The Detective's Wife | Full Episode

[Music] [Music] Amy wrote Shadows are created around us whenever something or someone blocks the light we are created to live in the light he is calling me out of the darkness turn toward the light and the truth truth [Music] truth Amy's Outlet was her journaling she wrote to me about The Bible and having faith I believe that her faith was important to her because she lived by her faith she was the salt of the earth genuine and loving I found out that Amy had passed in a phone call from our mutual friend in the next sentence I found out how she had passed it's not a phone call you know you want to get 911 the sign is recorded what's the address of your emergency hi this is Brian F I'm at in North Road my wife just shot herself can you send me some help all right Brian we'll get him right out there okay I remember remember my supervisor telling me we have a death investigation in Westfield and it's a police officer's wife that was a rarity to me I had not experienced a case like that she's gone I'm s God okay are you sure yes yes Brian's role at the Westfield Police Department he was their uh evidence guy in the detective Bureau we both knew Brian he was very well [Applause] respected when you walked in the fan house what did you see then I walked into the dining room and that's when I observed the body of Amy fion and a pool of blood on the floor with a gunshot to the right side of her head I saw the 45 caliber Smith and Wesson firearm on the stairs that led to the Breezeway there was a police radio paperwork mail and so forth chairs pushed about and on top of this dining room table you had a peanut butter and jelly sandwich intact on a plate you had an empty plate that had some blood smear on it what was Brian's demeanor when you arrived he seemed like he was in a State of Shock he was looking straight ahead she snapped the gun just exploded just so quick hesitate at all I'm the only one that could make her that angry I offered him my condolences I told Brian that you know that I was going to conduct a thorough investigation that it was going to be by the numbers is it standard for the District Attorney's office to be involved in a suicide investigation yes part of our duties at the District Attorney's office was to investigate all deaths what can this deceased tell us about what happened right before she found herself in that state so I'm taking in everything that I can about that scene and I saw the entry wound to her head it didn't seem right in that moment how would something like that happen [Music] [Music] it was 1 p.m. on May 8th 2018 when massachusett state police detectives arrived at a farmhouse in Westfield 51-year-old Amy fan laid dead in the dining room from a single gunshot wound to the head detective Mike MCN Amy was a essentially in a pile of blood that was beginning to congeal under her left side Amy's husband Brian fan a detective in the Westfield Police Department had called 911 minutes earlier reporting that his wife had shot herself the dining room rearranged to accommodate medical personnel was in disarray as detectives work to identify clues of what may have happened there was a blood spatter around that window frame from that dining room into the Bree way there was a pair of glasses that looked like it had some kind of red Brown spatter on it and then there was the bullet detectives Brendan OU and Mike Blanchet the actual projectile was in that front enclosed porch area the spent shell casing was still in the dining room we could see the direction that it traveled through Amy's head that round impacted that dresser came to arrest right around there in the Breezeway Brian was sitting in a chair with his back to the wall and he's with the chief of police from the Westfield Police Department who's talking with him everyone was in a State of shock everyone including Amy's brother Eric Hansen who told detectives that he had just finished playing disc golf behind the house when he heard Brian's cry for help and that's when he walked walked into the house saw Amy on the floor a gun next to her and Brian holding Amy's hand so he picked up the gun himself and moved it out of Brian's reach because he was worried about Brian's state of mind having just lost his wife yes what kind of gun was he used it was a Smith the Wesson uh MMP 45 Brian Fan's Duty weapon did that give you any paw that it was Brian fanon's weapon yes it gave me pause this point I know that I'm going to really do a detailed investigation to avoid conflict of interest otou said he decided that his unit the Massachusetts State Police would be the sole investigators and he wanted to get Brian away from the house to get a statement I asked if he would accompany me to the massachusett state police barracks and Russell and I took a tape recorded statement from him Tuesday May 8th it's 2:41 p.m. I'm with Brian fan Brian um you understand I got a recorder on right now yes Brian told detective otou that he left his office at the Westfield police station around 11:45 a.m. and drove to North Road to meet his wife who was on her way home to prepare their lunch oh she making butter and jelly sandwiches