Narrator: AS A DETECTIVE, JOHN POMROY CONSIDERED HIMSELF
AN EXCELLENT JUDGE OF CHARACTER.
SO, WHEN HE MET TINA HAMILTON, A DEVOUT CHRISTIAN,
HE THOUGHT HE'D FOUND THE PERFECT GIRL.
I WANTED TO MARRY HER AND BE WITH HER FOREVER.
Moore: JOHN DID ADORE HER A LOT.
HE WAS IN GREAT LOVE WITH TINA.
Narrator: BUT WHEN THE DEMONS FROM TINA'S PAST RESURFACED...
IT WAS SHOCKING FOR EVERYONE THAT KNEW THE BOTH OF THEM.
Narrator: ...JOHN SUDDENLY FOUND HIMSELF
IN THE STAKEOUT OF A LIFETIME.
SO, I JUST SAT IN THE CHAIR FACING THE DOOR
WITH A SHOTGUN AND A COUPLE OF HANDGUNS,
WAITING FOR SOMEBODY.
Narrator: WHEN IT COMES TO LOVE AND MARRIAGE,
THINGS AREN'T ALWAYS AS THEY SEEM.
GROWING UP IN A STRICT, ROMAN CATHOLIC FAMILY,
JOHN POMROY ALWAYS WANTED TO HELP OTHERS.
John: I TOURED A SEMINARY
AND CONSIDERED BECOMING A PRIEST.
BEFORE COLLEGE, I STARTED DATING,
AND I REALIZED I COULDN'T BE A PRIEST
BECAUSE I WAS INTERESTED IN GIRLS.
Narrator: SO, AT AGE 24, LIVING IN COVINA, CALIFORNIA,
JOHN PUT HIS PHILANTHROPY TO WORK IN ANOTHER WAY.
John: I WAS A HOUSE PARENT
AT A HOME FOR KIDS WHO ARE ORPHANED.
I LOVED IT A LOT.
Narrator: JOHN ENJOYED THE WORK,
ESPECIALLY WHEN AN ATTRACTIVE WOMAN NAMED TINA HAMILTON
JOINED THE TEAM IN THE FALL OF 1987.
John: THE FIRST TIME I SAW TINA, I THOUGHT,
"OH, SHE'S ATTRACTIVE," AND, "I WONDER WHO THAT IS."
Narrator: JOHN WAS INSTANTLY SMITTEN,
SO HE MUSTERED UP THE COURAGE TO ASK TINA OUT,
BUT HE WAS QUICKLY SHOT DOWN.
OH. UM...
John: TINA TOLD ME THAT SHE WOULDN'T DATE ME
BECAUSE WE WEREN'T OF THE SAME FAITH.
I WAS CATHOLIC, AND SHE WAS A BORN-AGAIN CHRISTIAN,
AND SHE WAS ONLY GONNA DATE SOMEBODY
WHO WAS A BORN-AGAIN CHRISTIAN.
AND AT THAT POINT, I REALIZED,
"OKAY, WE'RE JUST GONNA BE FRIENDS."
Narrator: SOON, THEIR FRIENDSHIP GREW,
AND TINA CONFIDED IN JOHN ABOUT HER TROUBLED PAST.
John: TINA TOLD ME THAT SHE HAD BEEN A DRUG ADDICT
UNTIL ABOUT THREE YEARS BEFORE WE MET.
I THOUGHT, "THAT'S INTERESTING.
I'VE NEVER KNOWN ANYBODY WHO'S USED DRUGS LIKE THAT."
Morken: TINA WAS VERY OPEN ABOUT HER PAST
BECAUSE SHE SHARED IT AS A TESTIMONY TO OTHER WOMEN
AND HOW SHE HAD OVERCOME THOSE THINGS.
Narrator: A TRUE BELIEVER IN SECOND CHANCES,
JOHN WAS INSPIRED BY TINA'S TRANSFORMATION
AND CURIOUS ABOUT THE CHURCH SHE ATTENDED.
John: I HAD BEGUN TO BECOME RESTLESS
IN MY FAITH AS A CATHOLIC,
AND SHE TOLD ME ABOUT HER CHURCH.
SHE INVITED ME TO SOME YOUNG-ADULT MEETINGS.
Narrator: JOHN WAS MOVED BY THE MINISTRY,
AND ON EASTER SUNDAY OF 1988,
HE BECAME A MEMBER OF TINA'S CHURCH.
