Death After Midnight

[BLANK_AUDIO] [BLANK_AUDIO]

“>> It is incredibly unbelievable to see your kid.”

>> Laying in a bed with a bullet hole through them. >> He shot her, I know he shot her. >> I did not shoot my wife. >> What was that that made you decide? This was a case worth investigating.

>> There was enough there to suggest that there wasn't at least a thorough investigation. And so I thought I owed it to the family to look at that. >> It received a tip about this last week and it had been working on it. >> It's written my attention by a Fox 31 report. >> The new investigation that began after our story first.

Probably four days after New Year's Eve 2011, a family came to me and said someone killed our daughter and got away with it. [BLANK_AUDIO] >> 2011, New Year's Eve party, who were invited up by Ashley our daughter and Tom Vales is her husband.

>> It's recording. >> Ashley had a zeal for life. She loved life.

“>> She loved her kids more than anything.”

And Ashley and Tom had danced right prior to midnight. >> There was alcohol there. There was some drinking going on. There was a lot of laughter going on. They were having fun.

>> The night started out as a normal night. [BLANK_AUDIO] >> There was an eruption. During part of the party, Tom had been cussing and very loudly so I asked him to stop after a period of time. Because it was quite loud and there were kids in the house and he got very, very angry with me.

>> Got nothing control. >> Got nothing control. >> We were the last ones to see Tom Vales in a fit of rage. A fit of rage. Our daughter given us hugs and goodbye kisses.

And her standing in the front porch waiting goodbye. And that's the last we saw our daughter. [BLANK_AUDIO]

“>> I heard her gun call it and I looked out.”

I was like, what are you doing? [BLANK_AUDIO] >> I just ran over to her and I just grabbed her head. I told my daughter when I told them all of that. >> From the very beginning for whatever reason,

Devon's police department ruled Ashley's death as suicide. [BLANK_AUDIO] >> They said basically that it had been closed as a suicide within 24 hours.

And it was never looked at as a homicide.

[BLANK_AUDIO] >> The central question that I had to look into as a reporter was whether or not on January 1st of 2012, whether Ashley fell us this mother, shot herself in the head or whether her husband who was also a sure as corrections officer, shot her, and then covered it up.

[BLANK_AUDIO] >> We hired a forensic animator who examined all the evidence of the death scene and he reached to equally plausible explanations. >> One murder, one suicide. That's a difficult case then when the evidence could go either way.

>> It's a difficult case. It was different than anything I'd done before. I feel the phone calls in the middle of the night more times than I can count. I mean, I had never had a case where I did become part of the story. >> You start on this case and then all of a sudden what you uncover changes

everything. >> It did. >> Did you ever expect what you would uncover would actually lead to an indictment? >> No, I did not.

I never expected there to be a trial.

>> You watched the most dramatic and traumatic thing in a human being. Could ever be forced to watch. >> Going the courtroom and you see Tom Falsett, the defense table. Isn't that what you always wanted? >> Absolutely.

I'm desired to see justice served. >> Everyone looks to a trial to resolve a case to come to the truth. It doesn't always does it. >> It doesn't. [MUSIC]

>> After she died, even the day after she died in my mind, I couldn't comprehend that I would not speak to her every day. >> The pain is always there for Jennifer Fox and adopt a father, Joel Rgundin, over the death of their daughter, 28-year-old Ashley Fallis, in the early hours of New Year's day, 2012.

>> How would you describe your daughter? >> By vicious? >> Full of life, funny?

>> Actually, they say, would never leave her three kids,

and she would never leave her two kids.

>> She would never leave her two kids.

>> She would never leave her two kids. >> She would never leave her two kids. >> She would never leave her two kids. >> She would never leave her two kids. >> She would never leave her two kids.

>> She would never leave her two kids. >> She would never leave her two kids. >> She would never leave her two kids. >> She would never leave her two kids. >> And in April 2007, she met Tom Fallis.

He seemed responsible and ready for a family. >> Seen life, their relationship progressed really quickly. >> Just months into their relationship, Ashley became pregnant.

