involuntarily commit me, someone whom they deemed to be a danger to themselves and others. There`s a major problem with this. They justify
involuntary commitment for anyone who walks through the doors. It`s for profit! I was framed, as everyone else I saw that night evaluated. Also,
they take actions to dodge the courtroom. People who are initially voicing rejections to being taken to the hospital are given an option to sign
involuntarily to have more privileges. They violate human rights."
[20:10:18]All of this he posted on line. You know, Colonel E.M. Settings, you believe -- I think you do -- you say that he was obsessed with this
doctor ever since she had him committed?
SETTINGS: Yes.
GRACE: Why do you think that? What about her obsessed him? Was he angry with her for committing him or what?
SETTINGS: I mean, the evidence in the case, you know, is clearly protected. But if you were to fly over at a thousand feet versus a
hundred, when you look at all of the evidence in this case, I mean, it`s a textbook infatuation case.
I mean, you know, some people, when you say that, they think that`s romantic in nature or -- but it doesn`t have to be. You`re dealing with
somebody who happens to be emotionally disturbed, and he`s -- you know, he`s fascinated by, you know, her decision. And he believes he`s wronged,
and he can`t let it go. He doesn`t possess the ability to let it go. And the evidence in this case is indicative of that.
GRACE: No sex attack, no theft. Joining me right now, another special guest, in addition to the Colonel, E.M. Settings, is Andrea Miller, friend,
former neighbor of the victim.
Ms. Miller, thank you for being with us.
ANDREA MILLER, FORMER NEIGHBOR (via telephone): Thanks for having me.
GRACE: This is just stunning to everyone in the medical field, the field of psychiatry, psychology, even lawyers, when you deal with a client, then
three years later, you find out he`s been obsessed with you ever since. He blamed her for going to Rockford Center, all right? Three years later,
police now honing in on him believe, he tracked her down and stabbed her dead in the middle of the night.
What can you tell us about Caroline?
MILLER: Well, Caroline and I were neighbors. I lived a couple doors down from her, and our kids went to school together, and that`s how we got to
know each other. This was in the late `90s to the mid-2000s.
And her daughter and my daughter got to be good after-school and weekend friends. They were in different grades, but they enjoyed each other`s
company. And what I can say about her is when I`d come over and have a glass of wine and talk while the kids played, she was a happy, confident,
competent woman, a strong woman who was just a pleasure to be around. She was a forthright person. She knew her mind...
GRACE: You know, it`s interesting, something you said, Andrea. You said that your -- your daughters were friends. Her daughter actually found her
dead body.
Unleash the lawyers. Robin Ficker, defense attorney, D.C., Robert Schalk, defense attorney out of New York.
OK, Robin Ficker, he was obsessed with this woman. He blames her for him having to go to the Rockford Center three years ago. He has kept a journal
about how much he hated her, that it was all her fault. He posted it on line. He even wrote "The News Journal" about how awful she was and it`s
her fault he had to go and be imprisoned in a psychiatric institute, three years later tracks her down and kills her.
Give me your best defense.
ROBIN FICKER, DEFENSE ATTORNEY: Well, if he was needed to be in a psychiatric center three years ago, he certainly needs to be there now, if,
indeed, he killed her, because there`s something wrong. We don`t know how long he was in this psychiatric center.
GRACE: Called revenge.
FICKER: We haven`t -- we don`t know why he was treated, why he was released...
GRACE: Revenge.
FICKER: ... whether he kept a journal there or not.
GRACE: Well, you know, Robert Schalk, what it boils down to is cold- blooded revenge. He planned it for three years. It`s in his journal, according to police.
ROBERT SCHALK, DEFENSE ATTORNEY: You can say about the journal all you want, but what we need to find out, and it won`t come out through the trial
or through the discovery because it`s protected by HIPAA, is what was he at the institution for? What type of treatment was he -- medications...
GRACE: OK. You know what? That`s a good point, Robert Schalk and Robin Ficker.
Let`s go to Dr. Bethany Marshall, psychoanalyst, author of "Dealbreakers." You know, Bethany, another thing is she would sometimes see patients in her
home, and it was listed, that address was listed.
BETHANY MARSHALL PSYCHOANALYST: Right.