SUDDENLY, TINA BEGAN TO LOOK AT JOHN POMROY
IN A DIFFERENT LIGHT.
John: SHE BEGAN TO LOOK AT ME
AS A PERSON THAT COULD BE DATED.
Narrator: BUT TINA'S LIFE AS A DEVOUT CHRISTIAN
INCLUDED SOME GROUND RULES
THAT SHE TOLD JOHN SHE WOULDN'T BREAK.
Morken: TINA ALWAYS SAID, FROM HER PAST,
SHE DID NOT LIKE THE USE
OF ALCOHOL OR PAIN MEDICATIONS.
SO SHE WAS REALLY OPPOSED TO THOSE KIND OF THINGS.
John: SHE SAID WE COULD DRINK NO ALCOHOL,
WE COULD HAVE NO SEX BEFORE MARRIAGE,
BUT I SAW THE SPIRITUAL VALUE TO THESE RULES,
SO I DIDN'T FIGHT THEM.
Narrator: JOHN RESPECTED TINA'S WISHES
AND KNEW SHE WAS THE RIGHT GIRL FOR HIM.
A YEAR LATER, THE COUPLE WAS MARRIED
AT THEIR CHURCH IN WHITTIER, CALIFORNIA.
WHEN WE WERE SAYING OUR VOWS...
THIS PROMISE TO EACH OTHER AND TO GOD...
IT WAS VERY, VERY IMPORTANT TO ME.
I WAS MAKING A COMMITMENT FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE.
Narrator: ALMOST IMMEDIATELY, THEIR LIVES TOGETHER TOOK OFF.
JOHN BECAME A POLICE OFFICER IN POMONA,
AND TINA BECAME PREGNANT RIGHT AWAY.
John: WE DIDN'T HAVE A NORMAL HONEYMOON STAGE.
IT WAS GET MARRIED, GO TO WORK AT THIS INTENSE JOB,
AND GET READY FOR A BABY TO COME.
Narrator: WHEN THEIR SON MICHAEL WAS BORN IN 1990,
TINA QUIT HER JOB TO BECOME A FULL-TIME MOM
AND JOHN HAD A NEW HOME BUILT FOR THE FAMILY.
John: I WAS VERY HAPPY BEING A FATHER AND A HUSBAND.
I HAD THIS BEAUTIFUL WIFE WHO WAS A GOOD, CHRISTIAN WOMAN.
Narrator: BUT 13 YEARS INTO THEIR MARRIAGE,
IT SEEMED THAT TINA HAD FOUND ANOTHER CALLING,
AND, BEFORE LONG, THEIR GOOD LIFE TOGETHER WOULD CRUMBLE.
ON THE MORNING OF MAY 28, 2002,
JOHN'S CELLPHONE RANG WHILE HE WAS AT WORK.
John: THIS WOMAN CALLED AND TOLD ME
THAT SHE KNEW MY WIFE AND SHE KNEW MY KIDS.
I DIDN'T RECOGNIZE HER VOICE.
Narrator: JOHN CONTINUED TO LISTEN
AS THE MYSTERIOUS WOMAN TOLD HIM SOMETHING
THAT WOULD SEND HIM RUNNING FOR HIS LIFE.
AND SHE SAID THAT SOMEBODY WAS TRYING TO KILL ME,
AND, I MEAN, I WAS SHOCKED.
TINA HAD GONE SO FAR DOWN SO FAST.
Narrator: IN THE WINTER OF 1995,
SEVEN YEARS BEFORE A DIRE PHONE CALL
WOULD HAVE DETECTIVE JOHN POMROY FEARING FOR HIS LIFE,
HE AND HIS WIFE, TINA,
WELCOMED THE BIRTH OF THEIR SECOND SON, BRANDON.
John: TINA, THE BOYS, AND I WERE VERY CLOSE.
WE WOULD GO ON VACATIONS,
USUALLY TO COASTLINE DESTINATIONS...
LONG BEACH, SAN DIEGO, NEWPORT BEACH.
WE DID A LOT OF STUFF TOGETHER.
THEY HAD EVERYTHING
THAT A FAMILY COULD NEED AND WANT.
THEY WERE ROLE MODELING THEIR MARRIAGE TO OTHER COUPLES.