“>> I think there was a way for them to feel more connected to each other”

in two short of a period of time.

[ Music ] >> They had a son, Blake. Two weeks after he was born, the couple married. Soon, Tom also adopted the girls after their birth father gave up his parental rights.

Ashley's family felt it was all moving too fast. >> We were not happy about that. And we had actually tried to talk Ashley out of it. >> Ashley and Tom had only known each other a short time. And Jenna and Joel say they began to notice

disturbing aspects of Tom's personality. >> I didn't like his mentality of being right all the time and fighting all the time and the aggression. >> Tom and Ashley settled in the small town of Evans about an hour north of Denver.

Ashley worked as a respiratory therapist. And Tom took a job as a corrections officer with the Weld County Sheriff's Office working at the local prison. >> Joel and I were like, that's the perfect job for someone who has an ego that needs to tell people what to do.

[ Music ]

“>> I think he was a very insecure person and he”

wanted total control of her. >> Do you think you are a threat to Tom? >> Absolutely. I was the one person that he could not isolate Ashley against.

>> Ashley was caught in the middle and the pressure on her only increase when Blake still a toddler was diagnosed with a chronic brain condition that required Ashley's constant attention. It all took a stressful toll on Ashley and their marriage.

>> At any time during that did you feel your daughter was depressed? >> No, I think she was anxious and she was concerned and she had a lot on her plate and I think overwhelmed. >> I would say that they were definitely going through some hard times. >> This dress was so great that they even considered divorce

but when talking to police after Ashley's death, Tom insisted that things were on the mend as the holidays approached. [ Music ] >> They were planning to host a New Year's Eve party

and Ashley even thought she had recently become pregnant. >> When you found out when she had that positive taste, it was like all right, it's like we finally got over everything. >> She stopped taking anti-anxiety medications out of precaution and then on the day of the party, Tom says Ashley began to bleed

and believed she had miscarried. >> She was kind of down today. But Tom says they forged a head with the party and as the night went on the friction between Jenna and Tom began to surface.

>> I always knew that Tom hated me.

>> As the party was winding down, Tom flew into a rage when he overheard one of the guests. Jenna's brother, offering Ashley marijuana. >> I told Ashley, I was like, you don't even need to be a high. I was like, if whatever happened today with the miscarriage,

I was like, you happen. I was like, you know what? Fuck your mom. Fuck everybody. Let it go.

>> As Jenna and Joel were leaving the party, they saw Tom still upset. Go into the bedroom and slam the door. Ashley followed them outside. It was around 12, 40am when they said goodbye.

“>> And what was Ashley's demeanor like what she upset?”

>> No, she's kind of like whatever. Like this is normal. This is Tom. >> Ashley's autopsy shows that she didn't smoke marijuana that night.

But Tom says that after she put the kids to bed, Ashley came into the bedroom, defiant. >> And she's like, fuck you, if I want to get high, I'll get high. I'm like, you do whatever you want to. >> As Tom tells it, he was in their closet to change clothes.

When suddenly, he heard the sound of a gun being loaded

>> She is a nine millimeter tourist. And she keeps it under her mattress. She was behind the side of the bed. She was low. >> He says it all happened so quickly.

“He was on his way out of the closet closing the door”

and asking Ashley what she was doing when he heard a pop. >> I didn't know that they needed to smoke. I just ran over during I just grabbed her head. And I was holding her head.

And I reached up and I grabbed her phone. I don't want one. [MUSIC] >> That nine-one-one call came into the dispatcher at 12.50 a.m. >> Can I open the message?

>> [INAUDIBLE] >> It was just 10 minutes after Ashley's family had left. >> Literally, there was two squad cars coming into the neighborhood. We were between the two when we did a U-turn. It was shocking.

And everything was happening so fast. [MUSIC]

“>> Jen and Joel didn't see Ashley again until they got to the hospital.”

Ashley had severe brain trauma from that gunshot wound to the head. >> Did you get sick of buying? >> Yes, yes. Yeah, I don't know how do you say goodbye. I'm just going to ask you a point blank.