GRACE: All he had to do was Google her, boom, there he was, 4:00 AM.
MARSHALL: The fact that she saw patients in her home means she was enormously vulnerable. But let`s keep in mind he was hospitalized because
he was either homicidal or suicidal. So he was already psychiatrically challenged.
[20:15:02]GRACE: Three years ago.
MARSHALL: She probably -- but I think what happened is she probably forced him or encouraged him to own the fact that he had psychiatric issues. And
you`re right. He was vengeful after that.
And Nancy, look at his face. Do you see all of those little pockmarks all over his face? To me, that sort of speaks of not only psychiatric issue,
but a drug addiction. And I think the fact is, he was probably quite paranoid and angry, and she was in the wrong pace at the wrong time in he
incorporated her into his paranoid stance.
And who knows what happened after the hospitalization. Maybe his parents or other people forced him to take responsibility. And...
GRACE: Another thing about after he got out -- he got out pretty quickly. For three years, he`s been plotting revenge on her.
Stacey Newman, he is a college student and a math major. He`s analytical. He planned this thing out. He`s not crazy. As he wrote in his own
journals, he had one moment he considered suicide. He was put into this center to be treated. He got out pretty quickly. And he`s been planning
to kill this female doctor ever since.
NEWMAN: Well, it looks that way. And I mean, come on, a mathematics student? You`re very analytical. He parked his car in a parking lot close
to her home before 4:00 in the morning and broke in and attacked her, according to police.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[20:20:28]GRACE: Live, as reality star of "Keeping up With the Kardashians" Khloe Kardashian withdraws divorce papers to nurse husband
Lamar Odom back to health after he is found literally frothing at the mouth, in a coma, prone in a brothel of prostitutes, now Khloe Kardashian
slapped with accusation she throws a million-dollar party with massive fireworks that wreaks emotional havoc on the neighbors and their dog?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Was a California dog freaked out by a fireworks display? That`s what one resident reportedly claims. While this case
heads to small claims court, Kardashian continues to support husband Lamar Odom, who remains hospitalized after being transferred from Las Vegas to
Los Angeles.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (INAUDIBLE) a woman that I`m compatible with.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh, so what does it mean?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That I want to hang out forever. I want to get married right now.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GRACE: Straight out to Chris Spargo, reporter with Dailymail.com.
You`re seeing E`s "Keeping up With the Kardashians."
Chris Spargo, let me understand this. So there`s a lawsuit right now slapped on Khloe Kardashian that she had some kind of a party and had
fireworks that kept the neighbors up and it bothered one of their dogs? All of this happening as she`s bringing Lamar Odom out of the hospital.
Here`s video of the fireworks from Twitter.
OK, I can see how that might cause a little bit of noise. But not only does she have Lamar Odom, she`s retracting her divorce papers. Think,
Khloe. Think. She`s withdrawing her divorce. Now the head of the Love Ranch, the brothel where he was found, is saying he`s going to sue if Lamar
Odom doesn`t fork over $75,000 for all those hookers.
What is happening?
CHRIS SPARGO, DAILYMAIL.COM (via telephone): Yes, Khloe is having a very, you know, difficult few weeks, I would say. And then today, things got a
lot worse.
So this fireworks display -- basically, her boyfriend at the time, James Harden (ph), for his 26th birthday, she rented out a yacht for him on a
Wednesday night, and they went out into the water, and at midnight, she had a giant fireworks display for him.
Now, the residents in Marina Del Rey nearby had no idea, so they woke up and they were scared, and now some of them want to take her to small claims
court. And one man actually has filed a small claims suit against her for $7,500 saying that because of this, his dog is now freaking out all the
time and afraid of loud noises.
GRACE: OK, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait. They heard a loud noise. They look -- you`re seeing video from Kardashian`s Instagram. And they what,
they can`t look out the window and see there`s fireworks?
SPARGO: Exactly.
GRACE: Is that what they`re claiming?
SPARGO: Yes. Exactly. I mean, it`s a small claims thing. It`s foolish. It`s foolish. And now there are all these other people that...
GRACE: Well, I know, but now...
(CROSSTALK)
GRACE: ... now he`s suing for about $10,000, but now all these neighbors in the neighborhood are banding together to sue Khloe Kardashian because
she sets off fireworks late at night.
