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00:36The largest lake in the USA, Lake Erie.
00:41It sits on the boundary of Canada to the north and also borders four US states.
01:44You
01:49She's got bites
01:52You know her
01:54Entire face
01:55All of her features
01:56Are gone
01:57Are worn off
01:58It is
01:59Literally just
01:59A head
02:00With no nose
02:01No eyes
02:02No mouth
02:02And
02:04Obviously being bloated
02:05And there are
02:06There's
02:06There's
02:06Things all over her body
02:08It was
02:09It was very upsetting
02:09She was found too
02:10By a family
02:11All the injuries
02:13To her
02:13Were very
02:13Hard to see
02:18She was found too
02:19She was found too
02:20She was found too
02:21She was found too
02:22She was found too
02:23She was found too
02:24She was found too
02:25She was found too
02:26She was found too
02:27She was found too
02:28She was found too
02:29She was found too
02:30She was found too
02:31She was found too
02:32She was found too
02:33She was found too
02:34She was found too
02:35She was found too
02:36She was found too
02:37She was found too
02:38She was found too
02:39She was found too
02:40She was found too
02:41She was found too
02:42She was found too
02:43She was found too
02:44She was found too
02:45She was found too
02:46She was found too
02:47Its bloating gave them an idea how long it had been in the water.
02:52In this case, the body was...
02:57estimated to have been there for about three weeks.
03:01Lake Erie is very...
03:02very cold.
03:03The water is also very cold, and that is going to have an effect on...
03:07how that body decomposes.
03:09Because the water temperature is a lot cooler...
03:12as is the air temperature, it was better preserved...
03:15than it would have been for normally being in the water.
03:17However, decomposition had begun to set in.
03:22Which would make the identification of this person more difficult.
03:27The body was recovered in the water.
03:32by the Chautauqua County Sheriff's Department.
03:34They went out, put a blue tarp...
03:37under the body, put the body in a tarp.
03:40When it was brought ashore, I was in Dunkirk, New York.
03:42because I had been interviewing the people who were in the water...
03:45that discovered the body.
03:47And then I took photos of the body as it had come in from the water.
03:52I was in the blue body bag.
03:58Investigators needed to identify the woman.
04:01But they also...
04:02had to work out what happened to her.
04:05Deaths in Lake Erie are not...
04:07in common.
04:08It's popular with swimmers and scuba divers.
04:11But its waters...
04:12caused many dangers.
04:13What happened?
04:14What happened?
04:15What happened?
04:16What happened?
04:17What happened?
04:18What happened?
04:19What happened?
04:20Certainly there are things in the water...
04:22like temperature... creating hypothermia.
04:25There's significant shipping traffic.
04:27that goes through the Great Lakes.
04:29Even though the Great Lakes are...
04:32lakes and not the ocean.
04:34Water movement is significant.
04:37In addition to...
04:39just the...
04:40the effects of wind and...
04:42gravitational pull.
04:43What happened?
04:44What happened?
04:45What happened?
04:46What happened?
04:47What happened?
04:52Where...
04:52The Titan Lake Erie
04:57is only about 30 millimeters, about three centimeters.
05:02The lake itself is about 240 miles long, about 380 kilometers.
05:07And that gives it plenty of length for big waves to develop.
05:12The waves are created by the wind,
05:14and you can get these big storms across all of them.
05:17All the Great Lakes.
05:20Although it was summer,
05:22Lake Erie had recently been hit by a storm.
05:26Because...
05:27Because this is one of the Great Lakes in Michigan area,
05:30the water's rough, and storms...
05:32The waves that come up are just more detrimental
05:35to preserving a body than you...
05:37you might expect.
05:39So we're trying to identify a deceased person.
05:42We want to go for the fastest way possible,
05:44because we often...
05:46Until we can identify the...
05:47victim, we often can't tell exactly what happened
05:49and put a timeline together.
05:51So what we try to do...
05:52is look at the amount of decomposition
05:55and what type of decomposition...
05:57there is.
05:58In this case, the body had been in the water
06:00for approximately three weeks.
06:02So dental records were used to compare the victim
06:05to dental records that were on file.
06:07The body was confirmed as local woman, 51 year old.
06:12Karen LeClaire.
06:14She'd been reported missing three weeks earlier.
06:17The End
06:18The End
06:19The End
06:22Christopher LeClaire was a commercial fisherman in the waters of Lake Erie.
06:27He had asked his wife, Karen LeClaire, to go out on the fishing boat to help her.
06:32To help him attend to his nets.
06:35They set off on the couple's boat.
06:38The Doris M.
06:41They left the East.
06:42Marina on the Doris M.
06:45And they proceeded through.
06:47To the channel into the waters of Lake Erie.
06:51And at that point.
06:53Karen was suffering from nausea.
06:55From the fumes off the.
06:57To the port side of the boat.
07:00He was in the captain's house.
07:03Christopher was up driving the boat.
07:06He was checking us.
07:07On her.
07:08He reports her being off the port side.
07:11Leaning over.
07:13One point.
07:14He looks back.
07:15She's gone.
07:17Two!
07:22We will talk.
07:23Zero.
