Anyone knew how to do this and get away with it, wouldnt it be him . Then someone told police what he saw. He told me he saw a female that was about 510. She pulls off and takes off out the complex. What did she know . She said im In Fear of my life. The story starts to unravel. A secret tape. Why are you whispering . A secret lover. He wanted her to come back to him and she didnt. And a secret reveal. As were getting ready to finish up, someone hands me a note. Who killed denita . Youve told me some things youd only admit to a priest and you cant tell me this last little piece of the puzzle. Why . The dark room is where photographers or vision comes to life. Allowing others to see the world through their eyes. And with the shots, we can learn a little about the world this young photographer saw. Y and her sense of exactly when to snap the shutter to capture the world in front of her. Its an impressive portfolio belonging to a young woman named Denita Smith. She began looking through a lens in childhood. And never stopped as her mother sharon remembers. Shes always loved the camera. The camera was her friend. The camera was her way of expressing herself. Denita was beginning to turn all that talent into a successful trade. Working as a Photo Journalist on the Student Newspaper at North Carolina Central University in durham. She would see things that probably the average Person Wouldnt see. But there was Something Denita didnt see coming. A Blind Spot in her seemingly perfect life. Something she never anticipated. Never imagined. But maybe no one could. It was january 4th, 2007. A crisp carolina morning. Denita had a busy day ahead as classes were about to resume after christmas break. Denita loved school. And she was planning to go back and get her doctorate. And get married. And have a family. And somewhere along the line, work in this business. Exactly. In fact, denita had won a New York Times fellowship. Her close friend and classmate, edith kerns. Denita just always knew what she wanted. She always had a vision and a goal and she would make a Plan And Stick to it and take it Step By step until she met that goal. Denita lived in the campus crossings apartments near the university. Around 8 00 a. M. , a 911 call came in from another student at the same complex. 911. What is your emergency . I think this girl just fell down the stairs. Shes at the bottom of the stairs bust up and blood everywhere. She responding to you at all . Shes not even moving. Do you want me to get her i. D. Out . If you can. Her name is Denita Smith. Denita she aint moving, man. Denita seemed to have perhaps lost her balance and fallen down the stairs. Police and paramedics rush to the complex. But college was quickly notified, as was Denitas Family. Ms. Smith, denita fell. She is unconscious but theyre trying to revive her. He said are you coming to durham . And im still trying to wrap my head around you fell, unconscious, revived. I said, yes, im coming. Sharon and her other two children lived in charlotte, almost a Threehour Drive from durham. On my way there, i did Call Jamere. That was Jamere Straud, her fiance, a Police Officer who worked in greensboro. Much closer to durham. I said i need you to get to durham now. Denita has fell. Shes unconscious. Theyre trying to revive her. So he said okay. Because i knew from greensboro to durham, he would be there. He didnt let on like he was aware. Word spread fast that something had happened at the Apartment Complex. Edith called to check on denita. She wasnt answering, which was, you know, after i call your phone several times as a best friend, you know, somebodys going to call you back. So i was like thats strange. So my instinct just said Call Jamere really quick just to touch bases with him. By now, Jamere Straud had left work and was racing to durham. I spoke to jamere and im like have you made contact with her . But i felt like i didnt get a definite answer. It seemed like it was a little bit of confusion. What do you mean . Like, when i said did you speak with her . He didnt really give me a yes or no. He just sound a little rushed. Like ediths, you know, just sit tight, stay calm. Im sure well get to her. Also, rushing to get to denita was her mother, sharon smith, who was driving to durham from charlotte. Youre thinking this is an accident. Uhhuh. But shes going to be okay. Uhhuh. I just thought she was at the hospital. Durham police arrived and taped off the scene. We found denita at the at the bottom of the steps. And we were basically there was a pretty large Police Presence at the time. Detective Shaun Pate Wasnt sure exactly what he was dealing with. But it was beginning to look a lot more serious than just an accident on the stairs. We werent able to determine what the injuries were. We saw there was blood coming from her head. She had her purse. She had a water bottle. Lipstick. Keys. That kind of thing all coming down the staircase. And the first thing im wondering is, was there a struggle . Was her wallet there . The wallet was there. And money in it . It mustve been because at first, we didnt think it was a robbery. Edith, who knew none of this, now rushed to denitas building where she hoped to find her close friend. But instead, was greeted by several of the universitys professors. I was like what are you all doing here . And they were like, you know, unfortunately, shes not alive. Everything in me, you know, just went into shock, of course. And i i was i kept saying you know i want to see her. Maybe its mistaken identity. Shes not dead. This cant be. Denita Monique Smith was just 25 years old. And engaged to be married. Now, her fiance, Jamere Straud, who had also arrived on scene, was given the awful news. Howd he look . Like a blank expression. He was calm. And he was like, you know, its going to be okay. Hes like calm down. I was like my heart is breaking right now. Im like and its breaking for you too. Because im like this is your future wife. Im like who saw this coming . But edith didnt know the worst of it. Her close Friend Denita Hadnt died in a tragic accident. Police discovered denita had been murdered. Shot at almost pointblank range. Clearly, intentional. And shot in the back of the head. Dead center. This was an execution. Exactly. Meanwhile, Denitas Mother sharon had arrived from charlotte. Still unaware of what had happened. Wheres my baby . And is she all right . Now, police had to break the horrible news about her oldest daughter. And so thats when they explained that denita was found and she had been shot. And she was dead. And at that point, my life just changed. Completely. Nothing prepares you for that, does it . Uhuh. Because im wondering who . Why . Who would want to do this . Why would they want to do this . It just doesnt make sense. Coming up. Why would anyone want to kill the popular and Lovely Denita . Police hear from a witness who saw something odd and suspicious. He says let me call the police. And then she pulls off. And takes off out the complex. And takes off out the complex. Its a new dawn. If youve been taking copd sitting down, its time to make a stand. Start a new day with trelegy. No oncedaily Copd Medicine has the power to treat copd in as many ways as trelegy. With three medicines in one inhaler, trelegy helps people breathe easier and improves lung function. It also helps prevent future flareups. Trelegy wont replace a Rescue Inhaler for sudden breathing problems. Tell your doctor if you have a Heart Condition or high Blood Pressure before taking it. Do not take trelegy more than prescribed. Trelegy may increase your risk of thrush, pneumonia, and osteoporosis. Call your doctor if worsened breathing, chest pain, Mouth Or Tongue swelling, problems urinating, vision changes, or Eye Pain occur. Take a stand and start a new day with trelegy. Ask your doctor about oncedaily trelegy. And save at trelegy. Com. Show me the olympics. Ask your doctor about oncedaily trelegy. [ Buglers Dream playing ] they need A Smith probably never saw it coming. One shot. A clean hit from behind. The killer was apparently lying in wait on the apartment second floor landing. As denita walked down the stairs from her third floor unit, said Durham Police detective Shawn Pate. There were four apartments on that landing. I think that someone was there. Pretending they were knocking on the door or fumbling for keys. So denita probably would have had to walk right past the shooter . Probably, good morning. How are you . And turn to go down the steps. Dang. And thats it. Denita murdered. Executed in broad daylight. It made no sense. Her Bff Edith says denita simply didnt have any enemies. Denita was a light in this dark world. She had a beautiful spirit. She was loving. She was kind. She was supportive. She embodied everything that was positive and about supporting people. There was no one who didnt like her. Right. She was real respected and wellloved. Especially, by her fiance Jamere Stroud, who appeared devastated by Denitas Death. Jamere didnt say anything. Jamere cried. We all cried. He didnt really say a whole lot. Jamere and