- [Narrator] 23-year-old Molly McLaren had her whole life ahead of her. But just minutes after sending a text, saying she felt like
she was always looking over her shoulder, the college student was savagely attacked in broad daylight. CCTV cameras captured the shocking moment when police arrived at a
crowded gym parking lot, to find Joshua Stimpson soaked in blood. He willingly placed both
hands on a police vehicle and surrendered as his
victim bled to death nearby. What exactly caused the young
man to snap so violently remains a mystery. But we know one thing for sure. When Molly downloaded a dating app, she could have never predicted
the shockingly horrific turn her life would take. Following high school, Molly began studying exercise science at the University of Kent, with hopes of becoming a personal trainer. The ambitious student was undeniably busy, but she still made time for friends and even downloaded the popular
Tinder app to find dates. Then in the summer of 2016, Molly swiped right for a
26-year-old factory worker named Joshua Stimpson. The pair started chatting regularly, and after a few months, they finally agreed to meet in person. Molly expressed to her
mom that she felt nervous but said he appeared normal, and they began officially
dating soon after the meetup. It wasn't long before Joshua began spending more and
more time with Molly and her loved ones, even choosing to enjoy
Father's Day with Molly's dad rather than his own. But it seems strange that he never introduced
her to his friends and always wanted to be at her house. As far as anyone could tell, he didn't seem to have many
friends, if any, at all. As Joshua and Molly grew closer, he eventually confided in her that he had bipolar disorder though he was never formally diagnosed. People with serious
mental health problems, such as bipolar disorder, have a difficult time maintaining
long-term relationships because of their volatile behavior which could explain why
Joshua didn't spend much time with his family or seemed to have his own friends. Over time, Joshua's interest in hanging out with Molly's
friends and family dwindled, saying that he preferred
her company alone. Red flags were going up everywhere, and Molly's loved ones
were starting to sense that something dark was
brewing under the surface. Her father later stated, "He
just wanted her to himself and wasn't interested
in making new friends or even dealing with Molly's friends." Isolating Molly from
her friends and family is a major sign of an
abusive relationship, and it can be a form of domestic violence. Other signs of social isolation abuse would be preventing someone from participating in social activities, needing to know everywhere
they've been or are going, checking their mail,
phone, email and more, or restricting their
access to transportation. Joshua became very controlling over Molly and refused to give her the
space she needed to study or spend time alone with friends. He even quit his job
when summer break began so that he could be with her all the time. Molly was irritated by his
drastic change in demeanor but still wanted to make things work and encouraged him to get another job. Some believe her dedication to Joshua was based on the fact that he was her first, real boyfriend. When this controlling behavior persisted, Molly told him that she needed some space from their relationship. Joshua tried to manipulate the situation by suggesting Molly was unhappy with other aspects of her life, not with him. Everyone was about to see a
terrifying new side of Joshua. He accompanied the McLaren
family on a trip to Essex to celebrate Molly's aunt's 60th birthday. At the party, her parents
couldn't help but notice that he kept a very close watch over Molly and seemed upset when she
danced with her cousins. Afterward, the family headed to an inn where they had booked
separate rooms for the night. But soon after arriving, Molly's mom received an alarming
message from her daughter. Molly sent a WhatsApp message, asking her mom to come to their room because Joshua was playing up. Both Joshua and Molly
were clearly distressed over a disagreement when she arrived. Her mom quickly gathered that Joshua had been
taking videos of Molly without her consent during the argument and was trying to use them against her. Another sign of social isolation abuse is attempting to make someone look bad or ruin your reputation which may have been what Joshua
was trying to do to Molly. That was the final straw for Molly, and after four months together, she told her mom that
she knew the relationship needed to end. Still, she wanted to wait
for the right moment, to protect his feelings. But during a night out with friends, it all came crashing down. Molly told Joshua that
they were officially done. And as I'm sure you can imagine, he didn't take it very well. Leaving a relationship is
the most dangerous time for a domestic violence victim. Joshua felt like he was
able to control Molly while they were dating, but he lost control of her
