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Narrator:
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Narrator:
In March of 2009,
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Narrator:
In March of 2009,
a cadaver dog
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tracked a trail of death
in a Virginia backyard.
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Lagoe: For the body to be
just discarded like that,
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was really pretty shocking.
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Narrator:
The discovery sent
investigators
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down a bizarre road.
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Lee: He's in the middle
of a bunch of outlaw bikers
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and I'm gonna sic the police
on that group of people?
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We got lie, after lie,
after lie.
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Social security money
from two men
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was still going in
to a different account.
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This was salacious.
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We just both basically
said at the same time,
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"I think we have
another body."
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Narrator:
Who were these two victims?
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Now, it's like
our heads are spinning.
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Narrator:
And who had been hiding
the deadly truth?
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The body did not have a head.
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As a reporter,
I'm going, "Whoa."
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Narrator:
In March of 2009,
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investigative reporter
A.J. Lagoe
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received at tip about
a developing story
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in the backyard
of a Louisa County
Virginia home.
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I got a text saying,
"We're gonna be out looking
for a body on this property.
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You might want to get
a camera out here."
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Louisa County being
a largely rural county,
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doesn't have a lot of crime.
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And so,
regardless of whether
it's a murder,
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we knew there was a story here
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that we wanted to get
to the bottom of.
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Narrator:
By the time Lagoe arrived,
police had already
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secured the area
of the expansive yard.
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The veteran reporter
sensed a huge story
was about to break.
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It's not every day
that you have a big news story
in Louisa County.
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My reporter alarm bells
were definitely going off.
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I was thinking, "I wanna
find out just what's going on."
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But we had no idea just how
strange this was gonna get.
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Narrator:
From behind the police tape,
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he and other reporters
watched a cadaver dog
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sniffing for the unmistakable
scent of death.
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Lowe:
It looked like
it had a purpose,
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like it was on to something.
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Narrator:
Investigators hung on hope
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that a mystery that had been
plaguing them for months
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was about to be solved.
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This case has got to be
the craziest case
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that I've ever had to work.
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You always hear about it
in other communities,
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but never
in your own backyard.
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Narrator:
In November of 2007,
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Lee Bowles arrived
in Virginia
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to celebrate the Thanksgiving
holiday with his dad Cody.
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I made a phone call
to my dad
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to find out what time
Thanksgiving was gonna be.
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Lisa, my dad's girlfriend,
answered,
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and was like,
"Oh, your dad's not here."
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She just said that
he met a friend
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and they went on
a bike ride to Sturgis
in South Dakota.
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If he was gonna go
all the way across the country
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and do something which would
be a super exciting thing,
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he would have told me.
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Family was really
important to him.
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That was probably the most
important thing to him.
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But my dad,
he did love riding bikes.
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Even after he had
his heart attack,
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they put a pacemaker in,
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and he still continued
to get out and do things.
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He had his heart attack
when I was ten.
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I knew that he had
a heart condition
at a young age.
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So every time I went
to visit him,
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I didn't know if that
was gonna be the last time.
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Narrator:
Lee was surprised
and disappointed
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when he left that weekend
without seeing his dad.
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Lee:
That's not like him.
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He wouldn't
just stand everybody up
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for Thanksgiving.
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Narrator:
Days turned into months,
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and with no word from Cody,
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Lee and his two siblings
started to get concerned.
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Lee:
We were calling Lisa
and we were like,
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"What's going on?
Have you seen him?"
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And she said he got in
with some kind of militia group
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or anti-governmental
type of group,
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and he was hanging out
with them, and, you know,
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they were an illegal
operation-- biker gang.
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Narrator:
Lee got a sinking feeling,
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maybe his dad
had gone off the grid
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with the wrong group of guys.
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Lee: He's a biker,
he's a motorcycle guy,
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and I did notice
in the last few years
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he got to be be more
of a conspiracy theory
type of person.
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I don't particularly want to
call the police on him.
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He's in the middle
of a bunch of, you know,
outlaw bikers
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and I'm gonna sic the police
on that group of people?
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What do you think
they're gonna do to him?
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Narrator: Though worried,
Lee held off getting in touch
with authorities,
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because surely his dad
would reach out eventually.
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But after about a year,
and still no word from Cody,
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Lee finally made the call
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he knew he should
have made long ago.
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I made a phone call
to the police department
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and filed a report.
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Porter:
Lee was concerned
about his father
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and his father's health.
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Several years before,
his father had a heart attack,
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and was on approximately,
he said, ten medications,
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needed these medications
on a daily basis.
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And he said that they always
had a good relationship,
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and it was quite
out of character for him
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not to stay in contact
with him.
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Narrator: Hoping to make
better sense of the situation,
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Detectives Howard Porter
and Carlton Johnson
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paid a visit to Cody's
live-in girlfriend
Ulisa Chavers.
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She offered investigators
the same story
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she shared with Lee.
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Porter: She told us
that he had gone to Sturgis
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for the motorcycle rally,
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met with some
motorcycle gang out there
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that's involved
in the militia,
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and that he left
and traveled back out there
to stay with them.
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She said he wouldn't
contact his family
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because, you know,
he was upset with them.
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You know, he thought
that they were just
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trying to
take advantage of him,
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trying to borrow money
from them,
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and he wanted less
responsibilities.
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Narrator:
The detectives felt
like they may have
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just stepped into the middle
of a family drama.
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Porter:
I gave her my business card
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with my cell phone
number on it,
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and I told her
when she hears from Cody,
have him call me,
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so we can get this issue
cleared up.
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Narrator:
For Detectives Lowe
and Johnson,
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the truth of Cody Bowles'
whereabouts wasn't adding up.
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Was he intentionally avoiding
contact with his family?
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Or could he be in harm's way?
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Lowe: We started
looking into the files
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just to make sure he hadn't
been arrested somewhere
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or he hasn't been
in an accident.
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After that, we started
looking at driver's licenses
and bank accounts.
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And also,
we started working with
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the Social Security
Administration,
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'cause he was receiving
social security checks.
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So we wanted to see if--
was he receiving money out west?
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How was he living?
Where was his social security
check going?
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Narrator:
Were Cody's social security
checks still being cashed?
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Turns out that it was
going into his bank account.
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So then at that point,
at least we know he's alive,
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he's doing okay, and he's
out there on his own.
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Narrator:
The detectives delivered
the news to Ulisa,
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and surprisingly, she had
some news of her own to share.
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She said that Cody
had stopped by with
a friend of his.
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Came in Christmas Eve,
stayed the night,
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and he left out
Christmas day.
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And I asked why, you know,
you didn't call me.
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She goes,
"He didn't want to.
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He doesn't want to have
any contact
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with any kind
of law enforcement."
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She told us that they had
a little party,
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Christmas party next door.
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And she actually said,
"Wait a minute,
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we took some pictures,"
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and pulled out
a digital camera
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and started showing me
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some of the pictures
that she took.
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We have proof that, okay,
he did come into town,
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and they did have
Christmas together.
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At that point, in my mind,
the case is done.
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Narrator: The detectives
were eager to show the photos
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to Cody's worried son Lee.
