- What's up guys? I just wanna let you know that I wanna follow myself, you know? I wanna actually believe in myself. - [Female Caller] Yes. I need to... I don't know how to do this. My son. I'm concerned about his own safety. It seems like he's a little delusional. - I know what's right for me. (phone ringing)
(suspenseful music) - [Female Caller] I just
heard like shots fired. - I know that they can change me, but the thing is, that's
not being healthy, you know? I used to think that I needed steroids to be this thing, to be this symbol, to be this lie. - [Female Caller] Sounded
really, really loud. - [Dispatcher] How many did you hear? - [Female Caller] It was
like one and then da, da, da! - We're all the same though. Peace out. Peace. - [Narrator] The young man in this video is 19-year-old Austin Harrouff. A promising student and football player, or at least he used to be those things. That's because just three
days after posting this video, he claimed to have been
overcome by dog spirits, who police say drove him to commit a frenzied cannibalistic crime. (dog roars) What's most intriguing
about this case is the fact that Austin documented his
life in YouTube videos, mainly consisting of workout tips or karaoke-style cover songs, proving unique insight
into his state of mind. His videos strongly allude
to his darker persona, as does his channel's description. "I've got a psycho side and a normal side. I've lost my mind help me find it." While many of the possible
warning signs went unnoticed in the time leading up to the attack, people still wonder how the
seemingly average young man transformed into an accused
killer with superhuman strength. Austin Harrouff was born
on December 21st, 1996 in Jupiter, Florida to Wade and Mina Harrouff. Austin lived primarily with his mother and excelled in high school, even enrolling in advanced
courses in several subjects. He also played on his
school's football team and was widely considered a
popular, good looking guy. Austin had big dreams of working in the medical field someday, just like his mother,
father, and grandfather. But he also had passions
for singing and songwriting. So in 2016,
(suspenseful music) he began his freshman year
at Florida State University. Austin seemed to blend
right into college life as a rather quiet member of
the Alpha Delta Phi fraternity. And his grades were excellent. But by that summer,
(suspenseful music) he had started to become unhinged. (suspenseful music) Austin's family reported his
behavior during this time as somewhat erratic and unrecognizable to the young man they once knew. Suddenly, Austin was
hardly sleeping at all and seemed obsessively fixated
on helping other people. Not to mention his YouTube videos had grown much darker in recent months. On July 13th, 2016, just
one month before the attack, he posted a video showing
himself carrying a gun before grabbing a knife and walking with the pointed end facing out. Oh, and just a few days
before he posted that video, he shared a clip of
himself rapping the lyrics, "I'm like Bugs Bunny. "I stick my teeth in because it's funny. "I'm like a Looney Tune. "I take a lot of shrooms." His mother, Mina, was
particularly concerned by the bizarre or disgusting,
as she called them, poems and song lyrics she found written in her son's journal. One entry read, "Do you know what it feels like "to be so afraid to speak? "Becoming a bully because
all the bullies bullied me. "Man, I just wanted to be accepted. "The anxiety I feel inside
feels like I internally bleed. "So much pain and
embarrassment every week." Austin was clearly struggling
with some inner demons, but there was even more
intense warning signs in his internet search history. Months before the crime took place, he had searched for answers
to countless questions. Including, I think I'm going crazy. Am I? Must I sleep? What am I? And, can we really control
more than we think? On August 16th, 2016, Austin confessed to his
sister that he thought himself to be immortal and half human half horse. Alarmed by this admission, his sister encouraged him to
seek the help of a therapist, unaware that their mother
had already been considering having Austin evaluated
under Florida's Baker Act. Under this law, a person can be detained
for up to 72 hours while an assessment of
their wellbeing takes place. The Baker Act allows doctors,
mental health professionals, judges, and law enforcement to commit a person to a
mental health treatment center for up to 72 hours if they display certain violent
signs of mental illness, or if they may be at risk
for taking their own life. The purpose of the Baker
Act is to allow time for a mental health
evaluation to be performed and to deescalate a crisis.
(suspenseful music) This evaluation will confirm
whether the individual is experiencing a mental health issue. And if the person is determined not to be a danger to themself or others, they will be released
after the holding period. Unfortunately, he didn't receive the treatment he needed in time. And later that night, all of Austin's internal
struggles boiled over to the surface.