07:22So he had theorized she fell over the boat she was just I guess
07:27sick and ill and fell over
07:32He then reported her missing as being overboard
07:37The Doris M made a distress call and a full-scale emergency response
07:42was launched that triggers a whole bunch of agencies
07:47The US Coast Guard the Fish and Boat Commission is notified immediately because
07:52it's in the waters of Lake Erie
07:54The Pennsylvania State Police were notified immediately
07:57When he gave the district
08:02a distress call that she fell overboard
08:05You can't thank the Coast Guard
08:07They scrambled a helicopter I believe out of Detroit
08:11There were
08:12Cutters out of Buffalo
08:13The Erie Coast Guard
08:15Canada may have contributed
08:17to this all in a desperate attempt to save Karen LeClaire
08:22It was a great deal of manpower
08:25We had our Pennsylvania State Police AV
08:27Aviation Unit up
08:28Helicopters were up
08:29Obviously the Fish and Boat Commission had theirs
08:32boats out
08:33The Coast Guard had their boats out
08:34The Coast Guard had their boats out
08:35And they were all searching the waters of Lake Erie
08:37Approximately four or five miles off the shore
08:42In a north-westerly direction
08:44It was a race against time to
08:47find Karen alive
08:52Given the harsh conditions of the water
08:55Once Karen went overboard
08:56It would have
08:57been very hard for her to survive for a prolonged period of time
09:00Even the best swimmer cannot keep
09:02themselves afloat in waves four to five feet for an extended period
09:07Despite Karen being a strong swimmer
09:10And a qualified scuba diver
09:12The cold water even in July meant hypothermia could set in
09:17within hours
09:18Even if she was able to stay afloat for an extended period of time
09:22The waves would have pushed her and pulled her very far from her initial entry in
09:27To the water
09:28This makes it very difficult for rescuers to know where to start the search
09:31As they
09:32We don't know where she currently is
09:33By nightfall
09:36By nightfall
09:37All hopes of finding Karen alive were fading
09:40The search
09:42Report for Karen LeClaire
09:43Went on Sunday
09:45June 11th
09:46And into Monday
09:47Monday
09:48Monday is when the Pennsylvania State Police took over
09:52The lead investigation of the disappearance of Karen LeClaire
09:57Obviously everyone was very concerned and sad and worried about her
10:02And I believe the search was called off Monday
10:07Monday night
10:08About 30 hours
10:09They had been searching for her
10:10And they declared her dead at that time
10:12Just a
10:16Just a
10:17A
10:18Despair
10:19It was very sad
10:20And it's just confusion
10:21This was a woman that
10:22Went out
10:23On that boat
10:24Regardless of the conditions
10:25Scoot
10:26I
10:27I
10:28I
10:29I
10:30I
10:31I
10:32I
10:33I
10:34I
10:35I
10:36I
10:37I
10:38I
10:39I
10:40I
10:41I
10:42I
10:43I
10:44I
10:45I
10:46I
10:48I
10:49I
10:50I
10:51I
10:27I
10:28I
10:29I
10:30I
10:31I
10:36I
10:37I
10:41I
10:55I
10:56I
10:57suspicious in nature.
11:02In Pennsylvania.
11:07Detectives are investigating after local woman, Karen LeClaire, was found.
11:12Floating in Lake Erie.
11:15Her husband reported her falling over.
11:17Floating in Lake Erie.
11:18She took the overboard from their fishing boat three weeks earlier.
11:21It was thought...
11:22She drowned.
11:26The lake is known to...
11:27The lake is known to have several strong currents.
11:29Strong enough to where most of the time, officials recommend that people do not...
11:32swim in the waters as they can be very dangerous.
11:35Karen fell overboard.
11:37If she was unable to keep herself afloat, she would have sunk all the way to the bottom.
11:42Lake Erie also ranges in depth, with the deepest point being...
11:47...approximately 210 feet.
11:49When a body enters the water and sinks in water...
11:52deeper than 100 to 130 feet.
11:54A lot of the times, that pressure will hold them...
11:57...underwater and they will not resurface.
12:01However, on average...
12:02...the depth of Lake Erie is about 64 feet.
12:05And as gas is built in their system...
12:07...they will float to the surface.
12:10This happened to Karen LeClaire.
12:12But, even before her body resurfaced...
12:17...investigators had their doubts about the situation.
12:23Just falling overboard...
12:25...randomly falling overboard...
12:27...in Lake Erie...
12:28...you don't hear that a lot.
12:29Especially right outside in the bay.
12:32I just said something doesn't seem right with this.
12:35So, from the time that she...
12:37...he was reported missing on Sunday.
12:39It was a constant investigation.
12:42It was a constant gate of effort.
12:43It's all hands on deck.
12:44It's an area between 15...
12:47...to 20 investigators working around the clock...
12:49...in an attempt to determine...
12:51...as much information...
12:52...as we possibly can.
12:53...and follow those leads...
12:54...in whichever direction they go.
12:57...and speaking to the co-workers of Karen LeClaire...
12:59...speaking to other people...
13:01...down in the Marine...
13:02...who were familiar with Christopher LeClaire.
