ANOTHER THING:
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NEWLY- WIDOWED 74- YEAR- OLD MARJORIE NUGENT WAS LOADED WITH CASH ...>> SHE WOULD KIND OF BE CALLED A BLUE BLOOD .>> Reporter: ... AS MUCH AS $ 6 MILLION .>> SOME SOAPS IN A LITTLE BUBBLE BATH, TO SOOTHE YOU IN THE TUB .>> Reporter: BERNIE TIEDE WASN'T ABOUT TO BE TURNED AWAY .>> COME IN .>> OH! THAT WOULD... IT WOULD BE MY PLEASURE .>> I FELT SORRY FOR MARJORIE. I REALLY DID .��>> Reporter: AND SOON, MARJORIE AND BERNIE WERE SEEN ON THE SCENE, THE ODD COUPLE OF CARTHAGE .>> WE WOULD GO TO THE CHEROKEE CLUB, WE WOULD GO TO THE JALAPENO TREE HERE IN CARTHAGE .>> YEAH, THEY WERE A... THEY WERE A PAIR .>> Reporter: AND IT WASN'T LONG BEFORE MARGERY WANTED MORE THAN A PART- TIME DINNER DATE, AND BERNIE COMPLIED .>> SHE ASKED ME TO LEAVE THE FUNERAL HOME. SHE JUST WANTED MORE AND MORE AND MORE OF ME AROUND .>> Reporter: SHE ACTUALLY HIRED BERNIE AND PAID HIM A SALARY. THERE'S THIS NOTION OUT THERE THAT YOU WERE ATTRACTED TO MARJORIE'S MONEY .>> YES, I'M AWARE OF THAT. I... THAT WAS NOT PART OF THE DEAL. THAT WAS NOT PART OF MY WANTING TO BE AROUND MARJORIE .>> THERE'S MEMBERS OF MARJORIE'S FAMILY THAT TELL A DIFFERENT STORY .>> Reporter: BERNIE TIEDE IS WHAT ?>> A THIEF .>> Reporter: JUST TWO HOURS UP THE ROAD IN DALLAS ...>> THESE ARE SOME OF OUR OLD FAMILY PHOTOS OF MY GRANDMOTHER .>> Reporter: ... THREE PROUD GRANDDAUGHTERS ...>> EVERYTHING THAT HAS BEEN SAID ABOUT HER IS NOT HER .>> Reporter: ... HAVE A VERY DIFFERENT TAKE ON JUST \ WHY BERNIE WAS BEFRIENDING MARJORIE .>> HE SAW HER AS A MARK. HE STOLE HER MONEY. WHEN HE WAS ABOUT TO BE FOUND OUT, HE SHOT HER AND KILLED HER .>> Reporter: THAT'S THE \ REAL STORY ?>> THAT IS THE REAL STORY .��>> Reporter: IS THIS CASE ABOUT MONEY ?>> YES, IT IS .>> Reporter: HOW SO ?>> I THINK THAT DEFINES EVERYTHING .>> Reporter: THE MAJESTIC GATES SWUNG OPEN TO A KINGDOM OF RICHES, AND BERNIE TIEDE ROLLED RIGHT IN .>> I THINK THE FATAL MISTAKE MY GRANDMOTHER MADE IS, SHE ENDED UP BUYING A $ 30, 000 HEADSTONE FROM BERNIE TIEDE. FROM THAT MOMENT, HE'D MARKED HER .>> Reporter: WITHIN MONTHS OF MEETING AT HER HUSBAND'S FUNERAL, BERNIE WAS FULL- TIME AT MARJORIE NUGENT'S EYE- POPPING HOME .>> HELPING HER WITH ANYTHING THAT SHE NEEDED HELP WITH-- MAKE HER COFFEE, MAKE SURE SHE WAS UP, SHE WAS ALL RIGHT .>> HE WAS THERE. HE WAS THERE FOR HER .>> Reporter: THEY LOVED EACH OTHER ?>> YEAH. BERNIE LOVES EVERYBODY. AND I THINK HE'S THE ONE PERSON IN THE WORLD WHO COULD FEEL THAT FOR MARGE, WHEN NO ONE ELSE COULD .>> I NEVER THOUGHT OF THEM AS BEING LOVEY- DOVEYS. NEVER. JUST... JUST... JUST TOGETHER, JUST FRIENDS .>> I NEVER SAW THEM KISS .>> Reporter: YOU NEVER DID ?>> NOPE .>> Reporter: AND D. A. DANNY BUCK PROBABLY NEVER WOULD, BECAUSE THERE WAS SOMETHING ABOUT BERNIE THAT MADE FOLKS WONDER BACK THEN .>> I'M A GAY MAN, AND IT'S HARD TO BE A... A GAY MAN AND BEING OUT IN A SMALL TOWN .>> Reporter: DID MARJORIE KNOW YOU WERE GAY ?>> WE NEVER DISCUSSED IT .>> Reporter: NEVER DISCUSSED IT .>> NO .>> Reporter: SO, WHAT WAS THE ATTRACTION? SHE'S 42 YEARS OLDER THAN YOU .>> RIGHT .>> HE WAS TARGETING WEALTHY WOMEN .>> WELL, I THINK THE ATTRACTION FOR MARJORIE WAS THE SAME AS IT WAS FOR EVERYBODY ELSE IN TOWN-- HE WAS JUST A... A LOVEABLE GUY. WHEN YOU SPEND TIME WITH HIM, YOU WANT TO HANG OUT WITH HIM .