(suspenseful music) Austin was out to dinner with his parents at Duffy Sports Grill when he apparently got angry and walked out of the restaurant alone. From there, he went to his mother's house and allegedly began drinking cooking oil mixed with Parmesan cheese. Mina stated that she drove
him back to the restaurant. But Austin stormed out for good when an argument erupted
between him and his father. Mina was incredibly worried about her son and frightened by his behavior, so she called 911. - [Mina] My son. He's kind of taken off and I'm concerned about his own safety. - [Dispatcher] How old is he? - [Mina] He's acting a little strange. 19. It seems like he's a little delusional or... And he was out to dinner
with his dad today and he took off. And we just, you know, he was with his sister and he says, you know, he's feels immortal and like a superhero. So I don't know what's going on with him. - [Narrator] Meanwhile, 3 1/2 miles away, 59-year-old John Stevens and his wife, 53-year-old Michelle Stevens, were having a relaxing evening in their favorite
hangout spot: the garage. While it's not everybody's cup of tea, the retired couple had set
up a television and chairs. And they kept the door open so they could say hello
to passing neighbors. They jokingly called it
their Garage-ma Hall. One of their children
later told reporters, "It wasn't classy, but
it was a gathering place. "That garage always
brought people together." At around 9:20 that evening, a 911 call came in from one
of the Stevens' neighbors, Jeff Fisher. He claimed to have been
awoken by strange sounds and screams coming from outside. When he went to see what was going on, he saw a young man attacking
Michelle in her garage. He turned and looked at me and said, "You want no part of this." Or, "You don't want a part of me." One of the two. And then, from his right hand, swung. Not realizing the intruder
was carrying a knife, Jeff approached him and was
violently slashed and stabbed. After a brief altercation, the helpful neighbor
retreated into his home, badly injured, and called the police. Now, spoiler alert. The man accused of wielding
the knife is Austin Harrouff. (suspenseful music) - [Dispatcher] 911. Do you
need fire, police, or medical? - [Jeff] Please get medical. Young man beating up a
woman across the street. - [Dispatcher] Okay. Are
they outside or in a house? - [Jeff] It's in a garage. I think he had a knife,
but I'm not positive. - [Dispatcher] Are either of them injured. Can you tell from where you are? - [Jeff] Yes. There's a
girl laying on the ground. He beat her up. - [Dispatcher] Okay. - [Jeff] I don't know what happened. - [Dispatcher] Can you
have your wife or... I don't want you moving
if you've been stabbed, but I can you have your
wife or someone look out and see if he's still there? - [Jeff] I don't know. See if that car is still there, honey. It appears he's still there. - [Narrator] Officers
descended on the scene. And what they found will surely haunt them for years to come.
(suspenseful music) Police described finding
Austin on top of John Stevens with his fingers like a
fish hook in his mouth, pulling at his cheek. Deputies attempted subdue
Austin with a taser, who was allegedly growling
as he used his mouth to tear at the innocent man's face. (suspenseful music) The taser didn't seem to
phase the crazed frat boy. So authorities were forced
to use a canine attack dog. But unfortunately it was too
late for John and Michelle, who were declared dead at the scene. Once subdued, Austin
allegedly told authorities that he ate something bad. When asked what it was, he
simply replied, "Humans." Jeff Fisher was rushed to the hospital where he underwent emergency
surgery to save his life. Austin was also
transported to the hospital with life-threatening injuries. In addition to various sharp force wounds, his lungs and liver were failing and he was going through
periods of convulsions. It's possible that whatever
caused Austen's lungs and liver to fail could have
contributed to the attack. For example, if he ingested
an unknown substance, this could have had an effect
on his thoughts and behavior. However, at this time, there's not enough
information to determine what caused Austin's organs to fail. A medical examiner
concluded that John had died from knife wounds prior to being mauled. And that Michelle had also
suffered multiple stab wounds. But her cause of death
was from being beaten. The initial consensus was that Austin had likely been using flakka at the time of the attack. However, a toxicology
report indicated that flakka wasn't in Austin's system that night. Instead, only trace
amounts of THC were found, along with the prescriptions
administered at the hospital. A fellow university student told reporters that he suspected Austin's behavior could be attributed to roid rage, related to excessive of use of steroids. While those claims have
never been verified, the acquaintance mentioned that Austin seemed to gain
muscle at an alarming rate during his first year of college. Unable to determine
what Austin had consumed to make him so sick, doctors listed him in critical condition and treated him for schizophrenia. Some believe he drank chemicals found in the Stevens'
garage to take his own life. But we may never know because Austin claims
to have no recollection of that night's events.
(suspenseful music) In the 911 call that Austin's mom made, she mentioned that Austin
was a little delusional. Delusions can be a
symptom of schizophrenia. The age of onset for
schizophrenia in males is usually between late teen to early 20s, which fits with Austin's age
at the time of the incident. Family members are usually
the first to notice that something seems off. Early warning signs of
schizophrenia include the following: a concerning drop in grades in school or performance at work, trouble thinking clearly or concentrating, suspiciousness of or
uneasiness around others, a decline in self care
or personal hygiene, inappropriately strong
emotions or no feelings at all, unusual thoughts or beliefs, hearing, seeing, tasting,
or believing things that others don't. The odd questions in
Austin's search history prior to the crime, e.g. I think I'm going crazy, am I? Must I sleep? What am I? And, can we really control
more than we think? Indicate that big changes may have been occurring in his mind. And he was trying to figure
out what was happening to him. Difficulty sleeping, feeling
afraid of going crazy, feeling strong and powerful, thinking you have special powers, and thinking bizarre things
are all early warning signs of a psychotic break.
