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Evil Lives Here - Season 19 - Episode 08: I Still Hear Their Screams
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00:06I hate him, the sight of him makes me sick, and that he's still alive and breathing.
00:17And you still can just see the evil person coming out.
00:21If you look at this picture, you just see he's just evil and angry.
00:28I wish that I could tie him up and set him on fire.
00:36I wish that he could burn and suffer.
00:39I want him to feel the pain that he's inflicted.
00:43I wish he could be tortured the way he tortured me, and it's still torturing me.
00:51He's a monster, a faker, a lie.
01:04I wish I could, this was his ashes.
01:19Wesley Coonrod is my ex-husband.
01:22Wesley came at a dark point in my life and was like this hero.
01:25I think Wesley saw I was young and desperate.
01:31And, you know, girls, when they're desperate, they do whatever they can to provide for their children.
01:35He was someone I trusted, and he destroyed my life.
01:40Wesley didn't just destroy me.
01:42He destroyed my kids.
01:44He destroyed his family.
01:47This is a tragedy, and it lives in you forever.
01:53So, I'll live with it for the rest of my life.
01:59Wesley was a knight in shining armor that turned into a monster.
02:29funded by the
02:32in shining armor
02:46Before I met Wesley, I became a mom at 14.
02:50By the time I was 20, I already had three kids.
02:53But their father was on pills and stuff, so I was leaving him.
02:58I had nowhere to go. I had no way to turn to.
03:01I was staying with a friend, and Wesley was her brother.
03:06And me and my kids had nowhere to go, so Wesley said,
03:10you can come live with me if you help take care of my son,
03:13and I'll take care of you guys financially, give you a place to live.
03:17So we started staying there.
03:23Okay, hold your horses. Hey.
03:25Wesley had a good sense of humor. He had pretty eyes.
03:28I mean, he's not the greatest-looking man, but...
03:32At that time, to be honest, he was 17 years older than me,
03:36and I just felt like he was someone that was going to take care of me,
03:40and I needed that.
03:41I was concerned about moving in with him, but my back was against the wall.
03:45So I was either go live with this man that I don't know or be homeless.
03:51Wesley seemed like he was going to be a good father figure for my children.
03:58I felt like my kids enjoyed hanging out with him when he was there.
04:03And then once we were living together, things just happened.
04:11I'd only been living in his house probably like two months when I got pregnant,
04:15so everything happened extremely fast.
04:22I thought I was in love, but he had me right where he wanted me.
04:43At one point, he told me that I think we should get married.
04:48Will you marry me?
04:48I'm like, yeah.
04:50I was thinking about keeping a roof over my kids' head
04:53and having security, and everything else didn't matter.
04:58Wesley told me he loved me,
04:59and I don't even know if I know what love is
05:01at that point in my life, honestly.
05:04We got married on July 4, 2005.
05:08It was a disaster.
05:13Everybody's out there trying to help get this together,
05:15and Wesley's, I don't know where Wesley was.
05:20I was mad.
05:22Like, where is he?
05:23I kept looking at the driveway.
05:25He still wasn't pulling in.
05:28I couldn't figure out where he was.
05:30I think I tried to call him, I don't know how many times,
05:33probably 10, 20, but he wasn't answering,
05:36and I didn't know what to do.
05:45After a while, Wesley got there.
05:48He was bullies or drunk.
05:54Couldn't hardly walk.
05:57Couldn't hardly stand.
06:05So I'm so embarrassed, because here's this man.
06:07We're supposed to be getting married.
06:13I felt uncomfortable, because...
06:18I don't know.
06:18It's just not how I was right.
06:20You know, I don't be drunk in front of a preacher.
06:23Up until that day, I hadn't seen Wesley drunk like that.
06:28I mean, he didn't care about how anybody felt at that point.
06:31It just seemed like Wesley only cared about himself.
06:33It wasn't about nobody else.
06:34Like, Wesley got drunk, because Wesley wanted to get drunk,
06:37and he didn't care how anybody else felt about it.
06:41I was so humiliated.
06:44I don't even know if I looked in Wesley's eyes when we got married.
06:48Like, I was so mad, and irritated, embarrassed.
06:51I just wanted to get it over with.
06:56And that was, you know, sign number one.
06:58Like, he's not even here to help set this thing up.
07:01Like, he wants to get married, you know?
07:06I didn't think about, oh, this is a warning sign.
07:09Like, don't marry this guy.
07:25I was trying to have a good night.
07:27You know, we was relaxing on the bed, and then kissing,
07:31and, you know, he wanted to have sex.
07:34But Wesley wanted to have sex in other ways,
07:39and I didn't agree with it.
07:42So that's the first time he actually blashed out at me.
07:49You know, there was this...
07:54a look that he had.
07:56Like, he just looked evil.
08:00I've never seen him like this.
08:03And he starts yelling at me,
08:05you're my wife, you're supposed to do what I want.
08:09I was afraid of Wesley in that moment.
08:12I don't really remember what else he says,
08:14because he was screaming, and I was crying,
08:16and it was just a whole chaotic scene.
08:21Back then, they had the little disposable cameras.
08:23I had been taking pictures all day,
08:25and the camera was on the table beside the bed,
08:28and he just grabbed it and threw it.