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Johnson: We were
getting ready to leave
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and Lieutenant Porter
says, "Hey."
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"Can I borrow
the memory card out of it
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and I'll bring it back
to you?"
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She said sure.
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So I pulled it out
and took it back
to the office.
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Lee: Lieutenant Porter
showed me a picture
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and he just wanted
my opinion on it.
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Immediately,
when I seen the picture,
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I did not believe that
it was a current picture.
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Both of them looked a little
younger in the photo to me.
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It made me realize
at that moment
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that there was
something very wrong.
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We just put the card
in the computer
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and started looking
at all the pictures,
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and right away we knew
some of the pictures
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had been manipulated.
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And that's when we said,
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"Wow, this is a picture
of a picture."
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We all basically said
at the same time,
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"I think we have
another body."
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What shocked us was
his head was gone.
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Narrator:
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Narrator:
53-year-old Cody Bowles
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mysteriously disappeared
over a year ago.
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His live-in girlfriend
Ulisa Chavers
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appeared to have
nothing to hide
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until investigators
caught her in a lie.
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00:10:26,767 --> 00:10:28,727
( radio police chatter )
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Narrator: It's enough to serve
Ulisa with a search warrant
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for her home and property.
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Johnson:
I told her why we were there,
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that we had a search warrant.
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And her question to me was,
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"So you think
you're gonna find his body
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on this property some place?"
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It was just strange,
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and immediately
I became suspicious.
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We had thought that
at this point
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we're looking for a body.
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Narrator:
Investigators call in
a search team
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and a cadaver dog to scour
Cody and Ulisa's yard
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for any signs of a body.
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Cadaver dog walked around
the well and then sat down.
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And then all the activity
was centered on this well,
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and that's where
all the attention was
very quickly.
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Lowe: As soon as I saw
the dog sit down,
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00:11:27,734 --> 00:11:30,104
we had that sick feeling
in our stomach
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that I hope he's not down
in that well.
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Once the cap was off,
there was a very strong odor.
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Looking straight down
on the top of it,
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we could see
what appeared to be
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something encased
in a blanket of some sort.
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Porter:
At that point,
we drop a ladder down,
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and had him crawl down.
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Not the best decision
I've ever made in my life.
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Once I got to the object
in the well,
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I started bobbing it
with my feet,
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so I knew
it was kind of floating.
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We had gotten a shark hook
down there
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and we snagged the object
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and started lifting it out,
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and then we saw a mostly
decomposed body.
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Made the hairs on the back
of our necks stand up
when we first saw it.
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Lagoe:
It really was a creepy moment
to realize
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that someone's body had been
just shoved down this well.
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And for the body to be
just discarded like that
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was really pretty shocking.
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Narrator:
The badly decomposed body
was beyond recognition.
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But suddenly,
investigators noticed
something significant.
243
00:12:56,166 --> 00:12:58,266
As soon as we got it out,
I could see the pacemaker
244
00:12:58,300 --> 00:13:02,270
that Cody had because
of his heart condition
245
00:13:02,300 --> 00:13:03,430
hanging from the body.
246
00:13:05,567 --> 00:13:08,297
That's when I was thinking,
"Yeah, we found Cody Bowles."
247
00:13:14,500 --> 00:13:17,470
Narrator:
As the gruesome scene
unfolded outside,
248
00:13:17,500 --> 00:13:21,200
Detective Johnson sat inside
with Cody's girlfriend Ulisa.
249
00:13:21,233 --> 00:13:23,473
I get a text from
Lieutenant Porter.
250
00:13:23,500 --> 00:13:26,470
He says, "We found the body."
251
00:13:26,500 --> 00:13:28,470
So, I looked out the window
252
00:13:28,500 --> 00:13:30,530
and I saw that they were
surrounding a well
253
00:13:30,567 --> 00:13:32,097
at the back of a property.
254
00:13:32,133 --> 00:13:34,073
I said,
"Ulisa, come over here."
255
00:13:34,100 --> 00:13:38,070
I said, "Look,
they found the body."
256
00:13:38,100 --> 00:13:41,070
And she looked at me,
257
00:13:41,100 --> 00:13:43,330
she never got emotional,
258
00:13:43,367 --> 00:13:46,097
never got upset,
never cried,
259
00:13:46,133 --> 00:13:50,173
was just very, very calm.
260
00:13:50,200 --> 00:13:53,100
It's remarkable,
her ability to remain calm
261
00:13:53,133 --> 00:13:57,133
and to not
get emotional at all.
262
00:14:02,333 --> 00:14:03,603
Narrator:
For Lee Bowles,
263
00:14:03,633 --> 00:14:06,103
the long painful search
for his father
264
00:14:06,133 --> 00:14:09,103
came to
a heart-breaking end.
265
00:14:09,133 --> 00:14:11,203
We had our answer
to where he was at.
266
00:14:11,233 --> 00:14:13,103
He was there the whole time.
267
00:14:13,133 --> 00:14:15,103
He was on the property
the whole time.
268
00:14:15,133 --> 00:14:19,373
And, uh, it was a pretty
horrible feeling.
269
00:14:19,400 --> 00:14:21,170
Words are way overrated.
270
00:14:21,200 --> 00:14:23,130
There's no words to describe
certain things and, like,
271
00:14:23,166 --> 00:14:24,566
that's just an empty feeling.
272
00:14:24,600 --> 00:14:28,030
You're like, "I don't know
what to do at this point."
273
00:14:28,066 --> 00:14:30,996
It's just kind of like,
"Where do we go from here?"
274
00:14:34,433 --> 00:14:37,233
Narrator:
Growing up, Lee knew Cody
was the kind of dad
275
00:14:37,266 --> 00:14:39,266
other kids dreamed about.
276
00:14:39,300 --> 00:14:41,500
Lee: He was my father,
but we had a relationship
277
00:14:41,533 --> 00:14:43,233
more like a friendship.
278
00:14:43,266 --> 00:14:45,396
He would joke with me
about things
279
00:14:45,433 --> 00:14:47,573
that he probably shouldn't
joke about with me,
280
00:14:47,600 --> 00:14:49,630
and it thought it was cool.
281
00:14:49,667 --> 00:14:52,397
He really liked to do
outdoor things.
282
00:14:52,433 --> 00:14:54,273
He was an outdoor
kind of guy.
283
00:14:54,300 --> 00:14:56,270
He liked camping, fishing,
going on motorcycle rides.
284
00:14:56,300 --> 00:14:58,270
He'd throw me on the back
and drive me around
the mountains
285
00:14:58,300 --> 00:15:00,130
and stuff like that.
286
00:15:00,166 --> 00:15:02,396
My best childhood memories
of my dad,
287
00:15:02,433 --> 00:15:04,273
was when I got into
Go-Kart racing
288
00:15:04,300 --> 00:15:07,300
and building Go-Karts,
and he was really good at it.
289
00:15:09,300 --> 00:15:12,530
You got an adjustable hub
on the axle.
290
00:15:12,567 --> 00:15:15,297
You can't adjust
the engine hub--
291
00:15:15,333 --> 00:15:17,573
you can't adjust that hub
on the axle.
