I really dont. The fact that she had a brand new dress ready for a funeral said something else. Every woman needs a black dress. [ cheers ] her lucky number. The girl from the crosstown rival watching the game up in the stands. The pretty blond named michelle who would become 1986 homecoming queen at pepperell high. 3 f2 graduacion de su ano fue un supongo. I guess. Reporter number 15, Thad Reynolds, and michelle sullins were prom dates, married right out of high school. They were both popular, both nice looking, both friendly, had a lot of friends, social. I mean, they had it all. Reporter but years on people had strong opinions about the onetime homecoming queen. She is one of the most evil people that ive ever dealt with. Reporter and thats because of what happened early one morning. Lots of stab wounds. It certainly was a bad crime scene. Reporter with their church at the center of their lives, supportive families living right next door, how had it come to what it did . This kind of gruesome murder was very odd in our community and very big news. Reporter so much lost in the blink of an eye, so much blood. Im looking at myself in the Rearview Mirror for a minute before i go in. Its hard to believe things got to where it was. Reporter a sense of place is important to this story, and here it is. Rome, georgia, a county seat northwest of atlanta, population about 35,000. Not too big, not too small. Proud to be in the bible belt and all that implies about how you live your life and treat your neighbors, a great many of whom youll know by name. Growing up here in this conservative community in the 70s was a sparkly little girl named michelle. She always seemed to end up front and center in the family snapshots kept by her aunt trish, trish benefield. She was always wanting to pose for my camera. And she would sit at my moms and dads in the swing. I would take her picture. Grab the little poodle, you know, the doggie, and take another picture. Reporter what the old photos of a happy kid dont reveal were the fault lines in michelles childhood. Her parents split up when she was a little girl, and her father died when she was only 13. Her single mom raised michelle and her two older brothers with the teachings of the Baptist Church as a moral foundation. Michelle grew older and stayed cute, a kind of little miss sunshine who always thrived in the attention her golden looks brought. I mean, she was just a beauty, absolutely. Walk into a room, and everybody looks. Yeah, she had that presence. Reporter there were teenage boyfriends but no one special until she went to that football game, the one with number 15 on the field. I asked who number 15 was, and it was thad. And then i saw him at a dance and then i just fell, you know, head over heels for him. Reporter Thad Reynolds, Football Player, wrestler later on in the school year and an athlete not afraid to be in the school play and skits, seen here dancing in his number 15 jersey, he started seeing michelle, someone as full of life as he was. Thads sister, beverly, remembers it as a match made in high school heaven. He was the Football Player. She was the cheerleader. I mean, i guess thats how it started. Reporter the pair reminded their friends of another couple. A lot of people called us ken and barbie, and he was just fun to be around. Reporter fun for thad was down home and yeehaw. Our first date was a tractor pull in atlanta with his family. Reporter a tractor pull with his family . Yes, sir. Reporter this is a good start. Right. And actually, when we got back to their house, i got sick and threw up because i was so nervous. Reporter still, michelle remembers having a good time, and two months later thad asked her to wear his class ring. The challenger with a School Teacher and six regular astronauts on board was consumed by a giant fireball explosion less than reporter no sooner had she slipped it on than ten minutes later they both remember the Space Shuttle exploding. The date, january 28th, 1986. But they didnt see the disaster as a personal omen. They finished high school as a couple. We went to the prom together. Thad john glenn reynolds. Reporter and right after michelle and thad graduated, the Football Player and the homecoming queen got married. They picked august the 15th, 15 their now mutually lucky number. They had a Big Church Wedding at Hollywood Baptist, the church that would be so important in their lives in the years ahead. Ken and barbie were now mr. And mrs. This was it. This was her family. She was finally going to have what she wanted. Reporter so how was it to be a young married woman . It was awesome. I enjoyed it. And having our own place was nice. Reporter reliable thad was unlike the father that had left the family. Her aunt trish wasnt surprised that michelle married young. Security. Because when i saw them together, i saw that. I saw that security. I know she loved him, and i also know that she could lean on him and depend on him. Reporter thad, like michelle, had been raised religious. The Baptist Church was a cornerstone for the young couple. Thad was a come in even when he was sick kind of hard worker at a grocery. We had goals. We wanted to buy a house. We wanted to go on a cruise and buy a camcorder, and we did all three. And after that we decided to try and start having children. Reporter they had a little girl and named her olivia, but the young marriage was foundering. Five years in, michelle and thad divorced. One had cheated. The other one had cheated. So you have both stories. We had problems. Reporter michelle got an office job and started dating a little. Thad kept on plugging along sort of, but he especially took the divorce hard. His mom remembered getting a bad phone call from thad. He was in an apartment that he had rented, and i can remember him saying that he curled up in the fetal position in the closet and asked for god and asked for reconciliation. Reporter michelle, too, wasnt finding much satisfying as a single mom in the dating scene. I dated