hearing i love you from her and not hearing her words of encouragement, hey, you're not someone i love you too good work. >> was he stolen from you? >> my precious lisa. just her smile. she would call me every morning say hi mom, to get away from me. our whole family is not complete without her be. >> there will always be in a future at the table with. >> that's all for this edition of dateline. i'm andrea canning, thanks for watching. w through paradi >> a doctor into the stars.

the beautiful wife >> something crazy about her. >> but an ill wind will blow through paradise. >> kennel dogs were very upset. >> it was huge ruckus. >> i knew my heart something terrible had happened. >> we heard the dog trainer gone? a trail of sinister clues. >> there was three wet blood spots in the hallway. >> there is also its of ammunition and guns and firearms on magnets behind tapestries. firearms injuries over his house. >> he has his arms around a big role of plastic in my brain goes there is a body. >> can anyone put it all together and sniff out the truth? >> what did that say to you? >> it's a lot to me.

october 28, 2009, october 28th 2009. routine call middle of the day. a routine call from any other day. this batch that is what car talk to two ladies. what was it they said? two cars where they shouldn't be? someone moving something bulky from one to the other? back when it started lovebird should've known, probably, that it was too good to be true. or to get to last anyway. after all, he seems something of a self made mauve. she the pure bred heiress type, the golden hair daughter of a wealthy alpha male. whatever. by the time they promised there -- was taking. and not fall to them of course

the whistle nadal but. hair which begs the question. how did he, of all people, miss it. his name was mark stover and he discovered, quite early that he had some special nearly mystical connection with dogs. when he talked to them they listened. >> he was born with a gift. >> he'd become known as seattle's dog whisperer. >> it is not as simple as just giving them treats or training. he spoke to the animals. >> but the talents that amazed his loyal clients, starbucks chairman howard schultz, pearl gems eddie better, majorly outfielder each hero suzuki. they all brought him their dogs. >> we trained everyone in seattle from nordstrom to nevada that he was much more than a dog trainer to the stars. >> a longtime employee. >> he trained everyone, you

know. it did not matter to him who they were. it was about the person and the dog and the relationship between the person in the dog. not who they were. >> this woman like him so much is a client she went to work for him. >> he would connect with you. he would find something that he could talk to you about and then he would help you train your dog. >> the setting for mark's dog business, incomparable. >> it was beautiful, it's a wonderful place. >> pickett island is what it is called. it 84 acre tear drop of enforcement beaches punked a few feet offshore a 90 minute commute north of seattle. >> the dogs go swimming in the water there. there is plenty of trauma walks and those really really outdoorsy and beautiful. >> outdoorsy hand beautiful, works with also happen to describe the human love of mark 's life. linda opdyke. the willowy blond daughter of

wally uptake, the wealthy investor once helped found château say michele winery. linda seem the perfect match for mark. according to the clients and friends who knew the best. >> she was mark to. they were peas in a pod. they had similar hobbies, they hunt fish, go camp somewhere. >> he just thought she was the most wonderful thing since sliced bread, basically. >> very protective of his linda, was mark. as clients could clearly tell. >> he just thought she was beautiful, wonderful, smart. never ever said anything bad about her, never. >> so he was in love? >> he was, totally totally crazy about her. >> it was linda's father, wally updike, who owned picket island. mark and lynda lived there on wahl's island and through their very successful business. then in 2002 they made their

union official, and intimate wedding ceremony in the presidential suite of the las vegas four seasons. >> to the updike family. >> but maybe nothing is forever. it was just three years later when linda told the employee she was taking an extended vacation. alone. >> that vacation kept extending, and extending, and she just never came back. >> so separation, there was a brief affair, linda with one of mark's best friends. and then divorce about as ugly as the boards can be. >> i was shocked, i really was. >> so was mark, apparently. they're really devastated because now he had lost not just love his life, but he had to leave picket island too. loving her, losing all of this it was a black period.

some quite disturbing episodes actually, we'll get to those later. suffice to say, for now, eventually life went on. it was just divorce after all. not death. not yet, anyway. >> mark found a new property and nearby anacortes washington and if it wasn't picket island it was not bad. he moved into a new house, new candles, new start. >> he had found the place that was going to be perfect for him and it was going to be all his. i think he was very much looking for -- he was not looking back. >> eventually there was also her. her name is teresa. >> on the third date he let me know that he wanted to marry me. >> third date? >> i was pretty shocked. >> what is it about you that he liked? >> he liked that i listened.

and that i was careful with the information that he gave me. not just information but with his heart. >> which had been really badly damaged? but >> and he worried about that? didn't want to happen again. saw safe harbor for you but. >> safe harbor, well maybe she was, because it made plans for life together. even then in the fall of 2009 and ill wind was picking up. mark's employees can help but notice that he was off somehow. >> he was very different and he told me that he was very paranoid. he had actually been locking his doors. >> even though as everyone knew marks highly trained guard, dane, would have protected him from anything. >> i asked him what he was talking his doors, because he

had dane. and he said, i don't know. i'm just a little weird it out about something. >> he did not say what? >> no. but for mark, it's like a lot to spooked someone like mark. he was very aware of his surroundings. almost dog like and if there was something there, or someone there. he knew it. >> then in october 28th mark stopped calling teresa. no explanation >> i hadn't heard from him all day and i thought towards the end of the day and started seeing it on but then the next day when i hadn't heard from him by 9:00 i got one of the employees on the phone and i said what is going on, where is mark? they told me that they hadn't seen mark all day yesterday. i knew, in my heart, something terrible had happened. >> but what? well, there is the puzzle. as anybody know? even now? >> coming up. strange going on at mark

stuber's place, his dogs are restless. >> the dogs were very very upset. it was a huge ruckus next door. >> then they're about to find out why. >> before i got to the door there was this immense smell of bleach. >> bleach? >> and inside the house. >> there were three wet blood spots. when dateline continues. when dateline continues. good for you, shingles doesn't care. because no matter how healthy you feel, your risk of shingles sharply increases after age 50. but shingrix protects. proven over 90% effective, shingrix is a vaccine used to prevent shingles in adults 50 years and older. shingrix does not protect everyone and is not for those with severe allergic reactions to its ingredients or to a previous dose. an increased risk of guillain-barré syndrome was observed after getting shingrix. fainting can also happen.

