In the daylight, they found this mother of two young children dead. Michael lane she lived a very courageous life. She was very bold in the things she did. Craig melvin but after the smoke cleared, a mystery lingered. Steve lungen we knew she did not die in that fire. She died before the fire. Who do you look to as the suspect . Obviously, the spouse is the first person you look to. Craig melvin but her husband had a clear alibi, and he passed a lie detector test. Eventually, the case grew cold until this witness came forward with a tale of Love And Lust gone wrong. But could she be believed . Was she out for Justice Or Revenge . Is it a perfect world . No. Will she get hers . Yes, when she dies. Craig melvin what was the lie and what was the truth . How could you miss it. He wasnt there. Hello, and welcome to dateline. Paul and Catherine Novak wanted to escape the Hustle And Bustle of the big city. They found peace and quiet when they moved into what catherine dubbed the Big Red House. But soon, a Roaring Fire would ravage the couples home. And when the flames subsided, one of them would be dead, leaving investigators wondering if the blaze was a tragic Accident Or Something more sinister. Heres Andrea Canning with secrets and lies. Andrea canning on a frigid December Morning in 2008, in a tiny picturesque town along the banks of the delaware, a tragedy unfolded. 911 male operator 911, whats your emergency . Female speaker the whole house is On Fire. Andrea canning a deadly blaze burned a small Country House to the ground and left behind in the ashes were secrets love gone wrong, illicit affairs, Friends Turning against Each Other. It would take years to unravel the mystery of that fire haunting this town, and those who loved the couple who once lived in that house, paul and Catherine Novak. The novaks had both grown up as city kids. Paul was a new York City paramedic, a job that seemed the perfect fit. I wanted to be that person that would show up, that would help my parents and help my sister if she was in a car Accident Or Something like that. Andrea canning but he also saw The Dark Side of City Life a little too close to home. I would do shootings and stabbings two blocks away from my apartment, and i always thought to myself that i could just never raise a child in this area. Andrea canning so in 2002, paul and his Wife Catherine went House Hunting in narrowsburg, New York, a small hamlet tucked between the Catskill And Pocono mountains. They didnt need to look for long. It was the Big Red House, as she called it. And she would talk about the Big Red House all the time. Catherines brother, Michael And Sisterinlaw joanne, said she worked hard to make the Big Red House a home. Growing up, we lived in apartments. You know, this was a space of her own. Yeah, she was thrilled to have five acres or 10 acres of property, and she loved it there. Andrea canning the perfect place for the perfectly matched couple. They seemed meant for Each Other right from the start. I liked her from the first moment i met her. She was very effervescent and very funny and very opinionated, and i really liked that in her. Andrea canning so you really saw into the future the first time you saw her . Yes. I mean, we ended up getting married, i think, seven months later. Andrea canning two years after that, their first child, natalee, was born. It was very special. Andrea canning Catherines Mom, christina, was ever the proud grandmother. Natalee looks so much like her mom. So much like her mom. What was it like the first time you laid eyes on your new daughter . Natalee. Well, it was like falling in love like 1,000 times more than you ever have with any other person. Natalee is just shes a part of me. Andrea canning four years later, along came nicholas. She was in her glory. And then to have a boy and a girl, which was good. Things were all coming together. Yeah. She got directly engaged in the community. In the church, she taught sunday school. She became a girl scout leader. The school board, she did many, many things. Andrea canning and she did almost all of it by herself. Paul was still working as a paramedic in new York City, more than 100 miles away. Thats a big commitment. This is pretty far from the city. Yeah, its a 2hour drive. I was making the new York City money, but living up here. And the sacrifice was that i couldnt be home every night. Andrea canning and that, they soon discovered, can be tough on a marriage. We went to counseling for about a year, and she just felt that she never got a break. You know, from being a fulltime mom. Andrea canning but they were both committed to making their marriage work. On their 10th wedding anniversary, valentines day, paul surprised catherine with a ceremony to renew their vows. Now, im not a churchgoing type. So for me to do that is a big thing. I planned a couple of day getaway, and she was really taken by surprise by that. And things were good for a couple of months after that. Andrea canning it wasnt enough. The glow of that getaway faded