Transcripts For MSNBCW Dateline 20201010

Found a lot of drug paraphernalia. They were having a lot of issues with him. It was hurting her heart to have this happen. Distraught parents, a rebellious teen. A family meeting explodes into violence. That situation goes from calm to murder in 11 minutes . I mean its homicide. I didnt hurt either of my parents. This was a lot bigger and a lot deeper than what initially we thought. They thought they picked out some weak minded kid. They didnt know who they were playing with. Hello, and welcome to dateline. Madison holten was a restless teenager itching for independence, but his parents were worried he was headed for trouble. They gave him an ultimatum, shape up or suffer the consequences. Then in the blink of an eye, two people were dead. Police thought it was an open and shut case but a chance meeting in church would lead to a jaw dropping conclusion. Heres Josh Mankiewicz with 11 minutes. The long road of parenthood, always watching as your kids grasp at life. You cheer from the stands. Get him madison. Do your best to keep them safe hoping they make it through this world in one piece. Madison holten was born a handful. His parents, april and michael, could barely keep up. Madison was always the helpful kid. Tanya was madisons moms best friend. She says madison was always sweet and a little different. I remember we had a birdhouse that my mom had brought over, and she was going to put it in my backyard. The other kids run, go, play, have fun, oh, mom needs help . Whatever. Not available. Not available. Madisons like hey, do you want me to help you do it . School was a battlefield. Madison was picked on, the scrawny kid and a bit of a lo loner. He was always doing his own thing. Everything changed by madisons seen jor yenior year school. He sprouted to almost 6 feet and had less time for dad and mom. Madison was very social. He had a lot of friends. Hannah trailer and madison grew up in the tiny town of eclectic, alabama. He was always like the class clown, like really goofy, trying to make everybody laugh. He might get in trouble for talking too much in class. As madison crossed over into the land of teendom, his parents found themselves without a map. During senior year people are turning 18, theyre about to graduate high school. You know, he was just like any of the other kids that thought like, oh, im about to gain freedom and im just going to like push my boundaries a little bit. Madison had started hanging out with with a group of friend, but i feel like too that group of friends kind of opened a door to marijuana and partying and all that stuff. They opened the door and madison walked through it . Yeah. April worried about where this road might take her son. So she begged her brother chris, a Police Officer, to talk some sense into madison. And i sat down with him, and i a long talk with him. And i said, look, this is not the lifestyle you want to choose. At the same time madison was going through his teenage rebellion, his parents april and michael, were separating. They were united in their message to madison, mess up again and youll go to jail. He had one chance left, and on september 11th, 2016, he blew it. While his dad was at work, madison threw a house party. Someone else called michael and said my kid came home from your house under the influence of something, and i want to know why. So michael was embarrassed at that point. Michael calls april and says you need to get to my house. Weve got to deal with this. Chris has a twin brother mike who thought madisons dad had good reason to be embarrassed. Michael had a reputation to protect in eclectic. He was the former mayor, former fire chief, very wellknown. How dare you embarrass me in this community, so im sure he was pissed. I dont blame him. When Michael Holten walked into the house, he found the remnants of a teenage party, homemade bongs were scattered throughout the house, a box that smelled suspicious. That was it. And what he did, he called the Sheriffs Office and we sent a deputy up there. Bill franklin is sheriff of elmore county, and the deputy sent to the house that day happened to be his son. When Deputy Franklin arrived, michael had something to say. Mr. Holten had actually greeted him in the yard and told him, hey, when you come in, youre going to see my son is handcuffed, and he said im trying to discipline my son. Sheriff franklin said hes seen parents discipline their kids in all sorts of ways. I dont think that his intent was to harm or hurt the kid. He was merely trying to see twht he could do to get his attention. To me putting the kid in handcuffs says either im disciplining you and im serious about this, or im afraid of you. Possible thats what was going on there . Could have been. Could have been. The deputy reported april was in the living room, madison solemn on the couch, his hands cuffed behind his back. Michael asked the deputy how as parents they could get the Juvenile Courts involved. He was very inquisitive about what could he do paperwork wise to get his child in front of a judge so he could talk to the judge about the problems that he was experiencing with the child. So maybe straighten him out in his view . Thats right, thats right. Call it tough love if you want, to the sheriff michael and