08:38He's destroying my memories of my wedding day.
08:45He destroyed it in 30 seconds.
08:49Wesley had never acted violent towards me until that night.
08:54Who knows?
08:55You know, he done busted the camera.
08:57What is he going to throw next?
09:02I regretted marrying Wesley at that point,
09:04and cried myself to sleep,
09:07thinking,
09:08what'd I do?
09:10I felt like that night,
09:12I've seen his true colors,
09:14like who he really was come out,
09:15and it was scary.
09:24I think Wesley definitely hid who he was,
09:27and suppressed it until we were married,
09:30because I don't think he wanted me to know.
09:34After we got married is when everything started changing.
09:38Now, he was who he truly was.
09:42He was yelling,
09:44hollering,
09:46arguing.
09:47He liked to yell a lot.
09:49You see it in his eyes,
09:51the way he talks,
09:52his hand movements,
09:53like you just see it,
09:54like it's a whole,
09:56you know,
09:57like a split personality.
10:11I remember one day,
10:13I don't even remember what his son did,
10:14but him and Wesley's arguing,
10:16Wesley jerked his belt off,
10:18and just started,
10:20you know,
10:20swinging it wherever it landed.
10:22I got between them,
10:26pushed Wesley back,
10:28and he grabbed me and pushed me,
10:31like just get out of it,
10:33he's my kid,
10:33he's not going to act like this,
10:35he's not your kid,
10:37like you can't tell me what to do with my son.
10:39I was afraid of Wesley in that moment,
10:43because Wesley has like this switch that flips,
10:46and like his eyes change,
10:48his whole demeanor changes,
10:50and it's kind of scary.
10:56when I seen this,
10:57I was like,
10:58man,
10:58he's never going to want my kids,
10:59like they're not his kids,
11:01I'm not going to have it.
11:04but in the back of my mind,
11:05I'm like,
11:06man,
11:06what am I going to do if,
11:08if he does try to correct my kids like that?
11:14I've seen him act out on my wedding night,
11:15and then now this,
11:17but I had a dysfunctional family too,
11:20so I think it was just always easy just to ignore it.
11:37Wesley dropped me off at his sister's one day
11:39while he went to work.
11:41Wesley comes home from work to his sister's,
11:44I'm there,
11:45we're all outside,
11:48and he's screaming and yelling and cussing,
11:50and calling me a whore.
11:53That kid ain't mine.
11:56I'm like five or six months pregnant.
11:59He grabs my arm,
12:00I know it's about to get violent when he grabs me,
12:03and I just see it in his face.
12:05So I try to walk away from him,
12:09and of course my back's turned,
12:11I'm walking towards the house,
12:15but I hear the car start coming towards me,
12:18so I take off running.
12:23When I trip over these rocks,
12:25he's like right behind me in the car,
12:29and his sister grabbed me as I'm falling,
12:33and picked me up,
12:34and I'm crying.
12:36I'm terrified,
12:37and I'm pregnant with his child.
12:39He could have just killed us both.
12:48So she starts screaming for him to leave,
12:51and he left.
12:53We sat there for a little bit,
12:54and then we end up just not talking about it no more.
12:58It's like it became normal not to talk about it.
13:01And I believe if Wesley's sister wasn't there that day,
13:05he would have ran me over.
13:07It was terrifying,
13:09and you get that shame that comes over you,
13:17and guilt because you're now in this relationship,
13:20and you don't know how to get out,
13:23and you don't know what to do.
13:26And everything that's going on is your fault
13:28because you chose this relationship,
13:30and that's kind of how I felt.
13:33But I didn't know what to do.
13:51Wesley was excited when Thomas was born.
13:54Like, he didn't want to do nothing but hold him
13:56and spend time with him.
14:01And Wesley quit drinking,
14:02and I got that little bit of hope in me that,
14:06okay, well, things can change,
14:08and we can have our family,
14:10and I don't have to leave, you know?
14:12Because that's all I ever wanted.
14:15That's...
14:15I just wanted to have a family.
14:19He stepped up a lot.
14:21He helped with dishes.
14:23He cooked.
14:24He watched the kids while I showered.
14:27I thought, maybe this kid is changing him.
14:32That was just my hopeful, you know, wishful thinking.
14:49I was, like, 23 weeks pregnant,
14:53or 24 weeks pregnant,
14:54and my water ruptured,
14:56and so I had to go to the hospital.
14:59When I was in the hospital room,
15:01he was calling, wanting me to leave.
15:03He couldn't deal with the kids.
15:05Wanted me to leave the hospital.
15:07There wasn't nothing wrong with me.
15:08I didn't need to be there.
15:08I needed to be home with the kids,
15:10taking care of the house.
15:13And the baby's heart rate kept dropping
15:15because he was getting me so upset.
15:17It got to the point where he was just calling so much,
15:20and we were arguing so much,
15:22and he was screaming,
15:23and the nurse at one point was like,
15:26I'm turning this phone off.
15:27And they quit putting his calls through.
15:30And I could have lost my child,
15:33but he didn't care about none of that.
15:35It was all about him.
15:38And then I finally got released four or five days.