and life became routine again. Soon, pauls eyes wandered to a much younger woman, someone from work. They had an Affair And Paul moved out, leaving catherine and the kids alone In The House. She was beside herself. She was absolutely hysterical. Andrea canning catherines good friend and neighbor, Sue Mueller, remembered when the marriage ended. She couldnt even get the breath. She was sobbing so hard. Andrea canning but catherines family, who considered her the eternal optimist, watched her Move On with her life, pouring all her Love And Attention into her children. She was very focused on them, very engaged in their lives, did everything with them. Sounds like thats what was important in her life anyway . Absolutely. Andrea canning she was working at her Childrens School and had even been on a few dates. Catherine was creating a life without paul. Then, in december 2008, sometime in the early morning hours, somewhere in her house, a fire started. Female speaker the house is totally On Fire. Its On Fire. Andrea canning when firefighters arrived, the Big Red House was a wall of flames. They had no idea if anyone was still inside. 911 dispatcher does anyone live there . Female speaker yes. Yes. Theyre kids. 911 dispatcher do you know if theyre out of the house . Female speaker i dont know. Andrea canning neighbors knew Paul Wasnt there. He was living in an apartment three hours away with his new girlfriend. That morning, he got a call from catherines pastor. Paul novak i picked it up, and it was pastor phyllis. And she goes, where are the kids . Where are the kids . And im like, theyre with me. Whats going on . She goes, the house is On Fire. Andrea canning firefighters worked for hours dousing the flames. When Catherines FriendSue Mueller arrived, the fire was still raging. She stood vigil for hours waiting to hear news of her friend. Sue mueller all of a sudden, the firemen were all concentrated in one area, looking down into the basement. And then the local Funeral Home was there with the Body Bag and i saw them bring the Body Bag down into the basement. Andrea canning in the Destruction And Muck of the basement, under massive pieces of what had been the house, firefighters found the remains of the family dog, and to their horror, the body of 41yearold Catherine Novak. Oh, no, no. It cant be. And i think it takes a while to grasp that. Death is forever. Andrea canning what did you think when you heard the news . I was just blank. A complete blank. What on earth am i going to tell these children . How am i going to tell them . She was a great mom. I didnt know how i was going to be able to even try to fill that void. Andrea canning the Autopsy Report said she was killed when heavy debris fell on her. Catherines death was officially ruled accidental. She lived a very courageous life. She knew what she wanted. She went after it. She was very bold in the things she did. Andrea canning a tragic end to a life that held so much promise. But as youve probably guessed, the story didnt end there. For investigators, it was just the beginning. Not everyone believed this was an accident. Craig melvin if it was not an accident, was it murder . It certainly did not look that way until a second Autopsy Report came back. Coming up Steve Lungen we knew she did not die in that fire. She died before the fire. He goes, we want you to take a polygraph test. Craig melvin when dateline continues. Can neuriva support your Brain Health . Mary. Janet. Hey eddie. No fraser. Frank. Frank. Fred. How are you . Support up to seven Brain Health indicators, including memory. When this charmin ultraer, Rsoft Smooth Tear has wavy edges. Its no ordinary square. Charmin ultra soft smooth tear has wavy perforations that tear so much better, with more cushiony softness. Enjoy the go, with charmin. Andrea canning the remains of that old Country House were still smoldering as investigators dug through the debris looking for clues. They wanted to know what caused the fire and exactly how Catherine Novak died there. Her Mothers Question was more simple. The big thing for me was why didnt she get out. That was what kept going over in my mind, why didnt she get out . Andrea canning even her estranged husband, paul, said he was puzzled. Paul novak i didnt even know what to think about it. Ive been surrounded by Death And Violence my entire life, and now it hits home. Andrea canning the pathologist ruled Catherines Death an accident, but investigators werent so sure. They turned to District AttorneySteve Lungen to take a closer look. So you were contacted despite this talk that it was an accident. Yes, we had a fire and we had a death. The question of how the two of those items were going to come together would not play out for a couple of days later, and actually, years later. Andrea canning the police, as they often do, began by interviewing Catherines Soontobe ExhusbandPaul Novak. What happened in the interview as far as the way they treated you, the questions they asked you . They were nice. They just asked me about