april just seemed to be grasping for a solution. They were pretty much reached their wits end, one of those things. But these were not people who were in the midst of some huge fight . No, no, not at all. The deputy left michael ask april with instructions about how to get a copy of the Police Report the next day, monday. He leaves and supposedly everythings okay. And then 11 minutes later theres a 911 call . Thats correct. Now Law Enforcement was rushing back to Michael Holtens house, gunshots had been fired. Only three people had been in that home, and now one of them was dead, another lay dying. What had happened in just 11 minutes . Coming up. We noticed trauma, what appeared to be blood trauma. A marriage on the rocks. What did you see . She would just share little stories. And bodies in the bedroom. We discovered what appeared like an entry wound to the back of his head. You go forward with a homicide investigation. Its not a head scratcher. You get a piece of paper that says homicide. When dateline continues. Up at 2 00am again . Tonight, try pure zzzs all night. Unlike other sleep aids, our extended release melatonin helps you sleep longer. And longer. Zzzquil pure zzzs all night. Fall asleep. Stay asleep. Because when i get home, we like to play crocodile on the floor. Ocedar easywring removes over 99 of bacteria, even with just water. And wrings with a press of a pedal. Easywring. Easy and truly clean floors. Try it, youll see. Also discover, the ocedar promist max for the fastest, everyday clean. Ocedar. It feels great to feel at home. You can go your own way go your own way your wireless. Your rules. Only Xfinity Mobile lets you choose shared data, unlimited or a mix of each. And switch anytime so you only pay for the data you need. Switch and save up to 400 a year on your wireless bill. With the carrier rated 1 in Customer Satisfaction. Call, click, or visit your local xfinity store today. You ready for this . cause were all set. So lets woah. Ready. Set. Woah. Universal orlando resort. Buy two days and get three days free at the parks. Restrictions apply. Michael holtons front lawn was a disaster scene with everyone trying to make sense of what had happened. Inside, two people lay on the bedroom floor, a pistol between them. All arriving deputies knew for sure was that the situation had escalated in almost no time at all. About 4 48 our deputy leaves, 4 59 we receive another 911 call. So whatever happens, it happens in 11 minutes . Thats right. Captain chris ogden was an investigator objen the case. Madison left his residence and reported to his neighbors that his parents were involved in a physical altercation. Madison told investigators it all started as soon as the deputy had been there about the house party had left. After his parents came back in after speaking with the deputy, they went into the bedroom and became involved in a physical fight. Does madison say what the fight was about or what sparked the fight . I believe the assumption was obviously it had to do with madison. On the phone with 911, the neighbors said it was an attempted murder suicide. Michael holton was dead by the time deputies arrived. Madisons mom was unconscious but breathing. So investigators first thought was mr. Holton shot his wife and then himself. From what we had been told, you would think that he actually shot her, mr. Holton, and then would have turned the gun and shot himself. Thats what one would tend to believe. Aprils injuries suggested shed been shot through her hand first as if shed put it up to protect herself, and then as she turned her face away from the gun, she was shot in the head. Michaels injuries appeared selfinflicted. And we noticed trauma, what appeared to be blood trauma in his mouth. The first formulated thought is he probably shot himself in the mouth. Earlier theyd seemed like two parents on the same page about their teenage son. What had happened to this couple in only 11 minutes . April and michael got together in high school. They married after graduation and pretty quickly became the parents of three kids. She was all about her kids all the time, always kind of thought she was like this do it all kind of mom. Made it seem effortless. But i knew it wasnt, but yeah, she did. She always looked good. She always, you know, put her best foot forward. Michael holtons friend tony remembers him as a fixture in eclectic zl he couldnt go around town without being recognized. Hed worked his way up from paramedic to fire chief and then mayor. Everyone knew him. He was always very nice, very funny, have r easy going. He and april seemed happy . Yeah, yeah, they did seem happy for a long time. And then that changed . Yeah. What did you see . She would share little stories. Maybe he wasnt as nice to her. Tanya says april felt she couldnt do anything right in the marriage. By summer 2016 she was done. April filed paperwork for a divorce. I think she was at peace with her decision. Was mike at peace with it . No. No, mike was not. Too late. April had made her decision, and on september 11th, 2016, april only answered michaels call because the latest family crisis was about madison. Obviously madison had thrown a party and so they had to talk to madison about it, and she was like im going to have to go over there. Sounds