right. weeks before he was institutionalized. mel vvin cut his sons out of hi will. signed over his business and all of his properties to his wife shirley. does anything about the timing surprise you or make you suspicious at all? certainly todd rein echt and brother, ray yomond tried to ma the case that the transfer of property to shirley reine happened much too close to when he was institutionalized. the whole argument he couldn t have been of right mind to sign the property over. reporter: to make the argument in court and win, they needed shirley and melvin s financial documents to prove it. todd reine believed he knew just the guy who could help. his name is john rams. you know i owed todd a favor.
john received the stunning news that he, not todd, was being charged for the murder of shirley reine. with the area that todd hired you. to do this just like he hired you to steal the safe. if john knew what happened to shirley reine, this was the last chance to say so. i was never, ever, even in the room with this woman ever. how could, how does this happen? coming up there was no fiber, fingerprint, dna, trace, ballistics, foot impressions, from john rams, none whatsoever.
just happened this guy wanted a burglary. i told hem i am not a burglary type person. that s not what i do. reporter: but rams does have an extensive criminal record from assault to manslaughter. did he ever tell you why he wanted you to burglarize sirly s home? he wanted the documents. the sex tapes. reporter: he wanted shirley and melvin s newly signed will and trust documents and several tapes rumored to exist which allegedly show his stepmom performing sexual acts with other men. when he approached me. he had the plan drawn out. he said the $10,000 is in the drawer. the sex tapes over there under the tv. the safe is there. in the safe is the documents with the will and testament. reporter: did you feel look you had a choice? you always have a choice, ma am. reporter: in december of 2002, john rams and two accomplices carry out todd s plan.
dimentia. he was unable to even attend his wife s trial. but his son todd did. and john ram s attorney, timothy flahe flaherty made sure jurors knew it. there had to be a question in his mind. they believe todd reine is the person who paid john rams to dupe thi to do this. yet he is sitting in the score the room. how is that. the that was the most compelling argument i made in the trial. john rams, where is todd reine. sitting in the gallery not at counsel table. why isn t he charged? the man with motive, opportunity, means. why didn t they charge him? why didn t they ever charge reine? a better question for michael o keefe. reporter: cape cod district attorney mike cam o keefe declined our request for an interview. i believe that if law enforcement had enough information to charge either one of the reines, or both of them,
todd reine as the the ringleader of the theft of the safe. while his brother, melvin jr. was never implicated, todd, john rams, and an accomplice were convicted of the theft and sent to prison in september 20007. which allowed investigators a unique opportunity to build shirley s murder case while their two main suspects were locked up. they definitely were trying to get john rams to flip. they want to john rams several times trying to get him to talk. reporter: and talk he did. between 2005 and 2011, john rams willingly spoke to police at least seven times. he said, i didn t do it but todd reine wanted her dead. reporter: despite repeated denials in december, 2011.