Erin and Jon Corwin - Part 1

Erin Corwin was just nineteen when she vanished on June 28, 2014. She had told her husband, Marine corporal Jon Corwin, that she was going to nearby Joshua Tree National Park that day for some “me time” and to scout out locations for her mom’s upcoming visit. Sadly, she never returned. In part one of this two part episode, we describe the events leading up to Erin’s disappearance. Sources:
- Secrets of a Marine's Wife, by Shanna Hogan
- Dateline: https://www.nbcnews.com/dateline/video/full-episode-the-last-day-969288771561
- https://erincorwinmurdertrial.blogspot.com/
- https://www.desertsun.com/story/news/crime_courts/2016/11/03/christopher-lee-erin-corwin/93237046/
- https://www.desertsun.com/story/news/crime_courts/2016/11/29/erin-corwin-christopher-lee/94563544/
- https://nypost.com/2019/04/02/the-twisted-love-triangle-that-led-to-the-killing-of-a-marines-wife/
- https://www.oxygen.com/killer-affair/season-1/lost-in-the-desert
- https://www.desertsun.com/story/news/2014/08/26/jonathan-corwin-closure-now-erin-corwin-vigil/14606557/
1
00:00:00.200 --> 00:00:03.120
Hi, I'm Rich and I'm Tina. And if there's one thing we've learned
2
00:00:03.120 --> 00:00:06.599
in over twenty years of marriage,
some days you'll feel like killing your husband,
3
00:00:06.759 --> 00:00:10.359
and some days you'll feel like killing
your wife. Welcome to love,
4
00:00:10.480 --> 00:00:29.039
Mary Kill, Hey Tina, Hey
Rich, Hey listeners, how are you?
5
00:00:29.280 --> 00:00:31.600
I'm good? How are you good? How's everybody doing out there?
6
00:00:32.159 --> 00:00:37.000
You can't answer me? Trying to
involve our listeners in the experience. But
7
00:00:37.240 --> 00:00:41.280
you know, I heard a couple, did you. So it's a little
8
00:00:41.320 --> 00:00:44.320
stormy out there today. Yeah,
it's been kind of gloomy here. It
9
00:00:44.359 --> 00:00:48.320
has, but literally there's a thunderstorm
on its way. I might hear a
10
00:00:48.359 --> 00:00:51.240
rumble of thunder in the background.
It's a little hot and sticky too.
11
00:00:52.039 --> 00:00:55.640
And I know you've probably never noticed
this before, but every time we podcast,
12
00:00:55.679 --> 00:00:58.479
I pretty much wear the same thing. I didn't know, you know,
13
00:00:58.719 --> 00:01:00.840
I have like I'm not very observed, you know, like it's game
14
00:01:00.960 --> 00:01:03.879
day. I have lucky pants,
and my lucky pants are not really my
15
00:01:03.959 --> 00:01:11.400
lucky pants, but my comfortable pants
are my viewory joggers. So yeah,
16
00:01:11.400 --> 00:01:12.840
but I'm not wearing them today because
I'm really hot. So I'm wearing shorts.
17
00:01:15.040 --> 00:01:19.959
If anyone has been on the fence
about buying the Vory Joggers my favorite.
18
00:01:19.959 --> 00:01:23.079
They're pricy, They're really pricey.
We're not going to go We're not
19
00:01:23.079 --> 00:01:26.319
going to tell you how much they
are, Okay, but I don't know.
20
00:01:26.799 --> 00:01:30.079
They are my favorite pants, although
I found a pair of on Amazon
21
00:01:30.560 --> 00:01:36.239
that are like, Amazon does a
lot of I don't want to say ripoffs,
22
00:01:36.280 --> 00:01:40.560
but they have a lot of knockoffs, I guess of other famous brands.
23
00:01:40.560 --> 00:01:42.319
So if you go to Amazon and
you put in like your favorite Lulu
24
00:01:42.400 --> 00:01:48.439
Lemon leggings or Theory jog joggers,
a lot of times they'll have a knockoff.
25
00:01:48.519 --> 00:01:51.879
And the knockoffs were pretty nice too. That's a good tip. Yes,
26
00:01:52.200 --> 00:01:55.480
you're welcome. I'm wearing purple today. Did you notice that? I
27
00:01:55.519 --> 00:01:57.280
mean I have eyes? So,
yes I did. It's not purple,
28
00:01:57.359 --> 00:02:00.760
it's lavenders. So it's the closest
I had to purple. My other purple
29
00:02:00.799 --> 00:02:05.760
shirt is in the in the laundry. So but I'm wearing, well,
30
00:02:05.840 --> 00:02:09.680
that is fusha. The other shirt
that you got some stains on, very
31
00:02:09.680 --> 00:02:13.680
cute. You're like, probably from
what can we do about this? Probably
32
00:02:13.680 --> 00:02:17.120
from eating barbecue or something. But
I'm wearing purple because it actually pertains to
33
00:02:17.159 --> 00:02:23.520
the case today. Oh it's about
Barney. No, tinky winky. Purple
34
00:02:23.599 --> 00:02:27.840
became the color that symbolized are the
victim that we're going to talk about today?
35
00:02:27.960 --> 00:02:31.400
She have lupus. No, okay, well, lupus purple is the
36
00:02:31.680 --> 00:02:38.240
couple the color for lupas awareness.
I did not know that. Yeah,
37
00:02:38.240 --> 00:02:43.159
okay, Well, I've got a
snack other than this cup of tea I
38
00:02:43.199 --> 00:02:46.199
have not eaten yet today. And
it's what two thirty, No, it's
39
00:02:46.479 --> 00:02:50.840
it's not even two okay. Oh
man, Well here I've prepared this delicacy.
40
00:02:50.919 --> 00:02:54.919
I'm excited for you. Holy moly, what is that charcoutery? Though?
41
00:02:57.159 --> 00:03:00.759
What the heck? Oh, it's
three different things. So, so
42
00:03:00.240 --> 00:03:06.879
the case today it involves the Marines, and I like to try to spy
43
00:03:07.439 --> 00:03:12.159
if I can. I like to
make the snack relevant to the case.
44
00:03:12.800 --> 00:03:15.599
And I was trying to think,
well, what do marines, what do
45
00:03:15.639 --> 00:03:17.400
they eat? And when they're out
on duty and they're out in the field,
46
00:03:17.840 --> 00:03:23.159
they have to have, you know, food that can can be preserved.
47
00:03:23.000 --> 00:03:28.199
So I bought two energy bars.
One they're both the brand is r
48
00:03:28.360 --> 00:03:31.560
X bar. One has peanut butter
and chocolate, and one is just peanut
49
00:03:31.560 --> 00:03:38.000
butter. So protein bars okay,
and then beef jerky. Apparently Marines really
50
00:03:38.039 --> 00:03:42.159
like their beef jerky because again you
can carry it out in the field in
51
00:03:42.199 --> 00:03:45.759
the desert or whatever. So I
bought and everyone like brief jerky. Yeah,
52
00:03:45.840 --> 00:03:51.719
Deerborn Brand Classic Hunters Sausage. Deerborn
Brand is a Michigan based brand.
53
00:03:51.800 --> 00:03:54.080
I bought it. And what about
these apples? Well, my case also
54
00:03:54.120 --> 00:03:59.039
involves horses, and I know horses
like apples, so I'm just like a
55
00:03:59.039 --> 00:04:02.680
horse. You like, we all
like apples. Everybody loves apples. So
56
00:04:02.759 --> 00:04:06.080
your episode that you're about to present, it's probably going to be two parts
57
00:04:06.280 --> 00:04:11.560
it probably so should I ration this? No, you should probably rash in
58
00:04:11.639 --> 00:04:15.480
that. Okay, this I know. Dearborn Brand is a Michigan It's kind
59
00:04:15.519 --> 00:04:20.240
of smells, it's kind of gross's
kind it's kind of slimy. Yeah,
60
00:04:20.279 --> 00:04:24.040
but I can't wait to dig in. Yeah, let's take a quick break
61
00:04:24.079 --> 00:04:31.720
and try our snacks. We'll be
right back. What do you think of
62
00:04:31.800 --> 00:04:35.360
that smorgash board of snacks? Well, first, I would like to compliment
63
00:04:35.360 --> 00:04:41.079
you on your presentation because it's put
a little toothpicks in it. It's it's
64
00:04:41.199 --> 00:04:46.279
very it's very fancy. I'm not
the biggest bar person. I don't.
65
00:04:46.199 --> 00:04:50.680
I don't really eat even granola bars. I but energy bars. I'm not
66
00:04:50.720 --> 00:04:55.680
a huge fan of our protein bars. Well they weren't horrible, because I
67
00:04:55.720 --> 00:04:58.600
really I really like cliff bars a
lot, and I used to like power
68
00:04:58.639 --> 00:05:02.120
bars a lot. But these they
only have like three ingredients dates, peanuts,
69
00:05:02.160 --> 00:05:05.079
and egg whites. Yeah, so
they're healthy, but they're grainy.
70
00:05:05.279 --> 00:05:08.399
I think that's what I didn't like. Yeah, I didn't love the texture
71
00:05:08.480 --> 00:05:13.160
that the apple was good, and
I actually really despite the smell, I
72
00:05:13.199 --> 00:05:17.319
thought the sausage was really it was
tasty flavor, slightly slimy, but pretty
73
00:05:17.879 --> 00:05:20.399
sliminess. But I didn't touch it. I just popped it in my mouth.
74
00:05:20.560 --> 00:05:24.000
Well, thank you for the snacks. You're welcome. It will be
75
00:05:24.040 --> 00:05:28.360
working on getting the protein bar out
of my teeth while you present this episode,
76
00:05:28.600 --> 00:05:32.279
all right. Today's episode is about
Aaron Corwyn, who was just two
77
00:05:32.279 --> 00:05:36.920
weeks shy of her twentieth birthday and
four weeks pregnant when she vanished on June
78
00:05:36.959 --> 00:05:43.079
twenty eight, twenty fourteen. She
lived with her husband Marine Corporal John Corwyn
79
00:05:43.639 --> 00:05:47.000
in twenty nine Palms, California.
Twenty nine Palms is a small city about
80
00:05:47.079 --> 00:05:51.000
twenty five thousand people, one hundred
and fifty miles east of Los Angeles.
81
00:05:51.879 --> 00:05:56.959
Twenty nine Palms is known for two
things. It's the home of the Marine
82
00:05:57.000 --> 00:06:00.079
Corps Air Ground Combat Center, which
is the largest US Marine Corps base,
83
00:06:00.480 --> 00:06:05.279
and it's also the gateway to Joshua
Tree National Park. Joshua Tree is part
84
00:06:05.279 --> 00:06:10.240
of the Mojave Desert, which is
a massive area covering thirty one thousand miles.
85
00:06:11.480 --> 00:06:14.279
The young couple had been having some
problems, which we'll get into.
86
00:06:15.079 --> 00:06:18.839
Aaron had told John that she needed
some quote me time. Aaron's mom was
87
00:06:18.879 --> 00:06:23.439
planning to visit soon from Tennessee,
and so Aaron said she was going to
88
00:06:23.439 --> 00:06:26.720
take the day on the twenty eighth, which was a Saturday, to drive
89
00:06:26.720 --> 00:06:30.279
out to Joshua Tree and scout out
some locations where she might want to take
90
00:06:30.319 --> 00:06:33.160
her mom. Have a question,
how old is John? I think he's
91
00:06:33.199 --> 00:06:38.040
like twenty one or two, so
they're both very young, very young.
