The Case Against Sandra Garner

>> SHE'S NOT THE KIND OF PERSON THAT WOULD DO THAT TO JON .>> Reporter: IN SEPTEMBER OF 2019, SANDRA GARNER, AGED BY PRISON, GOT TO TELL HER STORY TO A NEW AUDIENCE ...>> GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE !>> Reporter: ... IN FRONT OF A JURY WHEN SHE WENT ON TRIAL IN WAXAHACHIE, TEXAS ...>> ARE THE ATTORNEYS READY FOR THE JURY TO COME IN ?>> Reporter: ... FOR MURDERING HER HUSBAND, JON. WERE YOU PREPARED FOR WHAT THAT WAS GOING TO BE LIKE ?>> NO, I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT ALL WAS GOING TO BE SAID. I WAS HOPEFUL. THEY DIDN'T HAVE ANYTHING TO PROVE ABSOLUTELY THAT I DID IT, SO I WAS CONFIDENT .>> Reporter: BUT PROSECUTORS LINDY BEATY AND RICKY SIPES BELIEVED THEY HAD A STRONG CASE AGAINST HER .>> THE MURDER WEAPON WAS SANDRA GARNER'S GUN .>> ANYBODY YOU TELL THIS STORY TO SAYS, " WHO COMES TO COMMIT A MURDER AND DOESN'T BRING THEIR OWN WEAPON?' ">> Reporter: BEATY RIDICULED SANDRA'S STORY ABOUT A KILLER COMING IN BUT USING SANDRA'S GUN .>> " DAMN IT! I FORGOT THE GUN !">> Reporter: AT TIMES, SHE ACTED OUT THE ROLE OF THE KILLER .>> " I WORE MY TRUSTY MASK SO NO ONE WOULD KNOW WHO I WAS, BUT I'M GOING TO HAVE A TEN- MINUTE CONVERSATION WITH SANDRA ABOUT WHO I AM AND WHY I'M DOING THIS .">> Reporter: AND THERE WERE THOSE GHOULISH SEARCHES ON SANDRA'S iPAD ABOUT KILLING SOMEONE AND NOT GETTING CAUGHT .>> " BIG DEAL ." AND WE DID MAKE A BIG DEAL ABOUT THESE .>> Reporter: PROSECUTORS COULD WELL HAVE CONSIDERED THIS CASE A SLAM- DUNK ...>> SOUNDS GOOD FOR US, RIGHT? SOMETIMES WE DON'T GET THAT MUCH .>> Reporter: ... BUT THIS WAS A HARD CASE .>> WE KNEW WE HAD A MOUNTAIN OF HURDLES TO OVERCOME IN THIS TRIAL .>> MAKE NO MISTAKE, SHE DIDN'T SHOOT JON .>> Reporter: THE PROSECUTION'S BIGGEST HURDLES MAY HAVE BEEN THE RESULT OF POOR POLICE WORK ...>>\ SHERIFF'S OFFICE !>> Reporter: ... ESPECIALLY MAYPEARL POLICE CHIEF BOYD NORTON'S LACK OF EXPERIENCE LEADING AN INVESTIGATION .>> OBVIOUSLY, I HAD BEEN TO MANY MURDER SCENES. BUT, AS FAR AS BEING THE INVESTIGATOR ON THE SCENE, THIS WAS MY FIRST .>> Reporter: HE HAD ENOUGH EXPERIENCE TO KNOW HE HAD TO LOOK INTO ALL THOSE PEOPLE JON HAD FIRED OVER THE YEARS .>> WE INTERVIEWED PROBABLY A COUPLE OF DOZEN PEOPLE WHO HAD BEEN TERMINATED, AND WE WERE NOT COMING UP WITH ANY SUSPECTS .