Brian said that when he arrived they continued an argument from the night prior an argument that had gotten pretty heated that evening when you say heated I guess well just uh I don't know she just uh was very angry what was your argument about um I'm retiring soon we're discussing what each of us expects retirement to be Brian said he told Amy that he didn't want to spend his retirement maintaining their 200-year-old home which Amy still loved they also discuss their aging dog and his reluctance to get another one yeah I don't want to be tied down by a dog she always wants to have a dog I want to travel more than she does according to Brian that afternoon during lunch Amy told him she had scheduled them to attend a family member's play on the day Brian wanted to attend a disc golf tournament I just said no I don't like that stuff why would you commit me when you're without asking that's when according to Brian things soon took a turn for the worst it took I gun out of the holster and put it on our Hutch because I had to use the bathroom where's the hutch located in the dining room Brian said he closed the bathroom door and when he came out Amy had the gun in her hand she has the gun pointed up to the right side of her head what did you hear her say I think she said I guess you don't want it's you don't want me to around or you don't want to be around me well she seated or she stood she was standing okay according to Brian he was was four to 5 ft away when he tried to stop Amy from pulling the trigger tried to get to her I almost did the gun just exploded just so quick hesitate at all I just went over and I just held her hands she's Elder 911 recorded what's Ryan called 911 yelled out to Amy's brother Eric for help Eric uh what is how do you spell your last name Hansen h n Eric told detectives that Brian said he and Amy had been having a tense argument and she grabbed the gun he just was so distraught he say what they were aring about no I was just trying to conso him say it's not your fault it's not your fault Amy's death had shocked the Westfield Community my name is Stephanie Barry and I'm a reporter for the Republican in Springfield Massachusetts Amy's maiden name was Hansen she came from a fairly large family she and her sisters were all known as some of the prettiest girls in school some of the smartest and some of the nicest it was 1983 when 16-year-old Amy met 19-year-old Brian fion f came from a long line of police officers and politicians and in Westfield the fan name was a source of Pride the fions were kind of like the kennedies of Westfield they were well regarded Brian and Amy tied the knot in 1985 and the couple eventually had two children Travis and Victoria Amy's close friend Terry lardi says Amy loved being a stay-at-home mom Amy's Focus was Raising her children she thought that being a parent was the best job in the whole world the fans deeply committed to their faith dedicated their lives to God and community service with Brian serving as a church Deacon and working as a missionary to build wells in Mexico after 30 years of marriage the fans were planning their next phase of life when those plans derailed is there any knowledge that Amy F had had any mental health issues or suffered from from depression so I I asked Brian and um he mentioned um many years earlier when she was having some psychological issues and we done medicine for a period of time other than that nothing nothing recent but what Brian did stress was that Amy had bouts with anger she had a temper but she hit it well from everyone but me she only got that angry when we were alone Midway into the inter inter detective otou asked Brian if there were any female friends in his life I have a woman who lives in Pittsfield that I met recently I did a mission trip to Mexico and we become good friends what's that lady's name Cory does she have a last name or Cory NOS k n o w you guys aren't going to contact her are you for detective OU Brian fion admitted friendship with another woman raised questions Ryan had told detectives that Karin nolles known as Corey was a fellow missionary at a nearby Church the two met in November 2017 on a mission Tri trip in Mexico and a friendship developed but it had never gone beyond that an emotional affair he said there was some flirting but he qualified it that it wasn't sexual a sexual it was not a his term was it was not a friends with benefits at the end of the interview detective otou asked Brian to turn over his personal phone I turned off the recorder and that's when Brian told me he you're going to see some things on there and it's not what it appears to be a red flag for you yeah there's several red flags as a an investigator you have to keep an open mind within a week of Brian's interview on May 14th 2018 Amy's wake was held Brian planted a tree in nearby Stanley Park in his wife's memory [Music] but the investigation into her sudden death was just beginning detectives recovered a treasure Trove of deleted text messages from Brian's phone there were just hundreds of texts that expanded the relationship that he was having with Cory on May 7th the the day before Amy died Brian and Corey exchanged 