15:43As soon as I get out of the car,
15:45I see Wesley standing in the door.
15:51I know he was mad.
15:52And when I got inside,
15:54we instantly started arguing.
15:56I'm sick!
15:58He was just like, you know,
15:59this is all your fault.
16:00You had this plot to get you out of here
16:03for a couple days.
16:05You left me here with these kids.
16:07This is all the things.
16:08This is all the things.
16:09This is all the things.
16:09So at this point,
16:10I'm standing in the living room.
16:12We're arguing.
16:13I walk towards the end of the couch
16:15where the kids are.
16:16And that's when Wesley picked the TV up
16:18and threw it at me.
16:22He missed my sound by like one inch.
16:26I honestly don't know
16:29that I felt or how I felt
16:32in that moment.
16:33I was kind of in shock.
16:36Because I was,
16:37at this point,
16:38I was terrified of Wesley.
16:48After Wesley threw the TV
16:50and had missed my son by a hair,
16:55I definitely knew
16:56he was capable of harming my kids, too.
16:58In his fits of rage.
17:01Wesley had no consequences
17:03because I never called the cops,
17:05which I should have.
17:06I didn't want the cops to come
17:07because I was scared.
17:09I was scared of Wesley
17:11and I was also scared
17:12that I would lose my kid
17:13to Children's Services.
17:15I was scared of what the outcome
17:16would be if I called the police
17:17because Junior's just going
17:19to make things worse.
17:20The abuse is going to be worse.
17:23Looking back,
17:24if I would have left Wesley,
17:26here I am pregnant
17:27with another child.
17:27I have no money,
17:29no job, no car.
17:31You know,
17:31I've been dependent on him
17:32to take care of us.
17:36I would be on the streets
17:38with the kids
17:39and a baby on the way.
17:40so I don't think
17:43leaving with him
17:44was a possibility,
17:44you know.
17:48I have no other choices
17:51but to stay.
18:03I feel like
18:04every day
18:05got worse.
18:07One day
18:08we were arguing about
18:09I don't remember what.
18:13We got in each other's face,
18:15it was heated,
18:15he grabbed me by my hair,
18:17pulled me around the kitchen
18:19and then at one point
18:20he ran my head
18:22into the stove
18:23and I fell on the floor.
18:29All of the kids were crying
18:30and I can't do nothing
18:32but lay there
18:33because I couldn't get up
18:35out of the floor.
18:39Mom?
18:40It was probably like
18:42three hours or so
18:43before I could get
18:44the feeling back
18:44in my legs
18:46and I was able
18:47to get up.
18:48Wesley was still gone
18:49so
18:51I just got up
18:52and
18:52took the kids
18:53and went
18:54in my room
18:55and
18:56we laid down
18:57and went to sleep.
18:59I woke up
19:00the next morning
19:01and I just remember
19:07thinking like
19:12he's going to end up
19:13and kill me
19:16if I don't
19:17get out of here.
19:36Wesley and his ex-wife
19:38was arguing
19:39on the phone
19:42and
19:43I just
19:45heard something
19:46about him
19:46beating her.
19:48I don't think
19:49Wesley knew
19:50I could hear
19:51but they argued
19:52a lot
19:53when they would
19:53get on the phone
19:54so
19:55I waited
19:55until Wesley
19:56went to work
19:57and then I
19:58decided to look up
19:59his criminal record
20:01just because
20:02I was curious
20:03what she was
20:04talking about.
20:05I didn't have
20:06a computer
20:06so I used
20:07my cell phone.
20:08I remember
20:08standing there
20:09we had this
20:10little window
20:10so you could
20:10see if anybody
20:11pulled up.
20:13I was afraid
20:14maybe he forgot
20:15something
20:15or would come
20:16back but
20:17once I started
20:18looking at it
20:18I just sat
20:19in the chair
20:20like scrolling
20:21through it.
20:22I didn't even
20:23I quit paying
20:23attention to
20:24if he was
20:24coming back
20:25because there
20:25was just
20:26so much.
20:27I found
20:28domestic violence
20:30and assault
20:30cases.
20:33I knew it
20:34would never
20:34stop with me
20:35and I also
20:36knew like
20:37he was
20:37either going
20:38to kill
20:38me or
20:39if I left
20:40it would be
20:41the next
20:41person.
20:45After I
20:46looked up
20:46Wesley's record
20:47is when I
20:47tried to
20:48start to
20:49form a
20:49plan.
20:50I contacted
20:51Mika Wade
20:52and
20:53filled out
20:54an application
20:55and they
20:55were going
20:56to help
20:56me file
20:56for the
20:57divorce.
20:58I hadn't
20:59told him
20:59that I'd
21:00started the
21:01process for
21:01a divorce
21:03because I
21:03knew once
21:04he got
21:04served
21:04divorce
21:05papers
21:06it would
21:07probably
21:07get real
21:07bad.
21:25Me and
21:26the kids
21:26were all
21:27outside.
21:28We had a
21:28swing set
21:28in the
21:28backyard.
21:31We had
21:32like a
21:32patio
21:32so I
21:33was on
21:33the
21:34patio
21:34while
21:34they
21:34were
21:35playing.