(suspenseful music) After recovering from
his physical injuries, Austin was transferred to Martin
County Jail to await trial. Authorities released a heartbreaking call between him and his father. - [Austin] Hello? - [Wade] Hey, Austin. - [Austin] Hey, Dad. - [Wade] How you doing buddy? - [Austin] I'm doing okay. - [Wade] I'm real proud of you, how you didn't answer any questions. - [Austin] Yeah. Well...
- [Wade] You did good. - [Austin] How are you doing? - [Wade] I'm all right. - [Austin] Well, how's life? - [Wade] It's tough on us, Austin. We're not used to this. - [Austin] Am I gonna be okay? - [Wade] Yeah, you're gonna be okay. - [Austin] Just hard adjusting to jail. - [Wade] I know. You need to get a Bible, Austin. - [Austin] I know. I asked for one. - [Wade] Do you have one? - [Austin] Are you getting
me a therapist or anything? - [Wade] Yes. I plan on it. Everything's gonna be all right. I mean, don't worry about nothing. We're gonna get through this. - [Austin] Okay. Anything new on the news? Not about me, but anything
new in the outside world? - [Wade] Yeah, there's a hurricane coming. - [Austin] Yeah, I heard. - [Wade] Yeah. So I'm gonna think I'm going to Tampa. - [Austin] You are? - [Wade] Yeah. I'm gonna
put my boat up and stuff. I'll never give up on you. - [Austin] Okay. - [Wade] I promise. Okay? - [Austin] All right. All right. - [Wade] Listen, Austin,
you gotta strong here now. - [Austin] I know. I know. - [Wade] Gonna be the toughest
thing you've ever done. - [Austin] I know. - [Wade] But you gotta stay strong. - [Austin] I'm just adjusting. - [Wade] I know it's
gonna be hard to adjust, but you'll get used to it. And we'll get the best thing we can do. Huh? - [Austin] Do you know how
long I'm gonna be here? - [Wade] I don't know how it works yet, but hopefully we can get
you into a mental place. - [Austin] Yeah. - [Wade] As time goes on.
- [Austin] Yeah. - [Wade] That's what the first step is. - [Austin] Do you think they can? - [Wade] Yes, I do. I'll spend whatever it takes
to get you out of there, okay? - [Austin] Okay. - [Wade] I love you, bud. - [Austin] I love you too. - [Narrator] Austin's
voice during the call with his dad is very flat
and sounds monotone at times. Negative symptoms such as
diminished emotional expression are another symptom of schizophrenia. A forensic psychologist evaluated Austin. And according to the report, he had been suffering from
sinister hallucinations, accompanied by the feeling
that he was a God of some sort. As he had told his sister earlier, he also believed himself to
be half human, half animal, often a horse, dog, or a werewolf. The assessment concluded that
Austin was legally insane on the night of the crime, stating he had experienced
an acute psychotic episode that rendered him unable to
distinguish right from wrong. (suspenseful music) Hallucinations feel very real to the person experiencing them. They affect one's senses. So the person may hear, see, smell, feel, and or taste things that aren't real. According to the report, Austin could only recount bits
and pieces from that evening, including putting on a Michael Vick jersey that he claimed made
him feel indestructible before going to dinner. There, he said he was
overwhelmed by a sense that time had come to a standstill and he was the Grim Reaper. He gave a short mention of hearing voices as he ran from the restaurant
toward his father's house, passing right by the Stevens' home. Finally, Austin reportedly
told the psychologist that the last thing he remembered was viciously mauling John, before waking up in the hospital. Following the evaluation, experts deemed Austin a
threat to both himself and the general public. As a result, it was suggested that he spend
the remainder of his life in a psychiatric hospital or prison. But of course, it's all dependent on whether or not he's found
legally insane at trial. Not guilty by reason of insanity is a plea that can be entered by a
defendant in a criminal trial where the defendant claims that they were so mentally disturbed or incapacitated at
the time of the offense that they didn't have
the required intention to commit the crime and
are therefore not guilty. Essentially, the defendant is admitting they committed the alleged crime while denying responsibility because they lacked the capacity to act with criminal intent at the time. This doesn't result in
the defendant going free, but such a verdict will require defendant to be admitted into a mental institution. Sometimes even for the
duration of their life. Austin Harrouff was set to
stand trial in May, 2020, but it was delayed due
to the judge's request for a second mental health evaluation. His defense attorneys argued this motion, but it was ultimately
approved a few months later. In contrast, the second psychologist found that Austin and was not
legally insane that night. While the new trial date is pending, some sources expected to
be sometime in spring 2022. In the meantime,
(suspenseful music) Austin is also facing a
wrongful death lawsuit, alleging that he regularly
drank alcohol in excess. The suit also contends that
he had purchased a switchblade the day before John and Michelle's deaths. A wrongful death lawsuit is a civil suit that allows surviving family members to seek justice on behalf of a loved one who passed away due to an act
of carelessness or violence. The burden of proof is lower
than in a criminal case. And a guilty verdict will result in monetary damages being
awarded to the victim's family and has no implication on
the defendant's freedom. A defendant can be found
not guilty criminally, but guilty civilly, like in the infamous OJ Simpson case. (suspenseful music) All right, on that note, it's time to move on to our
second mind-blowing case. - So I'm just gonna ask you. Do you, Dellen Millard, solemnly affirm that in this statement you shall tell the truth, the whole truth, and
nothing but the truth? - Yes, I do. - Thank you. - Then I walked to my room. And then I was on my
way back to the kitchen to make a snack. And I noticed that my father seemed to still be asleep in bed, which was odd because it
was late in the afternoon. I poked my head in. And then I walked into the room and I saw the blood on the pillow. And he's dead. - [Narrator] Let's face it, buying and selling things online is basically second nature at this point. And most people don't think
twice about the possible risks. I mean, surely you'd be able to sense a dangerous situation
from a mile away, right? That's exactly what Tim
Bosma must have thought when he posted his truck for sale online. However, instead of a smooth transaction, the church-going father went on what was supposed to be a quick test drive with two prospective buyers and was never seen again.
