the menu. it's easy to take that for granted. and yet, when you've lost that, it has a devastating effect on your life. i think, for me, what i saw, and the sense of mission it brought me, was that when you give that back to someone, when you help them get that smile and their confidence back, we've released the human potential in those people, and that's very gratifying. >> dr. adams, tell us about the kind of patients that you see every day. what are some of the common dental problems that they face? >> well, we see patients who patients that i would call dental refugees. they've had a lifetime of dental problems -- problems with all types of gum disease, cavities, missing teeth. the founder of the modern-day implants said, very famously, "no one should die with their teeth in a glass on the side of the bed at night." these patients truly are dental refugees and have had a lifetime of problems. they've lost their first set of teeth, which were their baby teeth. they're on the verge, or they

and now, with the predictability of implants, we can provide them with a third dentition which is stable and predictable. it's extraordinary. >> thank you, dr. adams. we'll be right back to tell you just how clearchoice is helping restore dental health and setting smiles free, right after this. ? >> you have to have confidence on this job. anything that takes away from that puts you at risk. i get compliments all the time. "oh, my god, ian my self-confidence has gone up. the smile is one of the first things that people see. i mean, i used to always smile, i would keep my lips on my teeth. my dental problems started years ago with fillings and root canals. and i was looking at, at some point, my teeth falling out. i had to do something. clearchoice didn't just give me new teeth. they set me free to be who i want to be. >> announcer: join the thousands who have already set their smiles free at clearchoice.

free consultation with our team of experts. >> it was a one-day process. i would walk out with a smile the same day. the lab, the surgery, any work that you need done, it's all done at one location. they not only helped to rebuild my smile but helped me to rebuild my self-confidence. they really set me free. i mean, look at this smile. >> announcer: don't wait another day. call clearchoice now. >> it is an amazing transformation that happens in one day. patient comes in with bad teeth day with a brand-new smile. there's hardly any cases here that we can't solve, that we can't achieve a nice result with a beautiful, new smile. clearchoice is special because we have the cutting-edge technology, multiple specialists, and the lab, all in one center. at the end of the day, when the patient looks at the mirror and realizes that their life has changed forever, it's very gratifying to know that i was

happen for them. i'm dr. ali kanawati, the prosthodontist at the clearchoice cleveland center. >> announcer: at clearchoice, you're about to discover what you've been missing all these years. >> ? your smile is waiting for you ? >> announcer: call clearchoice today. ? >> welcome back to "smile healthy america." dr. adams, you touched on this briefly earlier, but i'd like to talk more about the one-day transformation. how is it possible to create a full, new smile in just one day? w about, previously, how it was done or how it's still, unfortunately, being done in some offices. so, first, you have to have all of your teeth removed, and you are given a denture. that denture sits on your healing gums. it's not a very comfortable process. several months of healing have to occur. finally, the implants can go in. again, they go underneath the gums, and this uncomfortable denture goes back over your healing gums again. then, months and months of healing again. and, finally, you can get rid of

teeth that are fixed in place on the implants. so it's a very arduous process, which you have to kind of have some fortitude to kind of get through. at clearchoice, we see that we can do this a better way because of our specialists. our doctors have a vast amount of experience and knowledge in the area, because placing implants is all we do. because we have dental technicians on site that can actually build your smile. these are master craftsmen that can build your smile -- this gorgeous smile, the smile of your dreams -- while you wait. we have the technology right on site. we have the c.a.t. scan to allow us to precisely measure the bone and know exactly where to place these implants. so, not only we can place the implants but we can put teeth on them and we can do it immediately in just one day. and finally, we have a support staff that has the passion for helping you change your life by getting this new smile. by bringing all those things together, we can create this

day. it's really extraordinary. >> let's hear from some patients and clearchoice doctors talking about the full-arch implant restoration. ? >> announcer: our precise technology helps us create a whole new set of teeth, with as few as four implants on the top and four on the bottom. >> we can use a minimum of four implants and be able to provide a complete set of teeth without having to replace each implant. this one time is all that they're going to have to go through to get a permanent solution. >> announcer: you get stronger teeth faster, with a minimum number of implants anchored in your jaw. dental implants are made of medical-grade titanium and custom-placed, based on your 3-d imaging c.t. scan. they are the most natural replacement for your missing teeth. a dental implant acts like a natural root in the jaw, permanently and securely fusing with your bone.