Narrator: BUT BY THE SUMMER OF 2000,
11 YEARS INTO THEIR MARRIAGE,
JOHN BEGAN TO NOTICE TROUBLING CHANGES IN TINA'S BEHAVIOR.
John: I SAW TINA BEING MORE IRRITABLE.
SHE SEEMED TO BE ALWAYS ANGRY WITH ME,
AND HER PERSONALITY WAS CHANGING.
TINA STARTED TO TAKE A LITTLE BIT OF A TURN.
A LOT OF DEPRESSION STARTED TO SET IN.
IT SEEMED LIKE SHE WAS JUST THERE BUT NOT THERE
MOST OF THE TIME.
Michael: SOMETIMES SHE WOULD LEAVE
AND BE GONE TILL 3:00, 2:00 IN THE MORNING,
AND MY DAD WAS THE ONE WHO WAS THERE HELPING TAKE CARE OF US
OR PUT US TO BED, YOU KNOW.
IT WAS WEIRD.
John: I WOULD ALWAYS ASK HER WHERE SHE WAS GOING,
AND SHE WOULD JUST TELL ME IT WAS NONE OF MY BUSINESS.
I REALLY DIDN'T KNOW WHAT I COULD DO TO STOP IT.
Narrator: AND AROUND THAT TIME, ACCORDING TO JOHN,
THEIR MONEY WAS QUICKLY DISAPPEARING.
John: I WOULD GO TO THE SUPERMARKET,
AND THERE WAS NO MONEY IN MY ACCOUNT.
Narrator: BY THE WINTER OF 2000, THE SITUATION HADN'T IMPROVED.
JOHN HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO FILE FOR BANKRUPTCY.
HE HAD NO IDEA WHAT TO DO NEXT, AND BY THE FOLLOWING YEAR,
HE SAW YET ANOTHER DISTURBING SIDE TO HIS WIFE.
SHE WOULD OCCASIONALLY SLAP ME OR HIT ME.
MY FATHER TAUGHT ME NEVER TO RAISE A HAND TO A WOMAN,
AND I JUST TOOK THE HITS.
Narrator: TINA'S ACTIONS MADE ONE THING CLEAR TO JOHN.
I SUSPECTED THAT SHE WAS USING ILLEGAL DRUGS.
THERE WERE SOME STRANGE BEHAVIORS THAT WERE GOING ON
THAT I COULDN'T EXPLAIN,
AND SHE WAS BEGINNING TO LOSE WEIGHT.
Narrator: AS A GOOD CHRISTIAN,
JOHN DID WHAT HE COULD TO HANG ON TO HIS MARRIAGE.
HE MOVED OUT OF THEIR BEDROOM IN TO THEIR HOME OFFICE
AND PLEADED WITH TINA TO GET THE HELP IT APPEARED SHE NEEDED.
I ASKED HER TO GO TO THE REHAB FACILITY
WHERE SHE FIRST GOT CLEANED ON DRUGS,
AND SHE JUST KEPT TELLING ME, NO, SHE DIDN'T HAVE A PROBLEM.
Morken: HE WAS TRYING TO KEEP HIS FAMILY TOGETHER,
AND THAT WAS HIS GOAL AND HIS FOCUS,
BUT TINA WAS NOT GONNA LET THAT HAPPEN.
Narrator: IN THE SUMMER OF 2001,
TINA TOOK A JOB AS A COUNSELOR
AT A DRUG-EDUCATION PROGRAM FOR TEENS.
GOOD FRIEND RHONDA MORKEN FOUNDED THE PROGRAM
AND HIRED TINA.
Morken: SO, TINA CAME TO ME AT THAT TIME AND ASKED,
YOU KNOW, IF THERE WAS ANY WAY SHE COULD GET PAID.
THERE WERE MANY PROBLEMS THAT THEY WERE HAVING,
SO THEY NEEDED THE MONEY.
SO I SAID, "WELL, COME ON, I CAN HIRE YOU ON PART-TIME."
Narrator: JOHN HOPED HER NEW JOB WAS A SIGN
THAT TINA WAS ON THE ROAD TO RECOVERY,
BUT HE COULDN'T HAVE BEEN MORE WRONG.
IN JULY 2001,
TINA AND JOHN GOT INTO A HEATED ARGUMENT.
John: I DON'T RECALL WHAT IT WAS,
BUT TINA STARTED ARGUING WITH ME.
SHE HIT ME IN FRONT OF THE KIDS.
