True Crime Vault: The Accused

You're [music] listening to the 2020. True Crime Vault. >> Living the dream and it all just. shattered. >> 3-year-old Riley Fox was taken from her. home in the middle of the night. >> It was something out of a movie. In an. instant, my life was forever changed. >> Truth is a broken. heart still beats. You know, we have. followed this case for more than a.

decade, and we've never been able to get. this out of our mind. >> My daughter is nowhere nowhere to be. found. >> How old is she? Three. >> She cannot find your three-year-old. daughter. >> No. >> Did you have anything to do with the. death of your daughter? >> Not at all. Not at all. >> There was this police interrogation, 14. hours in this room, and and then the. young father confesses. >> It was just unthinkable. Something about. that just did it was like, "Oh my god.". Most of us say, "I would never confess.

to something I didn't do.". People would be surprised. >> The family believes 100% [music] in. Kevin's innocence. >> They were so focused on this young. father that there [music] were signs all. over the neighborhood. >> The same night Riley disappeared, there. was a burglary at the house right across. the street. >> How could all of these signs be missed? >> That's when things really get intense. For the first time, we're now hearing. from the FBI. They started [music] the. case all over again, and only then did.

we learn what really happened. >> The truth is a broken. heart still beats. My first day as Jillbird. For one, I should not be here at all. I'm very disappointed in myself.

I could hear people saying, "We got the. baby Riley killer." kind of singing it. And that is when it all had begun. [music]. The journey through the second nightmare. of my life. I was the furthest person to. [music] do this to Riley. But yet here I. am. >> One family uh they were living the dream. [music] and it all just shattered. >> Will you do dance? >> Yeah. >> All right. Dance it up. Dance it up,

baby. >> Kevin Fox is your all-American guy. A. good union job as a painter. >> Melissa [music] and Kevin went to high. school together. They met after a. volleyball game and she asked him. [music] out for a date. >> We went to homecoming together and we. [music] went to prom together. >> They were high school sweethearts.

>> He's on the basketball [music] team. She's a cheerleader. >> We were still dating when God made plans. for us and we had Tyler and then we got. married when he was three. [music]. and had Riley a year after that. He was just such a loving, doing father. >> I feel like that's what I was uh put on. this earth to [music] do, honestly. Uh. that's my joy in life.

>> Riley, [music]. he had an especially close relationship. with Riley. The two of them were. inseparable. >> Watch where you're going. Damn. What? >> She had this perfect [music] black hair. and perfect little round face. >> She just light up a room. >> Go real fast. >> She was like little pocket rocket. >> Run, run, run, run, run.

>> Riley was a lot like Melissa. She was a. spunky, [music] sassy little girl. >> Hey, where you going? >> She could be a little princess. She. loved to have her nails painted. She was. funny. [music] She was silly. She was. just a sweetheart. >> Did you go fishing last night? >> Yes, I did. >> She wasn't afraid to get dirty and play. [music] When I think of Riley, I picture. her on Kevin's shoulders. She was always. a daddy's girl.

>> Dad. >> Hi. >> Hi. >> I love you. >> I love you. >> She just make your heart melt. [music]. Your hugs, her smile. >> [music]. >> A really great portrait of the family. emerged at the wedding of Kevin's. [music] brother. Riley stole the show in. a little Snow White princess dress. She. had her hair whipped up into this.

confection of curls. There was a real long aisle and she was. supposed to take a right hand turn and. she [music] kept on going up the stairs. She just wanted to be up in Kevin's. arms. She didn't really care [music]. about throwing the flowers. [music]. >> One of the most moving images from that. wedding was this this photo of the. family together, [music] Kevin and. Melissa, Tyler and Riley, this beautiful. young family. And what became. heartbreaking about it is that it was.

the last photo of them ever as a family. together. [music]. The weekend of June 5th is a turning. point in the lives of the Fox family. Mom goes out of town on a breast cancer. walk. Got [music] up early Saturday and. started the walk. It was a beautiful. day. It was hard. It was long, but we. had a really good time together.

>> We were just excited. We had matching. shirts and shorts and we got ribbons for. our hair. [music] Kevin and my brother. Tony were going to go to a concert. [music] that night, Saturday night, and. my mom had the kids. >> We went down to Belmont Music Fest, had. some beers, >> stayed there for a while. Right. afterwards, we went to a burrito place. and then went back to Wilmington. [music]. >> I know that you were partying somewhat.

I mean, how how big of an issue was. alcohol that night? >> It wasn't a big issue at all. I had some. beers. I was definitely not wasted. >> Kev was super adamant about picking the. kids up at my mom's, but it was pretty. late. I remember looking at the back of. the car, and that was the last time I. saw Riley. [music]. 1:00 a.m. He picks the kids up, brings them home. It's late, so he puts.

them down in the living room. Because their beds weren't made, he. places Tyler in a chair with an ottoman. And he puts Riley on the couch, >> watched TV, went outside and got my. smokes, had a cigarette on the porch. [music]. >> He remembers looking around and not. seeing anyone out on the streets. It was. just dead quiet. >> And then I went to bed myself.

>> You went to bed. The kids were sleeping. in the living room. [music]. >> Yes. >> And what's the next thing that you. remember? >> Uh Tyler waking me [music] up and said. that Riley was gone. >> At 8:00 a.m. Tyler came into Kevin's. room. He shook my my leg and said, "Dad, Riley's gone." And it really [music]. didn't sink in at first. >> He gets up. He starts looking. frantically all over the house. He.

thinks that she may be hiding somewhere. [music] He looks in closets. He runs. outside. and he calls the neighbor's house. >> It was a complete mystery. Nobody had. any explanation for where she could have. gone, where she would be. >> So then I. started panicking. He decides to call. the Wilmington Police Department. >> After about 30 or 40 minutes, he calls. to say that he can't find his child. >> Police Department. >> Yeah. I was wondering if you can find an.

officer over here. My name is Kevin. Five. I woke up this morning and uh my. daughter is nowhere nowhere to be found. How old is she? >> Three. You're kidding me. >> No. Cannot find your three-year-old. daughter. No. >> For a three-year-old to go missing in. Wilmington [music]. was a big deal. This doesn't happen. there. >> The worst news any parent could imagine. >> Sends chills through me. >> Not at all. Not at all.

Wilmington, Illinois is the. quintessential American [music] small. town. 4.2 [music] two square miles set amid. the corn fields of the Canaki River. >> A small community [music]. outside of Chicago, about 5,000 [music] people. It's a small town where everybody pretty.

much knew everybody. [music]. >> On the morning of June 6th, Kevin Fox is. increasingly panicked. He can't find his. [music] daughter, Riley. the police come. to help him search. >> When police showed up that day, one of. the first things Kevin mentioned was the. front door, which he remembered having. uh he thought closed and locked the. night before and and when [music] he got. up that morning, that that door was. open. >> The police stated they found no sign of. forcible entry. >> Kevin [music] told the investigators.

that the lock on the back door was. broken. >> You know, for the most part, the house. appears normal. You could see [music]. toys scattered about throughout the. house, posters that the kids had made. for Melissa still sitting on the kitchen. table. But one of the things that they. did find was that yellow blanket still. sitting on the sofa [music] where he put. Riley to bed. Kevin was super. distraught, on edge, crying, scared.

