- 7 weeks ago
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00:04A fatal fall
00:06from a remote mountain trail
00:08911, where is your emergency?
00:10I need help
00:11My girlfriend's off the cliff
00:13A young woman's life erased
00:15in an instant
00:17When I found out, I had practically collapsed
00:19on the floor right there
00:20Was it just a tragic accident?
00:23Steve's account of what had happened
00:25was that Rhonda had slipped and fallen
00:27because she was pretending to be
00:29Supergirl
00:30Or could the prosecution
00:31One, two, three
00:35Prove it was murder
00:36If she ran off the edge
00:39she would never have landed that far
00:41from the cliff
01:03Everybody needs to have someone in their life
01:06that believes in them
01:08And that was Rhonda
01:12Rhonda Castro was born in 1985 in Texas
01:16and she was known for being an attractive woman
01:19She had a really outgoing, bubbly personality
01:22Friends and family described Rhonda
01:24as just so easygoing
01:25Great to be around
01:27She had this really infectious personality
01:29and she was really fiercely loyal
01:31about the people that she loved
01:33Rhonda was a very loving
01:35caring, non-judgmental person
01:37Really kind of goofy
01:39sense of humor like mine
01:40Very outspoken
01:42Super loyal to her friends and family
01:44You know, it's cliche to say it
01:46but it's true
01:46She's my best friend
01:47You know, we were close
01:50She's the type of person
01:51who lights up a room
01:53or energy when she comes into a room
01:5720-year-old Rhonda
01:59moved to the Portland, Oregon area
02:01with her mom, Julia
02:02The two had a really close relationship
02:05Julia was looking to move house
02:07and she saw an ad online
02:08for a man
02:10advertising a spare room
02:11in his three-bedroom house
02:13And that's how she found Steve
02:17Not long after Julia moved in
02:19she introduced her daughter to Steve
02:22She thought that the pair
02:23would get on really well
02:24and before long
02:25they were an item
02:26Steve, he had the ability
02:28to be very charming
02:29He's well-spoken
02:31physically fit
02:32and he shared a lot of similar interests
02:35I think that there was
02:37genuine attraction there
02:39It seems that Steve
02:40Steve had all of the attributes
02:42that Rhonda was looking for
02:43and he was willing to really
02:45splash the cash on her
02:46and impress her
02:48On the night that she had first
02:50went on a big date with Steve
02:51She came home
02:52and she had this little
02:54dainty little tennis bracelet on
02:56You could tell it was real
02:57It was nice
02:58I mean, not like a million dollar bracelet
02:59but certainly, you know, within the low four-figure range
03:03Rhonda then moved in with Steve
03:06and eventually the two moved out
03:07and got their own apartment
03:08Three years later, Rhonda was pregnant
03:11and in 2008, they had a baby daughter
03:15She doted on her daughter
03:17It's hard to put into words
03:19She was meant to be a mom
03:21Her daughter was her will
03:25Our childhood was not the greatest
03:27and so she wanted for her daughter
03:29to have all those things that we didn't have
03:31You know, the structure, the stability
03:33The parent to dote on them
03:36and show them the way
03:37and how to make it in the world
03:38This is what she'd been waiting for
03:40and she really grew into that role as a mother
03:44Before starting a family with Steve
03:46Rhonda was a rising star
03:48on the Portland modeling scene
03:49Rhonda was a beautiful woman
03:52really naturally attractive
03:53She actually did get involved
03:55with like a modeling agency
03:56and she had a portfolio
03:58and headshots and all that stuff
03:59And she had a really successful career
04:02modeling for brands like Nike
04:04After giving birth
04:05Rhonda was really keen
04:06to get back to her modeling jobs
04:08She had a potential job lined up
04:09as a Maria Sharapova look-alike
04:11so she really wanted to get back into shape
04:14Steve was telling his friends
04:15that Rhonda was keen
04:16to lose some of her baby weight
04:18to bounce back into her job
04:19and so they'd talked about going hiking
04:21But Rhonda believed
04:23there might be another reason
04:25for their hiking trip into the mountains
04:27I remember Rhonda telling us about it
04:30He's going to propose to me
04:31And they had literally looked at rings
04:34And so she was legitimately excited
04:37about this hike
04:39On March 16, 2009
04:43Rhonda and Steve set off on a hike
04:45on the Eagle Creek Trail
04:47in Oregon's Columbia River Gorge
04:51It's an area that local investigator
04:54Darty Robinson
04:55who's lived in Oregon for more than 20 years
04:58knows well
04:59The Columbia River Gorge
05:01is a beautiful, historic
05:02and natural, scenic area
05:05It's known for rugged terrain
05:07It's known for rugged terrain
05:08gorgeous views
05:09sudden weather changes
05:11and it's quite desired by hikers, climbers
05:15anyone who loves to go out and recreate
05:17The Eagle Creek Trail quickly goes
05:20from being no elevation
05:23up to a couple hundred feet
05:25at places above the creek
05:26Eagle Creek Trail is known
05:29for having really narrow pathways
05:31some of them you can only go one at a time
05:33and there's some sheer drops
05:34of up to 150 feet
05:38It's considered to be advanced
05:40because, you know, the drop-offs
05:42and there's places where there's, you know
05:45not guardrails, but just rope
05:47It's beautiful, but also very dangerous
05:49especially if you're not familiar with it
05:50or not extra careful
05:52and know what you're doing
05:53The weather started out pleasant that day
05:56but then things took a bit of a turn
05:58It really started to pour down with rain
06:01and the conditions became quite treacherous
06:04As the bad weather closed in
06:06on the couple's remote hike
06:08at 6.09pm
06:09a frantic call was made
06:12911, where is your emergency?
06:14Hello, I need help
06:15I'm at Eagle Creek
06:16Okay, and what's going on there?
06:19My girlfriend saw off the cliff
06:21Okay, so she fell off of the trail
06:24down a cliff
06:24and then you went down the cliff
06:26and brought her back up onto the trail?
06:27No, she's dead
06:30He said that he tried to call 911
06:32but there was no service
06:34so then he'd have to climb back up again
06:36to make the call
06:37Now, Steve, I know that this is a difficult question for you
06:40but what makes you think
06:42that she was definitely deceased?
06:44I don't know for sure
06:45I stayed at her for about an hour and a half
06:47and I gave her mouth to mouth
06:49Okay, was she breathing when you left her?
06:52No
06:53Do you know if she had a pulse?
06:55Uh, no, I don't think so
06:57Steve, we have an officer that's on his way, okay?
07:00All right
07:02Around 20 minutes after Steve made the 911 call
07:05first responders and police arrived
07:08they found Rhonda's body
07:09and they pronounced her dead at the scene
07:14On the same evening, Rhonda's family started to become concerned
07:17her mom, Julia, was babysitting their daughter
07:20and she hadn't heard from Rhonda for hours
07:22I thought it was weird that she wasn't answering the phone
07:25so I just figured, oh, they're out of service
07:27but as afternoon turned into early evening
07:30I started getting really concerned
07:32this is not typical
07:33like she wouldn't want to leave their daughter that long
07:35Family members were calling
07:37they were texting Rhonda
07:39and they really started to get alarmed as the hours went on
07:42Around 8pm, there was a knock at the door
07:45a local chaplain had been sent by the fire service
07:48and he told Julia that her daughter was gone
07:54Meanwhile, Rhonda's brother Jeff
07:56was still awaiting news on his sister's whereabouts
07:59Once it got past dark
08:00I was starting to feel kind of panicky
08:02and so I call my mom again
08:05and my mom's boyfriend answers
08:08And I was like, did you guys get a hold of her?
08:11And he's like, yep, it's done
08:13And I was like, what do you mean, what's done?
