and that's not good enough. it's never going to be good enough. >> that's all for this edition of "dateline extra." i'm craig melvin. thank you for watching. i was shocked. things just didn't add up. >> it was the last place you would expect to find a gruesome crime scene. quiet neighborhood. the lovely home. this friendly couple. >> i think it's hard not to have loved tammy. >> they were very happy. very happy. >> it seemed to be a simple case

robbery gone horribly wrong. >> you realize that she was dead or dieing. >> but nothing about this case was simple. not the marriage, and not the murder. >> i just kept getting more red flags coming up. >> the surprises just kept on coming. >> he said, i've got to talk to you in private. >> what dark force claimed two lives? >> i feel like she's still there, i feel her with me. >> "mystery at ascot estates." hello and welcome to "dateline extra." i'm craig melvin. brett and tammy park wear a popular couple, raising their two children in a serene southern city. then gunshots shattered their quiet lives and left a tight-knit community reeling. at first the evidence seemed to tell a clear story. but this mystery was more complicated than anyone imagined. here's andrea canning. >> in south carolina afternoons can be spent on the river, or

nearby lake murray. tucked away inside this capital city is ascot estates where old southern charm mingles with new money. not much in the way of drama here. until april 2012, friday the 13th, when something sinister happened. >> i immediately turn on the news and saw there had been a double murder. >>y confused because there was no way of knowing for sure what was going on. >> my husband called me and said something terrible had happened. and i said, what happened? >> what happened would become the center of a mystery, a whodunit that began with a frantic 911 call. >> who shot your wife? >> a friend of mine, bryan. >> is he still there? >> the call came from a most unusual place, the gracious home of well-liked husband and wife brett and tammy parker.

the parkers were a golden couple, each with their own special gifts. tammy was raised in a small town near columbia but left to go into sales where she was immediately successful. best friend angela leon. >> i think it's hard not to love tammy. she's vibrant and outgoing and full of life, full of energy. always positive. >> did she turn heads? >> tammy was the kind of person that she didn't even notice she was turning heads. >> during one of tammy's sales calls she met columbia businessman ben staples. they became close friends. could tammy sell anything? >> she could sell anything, just her personality. everyone liked her. >> and tammy had something else that set her apart. talent. >> i can't remember exactly the first time i heard her sing, but i was amazed. amazed at how great she was. >> tammy sang with a local band, jump start. woody woodward was lead

guitarist and one of her biggest fans. >> voices like that are just gifts. somebody gives you that from above. >> friends thought she could take her talent big-time. but tammy seemed happy to remain in columbia. one of her gigs was at her friend ben staples' annual barbecue. >> this is tammy's stage? >> yes, she enjoyed this. tammy was an entertainer. she didn't just stand up there and sing. >> along the way, in 1996, tammy met and married a local boy, brett parker, a medical supply salesman. he'd been a star athlete in high school. his aunt, sandra hunter, says he was always throwing some kind of ball. >> he played football and softball and baseball and he was an all-american kid. >> an injury sidelined any thoughts of a career in professional sports, so brett took up amateur softball. that's how he met one of his closest friends, howdy baer.

>> no doubt brett was one of the best softball players i played with. >> tammy, she was just precious and i'll never forget that. i knew they was going to get married, it was just a matter of time. >> howdy and his wife tagged along to tammy's singing gigs and saw a lucky man in love. >> they were fun to be around. no doubt in my mind he loved her. >> both tammy's friends and brett's family agreed, the couple just clicked. did they seem like a good fit for each other? >> they seemed to do well together. they seemed to have some of the same, you know, dreams and ambitions. >> did you like tammy? >> oh, i loved her. >> they had two children, born eight years ago. and in the spring of 2012, the family in upscale ascot estates appeared to be living a charmed existence. then came the afternoon of april 13th and that call to 911. it was brett parker. >> get somebody over here. >> okay, i need you to stay on the phone with me, okay? >> tammy was dead, and there was

more. someone else lay dead in that house. it was a double murder. a cold-blooded crime. it would look more chilling with each new detail. >> the parkers' seemingly perfect life now in ruins, and the crime scene full of clues. the investigation begins. coming up -- >> i shot him, i think i killed him. >> who exactly was the friend who now lay dead inside the parkers' house? >> one of the first questions i asked him is what was his relationship with this man? he said, can i talk to you? private? >> when "mystery at ascot estates" continues. thousands of women with metastatic breast cancer, which is breast cancer that has spread to other parts of the body, are living in the moment and taking ibrance. ibrance with an aromatase inhibitor is for postmenopausal women or for men with hr+/her2- metastatic breast cancer,

