what about sienna? my daddy's still here. you know, hers isn't. i'm craig melvin. >> andm i'm natalie morales. >> and this is "dateline." >> i don't know what it is about my mom that has captured the heart of so many people. there's just something to her that people connect with. what was so beautiful about her, it made her a target, too. >> she was the queen of the million-dollar listing, the real estate broker who sealed the deal. >> her customers love her. >> hands downs the most genuine person you ever met. >> she headed out to show a d house that day and never made it home.th >> i'm texting her, i'm calling her. >> oh, gosh, what's happened

here? >> something's wrong. >> was she in danger? was someone behind this? >> please don't call the police. if you call the police, it coule be bad. >> you can hear how scared she was. >> suddenly an all-out manhunt. >> this is like a movie, this chase and this kidnapping. >> oh, yeah. >> could anyone reach her in time? >> i had to be strong for everybody. i had to be. >> emotions are just everywhere. >> i know she pleaded. i know she pleaded. >> did you find her?e is she alive? welcome to "dateline." beverly carter was well known in little rock, arkansas. she was a beloved mother, wife and a successful real estate broker with a long list of clients. then she vanished. like all too many missing persons cases, police knew it a

was a race against time to find her before it was too late. here's andrea canning with "the client." >> beverly carter was making a c name for herself in little rock, arkansas. >> her face was in the paper er every week. >> she had a billboard on one of the busiest interstates with her face on it. >> as a top-selling realtor, s beverly carter had become somewhat of a local celebrity. with her infectious smile she put house hunters at ease. trusted to find the perfect home, she often did. >> beverly was awesome at it. i mean, nobody could do it like beverly could. >> but there was a down side to her celebrity. >> this realtor had a target on her back. >> she did and she didn't know it. >> for beverly being a realtor was more than closing a deal. was she in the perfect job for her personality? >> yes.

>> absolutely. >> her son chad and carl jr. and carl jr.'s wife kim were always amazed at how much her mom's clients loved her. >> one of her clients she had gone to their wedding and went to their baby zhou. shower. she just sold them a house. it was a new everyclient and i think that speaks for herself. >> she had a nice smile. >> a beautiful smile. and she had a laugh that would fill the room. >> andat she was hands down the most general yin werns you ever met. >> chad, beverly's youngest son, says it was like his mom glowed. >> she was very radiant. i think that's what spoke out ts people, is that confidence and people noticed. obviously she was naturally beautiful. >> it was that natural beauty that caughtwa the eye of her h husband, carl. they met when they were just kids. >> yeah, she was 16. i was 19. >> wow. where did you meet her? >> splendora, texas. w she was working at a little hamburger joint and i -- named the bionic burger.

wow, i didn't know i would get me a wife when i got me a burger. w >> a wedding soon followed, a quick stop at s city hall. >> very small wedding. but she loved me, and i loved her. we thought it was love anyway. >> their youngve love led to the children, all boys, and later six grandchildren. they had their share of marital problems, including money issues and infidelity, but they worked them out. so when their 20th anniversary rolled around, they decided to renew their vows and throw a big party. >> i just asked her, would you marry me again if i asked you to? she said, well, yeah. i says, okay. >> you know, they wanted to renew their love, show everybody. >> and it was a way for her to get her dream wedding. waevhe >> a few years after that, she got her real estate license ande her best friends, stacy, brenda and denise say it didn't take ay long for beverly to build a

loyal clientele. >> did she sell a lot of property?el >> she was the top list and selling agent in 2013. she did over $12 million, which in central arkansas is very well. li >> what was it that made her so good at closing the deal? >> i mean, she just had that magic about her. >> she had such a bubbly personality that it made you fall in love with the house. sll >> the women worked together in the same office, though they say is it it often felt more like play than work. i >> we would laugh about anything.k. you know how it is when you get with your girlfriends. you talk about things you find funny. we'd tell stories. she had this huge, goofy laugh you could hear all the way down the hall. >> and as realtors, they looked out for each other.l their office even came one a secret code, a text that signaled there was trouble. >> so red folder was the code? >> you would say "do you have re the red folder on 123 main er street?"

>> the code they hoped they would never have to use. as her 50th birthday approached, beverly was determined to get in shape. she started running, working hee way to up 5k races. >> the reason she started running some of the times was the medals. >> she lost nearly 60 pounds an6 threw herself a big birthday party. and she gave herself a present, cosmetic surgery. >> she'd have the tummy tuck but she'd also have implants because she had a lift. and it was kind of a big joke because when they put the implants in they were just a little bit larger than she want them to be. >> yes, they were. >> and we had some big laughs about that. and she was going to go have them reduced because she was like -- i mean, they hadn't fallen and they were sitting up here. >> but she did look good. >> she looked fabulous.ed >> and being a real estate agent, she felt it was important to look her best. on an unseasonably warm day, beverly was easing back into rl work.