Do you believe your daughter committed suicide? >> No, not at all. >> From the minutes we last saw her live.

We've always known that Valice, Margaret her.

[MUSIC] [MUSIC] [BLANK_AUDIO] >> In the early morning hours of New Year's day 2012, officers from the Evans Police Department responded quickly to the call from the palace home.

This video was chopped by first responders. [BLANK_AUDIO] Evans is a peaceful, low crime community says police chief Rick Fran. >> I don't think we've had maybe one or two armed robbery since I've been here in almost eight years. Even though Tom Valice had called in the shooting as a suicide,

police brought him in for questioning early that morning while his parents watched the children. Investigators were suspicious right away. >> She'd have to go like this. >> Because the neighbors said they heard yelling, Tom was questioned by detective Rita Wolfe. >> She's telling you to get off of her.

>> I wasn't on her.

“>> Why do you think someone said that they could hear her?”

>> I wasn't on her. >> Get off of me, get off of me. >> I wasn't on her. >> Somebody's just making that up, Tom.

>> My life never told me to get off of her.

>> And so when you went upstairs, you were arguing with her. That wound on the back of her head isn't where she could do it herself, Tom. It is not. >> It is not. [MUSIC]

>> Investigators also searched his body and noticed scratches on his chest. Tom says he scratched himself. >> Because I just shaved my chest. I just shaved it because I've never done it before. I'm saying they're going like this with my shirt because it itches and scratches.

>> Tom gets increasingly agitated as Wolfe continues her questioning. >> You're accusing me of killing my wife. I'm not supposed to get upset. >> Yeah, because I've been here the whole time. >> You're a slow off the handle is what they're saying.

>> Nobody hit. >> I did not shoot Ashley. I didn't shoot my wife. I didn't shoot the mother of my kids. >> Police found evidence that raises questions about Tom's version of events.

Pictures seemed to have been ripped off the wall, indicated a struggle. Divorce papers were found on the dresser. Ashley had bruises on her legs. And Tom had been angry at the end of the party. >> And how angry was he at that time?

>> He was very angry, very angry. I mean he said I wish he would all of you die. >> You were mad at the fact that she was listening to her mom. >> I've heard told you that.

>> Yes, and so after he was questioned that first morning, Tom was released without charges.

>> Were you expecting Tom to be charged? >> Yes, oh yes, we were shocked. We were shocked that they let him go. >> Despite their concerns and evidence pointing to possible homicide,

Four days after it happened and before forensic testing was completed, the case was officially closed two months later.

“>> The fact is, if there was evidence to support public cause finding on Tom,”

we would have arrested him. >> Ashley's parents could hardly believe it.

She would never do anything like this.

She had a mission for Blake. >> With Tom free of any charges, he moved with his children to Indiana to attend graduate school. Ashley's parents had lost their daughter, but they didn't want to also lose their grandchildren, so they maintained a relationship with Tom. >> He's in another state with my grandkids.

It's crazy. We continue to do what we need to do because our love for our grandkids is much much greater and more powerful. >> The hatred we have for Tom Vales. >> But then two years later.

>> Tom, Justin Joseph with Fox 31 news. >> Unexpected twist. A local television news reporter began his own investigation. Fox 31 Denver's Justin Joseph has been digging into this case discovering new clues. >> It's not very often you hear someone confessed murder and get away with it.

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[MUSIC] >> How would you describe the last two years? >> It's definitely a roller coaster. >> It's hard to grieve. >> In early 2014, Jennifer Fox and Joel Raghundin were still convinced

that their son-in-law Tom Fallis murdered their daughter Ashley after the new year's party in 2012. >> Why would he kill her?

“>> Out of anger, I think it's a high possibility because of the divorce papers”

because of everything that was going on. >> But the Evans Police Department did rule Ashley's death as suicide and close the case and it remained closed until reporter Justin Joseph got a call. >> I had a source with law enforcement who called me and said something isn't right about this case.

