I think its all the same question we were just discussing. If this campaign is about Hillary Clinton or donald trump and their character or temperament, it stays the way it is now. What donald trump does well when he makes his campaign not about either of them but about the American People and their future and is there Something Better than what we have now. She has a problem with that. Hillary clinton has made this campaign about her. She cant find a message. Trump has make America Great again. Thats what might blow this up. Well, as we proved to you, we do this live, not pretaped. Before we go, a programming note. Amal clooney is fighting for human rights. We will be back next week. The sunday before the first debate. She was like the sister i never had up. Dont want to believe what youre hearing. This cant be real. Its terrifying. It was the house in the country she always wanted. She looked for it and then she found and shes like, this is it. Until someone turned it into a house of horrors. 911. Whats your emergency . My wife and my son are both shot. I need help. Nicole had been shot in the back of the head. Taylor had been shot in the face. It looked like a murder suicide and then the located a rag with blood on it. Why was the rag outside the house . If both victims were inside . It was fresh blood on the rag. And if you cant reach the trigger, how do you shoot yourself . To reach the trigger with your finger to do it, you really cant. Was it a murder suicide . I said, i need to know what happened. I need you to tell me the truth. Or did someone just want it to look that way . No dna. No fingerprints. Thats a lot of things that are lacking. Two deaths, two trials, one truth. The last time i saw her she said, avenge me if something happens to me. You avenge me. Im lester holt and this is dateline. Heres Andrea Canning with the white dove. Symbol of peace, love and fidelity. One young woman was so moved by their grace and beauty, she turned her passion for do you haves into a business, releasing them at weddings and also funerals. She enjoyed helping families grieve. It just melts you. Nicole payne believed in the power of image. Someones spirits flying to heaven on the wings of a dove. This time they made a poignant flight, at her own funeral, a final gesture of peace after an appalling act of violence. She was just a gentle, happy soul. She loved people. Nicoles mother says she made be a parent easy. Her brother came in screaming. She just came in peaceful and pictures. She was people loved her. Nicole was a tomboy who loved the country life in the piney woods of east texas. She was definitely a free spirit. She was fun. Michelle was nicoles friend. Sarah hawthorne was her sisterinlaw. She was going to have fun whatever she was doing. Loved digging in the dark. She was going to your house, first thing she was going to do is drag you out in the yard, show you what she plant. Loved her she had dogs, goats, birds. She remembers nicole giving her pig an unusual makeover. She loved all that to the extent of painting the pigs toenails. Are you serious . Yes, she did. Yes, she did. What color . Pink. I was going to say, like a hot pink . Yes, it was pink. She never ceased to amaze me. When she was 28, nicole had a first date with jason payne, a sensitive. They shared a moment and that was all it took. They were smitten. Melissa is jasons sister. Could you see the attraction . Oh, yeah, she was beautiful. Oh, my gosh, yeah. And i could just see it with him. His face was lit up. They fell in love and got married before friends and family even knew they were dating. It was a whirlwind romance. When she told me she married jason payne, it was a shock. She married him in two weeks of knowing him. You met her new groom . She seemed real happy. She seemed happier than she had been. It was a second marriage for nicole and she brought two boys with her. 9yearold taylor and 10yearold daniel, who had been adopted from foster care. Jason took both boys under his wings. He came in and said im going to take the responsibility of raising these two kids as theyre mine. So i had a dad and mom i could call my own. For the first time, daniel sharing a room with taylor, one year his junior. Tell us about taylor. What was he like . He was a really cool kid. He was a little ee centric but overall a nice guy. We grew up with pokemon in the playstation era so we spent a lot of time playing video games with each other. The taylor i got to know was quiet. He never was in groups. He would shy away and just go play video games. Jason taught the boys how to fish and hunt. I think he was like, this is your way into manhood, you know. Youre going to learn to shoot guns, so we started off with like bb guns and then we shotguns, 3030s, whatever. You both became experienced with guns . Yes. Experienced enough to where they would trust us. To where we walked out the gun to go shoot it, we had access to it. Nicole and jason eventually it was a young, blended family. Happy but not exactly the brady bunch, despite nicoles assurances, daniel always worried he was one step away from yet another foster home. I was like, theyre coming to get me. Theyre coming to get me. She said, look, were adding on but your place here is not changing at all. Its so sweet. Yeah. She worked hard to make you feel loved. Yes. The couple struggled to make ends meet, jason had a serious car accident. How badly hurt was he . He had had a spinal injury that eventually required surgery, so he was off work for a couple years. Eventually, jason received a 9 00,000 insurance settlement. Even after lawyers fees, there was still enough to buy a piece money . Bought a house, paid for the house, and they bought cars, used cars. The house was in the little east texas town of quitman. Nichole loved making. Her own. She bought furniture and plant roses. Jason splurged on a new fishing boat. They built a coop in the back for nicholes doves. How did the house seem at the new house . Better. She lookedor house. She looked for it and found it and she