13:07Detectives looked into Karen's personal life...
13:09...and her relationship with husband Christopher.
13:12Karen LeClaire is a beautiful woman.
13:15Very loving, caring woman.
13:17Hard worker.
13:19Well loved by her family and friends.
13:22...her co-workers.
13:24Wonderful work ethic.
13:26She...
13:27She worked at a local business...
13:29...auto dealership...
13:30...where she was a very dedicated...
13:32...employee.
13:33When she wasn't working...
13:34...she was out with her husband.
13:35When she wasn't working...
13:36...she was out with her husband.
13:37...on their boat.
13:38Just salt of the earth...
13:39...woman.
13:42Karen LeClaire was a very good wife...
13:46...to Christopher LeClaire.
13:47She was married to him...
13:49...for about 26 years.
13:51Met in Florida...
13:52...I believe.
13:53...and came up here...
13:54...and lived here in Albion.
13:55About 27 acres.
13:57...I believe on a home.
13:58From what we learned...
13:59...she was very devoted to Chris.
14:01Loved him.
14:02...very much.
14:03Just very even keeled...
14:04...and loving.
14:05We realized...
14:06...how dedicated Karen...
14:07...was as a wife...
14:08...when we found out...
14:09...what type of person...
14:10...Christopher was.
14:12...because...
14:13...we spoke to a number of people...
14:15...who not only had business acquaintances...
14:17...with Christopher...
14:18...but also had personal...
14:20...relationships...
14:21...with Christopher.
14:22...and I would say...
14:23...of those people...
14:24...we spoke to...
14:25...very very few...
14:26...had anything...
14:27...positive...
14:28...to say...
14:29...about Christopher.
14:32...behind the scenes...
14:33...the couple...
14:34...had their ups and downs.
14:37Christopher Leclerc...
14:38...was not doing well...
14:39...financially...
14:40...but that was...
14:41...his own...
14:42...doing...
14:43...he was a commercial...
14:44...fisherman...
14:45...however...
14:46...his nets...
14:47...were unattended...
14:47...for weeks...
14:48...so imagine...
14:49...a commercial fisherman...
14:50...who has...
14:51...large nets...
14:52...in the lake...
14:53...is catching...
14:54...perch...
14:55...by large quantities...
14:56...and other...
14:57...for fish...
14:58...in Lake Erie...
14:59...to take to market...
15:00...to sell...
15:01...imagine...
15:02...not pulling...
15:03...those nets up...
15:04...on a daily basis...
15:05...to take...
15:06...those fish out...
15:07...while they're still fresh...
15:08...so you can make...
15:09...money on them...
15:10...well...
15:11...either...
15:12...because of his...
15:13...lifestyle...
15:14...maybe his own...
15:15...laziness...
15:16...failed to...
15:17...the end of those nets...
15:18...to the point where...
15:19...the Fish and Boat Commission...
15:20...go out...
15:21...and pull up his...
15:22...nets...
15:23...because the...
15:24...decomposition of the...
15:25...fish in the nets...
15:26...was just...
15:27...atrocious.
15:27...the livelihood...
15:28...was there...
15:29...it was...
15:30...his effort...
15:31...that lacked...
15:32...he was...
15:32...very lazy...
15:33...and he basically...
15:34...wanted everything...
15:35...done for him...
15:36...he...
15:37...he did the minimum...
15:38...that he could do...
15:39...if you did talk...
15:40...to people...
15:41...they knew of his...
15:42...lack of work ethic.
15:43He could have very well...
15:44...been a successful...
15:45...commercial fisherman...
15:46...and...
15:47...there are other...
15:48...commercial fisherman...
15:49...in the area...
15:50...that are doing well...
15:51...but they're...
15:52...putting the effort...
15:53...forth...
15:54...to make their business...
15:55...successful.
15:56Christopher did not...
15:57...choose to...
15:57...do that...
15:58...and...
15:59...that resulted in him...
16:00...having financial...
16:01...difficulties.
16:02...Karen...
16:04...actually...
16:05...uh...
16:06...stayed with him...
16:07...during some very...
16:08...difficult times...
16:09...even after she found out...
16:10...he had a mistress.
16:12It's been going on...
16:14...for quite some time...
16:15...and...
16:16...was quite serious.
16:17She did move out...
16:18...of their residence...
16:19...in Albion...
16:20...Pennsylvania...
16:21...but she eventually...
16:22...came back...
16:24...so she was a dedicated...
16:25...wife.
16:27...investigators...
16:28...needed to speak...
16:29...to Christopher himself.
16:30That is when...
16:31...we brought...
16:32...Christopher...
16:32...Leclarian...
16:33...for an initial...
16:34...interview...
16:35...to get...
16:36...all the details.
16:37...of what happened.
16:38He started off...
16:40...basically talking...
16:41...about their marriage...
16:42...and it was a good marriage...
16:43...and sticking with the story...
16:44...that she was ill...
16:45...sat in the back...
16:47...took the boat...
16:48...and then fell over.
16:49It came out...
16:50...that she's...
16:51...an avid...
16:52...she's a swimmer...
16:53...she's a scuba diver...
16:54...so...
16:55...they were starting...