denita had met back in college and became the it couple on campus. They had been dating for a few years. And, you know, before i even met him, denita spoke very highly of him. Whatd she say . Like, hes a gentleman. Hes intelligent. Hes active, involved, wellrounded, hes kind, he respects me, he protects me. Hes loving. The perfect guy. The perfect guy. The perfect guy. He was, apparently, even perfect enough for denitas cautious mother, sharon smith. Who came to trust that jamere was the right guy for her precious daughter. I knew what he would be getting. But i didnt know what she would be getting. So i tried to find every reason to not like him. Howd you do . I failed because he was very polite. He was very respectful. I would always tell jamere, you take care of my baby. This is precious cargo. And he promised me that he would. That he wouldnt let anything hurt her. I said, okay. Now, police wanted to talk to Jamere Stroud. Greensboro police have confirmed smith was engaged to officer Jamere Stroud. Stroud has been an officer with the Greensboro Police department for four years. The fact that he was her fiance, immediately made stroud a person of interest. Jamere insisted he knew nothing about who killed denita. Jamere was at home asleep because he had just worked Night Shift the day before. So he was off duty. He was off duty. Its not unbelievable. It just makes it harder to rule him out. So theres no proof that he was anywhere. Except for the fact that his phone was, you know, at his house on his nightstand plugged in. But by all accounts, Jamere Stroud Loved Denita dearly. It didnt make sense that he would kill the woman to whom he had just proposed. They were planning a big wedding. Now, after speaking with detectives, jamere headed back home to greensboro. His life changed forever. And then two hours after the murder, detectives got a lead. 911. Where is your emergency . Campus crossing apartments. They discovered a second 911 call that had come in around the time denita was killed. Im hearing gunshots coming from somewhere around here. The caller was the apartments maintenance supervisor, who had been working near denitas unit. When he heard the shot, he looked up in that direction. And he told me he saw a female that was about 510, hair in a pony tail, and had some kind of emblems on her clothing. Young lady, shes like upset and shaking and stuff like that. She was covering her face and she went and got into her truck and started driving away. This woman looked frightened . Or he said like she was distraught. She had her hands over her face. And and moving quickly. Like theyre horrified by what theyve seen. Correct. So more witness than perpetrator maybe. Thats exactly what he thought. Then, according to the Maintenance Man, the woman got into a Burgundy Colored ford explorer, which he then followed in his truck. He pulls up beside her. So theyre kind of like looking directly at each other. Eyeball to eyeball and she still has her hands over her face. And he says, maam, did you hear a Shot Or Something . And she shakes her head up and down yes. And he says, where whered it come from . And she points her head in one direction. And he says why are you nervous . And shes like, you heard the shot. And he says let me call the police. And then she pulls off and takes off out the complex. What do you make of that . Thats kind of like make the hair on the back of our neck stand up. So now, police Call Jamere stroud, who was on his way back home to greensboro. And asked one simple question. Do you know anyone that drives a Burgundy Ford Suv . And he said, oh my god, im turning around now. Coming up. A secret affair. They start having a relationship that actually started kind of like friendly but then turned sexual. What, if anything, did it have to do with Denitas Murder . When dateline continues. E continues. [ heavy breathing ] allergies with nasal congestion overwhelming you . Breathe more freely with powerful claritind. Claritind improves nasal airflow two times more than the leading Allergy Spray at hour one. [ Deep Inhale ] claritind. Get more airflow. After my car accident, claritind. Get more airflow. I wondered what my case was worth. So i called the Barnes Firm. When that car hit my motorcycle, insurance wasnt fair. So i called the Barnes Firm. It was the best call i couldve made. Atat t bararnefirmrm, our R Inry a Attneysys Wk Hahard i couldve made. Atat t bararnefirmrm, to get you the best result possible. Call us now and find out what your case could be worth. You u Mit Bebe Sprisised just a few hours after his the Barnes Firm Injury Attorneys call one eight hundred, Eight Million fiancees murder, jim Meir Stroud made the biggest uturn of his life. He was headed home to greensboro to mourn the loss of Denita Smith when detectives called him about a break in the case. A Woman Driving a Burgundy Suv had been spotted at the Crime Scene. Did jamere know her . Yes, he said, he did. Starting with her name. Shannon crawley. And one more thing. Like jamere, she also worked in law enforcement. He met shannon back in 2000 when he was in the police academy. Shannon was a 911 communicator and she was one of the people that was in the training session. Shannon was 21 then. Tall, striking, and single. Raising two kids. And this is her family. Brother keith, jr. , and her Parents Anne and keith crawley. She was determined to give the kids a good life, a nice home, and a good education. Very caring and and loving mother. And if you ask her, she say im just a mom. And thats how im just a mom. Now, at the Durham Police department, detectives wanted to know more about Shannons Relationship with Jamere Stroud. So they interviewed jamere, who was cooperative but guarded. He said, yeah, she caught my eye. I mean, shes 510. Long, pretty hair. Thin. We spoke for a short time. That was in 2000. Around 2004, they bumped in again through work. And he asked her for her number. And at this point, hes involved with denita. Involved with denita. And he actually said that he told shannon in 2000 that he was involved with denita. Well, in 2004, they start having a relationship that actually started kind of like friendly. But then turned sexual toward The End of 2004. And shannon drives a Burgundy Suv. Correct. First, detectives had a murder. Now, a love triangle. Detective pate pressed jamere for more details about the two women in his life. I said, well, have they ever met . And he said, no, theyve never met. But i used to have a picture of Denita In My House on on my television and when shannon would help me move in, she saw the picture. Shannon knew about denita. Shannon knew about denita. But denita had no clue, and everyone i spoke to about denita said if she even suspected, she would have been out of that relationship. She had too much dignity for that. This was an Affair Jamere was hiding. Correct. Remember, jamere lived in greensboro, near shannon. But 50 miles away from denita. The Woman Jamere was officially involved with at the time. It was A Tale Of Two Cities and two women. Jamere and denita were dating, though not yet engaged. And he was also seeing shannon and that seemed more serious than just a fling. Did jamere disclose to you that he had gotten shannon pregnant . He did. And that she had an abortion . Correct. Shannons Mother Anne says her daughter had the abortion because her Pregnancy Wasnt viable. But she claims that when jamere found out and he was very upset. He had contacted the doctor to find out if if what she said was true about the the pregnancy being viable. And the doctor refused to talk to him and that made him angry. Jamere wanted to keep the baby and raise the baby with shannon. Yeah. Didnt sound to me like their relationship was over. Sounds to me like it was going pretty well. No. In fact, he had said to her that if you dont want the baby, you know, ill take the baby. Shannon went through with the abortion. But by this time, jamere told detectives, his relationship with shannon had taken a big turn. There was no more sleeping together. Going shopping together. That kind of thing. It was more just a voice on the phone. Or see you in passing at work. So basically, they broke it off. They did. A year before denita was killed. A year. Now, after the murder, word of jameres two timing spread quickly. Denitas mother sharon. Im angry. Im mad. Because it never shouldve happened. You were in a serious relationship. Why you felt you had to step out, dont understand. You dont hurt the ones you love. The Divorce Rate in this country would suggest that we hurt the ones we love all the time. Thats true. But its kind of bad when you going into the marriage being foul. Not saying its okay once you in it buch it. But you would just like to think, you know, youre starting things off right. Edith kerns was barely beginning to process the loss of her close friend. And now, had to cope with Something Else she had never imagined. I was just sad. And i was hurt. And i was in shock. Just disbelief because i had i had nothing bad to say about him. This wasnt jamere. Yes. I mean, thats