>> Reporter: BUT NORTON IS MORE OPEN AND MORE HONEST THAN MOST PEOPLE WOULD BE ABOUT THE MISTAKES HE MADE AT VARIOUS STAGES OF THE INVESTIGATION. WAS THE CRIME SCENE SECURED, IN YOUR VIEW, QUICKLY ENOUGH TO PRESERVE ALL THE EVIDENCE ?>> NO. I PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE TAKEN HER OUT OF THE HOUSE AND PUT HER IN A CAR. I PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE BAGGED HER HANDS, AND I SHOULD HAVE DONE SOME OTHER THINGS .>> Reporter: POLICE MIGHT HAVE MADE A HUGE MISTAKE BY NOT BAGGING SANDRA'S HANDS. GUNSHOT RESIDUE WAS DISCOVERED ON HER, BUT IT WAS ONLY A TINY AMOUNT. THAT COULD HAVE AN INNOCENT EXPLANATION, SAYS THE DEFENSE .>> SANDRA WAS LYING RIGHT NEXT TO JON WHEN HE WAS SHOT. SHE PULLED THE BODY OFF THE BED, AND SHE DID CHEST COMPRESSIONS. THE FACT THAT THERE WERE ONLY THREE SPECKS ON HER LEFT ARM WASN'T CONSISTENT WITH HER FIRING THE WEAPON .>> Reporter: INVESTIGATORS BELIEVE IF SANDRA'S HANDS HAD BEEN BAGGED, THEY MIGHT HAVE FOUND A LOT \ MORE \ GUNSHOT RESIDUE, ENOUGH TO PROVE SHE \ DID FIRE THAT GUN .>>\ HE'S IN THE BEDROOM, RIGHT \ THERE .>> Reporter: POLICE MIGHT ALSO HAVE FAILED TO PRESERVE THE CRIME SCENE WELL ENOUGH. FIRST RESPONDERS CAME IN AND OUT .>> A LOT RAN IN THE BEDROOM WHEN I WAS STILL THERE, WHICH I THOUGHT WAS STRANGE BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE IT HAPPENED. SO, WHY RUN AND MESS UP EVERYTHING THAT COULD BE EVIDENCE ?>> Reporter: AND IMPORTANT EVIDENCE WAS LOST BY THE POLICE THEMSELVES. BODY CAM FOOTAGE SHOWS CHIEF NORTON TAKING PHOTOS OF THE SCENE RIGHT WHEN HE ARRIVED-- A LOT OF THEM-- AND THEY ALL INEXPLICABLY DISAPPEARED FROM HIS CELL PHONE. HOW DID YOU FEEL WHEN YOU REALIZED THAT THESE PHOTOS WERE MISSING ?>> WELL, I FELT BAD. I HAD EVIDENCE THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN WITH THE CASE, AND IT WASN'T THERE. SO, YEAH, I WAS EMBARRASSED .>> Reporter: PROBLEM FOR THE CASE .>> YES, SIR .>> Reporter: INSTEAD, THE PROSECUTION HAD TO USE PHOTOS TAKEN BY THE ELLIS COUNTY SHERIFF'S CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATOR EIGHT HOURS AFTER THE MURDER .>> THE INVESTIGATION'S MESSED UP .>> Reporter: THE MISHAP WITH THE PHOTOS SEEMED LIKE A GIFT TO DEFENSE ATTORNEY TOM PAPPAS. WHAT DID YOU THINK WHEN YOU HEARD THAT THESE PHOTOS HAD BEEN LOST ?>> " I THINK WE'RE GOING TO WIN .">> Reporter: DO YOU REGRET NOT HANDING THIS WHOLE THING OVER TO ELLIS COUNTY RIGHT AWAY ?>> I DO. I DO .>> Reporter: WHEN DID YOU REALIZE THAT THAT WAS A MISTAKE ?