I MEAN, IT WAS JUST LIKE A LIGHT SWITCH FOR ME.
I REALIZED, "I NEED TO GET OUT.
I NEED TO GET OUT OF THIS MARRIAGE."
Narrator: DEVASTATED, JOHN MOVED OUT OF THE HOUSE
AND INTO THE BASEMENT OF THE POMONA POLICE STATION.
I DIDN'T FEEL LIKE I COULD CONFIDE TO ANYBODY
WHAT WAS GOING ON.
I WAS ASHAMED AS A MAN, AS A POLICE OFFICER,
TO ADMIT THAT I WAS A VICTIM
OF PHYSICAL VIOLENCE, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.
Narrator: WITH NO LEGAL RIGHT TO TAKE THEIR CHILDREN,
JOHN VOWED TO RETURN FOR THEM AS SOON AS HE COULD.
I FELT TERRIBLE ABOUT LEAVING MY BOYS.
I FELT LIKE I WAS ABANDONING THEM.
I COULDN'T TELL THEM THE HISTORY OF THE VIOLENCE.
Michael: I DON'T WANT TO SAY IT FELT LIKE MY DAD ABANDONED ME,
BUT IT WAS VERY EASILY PUT TO ME FROM MY MOTHER
THAT MY DAD HAD JUST UP AND LEFT AND HE DIDN'T CARE ABOUT US.
I THOUGHT MAYBE TINA WOULD THINK ABOUT THE KIDS,
BECAUSE THERE WOULDN'T BE ME THERE
TO KEEP EVERYTHING TOGETHER
AND THAT SHE MIGHT GET HER LIFE BACK IN ORDER.
Narrator: BUT IT WASN'T MEANT TO BE.
TINA'S DESTRUCTIVE BEHAVIOR
WAS ABOUT TO REACH A WHOLE NEW LEVEL.
I WAS IN SHOCK. I SAID, "YOU HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME."
I COULDN'T BELIEVE THAT SHE WOULD GO TO THAT EXTREME.
IT'S JUST UNBELIEVABLE.
Narrator: IN THE SUMMER OF 2001,
JOHN POMROY MOVED OUT OF HIS HOUSE
WITH THE HOPE THAT HIS WIFE, TINA,
WOULD QUICKLY COME TO HER SENSES.
I THOUGHT THAT I WAS ENABLING HER
TO REMAIN IRRESPONSIBLE
AND THAT, IF I LEFT,
SHE MIGHT SNAP OUT OF IT AND GET HER ACT TOGETHER.
Narrator: BUT, WITHIN WEEKS, TINA WAS FIRED
FROM THE DRUG-EDUCATION PROGRAM WHERE SHE WORKED.
Morken: SHE STARTED TO NOT SHOW UP FOR WORK.
SHE WOULD COME TO ME, AND SHE WANTED TO BORROW MONEY.
WE HAD SEVERAL TALKS WITH HER
ABOUT HER BEHAVIORS DURING THAT TIME,
AND I SAW THE CHANGE IN TINA
WAS NOT THE TINA THAT I KNEW AT ALL.
SO IT WAS TIME FOR US TO LET HER GO.
Narrator: JOHN SAW NO END IN SIGHT
TO HIS WIFE'S DOWNWARD SPIRAL.
ON SEPTEMBER 11, 2001,
HE FILED FOR DIVORCE
AND JOINT CUSTODY OF THEIR TWO BOYS.
John: I KNEW THAT THERE WAS NO GOING BACK TO HER,
THAT THERE WAS NO WAY THAT OUR MARRIAGE
WOULD EVER BE RECONCILED.
I KNEW IT WAS OVER.
Narrator: BY APRIL OF 2002,
JOHN MOVED IN TO HIS OWN APARTMENT,
BUT HE WAS WORRIED ABOUT THE WELFARE OF THEIR CHILDREN.
John: THE BOYS WOULD TELL ME
THAT THERE WAS NO ELECTRICITY AT THE HOUSE,
THERE WAS NO RUNNING WATER AT THE HOUSE.
I WAS REALLY ANGRY
THAT SHE WAS EXPOSING OUR BOYS TO THAT ENVIRONMENT.
Michael: AT A CERTAIN POINT, YOU LOOK AT THE HOUSE AND YOU SAY,
"THERE'S NOTHING HERE THAT'S CONDUCIVE TO A GOOD UPBRINGING."
