It was murder," Claus told producers. As of November 2022, Rachelle's "My Crappy Life" blog, the one that started it all, is still active on LiveJournal. Rachelle appealed on the basis that a 16-year-old should not have been judged as an adult. People in the small Alaskan village of Craig were shocked by the brutal murder of Lauri Waterman and the arrest of two young locals who quickly confessed to the killing. It was an entry that had went virallong before that was ever a buzzwordand solicited more than 5,000 visitors to her blog. Radel: I had her kneel; I attempted to break her neck backwards.West: How'd you do that?Radel: By yanking up on the chin and forcing it back. Papas Pizza serves as the alternative to Dominos. But the most dramatic testimony in the trial came when prosecutor west called to the stand the other killer -- Brian Radel. Arrant was a janitor and a Marine Corps dropout. For a time she dressed all in black, with black nail polish to match, and when she picked out a black velvet dress for prom, her mother told her I couldnt pull it off, she wrote. Don Pierce, friend of the Waterman family: Even if she had been acquitted in the trial, just outright, homes where she'd been allowed to go in and parents would have welcomed her, she wouldn't be allowed in to. Most of the jury was convinced Rachelle's tales of abuse had triggered the killing, and that she even knew her two friends were plotting murder, but weren't sure there was anything more to it than that. But the judge allowed the confession to be admitted as evidence. And it was about to get harder yet for Doc -- Rachelle was headed to court, where despite that confession, she pleaded not guilty to all charges against her. She admitted it. Corrections Deputy Commissioner Portia Parker indicated that Waterman "is an adult in the eyes of the law.". Low 29F. Two men are serving long prison sentences for their roles in Lauri Waterman's death. Since then, she has served her prison term and is now a free woman. And I just started - shaking. Pierce: I got a call asking me to take Rachelle home because she was losing it. Lauri, 48, went missing in November 2004 and her remains were found in her minivan, which had been abandoned in the woods and set on fire. Around age 15 or 16, Rachelle met and briefly dated Brian Radel, who was then in his early 20s. ET on Investigation Discovery. She had told them when Lauri would be home alone and to enact the plan that weekend. And that's the part that bothered me the most. Jason Arrant was one of a handful of Craigs youth who didnt seem to break free. Arrant and Waterman will be arraigned in the District Court in Craig this morning. And the defense questioned Jason's motive for implicating Rachelle, saying he'd gotten a "sweet deal," a plea agreement that would cut his prison time in half in exchange for testifying against Rachelle. Wells: You want her to say a certain set of facts, don't you?Sgt. One name kept coming to the forefront: Jason Alan Arrant. It was here Rachelle began sharing with the world her teenage troubles dealing with boys, parental restrictions, never-ending boredom, judgments passed by old friends, and the experimentation with the goth look. Brian stated that Jason asked him to kill Lauri and that Rachelle had often complained to him about her mother's abuses. McPherron: So Jason says this would be a good weekend.Rachelle: Uh huh. Rachelle and her father were overwhelmed. Nothing more, nothing less. Both men fell in love with Rachelle and over time, she shared stories about life in the Waterman home, a life, she said, far different from what it seemed. Prosecutor Steven West would try to prove that she not only wanted her mother Lauri Waterman dead but with the cooperation of two former boyfriends -- helped plot the murder. Anjette Lyles was known for her good cooking, but no one could have suspected the deadly recipes she was brewing up for her loved ones. Larson: Did you guys believe at all that Lauri Waterman was hitting her with baseball bats and--. It would likely mean there would be a re-trial. When a woman ended up murdered, police suspected someone she knew was behind it but the culprit was even closer to home than they thought. Eventually, however, police elicited a confession from Jason. Pierce: Lauri wasn't one to go around without people knowing that she was gonna go somewhere. The stories just didn't match. Or maybe it was just his guilty conscience. Right. 