08:14He's like, done, dude, she's dead
08:18Like, that's literally how he told me
08:20No exaggeration
08:22And I just collapsed
08:25I didn't pass out
08:25But I just dropped the phone
08:26and was like, oh my God
08:28You know what I mean?
08:28I was stunned
08:30I didn't know what to say or do or whatever
08:33Steve also phoned his family
08:35with the tragic news about Rhonda
08:38Steve Nichols called his own father
08:40to break the news about what had happened
08:43He was so overwhelmed with emotion
08:45and floods of tears
08:46that his dad could barely understand
08:48what he was saying
08:49He was hysterical at this point
08:51saying, Rhonda's dead
08:52She's fallen
08:53She slipped on ice
08:54and fell off the edge
08:57Reeling from the devastating news
08:59about his sister
09:00Jeff headed over to his
09:02and Rhonda's mother's house
09:03Everybody was there
09:05and she had Rhonda's daughter
09:07and I was trying to focus
09:11on being strategic
09:13and staying level-headed
09:14because everyone was super upset
09:16They were just distraught
09:17I mean, they were in disbelief
09:20And so the sheriff's department came
09:22and was sort of telling us
09:24a little bit about what had happened
09:26Yeah, that was how I found out
09:28that night
09:36In March 2009
09:38after Rhonda Castro
09:40had fallen 150 feet to her death
09:43while hiking with her partner
09:44Steve Nichols
09:45Steve talked to police
09:47about what had happened
09:49Steve's account was that
09:50Rhonda had slipped and fallen
09:52because she was running around
09:54pretending to be Supergirl
09:56with a towel around her neck
09:57But other aspects of Steve's story
10:00began to arouse suspicion
10:02His calm demeanor
10:04the way he was answering questions
10:05about what happened on the day
10:07and in the build-up
10:08just weren't quite adding up
10:10After Rhonda had fallen
10:11it took Steve an hour and a half
10:14to make the call to 911
10:16Steve said that it took him
10:18over an hour to scramble down
10:20to where Rhonda's body was
10:21and then he began
10:23mouth-to-mouth resuscitation on her
10:26He claimed also that he laid down
10:28on top of her
10:29and took a nap
10:32Can this be explained by
10:34him being in a state of shock?
10:35In a state of shock
10:37yes, you're confused
10:38trying to work out what's happening
10:40but you would also be
10:42overwhelmed by
10:43the need to get emergency help
10:46as quickly as possible
10:47The idea that you might
10:49just be stuck in a state of
10:52absolute inertia
10:54for an hour and a half
10:55when a loved one
10:56is desperately needing assistance
10:58makes no sense
10:59Another detail that jumped out
11:01about this 911 call
11:03was that Steve seemed
11:04more concerned
11:05about his own well-being
11:07that he had deemed
11:08Rhonda was already dead
11:09and he was more concerned
11:11about the authorities
11:11coming to help him
11:15Police arriving on the scene
11:17were struck by how
11:18Steve seemed to be
11:20relatively calm
11:21and more concerned
11:22with needing a blanket
11:23for himself
11:24than what had happened
11:25to Rhonda
11:26Here we have someone
11:28whose focus
11:30is utterly egocentric
11:33even in this moment
11:35of Rhonda's death
11:38He seems to have
11:40no sense
11:41that he needs even
11:43to pretend
11:43to care about other people
11:46let alone genuinely
11:47showing any empathy
11:49for the situation
11:50There's an absence
11:51of awareness
11:52of anyone
11:54other than himself
11:57In emergency situations
11:59yes there's a self-protective drive
12:02that comes to the surface
12:03but more powerful
12:05is the drive
12:06to protect those
12:07that you love
12:08So this bias
12:10he's showing
12:11towards his own comfort
12:12rather than what has happened
12:14to Rhonda
12:15is remarkable
12:16Another detail
12:18that jumped out
12:19about this hike
12:20that day
12:20were the conditions
12:21It was horrendous weather
12:23that time of year
12:25is known in the gorge
12:26for being windy
12:28rainy
12:29there was some ice
12:30snow can come up suddenly
12:32Why would this couple
12:34go up on a really
12:35advanced hike
12:36in such treacherous
12:37dangerous conditions?
12:40Hood River County Police
12:41also had questions
12:43over the positioning
12:44of Rhonda's body
12:46When the police arrived
12:47Steve had claimed
12:48that Rhonda's body
12:49was right next to the river
12:51but when they found her
12:52she was around
12:53a hundred feet away
12:54and it was really hard
12:56for them to work out
12:57where exactly
12:58she had fallen
12:58He claimed
12:59that he gave her CPR
13:02Mr. Nichols
13:03couldn't have given her CPR
13:04because she was found
13:05face down
13:06and in no realm
13:08in no world
13:08do you ever give
13:09someone CPR
13:10face down
13:11Also there were no marks
13:12or tracks
13:13found near Rhonda's body
13:15and this suggested
13:15that her body
13:16hadn't been moved
13:19Detectives questioned
13:20friends and family
13:21about Rhonda and Steve
13:22only to discover
13:24that their relationship
13:25had been rocky
13:26from the very start
13:28When her and Steve
13:29first went out
13:30on official date date
13:31with you know
13:32him and his friends
13:33and all that
13:34he ignored her
13:34the whole time
13:35and his friends
13:37picked up on it
13:38and he ended up
13:40making her cry
13:40that night
13:41He just was
13:42very condescending
13:44It was the constant
13:46undercurrent
13:46of manipulation
13:47and being cold
13:49and distant
13:50and flirting
13:50with other women
13:51making her cry
13:52on dates
13:53ignoring her
13:54being mean to her
13:55and things only got worse
13:56once their daughter
13:57was born
13:57He basically destroyed
14:00her identity
14:01internally
14:02He broke her down
14:06I'm aware of maybe
14:07two or three times
14:08where it got physical
14:09She actually did
14:10send me photos
14:11of bruises on her back
14:12from him
14:13tackling her
14:14at their condo
14:15and I remember
14:16confronting Steve
14:17over it
14:17over the phone
14:18and him basically
14:19laughing it away
14:20and saying
14:20oh well you know
14:21how she gets
14:23Steve's version
14:23of how the relationship
14:24was was very different
14:26He said there was
14:27no discontent
14:28between the two of them
14:28and actually
14:29he had been planning
14:30to propose to Rhonda
14:32that day
14:32and when the police
14:33questioned him
14:34well where's the ring
14:35he suggested
14:36maybe it'd fallen
14:37in the river
14:39But according to Jeff
14:40even Rhonda
14:42had her doubts
14:42about Steve's intentions
14:44on the hike
14:45The hike was planned
14:47at least a week
14:47or two in advance
14:48It stuck in my mind
14:49that Rhonda
14:50had said something
14:51to me and my grandma
14:52She said it sort of
14:53irreverently
14:54jokingly
14:55but she's like
14:55well you know
14:57Steve's either gonna
14:58kill me
14:59or he's gonna propose to me
15:03After hearing conflicting reports
15:05about the state
15:06of Rhonda
15:07and Steve's relationship
15:08detectives hoped
15:09Rhonda's autopsy report
15:11would provide
15:12more information
15:13Two days after her death
15:15Rhonda's autopsy results
15:17were quite surprising
15:18Rhonda's pelvis
15:19was shattered
15:21This suggests
15:22that she had in fact
15:23landed on her feet
15:25not head first
15:26These autopsy results
15:28seemed to support
15:29Steve's version
15:30of events
15:31that Rhonda
15:31had fallen
15:32or she jumped
15:34The injuries
15:35didn't show
15:35any signs
15:36of an altercation
15:37between the two
15:38beforehand
15:39and no signs
15:40of foul play
15:41The autopsy