as the first hormonal based therapy. ibrance plus letrozole significantly delayed disease progression versus letrozole, and shrank tumors in over half of patients. patients taking ibrance can develop low white blood cell counts which may cause serious infections that can lead to death. ibrance may cause severe inflammation of the lungs that can lead to death. tell your doctor right away if you have new or worsening symptoms, including trouble breathing, shortness of breath, cough, or chest pain. before taking ibrance, tell your doctor if you have fever, chills, or other signs of infection, liver or kidney problems, are pregnant, breastfeeding, or plan to become pregnant. common side effects include low red blood cell and low platelet counts, infections, tiredness, nausea, sore mouth, abnormalities in liver blood tests, diarrhea, hair thinning or loss, vomiting, rash, and loss of appetite. be in your moment. ask your doctor about ibrance. no matter how much you clean, does your house still smell stuffy?

that's because your home is filled with soft surfaces that trap odors and release them back into the room. so try febreze fabric refresher. febreze finds odors trapped in fabrics and cleans them away as it dries. use febreze every time you tidy up, to keep your whole house smelling fresh air clean. fabric refresher even works for clothes you want to wear another day. make febreze part of your clean routine for full home freshness. la la la la la can you help keep these iguys protected online?? easy, connect to the xfi gateway. what about internet speeds that keep up with my gaming? let's hook you up with the fastest internet from xfinity. what about wireless data options for the family? of course, you can customize and save. can you save me from this conversation?

that we can't do, but come in and see what we can do. we're here to make life simple. easy. awesome. ask. shop. discover. at your local xfinity store today. welcome back to "dateline extra." it was a horrific discovery. two people were dead inside the parker home, including brett's

wife tammy. police were racing to the scene, and soon brett would share his story in graphic detail about what he says happened inside that house. once again here's andrea cannon. >> this bucolic southern town had suddenly become the scene of a deadly crime. >> you have to get somebody over here. >> okay, i need you to stay on the phone with me, okay? >> home security video shows brett parker calling 911 outside his house, collapsing on the ground as he describes what happened. a violent robbery that left his wife dead. >> i understand you are very upset, but is your wife, is she breathing? >> no. >> and there was more to the story. brett had killed the perpetrator in self-defense. >> i shot him, i think i killed him. >> veteran investigator stan smith headed to the scene. what is your first interaction

with brett parker? >> he was sort of heavy breathing, at one point he lays down on his back as if he's suffering in almost pain. >> inside, stan smith walked into a gruesome scene. the body of brett's wife tammy was in a bathroom. and lying nearby was a man named brian capnerhurst, dead in an alcove not far from the safe where brett kept his money. >> as far as tammy parker, it appeared she was seated at a desk in this office area, and he'd shot her from the back. half of her torso inside the bathroom, half -- her legs inside the office area. she definitely fled, tried to flee. as far as bryan capnerhurst, he was shot several times. >> investigators were surprised when brett told them bryan

capnerhurst, the man he had shot, was a family friend and frequent visitor to the house. in fact, brett said he was in the bathroom when bryan arrived for a meeting, and he told him to just go upstairs and wait. suddenly brett heard shots. >> he ran upstairs and was greeted at the top of the stairs by bryan capnerhurst holding a gun on him and ordered to the safe. as he walked by he saw his wife's legs. surmising she had been shot. he was taken to this alcove area, and on the way he realized or recalled that he had a gun hidden on the safe there in that area, and he said he made a decision as he knelt at gunpoint to grab the gun and try to get to capnerhurst before capnerhurst shot him, basically. >> so he turned around and caught bryan off guard. >> that's the way he explained it. >> by shooting him? >> yes. he ran and checked on his wife, realized she was dead or dying, then he went and called 911.

>> police recovered two guns from the scene. brett's .410 revolver, the gun he kept on his safe and used to shoot bryan. am bryan's hand, a 9 millimeter pistol used to kill tammy. near bryan's body an open gym bag with ammo and empty ammunition clip on top. it looks like brett parker had fought for his life, shot a man in self-defense, and had just lost his beautiful wife. the big question was why? why would such a good friend turn on them? >> one of the first questions i asked him was what was his relationship with this man? he said, you know, can i talk to you in private? that's when he told me he was a sports bookie. >> brett worked a day job as a full-time medical salesman, but on the side he had been a sports bookie for years. >> did it concern you, or was it just -- >> every small town has a bookie. that's something i don't even think about. >> and brett was not the

