Zahn: A PLACE FOR FAMILY FUN
SHATTERED... BY A COLD-BLOODED KILLER.
Greenwood: IT WAS A SURREAL ENVIRONMENT.
TWO PEOPLE MURDERED AT THE IOWA STATE FAIRGROUNDS.
Zahn: THE INVESTIGATION REVEALED A SINISTER PLOT.
Severino: HE WAS OBSESSED WITH THIS KILLING,
AND HE WAS NOT SHY IN WHO HE TALKED TO.
HE HAD LOST HIS FREAKING MIND.
Zahn: JEALOUSLY AND GREED.
SHE WAS BETRAYING OUR FAMILY.
I FELT ALONE. WHAT AM I GONNA DO?
AND A MURDER IN THE HEARTLAND.
Zahn: WHEN THEY TOLD YOU THAT,
DID YOU JUST GET A CHILL DOWN YOUR SPINE?
[ HORNS HONKING ]
[ HELICOPTER BLADES WHIRRING ]
ONCE YOU KNEW WHAT HAD HAPPENED TO YOU...
THE POLICE COME TO VISIT YOU.
[ CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKS ]
-- Captions by VITAC -- www.vitac.com
CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS
HELLO, I'M PAULA ZAHN,
AND WE'RE ON THE CASE, FOLLOWING A KILLER'S TRAIL.
WE BEGIN AT THE IOWA STATE FAIR.
IT'S A MIDWEST TRADITION
THAT ATTRACTS MORE THAN A MILLION VISITORS EVERY YEAR.
SINCE THE FAIR STARTED MORE THAN 150 YEARS AGO,
THERE HAD NEVER BEEN A SINGLE HOMICIDE.
BUT ON A BEAUTIFUL SUMMER MORNING,
ALL OF THAT CHANGED.
IN THE MIDWEST,
NOTHING SAYS FAMILY FUN MORE THAN THE IOWA STATE FAIR --
TRACTOR PULLS, FERRIS WHEEL, AND LOTS OF FOOD.
AND FOR SOMETHING SWEET,
THE BLEWER FAMILY'S FUNNEL-CAKE STAND WAS THE PLACE TO BE.
FUNNEL CAKE, PLEASE. YEP.
AUGUST 12, 1996, BEGAN LIKE ANY OTHER DAY FOR THE BLEWERS.
16-YEAR-OLD JADA BLEWER AND HER BROTHER, BEAU,
WERE MANAGING THE FAMILY'S CONCESSION STAND,
MAKING AND SELLING FUNNEL CAKES
WHILE MOM AND DAD RAN SOME CHORES.
WE'VE DONE IT SINCE WE WERE, YOU KNOW, 6, 7 YEARS OLD.
WE KNEW HOW TO OPEN. WE KNEW HOW TO CLOSE.
SO, OUR AGREEMENT WAS WE'D GO DOWN THERE,
WE'D OPEN UP THE TRAILER,
AND THEN MY MOM AND DAD WOULD COME IN.
Zahn: THE BLEWERS' RED WAGON -- FLORRIE'S FUNNEL CAKES --
WAS A FIXTURE AT THE FAIR.
[ PEOPLE SHRIEKING ]
AS THE WARM SUMMER MORNING HEATED UP,
THE CROWDS WERE GETTING BIG,
BUT MOM AND DAD STILL HADN'T ARRIVED.
Zahn: SO, IT GOT LATER AND LATER.
AT WHAT POINT DID YOU BECOME WORRIED?
10:00.
WE HAD THE TWO-WAY WALKIE-TALKIES,
AND I'D GET ON THE RADIO AND HOLLER,
"MOM, DAD, WHERE ARE YOU?
WE'RE STARTING TO GET BUSY."
AND NOBODY WOULD ANSWER.
JADA'S BROTHER, BEAU, DECIDED TO LOOK FOR HIS PARENTS
IN THE FAMILY'S BUS PARKED ON THE FAIRGROUNDS.
ANOTHER LADY CAME DOWN -- A FRIEND OF OURS --
AND SHE SWUNG OPEN THE DOOR, AND SHE SAID,
"JADA, JADA, I THINK SOMETHING HAPPENED TO YOUR MOM AND DAD."
AND I REMEMBER THROWING THAT RADIO,
AND IT SLID ALL THE WAY ACROSS THE FLOOR.
JADA RAN TO HER FAMILY'S CAMPER,
BUT THE AREA HAD ALREADY BEEN CORDONED OFF WITH YELLOW TAPE.
DID YOU KNOW SOMETHING TERRIBLE HAD HAPPENED BY THAT POINT?
YEAH.
I'VE SEEN ON TV, YOU KNOW,
THE YELLOW TAPE MEANS SOMETHING AWFUL HAS HAPPENED.
BOB AND MARILYN BLEWER HAD BEEN MURDERED,
EXECUTION STYLE, INSIDE OF THEIR BUS.
18-YEAR-OLD BEAU HAD WALKED IN AND FOUND THE BODIES.
HE LOOKED AS IF HE WAS LOST, AND HE SHOOK HIS HEAD,
AND HE JUST SAID, "WHAT IS THIS WORLD COMING TO?"
Button: IT'S THE IOWA STATE FAIR, YOU KNOW?
THIS DOESN'T HAPPEN IN IOWA AT THE IOWA STATE FAIR.
YOU DIDN'T REALLY BELIEVE IT OCCURRED
UNTIL YOU ACTUALLY GOT THERE AND SAW IT.
Zahn: STATE TROOPERS HAD ALREADY SECURED THE CRIME SCENE
WHEN BUTTON GOT TO THE BLEWERS' BUS.
WHAT HE FOUND INSIDE WAS HORRIFIC.
BOB BLEWER IS LYING ON THE -- I BELIEVE HE'S ON HIS STOMACH.
I REMEMBER SEEING DUCT TAPE AROUND ONE OF HIS WRISTS.
MARILYN BLEWER WAS ON HER BACK.
HER HANDS WERE TAPED TOGETHER.
SHE HAD DUCT TAPE WRAPPED AROUND HER MOUTH
ALL THE WAY AROUND HER HEAD.
BOTH OF THEM HAD BEEN SHOT IN THE HEAD.
THE VICTIMS WERE BOUND.
THEY WERE GAGGED.
AND THEY DIED FROM GUNSHOT WOUNDS.
Greenwood: IT WAS A SURREAL ENVIRONMENT
TO HEAR SOMEONE IN LAW ENFORCEMENT
TELLING US THAT TWO PEOPLE HAD JUST BEEN MURDERED
AT THE IOWA STATE FAIRGROUNDS.
Zahn: WHILE INVESTIGATORS GATHERED CLUES FROM THE BLEWERS' BUS,
JADA WAS NOT ALLOWED TO GO INSIDE.
HAD YOU SEEN BEAU AT THIS POINT THEN?
NO.
THEY WOULDN'T LET US COMMUNICATE OR TALK
BECAUSE THEY WERE GONNA QUESTION US.
WELL, THAT HAD TO BE AWFUL.
YEAH, 'CAUSE, YOU KNOW, I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT WAS GOING ON.
I DIDN'T KNOW THAT HE HAD FOUND THEM
OR, YOU KNOW, ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
DESCRIBE THOSE HOURS THAT WENT BY
AND WHAT IT WAS LIKE TO LIVE THROUGH THEM.
HORRIBLE.
I JUST HAD SO MANY QUESTIONS.
AND I WANTED TO TALK TO MY SISTER,
AND WE DIDN'T HAVE CELLPHONES, YOU KNOW,
SO WE COULDN'T JUST GO CALL SOMEBODY
AND TALK TO THEM OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
A FIVE-HOUR DRIVE AWAY IN MISSOURI,
BEAU AND JADA'S OLDER SISTER, JAMIE,
HAD A LOT OF QUESTIONS, TOO.