21:35We had
21:36been out
21:36there
21:37for
21:37hours
21:37and
21:38Wesley's
21:39drinking
21:39inside
21:41and
21:41here
21:42he
21:42comes.
21:44He
21:45had this
21:45little
21:46pocket
21:46knife
21:46that he
21:47kept
21:47on his
21:47side
21:48and
21:48he's
21:49just
21:49standing
21:49over
21:50me
21:51not
21:51even
21:52saying
21:52anything.
21:57He's
21:57just
21:58dropping
21:58this
21:58knife
22:00and it
22:00would
22:00stick
22:01in the
22:01deck
22:04and he
22:04would pull
22:04it back
22:05out
22:05and he'd
22:05do it
22:05again.
22:07He was
22:08laughing
22:09you know
22:09like smiling
22:10the whole
22:11time he
22:11was doing
22:11it and
22:12I just
22:13remember
22:13thinking
22:13like you're
22:14just so
22:14evil.
22:17This is the
22:17first time
22:18he ever
22:18used like
22:19a knife
22:19or anything
22:20to torture
22:21me with
22:23or taunt
22:23me with.
22:29but my
22:30oldest son
22:31he was
22:32yelling at
22:32him
22:32like you
22:33need to
22:33stop
22:34leave my
22:34mom
22:34alone.
22:36Hey
22:36knock it
22:37off.
22:40He said
22:40something like
22:42you little
22:43bastard
22:45and when he
22:46takes this
22:46can of
22:47full can
22:47of beer
22:48wasn't even
22:49open
22:49and wings
22:56hit my
22:57son
22:57I'm
22:58pretty
22:58sure
22:58it was
22:58right
22:59in the
22:59chest
23:01and
23:01I
23:02just
23:02start
23:02crying
23:03like
23:03you
23:03just
23:03hit
23:03my
23:04kid
23:04you
23:04know
23:04like
23:06I
23:06can't
23:07do
23:08this
23:08I
23:09it
23:10just
23:10something
23:10clicked
23:14I
23:15knew
23:15I
23:15needed
23:15to
23:15leave
23:16for
23:16a
23:16long
23:16time
23:16I
23:16just
23:17didn't
23:17know
23:17how
23:18so
23:19I
23:19tell the
23:20other
23:20ones
23:21to
23:21come
23:21on
23:21and
23:23he's
23:23like
23:23you're
23:24not
23:24taking
23:24my
23:24kids
23:25but I
23:26knew
23:26I
23:26had
23:26to
23:26get
23:27out
23:27of
23:27there
23:30so
23:31we
23:31walked
23:3120
23:32miles
23:33I
23:34just
23:34knew
23:34I
23:35needed
23:35to get
23:35away
23:36from
23:36this
23:36man
23:36I
23:37had
23:37to
23:37leave
23:37him
23:38I
23:39was
23:39terrified
23:41but
23:41it
23:41was
23:41worth
23:42getting
23:43my
23:43kids
23:43out
23:44of
23:44there
23:46like
23:46no
23:47matter
23:47what
23:47I
23:47had
23:47to
23:48do
23:48or
23:49I
23:49wanted
23:49my
23:50kids
23:50away
23:50from
23:50him
23:52I
23:53was
23:53able
23:53to
23:53breathe
23:56I
23:56was
23:56away
23:57from
23:57this
23:57man
23:57that
23:58abused
23:58me
23:59I
23:59thought
24:00that
24:00was
24:00going
24:00to
24:00be
24:00it
24:00I'll
24:01get
24:01my
24:01divorce
24:02and
24:03we'll
24:04get
24:04this
24:04custody
24:04thing
24:05under
24:05control
24:06and
24:07I
24:08was
24:08happy
24:08because
24:08I
24:09knew
24:09that
24:09they
24:09wasn't
24:10going
24:11through
24:11no
24:11more
24:11of
24:11this
24:13brainwashing
24:14and
24:14mental
24:14abuse
24:15emotional
24:16abuse
24:17and
24:18I
24:18was
24:19just
24:19excited
24:19that
24:19it
24:19was
24:20finally
24:20over
24:37and
24:38then
24:38got the
24:39phone call
24:40and
24:41at this
24:42point in my
24:42life
24:42I didn't
24:43realize
24:43how bad
24:44of a
24:44turn
24:44that
24:45my
24:45life
24:45was
24:45about
24:46to
24:46take
24:47it
24:48was
24:48just
24:48like
24:49another
24:50blow
24:50you
24:51just
24:51shattered
24:52my
24:53world
24:53all over
24:54again
24:58oh
24:59my
25:00soul
25:00hurt
25:01my
25:03I
25:04felt
25:04so
25:05worthless
25:06and
25:08I
25:09felt
25:10like
25:11I
25:11was
25:11nothing
25:12I
25:13wish
25:13I
25:13could
25:13have
25:14stopped
25:14what
25:14was
25:14about
25:14to
25:15happen
25:20this
25:28is
25:29Thomas
25:31and
25:31this
25:32is
25:32Stephen
25:34Thomas
25:35was
25:35three
25:36Stephen
25:36was
25:36probably
25:37two
25:37in
25:37this
25:37one
25:40I
25:40just
25:41always
25:41want
25:41my
25:42kids
25:42to