"sopranos" break your leg style bookie. was brett a gentle bookie? >> oh, very, very. everybody says that he delivered his money. brett was good. he was a good bookie. >> brett also told investigators that bryan capnerhurst, the man he had just shot and killed, was in the bookie business too. as a matter of fact, he worked for brett. bryan was also an unlikely bookie. a former high school athlete, he was a family man who worked for a county recreation commission and coached kids' sports teams. tammy had spoken kindly of him. >> i think she thought he was a nice guy. i think she must have thought a lot because he was in her home with her children around, and tammy was very protective of her children. >> and he trusted her? >> right, exactly. tammy had always looked out for him, getting extra lunch for him, taking care of him. >> but investigators found out there had been a problem in that bookie business, and it all boiled down to money.

brett owed bryan a good chunk of the profits. $20,000. and he'd been slow to pay up. >> bryan was going to go over there, basically and, tell brett, i've had enough of the excuses, i want my money. >> smith learned that bryan capnerhurst had money problems. so it looked like he went to the parkers' to demand money he was owed and take whatever else was in the safe. tammy had simply been in the wrong place at the wrong time. what do you miss most about tammy? >> her laugh. just her being. she'd always call. she always made sure we had our girl easy nights out. we haven't done that since she was killed. >> it was all so sad. the parkers with their children had just returned from a family cruise, tanned and smiling. a relative on that cruise told brett's aunt, sandra hunter, it had been a wonderful trip. >> she said that it was -- that that was the happiest that she had seen brett and tammy.

>> and now brett's friend saw a man in pain after losing he is wife. >> he'd just break down crying, and he would cry all the time. >> as for shooting bryan, howdy believed his friend did what he had to do. >> he didn't have no choice. it was either, you know, him or bryan, and that's the way he told us over and over, you know. >> to those grieving for tammy, it seemed that at least there had been some terrible justice for bryan. >> people that loved tammy so much, you know, you couldn't help but feel that he maybe -- maybe people thought he got what he deserved. >> investigators told reporters the tragic deaths were the result of a robbery gone bad. it seemed like a cut and dried case. but things aren't always what they seem. >> was brett parker the loving husband he appeared to be? investigators were about to uncover a secret. coming up -- >> there were a series of text

messages that were with a young lady, and they were definitely of a sexual nature. >> he'd gotten away with this for so many years. what else did he get away with? >> when "mystery the a ascot estates" continues. (vo) why the aceves family chose verizon. we all use our phones very differently. these two are always gaming and this one is always on facetime. and my oldest is learning to be a pilot. we need a reliable network because i need to know he's safe. as soon as he lands, he knows he better call mama. mama! (vo) the network more people rely on, gives you more. like plans your family can mix and match starting at just $35. so everyone gets the plan they need. and apple music on us. plus, iphone 11 on us when you buy the latest iphone. that's verizon.

rakuten is free to sign up and it's in over 3,000 stores. i use it to buy makeup... travel... ...clothes, electronics. to me, rakuten is a great way to get cash back on anything you buy. sign up today and rack it up with rakuten.

i'm your 70lb st. bernard puppy, is about to become your problem. ahh no, come on. i saw you eating poop earlier. hey! my focus is on the road, and that's saving me cash with drivewise. who's the dummy now? whoof! whoof! so get allstate where good drivers save 40% for avoiding mayhem, like me. sorry! he's a baby!

welcome back. tammy parker and bryan capnerhurst had been shot dead in the parker home. bryan's body was found near an upstairs safe. and investigators learned tammy's husband brett owed bryan $20,000. to police brett's story seemed to add up. but they were to discover he had left out a few crucial details. continuing our story, here's andrea canning. >> police had announced the double murder in gracious ascot estates was a robbery gone very wrong. the unlikely intruder, the parkers' family friend, bryan capnerhur capnerhurst. brett parker told the investigators that his friend bryan had shot his wife tammy in a botched robbery attempt. then brett, in fear for his own

life, killed his friend. it looked like self-defense. but sheriff leon lott knew they couldn't close the case without thoroughly checking out brett's story. >> three people there, two of them are dead. we have to rely on him to explain to us what happened. we were listening to everything that he was saying, then we'd go back and check it. >> investigators went over brett's account, starting with the moment bryan entered the house. before long, something unusual came to their attention. brett told police he was sitting on the downstairs toilet when he heard the shots ring out. but one of the female crime scene investigators noticed this. the toilet seat was up. >> our csi lieutenant is a female. she made mention of that. that particularly bothered her. >> of course. it takes a woman to notice that. >> right. >> as they pored over crime scene photos, another small but important detail jumped out. bryan's gym bag with ammunition and an empty magazine clip