problems by slowing future bone loss and giving a strong foundation to your new teeth. a connector and then your porcelain crown are attached. it's strong, good-looking, and ready to take on your next smile. >> clearchoice was able to do the whole lower jaw with four implants, and then again, four more implants for my upper. that evening, when i went home, i had all the teeth in my mouth. >> each time i would come back, we talked about the color, we wanted it just a little off. and finally, they put them in, and i loved it! >> i didn't realize how much detail there was with the implants and how much input i had in designing them, picking the color, picking the way they looked, to make it look like me. i feel like it's the new me. >> announcer: less surgery means less recovery time, so your new teeth are ready to go to work for you pretty much right away. join the thousands who are already smiling freely, thanks

>> growing up, my family didn't have very much money. i was told that i needed to get braces, but we couldn't afford that. by the time i became an adult, my teeth had kind of really got very, very bad, losing a lot of bone. my teeth were just getting worse. it was very bad for my confidence. when my daughter got married, i couldn't smile in the wedding pictures, because i was too embarrassed. something had to give. however, i did not want to have to wear dentures, because i had family members who wore them. their face didn't even look the same. i really wanted something that was going to be more permanent. when i came to clearchoice and i found that what they had to offer was going to be a solution for the rest of my life, to me, it was like a miracle. you know? you come in that morning, and you leave and you have teeth in your mouth. and it's hard to believe that, but it really is true.

experience to see yourself the first time. my teeth are there. they're like they are mine. beautiful! i mean, i have prettier teeth now than i ever had, my entire life. i just wish i would have done it 25 years ago, when i was younger and could take advantage of the look. [ laughing ] >> it truly is an amazing transformation. but, you know, i think the biggest question people have is implants. >> no doubt, shari, the number-one question on people's mind is, "how much does this procedure cost?" and there's no doubt, this is an investment. but the question i ask patients all the time is, "do you feel that you are really worth this?" and i can tell you, from working with thousands and thousands of people, that you are worth this. it's an extraordinary transformation to change your life and to do it in just one day. it's an extraordinary investment. >> so, this is something that

>> absolutely. my average patient coming in is just a regular patient. they have a job, they have a mortgage, they have a family, they're taking care of things. but they're also struggling with self-esteem, with being able to just enjoy a nice meal at a restaurant, to be able to smile at the dry cleaner when they pick up their clothes. those things that we take for granted, they're struggling with, and we can help them change that. we have financing available for them. we can make this affordable and fit this into their lifestyle. here are some patients, doctors, and patient-education consultants to give you their perspectives. >> when patients come in, and maybe they've had bad teeth for years. they've seen the magazine in the drug store. and that's what we're trying to give them. we'll give them the smile they've been seeking for a long time, and it's finally the time to do that. >> announcer: ask yourself, what would it be worth to not have to think about, worry about, or cover up your teeth ever again?

clearchoice. >> everybody here is looking to help people that come in the door make a better change for their lives. >> it truly is the best investment i've ever made in myself. and i have never, ever regretted a penny i've spent. >> it's probably the best investment you can make to yourself. there's nothing more personal than having a healthy, beautiful smile. these teeth are part of your body. they're not dentures. they never come out of your mouth. money you've spent in your whole life on dentistry, it's probably more than what this procedure costs. >> even though it was money that cost me up front, and i had to allot for it, so i had to cut back on things, i would do it again in a heartbeat. >> we have several financing options that we offer here at clearchoice. we work with several of the leaders in healthcare finance. so we get really creative in helping people figure out ways to make this work so that they're not trading one stress for another and it's something