exactly, more or less, how i felt. It was just like a nightmare. Like, this wasnt reality. Denita had trusted jamere. The man investigating her death did not. Now, the man who once made denita so happy was in the cross hairs of a Murder Investigation that was quickly ramping up. And though Jamere Stroud seemed genuinely devastated by Denitas Death, openly crying throughout his interview with detectives, he wasnt getting much sympathy. When i first spoke with him, i thought i had my man. Jamere . Jamere. Coming up. What does shannon know . And what is she hiding . As were leaving, getting ready to finish up the interview with her, someone hands me a note. When dateline continues. Trusted by Pet Owners for over 20 years frontline® plus is the 1 name in Flea And Tick protection. With frontline, you and your pet can go anywhere. No matter how you define it. Frontline®. Here. There. Everywhere. Its a simple Fact Nothing kills more germs on more surfaces no matter how you define it. Than lysol spray. Its a simple fact it even kills the covid19 virus. Science supports these simple facts. Theres only one true lysol. Whoever killed Anita Smith left lysol. What it takes to protect. Very little evidence behind. No fingerprints, no dna, no Murder Weapon but during the autopsy the Medical Examiner did find one thing. The bullet that killed denita. Police now hoped that mangled slug might provide a lead on who pulled the trigger. What kind of gun killed Denita Smith . All we can say is that the bullet itself was in the family of it had enough weight to be a. 38 caliber round. By now, Denitas Death was big news across durham. Durham investigators say this shooting was not a random act. David sacks, assistant District Attorney at the time, was keeping a close eye on this now highprofile case. One that he might actually prosecute if a killer was ever caught. It was so obvious that it was not a robbery. And so if she was targeted for some reason, there was a very, very, very, very limited number of people who would target denita for something like this. And jamere certainly couldve been one ofem. Jamere stroud. DenitA Smiths fiance. On the day of the murder, stroud had revealed to police his romance with Shannon Crawley. The woman who owned an suv similar in Model And Color to the one seen leaving the Crime Scene with a distraught woman behind the wheel. So if the Maintenance Guy doesnt see the Burgundy Suv, then you never ask jamere about the Burgundy Suv. Exactly. Wouldnt have went to greensboro looking for a suspect when durham has plenty of people here. So the day after the murder, Detective Pate headed westbound on interstate 40. Anxious to speak with Shannon Crawley, the other woman in Jamere Strouds life. By now, shannons parents, her father keith and her Mother Anne, were shocked to hear their daughter was about to be interviewed by police. She was a responsible single mom who lived quietly raising her children. Being a young mother, you know, she worked six months straight. 12hour shifts. To buy a house. At 27 years old. Thats quite an accomplishment for for a single mother. It sounds undeniable that all of you are really proud of her. Yes. And her life was certainly headed in the right direction. Yes. Absolutely. Yes. Shannon worked in greensboro as a 911 operator for the Emergency Call Center where she was often in close contact with law enforcement. And was, by all accounts, a model employee. Her supervisors really liked her. She was dependable. She came to work. She did what she was supposed to do. Did it in a professional manner. No complaints really. Detective Shawn Pate also found shannon to be cordial and cooperative as they settled in to discuss where shannon was on the Day Denita died. Pretty calm. Easy going. Kind of like us sitting here. Id ask a question. She would give me an answer. Whatd you ask her . First, i asked her about jamere or whatever. And she admitted that she knew him and and about the relationship that they had had. Shannon wasnt shy about corroborating what jamere had already admitted. They met through work. It got physical. She got pregnant. She had an abortion. And the romantic part of their relationship ended a year before Denitas Murder. They both agreed to end it in january of 2006. That relationship was over. They both gave the same date, the same Incident And Reason that it ended. Shannon said she didnt think jamere was capable of murder. And insisted she didnt even know Denita Smith. Then Detective Pate zeroed in on the last time shannon was in durham. The city where denita was murdered. She said shes never been to durham. I ask her about owning a gun. And she tells me that ive never owned a gun. I Cant Stand guns. Im scared of them. I said, okay. I can understand that. A lot of people feel that way. And as for where she was on that chilly January Morning . She told me she was at a Doctors Appointment with one of her children. That was easy to check out. Her supervisor was on scene and she did tell her supervisor that she was taking her child to the doctor. Shannons story seemed to add up. Maybe she wasnt the distraught woman the Eyewitness Saw leaving the scene of Denitas Murder 50 miles away from where shannon lived and worked. Detective pate was just about out of questions. And then. An interesting thing happened. As were leaving, getting ready to finish up the interview with her, someone hands me a note. And its from a supervisor and it says a gentleman, one of her coworkers, would like to speak with you before you leave. And what that coworker had to say would raise serious questions not just for Shannon Crawley but also for her former lover, Jamere Stroud. Coming up. Did someone want shannon dead, as well . She says, you know, im kind of In Fear of my life. Of In Fear of my life. When dateline be tide. I was injured in a car crash. I had no idea how much my case was worth. I called the Barnes Firm. When a Truck Hit my son, i had so many questions about his case. I called the Barnes Firm. It was the best call i couldve made. Your case is often worth more than insuran call the Barnes Firm to find out i couldve made. What your case could be worth. We will help get you the best result possible. The Barnes Firm, Injury Attorneys call one eight hundred,est resul Eight Million Shawn Pate was now talking to Shannon Crawleys colleague at the 911 call center. He said shannon had been getting a lot of disturbing personal Phone Calls at work. He said Jamere Stroud would call up here all the time. And want to speak to her. This is going back months now. Months. Months. Months. And on one particular occasion, she says, you know, im kind of In Fear of my life. Im scared. I dont know what he might do to me. Hes shown up at my house and he has a gun with him at all times. Shannons coworker was concerned and wanted to help. It gets to the point that he offered to sell her a gun, which he did. He named the exact model. And tells me that he gave her bullets to accompany the gun and offered to teach her how to use it. What kind of gun . It was a. 38 caliber revolver. The same type of gun detectives thought Denitas Killer might have used. You know, wait a minute. I just finished an interview with her five minutes ago and she told me i never owned a gun. And in that same interview, i asked her do you think that jamere is capable of murder . And she said no. Not at all. Just like that. No, not at all. But youre telling a coworker that youre In Fear for your life from jamere. Conflicting stories that Cast Suspicion On Shannon and on jamere. So that next day, Detective Pate spoke with Jamere Stroud once again. He denied ever harassing shannon at work. And said there was no reason why she would be afraid of him. But jameres answer to one particular question got Detective Pates attention. I asked him, do you think that shannon is capable of killing someone . And he said, yes. As the investigation continued in durham, police showed Shannon Crawleys photo to that Maintenance Man, who had seen a Woman Driving away from the Crime Scene on the morning of the murder. And he could not identify shannon as the driver. Then they showed him a picture of shannons burgundy ford explorer. He was very positive about the vehicle. He said, yep, thats the vehicle that i saw. And that wasnt the only thing the witness noticed, says assistant d. A. David sacks. He remembers a Patch Or Something kind of on the shirt. A patch like on the Uniform Shannon wore as a 911 dispatcher. And there was more. Investigators discovered shannon clocked in at about 10 00 a. M. Some two hours after Denita Smith had been murdered. More than enough time for the 55mile Drive from durham to her job at the 911 center in greensboro. So police obtained a Search Warrant for shannons house. And we do find a Greensboro Communication 911 center uniforms. And they are exactly as described by the maintenance supervisor. Down to the color of the patch and the shape. You find a gun . No gun was found. No bullets were found. Nothing incriminating other than than that. And then came this. Shannon had told police she had never been to