Here`s E`s "Keeping up With the Kardashians."
So she`s basically going to be facing something like a class action lawsuit from all of these neighbors, Chris Spargo?
SPARGO: I mean, it seems it`s just going to be small claims court. They don`t want to get lawyers involved, allegedly. But so far, none of them
have even really followed through on this. Only one person so far is actually even taking her to court.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
[20:27:39]UNIDENTIFIED MALE: As if she didn`t already have enough problems, Khloe Kardashian is now the target of a small claims lawsuit from
California residents upset over a midnight fireworks display the reality TV star staged. According to press reports, one man has joined the suit
because he claims the noise traumatized his family dog.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What can`t you take?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The fact that when he decides to come around and be friendly, you`re, like, flirting with him.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GRACE: You`re seeing "Keeping up With the Kardashians" from E.
Right now, we are learning in the midst of Khloe Kardashian withdrawing her divorce papers with Lamar Odom -- this after he is found in a coma in a
brothel -- she`s nursing him back to health, she`s slapped with more accusations that she throws a party with fireworks.
And it bothers -- what, bothers who, Chris Spargo, all of her rich neighbors?
SPARGO: Yes, just these people that on the water are saying they had a problem with it because it was too loud on this Wednesday night. But all
the right people were notified. Law enforcement was notified. So there`s not really any issue here. The DA isn`t even going to press charges.
GRACE: That`s video from the Kardashians` Instagram.
Unleash the lawyers, Robin Ficker, Robert Schalk. Also with me out of LA, Bethany Marshall.
You know, Robin, I think what this is, is that people believe the Kardashians feel entitled to do whatever they want to do.
Do we have Robin Ficker and Robert Schalk?
And they`re angry that they used these fireworks. Well, you know what? If it had been anybody else but them, I bet no one would be complaining,
Ficker.
FICKER: I would call in Cesar (ph) the dog whisperer as an expert witness to claim that the dog`s neurosis was not caused by the fireworks, but
rather, something else.
And I`m wondering if Khloe didn`t pay some neighbors to sue her to pump up ratings for her TV show.
GRACE: You know, hey, don`t kick a girl when she`s down, Ficker, all right? She`s got her hands full taking back Lamar Odom, all right, which
is neither here nor there in this lawsuit.
Robert Schalk, I mean, how are they going to show their dog has emotional trauma? What, put it on the stand?
SCHALK: Exactly.
GRACE: This is such LA BS.
SCHALK: Frivolous.
GRACE: Completely frivolous.
[20:30:00] And frankly, really, when you said the word "frivolous," I really think she ought to get her lawyers who are probably on standby,
24/7, 365, she ought to get her lawyers to file a frivolous lawsuit against him for this.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Right.
GRACE: They claim they got all the permits, I understand.
Michael Christian, didn`t they get all the permits they needed? That`s a yes-no, Michael.
MICHAEL CHRISTIAN, NANCY GRACE PRODUCER: Khloe says that they did, yes.
GRACE: OK. That`s a yes, Michael. But thank you. Khloe says yes. All right. Now Khloe is not the permit officer. I get it. But if they had
all their permits, I really think they ought to counter sue for frivolous lawsuit, Robert Schalk.
SCHALK: Yes. They definitely would have a leg to stand on. Surprisingly, I`m agreeing with the Kardashian clan here. But, you know, they cannot
prove any damages to a dog. I don`t care what they try --
GRACE: Well, I heard what you just said. It is a Kardashian clan. I never thought I`d be in a position of having to defend the Kardashians.
But long story short -- you`re seeing "Keeping with the Kardashians." Why should they be treated any differently? I think people are irritated with
them. That they feel entitled. You know, I think what they are really mad about is they`re the ones running to the bank with all the money. And not
the neighbors.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[20:35:39] GRACE: Live, Dallas. Teen girl Zoe vanishes en route to church, broad daylight. But then Zoe is found murdered inside her family`s
white minivan.
As we go to air right now, stunning new development. Did Zoe give a ride to a mystery man?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: The death of 18-year-old Zoe Hastings.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And if you have images of a white van, contact us.