72 text messages until 9:47 p.m. that evening in one exchange at 9:23 p.m. Brian writes good night my love I hope you have wonderful dreams of amazing days and nights to come and Corey responds good night my love I will dream of you and all that the future holds for us the next morning at 10:30 a.m. Corey texts when can I hold you again to which Brian responds not soon enough turning into a very long morning and within an hour or two Amy fanan is dead yes for a female party possibly intentionally shot herself police in rout Brian has not been entirely truthful to us at this point and so we want to speak with him again on May 17th 2018 3 days after Amy's wake Brian fan arrived at the District Attorney's State Police office for another round of questioning Brian so we just needed to you know clarify some things we you know your Miranda right so I I'm going to read them up this form the other day you didn't do this has something changed so you're not you're not under arrest any I know that and on that same day across town detectives met with Cory nolles to learn more about her involvement with Brian if somebody wants to say who's Cory who are you Cory noes a 48-year-old wife grandmother and member of her Church's choir told detectives that Brian's friendship helped her work through a troubled second marriage were easy to talk to nothing but affirmation and love and I'm here for you but over time their relationship moved from Friendship to flirtation did I feel passion for him absolutely by April 16th 2018 5 months into Brian and Corey's relationship their texting gave way to something more intimate When Corey visited Brian's house before they left for volunteer work was that the first time you were inate that you kissed at on that April day the 16th yeah and then then where was that on kitchen CU I got there before got home Cory told detectives that by late April she and Brian were having passionate make out sessions in her [Music] truck Brian left work early met up with Corey in Westfield at Stanley Park and and they made out there was some sexual touching but according to Corey Brian could not perform more like because I'm still married to to Amy we've seen the text messages and all honesty Brian it looks like it's a lot more than a friendship you know I know it escalated and I'm completely embarrassed by it ashamed of it shouldn't happen but a lot of people have affairs and correct don't kill their wife correct detective otou then asks Brian to go back over his statement of what happened beginning at the moment when Brian said he placed his gun on the hutch and went inside the bathroom all right so you come out of the bathroom right she's at the table where where just indicate like where between the table and the hutch and a chair right there I don't know if she was sitting or standing I think she was standing I mean Sho I think she was sitting now when we were trying to get these stepbystep details he seemed to be wavering so you come out of the bathroom Okay and then what's the first thing that happens I just remember her saying that that you obviously don't want me and then detective OU asked Brian to demonstrate what Amy did with the gun just remember seeing her hand come up with the G towards her head yeah so she puts it to the side of her head yes okay and and where was the gun when it went off was it in the sink but there is a problem what Brian did not know was that a CSI report and Amy's autopsy results had arrived The Gunshot entrance wound was not consistent with a self-inflicted wound fair to say it took this case on a whole new Direction yes during the second interview with Brian fan detectives OU and Blanchett found themselves facing a challenge that tested their experience as investigators this is not a a normal interview for myself and Mike we've done thousands of interviews you know we're pretty good at it but it's hard when it's a police officer because he knows exactly how we work it was a difficult interview there's a problem I'll be straight detectives laid out what they considered to be crucial evidence in their investigation there's no indication so whatsoever so far that she had a gun close to the side of her head then you're wrong cuz she did cu I saw it happen you know how do you say there's no indication well I mean that's what that's what you know that's what it's showing you us right now the medical examiner listed Amy's manner of death as undetermined and combined with CSI findings investigators did not believe that Amy died of a self-inflicted wound I mean there's no doubt she get was shot but but the question is from what distance it was right freaking there I'm telling you do what you need to but I'm telling you it was right there in Amy's case distance mattered this is because with self-inflicted gunshot wounds debris known as gunshot residue is expelled from the firearm and leaves a distinct pattern on and inside the wound known as stippling as demonstrated here like Brian you you understand like guns and stippling and all that I do and I can't there's none honor Brian there's none honor there has to be cuz the gun was there right freaking there there not hon then they're