>> PROBABLY ABOUT A WEEK INTO IT .>> LAW ENFORCEMENT POURED THEIR HEART AND THEIR SOUL INTO THIS INVESTIGATION. IT MAY NOT HAVE BEEN PERFECT .>> Reporter: AND PROSECUTORS KNEW THE CHIEF'S INEXPERIENCE WOULD NOT PLAY WELL IN FRONT OF THE JURY. DID CHIEF BOYD NORTON FILL YOU WITH CONFIDENCE ?>> NO .>> NO .>> Reporter: PROSECUTORS FOUND THEMSELVES HAVING TO EXPLAIN, AMONG OTHER THINGS, WHY THE POLICE DIDN'T FINGERPRINT THE DOOR HANDLE OF THE MUSTANG WHERE THE GUN WAS FOUND. PAPPAS SAYS POLICE MIGHT WELL HAVE FOUND A FINGERPRINT THAT BELONGED TO ANOTHER SUSPECT .>> AS PROSECUTORS, WE WANT THEM TO DO EVERYTHING POSSIBLE THAT THEY COULD DO. I BELIEVE THAT IT SHOULD'VE BEEN DONE .>> YOU KNOW, I TOLD YOU UP FRONT THAT WE'D MADE SOME MISTAKES IN THIS CASE. SHOULD WE HAVE TAKEN THE CAR AND IMPOUNDED AND PROCESSED IT? MAYBE. BUT WE DIDN'T .>> Reporter: PAPPAS ATTACKED EVERY PHASE OF THE INVESTIGATION .>> POLICE SEARCHED THAT HOUSE, AND THEY SCREWED A LOT OF STUFF UP .>>\ WHERE YOU AT ?\ THE BEDROOM ?>> Reporter: HE WANTED TO KNOW WHY IT TOOK POLICE SO LONG TO GET TO THE CRIME SCENE IN THE FIRST PLACE .>> (\ SCREAMING \)>> YOU GET A 911 CALL FROM A LADY WHO'S HYSTERICAL THAT SAYS, " THERE WAS AN INTRUDER, AND MY HUSBAND'S BEEN SHOT ," AND IT TAKES THEM 30, 40 MINUTES TO GET TO THE SCENE ?>> Reporter: WELL, CHIEF NORTON SAYS HE WAS THERE IN 15 MINUTES .>> EVEN 15 MINUTES IS CRAZY .>> Reporter: PROSECUTORS HAD ONE OTHER HUGE

PROVING A MOTIVE .\ WHY \ WOULD SANDRA WANT TO KILL HER HUSBAND, WHO WAS HER CARETAKER ?>> WE DID NOT HAVE ONE SET MOTIVE, " HERE IS THE MOTIVE, THIS IS THE REASON WHY SHE KILLED HIM .">> Reporter: IN TEXAS, PROSECUTORS DON'T HAVE TO PROVE MOTIVE .>> BUT AS A HUMAN BEING, EVERYBODY WANTS TO KNOW \ WHY .>> Reporter: BUT PAPPAS SAYS THERE WAS ONE PERSON WHO WAS CLOSE TO JON AND MAY WELL HAVE HAD A MOTIVE TO KILL HIM. AND WHAT'S MORE, AT EVERY TURN IN THE CASE, HE WAS

SANDRA'S SON, WES .>> WE KNEW WES WAS GOING TO BE A PROBLEM FROM THE GET- GO .>>\ WHAT I SAY TO YOU, ARE YOU \ GOING TO PLAY IT BACK TO MY \ MOM ?>> WES \ DOES \ LOOK BAD .>> WES SHOULD HAVE BEEN A SUSPECT .>> Reporter: DEFENSE ATTORNEY TOM PAPPAS SAYS THE POLICE MADE ONE OF THEIR BIGGEST MISTAKES WHEN THEY RULED OUT ONE SUSPECT ...>> SO, LET'S TALK ABOUT WES .>> Reporter: ... SANDRA'S OWN SON, WES .>> HIS CONDUCT, WHEN YOU REALLY LOOK AT IT OBJECTIVELY AND LOOK AT SANDRA OBJECTIVELY, IS MORE SUSPICIOUS THAN HERS .