brenda remembers beverly telling her she was going to show a house not far from her home. the potential buyers were offering cash. >> she really didn't want to go, she was tired. but she was hoping she'd be able to get a fast close because if it's a cash close you can also close to quicker. >> so this is just kind of an everyday run-of-the-mill showing? >> it's a no-brainer, yeah. >> beverly left the office and headed off to show the property to a young couple. she told her husband she'd be home for dinner. y but you didn't hear from her? >> mm-mm. >> carl says he started to worry. beverly had given him the address so he decided to take a ride over. >> if she was over there, her car would be there. i went over and didn't see her car. m de>> >> beverly was not in the house? >> that's right. >> so this is panic time for you? >> yeah. i thought it was weird because beverly wouldn't leave unless she was in her car. >> did you call the police? >> yes. y instantly. >> that call set off a frantic search for beverly carter. where was she?

>> coming up -- what had happened to beverly? >> all of a sudden, beverly texted me. bam, bam, bam. >> our phones both started beeping at the same time with texts. and she said, i'm sorry, my phone has been dead. >> some simple miscommunication? the mystery was just beginning. >> i still can feel the same pain. >> when "dateline" continues. >> when "dateline" continues flexible hours. that work around your schedule. jackson hewitt is here to fight for the biggest refund you deserve. whether you're a 9-5er or 5-9er. ♪♪ your mission: stand up to moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis. and take. it. on... ...with rinvoq. rinvoq a once-daily pill can dramatically improve symptoms... rinvoq helps tame pain, stiffness, swelling. and for some rinvoq can even significantly reduce ra fatigue. that's rinvoq relief.

with ra, your overactive immune system attacks your joints. rinvoq regulates it to help stop the attack. rinvoq can lower your ability to fight infections, including tuberculosis. serious infections and blood clots, sometimes fatal, have occurred... ...as have certain cancers, including lymphoma, and tears in the stomach or intestines, and changes in lab results. your doctor should monitor your bloodwork. tell your doctor about any infections...and if you are or may become pregnant while taking rinvoq. take on ra. talk to your rheumatologist about rinvoq relief. rinvoq. make it your mission. if you can't afford your medicine, abbvie may be able to help.

if you printed out directions to get here today, you're in the right place. my seminars are a great tool to help young homeowners who are turning into their parents. now, remember, they're not programs. they're tv shows. you woke up early. no one cares. yes. so, i was using something called homequote explorer from progressive to easily compare home insurance rates. was i hashtagging? progressive can't help you from becoming your parents, but we can help you compare rates on home insurance with homequote explorer. guess what. the waiter doesn't need to know your name. i'm a performer. guess what. always have been. and always will be. never letting anything get in my way. not the doubts, distractions, or voice in my head. and certainly not arthritis. voltaren provides powerful arthritis pain relief

to help me keep moving. and it can help you too. feel the joy of movement with voltaren. ♪♪ in a year of changes. don't take chances on your taxes. be 100% certain with jackson hewitt. we'll get your taxes done right, guaranteed. ♪♪

carl carter was worried about his wife, beverly. she had promised to be home for dinner after showing this house not too far away. but it was dark now, she wasn't answering her phone and at the property for sale her car was in the driveway but there was no sign of her. carl says he called the police, then his son. >> he says, you know, it's almost 9:00 and he he says son, i haven't heard from your mom. have you heard from her? and you know, i'm texting her and calling her and i can't get any response. and my first thought was dad, this is just the nature of the business. >> to reassure his dad and himself, carl jr. and his wife, kim, drove over to beverly's office hoping she'd be there. >> there was no one there. i mean, the place is completely black. and about that time dad had let me know that he had made it to the property where mom told him she was going and her car was

there but she wasn't. >> carl jr. figured there must be an explanation, as did beverly's friend stacy and brenda. being real estate agents themselves, they thought maybe she had gone with the potential buyers to show them other houses. >> we went to the two vacant houses that were beverly's listings and went and checked the lock boxes and read them to see if anybody had opened them and nobody had opened them. >> as the hours ticked by beverly's friend denise couldn't sleep so, she checked her phone. >> there was an e-mail from brenda. and i can still see the words that said "it is with a very heavy heart that i let you know we can't find beverly, she went to show a house and she is missing." and i still can read that and feel the same pain. >> police and beverly's family gathered at the property, trying to figure out where she was. >> how was your dad handling everything? >> i felt like he was hard to read. he would sneak away from time to time, collect his thoughts.