15:42also found traces
15:43of marijuana
15:44and some prescription
15:45medication
15:46in Rhonda's body
15:47and although Steve
15:48had suggested
15:49she was acting high
15:51there wasn't enough
15:52traces of the drugs
15:53in her system
15:53to suggest
15:54that she'd been
15:54out of control
15:57The coroner
15:58classified Rhonda's
16:00cause of death
16:01as multiple
16:02blunt force injuries
16:03which were consistent
16:05with a fall
16:05from over 150 feet
16:07The manner of death
16:09was listed
16:10as undetermined
16:13Police suspected
16:14foul play
16:15but without witnesses
16:17or any physical evidence
16:18Rhonda's case stalled
16:20and Steve moved away
16:22with their young daughter
16:23to live with his family
16:24in Bend, Oregon
16:26When Steve Nichols
16:27moved on with his life
16:29Rhonda's mother
16:30Julia was still convinced
16:32that there had been
16:33a reason why
16:34her daughter died
16:35and she was convinced
16:36that that was
16:36because of money
16:37Julia claimed
16:39that Steve had lost
16:40a lot of money
16:41in the 2008
16:42financial crash
16:43and that he was trying
16:44to claim
16:45some of these funds back
16:46by claiming
16:47life insurance money
16:48from Rhonda's death
16:49A few months
16:51before Rhonda died
16:52Steve had taken out
16:53life insurance policies
16:55for him and Rhonda
16:56worth $1 million
16:58each
17:00Steve claimed
17:01that Rhonda
17:01was the one
17:02pressuring him
17:03to take out
17:04this life insurance
17:05but Rhonda's family
17:06disputed this
17:07they say
17:07it was Steve
17:08who put the pressure on
17:09I mean Rhonda
17:10wouldn't even have known
17:11all the nitty gritty
17:12behind terms
17:13and you know
17:14double indemnity
17:15accidental death clauses
17:16and all that
17:17so absolutely
17:18Steve was behind
17:19the policy
17:19Just 10 days
17:21after Rhonda's death
17:22Steve put in a claim
17:24for the life insurance money
17:25the detectives
17:26found this suspicious
17:28so they asked
17:29for the money
17:29to be withheld
17:30while the investigation
17:31was unfolding
17:32But due to the lack
17:34of physical evidence
17:35the case ground
17:36to a halt
17:37Over the next two years
17:39Rhonda's mother
17:40grew frustrated
17:41at the lack of progress
17:42and in a bid
17:43to stop Steve
17:44from claiming
17:45the life insurance money
17:46opened a civil case
17:48In 2011
17:50Julia contacted
17:51a law firm
17:52and she managed
17:52to get a really
17:53tenacious investigator
17:55known as
17:56Daugherty Robinson
17:56to take on the case
17:58The primary impetus
18:00for me to get involved
18:01in this was that
18:02there was a baby
18:02of about a year
18:03and a half old
18:04who was purportedly
18:06in the custody
18:07of the man
18:09who had murdered
18:09her mother
18:11That deserved a look
18:13When Daugherty began
18:14to investigate Steve's past
18:16she was astounded
18:18Nichols had been
18:19previously married
18:20I learned that
18:21he had given up
18:22custody of his
18:23prior daughter
18:24I learned that
18:25Mr. Nichols
18:26had attempted
18:27to throw his
18:28prior wife
18:29off the balcony
18:29of a high rise
18:30in China
18:32Investigators
18:33also discovered
18:34he had sexually
18:35assaulted
18:36one of Rhonda's
18:37relatives
18:37who was a minor
18:38and then tried
18:40to convince her
18:40that she could
18:41become his
18:42baby's mother
18:43If this were true
18:44this would be
18:44the kind of
18:45behavior
18:46you would expect
18:47from somebody
18:47with a psychopathic
18:48personality
18:49somebody who is
18:50prepared to do
18:52anything
18:52to achieve
18:54their own
18:55objectives
18:57Daugherty felt
18:58convinced that
18:59Rhonda's death
19:00was no accident
19:01and that the
19:02civil case she was
19:03building against Steve
19:04would in fact
19:05be strong enough
19:06to be tried
19:07as a criminal
19:07case in court
19:08In 2012
19:10three years
19:12after Rhonda's
19:12death
19:13Daugherty took
19:14her findings
19:14to the district
19:15attorney's office
19:16In 25 years
19:18of prosecuting
19:19I had never
19:19been brought
19:20a case
19:20from a civil
19:21law firm
19:21Daugherty
19:23and her
19:24attorney
19:24that she was
19:25working with
19:25at the time
19:26presented us
19:27with additional
19:28materials
19:28that he thought
19:30would warrant
19:31a second look
19:32and I agreed
19:33Getting the case
19:35reviewed by Carrie
19:36was extremely
19:38important
19:38because while
19:39we couldn't
19:40do anything
19:40for Rhonda
19:41there was
19:42this vulnerable
19:43young child
19:44who deserved
19:45protection
19:46and she was
19:47in the custody
19:48of the potential
19:49murderer
19:50of her mother
19:50The circumstances
19:52around Mr. Nichols
19:55I believe
19:56causing the death
19:58of Rhonda
19:59Castro
19:59assaulted my
20:00conscience
20:01when I would
20:02think about him
20:03profiting
20:03off of the
20:05million dollar
20:06insurance policy
20:08I believe
20:09that his
20:10daughter
20:11needed protection
20:12from him
20:12and that he
20:14was a dangerous
20:15person
20:15and that
20:17if I didn't
20:19try
20:19to at least
20:22find some
20:23justice
20:23that would
20:25hopefully
20:25lead to the
20:26protection
20:27of Rhonda
20:28Castro's daughter
20:29I wouldn't
20:30really be able
20:31to live with
20:31myself
20:32I at least
20:32needed to
20:33try
20:39After Rhonda
20:40Castro
20:41had fallen
20:42to her
20:42death
20:42in 2009
20:44the investigation
20:45into whether
20:46or not she
20:47was pushed
20:47by her
20:48partner
20:48Steve
20:48had gone
20:49cold
20:51Four years
20:52later
20:52the district
20:53attorney's
20:54office
20:54was still
20:55looking into
20:55the case
20:56Meanwhile
20:57Steve had
20:58moved with
20:58his daughter
20:59to China
21:00Steve soon
21:01established a
21:02new life
21:02in China
21:03He got a
21:04job teaching
21:04English to
21:05businessmen
21:06out there
21:06He met a
21:07new partner
21:08and they
21:08soon got
21:09engaged
21:09Back in
21:11Oregon
21:11Deputy District
21:12Attorney
21:13Kerry Rasmussen
21:14and her team
21:15were slowly
21:15building a case
21:16against Steve
21:17Nichols
21:18For a
21:19prosecutor
21:19it's always
21:20difficult
21:20to pick up
21:21a cold
21:22case
21:22Part of it
21:23is you need
21:24to take a
21:24new look
21:25at the old
21:25evidence
21:26and then decide
21:27where follow-up
21:28work needs
21:29to happen
21:29When you have
21:30a small
21:31county
21:32district attorney's
21:33office
21:34and small
21:34law enforcement
21:35offices
21:36the burden
21:37is even
21:37greater
21:38And so
21:39all of us
21:40had to put
21:41some of our
21:42own time in
21:43to figure out
21:44what leads
21:45needed to be
21:46followed
21:46new interviews
21:47conducted
21:48so
21:49it's really
21:50rebuilding
21:51the whole
21:52case from
21:53scratch
21:53You're going
21:54to have to
21:54persuade
21:55a jury
21:56of 12
21:56people
21:57to find
21:58beyond a
21:58reasonable
21:59doubt
21:59that a
22:00homicide
22:01happened
22:01and that's
22:02very difficult
22:02in a
22:03circumstantial
22:03evidence
22:04case
22:04with no
22:05witnesses
22:05So what
22:06you're really
22:07looking at
22:07are multiple
22:08circumstances
22:09that add
22:10up to
22:10a finding
22:11that he
22:13was
22:13responsible
22:14Collecting
22:15testimony
22:16that supported
22:17Steve's
22:17history of
22:18questionable
22:18behavior
22:19known as
22:20bad acts
22:21was critical
22:22to the
22:22success
22:23of the
22:23case
22:23Detectives
22:25needed to
22:25contact
22:26various
22:26partners
22:28and an
22:29ex-wife
22:30and the
22:31family
22:31of Ms.
