running roughshod over human rights, and fascism is reasserting itself worldwide, it's good to have an adult in the white house. i'm thankful for nancy pelosi, who showed a generation of women what power looks like when wielded in an expert female hands. and i wish the outgoing speaker and her husband healing and peace this holiday. and i'm thankful for you, our viewers. you give me the strength to speak truth to power. and to hate, which as we know, is not a cost free endeavor. so thank you, for watching the readout, and we will see you on the other side of the turkey, or in my case, the korean roti. one love, pham. and that's the read out, enjoy your weekend and we will see you back here on monday.

>> i'm sorry. i understand why they hate me. to anyone that has loved him, for the role i played. i am deeply deeply sorry. >> it was right out of a soap opera. the husband, the wife, the affair with a local dentist. >> i just don't think of myself as someone, why would he be interested in me, you know? >> was it passionate? >> yes. >> but the script turned dark when her has been turned up dead. >> everything was a blur, she said she found him in his car outside his gym. words like heart attack, and on your resume. >> we all assumed it was a health related death. >> 40-year-old men just don't drop dead. >> it's just too many coincidences, shall we say. adding up. >> they believed it was poisoning. >> someone else was there with him that morning. >> this is now a murder investigation. >> 100%. >> you are hearing about a love triangle. >> she admitted that she was having an affair. >> i had nothing to do with his

death. >> the plot was just beginning to thicken. >> oh my god, this can't be happening now. >> a new love makes the world seem a little brighter. >> a very smooth, i want to say a almost sexy way about him. >> makes the heartbeat a little faster. >> was it passionate? >> yeah. >> but when that love is forbidden. >> i was like why, how, how can that be? how could i am not have known? >> a family would wonder if other secrets maybe hidden. >> why would you do this, how could you be so irresponsible. >> the whole thing was an atrocity, it wasn't a tragedy, it was an atrocity. >> it all began just a couple of hours north of new york city. a photographer's dream called the hudson valley. rolling hills, on the majestic

river. and quaint small towns. >> easy good girl. >> for linda it was the perfect place to raise a family. >> i grew up in --, small schools. yeah, just involved in sports. >> everyone seems friendly, it seems kind of -- >> a small home town, you know. >> it's where linda lived with her husband tom and their family. a loving home where they celebrated birthdays and holidays. thanksgiving, 2011, was a busy time. visiting relatives, over eating, and watching football. >> you just love the game of football, he was a giants fan from a kid. >> and you took comfort to his first game? >> i did, i have pictures of him like standing down by the field. look at me! a kid in a candy store. it was great. >> both linda and tom had been married before, but this felt

like the real deal. what was it about tom's personality that made him so lovable? and maybe you love him? >> he had a shyness about him that was sweet. he had like a kind of shy flirty kind of way. it was just adorable. >> when it came time to tie the knot, they rolled the dice and eloped. >> little white chapel? >> a chapel. it was beautiful, flowers, music, really beautiful. >> unusual, you know walking through a casino. and someone has a wedding gown on. >> the only guess where linda's parents and tom's mom and dad dad, marie and tom senior. >> did they seem like a good match? >> i think they fit, i think they fit. >> both tom and linda had kids from their previous marriages, but a few years later, they welcomed a child of their own. ryan. >> he would say all along throughout the pregnancy, i don't care if it's a girl or

boy i will love it either way. i knew deep down he wanted a boy. and so when he was delivered, and he saw it was a boy. he cried, he was so happy. really happy. >> did you immediately see a relationship made in heaven? >> absolutely. >> they were a blended family, his, mind, and our, as they like to call it. linda had a daughter who lived with her and tom. while tom's two kids from his first marriage lived in colorado. brad and julian. >> i grew up knowing that my step siblings were my siblings. it never felt not normal. you know, it felt like at dad's house that was my house. >> and despite the distance, tom was very close to his oldest kids. >> i was a daddy's girl definitely, no doubt about that. he always made sure that whenever brad and i were in town that we would have fun. like we wouldn't just, you know,

be sitting around. we always had fun plans. >> jillian and her dad talked on the phone all the time. thanksgiving weekend, 2011 was no exception. >> and i remember we hung up and we blew a kiss over the phone like we used to when i was ten and we hadn't in years. i thought that was cute. >> and when the weekend of family and football was over. it was monday, november 28th. and a lucky for tom the new york giants were on tv. >> we stayed up and watched the football game, the giants football game. i went to bed. >> the next morning as usual, he was up and out of the house before linda and of the kids were even awake. >> he normally got up to go to the gym around five for 30. and give me a kiss on the forehead. >> after working out like clockwork he almost went straight to his job as a physical therapy supervisor. he and linda usually texted soon after. but when linda sent him a message that morning. >> i didn't get a response, and usually tom is good at responding. and i was getting a little concerned.

but maybe he's in a meeting, maybe he's, you know, whatever, tied up. >> she wasn't really worried until her phone brian, it was a friend of tom's name gill. >> i got a phone call from gill, and he said no i haven't heard from tom either. but he didn't show up at work. >> what's going through your mind, is there concern? or maybe he's at the gym? >> tom would never, missed a morning of work. >> linda jumped in her car to retrace her husband steps. hoping to find him. she never imagined that search would lead where it did. coming up, linda's heartbreaking story. >> i saw his car. i was like, oh my god. >> tom had gone to the gym. in fact, he was still there. >> i was like wake up, what are you doing, they are looking for you at work? i was just like oh my god, this can't be happening now. >> when dateline continues.

strike at any time. think you're not at risk? wake up. because shingles could wake up in you. if you're over 50, talk to your doctor or pharmacist about shingles prevention. ♪♪ after a disaster, you don't just want something new, you want what's yours. that's why tide loads of hope is expanding to provide clean clothes to more people in crisis. with every purchase of tide hygienic clean you can help too. changing microscopic batteries. now, this is eargo, and they're rechargeable. can it get any easier? nicorette knows, quitting smoking is freaking hard. you get advice like: just stop. go for a run. go for 10 runs! run a marathon. instead, start small. with nicorette. which can lead to something big. start stopping with nicorette.

>> tom coleman wasn't the kind of guy who didn't return calls from his wife. and he always showed up for work. his family said he loved his job as a physical therapist. qatar >> he was always dedicated in >> was he the type of person who like helping people?

>> he did. people just loved him. he was such a sweetheart. >> so, that morning, when tom went mia, linda was frantic. she jumped in her car to look for him. >> usually goes to the gym. so, i went to the gym. i pulled in and, at first, i don't see his car. as i pulled further through, i saw his car. so, i just pulled up alongside. i looked over. and i was like, oh, my god. he was laying down. i thought, he fell asleep. like, he looks like he is sleeping. and, i jumped into the car and i opened the car. and i said, what do you doing ? they're looking for your work ? >> but tom wouldn't wake up. linda called 9-1-1. >> 9-1-1, what is the address and emergency? >> i'm in -- i'm in the parking lot by planet fitness in kingston. i was looking for my husband, and i found him in his car. and i don't know if he's breathing. >> what did you think had happened to him? >> at that point? maybe had a migraine and took some migraine medicine and lay down. >> he's not waking up, while you're waiting for the ambulance.

no matter what you're doing.. . >> his hands were really, really cold. and then i realized that his nails were blue. >> you've got to send somebody. >> ma'am. are you able to check to see if his chances going up and down? >> i don't think it is. >> paramedic, tim missile, was one of the first responders. >> i believe we were here within three minutes of the call. >> what did you see a soon as you arrived in the parking lot ? >> mr. coleman's car was parked here, and mrs. coleman 's covers part here. mrs. coleman was on the side. she was very distraught. >> did you attempt to resuscitate him? >> i did not. after my quick examination, i could tell that there was nothing that we could do. he had been deceased for a while. >> the paramedics just stood there. and i was like, what are you doing? like, help him. get in the car and help him. and i just stood there. they were like... no. i was just like, sharks. like, can you at least try?

you know, the one just said, he's gone. and he did. he felt so called. >> did you feel like, this is so unfair? >> it just, like oh, my god. this can't be happening right now. it was now. >> shortly after, tom's friend gayle called linda and was at the scene. that's him off to the right. collapsing in grief as he learns the news. meanwhile, first responders -- >> and arriving officers process the scene. >> anything unusual about his body? did he look peaceful? >> his trousers were opened just a little bit. his collars were undone. it was shirt was pulled out. it he was reclined back in his car.