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seven. >> stephanie. >> he had his breakfast and he would be out. they all knew it very well. >> but on the morning of wednesday october 28th, 2009. nothing was routine. nothing at all. >> first, stephen a, who's own house right next door to the cannabis woke up to a course barking dogs. it was about 6 am. >> the kennel dogs were very very upset and it was a huge ruckus next door. >> occasion that sort of thing would happen? >> very seldom to that extent. >> about atm, amber arrived on campus. but still, the dogs were upset. >> they would not settle in that morning. >> odd. then someone told her mark was still around. he must have left it for seattle. >> and i thought that was strange. because he was supposed to be gone over an hour prior. they walk to the house where mark made habit of leaving the car port door unlocked so the

employees could use the bathroom. >> i had noticed some blood in the driveway. i was afraid that his dog had opened her stitches because she had surgery. >> mark's dog, dane, wasn't just any pet. she was a highly skilled protection dog. >> a lot of blood? little blood? >> >> a little blood. >> but noticeable. >> noticeable. >> i proceeded towards the house and tried to go through the back door, it was locked, which was very very odd. then, not long after, stephanie arrived. and noticed perhaps 100 u.s. marshals stood out in the field mark station wagon was backed up to the car port area of his house. >> that was kind of surprised. it was part where it was parked. because it was never parked there, it is really hard to get it into that position to begin with. >> anyway, why hadn't he left for seattle? it was then she noticed it must be marked up in the house. >> someone who had marks had on,

which i thought was mark, was bringing something big into the back of the car. >> big, big, big? >> that's what it looks like to me and i was thinking he was carrying dana player in the back of the car? >> dane who was recovering from surgery. >> then he went to get into his car, he was wearing marks hats, marks coat, and close the car door and then proceeded to, like, scream down the driveway which mark would never have done i waved and i went oh i hope that is mark. >> i hope that is? mark well of course, it must have been stephanie thought. rushing a leading dane to the vet. about 20 minutes later stephanie went to the house seize the bathroom and this time the door was unlocked but this was weird. >> before even got to the door there was a meant smell of bleach. >> leach? >> yes, it took my breath away.

>> and inside the house there were three wet blood spots in the hallway. the head obviously been just cleaned, and they were still drying. >> perhaps dane had blood on the carpet and market cleaned it up? but why would he take the time. >> he wouldn't stop and spend half an hour cleaning his main thing would be getting dane to the vet, and getting to his appointments. >> but other than those what spots, everything appeared to be the way mark would have left it. >> i was looking for bloody towels, i was looking for body paper towels, the bathroom was immaculate. there was absolutely nothing in the washing machine. there was nothing in the tub. >> stephanie wasn't sure what was going on. but it all felt kind of creepy. >> my thoughts were, well that was freaky. and i got out of there, and i

didn't go back to the house for the rest of the day. >> >> he went home for the day? >> a strange date was in as the hours to buy there was no word from mark. no one could reach him by phone. and it was very odd that we hadn't talked to him and it was very strange. >> the following morning october 29th there was still no sign of mark and no word from him at all. again, stephanie went on the tour of his house. >> i looked up and they are still teen, by the back door. and she was obviously hurt, she was grounding, and i started talking turn nicely thinking, oh my god what is she doing here? what is going on? i backed down the driveway. >> at about the same time the phone rang in the kennel. it was mark's fiancée, teresa. >> when they told me that they'd without, there was blood, dane is never out. ever. she's there in the house or she's with mark. she's not just out barking at

people. we >> know mark, injured dog, teresa frantic now called the sheriff's department. what >> all of those circumstances were very suspicious. >> this is detective dana vera. >> i immediately thought foul play and this is huge. there is more to this story and there definitely was. >> coming up, more to the story? yes, there apparently was. starting with the secret history. stories of a marriages ugly aftermath. >> you know, divorce is never pleasant but there's just became very visible. and the fighting involved, the business -- >> he was afraid of losing it? >> very much so. >> she hadn't cocky clients and say horrible things about him to damage the business. >> when dateline continues. n dateline continues (lynette and arthur laugh) - i have recommended consumer cellular to so many people. - she was the one to convince me to come over to her side.

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it was evening in october 29th keith morrison: it was evening, october 29, 2009, the day after mark stover disappeared. 2009 the day after mark disappeared. catch a county sheriff detective, and the bera, stood and looked at mark's house. and just knew something very bad happened here. but what? >> there was no signs of a struggle there was just a little bit of blood hair and there. of course marks protection dog, being, was clearly injured. that could explain those bits of blood. but earlier that day just inside the car port door the

investigation team had been knocked back by the overwhelming odor of bleach. here in the bathroom, off the halls, they found clorox bottles. look at someone tried to wash away evidence, this had to be more than just an injured dog. >> mark's employees told them about the strange events the previous morning about the barking dogs the odd business of the locked door. the man wearing marks close roaring down the driveway and marks white chevy station wagon. mark never drove that fast. it didn't look good. but the policeman poked around, sniffed, measured but still no mark stover. the evidence even without a body seemed clear. this was homicide. so by now, a couple of days after mark's disappearance. his employees were shifting from puzzled to shocked, to grief stricken. >> mark took a role in my life. like a surrogate father.

and i truly love mark as a parent, and a friend. and a family member. >> sometimes the clues and the mystery such as this can be very personal. more about relationships than fingerprints and dna, as the detective knew full well. and in the days after mark's disappearance detective repeatedly encountered disturbing story. these former lovers were afraid of each other. what happened to that marriage? the one of the heavenly island? in fact, there was a record, detective discovered and it was more hell than heaven. >> mark had issues with linda. and then they had issues with mark. >> to put it mildly. >> here is the story mark fiancée teresa told the detectives. the story she said mark told her. linda seem to be doing her best to destroy mark's dog training business. she >> had been calling clients and saying really horrible

things about him the damage to business. she called and try to shut the website down, tried to shut his funds down. >> which is why, again, this is the story theresa said mark told her. why he snapped in her garbage one march morning in 2008. this was a three hour drive from his own house. he went there, said teresa, to look for a paper trail to prove linda wanted to destroy his business. >> you know, divorce is never pleasant but there's just became very visible. the fighting involve the business. and -- >> he was afraid of losing it? >> very much so. >> after the garbage incident linda came up with a whole slew of accusations that mark had been harassing her ever since she left him. the domestic violence protection order was issued against mark in april of 2008. mark was later charged with criminal stalking. he swore up and down that many of the allegations were not true. but he was not going through

her garbage. he eventually took what's known as an alfred plea, which means he agreed to plead guilty seeding a judge during would probably convict them, even though he claimed he didn't do it. but here was the deal, this was important, as part of that arrangement mark was ordered to give up his guns. for most but that might be easy, but for mark he had dozens of guns, he loved his guns. >> it was a passion for him, he loved his guns. >> no guns, no contact with linda, and mark agrees. >> this is what theresa said mark told are. >> this will make it all stop. >> in other words he was telling you i'm gonna let erwin. >> it was important that she needed to win. >> was he afraid of her? >> yes. >> still, after that things seem to settle down. mark's business thrived in this new location herron anacortes.