292
00:15:17,600 --> 00:15:19,300
Lee: You know,
he was really good
at mechanics
293
00:15:19,333 --> 00:15:20,573
and building things,
294
00:15:20,600 --> 00:15:22,570
and that was really fun,
you know?
295
00:15:22,600 --> 00:15:25,300
And a lot of it was
just sitting in the backyard,
296
00:15:25,333 --> 00:15:28,203
you know, working on things,
and talking, and hanging out.
297
00:15:30,467 --> 00:15:33,127
Narrator: While Lee and his
family mourned Cody's death,
298
00:15:33,166 --> 00:15:35,526
Ulisa had some
explaining to do.
299
00:15:35,567 --> 00:15:38,667
For more than a year,
she'd insisted
300
00:15:38,700 --> 00:15:40,470
Cody was very much alive.
301
00:15:44,700 --> 00:15:46,670
Could this seemingly
sweet lady
302
00:15:46,700 --> 00:15:49,600
be hiding something
about Cody's death?
303
00:15:57,233 --> 00:16:00,473
They were stunned when
Ulisa eventually admitted
304
00:16:00,500 --> 00:16:02,630
she was with Cody
when he died.
305
00:16:18,367 --> 00:16:20,197
Johnson:
Ulisa proceeded to tell me
306
00:16:20,233 --> 00:16:22,373
that Cody had died
of natural causes,
307
00:16:22,400 --> 00:16:25,200
that his pacemaker
had kept going off.
308
00:16:31,233 --> 00:16:33,703
She had begged him to let her
call the rescue squad,
309
00:16:33,734 --> 00:16:35,474
but he wouldn't allow that,
310
00:16:35,500 --> 00:16:38,370
and sometime during the night,
he passed away.
311
00:16:44,333 --> 00:16:46,373
She said that
he was so adamant
312
00:16:46,400 --> 00:16:48,430
that he didn't want
the government involved
in his life,
313
00:16:48,467 --> 00:16:51,627
and as respect to him,
she did not do that.
314
00:16:51,667 --> 00:16:55,627
Narrator:
Ulisa had lied for
so many months,
315
00:16:55,667 --> 00:16:58,227
but investigators
had to consider the fact
316
00:16:58,266 --> 00:17:01,396
she was genuinely trying
to honor Cody's wishes.
317
00:17:39,333 --> 00:17:41,733
Even if Cody did die
of natural causes,
318
00:17:41,767 --> 00:17:46,397
Ulisa still had a much
bigger issue to address.
319
00:17:46,433 --> 00:17:49,573
How did his body wind up
in the backyard well?
320
00:17:52,433 --> 00:17:54,503
She said at that point
the problem she had
321
00:17:54,533 --> 00:17:58,633
was that he laid in
the bedroom for a day or two,
322
00:17:58,667 --> 00:18:02,997
but his dog kept scratching
at the door.
323
00:18:03,033 --> 00:18:04,333
and that was getting
nerve-wracking.
324
00:18:15,734 --> 00:18:19,034
She eventually wrapped him
in a sleeping bag
325
00:18:19,066 --> 00:18:21,726
and drug him out
to the shed out back.
326
00:18:25,600 --> 00:18:28,430
She said at that point,
she did cover him with lime,
327
00:18:28,467 --> 00:18:31,997
and the reason you cover
a body with lime
328
00:18:32,033 --> 00:18:33,533
is to cut the smell way down.
329
00:18:33,567 --> 00:18:35,697
We didn't know what to think.
330
00:18:35,734 --> 00:18:38,004
It was just bizarre.
331
00:18:38,033 --> 00:18:41,033
Narrator:
Ulisa's story about covering
Cody's body with lime
332
00:18:41,066 --> 00:18:46,596
is so strange,
investigators wonder
if it could actually be true.
333
00:18:46,633 --> 00:18:49,403
Nonetheless,
Detective Carlton had to pose
334
00:18:49,433 --> 00:18:52,503
the obvious question
that had yet to be asked.
335
00:18:52,533 --> 00:18:54,403
I said,
"This is your chance
to come clean."
336
00:18:55,500 --> 00:18:56,770
I said,
"Did you kill him?"
337
00:19:09,433 --> 00:19:09,733
Narrator:
338
00:19:09,734 --> 00:19:10,504
Narrator:
Nearly a year and a half
339
00:19:10,500 --> 00:19:11,100
Narrator:
Nearly a year and a half
after disappearing,
340
00:19:12,433 --> 00:19:15,233
investigators found
the body of Cody Bowles
341
00:19:15,266 --> 00:19:17,996
floating in
his backyard well.
342
00:19:18,033 --> 00:19:21,433
And the folks
in Louisa County, Virginia,
were beside themselves
343
00:19:21,467 --> 00:19:24,327
when they heard
his girlfriend Ulisa Chavers
344
00:19:24,367 --> 00:19:27,597
was being questioned
in his bizarre death.
345
00:19:27,633 --> 00:19:29,673
The story that was getting
talked about
346
00:19:29,700 --> 00:19:31,730
in the coffee shops
around Luisa County,
347
00:19:31,767 --> 00:19:34,397
what everybody
was gossiping about is
348
00:19:34,433 --> 00:19:38,603
"Why would his girlfriend
throw his body down a well?"
349
00:19:38,633 --> 00:19:40,633
Lee:
You don't know exactly
what's going on,
350
00:19:40,667 --> 00:19:44,227
and so it's a very weird
emotional situation to be in.
351
00:19:44,266 --> 00:19:48,226
Because
I never knew before that
if she was capable of that.
352
00:19:48,266 --> 00:19:50,496
You don't know
what people are capable of.
353
00:19:50,533 --> 00:19:53,333
Narrator:
After lying to investigators
for so long,
354
00:19:53,367 --> 00:19:57,597
Ulisa finally fessed up to
being with Cody when he died,
355
00:19:57,633 --> 00:20:00,733
and to dragging his body
to the backyard.
356
00:20:00,767 --> 00:20:02,727
But did she kill him?
357
00:20:02,767 --> 00:20:06,527
She just kept emphasizing
that it was natural causes,
358
00:20:06,567 --> 00:20:08,297
that she had not killed him.
359
00:20:08,333 --> 00:20:11,433
Narrator:
After he died, Ulisa admitted
360
00:20:11,467 --> 00:20:14,497
she took Cody's body
to the shed on the property.
361
00:20:14,533 --> 00:20:15,733
Johnson:
I did go out in the shed,
362
00:20:15,767 --> 00:20:19,067
and lo and behold,
363
00:20:19,100 --> 00:20:21,770
there was an imprint
the size of a body
364
00:20:22,000 --> 00:20:23,670
and lime all around it.
365
00:20:26,400 --> 00:20:29,630
Narrator:
So how did Cody's body
get from the shed to the well?
366
00:20:29,667 --> 00:20:33,697
Ulisa claimed when
investigators initially
came to the house
367
00:20:33,734 --> 00:20:36,774
before Christmas in 2008
asking questions,
368
00:20:37,000 --> 00:20:39,630
she naturally got nervous.