16:56...to press him up...
16:57...on a few of those...
16:58...matters.
16:59During that interview...
17:00...he was really...
17:01...starting to...
17:02...get nervous.
17:06So then he talked about...
17:07...how his wife had cancer...
17:08...she wasn't doing well.
17:09He would tell people...
17:10...that Karen LeClaire...
17:11...had cancer...
17:12...there were no indications...
17:13...that Karen LeClaire...
17:15...had any type of cancer...
17:16...and...
17:17...that...
17:18...was not...
17:19...the fact that...
17:20...she did not have cancer...
17:21...was also supported by...
17:22...the family members.
17:27Christopher had told...
17:29...Karen's boss...
17:30...that Karen had...
17:31...can...
17:32...i don't have cancer...
17:33...but...
17:34...this individual...
17:35...followed up with Karen...
17:36...and she said...
17:37...no, I don't...
17:37have cancer. She wasn't somebody who would necessarily air her.
17:42Dirty Laundry in public, but she was close enough to her co-workers and to her supervisors.
17:47That if she had been sick and if somebody had broached her with this, she certainly
17:52would not have lied about it or not told them. So this is completely out of character.
17:57What Chris LeClaire is saying is clearly a lie.
18:02Next, detectives question Christopher.
18:07He started to offer up that the...
18:12The individual was just a fling, didn't mean a lot to him. And then when they kept...
18:17Depressing, it became every other month that he was with this mistress. Then...
18:22They asked, you know, when was the last time you were with her? And he said a month ago.
18:26And then within...
18:27And then the same breath changed it to last Friday night. So he was very...
18:32Inconsistent and all over the place with that. And every time they would ask a question,
18:35he would give more...
18:37More information that was completely contradictory to what he just said.
18:40More information that was completely contradictory to what he just said.
18:42Police were also puzzled at Christopher's reaction to the news that his wife's...
18:47Rescue was now a recovery mission.
18:50The Coast Guard informed...
18:52He informed him that the recovery efforts were going to begin. He showed very little emotion.
18:56And his only question...
18:57To me at that time was...
18:59How long do you think it would take for a body to float up in...
19:02The waters of Lake Erie this time of the year?
19:07It was...
19:07It was very matter of fact.
19:08There was zero emotion.
19:10Investigators need...
19:12Needed another way to check Christopher LeClaire's story about how and when his wife went...
19:17Missing.
19:18There was a very good possibility that there was video footage...
19:22Down on Dobbins Landing in the East Marina where Christopher had his boat at Doris...
19:27And one of them docked.
19:28So we immediately...
19:29Got manpower...
19:31And we...
19:32We began to look for video footage.
19:34There were some new cameras installed in various areas of...
19:37The East Marina...
19:38But also...
19:39Going out the Coast Guard station in the...
19:42Channel...
19:43Out to Lake Erie.
19:44Fortunately...
19:45We found some very very good footage.
19:47It was phenomenal.
19:51It was phenomenal.
19:52Footage.
19:53I mean it was very clear.
19:54And they actually had one of the state troops...
19:57Sit and watch...
19:58For hours...
20:00For hours...
20:01For hours...
20:02The footage showed the couple arriving at the dock.
20:05The day before Karen was reported...
20:07Missing.
20:12Thisよね.
20:13Let us know...
20:15When Karen and Christopher pull in...
20:17He loads up the ice, they get on the boat, they take off.
20:22The two of them proceeded through the East Marine.
20:27Mariner out through the channel and into the waters of Lake Erie.
20:32He then returned later that afternoon, I believe it was 3, 4.
20:37Four hours later, docked his boat on a wall of the East Marina where he typically...
20:42...never docked his boat.
20:44We believe he thought outside of the view of the camera.
20:47So it wasn't in his regular boat slip.
20:52And it's just him.
20:57Can anyone else get off that boat?
20:59He's the only one that gets off.
21:02Two people went fishing, one person came back and...
21:07...and it was not until the following day that he reported her missing.
21:12He was the only one that was in the middle of the East Marina.