>> WELL, EVERYTHING WES DID WAS KIND OF SUSPICIOUS .>> Reporter: PROSECUTOR LINDY BEATY :>> I DID HAVE A LOT OF HEARTBURN OVER IT WHEN WE WERE GOING THROUGH CASE PREPARATION, AND WE KNEW WES WAS GOING TO BE AN ABSOLUTE TRAIN WRECK. AND HE WAS .>> Reporter: WES WAS INVOLVED IN THIS CASE EARLY ON. JUST HOURS AFTER JON WAS KILLED, WES WAS THE ONE WHO POINTED THE FINGER AT HIS MOTHER .>>\ WHAT'S YOUR THOUGHTS ?>>\ I DON'T WANT TO TELL YOU .\ I MEAN, IT'S MY MOM, MAN .>> Reporter: AND HE KEPT AT IT, QUESTIONING DETAILS OF HER STORY .>> THE DOGS, BIG DOG .>>\ THE DOGS .\ WHY DIDN'T THEY BARK ?\ HOW DID SO AND SO KNOW HOW TO \ GET IN ?\ AND FOR SOMEBODY TO SNEAK UP ON \ HIM LIKE THAT, I DON'T BUY IT .>> ONE OF THE HARDEST THINGS ABOUT THE CASE WAS THE MAGNITUDE OF WES' DISLOYALTY TO HER AND THE THINGS HE WAS DOING TO TRY TO GET HER BLAMED FOR THIS .>>\ SHE HAS NEVER ACTED LIKE THIS \ BEFORE .>> JUST JUMPED OUT AT YOU .>> Reporter: SANDRA NOW SAYS SHE HAS COME TO BELIEVE THE WORST THING A MOTHER COULD BELIEVE ABOUT HER CHILD. WHO DO YOU THINK KILLED JON ?>> I THINK IT WAS WESLEY .>> Reporter: PAPPAS SAYS THOSE CHILLING GOOGLE SEARCHES ON SANDRA'S iPAD AND iPHONE COULD HAVE BEEN DONE BY WES. HE SAYS WES HAD ACCESS TO THE DEVICES, THAT DID NOT REQUIRE A PASSWORD .>> IF THERE'S ONE THING EVERYBODY SAID ABOUT SANDRA AND JON IS, THEY WENT TO BED AT 9: 30 .>> Reporter: THOSE WEB SEARCHES WERE DONE BETWEEN 11: 00 AND MIDNIGHT, JUST FOUR DAYS BEFORE THE MURDER. AND PAPPAS SAYS, ON THAT SAME NIGHT, WES WAS AT THEIR HOUSE .>> HE'S THE ONE THAT DID THE WEBSITE, NOT HER .>> Reporter: WENT SEARCHING FOR 16 WAYS ...>> 16 WAYS TO KILL .>> Reporter: YOU DON'T KNOW THAT FOR SURE, BUT GO AHEAD .>> HE'S-- WELL, I DON'T KNOW WHO ELSE IT COULD HAVE BEEN. I DON'T THINK IT WAS JON .>> Reporter: WES WOULDN'T ANSWER OUR QUESTIONS, BUT HE ALWAYS SEEMED WILLING TO ANSWER INVESTIGATORS' QUESTIONS, ESPECIALLY ABOUT HIS MOTHER AND HER GUN . >>\ I THINK IT WAS A REVOLVER. \ SHE USED TO KEEP IT IN HER \ PURSE THAT I WOULD SEE IT \ UNDERNEATH THE SEAT IN HER CAR .\ THAT'S THE LAST TIME WHERE SHE \ KEPT IT .>>\ WHICH CAR ?>>\ THE MUSTANG .>> HE'S BEING A LITTLE BIT TOO HELPFUL WITH THE POLICE, SAYING, " HEY, YOU KNOW, LOOK HERE .">> Reporter: AFTER THE POLICE SEARCHED AND FAILED TO FIND THE GUN, LIEUTENANT SHANE THOMPSON TALKED TO WES AGAIN . >>\ SOMEBODY SAID YOUR MOM OWNED \ A . 38 REVOLVER .