Narrator: TO MAKE MATTERS WORSE,
JOHN SUSPECTED THAT TINA WAS HANGING
AROUND MEMBERS OF A NOTORIOUS BIKER GANG
WHO LIVED DOWN THE STREET FROM THEIR HOME.
John: THE BOYS STARTED TELLING ME
ABOUT CERTAIN PEOPLE WHO WERE COMING TO THE HOUSE,
AND WE KNEW THAT THEY WERE MEMBERS OF A MOTORCYCLE GANG.
Moore: I KNEW A LOT ABOUT ALL THE GANGS IN THE AREA.
THEY WERE INTO DRUGS, CRIME, SEXUAL ASSAULTS...
I MEAN, EVERYTHING THAT YOU CAN THINK OF.
John: I HAD ALREADY DECIDED
THAT I WANTED TO GET CUSTODY OF THE BOYS,
BUT THAT RAMPED IT UP FOR ME.
Narrator: THAT MAY, JOHN WAS AWARDED
TEMPORARY CUSTODY OF HIS CHILDREN
THAT WOULD BECOME FINAL WITHIN A MONTH.
ALL I WANTED WAS THE BOYS.
I TOLD HER THAT SHE COULD HAVE THE HOUSE.
SHE COULD HAVE ALL OF THE PROPERTY IN THE HOUSE,
THAT I WOULD PAY SPOUSAL SUPPORT,
AND THAT I WOULD EVEN INCLUDE CHILD SUPPORT
IF THE BOYS COULD JUST LIVE WITH ME.
Narrator: BUT TINA HAD ANOTHER ARRANGEMENT IN MIND.
ON THE MORNING OF MAY 28, 2002,
JOHN WAS AT HIS DESK AT WORK
WHEN HE RECEIVED A STRANGE CALL FROM AN UNKNOWN WOMAN.
THE WOMAN TOLD JOHN SHE KNEW TINA AND THEIR BOYS,
AND THEN SHE DROPPED A BOMBSHELL.
John: SHE TOLD ME THAT TINA...
WAS TRYING TO HIRE A HIT MAN TO KILL ME.
I WAS TOTALLY SHOCKED.
I NEVER THOUGHT THAT SHE'D GO THAT FAR.
AND I REALIZED THAT SHE COULD BE GIVING ME EVIDENCE OF A CRIME.
I HAD A TAPE RECORDER ATTACHED TO MY PHONE,
SO I TURNED ON THE TAPE RECORDER AND I BEGAN INTERVIEWING HER
THE WAY I WOULD INTERVIEW ANY OTHER WITNESS TO A CRIME.
Narrator: AS JOHN RECORDED THE CONVERSATION,
THE WOMAN INFORMED HIM THAT SHE WAS RELATED
TO A MEMBER OF THE BIKER GANG NEAR THEIR HOME.
John: SO, SHE TOLD ME TINA WAS HOPING THAT THIS WOMAN
COULD GET THEM TO KILL ME.
Narrator: THE WOMAN DECLINED
AND NEVER TOLD THE OTHER GANG MEMBERS.
INSTEAD, SHE CALLED JOHN.
SHE AGREED TO GIVE A FORMAL STATEMENT
AND HELP POLICE WITH THE INVESTIGATION
IN ANY WAY SHE COULD.
John: SO, I WENT TO MY SUPERVISORS.
I GAVE THEM THE TAPE RECORDING.
EVERYTHING THAT THIS WOMAN SAID WAS VERIFIABLE INFORMATION.
Narrator: WITH THE HELP OF THE INFORMANT, THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE
IN SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY, WHERE TINA LIVED,
IMMEDIATELY SET UP A STING OPERATION
TO CATCH HER IN THE ACT.
John: THE UNDERCOVER DETECTIVES CAME UP WITH A PLAN
OF HOW TO USE THIS WOMAN TO ARRANGE A MEETING WITH TINA
AND CONVINCE TINA THAT THESE UNDERCOVER DETECTIVES
WERE A HIT MAN AND HIS PARTNER.
Narrator: MEANWHILE, JOHN AND HIS KIDS
WERE QUICKLY MOVED TO AN UNDISCLOSED LOCATION.
ONE DAY, MY DAD COMES TO ME, AND HE SAYS,
"YOU KNOW, WE'RE GONNA GO ON A LITTLE, SHORT, MINI VACATION,
"AND WE'RE GONNA STAY AT A HOTEL FOR A FEW DAYS.