cathys last whereabouts. If i knew if she had any boyfriends at the time, who may have been In The House, any utilities In The House that may have had a Problem Or Something like that. Andrea canning the interview was all very routine, but the investigation at the scene was not. Fire inspectors couldnt figure out what ignited the blaze. They checked the wiring, the appliances, the pellet stove, the propane tanks. Nothing conclusive. But then things changed. The da brought in a specialist, a forensic pathologist, to do a second autopsy a few days later. And the results this time told a different story. We knew she did not die in that fire. She died before the fire. Andrea canning the second pathologist discovered there was no Carbon Monoxide in Catherines Blood or soot in her lungs, which meant catherine had stopped breathing before the fire started. She changed the manner of death from accidental to pending investigation. The question is, what else can we gain or learn before we can start to classify this as a homicide . Who do you look to as the suspect . The State Police had done some initial interviews. Obviously, the spouse is the first person you look to. The spouse had a clear alibi. Andrea Canning Paul and his new girlfriend, michelle lafrance, said they were far from catherines beloved red house when the fire broke out. A 3hour drive away in their apartment on Long Island. Still, investigators didnt just take the Couples Word for it. They made a request. He goes, we want you to take a polygraph test. Did you feel like you were almost in a Tv Show at this point . Yes, it felt like law and order, a really bad episode of it. When did you get the results . He came back about 15 minutes later and he says, ok, youre all done. You passed. He was driving home from the interrogation and he was hysterical. Pauls sister, alanna, had never heard him so emotional. He was crying and saying, they asked me if i killed her. And he just found it so unbelievable that he was being asked these questions. Andrea canning so if it wasnt paul, investigators needed to look for other suspects. The State Police did a complete canvas of the area. Anybody who had any connection to Catherine Novak, the State Police reviewed, found, interviewed. Andrea canning but after many months and no leads, investigators hit a dead end. The case turned cold. None of that mattered much to Catherines Mom. I still miss my daughter the same. I miss her No Matter What happened to her. I miss her. Andrea canning seven months after Catherines Death, paul and his girlfriend packed up the kids and their apartment on Long Island and moved 1,000 miles south to florida. I figured with my experience that it would probably be pretty easy for me to get a job somewhere. Kind of a fresh start. A fresh start. I thought it would be good for the kids great school, nice neighborhood. Andrea Canning But Paul said not long after their move, things with michelle started to sour. When they first met, she was a paramedic in training. He was her teacher, her friend. She had confided in him about her history of mental illness, long bouts of Depression And Alcohol abuse. But now, he says her problems were beginning to take a toll on their relationship. His young daughter, a sore spot. She was very jealous of natalee, and her mental issues definitely became more apparent as time went on. At one point, she actually threatened to commit suicide inside my own house. Andrea canning this was no surprise to alanna and her mom, who loved catherine, but never approved of michelle. What are your first impressions of michelle . We didnt like her. Why . She walked into my Mothers House and she immediately wanted catherines pictures turned around because she felt like catherine was looking at her. Andrea Canning Paul said it took him a bit longer than his family to realize he and michelle were not the best match. They had been together for three years when he found out she was cheating on him with a married man. He didnt want to stand for that, so he had to ask her to leave. And he did it very nicely and she didnt want to go. Andrea canning in what paul described as a bitter breakup, he forced michelle to move out and told her it was over. By that time, it had been more than two years since Catherines Death. Investigators back in New York had moved on to other cases. The years were ticking by with no new leads, but the da was a patient man. We never put the file away. It was always a matter of when something is going to come forward, well be ready to go forward. And we never accepted an accidental cause of death, ever. Andrea canning his patience would be rewarded. A break in this Cold Case was coming, and it would surprise everyone. Craig melvin Coming Up, a surprise knock at Paul Novaks door. My girlfriend comes in and she goes, theres something fishy going on outside. Theres two Police Detectives outside and they want to talk to you about your car being involved in a hit and run. Craig melvin is that what they really wanted when dateline continues. When you have moderate to severe eczema, its okay to show off. With dupixent, show off your clearer skin and less itch. 