>>\ SHE DOES HAVE A REVOLVER, BUT \ I THOUGHT IT WAS IN HER \ MUSTANG, AND SHE SAID SHE NEVER \ PUT IT IN HER MUSTANG .\ AND IF SHE DID, IT WOULD BE \ UNDERNEATH THE SEAT .>>\ UNDERNEATH THE SEAT ? >> Reporter: THE NEXT DAY, POLICE SEARCHED FOR THE GUN ONE MORE TIME .>> AND WHERE DO THEY FIND IT? THEY FIND IT UNDER THE SEAT. THOSE THINGS REALLY DID CAUSE SOME CONCERN. WES \ DOES \ LOOK BAD .>> IT BEGAN TO LOOK LIKE SOMEONE WAS SETTING HER UP. AND I DON'T KNOW THAT WES DID THAT, BUT IT SURE LOOKS SUSPICIOUS. AND-- AND HIS CONDUCT WAS JUST UNEXPLAINABLE .>> Reporter: PAPPAS BELIEVES WES MIGHT HAVE MORE OF A MOTIVE TO KILL JON THAN SANDRA DID. HE SAYS WES NEEDED MONEY AND MISTAKENLY BELIEVED HE WAS IN JON'S WILL. WAS HE EVER A SUSPECT IN THIS ?>> NO, HE WASN'T MY SUSPECT .>> Reporter: AFTER ALL, WES TOLD CHIEF BOYD NORTON HE HAD AN ALIBI FOR THE TIME JON WAS MURDERED . >>\ I WENT BACK HOME, BOUGHT A \ SIX- PACK OF BEER AND WATCHED \ NETFLIX . >> Reporter: AND NETFLIX AND PHONE RECORDS SEEMED TO HELP CORROBORATE HIS STORY, AT LEAST FOR A WHILE .>> THERE WAS A RECORD THAT HE'D BEEN ON NETFLIX UP TILL ABOUT 12: 00, 12: 30. THERE WERE SOME PHONE CALLS THAT WERE MADE .>> " OH, MY GOD. THIS IS PERFECT. LIKE, HE'S GOT AN ALIBI. THIS IS FANTASTIC ." UNTIL \ WE \ LOOK AT THE RECORDS, AND WE'RE LIKE, " NO, NO, THAT-- THAT'S NOT THE RIGHT TIME .">> Reporter: PROSECUTORS DISCOVERED INVESTIGATORS HAD MADE A MISTAKE. THE TIMES ON THOSE RECORDS WEREN'T RECORDED IN CENTRAL STANDARD TIME, THE LOCAL TIME, WHICH MEANS THERE WAS ACTUALLY \ NO \ EVIDENCE THAT WES WAS WATCHING NETFLIX OR ON THE PHONE AT THE TIME JON WAS KILLED. DIDN'T LOOK GOOD THAT THE COPS DIDN'T KNOW WHICH TIME ZONE THEY WERE DEALING WITH ?>> NO, IT DID NOT .>> Reporter: I WOULD IMAGINE IT DID NOT HELP YOUR CASE ?>> NO .>> THEY DIDN'T LOOK AT WES. THEY DIDN'T UNDERSTAND THAT HE DIDN'T HAVE AN ALIBI. AND THAT'S AN EXAMPLE OF WHERE THEY JUST GLOSS OVER STUFF .>> THEY THOUGHT THEY HAD A ROCK- SOLID ALIBI FOR WES WHEN, IN FACT, THAT WAS NOT THE CASE .>> I WAS FLOORED AT THAT .>> Reporter: THE PROSECUTORS INSIST EVEN THOUGH THEY SAY WES LOOKS SUSPICIOUS AT TIMES AND HE HAS NO ALIBI, THEY ARE CONFIDENT HE IS \ NOT \ THE KILLER .>> ONCE YOU MEET WES, IT'S OVER. IF YOU JUST TALK TO HIM FOR ANY LENGTH OF TIME, YOU KNOW THAT HE IS JUST NOT CAPABLE OF COMMITTING THIS TYPE OF CRIME. HE'S JUST NOT SMART ENOUGH, HONESTLY .>> Reporter: AND, SHE SAYS, HIS STOMACH ISN'T STRONG ENOUGH .