21:17Sunday we see him come back around noon
21:22get back
21:22on the boat where it's docked and go out by himself
21:25and then the distress signals about an hour and a half
21:27later
21:28so it became very clear
21:31that he did
21:32not go out with his wife
21:34on June the 11th like he said
21:36and so the
21:37fact that he has already lied to them
21:39about the timeline of events
21:41I think would
21:42have been a huge red flag
21:45we knew at that point
21:46that some
21:47something tragically had happened
21:49to Karen LeClaire
21:50he was not telling us the whole story
21:52about what happened
21:54in the waters of Lake Erie on that weekend
21:57in the waters of Lake Erie
22:00in the waters of Lake Erie
22:02in the waters of Lake Erie
22:05in the waters of Lake Erie
22:07Lake Erie
22:08Pennsylvania
22:09detectives are questioning Christopher
22:12LeClaire's claims
22:13that his wife fell overboard
22:15during a fishing trip
22:17video evidence suggests
22:19he took his wife out on the boat
22:21and returned without her
22:22the day before he reported her missing
22:25he's been lying to them
22:27but why
22:29based on
22:31everything we were gathered
22:32it was very evident
22:34that Christopher LeClaire
22:35was responsible
22:36for the disappearance
22:37of his wife
22:38so at that point
22:41our investigation focused
22:42strictly
22:42on him
22:43it focused on his affair
22:45with his mistress
22:46there were
22:47a bunch of factors
22:48that we started to focus on
22:50and delve into
22:50to determine
22:51exactly why
22:52why he would want
22:53to kill his wife
22:54prosecutors reviewed
22:57video footage
22:57of Christopher's initial
22:59initial police interview
23:00where he discussed
23:01his mistress
23:02and he would talk about
23:04the fact that Karen knew
23:06about this woman
23:07Tracy Butler
23:07but it was years ago
23:09that he
23:09she found out about it
23:11then eight months ago
23:12watching his demeanor
23:14through that
23:15he was getting
23:16extremely frustrated
23:17with
23:17and they did not
23:18believe his answer
23:20and just move on
23:21and he did not
23:22like that
23:23and when they would
23:25bring him back
23:25to Tracy
23:26he would get frustrated
23:27I believe walked out
23:29at one point
23:30so it was very telling
23:31and looking back
23:32on that really
23:32is who
23:33Christopher LeClaire was
23:34he was
23:35always in control
23:37and he was so manipulative
23:39and that everyone
23:40did what he asked
23:41and wanted
23:42and that was
23:42wasn't happening
23:43in that interview room
23:44and he just
23:44didn't know
23:45how to handle it
23:46he was so arrogant
23:47that he actually
23:49knowing he was recorded
23:51in that room
23:52at one point
23:52took his phone
23:53and started deleting
23:54text messages
23:55from his girlfriend
23:56so just
23:57I think he's gotten away
23:59with so much
23:59over the years
24:00he just thought
24:01he could continue
24:01that pattern
24:02when Christopher LeClaire
24:05was questioned
24:06during that initial interview
24:07he meant
24:07to minimize the relationship
24:08that he had with Tracy
24:09he did not say
24:11it was for five years
24:12our investigation
24:12revealed that it was
24:14for five years
24:14he minimized
24:15the emotional attachment
24:17he had
24:17to Tracy
24:18he said
24:19it was just a sexual
24:20relationship
24:21at that time
24:22his lover
24:24told a different story
24:25Penceway State Police
24:27also talked to Tracy Butler
24:29so confirmed the affair
24:32confirmed
24:32with Tracy
24:34that it was much more serious
24:35than Christopher
24:36had led on
24:37when
24:37Christopher's wife
24:38moved out
24:39his mistress
24:40Tracy
24:41moved in
24:42to their
24:42to
24:42Christopher's house
24:43in Albion
24:44during that time
24:46Tracy became
24:47pretty comfortable
24:48living out there
24:49in Albion
24:49Pennsylvania
24:50however
24:51Karen
24:52moved
24:52back in
24:53with Christopher
24:54and Tracy
24:55was back home
24:56into the city
24:56of Erie
24:57she wanted to be back
24:59living in his house
25:00in Albion
25:00Pennsylvania
25:01she had children
25:02who she
25:02wanted to get enrolled
25:03in the school
25:04in that area
25:04for the following
25:05school year
25:06he had
25:07had to make a decision
25:08she had given him
25:10an ultimatum
25:11that he either
25:12leave his wife
25:13or she was going
25:14to leave him
25:15oftentimes
25:19when I see
25:19people who end up
25:21murdering somebody
25:22and they're
25:22people who have
25:23never murdered
25:24anybody before
25:25they don't have
25:25a violent criminal
25:26history
25:27there are
25:29very significant
25:29situational variables
25:31that come into play
25:32so for example
25:33they might feel
25:34their back
25:34is up against
25:34them
25:34the wall
25:35but they don't
25:36have any options
25:37which again
25:38is no excuse
25:38because most people
25:39wouldn't do that
25:40under any circumstances
25:41but you can look
25:42and see where that
25:43person felt desperate
25:44the more we
25:44looked into it
25:45and the more we
25:46looked into the
25:46background
25:47of Christopher LeClaire
25:48we realized
25:49that there may be
25:50another motive
25:51as to why
25:52if he would have
25:53killed her
25:53and then pushed her
25:54over
25:54overboard
25:55he wanted to
25:56maintain his
25:56relationship
25:57with his mistress
25:58but his wife
25:59was in the way
26:04and effort
26:09was in the place
26:11and he seemed
26:11less specifically
26:12coming out
26:13along
26:13between
26:13being
26:14the
26:14and
26:15killed him
26:15and killed him
26:16and killed him
26:17and killed him
26:17in his
26:30with human
26:30in
26:32and
26:33We knew Christopher had access to a number of guns.
26:37He had quite a few guns in his residence.
26:38So we tactically approached his residence from all directions with...
26:43...anticipation that he was in the house and without knowledge of how he would react.
26:47At that point...
26:48...we were notified that the vehicle which I believe he was driving was...
26:53...located on the roadway outside of his residence.
26:57And he was...
26:58...taken into custody at that particular point.
27:03From prison, Christopher's calls and letters were monitored by detectives.