like she didnt want to go over to mikes . No, she did not want to go. She did not, but she was going to. I mean, she needed to go for madison. So had Michael Holton just snapped in a fit of sorrow and rage . Thats what it looked like to investigators at first. So when you finally actually move his body. We discovered what appeared like an entry wound to the back of his head. So thats the first false note here. That changed the dynamics of the investigation. Ive been in Law Enforcement for 35 years. Ive never seen somebody try to commit suicide in such a weird, unique manner. If you argued that mr. Holton did shoot his wife and then turn the gun on himself, why such a bizarre way to do that. The next morning a state pathologist confirmed Michael Holton had a close contact wound at the base of his head, and to investigators the angle seemed telling. The only way we were able to do that is hold a gun upside down and place it upside down and then angle it because, rerks t remember, the angle is upwards. Upside down and using his left hand. The thing about that is Michael Holton was righthanded. Normally when men commit suicide, they use their dominant hand. Sure. Not their weaker hand. Thats right. To the sheriff and the investigators that made suicide improbable, and the pathologist agreed. He classified Michael Holtons death a homicide. He does not believe that that man would have killed himself or would have been able to kill himself in that manner. And so you go forward with a homicide investigation. Its not a head scratcher. You get a piece of paper that says homicide. This was now a murder investigation, and if there were three people in that house and two were victims, that simple arithmetic made madison the prime suspect. What happened in those 11 minutes . The interrogation begins. Coming up. I jumped up, i ran to the ma master bedroom door. I kicked it open. My dad was holding her like this. I was like i need to go get help, and then i ran screaming help to my neighbors house. Madisons dramatic story. Will Police Believe it . He didnt seem that upset . No, no, he seemed more concerned about missing home coming. When dateline continues. Hoe coming. When dateline continues this week on the upper hands. Special guest flo challenges the hand models to show off the ease of comparing rates with progressives home quote explorer. International hand model jonjon gets personal. Your wayward pinky is grotesque. Then a high stakes pattycake Battle Royale ends in triumph. You have the upper hands its a race to the lowest rate, and so much more. Only on the upper hands. April holtons Twin Brothers chris and mike were keeping vigil in the icu. Their sister had been shot in the head, and there was little doctors could do. You see in the movies with the machine breathing for the person, and this is far more surreal than what it seems like in the movies. This is goodbye, there is no more hellos, there is no more hugs. No more phone calls, theres no more birthday videos. It was 11 00 september 12th when they pronounced april dead. Worst day of your life . To date. One person who did not get to say goodbye was aprils oldest son, madison was now a murder suspect. Hed been questioned that morning at the Sheriffs Office. After one round of the interrogation, the sheriff asked madisons uncle chris to join them. Theres a reason, okay . At that point, i really i didnt know what to think. I didnt know if madison did it. I didnt know if he didnt do it. I wasnt there. I had not seen any evidence. Heres what madison said happened after the first deputy left. That my dad like signaled my mom to come into the room, and she did. And he shut the door. After about five minutes you say your heard your mom scream help. Scream help. Okay. And what did you do . I jumped up, i ran to the master bedroom door, i kicked it open, and my dad was holding her like this. I was like i need to go get help, and then i sprinted screaming help to my neighbors house. Madison said he didnt see or hear what happened next, not even the gunshots while he was at his neighbors house. The sheriff wasnt buying that one bit. Will you agree with me that there was a gunshot fired . I mean, what ive been told, yes. But youve never heard that . Yes, sir. Investigators thought madison didnt seem like a kid who was sad about what had happened to his mother and father. Do you feel like any of this is on you . I dont know. I didnt hurt either of my parents. The doctor down there said they didnt shoot themselves. I dont care what the doctor said, i didnt shoot my parents. And madisons own uncle, an officer himself knew the significance of this moment. This will be the only time that if your story is any different than what youve told me listen to me. If its any different, okay, now is the time to tell them. Lets say you walked in there and your dads got your momma by the throat, and you did what you thought you had to do. So maybe madison shot his dad to protect his mom . That sounds almost like youre offering him a story that you know fits the evidence and is also exculpatory. Well, at that point, though, i had not seen any evidence. At that point i had only seen my sister. I had seen that her hand was wrapped in gauze which tells me that something happened it her hand skpsand at some point i tht