25:42know
25:42how
25:43much
25:43I
25:43love
25:43them
25:50and
25:51I'm
25:51sorry
25:52that I
25:53couldn't
25:53protect
25:53them
25:54from
25:54him
25:55I
25:56think
25:56I
25:56did
25:56my
25:57best
25:57to
25:57protect
25:58them
25:58the
25:58best
25:59that
25:59I
25:59could
26:00the
26:00best
26:01that
26:01was
26:01in
26:01my
26:01ability
26:03but
26:03I
26:03still
26:04feel
26:04like
26:04I
26:04failed
26:07I
26:07don't
26:08think
26:08the
26:08feeling
26:09of
26:09failure
26:10or
26:10guilt
26:10will
26:11ever
26:12go
26:12away
26:22Wesley
26:23told me
26:23all the
26:24time
26:24he
26:24wasn't
26:24assigned
26:25him
26:25for
26:25divorce
26:26if
26:26he
26:27couldn't
26:27have
26:27me
26:28nobody
26:28was
26:28going
26:28to
26:28have
26:28me
26:31we
26:31were
26:31back
26:32and
26:32forth
26:32in
26:32court
26:32fighting
26:33for
26:33my
26:33divorce
26:34he
26:34wouldn't
26:35give
26:35it
26:35to
26:35me
26:35but
26:36Wesley
26:37was
26:38made
26:38the
26:38residential
26:39custodial
26:40parent
26:40because
26:41he
26:41had
26:42the
26:42house
26:43so
26:44Wesley
26:44got
26:44the
26:45boys
26:47I
26:47had
26:48no
26:48choice
26:48but
26:49to
26:49leave
26:49Thomas
26:50and
26:50Stephen
26:50with
26:50Wesley
26:51because
26:51it
26:52was
26:52court
26:52order
26:54Wesley
26:55didn't
26:55want
26:55the
26:55kids
26:55but
26:56Wesley
26:56didn't
26:56want
26:56me
26:57to
26:57have
26:57the
26:57kids
26:57because
26:58that
26:58was
26:59his
26:59way
26:59of
27:00hurting
27:00me
27:02having
27:02to
27:03give
27:03him
27:03my
27:03kids
27:03after
27:04knowing
27:04all
27:05that
27:06we
27:07had
27:07been
27:07through
27:09and
27:10all
27:10that
27:10he
27:10was
27:10capable
27:11of
27:11was
27:11the
27:12worst
27:12feeling
27:14everything
27:14everything
27:15everything
27:15had
27:15done
27:15was
27:15for
27:15nothing
27:28I
27:30was
27:31on the
27:31phone
27:31on hold
27:32with the
27:32police
27:32department
27:35and I
27:35was like
27:36he's done
27:36something
27:36he's done
27:37something
27:37to my
27:38kids
27:39I
27:39just
27:40knew
27:40in my
27:41gut
27:41I
27:41just
27:41knew
27:42something
27:42bad
27:42happened
27:43and it
27:43was
27:43his
27:43fault
27:46I
27:47like
27:4730
27:47seconds
27:48later
27:51they
27:52told me
27:53that
27:55my
27:55kids
27:56died
27:56in a
27:56fire
28:02I
28:02kept
28:03telling
28:03my
28:03mom
28:03it
28:03wasn't
28:04real
28:04and that
28:05we
28:05were
28:05going
28:05up
28:06there
28:06for
28:06Thomas'
28:07birthday
28:08I
28:09had
28:09his
28:09cake
28:09with
28:10me
28:27this
28:28thought
28:28there
28:29was
28:29no
28:29way
28:30that
28:32my
28:33kids
28:33were
28:33gone
28:51that's
28:52the
28:52apartment
28:53that
28:54my
28:55kids
28:56died
28:56in
28:59the
28:59window
29:00on the
29:00right
29:00would have
29:00been
29:01their
29:01bedroom
29:04the
29:04neighbor
29:05in the
29:05apartment
29:06next to
29:06Wesley
29:08went
29:08into his
29:09apartment
29:09and tried
29:10to get
29:11through the
29:11wall
29:11at one
29:12point
29:12he's
29:12also
29:13the
29:13one
29:13that
29:13put
29:14his
29:14arm
29:14through
29:15the
29:15window
29:15and
29:15had
29:16to
29:16get
29:16stitches
29:19but
29:19somewhere
29:20in all
29:20this
29:20Wesley
29:21was
29:21standing
29:21in
29:22the
29:22front
29:22yard
29:25which
29:25isn't
29:26very
29:26big
29:26so
29:29he
29:29had
29:29to
29:29be
29:30right
29:30there
29:32he
29:32had
29:32to
29:33hear
29:33his
29:33kids
29:33crying
29:33for
29:34help
29:38makes
29:38me
29:38nauseous
29:53Wesley
29:53wouldn't
29:54tell
29:54anybody
29:55where
29:55the
29:56kids
29:56were
29:56in
29:56the
29:56house
29:57these
29:57people
29:58were
29:58all
29:58just
29:58trying
29:59to
29:59get
29:59in
29:59they
29:59hear
30:00my
30:00kids
30:00they
30:01hear
30:01my
30:01kids
30:02crying
30:03by
30:04the
30:04time
30:04the
30:05fire
30:05department
30:05got
30:05there