>> Reporter: LESS THAN A YEAR AFTER HER HUSBAND'S DEATH, BERNIE AND MARJORIE STARTED HANGING OUT BIG- TIME, TRADING IN THE BACKROADS FOR BROADWAY .>> WE'D GO UP ON A FRIDAY MORNING AND THEN COME BACK ON A SUNDAY. SAW BROADWAY SHOWS. WE HAD A LOT OF FUN TOGETHER .>> Reporter: BERNIE TIEDE, THE MORTICIAN WHO MADE ABOUT $ 24, 000 A YEAR, NOW HAD ACCESS TO MARJORIE NUGENT'S 10, 000- SQUARE FOOT MANSION IN CARTHAGE, HER CHECKBOOK, AND A WORLD OF OPPORTUNITY .>> THEY WENT ON GREAT ADVENTURES TOGETHER .>> NOW, WAVE " HI ." HELLO !>> THEY HAD A BALL TOGETHER. THEY TRAVELED THE WORLD .>> WE WENT TO WASHINGTON, BALTIMORE, AND THEN TOOK A CRUISE DOWN THE EAST COAST. WE WENT TO GERMANY, ENGLAND, SCOTLAND AND WALES. TO EGYPT, WENT TO THE PYRAMIDS. WE JUST WENT EVERYWHERE .>> Reporter: WAS SHE HAVING A GOOD TIME ?>> SHE WAS HAVING A GREAT TIME .>> HE WAS HER MANSERVANT ...>> IS IT TOO BUSY ?>> ... THE GUY HIRED TO TAKE CARE OF HER EVERY NEED, CLIPPED HER TOENAILS, ALL THE NITTY GRITTY .>> Reporter: AND FOR BERNIE, THE PERKS KEPT PILING UP. MARJORIE SHOWERED HIM WITH CASH, CLOTHING, CARS, EVEN FLYING LESSONS AND PLANES TO GO WITH IT. AND, IN TURN, BERNIE GAVE GIFTS TO THE GOOD PEOPLE OF CARTHAGE .>> HE PROVIDED MONEY. HE PROVIDED SCHOLARSHIPS .>> DOING GOOD! DOING A LOT OF GOOD IN CARTHAGE .>> TURNS OUT HE WAS GENEROUS WITH MRS. NUGENT'S MONEY .>> HE WAS KIND OF THE CONDUIT TO HER GENEROSITY, TO HER BETTER ANGEL .>> SHE SPOILED ME ROTTEN .>> Reporter: BUT THE NUGENTS SAY THEIR GRANDMA NEVER NEEDED BERNIE-- OR ANYONE-- TO TEACH HER KINDNESS .>> MY GRANDMOTHER WAS A LOVING, SWEET WOMAN .>> Reporter: AND SHE WAS KIND ?>> SHE WAS. SHE WAS KIND, AND SHE LOVED TELLING STORIES .>> Reporter: THIS IS REALLY EYE- OPENING, GUYS, TO TALK TO YOU. THIS IS REALLY EYE- OPENING .>> IN '93, LIKE, WE WENT THERE. AND SHE OPENED THE DOOR, AND SHE HUGGED ME AND SHE KISSED ME, LIKE, EIGHT TIMES .>> Reporter: BUT WHATEVER MARJORIE'S AFFECTION FOR HER GRANDDAUGHTERS, THE STAKES WERE ABOUT TO CHANGE. MARJORIE NUGENT FILED A NEW WILL, LEAVING EVERYTHING TO BERNIE AND NOTHING TO HER FAMILY. DID YOU ENCOURAGE HER TO DO THAT ?>> NO. SHE BROUGHT THAT TO ME ONE DAY, AND IT WAS IN 1991 .>> Reporter: WHY WOULD SHE DO THAT ?>> WELL, I FELT LIKE SHE COULD... FELT LIKE SHE COULD TRUST ME, I GUESS .>> Reporter: IT WAS ON ONE OF THE NEXT FAMILY VISITS TO CARTHAGE THAT THE NUGENT WOMEN GOT A HINT OF HOW DEEPLY BERNIE HAD MOVED INTO THEIR GRANDMOTHER'S LIFE .>> FLASH FORWARD TO 1994. WE GO TO SEE HER, AND SHE OPENS THE DOOR AND SHE GOES, " I DON'T KNOW WHO YOU ARE ." AND I GO, " WHAT DO YOU MEAN, YOU DON'T KNOW WHO WE ARE ?" AND SHE GOES, " I DON'T KNOW WHO YOU ARE ." SHE'S LIKE, " YOU NEED TO LEAVE .">> AND WE WENT IN, AND THERE WERE PICTURES OF BERNIE EVERYWHERE. AND WE SAID, " WHO IS THIS ?" YOU KNOW, " NANNY, WHO IS THIS ?" AND SHE SAID, " WELL, HE'S MY FRIEND ." AND THE THING THAT DISTURBED ME WAS THAT ALL OF THE PICTURES OF MY GRANDFATHER WERE GONE .>> Reporter: FOR SHANA, ALEXANDRIA AND SUSAN, GRANDMA MARJORIE'S NEW BEHAVIOR WAS DISTURBING ...>> SHE WAS LIKE A SCHOOLGIRL IN LOVE .>> Reporter: ... AND THE MOTIVES OF HER NEW COMPANION DEEPLY SUSPECT .>> WE BELIEVE THAT MY GRANDMOTHER WAS IN LOVE WITH BERNIE AND BELIEVED THAT HE WAS IN LOVE WITH HER .>> Reporter: WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU GUYS SAW YOUR GRANDMOTHER ALIVE ?>> THAT VISIT .>> IN 1994 .>> Reporter: AND NOW, THEY WORRIED THAT BERNIE WAS WELL ON THE WAY TO TRICKING MARJORIE OUT OF MILLIONS .