>> then around 1:00 a.m. >> all of a sudden bam, bam, bam, three texts. i hollered at the officer, come here, beverly texted me. >> word that beverly was texting gave everyone hope. >> i was ecstatic. i was like this is done, her phone had died, she got somewhere it's charged, it's good. >> across town beverly's friends brenda and stacy got texts of their own. >> our phones both started beeping at the same time with texts. >> i mean, it was like such an eerie feeling. i was just like oh, my gosh. >> what was she saying to you to-two? >> she said, i'm sorry, my phone has been dead and i just turned it back on. >> it sounded promising but a little off. concerned, brenda used that safety technique the office had come up with. she texted beverly the special code. >> i said, can you tell me if you left the red folder on my december snk. >> if beverly was in trouble, she would know to text back her location. >> there was no response. >> the one that i got was i'm

out having drinks with friends. and i was like, well, we're right here. >> the texts on beverly's husband's phone were just as deflatding. they read, yes, sorry, phone been dead and having drinks now. carl jr. knew his mom would never go out and not tell anyone. >> i can't even tell you. like to go from this she's okay, this is all over, to the second we saw that screen and saw what those texts said we knew. someone has her phone. >> totally flipped me out. i said she's been took. >> the patrol division who'd responded to the call decided they needed backup. detective jeff allison rushed over to the property. >> beverly hadn't really been missing for that long. so why were you called here that quickly? >> the division showed up and start speaking with the husband and determined that some of the factors in the case were odd. >> not only was beverly's car parked in the driveway, her purse was locked inside. did you have just a grim feeling

right out of the gate that this woman did not disappear voluntarily? >> i was hopeful but i did have a feeling, yes. >> the detective searched the vacant house. it was pitch black. the electricity was off. >> i got down on the floor and with my flashlight when it's dark you can shine a light at a specific angle, you could see disturbances in dust. there were disturbances but it just looked like somebody had walked through there. >> no signs of a struggle inside but he did discover a clue outside the front door. >> there was a tire track in the grass. looked look somebody had pulled up against -- next to the front door, or backed into the back door. >> the neighbor across the street had seen something? >> yes. she looked out the window, saw a black vehicle pulled into the driveway and about 25 to 30 minutes later looked outside, saw a skinny white male with short hair outside of the house with a vehicle backed to the front door. put two and two together and that's probably where the tire track came from.

>> the detective found more to go on in the back of beverly's car. >> i found a notebook that she kept with realtor information on it that showed a listing for that house. >> was there anything in that notebook that was providing you with any clues? >> attached to the listing was an e-mail address and phone number. >> did you call it right away? >> i did not call it right away. no. >> he didn't pick up the phone for a good reason. the detective had a theory. >> i felt that beverly, wherever she was, she was being held against her will. >> if this was a kidnapping, he knew they had to tread lightly with any possible suspects. like the couple she'd met at the house. if they were involved, the last thing he wanted to do was tip them off. and the detective said there was someone else he had his eye on. >> coming up -- >> they were asking questions like okay, you're the husband and you just completely contaminated our crime scene. why did you do that? >> i knew that i was a suspect. >> when "dateline" continues.

i feel like we're forgetting something.

let me check. xfinity home gives you peace of mind from anywhere with professionally monitored home security built around you. no, i think we're good. good. so when you're away, you don't have to worry. the tent. we forgot... the tent. except about that. xfinity home. simple. easy. awesome. hey look, i found the tent! get xfinity home with no term contract required. click or call today.

as the sun rose the next morning, there was still no sign of beverly carter. her family and friends were out saefg. searching. >> we had beautiful 8 x 10 color fliers that we were posting everywhere. >> she had just had some new headshots done. >> we had hundreds. >> and hundreds of people joined

search parties all over the area. >> her family, her office family came together and we had realtors from all over the state helping us. and by that afternoon, we had the search set up and everybody had an assignment. >> many realtors felt this was personal. one of their own while out doing her job had gone missing. and agents were already on alert. in recent years there had been a rise in crimes against real estate brokers across the country, brutal assaults and even murder. >> how often did you talk about safety? >> i mean, we always talked about it but a lot of times if someone called us and asked us to go show a house it was just kind of out of instinct you'd jump up and go. >> but this was not a last-minute showing for beverly. brenda says she'd been in contact with the clients for a few days. >> she did have some concerns initially because it was a man who contacted her. >> she wanted to make sure the wife was going to be there also. she wanted to show them both at the same time. >> the idea was that both parties would be there. >> i think it made her feel more comfortable that the wife would

be with him. and the wife actually got on the telephone and told her yes, she would be there. >> and her friends pointed out the neighborhood where she was showing the house was one beverly knew well. >> she felt very comfortable in this area? ? that was her stomping ground. >> she had sold several houses, you know, on that street. so she was very familiar with that area. >> her pastor lived on that street. >> and that street was now a crime scene. news stations helped get the word out. >> an arkansas real estate agent remains missing this evening. >> did this become immediately the lead story on every newscast? >> every newscast. all kinds of feedback from viewers. the biggest story online. the biggest story on facebook. viewers immediately latched on to it. >> shannon miller covered the story for nbc affiliate kark. she says finding beverly became a local obsession. >> people came out in droves looking for her. wondering where could she have gone. she did not come home from work after doing something you do every single day, it left a huge