wrong I'm telling you they're they're flat out wrong cuz it was right freaking there the other option is you got pissed and you're a foot or few feet away and you shot her in the head when she's sitting eat sandwich didn't happen didn't happen did not happen right with Fanny 's Affair exposed in CSI reports in hand detectives suspected fanan had likely shot his wife but they still needed more evidence on May 24th 2018 detectives obtained a search warrant for Fan's home and when detectives arrived Brian asked if I was there to arrest him and I told him I wasn't and then he asked me if I thought he did it were you surprised he asked you that I was noting it I didn't know how to feel and I didn't answer his question detectives took additional measurements to analyze the trajectory of the bullet Fan's home electronics were confiscated and at the same time his desktop computer and laptop at the Westfield police station were seized for data extraction do you see any signs that Brian fion planned to kill his wife any evidence that points to that we see a totality of all the evidence here um we're not the fact finders um we're we're detectives so we we collect all this information and then it's going to be presented someone else is going to make a determination on that and that's someone would be Hampton County assistant District Attorney Mary sandstrom new to the homicide division sandrom had arrived in Massachusetts by way of New York is it fair to say you were a fish out of water a bit it's always um hard not being from the area in which you prosecute uh it's a very small very intimately connected town so yes you're never at an advantage where you don't know everybody by name adding to the difficulty Brian fanion is a detective yes and respected very much in in that Community as spring gave way to Summer Corey ended her relationship with fion by early 2019 fan retired from the police force the investigation into Amy's death continued we're still trying to get some testing done because we want to have as strong a case as possible before we go in before the grand jury and a complication in the form of a letter was among the Case Files Amy's family members expressed their unfailing support of Brian fyon saying we are certain Amy took her own life the letter was signed by Amy's siblings and even her own mother that's got to be tough for you it's an awkward position for a prosecutor where your victim family isn't supporting you it was an odd spot to be in an odd spot perhaps but not a deterrent on November 6th 2019 17 months after Amy died detectives arrived at Brian Fan's door Brian came to the dining room door pretty quickly as I recall it and he said something to the effect of come in then Mike Blanchett began to describe to Brian Brian we have an arrest warrant for you police say Brian fion told them that his wife shot herself with his gun while he was at home on a lunch break last year I remember telling him put your hands behind your back I took out my handcuffs through their investigation they only solidified their suspicion that Brian pulled the trigger he was eating assorted nuts was popping some in his mouth and as he put his hands behind his back he let him drop to the floor we transported Brian to the Russell State Police barracks and he's processed photographed fingerprinted if st's accused of killing his wife in what was originally reported I assessed a feeling of Despair on Brian's face like I can't believe this is happening Stephanie Barry a crime reporter at the Republican newspaper recalls the unusual scene that played out 15 miles away in Springfield Massachusetts inside the Hampton County Superior Court in early November 2019 there's no one who spent any amount of time in Westfield who didn't know who Brian fion was was it was a pretty full house and the kind of palpable shock remained throughout the entire proceeding fion who appeared for his initial arraignment entered a plea of not guilty and sitting right behind him were members of both Brian's and Amy's family I can't think of another instance when I've seen the family of a victim sticking up for the accused murder of their loved one and despite the absence of support from members of Amy's family Ada sandstrom continued to build her case what was Amy fan like she sounds like a fairy tale giving selfless completely dedicated to her family according to sandstrom the night before Amy died she was making a gift for an upcoming baby shower that she planned to attend and was texting her daughter Victoria did anyone ever say that Amy was ever suicidal she wasn't a person who was ready to die Amy was healthy she was happy what do you think Brian Von's motive was he was ready to start a new chapter of his life that did not include Amy fion he's chosen his life partner and Corey Amy's the only thing standing in the way now and that's always the million-dollar question why not divorce he can't divorce Amy for how he's gonna be seen in this community divorce is public but in his mind murder doesn't have to be the trial started today for a former Westfield police officer who's accused of murdering his wife on February 23rd 2023 in what would be Westfield's most