(suspenseful music) On the evening of May 6th,
2013 in Ancaster, Ontario, 32-year-old Tim Bosma
left his wife, Sharlene, and their two-year-old daughter at home while he took two men on a test drive in a truck he hoped to sell. The couple had posted the vehicle online. But something about the
whole situation felt off. Starting with the fact
that the two men arrived at their home on foot. They claimed to have been
dropped off by a friend, but neither Sharlene nor Tim recalled seeing another vehicle. While waiting for the men to arrive, Tim had actually asked his wife if he should go on the
test drive with them. To which he replied, "Yes, you should because we
want the truck to come back." So the young father left, assuring his wife that
he would be right back. But when he still hadn't returned after more than an hour had passed, Sharlene began to panic.
(suspenseful music) She tried calling Tim's
cell phone over and over, but eventually the calls started going straight to voicemail. After a little more time
passed with no word, Sharlene called the Hamilton Police and reported him missing. Due to the unusual circumstances, officers initiated a search right away, deploying K9 units, a search and rescue team, and enlisting the help
of community volunteers. During a press conference, Sharlene begged for her
husband's safe return saying, "It was just a truck, a stupid truck. "You do not need him, but I do. "Our daughter needs her daddy." Tim's cell phone was
recovered three days later from an industrial site roughly 20 minutes outside Ancaster. But still, there was no
sign of the missing father. Investigators quickly realized that whoever called Tim
about the truck that night had been using a burner phone, registered to a fake name. Still, he wasn't the only
person in the Toronto area that had been recently
contacted by that number. Smartphones are easy to track and are often a key piece of evidence police rely on to solve crimes. Burner phones are often used by criminals, as it's harder to trace back to the owner. But as you will see, not impossible. An Israeli Army veteran, Igor Tumanenko, spoke to detectives and informed them that he
had also received a call from that number regarding
a truck he was selling. Two days before Tim's disappearance, he said that he'd brought
two men on a test drive and described one as wearing some kind of distinctive satchel with a tattoo of the word
ambition on his wrist. Police held another press conference, alerting the public to
this new information. And within just a couple of days, they got the call that would
ultimately crack this case and send shockwaves throughout Canada. Officers from Toronto and Peel heard the description put
out by Hamilton Police and immediately knew
who their suspect was. Dellen Millard. Born August 30th, 1985 to Wayne
Millard and Madeleine Burns, Dellen was privileged from the very start. His mother worked as a flight attendant and his father was a pilot for the family's aviation
firm, Millardair, as well as Air Canada,
where the couple met. Dellen was raised in
Toronto as an only child and shared his parents' passion
for flying from a young age. In fact, he was just 14 years old when he set the world record for being the youngest
Canadian to fly a helicopter and an airplane solo on the same day. By age 27, Dellen owns
several costly properties in the Toronto area,
(suspenseful music) where he was known to host lavish parties. He also spent a lot of
time working on planes with his father. But his cushy life would
soon take a dark turn. Now, let's go back roughly six months before Tim disappeared. On November 29th, 2012, Dellen found his father dead in his bed from a single gunshot
wound to his left eye. Dellen was brought in for questioning, where he said that his father,
"Carried some great sadness "with him throughout
life that I never knew. "He never wanted to share that with me." As a result, investigators
ruled that Wayne Millard had taken his own life
and closed the case, leaving Dellen to inherit millions. (suspenseful music) - I was on my way back to
the kitchen to make a snack. And I noticed that my father seemed to still be asleep in bed, which was odd because it
was late in the afternoon. I poked my head in and something didn't really seem right about the way he was laying. He was laying very stilly. And then I walked into the room and I saw the blood on the pillow. I got out my phone. And I walked back into my dad's room and I called my mother. And I told her that he's dead. (suspenseful music) - [Narrator] So after receiving tips from the Toronto and Peel agencies, authorities caught up with
Dellen at the Millardair hanger to question him about Tim's disappearance. They were incredibly
suspicious of the party boy, and immediately put
him under surveillance. You see, unbeknownst to everyone, Dellen was a familiar face to authorities, who seemed to remember his tattoo from the interrogation
following his father's death. Then, just four days
after Tim Bosma vanished, Dellen was arrested
based on cell phone data showing his movements matched
with the burner phone. Police also obtained a warrant to search his various properties. On reviewing security
footage from Dellen's hanger on the night of Tim's disappearance, police could clearly see a
pickup truck towing a trailer and two individuals walking inside. Then, a large burst of flames
erupted from the trailer, suggesting the use of the incinerator. Investigators located Tim's truck in a large trailer in
Dellen's mother's driveway the very next day. The vehicle had been stripped and cleaned, but forensic testing
revealed blood evidence and traces of gunshot residue. Oh, but even more damning, Dellen was found carrying
Tim's keys on his own key ring. An acquaintance of Dellen's