92
00:06:38.680 --> 00:06:41.639
Aaron woke up at dawn on the
twenty eighth and got ready to go.
93
00:06:42.120 --> 00:06:45.480
She made a quick call to her
best friend Jesse, back in Tennessee,
94
00:06:45.839 --> 00:06:47.839
and then she gave John, who
was still in bed, a kiss goodbye.
95
00:06:48.399 --> 00:06:50.680
She said, I'm heading out for
the day, John, I love
96
00:06:50.720 --> 00:06:55.680
you. She said she'd be back
by four that afternoon. John said love
97
00:06:55.720 --> 00:06:59.920
you too. When she still wasn't
home by sunset, John was worried.
98
00:07:00.600 --> 00:07:03.360
By midnight, he was freaking out. The next morning, he called the
99
00:07:03.399 --> 00:07:09.240
San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department to report
her missing, setting off a massive search
100
00:07:09.319 --> 00:07:14.040
and rescue effort and investigation. But
before we get deeper into all that,
101
00:07:14.160 --> 00:07:19.160
let's talk about Aaron's background. Aaron
was born on July fifteenth, nineteen ninety
102
00:07:19.199 --> 00:07:24.160
four, in Chattanooga, Tennessee.
At two weeks old, her birth mother
103
00:07:24.319 --> 00:07:27.959
decided that she wasn't able to care
for the newborn baby, and she made
104
00:07:27.959 --> 00:07:31.240
the difficult decision to put her up
for adoption. She ended up in foster
105
00:07:31.360 --> 00:07:34.800
care with Lore and Bill Hevelyn.
At two weeks old, she was in
106
00:07:34.879 --> 00:07:42.519
foster care. Yeah, and Lore. It's spelled l l O r E.
107
00:07:42.959 --> 00:07:46.680
I thought it was Laurie, but
apparently it's Lore. She and Bill
108
00:07:46.720 --> 00:07:48.879
Heavilyn. They lived in Oakridge,
Tennessee, which is a city not far
109
00:07:48.959 --> 00:07:54.639
from Knoxville. In nineteen seventy eight, Lare gave birth to a daughter,
110
00:07:54.720 --> 00:07:58.879
Christy, and then two years later
to a son, Keith. When Christy
111
00:07:59.000 --> 00:08:03.319
was in second grade and Keith in
kindergarten, Laura and Bill believed that God
112
00:08:03.360 --> 00:08:07.160
spoke to them and said that they
should become foster parents. Laura's own parents
113
00:08:07.199 --> 00:08:11.240
had fostered several children when she was
growing up, and it had a big
114
00:08:11.279 --> 00:08:16.519
impact on her. They fostered several
children, mostly newborns, for various periods
115
00:08:16.519 --> 00:08:20.319
of time until the birth parents either
decided to keep them or to give them
116
00:08:20.439 --> 00:08:24.120
up for permanent adoption. In nineteen
eighty nine, they fostered a three year
117
00:08:24.120 --> 00:08:30.079
old boy named Alex who had fetal
alcohol syndrome and decided to adopt him permanently.
118
00:08:31.040 --> 00:08:33.919
At the same time, they adopted
Alex's older brother, John, who
119
00:08:33.960 --> 00:08:37.480
was nine at the time living in
a group home and he had ADHD and
120
00:08:37.559 --> 00:08:41.799
other behavioral problems. A couple of
years later, they took in a fifteen
121
00:08:41.879 --> 00:08:46.840
year old girl named Taylor with the
intent of adopting her as well, and
122
00:08:46.879 --> 00:08:50.720
then in nineteen ninety four they took
in Erin as a foster child initially,
123
00:08:50.080 --> 00:08:52.960
but they knew right away that she
was meant to be a permanent addition to
124
00:08:54.000 --> 00:08:56.919
their family, and so they ended
up adopting her as well. So at
125
00:08:56.919 --> 00:09:01.200
this point they had six kids,
two sixteen year old girls, two fourteen
126
00:09:01.240 --> 00:09:05.799
year old boys, one with special
needs, an eight year old boy with
127
00:09:05.840 --> 00:09:11.080
special needs, and then baby Aaron. When Aaron was five, they adopted
128
00:09:11.120 --> 00:09:15.200
a twenty month twenty one month old
girl named Tricia, who had been born
129
00:09:15.240 --> 00:09:18.679
with multiple birth defects, including spina
bifida. She had a lot of medical
130
00:09:18.679 --> 00:09:22.879
issues and she was in and out
of the hospital, and sadly, she
131
00:09:22.000 --> 00:09:26.159
died when she was three due to
an infection that had spread to her bloodstream.
132
00:09:26.240 --> 00:09:31.320
So this family sounds like they're good
people with good hearts. Yeah,
133
00:09:31.399 --> 00:09:35.559
definitely, very busy, yes,
for sure. With Trisha's death, you
134
00:09:35.600 --> 00:09:37.360
know, Aaron had been so happy
to be a big sister that it was
135
00:09:37.559 --> 00:09:43.960
especially hard on her. While Laura
and Bill temporarily fostered more newborn babies after
136
00:09:45.000 --> 00:09:48.360
that, they didn't adopt any more
children. When Alex was in fourth grade
137
00:09:48.399 --> 00:09:54.679
and Aaron was in kindergarten, Laura
and Bill decided to homeschool because of Alex's
138
00:09:54.759 --> 00:09:58.159
learning disability. He struggled in school, and I think the couple thought it
139
00:09:58.159 --> 00:10:01.679
would be better at homeschool him and
figured if they were going to homeschool,
140
00:10:01.919 --> 00:10:05.480
they might as well homeschool Aaron as
well. While Aaron was good at math,
141
00:10:05.679 --> 00:10:09.679
science, and history, her real
passion was animals. Over the years,
142
00:10:09.720 --> 00:10:13.600
the family had dogs, cats,
skinny pigs, rabbits, and fish,
143
00:10:13.799 --> 00:10:18.840
and Aaron was like the animal whisperer. She had this really calm and
144
00:10:18.919 --> 00:10:22.360
patient presence and she was nurturing and
caring, and so she was able to
145
00:10:22.399 --> 00:10:28.919
train the animals where others couldn't.
At ten, Aaron joined the local four
146
00:10:28.080 --> 00:10:31.799
h club and she developed a passion
for horses. As she got involved in
147
00:10:31.840 --> 00:10:37.720
the four ah equestrian program, she
became a regular at a local horse farm,
148
00:10:37.840 --> 00:10:41.759
volunteering to help out with the horses
however she could. At ten or
149
00:10:41.759 --> 00:10:46.600
eleven, Aaron met her future husband, John Corwyn at the horse farm.
150
00:10:46.759 --> 00:10:50.600
John was a year older than Aaron. Aaron didn't hang out with him until
151
00:10:50.120 --> 00:10:56.159
much later, but she became good
friends with John's sister. At twelve,
152
00:10:56.399 --> 00:11:00.759
a family friend gave her a rescue
horse, and she was like super responsible.
153
00:11:00.879 --> 00:11:03.559
She would feed it, exercise,
it bathed the horace Dalely, she
154
00:11:03.639 --> 00:11:07.919
got really into barrel racing, which
is a rodeo event. She later had
155
00:11:07.960 --> 00:11:13.120
another horse that had a mean streak
and everyone thought was untrainable, but Aaron
156
00:11:13.320 --> 00:11:18.639
worked with the horse patiently and persevered
until over time it became really friendly and
157
00:11:18.679 --> 00:11:22.080
well behaved. And that type of
story, it's you hear it over and
158
00:11:22.120 --> 00:11:26.639
over about Aaron, like she took
on like horses that were really difficult and
159
00:11:26.759 --> 00:11:30.440
she was able to train them when
no one else really could. So she
160
00:11:30.679 --> 00:11:35.480
sounds like a very kind shatters more
in person for sure. At fourteen,
161
00:11:35.600 --> 00:11:39.960
she got a part time job helping
out a veterinarian. She loved being with
162
00:11:39.000 --> 00:11:43.240
the animals, but she also realized
that she could never be a vet because
163
00:11:43.320 --> 00:11:48.360
having to euthanize animals was just too
heartbreaking for her. At sixteen, Aaron
164
00:11:48.440 --> 00:11:52.279
got a job at the local tractor
supply company. There she met Jesse Trentham,
165
00:11:52.399 --> 00:11:58.200
who would become Aaron's best friend and
confidante. Aaron was a good kid,
166
00:11:58.519 --> 00:12:01.879
rarely got into trouble. She had
thoughts of girlfriends that she would hang
167
00:12:01.919 --> 00:12:03.879
out with. People said she was
shy, but once you got to know
168
00:12:05.000 --> 00:12:09.360
her, she would talk and talk. When she was fifteen, Laura and
169
00:12:09.399 --> 00:12:15.120
Bill let Aaron have a Facebook account. Soon after that, John Corwin,
170
00:12:15.200 --> 00:12:18.960
who she had met a few years
earlier, friended her and the two started
171
00:12:18.000 --> 00:12:22.639
messaging each other. John had been
born and raised in Oak Ridge. He
172
00:12:22.720 --> 00:12:26.399
was a quiet kid who liked going
four wheeling and he liked shooting guns.
173
00:12:28.120 --> 00:12:31.919
From a young age, his dream
was to become a marine. Aaron's parents
174
00:12:31.919 --> 00:12:37.519
didn't allow dating without a chaperone until
age sixteen, so mostly Aaron and John
175
00:12:37.559 --> 00:12:41.840
talked online and they saw each other
sometimes at the horse farm. On her
176
00:12:41.879 --> 00:12:46.480
sixteenth birthday, John asked Laura for
permission to ask Aaron out on a date.
177
00:12:46.519 --> 00:12:50.080
Laura and Bill thought that John was
polite and he came from a good
178
00:12:50.080 --> 00:12:54.159
family, and so they agreed,
and a few days later the two went
179
00:12:54.200 --> 00:12:58.000
on their first date to see Despicable
Me at the theater. Within five or
180
00:12:58.039 --> 00:13:03.000
six weeks they were actually a couple, and within six or nine months they
181
00:13:03.039 --> 00:13:07.799
started getting serious, even talking about
marriage. So very very young John,
182
00:13:09.279 --> 00:13:13.200
yeah, exactly. When John finished
high school, he signed up for the
183
00:13:13.200 --> 00:13:16.320
Marines as planned, and he left
for the thirteen week boot camp in June.
184
00:13:16.960 --> 00:13:20.840
The night before he left, he
gave Aaron a promise ring they couldn't
185
00:13:20.919 --> 00:13:24.519
talk much while he was away at
boot camp, and so they wrote a
186
00:13:24.519 --> 00:13:28.879
lot of letters back and forth,
and after finishing boot camp in September,
187
00:13:28.240 --> 00:13:33.360
John was sent to a base in
Oklahoma to complete his training over the next
188
00:13:33.440 --> 00:13:37.840
three months, and then after that
he got stationed in twenty nine Palms out
189
00:13:37.840 --> 00:13:43.200
in California. While Laura and Bill
liked John, they were hoping that him
190
00:13:43.240 --> 00:13:46.440
being away would slow things down a
bit. But Aaron was smitten, and
191
00:13:46.559 --> 00:13:52.159
during her senior year of homeschooling,
she started making plans to join John in
192
00:13:52.279 --> 00:13:56.679
twenty nine Palms. No college,
no career. She was basically making a
193
00:13:56.759 --> 00:14:01.200
choice to become a military wife.
