Narrator: FOR PAUL RIEDEL AND HIS WIFE, LEE ANN,
BEING NEW PARENTS WAS THE ULTIMATE RUSH.
MY GREATEST MEMORY IN LIFE IS WHEN MY SON WAS BORN.
THAT WAS A TREMENDOUSLY JOYFUL OCCASION FOR BOTH OF THEM.
Narrator: BUT LEE ANN HAD PLANS OF HER OWN
FOR THE THE MARRIAGE.
HIS WIFE FLED WITH THE BABY.
Narrator: AND WHEN HER DECEPTION TURNED DEADLY...
THE WRONG MAN WAS KILLED.
Narrator: ...PAUL FOUND HIMSELF CAUGHT IN THE CROSS HAIRS
OF A SINISTER PLOT.
IT WAS SUCH A SENSATIONAL CASE.
Constantino: IT WAS LIKE, "OH, MY GOD.
COULD SHE REALLY BE THIS DEVIOUS?"
Narrator: WHEN IT COMES TO LOVE AND MARRIAGE,
THINGS AREN'T ALWAYS AS THEY SEEM.
PAUL RIEDEL'S FIRST LOVE WAS PURELY PHYSICAL.
Paul: FOOTBALL WAS MY FIRST PASSION.
I THINK I WAS ALWAYS BLESSED ATHLETICALLY.
I PUT SO MUCH INTO IT
BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE I GOT TO BRING MY FEELINGS OUT.
Narrator: BUT PAUL'S BRAWNY EXTERIOR
WAS HIDING AN UNHAPPY PAST.
Paul: I NEVER KNEW MY DAD.
MY DAD LEFT WHEN I WAS YOUNG, AND MY MOTHER,
I FELT LIKE SHE RESENTED ME OR DIDN'T LIKE ME.
IT DEFINED ME IN A SENSE.
I WAS CONSTANTLY LOOKING FOR APPROVAL FROM HER.
Narrator: IN THE FALL OF 1998,
PAUL WAS 29 YEARS OLD
AND LIVING ALONE IN AMITYVILLE, NEW YORK.
HE WAS DETERMINED TO PUT HIS TROUBLES BEHIND HIM
WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM HIS BEST FRIEND AND WORKOUT PARTNER,
ALEX ALGERI.
Paul: HE WAS KIND OF THE OPPOSITE OF ME.
HE WAS VERY MELLOW, VERY LAID BACK,
AND WE JUST REALLY BLENDED WELL TOGETHER.
Constantino: ALEX AND PAUL WERE NOT ONLY THE CLOSEST OF FRIENDS,
BUT THEY ACTUALLY HAD A SIMILAR PHYSICAL APPEARANCE.
THEY BOTH HAD DARK HAIR.
THEY BOTH DROVE THE SAME CAR.
Paul: WE WERE WITH EACH OTHER
EVERY MINUTE OF EVERY DAY FOR YEARS.
Narrator: THE TWO FRIENDS WERE ALSO SUCCESSFUL ENTREPRENEURS,
HAVING JUST OPENED
ONE OF THE COUNTRY'S FIRST 24-HOUR FITNESS CENTERS.
Paul: AT THAT TIME, THE CONCEPT WASN'T REALLY THERE.
SO WE WERE VERY SUCCESSFUL,
AND THAT'S WHEN THE FITNESS CRAZE
WAS REALLY STARTING TO TAKE OFF.
Narrator: THAT WINTER,
PAUL WAS RIDING HIGH ON HIS SUCCESS.
AND WHILE HE WASN'T LOOKING FOR LOVE,
HE CERTAINLY HAD HIS FAIR SHARE OF ADMIRERS.
ONE IN PARTICULAR WAS 26-YEAR-OLD LEE ANN ARMANINI,
A SINGLE MOTHER WHO WORKED AT A LOCAL BAR.
Paul: SHE HAD A SON MAYBE ABOUT 11, 12.