SHE'D GOTTEN A CALL FROM SOMEONE
SAYING THERE HAD BEEN AN ACCIDENT.
Jamie: I WAS LIKE, "WHAT?"
I WAS LIKE, OH, AN ACCIDENT,
AND I THOUGHT MAYBE THEY MEANT LIKE SOMEBODY GOT BURNT
WITH THE OIL OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
I MEAN, I JUST DIDN'T KNOW.
I WAS LIKE, "THEY GOT BURNED OR SOMETHING?
ARE THEY AT THE HOSPITAL?"
Zahn: IT WAS TOO LATE FOR HOSPITALS.
BOB AND MARILYN WERE PRONOUNCED DEAD AT THE SCENE.
THE SHOOTINGS HAPPENED IN BROAD DAYLIGHT,
YET THERE WERE NO EYEWITNESSES.
THE BEST LEAD POLICE HAD CAME FROM BEAU AND JADA.
ONCE THE NEWS SUNK IN THAT YOUR PARENTS HAD BEEN MURDERED,
DID YOU HAVE ANYONE IN MIND
THAT COULD HAVE DONE THAT TO THEM?
NO.
THE ONLY THING -- I THOUGHT, "WELL, WHERE IS JERIMY?"
YOU KNOW?
BECAUSE HE WAS WORKING,
AND HE NEVER CAME DOWN TO HELP US OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
AND JERIMY WAS SOMEONE WHO HAD WORKED FOR YOUR FATHER BEFORE?
RIGHT.
HE HAD WORKED A COUPLE OF OTHER FAIRS THAT SAME YEAR.
JERIMY WAS A HIRED HAND WHO HELPED WITH THE STAND,
AND NOW HE WAS NOWHERE TO BE FOUND.
ALSO MISSING WERE BEAU'S PICKUP TRUCK
AND MORE THAN $20,000 IN CASH --
THAT WEEK'S RECEIPTS FROM FUNNEL-CAKE SALES.
Button: WHOEVER DID THIS HAD ALREADY --
WE BELIEVE THEY'D STOLEN THE VEHICLE
AND HAD ALREADY FLED THE SCENE.
Zahn: HOURS LATER, ANOTHER LEAD.
THE PICKUP TRUCK WAS FOUND
ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF DES MOINES NEAR A GAS STATION.
A WITNESS REPORTED SEEING A MAN WALK AWAY FROM THE TRUCK.
Button: FROM THAT GAS STATION, HE CALLED THE CAB COMPANY.
HE TOOK THE CAB DOWN TO THE BUS STATION
HERE IN DOWNTOWN DES MOINES,
AND WE FOUND OUT A SUBJECT USING THE NAME JERIMY SMITH
PURCHASED A TICKET TO JOPLIN, MISSOURI.
[ SIRENS WAIL ]
Zahn: INVESTIGATORS BELIEVE THAT JERIMY SMITH
WAS THE JERIMY THEY WERE LOOKING FOR.
JUST 12 HOURS AFTER THE MURDERS,
THE SEARCH FOR JERIMY BECAME AN INTERSTATE MANHUNT.
AS POLICE TRY TO ZERO IN ON THEIR SUSPECT,
RODNEY BORUSHASKI, THE BLEWERS' SON-IN-LAW,
ARRIVED AT THE FAIRGROUNDS.
RODNEY KNEW JERIMY WELL.
IN FACT, HE HAD INTRODUCED HIM TO THE BLEWER FAMILY.
BEAU DIDN'T KNOW JERIMY'S LAST NAME BUT SAID RODNEY WOULD,
AND WHEN RODNEY --
RODNEY'S FIRST STATEMENT WAS, "JERIMY WHO?"
WELL, AND THEN HE THOUGHT,
"WELL, YEAH, JERIMY SNEED WAS THIS GUY'S NAME."
SO THAT'S WHEN WE FIRST CAME UP WITH HIS NAME,
AND WE STARTED KIND OF TRYING TO, YOU KNOW,
FIGURE OUT WHO JERIMY SNEED IS AND WHERE HE WAS.
Zahn: NOW POLICE HAD A FULL NAME FOR THEIR SUSPECT,
AND THEY FOUND FINGERPRINTS.
THE KILLER HAD LEFT THEM ON THE DUCT TAPE
USED TO BIND AND GAG BOB AND MARILYN BLEWER.
TESTS REVEALED THEY BELONGED TO JERIMY SNEED.
THE SEARCH BECAME BIG NEWS.
Man: 22-YEAR-OLD JERIMY SNEED IS DESCRIBED AS A 5'7" REDHEAD
WHO IS ALSO WANTED ON A PAROLE VIOLATION IN MISSOURI.
SNEED HAS A CRIMINAL HISTORY,
INCLUDING A THREE-YEAR PRISON SENTENCE FOR STEALING.
Zahn: STILL REELING FROM HER PARENTS' DEATH,
JADA NOW HAD TO DEAL WITH THE HORRIFYING THOUGHT
THAT THE COLD-BLOODED KILLER WAS SOMEONE SHE KNEW,
AND HE WAS STILL ON THE LOOSE.
AFTER YOUR PARENTS WERE MURDERED,
HOW VULNERABLE DID YOU FEEL?
I FELT LIKE I HAD TO WATCH OVER MY SHOULDER
AND DIDN'T WANT TO TALK TO ANYBODY,
AND...I FELT ALONE,
AND "WHAT AM I GONNA DO?
"HERE I AM, 16.
"WHERE AM I GONNA LIVE?
HOW AM I GONNA PAY BILLS?"
YOU KNOW, I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT I COULD DO, WHAT I COULDN'T.
ORPHANED AND SCARED,
JADA AND BEAU TURN TO FAMILY AND FRIENDS FOR SUPPORT.
MEANWHILE, INVESTIGATORS HUNTED FOR JERIMY SNEED,
BUT HE WASN'T AN EASY MAN TO FIND.
WE FOUND OUT LATER NO ONE THAT GOT ON THE BUS IN DES MOINES
EXITED THE BUS IN JOPLIN, MISSOURI.
SO, WE KNEW HE'D GOTTEN OFF THE BUS
SOME POINT BETWEEN JOPLIN AND DES MOINES.
Zahn: A SUSPECTED KILLER WAS STILL AT LARGE,
BUT A NEW LEAD WAS ABOUT TO TAKE THE INVESTIGATION
IN A SHOCKING NEW DIRECTION.
COMING UP...
AS POLICE LAUNCH A NATIONWIDE MANHUNT FOR THE PRIME SUSPECT,
THE INVESTIGATION HEATS UP CLOSE TO HOME.
Severino: HE CLAIMED THAT JERIMY SNEED KIDNAPPED HIM
AND SAID, "YOU'RE NOW INVOLVED IN THIS.
"IF YOU TELL ANYBODY WHAT HAS HAPPENED,
I WILL COME BACK AND KILL YOU AND YOUR FAMILY."
POLICE QUICKLY LANDED ON 22-YEAR-OLD JERIMY SNEED
AS THE PRIME SUSPECT
IN THE MURDER OF BOB AND MARILYN BLEWER.
BUT SNEED WAS NOWHERE TO BE FOUND.
POLICE CONSIDERED HIM ARMED AND DANGEROUS.
AS INVESTIGATORS MOUNTED AN INTERSTATE MANHUNT,
FRIENDS AND FAMILY OF BOB AND MARILYN
DID THEIR BEST TO HONOR THEM.
Campbell: THEY WERE WONDERFUL PEOPLE.
THEY'D DO ANYTHING FOR ANYBODY, AND THEY WERE A HAPPY FAMILY.
THEY HAD A WONDERFUL HOME.
Zahn: FRIENDS WENT OUT OF THEIR WAY
TO HELP THE BLEWERS' NOW-ORPHANED KIDS.
CUSTOMERS FLOCKED TO THE STAND.