>> i look at this as a necessary procedure in order to have a healthy life for the rest of my life. >> we're doing amazing transformations. and it's not just a smile, which is huge. changes that person's total outlook. we're changing self-esteem. >> it's the best investment ever. >> announcer: changing your smile and your life for good -- another reason this is clearly the best way to set your smile free. >> we'll be back in a minute to talk about overcoming the fear often associated with major dental procedures, like getting implants. ? >> i do get a lot of compliments about my smile. it makes me feel more self-confident. my teeth just were not healthy. it did change my eating habits. food started hurting my teeth,

for me. and now i can eat anything i want. i would never consider dentures. i had my consultation with clearchoice. >> announcer: join the thousands who have already set their smiles free at clearchoice. call or click to schedule your free consultation with our team of experts. >> everything was all under one roof -- the doctors, the surgeon, prosthodontist, the lab. i walked out of there with the teeth that i wanted, all done in one day.i' that investment in me, because i know it's going to last me the rest of my life. my husband loves them, and i will always have this smile. always! [ chuckles ] >> announcer: don't wait another day. call clearchoice now. >> this right here is what we call larry's lounge. i have worked in this spot here now for 32 years. and this is my space. [ buzzer ] i've had a lot of folks say, "man, what have you done to your teeth?" "well, you know, i, uh, i just take care of them."

i mean, really, really bad. i wanted that confidence level where i could just, like, talk freely and people would say, "did you see that guy's teeth, man? they were beautiful." yeah, i made that 105-mile trip to have it done at clearchoice. when those folks gave me the mirror and i looked at myself, after having my broken, discolored teeth, and i looked at myself, i said, "oh, wow. look at that." i was taking some pictures of my new teeth, just trying to savor the moment. and you know, i mean, these tears... [ voice breaking ] just makes you feel good. i am glad i went to clearchoice and did what i did, because clearchoice was the clear choice for me. ?t really was. >> hi, again. i'm shari smith with "smile healthy america." and we're still talking to dr. adams of clearchoice.

but let's face it, not everyone loves going to the dentist. how do you put these people at ease? >> shari, i am a nice guy. as well are my colleagues. i can tell you, though, that after practicing dentistry for 30 years, not many people really want to go in and see the dentist. no one is really happy to be there. but i can tell you that, in our centers, we understand the shame, the fright, all that has occurred in someone's life to have to now consider replacing all their teeth. we understand that. and what i would encourage anyone to do is call us. they can come to one of our centers, and they can have a free consultation. and at that time, they'll be able to meet us, they'll meet our staff, they'll understand that we truly care about them and this process of being able to change their life and do it in just one day. >> so, that would include the people who maybe haven't been to the dentist for years, and they're embarrassed about the condition of their teeth.

don't have anything to be embarrassed about, because there isn't a situation that we've seen -- whatever is going on with you, we've probably seen it, and we've probably seen a lot worse. so i can tell you that we don't look at the past. we look forward and how we can help that person change their life. >> and what about pain management? >> well, one of the unique things about clearchoice centers is that our specialists, our oral surgeons, are also specialists not just in the placement of implants. our orur provide you with i.v. sedation, so you can have a safe and comfortable experience. many of our patients go back to work within just a few days of having the procedure done. >> let's learn more about how clearchoice doctors help their patients feel more comfortable with dental implants. ? >> most people have had bad experience with dentists in the past, so they resist coming. by far, the majority of people leave here completely surprised

>> announcer: if the phrase "dental implants" leaves you feeling a little uneasy, you are not alone. at clearchoice, we have the skill and expertise to make every procedure as smooth as possible. we want to get you smiling freely, as comfortably and quickly as we can. >> i have big fear of the dentist. never liked to go. always made excuses. i would start getting anxious about it -- just the whole process and the drill. zzz! it was -- it was a nightmare. i started looking for alternative and found clearcic i mean, i don't just go to work, and go to work and have a job. i go to work and, "it's somebody's life is going to be changed today." it's just -- it's cool. it's -- it's neat. >> the setup here at clearchoice is all intentional. in fact, all of our locations across the country are set up and designed in a fashion so that patients don't feel like they're in a dental office. we recognize it takes a tremendous amount of courage for our patients to pick up the phone, schedule an appointment,