>> Joseph, who was also a CBS news consultant, spent months investigating and interviewing neighbors who had initially spoken to police. And then in April 2014, he got a major break. >> Jeremy, as you know, this is a complicated case with many layers. >> What young next door neighbor Nick Lover told Joseph something about Tom Fallis

that was not in the police reports. >> I saw him walk out so we all ducked underneath the window sill. And his parents were standing outside and he sang, oh my God, I can't believe I did it. Three or four times and then his parents said, what, what are you saying? And I remember I heard him say, I shot her.

>> Nick said, he told that to Evans Police Officer Michael Yates. >> Any such a tech to be at set right where you're sitting and heard my story and wrote everything down. >> And then Joseph reported cooperation of Nick's story. A sheriff's deputy at the scene came forward two years later to tell investigators

that he also heard Tom say he shot Ashley. >> Sources identify Chris Graves is the deputy who allegedly heard Fallis's confession. >> Nick's mother Kathy also spoke to Joseph. Telling him she had gotten a call that night from another neighbor, a teenager named

Chelsea Arrigo. >> She called me and said, tell me you called police your neighbor just shot his wife. >> This came as a shock because in Yates report he writes, the Kathy Glover told him that Chelsea said, quote, your neighbor just shot herself a major discrepancy.

>> So the Glovers were never presented an opportunity to review their statements.

He thought for two years that their statements were correctly recorded.

And so they were shocked as everyone was to learn that the statements were omitted and the statements were changed.

“>> I think it's a question of one individual's work against another.”

>> To this day Officer Yates insists that Nick Glover never told him that he actually

overheard Tom Fallis saying he shot his wife. >> That's correct. >> She did not say that she got a call saying, I hope you've called the police. Your neighbor just shot his wife. Did in fact the witness say that to Officer Yates?

>> Not according to Officer Yates. >> Still Chief Brant can explain why his officers failed to do a follow-up interview with Chelsea Arrigo. They knew from the very first night she had heard Ashley yelling, get off me. But Chelsea Arrigo wasn't here witness and you didn't go back and interview her.

Why not? >> I can't answer that but I think that was an error. >> A serious error wasn't it? >> I would agree with that. >> Ashley's parents believe the omissions are part of a cover up by Evans Police.

>> Evans Police Department decided to cover up her death as a suicide. From the very beginning. Now, the big question is, why? >> There's this allegation that there was some kind of cover-up. Okay, if that happened, somebody's going to find it.

To my knowledge, none of that happened. >> Chief Brant insists there was no cover-up that his officers just made some mistakes. But he can't really explain why his department concluded so quickly. Just days after Ashley's death that she committed suicide. Especially when there was so much circumstantial evidence pointing to foul play.

The pictures, the divorce papers, numerous witnesses at the party reported that Tom was angry that night. Aren't those inconsistencies very troubling? >> I'm not informed to that level of detail on cases. I get kind of overviews, briefings, where we're at. So much of the detail that you're talking about now in hindsight after reviewing it.

Yes, those draw questions. >> Chief Brant says his less experienced officers called in the CBI. The Colorado Bureau of Investigation for assistance. And then later, close their own investigation. I mean, that's a really important question.

“Why would you close the case when you still have lab results?”

Pending. >> I think that was a mistake. I don't think you do close the case when there's lab results. >> So why was it close? >> I can't answer that question.

>> But this is your department. >> It is my department, but I don't run investigations. >> In fact, Chief Brant says he didn't know there were questions about the investigation. Until Justin Joseph's reports, two years later.

You know, the first time that I became aware of problems or issues with this case was when Fox 31 called me for an interview.

And that's, frankly, the first time I started even reviewing the report in any kind of detail. [MUSIC] >> For over a year, we have been investigating the death of Ashley Valorant. Erden April is gaining momentum tonight. We've attended internal affairs investigation.

Justin Joseph's reporting got the case reopened and reinvestigated by a larger neighboring police department in four columns. All with a full cooperation of Chief Brant. >> This new information includes alleged I and ear witness accounts that we are previously unaware of. And are the serious enough nature to warn further investigation of this case. [MUSIC]

>> I feel like it's a relief. It's been a lot of work, but I'm really relieved by it. I mean, it doesn't bring Ashley back, by any sense at all.