MOST OF THE TIME AT THE FUNNEL-CAKE STAND,
PEOPLE KNEW WHO THEY WERE AND KNEW THEIR FOLKS.
WE LOOKED AFTER JADA
AND THEN TOOK OVER THE FUNNEL-CAKE STANDS
AND SOLD FUNNEL CAKES AND MADE FUNNEL CAKES,
AND WE HAD A LINE, OH, TWO BLOCKS LONG.
Jamie: I WOULD PICK UP THE PHONE TO CALL MY DAD
TO ASK HIM A QUESTION, AND THEN IT WOULD DAWN ON ME THAT --
YOU KNOW, I'D BE LIKE, "WHY ISN'T HE PICKING UP HIS PHONE?
"OH. RIGHT.
THAT'S WHY."
I DIDN'T HAVE HIM TO LEAN ON ANYMORE,
AND I HAD LEANED ON HIM MY WHOLE LIFE.
Zahn: THE MURDERS WERE EVEN HARDER TO ACCEPT
BECAUSE SUSPECT JERIMY SNEED WAS INTRODUCED TO THE FAMILY
BY JAMIE'S HUSBAND, RODNEY.
RODNEY WAS SUPPOSED TO WORK, AND SOMETHING CAME UP,
AND HE SAID, "I HAVE THIS FRIEND, JERIMY,
THAT CAN COME AND WORK."
WE'D ONLY KNOWN HIM A COUPLE OF WEEKS,
AND MY DAD TRUSTED HIM.
24-YEAR-OLD RODNEY BORUSHASKI
WAS MARRIED TO THE BLEWERS' OLDEST DAUGHTER, JAMIE.
HE WOULD OFTEN HELP MAN THEIR FUNNEL-CAKE STAND
DURING THE BUSY SUMMER MONTHS.
THE YOUNG COUPLE AND THEIR TWO KIDS
LIVED IN A TRAILER ON BOB AND MARILYN'S PROPERTY.
JERIMY HAD MOVED IN WITH THEM JUST PRIOR TO THE MURDERS.
I FIGURED IF MY MOM AND DAD CAN TRUST HIM,
THEN I SHOULD BE ABLE TO, TOO.
AND HE HADN'T DONE ANYTHING OTHERWISE FOR ME TO BELIEVE
THAT HE WAS A MEAN, VIOLENT, UNTRUSTWORTHY PERSON.
BUT IT WAS BECOMING CLEAR JERIMY BETRAYED THAT TRUST.
AND INVESTIGATORS FOUND MORE EVIDENCE
WHEN THEY LOOKED BEHIND RODNEY'S TRAILER.
[ GUNSHOTS ]
Parks: SEVERAL SHELL CASINGS WERE FOUND NEAR A TRASH BARREL,
AND THE IOWA AUTHORITIES, OF COURSE,
TRANSFERRED THOSE ON TO THEIR LAB.
Zahn: THE CASINGS FOUND AT THE HOUSE
MATCHED THOSE DISCOVERED AT THE MURDER SCENE.
BOTH WERE ALSO THE SAME CALIBER AS JERIMY'S PISTOL.
POLICE WERE NOW CERTAIN HE COMMITTED THE MURDERS
AND GREW EVEN MORE SUSPICIOUS OF HIS TIES TO RODNEY.
SO THEY DECIDED TO TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT THE BLEWERS' SON-IN-LAW.
THEY QUICKLY LEARNED THAT RODNEY WAS PART
OF AN UNDERGROUND DOG-FIGHTING NETWORK.
THIS LITTLE NETWORK WAS A GROUP OF PEOPLE
THAT HAD THE SAME PURPOSE.
THEY ALL WANTED TO MAKE MONEY.
THE FARTHER AND FARTHER THAT RODNEY GOT INTO THIS,
THE MORE AND MORE OBSESSED HE BECAME.
THEY HAD MORE THAN 30 DOGS THAT THEY HAD ON THEIR PROPERTY.
Zahn: BUT DOG FIGHTING WASN'T TURNING OUT TO BE THE MONEY-MAKER
HE HAD HOPED FOR.
DESPITE OWNING 30 DOGS, RODNEY WAS BROKE.
RODNEY WAS ONLY WORKING PART TIME, AND JAMIE WAS A STUDENT,
SO THERE LITERALLY WAS VERY LITTLE INCOME
COMING INTO THAT RESIDENCE.
THEY HAD FILED FOR BANKRUPTCY TWO YEARS EARLIER.
BOB BLEWER AND MARILYN BLEWER REPEATEDLY GAVE MONEY
TO JAMIE AND RODNEY TO TRY AND SUPPORT THEM.
Campbell: BOBBY AND MARILYN MADE STATEMENTS
THAT HE WAS WORTHLESS AS FAR AS MAKING A LIVING
AND KEEPING A JOB,
AND HE WANTED TO LIVE OFF OF SOMEBODY ELSE.
Zahn: POLICE SUSPICIONS DEEPEN
WHEN THEY LEARNED OF RODNEY'S WHEREABOUTS AFTER THE MURDERS.
Severino: RODNEY WENT TO THE IOWA STATE FAIR ON MONDAY
AND THEN RETURNED BACK TO HIS RESIDENCE IN MISSOURI
LATE TUESDAY NIGHT.
IT'S NOT A LONG DRIVE FROM DES MOINES
DOWN TO THE JOPLIN, MISSOURI, AREA,
BUT IT TOOK HIM AN EXCEEDINGLY LONG PERIOD OF TIME TO GET HOME.
AND THAT CAUSED PEOPLE TO QUESTION WHERE HE HAD BEEN.
Zahn: RODNEY SAID THAT AFTER THE MURDERS,
HE GOT LOST WHILE DRIVING HOME,
EVEN THOUGH IT WAS A TRIP HE HAD MADE MANY TIMES.
POLICE DIDN'T BUY IT,
AND THEY USED PHONE RECORDS
TO PROVE THAT HE REALLY WENT TO VISIT A FELLOW DOG BREEDER.
IT WAS A CURIOUS SIDE TRIP
FOR SOMEONE WHO HAD JUST LOST HIS IN-LAWS.
WHEN POLICE QUESTIONED SOME OF RODNEY'S DOG-FIGHTING BUDDIES,
THEIR STATEMENTS SEEMED TO CONNECT RODNEY TO THE TRAGEDY
THAT HAD ENDED THE BLEWERS' LIVES.
INTERVIEWS WERE CONDUCTED WITH SOME FOLKS
THAT TOLD OUR INVESTIGATORS
THAT THEY HAD BEEN APPROACHED BY RODNEY
TO, IN FACT, MURDER BOB AND MARILYN BLEWER.
Zahn: RODNEY DENIED THAT HE HAD ANYTHING TO DO WITH THE MURDERS.
HE AGREED TO TAKE A LIE-DETECTOR TEST.
COLONEL RON REPLOGLE OF THE MISSOURI STATE HIGHWAY PATROL
WAS IN CHARGE.
HE WAS EXPRESSING A LOT OF REASONS
FOR HIM FAILING THE POLYGRAPH
BEFORE WE EVER GOT TO THE ACTUAL TEST ITSELF.
Zahn: AND RODNEY'S FEARS WERE WELL-FOUNDED.
THE POLYGRAPH SHOWED HE WAS LYING.
Replogle: AND HE CONTINUED TO DENY.
"YEAH, I PROBABLY DID FAIL YOUR POLYGRAPH,
"AND THERE'S A REASON WHY I FAILED YOUR POLYGRAPH,
BUT I CAN'T TELL YOU WHAT THAT IS."
Zahn: RODNEY SPUN ANOTHER STORY.
HE TOLD POLICE HE WENT LOOKING FOR JERIMY AFTER THE MURDERS,
INTENT ON TAKING MATTERS INTO HIS OWN HANDS.