and it could be because of a past bad experience. and so our goal is for patients to come in, feel like they're welcome, not feel like it's a sterile environment. we take all of our patients on a tour. and many patients leave feeling like -- you know, they're hugging us. and they tell us that was the last thing that they thought would ever happen when they came through the doors. our process is all intentional for patients to feel comfortable. >> the number-one thing that people tell me, when they get their dental implants, is, "i don't think about my teeth anymore. and that's huge fo ? >> the first step with clearchoice is a free consultation at the center. so, what can i expect when i get there? >> well, you can expect, first of all, to meet with one of our patient-education consultants. please look at them as a partner in this process of helping you change your life. that's what they're going to do. and the first thing they're going to do is they're just going to talk with you. they're going to talk to you

problems have you had in the past, and how we can help you, going forward, to take care of those problems. when you feel comfortable, they're going to give you a tour of our center. we're very proud of our center. and you're going to be able to meet some of our team members and see the passion we have for helping people change their life. we're going to take a 3-d c.a.t. scan of your jaws so that one of our doctors can then sit down and actually put together a customized plan for you to be able to answer your questions have. you'll then meet with that doctor so that you can have any of the questions about what we propose having done answered, as well, including how long it will take and what the costs are. >> and this initial consultation takes about how long? >> well, it's free and it takes about an hour. we want to make sure there's plenty of time to answer all of your questions and make sure you walk away knowing not just what we can do for you but also how long it will take and what kind

>> clearchoice gives hundreds of consultations every day. here are some patients, doctors, and patient-education consultants to tell you more. ? >> i came to clearchoice for my consultation, and i met with dr. adams. and i felt a great confidence in him right away. and i was in pretty bad shape. i had run out of teeth to eat with and had to do something. >> announcer: from the second you walk into clearchoice for your free consultation until you our best to make you feel at ease, at home, and comfortable to ask questions until you can't think of any more to ask. >> one of the benefits of clearchoice, obviously, is that we are set up in a way where we can spend that hour, hour and a half it's going to take to really educate the patient and really discuss what this is going to do for you, how this is going to change your life, what the pros and cons are, what the other options are. >> my job is to meet patients

clearchoice is the right spot for them, if we can help them move forward with their dental goals. >> we actually involve the patient a lot. "hey, what do you want? bring us photos. show us your best smile." the c.t. scan tells us how much bone is there. it tells us if there's infections. it tells us a lot of things. and so, when we look at that, we're already cutting to the chase. >> announcer: so, at the end of the day, what can you expect at your consultation? you'll meet your doctors and their team, you'll get your treatment plan and free 3-d imaging c.t. scan that tells us how your mouth looks from the inside out, and you'll find out how we can help with financing. >> my teeth look amazing. i feel fabulous about the way they look and the way they feel. ? >> we'll be back with dr. adams right after this. ? >> i couldn't smile anymore. my daughter got married. i stood in the background for

i would laugh and put my hand over my teeth. i had no self-confidence. and i thought, "i don't want dentures. i don't want my teeth on a nightstand." it was like a nightmare. and now i go to weddings, i get in their pictures because i look good. i feel good. in one day, they can give you all the self-confidence that you didn't have before. when you walk out of here, you have it. >> announcer: join the thousands who have already set their smiles free at clearchoice. call or click to schedule your of experts. >> with clearchoice, i could go in and come out the same day with a beautiful smile. clearchoice just gave us a way out. >> announcer: don't wait another day. call clearchoice now. >> i can't imagine going the rest of my life without a smile. it was like a dream come true. ? >> running is -- it's a constant

ever since i've had my surgery, i've done three half-marathons. well, this is my third one. i had a really extreme case of periodontal disease. i felt gorgeous and great inside, but it didn't look that way with the teeth that i had. i'm 36 years old, and someone is telling me, "you need to get full dentures." i'm thinking clicking, clacky?t" soak them at nht i thought, "you know, there has to be another choice." and my husband actually was the one who saw a commercial and i went ahead and made the step to go in. after my surgery, i was handed a mirror. it was unbelievable. i cried. they cried with me. it was -- it was an unbelievable moment. when i'm out running, i feel amazing. [ sighs ] it's just a reminder of how my life has changed in these past two years. good morning. they're a blessing. they're a huge blessing in my life.