visible. >> unusual thing about it was, those items were found on top of the clothing and the other items in the bag. >> unusual because of what they noticed on the home security video that captured bryan arriving at the house. >> if you look at the video, the way bryan nonchalantly threw that bag over his shoulder, you would feel like those items would have gone to the lowest point of the end of the bag. it was almost like those items had been placed there. >> and there was more that didn't seem to add up. investigators took a hard look at the timeline of the crime as brett described it. home security video shows brett arriving at 12:31 p.m. brett called 911 at 12:30. >> what happened, who shot your life? >> a friend of mine, bryan. >> police believed the confrontation should have only taken a couple minutes. so why, they wondered, had brett taken nine more minutes to call 911? police were also curious why, with his wife shot inside, brett

had come outside to make that call. >> if it were me, i'd have been inside with my wife, you know, holding my wife, trying to administer cpr, first aid, to my wife. he didn't appear to have any blood on him at all. >> was that strange that he didn't have blood on him? >> it was. >> investigators picked through every detail in brett's account. and found that while he'd been up front about his illegal bookie business, he wasn't up front about everything. >> we covered certain things with brett, had he been involved in any adulterous affairs? he told us now. within the first 24 hours, we found out that wasn't true. there were a series of text messages that were with a young lady, they were definitely of a sexual nature, indicative of an affair. >> they started looking at the evidence versus what he had said. over a period of time, it just kept getting more red flags come up. >> tammy's best friend, an jeel lelie on, didn't know anything about the investigation. but she had a gut feeling something wasn't right. she called up the sheriff's

department to say she thought brett was lying. >> i reached out to them and wanted to make sure they knew there were people that had a different side of the story. >> brett continued to insist it was self-defense. but within a week of the shooting, he had gotten a lawyer, david fedor. the sheriff told us he thought it was a little odd brett retained a defense attorney so quickly when he was saying he was the victim. >> anybody in a situation like that that doesn't retain an attorney immediately needs psychiatric help. >> his attorney said brett was no killer, he was just defending himself after bryan showed up to steal his money. >> capper hurst went there specifically. we assumed he was going to shoot brett. brett got the drop on him instead. >> what motive could he have to shoot her? >> the motive he would have to shoot her was getting the money out of the safe and have no

witnesses why carry out a burglary when you know the wife is home? >> your guess is as good as mine. >> i think some people just find that hard to believe. >> sure they do. we find hard to believe that airplanes fly. but it happens. >> brett parker met directly with sheriff leon lott. he even invited the sheriff to the house to show him the crime scene. >> he wanted to walk me through the house to demonstrate what had happened. and after that meeting we sat at his kitchen table, and at that point was the first time i told him i just didn't believe him. >> the sheriff was now convinced that brett was no victim, he was the mastermind of a cruel and highly unusual plot to kill his wife and frame a friend. >> he'd gotten away with his gambling for so many years, what else is he going to get away with? >> three months after the murders there was startling news. >> the richland county sheriff's department says parker is lying. >> brett parker was charged with

two murders. why do you think it took so long? >> because they didn't have a case is what i think. >> as the case headed to trial there were no witnesses, no video of the crime, and little forensic evidence pointing to either brett or bryan as the real killer. >> it was a high-profile case. two killings in a small town. they wanted to make the most of it. coming up, the trial opens with a bombshell. not about him, but about her. >> how did tammy feel about the marriage? >> well, as the years went by, she was unhappy. >> did your relationship become more intimate? >> when "mystery at at companies estates" continues. impeached on both article one, abuse of power, and on article two, obstruction of congress. and we're not done yet. senate republicans voted for a cover-up... ...but the american people know the truth.

we can stop this corruption. join us at needtovote.com because now...we need to vote. need to impeach is responsible for the content of this advertising. due to inclement weather... all two-wheel drive cross-overs should close for the day. wannabe suvs should close for the day. regular four door sedans should close for the foreseeable future. all jeep 4x4 vehicles will remain open- despite the harsh weather conditions. ♪

there he is. oh, wow. you're doing, uh, you're doing really great with the twirling. dad, if you want to talk, i have a break at 3:00. okay, okay. i'm going. i'm gone. like -- like i wasn't here. [ horn honks ] keep -- keep doing it, buddy. switch to progressive and you can save hundreds. you know, like the sign says.

i'm richard lui. the iowa democratic party has given the largest delegate count to presidential candidate pete buttigieg. he got 14 delegates to bernie sanders '12. nbc news not projecting a

winner. police arrested a man suspected of shooting two new york city police officers in what they're calling targeted attacks. they happened within hours of each other over the weekend. the officers were injured but not seriously hurt. for now, back to "dateline." welcome back to "dateline extra." i'm craig melvin. at first, to police this looked very much like an open-and-shut case. two people had been shot dead in the parker home. both the scene and the only surviving witness, homeowner brett parker, were telling them it was a robbery gone wrong. but several details were not adding up, and brett was charged with a double murder. the case was headed for trial, and it seemed everybody was choosing sides. once again, here's andrea canning. >> in august of 2012, columbia,