[music]. >> Kevin's wife, Melissa, the day before. went to Chicago to go on [music] a. breast cancer walk with her friends. It was beautiful out. >> We all started walking. Obviously, everybody's pretty sore. We were like. maybe an hour or so in. [music]. I decided to call Kevin. He sounded so. startled. I knew immediately [music]. something was wrong. >> You could just see the color from her. face just kind of dropped. >> He just said, "Riley's gone.".

>> [music]. >> and I immediately hit the ground and the. phone fell out of my hand. [music]. >> She just kind of collapsed. We got in the car and drove back to. Wilmington. We got off 55 and we turned. left the stop sign to head back home. >> It was something out of a movie. I mean, something you never in your wildest. dreams. >> We saw people just combing the woods and. the ditches. >> People on four-wheelers, people are on.

foot. I feel like the entire town was. out looking for her. I think that's when. it hit me that this was, you know, this. was serious. >> Police and the community mounted a. massive manhunt. >> The town mobilized immediately. >> Neighbors, relatives, friends, and. volunteers numbering in the hundreds. joined in the search. >> They had tables set up, tents set up. There were cops all over. >> I don't like the circumstances, but it's. amazing to see. how much people are.

willing to do for us. >> I started out searching and then they. told me to stick around in case they had. any questions and you just feel. helpless. [music]. >> One of the places people began searching. was for Scythe Woods, just a big area of meadow with a creek. running through it. a mother daughter. When looking down the. creek,

>> I just felt compelled to come and look. for her. >> through the brambles and leaves and. twigs. >> I can't even explain it. I just had this. really bad feeling about this place and. that's why I came here. >> The mother caught a glimpse of something. and screamed. >> It looked like it [music] was a plastic. bag, like a grocery bag that was bubbled. up in the water. So, I walked a little closer and that's. when I saw her. She was face down in um. she was face down in in the creek. Dad,

>> hi. >> I love you. >> I love you. [music]. >> Remember, they came together to find one. of our own. >> Their three-year-old daughter, Riley, who'd been missing all day, had been. found dead. There was like a lot of commotion and. they came over and grabbed me and Kevin. They put us in separate cop cars. It. felt strange. I didn't understand what.

was going on. When we got to the police station, they. just started asking questions and I was. like, "Is someone going to tell me. what's going on?". We walked in to the room uh where they. were at and uh they looked [music] at us. and we were all crying. My dad said, "Um, it's not good. [music] She's dead.". I think like I punched the wall a couple. times, the black wall. I just didn't.

want to [music]. I didn't I didn't want to believe it. I. remember catching my brother as his. knees gave out on him and and uh you. know, everybody [music] just sobbed. [music]. Kevin and Melissa Fox are living a. parents worst nightmare, but on this. night at least, they have the support of. an entire community. >> There had been a vigil that evening.

where the community came together. [music]. >> [singing]. >> the community. They're like, "There's. some predator crazy person running. around snatching children.". >> Today, I let my children play out in the. backyard fence backyard. We're not in. the front. And that's not normal. >> On this day, a lot is happening. Not. only does Riley Fox go missing, but the.

police are responding to a burglary on. the very same block. >> There is a neighbor literally across the. street from Kevin. She had a section of. her screen cut out. The door was. unlocked. I think she initially reported. that nothing was taken. >> She felt that someone had broken into. her house. >> You got to wonder, [music] are these. things connected? The police the first day or so received. a couple of tips about a suspicious. vehicle that neighbors had seen in the.

area overnight. It was a red Chevy. Beretta. The Will County Sheriff's. Office says that initial reports that an. unknown red car had been prowling the. neighborhood early Sunday are not. credible. At this point, there is no. description of a vehicle used by a. possible kidnapper. At one point it seemed like there were. not a whole lot of leads and it was like. how did this even happen and who was. responsible? >> Police weren't saying much publicly. They they were remaining extraordinarily.

tight lipped in the case but behind the. scenes they were already heading out, you know, into that creek searching for. evidence. And as we got a little closer, I'm like, "Wow, there's a shoe in. there.". >> It can be difficult to [music]. sift out the clues. You might even. overlook a piece of evidence that could. practically spell out the killer's name. >> Not [snorts] at all. Not at all.

[music]. Three-year-old Riley Fox drown body was. found in a creek about 4 miles from her. home. Volunteers found the little girl's. body in a creek in the Foresight Woods. Police say whoever killed her took her. to these woods to try to hide her body. The thing that stood out was the. Foresight Preserve because [music]. unless you were from that area, you. would never.

find that place. [music]. This is the location where Riley was. found. This is where she floated up to. [music]. >> Forsight Woods and Fork Creek, where. Riley's body was found, suddenly become. ground zero for this investigation, and. [music] the Will County Sheriff's. Department is tasked with leading the. investigation. >> Investigators tonight brought boats to. the scene to comb for evidence. >> There was a log jam further downstream. that went [music] from bank to bank, and. anything that got thrown into the water.

was going to get caught. That's the. location where I found the shoe. A. little while later, they come across a. matching sneaker. >> There was a tree branch that was in. [music] the water, and a shoe flipped up. that was caught on the on the shoelace. 20 years, I never found a match shoe. >> They take the tennis shoes, put them in. evidence, and that was the end of it. And here's the thing, there's actually. something written in the tongue of the.

shoe, the letters E, B, Y. They [music] never looked at those. shoes. >> Dad. >> Hi. >> Hi. >> When Riley is found, she has duct tape. across her mouth. [music] She has. residue on her wrists. That would. suggest that she may have been duct. taped on her wrists. She just had on. like a [music] top type shirt. >> Her partially clothed body was soon. discovered. >> The toddler's drowned body was found in. the creek. The child was held under the.

water, her mouth taped shut. The. forensic examination revealed that Riley. Fox was alive at the time she entered. the creek. Additionally, the autopsy. revealed that Riley Fox suffered. non-lethal head injuries and that a. sexual assault had taken place. >> The police were hoping to get DNA. evidence from her clothing or from her. body. >> They did a rape kit [music] and they did. test for blood, bodily fluids not. belonging to Riley. There were about 20.

items that were eventually sent to the. [music] FBI for forensic testing. Um, the rape kit, the duct tape, Riley's. clothes. [music]. The problem was there was this enormous. backlog at Quantico. [music]. [music]. The funeral services were held at St. Rose Catholic Church. 6,000 [music] people showed up. We all. decided that we were going to wear pink.

We had ribbons and pins with her. picture. The little girl who loved pink. is mourned by family and friends in this. small southwest suburban town of. Wilmington. [music] Bits of pink were. seen throughout the funeral service for. Riley Fox. There were lots of. photographers [music] and reporters. watching people come in and out of the. church. The police [music] are there, too, but. to surveil, to observe, to watch for the killer. >> There were two detectives with video.

cameras pointed at Kevin Fox. Within an hour of the funeral ending, police came to my [music] house and they. asked if there was any reason that I. would believe Kevin to be capable of. doing something like this. And before. the question even came out of their. mouth, my answer was no.