27:07He...
27:08He was giving us more information from his jail cell that we really...
27:13...didn't even need to go out and get.
27:17In listening to the phone call...
27:18...of Christopher LeClaire, we realized that...
27:21...he was a very...
27:23...gifted liar.
27:24He could lie at a drop of a hat.
27:27He would talk to...
27:28...tracy on a regular basis.
27:30And the outlandish web of lies.
27:33...that he would tell her was...
27:35...unbelievable.
27:36The letters that they...
27:38...would share with one another about...
27:40...you know...
27:40...their love for one another.
27:42Uh...
27:42...it clearly...
27:43...allowed us to see that...
27:46...he knew Karen was out of the picture.
27:47That he was...
27:48...planning on getting out of jail and continuing this...
27:51...uh...
27:52...uh...
27:52...relationship with his...
27:53...mistress Tracy.
27:54He really was building our case from his jail cell.
27:58But investigators still had a problem.
28:01It was about proving...
28:03...beyond a reasonable doubt...
28:04...that he was responsible for the death of Karen.
28:07But we...
28:08...we did not know how that...
28:09...happened at that point...
28:10...because we didn't have a body...
28:11...um...
28:12...without a body...
28:13...it's...
28:14...you can't tell, obviously...
28:15...the nature or manner of death.
28:18nightmare to be so thrilled...
28:19...was long enough to be heard.
28:20...no...
28:21...not me...
28:22...not me...
28:23...was Icy...
28:24....no, no...
28:25...of...
28:26...completion...
28:27...i know...
28:28...sob of it said I can...
28:29...no...
28:30...to...
28:31...но, no...
28:32...dятно...
28:36...kah...
28:37...is...
28:40...hard,
28:43...do...
28:44...sob...
28:46...dat...
28:47There was a white rope and a blue rope also tied around her ankles.
28:52Those two ropes were joined by a rope.
28:57In the middle of her body, from that single rope, there was a...
29:02another rope that had an anchor attached to it.
29:07There was a rope that had an anchor attached to it.
29:12There was a rope that had an anchor attached to it.
29:12So the anchor was used to assist in keeping the body down.
29:17Which was consistent with what Christopher had asked me.
29:22As far as how long would it take a body to come up in the waters of Lake Erie.
29:27He already had knowledge as to what he had did to Karen, how he had tied her down.
29:32But if it was weighed down, why did Karen's body resurface?
29:37The End
29:47We can demonstrate that here.
29:51When the body's weighed down, it'll...
29:52It'll sit on the seafloor.
29:54And if the seafloor is reasonably smooth, then it can...
29:57It'll drag along the seafloor.
29:59But if it then gets snared on, say, a sandbank or a...
30:02Or something similar to that, then it can stay there for a long period until...
30:07It's re-suspended by a wave.
30:09Beggar's Lake here is relatively shallow compared to...
30:12To many marine areas.
30:14It means those waves which can develop to be quite big...
30:17Are quite capable of extending to the seafloor and lifting anybody that's on the seafloor.
30:22And that will then make it jump over some of these obstructions.
30:27And so the...
30:27Waves are critical to the body moving along the seafloor.
30:32Now, investigators needed to link Christopher LeClaire to the...
30:37The items used to weigh his wife's body down.
30:40They started a search on Christopher LeClaire.
30:42Christopher LeClaire's boat, the Doris M.
30:44We discovered that the rope that was used...
30:47Around her chest and her ankles was actually rope that was cut off of a ham.
30:52It was like a two-tone blue rope that was a hammock that was located on...
30:57The door, Sam.
31:02And then the off-white.
31:07Rope was also rope that was used to secure...
31:12His anchors to the boat.
31:13And the anchor that was used for her body was also...
31:17Very, very similar to the anchors that were located on the door stem.
31:22There were three...
31:22The anchors, kind of a small, medium, large.
31:25And obviously, he had used the largest.
31:27Anchor in that set.
31:29So, obviously, photographed all of that and again...
31:32Just added to the evidence against him.
31:37But investigators still needed to know whether Karen drowned or...
31:42If she died by other means.
31:43Her body was sent for a post-mortem.
31:47Several of us drove out there to observe the autopsy.
31:52She's this beautiful blonde woman.
31:53And then you go to this autopsy and just what's happened to her was...
31:57Very, very difficult.
31:58And also, just to see how he had tight...
32:02Put her up in those ropes and tied her to that anchor.
32:06Even though there was...
32:07Composition on the body.
32:08There was no other evidence of injury to the arms or to the...
32:12Her legs, which would have indicated that she may have struggled...
32:15Once the ropes were tied around her.
32:17This would lead us to believe that she was deceased...
32:19At the time she was put into the water.
32:22Then the pathologist noticed...
32:27Two injuries to the head.
32:28Two injuries to the head.
32:32So, he noticed...
32:33He noticed above the right ear...
32:36And then another injury.
32:37on the left ear. In this case, you could see the skull had fractured.
32:42You could see the skull had fractured.
32:47The injury itself is to her right temple.
32:52So we knew we had a bullet wound.