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: That van crashed into this speed limit sign about a half mile south. But from this accident scene which the minivan was able
to drive away from, the trail goes cold for police.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GRACE: What happened to Zoe? Because the white minivan was found down kind of a ravine and a gully. But when police get there, they say that
they -- after one look, it`s a homicide. How did they know, just by looking at her body, that she didn`t crash down into that ravine? Why was
the car -- was the car crashed down the ravine to cover up a murder?
With me right now, senior news anchor with "The Blaze," Robyn Walensky.
Robyn, now we`re hearing about a new twist. Did she pick up and give a ride to a mystery man? And what do you think about the theory I just
posed, the hypothetical, that the car -- the family minivan was crashed to cover up the murder?
ROBYN WALENSKY, SENIOR NEWS ANCHOR, THE BLAZE: Nancy, there is no doubt that your theory is right on. There is a big new news nugget tonight, and
that is that the Dallas police department has revealed that Zoe Hastings, 18, stops at a local Walgreens, right near her home, on Sunday to return a
movie at 4:30. So the timeline is being revealed.
She stops at Walgreens, she returns the movie. And then she is spotted, an eyewitness has come forward that she sees a woman who meets her physical
description, a blonde 18-year-old, speaking to a black man described as 5`10", 170 pounds, with a bushy afro, this is what the witness says, and
that the two exchanged words outside the drugstore, and then the man got into the driver`s seat and the woman, allegedly Zoe, moved to the passenger
side, no mention, Nancy, though, of any sort of struggle.
GRACE: OK. Matt Zarrell, so much is going on in this case, and we`re trying to solve it.
For everyone just joining us, this girl was on her way to church, broad daylight. Everything was fine. Next thing you know, Zoe is reported
missing. And her family`s white minivan is found at the bottom of a ravine, crashed in a gully, she is dead.
Now next thing we know, Matt, police say, didn`t some guy call 911 or flag people down and then they turn around, the guy is gone?
MATT ZARRELL, NANCY GRACE PRODUCER: Yes, correct. Yes.
GRACE: What more do you know, Matt?
ZARRELL: OK, so we`ve got two mystery men now because one guy, the first mystery man, is the one who flagged down the witness who found the body and
called 911. Now we actually spoke to that person today. And the description of that mystery man is very different from the description of
this mystery man. So we are still trying to work on who this guy was who was seen with Zoe. And more importantly, Nancy, after the trip to
Walgreens, after that police say that this man who was driving the car crashed the minivan into a speed sign about a mile from the Walgreens,
between 4:40 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. that day.
GRACE: With me, Dr. Jennifer Caudle, board certified family physician, assistant professor, Rowan University.
Doctor, thank you for being with us. What can we learn from her injuries, Doctor?
DR. JENNIFER CAUDLE, BOARD CERTIFIED FAMILY PHYSICIAN: Well, so this is a situation where her body and her injuries and the details of the case are
going to tell a lot. You know, physicians are really going to need to take a look, the medical examiner, at her body, take a look at what injuries
were sustained. How wounds look, how deep they were, and all sorts of information like that and put that together with other information gathered
from investigation --
(CROSSTALK)
GRACE: I`ve got a question for you. Dr. Caudle, how can they look at her injuries and determine, was she dead when the car went down the ravine?
Was she killed after the crash?
[20:40:11] I`m trying to determine whether this is all a setup to hide a murder.
CAUDLE: So investigators and medical examiners will be working together, should be working together. It really depends on all the pieces of the
puzzle.
GRACE: Gotcha.
CAUDLE: In order to determine that, they`ve got to look at every element, not only her physical state, they`ve got to look at her body, any wounds,
how it is and how it`s not. And also the time line of the accident, and the car. So really, it`s something that can`t be speculated until all the
information and all the details are gathered.
GRACE: Gotcha. Robyn Walensky, senior news anchor with the "Blaze."
Robyn, let me understand one more thing, the mystery guy that she picked up, did you say in a Walgreens parking lot?
WALENSKY: Correct.
GRACE: All right. She`s on her way to church. She was expected to church, she wanted to go to church. So this wasn`t a case of her doing
anything nefarious. Who is the witness and what was their vantage point?