“But I think I just want the truth out there.”

>> I wonder if we can talk to you about a death of your wife. >> What a Tom Thales, they get the developments. Joseph surprised him during a return trip to the area. >> I'm not talking to you about this, it was the investigation was already done. >> Curiously, more than two years after her death, Tom produced for police.

What he said were suicide notes that Ashley had written. One said, dear Tom, I'm sorry for your pain. I'm a failure at everything. I find myself not even liking my children. I do love them, I just can't take this life any longer.

>> I think the most curious thing about those letters is that when we were told

it was a suicide, these letters never appeared.

These letters just came recently.

and I had information, I would give it to the police at that point.

“>> What I would like to see happen is truth and justice.”

I would like to see Tom charged with the murder of my daughter. >> In November 2014, a grand jury indicted Tom Phallus for the murder of his wife. The next day, he was arrested in Indiana after three years of freedom. Thinking this was all behind him, he suddenly found himself in jail

and separated from his children who are now being cared for by his parents. >> It was like an answered prayer and wait just being lifted off. And it just fueled that a sense of justice has taken place. >> And now in March 2016, >> People may make the robbing statement.

>> The trial begins. Tom Phallus is ready to put on a vigorous defense. >> It was determined to be a suicide in 2012, and it's still a suicide in 2016. [MUSIC]

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>> Emotional and powerful opening statements from both sides

as they tried to rehash what happened. >> Tom Phallus did not kill his wife. >> With her first words to the jury. Tom Phallus's defense attorney, I received Tom, came out fighting for her client.

>> Ashley Phallus committed suicide. On January 1st, 2012. Ashley Phallus was a beautiful woman. But she had a terrible pain inside. She had a documented mental illness, was impulsive and self-destructive,

and shot herself in the instant of her crisis with her own handgun. >> And surprisingly, the defense used the prosecution's own witnesses to make their case that Ashley already a volatile personality was drinking heavily the night of the party. >> She was intoxicated.

She had just suffered a miscarriage. She was a pressure cooker. >> Ashley's uncle, cross-examine by another defense attorney, admitted there was a history of suicide in the family. >> And both your mother and your brother died

from self-inflicted gunshot wounds to the head. >> That's correct. >> If you'll face me in raise your right hand? >> However, Ashley's therapist, Dr. Russell Johnson, told the jury that he did not consider her to be a danger to herself.

>> When you met with her in December of 2011, did she seem depressed to you? >> No, she did not. >> She seemed suicidal to you. >> No, she did not.

>> But when pushed by the defense, you were prescribing her 50 milligrams. >> Dr. Johnson acknowledges that he was unaware of all the medications Ashley was taking, including prescriptions she received from other doctors.

>> You didn't actually know how many pills of Sarah Quill and how many milligrams she was taking in December 2011, do you? >> No.

“>> Ashley had apparently withheld other crucial information”

from the doctor, including those alleged suicide notes she had written to Tom. >> And you didn't know that she had written

a second suicide note dated July 24th 2011.

She didn't tell you that, did she? >> No. >> But when Jenna was questioned by Prosecutor Ben Whitney, she repeated what she and Joel have said all along that Ashley was fine throughout the party.

And that Tom was the one who erupted at the end of the night. >> He came up the stairs and went right in front of me and told me, he [bleep] hated this all, and he wished we would all die and went into their bedrooms. And the door.

>> What was Ashley's demeanor like? >> She seemed fine, she just seemed frustrated, maybe embarrassed.

to following Ashley's death.

>> Nick Lover, the next door neighbor, who said he heard Tom fouls confess. Tells the jury, he remembers it all very clearly.

“>> What I heard him saying, "Oh my God, what have I done?”

Oh my God, what have I done?" And he proceeded to say, "I shot my wife." >> How certain are you or are you not? That the voice you're hearing is Tom fouls his voice but you're seeing standing in that quadrant in your driveway.