32:55The manner and cause of death was
32:57determined to be a single gunshot wound
32:59to the right side of the head,
33:00exiting on the left side of the...
33:02Karen said.
33:07Despite the decomposition of the body,
33:09the autopsy could determine how far the gun was from...
33:12Karen's head.
33:14The medical examiner didn't accept...
33:17the original job, that autopsy,
33:18and getting us that evidence
33:20that it was a very close bullet wound.
33:22It was a very close bullet wound.
33:23It was a very close bullet wound.
33:25It was a very close bullet wound.
33:27You could tell it was a contact wound
33:30to the right side of the head because...
33:32when you shoot somebody in the head
33:34and it's in contact with the skin,
33:36it creates...
33:37this stippling effect,
33:39which is almost like a burning of the skin.
33:42from the heat of the discharge of the...
33:44of the round going through
33:45and the barrel of the gun.
33:46When...
33:47when they removed the port...
33:49the layer of skin around the wound,
33:51you could actually see...
33:52the gunpowder residue between...
33:54the tissue and the layer of skin.
33:57so...
33:58that gunpowder does not get...
34:00under the skin...
34:01unless...
34:02the shot...
34:03that's fired to kill her...
34:04is basically right up against her head...
34:06at the time it is...
34:07discharged.
34:12we can tell that it was a gunshot wound
34:15because when it enters the...
34:17skull...
34:18as it did in Karen's case...
34:19we can tell the entrance...
34:20from the exit wound.
34:22so you have a smooth entry...
34:24and the stippling on the entry...
34:26but on the...
34:27exit you have a rough edge...
34:29or a tearing effect...
34:30or the skull...
34:32because the gas is being pushed out...
34:34it creates a crack in the skull.
34:37but...
34:38Is that what...
34:40the relationship...
34:41the gunpowder...
34:42Even though the murder weapon had yet to be found, investigators charged
34:47Christopher LeClaire with his wife's killing.
34:52All the physical evidence that we found and
34:57regarding the gunshot wound to the head and then all the ropes from the door of Sam and the...
35:02anger from door of Sam, that physical evidence basically sealed his face.
35:07To see the lengths that he went to...
35:12to hide his crime just deepened my resolve to make sure this man never...
35:17got out of jail.
35:22In Pennsylvania, detectives investigate...
35:27Karen LeClaire's murder now know she was shot dead.
35:31Before...
35:32being tied to an anchor and thrown into Lake Erie.
35:37Her husband, Christopher LeClaire, the prime suspect, is now in jail.
35:42awaiting trial.
35:43He was not interested in talking to us.
35:47Because I believe at that point he realized that we had all the evidence we needed.
35:52But investigators still had to find the murder weapon.
35:57After monitoring LeClaire's calls from prison, they struck gold.
36:02He was communicating with his father on the phone.
36:06And during...
36:07During one of our phone conversations that we were monitoring, he instructed his dad...
36:12that there was an item in the basement above a seat.
36:17Healink tile.
36:18Healink tile.
36:19Healink tile.
36:22Healink tile.
36:23I think he referred to it as outside the gun room.
36:27There's an item that needs to disappear.
36:32Healink tile.
36:33We heard that.
36:34But we had a pretty good idea.
36:35But his dad was attempting to...
36:37He was directing his father to go to the basement, get a ladder, go up to the...
36:42the rafters, and there would be something there.
36:44And that he needed to make sure was gone.
36:47So...
36:49We immediately...
36:51try...
36:52We got the dad in.
36:53Spoke to the father.
36:54The father was very...
36:57forward with us.
36:58And said that...
36:59He was instructed by Christopher.
37:02to remove a gun.
37:03And he put it underneath the bed.
37:08A second search was executed at his home.
37:11And in a...
37:12drawer under the bed.
37:13Behind that drawer was found a...
37:16A closet was...
37:17próxim to her.
37:17bag with a .38 revolver in the bag, and so that we had
37:22now not only had the body, we had homicide, we had the cause of death.
37:27We now had the weapon.
37:32.
37:37Fifteen months after the body was found,
37:42Christopher LeClaire finally stood trial, pleading not guilty.
37:47The first-degree murder.
37:52Christopher conducted himself in a manner that you would
37:57expect.
37:58There was very little remorse, very little emotion.
38:02And that's what you would expect from somebody of his mental capacity.
38:07As far as his egotistical behavior, narcissistic type of person.
38:12.
38:13.
38:14.
38:15.
38:16.
38:17.
38:18.
38:17.
38:22.
38:23.
38:22.
38:27.
38:28.
38:27.
38:28.
38:29.
38:34.
38:35.
38:36.
38:37.
38:38.
38:39.
38:40.
38:41.
38:42.
38:43.
38:44.
38:45.
38:46.
38:47.
38:48.
38:49.
38:50.
38:51.
38:54.
38:55.
38:56.
38:57.
38:58.
38:59.
39:00.
38:59.
39:00.
39:01.
39:02.
39:03.
39:04.
39:05.
39:06.
39:07.
39:08.
39:09.
39:10.
39:11.
39:12.
39:13.
39:14.
39:15.
39:16.
39:17.
39:18.
39:19.
39:20.
39:21.
39:22.