AND I THINK THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS
THAT KIND OF GRAVITATED ME TOWARDS HER...
THE NURTURING PART.
Narrator: AFTER A FEW CAUSAL DINNERS,
PAUL AND LEE ANN BEGAN TO DATE.
A YEAR LATER, WHEN LEE ANN REALIZED SHE WAS PREGNANT,
PAUL DECIDED IT WAS A GOOD TIME
TO TAKE THE RELATIONSHIP TO THE NEXT LEVEL.
WHEN THE COUPLE TIED THE KNOT THAT JULY,
IT WAS A TRUE SHOTGUN WEDDING.
Paul: IT WAS A REALLY NICE WEDDING.
I HAD TWO BEST MEN, AND ALEX WAS ONE OF THEM.
Narrator: 7 MONTHS LATER,
THE COUPLE'S SON, NICHOLAS, WAS BORN.
NICHOLAS' BIRTH CHANGED PAUL'S ENTIRE VIEW OF LIFE.
FOR THE FIRST TIME, I THINK,
PAUL TRULY EXPERIENCED WHAT REAL LOVE IS LIKE.
I STARTED LEARNING HOW GREAT IT FEELS
TO GIVE MORE THAN IT IS TO GET.
HE'S JUST THE MOST AMAZING HUMAN BEING.
Narrator: BUT BEFORE NICHOLAS TURNED 1 YEAR OLD,
TRAGEDY STRUCK
AND PAUL'S ENTIRE LIFE CHANGED FOREVER.
IT ALL STARTED THE EVENING OF JANUARY 17, 2001,
WHILE PAUL WAS TAKING A FEW HARD-EARNED HOURS AWAY
FROM THE GYM.
A FRIEND OF MINE WANTED TO GO OUT TO DINNER,
SO I ASKED AL TO COVER FOR ME.
WE STARTED HAVING DRINKS, HAVING VINO...
I NEVER ENDED UP GOING BACK TO WORK.
Narrator: AT ABOUT 10:00 THAT EVENING,
PAUL'S CELLPHONE BEGAN TO RING.
Paul: SO I PICKED IT UP.
IT WAS LEE ANN, FRANTIC, TELLING ME ABOUT ALEX...
THAT ALEX GOT SHOT.
Narrator: THE NEWS HIT LIKE A TON OF BRICKS.
ALEX ALGERI, PAUL'S FRIEND AND BUSINESS PARTNER,
HAD BEEN GUNNED DOWN IN THE PARKING LOT OF THEIR GYM.
Paul: I COULDN'T BELIEVE IT.
AND AL DIDN'T ARGUE OR FIGHT WITH ANYBODY.
YOU KNOW, HE WAS A VERY EASYGOING GUY.
IT DIDN'T MAKE NO SENSE IT WOULD BE AL.
Narrator: PAUL WAS DEVASTATED AND CONFUSED,
BUT HIS WIFE, LEE ANN, WAS TERRIFIED.
Constantino: THIS EXECUTION-STYLE MURDER
HAS ALL THE MARKINGS OF A MAFIA HIT...
A SMALL-CALIBER WEAPON, AT NIGHT, SHOTS TO THE HEAD.
Narrator: WHILE ALEX HAD NO ENEMIES TO SPEAK OF,
PAUL'S REPUTATION AS A TOUGH GUY WAS WELL-KNOWN.
LEE ANN WAS CERTAIN THE BULLETS WERE NOT MEANT FOR ALEX,
BUT FOR HER HUSBAND.
Constantino: LEE ANN COMES TO PAUL AND SAYS,
"NOT ONLY ARE YOU IN DANGER, BUT I'M IN DANGER AS YOUR WIFE.
AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, THE BABY'S IN DANGER."
Narrator: WAS THIS TRAGEDY A CASE OF MISTAKEN IDENTITY?