>> At one point, officers asked if they. would mind if [music] they asked Tyler, the son, a few questions. Tyler Fox is. an incredibly important witness. He's. the first person [music] who sees that. his sister is missing. He should have. been interviewed on day one. They told. me they just wanted to see if they could. jog his memory. [music] If he might have. remembered something from that night. that he might have been afraid to tell. Kevin or I. Fast forward 16 days, he's. interviewed by the child [music].

advocacy forensic interviewer. >> You just have a seat there for me. The. interview was a disaster [music] from. minute one. >> Oh, right. >> I'm Julianne Himlstein and [music] I'm a. former federal prosecutor. I had the. opportunity to interview [music]. thousands of children. I normally do not. have a desk in between me and the child. I have a box of crayons [music]. and paper. >> Where was Riley? The couch. How did she.

get on the couch? The interviewer continued to ask him. [music] about where the father was, where Kevin was to the point where he. became upset. [music] I mean, sobbing, crying. He was visibly shaken. He pulls [music]. the hood of his sweatshirt over his. face. He curls up in his chair. >> Can you take Riley outside?

Did you see dad carry [music] her out. just for a little bit? It's okay if you did. Did you see dad. take her out for just a little bit? [music]. >> Was he carrying her? >> 168 times he says his father had nothing. to do with [music] Riley's. disappearance. >> 168 times he says he didn't see. anything. He was asleep. But they won't take no for an answer.

>> I need to know who to talk beyond the. house. >> Or who did she go with? I don't know. >> A detective was behind a one-way mirror. His form [music] was outlined ghostly. like a spectre, watching every [music]. move Tyler made, every word he spoke. >> Sorry, I don't think there's any more. questions for you. She shuts it down. finally. The kid is hysterically crying. Obviously, he's in so much pain. It It's.

just very disturbing. >> to watch. It hurts your stomach. >> She made me cry. >> I had just lost a child and [music] then. to see the way that they decided to. treat the one that I still had, it was. it was really terrible. >> After they had questioned Tyler, [music]. I knew that that was a red flag. Chad. felt that the police were focusing on. Kevin. [music] They kept dropping by the.

house. One officer would come over just. to play catch with Tyler. >> I said, "Would you please talk to an. attorney? No obligation.". >> Kevin and I were like, "We're fine. What. do we need an attorney for?". >> Kevin and Melissa don't realize this, but there is this dark cloud of. suspicion beginning to form over Kevin. Fox. One of the things detectives are. looking at is this piece of grainy. surveillance video from a mobile station. right there in town of an SUV, a vehicle. scene in those early morning hours when. Riley disappeared. And they believe that.

whoever's driving that car might be. Riley Fox's killer. >> We were getting ready to have dinner and. the police called me. They said, "Melissa, we need you and Kevin to get. here immediately. We've got something to. tell you about the case.". >> The foxes think this is it. This is what. we've been waiting for. But you know the. old saying, be careful what you wish. for. >> Not at [snorts] all. Not at all.

It had been 4 and 1/2 months since Riley. Fox [music] disappeared and there's this. growing pressure on the chief. prosecutor, Jeff Tomzac, for some sort. of break [music] in the case. And. there's this other dynamic playing out. that people recognize, which is that he. was in the fight of his political life. I mean, election day was a week away. >> Jeff Thompac wants [music] to be. reelected. He's got a tough opponent. The the race.

is tight. >> We have the toughest prosecutor's office. in Illinois. That's what I've done for. Will County and uh that's what I'm proud. to continue to do for the next four. years. Tomzach seemed to be [music] in. an increasingly uh losing battle for the. state's attorney's race. There are some. who begin to wonder, you know, would a. high-profile arrest [music]. help his campaign? >> On October 26th, police contacted Kevin. and Melissa. There had been developments.

in the case, >> and I was [music] just like, "Oh my. gosh, this is it. They found the. person." Like, we're going to know what. happened. Now it's the evening. Kevin's been. working since 4:30 that morning. But of. course, he and Melissa want to know what. happened [music] to their little girl. They go down to the police station. and then when they get there, they. immediately separate them. They took her down a hallway and they.

took me. Um, it was like a groom up on a. stage. walk up the stairs and then it. [music] was real real small room. >> It's a little tiny room more comparable. to a cell and they have him pinned back. in the corner of the room. >> Most interrogation rooms inside police. stations are specially designed. No. windows, no clock, nothing to connect. the suspect to the outside world. They. have the capacity.

to videotape the entire. interrogation, but they don't. I am the CEO of Evidence Video. Uh we've. been act asked to uh do a recreation. based on the testimony of Kevin Fox. >> I hired actors and I actually had Kevin. involved in it [music] and we recreated. the whole interrogation of what had. happened. We have actors and we are. recreating the interrogation based on.

the best of your recollection. >> Sit down over there. >> Scott told me to sit down and um and. then they were asked me about the night. And then all of a sudden out of nowhere, he's he looked at me and said, "We have. reason to believe that you killed killed. Riley. [music]. >> Tell us the truth. >> I didn't kill. >> Sit your ass down. You. >> got freaked out. [music] I stood up and. started pointing in his face saying, "You know I didn't do this." I took a. couple steps and he's like, "Sit your. ass down. [music].

>> Sit your ass down.". >> Well, what he said, he was just bered, barrage, yelling, swearing, being. threatened. >> I didn't kill my daughter. >> They said they just they [music] just. wore him down psychologically, emotionally, just tag teaming him left. and right, left and right, left and. right. >> Kevin says detectives then offer him a. lie detector test. And he says one of. the things they tell him is that this. test could actually prove that he wasn't. involved in his daughter's death. They. asked you, "Will you take a polygraph.

test?". >> They kept on saying that they knew I'd. flunk the polygraph test. >> and so you said, "I'll take it.". >> It was kind of like they were they're. egging me on. >> The test says you killed Riley. $10,000. piece of equipment says you killed your. daughter. I did not kill my daughter. >> Yes, you did. >> No, I didn't. >> Now, this is a commonly used ruse during. police interrogation. Get the [music]. suspect to take a lie detector test, then tell them they failed it. As part.

of that process of breaking them down, of making [music] them feel hopeless. >> I was just shocked. Like, I couldn't. have failed it. >> That's when things really get intense. The police bring Melissa into Kevin. >> Kevin failed the test. Means he killed. your daughter. I don't believe that at all. I think. they were really upset that second I let. Kevin know I don't believe them. It's. okay. They didn't want me anywhere near. [music] him. >> In that moment, Detective Ed Hayes,

according to a lawsuit later filed, blew. up. >> Liar, you murder. >> And got right in Melissa's face and. said, >> "You killed your daughter and he's a. liar.". >> The Will County Sheriff's Office says. that Kevin's account of this. interrogation is exaggerated. that it's. not accurate. They deny, you know, ever. trying to intimidate or threaten him. And Sergeant Haye says that that he. never yelled at Melissa. >> Kevin says the police came to him during. his interrogation and said, "Look,

either you're this coldblooded baby. killer, in which case it's life in. prison, or if you tell us that this was. a result of some accident, things will. be easier for you." That's how they get. Kevin talking. Just tell us about an. accident. So, keep in mind, he'd been up. since 4:30 that morning. He'd gone to. work. Now, he's in the middle of this. 14-hour interrogation, and he confesses. to it. >> Police construct a theory that he adopts. in which Riley's killed accidentally,

and he then stages it to look like a. murder. >> Kevin had gotten up in the middle of the. night, opened the bathroom door, struck. her in the head with this door, [music]. knocked her out, >> and he didn't know what to do. So then. he said, well, he would uh make it look. like a stranger had come in and done. this stages, if you will, a sexual. assault. and then takes her to the creek. and drowns her.