informed detectives that he kept some strange things around one of his properties, including a 10-foot portable
livestock incinerator with The Eliminator written on the side. Investigators recovered bone fragments, including human teeth, from inside the incinerator. But due to the damage caused by the fire, it was impossible to run
DNA tests on the remains. However, based on the circumstances, police felt confident that
they belonged to Tim Bosma. And on May 14th, they
publicly confirmed his death. Dellen Millard was subsequently charged with first-degree murder. And as if this story wasn't insane enough, it's time to introduce Dellen's
accomplice, Mark Smich. Dellen met Mark, a high
school dropout, in 2006 and the two bonded over a
shared passion for video games. They committed several petty
crimes together over the years and seemed to enjoy
the thrill of stealing. However, a mutual friend
would later report that Mark worshiped Dell, but Dell hated him. Psychopaths or known for being able to con and manipulate other
people into doing things that benefit themselves.
(suspenseful music) This could explain the discrepancies in the friendship they appeared to have, as opposed to how Dellen
actually felt about Smich, according to their mutual friend. Following Dellen's arrest, police put Mark under
surveillance for a week before taking him into
custody on the same day as Tim's funeral. He was also charged with
first-degree murder. Now you might be wondering
how these two guys knew Tim or why they might have wanted him dead. But the terrifying truth is that they were perfect strangers.
(suspenseful music) Still, police would soon find out that Tim wasn't their only victim. Enter Laura Babcock. 23-year-old Laura was
Dellen's ex-girlfriend. And, at the time of his arrest, she'd been missing for almost a full year. The pair casually dated around 2008, but they had both moved
on to different people after a relatively short time together. However, when Laura found herself facing some mental health issues, she started sleeping with Dellen again, despite him being in a new relationship. Those who knew the young aspiring actress said she was kind, bubbly,
and always on her phone. That's why alarm bells went off right away when she stopped posting to social media and responding to messages.
(suspenseful music) As detectives worked to
unravel the twisted story, they learned that Dellen's
other love interest, Christina Noudga, did
not get along with Laura. As a result, Dellen sent Laura
message in April reading, "You are harmful to me. "Please don't try to contact me "until you've made some huge
leaps of self-discovery. "As I said before, good luck with life." But unfortunately, Laura
continued to reach out to Dellen. In early July, 2012,
(suspenseful music) Dellen sent a message to Christina telling her that he would
stop Laura's interference in their relationship. Saying, "First I'm going to hurt her. "Then I'll make her leave. "I will remove her from our lives." Cellphone records show
that Dellen brought Laura to his house just before she vanished. He took a chilling photo of
what appears to be something, possibly a human, wrapped
in a tarp later that day. Detectives also discovered that Dellen had recently purchased a 32 caliber Smith & Wesson revolver and that The Eliminator had arrived just two days after Laura went missing. Dellen later texted Mark, "Bbq has run its warmup
and it's ready for meat." Laura was reported missing by worried friends and
family members on July 14th. But the police believed her disappearance was of her own choosing. Not buying the police's explanation, Laura's loved ones took
matters into their own hands. And after hearing of Dellen's arrest, they contacted the authorities. A search of Mark's Smich's property yielded some very incriminating
pieces of evidence, including Laura's iPad and
other personal belongings. They also found a disturbing
recording of Mark rapping. ♪ The bitch started
off all skin and bone ♪ ♪ Now the bitch lay on
some ash and stone ♪ ♪ Last time I saw her
was outside the home ♪ ♪ And if you go swimming
you can find her phone ♪ ♪ Find her phone ♪ ♪ What what ♪ ♪ Find her phone ♪ ♪ If you go swimming
you can find her phone ♪ Dellen wrote approximately
65 letters to Christina from prison during this time, mostly telling her that they needed to get their stories straight and suggesting they tell police
that Laura had overdosed. (suspenseful music) He explicitly told Christina
to destroy the letters, but investigators later found
them strewn about her home. While inmates have a First Amendment right to write and receive mail, incoming mail is legally
allowed to be opened and read by corrections staff and can be used as evidence
against the inmate. The main reason for
this is that contraband is often smuggled into prison via mail. Outgoing mail can also be opened if it poses a legitimate
prison security issue. The only exception is mail
that specifies it's privileged, i.e. going to or from an attorney. This kind of communication is protected by attorney-client confidentiality. Legal mail must be specifically
written on the envelope of all such communications. At this point, prosecutors felt confident
that they had ample evidence to secure a conviction in the cases of both Laura Babcock and Tim Bosma. But there was still one more
victim awaiting justice. Remember Dellen's father, Wayne Millard? Well, he had died from what police ruled a self-inflicted gunshot wound just a few months after Laura disappeared. However, now that they understood
how dangerous Dellen was, investigators knew they had to
give his case a second look. After a bit of digging, they found out that Wayne had threatened to cut Dellen off financially, as he was recklessly spending
all of the family's money. Do I sense a motive?