and that's from the heart. ? ? >> we're back to wrap up this episode of "smile healthy america." dr. adams, we've heard it from your patients and we've seen it in your doctors. clearchoice is truly making a profound difference in the lives of thousands of people all over the country. unique all-in-one approach to dental implants. we've learned about the clearchoice approach, how you're able to restore full smiles in one day, using the full-arch treatment. we've seen how you're helping people deal with their natural fears of having this procedure done, walking them through the entire process, and giving them finance options so that they can afford dental implants. it's all about taking control of your dental health and joining the smile-freedom movement,

you mentioned fear. many of our patients are very fearful. they've had the fear of having a bad smile, the fear of not being able to really show their teeth in public. they don't feel like they've had any control over what their smile looks like, any control over what all these expenses have cost them and their family, both in time and money. and while we do help these patients regain their dental health, and we do have to talk about implants and we have to end of the day, it's not about any of that at all. it's about freedom -- freedom from dentures, freedom from worrying about your smile again, the freedom to walk into a restaurant, order anything that you want, the freedom of getting off this merry-go-round of continued failed "denturations." it's really about freedom, and we're very proud to set these smiles free. >> well, thank you, dr. adams, for being here and giving us your perspective. and thank you all for joining us

"smile healthy america."

lost concept of time. i reached in, pulled her out, started screaming help. >> please! amy, wake up! wake up! >> it was the worst seconds of my life. >> how was it possible. >> i would give anything if she were alive today. >> -- such a sweet young wife death. >> i cried all night long. >> he was downstairs with the kids. she was upstairs in the bath. then it happened. >> please, help me! >> how long's she been in here? >> i don't know. she was taking a bath! >> we didn't know if it was a tragic accident or something else. >> questions quickly swirled about a wife's secret. >> what did you eat? >> she did have an addiction to

>> she flopped on the floor. >> was it an accident, or maybe murder? >> she said, i'm scared of you. >> the whispering started almost immediately. you're a murderer? >> when you're innocent, you don't think it can happen. >> just wait for the spell-binding moment in court. >> it is nothing i would have ever imagined in my life. >> i'm lester holt, and this is "dateline." here's josh quiet one." >> sometimes the fresh air of a small town can hide a lot of dirty laundry. >> my worst fear was all of a sudden true. >> sometimes sudden death with lay bare every secret. >> she had felt like she was abusing it. >> what happened in this small d town would tear apart a

separate two families that were once united by love. boone, iowa, on flat land just north of des moines, is a company town, headquarters for one of the largest grocery chains in the midwest, fairway. it's a family owned company and rick beck with is a family ceo. he and his wife raised of five, their youngest daughter emily. the sweet but quiet one. >> a shrinking violet? >> the older sisters said she never got spanked. >> she didn't. just remain silent and look at me with those big brown eyes and it was over. >> even though emily was from a prominent wealthy family, her friend said she never flaunted it. >> everyone knew that emily was a beckwith, but i never felt less in her presence or anyone in our family.

wanted to be friends with and every boy wanted to date. according to her friends. >> could have any boyfriend. >> all the guys were ga ga over her. she was grge. you've seen pictures of her, even in high school, she was gorgeous. but it wasn't her thing to date. >> by the time she was 21, emily had moved to kansas city, missouri, working in a hair salon. one night in 2001, she went to a ba spotted her from across the room. and it's one of those a-ha moments, i have to go talk to that girl. >> after a few days, he said he knew she was the one. what did you like about her? >> what didn't i? she was beautiful. she was very nice. she dressed impeccably. yeah, what didn't i?

son asked if he could bring emily to sunday dinner. >> he said i have met someone and i would love to be able to bring her over so that you all can get to know her better. >> and you thought, here we go? >> yes, i did. >> emily's family also heard about the boy. >> she said, i met this fellow, he's italian, and shsa they're louder than us. she fell in love with the whole family immediately. emily's sister amy could see they were in love. her eyes sparkled. alex's eyes sparkled when they were together. just huge smiles on both of their faces. >> the girl who never dated was swept off her feet. emily and alex married may 10, 2003. >> how many people? >> i would guess at least 400. >> that's big.