>> I mean, that is an utterly preposterous. story. >> He says, I thought everybody would see. it as crazy. He said, I really thought. that they would understand that this. couldn't possibly have happened. Did you. have anything [music] to do with the. death of your daughter? >> Not [snorts] at all. Not at all. >> A lot of people will want to know if you. didn't kill Riley, how how do you. possibly confess [music] to it? >> Say you were trapped in a a burning room. and and there was only one door and the.

fire was just flaming around you. >> So [music] you looked at this as your. only way out. >> It was my only way out. >> He thought this was [music] his only way. out. What? Can you tell me another way. out? >> What would you do? >> After an allnight interrogation, police. and prosecutors gathered to announce. Kevin Fox had confessed. >> Mr. Fox gave a statement that has led. detectives to believe that he killed his. daughter after placing her in a nearby. creek. >> These [music] detectives, I I want to.

say, and it's their instincts, their. instincts, their their investigative. instincts that led to this statement. coming down. >> It was just unthinkable. A father would. do this to his own. three-year-old girl, his daughter, a. daughter that he adored. Oh my god. >> A young girl's father [music] now. accused of a brutal crime that stunned. this rural community. >> We were sitting there saying to. ourselves, did we get fooled by this. guy? Was that [music] a that was that.

act? >> Gets arrested. He gets taken to the. Willow County jail and booked. >> first-degree murder in connection with. the death of his three-year-old. daughter. >> Um they brought [music] me to the. booking room and the first thing I heard. one of the guards said uh we got the. baby Riley killer and I I kind of like. looked around [music] because I I wanted. I wanted to see him too and uh and she I. realized [music] she was talking to me. What about the uh issue of this being.

politically motivated? You know, this is. about your upcoming election. >> It's just crazy. I mean, the arrest of. the defendant was caused by his actions. himself. >> Prosecutors announced they plan to seek. the death penalty against Kevin Fox. The. judge set bond at $25 million. >> I wasn't going to let my brother be. executed. So Chad approached Kathleen. Zelner, a terrific [music] attorney, and. said, "My brother needs help.". >> I decided to take a chance on him. Our.

position is that my client's innocent. >> I just felt like he was somebody that. was really worth trying to [music] save. >> Not at all. Not at all. A young girl's father now accused of a. brutal crime that stunned this rural. community. >> The second he's arrested, Chad goes in. the elder brother and retains Kathleen. Zelner as his attorney.

>> Kathleen Zelner is one of the best. criminal defense attorneys in the. country. >> We will see them in court. She is, can I say, badass. >> I like shooting a big gun like this. because it's very powerful. and I like mastering it. >> She is help exonerate 20 innocent. people. >> Today, he walked out of Joliet Prison, a. free man. >> Kathleen Zelner's bio is filled with. names from cases all over the country.

that have made national headlines. She. represents Steven Avery who who famously. has been portrayed in making a murderer. >> I have one goal and that's to vacate the. conviction of Steven Avery. >> Part of Zelner's great success comes. from her ability to work with DNA. evidence. >> So Kevin Fox was sure lucky when she. took his case. >> Kathleen goes and and interviews Kevin. at the jail.

He looked completely [music]. totally in shock like someone who'd seen. a car crash. >> I met her at the jail. I said we needed. her help because. obviously I believed in Kevin's. innocence 100%. >> Kevin issues a statement that says. there's no way that he did this, that he. was coerced in to the confession. >> Kevin Fox in a written statement to the. media denies killing his three-year-old. daughter. He says, "I tried to cooperate. and answer their questions. However,

they became very abusive, yelling and. screaming at me that I killed her.". >> Was there ever, you know, a quiet, [music] dark moment when you thought, "Is my husband capable of this?". >> Absolutely not. No, [music]. I know Kevin way too well. I've watched. him be a parent to our children every. day. The family believes 100% in Kevin's. innocence. >> It wasn't [music] just the pat response. that a wife gives when a husband is.

accused of doing something horrible. >> He knows he's innocent. I know he's. innocent. >> She [music] believed that and she knew. that. >> What was life like for you in the jail? I couldn't [music] couldn't sleep. I. couldn't eat. I was a zoo animal where. people just wanted to to just see me in. a cell. >> Would they say anything to you? >> Oh, yeah. child molester, [music] baby. killer. >> What I was in there for is the worst. possible thing you could be in jail for. >> The worst. Everyone hated me.

>> You kept this diary, fearful that you. might not [music] survive the ordeal. >> Absolutely. With all the people that. were threatening me, I I thought, you. know, that my my [music] family would. get it if if I was killed. November 15th. What a restless night. Days in here go by so slow that your. mind starts thinking about things that I. do not need to be thinking about if I'm.

going to make it through this. >> To lose my daughter and then to lose my. entire family 5 months later. It it was. it was very hard. >> November 25th. When I get out, I will definitely. appreciate life more than I ever have. Love is a powerful thing. And the Lord. sees my love for my family. So, he will. reunite us. I know he will. >> Well, I I thought about killing myself a. couple times, >> but I knew I'd get out one day and be.

with my family again. Riley Fox's murder shocked the small. town of Wilmington. It united residents. together. Now, Kevin Fox's arrest has. divided [music] Wilmington. some. residents feeling betrayed. >> There were definitely a lot of people. who turned on the family at that point. [music]. >> To find out all the stuff we've been. finding out, [music] that's terrible. How can somebody even do that? Especially to their own child.

>> We went from being the victims [music]. of the crime and having everybody's. sympathy to all of a sudden [music] we. were bad people. We're at a location that convinced me. that Kevin's confession was untrue, that. it was false. >> The first thing Zelner did was begin to. reenact the [music] crime to see if it. comported with the way detectives were. describing it. >> They got out a bag weighed 40 lb, the.

same as the rising weight at the time. >> Police reportedly say Kevin Fox. confessed to leaving his daughter's body. just under a bridge. But Fox's attorneys. say that's impossible because the. current here isn't strong enough to have. carried [music] the girl a/4 mile. downstream to where she was found. >> Then Zelner and her investigators went. to the house looking at the bathroom. door. >> The bathroom door was a hollow corridor. which would never have caused any kind.

of serious damage even if he had struck. her while she was sitting on the toilet. >> The state's attorney should have checked. all of that out. because a confession. has to be corroborated. >> You know, in spite of her long list of. courtroom [music] victories, Kathleen. Zelner is really concerned that this. confession from Kevin Fox will be enough. to convince [music] a jury to convict. him. >> I was extremely worried about what I'd. gotten myself into. >> No matter how good an attorney I am, and.

I actually think I'm quite a good. attorney, he was going to be convicted. So, as you're sitting there [music] with. your client, what are you thinking are his chances? >> I felt like I was looking at a dead man. >> Zelner is convinced that the only way. Kevin Fox [music] can avoid a guilty. verdict and can avoid the death penalty. now is DNA. >> While Zelner's team continued to try to. poke holes in the story offered by.

investigators, Zelner discovered that. there actually was DNA evidence. There. was saliva found in the rave kit. >> DNA samples collected from the body of. Fox's daughter, 3-year-old Riley. >> DNA evidence was available in the murder. of Riley Fox last June, but it required. sophisticated testing. >> It was the type of DNA that you couldn't. absolutely 100% say it matches person A. or person B, but you could use it to.

eliminate people. In court today, his. attorney, in an unusual agreement with. prosecutors, moved to allow an outside. lab to do sophisticated DNA testing that. could either implicate or exonerate Fox. >> Do you remember the [music] day she came. to give you the news? Um, she said uh. that there was we got the test results. back for the DNA and and I I just I just. collapsed.