mystery. what happened to her? >> beverly's husband, carl, even made a televised plea. >> i just would like to have my wife back. >> he sounded heartbroken. >> crazy people out here in the world. >> but not everyone was buying the distraught husband story. >> people were saying oh, the husband must have had something to do with it, the husband must have hired somebody. you know, we all watch a lot of "dateline." >> carl jr., so worried about his mom, now feared his dad could become a suspect. >> they were asking questions like okay, you're the husband and you just went into this home to search for her, you've gone even up in the attic. your fingerprints are everywhere. you just completely contaminated our crime scene. why did you do that? and so you could just see their wheels turning. it was like, oh, no. >> he was right to worry. detective allison brought carl sr. in for questioning. >> did you put carl in an interview room? >> yes. >> and treated him like this is somebody we need to take seriously? >> yes.

anytime you do an interview like that it's always best to get in a setting in a detective's office in an interview room and i'm giving an interview. it plays on their emotions. >> did you ever consider the possibility that carl could have paid somebody to do this? >> yeah, i thought about it. >> did you know why you were considered somebody that they needed to talk to? >> once i got in there and they started questioning me, then i knew that i was a suspect. >> as detective allison continued to question carl, he discovered some skeletons. they were having financial issues? >> yeah. >> how much money did beverly carter have in her checking account? >> i don't know exact dollar amount. it wasn't much. >> $126? >> that sounds about right. >> was there a life insurance policy? >> yes, several thousand dollars. $100,000. >> $100,000? >> yes. but i don't remember the exact dollar amount. >> the detective also learned about other issues he found disturbing. >> he said, well, did you have any kind of affair?

and i said yeah. i said one. >> and something else that was troubling. years before carl says he got violent with beverly as she tried to stop him from driving drunk. >> i mean, i even hit her one time. that's when she got out of the truck and said i'm not going to ride with you. i said, well, stay here, then. i mean, i just drove off. just straight into a ditch. >> did you regret it? >> oh, yeah. like i felt like poo-cocky as far as that goes. honestly. i really need to roll in it. >> so did you worry how that would look? >> no. i didn't worry a bit. i wanted to find beverly. one thing. i wanted to find beverly. i said, you know, i hit her and it was that. but this one time out of 34 years, one slap krupp side the head, that's bad. >> he said it was many years ago

and beverly never held it against him. >> she forgive me right then because she knew that it wasn't me. >> detective allison says he wasn't ready to cross carl off his list. he had other work to do. the e-mail address and phone numbers of the prospective buyers found in beverly's notebook were fake. tracking the couple required more digging. and he had a new clue to follow. beverly's cell carrier retrieved eerie photos from her phone taken inside the house just before she went missing. >> what had happened inside that house? a new lead morphs into an all-out manhunt. coming up -- >> guy jumps out of a second-story window. >> this is like a movie. chase, kidnapping. >> oh, yeah. >> when "dateline" continues. "ds

♪♪ in a year of changes. don't take chances on your taxes. be 100% certain with jackson hewitt. we'll get your taxes done right, guaranteed. ♪♪ it's very common to have both sensitivity and gum issues. we'll get your taxes done right, guaranteed. dentists and hygienists will want to recommend sensodyne sensitivity and gum you get the sensitivity relief as well as improved gum health all in one

it's the sleep number numbe360 smart bed.le on can it help with snoring? i've never heard snoring... exactly. no problem...and done. and now, save $1,000 on the sleep number 360 special edition smart bed. plus, 0% interest for 36 months. ends monday.

hello. i'm dara brown. here's what's happening. a capitol rioter who threatened to assassinate congresswoman alexandria ocasio-cortez was

arrested. prosecutors say he posted "assassinate aoc" on twitter. he faces federal charges in connection with the attack on the capitol. the nfl is giving free super bowl tickets to 7,500 vaccinated health care workers. they'll be part of the 22,000 fans in attendance. most will come from health care facilities around tampa, where the event will be held. now back to "dateline." welcome back. i'm craig melvin. the hours had turned into days since family and friends had seen real estate agent beverly carter. and it was some good old-fashioned detective work that gave police their first big clue. once again, here's andrea canning with "the client." >> detectives searched computer and phone records and data was pouring in. they were hoping it would lead to the missing real estate agent.