22:32Casto
22:33about what
22:34they experienced
22:35at the hands
22:35of Mr.
22:36Nichols
22:36They had
22:37important
22:38information
22:39to give
22:40us
22:40to consider
22:42whether or
22:43not we
22:43could provide
22:44enough evidence
22:45to the
22:45grand jury
22:46to consider
22:46But as
22:47the new
22:48case began
22:48to gain
22:49momentum
22:49Carrie
22:50and Daugherty
22:51came up
22:52against a
22:52surprising
22:53setback
22:54What
22:55materialized
22:56is that
22:56the lead
22:57detective
22:58on Rhonda's
22:59case
22:59had
23:00intentionally
23:00wiped
23:01his hard
23:02drive
23:02This
23:03resulted
23:03in the
23:04loss
23:04of key
23:05evidence
23:05like
23:06crime scene
23:06photos
23:07and autopsy
23:08photos
23:08The
23:09reasons
23:10the hard
23:10drive
23:11was wiped
23:11have always
23:12remained
23:12unclear
23:13But what
23:14was very
23:15clear
23:15was that
23:16it was
23:16going to
23:16have a
23:16huge
23:17impact
23:17on Rhonda's
23:18case
23:19The
23:19destruction
23:20of evidence
23:21by the
23:22first detective
23:23from 2009
23:24was a
23:26devastating
23:26blow
23:26That's
23:27almost
23:28impossible
23:28to surmount
23:29for a
23:29prosecutor
23:30But I
23:31was willing
23:31to try
23:32They took
23:33the hard
23:34drive
23:35and they
23:35were able
23:36to resurrect
23:36some
23:37not all
23:37but some
23:38of the
23:38evidence
23:39most importantly
23:40pictures of
23:41the crime
23:42scene
23:43And we
23:44believed
23:45that given
23:46evidence of
23:47motive
23:47and intent
23:48and the
23:50evidence that
23:51we were able
23:51to resurrect
23:52from the
23:53deleted hard
23:53drive
23:53that we
23:54had enough
23:54to let a
23:56grand jury
23:56consider it
23:58Carrie
23:59Carrie
23:59presented the
23:59case to
24:00a grand
24:00jury
24:01who would
24:01decide if
24:02there was
24:02enough
24:02evidence to
24:03indict Steve
24:04for the
24:04murder of
24:05Rhonda
24:05Casto
24:08Proceedings
24:08were held
24:09in secret
24:09to avoid
24:10alerting
24:10Steve to
24:11the investigation
24:12and risk
24:13him never
24:13returning
24:14to the
24:14U.S.
24:15On
24:16April
24:1618th
24:172014
24:18the jury
24:19made their
24:19decision
24:20and Steve
24:21Nichols
24:21was indicted
24:22It was
24:23total shock
24:24when I
24:24heard he
24:24was indicted
24:25I never
24:26thought that
24:26the case
24:27would be
24:27revived
24:27I had
24:28already
24:28given up
24:29on any
24:29kind of
24:29hope for
24:30that to
24:30happen
24:31All the
24:32prosecutors
24:33had to
24:33do
24:33was wait
24:34for Steve
24:34Nichols
24:35to return
24:35from China
24:36so he
24:37could be
24:37arrested
24:39Towards the
24:39end of
24:40February
24:402015
24:41Mr. Nichols
24:42flew back
24:43to the
24:43United States
24:44to California
24:45in order
24:46to renew
24:46his child's
24:47passport
24:48Steve and
24:49the child
24:50landed at
24:50San Francisco
24:51Airport
24:52He was
24:53immediately
24:53arrested
24:54the minute
24:54they saw
24:55his passport
24:56It triggered
24:57the secret
24:58indictment
24:59The child
25:00was taken
25:00into
25:01protective
25:01custody
25:02and he
25:02was taken
25:03to the
25:03San Mateo
25:04County Jail
25:05charged
25:05with first
25:06degree
25:06murder
25:07Steve Nichols
25:08was arrested
25:09on February
25:102nd
25:112015
25:11almost six
25:13years after
25:14Rhonda
25:14fell to her
25:15death
25:15in 2009
25:18He was
25:19interviewed
25:20by detectives
25:21and detained
25:22at Northern
25:22Oregon
25:23Regional
25:23Correctional
25:24Facility
25:25awaiting a
25:26date
25:26to face
25:27charges
25:27in court
25:29When I
25:30heard that
25:30Steve had
25:31been arrested
25:32I was
25:33stunned
25:33and I
25:35was
25:36grateful
25:36that their
25:37daughter
25:37was away
25:38from him
25:38It was a
25:39big mix
25:40of emotions
25:40I felt
25:42Steve facing
25:42trial for
25:43murder
25:43was justified
25:44I was
25:44cautiously
25:46optimistic
25:46but really
25:47kind of
25:47skeptical
25:47that he
25:48would be
25:48punished
25:49for it
25:49In May
25:512015
25:52three months
25:53after Steve's
25:54arrest
25:54he appeared
25:55in court
25:56where he
25:56pleaded
25:56not guilty
25:57to the
25:58charge of
25:58murder
25:59Bail
26:00Bail
26:00was set
26:00at
26:01$2
26:01million
26:02and he
26:03was detained
26:04to await
26:05trial
26:06Meanwhile
26:07prosecutors
26:08continued to
26:09build on
26:09their theory
26:10that he
26:10had pushed
26:11Rhonda to
26:11her death
26:12But the
26:13lack of
26:14physical
26:14evidence
26:14meant it
26:15wasn't
26:16going to
26:16be
26:16easy
26:17I was
26:18preparing
26:18to
26:18deliver
26:19a
26:19murder
26:19case
26:20based
26:20on
26:20circumstantial
26:21evidence
26:22They're
26:22very
26:22tough
26:23It is
26:23not a
26:24slam dunk
26:24case
26:25There was
26:26no
26:26direct
26:26witness
26:27to him
26:29causing
26:29her death
26:30There's
26:31no
26:31physical
26:32evidence
26:32of him
26:33placing
26:33his
26:34hands
26:34on her
26:34for instance
26:35There's
26:36nobody
26:36hearing
26:37an
26:37argument
26:37So
26:38there
26:39are
26:39all
26:39sorts
26:39of
26:39circumstances
26:40around
26:41that
26:42show
26:42motive
26:43intent
26:44maybe
26:45even
26:45planning
26:46The
26:47key
26:47elements
26:48were
26:48the
26:49circumstances
26:50surrounding
26:51the death
26:52itself
26:52statements
26:53that
26:54Mr.