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What would become of them when they discover robinhood gold allows others to earn their very liberal rates on idle cash, unlimited Deposit Bonuses and handsome Retirement Matching . They would descend into chaos. Merciless chaos. I still love to surf, snowboard, and, of course, skate. So, i take Qunol Magnesium to support my Muscle And Bone health. Qunols extra strength, high Absorption Magnesium helps me get the full benefits of magnesium. Qunol, the brand i trust. Andrea canning years had passed since Catherine Novaks body had been discovered among the blackened ruins of her Big Red House. But the passage of time didnt make it any easier for her mother. Its the thing that never happens to you. It always happens to someone else. It doesnt happen to you. You dont lose a child like that. Its such a horrible way, a fire. Andrea canning Catherines Brother, michael, and his wife, joanne, had stopped asking questions, choosing instead to accept they might never know what really happened to her. To take catherines perspective, you know, she would look for the positive side, the good things, and she would want us to Move On. And thats what we tried to do. We made our peace with it and we went on living. Andrea canning but as time went by, in the Little Town of narrowsburg, dark suspicions were whispered from neighbor to neighbor, and one name kept Coming Up catherines estranged husband, Paul Novak. Her close friend, Sue Mueller. I was angry as time went on, and i thought more and more about it, and i thought that paul might somehow be involved. Andrea canning as she looked back, she was particularly haunted by the Way Paul acted the day of catherines memorial service. Sue mueller the whole congregation was sobbing so loud, i mean, Pastor Couldnt even finish her sermon. And i went up to him and i hugged him. I kind of was struck by how he really showed no emotion. After 11 years of marriage, that she might have meant a little bit more to him that he might shed a tear. But i didnt see any. Andrea canning but there was no evidence that paul had anything to do with Catherines Death. No dna or fingerprints at the crime scene, no witnesses. He had even passed a polygraph test. And he had an alibi for the morning of the fire. He was three hours away with his girlfriend, michelle, in their apartment on Long Island. Paul continued to enjoy his new life in florida with his two children, working again as a paramedic and now dating a new woman hed fallen for quickly on match. Com, kat delgrosso. We started texting and then we made a date. And we went on a date. Really, it was was it instant . Instant. Instant. What was the attraction . I dont know, its really hard to put your finger on something like that. We just seemed to have an immediate connection. There was 0 stress talking, no uncomfortableness. Andrea canning their romance blossomed and she eventually moved in with paul and his kids. Do they look up to him . They worship him. They completely worship him. Hes always up with them, checking homework. We do a lot of things as a family. Is it a nice life . We were really happy. Really, really happy. And then you get a knock at the door . Yeah. Yeah, that was a tough day. Andrea canning it was an early morning in september 2012, four years after Catherines Death. I was asleep. I was i just got off of work. I worked 12 hours at the hospital. And i remember my girlfriend comes in and she goes, theres something fishy going on outside. Theres two Police Detectives outside and they want to talk to you about your car being involved in a hit and run. Andrea canning but when he arrived at the police station, he saw a familiar face and realized this had nothing to do with a car accident. This is investigator kelly from New York. So im like, ok. So he sits down and he grabs a chair and hes like a foot away from me. And then i remember him, hes the guy that grilled me. The one that got in my face. How are you feeling oh my gosh, these people are back in my life four years later . At that point, i still didnt know what they wanted from me. I knew this guy was yelling at me. And then i just looked at him and i said, i would like to speak to a lawyer. Andrea Canning Paul had already been interviewed by police several times. He thought this was all behind him. You knew it had to be about catherine . Well yeah, obviously it had to do something with that. Andrea canning later that day, the police went back to Pauls House. And i went outside in the driveway with them and they said, were sorry to have to break this to you, but Paul Novak is under arrest. I said, for what . And they said it was for involvement in his wifes murder four years ago. Andrea canning what kat and paul didnt know was that a witness had come forward telling police an evil tale. And in that story, paul was the villain. They arrested you . Right there. Did they