Constantino: THE VERY FIRST THING THAT PAUL DID
WAS COME HERE AND HAVE ME DRAFT A WILL,
LEAVING EVERYTHING THAT HE OWNED TO LEE ANN.
Narrator: IN THE SPRING OF 2000,
9 MONTHS BEFORE HIS BEST FRIEND AND BUSINESS PARTNER
WAS MURDERED,
PAUL RIEDEL WAS STRUGGLING TO ADJUST
TO HIS YOUNG MARRIAGE WITH LEE ANN.
FIRST COUPLE OF MONTHS, THEY WERE OKAY.
I MEAN, BUT I STARTED GOING BACK OUT WITH MY FRIENDS.
I PARTIED WITH MY FRIENDS, COMING HOME REAL LATE.
I WAS STILL VERY YOUNG.
Narrator: ON THE OUTSIDE, PAUL HAD MUCH TO CELEBRATE.
HIS 24-HOUR GYM WAS BOOMING,
AND HE AND HIS PARTNER, ALEX ALGERI,
HAD ACHIEVED ENORMOUS SUCCESS.
MY LIFE, I MEAN, AS FAR AS I WAS CONCERNED, WAS GREAT.
I WAS GOING OUT WITH MY FRIENDS, BUSINESS WAS GOOD, HAD MONEY.
Narrator: BUT BEHIND CLOSED DOORS,
LIFE WITH LEE ANN HAD BECOME SOMEWHAT ROCKY.
Paul: IT GOT TO THE POINT WHERE SHE WAS REALLY TIRED
OF ME GOING OUT AND NOT COMING HOME
AND DOING THE THINGS I NEEDED TO DO.
Narrator: SO ONE DAY THAT JUNE, WHILE PAUL WAS AWAY FROM HOME,
LEE ANN TOOK MATTERS INTO HER OWN HANDS.
Paul: A FRIEND OF MINE GOES TO MY HOUSE TO VISIT ME,
AND HE CALLS ME UP, HE GOES,
"PAUL, THERE'S TWO MOVING TRUCKS AT YOUR HOUSE.
THEY'RE EMPTYING OUT AND MOVING OUT YOUR HOUSE."
Narrator: STUNNED, PAUL IMMEDIATELY RACED HOME,
BUT IT WAS TOO LATE.
LEE ANN HAD MADE UP HER MIND TO MOVE TO FLORIDA
AND START A NEW LIFE WITH HER MOTHER.
NOTHING PAUL SAID WOULD STOP HER.
Paul: I THINK SHE PROBABLY GOT FED UP AND SAID, "I'M LEAVING.
I'M GOING TO FLORIDA."
AT THAT POINT, I WAS OKAY WITH US NOT BEING MARRIED
OR GETTING A DIVORCE.
Narrator: BUT THE GAME CHANGER FOR PAUL
WAS LEE ANN'S DETERMINATION
TO TAKE THEIR INFANT SON, NICHOLAS, WITH HER.
Paul: AT THAT VERY MOMENT,
LIFE CHANGED FOR ME.
I REALIZED, LIKE, "WOW. THIS IS, LIKE... THIS IS REAL.
LIKE, I'M GONNA LOSE MY SON."
I WENT TO SEE A LAWYER. I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT ELSE TO DO.
Constantino: PAUL'S CASE ULTIMATELY FOUND ITS WAY TO MY DESK,
AND DURING MY INITIAL MEETING WITH HIM,
HE WAS OVERWROUGHT WITH FEAR...
NOT ABOUT THE FACT THAT HIS WIFE HAD LEFT HIM,
BUT ABOUT THE FACT THAT THE BABY WAS GONE.
Narrator: STEVE IMMEDIATELY GOT TO WORK,
AND IT WASN'T LONG
BEFORE HE REALIZED LEE ANN WAS BREAKING THE LAW.
