She would never, ever be capable of coming at somebody with a knife. And there were questions about his love life, too. Its deeply creepy. It has a creepy feel to it. Was it self defense . I think julie snapped. I would bet my life on it. Or Something Else entirely. The minute . It is. Sometimes it seemed there would never be an answer. Traumatic moment in court . No. 832 days comes down to one hour. I would put my life in the hands of god. I am less ter holt and this is dateline. Her is Dennis Murphy with the agents wife. They comprise americas elite Law Enforcement team, the 35,000 men and women of the federal bureau of investigation. Lets go and their careers begin here at the fbi academy in quantico, virginia, where trainees are taught how to lead, how to survive and how to shoot. In a kind of back lot movie set of a small town, a place called hogans alley, when they place a threat, they need to eliminate it, stimulus response. Its kill or be killed with no time to overthink the situation. But back in april of 2013, something happened just down the road from the academy involving one of the fbis own. A call to 911. Im an fbi agent. Please hurry. This Law Enforcement community struggled to understand the ghastly thing that had happened here in just seconds. I remember dropping the phone, falling to my knees and just crying. Friends and neighbors sat in disbelief. We know that thats not what happened. It just doesnt make any sense. While a family lay torn apart. With you relive that moment every time you think about it. Of. Our story begins here in the suburb of stafford, virginia. Its a quick commute to quantico for the many fbi agents who live here. Safe and secure as a town can get. Thats exactly why it appealed to bureau special agent arthur gonzalez. Back in 2010, he and his wife julie moved to this quiet, conservative community with their two young sons, chris and aiden. Terry smith and her daughter taylor were neighbors across the street and became close to julie. How did you come to know them . We met at the block party right across from our house and it was like an old friend, even though i had just met her. The couple were devoted parents. Coach soccer for the boys at their school and julie was the dutiful soccer mom. Did she like being a mother . Oh, yeah. She loved her boys. It was their whole life, everything. If she ever had a big goofy grin on her face, she was probably talking about them. Julie is a lot like me. Arts sister, eileen. We both really have a bubbly personality. I think were friendly people. She was like my sister. We were two peas in a pod. Julie and art had been born and bred in new mexico, where the two met cute in college. Hes a threesports athlete star, right . Right. Valedictorian of the class . Correct. Art is very focused, goaldriven. And his biggest goal was a career in Law Enforcement. Out west, art racked up 15 years in service as an fbi field agent, covering his wall with awards. Then he got his dream job, recruited to be an instructor at the elite fbi academy at quantico quantico. Thats reaching high as good as it gets. I knew he would succeed. Art always succeeded at what he put his mind to. Julies dad says his soninlaw would carry his bureauissued gun just about everywhere. It went to church with him, and he made sure that everyone saw him as an agent. So he liked the persona of being an fbi agent. Yes. For a time julie joined at bureau too, working as an evidence technician on some highprofile cases. One involved the takedown of a major mexican drug cartel. She was good at the job. She was great at everything she did. But julies fbi days were behind her. She had quit to raise the boys. And when they moved to virginia, she took a lowstress job as a teller for their local bank. Here she is, rehearsing a speech for a Training Program there. I would like to take this opportunity to thank each and every one of you. Its not hard to love julie. Coworker Tiffany Clark became a close friend. It took all of a couple days she was. As tiffany got to know julie she sensed her cheery disposition hid some trouble at home. During the summertime had he lifted up her hand and showed me she was no longer wearing her wedding ring. After 18 years of marriage, julie and art were going through some rough times. There was even talk of divorce. She came to visit might e and the kids. She was crying more than i had ever seen her cry. Then came the day that would change everything. It was a friday in april, 2013. Art had gone to his instructors job at the fbi academy, julie had the day off and spent the morning doing errands and grabbing some lunch with a neighbor. But that afternoon, a friend called tiffany at the bank and said that something was very wrong in julie and arts neighborhood. She