put you in jail right there then . Yes. Andrea canning the story the witness told was chilling just have a seat there. Revealing dark secrets. But was it true . Craig melvin Coming Up, Pauls Alibi becomes his accuser when dateline continues. My name is brayden. I was five years old when i came to st. Jude. Ill try and shorten down the story. So ive been having these headaches that wouldnt go away. My mom, she was just crying. What they said, your son has brain cancer. It was your worst fear coming to life. Watching your child grow up is the dream of every parent. You can join the battle to save the lives of kids like brayden, by supporting st. Jude childrens research hospital. Families never receive a bill from st. Jude for treatment, travel, housing, or food, so they can focus on helping their child live. What they have done for me, my son, my family im sorry, yeah. Life is a gift, especially for a child battling cancer. Call or go online and help save another lives of children like brayden. Now, im 11 years old. We were actually doing the checkup for my brain. And they saw something in my throat. Its thyroid cancer. It was heartbreaking to find out that he has cancer again. But we knew who we had behind us. It just gives me hope. You can make a difference. Join with your Credit Or Debit card for only 19 a month. And well send you this st. Jude tshirt. Without st. Jude or its donors, we would have been in a bad place. These kids, theyve done Nothing Wrong in the world. Finding a cure for childhood cancer, it means everything. Help st. Jude give kids with cancer a chance. [audio logo] hi, im Richard Lui with a news update. Hurricane milton continuing to intensify in the gulf of mexico, strengthening to a category one sunday. The storm is expected to impact florida this week as the state is recovering from hurricane helene. Kamala harris and Tim Walz are wrapping up their appearances with less than one month to election day. They will appear separately on a 60 Minute Episode in addition to Latenight Show and podcast appearances this week. For now, back to dateline. Paul novak was trying to Move On. He relocated to florida and had a new girlfriend. But then came that knock on the door and detectives placed paul under arrest. Soon, he would learn that someone was claiming they had disturbing new details about the night of the fire. Pauls world was about to turn upside down. Once again, Heres Andrea Canning with secrets and lies. Andrea canning Catherine Novaks death had been a Cold Case for more than three years when out of nowhere a witness came forward, pointing a finger at catherines estranged husband, paul. So who was this Mystery Witness . A woman from pauls past, his exgirlfriend, michelle. Michelle lafrance, who was the Defendants Alibi in 2008, has now come forward and said paul was not home and that paul went to narrowsburg and that paul killed catherine. What was that Phone Call like . It was now time to get to work. Jim farrell was now the District Attorney. He teamed up with the former da, Steve Lungen. Didnt it feel good that you had a break . Its a break. But again, i needed more information. Andrea canning Investigators Sat Lafrance down to hear her story. During a 6hour interview, michelle laid out what she claimed was the True Story of how paul killed catherine. She said he started plotting weeks before the murder. Michelle says one week before the fire, she and paul went to Catherines House to move his things out, and paul unlocked the basement doors. According to michelle, Paul Wasnt with her on the night of the murder. That alibi was a lie. Instead, she said he was with a fellow paramedic named Scott Sherwood, who drove paul to narrowsburg. Michelle said paul told her he went inside, set off the basement smoke alarm, hid behind the stairs, and when catherine came down to investigate, he tried to knock her out with chloroform. Through her tears, michelle spilled out gruesome details of what paul said were catherines final words. She begged him to think of their children. Then, michelle claims paul took a blowtorch from the garage and set the Kitchen CurtainsOn Fire. Michelles story was a stunning betrayal of her former boyfriend. And if it was true, paul had committed a vicious and calculated crime. Michelle said paul told her he did it because catherine was a monster. Pauls sister, alanna, didnt believe a word of it. From the moment she heard a witness had come forward, she was convinced her brother was being set up. I said, this is michelle. You got rid of her and now what happened . This is payback. I believe thats what it is. Andrea Canning Pauls girlfriend, kat, who got engaged to him in jail, also believed Michelles Story was suspicious. Hes innocent absolutely, positively. Why are you so sure . Hes just not that kind of a person. Hes a caretaker. Its like his job as a paramedic defined him. Andrea canning and while paul had a squeaky clean record, michelle, his accuser, had issues a history of Depression And Alcohol abuse, and she waited years to come