(suspenseful music) Psychopaths often live
a parasitic lifestyle, meaning they leech off of other people. They also are callous and lack empathy, with their relationships
being surface level only. Dellen relied on financial
support from his father. And he may have lacked the ability to have a genuine emotional
connection with him. Psychopaths use other
people as a means to an end. Dellen may have believed that his father was no
longer useful to him alive, since he wasn't going to be providing him with money anymore. Forensic tests on the
Smith & Wesson revolver found by Wayne's body showed Dellen's DNA all over the place.
(suspenseful music) Moreover, there was no
gunshot residue on Wayne, implying that he hadn't been
the one to pull the trigger. Gunshot residue testing, often
referred to as simply GSR, is a valuable resource for
the police and prosecutors. When a gun is fired, the shotgun residue particles are emitted from the back of the weapon, flying onto the skin and clothes of the person holding
the gun when it fires. This residue cannot be removed by normal washing or cleaning. And therefore can be taken from suspects with adhesive collection
devices for testing. This evidence is rather
compelling when found, as it's hard to explain how it got there if you didn't, in fact, fire the weapon. Dellen manipulated the police and lied about his father
having some great sadness in order to paint the death
as him taking his own life. Dellen Millard and Mark
Smich went on trial, with prosecutors arguing that Tim was likely shot in the truck
shortly after leaving his home. While many speculate that the crime was simply committed for the thrill of it, the motive has never been clearly defined. Despite countless attempts to
pin the crime on each other, both men were convicted
for the murder of Tim Bosma in June, 2016. They each received a
sentence of life in prison without the possibility
of parole for 25 years. You may be wondering how both
men were convicted for murder when they each blame the other. This is because of a jury instruction that can be given called
acting in concert. Essentially, what that means
is when two or more people join in a common purpose
to commit a crime, each of them, if actively
or constructively present, is guilty of any crime
committed by the other in pursuit of the common
purpose to commit the crime. A need for stimulation
and proneness to boredom are psychopathic traits, as well as lack of remorse. Dellen may have got a
thrill out of the fact that he got away with
murder, not once, but twice. So he wanted to do it again. Dellen claimed he was bankrupt
following the conviction. So he insisted on representing
himself at the trial for Laura Babcock's murder. On the very first day, he arrogantly questioned Laura's father, saying, "This can't be easy for you "being questioned by me
considering I'm the accused. "Does this make it extra difficult?" Clearly he didn't do an outstanding job of representing himself because both Dellen and Mark received additional life sentences for the death of Laura Babcock. Psychopaths have an
inflated sense of self, known as grandiosity. Psychopaths see themselves
as superior to other people and they have a disdain
for those around them. Representing himself may
have been Dellen's way of taking control or
even alleviating boredom. And his behavior toward
Laura's father indicates that he lacked empathy. Under the Sixth Amendment, in addition to guaranteeing
the right to retained or appointed counsel, it also guarantees a defendant the right to represent themselves. This is called being pro se or pro per. Then in 2018, Dellen was tried alone for
the murder of his father. The court heard about Wayne's idea to start an airplane
maintenance and repair business to help restore the family's finances. They also heard about Dellen's out-of-control
spending habits and his general disinterest
in contributing financially. But the real icing on the
cake for the prosecution was his alibi. Dellen claimed to have
been at Mark Smich's house the night his father died. And by now, he wasn't exactly
considered a reliable source. Dellen was ultimately found guilty of shooting and killing his own father, landing him a third life prison sentence. So for those not keeping count, Mark must serve a minimum
of 50 years behind bars and Dellen 75 before even
being considered for release. Laura Babcock's father made
a statement to reporters following Dellen's conviction saying, "It's been proven that not only the Bosmas "and ourselves lost a loved one, "the Millard family
must live with the fact "that this heinous individual
murdered his own father. "We feel for Wayne's
relatives, save for one." Christina Noudga, Dellen's girlfriend, was charged with accessory
after the fact to murder for helping cover up Tim Bosma's death. However, she accepted a plea deal and agreed to testify against Dellen, resulting in just a
three-month prison sentence for her involvement. During the trial, she claimed to have had no
idea what happened to Tim, saying she was distracted as
they drove to hide the truck. Yeah, sure.