Laura and Bill tried to get Aaron to
194
00:14:01.240 --> 00:14:03.919
realize how hard this would be.
First of all, Aaron wasn't well traveled.
195
00:14:03.960 --> 00:14:07.320
She had always lived with her family
in Oak Ridge, and being a
196
00:14:07.320 --> 00:14:11.840
military wife could be lonely, especially
with the possibility of John being deployed on
197
00:14:11.879 --> 00:14:16.720
a moment's notice for months at a
time. During Aaron's senior year, John
198
00:14:16.840 --> 00:14:22.200
asked Laura and Bill for their permission
to propose to Aaron. They wanted to
199
00:14:22.240 --> 00:14:24.879
ask John to wait a couple of
years, but I think they realized that
200
00:14:24.960 --> 00:14:30.480
it was feudal, and so they
gave their permission reluctantly. John came home
201
00:14:30.519 --> 00:14:35.480
that summer and proposed to Aaron on
July fourth, eleven days before her eighteenth
202
00:14:35.519 --> 00:14:39.600
birthday. Aaron was over the moon. She started planning a wedding, but
203
00:14:39.759 --> 00:14:43.960
with John's service, it was hard
to know when he would be on leave.
204
00:14:43.720 --> 00:14:48.679
So instead, in November of twenty
twelve, eighteen year old Aaron flew
205
00:14:48.720 --> 00:14:54.080
to Las Vegas to attend the Marine
Corps ball with John, and after the
206
00:14:54.120 --> 00:14:56.519
ball was over, they drove down
to the Strip and they got married at
207
00:14:56.519 --> 00:15:01.320
the world famous Chapel of the Bells. So they're both eighteen. He was
208
00:15:01.399 --> 00:15:05.399
probably nineteen at that point. There
are pictures of them from that day I'll
209
00:15:05.399 --> 00:15:09.919
share with you. Aaron was wearing
a pretty purple dress and John was in
210
00:15:09.960 --> 00:15:13.639
his uniform. Honestly, they looked
like two kids at their senior prom.
211
00:15:13.879 --> 00:15:18.840
H they were just so young.
For the first ten months of their marriage,
212
00:15:18.080 --> 00:15:22.440
John and Aaron lived pretty much separate
lives. John was deployed to Japan.
213
00:15:24.279 --> 00:15:28.120
He did well in the Marines.
He quickly advanced from private to corporal.
214
00:15:28.639 --> 00:15:33.240
He was well respected by his fellow
Marines. He received several commendations,
215
00:15:33.759 --> 00:15:39.120
and he became skilled at firing a
sniper rifle. Aaron stayed in oak Ridge,
216
00:15:39.200 --> 00:15:41.720
working at the tractor supply company and
saving as much money as she could.
217
00:15:43.720 --> 00:15:48.919
Finally, on September twenty fifth of
twenty thirteen, a couple of months
218
00:15:48.960 --> 00:15:52.360
after her nineteenth birthday, Aaron flew
out to her new life in twenty nine
219
00:15:52.399 --> 00:15:56.879
Palms. John was still on deployment
in Japan for a few more days,
220
00:15:56.919 --> 00:16:00.559
and so Aaron moved her stuff into
the apartment that John had already been living
221
00:16:00.600 --> 00:16:06.240
in when he wasn't deployed. It
was a small apartment complex on the base.
222
00:16:06.519 --> 00:16:10.840
It was meant for married soldiers,
a two story building with six units.
223
00:16:11.559 --> 00:16:15.120
Each apartment had two bedrooms, one
bathroom, a small kitchen, and
224
00:16:15.159 --> 00:16:18.879
a living room. John and Aaron's
unit was on the second floor. John
225
00:16:18.919 --> 00:16:25.120
got back from Japan and the newlyweds
settled into their new life. Aaron used
226
00:16:25.200 --> 00:16:29.399
some of her savings to buy a
Toyota Corolla, while John bought a used
227
00:16:29.480 --> 00:16:33.279
pickup truck. They adopted two rescue
dogs and later a cat. Aaron was
228
00:16:33.320 --> 00:16:37.600
definitely a little homesick and lonely,
especially at first as John was busy with
229
00:16:37.639 --> 00:16:42.200
his duties. Aaron talked to her
best friend Jesse back in Tennessee regularly.
230
00:16:45.000 --> 00:16:48.360
With most of the people at the
marine base being far from home and many
231
00:16:48.440 --> 00:16:52.639
of the wives staying at the apartment
complex, some of them raising young children,
232
00:16:52.159 --> 00:16:56.960
strong bonds can form between couples and
families, almost like becoming an extended
233
00:16:57.000 --> 00:17:00.720
family unit, and for John and
Aaron, there were two other couples that
234
00:17:00.799 --> 00:17:07.319
became really important in their lives,
the Milwaukee's and the Lee's. Connor and
235
00:17:07.440 --> 00:17:11.039
Ashling Milwaukee lived in one of the
downstairs units. When Aaron first moved in,
236
00:17:11.119 --> 00:17:15.519
Ashling was pregnant with her first child
and was having a difficult pregnancy.
237
00:17:15.559 --> 00:17:19.960
Aaron, with her caring, nurturing
personality, immediately jumped into help however she
238
00:17:21.039 --> 00:17:23.920
could, and then when Ashling's son, Brian, was born in November of
239
00:17:23.920 --> 00:17:27.599
twenty thirteen, Aaron, Ashling,
and the baby would hang out together in
240
00:17:27.599 --> 00:17:33.279
one of their apartments, talking and
watching movies together. The other couple that
241
00:17:33.440 --> 00:17:37.759
made up this surrogate family was Chris
and Nicole Lee, who lived upstairs in
242
00:17:37.799 --> 00:17:41.519
the unit next to John and Aaron. Chris and Nicole were originally from Anchorage,
243
00:17:41.559 --> 00:17:45.160
Alaska. They were a few years
older than John and Aaron. Chris
244
00:17:45.160 --> 00:17:49.880
had already served two tours in Afghanistan, and the couple had a six year
245
00:17:49.880 --> 00:17:55.559
old daughter named Liberty. The three
guys all became good friends, hanging out
246
00:17:55.640 --> 00:17:59.599
having beers together. Sometimes the guys
would go off to Joshua Tree together to
247
00:17:59.640 --> 00:18:03.079
do some off roading or shoot their
guns, or maybe do some hiking.
248
00:18:03.799 --> 00:18:07.240
While they were on duty. The
three wives would stop by each other's places
249
00:18:07.279 --> 00:18:11.359
to hang out in chit chat,
and on weekends or evenings when everyone was
250
00:18:11.400 --> 00:18:15.000
around, the three couples would barbecue
together outside the complex or watch movies and
251
00:18:15.039 --> 00:18:19.440
TV shows together. The couples all
got along well, more or less,
252
00:18:19.480 --> 00:18:23.599
although there were some complaints about Chris
and Nicole. Neither of them was very
253
00:18:23.640 --> 00:18:27.920
domestic and their place was always a
disaster area, toys all over the place,
254
00:18:29.480 --> 00:18:33.759
dishes piled up in the sink.
Nicole could be blunt and rude,
255
00:18:33.759 --> 00:18:37.440
and she would impose on others to
babysit Liberty without offering to pay. One
256
00:18:37.440 --> 00:18:42.160
time, Chris and Nicole dropped Liberty
off with Ashling, supposedly just for the
257
00:18:42.279 --> 00:18:45.359
night. But then the two went
off to Las Vegas for the weekend and
258
00:18:45.400 --> 00:18:49.160
they ignored Ashling's calls and so she
was stuck with Liberty for the whole weekend.
259
00:18:51.519 --> 00:18:56.119
Also, Nicole was obsessed with football
on Sundays during football season. She
260
00:18:56.119 --> 00:18:59.480
would tell everyone not to call her, not to text her, don't bother
261
00:18:59.559 --> 00:19:02.559
her at all. She was just
going to be on the couch watching football
262
00:19:02.599 --> 00:19:06.880
all day. Ashley would have to
take care of Nicole's daughter every Sunday in
263
00:19:06.880 --> 00:19:11.559
the fall because Nicole would be too
busy with her game. Yeah. I
264
00:19:11.559 --> 00:19:15.880
don't see a problem with that,
But you know, some people might sounds
265
00:19:15.960 --> 00:19:19.759
kind of like you, But I
don't think you ever ever neglected our children.
266
00:19:21.359 --> 00:19:23.839
People would say that Chris seemed kind
of off. Also, he seemed
267
00:19:23.880 --> 00:19:27.680
to have anger issues, and he
also had a large weapon collection, including
268
00:19:27.880 --> 00:19:33.119
several guns and knives, a blowgun, a machette, and a potato gun.
269
00:19:33.039 --> 00:19:37.039
What's a blowgun? A blowgun is
like a dart gun, like where
270
00:19:37.079 --> 00:19:41.839
you blow through a tube like a
little dart. Yeah, he was preoccupied
271
00:19:41.880 --> 00:19:45.319
with weapons that he liked to blow
things up. At least once he got
272
00:19:45.359 --> 00:19:51.000
reprimanded by his commanding officer for playing
around with rifles and rocket launchers. When
273
00:19:51.000 --> 00:19:55.759
he got back from his second tour
in Afghanistan, he seemed depressed. He
274
00:19:55.799 --> 00:19:59.440
hadn't seen any combat while he was
there, but starting in April of twenty
275
00:19:59.519 --> 00:20:03.039
thirteen, when he returned, people
said that he just didn't seem to care
276
00:20:03.079 --> 00:20:07.240
about anything. He was drinking more
than before, he wasn't doing as well
277
00:20:07.279 --> 00:20:11.920
in his job as before, and
his temper was worse. He and Nicole
278
00:20:11.960 --> 00:20:15.799
would fight frequently. One time he
told her he'd rather be deployed again to
279
00:20:15.839 --> 00:20:18.039
a war zone than to be with
her. I'm beginning to wonder why you're
280
00:20:18.119 --> 00:20:22.680
talking so much about Chris and Nicole. M Yeah, might be onto something
281
00:20:22.720 --> 00:20:29.079
there. While Chris was away in
Afghanistan the last time, Nicole started going
282
00:20:29.119 --> 00:20:33.480
to a place called the White Rock
Ranch, which is a horse rescue located
283
00:20:33.480 --> 00:20:37.519
about a half hour from twenty nine
Palms. It's a nonprofit organization run by
284
00:20:37.559 --> 00:20:42.039
a woman named Isabelle Megley. She
takes in horses that have been abandoned or
285
00:20:42.079 --> 00:20:45.799
abused. She takes care of them
and then tries to find permanent homes for
286
00:20:45.839 --> 00:20:49.440
them. If she can't find a
permanent home for the horse, they'll live
287
00:20:49.440 --> 00:20:53.279
out their days at the ranch.
Nicole liked to go there, and when
288
00:20:53.400 --> 00:20:57.440
Chris was depressed after getting back from
Afghanistan, she started taking him there as
289
00:20:57.480 --> 00:21:00.839
well, and it seemed to help
him. He liked the horses, but
290
00:21:00.880 --> 00:21:04.880
he would also fix things around the
ranch. Of course, Aaron loved horses
291
00:21:04.960 --> 00:21:08.839
too, and so she and Nicole
bonded over this, and Aaron started going
292
00:21:08.880 --> 00:21:14.039
with Nicole and Chris to the ranch. John wasn't super interested in horses,
293
00:21:14.039 --> 00:21:18.759
so he would generally stay behind.