forward. Michelle lafrance has been described as a scorned exgirlfriend, a woman looking for revenge. Did all that go through your mind . No, i dont believe that it did because after she leaves paul in january, february of 2011, its 14 months before she gets up the courage to come forward to the police, to tell the police what she knows, fully expecting that shes going to be arrested. As paul waited for his trial to start, he told us he wasnt worried. And theres really nothing that puts you at that crime . No. Theres no eyewitnesses. Do you think thats going to work in your favor . I think its going to go rather well for me. Craig melvin Coming Up, the prosecution is feeling confident, too. Did someone leave digital tracks . The State Police immediately did a search for the toll records of that vehicle. And we had a hit at 6 39. Craig melvin but what, if anything, does that prove, when dateline continues. With bugs, the struggle is real. Thats why you need zevo traps. Zevo attracts and traps bugs 24 7 using a blue and Uv Light with no odor and no mess for effortless protection. Zevo. Peoplefriendly. Bugdeadly. Andrea canning as Paul Novak prepared to stand trial for the murder of his wife, he insisted he was innocent. Are you the evil murderer that some people think you are . No, not at all. Any reason to kill your wife . No. No, absolutely not. I mean, when i left catherine, i probably wasnt in love with her anymore. But i respected her, and she was shes the mother of my children. Andrea canning for Catherines Brother michael, the upcoming trial felt like opening an old wound. Part of me wished i didnt get that Phone Call because i knew how traumatic it would be to the family, and especially how traumatic it would be to natalee and nicholas. Andrea canning Catherines Mom also knew a trial would mean more heartache for her grandchildren. I know no one can imagine how i feel losing my child. I cant imagine how they would feel now with the loss of both parents, in essence. All rise. The Sullivan County Criminal Court is now in session. Andrea canning on august 12, 2013, the trial of Paul Novak began at the sullivan county courthouse. The District Attorney opened the case. The evidence will show that as catherine begged and fought for her life, the defendant ended her life, murdering her in the basement of her own home. Andrea canning prosecutors set out to prove that paul orchestrated this murder down to the last detail. Steve lungen he was planning this for a period of weeks and maybe more in his own mind of how to rid himself of catherine. Hes a murderer. Hes a sociopath. He planned, he executed, and he killed Catherine Novak in cold blood. Andrea canning their Star Witness was Pauls Exlover, michelle lafrance. The jury heard every minute of those Police Interrogation tapes of michelle describing the details of how he killed his wife. And the jury didnt have to just take her word for it. Prosecutors called Scott Sherwood, pauls partner, from work to The Stand. They told the jury he had been interrogated by police and showed them the tape. Lets go from the beginning. Paul, you meet paul where . I met paul at his house in glen cove. Andrea canning jurors heard him tell police his version of what happened the night of the murder. So he gets in your red blazer. Whos driving, you or him . I was driving. We were driving up towards where his residence was, where catherine still lived. Andrea Canning Sherwood said paul told him to park about a mile away from Catherines House and wait in the car. About how long has he gone from the car . Over an hour. And what did he say when he gets in the car . He said its done. He had said that the chloroform didnt work. I had to strangle her and something about hitting the Gas Line to ignite. So you knew the house was On Fire . Yes. Andrea canning as Scott Sherwoods story played in the courtroom, the prosecutors pointed out how remarkably similar it was to michele lafrance. Did he say where he strangled her . Where In The House . In the basement. Andrea canning prosecutors felt these matching stories were powerful, but didnt think they would be enough to get a conviction. They wanted physical evidence to prove Michelle And Scott were telling the truth. They began with Sherwoods Account of the drive up to narrowsburg. Sherwood had told investigators paul asked him to stop at a walmart. When you get into the middletown area, you said you stopped where . At a walmart. And he went inside . He went inside. You waited outside . Waited outside. And then he came out with a bag . Yes. Do you know what he bought . I believe duct tape. Andrea canning prosecutors showed jurors what investigators found when they visited that walmart. The State Police found a receipt. Only one receipt out of 30 registers that had three things on it duct tape, a hat, and gloves. Scott sherwood tells us that the defendant used tape to tape up his scrubs. He had a hat and he had gloves on when he went and came back from the house. Andrea canning and there was more physical