south carolina, was reeling from the news that brett parker, the only survivor of a tragedy which left two people dead, had himself been charged as the cold-blooded killer who masterminded the whole plan. brett's family and friends believed he was a man wrongly accused. >> he wanted to us know he was innocent. every time he said, i am not -- i did not do it. >> even tammy's close friend, former band made woody woodward, had a hard time believing brett was guilty. you had no reason to doubt brett, it sounds like? >> i believed him. they actually called me, wanted me to be a character witness, i told them i'd be glad to. because i did not see him doing this. >> when the trial began in may, it was a courtroom divided. on one side, brett's family and friends. including his and tammy's teenage daughter. on the other side, friends and family of tammy and bryan sat

together. they wore blue, tammy's favorite color, as a show of unity against the man they believed murdered both victims. >> there were shots fired in the home -- >> in her opening statement, the prosecutor minced no words. brett parker had committed a terrible crime, then elaborately covered it up. >> as you listen to the details of this case, you will be firmly convinced that it was brett parker who not only had the motive, but actually did kill tammy parker. and then bryan capnerhurst. >> prosecutors wanted the jury to know the marriage whaent what it seemed. brett had sprayed. once with an out of town woman, and several times with a local bank teller. leslie mullins testify they met, he shared confidences about

their marriage. >> he said he slept upstairs, she slept downstairs. >> the parkers had more problems than just affairs. they called ben staples to the stand, a parker family friend. >> how did tammy feel about her marriage? >> as the years went by, she was unhappy. she had conversations -- we had conversations regarding religion. brett did not believe in god and going to church. that was important to her. >> then ben revealed another bit of evidence about the parkers' shaky marriage. this one a bombshell. >> did your relationship become more intimate? >> yes. >> approximately how many years ago was that? >> about three years ago. >> and did that end? >> it did. it did not end our friendship. we remained best friends until her murder. >> the public admission of the affair was a total shock. even to those closest to tammy. so this was a secret she kept from her girlfriends? >> she did. we always felt like ben probably loved tammy, because how could you not love tammy?

we weren't really -- we didn't know ben that well, so we didn't think that that had happened. >> lanny gunther, old friend and fellow bookie, testified that four months before the murders, brett was talking about a separation. >> my advice to him, if he wanted it, was that being that it was coming up on the holidays, for him to try to go home and work it out with tammy and at least get through the holidays for the kids' sake, and after the first of the year for them to try to get back together. if separating was the option then, so be it. >> a bad marriage is one thing. murder is another. so prosecutors turned to a different motive, money. unbeknownst to tammy, brett was in deep debt. he had made the biggest mistake a bookie can make, he gambled himself. and brett wasn't too good at it. gunther told an investigator brett owed him big money. >> i just told him about the debt that brett and i had individually, his own account, the $100,000, $101,000. >> and this was not the first time brett's gambling had been a

serious issue. >> brett had been caught several years before in a great amount of dent and it nearly caused divorce then. his father bailed him out, about $100,000. >> the state tried to convince the jury that killing tammy had been brett's way out of a shaky marriage and his gambling debt. tammy had taken out a life insurance policy. >> $868,000 was the ultimate amount. >> who was the beneficiary? >> brett. >> tammy also had close to $200,000 in a 401(k). combined with the insurance, nearly $1.1 million all left to brett. what kind of man sets up his friend to take the fall for murdering his wife, and then he murders the friend, and leaves him with the legacy that he murdered somebody? >> he wanted to perpetuate this lifestyle. he wanted to continue to gamble. he wanted to enjoy the girlfriends. and tammy was a hindrance to him. he felt like this was his way out. >> in court the ugly accusations seemed to get to brett as the medical examiner testified about

tammy's fatal injuries brett said he felt ill and was rushed to the hospital. brett was back, however, the next day to hear the prosecution present evidence it said proved he'd planned the murders, framed his friend, and then covered it up. here's how they said he did it. first he shot and killed his wife in that upstairs office. then at 12:25 p.m., brett's own home security camera catches someone peering through the blinds. prosecutors believe it was brett waiting for bryan to arrive for a meeting brett himself had arranged. gunshot residue was found on those blinds, proof, the state said, that brett had already fired a gun before bryan even arrived. >> 12:25, who's that peeking out the blinds? i mean, that was somebody, in our opinion, who had just done this heinous thing and was nervously awaiting his patsy, his fall guy, to show up. >> after killing bryan, his fall