somebody told me she was shot in the hand and the head. Madison stuck to his defense. I already told you all everything that i know. Ive told you all everything that i know. As the interrogation was wrapping up and the sheriff and chris were walking out, madison made a gesture in their direction. To the sheriff that middle finger came out of nowhere, and later investigators reported madison was talking about ho homecoming on the way to take a blood sample. He seemed more concerned about a missing homecoming and things of that nature. He didnt seem that upset . No, no. And heres a call that was recorded from jail a few days later. Like thats what i wondered, like the people i slept with, like what are they thinking about it right now . Oh, damn, a murderer. That kind of talk didnt prove anything, but it did strike investigators as odd as they continued gathering evidence. They decided to test some elements of madisons story. Madison had said he didnt hear the gunshots so Law Enforcement did an experiment and they recorded it. We took the same weapon and the same grade ammo to do these tests. Madisons story is that he ran from his dads house to a neighbor 200 feet away and that he didnt hear his shots on his way or once he roouarrived. Investigators listened closely. Heres what that test sounded like standing at the neighbors front door. To investigators that made madison a liar, a troubled kid who had exploded into violence. You think madison saw his parents getting ready to begin a process that might have resulted in him being locked up, and he got angry, and he decided to kill them. I dont know what his mindset was there, but could that have triggered him . Sure it could have. By the end of the week, 17yearold Madison Holton was charged with murdering his mom and dad . Holtons bond now set at i dont go out here and beat a drum because we were able to put a 17yearold boy in jail, but pretty much, josh, if it looks, walks, talks, feels, and smells like a duck, were pretty much going to treat it like a duck. Madison says he was no ones sitting duck. My opinion is they picked a fight. They thought they picked out some weak minded kid. They didnt know who they were playing with. Youre tougher than they thought you were . Oh, yeah. Coming up. I just want to be set up for a polygraph test honestly, like as soon as you all can do it. I want a polygraph test. I asked like three or four times for a polygraph. Generally guilty people do not ask for polygraphs. Madison stands by his story and supporters stand by him. He didnt do it. Thats not possible. I knew like he wasnt capable of that. When dateline continues. Still the right fit . Having the wrong plan may cost you thousands of dollars out of pocket. And thats why i love healthmarkets, your Insurance Marketplace. With healthmarkets fitscore, they compare thousands of plans from National Insurance companies to find the right medicare plan that fits you. Call or visit healthmarkets to find your fitscore today. 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A federal judge has stopped Texas Governor greg abbott from limiting the number of mailin dropoff sites to just one. Now back to dateline. Welcome back to dateline, im natalie morales. April and Michael Holton were dead and their son was charged with murdering them. Madison told police he ran to the neighbors for help while his parents argued, but investigators were not buying his story forming their own theory instead. Friends and family were choosing sides, and we sat down with the teen to hear what he said did and did not happen. Here again is Josh Mankiewicz with 11 minutes. There is no more High School Confidential when a senior is charged with double murder, that is on every iphone in class. Im on snapchat all the time, so when im scrolling through snapchat and then you see his mug shot pop up on daily mail and you click through and then hes next to kim kardashian. That in itself was absolutely crazy for me, for my classmates, for all of us, and i knew like he wasnt capable of that. But you know, a lot of people had opposite opinions like oh, well, they wouldnt have put him in jail if they didnt have evidence to lead towards him, or he wouldnt be staying in there so long if there wasnt something pointing towards him. The sheriff believed that when madison realized his parents were about to take him to Juvenile Court he killed them and then lied about it to investigators. The sheriff also believed some time in jail might encourage madison to come clean. Theres a lot of people that come to jail and theres a lot of people that profess their innocence, and theyve been found guilty or later they will pretty much profess their guilt on what they did. That, however, did not happen, not as the teenager sat in the county lockup. And not when he sat down to talk with us. Did you sthohoot your parent . No. Either one of them . No. Did you hear any gunshots when you were on the way to the neighbors . On advice of counsel, madison wouldnt talk specifics about the day of the shootings. He did tell us his story about how his family started to fall apart. Whenever things started to fall down, it just got worse and worse. Could you tell there was tension in the house . Yeah, sometimes i could. Sometimes i couldnt. Sometimes they would be giving