My name is Kevin Fox. I woke up this. morning and uh my daughter is nowhere. nowhere to be found. How old is she? Three. >> The truth is a broken. heart still beats. >> You know, we have followed this case for. more than a decade and we've never been. able to get this out of our mind. He. just said, "Riley's gone.".

And I immediately hit the ground. [music] The phone fell out of my hand. >> Their three-year-old daughter, Riley, who'd been missing all day, had been. found dead. >> There was this police interrogation and. then the young father confesses. >> Kevin Fox was questioned for 14 and a. half hours. We see this commonly in. false confession cases. >> Mr. Tom David Mureer with ABC News. We'd. like to talk to you about the Riley Fox.

case. >> Actually, I wouldn't I have court this. morning. >> They were so focused on this young. father that there were signs all over. the neighborhood. How could all of these. signs be missed? [music]. >> One of the things that they found was a. pair of shoes. >> That was something that was never. [music]. followed up on. >> The incredible thing is for the first. time we're now hearing from the FBI. They started the case all over again. >> [music]. >> We're not going to show your face. All. right. And only then did we learn what.

really happened. [music]. [music]. I haven't seen these boxes I would say. for probably 10 years. 3-year-old Riley Fox was taken from her. home in the middle of the night.

>> It brings back a lot of memories about. the criminal case, the civil case, everything. And it's just such an. incredible story. >> After an allnight interrogation, police. and prosecutors gathered to announce. Kevin Fox had confessed. Most of us say, "I would never confess. to something I didn't do. People would. be surprised. [music]. >> Police interrogation unfolds in two.

stages. The first stage is about. reducing a suspect to hopelessness. >> I denied the whole thing all night. [music] and said, "I didn't do it. I. didn't do it." And they would not. believe me. >> They'd go back [music] and forth between. promising and threatening. It was a. classic case of a false confession. If I. get done filling this out and you don't. admit you murder your daughter, you're. getting 30 years to life. >> Kevin and Melissa agree to actually. reenact [music] the interrogation as.

best as they could remember what it was. like inside that room. >> Listen to me. You. killed your daughter. Child killer. >> The Will County Sheriff's Department, they dispute what Kevin Fox said went. down in there. >> I didn't kill my daughter, though. >> Yes, you did. Kevin Fox was questioned for 14 and a. half hours. We see this commonly in. false confession cases. That's not by. accident and only adds to the suspect's.

desire [music] to get out of that room. >> I was exhausted. I had guys yelling at. me saying I was going to get raped. >> They told him, "I know people in prison. that will rape you every day." The. detectives and that sergeant, they. denied that they ever threatened Kevin. Fox during that interrogation. And there. was something else that they denied. [music] They denied ever showing Kevin a. crime scene photo of his dead daughter.

They showed [music] me the picture of. Riley in the creek, dead, bound, mud on. her face. That was just the breaking. point. The fact that he had to actually. see it. just breaks my heart for him. Now, this goes on and on and on until. another ruse happens during this. interrogation. An officer rushes in and. says, "I've just spoken with one of the. prosecutors.

>> It's just going to be like a. misdemeanor, involuntary manslaughter. You can get out on bond. everything will. be okay. >> If you say that you did it, they can. work out a deal for you. >> Those are the words that led him to give. the statement he gave. >> Some of the sheriff's investigators. actually acknowledged that they did. discuss involuntary manslaughter with. Kevin Fox. They said they made no. promises. >> By the time Kevin Fox confessed, it was.

about 8:00 in the morning. He'd been. awake for more than 24 hours. I pretty much. went along with their story to get out. of there. >> Now, police say Fox has given a. videotape statement implicating himself. >> These are really powerful psychological. tactics. They are very good at getting. confessions from guilty people, but they. are so powerful that they can also cause. the innocent to confess.

I would never in a million years. prosecute a case with [music] only one. piece of evidence and that one piece of. evidence being a confession. I need. confession plus DNA. Confession plus. [music] fingerprint analysis. A whole. array of other bits and pieces of. evidence to corroborate the confession. A confession isn't magic. It's a piece. of evidence just like any other piece of.

evidence. You have to test it against. what you know, against what the facts. tell you happened in this case. [music]. It's the worst hand you can be dealt as. a defense attorney because jurors are. going to convict somebody who's. confessed to something unless you've got. DNA evidence. >> Remember something with Kathleen Zelner. DNA is how she has been able to free. people to get them exonerated.

>> They did get some genetic material from. Riley. >> The DNA was collected 2 days after the. toddler's [music] body was found in a. creek near Wilmington. >> The problem is 5 months later, it still. hadn't been analyzed. >> In November, then Jim Glascow [music] uh. defeated Jeff Thompac and took over the. state's attorney's office. After Dascow. came in, there was that DNA evidence. that had been sent to the FBI had been. sitting there was recalled. They said, "Send it back to us." [music] That DNA.

evidence was sent out to a private lab. >> They're pinning their hopes to the DNA. test, hoping they might prove his. innocence before the case ever goes to. trial. >> He knows he's innocent. I know he's. innocent. The answers, like we say, lie. in the DNA testing. [music]. >> Bear in mind, if that DNA analysis had. come back as Kevin, it was game over. He. was going to he was going to be on death. row. [music]. >> It makes all the difference. It makes all the difference.

>> Test results arrived last night. The DNA. did not match Kevin Fox's. [music]. >> They came back and said, "This is not. his DNA. We can't tell you whose it is, but we can tell you it's not his.". >> I never expected the DNA result to come. back in this fashion. We were shocked at. the result. Glasgow seizes, to his. credit, does the right thing. >> I said, "Well, there's one thing that's. certain to me. I can't prove this case. beyond a reasonable doubt. And the. moment that I reach that decision, I.

cannot continue to prosecute that. person." [music]. >> And that's when he said to me, "I'm. going to release him tomorrow.". >> Kevin Fox is free after prosecutors. concede there is now considerable doubt. about his guilt. Prosecutors [music]. dropped all charges against the. Wilmington father. >> It was a nightmare and I don't want to. relive it right now. I don't I don't. want to I'm I'm happy. >> If you want to take away one thought in. this case is do the test before you make. the arrest.

Even after I got out of jail, I still. had people coming up to me and saying I. was a child killer, a child molester, and threatening to shoot me and my dog. >> This was after the DNA. After the DNA, after I got out of jail, >> Kevin Fox is ruled out. This is a game. changer. Now, you have to refocus this. investigation. The DNA proves that you. didn't do it, but then the question.

becomes, who did? And then the other question [music]. becomes, what else may have gotten. missed, left out? >> Witnesses reported seeing a strange red. car parked right in front of the fox at. home. >> When we found out that they had the. killer's shoes in evidence and had never. pursued that, it's like, wow. All this. time right there. >> Not at all. Not at all.

lawsuit. >> Fox is suing county sheriff detectives. >> Kathleen Zelner files a federal lawsuit. accusing Will County Sheriff's. Department and the Will County. Prosecutor of Arrest. >> I felt like the civil trial was our way. of shedding light on what they had done. >> It was to retain my reputation, [music]. to get my story out there, to tell the. truth.