Constantino: THE GENERAL RULE IS
THAT ONE SPOUSE WHO HAS CUSTODY OF A CHILD
CAN SIMPLY NOT UNILATERALLY PACK UP
AND MOVE TO A DISTANT DOMICILE
WITHOUT EITHER THE PERMISSION OF THE OTHER SPOUSE
OR LEAVE OF COURT.
THE COURT DIRECTED HER TO RETURN WITH THE CHILD WITHIN 20 DAYS
OR FACE THE LOSS OF CUSTODY.
Narrator: IT WAS A QUICK VICTORY FOR PAUL.
THAT JULY, LEE ANN HEADED BACK TO NEW YORK,
NICHOLAS IN TOW.
Paul: I JUST WANTED TO HAVE A RELATIONSHIP WITH MY SON,
AND YOU CAN'T HAVE A RELATIONSHIP
WHEN YOUR CHILD IS 2,000 MILES AWAY.
Narrator: A DIVORCE PROCEEDING HAD BEEN SCHEDULED
FOR NOVEMBER 21st.
BUT ON THAT DAY, THINGS TOOK A SURPRISING TURN.
Constantino: I ARRIVED IN COURT A LITTLE BIT EARLY.
I WAS SETTING UP AT THE TABLE.
AND I HEARD THE DOOR OPEN UP, AND I TURNED AROUND,
AND I SAW PAUL COME WALKING IN, HOLDING THE BABY,
AND LEE ANN BEHIND HIM, PUSHING A STROLLER.
Narrator: STEVE WAS STUNNED.
Constantino: I LOOKED AT PAUL AND HE SAID,
"LISTEN, I WANT YOU TO WITHDRAW THIS.
WE WORKED THINGS OUT."
AND I SAID TO HIM, "WAIT A MINUTE.
"WE CAN ADJOURN THIS, WE CAN POSTPONE THIS,
BUT WITHDRAWING THIS IS A SIGNIFICANT THING."
Narrator: BUT PAUL STOOD FIRM.
HE AND LEE ANN WANTED THE DIVORCE WITHDRAWN.
Paul: I KNEW THAT I COULD DO BETTER,
AND I WAS, YOU KNOW, SEEING WHAT I LOST.
I WAS READY TO TRY AND DO THAT.
ABSOLUTELY, I WAS READY TO REALLY TRY AND DO THAT.
Narrator: DESPITE HIS MISGIVINGS,
STEVE WITHDREW THE PROCEEDING,
WHILE PAUL AND LEE ANN SET ABOUT MAKING AMENDS.
AT THAT POINT, I JUST WANTED TO BE WITH MY SON.
Narrator: MEANWHILE, BACK AT THE OFFICE,
STEVE COULDN'T SHAKE THE FEELING
THAT SOMETHING WASN'T QUITE RIGHT.
IN PARTICULAR, HE WAS BOTHERED
BY AN AFFIDAVIT LEE ANN HAD FILED
UPON HER RETURN TO NEW YORK.
Constantino: BEFORE WE CONDUCTED THE HEARING,
LEE ANN FILED OPPOSITION PAPERS,
DESIGNED TO CONVINCE THE JUDGE
THAT SHE SHOULD NOT BE FORCED TO COME BACK TO NEW YORK.
ONE OF THE REASONS THAT SHE DETAILED FOR LEAVING
WAS HER CONTENTION THAT SHE WAS ADVISED
THAT THERE WAS A MAFIA CONTRACT OUT ON PAUL'S LIFE.
NOW, PAUL WAS NOT, AND HE HAS NEVER BEEN,
INVOLVED WITH ANY ORGANIZED CRIME FACTION.
Narrator: WHILE LEE ANN'S SUSPICIONS SEEMED QUESTIONABLE,
STEVE WOULD SOON LEARN SHE WAS ONTO SOMETHING.
Constantino: THE FIRST THING THAT I THOUGHT WAS,
"OH, MY GOD. SHE'S RIGHT."
Narrator: BUT HE COULD NEVER HAVE GUESSED
HOW IT WOULD ALL PLAY OUT.