evidence to back up Sherwoods Account. He told police he and paul crossed the George Washington Bridge on their way back to pauls place the morning of the murder. Was it a toll you guys went through . I would assume so. We went through, i guess, it was the lower level. But there was no booth. There was no attendant. Andrea canning no Attendant Saw them pass. But detectives wondered, could digital eyes help place the car at the Toll Booth. Jim farrell State Police immediately did a search for the Ezpass Records or toll records of that vehicle, and we had a hit at 6 39 of that vehicle coming across the George Washington Bridge lower level. Thats huge. That was huge. It was a highly corroborated piece of evidence to corroborate Scott Sherwood. Andrea canning whats more, there was a photo snapped of the License Plate. It was evidence that almost didnt exist. Prosecutors said paul had planned to pay cash that night, but construction at the Toll Booth forced him to drive through the ezpass lane. He made some mistakes. And he couldnt have anticipated that the bridge was going to be under construction and there were no toll takers. Andrea canning and then prosecutors presented what they thought would remove any smudge of doubt from their case. A third person who linked paul to the murder, elise hanlon, Scott Sherwoods wife. On The Stand, she recalled a conversation with paul where he told her that he committed the murder and that he did it alone. Scott had nothing to do with it. Theres no way scotts getting into trouble. Scott has nothing to do with it. He told her, i went up there with him. He drove. I went in and i did everything. Jim farrell we have three people in three different rooms that are telling us the same thing. You may not be able to say we have a fingerprint or we have dna, but thats pretty damning evidence. Andrea canning the last piece the prosecution needed was motive. Why would paul want to kill his wife, catherine . Simple, they said, money. When catherine died, paul cashed in on her Life Insurance Policy and homeowners insurance. It all totaled around 700,000. The defendant said he would kill catherine and burn up the evidence, and he did just that. Andrea canning now, it was the defenses turn to attack. Jurors would hear more about the checkered pasts of the witnesses at the very heart of the case. Craig melvin Coming Up, and what a very checkered past some of those witnesses had when dateline continues. Hey ill give you 574 if you switch. For an Ice Cream . Okay. So, what about 574 for switching your Home Insurance to allstate . Tempting. But thats way too much of a hassle. Actually, its not. Allstate can handle the switching for you. Just call em. So, its easy and i could save . And you get allstate. Huh, like a cherry on top. Oh, you brought your own. 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Arexvy is Number One in Rsv Vaccine shots. Rsv . Make it arexvy. With so much great entertainment out there. Wouldnt it be easier if you could find what you want, all in one place . My favorites. Get Xfinity Streamsaver with netflix, Apple Tv , and peacock included, for only 15 a month. Andrea canning it was the defenses turn. Paul novak would not take The Stand to proclaim his innocence. Its my decision not to testify. Andrea canning instead, his defense attorney, gary greenwald, did the talking. And im going to tell you, youre going to have reasonable doubt. Andrea canning his argument, dont believe everything you hear. Consider the source. Consider the mental states of the key witnesses. Consider their possible motives. He started by attacking pauls exgirlfriend, michelle lafrance, the Woman Paul had thrown out of his house. Gary greenwald she was a liar. She was manipulative, willing to take whatever steps necessary to hurt paul. Andrea canning the defense tried to portray her as unstable, offering evidence of everything from Suicide Attempts to a bizarre drunken incident involving the police. The defense attacked her credibility and used her own words to portray her as a liar who carried on a string of affairs with married men. She was probably one of the most promiscuous people who ive ever seen testifying in open court. Andrea canning and the defense also argued Scott Sherwood suffered from serious Mental Health issues. Scott sherwood, from the time he was eight years old, was being treated for major psychiatric problems. And one of the crucial pieces of evidence was his psychologist, who testified that when he was put into a Conflict Situation would say whatever was necessary to get out. I think what some people are going to have a hard time wrapping their head around is why three separate people would all lie. The reality is i take elise out of the picture because she lied to support her husband. Scott had a psychiatric problem and he was manipulated, in my opinion, by michelle. Michelle was a woman scorned. Andrea canning and the defense argued their stories were tainted because michelle had been given full immunity when she agreed to testify against