maybe mid size, but -- >> the couple had a son, nick. and a year later, alex took up emily's parents on an invitation to move to boone. >> it was an open offer if he wanted to come and work for fairway. >> her father offered alex an opportunity as a family member to move way up the ranks, and at my husband's encouragement, he went. >> alex took an entry level job at a fairway store near this house, just a five-minute drive from their own. soon there were two more additions to the family, ricky and cocoa. >> all emily webber wanted to be is to have a family and be a wife and a mother. >> it all seemed perfect until the night of january 29th, 2012. it was close to the kids' bed times. emily had gone up early to take her nightly bath, and alex was doing things his wife normally

i helped the kids with their bath. >> alex said he heard emily start her bath, as he and the kids watched peter pan. there was a lot of sword fighting and things like that, and music, and it was really loud. and when it got quiet, i could hear the water still running. >> alex says the water was running for about 20 to0 see what was taking so long and came upon a horrible scene. emily was submerged in the tub unconscious. >> i tried to -- as hard as i could, to get her out of that tub, as fast as i could. she slipped out of my arms. i started screaming help. i ran to the phone to call 911.

your emergency? >> help! >> what's going on? what's going on? >> it was the worst seconds was my life. >> but there was much more to come. two lives and so many secrets would soon be put under a microscope. >> what had happened upstairs in that bathroom? when we come back -- >> please, help me! >> how long's she been in here? >> i don't know. >> we didn't know if it was a tragic accident or something else. >> it's an addiction, you know, it's the addiction. >> addiction? the mystery was just beginning. many people clean their dentures with toothpaste or plain water. and even though their dentures look clean, in reality they're not. if a denture were to be put under a microscope, we can see all the bacteria that still exists on the denture, and that bacteria multiplies very rapidly. that's why dentists recommend

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>> this should have been a routine night at home in small town usa, boone, iowa. instead alex was telling a 911 operator how he just pulled his wife emily out of the bathtub. >> please! honey wake up! wake up! >> it got worse. the kids wandered in and saw their mother on the bathroom floor. >> stay away! kids, please, please.

of reviving her. >> me personally, no, i didn't. >> you don't know cpr? >> no. >> but with the operator's help, alex tried. >> tilt her head back. okay? did you do that? >> yeah. >> sergeant john weeb old of the boone police department got the call and arrived at the house with two other officers. his body camera was rolling as alex led >> as we entered the master bathroom, emily was laying on the floor, face up, and she had a bluish tint to her. >> please help me. >> how long's she been in here? >> i don't know. she was taking a bath. >> could you tell whether he was still alive? >> i checked for a pulse and breathing, didn't feel any, so i instantly started cpr. >> how long? >> she's pretty cold. >> blood?

forehead. >> what was around? anything? the bathtub was full of water, and there were oil droplets on top of the water, like bath oil. there was music playing from an ipad on the sink area. >> emts loaded emily into an ambulance and raced to the hospital. when her mother cindy got the call, she went straight there. >> and they told me she was in emergency room and then a >> emily was dead at the age of 32 and known new why. >> when you went home that night, what did you think this was? >> i didn't really know. sfs suspicious death for sure. we didn't if it was a suicide or a tragic accident or something else. >> around midnight, police asked alex to give a statement at pleat headquarters.

you know, she just flopped on the floor. >> you went this, in those initial interviews, you're not represented by an attorney? >> no. >> and you talked to the police and you handed over your phone? >> yes. >> almost as if you had nothing to hide? >> i didn't. >> he also told police something very few people knew. his wife had a dependence on prescription drugs. alex said he was sure emily's addiction had killed her. >> it's really not my wife that did it, it's the addiction. happened? >> i didn't know if, you know, she'd tack a handful of pills. i was having a hard time trying to reconcile if she killed herself or if she just overdosed. >> you thought overdose, either deliberate or unintentional? >> yeah, i thought it was a reasonable assumption. >> reasonable because alex said he'd been dealing with his