durham. But her Cell Phone records clearly indicated she had been there. Not on the Day Denita was killed. Shannon, or at least her phone, had been there the day before. She was hitting a tower that placed her no less than 100 feet away from where denita would be found dead the next morning. And you think whats going on there . Thinking its recon. Shannon showed up a day early to find out exactly which Apartment Denita lived in. You have to know when to be there and where to place yourself. Where to stand. Without looking suspicious because if you just linger for hours, someones going to say, you dont even live here. What are you doing . Police also check Jamere Strouds Cell Phone and police radio. And found he was nowhere near durham that day before the killing. Only shannon. So police impounded her suv. We did Gunshot Residue Test on the car. The steering wheel, the gear shifter, and comes back there is Gunshot Residue. And if all that didnt look bad enough, Shannons Alibi now started to fall apart. She had told her supervisor and detectives she was taking her child to the doctor at the time of Denitas Murder. But the pediatrician told police shannon didnt show up that day. The story starts to unravel. Nothing is adding up. Shannon was looking like a prime suspect. But one thing was missing. Motive. Then Detective Pate remembered Shannons Account of how she and jamere had decided that she would have an abortion. And the way she told the story made an impression on pate. When shannon said, jamere, im pregnant, what are we gonna do . He said i dont want to have a baby with you. He told me thats how he said it and she quoted it back to me verbatim. And she said i i remember those words. Not just i dont want to have a baby. Or i dont want to have a baby right now. I dont want to have a baby with you. I imagine that sucked just a little bit of her soul out. Is that your motivation right there . I think thats where the seed was planted. I really do. Because that implies that there is someone else that you would like to have a child with. Maybe someone like jameres fiancee, Denita Smith. Detective pate now thought Shannon Crawley had the means, the opportunity, and the motive to commit murder. It got to the point we we thought this is all were going to get right now. And its more than enough. Well, was it enough . Police had no dna, no fingerprints, no Murder Weapon, and no forensics well, was it enough . Police at the Crime Scene that linked shannon to Denitas Murder. But had no dna, no fingerprints, no Detective Pate was also Murder Weapon, and no forensics thinking about Denitas Family. At the Crime Scene that linked shannon to Denitas Murder. But the family is suffering. Detective pate was also thinking about Denitas Family. Lets go ahead and give them a little peace right now. The family is suffering. Lets go ahead and give them a five days after denita little peace right now. Smiths murder, Detective Pate drove back to greensboro with a warrant to arrest Shannon Crawley. She and her children were staying at her Sisters House when police arrived. Shannon comes out. They cuff her. She walks out the door as though shes going to check the mail. Pate says shannon did not seem surprised to see him. Theres no no sad Look Or Anything like that. She stand in the driveway, she looks at her family and says waves to them li waves those are the word of a woman who does not expect to be raising her own children. Shannons family watched their daughter be cuffed and taken away. More upsetting. I was angry. I was afraid for her. Knowing in my heart that my my daughter could never ever have done that. Shannon was just 28. Shed never been in trouble with the law. Now, she was being charged with Firstdegree Murder and could face life in prison. When she arrived at the police station, shannon was, again, cool and calm. And had little to say. Except this, to Detective Pate. I didnt do this. But you need to worry about where jamere was when this happened. Coming up. Jamere had said his affair with shannon was over. Was it . He wanted her to come back . He wanted her to come back to him and she didnt. When Internal Affairs continues. And she didnt. Continues. And she didnt. Iber, gels to trap and slows Sugar Absorption to promote healthy Blood Sugar levels. So you can feel lighter and more energetic metamucil. Support your daily digestive health. And try Metamucil Fiber thins. A great tasting and easy way to start your day. Its a simple Fact Nothing kills more germs on more surfaces Than Lysol spray. Its a simple fact it even kills the covid19 virus. Science supports these simple facts. Theres only one true lysol. Lysol. What it takes to protect. Ugh, these balls are moist. Or is that the damp weight of selfawareness you now hold in your hands . Yeah laugh keep your downstairs dry with Gold Bond Body powder. Now, we all know progressive offers 24 7 protection, but we also bundle outdoor vehicles with Home And Auto to help people save more [ laughs ] [ humming ] [ Door Creaks ] oh. [ soft Music Playing ] what are you all doing in my daydream . Its better than that presentation. A lot better. You know, whether its a fraction or a decimal, its still fun, you know . When Internal Affairs continues. Have you ever read the list of ingredients in conventional tampons . Theyre scary harsh ingredients, artificial fragrances, and chemical processes. This is my body, i deserve something safe and comfortable that works its time for rael change. Finally, a product that is designed with my comfort and needs in mind. Get rael Peace Of Mind they really work and made with quality organic cotton. Its time to get rael. For good. Janie, come here. Check this out. Let me see. She looks. Kind of like me. Yeah. Thats because its your grandma when she was your age. Oh wow. Thats. Thats amazing. Oh and she was on the debate team. Yeah, thats probably why youre the debate queen. Mmhmm. Ill take that. Look at that smile. I have the same dimples as her. Yeah. The same placements and everything. Unbelievable. Welcome back. Shannon crawly and jerme jerMeir Stroud had managed to keep their affair hid from denita. Now detectives felt they had uncovered significant evidence against shannon. There was the Gunshot Residue in her car, an allibi that did not check out and a potential motive. Just one day later it was time for Denitas Family to mourn their loss. Once again heres josh. Reporter they called it a homegoing service, the final farewell to 25yearold Denita Smith, who had departed this world under the worst of circumstances. Just a week earlier Denitas Mother, sharon, was starting to plan her daughters wedding. Now she was attending denitas funeral. No parent wants to see their child Laying In in a casket. And Denitas Life was it was snatched from under her, stolen. Reporter it seemed the whole town turned out on that January Day in 2007. Denitas close friend, edythe kearns, spoke at the funeral. The home going was an emotional day. It was definitely some sadness. But we were trying to, you know, be happy and think about her Spirit And Life legacy and the way that she would want all of us to go on. But at that time, i think it was just too much and it was overwhelming. Reporter denitas fiance, jerMeir Stroud, was there as well. Jermeir was sad and he was crying. And he appeared clearly, he was devastated. And i think reality was starting to sink in and that It Hit him that the love of his life was no longer with us. Reporter it was of little comfort to Denitas Family and friends that the woman accused of killing her was sitting in the durham county jail. Shannon crawley had been arrested the day before and charged with Firstdegree Murder. Now her family was mourning, too. Its devastating, the fear that you have at that point for your child. And no one can convince me that my child did that. I know her. Im not saying that they framed her. Im saying that they simply allowed themselves to be led in that direction. And if they had any suspicions that another Police Officer was involved, they decided not to follow that up. You were in law enforcement. You Cover Up crimes by other officers . No, i never did. And what youre suggesting is that durham cops, who didnt even know jermeir, looked away from a murder committed by a guy who worked for another department in another city . Theyre risking prison time for this guy they dont even know . Cops will protect other cops regardless of what department theyre in. There are always that few, not many. Reporter to the contrary, assistant District Attorney david saacks, who was assigned to prosecute, says he was extra careful in building his case against shannon precisely because jermeir was a Police Officer. I needed to make sure that everything was done by the book and we vetted everything as well as we could, and delved into everything as deep as we could because he was a cop. Because if you clear him, you know youre going to get that criticism. Absolutely. We ended up having to have several different interviews with jermeir. And each time we would get maybe a little something more. And so it took a little while sometimes to pull all that stuff out. Reporter investigators say he appeared devastated. JerMeir Stroud insisted he had no idea that his secret romance might place denita in danger. But Detective Pate still thought jermeir was not entirely forthcoming. Jermeir would tell me The Truth, but you had to ask it. He wasnt Volunteering Anything . Absolutely not. Reporter they interviewed jermeir both at the Greensboro Pd and over the phone. And each time a little bit more information would emerge, including what happened after he and shannon ended their romantic relationship. Following their breakup, about a year before Denitas Murder, jermeir said he went on a church retreat. There his pastor encouraged him to apologize to anyone he had wronged. So jermeir called shannon. He said i apologize in great detail about everything that hes sorry for. He said, i was on the phone for 12 hours. My Cell Phone went dead. I charged it i mean, had it plugged in. And we talked until i fell asleep. 