30:07the
30:07fire
30:08was
30:08so
30:08hot
30:09that
30:09the
30:10floor
30:10was
30:10disappearing
30:11from
30:11under
30:11them
30:12we
30:12got
30:13fire
30:13department
30:14people
30:15begging
30:15him
30:16like
30:16please
30:16tell us
30:17where
30:18your
30:18kids
30:18are
30:18you know
30:18because
30:19everybody
30:19in the
30:19town
30:20knew
30:20there
30:20was
30:20kids
30:20in
30:20that
30:21house
30:23Wesley
30:23was
30:23outside
30:24the
30:24front
30:24yard
30:24asking
30:25for
30:25a
30:25cigarette
30:29why
30:30he
30:30hears
30:31his
30:31kids
30:31crying
30:31for
30:32help
30:35I
30:36would
30:36never
30:36leave
30:36that
30:37house
30:37I
30:38would
30:38have
30:38died
30:38in
30:39that
30:39fire
30:39trying
30:39to
30:40save
30:40my
30:40children
30:42but
30:43he's
30:43in
30:43the
30:43front
30:43yard
30:45asking
30:46for
30:46a
30:46cigarette
30:50if
30:50you're
30:50in
30:50a
30:51house
30:51fire
30:51you're
30:52going
30:52to
30:52have
30:53soot
30:53on
30:53you
30:53somewhere
30:54Wesley
30:55didn't
30:55have
30:55none
30:55of
30:55that
30:56there
30:57was
30:57no
30:57evidence
30:58of
30:58Wesley
30:59being
30:59in
30:59that
30:59house
31:00with
31:01that
31:01fire
31:02none
31:04except
31:04for
31:04the
31:05burn
31:05on
31:05his
31:05hand
31:06that
31:07was
31:07all
31:07there
31:07was
31:09and
31:09the
31:10front
31:10door
31:11was
31:11locked
31:12as if
31:12you
31:12would
31:12lock
31:12it
31:13like
31:13you
31:13locked
31:13the
31:13bottom
31:13lock
31:14and you
31:14walk out
31:14shut
31:15the
31:15door
31:15behind
31:15you
31:16it
31:17was
31:17all
31:17locked
31:17down
31:17like
31:18that
31:19the
31:19most
31:20damning
31:20evidence
31:20for me
31:21is that
31:21Wesley
31:22he
31:23wasn't
31:23trying
31:23to save
31:24the
31:24kids
31:35this
31:35is
31:36the
31:36closet
31:37they
31:37were
31:37in
31:37their
31:40feet
31:41and
31:41handprints
31:42were
31:42on the
31:42wall
31:44where
31:45they
31:45were
31:45trying
31:45to
31:45get
31:45out
31:55so
31:56they
31:56were
31:58in
31:58this
31:59closet
32:01trying
32:02to
32:02claw
32:02their
32:02way
32:02out
32:04from
32:04this
32:05heat
32:06and
32:06smoke
32:08Thomas
32:09and
32:09Stephen's
32:10cause
32:10of
32:10death
32:10was
32:11smoke
32:11inhalation
32:14I
32:14think
32:15Wesley
32:15put
32:15him
32:15in
32:16the
32:16closet
32:16before
32:16he
32:16got
32:17the
32:17house
32:17on
32:17fire
32:17and
32:19walked
32:19out
32:19and
32:20left
32:20them
32:21there
32:22I
32:26don't
32:27know
32:27I
32:27don't
32:27know
32:27how
32:27they
32:28felt
32:29but
32:29I
32:29think
32:30about
32:30it
32:30all
32:30the
32:30time
32:34what
32:35they
32:35were
32:35feeling
32:35when
32:36they
32:36were
32:36taking
32:37their
32:37last
32:37breaths
32:38you
32:38know
32:40I
32:41see
32:42my
32:43two
32:43little
32:43boys
32:44in
32:44this
32:44room
32:44terrified
32:48with
32:48no
32:49way
32:49out
32:49of
32:49this
32:49house
32:51get
32:51no
32:52one
32:52there
32:52to
32:52help
32:52them
32:54and
32:55I
32:55see
32:55them
32:56probably
32:56holding
32:56on to
32:57each
32:57other
32:57crying
32:58you
32:59know
33:02but
33:02probably
33:03thinking
33:03like
33:03where's
33:04mommy
33:04or
33:04daddy
33:04you
33:05know
33:21I
33:21was
33:21glad
33:22you
33:22had
33:22been
33:22arrested
33:23but
33:26I
33:27wish
33:27you
33:27wouldn't
33:27have
33:27because
33:28I
33:28wanted
33:28to
33:28kill
33:28him
33:29myself
33:30I
33:31think
33:31it
33:31was
33:32fair
33:32that
33:32he
33:32was
33:33breathing
33:34and
33:34they're
33:35not
33:40Stephen
33:40Connor
33:41Coonrod
33:42he was
33:43three
33:43when he
33:44died
33:45and
33:46Thomas
33:46Austin
33:46Coonrod
33:47it was
33:48actually
33:48his
33:49fourth
33:49birthday
33:49the day
33:50that
33:50they
33:50died
33:53I
33:54didn't
33:54get to
33:54see
33:55him
33:55in
33:55the
33:55hospital
33:57they
33:57had
33:57already