THAT'S WHEN HE AGAIN SAID, "I WANTED TO FIND HIM MYSELF.
"I WANTED TO KILL HIM.
"YOU KNOW, I WANTED TO CONFRONT HIM ABOUT KILLING MY IN-LAWS,
AND THEN I WAS GONNA CALL YOU GUYS."
Zahn: WITH EACH BIZARRE DETAIL,
RODNEY DUG HIMSELF DEEPER INTO A HOLE.
Severino: HE CLAIMED THAT JERIMY SNEED
ESSENTIALLY KIDNAPPED HIM,
DROVE HIM TO A SPECIFIC LOCATION,
AND SAID, "YOU'RE NOW INVOLVED IN THIS.
"IF YOU TELL ANYBODY WHAT HAS HAPPENED,
I WILL COME BACK AND KILL YOU AND YOUR FAMILY."
AND THEN JERIMY SNEED SUPPOSEDLY GOT OUT OF THE VEHICLE
AND WALKED EIGHT MILES INTO TOWN, WHERE HE TOOK A BUS.
Zahn: NONE OF IT MADE SENSE.
POLICE HAD HEARD ENOUGH.
RODNEY BORUSHASKI WAS ARRESTED.
Replogle: HE TOLD JAMIE,
"CALL AN ATTORNEY, TRY TO GET ME OUT OF JAIL,
AND YOU KNOW HOW TO GET THE MONEY."
AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT HE SAID -- NO MORE, NO LESS.
Zahn: JAMIE BORUSHASKI HAD LOST HER PARENTS JUST 10 DAYS BEFORE,
AND NOW HER HUSBAND WAS BEING CHARGED
IN CONNECTION WITH THEIR MURDER.
IT WAS AN UNBEARABLE MOMENT.
Jamie: I THINK BY THAT TIME, I WAS JUST ON AUTOPILOT.
I'M NOT EVEN SURE I WAS THINKING.
I JUST COULDN'T BELIEVE IT.
I DIDN'T BELIEVE IT.
WHETHER THAT WAS JUST ME BEING YOUNG AND NAIVE AND DUMB
OR I WAS JUST LOSING EVERYTHING,
LIKE... IT WAS JUST TOO MUCH.
Zahn: COMING UP...
A KILLER ON THE RUN MAKES A STUNNING CALL.
Severino: HE WALKED UP TO A PAY PHONE, AND HE CALLED 911
AND ASKED TO HAVE SOMEBODY COME OUT AND ARREST HIM.
THE GUNMAN WHO KILLED BOB AND MARILYN BLEWER
WAS STILL AT LARGE,
BUT POLICE HAD ARRESTED ANOTHER SUSPECT --
THE BLEWERS' OWN SON-IN-LAW, RODNEY BORUSHASKI.
NOW WITH RODNEY IN CUSTODY,
HIS FRIENDS WERE GIVING POLICE AN EARFUL.
THIS IS CYNDI.
SHE ASKED US NOT TO REVEAL HER LAST NAME.
SHE WAS A STRUGGLING SINGLE MOTHER OF TWO
WHEN SHE MET RODNEY BORUSHASKI IN 1993.
HE MADE QUITE AN IMPRESSION.
HE WAS VERY PERSONABLE, VERY FUNNY,
VERY FLATTERING, VERY INTERESTING --
SOMEBODY THAT JUST WAS SUPER FUN TO BE AROUND.
Zahn: AT THE TIME, RODNEY WAS A PERSONAL TRAINER AT HER GYM
AND ADJUSTING TO MARRIED LIFE WITH JAMIE.
HE SAID THAT THEY HAD GOTTEN MARRIED
BECAUSE JAMIE WAS PREGNANT,
AND WHILE HE REALLY CARED ABOUT HER,
THAT SHE WAS NOT LIKE HIS SOUL MATE OR THE LOVE OF HIS LIFE,
AND THEY WERE JUST A YOUNG, STRUGGLING COUPLE
LIVING ON THE NORTH SIDE, YOU KNOW,
IN A SCARY HOUSE, AND NOBODY WAS HAPPY.
Zahn: CYNDI AND RODNEY HAD A BRIEF AFFAIR
WHILE JAMIE WAS WORKING THE FAIR CIRCUIT WITH HER PARENTS.
WHEN THE ROMANCE ENDED, THEY REMAINED CLOSE,
AND CYNDI EVEN BECAME FRIENDS WITH JAMIE.
SHE WOULD ASK IF SHE COULD COME OVER AND WATCH MOVIES WITH ME
WHILE RODNEY WAS AT WORK.
SHE SAID SHE JUST REALLY LIKED TO HANG OUT WITH ME.
Zahn: BUT WHEN RODNEY GOT IN TOUCH WITH CYNDI A FEW YEARS LATER,
HE SEEMED LIKE A CHANGED MAN.
Cyndi: HE KEPT SAYING THINGS TO ME LIKE,
"I'M NOT THE PERSON YOU USED TO KNOW.
I'M NOT A GOOD PERSON ANYMORE."
Zahn: CYNDI SAYS RODNEY ALSO EXPRESSED TREMENDOUS RESENTMENT
TOWARDS HIS IN-LAWS.
HE WAS VERY BITTER TOWARDS JAMIE'S PARENTS,
LIKE THEY WERE LORDING IT OVER HIM
THAT THEY WERE HAVING TO LIVE THERE
AND THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT BOB AND MARILYN WERE PAYING THE BILLS.
HE ABSOLUTELY HATED THEM.
MADE COMMENTS ABOUT, YOU KNOW,
THEY WERE GONNA GET THINGS THAT WERE COMING TO THEM.
Zahn: CYNDI SAW RODNEY JUST DAYS AFTER THE MURDERS.
THE VISIT COULDN'T HAVE BEEN MORE DISTURBING.
Cyndi: RODNEY WENT TO MY COUCH AND SAT DOWN.
HE WAS REALLY NERVOUS.
HE WAS PACING MY LIVING ROOM, THINGS LIKE THAT,
AND TOLD ME HE NEEDED MY HELP AND THAT HE MIGHT NEED A LAWYER,
AND I WAS LIKE, "WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?"
AND HE SAYS, "IT'S DONE."
AND I'M LIKE, "WHAT'S DONE?"
AND HE SAYS, "I TOLD YOU I WAS GONNA HAVE THEM KILLED.
THEY'RE DEAD."
AND I'M LIKE, "YOU KILLED WHO?"
Zahn: CYNDI HADN'T HEARD ABOUT THE MURDERS,
BUT RODNEY'S BEHAVIOR HAD HER COMPLETELY UNNERVED.
PRETTY TERRIFIED OUT OF MY MIND,
AND HE BROUGHT A TEDDY BEAR IN FROM THE CAR,
HAD A BANDANNA TIED AROUND ITS NECK.
IT WAS A BIG TEDDY BEAR.
AND SAID, "DON'T WORRY, TED'S DEAD.
I SLIT HIS THROAT."
AND HE PULLED THE HEAD BACK
AND SHOWS ME THE INSIDE IS TONS OF ROUND BUNDLES OF BILLS
WRAPPED WITH RUBBER BANDS.
Zahn: THE MONEY STUFFED INTO THAT TEDDY BEAR
HAD BEEN STOLEN FROM BOB AND MARILYN BLEWERS' SAFE.
IT WAS BLOOD MONEY.
CYNDI DIDN'T KNOW WHAT WAS GOING ON.
HER HEAD WAS SPINNING.
IT'S JUST THAT SENSE OF PANIC
AND BEING KIND OF IN SHOCK, YOU KNOW?
AND AT THIS POINT, I REALLY STARTED TO --
ESPECIALLY AS A NURSE --
THINK THAT MAYBE HE HAD LOST HIS FREAKING MIND.
Zahn: RODNEY LEFT THE TEDDY BEAR WITH CYNDI FOR SAFEKEEPING.