Quill County detectives on trial insist. that they did not manipulate, rush to. judgment, or coersse a confession. Their. attorneys saying they had probable cause. to arrest and charge Kevin Fox. It. >> was extremely [music] hard for the. detectives. They believed that they did. the right thing. I believe that they did. in their heart what was right. To this. day, I do. >> Attorney [music] Kathleen Zelner told. jurors detectives focused on Fox. ignoring other evidence. One key thing. they don't do is look at burglaries.

[music]. >> A neighbor across the street from the. Foxes, she said that she'd had an. attempted burglary. >> They told us the whole time that there. was [music] no connection at all. >> They didn't really investigate that. That. will be a momentous mistake down the. road. >> One of the reasons that the police. stated that they suspected Kevin was. they found no sign of forcible entry. In. fact, the back door was the lock was. broken and couldn't [music] be locked. >> The two of you sat across from me and.

said there must have been an intruder. >> We knew there had to have been. >> And we even said from day one that. someone went in the back door and then. took her and went out the front door. >> I talked to one of our lieutenants in. charge of investigation who advised that. it doesn't appear to be any forced. entry. >> If I heard one more time from Will. County [music] that there was no forced. entry, I think I was going to snap. You. don't have to force yourself into a door. that's [music] already broken. >> Kathleen Zelner believes that these. detectives are obsessed with a piece of.

security video from a local gas station. that shows a a vehicle going by at about. the time that Riley Fox disappears. And. she says detectives are convinced that. that could be Kevin Fox's Ford escape. driving past that gas station. >> Did it look like his car? >> No, it did not. You would have to have. the license plate or a very clear. picture of his face to ever have that. hold up in court. Kathleen Zelner and. and her investigators believe that. detectives are so focused on this.

vehicle that had been seen driving past. that gas station, that piece of security. video, that they actually overlooked. what they've been told about in that. neighborhood. This is suspicious other. car, a red Chevy Betta. >> I happened to look down her and I did. see a red car down there. I'd never seen. it there before. >> They said they didn't think that had. anything to do with it. >> And you'll remember that DNA that had. been sent to the crime lab to be tested. [music] And it wasn't actually even. tested until months after Kevin Fox had.

been arrested. Well, suddenly at trial, there's another explanation as to why so. much time had gone by. >> Someone from the Will County Sheriff's. Department contacted Quantico. Somebody. calls the FBI and says, "Stop testing. [music] the DNA." That infuriates me. How dare you? The Will County investigator, the. sergeant, who says he called that lab, says it was all a misunderstanding. He. says that he called them and told them. to stop testing for DNA only on some of. the items, not all of them. which again.

is another sign that they were so. certain in their false assumption that. Kevin did this, that they didn't. continue to pursue other avenues. Today, a jury decided the Will County. Sheriff's investigators crossed way over. the line. The jury agreed that Will. County Sheriff's detectives failed to. follow up on DNA that eventually cleared. Fox after he spent 8 months in jail. After a federal civil trial and 16 hours.

of deliberation, jurors awarded Kevin. and Melissa Fox $15.5. million. >> Jurors rejected the most serious charge. that investigators conspired to frame. Fox. >> The jury awarded damages to the Foxes. for false arrest and other claims, but. not conspiracy or false imprisonment. An. appeals court later reduced the amount. to about $8 million. But it's over now. and it feels great.

>> They have sent a message to Will County. and I hope Will County is listening. because this kind of behavior needs to. stop. >> All of the detectives except for one who. died remain on the job. >> Many of the officers involved in the. Riley Fox case went on to have long. careers with the Will County Sheriff's. Department. Jeff Tomzac, [music] the chief. prosecutor in this case, it turns out he. he negotiated some sort of resolution. with the [music] Foxes before this.

actually went to trial without admitting. any kind of wrongdoing. We wanted to. know what he thought about this DNA, you. know, suddenly [music] excluding Kevin. Fox and being awarded millions by this. jury. Mr. Tom, David Mureer with ABC. News. We'd like to talk to you about the. Riley Fox case. >> Actually, I wouldn't. I have court this. morning, so I'm going to run over there. and do my court. >> Can we do it after court? cuz we called. you several times on the case and we'd. like to talk to you about it. >> Actually, no thanks. >> Do you think that Kevin Fox is treated. fairly? >> I stand by the decisions I made on that. case. >> You stand by the detectives? >> I stand by the decisions I made on.

>> Kevin and Melissa Fox hope the jury's. decision sends a message not only to the. Will County Sheriff's Department, but. also to those who still harbor suspicion. that Kevin somehow played a role in his. daughter Riley's death. We're going to continue our fight and. our next step is just to fund uh fund. the investigation to find our daughter's. killer. >> I think most people in the media and.

also the community and even to a degree. the family had resigned themselves to. maybe never knowing what really. happened. [music]. You know who who was really responsible. In June of 2009, 5 years after the death. of Riley Fox, the case gets a jolt of. new energy when the FBI sends a team to. Wilmington and starts an investigation. from scratch. >> I asked my supervisor if we could work.

the case. His initial responses were, "No, no, no, no, no." But I [music] kept. asking him day after day after day, and. I finally broke him down. She was on. that case and she wanted to solve it and. just kept pushing, pushing, pushing. When you do that, things will break your. way out of the blue. They came across a. young lady who told them that she had a. suspicion this person might have been. involved. >> I just had a bad feeling about him, and. I didn't know who to tell.

>> Not at all. Not at all. When Kevin Fox walked out of the Will. County Jail after being cleared of. charges he killed his three-year-old. daughter, Riley, the investigation. essentially went back to square one. >> Since it's not him, cuz the DNA rules. him out, says [music] he's not he's not. the person who is. Now, you have to go back over the.

evidence and figure out [music]. who did this because, you know, it isn't. Kevin Fox. Authorities say they have no. strong new leads in the search for. Riley's [music] killer. The Fox family. still offers a $100,000 reward for. information that leads to the killer's. conviction. To my daughter's killer, you. will be caught no matter how long it. takes. >> In [music] 2009, I just got to the point. where I said, "We've got to we've got to. do something drastic here." So, I asked.

the FBI if they would [music] get. involved. The Riley Fox case is to me the most. important case of my career. When I see [music] this little child. that was just so beautiful and. rambunctious, there's no way you [music] can't want. justice for this child. >> They took 30 agents and descended on. Wilmington and did a massive amount of. [music] interviews. just kind of saturate the area with.

agents and task force officers and just. to conduct a boatload of interviews and. see what we could find. They came across. a young lady who told them that she had. a suspicion but had no reason other than. gut feeling that [music] this person. might have been involved in the murder. >> We are going. >> So the FBI [music] talks to this woman. and then 2020 ends up talking to her as. well. She has since died, [music] but at. the time she agreed to do the interview. as long as we blurred her face. >> We're not going to show your face. Is.

that correct? >> Mhm. >> All right. [music]. >> When Riley Fox was abducted and killed, this woman lived right there in. Wilmington, right down the street, and. she actually remembers that her family. [music]. helped in the search effort the day of. Riley's disappearance. >> She was a little hesitant to speak with. us at first. Then we identified who we. were, why we were there, and she stepped. outside to talk to us outside her house. She told us about a guy that she was. having a relationship with who had since. left the neighborhood. >> I just had a bad feeling about him.