stolen pain pills from his father. now a few months later, alex's own doctor asked a strange question during a check-up. he said, and how's your shoulder? and i said, it's fine. why do you ask? he said, i wanted to make sure the vicodin i prescribed you are working. i said, excuse me! and i started crying. >> you hadn't asked for any vicodin? >> correct. >> vicodin is a powerful pain medication that can be highly addictive. emily had asked for the prescription, saying it was for alex, but he said she ended up taking the pills herself. alex said he confronted emily. >> i said, you're gonna have to choose between your family and this medicine. i said, i'm not going to stay married to you if you continue down this road. >> and she said? >> she said okay. she said it and she may have meant it, but alex said, in the months before she died, emily would seem okay one day, but not

they -- like a glaze. she -- and then she would be fine for a period. >> finally, in december 2011, two months before her death, emily reached out to her mom for help. >> did she say she'd become addicted to this painkiller? >> i don't know if she used the word addiction, but she had felt like she was abusing it. an >> emily's doctors had recommended in-patient rehab. instead, she decided to detox at her mother's house and to hide it from alex and the kids by saying she had mono. >> the reason is because they were scared of what it would do to their image. >> is the reason that you put out this cover story about emily having mono, is that because sending her to rehab would have been some kind of embarrassment

>> absolutely not. we've always done the best thing for our children and it was emily's desire to keep it from alex. >> emily went cold turkey. cindy says the first couple days, her daughter hardly left her bed, suffering from severe headaches. but after only four days, emily went home. >> did you think she was clean, off drugs, that that behind her? >> i knew that she was still tired. >> but no longer addicted? >> no. >> you were convinced that had been dealt with? >> yes. >> alex didn't find out about the detox until much later, but he said in the weeks before she died, emily still had a stash ever pain pills. >> how many times did you say to your wife, if you don't get off the drugs, i'm going to have to leave you? >> at least three. >> but she wouldn't do it?

>> she would never agree to rehab? >> no. she told me that all her doctors are on the same page, everything is fine. >> so alex was telling everyone that his wife was a victim of her own demons. but soon, new evidence would emerge that would send this case in a me sinister direction. coming up -- >> results came back clean. >> so it wasn't an overdose? >> it wasn't an overdose.

alex fazeeno had lost his wife emily. despite his grief, he still had to be strong for his children. >> what did you tell your kids? >> i remember hugging them, i

mommy went to heaven and that she can't come back. >> as two families mourned and said goodbye, alex had to come to grips with the fact that he was now a single dad with three kids under the age of 7. >> it's sickening to know that if emily would have got the help she needed, she could still be here for my kids, aro >> while emily's family tried to cope with their loss, state investigator don schnit ger was operating on the assumption that her death was linked to her addiction. >> she did have a drug problem. she had an addiction to opiate medication, prescription pills. >> an overdose would mean no crime, just a regrettable death or even a suicide. but then, six weeks later, something that changed the

emily's toxicology report came back. >> the results came back clean. she wasn't under the influence of opiates at the time of her death. >> so it wasn't an overdose? >> it wasn't an overdose. >> no trace of the opiates she had been abusing. there was nothing in her system, no alcohol. so investigators had to take a look at the case, starting with the photos of bruises on h police saw a bump on her head, but during the medical exam, the medical examiner found more. >> she had trauma to all four sides of her head. >> possible those injuries could have occurred while alex was dragging his wife out of the tub? >> i don't think so. >> and there were bruises on her neck.

that were of concern, that maybe she was held under the water by her neck. >> alex said he tried cpr, that couldn't be caused by somebody who was doing cpr? >> our feeling is no. >> how could emily have gotten those bruises? >> well, i know she hit her head while i was gwyetting her out o the bathtub. or you would -- i mean, when i picked her up, i heard it hit head hit. >> the side of the tub? the floor? >> i don't know. i was heaving her out -- it was so hard to get her out. >> would you have bruised her neck doing that? i don't know. agent schnit ger wanted to know, what might be going on behind closed doors in the fazeeno marriage. he listened to another 911 call. >> and he's taking everything of

too. >> one week before her death, emily called 911 to complain about alex. >> he's trying to take property that is not his. >> emily came home inebriated the night before and i'd had it. and i grabbed whatever pills i could grab and i was going to flush them down the toilet. >> and she got angry? >> she got angry, she called 911. >> no ons charged in the incident, but it seemed to be the breaking point. the next day emily filed for divorce, then alex did the same. both asked for custody of the children. and both were still living in the same house. a few nights later, emily called her father rick. >> the words were saying one thing, the voice was telling me something different. >> what were the voice telling you? >> she was scared. there was something wrong.