when she broke up with him. Over the next few weeks, Joshua flooded Molly's
phone with calls and texts, begging her to give him another chance, but she continued to hold her ground. That's when he took things
to a whole new level, leaving hateful posts and accusations on Molly's Facebook page, even going so far as to
tag her family and friends. In those first few weeks
after they broke up, Joshua likely acted very
remorseful, charming, and promised to change his behavior. This is part of the cycle of abuse which draws victims back in. But when Molly didn't fall for it, Joshua was furious, which is when the hateful
posts on her Facebook page started. Enough was enough, Molly's parents encouraged their daughter, who was now filled with fear and anxiety, to go to the police and file a report. Officers ran a background check
on Joshua and found nothing, so they told Molly and her loved ones to block him on all social media outlets and report any additional abuse. Unfortunately, the
disturbing post carried on for several more days, so Molly went to the police again. Still, no further actions
were taken to protect her beyond giving Joshua a verbal
warning over the phone. Often, the police don't
take matters of harassment and stalking between exes as seriously as they should, because these crimes are relatively minor, especially in areas with high crime. However, these lower
level misdemeanor offenses sometimes can escalate and end in tragedy. Then just a few days later, Molly went out to dinner with friends to celebrate her acceptance into a personal training program, but she was shocked when Joshua showed up at the restaurant. Molly was so uncomfortable, that she left early. The goal of stalking
is to scare the victim. Joshua started by flooding
Molly's phone with messages, and then the stalking behavior escalated to showing up at her dinner with friends. The following morning, June 29th, 2017, Molly went to the gym to practice for the upcoming program. But much to her terror,
Joshua showed up too. Surveillance footage captured him creepily pacing up and down the stairs before entering the same
upstairs room as Molly. He proceeded to lay out an exercise mat and work out very close to her. Molly hesitantly approached him before sending a worried
text to her friend. At first, it was unclear how Joshua knew Molly would be at the gym, but apparently, he had asked another woman to track her social media accounts and inform him of her whereabouts. Pacing shows that Joshua was
in a high state of agitation. Molly left the room and
frantically called her mom, explaining that Joshua
had shown up at the gym. Molly's mom urged her
to head straight home. So after it was clear
that he had left the gym, she ended her workout and
started walking to her car. That's when she sent the
chilling final message saying, "I feel like I'm looking over
my shoulder all the time." Molly was still sitting in
her car typing on her phone, when all of a sudden at around 11:00 am, Joshua opened the car door and began viciously
attacking her with a knife. She didn't even have a chance to raise her arms and protect herself before he severed several major arteries. Molly screamed and press on her car horn, but it was no use. A brave man walking his
dog witnessed the assault and tried to intervene by pulling Joshua out of the car, but his legs were drenched in blood and too slippery to grasp. The good Samaritan screamed
at another passer by to call the police as he pleaded with Joshua
to stop killing her. When officers arrived
at the chaotic scene, they found Joshua covered in blood. His hands were severely wounded, with some sources stating he later had to have a finger amputated. Nevertheless, Joshua calmly said, "She's in the car, I've killed her," before putting his hands
on the police vehicle and surrendering. He was placed under arrest but denied the murder charge on the grounds of
diminished responsibility, saying he was only guilty of manslaughter. When Molly left Joshua, he felt very out of control. Abusers hate feeling out of control. When nothing worked to get her back, he made the decision to take back control by killing her. In his mind, this is justified because he believed that
she had betrayed him. News of the horrific attack spread fast and sent shockwaves across the nation, but even more shocking was the brutal nature of the killing. A forensic pathologist stated that Molly had suffered a
minimum of 75 knife wounds to her head, neck, and chest, and that her throat was
entirely cut through. Joshua had deliberately
finished the assault with a slicing motion to inflict maximum damage and leave no room for
medical intervention. This type of attack is often
referred to as an overkill. Overkill is the use of force or actions that go further than
what would be necessary to achieve killing someone. Overkill is rarely seen in
crimes between strangers and is frequently seen in cases that involve exes or family members. Joshua stabbing Molly 75 times would be a typical example of an overkill. Joshua claimed he had no