>> THERE'S NO WAY THAT GUY CAN GO PUT A BULLET IN SOME GUY'S HEAD THAT HE LOVES, SEE SOME BLOOD, AND THERE NOT BE A VOMIT TRAIL, YOU KNOW, ALL THE WAY BACK HOME .>> Reporter: AND IF WES DID BREAK INTO THE HOUSE THAT NIGHT AND HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH SANDRA, BEATY WONDERS, HOW COULD SANDRA NOT RECOGNIZE HIM ?>> MY GOD, PEOPLE! IF IT WAS WES MILLER, SHE WOULDN'T KNOW HER OWN SON? THERE IS NO WAY SHE DOESN'T KNOW IF IT'S HIM. THERE'S NO WAY .>> Reporter: YOU WOULDN'T RECOGNIZE HIS VOICE ?>> I WOULD THINK I WOULD RECOGNIZE HIS VOICE, BUT AFTER HEARING SHOTS ...\ PLEASE HELP HIM !... AND JUST ALL THE DRAMA ...(\ SCREAMING \)... I CAN SEE WHY I DIDN'T RECOGNIZE IT .>> Reporter: YOUR OWN SON ?>> YES .>> Reporter: PARDON ME FOR SAYING THIS, BUT IT'S HARD TO BELIEVE .>> I DON'T KNOW. I JUST I DIDN'T RECOGNIZE IT .>> Reporter: THERE ARE A LOT OF QUESTIONS FOR SANDRA, AND, UNLIKE MOST DEFENDANTS IN MURDER CASES, SHE DECIDED TO TAKE THE STAND. CAMERAS WERE NOT ALLOWED IN THE COURTROOM FOR HER TESTIMONY .>> I FELT LIKE IF IT WENT WRONG FOR ME, IF I DIDN'T TESTIFY, WHAT IF I COULD HAVE SAVED IT ?>> Reporter: WERE YOU COMFORTABLE PUTTING HER UP ?>> NO, OF COURSE NOT. YOU'RE NEVER COMFORTABLE WHEN YOUR CLIENT TAKES THE WITNESS STAND .>> Reporter: SANDRA HAD TROUBLE ON THE STAND. SHE STRUGGLED TO ANSWER SOME OF THE QUESTIONS DURING A LENGTHY CROSS- EXAMINATION .>> I THINK THERE WERE SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT THE WEBSITE SEARCHES AND THE SEARCHES SURROUNDING THAT THAT WERE-- THAT WERE DIFFICULT. AND SHE SIMPLY DIDN'T REMEMBER STUFF, AND THEY WERE ABLE TO MAKE SOME POINTS .>> I THOUGHT THAT WE WERE ABLE TO SHOW THAT SHE WAS A LIAR .>> Reporter: AS THE CASE GOES TO THE JURY, SANDRA SHOULD KNOW SOON IF TAKING THE STAND WAS THE SMART MOVE .>> WHATEVER HAPPENED, I HAD TO DEAL WITH IT . >> Reporter: IT TOOK ONE MONTH, 27 WITNESSES AND 400 PIECES OF EVIDENCE FOR THE CASE AGAINST SANDRA GARNER TO FINALLY GO TO THE JURY. AND WHEN IT DID, NEITHER SIDE WAS VERY CONFIDENT .>> I THINK I WAS PROBABLY 50 / 50 AT THE END OF IT. I FELT LIKE WE ENDED WELL, SO I WAS HOPEFUL .>> I WAS EXTREMELY CONFIDENT ONE MINUTE AND JUST DISTRAUGHT THE NEXT .>> Reporter: THE JURORS, HOWEVER, SEEMED VERY CLEAR ABOUT THEIR VIEWS. THEY CAME BACK WITH A VERDICT IN JUST THREE HOURS .>> GOD, I WAS NERVOUS BECAUSE IT ALL COMES DOWN TO THIS. YOU'RE THINKING, " GOD, PLEASE HAVE DONE THE RIGHT THING. PLEASE FIND JUSTICE FOR THIS FAMILY .">> Reporter: SANDRA'S DAUGHTER, ANDREA, WAS HOLDING HER BREATH .