he continued to services clients in seattle and of course, by then he had found teresa but then, in the summer of 2009, to strange 9-1-1 calls came into the county sheriff's office. an anonymous male caller claimed mark stone or was transporting drugs in his car. >> it is a crime that's going to take place in the morning. >> please pull mark over, not a small amount of marijuana can underneath the car. but he was not arrested. mark told police he believed he was being set up. those were not his drugs. mark was in charge with any crime and he was terrified. >> he was terrified that someone was trying to set him up and have been charged with transportation of these drugs and facing jail time or prison time or both? >> not long after that drug incident mark open up to a long time client. told are, he said, that he was

convinced that his days were numbered. >> he totally shocked me by saying how every time he leaves his house in the morning he checks under his car. to make sure there is nothing like a bomb. it was a shaken man. >> about a month later, she said, he called on the phone. frantic. >> it was just breaking him. totally breaking him. because he knew that he wasn't going to survive. he knew it. >> how? >> he knew his life was over, he just knew it. and there is nothing he could do about it. >> as detective lover talk to friends and his clients he heard all about marks fares those last few months. >> he kept on pointing the finger at linda but, again, there is no evidence to prove that. or suggest that i guess. but he was concerned. and he had this feeling that

something terrible was going to happen. >> what did he tell you about linda? >> he told me that she will not rest until he is dead. >> it wasn't just linda mark was worried about. he told friends he was afraid of her father to. >> i was afraid of him? >> but i can say is often he would comment that they always win. and they always get the last word. >> so, according to his friends. mark stover spent the late summer and early fall of 2009 in the state of mortal fair, he even escape to montana, says teresa. >> he would only use cash, he would always use painful's. he was very worried. and he even called me and said, you know, if things happen this is what i want you to do. i said mark, how i know something happens to you? and he said you will know. now, of course, she did.

everyone knew. something happened to the dog trainer. and they might never have known more than just that have a mystery unsolved. except for the strange events in a remote parking lots and to sharp eyed women who now had a story to tell. coming up. >> he's bent over and he has his arms around a big role of clear plastic in my brain goes, there is a body. >> when dateline continues. n dateline continues called td, tardive dyskinesia. td can be caused by some mental health meds. and it's unlikely to improve without treatment. i felt like my movements were in the spotlight. ingrezza is a prescription medicine to treat adults with td movements. ingrezza is different. it's the simple, once-daily treatment proven to reduce td that's #1 prescribed. people taking ingrezza can stay on their current dose of most mental health meds. ingrezza 80 mg is proven to reduce td movements in 7 out of 10 people. don't take ingrezza

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it's happening. at least six people are injured in one critically falling a mass shooting outside a houston club early sunday morning. the city's police chief says they don't know how many people were responsible but no one is in custody. and the ap reports that ted kaczynski, also known as the unabomber, died of suicide. he was confirmed dead after being found unresponsive in his prison cell in north carolina on saturday. nbc has yet to confirm this

report. now, back to dateline. can be torturous. murder investigations were the top of the police business, posted because they can be torturous and take years to pry lose a single useful lead. but on the day mark stover disappeared, two women saw something that didn't belong and called it in. >> they were a huge part of starting this whole process. >> just a few hours after the employees that mark's house watches car drive away -- >> i go for it in those two vehicles behind a chain. >> tammy children and her mother sharon larsson called the sheriff's department to complain that someone was trespassing and they locked parking lot of a grain shot just half a mile from mark's house. in fact they saw two cars, one i did by the lesson number was marks white chevy station wagon. parked back to backs at the ladies with a black suzuki suv. they saw someone moving

something between the cars. >> he's bent over and he has his arms around a big role of clear plastic and my brain goes, there's a body. >> oh tammy, no, there's not a body you've been reading too many murder mysteries. >> he was transferred to plastic and whatever was in it. then he drove off in his suv, the ladies reported. leaving mark stover station wagon behind. the sheriff's dispatcher sent a deputy to have a look. sure enough, the deputy found mark's car, inside the apparently locked parking lot behind this chain, except the lot wasn't exactly locked anymore. >> with a deputy look closer to the chain the queue discovered that one of the links had been cut and that link was placed in attached to the other links making it appear that it was intact. >> and then, this was pure chance, the deputy's part of the suv just down the road and

pulled over. and he paired around the driver into the back of the suv. >> there is a lot of stuff to the back of his car. it appears to be camps stuff or tarps and plastic type stuff. >> the man, identified himself as michael oakes and they had a good five hour drive away. he worked in internet sales, consulting, and writing. he denied ever being behind the grange. his word against a ladies, evidently, they let him go. >> the deputy came warning and said, don't go back there. go underway. >> it was just a mild trespassing incident after all. but now a day later it didn't seem so minor. time to find both cars. the doctrine's car was no longer at the grange hall but miller to tactic noticed it here in the parking lot of the northern lights casino. three miles from the place where the ladies had seen it. it looks like there was blood

in the back of the car. when investigators ordered of the casino surveillance video they saw this. 6:21 pm, october 28, perhaps seven hours after lady saw the car the grange. here was someone driving marks car onto the casino parking lots. whoever it was abandoned it. now, then the bears obsessed again was moving very quickly. >> i immediately started trying to find out who this was michael luke sky was. that was seen behind the grange by the two witnesses. >> once police had michaels i.d. they discovered he was spending time with linda updike marks ex-wife. so now two officers from the okanogan county sheriff's department paid a visit to linda's house. here in windsor washington. sure enough, there was michael oakes suv and her driveway. once in the house, the officers asked to speak to oaks. he agreed. but then, he said he needed to

find his bills. >> he became agitated, or frustrated. kept on asking for his medication and not knowing if michael is having some sort of a medical issue, allow him to look around first medication. >> well, supposedly hunting for bills -- >> michael than secretly stuck out the basement area of the house. and went to his vehicle. it just happened the sergeant was standing on the deck above the driveway and observed michael oakes walking outside to the driveway. >> oaks, apparently not aware he was being watched, took a white bag out of his car, so the officer and tossed it over a 20 foot embankment outside of his house. >> he immediately questioned smikle about what he threw over the embankment, michael said it was garbage. >> but they want to retrieve it that back of garbage? what was actually in it? >> it was a gun. >> inside the garbage was a 22 caliber browning pistol. also in the bag, a bloody

swatch of carpet, and an overwhelming odor of bleach. and then, here's what they found inside linda's house. bizarre. >> oh, there was all sorts of ammunition in guns. firearms on magnets behind tapestries. firearms indoors. loaded guns all over this house. >> including semi automatic weapons? >> yes. >> big-time stuff. >> yes, big-time stuff. >> is there an explanation provided for? this >> no. >> before police left upticks house and winsford they arrested michael oakes on suspicion of murder. and back in western washington a local bus began to grow. if michael oakes did kill mark stover, was someone else involved somehow? buzzes discouraged however in police work, in favor of actual evidence. which, in this case arrived from a phone call from police from her.

michael oakes had turned out had an ex wife who volunteered a remarkable story about disturbing visits and puzzling messages from mr. oakes. >> what did that say to you? >> it says a lot to me. >> coming up. >> he was just sitting there in a frenzy. and just stressed out and he seemed really agitated and he mentioned that he may be in trouble. >> i think she might have had a vendetta against him because, after all he was the acts and she wanted him back. >> as one person opens up another go suspiciously silent. both get detectives attention. >> what did you think? >> i thought wow, huge red flags. >> when dateline continues. when dateline continues lasted a day, but she was inspired. woolite protects your favorites from fading, pilling, and stretching. so you can wear them as long as you love them.