369
00:20:39,667 --> 00:20:41,497
Johnson:
She was so afraid that they
were going to find
370
00:20:41,533 --> 00:20:43,573
the body at that time.
371
00:20:43,600 --> 00:20:46,270
When they left, she knew
she had to move that body.
372
00:20:48,133 --> 00:20:51,103
So, I put him back
in the little trailer
373
00:20:51,133 --> 00:20:56,033
and opened it up
and took him down to the--
to the well.
374
00:20:58,433 --> 00:21:01,103
Johnson:
And that's when she got
a little riding lawnmower
375
00:21:01,133 --> 00:21:03,103
and a little trailer
behind it
376
00:21:03,133 --> 00:21:06,533
and put the body in that.
377
00:21:06,567 --> 00:21:09,097
Johnson:
Tell us about
what happened after.
378
00:21:33,734 --> 00:21:37,034
Narrator:
Now, Ulisa's deadly
secret is out.
379
00:21:37,066 --> 00:21:38,696
Clearly,
she'd been covering up
380
00:21:38,734 --> 00:21:41,434
a tremendous amount
for a very long time.
381
00:21:41,467 --> 00:21:44,097
What else was
she covering and why?
382
00:21:52,467 --> 00:21:54,767
Johnson:
She was collecting
his social security
383
00:21:55,000 --> 00:21:56,500
for over a year.
384
00:22:13,767 --> 00:22:16,597
Narrator:
Collecting Cody's
social security was illegal,
385
00:22:16,633 --> 00:22:19,033
but it certainly
didn't prove murder.
386
00:22:19,066 --> 00:22:23,466
Johnson:
We still didn't know
what had killed Cody Bowles.
387
00:22:23,500 --> 00:22:25,470
The medical examiner
was going to have to
388
00:22:25,500 --> 00:22:27,170
determine the cause of death.
389
00:22:27,200 --> 00:22:31,630
I didn't have anything to do
with his heart failing on him.
390
00:22:31,667 --> 00:22:35,097
She stuck pretty much
to the same story
391
00:22:35,133 --> 00:22:36,703
and she was being cooperative.
392
00:22:40,200 --> 00:22:42,500
Narrator: Determined not
to let Ulisa walk,
393
00:22:42,533 --> 00:22:45,033
investigators arrested her
for social security fraud
394
00:22:45,066 --> 00:22:48,096
and improperly disposing
of Cody's body.
395
00:22:52,567 --> 00:22:55,767
Lee: Whether it was murder
or whether he passed away,
396
00:22:56,000 --> 00:23:00,070
it made us so mad because
the disrespectful manner
397
00:23:00,100 --> 00:23:02,770
of just treating him
like he's a piece of trash,
398
00:23:03,000 --> 00:23:04,470
you know,
and discarding him.
399
00:23:07,233 --> 00:23:09,503
Lagoe: I knew she would be
arraigned the next morning.
400
00:23:09,533 --> 00:23:12,203
I set up with my camera crew
in back of the courthouse
401
00:23:12,233 --> 00:23:14,773
where we knew they'd be
leading her from a patrol car
402
00:23:15,000 --> 00:23:17,070
into the courthouse
for her hearing.
403
00:23:17,100 --> 00:23:19,400
Can you tell us why your
boyfriend was in that well?
404
00:23:22,533 --> 00:23:25,203
Do you know how he got there?
405
00:23:25,233 --> 00:23:27,103
You could just see
the light bulbs
406
00:23:27,133 --> 00:23:29,533
going off behind her eyes,
watch her expression change
407
00:23:29,567 --> 00:23:31,227
like she was searching
for the right answer
408
00:23:31,266 --> 00:23:33,026
but didn't know what to say.
409
00:23:33,066 --> 00:23:36,726
I was thinking,
this is a cold woman.
410
00:23:36,767 --> 00:23:38,727
Chavers is due back
in court on Friday.
411
00:23:38,767 --> 00:23:40,127
By then investigators
hope to know
412
00:23:40,166 --> 00:23:42,166
just how her boyfriend died.
413
00:23:47,166 --> 00:23:50,526
Narrator: Three days after
pulling his decomposed body
from the well,
414
00:23:50,567 --> 00:23:53,997
Cody's toxicology results
came back,
415
00:23:54,033 --> 00:23:56,503
and investigators received
quite a shock.
416
00:23:58,166 --> 00:23:59,526
Lowe:
Cody had a high level
417
00:23:59,567 --> 00:24:02,997
of benztropine in his body.
418
00:24:03,033 --> 00:24:05,673
In fact, it was four times
a lethal limit.
419
00:24:05,700 --> 00:24:09,670
Benztropine,
it's basically used for
Parkinson's disease.
420
00:24:09,700 --> 00:24:11,530
Narrator:
The problem was,
421
00:24:11,567 --> 00:24:15,267
Cody Bowles didn't suffer
from Parkinson's.
422
00:24:15,300 --> 00:24:17,000
Porter: In my mind,
it did raise a red flag
423
00:24:17,033 --> 00:24:19,033
that he didn't die naturally.
424
00:24:19,066 --> 00:24:21,696
Lowe:
But we still don't know
if he was poisoned,
425
00:24:21,734 --> 00:24:25,074
or did he self-ingest that,
or how did that happen?
426
00:24:25,100 --> 00:24:28,030
We had a lot of
circumstantial evidence,
427
00:24:28,066 --> 00:24:31,566
but there's a long road
between probable cause
428
00:24:31,600 --> 00:24:34,030
and beyond
a reasonable doubt.
429
00:24:34,066 --> 00:24:37,266
Narrator: Convinced Ulisa
was hiding something
about Cody's death,
430
00:24:37,300 --> 00:24:39,270
investigators pored
through records
431
00:24:39,300 --> 00:24:41,170
to see if anything
in her past
432
00:24:41,200 --> 00:24:44,700
would prove she was a devious
and deadly woman.
433
00:24:44,734 --> 00:24:48,504
Lowe:
That's when I was talking
to Lieutenant Porter
434
00:24:48,533 --> 00:24:50,073
and saying
we really need to go back
435
00:24:50,100 --> 00:24:51,600
and look at all her
relationships--
436
00:24:51,633 --> 00:24:55,073
past boyfriends, past husbands,
anything like that.
437
00:24:56,734 --> 00:24:58,674
Lieutenant Porter
and Carlton Johnson
438
00:24:58,700 --> 00:25:00,300
came over to my office.
439
00:25:00,333 --> 00:25:03,573
They said that
Ulisa's first husband
440
00:25:03,600 --> 00:25:07,630
Clint Chavers
had died about 15 years ago.
441
00:25:09,633 --> 00:25:12,303
Clint Chavers was
a military veteran.
442
00:25:12,333 --> 00:25:15,733
They got married and then
eventually moved to Virginia.
443
00:25:15,767 --> 00:25:19,067
Johnson:
Clint hurt his leg
jumping off of a truck.
444
00:25:19,100 --> 00:25:22,200
He suffered from diabetes
and had lost his leg.
445
00:25:24,233 --> 00:25:27,773
Narrator:
What investigators
learned next was shocking.