All in all, everything seemed good for
294
00:21:18.799 --> 00:21:23.319
the three young families on the surface, at least, but as twenty fourteen
295
00:21:23.400 --> 00:21:27.920
rolled around, Chris and Nicole were
continuing to fight, mostly because of Chris's
296
00:21:29.000 --> 00:21:33.039
drinking and his hair trigger temper,
and John and Aaron started having money troubles.
297
00:21:33.960 --> 00:21:37.960
John's salary at that point was around
eighteen hundred dollars a month or twenty
298
00:21:37.960 --> 00:21:41.160
one thousand dollars a year. Wow, that's not much. Yeah, he
299
00:21:41.200 --> 00:21:45.359
did get free housing, but that's
still not a lot to live on.
300
00:21:45.160 --> 00:21:49.720
By January of twenty fourteen, John
and Aaron had blown through the savings that
301
00:21:49.799 --> 00:21:55.640
Aaron had and they were racking up
credit card debt. John and Aaron would
302
00:21:55.680 --> 00:21:59.720
fight and they would blame each other. Was Aaron still working. She was
303
00:21:59.759 --> 00:22:03.079
not working at this time. But
John would, you know, accuse her
304
00:22:03.119 --> 00:22:07.640
of spending too much on groceries and
clothing while she saw him wasting money on
305
00:22:07.799 --> 00:22:11.839
toys like the sand rail that he
bought. Do you know what a sand
306
00:22:11.920 --> 00:22:15.880
rail isn't It's sort of like a
dune buggy, like a little vehicle for
307
00:22:15.960 --> 00:22:19.240
off roading, like in the desert
or whatever. Inexpensive. No, I
308
00:22:19.279 --> 00:22:23.799
know that sounds fun though, Yeah
it does. Aaron. She did take
309
00:22:23.799 --> 00:22:27.640
a job at the local tractor supply
company for a while, but it was
310
00:22:27.680 --> 00:22:33.039
a forty five minute commute each way, which she hated, and she only
311
00:22:33.079 --> 00:22:36.519
stayed for a few weeks. And
after that she tried to make some extra
312
00:22:36.559 --> 00:22:40.759
money babysitting for different families on the
base. So it was twenty nine palms
313
00:22:40.880 --> 00:22:42.240
kind of in the middle of nowhere. Yeah, pretty much. It's like
314
00:22:42.279 --> 00:22:47.920
out in the desert. In January
of twenty fourteen, Aaron found out that
315
00:22:47.960 --> 00:22:51.759
she was pregnant. It wasn't something
that she and John had planned, but
316
00:22:51.799 --> 00:22:56.640
it was definitely something Aaron wanted.
As we've seen, she was really nurturing
317
00:22:56.720 --> 00:23:00.640
and being a mom was something she
had always dreamed of, so she was
318
00:23:00.720 --> 00:23:04.839
ecstatic. She shared the news with
friends and family, but sadly, just
319
00:23:04.880 --> 00:23:08.440
a few weeks after finding out,
she had severe cramps and went to the
320
00:23:08.720 --> 00:23:14.359
er, where she found out that
she had miscarried. This added more stress
321
00:23:14.440 --> 00:23:18.559
to the marriage, as John was
very reserved and he internalized his sadness,
322
00:23:18.640 --> 00:23:23.720
which made Aaron feel like he didn't
care. Shopping was a coping mechanism for
323
00:23:23.759 --> 00:23:29.000
her, which worsened the couple's debt. John took away her credit cards,
324
00:23:29.039 --> 00:23:33.640
which made Aaron feel trapped and it
caused resentment. Aaron would tell all this
325
00:23:33.680 --> 00:23:37.599
to her friend Jesse, with whom
she would share everything on their regular phone
326
00:23:37.640 --> 00:23:44.279
calls and through texting. So to
sum up, you've got Aaron and John,
327
00:23:44.319 --> 00:23:48.960
who are both really young, relative
newlyweds, having financial troubles, having
328
00:23:48.960 --> 00:23:52.599
a lot of stress in their marriage, especially with the miscarriage. You've got
329
00:23:52.680 --> 00:23:56.920
Chris and Nicole having troubles, so
you can probably guess where this is going.
330
00:23:57.960 --> 00:24:03.519
By early February, people were noticing
that Aaron and Chris seemed a bit
331
00:24:03.640 --> 00:24:07.839
overly friendly around each other. One
time, Ashling noticed Aaron was giggling at
332
00:24:07.880 --> 00:24:12.200
anything Chris said, and they were
standing closer to each other than seemed normal.
333
00:24:14.240 --> 00:24:18.079
Ashling asked Aaron about it, and
she admitted that she found Chris attractive,
334
00:24:18.160 --> 00:24:22.000
but it was just a bit of
harmless flirting. Isabelle, who owned
335
00:24:22.000 --> 00:24:26.359
the horse ranch, noticed it too. She even pulled Nicole aside and mentioned
336
00:24:26.400 --> 00:24:29.240
it to her, but Nicole said
it was no big deal. Aaron and
337
00:24:29.319 --> 00:24:33.640
Chris were just friends. Nicole had
had a miscarriage a few years ago herself,
338
00:24:33.680 --> 00:24:37.319
and so she was sympathetic toward Aaron, and she was actually happy that
339
00:24:37.440 --> 00:24:41.799
Chris could be there for her.
Their growing friendship seemed to lift Chris's mood
340
00:24:41.799 --> 00:24:44.720
as well, and so Nicole was
okay with it, and she didn't think
341
00:24:44.720 --> 00:24:49.319
anything else was going on. On
Sunday evenings, the three couples would usually
342
00:24:49.359 --> 00:24:53.680
get together in one of their apartments
to watch The Walking Dead. Aaron didn't
343
00:24:53.720 --> 00:24:57.119
like the graphic violence in the show, so she would actually go off and
344
00:24:57.160 --> 00:25:00.880
do her own thing on those nights. One night in February, they got
345
00:25:00.920 --> 00:25:04.960
together to watch the show, minus
Connor and Ashley, who weren't available,
346
00:25:06.000 --> 00:25:10.119
but with the addition of another couple
from the base oh. Aaron went off
347
00:25:10.160 --> 00:25:12.240
to her room to hang out,
and Chris said he had missed a couple
348
00:25:12.240 --> 00:25:15.319
of episodes, so he would go
hang out with Aaron and play Halo on
349
00:25:15.680 --> 00:25:19.640
Xbox in her bedroom. Yeah,
I know, I see a lot of
350
00:25:19.640 --> 00:25:22.960
these The things in this story are
like, I would be really uncomfortable if
351
00:25:22.960 --> 00:25:26.759
I was John or if I was
one of the spouses, because it just
352
00:25:26.759 --> 00:25:32.559
seems like but eighteen exactly, she's
nineteen at this point, right. Yeah.
353
00:25:32.599 --> 00:25:36.000
And also these families are I think
they're so close that they're almost like,
354
00:25:36.519 --> 00:25:38.240
you know, another family to each
other. And so for these two
355
00:25:40.119 --> 00:25:44.519
are flirtatious. Yeah, exactly.
You said Chris was older. Do you
356
00:25:44.599 --> 00:25:48.039
know how much older? I think
he was maybe five years older, give
357
00:25:48.119 --> 00:25:53.960
or take. Okay, So Chris
goes in to play Halo with Aaron on
358
00:25:55.000 --> 00:25:59.759
the Xbox in the bedroom while everybody
else is watching The Walking Dead. At
359
00:25:59.799 --> 00:26:02.839
one point, while they were playing, they looked at each other and they
360
00:26:02.960 --> 00:26:07.559
kissed. It only apparently, well
everyone else is in the other room,
361
00:26:07.640 --> 00:26:10.240
Yeah, watching TV. How do
you know this? Hap? Never mind,
362
00:26:10.880 --> 00:26:14.319
it only lasted a few seconds and
at the end of the night the
363
00:26:14.400 --> 00:26:18.680
couples all went their separate ways.
But later Chris sent Aaron a text and
364
00:26:18.720 --> 00:26:22.000
they exchanged messages and I think they
were talking about the kiss, like wow,
365
00:26:22.039 --> 00:26:26.000
that was weird, huh, Like
gosh crazy. So up to that
366
00:26:26.079 --> 00:26:29.200
point there hadn't been Up to that
point, it had just been kind of
367
00:26:29.240 --> 00:26:33.480
flirtation and that type of thing.
I can see how playing Halo would be
368
00:26:33.480 --> 00:26:37.799
a very romantic activity, I guess. So. A few nights later,
369
00:26:37.839 --> 00:26:41.839
Aaron and John had a fight and
Aaron couldn't sleep, and so she texted
370
00:26:41.920 --> 00:26:47.920
Chris. She seemed disillusioned with their
marriage, saying, quote, I can't
371
00:26:47.960 --> 00:26:51.680
believe this is happening. This isn't
what it was supposed to be like unquote.
372
00:26:52.440 --> 00:26:56.960
Chris asked her to meet him outside
and talk about it. He told
373
00:26:56.079 --> 00:27:00.279
Nicole that Aaron was having a hard
time and he was going to go talk
374
00:27:00.359 --> 00:27:03.880
to her. Nicole was like,
fine, just don't belong. They met
375
00:27:03.920 --> 00:27:08.240
at the playground behind the apartment complex
and they sat and talked and kissed four
376
00:27:08.279 --> 00:27:14.200
hours until two am. Nicole was
not happy when Chris came back in,
377
00:27:14.359 --> 00:27:18.400
but he lied and said he was
just talking to her. Did you think
378
00:27:18.440 --> 00:27:22.039
that Nicole would have been like,
oh, I'll go talk to her.
379
00:27:22.640 --> 00:27:26.079
Yeah. Again, A lot of
these situations I just find like I think
380
00:27:26.079 --> 00:27:29.720
about like me and you. I'm
like, if you said, yeah,
381
00:27:29.759 --> 00:27:33.119
I'm gonna go talk to the guy
who lives next door because he's having some
382
00:27:33.160 --> 00:27:37.799
problems, I would be very uncomfortable
with that. Yeah, but you know,
383
00:27:37.039 --> 00:27:41.400
again, they were in this situation
I think where they were just like
384
00:27:41.440 --> 00:27:45.680
a tight little family unit. The
next morning, after John left for work,
385
00:27:45.839 --> 00:27:49.079
Chris went over to their apartment and
they made out some more. After
386
00:27:49.160 --> 00:27:52.920
that, the two of them started
texting back and forth constantly. After a
387
00:27:52.920 --> 00:27:57.079
few weeks, he texted Aaron and
said that he loved her. Aaron and
388
00:27:57.200 --> 00:28:02.920
Chris weren't able to see each other
because he and John worked a similar schedule.
389
00:28:03.279 --> 00:28:06.480
In the mornings, John would get
up and go for a workout at
390
00:28:06.519 --> 00:28:10.079
six am. Chris would get up
and tell Nicole that he was going to
391
00:28:10.119 --> 00:28:11.880
work out, but instead he would
go see Aaron for a while at their
392
00:28:11.920 --> 00:28:15.759
apartment. Which is really weird.