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keith morrison: sometimes the worst thing a person can do saves me money? i'm starting to like downy. is try to influence his own fate. do is trying to influence their own fates. as michael oakes sat in the back of a police car, under arrest on suspicion of the murder of dog whisper, mark stover. he was given an unusual opportunity. he was allowed to make several calls from his cell phone. he decided, for reasons of his own to place one of them to a woman name jennifer tops. his ex wife. why? well, we can only speculate

that the result of that call may have been the very opposite of what he intended. here is what happened. not long after oaks funder from the police car jennifer placed a call on her own to the county jail. she asked to speak to an investigator. not long after that call this was the story she told in an audiotape interview. >> on october 24th, 2009, four days before mark stover disappeared michael oakes stopped him to see her at her place in western washington, not many miles from the stove or candles. and talk to her about a job he was supposed to do. >> he didn't give me a lot of specifics. he just said he was here in a job, and there were risks involved, possible injury to himself and that it was fairly dangerous. >> at which point he left her a few hours. then he contacted her again.

>> he texted me and said, job failed, i'm okay. no pay though. >> no pay? >> whether that's 80? >> says a lot to me. says that some days paying him, somebody is hired him. >> does that sound like michael oakes had a hired killer? wait there's more. jennifer told the police after michael left on the 24th, he told earned in a meal he would be back in the area later that week. sure enough, october 28th not long after that deputy pulled him over to investigate the trespassing incidents, oakes called again to jennifer. said can you meet her? he has to drive to a spot near the water, she said. where they could talk. >> yeah, because you just sitting there in a frenzy. just stressed out. he seemed very agitated. and he mentioned that he may be in trouble. >> and then another reference

to a job. a job gone bad. >> he said, well, i made an error doing the job and i made an error. when i realize the era i tried to get out of there. but when i was getting out of here, two old video saw me. i said well why is this a problem? and he said well, now when it hits the fan the next 24 to 48 hours, they have my name. there's a 50/50 shot of getting questioned, if he gets questioned he's guaranteed to trial. if it gets a child is no one's gonna stick up for him and he's pretty much going to prison, he said. looking at a felony, 10 to 15 years. >> so big trouble, he told jennifer. there was a face of action, work to be done. >> he was really concerned about getting pulled over with the things in his vehicle. i, want to get them home and get them sterilized.

and he said, if anyone sees now i'm going in right away. >> going in meeting could be arrested right away? >> right. >> if all that wasn't incriminating enough, there was the capper. jennifer told police the story of how their marriage fell apart. it happened in the spring of 2008, who jennifer and her husband michael told her about a phone call from someone they knew. john. >> he told me that there was a potential job coming up and he was interested in taking. about a woman and an expose that was harassing her. the father of the woman was initiating the job. >> a father with a daughter name linda and it seems there was a plan in store for linda's ex-husband. >> they would basically use linda as, sort of, bait to lure the ex spouse towards her and

then they would they were to show signs of hurting her, killing her, then they would take amounts. >> okay by taking matthew meant, or you need to be they would kill him? >> >> right. >> linda and her father? could that be wall and then the uptick the police wondered? mark's ex father in law and was plotting to kill him. it was a wild story, jennifer told, and of course horrifying given what seemed to have happened. jennifer said she told michael back then, don't do, it walk away. but he wouldn't listen. that is when things started going bad. >> well jennifer and michael started to unravel because michael had considered taking this job and jennifer knew that this was a kill for hire and she didn't want to have any part of it. >> did not once be married to a

guy who would do such a thing. >> remember, awful as it sounded, this was an ex-wife's story. and all due respect to jennifer, -- >> maybe she just had been dead because, after all, he was the ex-. did she want back desperately anyone come back? >> she still had feelings for him. >> so maybe just want to get him? >> no, jennifer was very well spoken, very articulate, very believable. she was a type of woman that you'd want to take him to your mom and dad. she was very sweet. >> of course for down the bear and his team of investigators there was this was all pure gold. or so you would assume, wouldn't you? >> coming up, turns out there was a very different side of the story. >> wanted to provide a little twist and a surprise? >> yes. and boy would he. when dateline continues. when dateline continues. what is this place? the other side of the rest stop.

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[ tires screeching ] jordana, easy on the gas. i gotta wrap this commercial, i think i'm late on my payment. it's okay, the general gives you a break. yeah, we let you pick your own due date. good to know, because this next scene might take a while. for a great low rate, go with the general. jennifer thompson had just told [train whistle] next scene might take a while.

keith morrison: jennifer thompson just told police a story that, if she was telling the truth, police the story. that if she was telling the truth, it would seem to implicate her ex husband and the murder of mark stover. detective dan lovera thought her story sounded believable, but in his line of work that is rarely enough? presumptions are not the same thing as evidence. and -- >> we don't have any evidence to support that linda or, wally were directly involved other than what jennifer thompson had told us. >> why not just column in an ask him? >> they wouldn't talk to us. we got a letter and a phone call from wally's attorney, immediately after michael oakes's arrest. stated that wally uptight will not talk to us. >> i do ask them by then? >> we had requested to do an interview, we had even called him. >> what did you think? >> i thought wow, you dread

likes. i thought wow, this guy didn't even asked to talk to him is already gone attorney and the attorneys already contacting us telling us not to contact wally updike? it was crazy. . linda hired an attorney right away. >> linda invoked her fifth amendment right to remain silent. the judge ultimately ordered her to sit for a deposition. still did not say anything. rematch every question we asked her she took the fifth on. >> so there was one defendant in the murder of mark stover. michael oakes. but he certainly didn't look the part of a hired killer. all five foot six of him, softspoken understated, articulates father of four. grandfather. >> he's not sure person you'd expect of a hitmen. >> but cassidy fence attorney seattle's colorful and irreplaceable john henry brown >> who was really kind

compassionate loving guy. but early legal skirmish-ing scent sometimes he had confusion, was in murdering oaks a hired gun? or was it something else altogether? and besides that, how intimate was hooks relationship with mark stover's ex-wife, linda. and who was paying for his famous defense attorney? >> skeptics are behind this. >> the optics are behind us and they hired me, i'll tell you behind me i wouldn't be wearing -- that is ridiculous. >> john henry brown settled into a local hotel and said to work. the constructing the prevailing public view of defended, michael allen's. here in court rounds south of the attention. >> naturally flamboyance. >> how they have a dog in this fight. >> well the client seemed to disappear behind him. the client who said john henry brown was not at all the

villain the prosecution seemed determined to portray. >> what we have is a man who has, on his own, raise a very successful -- >> it became, shall we say the theme. michael oakes, single father for, grandfather of one. well spoken, mild mannered, and certainly not any ordinary salesperson. oakes admitted is a recognized expert in close quarters combat. knows firearms so well he's written numerous articles for gun magazines. has even trained police swat teams. but has no criminal record and insisted brown isn't a murder. still, he must have done something to mark stover, didn't he? now here's where it all began to get tricky. if stover was really dead said john henry brown and if the prosecution could prove they killed him. then and only, then oakes might provide an explanation.

through the legal fog a little hint came popping out. the prosecution had already indicated it would introduce into evidence the bulletproof asked founded mike old suv. now, attorney brown seemed to be suggesting that vast would be important to any claim defense might decide to make. >> just make things clear on her, it's not just the best, it's a bulletproof vest that was found in the best. >> coming up, very different -- emerges. >> mark stover was domestic violence terrorist. >> and then the defendant tells a story to dateline. even before he does in court when dateline continues when dateline continue that's why herbal essences is packed with naturally derived plant ingredients you love, and none of the stuff you don't. our sulfate-free collections smell incredible... ♪