(melancholy music) While the remains of Laura and Tim have never been entirely
found or identified, their families find some solace in knowing that these mad men will
be locked away for good. (gate clanking) Now, I'm sure your head is
still spinning from this one, but let's move on to our final
shocking true crime case. When Susan Smith took her children out for a nighttime drive to clear her head, no one ever expected it to
make national headlines. However, decades later,
(melancholy music) people still can't stop talking
about that fateful night and the heinous actions of one individual. Let's start at the beginning. Susan Vaughan had a trouble upbringing, filled with pain and loss. In 1977, her father took his own life, leaving Susan to be mercilessly hurt by her mother's new husband. After years of torment, 13-year-old Susan became
severely depressed. Finally in 1987, she confided in her high school guidance
counselor and mother. And told them what she'd been enduring at the hands of her stepfather. But they allegedly decided
not to press charges. So Susan's nightmare continued. Doctors attributed
Susan's behavior to stress and diagnosed her with
an adjustment disorder. As a result,
(suspenseful music) she began seeing a psychiatrist and, strangely, expressed that her inappropriate relationship with her stepfather was
completely consensual. Furthermore, she claimed to be jealous of the male attention her mother garnered. Doctors and mental health providers give an adjustment disorder diagnosis when a person has symptoms, such as depression and or anxiety, but the symptoms are due
to a particular stressor that the person is going through at a particular point in time. After years of mistreatment,
(melancholy music) despite her attempts to get help, Susan may have felt like the
only thing she could control was her response. She may have felt powerless, as she couldn't escape what was happening. So she chose to take back
some control of her life by telling herself and the psychiatrist that it was consensual. While working at a Winn-Dixie supermarket. Susan met David Smith, a
strict Jehovah's Witness. One year later, the pair got married. 19-year-old Susan was
already two months pregnant with their first child,
Michael, at the wedding. However, there was trouble in paradise from the moment they said I do. The Smiths argued constantly. They briefly separated,
(melancholy music) but attempted to reconcile following the birth of
their second son, Alex. Unfortunately, that
lasted all of three weeks before Susan started
looking outside her marriage for companionship again. While the extramarital affairs
started as casual flings, sometimes even with married men, Susan became deeply
involved with her boss' son, Tom Findlay, in 1994. Tom was good looking, wealthy, and reportedly quite the catch. So it's not hard to see why Susan fell
head over heels so fast. Susan filed for divorce
from David later that year, hoping that her relationship with Tom would soon blossom into
something more serious. But Tom wasn't ready to become a father figure to her children. Still, in October of 1994,
Susan wrote him a letter saying, "I want you to know that
I've never felt with anyone "the way I feel when I'm with you. "I've never felt so needed. "You're a very special person. "And that is part of why making love "to you is so wonderful." Tom's response came the very next day. And needless to say, Susan was crushed by his words. Here's a snippet from
the typed letter he sent. "Susan, I could really fall for you. "But like I've told you before, "there are some things about
you that aren't suited for me. "And yes, I'm speaking
about your children. "I'm sure that your kids are good kids, "but it really wouldn't
matter how good they may be. "The fact is, I just don't want children. "These feelings may change
one day, but I doubt it. "With all of the crazy, mixed-up things "that take place in this world today, "I just don't have the desire
to bring another life into it. "And I don't want to be responsible "for anyone else's children either. "But I'm very thankful
that there are people "like you who are not so selfish as I am, "and don't mind bearing the
responsibility of children." On October 25th,
(suspenseful music) Susan allegedly drove to
Tom's office in a frenzy to tell him that she was upset because David had discovered
some personal information about her and threatened to
share it with other people. Although it's not entirely
clear what he found out, or if that's even true, claims have been made that
Susan was still sleeping with her stepfather around this time. In any case,
(suspenseful music) the tumultuous conversation ended with Susan telling Tom that
she had slept with his father and him demanding she leaves. Susan was completely beside herself and didn't know what to do. So three hours later, she strapped three-year-old Michael and 14-month-old Alex into
her 1990 Mazda Protege. They took off into the night. But what happened next came
as a shock to everyone. Susan's actions indicate
that she was desperate for attention, especially from Tom. When her first attempt at getting
his attention didn't work, i.e. her claim that David was threatening to share information about her, she may have resorted to
what is presumably a lie about how she was sleeping
with Tom's father. She may have wanted any attention from Tom that she could get, even if it was negative attention, Susan may have had a
deep fear of abandonment. And when Tom ended things
because of her children, she could not handle that rejection. A short time later,
(suspenseful music) a local resident reported
Susan running frantically to their door and explaining through sobs that she had just been carjacked. And that a Black man had kidnapped
her two sons at gunpoint. Susan reported the incident to the police, reiterating that a man
had jumped into her car while stopped at a traffic light. She initially claimed to have
been returning from Walmart, but later changed her mind and said she was just out for a drive. Authorities began searching for the missing children immediately, even employing the help of helicopters. But nothing came of their efforts. She may have changed her story when she realized that Walmart
possibly had security footage that could reveal she was
lying about being there. This implies that she may not
have thought through her plan very carefully before
giving her story to police. For more than a week straight,
(suspenseful music) Susan made tearful plea on the news, alongside David, begging for the safe
return of their babies. However, something about
the whole situation seemed really fishy. And not just to the authorities. Those who knew Susan were
also side eyeing her story. Beyond not acting in a manner consistent with a woman who just lost her children, Susan was virtually unable to give detectives a
description of the carjacker. Many noted that she
seemed overly concerned with her appearance and that she'd put on the facade
of a grief-stricken mother in front of the news camera.