>> I'm one hundred percent. I wouldn't forget her not hear something like that, and I remember it. >> But Tom's parents deny that conversation ever happened. >> Never.

>> And others who were right there with Nick that night say they also didn't hear it. >> Next mother, Kathy Glover,

then tells the jury about a 1 a.m. phone call.

She got from neighbor, Chelsea O'Rigo. >> When I answered the phone, she said, "Please tell me you called the police because your neighbor just shot his wife." >> But her story is undercut,

when Chelsea O'Rigo herself takes the stand

“and says she doesn't even remember the call.”

All I remember was hearing some arguing. But that's it. >> Do you recall any particular statements? >> No. >> Do you recall telling Kathy Glover

in a phone conversation? That same early morning, I heard her screaming, "Get off me, get off me." >> I do not.

>> She admits that she was intoxicated that night and fails to corroborate any of the significant statements that investigators say she gave after the shooting. Still, well County Sheriff's Deputy Chris Graves also says he overheard Tom confessed to killing Ashley.

>> I heard in screaming, "I can't believe I shot her. I can't believe she's dead." >> But his reliability as a witness is also put in doubt when he admits that he didn't notify his superior

until two years after the shooting. After the case was reopened. >> Do you draft a report about what you've heard? >> No, man. That was heaven's case.

“>> Is that something you feel like you should have done?”

>> Absolutely. >> The forensic testimony from the night of the shooting is crucial. >> Try to reproduce the entry and exit holes. >> The state's expert Dan Gillah,

who spent 400 hours examining the case, explains to the jury where Ashley's head had to have been when the fatal shot went off. >> She has to be down in this position somewhere like this. The rod going through my head has to line up with this rod.

>> But on cross-examination, his conclusion seems to favor not the prosecutions case, but the defense. The most probable result of Ashley's shot to her head was a result of it being self-inflicted, correct?

>> I believe so. >> So suicide, correct? >> Yes.

>> To counter this, the prosecution calls a second

nationally renowned forensic expert, John Priest. >> Now, the lower I get, who tells the jury that he concluded the opposite. >> The Tom had to be near Ashley when she was shot. >> My ultimate opinion is that at the time the shot was fired,

Tom and Ashley Falus were in contact with each other or near each other. >> Priest suggests to the jury that the evidence shows the two of them could have been struggling as the gun went off.

>> We could be struggling over this firearm. To where I've got it up against her head, threatening yelling, whatever, I could have it here. She could be reaching up and grab it at the time of the district. Fire and goes off, I could drop the firearm,

pull her into my head, turning to create the stain, and then come back down here onto the floor. >> So was it murder? Or did Ashley Falus take her own life? Phase with conflicting theories,

the jury will have to weigh the often contradictory evidence. Prosecutor and Thea Carasco. >> And she struggled at points in her past sure. >> Have a lot of people absolutely. Does that mean she committed suicide?

No. >> He's in a rage. That's the man that was in that house. That's what's going on in his head. That's what's going on in his heart.

And that is the person that was in that bedroom with Ashley Falus. [ Music ] >> They have to prove that he had her gun beyond a reasonable doubt. [ Music ]

>> Help the gun to her head beyond a reasonable doubt.

You almost be convinced of that.

>> Tom Falus's future hangs in the balance. [ Music ] [ Music ] >> To see him in the courtroom, I felt like I had we had a shot of hope

that justice would be served.

“>> As key witnesses for the prosecution,”

Ashley's parents were not allowed to view much of the trial outside of their own testimony. But from what they heard from those inside the courtroom, the case against Tom Falus might not be the slam dunk. They thought it would be.

>> He was losing the love of his life. >> But Jen and Joel remained hopeful as the case went to the jury. However, they soon got a jolt. The jurors were out how long.

>> Three and a half hours? >> Three and a half hours and an hour of that was their lunch. >> Did that seem right? Three and a half hours? >> No. >> No.