it felt like he took a nap and did wake up. there is a presumption that it may have been a heart attack, cardiac event, something had happened. he was a large man. >> but since tom's death was what police call an unattended death, there had to be an investigation. detective mike thomas and lieutenant carl berardelli worked the case for the all-star police department. they took note about how linda , the wife, was reacting at the scene. >> her demeanor, was it something you would expect from the wife making a discovery like this? >> 100 percent. 100 percent. there was nothing out of the

ordinary with her. reaction, her words, it was more hysteria. >> places hearted linda down to the station to ask for questions about tom's health. >> she had mentioned to us that he had hypertension. >> she mentioned he had sleep appalachia. which, if you're not familiar with sleep, near unfortunately, they ultimately stopped breathing certain times during the night. >> sounds dangerous. >> absolutely. he was diagnosed by his doctors having a severe case of sleep abyssinia. >> did you kind of think that this was going to be an open and shut case once you got the autopsy results? >> absolutely. that, unfortunately, was not the outcome the next day. >> instead, the results would turn this tragedy into a

tangled mystery. >> coming up. what's had happened to tom coleman? >> 40 year old men don't just drop dead like that. >> we couldn't believe it. >> why didn't you believe it? >> well, he was always in good shape. exercised and everything. >> if there is a death that is not a natural death, you look at the closest person first. usually, the spouse. >> a blockbuster new clue. >> what did that video show? >> we were able to observe a white suv arrive in the parking lot. someone else was there with him that morning. >> when dateline continues.

blendjet■s black friday sale is on now. save up to 25% on the number one gift this holiday season. blendjet 2 portable blender gives you ice-crushing, big blender power on-the-go.

throw in your favorite ingredients and blend up a delicious smoothie anytime, anywhere. blendjet 2 even cleans itself. just add water, a drop of soap, and blend. recharge quickly with any usb port. order now from blendjet.com and get our best deal ever! >> just after a busy thanksgiving weekend. linda found herself surrounded by family and friends again. this time, it was not to celebrate, but to grieve. tom her husband of ten years was a dead. >> i think she was just in such

a state of shock. that it's almost like she wasn't there. >> linda's sister deborah. >> my family there, my parents , and there were some friends that had gathered. some close friends. >> there were so many people to tell, tom's siblings broke the news to his parents. >> when i came home at 3:00, all my children were at my house. they were told that it looked like a cardiac event. he didn't survive it. but, we just couldn't believe it. >> why didn't you believe it? >> he was always in good shape. he did everything, but still. he was healthy. >> his daughter julian, and son brad found out from their mom michelle. tom's ex-wife. >> she just looked at both of

us, and no beating around the bush just said your dad is dead. and i just. everything was a blur. words like heart attack and aneurysm kept flying at me and none of it was registering. it was just utter heart break. >> the three of us stood together hugging, and then collapsed on to the floor. but it didn't seem to be a really long time that we just didn't let go of each other. >> they flew to new york and a joint of the growing crowd at tom and linda's house. >> linda was a wreck, she needed help standing up sometimes. she was just riddled with

grief. >> as the coal men's made a funeral arrangements, investigators met with the medical examiner to nail down the cause of tom's death. what they heard changed everything. >> it was undetermined pending toxicology results. >> the medical examiner explained there was no evidence of a heart attack, aneurysm, or any health related event. >> now you have an undetermined cause of death on a 40 -year-old male which 40 old men just don't drop dead like that. >> are you still thinking that this could be medical? or are you starting to think we could have a homicide on our hands? >> you can think both at that point in time. we had to wait for toxicology reports to come back. do come up with a cause of death. in the meantime, we are thinking, i say thinking the worst. >> until we can disprove it's not a homicide, we have to treat it as such. >> crime scene techs worked on tom's car, and took swabs for clues. while a detective set out to

learn more about his movement from the day he died. linda told police, the last time she saw tom was watching football. she assumed he left for the gym the following morning around 5:30. so investigators pulled security video of the parking lot to see what that could tell them. it was dark and grainy, but revealed a lot. >> in the video itself. we were able to observe a white suv, arrive in the parking lot of planet fitness. that was about at 4:30 in the morning. ten minutes later, we actually see tom's vehicle pulled into the parking lot. and park right next to this white suv. that's when we knew that obviously someone else was there with him that morning. >> the plot really thick and, i'm sure, after seeing that video. >> yes. >> so this is the planet fitness right here? >> planet fitness to your right. where tom worked out every morning. i will pull into tom's spot. >> bill is a retired fbi agent , and the chief investigator for the district attorney.

he showed us in the light of day, what is hard to see in that grainy video. >> this is exactly where tom was parked, right here. which is as you can see, it's a great distance away from the planet fitness where he normally worked out. so this would not be a normal parking spot to pull into at that. our in the morning to work out in that gym. >> and the mystery suv pulled up? >> it pulled up right here. so they were both facing, north. >> could you identify a person , make, model of the car? what details were you getting ? >> it was pitch black, these lights were not providing any illumination at all. the only thing we could observe is that the two vehicles were parked side by side for about 30, 35 minutes. >> the mystery suv left around 5:30 am. but tom's car never moved. >> -- >> what does that tell you? >> there had to be contact between the two to meet at this point at that hour.

so we knew now that someone had met with him, prior to his death. and we now have to figure out who that is. >> he's here said than done, of course. we just pulled up here, and lo and behold, there is a white suv here, beside us. there is a white suv there, there is a white suv there. once you think about it, there's a lot of white suvs, they are everywhere. >> they are everywhere. >> but thanks to the video, investigators now thought they had an important lead to help narrow their search. >> whoever tom was interacting with, in this white suv. he was expecting him, and he knew him. >> time for investigators to start looking at tom's inner circle. picking apart his simple suburban life. linda, i would imagine, would be someone you would want to look closely at? >> no question, if there is a death that is not a natural death. you look at the closest people first. usually the spouse. >> coming up, i mean, is your head starting to spend a little bit? >> we're trying to get a hold of what we have now. because things are starting to pile up. >> he didn't want to talk to me.

>> soon they discover another reason to take a look at linda. >> me and linda, we have, we have a relationship so -- >> sexual relationship i'm assuming? >> well yeah. >> he's having an affair with linda. >> it caught us off-guard. >> when the good has been continues. >> when the good has bee continues. continues. have tide ultra-oxi with odor eliminators. between stains and odors, it can handle double trouble. for the #1 stain fighter and odor remover, it's got to be tide. if your business kept on employees through the pandemic, innovation refunds could qualify it for a payroll tax refund of up to $26,000 per employee. all it takes is eight minutes to find out. then work with highly qualified professionals to fill out your forms and submit the application. go to innovationrefunds.com to learn more.

with no obvious medical explanation for tom's death, police decided to treat it as a possible homicide. but said nothing to his family. >> we decide to sit back and wait until we found out the cause of death. and that is what we did. we just sat back. for tom's parents. bearing their first born was excruciating. something the funeral director said gave them comfort. when people die, if they're well respected, people come

from all over. and they did. i had relatives from rochester long island, new jersey virginia, from california. >> how moved were you by all that love in that room? >> incredible. >> walking into the wake was probably one of the hardest things i had to do. i waited. i waited for my siblings, all of us walked in. arm in arm. faces down. just balling. and we walked up to the coffin and we all almost just collapsed together. and just wept. >> detective discreetly sent officers to the funeral home to observe. if not tom's death was a homicide, they want to keep an eye on linda. they also need to find out if tom had any enemies. >> from speaking anyone, including her, tom was a great guy. middle class men, hardworking,

loved his family. would you anything for them. we could not find any enemies in the world that would want to do anything against tom. >> you had a real mystery you had to solve here. well >> oh, absolutely. >> there was one person that raised eyebrows tom's friend, gil. who raced the scene the morning thomastown. >> he was moaning and crying and carrying on, and greeting people at the door. how could this of happen. just a very bizarre display that even the family members commented on. who is this guy? where we come from and what is going on here? >> investigators were interested in speaking to anyone close to tom. including gayle. gilberto nunez was his full name. he was originally from the dominican republic. >> how long have you known him? >> i've known him for like four

years he. we start our friendship around three years ago. >> gill seemed to know a lot about tom's life, his work hours, his marriage, even his medical history. >> at any medical conditions that you know? >> yes. but i know, he had sleep at the. >> investigators also fished for information about tom's wife. >> how is linda doing? >> i've been -- there you, know i go to the house. >> how is she doing? >> she is not too good. you? now she's very, really, really, really bad. >> you know. bad shape. >> that wasn't all gill had to say about linda. he had saying far more interesting to share with the detectives. >> how long have you guys known. me and linda, we've had a relationship. >> okay. >> sexual relationship, i'm assuming? >> well, yeah. >> what is that moment like when he reveals he is having an affair with linda coleman? >> i think it caught us off-guard because that was the first time we discovered that. we had no reason to ask linda

about that type of relationship. dickey >> how long ago did that start ? >> probably, like, a year. >> yeah. >> gill revealed another detail that was even more surprising. >> did tom know about that? >> yeah. >> he knew? >> he found out sometime this summer. >> gayle said not only did tom know about the affair, the two men continued their friendship. >> i think so. i was honest about. it he was honest about it, to. so, we are pretty close. i mean, to the point of, like, he got me into football , which i don't have a clue. >> how crazy is this though that tom continued to hang out with gilberto? they stayed friends, even after he finds out he's sleeping with his wife. >> better man than i am. it's just not the norm. it is not something that you see.