a few times, but i knew back in my mind that i still loved thad. And i kept our wedding rings in our safe. But we still did things together. We had christmases together and some holidays. And i even went to florida with his family. So its almost like we really wasnt divorced. Reporter after four years apart, thad and michelle went into counseling, and at the end of that they decided to try it again. They would get remarried. So one sunday at Hollywood Baptist, with some of the same friends from the first wedding looking on, thad and michelle exchanged marriage vows for a second time. It was a beautiful ceremony because it involved olivia. It was the three. It wasnt just the two of them. It was a family. Reporter the local paper splashed a heartwarming story about the young couple whod overcome adversity and been reunited with all their Church Members looking on. The article concluded, theirs isnt a fairy tale, its a love story. Aunt trish, though, thought michelle looked at it through less rosecolored glasses. I thought it was more ill have a home for my child and for future children, and hell provide, which he did, a great provider. Reporter later on, with everything that happened, some Church Members would rue the day they ever encouraged thad and michelle to get back together. Among the flock, wandering eyes and suspicious wives. Scotty told me that she was jealous of me and asking him if he thought she was prettier than me. Ifyou may be muddlingble withrough allergies. Nger. Try zyrtec® for powerful allergy relief. And zyrtec® is different than claritin. Because it starts working faster on the first day you take it. Zyrtec®. Muddle no more™. [ mom ] be right there, baby. [ muffled noises ] oops. Ow. Sorry. [ baby crying ] [ female announcer ] pampers. Unlike ordinary diapers with two layers, pampers have three absorbent layers to stay up to three times drier, so babies can sleep soundly all night. Wishing you love, sleep and play. Pampers. Wishing you love, sleep and play. One that covers better,. Lasts longer, protects us from the elements, inside and out. Lets go to the place with the best paint, take it home for less, then, rock and roll. Lets do the one thing that changes everything. Lets do this. More saving. More doing. Thats the power of the home depot. Right now get 5. 00 off cans and 20. 00 off buckets of select paints stains. Thad and michelle, after four years apart, began marriage take two. They built a little house for themselves on a plot right next door to his parents. Thad and fellow Church Members pitched in on the construction. By then his mom, kitty walker, knew that michelle would always be her boys one and only. He just fell head over heels, and it was total commitment. Reporter commitment to a growing family. He and michelle would have three more girls. Commitment to his job, working his way up the ranks at fritolay. And commitment, most of all, to the god he worshipped every sunday at hollywood Baptist Church. You know how they always say god, family. I think god was first with him, then his family. God working in my life, watching god work in their lives. Reporter thad was perfectly comfortable rising in front of the congregation at hollywood and speaking with the conviction of a polished preacher. John 8 36. God has done a miracle in my life. God says pursue righteousness. Pursue faith. Pursue love with others who call on the lord. I really truly deep down think he wanted to be a missionary. Reporter thad and michelle decided to homeschool their four little girls to shield them from the secular worldly influences of public classrooms. When we were getting back together, he had asked, you know, if id pray about it, about homeschooling our children. Reporter so i think i hear you saying youre really living quite an active religious christian life. Yes, sir. Reporter the church became their familys focal point. Thad was elevated to deacon at Hollywood Baptist, a volunteer position as one of the pastors righthand men. Michelle became active with the teens, putting on dance performances. A lot of Baptist Churches that ive been to, theyre just, you know, quiet and dont clap or anything. Its to where theres more freedom to worship at hollywood. Reporter the teen Group Michelle helped organize was footstompingly professional. Oh we worship you hallelujah reporter and to further cement their commitment to god, michelle and thad both starred in an elaborate church play. Now that you have asked jesus into your heart, we are a complete christian family. Reporter thad and michelle are featured in a scene about a christian couple, the wife traditional, the husband understanding of her lapses. Oh, honey, i was so busy this morning, i forgot to put the roast in the oven. You know how crazy it gets around our house on sundays. Thats okay, sweetheart. I understand. Well go out for lunch. Reporter when thads sister Beverly Owens looks back, those days of church and family were good times for her brother. If i had to pick a time that he was his happiest, it was when he had all four kids and michelle at home. Reporter and the church provided likeminded, godfearing friends. One of those couples was scotty and paige harper, almost a mirror image of thad and michelle in so many ways. Scotty on thad you know, he was a good guy. Reporter like thad and michelle, they lived next door to his parents. Like thad, scotty was deeply religious and also a Church Volunteer leader. He was the volunteer family pastor, giving his time to tend to the young people of Hollywood Baptist. And scotty and paige had their own three small children, also all girls. Our children were like best friends, and we would go out to eat with them, go to a movie. Reporter barbecues, volleyball, camping trips, prayer groups. Thad and michelle, scotty and paige and all the kids together. The husbands, whod first met when thad was divorced, became especially fast friends, the bible and scriptures their glue. Thad thought so highly of scotty, he praised him in front of the