12 hours. Apologizing. Sorry for everything. Interesting that he talked to shannon about it but not denita. Of course not. She didnt know that there was something he needed to apologize for. Reporter but pate believes all that apologizing to Shannon May have jumpstarted Something Else. Thats where the Relationship Kind of picked up again. Because there were a lot of feelings that were shared. So they start talking again. Exactly. Reporter jermeir insisted he and shannon did not become romantic or sexual again. But clearly there was something. He was always there for shannon. If shannon was distraught or wanted to call in the middle of the night, you know, and knew that jermeir was working, she would call him and he would put up with it. Maybe he didnt want to be the Bad Guy . Maybe didnt want to be the Bad Guy. He doesnt see that hes leaving the door open. As long as you keep doing all the things that a boyfriend would do, then in her mind she still has a chance. Theres still a shot. Exactly. I honestly thought hubris made him believe that he could control it. Reporter but police say Jermeir Wasnt able to control the situation with shannon. Some three months before denita was murdered, shannon bought this house near where jermeir lived. And when police searched that new home of shannons, they were surprised by what they saw and what they didnt see. Kidsrooms, beds, everything you expect to be in a nice childrens room. Mom had a mattress on the floor. There was little to no living room furniture, no dining room set, nothing in the kitchen. Suggesting what . She was overspending so she could live near jermeir . Just to be near jermeir. Thats the only reason. There was a clear pattern of her placing herself near him at every turn. It seemed kind of stalkerish. Coming up, shannons brandnew story. He said ill make it real simple. Either you children die or you die for your children. It could turn the entire case on its head. But was she telling The Truth . She wasnt rehearsed because she wasnt rushed to answer our question. When Internal Affairs continues. Can in this mid warm bald with a Love Child before dinner was shot to death in her Apartment Complex. Police wondered if sheena was obsessed with jim ear. Shannons family is emphatic that jermeir was the one who couldnt let go. He called constantly. He would ask your questions. What do you doing up there . She just didnt want to answer the phone. He wanted her to come back to him . And she didnt. He was so possessive. She just didnt want that type of relationship. Police coaxed more details from jermaine, and he insisted shannon had been demanding more and more attention. A woman he really wanted to be with, he said, was done eta. Shannon wouldnt go away. He complained on her coming around the house and kept calling had a relationship. We agree not to do this. Jermeir insisted he wont take no for an answer. It wasnt in Internal Affairs he had a body there. He said the you know, she just keeps calling. I told her we are over. She wont let it go. As far as Detective Pete could determine, it all came to a head on christmas eve. German walked into his Green Burrowed church with the need on his arm in a Diamond Ring on her finger. He had proposed and denita was over the moon. She walked in proud as a peacock. Feathers olive. She was showing it to anyone who would look. We heard that was the first time shannon realized that they were engaged. Shannons family says the da and the detective heard wrong. The day that you are referring to in the church, Shannon Wasnt there. We were there. Less than two weeks later, and Anita Smith would still be wearing that Engagement Ring as she lay dead at the bottom of her apartment steps. German police thought they had the right person sitting in the lockup, they had arrested shannon crawling, and charged with the murder of her exboyfriends new fiancee, Denita Smith. Investigators had completely taken their eyes off of jermeir. The man who was involved simultaneously with both women. Shannon crawlies father, keith, her mother, and her Brother Keith junior, never doubted her. Is it possible that you guys dont want to believe that she is a murderer . No. She is not a murderer. No. Not in her nature, not her character. The thought that she is lying about, it no. No. I wouldnt be saying her sitting here if i thought she had anything to do with it. In may of 2007, Shannon Crawly was out on bail she and her attorney walked into the Durham Police station. This wasnt just another interview, shannon was preparing to share all new information with the potential to change the whole focus of the case. Assistant da, David Sacks. She wanted to give up her side and we wouldnt allow her to do that. The idea was then you would drop the charges. I think that was our idea. If they dont see, anything we will go on The Path shes already charged. The tape rolled as shannon began telling a new story with the death of Anita Smith. And this version, shannon said she had been framed. She did show some emotion, not a whole lot. She was very matteroffact, and talked a lot. I think the interview went on for hours, and hours, and hours. Shannon said the trouble began after she engineered broke up, but he was upset that she had the pregnancy, and he began stalking her. He was calming on myself, when he interrupted the radio. He would come into Communication Stand in the hallway and stare at me. He said it may have a good idea to be have something to do with it. In a first and interview, shannon denied having a gun. Now she was challenged on the changing story. She felt compelled to buy a weapon from a coworker. Because she said jermeir, threatened not just her but her children. And she said jimmy or use that fact against her, when he forced her to drive with him to do need as apartment. And he said, and make it real simple, you either hear children die or you die for your children. Shannon told detective paid that on january 3rd, the day before the murder, Jermeir Course her to drive with her to durham to case denita apartment. Then she said jermeir forced at Gunpoint Tebow Drive back again. Jeanne said after they pulled up to the needs Apartment Denita, Apartment Jermeir Got Out. She stayed in the suv. Moments later, since Shannon Jermeir rushed past aaron got in the Driver Seat, which will explain how Gunshot Residue was found there. He Got Out of the Driver Seat, by sliding the back over the seat and got in the backseat. And im the Driver Seat nice dont to leave. She says thats when she encountered the Maintenance Man who according to shannon, didnt see Jermeir Hiding in the backseat. Soon after they left the Apartment Complex and drove back to greensboro. I can basking what happened, what the problem was. What happened. I was crying. He was yelling at me. She wasnt rehearsed, and she wasnt rushed to answer a question. It was, i would ask a question, she gave it a moment, she responded. That didnt make me think she was making something up. Wow, thats a story that fits all the facts and exonerate. Or it does. In a, chant it is not guilty. Exactly. When shes telling the story, i think, wow, this actually sounds pretty decent so far. Then i think, wait a minute, back up. Pete raised an obvious question. If tennant had a story that proved her innocence, why had she waited so long to tell it . When i asked, where was the story when i arrested you . Her exact words were, he threatened my children in the past. I was scared for their safety. He wanted to get to my children. I asked her, whats changed . He still knows we are children are. He still know how to get them. He could still hurt them. She just looked at me that was her answer. He, was jermeir. Cnns story made him the guilty party, but her story also badly needed to be checked out. This is a fantastic kind of story. If i will dismiss her case, i need to make sure im filling it out and saying the reason why. I will not do it just because she said she didnt do it. Shannon and her attorney were emphatic that jermeir was the killer, and even said months now after the, murder he was making threatening