>> is your head starting to spin a little bit? >> we're trying to get a hold of what we've got now because stem from unintended death of the parking lot of the fitness club. to, now, we got all this. within days, things are starting to pile up. >> now, i would imagine that you more than ever need to talk to linda coleman. >> they did want to talk to me , a few days after. one of the questions was, what was your relationship with gilberto nunez? >> he had a way about him. he had a very smooth, almost sexy way about him. his personality. >> the kids see while you're in the? sure >> yeah. [inaudible] you're just living in two different lives. >> i had my real life and my fantasy life. >> secrets, anger. >> he comes right off to me, saying, what's been going on?

>> this is scandalous. but >> when dateline continues. dateline continues dateline continues the virus that causes shingles is sleeping... in 99% of people over 50. and it could strike at any time. think you're not at risk? wake up. because shingles could wake up in you. if you're over 50, talk to your doctor or pharmacist about shingles prevention.

blendjet■s black friday sale is on now. save up to 25% on the number one gift this holiday season. blendjet 2 portable blender gives you ice-crushing, big blender power on-the-go. throw in your favorite ingredients and blend up a delicious smoothie anytime, anywhere. blendjet 2 even cleans itself. just add water, a drop of soap, and blend. recharge quickly with any usb port. order now from blendjet.com and get our best deal ever!

>> tom's cause of death was still a mystery. but detectives now had a juicy love triangle smack in the middle of their investigation. they asked linda to come down to the station to share her side of the story. >> i told them everything, i didn't care anymore. at that point i wasn't hiding a thing. >> how did you meet gilberto? >> i met him at my sons kindergarten orientation. >> he had a child in the same class? >> a son? >> yeah. >> that was in 2009, he was married then. and the two couples started socializing. >> we all seemed to like each other, and we were friendly. and they would just say hey, are you out to dinner, okay. >> and then you started to get to know him better? >> overtime, yeah. >> through school events? >> yeah, and our sons both did

karate together. they were in the same karate class. >> tom and gill also hit it off , and became close. talking sports, and watching giants games. and like tom, he was a hands on dad. he went to all his sons karate classes, where he would see linda. >> we would sit next to each other, and just talk. it was like three times a week , for an hour. >> what was it about gilberto that you liked? >> very friendly, very personable. >> one year went by before linda says she realized something was happening between them. >> every time he would leave he would give me a kiss goodbye. >> on the lips? >> for him to give me a hug and a kiss on the cheek, see you next week. it really wasn't that kind of a big deal to me. it was kind of like his culture. and as time started going by when i was realizing the kiss was no longer on the cheek. so i would go back to my car

like, was that an accident? >> lingering? >> you know fairly quick. >> linda said nothing to her husband, and she and gil never discussed whatever it was that was going on. until one day he finally said it. >> he actually called me one night, he basically was like, you know. i can get you off my mind, your beautiful. i just adore you, and i was like wow. >> that's a hot potato right there. >> yeah, yeah, from then he started texting me. here and there we will talk. and it just progressed. >> did you think he was handsome? >> [laughs] not really. to be honest with you. but he had a way about him. he had a very smooth, i want to say almost sexy way about him. with the accent. >> a latin thing going on?

>> yes, yes, totally. his personality was sucking me in. >> it was early 2011, both gil and linda's marriages were going through rough patches. >> in all honesty, tom and i we were having some struggles in the home. >> what were you struggling with? >> i think probably the same stuff that same marriage after ten years struggles with. you know paying the bills, working two jobs. >> real life problems. >> yeah, and they were stressful. >> so was gilberto a little bit of an escape for you? >> yes, yes, that's a really good way to put it. >> how does that finally get acted upon? >> i went and had some dental work in his office. so then you can imagine once i'm there. and i'm in the chair and the next step. >> did he kiss you while you are in the chair? >> yeah which blew me away the fact that this dentist, the smart guy, this you know smooth guy who seems to have everything would even want to

kiss me. or excuse me. like i just don't think of myself as someone. why would he be interested in me? >> was it passionate? >> yeah. >> pretty soon they were meeting for sex, and by spurring, he had separated from his wife and was living in an apartment above his dental practice. >> you had a busy life, a job , husband, children. in a small town. how are you carrying on this affair? >> i still was the wife and the mother, i was home for my kids every night after work. and i would see him at lunchtime. >> linda thought it was a well kept secret. but maybe not so much. a few months into the affair someone tipped off tom with an anonymous text message. >> he comes right at me with it i'm getting these texts that you are with gayle.

what's the hell is going on? >> it's sort of scandalous? >> yeah and i said this is what's been going on. i cleared the table, i have been having an affair. it was with him. >> was there any part of it that felt i don't want to use the word good. but you got it off your chest , you weren't carrying around the secret anymore. >> it did because then at least i could talk to tom about it. and at one point he said to me lynn i could see he has some kind of hold on you. he's like i see it and he did. >> and linda told us what detectives had found so hard to believe. how did it affect tom the fact that it was gilberto? and he was friends with both of you? >> strangely enough they still continue to be friends. >> it is so hard to grasp. >> i know it is, but they did. they cared about each other, they were like buddies. tom would invite him over for sunday dinners, i know, sounds nuts. i know it does. >> a little bit. >> i know. >> and how are you handling

that? >> i'm just like in the middle like what do i do? >> you are the objects of both of their affection. >> yeah. and i loved them both. and we would say well we don't have to decide tomorrow. we could just take some time and figure this out you know. >> linda says tom didn't pressure her to end the affair. to the contrary he gave her the time and freedom to continue seeing gill and sort out her feelings. you're just living in almost two different lives? but they've intersected? >> i had a real life and then i had a fantasy life basically. >> but everyone in the triangle knew it couldn't last. linda had to make a choice. gil or tom, and a few weeks before tom's death she did. coming up. her husband or her lover? >> he threw me on the bed and was like tickling me.

who would linda choose? >> hindsight i think he knew probably by my body language. and him just knowing me as well as he did. that he was losing me. >> had she and gil been telling police the truth? >> maybe linda wanted tom out of the way so she could be with gilberto? >> no question. >> when the good husband continues. when the good husband continues.

if you run a small business, you need the most from every investment. that's why comcast business gives you more. more innovation... with our new gig-speed wi-fi, plus unlimited data.

more speed... from the largest, fastest, reliable network... and more savings- up to 60% a year with comcast business mobile. all from the company that powers more businesses than any other provider. get started with fast speeds and advanced security for $49.99 a month for 12 months. plus ask how to get up to a $750 prepaid card with a qualifying bundle.