>> I THINK IT'S THE PERFECT EXAMPLE OF A SWEETHEART SCAM THAT I HAVE EVER SEEN. MY GRANDMOTHER BELIEVED HE LOVED HER .>> Reporter: HOW DO YOU KNOW THAT ?>> BECAUSE I SAW HER .>> Reporter: BUT BERNIE TELLS A DIFFERENT STORY, CLAIMING THAT AFTER FIVE YEARS ATTENDING TO MARJORIE, THE RELATIONSHIP HAD SOURED; AND THAT EVEN THOUGH HE HAD HIS OWN MODEST HOME, HE FELT TRAPPED BY MARJORIE AND WANTED OUT. BERNIE CLAIMS MARJORIE'S 24 / 7 DEMANDS HAD TURNED INTO AN ABUSIVE RELATIONSHIP .>> SHE WAS VERY MEAN- SPIRITED, VERY ABRUPT WITH ME, VERY ...>> Reporter: COULD SHE BE ABUSIVE ?>> YES, VERY MUCH SO .>> Reporter: IN SOME WAYS, WAS HER PLACE HIS GILDED CAGE, AND SHE CLOSED THE DOOR ON THAT CAGE ?>> YEAH .>> WE WERE IN A HEATED DISCUSSION ABOUT... I, I TOLD HER, " I CAN'T DO THIS ANYMORE ." AND I SAID, " I... I CAN'T BE YOUR FRIEND ANYMORE. I JUST CAN'T DO THIS .">> GO AHEAD, DESERT ME !>> SHE WAS VERY DISTRAUGHT ." YOU CAN'T LEAVE ME. YOU'RE NOT GOING TO LEAVE ME. NO ONE HAS EVER LEFT ME .">> I KNOW YOU HATE ME !>> SO, I BACKED MY CAR OUT OF THE GARAGE, AND, BY THE TIME I GOT OUT THERE, SHE HAD LOCKED THE GATE ON ME UNTIL FINALLY I SAID, " OKAY, I WON'T LEAVE YOU. I WON'T LEAVE .">> WELL, JUST PARK YOUR CAR, JUMP OVER THE GATE, RUN. YOU KNOW, WHATEVER. BUT BERNIE IS NOT ONE BUILT FOR CONFLICT. I THINK HE TAKES IT AS HIS FATE, " I CAN'T GET AWAY FROM THIS WOMAN .">> THE DOOR'S RIGHT THERE, BERNIE. BUT IT'S NOT AS SIMPLE AS THAT .>> Reporter: PEOPLE GET TRAPPED .>> PEOPLE GET TRAPPED .>> Reporter: NO EXIT, NO WAY OUT. AND, AT LEAST ACCORDING TO BERNIE, FEELING LIKE MARJORIE NUGENT'S PRISONER REMINDED HIM OF THE ABUSE HE SAYS HE SUFFERED AS A BOY. AND IN SOME WAYS, DID YOU FEEL TRAPPED IN THIS RELATIONSHIP JUST AS YOU HAD BEEN TRAPPED WITH YOUR UNCLE ?>> (\ CRYING \) YES. YES, I DID .>> I THINK HE IS A KILLER. I THINK HE HAS NO REMORSE. I DON'T BELIEVE A WORD THAT COMES OUT OF THE MAN'S MOUTH .��>>\ TONIGHT'S " 48 HOURS" WILL \ CONTINUE .��>> BERNIE! BERNIE !>> Reporter: BERNIE TIEDE CLAIMS IT PAINS HIM TO RECALL HOW CONTROLLING AND CANTANKEROUS MARJORIE NUGENT COULD BE .>> I DON'T LIKE THE THINGS THAT SHE DID, BUT I DON'T LIKE TALKING ABOUT THEM, EITHER .>> PERSONALLY, AND I THINK HE'S PURE EVIL .>> Reporter: LET'S MOVE NOW TO NOVEMBER 19, 1996. TELL ME ABOUT THAT DAY AND WHAT, FROM YOUR PERSPECTIVE, LED TO THE TRAGEDY ?>> I HAD GONE OUT TO THE HOUSE TO MAKE COFFEE EARLY, 7: 30. GOT HER UP .>> THAT'S ENOUGH OF THAT. I DON'T WANT YOU TO TALK ABOUT THE SHOOTING .>> Reporter: THIS IS ATTORNEY JODI COLE. SHE WOULD EVENTUALLY BECOME A BIG PART OF BERNIE TIEDE'S LIFE... THIS IS ALL PUBLIC RECORD .>> I DO NOT WANT HIM TO TALK ABOUT THE SHOOTING .>> Reporter :�� ... AND HOW HIS STORY WOULD BE TOLD .>> THAT'S ENOUGH .>> Reporter: YET, WHEN WE SPOKE WITH BERNIE, JODI COLE STOPPED HIM FROM TELLING THOSE GRISLY DETAILS, HARD FACTS EVERYONE FROM CARTHAGE TO HOLLYWOOD NOW KNOWS .>> HE SHOT HER IN THE BACK FOUR TIMES .>> Reporter: SHOT HER DEAD WITH THIS . 22- CALIBER RIFLE .>> THE FIRST BULLET IN HER BACK MAKES HER PARALYZED, SO SHE FALLS STRAIGHT DOWN ONTO THE CONCRETE. HE SHOOTS HER AGAIN. HE THEN WALKS STRAIGHT UP TO HER BODY, PUTS THE NUZZLE TO THE GUN TO THE BACK OF HER AND SHOOTS IT TWO MORE TIMES .>> Reporter: THOSE GRAPHIC DETAILS WOULD BE MISSING FROM THE MOVIE .>> I REMEMBER RIGHT BEFORE WE SHOT THAT SCENE, I WENT UP TO JACK BLACK, AND I SAID, " HAVE YOU EVER KILLED ANYONE IN A MOVIE ?">> LIKE THIS .