'People Magazine Investigates': Did Pam Hupp Stab Her Friend More Than 50 Times. Ted Kimble wanted his wife dead so he could collect the life insurance, so he convinced his brother Ronnie Kimble to do it for him. 30-something TBI survivor + storyteller powered by caffeine & my feline overlords https://medium.com/@fatimhemraj/membership, https://medium.com/@fatimhemraj/membership. Don Martelli, Sr.: If she'd own up to it, say, Im very, very sorry this happened, should never have happened, Id feel a lot better about it. Randy McPherron (interrogation video): A little exaggeration there and a little overacting there - here, can have some dire consequences, right? But other correspondence took a darker, conspiratorial tone. Radel admitted to killing Waterman, but insisted Arrant was much more involved than he had previously told police. But, you know, behind closed doors, other things happen. The police, from the beginning, suspected that Jason and Brian might have had something to do with Lauris murder, but when questioned, both men claimed they were at Radels house on the night of the murder. Son Jeffrey wasn't even in Alaska, as he was attending college in the mainland. IMAGO / ZUMA Wire. He eventually told authorities his best friend, 24-year-old Brian Radel had murdered Lauri. . Residents of Craig, Alaska were already reeling from news of a beloved mother abducted from her own home and murdered in the middle of the night, but no one could have prepared them for what came next. The basis of Watermans appeal is that the then-16-year-old girl, should not have been judged based on the standard of care one would expect from an adult in a similar situation. ago. Although the other charges against him were dropped, he plead guilty to first degree murder and is now sitting in a prison in Alaska, serving a 99-year sentence for Lauri Waterman's murder. Rachelle was brought in for questioning and informed of her rights, authorities told "Fatal Frontier," and still agreed to talk without her father or an attorney present. Police told her they knew the answer: she had played a role in her mothers murder. I was crying so hard I was shaking. The primary methods of transportation off the island is via water plane or ferry, the latter being a minimum three hour ride one way. But didnt Rachelle have an airtight alibi too? Rachelle's grandfather and uncle are not as forgiving. "It's pretty gruesome what happened to her,"Randy McPherron, a retired sergeant with Alaska State Troopers, told producers. And Doc had an alibi. Lauri Waterman, 48, seldom drank more than a couple of sips of wine, maybe a bit more if a friend wanted to drink with her, according to testimony Tuesday from Carl "Doc" Waterman, Rachelle's . But several jurors bought the defense argument that Rachelle's confession was coerced, that she was broken down by seasoned officers. Jason testified about a call he received from Rachelle the night after her mother's murder. Physical evidence recovered at the various crime scenes corroborated many of the defendants' statements Radel, Arrant and Waterman have been charged with murder in the first degree. 25 stock photos on the topic rachelle waterman are available for licensing. She explained how Rachelle may not have fully appreciated the consequences of her actions -- her venting her problems about her mother to her boyfriend -- because teenagers use a different part of the brain than adults for decision-making, judgment and impulse control. Geoffrey Waterman, Lauri Watermans son: She was loving. The Fairbanks Daily News-Miner reported that, "the complaint against Rachelle Waterman relied on statements by all three co-defendants. They say Waterman had the power to stop the murder and didnt. And it's not helping you any. "She was starting to rebel at the time with the goth stuff," Merritt told producers, saying it made Lauri "roll her eyes.". Craig is a tiny town on an island in Alaska, so small that everybody knows each other. This was the first time Rachelle had heard a description of her mother's death from the killer himself the story of how he kidnapped her mother, took her to a remote logging road and then slowly killed her. "It didnt seem like she got any accountability for what she masterminded and made happen. Jason then drove to a remote logging road where Brian was waiting. You can unsubscribe anytime. What'd you think about the confession?Schwab: Clinched it for me. Prosecutors argued early on that Rachelle played a crucial part in her mothers death, saying she led the two men to believe the mother abused Rachelle, and that Rachelle wanted her mother dead. Arrant: She mentioned that a good window of opportunity would be coming up, when she would be going up north for volleyball, and when her dad would also be gone from the home. Or, if you like, you can send me lifeblood to keep me going. Furthermore, he stated that Rachelle was not worried about her mother. Sgt. /1. The Murder of Lauri Waterman. More than a decade after the original crime took place, Rachelle Waterman's appeal of her . Pierce: I could upset more people in an hour than she could in a lifetime. Teens get tough lesson in consequences of crime, https://en.wikinews.org/w/index.php?title=American_teenage_girl_charged_with_murder_of_her_mother&oldid=4700349. Rachelle