dead. >> i will never forget that phone call. because that was the last time i heard her voice. >> for investigator schnit ger, a new picture was emerging, a marriage in shambles, a husband pushed to the edge. maybe it wasn't an accident or suicide. maybe it was murder. it seems hard to believe that alex would kill his wife, and his kids are just a couple of rooms away. >> but that's -- if you're thinking this i out, you know, often times couples get in arguments and they escalate and somebody dies. >> you had seen your wife endanger her life. you weren't angry at your wife's inability to kick her habit? >> no. i was disappointed in her. i was disappointed that this happened, but angry, no, never angry with emily. >> but emily's family and friends say they were angry at alex. the beckwiths and the fazeenos,

splitting along family lines. coming up -- >> they just kept saying over and over, he murdered her. >> you're a murderer? >> that's what they're saying. >> that's not all they were saying. upon did you say alex and his family are in the mafia and women who try to divorce wind up dead? marco...! polo! marco...! polo! marco...! polo! marco...! s?? polo! marco...! polo! scusa? playing "marco polo" with marco polo? surprising. ragazzini, io sono marco polo. s?, sono qui... what's not surprising? how much money amanda and keith saved by switching to geico. ahhh... polo. marco...! polo! fifteen minutes could save you fifteen percent or more.

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>> rumors were flying around the town of boone, iowa, after after emily's death. >> they just kept saying over and over, he murdered her. he murdered her.

>> yeah. within a -- within a day. >> you're a murderer? >> that's what they were saying. >> reporter: and not just a murderer. emily's sister, ammie, told investigators alex was also a mobster. >> did you say that alex and his family are in the mafia, in organized crime, and that women who try to divorce their way out of the fazzino family wind up dead? >> that was information that emily had told me. ammie doesn't realize that, of my mom's six siblings and my dad's one sibling, there have been 11 divorces. >> those people all still alive? >> they're not all still alive, but none of 'em were killed. >> but they weren't murdered. >> right. >> so the fazzinos are not some hooked up organized crime family? >> no, and i resent her saying that. >> reporter: alex insisted the allegations were ludicrous, and that's also what investigators determined. >> did you pick up in your investigation any indication that the fazzino family is involved in organized crime? >> no. >> you didn't find any evidence that that was true. >> no. >> or that in any -- played any role in -- in -- in -- >> emily's death, no.

>> reporter: to get away from all the finger-pointing, alex took his kids to kansas city and moved back in with his parents. >> we all suffered. our family as a whole suffered with the accusation that my son was a murderer. >> reporter: four months later, the investigation took another turn when the medical examiner released the final autopsy report. she ruled the cause and manner of death, undetermined, meaning she couldn't say how emily died. prosecutors dan kolacia and scott brown had been assigned to the case. >> the fact that you can't say for sure and the medical examiner couldn't say for sure, that makes this a bigger mountain to climb, doesn't it? >> this is a difficult case based upon the evidence. it doesn't mean that it didn't need to be prosecuted, just because we have an undetermined call doesn't mean we don't push forward. >> reporter: so, they asked a different medical examiner to look at the case -- a south dakota pathologist, dr. brad randall.

gave an opinion of the injuries are highly suggestive of a struggle and ruled it a homicide. >> reporter: homicide, and there was only one suspect. in april of 2013, 15 months after emily died, alex fazzino was arrested and charged with his wife's murder. >> they said, "you're under arrest." and, i was in complete shock. when you're innocent you don't think it can happen. you think they're gonna come to their senses, they're gonna see it. but, no. >> reporter: he spent three weeks in jail before being released on bond. >> truth will come out. >> reporter: alex's sister, marguerite says her brother was charged with murder because of small town politics. >> what was it that you think kept the state sort of moving forward with -- with the idea of prosecuting? >> well, i think it was the beckwiths. i think the power that they have