26:55Nichols
26:55had made
26:56at the
26:56scene
26:57which
26:57were
26:58concerning
26:58statements
26:59that he
26:59made
27:00after
27:00the
27:00scene
27:01His
27:02behaviors
27:02towards
27:03others
27:04that
27:05pointed
27:05to his
27:05motivation
27:06in the
27:07case
27:07Circumstances
27:09around
27:09the
27:09million
27:09dollar
27:10insurance
27:11policy
27:12taken
27:12out
27:13two
27:13months
27:13earlier
27:13on
27:14his
27:14girlfriend's
27:15life
27:17Circumstances
27:17involving
27:19his
27:20attempted
27:20assault
27:21if not
27:22homicide
27:23allegedly
27:23in
27:24Shanghai
27:24and when
27:26you put
27:26the whole
27:26picture
27:27together
27:28that
27:29points
27:29to
27:30only
27:30one
27:31person
27:31who
27:32caused
27:32her
27:32death
27:37to
27:38strengthen
27:38their
27:39case
27:39Carrie
27:40and
27:40the
27:40investigators
27:41decided
27:41to
27:42reenact
27:42the
27:43fatal
27:43fall
27:44at
27:44Eagle
27:44Creek
27:45in
27:45the
27:45hope
27:46of
27:46providing
27:46further
27:47evidence
27:47that
27:47Rhonda
27:48was
27:48pushed
27:49We
27:49conducted
27:50the
27:50reenactment
27:51in
27:51March
27:52of
27:532015
27:53a
27:54reenactment
27:55with
27:55experts
27:56is
27:56something
27:56that I
27:57routinely
27:57do
27:58in my
27:58cases
27:59to
28:00see
28:01in real
28:02world
28:02terms
28:02what
28:03happens
28:03what is
28:04going to
28:04happen
28:04what can
28:05be seen
28:05where
28:06something
28:06will
28:07land
28:07and in
28:08this
28:08case
28:09you had
28:10somebody
28:10who's
28:11claiming
28:11that there
28:12was just
28:12a fall
28:13I got
28:14two dummies
28:14Laverne and
28:15Shirley
28:15that were
28:15the exact
28:16same
28:16weight
28:17as
28:18Rhonda
28:18was
28:18at
28:19the
28:19time
28:19and
28:20dress
28:21them
28:21in
28:21exactly
28:22the
28:22same
28:22clothing
28:23so
28:24that
28:24we
28:24would
28:24have
28:25the
28:25same
28:25types
28:25of
28:26drag
28:26Okay
28:27ready
28:27One
28:28two
28:29three
28:35We did
28:36several
28:36test
28:37runs
28:37replicating
28:38the
28:39weather
28:39the
28:40season
28:41the
28:41foliage
28:42the
28:42time
28:43of
28:43day
28:43the
28:44trail
28:44conditions
28:44the
28:45force
28:46that
28:46it
28:46required
28:46to
28:47launch
28:48140
28:48pound
28:49person
28:50so
28:50that
28:50they
28:50would
28:51land
28:51in
28:52that
28:52area
28:53Are we
28:53going to
28:54get
28:54photos
28:54of the
28:54body
28:55down
28:55there
28:55close-ups
28:56Yes
28:56We had
28:57the
28:57Hood River
28:58County
28:58Sheriff
28:59We had
28:59sheriff's
29:00deputies
29:00search
29:01and rescue
29:02We had
29:03FBI
29:04people
29:05there
29:05filming
29:06you know
29:07documenting
29:07this whole
29:08thing
29:08We'll help
29:09scan her up
29:10and then
29:10we're going
29:11to give
29:11her a
29:11deed
29:17The
29:17overall
29:18findings
29:18were
29:18if she
29:19jumped
29:20or if
29:21she ran
29:21off the
29:22edge
29:22she would
29:23never have
29:23landed that
29:24far from
29:24the cliff
29:25number one
29:26number two
29:28it required a
29:29forceful shove
29:30to get her
29:31out that
29:32far
29:32number three
29:33when she
29:34was out
29:34that far
29:35her leg
29:36broke open
29:37in the same
29:37way that
29:38Rhonda's
29:39leg broke
29:39open
29:40it was
29:41just
29:41heartbreaking
29:42because
29:43by the
29:44time we
29:44were done
29:45you knew
29:46what happened
29:49Whether
29:50it qualified
29:51as appropriate
29:52demonstrative
29:53or scientific
29:54evidence
29:54that was
29:55going to be
29:55yet another
29:56battle
29:56about whether
29:57we could
29:57even assert
29:58that to
29:59a jury
29:59that was
30:00another
30:01uncertainty
30:02in the
30:02case
30:04In
30:05August
30:052015
30:06Steve
30:07Nichols
30:08appeared in
30:08court again
30:09for a
30:09bail
30:10hearing
30:11Every
30:11defendant
30:12has the
30:12right to
30:13contest
30:13their
30:14bail
30:14and
30:15the
30:16judge
30:17reviewed
30:18the state
30:19of the
30:19evidence
30:20as it
30:20was at
30:21that
30:21point
30:21in
30:21time
30:22The
30:23biggest
30:23dispute
30:24is always
30:24going to
30:25be a
30:25circumstantial
30:26evidence
30:26case
30:27and
30:27the
30:28weight
30:29of those
30:29circumstances
30:30or how
30:30much
30:30weight
30:31should
30:31be
30:31given
30:31to
30:32those
30:32circumstances
30:35Steve
30:35Nichols
30:36defense
30:36called
30:37into
30:37question
30:37the
30:38scientific
30:38rigor
30:39of the
30:39prosecution's
30:40crash test
30:41dummy
30:41experiment
30:42claiming the
30:43tests
30:43were
30:44inaccurate
30:45The
30:46evidence
30:46in the
30:46state's
30:47case
30:47was
30:47weaker
30:48and
30:49the
30:49judge
30:49weighing
30:50everything
30:51in its
30:51totality
30:52agreed to
30:53lower his
30:54bail to
30:54an amount
30:54that he
30:55could post
30:57The
30:58judge
30:58lowered
30:58Steve
30:59Nichols
30:59bail
31:00to
31:00$250,000
31:01and
31:03after a
31:0310%
31:04payment
31:04of
31:04$25,000
31:06made
31:06by his
31:07attorney
31:07Steve
31:08was
31:08released
31:09from
31:09prison
31:09with
31:10an
31:10ankle
31:10monitor
31:13Steve
31:13continued
31:14to
31:14await
31:15his
31:15day
31:15in
31:15court
31:16while
31:16pre-trial
31:17disputes
31:18rumbled
31:18on
31:20Over
31:20the
31:20course
31:21of
31:21the
31:21next
31:22few
31:22months
31:22they
31:23went
31:23back
31:23and
31:23forth
31:24arguing
31:24between
31:24the
31:25defense
31:25and
31:25the
31:25prosecution
31:26about