DISASTER WAS JUST ON THE HORIZON.
EVERYTHING HAPPENED SO FAST AND THE WRONG MAN WAS KILLED.
Narrator: IN JANUARY 2001,
PAUL RIEDEL WAS DOING HIS BEST TO BE A GOOD HUSBAND TO LEE ANN.
I WAS PUTTING MORE OF AN EFFORT INTO MAKING THINGS BETTER.
I WAS JUST TRYING TO BE A BETTER HUSBAND, AND I FELT LIKE
IT WAS WORKING AND WE WERE GETTING ALONG BETTER.
Narrator: BUT LEE ANN DIDN'T SEEM ENTIRELY COMFORTABLE.
THERE WOULD BE TIMES WHEN LEE ANN WOULD SAY,
"PAUL, I'M GONNA RUN TO THE STORE.
JUST KEEP AN EYE ON THE BABY."
AND ONE OF PAUL'S FRIENDS WOULD DROP BY AND SAY,
"LISTEN, YOUR WIFE IS UP ON THE PAY PHONE AT THE CORNER.
WHAT'S GOING ON?"
Paul: I CONFRONTED HER ABOUT IT.
SHE SAYS, "YOU KNOW, IT'S MY MOTHER.
"I REALLY GOT TO EASE INTO THIS ALL WITH MY MOTHER.
SHE'S GIVING ME A HARD TIME."
Narrator: THE EXPLANATION MADE SENSE.
PAUL KNEW LEE ANN'S MOTHER WASN'T VERY FOND OF HIM,
BUT HE HAD VERY LITTLE TIME TO DWELL ON THAT PROBLEM.
JUST TWO WEEKS LATER, HE WAS BLINDSIDED
BY ONE OF THE WORST TRAGEDIES OF HIS LIFE.
THE EVENING OF JANUARY 17, 2001,
PAUL WAS AT DINNER WITH A FRIEND
WHEN LEE ANN CALLED HIM WITH TERRIBLE NEWS.
ALEX ALGERI HAD BEEN SHOT EXECUTION-STYLE
IN THE PARKING LOT OF THEIR GYM.
Mladinich: ALEX ALGERI WENT OUTSIDE TO HIS SUV TO GET SOME CDs.
UNBEKNOWNST TO HIM, THERE WERE TWO MEN WAITING IN A CAR.
[ GUNSHOT ]
SHOTS RANG OUT IN VERY QUICK SUCCESSION,
AND ALEX STUMBLED BACK INTO THE GYM,
MUTTERED, "I'VE BEEN SHOT," TO A WITNESS,
AND DIED A FEW MINUTES LATER.
Narrator: THE KILLERS FLED THE SCENE,
LEAVING NO EVIDENCE BEHIND.
PAUL WAS DEVASTATED.
Paul: IT DIDN'T MAKE NO SENSE.
WHAT TYPE OF MAN SNEAKS BEHIND SOMEBODY LIKE THAT WITH A GUN?
Narrator: THE FOLLOWING DAYS WERE TOUGH,
BUT THERE WAS ONE PERSON WHO STOOD BY PAUL'S SIDE...
HIS WIFE, LEE ANN.
Paul: SHE WAS THE ONE PERSON
THAT I FELT THAT I COULD TALK TO,
AND SHE WAS THE PERSON I WAS LEANING ON.
SHE WENT TO THE FUNERAL WITH ME. SHE NEVER CRIED.
I ALWAYS WONDERED WHY SHE DIDN'T CRY.
Narrator: MEANWHILE,
AS THE INVESTIGATION INTO ALEX'S MURDER PICKED UP STEAM,
A FRIGHTENING THEORY BEGAN TO TAKE SHAPE.
Costantino: PAUL CAME TO THE CONCLUSION,
AS DID I AND AS DID THE POLICE THEMSELVES,
THAT THIS HOMICIDE WAS A MISTAKE,
THAT THE INTENDED VICTIM WAS CLEARLY PAUL.
