he adored her and he adored her. united in life, divided in murder. this is nothing but green lights. and it s not good. she was with him that night, found bruise, and wrapped in duct date. he said if you say anything, i ll kill you. so what was the motive was it money or maybe revenge? there was a thick file of suspects. he could definitely have a laundry list of people who would want to kill him. but was his killer and enemy or a friend? those could be fighting worse for somebody. pretty strong words i can see where someone could be upset. and the mystery that haunts a small southern town is a killer still walking free. i would say tiktok, you re coming. and we re not giving up. hello and welcome to dateline. hello and welcome to dateline. melvin roberts was a vip in his tight-knit community, and julia phillips was the light of his life. the couple seemed inseparable, then, a murder shattered the love affair and exposed the dark underbelly of a
No ones gonna get murdered in my family, thats in the movies. Who would want him dead . Someone came in with the intention to murder him and im thinking this person is still on the loose, you know. Are we safe. She was a southern belle. Little lady, very fun someone you could have a good time with when he was her longtime beau. He adored her and he adored. United in life divided by murder. Thats not good. She was within that night found bruised crying and wrapped in duct taped. He said if you say anything ill kill you. What was the motive was it money or maybe revenge . There was a thick file of suspects. He could have a laundry list of people who would want to kill him. Was his killer an enemy or a friend . Those could be Fighting Words for someone. Strong words i could see how someone could get upset. And the mystery that haunts a small southern town, is a killer still walking free. I would say the clock is ticking. Were coming . Were coming. And were not giving up. Hello and welcome
lying on the wet ground, she soon heard melvin s car pull up. i could see the car lights. and he pushed me back down on the ground and he said, if you say anything, i ll kill you. a short time later, she heard a violent struggle. i thought i heard something like a pipe or something that somebody picked up. why do you think you heard something that sounded like a pipe? i don t know because i heard it hit the ground. okay. and then, i heard a shot. you heard a shot? it had to have been shot. after that, julia did not hear anything else. she stayed behind the brick wall, hoping the killer was gone. then made her escape. and if the tape hadn t got wet from the rain, i don t know if i had gotten off. with the duck tape loose, she was able to use a key to break free. i never let go of my car key. julie explain to police, she wanted to get help for melvin, but a part of her new it was too late.
we had now an actual person who had heard her say that and even offered him money to kill mr. roberts. hodge built her case leading to one question most jurors wanted answered, what was the motive? the granddaughter thought she knew the answer to that. what did he leave her? the building, and any car that she wanted from his car lot. the building was worth about $150, 000, it housed her store, julia s, in south carolina and a small community that would take you far? yes. the state believed julia was worried that she was never going to see that money, the reason? the relationship between julia and melvin was over, said prosecutors and she knew it. they put a friend of melvin s on the stand to back up their claims. he wasn t paying her bills anymore,, and he wasn t having anything to do with her. and with prosecutors believe what the final straw, that witness told the jury, melvin had led julian know that he had
She s fun, what he thought was his perfect match. she fit right into the tight-knit family. she was bubbly, she was a good cook away to a man s heart. or woman. they became a team. melvin even help julia start her own business. he eventually bought her her own store, so that she could sell her cosmetics and women s clothing. she opened the store in this town where she had grown up, she called it julia s. she started to become part of the family? yes. we were really happy for that. but now, everything has changed as investigators work the crime scene, tommy jenkins, then your police captain knocked on brawny s door. he says ronny i have to tell you something, your father is dead and i said no tommy, that is not true.