IT'S GONNA BE FUN."
John: WE WENT INTO HIDING, AND I HAD TO TELL THE BOYS
THAT WE WERE PLAYING A GAME FOR MY JOB.
UM, YOU KNOW, I HAD TO LIE TO MY BOYS.
Narrator: ALL THE WHILE, JOHN HAD NO IDEA
IF TINA HAD ALREADY HIRED SOMEONE ELSE TO KILL HIM.
HE WAS TAKING NO CHANCES.
John: I STAYED AWAKE ALL NIGHT LONG,
WORRIED THAT SOMEBODY WAS GOING TO TRY AND BREAK DOWN THE DOOR
AND COME IN TO HURT ME.
SO I JUST SAT IN A CHAIR FACING THE DOOR
WITH A SHOTGUN AND A COUPLE OF HANDGUNS,
WAITING FOR SOMEBODY.
Narrator: ON MAY 28, 2002,
AFTER LEARNING THAT HIS WIFE OF 13 YEARS
WAS TRYING TO HIRE A HIT MAN TO KILL HIM,
JOHN POMROY WAS HIDING OUT AT A SAFEHOUSE WITH HIS SONS.
I WAS SITTING IN A CHAIR
FACING THE FRONT DOOR WITH A SHOTGUN.
[ GUN COCKS ]
I WAS PREPARED TO SHOOT IT OUT IF I HAD TO.
Narrator: THE FOLLOWING AFTERNOON,
POLICE SENT TWO UNDERCOVER DETECTIVES
POSING AS MEMBERS OF THE BIKER GANG
TO MEET WITH TINA POMROY.
Moore: SAN BERNARDINO SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT
HAD AN UNDERCOVER OFFICER GO IN.
HE WORE A WIRE AND GOT THIS RECORDED,
ON TWO DIFFERENT OCCASIONS,
WHERE TINA ASKED THIS PERSON, WHICH WAS AN UNDERCOVER DEPUTY,
TO KILL JOHN,
AND SHE EVEN TOLD HIM THAT JOHN WAS A POMONA POLICE OFFICER.
John: SHE AGREED TO PAY THEM $2,500,
AND SHE WAS GONNA MAKE A DRUG RUN FOR THEM.
SHE WAS ALSO GOING TO PROVIDE THE GUN
THAT WAS GONNA BE USED TO KILL ME.
Narrator: BUT HER PLAN WAS FOILED WHEN, LATER THAT DAY,
THE SAME TWO DETECTIVES ARRESTED TINA
AND CHARGED HER WITH SOLICITATION TO COMMIT MURDER.
John: I FELT RELIEVED THAT SHE WAS OFF THE STREETS,
THAT SHE WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO CONTINUE THROUGH WITH HER PLAN.
I THINK TINA WANTED ME DEAD
BECAUSE IF YOU'RE A POLICE OFFICER
AND YOU'RE MURDERED IN THE LINE OF DUTY,
THERE'S A SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF INSURANCE MONEY
THAT GOES TO THE BENEFICIARY,
AND SHE WAS THE BENEFICIARY.
TINA WOULD ALSO GET THE BOYS FULL-TIME.
Michael: I WAS JUST VERY ANGRY AND LET DOWN BY MY MOM.
I FELT LIKE SHE REALLY BETRAYED
NOT ONLY MY FATHER BUT, YOU KNOW, MYSELF, BRANDON.
Narrator: ON JANUARY 7, 2003,
TINA PLEADED GUILTY AND WAS GIVEN A 3-YEAR SENTENCE.
SHE SERVED 22 MONTHS IN PRISON
AND WAS RELEASED IN THE WINTER OF 2004.
THAT WAS NOTHING FOR WHAT SHE HAD PLANNED
AND WHAT SHE WAS GOING TO CARRY OUT.
I THINK SHE SHOULD HAVE GOT AT LEAST 10 YEARS.
I MEAN, SHE HONESTLY DESERVED THAT TIME.
Narrator: ON JUNE 3, 2004,
JOHN AND TINA'S DIVORCE BECAME FINAL.
BUT A LOOPHOLE IN THE CALIFORNIA DIVORCE LAWS
MEANT THAT TINA WAS STILL ENTITLED
TO HALF OF JOHN'S ASSETS AND PENSION,
TOTALING ALMOST $70,000.