>> The jury has reached verdict. >> Four years after Ashley's death, the judge read the jury's decision. [ Music ]

“>> We the jury find the defendant Thomas Falus,”

not guilty of murder in the second degree,

and all lesser included offenses signed by him. >> Tom Falus was free. >> Tell me that moment when you heard the verdict. >> Shock. >> I was just like here Tom's just got away with murder again. >> Four Ashley's parents, the speed of the verdict,

made it even worse. >> They're talking about the life of my daughter, and the well-being of my grandchildren, and for them to make that decision that quickly. >> It's sickening to me.

It really is. It's haunting. >> It is a lot of information that you can spend three and a half hours. Not, I don't get it.

I really don't get it. Two of the jurors still impures. And DeVanami Harris, we're willing to explain their verdict. >> I did realize immediately that there are lives at stake here, not only Tom's life but the children as well.

If he was guilty, I was looking for that. I looked at him, I studied him, and I just couldn't see it. But I did want to find him guilty if he did it, because I wanted to be that voice for Ashley if he did it. >> But jurors say that in the isolation of the courtroom,

the case seemed straightforward. They believed Ashley Palace was in a dire mental state, which led her to take her own life. Was this a case of reasonable doubt for you all? Is this just there wasn't enough evidence to go,

or are you absolutely convinced? You know what happened? >> I'm convinced. >> I think it was a perfect storm, just waiting to happen. DeVanami believes though that the truth of what happened may not have been what

either side presented in the courtroom. >> I think that the argument that they had that night was probably a little bit more intense, but I don't think that he did it. I don't think that he actually pulled the trigger. There was nothing there that said, Tom was holding the gun.

I just couldn't put it there. >> And they questioned how the case even made it to trial. >> I don't think there was enough evidence to reopen the case. I think the case was reopened just due to pressure from the media.

“>> I feel that's what Jennifer Oxengeau regained it and we're out to do.”

They were out to get justice for Ashley. They needed some media attention to reopen the case. >> I received a tip about this last week and I've been working on it for me. My job is a reporter where to get as many facts out there and to get those to the jury. And I certainly have no regrets about the integrity of our reporting.

>> But in the end, the police department and the World County Sheriff did not do their jobs. The night this happened, the jury didn't have what they needed to be able to decide whether or not Tom Palace pulled the trigger and from that standpoint the jury made the right decision. >> Tom Palace declined to speak with 48 hours. The verdict changes nothing for Ashley's family.

They still believe Ashley would never take her own life and leave her children behind.

Is it at all possible that she just after her husband got so angry with you? She just couldn't handle the stress and she took her life. >> No way. >> I don't think so. >> Absolutely not.

>> As they wrestled with their frustrations after the verdict. >> Don't.

>> I know your pissed.

>> Ashley's parents could barely contain their emotions.

Especially because of how they believe their daughter was portrayed in court. >> They made her look back on her spitfire and this jury fell for it. They were up there calling her a spitfire. It's a person who loves life.

“>> I think Jenna Fox is angry, understandably.”

>> She doesn't have any power in the situation.

She keeps looking for this for a way to take back control of what's happening. And there's no power and that sucks. >> You know I'm going to say I mean we're not parents in denial. I mean that's just not the case. >> Every day this is the battle.

>> We're having to live with what the jurors came up with. And it is not easy.

“But we are also way me and Jenna are both fighters and the truth is the truth.”

And it always will be in our minds in our hearts.

>> What lies ahead for their relationship with their three grandchildren. Now back in Tom's care remains unclear. But they are committed to preserving Ashley's memory in the children's minds. >> Madeline Jolie and Blake, I want to talk to you about your mother. She loved you guys wholeheartedly.

She lived life large because she loved life so much.

“That's why I know that my daughter would never take her own life.”

>> After the trial, the three children remained in Tom's balance in custody. [MUSIC] >> You mean it's all right? >> Yeah, exactly. >> This story is so deep.

They just understand. Egalobstudium, job, or um to. >> Cool. >> I don't know how to stand up. >> Stand up.

>> Save. >> With this story.