recollection of the attack during the agonizing trial, and his attorney argued that
significant childhood trauma left him with a personality disorder. However, the prosecution
called upon a psychiatrist who testified that Joshua
was focused and in control, with no sign of a personality disorder. Furthermore, prosecutors showed the court surveillance footage of Joshua purchasing a knife and a pickaxe just days before the murder, proving premeditation. But there was still one
more shocking revelation, someone can be focused and in control but still have a personality disorder. People who commit murder often have significant childhood trauma. However, it is unlikely that he had no recollection of the attack. This was not a crime of passion in the heat of the moment, he planned this well in advance and probably thought
about it several times before it actually happened. He may have even had the knife with him when he showed up at the
restaurant the night before, but the right opportunity
didn't present itself. When he saw Molly alone in her car, he saw that as the moment
to carry out his plan. Unbeknownst to Molly or her family, Joshua had reportedly stalked and harassed at least one other woman, shortly before they met. Alexandra Dale, one of his ex-girlfriends, testified that she spoke to the police three times about Joshua, saying he threatened to drown her and slashed her car tires. Yet, according to several reports, the police took no action after these initial reports were made. In less than four hours, the jury unanimously found
Joshua Stimpson guilty of murder, and he was sentenced to a
minimum of 26 years behind bars. Now, let's move on to our next case. Singaporean graphic designer Anthony Ler told reporters at his wife's funeral, "She's the angel, I am the devil." He was right. 28-year-old Anthony Ler met Annie Leong when she was just 15 years old, and they were married five years later. The couple welcomed a daughter in 1997 but things were far from picture perfect. You see, Anthony struggled
to hold down a steady job and was known to gamble what
little money they had away, not to mention, any
uncovered several affairs between her husband and different women. Determined to save their marriage, Annie forgave him and began working as a real estate agent to help support the family. However, by 1999, the relationship had become unbearable, leading Annie to move
into her mother's house with her young daughter. Distraught by the sudden change, Anthony tried to take his
own life with sleeping pills. Annie temporarily returned to help him but that didn't stop her
from filing for divorce the following year. Threatening to or actually
attempting to take one's own life is a common tactic of abusers to manipulate their partners
into staying with them. Then nine months later on May 14th, 2001, Anthony asked Annie to
meet him at a nearby park with their daughter so they could sign papers regarding their delinquent mortgage. The pair met but there was a problem, no one brought a pen. So Anthony asked Annie to run back to her
mother's flat to get one, while he waited at the park. And she did, one last time. This 30-year-old Annie exited the elevator on the fourth floor. She was violently attacked from behind by an unknown assailant
wielding a steak knife. Her throat was slit, and she was stabbed several
times in the neck and chest before her attacker finally
fled the blood-soaked scene. Annie was swiftly transported
to Tan Tock Seng Hospital, but she passed away a few hours later from her injuries. Detectives worked tirelessly combing through every
inch of the crime scene, but all they uncovered was a
torn section of a newspaper next to Annie's body. However, when they
searched Anthony's flat, they immediately noticed
that his newspaper was suspiciously missing that exact page. Already looking pretty
guilty to the police, Anthony wasn't doing
himself any favors either. He was reportedly very uncooperative and even combative with authorities as he denied any involvement in the crime. The following day, Anthony attended a wake for Annie amidst the crowd of grieving
family members and friends. He sobbed over her open casket and gushed to reporters about how they had shared a deep love despite his wrongdoings as a husband. As if that wasn't enough, he also agonized to the reporter, saying, "What if I did not ask her down, what if I had brought a pen, what if I'd gone up with her? A thousand what-ifs but
one reality, she's gone." He's putting on a show for everyone and acting his part of
the grieving husband. He likely is enjoying the attention and is feeling in
control of the situation. Meanwhile, the investigation intensified, as forensic experts unearth
recently deleted messages from Anthony's computer, between himself and multiple teenage boys. Wait, what? Four days after the murder, police brought the two
teenagers in for questioning, and it didn't take long for
the twisted story to unravel. One of them was 16-year-old Gavin Ng and the other was a 15-year-old
