like to say before the court imposes judgment i d like to say - reporter: michael peterson turned to his kids - he said, it s okay. it s okay. i think on his part he was just trying to calm himself down but also i think he felt like his role was to protect us i was the only continuity in their life and just to see them and i thought, hey, it s you know, it s it s okay. and i could. and i could do it. reporter: michael peterson turned back to face the judge for the reading of the sentence. the defendant is imprisoned in the north carolina department of corrections for the remainder of his natural life without the benefit of parole. i believed that michael was innocent i continue to believe michael is innocent uh, and i thought we won that trial. so when that guilty verdict came out i was pretty devastated reporter: for kathleen s sister, candace, the verdict was nothing to celebrate it makes me cry cried when i heard it. i mean, i was happy we were
coming up the alleged murder weapon found. what will it reveal. and then - they said we have a verdict, your heart stops in the nation? sure, they probably know what they re talking about. or the one that j.d. power says is highest in network quality by people who use it every day? this is a tough one. well, not really, because verizon won both. so you don t even have to choose. why didn t you just lead with that? it s like a fun thing. (vo) chosen by experts. chosen by you. and now get apple music included, on us. it s the unlimited plan you need on the network you deserve. switch now and get $300 off our best phones. and if you feel, like i feel baby then come on, oh come on let s get it on applebee s. now that s eatin good in the neighborhood.
clearest thing in the world. reporter: but after sitting through the trial, kathleen s sister candace thought that the brother-in-law she once admired was both a killer and a liar did i ever think he was capable of murdering my sister no did i know he d already found another woman dead at the bottom of a staircase no did i know he lied about his military awards? no he s a writer of fiction, and that s what i found. he makes things up as he goes to suit the situation reporter: when the case went to the jury, three days passed without a verdict. finally on day four they came out and one of them said, you know, we have a verdict. your heart stops reporter: a hush, then, the clerk began to read we the twelve members of the jury, unanimously find the defendant to be guilty of first-degree murder. it s guilty and i just - as soon as we heard the first juror say, guilty i was just was weeping, like i was like being taken over by grief and shock. is there anything you
chris? i was concerned because i d been told that sometimes it can be a crap shoot was the friz that was used. reporter: the jury deliberated for 11 hours, and the verdict guilty. i can t even begin to explain. it s like the bottom falls out of your world. and he wouldn t let me hug him. you know. sorry. just give me a sec. reporter: that s all right. take your time. crying is not acceptable. reporter: and why is that? because i m english. reporter: but for ken s friends, at least matt beaudry, the verdict was vindication.
reporter: and why is that? because i m english. reporter: but for ken s friends, at least matt beaudry, the verdict was vindication. he looks like a smug killer. and a jury of his peers listened to all the evidence and with that weighty choice decided that he was. i m satisfied with that. reporter: chris wright were sentenced to 15 years to life. he s filed an appeal, requesting a new trial. and david novak has not been charged with or accused by the police of anything, though whether or not authorities want to talk to him is less clear. do you know where he is? i don t know where he is, no. reporter: are your people trying to track him down? well, part of the rules that i m constrained by is i don t speak about ongoing investigations or the existence of ongoing investigations.