>> THE LONGEST THREE HOURS OF MY LIFE .>> Reporter: WHAT DID THE QUICK VERDICT MEAN ?>> ALL RISE .>> Reporter: IT WAS ANYONE'S GUESS .>> I DID NOT THINK IT WAS GOOD FOR US. I DIDN'T FEEL THAT THEY HAD GONE THROUGH ALL OF THE EVIDENCE AGAIN .>> OH, MY HEART MUST HAVE STOPPED ." THIS IS BAD, IT'S NOT GOOD AT ALL ." I WAS TRYING TO SAY IT SO SANDRA WOULDN'T HEAR .>> PLEASE BE SEATED .>> Reporter: IN FRONT OF A PACKED COURTROOM ...>> LET'S GET ON THE RECORD .>> Reporter: ... THE JUDGE READ THE DECISION .>> IF THE DEFENDANT WOULD PLEASE STAND .>> THE LAST THING I REMEMBER IS THE JUROR HANDING THE PAPER TO THE BAILIFF, AND I LOOKED DOWN. I COULD NOT LOOK. I WASN'T READY FOR A GUILTY VERDICT .>> " WE, THE JURY, FIND THE DEFENDANT, SANDRA LOUISE GARNER, NOT GUILTY .">> Reporter: NOT GUILTY. AND JUST LIKE THAT, SANDRA GARNER WAS A FREE WOMAN AFTER 21 MONTHS IN JAIL .>> I FELT WONDERFUL. I TURNED TO TOM AND WAS LIKE, " YAY, YAY !" AND WE HUGGED EACH OTHER. I GET TO GO HOME .>> I THINK THOSE WERE THE SWEETEST WORDS I'VE EVER HEARD IN MY LIFE .(\ LAUGHS \) IT WAS LIKE A WEIGHT HAD BEEN LIFTED OFF OF MY SHOULDERS THAT I HAD BEEN CARRYING FOR NEARLY TWO YEARS .>> I GAVE HER THE BIGGEST HUG I COULD. I WAS SO HAPPY FOR HER. I-- I TEAR UP JUST THINKING ABOUT IT. I MEAN, SHE'S-- SHE'S GOT A CHANCE TO TRY TO GET SOME OF HER LIFE BACK .>> Reporter: OF COURSE, LIKE EVERY VERDICT, THIS ONE WAS NOT UNIVERSALLY POPULAR .>> I JUST REMEMBER THINKING, " THEY-- THEY GOT THAT WRONG. WHAT? THERE'S NO WAY. THERE'S \ NO \ WAY. I DON'T WANT TO WATCH THIS. THERE'S NO HAPPY ENDING TO THIS. THIS ISN'T HAPPY AT ALL .">> (\ SCREAMING \)>> Reporter: UNLESS, OF COURSE, YOU ARE SANDRA GARNER .>> I LOVE YOU !>> Reporter: WE CAUGHT UP WITH HER THE MOMENT SHE WAS RELEASED FROM JAIL .>> FEELS WONDERFUL! FEELS WONDERFUL. I WAS JUST PRAYING TO GOD AND MY HUSBAND AND MY DADDY JUST TO HELP THEM SAY " NOT GUILTY ," PLEASE .>> Reporter: SANDRA WAS EAGER TO GET BACK HOME TO THE SAME HOUSE WHERE HER HUSBAND WAS MURDERED .>> I LOVE MY HOUSE. AND I KNOW IT'S HARD, AND I KNOW PEOPLE THINK I'M CRAZY FOR WANTING TO BE HERE, BUT I JUST WANT TO BE AS CLOSE TO HIM AS I CAN .>> Reporter: LIVING HERE WILL MEAN LIVING ACROSS THE STREET FROM JON'S PARENTS, WHO STILL ARE CONVINCED SANDRA IS A MURDERESS WHO KILLED THEIR SON, AND WHOSE FAMILY IS STILL GRIEVING .