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keith morrison: september 2010, michiel oakes was set to stand trial for the murder of his girlfriend's michael oakes was set to stand trial for the murder of his girlfriend's ex husband, mark stover. as the proceeding start, no one

really knew where things were headed. even john henry brown, quite deliberately broke one of his own cardinal rules. he decided not to make an opening statement to the jury. >> i have what it called my ten rules of trial. i think it's real number three is never wave an open statement. that is a rule. >> morning everybody. >> but this time the defense would lie in wait where the prosecution made its case that michael oakes was a first degree murder. here's how their story begins. with this video, a security camera, about 5:30 a.m. at walmart there is michael oakes it is morning mark stover disappeared. receipts found in the car showed he purchased ankle lights, and caroline, shin guards, camouflage gloves. also found in his car that bulletproof s. prosecutors argued oaks arrived in stoverstown's a little bit later that morning.

mark's employees were called to testify about what they saw and heard. >> i was awoken by the dogs in the barn, next door they saw the spots of blood. spilled the bleach, saw mark's car racing down the driveway. >> both backhands were open to each other. then the trespassing incident at the grain hall in their marks's house was called in by those two concerned women. now witnesses. >> there is a guy standing between them, between the vehicles and he had a big huge lot of plastic. a big role of plastic. >> that someone, michael oakes was identified by his license plate and that what a plastic the suggestion was, of course that is shrouded mark stover's body. and remember there was a chain behind the grange that appear to have been cut that morning and hair receipts found an ex car showing he bots, and later returned both qatar from the

hardware store the day marked over disappeared. a state dna expert testified that mark stover's blood was found in the back of his car and in the back of the defendant oaks suv. >> are you aware that mr. oakes purchased a 22 caliber pistol at your store? >> his former hardware store manager testified he stole michael oakes at 22 caliber running. he'd been interested in it for a very specific reason. >> he told me, well i have a barrel that i can interchange on that and-ism threading in. >> silencer, that is. and an expert match the bullet casings found outside stoverstown's to michael oakes's gun. >> i was able to identify all three cartridge casings as have been fired from the browning pistol. >> prove that michael oakes gun was fired at mark stover's house where dna showed more of

mark's blood was found. but nobody. to try to answer the question of what michael oakes might have done with mark's body, prosecutors presented this surveillance video. shortly after 12 noon, october 28th, the day stover disappeared. and suv the michael oakes is zucchini slowly cruising by the waterfront casino three miles from the grange. >> it was a dark colored suv. the detective testified the vehicle spent about 15 minutes back there by the vehicle. out of range of the camera. on a road that leads to this channel. open water and this dilapidated blog. later they searched the area but they didn't find anything. >> did not find a darn thing. >> of course, there is one of the key witness for the prosecution. jennifer thompson, michael oakes's ex-wife. a member, she claimed that michael oakes told her, even offered a job to take out an

ex-husband. and was asked by the father of someone name linda. jennifer was convinced this meant this was a killing for hire. but because that alleged conversation took place when it jennifer and michael oakes were married that made it privileged, couldn't be used in court. the prosecution would have to make do with just our jennifer story. >> the judge would not allow her face in court as she told the jury about her visit from michael just days before, mark stover disappeared. when he talked about a job he was supposed to do. and then there was her meeting with him on the 20th of october, not long after the trespassing incident with the police officer pulled him over. jennifer said he looked a little frumpy, and what was that on his jeans? >> there's a rusty reddish stain on his right knee. to me it looked like blood. i said it looks like you have a dirty neither, i do this finger

and he touched it. he said yeah. >> most starting late in jennifer's testimony all those things she claimed he said that he was doing a job and something went wrong. that he wanted to sterilize his car, and his fears about what would happen if the cops questioned him. >> something that was not planned. i said there's a trial and it's not going to be good. >> all very methodically. the prosecution appeared to have cornered michael oakes. seemed to have met a certain burden of proof. and no one had a clue would oakes or his attorney would do or say to respond. oh, but john henry brown knew exactly how he would respond and it was a bombshell he had in store. >> we wanted to be the people who brought lights into this case. wanted to provide a little twist and turn like a surprise. >> good morning, be seated ladies and gentlemen. >> the defense team is

reserving their opening statement. >> experience observers here at the mount vernon courthouse for puzzled. what was the defense attorney, john henry brown, up to? >> coming up. when we put them to the test of putting on a lot of evidence and it was kind of boring them and they said we want to be people who brought light into this case. so what was the light in this case where the secret twist. when dateline continues. ateline continues. your best defense against erosion and cavities is strong enamel- nothing beats it. new pronamel active shield actively shields the enamel to defend against erosion and cavities. i think that this product is a gamechanger for my patients- it really works. (geri) i smoked and i have copd.

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as the prosecution put on its case against michiel oakes, from your vet. rolled out chapter and verse of the evidence pointing to oakes as the murderer of dog whisperer mark stover, browne said practically nothing. why? nothing. why? >> strategy said john henry brown. >> we put them to the test of putting on a lot of evidence, and it was just pouring them.

and we put light into this case. >> still, what was the light in this case? the secret twist. >> evidence shows and demonstrates beyond any shadow of a doubt that a reasonable person that mark stover was a domestic violence terrorist. >> terrorist? >> the villain was not a slight. michael oakes, said brown. but the victim. mark stover. remember, mark's friends and clients said nothing about good things to say about him. but that was clear oaks attorneys would use whatever evidence they could to paint the dog trainer as a threatening gun loving predator. someone michael oakes would have fared. and here the real work began. they focus to a large degree on stover's behavior with his ex-wife. linda opdyke said brown will be stopped and harassed for years. >> it wasn't just the incident in which his ex-husband was caught rummaging through his

garbage. he made a habit of showing up at her house uninvited, said brown expose himself appearing to bathroom she got out of the shower, pointing arrive later through a window, leaving handwritten notes, threatening voicemails. >> in fact, he goes into linda's house and put down 45 and threats become self, for her. the fact that he breaks into your house, the fact that it's steals or journal. the fact that he steals or garbage. the all these things are facts. >> so when the defense came -- did his best to drive the allegations home. >> when linda said she won't be separated from mark in 2005 he did not take it well. >> the fallen claimed a defense are many examples of bad behavior. mark following her into a beauty salon. >> mark stover walks an unannounced, he gives the card linda sank you will never let her go. >> mark is showing a per place on invited. >> grab survivor shoulder and says he can't let her go.