guy, prosecutors said brett staged the crime scene and planted that gym bag and ammunition. >> i guess the idea was that was supposed to be some kind of murder ball bag? >> there's no way bryan brought that gun to brett's house, a friend testified. >> did you know whether bryan had a gun? >> not know, but heck no, he did not have a gun. bryan was scared of guns. there is no way on this earth that bryan capnerhurst had a pistol, none, zero. it did not happen. >> and there was something else. >> that gunshot to the forearm -- >> bryan capnerhurst had suffered a major gunshot wound to his arm, but he was still clutching the gun as he lay dead on the floor, a medical examiner testified it's unlikely the gun would have stayed in his hand. >> in my medical opinion, based on the shots to the arm -- to

the forearm and falling over, i believe that the gun fell out of his hand. >> the gun had been placed in his hand. >> the prosecution had made its case. now it was time for the defense to fight back. >> they had no proof whatsoever that he shot his wife. it was completely circumstantial. >> the defense was about to tell the jury that bryan capnerhurst, not brett parker, was the real villain. coming up -- brett's team produces a powerful witness to back up his story, his teenage daughter. >> she had some information that needed to be given. and she did what she felt like she needed to do. >> i witnessed them at all talki talking, i'm not lying about that. >> when "mystery at ascot estates continues. so, we met in the middle.

ohhhhh! look who just woke up! you are so cute! but one thing we could both agree on was getting geico to help with homeowners insurance. yeah, it was really easy and we saved a bunch of money. oh, you got it. you are such a smart bear! call geico and see how easy saving on homeowners and condo insurance can be. whatever happens out there you have the hilton app. will the hilton app help us pick the starters? great question, no. but it can help you pick your room from the floor plan. can the hilton app help us score? you know, it's not that kind of thing, but you can score free wi-fi. can it help us win? hey, hey! we're all winners with the hilton price match guarantee, alright? man, you guys are adorable! alright, let's go lose this soccer game, come on! book with the hilton app. if you find a lower rate, we match it and give you 25% off that stay. expect better. expect hilton. be stronger... with nicorette coated ice mint. layered with flavor. it's the first and only coated nicotine lozenge.

for an amazing taste... ...that outlasts your craving. nicorette ice mint. for an amazing taste... ...that outlasts your craving. at outback, steak & lobster oh no! it's gone! phew! it's back, with lobster mac & cheese. it's gone again! it's back, with shrimp now! steak & lobster starting at only $16.99. hurry in before these three are gone again. outback steakhouse. and my side super soft? yes. with the sleep number 360 smart bed, on sale now, you can both adjust your comfort with your sleep number setting.

can it help me fall asleep faster? yes, by gently warming your feet. but can it help keep me asleep? absolutely, it intelligently senses your movements and automatically adjusts to keep you both comfortable. so, you can really promise better sleep? not promise. prove. and now, during the ultimate sleep number event, save 50% on the sleep number 360 limited edition smart bed. plus 0% interest for 24 months on all smart beds. only for a limited time.

brett parker had declared a resounding not guilty to the murder of his wife tammy and friend bryan capnerhurst. from the day it happened to this moment in court, he insisted that he was the innocent victim of a robbery gone bad. >> now who shot your wife? >> a friend of mine, bryan. >> is he still there? >> i shot him, i think i killed him. >> defense attorney david fedor said the accusation that brett plotted to kill his wife and then framed his friend was too far-fetched to believe. >> i think brett is a fine young man. he's not a genius. it would have taken an einstein to set this thing up. >> would it take a genius, though, to concoct a plan like that?

>> i think i'm fairly bright and i'll be damned if i could have thought it up. >> bryan capnerhurst fired that handgun. >> in court the attorney said bryan capnerhurst was a desperate man with a motive for murder. >> a man that was at the end of his rope who had a desire for money and a plan for violence. and the evidence in this case is going to prove it. >> still, the defense thought it had an uphill battle. f fedor knew it didn't help his case that his client was an unfaithful husband and gambler. >> it showed he was a bad man because he gambled. he had an affair, they said that was another thing that showed he was a murderer. it was just ludicrous. >> from the start, fedor and co-counsel sell mark whitlark wanted the jury to know, sure, brett, a gambler himself, was deep in debt. but he was in debt to an old friend he'd known since he was 15.