beverly carter's cell carrier turned over everything on her phone. and there was one thing that caught investigator's attention. these blurry and dark pictures she took of the house she was trying to sell. not exactly showcase material. and when her daughter-in-law had a chance to see them -- >> you have a theory about why they're badly taken photos. >> you can just tell that it was like quick, just quick. >> like she knew -- >> i knew she knew something was wrong. >> she believed beverly was scared of those potential buyers and was rushing to finish showing the -- it was all bad news. beverly carter had now been missing for three days. >> i've never felt that kind of loss of control. you feel utterly hopeless. >> and helpless. you can't do anything. >> yeah, yeah. >> what they didn't know was that detectives were about to crack this case wide open. the team that had discovered the buyers' contact information was fake kept investigating. >> and they were able to start taking the e-mail address and

phone numbers and sending out search warrants and obtaining subscriber information to that e-mail and phone number. >> did names pop up? >> yes. >> their real names, aaron lewis and his wife, crystal lowery. police raced over to put the couple's house under surveillance. >> this was a very delicate operation. >> yes. we were working with the expectation and the hope that she was still alive. >> detective allison says he wasn't sure if the couple was even involved. he first wanted to sigh see what aaron lewis looked like. remember, their eyewitness had seen a skinny white man with short brown hair the night beverly disappeared. they hadn't been there long when suddenly a man matching that description walked out the door. but they didn't approach him. >> were you hoping he might lead to you beverly? ? yes. >> was that the idea? >> yes. we felt if we made contact too early, if he was the one we were looking for, everything is shot.

>> lewis got into his car, and that's when the detective says the plan quickly fell apart. >> he actually saw us sitting there. that's when he started speeding off. >> he knew you were following him? >> oh, yeah. he actually went around a 90 degree corner and wrecked and was was out of the vehicle by the time we went around the corner and saw him. >> lewis was injured. police photographed him and rushed him to the hospital. >> we're not allowed to go back with them while they're getting certain treatment. so the detective is setting out, waiting for the treatment. and when they take aaron back to get mri or cat scan or whatever they're doing he decides he's going to leave the hospital. >> aaron doesn't come back. >> doesn't come back. >> aaron lewis bolted from the hospital. what seemed the closest link to beverly carter slipped through their fingers. police launched a citywide manhunt. >> was that one of the first things you did, get his photo out? >> yes. >> to the news media. everybody knows -- >> everybody knows.

>> you've got to get this guy. >> right. >> and beverly's life is at stake. >> right. >> reporter shannon miller remembers her station cut into programming with breaking news. >> wanted for kidnapping beverly carter, a realtor -- >> was the whole city glued to their tv sets as the hunt for this individual was on? >> absolutely. so many people knew this picture, knew this face. >> and everyone was on the lookout. ben boyett and conan waters, managers at a mortgage company who knew beverly from real estate deals, were discussing the case in their office. >> as we're standing inside of this room looking out the with window open, aaron lewis walks right in front of the window. >> ben immediately called 911. >> 911. >> hey. i'm sitting over here. they're looking for a guy here that was involved in the realtor being kidnapped, and this guy looks like him. and he is nervous and he's out here at a bus stop. >> conan went out to the bus stop to conform it really was louis. >> i approached him.

and he was a little standoffish at first. i made quick conversation about the bus routes and the times, which put him at ease. and i thanked him for his time and i walked away and went back inside and told my colleagues, absolutely, that is aaron lewis without a doubt. >> they spotted lewis ducking into a subway sandwich shop. he's caught on a security camera. and when lewis left -- >> someone from a distance outside had made the comment hey, i think that's him. and that's what spooked him. >> lewis took off across the street towards this apartment complex. >> maybe five people chasing him. we knew we were in different areas. i think we were confident where he was. and luckily for us soon as we turned the corner we saw the police coming in. >> when the police get there, aaron takes off running into an apartment. and jumps out of a second-story window before he's taken into custody. >> this is like a movie, this chase and this kidnapping. did it feel like that? >> oh, yeah. still does. >> the cops finally had a suspect. and what he revealed would send detectives on a hair-raising

ride to find the missing real estate agent. >> coming up -- >> hi, it's beverly. >> a haunting recording. >> i just want to let you know i'm okay. i haven't been hurt. >> could beverly still be alive? >> i had hope. you have to. it's what keeps you going. >> when "dateline" continues. ♪ for the maestros of the creamiest-ever, ♪ ♪ must-have smoothies. ♪ ♪ it's irresistibly delicious.♪ ♪ more almond breeze, please! ♪ you could take your ulcerative colitis treatment in a different direction. talk to your doctor about xeljanz, a pill, not an injection or infusion, for adults with moderate to severe ulcerative colitis when a certain medicine did not help enough. xeljanz is the first and only fda-approved pill for moderate to severe uc. it can reduce symptoms in as early as two weeks, improve the appearance of the intestinal lining, and provide lasting steroid-free remission.