SHE WAS PARALYZED BY FEAR.
THEN AFTER RODNEY WAS ARRESTED,
JAMIE STARTED CALLING HER OVER AND OVER AGAIN.
[ BEEP ]
Zahn: CYNDI DECIDED TO IGNORE JAMIE'S MESSAGES AND NOTIFY POLICE.
WHEN THE INVESTIGATORS ARRIVED AT HER HOUSE,
SHE SHOWED THEM THE TEDDY BEAR.
Replogle: WE CUT THE TEDDY BEAR OPEN
AND FOUND THREE BUNDLES OF MONEY THAT TOTALED $4,000.
AND NOW WE'RE GOING, "WOW."
Zahn: THE CASE AGAINST RODNEY WAS COMING TOGETHER,
AND THEN POLICE GOT A STUNNING CALL FROM AUTHORITIES IN MIAMI.
JERIMY SNEED HAD TURNED HIMSELF IN.
Severino: HE WALKED UP TO A PAY PHONE,
AND HE CALLED 911
AND ASKED TO HAVE SOMEBODY COME OUT AND ARREST HIM.
Zahn: INCREDIBLY, NO ONE RESPONDED TO THE CALL,
SO SNEED DIALED 911 AGAIN.
HE WAS GETTING READY TO LEAVE WHEN POLICE FINALLY ARRIVED.
DURING THREE WEEKS ON THE LAM,
HE HAD MADE THREE CROSS-COUNTRY TRIPS
AND BURNED THROUGH $15,000 --
HIS SHARE OF THE MONEY STOLEN FROM THE BLEWERS.
DURING THIS PERIOD OF TIME,
HE WAS SPENDING MONEY ON DRUGS, GETTING HIS TATTOOS CHANGED.
HE HAD SEX WITH PROSTITUTES,
AND HE FINALLY HAD REACHED THE POINT IN TIME
WHERE HE SAID THAT HE WAS TIRED OF RUNNING.
Zahn: IN A VIDEOTAPED CONFESSION OF THE MURDERS,
SNEED DISPLAYED LITTLE EMOTION,
BUT THE DETAILS OF THE BLEWERS' MURDER WERE SHOCKING.
I SAID, "GET ON YOUR KNEES AND OPEN THE SAFE."
AND THAT'S WHEN I PULLED THE GUN OUT AND POINTED IT TOWARDS --
THE .22 -- I POINTED THAT ONE TOWARDS MARILYN.
TOLD HER TO SIT DOWN, NOT SAY A WORD,
KEEP HER HANDS ON THE TABLE,
AND I TOLD HER NOBODY WOULD GET HURT.
AND THEY WERE LIKE, "WE CAN'T BELIEVE YOU'RE DOING THIS.
WE TRUSTED YOU AND EVERYTHING."
Zahn: BOB BLEWER WAS FORCED TO OPEN HIS SAFE
AND TAKE OUT $22,000 IN CASH.
HE AND HIS WIFE WERE BOUND AND GAGGED,
AND THEN CAME THE TERRIBLE MOMENT
WHEN THE ROBBERY BECAME A MURDER.
Sneed: SHE JUMPED UP AND STARTED SAYING SOMETHING,
AND I SHOT HER.
Officer: WHICH WEAPON DID YOU USE TO SHOOT HER?
THE 380.
I WAS WANTING TO USE THE OTHER ONE, ACTUALLY,
IS WHAT MY PLANS WERE -- THE .22 --
BECAUSE I WOULDN'T HAVE TO WORRY
ABOUT THE CASINGS GOING ON THE GROUND.
I JUST -- I FREAKED AND JUST SHOT HER WITH THAT ONE.
Zahn: BUT MARILYN BLEWER WAS STILL ALIVE.
Sneed: SHE FELL TO THE GROUND. SHE WAS CRYING.
AND THEN RIGHT AFTER THAT, I SHOT BOB IN THE HEAD.
[ GUNSHOT ]
THEN I NOTICED MARILYN WASN'T DEAD YET.
SHE WAS STILL CRYING, SO I SHOT HER IN THE FOREHEAD.
[ GUNSHOT ]
Severino: THE HORRIFYING THING ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED WAS,
IS THAT THEY BOTH HEARD EACH OTHER GET SHOT.
BOB HEARD MARILYN GET SHOT.
MARILYN HEARD BOB GET SHOT.
I CANNOT IMAGINE THE PAIN AND THE FRIGHTENED FEELINGS
THAT THEY HAD INSIDE OF THEM AT THE TIME THAT THAT HAPPENED.
Zahn: THIS WAS NOT A ROBBERY GONE WRONG.
SNEED SAID HE PLANNED TO KILL THE BLEWERS ALL ALONG.
IN FACT, IT WAS A MURDER FOR HIRE.
RODNEY BORUSHASKI PAID HIM TO DO IT.
RODNEY MADE A STATEMENT THAT HE WISHED HIS PARENTS WERE DEAD --
OR HIS IN-LAWS WERE DEAD.
AND AT FIRST, LIKE I SAID, I THOUGHT HE WAS JUST JOKING.
I MEAN, PEOPLE SAY IT ALL THE TIME.
BUT THEN I COULD TELL HE WAS SERIOUS ABOUT IT
JUST BY THE WAY HE WAS ACTING, THE LOOK IN HIS EYE.
Zahn: SNEED CLAIMED THAT AFTER THE MURDERS,
HE AND RODNEY MET IN MISSOURI,
AT THE HOME OF THEIR MUTUAL FRIEND WHO BRED PIT BULLS.
THEY SPLIT THE BLEWERS' CASH,
AND THEN RODNEY DROPPED HIM OFF ON A DIRT ROAD
A FEW MILES FROM THE BUS STATION.
FOR DAYS, I COULD STILL SMELL GUN POWDER AND BLOOD.
Zahn: DURING HIS CONFESSION,
POLICE GOT MORE THAN THEY EXPECTED,
INCLUDING A MOTIVE FOR THE CRIME
THAT SNEED SAID CAME FROM RODNEY HIMSELF.
THERE WAS SEXUAL ABUSE THAT WENT ON IN THE FAMILY,
THAT BOB WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR IT,
THAT MARILYN DID NOTHING TO STOP IT,
AND AS A RESULT OF THAT SEXUAL ABUSE,
THIS CRIME WAS GOING TO OCCUR.
Zahn: THE STORY WASN'T TRUE,
BUT RODNEY WAS USING IT TO MOTIVATE JERIMY
TO COMMIT THE MURDER, AND IT WORKED.
Severino: THAT STRUCK A NERVE WITH JERIMY SNEED
BECAUSE JERIMY SNEED HAD BEEN SEXUALLY ABUSED AS A CHILD,
AND HE HAD DEEP RESENTMENT AND HATRED
FOR ANYONE THAT WOULD DO THAT TO A CHILD.
SO IT WASN'T HARD FOR JERIMY SNEED TO GET ANGER
TO THE POINT WHERE HE COULD KILL SOMEBODY.
Zahn: AND THAT WASN'T ALL.
RODNEY ALSO WANTED HIM TO KILL THE TWO YOUNGEST BLEWERS --
JADA AND BEAU -- FOR THE SAME REASON.
BECAUSE THE OTHER THREE,
AS FAR AS MARILYN, JADA, AND BEAU,
DIDN'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT WHILE IT WAS HAPPENING.
THEY JUST LET IT KEEP ON HAPPENING.
THE INVESTIGATORS ACTUALLY TOLD YOU, DIDN'T THEY,
THAT YOU WERE PART OF THE PLOT TO BE KILLED? RIGHT.
WHEN THEY TOLD YOU THAT, WHAT WAS YOUR REACTION?
I WAS SCARED AND SHOCKED.
YOU KNOW, WHY?
WHY WOULD THEY WANT THAT?