secondary school student we will refer to as Z. Investigators were stunned to the core when Z came right out and confessed to murdering Annie Leong, but they weren't terribly
shocked to find out that he acted under Anthony's orders. Four hours later, Anthony was arrested at his home and charged with abetment of murder. So who were these young boys and how were they connected to Anthony? Well, the answers all spilled out in front of a crowded
courtroom in November 2001 as Anthony and Z stood trial together. As it turns out, Anthony took a liking to
a small group of teenagers who often spent time
outside a local McDonald's. He visited the boys frequently and eventually inquired about whether they would kill for money. They all thought he was joking at first until he offered up $100,000 and named his wife as the target. Anthony was gaining their
trust and cooperation by visiting with them frequently. This indicates that
Anthony was planning this for quite a long time. The boys were young and
probably looked up to him. Gavin and Z also likely felt special, as they were chosen by Anthony out of the whole group. The high amount of money
was also very enticing. They also had a grownup
that they knew and trusted telling them that murder was okay. Anthony turned to Gavin and Z and explained that he needed their help carrying out the murder. He gave them detailed instructions on what to wear and how to kill his wife without being caught, even advising that they take her wallet to make it look like a robbery gone wrong. However, when Anthony
took Gavin to his home and invited him to practice
slicing into a bolster wrapped with newspaper, the young teen started
having second thoughts. "He told me the skin of the neck was as thin as a newspaper," Gavin later said in his testimony. Gavin allegedly tried calling Z to tell him about the
terrifying training exercise, but he couldn't reach him. It wasn't until two days
after Annie's murder that he finally caught up with his friend who, according to Gavin, confessed, "Anthony's wife, I do already." Gavin was never charged with any crime. There's no legal obligation for a person who is not a mandatory reporter, to call the police about a
crime that hasn't occurred even if they have compelling
reasons to believe it may. If this was not the case, perhaps Annie would still be alive today and certainly, Gavin
would've been charged. On the night of the murder after being fully prepared by Anthony with a list of dos and don'ts, Z rode with him to Annie's flat with a knife concealed with a newspaper tucked in his waistband. They went in different
directions from there, Anthony to the park
and Z towards the flat, but continued communicating by phone. As part of the calculated scheme, Anthony told Annie that
he forgot to bring a pen. Z was waiting outside the elevator door and ambushed the mother
right as she stepped out, fleeing down the stairs
to avoid being seen. Z also told the court
that Anthony had admitted to trying to murder Annie in the past, but his daughter's presence stopped him. Throughout the trial, Anthony appeared cheerful
and would often smile despite the horrific circumstances. He maintained his innocence
in the death of his wife. Furthermore, he told the court that it was all just
a big misunderstanding and that the boys clearly didn't realize he'd been joking all along. "I had to give them a target. It was more a challenge of their guts and to expose their bluff," he said. Of course, the prosecution
wasn't buying any of it. Another possible motive was to punish his wife for leaving him and take control of the situation. As the judge sentenced
Anthony Ler to death, he remarked that the crime
was a serious death match on the chess board of reality, where the young men were to be his pawns and he, as king, would direct
the demise of his queen. Anthony simply smiled at this comment. He was executed by hanging
on December 13th, 2002. Due to his young age, Z was spared the death penalty, but he was given an
indefinite prison sentence. After 17 years behind bars, he was pardoned in 2018 at 32 years old. While this insane case
has gone down in history as one of Singapore's most
shocking crimes to date, it's important to remember
the life that was lost. Annie Leong was a devoted,
kind, and compassionate mother who didn't deserved the
fate that befell her, unlike her monstrous husband. Now, let's move on to our next case. - [Officer 1] Stomach,
get on your stomach! Get on your stomach now! Get on your (bleep) stomach! - [Officer 2] Cover me. - [Officer 1] Clear that, hey, clear that car. Clear that car! If you (bleep) move, I'm gonna shoot you. You understand? - [Kevin] Yes sir. - [Officer 2] And I'm gonna clear the car. Watch out, it's really, really icy. Watch out!
- Cross your feet and bring them to your butt. Cross your feet, bring them to your butt! (police siren wailing) - [Kevin] He's taking my phone. - Shut up!
- Don't move. Don't (bleep) move. - [Officer 1] You (bleep)
move, I must shoot you. You understand?