>> apparently spying on him, when linda slept with mark's ex best friend. >> the next morning, linda gets a phone call from mark stover. and then to linda's her mark stover began to describe in graphic detail the intimacy had been sharing the night before. >> sitting in his car, outside her home, she -- called mozelle phone. he's following her, she's pleading with him to stop and quit following her. >> that time linda call the cops and he expanded, courting to her, by sending her a foreign cancer health insurance, which was still in his name. controlling, threatening suggested all sawyer. >> mark has swelled across the front, next time did not call the cops on the guy who controls your health care. >> and then the defense attorneys showed this video.

from surveillance cameras. in the middle of the night, here's a man defense claimed is mark stover, creeping around linda's house. >> what you see is mark stover, walking up the driveway and under her house, out of view, of the camera. >> that wasn't all. there's a series of odd threatening voice mail messages said the defense. many with a similar theme. mark's team strangely obsessed with getting his wedding photos back from linda. just one of many transfers of this called the attorney read from -- >> send those pictures at the wedding. and over into the wedding i, know you don't care about me, i don't i think showing that we were married, or anything else. >> the defense told the jury that linda's attorney told mark to stop contacting her directly, only go through his office. >> he keeps contacting her and contacting her and contacting her, because mark stover is

still in pursuit of the spray. >> pray, and interesting word. very deliberately picked by the defendant. because, now they would argue michael oakes also became pray for mark stover. who claims that a terrified oak split something can speak would happen if he did try to appease linda's ex. >> the fact of the matter is your talk about the person is that here, mark stover. he's one against whom the violence was committed. >> here's something that we learned in this country, haven't we? you don't negotiate with terror. >> michael did not get that. >> or michael felt like he could negotiate with terrorists. linda felt like she could negotiate with terrorists. the reality is you can't negotiate with terrorists. and mark stover was a domestic violence terrorist. >> mark's friends and clients

have now gathered around the courthouse here in about four men, determined to tell the world and anybody who would listen that those claims were both unfair and untrue. >> all those reports that we heard her filed by her eyewitness and no one else is. it doesn't have that much meat to it. >> i knew that was not true about him. there was nothing in him that was malicious or vindictive. >> perhaps answer them, a surprising and extremely unusual strategy. mitchell, john henry brown brought his client to see us. and here on the outskirts of little mount vernon. michael oakes before even talking to the jury would make his case here. preparation for his own testimony, yes probably. but also a wild bombshell of a story, and audacious claim. >> coming up --

>> i i know that i will not be standing on the side while my children's graves people are not can be padding on the back and saying there's nothing you could've done. >> when dateline continues. hen dateline continues sweetie, can you practice that somewhere else? anyway, like i was saying, it's getting harder [ somber music playing ] and harder to make ends meet and... hon, do you mind? well, on the bright side, new customers [ angelic choir singing ] who bundle and save with progressive save over 20 percent on average. sorry, we let them practice here on thursdays! sounding good, friends! protect your dog from heartworm disease every month with heartgard plus chews. digestive and neurologic side effects have been reported. for a limited time, get up to a 2-month rebate when you buy 12 doses of both heartgard plus chews and nexgard chews from your vet.

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thanks to skyrizi, there's nothing like clearer skin and better movement... and that means everything. ♪nothing is everything♪ now's the time to ask your doctor about skyrizi. learn how abbvie could help you save. i am jessica layton, here's what's happening pennsylvania. governor john shapiro is expected to issue a disaster declaration for the state after the collapse of part of the

i-95 in northeast pennsylvania caused by a tanker fire. no injuries or deaths were reported. and kimberly akimbo tacoma best musical, the 76 annual tony awards sunday night actors alex new will hinge a harrison g also made history becoming the first nonbinary performers to win awards. now, back to dateline. now, back to dateline. it was early evening. in the gathering dark, when michiel thermometer dropped at the gathering when michael oakes came to talk to us, part way through his trial for murder, he came with a message about himself. which he delivered, more or less, and the following manner. over and over again. >> i'm a single dad, i could three meals a day for my kids, i bring the dance, and bring them to school. this is been my life. >> in case we didn't get it. >> the lens of look at the world through was that of a

single dead, i'm not sure, i'm a father, i'm a single dad who's kind of in a very unfortunate limelight right now. >> well yes, charge with first-degree murder. so, how did he get to displace? the story began, he said, when someone have to contact the frightened when it he did not know. that's how you made that first call to linda updike. >> he said i'm dealing with a really frightening stalking situation. >> michael was a security expert, he trained swat teams and close quarters combat, he offered to help. >> she put in my hands this very thick file, including video recordings, audio recordings, police reports, page after page of threatening voicemails. >> linda told them she had been stopped for years by her ex husband. >> get out of the shower and he'd be standing in the bathroom with a gun in his hand and you thought your house was

locked. how many of those occasions as a take before you go any room in, any moments, i have to be ready? and that is the scenario that linda lived in for at least two years. >> as you were kind of protection plan for linda, this is some thing unexpected that happened. >> they worked well together, i connected on the very heart and soul level. >> yes, it definitely was. >> michael, the diminutive singled that and security expert and linda the beautiful tall golden her daughter of privilege embarked on a life together. along with his kids. and then one day in late may, 2009 said oaks he was getting into his car and a parking lot and the town called kendrick washington. when he was confronted by then this --

>> i was approached by mark stover? out of the clear blue. i had never met the gentlemen, i had never spoken to him before. he did not introduce himself our and he -- >> take your time. >> i got up every morning and took my could school. i had a son in great school. my daughter in middle school. and -- >> there was a long pose while he composed him self. >> he said he needed me to do something. and he told me what my

daughters are wearing that morning to school, and he had to be there when my daughters caught out of the car to schools, to schools. and he said that there was no other choice for me but to do what he wanted. or something bad was going to happen to my kids. but and he said that he was on a very tight relationship with the cops, and if i or as soon as i called he would know. and he said i was going to do what he wanted. >> which was what? >> he told me i had to get wedding photos, believe it or not. >> wedding albums. photos. and i had to get him down or

else. but >> did you say? >> my head was spinning. i was so much in shock i didn't say much. i listen to him, i think an several times i don't remember saying anything. >> but michael oakes, the security weapons and hand-to-hand combat expert, and the trainer police swat teams did feel something he said. >> for six months of 2009 i lived in a perpetual state affair. >> too afraid, even, to call the police. >> i did not have video proof. i did not have audio proof. i don't even have a witness. >> and so, going to michael, he tried to appease mark stafford. and look for the wedding photos. >> just found the romantic relationship that i've been seeking my whole life just putting it together.

in the middle of this i'm supposed to say, hey, i'd really love to look at your wedding pictures with your exit stalking your dry looking you crazy. i would very much like to look at those. >> wait a minute, you didn't tell her that he confronted even after these wedding photos? >> oh no, instead he says, he armed his own daughter trained her, if anyone comes into the house keep firing until they stop. >> my very first responsibility over and above anything or anyone, anyone is the safety of my children. >> then he claimed he agreed to mark stover's demand to meet, supposedly, to talk about wedding pictures at mark's house october 28th. he went there armed with deadly force. and wearing a bulletproof vest and did it, he claimed, only to protect his children.

from an out of control mad men. really? >> any rational person would know you don't protect your children by taking a gun to somebody's house to meet with them when you think that maybe there will be gun play. you don't do that if you are that. dads don't do that. >> well keith, what would happen if it was you and you are in a situation based upon that comment you would be standing, right now, on the edge of two graves and you would be looking at it, and all your friends would tell you it is okay keith there, is nothing you could've done. forget that, there was something i could do. i had to play pattycake with this guy for six months to keep my kids alive. our >> then went and shot him? >> i went, and i got shot, and i won.