>> it was just a few days after her husband's death when linda admitted to detectives that, yes, she was having an affair with her husband's best friend. >> for a little bit of time there it was me, tom, and gill, really trying to decide what we were going to do. or when i was going to do. they were letting me decide, you know? >> for months, linda's affection ping-ponged between the two men. that is, until her october wedding anniversary rolled around. her and tom decide to take the kids away for the weekend. i think it was really that we weekend that i realized that i just wanted to be with my husband. he's my best friend. i love him. i don't want to do this anymore. i've been stupid and foolish and ridiculous. i don't wanna do it anymore. >> you chose tom? >> i chose tom. >> a couple of weeks later, it

was thanksgiving. still on friendly terms, gil shared the holiday with tom. linda, and their family. monday, linda met with joe alone but postpone telling him that their fair was over. >> what was that discussion like with gilberto? what did you tell him? >> holidays are here. we have all these kids. like, we can't, you know. after the holidays. he's was like, okay. i'll wait for your decision. you know? >> do you think he knew? >> he probably knew by my body language. i just him knowing me as well as he did. that he was losing me. >> that night, linda felt she and tom are back on track. >> i remember coming upstairs and pick-me-up and their me on the bed. tickling me. i think we both just felt like there was light at the end of this tunnel. this is the old us. we're happy and silly. and look at this, you know? >> the next morning, tom was

dead. and investigators were now learning details about his complicated personal life. >> a bit of a soap opera going on here. >> funny thing is, prior to meeting you guys, we said this is a dateline case. >> and here we are! >> despite what they heard from linda and gayle, investigators were somewhat subject skeptical that this love triangle had no jealousy or resentment. the eight investigator, bill why stop -- it >> we had to try and determine if there was some kind of relationship that we weren't seeing between the victims and nunez. but was going on between the two of them that tom coleman would allow the sexual relationship to continue between him and nunez. >> did you have to think of a scenario that maybe him and -- -- linda one did the tom out of the ways that she could be with gilberto? >> no question.

that was top on the priority list. >> and the first question for investigators? did lend or kill drive a white suv? detectives knew that linda didn't. but gil did. he drove a white nissan pathfinder. >> there are 1 million white suvs out there. once you think about it, and look at it, they're everywhere. >> absolutely. >> a coincidence. but as suspicious. when detectives were also remembering how gill showed up at the scene of tom's death to consult linda and his reaction struck them as odd. >> it was described as that he was hysterical. almost jumping up and down like a polka stick. very dramatic. >> not a common reaction that you would see. >> if it's a good friend that died, is that not possible that someone would have a very hysterical reaction to that?

>> you do see strange reactions , but i believe his reaction was more than overdramatic. i would say. we kept it in the back of our heads for later on. >> both linda and gayle told police the fair was now over. but investigators weren't so sure. and began watching them closely. >> there was electronic surveillance, in terms of constantly monitoring their phone records, their computer records, and we also had a gps tracker on nunez car for a while. >> where are you hoping to find with that? >> we just wanted to determine whether, in fact, they were still together. if they were together, at all. >> it looked like gil and linda are telling the truth. after weeks of watching them, police found no signs they had been together since tom died. phone records also prove that tom and gil for indeed friendly in till the end. texting each other throughout the last giants game tom watched. gil, like tom, was well respected around town.

>> he works hard and he is not interested in money, as far as i can tell. >> zak scar is a patient of gayle and he is always admired his generosity. >> there is work import areas. >> did he ever said why he likes to do that? >> i think he's a man who cares. it's a simple as that. i think he cares about his patients. he cares about, you know, people having access to get dental care. >> he was a member of local chamber of commerce, a volunteer firefighter, voted one of the top -- dentist five times. and he chose to endorse products and online ads. wow >> i'm doctor gilberto nunez, a practice in kingston. >> a very good practice, very busy. >> his office manager has worked for jail for 13 years. >> he's always very positive, very upbeat, very kind. he's a pleasure to work for.

>> and everyone else please spoke to said the same. gil nunez didn't seem to have anything to hide. what's more, after weeks of investigating, there was still no clear cause of death. so, all investigators could do was wonder if the love triangle was just an interesting story that had nothing to do with tom's death. but that would all change when nearly two months after tommy coleman died, his toxicology results finally came in. they were a shocker. >> we find out that there was a narcotic, conscious sedative, calm a dazzling man in tom's system. no one had heard about it before. at least in our field. >> you had never seen in a murder before? or street drug? something people abused? >> it wasn't a common thing, from speaking to the medical examiner. >> it's not a common street drug. >> but to investigators. the most important thing he could talk about midazolam was

this -- >> it was only used in the medical field. either by a dentist or doctor in an inpatient procedure. >> the fact that this is used by dentists -- >> it is just too many coincidences, shall we say? adding up. they all come up to gilberto nunez. >> the dentist. >> the dentist. >> that put a whole new spin on their investigation. they wondered if maybe gill had used the medication to somehow poison his friend and romantic rival. >> i was told to us by medical professionals that is putting coffee or juice, or some kind of substance that could mask the taste of it because it is a very bitter, bitter taste. >> and tom's autopsy had shown liquid in his stomach that might have been coffee. >> we now have a gentleman who is friends with the family, is having an affair with the wife

them, tries the same type of vehicle that we have on that video, next to our victims in the morning his found. >> this is now a murder investigation. >> yes. >> 100 percent. >> they called linda back down to the station for more questions. >> they asked me if i knew what drugs weren't home system. they asked me more about the relationship with gill. they asked me what i know of that morning. >> they also decided to tell her about their suspicions, that they believe tom was murdered and that her ex lover, gil, was their prime suspect. >> i found it hard to accept because in my mind, he loved us. he loved me. he loved tom. would he do that? would he do something like that? >> was a part of you saying, he couldn't have done this. >> when i first found out about it the midazolam, i'm with the detectives in the room. they're like, do you think he

could have? i was like, no. he would never do that to him. >> after digesting what investigators told her. she realized, there were troubles with gill. and after several talks with police, she began revealing details that their love trial was far from tension free. in fact, linda says that gill made it clear that he was making long term plans for them. he even bought her a ring. >> we were out having dinner. he proposed. i said, i can't. >> how did he take that? >> well, i. now i know. i know. we have a lot to get there, but, you know. >> yeah. you're a little premature with that. >> did part of you want to say yes? >> i think in that moment i probably would have if i was single, yeah, i would have. >> it looked to investigators like gil was growing impatient. maybe eager to get tom out of the way. remember the anonymous texts to

tom? telling him about gil and linda's affair? she saw police they came from jail. when she found out, she confronted him. >> i was absolutely furious. >> what did you say to him? >> i just screamed who the hell do you think you are? why would you do this? >> very devious. >> very. very. >> according to linda, gill cried, saying he only did it because he felt tom should know the truth. she said he begged for forgiveness and even threatened to harm himself. >> tom felt bad that he felt suicidal. tom was that kind of guy. you know? i know this is a really crazy situation we are in, but i'm not gonna let him kill himself over it. like, we will work this out, somehow. you know? >> linda says she was still worried that gill was suicidal. that is why she decided tests postpone telling him that the affair was over until after the holidays. she seemed sincere. but investigators had to wonder if linda gill had plotted together to get rid of tom.

coming up. linda, under the microscope. >> she took a polygraph. >> yes, she did? >> pass? fail? >> when investigators ask gill first alibi -- >> -- >> i was home alone. >> this isn't the strongest alibi. >> it is no alibi. >> when dateline continues. blendjet 2 portable blender gives you ice-crushing, big blender power on-the-go. throw in your favorite ingredients and blend up a delicious smoothie anytime, anywhere. blendjet 2 even cleans itself. just add water, a drop of soap, and blend. recharge quickly with any usb port. order now from blendjet.com and get our best deal ever!

>> the sudden death of tom remained an unsolved mystery. and his wife linda had not been ruled out as a suspect. did it ever enter your mind for a second? i hope they don't think that i was in on this with someone. or that i had something to do with this because of the affair. >> not really. i had the affair, but no way in hell would i ever want harm done to my husband. ever, you know, and i assumed if i was going to be eliminated, let's do it. >> detectives went so far as to check out linda at her job. she worked at a hospital where she may have had access to--. >> we made sure all the -- that they had, was accounted for during that time period. >> they also asked her to take a polygraph test. >> she took a polygraph? >> yes she did. she passed. so she was ruled out in our eyes. >> that left one person police needed to talk to again. her former lover gill. and this time they planned to confront him with all their suspicions.

so they decided it was time to bring gill in for another top. >> are you and linda still? >> we're close. >> it lasted approximately seven hours. >> that's a long time. it was there was a lot to cover, our biggest thing was the drug. the other thing was the vehicle. >> a team of investigators took turns confronting gill. they told him they had a video proving his suv was at the scene. >> i never went to that gym, i never, you know. i wasn't there. so -- it >> but if i tell you i know you were there? >> then i am telling you you don't know, because that's not true. >> okay. >> that is you know totally the truth. >> so you think i lied? >> well i think you are lying to me, yes, yeah, totally. >> were you 100% sure that that was his white suv? >> was i 100 percent sure, i was 100% sure. but i could not physically

give you a license plate to confirm that, no. >> and when investigators asked gill for his alibi. >> i was home alone. >> okay. >> i'm always home alone, i live alone. >> he was all alone? >> all alone. >> this isn't the strongest alibi. >> that's no alibi. >> no alibi. >> but what about the sedative found in tom's system? gill didn't know, wait for while he was being questioned. police were at his office executing a search warrant. and inside an emergency kit, they found two vials of the drug. at first gill denied knowing anything about the drug. which also goes by the name --. >> so you don't keep it in your practice? >> yeah. >> and with that, investigators thought they had caught the dentist and eli. they kept pushing, as gil tried to explain how the drug may have gotten inside that emergency kit. >> i don't go in there, i have never been in my emergency kit.