446
00:25:28,000 --> 00:25:30,200
She was still collecting
his social security.
447
00:25:35,633 --> 00:25:38,603
Narrator: Investigators
tracked down the couple's
daughter Teresa,
448
00:25:38,633 --> 00:25:41,633
who shared quite
a peculiar story.
449
00:25:41,667 --> 00:25:45,767
Porter:
When she was in high school
back in 1994,
450
00:25:46,000 --> 00:25:48,100
she got a call from her mom
451
00:25:48,133 --> 00:25:49,733
saying not to come home
from school,
452
00:25:49,767 --> 00:25:52,767
stay the weekend
at a friend's house.
453
00:25:53,000 --> 00:25:54,600
And then when
she came home after that,
454
00:25:54,633 --> 00:25:56,233
what was strange was
the house was very clean.
455
00:25:56,266 --> 00:26:00,626
It had an odor of bleach,
which was unusual.
456
00:26:00,667 --> 00:26:03,097
Ulisa told her at the time
457
00:26:03,133 --> 00:26:06,603
that her father
had passed away
458
00:26:06,633 --> 00:26:09,103
and the veteran's
administration
459
00:26:09,133 --> 00:26:10,773
sent a rescue squad out,
460
00:26:11,000 --> 00:26:12,730
and they had him cremated.
461
00:26:12,767 --> 00:26:15,767
Johnson:
Teresa said
her mother told her
462
00:26:16,000 --> 00:26:18,070
that the VA had come
463
00:26:18,100 --> 00:26:19,770
and taken the body away
so quickly
464
00:26:20,000 --> 00:26:21,700
that there was no time
for the funeral.
465
00:26:21,734 --> 00:26:23,674
And, you know,
being a teenage girl,
466
00:26:23,700 --> 00:26:26,270
she believed whatever
her mother told her.
467
00:26:26,300 --> 00:26:29,130
Narrator: The extraordinary
coincidences in Ulisa's life
468
00:26:29,166 --> 00:26:31,266
spoke volumes
to investigators,
469
00:26:31,300 --> 00:26:35,300
who immediately tried
to corroborate Teresa's story.
470
00:26:37,166 --> 00:26:41,126
First thing we did was
we contacted the VA,
471
00:26:41,166 --> 00:26:42,266
and they had
no records of it.
472
00:26:42,300 --> 00:26:43,770
They don't have
rescue squads,
473
00:26:44,000 --> 00:26:45,270
they don't go out
to people's houses,
474
00:26:45,300 --> 00:26:48,030
and they don't
cremate anybody.
475
00:26:50,100 --> 00:26:51,730
Now, it's like
our heads are spinning.
476
00:27:03,300 --> 00:27:03,600
Narrator:
477
00:27:03,600 --> 00:27:04,300
Narrator:
In 2009, investigators
478
00:27:04,300 --> 00:27:05,030
Narrator:
In 2009, investigators
in Louisa County, Virginia,
479
00:27:06,734 --> 00:27:09,404
suspected Ulisa Chavers
may have been behind
480
00:27:09,433 --> 00:27:12,273
the death of her boyfriend
Cody Bowles,
481
00:27:12,300 --> 00:27:15,200
and had charged her
with illegally disposing
of his body.
482
00:27:19,033 --> 00:27:21,133
The deadly web
got more tangled
483
00:27:21,166 --> 00:27:24,096
when they learned Ulisa
was married to another man
484
00:27:24,133 --> 00:27:27,503
who mysteriously died
15 years ago.
485
00:27:27,533 --> 00:27:31,073
This case had such
bizarre facts.
486
00:27:31,100 --> 00:27:35,130
A body in the backyard
down a well,
487
00:27:35,166 --> 00:27:38,266
social security money
from two dead men
488
00:27:38,300 --> 00:27:41,100
was still going in
to Ulisa's account.
489
00:27:41,133 --> 00:27:42,703
This was salacious.
490
00:27:45,433 --> 00:27:47,273
Narrator:
Investigators just confirmed
491
00:27:47,300 --> 00:27:50,300
the body of Ulisa's
former husband Clint Chavers
492
00:27:50,333 --> 00:27:53,533
wasn't picked up
and cremated by the VA
493
00:27:53,567 --> 00:27:57,327
like she claimed
to her daughter it had been.
494
00:27:57,367 --> 00:27:59,527
We got lie, after lie,
after lie.
495
00:27:59,567 --> 00:28:01,427
So we're getting quite a pile.
496
00:28:01,467 --> 00:28:04,427
Porter:
We all basically said
at the same time,
497
00:28:04,467 --> 00:28:06,327
"I think we have
another body."
498
00:28:10,233 --> 00:28:13,303
Johnson:
So once again,
we bring Ulisa in
499
00:28:13,333 --> 00:28:16,033
to the interview room
and sit down with her.
500
00:28:16,066 --> 00:28:19,166
And as always, she's very calm
and very polite.
501
00:28:19,200 --> 00:28:22,300
I explain to her, you know,
what we found out,
502
00:28:22,333 --> 00:28:26,533
what we believe,
that she had killed her husband.
503
00:28:26,567 --> 00:28:31,367
And at first she denied that
she had done anything to Clint.
504
00:28:39,367 --> 00:28:42,067
She kept saying that
we were barking up
the wrong tree,
505
00:28:42,100 --> 00:28:44,130
and kept denying, denying.
506
00:28:44,166 --> 00:28:47,566
Narrator:
Far too familiar with this
twisted song and dance,
507
00:28:47,600 --> 00:28:49,500
investigators kept pressing.
508
00:28:57,500 --> 00:29:00,570
At some point,
eventually she said that
he had been quite ill
509
00:29:00,600 --> 00:29:05,070
and she took care of him
for six or seven years.
510
00:29:05,100 --> 00:29:09,130
But then she says,
"Clint died of natural causes."
511
00:29:15,467 --> 00:29:19,497
Narrator:
Just like she did with Cody,
Ulisa calmly explained
512
00:29:19,533 --> 00:29:22,403
why she didn't report
the death of her husband.
513
00:29:22,433 --> 00:29:24,373
Porter: She wanted
the social security money
514
00:29:24,400 --> 00:29:26,330
'cause she felt like
she deserved it
515
00:29:26,367 --> 00:29:29,097
'cause she spent so many years
taking care of him.
516
00:29:29,133 --> 00:29:31,103
Narrator:
Investigators knew
there was more
517
00:29:31,133 --> 00:29:33,033
to this outlandish story,
518
00:29:33,066 --> 00:29:36,266
and invited Ulisa to detail
exactly what happened
519
00:29:36,300 --> 00:29:39,130
to her former husband.
520
00:29:39,166 --> 00:29:42,096
She said that she had
buried him in the backyard
521
00:29:42,133 --> 00:29:43,433
in the flower garden.
522
00:29:49,133 --> 00:29:50,573
So I gave her a legal pad.
523
00:29:50,600 --> 00:29:53,070
She drew a picture
of the house
524
00:29:53,100 --> 00:29:56,130
and the flower bed,
and put an X
525
00:29:56,166 --> 00:29:59,396
where she buried the body.