IT'S JUST A SLAP IN THE FACE
THAT THIS WOMAN WAS ENTITLED TO ANY MONEY AT ALL.
Moore: I THOUGHT THIS WAS ABSOLUTELY LUDICROUS
FOR HER TO GET HALF OF HIS RETIREMENT
AND HALF OF HIS DEFERRED COMPENSATION MONEY
AND ANYTHING ELSE THAT HE HAD.
SHE GETS HALF OF EVERYTHING. THAT WAS COMPLETELY WRONG.
Narrator: FURIOUS, JOHN WENT TO LAWMAKERS TO GET EVEN.
I WENT TO MY LOCAL ASSEMBLYMAN.
I WROTE HIM A LETTER TALKING ABOUT THE SITUATION
AND WHY I BELIEVED THE LAW NEEDED TO BE CHANGED.
Narrator: FOLLOWING HER RELEASE,
TINA WAS ARRESTED FOR THEFT, A D.U.I., AND DRUG POSSESSION.
SO IN 2006, THE COURTS GAVE JOHN AND HIS TWO BOYS
A RESTRAINING ORDER AGAINST HER FOR FIVE YEARS.
IT WAS MY BELIEF
THAT, BECAUSE TINA'S BEHAVIOR WITH DRUGS WAS BACK
AND KNOWING WHAT HER STATE OF MIND WAS,
I FELT THAT THERE WAS PROBABLY MORE OF A DANGER TO MY FAMILY
THAN BEFORE.
Narrator: ACCORDING TO JOHN,
TINA HAS NEVER ONCE APOLOGIZED OR SHOWN REMORSE
FOR WHAT SHE DID.
MY MOM WOULD NEVER ADMIT TO ACTUALLY ANYTHING.
SHE WOULD ONLY SAY, "I AM SORRY FOR BEING AWAY."
THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE SORRY FOR?
YOU'RE NOT SORRY FOR YOUR ACTIONS.
YOU'RE NOT SORRY THAT YOU TRIED
TO DO SOMETHING TOTALLY HEINOUS TOWARDS MY FATHER,
AND IT WAS VERY UPSETTING.
Narrator: IN JULY OF 2010, JOHN FINALLY SUCCEEDED
IN GETTING THE CALIFORNIA DIVORCE LAW CHANGED.
THE HIT MAN BILL WAS SIGNED
AND WENT INTO EFFECT ON JANUARY 1, 2011.
BUT JOHN DID NOT GET REIMBURSED
FOR WHAT HE HAD ALREADY PAID TO TINA.
THE SATISFACTION FROM GETTING THE LAW CHANGED
WAS NOT ABOUT GETTING ANYTHING FOR ME.
IT WAS ABOUT PREVENTING THIS KIND OF TRAUMA
FROM HAPPENING TO ANYBODY ELSE IN THE FUTURE.
Narrator: TODAY JOHN IS STILL A DETECTIVE
AND IS CLOSER THAN EVER TO HIS TWO BOYS.
THEY'VE GROWN UP A LOT THROUGH THIS.
MICHAEL'S 21. HE'S GOING TO COLLEGE.
BRANDON'S 16. HE'S PLAYING BALL IN HIGH SCHOOL.
HE'S LOVING HIS TEENAGE YEARS.
MY FATHER COULD HAVE GONE COMPLETELY DOWNHILL
AFTER THE WHOLE SITUATION WITH MY MOM,
BUT YET HE DIDN'T.
HE BECAME SOMETHING MORE THAN JUST A VICTIM OF MY MOM.
HE'S BECOME STRONGER.
Narrator: THROUGH HIS FAITH,
JOHN HAS BEEN ABLE TO FORGIVE TINA FOR WHAT SHE DID,
BUT HE WILL NEVER FORGET.
I DON'T BELIEVE IT'S OUR ROLE ON EARTH TO FORGIVE AND FORGET.
IT'S OUR JOB TO FORGIVE AND LIVE MORE WISELY.
Narrator: JOHN CREDITS THERAPY WITH HELPING HIM REGAIN HIS LIFE
AND CONTINUE RAISING HIS TWO SONS.
John: THIS EXPERIENCE HELPED ME TO FOCUS
ON WHAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT,
AND WHAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT IS NOT THINGS, IT'S PEOPLE.
I'VE GOT A BETTER LIFE THAN I EVER HAD BEFORE,
SO I'M A VERY BLESSED MAN.