whatever comes in the emergency kit, it's their. >> okay, fair enough. >> so -- >> by all means the fingerprints shouldn't be on it ? >> on one, at my emergency kit ? >> well if i put it in the area. >> it wasn't until we said, well what if we find your fingerprints on those pill bottles? at that point in time his story changed. >> we went from original denial of not knowing anything about it, to know he's handling it. >> they send it to me, and i put it in there. and the rest of them, they get tossed. >> okay so let me say this then. if there's the drug in the emergency kit. and your fingerprints will be on it. because you put it in there. >> yeah. >> and when investigators asked gill about those text messages to tom. tipping him off about the affair, he had an explanation for that to. >> i was like okay, i'm going to try to figure out how i can let him know. because if it was me, i would want to know. i don't want to be you know. so i guess he took that as --

as -- as a sign of courage. and a sign of friendship. >> so in one breath forcing you care about the guy. it and in your second breath you want to get rid of him. >> there's no reason for me to get rid of him. yeah >> but investigators weren't buying it. and the mood in the room turned tense. coming up. >> -- you, you are so full of --. you're lying, right there, stop! >> when the good husband continues. husband continues. continues. a cold is not just a cold. coricidin is the #1 doctor recommended cold and flu brand. specially designed for people with high blood pressure. be there for life's best moments. trust coricidin.

my most important kitchen tool? my brain. so i choose neuriva plus. unlike some others, neuriva plus is a multitasker supporting 6 key indicators of brain health. to help keep me sharp. neuriva: think bigger. covid-19. some people get it, and some people can get it bad. and for those who do get it bad, it may be because they have a high-risk factor. such as heart disease, diabetes, being overweight, asthma, or smoking. even if symptoms feel mild, these factors can increase your risk of covid-19 turning severe. so, if you're at high risk and test positive, don't wait. ask your healthcare provider right away if an authorized oral treatment is right for you. let's dive in! but what about your back? it's fineeeeeeee! ugh! advil dual action fights pain two ways. advil targets pain at the source,

acetaminophen blocks pain signals. advil dual action. xfinity rewards is a program whose sole purpose is to say thank you with experiences big, small, and once in a lifetime. sometimes it's about cheering hard enough to shake the stadium. let's go! -haha, woo! sometimes it's as simple as movie night right here at home, on us. you mean the world to us. so we're bringing you closer to what you love. kinda like this- welcome to 30 rock! join xfinity rewards for free on the xfinity app today. our thanks. your rewards. folks, it looks like we're gonna have to land this big old bird earlier than expected because it's the xfinity black friday sale. get the fastest mobile service with xfinity mobile. yeah, we'll be cruising in to get the best price for 2 lines of unlimited for just $30 each per month. oh my! plus, for a limited time, get 500 dollars off an eligible 5g phone. even you in 22c. flight attendants, prepare for big savings. drop everything and get to the xfinity black friday sale.

click, call or visit a store today. >> convinced gil nunes murdered his best friend and romantic rival, -- , now, they are about to turn up the heat. >> it's almost insulting when you say you are. because if your best friends , you wouldn't be... his wife. and then, text messages to send and break them up. >> i didn't send text messages

to try to break them up. >> for nearly seven hours, investigators had to rattle gill. >> tell me to drive the car there? you're lying. right there, we stop. right there, we stop. because your car was on the road and you are driving it. everything else he said after that -- >> through it all, gill stayed calm and never asked for an attorney. >> i have nothing to hide. anything that is in my office. or anything like that. i have nothing to do with whatever was in tom's system. and nothing to do with any of that. you >> did you give him a polygraph, as well? >> we offer. >> did he take it? >> no, next day, after that interview, we were contacted by a lawyer. stating there would be no further contact with his client. >> meanwhile, linda's reeling from all the police had told her. from the images of the white suv in the video, to the drug in her husband's system that a dentist like gill would have access to. like investigators, she now

believed her lover had killed her husband. >> i didn't ever want to speak to him again. but socrates is a small place. within days, linda says she found gill waiting for her outside a chinese restaurant. >> he's sitting in the parking lot. gets out of his car and starts screaming at me. we get in a huge fight. he's like, they're trying to pin this on me! they say you are involved. i'm, like i was, you did this. get away from me. >> he was saying that the police was saying that you are involved. >> i was like, okay. why are. liar. he was, like i didn't, i didn't. >> -- police were convinced skill was behind tom's death, investigators had no solid evidence. that grainy video didn't conclusively put him at the scene. they couldn't prove the sedative found in tom system

came from gills office. the district attorney told his chief investigator they didn't have a case. >> we didn't have the evidence that i felt, or that my boss felt, was compelling enough to put before a jury. >> but the investigation wasn't over. >> detectives were hoping that they would find gills dna in sean's car and link him to the crime scene. while they waited for that test result, they let chanced family know they were investigating the death as a homicide. tom's ex-wife, michelle, called linda for an explanation. >> linda told me she had had an affair with gayle. she was crying on the phone. crying that this had happened and she didn't use the word responsible, but i know that is what she felt. tom's daughter, jillian, who have been close with their step mom, was now furious. >> why would you do? this how could she be so irresponsible? just mad, really, and confused. trying to process it. took a long time to process. i stopped talking to linda

that point. >> linda's sister was also finding out about the affair for the first time. >> she was just very sad and very upset. i think embarrassed or ashamed for having been in a relationship other than her marriage. >> what did you tell her, as the protective older sister? >> it's not your fault. she blamed herself from that moment on. he didn't choose this. people have affairs. millions of people. every day. and no one deserves this. >> tom's parents were stunned by the new direction the investigation is going. >> you go from think that your son likely died from natural causes, to now, there is a murder investigation. it just seems like something that can happen. >> just piles of crap on top of you. write a top of it. it's just, what else are they gonna tell me? >> did you call linda? >> no. >> why did you decide to just let it be? with her? >> we were so devastated by the

news, we didn't know how to deal with her. we didn't know what to think. >> if i called her, i spoke to her, i'm only getting one side of the story. my son is not around to tell his side. or anybody. you know? i figured, if i ask her, i don't know what i'm being told. >> you must have been so angry. >> we were angry. we were sad. but, you know, we lost a son. nothing's going to change that. we just wanted answers. >> investigators wanted answers , to. when the dna results came back , a new question was at the center of the case. >> that was not only important , that was a showstopper. >> coming up. the new evidence. would it clear gil nunez? >> it just wasn't possible that he would do anything of that nature. >> when dateline continues. -- hey guys, detect this: --

living with hiv, i learned that i can stay undetectable with fewer medicines. that's why i switched to dovato. dovato is for some adults who are starting hiv-1 treatment or replacing their current hiv-1 regimen. detect this: no other complete hiv pill uses fewer medicines to help keep you undetectable than dovato. detect this: most hiv pills contain 3 or 4 medicines. dovato is as effective with just 2. research shows people who take hiv treatment as prescribed and get to and stay undetectable can no longer transmit hiv through sex. don't take dovato if you're allergic to its ingredients, or if you take dofetilide. taking dovato with dofetilide can cause serious or life-threatening side effects. hepatitis b can become harder to treat while on dovato. don't stop dovato without talking to your doctor, as your hepatitis b may worsen or become life-threatening. serious or life-threatening side effects can occur, including allergic reactions, lactic acid buildup,

and liver problems... if you have a rash or other allergic reaction symptoms, stop dovato and get medical help right away. tell your doctor if you have kidney or liver problems, or if you are, may be, or plan to be pregnant. dovato may harm your unborn baby. use effective birth control while on dovato. do not breastfeed while taking dovato. most common side effects are headache, nausea, diarrhea, trouble sleeping, tiredness, and anxiety. detect this: i stay undetectable with fewer medicines. ask your doctor about switching to dovato. ♪ ♪ i stay undetectable with fewer medicines. mercedes-benz is turning electric... completely... on its head. bringing legendary design... and state-of-the-art technology... to a fully-electric suv. the all-new, all-electric eqb from mercedes-benz.

you need a bed that's smart enough for both of you. the sleep number 360 smart bed senses your movements and automatically adjusts to help keep you both effortlessly comfortable. our smart sleepers get 28 minutes more restful sleep per night. save 50% on the sleep number 360 limited edition smart bed. ends cyber monday.

tom coleman had been dead in his car with his shirt loosening belt buckle down. at the time, investigators didn't give his appearance much thought. almost a year later, it became crucial to the case. >> we had a report back from the lab that indicated there was an and known male's dna on the inside of the bell flap of mr. coleman, near the belt buckle. >> did you test his dna against gilbert nunes? >> was it a match? >> it was not his. >> no match? >> no match. >> where do you go from there? >> that's a showstopper. nothing moves in this investigation unless we determine who it is.