[snorts]. and I didn't know [music] who to tell. So when the FBI came, I said, "I'm. really glad you guys are here." And I. just gave him his name. >> She told us about Scott Eie, a guy by. the name of Scott Wayne Eie. [music]. >> You knew a guy named Scott Eie, right? >> Mhm. >> Who is Scott Eie? >> An ex-boyfriend of mine. Just describe. him for me. Tell me what kind of person. he is. [music]. >> Um, a creep. >> The summer that Riley Fox disappeared,

Scott Wayne [music] Eevee was 33 years. old. He'd been married in and out of. prison. He was living right there in. Wilmington with his mother. [music]. And it turns out he was living with her. one mile from the Fox family home. [music]. They'd had a very peculiar conversation. when they were out for a walk together, walking through Riley's garden. >> And he had made some comment that left. her chilled. >> I was saying, "I can't believe somebody.

did that to that sweet little girl." And. he said, "Oh, that was such a shame, wasn't it?" And the way he said it was. like cold, like he didn't mean it. She told us that he had since [music]. moved out of town and she knew he was. incarcerated for a sexual assault of a. family member. Scott Eie was 5 hours away in prison in. southern Illinois. I asked Jeremy, "Hey, let's go ahead and try to get this guy.

interviewed.". >> It was way in the southern portion of. the state. It was it was a hike. In all. honesty, he was someone I was just going. to check off my list. >> He had no idea we were coming. We kind. of showed up out of nowhere, and I. [music] that was intentional. >> He was very respectful, very responsive. to our questions, didn't hesitate, didn't seem nervous. >> He was just trying to kind of collect. his thoughts as to why in the world the. FBI is here to talk to me and what I.

should do about that. He said he had heard about the case, but. other than that, there wasn't really. anything that he could tell us [music]. or help us with. >> He did remember where he was that day, which makes him no different than. anybody else that we talked to really. >> I shook his hand and we left. And as we. were walking from [music] the building. to the car, I looked at Jeremy and I. said, "That is the clamiest hand I have. ever shaken.". When they left, he got on the phone with.

his mother on a recorded call. [music]. >> Hello. You have a prepaid call from. >> Scott Eie, >> an inmate at Lawrence Correctional. Center. >> Scott Eie had contacted [music]. his mother to tell her that he wanted to. see her immediately. He had something to. tell her. >> Hello. >> What's [music] the matter, >> Mom? Um, I don't know how to tell you this, but.

uh, I got [music] an emergency. You got to. um, you got to drop everything you're. doing and come down here and see me as. soon as you can. >> We went to interview the mom, Scott. Ebie's mom. >> 2020 [music] obtained a recording of an. FBI interview with Scott Eie's mother. I'm here with Sharon Eie and special. agent Lori Warren. Special agent Jeremy. Rezar. >> He told me that I needed to get down to.

the prison to see him immediately. >> Something spend the rest of my life in. the penitentiary. Mom, >> did you kill somebody? >> You got to come down here so I can give. you a hug and a kiss one last time. Please. And he said that he did something. horribly, horribly, horribly wrong. >> Did something really, really, really. bad? >> Yeah. I did something really, really, really bad.

>> I drove down there and [music]. when he came in, you know, he hugged me. and he said, "Remember the little. Raleigh girl?". >> Not at all. Not at all. >> [music]. >> All of a sudden, my phone started. ringing off the hook from the prison. where Scott Eie is in.

>> Scott Eie had attempted to to commit. suicide. [music]. >> And he has written a letter. >> that was actually addressed to the FBI. agents who had spoken with him. This is. a confession to murder with two. exclamation points at the end. >> And then that started a a succession of. admissions and finally a videotape. confession. >> Go ahead and have some.

>> You're no dummy. So, you know, you know. there's some people here that's going to. talk to you. Okay. >> We knew that we needed to get down there. and interview him to do the follow-up. interview based upon everything that. we'd learned at this point. Before we. ask you any questions, you must. understand your rights. You have the. right to remain silent. Anything you say. can be used against you in court. You. have the rights to talk, >> as we do with any interview. If he's in. custody at the time, we read him as. Miranda rights. And he immediately. advised us that he wanted an attorney. >> Knowing that that you have those rights, you want to talk. >> I think I'd rather have a lawyer.

>> All right. That's uh that's certainly. your decision. >> I'll candidly tell you some frustration. uh you know it was obviously our hope to. talk to him but nevertheless both of us. were completely understanding the fact. that we could not talk to him at that. point. >> Uh that's your decision that's certainly. your right. >> Okay. >> Okay. So we left the room and of course. very disappointed. >> Thanks for your time Scott and um. >> good luck to you. >> Good luck to you.

>> [music]. >> About 75 seconds later, he looked up at. the camera and as it was still running. and said that he had changed his mind. [music]. >> Hey, if you guys can hear this, I I. changed my mind. I'll talk to you. >> We went back in and um Scott Eie. basically told us the story from. beginning to end as he wrote in the.

letter. I really don't remember. much of that evening. I mean, I remember. drinking a lot. >> That night, he advised that he had been. uh drinking and using cocaine and. looking for homes to burglarize. >> I guess I got it into my head to uh to. go rob people. He told us that he got a. thrill out of robbing homes.

>> That's what I've been to the. penitentiary for. several times and stuff. You know what I. mean? I get drunk and I go and commit. residential burglaries and stuff. >> He goes on to reveal several other. things that [music] the police missed. >> I drove around a little bit. I think I. don't remember how I ended up in that. neighborhood or whatever, but I did. And. um I started walking around from house.

to house and checking doors and windows. and stuff like that. You know, easy. access into somebody's house. The same night Riley disappeared, there. was a burglary [music] at the house. right across the street. It turned out. that he was the person who had. burglarized the home [music] across the. street. I discovered the old lady's house a few. doors down from Riley's. [music]. I cut the screen door, walked through. the lady's house,

seen her sleeping inside her bedroom, went into her wallet, found $40 [music]. inside her wallet. She didn't have. anything else really to steal, you know. what I mean? So, I left out of her. house. Authorities say that Evie said he walked. from that neighbor's house right to the. back door of the fox home. And that. door, you'll remember, had that broken. lock. >> When he got to the fox's house, he tried. the back door and he said it was open,

unlocked. >> So, he didn't have to break in. He just. walked in. >> Went into the living room and that's. where the babies were sleeping on the. couch. Scott Eie said he entered their home and. didn't find anything of value to steal. [music]. And that's when he saw the children. sleeping in the family room and had a. sudden urge to take Riley. >> They didn't have nothing to steal or. nothing like that. You know what I mean?

Otherwise, I probably would have been in. and out of there, too. You know what I. mean? I was getting ready to leave and I. looked back and I don't know, for some. reason I just um. I fixated on that little girl. Once I decided that I was going to go. through with her or whatever, I went and. got my car and I backed it into uh the. Fox's driveway. Remember, Kathleen. Zelner said detectives were so focused. on that one vehicle that they saw in.

that security video driving past that. gas station, even though witnesses in. the neighborhood had mentioned another. car, this red Chevy Beretta. And then. Scott Eie's mother eventually describes. the car that she says her son was. driving that night. >> Do you remember what kind of car he had. at the time? >> He was driving a red Beretta. Okay. Chevy. >> I picked her up and I put my hand over. her mouth. I don't know that I've ever. seen a horror movie as excruciatingly. evil as his confession.