Again, you think about it, like
393
00:28:15.799 --> 00:28:18.359
they lived right next door to each
other. Yeah, so Aaron is like
394
00:28:18.440 --> 00:28:23.160
in her apartment and Chris is next
door. Well, I can't help but
395
00:28:23.720 --> 00:28:27.279
think that Chris is taking advantage of
her too, because she's so young,
396
00:28:27.720 --> 00:28:32.759
not that five years, But the
difference between nineteen and twenty four or twenty
397
00:28:32.759 --> 00:28:37.079
five is pretty big. Yeah,
for sure. Aaron would tell Chris about
398
00:28:37.119 --> 00:28:40.880
her marital problems with John. She
said she wanted to go back home to
399
00:28:40.920 --> 00:28:45.640
Tennessee and admitted that her parents had
been right that maybe getting married so young
400
00:28:45.759 --> 00:28:49.279
wasn't the best idea. So as
Aaron still hit talking to her family back
401
00:28:49.279 --> 00:28:52.519
home or are they coming to visit
her? They have a good relationship.
402
00:28:52.599 --> 00:28:56.079
Yeah, she has a great relationship
with her parents. I don't think she
403
00:28:56.160 --> 00:28:59.759
confided in them, like the marital
problems and things like that at this point.
404
00:29:00.240 --> 00:29:03.160
That's hard because she probably thought that
she had to present this all We're
405
00:29:03.160 --> 00:29:07.039
doing great. Yeah, so glad
that I got married at eighteen. Yeah,
406
00:29:07.119 --> 00:29:10.200
especially when her parents were, you
know, trying to warn her of
407
00:29:10.200 --> 00:29:14.119
how hard it would be. The
one her friend Jesse back home. She'll
408
00:29:14.160 --> 00:29:15.920
come into the story more as we
go on, but she she talked to
409
00:29:17.000 --> 00:29:21.160
Jesse about everything. That's how we
know a lot of these things that happened
410
00:29:21.240 --> 00:29:26.119
early on. Chris also opened up
to Aaron about the depression that he had
411
00:29:26.119 --> 00:29:30.680
been suffering from since returning from Afghanistan. He told her that he had done
412
00:29:30.799 --> 00:29:34.440
dangerous things like driving recklessly to see
you know how close he could cut it
413
00:29:34.559 --> 00:29:38.440
to getting into an accident. And
he also said that he played Russian Roulette
414
00:29:38.480 --> 00:29:44.200
a few times. So let's just
talk for a second about soldiers returning home
415
00:29:44.359 --> 00:29:48.039
and not getting the support that they
need and the mental health support, because
416
00:29:48.079 --> 00:29:52.160
that's such an important thing, and
I think it's a huge crisis. It's
417
00:29:52.160 --> 00:29:56.400
a horrible thing. Yeah, that
you know, these soldiers go, they're
418
00:29:56.400 --> 00:30:00.440
serving their country, they're doing you
know, they're putting themselves in arms way
419
00:30:00.480 --> 00:30:03.440
to keep us safe, and then
they come back home and they don't get
420
00:30:03.480 --> 00:30:06.680
the support. Well, and you
said he's making eight they're making like eighteen
421
00:30:06.720 --> 00:30:10.799
thousand dollars a year. Yeah,
I mean even with free housing. That's
422
00:30:10.839 --> 00:30:12.200
right. That's really sad. Now, the one thing I will say about
423
00:30:12.359 --> 00:30:18.279
Chris is that he didn't see any
combat when he was in Afghanistan. He
424
00:30:18.279 --> 00:30:22.440
didn't fire his weapon once, he
didn't see anything. And in some ways
425
00:30:22.480 --> 00:30:26.759
that was actually kind of like he
was disappointed that he didn't see combat or
426
00:30:26.079 --> 00:30:30.599
you know, get to kill anyone, or survivor's guilt. I don't know
427
00:30:30.640 --> 00:30:33.039
if it was survivor's guilt or that
he just he really wanted to, like,
428
00:30:33.279 --> 00:30:36.839
he wanted to fire his weapon.
He thought it would be cool to
429
00:30:37.000 --> 00:30:38.440
like be in combat, and he
never got to do that, and so
430
00:30:38.480 --> 00:30:45.079
he was sad about that. Or
maybe he just he felt like he could
431
00:30:45.119 --> 00:30:49.759
have done more to Maybe maybe the
impression I get is that he is kind
432
00:30:49.799 --> 00:30:53.319
of a little off and you know, would kind of get off on I
433
00:30:53.319 --> 00:30:56.279
guess I'm trying to give him the
benefit of the doubt that it's not that
434
00:30:56.279 --> 00:30:59.680
he wanted to shoot his weapon.
It's just that he wanted to protect his
435
00:30:59.680 --> 00:31:03.480
country and his fellow soldiers. Maybe
let's see what else we learned about Chris
436
00:31:03.480 --> 00:31:07.920
that might make you change your mind. On Valentine's Day, the three couples
437
00:31:07.000 --> 00:31:11.200
got together at Connor and Ashling's apartment
to hang out and watch some movies.
438
00:31:11.799 --> 00:31:17.559
Nothing says Valentine's Day like hanging out
with two other couples watching movies. By
439
00:31:17.599 --> 00:31:22.359
midnight, everyone had gone their separate
ways. Connor and Ashling had gone off
440
00:31:22.400 --> 00:31:25.960
to bed, and John and Nicole
apparently got tired and went back to their
441
00:31:26.000 --> 00:31:30.039
respective apartments, leaving Aaron and Chris
alone together in Connor and Ashling's living room.
442
00:31:30.079 --> 00:31:34.359
Again. The situation that would be
very uncomfortable. Yeah, they were
443
00:31:34.400 --> 00:31:40.599
watching Mulan Rouge and they started making
out on Connor and Ashling's couch. Ashling
444
00:31:40.680 --> 00:31:42.759
got up to get her baby a
bottle, and she saw them. She
445
00:31:42.839 --> 00:31:45.720
acted like she didn't see them,
though, and she just started making noise
446
00:31:45.720 --> 00:31:52.079
in the kitchen. And at that
point, Chris can feel, we can,
447
00:31:52.160 --> 00:31:53.440
can't you? I can feel how
awkward that must have felt. So
448
00:31:53.519 --> 00:31:56.920
when they heard her in the kitchen, Chris got up and he left really
449
00:31:56.000 --> 00:31:59.880
quick. And then Aaron pretended like
she had been asleep and had just woke
450
00:32:00.200 --> 00:32:02.720
up. Ashling was like, what
are you doing, Aaron? And Aaron
451
00:32:02.799 --> 00:32:07.000
said that she and John had had
a fight and so she thought she would
452
00:32:07.039 --> 00:32:10.000
sleep on Ashling's sofa. Ashling was
like, that's fine, you know whatever,
453
00:32:10.759 --> 00:32:15.200
and then she went back in her
room. Ashling did and she texted
454
00:32:15.319 --> 00:32:17.920
Chris saying, what were you and
Aaron doing on the couch. He lied
455
00:32:17.960 --> 00:32:21.799
at first, but then he admitted
that they had been making out, and
456
00:32:21.880 --> 00:32:25.680
he begged Ashley not to tell anyone. Ashling reluctantly agreed to keep things to
457
00:32:25.720 --> 00:32:30.839
herself, which again puts her in
a very awkward position. She did talk
458
00:32:30.880 --> 00:32:34.599
separately to Chris and Aaron, and
she urged them both to break things off,
459
00:32:34.640 --> 00:32:38.000
and they both said that they were
going to Ashling didn't tell John or
460
00:32:38.079 --> 00:32:43.640
Nicole, but she did tell her
husband, Connor, who then confronted Chris.
461
00:32:44.279 --> 00:32:46.640
Chris claimed to Connor that he wasn't
serious about Aaron and that he was
462
00:32:46.680 --> 00:32:52.720
going to break it off soon.
Chris's active duty military service was actually ending
463
00:32:52.720 --> 00:32:55.720
in July, and he was planning
to return to Anchorage with Nicole and their
464
00:32:55.799 --> 00:33:01.680
daughter, Liberty, but the relationship
continued, and Aaron and Chris started talking
465
00:33:01.720 --> 00:33:07.799
about divorcing John and Nicole. Aaron
confided in her friend Jesse about the affair,
466
00:33:08.000 --> 00:33:12.680
and she told her she was thinking
about divorcing John and moving to Alaska
467
00:33:12.839 --> 00:33:16.640
with Chris after his service was over. Nicole, in the meantime, noticed
468
00:33:16.680 --> 00:33:22.200
that Chris was texting constantly. She
started thinking that Chris was having an affair,
469
00:33:22.240 --> 00:33:24.599
but strangely enough, I don't think
she suspected that it was Aaron.
470
00:33:25.640 --> 00:33:29.880
One night, after Chris had been
out drinking and he was sound asleep,
471
00:33:30.359 --> 00:33:35.799
Nicole took his phone off the nightstand. She couldn't unlock it, but Nicole
472
00:33:35.880 --> 00:33:37.920
was pretty smart. She was able
to take the SIM card out of the
473
00:33:37.920 --> 00:33:43.079
phone and plug it into her laptop, which allowed her to see all the
474
00:33:43.119 --> 00:33:47.839
text messages between Chris and Aaron.
So of course she blew up at Chris,
475
00:33:49.039 --> 00:33:52.480
who swore that they hadn't had sex, which I actually believe was true
476
00:33:52.519 --> 00:33:57.759
at this point, just because of
Again, Aaron talked to Jesse. Yeah,
477
00:33:57.519 --> 00:34:00.440
we know everything because of Jesse.
He said that they had only kissed
478
00:34:00.480 --> 00:34:04.880
about four times, which was definitely
a lie. They had kissed much more
479
00:34:04.920 --> 00:34:07.960
than that. He blamed the affair
on his depression, and he begged Nicole
480
00:34:08.079 --> 00:34:12.440
for a second chance. He said
he'd go to a marriage counselor or something
481
00:34:12.480 --> 00:34:15.320
that he had rejected before. At
this point, you have to wonder,
482
00:34:15.400 --> 00:34:20.920
he has the option to leave Nicole, why not just get divorced, because
483
00:34:20.960 --> 00:34:22.519
well, I think it's mainly because
of his daughter. He had a five
484
00:34:22.679 --> 00:34:28.360
year old daughter, and he felt
like if he divorced Nicole he would probably
485
00:34:28.400 --> 00:34:34.000
not get to see her very often, if ever again. So Nicole also
486
00:34:34.039 --> 00:34:37.320
didn't want to end things, so
she actually agreed to try and work things
487
00:34:37.360 --> 00:34:39.840
out with Chris, but she said
that he would have to earn her trust
488
00:34:39.920 --> 00:34:46.000
back. Chris told Nicole about Ashling
having seen him and Aaron on the couch,
489
00:34:46.119 --> 00:34:52.000
which of course made Nicole furious at
Ashling because Ashling had basically told Chris
490
00:34:52.039 --> 00:34:55.599
she would keep it confidential. Yea, So Nicole texted Ashling saying, quote,
491
00:34:55.920 --> 00:35:00.000
I am so hurt and I'm so
disgusted that you, as my friend
492
00:35:00.199 --> 00:35:02.920
tell my husband, didn't tell me
my husband was having an affair with Aaron.