said, this is it. And he made it happen. How did the relationship seem between jason and stronger . Stronger . Yeah. Much stronger. In. November of 2007 the things were going well for the paynes. The kids were happy and healthy. The Christmas Tree in the living room signaled the start of the holiday. Then on a tuesday morning, it happened. My wife and my son, theyre both shot. My wife and my son are both shot. I need some help. The serenity of a peaceful life was shattered by the blast of a highpowered rifle and that dream house in the country was now a crime scene. What happened in that house . When we return nichole had been shot in the back of the head. Taylor had been shot in the face. A wife and her son suddenly gone. A husband in shock. T and cried. That was the first time i had ever seen him cry. Lean. Mmm, cushiony. And we can use less. Charmin ultra soft gets you clean without the wasteful wadding. It has comfort cushions you can see that are softer. And more absorbent, and you can use up to 4 times less. Remember, thats charmin in there. No wasteful wadding were going to prove just how wet and sticky your current gel antiperspirant is. Now, were going to show you how degree dry spray is different. Degree dry spray. Degree. It wont let you down. Oh, dishwasher, why dont you dry my dishes . Oh, he doesnt know any better. You just need to add finish . Jetdry . In the rinse aid compartment. Its there for a reason. It dries much better than detergent alone. Sorry dishwasher. Finish . Jetdry . For drier, shinier dishes. Red 97 set red 97 did you say 97 . Yes. You know, that reminds me of geicos 97 Customer Satisfaction rating. Huh. 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Its home to some of the best bass fishing and its the county seat. With a population of 1800, this town is definitely on the sleepy side. Quitman is a rural community. You can hear the wind blow out here. Its a quiet place. Miles tucker is the sheriff. Murder is a rare thing to see in a Community Like this. It dont happen too often. Back in 2007, tucker was the lieutenant in charge of criminal im at my desk. My wife and my son are both shot. I need some help. Hold on. Just stay on the line with me. I have to carry my little girl outside. Lieutenant tucker rushed to the scene. I meet a man here at the house, holding a child. I assume thats my caller. It was the caller. Jason payne was holding his daughter in his arms. He stayed outside at the lieutenant went through the house, taking an inventory of everything he saw. In the corner. Had cartoons on it. Im noticing the Christmas Tree. Im noticing the christmas decorations. The Holiday Cheer in the living room was a stark contrast to the tragedy tucker found in the rest of the house. Nichole had been shot in the back of the head and it appeared that taylor had been shot in the face. 35yearold Nichole Payne was in her bedroom. Her 16yearold son, taylor, was both were dead. It was a gruesome scene. Just massive amount of blood. You could obviously tell that a highpowered rifle had been used. A single bullet not only killed nichole, it tore through her bedroom wall and landed outside. When tucker walked into taylors room, he immediately noticed a weapon. There was a rifle there between his legs. He was on his own bed. There was no evidence of forced entry at the house. No signs of any struggle indicating a home invasion, but there was taylor sprawled out on his bed, as if the force of the shot knocked him onto his back. The rifle was at his feet, with the barrel pointing up. The depth of the tragedy hit tucker hard. Taylor, being the age that he was, just a Bright Future ahead sad. The crime scene investigator at the house told lieutenant tucker at the house the evidence was telling a clear story. He believers that taylor had shot his mother and then shot himself. He was 100 sure that it was a murder suicide. Tuckers team finished processing the crime scene. They gathered evidence to send to the lab for testing. Jason was still at the house, looking he was just kind of, i would say, maybe in a zone. Thats about the best way i can describe it. Its possible jason was in shock. The lieutenant wanted to hear what jason had to say. He asked him to come to headquarters. Hes the one thats going to hopefully be able to shed some light on everything and tell us whats going on. Jason, weve got to find out what happened there at your house. Jason walked investigators through his morning. Having a temper tantrum over not having his own cell phone. He was kind of ranting and said he wasnt going to school. Why didnt he want to go to school . I think he was mad over the cell phone. Jason told investigators taylor refused to leave the house, so he packed his other kids into the car and drove his younger son to school. When he returned, he said the he called 911. What did you think when you saw your wife like that . I dont know. I it was just shock. Tucker asked jason about his relationship with taylor. Yeah, its good. Hes the average teenager, i would i would guess. Maybe introverted or closed. Wife . Just normal. I mean, teenage argument. I mean, cell phone, computer, you know, driving. Knock jason said about taylor explained the outburst of violence that morning, but the obvious, excruciating question had to be asked. When you saw that this morning, do you think taylor shot himself . I dont know. I dont know. Because jason, if thats what happened, then thats thats going to mean that theres a possibility that he also shot your wife. And i dont know an easy way to say that. Word of nichole and taylors deaths quickly reached family and friends. Just an incredible person. She was like the sister i never had. Home when she heard the news. I was sitting on my bed and i told myself, right at this moment, i have to choose to live. I have to choose life. I have to make a decision. Because i have to choose to live. The family had a funeral for nichole and then taylor. At the close of nicholes white doves were released into the sky. How special was that . It was special