[ GUNSHOT ]
Narrator: FOR LEE ANN, THE THOUGHT WAS TERRIFYING.
Costantino: LEE ANN COMES BACK TO PAUL AND SAYS,
"THERE REALLY WAS A MAFIA CONTRACT ON YOUR LIFE,
AND IT'S STILL OUT THERE."
Narrator: SHE BEGGED PAUL TO LET HER GO BACK TO FLORIDA
AND TAKE NICHOLAS WITH HER.
SO I TOLD HER, "LISTEN, LET'S FIGURE THIS OUT.
"GET YOUR STUFF TOGETHER. GO TO FLORIDA.
TAKE THE BABY. GO TO FLORIDA."
Narrator: MEANWHILE, PAUL STAYED BEHIND
AND BEGAN TO PREPARE FOR THE WORST.
Paul: I WENT INTO STEVE'S OFFICE AND I MADE A WILL,
LEAVING EVERYTHING TO LEE ANN,
THINKING THAT SHE WOULD MAKE SURE
THAT THAT MONEY WAS THERE FOR NICHOLAS WHEN HE GOT OLDER.
Narrator: OVER THE NEXT TWO MONTHS,
PAUL SHUTTLED BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN NEW YORK AND FLORIDA,
JUGGLING FAMILY AND BUSINESS.
BEFORE LONG, LEE ANN TOLD PAUL SHE WAS PREGNANT AGAIN.
Costantino: HE WAS OVERJOYED.
THE CONCEPT OF BEING THE FATHER THAT HE NEVER HAD
IS WHAT DOMINATED HIS ENTIRE BEING.
Narrator: BUT PAUL'S HAPPINESS WOULD SOON FADE.
SEVERAL WEEKS LATER, DURING ONE OF HIS TRIPS TO FLORIDA,
A FAMILY FRIEND GAVE PAUL SOME UNSETTLING NEWS.
Paul: HE GOES, "I GOT TO TALK TO YOU."
AND HE GOES, "YOU KNOW, EVERY TIME YOU LEAVE,
SHE GOES OUT WITH THIS GUY ROCCO."
SO I WENT HOME AND I CONFRONTED HER.
I'M LIKE, "WHO'S THIS GUY ROCCO?"
SHE LITERALLY DROPPED.
Narrator: LEE ANN CLAIMED ROCCO WAS JUST A FRIEND,
BUT PAUL WASN'T BUYING IT.
Paul: I SAID, "YOU KNOW WHAT?" I SAID, "I'M LEAVING."
I LEFT. WENT HOME.
Narrator: SHORTLY AFTER PAUL RETURNED TO NEW YORK,
LEE ANN MADE AN UNEXPECTED MOVE.
SHE SERVED PAUL WITH DIVORCE PAPERS.
Costantino: TO COMMENCE A DIVORCE ACTION IN FLORIDA,
ALL YOU HAVE TO SHOW
IS THAT YOU'VE LIVED IN FLORIDA FOR SIX CONSECUTIVE MONTHS.
WELL, TWO WEEKS AFTER SHE MET
THIS SIX-MONTH RESIDENCY REQUIREMENT,
LEE ANN FILED AN ACTION FOR DIVORCE AGAINST PAUL IN FLORIDA.
AND NOW NICHOLAS HAS LIVED IN FLORIDA
FOR SIX MONTHS WITH OUR CONSENT, AND NOW WE CAN'T GET HIM BACK.
Narrator: ON DECEMBER 24, 2001,
WHEN LEE ANN GAVE BIRTH TO ANOTHER BABY BOY,
SHE REFUSED TO LET PAUL SEE HIM.
Paul: I WAS CALLING AROUND HOSPITALS
AND TRYING TO FIND OUT WHERE THE BABY WAS.
AND NOBODY WOULD TELL ME ANYTHING.