Waterman looks back during the opening of her trial at the Dimond Courthouse Wednesday, Jan. 25, 2006, in Juneau, Alaska. According to the prosecution, she had wrapped two young men around her little finger, manipulated them into murderand then left them holding the bag. Mom Urged Son to Get Help, 'Turn His Life Around.' And the stories were so seductive, men would kill for them. Dianne Masters wanted to divorce her husband Alan Masters, a powerful Chicago attorney, but he had too much to lose to let her out of the marriage alive. We weren't even sure it was Lauri and she was beside herself. When Rachelle and Doc came back Sunday, they realized Lauri was gone. But as investigators inspected the scene, they found no sign of a driver who would have been in the front seat. Rachelle was an honor student, athlete, and member of her schools choir. Radel: I said "I'd protect Rachelle. Create a free profile to get unlimited access to exclusive videos, breaking news, sweepstakes, and more! She stated that "I think that we're starting to see more violence with kids who are younger, and the behaviors that they're exhibiting are more aggressive and more violent." Steve Wells, defense attorney: As you listen to this evidence, ask yourself: Is Rachelle Waterman an absolutely cold-blooded, psychotic monster? Rachelle approved of the murder of her mother and admits that when she said she tried to call it off -- she was telling another lie. Rachelle Waterman, now 22, is on trial, accused of plotting with the men to kill her mother. Doc was a decorated serviceman who had met Lauri in Utah. Cookies collect information about your preferences and your device and are used to make the site work as you expect it to, to understand how you interact with the site, and to show advertisements that are targeted to your interests. She said, Can I ask a question? I said, What is it? and she kept repeating, Can I ask a question?. So Lauri climbed into bed sometime after eleven p.m. and went to sleep, alone. Richelle Waterman. Key evidence of the plot was provided by Rachelles online journal, titled My Crappy Life, which described the struggles with her mom. Rachelle sang in the school choir and played on the volleyball team. So, like I said, it was discussed and I said, "Well, yes, let's do it.". Lauri Waterman's murder in Alaska will be featured on the next episode of People Magazine Investigates on Investigation Discovery. Jason then confided in his friend, Brian, and together the duo decided to get rid of Lauri Waterman. Three days after her disappearance, it was confirmed: the remains were Lauri Waterman's. Judge Patricia Collins, of the Juneau Superior Court, has been assigned to run the trial for the case. Before the night was over, however, Lauri would be abducted in the familys purple minivana vehicle later found 40 miles away, burned with Lauris charred remains inside. A diverse group of users, both friends and strangers, have posted over 5,000 comments on the journal, positive and negative, transforming the case into an Internet phenomenon. The two 24-year-old men, Jason Arrant, of Klawock, and Brian Radel, of Thorne Bay, later confessed to killing 48-year-old Laurie Waterman and were charged with first degree murder. Wells: You have in mind what you want her to say. I wish you understood how much you're loved". They know how to get people to talk. After Rachelles arrest, the judge decided that Rachelle should be moved to Juneau for a fair trial. But if you scratch the surface a little bit, there seems to be a current of anger that maybe goes beyond just your typical adolescent ranting.. I didn't do any of it very well. Brian is nothing but a loser who was trying to get in teenage panties. IBEW Local 1547 members are committed to getting the job done. Jason was taken in for questioning and it didnt take long for his story to unravel. Family and friends could not believe it -- Lauri Waterman was loved in town, always the first to volunteer and the last to leave when a job needed to be finished. Demars: They didn't give her any room to talk.Jones: For a 15-year-old who's scared out of her mind, they're professionals. The car investigators had found was clearly a Chrysler minivan. Though, Brian Radel took the stand again in her 2011 retrial and helped the jury find Rachelle guilty of criminally negligent homicide. The two were charged with 10 counts each, including conspiracy to commit murder, kidnapping, burglary, and first-degree murder. But as revealed in the next episode of People Magazine. Arrant finally cracked. Magistrate Kay Clark presided over the arraignment and set bail at $150,000. And what about those stories, Rachelle's dramatic descriptions of abuse? Randy McPherron: No -- I want her to --Wells: A certain set of facts.Sgt. Why would a 16-year-old girl, who had just lost her mother, to murder