congregation. Our family pastor, official title now, Scotty Harper, has always taught the people that are under him and the kids that we need to teach them the things that are relevant to them these days. Thats his keyword, right . Relevant. How to minister to them right now with their lives. He was a good role model. Reporter thad and scotty became the tightest of friends, helping each other hold firm to their faith. Sunday mornings before church thad, him and scotty and several other guys at hollywood would meet at mcdonalds and have a little worship there before they actually went on to church. Reporter the two moms, though, michelle and paige, never grew as close. Scotty told me later on that she was jealous of me and asking him if he thought she was prettier than me, and she was just jealous of me, and so she just started getting away from me. Reporter but michelle was getting closer to scotty. Her Church Performances for the middle schoolers came under his direction as the family pastor. They talked Church Business on the phone and exchanged emails. Scotty had actually gone to the same high school as michelle two years behind her when shed been elected homecoming queen. I knew who she was. I mean, if i saw her, i might say hey, but we really didnt cross many paths in high school. Reporter after a tour in the air force, including duty in desert storm with a combat communications unit, scotty parlayed his electronic savvy into a good job at the countys Major Medical complex, floyd Medical Center. He helped keep the Computer Systems going. Everything was good, you know, as far as vocationally, you know, a good job. Reporter but there was some turbulence on the home front with paige. He prayed for his marriage with thad, who as part of his duties as deacon regularly counseled church couples at his home. He and i over the years have batted things off of each other. I mean, hes had some downs. Ive had some downs, and wed go to each other. Reporter for her part, michelle was happy to see scotty at her house. He was always so complimentary about her church work with the teenagers and her effervescent good spirits. He was fun to be around and made you laugh and just a great sense of humor. Reporter by 2004 there were signs that michelle was getting restless about rome, georgia, and maybe even all the churchiness in their marriage. Like a lot of families in the area, michelle and thad liked to visit the campgrounds in gatlinburg, tennessee, the smoky mountains. Michelle felt so itchy she seriously wanted to buy a cabin resort property from her family, uproot from rome and cater to the tourists in tennessee. It was unreal, a Million Dollars or something. Theyd already qualified for it, and some guy stepped in supposedly before they did and bought it. And that was thads excuse as to why she was so down in the dumps and everything. Reporter that spring michelle started popping in on her inlaws next door less frequently. When thad got home from work, shed say shed had a long day with the kids, and she was going off to shop. Thad, meanwhile, was becoming even more involved in the church. After a missionary trip to cuba, he came back home afire with the idea of becoming a minister fulltime, leaving his job to see where jesus would lead him. Michelle was said to be frosty to the idea. When did it begin . Well never know, but michelle, feeling she was playing second fiddle to god in her marriage, began telling someone she was having naughty thoughts about him. Someone very taboo. And he was only too happy to say, funny, me, too. Two of the faithful play with fire. Hes saying, boy, youre a beautiful girl. Youre awesome. Very welcome words for your ears at that point. Yes, sir. vo average. Its out there, convincing you that one donut hole couldnt possibly lead to another. vo average sets the treadmill on mosey. Or stroll. Or loiter. vo average. Has memory issues. man i forgot to work out. I forgot to work out. vo . And memory issues. man my workout. vo but average is average. You can beat it. And it starts at gnc. People shave you, pour hot wax on you. They dont treat you like skin. Presenting dove advanced care. Clinically proven to reduce irritation. So you can be a softer, smoother, more beautiful little armpit. Could save you fifteen percent or more on car insurance. S mmmhmmm. Everybody knows that. Well, did you know that old macdonald was a really bad speller . Your word is. Cow. Cow. Cow. C. O. W. E. I. E. I. O. [buzzer] dangnabbit. Geico. Fifteen minutes could save you fifteen percent or more. Its time to find some real harmony, with nature. [ family screams ] elmo [ wolf, kids howling ] [ train whistles ] [ bird chirps ] [ people screaming ] [ snoring ] music to moms ears. [ female announcer ] stay late for nightly fireworks and get unlimited visits for just 10 a month. [ mom ] we may live in houses, but were born for busch gardens. Michelle reynolds had become almost a theatrical producer at hollywood Baptist Church. Her christian rock and gospel presentations with the churchs young people were slick and polished. But in their marriage by may 2004, michelle and thad had again hit a rocky patch. He was thinking about pursuing the ministry full time, and that would mean major changes in their lives with four little girls. Certainly less money. But money didnt mean all that much to him. His mother tells a story about thad driving along one day listening to christian talk radio. God spoke to him, and he said, son, give. And he said, what do you want me to give . And he said, every what you have. And thad opened up his wallet, and he had 35 in there, and he drove to this radio station, and he gave the 35 to the receptionist. And he said he wanted it to bring marriages back together. Reporter did thad, whod been through an excruciating divorce from michelle, even realize that his wife was feeling ignored . My husband was married to his job and church, and i did everything from a to z in our household and homeschooled and had toddlers, taking care of babies,