526
00:29:59,433 --> 00:30:02,303
Johnson:
Ulisa told us that the body
would be wrapped
527
00:30:02,333 --> 00:30:04,333
in a striped sheet.
528
00:30:04,367 --> 00:30:06,297
It was just
one of those "wow" moments.
529
00:30:06,333 --> 00:30:08,133
It's just like,
what is going on?
530
00:30:08,166 --> 00:30:10,166
This case is just getting
even more and more bizarre.
531
00:30:16,300 --> 00:30:18,130
Porter: We went back out
with the same cadaver dog,
532
00:30:18,166 --> 00:30:20,466
basically the same crew,
down to Amelia County.
533
00:30:20,500 --> 00:30:24,430
Lagoe:
I was at work and I got a text
from a law enforcement source
534
00:30:24,467 --> 00:30:26,627
who told me,
"We're gonna be searching
535
00:30:26,667 --> 00:30:31,467
for another body
tied to Ulisa Chavers,"
so I hit the road.
536
00:30:31,500 --> 00:30:33,570
Shocking developments
in the case of a body
537
00:30:33,600 --> 00:30:35,300
found in
a Louisa County well.
538
00:30:35,333 --> 00:30:37,433
Authorities now looking
for another body.
539
00:30:37,467 --> 00:30:39,667
This time it's
the suspect's husband
540
00:30:39,700 --> 00:30:41,700
and it's in another county.
541
00:30:41,734 --> 00:30:46,174
We got out there shortly
after law enforcement arrived.
542
00:30:46,200 --> 00:30:48,170
I'm thinking,
"Here we got again.
543
00:30:48,200 --> 00:30:50,200
I wonder if they've got a well
in the backyard."
544
00:30:53,433 --> 00:30:56,173
I'm standing about
20 yards away
545
00:30:56,200 --> 00:30:58,430
from where investigators
are digging.
546
00:30:58,467 --> 00:31:00,667
They let us stand
in the side yard there
547
00:31:00,700 --> 00:31:03,530
and watch them
as the day progressed.
548
00:31:05,333 --> 00:31:07,233
And all of a sudden,
it got quiet.
549
00:31:07,266 --> 00:31:10,266
( dog barking )
550
00:31:10,300 --> 00:31:11,470
The dog was hitting
on something.
551
00:31:13,367 --> 00:31:17,127
And then all attention
went into this one area.
552
00:31:17,166 --> 00:31:19,466
Johnson:
We were digging.
553
00:31:19,500 --> 00:31:22,270
The first thing we hit
was a cinderblock,
554
00:31:22,300 --> 00:31:25,470
and next to the cinderblock
was a sheet that was striped.
555
00:31:25,500 --> 00:31:28,570
Narrator:
The sheet was just
as Ulisa described.
556
00:31:28,600 --> 00:31:31,600
Unbelievably enough,
she led investigators
557
00:31:31,633 --> 00:31:34,203
straight to Clint's body.
558
00:31:34,233 --> 00:31:37,173
Lagoe:
Suddenly, they find the body
in the flower bed
559
00:31:37,200 --> 00:31:39,230
wrapped up in a sheet.
560
00:31:42,500 --> 00:31:44,670
We're talking skeletal remains
at this point.
561
00:31:46,633 --> 00:31:48,473
But we knew we were gonna be
looking for a skeleton
562
00:31:48,500 --> 00:31:50,600
that's gonna be missing a leg
563
00:31:50,633 --> 00:31:54,203
because Clint
had lost his leg.
564
00:31:54,233 --> 00:31:57,273
We were relieved when
we brought the body out
565
00:31:57,300 --> 00:32:00,230
that it was missing a leg.
566
00:32:00,266 --> 00:32:01,526
What shocked us was
567
00:32:01,567 --> 00:32:03,527
he wasn't supposed to be
missing his head.
568
00:32:06,533 --> 00:32:08,173
And his head was gone.
569
00:32:20,400 --> 00:32:20,700
Narrator:
570
00:32:20,700 --> 00:32:21,430
Narrator:
In a stunning turn of events,
571
00:32:22,667 --> 00:32:24,627
Ulisa Chavers just led
investigators
572
00:32:24,667 --> 00:32:26,327
straight to
the headless corpse
573
00:32:26,367 --> 00:32:28,197
of her former husband Clint.
574
00:32:29,333 --> 00:32:31,003
He was buried in the backyard
575
00:32:31,033 --> 00:32:32,733
of the home
they used to share.
576
00:32:34,700 --> 00:32:37,300
As a reporter, I'm going,
"Whoa, what do you mean
577
00:32:37,333 --> 00:32:38,333
the body didn't have a head?"
578
00:32:38,367 --> 00:32:40,997
The body didn't have a head.
579
00:32:41,033 --> 00:32:44,503
I'm thinking there's no way.
No way.
580
00:32:47,367 --> 00:32:51,067
Johnson:
So once again, we bring Ulisa
in to the Sheriff's office,
581
00:32:51,100 --> 00:32:53,030
into the interview room.
We told her, we said,
582
00:32:53,066 --> 00:32:55,426
"Ulisa, where's the head?
The head's missing."
583
00:33:02,500 --> 00:33:05,330
And she goes,
"Yes, the head's missing."
584
00:33:15,467 --> 00:33:19,297
She told us that
she had initially buried
Clint Shaver's body.
585
00:33:19,333 --> 00:33:22,373
And then about a year later,
586
00:33:22,400 --> 00:33:25,000
she had decided to move away
from that residence.
587
00:33:27,100 --> 00:33:29,630
But she didn't think it was
a good idea to leave the body
588
00:33:29,667 --> 00:33:31,497
buried in the backyard,
589
00:33:31,533 --> 00:33:34,073
so she decided
she's gonna dig Clint up
590
00:33:34,100 --> 00:33:36,000
and dispose of the body
somewhere else.
591
00:33:53,767 --> 00:33:55,597
One time a neighbor
almost came over.
592
00:33:55,633 --> 00:33:59,433
Another time, somebody came
to read the electric meter
593
00:33:59,467 --> 00:34:01,627
and it was scaring her
that somebody was going to
594
00:34:01,667 --> 00:34:03,597
discover her with a corpse.
595
00:34:45,066 --> 00:34:47,566
Lagoe: Eventually,
Ulisa took the head
596
00:34:47,600 --> 00:34:49,130
and she just threw it away.
597
00:34:49,166 --> 00:34:52,426
She threw it in the landfill.
598
00:34:52,467 --> 00:34:53,697
Who does that?
599
00:34:59,066 --> 00:35:00,996
Narrator:
With two appalling
confessions
600
00:35:01,033 --> 00:35:02,773
that she deliberately
covered up
601
00:35:03,000 --> 00:35:05,130
the deaths of her husband
and boyfriend,
602
00:35:05,166 --> 00:35:08,126
investigators were convinced
that she murdered them, too.
603
00:35:08,166 --> 00:35:11,126
But could they prove it?