33:58been
33:58taken
33:58to
33:58the
33:58coroner's
33:59office
34:00I
34:01never
34:01got
34:02to
34:02really
34:03say
34:04goodbye
34:04or
34:05until
34:06the
34:06funeral
34:08we
34:09had
34:09one
34:10casket
34:10with
34:11them
34:12both
34:12side
34:12by
34:12side
34:13and
34:14they
34:14had
34:14their
34:14arms
34:15interlinking
34:15because
34:16they were
34:16like
34:17little
34:17Irish
34:17twins
34:18they
34:18were
34:1811
34:19months
34:19apart
34:21it
34:22was
34:22just
34:25the
34:26worst
34:26day
34:27of
34:28my
34:28life
34:29and
34:30I
34:31didn't
34:31know
34:32how
34:34to
34:35cope
34:36and I
34:36began to
34:37slowly
34:37lose my
34:38mind
34:38and
34:40unravel
34:44I
34:45started
34:46using
34:46the day
34:47of the
34:47funeral
34:49I
34:50started
34:50using
34:50nerve
34:51pills
34:51and then
34:52it
34:52kind
34:52of
34:54escalated
34:55from
34:55there
34:55I
34:56became
34:57a drug
34:57addict
34:58hard
34:59as a
34:59parent
35:01not to
35:02blame
35:02yourself
35:04I
35:04pushed
35:05my other
35:06kids
35:06away
35:06I
35:07didn't
35:07know
35:07how
35:08to
35:08be
35:08a
35:08mom
35:08anymore
35:12I
35:12didn't
35:13know
35:13how
35:13to
35:16take
35:17care
35:17of my
35:17kids
35:17knowing
35:18that
35:18I
35:18lost
35:19and
35:19like
35:20I
35:21just
35:21didn't
35:21know
35:21how
35:22to
35:22do
35:22it
35:24so
35:27my
35:28sleeve
35:28was still
35:28destroying
35:28my life
35:32I
35:32chose
35:33this
35:33man
35:33to be
35:33my
35:33husband
35:34I
35:35chose
35:36to have
35:36kids
35:36with him
35:37it's
35:37hard
35:38to get
35:38past
35:38that
35:39guilt
35:39of
35:40everything
35:40that's
35:41happened
35:43because
35:43that
35:44was
35:44my
35:45choice
35:47they
35:48didn't
35:48ask
35:48to
35:48be
35:49in
35:49the
35:49house
35:49they
35:50didn't
35:50ask
35:50for
35:51him
35:51to
35:51be
35:51their
35:51dad
35:52you
35:52know
35:53and
35:54yeah
35:54that's
35:55a
35:56hard
35:56um
35:58hard
35:59pill
35:59to swallow
36:00it
36:01took me
36:01a long
36:01time
36:02to
36:03work
36:03on
36:03forgiving
36:04myself
36:20we
36:20tried
36:20the
36:21first
36:21trial
36:21of
36:21october
36:22of
36:222010
36:24the
36:25jurors
36:26openly
36:28sided
36:28with
36:29each
36:29other
36:29except
36:29for
36:29one
36:30person
36:30she
36:31after
36:32they
36:32started
36:32deliberating
36:33said
36:33that
36:33she
36:33would
36:34not
36:34vote
36:34for
36:34anything
36:34that
36:35would
36:35cause
36:36him
36:36to
36:36get
36:36the
36:37death
36:37penalty
36:38jury
36:39finally
36:39came out
36:40with a
36:40verdict
36:40they
36:41hung
36:41on
36:41all
36:42the
36:42counts
36:42except
36:42for
36:43endangering
36:43children
36:44they
36:44found him
36:45guilty
36:45of
36:45two
36:45counts
36:45of
36:46that
36:47and
36:49at
36:49that
36:49point
36:50the
36:50other
36:50charges
36:51can
36:51be
36:52retried
37:00our
37:00approach
37:00at the
37:01first
37:01trial
37:01was
37:02to
37:02prove
37:02that
37:02the
37:03fire
37:03was
37:03an
37:03arson
37:03and
37:04to
37:04prove
37:05that
37:05Wesley
37:05had
37:05set
37:06the
37:06fire
37:06we
37:07still
37:08intended
37:09to
37:09prove
37:09exactly
37:10that
37:11so
37:12in
37:12the
37:12second
37:12trial
37:12the
37:13defense's
37:13evidence
37:14changed
37:14hugely
37:15though
37:15they had
37:16focused on
37:17the boys
37:17being the
37:18fire setters
37:19somewhat
37:20in the
37:20first trial
37:20but in
37:21the second
37:21trial
37:22they really
37:22hammered
37:23on it
37:25ironically
37:25the lighter
37:26that set
37:26the fire
37:26was
37:27childproof
37:28so
37:28which
37:29makes
37:29one wonder
37:29how those
37:30boys set
37:30the fire
37:31but
37:31I don't
37:32believe
37:32that a
37:33three-year-old
37:33and a
37:33four-year-old
37:34did that
37:34I believe
37:35he did
37:35that
37:37as a
37:38parent
37:38I
37:40I cannot
37:40even imagine
37:42my kids
37:42going through