>> so because i won the gunfights i know that i will not be standing on the side of my children's graves. people are not what the pattern on the back and saying there is nothing you could've done. i did a >> hoax as marks overshot first. that's the claim he now made. it was self-defense, even though no evidence ever surface to suggest he was in possession of any firearm at all. or that store had any arrange any beating with outs. as for the story that he was a hired gun just not true said michael oakes. >> a great many people believe that one or both of the optics are involved. where the involved? >> not at all. >> of course, it was all michael story. about a craze dog whisper who threatened to children, all that fear.

>> i made, while says that beside you? what evidence is that he ever said such a thing? >> said such a thing as -- >> that he was threatening your kids. >> well keith, has been the problem. i survived that day on the sober. i am still alive. my life continued on. and we have yet to see if the state is gonna finish the job for me. i understand i'm in a bit of a fix. >> so now we tell his story to the jury. but they believe it? >> coming up, the story comes complete with dramatic reenactments. but >> >> that was amazingly fast mr. oakes. >> that is how i was trained. >> when dateline continues. when dateline continues

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the coach helps save goals here, because she saved for soccer camp there. anddd check this out... the manager deposited a check. my name is michael oakes. magic. and the snack dad? he's getting paid back. orange slicesss. because this team all has chase. smart bankers. convenient tools. one bank with the power of both. chase. make more of what's yours. my name is michiel oakes. keith morrison: the task as michiel oakes took

>> the task, has michael oakes took the stand was not going to be easy. he seemed to know it. he had to admit he did in fact kill dog whisper, mark stover. somehow persuade the jury it was only in self-defense. you've heard what he told us, his allegations that stover confronted him, threatened his children. he told the jury about what he claims was stover's where determination to get those wedding photos. hoax version of the deadly event. after a series of meeting he demanded folks come to his house and october 28th. and he obeyed. drove in the middle of the night across the state to stovertown's. he admitted buying all the supplies through the walmart. >> i was very very concerned about possibly needing to make some sort of on foot escape. >> he bought the anchor lying

and waits, he claimed, to help him scale up and thereby water tower in case he found himself runaway from mark's watchdogs and those shin guards there weren't armor to fend off a watchdog, but just a gift for his ex wife jennifer young son. at 7 am michael testified he knocked on mark's door, said mark ordered him, stand in his hallway bathroom and hoax simply obeyed. then what he told mark he couldn't find any wedding pictures -- >> he got more and more animated. got very close to me. it was very angry. he came around the corner the gun in his hand. we tangled, i got shot. >> john henry brown had his clamp on the boat professed and show the jury what he claimed happened next. court and show intel. >> so mr. stone's home the gun

up he's fired at you. what do you do >> >> that was amazingly fast mr. oakes. is that we did it? >> that is how i was trained. >> mr. stover was shot with his own gun. >> yes he was. >> so now, mark was dead in the hallway of his home and soon after, said oaks, he went outside was confronted by mark's dog. >> i shot a couple of times until it stopped coming at me. >> why didn't he call the police? >> he had said he owned the cops and it seemed like there is some evidence that that might be true. i just didn't think they would believe me at all. >> then michael said he wanted to see his kids before, as he said he assumed he would be arrested. then he said he talked him and -- tutmarc's gun in his vest pocket, carried the body to

station wagon, caught the driver seat and put mark sat on his head. that he went down the driveway. >> i drove around for a while and just stopped a couple places and sat there thinking about how the heck can i get to my kids? he said he thought maybe he would leave marks car and the bought behind that grange hall but there was a locked chain so he went and bought both qatar, return to the grange, and those lady saw him transferring mark's body to his own car and called the cops. >> when that police officer pulled you over mr. stover in the back was in the back with you? >> he was. >> he would visit his wife jennifer because he want to see her two sons, though he never did. nor did he drive to see his own children, who he said we're in the battleground in washington. a four hour drive away. >> i realized that i couldn't drive to battleground with mr. stover the back of my vehicle. >> instead he said he ditch mark's car at that casino, looked around for a place to dump his body.

>> there is a dilapidated looking talk thing. i got my cards close that is possible and muscled him out and drop them in the water. >> and here investigators had searched but never found anything. >> then, he said, he drove across the state not to his kids but to linda's house. so he insisted he did not tell her any of what had just happened. didn't tell or what he had done. >> i just didn't really bad day. >> and when the police showed up the next night, he admitted he did try to throw out some evidence. >> bozuretown? >> i needed one more day. i was trying to not get arrested just yet. >> but of course, he was arrested. and charged. now it was prosecutor, rich weirich's turn to challenge a story. about, for example, that morning at mark stover's house? >> did you hear the gun go off? >> i don't recall anything,

really. >> he pulled the trigger? >> i believe i did. >> okay, this is finger still on the trigger? >> i do not know. >> where were you when you pull the trigger? >> i don't know. >> where was the belittle? >> i do not know. >> you are curious enough to look? >> i was very disturbed. >> despite all those people who testified they were not backed by the overwhelming spell of bleach. >> i don't recall smelling any bleach? >> did you use any bleach? >> i did not. >> there's your temps clean up anything? >> no. >> they tried to raise evidence acclaimed. and as for those of supplies he bought at the walmart. >> so why did you need the chemical bleach? >> if i was going to make my escape through the woods to the water tower the camouflage is quite useful for that. >> he would have to camouflage in your backpack that you would quickly change into as you ran through the woods? >> no i would change it too

quickly and then run through the woods. >> but with this assuming that mr. stover is taking the time not to chase you? >> i am very fast. >> finally the prosecutor asked, feel so fright of mark stover, why not tell someone? why go over to his house? >> you never took one step to enlist anyone's aide. >> that is correct. >> and you walked into mr. stover's house on october 28th. >> i did. >> and he tried to kill you. >> that is correct. >> and you did nothing before head to try to avoid them. >> i think i did a lot to try to avoid it. >> but the jury made the story. but wait, the defense wasn't quite done. there was one more person, very important to all of this who, until mid trial, had refused to say one word in public. the woman at the center of it

all, linda optic. >> can you raise your right hand? >> whose long silence was about and. >> coming up, and and it would. with a bang. the stories of who she said was the real mark stover. >> and he had a pistol in his hand and laid it on the pillow next to my head. i see mark on a hillside behind my house, i was looking through the scope pointing the rifle at me. >> when dateline continues. n dateline continues ferent. it works naturally with the water in your body to unblock your gut. ...free your gut. and your mood will follow. are you tired of clean clothes that just don't smell clean? downy unstopables in-wash scent boosters keep your laundry smelling fresh waaaay longer than detergent alone. if you want laundry to smell fresh for weeks, make sure you have downy unstopables in-wash scent boosters.

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diminishes wrinkled skin in just two days. his ex wife linda has miss opdycke, raise your right hand. keith morrison: for months and months, since the murder of mark stover, his ex-wife linda opdycke had maintained absolute public silence. maintained absolute public silence. in the face of questions from police, prosecutors she invoked her fifth amendment right. so this, at the end of michael oakes murder trial was quite a surprise. linda -- defense witness. >> this is an important part of the story about a dangerous stalking since joe asian, and if there's any thing i want often want to do so he was there to join the defenses campaign against the victims character. >> do you think he was dogged in pursuit of his prey?