31:27what
31:27evidence
31:27should
31:28be
31:28included
31:28in
31:29this
31:29trial
31:29Carrie
31:30wanted
31:30evidence
31:31about
31:31Steve's
31:32past
31:32to be
31:33included
31:33in
31:33the
31:34trial
31:34these
31:34are
31:34called
31:34prior
31:35bad
31:35acts
31:36and
31:36they
31:36help
31:36paint
31:37a
31:37picture
31:37of
31:37someone's
31:38character
31:38these
31:39prior
31:39bad
31:40acts
31:40included
31:41an
31:41allegation
31:42that
31:42he
31:42tried
31:42to
31:43throw
31:43his
31:43ex-wife
31:44off
31:44a
31:44balcony
31:45in
31:45China
31:45which
31:46was
31:46allegedly
31:46witnessed
31:47by
31:47a
31:48nanny
31:48I
31:49hoped
31:49to
31:49present
31:50evidence
31:50of
31:50the
31:50nanny
31:51in
31:51Shanghai
31:52we
31:52had
31:52a
31:52transcript
31:53of
31:53her
31:53interview
31:54by
31:54police
31:55in
31:55China
31:55I
31:57had
31:57hoped
31:57to
31:57bring
31:57her
31:58here
31:58from
31:58China
31:59to
31:59explain
32:00to
32:00the
32:01jury
32:01what
32:01she
32:01saw
32:02and
32:02experienced
32:03his
32:04first
32:05wife
32:06was
32:06willing
32:07to
32:07come
32:07forward
32:08and
32:08testify
32:08to
32:09that
32:09event
32:09these
32:11prior
32:11bad
32:11acts
32:12they
32:12also
32:12included
32:13allegations
32:13of
32:14domestic
32:14abuse
32:15and
32:15sexual
32:16assault
32:16against
32:17a
32:17minor
32:17I
32:18believe
32:18Steve
32:19Nichols
32:19exhibited
32:20behavior
32:20towards
32:21other
32:21domestic
32:22partners
32:22that
32:23was
32:23critical
32:23to
32:24understanding
32:24why
32:26he
32:26was
32:26responsible
32:27for
32:27the
32:27death
32:28of
32:28Ronda
32:28Castro
32:28In
32:30February
32:312016
32:31seven
32:32years
32:33since
32:33Ronda's
32:34death
32:34the
32:35judge
32:35ruled
32:35which
32:36bad
32:36acts
32:36could
32:37be
32:37admitted
32:37at
32:37trial
32:38After
32:39a
32:39prior
32:39bad
32:40acts
32:40hearing
32:41the
32:42judge
32:42decided
32:43that
32:43it
32:44would
32:44be
32:44too
32:44prejudicial
32:45for
32:45a
32:46jury
32:46to
32:46hear
32:47about
32:48the
32:48incident
32:49in
32:49Shanghai
32:49That
32:50was
32:50a
32:50huge
32:50blow
32:51in
32:51the
32:51case
32:52so
32:52a
32:52jury
32:52would
32:53never
32:53hear
32:53about
32:54his
32:55first
32:55wife
32:56so
32:57I
32:57lost
32:58all
32:58of
32:58that
32:58evidence
32:59of
32:59intent
32:59towards
33:00domestic
33:01partners
33:02his
33:02resorting
33:03to
33:04a
33:04plan
33:04of
33:05violence
33:06that
33:06involved
33:06shoving
33:07off
33:07of
33:08a
33:08high
33:08ledge
33:09so
33:09that
33:09severely
33:10weakened
33:10the
33:11case
33:12But
33:13another
33:13key
33:14ruling
33:14was
33:14about
33:15to
33:15make
33:15a
33:15big
33:16impact
33:16on
33:16the
33:17case
33:17regarding
33:18Steve's
33:19three-hour
33:19interview
33:20by
33:20San
33:20Mateo
33:21police
33:21following
33:22his
33:22arrest
33:22in
33:232015
33:23Deen
33:25Those
33:25transcripts
33:26record
33:27all
33:27of
33:28his
33:28inconsistent
33:28statements
33:29all
33:30of
33:30his
33:31first
33:31one
33:32story
33:32then
33:32another
33:33story
33:33he
33:34says
33:34no
33:34we
33:34didn't
33:35fight
33:35and
33:35then
33:35he
33:36later
33:36says
33:36we
33:36fought
33:37the
33:37fact
33:37that
33:38he
33:38says
33:38no
33:38I
33:38didn't
33:38have
33:39my
33:39cell
33:39phone
33:39oh
33:40but
33:40you
33:40sent
33:40a
33:41text
33:41from
33:41the
33:41trail
33:42it
33:43wasn't
33:43just
33:43what
33:44he
33:44said
33:44but
33:45it
33:45was
33:45his
33:45demeanor
33:46towards
33:46the
33:46victim
33:46his
33:47all
33:47dare
33:48say
33:48dismissiveness
33:49his
33:49lack
33:50of
33:50empathy
33:50his
33:51attitude
33:52towards
33:53the
33:53victim
33:53a
33:54lack
33:54of
33:54care
33:54a
33:55lack
33:55of
33:55emotion
33:56when
33:57you
33:57have
33:57a
33:57witness
33:58who's
33:58made
33:58multiple
33:59different
33:59stories
34:00that
34:01should
34:01come
34:02before
34:02the
34:02jury
34:03the
34:03interview
34:03as a
34:04whole
34:04was
34:05important
34:05for
34:06a
34:06jury
34:07to
34:07see
34:07his
34:07demeanor
34:08towards
34:08the
34:08event
34:09and
34:09towards
34:10the
34:10victim
34:10herself
34:13after
34:13a
34:14long
34:14legal
34:14battle
34:15after
34:15an
34:16appeal
34:16to
34:16the
34:16Oregon
34:17Supreme
34:17Court
34:17the
34:18prosecution
34:18lost
34:19the
34:19ability
34:20to
34:20use
34:20evidence
34:21from
34:21Steve's
34:22police
34:22interview
34:23the
34:23judge
34:24determined
34:24that
34:25the
34:26rules
34:26weren't
34:26followed
34:27and
34:27said
34:28basically
34:29that
34:29the
34:29state
34:29couldn't
34:30use
34:30any
34:30of
34:30that
34:30interview
34:33at
34:34this
34:34point
34:34I
34:34was
34:34pretty
34:35concerned
34:35about
34:36getting
34:37any
34:37sort
34:37of
34:38a
34:38conviction
34:38given
34:39the
34:40losses
34:40in
34:41court
34:41of
34:41various
34:42critical
34:42pieces
34:43of
34:43evidence
34:44and
34:45the
34:45state's
34:46case
34:46against
34:46Steve
34:47was
34:47about
34:47to
34:48be
34:48struck
34:48another
34:49blow
34:49the
34:50first
34:51person
34:51who
34:51talked
34:52to
34:53Mr.
34:53Nichols
34:54at
34:55Eagle Creek
34:56that detective
34:57was himself
34:58indicted for
34:59sex abuse
35:00crimes
35:00I had one
35:01detective
35:01destroying
35:02evidence
35:02and then
35:03the jury
35:04was going
35:04to hear
35:05likely
35:05that
35:07the first
35:08detective
35:08on the
35:09scene
35:09interviewing
35:11Mr.