>> an unknown john doe. and that is a problem for me. >> holly cartwright is the district attorney. >> i said, well, we're not gonna go forward with the indictment. not going forward with any arrest until i have the answer to that. >> investigators collected dna samples from all of the first responders to see if they could have accidentally left their dna at the scene. they considered another possibility. but the dna belonged to an accomplice. >> we're also trying to get some samples from people who we have identified that were close to nunez. that is a little trickier because you can't just walk up and asked for dna. you would conduct a surveillance of those individuals and wait for them to discard an item that would most likely have their dna. then you would cook. collect that. >> what kind of item did you collect? >> i think there was a cigarette butt and a can of

soda. >> over many months, all the samples were processed. it turned out to be a complete bust. >> it identified no. and >> it's not the first responders. it's not gilberto news. who is it? >> at that point, i was banging my head against the wall. >> linda was also growing frustrated. she was now a widow, a single mom, shunned by her fifth husband's family and eagerly waiting for a break in the case. >> a lot of time passed without an arrest. >> torture us. >> every day are you wondering , is today the day? it's never going to happen? >> it would kind of get to the point where you would say, okay, we're gonna liberalize and when it happens it happens. you know? and then they would need something from me. and that i would get pulled back in again. >> one of those times, placement with linda to explain there was a problem with the original autopsy. turns out, it was incomplete because back that, no one suspected poisoning. many samples, like the contents of tom stomach, that might have proved midazolam as the cause of death, weren't safe for testing.

so, the da's office decides to do something radical. >> they said, we need to exhumed tom's body tomorrow. i just started sobbing. i was like, oh, my god. it feels like the man -- he can never rest in peace, you know? >> in fact, the medical examiner exam tom's body twice to do additional testing. >> there wasn't just one explanation in this case. there were two. why twice? >> we would do going to do whatever to get the evidence we needed. >> -- there was talk that gil had treated tom for an abscess or infection in his mouth. so the medical examiner was looking in the jaw and mouth area for possibly an injection site that we initially would not have thought to look for on the first exclamation.

>> did you find anything the second time around? >> in the tissue was a concentration of the drug but no injection point. >> the coffee theory is starting to make more sense? >> starting to look pretty good. or some type of beverage. absolutely. >> meanwhile, gill was free. his dental practice thriving. the public had no idea he was a murder suspect. but he did confided in his staff. >> i remember him telling us that he was innocent. and that we needed to just work hard to keep the office opened. i knew the kind of person that he was that. >> gil's life moved on. a year turned into two, then three. >> it's been really very hard for him. i think the only way he's been able to keep on is that he now

-- knows he is innocent. >> he fell in love again and got married and the dominican republic. >> they were married on the beach. it was very beautiful with all his family. and closest friends. he was very, very happy. >> time was more cruel to the coleman family. brad, tom's son from his first marriage became depressed after his father's death and committed suicide. he was just 18. >> brad made an attempt on his life with sleeping medications. all i could say to him was, why? why would you do this to yourself and to us? and his answer was, i just wanted to go to sleep and wake up with dad. three months after that he did

commit suicide. >> he just wanted to be with him. he made a decision. >> at this point, now, you have this affair, this debt horrible choice that has now led to, potentially, two deaths. >> it hurts. hurts a lot. every day. >> surreal. i remember just staring at the programs with his picture, bradley coleman, the dates. and just telling myself, you are at brad's funeral right now. it became upsetting lee familiar. i felt too comfortable in a funeral setting. i realized, this is not fair. i am getting too good and receiving bad news. >> through it all, the da never gave up on tom's case. >> we are conducting these other parts of the investigation. we're developing video information. look at the car.

we're doing some pretty interesting things with regard to the vehicle. >> but the unidentified ema was their biggest challenge. investigators gathered the wanting brightest minds from the state crime lab to ask for advice. you checked the autopsies that were done before? >> before tom coleman? same day? >> same day. i looked at this person and said, i thought that was a sterile environment? and she said, well, you should give that a check. so we did. >> sure enough, they got a match. it turns out the dna belonged to the deceased male who had been on the medical examiners table before a time. the dna had nothing to do with the case. but it did mean that some evidence had been contaminated. >> what are you thinking when you hear that? >> i'm thinking a couple

things. i am thinking, that will be a problem the trial. because of the contamination. i'm also thinking faint guard we have a little break. >> after all the additional testing, the medical examiner finally had a cars of death. acute midazolam poisoning. investigators took everything they had to a special prosecutor and argued they were sure gilberto nunez had killed the man he called his best friend. >> i don't think nunez was ever a friend to coleman. not for a minute to i believe. that he is a master manipulator. he lives to manipulate. i believe he drew tom and because he wanted to be close to the wife and have access to the wife. >> nearly four years after tom's death, gilberto nunez was indicted for second degree murder. >> how did it feel when you got that news? >> i cried. we all cried pretty hard. it felt good in that we were one step closer to justice for

tom. >> tough times were still ahead for linda. a trial, prosecutors were about to reveal new details about her affair. coming up. another stunning secret. >> he pulled out an idea and it said cia on top of it. with jill's picture on it. dentists gilberto nunez, a very kinder -- agent? when the good husband continues. the good husban continues. continues. because it penetrates deep into the tooth to help actively repair acid-weakened enamel. i recommend pronamel repair to my patients. announcer: type 2 diabetes? to help actively repair acid-weakened enamel. discover the power of 3 in the ozempic® tri-zone. in my ozempic® tri-zone, i lowered my a1c, cv risk, and lost some weight. announcer: ozempic® provides powerful a1c reduction. in studies, the majority of people reached an a1c under 7 and maintained it.

ozempic® lowers the risk of major cardiovascular events such as stroke, heart attack, or death in adults also with known heart disease. and you may lose weight. adults lost up to 14 pounds. ozempic® isn't for people with type 1 diabetes. don't share needles or pens, or reuse needles. don't take ozempic® if you or your family ever had medullary thyroid cancer, or have multiple endocrine neoplasia syndrome type 2, or if allergic to it. stop ozempic® and get medical help right away if you get a lump or swelling in your neck, severe stomach pain, or an allergic reaction. serious side effects may include pancreatitis. gallbladder problems may occur. tell your provider about vision problems or changes. taking ozempic® with a sulfonylurea or insulin may increase low blood sugar risk. side effects like nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea may lead to dehydration, which may worsen kidney problems. join the millions already taking ozempic®. ask your health care provider about the ozempic® tri-zone. announcer: you may pay as little as $25 for a 3-month prescription.

four and a half years after tom coleman was found dead in his car, gil nunez went on trial for killing the man he once called his best friend. >> was there any doubt in your mind that gilbert nunez went out that morning to kill him? >> not my mind. there's no other viable

explanation. i am open for explanations or reasons. but it's not fair. >> do you feel like you had a rock-solid case? >> it was a circumstantial case going into. it no smoking gun, no eyewitness. no confession. but when you put everything together, we knew we had a solid case. >> i was glad to see him being exposed for what he truly was. >> the rest of the coleman family felt the same, but we're far from a united front. tom's parents still weren't speaking to linda. tom's daughter, jillian, had limited contact with her while in town for the trial. i wanted to hear everything that i wasn't being told for all those years. >> gill's supporters were also there. his new wife, employees, and several loyal patients. this man was one of them.