>> THAT WAS ONE OF THE HARDEST SCENES IN THE MOVIE .�� MARJORIE! YOU SEE A SCENE LIKE THAT IN THE SCRIPT, AND YOU CIRCLE IT IN THE CALENDAR, WHEN YOU'RE GOING TO SHOOT THAT, AND YOU THINK ABOUT IT A LOT .>> MARJORIE! OH, NO, NO, NO! JESUS, NO! NO, NO, NO! WHAT HAVE I DONE ?>> I'M SORRY THAT THAT HAPPENED IN MY LIFE, THAT I HAD CAUSED THE DEATH OF SOMEBODY THAT I LOVED .>> Reporter: DAYS TURN INTO MONTHS AS BERNIE KEPT HIS AWFUL SECRET. AND MARJORIE'S FAMILY, THEY BEGAN TO WONDER, WHAT HAD BECOME OF GRANDMA ?>> I STARTED ASKING MY DAD, " HAVE YOU HEARD FROM NANNY? I... I CAN'T GET HER ." AND YOU KNOW, " MAYBE SHE'S ON ANOTHER TRIP. SHE'LL CALL YOU WHEN SHE GETS BACK .">> Reporter: AND THE NUGENT WOMEN, ALL BUSY COLLEGE STUDENTS AT THE TIME ...>> THIS WAS CHRISTMAS. MY GRANDPARENTS .>> Reporter: ... ADMIT THERE WAS A RELUCTANCE TO REACH OUT TO GRANDMA MARJORIE .>> WE HAD THAT STRANGE ENCOUNTER IN 1994 WHERE WE DIDN'T FEEL WELCOME .>> AND EVERY SUNDAY, HE'D COME AND SIT RIGHT BESIDE ME AND GIVE ME A FULL REPORT ON MARJORIE .>> Reporter: AND WHAT WERE YOU THINKING TO YOURSELF ?>> I'M THINKING, " YOU'RE LYING ," THAT'S WHAT I'M THINKING .>> I JUST MADE UP ONE THING OR ANOTHER .>> Reporter: YOU TOLD ONE SHE HAD ALZHEIMERS, ANOTHER SHE WAS IN THE HOSPITAL .>> IT WAS SUCH A... A DIFFICULT TIME .>> AND MAMA WOULD TELL US WHAT HE HAD BEEN SAYING. AND... AND IT'S LIKE, " MAMA, ARE YOU CRAZY? HE'S EITHER GOT HER LOCKED UP IN THE HOUSE, POISONING HER, OR HE'S ALREADY KILLED HER .">> IF I HAD GONE TO THE POLICE AND THEN BEEN PROVEN WRONG, I WOULD HAVE BEEN LAUGHED OUT OF CARTHAGE BECAUSE PEOPLE THOUGHT SO MUCH OF BERNIE .>> Reporter: SO, WEEK AFTER WEEK, MONTH AFTER MONTH PASSES, MARJORIE'S NOWHERE TO BE SEEN .>> NINE MONTHS. NINE MONTHS .>> Reporter: IT WAS AUGUST 18, 1997. THE NUGENTS HAD FINALLY SHARED THEIR CONCERNS WITH THE LOCAL SHERIFF .>> (\ SIGHS \) I GET A CALL FROM MY DAD. HE AND I DRIVE DOWN. AND IT'S CLEAR THAT NO ONE'S BEEN THERE FOR A VERY LONG TIME .>> Reporter: SO, WHERE \ WAS MARJORIE NUGENT ?>> I WANTED TO CHECK THE FREEZER. MY GRANDMOTHER WAS A CHILD OF THE DEPRESSION, SO YOU DIDN'T WASTE FOOD .>> TURNED BACK UP THE HALLWAY .>> Reporter: SO, WHEN ALEXANDRIA AND THE SHERIFF'S DEPUTIES GOT TO THE HOUSE, SHE KNEW EXACTLY WHERE SHE WANTED TO GO. SHE WALKED DOWN THIS HALLWAY. ALEXANDRIA KNEW THAT IF HER GRANDMOTHER HAD LEFT THE HOUSE, SHE WOULD HAVE PUT EVERYTHING SHE KEPT IN THE REFRIGERATOR, IN A FREEZER LOCATED INSIDE THIS PANTRY. SHE OPENED THE DOOR, AND THERE IT WAS .>> IT WAS SO QUICK. IT WAS LIKE, I WALKED IN, AND I SAID, " THERE'S TAPE ON THE FREEZER .">> THIS IS THE FREEZER .>> SHE UNTAPED IT AND RAISED IT UP .>> AND THREW THE LID OPEN .>> AND THERE WAS THE TOP OF MISS NUGENT'S HEAD .>> AND I LOOKED AT MY DAD, AND I SAID, " THEY FOUND HER ." AND HE JUST KIND OF DID THIS. AND ALL I WANTED AT THAT MOMENT WAS MY MOM .>> DO I REGRET THE FACT THAT I DIDN'T RUSH DOWN THERE TO STOP HIM FROM DOING THIS? YES! BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT YOU DO WHEN YOU LOVE SOMEONE AND YOU FIND OUT THAT THE PERSON THAT THEY WERE IN LOVE WITH SHOT THEM FOUR TIMES IN THE BACK. AND YOU THINK, " HOW COULD I HAVE SAVED THEM ?">> Reporter: WHILE A MOTIVE REMAINED UNCLEAR, THERE WAS ZERO MYSTERY ABOUT THE PRIME SUSPECT .>> BERNIE'S NAME WAS TOP OF THE LIST .