>> JON SHOULD STILL BE ALIVE. WE SHOULD STILL BE A FAMILY. THAT WAS TAKEN FROM US. THERE SHOULD BE JUSTICE FOR HIS KILLER. THERE'S NOT. THERE NEVER WILL BE. NONE OF US HAVE TALKED TO HER. NONE OF US WANT TO TALK TO HER .>> Reporter: ANDREA MILLER IS WORRIED ABOUT HER MOTHER .>> ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT PIECES OF HER LIFE ISN'T HERE, AND SHE HAS TO LIVE WITH THAT ON A DAILY BASIS .>> SISSY, COME HERE .>> I'M SCARED THAT SOMETHING'S GOING TO HAPPEN TO HER .>> Reporter: SANDRA'S ATTORNEY, TOM PAPPAS, IS ALSO WORRIED ABOUT SANDRA'S SAFETY .>> THERE'S A MURDERER THAT HASN'T BEEN ARRESTED THAT'S STILL OUT THERE. SHE-- PART OF SANDRA'S-- I'M TEARING UP NOW-- PART OF SANDRA'S ...>> Reporter: LET ME ASK YOU WHY YOU'RE TEARING UP. TELL ME ABOUT IT .>> BECAUSE I CARE ABOUT HER. I CARE WHAT HAPPENS TO HER. I CARE ABOUT WHAT HAPPENS TO THE PEOPLE AROUND HER .>> Reporter: WHATEVER HAPPENS TO SANDRA, IT LIKELY WILL HAPPEN WITHOUT HER SON, WES. PROSECUTORS AND POLICE BELIEVE THEY TRIED THE RIGHT PERSON AND DON'T CONSIDER WES A SUSPECT, BUT SANDRA AND ANDREA ARE NO LONGER SPEAKING TO HIM .>> HE DOES NOT DESERVE TO BE PART OF MY MOTHER'S LIFE ANYMORE. AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED, I DON'T HAVE A BROTHER ANYMORE .>> Reporter: THIS IS A

DO YOU STILL LOVE YOUR SON ?>> NOT LIKE I USED TO, NO. I-- I HAVE NOT SPOKE TO HIM AT ALL. HE DID ME REALLY WRONG .>> Reporter: AND WHAT TOLL HAS THAT TAKEN ON YOU ?>> IT'S VERY HURTFUL. BUT HE CHOSE THAT. I DIDN'T .>> Reporter: SANDRA GARNER IS NOW FREE TO SPEND TIME WITH WHAT REMAINS OF HER FAMILY. SHE KNOWS OTHERS STILL SEE HER AS A KILLER WHO GOT AWAY WITH IT. IN THE EYES OF THE LAW, SHE IS NOT GUILTY, AND THE CASE AGAINST HER IS FOREVER CLOSED. UNDER THE LAW, YOU CANNOT BE CHARGED WITH THIS CRIME AGAIN, EVEN IF YOU SAY YOU DID IT. SO, LET ME ASK YOU: DID YOU KILL YOUR HUSBAND ?>> NO! MAN WAS THE LOVE OF MY LIFE. I TOLD YOU, HE WAS ALL I HAD. HE WAS GOING TO TAKE CARE OF ME FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE. WITHOUT HIM, I HAVE NOBODY. NO, I DIDN'T KILL MY HUSBAND . >> SHOTS WERE FIRED AT AN APARTMENT COMPLEX .>>\ A MURDER AND A SUICIDE .>> BUT THAT'S NOT WHERE THIS STORY ENDED .>>\ A YOUNG MOTHER FIGHTING FOR \ HER LIFE .>> SOMETHING AMAZING CAME OUT OF SOMETHING HORRIFYING .>>\ THE STORY OF A KILLER'S \ HEART .\" 48 HOURS ," SATURDAY AT 10: 00, \ 9: 00 CENTRAL, ON CBS.