37:43something like
37:44that
37:44I mean
37:46what a
37:47terrible way
37:48and they knew
37:48that something
37:49was wrong
37:50I mean
37:50they were
37:50screaming
37:51the neighbors
37:52all testified
37:53you could hear
37:53those kids
37:54screaming
37:54out in the
37:55road
37:55the
37:57defense
37:57asked for
37:58the lesser
37:59included
37:59offense
38:00of
38:00involuntary
38:01manslaughter
38:01and the
38:02jury found
38:03him guilty
38:03of two
38:04counts of
38:04that
38:04and basically
38:06that
38:07you know
38:07says that
38:08he
38:09caused
38:10the death
38:10of another
38:12in the
38:12commission
38:13of another
38:13felony
38:13and the
38:15felony
38:15that they
38:15relied upon
38:16was shot
38:16endangering
38:17but the
38:18bottom line
38:18is it
38:19doesn't matter
38:19why
38:20the fire
38:20started
38:21how
38:21it
38:21started
38:22you
38:22as their
38:23parent
38:23had a
38:23duty
38:24to save
38:25them
38:25or prevent
38:26them
38:26happening
38:26you are
38:27responsible
38:27you failed
38:29in your duty
38:29to protect
39:01it
39:02pisses me
39:02off
39:03that he
39:03got
39:04involuntary
39:05manslaughter
39:05instead of
39:06arson and
39:06murder
39:06because
39:07he's about
39:08to walk
39:08out of
39:08prison
39:08in seven
39:09years
39:10and some
39:10odd
39:10months
39:12in 20
39:12years
39:14the 20
39:14years
39:15Wesley
39:15got
39:15sentenced
39:15to
39:16in
39:16prison
39:16my
39:17kids
39:17would
39:17have
39:17just
39:18been
39:20starting
39:20to
39:20become
39:20men
39:22you know
39:22going
39:23to
39:23college
39:23and
39:25getting
39:25girlfriends
39:26and
39:27you know
39:27beginning
39:28to live
39:28their
39:29life
39:29your
39:30life
39:31is
39:31over
39:32they
39:32didn't
39:33get
39:33to
39:33live
39:33theirs
39:33you
39:34know
39:35and
39:36it's
39:36not
39:36fair
39:37you
39:37got
39:38three
39:38meals
39:38and
39:38a bed
39:39a roof
39:40over your
39:40head
39:40electric
39:41water
39:41and
39:41my
39:42kids
39:42are
39:42gone
39:42forever
39:43I
39:44feel
39:44like
39:44he
39:44should
39:44die
39:45in
39:45prison
39:45he
39:45should
39:46die
39:46in
39:46prison
39:46looking
39:47at
39:47the
39:47picture
39:47of
39:48my
39:48kids
39:50you
39:51never
39:51think
39:53you
39:54should
39:54ever
39:54have
39:55to
39:55bury
39:55a
39:55child
39:56as
39:56a
39:56mother
39:58it's
39:58hard
39:59it's
40:00holidays
40:01birthdays
40:03songs
40:05toys
40:07places
40:09it's
40:10it's
40:10all
40:10hard
40:14I
40:18don't
40:19know
40:19how
40:19I
40:19get
40:19up
40:19every
40:20day
40:20and
40:20still
40:20go
40:22sometimes
40:22I
40:23don't
40:24want
40:25to
40:25get
40:25up
40:25sometimes
40:25I'm
40:26mad
40:26that
40:27I'm
40:27still
40:27waking
40:27up
40:28you
40:29know
40:30that
40:31I'm
40:31even
40:31still
40:31here
40:34I
40:34guess
40:34it's
40:35by
40:35the
40:35grace
40:35of
40:35God
40:35because
40:37I
40:38try
40:38to
40:38kill
40:38myself
40:38with
40:39drugs
40:39in
40:40tenant
40:41work
40:42so
40:43I'm
40:43here
40:43for
40:43a
40:43reason
40:46I'm
40:46in
40:47the
40:47middle
40:47of
40:47getting
40:47my
40:48bachelor's
40:48degree
40:49in
40:49behavioral
40:49health
40:50with
40:50emphasis
40:51on
40:51substance
40:52abuse
40:53I
40:54still
40:55clean
40:55I
40:55go to
40:56counseling
40:57I'm
40:57still
40:57pushing
40:58to
40:59do
40:59more
41:00to get
41:01further
41:01and get
41:02my
41:02life
41:02back
41:04and
41:04make
41:05my
41:05kids
41:05proud
41:08and
41:08do
41:09the
41:09best
41:09I
41:10can
41:18it's
41:19hard
41:19to
41:19in
41:19the
41:19picture
41:19it's
41:20hard
41:20sensing
41:21the
41:21evil
41:21that
41:22he
41:22had
41:22in
41:22him
41:25you
41:27here
41:28now
41:28you
41:28here
41:29okay
41:29thank you
41:29I
41:30need
41:30your
41:30dog
41:31game
41:33I
41:34cheated
41:34death
41:35you
41:35know
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