because it meant so much to nichole. Every phone call she made to me was it always started with the doves and, you know, it was a blessing to be able to release her birds. For her funeral. Daniel remembers a moment he shared with his stepfather jason after the funerals. And cried. And i mean, hes a grown man. That was the first time i had ever seen him cry. Did you cry with him . Oh, yeah, yeah. The family said their painful goodbyes, but lieutenant tucker had a lot of work to do and a single piece of evidence was about to break the case wide open. Announcer coming up, a red flag. Blood red. One of the investigators located a r announcer and if both victims were inside, why was the rag outside . Lieutenant miles tucker sized up his case. Killed by her son, who then turned the gun on himself. But tucker had some nagging doubts. You know, i had two victims. And i needed to know what happened. Reporter tucker reviewed everything hed found at the house that day, trying to make sense of the horrific scene. When he first made his way into nicholes room, he approached the bed. And touched nichole. Tucker says her body was still warm. She obviously had not been there very long. When we made our way back into taylors room, taylor was just the opposite. He was very cold to the touch. Reporter the way it looked to lieutenant tucker, taylor died much earlier than nichole. If he was right, taylor couldnt have killed his mother. Tucker guessed someone else killed nichole and taylor, then placed the gun at his feet to make it look like a suicide. As tuckers team continued processing the scene, they found a promising clue outside. Located a a rag with blood on it inside jason truck, in the back floorboard. It was very bright red. So, that that signaled to the investigators that that was fresh blood. Reporter the rag was sent to a crime lab for dna testing. For a rag to be somewhere else outside of the house with fresh blood on it, thats thats a significant find. Reporter with the evidence they had from the crime scene, investigators became more confrontational during their you and your wife real close . Yeah, pretty close. Did you consider your her your best friend . Yeah. I mean, we had falling outs, but, yeah. When was the last one . Yes, day before. What was it about . I aint nothing, nothing, nothing. I mean, little little stuff. Nothing. Reporter after talking for 90 minutes, jason said he was tired and ready to go home. Tucker straight up asked him. Jason, did you have anything to do with this . Did you have anything to do with killing your wife . Youve gotta be out of your mind to think that i would have anything to do with this. And i resent that you ask these questions like im sitting here had something to do with it. I am sitting here trying to be as helpful as i can. Reporter the early moments of the investigation didnt give lieutenant tucker enough to make an arrest, or even reach a happened. So investigators turned to the people who knew jason and nichole best to learn about their marriage. Nicholes mother said trouble had been brewing. She wasnt happy that last couple years. And there were just signs that, you know, that something wasnt right. Reporter what were the signs . He was controlling. He was very controlling. And it and it just seemed to get worse and worse as time went was so intimidated that she would hide while making calls to her family. She said, i cant talk on the phone without him following me from room to room. I have no privacy on the phone. I have to hide in the closet. Reporter what would she talk to you about that she felt she needed to be in the closet . At that point how unhappy she was. Reporter lieutenant tucker says the story of a rocky relationship solidified his belief that jason payne killed nichole and taylor and staged the crime scene. That made sense to Sherry Hawthorne. The thought that her grandson taylor could have killed his own mother and then himself seemed outrageous. Thats like telling me that the that the skys made out of swiss cheese. I cant see how that could remotely be possible. Reporter sherry spoke to lieutenant tucker about the case. I said, you know, i think you reporter but lieutenant tucker was cautious. He wanted the forensic reports before making a move. Weeks turned into months with no word. Nicholes family was frustrated and confused. Jasons family was too. His sister wanted the case to be solved. I just thought it was weird. I just didnt understand. I just thought it was taking forever. Reporter in fact, it took nine months before the key lab result finally the testing on that bloody rag found in jasons truck. Turned out, the blood was nicholes. For tucker, that closed the deal. We decided that we had enough to to write a warrant for jason and to arrest him. Reporter on september 27, 2008, police staked out a park where jason and his mother faye were going for a family outing. The moment they arrived, police made their move. They made me lay down. Reporter how shocking was that . Very shocking. Reporter youre at the park to see your grandson and your son gets arrested for double murder. Yeah. And were both laying down on the ground. That was bad. That was i cried i cried all the way home. Reporter jason payne pleaded not guilty on a charge of capital murder. His future would soon be in the hands of a jury. Coming up prosecutors had a possible motive. The defendant was running out but not much else. Reporter and no witnesses, no dna, no fingerprints. Thats a lot of things that are lacking. Try mucinex 12hour. Only mucinex has a unique bilayer tablet. The white layer releases immediately. Mucinex is absorbed 60 percent faster than store brands. . . Feel a spark of emotion light up every inch of you. Feel warm inside. Feel our big beautiful candle. Feel glade. Sc johnson. Life looks great with tampax pearl its builtin backup braid helps stop leaks giving you the best protection at home and onthego tampax. Power over periods. Oh, dishwasher, why dont you dry my dishes . Oh, he doesnt know any better. You just need to add fin