told me of a story where there was some kind of shooting. A shooting in the seemingly safe haven of stafford. Message to warn her. When i called julies, i told her there has been a shooting in the neighborhood, lock your doors, go upstairs, i love you, be safe. Then the news got even worse. The shooting wasnt just in julie and arts neighborhood, it was in their very own house. What is your emergency . When we return, what had happened in that house . Who had been shot . And who had done the shooting . But ultimately, the hardest question of all, the one that would take years to answer was, why . I just didnt want to believe it. There was still that shred, that shred of hope that this couldnt be happening. Ibsd. It may be caused by changes in my gut. And that i can do something about it. It was the greatest news. Ask your gastroenterologist if your symptoms could be ibsd and learn about prescription treatment options. gargling wookiee noise both wookiee noise the best place in the galaxy for everything star wars. Walmart. I want to get the new iphone as little birthday treat for myself. Oh, great well, when you get an iphone from at t, you get the network with the nations strongest 4g lte signal. So happy birthday. Thanks. But actually my birthday is not for another 5 months. I just wanted the new iphone, but now im feeling guilty because you went and got me an awesome network. Actually, we offer that to everybody. Even that guy . Yep. You didnt even look. Hes part of everybody. Get the new iphone at at t and the network with the nations strongest 4g lte signal. And right now get 300 credit for every line you switch. Skrch. Skrch. What are you doing . The dishes are clean. I just gotta scrape the rest ew. Dish issues . Cascade platinum powers through this brownie mess better than the competition, the first time. What is your emergency . I need a deputy and an ambulance. Im an fbi agent. Please hurry. The agents wife, julie, was lying on the Kitchen Floor with gunshots. First responders rushed to the scene as the operator began talking art through instructions for giving cpr. Listen to me carefully. Pump the chest hard and fast 30 times, at least twice per second. She kept him on the phone with deputies moments away. Julie had been shot, but how . What had happened inside the en route to the scene, it was this mans job to find out. Im running lights and siren myself over there. Reporter as soon as detective todd nosal hit the ground, he knew this was no routine case. Did you know he was an fbi agent . When i got on the scene, i was immediately informed of that. Reporter and that fbi agent, the distraught husband who had called 911, had just walked out of the house, hands up, holster on his hip, as captured by dashcam video. Now, he was in the back seat of a sheriffs cruiser. Thats because art admitted right away that he was the one whod just shot julie. First contact, demeanor. Did you see anything . No. It was just, hey im detective nosal. Im gonna be speaking with you later. Reporter later became sooner. After their introduction, the detective followed the cruiser and art downtown to the Sheriffs Department for an interview. And when i read him his miranda, he was agreeable to talk. So you kind of know how this goes, and we have a job to do. Reporter certainly art knew the drill knew the camera was rolling, as nosal began to take down arts story of what had just happened in that house. So how does the story come out . I just started asking him very openended questions, you know. Why dont you tell me what happened . I went to eat lunch at moes with a friend. I took the friend back to the academy. Then after that, i drove straight home. I drove up to the house, and she was there. Reporter art told the detective that he was surprised to see julies car in the driveway. The couple had recently separated art was staying in the house with the boys, while julie had moved to an apartment nearby. I said, what are you doing here . You need to call me before you come here. Reporter so he was annoyed she hadnt called before stopping by, but said he saw an opportunity to talk about the relationship, and get julie to agree to a quick divorce. We were standing in the kitchen and i told her, look its over. We need to complete this process. And then she said, well i thought we were trying to reconcile. I said, no, julie, were not. I just said, i didnt love her anymore. She said, well, i cant take this anymore. Um, i turned around for a second. I guess there was a knife she attacked me. Reporter julie, he says, charged at him with a knife. The fbi agent told the cop that what happened next was pure reflex. She came at me. I put up my arm, and i pushed her away. Um, she came back at me again before i said, stop, and