Phone Calls to shannon, telling her to stay set on his role. I told my more than willing to look at anything they have that would bring them something but i can just accept her word for. Thats the problem. I need proof. The prosecuted challenged shannon, bring me proof. He cannot have imagined what was coming next. Sex, wise, and audiotape and maybe, shannon Crawlies Ticket to freedom. Coming up, a cooler conversation. I spent four months in jail because of you. Because you lied. I told you i didnt do it. Now so shannons father, theres no question his daughter is innocent. How much more proof do you need . When dateline continues. E continues. Are you one of the millions of americans who experience occasional bloating, gas, or abdominal discomfort . Taking align can help. Align contains a Quality Probiotic to naturally help soothe digestive upsets 24 7. Try align, the pros in digestive health. Shannon collie had told her story, The Da Wanted was for her to prove. It proved that her former lover had killed his own fiancee, did need A Smith. And that he used threats and intimidation to win shannon along as a Non Ruling accomplish. She told investigators that he was still harassing her while they were out on bail, with her blessing, they brought a Tape Recorder and conduct to do it yourself sting up ration. I had four months in jail because the you because you lied. I did when i had to do Shannons Family members who had always supported her, said they could cooperate many of the calls. I would say, 99 of the Phone Calls i was a witness to i was on the other side and you could also see Shannons Reaction and this was not somebody who would play at. No question, i knew it was him. And they said it did not take long for drew mirror to incriminate himself. Was she afraid . Yes, oh sure. More than 30 minutes of conversation were put on tape. Did you think this was the ambulance that is gonna oh yeah. Turn it on and said. That was the whole purpose of them. There were more police and prosecutors who can talk about this. I think there was one part of the conversation where he said i killed her, i will kill you as well. How much more proof do you need . To her family, and mission, and this was an audio Smoking Gun that should convince the Da To Exonerate her, and prosecute him. You know, god is all seeing in all knowing, remember that. Have an attempt so i played . You every day. You remember that. Yes. Im sorry. Goodbye. The Das Office would now listen carefully to those phone tapes, to see if they were a evidence it shannon said they. Were investigators were looking at one another Phone Call, this one was especially intriguing because it happened on the Day Diana Denita was murdered. Shannon had arrived at the 911 Phone Call one of personal call came in from a man who did not identify himself. He has to speak to shannon. When they said hold, on shannon said hello. Her phone went click. I asked jermeir, i said did you make that call . And jermeir said yes i did. Why did you make that call . I wanted to know where she was. He suspected. He told me he did things without knowing. He tells me he did make that call to make sure she was at work. This was before we had said anything about that you need but there is nothing in the past where she ever entertain that she would be hunted that doesnt add up. Why would jermeir need to know shannons whereabouts just after he found out denita was killed. Investigators thought about a variety of scenarios. Whatever it was, jermeir was involuntary much. Sometimes when you tell people, you know, ally of omission, its still a lie. Some people do have to ask the great questions to know what they are looking for. Do not ask, you are not getting it. Investigators had to wildly different stories. He said, she said. Who is telling The Truth and, who wasnt. It was clear we were down to two people. It was one of these two people. They both had the same allegations of the other one. There is only one way to sorted out and make sure that Denita Smith received the justice she deserved. If we can ever prove who was stalking consumed, i think we have our case solved. And soon, something would provide that very answer. All of a sudden, then the Rape Allegation happens. Coming up. She came calling into my bedroom, has terrible. I am asking, whats wrong, whats wrong . Shannon reports a crime. This time, she says, she was the victim. 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Its a simple fact it even kills the covid19 virus. Science supports these simple facts. Theres only one true lysol. Lysol. What it takes to protect. Age before beauty . Why not both . Visibly diminish wrinkled skin in. Crepe corrector lotion. Only from gold bond. Now, we all know progressive offers 24 7 protection, but we also bundle outdoor vehicles with Home And Auto to help people save more [ laughs ] [ humming ] [ Door Creaks ] oh. [ soft Music Playing ] what are you all doing in my daydream . Its better than that presentation. A lot better. You know, whether its a fraction or a decimal, its still fun, you know . It is rare for women to murder. More often they can convince them and to do it for them. That was exactly what investigators were debating in june 2007. It had been six months since Denita Smith, murder. And with detective David Sacks, there was a Phone Call where there was jermeir hoping to admitting to the crime and he was trying to coverup. Ng to coverup police were not present when shannon recorded the calls, but they were able to trace where they originated from, a payphone. So, there was no way to confirm that jermeir had made them. Assistant da David Sacks listen carefully to the case, and soon came to his own conclusion. Is there any way that could be jermeirs name on the case . He would have to be disguisings voice. It didnt sound like him. Why u. S. Kareen . You know why. If hes calling to intimidate her, whats the point of discussion is a voice . Correct. There is no way in my mind that that was jermeir. When i heard these tapes, i knew i had the right person. Carly family was infuriated. There were certain the calls came at their daughter and revealed jermeir as to this killer. They also insisted jermeir was working in the Neighborhood Wish enlisting. What we went through and charlotte, with him stalking her because demi, he was stalking me as well, honestly i believe that his intention was to kill both of them. I do. I think they both rejected him, and he was gonna kill both of them. Then, something happened that seem to bear out their worst fears. Shen was out on bail, living with family in charlotte, some 100 miles in greensboro where jermeir still worked and lived for the police department. In july 2007, around 2 am, shannon said she took her dog for a walk in the backyard. She came crawling into my bedroom, hysterical. I am asking, whats wrong, whats wrong . Shannon told her mother she had been raped. Did you say who raped her . She said it was him, jermeir. Yeah. Charlotte police were alerted and rushed to the scene. Shen was bleeding and appeared traumatized. She was taken to a hospital for treatment and given a Rape Kit exam. No witnesses . No i think there were maybe for people who lived in the neighborhood. At that time. Word of shannons reported rape traveled quickly to durham where Detective And Yay sacks were now preparing for her child. They wondered if shun was certain that the attacker was jermeir. I asked her, how do you know it was him at 8 00 in the morning . I guess just stopped the House And Sauce opportunity. For four hours he raped her, 3 00 then it was when the sun started come up for hours and you are looking at 7 00. It wouldve been daylight then. Yes, dog doesnt bark. Anything like that. Shannon said she was sure, and then added one more horrifying detail. Jermeir id used a knife to rape her. It would take ten days for the Rape Kit results to come back, so in the meantime police of course question jermeir. He insisted he was in greensboro that morning, nowhere near charlotte. When you go to jermeir, and say, shannon said she was raped by you, whats his answer . He says, no. Thats preposterous. You can check my phone, check my Work Logs and you could see where i was you can do what you need to do. Shannon till believes all the evidence they needed though just might be sitting in jermeir the garbage can, which is where she suggested he stashed the knife. Sure enough, jermeir is going to put his garbage in his can and sees the knife in here. Thats when they find the neighbors who said the saw the Knife And Somebody saw something throwing in the knife in his can. No idea was made about that. Just a dark figure in a hoodie . Correct. Was the knife planted . There is no proof either way. But it was distant, there was nothing that brought it to jermeir. As for his whereabouts at the time of the rape, he was actually on the funding get off the phone until six in the morning. We knew he was in greensboro at the time the call was placed. So, to be involved in the rape, it just seemed a physical impossibility. Then came the results of the Rape Kit. There