493
00:35:04.400 --> 00:35:06.840
I can't believe you didn't tell me. You said nothing, and you
494
00:35:06.920 --> 00:35:08.320
hit it from me. I don't
blame her one bit. No, I
495
00:35:08.360 --> 00:35:13.400
don't either. Ashling replied and said, quote, they are adults. I
496
00:35:13.440 --> 00:35:16.559
said my two cents. I thought
they ended it, and apparently they didn't.
497
00:35:16.960 --> 00:35:22.079
Nicole took Chris's phone and she deleted
Aaron's number from it. She seemed
498
00:35:22.119 --> 00:35:25.880
to blame Aaron for seducing her husband, but she also started keeping close tabs
499
00:35:25.880 --> 00:35:30.920
on Chris one time, and I
had to laugh at this. Nicole had
500
00:35:30.960 --> 00:35:35.039
to go somewhere and she called Ashling
and said, can you watch Chris for
501
00:35:35.119 --> 00:35:37.599
me? Because he needs to be
watched. Can you just keep track of
502
00:35:37.679 --> 00:35:42.239
him and see if he's texting Ashley
again? Ashley is in the middle all
503
00:35:42.239 --> 00:35:45.519
the time here, She was like, you know, she's girl, this
504
00:35:45.599 --> 00:35:47.679
is not going to work if you
want your husband babies yet. But she
505
00:35:47.719 --> 00:35:52.079
said okay. Ashley was like fine, So it's like she went to there.
506
00:35:52.800 --> 00:35:55.079
A few minutes later, Chris shows
up and he plops himself down on
507
00:35:55.159 --> 00:35:59.480
Ashling's couch so that she could keep
an eye on him while Nicole went out
508
00:35:59.519 --> 00:36:04.400
and ran her errands. Well,
how does Nicole trust ashleying like you could
509
00:36:04.400 --> 00:36:07.320
start up with her next? I
know, I know, Ashley to her
510
00:36:07.360 --> 00:36:10.400
crest she was when Chris got there, she was like, you know,
511
00:36:10.440 --> 00:36:14.400
I'm not going to babysit you.
I'm going to my room and you do
512
00:36:14.400 --> 00:36:17.480
what do what you want. At
this point, the only person among the
513
00:36:17.559 --> 00:36:22.159
three couples that didn't know about the
affair was poor John. Yeah, and
514
00:36:22.199 --> 00:36:27.400
things were really awkward among the couples
and they didn't really get together much for
515
00:36:27.440 --> 00:36:30.360
a month or so until April when
they planned to cook out together. Was
516
00:36:30.400 --> 00:36:34.000
John like, what the heck is
going on? I wonder? You know,
517
00:36:34.079 --> 00:36:37.400
I didn't I didn't read much about
you know what he was thinking at
518
00:36:37.400 --> 00:36:40.719
this time, but you had to
think he would be like things are strange,
519
00:36:40.840 --> 00:36:45.320
well, and how is everyone towards
Aaron. Well, yeah, again,
520
00:36:45.360 --> 00:36:50.159
I don't really know. I think
that Nicole was very she was very
521
00:36:50.199 --> 00:36:52.519
cold toward Aaron, like I think
she didn't talk to her at all,
522
00:36:52.519 --> 00:36:54.039
but I think everyone else was like. Their apartments are right next door to
523
00:36:54.039 --> 00:36:58.840
each other. Yeah, yeah,
exactly. So they had planned this cookout
524
00:36:58.880 --> 00:37:02.000
in April with the three cups.
John had bought some meat to cook and
525
00:37:02.079 --> 00:37:07.840
he brought it downstairs to Connor and
Ashling's apartment to start prepping it. Aaron
526
00:37:07.920 --> 00:37:10.599
was still upstairs and Chris was out
on some assignment. I'm not sure where
527
00:37:10.639 --> 00:37:15.360
Connor was, so it was only
Nicole, Ashling, and John in the
528
00:37:15.400 --> 00:37:19.400
apartment, and Nicole decided to tell
John about the affair at that point.
529
00:37:20.719 --> 00:37:24.719
Yeah, she told him everything,
and he was kind of like and he
530
00:37:24.760 --> 00:37:28.400
was kind of in shock. John
is very reserved, as I've seen some
531
00:37:28.440 --> 00:37:31.920
interviews with him, and he's just
very like soft spoken, and I think
532
00:37:31.960 --> 00:37:37.559
after Nicole told him, he was
just like okay, and then he asked
533
00:37:37.679 --> 00:37:40.119
Ashling to go again. Ashley put
in the middle of all this. He
534
00:37:40.159 --> 00:37:45.280
asked Ashling to go upstairs and ask
Aaron to come down, which she did,
535
00:37:45.360 --> 00:37:50.360
And why wouldn't he just go up
to their apartment and be like,
536
00:37:50.519 --> 00:37:52.360
we need to talk. That was
the next sentence in my script. I'm
537
00:37:52.400 --> 00:37:57.440
not sure why John chose to confront
Aaron in front of Ashley and Nicole,
538
00:37:57.519 --> 00:38:00.519
but that's what he did. John
started talking to her, but then Nicole
539
00:38:00.639 --> 00:38:05.639
started yelling at Aaron, and Aaron
turned to leave, telling John she would
540
00:38:05.679 --> 00:38:08.760
be upstairs if he wanted to talk, and Nicole got in her face as
541
00:38:08.800 --> 00:38:13.360
she was trying to leave, and
she said, if you ever have anything
542
00:38:13.400 --> 00:38:16.320
else to do with my husband,
I'll kill you myself. Oh is that
543
00:38:16.400 --> 00:38:22.679
foreshadowing, Well, we'll see,
yeah, don't tell us. John then
544
00:38:22.719 --> 00:38:25.920
asked Ashling if she would go upstairs
with him to act as an intermediary as
545
00:38:25.960 --> 00:38:30.400
he talked to Aaron, because he
thought Aaron would be less likely to lie
546
00:38:30.440 --> 00:38:37.320
to him with her there. But
again, yeah, Ashley, she obviously
547
00:38:37.360 --> 00:38:42.440
allowed herself to be put in this
position, but I also feel some sympathy.
548
00:38:42.639 --> 00:38:46.519
Again, Ashley agreed. The two
of them went upstairs. Aaron confessed
549
00:38:46.519 --> 00:38:51.400
to John that she and Chris had
kissed a few times, but she said
550
00:38:51.400 --> 00:38:54.280
that Chris had initiated it. John
said that he wanted to work on their
551
00:38:54.320 --> 00:39:00.840
marriage and fix things, and Aaron
agreed. So now these three couples that
552
00:39:00.880 --> 00:39:06.440
had grown so close to each other
were in this really awkward situation, all
553
00:39:06.480 --> 00:39:10.440
living in the same complex. John
never confronted Chris directly. They pretty much
554
00:39:10.480 --> 00:39:15.079
just avoided each other, so did
Aaron and Nicole. Ashling and Connor,
555
00:39:15.159 --> 00:39:19.360
as usual, were in the middle. They were still talking to both couples.
556
00:39:20.039 --> 00:39:22.239
Connor tried to stay out of it
as much as he could. I
557
00:39:22.280 --> 00:39:27.440
think Chris went to counseling with Nicole, trying to repair their marriage. He
558
00:39:27.519 --> 00:39:31.199
also started making plans for his life
after the Marines. His contract was up
559
00:39:31.239 --> 00:39:37.840
on July fourteen, and so he
and Nicole started planning their return to Alaska.
560
00:39:37.920 --> 00:39:42.159
Chris had decided to use the money
from his GI bill to go to
561
00:39:42.199 --> 00:39:45.159
college in Alaska and study chemical engineering
so that he could get a good paying
562
00:39:45.239 --> 00:39:50.079
job on an oil refinery, while
Nicole would stay at home and they would
563
00:39:50.079 --> 00:39:53.960
have another baby together. John and
Aaron also talked about him leaving the Marines
564
00:39:54.079 --> 00:39:58.639
once his contract was complete in another
year or so, even though he had
565
00:39:58.679 --> 00:40:01.280
always planned to make it a career. But I think with all their financial
566
00:40:01.320 --> 00:40:06.559
problems and with their marital problems,
he maybe felt a little bit disillusioned.
567
00:40:07.199 --> 00:40:10.280
He thought about going back to school
to become an auto mechanic. Aaron and
568
00:40:10.360 --> 00:40:15.920
John's problems weren't over, though.
John's truck broke down and they couldn't afford
569
00:40:15.920 --> 00:40:19.519
to fix it, and so John
started driving Aaron's car to work, leaving
570
00:40:19.519 --> 00:40:23.920
her stranded at home. She had
to stop sponsoring her horse at the horse
571
00:40:24.000 --> 00:40:28.000
rescue also because they couldn't afford it, which I'm sure was tough for her
572
00:40:28.039 --> 00:40:30.920
because she loved horses so much and
that was a real outlet for her.
573
00:40:31.679 --> 00:40:36.239
And while John said he wanted to
work on their marriage, he acted cold
574
00:40:36.280 --> 00:40:40.119
and distant, at least according to
what Aaron told her friend Jesse. Eventually,
575
00:40:40.480 --> 00:40:45.760
strangely enough, the three couples started
hanging out again, but things weren't
576
00:40:45.800 --> 00:40:51.880
the same as before. Aaron and
Nicole, especially Nicole was very very cold
577
00:40:51.920 --> 00:40:53.719
toward Aaron, and I think Aaron
didn't want to talk to Nicole either,
578
00:40:53.920 --> 00:41:00.559
so the affair really stopped as far
as we know. The look on your
579
00:41:00.599 --> 00:41:06.039
face tells me differently, yes.
So that brings us to the summer of
580
00:41:06.119 --> 00:41:12.039
twenty fourteen. On Sunday, June
twenty second, Chris went out to Joshua
581
00:41:12.079 --> 00:41:16.480
Tree with his friend Joseph Hollifield.
They drove around doing some off roading,
582
00:41:16.599 --> 00:41:22.559
doing a little hunting. Chris shot
and killed a rattlesnake, and they happened
583
00:41:22.679 --> 00:41:27.320
upon some abandoned mine shafts that Chris
thought were really cool. Oh god,
584
00:41:28.280 --> 00:41:32.360
yeah, we just too many cases. I know that you're mentioning the mine
585
00:41:32.400 --> 00:41:36.119
shaft for a reason. I know
I was trying not to do too much
586
00:41:36.159 --> 00:41:38.639
foreshadowing, but it's really hard not
to. And so this is the twenty
587
00:41:38.639 --> 00:41:42.119
second of June that he and his
friend were out there. Remember it was
588
00:41:42.159 --> 00:41:45.559
the twenty eighth of June when Aaron
went missing, so just six days before
589
00:41:45.719 --> 00:41:50.840
that same day, Aaron woke up
feeling really queasy. It got so bad
590
00:41:50.880 --> 00:41:53.199
that she asked John to take her
to the er, where the doctors told
591
00:41:53.239 --> 00:41:59.360
them that Aaron was about three weeks
pregnant. That's so early. I know,
592
00:41:59.440 --> 00:42:01.480
it really be tactable. That surprised
me as well. I wondered if
593
00:42:01.519 --> 00:42:06.960
that was maybe wrong, but that
was what it said in the popular hospital
594
00:42:07.000 --> 00:42:10.360
tested maybe yeah. I can hear
people yelling at me right now. It's
595
00:42:10.400 --> 00:42:15.639
been a while since I've been pregnant. So John was surprised because they hadn't
596
00:42:15.679 --> 00:42:20.119
had sex very often since the big
blow up, but he was happy,
597
00:42:20.280 --> 00:42:24.760
thinking that this might help them fix
their marriage. Aaron did not seem overjoyed
598
00:42:24.840 --> 00:42:28.840
like she had the first time that
she found out that she was pregnant.