I COULDN'T BELIEVE HIM.
COMING UP...THEY LOST THEIR PARENTS IN A HAIL OF BULLETS.
NOW A TRIAL TEARS A HEARTBROKEN FAMILY APART.
SHE HAD THE GALL TO STAND THERE AND POINT THE FINGER AT BEAU
AS BEING RESPONSIBLE FOR KILLING HER PARENTS.
RODNEY BORUSHASKI WAS ABOUT TO BE TRIED
FOR THE MURDER OF HIS WIFE'S PARENTS, BOB AND MARILYN BLEWER.
RODNEY'S CODEFENDANT, JERIMY SNEED,
HAD GIVEN POLICE A REMARKABLE CONFESSION.
HE SAID RODNEY WASN'T JUST TARGETING BOB AND MARILYN,
BUT ALSO WANTED TO KILL THEIR YOUNGER CHILDREN, BEAU AND JADA.
AT FIRST, JADA WAS SHOCKED
WHEN INVESTIGATORS TOLD HER SHE WAS A TARGET.
BUT IT ALL STARTED TO MAKE SENSE
WHEN SHE REMEMBERED A CONVERSATION SHE HAD WITH RODNEY
ON THE NIGHT HER PARENTS WERE KILLED.
WHEN YOU THINK BACK TO THAT CONVERSATION
YOU HAD WITH YOUR BROTHER-IN-LAW
WHERE HE OFFERED TO TAKE YOU BACK HOME TO MISSOURI,
DO YOU JUST GET A CHILL DOWN YOUR SPINE?
I DO. I THANK GOD EVERY DAY I DIDN'T GO.
EVERY DAY.
SO, YOU REALLY FEARED HE COULD HURT YOU
IF YOU WERE ALONE IN THE CAR WITH HIM?
HE WOULD HAVE DONE SOMETHING.
I KNOW IT IN MY HEART.
RODNEY'S TRIAL BEGAN FIVE MONTHS AFTER THE MURDERS,
AND IT PUT AN ENORMOUS STRAIN
ON JADA'S RELATIONSHIP WITH HER SISTER, JAMIE,
WHO FIRMLY DEFENDED HER HUSBAND.
AND WHILE JAMIE WAS UNWAVERING IN HER SUPPORT,
SOME OF RODNEY'S CLOSE FRIENDS WERE HAVING SECOND THOUGHTS.
HE WAS ABOUT AS CLOSE TO A BROTHER
AS I PROBABLY COULD HAVE HAD.
Zahn: JANA SHETLER WENT TO HIGH SCHOOL WITH RODNEY.
SHE HAD AN EERIE PHONE CONVERSATION WITH HIM
BEFORE THE MURDERS TOOK PLACE.
HE SAID, "SOMEONE KILLED JAMIE'S PARENTS."
AND I JUST COULDN'T BELIEVE IT.
I WAS LIKE, "NO WAY."
AND HE SAID, "YEAH, THEY SHOT THEM.
"THEY'RE STILL LOOKING FOR THE KILLER.
AND ANYWAY, WE'RE LIVING OFF INHERITANCE."
Zahn: AT THE END OF THE CONVERSATION,
RODNEY TOLD HER HE WAS JUST KIDDING,
BUT WHEN JANA HEARD ABOUT THE MURDERS AT THE FAIRGROUNDS,
THE BIZARRE CALL SEEMED MORE THAN JUST A COINCIDENCE.
SHE WOUND UP TESTIFYING AGAINST RODNEY AT HIS TRIAL.
Shetler: I COULDN'T BELIEVE THAT THE WHOLE THING HAD HAPPENED,
AND I DEFINITELY WAS JUST HORRIFIED
TO FIND MYSELF ON THE SIDE OF THE PROSECUTION.
Zahn: AT TRIAL, NEARLY EVERYONE WHO TESTIFIED
WAS CONFLICTED ABOUT WHICH SIDE THEY WERE ON.
RODNEY'S FRIENDS FROM HIS DOG-FIGHTING DAYS
SAID THEY HAD BEEN APPROACHED ABOUT KILLING THE BLEWERS.
Severino: RODNEY HAD A PROBLEM,
AND HIS PROBLEM WAS IS THAT HE WAS OBSESSED
WITH THIS KILLING OF HIS IN-LAWS
AND HIS BROTHER- AND SISTER-IN-LAW.
AND HE WAS NOT SHY IN WHO HE TALKED TO.
HE TALKED TO FRIENDS. HE TALKED TO ACQUAINTANCES.
AND HE TOLD THEM THAT HE WANTED HIS IN-LAWS DEAD.
Zahn: LEGAL MANEUVERING KEPT RODNEY'S CODEFENDANT,
CONFESSED GUNMAN JERIMY SNEED, FROM TESTIFYING.
THE JURY WOULD NEVER HEAR HIM SAY
THAT RODNEY HAD HIRED HIM TO KILL THE BLEWERS.
BUT AS THE TRIAL PROGRESSED,
IT BECAME CLEAR THAT THE DEFENSE'S BIGGEST PROBLEM
WAS RODNEY HIMSELF.
Severino: IT WAS A CIRCUMSTANTIAL CASE,
AND IT WAS BASED ON ESSENTIALLY THE LIES THAT HE HAD TOLD
THROUGHOUT THE INVESTIGATION.
Zahn: PROSECUTORS SAID RODNEY
SIMPLY COULDN'T KEEP HIS STORY STRAIGHT.
Severino: HE WAS SO INCONSISTENT IN WHAT HE SAID
THAT WHEN HE TESTIFIED AT TRIAL,
HIS STATEMENT WAS COMPLETELY UNBELIEVABLE.
Zahn: PROSECUTORS SAID THE MOTIVE WAS SIMPLE --
RODNEY WANTED TO GET HIS HANDS ON BOB AND MARILYN'S MONEY.
Severino: HE ASSUMED THAT IF SOMETHING BAD HAPPENED TO THEM
THAT HE WOULD BE ABLE TO INHERIT THIS MONEY.
Zahn: AND THE STATE HAMMERED HOME
THE EMOTIONAL IMPACT OF WHAT RODNEY HAD DONE.
HE DID THE ULTIMATE BETRAYAL.
HE KILLED A FAMILY MEMBER FOR MONEY.
Zahn: FOR THE BLEWER CHILDREN,
THE TRIAL COULDN'T HAVE BEEN MORE PAINFUL.
WHEN THE TWO SISTERS TESTIFIED FOR OPPOSING SIDES,
IT TORE THE FAMILY APART.
YOU TESTIFIED AT RODNEY'S TRIAL.
YOU TESTIFIED AGAINST HIM.
YOUR SISTER SUPPORTED HIM.
YES.
DESCRIBE WHAT THAT EXPERIENCE WAS LIKE.
AWFUL.
I FELT LET DOWN,
LIKE SHE WAS BETRAYING OUR FAMILY.
BUT JAMIE WOULD GO MUCH FURTHER
THAN JUST DEFENDING HER HUSBAND, RODNEY.
SHE PROVIDED THE DEFENSE
WITH A DIFFERENT ACCOUNT OF WHAT HAPPENED.
THE MOST IMPORTANT PART,
AND REALLY THE MOST PATHETIC PART OF THAT TRIAL, WAS,
IS THAT JAMIE BLAMED HER BROTHER.
Zahn: JAMIE SAID HER YOUNGER BROTHER, BEAU, WAS THE GUILTY ONE.
HE WAS BEHIND THE PLOT TO KILL THEIR PARENTS.
IT STUNNED THE COURTROOM.
SHE HAD THE GALL TO STAND THERE AND POINT THE FINGER AT BEAU
AS BEING RESPONSIBLE FOR KILLING HER PARENTS.
HOW COULD YOU DO THAT TO YOUR SIBLING?
Zahn: THE DEFENSE RESTED.