>> the defense claim michael oakes knew linda had been stopped by her ex husband that went to a state of mind when he acted in self-defense. so now, linda told the jury some story she had earlier told oaks. her claim, for example, that mark appeared in her bedroom one night. >> he had a pistol in his hand and laid it next to the head and was very disturbed. >> another time, she said, what you looked at her bathroom window. >> and mark was on the hillside behind my house. he was looking through the scope pointing the rifle at me. >> and long after she left them, after mark agreed to plead guilty to the stalking charge, she visited their amanda paradise, pecan island. and she said she was found in the cubbyhole in the master bedroom. a wedding candle that she had thrown away during the divorce. >> i found the wedding candle

in there with a 22 bullet casing and a picture of me along with that in the cubbyhole. >> was it a message, a threat? and across examination was pretty clear the prosecutor, rosemary, was deeply skeptical about that is fair. no proof it all from michael's claims. they haven't heard a word from stove or in the year and a half before he was killed. so what was she and oaks so frightened of? >> the next time that you saw stover, or heard from mr. stover, was that the protection order hearing in april of 08? >> that is correct. >> she certainly saw a lot of michael oakes. >> you continue to have romantic feelings, intimate feelings towards mr. oakes and vice versa. in fact, i think that you said in your interview last week's it, you loved him. correct? >> i don't recall if i said

that are not, but i do. yes. >> and hadn't her new lover than her a favor as the prosecutor, by getting rid of the ex husband she accused of causing her so much trouble? >> the fact is, in this case, you don't have to worry about mr. stover now do you? >> it appears to be that case. >> and that sense the defended helped you out, correct? >> no. >> prosecutor -- also ask her about her refusal to answer certain questions in the case? >> it is correct that throughout the investigation of this case you have been concerned about your own potential legal liability in this case. >> yes. >> you refused to speak with my office, correct? >> under legal counsel, -- >> this testimony in court suggests the prosecutor sounded like a woman within obvious selfish motive to support the

claim of self-defense. >> isn't it true that if this is a case of self-defense? it gets you off the hook to? >> what do you mean by that? >> you indicated that you are concerned about drawing potential liability in this case. the jury were to find that this was self-defense he wouldn't have any more viability either, would you? >> i have no liability in this case. >> nothing further. >> and the witness left the stand. >> dateline want to talk to linda but she did not respond to our interview requests. and as for her father, while the uptick, his lawyer emailed the statement. wallace had absolutely no involvement nor prior knowledge of mark stover. rumors and innuendo to the contrary are baseless and unfair. >> mark stover was a domestic violence terrorists.

>> john henry brown close with a powerful -- of esteem that mark stover was the bad guy. but even so he said oakes did not want or plan to kill him. >> you don't premeditate up to the point of shooting somebody, you premeditated the entire scenario. and what happened after this tragic event is absurd. he has absolutely no plan. and there's no plan afterwards i think that this leads to the conclusion that there is no plan beforehand. >> really? hair was the prosecutions closing. >> i will say the more charitable view of motive would be that miss opdyke and mr. oakes feared for their safety for some reason. but the evidence does not support it. the less charitable view is that the defendant said that on the path of cold calculated execution because there are

some feelings of revenge after this incredibly contentious divorce? was it to prove himself to miss opdyke for some reason? the fact is, we will never know, because the defendants are taken all the steps necessarily to obscure the truth. and the seat needs to stop now. thank you. >> up to the jury than. and as they are becomes a day, to, and then three, it seems perhaps are having trouble making up their minds. mark silverstone were friends and clients kept vigil hoping for conviction, eager to tell whoever would listen that mark was never the abuse of violent the defense contends with. they were all joined by linda, and they waited in a rented waterfront house. of course, neither they nor anyone knew what drama was coming with the reading of the verdict.

>> >> i understand the jury has reached a verdict. >> as we have your honor. >> coming up emotions boil over. when dateline continues. dateline continues.

nearly won europe to mark stover disappeared, the moment had come. the verdict. the courtroom was packed. on one side, mark supporters. on the other hand, michael oakes, his children, his grandchild, and his love. they all waited to hear folks's faith. >> we the jury find the defendant, michael oakes, guilty. >> guilty? not self-defense. murder. the oaks children, the one michael claimed he'd been trying to protect when he killed mark stover cried, screamed, fell apart.

that as they watch their father take away and handcuffs. and then the next month and a courtroom, the convicted killer stood before the judge to be sentenced. but of course mike had a finger to say. >> i wish to express necessarily heartfelt remorse i carried into my actions. i apologize to all that i farmed through my poor judgment. first, i would like to apologize to members of mr. stauber's family and all those friends and clients who cared so much for him. i also wish to apologize to members of my own family, who have cared for me all of my life and have now sacrificed everything for my legal

representation and so enable my bail and a trial. >> oakstead not withdraws crimo south events, he stuck to his story. and the judge just didn't buy it. >> i believe we are still a long ways from the truth as to what actually happen on october 28th 2009. >> truth, as a judge told the court, seems elusive still in the stories of michael oakes. >> i just flat do not believe and never will. if it was self-defense, why not provide the gun? and the body? that matches the story, that matches the bullet in the best, because with those simple things law enforcement could've done investigation and probably would've been the end of the story. >> so, why did oakes shoot and kill his lover's ex-husband? the judge laid his own theory. >> how does the night when the

head of the princess? he goes out and he's liza dragon who was chasing the princess. and at the starting point or, mr. oakes we thinks he could frame her for whatever is in her past, whatever dragons we're chasing her, and then perhaps when her hand. >> the judge gave michael oakes the maximum, 26 and a half years in prison. now imagine how things might have been different. had those two women the big east folks, call them, not happened by the grange that morning and october. >> i think we ended up being the main characters in the drama i guess. >> so ladies who thought oakes was where he shouldn't be, and look suspicious. they did what anyone would have done, they said. when they called police. so now they've been thinking about some. >> to be honest, i look at this

way. he put us where he wanted us, we saw what he was jessie, he protected us from what could've happened. but of course, allotted have been. dreadful things. paradise lost, life taken, reputation besmirched, by a murder intent on blaming his victim. he was smart, funny, generous and ever liable. he contained wild beast with his whisper. , not so easy to bring a human heart to heal. l. tonight on ayman, the real 2024 referendum for donald trump's, the presidential campaign, is more than a race returned to the white house it is now a fight to stay out of prison.

then, the strength of the special counsel's case. all be joined by a harvard constitutional law professor, laurence tribe, who says the indictment is a vindication for the rule of law. and the unhinged and dangerous gop effort to protect trump, congresswoman so lofgren breaks it down with me. i'm ayman mohyeldin, let's get started. less than 48 hours donald trump would be arraigned in federal court on miami, he is expected to surrender himself to authorities, you'll likely be arrested, both taken into custody before hemiami. he'll likely be arrested, booked, and taken into custody. of course, as you may know, this is his second indictment in just three months. despite that growing legal peril he finds himself in, during an interview with "politico" last