xeljanz can lower your ability to fight infections. before and during treatment, your doctor should check for infections, like tb and do blood tests. tell your doctor if you've had hepatitis b or c, have flu-like symptoms, or are prone to infections. serious, sometimes fatal infections, cancers including lymphoma, and blood clots have happened. taking a higher than recommended dose of xeljanz for ra may increase risk of death. tears in the stomach or intestines and serious allergic reactions have happened. you could take your uc treatment in a different direction. ask your gastroenterologist about xeljanz. ♪♪ in a year of changes. don't take chances on your taxes. be 100% certain with jackson hewitt. we'll get your taxes done right, guaranteed. ♪♪

we're carvana, the company we'll get your taxes done right, guaranteed. who invented car vending machines and buying a car 100% online. now we've created a brand-new way for you to sell your car. whether it's a year old or a few years old. we wanna buy your car. so go to carvana and enter your license plate answer a few questions. and our techno wizardry calculates your car's value and gives you a real offer in seconds. when you're ready, we'll come to you, pay you on the spot and pick up your car, that's it.

so ditch the old way of selling your car, and say hello to the new way at carvana. introducing voltaren arthritis pain gel. the first full prescription strength non-steroidal anti-inflammatory gel... available over the counter. voltaren is powerful arthritis pain relief in a gel. voltaren. the joy of movement.

police had a suspect in custody. his name was aaron lewis. he was an unemployed truck driver who'd been convicted of petty crimes in several states. to beverly's son carl jr. he didn't look like a kidnapper. >> he just looks like a regular guy. and so it was like what did this punk want with my mom? like it didn't make sense. so i almost was like are we sure we have the right guy? >> detectives believed they did. but the roller coaster ride for beverly carter's family and friends was far from over. >> i can remember the feeling. when he was captured we were all just like yes, okay, now where is she? come on, where are you? you know, we're ready to find you. >> as investigators focused on aaron lewis, they backed off on beverly's husband as a suspect. now detective allison was keeping carl in the loop. >> he said maybe we got him. i said, well, where's beverly? he said we're still questioning him. we're going to find out.

we're going to keep chugging, we're going to keep on till we find her. >> then did you have a little burst of hope? >> just a little bit of hope. i mean, that's all i had. >> really your biggest task is to find out where beverly is. >> that was my biggest task and my biggest concern at that time. >> did lewis know where beverly was? and if he did, would he tell the detective? >> what was his story? where was beverly? >> he said that he had kidnapped beverly, it was because of money. he said he found her on the internet, searched her out, saw that she was a broker and felt like she had money. >> louis described in detail what he claimed happened. he says when he contacted beverly about the house showing she told him she didn't feel comfortable meeting just him, sew got his wife, crystal, on the phone to say she'd be there too. >> aaron shows up, he goes in and makes some excuse as to why crystal couldn't come. and aaron tells me that he had beverly take photographs of the house with her phone.

>> so that explained why those photos the detective had seen were dark and blurry. lewis said he'd asked beverly to send them to crystal since she couldn't be there. >> he said they walked upstairs and when they got to the top of the stairs he pulled out a flashlight taser and told her that she was about to have a bad day. and she asked what are you talking about. he says, you're being kidnapped. >> beverly must have been just absolutely terrified. >> i have no doubt. no doubt. >> lewis then claimed he had an accomplice and he wasn't talking about his wife, who had set up the meeting with beverly. it was someone else. >> he said if anything happened to beverly trevor done it. >> who's trevor? >> trevor is a guy that aaron actually lived with for a short period of time. >> did this give you some hope that maybe there was an accomplice here and that maybe he did have beverly? >> i had hope we were going to find beverly alive. you have to. that's what keeps you going. >> louis said the last time he saw beverly, she was with trevor

and then offered evidence that she might still be alive. louis played a recording from his phone and it was chilling. >> carl, it's beverly. i just want to let you know i'm okay. i haven't been hurt. just do what he says and please don't call the police. if you call the police, it could be bad. i just want to let you know, i love you very much. >> it was encouraging, but it only proved beverly was alive at the time of the recording. the detective told louis he needed more. >> that's when he finally says i'll take you to the last place that she was. >> so this is a big moment now. >> yep. >> in this whole case. this is it. >> yep. that's when we load him up and we start going to cabot, arkansas. >> beverly's family prayed this nightmare was about to end. >> did you know that aaron louis was saying your mom was alive? >> yes. we knew that after they had him and they were interrogating him. >> there was a big boost of energy. when he was telling us, it was

so uplifting. we were like okay, we're about to get her back, it's great. >> is everyone just sitting by the phone waiting for the call? >> mm-hmm. >> we got her? >> mm-hmm. >> pacing. >> lewis led detective allison on a nail-biting road trip 30 miles out of town to the last place he claimed to have seen beverly alive. a shed on the side of the road what are you thinking as you're approaching this shed? there's a really good chance she could be here or you're not so sure? >> i'm hoping like hell she's in there. we go in and she wasn't in there. she had never been in there. >> that's such a letdown. >> tell me about it. it was bad. it was bad. >> but louis wasn't done. he had a captive audience and he knew it. he took the police to a new location, a house about 35 miles away. >> and he says, well, this is where i initially took her after i abducted her.