604
00:35:11,166 --> 00:35:13,066
Johnson:
At this point,
we do have two bodies,
605
00:35:13,100 --> 00:35:17,700
but not enough to charge
for murder on either corpse.
606
00:35:17,734 --> 00:35:20,434
So we charged her with fraud
607
00:35:20,467 --> 00:35:24,367
as far stealing
his social security benefits,
608
00:35:24,400 --> 00:35:26,770
and illegal disposal
of a body.
609
00:35:32,200 --> 00:35:35,470
After the body was removed
from the gravesite,
610
00:35:35,500 --> 00:35:38,600
it was taken to
the medical examiner's office
in Richmond.
611
00:35:38,633 --> 00:35:40,733
Because it had been 15 years,
612
00:35:40,767 --> 00:35:43,597
they were not able
to determine a cause of death.
613
00:35:43,633 --> 00:35:46,603
Narrator:
Detective Johnson
was concerned
614
00:35:46,633 --> 00:35:48,733
the autopsy wouldn't
produce any evidence
615
00:35:48,767 --> 00:35:50,467
pointing to murder.
616
00:35:50,500 --> 00:35:53,730
But then,
a small bit of hope.
617
00:35:53,767 --> 00:35:56,167
Johnson:
What looked like pieces
of rock to me,
618
00:35:56,200 --> 00:35:58,600
he goes,
"Here's three pieces
of facial bone."
619
00:36:01,200 --> 00:36:04,070
Narrator:
Hoping the fragments
could be a vital clue,
620
00:36:04,100 --> 00:36:07,500
detectives contacted
a doctor at the Smithsonian
621
00:36:07,533 --> 00:36:10,473
who agreed to examine
the bones of Clint Chavers.
622
00:36:10,500 --> 00:36:14,100
Johnson:
They are experts
at interpreting
623
00:36:14,133 --> 00:36:16,673
all types of things
about remains, bones.
624
00:36:16,700 --> 00:36:18,500
They have expertise
beyond what our
625
00:36:18,533 --> 00:36:20,503
medical examiner's office had.
626
00:36:20,533 --> 00:36:22,633
So, we were hoping that
they were going to be able
627
00:36:22,667 --> 00:36:25,527
to help us determine
the cause of death.
628
00:36:25,567 --> 00:36:29,727
Narrator: Three days after
unearthing the remains
of Clint Chavers,
629
00:36:29,767 --> 00:36:34,527
Detective Johnson received
the most critical tip yet.
630
00:36:34,567 --> 00:36:38,097
The Smithsonian Institute
was able to determine
631
00:36:38,133 --> 00:36:41,503
that those bones were subject
to blunt force trauma
632
00:36:41,533 --> 00:36:43,133
at the time of death.
633
00:36:47,033 --> 00:36:48,533
Porter: The way they were
cracked were consistent
634
00:36:48,567 --> 00:36:51,127
with being blown out.
635
00:36:51,166 --> 00:36:53,126
And in his opinion,
636
00:36:53,166 --> 00:36:56,096
it's consistent
with the skull being shot.
637
00:36:58,233 --> 00:37:00,433
We believe that Ulisa
shot him in the head.
638
00:37:04,200 --> 00:37:06,670
After we got the report
back from the Smithsonian,
639
00:37:06,700 --> 00:37:11,530
we were able to place
a murder charge against
Ulisa Chavers.
640
00:37:11,567 --> 00:37:13,097
Narrator:
After 15 years,
641
00:37:13,133 --> 00:37:16,073
they finally had Ulisa
for killing Clint.
642
00:37:16,100 --> 00:37:18,000
But would she ever
face justice
643
00:37:18,033 --> 00:37:20,603
for murdering Cody Bowles?
644
00:37:20,633 --> 00:37:23,673
I felt like she should have been
hogtied for what she did,
645
00:37:23,700 --> 00:37:26,100
but there's
an investigation process
646
00:37:26,133 --> 00:37:28,233
that they're going through.
647
00:37:28,266 --> 00:37:31,526
Johnson:
We felt certain that she had
murdered both men,
648
00:37:31,567 --> 00:37:34,067
and we wanted her
to go to prison
the rest of her life.
649
00:37:51,467 --> 00:37:51,727
In 2009,
650
00:37:51,734 --> 00:37:52,434
In 2009,
Ulisa Chavers was charged
651
00:37:53,734 --> 00:37:56,204
with the grisly
dismemberment and murder
652
00:37:56,233 --> 00:37:58,503
of her former husband
Clint Chavers.
653
00:37:58,533 --> 00:38:03,203
And investigators suspected
she killed her boyfriend, too.
654
00:38:03,233 --> 00:38:05,473
Well, at this point
no one knew
655
00:38:05,500 --> 00:38:07,470
if this was truly a murder.
656
00:38:07,500 --> 00:38:10,500
There weren't any
obvious signs of trauma
657
00:38:10,533 --> 00:38:13,203
on Cody Bowles body when
investigators pulled him up
658
00:38:13,233 --> 00:38:15,233
out of the well.
659
00:38:15,266 --> 00:38:18,226
And Ulisa was telling
investigators,
660
00:38:18,266 --> 00:38:20,726
"I didn't shoot him
and I didn't stab him.
661
00:38:20,767 --> 00:38:22,567
He died of natural causes."
662
00:38:32,266 --> 00:38:34,726
Narrator:
Investigators knew
Cody had a lethal dose
663
00:38:34,767 --> 00:38:37,567
of benztropine in his system
when he died,
664
00:38:37,600 --> 00:38:40,230
a medication
for Parkinson's--
665
00:38:40,266 --> 00:38:43,496
a disease Cody didn't have,
666
00:38:43,533 --> 00:38:46,233
just like they knew
he had a heart problem
667
00:38:46,266 --> 00:38:48,626
and wore a pacemaker.
668
00:38:48,667 --> 00:38:50,727
We discovered that
a pacemaker is very similar
669
00:38:50,767 --> 00:38:54,667
to a black box in
an airplane.
670
00:38:54,700 --> 00:38:58,400
That there's a memory,
and they can actually tell
671
00:38:58,433 --> 00:39:00,533
the date and time
that you died.
672
00:39:00,567 --> 00:39:01,997
And they can also tell
673
00:39:02,033 --> 00:39:04,533
whenever that
pacemaker goes off
674
00:39:04,567 --> 00:39:06,527
and is being used.
675
00:39:06,567 --> 00:39:08,697
Narrator:
Did Cody Bowles die
of natural causes
676
00:39:08,734 --> 00:39:10,574
as Ulisa claimed?
677
00:39:10,600 --> 00:39:12,530
Or like Clint,
678
00:39:12,567 --> 00:39:16,527
did he meet
an unseemly demise?
679
00:39:16,567 --> 00:39:19,397
Porter: It turned out there
was no serious activations
680
00:39:19,433 --> 00:39:21,373
like Ulisa told us.
681
00:39:23,000 --> 00:39:25,400
It proved that the story
that Ulisa gave us,
682
00:39:25,433 --> 00:39:27,273
that there was
a cardiac issue
683
00:39:27,300 --> 00:39:29,270
the night that he passed away,
684
00:39:29,300 --> 00:39:31,770
was just another one
of her lies.