WALENSKY: Apparently, as I understand it, it is somebody, just a regular person who was, you know, shopping at Walgreens, and when this hit the news
in Dallas, this person apparently came forward and said, I was at Walgreens and I remember seeing a woman talking to this man.
GRACE: OK.
WALENSKY: And the physical description apparently matched up, and bottom line is, is that she saw the white Honda Odyssey and apparently this
witness is extremely credible.
Also interesting, Nancy, another witness along the way -- what Matt Zarrell was mentioning, sees that same man, fitting the same description, driving
the minivan at -- between 4:40 and 5:00. So the timeline is starting to develop here. Police in Dallas asking anyone that lives in the Lake
Highlands area, near White Rock Lake, if they have surveillance footage at their business or house to turn it in.
GRACE: Gotcha. Vincent Hill is with me, former police officer, private investigator and author of "Playbook to a Murder and Incomplete Pass."
Vincent, thanks for being with us.
VINCENT HILL, FORMER POLICE OFFICER: Thanks, Nancy.
GRACE: My first train of thought on the eyewitness, because I`ve seen eyewitnesses shredded on cross-examination. Did she know Zoe? Was she
sure this was Zoe in that Walgreens parking lot? Was the Walgreens along the path to her church she was going to that day. I mean, can I nail down
this witness, got the right person? Was this somebody -- some other blonde getting in a minivan?
HILL: Right.
GRACE: And this guy got in? Because it`s really hard for me to take in somebody she didn`t know, she slides over and they drive.
HILL: Yes.
GRACE: See, that doesn`t make sense to me.
HILL: Absolutely, Nancy. What you don`t want to do is rely on eyewitness testimony only. Because what you want to do, I`m sure there`s a treasure
trove of evidence, DNA evidence --
GRACE: Yes.
HILL: -- outside that van, inside that van. You want to get surveillance footage, you want to match up, hey, was this person actually 5`10" or were
they 6`2". Eyewitness testimony, like you said, can be crippled on a trial. So yes, you definitely want to rely on DNA evidence.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[20:47:24] GRACE: Live, Florida City, and the horrifying moment a Florida cop shoots a beloved family pet, Duchess the dog, in front of her owner on
a, quote, "routine house check."
Was the cop in fear for his life when he guns down Duchess? You decide. We have the video.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The dog came out, he drew his gun and he shot her. Within seconds.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They`re obviously grief-stricken.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GRACE: OK. I want to see the video -- OK. Here we go. Let`s see the video from the beginning. Liz -- oh. Here we go. This is the beginning.
He`s at the door. He`s knocking at the door. A dog comes -- oh. Was the dog wagging its -- dear heaven. That is the mom. Is that the mom that
comes out or the -- oh. Let`s take it from the beginning. OK. Look, there we go. One second, two -- whoa, in two seconds Duchess is dead.
Liz, do we have it -- here comes the family.
Guys, a Florida cop in Florida City goes to a home and this is why he`s there. He is riding around -- you can keep that going, please. I want to
see that in full. He was apparently in the area, and -- it`s 8:00 in the morning. And he sees somebody`s car door opening. They`re getting the
little boy that lives there ready to go to school, and somebody opened up the door to I guess warm the car up and they are about to go outside.
He comes to the door because their car door is open. They open the door, the dog comes to the front door. Two seconds passed, let`s count them.
Watch this. He`s coming to the door. Knocks on the door. There we go. The door is about to open. There you go. Whoa.
Liz, if we have it in slow, let`s see it because I want to see the little dog`s tail is wagging.
OK, Michelle Southern, assistant news director, LRN, what do we know?
MICHELLE SOUTHERN, ASSISTANT NEWS DIRECTOR, LRN: All we know that as you`ve stated, cops saw the door of the car in the driveway of the home
open. So he went to the house because he said he wanted to conduct a welfare check, if you will. Knocked on the door, and when mom came to the
door, the dog Duchess ran out and he suddenly shot her three times in the head killing her instantly.
[20:50:11] GRACE: Guys, graphic photos. Duchess the dog was shot down by a cop that is coming to the door because the car door is open on the street
right in front -- or in the driveway right in front of this house. They`re about to bring out the little boy to put him in the car to take him to
school and this happens. The dog comes with them to the door. The dog gets her nose out, and all of a sudden she`s not on the end.