IT WAS NOW UP TO THE JURY
TO DECIDE WHO WAS TELLING THE TRUTH.
AFTER DELIBERATING FOR THREE LONG DAYS, IT REACHED A VERDICT.
Man: GUILTY OF THE CRIME OF MURDER IN THE FIRST DEGREE
OF MARILYN BLEWER.
Zahn: RODNEY BORUSHASKI WAS CONVICTED OF MURDER
AND SENTENCED TO LIFE IN PRISON.
HIS WIFE, JAMIE, HIS STAUNCHEST DEFENDER,
WAS LEFT TO PICK UP THE PIECES.
Jamie: I WAS JUST OVERWHELMED.
YOU THINK IT'S A BAD DREAM,
AND YOU THINK THAT YOU'LL WAKE UP FROM IT.
AND I HAVEN'T WOKE UP YET.
Zahn: BUT JAMIE'S NIGHTMARE WASN'T OVER YET.
JERIMY SNEED, THE CONFESSED GUNMAN,
WAS FOLLOWING THE CASE FROM HIS JAIL CELL,
AND HE DECIDED TO SET THE RECORD STRAIGHT.
HE SAID BOTH JAMIE AND RODNEY HAD LIED AT TRIAL
WHEN THEY ACCUSED BEAU BLEWER
OF BEING THE MASTERMIND OF THE PLOT.
Severino: CONTACTED THE LOCAL NEWSPAPER
AND DID AN INTERVIEW WITH THEM AND HE TOLD THEM
THAT BEAU BLEWER HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH THESE MURDERS.
Zahn: FOR JAMIE, THE PRESSURE WAS ON,
AND EVENTUALLY SHE CRACKED.
SHE ADMITTED HER TESTIMONY ABOUT BEAU WAS ALL A LIE,
SAYING IT WAS JUST A DESPERATE EFFORT
TO KEEP HER HUSBAND OUT OF JAIL.
I FEEL ALL THE GUILT AND BLAME.
I MEAN, I FEEL HORRIBLE ABOUT THIS WHOLE SITUATION.
Zahn: BUT THE DAMAGE HAD BEEN DONE.
JAMIE'S TESTIMONY HAD SPLIT THE FAMILY APART,
AND THERE WAS JUST TOO MUCH HURT
TO EVEN TRY TO MAKE THINGS RIGHT.
IT'S AWFUL.
I MEAN, SHE DOESN'T TALK TO US NO MORE,
LIKE SHE DOESN'T WANT TO BE A PART OF THE FAMILY.
Zahn: COMING UP...AN UNBEARABLE SITUATION GETS WORSE.
HOW MUCH RAGE DID YOU FEEL
THAT SHE WAS A KEY PART
IN MAKING THE PLOT TO KILL YOUR PARENTS?
Zahn: WANT MORE "ON THE CASE"? GO TO...
...AND VIEW MORE EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEWS
AND BEHIND-THE-SCENES VIDEO.
TWO MEN WERE IN JAIL
FOR THE MURDERS OF BOB AND MARILYN BLEWER --
ONE WHO WORKED FOR THEM,
THE OTHER THEIR OWN SON-IN-LAW.
FROM BEHIND BARS, THE GUNMAN, JERIMY SNEED,
WAS CLAIMING THAT SOMEONE ELSE WAS INVOLVED
IN THIS SINISTER PLOT -- ONE OF THE BLEWERS' OWN CHILDREN --
THEIR ELDEST DAUGHTER, JAMIE.
Woman: JAMIE KNEW ABOUT THE MURDERS?
AS FAR AS THAT WAS GONNA HAPPEN, YEAH.
Zahn: IN HIS CONFESSION MONTHS BEFORE THE TRIAL,
SNEED SAID JAMIE KNEW EVERYTHING.
SHE EVEN TOLD THEM HOW MUCH MONEY THEY'D GET
FROM HER PARENTS' LIFE INSURANCE.
SHE PUT A PRICE ON EACH ONE OF HER FAMILY MEMBERS.
JAMIE TOLD ME THAT FOR BOTH OF THE PARENTS,
IT WAS $150,000 APIECE,
AND THEN FOR BOTH OF THE KIDS, IT WAS $75,000 APIECE,
AND PLUS ALL THE PROPERTY AND EVERYTHING.
IT WAS OVER HALF A MILLION.
Zahn: AT FIRST, POLICE DIDN'T BELIEVE SNEED'S STORY,
BUT THAT BEGAN TO CHANGE.
JAMIE WAS ALWAYS NONCHALANT, ACTED LIKE IT'S NOT A BIG LOSS.
I FOUND THAT APPALLING THAT SHE COULD BE SO CAVALIER
AND NOT HAVE A CONCERN ABOUT HER PARENTS THAT HAD BEEN KILLED.
Zahn: POLICE SUSPICIONS WERE FUELED
BY JAMIE'S ATTITUDE AND RODNEY'S CONVICTION.
AND NOW THEY WERE PREPARED
TO BELIEVE ALL OF JERIMY SNEED'S STORY.
HE TOLD POLICE THAT HE AND JAMIE WERE HAVING AN AFFAIR
BEFORE HER PARENTS WERE MURDERED,
AND HE HAD FALLEN IN LOVE.
Man: DID YOU GET INTIMATE WITH HER
DURING THE WEEK THAT RODNEY WAS GONE?
YEAH. OKAY.
AND YOU GOT INTIMATE IN WHAT FORM?
EMOTIONALLY AND SEXUALLY.
WHEN PROSECUTORS WAIVED THE DEATH PENALTY IN HIS CASE,
JERIMY AGREED TO TESTIFY AGAINST JAMIE.
Severino: ONE OF THE THINGS THAT HE OFFERED UP WAS,
"WELL, SHE CAME AND VISITED ME WHILE I WAS IN THE JAIL,
AND SHE HAD BEEN WRITING ME LETTERS."
Zahn: JUST MONTHS AFTER HER PARENTS HAD BEEN KILLED,
AND WHILE HER HUSBAND WAS SITTING IN JAIL, AWAITING TRIAL,
JAMIE STARTED CORRESPONDING WITH JERIMY IN PRISON.
THE INTIMACY OF THE LANGUAGE WAS CLEAR.
THERE WAS A ROMANTIC RELATIONSHIP
BETWEEN JERIMY SNEED AND JAMIE.
Zahn: BUT JAMIE SAID IT WAS ALL A TERRIBLE MISUNDERSTANDING --
THAT THE LETTERS WERE INTENDED TO MANIPULATE THE MAN
WHO WAS ACCUSING HER HUSBAND,
AND THEY WEREN'T EVEN HER IDEA.
I WROTE THE LETTERS ON -- I DON'T KNOW.
I DIDN'T REALLY PUT THAT MUCH THOUGHT INTO IT AT THE TIME.
RODNEY AND HIS ATTORNEY TOLD ME TO DO IT, AND I DID IT.
Zahn: TO JAMIE, THE ACCUSATIONS OF A LOVE AFFAIR
WITH THE MAN WHO KILLED HER PARENTS WAS A NIGHTMARE.
SHE TOLD POLICE IT WASN'T TRUE.
BUT POLICE ALSO HAD TWO OTHER WITNESSES
WHO SAID JAMIE WAS PRESENT
WHEN RODNEY TALKED ABOUT WANTING TO KILL BOB AND MARILYN.
THAT WAS ENOUGH FOR PROSECUTORS.
A YEAR AFTER HER PARENTS WERE KILLED,
JAMIE BORUSHASKI WAS ARRESTED
AND CHARGED WITH TWO COUNTS OF MURDER IN THE FIRST DEGREE.
Jamie: IT DIDN'T SEEM REAL.
I WAS LIKE, "I HAVEN'T DONE ANYTHING."
Zahn: FOR LITTLE SISTER JADA,
IT WAS ANOTHER NAIL IN HER HEART.