>> Reporter: BERNIE WAS EASY TO FIND. HE WAS RIGHT IN CARTHAGE, AT HOME, WHEN THE SHERIFF'S DEPUTIES SHOWED UP AND BROUGHT HIM IN FOR QUESTIONING .>> I WAS SO RELIEVED WHEN THEY CAME FOR ME AND ARRESTED ME. IT FELT LIKE THIS BIG WEIGHT HAD BEEN LIFTED OFF MY SHOULDER .>> HOW COULD YOU COME TO \ MY HOUSE, EAT \ MY \ FOOD AND SING HYMNS, AND MY COUSIN OVER THERE IN THE DEEP FREEZE ?��>> IT'S GRIM WHEN, YOU KNOW, YOU SEE AN OLD LADY ON VIDEO BEING PULLED OUT OF HER FREEZER. THOSE ARE IMAGES THAT STAY WITH YOU .>> AND I THINK IT TOOK TWO DAYS TO THAW HER OUT AND FOR THEM TO DO AN AUTOPSY .>> Reporter: STRANGE .>> YES .>> Reporter: THAT SAME DAY, BERNIE TIEDE CONFESSED TO PANOLA COUNTY SHERIFFS DEPUTIES THAT HE MURDERED MARJORIE NUGENT .>> THERE WASN'T A QUESTION IN ANYBODY'S MIND. EVERYBODY KNEW .>> I THINK YOU'RE RIGHT .>> Reporter: DANNY BUCK DAVIDSON WOULD CHARGE BERNIE WITH FIRST- DEGREE PREMEDITATED MURDER AND SEEK THE ULTIMATE PENALTY .>> LIFE .>> Reporter: LIFE IN PRISON ?>> MAXIMUM SENTENCE .>> Reporter: AND THAT'S WHEN THIS TWISTED TEXAS TALE \ REALLY GOT STRANGE .>> PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY WERE COMING IN AND SAYING, " BERNIE WAS A REAL GOOD GUY. IF HE KILLED HER, HE HAD A REASON FOR DOING IT ."" POOR BERNIE ." HE HAD HIS GROUPIES .>> Reporter: BERNIE HAD HIS GROUPIES ?>> YEAH .>> SOME PEOPLE ARE SAYING, " HEY, LET HIM GO ." SOME PEOPLE ARE SAYING, " NO, PUT HIM AWAY FOR LIFE .">> YOU JUST HAVE NEVER SEEN A STORY LIKE THIS COME ACROSS YOUR DESK, EVER. AND PEOPLE STILL WANT TO TALK ABOUT IT. THEY'RE STILL MYSTIFIED ABOUT WHAT REALLY HAPPENED ON THAT NOVEMBER AFTERNOON THAT LED BERNIE TO SHOOT HER FOUR TIMES .��>>\ TONIGHT'S " 48 HOURS" WILL \ CONTINUE .���� I STAY IN THE GARDEN WITH HILLS ���� >> Reporter: BERNIE TIEDE HAD PREACHED AND COMFORTED ...�������� ... AND SANG HIS WAY INTO THIS PROUD SMALL TOWN'S EVERYDAY LIFE .�������� >> HE HELD A SPECIAL PLACE IN THE HEARTS OF MANY PEOPLE IN CARTHAGE, TEXAS .>> Reporter: SOME FOLKS EVEN SUGGESTED BERNIE WAS NEXT DOOR TO THE ANGELS .>> AND I SAID, " HE'S AN ANGEL, ALL RIGHT. HE'S AN ANGEL OF DEATH .">> Reporter: YOUR JOB AS A PROSECUTOR, YOU GOT A MAN WHO'S ADMITTED HE PUT FOUR BULLETS IN THE BACK OF A LITTLE OLD LADY .>> PUT HER IN A FREEZER AND KEPT SPENDING HER MONEY WHILE SHE WAS DEAD .>> Reporter: AND YOU HAVE A COMMUNITY SAYING, " LEAVE HIM ALONE .">> RIGHT .>> Reporter: WHAT WOULD THEY SAY ?>> " GO EASY ON BERNIE .">> IT HAPPENED SO OFTEN ,\ HE ASKED FOR A CHANGE OF VENUE .>> Reporter: AND HE GOT ONE. THE TRIAL OF BERNIE TIEDE FOR MURDERING MARJORIE NUGENT WAS MOVED 50 MILES AWAY, AND, IN FEBRUARY OF 1999, DANNY BUCK TOLD HIS TALE TO A JURY WHO HAD NEVER HEARD ABOUT BERNIE .>> I THOUGHT IT WAS GREED AND BETRAYAL. THAT'S WHAT I SOLD TO THE JURY .>> Reporter: BERNIE'S DEFENSE WAS THAT HE KILLED MARJORIE IN AN ACT OF PASSION, THAT HER MURDER WAS NOT PREMEDITATED .>> I DON'T... KNOW WHAT HAPPENED THAT MORNING .>> THE JURY DID NOT RELATE TO HIM. THEY RELATED TO ME .>> Reporter: THE TRIAL LASTED LESS THAN A WEEK. HOW LONG DID IT TAKE THIS JURY TO MAKE ITS DECISION ?>> I THINK IT TOOK THEM MAYBE 20 MINUTES TO FIND HIM GUILTY .>> Reporter: NINE YEARS AFTER HE MET MARJORIE NUGENT AT HER HUSBAND'S FUNERAL, BERNIE WAS SENTENCED TO LIFE IN PRISON .>> WHICH IS THE TOP, MAX SENTENCE. AND I FEEL PRETTY GOOD ABOUT IT .>> I DESERVED TIME. I'VE DONE A PARTICULARLY HORRIBLE THING, THE WORST THING IN MY LIFE .