paul. And sherwood made a Plea Deal for a reduced charge and a sentence of three to 12 years in prison. Next, the defense went after the evidence that seemed to support sherwoods story. Specifically, that photo of sherwoods License Plate taken the morning of the murder. One piece of evidence that seemed pretty damning was the Ezpass Record that showed Scott Sherwoods suv crossing the George Washington Bridge at the right time for this crime. The answer to that is very simple. It proves nothing. Theres a picture of the License Plate. Theres no picture of whos in the vehicle. How do you know, as were sitting here now, that Scott Sherwood or possibly michelle were not in that vehicle . The answer is, you dont. Andrea Canning And Greenwald dismissed that receipt from the walmart in middletown. Is it just a coincidence that someone went into walmart around 1 30 in the morning, the morning of Catherines Death, and bought a hat, gloves, and duct tape, all the things that were supposedly used in her murder . Ok, first of all, mr. Sherwood admitted under oath to me that he got to middletown at 12 00. He never could have been there at 1 30 or so because he was out by 12 15. Andrea canning still, there was an age old motive, money, to explain away. And in our interview, paul himself had an answer for that. Are you having any financial issues at this point . Actually, at that point, i was in a much better financial situation than i had been previously because i had ended up getting a second job at new York Hospital in queens, which was very high paying. Andrea canning and then greenwald called, what he said, was his most crucial witness, Pauls Landlord. The defense wanted to use him to undermine a key part of the prosecutions case. Remember, Scott Sherwood said that after the murder he and paul drove home to Pauls House. Do you go straight to Pauls HouseIn Glencoe when you come back . Yes. Andrea canning but on The Stand, Pauls Landlord disputed that. He said hed been outside setting up for a Photo Shoot starting in the early morning and didnt lay eyes on either of them. Gary greenwald how could the man be out there and he never sees Scott Sherwood or paul . Theres only one way. It didnt happen. Andrea canning the landlords testimony was proof, the lawyer argued, that Scott Sherwood had made up his story. The defense closed its case, claiming the prosecution had not proven beyond a reasonable doubt that paul was a killer. Paul novak is not guilty, and we ask you to find that. Andrea canning after seven weeks, the jury finally began to deliberate. Going into the trial, paul was certain they would find him not guilty. Your lifes on the line . Yes, my life is on the line. But i think the truth will come out In The End and hopefully hopefully, those 12 people will know the True Story. Andrea canning his fiancee, kat, told us before the verdict she will stick by him No Matter What. I believe in him. Have you thought about your wedding and where it will be . When it will happen . I actually already bought my dress. Andrea canning kats future, and so many others, would be determined by what the jury decided. For catherines family, the waiting was the hardest part. Christina daws i truthfully did not know what it was going to be. No matter which way you went with it, it was emotional. Theres no winners. Andrea canning almost five years after Catherine Novaks murder, so many secrets, lies and betrayals had been revealed, so many questions raised. Would the jury believe Pauls Exlover and his expartner . Was paul a ruthless killer or had he been set up . It took the jury two full days of deliberations. On the third day, they had made a decision. The verdict was in. Female speaker how do you find in the case of the people of the state of New York versus Paul Novak as to count one, murder in the first degree . Guilty. Andrea canning guilty. Convicted of first degree murder. Paul showed only a slight Head Shake as he was convicted of all charges against him, including insurance fraud, grand larceny, and arson. Female reporter how are you feeling right now. Not very good. Andrea Canning Paul was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole, Plus 20 to 60 years. But michelle, who knew about the Murder Plan from the beginning, walked away a free woman. A lot of people will be angry and think this woman knew about a murder that was going to happen and didnt do anything. Is it a perfect world . No. Will she get hers . Yes. When she dies. Andrea canning as for kat delgrosso, she continued to stand by paul, and the couple married in 2018. Up in narrowsburg, where Catherine Novaks beloved red house once stood, the trees glow orange and gold, Autumns Have come and gone. Her mother still mourns the daughter she lost, but remembers the life she lived. What do you miss most about her . Her smile and her hugs. She was a lot of fun, catherine. She enjoyed life a lot. Thats all for this edition of dateline. Im craig melvin. Thank you for watching. This sunday, 20, 20 hindsight. With just 30 days until