each other the silent treatment. Sometimes they would be arguing in front of us. Most of the time it was more of like behind closed doors. He says the holton house became an unpleasant place to live. I wanted to go do my own thing and that included partying and smoking pot and stuff like that, so i mean , i couldnt do it at home when my parents were around, so i decided to go oh places. After his parents separated, madison lived with his dad and was present when his father discovered april had a new boyfriend. He like freaked out, and then he called her and was like going off on her about it. Saying what . It was lake i need you, like i cant live without you, stuff like that. And whenever we got back home, i had never seen my dad cry before, but he was bawling. Madison was remembering all of this sitting in jail, months and months contemplating the past. You wrote people letters . Yeah. Apologizing in some cases for things you had done . Yeah dear, hannah, i know getting a me right now. I opened it up. It was stamped like elmer county jail in like a red stamp. So like im reading this letter and you know, like in the letter he like apologizes for something that happened like back in 9th grade just because he wanted to like apologize to everybody he hadening wrote wronged. Every person ive written ive told the exact same thing. Im not a murderer, i dont know if you believe me or not, but im not. I couldnt kill anybody. And then like in the end he put a bible verse so like that just showed me in the midst of this situation that youre in, youre trying to encourage other people, so it was just like really crazy to see that. I was just thinking about the light at the end of the tunnel, my favorite bible verse, jer m y jeremiah 11. You still thought you had a future . I knew i had a future. Madisons present, though, was the four walls of a cell. Time in jail did not motivate him to confess to crimes he says he didnt commit. His story never changed from the one he told the night his parents were shot. I think i asked like three or four times for a polygraph. I just want to be set up for a polygraph test honestly. All right. Like as soon as you all can do its i want a polygraph test. Okay. Generally guilty people do not ask for a polygraph. Yeah, i mean, its a lie detector test. Yeah, some people can find a flaw in that. Some people can beat it even when they are lying, but i mean, i was 17 years old. I mean, i didnt know nothing about it. I just knew it was a lie detector test. That polygraph never happened, and madison remained a teenager facing two murder raps. Law enforcement was lined up against him. His moms family felt differently. They saw madison behind bars as just another tragedy. I told him on day one the only role he played in this case was the fact that he threw a house party, but you dont put somebody in prison for liech for thr life for throwing a house party. Mike hadnt even known madison well before all of this. Before this happened i never even had more than like a fiveminute conversation with him but whenever i got to the jail, i mean, wed just sit there and talk on the phone until the time ran up on the phone. And he was pretty solidly in your corner . Oh, yeah, without a doubt. And mike was going to make sure his nephew didnt spend his life locked up. He had worked as a Police Officer and was now hunting for anything that might prove madisons innocence. He didnt do it. Thats not possible. Coming up. No dna, no blood on madison. Not on his clothes, not on his hands. If madison had committed this crime, hed shot both his parents at pretty close range, hed have some blood on him. Hed have some forensic evidence. This is the same make and model of the gun. Same make. With intriguing detective work about the shooting when dateline continues. Indicators of brain performance. Memory, focus, accuracy, learning, and concentration. Try our new gummies for 30 days and see the difference. Two life sentences is a long time for anyone. When youre 17 its unthinkable. Behind bars Madison Holton prayed for the light at the end of the tunnel, and in december 2017. My wife and i were able to eventually bond him out of jail. After. A year and three or four months. Whered you get the money for madisons bond . My wife and i took out a loan, and were still paying for it. After 15 months and seven days, the guard said todays your lucky day, pack it up. Madison was out, but far from free. Now he was prepping for a murder trial with the help of his twin uncles. His uncle mike discovered information critical to madisons defense when he went through madisons dads autopsy report. Michael holton was under the influence of heavy narcotics. Michael holton had a cocktail of tramadol, oxycodone, and hydrocodone in his system at the time of his death. Was pretty much everybody in your family aware that michael had a drug problem . They were. It was something nobody wanted to talk about. And its an embarrassment . Right. I mean, he was at one point he was the mayor of eclectic, the fire chief. He was the best paramedic i knew. His drug problem got away from him and just down the hill he went. Chris speculated that on the day out of the shootings michael was using the latest problem with their son as a way to win april back. Its an opportunity for