>> Reporter: CASE CLOSED. EXCEPT FOR THIS: RICHARD LINKLATER COULDN'T GET THE TALE OF BERNIE TIEDE OUT OF HIS HEAD .>> I ENDED UP ATTENDING THE TRIAL AND STARTED THINKING OF THIS AS " MAYBE THERE'S A MOVIE HERE .">> Reporter: RICK AND SKIP HOLLANDSWORTH WROTE THE " BERNIE" SCREENPLAY AND BROUGHT IT TO JACK BLACK .>> AND HE SAID, " HEY, I NEVER TOLD YOU ABOUT THIS THING THAT I'VE BEEN OBSESSED WITH, THIS STORY ABOUT THIS FELLOW, BERNIE TIEDE ." AND SO, I SAID, " LET ME READ THIS THING ."�� AMAZING GRACE �� >> Reporter: JACK BLACK BECAME SO INTRIGUED, HE AGREED TO PLAY THE LEAD ROLE .>> ACTION !>> Reporter: BUT NOT BEFORE HE AND LINKLATER PAID A VISIT TO A TEXAS MAXIMUM- SECURITY PRISON TO TRY AND UNDERSTAND JUST WHO BERNIE TIEDE REALLY WAS .>> I WANTED TO COME AND MEET YOU. I JUST THINK IT'S IMPORTANT IF... IF I'M GOING TO PLAY A REAL PERSON, THAT I SHOULD MEET YOU .>> OKAY. I LOVE TO BE AROUND PEOPLE. I'M JUST A PEOPLE PERSON .>> Reporter: BLACK WANTED TO KNOW WHAT MADE BERNIE TICK, RIGHT DOWN TO WHAT HE FELT IN THE DAYS AFTER HE MURDERED MARJORIE .>> THAT MUST HAVE BEEN INCREDIBLY STRESSFUL ...>> GOOD GRACIOUS !>> ... THAT PERIOD WITH THE WALLS CLOSING IN .>> YOU JUST HAVE NO EARTHLY IDEA. IT WAS ABSOLUTELY HORRENDOUS .>> YOU'RE PLAYING A PERSON AND YOU HAVE ACCESS TO THEM, YOU GOT TO GO SEE THEM. IT'S JUST ONE OF THE RULES OF THE GAME .>> I'M VERY APPRECIATIVE OF... OF THEM COMING TO MEET ME .>> AND I HAVE TO SAY HERE, UNLESS SOMETHING CHANGES ...>> THERE'S ONE MAN IN PARTICULAR I CAN THINK OF, I WOULD SURE LIKE TO TALK TO .>> Reporter: THE MOVIE " BERNIE" ALSO FEATURED MATTHEW McCONAUGHEY AS DANNY BUCK .>> DANNY BUCK'S COMING TO GET YOU FIRST .>> Reporter: IN APRIL 2012, IT PREMIERED IN RICK'S HOMETOWN OF AUSTIN. CRITICS LOVED IT .>> I KNOW YOU HATE ME !>> THIS IDEA THAT MY GRANDMOTHER WAS A MONSTER IS LUDICROUS .>> Reporter: THE NUGENT FAMILY THOUGHT IT WAS BEYOND OFFENSIVE .>> IT WAS A COMPLETE LIE .>> IT WAS DEVASTATING TO US. I MEAN, THEY TOOK THE MOST AWFUL PART OF OUR LIVES AND JUST LAUGHED ABOUT IT AND JOKED ABOUT IT .>> IT'S LIKE YOU CAST A SPELL ON THE ENTIRE AREA .>> Reporter: AND NOW, THE BERNIE TIEDE STORY WAS ABOUT TO TAKE YET ANOTHER BIZARRE TWIST THAT BEGAN RIGHT AT THE MOVIE PREMIERE .>> A LITTLE FEISTY LADY COMES UP TO ME AND SAYS, " I BET THERE WAS SOME, YOU KNOW, CRAZY STUFF GOING ON AT THE TRIAL .">> Reporter: SHE'S APPEALS LAWYER JODI COLE. AND AFTER WATCHING THE MOVIE, SHE GOT A HUNCH THAT THE TRIAL OF BERNIE TIEDE HAD BEEN A MISCARRIAGE OF JUSTICE .>> I WANT THE WORLD TO KNOW THAT BERNIE TIEDE IS A GOOD PERSON AND THAT THIS OUTCOME IS UNACCEPTABLE. I SAID, " LOOK AT THAT. HE SNAPS ." AND SO, I THOUGHT, " WHY DID HE GET A LIFE SENTENCE ?">> Reporter: SHE ASKED LINKLATER IF HE HAD THE TRANSCRIPTS FROM TIEDE'S 1999 MURDER TRIAL .>> HE CAME WITH HIS BOXES OF TRANSCRIPTS .>> I PUT IT ON HER DESK, AND SAID, " I DON'T KNOW, HAVE AT IT .">> Reporter: JODI POURED OVER THE FILES, KNOWING THAT BERNIE'S LIFE SENTENCE HINGED ON DANNY BUCK'S ARGUMENT THAT THE MURDER WAS PREMEDITATED .>> AND WITHIN A COUPLE OF WEEKS, SHE HAD COME TO SEE ME .>> Reporter: IS THERE A MIRACLE THAT'S ABOUT TO OCCUR ?>> YES, AND JODI COLE DID A LOT OF WORK TOWARDS THAT MIRACLE HAPPENING .>> ALL RISE .��>> MARJORIE? MARJORIE, ARE YOU OKAY ?>> THAT MORNING, I FELT LIKE I WASN'T A PART OF THE SHOOTING .