35:11Nichols
35:12was now
35:12he himself
35:13charged
35:13with felony
35:14sex abuse
35:15and so
35:16things
35:17just
35:17didn't
35:18get
35:18better
35:18for
35:19the
35:19state's
35:20case
35:20I think
35:21it was
35:21a difficult
35:21case
35:22at the
35:22outset
35:22it
35:23became
35:23much
35:24more
35:24difficult
35:24with
35:25rulings
35:27that
35:27went
35:28against
35:28the
35:29state
35:29eliminated
35:30evidence
35:31that I
35:31could
35:31use
35:32there
35:32is
35:33a
35:33cliche
35:34of
35:35death
35:35by
35:35a
35:35thousand
35:36cuts
35:36and
35:37the
35:38criminal
35:38case
35:39suffered
35:40quite a
35:41few
35:41of
35:41those
35:41cuts
35:42with
35:43challenges
35:44to the
35:44state's
35:45case
35:45mounting
35:45Carrie
35:46and her
35:47team
35:47faced
35:47an
35:48uphill
35:48battle
35:49to
35:49secure
35:50a
35:50murder
35:50conviction
35:51against
35:52Nichols
35:56after a
35:57number
35:58of
35:58significant
35:59pre-trial
36:00setbacks
36:00in the
36:01state's
36:01case
36:01against
36:02Steve
36:02Nichols
36:03for the
36:03murder
36:03of
36:04Rhonda
36:04Casto
36:05Carrie
36:05and her
36:06team
36:06knew
36:06their
36:07chances
36:07of
36:07getting
36:07a
36:08murder
36:08conviction
36:08were
36:09growing
36:09increasingly
36:10slim
36:11in
36:12early
36:122017
36:13two
36:14years
36:14since
36:14Steve's
36:15arrest
36:15they
36:16reluctantly
36:17decided
36:17to
36:18negotiate
36:18with
36:18Steve's
36:19defense
36:19team
36:20to
36:20see
36:20if
36:20they
36:21could
36:21reach
36:21a
36:21settlement
36:22in
36:23all
36:23of
36:23the
36:24settlement
36:24conferences
36:24I've
36:25ever
36:25engaged
36:25in
36:26no
36:26one
36:26is
36:26happy
36:27the
36:28prosecution
36:28is
36:29not
36:30happy
36:30with
36:30the
36:30limited
36:31justice
36:31that
36:32they
36:32obtain
36:32the
36:34defense
36:34is
36:34not
36:34happy
36:35because
36:36they
36:36want
36:37a
36:37not
36:37guilty
36:37verdict
36:38after
36:39a
36:40settlement
36:40conference
36:40that
36:41was
36:41mediated
36:42by a
36:42judge
36:42in
36:43the
36:43spring
36:43of
36:432017
36:44we
36:45came
36:45to
36:45a
36:46resolution
36:46of the
36:46case
36:47Steve
36:48Steve
36:48pleaded
36:48guilty
36:49to
36:49criminally
36:50negligent
36:50homicide
36:51and
36:51coercion
36:52and
36:53was
36:53sentenced
36:53to
36:5419
36:54months
36:55plus
36:56three
36:56years
36:56on
36:57probation
36:58criminally
36:59criminally
36:59negligent
36:59homicide
37:00means
37:00Steve
37:01was
37:01guilty
37:02of
37:02causing
37:02Rhonda's
37:03death
37:03in
37:04this
37:04case
37:04taking
37:05her
37:05on
37:05that
37:06dangerous
37:06hike
37:06in
37:07dangerous
37:07conditions
37:08and
37:08failing
37:09to
37:09protect
37:09her
37:10safety
37:10coercion
37:11indicates
37:12that he
37:12may
37:13have
37:13illegally
37:14pressured
37:15or
37:15coerced
37:16Rhonda
37:16and may
37:17or may
37:17not
37:18have
37:18tricked
37:19her
37:19into
37:20going
37:20on
37:20that
37:20fatal
37:21hike
37:21that
37:22day
37:22while
37:22there
37:23was
37:23plenty
37:23of
37:24suspicion
37:24and
37:25circumstantial
37:25evidence
37:26the state
37:26failed
37:27to reach
37:28the high
37:28burden
37:28of proof
37:29needed
37:30for murder
37:30in this
37:31case
37:31Steve
37:32also
37:33pleaded
37:33guilty
37:34to
37:34sex
37:34abuse
37:35in
37:35the
37:35third
37:35degree
37:36for
37:36sleeping
37:37with
37:37Rhonda's
37:38underage
37:38relation
37:39he was
37:40then
37:40placed
37:40on a
37:40sex
37:41offenders
37:41register
37:44following
37:44his
37:45sentencing
37:45Steve
37:46received
37:46credit
37:47for
37:47the
37:4719
37:48months
37:48he'd
37:48already
37:49spent
37:49behind
37:49bars
37:50with
37:51no
37:51time
37:51left
37:52to
37:52serve
37:52he
37:53was
37:53released
37:55one
37:55of
37:55my
37:56great
37:56disappointments
37:57is
37:57that
37:57Mr.
37:58Nichols
37:59did
38:00not
38:00receive
38:01additional
38:01prison
38:02time
38:02but
38:03some
38:03justice
38:04is
38:04better
38:04than
38:04no
38:05justice
38:05and
38:06so
38:07the
38:08energy
38:08that
38:08I
38:08put
38:09into
38:09the
38:09case
38:09while
38:10it
38:10wasn't
38:10the
38:10end
38:11result
38:12that
38:12I
38:13at
38:13the
38:13outset
38:13was
38:14hoping
38:14for
38:14I'm
38:15very
38:15gratified
38:16that
38:16we
38:16got
38:16some
38:17justice
38:18for
38:19Rhonda
38:19Casto
38:19and
38:19her
38:20family
38:20my
38:21family's
38:21reaction
38:21to
38:21the
38:22sentencing
38:22was
38:22anger
38:23and
38:23frustration
38:26and
38:26just a
38:27sense
38:27of
38:27helplessness
38:28and
38:28almost
38:28like
38:28being
38:29re-traumatized
38:29all over
38:30again
38:30honestly
38:32I
38:32I was
38:32angry
38:33and
38:33I
38:33felt
38:33offended
38:34and
38:34I
38:34felt
38:34like
38:35it
38:35was
38:35just
38:36another
38:36slap
38:37in the
38:37face
38:37to
38:37the
38:37whole
38:38family
38:38and
38:38Rhonda's
38:39memory
38:39and
38:40I
38:40just
38:41felt
38:41like
38:41the
38:41whole
38:41thing
38:42was
38:42foul
38:43and
38:44not
38:44because
38:44he
38:45didn't
38:45get
38:45punished
38:46but
38:46because
38:46it
38:47was
38:47being
38:47framed
38:47as
38:48an
38:49accident
38:51in
38:51March
38:522018
38:53a judge
38:53terminated
38:54Steve's
38:55custody
38:55over
38:56his
38:56daughter
38:56she
38:57has
38:57since
38:57been
38:58adopted
38:58by
38:59a
38:59loving
38:59family
39:00her
39:00mother's
39:01insurance
39:01money
39:01remains
39:02in a
39:02trust
39:03to
39:03provide
39:03for
39:04her
39:04future
39:04so
39:05when
39:06the
39:06adoption
39:06was
39:07finalized
39:07for
39:07their
39:08daughter
39:08I
39:08was
39:08there
39:09the day
39:09they
39:09had
39:10the
39:10court
39:10hearing
39:11you know
39:12and
39:12the
39:12full
39:12foster
39:13family
39:13was
39:13there
39:14and
39:14it
39:14was
39:14celebratory
39:15and
39:15all
39:15that
39:15I'm
39:16coming
39:16up
39:16the
39:16side
39:17block
39:17and
39:17I'm
39:17at
39:17the
39:17corner
39:17of
39:18the
39:18courthouse
39:19and
39:19who
39:20do
39:20I
39:20see
39:21standing
39:21at
39:22the
39:22entrance
39:22maybe
39:2250
39:23feet
39:23away
39:23from
39:23me
39:23Steve
39:26there
39:26he
39:26is
39:27I
39:28could
39:28charge
39:29at
39:29him
39:29and
39:29you know
39:29it
39:30would have
39:31been over
39:31for both
39:32of us
39:32you know
39:32we're
39:32both
39:32going
39:33to
39:33jail
39:33prison
39:33hospital
39:34whatever
39:34but
39:35I
39:35didn't
39:35do
39:35anything
39:35I
39:35didn't
39:35even
39:36speak
39:36to
39:36him
39:36but
39:36we
39:37made
39:37out
39:37contact
39:38and
39:40you
39:40know
39:42it
39:42still
39:43was