was no seaman on the virginal swab, nothing that would be conclusive proof that the rape had occurred. It just wasnt there . It wasnt there. They tested for everything they could and the person said they didnt see that kind of injury to her that would occur. There were Knife Cuts on her body, but they were superficial. The Crowley Family was outraged all over again that once again Shannons Version of events was dismissed, while charges against her were through it. Police thought she was making it up. Yeah, yeah. They talk to her after they took to persecutors, yes. He called down there and changes. Story everything changed. Everything changed. This is what . One big conspiracy . Sounds like it. Assistant Day David sexes the rape was properly investigated, and seem to be nothing more than a hoax. Which also, for him, finally answers of who was stalking whom. Everything was pointing to her, and the only thing pointing to jermeir was that he was in this affair with shannon. I dont believe he was involved in the murder. I do not think he was involved in the planning, or the execution of this murder at all. Even if jermeir wanted denita out of his life, while could possibly be his motive to kill her. This is exactly what i thought, why . All he had to do is call denita up until its over. Theres no property, no alamo knee. And it doesnt make sense he seems genuinely crushed by what happened. Absolutely. As the trial approach, the Da Face a certain super with an incredibly defendant. Offered Shedding Quality a deal. Plead guilty to denita smic murder, and be sentenced to a maximum of 12 years in prison. Denita its mother sharon was not happy. What did you say . No. Dont let her off . No. My worries, worldwide daughter didnt need to plead for her life that morning, so. No pleading. She didnt need to worry shannon probably was not going to take a g a deal. She insisted she wanted to clear her name and would now take her chances in court. Coming up, shannon would look at me with this littles murky look on her face like she knew she was going to get off. Shannon, on the stand. For once he told me he did. The man she says jermeir untamed. You are going to get me to . You keep talking who would the jury believe . When dateline continues . Eline continues . With secret, outlast anything. No sweat. Secret. All strength. No sweat. Men have always been better at starting relationships, than ending them. We dont like to break up. To be the Bad Guy, and when confronted with the womans tears, we sometimes yield to the urge to tell her what she most wants to hear. Whether it is true, or not. Is that what jamere did . And did he unknowingly bring Shannon And Denita together on that dreadful day in 2007, Wheny Denita was murdered . Now, three years later. Two families filed into the courthouse. One family hoping for a conviction. The other and acquittal. Reporter Jon Mccann covered the trial for the durham herald sun. The tone was definitely somber. Ty Shannons Family here and denita see people on the other side. He tense is a good word for it. Especially tense for Denita Mother shannon. Who for the first time made Eye Contact for the woman accused of murdering her daughter. Or if she would look at me with this littles murky look on her face. She was very cocky. Like she knew she was going to get off. No remorse. He she did not feel she had done anything. Assistant da David Sacks, and if spurious savvy prosecutor, would square off against a younger core appointed Defense Attorney named scott holmes. Or if its important to try to see the world, try to see the world from the eyes of shannon on the days that led up to the day this happened. The whole trial is basically us saying that shannon committed this murder and the defense saying that He Jamere did this murder. That was basically the trial. Detective pate worried that shannon could walk. After all the case against her was largely circumstantial. Her dna was not of the Crime Scene. There was no Murder Weapon. And she hardly looked like a killer. I thought she might be able to sell the story. I felt that shed be addressed real conservative, like she just came and landed off the mayflower. And that somebody would be sympathetic. From the beginning the Prosecution Partridge Shannon as a woman scorned. Who could not have jamere to herself, so she made sure denita would not either. Shannon suggested Prosecutor Sacks was carrying a torch for jamere or trying to burn down his whole world, by killing his fiancee, and pinning on him. For whatever reason, she could not handle the situation between jamere and denita. And to resort to this, speaks of desperation. The Prosecution Star Witness jamere, whose Courtroom Testimony was broadcast and local Tv Jamere confessing under, oath this shameful saying he kept him in for so long. His Office Affair with shannon. He even revealed that when he heard something that happened today nita, he immediately suspected shannon. One of the things that popped in my head based on interactions with dana is that basically maybe she did something. He told everything on the stand. He did not hold back . No he did not hold back. The story is out. You have to go ahead and tell The Truth. If you dont, you look like a liar now. So in that sense, jamere did do the right. Think he did. The defense argued that shannon was being framed for a murder that He Jamere alone committed. Her lawyers painted jamere as a crooked cop. Everything Elevates Shannon as she couldnt do anything, it has to be this bad cop over here. I did not know where he had done, and where he was going to do to me. Its often considered risky for a Murder Defendant to take the stand. But shannon insisted on telling her story. That she was a victim, and not a killer. For one he has told me since that he did. And you are telling the jury that you had no idea what might have just happened there . I did not see anyone. Just to hear how she prevented the information, her poise and her demeanor and all that kind of stuff, she is a credible witness. She tells a credible story. And the defense did have those Phone Conversations that she recorded. In which she insists that jamere threatened her and incriminated himself. You know i already got away with murder. Once you think i cant do it again . Im sure you can. By her Defense Attorney ultimately chose not to play them. Instead they were presented by the prosecution, as proof that Shannon Story was all one big lie. Youre gonna kill me too . You keep talking, you know i will. The jury had already heard jamere testify. With his Deep Gravelling voice. Its possible, but i dont remember that call. Now they listened to the tapes. Was this the same guy . If they find out i shot her man, thats life right. There you heard jamere testify and you heard the tapes. Does anybody really believe that that is jamere talking on these tapes . I know, but youve got a better shot than. Me to me that sounded like michael jackson. He had a high pitched voice. It was clearly not jamere voice. And it was clearly not Something Jamere would say, or how he would say. It it was obvious to me that it was fake. The jury laughed and thats the first trial ive ever heard on where the Jury Members snickered. Were not laughing. They say they had heard many of those calls firsthand. And believed they were the real thing. The jury heard jamere testify. He has a deep. Voice the person on the tape does not have a deep. Voice he disguised as. Voiced do you think he can Disguises Voice that well . Yes he did. It you are convinced it was due . Or yes. So, whose voice would ultimately ring true . A three Year Investigation was now in the hands of 12 people. Two families now waited anxiously inside the durham county courthouse. As did, Assistant Da David Sacks. I am never confident when a case goes to the jury. Even slept in the face by a jury before . Too many times. Thats a lesson here. You never. Know after just one day the jury reached a decision. Shannons family was. Encouraged there was some damaging things, yes. But there was no preponderance of evidence. I thought she was going to be acquitted. For shannon, it all came down to this decision. Would it be a life of freedom . Or life in prison . Tonights mother braised herself, as she stared at the woman accused of killing her daughter. I really think, all the way to The End, that she did. It that she was going to walk away. We the jury, return the unanimous verdict as fouls, guilty of first degree murder. She did not think she would hear what she heard. Guilty. How did she look without verdict came . And all the life just dreamed out of her. Like shes seen a ghost. Across the aisle, her family was also stunned. And then furious. My daughter, who is the perfect victim of someone like jamere, has now been convicted of a murder that he convicted. Of course, miss Smiths Family is still in pain too. We pray for them constantly. They have lost a child, so if we. Nearly five years after that verdict, shannon herself has a lot more to say. About jamere and about what happened the Day Denita died. Coming up. I never knew that he had a girlfriend, had i known it would have never escalated to anything else. Her very first interview. I dont know, jamere but The Voice and the tapes does not sound like him. I dont know who else will be calling me nonstop, threatening to kill me, threatening the kill my children. It is him. Its all i can tell. You it is. Him believe it or, not dont eats mother has an apology for shannon. Being the god fearing woman that i am, i know that was wrong. I never shouldve said it. When dateline continues. 