>> why did you feel the need to be there? >> we live in a society where you're innocent until proven guilty. i didn't see anything that could prove that this could possibly be true. i want there to support him, to show him, particularly because he is dominican in a very white area, that there are people who will support him. >> but the prosecution's case would be difficult for gills friends to hear. the state's theory? gill killed tom because he wanted linda all to himself. a special prosecutors summed it up on day one. >> ladies and gentlemen, obsession. it was an obsession furthered by manipulation and deception. >> to show jurors just how obsessed he they believed gill had become, prosecutors read emails he wrote to linda. >> i'm not leaving you. not today. not tomorrow. not ever. i am not going to let you just walk away from me. never. >> linda took the stand and testified to how the affair began and lasted until right

before tom's death. tom's parents couldn't believe the details they were hearing. >> we just assumed it was a onetime episode between them. we didn't realize it was ongoing for 11 months. we heard that in the courtroom. >> wow. that is amazing that you didn't know that. >> when you look back, you know, that first kiss. she would have slapped him in the face or kicked him in the nuts, it wouldn't have happened. >> you believe this affair is the reason you're son is no longer with us. >> yes. if they didn't -- meet tom would be alive today. >> in court, prosecutors portrayed gill, not just as a man desperately in love, but also as someone capable of outrageous lies, along with those anonymous text messages gill sent to tom about the affair, jurors jurors also learned he sent text to linda, posing as a woman named samantha. >> linda received some disturbing, anonymous text

messages from a person named, samantha. telling her that tom and she, samantha, we're having sex, wild sex. >> and that wasn't the only fiction gill created. linda testified gill even told her he was in the cia. >> he had an i. d. card. he said he sometimes would put trackers in peoples -- >> mouths? >> mouths. >> did you believe? >> yeah. i didn't think that much of it , honestly. he showed me a little card. i was like, oh. >> linda didn't make much of it. but prosecutors had another prosecutor they wanted the story to hear. a story they thought would show a darker side to gills deceptions. >> just not a good idea. >> nick monaco is a retired -- nick testified that the friend came to him one day saying that gill wanted to pay them to go harass and intimidate tom.

>> he said, well, gill wants to know if you would want to accompany be to, you know, just scare the guy. and he goes, we may pretend, like, where from the cia or something like that. it was just as long as he sees that you have a gun on you and badge. if he sees the gut, you don't have to wave it around or take it out. he says, gill was in the cia. i was like, now, i didn't know that. >> did you believe that? >> no. >> he pulled out an i.d. with the cia on top of. . it had gil's picture on it. and his name. and it had a badge that said special officer. the badge was obviously from walmart or came art or something. it was definitely fake. >> nick said he refused to participate and never heard about the plan to scare tom again. >> you have to make --

it >> they're hearing about a love triangle and poisoning and death in homicide. and email in the cia. >> police later found the fake cia -- on guilt computer. attacked on felony charges. and on a camp shirt -- on just computer, they found a word that for midazolam. the prosecutor suggested that gill, as a medical professional, figured out that tom's sleep happening, a combined with the sensitive, could be a fatal combination. >> walk through your theory of what happened the morning of tom's death. >> night before, i believe, gil and tom had text about meeting that morning. i think, at that point in time, gill wanted to meet up with tom because of the fact that he knew he wasn't getting linda.

gil got out of his vehicle, entered tom's vehicle. maybe he brought him a vehicle. hey, buddy. i brought you a coffee. we gotta talk. a short time later, gill was driving away. thomas dead. >> prosecutors faced a couple of obstacles. for one, the judge wouldn't let them use parts of gil's interview with the police because he had not been read his rights. so, jurors never saw how gill initially denied to police that he had ever heard of midazolam. a prosecutor's still had to link guilt to the crime scene. they wanted to prove the suspect suv seen at the fitness parking lot belonged to gil. >> so, we're able to track the movements of this vehicle through this gauntlet of cameras. this is a frantic video analysts. was the key to making that connection. >> and then we can begin to make observations of the vehicle itself and the pattern.

>> police gathered additional video from nearby businesses to get a better look at the white suv. grant then poured through a database of 18,000 vehicles that is used by the fbi. >> each manufacturer has a unique way of differentiating their vehicles. the length of the vehicle might be a bit longer, the shape of the windows will be slightly different from manufacturer to manufacturer. >> frederick's testified that gills car was a closest match as he could find to the one of the security political. a 2010, nissan pathfinder. and he told the jury one more important detail. the suv in the vehicle had a fog light defect. when that cast a distinct headlight pattern. >> what we're seeing from this vehicle is that it has this white light that is on the ground that moves in front of the vehicle. >> detective tracked down gills white suv which he sold a few weeks after tom's death. and drove it along the same route scene in the security

footage. >> sure enough, when we went out to the scene and get our test and turn the lights on, there was the pattern that was quite visible. >> gills car had the same defect visible in the video. prosecutors thought it was just what they needed to place gill at the crime scene and tie all their evidence together. >> that was a unique feature to that vehicle. and it was still exactly the same a year later. i have yet to find another nissan pathfinder color white with those exact same issues. >> but, of course, the defense was about to tell a different story and had witnesses in store that could destroy the entire foundation of the prosecution's case. coming up. >> his heart was a ticking time bomb? >> was this even a murder at all? when the good husband continues. inues. inues. r.

now there's new theraflu flu relief with a max strength fever fighting formula. the right tool for long lasting flu symptom relief. hot beats flu. [newscast audio] the rhello, world. long lastior is it goodbye?lief. you know, it seems like hope and trust are in short supply. [clap] now, as businesses we can blame and shame. or [whistles]... we can make a change. [clap] we can make work, work for our communities. create more equal opportunities. [clap] maybe, just maybe, get a bit more unity. ♪ let's have less cancellation and more conversation. prioritize conservation. and... empower future generations! [clap] [chuckles] let's question again what we think we know. use our power and our people... to pay back what we owe! [clap] ♪ it's time for business to show its true worth.

because it's not goodbye, world. it's hello, team earth. [clap] now, let's get down to business. the holidays were awkward for romeo and juliet. but after saving big with amazon black friday... ...tragedy was avoided. ♪ shop legendary deals ever wonder why they call it the american dream... and not the american goal? ♪ announcer: derek jeter ...or plan? maybe... it's because in dreams, you can do anything. in dreams... you can hold your entire world in the palm of your hand. and turn time inside out...

again and again. and you can do it all with your eyes wide open. as gilbert nunez trial for second degree murder played out blocks away from his practice, the dentist tried not to let it distract him from his patients. >> even during his trial, he would come and see patients. in the evenings. some days were better than others. he seemed to be doing okay. >> patient zach never wavered in his support. >> although i had doubts over

whether he murdered someone, absolutely not. >> are you so sure that there is no darker side to gilbert nunez? >> i'm not sure about anything. i think there's a darker side to all of us. people are complex. but there is absolutely no evidence that the guy committed murder. >> in court, gilberto was represented by two heavy hitters from new york city, evan lipton and -- who had previously presented mafia boss. they argue that the case against his clients were pure fantasy. >> they said gill was such a schemer, but the plot they described here is something out of a bad lifetime movie. >> the defense said if anyone was manipulating things, it wasn't gil. it was linda. they read her text to gil, sent the very weekend she said she was rekindling her relationship with tom. i love you. i miss you. i miss holding your hand. that soft spot scar on your

face. kiss kiss kiss. can you just picture it? you're there with your significant other, she is behind you texting her lover. they were not repairing things. >> so, gil had no reason to kill tom, defense said. because he didn't think the affair was over. reporter, james manny -- >> up until the night mr. coleman died, that they had still seen each other. they had spoken via text. i think that weakens the prosecutions narrative that there is an obsessive person that will do anything to get linda to go back in his arms. >> the defense was trying to say you are telling tom one thing, that you want to pet things. up you're telling gilberto another, streaming him along. >> yeah. >> was there any truth in that? did you think that was unfair? >> no. there was some truth to it. because, you know, i was stringing him along.