599
00:42:29.039 --> 00:42:34.119
So Liberty is going to have a
little sister. Well maybe. On Thursday,
600
00:42:34.280 --> 00:42:37.960
June twenty sixth, Aaron called her
mom and they talked about all the
601
00:42:37.000 --> 00:42:40.880
things they would do when her mom
came to visit in another couple of weeks.
602
00:42:42.480 --> 00:42:45.000
Aaron was excited for the visit.
She had decided not to tell her
603
00:42:45.000 --> 00:42:50.840
mom about the pregnancy until she saw
her in person, though. On Friday,
604
00:42:50.960 --> 00:42:53.639
June twenty seventh, Chris, Nicole, and Liberty spent the day at
605
00:42:53.639 --> 00:42:58.960
the horse rescue. On the way
out, Chris noticed a white propane tank
606
00:42:59.000 --> 00:43:01.760
in a shed and he asked Isabel
if he could borrow it. She said
607
00:43:01.880 --> 00:43:07.119
sure and asked if he was planning
a barbecue. Chris smiled and said no,
608
00:43:07.199 --> 00:43:09.480
I'm going to use it to play
games. Isabel didn't know what he
609
00:43:09.519 --> 00:43:15.199
meant by that, and she didn't
ask that night. Yeah, well,
610
00:43:15.280 --> 00:43:17.320
Chris liked to blow things up.
I don't know I think I said that
611
00:43:17.360 --> 00:43:21.599
earlier, but he just he liked
to go out in the desert and blow
612
00:43:21.679 --> 00:43:25.639
things up. So but to borrow
someone's and then blow it up, Yeah,
613
00:43:25.679 --> 00:43:30.039
it's a little bit odd, isn't
it cheap? That night, Chris
614
00:43:30.079 --> 00:43:35.320
texted his buddy Skyler and asked if
he wanted to go out hunting with him
615
00:43:35.320 --> 00:43:39.000
in the desert the next morning.
Skyler had had shoulder surgery recently, and
616
00:43:39.039 --> 00:43:44.400
so he said probably not. Chris
also saw Connor that night at the apartment
617
00:43:44.400 --> 00:43:47.360
complex and asked Connor if he wanted
to go hunting in the morning. Connor
618
00:43:47.400 --> 00:43:51.079
said he probably could, but he
would text him in the morning to let
619
00:43:51.159 --> 00:43:54.559
him know for sure. So that
brings us to Saturday, June twenty eighth,
620
00:43:54.800 --> 00:43:59.679
the day that Aaron went missing.
As I mentioned at the beginning,
621
00:43:59.760 --> 00:44:02.960
Air had told John that she needed
some me time and that she was planning
622
00:44:02.960 --> 00:44:07.239
to spend the day in Joshua Tree
National Park scouting out some locations that she
623
00:44:07.280 --> 00:44:12.559
would take her mom during her upcoming
visit. She left that morning in her
624
00:44:12.559 --> 00:44:16.199
Blue Corolla, probably around seven thirty
am. Before she left, she made
625
00:44:16.199 --> 00:44:21.400
a short call to her best friend
Jesse back in Tennessee, John was still
626
00:44:21.440 --> 00:44:22.880
in bed when she left, but
he said that he saw her through the
627
00:44:22.920 --> 00:44:27.960
bedroom window get into her car and
pull away. Once he got up,
628
00:44:28.039 --> 00:44:30.599
John said he stayed in the apartment
and played video games for most of the
629
00:44:30.639 --> 00:44:37.400
morning. So don't you think John
would be like me time at seven thirty
630
00:44:37.400 --> 00:44:42.280
in the morning when you've just had
an affair. These people get up early,
631
00:44:42.360 --> 00:44:45.480
though, Like, as I was
reading this story, like there's a
632
00:44:45.480 --> 00:44:49.320
lot of different instances of people getting
up at six am or seven am and
633
00:44:49.440 --> 00:44:52.800
getting out and doing something. And
also one thing that was pointed out a
634
00:44:52.840 --> 00:44:55.199
number of times is that it gets
so hot in the desert that a lot
635
00:44:55.239 --> 00:44:58.320
of times, if people were going
to go out in the desert, they
636
00:44:58.360 --> 00:45:00.400
would try to get up early to
avoid the worst part of the day.
637
00:45:00.480 --> 00:45:04.760
But that's true. If I got
up, dressed and ready and out the
638
00:45:04.800 --> 00:45:07.800
door at seven thirty am and said
I was going to go have me time,
639
00:45:07.199 --> 00:45:12.079
you would be suspicious. Oh,
yes, for sure. So Chris
640
00:45:12.119 --> 00:45:15.440
also left early that morning for his
hunting excursion in the desert. He left,
641
00:45:15.599 --> 00:45:23.199
wasn't Colin, No Connor? Connor
wouldn't Connor is supposed to join him?
642
00:45:23.280 --> 00:45:28.079
Well? Good, good question.
So Chris left on his own,
643
00:45:28.199 --> 00:45:30.920
but at eight sixteen am, he
got a text from Connor saying that he
644
00:45:30.960 --> 00:45:36.440
could actually meet up with him and
join him. Chris replied, telling Connor
645
00:45:36.440 --> 00:45:38.880
where they could meet, and then
he said, quote tell Nicole, I
646
00:45:38.880 --> 00:45:43.280
put my phone in airplane mode unquote, and then he turned his phone off.
647
00:45:43.559 --> 00:45:45.679
Well, I would think in the
desert you wouldn't have great exactly.
648
00:45:46.360 --> 00:45:51.599
True. You always you always know
what I'm going to say before you say.
649
00:45:51.920 --> 00:45:53.800
We've been married a long time.
So yeah, yes, you're not
650
00:45:53.800 --> 00:45:57.920
gonna have good reception in the desert
anyway. And I guess turning your phone
651
00:45:57.920 --> 00:46:01.519
off might be a normal thing to
save your battery. Nicole slept late that
652
00:46:02.239 --> 00:46:07.400
Sorry, I'm just no, I'm
not a tech person. You are more
653
00:46:07.440 --> 00:46:12.039
than just putting your phone in airplane
mode really saved that battery? Yeah,
654
00:46:12.119 --> 00:46:14.800
yeah, totally, especially if you
don't if you're not in range of a
655
00:46:14.840 --> 00:46:17.079
signal, because then your phone's always
trying to find a signal and that actually
656
00:46:17.440 --> 00:46:22.360
does eat up your battery pretty quick. Okay, all right, always taken,
657
00:46:22.840 --> 00:46:27.719
taken. There's too many names.
Are we taking Chris's side, aren't
658
00:46:27.719 --> 00:46:31.199
you? No, I'm definitely not
taking Chris's side, so Nicole slept late
659
00:46:31.239 --> 00:46:35.559
that morning. She and Liberty had
been planning to go to the horse ranch
660
00:46:35.719 --> 00:46:38.280
that day, but she texted Isabelle
at the ranch and said that she wasn't
661
00:46:38.280 --> 00:46:44.000
feeling well and that they would stay
home. Connor went to where Chris said
662
00:46:44.039 --> 00:46:46.880
that they should meet, but he
couldn't find him, and Chris didn't respond
663
00:46:46.960 --> 00:46:52.039
to his calls or texts because his
phone was in airplane mode. So Connor
664
00:46:52.159 --> 00:46:55.679
drove out there where he and Chris
were supposed to meet. So he put
665
00:46:55.679 --> 00:46:59.840
his he's supposed to meet a friend
in the desert, which it's not easy
666
00:46:59.880 --> 00:47:02.119
to find someone in the desert.
That's why all the buried bodies are buried
667
00:47:02.119 --> 00:47:06.079
in the desert. And he put
his phone in airplane mode. Yeah.
668
00:47:06.599 --> 00:47:09.000
Also very very strange, right,
And so Connor couldn't find him. Of
669
00:47:09.039 --> 00:47:14.559
course, Chris didn't respond to his
calls or texts because where was he supposed
670
00:47:14.559 --> 00:47:16.760
to meet him? I don't know
the exact location. I'm sure he picked
671
00:47:16.800 --> 00:47:21.440
some second cactus on the right,
Yeah, something, you know, because
672
00:47:21.440 --> 00:47:23.000
you would think you would have to
drop a pin in order to find someone
673
00:47:23.039 --> 00:47:28.000
in the desert unless there was there's
different milestones. Yeah, you know,
674
00:47:28.079 --> 00:47:30.519
but I don't. I don't know
exactly where he told him to meet him.
675
00:47:30.559 --> 00:47:34.400
But Connor hung out there for almost
three hours, like he drove around
676
00:47:35.039 --> 00:47:37.440
looking for Chris. He hung out
where they were supposed to be, and
677
00:47:37.519 --> 00:47:40.039
finally after three hours he gave up
and went back home. Do you remember
678
00:47:40.079 --> 00:47:44.880
one time we were on a vacation
and it was it was a long I
679
00:47:44.920 --> 00:47:49.679
think we took two weeks and we
went from like Las Vegas to Sedona to
680
00:47:49.880 --> 00:47:53.079
a getting it right to the Grand
Canyon and we drove a lot of dessert
681
00:47:53.159 --> 00:47:58.400
and it was really scary because there
was no nowhere to stop for gas.
682
00:47:58.480 --> 00:48:01.280
Yeah. I think they're even signs
that were like okay, last gas for
683
00:48:01.559 --> 00:48:07.639
two hundred miles. Yeah, because
we drove from like the Grand Canyon all
684
00:48:07.679 --> 00:48:12.280
the way over to California, like
to La Area, and Yeah, that
685
00:48:12.320 --> 00:48:15.760
whole drive, it's like it's so
it's eye opening, Like you don't where
686
00:48:15.760 --> 00:48:16.880
we live now, It's like you
don't really think about it, but there's
687
00:48:16.920 --> 00:48:21.760
like hundreds of miles of nothing.
Yeah, and her first it was so
688
00:48:21.800 --> 00:48:23.119
cool. We're like, oh my
gosh, the deserts so beautiful. And
689
00:48:23.119 --> 00:48:25.599
then by the end, I was
like all give me the fuck up desert.
690
00:48:27.320 --> 00:48:30.000
It was a lot of a lot
of desert that was a great chip.
691
00:48:30.079 --> 00:48:32.480
There was one of the shows that
I watched, I can't remember which
692
00:48:32.480 --> 00:48:36.400
one it was. For this episode
there was a woman that was a local
693
00:48:36.480 --> 00:48:39.480
there that was talking and she said
something like, yeah, the desert,
694
00:48:39.559 --> 00:48:43.760
like it's a great place to find
yourself, and then once you find yourself,
695
00:48:43.800 --> 00:48:46.840
you just want to get out of
here. Does it take to find
696
00:48:46.840 --> 00:48:51.199
yourself? I don't know. It
could take some people years. Maybe it's
697
00:48:51.440 --> 00:48:53.639
it is beautiful though, it is. Yeah, it's very beautiful. All
698
00:48:53.719 --> 00:48:58.480
right. So back to the story. Chris got back to the apartment around
699
00:48:58.480 --> 00:49:02.039
four pm. He had messages from
both Connor and Nicole. Connor, as
700
00:49:02.039 --> 00:49:07.159
you might expect, was annoyed at
him. Chris called him back and apologized.