publicized case Brian Fan's trial began he faced a life sentence for the first-degree murder of his wife 48 Hours made several interview requests to Brian fion his attorney Jeffrey Brown as well as family members of both Amy and Brian but never received a response this is a big case a lot of attention how are you feeling for any trial you're always nervous and this was probably the most high-profile case I've ever done opening statements revealed conflicting accounts of the circumstances surrounding Amy Fan's death the defendant was a deacon at wyan Union Church and an officer for the Westfield Police Department the evidence will show that while the defendant was was repulsed by continuing his marriage with Amy he couldn't divorce her either leaving him trapped and once that evidence is before you I will ask you to find the defendant guilty of murder in the first degree Fan's defense focused on Amy's anger issues and claimed she suffered from anxiety Brown alleged that on the day of Amy's death an argument over Brian's retirement plans and his refusal to attend a family member's play pushed pushed her over the edge in the days before Amy shot herself Amy was very mad at he had to tread lightly around the Amy for fear of setting her off and at the conclusion of the evidence in this case I'll will ask that you find Brian F not guilty thank you Anna Hansen Amy's younger sister was the first witness for the prosecution she was the only family member who signed the letter of support that willingly testif against Brian fyon Anna stated that during the investigation into Amy's death her brother-in-law confided that he was worried about searches he had conducted on his computer I asked him what that search was and he said how to make a murder look like a suicide he specifically said he searched quote how to make a murder look like a suicide those were his exact words Anna told the jury that when she asked her brother-in-law why he made this search fan told her that Amy asked him to do it after they watched a CSI show it was a show that Anna questioned if Amy had ever watched did she ever say that she liked those shows she never shared that with me the prosecution's next witness was Fan's former lover a divorced Cory nolles now Corey Hasty who told the jury that fan was concerned about ending his marriage did ever talk about what could happen to him if he were divorce Amy yes if Amy was to ever leave excuse me where he divorced her that she would take him for everything he's got because he would Yol suay on retirement that the prosecution called Tom forest from the Cyber crimes unit all of Fan's devices were examined but it was Fan's office computer that produced some Curious results Forest said fan visited common and dangerous poisons which drug caused es the most deaths each year 16 common household items that could kill you but it's only when this affair starts up that all of these incriminating searches start to appear carbon monoxide The Invisible Killer household poisons common prescription overdoses and 11 days prior to Amy's death fan used his office computer to view a news report on YouTube called what gunshot residue tests tell us he wasn't assigned to any active investigations in April and May of 2018 that would necessitate looking up gunshot residue nobody in the Westfield police department does gunshot residue testing I was trying to keep a very open mind about what the evidence was going to show but I didn't think that was great news for Brian fet morning detective John Shrine a ballistic expert and a crucial witness for the prosecution testified that Amy's wound was not self-inflicted citing the absence of gunshot residue near the wound coupled with the trajectory of the bullet Shrine concluded that Amy fion was shot from a downward angle and at a distance of at least 18 in not at close range as fion had claimed form an opinion as to whether or not the defend firearm was discharged at a distance of 18 in or greater over 18 in without anything that's correct after 12 days of testimony and 27 Witnesses the prosecution rested but waiting in the wings was a defense poised to introduce a significant element that could potentially unravel the DA's case any prosecutor who's not worried about a defense probably isn't a good prosecutor what do you think is the most damning piece of evidence chat now with the 48 Hours team on Facebook and X [Music] defense attorney Jeffrey Brown whose client faced life in prison launched a Counterattack when he cross-examined Fan's former lover Corey Hasty according to this state Fan's Affair was the primary motive for murdering his wife but Hasty admitted to the defense sense that when she ended their relationship fan didn't try to stop her when ultimately you ended it with Brian his response was okay isn't that right to my recollection he didn't say to you oh my god I killed Amy for you and you're leaving me he never said that right correct and what about the websites detective forest from the Cyber crimes unit said fion visited har oxide The Invisible Killer common and dangerous poisons 16 common household items that could kill you the defense argued that some of the websites