HOW MUCH RAGE DID YOU FEEL
THAT YOUR SISTER HAD NOT ONLY BEEN ARRESTED,
BUT EVERYONE INVESTIGATING THIS CRIME
BELIEVED SHE WAS A KEY PART
IN MAKING THE PLOT TO KILL YOUR PARENTS?
I THOUGHT EVERYTHING THAT MY MOM AND DAD HAD DONE FOR HER,
FOR RODNEY, FOR ALL OF THEM --
WHY COULDN'T SHE JUST GO AND TELL THEM THE TRUTH,
THAT THEY WERE HAVING PROBLEMS?
PROSECUTORS FELT THEY HAD A POWERFUL CASE AGAINST JAMIE,
BUT THEY ALSO HAD A PROBLEM.
HOW WERE WE GOING TO CONVINCE A JURY
THAT A DAUGHTER WOULD WANT TO HAVE SOMEBODY KILL
HER MOTHER, HER FATHER, HER BROTHER AND SISTER?
BECAUSE THIS IS THE ULTIMATE BETRAYAL.
Zahn: WHEN THE TRIAL STARTED,
JERIMY SNEED TOOK THE STAND AS THE STATE'S STAR WITNESS.
HERE'S THIS COLD-BLOODED KILLER, YOU KNOW?
HE'S AN EXECUTIONER.
HE'S A CONVICTED FELON PRIOR TO THIS.
SO, THIS IS A BAD PERSON,
YET HE'S VERY ARTICULATE.
HE WAS VERY BRIGHT.
Zahn: SNEED SAID HE AND JAMIE WERE PARTNERS IN LOVE AND MURDER.
HE WENT THROUGH THE SORDID DETAILS OF THE RELATIONSHIP,
THE PLOT TO KILL THE BLEWERS AND DIVVY UP THE MONEY.
Greenwood: IF THERE WAS EVER ANY QUESTION BEFORE
ABOUT WHAT THIS WAS ALL ABOUT, HE SET THE RECORD STRAIGHT.
THIS WAS ABOUT GREED.
THIS WAS ABOUT HATE.
THIS WAS ABOUT MONEY.
Man: WHO IS SUPPOSED TO BE MURDERED IN THIS PLOT?
THE WHOLE FAMILY -- ALL FOUR OF THEM.
Zahn: NO MATTER WHAT THE JURY THOUGHT OF JERIMY'S CHARACTER,
HIS TESTIMONY WAS DAMNING.
NOW IT WAS THE DEFENSE'S TURN.
JAMIE TOOK THE STAND
AND DENIED BEING INVOLVED IN THE PLOT TO KILL HER PARENTS.
AND SHE ALSO DENIED
THAT SHE AND SNEED HAD BECOME ROMANTICALLY INVOLVED.
HE AND I NEVER HAD AN INTIMATE RELATIONSHIP.
WE JUST NEVER HAD AN INTIMATE RELATIONSHIP AT ALL.
Zahn: HER LAWYER HAD AN EXPLANATION
FOR HER EXCHANGE OF LETTERS WITH JERIMY,
WHICH WERE WRITTEN WHEN RODNEY WAS AWAITING HIS TRIAL.
SHE WANTED TO GET JERIMY SNEED'S CONFIDENCE,
AND SO SHE WOULD PLAY WHATEVER ROLE SHE HAD TO PLAY
TO GET HIS CONFIDENCE TO TRY TO MAKE SURE
HE DIDN'T TESTIFY AGAINST HER HUSBAND.
Zahn: JAMIE SAID SHE WAS COMING CLEAN
AND ADMITTED TO A SHAMEFUL STRING OF LIES
WHEN SHE TESTIFIED AT HER HUSBAND'S TRIAL,
LIKE WHEN SHE SUGGESTED HER BROTHER, BEAU,
MIGHT HAVE BEEN PART OF THE PLOT.
HER LAWYERS FELT CONFIDENT
THAT THE JURY WOULD BELIEVE JAMIE'S WORD
OVER THAT OF A CONFESSED KILLER.
SHE WAS, I THOUGHT, VERY BELIEVABLE,
AND SHE HAD THAT GOING FOR HER.
Zahn: THE CASE WENT TO THE JURORS.
THEY DELIBERATED FOR THREE DAYS.
THEY BROUGHT HER IN.
SHE LOOKED AT THE JURORS IN THE EYES AND TRIED TO SMILE,
AND NOT ONE OF THEM WOULD LOOK HER IN THE EYE.
JAMIE BORUSHASKI WAS FOUND GUILTY,
TWO COUNTS OF FIRST-DEGREE MURDER,
AND SENTENCED TO LIFE IN PRISON.
Jamie: THE BREATH JUST LEFT ME,
AND THE POLICE CAME UP
AND TOLD ME TO PUT MY HANDS BEHIND MY BACK.
I JUST -- I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT I'M NOT GOING HOME.
I CAN'T BELIEVE THEY BELIEVED HIM OVER ME.
I'VE TRIED SEVERAL HOMICIDE CASES,
AND THIS IS THE CASE THAT HAUNTS ME THE MOST.
Zahn: ALTHOUGH JAMIE HAS EXHAUSTED HER APPEALS,
SHE REMAINS HOPEFUL THAT SOMEDAY, SHE'LL BE SET FREE.
I STILL HAVE A COMMUTATION AVAILABLE TO ME,
SO THERE'S STILL HOPE AT THE END OF THE ROAD.
I DON'T THINK THAT PRISON DEFINES MY LIFE.
I'M NOT THE COLD, HEARTLESS PERSON
THAT PEOPLE THINK THAT I AM.
IT WAS A RELIEF KNOWING THAT SHE WAS BEING PUNISHED
FOR SOMETHING THAT SHE HAD DONE.
I WAS SAD ABOUT IT, BUT SHE DID THE CRIME.
YOU GOT TO PAY FOR IT.
Zahn: JAMIE'S CONVICTION WAS ANOTHER DEVASTATING BLOW
FOR HER SISTER, JADA.
IT'S HEARTBREAKING.
IT'S VERY HEARTBREAKING.
AND YOU BLAME YOUR SISTER FOR THAT?
AND I BLAME MY SISTER AND RODNEY AND JERIMY.
TODAY, JADA OPERATES A FUNNEL-CAKE STAND
AT STATE FAIRS.
IT'S A BITTERSWEET TRIBUTE TO HER MOM AND DAD.
DO YOU THINK MUCH ABOUT THAT WHEN YOU'RE OUT ON THE ROAD?
[ Voice breaking ] YEAH.
YEP.
WISHING THEY WERE RIGHT THERE WITH ME.
HER LOSS HAS BEEN ALL THE MORE HEARTBREAKING
KNOWING IT WAS CAUSED BY HER OWN FLESH AND BLOOD.
WHAT KIND OF A PERSON WAS YOUR SISTER,
AND HOW DO YOU VIEW HER TODAY?
SHE USED TO BE MY BEST FRIEND.
THIS IS GONNA MAKE ME CRY.
SHE WAS MY BEST FRIEND,
AND I STILL LOVE HER BECAUSE SHE'S MY SISTER,
BUT SHE JUST TOOK SO MUCH AWAY FROM ME.
MY DAD GOT TO WALK HER DOWN THE AISLE, BUT NOT ME.
RODNEY BORUSHASKI IS CURRENTLY SERVING TWO LIFE SENTENCES.
JERIMY SNEED, THE MAN WHO TOOK TWO LIVES
IN EXCHANGE FOR THE PROMISE OF $30,000 IN CASH,
WAS RECENTLY GIVEN AN ADDITIONAL LIFE SENTENCE
FOR MURDERING A FELLOW INMATE.
I'M PAULA ZAHN.
JOIN US NEXT TIME WHEN WE'RE BACK ON THE CASE.