701
00:49:07.199 --> 00:49:08.400
He said, oh, I'm sorry. I must have gotten confused about
702
00:49:08.400 --> 00:49:12.480
where we were supposed to meet,
and then I got lost and I didn't
703
00:49:12.480 --> 00:49:16.039
have cell phone reception. He also
told Connor a strange story that he was
704
00:49:16.079 --> 00:49:21.000
out in the desert and he saw
a stranger off in the distance who fired
705
00:49:21.000 --> 00:49:24.000
a gun in his direction and he
freaked out and so he left. At
706
00:49:24.000 --> 00:49:28.920
that point, Aaron had told John
that she would be home by four.
707
00:49:29.440 --> 00:49:31.760
He hadn't heard from her during the
day, but he wasn't too worried because
708
00:49:31.840 --> 00:49:37.519
again he knew that cell phone reception
was pretty bad in the National Park between
709
00:49:37.559 --> 00:49:40.599
four o'clock and sundown. He tried
calling her dozens of times with no luck.
710
00:49:42.280 --> 00:49:45.519
He thought maybe she had decided to
stop by a friend's house, but
711
00:49:45.840 --> 00:49:50.559
it wasn't like Aaron not to call. By midnight, he was panicking,
712
00:49:50.800 --> 00:49:53.239
but he didn't call the police to
report her missing until the next morning.
713
00:49:54.440 --> 00:49:58.480
So why did he wait till the
next morning? That's a good question.
714
00:49:58.880 --> 00:50:01.480
It's very I'll tell you. I
think so many people think that you have
715
00:50:01.599 --> 00:50:06.639
to wait the twenty four to forty
eight hours. That was exactly his explanation.
716
00:50:07.000 --> 00:50:09.360
So when police actually questioned him,
like why did you wait that long,
717
00:50:09.400 --> 00:50:12.880
and that's exactly what he said is
you know, I watched so many
718
00:50:12.960 --> 00:50:15.920
shows and I just thought it was
twenty four hours before you would do anything.
719
00:50:16.400 --> 00:50:21.559
I think it is dependent on your
location and different police departments have different
720
00:50:21.719 --> 00:50:24.559
criteria. Yeah, depending on this. You know, like if I went
721
00:50:24.719 --> 00:50:28.800
missing for twenty four hours, you
would know if something was up because I
722
00:50:28.840 --> 00:50:31.440
wouldn't I literally would not do that
to you. And in this situation too,
723
00:50:31.719 --> 00:50:36.400
nineteen year old pregnant girl in the
desert where it gets up to you
724
00:50:36.440 --> 00:50:38.840
know, one hundred and ten degrees
or whatever, time is really of the
725
00:50:38.960 --> 00:50:43.239
essence, So you would not want
to wait any longer than you'd need to.
726
00:50:43.400 --> 00:50:45.159
Yeah, And if someone is missing, call the worst they can say
727
00:50:45.280 --> 00:50:50.199
is call us back in twenty four
hours. Yeah, So I think that
728
00:50:50.360 --> 00:50:52.480
is probably a good point to break. I know, we're leaving it on
729
00:50:52.519 --> 00:51:00.199
a cliffhanger here. I always do
that, don't I you do. That's
730
00:51:00.199 --> 00:51:02.719
not what nice people do. I
know, I know, But I have
731
00:51:02.760 --> 00:51:07.679
to say we've been working, we've
both been working so hard, and two
732
00:51:07.719 --> 00:51:13.400
part episodes do give us still a
little bitterly way they do, they do.
733
00:51:13.480 --> 00:51:16.360
And actually this, you know,
this story probably could have been told
734
00:51:16.360 --> 00:51:20.199
in one part, But I really
do think like all the backstory with the
735
00:51:20.239 --> 00:51:22.519
couples and all the relationships and all
that stuff, I think it's actually really
736
00:51:22.559 --> 00:51:27.679
interesting and really important for the case
as well, just to kind of understand
737
00:51:27.719 --> 00:51:30.159
the dynamics that were going on between
all the people involved. So I'm gonna
738
00:51:30.199 --> 00:51:34.960
take your word for it. Yeah, And then I'm gonna I'm really hungry,
739
00:51:35.000 --> 00:51:37.519
so I'm gonna get the rest of
these. It's so funny that you
740
00:51:37.599 --> 00:51:44.159
bought thought those protein bars that's what
the does are. I went out to
741
00:51:44.199 --> 00:51:46.960
the grocery store this morning, first
thing in the morning, and I bought
742
00:51:47.079 --> 00:51:52.840
Oh you didn't order them from Military
Meals dot Com. Well, okay,
743
00:51:52.880 --> 00:51:55.519
I'll tell you. I actually did
go online and looked for MRS because you
744
00:51:55.519 --> 00:51:59.360
can order you know, military meal
is. It's called MRI, which I
745
00:51:59.360 --> 00:52:02.760
think means meal replacement. I thought, I'm the meal is ready to eat.
746
00:52:04.000 --> 00:52:06.199
Oh, I think you're right,
But it turns out like if you
747
00:52:06.199 --> 00:52:08.440
want to buy an MRI at home, like from Amazon or whatever, they're
748
00:52:08.440 --> 00:52:13.679
actually really expensive. Like it's really
hard. Yeah, it's hard to I
749
00:52:13.719 --> 00:52:22.960
don't know something like for a meal. Okay, so we took a quick
750
00:52:23.079 --> 00:52:27.639
break to google this because we were
both curious because I couldn't remember. Well,
751
00:52:27.679 --> 00:52:31.760
I'm kind of a I like to
be prepared, and we don't have
752
00:52:31.880 --> 00:52:36.039
like a year's worth of food in
our house or anything like that. But
753
00:52:36.079 --> 00:52:40.519
I've always kind of been intrigued by
that notion of survivalist. Yeah idea,
754
00:52:40.559 --> 00:52:44.079
So that's why I'm kind of interested
in. Well, I did find one.
755
00:52:44.079 --> 00:52:46.719
This is actually not that expensive.
This is from my Patriot supply and
756
00:52:46.760 --> 00:52:52.159
it's a four week food supply for
like one hundred and ninety seven dollars.
757
00:52:52.400 --> 00:52:57.440
Four weeks of food for one person. Two thousand calories a Day's a lot
758
00:52:57.480 --> 00:53:00.880
of calories. Two thousand a day. Well, I mean if you're in
759
00:53:00.960 --> 00:53:02.559
a survival mode, that's a lot
of calories. True. True, But
760
00:53:02.760 --> 00:53:07.360
if you only wanted, it would
last twice as long. But that's actually
761
00:53:07.360 --> 00:53:12.679
pretty pretty cheap, really less than
ten dollars a day. Uh. Someone
762
00:53:12.840 --> 00:53:17.800
that I knew a long time ago, some ex boyfriends parents. They had
763
00:53:17.840 --> 00:53:22.480
like a bunker in their house.
Oh really, and it was filled with
764
00:53:22.719 --> 00:53:28.039
food really. Yeah. And so
if there's ever like a nuclear war,
765
00:53:28.079 --> 00:53:30.760
I think you're going to go to
your ex boyfriends. I mean they really
766
00:53:30.800 --> 00:53:34.719
liked me back in the day.
I think it's been a long, long,
767
00:53:34.760 --> 00:53:37.320
long time. Yeah, that wouldn't
be awkward at all, hanging out
768
00:53:37.360 --> 00:53:39.440
in a bunker with ex boyfriend.
I mean, I love his parents.
769
00:53:39.559 --> 00:53:43.320
It was when we broke up.
It was sadder to lose his family than
770
00:53:43.440 --> 00:53:45.880
him. Yeah, but they would
probably let him in the bunker also,
771
00:53:45.079 --> 00:53:47.119
So that's what I'm saying, I
think of the head. Well, yeah,
772
00:53:47.159 --> 00:53:50.039
I guess it's been a long time. Back in the day, I
773
00:53:50.039 --> 00:53:53.760
think maybe they would have chosen me
over him. Well, I found a
774
00:53:53.880 --> 00:54:00.000
three pack of Meals Ready to Eat
on Amazon, which is thirty eight dollars.
775
00:54:00.119 --> 00:54:02.519
That's that's pretty crazy. Yeah,
it doesn't even say it doesn't even
776
00:54:02.559 --> 00:54:06.119
say what's include. Can't be it
can't be good either, right, I
777
00:54:06.519 --> 00:54:08.320
mean I know that's why. Yeah, my curiosity is like, it's funny
778
00:54:08.320 --> 00:54:13.599
because this it shows what's included,
and there's a moist tablet, non dairy
779
00:54:13.679 --> 00:54:16.719
creamer, all sorts of good stuff. So yeah, I would be curious
780
00:54:16.719 --> 00:54:20.639
to try it e meals Ready to
I'm sure I wouldn't like it. But
781
00:54:20.920 --> 00:54:22.440
well, I'm sorry. I just
went with the basic what I could get
782
00:54:22.440 --> 00:54:27.760
at the grocery store. But maybe
next time, maybe maybe next time,
783
00:54:28.239 --> 00:54:34.159
Maybe next time I do a military
related episode, maybe we could seek one
784
00:54:34.199 --> 00:54:37.119
out because I really am curious.
All right, so we're wrapping it up.
785
00:54:37.239 --> 00:54:39.800
That's it. I think that's it
for part one. All right,
786
00:54:39.840 --> 00:54:44.280
Well, thank you for listening.
We say this every time, but we
787
00:54:44.320 --> 00:54:50.440
are so grateful for so grateful,
so grateful, follow us on Instagram or
788
00:54:50.519 --> 00:54:54.199
Facebook at Love Mary Kill or on
Twitter at LMK pod. We love to
789
00:54:54.239 --> 00:55:00.639
hear from you, so send us
feedback, case suggestions, snack snacks.
790
00:55:00.639 --> 00:55:04.320
Send us snack suggestions. We've been
working on getting a PO box because we've
791
00:55:04.360 --> 00:55:07.119
had a lot of people wanting to
send us snacks. We have one of
792
00:55:07.159 --> 00:55:10.039
these days we will, We're gonna, We're gonna do that. We're going
793
00:55:10.079 --> 00:55:15.679
to do that. Email us at
Love Mary Kill at gmail dot com or
794
00:55:15.000 --> 00:55:20.039
use the feedback form on our link
tree, and if you'd like what you
795
00:55:20.119 --> 00:55:22.599
hear, then please give us a
rating, a review, subscribe. We
796
00:55:22.880 --> 00:55:29.639
really appreciate any time you could take
to boost us on the social media channels,
797
00:55:29.639 --> 00:55:31.519
and it really does matter, it
really does help. I think I
798
00:55:31.559 --> 00:55:36.400
said this last time too, but
a hearty thank you to anyone who has
799
00:55:36.440 --> 00:55:38.360
taken the time to leave us a
rating, a review for means a lot
800
00:55:38.400 --> 00:55:43.400
to us. Thanks again for listening, and until next time, don't kill
801
00:55:43.440 --> 00:56:05.519
your wife, don't kill your husband. Be the