>> I almost put it right back down, you. know, walked out in the house. >> Yeah. >> And I wish the guy would do. >> Yeah. >> He blames the the foxes for not having. enough for him to steal. So he steals. their daughter and the most precious. thing that they have. We took her from the house, put her into. the trunk of his car, >> closed the lid, and then got in the car.

and left. >> He had been wearing a bandana to cover. his face, and it came down and Riley. saw him. >> and I realized that my mask is no longer. on my face. And then I really panic. Not at all. Not at all. [music]. >> Dad. >> Hi. >> Hi. >> I love you.

>> I love you. >> One of the things that [music] Melissa. Fox always said was that she hoped that. when they found Riley's real killer that. it would provide closure [music]. for the family. But what it did was it. opened a whole new chapter of pain when. they [music] realized what had happened. to their little girl. >> I needed to know what happened to her. and what she went through. [music]. But now I'm now it's kind of like. torture. Now it's like I'm torturing.

myself with those details. >> When you walked in to to to grab her. that she was on the couch. >> Yes. Do you have a blanket or anything. over her? How was [music] she kind of. situated? >> You know, I can't recall exactly. She. was laying [music] If you're facing the. couch, she's laying on this end of the. couch. >> As Evie keeps talking, he describes how. he put Riley Fox in the trunk of his car. and took her to Foresight Woods. And his.

account [music] reveals even more. mistakes in the investigation. Eventually, we [music] we found out she. was sexually assaulted in that bathroom. that was on that property. To our knowledge, that had never been. processed. for evidence. >> He had been wearing a bandana to [music]. cover his face and then he came down and. that Riley. saw him. >> She's looking directly at my face and. stuff and I realize that my mask is no.

longer on my face. And then I really. panic. He made that leap from sexually. assaulting her to this warped idea in. his head that he needed to take her life. [music] at that point. I I can't fathom. somebody can do that. >> And this is evidently the last thing. [music] she says to him. I want my. daddy. I want my daddy. >> The man who was accused of killing her. was the man she was crying out to. [music] in her last moments.

>> He decided to take her and drown her in. the nearby river. >> [music]. >> And Scott Eie admits to leaving clues at. the scene of that horrific crime. His. shoes, his size 12 sneakers. One of the things that they found and. didn't realize the critical importance. of it was a pair of shoes. >> They were white, all white high tops. I. think they were riels. that threw the shoes into the river. because I had left.

shoe prints. on the on the muddy bank. and I uh I got rid of the shoes which. was stupid you know. >> and you'll remember right back to the. very [music] beginning the shoe inside. it the letters EB Y. >> it wasn't super clear but you could see. what looked like an E A E and a Y on the. inside of the tongue that it was. handwritten. >> His last name.

>> To tell you the truth, I expected. somebody to be coming talking to me a. long time ago because it had my last. name printed on the tongue of the shoe. >> The only thing I ever heard about a. shoe, they wanted to know what size shoe. Kevin wore. And their sizes didn't match. the size of that [music] shoe. and we. never heard about a shoe again because. it didn't fit their crime. That was something that was never. followed up on. Very much like the.

burglary at [music] the house across the. street. And so when we found out about. that as report, we were like, "Oh my. god." It was it was just like, "Are. [music] you kidding me?". >> You've now learned that there was a. suicide call at this man's house. >> In Wilmington, police were at his house. One of the things in looking back at. this case all these years later, it's. incredible when you realize [music] that. Scott Eie, who killed Riley Fox, he had. an encounter with Wilmington police. officers [music]. just hours later, that same day.

>> A pill bottle of oxycodin. [music]. I swallowed him, hoping to kill myself. [music]. Scotty B said he attempted suicide the. day that he killed her [music] later. that day. >> Next thing I remember, um, police officer [music] was knocking on. my door. I actually ended up vomiting. right there in front of him and stuff.

>> The very day of the murder, Wilmington. police, not the Wills [music] County. Sheriff's Office, visited Scott Eie's. home because they had been told by a. friend of his that he had threatened to. commit suicide. I asked him, I was like, "Uh, [music] what's up with that little. girl and stuff? Did they find her?". >> So, the day Riley [music] Fox. disappears, they're called to his house, >> correct? >> On a suicide attempt, >> right? >> And had they run his [music] name. through a system, they would have seen a. criminal history. >> Yes. And he has all the red flags that.

they should have picked up on from the. burglary convictions to the suicide. attempts to the inquiries about Riley. [music] I mean, he did everything but. set a siren off at his house. I'm the. guy. >> I can forgive a [music] mistake. People. are human. I get that. But they almost. completely ruined our chances of ever. knowing what happened to our daughter. And so, I hate them for that. >> For almost 6 years, you thought this was. going to be like a celebration day. [music] And it's it feels quite the.

opposite. >> He stole something very important from. the world. >> [music]. >> She's gone and there's [snorts] not this. amazing girl here anymore, but there's. disgusting people like him here. [snorts]. That's [music] disappointing. So, you have to remember Kevin and. Melissa Fox [music] are now about to be. face to face with the man who killed. their daughter and who was going to. allow the daughter's father to [music]. be sent away and face the death penalty.

himself. I'm sad that that was the last face that. she [music] saw. He's scary. He's. terrifying. >> Not at all. Not at all. [music]. [music]. [music].

I just bring fresh flowers every time I. [music] come. I focus more on her birthday. on March 31st. I like to think more about the day she. was given to me, not the day she was. taken from me. >> I just wonder for Riley if you had a.

moment to say we we did it. We never. gave up. >> But yeah, it was nice going there and. putting some roses on her stone and uh. and saying that it was over and then I'd. see her sometime in the future. [music]. >> Good afternoon. Uh about a half an hour. ago, I appeared before the honorable. Gerald Kenny, the chief judge of Will. County, and obtained a warrant for the. arrest of Scott Eie.

>> Scott Eie pleaded guilty in 2010. And as. he was about to be sentenced to life. without parole, [music] Kevin and. Melissa Fox came face to face with their. daughter's killer in that courtroom. >> I came to face you so you would know how. important standing up for Riley was to. me. She was defenseless that night, and. that makes you a coward and a monster. He was given a life sentence and he. [music] pled guilty to un multiple. counts of murder and aggravated criminal. sexual assault. >> It ensured that he would be behind bars.

for the rest of his life. [music]. Melissa was unwavering in her support. for Kevin even as you know members of. the community began to turn against. them. They had another daughter together. after all of this, [music] Teegan. But. we always wondered how much can a. marriage actually take. >> Careful. It just was too much for. our [music] marriage to withhold. I. guess. >> Melissa's a remarkably courageous, resilient person who had the character. to stick with him cuz she knew he was.

innocent. It was an extraordinary story. [music] of tragedy but redemption. >> Both Kevin and Melissa would go on to. find new love, new lives. >> Kevin and I are both happy and healthy. We're both remarried and have amazing. families. >> [music]. >> The truth of the matter is they'll never. get their daughter back. The little girl. who was the flower girl at her uncle's. wedding who ran down that aisle and. right into the arms [music] of her. father. She had an unmistakable bond.

with her father whose family never gave. up on him [music] and a family that will. never forget its little girl. >> Dad, I got sick. >> You got sick? >> Yeah. >> It will forever be devastating and I'll. forever have a hole in my heart. But I. think because I have suffered such great. loss, I [music] see the world and the. blessings and the love that I have in. such a different way. >> Dad. >> Hi. >> Hi. >> I love you.

>> I love you. >> You've been listening [music] to the. 2020 True Crime Vault. Friday nights at. 9 on ABC. You can also find all new. broadcast episodes of 2020. [music]. Thanks for listening.