>> you weren't worried about that, were you? >> i've never been worried about brett. >> matter of fact, if he had called you and said, i'm having problems, you'd have wiped the whole thing clean? >> we'd have worked something up, sure. >> you never put pressure on him, i'm going to get you or something, right? >> no, sir. >> the life insurance policy the prosecution suggested was a smoking gun? the insurance agent testified brett wasn't even all that interested in a policy on tammy. >> did you attempt to sell him insurance on his wife? >> yes. >> were you successful in selling him insurance on his wife? >> i was not. >> tammy had taken out the insurance on her own. and instead of claiming a dime for himself, brett had already signed the insurance money over to his kids. >> did he tell you directly, mr. spell, that he wanted this money to go to the children? >> yes. >> and remember those downstairs blinds? the ones with the gunshot

residue the prosecution said had been left by brett before bryan even arrived? proof that he killed tammy ahead of time, and then looked through the blinds to see bryan coming? >> they stated that. but they didn't prove that. >> a defense expert suggested the fine particles had merely drifted to that blind, even days later. >> if you have an air-handling system like we have in most buildings and houses, over a period of time it will be sucked through the intakes and distributed fairly evenly through a place. >> and that curious matter of the toilet seat being up when logically it should have been down? >> and that's the bathroom? >> yes. >> when the prosecution tried to enter that as evidence in court, the defense successfully objected. brett's attorney told us it was just a family habit to leave the toilet seat up to make things

easier for their young son. >> he has a 6-year-old child. every time the child comes in from school or any place else he runs to the bathroom right away. brett and his wife always put the seat up. >> he hears shots fired in his house and he's going to think about putting the toilet seat up? >> it's an automatic reaction if you do it every day. >> it was explainable behavior. the motive was flimsy, said the defense. now it attacked the state's forensic evidence. the defense used the amount of gunshot residue found on brett's hands to undermine the theory that brett had shot his wife with one gun and his friend with another, arguing there just wasn't enough gun residue on his hands to have fired both weapons. >> if he fired both the 9 millimeter and the .410 revolver in combination, i would expect his levels to be very high. >> all right, well what did you find in this case, sir? >> well, his levels are consistent with someone who has

fired a firearm, certainly. but they're not extremely high. >> and the defense argued that bryan did have gunshot residue on his hands, proving he could have killed tammy. >> certainly that's not the only way in which gunshot residue can be had. but it is consistent with firing a gun. >> and there was the prosecution's theory that the gun in bryan's hand had been placed there after his death. that he could never have held on to it after being shot himself. the state claims that it would have been impossible for bryan to have that gun in his hand, given that -- the severe injury he sustained to his arm. >> that was hogwash. many, many people have a death grip. if you're shot and you've got something in your hand, you squeeze it tighter. >> and the idea that bryan would never have had a gun? a friend of brett's, robert bauer, says that's just not true. he wasn't asked to tell this story in court but says that a

month before the killings, he was at the parker home and saw bryan handling one of brett's guns with ease. >> he took all the bullets out, the clip, and handed me that, then handed me a revolver which he had took the bullets out. then i hear a friend said he would never touch a gun. >> brett told investigators he's given bryan that 9 millimeter handgun for protection. and in a dramatic move, the defense brought in a witness to confirm that. brett and tammy's 14-year-old daughter brooke. >> bryan and my dad were discussing a gun that my dad had. and they were just talking about how they thought it was good for him to have safety at his house and to protect bryan's family. >> you were talking about mr. capnerhurst? >> yes, sir. >> having young brooke parker testify was controversial. but brett's aunt knew brooke believed her father was innocent and wanted to take the stand.

>> she had some information that needed to be given. and she did what she felt like she needed to do. >> she wanted the jury to hear her story. no matter how difficult it was to tell. >> i witnessed them talking about how he was giving the gun to bryan. i'm not lying about that. i was there, i remember. >> it was a tragedy that had stirred up the quiet waters of this carolina community. and soon a jury would have to decide who was to blame. but before they did, the defense wanted them to hear from the only person alive who really knew what happened in the house that day. brett parker himself. >> brett parker faces the jury to tell them what was going on inside his marriage and what he says unfolded in their home. coming up -- >> bryan was standing there with a gun pointed at me. and told me to go -- go to the

[ bleep ] safe. >> did you ever have a plan to shoot and kill your wife? >> no. i would never hurt tammy. never have. tammy. never have. >> but would the jury believe him? >> as to the charges of murder of tammy parker, we the jury unanimously find the defendant -- >> the verdict when "mystery at ascot estates continues. at ascot estates continues. i've always been fascinated by what's next. and still going for my best, even though i live with a higher risk of stroke

due to afib not caused by a heart valve problem. so if there's a better treatment than warfarin... i want that too. eliquis. eliquis is proven to reduce stroke risk better than warfarin. plus has significantly less major bleeding than warfarin. eliquis is fda-approved and has both. what's next? reeling in a nice one. don't stop taking eliquis unless your doctor tells you to, as stopping increases your risk of having a stroke. eliquis can cause serious and in rare cases fatal bleeding. don't take eliquis if you have an artificial heart valve or abnormal bleeding. while taking eliquis, you may bruise more easily and it may take longer than usual for any bleeding to stop. seek immediate medical care for sudden signs of bleeding, like unusual bruising. eliquis may increase your bleeding risk if you take certain medicines. tell your doctor about all planned medical or dental procedures. eliquis, the number one cardiologist-prescribed blood thinner. ask your doctor if eliquis is what's next for you.