Matt Zarrell, was the cop afraid for -- OK, is this in slow-mo, Liz? Because it looks like the dog`s tail is wagging. Is it, Matt Zarrell?
ZARRELL: The dog`s owner said is that the officer told her that her dog was charging after him and that Animal Services would then come pick up the
animal afterwards.
GRACE: OK. I didn`t hear that last thing, Matt. What did you hear about animal services?
ZARRELL: Yes. The dog owner said the officer told her that the dog was charging after him and that animal services would come pick up the animal.
GRACE: OK. I`m really torn because when you go to somebody`s house and the dog comes at you, that can be a scary moment for some people, but
Michelle Southern, this is an armed police officer, right?
SOUTHERN: Yes. He was armed, and he discharged his weapon while he was on duty. And one of the things, you know, the cops -- that cops don`t have
the benefit of hindsight. You know, you never know what`s going to happen. And essentially (INAUDIBLE).
GRACE: OK. Unleash the lawyers. Robin Ficker, Robert Schalk.
Let me just tell you, Robin Ficker, it looks like the dog`s little tail is wagging, Duchess the dog?
FICKER: The officer has a split second to make up his mind. What bothers me is that there are 90 million dog owners in the United States, and lots
of cop visits, are we going to see many more instances like this?
GRACE: And Robert Schalk, what do you say?
SCHALK: You know, Nancy, when -- why is it that the homeowner allows the dog to come to the door first? Obviously you don`t know who`s there, but
if the dog is energetic, you know, people are in fear of dogs. You don`t know -- you know, you`re going to an uncertain situation. He opens the
door and the dog the first thing that comes out, he obviously got scared and was in fear. It`s an unfortunate situation.
GRACE: Everybody, right now, another top 10 CNN heroes. Kim Carter turns her life around after over a decade in and out of prison and homelessness,
knowing firsthand the battle for women in similar circumstances to reclaim their lives.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KIM CARTER, CNN HERO: What options does a woman with nothing have to start over? You have no money. You have no ID. You have no family. You have
no friends and you are just out there walking the streets, lonely, with nothing.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GRACE: You can find the story in -- at CNNheroes.com. The other top 10 heroes. Then vote for your favorite CNN Hero of the Year.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[20:57:19] GRACE: Live, Texas suburbs. A rich kid gets drunk and high on weed and Xanax at mommy and daddy`s second home, and mows down four people
dead in his pricy red truck, leaving two more paralyzed forever. After getting straight probation for killing four people, disturbing twist. We
obtained stunning videos revealing details of the killer crash, how the mom never once disciplined him. And we learned that while the family still
mourned the deaths of their children, the perp`s new life walking free from rehab.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: 16-year-old was driving three times over the legal limit for an adult when he killed four strangers. The families are outrage
after a judge gives the drunk teen probation for his deadly actions.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He`ll be feeling the hand of God, definitely.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GRACE: His parents, millionaires. Tonight, we obtain some videotaped deposition. Listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Do you remember any occasion where your dad punished you by making you walk to work?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No, I don`t remember ever having to walk to work.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What action did you take?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Ethan walked back and forth to work for a month.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I`ve taken valium, hydrocodone, marijuana, cocaine, Xanax, Vyvanse, and I think I tried Ecstasy once. I`m pretty sure that is
it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GRACE: What we`re hearing right there, Dr. Bethany Marshall, is that after this crash, he had a previous incident where he was drunk, urinating out in
a parking lot in front of I think it was a dollar tree with a girlfriend half naked in the truck. And now we hear the father lying to cover up for
him about his punishment.
MARSHALL: Exactly. So the affluence continues, right? I mean, not only does he walk free after killing four people but now his own father lets him
off the hook once again. This is a continuing dysfunctional pattern.
GRACE: Let`s remember American hero Army Staff Sergeant Brock Beery, 30, White House, Tennessee, Bronze Star, Purple Heart, loved four-wheeling.
Parents Roger and Pam, two brothers, one sister, widow Sara, daughter Alyssa.
Brock Beery, American hero.
Thanks to our guests, but especially to you for inviting us into your homes. Nancy Grace signing off for tonight. I`ll see you tomorrow night,
8:00 sharp Eastern. And until then, good night, friend.
END