(suspenseful music) However, the most incriminating
piece of information came from Susan's account that she'd been stopped at a red light when the attacker entered her car. She told investigators that
there were no other cars on the road. But if that were true, then the traffic light
wouldn't have been red. You see, this particular
light only turned red if there was another vehicle
in the opposing lane. Susan and David both agreed
to take polygraph tests, a notoriously unreliable measurement of whether or not someone
is telling the truth. Still, while David passed
with flying colors, Susan failed multiple times.
(suspenseful music) Then, on November 3rd, she made a statement on
national news alongside David. But moments after the
cameras stopped rolling, she finally cracked under
the growing pressure and confessed the horrible crime to police behind a local church. She tearfully told them that the children were not all right, and that they were at the
bottom of John D. Long Lake. Susan admitted that she drove to the lake, exited the vehicle on the ramp, and allowed it to roll idly into the water with both toddlers stuck inside. Some reports state that
the cold-hearted mother actually watched as her
children slowly drowned, before fleeing the scene.
(suspenseful music) She was subsequently charged
with two counts of murder and held without bail.
(suspenseful music) Susan's history of
abuse likely contributed to how she parented her own children. Research has found that women
who were abused as a child may have difficulty later on developing close relationships
with their own children. These mothers may distance
themselves from their children because, in their mind, affection is linked to the
abuse they experienced. Susan may have had trouble
forming an emotional bond with her children that is necessary in a healthy
parent-child relationship. This could possibly explain how she was able to kill her own children. Susan insisted that she intended to take her own life
alongside her children, but chickened out at the last second. Authorities located the
submerged Mazda Protege and found the two little
boys hanging upside down in their car seats, with one of their tiny
hands pressed up against the back window.
(melancholy music) They also recovered a soaking teddy bear and Tom's letter in the car, presenting investigators
with a crystal clear motive. David was utterly heartbroken and initially held on to hope that perhaps Susan had killed them quickly before sending them into the lake. But, tragically, an
autopsy later confirmed that Michael and Alex had been alive when they entered the water.
(melancholy music) The trial began eight months later, and as Susan was escorted
into the courthouse, outraged citizens screamed
baby killer in her wake. Her only defense was that she suffered from extreme mental illnesses, which were to blame for
her heinous actions. It's surprising that a case which had so much media attention was still tried in her home county. Generally, a defense attorney will request a change of venue, arguing their client cannot
possibly have a fair trial with an impartial jury, which is a constitutional
right of every defendant. However, the attorney may have also strategically
not made such a request in the hopes that people
would have some mercy on her or her family, who they may run into
after the case is over. On the other hand, the lead prosecutor in the case asserted that Susan was a cold and calculated
killer with zero remorse. They outlined her obsession
with Tom Findlay to the jury, clearly demonstrating that she had annihilated her own children in an effort to win his him over. The jury deliberated for just two hours before handing over a guilty
verdict in July, 1995. Susan Smith was sentenced
to life in prison. But the story doesn't stop there. She was transferred to
several different facilities after it was discovered that she had slept with
two correctional officers. Victims of child abuse
endorsed more attitudes indicative of sexual preoccupation, as compared to the control
group in one study. Susan's actions appear to
fit with this research. Given her history of infidelity and her relations with
two correctional officers, Susan seems to have a
great need to be wanted. And this may be a way that
she tries to fill that need. Susan is currently being detained at the Leath Correctional Institution in Greenwood, South Carolina. And, as of late, she seems
to be behaving herself. Hm, could it possibly have
something to do with the fact that she's going to be
eligible for parole in 2024? She broke her silence in a
letter to a local newspaper, stating, "I'm not the
monster society thinks I am. "The thing that hurts me the most "is that people think
that I hurt my children "in order to be with a man. "That is so far from the truth. "There was no motive as it
was not even a planned event. "I was not in my right mind." I beg to differ. Despite acting as a model
and made in recent years, Susan Smith is still the same narcissistic,
manipulative monster she's always been.
(melancholy music) I guess we'll just have to wait and see what the state has to say when she becomes eligible for parole. Oh, and, as for David Smith,
the other victim in this story, he remarried in 2003. The couple later welcomed a baby girl, of which he stated, "There's no greater love in
the world than loving a child."