Narrator: IT SEEMED PAUL WAS ON THE VERGE
OF LOSING EVERYTHING ONCE AGAIN.
TO MAKE MATTERS WORSE, ALEX'S MURDER REMAINED UNSOLVED.
Paul: I WAS EMOTIONALLY SPENT.
I WENT INTO KIND OF A DEPRESSION.
AND THAT WAS BAD. THAT WAS REALLY BAD.
Narrator: BUT THINGS WERE ABOUT TO TAKE A SURPRISING TURN.
I GET A CALL FROM PAUL, WHO'S ABSOLUTELY FRANTIC.
AND HE SAYS, "I CAUGHT THE MURDERER. SHE'S INVOLVED."
Narrator: AND WHEN THE WHOLE TWISTED STORY CAME OUT,
IT SHOCKED EVERYONE.
I'M LIKE, "HOW DID I NOT PUT THIS TOGETHER?"
IT WAS LIKE BEING HIT IN THE FACE WITH A 100-POUND DUMBBELL.
Narrator: BY SPRING 2002,
PAUL RIEDEL KNEW HIS MARRIAGE TO LEE ANN WAS OVER.
BUT HIS SON, NICHOLAS, WEIGHED HEAVILY ON HIS MIND.
Paul: I WASN'T UPSET ABOUT ME AND HER.
BY THIS TIME, I WAS JUST UPSET ABOUT NICHOLAS.
I DIDN'T KNOW HOW I WAS GONNA SEE NICHOLAS.
Narrator: IN ADDITION,
THE MURDER OF PAUL'S BEST FRIEND, ALEX ALGERI,
WAS NO CLOSER TO BEING SOLVED.
Paul: I THINK THE MOST OVERCOMING EMOTION
HAS ALWAYS BEEN DEALING WITH THAT ALEX DIED.
Narrator: BUT EVERYTHING WAS ABOUT TO CHANGE.
IN NOVEMBER 2001, MORE THAN A YEAR AFTER ALEX WAS SHOT,
POLICE GOT A SURPRISING AND UNEXPECTED BREAK
WHEN THEY ARRESTED A SUSPECT FOR GRAND LARCENY.
Mladinich: PART OF THE NYPD's NORMAL REGIMEN WITH EVERY ARREST
IS THEY DEBRIEF THE SUSPECT
AS TO THEIR KNOWLEDGE OF OTHER CRIMES.
Narrator: THE SUSPECT CLAIMED TO HAVE KNOWLEDGE OF ALEX'S MURDER.
THE INFORMATION HE GAVE DETECTIVES
LED THEM TO A FLORIDA BODY BUILDER NAMED RALPH SALIERNO,
ALSO KNOWN AS "ROCCO."
IT WAS THE VERY SAME ROCCO
LEE ANN HAD CLAIMED WAS JUST A FRIEND.
POLICE IMMEDIATELY TOOK ROCCO IN FOR QUESTIONING,
AND IT WASN'T LONG BEFORE HE SPILLED THE WHOLE TWISTED TRUTH.
Mladinich: SALIERNO MADE A VERY INCRIMINATING STATEMENT
TO THE POLICE.
HE BASICALLY MADE A STATEMENT WHERE HE CONFESSED TO THE CRIME
AND IMPLICATED LEE ANN IN THE CONSPIRACY
AND DESCRIBED DRIVING FROM FLORIDA TO NEW YORK
WITH AN ACCOMPLICE
WITH THE SOLE PURPOSE OF SHOOTING PAUL RIEDEL TO DEATH.
[ GUNSHOT ]
INVESTIGATORS DISCOVER THAT ROCCO AND LEE ANN
HAD BEEN HAVING AN AFFAIR IN FLORIDA.
BUT THAT WAS JUST THE BEGINNING.
IT SEEMED LEE ANN WANTED TO USE ROCCO
FOR MUCH MORE THAN JUST DATING.