>> Reporter: 16 YEARS AFTER HE SHOT MARJORIE NUGENT DEAD, BERNIE PAINTED A PICTURE FOR DEFENSE ATTORNEY JODI COLE ABOUT HOW HE FELT THAT AWFUL MORNING .>> I FELT LIKE I WASN'T EVEN THERE. AND I HAVE LEARNED THAT THAT IS CALLED A DISSOCIATIVE EPISODE .>> I THINK IT'S THE CLASSIC CASE OF A KIND OF DISASSOCIATED MOMENT .>> THAT'S WHAT THIS WHOLE CASE HINGES ON .>> Reporter: A " DISSOCIATIVE EPISODE ." THE NEW- AGE PSYCHOLOGICAL TERM WOULD BREAK THE CASE AGAINST BERNIE TIEDE WIDE OPEN .>> WHEN THEY ARE OVERWHELMED WITH STRESS AND EMOTION, THEY ACTUALLY DISASSOCIATE-- WHICH IS, LEAVE THEIR BODY .>> Reporter: AND BERNIE'S BODY, THE THEORY GOES, KILLED MARJORIE WITHOUT HIS MIND TAKING PART. AND HE SHOT HER ?>> YES. INVOLUNTARILY .>> Reporter: THE NUGENT FAMILY WOULD HAVE THEIR OWN TAKE ON JODI'S IDEAS .>> NOT CONNECTED WITH REALITY .>> THOROUGHLY CONFUSED .>> THIS WOMAN HAD BEEN ABUSING HIM FOR A VERY LONG TIME, AND HIS BODY ACTED IN A WAY TO END THAT ABUSE .>> Reporter: BERNIE ALSO CONFIDED IN JODI WHAT HE SAYS IS HIS DARKEST SECRET, ABOUT THAT CHILDHOOD SEXUAL ABUSE HE CLAIMS HE SUFFERED AT THE HANDS OF THAT UNCLE. JODI BROUGHT THE FINDINGS TO THE D. A ., AND HE WAS SOLD. WHAT DO YOU CONCLUDE, IN TERMS OF WHY THIS MURDER OCCURRED ?>> THE CHILD ABUSE, AND THE ABUSIVE RELATIONSHIP. I THINK THAT HE DID NOT PLAN ON KILLING HER .>> Reporter: DANNY BUCK SAYS IF HE HAD TO DO IT ALL OVER AGAIN, HE WOULD HAVE SOUGHT A MUCH LIGHTER SENTENCE .>> 20 YEARS WOULD HAVE BEEN THE MAXIMUM SENTENCE-- NOT BECAUSE DANNY BUCK WANTS 20; IT'S WHAT THE LAW SAYS .>> Reporter: DANNY BUCK THEN WENT TO BAT FOR THE KILLER HE HAD ONCE HELPED CONVICT. AND, ON MAY 6, 2014 ...>> BERNIE TIEDE'S LIFE SENTENCE, THROWN OUT .>> Reporter: ... A NEW SENTENCING TRIAL IS ORDERED, AND BERNIE IS RELEASED FROM PRISON FOR THE TIME BEING .>> LOTS OF MIRACLES HAVE HAPPENED IN MY LIFE .>> Reporter: THE NEXT MIRACLE WAS IN THE PARKING LOT .>> MR. LINKLATER PICKED ME UP, AND WE DROVE TO AUSTIN .>> THE REAL- LIFE BERNIE TIEDE JUST GOT OUT OF AN EAST TEXAS PRISON .>> OH, THIS IS BERNIE'S LITTLE APARTMENT. HE LIVED DOWN HERE .>> HE PUT ME UP AT HIS APARTMENT, AT HIS HOME .>> Reporter: IN SOME WAYS, DID BERNIE BECOME PART OF THE FAMILY ?>> YEAH, VERY MUCH .>> Reporter: I MEAN, DID HE EVER BABYSIT YOUR KIDS ?>> YEAH .>> Reporter: IN AUSTIN, BERNIE WENT ABOUT CREATING A NEW LIFE, ALL ON BORROWED TIME. HE JOINED THE GAY MEN'S CHOIR .>> IN THE TIME OF KING HEROD ...>> Reporter: HE BECAME A REGULAR AT PASTOR SID HALL'S CHURCH .>> OUR FOLKS SURROUNDED HIM LIKE MOTHER HENS, JUST LOVING HIM .>> HE IS DEFINITELY FEELING THE ECSTASY OF FREEDOM .(\ APPLAUSE \)>> WELL, MY FIRST THOUGHT IS, HOW IS THIS HAPPENING ?>> Reporter: THE NUGENT GRANDDAUGHTERS FOUND IT ALL BEYOND BELIEF. RICHARD LINKLATER ?>> CONNED .>> RICHARD LINKLATER IS JUST AS CONNED AS MY GRANDMOTHER WAS .>> (\ LAUGHS \) I THINK I'M PRETTY UN- CONNABLE .>> I THINK DANNY BUCK GOT ENTHRALLED WITH HOLLYWOOD .>> I'LL SAY THAT'S B. S .>> Reporter: BEFORE THE SENTENCING TRIAL, DANNY BUCK RECUSED HIMSELF. HE WAS REPLACED BY TWO PROSECUTORS DETERMINED TO PUT BERNIE TIEDE BACK BEHIND BARS .>> THIS WAS JUST A STRAIGHT UP EXECUTION .>> I THINK HE'S CONNED HOLLYWOOD, AND HE'S CONNED THE WHOLE JUDICIAL SYSTEM .>> Reporter: JANE STARNES AND ASSISTANT ATTORNEY GENERAL LISA TANNER WEREN'T BUYING IT. BERNIE DIDN'T HAVE A DISSOCIATIVE EPISODE .>> THIS CASE IS ABOUT ABUSING ELDERLY, VULNERABLE PEOPLE. IT'S ABOUT ABUSING MARJORIE NUGENT FINANCIALLY, AND IT'S ABOUT JUST COLD- BLOODED MURDER .