michael to say, look, you know, if the two of us were together this probably wouldnt have happened. And she says its too late for that conversation. Im moving on. That ship has sailed, and i think at that point michael just snapped. I think michael killed april and then killed himself. I think michael couldnt face the world knowing he killed his wife and the only option left for him was to end his own life. Mike learned madisons dad might have thought about suicide annui in the past. It was right there in the pages of his diary. To april he wrote, i just cant go on knowing you are with somebody else, and it was either me or the both of us. You read it, and it clearly indicates a person who is not in their right state of mind. Madisons uncles shared their discoveries with his Court Appointed attorney, and they worried. The family didnt have money for fancy experts or the things they would need to make a strong case. As his uncle stressed, madison went to church, and thats where everything changed in the form of greg biggs. On sunday afternoon we had a prayer meeting so to get your prayer partner, the pastor put our names in a hat and started drawing our names out, so drew my name out, and he drew madisons name out. Did you know madison . I had no idea. I got to meet him that day. He was a nice kid. It is only a few days later his uncle chris tells me, you know, hes indicted for murder. Im going, what . Madison . Greg is a former fbi agent and states attorney. He knew his way around a case file and offered to help. He says the impressions deputies formed during the investigation were off base. His parents have just been killed, and hes, what, talking about homecoming . I dont think you can get yourself in the maind of a 17yearold to make him out to be a ted bundy when hes just a kid. I did a lot of stupid things when i was 17. I kissed a dead dog on a road on a dare when i was 17. So kids are kids. And this is just madison being a kid. Just madison being a kid saying stupid things. And if Law Enforcement didnt catch madison in tears, madison said he had a good reason and said as much in the interrogation. I cant even cry because it hurts so bad because it just keeps replaying in my head. Greg says the physical evidence supports madisons story that his parents had been fighting. April had michaels dna under her fingernails. Michael had scratches on his face, and if madison had shot them during the fight, where was the proof of that . No dna, no blood on madison, not on his clothes, not on his hands, so all the evidence points toward exactly what madison said, mom and dad were in the bedroom. If madison had committed this crime, if hed shot both his parents at pretty close range, hed have some blood on him. Hed have some forensic evidence on him to demonstrate he had fooidired a gun at a ver close range. Law enforcement was never able to lift a full print from the gun, and the only dna they found was aprils on the trigger. And what about that head wound, the one a pathologist said made michaels death look like a homicide . Ive consulted with a forensic pathologist who said he looked at the wound, and he said it is more probable that it is suicide than homicide. If investigators thought it was difficult for michael to shoot himself at that odd angle, defense attorney biggs demonstrated for us how easy it could be using an unloaded gun identical to the one found at the scene. This is the same make and model of gun . Same make, its a. 380 cobra. Not impossible, is it . Greg said he didnt even need the forensics to show madison was innocent, common sense he claimed said it all. Remember, madisons dad had handcuffed him behind his back, and when deputies arrived after the shootings, they found madison still in those handcuffs. My hands were like this on my back last night. I couldnt move them. The sheriffs theory, madison had been able to take the cuffs off using a handcuff key investigators found in the living room. Our primary investigator is in his mid30s. Our chief investigator is in his late 40s. They were both able in about 12 to 15 seconds to stand up, slip it below their feet , get in front of them, take a handcuff key thats been placed right in front of them and get out of the handcuffs. Wait, waits wa, wait, thatst you think madison did. U you think his took his handcuffs off and shot his parents and then put the handcuffs back on . Yes, i think thats what happened. Did you slip out of the handcuffs and commit murder and then put the handcuffs back on . No. Would you know how to do that . No, that was the first time i had ever been put in handcuffs. The state was moving ahead, the date for madisons double murder trial was set. They seemed pretty determined. Yeah, they seemed pretty determined but i was pretty determined myself. Coming up. This is the start of war, you know. Everythings at stake. I was like if this goes downhill, i would have two life sentences and be in prison for the rest of my life. Some jaw dropping news that no one expected. Did you have your suspicions about what was coming . No. When dateline continues. Welcome back. Madison holton was heading to trial for the double murder of his parents. Investigators were prepared to testify that he slipped out of handcuffs, shot them both, then cuffed himself again before