he visited were related to an aging house an old wood burning stove and the potential hazards it might pose to a young family member did you know that the fions um were beginning to have a young niece a child stay in their home during that time frame no I did not but what the defense couldn't reconcile were fion searches about gunshot residue days before Amy's death and there was Amy's sister Anna the only family member who willingly testified for the prosecution she claimed that Brian told her he searched how to make a murder look like a suicide on his computer you didn't find any sites that were searched or visited relating to the terms how to make a murder look like a suicide isn't that true that is true the defense narrowed its focus and scrutinized Amy's personality by cross-examining Amy's own mother Patricia Taran did your daughter Amy have a temper yes a temper according to Amy's sister Holly that would typically be directed toward her husband well did she snap at Brian in front of you she would I was embarrassed for her you don't usually talk to your husband kind of in that way maybe the you reprehend a child but not a husband but would 's temper lead to an impulsive decision such as grabbing fanon's gun according to Amy's son Travis it would I could easily picture or Envision her her grabbing the gun impulsively to make a point that she picked it up intending to complete a trigger pull and and shoot herself but what would explain the lack of gunshot residue on Amy her wound is consistent with a close-range gunshot wound based Alexander Jason a senior certified crime scene analyst testified for the defense that's the foundation of the whole prosecution and this whole idea that it had to be 18 Ines because the absence of gunshot residue is not valid Jason says the lack of gunshot residue was not due to distance it was due to Amy's Hair what could Amy Fan's hair have told us Amy fion had very dense thick hair that will block The Gunshot residue Jason's research effect of hair on the deposition of gunshot residue was published by the FBI's forensic science journal in 2004 Jason says there could have been gunshot residue commonly known as GSR embedded in Amy's Hair the crime scene analyst did not test her hair what they should have done is taken the hair and then analyz those little specs to see if their gunshot residue or not which was a mistake Jason's testimony was limited at trial to support his theory he and his daughter Juliana met us at a gun range in California to demonstrate what may have happened to Amy fion I'm going to fire two times using a 45 caliber gun and ammunition identical to what was found at the scene Jason fired a single round into a mound of hair backed by a ballistic skin simulant so you just shot a 45 caliber gun 3 Ines away through hair yes Amy fion had considerable hair maybe more dense than this where the bullet entered and the hair will act as a filter and prevent The Gunshot residue from reaching her skin for comparison Jason positioned the gun at the same distance using identical ammunition and fired into the skin simulant without hair and I pull this away wow you can see there's a big difference now look at that that's a very clean wound that's a very dirty wound that's incredible all from the hair all from the hair the hair acted as a filter pretty fascinating while Jes believes this scenario is what happened to Amy fan he stopped short of saying whether or not fan killed his wife that stuff out but what he does believe is that basing the case on the absence of gunshot residue is wrong and he should not be convicted on that basis that's my bottom line after 40 Witnesses and 15 days of testimony closing arguments she raised the gun up her head in a fit of rage and in effect caused her own death this defendant murdered Amy Fon with deliberate premeditation on March 21st 2023 the jury got the case and after two days of deliberations the verdict poor person what say you is the defendant guilty or not guilty guilty guilty of what guilty of what degree of ran fan was found guilty of the first-degree murder of his wife Amy fion and sentenced to life without parole that same day ran side of the aisle just collapsed in sobs these people loved Brian and sincerely thought that he was innocent for assistant District Attorney Mary sandstrom Fun's conviction was bittersweet and hard one it's never a victory Amy fion should be here she should be with her daughter and son and her now grandchildren and she's not and it was all for nothing so that Brian F could enjoy his life and end [Music] hers a mother disappears evidence points to homicide and she's nowhere to be found the suspect is gone too leading US Marshals on a Relentless man hunt he was using the railways to move around hopping trains the chase is on Justice is coming 48 hours Saturday on CBS streaming on Paramount Plus

Channel: 48 Hours

Views: 1,969,566

Keywords: 48 hours, cbs news, true crime, mystery, Amy Fanion, Brian Fanion, shooting, death, Westfield, Massachusetts, detective, internet searches, GSR, gun shot residue, nikki battiste cbs news

Id: hRG5omMX55M

Length: 42min 1sec (2521 seconds)

Published: Fri May 10 2024