i could tell as soon as we walked in there was nothing. >> another letdown. >> another letdown. >> are you feel like this guy is taking us on a wild goose chase? >> yep. i was so mad that i couldn't drive him back. i had to ride back with another detective. >> there's a woman's life that could be at stake, he's messing with the police. >> playing games. playing games. >> while louis was leading detectives on this wild goose chase, another cop had tracked down this trevor, the man louis claimed was his accomplice. >> we figured out he was in the military here in little rock, assigned to the little rock air force base. we did make contact with him. actually interviewed him. >> they interrogated trevor for several hours, then let him go. >> he wasn't even in town. when this happened. >> he had an ironclad alibi? >> absolutely. we confirmed through his job, through the air force base, with their office of special investigation, that he was on base that day. >> lies after lies.

there was no accomplice. neither location turned up anything. police were running out of options. then detective allison thought of one more possibility, a cement plant called argo's where lewis had recently worked. >> i point blank asked him if beverly was at argo's. and at that point he was looking down at the table. when i said, that he looked up and he just had this stupid look on his face. so i figured right then that that's probably where she was at. >> police raced over to the factory, hoping to find beverly alive. >> coming up -- another game from aaron lewis. >> i was so mad. i thought, how dare you try to tarnish our sweet beverly's reputation? >> and at last an answer for her family. >> he says, we found beverly. >> when "dateline" continues. those who du more with less asthma.

thanks to dupixent. the add-on treatment for specific types of moderate-to-severe asthma. dupixent isn't for sudden breathing problems. it can improve lung function for better breathing in as little as 2 weeks and help prevent severe asthma attacks. it's not a steroid but can help reduce or eliminate oral steroids. dupixent can cause serious allergic reactions including anaphylaxis. get help right away if you have rash, shortness of breath, chest pain, tingling or numbness in your limbs. tell your doctor if you have a parasitic infection and don't change or stop your asthma treatments, including steroids, without talking to your doctor. du more with less asthma. talk to your asthma specialist about dupixent. if your financial situation has changed, we may be able to help. flexible hours. that work around your schedule. jackson hewitt is here to fight for the biggest refund you deserve.

whether you're a 9-5er or 5-9er. ♪♪ it's very common to have both sensitivity and gum issues. whether you're a 9-5er or 5-9er. dentists and hygienists will want to recommend sensodyne sensitivity and gum you get the sensitivity relief as well as improved gum health all in one a migraine hope from aimovig. to show up... ...for the sweet. the hectic. the tender. the tense. and the fiery. but for many, migraine keeps them... ...from saying... ...“i am here.” we aim to change that... ...with... ...aimovig, a preventive treatment... ... for migraine in adults. one dose... ...once a month... ...is proven to reduce monthly migraine days. for some, by half or more. don't take aimovig if you're allergic to it. allergic reactions like rash or swelling can happen hours to days after use. severe constipation can happen.

sometimes with serious complications. high blood pressure can happen or worsen with aimovig. common side effects include injection site reactions and constipation. it doesn't matter what each day brings. so long as you can say... ... i am here. aim... ...to be there more. talk to your doctor about aimovig.

four days after beverly carter disappeared, police pulled up to this remote cement plant. they frantically searched for the missing real estate agent. >> you just now have this gut feeling that that's where she's at? >> yeah. >> shortly after arriving, an officer stumbled on something straight out of a crime novel, an elbow sticking out of a shallow grave. it was beverly. detective allison went to see carl. >> you never forget the look on somebody's face when you tell

them that you found their spouse. it's hard. it's probably the hardest part of it. >> he said we found beverly. i said, well, was she alive? and -- "no, i'm sorry, but she wasn't." >> we had worked so hard, i mean, to find her. we just really tried to do right and it wasn't enough. >> i know she pleaded. i know she pleaded for her life and to come back to us and for her grandbabies. and i just have to know that god's there comforting her. >> arron lewis was charged with murder and kidnapping and his wife, crystal lowery, charged as his accomplice. they pleaded not guilty. but his words to reporter shannon miller outside the sheriff's office didn't sound like those of an innocent man. >> why beverly? why beverly? >> she was a rich broker.

>> it was just as chilling in person as it was on tv. and then he gets into the car and you're going, what did he just say? >> two weeks later shannon interviewed lewis in jail and he told a vastly different story from the one he told detectives. >> was he willing to cop to anything? >> no. >> i didn't kill her. i didn't murder her. and anything that did occur was an accident. >> then he tried to say beverly played a role in her own death. he implied she willingly met him at the house for a sexual hookup that went wrong. >> it didn't have nothing to do with her showing the home. just a place to meet. >> in your opinion, how farfetched was this new story about the sexual encounter? >> well, it was 100% made up. so it was completely far-fetched. >> assistant district attorney john johnson was assigned the case. he believed it was a kidnapping gone wrong but needed help proving it in court.