running for help. The defense would argue, Michael Holton, distraught over his impending divorce, was the real killer, but a startling twist would soon leave both sides stunned. Heres Josh Mankiewicz with the conclusion of 11 minutes. Murder has a way of splitting a small town in two. Thats what happened in eclectic, alabama, after the killing of april and Michael Holton. Each side felt they knew what had happened on that september afternoon in 2016. To county sheriff bill franklin, it was clear Madison Holton killed his parents after their threats to take him to court. I had missed immense sleep at night because we were able to charge that kid. Just as sheriffs investigators said madison could have gotten out of his handcuffs and committed a double murder, the lack of blood on him was also easy to explain. It was a smallcaliber weapon, and smallcaliber weapon doesnt cause a whole lot of initial damage to a person. So, its conceivable that madison was involved in that shooting and didnt get any blood on him . Thats correct. Even if michael was physically able to shoot himself, hed hardly seemed suicidal to the sheriffs son, who was that first deputy on the scene. The conversation that he had had with the deputy, i dont think anyone would agree that the man, well, is going to go in there and hes fixing to kill his wife and kill himself. He was very clearminded. Did your deputy in that initial encounter with mr. Holton describe him or think of him as being under the influence of any kind of drug . None whatsoever. And he didnt seem excessively angry . No. No. The showdown was set for october 22nd, 2018, the first day of madisons murder trial. This is the start of war, you know . Madison, who had always been so convinced he would be found not guilty, was worried. Hed found a new girlfriend while out on bond and told her this if this goes downhill, i would have two life sentences, be in prison for the rest of my life. And i was like, its okay. Like, if you dont want to be with me anymore, you can go. That was pretty tough, having to tell her that, you know . In court, attorneys were about to start the last phase of jury selection, when, suddenly, the mood in the room seemed to shift. People running all over the courthouse, back and forth. The sheriff was there, too, waiting for proceedings to begin. Did you have your suspicions about what was coming . No. What was coming was a stunning announcement from the district attorney. We dont have proof beyond a reasonable doubt. After two years of investigating, prosecutors had decided they didnt have enough. We are ethically obligated at this point to dismiss those charges. If this had been a battle, then the d. A. Had just retreated. The murder charges were dismissed, just like that. In a press conference, the d. A. Explained. The pathologist, who had already ruled michaels death a homicide, was not prepared to say on the stand that he was 100 sure. The most they could say was, its more likely than not a homicide, which is not beyond a reasonable doubt. And so, the answers eclectic was waiting for never came. The son was released not too long ago, and thats really all i know about the case. Tony prefers to think about his friend, michael in happier times. I want to remember michael the way he was, smiling, having a beer, kicking back with guitars and just playing music. Tanya says she thought of april every day throughout madisons ordeal. Finding out that madison was released and that it was done, i feel like shes finally at peace. She can be at peace because, for her babies to be in turmoil . Thats not something that would be acceptable for her. For the sheriff, the murder case is far from over. You think madisons getting away with murder . Its an open case. But as long as im sheriff, thats an open case. You could refile against madison . Absolutely. Which is why madison doesnt want to discuss the specifics of the case. Hes not cleared. Hes just not charged. From everything that ive been through, i have no doubt in my mind that the sheriff will try to put me back in jail. I dont know why he has such a grudge against me. Well, he thinks youre guilty of murder. Let him think that. Hes going to think wrong for the rest of his life. Madison is hoping to live out the rest of his life as a free man. He finished high school and hes joined the army to help pay for college. Hes even considered becoming a criminal defense attorney. Are you ready to go back in a courtroom . Oh, yeah. Maybe not wearing handcuffs. Yeah. I want to find that kid who was put in the odd predicament that i was put in, that doesnt know what to do, that doesnt know how to act, and fight for them. And its not about the money for me. Yeah, lawyers make good money. Its not about the money. Its about that one life out there that could be saved. They are dreams madison shares with his mother when he goes to visit her grave. Shes buried right next to his dad. When youre visiting her grave and hes five feet away or less. Like, ive forgiven him for what hes done, but i cant come to the point where ill visit his grave like i do my moms. What do you say to your mom when you go . Im sorry and i love her. Thats all for this edition of dateline. Im natalie morales. Thank you for watching. 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