Costantino: I THINK VERY EARLY ON,
ONCE SHE WAS DIRECTED BY THE JUDGE TO COME BACK TO NEW YORK
SO THAT PAUL COULD EXERCISE HIS VISITATION RIGHTS WITH NICHOLAS,
SHE REALIZED, "THE ONLY WAY I'M GONNA BE ABLE TO LEAVE NEW YORK
"IS EITHER WITH PAUL'S CONSENT,
"WHICH THERE'S NO WAY HE'S GONNA GIVE TO ME,
OR IF PAUL IS KILLED."
Narrator: AND WITH ROCCO'S HELP,
THAT'S ALLEGEDLY WHAT LEE ANN SET OUT TO DO.
SHE GAVE ROCCO A PHOTO OF PAUL, BUT THAT FATEFUL NIGHT,
ROCCO AND HIS CRONY MISTOOK ALEX FOR PAUL AND SHOT HIM DEAD.
Mladinich: LEE ANN REPORTEDLY
CALLED SALIERNO A "BLEEP" ing IDIOT
AND TOLD HIM HE KILLED THE WRONG GUY.
Narrator: TO TOP IT ALL OFF, LEE ANN'S NEWBORN SON,
THE BABY PAUL THOUGHT WAS HIS, WAS ACTUALLY ROCCO'S.
I FOUND OUT BY THE NEWS BEING ON MY FRONT LAWN.
THEY WERE LIKE, "WHAT DO YOU THINK
"ABOUT YOUR EX-WIFE BEING PREGNANT
BY THE GUY WHO JUST GOT ARRESTED FOR KILLING YOUR BEST FRIEND?"
I WAS LIKE, "WHAT?!" THAT'S HOW I FOUND OUT.
I HAD NO IDEA. LIKE, I THOUGHT IT WAS MY KID.
IT WAS LIKE BEING HIT IN THE FACE WITH A 100-POUND DUMBBELL.
I MEAN, IT WAS LIKE, "OH, MY GOD.
COULD SHE REALLY BE THIS DEVIOUS?"
Narrator: IN MARCH 2003,
LEE ANN RIEDEL WAS ARRESTED AT HER HOME IN FLORIDA.
Paul: IT WAS BITTERSWEET.
MY FIRST FEELING HAS ALWAYS BEEN
THE AFFECT THAT IT HAD ON NICHOLAS.
Narrator: ON APRIL 24, 2004,
LEE ANN WAS FOUND GUILTY OF FIRST-DEGREE MURDER
FOR ORCHESTRATING THE KILLING.
SHE WAS SENTENCED TO 25 YEARS TO LIFE.
TODAY, PAUL IS THE FATHER HE ALWAYS SET OUT TO BE.
HE HAS FULL CUSTODY OF NICHOLAS.
HE ALSO HAS A NEW DAUGHTER AND A WIFE HE LOVES.
HE TRIES NOT TO DWELL ON THE PAST.
YOU CAN GO FORWARD, OR YOU CAN GO BACKWARDS.
AND BACKWARDS IS NOWHERE THAT I WANT TO BE.
BACKWARDS IS A DARK PLACE.
I WANT TO MOVE FORWARD. I WANT TO MOVE FORWARD.
I WANT TO THINK ABOUT
ALL THE WONDERFUL THINGS THAT I GOT WITH MY WIFE,
ALL THE WONDERFUL THINGS THAT I GOT WITH MY CHILDREN.
I DON'T GO BACKWARDS.
Narrator: BUT ONE PART OF PAUL'S PAST HE'LL NEVER FORGET...
HIS BEST FRIEND, ALEX.
Paul: I MISS HIM DEARLY.
HE WILL ALWAYS BE MY BEST FRIEND.
BUT, GOD, HOW OUR FRIENDSHIP WOULD BE GREATER NOW,
BECAUSE I WOULD HAVE GAVE HIM BACK AS MUCH AS HE GAVE ME.