you have power over pain, so the whole world looks different. the unbeatable strength of advil. what pain?

welcome back. brett parker was on trial for the murders of his wife tammy and their friend brian. the prosecution painted brett as a cheat, bedridden husband who planned to kill tammy and brian all for money. the defense countered there is in physical evidence tying brett to the crimes and this 14-year-old daughter gave

emotional testimony on his behalf. next, brett's attorneys would call their star witness. here with a conclusion of our story, is andrea canning. >> what really happened inside that ascot estate's home? in court, brett parker confidently took the stand, eager to tell his version of events. first, he wanted the jury to know his marriage was hardly the wreck the prosecution made it out to be. >> me and tammy got along fine. we put our kids before everything. i know that's why i could never go to her and ask her for separation. because it would just destroy our kids. >> and he explained his initial reticence to tell police about his affairs or reveal his own massive gambling debts had nothing to do with the murders. >> when they asked me about the affair, and i admitted it to them, the next day, and as far as the gambling goes, if you

know book makers, it's not something you just talk about. >> then struggling to keep his emotions in check, he recounted the day of the shooting. >> brian was standing there with a gun pointed at me. and told me to go to the. [ beep ] safe and i walked up the steps and i mean, i was -- dinlt know what was going on. i was panicked. i kept asking him, why? what are you doing? and as we walked by the office, i could see -- i could see tammy's feet sticking out of the bathroom. and then i knew something was wrong bad. that he had probably shot her. >> when you shot, did you have any fear in your mind at that

time? >> yeah, i'm scared. yeah, but when i got to that safe, i made a decision right then, it's going to be me or him. >> ultimate lishgs the defense wanted the jury to see that while a flawed man, brett parker was no killer. >> did you shoot in self-defense, brian? >> yes, i did. >> did you ever have a plan, a premeditated plan to shoot and kill your wife? >> no. >> under cross-examination, brett held firm. sticking to the story he first told investigators. >> did you think it was important to tell the police the truth? >> i did tell them the truth. i told them what happened in that house. and that is the truth. and i believe as i see it, the evidence proves it. >> and when the prosecutor pressed him about his infidelities, brett insisted his feelings for tammy never wavered. >> you testified you love tammy. you still love her to this day. >> i do. >> you'll love her forever.

>> i will. >> despite the troubles, he said the love for tammy was always there. >> you would never do anything to hurt her. >> never hurt her. i would never hurt tammy. never have. >> it was time for closing argue ams in the case of the people versus brett parker. >> i ask you, with all my heart and all the love and faith i have in our jury system to send brett back to his family. don't let this injustice continue. >> brett parker is no victim. he is a greedy, selfish, entitled, and while, yes, maybe even charming at times, manipulative killer. >> then the case was in the hands of the jury. what's mood like? >> i told my wife, i said if it is short, i'm not going to feel

good. unless they take a while. >> in just three hours they were back. in the divided courtroom, the families of tammy, brian, and brett prepared to hear brett's fate. >> as to the charge of the murder of tammy parker, we the jury unanimous flind the defendant guilty. we find the defendant guilty. >> when you heard the word guilty, what were you thinking? >> thank god. it's sad. it's not the outcomive in us wanted. tammy's not back. you know, now brooke has no father. but thank god he didn't get away with it. >> brett's sentence read immediately was life behind bars. >> it just was like, god, i lost a friend. you know? i lost one of my best friends. very emotional. >> does that weigh heavy on you knowing he'll be behind bars for

life? >> certainly it weighs heavily on me. i'm an irishman. anything weighs heavily on me. that especially because i defended in people i knew were guilty. this is one i thought was not guilty. >> tammy's friends keep her memory alive in part through her music. in the fall of 2012, ben staples held the annual barbecue as a tribute to tammy. >> will it ever be the same without her? >> it will continue. it won't be the same without tammy. >> things are settling down again here in this quiet southern town. the healing has begun for the families and friends of both victims. >> i know tammy is in heaven. she was strong in her convictions. she always said i don't know about brett but i know i'll be in heaven. i feel like she's around. i feel her presence. i can hear her. she is still. there i still feel her with me. i dream about her a lochlt.

>> that's all for this edition of "dateline extra." thank you for watching. extra." thank you for watching she hadn't answered her phone call or text messages. i coo see tuld see the window i broken. >> a vaelentine's day that started with roses ended in different shade of red. >> everything stopped. i was in shock. >> we knew there was somebody bad out there doing something. >> she was a wife, a mother, a missionary. >> denise