>> Reporter: WHAT DO WE HAVE IN FRONT OF US HERE ?>> WE HAVE JUST SMALL PORTIONS OF THE PAPER TRAIL .>> Reporter: LISA TANNER WOULD ALLEGE BERNIE REGULARLY FORGED MARJORIE NUGENT'S SIGNATURE ...>> HE WAS VERY GOOD AT SIGNING HER SIGNATURE .>> Reporter: ... MANUALLY MANIPULATED HER BANK ACCOUNTS ...>> THIS IS WHAT HE SHOWED MARJORIE, BUT THIS IS WHAT HE REALLY DEPOSITED. WE HAD 14 OF THESE .>> Reporter: ... ALTERED HER BROKERAGE STATEMENTS .>> THE ORIGINAL OF THIS DOCUMENT IS LITERALLY A CUT- AND- PASTED, DUMMIED UP STATEMENT .>> Reporter: ALL OF THIS ...>> HE'S POCKETING HER MONEY .>> Reporter: ... BOTH WHILE MARJORIE WAS ALIVE AND AFTER BERNIE HAD KILLED HER AND STUFFED HER IN HER FREEZER .>> THE NUMBERS ENDED UP BEING APPROXIMATELY $ 3. 8 MILLION TOTAL .>> Reporter: BERNIE'S MOTIVE FOR MURDER CAME INTO FOCUS .>> HE WAS ABOUT TO BE FOUND OUT ABOUT .>> Reporter: IN APRIL 2016, AFTER TWO YEARS OF FREEDOM, BERNIE TIEDE'S NEW SENTENCING TRIAL BEGAN .>> IS THE JURY HERE AND READY TO GO ?>> Reporter: IT WAS MOVED TO HENDERSON, TEXAS, BECAUSE BERNIE STILL HAD SO MANY FRIENDS AND FANS IN CARTHAGE .>> WE'LL BEGIN WITH THE STATE. MISS TANNER ?>> Reporter: LISA TANNER PUT BERNIE IN HER SIGHTS ...>> THIS IS A REAL CASE, WITH A REAL MURDERER. HE DID THAT .>> Reporter: ... AND HOLLYWOOD .>> SO, WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT THAT, IN A NON- FICTIONALIZED, NON- HOLLYWOOD- IZED KIND OF WAY .>> " HOLLYWOOD" MEANS, YOU KNOW, LACK OF MORALITY .>> THANK YOU, GUYS !>> BUT, I TOOK THAT REALLY PERSONAL, BECAUSE I DON'T LIVE IN HOLLYWOOD. I'M AN INDIE TEXAS DIRECTOR .>> Reporter: RICK LINKLATER WAS CALLED TO THE STAND TO DEFEND HIS FRIEND .>> I THINK HE'S AN INCREDIBLY NICE, GENEROUS MAN WHO, YOU KNOW, DID A HORRIBLE THING .>> Reporter: THE DIRECTOR AND THOSE WHO LOVED BERNIE ARGUED HE HAD PAID HIS DUES WITH TIME ALREADY SERVED .>> 16 YEARS? YEAH, I'D SAY HE SERVED ENOUGH TIME .>> Reporter: AND BERNIE'S UNCLE, UNDER OATH, DENIED EVER HAVING MOLESTED BERNIE ...>> ARE YOU SAYING NEVER ?>> NEVER .>> Reporter: ... BUT DID ADMIT WRITING HIM A LETTER, SEXUAL IN NATURE. BERNIE DID NOT TESTIFY AT THE TRIAL .>> I MEAN, I JUST... THERE WERE... THERE ARE JUST SOME QUESTIONS THAT DON'T HAVE ANY ANSWERS .>> Reporter: TWO DRAMATIC VERSIONS OF MARJORIE NUGENT'S MURDER HAVE NOW BEEN TOLD-- ONE ON THE BIG SCREEN, THE OTHER IN A COURTROOM IN HENDERSON, TEXAS. THE QUESTION NOW IS, WHO WILL THE JURORS BELIEVE ?>> SUDDEN PASSION, DISSOCIATIVE EPISODE, SNAPPING .>> WHEN HE TOOK THAT GUN AND POINTED IT DOWN STRAIGHT TO THE GROUND AND PUT IT IN HER BACK, THAT JUSTIFIED THE LIFE SENTENCE .>> Reporter: BERNIE, ARE YOU A DANGER TO SOCIETY ?>> NO, SIR. NOT AT ALL .>> Reporter: THE JURY GOES OUT TO DELIBERATE. ALEXANDRIA, WHAT'S GOING THROUGH YOUR MIND ?>> YOU KNOW, AT THAT MOMENT, ALL YOU CAN DO IS PRAY .��>> Reporter: ON APRIL 2, 2016, SOME 26 YEARS AFTER HE MET MARJORIE NUGENT, THE JURY ONCE AGAIN SENTENCED BERNIE TIEDE TO 99 YEARS IN PRISON .>> FOR 99 YEARS OR LIFE .>> EVERYONE IN THAT COURTROOM KNEW THAT MY GRANDMOTHER WAS NOT MEAN, SHE DID NOT DESERVE TO DIE, AND THAT THIS MAN DESERVED TO GO AWAY FOR THE REST OF HIS LIFE .>> WHEN I HEARD 99 YEARS, I MEAN, IT WAS JUST... IT WAS DEVASTATING .>> HE'S BACK IN PRISON FOR LIFE. IT'S VERY DISCOURAGING .>> Reporter: NOW, WHAT'S AS CERTAIN AS HIS LIFE SENTENCE IS