nonetheless, write such a cold, uncaring statement so devoid of any emotion? Let's say you had gotten away with it.Brian Radel: Gotten away with it? Rachelle also answers to Rachelle Ann Waterman, and perhaps a couple of other names. But told him the weekend to do it. Arrant, meanwhile, also said he had been with Radel that weekend, but that he slept at his own home. When she returned, Radel continued Radel: She didn't die.West: How could you tell that?Radel: She was still breathing. In a blow to the prosecution, the same judge who allowed Rachelle's videotaped confession to be used in court threw it out, saying she now believed the confession had been coerced. Human remains were in the backseat of the car. Investigation Discoverys People Magazine Investigates: The Darkest of Nights chronicles the brutal murder and the subsequent investigation, which revealed the role of Lauris daughter, Rachelle, in the gruesome crime. Arrant: She said that she thought it would be better if her mother wasn't around anymore.Steven West, prosecutor: Did you ask her what she meant by that?Jason Arrant: Oh, yes.West: And what was her response?Arrant: That she thought it would be better if her mother was dead. You have permission to edit this article. The two men believed they were going to save Rachelle, who had asked them to kill her mother. I was lost and I was confused. Brian Radel: Somebody ended up dead in this story. Don Pierce was with Rachelle's father Doc when he heard the news. Yes, she did but police had searched Rachelles computer, interviewed friends, and checked into her past activities. But with no verdict, the family's wounds remain open and their questions remain about Rachelle's involvement. Im actually hoping my dad goes off his rocker and can have reason for emancipation.. Still, it was only after repeated interrogation that Jason broke and confessed to being involved in the murder of Lauri Waterman. This woman is now walking the streets & from all indications, enjoying a successful & fulfilling life. When that failed, he strangled her. Breaking her neck, I definitely wasn't successful at that. So jurors picked apart each piece, each tale that was told, beginning with who they thought was most responsible for the murder -- Rachelle or her one-time boyfriends Jason Arrant and Brian Radel. I'll be like tossed out on my butt. We knew who he was but we didn't really know him, what he was capable of. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. We let Rachelle down.Blackwell: You know, I felt defeated. Sgt. She appeared to be agitated by the abuse, and prosecutors claimed that she led the duo to believe she wanted her mother dead. Rachelle also alleged to Jason that her mother was verbally and physically abusing her because of her choices in clothes, boyfriends, and her recent liking of Wicca. She was afraid, Rachelle says, that her mother would kill her. The summer before Rachelle's junior year, she took a job at the computer store where she met Radel. ' And she just kept repeating that, Can I ask a question? Jason asked me, What do you think she wants to ask? And I said, I think she wants to know why in the world this is happening.. A 2006 trial ended in a hung jury. When investigators came to the home, they noted the clothes she wore to the Chamber of Commerce dinner were in the house, as were photos of the event. Doc and Lauri were prominent members of the community. Although only 16 years old, the harsh winters, excessively long nights, and mundanity of organized activities and honors studies were getting old. But now seemed willing to do anything to get his ex-lover convicted. The judge then threw out the indictment as well, which meant there were no longer any charges pending against Rachelle. (Rachelle nods). You can start to see what the picture looks like even though there's a piece missin' here, a piece missin' there, a piece missin' there. But the killers, Arrant and Radel, told police that Rachelle had feared for her life and that they felt compelled to act. When asked what Rachelle had to do it with it, he initially insisted she knew nothing. The authorities found the fingertip of a rubber glove on the floor of the master bedroom and an empty bottle of wine in the kitchen odd considering Lauri barely drank. To get a better understanding of Lauri and her familys life, you must first know about where they lived. She tells them her mother tried to push her down the stairs, beat her with a baseball bat, even threatened to sell her into sexual slavery. Rachelle, then 16, was a student-athlete who sang in the school choir, played volleyball and competed in an academic decathlon. So defense attorney Wells attacked the officers' methods, challenging sergeant Randy McPherron, one of the Alaska state troopers who interrogated Rachelle.
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