685
00:39:32,000 --> 00:39:33,530
Johnson:
With all the evidence we have
686
00:39:33,567 --> 00:39:35,767
and all the lies
that she's told us,
687
00:39:36,000 --> 00:39:38,030
this was as good as
the investigation was gonna get
688
00:39:38,066 --> 00:39:39,566
and it was time
to charge Ulisa
689
00:39:39,600 --> 00:39:42,700
with killing Cody Bowles.
690
00:39:42,734 --> 00:39:46,704
Lagoe:
Ulisa Chavers was
absolutely a black widow.
691
00:39:46,734 --> 00:39:49,304
She poisoned
her live-in boyfriend,
692
00:39:49,333 --> 00:39:50,703
had him out in the shed,
693
00:39:50,734 --> 00:39:52,374
covered his body in lime,
694
00:39:52,400 --> 00:39:54,600
eventually
threw him down a well.
695
00:39:54,633 --> 00:39:58,033
Meanwhile, she's got
a dead husband
696
00:39:58,066 --> 00:39:59,666
whose head she's chopped off
697
00:39:59,700 --> 00:40:02,600
in the flower bed
of another home.
698
00:40:02,633 --> 00:40:04,773
It was so bizarre.
699
00:40:09,467 --> 00:40:12,297
Narrator:
As they prepared their case
against Ulisa Chavers,
700
00:40:12,333 --> 00:40:14,703
investigators gained
a clear understanding
701
00:40:14,734 --> 00:40:17,734
into the motivation
of their black widow.
702
00:40:17,767 --> 00:40:20,627
You have a combination
of probably anger and greed.
703
00:40:22,633 --> 00:40:24,733
Cody had talked about
maybe moving out west,
704
00:40:24,767 --> 00:40:28,227
but he wasn't talking
about taking Ulisa with him.
705
00:40:28,266 --> 00:40:31,326
And I think
Ulisa became angry,
706
00:40:31,367 --> 00:40:34,367
so she went ahead
and poisoned him.
707
00:40:40,066 --> 00:40:43,326
What I think happened
to Clint Chavers
as far as Ulisa,
708
00:40:43,367 --> 00:40:46,327
was once again,
she had taken care of a man
709
00:40:46,367 --> 00:40:48,597
that was in a wheelchair
for six or seven years,
710
00:40:48,633 --> 00:40:50,033
and was just sick
and tired of it
711
00:40:50,066 --> 00:40:52,326
and wanted some relief
from that.
712
00:40:52,367 --> 00:40:55,327
But also the motive of,
if he's gone
713
00:40:55,367 --> 00:40:56,627
I can still collect
his money.
714
00:40:59,533 --> 00:41:03,373
And I think Ulisa just woke up
one morning and had enough,
715
00:41:03,400 --> 00:41:07,300
and I think she probably used
his own gun and shot him.
716
00:41:15,100 --> 00:41:16,470
And then disposed of his body.
717
00:41:21,633 --> 00:41:23,633
Narrator:
In December 2010,
718
00:41:23,667 --> 00:41:27,467
62-year-old Ulisa Chavers
was scheduled to stand trial
719
00:41:27,500 --> 00:41:29,630
for the murder
of Cody Bowles.
720
00:41:29,667 --> 00:41:32,497
Today, multiple murder
suspect Ulisa Chavers
721
00:41:32,533 --> 00:41:35,573
claimed she's innocent,
pleading not guilty.
722
00:41:35,600 --> 00:41:37,500
Ulisa, is there anything
you'd like to say?
723
00:41:37,533 --> 00:41:39,433
Lagoe:
No comment today
for our cameras.
724
00:41:42,133 --> 00:41:45,133
Lowe:
Ulisa Chavers made
an Alford Plea,
725
00:41:45,166 --> 00:41:47,696
and an Alford plea
is basically saying that
726
00:41:47,734 --> 00:41:49,674
they maintain their innocence,
727
00:41:49,700 --> 00:41:54,530
but there is
enough evidence to convict.
728
00:41:54,567 --> 00:41:57,997
Narrator:
A judge sentenced
Ulisa Chavers to 73 years
729
00:41:58,033 --> 00:42:00,703
for the murders of Cody Bowles
and Clint Chavers.
730
00:42:00,734 --> 00:42:04,534
Lagoe:
Ulisa Chavers will be
100 years old
731
00:42:04,567 --> 00:42:07,467
before she's even eligible
to apply for parole.
732
00:42:07,500 --> 00:42:09,530
A.J. Lagoe, 8 News.
733
00:42:09,567 --> 00:42:11,527
Narrator:
For Cody's son Lee,
734
00:42:11,567 --> 00:42:13,397
it's small justice
to see the woman
735
00:42:13,433 --> 00:42:15,673
who took so much
from so many
736
00:42:15,700 --> 00:42:18,370
ultimately confess so little.
737
00:42:18,400 --> 00:42:21,130
Lee: In the end,
she still won't admit
738
00:42:21,166 --> 00:42:23,696
that she killed
or did anything wrong.
739
00:42:23,734 --> 00:42:27,104
We all know she did.
Evidence shows that she did.
740
00:42:27,133 --> 00:42:28,703
I'm just glad
that she's in there
741
00:42:28,734 --> 00:42:31,134
for the rest of her life,
and there's no opportunity
742
00:42:31,166 --> 00:42:33,566
for her to do this
to somebody else.
743
00:42:33,600 --> 00:42:36,030
Porter:
This is the craziest case
I've ever had.
744
00:42:36,066 --> 00:42:39,596
Two deaths
attributed to one person
over so many years?
745
00:42:39,633 --> 00:42:42,333
Finding them buried
in the backyard? It's crazy.
746
00:42:42,367 --> 00:42:46,697
Johnson:
The only emotion that
I ever saw from Ulisa,
747
00:42:46,734 --> 00:42:49,034
which I thought
was quite remarkable,
748
00:42:49,066 --> 00:42:53,026
was at one point I saw her
shed a single tear.
749
00:42:53,066 --> 00:42:56,726
And she looked at me
and said that jail is hard.
750
00:42:59,734 --> 00:43:01,704
Narrator:
But nothing compares
to living life
751
00:43:01,734 --> 00:43:06,174
without the people
you love most.
752
00:43:06,200 --> 00:43:07,730
Lee: I have
a three-year-old daughter,
753
00:43:07,767 --> 00:43:10,097
and I'd like for her
to know her grandfather,
754
00:43:10,133 --> 00:43:12,573
even though she never had
a chance to meet him.
755
00:43:12,600 --> 00:43:17,030
I'd like to kind of instill
some of the values in her
756
00:43:17,066 --> 00:43:19,596
that he gave to me,
and just tell her
757
00:43:19,633 --> 00:43:22,473
that even though
he died tragically,
that's not his whole life.
758
00:43:22,500 --> 00:43:26,030
And I'd just like
to let her understand
that life is short,
759
00:43:26,066 --> 00:43:28,596
and, you know,
that he would have wished
760
00:43:28,633 --> 00:43:30,173
he could have been there
to meet her.
58198
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