at that time i just reacted, and drew my weapon and i fired a shot. Reporter art said his fbi training had kicked in to neutralize the threat with the weapon he had at the ready right there on his hip. A tragic case, he said, of self defense. Thats really the extent of what happened. Reporter selfdefense. She came at me with a knife. Selfdefense. Reporter im trained to deal with threats. Its his estranged wife. He has exclusive use of the home. But detective nosal had Law Enforcement training too and his reflex . To be skeptical of any situation where husband shoots his wife. In fact,rom the start of the conversation, hed been watching art very closely, even as he talked about julies condition. Is she okay . Well, obviously shes not okay right now. Uh, shes being treated medically. Once i get an update on her, ill let you know. Reporter nosal decided not to tell art the truth. Julie, age 42, had been pronounced dead on the way to the hospital. I intentionally withhd it we do that for a couple of reasons. One, to be able to conduct an interview, just in case somebody gets so visibly upset they cant talk at the time. And then, two, to just kinda gauge his reaction. Reporter the detectives job now was to keep art talking see if his story held up. He asked art another one of those openended questions. This one about their marriage. What kind of a relationship did yohave with your wife . Excellent up and until the point that four years ago, i dont know what happened to her, something happened. Reporter art told the detective that the marriage had been unraveling for years. Julie, art said, was unstable and had a serious drinking problem. Four years ago it was was nightmarish. Wasnt taking care of the boys. Reporter just hours after shooting his wife, art was recounting a litany of aggressive acts. Things shed done to him. She wt to me and got my shirt and just ripped it right off my back. My head was scratched from here you know down to my shoulder blade. There was another time when we had to call the deputies. And you know they actually had her in handcuffs before. Reporter detective nosal steered the interview back to that days tragic shooting. He asked about the defensive move the agent says he made with his left arm. Do you have any injuries on you right now . I dont know. Youve got a couple cuts right there. I asked him several more times to either expound on things or just take me again from the top of what happened that day. Standard procedure. Lock in a story. Then check for inconsistencies in the repeat cycles. How many rounds you think you fired . Two or three. I dont know. What happens to her then . I pick up the phone and call 911. Mwife just attacked me with a knife and i had to shoot h. Rorter does he tell u heivg compress and eath, that hes doing the whole cpr he did. Reporter regimen . He did. Reporter about 40 minutes into their talk, art again asked how his wife was doing. I got some bad news. Um, shes dead. She, i guess passed on the way in the ambulance. Reporter art put his head down and sobbe all right, im just gonna step out for a second, okay . Reporter minutes later, he was back a tough cop expressing his sympathies. Obviously, this is probably one of the worst situaons, especially a Law Enforcement officer, could be in when youre defending yourself and its the mother of your children. Reporter after hearing multiple recounting of his story, nosal looked across at his fellow lawman and told him it seemed like a case of self defense. Tragedy in the kitchen, but the law speaks to this situation . Yes, sir. Reporter and a person has the right to defend themselves. Yes, sir. Its not making things better, and its not going to change how today is. But, you know, i mean, you had to defend yourself. Reporter back in arts neighborhood, news of the julies death had quickly spread across the street. A knock came at the door. It was a police officer. And he asked me if i could go get the children from school because there was an incident at art and julies house. Reporter terry smith, julies good friend and neighbor, could barely wrap her head around the awful news. I just didnt wanna believe it. Reporter she texted her daughter taylor to call. And i remember all she said was, shes gone. And then i said, okay, im coming home. And she couldnt really understand me cause i was ying. Ani said, im coming home, and i hung up and then i just remember screaming the rest of the way home. Reporter when julies work friend tiffany started hearing the shooting involved julie she didnt want to believe it either. She started frantically calling the hospitals hoping her friend had just been injured. There was still that shred, that shred of hope that, you know, this couldnt be happening, you know, this worst nightmare. But they confied that she had died. Reporter julie, the only other person in the kitchen that april afternoon, was dead. But was there more to the story . 