he turned to lewis's wife, crystal lowery. >> i thought from the very beginning we would need to flip crystal and it would be important for the case for her to testify. >> he made a deal with crystal. she agreed to testify against her husband and plead guilty to murder and kidnapping in exchange for a reduced sentence of 30 years. >> it's good for the jury to be able to hear the back story of what went on and the why of what went on. >> arron lewis went on trial. the prosecution's star witness, crystal lowery, took the stand and told the jury all the grisly details. she claimed it was all about money, not sex. >> she said he came up with the idea of kidnapping someone but she even went so far as to suggest real estate agents. >> she testified she was in class at nursing school when lewis abducted beverly. >> she got a text from arron

lewis saying look at this or something like that and it was a picture of miss carter bound in the trunk of the car. she said that when she got home, he had brought miss carter back to the house. >> she told the jury when she got home, beverly was locked in their bathroom, and what she said next showed how little thought went into this plan. lewis had forgotten beverly's purse with her atm card at the property, so he went back to get it. crystal says when he got close to the house, cops were everywhere. one even pulled him over. >> this particular officer just stopped a car that was coming in to say, hey, have you seen, and just ask questions and put the person on alert. >> the officer couldn't have known that arron lewis was the man they were looking for. >> miss carter was still alive and he just didn't know it. >> when lewis returned home, crystal told the jury that's when the couple ran out of options. >> she was in the bathroom with

crystal's medication and so she knew crystal's name. >> beverly had seen too much. they agreed she had to die. >> arron took miss carter from their house and put her in the back of the car and drove her out to the cement plant. >> that's when prosecutors believe lewis did something horrific. he wrapped beverly's face in duct tape and let her suffocate. >> he came home and told crystal that she was dead. >> and then the heart of the prosecution's case, that recording of beverly pleading to her husband. they played it for the jury. >> do what he says and please don't call the police. if you call the police, it could be bad. >> prosecutors argued the recording proved beverly had been kidnapped and contradicted lewis's claim of a hookup. so how would the defense explain that tape? attorney bill james chose to ignore it. >> i was unable to come up with any plausible explanation for that recording that helped us.

>> so was this one of your biggest obstacles, then? >> i mean, everything came back to the recording. >> instead he led jurors in a different direction, beverly's personal life. >> you said this case is about secret lives. what did you mean by that? >> in order for our defense to be correct, she would have to be living a life that was basically secretly doing something that other people didn't know about. >> here's where lewis's story got even stranger. he was no longer implying that he had sex with beverly. >> he claims he was out of the house at the time? >> that's what he said, yes. >> lewis said the tryst was between beverly and crystal. he said beverly accidentally died during rough sex. >> she died while with -- while with his wife and that he was only just protecting his wife and trying to cover up for her. >> to further bolster this story james suggested to the jury that beverly had been prone to poor judgment. he pointed out that she was

broke but driving a brand new cadillac and getting expensive plastic surgery. >> i'm just saying she made some bad decisions, maybe she made another one. >> finally, arron lewis took the stand and told the jury the story about the alleged rendezvous with beverly and his wife. during cross-examination prosecutors pounced. they questioned him about every detail, including that one piece of evidence that seemed to contradict his entire story. beverly's voice on that tape telling her husband she'd been kidnapped. >> what he ultimately told the jury was that he had done it himself, he had synthesized her voice and created this tape. >> you'll forgive me if that sounds maybe a little silly? >> well, you'll forgive me if i remind you that i didn't say it happened. i'm just telling you what the evidence was. i'm just saying what happened at the trial. >> to beverly's friends and family lewis's story was not only preposterous, it was painful to listen to.

>> we've been victimized over and over again by him. i was angry that not only that he was able to do it but that he continued to be able to hurt my mom. >> i was so mad because i thought how dare you try to tarnish our sweet beverly's reputation. >> the verdict was back in less than an hour. >> we hear footsteps running, and they're like the verdict's in. what? it was very quick. >> good sign? >> yes. >> great sign. >> great sign. >> arron lewis was found guilty on all counts and given two life sentences. >> i felt relief. instantly, relief that we got him. >> and beverly's family is working to make sure this doesn't happen to someone else's family. they started the beverly carter foundation. her son travels the country training real estate agents about safety. >> it's a blessing for me because i get to not only raise

awareness, talk about safety, best practices, but then i also use that as an opportunity for me to kind of slide in some great stories about my mom and so kind of keep her alive. >> that's all for this edition of "dateline". i'm craig melvin. thank you for watching. >> i'm craig melvin. >> i'm natalie morales. >> and this is "dateline." >> oh, please, god. why? >> it is the case that stunned parents everywhere, the dad whose young son died in the car. >> apparently he forgot the child was in the car seat in the back and went to work. >> i know you didn't, baby. i know you didn't. >> i think any parent can put themselves in that situation. >> full denial, that it wasn't happening. >> then came the jaw-dropping news. police said it was murder.