39:23.
39:24.
39:25.
39:26.
39:27.
39:28him that we just put everything in on that June 10th
39:33Christopher had a ultimatum that was provided to him by his girlfriend
39:38and that was his last weekend where he had to do something with Karen
39:43in order to satisfy the ultimatum
39:47through the CCTV
39:48the court was shown LeClaire taking his wife out into Lake Erie
39:53on their final trip
39:58if you're watching this video this is the last day of her life
40:03he knows what's going to happen to her
40:05this is the woman that you've been with for 27 years
40:08you hate her that much
40:11LeClaire's text messages
40:13revealed what he did after killing Karen
40:16he had just
40:18murdered his wife
40:19and he's texting this mistress
40:21if he could pick up some beer
40:23to bring to the house if he could get some food
40:26and he was that
40:28that he was able to carry on a conversation with his mistress
40:31while basically
40:33wrapping up his wife in an anchor to throw her overboard
40:38the Doris M's navigation system
40:43was also used as evidence to show where Karen's body was dumped
40:48the GPS coordinates were very helpful to us
40:51because we were able to see on Sunday when he
40:53he went back out
40:54he went to the exact place that he was the day before
40:57and he was
40:58he was
40:59just circling
41:00that area
41:01he wanted to make sure
41:02her body pad had come up
41:03or there were any remnants that would indicate that her body was in the water
41:08a title expert plotted out for the court
41:11the 50 mile journey
41:13that Karen's body took after being dumped
41:18especially in Lake Erie
41:20especially in Lake Erie
41:21there's these tides and current conditions are not just
41:23on the top
41:24there are several strong currents that flow at the bottom of the lake
41:28that would have resulted in her body being moved from her original position
41:33her body would have continued to move in an easterly direction towards the
41:38Dunkirk New York
41:39where it almost found in the waters
41:41we were very fortunate
41:42and
41:43that
41:44you know
41:45the lake surrendered
41:46Karen
41:47and gave us
41:48the answers
41:49we needed
41:50when you take a step back it was overwhelming
41:53the amount of evidence that solidified him as the murderer of
41:58Karen LeClerc
42:01but even with the evidence
42:03was stacked against him
42:04LeClerc came up with an eyebrow raising defense
42:07to
42:08explain
42:09explain
42:10how Karen died
42:11the new story was that
42:12the new story was that
42:13the new story was that
42:13he
42:14he
42:15he
42:16he was up driving the boat
42:17he now
42:18here
42:18here
42:19hears a bang
42:20he looks back
42:21he's slumped over
42:23he looks back
42:25she's slumped over
42:26me
42:27she's slumped over
42:29Ap comida
42:30The boat is still moving forward, so he ties her feet up.
42:35To make sure she doesn't drop any further.
42:40And then pulls her in, and then makes the decision that it...
42:45It would be too much for her family to know that she...
42:50...killed herself.
42:52And so to preserve her reputation...
42:55...he then wraps her in these ropes and puts an anchor...
43:00...around her and tosses her in to the ocean.
43:05It's pretty arrogant for him to feel like he can completely...
43:10...change his story.
43:12And I think the arrogance is...
43:15...really in convincing himself that he is...
43:20...so good at lying that he can actually concoct...
43:25...an alternative scenario.
43:27And that, you know, certainly a jury's...
43:30...going to buy it.
43:31They just couldn't stop lying in the...
43:35...the lies were just becoming more and more ridiculous.
43:38And he just...
43:40...he wasn't gonna stop.
43:41He's still maintaining it was a suicide.
43:45And the fact that...
43:47...he thought he could win is just...
43:50...shocking.
43:53I was very...
43:54...excited.
43:55...when doing the closing argument...
43:57...and felt very...
43:59...com...
44:00...confident.
44:01...and the jury was out about two hours.
44:03The verdict came back in a relative...
44:07...
44:08...very short period of time...
44:09...that Christopher was guilty...
44:11...of the death of his wife.
44:13...
44:18...of the death of his wife.
44:19...
44:23At the sentencing, I very profoundly recognized Karen Lutz.
44:28As the epitome of a selfless person trying to make a relationship.
44:33Work and he did everything in his power to make sure it didn't.
44:38Judge Drusilla's sentence.
44:43Christopher LeClaire into life without parole.
44:47Plus, I believe, three.
44:48Three years on top of that for the tampering and abuse of a corpse.
44:53Three years on top of that.
44:58His ego and his superior.
45:03The mentality that he thought he had over everybody eventually did him in.
45:08I'll never forget that experience and knowing and learning what the water does to someone.
45:13Carried into the water for her body to be torn up and just re-victimized.
45:18Her in such a degrading manner.
45:22He wanted...
45:23He wanted her gone.
45:24There's no way anybody could do that and have anything in their heart but just...
45:28When you lose a life as...
45:33Sweet and loving as Karen...
45:35I believe my words at Sensing...
45:38I thought the LeClaire family and her friends could take solace in that they had...
45:43An angel looking over them and that Karen was that angel.
45:48Glad they sound
45:52And who died...
45:53Will
46:12On
46:15On
46:17On
46:17On
46:17On
46:18On
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