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Com its a simple Fact Nothing kills more germs on more surfaces Than Lysol spray. Its a simple fact it even kills the covid19 virus. Science supports these simple facts. Theres only one true lysol. Lysol. What it takes to protect. Alright, guys, no Insurance Talk on beach day. Im down. Yes, please. [ chuckles ] dont get me wrong, i love my rv, but insuring it is such a hassle. Same with my boat. The insurance bills are through the roof. [ sighs ] be cool. I wish i could group my insurance stuff. [ coughs ] bundle. The house, the car, the rv. Like a cluster. An insurance cluster. Woosah. [ chuckles ] i doubt that exists. Its a bundle its a bundle, and it saves you money hi. Im flo from progressive, and i couldnt help but overhear. Super fun beach day, everybody. The North Carolina correctional institution for women, in raleigh, its where you will find shannon crowley today, after weeks of discussions, she finally agreed to talk to us behind bars. Still not to late to say you dont want to do this. He went through a lot of trouble. As our cameras rolled, chanting began to tell the story of her relationship with jerMeir Stroud. He was charming, he was very nice. We got along. We had a lot in common. Were you in love with jermeir . No. Shannon cysts she had no idea that her boyfriend, jermeir, was also seen Denita Smith. I never knew that he had a girlfriend. Had i known, i wouldve never given him my phone number. It wouldnt have ever escalated to anything else. She admits, it did escalate. We started off fairly normal, he would call nonstop. You can shop unannounced. He would want to know where i was and who i was with. He would leave messages, 30, 40 Phone Calls. Why would you keep seeing a guy like that . I guess initially, i didnt really take it too seriously. I didnt think that he was really dangerous. He would mask it as concern. Eventually, shannon became pregnant but said that her and jermeir and the relationship before she had an abortion. Now her story slightly different from what she first told detectives. We talked about it, there were some complications. Thats why i decided to terminate. The story is that he said to you i dont want to have a baby with you. And the, with you part, It Hit you very hard . No. That conversation never happened . No. One of the things that popped into my Head Coach based on my recent interactions wish and was maybe she had done something. Shannon engineers when it comes to the day said he forced right gunshot to take her to anitas apartment. He told me i was going with him, if i didnt, his exact words to me was you do after your kids, or your kids die for you. What is your choice . I knew he had his gun. After arriving at the complex shannon sticks by her story that jermeir went up to denitas a part mint. Leaving her behind in the suv. I got to the sidewalk and i heard a shot. You think jermeir killed denita. What would be his motive . I dont know. If he didnt want to be with her anymore, they were married, they had no property or Kids Tomorrow he couldve broken up with her. I dont know. I dont know. I dont think he had a plan at all. I think he acted in the Spur Of The Moment but i dont believe he decided to go out and shoot her. I believe he was after me. That was how he made me feel. When he left my house that day, i never expected to come back home. I honestly believe he was going to kill me. Shannon says the investigation doesnt support her conviction. I dont feel there is any evidence that came conclusively say i shot and killed anyone. My dna is nowhere at the scene i have no fingerprints at the scene. I admit i was, there but i certainly didnt shoot anyone. Shannon insists, on those Phone Calls are real and, they prove what she is saying. Why doesnt It Sound like jermeir on those tapes . I dont know. I know his, voice i know him. The jury doesnt believe. It he testified 30 minutes in trial. By the time the recording more played, he had already testified. I dont know if they can know you remember his voice from there when he testified, to later on. I dont know jermeir, but the name on the tapes The Voice on the tape does not sound like. Him its him. Thats all i could say. I dont know who else will be calling nonstop, threatening to county, threatening to kill my children. The allegation is that nobody did and you faked all of that. How could i fake a Phone Call . Well, you get some friends. I just dont know how i could just get them to call. And put my family through all of it . It wasnt just me. It was my children, my mother. As for Shannons Story about the Sexual Assault outside her mothers house, she insists the Police Investigation was not done properly, and that the rape really happened. Why wouldnt jermeir say dna be found. Hes a Police Officer. He made sure his dna would not be. Found his Cell Phone records put him on the phone when he said the assault was going. And i dont believe he was ever talking to anyone on the phone. I know where he was that night. Prosecutor David Sachs says the Rape Allegation was thoroughly investigated and jermeir was cleared. He also said Shannon Couldve taken a Plea Deal that Got Out of prison. As soon as the year 2020, her sentence now is life without parole. She has exhausted her appeals. Her family still believe shannon is innocent, and hopes to find an independent expert who will confirm it was jermeir savoies on the tape. The odds are that shannon will die in prison, after years, maybe decades to ponder on what happened on that chilly morning when Denita Smith was murdered. Could i have done things differently . Absolutely. I made the decision to go with him at the risk of him hurting my family. I dont regret that decision, at all. It may have saved my childrens lives. I wish that he would tell The Truth, thats it. He created the situation, and its completely his fault. I didnt kill her. I did. I have lost my life as well. And Shannon Sentencing in 2010, Denitas Mom Sharon was allowed to speak. All that rage, soil, and pain just came pouring out. I hope you rotten hill. You took something from me. The one thing that i said, and i have since regret it, i never shouldve said it, is, that i hope you rot in hell. I dont think there is a person who is going to watch this, who doesnt think that is completely understandable. Being the God Parent God fearing woman that i am, i know that was wrong. If i ever get the opportunity to talk to her, i will apologize to her one day. In fact, sharon had something even more remarkable to say to shannon. I do forgive her. How do you do that . I have to forgive her because, i want to forgive me, for whatever the sins that i may do. JerMeir Stroud was never charged in the case. The Trial Judge did say it was jermeirs behavior that created a perfect storm of events, bringing victim and killer together. Jermeir declined our request for an interview, but in a statement, he denied any involvement in Denita Simmered or. And all of the investigative reports that she made against him. They say jermeir fully cooperated, and was completely exonerated. He didnt ask, pay, course, anyone to do. This he didnt pull any triggers. And he didnt know was gonna happen . He didnt know. At the, end it comes down to the person pulls the trigger. On the campus of North Carolinas Central University, they still remember Denita Smith. In the Journalism Department where she made such an impact, the School Newspaper Office has been named in her honor. She has touched so many lives, from people who used to go to school with her and they would say, i still think about denita or i owe that to denita. That was part of her less legacy, thats the essence of her. Who knows what Denita Smith would become. The dreams she would have fulfilled. A Career And Family she would have had. Her mother sharon is slowly making peace with all of that. Denita wouldnt want me to be better, or sad. Denita is living spiritually. I dont have to worry about shannon. I dont have to worry about jermeir. When i get when i lay down at night, love you, i get a peaceful sleep. I dont know if they do. O. Tonight on the mehdi hasan show, the senate awaits the final text of the bipartisan infrastructure bill, but even if it passes in the senate, is it good enough to win the support of house progressives . Ill ask congresswoman ilhan Omar And Janet schakowsky. Plus, is this guy really going to be the next House Speaker . I want you to watch nancy pelosi hand me that gavel. [ applause ] it will be hard not for me not to hit her with it. Kevin Mccarthys Spokesperson claims he was joking,