we were playing his game. -- so, yeah. it was just a dirty, stupid game. >> the defense set out to dismantle the rest of the prosecution's case point-by-point. all that business about the cia they said was more like a joke, partly criminal and are relevant to the charge of second degree murder. and there was ample evidence that gilberto care too much about tom to ever hurt him. >> tom coleman and mr. nunez were best friends. they did spend time together. they made plans. they talked about going into a business together. there was no motive whatever for this alleged murder. >> they stretch that none of the physical evidence linked gilberto to the crime scene. >> no dna. no fingerprints. >> as for that internet search for midazolam, and the defense

pointed out anyone in the office could have done. it they said it revealed very little. >> i'm asking a question about the drug. trying to kill with midazolam. it's a wikipedia search. that search of nothing. >> as for the prosecution star witness, forensic video analysts that placed gilberto 's at the scene, defenses that his findings prove nothing. >> even the expert doesn't say, yes, i've seen in video surveillance this is tom coleman with gilberto in the car. no. he did not even see if someone went from one car to the other car. >> the defense raised another possibility about who was in the white suv. it reminded jurors that tom was found with his clothes disheveled, and pant undone. they suggested tom may have had some sort of liaison done. an examination from his phone revealed he received an email

from a hookup site called, the naughty.com. >> the website found on his phone, be notti.com. it was never the subject of any investigation in this case. >> the defense was essentially trying to throw some reasonable doubt -- what role does business have to play? it was left as an open question. >> but their main argument? the prosecution could not prove that gill murder tom because they couldn't even prove it was murder. they challenge the medical examiner's conclusions, saying that despite all the tests, there was no way to know how much midazolam was in thomaston when he died. and any that was found, didn't look like enough to kill him. >> the reality? his heart was a ticking time bomb. might have dropped it at any minute. >> the defense put on their own medical expert who said tom's death was more likely from natural causes. >> the defense was very succinct. they had one witness who looked over the records of mr. coleman, who looked over the

autopsies of mr. calm. and, essentially says, mr. coleman had an enlarged heart. that, we think, is the reason that he actually died. >> some prosecutors, detectives, they want this medical testing to show a murder. it actually shows heart disease. a likely heart attack. the prosecutor wants the toxicology to support the theory of poisoning. but it really shows is a non lethal dose of mud as a lap. a widely used, safe medication. >> as the case went to the jury, gilberto's supporters in court were more shore than ever that the dentist was innocent. but no one could be certain of the outcome. >> it does not matter if you are innocent or not, they could still say you are guilty whether you are or you aren't. you know? it all depends on the jury.

>> coming up. >> did you both believe that was nunez's vehicle? >> i did. >> yes. >> his car is. they're >> a quick decision in the jury room and the storm in the courtroom. >> i wanted him to look at me. >> when the good husband continues. husband continues. continues. covid-19. some people get it, and some people can get it bad. and for those who do get it bad, it may be because they have a high-risk factor. such as heart disease, diabetes, being overweight, asthma, or smoking. even if symptoms feel mild, these factors can increase your risk of covid-19 turning severe. so, if you're at high risk and test positive, don't wait. ask your healthcare provider right away if an authorized oral treatment is right for you.

♪♪ over the last 100 years, lincoln's witnessed a good bit of history. even made some themselves. makes you wonder... what will they do for an encore? ♪♪ (customer) hi? (burke)ll they do happy anniversary. (customer) for what? (burke) every year you're with us, you get fifty dollars toward your home deductible. it's a policy perk for being a farmers customer. (customer) do i have to do anything? (burke) nothing. (customer) nothing? (burke) nothing. (customer) nothing? (burke) nothing.

(customer) hmm, that is really something. (burke) you get a whole lot of something with farmers policy perks. see ya. (kid) may i have a balloon, too? (burke) sure. your parents have maintained a farmers home policy for twelve consecutive months, right? ♪ we are farmers. bum-pa-dum, bum-bum-bum-bum ♪ when a truck hit my car, the insurance company wasn't fair. i didn't know what my case was worth. so i called the barnes firm. i was hit by a car and needed help. i called the barnes firm, that was the best call i could've made. i'm rich barnes. it's hard for people to know how much their accident case is worth. let our injury attorneys help you get the best result possible. ♪ the barnes firm injury attorneys ♪ ♪ call one eight hundred, eight million ♪

the case the dentist -- accused of murdering the man he called his best friend was now in the hands of the jury. >> i was worried because from day one i've been told this is a circumstantial case and it is all in the hands of a jury. so while we will try our hardest, and we think it's a strong circumstantial case, we can never guarantee the outcome. >> what is the difference between that man that you got to know, that you fell in love with, and the man you know now ? >> the man i know, or see now , is a cold, dead heart.

someone who doesn't care about anyone but himself. >> tom's family hoped the jurors felt the same. >> i thought the case went very well for us and that the defense didn't do a good enough job to place doubt. i was pretty confident at that point. >> in the jury room, 12 men and women got right into it. >> fran and joseph were two of the jurors who debated the friendship between tom and gayle. >> i believe they were best friends. >> you do believe? >> oh, yes. as on as it may seem. they had a lot in common. they loved a lot of the same people. >> the police believe totally the opposite. that gilberto wanted to make you believe that they were best friends, but they really weren't. so, you weren't -- >> i wasn't so sure about. that if they were best friends. i just find it difficult to believe that. >> if the friendship was confusing, they say the security video made one thing clear. >> did you both believe that was nunez's vehicle?

>> i did. >> yes. >> we all said that he had something to do with it. >> their deliberation didn't take long. after just six hours the judge announced there was a verdict. >> is that a good sign robe outside? >> i was back at police headquarters at the time. mike had texted me. i was confident. i felt a verdict was coming in. but they were decided it was guilty. >> if it happens too quick, it's not good. if it happens too quick, it is good. there's no rhyme or reason to. it >> at that point, we start praying. we were just, like, this is it. >> -- how do you see count one charging gilberto nunez of murder in the second degree? >> we find the defendant not guilty. >> does that verdict stand? >> yes, sir. >> not guilty. and not at all what tom's family expected. >> it was utter heart break. it was almost five years of

hope. and the beautiful possibility of closure and leaving it behind, just taken away. >> was that a tough blow for your family? >> totally. >> my family believes he had a hand in it. >> but of course, gilberto supporter felt the exact opposite. amazing relief. >> we were just crying. all of us. just clinging to each other and cry. it was years and years of just not knowing what was going to happen. you know, we were just so happy. >> i was pleased that he was found not guilty. clearly, the jury did feel there was not enough evidence to convict him. >> i felt that all along. >> so, how did the jurors come to their decision? some came up with their own theory that maybe gill did give tom the midazolam, but now with intention of killing him. >> from the very beginning, i

believe that nunes was there at the scene. but as a friend. to help coleman get some rest. that he had not been getting. and that he left and everything was fined and he was as much surprised with tom's death as anybody else was. >> you form that opinion right away? first day? >> yes. pretty much. >> as for the prosecution's medical evidence, they said it did not convince them of murder. >> what did you feel was the strongest point on the defense side? >> that the midazolam was not in a amount but could have or should have done any harm. >> i believe it very well could've been just to help him sleep. >> gills behavior at the crime scene, which investigators found so strange. >> that is how he expressed his morning, has not unbelievable was going on at the scene. as much as they try to make it

seem like it was the art of behavior for someone to be jumping up and down and willing. i did not find it odd at all. >> some people have criticize you for the six hours and change verdict time. >> because it was so quick. >> right. >> we could've went over for another six hours and read the same stuff, but we would came up with the same result. >> exactly. >> it was a bitter pill for linda to swallow. she may have had a hand in starting the whole thing, but could not leave the courtroom without having the last word. >> psychotic -- sociopath. >> i lost it. i was like, gil, i wanted him to look at me. and say, you are a piece of -- i felt like on the way up the door, i had to say it. he is a sociopath. do you get that? does anybody get that? >> although killed petito was found not guilty of second degree murder, he was found guilty of the two forgery

related charges for the fake cia materials. >> we still damaged him. he will still be a convicted felon. it is not what i wanted. but he is not walking away completely free. >> after his conviction, gilberto decline being interviewed on camera but invited him -- us into his office. at the time, he told an email that he felt sorry for tom's family and was angered by what he called the selective prosecution against him. and was extremely disappointed by the forgery conviction. months later, gilberto stood trial again in two unrelated cases. and was found guilty in charges connected to insurance fraud and lying on a pistol permit application. for all three cases, he was sentenced to 2 to 7 years in prison. he served 18 months and was released in 2018. the law --

between linda and the family remains -- >> big i do forgive linda. i won't forget what she has done. and the effect that it is had on me. and she will probably never be close enough to me again to have that effect again. but i forgive her up. >> after the trial, linda told us she was having a harder time for giving herself. >> do you feel that guilt still? >> every minute of every day. >> i know things have been strained with tom's parents. is there anything that you would say to them if they are watching this? >> just that i am really sorry.

and then i understand why they hate me. new i totally understand it. i go through those same feelings about myself every day. and it to anyone that this has hurt, any of tom's friends, his family, my family. anyone that has loved him today. for the role i played, i am deeply, deeply sorry.