- [Narrator] When 23-year-old South Toledo mother, Crystal Phillips, left home to run an errand, she had no idea that her
children were being left under the care of an absolute monster. One year earlier, Crystal separated from her
husband, Jaquail Phillips, with who she shared four young children, three boys and a girl. Around one month later, Crystal started dating a
new man named Kevin Moore. The 27-year-old was
originally from Georgia but had spent the last few years living in Florida and Indiana before relocating to Toledo. Now, Kevin might have
been a breath of fresh air for Crystal, but he was by no means an angel. He had several run-ins with a police during his time in Florida, including a conviction
for third degree felony, domestic battery by strangulation. Domestic violence is almost
never an isolated event, so this prior charge is a huge red flag. The couple had been
together for six months went on February 5th, 2021. Crystal's mother asked if she could help her move some furniture. Kevin stayed at home to
watch her four children, and before leaving, Crystal said everything seemed fine and that she and Kevin
even kissed goodbye. However, when Crystal
returned home an hour later, she found herself right in the middle of every parent's worst nightmare. Upon her arrival, Crystal began unloading boxes from a trailer parked outside. She said things felt
completely normal at first, but 10 to 15 minutes later, her daughter Gracieana came running out with a startling admission. The two-year-old exclaimed that Kevin had given one of
her brothers a nose bleed Crystal raced into the home to check on her little boys. And when she got to their bedroom, she found a gruesome scene, all three of her sons were bleeding from gunshot wounds. "I was in complete shock," Crystal said. "I screamed bloody murder. I went outside and I
screamed at the neighbors like, nobody heard anything. Why did it take for me to come home and find them before a call was made?" Crystal called 911. And while the order of
these reports is unclear, Toledo police also received
several other frantic calls, with one woman stating she heard screaming that the man shot the babies, and "I just heard like 10 more shots." Another caller reported to dispatchers that the suspect was armed and hiding in a van outside the residence. In minutes, countless police
vehicles descended on the scene and formed a circle around the van. Kevin calmly stepped out of the van with the gun visibly
lying on the ground nearby but was quickly apprehended
without incident. Meanwhile, officers and
firefighters rushed into the home. But even some of the trained professionals weren't able to bear the
horrific scene inside. It was clear that all three boys had extensive gunshot wounds, and unfortunately,
emergency responders found that one-year-old Gabriel
and five-year-old Ahmir had already passed away
from their injuries. But shockingly, four-year-old
Ashtan was still alive despite having been shot in the head. The little boy was swiftly transported to the University of Michigan
C.S. Mott Children's Hospital in Ann Arbor, where he continued to fight for his life. The couple's daughter,
Gracieana, was uninjured and placed on emergency custody with her father, Jaquail. A neighbor later stated that she didn't hear
the shooting at first, but after stepping outside, she heard several gunshots before witnessing Kevin as he tried to hide the gun in the snow. She also reported that
she initially believed Crystal and her young
daughter to be victims, as they were lying on the ground outside. All of this happened very quickly if Crystal was only gone for an hour. Kevin may have killed the boys as a way of punishing Crystal, although if that is the case, it is somewhat surprising
that he waited until she left in order to kill them, making her witness the crime would've been more of a punishment. It's also possible that he was jealous of the attention that children received from Crystal. Another possibility is that this was not
planned out in advance. Kevin had a history of extreme violence and was likely very quick to anger, watching young children
requires a lot of patience. All of this combined is
a recipe for disaster. He may have become very agitated and frustrated in the heat of the moment, and snapped. Ashtan, who had been shot
straight through his tiny jaw, was listed in critical
condition at the hospital. But a few days later, they change his state to stable. After being placed in a
medically-induced coma, the toddler woke up and started gaining minimal control over his hands, feet, and face. He underwent several surgeries but is reportedly recovering
from the horrific ordeal. Crystal, who spent day
and night at the hospital with her son, immediately fell under
fire on social media as harsh allegations and
even threats against her streamed in. However, she adamantly denied that Kevin had ever been violent towards her or the children, saying, "I really have
no clue what happened. We weren't on bad terms. There was no violence, there was nothing." Still, some investigators believe the brutal attack might have been related to a fight between the
couple earlier in the day. Kevin Moore was charged with two counts of aggravated murder, one count of felonious assault, and one count of attempted
aggravated murder. He was held in the Lucas County Jail with a bond set at $5 million. As of November 2021, Kevin hasn't technically been found guilty and is currently only charged as he waits for a third
competency evaluation. He was previously deemed competent to stand trial twice before, but his attorney requested
a different psychiatrist evaluate his mental status
at the time of the offense. Family members of the lost boys have held protests outside of the jail, demanding that he stand trial. It is a long-held
constitutional due process right in the United States that a defendant must be able to assist in their own defense. For a person to be deemed
competent to stand trial, a defendant must be able to
understand the proceedings. Mentally incompetent people
cannot be convicted of a crime. The defendant's competency to stand trial is legally unrelated to their mental state at the time of the alleged crime. What is legally required is that they are competent
during the criminal proceedings. Whether a defendant has
a mental state defense, such as insanity or diminished capacity, is left to the judge with the help of testimony
from mental health experts. While investigators are still struggling to determine a motive for
the crime and are uncertain whether or not there was a
history of domestic violence between Crystal and Kevin, it's important to remember that there are plenty of
resources available to help. Some free and confidential resources available to help victims
of domestic violence 24/7 include National Domestic
Violence Hotline.