3 f2 adema s de arthur esa cocina your undies are upstairs. That is correct. And the story raises do cts. This doesnt jive with what i how can you see yourself in new glasse. Without your glasses . At lenscrafters, our unique camera and screen system lets you compare yourself in four different frames at time. Making sure all your vision choices are clear. Lenscrafters loves eyes ck to school . How about. Back to blinds during blinds to gos early fall savings sale, save 20 to 30 on all the seasons latest looks in cellulayer shades and cascade double shades. Thatll really make you look smart. Blfoinds to go. Ck to school . How about. Back to blinds during blinds to gos early fall savings sale, save 20 to 30 on all the seasons latest looks in c lular shades and cascade double shades. Thatll really make you look smart. Inds to go. Bledds for life. Reporter art gonzales had just told the detective his lfdefense story but now he braced himself for something even harder. Telling his family that julie was dead. During an interview break, art phoned his dad. Dad, i said i need you and mom to get on a plane out here tonight. Julie attacked me with a knife so i had to shoot her. Im sorry, dad. Rter at her home in texas, arts sisters cell phone was blowing up with urgent messages from family members. She called her father back first. I said, dad, what is wrong . And he said julie attacked art with a knife and he shot her and she dia t m te it. And i said, what . D at that point, i just i remember dropping the phone, falling to my knees, and just ying. Reporter after art broke the tragic news to his family, he called h boys, then ages 10 and 12. They knew something happened to their mom but no details. Art decided not to reveal anything over the phone. Hey, e you ok . Well talk about it later, ok . I love you with all my heart. Break in the interview, detevtive nosal had his own tough call to make. He had to tell julies father reporter its terrib of the job, huh . Oh, horrible part of the job. He said, im sorry, to say that, she, she uh, i dont know remember exactly how he phrased her dying. And my first thought w tha she might have suffered. I didnt want that. And he told me, i dont i dont think so. Reporter and after the detectiv broke the terrible news, he gently asked julies dad a few questions. One concerned her drinking. She drank an occasional beer or an occasional glass of wine. Reporter so you wouldnt say she was a proble drinker. No, no, no. Reporter his response was immeate and it kinda took me back. I heard an hour and a half of art telling me a story about julie gonzes being an alcoholic. I , okay. This is the first thing that doesnt jibe with what i just heard in the Interview Room. Reporter so now, nosas arting to wonder if there we, perhaps, oth contradictions or inconsistencies in arts story. By nightfall, art was still in the chair when nosal began receiving reports investigators at the house. One discovery in the mas er bedrm was big ne,so hohim. Some ladies undergarments in rdthere, as well as there were soofme mail in theo master bedroom. And it had the name cara kast on ar. Reporter and who was this cara kast . Suddenly, theres another woman in ticture. Reporter and her undies are upstairs. That is c rect. Reporter and youve got the husband in the chair who has just shot his wife four times. So now, the tone shifts a little bit here in the second pass at Arthur Gonzales, doesnt it . It it does. I just gotta gotta a question or two for you. Um, i i guess in your bedroom, i guess in one of the the hampers, there were some female panties or undergarments in there. Is that was that your wifes . Or who is it . Um, its a friend of mine ats been staying over every once in a while. Ok. Reporter detective nosal, a trained interrogator, knew that words mattered. D this wasnt the first time art had characterized cara as just a friend. I went to eat lunch at moes with a friend. Reporter that unnawed friend art saw just before the shooting turned out to be cara. And earlier in their interview, art had mentioned cara kast to nosal once, in passing, as someone whod know how to reach the boys. Cara worked at the fbi alongside art and was almost 20 years his nior. I know im not the morality police, you know. Like are you guys you guys hooking up . Are you guys were were were good friends. I mean are you guys having sex and stuff like that . Yeah. Ok. Reporter whats the importance of finding the lovers underwear . I think that hurt art goaless credibility in an Interview Room that im not hearing this. Reporter why hasnt he offered it up . Figurciallyuaa trai