39:47walking
39:47free
39:47the
39:48only
39:49bright
39:49spot
39:50is
39:50that
39:50her
39:51daughter
39:51is
39:52safe
39:52and
39:53you
39:53know
39:53has
39:53been
39:53with
39:54decent
39:54people
39:55this
39:56case
39:56has
39:57eaten
39:5715
39:58years
39:58of
39:58my
39:58life
40:00that's
40:00how
40:01long
40:01I've
40:01been
40:01involved
40:01with
40:02this
40:02Rhonda
40:03didn't
40:04get
40:04justice
40:04what
40:05we
40:05were
40:05trying
40:06to
40:06do
40:06ultimately
40:08was
40:08to
40:09protect
40:09her
40:10child
40:10her
40:11legacy
40:13this
40:13has
40:14been
40:14a
40:14mission
40:14a lot
40:15of
40:15blood
40:16sweat
40:16tears
40:17into
40:18trying
40:18to
40:18see
40:19that
40:19this
40:19young
40:20girl
40:21had
40:22a
40:23life
40:24we
40:25can't
40:25give
40:25her
40:25back
40:25her
40:26mom
40:26but
40:27I
40:27hope
40:28that
40:29she
40:29goes
40:30on
40:30to
40:30have
40:31a
40:31good
40:31life
40:32the
40:33victim's
40:33daughter
40:34is
40:34now
40:34in
40:35a
40:35safe
40:35home
40:35and
40:36is
40:36growing
40:36up
40:37with
40:37a
40:38much
40:38different
40:38family
40:40than
40:40she
40:40would
40:40have
40:41that's
40:41important
40:41to
40:42me
40:42so
40:42that
40:42alone
40:43makes
40:43it
40:43worth
40:44it
40:44do
40:45I
40:45think
40:45that
40:46Rhonda
40:46got
40:47perfect
40:48justice
40:48absolutely
40:49not
40:49I
40:50think
40:51she
40:52got
40:52the
40:53justice
40:54she
40:54would
40:54have
40:54wanted
40:55for
40:55her
40:55daughter
40:56that
40:56her
40:56daughter
40:57was
40:57not
40:57raised
40:58by
40:58the man
40:59responsible
41:00for her
41:00death
41:00and
41:01and also
41:02that
41:02it
41:02should
41:03only
41:03be
41:03her
41:04daughter
41:04that
41:04benefits
41:05from
41:06the
41:06insurance
41:06money
41:07due
41:07to
41:07her
41:08death
41:08not
41:09anybody
41:09else
41:09and
41:10I'm
41:11hopeful
41:11that
41:12her
41:12loved
41:12one
41:13saw
41:13that
41:13that
41:14result
41:14was
41:14important
41:15Doherty
41:16and
41:17Carrie
41:18Rasmussen
41:19deserve
41:20a ton
41:20of credit
41:21they are
41:22the ones
41:22that
41:22block
41:23Steve
41:23from
41:24getting
41:24his
41:24hands
41:24on
41:24the
41:24money
41:25and
41:26got
41:27the
41:27grand jury
41:27hearing
41:28and
41:28him
41:28died
41:29and
41:29all
41:29that
41:29so
41:30yes
41:30I am
41:31grateful
41:31to
41:31them
41:32for
41:32sure
41:33they
41:33really
41:34put a lot
41:35of effort
41:35into all
41:36this
41:36and really
41:37wanted to see
41:37justice for
41:38Rhonda
41:38and her
41:39daughter
41:39even though
41:40things didn't
41:40turn out
41:41ideally
41:44After Steve
41:45was sentenced
41:45he continued
41:46to do
41:47lots and lots
41:48of TV
41:49appearances
41:49sit down
41:50interviews
41:51and his
41:51story just
41:52continued to
41:53change
41:53The TV
41:54appearances
41:55suggest
41:56a lack
41:57of any
41:58kind
41:59remorse
42:00at all
42:01or even
42:02understanding
42:03of the
42:03suffering
42:04of Rhonda
42:05of her
42:05family
42:06of his
42:06daughter
42:07It
42:08illustrates
42:09somebody
42:09who is
42:10utterly
42:10egocentric
42:11somebody
42:12who
42:12really
42:13sees
42:14things
42:14purely
42:15from his
42:15own
42:16perspective
42:16who
42:17is
42:17prepared
42:18to
42:19turn
42:19any
42:19circumstances
42:20to
42:20his
42:21own
42:21advantage
42:21even
42:22a
42:22criminal
42:23conviction
42:23he's
42:24using
42:24as
42:24a
42:24platform
42:25to
42:25become
42:26a
42:26celebrity
42:27it's
42:27like
42:27he's
42:28living
42:28his
42:28own
42:28big
42:29adventure
42:29and
42:30what
42:31happened
42:31to
42:31Rhonda
42:32is a
42:32footnote
42:33in
42:33his
42:34big
42:34life
42:35story
42:41Today
42:4116 years
42:43on from
42:43Rhonda's
42:44tragic
42:44death
42:45Jeff's
42:45memories
42:46of his
42:46sister
42:47still
42:47shine
42:47bright
42:48it's
42:49hard
42:49to
42:49put
42:49into
42:50words
42:50what
42:50a
42:51phenomenal
42:51individual
42:51that
42:52she
42:52was
42:52and
42:53what
42:53an
42:53impact
42:53it's
42:54had
42:54her
42:54being
42:54gone
42:55the
42:56last
42:56time
42:56I
42:56spoke
42:57to
42:57Rhonda
42:57she
42:57was
42:57at
42:58my
42:58house
42:58with
42:58her
42:59daughter
42:59being
42:59silly
43:00goofy
43:00humor
43:00and
43:01playing
43:01with
43:01the
43:01kids
43:04Rhonda was
43:05a great
43:05person
43:05we all
43:06loved
43:06her
43:06and
43:07she
43:07really
43:07was
43:08glue
43:08in
43:08our
43:08family
43:09what's
43:09important
43:10going
43:10forward
43:10right
43:10now
43:11is
43:11that
43:11people
43:12know
43:12the
43:12truth
43:13that
43:13Steve
43:14Nichols
43:14is
43:15a
43:15dangerous
43:15person
43:15and
43:16that
43:17Rhonda's
43:18daughter
43:18knows
43:19the
43:19full
43:19truth
43:20about
43:20what
43:20happened
43:21but
43:22I
43:22feel
43:22almost
43:23more
43:23importantly
43:23to
43:24know
43:24how
43:24much
43:25Rhonda
43:25loved
43:26her
43:26and
43:26was
43:26dedicated
43:27to
43:27her
43:27Rhonda
43:29loved
43:29her
43:30with
43:31everything
43:31she
43:32had
43:32it
43:32was
43:33her
43:33life
43:33it
43:33was
43:33her
43:33anchor
43:34it
43:34was
43:34her
43:35new
43:35found
43:35purpose
43:35in
43:36life
43:39ultimately
43:39that's
43:40probably
43:40the most
43:40valuable
43:40thing
43:41that I
43:41could
43:41do
43:41to
43:41honor
43:42Rhonda's
43:42memory
43:42is
43:42to
43:42be
43:43as
43:43active
43:44in
43:44her
43:44daughter's
43:44life
43:45as
43:45I
43:45can
43:47I
43:48am
43:48by
43:48no
43:48means
43:48a
43:49religious
43:49person
43:49but
43:50you
43:50know
43:50when
43:51you
43:51see
43:51something
43:51glimmer
43:51for a
43:52second
43:52or
43:52like
43:52a
43:53light
43:53bounce
43:53off
43:53something
43:54whatever
43:54or
43:54like
43:55you
43:55see
43:55a
43:55shiny
43:55object
43:56and
43:56just
43:56for
43:56that
43:56split
43:56second
43:57you
43:57see
43:57that
43:57little
43:58sort
43:58of
43:59sharp
43:59edge
43:59of
44:00light
44:00or
44:00glimmer
44:00or
44:01whatever
44:01and
44:01I
44:01like
44:01tell
44:02myself
44:12she's
44:12with
44:12me
44:12and
44:13so
44:14part
44:14of
44:14how
44:15I
44:15deal
44:15with
44:15it
44:15is
44:15I
44:16just
44:16try
44:16to
44:16honor
44:17Rhonda's
44:17memory
44:26we
44:27wrote
44:27to
44:27Steven
44:27Nichols
44:28outlining
44:28the
44:29allegations
44:29and
44:30evidence
44:30discussed
44:31in this
44:31program
44:31and
44:32provided
44:32him
44:33with
44:33an
44:33opportunity
44:33to
44:34respond
44:35Mr.
44:36Nichols
44:36did
44:37not
44:37respond
44:39to
45:06the
45:12Gracias por ver el video.
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